#i get to see such a wide range of designs and get to learn a little bit about each one and it's really amazing i can't take that for grante

[orokay]

I think one of my faaaavorite parts of doing commissions is seeing all of the art the commissioner sends for references. SO MUCH incredible gorgeous art that they've received from past commissions or drawn themselves and it's really amazing!! And seeing their characters interpreted in different styles!! I love it so much!!

[choochooboss]

Sketch dump! Vol. 5

September 2022 (Part 1/2)

The first piece on top summarised my cosplay rush for Tracon 2022! The second is an old idea for a charm.

"SURPRISE!!"

Back in 2022 I hosted an art raffle for reaching 777 followers on Twitter! The winner would get their submas themed idea realised (which was their friends throwing a surprise party for the twins!). I wanted to make a little comic and have the bosses walk in their office where depot agents, Elesa, Drayden, Skyla, Clay etc. would be waiting with decorations and treats and games.

Emmet is all smiles of course while Ingo gets so emotional he could only whisper a "super bravo".

Not really headcanons anymore but still funny ideas.

1. Emmet gets clumsy when off-rhythm! He starts walking in curves if there is nobody else around to match his rhythm with.

2. Emmet spaces out/forgets to say things aloud when someone speaks too long or when things go off-script! His thinking gets interrupted easily.

3. Ingo sometimes bumps into doors because he is too used to automatic doors!

4. When things go off-script Ingo speaks too much and rushes in straight lines"

Also my little inexpensive sketchbook & my trusty tools! Mechanical pencil and eraser pen are life when scribbling my skrimblos smaller than a postage stamp!

More Ingo~ I utilise a wide range of sources for references, including CSP's poseable 3D models, they can come really handy with perspectives and proportions!

The second piece is my very first attempt at cosplay in Tracon 2022: Blingo! I walked in with a sequin hat, leather jacket, leather pants and high heel patent leather boots.

The hardest part of cosplaying Ingo is remembering NOT to smile ahaha!

Some hairstyle tests

I drew these for a huge submas art collaboration over Twitter hosted by @/mimizukeii!! It was technically my first art collab before I started arranging them myself with Aggie/Magma.

While looking for train related songs I found this cute nursery rhyme to go with the marching:

"Over the mountains,

Over the plains,

Over the rivers,

Here come the trains.

Carrying passengers,

Carrying mail,

Bringing their precious loads In without fail"

I wanted to compare these silly twins, planning to do something more silly with them later. Also a sketch of @/fukurow's butler designs I never finished.. The capes compliment them so well, I love them!!

Prequel to this piece! Emmet is so confident in himself he thinks Pierce wants to learn from him but is invited for a duet on the stage instead!!

Emmet has really great voice actors in Pokemas! I especially love how his english VA gives him that bri'ish/posh/sophisticated vibe while also soft and melodic! I know for SURE this VA/Emmet can sing, I can show you later!

One of my favourite sketches!! I wanted to add a bunch of characters in the BG reacting to this sonic blast of emotion over a performance!

Heyyy it's the smile buddies comic!! I really hope Ingo gets to interact with Marnie in Pokemas one day!!

I feel Ingo's eyes in the mirror panel is a little off in the final comic, I meant to keep it softer like in the sketch!

It's Nimbasa trio!! Idea inspired by submas EX uniform colors. Might continue this later!

Some BG tests for this piece! Compositing is hard but absolutely worth the effort, it can make a huge difference in the appeal of your piece!!

Practise piece drawing over a photo I thought was cool! I want to get more experimental with lighting and perspective!

'How's it hanging bro?' Who hung him up there anyway??

Sketch for this arguing scene! Something REALLY BAD needs to happen for them to end up that tense! Even if I want to present them close to the canon material I still want to put them in really challenging situations to see how far I can push their emotions!

Thank you so much for coming all the way down here!! This set was pretty loaded, I hope you enjoyed scrolling through all this ahah!

Previous posts:

Sketch dump Vol. 1: April-June 2022

Sketch dump Vol. 2: July 2022

Sketch dump Vol. 3: August 2022

Sketch dump Vol. 4: July 2022 Part 2

[moon-buggg]

Here's my lovely science edutainment bot Sun! I'm not. going to be focusing on this au until after Halloween at least, but I am in love with it

you know the drill more details under the cut!

The Pizzaplex is now a Kids Science Centre! Chock full of fun, interactive, learn-through-play exhibits designed to get kids interested in science! With their main sponsor being Fazco, they have a pretty big emphasis on robotics and computers, though they have a wide range of exhibits to appeal to interests of all kinds of interests

Each main exhibit has its own animatronic mascot, with Freddy being the main mascot of the whole centre. I haven't decided on specifics for the glamrocks just yet-

As for the boys, Moon runs shows in the planetarium while Sun does science experiment demonstrations like elephant tooth paste. Since they're mostly for shows and demonstrations, the boys don't interact with guests nearly as much as the glamrocks do.

Either they both used to run the planetarium (possibly in one body? I haven't decided) until the higher ups decided to replace the humans running the experiment shows with an animatronic, OR it was always like this I'm still deciding because it WILL change how I characterize them

Anyways I have the most info about Sun because he was just going to be an oc before this au was revealed to me in a vision so-

He has a bit of a stutter problem after an ill-advised tesla coil demonstration fried his circuits just a touch. It's not bad enough to be fixed but he is self conscious about it.

He makes his demonstrations into performances! Telling little stories about how he used to work at a zoo and really DID need to make elephant toothpaste while mixing everything together to draw out the big fun expansion of foam, before going into an age appropriate explanation of the chemistry involved. If asked to explain some science thing that isn't part of his scripts, he can struggle with keeping it child-friendly, going into too far much detail. He's just full of information!

the 'glass' part of his glasses are actually screens! Allowing his eyes to move around and emote. the little dots in the corners are the cameras he sees out of.

He's mildly less distressed by mess than his canon counterpart. As long as its part of the show (and doesn't get on HIM), messes are part of the fun! Extremely sensitive to his things being moved, however. It stems from his safety protocol, some of the chemicals he works with are legitimately dangerous, like liquid nitrogen, and so it could be bad news if somethings out of its place!

[ladykailitha]

Sir Steve, Knight Protectorate Part 3

Here we are at the last chapter. Thank you for everyone who liked, commented and reblogged, especially those that left lovely comments in their tags.

This isn't the last we'll see of this universe, as the next one I want to do is Christmas. Steve talking to Jonathan about the camera and not just saying it was joint present from him and Nancy.

In this we have some people who just never learn, Eddie getting heart-eyes non-stop now, and the basketball game of the century.

Part 1 Part 2

~

Larry Wiggins learned nothing from getting decked in the face by Eddie Munson, Steve decided. He had been the worst of the “accidental” bullies.

If there was a massive collusion of some poor bastards, you could make a pretty safe bet that Larry was seen leaving the area. The teachers turned a blind eye to it because and he quotes, “You have no proof he’s doing anything wrong, besides as captain of the basketball team, he’s afforded a little grace because he’s under soooo much pressure.”

Steve was pretty sure he threw up a little in his mouth when he heard that from the principal, the vice principal, the basketball coach, and at least three other teachers despite him doing it right in front of them multiple times.

So just before the winter break it all came to a head and if Steve was honest, he wasn’t surprised when he saw the victim was one of Eddie’s own sheep.

Steve had really needed to pee in history class. It was horrible, but Mrs. Click adored him and let him go to the bathroom, then immediately turned around and told a girl that is she wasn’t on the rag, she had no need to use the bathroom until after class.

He felt bad about that one, because unlike students, Steve couldn’t do jack shit about the teachers. Not without losing whatever status he actually had.

He pushed open the doors to the boys’ bathroom and instantly sagged against the doorway. There cowering in the corner was one of Eddie’s freaks. He had curly brown hair and blue eyes, though one was shut from a reddening welt that no doubt would turn into a black eye later.

Then the bell rang and students came flooding out of their classes, just in time to see Steve dragging Larry out of the bathroom and throwing him against the lockers across from the bathroom.

Before anyone could protest Steve’s over-reaction, the little freshman came limping out of the bathroom.

“Gareth!” Eddie called out and Steve was distracted for a moment by the sound, let Larry out of his grasp.

But instead of taking off like what would have been the smart thing, Larry pushed Steve off of him.

“You would take the side of the little pervert, Harrington,” he sneered. “I caught this little freak checking under the bathroom stalls. No doubt he’s a fag looking for dick to ogle.”

Gareth opened his mouth to protest, but Steve held up his hand.

“Or, he could be,” Steve scoffed, “and get this, looking to make sure no one was in the stalls so he go into the one he wanted? Like a normal person?”

Eddie and Gareth both snorted at the ‘normal’ description, but wisely kept their mouths shut.

Larry rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. “You think you’re so hot, don’t you? You’re not even a senior but everyone around here walks around here kissing your ass and why? Because Daddy’s money. If you were as poor as these chucklefucks, the only kiss you’d be getting is mouth to mouth when someone finally put you down like the dog you are!”

Gareth threw back his head and laughed. Just started laughing and laughing, doubling over from the laughter, tears streaming down his face.

Larry raised an eyebrow. “What the fuck is his problem?”

“His dad owns three of this town’s car dealerships, dude,” Steve said raising both eyebrows. “Like he lives in Loch Nora.”

Larry’s eyes go wide. “What the fuck? Then why is he dressed like trailer trash?”

“Hey!” Eddie growled and moved to take a swing at the guy, but again Steve held up his hand.

“Dude is in designer jeans and high tops and you have to ask that?” he shook his head. “You really are stupid. How did you become captain of the basketball team again?”

Steve tapped his lip for a moment, his other hand on his hip. Then he snapped his fingers. “Oh, that’s right, you mom blew the coach!”

Larry lunged forward to take a swing at Steve but Tommy and one of the other guys on the team managed to pull him back.

“You want to put your money where your mouth is punk?!” Larry shouted, trying to get out of his restraints.

Steve looked him up and down. “You’re on. One on one in the outdoor basketball court. First one to twenty points wins. We need an unbiased ref...” he looked around until he found a black sophomore standing off the side. “You, you tried out for JV this year, right?”

The kid pointed to himself and looked around but Steve nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I didn’t make it, but yeah I play.”

Steve turned to Larry. “That okay with you?”

Larry nodded. “If I win, you quit the team and stop this fucking crusade you’re on.”

The crowd oohed and ahhed.

“And if I win,” Steve said with a knowing smirk, “you step down as captain and make me captain instead. And if you lay a single finger on anyone again, and you know what I mean, I’ll be sure to spill every dirty secret you ever uttered in the locker room. Don’t think that I won’t.”

Larry gulped heavily. The sound loud in the now dead silent hallway.

Steve stuck out his hand and Larry eyed it for a moment. He looked up into Steve’s steely gaze, then at the gathered crowd. He shook the offered hand and pumped it once.

“Saturday 10am,” Steve said with a grin. Larry nodded and Steve walked over to the kid who was going to be their ref and slung an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, kid, what’s your name?”

“Patrick,” the kid mumbled shyly.

“Well, Patrick,” he said, leading him away from the crowd, “the team will be down one player regardless of what happens, you should try out again.”

Everyone is left staring in shock as the two boys walk away talking about basketball.

Nancy, who had been watching the whole thing turned to Tina, “So that was hot, right?”

Tina just nodded, her mouth open and her eyes wide. She fanned herself with her hand and shook her head. “Girl, you fucked up when you let that one get away.”

Nancy bit her lip, but privately agreed. It had been a month, and Jonathan still wasn’t biting. Perhaps...

Perhaps she might have another, tastier option.

~

The bullying full on stopped as the whole school held their breath. Even the teacher had noticed the whispering in the hall, but time and time again, students would refuse to say why. The nerds sided with Eddie and his club, the popular kids sided with Steve, and everyone one else but the bullies wanted to keep out of it.

When the teachers finally reached out to the kids who were doing the bullying, therefore proving to the whole school the teachers knew, but didn’t care, the bullies had been forced into silence or admit to the bullying.

The morning dawn bright and clear. The frost clung to the windows of the school and a couple of the basketball teammates arrived at nine to shovel the outdoor court as it had snowed the night before.

Steve showed up with longjohns under his shorts and a sweat shirt with the team logo on the front. He stood there, basketball propped on his hip as he waited for Larry to arrive. He was wearing sweats and a t-shirt, headband over his eyes.

10:01am.

Patrick came running up the court waving a whistle. “Sorry I’m late! I couldn’t find my whistle and had to go to the store to get another one.”

Larry grumbled, but Steve just threw Patrick the ball.

Larry and Steve stepped up to the middle line and Patrick stood between them with the ball. The two players shook hands and then Patrick threw it in the air.

Larry got the ball first, but in the end didn’t even matter.

Steve was far and away the better player. Whether Larry’s mom had done favors for the coach to make him captain was irrelevant. Because it soon became clear that he had only gotten the post due to some kind of favoritism.

Steve outmatched him on defense and was the better shot, making more of his shots than he missed.

Larry started panting halfway through as Steve outmatched in a different and just as vital way. Stamina.

Kids from all the cliques were pressed against the fence. Nancy in the front, cheering loudly for Steve along side all of his friends.

Tommy H. was shouting obscenities and Carol was calling Larry names.

But there was the silent section who had come out to watch. The one whose very lives depended on the outcome of the game.

You could call it hyperbole, but Eddie didn’t. It was apt. In those few scant weeks of not having his friends bullied, his grades actually fucking went up. Because he could concentrate on homework, instead of if tomorrow was going to be the day one of the bullies went too far and he lost one of sheep.

He still called out the bullying when he saw it, but now knowing that there were other people watching his sheep too? He could actually rest.

And if that was happening to him? He couldn’t dare to image what it was like for the kids who were being actively bullied. That first breath of relief knowing it wasn’t just a one time thing. That it was going to keep happening. That they were going to be able to just function. Must have felt like a god damned miracle.

Steve moved past Larry and slamdunked his final two points making it to twenty.

Larry sank to his knees as Patrick ran out on the court. “With a score of twenty to fourteen, Steve Harrington wins!”

He raised Steve’s hand over his head like a prize fighter. The gathered crowd roared to life, even those who had been watching silently at the other end of the court. The ones who didn’t understand what a layup was or how fouling worked. They began cheering too.

Steve walked over to Larry and got down on one knee, draping his arm over the other knee. “Some people are bullies because their home life is shit, some people are bullies because they don’t know how to be anything else. And some people just like you who are just fucking assholes who like make others miserable. Get the fuck off my court.”

He stood back up and waved at the crowd.

~

Steve managed to find an unlocked door and slipped into the locker room for a well earned shower. He still would have to put his gross clothes back on but at least he wouldn’t be dripping in sweat.

He heard the door open and close but decided to ignore it. Whether it was a well wisher or one of Larry’s ilk, he didn’t give a shit. He just wanted to be clean.

“Steve?” a warm and very welcome voice echoed through the empty chamber.

“Eddie?” he called back, poking his head out the shower stall to see him.

Eddie grinned. “There you are, big boy.”

Steve was grateful for the steam already painting his cheeks red so that Eddie wouldn’t see him blush.

“Hey,” he muttered softly.

Eddie came bounding up to him with a big grin on his face. “I went home and brought my PE clothes for ya so you didn’t have to put that sweaty shit back on.” He held up his bag. “We’re about the same size in everything but thighs, so this should get you home at the very least.”

“Oh you’re a lifesaver!” he breathed. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know, I wanted to.”

Steve pointed down at his sudsy body. “Just let me finish washing down and I’ll be with you in a moment.”

A few minutes later he shut off the water and called out, “Hey can you grab me a towel?”

“I could...” Eddie teased, “but then I’d miss the show of you waddling naked to grab one yourself.”

Steve’s eyebrows went up. “I wasn’t sure you’d be interested, after all the ball was in your court after your impromptu marriage proposal.”

Eddie licked his lips slowly and stalked over the low wall that separated the showers from the rest of the locker room. He looked Steve up and down, noting the high blush on his cheeks that had nothing to due with the heat. Or at least not the heat of the shower. Steve pushed his hair back and looked Eddie right in the eye.

Eddie smiled and reached out with one finger to trace a water droplet that had slid off of Steve’s collar bone to run for his belly button. Steve’s breath hitched as Eddie licked the water off his finger.

“I’m more than interested,” he murmured, leaning in close. “Just wasn’t sure if the offer was made in jest or if you were serious.”

Steve closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. Then he opened them slowly to see Eddie with his eyes wide and expression hopeful. Steve leaned in and pressed his lips to the other boy’s. It was soft and it was sweet.

Eddie leaned back, blinking. “So yeah, definitely serious then. So how about this, sweetheart, why don’t you get dressed in the things I brought you and you go home and get changed. Then I pick you up around, say... five for dinner at the diner?”

Steve’s face transformed with his smile. “I’d say that sounds like a date.” He kissed him again. Just as soft and just as sweet as the one before.

“I’m going to get cavities if you keep that up,” Eddie teased, walking away.

“Where are you going?” Steve asked tilting his head in confusion.

Eddie came back to locker room. “Getting you a towel, obviously. As much as I wouldn’t mind a sneaky peek, I think I’d rather wait to see you naked, spread out underneath me.”

Steve’s jaw worked up and down but no words came out.

“Catch you later, big boy!” Eddie called out over his shoulder after handing the towel to him.

As he was leaving he bumped into Nancy.

“Oh sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t see you there.”

Nancy chewed on her bottom lip. “Is Steve in there? I couldn’t find him after the game.”

“Yep!” he replied popping the P. “I brought him some clothes he could change into.”

Her eyes went wide. “Oh!”

“Catch you around, Wheeler,” Eddie said giving her a salute.

As the door swung shut, she could see Steve in there happily singing a love song as he got dressed.

Nancy looked back at Eddie’s retreating form and then back at the now closed door. She sighed. She had a feeling that she was too late in getting Steve back.

He had moved on.

She blushed and ducked her head. Maybe it was a good thing. She needed to work on herself and Steve needed someone who was with him because they wanted to be and not just because he was the current available option.

By the time Steve came back out, she was gone.

~

Tag List: COMPLETED

1-@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @cryptid-system

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

9- @gringa-rae-jepsen @bluelightsinthevoid @mamafaithful @allmyworldsendwithtears @xxbottlecapx

10- @sadisticaltarts @yeahhhh-suga @ohimamarigold @imamixofeverthing @samsoble

[dailymonraszkic]

Inlicitus desiderium -

2. Initium Amoris

Hanno’s grip tightened on the sword as he entered the training grounds, his heart beating with cold determination. The air was thick with sweat and the sharp tang of iron. Around him, gladiators of all shapes and sizes sparred, their grunts and the clash of weapons echoing in the open space. Hanno, however, was not here to train for sport. He was here to kill.

His thoughts briefly wandered to Arishat—the woman he had loved, the warrior who had fallen beside him in Numidia. Her death had torn something deep within him, and it was that same fury that kept him alive now. In the chaos of battle, he often thought he might join her in the afterlife, but not yet. He still had unfinished business.

“Numidian!” A voice rang out, cutting through his thoughts. Marcinus, draped in his gleaming red and gold robes, approached with his arms spread wide, his grin as false as his cheer. “I hear you’ve been putting on quite the show in training. Three gladiators down in a single session? Now that’s something impressive!”

Hanno ignored him, his eyes fixed on the other gladiators as they sparred. He didn’t need to answer Marcinus’s taunts. The man’s words were empty, designed only to provoke or flatter depending on his whims. Hanno had learned long ago not to trust anyone—especially men like Marcinus, who thrived on the suffering of others.

“You told me to train. I did,” Hanno said flatly, his voice low but resolute. “The rules are simple: kill or be killed.”

Marcinus laughed, clapping Hanno on the back in a mocking gesture. “Yes, yes. Here, we fight to survive, or we die so others can live. That’s the only rule. You’re getting it, I see.”

Without waiting for a response, Marcinus turned and walked away, his laughter still echoing in the yard. Hanno’s attention shifted back to two gladiators in the corner—a pair of tall, muscular men sparring with swords. He watched closely, waiting for the right moment.

The taller gladiator swung his sword in a wide, wild arc, missing his opponent by inches. The smaller fighter, faster on his feet, ducked low and brought his blade up, landing a punch to the first gladiator’s chest.

It was then that Hanno moved, swift as a shadow. The tall gladiator, still recovering from his missed swing, left himself open. Hanno closed the distance and brought the sword down hard across the man’s neck. The gladiator crumpled to the ground with a grunt, his body going limp.

The second gladiator, startled by the sudden attack, turned with his sword raised, but Hanno was already on him. With a brutal twist, he disarmed the man, sending the sword flying. The gladiator staggered back, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Please,” the man gasped, his hands raised in a silent plea for mercy.

Before he could finish his sentence, Hanno struck, flipping him onto his back with a well-executed maneuver. The gladiator’s breath caught, and he collapsed in the dirt, defeated.

For a moment, Hanno stood over him, watching as the fight drained from the gladiator’s eyes. He had done what needed to be done, but there was no satisfaction in the victory.

The yard fell silent. Hanno wiped the blood from his face and turned away without a word. Marcinus’s eyes followed him, but Hanno didn’t look back.

“Impressive,” Marcinus finally called out, his voice tinged with a mix of admiration and amusement. “You’re as ruthless as they say. A true champion.”

Hanno didn’t reply. The champions he respected were those who had fallen in battle, like Arishat—not men like Marcinus, who profited from the bloodshed of others.

With one last glance at the fallen gladiators, Hanno left the field, his mind already focused on the next fight. The arena would come soon enough, and when it did, he would be ready.

Later that evening, after the sun dipped below the horizon, the gladiators were locked in their cells. Hanno sat on his bed, his eyes closed and breathing steady. To the casual observer, he seemed asleep, but he was waiting. Florian, a fisherman from his childhood, had taught him patience. The Informa he had sent to the general would soon return to him, and then he could proceed with his plan. His mother, meanwhile, thrived in Rome, enjoying her life as the wife of the Emperor and sister to the other Emperor, while Hanno fought for survival.

As the night deepened, footsteps echoed down the corridor. They were soft, deliberate, careful not to draw attention. Hanno opened his eyes just enough to see a figure standing outside his cell, a hooded cloak obscuring much of their features. Instantly, his senses sharpened.

The figure stepped forward, and Hanno’s gaze fixed on him. It was Acacius, the ever-watchful former general who had become a shadow in this brutal world.

"I trust you’re ready for what’s next?" Acacius asked, his voice low, laced with subtle menace. He leaned against the bars of the cell, glancing at Hanno with an unsettling calm.

Hanno said nothing at first. He studied Acacius with narrowed eyes. The man wasn’t here for small talk. He had a purpose, and Hanno suspected it had something to do with his next move.

"Is it Prince Lucius you’re after?" Hanno growled. "Or redemption for Rome?"

Acacius raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a thin smile. “Lucius. So you know more than you let on.”

Hanno hesitated. “I’ve heard rumors,” he said slowly. “That he might be hiding near the southern border. I don’t know more than that. But you’re not here for rumors, are you?”

Acacius chuckled softly. “No. I’m here to get the truth.” He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “Lucius is a threat to Emperor Commodus. But I believe you know where he is.”

Hanno straightened, his voice colder now. “I’ve been looking for him for my own reasons. I don’t know where he is. But if you’re asking for help, you should know one thing.” His lips curled into a predatory smile. “If the boy’s still alive, he’s probably become a possession of some rich man.”

Acacius paused, his eyes narrowing. He was used to men who thought they knew everything, especially someone like Hanno—a gladiator, a pawn in the deadly game of power. But there was something about this man that intrigued him. Hanno had fire that couldn’t be easily extinguished.

“I see,” Acacius replied, his voice calm again. “You want revenge. Fair enough. But you’re in no position to negotiate. You’re a gladiator. Your options are limited.”

Hanno’s eyes narrowed. “And yet, you’re still here, talking to me. So, it seems I do have something you want. You can’t just kill me or throw me in a pit. Not yet.”

Acacius straightened, his smile faltering into a cold stare. “True. You are useful—for now. If you help me find Lucius, we may find a way to get you out of this place. Maybe even give you the means to exact your revenge.”

Hanno’s heart quickened at the mention of revenge—of Arishat. He had nothing left to lose.

“Fine,” Hanno murmured. “But if you lie to me, Acacius, I will make you regret it.”

Acacius inclined his head slightly. “I never lie, Hanno. I only bend the truth when it suits me.”

Before Hanno could respond, the guards’ footsteps echoed down the hall. Acacius gave a final glance at Hanno. “Remember, time is not on our side. We’ll speak again soon.”

With that, Acacius disappeared into the shadows, leaving Hanno to wrestle with the decision he had just made. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind, but it was quickly overshadowed by the burning need for revenge. Lucius would pay for Arishat’s death and whatever role he had played in Hanno’s fall from grace.

The game was about to change.

As the sun rose over Rome, its golden rays bathed the city, casting a gentle glow on the ancient stones and guiding Acacius through the lively streets. The sounds of merchants peddling their goods mingled with the laughter of children, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing in his chest. With each step, the weight of his mission grew heavier, the stakes clearer: the hope of a mother, the legacy of an empire, and the ambition-laden shadows that hung over Rome.

The Senate loomed ahead, its grandeur commanding Acacius’ attention. It symbolized power, authority—but also danger. He was well aware that the political landscape was shifting under Commodus’ reign. His motives remained shrouded in mystery, and whispers of paranoia and secrecy tainted the air. Acacius needed to tread carefully; in such an environment, an ally could quickly become an enemy.

Inside the Senate hall, murmurs echoed against the marble columns, creating an undercurrent of unease. Senators huddled in small groups, their expressions betraying their concern. The recent victory over the Numidians had done little to unite the factions; instead, it had reignited old rivalries and ambitions. Acacius's eyes fell on Senator Gaius, a man renowned for his wisdom and tactical insight.

"Marcus," Gaius greeted him in a low voice, guiding him to a secluded corner. "I heard you visited the Colosseum. What did you uncover?"

Acacius paused before replying, careful with his words. "A gladiator mentioned Lucius. It seems there’s a chance he survived the attack on his village and went into hiding. But we must act quickly—before Commodus catches wind of our inquiry."

Gaius’ brow furrowed. "You know as well as I that Commodus will not tolerate anyone probing into the truth of his rival, especially one who might be a potential heir. He sees enemies where there are none."

"Then perhaps we should create our own light," Acacius replied, his resolve firming. "If we confirm Lucius's survival, we could use that knowledge to challenge Commodus. Rome needs a symbol of hope to rally behind."

Later that day, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the city in a warm glow, Acacius found himself in a darker part of Rome—its air thick with smoke and the stench of the streets. He approached a tavern known for being a hub of information and a gathering place for mercenaries.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense, filled with rough laughter and the clink of mugs. Acacius spotted a familiar face—a former soldier turned mercenary, Lucan. This was a man who had seen the darkest sides of war and lived to tell the tale.

"Excuse me, is this the way to Lucan’s room?" Acacius asked, his voice steady as he made his way through the room.

Lucan looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes before recognition set in. "General Acacius," he said, leaning back in his chair, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "I didn’t expect a visit from you. A man of your stature doesn’t frequent places like this without a purpose."

"Information," Acacius replied, his tone serious. "I need to know about the clan that attacked the village where Lucius Verus Aurelius was hidden. I need to find him."

Lucan raised an eyebrow. "Ah, the lost prince. That’s a dangerous pursuit. The clan you're after is not to be taken lightly. They've made enemies of many—including some of my old comrades. But for the right price, I might be able to help."

Acacius nodded. The mercenary’s smile was enough of an answer.

Later, Acacius met with Senator Faunus. As soon as Acacius entered, the senator dismissed his staff and locked the door behind them, checking twice for any sign of eavesdropping. They both knew the stakes were high.

Faunus gave a brief, affirmative nod. "I can try to rally support among the Senate. With the right backing, we might challenge Commodus. But we’ll need to be discreet."

Acacius' thoughts briefly wandered to Senator Gaius, who was conspicuously absent. He suspected that Gaius would be informed of their plan soon enough. His own absence, however, was concerning—Commodus often sought private meetings to test the loyalty of his senators.

As Acacius prepared to leave, his thoughts turned to the gladiator’s words. The mention of soldiers searching for the prince was too important to ignore. Lucius’s survival seemed increasingly likely, but he would have to dig deeper—into the more shadowed corners of Rome—to find those who could help him locate the lost prince.

Just as Acacius was about to turn into the street leading to the barracks to check on his legion, he froze. Standing near the medicus' house were Marcinus and Hanno. The gladiator had his right hand bandaged, his face contorted in pain. Acacius narrowed his eyes at the sight of Hanno—no other injuries, but his pride seemed wounded. Marcinus was scowling, though his expression softened as he spotted Acacius.

"General Acacius, the hero of Rome," Marcinus greeted with a poisonous smile. "Not our first meeting, I believe."

"I’m here to discuss the chief of the Numidians," Acacius said evenly, his gaze fixed on the gladiator. "We talked with his men about the future of their city after Rome takes charge."

"The chief didn’t do well in the arena, did he?" Acacius continued, his voice pleasant but cutting. "First to die, I believe."

Hanno’s eyes narrowed, the anger bubbling just below the surface. Acacius could see the tension in his clenched, bandaged hand.

Marcinus’s smile faltered before returning, though it lacked its former confidence. "Not everyone is suited for the games, General. Some are better suited for strategy."

"Perhaps," Acacius replied sharply, "but those who send others to fight their battles rarely have the same appetite for combat themselves."

Acacius's gaze flicked to Hanno's bandaged hand. His voice grew colder. "Funny. The chief, also injured, didn’t survive. I can’t help but wonder if the same fate is intended for Hanno."

Marcinus's face reddened, but he quickly masked it with a tight smirk. "I trust my medicus knows what he’s doing."

"I hope so," Acacius said icily, then turned on his heel. "After all, they’re part of Rome now. It is also surprising he was not seen by Ravi, he usually can handle such injuries in no time - even far better than any medicus I had unfortunate pleasure of seeing."

Hanno did not say a word out loud but his quiet chuckle and smirk on his face told Acacius enough - Marcinus did not take him to Ravi because Ravi by law needed to report the injury.

That night, as the city slept, Acacius slipped through the quiet corridors of the gladiators’ quarters. His steps were deliberate, his mind focused on the path ahead. He reached Hanno's cell and knocked softly. The door creaked open, and Hanno appeared, his expression a mixture of surprise and unease.

"General," Hanno said cautiously. "This is unexpected."

"I need to speak with you," Acacius replied quietly, his tone firm yet low. "Away from prying eyes."

Hanno crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "Is this about Marcinius? Or your endless search for Prince Lucius?"

Acacius's face hardened. "Both. Marcinius is reckless. He puts lives at risk, and I won’t stand by while he undermines Rome’s strength."

Hanno raised an eyebrow. "And the prince?"

The General's voice dropped slightly. "The prince remains my mission. But sometimes I wonder if I’m chasing shadows. You know more about him than you’re letting on."

Hanno’s expression remained guarded, his eyes narrowing. "Perhaps I do. Or perhaps I’m just a gladiator trying to survive."

"Surviving doesn’t mean staying silent," Acacius pressed, stepping closer. "If you know something, anything about Lucius, you owe it to Rome to speak."

"To Rome?" Hanno’s voice was sharp. "Or to you?"

The silence stretched between them, thick with tension. Finally, Hanno spoke again, his tone softer but still guarded. "What if the prince doesn’t want to be found? What if he’s seen enough of Rome’s ‘glory’ to know he’s better off lost?"

Acacius’s jaw tightened. "Then he’s denying his duty. His family needs him. Rome needs him."

Hanno looked away, his hand flexing involuntarily. "Duty isn’t always enough to heal old wounds," he murmured. "Sometimes it’s the reason they’re still bleeding."

Acacius watched him closely, his resolve wavering for a moment. "If you were the prince," he asked slowly, "what would you do?"

Hanno’s gaze met his, unreadable. "I’d make sure Rome understood what it truly needed. And I’d make damn sure I was the one to decide when and how I’d return."

Acacius nodded, respect growing for the gladiator, though his suspicions deepened. "Fair enough," he said quietly. "But know this—if you ever need someone to trust, someone to stand by you… I’m here."

Hanno’s lips twitched into a faint, rueful smile. "I’ll keep that in mind, General."

As Acacius turned to leave, the dim light from the oil lamp cast long shadows on the stone walls. Hanno watched him go, lost in thought.

The general the entire Rome loves. He heard about someone like that once. His father whom he knew for only seven weeks before he was sent away. His mother told him tales about his father’s bravery and goodness of heart. He believed that man to be Lucius Verus, his mother’s husband. After his eleventh birthday, he started to pay attention to the rumours that surrounded his mother’s marriage. Apparently Lucius Verus was never seen in female company - therefore he couldn’t father a child, even by Emperor’s order.

“You speak fluently in our language, know the history, and have astonishingly anti-critical views of life in an Empire,” a deep voice from the shadows made Hanno turn around quickly, his guard up.

An older man stepped closer to the cell bars and watched Hanno with interest in his dark eyes.

“You’re the warrior Acacius spoke about,” the man continued. “But you do not come from Numidia. The accent, the knowledge—not even a Roman captain could know the things you know or have thought the way you speak of. Where is your home, and what is your name?”

Hanno blinked and watched the man as he spoke. He held himself in high regard; that much was evident by the way he stood—his shoulders straight, his eyes focused. He had slightly longer hair, dark eyes, and a stoic face that revealed little of his thoughts.

“As the general once summarized—I am a part of Rome now.”

The guard standing behind the man suddenly took a step forward from the line.

“My Emperor, we should go back.”

Hanno froze, his gaze snapping back to the man. His eyes narrowed as he studied the face before him.

“Well then,” the Emperor said, his tone quiet but cutting, his gaze lingering on Hanno. “We shall see you fight, Numidian. I have learned that the thirst for revenge often makes the best gladiators in the area.”

The sight of Commodus—a face etched from his childhood and the darker tales whispered in exile—sent a cascade of emotions crashing through Hanno's mind. Bitterness, long dormant but never extinguished, flared as he saw the man who now sat atop the empire that had razed his city and stolen his future. Commodus’ features were older now, heavier with the weight of years and decadence, yet still carried that self-assured cruelty. But beneath the seething hatred, a strange unease slithered in. This was his uncle, the brother of the mother he had barely known, and whatever bond of blood they shared felt both a mockery and a shadow of something he could never claim. Was this reunion a mere spectacle or fate’s twisted humour? Could it be that Commodus, in his own self-serving way, cared to seek him out? The nephew he had lost due to his own nature? The thought disgusted Hanno more than it consoled him. He clung to his hatred like a shield, though doubt gnawed at the edges of his resolve.

And then there was Acacius.

The General’s piercing eyes had lingered in Hanno's thoughts far longer than he cared to admit. How could he feel this stirring of... something for the man who had wielded the sword of Rome against his people, who had followed orders to destroy what he once called home? Who gave the order that killed his beloved wife, the only family he had? And yet, Acacius' strength, his resolute demeanour, held a gravity that Hanno could not deny.

It was maddening. Was it simply curiosity, some twisted fascination with the man who sought to unravel his identity, or something more dangerous—a yearning for connection in a life bereft of it? The contradict

[quiet-admirer]

I dislike the vast, vast majority of fat anatomy tutorials that get passed around on social media because, while learning from other artists is great because it means you don't have to reinvent the wheel yourself, those posts usually end up being "use these 2-3 categories of shapes to draw these 3-4 body types" that functionally aren't that different from those "how to draw a cartoon dog" step-by-steps for children.

All you're learning is the approach that artist uses to draw the body types they typically draw in their style, which doesn't tell you what techniques and practice habits the artist used to arrive to their approaches and shortcuts. It's like being given 3 soup recipes that you can follow, but if you don't learn the basics of what makes a soup a soup, you might be able to riff off of what you know, but it's going to be really hard to make your own meals that reflect your self-expression and tastes.

This is an inherent problem for anatomy tutorials in general, but it's amplified even more for guides on how to draw fat and fat bodies. Any connoisseur of fat can tell you that there is no possible way to make a succinct guide to drawing what fat bodies look like. There is a whole range of hardness to softness, and within each incremental degree of softness there is a wide range of where fat gets distributed on the body, and within that, there are variations in what that distribution looks like proportionally given the person's height and the size of their frame. Where rolls and folds happen varies widely. Where stretch marks happen and to what degree varies widely. Whether there's cellulite in different areas or not.

This is so cool! There are so many options to mix and match and so much fun stuff to learn when drawing fat people. And so much room for expressive character design, too!

But the problem with the kinds of fat drawing tutorials in circulation isn't that fat people are just too varied or too complicated or difficult to learn outside of some specialized studio drawing class. It's because these tutorials talk about literally anything but actually looking at a fat body to learn how to draw one!

It's a hard pill to swallow perhaps, because we all want easy drawing shortcuts, but the way you learn how to draw realistic variation in body types is through real-life references! The tutorials you'll get the most out of are going to be life-drawing tutorials: how to train your eye to see what it's actually seeing and how to translate that to the page. The same exact *skills* that you use to learn how to draw thin and muscular body types are the ones that will get you to learn how to draw fat body types.

"How do I draw double chins?" Idk man, how did you learn how to draw sharp jawlines? Look at many examples of double chins and practice drawing them until you have a good idea of a lot of common shapes out there and adapt and recreate what you're seeing into your own personal artistic style, be that hyperrealism or simple cartoons.

"But where? Artist photo references are all of thin and muscular people, and there's no control over whether studio life drawing models are fat!"

Draw your fat friends with their permission!

Draw yourself if you're lucky enough to be your own fat photo or life reference!

It's a very common practice for artists to life sketch at places like parks and coffee shops, so as long as you are respectful and not oggling and leering at strangers, you may see a fat person in the wild if you go outside with a sketchbook for some people watching.

Live drawing is always going to be more valuable than drawing from a reference that's already 2D, but you can image search fat public figures, like musicians or actors, or redraw movie or music video stills with fat musicians or actors.

fatphotoref.com/

Ok now hear me out on this, but: a great place to find nude photo reference for fat men, (especially if you want practice drawing steamy gay fat sex and intimacy) is amateur porn videos using search terms like 'bear' and 'chub'. Many artists talk about having difficulty finding fat photo references where fat bodies are not portrayed with the themes and aesthetics common in fat fetish and feedism kinks, and I'm not trying to minimize that at all, but unlike the "BBW" category of porn, Bear and chub/chaser amateur porn is way more often just, like, some big guys making a sex tape together. And with amateur porn you often get a lot of footage of people walking around to change positions or camera angles, moving to a chair, reaching for the lube, taking clothes off, lying in bed - liminal space with naked fat bodies just existing and doing stuff, which makes it an underrated resource for figure drawing practice in my opinion.

Also, I have to add, there isn't anything wrong with using photos and videos by fat fetishists, even those with fat fetish aesthetics, for figure drawing practice. These are images fat people are creating of our own bodies, presenting themselves in a way that is gratifying or desirable for them. That is part of the fat experience too; that is a way for fat bodies to be represented, and just because something is a kinky way of portraying fat bodies doesn't mean the kinds of angles and movements and poses that are actively avoided outside of kink spaces have nothing of artistic value to contribute to creating vanilla art or learning figure drawing.

And lastly, there are also more and more videos and channels out there with some sort of niche related to fatness like fat fashion or fat yoga that can also make great photo references.

You learn to draw by looking at real life and drawing it. You learn how to draw fat people by looking at real fat people and drawing them. Look at actual fat people!

[historical-fashion-polls]

Hey, I'm not the original anon, and I think it's unfortunate that their ask has had such a negative impact, but I do kinda get where they're coming from and thought I might be able to add some insight. I've been following this blog for a bit and I do definitely think I'm developing a "feel" for which outfit will be in the lead (often strong, deep colors, silhouette that's attractive by modern standards). That's not necessarily a bad thing, and I don't think it called for a grumpy ask, but I can see anon's point, especially in the context of frustration with costuming in period productions, which often goes for a "historical vibe without being too weird for modern viewers" approach. But these polls aren't a competition, and it's fun to play fashion judge with them. Anyway, thanks for all the great work you do, have a good day!

hi dear anon! 💕

thank you for your thoughts on this, and I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying the blog! ☺️☺️

in the time since this was sent, I have heard from the original anon again, so I will link that response here, as my response to them is similar to what I would respond here!

as I mentioned, it's definitely worth having a conversation about attention to historical detail in media! 💕💕 but I do fear it often comes down to factors like money and time, since – from what I've seen and heard – costume designers are often massively underpaid and underfunded, and frequently given insufficient time to complete the kind of work that historical detail requires

I don't doubt that some aspects of the skimping on historical details are down to making things more approachable to modern audiences, but also I think it's not a phenomenon that's particularly new. for example, check out this "1830" costume from 1910 or even a well-known film like It's a Wonderful Life where I'm always jolted from the dance scene that ostensibly takes place in the 1920s by the aggressively 1940s style of the dresses and hair (not a dropped waist in sight lmao) 😆😆

as I mentioned, I do truly hope that the blog might help people gain a better understanding of historical fashion, even if it is mostly for fun! and even if responses do trend toward more "modern" looking garments, I'm hoping folks still enjoy the exposure to a wide range of historical styles! ☺️💕 I'm still nowhere near an expert, but I can say that I myself have learned a ton since starting the blog! ☺️☺️

anyway, suffice it to say that this is a definitely a complex topic that is worth analyzing, so thank you for sending in your thoughts on it! 🥰🥰

[kirkwallguy]

do you have recommendations for rpgs? i have only played bg3, dragon age, and mass effect. also nothing is more important than romance to me sorry to serious people

yess! this post from the other day is a good starting point (and i think op has some similar lists on their blog) but here are a few that would be good to get started with if you want to branch out:

(btw, these are only games i've played - there are a few i see recced a lot that i haven't gotten around to yet lol)

divinity: original sin 2 - you've probably heard of this if you're into bg3, but it's worth trying. the gameplay is very similar, except it doesn't use a d&d ruleset or have any animated cutscenes. there are romancable companions, but they work differently to bg3 in the sense that you have to choose your party composition early in the game and stick with it, which is fun for replayability imo. i don't think the companions are as interesting as the ones in bg3 either but they all have interesting stories that run parallel to the main plot

pathfinder: wrath of the righteous - wotr is another crpg, imo it can be a little hard to wrap your head around at first compared to bg3, but once you're past the learning curve it's really fun. the writing and companions are all really interesting and it's great for letting you roleplay as a wide range of characters and moralities - some of the romances go deep into sicko territory which is great for me personally. there's a ton of reactivity as well, each "path" (your specialisation) has its own set of quests and will affect your relationships with companions. nobody will love you if you become a lich :( . the main issue with the game tho is it's bloated and long (i've literally never finished a run because i get distracted 80 hours in) but it's worth the time you put into it imo

baldurs gate 1 & 2 - these games are kind of dated but if you can handle dao, you can probably manage them? it took me a few tries to get a feel for the first one, but once i got into it i played through both games without stopping lol. they're real time with pause like origins and only the second one has romance (though the ee version adds romancable companions that appear in both games which is fun).

pillars of eternity 1 & 2 - honestly, i'm not super into these games but other people really like them and i understand why. they're a really good modernisation of the original baldurs gate / infinity engine games with a narrative that lots of people are into. the first game has no romance and is real time with pause, while the second game will let you romance characters (some of them reappear from the first game, so i guess you can treat it like a realllly slow burn) and play either real time with pause or turn based.

disco elysium - okay, there's technically no romance but it's so good that i'll rec it anyway. it's a crpg but has no actual combat, the writing and story are really unique and it's just a great experience to have.

enderal: forgotten stories special edition - this game is really hard to recommend because it makes me sound crazy but please hear me out. this skyrim mod is maybe one of the best games i've ever played. if you have skyrim special edition you can download and run it for free, mechanically it runs pretty much like skyrim but the writing and story are insane. the romances are also good, there are only two main ones but they're very tied to the plot.

skyrim...?: if you haven't already played skyrim and you want to get it for enderal then it's also worth playing anyway. it's my horrible wife that poisons me whenever i try to divorce her but it's a fun experience. the romance is pretty shit but there are some good mods with romancable companions (i like gore, he reminds me of marcus lol). it has a lot of the same issues in its writing as dai does, but the world is designed so well that i can play for hundreds of hours just doing my own thing and ignoring the main quest

there are LOADS more but these are just a fun starting point based on liking bioware and bg3, hope you enjoy!

[journalsouppe]

I started and beat this within like 4 days in July 2023, and I just completely forgot to take photos of this spread T-T.

BUT I loved Tunic so much, one of my all time favorite games I've ever played. If this was a Zelda game, it might've been my favorite Zelda game. This was only beat out by Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice bc my aa brainrot is that bad hfjdkal.

All of the stickers come with ordering the physical version of the game on fangamer!! There's also a freebie fox sticker I got from TheLittleBirdeeCo thats below keep reading.

My writing is typed below as well as my game notes. I will not type out my game notes and I also don't recommend looking at them unless you have played the game.

Game notes^ Plus a little blurb after rewatching a playthrough that I won't type out either since these are more just for fun.

Rating: 9.5 Played: Su 2023 Port: Nintendo Switch Favorite? Y Replayable? Y Recommend? Y

Comments

similar opening to links awakening

the start screen is gorgeous

THE POT SHARDS ARE MOVEABLE - i love the clay feel

tons of hidden paths and secrets

oooo you find the instruction booklet in the game

I KILLED MYSELF?

GIANT SKELETON SHOPKEEPER SCARED ME T-T he's chill tho

oooo you can hear the wind chimes

LOVE the mechanics of the draw bridge

what are the small tuner/bells for

i am apparently really good at finding hidden chests

i love that the fairies are stone versions of the oot/mm fairies

ENEMIES CAN FOLLOW YOU INTO NEW ROOMS?

it's hard to get acclimated since I'm so used to 2d zelda strategies and patterns

the statues of the hero perfectly encapsulate my view of oot link, i really love the design

the garden boss is hard T-T

the bell towers are so pretty

THE POTIONS REGENERATE? WISH I KNEW THAT

the west garden is so pretty omg

I FINALLY DID IT T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-

IM SO TINY T^T

idrk what to do at the heros grave

the librarian fight reminds me of the links awakening nightmare fight

frogs domain music reminds me of the forest temple

A GUN?

who am i?

why is the cathedral filled with ... me?

the boss rush was fun but hard

I DONT LIKE THAT ELEVATOR WHERE DID THE CRUCIFIED THING GO

i don't think there's a set order to do "dungeons" so i'm not locked to doing only the siege engine

i thought cat man was pissing

why do i have the power to activate the boxes?

librarian's ghost?

COLOR CHANGE?

was the heir me?

Game Notes:

beautiful 3D animation and modeling - very pleasing

wide attacking range - don't just attack straight forward

incredible environmental design and path making

two endings - exploration and collection for good end

diverse attack patterns and learning curve + boss rush

Summary

What a phenomenal game. I loved playing this game so much. It was challenging and I wasn't used to the souls mechanics, but I learned fast and had so much fun fighting the bosses. I love the two endings. The Bad where you replace your former self as the heir, continuing the cruel cycle. The Good where you free the Heir and find out it's you, older, someone who is no longer stuck in the cycle, and you get to be friends together. The music is absolutely gorgeous. I listened to it while falling asleep and was just sobbing from it. I love how mysterious the lore is and how everything still hasn't been answered. I love the designs of the environments and enemies and how the game can go from nice and serene to dark and creepy. I loved how this game was a perfect blend of 2D zelda plus monument valley plus a souls game, it forced me to think outside of the box and use my journal to takes notes on all the little secrets and surprises. I can def see myself play this game again, it's such a charming game that has a lot of nostalgia despite being a fairly new game. I am so happy I bought the deluxe edition, I truly cherish this game so much and love the stickers and artbooks I received. I highly recommend this game to anyone, it is such an incredible journey to go through. I'm gonna be spending a lot of time watching and reading about the lore and digging deeper into this game. Truly what a phenomenal game with such a cute yet tragic main character, ough i love tunic.

[wandafiction]

The Row - Just Us Chapter 52

Warnings: None

Word Count: 2888

Series List | Chapter 51 | Chapter 53

================================

I pull Wanda into the shop, her body moving closer to mine as we enter so I unlink our arms and move mine around her shoulders keeping her close to my left side. Her right hand moves up across her chest, to grab my hand that is relaxed near her left collar bone. She grabs onto it, linking our fingers together as she leans more of her body into me. 

"Do you remember where you saw the suit?" 

"I think it was called The Row." 

"Very good taste." I look down to Wanda, who is looking at the list of all the designers here. Let me tell you it's a lot. "Are you doing okay?" 

"Yeah, I feel a little out of place in my mom jeans and your shirt but I'm doing okay." 

"Well let's head to the section with The Row and we will be in and out of here as quick as you need."

"Thank you baby." 

"Of course princess."

I pull Wanda around SAKS leading us where we need to be, but also taking my time so she can have a look around and decide if she wants to look at something else. It seems like she is only here to look at the suit though, as she looks around but shows no interest letting me walk us where we need to be. When Wanda sees the sign for The Row her eyes light up and she bounces on her toes in excitement, practically pulling me into the section. I can see her eyes searching for what I can only assume to be the suit, a look of disappointment spreads across her face when she doesn't see it.

"Hi, how can I help you two lovely ladies today?" The sales assistant, a young short blonde puts on her best customer service smile as she walks over to us.

"Uh, hi. So I saw something online that I liked and hoped you would have it here but can't seem to see it." Wanda's eyes keep darting around looking at the range of clothes they have.

"That's no problem. I have some catalogues here with everything in it. Just tell me what you saw and I can sort something out for you." We follow the woman to the counter as she brings out a few small laminated clothing catalogues, one labelled dresses, on labelled suits, one labelled day wear and the final one is shoes and accessories.

"It was this red velvet suit sort of thing." 

"The jacket and pants right?" The lady flicks through the catalogue pulling up the page with the suit on, my eyes go wide already anticipating how fucking hot she is going to be wearing it.

"That's the one there yeah." 

"So we don't stock it in our shop, but if I get your measurements we can have it ready for you by Friday, as I can put a priority on this thing if you need me to." 

Wanda looks up at me then back down to the picture of the suit. I can tell she is having an internal battle with herself, I know she wants it but I also know she doesn't like the idea of me spending money on her. I lift her chin with my finger, as she bites her lip nervously but I simply use my thumb to pull it out.

"We can get it if you want it?" 

"I really want it but…"

"Then let me get it for you." From the corner of my eye, the lady silently 'ohs' in understanding leaving to tend to another shopper while me and Wanda have this conversation. "Okay I know we made a deal but what about this. You choose three outfits today of your choice, I will get them for you today and you can get measured for it all. So when I say outfit it means shoes and accessories too. Then that will be it. You will have three outfits from The Row and I never have to buy you expensive clothes again."

"I like that idea better, because it won't always be in the back of my mind that you will be spending ridiculous amounts of money one me." 

"Money comes easy to me Wanda, but we can learn and work together. You at getting better at accepting that I want to spend my money on you and I will hold back on the spending too much until you are comfortable. And if you aren't ever comfortable then that is fine too, I just want you to be comfortable with the fact that in my life right now it comes easily to me." 

"I will try."

"That's all I ask." She stands on her tiptoes to give my lips a peck. "So what do you want to do?"

"Can we do the three outfits thing?" 

"Of course we can." Wanda stands in front of me, pushing her arms under my coat as she wraps them around my body, locking her hands together at the bottom of my back. Her chin resting on my chest as she puckers her lips up at me, I bend down giving her a few gentle pecks. We break apart with a smile when the lady makes her way back to the counter, now finished with the other customer. Wanda let's go of me turning around to face the lady, her back pressed to my front and I gently rest my hands on her waist as I rest my chin on the top of her head.

"So have you ladies decided on what to go for?" Once again a winning customer service smile on her face.

"So I would like to go for the suit, then maybe look at some different things you have." 

"That's perfect, are we getting you measured today?" 

"Yes please. Am I able to browse the catalogues as you do so?" 

"Of course. Your girlfriend can join us in the back if that makes it easier for you two." She looks between me and Wanda, I'm starting to think that the smile isn't that fake.

"Yes please. Baby?" 

"Of course I will grab the catalogues while you and the lady get settled. Sorry what's your name so I don't have to keep calling you lady?" She huffs out a laugh holding her hand out which I shake.

"The names Paula. You two are."

"I'm Y/n and this my Wanda."

"Very nice to meet you both. Wanda if you would like to follow me though to the back, Y/n join us when you're ready. Also would either of you like a drink at all? Tea? Coffee?"

"I will take a tea please." Wanda says following the lady as I grab the catalogues.

"Water is fine for me thanks "

"Perfect. Why don't you two surf the catalogues while I make them for you." She disappears into another side room while me and Wanda take a seat opening up the dress catalogue first.

Wanda flicks through the pages, asking for my input on certain things as she hums a random tune out. She suddenly stops flicking her hand resting on the page, as her finger brushes over the picture of the dress she has seen. I know it's the one the moment she sets her eyes on it, a soft smile makes its way onto her lips as her eyes scan the dress up and down. Her finger traces the outline of the dress, before resting her hand flat against it.

"This one is perfect." Wanda turns to look at me, tilting the catalogue so I can see what she is one about and I bite my lip when I see the dress.

"What shoes and accessories are you going for?" 

"Just some heels and maybe earrings. Nothing too in your face." 

"Any more dresses you're looking at."

"No, I think I want to get another suit though, and er, maybe a coat?" She mumbles the last bit, but I catch it.

"So another suit, and a coat. And then just shoes and accessories to go with each." I state, so she knows I'm okay with it.

"Yeah so it would be one dress, 2 suits and a coat. Are you sure it's okay baby?" 

"I am perfectly sure princess. I want to spoil you rotten." She quickly pecks my lips and starts scanning the other catalogue as Paula returns. 

"Okay so here is the tea and the water. Wanda if you could come and stand up here. Y/n you can stand next to her, to help her browse but you might have to do some shuffling around while I measure."

"Okay. Ready princess?" 

"Ready." 

I stand up from my chair, placing the catalogues on my seat and hold out my hand palm up for Wanda to take. She gently places her palm in mine, my fingers wrap around her hand as I hoist her up from the chair. I bend down to grab the catalogues in my other hand, wrapping my arm around Wanda's shoulder while her arm remains in front of her, our hands still holding one another. We walk up to the small stand, that's about half a foot of the ground; and surrounded by 3 or 4 mirrors. I let go of Wanda's hand holding mine out palm up again. She rests her hand in mine as she steps up on the stand getting herself situated.

"Such a gentlewoman. Sometimes I wish I was gay." Me and Wanda share a confused look at Paula as we both laugh. "I just mean the most my boyfriend does is buy me flowers on my birthday." 

"Oh yeah, men are imbeciles. Been there, done that, never again though." Wanda remarks, laughing as the lady gives an impressed smile and nod. 

"So is it as good as they say? You know being with a woman compared to a man?" I try to ignore the conversation as I start looking through the suit catalogue for ideas. 

"Mhmm, one thousand percent better." I quirk a brow. "You my dear are missing out on a good time. Dump that lazy ass boyfriend of yours and get yourself a lady." 

"Maybe I will. So how long have you two been together." The lady starts up a conversation as she starts to measure Wanda's legs with a small hand held tape measure. 

"What's the date today baby?" I open my phone to double check.

"It's the 5th lyubov." 

"Okay so that puts us at 3 weeks 4 days. Okay wow, I didn't realise it hadn't been not that long. I swear it feels like we have been together for months." I quickly do the maths in my head and my jaw drops.

"Oh wow, yeah you're right." I just shrug. "We are just being your stereotypical useless lesbians."

"Wait so we said I love you to each other exactly 3 weeks into knowing each other." 

"Wait, wait, wait. You guys have already said 'I love you' to each other?" The lady stops what she is doing to look between the both of us wide eyed.

"Yeah, but I honestly thought we had been together longer. I swear it was longer." I scratch my head slightly confused at how quickly we have actually moved through this relationship.

"Nope." Wanda pops her the P. "We met on the tenth of last month."

"Well fuck me, that's kinda crazy lyubov." Wanda shrugs as she looks at me through the mirror.

"Like you said we are just some good ole useless lesbians." 

"Okay, anyway. So we have the dress, the suit you just need to choose the other suit and coat you want. Any ideas?" 

"Are there any white suits in there?" 

"There is." I start flicking the section with white dresses, while Paula moves around me. I hold the book open in one hand, and Wanda flicks through it herself, her eyes searching every page. Her eyes land on something she likes the look of, as they scan the page.

"What about this one dorogoy?" 

"Well this is for you, so it's your choice." 

"You're no help, I want your opinion. Like if I wore this would you take me to one of the Stark Gala's or not."

"I would love to show you off wearing that princess."

"Correct answer."

"So that one." I point to the suit to make sure she is happy.

"That one."

"Okay guys, as cute as this is Wanda I need your arms up and out for me so I can get those measurements."

Wanda complies, holding her arms out in the air, I move to stand in front of her, drinking her all in. I can't believe she is mine. I open up the catalogue that has the coats and hold the one with accessories in it under my arm, the rest go to the floor So I don't get in the way of Paula. I flick through them myself to gain an idea of what they do and pick out some favourites I think Wanda would like. As Paula moves to behind Wanda I turn the catalogue to face her showing her each of the ones I picked. As I flick the pages she scrunches her nose shaking her head a lot not really feeling any of them, not until the last one.

"Ooo I really like that one baby." Paula peaks out from behind Wanda.

"We keep that one in store since we don't need measurements for it really. You can try it on once I'm done here." 

"Perfect thank you Paula. Are shoes and accessories here or is it easier to order them to come with the made to measure stuff."

"Depends what you would like. We stock some stuff, but it is mostly easier to order it to arrive with the made to measure stuff." Paula finishes up wrapping the tape measure gently over her shoulders. "So what is it we are going for then ladies." 

"The red velvet suit, with a white button up. The shoulder to floor white dress with these earrings and these heels. And then this suit here, and this coat." 

"Perfect I will get it put through the till." Paula walks off to the counter to get it ready for payment as I once again hold my hand out to Wanda as she steps off the stand. She instinctively links our arms together as we both walk on time over to the counter. Paula walks back to us holding the coat in her hands, which Wanda takes putting it on herself. She double checks what she looks like in the mirror, then turns to me for my opinion but when she see my lip between my teeth she knows my answer so turns back to Paula nodding and handing the coat back.

"So which one do you want to wear this Friday princess?"

"Still the red one." I nod as I turn to Paula.

"Can we put a rush on the red suit. We need it for Friday if that's possible? I know it's Tuesday already…."

"We can put a rush on it, it will be ready for Friday morning where you can collect it from us." 

"Perfect." 

"Okay so the three outfits, accessories, shoes and coat all come to a total of…"

"I don't need to know, that's okay, just set up the card machine." Paula's eyes flick between me and Wanda and I can feel Wanda's eyes burning a hole in the side of my head.

"Okay, uh, well it should be ready for you." I swipe and sign and soon enough Paula hands over the receipt which I hand to Wanda. She immediately looks at the total price biting her lip a little. 

"See I didn't want you to know because you might have said no, so now you have 3 new outfits for plenty of occasions and there isn't a thing you can do to stop me." Wanda just nods as her eyes scan the bit of paper over each individual price, while I grab the bag with the coat in it.

"Oh so your a sugar mama. Damn I really should turn to women." Wanda smiles up at Paula and I'm thankful for the topic change.

"You definitely should. It changes everything." 

"Well you two lovely ladies enjoy the rest of your week and I will see you Friday when you come to collect the suit." She holds out her hand and we both give her a handshake before we turn to exit the shop. I wrap my arm around Wanda's sounders pulling her close to me.

"You okay princess?" I check in knowing her brain is going over the amount of money I just spent on her.

"I'm good. I'm okay. It's just something I'm going to have to get used to."

"It will take time, but like I said before you now have three new outfits and we don't have to do this again in a long while if it makes you more comfortable." 

"Thank you Y/n. I mean it. I love you"

"I love you too Princess. Anywhere else you want to go?" I look down at her smirking when I see her lip gently between her teeth her pupils dilated so I change my question. "Yours or mine?"

"Mine."

================================

[rippleclan]

[Image ID: the title of the article is "Clerics & Their Code". Fennelspot sits underneath the words.]

A two-for-one deal, since the cleric description and the code of clerics option both won in the last lore vote. Today we'll be looking at the two main responsibilities of a cleric and the unique set of restrictions that bind them.

Clerics: Healing

The main job of a cleric, the one which most cats can relate to, is to heal sick and injured Clanmates. Their medicine dens are not only places for recovering cats to sleep but act as important stores for medicinal liquids, powders, and other concoctions. Clerics are very picky about who can meddle in their stores, but there are multiple roles that need access to the medicinal goods. Artisans trade certain medicines with other Clans. Mediators sometimes need herbal remedies for the mental afflictions of the Clan. Historians often learn about medicine in their studies. Meanwhile, caretakers and warriors often assist in collecting herbs and turning them into medicine. Other cats can all be recruited to help clerics in times of crisis when they need more paws caring for injuries or are too sick to care for others themselves.

Cleric medicine is a complex enough topic that a cleric spends most of their life devoted to the subject. It's not just about collecting the right leaves and stuffing them onto wounds. In this world, clerics have a wider range of medicinal technology. They harvest herbs and transform them into some of the following;

Infused oils: While WheatClan is the only Clan that produces the ever-useful flaxseed oil, which they trade for use in both food and medicine, clerics and artisans can make a simpler, cruder oil from animal fat (the finished product isn't considered "oil", however, due to its differences from flaxseed oil). Clerics infuse this oil with herbs by mixing the two in one pot, then setting it inside a bigger pot with some water over a fire (clerics have their own fireplace/oven setup that is only used for medicine). The water around the smaller pot infuses the herbs into the oil over the course of an hour. When it's done, they strain the herbs out of the oil and keep the finished product.

Salves/Balms/Ointments: Clerics mix their infused oil with a strong wax (beeswax or tallow) to create a stronger variation of a traditional chewed poultice (although they may add some solid herbs to the finished product). Ointments involve the use of water and are better for skin/fur issues than the stiffer salves and balms.

Concoctions: This includes adding herbs to food for medicinal benefits, boiling herbs for decoctions, mixing herbs with honey, and otherwise mashing them together.

Clerics also use the herbs as we are traditionally familiar with, having patients chew them or eat them whole. A cleric's job also involves a series of non-herbal strategies, which includes the use of leeches, exercise, grooming, rituals to StarClan, and more. Notably, while cobwebs are a great emergency bandage, artisans can craft actual bandages from animal skin and plant fiber. Some of these bandages can be washed out and reused.

Clerics: Connection To StarClan

The other major job of a cleric is to maintain a connection to StarClan and advise their Clan on the opinions and advice of their ancestors. If a StarClan cat needs to speak to a living cat, they will usually go for the cleric. Oftentimes, StarClan only has the strength and knowledge to send vague signs and omens which clerics are trained to identify and interpret. They visit StarClan's Shrine on the half-moon preceding the Gathering in order to reconnect with the ancestors and get more clear-cut advice (while also connecting with fellow clerics on spiritual/medical matters).

Clerics have a wide range of rituals designed to bring strength from StarClan. They can also summon StarClan spirits through a special ritual (which I will explain another time). They can even perform a variant of it to speak to a Dark Forest cat, but this is seen as taboo and would earn ire from StarClan's Judges.

The Code of Clerics Origins: The First Cleric

The first cleric in the impressive records all historians work hard to maintain was known as Hickoryroot. A lot of her story sounds like myth at this point, but historians have worked hard to keep it as true as they could.

It is said she was a SlugClan warrior from the days where roles were not split as they are in the modern Clans. It is said that she learned some of the first medicines from watching a human (a Native American, possibly East Cree) gather herbs and turn them into a medicine for a wounded friend. The stars saw her experimentation and provided the herbs she needed to establish the foundations of Clan medicine. This provincial relationship made the role of the cleric forever connected to StarClan.

The process of preparing medicine was so time consuming that Hickoryroot had no time to help with hunting, kit care, or the other duties of a warrior. As such, the Clans decided her role would be distinct from the others. She would work under a different set of rules. With that, the Code of Clerics began to grow.

The Decrees within the Code of Clerics

A cleric's job is to care for the health of their Clan and connect the worlds of the living and dead. As such, they are not expected to help in other duties in the same way as most of the other roles. In fact, it is the duty of the Clan to support the cleric in whatever they need. They need more bandages? Artisans will make more bandages. They need extra paws to harvest herbs? Caretakers will join them and care for their herb patches/gardens for them. The Clan will protect and feed the cleric so all they have to worry about is their job.

It is forbidden to endanger, harm, or disrupt the work of a cleric. StarClan helps them heal their Clanmates and guide the Clans as a whole. Since clerics are forbidden from combat, to attack one is sacrilegious and will send a cat to trial. Only StarClan can order a cleric not to heal someone in need. If a cleric decides they need to help, no one can stop them.

Hickoryroot established this practice as a social custom, but it was later solidified as code that clerics cannot take a mate or have kits, even as an honor sire. It's not that a cleric would be distracted by their family (they have friends, siblings, and parents, after all), but rather that a cleric is a servant of StarClan and has an elevated position over other cats. They cannot take a mate in an equal relationship and they cannot take the guiding role of a parent without diluting their spiritual connections. It should be noted, however, that this aspect of the code is only a tradition in RippleClan, not a decree. Clerics in RippleClan are allowed to pursue relationships. Whether Fennelspot will take a mate one day remains to be seen...

[falmerbrook]

Clockwork City DLC Thoughts

TLDR: I liked it very much! One of my favorites! The aesthetics were amazing! Lived up to the hype. However, while I overall really liked it, I have some minor worldbuilding gripes and I think it also highlighted some issues I have with ESO's worldbuilding in general.

So first of all, I LOVED the aesthetics and designs of this zone! The music was great and moody and eerie at the right times, and all of the clockwork noises were perfect. I especially loved how whenever you were outside you could hear the groaning and rumbling of the whole city structure softly wherever you went. There are also a lot of little details in the environmental designs that really sell the setting, such as the the interiors of certain laboratories having unique interiors, the way they organize and keep books, the elevators, the factotums, etc. The interiors feel adequately chaotic with all the machinery with large gears and machines in the periphery, and the exteriors feel grand and impressive. I also love the colors and general sunrise/sunset feel of the Radius. The nights are particularly gorgeous with the lights of the structures and stars in the distance.

I also really dig the dystopian utopia vibes where the Clockwork City is built to be a perfect recreation of Nirn, but it also kinda hellish for (some of) the people living there. I actually wish they leaned into that contrast even more. I like that Sotha Sil also get's to have fucked up things going on under his leadership like Almalexia and Vivec.

I enjoyed some of the important characters too, particularly Luciana and Varuni. They (and Divayth) all provide such interesting contrast in the ways people view Sotha Sil and worshipping him, and even beyond them I like the wide range of perspectives we see with the NPCs. Many have a sort of religiosity alongside a traditionally secular mindset and I enjoy seeing those usually conflicting traits paired together.

Other miscellaneous things I liked:

The crows. They were very fun

The Precursor. They were cute and it made me sad when the Apostles were mean to them :(

I liked the factotums. The voice acting on them was great and I liked the way they talked and the phrases they'd say when processing information. It was intriguing then learning that they are like that because (allegedly) Sotha Sil probably used part of his sister's soul (or at least her voice) to make them. THAT'S NUTS!! I love it. That's the kinda fucked up shit I was hoping for from him. (although I do wonder how the hell he did that. like, she'd been dead for at least hundreds, if not thousands, of years by the time he did that)

I liked pretty much all of the side quests. They all provided such interesting worldbuilding

I really liked Sotha Sil's voice and voice acting. It fit him well

Now to the parts I was more critical of (I'm writing a lot, but know that it doesn't mean I had a lot of issues, just that I have a lot to say on them!)

I liked the idea behind Slag Town/the Tarnished, that there is an underclass and a slum of folks who can't advance in the hierarchy of the city (or aren't interested in doing so) that demonstrates the way Sotha Sil and the Apostles neglect the people of the Clockwork City in service of their studies, but I don't think it's executed well because that idea feels too underdeveloped. It feels like a slum we'd see on Tamriel rather than something that would be unique to the culture of the Clockwork City (this is foreshadowing for my biggest issue). It and the prophecy quest focused on it just feel aesthetically and narratively not to fit to me. Like, how did a slum like this come to be? How did the folks there get into that position? Why isn't Sotha Sil or the Apostles doing anything to help them (or get rid of it in a more nefarious way)? Are they people who were born there but couldn't measure up to or didn't want to be apostles, or are they people who just wandered into the city? These questions aren't me criticizing the concept, but rather they are questions I wish were answered or explored. Additionally, the structure of their society has too many normal things like normal cloth clothes and woodworkers and travelling merchants and a stablemaster and other jobs that to me feel like they shouldn't actually be in this setting. I feel like their society would just function differently (and a part of this is that we are stuck in an MMO world and the devs "have to" include those).

This brings me to one of my biggest points about ESO's worldbuilding: it keeps introducing interesting ideas in side quests but not really exploring the conclusions of consequences of them as fully as I'd like. I'm always left with a ton of questions, and not necessarily fun ones, but rather "wait, how does this work? Wouldn’t this change how their society works?" For example in this DLC, how does the food work? I am told everyone eats this nutritional paste for food, but also there is a side quest where you learn about a guy growing actual food and how he distributes it to the people of the Clockwork City once a year. What happens to that food? Is it what's used in the paste? Is it not and the people just want it as a supplemental thing so they aren't stuck with paste? The idea of that side quest is very interesting but I just wished the pushed it a bit farther! These interesting implications of the setting(s) are often introduced but also completely contained with in one side quest. And I feel that way about a lot of little things throughout this game.

Another example is a feel like they are a little wishy washy with how folks get into and if they can get out of the Clockwork City. So people just randomly stumble into it? Is that common or are we, Neramo, and the Vanos siblings an exception? We need a sponsor to become an Apostle or else we are stuck in basically poverty and can never escape but if that is the case why not make it so folks have to have a sponsor to even come to the city in the first place? Why would they waste their resources on people who don't even want to be there? Once again, an interesting concept, but I feel like it didn't get fleshed out enough for me and doesn't make a ton of sense. Can the Apostles leave? If so, in my opinion, that's a little lame. Takes the consequences and stakes out of being in the city in the first place, and if that's the case it feels like it's only there as an excuse for why we, the player, can leave. If they can't, then why can we and the Vanos siblings leave? I know they need to come up with an excuse for why we as the player can leave, but aren't the wayshrines enough? or maybe the fact that we came in with Divayth? Maybe he gave us a secret thing to get in and out like Barilzar's Band? I don't know why this bugged me so much but it did.

Ok on to some more minor nit-picks

Almalexia, oh Almalexia. Why are you thrown to the side so much? I could chalk it up to her just being written shallowly in the base game before the writing got better, and that she has the bias of being the most hate-able Tribune in Morrowind (the game), but while Nerevar, Vivec, and Nall get their own little plaques in the Elegiac Replication, Almalexia doesn't (she appears in the hologram alongside Sil for the battle at Mournhold, but doesn't get her own space) and that bugged me a little. It also highlighted a writing quality gap between how Sil is written in this DLC and how Vivec and Almalexia have been written in ESO (not a criticism of this DLC though, just an observation). Sil is just so obviously written better, which to most of the fanbase makes him a more compelling character when I think it really comes down to the writing quality. This DLC just made me wish the other two had this much love and care put into their dialogue too. He makes them sound half assed by comparison lol

I'm confused by the motivations of the Daedric Princes in this arc. I'm holding off on actually criticizing this because I know there's a whole 'nother chapter to develop this but right now there's 0 explanation as to why they are here. On that note, if the Princes involved are Nocturnal, Clavicus Vile, and Mephala (I've been spoiled on that one), and the folks they're targeting include Sotha Sil and Vivec, wouldn't have been more narratively interesting for Mephala to target Vivec? Once again not an actually criticism, just spit-balling. I don’t know what’s gonna happen in Summerset. They could've also leaned into the whole Mysteries and shadows thing with Sotha Sil and Nocturnal.

Finally, I've mentioned this before, but I think the Fabricants should be weirder.

Anyway, most of this is probably a matter of personal preference rather than actual criticism, but oh well I like getting my thoughts out of my head!

Looking forward to Summerset. It’s commonly called the best Chapter.

[ninjapaste]

dude your art is so GOOD!!! Do you take any classes or have any tips to share? that resource post you reblogged the other day was helpful but i've felt so stuck in my art. I don't know if you have anything u learned that just made something click for u or anything like that?

Tysm anon!!!👍

In terms of your questions, I apologise i advance for the long answer im about to give and possibly things you already know haha:

I guess in terms of what classes i take, Ive gone from GCSE to A level Art and design (Fine art), and both courses have helped me to learn the importance of observation studies.

However, its moreso all the art i practice in my own time that has played the biggest part in my art improvement journey. I adopted art as a big hobby around 2018, and really ever since then I tend to draw/create for myself every day, however big or small it may be.

I guess my first tip would be to indulge in a 'sketchbook' or space to work in freely, it could be any form but the importance is that its personal and can be picked up whenever. I find that having a sketchbook to draw in has really helped with productivity and creating new ideas. I think you can go into a sketchbook space with any mindset and it can work wonders, like for example if you wanted to focus purely on challenging yourself, you can do that! If you just, want to doodle without thinking, go ahead! After all, its a sketchbook for you and nobody else, so go wild!

My next tip would definitely be, when you are feeling stuck in art, to take inspiration from a wide range of different things be it in real life or on the internet, a building or a really cool tree, since I find it defintiely fuels the creation of new ideas/concepts that can provide a path out of that creative rut. I guess to an extent there may always be periods where you have that 'I have no idea what to draw!' Feeling, and thats okay! Sometimes its refreshing that helps the most. But I often see that the solution to being in a rut is usually REFERENCING, wether it be trying to accurately draw the anatomy of an arm or if I just saw a cool design/pose/style on Pinterest and i drew a bunch of wacky characters from it. In fact, I find that places like Pinterest or Resplash are such good resources to hone imagination and generally most art skills by looking at and drawinf from all the cool images (and get some of that inspo!). And if im not using Pinterest, im usually using an art book as reference! (The itsv and splatoon art book helped me so so much lol)

On the topic of REFERENCING, its mega important! Depending on imagination/memory feels pretty good at times but its always beneficial to have image references in your process when you find its good to have them. I woudl always recommend having a reference when drawing poses/expressions/anatomy because the more you use them, the more you learn about how an object like a face muscle, a torso or even light behaves and looks and the easier it is to draw/depict them.

The next tip is uh YOUTUBE, or any account/person who's art inspires you in particular. I found that certain channels like Ethan Becker, Marc Brunet, Marco Bucci and more have helped me the most to gain confidence in drawing and learning how to practice it better. Of course, theres a lot to learn from a plethora of other channels too, even ones that dont specifically promote themselves as teachers! Also, if theres a certain style/art approach or an artist that appeals to you, study it in any way you like! Analyse an artist's work or ask/find out about their personal process (or even watch a speedpaint/art stream)! Sometimes it can be a big inspiration booster and skill boost to do just that (plus the 'artist' could be any piece of media/thing too!! Like a game or something).

Ok ok last paragraph haha, on the topic of your last question. Thinking back, its hard for me to define any specific moment or thing that gave me a 'click' moment. Its more like a process of growth that starts with learning and understanding a new thing, then familiarizing myself with using it successfully/'correctly' by studying and practicing, so that eventually its like muscle memory or easier to use in my work.

Hope this helps!!! If theres anything else you want to ask, dont be afraid to dm or send another ask!!

[jujumin-translates]

[A3!] ★ Main Story | Act 14 - DREAM CATCHER | Episode 11 - Overseas Training

Izumi: Umm, this is 7th Avenue, so…

Tenma: Is that it?

Muku: Ah, it is!

Misumi: We’ve arrived~!

Kumon: It’s so crowded here!

Kazunari: No matter where you snap a pic, it looks great and makes such a great ref~! Yukki, Kumopi, pose for the camera~!

Yuki: Sure.

Kumon: I love New York! (1)

*Camera clicks*

Kazunari: Here, here, Sumi and gang, you join too~!

Izumi: (Even after a little under 13-hour flight, everyone’s still full of energy. That’s Summer Troupe for you.)

Izumi: (But time really has flown by so fast from the time when we decided to go to the U.S. to now…)

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Flashback*

Yuki: Training in the U.S.?

Tenma: I got a call from my dad out of nowhere.

Tenma: There’s a film festival coming up in the U.S., and he suggested that all of Summer Troupe come for a training trip. He said the agency would cover the cost too.

Muku: Huh? The cost too!?

Kazunari: If the cost is covered, then it’ll be a-okay with Frooch-san.

Kumon: I wanna go to the U.S.!

Izumi: But is it really okay for him to do that much?

Tenma: Partially, it’s because he feels bad about not being able to do anything for the company back when we were struggling with the whole Amadate mess.

Tenma: I think we should just be grateful for it.

Tenma: Theater and musicals included, the U.S. isn’t only about entertainment culture.

Tenma: It’s also cutting-edge in design and fashion, so I think there’s a lot we could all learn from it.

Tenma: He said that if we want to win the Fleur Award, the highest theater award in Japan, we should experience some authentic theater as actors.

Yuki: I am pretty interested.

Muku: Issei-san does have a pretty significant presence in the world, so it’s a pretty convincing argument coming from him.

Izumi: Well then… I guess I’ll take your word for it.

Tenma: Yeah. I think it’ll be a good opportunity for us to relearn some stuff, too.

Misumi: Let’s go to the U.S.~!

Kumon: I can’t wait to be on a plane~!

*Flashback end*

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: (We didn’t exactly have the greatest experience with Issei-san during the debut performance, but…)

Izumi: (Now he truly is supporting Tenma-kun’s path as a stage actor. I really am thankful for that.)

Izumi: (I hope they can all return home full of excitement and having absorbed a lot during our short stay.)

Muku: If we move a little further left, we should be able to fit the building in.

Kazunari: C’mon, Director-chan!

Misumi: Take a picture with us~!

Izumi: Ah, sure!

*Camera clicks*

Kumon: I still can’t believe how many people there are~.

Yuki: I mean, it is a tourist attraction, so it’s no wonder everyone’s taking pictures.

Tenma: And with the film festival coming up, there will be even more people than usual.

Kazunari: I’m so hyped for the film festival~. It’s something we never would’ve gotten to go to if we weren’t invited.

Kumon: I wonder if we’ll get to meet some of the world’s biggest stars~.

Tenma: But first we’re seeing this play before any of that.

Muku: Ah, we should start heading towards the theater now.

Izumi: The theater should be around-- Ah, over there.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Kumon: That was so impactful~! I feel kinda fluffy like I’m still in the story!

Tenma: I’ve never seen a production like that before, so I was really amazed by the whole thing and overwhelmed by the performance skills of the actors.

Tenma: It really reminds you of the wide range of possibilities that exist within theater.

Kazunari: The lighting and music were supes cool. Everything was so powerful and the impact was insane~! I feel like I’ve got ideas bouncing all around in my brain!

Misumi: It was so much fun~. I couldn’t take my eyes off it, it was filled with so much heart-pounding excitement!

Kumon: Yeah, yeah, it was like an emotional roller coaster…

Kumon: I couldn’t understand the language, but it was still conveyed through all they did~.

Muku: There were so many different types of actors. Not just in age, but in the way they acted too…

Muku: They each seemed to be making the most of their abilities.

Yuki: The costumes were good too. Those are what stage costumes should look like.

Yuki: This place really is authentic, and you can see that the pros are working hard to improve each other and create the best things they can.

Izumi: (Looks like each of them was inspired in their own way. I guess there are just some things that you can only get a feel for when you actually see them in person.)

Izumi: (We’ve hardly been here a day but I’m already happy we came…)

Muku: It’s all in English, but I just had to get a brochure too.

Kumon: Me too! Even though I can’t read any of it~.

Muku: When we get back to Japan, let’s read some of it together with a dictionary.

Kumon: Yeah! Looking at the credits, there are some Japanese-sounding names, though. Like the costume person, Aiko Kataoka--.

Yuki: Ah--.

Muku: Do you know who that is, Yuki-kun?

Yuki: Yeah, they’re famous.

Kumon: Really~?

Yuki: I see, so that’s…

[ ⇠ Previous Part ] • [ Next Part ⇢ ]

• • •

(1) Kumon says this in English.

[xbalayage]

The Princess and The Merchant AU

WC: 1,396

A/N: My brain and fingers wanted to add another part into the AU I created but done in Silvio's POV, the main story only takes place through Emma's eyes. This is at a turning point in the AU where she learns of him being a prince.

"You're..—a prince?"

My shoulders flinched, and that wasn't an easy thing to get me to do by any means. But out of anyone to overhear the conversation, why'd it have to be you? Why now? I wasn't ready for you to know. Hell, I never wanted you to know. I don't claim that part of myself. But in our fair time together, I've kept a lot from you. I was the exact thing you were tryna stay away from and I knew it too. But I was selfish. I turned, my eyes wide with surprise upon hearin' your voice and seein' that look on your face.

You wore your cloak again, the one you often wore to escape the seein' eyes of royalty that stalked your every movement to come and see me in town at my stall. I was just talkin' to one of Valerio's guards that often comes to check on me, even though I've told the rotten mutt I don't need the assistance; I knew I had a bad feelin' about tonight, you must've heard the guard mention my status because even under the glow of the lights and the full moon, your expression was unmistakable— it was the look of betrayal.

I could see your shoulders shake, your palms hugging your fingers in a tight hold - you were always an open book, even now.

"'Ey, listen, I—" but I didn't see THAT coming. Before I could even utter a word further of explanation, your hand rose and delivered a swift open hand smack across my cheek. It rang in my ears and stung at my face, turning it to the side completely. For a dainty, little princess kept inside a cage to read endless amounts of books, I couldn't deny your strength. But fuck, that hurt. Of course I'm going to scowl! I've never had someone disrespect me so blatantly before. "Why you—"

"How could you lie to me!"

Those words stopped me in my tracks. The night was young as the moon shone overhead but only fellow merchants and a few stragglers were paradin' around buying wares and closing shop; I felt all of their curious stares on us and all I could think of was your safety. I couldn't give two shits if their attention was on me, but if a royal guard patrolling catches wind that you're outside the palace, we'll both face hell. I moved quick to cover your mouth, dragging you with me into an alley out of sight as you fought me the entire way; you may be strong, but you're not as strong as me. And before I even got a chance at letting you go, I felt sharp teeth enter the bottom of my palm. "Fuck!" You quickly put distance between us that felt like miles apart.

"Get your filthy hands off me! I can't believe you! After.. after all the time we've spent together! I— I gave myself to you! You were my FIRST. I— I thought you were different, Silvio! But you've just been lying to me this whole time! Was any of this real?" You were shooting verbal shots left and right but instead of dodging their bullets, I took everything you said head on, allowing each of them to puncture at gunpoint, all directly aiming at my heart.

Shit, when had I become so soft? For once, I stayed silent; I couldn't find the words to express how I felt. I didn't sit around thinkin' about shit like love or how I made some woman feel. I was always on the move, venturing off from coast to coast, seeing the world and making a profit. A life as a merchant didn't anchor me to a designated spot for long; even if I chose this lifestyle, I didn't choose this life. Abandoning my status wasn't by choice, but by disownment. Fighting to keep it was a waste of time and being freed from royal chains was a breath of fresh air. I didn't have to worry about anythin' but myself.

Then one day, that was just another day for me, I met you: Emma.

Once I started to see tears weld in your eyes, I couldn't keep my gaze on ya any longer, I had to look away. The guilt was just eating away at my stomach and I started to feel sick. If I was being honest with myself, it was a deserved scolding and I was left with two options: push the best thing that's ever happened to me away for your sake, or come clean and try to fix this stupid misunderstanding. The answer was obvious.

"—Ha! It took ya this long to notice? 'Nd I thought you were smart. Guess ya proved even me wrong. It didn't mean a damn thing to me, ya were just another easy woman to lay with to bide my time before I leave again. What? Did'ya think you were special? That you tamed the untamable? This isn't your books, lady. Fairy tales ain't real. I lied about everythin'. Better get back to your palace and your mutt of fiancee, if you know what's good for ya." I kept a firm, yet convincing, smirk of a mask on my face as my words laced with thorns started encasing your heart whole.

I maintained eye contact when I spoke; I wanted my words to eat you alive, to make you never want to associate with a man like me again. And upon seeing the utter disbelief that danced in your irises, I could tell it worked but ya were searching with hope for something else. You were searching for the actual truth that I was keepin' under lock and key, away from the rays of your eyes. Sorry.. it has to be this way—

"No... you— you said," you stopped yourself from speaking as the tears started to leave the prison in the corners of your eyes. I'd seen you cry before, but fuck, not like this. I can't let my mask fall. Your chest rose heavy in breaths under the cloak you adorned as it matched your tears. "I never want to see you again. Fuck you, Silvio, I hate you!" And there it was, the sailor's tongue you've always known and kept hidden because it would've been improper for a woman of your stature and status to be speaking. You've only ever allowed your guard down with me yet, here I was, taking your heart like a rose from a bush and letting it fall to the ground, stepping on it beneath my shoes.

You ran. And I watched as you went, still with that smug smile etched into my lips. But it was the moment you were far away enough did that smile falter, fast. It had to be this way - the old fart would have my head if he knew about the relationship we shared. I may be disowned from the royal court, but he'd be quick to hang me from the gallows if he caught wind that I fancied you: Valerio's fiancee. I'll figure out a way to fix this, but I needed the time to think and pushing you away would create that space. I hope ya wouldn't hate me forever - but ya won't be marrying my brother. I'll give you your wish of a free life from the courts. I just couldn't find it in me to be honest with ya yet. I needed a plan, I needed to set it into motion.

I looked down at my hand and glanced over the bite mark you left; normally, I would've created a whole scene over somethin' like this. But you were different from any woman I've met through the many seas I've voyaged; I swore to make you mine. I clenched that fist in thought before digging into my pocket and pulling out the bracelet you made for me. I still carried it everywhere for luck. I tossed it into the air before quickly snatching it, bringing it up to my lips for a kiss as my eyes closed, focusing all my energy into you. I quickly returned it back into my pocket before headin' to a bar to cope with my actions tonight, to steel myself from tryna chase you down.

Give me some time.. Emma. I didn't forget our promise, and.. I'm sorry.

taglist; @nightghoul381, @yvelk, @celiciaa, @drachonia, @aquagirl1978, @here-for-gilbert , @alvieeru , @exhausted-courtroom-mom , @scummy-writes , @randonauticrap , @widowbunny , @jozhenji , @maries-gallery , @misty-moth , @violettduchess, @ikemenlibrary

[i05wook]

different subjects the enhypen boys would help you study!

lee heeseung - 이희승!

history

heeseung more than likely has a love for history. he’s a naturally inquisitive, smart man with a thirst for knowledge. even if he doesn’t, out of the courses you take, history is the one hee feels most comfortable with his knowledge in. he’s often caught in the back of en-ter keys with his head buried deep in one of your text books topping up his knowledge of the period of study. many engenes assumed he was helping the boys who were still in education, or that he was enrolled in online classes.

park jongseong - 박중성!

languages

jay being the little language geek that he is, would be more than excited to help you with you language classes. he would love spending hours just talking with you in different languages - seeing it as a secret language between just the pair of you, even though he knows that there are other people in the world can speak that language! even if it was one that he didn’t have a knowledge of, or much of a knowledge, then he would love to learn the language alongside you, and maybe he’d even learn a bit on his own in between schedules so that he’d eventually be able to help you learn and practice your pronunciation and listening skills.

sim jaeyun - 심재윤!

science

jake would be so excited if you were to ask for his help studying science. any of the sciences he would be excited, but he would be particularly excited if you asked him to help you with physics. if you were given a individual project on any topic from across your course, jake would have some of the most absurd but amazing ideas that would easily get you the topic grades. he’d love explaining and finding new ways to experiment different theories with you, and sometimes he’d get a little too excited that he might slightly alter the results from the experiment and you have to calm him down a bit. he just loves being able to share one of his passions with his love.

park sunghoon - 박성훈!

geography

sunghoon for some reason has a passable knowledge in geography. it’s not great but it’s not awful. despite not knowing too much about geography other than locations of countries, he does have a stroke of creativity for projects (and sometimes useless knowledge) that he often provides when it’s required. although he’s been banned from helping you make your projects after he “accidentally” erupted the volcano project you had spent weeks paper macheing.

kim sunoo - 김선우!

fashion design

sunoo loves helping you with your fashion design coursework whenever you ask him to. sunoo has a wide range of fashion influences, from jay and sunghoon, to his stylists for schedules. whenever you need help, he will ask you for the brief, and best believe that he will have some of the most creative, unique ideas that you couldn’t have even dreamt up. i mean he has had some help particularly from his stylists, who by now are used to him randomly asking about certain concepts and how they would style it. but don’t doubt the lengths that he would go to for you, he has a full on pinterest board dedicated to each of your briefs you’ve ever asked for his help with, and he will send you these images whenever you are struggling for inspiration.

yang jungwon - 양정원!

literature

jungwon being the observant leader that he is, i think he would be great at helping you with studying literature. he can pick up on the smallest of actions or feelings, and this would translate to his help. whenever he wasn’t busy with schedules, he would frequently read the books you were meant to be studying as part of your course and even annotate them, picking up on meanings for different quotes throughout the text. if he’s finished all that, he will read other books from similar genres, and give them to you also annotated with summaries of each book, a little quote list, and even a list of themes throughout the text.

nishimura riki - 니시무라리키!

art

an obvious choice for niki. the boy has a passion for art, especially painting but also photography. if you need a model for some concept pictures, he will gladly offer to model for them, and sometimes he will even give you some candid photos that he has taken of you on dates or daily life that he believes meets the criteria of your brief. sometimes he might even have photos that he’s taken during his schedules or days off that you can use for inspiration to put in your sketchbook. sometimes if you’re on a really tight deadline he will even help you do basic designs for your sketchbook, like painting the pages or doing little doodles.

requests: open

permanent taglist: @bambisgirl @enhacolor @acaiasahi @jakekgs @duolingofanaccount