#even if i don’t like the end product i gotta look at my art i musr | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bonezone44 · 7 months

Text

'Get a Grip' (18+)

Watch Model!Joel Miller x Manicurist!Reader

Word Count: 3,8k

Summary: Joel Miller comes to your salon for a manicure, then he invites you to assist him during a photoshoot.

Tags: afab!Reader, hand kink, glove kink, finger sucking, fingering, p-in-v, creampie

a/n: this story came about during a brief discussion of Pedro’s watch modeling era a few weeks ago. Thank you to @xdaddysprincessxx and @iamasaddie for the inspo!

+++++++

Hands. Fingers.

They’re your job.

Every once in a while someone will walk in with a nice set of digits and you admire them while they’re in front of you. While you push back their cuticles and clean beneath the nail. Add the acrylic and the polish. Then they’re out of your mind again as you wait for the next client to plop into the chair and request a full set or a simple repair.

Your repeat clients usually want the nail art. That’s where you shine, to be honest. Delicately painted swirls. Boxes like Mondrian. Gold leaf. Rhinestones. Each nail a tiny little canvas for you to create something unique.

The male customers are different. The masculine ones, anyway.

They want simple hygienic maintenance. Maybe a massage. Maybe they just wanna flirt with a woman while she provides a service. And you appease them. It’s no bother to you.

It’s your job.

It’s just your job.

It’s the thing you do all the time every day and have done for years.

And yet no matter how many times you try to repeat those words in your head, you find yourself salivating over the man sitting across from you–with his playful baritone Texan voice and the beautiful steel and gold Cartier watch on his wrist. Not that you’re one to dig for gold. You simply admire fine craftsmanship.

Just like you admire the fineness of his hands.

The veins that rise on the top of his right hand, over his fingerbones, look like wandering rivers and you really wanna admire them with the tip of your tongue, tracing along their edges. His fingers themselves are long, thick rectangles that you wanna slip into your mouth one at a time.

In simple …admiration.

“Not too smooth,” he says when you pull out your buffer. “They don’t want me lookin’ too clean.”

“Who’s that?” you ask, keeping your voice nice and even while your cheeks feel hot and your thoughts are a million miles away from ‘appropriate’.

“The… oh, whaddya call ‘em.” He hums. “The brand specialists, I guess.” He chuckles. “They hit me up about a month ago. Got a new line coming out that’s–get this–” he says with a flash of his eyebrows. “--’safari’ inspired.” He scoffs.

“Safari, huh?” You roll your eyes. You can imagine the Cartier boardroom of pompous old Frenchmen glorifying the art and tales created during the French expansion of the 1800s—easily brushing past the eugenics-based mission of the violent nationalists. “Colonizers,” you mumble under your breath.

Joel laughs. “My daughter said the same thing.” He shrugs. “‘S no matter. I don’t mind takin’ their money if all I gotta do is have pretty hands.”

Your face burns immediately and keep your eyes and face focusing on the small nail at the end of his middle finger. “So, how’d you get started anyway?” You swallow thickly, trying to ignore the heat building between your legs. “No offense, I guess, but you don’t seem like the pretty boy-type.” Besides the watch on his wrist, he’s wearing plain Levi’s blue jeans and a black t-shirt that you can almost guarantee came from Target. You can tell his brown and grey curls don’t have any product in them and he’s got about two or three-week-old scruff on his face.

He chuckles again and you glance up, watching the deep creases in his forehead soften. “Daughter’s the one to blame for it.” He shakes his head with a smile. “We were visiting Houston and she wanted to go shopping, so I let her pick the mall.” His brows go high. “This little 12 year-old picked a luxury mall and I didn’t realize it til we got outta the truck.”

Your lips go between your teeth, imagining his embarrassment.

“She was so excited, too. She hopped down out the truck and–fyoo!--took right off runnin.” He grins. “I had to chase her down and tell her not to touch anythin. I woulda had to take out a second mortgage to pay for it if she broke somethin.”

“I bet,” you smile. You finish buffing his nails and pull out the moisturizing oil. You begin to massage each of his fingers, one-by-one, rolling the flesh between your thumb and index finger, marveling at how long it takes you to get from base to tip. You were admiring the mathematics of it.

The proportions.

The number of fingers he might could get inside you.

“Next thing I know, she goes runnin into a Cartier store sayin that they can fix my watch ‘cause they got watches in the window.” He shrugs and rolls his eyes. “I was tryin to politely escort her back out, when some big wig saw me and started talkin to me.” He shrugs again. “They took a couple polaroids and got my info. And now every once in a while, they’ll call me up for somethin.”

You stop massaging and stare at him with your eyes big and wide. “I know women who would literally murder to have that happen to them.”

He chuckles and it gets your body even warmer. “Yeeaahh, that’s what I hear.”

You shake your head in disbelief, returning to your task. You can believe his story, too. You’ve only been staring at his hands for a few minutes and you are enraptured by them. Is it the hands? Or is it him?

Or is it all of it together?

You’re not sure. You’re just enjoying the muscle you feel beneath the surface of his nearly square palm, the thick round meat between the web of his thumb and the end of his wrist. You can’t help but admire the basin in the center where the heart and head line lie parallel. Not that you were a palm reader. But you couldn’t help but know a thing or two about the intuitive art.

Hands. Fingers.

They’re your job, afterall.

“What do you do for work?” you ask, because hands like his were used. Too thick not to be. They couldn’t just sit pretty all day.

“I’m a contractor.”

You blink. You look up at him with your brows high into your forehead. “These are not contractor hands,” you say, stroking along his palm. You don’t see a single cut or abrasion. The few calluses he had could barely be considered calluses at all. More like small rough spots.

“I wear special gloves,” he says with a smirk. “It’s a special kind of leather that fits around ‘em real tight.”

“Oh,” you answer, heat fully overtaking your chest and face. You imagine how nice his fingers must look wrapped in a second skin, smoothing over all his contours and lines, making each appendage even thicker and his hands even broader. You imagine what they would feel like, sliding up your bare calves and pulling you apart at the knees. You imagine the soft, conditioned leather moving back and forth across your clit, driving you mad ‘cause your aching for his skin and his touch and his heat.

“You know, I uhh… got a shoot coming up in a couple weeks. I’d love to see you again.”

Your heart races in your chest.

He smirks, his eyes soft and hazy. “You know, since you’re doin’ such a good job takin care o’ my hands right now.”

“Absolutely,” you try to temper your excitement. “Just give me the date, time, and place.” You shrug in a way that you’re sure is very nonchalant. “I mean, I-I-I can come to you if you need me to.” The Pope himself could have an appointment scheduled, and you would cancel it without regret if this man is implying what you are desperately hoping he is implying.

“Well, alright then.” He grins.

—------------

You’re pressed into the door of the hotel room–the one right next to where Joel just finished his photoshoot. He’s got one arm wrapped around the back of your neck, pulling your face into his. His kisses are heavy and fervent. His tongue licks into you in a way that makes you want it even deeper–makes you wanna swallow him whole and keep him inside you. One of his hands is gloved–in one of the ‘special gloves’ he told you about. It’s a camel-colored leather, hand-stitched and form-fitting. And it is definitely not one he uses for work. They fit tight around the heel of his palm, like driving gloves. Must have gotten a new pair from Cartier themselves.

His gloved hand is under your shirt, sliding up your mid-section and grasping your breast. You gasp and moan into his mouth when he starts pinching and plucking your nipple.

“Open up for me,” he says after pulling away from you.

And when you do, he shoves two fingers between your lips, the rest of his hand resting on your cheek, your head still cradled by his arm.

“Good girl,” he coos with a smirk. “Good girl.” He grinds his hardness into your side.

You’re melting into the door behind you, into him, into your own body. You close your lips and suck, not quite sure what to do or how to turn him on. You curl your lips beneath your teeth and slowly bob your head back and forth.

“No no no. Not like that,” he chides you. “This ain’t no cock in your mouth.” He shakes his head. “They’re my fingers.” His eyes are wide and serious. “And I don’t want you thinkin ‘bout anythin else but that. Alright, darlin?” He’s nodding up and down, waiting for you to mirror him.

You nod back the best you can and adapt. You press the two fingers into the roof of your mouth and suck hard, scraping them along your teeth as you pull your head back. Your lips are wrapped tight around them. You rub your tongue back and forth between them as you engulf them again. You watch him as he watches you through heavy eyelids.

“Good girl,” he says again and licks his lips. His gloved hand moves to your other breast, squeezing it with a rough grip. “Good fuckin girl. Suck those fingers,” he says and you can feel him wiggle them in your mouth.

You go weak in the knees and you’re not sure how you’re able to stay upright. By the grace of god, you’re able to reach up and grab his hand. You pull his fingers out and then take only one finger back inside.

He watches you, curious, twisting your nipple in his hand.

Then you add the second finger back in, sucking it. Wetting it. Drool pooling around the edges of your mouth.

You pull those two out and then you suck three fingers in–not as deep and they’re scraping against your teeth more, but you try to give that third finger some extra attention, tracing along the bottom of it with the tip of your tongue.

“You want it bad, huh?” He looks like he’s scowling, but he’s still grinding against you–hard as ever.

You nod.

“You want my hands all over you, baby?” He applies the smallest amount of pressure to his bare, wet fingers in your mouth, causing you to gag.

Tears tumble out the edges of your eyes as you nod.

He pulls his hands away from you and steps back. “I need you on that bed. Naked. Now."

You rush to do as he says, removing all your clothes in a flurry. You barely register the low hum of the A/C and the cool temperature of the room. You’re too focused on the towering man walking towards you, your legs spreading of their own accord.

His lips are tight and he sucks in a deep breath. "That is one good lookin pussy." He unbuckles his belt and rips it from the loops of his jeans. His eyes roam over your body as he tosses it to the side, the buckle thudding against the carpet. He tugs his t-shirt up his stomach and over his head. "Can't wait to make it mine."

Once his jeans are off and he's just as bare as you (except for the glove on his hand), he waves for you to scoot back before joining you.

Joel settles himself on his side, propped up on his elbow. He makes no move toward his hardened cock. Instead, the hand you were sucking on before finds your face again–cradling it. And this time, his thumb tucks itself between your lips.

You suck on it like a straw.

"How many o’ these you think you can fit in there?" He says. But he’s not referring to your mouth. His gloved hand has found its way between your legs and folds. One lone finger is prodding at your wet entrance. He squints and looks down as he pulls it back out–only having gone in an inch or two. The tip of his glove glistens in the warm glow of the room's lamps. He looks back at you with a grin, sliding his finger in deeper. "Wonder if I can fit em all." He bites his lip as he stares at yours, plunging his finger in and out. "Fuck you with my whole hand."

You close your eyes and moan.

"Yeah? That sound good to you?" He adds a second finger, pushing both into you slowly.

You open your eyes and nod eagerly–humming in agreement. His thumb tugs at your cheek from inside your mouth.

Joel chuckles. "Nah, not this time." He licks his lips. His eyelids are heavy. “My cock’s too hungry for it.”

You pull his thumb out of your mouth. You lick his palm, tracing the deep creases with your tongue. "Whatever you want."

He curses under his breath.

His two gloved fingers curl and stroke your inner walls and while the sensation is high-pitched and pleasing, you're more focused on properly worshiping his bare hand.

Your tongue leaves his palm and you turn his hand over so you can suck the knuckles. Fulfilling one of the many fantasies you've had about Joel since first meeting him. You swirl your tongue around the hill of bone beneath the skin before lowering your mouth and suckling.

Joel groans. "You love it that much, huh?" He curls his fingers, scraping against your inner clitoris muscle. "Love sucking on me?"

"Yeah," you whimper as your hips jump.

"Fuck, that’s what I like to hear." Joel removes the two gloved fingers from inside you. He glides them up and around your folds, spreading your slick and teasing your clit.

It feels …different–how the hard and thin seams of the glove create an added sensation. A starker tease alongside the languid movement of his hand.

You look down in time to see Joel adding a third finger inside you, the pressure growing too slowly for your taste. But again, you have another task to attend to.

You suck Joel's pinky in your mouth and bob your head a few times before releasing it. You suck it right back in with his ring finger alongside it.

He grunts and moans, his three fingers jerking inside you. Your pussy is wet and squelching. His lips go tight as he watches his glove shine more and more with your slick.

He pulls his fingers out of your mouth and holds your head in place as he kisses you, biting and tugging on your lips. His tongue pushing in so deep, it feels like he's trying to drink you.

"Fuck, that wet pussy sounds fuckin good. You gonna let me put my cock in there?" He speaks into your mouth.

Your stomach swoops and your body is on fire. "Yes, please, Joel," you moan. "Please fill me up with your cock."

He pulls his gloved fingers out of you. His eyes are big and wide. "You think you deserve it?"

"What?!" After everything? After all the sucking and fawning and–how? How could he deny you? You panic.

"Please, Joel," you whine. You wrap your arms around him and kiss him up and down his neck. "I sucked your fingers so good. I sucked you so good." You're desperate. "I'm so wet for you." You kiss him down his chest. "Never been this wet." You grab his cock, aiming to put it in your mouth. "Please-please-please!"

His gloved hand, covered in slick, wraps around your chin and jawbone, stopping you. "That's not the wet hole I want," he says and pushes you back, flat on the mattress. He quickly settles between your legs. There's no need for him to spit on his cock or glide it through your folds–your leaking arousal on the sheets. He uses his bare hand to guide it to your entrance.

He groans and curses as he pushes in.

"Thank you thank you thank you, Joel," you whisper and whimper as he sparks all your aching nerve endings.

His forearms are on either side of you–his broad shoulders and body cage you in. “Fuck, this pussy is heaven, baby.”

The slow moving roll of his hips is the opposite of your panicked desperation, but it feels delicious. Turning all the glowing embers into full-blown fire. “So good, so good,” you mumble.

“Yeah? You like that cock, baby?” he asks with a smirk.

“Cock’s so good, Joel.”

He thrusts harder, his speed only slightly increased. Each heavy, steady flick of his hips sends a shock wave of pleasure through you. His bare thumb finds its way back into your mouth. “Suck on this ‘til you cum, baby.”

You nod. You can’t imagine what you look like. The lower half of your face feels wet with your spit. Your eyes are barely open, but you can’t stop staring at the beautiful man above you. His furrowed brows. His tight lips. His flared nostrils as he pounds into you faster and faster.

“Good girl,” he says as he tucks his head down and presses his cheek into yours. “Good girl, suckin me so good.” His arm wraps around your shoulder and pulls your body closer. “Knew you’d take good care o’ me. Knew this pussy’d be so wet.”

The heat inside you is building faster than you expected. You’re meeting his thrusts with your own–your thighs slapping into his hips.

“Love suckin my fingers, don’t you, baby? Don’t you?” His lips find yours again and he kisses you with his thumb still in your mouth.

His hips slow down and a desperate groan escapes your lungs, punched out by your diaphragm. You plead, but your words are intelligible.

He pulls his thumb from between your lips. “Whatchu need, baby?” He's rolling into you again, languid and rhythmic.

“Make me come, Joel. Please make me come.”

“You need to come, baby?”

“Please, please,” you whine.

“Alright, alright.” He leans back, his bare thumb back in your mouth and his gloved fingers on your clit. He doesn’t thrust any faster and it drives you crazy.

You try to shift his pace, fuck yourself on him til he gets the point–but instead he stops thrusting altogether.

“You got this, baby, come on,” he says with a smirk, making you do all the work. “Come on.”

Well, except for his hand rubbing circles on your clit. You writhe and squirm on his cock, chasing chasing chasing that fiery, burning heat. It’s there. It’s so close.

“Good girl, good li’l thumb-sucker,” he says and something twists inside your gut so hard you immediately come with a loud whimper. Body pulsing and pussy contracting around him. He grunts and curls his hips–as if he didn’t have a choice but to push himself deeper into your orgasm. He pulls his thumb from your mouth and strokes your chin with it. “Good fuckin girl, comin all over me.”

He falls back on top of you and wraps you up in his arms.

Your vision is blurry and you’re trying to catch your breath when he starts thrusting again–hard and fast.

“Knew you’d be good for me. Knew you’d be so fuckin wet.”

Your body jerks and trembles from the stimulation, and you’re too blissed out to do anything but take it.

“Knew you’d love suckin me.” He speaks through panting breaths. “Knew this pussy’d be so fuckin good.” He pushes himself up onto his hands. “You wanna come one more time, baby?” he asks.

You’re not sure, but you think the noise that comes out of you is one of agreement. You nod your head, whole body bouncing from his thrusts.

“‘M gonna fill you up,” he grunts with his brows pulled tight. “Come with me while I fill you up.”

You want to, you really want to come one more time. And he’s pounding into you so hard, your bodies are slapping again. And his eyes and his voice and the determination on his face.

“Come with me, baby, come on,” he chokes out. Then he groans, heavy and low, and you can feel it–you can feel his milky release spurting out and filling you up. He stays above you, trying to catch his breath. “Didja come again?”

You smile. “No, but that’s okay,” you say. God, he’s beautiful. The way his eyes crinkle at the edges and how his beard frames his face.

“Like hell it is,” he murmurs and pulls out of you. He falls to your side again and two gloved fingers dip inside of you, his come spilling out. “You want my thumb again, baby?”

You nod and he gives it to you. You suck on it, pressing the pad of skin against your teeth. He pulls his fingers out and spreads his seed around your clit in circles, making a big mess of your folds.

You’re still dizzy and still over-stimulated, but his eyes are so big and sweet.

“I’ll stay here as long as it takes,” he says as he alternates between thrusting his fingers inside you and rubbing your clit. His brand-new gloves likely ruined.

You grab his wrist when you feel yourself getting close. When the heat hotter than fire starts to build inside of you again. You pant through your nose, your mouth glued to his thumb.

“Took such good care o’ me, baby.” He leans over you and presses his cheek to yours. His voice echoing through you. “Lemme take care o’ you. Lemme make you come, beautiful. Lemme make you come. Wantchu comin on my fingers every day with this pretty li’l pussy. So good for lettin me fill you up. You sucked me so good. Lemme take care o’ you, baby. Lemme make you come.”

It’s less powerful than your first, but the pulse of pleasure your orgasm sends through you is strong and satisfying. You moan and tug Joel’s hand away now that you're starkly overstimulated. “Oh my god,” you sigh, barely able to open your eyes.

Joel chuckles as his hand slides up your body. “Knew you’d be good for me.”

++++++

a/n: It’s been so long since I’ve written just-smut that I really don’t know how to end it. ‘And then they showered and took a nap!’ lol!

#joel miller x reader #joel miller x afab!reader #my writing

97 notes · View notes

drifting-pieces-blog-blog · 7 months

Text

Breaking down the comics: An evening with Bill.

Moon Knight afterward from issue #25.

Truth, I agonized on if I was going to acknowledge this. My business is with the Moon Knight comics, after all… History, development, and personal insight into the comics. You know, me screaming into a dark room about how much I love this comic.

But where would we be if we didn’t have a little insight into the legend himself: Bill Sienkiewicz.

Issue #25 was a special double long comic. These bad boys come out once in a blue moon to celebrate the success and growing popularity of a comic! Once a comic becomes top ranking, you’ll start to get Annuals and yearly (sometimes bi-yearly) double longs!

So here we sit in 1982, just a few years after the creation of Moon Knight and we get our first double!

But what really makes you pick up a comic in the store in the first place? Especially if you know nothing about the characters. Sure, Marvel (and DC) will splash a crossover event with a popular character across the cover to lure in those that are fans of the one character. They’ll also do variant covers to get the collectors wild (gotta catch ‘em all!). Limited runs? You know someone’s trolling Ebay for that blank cover that gives nothing away. You’ll also get guest artists who do ONLY covers. Fans of the art will collect them just for the covers.

But all those special things aside, you know that a well done cover piece is what makes you pick it up and go “Neat. I wonder what’s inside.”

So what makes a cover? To all the aspiring artists out there, this one’s for you.

Don’t worry people. I’m not going to make you squint. I’ll just type up everything verbatim that Mr. Sienkiewicz has to say. And I admit, I was so pleasantly surprised to find his sense of humor on point.

I've also added the final cover product so you can really see how the cover ended up laid out in publishing.

A TALE OF THREE COVERS by Bill Sienkiewicz

When Denny and Ralph asked me to come up with a possible topic for the editorial pages in the double-sized issue of MOON KNIGHT, my first reaction was "Editorial? Isn't that your job? I've just finished the art for this issue and the last thing I feel like doing is an editorial page." Then I made some crack about them earning their money and proceeded to walk out.

"Hold it!" Denny snapped, bringing his riding crop down smartly on the New York Post. I turned, my nostrils filling with the stench of wounded printer's ink, and did some serious reconsideration.

"Look," Denny began, "I don't want you to get the idea that this is something you have to do," his gloved hand waving the riding crop in what could be construed as a menacing fashion, "But we'd like to give you the opportunity to do something that you'd like to do to get you involved in EVERY aspect of the book, not just the artwork, to tell the readers some of your viewpoints and..." Denny leaned back, crossed his jackbooted feet on the desk. He smiled a wicked smile "...to let the readers know that we're just one big family here at Marvel. My mind raced.

"Covers." I said.

"What?" asked Denny, cocking a thumb under the visor of his cap. Light glinted off some odd metallic insignia there.

"Covers." I repeated. "Unused covers."

"Go on..." He crossed his arms awkwardly, creasing his holster.

"Well... The covers -the unused one-- we could run them along with the ones that were used, and I could write about the dumb...the uh, reasons that they weren't used, you know, why I did them the way I did and why you turned them down."

There was a long pause. Very long. Then he smiled again. Only worse than before, and said -- "We'll do it..."

I relaxed. I turned to leave but Denny wasn't finished. "Sienkiewicz," he hissed.

I cringed. "Yeah?"

"Don't make me look like the bad guy in this."

"No. Of course not." I said, then turned I left.

I returned one week later, armed with the covers and my feelings about each. I walked into Denny's office and snapped to attention. The Post was still on the desk. It had decayed horribly "At ease." Denny cooed. He shot a sly grin at Ralph.

"What did our little artist friend bring us perchance?" Said Ralph as he woke up, "Our meal ticket?"

Denny's smile faded. "You can be replaced, Macchio."

I looked at Ralph. Innocent of face. Stubbly of beard. Ralph. Ralph Macchio. Ralph went back to sleep. There was a smile on his face.

Denny turned back to me. "What have you got?"

This--" I replied, and proceeded to show him what a week of coffee, cigarettes and images of a mutilated newspaper had inspired.

"First: Issue #9's cover for The Return of the Midnight Man. I wanted to do a total image, an essence of the relationship between him and Moon Knight. The paintings --the Jekyll and Hyde shots of Midnight Man's face. The target around Moon Knight. Moon Knight's expression of worry and insanity --He was going through a lot back then."

"That's all well and good--" Denny smirked. "But it's too tall--the paintings would be obscured by the logo. All that we could see would be the two big faces and MK going crazy. And he's been crazy or in a losing position on the past five covers. I wanted to show him fighting, maybe winning. I thought about it. I really did. But you were moving to a studio and couldn't be reached in time to do another. Frank Miller was in the office and drew the cover that was used."

"Oh," I said. My hand shook as I reached for another cover. Number 12. Morpheus and Moon KNight. Boffo action. "I wanted a closeup," Denny said. "Simple as that. Miller was in again and did it up. Milgrom inked it."

"That Miller guy again." I thought.

I turned to issue 13, which guest-starred Daredevil. Frank was drawing Daredevil. Denny thought it would be fun to have Frank draw the cover and me ink it. I agreed. I spoke to Frank on the phone. He said we could do "crossover" covers; I'd do one later for Daredevil. Fine idea. "What are you waiting for, Sienkiewicz, "Denny screamed, interrupting my reverie. Veins showed in his forehead. Big ones.

"Right," I said. "The cover for issue 13--Frank pencilled, I inked. I really had a good time with this one. It was the first time I inked anyone else's work."

Denny Scowled. "Except it was too tall. The logo would have obscured the pinball machine's scoreboard. That's why I nixed it. Ron Wilson happened to drop by the same time as Dave Simons did. The deadline was tight. I had no alternative. They did the cover."

Deja vu. Denny was beating a dead Post. "That will be all for now. And Sienkiewicz--About the article. Flattery will get you nowhere."

I managed a weak smile, and again turned to leave. As I did so, I glanced at Ralph Macchio, his eyes closed in contented slumber.

—

Ralph Macchio is a comic book editor and writer. He's done a lot of the big ones (The Avengers, Captain America, Ultimate Marvel, Doctor Strange, Thor, Spider-Man...). He retired in 2011.

Dennis O'Neil (Denny) is the editor for Moon Knight at the time. He also worked for DC back in the day. He tended to write the more mature themes in early comics that were often controversial. Also the creator of notable characters like Ra's Al Ghul, Talia Al Ghul, Iron Monger, Lady Deathstrike, and many others that I have no idea who they are off the top of my head.

If anything, I am more endered towards Bill after this. The idea of him turning in cover after cover only to have them nixed and replaced by the LEGENDARY Frank Miller, and then being playfully bitter about it is the funniest thing. The notion that these other cover artists just happened to be hanging around only to ruin Bill’s day…

Also, some of those nixed covers are amazing! The Dare Devil one in particular is amazing! And relevant to the comic! I wish I could see it in color! What happens to these rejected covers? Do they get sold? Trashed? Look at that Midnight one!

Anyway, there are a lot of little afterwards in the backs of the early comics. A lot of letters from fans with author/editor responses mostly. But now and then they include a behind the scenes with narrative from various levels of Moon Knight creators. My favorites are these ones that show the character of the creators themselves. It also gives us a peak at the process of how a comic is made and the art and skill it takes.

Current comics don’t really include these anymore. You’ll see some fan letters in the backs of some (I’ve been in one! For a Moon Knight of course.), and a few spotlight articles on writers or artists… But you don’t really get the big behind the scenes things anymore. The characters are all established, the readers/fanbase know what they’re in, and there just doesn’t seem to be interest anymore into the creation of the comics.

Which is a pity.

I’d love to see more excerpts like this. Imagine getting an aside from Lemier!Jed Mackay! Smallwood!

What do you think? What afterwards would you like to see in modern day comics?

#Moon Knight #Moon Knight comics #Bill Sienkiewicz #Sienkiewicz #Analyzing the comics #I fucking love this

9 notes · View notes

paradoxpig · 28 days

Text

TERRIFIER is such a weird beast of a film franchise. Not because the movies are deeply complicated or anything, they’re anything but. They just have me thinking about the length of what artist can make before a line gets drawn.

I believe that film makers shouldn’t have limits when crafting their films, because indeed, movies are an art form, and shouldn’t be policed. In most cases. I think it’s great that the director, after being turned away by other financial supporters due to a scene too gruesome, was able to find financial support eventually.

But at some point you gotta just question…why?

I remember earlier in the 3rd movies’ production, reports were pouring in that the fabled evil scene included a child. It’s a Christmas horror, you’d pretty much figure a child would be in harm’s way. And also giving the record Terrifier 2 set for just how unspeakably brutal it’s scenes can get…you begin to wonder. Plus the recent tweet going around about a scene so “insanely horrific” that it caused Art’s actor to vomit on set.

Now maybe that’s just bait. There’s plenty of people that find the bedroom scene in Terrifier 2 to be cartoonishly silly, while others ran from the theater with puke bags. (If you’re unfamiliar and want to look it up out of curiosity, please consider the level of gore you can handle. It’s not for beginners.) I remember it making my stomach sick on my first blind viewing, but finding it laughable on rewatches. In my opinion, that’s a positive thing. As tasteless as it is to some, it can still be enjoyed by plenty others. At the end of the day, it’s a work of art. And maybe this scene they’re hyping up will be no different. But again, if it involves a child instead of a grown person… it’s gonna be so much harder to get around.

Why even make it to begin with? Why let something that twisted in your mind get out into the world? Should self expression have a limit? Is there some ideas so ruthless we should bar them from being brought to life? Have the creator no humility? Do we need to submit Damion Leon for psychological help, or is it actually wicked cool that we’re letting his freak flag fly so boundless?

I want to say no. But I feel there should be a limit…when other people get involved. Unless you can find staff, stars, etc., as 100% engrossed in your project as you are, or it’s something you can make on your own…you should have to show some restraint…shouldn’t you…?

I’m mostly fearful for those involved on set, here in the real world. You’d imagine David Howard Thornton has an iron will by now, so it worries me to think what could have penetrated that. Again, if this horrific scene being brought up involved a child, they better put that kid through some serious therapy afterwards. I don’t care how good of an actor/tress they may be, or how little they’re actually used in place of prosthetics/robotics/etc practical effects. I can’t imagine the damage that could do to their psyche.

Maybe I just sound like the same people that complained when the Saw movies were at their peak in popularity. I can see that. Though those movies, while probably on the same scale to many, personally, are a huge step down from Terrifier. In terms of kills. Also they actually have, like, something to say? Most if not all the kills have a story reason. A meaning. Art the Clown just kinda shreds people because he feels like it. As far as we know. It’s thoughtless. Which makes just want to say why? more.

A lot of this post is based on hearsay. I know that. I guess we won’t know until Terrifier 3 releases. I don’t intend to catch it in theaters (mostly because I don’t know a single soul brave enough to attend it with me) but I will keep an eye out for its digital release, and the press surrounding it until then.

#shut up evan #I don’t want to risk sounding like a pearl clutcher #I’m just worried about the actors dawg #terrifier #terrifier 3 #horror #horror movies

2 notes · View notes

twilightmalachite · 9 months

Text

Machina - Epilogue 2

Author: Kino Seitaro (with Akira)

Characters: Mika, Shu, Makoto, Sora

Translator: Mika Enstars

"I’ve been cheated~! It was a mistake to admire ya, Oshi-san!"

Season: Winter

Location: Machina Stage

Shu: The curtain for our stage is about to rise.

Mika: Mhm. In these moments before the performance… I’m always so tense, or rather, excited. My head is strangely clear, but my body’s achin’. ♪

Shu: That’s good tension. Keep it going for the performance.

Kagehira. The digital art you created wasn’t bad as it seemed.

For Machina, I asked you to take an active part in the stage design so as to not put your creative motivation to waste…

But I didn’t expect to end up bringing in something as old-fashioned as CRT TVs.

If these giant monitors are considered state-of-the-art technology, then this is reminiscent of scrap art. Was that contrast intentional?

Mika: Ehehe, are ya praisin’ me, Oshi-san?

I am real glad ya didn’t yell at me, though. I really like this stage turned out, y’know.

When I heard that we could use video in our production, it all jus’ clicked.

Waaay back, when I’d go to the garbage dump, at times there’d be lots of illegally dumped TVs and such like this.

It cost money to properly dispose of that sorta stuff, right? Some of them would be fully intact, to me it looked like a treasure trove.

I didn’t use ‘em ‘cuz I felt that my work in the Test World looked like worthless garbage to ya, Oshi-san.

Though a world like that might appear worthless to some people. But it was fun t’be able to relax and create a work of art while rememberin’ how I felt back then…♪

I found myself thinkin’ “Ahh, I really do admire Oshi-san” again.

Shu: Hmph. The moment I go soft on you, you get carried away… No matter the means, rubbish is still rubbish.

I allowed it this time because it happened to fit the theme, but I cannot allow you to pick things up from the dumpster.

Mika: Nnah, I-I thought we’ve been over this!

We decided in the end to not meddle with each other’s personal items! Are ya gonna insist that I’m wrong again?

Mika: I’ve been cheated~! It was a mistake to admire ya, Oshi-san!

Shu: Non! I didn’t mean it like that. What I meant for you is—

Makoto: (whispering) It’s about to begin, both of you!

Sora: (whispering) Get into position!

Shu: …Ahem. We’ll talk about this later. For now, let’s focus on the performance.

Mika: …Right. It’d be rude t’the audience if we were arguin’ on stage!

Shall we then, Oshi-san?

We’ve gotta deliver our songs to those waitin’ for our work, right?

Mika: There are those that like us, of course, but there’s also those who hold grudges and those who are skeptical of us.

Especially to those who flamed Oshi-san’s SNS and those who got caught up in the Test World fiasco, we probably don’t look good to ‘em.

Even so, if they try to listenin’ to our songs, even fer a little bit, we’ll do our best to reach their hearts with our song! ♪

“♪~♪~”

Shu: …Hehe.

You’ve improved once again, Kagehira. What a well-tuned singing voice.

You may be clumsy, but I recognize your passion for art.

The electronic world may be built of the binary variables zero and one, but only humans hold the variable of emotion. And the one who makes it shine the brightest right now is you. I hope you will continue to improve.

There is so much in this world—many different principles, ideologies, financial standings, races, and genders.

And there is no small number of those whom I find to be the most distasteful human beings. And alive.

However, art exists to provoke questions of its viewer, putting aside such notions.

Nothing in this world is convenient. It is frustrating, but it by no means is a dead end. In this labyrinth, we can still progress, even whilst asking ourselves the same questions.

Shu: Even if the created world comes to its end conveniently at the hand of a god upon a machine. Reality has us lose our way, sometimes we stray down the wrong path, but we continue on regardless.

Through this miserable reality… I hope we can walk together for a long time.

With you, an existence so different from mine.

“♪~ ♪~”

← prev | story directory | next →

#machina #event #translation #mika kagehira #shu itsuki #makoto yuuki #sora harukawa

11 notes · View notes

thehoneyispure · 1 month

Text

Ariana Grande's Eternal Sunshine ☀️

Ariana Grande's Eternal Sunshine

Cover art: she has her own shoulder to cry on, she has to feel the moments and still be her own best friend

INTRO: can relate yes

Sounds eternal and also sad. Like the world is ending

BYE: I like it, the chores gots flighty repetitive however it can be seen as a mantra not to go back to what doesn’t serve you

Don’t wanna break up again: not having some try to explain or examine their action even though you are, there is love however that is not enough: won’t abandon me again for you

Saturn return: love it, helps explain how the plants play a part in life ( Saturn in my chart) love the distortion

Eternal Sunshine: yeah… perfect title a renewal (a cool nod to the Jim Carey and Kate H. film)

Supernova: YES about letting go, not caring how you look, and wanting love to take over (surrendering)

the oohh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

True story: yes honestly, I don’t care about what people will say or the narrative that will spread

When you don’t meet people's expectations/fantasies crap hits the fan

GOTTA GO!

I'LL PLAY IT WELL TOO

The Boy is Mine: love the “changes” to the song

SIDE NOTE: Don't say you don't understand her on this album… PLEASE

Yes, and? Come on a classic

BE YOUR OWN FUCKING BEST FRIEND

We can’t be friends- (wait for your love) The updated 80s sound, could also be about the media, ready to change sides at any moment of non-perfection

SIDENOTE: an album about healing

I wish I hated you: yes, there was good, but the pain was still real. There isn't any hate because if there were, it would be “ easier” to get over

1222: imperfect for you gives thinking of you Katy Perry

Imperfect for you: a love song of peace seeing the good in things that look and feel like healing. A phoenix rising above

Ordinary (ft Nonna): jazzy meets hip-hop YES the production

A person who makes “ordinary” “extraordinary”

If you can't (get over something for a kiss goodnight) you are in the wrong place, Get Out

THANK YOU NONNA

Everyone deserves to heal at their own pace, I'm starting to learn that now the meaning of it

Conclusion: a story about healing, feeling the ugly, taking accountability/Standing up for one's self. There is always sunshine at the end of the terror.

Side note this was just a first listen as time goes on thoughts might change. Overall a beautiful album. Thank you, Ariana and collaborators.

#ariana grande #album review #eternal sunshine

3 notes · View notes

crimzoncrow · 10 months

Text

ty for tagging me @mamawasatesttube !! <3

1. are you named after anyone? Not really! My middle name is my mom’s mom’s mom’s name (I think? Might be another generation back), but my first name isn’t for anyone.

2. when was the last time you cried? Almost exactly twenty four hours ago, I was having one of my bimonthly identity crises <3

3. do you have kids? Unless we’re counting friends barely younger than me who’ve declared me their mother, absolutely not lol

4. do you use sarcasm a lot? It depends on who I’m with! I guess not really? I use it a lot more when I’m upset about something or joking about something I don’t like I think, I just realized

5. what sports do you play/have you played? I used to play soccer, when I was little! Like, elementary school. I guess I also did gymnastics when I was even younger but it wasn’t sport-y gymnastics

6. what’s the first thing you notice about other people? Depends on how we first interact! Online it’s typically typing style, formality, and tone. Helps me figure out how I should respond, if I interact with them

7. what’s your eye color? Brown!

8. scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings!!! Scary movies give me really bad paranoia lol. Sometimes I can avoid it by pointing out mistakes or production details I notice, but then I’m not really… watching the scary movie as a scary movie anymore. I’m also just a sucker for a good happy ending!!!

9. any special talents? Hey look at how hard I can hyperfocus *crochets for 17 hours straight no breaks*. More seriously though, none that I really know of? I guess I’m kind of flexible but that’s more of a my joints really suck thing than a talent thing

10. where were you born? New Jersey, gotta keep up my mom’s family’s tradition of having some Jersey in them even if they were raised elsewhere (It’s like… kind of strange LOL. They’re literally all over the place but we’ve all got some tie to nj somehow?? I think I know one single person in the entirety of my moms family who wasn’t born in nj or spent the majority of their life there, and it’s bc their parent moved before they got them).

11. what are your hobbies? Drawing, writing, crochet (apparently?? that ones still kinda new to me even if it’s ,, been a few months lol), reading, uhhhh. I’m sure there’s more they come and go

12. do you have any pets? NO I WISH I DID im screaming and sobbing i cannot at the moment but as soon as i can i WILL

13. how tall are you? 5’ 4” ish? I thought I was just under 5’ 5” the second to last time I checked but last time I went to the doctor they said I was like 5’ 3.75” or something so it’s very confusing to me 😔😔 Most of the people I’ve spoken to think the 5’4” is most accurate tho

14. favorite subject? Uhh art? That feels like a copout lol. Overall, probably english? English, art, sciences in general… I can also like history? I don’t have anything against math either?? Most of the time whether or not I like a subject has more to do w whether I associate them w good or bad teachers I’ve had LOL

15. dream job? MAN i have NO IDEA . Ive been agonizing over this so bad . My current goal for career is just “something where I can do something I love and make things that make people happy”, probably in the arts, but you know that’s . Not really very specific lol. And also I’m just interested in other things too!!! If I were going to a different college there’s a super huge chance I’d be looking at stuff w/ linguistics more. Idk!! A job I like that’s stable and secure and also I can make enough money to do hobbies I like and spend time with friends!!! Whatever that is, if I can ever find it!!!!

i am so very terrible at tagging people so if someone sees this and wants to do it just say i tagged you <33 this was very fun!!

#im very tired so i think i rambled too much #but whatever #fun facts for whoever reads this ig #enjoy my trivia <3 #tag games

1 note · View note

egodb · 1 year

Text

Some random art

I've been in a rut and have been reading the Blue Period manga wanting to dip my toes into making some art again and not having any ideas come to me. So, I wanted to do something "simple" that I used to do in school...like < 10 years old school--just choose a colour scheme, slap down some shapes and colour them, head empty.

To reduce my role in the piece even more, I used a random colour palette generator. From coolors.co, I got: #42F2F7, #46ACC2, #498C8A, #4B6858 and #4D4730. And for the shapes, I rolled two six-sided die, and included that many of that-sided polygons. So, it's gonna be five one-sided...that's just a point? a line?...I'll just go with a line I guess, then one pentagon and two hexagons.

I first thought of having the pentagon in the centre, with the hexagons around it, and the lines going radially outward in a radially symmetrical manner. That seemed too straightforward. Having a background in chemistry, I thought of norborene--why limit myself to 2D shapes...the numbers can just dictate the number of edges. Norborene can be looked at as 1 hexagon and two pentagons. Not quite what I wanted, That wasn’t gonna work as is. But, what about I fuse 2 cyclohexanes in a way that it looks like a claw? or perhaps an arrowhead. The negative space there is kinda pentagonal. The lines...parallel lines can indicate speed. What about a weird-looking docking system or something being approached by a pentagonal spacecraft while warping through space? This was my first sketch:

But I couldn’t make sense of the resulting 3D space this simply. Maybe some of those lines would be more useful here. The dock must be huge compared to the ship. A teeny tiny pentagon then. And the dock has a space-facing city, with lots of buildings and stuff, so the spaceship, though small, is huge. This was my second sketch:

It’s space...there’s no scattering. Everything’s gotta be dark then. Where’s the hexagons and pentagon and whatnot? Doesn’t matter. That was the starting point. If the mind finally wants to mind, then I don’t mind. In fact, I like how this shows how isolated a dock in space might actually be...somewhere that’s not a hub, somewhere that gets only an odd visitor perhaps...or a “space village” which has a weekly spacecraft, public transport maybe. Now the challenge is to actually show that in this...now how do I show the buildings, their density, and the spaceship?

That’s where I decided to bring the head-empty part back. I’m no pro artist; I have a deadline coming up. I did my creative thinking. Improving actual rendering skills is a long-term progressive goal of this hobby. I don’t need to be perfect with this, I keep telling myself.

Here’s the end product:

Edit: These colours look desaturated af. I guess I forgot to adjust them back once I changed them but * shrugs shoulder *. Next time, next time.

#art #digital art #not a pro #not a professional #concept art #concept sketch #space civilisation #post apocalyptic #krita #hobby #im surprised i still remember how to use krita #its been over a year

0 notes

ericleo108 · 1 year

Audio

11/18/2022 Click here for Spotify or Apple Music. This is my 24th official release. “The Villian” is a rap track I wrote from the villain's perspective taking about socioeconomic conditions in America. The goal was to bring light to the socioeconomic conditions that the people face versus the wealthy. I tell the story as if I’m the villain, describing what that looks like throughout the entire song. I use the movie “The Wolf of Wallstreet” as inspiration. Usually my music is more clean-cut but rarely does the world present itself so properly. I wanted to know what it was like to join the debauchery, even if it was role-playing.

The cover art came from Gigzlogo from Fiverr. The beat is from KeyAnobeat.com. The track was professionally recorded, mixed, and mastered by Sam Peters at LA Luna Recording Studio in Kalamazoo Michigan. You can stream or download the track wherever music is sold. Thank you for your support. Be sure to follow because new music is released every first and third Friday of every month.

Lyrics:

Sure I’ll play the villian

Bitch who you fuckin with Era era era, era fresh Bitch who you fuckin with Era era era, era fresh

I play the game like the Wolf of Wall Street Now these hoes are workin to call me Smart men hope that their business lasts Bitch I’m busy snortin coke off this hookers ass Don’t pay’um to fuck I pay’um to leave And tell um no kissing after suck’n the D She love her career, lucky to be me I employe another fair, nothing to me

Bitch who you fuckin with Era era era, era fresh Bitch who you fuckin with Era era era, era fresh Bitch who you fuckin with I’m hotter than the summer is You’re a customers is what it is I like when they’re dumg as shit I’m rich, white, and oppressive Passive aggressive Rob you with a contract And stay its an investment Bitch who you fuckin with Bitch who you fuckin with

I pollute the environment Reign like a tyrant Blame it on blacks Say it’s because their defiance Look at them callin I stay ballin So i gotta keep attention To stay apaulin This like my Jake and Logan Paul shit Make money depicting the definition of audacious I bitch about taxes And complain about the back end Looking good is what the tactic is Exploiting what the workers did Force women to have babies And deal with the enslavement Servitude for family over payment No paid maternal leave In land of free It’s business over people in the American economy Want your cake and eat it too? That’s reserved for what I do I convince you not to vote your interests Sucks to be you Your not a product of environment, it’s your fault you failed You didn’t try hard or long enough, the opportunity’s there I make money work for me, while you can’t make ends meet I get cashflow from assets while I’m playin or asleep Propogandize populations to think like my sex Claim its hard work when it’s leverage and a mind set

Bitch who you fuckin with Era era era, era fresh Bitch who you fuckin with era fresh Bitch who you fuckin with I’m hotter than the summer is You’re a customers is what it is I like when they’re dumg as shit I’m rich, white, and oppressive Passive aggressive Rob you with a contract And stay its an investment Bitch who you fuckin with

#hip hop #rap #rapper #wolf of wallstreet #socioeconomic #eric leo 108

0 notes

ragingbookdragon · 3 years

Text

The Best Of Us

Batfamily x M!Reader

Word Count: 3,035 Warnings: Angst

Author's Note: And here we are with a Batbrother fic! Enjoy! -Thorne

It wasn’t an inferiority complex. Not really. He wasn’t prone to anger or any of the other symptoms listed under it—and he checked. Multiple times. But there was something about being the only non-vigilante in his family of vigilantes that made him feel inadequate compared to the rest. Bruce had the Justice League, Dick and Jason had their own fantastic groups that saved the day, and Tim and Damian were still in school, but even they had their groups too. Hell, even Alfred still had contacts from his days in MI-5. And yet, he had none of the skills his brothers or father had, no extensive martial arts training, master detective skills, or weapon mastery. He was completely normal—or maybe abnormal in this case. And on some level, he resented that he couldn’t be like his family—maybe he did have an inferiority complex.

***

The greatest thing in (Y/N)’s mind about still being allowed to live at home was that no matter what, there was always food around to eat—Alfred saw to it that every growing man in the house had enough to eat—that being said, their grocery bills were outrageouslyexpensive.

He balanced his tablet in one hand, the other hand adjusting the tie around his neck as he stepped into the kitchen, quick to raise the tablet in time to avoid whacking his youngest brother in the head.

“Morning,” he greeted, taking his seat at the table, just after Jason’s. A chorus of tired, ‘mornings’ came back at him and he quirked an eyebrow. “Wow, loving the enthusiasm this morning, guys.”

Jason snorted and propped his chin on his palm, watching (Y/N) for a moment. “I seriously don’t understand how you’re always so chipper in the morning.”

He huffed a laugh and took a sip of the coffee that Alfred set down. “Someone has to be the ray of sunshine in this group of gray clouds.” (Y/N) cast a glance at Dick who was shoveling eggs into his mouth. “And it seems like our eldest is busy feeding his bottomless pit.” Dick was fast to shoot him a glare, that he returned with a smile.

Just then, Tim trudged into the kitchen in an oversized hoodie and plopped down in his seat, immediately shoving the plate in front of him to drop his head onto the table.

“Jesus Christ, you guys,” (Y/N) sighed, flicking at his tablet for a moment. “You’ve seriously gotta take a day off to recuperate.”

“What do you think we do during the day?” Dick retorted, taking a swig of milk.

“Okay I think you’re confusing the entire day with the first half,” he reasoned. “When I say take a day off, I mean the whole twenty-four hours.” He glanced at everyone, and the only person who seemed to not be tired was Alfred, and that’s partly because (Y/N) believed he was immortal. “You guys are gonna run yourselves into the ground,” he said. “I just don’t think—”

“We know what we are doing, (Y/N),” Damian interrupted with a glare. “We know our limits better than you do.”

He let out a sigh and shook his head. This conversation had happened many times before and it wasn’t anything new.

“I’m not saying I know them better than you Damian, I’m simply saying that you guys should take a day to relax so that something doesn’t happen on the job that you can’t control.”

(Y/N) glanced at his father. “Dad, c’mon, you know I’ve got a point.”

Bruce hummed and flipped the page of the newspaper. “So does Damian.” He met (Y/N)’s eyes and nodded. “You don’t have to worry so much, (Y/N). We know what we can handle.”

He stared at Bruce for a moment then scowled. “I don’t even know why I bother,” he muttered, and Damian was fast to chase his comment.

“I don’t know why you bother either. You’ve never once experienced what we do every night.”

(Y/N) met his youngest sibling’s glare. “Just because I don’t stick my neck out for each person in this city night after night doesn’t mean that I don’t know what it’s like to be exhausted.”

Damian crossed his arms over his chest. “So, you know what it’s like to be exhausted from blood loss because you’ve been stabbed or shot? Or to be exhausted from saving the lives of innocent people? You do?”

“I—” (Y/N)’s mouth opened, then he snapped it shut and looked away with a darkened expression, tasting something sour in his mouth. “No, I don’t.”

“That’s what I thought,” Damian finalized, and in the wake of the uncomfortable tension, a cellphone went off.

Everyone started looking for theirs, but (Y/N) muttered, “It’s mine.”

He picked it up and put on a cheerful voice. “Good morning Angela…yes, I just got the floor plan…” he tapped at the screen on his tablet. “Do me a favor and move the people from table eight to table three. Mr. Robinson is better friends with Mrs. Grace and will certainly give us a warmer atmosphere in that area.”

(Y/N) paused and listened, then he stood from the table and pushed his chair in. “Let me get to the office and we can situate the rest of the guests for tonight…alright, see you soon. Bye.”

He pulled the phone from his ear and ended the call, then took the black backpack that Alfred was holding to him. “Thanks Alfred.”

“Of course, Master (Y/N). Have a pleasant day at work.”

He huffed a laugh, but it was anything but amused. “I have to give a speech tonight in front of the entire company and three different magazines.” He glanced at Bruce. “Think you’ll be able to attend tonight? It’d mean a lot to me.” Bruce grunted, his way of telling (Y/N) that he’d try, but to not hope for a miracle.

It was fine, he was used to parentless ceremonies and events. He cleared his throat and shrugged on the backpack, making his way to the garage door.

“See you guys later.”

***

He’d given a few speeches in his short twenty-four years, and while he’d never say he was an expert on public speaking, he did know his way around a podium. That being said, every time he had to do a speech, he felt like vomiting—nerves he chocked it up to.

(Y/N) cast a glance around the packed ballroom, quietly groaning at the massive amount of people. His own table was empty, save for Angela and thank god for him, Lucius. He couldn’t help but frown at the name tags sitting in front of the empty seats.

“Wondering where the rest of the gang is?”

He met Lucius’ eyes and gave a halfhearted smile. “I’d like to think they took my advice and took the night off but…something tells me that the night called to them.” His lips pulled downwards. “I’m not going to act like this is a surprise, Lucius. I couldn’t even get them to show up for my university graduation.”

(Y/N) smiled and stood up, grabbing the notecards beside him. “What makes you think I could get them to show up to this?” He left the table and moved to the side of the stage, waiting for his name to be called. His fingers briefly shifted to his chest, feeling his heart fluttering beneath chest, nerves causing his breathing to come in short bursts. (Y/N) shut his eyes and took a deep breath, letting a pleasant smile cross his face as the presenter called his name, and walked up the steps.

The bright flash of photography momentarily blinded him, but he smiled through it. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight at the Centennial Inside Alliance Award Ceremony.” He flashed everyone a million-watt smile. “My name is (Y/N) Wayne, and as many of you know, I am a senior editor for Inside Alliance. It is my pleasure tonight to recognize Inside Alliance’s top writer for the year.”

(Y/N) glanced around the room, making sure to catch the eyes of the hundreds of guests.

“Inside Alliance was created on August fourteenth, nineteen-twenty by a group of immigrant mothers and fathers who wanted to bring knowledge of their homes and cultures to the rest of world. Some of those countries being Germany, Romania, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Israel, and many, many others.”

“The production of their valuable time and extensive care created one of the greatest magazines that is still in business today, that brings attention to the worldwide issues that many groups face, while still connecting to their roots of educating the public on cultures and groups.”

He smiled. “It is with my upmost honor that I congratulate and introduce Miss Flora Janaliyeva, one of our newest and greatest writers that has joined Inside Alliance, and the winner of tonight’s Inside Alliance Award.”

(Y/N) turned to the side and grinned at Flora as she ascended the stairs. Her long black hair was braided down the length of her back and she wore a bright and floral-patterned gown. She reached (Y/N) and he reached with his right, shaking her hand, and handed her the glass award with the other.

“Miss Janaliyeva, it is with honor and congratulations that I give you this award for your excellent talent and recognition of ability from Inside Alliance.”

She smiled brightly and accepted the award. “Thank you, Mister Wayne, the honor is mine.” He nodded politely once more and descended the stairs as she began her speech, quietly taking his place back at the table.

“Well done, Mister Wayne,” Lucius smiled and (Y/N) let out a deep breath.

“I’m just surprised I was able to do that without stuttering or panicking.” He glanced over, smile lowering slightly. “Lucius, are you alright?”

The older man dabbed at his forehead and nodded, though when he breathed, it sounded labored. “I’m fine,” he assured, then reached up to rub at his chest.

(Y/N) shifted. “I don’t think you’re alright Lucius.” He leaned over. “Are you having chest pain?”

“I—yes,” he grit out then met (Y/N)’s gaze. “My chest is getting—tight and I…and I—”

He started to slump over and (Y/N) shot to his feet, eyes widening with fear. “Lucius!” The yell startled the crowd and Flora, who all looked over at the two.

(Y/N) pulled the older man back and pressed his ear to his chest, listening. He pulled away and yelled, “Someone call an ambulance! I think he’s having a heart attack!”

He helped Lucius to the floor and immediately pressed his palms to the man’s chest, starting compressions. His breath came in panicked spurts and he kept looking at Lucius’ face.

“Just hand on Lucius. You’re going to be okay.” (Y/N) kept at it until the EMT’s arrived and they knelt beside them.

“Let us take over.”

For a moment, he didn’t move, too afraid that if he did, Lucius would die, but one of the EMT’s placed a hand on his shoulder while the other slide their hands underneath (Y/N)’s.

“Son, we’ll take it from here.”

(Y/N)’s arms went slack, and he let the medic pull him away, watching as they took over and started moving him onto the stretcher.

“Please, save him. He’s—he’s friends with my family I—”

The medic nodded firmly. “We’ll do all we can.”

And all (Y/N) remembered was someone ushering him into a taxi heading for the hospital.

***

The first people that arrived were Lucius’ family who were grateful for (Y/N)’s actions, but the young man could barely grimace as they disappeared into the hospital room, leaving him sitting outside, his head in his hands. Tears gathered in his eyes as he thought back to what the ER doctor told him.

***

“Mister Fox is in a stable condition, but you have to understand, Mister Wayne, his heart is very weak.”

“But—but he’ll be okay right?”

“Based on Mister Fox’s past conditions, he’s verging into heart failure. His heart is too weak to keep up with what the body needs.”

“And…and what does his body need at this point?”

“At this point? A new heart.”

***

He sucked in a breath and fought to keep the sob from escaping his throat, just as heard, “(Y/N)!”

His head shot up and he saw his father and older brothers coming down the hallway. (Y/N) clambered to his feet.

“Dad I—” he started, but cut off as he choked on a sob, and Bruce pulled him into a hug, holding (Y/N) as he sobbed. “I’m sorry,” he cried. “I tried my best but—”

“Shh,” Bruce hushed, a firm, but gentle hand coming to rest at the back of his son’s neck. “You did all that you could.”

He pulled back and wiped his face. “But Lucius needs a new heart, and I don’t know what to do. I should’ve seen this coming. He hasn’t been feeling well the past few weeks and I—”

“(Y/N),” his father said firmly, hands coming to rest on his shoulders. He met Bruce’s eyes. “This wasn’t your fault.”

His libs wobbled and he whispered, “But if I were like you guys, I would’ve seen something earlier. I didn’t and now…” sighing, he added, “and now Lucius needs a new heart, or he’ll die.”

Bruce’s sigh was heavier than (Y/N)’s and it made his chest heavy. “We’ll get Lucius a new heart, (Y/N).”

He lowered his head and lamented, “I’m sorry, dad.”

His father squeezed his shoulder then lead him towards Dick and Jason. “Take (Y/N) back home for the night. I’ll stay here with Lucius’ family.”

They nodded and led their brother down the hall, arms firm across his shoulders in a comforting way. They didn’t say anything, knowing that there wasn’t much to offer, but their support was enough for (Y/N), even if he felt horrible.

***

For being the World’s Greatest Detective, his son was evidently the World Best Hider, because it took Bruce a long time to finally find (Y/N). He stepped quietly over to the form sitting on the ledge and took a seat beside him, silently gazing out at the backyard. A bottle appeared in his vision and he focused on it as the smell of whiskey reached his nose.

“Where’d you get that?” he asked but took the bottle anyway.

“Jason gave it to me earlier.” He watched Bruce take a sip. “Figured it fit the occasion.”

Bruce chuckled. “That sounds like Jason’s way of dealing with a problem.”

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, passing the bottle back and forth, simply enjoying the calm around the manor and night.

“You know it wasn’t your fault, right?” Bruce suddenly said.

(Y/N) sighed and set the bottle down, kicking his legs out off the roof. “Lucius said he hadn’t been feeling well recently. And I just passed it up to getting older.” He looked at his father. “If I’d actually paid attention, then I would’ve seen the symptoms.”

“Do you actually know what the symptoms of heart failure and heart attack are?”

“I…no, not really.”

“Then you couldn’t’ve known.” He looked at (Y/N). “Lucius works in my office every day. If anyone should’ve known and seen it, it should’ve been me.” Bruce shook his head. “But you did everything you could at the awards ceremony, and that saved Lucius’ life tonight. You did good.”

“I could’ve done better.” (Y/N) muttered. “I should’ve. I’m your son and I’m practically useless to the family but—”

“Woah, woah,” Bruce interrupted, brows furrowing as he asked, “What are you talking about?”

(Y/N) turned to him. “I am the least useful person in this family. I mean you and the guys are these crazy intelligent, vigilante master detectives and I’m just me.” He wiped away a tear that fell from his eye. “I can’t speak seven different languages or solve murder cases with a single strand of DNA left at the scene of a crime. Hell, I can’t even throw a punch.” He sighed heavily. “The last time I tried, I broke my hand.”

Meeting his father’s gaze, he said, “I just want to be like you guys.” He lowered his head. “I just want to be normal and not an outlier in the family.”

Bruce simply stared at him for a long moment, and while he’d never been privy to let his emotions show on his face, he let them this time—shock and shame. Shame that he didn’t see his greatest achievement suffering.

“(Y/N).”

He didn’t look up at first, but then he did. “Yes sir?”

“How long have you felt like this?”

(Y/N) shrugged. “Forever?”

His father sighed. “Son, I…I never wanted you to be like us.”

He gaped at Bruce. “What?”

“(Y/N), every person in this family is driven to do what we do because of our childhoods. You’re the only one who doesn’thave any skeletons in his closet.” He stared at him. “We wish every day that we could be like you and not a day goes by that we don’t think that.”

“I…what?” he floundered, absolutely bewildered at the idea that his father and brothers wanted to be the most boring person ever. “There’s no way that’s true.”

“It is.”

“No.” (Y/N) huffed. “I’m me. I’m plain and boring, work a nine to five job me. I mean I write for a magazine for god sakes! And you guys save the world!”

Bruce chuckled. “And what we wouldn’t give to be just a bit more normal like you, son.” He shrugged. “You think you’re inferior because you’re not a vigilante, but you’re the one thing that keeps us all sane. You give us the perspective of someone who isn’t what we are. Of someone who’s completely normal.”

He reached over and placed a hand on (Y/N)’s shoulder. “And being normal? Being you?” Bruce squeezed firmly. “I don’t want you to be anyone else.”

(Y/N) gazed at him, and though he felt tears in his eyes, he didn’t blink, didn’t let them fall. “I’ve only ever wanted to make you proud.”

Bruce smiled heartfully. “You do, (Y/N). Everyday. Because you’ve always been the best of us.”

349 notes · View notes

meruz · 3 years

Text

once again i am answering asks in a big compilation post. included is... gotham, patrick stump, tips about drawing backgrounds, tips about drawing in general, links to my faq, and infinity train

like.... the tv series? No... I’ve drawn dc comics fanart before, though. But it’s been years since I’ve been really into it. I like jumped ship like 10 years ago when the New 52 happened LOL.

AFJHDSLKGH I’m sorry I (probably) won’t do it again??

Actually full disclosure I have a truly cringe amount of p stump drawings/photo studies in my sketchbook right now LOL. He’s just fun to draw... hats, glasses, guitar, a good shape... but I don’t think I’ll rly post those until I can hide them in another big sketchbook pdf.. probably Jan 2022. Stay tuned........ (ominous)

(ominous preview)

These are all sort of related to backgrounds/painting so I grouped them together even though they’re pretty much entirely separate questions.... ANYWAYS

a) How is it working as a BG artist? Is it hard? What show are you drawing for?

I think you’re the first person to ever ask me about my job! Being a background artist is great. It’s definitely labor intensive but I think that could describe pretty much any art job (If something were rote or easy to automate, you wouldn’t hire an artist to do it) and I hesitate to say whether its harder or easier than any other role in the animation pipeline. Plus, so much of what truly makes a job difficult varies from one production to the next, schedule, working environment, co-workers etc. But I will say that I think while BGs are generally a lot of work on the upfront, I think they’re subject to less scrutiny/revisions than something like character/props/effects design and you don’t have to pitch them to a room like boards. So I guess it’s good if you don’t like to talk to people? LOL

A lot of my previous projects + the show I’ve worked on the longest aren’t public yet so I can’t talk about em (but I assure you if/when the news does break I won’t shut up about it). But I’m currently working on Archer Season 12 LOL. I’m like 90% sure I’m allowed to say that.

b) ~~~THANK YOU!! ~~~

c) What exactly do you like to draw most [in a background]?

@kaitomiury Lots of stuff! I really like to draw clutter! Because it’s a great opportunity for environmental storytelling and also you can be kind of messy with it because the sheer mass will supersede any details LOL.

I like to draw clouds... I like to draw grass but not trees lol,,, I like to draw anything that sells perspective really easily like tiled floors and ceilings, shelves, lamp posts on a street etc.

d) Do you have any tips on how to paint (observational)?

god there’s so much to say. painting is really a whole ass discipline like someone can paint their whole life and still discover new things about it. I guess if you’re really just starting out my best advice is that habit is more important than product. especially with traditional plein air painting, I find that the procedure of going outside and setting up your paints is almost harder than the actual painting. There’s a lot of artists who say “I want to do plein air sometime!!” and then never actually get around to doing it. A lot of people just end up working from google streetview or photos on their computer.

But going outside to paint is a really good challenge because it forces you to make and commit to lighting and composition decisions really quickly. And to work through your mistakes instead of against them via undo button.

My last tip is to check out James Gurney’s youtube channel because hes probably the best and most consistent resource on observational painting out there rn. There’s lots other artists doing the same thing (off the top of my head I know a lot of the Warrior Painters group has people regularly posting plein air stuff and lightbox expo had a Jesse Schmidt lecture abt it last year) but Gurney’s probably the most prolific poster and one of the best at explaining the more technical stuff - his books are great too.

e) Do you have tips for drawing cleanly on heavypaint?

@marigoldfool UMM LOL I LIKE ONLY USE THE FILL TOOL so maybe use the fill tool? Fill and rectangle are good for edge control as opposed to the rest of the heavy paint tools which can get sort of muddles. And also I use a stylus so maybe if you’re using your finger, find a stylus that works with your device instead. That’s all I’ve got, frankly I don’t think my drawings are particularly clean lol.

f) Tips on improving backgrounds/scenes making them more dynamic practicing etc?

Ive given some tips about backgrounds/scenes before so I’m not gonna re-tread those but here’s another thing that might be helpful...

I think a good way to approach backgrounds is to think of the specific story or even mood you want to convey with the background first. Thinking “I just need to put something behind this character” is going to lead you to drawing like... a green screen tourist photo backdrop. But if you think “I need this bg to make the characters feel small” or “I need this bg to make the world feel colorful” then it gives you requirements and cues to work off of.

If I know a character needs to feel overwhelmed and small, then I know I need to create environment elements that will cage them in and corner them. If a character needs to feel triumphant/on top of the world then I know I need to let the environment open up around them. etc. If I know my focal point/ where I want to draw attention, I can build the background around that.

Also, backgrounds like figure compositions will have focal points of their own and you can draw attention to it/ the relationship the characters have with the bg element via scale or directionality or color, any number of cues. I think of it almost as a second/third character in a scene.

Not every composition is gonna have something so obvious like this but it helps me to think about these because then the characters feel connected and integrated with the environment.

Some more general art questions

a) Do you have any process/tips to start drawing character/bodies/heads?

I tried to kind of draw something to answer this but honestly this is difficult for me to answer because I don’t think I’m that great at drawing characters LOL. Ok, I think I have two tips.

1) flip your canvas often. A lot about what makes human bodies look correct and believable is symmetry and balance. Even if someone has asymmetrical features, the body will often pull and push in a way to counterbalance it. we often have inherent biases to one side or another like dominant hands dominant eyes etc. you know how right-handed artists will often favor drawing characters facing 45 degrees facing (the artist’s) left? that’s part of it. so viewing your drawing flipped even just to evaluate it helps compensate for that bias and makes you more aware of balance.

2) draw the whole figure often. I feel like a lot of beginner artists (myself included for a long time) defer to just drawing headshots or busts because it’s easier, you dont have to think about posing limbs etc. But drawing a full body allows you to better gauge proportion, perspective, body language, everything that makes a character look believable and grounded.

Like if you (me) have that issue where you draw the head too big and then have to resize it to fit the proportions of the rest of the body, it’s probably because you (I) drew the head first and are treating the body as an afterthought/attachment. Sketching out the whole figure first or even just quick drawing guides for it will help you think of it more holistically. I learned this figure drawing in charcoal at art school LOL.

oh. third mini tip - try to draw people from life often! its the best study. if you can get into a figure drawing/nude drawing class EVEN BETTER and if you have a local college/art space/museum that hosts those for free TREASURE IT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, that’s a huge boon that a lot of artists (me again) wish they had. though if youre not so lucky and youre sitting in a park trying to creeper draw people and they keep moving.. don’t let that stop you! that’s good practice because it’s forcing you to work fast to get the important stuff down LOL. its a challenge!

b) I’ve been pretty out of energy and have had no inspiration to draw but I have the desire to. Any advice?

Dude, take a walk or something.... Or a nap? Low energy is going to effect everything else so you gotta hit that problem at its source.

If you’re looking for inspiration though, I’d recommend stuff like watching a movie, reading a book, playing video games etc. Fill up your idea bank with content and then give yourself time/space to gestate it into new concepts. Sometimes looking at other art works but sometimes it can work against you because it’s too close.

Also something that helps me is remembering that art doesn’t always have to be groundbreaking... like it’s okay to make something shitty and stupid that you don’t post online and only show to your friend. That’s all part of the process imo. If you want to hit a home run you gotta warm up first, right? Sports.

I should probably compile everytime i give tips on stuff like this but that’s getting dangerously close to being a social media artist who makes stupid boiled down art tutorials for clout which is the last thing i want to be... the thing I want to stress is that art is a whole visual language and there are widely agreed upon rules and customs but they exist in large part to be broken. Like there's an infinite number of ways to reach an infinite number of solutions and that’s actually what makes it really cool and personal for both the artist and the viewer. So when you make work you like or you find someone else’s work you like, take a step back and ask yourself what about it speaks for you, what about it works for you, what makes it effective, how to recreate that effect and how to break that effect completely, etc. And have a good time with it or else what’s the point.

for the first 2, I direct you to my FAQ

For the last one, I don’t actually believe I’ve ever addressed artwork as insp for stories/rp but I’ll say here and now yeah go ahead! As long as you’re not making profit or taking credit for my work then I’m normally ok with it. Especially anything thats private and purely recreational, that’s generally 100% green light go. I only ask that if you post it anywhere public that you please credit me.

(and I reserve the right to ask you to take it down if I see it and don’t approve of it’s use but I think that case is pretty rare.)

a) @lemuelzero101 Thank you!!! I haven’t played Life is Strange but actually that series’ vis dev artist Edouard Caplain is one of my bigger art inspirations lately so that’s a really high compliment lol. And yeah I hope we get 5-8 too...!

b) Thank you for sticking around! I’ve been thinking about Digimon and Infinity Train in tandem lately, actually. They’re a little similar? Enter a dangerous alternate world and have wacky adventures with monsters/inanimate objects that have weird powers... there’s like weird engineers and mechanisms behind the scenes... also frontier literally starts with them getting on a train. Anyways if anyone else followed me for digimon... maybe you’d like Infinity Train? LOL

c) @king-wens-king I’M GLAD MY ART JUST HAS PINOY VIBES LOL I hope you are having a good day too :^)

a, b, c, d) yessss my Watch Infinity Train agenda is working....

e) aw thank you!! i think you should watch infinity train :)

#ask #trying this new thing where i tag people in the body of the post instead

359 notes · View notes

twilightmalachite · 9 months

Text

Machina - Epilogue 1

Author: Kino Seitaro (with Akira)

Characters: Mika, Shu, Sora, Makoto

Translator: Mika Enstars

"We’ve had a painful experience due to equipment troubles before… Oshi-san didn’t say anything, but he seemed to be worried."

Season: Winter

Location: ES Live Stage Backstage

A couple weeks later, backstage at the venue for Valkyrie’s live…

Sora: HaHa~, HiHi~, HuHu~!

There’s so many things backstars, it’s exciting looking at them~!

Makoto: It’s dangerous if you move around too much, Harukawa-kun!

There’s a lot of video equipment in the area, even the slightest touch can shift their positions. It might be best to sit tight for a while.

Sora: Ah, Sora didn’t mean to get so excited!

Sora never expected to be called to work backstage with everyone! It’s way different than the backstages for Switch, so it’s really interesting~! ♪

Makoto: Ahaha, I also thought “there’s no way” when I first heard, too! The theme for Valkyrie’s live here is the fusion of digital technology and art.

The game company had apologized for what happened in the Test World.

That led to a strange sequence of events that ended up with them requesting the game company to be in charge of the live video.

Sora: But thanks to it, now Sora and the others can also work with the latest technology! It’s a win-win!

There’s a lot of expensive equipment being lent that most people normally cannot get their hands on, so Sora’s looking forward to seeing what kind of live this will be~! ♪

Mika: Nnah, Sora-kun, Mako-kun, thanks for yer hard work! So the both of ya are backstage, huh? I thought ya had already returned to the reserved guest’s seats!

Thank ya fer helpin’ bring in all that equipment. The staff said that they couldn’t have done it without ya~!

Sora: Nah, Sora also feels bad for the trouble Sora caused Mika-chan-san. So it’s an apology~!

At the start it helped Mika-chan-san get out of his slump, but in the end it turned into something amazing!

Makoto: That seriously was a super-mega raid battle, wasn’t it~?

It was fun in it’s own way, but it’s undeniable your efforts haven’t been rewarded. So the least I can do is to help out a little.

…What can I say, I’m just an equipment geek interested in live performances that utilize the latest technology. So I’m sorry for mixing up my public and private life, I guess?

Mika: Nah, no worries, no worries. We’re a household of two, so any help we can get is greatly appreciated!

Besides, it’s all thanks to the Test World I got to become savvy with the digital. I’m glad I was able t’experience both the good and the bad! ♪

Sora: HeHe~, then Sora’s glad too~!

And it looks like Mika-chan-san’s all changed into his outfit for the performance too, everything’s all ready to go~! ♪

Mika: Mhm, and Oshi-san gave me perfect maintenance, so I’m all good to go!

If anythin’, I’m more worried ‘bout the equipment. We’ve had a painful experience due to equipment troubles before… Oshi-san didn’t say anything, but he seemed to be worried.

So I thought to do a final check before all preparations are finished. You can never be too sure ‘bout things like this, can ya?

Makoto: That’s right. It’s easy to get carried away with something new and not think about the risks involved.

…Wait, why am I saying that? I’m the guy in Trickstar who always feels like he’s gotta come up with new things!

Sora: Rest assured! Switch is always enthusiastic about new ventures!

As long as Sora and Yuuki-sense~ are here, all equipment troubles will be prevented from happening~! ☆

Mika: Ahaha, yer right, yer very reliable.

You’ve been a real help, no kiddin’. It’s thanks to the help of all sort’sa people that we Valkyrie are able to further our own pursuit in art.

If ya could watch our live to the very end, I’d be real happy. ♪

Shu: Kagehira, it’s about time to begin. Don’t go and relax, you must keep a sense of tenseness.

This live, Machina… Will be a live with a new song based on our experience of the virtual world.

The stage production involves a number of monitors, so this live will require more control than usual.

Mika: Ahaha, I’ll do my best, do dont’cha worry, Oshi-san!

Shu: Hmph. You’ll lose your footing if you’re able to talk lightheartedly like that.

Well, I shall trust your autonomy here. You are no longer someone who is constantly chasing me.

With autonomy comes responsibility. So you must work harder than ever.

Mika: Nnah~… That’s different than what ya usually say, Oshi-san.

Well, that makes it easier fer me too. With yer eyes shining, Oshi-san, I can stand up straight, y’know?

Let’s create a performance of wonderful art, Oshi-san! ♪

Shu: Yes, and I’ll be living up to the theme this time too.

To control, to direct, and to express all—Not even a god upon a machine shall be able to get in the way.

← prev | story directory | next →

#machina #event #translation #shu itsuki #mika kagehira #sora harukawa #makoto yuuki

7 notes · View notes

skellebonez · 3 years

Text

Happy Birthday Winter!

Hey @winterpower98 it's your birthday! I really hope you enjoy this, I know I had a ton of fun writing it for you! Actor AU is one of my favorite AUs you've made and coming back to play around with it again was a blast and a half!

Painter MK cackled, taking the brushes filled with bright pink paint into his fists.

“Yes, yes!” He exclaimed, brushing them against his cheeks and bringing another to run up the center of his face. “The art is-OW! OW, THE ART IS IN MY EYE!”

“Cut!” The director yelled, bringing the entire film production to a halt in an instant. “Xiaotian, what happened?”

The young actor dropped the paintbrushes into the hands of a stage worker to rushed over to help him, one hand covering his right eye as he tried to keep himself from laughing. “I think some of it splashed when I waved the brush at my face. I guess the art really IS-”

“Don’t say it,” Heshang said from the other side of the set, doing his best not to join his co-star in laughter.

“-seeping into my pores!”

The entire cast and crew groaned as Xiaotian cackled again, with a few added ows, before another stage hand came by with a bottle of water.

~3…2…1~

“Uh…” Xiaojiao pulled, attempting to pull the prop sword from above her head out of the wall only to be met with… a lot more resistance than should probably be there. “UH…? It’s stuck?”

She stood, attempting to pull it out normally only to be met with just as much resistance.

“It’s stuck!” She laughed, out, bracing a foot on the wall with no change.

“Let me try,” General Ironclad, or rather Red in the costume of General Ironclad for the episode, offered, attempting to do the same with the exact same result as his co-star. “What did you use to hold this in place? Cement!?”

“It should have only been stuck in with force!” A stage hand yelled as Xiaotian and Heshang joined in, both failing to pull the sword out from the false wall and Heshang nearly toppling over backwards with his additional costume pieces.

“Whoever stuck that in there needs to be moved to making sure the safety equipment stays connected!” Xiaotian offered, watching as even more people tried to remove the sword. “That is not coming out.”

~3…2…1~

Heshang held Mo in his arms, waltzing around the set as he waited for places to be called for with the shockingly content feline in his arms.

~3…2…1~

“You are selling beautiful vegetables today?” Pigsy said, leaning over the the display to give an awkward smile to the disguised Spider Queen.

Tang looked over the produce from where he knelt, looking back up at his companion with a concerned and confused look. “Are you… a-are-PFT-FUCK.”

Everyone on set burst into laughter as Tang did, both of his fellow actors holding back from laughing themselves.

“Why is it this line!?” Tang yelled in frustration as he continued laughing. “It’s not a hard line! I wrote this line! Why do I keep laughing at the last word!?”

“Maybe if Ganglie wasn’t making goo-goo eyes at me you’d keep straight face,” Zhi-Zhu Jing managed to get out through her laughter.

“That’d be the only thing straight about me.”

~3…2…1~

Dicky Cheung, or the actual Sun Wukong disguised as a human actor in full costume of himself, took a running leap and jumped onto the counter of Pigsy’s noodles, sliding to a perfect stop with a wink toward the camera.

~3…2…1~

“MK, there’s something I wanted to tell you…” Mei said, looking at MK with sparkles in her eyes before snickering. “Stop looking at me like that, it’s hard enough to keep a straight face during this scene!”

“Sorry!” Xiaotian yelled to the camera. “I can’t help it! How are Jin and Yin this wrong about these two in the show?”

“Himbos!” was the shouted answer from Tang at the other end of the set.

~3…2…1~

“One of the rare talents that no one knew the great Sun Wukong possessed…” Xiaojiao said ominously, camera panning over to Mr. Cheung in full costume. “Surprisingly good peach juggling!”

“Gotta keep myself occupied somehow!” The actor laughed out, catching two peaches in either hand while the last one was caught perfectly in his mouth to the applause of everyone watching.

~3…2…1~

“Thanks for the Key los-AH!”

Red flung his arms wildly, key flying into the air as Tie Shan rushed forward and caught him just before he face planted into the ground.

“Mine!” Mr. Cheung yelled as he caught the key mid air and rushed through the frame.

“YOU’RE NOT EVEN IN THIS EPISODE!”

~3…2…1~

“Thank you… for giving me all o-ooh, whoa!” Lui Er Mihou, or unbeknownst to nearly all Six-Eared Macaque in disguise much the same way as Sun Wukong was, yelped as the cable that was supposed to gently raise him and make him look like he was floating yoinked him as good 4 feet off the ground way too fast. “That’s too much power!”

“SORRY!” The line operator shouted, fiddling with the controls. “Someone loaded the weight setting for Xiaotian into your line instead of yours.”

“I already feel bad enough treating him like garbage and beating him up in this role, this is just rubbing salt in the wound,” Liu Er muttered, leaning back and swinging limply much to the amusement of everyone who couldn’t hear him before raising his voice. “When will my beloved friend Sun Wukong come to rescue me?”

“SPEAK MY NAME AND I SHALL APPEAR!”

Liu Er yelped in surprise as Mr. Cheung rushed in and grabbed him from beneath to hold him bridal style with a shit eating grin. He couldn't help the flush on his cheeks in response.

“HOW DO YOU KEEP SHOWING UP IN SHOTS WHEN YOU AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE YET!?” The director yelled with more than a little amusement in his voice despite the disruption.

~3…2…1~

“You!” DBK said, rounding on Red Son. “You have brought me nothing but failure! Time and time again! I keep telling you I… shit, I can’t remember the next line when you look that sad, I am so sorry.”

“Nothing but disappointment?” Red offered helpfully, immediately breaking out of his downcast somber gaze to the floor with a wide smile.

“It is scary how fast you get in and out of character sometimes, kid,” Niu Mowang laughed out, clearly resisting the urge to ruffle the younger actor’s hair lest he ruin the styling job that took far too long every time they got dressed.

~3…2…1~

The White Bone Spirit stood at the entrance to the Silken Web Cave, looking at the camera before far too much time passed from when she was supposed to say he line. She moon walked backwards out of the frame without changing her expression one bit as the other actors devolved into cackles.

~3…2…1~

“The Year of the Spider starts tonight!” Spider Queen proclaimed from her high vantage point before she muttered something under her breathe, narrowing her gaze and then looking off to the side. “Or next year ‘cause I don’t remember my line.”

~3…2…1~

Huntsman slowly lowered into frame, upside down and gripping the rigging holding him up like Spiderman.

~3…2…1~

“Oh yeah?” Sun Wukong said, appearing in frame as he walked down the wall MK was embedded in. He grabbed his staff, yanking it out of the wall and jumped down and smacked the wall with it.

… only for it to go through the wall once again and crack it. Or, rather, the false wall that was on a tilted angle to make it look like he was talking down it, rather than a heavily slanted floor.

“I’m sorry!” Mr. Cheung yelled, looking at the damage he caused. “I must have hit at weak spot!”

He hoped no one noticed that when MK offered to get the prop staff for this shot and put it into the wall… he grabbed the real one by accident.

~3…2…1~

Nui Mowang held the little bird that was Wukong’s transformation stand in for one of the final scenes, gently petting the little head with a big goofy smile on his face.

~END~

The entire cast sat around on various travel tables right outside the small Lunar New Year Festival set they had set up, various extras that had answered the open invitation for the shoot going about and getting the free food that was available at the functional stalls provided by the catering they had hired.

It was an odd sight to see Red Son and Spider Queen and Sun Wukong and everyone else sitting around together, but Liu Er Mihou being there outside of his Macaque costume broke the illusion a little bit.

It was the final day of shooting for the season 2 opening special to Monkie Kid, Revenge of the Spider Queen, and everyone was there. Even people who didn’t have to come in wanted to give a temporary farewell to Tie Shan, Nui Mowang, and Red before season 2 proper began shooting. There was still a chance they could bebcalled in for bit roles, the scripts weren’t entirely finished yet, but as far as anyone knew the Demon Bull Family wasn’t going to be returning properly any time soon.

Maybe in season 3, Tang had teased, holding the begun scripts for that in his little tablet away from prying eyes. And they were always welcome to help out in bit roles, background characters or voice over or to use their other talents to work other jobs that were needed around the set.

But even before then it would be a while.

And so that’s how Red found himself sandwiched between Long Xiaojiao and Qi Xiaotian, with the newly added member of their quartet in her full White Bone Spirit costume hanging over his shoulder to watch the compilation that Xiaojiao had expertly edited on her phone for them all.

“The director gave me permission to use whatever I wanted and I though that… maybe we could all have it for ourselves,” Xiaojiao offered, pulling up the wireless transfer option on her phone. “To watch when we miss each other being on set together. I know we’re going to probably be back together with Red Son eventually! But…”

“I’ll miss shooting with you too,” Red said smiling softly as he pulled out his own phone to accept the file. “Hopefully Mr. Tang isn’t just teasing us about season 3.”

#monkie kid #lego monkie kid #fanfic #gen fic #actor au #ensemble cast #shadowpeach #(hinted)#scheduled

265 notes · View notes

neptune-midheaven · 3 years

Text

💓 Astro Notes ! PT. 6 💓

i’m back with these y’all 😄😄 this is a so exciting to publish another set of these as i’ve been collecting these observations for over a week, i hope you enjoy them with a sprinkle of roasts and drags bc i’ve been too nice to y’all 😃😃 take these with a grain of salt and keep in mind these are personal observations as well as perceived patterns that came with these placements exhibited by others!! enjoy 😘😘💓💓

*Virgo risings are soo shy when you first meet them but once they know you they’ll become the most critical person you’ll ever meet.

*As gemini is a double, people who have it for their mercury sign often can speak or speak two different languages. They have the potential to become bilingual in two languages, and often there’s no trouble in switching from one language to the other from a well learned linguistic gemini mercury.

*Venus-neptune fall in love with their dreams. like literally, they can fall in love with the things in their dreams and have this hopeless romantic approach to them as well as reality.

*Mars-saturn, mars in capricorn have a depressed stature which can resort to back problems, problems with the bones. Bones crack sooo easily bahahah.

*Jupiter in 4th natives grew up around art, their childhoods were fill with so much joy and expansion, they likely have artistic parents if jupiter is placed in libra, taurus, cancer or pisces, this works for jupiter venus aspects as well.

*Jupiter-asc, specifically the squares and harsher aspects, are always subconsciously encouraging over excessive and extravagant behaviors, others are OVERLY sweet to them, or to contrast, others can be OVERLY excessive with their needs, pushing what the jupiter asc person can’t really handle, it’s so much for them lmfaoo. People just react jubilantly and dramatically toward these people.

*Moon square midheaven can become too personal with their problems or private matters with the public or with others at work, it’s like an emotional spillover. Work takes an emotional toll on them which is why they switch jobs often.

*Saturn in retrograde are a lot more daring and courageous than those with direct, rather than being crushed with challenges and boundaries, these people face them head on, they’re known as rule breakers and hate rules. They suffer with a never ending search for their responsible identity, counterpart, that’s where the karma comes in...

*Virgo moons organize their emotions even in the manifestation of coordinating certain feelings to playlists, activities, they creat mini “routines” that tie into which type of emotion they’re feeling and how they’ll maintain it.

*If you’re a gemini mercury, LET THE OTHER PEOPLE TALK IN THE CONVERSATION PLEASE. y’all talk way too fucking much you forget that like other people need to say smth, it can be a bit agitating for others, like you say what you gotta say and THAT SHOULD BE IT!!

*Even when you have an introverted rising sign, the energy could become extroverted when the chart ruler is in an extroverted sign or public house.

*This works for the opposite matter, extroverted risings ruled by introverted signs and private houses, you get the deal😁😁

*F.e. i have a taurus rising which is an introverted rising sign however it’s ruler is in aquarius in my 10th house, i am VERYYY extroverted and people perceive me as yes a bit nice and calming but they get the sense that i’m loud and bubbly just like an aqua rising! 😍😍

*Cancer mars men try to act hard because they know they’re likely to get hurt by the pettiest shit... like this really goes for the underdeveloped types but y’all... just lighten up.

*Cancer moons really need to get away from people often. Like i know they already do they don’t really tell anyone but sometimes you guys can carry so much emotional weight and moodiness you need to release it into something healthy and productive maybe art and drawing, depending on your person and hobbies, or hobbies in general that are safe and healing for you.

*Capricorns are such a noticeable sign they carry this flare of authority that isn’t really recognized in the stereotypes holy shit y’all. 😳😳😳

*Virgo venuses are so critical over their appearances and just... goodbye. y’all look hot you can stop with the extended essay on why you can’t go in the store with me because you think you look like shit. 😄😄

#aries #cancer #libra #capricorn #taurus #leo #scorpio #aquarius #gemini #virgo #sagittarius #pisces #astro notes #astrology #astrology observations

635 notes · View notes

sesskagevents · 2 years

Text

SessKag Fandom Appreciation Week - Day 6

Artist interviews - Mama-ino

@mama-ino was nominated by Anonymous

What was your first introduction to SessKag?

Hmm, my first introduction. This is going to sound dumb, but it was at an anime convention. I used to be real big into cosplay and if I remember correctly I was cosplaying Ed from Cowboy Bebop and I came across a Sesshomaru. A rouge Sesshomaru has appeared! LoL Well needless to say Baby Ino (and a couple other peeps) wanted to take pictures. But when all was said and snapped, his partner came from the dealers room- AND LOW AND BEHOLD! She was KAGOME! Like I don't know, something about seeing two characters I liked very much walk off sharing a bag of chippies. I was like... please. Please let there be a fandom for them, PLEASE! And of course after the convention (and angry AOL dial up sounds) I searched for this fandom. And I found YoukaiYume's art, I think it was 'Tears she cried." And then I found fanfiction and more art, and there was no turning back for me. That was in 2006...lol.

How long have you been a part of the fandom?

Alas, since Anime Mid Atlantic 2006!!

What is your writing/art process like?

Scattered, tbh. Often times I'll write my ideas come to me and I write/sketch them out on sticky notes or scrap paper. (Bruh, I was not kidding about the 829482 sticky notes.) Sometimes I draw from a few words that would make zero sense to a stranger, but I make something from it. And even then I often time end up with maybe 5 WIPs that will never be finished. However my little ficlets are often times done then and there, don't get me wrong! Like the idea starts the picture, and as I'm drawing and analyzing what I've done- The finished product is what inspires the ficlet. Unless it is to one of the fics I've been writing (unpublished) for gods know how long. Often times if I'm running late on a project, its because I'm criticizing and knit picking at things. But to break that up I usually doodle silly little things, like Sailor Jaken for example. LOL

If you could let your fans know one thing, what would it be?

I'm not nor have I ever considered my works to be anything but baseline (at most). I fangirl many most of the SessKag community. I am very happy to be included in this community as I've found many of you are absolute gems and are equally as astonishing as the works you create (both arts AND fics)! You all are fantastic, and I love your work! I run off of caffeine and sarcasm? I am very VERY SHY and do not know how to take compliments, lol... Or my favorite medium to art in is probably watercolor.

Do you have anything you're working on right now that the fandom can look forward to?

Yes, actually. I'm attempting to draw to a fic I've been writing to for some time in a sort of chapter series. I'm self taught and really haven't master how to do this in a manga style doujinshi as of yet, so I gotta stay small, lol. Those of you whom can are freakin' amazing!

How long have you been drawing for sesskag?

2012 maybe?

Your style is so unique - are there any other artists that inspire your style?

I've always loved Naoko Takeuchi, Yutaka Nanten, Masaru Gotsubo, Rumiko Takahashi, Bengus...I wanted to grow up to be just like Tetsuya Nomura. I've always loved his monster and character designs. So quite a few different artists started my love to do the arts.

What is your favorite thing about the ship?

I dunno, something about Kagome being able to go tit for tat with Sesshomaru. But at the same time with his character growth coming to be a silent watcher over, to her very caring nature. Something about it clicks. Both are able to deal with Inuyasha in their own respective ways, but both are very much trying to prove themselves and grow. Additionally both were nurturing to two children, not their own- but very much became theirs.

What is your favorite thing about the fandom?

Community. Expression of love for other creators. Diversity in how we perceive or ships. But to be honest, most of all is acceptance. Willingness to accept a new art forms, new prompts, new style of writings! Hey you also ship personxperson, okay cool! You like Kagome with blue eyes/grey eyes/brown eyes, yoooo! Awesome sauce. I've never been part of a community so welcoming and diverse. I love it here.

How do you get inspiration for your works?

Overactive imagination usually just takes the wheel, lol. Poems, Nature, scenic walks, looking at photography of mountains and the sky, staring at the moon, listening to thunderstorms, reading. My inspiration is literally comes from all around me, as corny as that sounds. Literally I can be in the coffee shop and see a couple do something cute and be like, awwwww. Sesshomaru and/or Kagome would do that, lol. Or watching a thunderstorm and be hit with an image in my head. Sometimes I'm trying to sleep (keyword trying, Insomnia can we not) and all of a sudden my brains like-parkour!

#SessKag #sesskag fandom appreciation week 2021 #skfa2021 #skfa2021d6 #skfa artist interview

36 notes · View notes