#but i like to think of it as an artistic expression

[moon-of-curses]

I believe originally the body modifications, and thus corporate ownership of parts of your body, was meant to be an allegory for artistic expression being lost to media companies.

which like. yes there's a conversation to be had on intersectionality and whether or not original Cyberpunk did it properly but I think it's also notable that corporate America wanted so badly not to have that conversation that it did exactly what Cyberpunk warned us it would do

why are cyberpunk tabletop things so obsessed with decency and personhood being tied to how many surgeries you haven’t had

[shineemoon]

250227 Billboard Interview Taemin Talks Long Road to First U.S. Tour, Control In His Career and Why He’s No Longer ‘A Frog in a Well’

Q: In under a year, you’ve performed across new countries, joined a new agency company, participated in new TV shows, and have new collaborators. Is there any big lesson that you’re thinking about throughout the tour? Yeah, so many things learned. I mean, we can just even talk about what I’ve learned in promoting and the industry’s deeper inner workings. Before, I felt like, let’s say, I was executing tasks and just knowing that task. But now, in a way, I’m leading it and taking care of the different details. Not a whole concert, but I’m really learning the system, even when it comes to just the performance direction. I feel now I’m becoming more independent. Previously, I was a kid and now I’m learning what to do and how to care and think for myself. Also not to mention, fans were waiting for a global tour and now I believe that it can work. To use a Korean expression, I’m no longer “a frog in a well.” I’m out in the real world. Internally, I feel even stronger and life is all about maturing as you gain experience. I feel like this is true for artists too because this idea of expression or creativity, it stems from experiences and I’ve been having numerous experiences.

Q: Looking ahead, what does this year look like for you? Are you preparing things now so that when the tour finishes, you can get back to work? [Laughs] Um, I have a lot planned.  After the tour, I want to finish with the Korean encore concert, which we will have, then the SHINee album will come out and we will have a SHINee show. I will also have my own album coming out…it’ll be quite exciting…it’s not confirmed if it’s a full album yet, but my solo album will come out.

Full Interview → HERE

[johnwickb1tsch]

lessons in anatomy XIII

a yandere art professor John Wick x drawing model muse! reader AU... (also featuring Matt from River's Edge. If you haven't seen the movie that's ok, I will fill in the gaps as we go...) warnings: dark adult themes, violence, sex, drugs, yandere shit. plz don't read if u can't handle it ->chapter map

XIII.

-You thought you’d done a good job talking yourself up to it, but you are so embarrassed, when you get up on the model stand, and it's time to start class…and you simply can't do it. You freeze, absolutely unable to bring yourself to take off your robe, to expose yourself again after your near brush with…whatever the fuck those creeps intended to do with you. 

“I…”

You don't even know where to begin to explain. You wait for John to say something cutting or sarcastic. To be a jerk about it, annoyed that you're stalling his class.

You watch warily as he approaches the model stand, hands in his pockets, the very picture of the brooding artist. Yet when he looks up at you…there’s an empathy in his dark eyes that squeezes your heart with a fist. He could have pushed you over with a feather when he asks, “Are you alright, y/n?”

Sadly, you shake your head, hugging yourself. “I’m…not sure I can do this right now. I'm so sorry.” You sway on your feet, and he must sense something wild inside you, a mare threatening to bolt, or a statue ready to tumble, because he holds up his hands as though to steady you–those large, eloquent hands with their impossibly long fingers.

You don’t know what possesses you, when you take his fingers in yours, holding on to him like he is a life line. They’re strong, and calloused, and for the first time since waking up after your mishap you feel somewhat anchored to the world around you. 

He lets you hold on to him, his expression softening for you the way it used to, before you had your heated little tiff over Matt’s work. His voice is low, and calming, acting like a balm for your troubled soul. 

“That's ok, y/n. It's your choice. Do you maybe think you could sit for us with your robe on?”

You think about it a few moments before nodding. 

“Alright.” He squeezes your fingers encouragingly. “Let's do some warm ups, then we'll pick a pose.”

You nod, and somehow, this small gesture of support empowers you again to do your thing. 

- You're not sure how he knew you needed it, but in the end you decide on a reclining pose. John produces blankets and pillows from the closet to make you a comfortable nest on the otherwise hard model stand, and you hate to admit it, but…you fall asleep. 

You haven't been sleeping well, and something about being here in this place you love, rather than your cold and lonely apartment fulfills something you've been missing the past few weeks. 

By some miracle, as though even your sleeping brain knows, you do not move from your position even in slumber. It takes a gentle hand upon your ankle to rouse you,  and you wake with a start to find John standing over you. 

The room is empty of students; through the windows you can see that night has fallen outside. Fuck.

“I'm so sorry,” you immediately apologize, bolting up right. The class ends at six. How much longer did you keep him here?

“It’s ok,” he says in his soothing baritone. “Are you…ok, y/n?”

You look at him looking at you so earnestly with those infinite dark eyes–it ties you up in knots, and you feel like you can't hide a thing from him. Like…he already knows, and just wants to give you an outlet to talk about it, if you want. 

“Something …bad happened at the Monster Masque,” you admit in a whisper, looking fixedly at the corner of your blanket beneath you. “I've just…felt weird, ever since.” 

His frown is like a thunderhead, forbidding and beautiful. “Do you need help, y/n?”

You shake your head. “No. I think…the matter is closed.”

“Oh?”

“I think…someone took care of it for me.”

“Who?”

“I…don't know. Maybe someone I met at the ball. I think…” You look to him, drowning, and you can't help but compare his stare to the black satin shine of your Lone Wolf’s eyes. Dear lord, do you have a type. “I think he saved me.” 

John lifts a single dark brow to this. “Sounds like you have a guardian angel, y/n.” 

A shaky little laugh escapes you. “Yeah.” You think that guardian demon might be more likely, but you don’t say it aloud. 

When you dismount from the modeling stand the concrete floor is shockingly hard and cold beneath your feet; your leg tingles with pins and needles, having fallen asleep. You take a step and would have stumbled–-but John catches you, holding you in his strong arms. 

You swear you didn’t do it on purpose, but you find it’s a very nice place to be. There is something hauntingly familiar about being held like this, tucked against his chest with his arms around you. You look up at him from so very close, and you realize something is different. 

“You cut off your beard,” you say, maybe with way more wonder in your voice than the observation actually warrants, but there's something about being able to see the sharp lines of his jaw that moves you to your toes. 

“I trimmed a little.” He doesn't scold you for staring at him like a star struck idiot. He seems…content, to stand like this with you, while you are reeling in this bottomless freefall into deja-vu.

He has a distractingly beautiful mouth, lips full and infuriatingly kissable. You cannot tear your eyes from the lower half of his face; the sum total of its lines strum some forgotten chord inside you.

Is it possible?

Your memory is so fractured from that night. Nothing is clear amidst the bits and pieces that remain to you. The gaps are large as a canyon in your mind, yawning fissures in the landscape of your memory. Whatever those boys drugged you with…it really fucked you up, and just thinking about it makes you want to hide under John Wick’s chin and not come out for a week. 

You decide that you are wishfully projecting your hopes onto this man. That he had much better things to be doing on Halloween, than masquerading around in an animal costume just to flirt with you. 

“Have you been eating, y/n?” he asks, squeezing your sides gently. You suppose he remembers how much padding you had from the last time you were in his hands. The memory of that lightning-charged squabble compared to how he handles you now makes you weak all over again. 

You shrug, embarrassed for some reason. “Not…well.” 

He nods, because he already knew the answer. “Come home for dinner with me.”

“I…would hate to bother you.” Deep down you want to say yes, and yet you cannot shake the dogged mantle of your hesitance. 

“No bother. I think it would be good for you.” 

He's being polite, yet there is a firm insistence in his tone that leaves no further room for argument.

“Okay.” You manage to keep the tremor out of your voice as you agree, and you decide to give yourself a point for bravery. Your score’s been running in the negatives lately, and maybe this will be good for you.

Or maybe you'll ruin it, the way you ruin everything, eventually.

TBC...

___

->chapter map pinterest board/ photo credits

[multi-fandom-imagine]

🎨Little Masterpiece || Rafayel ||

A/n: He would be an amazing father

The first thing you notice when you walk into the sunlit living room is the mess. You had to bite your tongue from screaming out in frustration as your gaze looked everything over.

Splotches of blue, red, and yellow paint streak across the floor, tiny handprints marking the walls, and the unmistakable giggles of your three-year-old echoing through the air. In the middle of the chaos stands Rafayel, tall and effortlessly poised despite the absolute disaster surrounding him.

And in his arms? Your little artist, clutching a paintbrush like a scepter, her hands covered in an explosion of color.

“Ah, my love,” Rafayel greets you, voice lilting with amusement, his usual teasing edge barely concealed. He shifts his grip on your daughter, adjusting them easily on his hip as if they weigh nothing. “You’re just in time to witness true genius at work.”

You blink. Then, slowly, take in the scene before you a weak whimper leaving your lips.

The walls—oh god, the walls. What was once pristine now looks like an abstract battlefield, vibrant streaks of color smeared across its once-perfect surface. The coffee table, once a respectable piece of furniture, is now a canvas, bearing the evidence of tiny, eager hands experimenting with brush strokes. Even the floor isn’t spared, a tragic victim of tiny feet that have stomped through spilled paint like it was a festival of colors.

And yet, despite the sheer chaos, Rafayel is grinning. Beaming with utter pride.

Your child wriggles in his arms, holding up her latest masterpiece—a scrap of paper barely visible under the thick layers of paint. “Look, Mama!”she chirps, their wide, bright eyes—so much like yours—shining with excitement. “I made a big picture!”

Your gaze flicks back to Rafayel, expecting even a hint of guilt, maybe a nervous chuckle. Instead, he looks absolutely, ridiculously proud.

Your daughter waves her paint-covered hands, flinging a few more drops onto the already stained floor. Rafayel barely flinches. If anything, he holds her closer, his own shirt now streaked with color. The sight of him, all white and pristine, now a mess of tiny fingerprints and stray streaks of blue, is almost too much. His hair even caked with paint, your husband not caring at all.

You pinch the bridge of your nose. “Rafayel.”

He hums, blinking down at you with those infuriatingly beautiful pink and blue eyes.

“Why,” you say slowly, voice teetering on the edge of exasperation, “is our daughter painting the walls?”

A beat of silence. Then, with an utterly shameless grin, he replies, “Because she is an artist, of course.”

You stare at him....just a blank look because by now you should be used to his antics.

Rafayel, with the full audacity of a man who has never been told “no” in his life, gestures toward the wall like it’s a grand masterpiece hanging in a gallery. “Just look at this expression! The boldness! The confidence in their strokes! My little one has an eye for color, don’t you think?” He turns his gaze back to your child, expression utterly besotted. “Truly,” he coos, “you take after your father.”

Your daughter giggles, throwing her tiny paint-covered arms around his neck. “Papa says I make good art!”

“The best art,” Rafayel affirms solemnly, pressing a kiss to her messy hair, uncaring of the blue smudge it leaves on his cheek.

You groan, running a hand through your hair. “I leave you alone for one hour—”

“And what a magnificent hour it has been,” Rafayel interrupts smoothly. “Our daughter has embraced her creative spirit. We should encourage this kind of talent, don’t you think?” His voice is all teasing, but there’s genuine warmth beneath it, a quiet joy at witnessing his child’s happiness.

You want to argue. You really do. But then you look at them—your little girl, beaming with absolute pride, her cheeks flushed with excitement. And Rafayel, looking at her like she hung the stars in the sky. His usually teasing, impish expression is softer now, affectionate in a way only you ever get to see.

He’s never cared much for the world’s judgment. He plays at being charming and carefree when it suits him, cold and ruthless when it doesn’t. But with your daughter in his arms, his child, Rafayel is completely and utterly himself—no masks, no arrogance, just pure, undiluted love.

And despite the absolute mess surrounding you, despite knowing that you’ll be scrubbing paint off the floors for days, you feel your heart soften.

Still, you let out a long-suffering sigh. “Rafayel,” you say, crossing your arms, “you’re cleaning this up.”

He grins, unbothered. “Of course, my love. But first—” He shifts his daughter in his arms, holding her up slightly. “Shall we add a final touch to your masterpiece?”

The little girl gasps dramatically. “More paint!”

“More paint!” Rafayel echoes, positively delighted.

You groan again, but you’re already smiling. “Absolutely not!”

Rafayel pouts, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Come now, where’s your artistic spirit?”

“It died when I saw the walls.”

Your daughter gasps again, scandalized. “Mama!”

"Fine....fine..more paint" you mutter.

Rafayel chuckles, pressing a quick kiss to your forehead before grinning down at his daughter. "Told you mama would cave."

You shake your head, utterly exasperated. But as your daughter cheers and Rafayel laughs, his warm gaze never straying from yours, you know deep down—you wouldn’t trade this for anything.

Even if it means living in a house that now resembles an art exhibit gone very wrong.

[morlock-holmes]

Good political art is produced, I think, in a way that communicates that the artist is exercising his own judgement; he has considered the politics from many different angles and reached a conclusion.

Bad political art often adopts positions not because of an inner judgement of the artist combined with the ability to truly wrestle with objections to the point being expressed, but rather a glib and thoughtless regurgitation of whatever positions are held by the intended audience.

Also, I may have said this before but in a lot of ways I associate bold, direct, easy to assert symbolism with low art and ambiguous "The curtains are just blue" moments with high art.

Like famously the red room in Twin Peaks looks that way because David Lynch put his hand on a hot car hood.

In something like Madoka every background is really specifically designed to amplify a clear emotional reading of the scene.

I just got to the part of Moby Dick where Ishmael tells us what a shame it would be to read the story as an allegory. The story where all the Christian characters have biblical names.

Like, it's the children's cartoon where every detail of the background has an immediate symbolic significance, and high art where often the artist himself will say, "Making the curtains blue just seemed like the right choice".

I am absolutely not joking at all when I say that The Sixth Sense should be required as teaching material when you’re trying to get kids to learn about why color matters.

No, the red DOESN’T mean love or violence or passion, however the creators set it up so that in this particular work red means OH NO A SCARY GHOST IS HERE.

When I was in college (as a lit major) I ended up sitting down and talking to a returning student who was having trouble in one of our classes. He liked books, and he had GI bill money so he decided to be a lit major.

He was VERY confused about the “The Curtains Are Blue And It Means Something” approach to symbolism and I remember that he very seriously got out a notebook and a pen, sat down, and asked me “Okay so what to stars mean as a symbol?” 

And I was at a loss because of course I was! Stars-as-a-symbol can mean a thousand things and are heavily dependent on context. Are you reading a book about sea travel? Stars mean a map. Are you reading Maus? Stars represent faith and community and the way that the Nazis dehumanized Jewish people. Are you reading something by a romantic author who has a thing for the classics? Stars probably have something to do with heroism and destiny. Are you reading science fiction? Stars are probably just stars but if you’re reading Whipping Star by Frank Herbert they are literally people and our entire conception of stars is reexamined.

So one one the things that I think a lot of people are missing in their high school English classes is that whether the curtains are blue matters or not depends on the work.

The fact that Hamlet is wearing black is an important part of the story and the antagonist commenting on it it is almost the first thing that happens in the play.

What color dress is Lizzy wearing at the first dance in Pride & Prejudice? It doesn’t matter, the curtains are just blue.

And that’s one of those things that it takes a lot of time and a lot of exposure to different kinds of stories to learn and when you’re in high school you just don’t have that experience and your teachers are just now telling you for the first time “sometimes it matters why the curtains are blue” and I know you’re going “okay, sounds fake” but the goal is to get you to look at blue curtains and ask if they do matter, which is why they hand you books with big obvious examples of the kind of shit they’re talking about. You read A Tale of Two Cities because it’s full of binaries and line motifs and it’s the perfect thing to teach a fifteen year old how to look for a motif because there are a shitload of them. You read  The Scarlet Letter to look for color symbolism and to ferret out biblical allusions.

“The curtains are just blue” is just “yet another day has gone by and I haven’t needed algebra.” Most people aren’t going to need algebra in their day-to-day lives but it’s handy to know how to do a bit when you need it and it’s good to learn that the concept exists.

If you’re reading books just because they’re fun and you like them then that is cool and I’m glad you’re having a good time and you absolutely do not have to give a fuck about symbolism.

But I am going to laugh my ass off at you if you’re one of those folks who is like “the curtains are just blue it doesn’t matter” and then whines about why scifi and comics and cartoons and video games are all political these days. They were always political, you just couldn’t tell because the curtains were red.

(also because you were socialized to see certain things as apolitical and value neutral but if you’re going “WHY DO THEY PUT SERIOUS MORALS AND SHIT IN A KID’S SHOW, STEPHEN UNIVERSE IS FOR TEN YEAR OLDS IT’S NOT THAT DEEP, LOONEY TUNES WASN’T LIKE THIS” I’m afraid I’m going to have to refer you to all the actual war propaganda made by Disney and Warner Brothers.)

[huhtriever]

Stay a little long - Part 4 Final

main menu - previous

The day of the date had finally arrived, and YN was equal parts excited and nervous. She had planned everything down to the smallest detail but had told Daniela almost nothing—only that she needed to bring extra clothes and a swimsuit.

As she got ready, her phone was propped up on her dresser, Yunjin and Giselle’s faces filling the screen on a video call.

"Okay, I still think you should wear something a little more…" Giselle trailed off, squinting at YN’s reflection in the mirror.

"Sexy," Yunjin finished, smirking.

YN rolled her eyes, adjusting the fit of her black jeans. "I’m not trying to seduce her, I’m taking her on a date."

"Yeah, and you can do both," Giselle said matter-of-factly. "It’s called multitasking."

"You guys are impossible," YN muttered.

Yunjin leaned in closer to the camera, her expression suddenly more serious. "Okay, but really, are you nervous?"

YN hesitated for half a second before sighing. "A little."

Giselle tilted her head. "Because it’s your first real date in a while… or because it’s with Daniela?"

"Both," YN admitted, running a hand through her hair. "It’s different this time. We’re different this time."

Yunjin hummed in thought. "Well, then it’s a good thing you planned a killer date. She’s gonna love it."

"You haven’t even heard the full plan," YN pointed out.

Giselle crossed her arms. "Which is exactly why we’re asking. Spill."

YN grabbed her phone from the dresser and flopped onto her bed. "Alright, first stop: the festival. Her favorite artist is performing."

Yunjin let out a dramatic gasp. "Shut up. That’s actually genius."

"And then?" Giselle pressed.

"After that," YN continued, a small smile forming, "I’m taking her somewhere special. One of her favorite places."

Yunjin and Giselle exchanged a look.

"Wow," Yunjin said. "Who knew you were a secret romantic?"

"I mean, I had an idea," Giselle teased. "But this? This is next level."

YN shrugged, trying to play it cool, but she knew they were right. This date wasn’t just about having fun—it was about proving to Daniela that she meant what she said. That she wasn’t going to run this time.

Just then, her phone buzzed with a message. She glanced at the screen and saw Daniela’s name pop up.

Daniela: I’m nervous. Should I be nervous?

YN bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile as she quickly typed back.

YN: Not at all. Just trust me.

The reply came almost instantly.

Daniela: That’s hard when I have no idea what’s happening.

YN chuckled, shaking her head.

YN: Relax. Leaving now. Be there soon.

Yunjin, who had been looking at YN all smiley, snorted. "Wow, you’re being all mysterious. Love that."

"She’s gonna be so flustered," Giselle added. "I need live updates."

"Yeah, yeah," YN said, rolling her eyes as she grabbed her keys. "I gotta go."

"Don’t mess this up!" Yunjin called before the call ended.

YN double-checked that she had everything before stepping out of her apartment, her heart pounding with anticipation. She locked the front door behind her, taking a deep breath before making her way to her car. The evening air was warm, buzzing with the faint sounds of city life, but all she could focus on was what lay ahead.

She tossed her backpack into the back seat and slid into the driver’s seat, her fingers tapping lightly against the steering wheel. Before heading to Daniela’s, there was one more stop she needed to make.

Pulling out her phone, she quickly entered directions to the nearest flower shop. Roses. Daniela liked roses. She wasn’t sure if it was cliché, but it felt right. A small gesture, something to make Daniela smile before the night even started.

As she backed out of the driveway, she exhaled slowly, gripping the wheel a little tighter. 

Once YN had picked up the flowers and paid, she drove straight to Daniela’s place. The closer she got, the more her nerves kicked in, and by the time she pulled up, she found herself gripping the steering wheel, staring at the front door.

Why am I nervous? It’s just Daniela.

But that was the thing—it was Daniela. And this date meant more than either of them was saying out loud.

After five minutes of sitting there, hyping herself up, she finally got out of the car and walked up to the door. Taking a deep breath, she knocked.

The door swung open, and YN’s younger sister, Yoonchae, blinked up at her in surprise.

“Unnie? I didn’t know you were coming over today. Did we have plans?” she asked, stepping aside as YN entered.

“Uh, no, actually, I’m here for—”

“She’s here for me, Yoonchip.”

Daniela’s voice cut in before YN could finish. When YN turned, she nearly forgot how to breathe.

Daniela stood there in light blue jeans and a white cropped shirt, her hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders. The warm lighting of the living room made her skin glow, and YN had to actively stop herself from staring.

Jaw. Dropped.

“Sorry for the wait,” Daniela said, flashing a smile. “I just need to grab a few things, and then we can go.”

YN cleared her throat, willing herself to focus. “Oh—uh, yeah. That’s fine. Um… these are for you.”

She held out the bouquet of roses, and she immediately regretted how awkward she sounded.

Behind her, Yoonchae and the other girls in the house let out a chorus of giggles, clearly entertained by the interaction.

Daniela’s eyes widened slightly before softening as she took the flowers. “You got me roses?”

YN rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah… I figured you’d like them.”

Daniela bit her lip to hide a smile before turning toward her room. “I’ll go put these away. Be right back.”

As soon as she disappeared down the hall, YN sighed and made her way to the couch. She barely had time to settle before Lara leaned in with a teasing grin.

“So… where exactly are you taking her?”

YN smirked. “It’s a surprise.”

“Oh, come on, you’re no fun,” Megan groaned dramatically.

“Fine,” YN relented, rolling her eyes. “We’re going to a carnival. Playboi Carti is performing.”

The girls immediately reacted—eyebrows raised, impressed nods, and a few murmurs of nice one.

“And then after,” YN continued, “I’m taking her somewhere special.”

That got their attention.

Sophia narrowed her eyes in her leader-like fashion. “Hey. No funny business, YN.”

YN put her hands up in surrender. “Nothing like that. I promise.”

“Uh-huh,” Sophia said, unconvinced. “Also, don’t be out too late.”

Manon, who had been quietly observing with a smirk, finally spoke up. “I don’t know, Sophia… Daniela did look a little too excited when she saw YN.”

The girls burst into laughter while YN groaned, covering her face. “Can you guys not do this right now?”

Manon grinned. “I’m just saying, maybe you won’t be the one to break the ‘no funny business’ rule.”

Daniela walked back in just in time to hear that. “What are you guys talking about?”

Megan snickered. “Nothing. Just that we hope YN survives the night.”

Daniela raised an eyebrow at YN, amused. “Do I need to be worried?”

YN shook her head quickly. “Nope. Not at all. Let’s go.”

Daniela gave one last wave to the girls before stepping toward the door, but Sophia wasn’t done yet.

“YN.”

YN froze. “Yeah?”

Sophia crossed her arms. “You already know what I’m gonna say.”

YN sighed. “No funny business, be responsible, don’t stay out too late. Got it.”

Sophia nodded. “Good.”

Daniela rolled her eyes with a small laugh. “Okay, mom, we’re leaving now.”

The two of them said their final goodbyes before stepping outside. As they walked toward the car, YN instinctively moved ahead and opened the passenger door for Daniela.

Daniela paused, a surprised look flashing across her face before a small smile formed on her lips. “Oh? Look at you being all chivalrous.”

YN smirked, leaning against the door. “I have my moments.”

Daniela chuckled as she slid into the seat. “Guess I’ll have to see if you keep it up all night.”

YN shut the door gently before jogging around to the driver’s side, her heart beating just a little faster.

Yoonchae, who had been watching from the porch, cupped her hands around her mouth and called out, “Unnie, don’t mess this up!”

YN groaned, shaking her head as she got into the car. Daniela just laughed, clearly entertained.

As YN pulled out of the driveway, she glanced at Daniela, who was already looking at her.

“Ready?” YN asked.

Daniela smiled. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

– 

As YN drove down the road, the hum of the engine blended with the faint music playing from the car’s speakers. The streetlights flickered past, casting a warm glow over the dashboard as she and Daniela made small talk.

“I really can’t know where we’re going?” Daniela asked, her voice laced with curiosity and a hint of impatience.

“Nope, it’s a surprise,” YN teased, a smirk playing on her lips. “Plus, we’re almost there.”

Daniela huffed playfully, crossing her arms as she gazed out the window. The road stretched ahead, but soon, a vibrant glow appeared in the distance. The towering Ferris wheel, flashing neon lights, and the distant sound of laughter and music gave away their destination before YN even had to say a word.

Daniela’s eyes widened as realization hit her. “NO WAY! WE’RE GOING HERE?” she nearly shouted, pressing her hands against the window. But then her gaze landed on a massive banner near the entrance, and her excitement doubled. “PLAYBOI CARTI IS PLAYING TONIGHT?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?”

YN grinned, satisfied with Daniela’s reaction. “Yup. I saw that, plus Manon mentioned you really wanted to go.”

For a moment, Daniela didn’t say anything. Instead, she turned her head slightly, watching YN with a soft smile, her heart warming at the thoughtfulness behind the surprise. YN, focused on finding a parking spot, didn’t notice the way Daniela was looking at her.

As YN pulled into the parking lot, the neon lights of the carnival reflected off the car’s windshield, casting a colorful glow over Daniela’s face. She was practically bouncing in her seat, her excitement contagious.

“I seriously can’t believe you did this,” Daniela said, turning to YN with a wide grin. “You’re the best.”

YN chuckled, unbuckling her seatbelt. “Well, I do have my moments.” She shot Daniela a playful wink before stepping out of the car.

Daniela followed, still grinning as they made their way toward the entrance. The smell of funnel cakes and popcorn filled the air, mixed with the distant sound of carnival rides and laughter.

As they walked, YN felt Daniela’s gaze lingering on her. She turned her head slightly. “What?” she asked with a smirk.

Daniela just shrugged, still smiling. “Nothing… just—thank you.”

YN felt a warmth spread through her chest, but she played it off with a small laugh. “Don’t thank me yet. We still have a whole night ahead of us.”

Daniela nudged her playfully. “And Playboi Carti!”

YN rolled her eyes but laughed. “Yeah, yeah, let’s get going before we miss anything.”

The moment they stepped into the carnival, the vibrant energy of the night wrapped around them like a warm embrace. The flashing neon lights, the distant sound of laughter and screams from the rides, and the scent of deep-fried treats filled the air. YN glanced over at Daniela, whose eyes darted from one attraction to the next, soaking in the scene with childlike excitement.

“Okay,” YN said, slipping her hands into her pockets. “What do you wanna do first?”

Daniela didn’t hesitate, her gaze locking onto the massive swing ride spinning above them. The chains glistened under the bright lights, carrying riders high into the air before swooping them down in graceful arcs. “The swings!” she declared, grabbing YN’s hand and pulling her toward the entrance.

YN chuckled at Daniela’s enthusiasm but didn’t protest. “You’re acting like you’ve never been to a carnival before,” she teased.

“Not like this,” Daniela admitted, her grip on YN’s hand tightening for just a second before she let go. “Come on, before the line gets longer.”

Strapped into their seats, their legs dangled freely as the ride slowly began to ascend. The moment it took off, the wind rushed past them, tangling their hair and making Daniela throw her arms out dramatically. “This is amazing!” she yelled, her laughter carried away by the wind.

YN turned to watch her, amused by how carefree she looked. She pulled out her phone, capturing Daniela mid-spin. “Say hi to your fans,” she teased, making Daniela roll her eyes before flashing an exaggerated peace sign.

When the ride finally slowed, they stumbled off, giggling like kids. They took turns taking pictures of each other in front of the ride, their laughter echoing through the night. Just as they were about to move on, a group of fans recognized them.

“Wait… is that YN and Daniela?” a girl whispered before stepping closer.

“Oh my god, it is them!” another squealed.

Daniela shot YN a look, half amused, half guilty. “Busted,” YN muttered with a smirk.

They both knew they were supposed to be keeping a low profile, but in the moment, neither of them cared. They stopped to take pictures, chatting with fans and sharing laughs before finally slipping away to enjoy more of the carnival.

After riding a few more attractions and grabbing snacks, the time for Playboi Carti’s performance finally arrived. As soon as the heavy bass rattled through the speakers, Daniela’s energy skyrocketed. She sang along at the top of her lungs, jumping with the crowd, her face alight with joy.

YN couldn’t stop laughing at her. “You’re insane,” she called over the music, still recording Daniela’s every dramatic reaction.

Daniela turned, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “You brought me to a Playboi Carti concert—what did you expect?”

YN just shook her head, grinning, but deep down, she was glad. This was exactly what she had hoped for when planning the night.

As the concert ended and the carnival started to wind down, Daniela spotted a ring toss booth and gasped. “Ooooh, we have to play this one!”

“You’re gonna lose,” YN taunted.

“Watch me,” Daniela shot back, determined. But after a few failed attempts, she groaned dramatically. “Okay, fine, maybe I suck at this.”

YN smirked before stepping up, aiming carefully. With one smooth toss, the ring landed perfectly around the bottle.

The game attendant clapped. “We have a winner!”

Daniela folded her arms, pouting. “Alright, show-off. What are you gonna do with your prize?”

YN barely hesitated before picking out the biggest teddy bear and handing it to her. “Give it to you, obviously.”

Daniela blinked in surprise, then let out a soft laugh. “You’re such a show-off,” she muttered, hugging the teddy bear close. But the way her cheeks warmed said more than her words ever could.

YN shrugged, flashing a teasing smile. “And yet, you love it.”

Daniela shook her head, laughing. “Let’s go home before your ego gets any bigger.”

As they walked toward the exit, the carnival lights flickered behind them, casting a golden glow over their fading silhouettes. The night had been everything Daniela hadn’t even known she needed. She hugged the teddy bear tightly, stealing a glance at YN.

“You really did all this for me?” she asked softly.

YN shrugged, suddenly shy. “Yeah. You deserved it.”

Daniela stopped in her tracks, looking at YN with something deeper than gratitude. “You have no idea how much this meant to me,” she murmured. “No one’s ever done something like this for me before.”

YN felt a tightness in her chest but played it off with a playful nudge. “Well, get used to it.”

Daniela let out a soft laugh before linking her arm through YN’s. “Come on, show-off. I have one more surprise for you.”

– 

As they pulled up to their final destination, YN reached over, gently tapping Daniela’s hand. “Okay, we’re here. But… you have to close your eyes.”

Daniela raised a suspicious brow. “Oh, we’re doing this now?” she teased.

YN rolled her eyes, smirking as she grabbed a blindfold from the glove compartment. “Yes, we are. Now, be a good and put this on.”

Daniela took the blindfold and let out a dramatic gasp. “Woah, kinky,” she joked as she slipped it over her eyes.

YN chuckled, shaking her head. “Only you could make this weird.” She climbed out of the car and walked over to Daniela’s side, taking her hand. “Alright, trust me?”

Daniela grinned. “Always.”

Guiding her carefully, YN led Daniela through the house, making sure she didn’t trip on anything. Daniela squeezed YN’s hand every now and then, giggling. “You know, if you’re kidnapping me, you could’ve at least let me grab my teddy bear.”

YN laughed softly. “Just shut up and walk.”

Finally, they reached their destination. YN paused, taking a moment to admire the setup—fairy lights twinkling softly, a cozy blanket spread across the sand, candles flickering gently in the night breeze. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore only made it more perfect.

She took a deep breath, stepping behind Daniela. “Okay, you can take it off now.”

Daniela pulled off the blindfold and blinked a few times as her vision adjusted. When she finally took in the sight before her, her mouth parted slightly in shock.

A breathtaking picnic was set up right by the shore. A woven basket sat on the blanket, filled with an assortment of her favorite snacks. A bottle of sparkling cider glistened under the moonlight, and a small bouquet of her favorite flowers rested beside it. Fairy lights were wrapped around driftwood, casting a soft, golden glow over the entire scene.

Daniela turned slowly, facing YN with wide eyes. “You… you did this? For me?”

YN rubbed the back of her neck, suddenly feeling a little nervous. “Yeah. I wanted to end the night with something special.” She hesitated before adding, “You deserve it.”

Daniela didn’t respond right away. Instead, she stepped closer, wrapping her arms around YN in a tight embrace. She buried her face into YN’s shoulder, holding on like she never wanted to let go.

“Thank you,” she whispered, voice thick with emotion. “No one has ever done anything like this for me before.”

YN felt her chest tighten, her heart swelling at the warmth between them. She rested her chin on Daniela’s head, rubbing slow, soothing circles on her back. “Well… get used to it,” she murmured.

After a moment, Daniela pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at YN. Her eyes shimmered under the moonlight, filled with something deeper than gratitude.

YN tilted her head. “Are you… crying?” she asked softly.

Daniela let out a watery laugh, wiping at her eyes. “Yes! This is literally the sweetest thing ever, and I just—” She paused, shaking her head as if words weren’t enough. “You make me feel so… special.”

YN smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind Daniela’s ear. “That’s because you are special.”

For a moment, they just stood there, staring at each other, the night air thick with something unspoken. YN’s hand lingered by Daniela’s cheek, her thumb grazing over her skin.

Daniela swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper. “You really are something else, you know that?”

YN smirked playfully, trying to lighten the moment. “Oh, I know.”

Daniela rolled her eyes, but her blush betrayed her. She took YN’s hand and squeezed it. “Come on, let’s sit. I wanna enjoy every second of this.”

As they settled onto the blanket, Daniela took a deep breath, inhaling the salty ocean breeze. “This is perfect,” she murmured, running her fingers over the soft fabric of the blanket. “How did you even pull this off?”

YN smirked, reaching for the basket and pulling out a small container. “I had a little help,” she admitted. “A friend set it up while we were at the carnival.” She popped the lid open, revealing fresh fruit, chocolate-covered strawberries, and small sandwiches cut into neat triangles.

Daniela’s eyes sparkled as she picked up a strawberry, biting into it with a satisfied hum. “Okay, I take back every insult I’ve ever thrown at you. You’re officially a genius.”

YN chuckled, shaking her head. “I should’ve recorded that. I don’t think I’ll ever hear you say something that nice again.”

Daniela nudged her playfully. “Shut up and eat.”

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds around them being the gentle crash of the waves and the occasional cry of seagulls. The fairy lights cast a warm glow over them, making everything feel like a dream.

“So,” Daniela said, picking at a piece of bread. “What made you do all this?”

YN took a sip of the sparkling cider before shrugging. “I just… I wanted to give you a night to remember.” She met Daniela’s gaze, her voice softer now. “I feel like you don’t get spoiled enough.”

Daniela let out a small, breathy laugh. “You’re not wrong. I guess I’ve always been the one taking care of myself.” She hesitated, her fingers tracing patterns on the blanket. “I don’t usually let people do things for me. But… I don’t know. With you, it feels different.”

YN smiled, her heart swelling at Daniela’s words. “Well, get used to it. I plan on spoiling you a lot more.”

Daniela bit her lip, her cheeks tinged pink. “You keep talking like that, and I might actually fall for you.”

YN raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Might?”

Daniela rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it. Instead, she grabbed a grape and threw it at YN, making her laugh.

They continued talking, sharing childhood stories, laughing about embarrassing moments, and even diving into deeper topics about their dreams and fears. Daniela told YN about the first time she ever performed on stage, how nervous she had been, and YN shared a memory about her own struggles and how she found her way.

The night felt endless in the best way possible.

When they were done eating, YN stretched her arms, glancing at the ocean. The moon reflected off the water, making it shimmer like liquid silver. She turned to Daniela with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Alright, Dani, time for part two of the surprise,” she announced, standing up and brushing the sand off her clothes.

Daniela raised an eyebrow. “Part two?”

YN grinned. “Go change into your swimsuit.”

Daniela’s mouth fell open slightly. “Wait. Are we going swimming?!”

YN nodded. “Yup. And you don’t get to say no.”

Daniela let out a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. “You are crazy.”

YN smirked, crossing her arms. “Crazy fun.”

Daniela sighed dramatically but was already getting up. “If I die, I’m haunting you.”

YN chuckled. “You wouldn’t dare. You’d miss me too much.”

Daniela shot her a playful glare before grabbing her bag and heading into the house to change. As YN watched her go, she couldn’t help but smile to herself.

When Daniela stepped back outside in her swimsuit, YN had already stripped down to hers, standing at the shoreline with her feet sinking into the cool, wet sand. The ocean waves lapped gently at the shore, illuminated by the moon above.

Daniela shivered slightly as the breeze kissed her skin. “Okay, I’m here. But just so you know, if that water is freezing, I will personally make you suffer.”

YN turned around, her gaze dropping for a split second before she quickly looked back up at Daniela’s face. “You look good,” she said casually, though the slight smirk on her lips betrayed her.

Daniela scoffed, crossing her arms. “I always look good.”

YN didn’t answer with words. Instead, she took off running straight into the water, splashing as she went. Daniela’s eyes widened.

“Are you serious?!” Daniela called out.

YN turned back, now waist-deep, holding out her arms. “Come on, it’s not that bad!”

Daniela took a hesitant step forward, dipping a toe into the water. “You liar! It’s freezing!”

YN laughed. “You’ll get used to it!”

Daniela let out a dramatic groan before running in after her, letting out a high-pitched squeal as the cold water hit her skin. “Oh my God! This was a terrible idea!”

YN was already grinning when Daniela ran up to her, shivering slightly but laughing. “Told you it’s not that bad.”

Daniela rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. “You’re the worst.”

“The worst? Or the best?”

“Undecided.”

YN smirked before suddenly splashing Daniela, making her shriek. “Oh, you did not just do that.”

YN grinned. “What? Can’t handle a little—” Before she could finish, Daniela sent a huge wave of water right at her, hitting YN square in the face.

YN gasped, wiping water from her eyes. “Oh, it’s on now.”

They broke into a full-blown splash war, laughing so hard that they could barely keep their footing in the water. Daniela tried to dodge, but YN caught her by the wrist and spun her around, making her stumble into the waves.

“You suck,” Daniela gasped between giggles, clutching onto YN’s shoulders for balance.

YN steadied her, hands instinctively settling on Daniela’s waist. The playful energy between them suddenly shifted, the space between them smaller than before. Their laughter faded into something quieter, softer.

Daniela’s fingers tightened slightly against YN’s shoulders, her breath coming out in short puffs from the chill of the water—or maybe something else entirely.

YN’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Still think this was a terrible idea?”

Daniela looked up at her, eyes flickering between YN’s lips and her gaze. “Mmm… Maybe not.”

The ocean moved around them, waves lapping against their bodies, but neither of them moved away. YN swallowed, her heart hammering.

Daniela smiled softly, tilting her head. “Are you gonna kiss me or just stare at me all night?”

YN let out a breathy laugh before finally closing the distance. The kiss was slow, warm despite the cool water around them. Daniela’s hands slid up to YN’s neck, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss.

When they finally pulled away, Daniela leaned her forehead against YN’s, eyes still closed as if trying to savor the moment.

YN smirked. “So… still undecided?”

Daniela chuckled, shaking her head. “No. You’re definitely the best.”

YN grinned before stealing another quick kiss. “Took you long enough to admit it.”

Daniela laughed, shoving YN playfully before they both collapsed back into the water, letting the waves carry them into whatever came next.

As they stepped out of the water, the cool night air sent a shiver down Daniela’s spine. She was still catching her breath, her skin tingling from the way YN’s hands had lingered just a little too long when they were splashing around. The glow from the nearby lanterns cast a golden hue over YN’s face, making her look almost unreal, like something out of a dream.

YN grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Daniela’s shoulders, her fingers brushing against bare skin in a way that felt entirely intentional. “Can’t have you freezing on me now,” YN murmured, her voice smooth, teasing.

Daniela smirked, holding the towel closer but not stepping away. “Oh, so you do care?”

YN cocked her head slightly, eyes flickering over Daniela’s face before settling on her lips. “You’re just now figuring that out?”

The air between them grew thick, the kind of tension that made Daniela’s heart race. The night had been perfect, every little thing YN had done making it impossible to ignore the way she felt. And now, standing here, wet swimsuits clinging to their bodies, with nothing but the sound of the waves behind them, it felt like the moment she had been waiting for all night.

YN took a slow step forward, closing the space between them. “You know…” she started, her fingers playing with the edge of Daniela’s towel, “we should probably get out of these wet clothes before we catch a cold.”

Daniela bit her lip, eyes flickering with something deeper, something undeniable. “That an invitation?”

YN smirked, leaning in, her lips barely grazing Daniela’s ear as she whispered, “It’s whatever you want it to be.”

Daniela exhaled sharply, her fingers curling into YN’s damp shirt, tugging her just a little closer. “Then I guess we should go inside,” she murmured.

YN didn’t hesitate, taking Daniela’s hand and leading her toward the house, their laughter mixing with the sound of the ocean. And as the door shut behind them, sealing out the rest of the world, the only thing that mattered was the heat between them and the night that was just beginning.

--

hi guys, i hope you guys like this story. i have more coming soon. lmk if you guys have an request!

Taglist - @xochitlisbest @goofymickeyr @ll0s3r

[oysternymph]

Vil x reader

‘How to amuse a queen’

Notes: Yuu is gender neutral and as such they/them pronouns are used, not beta read, fluff, slightly ooc. He/him pronouns are used for Vil. This is an older fic that I’m reposting for my twst x reader series, I hope it’s enjoyed!

Wc: 1,420

Vil seemed to take an interest in a lot of things. Makeup and fashion were always the first to come to mind. Aside from him being the spokesperson for multiple famous brands, he was always giving people advice on how to look like their best self, regardless if they asked for it or not. He also was very passionate about music and dance, being trained in ballroom dancing from the moment he could walk and always sharing whatever new artist he was into with his friends.

Another thing Vil adored was film, regardless if it was making his own, starring in a film, or simply watching them. According to Rook, his dearest house-warden was simply appalled when he arrived at Night Raven College and saw that there wasn’t a film club. The first thing he did on campus was establish one. Oftentimes, Yuu was dragged along or asked to help out with the club. Though, they didn’t seem to mind; even if Vil was a perfectionist, any time spent with him was well spent.

Once a week, the club would vote on a movie to watch and then they’d watch it on the weekend while working on props. While not a club member, Yuu joined the club every weekend unless they were studying. And due to being around the house-warden, Yuu noticed something: they had never seen Vil laugh. Not even once. Occasionally, his lips would curve up into a gentle smile, but nothing more. He didn’t even laugh during comedy movies, perhaps they weren’t his style of humor but they had even seen Leona and Malleus laugh before. And yet, they couldn’t ever recall Vil laughing.

While Yuu tried their best not to dwell on it, they couldn’t help but think about how Vil’s laugh would sound. Perhaps he didn’t laugh because his laugh was ugly? Everything about Vil was perfect, if he had one flaw, aside from his jealousy, it might be his laugh! After all, for example, Sebek tried not to laugh often due to him having a snorting laugh. Maybe Vil’s was similar?

Despite that thought, it seemed unlikely. Vil wouldn’t hide his laugh even if it wasn’t a pleasant sound. Maybe he just didn’t find a lot of things funny. But even if that was the case, Yuu couldn’t understand how he didn’t even laugh during the most crazy scenarios.

Today, Yuu was on their way to Pomefiore as they had asked Vil for help with potionology. But the real reason for their visit was to make Vil laugh. For starters, they had asked Lilia to help them get a goofy outfit. They were wearing bunny slippers, nerd glasses, sweatpants and a top that had a terrible cat pun. This would easily make anyone laugh, or at least hold back a chuckle. It had to pull some sort of reaction out of Vil! As they finally entered the dorm and entered their lounge room, they saw Vil sitting on his throne as usual, reading one of his many fashion magazines.

“Hi, Vil.”

“Ah good, you’re here just on time-WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?!”

Vil dropped his magazine, rushing over to the shorter student as he took the glasses off of their face and looked them up and down with a displeased expression.

“Oh uh…I just thought I should dress comfortably if we’re studying.”

“This isn’t comfortable. This is a fashion disaster. Do you even need glasses?”

“Nope, but they make me look smarter.”

“Who even told you such a lie?”

Before Yuu could answer, Vil took hold of their wrist and dragged them to his room.

“I don’t care if you want to be comfortable, you could still put effort into your appearance!” the taller man shouted as he dug through his closet, pulling out a cropped purple shirt and a pair of flared leggings, and holding them out to the fellow junior.

“Here. Get dressed in this then we can start your studies.”

Yuu sighed as the house-warden left. Plan number one was a complete bust, but that was okay. Yuu was in this for the long haul. They had plenty of tricks up their sleeve. Once they were dressed in Vil’s clothes, the student decided to look around his room for a moment, after all it wasn’t every day Vil allowed someone into his bedroom. As expected, his room was stylish and grand, fit for a queen one could say.

Yuu walked over to his vanity, gently picking up one of the many skincare bottles on the table. A rice water toner…made by Vil Schoenheit. Was this the product Yuu wanted to ask for another bottle of? At the moment, they just couldn’t remember. Their train of thought was quickly cut off as Vil opened the door, sighing as he saw the student was distracted.

“Yuu, what in sevens name are you doing?”

“Just looking through your stuff.”

“And why would you be doing that? We need to study.”

“...Vil, can you do my makeup?”

The queen raised his eyebrow, walking over to the student and placing a hand on their shoulder.

“Why? You never seemed all that interested in this kind of thing before.”

“Mmm…I was just thinking. Makeup is usually used to change features, but it can be used to enhance existing features as well, right? I wanna try that style of makeup.”

Yuu was slightly taken aback when Vil walked away and into his bathroom, only to return with multiple different makeup products and all sorts of odd tools. Without saying another word, Vil began to apply some sort of sticky serum onto Yuu’s face, causing them to wince slightly.

“It’s just primer, calm down. It helps to make foundation and concealer smoother to apply.”

“Okay…”

For the most part, the sensation of having a handsome man grabbing at your face while he applied makeup was pleasant. Even when Vil would click his tongue in slight annoyance when Yuu’s eyes would flutter at the touch of a brush, he simply continued onward.

That was, until it was time to apply blush. Vil gently swiped some powdered blush onto a large brush, and then began to blend it onto Yuu’s skin. only to stop when he heard soft giggling come from the shorter student.

“What’s wrong?”

“It tickles! Is it supposed to feel like that?”

“No, but it isn’t uncommon. Rook said the same thing the first time I did his makeup. You’ll get used to it. Now hold still.”

Despite their best efforts, Yuu just couldn’t seem to do as Vil commanded. Giggling and moving slightly every time the house warden ghosted the brush over their face.

“Just stay still! How hard of a request is that? I’m going to get blush all over your face if you keep this up!”

“It’s not easy! I’m trying! I mean, how would you feel if someone was doing this to you?”

“I’ve never been ticklish, especially not my face.”

“...So you’re not ticklish?”

Vil slowly put down the makeup brush, taking a step away from Yuu as they stared at him with a mischievous grin. The magicless student stood up, quickly rushing at Vil who in turn tried to run away. But it was too late, Yuu managed to grab Vil’s arm and pulled him close, ticking his neck and stomach.

Vil gritted his teeth, trying his hardest to pull away from the shorter student. Vil was one of the strongest people at Night Raven College, if he wasn’t being so viciously attacked he could have easily pulled away, but instead he was trapped. Not being able to hold it in any longer, Vil let out a loud sound.

“Gwahahahahaha! Stop it! I’m telling you to stop!!!”

With a satisfied grin, Yuu let go of the housewarden, who instantly began to catch his breath.

“W-Why did you do that?!”

“I mean you kinda set yourself up for that. And I wanted to hear your laugh. Even your laugh is queenly.”

With a flushed face, Vil placed both of his hands on Yuu’s shoulders, staring down at the student before suddenly ticking them back.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“See?! It’s not so fun when you’re on the receiving end!”

As soon as Vil stopped tickling Yuu, the student leaned onto him, still laughing as they came down from their high. Vil didn’t push them off, letting them rest on him instead. Once Yuu had calmed down, Vil gently entwined their hands, looking away from the student as he spoke.

“We…should start your studies. Come along now.”

“Hehe…Okay.”

[thecrowskitten]

A Moment of Stillness

Pairing: Sylus/Reader

Summary:

In a rare moment of silence, Sylus can't help but wonder why his partner hasn't said a word

Masterlist

Word count: 993

A/N: This idea hasn't left my head in weeks and I love this fic sm. Reader is an artist!

The room held a quiet kind of tension, broken only by the faint rustle of paper and the occasional scratch of charcoal against parchment. Y/n couldn’t help but notice how the dim light from the window caught the silver strands of Sylus’ hair, casting soft highlights along its length. Something was mesmerizing about the way he held himself, completely absorbed in his work, the sharp focus in his red eyes making it feel as though he existed in a world separate from hers. She could study him for hours and still never fully grasp the layers behind that calm exterior.

She shifted slightly on the chaise, repositioning herself to get a better angle. Sylus didn’t budge, didn’t acknowledge her presence at all. His gaze remained fixed on the document, his fingers moving with the quiet precision of someone who had memorized the rhythm of every task they undertook. It was as though he were a machine, programmed only to work, to think, to achieve. At this moment, he wasn’t the man she knew—he was simply the version of him that existed when the world was too loud for anything else.

And yet, despite the stillness, there was an almost palpable energy in the atmosphere.

“You’ve been quiet,” he remarked his tone a mix of observation and mild curiosity. “Longer than usual.”

His fingers turned another page, but there was no immediate shift in his posture, no sign that he expected her to respond. He seemed unfazed as if whatever silence had settled between them was just another fleeting moment in their shared existence.

Y/n lifted a brow. “And that’s a problem?”

“You? Silent? Highly suspicious.”

She smirked but remained focused on her work, the soft drag of charcoal against paper continuing.

He glanced at her briefly before turning back to his work. “Should I be worried?”

“No.”

After a moment, Sylus shifted again. “If you’re plotting my demise, at least be creative about it.”

Y/n hummed thoughtfully. “Noted.”

Another beat of silence passed before Sylus finally turned his head slightly, catching the edge of her gaze. “Alright, what are you up to?”

Y/n clicked her tongue. “Now you’ve ruined it.”

His frown deepened. “Ruined what?”

She lifted the sketchbook slightly. “My sketch.”

Sylus blinked, then looked at the parchment in her hands. His side profile was captured in fine, careful strokes, the shadows accentuating the sharp angles of his features. His expression flickered—something unreadable, caught between intrigue and unease. Setting his paperwork aside, he moved to the chaise, his arm effortlessly pulling her against him as she shifted onto his lap. He took the sketchbook delicately in his hands, studying the piece.

Red eyes traced every detail with a quiet reverence, fingers ghosting along the edge of the parchment, careful to avoid smudging the lines. Y/n watched as he memorized it, committing it to the same careful vault in his mind where he kept every small thing about her.

She toyed with the edge of her sleeve, waiting for him to say something—anything. Sylus remained silent, expression composed, the same neutrality he offered the documents he had been reading moments before. Still, she knew him too well. The way his thumb lingered on the page, just a mere second too long. His grip on the parchment, both careful and firm, as if he weren’t quite ready to let go. A small, yet identifiable glimmer in his eyes, akin to the look he gave her when he thought she wasn’t watching. He liked it. He wouldn’t say it, not outright, but she knew he did.

“You’re doing that thing again,” Y/n mused, tilting her head against his shoulder, her fingers tracing idle patterns along his arm.

Sylus hummed, tilting his head slightly to rest on hers. His eyes remained trained on her drawing. “What thing?”

She nudged her chin toward the parchment in his hands. “Pretending you’re not touched by something when you absolutely are.”

His gaze flicked to her then, sharp but laced with unmistakable fondness. “I don’t pretend.”

She scoffed, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Oh, please. You’re holding that sketch like it’s the most precious thing you’ve ever seen.”

Sylus huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head, but the barest hint of colour dusted across his cheeks. He finally placed the sketchbook down beside them, his arm wrapping fully around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

“Maybe I just like the way you see me,” he admitted, voice lower now, softer, like he was saying something he rarely allowed himself to.

Y/n’s breath hitched slightly, the warmth of his words curling around her. While his physical affection was something she was very familiar with, his words of affection were few and far between. When he did find his voice in these matters, it was with intention—every sentiment carefully chosen, irreplaceable.

She barely had a chance to respond before Sylus pressed his lips to her forehead. It was slow, lingering, a gesture of his love for her. His free hand came up, fingers threading gently through her hair as he kissed again, this time on her temple. A small smile played on her lips as she ran her fingers along the fabric of his shirt before resting them against his chest. She let her eyes close, savouring the warmth between them. “That’s more like it.”

“May I keep it?” Sylus cupped her cheek, thumb lightly brushing along her skin.

“After I colour it in.”

His lips twitched like he wanted to argue, but instead, he just sighed, shaking his head. “Fine. Just don’t take too long.”

Before he could pretend to be unaffected, she caught his lips with hers, silencing any further protest he might have had. He didn’t fight it—not even for a second. Instead, he kissed her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered as if the moment itself was something worth preserving.

[opbackgrounds]

so film z is your favorite movie, but you think movie 6 is “the best and most interesting?” 🤔🤔🤔

Personal preference does not equate to quality. Z has my favorite movie antagonist, and I found the use of the hymn the marines sing to be deeply affecting. The ending where Luffy and Zephyr beat the absolute shit out of one another while utterly exhausted, with no bells and whistles, is 1000% my jam, and there was the bonus of me really liking the dub voice they picked for Z (I liked the movie enough to watch it subbed and dubbed).

It is also, undoubtedly, a very safe One Piece movie, that at the end of the day plays out pretty much like every other.

Baron Omatsuri took artistic liberties with canon power systems, characterizations, and tone. This is inherently risky, and if the final result hadn’t come together so nicely it would have been utterly panned for shitting on the source material. Hell, I may be misremembering, but I don’t think it was overly popular at time of release. But the benefit of working explicitly on a non-canon project is that you have the opportunity to play with ideas that will never happen in the manga.

The one fun thing about American cape comics is that there is every possible interpretation of superhero you can think of, but because there’s no single, definitive overarching storyline it is difficult, if not impossible, to know where to start. Everyone has their favorite version of Batman, but the messiness of canon is detrimental to the overall product.

That isn’t the case for One Piece, but for the most part supplementary material won’t take that risk, and with how involved and protective Oda has become with movies and the like over the years, they likely can’t.

I mentioned it in my longer write up of movie 6 that the director was dealing with a lot of personal baggage when working on the film (which I will remind everyone until the end of time, was originally conceptualized as a comedy) and that darkness comes out in the look and feel of the final product. It was a personal, artistic expression of the feelings of betrayal and the inner turmoil he was going through, and because of that Luffy doesn’t really feel like Luffy, and the conflicts the Straw Hats face aren’t the same sorts of conflicts we usually see in OP movies. And that difference is interesting and good, even if it’s not my favorite

[yyumehh]

I DID IT! I POSTED EVERYDAY OF FEBRUARY!!!

in celebration that i finished an art challenge for once in my life, here’s an art dump of some wips i didn’t finish during this month of (fun) exhaustion.

i’m gonna take a breather now 🫠

lessons i learned throughout my 28 days of dailies,,,

post bad art!

you can’t WAIT to become the artist you want to be— you’ll never achieve anything like that. you will always grow and find ways to improve and, in turn, never feel like you’re ready. you just need to start. you can’t move forward without taking your first step, so just post “bad” art! you’ll grow along the way and BECOME the artist you want to be.

art does not need to be fully rendered to be deemed “complete”!

i’m, admittedly, still struggling with this one. i have this block in my brain that thinks nothing is done or good enough until i render it. and as someone that very much enjoys the composition of a shot/pose/expression/etc over colouring…. that should be easy! it’s not even the part i enjoy! but i feel like it has to look a certain way to be “acceptable.” over the last 28 days i had several days of just wips and project updates because i had nothing “done” and it 100% helped break that mentality. this post is enough evidence of that. i would NEVER dream to post these wips before now. especially that dandadan one. it’s so yucky and messy but it’s been sitting on the back burner for months now because i’m afraid to finish it and mess it up aaaand that’s a whole tangent in itself 🫠

posting casually is healthy and good and fun!

kinda similar the previous one, but as scary and unfamiliar and (let’s be real) how BAD i am at social media, it’s meant to be fun! it’s not meant to be stressful or scary, and having fun and being casual invites yourself and others into a space of open-ness and leisure. go have fun dude.

remember, you’re an untrained buffoon!

you don’t know what you’re doing, so stop beating yourself about every little thing! you’re bad at social media— we know this! you’ve gotten better (kinda) so shut up and keep growing your skills. you don’t like colouring— we KNOW this! you’re taking forever because your adhd brain gets no dopamine from coloring and it takes you forever to get yourself to do it, so shut uP and keep at your pace. you do not know how to animate— we KNOW THIS!! you’re taking forever because you’re inexperienced and struggling like a mf to even envision what you want sometimes,,, but shut up. you’re an untrained buffoon. take it step by step. you’ll grow along the way. you’ll get better and faster and…

you will become the artist you want to be

[thrashkink-coven]

Last night Lord Lucifer came to me in a dream and brought up the idea of high priesthood again. We were sitting on top of a mountain, on some rocky hilled area, surrounded by pine trees. He appeared at first as a red serpent coiling around my leg, then morphed into a man.

He asked me if I would consider becoming a priest or forming my own local coven, and I told him essentially that I did not feel worthy to be considered an authority on witchcraft or Luciferianism. “I’m still a student. I don’t think I know enough to lead others into your worship, at least not officially”.

and he seemed to find that comical and told me I was doubting myself.

“No, it’s less about that and more that I don’t want to feel responsible for being the intermediary between a God and other people. I don’t want people to rely on me to know what your intentions are and I don’t want people to think my methods are the definitive ones.”

and then he said “but you do have 2200 followers on Tumblr,”

and I shrugged at that because I didn’t think that was very notable. It’s a social media app, 2200 followers is amazing (like omg thank you so much!!!!!) but it’s not like I’m the pope. “Yeah but that’s just Tumblr”.

and at this point he was still somewhat smiling, but his tone got a little more serious. And he said something like “you truly do not understand how much you do for me.”

I got a flash of my altar, a few images of the flowers I gave him, the apple offering, the drawings and poems. and I was like oh, you’re just being sweet, but then he stopped me.

“No, you do not understand. You do not see the impact of your actions. The digital age of witchcraft is very lonely, but very, very impactful. You may just be posting your thoughts and experiences for documentation purposes, and while not every person who follows you on Tumblr has been inspired to enter my worship, many have. More than you know. You have lead more people than you realize into my sphere and have kept me well fed with new devotees since you started your page.”

he grabbed me by the shoulders. Very serious now. “Understand. Very rarely are we been blessed with devotees who can act as recruiters. Most are very secretive in their craft and do not spread my influence on others. For centuries our cults have remained very small and secret. There is power in that secrecy, but it is also in contention with the freedom and free expression of knowledge. The artist has an immense power and a great responsibility. You’re addicted to the act of sharing and expressing ideas and that is very precious to me.”

and I kind of just stared at him because, while I guess I knew that, I had never really thought about how many people may have started devoting themselves to him because of my posts. Huh. Like , people ask me all the time how to start worshipping him but my autism brain never thought to actually keep track of how many. I just really like talking about him lol.

“somehow despite your prideful nature you are still too humble to recognize yourself as an influencer and teacher. I don’t think I will ever be able to convince you told hold yourself above others in any regard, even just as a teacher. But regardless of whether you agree to be my priest or not, you will still carry out many of the duties entailed in the position through your unwavering devotion to me. You recently wrote a short essay on the element of Phosphorus and how it scientifically and alchemically relates to my divinity. Few others have ever put those ideas to text- ever, even fewer theistics, and you do so casually as a devotional act without even being asked. You are an educator, one of my most prized. I find it appropriate. ”

he kissed me a couple times and we sat together there in silence for a little while. The wind was howling around us.

and then I kinda looked at him and asked “can I piss you off?” and he immediately said yes lol.

idk how to really translate this into words bc a lot of this wasn’t verbal but I basically said (or communicated) “I love you, like so so much, and I love being devoted to you, I will always be devoted to you. But I don’t want my magical identity to be consumed by you. I will always hold space for you. As in, I love having you be a large part of my altar, I love having our altar, but I want your altar to be a part of my altar. (DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?) My magic is my own, and I can do whatever I want, work with whoever I want, -given that we have a conversation-, and wander. I don’t usually like to lead with the fact that I’m a Luciferian. I’m an eclectic pagan, a chaotic witch, and a Luciferian. I am distinct in my alchemy and I mingle well with yours, but , O’ Phosphorus, I wouldn’t want to choke on your fumes when you ignite”

He got very glowy about that, I felt like I’d somehow passed some sort of test he didn’t even know he was posing.

“I suppose that is unavoidable.”

again, translation error. Idk how to explain in words the kind of feeling I get when he looks at me like that.

“Not unavoidable,” I said “I just have to keep a lid on you and keep the air circulating. Small portions at a time. and if I ever get worried about it I’ll submerge you in water, and take you out again later when Im ready to watch you glow. You know that Lucifer, it’s basic alchemy.”

Would I be narcissistic to say I saw a flutter of something like surprise on his face. If it’s even possible for a God to be surprised by what a human could say. and then he kind of mumbled what I’m quite sure was “you have other Gods inside of you.”

and another kind of stretch of silence.

“when I wander, o’ Lucifer, I search knowing that I have already found you. and I may find other Gods, glorious and splendid, but no greater than you. You are the best. You are the hearth in my temple. I come home to you. You are abundant in me, I keep a healthy dose of you.”

then after a minute or so I said something like “I like the term devotee. I like the way it sounds in my mouth. Calling myself your priest feels less intimate than being your devotee. If I did have a coven for real one day, it wouldn’t be a Luciferian coven. It’d be a mixed bag of all kinds of people.”

he rested his hand on my chest to feel his sigil on the necklace I always wear for him and harshly whispered “I’ve raised you so well.”

and then we both laughed.

“ask me again in 10 or 20 years when I’m middle aged with more experience under my belt. If agree to be your priest, I’ll finally get your sigil tattooed on my chest.”

he seemed satisfied with that answer, and jokingly said “oh, still too young for me, baby?”

and I jokingly replied “you’re going to have to wait a couple years, old man.”

he then took me in his arms and whispered “oh, for you I would wait an eternity.”

after that we had another short conversation about art, this is definitely because I was watching a youtube video about art history right before I fell asleep. He agreed to help me complete a couple commissions.

I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about this conversation. on the one hand it makes me want to explode with joy that my Lord is pleased enough with me to make such a proposal. On the other hand, despite his claims I know that I personally don’t feel ready to take on such a role yet. Besides the other reasons, Ive never felt confident doing magic or spiritual mediation for people other than myself. Maybe because I know if I’m wrong, I can’t hurt anyone but myself. Despite my username the idea of running my own coven is actually pretty anxiety inducing. At the very same time it seems like so much fun. I’m also like 21 and just a young fellow. hmmmm

maybe one day.

[ushkoo]

BLU TEAM HEADCANONS 🌀

warning for them being mean to each other nd drinking nd a mention of drugs !

Scout:

- looks more tired (let him rest)

- Pale asf

- Usually hangs around Sniper

- Nipples pierced (it was a dare)

- freckles!

- adrenaline junkie

- Smug little shit

- Depressed and sick of everything

- Slightly grown out buzzcut

- Loves Heavy like his father :)

Soldier:

- mild alcoholic

- Actually got into the army! PTSD from war tho :(

- Meaner

- Honestly just a total bully

- Clothes are more damaged and ripped

- Has a lot of scars from war

- Smarter than RED

- Actually kinda nice if you know him well but he struggles w expressing it

Pyro:

- A lot scarier than RED pyro

- Still likes unicorns but in secret bc the other BLU team members w mean to them ab it

- Mute

- Still a cutie

- Has really bad social anxiety, avoids people whenever possible

- Likes to stand creepily in hallways

- Doesn’t have any friends on the team :( everyone thinks they’re creepy

- hangs out with Scout and Sniper on VERY rare occasions, gets made fun of by them

Demo:

- takes his job VERY seriously

- Still drinks but not as much as RED, has it more under control

- Rlly depressed :( misses home

- Hangs out with Soldier sometimes but usually just stays in his room

- Has a lot of anger in him, usually gets unnecessarily violent on the battlefield

- Keeps plants on his windowsill

- Feels bad that Pyro has no friends but is also a little afraid of them

Heavy:

- A bit more quiet but pretty similar to RED Heavy.

- Just gets on with his job, doesn’t really care for being social.

- Doesn’t take any joy in killing REDs, cries about it when he’s alone because he feels awful killing other people.

- Keeps Scout in line! Is more of a father figure to him than Spy is.

- Always worries about Scout and thinks that he’s too young to be doing work like this.

- Wears a scarf! He gets cold a lot.

Engineer:

- the WORST

- very mean, especially to Pyro and Scout

- Gets drunk with Soldier a lot. Often peer pressures Soldier into being mean to the others :(.

- Yells at Pyro for like.. existing

- Annoyingly good at his job, better than RED

- Unresolved trauma

Medic:

- scary mf don’t let him perform surgery on you

- Stalks Heavy a lot

- REALLY wants to know what it would be like to violently kill someone (Scout is his first pick)

- Doesn’t wear glasses

- Scars all over his hands from grabbing scalpels wrong

- Probably an ex serial killer or smth

Sniper:

- tooth necklace (inspired by that one tiktok artist)

- Other miscellaneous bone jewellery

- More unhinged and bloodthirsty

- So fucking grumpy all of the time but also rlly smug and cocky

- Has a mullet

- Crazed gunman

- Sharp teeth (bites ppl) (esp Scout)

- Has various piercings around his body

- Probably hides coke in his room for special occasions (only Scouts allowed to have some)

Spy:

- So so done with everyone on the team

- Really wants to be a father to Scout but he thinks its too late to fix their relationship

- Hates that Scout likes Heavy more than him

- Thinks that the rest of the team is full of psychopaths

- Feels a bit bad for Pyro but doesn’t understand them well enough to talk to them

- Actually quite nice, will offer you a cigarette

- Argues with Soldier and Engie a lot

🗒️—————————————————————🗒️

aaa srry this is rlly crappy :( m all beaten up rn from a mosh pit so ive been resting all day

I felt bad for not posting smth so here r my blu headcanons aaaaa

Ill get to requests eventually!  o(T^T)o

[alien-star88]

🎉🥳Happy birthday to me ! I'm officially 15 !🎉🥳

Im still processing the fact 2024 was 3 months ago. And how I still feel 13 . Fuck im getting old. I know I'm 15 now but in the next 5 years I'll be 20... it's not a long time if you think about it !

I wanna make this post a bit long , just to thank people here , on Tumblr (Before I vanish again to finish my projects and shit) for their support and for the inspiration, and the motivation they have given me these past few months. Why , because I just wanna thank them for the time I've being here on tumblr , a lot of them have nelped me with my anxiety when posting here on Tumblr:

@itz-miss-kamilyvision

My first moot . When I first joined tumblr , I saw your SMG4 art , and I saw you as , like a celebrity of the Fandom here on Tumblr. You were the first person to send an ask to Demon Puzzles, and that holds a very big and special place to my heart . Thank you .

@runrabitrunrunrun

Your support with my ocs and my au has played a special part for me , giving me motivation to draw. Speaking of drawing ! I was honestly shocked when I saw you draw in FlipaClip , cuz HOW! Your oc , Nicknack has such a unique design , and her lore is very well planned ! I love your artstyle too ! It's very squishy !

@sauceytwinkietwinkling

Your support has also done a lot! I also saw you as a big part of the Fandom. So I was shocked that you followed me ! Your oc,Ugatha, brought me a lot of comfort at times !

@kymera-that-does-stuff

Your reblogs have brought laughs to me , and also awareness with certain things, as well as comfort , knowing not everyone here is rude . And your art has always fascinated me !

@niranutcake

I know we haven't talked much , but your support to me has also meant a lot . And I thank you for that ! Your oc is very cute ! Simple , yet expressive!

@4thwallbreakerdraws2

Imma be Hella honest . When I saw you like posts that didn't involve Demon Puzzles , I lost it (In a good way!) I also saw you as a celebrity in the SMG4 Fandom! RTV was one of the first AUs I saw, here on Tumblr!

@jovialoddity

Thank you . That's all I'm gonna say . Thank you for a lot . I know I've said it before . And sorry if I tag you a lot , you've inspired me a lot as a young artist .Labyrinth and The Lost Boys will forever be my favorite movies. You will forever be my number 1 favorite artist!

@fenicearts420

When I saw you loved HTTYD I freaked out ! I loved the movies and the series ! I thought the Fandom was dead completely! But nope , it's not! I'm glad we both freaking love HTTYD . And I thank you for your support as well . Seriously Thank you .

Thank you everyone for everything! Seriously, it means a lot to me . I came to tumblr not expecting my art and au to pop off. Yall are awesome, and im glad i saw you guys here on Tumblr. 👽💙💚

[fairytales-and-folklore]

Some Things Should Really Just Stay In The Vault

Teen Wolf » Sterek

Title: Some Things Should Really Just Stay In The Vault

Author: fairytalesandfolklore

Fandom: Teen Wolf (Masterlist)

Relationship: Derek Hale x Stiles Stilinski

AO3 Rating: Teen & Up (a complete collection of author's notes, inspiration credits, content warnings and tags can be found on AO3)

Summary: "Stiles, you are not breaking into the secret Disney porn vault," Derek heaves a long-suffering sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose and rolling his eyes so hard he nearly gives himself a migraine. "That's not a sentence I ever thought I'd have to say, but here we are. This is my life now."

"Oh come on, sourwolf," Stiles snickers. "You can't tell me you aren't at least a little bit curious." "There isn't enough brain bleach in the world to scour the mental image of Mickey and Goofy doing the horizontal tango," Derek quips, a self-satisfied smirk twitching at the corners of his lips as Stiles barks out a laugh and settles back into the passenger seat. A few minutes tick by in companionable silence, and then Stiles is bolting upright, glancing over at Derek with a look of feigned innocence betrayed by the mischievous glint in his eye. "So…" he ventures with an air of casual nonchalance that fools absolutely no one. "You think they keep this vault on the premises, or—"

Read On AO3 | Read On Tumblr:

"—and we have to ride Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run because, I mean, obviously. If I have the chance to pretend to be Han Solo for even a couple of minutes, I'm gonna take it. Except — oh shit — I might not actually get to be the pilot first time around, since the roles are assigned based on your position in line in a group of six, so we might have to ride it a couple of times, just to be safe," Stiles chatters away from the passenger seat, eyes glued to a never-ending scroll of article after review after shoddy instagram video as he regales a begrudgingly fond Derek with details about every single game, ride, and food court in the newly-minted Star Wars theme park.

Derek had been planning this surprise birthday trip for months now, ever since Disney had announced the date of the grand opening. He'd managed to keep it a secret from Stiles all of five minutes, until the snarky little shit had snuck up behind him for a tackle hug, saw him ordering the tickets, and screeched at a decibel only dogs should be able to hear. And though Derek isn't nearly as big of a fan as Stiles is, he has to admit that some of the attractions sound pretty cool (though he'll be pointedly avoiding the blue milk, thanks.)

Stiles is off on another tangent about how blue milk apparently tastes like a cross between coconut rice milk and a fruity hi-chew (and Derek thought butterbeer was too sweet) when he lets out a burst of laughter so sharp and sudden that Derek nearly swerves into oncoming traffic.

"I'm sorry," Stiles gasps in between peals of laughter. "I'm so sorry, dude, it's just— I just found out some absolutely golden dirty Disney secrets."

"Oh?" Derek prompts with a raised eyebrow, leaning over to glance at the post pulled up on Stiles's phone.

"Okay, so," Stiles starts, straightening up in his seat and launching into researcher mode. "According to the accounts of some of their former employees, Disney's got this weird rule in their artists' contracts — essentially, everything they create while under their employ, even in their off-time, belongs to Disney."

"That's shitty," Derek scoffs, lips twisting into a sour expression.

"It is," Stiles agrees with a quick nod. "But joke's on them, because apparently, a lot of the artists ended up drawing some pretty NSFW stuff in their time — all of it done in the classic animation style of the movies and tv shows they were actively working on at the time."

"Everything?" Derek asks with a scandalized quirk of his eyebrows. "Even—"

"Snow White? Aladdin? Treasure Planet? Little Mermaid? Beauty and the Beast? Mickey? Goofy? Yup, I'm afraid so. You name it, there's a high likelihood there's porn of it," Stiles confirms, ticking each one off on his fingers and casting Derek a sympathetic frown as his face pulls into an expression like he's just sucked a lemon.

"But get this," Stiles barrels on, unable to contain his glee. "Per their policies, they've got to keep every piece of art ever crafted by their animators. Which means that Disney owns an entire collection of erotic artwork inspired by all the family-friendly content they've ever created, locked away in a secret vault. A vault, Derek. Think about that. Think about how much porn would have to be created to fill an entire vault."

"I'd really rather not," Derek grimaces.

"Oh come on, sourwolf, that's fucking hilarious," Stiles snickers. "You can't tell me you aren't at least a little bit curious."

"There isn't enough brain bleach in the world to scour the mental image of Mickey and Goofy doing the horizontal tango," Derek quips with a sardonic sigh, a self-satisfied little smirk twitching at the corners of his lips as Stiles barks out a laugh and flashes him a dazzling smile.

With a contented hum, Stiles settles back into the passenger seat and leans his head against the window to marvel at the rolling landscape, sunlight and city skylines mirrored in his eyes.

But of course, the nice peaceful moment doesn't last long. A few minutes tick by in companionable silence, and then Stiles is bolting upright, glancing over at Derek with a look of feigned innocence betrayed by the mischievous glint in his eye.

"So…" he ventures with an air of casual nonchalance that fools absolutely no one. "You think they keep this vault on the premises, or—"

"Stiles, no."

"Stiles, yes."

"Stiles, you are not breaking into the secret Disney porn vault," Derek heaves a long-suffering sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose and rolling his eyes so hard he nearly gives himself a migraine. "That's not a sentence I ever thought I'd have to say, but here we are. This is my life now."

"Oh come on, Derek," Stiles whines, tugging at his shirtsleeve. "I'm not saying you'd have to break in with me. Just, you know…be the lookout."

"No."

"You'd go down in history as the best boyfriend ever," he coaxes in a lilting, sing-song voice.

Derek raises one very unamused eyebrow in Stiles's direction.

"Okay, yes, obviously you already are," Stiles amends, flailing his arms in a dismissive motion. "But come on. A smutty Disney heist? Best. Birthday. Present. Ever."

"I am literally already taking you to Disneyland."

"Yes, but—"

"No porn vault," Derek asserts with a ringing finality.

"Fine," Stiles concedes with a theatrical groan, slumping down in his seat and admitting defeat. But then a wicked smile curls across his face as he recalls one wild, wolfsbane-infused round of Fuck, Marry, Kill where Erica had gotten Derek to admit to a long-time crush on a certain smoldering Disney prince, and breaks out his wildcard.

"Shame, though…" Stiles muses with a melodramatic sigh. "I'll bet they've got art of Flynn Rider."

Derek's knuckles whiten against the steering wheel, the tips of his ears tinged with a delicate shade of pink as he has war flashbacks, remembering all the devastatingly embarrassing details of that night. Moral of the story: never drink tequila.

The cabin of the Camaro is quiet for a few long moments, save for the gentle whoosh as cars pass them on the freeway, and then—

"…his name is Eugene, and I'm not saying I'll do it," Derek grumbles, but one look at Stiles's Cheshire Cat smile has him sighing in defeat.

And that's how they end up with a lifetime ban from the happiest place on earth, escorted off the premises by two burly security officers who merely laugh when Stiles asks if he can double back to collect their special edition Han and Leia themed Mickey ears hats, which he'd accidentally left on the floor of the not-so-secret porn vault. Derek has to physically carry Stiles back to the car, because no less than five minutes after they'd been given the boot, he's already got one foot in the fence and a half-cocked plan to break in and get them back.

[blossoming-mind-palace]

PBSS! Chung Myung x Reader: “Under the Saint’s Wing” (SFW/Part 2)

Summary: Chung Myung still needs more convincing in order to take in Yu Iseol, so you formulate a plan to persuade him. Tang Bo helps you by bringing his own student, Tang Soso, to Mount Hua so she can spar with a martial artist. Yu Iseol ends up being her partner, but their training session comes to an abrupt end.

Contains: Gender neutral elderly reader & the found family trope is starting to show

A/N: The Tangs have arrived! I hope I did them justice because this is the first time I’ve written them. I hope I didn’t butcher their characterization. Also, sorry for the hiatus. I’m back and passionate about writing and ROTBB again.

WC: 3,476-ish

“Tang Soso, this is Yu Iseol. Yu Iseol, this is Tang Soso,” Chung Myung awkwardly motions his arm towards each girl as he introduces them to each other. Tang Soso is already beaming at Yu Iseol; meanwhile, the black-haired one doesn't know what to think of her just yet. “Hi, I'm Tang Soso! It's nice to meet you!” The girl bows and waits for Yu Iseol’s response. Yu Iseol copies her in a less cheerful manner. In the distance, you and Tang Bo watch everything unfold.

“D'awww, it looks like they like each other!” You gush over Yu Iseol's potentially new friendships, and Tang Bo looks at you like you're crazy. “How can you tell? Yu Iseol hasn't said anything, and her facial expression has barely changed,” he points out. It's true that Yu Iseol struggles with expressing herself, but, after spending more time with her, you and Chung Myung have learned how to empathize with her.

You watch as both girls rise, and Yu Iseol keeps her gaze on the girl in front of her. Her mouth says nothing, but her eyes are filled with a friendliness and curiosity that most people wouldn't notice. “If she didn't like Tang Soso, she simply would have left without saying a word. Trust me, she likes her,” you explain before picking up a couple of swords. Tang Soso is doing most of the heavy lifting in their conversation while Yu Iseol nods or sprinkles in short answers. The Mount Hua disciple is surprisingly warm and receptive towards the Tang girl, and you're hoping that after this, Yu Iseol may finally make a friend.

You both continue to watch them under the morning sun, and Tang Bo sighs before leaning over and whispering to you,”I hope you're right, and I hope that your plan works.” “What plan? What are you two whispering about?” Chung Myung has walked away undetected from the younger disciples and interrupted your one-on-one conversation with your old friend. The plan is to get Chung Myung to warm up to teaching after watching Tang Bo show off his student, but Chung Myung doesn't need to know all of that! You need to think of something to cover up your meddling. Tang Bo quickly pulls away and clears his throat,”Our plan to strengthen the relationship between Mount Hua and the Tang family, of course! What else could it be, and why else would we pair my little Soso and Yu Iseol together?” His crow’s feet appear when he smiles confidently as if his acting is flawless, and you nod in an attempt to show your support.

‘He looks so suspicious… Chung Myung, my dear, please do not catch on!’ You think while watching your beloved cock an eyebrow at the both of you. You subconsciously hold your breath as you wait for him to call the both of you out, but you release it when he finally turns around. “Whatever. Stop talking and concentrate on why we're here in the first place,” he says as he walks back to the girls. You and Tang Bo's shoulders simultaneously relax, and you glare at him before whispering,”Don't blow it.” “Yes Mr./Mrs./Mx. (Y/N),” he snickers and playfully salutes before you both approach the girls.

Chung Myung has already started helping Yu Iseol adjust her posture while Tang Soso takes inventory of the various poisons and daggers Tang Bo helped her hide on her person. Thanks to Tang Bo's high status in his clan and a little bit of persuasion from him, Tang Soso, and her father, she miraculously became the first girl to learn about both the clan's poisons and their medicine. Like Yu Iseol, she has a promising future ahead of her and has been able to master her techniques quickly. ‘It's only natural that we pair them up, right? Hopefully they'll become close comrades, too,’ you think as you watch everyone prepare for their training session.

Tang Bo whispers in his descendant's ear while you stand on the sidelines. After deciding that her stance is sturdy, Chung Myung backs away from the Mount Hua disciple and Tang Bo does the same with his own descendant. After announcing that the sparring match is beginning, Tang Bo starts to approach you and Chung Myung is right behind him. You peak over Tang Bo's shoulders, and when you see your lover, you mumble,”It looks like someone doesn't want us whispering again.” The Tang elder snorts before returning to your side, and Chung Myung gets in-between you two.

“What's so funny, huh?” Chung Myung asks and looks at you with a wary expression, and you ‘innocently’ smile at him. “Don't worry about it!” You anxiously reply before breaking eye contact to watch the girls. You're silently praying that they'd distract him, but your prayers reaped no rewards. “You two are up to something. I know you are!” Chung Myung insists while putting a hand on your shoulder. You try to think of something to say to take the heat off of you, but your mind draws blanks. Thankfully, there's a distraction right in front of you guys.

“Dodge faster, Yu Iseol!” You cup your mouth to amplify your yelling, and Cheongmyeong's attention is finally ripped away from you. Her speed is actually perfect and she looks confused as to why you would yell that. She trusts your judgement and goes faster, anyway. Meanwhile, Tang Soso is struggling to keep up with her. A few daggers fly, but none of them hit. The tables suddenly turn, and the Tang girl has started dodging instead of Yu Iseol.

All three of you watch with a collective, intense interest and wait for someone to make a move, but the two girls are currently dancing around each other instead of attacking. “You're going to have to throw harder and faster. Remember what I taught you?” Tang Bo attempts to verbally nudge his student in the right direction. “Don't interfere too much! They won't be able to think for themselves if you keep telling them what to do,” Chung Myung buts in as all three of you keep your eyes on the young girls.

Under your collective and intense gazes, the girls continue dancing around each other, and the Tang’s pace gradually quickens. Tang Soso throws a few more poison-laced daggers, but her projectiles suddenly stop when she notices how low her inventory has gotten. Yu Iseol begins closing in on her and attempts to slash at her, but the Tang's reflexes are starting to improve even more. She continues dodging, and finally creates a decently large distance between her and Yu Iseol before reaching into her sleeve once more.

Everyone watches and waits to see how the Mount Hua disciple will react, but she side-steps instead of moving forward again. “She's assuming it's another dagger,” Chung Myung says under his breath, and is being careful with his volume. “Trying interfere?” You whisper back and jab at his elbow. He opens his mouth to react to your comment, but the training ground is suddenly enveloped in smoke.

“Ohhh, smart girl!” Tang Bo unashamedly praises his student, but thanks to her smoke bomb, no one can see the girls. Thankfully, Tang Bo doesn't back away or try to hide his nose, so you’re certain that it’s just a harmless, non-poisonous gas. “Yeah, but it's a shame that we can't see them now,” you turn towards Tang Bo while pointing this out. The only thing you can make out is the sound footsteps and the occasional clanking of Tang Soso's daggers being deflected by Yu Iseol's sword. It sounds like she’s going to use the last of her daggers while Yu Iseol is blinded, and, in your opinion, she deserves the praise Tang Bo gives her. She really is a promising student.

Suddenly, you hear the familiar ‘ting’ near you, but this time the noise is too close for comfort. A metallic blur shoots towards your group and the two men side-step. You dodge with what you thought was impeccable timing, until you look down at the small red dots beginning to form on your once-crisp uniform. What just happened doesn't entirely register until you look at it and feel a tingling sensation coming from your side. As reality sets in, so does the poison.

“Wow, Soso, those daggers actually hurt! Great jo-” your sentence abruptly stops when the tingling spreads throughout your body. The last thing you hear is an “uh oh” come from your old friend as your body goes limp. Your body ragdolls onto the ground with a loud thump, and you can hear people yell, but you struggle to process what they're saying as your consciousness begins fading. All you see before you close your eyes is presumably Yu Iseol's shadowed figure quickly darting out of the opaque smoke and towards your direction.

-

The first thing you notice when your senses return is the horrid aftertaste of disgustingly bitter medicine. It’s actually so repulsive that the first thing you do when you regain consciousness is cringe and uncontrollably gag. “Oh! She's finally awake,” You're greeted by Tang Soso beaming down at your twisted face. “Here, drink this,” you hear Yu Iseol's calm voice, but this time there's a hint of worry in it. You try to sit up but your arms wobble thanks to how weak they feel, so Tang Soso helps guide you. When you finally sit up, Yu Iseol gently puts a small cup of water in your hands. You waste no time in drinking it and hurriedly let the bitterness wash down your throat.

“Eugh, that was disgusting!” You whine before analyzing the room. It looks like you've been sleeping in the medicine hall, and Tang Soso and Yu Iseol have pulled up a chair so they can both watch over you. The training session started in the morning, but the warm hues of the sunset are currently seeping through the window. Tang Soso gives you a sheepish, apologetic look when you glance at her. Meanwhile, Yu Iseol's eyebrows are slightlscrunched, but you aren't entirely sure why. “What happened?” “You were accidentally hit by one of my poisoned daggers, and you've been out for almost a whole day,” Tang Soso explains while rubbing the back of her neck nervously. “Sorry, by the way,” the young Tang apologizes and sheepishly smiles at you.

Before you can say anything, Yu Iseol anxiously interjects,”No, I'm sorry. It ricocheted off of my blade and hit my elder. It's my fault.” Now that you think about it, you’ve never seen Yu Iseol wear such an upset expression on her face. The guilt must be eating her up, because her brows haven't relaxed since you woke up. You reassure both girls with a warm, comforting smile and gently put a hand on Yu Iseol's shoulder. “It's okay, I'm not mad at either of you. If anything, I'm proud! If you two work together and turn that ricocheting into an attack of some sort, you'd be quite the duo to reckon with. Not only that, but you managed to take down an elder that's much more experienced than you,” you pat Yu Iseol’s shoulder while you talk, and when you’re finished you pat Tang Soso on the head before folding your hands on your lap. Both of the girls look confused by your answer.

“We took you down by chance, though, and you weren't even the target!” Tang Soso points out. “Oh, well, we all make mistakes. You were still able to take me out with the combination of Tang poisons and Yu Iseol's force, so it's technically progress in both of your journeys. It may not be the progress you two were aiming for, but it's still progress,” you start lecturing them until you hear someone open the door. Your attention shifts to the door, and it’s none other than your dearest partner.

“They're right, y'know?” Chung Myung points out while walking into the room and pulls up a chair on the other side of you. He must’ve overheard your conversation from the hall. He sits and looks at Yu Iseol before continuing,”Your defense has improved and you kept your stance despite the force of the daggers being thrown at you. The only problem is that you need to keep a closer eye on your opponent's openings and become more confident when you close in on them.” He turns towards Tang Soso and leans back in his chair before continuing,”And you have some solid tricks up your sleeves, but you shouldn't rely on them too heavily. Like Tang Bo, you need to focus more on martial arts, and learning more close-ranged moves would benefit you.”

He has the expression of a stern teacher while he gives them his constructive criticism, and you think that he looks quite handsome during his lecture. ‘He's so on the fence about teaching, but he's doing a flawless job,’ you think as you admire how well your husband is doing and his dashing good looks. “Yeah, he's right. What would you have done if Yu Iseol had successfully closed in on you before you could even whip out that smoke bomb?” You ask and wait to see what kind of plan the Tang girl might formulate. “Uhhh, stab her with my dagger?” She nervously answers and she doesn't look very confident in her answer. You can see how insecure she is based off of how she anxiously plays with the ends of her sleeves.

“That is a terrible way to react. A sword is much longer than a dagger, so Yu Iseol would’ve stabbed you before you could even get it out. Also, what if you had accidentally thrown your last one beforehand?” Chung Myung points out. His tone is harsh, but you know he means well. If they don't get the criticism they need, they'll never improve. Tang Soso's hand comes up to her chin as she thinks for a moment, but her face brightens when she remembers something. “I'll just throw this at her!” She pulls out one of her impressively sharp hairpins. “Oooh, that's quite the weapon! Your back up plan needs some work, but those are definitely sharp enough to pierce skin,” you point out before holding out your empty palm. Tang Soso places the pin in your hand and lets you take a closer look at it.

Chung Myung glances at it, but isn't as intrigued by it as you are. You give her the floral pin back before gazing at your husband and waiting for his input. “Still, it's not enough. Focus more on close combat and try picking up a sword,” Chung Myung sighs. His lecture is perfect, and it's a shame he's still on the fence about taking in Yu Iseol as a student. Chung Myung catches you spacing out and staring at him, so he stares back with a suspicious look on his face. You have a feeling that you should change the subject as soon as possible.

“Where's Tang Bo?” You quickly ask to get his focus off of you and your thoughts. “My elder isn't too far away. He said you'd be okay under my care, so Yu Iseol and I have been looking after you. Speaking of him, he might be waiting for me to join him so we can go home,” Tang Soso grins at you, and you can see her little dimples peek out. “Oh, wow! You must be proficient at medicines, too, if he trusts you that much,” you gasp at her and she sheepishly nods. She enjoys the praise, but it seems like she doesn't want to look cocky when agreeing with you. “I guess you could say that… May I check on you one more time before I leave?” She asks and her cheeks have a slight glow. ‘Aw, I didn't know she could be so bashful!’ You think before giving her your wrist so she can check your vitals.

After letting Tang Soso check on you one more time, she bows and leaves the room with the gratefulness you'd expect from a Tang lady. After seeing what she can do, you're certain that she'll be elegant and lethal when she grows up. After she leaves the room, you notice Yu Iseol is still staring at you with the same worried look. “Do you have something to say, little one?” You ask her softly in an attempt to not stress her out anymore than she already is. Her hands that were once folded on her lap are now balled into fists as she apologizes once more,”I'm sorry, you wouldn't be here if I hadn't blocked her projectile towards you.” “It's okay, it was an accident. Don't get stressed out over it,” you try to console her by patting her head, but when you retrieve your arm, she still looks displeased with herself. Now that you're really looking at her, you notice that her eyes are looking a little glossy.

“But you could've died, so I'm sorry-” “No more ‘buts’ or ‘sorries’. They didn't die and they said it's fine, so there's no reason to keep apologizing,” Chung Myung cuts her off before she can go any further. An almost inaudible sniffle comes from her, but she nods after listening to Chung Myung. “See? It's fine, and I'm fine,” you say while lifting your arms and flexing as a way to playfully show her you're back to your old yet healthy self. “So there's no need to feel guilty. Now, you should go eat dinner with your fellow disciples instead of staying cooped up in the medicine hall with a couple of old coots,” you grin and playfully ruffle her hair.

Her lips curl up slightly, but her eyes are still a little glossy when she nods at you. She bows before silently leaving the room, and now it's just you and your husband. You hold your hand out to him and he grabs it. He lets you rub his knuckles and play with his hand while you converse. “What did I do to deserve such a handsome and loving husband? Not only that, but you're flawless at teaching, y'know?” you compliment him while bringing his rough knuckles up to your lips. “I know you're buttering me up for something,” he accuses you of plotting, but he doesn't look upset. It's the opposite, his lips have curled up as if it's a reflex to the affection you're giving him. His cheeks even have a rosy tint, and if he tried to act upset, he still wouldn't be able to hide how flustered he is.

At least, not from you. You've known him for too long, so it's hard to hide things from each other when you know your partner so well that you can predict their thoughts and movements. It's not a surprise that he's catching on to your meddling fairly quickly. “Oh, my dear, I have no idea what you're talking about,” you feign your ignorance with honeyed words as you kiss his knuckles. He scoffs but continues soaking in the attention you shower him with. You pull away from his knuckles but keep holding his hand as you suggest,”Little Iseol seemed like she was still upset when she left. Maybe you should try spending time with her to cheer her up?”

You quietly hope that your question wasn’t too revealing as you wait for his answer. “I don't know why you think MY company would cheer her up,” he groans and weaves his fingers with yours. “She admires you much more than you realize,” You reassure him and tuck some of his hair behind his ear with your free hand. He goes quiet and looks like he's deep in thought, and you let the silence linger so he can keep mulling over your suggestion.

“Please? For me?” You beg while playfully batting your lashes at him. He rolls his eyes at your theatrics and sighs before answering,”Fine. I'll try to talk to her or something if you think it’ll make her feel better.” You beam at him when he finally agrees with you. Your plan is in full swing.

“Fantastic! Now, I need to get out of here. I literally haven't eaten all day,” you say as you dangle your legs off of the bed and attempt to stand. The weakness has finally worn off, and now the only thing that’s wrong with you is the cramping coming from your empty stomach. Despite knowing that the poison is out of your system and you've been treated, Chung Myung gets up and keeps an eye on you just in case you're too weak to stand on your own. When you're finally up, he wraps his arm around you as you both start to exit the medicine hall’s patient room.

Part 1

[encyclopediamorbidica]

it's the stylization, which is a side effect of when the first four shrek movies were made vs when this one is being made. the first four shrek films came out between 2001-2010, when cgi animation was focused primarily on realism. characters were given things like skin texture and individual hair fibers and even fingerprints, as a way to distinguish them from the "plasticky" look of cgi animation from the late 80s all the way into the mid to late 90s.

think of how characters in Pixar films like Tin Toy (1988) and Toy Story (1995), especially human characters, had a sort of uncanny smoothness to them that all but required stylization in order to appear palatable.

these characters still hold up very well, of course, because of the amount of budgeting and the incredible amount of skill the artists had to work with, but there's still this air of, well, toyishness to them that makes them look less like people and more like the models they actually were. they had an insane amount of detail, yes, and were absolutely breathtaking at the time they were made, but then you take a look at the first Shrek film, and it all but blows them out of the water.

they aren't just smoother, they're more detailed, and much weightier than the above examples. fiona alone is a technical masterpiece, frankly.

she has individual hair strands on her head and in her eyebrows, she has fingernails, moles, freckles. the décolletage of her dress lays against her shoulders like real fabric. the embroidery on her dress looks like actual threadwork, rather than feeling printed on. her lips have individual creaselines. you can see the striations in her irises.

the Shrek films set a new standard for cgi animation (not surprising given jeffery katzenberg had both produced and overseen films at Walt Disney Studios, who had developed a working relationship with Pixar in 1986 to streamline 2D animation and to distribute the studio's cgi animated films. he left the company in 1994 to found DreamWorks Animation LLC, coincidentally only a year before Toy Story was released) that demonstrated a near overwhelming level of detail. these films were oftentimes actively breaking the bounds of the software used to develop them from the number of individual objects (which, again, included hair strands on heads and in eyebrows) that each model had.

this is how we ended up at the production of The Incredibles, which had an infamously hard time with the character of Violet Parr, whose hair covered 3/4s of her face or more in many of her shots. The Incredibles is still an extremely stylized film, but you can see the influence of Shrek's hard lean into realism all over it.

again, we see indiviual hair strands, weight and texture differences in fabric, an emphasis on facial wrinkles when characters pulled expressions.

all this to say that the first Shrek film and its subsequent sequels were cooking with a very specific type of gas, and a lot of the backlash to the stylization of Shrek 5 is that a lot of this is being lost in translation in a way that's hard to articulate. it's not just that Shrek doesn't look the exact same way he did in the first 4 movies, it's that Shrek has had all of his details ironed out because of it.

even just looking at the side by side shots, the original Shrek design has things like stubble, visible lip lines, the craggy texture of his vest is almost palpably rough, his shirt looks woven with individual fibres that are fraying at the neckline. i have no doubt the next Shrek film will be great, because after seeing Puss In Boots: The Last Wish use a sort of painterly aesthetic without sacrificing most of the important details that were present in the earlier films (fur textures, character arcs and personalities, etc) i am very willing to put a lot of faith in the future of the franchise, it's understandable that these sorts of nitpicky things won't detract from the story they're telling or the way the characters feel and behave. it's just somewhat jarring for someone familiar with the level of detail in the animation of the first 4 films to adjust to the new style and the sudden smoothness these characters are being given.

is this like. when sonic fans complain about "character designs being ruined" because this looks fine to me. kinda better honestly like it's more stylized without getting rid of any of his "ugliness" like i genuinely don't understand why people hate the design so much