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sikhyes · 4 years

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a/n: posted this first on my AO3 ! maybe drop some kudos on there ? c: genre: dads/parent au pairing: taehyung x seokjin ft. taehyun (txt) word count: 2,754 summary: taehyung is the new Hot Dad member of the PTA and the rumors flourish. warnings: none but a heck ton of stereotypical soccer mom names

“i heard he’s married but the wife is always on business trips — that she’s the main breadwinner of the family,” suzy adds in.

tanya gives a nod. “yes, but i also heard that his wife used to be a model of some sort back in south korea.” karen’s stomach gives an unpleasant whirl (she refuses to write the feeling off as envy).

“i heard that too!” suzy’s eyes widen; if two rumors are heard twice, it’s common knowledge that it has to be true.

the pta meetings are usually held in the elementary school’s main auditorium. the extra chairs are stacked against the walls while the right amount of chairs are arranged in a bit of an oval. right by the stage is a foldable table set up, stocked with organic snacks and bottles of water. meetings begin approximately twenty minutes after students are excused. setup doesn’t take long and parents start mingling in tiny groups as they wait for time to pass.

karen, the proclaimed winner of last month’s bake sale, continues to glance pointedly at the door. most of the pta are housewives with a handful of househusbands lounging about. but there’s one dad — their newest member on the committee — that’s yet to properly introduce himself. taehyung kim, father of taehyun kim, was just inducted last week but had to give a swift greeting before swooping his son away for a dentist appointment that day. today would be his first meeting. and karen, freshly divorced, is eager to make a proper first impression.

in the week between taehyung’s induction and to today, rumors had spilled faster than the juice during snack time. they — being the nosey housewives — had a solid foundation of truth to begin the rumors: the kims had just moved in, settled in a wonderful suburban home in the nicer part of town, and taehyung is absolutely gorgeous. now there’s no doubt that he may be married, the gold band on his finger had been enough to keep the women off for a few days. but taehyun had never mentioned a mother and karen almost dared to hope that perhaps… the new member of the pta is single. or maybe widowed but she doesn’t think on that too much.

so karen keeps glancing at the door which gains the attention of the other women in her circle. the conversation naturally shifts about taehyung again and rumors are shared amongst each other.

“i heard he’s married but the wife is always on business trips — that she’s the main breadwinner of the family,” suzy adds in.

“i heard that too!” suzy’s eyes widen; if two rumors are heard twice, it’s common knowledge that it has to be true.

before the conversation could lengthen, the door swings open and every pair of eyes is on the man entering the room. he’s dressed in what could be classified as ‘dad jeans’ but there’s something youthful in his eyes, as though he didn’t dare let adulthood take away his wonder. his smile is bright and boxy, eyes crinkling in a way that hints at his true age. a pair of round glasses sit at the edge of his nose.

“i hope i’m not late,” he chuckles and the deep timbre of his voice nearly has karen melting right then and there. he shoves his hands in his pockets and takes the only available seat which is right in her line of sight. before anyone else could answer, the president starts the meeting and everyone forcefully brings their attention back to the current speaker.

the meeting goes smoothly as usual. most didn’t expect taehyung to participate; they won’t fault him for that since it’s still his first meeting. but he hadn’t been afraid to speak up, to ask questions, or even offer a few ideas of his own. all of which were promised to be taken in consideration. once the meeting adjourns, the parents start filing out where some of their kids had stuck around to play as they wait. hoseok, the lighthearted history teacher and occasional p.e. teacher, is the one supervising today.

“taehyun!” taehyung calls out and immediately, a small boy barrels right into his father’s legs. karen swoons at the sight and her feet carry her over to the two without hesitation.

“hi there, i’m karen,” she smiles her best smile. “i’m isabelle’s mom. i just wanted to give you a proper welcome!”

taehyung bends down to pick up his son before settling him onto his shoulders. “nice to meet you,” he smiles back. “i think i remember your cookies more than you, though.”

“i’m taking that as a compliment,” karen brightens up considerably as she starts to segue the conversation about baking. taehyung seems interested enough so she powers forward with a confident expression. “maybe you and taehyun can come over sometime, we can bake cookies for the basketball team in a couple weeks.”

taehyung almost nods, a pleasant reaction to her offer, but his son’s shout to another person grabs both of their attention. “daddy!” taehyun calls out before clambering off taehyung to shoot off to another direction.

“taehyun, slow down!” taehyung scolds and gives karen an apologetic smile before jogging over to where his son had run off to. confusion paints itself onto karen’s face. daddy? isn’t taehyung…?

the confused look on her face then drops to be replaced with utter shock.

taehyun had run towards the parking lot and a few concerned parents followed the young boy only to stop as well to see the shiny, black mercedes benz parked right by the entrance. another man — one of the most gorgeous men they have ever seen, aside from taehyung — steps out of it from the drivers’ side, dressed in business casual attire.

“holy shit,” tanya whispers next to karen. “is that—?”

taehyun catapults himself into the stranger’s arms, giggling while kisses are pressed onto his cheeks. everyone watches when taehyung joins the two of them and karen’s jaw drops when the stranger presses a chaste kiss to taehyung’s lips.

oh.

the three start heading back to the rest of the parents and taehyun is being held, perched on the stranger’s hips with one arm despite being almost six years old. taehyung is holding the other man’s free hand with a small smile on his lips.

“hi,” the stranger says first when they reach karen and tanya again. conversations resume around them but karen can tell that everyone is already trying to listen in. “i’m seokjin, taehyung’s husband. sorry it took so long to properly meet everyone! i’ve been out of the country for business.”

taehyun seems to sense the oncoming of a boring conversation so he wriggles out of his other father’s grasp to join the rest of his friends. seokjin sends him off with a quick ruffle of his hair.

rumor one: true.

“are you a model?” tanya suddenly blurts out. karen shoots her a warning glare, reminding her silently that the supposed rumors of the new parents are to be kept between them only.

but seokjin only laughs — a bright, squeaky laugh — as he gives a modest shrug. “i used to be, back in korea.” he throws an arm around taehyung’s waist and tugs him close. “it’s how i met taehyung, actually. i was modeling and he was currently shadowing my photographer, yoongi, to try and pick up some tricks. one date led to another, led to marrying in new york, and then adopted taehyun before moving here.”

rumor two: true.

“how adorable,” tanya coos with a delighted clap and karen fights the urge to roll her eyes. her friend had always been a sucker for ‘meet-cutes’. “you know, my husband and i…”

having heard the story countless times, karen stops listening for a moment. it isn’t until she’s presented an opportunity to shift the subject to something more interesting. “speaking of family, do you guys have a big one? ever since my divorce, my sister’s kind of squeezed herself into my life with isabelle.”

seokjin jumps in first. “i totally get that. i have a younger brother, just a few years younger, and taehyun absolutely idolizes him. you’ll probably get the chance to meet him since he picks up taehyun when we can’t.”

and karen won’t admit that she wonders if seokjin’s brother is just as handsome as he is but she gets her answer in just a few days later.

it’s thursday when a particular, gaudy, yellow jeep enters the school parking lot. it isn’t one karen recognizes but when the driver steps out, all legs and leather with long wavy hair, she’s ready to acquaint herself.

“uncle jungoo!” taehyun squeals as the man drapes his leather jacket around the smaller boy’s shoulder, successfully drowning him in the fabric. karen immediately spies an intricate tattoo sleeve on the man’s right arm and she begins to step forward towards the parking lot.

she watches taehyun’s uncle drop to his knees to whisper something in the child’s ear, which taehyun quickly responds with a pointed arm towards karen and she freezes. she nearly points to herself, ready to ask if they were looking for her, before a gentle hand touches her shoulder and a man breezes by her from behind. “excuse me,” he says politely.

it’s mr. namjoon kim, isabelle’s english teacher. he’s a gentle genius, never making any parent or student feel inferior despite his intellect. karen always relaxes in his presence. namjoon is a man of simplicity, a man that treasures his students and bonsai trees equally, a man that has an affinity for oversized cardigans.

a man that —

karen’s jaw drops yet again.

a man that seems to be dating taehyun’s rugged uncle. taehyun wrinkles his nose in disgust when they kiss but the other two only gives him a playful kiss on the cheek back. and as karen watches the two hold each of taehyun’s hands as they walk back to the car, tanya sidles up next to her with a knowing smirk.

“close your mouth, honey. you’ll catch flies.”

EXTRA: where it all began... ( how they met )

the shoot takes place in a studio apartment, rented for the day. the lights are on and a minimalistic, gray backdrop is set up in front of the exposed brick walls. there’s staff running to and fro, getting props ready for the next shot. there’s a table packed with snacks for the people working and taehyung is already itching to snag a muffin.

he only snacks when he’s nervous. and as of right now, he is very nervous.

taehyung had landed the job of his dreams, or at least — the internship of his dreams: working right underneath the youngest, world renowned photographer, min yoongi. but being born and raised in america, he had to leave his family behind to try and start a new life in south korea. he had always been an independent soul, never having any issues to adapt in any situation. but his korean is shoddy at best and being thrusted into a room full of the language (mainly in seoul dialect, thank god) would unnerve anyone.

and so he shows his pass to security before he’s being ushered to another woman who speaks in rapidfire korean. he picks up what she means and he gives a shaky ‘thank you’ as he walks over to the man with platinum blond hair holding a camera. the model still isn’t present and min yoongi himself is checking over lighting and whatnot.

“are you kim taehyung?” he asks, voice gruff and a little slurred, in english. taehyung nods but answers in korean — he needs the practice anyway. “good. feel free to slip back into english with me and the model. we’re fluent in both, should make it easier for you to adjust.”

a blush rises high on taehyung’s cheeks, shaking his head. “no, no. i need to practice my korean. it’s an honor to be working beside you, yoongi-ssi.” he bows deeply but yoongi waves a dismissive hand.

“lighten up — just call me hyung,” he says back, slipping into korean. “the first few shots are simple enough. they just want a backdrop and then after that, the rest of the crew will set up the next concept. you can just shadow me for now by monitoring the photos i take over there.”

yoongi points out the table with a bunch of equipment, including a screen that feeds all the photos that yoongi takes.

kim seokjin is an enigma. a puzzle piece and taehyung is holding all the wrong pieces.

seokjin’s absolutely gorgeous — skyrocketing past the expectations of any model — and taehyung is positive he could land a plane on those shoulders. he’s a beautiful man and has the confidence to match. it makes sense that it has taehyung retreating a bit into his shell, choosing to step behind yoongi as the man approaches. but the pretty cheeks that round out when he smiles and the plump lips pulling back to showcase a pearly set of teeth doesn’t exude intimidation or arrogance. instead of harsh, diva-like statements, he greets them with a groan-inducing pun.

“come on,” he laughs, bright and squeaky. “that was pretty funny. i’m seokjin, by the way.”

taehyung nods a small bow and introduces himself in korean. “i’m kim taehyung. i’ll be working with yoongi.”

“they told me you were from america. do you prefer english or korean? i’m good with both, i just don’t want to make the adjustment harder.” the sentiment is sweet and taehyung finds himself choosing to speak korean; he likes the challenge and a part of him wants to impress the model.

the rest of the shoot goes by swiftly. with seokjin as handsome as he is, there’s barely any need to retake any photos. by the time the director calls cut, everyone’s bowing and packing their stuff away. seokjin’s manager is already tugging him out the door but the model plants his feet to the floor.

“hold on — i thought i was done for schedules,” he inquires and when the manager nods his head that yes, he’s done but it’s best to get some rest for tomorrow, seokjin shakes his head. “i’m gonna grab some dinner with yoongi and taehyung, i’m starving.” fortunately, his manager lets him go and seokjin comes bouncing back towards the photographers.

“let’s get some dinner,” he grins. “i haven’t eaten out with friends in so long.”

yoongi sighs heavily (perhaps a little too dramatically) with a quick shake of his head. “can’t. i have an early shoot tomorrow and i’m leaving tonight. how about you two go on ahead?”

a delicious smile overtakes the easygoing grin that seokjin has and he’s already linking his arm through taehyung’s, tugging him through the door without another moment to spare. when taehyung isn’t looking, seokjin quickly mouths a ‘thank you’ to yoongi.

it doesn’t take long for taehyung to reach a level of popularity with his photos. after landing one of the most sought-after internships with min yoongi, his talent speaks for himself and no one is surprised when he’s chosen to photograph korea’s upcoming models.

kim seokjin included.

after the first dinner, many followed right after. in between seokjin’s hectic schedules, they had managed to carve out short hours for themselves. whether it’s just a walk on the han river with a picnic supplied by the convenience or a quick lunch after a photoshoot, both men look forward to the time they can spend together.

it’s a month after they had met did taehyung officially ask seokjin to be his boyfriend. they both announce it to the world a week later by posting one of their date night photos on seokjin’s twitter. (“i want to tell the world first before dispatch could!”)

for their first anniversary, taehyung is chosen to be seokjin’s official photographer. for whatever shoot that he has, taehyung has to be there — whether or not they choose his photos is up to the director, but his photos are chosen anyway. they always are.

by the time their third anniversary comes around, seokjin is on one knee in paris and taehyung is in his arms, crying out a ‘yes’. they fly back to new york for a quick wedding with only their closest relatives to witness.

and life is good for the lovely couple. from the beginning, even before dating, they knew they worked well together. there’s a partnership there that couldn’t be replaced by anything or anyone else. but as their second wedding anniversary passed by, taehyung confesses that there’s a part of him yearning for more, his arm reaching out for another.

there’s fear wrapping around his throat when he says it but seokjin only pulls him closer and says he feels the same. it isn’t until their son, taehyun, enters their lives did that gaping hole between them is finally filled.

#bangtanarmynet #bangtanxm #taehyung x seokjin #taejin #niniwrites.

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victoodles · 5 years

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Cruel World I’m Gone (Chapter 2)

don’t forget to read part 1 and also find the series on AO3!

Arthur rises with the sun. It’s a force of habit, and he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to shake it - especially after twenty years. But it feels less like a burden now than it did back within the confines of a camp. There’s no debt to be collected, no banks to rob, no one to beat, shoot or kill. There’s just the dawn slipping in through the canvas of the tent to gently awaken him, with you nestled at his side.

Simplicity had always eluded Arthur. Life instead favored dealing him a hand from a shuffled deck of chaos and discord. He eagerly welcomed the time spent alone, camping amongst the trees and by rivers. The only eyes watching him were those of the animals who wandered past, regarding him briefly before meandering on.

Now he’s back to basics. A tent as shelter, your bow and his gun as a means to provide. It’s not ideal, and it isn’t permanent. But for the time being it’s comfortable, exceptionally so with the numerous boar pelts (your doing) splayed beneath you two.

A few weeks had come and gone since the fall of the Van der Linde’s. Or had it been months? He can’t quite recall. A large portion of that time had been spent recovering from the severity of his injuries. Due to his notoriety with the law, you thought it wise to avoid towns until the dust settles (whenever that might be). Without the aid of a proper doctor however, said recovery had been a tumultuous process. Thankfully you remember Hosea’s medical teachings, and while it was minuscule, it’s enough to get him back on his feet. Bedrest handles the remainder of his recuperation.

Grateful doesn’t even begin to describe how Arthur feels about everything you’ve done for him. His gratitude is insurmountable but you don’t need him to verbally express anything to know that. He’s alive, and that’s more than enough for you. And the feel of your gentle heartbeat against him every morning is more than enough for him.

He watches you sleeping soundly, cheek pressed to his chest and your arm wrapped loosely around his waist. It’s times like this he wishes he had his journal. He hasn’t been able to purchase another as of yet because, again, his aforementioned wanted level. His fingers are itching to draw - you specifically. The restlessness is assuaged instead by pushing the strap of your chemise down slightly, rubbing circles against the soft skin of your shoulder.

You’re awakened by the tickle of his beard when he places a kiss to your cheek. Both the hair on his head and face are longer than he usually prefers to keep it. Arthur lacks access to a barber as well as a straight razor, but you don’t seem to mind. You giggle as he continues to pepper your face with kisses; you look up at him with sleep-addled adoration.

“Good morning mountain man,” you hum. He huffs in amusement at your new favorite term of endearment.

“Sorry, didn’t mean t’ wake you so early darlin’,” he murmurs against the crown of your head. You shush him gently - the apology isn’t required or necessary. Old habits die hard it seems.

You perch your chin up on his chest, a smile playing on your lips. “It’s okay, should be getting up soon anyway. Go and fetch us some breakfast.”

After Beaver Hollow, you tried to salvage as many supplies as possible from what was left of the ruined campsite. Food, medicine, anything. There wasn’t much but what you did manage to gather had run thin. Afterwords, you decided to travel westward and thankfully the Cumberland Forest was teeming with game. Enough for you to stockpile rations and some extra pelts to sell to a resident trapper. Every cent counts considering the circumstances.

Arthur shakes his head, “Nah, don’t worry bout’ that just yet. Let’s just lay here a lil’ longer.” You both have nothing but time. There’s no errands to run, no chores to complete, no people to appease. There’s freedom to just be.

You gasp dramatically, "The Arthur Morgan, wanting to have a lazy day?” He guffaws at your impishness and pulls you closer to him.

“Oh hush up you,” he tickles your hips and you squeal in delight. Arthur has been healing in more ways than just physical. He has relearned how to be lighthearted, playful. His emotions are free from heavy shackles he locked himself into. There is still time needed to mourn, and the metaphorical wounds may never fully heal. But if you’re there to kiss the scars on his heart, he reckons he’ll be just fine.

Arthur relents in his affectionate onslaught so he can hold you freely with both arms. You sigh, content, and you idly run your fingers through the thin hairs on his chest. The even rhythm of his heart is almost enough to lull you back to sleep, but Arthur rouses you with a spontaneous thought.

“You remember the first time we met?” It’s poised so innocently you can’t help but grin. You sit up slightly to meet his gaze and he’s looking at you expectantly.

“Feeling sentimental, are we?”

He shrugs, “A lot has changed since then.” There’s pleasure in reminiscing about times past. They’re memories that aren’t tainted by doubt or loss. Just new beginnings. He twirls a loose strand of your hair around his finger, waiting for an answer. You roll your eyes playfully and you hoist yourself up to straddle his hips.

“Of course I do, silly.”

How could you not?

You had been living on your own for four years and then some, gladly abandoning the role of a rich family’s daughter at sixteen. All the silk and roses in the world couldn’t mask the ugly reality. You were the eldest and only child. And your father was more than happy to sell you off to the highest bidder, regardless of who that might be. The caliber of “gentleman” he had lined up would put even Micah Bell to shame.

So you left, simply put. Running off to live amongst the greenery instead of admiring it from afar in a gilded cage with clipped wings. You father had not taken kindly to this, retaliating by sending a slew of bounty hunters out to drag you back. They had finally caught up to you years later in Tall Trees, chasing you all the way into Blackwater when...

“I barreled straight into you. Practically too out of breath to tell you my name.” All you could manage to utter was a simple plea.

Help.

Arthur remembers it clear as day: you clutching his shirt, trembling hands, four devious men approaching you. A lady in desperate need and he was more than happy to oblige you. With assistance in the form of himself, Hosea, and Dutch.

He tucks the hair he was playing with behind your ear and opts to put his hands on your hips now. “You looked up at me with those pretty doe eyes, how could I deny you anything?”

You titter, leaning down to grace his lips with a chaste peck. “Comment chevaleresque.” It’s his turn to roll his eyes.

“Again with the French.” His calloused fingers rub your skin through the thin fabric of your chemise. “When we brought you back, we all thought you were gonna be the camp princess,” he says with humor in his voice. “But…” He trails off. You continue the thought.

“But I showed everyone I knew my way around a bow,” your smirk is tinged with smug satisfaction, “You specifically.” He pushes himself up on his elbows, looking for another kiss. You generously decide to meet him halfway.

“Brought back the biggest buck I’ve ever seen.”

“And how many arrows were in it?” You ask coyly, bringing your bottom lip in between your teeth. Arthur inches closer.

“Just one, straight between the eyes.” You're beaming with pride and Arthur feels warmer in its glow. “Pearson’s stew had never tasted so fine.”

The tips of your noses are touching, Arthur brings a hand up to card through your hair. The look in Arthur’s eyes shifts from admiration to something more...intense. “You’re amazin’,” he whispers reverently, lips a tantalizing few inches apart.

You close the distance between you with a kiss. Arthur spares no time with innocent formalities and deepens it.

Everything had been such a mess as of late, complicated. It left no time for the intimacy he craves. Now there’s no walls, no nagging voice whispering what he desires is not meant for his rough hands. There’s just you, gently nipping his bottom lip and asking for more.

And again he is more than happy to oblige you.

Right now he feels like a man starved. His kisses are like him: rough but underlined with a reserved gentleness. You respond in kind and each one is sweeter than the last, leaving the both of you wanting more.

Arthur brings a hand up to cup a breast, rolling his thumb over your nipple and reveling in the soft sighs that escape you. You allow him to be selfish in his pursuit for contact as he rids you of your chemise. It bunches up around your waist and you shudder as he roams your chest freely now, marking the skin he can reach with his lips.

A simple roll of your hips and you feel Arthur beneath you, eager and warm. He responds in kind with a groan and you mimic the motion again. And again.

The third time he stops you, gripping you just enough to bruise - just the way you like it. His jaw is clenched and you can feel the tightness in his muscles underneath your fingers. There’s no room for teasing, he needs this now. His wish is your command.

You move back slightly, allowing him room to undo his pants just enough to free himself while you remove your drawers. He lifts you easily and you sink down onto him, moaning together in unison at the sensation.

You hadn’t realized how much you truly missed this, the feeling of being filled so perfectly by Arthur. You want it over, and over, and over again. This is a sentiment you audibly express and he eagerly complies, thrusting up to meet the movement of your hips. You throw your head back and let the world outside become acquainted with the sound of Arthur’s name.

It’s his turn now for hands in his hair, and your fingers entangle themselves in his long locks. You tug, just enough for it to sting, and he growls low and deep in his throat. It’s a recent discovery, one found by accident while helping him wash his hair. You quickly began to experiment and Arthur is left a satisfied participant.

You pull again, tilting his head back so he’s looking up at you. It’s quite a sight: face flushed, hair wild, lips parted and begging for more.

Harder. Harder. Harder.

Arthur never could say no to a lady in waiting.

His pace evolves into a rapid, hard cadence with his thumb tracing tight circles over your clit. Every synapse is surging with a white-hot electricity and a pressure is rapidly building in the pit of your stomach. Your whines become more high-pitched and frequent as you’re pushed closer to that familiar precipice.

“That’s it girl,” his rough voice has you shuddering, “Doing so good.” He accentuates his praise with another well-calculated thrust. It hits you just so and you keen, clutching his shoulders to keep yourself upright.

He does it again, harder this time. “You like that?” It’s rhetorical but you still nod frantically, desperate. He gives you what you want again, as always. “Good girl.” Arthur finally coaxes you over the edge and you break, spectacularly so.

Crying out his name like gospel, Arthur has never thought his name could sound so beautiful. As you continue to come undone above him, he pulls from you and chases his own release. It doesn’t take much and he unravels, spilling onto his stomach.

You fall forward and Arthur is careful to catch you, lowering you gently to his side once more. The two of you are covered in a thin sheen of sweat and you suppose hunting will have to be postponed. A lakeside bath sounds too appealing right now.

Birds sing overhead and Arthur takes a moment to regard his surroundings: a canvas roof and the shelter of the trees. The clarity of post-orgasm bliss helps him realize, truly realize, that he’s satisfied but something is still missing. He thought he could want for not, that having you and the open country ahead would leave him fulfilled.

And yet…

“Hey,” he garners your attention and you look up at him inquisitively. “You remember that homestead at O'Creagh’s Run?”

#vic's fics!#arthur morgan x reader #red dead redemption 2 #rdr2 #NO MORE SAD #ONLY FUN!#maybe not???#up next: you and artie get a house!

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anvils-and-dynamite · 5 years

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On Tooniness: on what makes a cartoon (and any other media) “toony”

I didn’t expect to whip up a ramble so soon but I feel like I should go more in depth about what this blog is about and what it’s trying to achieve, so in this post I’ll attempt to define and describe the essence of what is a “toon”.

This might get a bit too long so I spoilered it for your convenience. I am by no means an expert on this kind of stuff, so if you’d like to present any counter-arguments, ask questions or discuss further what I’m going to talk about, feel free to do so in the comments, via PM or private chat.

“Toon” is a word associated with the animated media, often used to describe cartoon characters or characters drawn in a particular cartoony style (which is the case of, for example, The Legend of Zelda or Yu-Gi-Oh).

Beyond these definitions, there is also a tendency to stereotype the concept of a cartoon itself drawing from features and characteristics from early animated works from the 30s-40s, such as early Mickey Mouse works, Betty Boop and Looney Tunes. I think the best example I can come up with is this bit from Ed Edd n Eddy, an already very "toony” cartoon (jump to 9:47)

youtube

However, this essay argues that there is more to “tooniness” than certain design cues; that, beyond the white gloves, Pacman-shaped eyes and grayscale palette, there’s a series of principles that makes any kind of media (not just animated!) feel truly “toony”. While we also appreciate “toony” designs and overall aesthetic, this essay aims to go beyond mere aesthetic and try to identify what is “toony” in any kind of media’s presentation.

The whole purpose of this blog is, as its own description states, to celebrate “the tooniest of cartoons”; and, in order to achieve that, we find necessary to identify the core features of “tooniness”. We believe these core features are three, and, because this is toons we’re talking about, we’ve took the liberty to make their names alliterate: slapstick, sillyness, surrealness.

Slapstick

Let me begin this section by quoting one of my personal favourite quotes about toons: “See, your mother was right - cartoons are filled with senseless violence!” (Toon: The Cartoon Roleplaying Game, p.24).

Wikipedia defines slapstick as the following: “a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity which exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy.” In other words, slapstick is a form of physical comedy characterized by an exaggeration of violence and misfortune.

The animated medium lends itself well to physical comedy in general, since the latter relies on exaggeration (not only of violence, but also of expression, gesture...) and the former allows it to exaggerate it even further, beyond what a live-action actor can do.

Same can be said for slapstick, even to the point that several “toony” cartoons are based around slapstick comedy (Tom & Jerry and Wile. E. Coyote & The Roadrunner are the first ones to come to mind) and only have the bare bones of a plot, yet they are still successful and well-regarded.

In short, “toon” media has been associated, since the beginnings of animation, with physical comedy, and especially slapstick since the 40s. This doesn’t mean that toony cartoons cannot have other kinds of humor (such as dialogue-based, wordplay, referential...) but the qualities of the animation medium make it especially suitable for physical comedy and visual humor. Hell, this blog wouldn’t be called the way it is if one of the stereotypical characteristics of a “cartoony” cartoon wasn’t slapstick with falling anvils and exploding dynamite.

Silliness

noun The quality of being silly; foolishness; senselessness; weakness of understanding; extreme simplicity; absurd or contemptible folly.

(and now I realize I’ve been misspelling “silliness” all this time whoops)

While many of these adjectives fit toon media, let me get this out first: silliness does NOT mean toon media is necessarily lighthearted or even funny, but it is true that there is a sense of “happy-go-lucky” in it. This can be especially seen in Betty Boop shorts such as “Bimbo’s Initiation”, “Swing You Sinners” and “M.D.” (aka “the Jippo one”)

I’m not linking because Tumblr likes to mess up with my text if I insert another video. They’re on youtube, feel free to give them a watch before continuing.

You can see these three in particular handle pretty dark topics (cults, “I’m going to hell” kind of guilt... Hell, in the third one Betty Boop & friends straight up kill a man with snake oil!) yet, they there’s plenty of singing and dancing. It might be creepy, but it doesn’t give a “gritty” vibe: if anything, the fact that these subjects are handled in such a playful way makes it even more shocking and creepier. I think “happy go lucky” is the right term for that. The toon character approaches the world it lives in with curiosity, and no matter what horrible things they get put through in an episode, they’ll be in tip-top shape in the next one (non-linearity between episodes really helps with that). However, the defining name for this quality is “silliness” because another relevant philosophy that goes hand-to-hand with “happy-go-lucky” is that the toon media doesn’t take itself seriously. It acknowledges it’s silly, absurd and non-sensical and runs wild with it. And why is it so silly?

Surrealness

I found several definitions of “surreal” and they all agree on the following: what is surreal is fantastic, incongruous, and dream-like. This is the term we’ve chosen to define what is perhaps the most important characteristic of “tooniness”

Toons are not realistic, and they barely attempt to be. The toon world is loosely based on reality as to let its audience have something to hang on, and from that point, it goes wild. Characters act and talk exaggeratedly without caring for what’s considered socially appropiate, emotions and thoughts manifest in ways that could not be possible in reality (no hearts, no shoulder angels), and nonsensical things happen all the time (such as objects coming to life, gravity playing tricks or the infamous falling anvil).

This disregard for reality is what allows toon media to handle any kind of theme in its characteristic playful nature (silliness) and, together with the medium of animation, allow physical comedy to extend beyond the boundaries of reality (slapstick): because “toon” revels in its own status as fiction, and, as a child of animation, attempts to show us what a camera can’t (if someone can remind me where this quote came from, thanks).

I hope that, with this essay, I established the main characteristics of how toon media presents itself. As I mentioned before, I’m up for discussion on this and you can contact me via PM or chat. I will also reply to comments in reblogs!

#toon #cartoons #anvils presents #cartoon review

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veryotl · 7 years

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sorry for the kind of dumb question (there isn't much about it on the interweb and i'm not sure if you've answered it before) but do you think there's any underrated ships in svt or just members who are still awkward around each other? i mean i would totally buy the fact that they're all very close but idk groups that are genuinely close on screen and off screen are largely what ends up making me stan them. thank you!

Seventeen are really pretty close, which always surprises me, but most people don’t count for the sheer amount of ships. Most people don’t realize that there are a dozen ships that don’t work well. There’s like… Excuse my sad math skills… Something like 78 possible ships of two people in Seventeen. Some match together naturally, such as same age pairs like SoonHoon or Jihan, or friends like Meanie couple. But do you ever hear anything about… I don’t know… Seungkwan and The8? For simplicity sake, I’ll go over a few ships that do interact a fair bit but I still find a little awkward. After that I’ll do one or two unappreciated ships.

DK + S.Coups (I am told this is SeokCheol) - Seungcheol literally gets along with everyone. He’s a fantastic leader. But DK has the type of personality that can be a little difficult without a balancing piece such as Hoshi. His playfulness can be a little over the top and his jokes can be a little hard to understand, but I think Seungcheol ultimately tries really hard to have a good relationship with him. This couple is best when they’re playing, but Seungcheol is still doing most of the directing, like in One Fine Day when they were playing Real Man.

Jeonghan + Wonwoo (Wonhan… I think) - This one is actually based less on my opinion and more on what they say. Very often, Jeonghan points out Wonwoo as the member he’s most awkward with and vice versa, however they’re actually a really cute ship if you look at it. They both have the tendency to be clingy and love the concept of both getting and receiving attention, although Jeonghan will go out of his way to try and get it and he’s very open in giving it and Wonwoo mostly only likes attention when it comes from someone he’s close to and only gives it away when he really enjoys the person as well. It’s possible the similarities cause a slight disconnect between the two, making Wonwoo seem closed off to Jeonghan and Jeonghan too open and frivolous to Wonwoo, but at the end of the day they both speak a similar language so it’s easy for them to agree on things if they take the time to listen to the other, making them a cute back and forth ship to follow.

Joshua - Honestly, I couldn’t really find one for Joshua… He’s a little shy, but less in the way that he’s quiet and introverted and more in the way that he has a set group of people he generally interacts with. He’ll interact a lot with Jeonghan and Scoups and Vernon and a little with Jun and Hoshi, but for the most part. he doesn’t interact with people outside his usual circle enough to consider it a really strong ship? Well, there’s one, but i’m saving that for the unappreciated ships section.

Jun + Hoshi (Soon…Hui. Soonhui?) - The other end of the spectrum from Soonhoon, who get along well naturally because they’re a similar age and are able to speak freely, are Jun and Hoshi. They get along well and work together well, however unlike most of Hoshi’s close friendships, Jun doesn’t really play off of Hoshi’s gags. They’re still a ship in their own right and they work well together, but Jun’s quiet but freespirited personality who prefers more personal teasing such as the way he plays with The8 conflicts sometimes with Hoshi’s general playfulness and occasional seriousness about work and responsibility. This ship I think are very much like brothers or coworkers who aren’t best friends but will still up for a drink whenever.

Jeonghan + Woozi (Ji…Jeong… Ah… HoonHan?) - One of the things that makes Jeonghan’s ships interesting is either because he enjoys to give and take attention (as in Jihan) or he’s very caring and treats each member like his little child (Jeonghan and Dino). However, with Woozi, he really doesn’t have much of either. As his unit leader, Woozi is in a position higher than him, but still younger. This can cause a little conflict, but in general Jeonghan is a very laid back personality and doesn’t make it an issue. Some things Jeonghan does can annoy Woozi too, but in general the two have a very amicable and sometimes even close relationship. It can sometimes be awkward though.

Mingyu + Wonwoo (Meanie) - Whaaaat? Meanie couple are still awkward with each other? Well, one of the first things I wrote up a long time ago was why Jicheol was awkward with each other, and that was because of their adjustment to debut and the new roles they played. I think Meanie went through and is still a little in the process of something similar. They’re very close and a very great ship, but instead of offscreen being awkward with each other I think they’re more awkward on screen, adjusting to the amount of attention and interest their friendship garners. Joshua and Jeonghan naturally acclimated very easily to the Jihan craze, but for Mingyu and Wonwoo it’s not so easy. Their friendship is very natural to them, and when it’s strained, Mingyu might put too much pressure on himself and Wonwoo might pull away completely. However, they’re working through the awkwardness well, and starting to become closer because of it.

The8 - Like Joshua, I really can’t find a ship for him that is very awkward? He doesn’t move outside of his friend group much (Mingyu, Jun, Vernon) but when he does most of his interactions (like Seungkwan) are very friendly and nice. Everyone in the group adores him. Yes, he’s a savage. But an adorable, lovable savage. Plus, the language gap makes it a little hard to discern understanding vs awkwardness as well.

Seungkwan + DK (Seokkwan is all I’m finding. Otherwise main vocal line) - This is another ship that’s kind of big but I still find awkward. Seungkwan and Hoshi get along well, and Hoshi and DK of course make Soonseok, but when you remove Hoshi from the equation, you’re left with DK and Seungkwan alone. While they play together well, I think there’s an amount of awkwardness that comes naturally from the positions of both being main vocals, as well as the fact that Seungkwan and DK are both of similar interests and personalities but Seungkwan is appreciated as talented and charismatic while DK is very often awkward and unappreciated. However, I also find that a lot of this awkwardness is relieved by the fact that they’re also similar in their heart - kind and considerate, and Seungkwan worries about wether compliments to himself will hurt DK, but DK still works to say that he’s the one who needs to improve and won’t take it out on Seungkwan. While they can both be awkward and a little dangerous to get along, they work through it by just being there for one another and being considerate.

Vernon + Wonwoo (I’m told Wonsol. I like Wonnon much better, it makes me giggle) - This one is a bit interesting to explore, especially since I love the family dynamic of Hip Hop unit. While I really do find Hip Hop unit to be close, I think Vernon and Wonwoo are probably the most awkward pair in the unit, like an older brother who appreciates and supports his little brother but doesn’t exactly know how to interact with him to become closer. Vernon’s and Wonwoo’s senses of humor are both offbeat, but slightly out of step with one another, so it’s not easy for them to find a situation where they click naturally, and while Wonwoo admires Vernon and finds him an interesting person, I think Wonwoo might have a hard time approaching Vernon so he just mostly supports from the background. It’s very cute though.

Dino + S.Coups (Chancheol?) - Interestingly enough, this ship isn’t terribly popular. Much like Vernon and Wonwoo, Dino and S. Coups should have this brotherly sort of dynamic, but instead it’s a reverse dynamic that makes it interesting, where Dino ends up being the serious one and Seungcheol ends up playful and wanting attention as if he’s the younger brother. Because of Dino’s manner and respect, he’s always very serious to Seungcheol and respectful, but Seungcheol wants to get on his level and so tries to be fun and playful. The dynamic is adorable, if a little awkward some times.

AND NOW, A SHORT JOURNEY INTO UNAPPRECIATED SHIPS

Jun/Wonwoo (Wonhui) - I wrote a little about it here but I was injured so its a little short and not very deep

Woozi/Joshua (Someone called this JiJi once?) - I LOVE THE DYNAMIC oF THESE TWO. They’re also a little awkward but I think they’re more under-appreciated. I think Joshua looks up to Woozi for his talent and Woozi thinks Joshua is cool and interesting to be with. They’re both very cute and I love the idea of the two of them asking each other’s advice on songs.

Hoshi/Jeonghan (Soonhan, I think?) - I don’t have much to say about this ship except it’s absolutely adorable and lighthearted and fun.

Wonwoo/Hoshi (SOONWOO) - SOONWOO FREAKIN RISE MAN SOONWOO IS THE HIP NEW SHIP

Mingyu/Seungkwan (Seunggyu? Like the infinite guy?) - Another adorable older brother/baby brother dynamic to me. Actually, I’ve made up my mind. more on that in a moment…

Mingyu/Seungcheol (Seung…gyu… wait) - Also known as the “PLEASE DATE ME” couple for real. Mr capables. There were so many moments on One Fine Day for this couple. Back to the last one, I’ve made up my mind that Seungcheol should be the oldest brother, Mingyu should be the middle kid, and Seungkwan should be the little brother they baby and absolutely adore. Yes. This is a cute little family. Perfect.

There we go! I hope this was what you were looking for! I tried not to leave anyone out. Props to The8 and Joshua for apparently getting along with everyone? Hey, maybe they should be stuck together for the awkward couple title.

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