#sketch book and art book out here with their own score

[vaultlucy]

ummmm

#sketch book and art book out here with their own score #… #dune

[wild-houseplant]

Hello Plant!!! I found a moment and would like to pose a few questions from the OTP asks. For Rhodri and Zevran:

5. Describe their cozy night in.

8. What happens if one of them gets sick?

30. Your OTP gets to pick out each other's outfits; what is each wearing?

And/or

42. What's their favorite type of weather to enjoy together? (getting snowed in together, watching thunderstorms, etc.)

Please feel free to pick the ones you like and to take as long as you'd like ^^ Lovely even temperatures to you and a spectacular day! And give Rhodri and Zevran all my love ^^

Hello my excellent and superb friend :3 I really appreciate you sending me the ask!! I am greedy and will choose them all, and as I rabbit on and on and on I will be steadily wishing you a very long sequence of perfect days and excellent temperatures.

And, of course, Rhod and Zev send their best love to you. Please keep half an eye on your nearest window; I'm told they had a bit of a shopping spree, as is their wont, and gifts are coming your way in untold quantities. I hid my own presents for you in there too, though, so as to bum off their postage. One must get one's money's worth, don't you think?

Under the cut, you know the score. The curse of the waffler! ok but I kid you not, I went all-out on this one. It's seriously long.

5. Describe their cozy night in.

This will be a lengthy answer, my spiffing friend, as there are headcanons galore in here. I humbly offer my condolences and sincere appreciation for your manifold patience! :D

my tl;dr for this is that they might sit and do their own thing together (Zevran will read, play the mandolin and/or sing, cook, and draw; Rhodri will read and enjoy his singing); dancing is also a thing, and Rhodri starts getting a mite... how would you call it... dumping the affection (sfw).

A cosy night in means they've got time alone, because the Callistus-Amell family usually spend evenings together at every possible opportunity, so it'd mean the parents and siblings all have prior engagements.

Not that they're not a cosy bunch, per se. There's plenty of contentment to be had, but they'll often be pretty involved in some activity or another that you couldn't call cosy. Stuff like dancing, taking in a show, attending a gala, paying visits to friends or vice-versa... probably the closest thing they get to cosy would be sitting and chatting-- and lord knows Aurelio and Revka just won't shut up. Factor in the boisterous twins Mazarin and Evander, plus the quieter but still involved Owen and Bethann, and now also Rhodri and Zevran, and the bastards will stay up until all hours. They don't go to bed until the beloved housekeeper politely but firmly shooes them out around daybreak.

One particular thing I think they'd love, if they wanted something really low-key, would be to just sit together and do their own thing.

I think Zevran in particular would really enjoy this avenue because up to now, he's never really had the opportunity to pursue his interests. The Crows were awful, physically and mentally, about people doing what made them happy, and it’s a forbidden pleasure he now-- tentatively-- relishes. He could turn his hand to anything but I can see him being a voracious reader if given the chance. He also seems to dabble a lot in arty things (tattoo artistry, dance, the mandolin, etc.), which is frankly perfect since the Callistus-Amell bunch are great patrons of the arts, both in Tevinter and Kirkwall.

So now, with an entire library, more comfy chairs than you can shake a packet of peanuts at, and basically anything else his heart desires, Zevvo can park himself beside/on/against Rhodri and devour a pile of books, or practice the mandolin or some other instrument, do some sketching... gosh, he could do whatever he pleased. To actually have the means to pursue what he enjoys, and to actually have that encouraged by Rhodri and the family means more to him than he can find the words for. Better still, it’s not only encouraged but modelled by the rest of the family, and so he treasures the times where he and Rhod can sit together and feed their interests, and share them without fear of something awful coming from the other.

Also, not to be ridiculous, but I hc that he has a very pleasant singing voice- somewhere between baritone and tenor, I can't quite decide, but absolutely splendid vibrato either way- and if he's in the mood to have Rhodri rocking them hard enough to tip the chair over backwards, he'll take the ol' vocal cords out for a spin. Happens more often than we’d think.

As for Rhodri, she's usually reading or writing. Creative outlets done by someone's own hand are limited for Tevinter Altus. The HC here is that the Altus place such high value on convenience that they hire other people to do just about everything for them. It's a lot of work to learn to play an instrument well, or draw well, or act, or anything really. Dancing and maybe designing their own outfits would be about the limit. Maybe crafting stupendous insults to whip out in the Magisterium. Nothing beyond that, though. In practice, this means that if they want something arty, they'll hire someone for that. A singer, an artist, an actor. It's small change for them. If they’re good at it themselves, it’s by sheer miracle.

(It's been that way for ages; many Vints are under the impression that it's the same in other countries. To this day, Rhodri's father Aurelio is convinced that her mother Revka, who is a classically-trained singer, was naturally born with a beautiful voice. He has often taken umbrage to accusations (in Revka's absence, of course) that this is untrue, and swears on his own grave that his wife has never taken a music lesson in her life. Revka has no idea he is under this impression. It's gorgeous oblivion.)

They might dance!

Both of them are great on their feet and love to tear up the dance floor. The Antivan dancing style tends to be a little lacking in modesty compared to the Tevinter approach (think bachata vs. zouk, respectively), which means it's best kept for home. Better for if they're feeling energetic.

Zevran could get seized by a Fast and Ridiculous Mood. Or Rhodri could.

As it says on the tin. What usually happens is one of them ponders something absurd (e.g. 'how hard would it be to recreate a raincloud indoors?' 'will a stack of 250 pancakes weigh more than me?'). Really weird shit, and they ponder it aloud. The other one hears it and gets a wild look in their eye, and next minute you've got the love child of Jackass and Mythbusters unfolding as they get to the bottom of it.

Massage and Tevinter gestures of appreciation (SFW)

Rhod's nowhere near as good at massage as Zevran- at least initially, but has anyone else ever offered him so much as a back rub? Not on your life. She's not awful at it, just amateurish, but Zevran enjoys it all the same. Sometimes he can persuade Rhodri to let him give her one, even though it's "not his job" to do something nice for his stupid wife. Rhodri is a damned fool. Usually if he explains it's for teaching purposes, or to keep his skills current, she's much more amenable. Both are true, and they're the more palatable truths.

Rhodri's also very hung up on showing Zevran that they are equals and that she doesn't consider herself above him in any way. This is especially the case once they're back in Tevinter and it becomes quite clear that she could, in theory, exercise a lot of unfair power over him.

With that in mind, in comes my last headcanon for this question: in Tevinter and Antiva, and parts of Rivain, the feet were once-- and in some contexts still are-- considered a dirty part of the body. Kissing or washing someone's feet are the most significant displays of deference, reverence, and respect in all three nations. Unfortunately, most of the time it's done by slaves who are forced to show submission to their masters, and it's often done in public.

Now, I hope it goes without saying that Rhodri would rather display things like reverence and respect to Zev through everyday behaviour- actually asking for his opinion before reaching a decision together; doing her best to give him whatever reasonable thing he wants; checking in on him; fixing his problems wherever she can and looking ahead to anticipate what he might need, often at cost (often small, but) to her energy and time for herself. Things that actually have an impact on your life, and are petty much what her father would expect of his heir.

But these things are what she considers to be displays of genuine care for someone’s wellbeing, and tender as they might be to onlookers, she doesn’t attach too much emotional significance to them. Certainly she does them lovingly, and out of love, but also out of moral obligations. She performs them almost reflexively, because she has spent her whole life doing it and doesn’t know any different. The result of this is that they come at minimal emotional cost to her.

At the complete opposite end of this, for Rhodri at least, is feet-washing. Showing your love is one thing; showing the extent of it is quite another. There’s no practical reason to wash Zevran’s feet; he is a fastidiously clean man, and his feet are rarely dirty, especially indoors. The only real purpose to being sat down as someone gets on their knees and tenderly washes your clean feet in fragrant water is a symbolic one. And culturally speaking, a Magister kissing or washing the feet of anyone is unheard of, except perhaps for their parents, or the Archon. Her doing it to him is just bananas by Vint standards. Actually, to an outsider it's probably closer to embarrassing because it's so implausible as to seem gauche, if not outright mockery.

But Rhodri does mean it. She’s completely, deadly serious every single time, because as far as she’s concerned, this is the most truthful (and emotionally costly) way of conveying to Zevvo how highly she thinks of him and treasures him, and how she sees herself in relation to him. Rhod’s not given to talking about her emotions. Her father didn’t allow it with anyone but him, and she finds words to be frustratingly inadequate. (In fact, she was extremely distressed about one of the last letters she sent to Zevran while they were apart; he had asked her if she missed him and she considered her response woefully understated, and upon their reunion in Kirkwall, bypassed greetings and kissed his feet in front of a very astonished Fenris, Isabela, Varric, and Cousin Tank).

So in practice, expressing the depth of this particularly strong one, even to Zevran, is like offering herself up on a platter.  Especially in her case, because in her heart of hearts, she’s such a proud person, and painfully aware that whatever she does could easily be interpreted as hyperbole. In Kinloch Hold, she was roundly mocked for her rather jarring honesty (among other things), and the embarrassment of having something as tender and privately valued as the depth of her affections being mistaken for dramatics, well. I think it would be more than she could stand, and she’d never do it again. But hey, it was explained to Zevran the first time, gravely and in a very soft, embarrassed voice, and the importance was understood immediately.

And better still, Zevran relishes it. He wasn’t sure what he’d think of it at first, since it’s a rather unexpected gesture (by his standards). But yanno, Rhodri’s ‘moral obligation’ loving gestures shocked and awkward-ed the hell out of him for an entire year, and he ended up feeding off them, so. By the time his shoes were off he was convinced, and the bugger swan-dived into the affection like a hog into the trough. He sees the change that comes over her whenever they do it, and since he’s the one usually doing the opening-up emotionally, it feels good to be on the other end for a whole host of reasons. He’s encouraging and appreciative in that gentle way he has, and so she keeps offering.

Anyway, on a night in, she'll probably ask to wash his feet at the end of the evening, and he’ll accept with alacrity. The added bonus of this, of course, is that Tevinter nights are often quite warm. Even without all the humble-adoring-devoted symbolism shit, cool water on the feet before bed is the Good Stuff.

8. What happens if one of them gets sick?

Oh, it's resolved pretty quick for Zevvo. Though Rhod's not as good of a healer as her younger twin siblings, she's a dab hand at anaesthesia- both in the sense of taking away pain and sedation. Zevran's never out of sorts for too long with her to hand, and once Mazarin and Evander bustle in with some foul-tasting cure-all, the matter is resolved before the hour's out. If it takes longer, Rhodri appoints herself as both his nurse and his doctor, and keeps a close eye on him. Most of his issues are chronic, and they have detailed plans from top healers on how to manage them, so she's quick to leap into action and get him as comfy as soon as she can.

Rhod's not so good at being unwell, unfortunately. Not on her own. There are a lot of things that make her uncomfortable in everyday life. Loud noises, certain fabrics, tight shoes, weird temperatures... it's all go in Autism Land. Usually, the way illness manifests in her is that her skin aches. Just a full-body oversensitivity. Light touches are especially painful; clothes or skin glancing over skin are agony. She can't get comfortable; it's always at the forefront of her mind, and it's so distracting that she can't always puzzle out what the bloody problem is before a meltdown is imminent.

Zevran, bless him, only needed to witness this once; now he can spot it from a mile away. Once she starts trying to straitjacket herself with her robes, or she flinches when he touches her, he'll let her know his suspicion that she's not well and she'll arrange for the healer. Even knowing why she's uncomfortable helps, but sparing her pride by letting her sort it out herself is a kindness that she appreciates so much. He'll help out if the pain is stopping her from getting it done, or get her father to do it, but most of the time that's not necessary. Smart feller, that Zevvo.

30. Your OTP gets to pick out each other's outfits; what is each wearing?

Somewhat unsure, I tried to ask Rhodri what she'd do for Zevran, and she flat-out refused to participate. As far as she's concerned, it's not an appropriate thing to do when elves are commodified for their looks and have had very little agency over their bodies in general. On top of that, in the event her outfit selection deviated from any of Zevran’s own personal style preferences, she would be horrified if he started doing that thing just to please her. She wasn’t having a bar of Zevran’s gentle reassurances that that wouldn’t happen if she didn’t want it to. If we can put that all aside and delve into her reptile brain, though, where such notions float around unformed and certainly unsaid, she'd probably kit him out in the flowy Antivan shirts he's fond of, in the very finest silks. Complements his shoulders, and better still if it’s tucked in to show off his waistline. The shirt's probably in a jewel colour- purple is my first guess. Tan breeches made of top-notch Antivan leather, and boots of the same, rounded off with an embossed leather belt. Jewellery, especially gold and with precious stones, would be worn generously- possibly more than Zevran would usually wear. (Rhod's got the most awful weak spot for seeing him wear finery that he enjoys, and sometimes she does just take it a little further than necessary). Fingers, toes, ears, neck, wrists-- a nose ring, if he fancies... hell, if he’ll let someone weave filigree gold chain into his braids, it’ll be done.

Zevran has absolutely no problem with kitting Rhodri out for the day, mostly because he knows she wouldn't wear anything she didn't want to, so if he chose something out of the ordinary and she wanted to wear it to please him, it'd have to please her as well. (he sighs and quietly wishes she'd feel the same in regard to him, but what can one do?)

That said, what he’d want choose for her outfit isn’t something she tends to wear any more. As a child, she absolutely did, and the rest of her family certainly dress in it now, but her own pair is much simpler than theirs: traditional Tevinter loungewear. He’d kit her out in an exquisite robe made of Imperial vestment cotton, in peacock green, royal blue, or deep red with gold chain detailing around the seams. It’d be a short-ish wraparound robe that came to the hips or mid-thigh paired with matching pants and a pair of soft shoes.

If Rhodri were really willing to humour him, Zevran would go ham accessorising her, too. Earrings, chain finger rings, cuff bracelets, one of those decorative headchains... she wouldn’t look out of place on the front cover of Lonely Planet: Tevinter edition.

42. What’s their favourite type of weather to enjoy together? (getting snowed in together, watching snowstorms, etc.)

Ahhh, you know what? They’re tropical babies. The year in Ferelden (plus the other twelve in Kinloch Hold for Rhodders), was spent missing the humid afternoon weather. The hot day in both Minrathous and Antiva City builds all through the morning and midday into a swelter, clouds gather, and the air is heavy and exhausting. People who can wangle it will take cover with a cool drink and good company (book or person), or a bed, and spend the next hour enjoying the flash of relief as the rain clears out the humidity and the thunder/lightning gives them something to watch.

Rhodri and Zevran make time to enjoy it together as often as they possibly can, often daily. Usually, especially since she was cured of the Taint, Rhodri’s pretty dozy by this point in the day, and Zevran won’t say no to extra rest either, so they’ll often take the opportunity to sprawl out on a day bed in the observatory or, when the heat’s especially oppressive, outside undercover. Say a few words, knock back a cool drink, and then drift off to sleep. What more could a person want?

#First off: apologies for the length because WOW this was a long one even for me! #But thank you so much for the ask! I have been mulling this one over for months and finally finished it up today #You spoil me ^_^ #rhodri amell #askin' games #holy god some of this was awkward to write though #I think I was channeling Rhodri's mortification #secondhand embarrassment haha #she does her best though god bless her #and Zevvo's a good egg who does his best too #that's about all someone can do really #they muddle along together ok I think

[destinygoldenstar]

Rei Takeo/Cure GoldenAsh Being A Mood (Sketched Artistry Pretty Cure) (Part 1)

Episode 1:

*Keiko and Rei bump into each other*

Rei: "What the-?!! Watch where you're going!"

Keiko: “I am so sorry!!"

*Keiko tries to pick up her book*

Rei: “Don't touch my stuff!”

Keiko: “I'm sorry! A-at least let me help you up.”

Rei: "You… You don't know who I am..." 

Keiko: “I don't see how that matters. Sakura Keiko, if you're wondering." Rei: “Takeo Rei..." 

*Rei gets helped up. Awkward stare between the two*

Keiko: “I'll uh... I'll leave you alone."

Rei: “Is that yours?”

Keiko: "Huh? Yeah, that's... that's mine." 

Rei: “Your wings are small. They need to be the main focus of your paper, so you really want to maximize every edge and every line."

Keiko: “Uh... Thanks." 

Rei: “Don't mention it.”

*Rei leaves*

(She’s not in Episode 2 at all)

Episode 3: 

Ichiro: “A sun doodle?! Are you crazy or just, really terrible at making art?"

Rei: “I could ask you the latter!"

Punk: “Excuse me?!”

Ichiro: “Look girl, no one asked for you to jump in! Scram!"

Rei: “You're telling me?! This girl was minding her own business, and so should you!" 

Punk: “And for what reason should we?"

*gets his wrist twisted*

Rei: “Because you'll regret it if you don't listen to me,"

Ichiro: "Please! For a bad tempered burn to the head, you just have to be annoying as well!"

*gets a book chugged at his head*

Rei: "Who's next?"

*Ichiro and the punks runs away*

Keiko: "Takeo-San..."

Rei: "You don't want to end up like that, I suggest you watch where you're going." 

Keiko: “U-uh... Yeah, sure, sure... thanks."

*Rei walks away* *She comes back to grab her school bag*

~

Teacher: “Takeo-San, we're turning in the storyboard today, you have yours?"

Rei: “Here. Go ahead and tear it apart." 

Teacher: “Why would I do that?!"

Rei: "I told you I can't write! Besides, it's kind of your job."

*Students fall off their seats*

~

Sora: “It takes a long time to even become competent, Keiko. I didn't even get a perfect score on this, nobody is going to have that talent-"

Rei: “Seriously?!! You have to do that to me?!" 

Teacher: “I think it's something you should consider, Takeo-San..."

Rei: "I did not ask for this score!" "

Teacher: “You are being hard on yourself.”

Rei: “Look, I respect you, so I don't actually expect you to like it!"

Someone: “Well, what'd you even get?!" 

Rei: “It's not your business!”

*throws the paper away*

Sora: “Maybe you're not the only one who failed?"

~

*Rei is minding her own business*

*Keiko sneaks up from behind her*

*Rei nearly hits her, but sees her*

Rei: "Oh. You."

Keiko: “Takeo-San. Remember me? From the museum? I uh... thank you for helping me this morning, first of all." 

*Rei stares at Keiko*

Keiko: "I-I have your book! You didn't pick it up after you helped me, so I wanted to give it back to you."

Rei: “Um... Thanks. Did you read it?"

Keiko: "What?" 

Rei: “Did you read the book?! Yes or no?!" 

Keiko: “U-uh, no! No, I did not!" 

*Rei stares her down*

Keiko: "I swear I didn't!"

Rei: "Someone who actually respects privacy, I'm impressed."

*Rei walks off*

*Keiko follows her*

Keiko: "Wait! Hold on, shouldn't we, uh, talk this over? We are partners on this project, and I can really use your help on this sort of thing." 

Rei: “Careful with your words Sakura-San, you don't want to gain a reputation as a stalker."

Keiko: “I'm trying to get to know you, Takeo-San, I'm not trying to steal from you or anything."

Rei: "You... wait, you don't want to hurt me?" 

Keiko: “Why on earth would I want to do that?"

Rei: "Everyone does." 

Keiko: “I'm sorry.”

Rei: “Don't be, I'm not worth that pity." 

Keiko: “Okay… Where'd you get the book?" 

Rei: “That's not your business!"

*Rei walks away*

*Keiko follows her, seeing Rei taking out a pen*

Keiko: "You wrote that book yourself!!"

Rei: "Please stop following me!"

Keiko: “No, wait! That's awesome, Takeo-San! No one said you were a writer!" 

Rei: “That's not really evidence to anything.”

Keiko: “You got a hundred on the storyboarding. You brushed off that step of the process like it was nothing, and you're writing a whole novel by yourself! I mean, I am a pretty decent painter, but still!"

Rei: “Is this a trick? Are you getting close so you can staple my seat?" 

Keiko: “No! I'm just ecstatic! The known tough girl of the school, the lawful strength that sets hearts on fire, is actually a novelist! You should really be showing off that dedication! Let alone be proud of it! Maybe people can do the same!"

*more judging stares at Keiko*

Rei: “You poor doomed childish soul.”

*attempts to walk off but stops*

Rei: “You know... We are working on this project together, and since you clearly don't understand the success of art..." 

Keiko: “Let me try! I know it's a lot to ask, but you're just the partner I need for this! Just please teach the ways of writing!!"

Rei: "Fine, just don't set the papers on fire and we can converse at the café."

~

Rei: "You're excited for no reason.”

Keiko: "No reason?! This is great for both of us!" 

Rei: “I don't know about that. Some people will never rise to greatness." 

Keiko: “Oh ha ha, I suppose I'm meant to be nervous instead."

Rei: “Well, given our personalities, our life experiences, and everything we've been through to get to this moment... yeah."

~

Ichiro: "Hey precious."

Rei: “Convenient yourself, Ichiro.”

Keiko: “Wait, you know each other?!"

Rei: "Leave us be, and I'll leave you alone." 

Ichiro: “You won't anyway! I do the slightest thing and you have to come in and break my wrist every time!" 

Rei: “Because what you do for jokes are wrong! Treating me and others like a pet, lying, pushing other people around." 

Ichiro: “You are a great pet though! Just another pawn to the game." 

Rei: “I am NOT your pawn! And I belong to no one!"

~

*Ichiro slips over a water spill*

Rei: "Come on Sakura-San!" 

*They both leave*

Keiko: “Takeo-San..."

Rei: "He's tried to play me since the fourth grade! And ever since he's never respected anybody's boundaries, and does the most irresponsible things just to lure me in and anger me to my core! He doesn't think stealing from people and bullying them is wrong no matter what I do to convince him, he thinks it's funny!" *sped up*

Keiko: “Just... How do you deal with that?" 

Rei: “Oh you get used to it. When everyone follows in trying to destroy you, you get used to it."

~

Rei: “Sakura-San, what do you have so far?" 

Keiko: “Oh uh… Wait, what do you have?" 

Rei: “I threw mine away, remember?"

~

Rei: "Do you have note cards?"

Keiko: “Note cards?"

*pulls out a ton of note cards*

Rei: “First step in the writing process is coming up with an idea, jolt them down on paper."

Keiko: “And then we write?"

Rei: "No, then we organize all these notes to fit in a pyramid structure, essentially, what comes first, what comes next?"

Keiko: “And then we write?"

Rei: “No. Then we double check, plot it all down, and THEN we write... the first draft, then we have to edit and do it again."

~

Rei: “Okay, so you're completely disorganized with your concept, I guess we’re starting from there."

Keiko: “Whoa, hey, I am NOT disorganized!"

Rei: "Oh yeah? Then identify the conflict in this."

*tries*

Rei: “Not the conflict." 

*tries*

Rei: “No." 

*tries*

Rei: “Nope." 

*tries*

Rei: “Nope." 

*tries*

Rei: “Nope." 

*tries*

Rei: “No." 

*tries*

Rei: “Tried that spot already."

~

Rei: “For some reason, I don't believe that whatsoever."

~

*Keiko is asleep. Rei pokes at her. She doesn’t wake up. Rei groans*

~

Keiko: "That was beautiful, Takeo-San."

Rei: “I-it's nothing. Really, we're done anyway, it's getting late."

~

Sora: "Are you alright?" 

Keiko: “What are you talking about? I'm fine. I was just working with my new, super great partner over here. We're really close now."

*Awkward silence*

*Rei face palms*

Keiko: “That did not sound as good as it did in my head."

~

Sora: “Everyone knows you don't mess with Takeo-San, not if you know what's good for you."

Keiko: “What? But she's-"

Rei: “None taken!"

~

Keiko: "This is my friend, Ayano Sora, Sora, Takeo Rei, Takeo-San, Sora." 

Sora: “Hello..."

*Rei crosses her arms*

Keiko: “Uh..."

~

Keiko: "She has it! She has the thing!"

Rei: "Boy does that sound subtle."

~

Rei: “Monster!!!!"

Noir: "Are you talking to me?"

Rei: "Yes I am!!!"

~

Cherry: “Uh, Rei-Chan...."

Rei: "Yeah hi Sakura-San."

~

*gets her PreCure Palette*

Rei: “What is this toy?!!"

~

Cherry: “We're not letting you do all the work, Cure G."

GoldenAsh: “Cure G? Really?" Azure: “Cherry..." 

Cherry: “I-I just think it's cute and less syllables."

~

Keiko: “Hey, Takeo-San, how did you know about us?" 

Rei: “Oh, that?” *eye roll* “It's a cliché in every superhero book ever. I knew since we were at the café together. Like, originality? Anyone?"  ~

Keiko: “Hey, at least she didn't know everything! She didn't know Orenji can talk-"

Rei: “I knew that too."

*Imaginary stamp smacks Keiko in the head*

~

Rei: "Yeah... I love writing, so what?"

*Keiko squeals*

Rei: "I guess this means I can call you Keiko, right?"

Keiko: "Of course, Rei-Chan!"

*Keiko hugs Reis arm, continuing to squeal. Rei plugs one of her ears*

Rei: "This is going to take some getting used to..."

Episode 4:

*Cherry and GoldenAsh purify an Inkling from in a water tank*

*The purification launches Azure into a clone of that Inkling*

*Cherry runs off to help her*

GoldenAsh: *groans* "Not again!!!" 

*She runs off as well*

~

*GoldenAsh and Azure purify an Inkling*

*Cherry missed her strike and slips*

Cherry: "No no no no no-!" 

*She slides off and head butts with another Inkling*

*Azure runs off to help*

*GoldenAsh face palms*

~

*Arrows get shot at them*

*Azure tries to block it with a shield while Cherry and GoldenAsh are on the ground covering their heads*

GoldenAsh: "What did I do to deserve this?!!"

~

*Cherry and GoldenAsh purify an Inkling together*

*Cherry attempts to high five GoldenAsh, but she instead looks behind them and rolls her eyes*

*Theres a blue frog*

*Cherry uses her pen to turn the frog back to Azure*

Azure: "What just happened?!!!"

GoldenAsh: "Everything, Sora! Everything in your worst dreams!" 

*Cherry laughs. GoldenAsh groans and stomps away*

~

*Cherry, Azure, and GoldenAsh are floating. Azure is trying to blast a finisher downwards. GoldenAsh has her arms crossed, bitterly staring at Cherry. Cherry grins nervously at her.*

~

*Cherry, Azure, and GoldenAsh are stuck in ice*

*GoldenAsh uses her fire spell to break them all out and she starts shivering*

Cherry: "I'm at you fiend!!" 

*Throws a paint bomb that hits GoldenAsh in the back of the head. It explodes and covers her in pink paint*

*Cherry hides het hands behind her back*

GoldenAsh: "Ow!!" 

*Cherry starts laughing it off and wraps her arm around GoldenAsh*

*As they walk away, GoldenAsh slouches and gives a death glare behind her*

~

*Cherry pulls out an electrical pole*

GoldenAsh: “Cherry, wait-!" 

*Cherry throws the pole at the Inkling. It only makes the Inkling’s fire bigger, and it smacks a charging Azure to the side*

GoldenAsh: "Did you forget it absorbs electricity?!"

Cherry: "…Yes."

~

Azure: “I'm going to mark that as 'Fire Monster The Third.'"

GoldenAsh: “Oh wow," *eye roll* "How did you come up with such an original name?"

Azure: “Uh... Am I missing something?" 

Cherry: “We won the match, Cure G! What's wrong with you?" GoldenAsh: “What's wrong with me?! What's wrong?! I'm tired of all this useless filler, that makes us act stupid! ‘What does that Inkling do?' It absorbs electricity to get stronger? 'I have a plan! Let's throw electricity at it!'" 

Cherry: “It's not filler, it's... a breath of fresh air and a daily workout."

GoldenAsh: “So my daily workout is going to involve nearly burning to literal ash?"

Cherry: "Maybe...?"

~

GoldenAsh: "This is what I'm trying to say! We wait for a monster to come during the week and cause collateral damage, we step in, we have hour long transformations, and we avoid getting defeated long enough to shoot paint at its face!"

~

GoldenAsh: "So we don't need to change at all?! It's completely fine for you to almost get your teammates killed?!" 

Cherry: “What? No, no, that's not what I'm saying at all! My plan didn't work the way I thought it would, that happens sometimes-"

GoldenAsh: “You didn't even think! For the past two weeks you haven't thought anything through before jumping into a plan! Whose idea was it to jump right into the sheep wool? Whose idea was it to get hit by the anti-gravity ray to make an 'air attack?!' Whose idea was it to feed to the Inklings?!"

Cherry: “I know what I'm doing!"

GoldenAsh: "If you knew what you were doing, you'd actually be smart!" 

Cherry: “Did you just call me dense?!" 

GoldenAsh: “Yes. Yes I did.”

Cherry: "You've just been arguing and not helping us!" 

GoldenAsh: “Not helping?! I purified the past four Inklings! How am I not helping?!"

~

*Azure motions GoldenAsh to apologize*

GoldenAsh: "Really?"

Cherry: "You're agreeing it's my fault? I think you're just misunderstanding what I'm trying to say-"

GoldenAsh: “Are we?! I don't hear an apology!" 

Cherry: “What do I have to apologize for?!"

Azure: "Rei..." 

GoldenAsh: “What?!!"

Azure: “Rei..." 

GoldenAsh: “I meant what I said! She needs to hear that. I'm giving her advice!"

~

Orenji: “So why don't we calm down, and regroup ourselves before we discuss our next move."

GoldenAsh: “Fine by me.”

*GoldenAsh walks away*

Cherry: "Wait, where are you going?!" 

GoldenAsh: “Like Orenji said, I need some air, and some sleep."

~

Katara Takeo: “How was school?" Rei: “Fine.”

*Tosses her bag aside and throws her body on the couch*

Katara Takeo: “I assume something's wrong?"

Rei: "Same old, tired."

~

Katara Takeo: “You have a gift, and I'm not just saying that, you have a passionate gift with your skills, I don't know why you didn't want to pursue it." 

Rei: “And look where door designing got you.”

~

Keiko: *whining* “I'm sorry, Rei-Chan!"

Rei: "What's going on?" 

Keiko: “I'm so sorry about before! I-you-you were right, I was being impatient, I messed up, and I-I'm sorry! I got carried away!"

Rei: “H-hey... I accept your apology." 

Keiko: “Really?!"

Rei: "Yeah... please stop squeezing my hand."

~

Sora: “And what do you plan to do?"

Orenji: "I... don't know."

Rei: "We're gonna lose..."

~

Orenji: “You know your shapes, right?"

Rei: "I don't know, did we pass kindergarten?”

*gets smacked in the face with a pen*

~

Rei: “I feel like this is a pointless demonstration of the toy palettes.”

Keiko: "They're not toys Rei, they're sources of magic." 

Rei: “A toy, got it."

~

Rei: “I thought this came natural on television."

~

Rei: “Congratulations, we learned how to be freaks on the street."

Sora: “Now what?"

Orenji: "Want to go over your attacks?" 

Sora & Rei: “NO!!!"

Keiko: "Yes!"

~

Keiko: “Let's make a banner! A banner resembling all three of us!"

Rei: "Who cares?"

~

Rei: “This is just filler, I'm telling you."

~

Sora: “Maybe we should reconsider our team name.”

Keiko: "It's fine." 

Rei: “I'm so beyond saying things are fine.”

~

Keiko: “How long have we been working on this?"

Rei: "Enough for the sun to hate us."

~

Keiko: “Are you picky?"

Rei: "What makes you say that?!" 

Keiko: “You scrapped off the onions. You're picky." 

Rei: “We all have foods we don't like! That doesn't make me picky!" 

Keiko: “Overreaction. Typically picky."

Rei: “I am not picky!!"

Keiko: "Just asking, I just noticed how small your plate is." 

Rei: “Oh, that? That's because you're attempting an overload of cannibalism."

Keiko: “Excuse me?!!"

~

Keiko: “I know I don't know how to be a Pretty Cure, let alone any sort of leader-“

Rei: "I can tell." 

Keiko: “I don't know your ways of doing art, I don't know when or when not to listen to you, it all just blurs in my head-“

Rei: “I can tell that too."  ~

Rei: “Further more, are you going to stop throwing torches at monsters heads?"

Keiko: "Your head's already a torch."

Rei: "A torch?!!!"

~

Keiko: “Don't worry, we can salvage this-"

*spills black paint everywhere*

*Rei slams her paintbrush on the ground, standing up with a fist clenched.*

*Her fist loosens after a break, and she walks away*

Keiko: "Wait, Rei!!! Rei-Chan! I'm sorry!!!! Rei!!!!"

~

Cherry: “Cure G! I'm sorry about what happened, okay?! You were-" 

GoldenAsh: “Save it for when we finish this thing!"

*runs off* ~

Noir: “And how do you think you're going to save them?" 

Azure: “She will!"

GoldenAsh: *struggling* "Even if she doesn't, we can get out ourselves!"

*they’re stuck in paper good*

GoldenAsh: "…This is tight."

~

*Cherry throws the Inkling back. GoldenAsh and Azure are stuck to it and nearly get slammed into the ground*

GoldenAsh: "Will you be careful?!!"

~

Azure: “A yen?!!"

GoldenAsh: "The savior's tool! Of course!"

Episode 5:

Keiko: “Yeah right, like a sophomore is going to walk up to us and be daring-"

Stranger: “You three!"

*Keiko shoves Orenji in a bag*

Rei: "That's what you get for opening your mouth.”

Stranger: “Move.”

Rei: "Why?" 

Stranger: “You're in our spot. We always sit here." 

Rei: “Don't start that with me! We got here first!" 

Stranger: “We're older than you.”

Rei: "That makes no difference!"

~

Rei: “If you want the senpai so much, why don't you ask her?"

Keiko: “I will!" 

*runs off*

Rei: "I was joking!"

~

*GoldenAsh gets her fist trapped in tin foil*

GoldenAsh: "What a rip off!"

Episode 6:

Keiko: “Guys! I have some news!"

Rei: “Do not say that you came up with a new banner design!"

Keiko: "Nope! Though, that's not a bad idea..." 

Rei: “What's your point?!"

~

Keiko: “She's perfect! She's everything we need for our team! She's calm, humble, elegant, intellectual, and-"

Rei: “-Everything you're not?"

~

Akemi: “I have a show to attend this week, plus I have my chorus classes and dance lessons, and that acrobat class you guys found me in, so... I really don't have the time to play dress up."

Rei: “You play dress up all the time, what's the difference?"

Sora: "It's not dress up! I mean... okay it's a part of it, but the outfits are an awesome bonus!" 

Midori: “Gina-san, we're heroes! We transform using these palettes, and we fight monsters that drain color, we're trying to... what's our goal again?" 

Rei: “Exactly. That's great convincing."

Akemi: “So you have toys as well?"

Rei: "THANK YOU!! I've been saying that since the first time I saw it!"

~

Rei: “We just gave you our biggest secrets of all time, and you say no?!!"

~

Rei: “Well... That plan could have gone better."

~

Rei: “So... Miss perfect is also rich." 

*Keiko and Midori run off to the limo.*

Rei: "Aren't you rich too?"

*Sora shrugs*

~

*The girls are in a limo. Rei is bored and on her phone*

~

Keiko: “Sora can help with her costume! Rei can do character studies with you to further get into it.” *Whispers to Akemi* “Though she is kind of bossy." 

Rei: “I heard that!"  ~

Rei: “You are fire. You are a lone hunter whose main desire is to find light. Why do you want to find light?" 

Akemi: “Because the script says so.”

Rei: "No! Never let that be the answer! You have to be into your character! You have to express the character using your acting skill, find a motivation that's not written in stone!"

*Rei gets up in Akemi’s face. Akemi crawls away from her*

~

Rei: “Tell you what? We can stretch it out, clear our minds." Akemi: “Uh... O-okay." 

*Akemi does a vertical split on the floor. Rei only gets halfway*

Rei: "I-I can't move..."

Akemi: “You need help?"

Rei: "No, no... I-I got it..."

*Still can’t move*

~

Rei: “It was just one misstep no one noticed until she stopped, what's the problem?" ~

Midori: “She does not hate you. Akemi isn't someone to get mad about small slip ups like this, that's how I describe Rei." 

Rei: “I get it guys! I'm really trying here!"  ~

Noir: “Nope! Still wrong!"

GoldenAsh: "That's not fair, you baited her!" 

Noir: “And she fell for it! That's her fault!"

GoldenAsh: “Okay... No way to tell the difference which one is real?" 

*One Inkling clone almost tackles her*

GoldenAsh: "Forget it!”

Episode 7: 

Sora: “Shouldn't we form some sort of plan, like, what this lady's plan is or-"

Rei: “Isn't it obvious? She left us to rot."  ~

Rei: “Well we learned something, genius. Don't touch weird things!"

~

*Akemi and Keiko scream at the sight of Master Shokyo*

*Rei throws a rock at him.*

*The rock bounces off the beast with no faze*

Midori: "...nice shot.” ~

Rei: “How else can we get rid of these things?!"

*She uses her pen to blow fire at the bird Inklings.*

*They are unaffected, and they tackle her*

Keiko: “Rei-Chan!" 

*Keiko uses her pen to shoot paint at the birds. All but one retreat*

*Rei punches the last bird off of her. That bird is unaffected and gleams at her*

*Rei yelps and gets behind Keiko*

Rei: "Never mind! Let's just run!!"  ~

Keiko: “See where I'm going with this?"

Rei: "That you're just spilling out basic logic?"  ~

*GoldenAsh’s fire attack misses Anka*

Anka: “I knew you were dumb, but wow..."

*GoldenAsh is smiling*

*The fire attack hits Azures mirror, turning the fire into a hotter blue color and reflecting it to hit Anka in the back. A tower of blue fire adds onto it*

GoldenAsh: “We must be total idiots then.”

~

Rei: “We're alive! We. Are. Alive!!"

~

Akemi: “I do not feel like we were trapped there for eight and a half hours."

Rei: “Who cares?! We're alive!!!!"

~

Orenji: “I'm a bird. What can I do-?"

Rei: “Everything!" 

Episode 8:

*Keiko is half asleep. Midori is wide awake. Sora and Akemi have coffee. Rei is cranky*

~

Orenji: “Now, I have analyzed all your schedules and put together a routine for all of us at once! You will follow this and talk to me if there's any issue with something you may have that I missed. Otherwise, I will not take no for an answer!"

Rei: "No."

Orenji: “Push ups!!!"

Rei: "What?! W-what did I do-?!" 

Orenji: “I heard that! Push ups! Now!"

*Rei obeys*

~

*Rei punches a hole in a tree*

Midori: “That tree suffered such an unfortunate fate..." ~

Orenji: “I told you five to sleep, and you didn't! There's no reason for that!" 

Rei: “Sorry we have homework. Brought to us by the education system provided. No sleeping on the job."

~

Orenji: “Why are your hands bandaged?"

Keiko: “I cut myself.”

Orenji: "That many times?!!" 

Sora: “Yes! She-uh- a part of her homework was stitching, and she... she pricked her fingers on the needles over and over again."

Rei: “That's putting it lightly.”

Keiko: "Rei-Chan!"

~

Orenji: “Twenty times twelve times eight!" 

Rei: “A thousand eight hundred thirty.”

Orenji: "I can't hear you!" 

Rei: “A thousand eight hundred thirty! I need to know math to fight monsters!" 

Orenji: “You don't! But we're keeping your minds sharp! And that's not even the right answer!"

Keiko: “You're not good at math, Rei?"

*Rei has no more face*

Orenji: "Keiko! Ten times one times four!" 

*Keiko tries to take out paper, but gets a whistle blown in her face*

Orenji: "Ten times one times four!"

Keiko: “Uh... Ten!" 

*Whistle blown*

Keiko: "Four!"

*Whistle blown*

Keiko: “…ten times one times four!"

*Whistle blown. Keiko falls off her seat*

Sora: "Forty!"

Rei: "Don't make fun of me when you're just as bad."

~

Orenji: “Wrong leg!" 

Rei: “You said left!"

*Whistle blown*

*Rei snatches the whistle*

Rei: "Enough with that thing!"

~

Midori: “Really?! Oh gosh! Akemi! Where did she go?!"

Akemi: “Midori...?"

Midori: "That tree just spoke to me, did you hear what I heard?"

Rei: “Can you hear my phrase right now?"

*She trips over*

Orenji: “Okay! Enough playing around! Someone took my whistle, and I really don't want to saturate my voice."

*Coughs at Rei*

~

Midori: “You're clearly tired as well, Orenji.”

Sora: "Yeah, you've been doing so much work in helping us by the looks of it." 

Rei: “Guys, he's causing this-"

Akemi: “We're fine, Orenji. Really."

~

Rei: “Well, unless I find my folders, I guess I have nothing better to do other than, I don't know, sleep?! Something I forgot how to do!"

Midori: “Wait... You lost your folders too?" 

Rei: “Yeah, so? I can live with that."

~

GoldenAsh: *slapping herself in the face* “Snap... out of it..."

*passes out*

~

*GoldenAsh yanks her hair*

GoldenAsh: "SNAP OUT OF IT!!!!"

*Slaps Cherry in the face to wake her up*

GoldenAsh: *holding her nose* "You need to get up and stop smelling the flowers, got it?!!”*gasp* “Orenji is your partner, right?!” *gasp* “Would a partner let each other down, especially when he pulled a new trick on the spot to save you...?!"*gasp*”You can't...” *gasp* “…let that bird down..."*is about to pass out*

*Cherry slaps her, then starts shaking her*

Cherry: *holding her nose* “You can't either, Cure G!!” *gasp* “You're his partner as well, and I don't care what insult you have to give him, he is worth saving!!!!” *gasp* “I am not going to take this training and this role solo over here!!!"*gasp* "Besides...” *gasp* “…if you're gonna...” *gasp* “…smell the flowers...” *gasp* “…do it in style..." *is about to pass out*

*GoldenAsh slaps her, then starts shaking her*

GoldenAsh: "I know how to smell flowers just fine, Cherry!!! So don't you dare do this on your own, and don't you leave me in the back again!!!"

Cherry: “Like with the math?" 

GoldenAsh: “Oh no, I'm not as bad as you."

~

Keiko: “We should all sleep this weekend, replenish and find better training, even for our little assistant here."

Rei: "About time."

Episode 9:

Sora: “You mean you lived here? It's... actually functional for a bird, fruit trees, trees in general, water, privacy."

Rei: "Keep up all those basic facts, Sora-Chan. I couldn't have guessed that."

~

Sora: “I didn't know birds give each other names.”

Rei: "Oh? You expected them to refer to each other as macaw 1, macaw 2, and macaw 918131?"

~

*Rei and Midori are playing volleyball together*

*Midori slams the ball in the sand and wins*

Rei: "Cheats!"

~

*Rei and Midori continue to play volleyball.*

*Midori wins again*

Rei: "How are you so good...?"

*a wave crashes onto Rei*

~

Keiko: “I'm sure they're just beating it at the sun without us. Which is why the sun will guide us to them!"

*A cloud floats over and blocks the sun.*

Rei: “Wow. The sun hates you." ~

Worker: “What are you doing here?"

Rei: "Uh..."

Keiko: “Magic."

Worker: “…okay.”

*he walks away*

Rei: “How did that work-?!"

Keiko: "I have no idea!"

~

Akemi: “Where are they?!"

Rei: "Let me guess, they got kidnapped."

*Noir appears*

Noir: “By me!"

Rei: "Yeah, I figured.” ~

*Inkling roars in their faces*

Rei: "Hello conflict.” ~

*Cherry, GoldenAsh, and Crimson charge at the Inkling*

*Then they run away as the Inkling chases them*

~

Cherry: “Aha!!"

*gets on the Inkling to ride it, but it tries to buck her off* 

Cherry: “Guys?!"

GoldenAsh: "That's on you!!"

*GoldenAsh and Crimson are still running*

GoldenAsh: “Crimson! Do you... I don't know, have any logic on how these chase sequences usually end in movie land?!"

Crimson: "Usually... They would last... as long as they need to... before one side gets an advantage..."

*Crimson grabs a vine*

GoldenAsh: "How much forest does this island have?!!!"

~

*GoldenAsh and Cherry go over a canyon, hugging each other as they scream*

*Crimson saves them with her star glyphs*

*They both get repelled and crash into the trees*

~

Crimson: “GoldenAsh! Help me cut this!" 

*GoldenAsh sends a flaming karate chop on the bridge rope*

*It doesn’t break. She’s wincing in pain from her swelling hand*

GoldenAsh: “Ow!! What are these ropes made of? Steel?!"

Noir: “Yes.” ~

Sora: “Are you girls okay?!"

GoldenAsh: "Oh, we're fine. Just normal casualties is all."

*Cherry crashes behind them*

*They don’t turn around*

GoldenAsh: “Anyway... Why don't we get you out of here?" ~

Crimson: “We're not gonna make it!"

Cherry: "Yes! I believe it!!" 

GoldenAsh: “Great! I believe that we're not gonna make it!" ~

GoldenAsh: “Eh?! You turned us into birds?!"

~

Cherry: “We're coming guys!" 

*Jumps to fly…*

*Then crashes back down*

GoldenAsh: “You're a pro.” ~

Crimson: “They'd use ropes to hover the actors, to make it look like they're flying!"

GoldenAsh: “I'm sure we all have that experience, Crimson!" 

Cherry: “How can you complain when we're flying?"

~

GoldenAsh: "I know her name's Cure Cherry, but I think you'd rather taste fire!" 

*The two zip around the Inkling to distract it*

Cherry: "What's tastier than a cherry, huh Cure G?!"

GoldenAsh: "How about a strawberry?"

Cherry: "Nah, I think cherries are a tastier fruit..." 

GoldenAsh: “I think not! With those seeds..." 

Cherry: “Strawberries have seeds too!" 

GoldenAsh: “All fruits have seeds, are you dense?!" 

Cherry: “No, t-that's not true! Uh... papayas don't!" 

GoldenAsh: “Wow, you've never had papaya before!" 

Cherry: “Then how about mango?" 

GoldenAsh: “Yes, they have seeds." 

Cherry: “Apples?" 

GoldenAsh: “Yes.”

Cherry: “Oranges?" 

GoldenAsh: “Yes.”

Cherry: “Blueberries?" 

GoldenAsh: “Yes.”

Cherry: “When they're that small?!!!"

*Everyone else, especially the Inkling, are dizzy out of their minds*

Cherry: "Bananas!" *flies down to a tree*

GoldenAsh: “Bananas? Bananas... Wait, do they have seeds?"

*Cherry comes back with a banana*

Cherry: “No! But these can sprout back our friends!"

Episode 10:

Rei: “You two hiding?"

Keiko: “Rei-Chan! Yeah, I'm ready! I-I was just working on a certain painting..." 

*Keiko shows it to Rei, who turns red*

Keiko: “You like it?"

Rei: “You want the truth? It looks awful, what were you even trying to accomplish with that?"

Sora: “Maybe you could be more specific?" 

Keiko: “I mean, I did speed it... Oh well, it was... a try."

Rei: “And when you don't speed something, it looks better, right?"

Keiko: “Yes. It does... I... i-it's... I don't..."

*Keiko trails off, eyes on Rei*

Rei: “Keiko? You alive?"

Keiko: “Not much longer… I-I mean yes! Yes, I'm alive! You ready for this?"

Rei: “I wouldn't be standing here if I wasn't. Come on, Sora-Chan."

~

Rei: “You're Keiko's family, right?"

Ahmya Sakura: "Yeah... You know Keiko?"

Rei: “We're tight.”

Sora: "By 'tight,' you mean..."

~

Katara Takeo: “Rei-Chan!"

Rei: "Mom..."

*She gets bear hugged*

Katara Takeo: “Hi, I'm Takeo Katara!"

Asahi Sakura: "Nice to meet you." Katara Takeo: I'm just thrilled to see my kid make some good friends in this school!"

Rei: "Mom, they're just people I hang out with."

~

Keiko: “So, what do you think?"

Katara Takeo: "You could use improvement, definitely.”

Rei: "That's taking things lightly."

Keiko: “Uh... Okay...?"

~

Katara Takeo: “So where's your booth, Rei?"

Rei: "I uh- I-I didn't make one."

Katara: “What? But you have such talent, you should be showing off!"

Fumiko Sakura: “Maybe she doesn't want to reveal her true identity.”

Rei: “Yeah, because that's exactly what I said."

~

Asahi Sakura: “You two know her?!"

Keiko: “We uh- We're... business partners."

Rei: “How did you get your hands on a grill?!"

~

Fumiko Sakura: “‘You will reach a successful career one day, and your siblings will be jealous.’”

Rei: "What kind of fortune is that?!!"

~

Keiko: “‘You have a style that no one will understand but yourself.’”

Rei: “I mean, that's not wrong.”

Keiko: “You're one to talk! Not even making a booth!"

Rei: "Am I?"

*Arrows are in Keiko’s heart*

Fumiko Sakura: “I'll be at your wedding.”

Keiko: “So do you think this sketch looks good?"

Rei: "How should I know? You haven't made it yet."

Keiko: *blushes* "I must have been distracted."

~

Ahmya Sakura: “Isn't that impressive?"

Keiko: “It's... It's accurate."

Rei: “Oh really? I-Cure GoldenAsh does not act like that!"

*She has the same position as the picture*

~

Fumiko Sakura: “Cure Cherry on the other hand... I don't know about her."

*Keikos devastated*

Rei: “I feel the same way.” *puts an arm around Keiko*

Keiko: *is dying inside* “And I think it's a great impression of those Cures!"

~

Katara Takeo: “Aren't you glad you're an only child?"

*Rei nods yes*

*Ichiro forces a seat next to her*

Rei: "No..."

Katara Takeo: “I assume you're Ichiro?"

Ichiro: "You know me?"

Katara Takeo: "My daughter told me all about you." 

Rei: “Mom!"

Ichiro: "I assume she's said great, loving things about me."

Katara Takeo: “She told me you put staples on her chair two months ago, and then you denied it, and the teachers didn't believe her." 

Ichiro: “I did no such thing! She likes me, she just doesn't understand what a joke is."

Rei: “I get a joke perfectly fine, Ichiro! And if you really want me, you wouldn't be pushing me around, every. single. day!!"

Ichiro: “Touchy. I guess you're just blind."

*Rei throws hot sauce at Ichiro’s face*

Katara Takeo: “Rei?!"

Rei: "We're moving!"

Katara Takeo: “Rei, why did you do that?!"

Rei: “He deserved it!"

Katara Takeo: "He's just trying to know you!"

Rei: “Know me?! Mom, I told you! Boys don't actually like me! And I'm not even into guys, okay?! I can choose myself who I want to hang out with!"

*throws her food in the trash and stomps away*

Ichiro: “You're hot sauce in of itself, Takeo-san!! A piece of work!! I'll reach your heart!!!"

~

Rei: “Keiko..." 

Keiko: “Oh, hi Rei-Chan! I uh-I didn't mean to drop that, I just-"

Rei: “Keiko.”

Keiko: “I was just-"

Rei: “Keiko.”

Keiko: “I was trying to-"

Rei: “Will you-"

Keiko: “I was going to, anyway-"

Rei: “Listen-?"

Keiko: “I was wondering if-"

Rei: “KEIKO-CHAN!"

Keiko: "Will you help me fix that flower?"

Rei: "What? What's wrong with it?"

Keiko: “Nothing! It's just, I-I don't know, I just want to fix it."

Rei: “Who said you had to 'fix it?'"

Keiko: "I did! So? You do it all the time!"

Rei: “Okay, wait-"

Keiko: “I made it-"

Rei: “I don't-"

Keiko: “For my parents-"

Rei: “I'm not like-"

Keiko: “And I'm just-"

Rei: “I'm not trying to put you down-"

Keiko: “I don't know."

Rei: “You don't know?"

Keiko: "No."

Rei: “What do you not know?"

Keiko: “I don't know.”

Rei: “You don't know what you don't know?"

Keiko: “No.”

Rei: “No what? You think I'm just not going to know how to respond?"

Keiko: “No!"

Rei: “My answer is no! Cause I don't! I'm just trying to have a good day, I get trampled by the creep that is Ichiro-san, and you're asking for something you don't know what to ask about-"

Keiko: “Do you think my parents will like that flower?"

Rei: "How should I know? I'm not your mom!"

Keiko: “You might as well be..."

Rei: *blushing* "Well I'm not! Okay?!"

~

Keiko: “Girls, let's deal with this Inkling!" 

Midori, Akemi, & Sora: “Right!"

Rei: “I don't know..." 

*everyone stares at her*

Rei: "I didn't say I wasn't gonna help him! I'm not brutal, I'm just honest."

Episode 11:

Sora: “She got detention for spilling paint and staining the floors. Honestly what did they expect from her?" 

Rei: “This is an art school. Getting punished for something common is dumb."

~

Orenji: “I'm not completely sure... but I think there's Neon Pens in this thing."

Sora: "How?!"

Rei: "Why does that have to be convenient?!"

~

*Midori is trying to break the crystal*

Akemi: “Midori-"

*Rei snatches the crystal from Midori*

*Midori falls in the fountain*

Rei: “Midori, you can't just do that to a very important plot device!"

~

Rei: “‘I am passionate that a rock will give me superpowers!'"

Orenji: “Keiko, you could join us!"

Rei: "You sure are late."

Keiko: “Sorry... I dozed off during class, so I spilled a jar of paint. The teacher made me clean it during lunch." 

Rei: “I still think that's a weird reason to get detention.”

~

Sora: “What if we accidentally turn someone into a frog or something?"

Rei: "If it's Ichiro, I'll be happy." Midori: “That'd be neat. We could make cookies that turn people into frogs."

Rei: “I hope I get turned into a frog then..." 

Keiko: "Me too!"

Rei: “Okay, you know what my suggestion is?"

*draws on the board*

Keiko: “Where does the door go?"

Rei: "Away from here."

*walks away and stuffs her face with noodles*

Keiko: “You know what, it's Rei.”

~

Sora: “If the villains come in to try and take from us, or if an outside force barges in, we should have several measures like cameras, traps, alarms, backup plans...."

*Keikos playing with her origami, Midori is half asleep, Rei is eating*

Sora: "Is that boring?"

Rei: *mouth full* "What? Sorry, wasn't paying attention, my food was more interesting than that stuff."

Sora: “Why are you like this?"

~

*Rei has earbuds on*

Sora: "Rei-Chan.”

*Rei removes a bud*

Rei: "Read a textbook, memorize it, spit its words on the exam, got it."

Sora: “Okay, there's more to studying than that, and you can't just block stuff you don't want to hear with those plugs."

*Rei puts the bud back in*

Sora: "Okay... maybe you can..."

~

Rei: “Those don't look anything like our designs.”

Keiko: "I know, just... it's nice to reimagine every once in awhile, you know?" 

Rei: “Well you make me look cool, so I can't complain.”

~

Keiko: “Karen has done us dirty coloring mud?"

Rei: "No."

~

Rei: “My head hurts. I guess that's a good sign."

~

Keiko: “In the rain? He could get a cold!"

Sora, Rei, & Akemi: “Birds can't get colds!"

~

Rei: “So what you're saying is that this is a trap, but we're gonna fall right into it anyway?!”

~

*GoldenAsh pokes her pen at Anka to get her off of Cherry*

GoldenAsh: “You mess with her, you mess with me! Give Orenji back! We're not asking you again!!"

~

Teal: “So the gem is white instead of black?!"

GoldenAsh: "Who cares?!"

~

Azure: “I think that whitener powers the Inklings up, making it immune to our attacks!"

GoldenAsh: “Thanks obvious! So what do we do to stop it?!"

~

*A bird is flying away with Reis earbuds. Rei is chasing it*

~

Midori: “Rei-!"

*Rei and the bird accidentally knock over a streamer*

Rei: *holding her earbuds* "I got them! They're mine!"

Episode 12:

TV Character: “So you see... One time you misplaced your paint brush... when it was right in front of the desk!!"

Rei: *laughs hysterically*

Sora: “That's just completely off topic to the situation..."

Orenji: "The kid made a history film that the teacher doesn't like, kept the outline a secret, and now there's a riot about nitpicks?"

Rei: “And this is supposed to help 'change lives!' This is so bad..."

~

Orenji: “Art schools are strict, but to this degree, I'm concerned."

*Rei is laughing* 

Sora: "How is this funny, Rei-Chan? It's an awful video."

Rei: “That's WHY it's funny! The lesson isn't 'research because it's helpful,' it's 'research because otherwise you'll be punished with extra schoolwork." 

*Starts laughing to tears*

Rei: “You guys don't get my sense of humor.” ~

Sora: “Hi, Keiko-Chan.”

Keiko: "Hi, how are you guys?"

Rei: “Watching a bad video.”

Keiko: "If it's bad, why watch it?"

Sora: “Apparently it's so people can rant about how bad it is... or just to laugh at it."

*Reis smile drops*

Keiko: "Would you guys laugh at my work if it was terrible?"

Sora & Orenji: “What? No!"

Rei: "Depends."

*They look at Rei*

Rei: "What? Depends if it's the hilarious kind of garbage."

Orenji: “You're really supportive, Rei.”

~

Keiko: “Well I can't get Akemi-Chan for the project, she has a show. I already asked her." 

Sora: “Then hire Rei..." 

*Rei is scrolling through the comment section and laughing*

Rei: "’This video is so inspirational. It taught me to value books with my life.’” 

Sora: “Actually, no. Don't even think about asking Rei for help on this."

~

Keiko: “Hey, it's okay, she's not scary, she's just... I don't know how else to finish that." 

Rei: “Wow, thanks.”

*Keiko puts her arm around Rei*

Keiko: “Rei-Chan, this is Yasuhiro Jiro, my old friend. Jiro-Chan, this is Rei-Chan, my new friend... We're all super close here."

*Rei blushes*

Jiro: “That sounds weird.”

Keiko: “Everything I say sounds weird." 

*Keiko puts a finger over Reis lips*

Keiko: "You do not need to confirm that."

~

Rei: “Hey, can I order a plate of mochi?"

Keiko: *mocking* “No."

Midori: "What flavor?" 

Rei: “Vanilla.”

Keiko: “Strawberry."

Keiko: "You're boring."

~

Jiro: “There’s also different editing between different camera shots, where you take every single one separately..."

*Keiko and Rei space out. Rei slams her head on the table*

Jiro: “And... yeah, that's what it's about. You guys have a copy too, I think."

Rei: "I burned my copy just as good as you burned my brain."

Jiro: “Oh... I'm sorry, I-I have a problem." 

Rei: “What? No you don't! You just... okay, yes, you have a problem, but it's your problem, so you should be proud of your... enthusiasm for drawings in motion."

Keiko: “You call that an apology?"

Rei: "I don't know what that is."

Keiko: “You're fine, Jiro.”

~

Rei: "I'm not really good at writing..."

Keiko: "What are you talking about? Writing is your specialty!"

Rei: “You have no proof.”

Keiko: "Your writing got us an A on the creative writing project."

Jiro: "Wait, you're a writer?"

Rei: “It's-it's private writing!"

Midori: "At least act a scene.”

*Rei smirks and snatches the mochi plate, laughing maniacally*

Rei: "At long last, my vengeance against mochi is behind me! I finally get a taste of the sweetness of my own, ALL the mochi in my grasp to be savored in my mouth. And NO ONE is here to stop me or have a bite of their own!"

Keiko: "No... I want a mochi..."

*Midori pulls out a chopstick*

Rei: "Who dares cross my path?!"

Midori: "Only the great savior of mochi. I am Mochi Pan!"

*Rains powder*

Rei: "And yet you use a chopstick against me?! I say we settle this like real men, on the mochi arena!"

Keiko: “Can I join?"

Rei: "Fine.”

*All three of them pick up a chopstick as if it’s gonna be a fight…*

*but they instead snatch a mochi to eat and start laughing. It’s a fun tone killer to the scene*

~

Rei: “I don't think it has lens on the back of its head.”

~

GoldenAsh: “Remind me not to watch cringe on a daily basis.”

~

GoldenAsh: “I hate taking pictures!"

~

Jiro: “Sorry, sorry, it's just-"

Rei: “He's freaking out.”

Jiro: "I'm not freaking out! I'm taking it in, with an unhealthy way of doing so."

Rei: “Yeah, he's freaking out. I think we just doomed ourselves."

~

Shiro: “So this is the place where you hold students prisoners and make them work their childhoods away?"

*Everyone else is silent. Rei laughs*

Rei: “I'm sorry... But I've been saying that since fourth grade! Thank you!"

(I both love and hate this character)

#pretty cure #precure #fanmade precure #fanmadeseason #compilation #mood #I both love and hate it #Rei Takeo #Cure GoldenAsh #Keiko Sakura #Cure Cherry #Sora Ayano #Cure Azure #Midori Chokawa #Cure Teal #Akemi Gina #Cure Crimson #Orenji #Jiro Yasuhiro #Shiro Nikko

[bookpadho]

The 10 best book blogs of 2023

The 10 best book blogs of 2023

Amazon Book Review This book blog topped Scribendi's 2020 list, and it's easy to see why. It's probably the most comprehensive book blog out there for contemporary works, and it covers all kinds of genres. The Editors' Picks seem to have something for everybody. All of this booky goodness is presented on a bright, easy-to-navigate website. There are even celebrity picks, where "celebrity" encompasses not only film and TV stars but also athletes, musicians, and authors. I must say that this online book store blog also tops my list when it comes to what's hot off the press and for its sheer variety.

John Pistelli If you're not concerned about hot topics and current events and are just looking for a good read, then this is the site for you. John Pistelli is a professor at the University of Minnesota and holds a Ph.D. in English literature. He has also published several works of fiction and poetry. His website used to buy books online review every week or so, and his choices are anchored in his personal interests, which center on classic and contemporary fiction. Take a look at his review index for a ton of books to choose from, each with his thoughtful and artful opinions and musings. He covers novels, nonfiction, poetry, drama, and comics, and he even throws in some commercial fiction for good measure. What also caught my eye is his "lifetime reading list," which includes titles you'd expect to be recommended by an English professor—but also some surprises.

Literary Hub This book blog has everything you need to keep up to date with the literary world, plus some news and culture on the side. In addition to its numerous resources for both reading and writing, what caught my attention is its "Book Marks" section. Similar to what "Rotten Tomatoes" does for movies, "Book Marks" compiles book reviews from magazines, newspapers, and websites and averages them into a score of "Rave," "Positive," "Mixed," or "Pan." You can also leave your own comments and reviews. Literary Hub is also a great site for finding your next favorite book-related podcast.

49th Shelf This site calls itself "the largest collection of Canadian books on the Internet." No kidding! The site is extremely comprehensive but also very easy to navigate. There's something for everyone, and you can sign up for free to contribute your own reviews, comments, and book ratings.

The Broadcast (by Reedsy) If you like reading lists, you'll love this book blog. From "10 Exciting New Books From Up -and-Coming Authors" to the "40 Best Spy Novels of All Time," you're sure to find a list that interests you. Moreover, it's easy to get lost in their articles on a wide variety of book -related topics.

A Life in Books Blogger Susan Osborne has worked in book sales and as a writer and magazine editor. Her book blog is simple and crisp. Susan provides thoughtful reviews and arranges books into unique categories, such as "Five Books I've Read," where she groups books in fives according to different themes, and "Six Degrees of Separation," where she links seemingly disparate books in clever ways.

The Orangutan Librarian This blog stands out not only for its unique name and concept but also for its color and charming sketches here and there. Books are rated using a five-banana rating system and are accompanied by thoughtful—and, at times, philosophical—reviews. The Orangutan also invites comments. There are intriguing lists like "Books that Gave Me a Hangover" and "Forgettable Books—Books I Can't Remember…Though I Definitely Read Them (I Think)."

Vilma Iris Vilma Iris Gonzalez is an "internationally renowned book blogger and USA Today blog columnist" whose focus is on commercial fiction for a female audience. She markets lifestyle, home, and beauty, but it's clear her heart is in books. Her site is smart and modern.

From First Page to Last What caught my eye about this blog, besides its stylish simplicity and plethora of reviews, were its unique categories like "Under the Reader's Radar – Celebrating the Quiet Novel" and "Spotlight on Publishers." You're likely to spot a gem.

Readability Reading Fleur Morrison's blog feels like chatting about books with a best friend. She's honest, thoughtful, funny, and engaging. I was pulled in by her accounts of her struggles with Dostoyevsky and stayed to read about her postHarry Potter blues. Conclusion Thanks for reading The 21 Best Book Blogs of 2021! Whatever your fancy may be, I'm confident you'll find some great new books to dive into. If you're an aspiring author yourself, be sure to check our website bookpadho.ezyro.com Our editors are experts at polishing prose to make it shine all the brighter. Moreover, if you're ready to pitch your book, can also help you create a query package. There's no time like the present to chase your dreams. Have a Good Day!

[teacherintransition]

Three Suitcases…Three Boxes …Three Dogs*

We’ve Got This Moving Thing Down to A Science…

…no an art, we got it down to an art.

In less than twenty four hours, Kim and I will be moving to our latest home and abode in Georgetown, Texas. This makes our fourth “home” in a year; fifth if you count three and a half weeks in Ireland and Scotland. Alexandria, La; Granbury, Tx; Georgetown, Tx; of course Nacogdoches, Tx have been our home addresses from January 2022 to the present. It has been an awesome adventure with surprising changes, challenges, a variety of experiences we NEVER expected to have in our mid fifties. We love doing this and are anxious to get on the road.

Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprising, a lot of people ask questions that seem to reflect negativity rather than positivity. “Don’t you miss your house? “What about getting behind with your mail? “Don’t the new people seem strange? “Why…what’s wrong with Nacogdoches?” Sweet baby Jeebus! Really? The good questions deal with the terrain, restaurants, outdoor activities, bars …a general feeling of being excited for us and with us. If it was miserable, we wouldn’t do it …duh! I don’t dare say; aw hell, it’s me …I do dare say, I’m tired of thirty years of the same thing. Occasionally I bring out the real cognitive dissonance artillery of, “I will not live out my days in East Texas. Those reading will have one of two reactions: “oh yeah, I hear ya” or “well, I love it here …hmmmmpf!” Whatever floats your boat.

Then of course there are the questions of logistics and practicality; “how do you move your stuff? The question of how we decide what to take with us soon follows. I can deal with this; it doesn’t imply rejection or judgement…two things I don’t dig. An old high school compadre who has lived in Georgetown for over twenty years, who I’ll refer to as “Scottie too Hottie,” offered to help us move in to our digs. To which I replied, “no worries dude …piece of cake; three suitcases, three boxes, three dogs…BAM! You can just buy me beer!” I was open to his to retort, which he did with, “dude, that’s insanely easy.” Now, to put that ease into perspective; the travel nursing agency hooks up with a number of Airbnbs that are furnished and kitchens outfitted…SCORE! Still, we have mastered the skill of traveling light and Kim is the maestra of efficient packing for campsites to travel abroad; she sees it as her own personal challenge. Remember, whatever floats your boat.

Reluctant to use the term, minimalism, but I shall; is definitely in play here. First thing is we want the three months where we are staying to feel homey. We selectively pick out several framed family photographs to place strategically around the abode. We load up our pantry staples and perishable goods and a three months supply of dog food for the herd. For the sake of clarity, the three suitcases, three boxes and three dogs are on my end; what Kim packs is a little more extensive because of her work needs. (Laptop, printer, GI manuals, nursing uniforms etc.) I shall speak no further on that…rest assured, she packs efficiently.

Back to the basics of my Three Suitcases…Three Boxes …Three Dogs. Since retiring, the bulk of my wardrobe consists of t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, shorts, one pair of jeans, two pairs of shoes and my unmentionables. I pack toiletries, my prescriptions and such. Included are a couple of jackets and hats in the three suitcases…almost bare minimum. In the boxes, are stuff I NEED! Books …muchos libros, my iPad for writing, doggie leashes, sketch books, my art supplies, my walking stick, envelopes for orders, bottles for refreshment and my ceramic Buddha. Finally, two Pomeranians and a loving English bulldog! I’m set. All of these things are considered quite carefully on the following questions. What do I want to do; what will I need to have …and then pack sparsely.

This is a transition situation: eliminate all but a few obligatory considerations. I couldn’t do that before as an educator, some folks when they retire choose not to eliminate them…I thrive on doing this. My obligation on the road is relegated to Kim, my herd and my passions. (Writing, Art, exploring, traveling) If all this sounds a bit bohemian or beatnikish…it’s because it is. We are fortunate beyond words to be able to travel as much as we do. This was one of the major goals of changing my life. Covid kept us grounded for so long, I feared it wouldn’t happen; but here we are. I won’t be burdened by anything that holds us back and only want to collect adventures. Fortunate happenstance made this happen; it could only have happened after my thirty year career and a total of forty five years of working; some folks wouldn’t want it. But for me, I only want to go everywhere and anywhere that only requires Three Suitcases…Three Boxes …Three Dogs!

*Title Idea from Radolpho of The Great Quadrumvirate

#open mind #retirement #coffetime #stress #change #teacher #i need friends #health #writing #education #europe #self actualization #self discovery #self improvement #socialmedia #self healing #social circle #social anxiety #writer #social media #road less traveled #road travel #roadtrip #road

[glitterge1pen]

You Only Water Plants With Cool Water

Rukawa Kaede x reader, sfw, fluff, word count 1,435

reader is a painter 

Rukawa and you both had practice. Studio sessions, gym time, he needed to go to the store for new basketball shoes, you needed new paper or canvas. He knew when you had had a bad day. When every stroke of pigment was wrong, when you had to change water too many times. You knew when he had messed up his scoring percentages, or when he’d landed a shot not to his liking.

You also had good days though. Ones where you would be electrified, dragging Rukawa to the tiny bedroom studio in the apartment, excited to show him a new piece. He tried to be subtle about sharing his smaller successes with you. Quietly asking to go on a walk to the park on weekend mornings, picking up a basketball before heading out the door.

While Rukawa couldn't exactly understand painting, or art, he did understand you. He saw how hard you worked, the same as him. You too were striving for something. So he lets you ramble on about new art books you had bought, different painters you admired, ones you hated, an art supplies store you wanted to try your luck at. This was also how you understood him. You saw how at home Rukawa watched all the NBA games, kept tabs on different players.

The two of your respective passions consumed lots of your life. Which is why he didn't mind when you had the door to the studio closed when he got home from the gym. You didn't bother him when he was watching a game. He would sleep on the small couch you had tucked in the corner of the studio, the radio giving a play by play of some game. Legs hanging off the arm rest, simply enjoying being in your presence. Some days you would go to his practices, half watching, half sketching out ideas for a new chunk of canvas. This was one of those days.

Looking up from your lap you see that practice is almost over. You set aside your work to focus on Rukawa completely. He really is something else on the court. Brash, aggressive, and still sly. Those parts of Rukawa were the same. The part of him that bluntly told you while out shopping what did look ugly, that way you swore he moved stuff around in the fridge to mess with you, or how he shoulder checked people a little too often. When he was playing basketball it was like the various gears and screws that made up Rukawa were perfectly made to play, like it was the only that life made sense to him. It added something to his outward psyche, a fire of energy that exuded from every pore.

You watch as the team starts to wind down. Shooting from various points on the court, running sprints from one side to the other, to end practice there was a complicated passing drill that you couldn't follow. You were prepared to leave, grab some take out on the way home, but when Rukawa came over to you he flopped onto the bleachers.

“Hey! Come on you can't sleep here”

With a sweat towel covering his face he mumbles,

“I can sleep anywhere, just give me a couple minutes”

But you know with Rukawa that a couple minutes can range from thirty minutes to hours. You pull on his arm trying to get him up, his eyes are stubbornly closed though. You poke, you blow air on his nose, you ruffle his hair and pull on his clothes. When that doesn't work you try threats.

“I won't pay for dinner”

“I was going to pay”

He says, words muffled by the towel. Exasperated you sit back onto the cold bleachers. You reach into a plastic bag you have settled down by your feet. It's from the craft store, new paint, new brushes, you had stopped there on the way to see Rukawa. Cautiously you pull out some paint and let it rest against Rukawa's skin.

“If you don't get up, I’m gonna paint you”

“I dont care”

“Really?”

“Why would I care?”

Before you two had been playful, teasing, but when he asks that he is genuine. Like he couldn't possibly comprehend why that would bother anyone. He has one eye open now, peaking at you, seeing that you are considering it now.

“I don't care, go ahead, just let me sleep”

At first you're still a little apprehensive. You are slow to fill up one of the paper cups from the players bench with the water fountain. You use the colors little by little. Mixing them in the palm of your non dominant hand. You start with his arm. The paint moves differently on his sweat tinted skin and you have to adjust.

Rukawa floats in and out of sleep. Lazily watching your concentrated expression move expertly over him. He likes the way the brushes feel, the cool of the paint. He notes that you're holding his hand differently, it's deliberate, your fingers not laced with his but clasping onto him. You do this so you can twist his arm this way and that. He can see blues and greens mixed onto your own skin in puddles. Then he’s back asleep.

You are no longer paying attention to Rukawa, or the dance group that came to use the gym for practice. You like working here. The gym lights are bright, the AC blasting cold air. You were originally only going to do something small. But now Rukawa's entire right arm has been consumed by paint. You are putting the last few strokes of detail on his arm knowing that you aren't done yet. You are afraid to dab at the paint to see if its dry, you blow on it and Rukawa gives a small smile at the sensation.

You pull the towel off of Rukawa’s head and lay it over his chest, placing his arm there too. You grab your bag of supplies and move to the row of bleachers below Rukawa. His left leg your new target. This is harder for Rukawa to sit through at first. The bristles of the brush more ticklish, but it is soon calming once again. He wants to see what you’ve painted on his arm but his eyes are still so heavy, he so tired.

“Wow you're really good!”

“Thanks! He’s a pretty good canvas!”

Rukawa wakes at the sound of your voice.

“Oh sorry I didn't mean to wake you!”

It must be one of the girls from that dance team he decides.

“It’s okay he sleeps plenty”

You tell the girl, she laughs a little before waving herself away. You're packing up your things, swirling brushes into the cup of water, twisting paint tubes closed. Finally feeling satisfied with his nap, Rukawa slowly gets up. Used to sleeping wherever he pleases the dull ache from the bleachers doesn't bother him much. He rubs the sleep from his eyes and sees it.

You've painted a river. From his right shoulder to his left ankle is a river. Patches of grass and flowers growing along parts of it, stones, clouds, waterfalls, waves of water. It’s dynamic, twisting over the grooves of his muscles. You are surprised at how gentle his fingers move along the outline of the water, tracing it down his whole arm. In between his knuckles the water fades off his hand in droplets. The red flowers a bold contrast to the cool colors of the water. Fish leaping in and out of the water, some not even breaking the blue surface of paint, shadows of warm color beneath the water.

“You like it?”

You ask, he only nods, still admiring your work. You get him off the bleachers, once standing the daze he was in wears off. He grabs his duffle bag and the two of you head out. The night air is refreshing, the sky dark blue but bright like how it is in the summer. The street is still buzzing from the dusk. People on the way home from work, light traffic in the street, store and street lights flickering in the newness of the night.

“I’m sorry”

“Huh?”

You don't know what Rukawa could possibly be apologizing for.

“I’m gonna have to take a shower and the paint will wash off”

“That’s okay I knew that when I did it”

Rukawa seems discontent with this answer but you aren't sure how to help ease him. At the next block Rukawa turns the wrong way.

“Where are you going the-”

“Walgreens”

“What?”

“They have disposable cameras at Walgreens.”

☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　

A/N: If someone made a bingo chart of my writing Walgreens would be on it. Will post this on ao3 later today :) Also no :) I did not :) edit this :) 

#kaede rukawa #slam dunk #slam dunk x reader #Kaede Rukawa x reader #gender neutral reader #painter au

[cxsmicmyeon]

congrats on 200 followers!! 🥳 thank you for doing this little drabble game! I’d like to request minseok + “is that a drawing of me?” 💖

hi rose!! thank u sm💞💞💞thank u for sending in a request!! i do hope you enjoy bb!!💓💓💓

12) “is that a drawing of me?”

genre: non-famous college au! fluff!!!! wordcount: 905 warnings: one swear

author’s note: this gif is literally him in this fic BYEEEEEEEEEEEEE😭😭😭 also im gonna tag my fav elsa @his-mochi-cheeks bc ur mans is making me emotional and bias wrecking me HARD

You knew you were going to be brought right back as soon as your pencil hit the blank page of your sketchbook. 

Ever since your middle school days, you were quite notorious for drawing your new crushes at least once in your little sketchbook. Even if the older drawings were a tad lackluster, you still managed to capture their looks in your own unique style. Even if none of those drawings would ever see the light of day.

As soon as Minseok sat in the seat next to you, you knew you were a complete goner. Throughout class, you had to resist the itching urge to abandon your note taking and take out your sketchbook. You had to suppress the need to capture Minseok’s spectacle-clad face looking down at his notes in concentration as your professor lectured on and on about the wonderous world of ancient Egypt.

Which is why you waited until class was over.

The magnolia tree atop the large hill overlooking your college campus was your favorite spot to draw. It provided the perfect amount of shade for you as you sat underneath, either drawing the scenery before you or something else for your art classes and/or free time. 

After putting your headphones in and blasting your favorite artist in your ears, you began to look through Minseok’s social media feed for inspiration for your drawing. It didn’t take long, as his most recent picture provided a perfect pose and outfit for you to capture.

‘Score.’ You thought to yourself as you set your phone onto the grass.

His brown hair parted perfectly in the middle, providing the perfect contrast to his fair skin and white, rounded glasses. Crinkled eyes coupled with a heart-shaped, gummy smile was enough to make you blush and grin to yourself. 

Minseok pushed his glasses up his nose as he made his way up the hill to sit at his favorite spot under the magnolia tree. He, like you, enjoyed the view and the serenity that the spot provided for him. As he got closer to the spot, he stopped in his tracks.

He recognized you: the pretty, daydreaming girl he always sat next to in class but never had the nerve to speak to. Swallowing his nerves, he finished the trek up the hill and sat down next to you. He went to take his books out of his bag when he looked over your shoulder, setting his eyes on your drawing. 

Eyes widening, Minseok studied the way your pencil moved across the paper, capturing every single detail of his face. He felt as he was looking in a mirror with the innate precision you put into every single shape of the sketch. He watched your pencil in pure, blossoming awe.

You stopped drawing for a moment to scratch at an itch on the right side of your face. What you did not expect was to accidentally elbow somebody in the face. You let out a yelp as you dropped your pencil and sketchbook, putting your arm down immediately. 

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize somebody came up here-” Your eyes widened when you made eye contact with Minseok. “Oh! Minseok, right? Are you okay?” You reached behind and tried to close your sketchbook, pushing it toward your bag before cupping his cheek and looking at his eye.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” Minseok said, adjusting his glasses.

“Are you sure? I’m so sorry I hit you, really.”

“It’s okay, please don’t worry,” You nodded, moving your hand away from his face. You went to pick up your “closed” sketchbook to put into your bag before freezing in your spot at Minseok’s words. “Is that a drawing of me?”

You looked down at the book, swearing loudly when you saw Minseok’s sketched eyes staring down at you. In an instant, you slammed the book shut and put it into your bag. “Um... I...”

“No no, don’t put it away, please. Do you mind if I take a look?” You gave him a short nod, opening the sketchbook and shoving it in his direction. 

Oodles and oodles of doubts and anxieties swirled around your mind. What if he thought you were creepy for drawing him? What if he hated it? What if he laughed in your face and ripped it up?

“Holy shit,” You nervously turned around, seeing Minseok staring at the page in amazement. “This... this is incredible. I watched you draw it for a bit before, but now that I’m getting a proper look? It looks so much like me. You’ve got a gift.”

“You don’t think I’m weird for drawing you?” you asked, looking down at your hands.

“Honestly, I was a little shocked at first. But considering how amazing your style is and how cute you are, it’s all good.” You sputtered in shock, tucking a stray hair behind your ear.

“Are you sure?” Minseok inched closer to you, placing a hand on your cheek and smiling.

“I’m positive,” He leaned in, placing a soft kiss on your forehead. You felt your smile grow wider and your face grow redder at the soft contact. He pulled away, scratching his nape and quickly adjusting his glasses. “Um, would you like to get dinner with me tonight? It can just be at the dining hall or something-” You cut him off with a kiss on his lips.

“I’d love that.”

#xiumin x reader #minseok x reader #exosnet #xiumin fluff #minseok fluff #xiumin scenarios #minseok imagine #exo imagine #exo imagines #exo scenarios #exo scenario #exo fluff #exo au scenarios #starry's 200 followers drabble game

[whumpingcrow]

Ink Poisoning - Chapter 1

Introduction

Surprise! A new story, new characters, inspired by all the lovely authors of tumblr who do BBU or WRU writing :) enjoy!!

CW: BBU and everything in relation to that, drugs/alcohol, party themes/setting, plane mention, college setting, breakup mention, tattooing/tattoo shop mentions (let me know if I missed anything!)

Nicko and Salem had never really been too close. They lived a few houses away from each other in high school, had some of the same classes, and were tied in with the same friend groups. They were friends, as much as you could be friends with someone you only hang out with cause they’re close by, but not close by any means. Salem felt a certain way about Nicko, he always had, a way that told him to keep himself a safe distance from him. Maybe it was his recklessness, the way he did awful, often mean, things seemingly on impulse, just because it popped into his head and he wanted to follow through. He was unreasonably harsh and manipulative and just attractive and charismatic enough to not suffer the repercussions.

Because of this, Salem wasn’t really entirely sure how he had ended up living with the kid in his last two years of college. Both him and Nicko had gotten into the state college and were both art majors (Nicko was in visual arts and Salem in music), so they had been around each other since they both moved into the dorms as smooth faced freshmen. Nicko was on the football team for the first year and a half, then he got kicked from the team. At that point he hadn’t spoken to Salem for a while, so he never figured out the real reason why. He heard gossip, that Nicko was caught doing drugs, that he had slept with the coach’s daughter, that he’d been fighting, but it was impossible to know if it was the truth. On one hand, Salem wouldn’t exactly be surprised if it was something like that, but on the other hand he didn’t want to believe that he was that bad. After that, he focused on his studies. Salem saw him around campus working in sketch books or on a canvas, sometimes he would show up to a class covered in paint and tired, like he’d been working on something all night. He was also doing an internship at a tattoo shop, he got paid a lot to stab people with needles, and he genuinely enjoyed it. Plus, Salem had seen some of the stuff he’d made, and he certainly had talent, even though he was sort of a dick.

During that time, freshman and sophomore year, Salem was pretty preoccupied in his own respects, so these were the only things he really knew about Nicko. Those two years had been difficult, looking back on it he was surprised he was able to pass all of his classes with what he had going on. There was a messy relationship, horrible breakup, and he used it mostly to put into his music. He wrote some of his best pieces about it, so in a way he was thankful. He was better off now, anyway.

Now, he and Nicko lived together off-campus, along with three other art majors who neither of them knew too well, but rent was cheaper with more people and they were easy enough to get along with. School was almost over, it was their last stretch of their senior year, and things were good. Salem’s future was looking promising, he’d already been speaking to different producers and composers who he’d been set up with by his teachers, as soon as he graduated he would have enough saved up to buy his own place, closer to where he would work, on his own. Life was so simple, Salem was happy and hopeful and for once, things made sense. He just had to get through winter break, then the last few grueling months would crawl by, and then he would be free.

But then winter break came and went, Salem went back north to visit his parents, and when he got back things suddenly got...complicated.

Nicko would insist over and over again to Salem that they had “talked about this!” and he tried to persuade him by saying “you said it could be cool!” every time they talked about it afterwards. Salem told him that bringing it up as a concept while they were getting drunk after midterms was not talking about it.

What happened was someone had read an article somewhere, maybe it was from a click bait thing on Instagram or a frightening news article on facebook, and had brought it up while they were all throwing back beers before they went out to their own respective parties. It was about something Salem had only heard hushed whispers about online, he wasn’t even sure how legit it was because of how rarely he heard about it: boxies. The word made him cringe every time one of them threw it out drunkenly, like it was something cute. If what Salem had heard about it was true, they were essentially criminals who were brainwashed (or trained, as they liked to call it to sound more appealing) instead of taking another sentence. Box Boys, Box Babes, they had more gross marketing names, all involving a box. Supposedly it was because they were notoriously shipped to you conveniently in a box right to your front porch, as if they were an Amazon package. Yes, living human beings stuffed inside of a box and left on your porch, just waiting to be let out so they can start doing whatever it is they’ve been retrained to do. And somehow it was all completely legal, if you did it through certain companies.

So, that’s what they’d been talking about, when Salem looked back on it, all he remembered from the conversation was something like:

“Dude, how the fuck is owning a boxie legal at all? I was just reading this article and-”

"Those are like, those servant things you order online or whatever? I've heard about those, I think."

“That’s not the point, Nicko. I’m talking about how it’s fucking crazy this is allowed.”

“I think it’s cool. I mean if it were me I’d rather get to live in a house as like...a maid or whatever than go to jail. Jail sucks. I dunno, I think it’s cool. What about you, Cobain?”

Salem hated when Nicko called him that, he’d been doing it since freshman year, when one of Salem’s songs was suddenly being passed around the school in a youtube video he’d forgotten he’d posted. Nicko told him that it was edgy, that he sounded like Kurt Cobain. That would have been fine, Salem really wouldn’t have cared, if Nicko hadn’t personally told him before how much he hated Nirvana, how the music sucked. So every time he used the nickname it was patronizing, a little stab at him.

Still, Salem merely looked up from his laptop, he was probably checking back on his flight information for going back home, maybe checking to see if his test scores were posted yet, and scowled at him. “Yeah, Picasso, I think that owning a person is super cool.” He’d been sarcastic, obviously so, and Nicko knew that.

And still, here he was, telling Salem that he’d “agreed” to getting this boxie. Salem would disagree every time, and Nicko would just roll his eyes and shrug his shoulders and he would get away with it. He was always getting away with shit, it was really starting to piss Salem off.

The day Salem got back from break it had been snowing. The drive back from the airport was stressful, it was late, Salem just wanted to go home and sleep. Going back to the town he grew up in was draining, sometimes. It reminded him of complicated times and hopelessness. He wanted to forget all about those feelings, things were going good, he could be hopeful now, and going back home made those feelings a little...muted, for a while. So he figured he’d go home, get into bed, sleep it off, and get back to being hopeful in the morning.

Only he couldn’t do that, because of course Nicko was having a party. He usually called it “having people over”, because he was trying to be an adult now and that’s what adults usually said, but when it consisted of beer pong and body shots that didn’t seem like the right term. The lawn was covered in cars, so was the driveway, so were both sides of the street directly outside. Salem had to park halfway down the block, get his suitcase and guitar, and walk down the street. To his own house. He wanted to break Nicko’s face.

When he walked into the house, the air was thick with smoke and reeked of pot and sweat and booze. The living room was mostly empty, Salem could see from the front door that almost everyone was in the kitchen playing some sort of drinking game or outside. The house was a mess, almost all the lights were off so Salem couldn’t see the full damage yet, but he could tell that he wasn’t going to like it when he did. He shuffled into the house, kicking away cups and bottles as he walked past them. Part of him wanted to just turn around and get back in his car and drive far away, never come back and never see Nicko or this shitty house again. But he had to stick to his plan, he had to play it safe here.

“Salem!” He snapped his head up, in the direction of the voice, sighing when he saw it was Nicko’s girlfriend, Aurora. Or Rory, as most people called her. She had dyed her hair a bright, shocking blue since Salem had last seen her, if he remembered correctly she had it a pale pink before. Her makeup was dark and heavy, like it usually was, making her eyes look all that more intense and striking. Except for right then, because she was very obviously high, her eyes hooded and lazy. She was sitting on the couch, a boy who looked a lot younger than her on his knees right in between her legs. He looked even more fucked up than she did, glaring hard at the floor and swaying slightly as she raked her fingers through his messy, dark hair. As Salem approached them, the kid flinched away from him and snapped his eyes up to look at him. He didn’t pay too much attention to him, too distracted by his anger. Rory had to shout over the music just a little when she started talking again. “I was wondering when you were gonna be back! How was your tri-”

“Where the fuck is Nicko?” He interrupted. His hand was tight around the handle to his guitar case, he could feel his heartbeat in his closed fist.

Rory gawked at him, then her crimson painted lips turned up into a lazy smile and she laughed. “Wow, someone’s in a mood,” she teased, “why don’t you have a drink? Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Rory. Tell me where he fucking is!”

Rory turned her attention downwards, toward the rough looking boy on the floor in front of her. Salem followed her gaze, realizing that he was now shaking, pressing his thin frame against Rory’s leg like he couldn’t get close enough. He was looking at Salem’s shoes, his face twisted up in a nervous frown. Rory instantly leaned close to him, hands on his cheeks and lips against his jaw, saying something in a real low, soft voice. She was calming him down, soothing him, Salem noticed, because he had frightened him.

Salem realized, then, how angry he sounded, shouting and cursing, and he sighed to himself. He decided he’d be better off just going to bed, putting in earplugs and waiting until the morning to deal with the problem. It’s not like he’d really be able to fight Nicko anyway, he was so much taller and he’d been on the football team and honestly Salem just wasn’t equipped for fighting. So he turned away from both of them and made his way down the hallway, to his room. He locked his door and set his things down, then he promptly stripped down to his boxers and got into bed.

The next morning, Salem was surprised to wake up to a clean, quiet house. He walked down the hallway, expecting at any second to see all of the trash pushed into a corner somewhere, he didn’t think Nicko would have cleaned up himself, unprompted. But it was clean all the way through, and he was impressed when he walked into the living room and saw Nicko, decked out in all black clothes and black boots, relaxing on the couch with his keys clutched readily in his hands, like he was leaving. He was speechless, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he approached him.

“Morning, sleepy head,” Nicko teased, tilting his head back and looking him up and down, “how was your trip?”

“Uh...good.” Salem answered, voice still gruff from sleep.

“Morning, Salem!”

He turned to see Rory standing there in fishnets and an oversized hoodie, dramatically tall heels wrapped around her ankles, making Salem wonder how she was standing straight. One time, when Nicko was busy doing an art piece or working on school work, he couldn’t remember now, she and Salem had been in the kitchen alone and Rory told him that she liked to wear tall heels because Nicko likes when she’s short and it entertains her to bother him. She said the best part of her day sometimes is irritating Nicko.

Behind Rory, standing with his head dipped downwards and his shoulders slightly hunched, was the same scared looking kid from the night before. He was allowing Rory to pull him along by his wrist, focusing on his shiny black boots, ones that he looked rather unsteady in, like he wasn’t used to tall shoes. His thin, oversized black tee shirt hung off of one boney shoulder, showcasing a few tattoos up on his collar bone and neck. They looked fresh, like they were healing. After Salem scanned the rest of his body (why was he wearing shorts and a tee shirt!? It was snowing outside!), he had healing tattoos all over, scattered every few inches. Were they all new? Salem didn’t know much about tattooing, but he didn’t think that was safe.

Salem didn’t realize he’d been staring at him, silent, until Rory cleared her throat, redirecting his attention to her. “He’s cute, huh?” She smiled, smacking her gum at him. “Nicko picked out a good one.”

“I...What?” Salem muttered.

“Our boxie,” she explained, holding his limp arm up in the air and waving it a little, making the kid flinch hard, “You were looking at him. Isn’t he precious?”

Now, he was shrinking in on himself more, looking rather embarrassed and ashamed, his face hidden mostly by his floppy hair. Salem frowned at him, then at Rory, then at Nicko, who was smiling smugly.

“You didn’t.”

Nicko laughed at him, and thus began the famous “You said it would be cool” argument. Salem was so shocked in the moment he wasn’t able to form a proper argument, so Nicko took both Rory and the boxie out the door and into the snow with him.

So that’s when things got complicated. Well, not necessarily right away, but that was the thing that kickstarted it all. It was a total snowball effect, where one bad thing happens and it just gets worse and collects more velocity and severity the longer it goes on, until it’s huge and it can’t be stopped and it flattens a poor snowboarder or a small city. Salem had to finish school, he had to start living his life and building his career, he didn’t have time to worry about huge snowball problems. That could ruin everything, all of his hard work and pain would have been pointless. All because Nicko decided to get a fucking boxie.

#whump intro #whump character #whump oc #whump writing #whump drabble #whump community #whump blog #whumpblr #whump #captivity whump #whump art #whump ideas #emotional whump #pet whump #whumpee #whump fic #whump scenario #whump prompt #whump tropes #caretaker #lady whump #whump dialogue #whump words #whump story #whump things #whump aftermath #whump comfort #whump concept #box boy whump

[meandmyechoes]

The more I think about Dark Disciple, the more I find something odd.

[28th March 17:46]

I keep referring to it as a ‘favourable experience’, and there is no question the writing is what made me fall totally head over heels about quintress, but I also just, can’t?

I mean, yes. It’s very passionate, dramatic, scenes and gestures I can only dream of. But I also, don’t really see it in that ’omg they totally belong together here are my sixty headcanons of them’ sense?

I am very involved in the pairing, but also don’t really, actively ‘ship’ it — like the way it was an open book with Rhayme or Latts Razzi (since it’s the same author that indoctrinated me to Captain Rhayme). I could imagine them being happily ever after and silly shenanigans and slow-burn. But the concept of a quintress fairytale ending is so wild. I can only ask how much it is tainted with my personal view on relationships.

I know the plot leaves little room for “the future” and fed us well on all tropes possible. But, it just never occurred to me to put them in any other clichés or invent a missing scene.

Winding up, I don’t think their relationship is "weak", but it’s very motivated by circumstances and once you take that out of them, you are a little bit lost. For example even during the illicit affairs month, I… can’t really propose one date that does not seem tonally insensitive. (I can think of them being cloak dorks and Vos bringing her to ice-cream, that’s it, after a long hard moment) Really, all I possibly want is that sweet, sweet angst and canon is already there so I have no complaint.

It’s just… I don’t really get why it has to be the two of them that fall for each other. I understand why they did, and I believe it— Perhaps it’s much more a physical attraction thing that I don’t really have personal experience with.

I don’t know if quintress classify as slow-burn because 10 chapters still seem a little quick in the grand scheme of things. (aside: I’m quite disappointed Ventress wasn’t doing much in the last quarter of the book.) My point is, they do feel a little bit puppet to tropes, and while it’s deliciously written, there’s not much potential outside of canon. And that lack of inspiration makes me grimace a little.

[3rd April, 01:39]

I’ve scrolled through the dd tag and let the book sank a little. I am better articulated to talk about the sexist criticism now.

It’s a romance story, and when I judge it by that (lower) standard, it ticks the boxes. However, it might be a weakness as well, due to the projectability of the heroes. And yes, the whole assassination is dumb. Yet, tcw has been consistently this dumb at us. The last two times when she’s more rooted in the dark she failed, sent Savage and failed, so she’s gonna do it again with Vos… after she put down her desire for revenge. right. and surprise! Our “assassination” plan is to find Dooku and duel him directly. right…

I’ve read a review that says the romance takes away from the plot. However, the romance IS the plot. The book IS supposed to revolve around the two of them. I do agree them becoming begrudging allies then partners is a more unique approach, more rewarding as foils as well. but I guess a romance is easier for the conventional to process ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

With the “Ventress lose agency in falling for Vos”. Now, I can’t dictate how each of us buy into their physical attraction and chemistry (or lack thereof), and there’s no denial that a conscious human being is making that choice for the fictional character, I think the stance on this topic varied person to person from the above two factors, which are very different starting points.

I kept Katie Lucas’s foreword vividly in mind while reading. She said this is a story about people seizing chances to rebuild. That there’s always a choice. Cliché as it is, I believe ~the power of love~. I believe there exists someone you’re willing to sacrifice everything for, to overlook everything for, to forgive - to love them, warts and all. So, yes whether you think Ventress loses her agency to the romance, or if that’s a conscious choice on her behalf, is swayed heavily by how much you buy that they are the one.

[10th April, 10:30]

Yesterday I’ve been thinking a bit more about this. I do love this ship, I just don’t believe they’d be two people who find each other again and again in every life time, in every universe. That’s why, as magnificent as fireworks, it also won’t last.

To explore this, it’s not entire impossible for quintress to separate peacefully after this incident, but would that cheapen the build before? The entire motivation of dark!Quinlan hinges on his vision of their future. And say, Ventress did saved him and survived. How would he balance being a Jedi and his feelings - that’s publicly exposed to the Council? (sidenote: i really don’t like Ch. 27 where a bunch of old men are questioning their love life, but uhhh yes, I’m a sensible person!) For now, I’m seeing another Obi-Satine situation. And honestly how bad that an outcome is. It’s not like Ventress died for her war crimes! The show gave her a full pardon! So Idk man. Why can’t she leave him because she loves him and she exiled herself and they never see each other again WHY NOT FILONI WHY NOT.

Now I’m lamenting more what could’ve been with the two arcs. In Filoni’s original sketch, Aayla and Maul were involved. Man, that could’ve been the dream.

~~~

Part 2: [26th April, 15:15]

It has been… a month, since I finished Dark Disciple and I feel like it’s time to conclude all the thinking this book has made me do.

On the wider reflection about attachment and the Jedi Order, I still have to do more reading on it from other sources to form a concrete opinion. This theme won’t be touched on in this post yet, but I cannot shake how intriguing it is to compare “falling” in love to falling to the dark side. The temptation, and the submission to their emotions, the irrationality, the newfound curiosity, it all incites. Very curiously, it was Anakin Skywalker who commented that one is “blinded by love”

Okay, so what I’ve been scratching my head off the past two weeks is how I look at the romance between Asajj Ventress and Quinlan Vos. How would I define it?

Now this is as much as an exploration of how I view romantic relationships. Well, I’ve decided it wasn’t “love”, it was an “affair”. It was an affair because it’s a rush of passion, it’s a secret, it won’t last. Before I chop my own head off for bluntness, I mean it in, of course they are hopelessly in love with each other, that’s the exact premise of why it moved me so. But it wasn’t a complete relationship, wasn’t a healthy, sustainable one by any objective standards. Then, that’s the exact contradiction. Oh to throw caution in the wind with you, or to build a future with you?

Both are things I want a lot, and the ideal is of course one after the other. What quintress had (in the end) is definitely not something I’d want for myself, but it’s so fantastical, it’s alluring, just like the concept of falling in love - opening up yourself and trusting another person, is - it’s risky. That’s why it’s a sweet, sweet drug.

I’ve been so angry at all the red flags in this relationship. Reading this book, getting into both of their shoes, yelling NO like their best friends. But ultimately, what they had is unique to them and I can’t influence it in any way. Re-reading, I find myself holding myself back at all the places I was furious about going ‘You are smarter than this!’. Because it’s a tragedy, and the beautiful (I guess) thing is they chose each other.

The other day something on the dash inspired me to really think about ship dynamics. I, unashamedly admit, I’m VERY into Obi/Quin/Ventress in any and all combinations. *cough* I will not explain further.

I do accept the premise and I did discover they share quite a bunch of traits, but it confused me a while what made them cross the boundary, and it was, physical attraction (that the book was selling so hard I was blushing hot). I love them both a lot, and I would like to date them both, and I can see myself in either of them. Again comes the contradiction, is it a good thing to have characters so easily projectable, or do I want to see myself in more complex characters like them?

I probably lost quite a few cars stalling this train of thought. And I've been a canon apologist since forever. This book brought me a lot of emotional upheavals and a lot of food for thought. It brought me down to reflect on my romantic worldview and sexuality because I have nothing better to do. It totally challenged me as a writer and it’s just a really good novel by its right, regardless of the absurdity that is The Clone Wars. It’s a lot of firsts for me. And I really should find something better to do.

[26th April 16:00]

I must address that I got spoiled of the ending and the first and second half of the book probably went through some big changes.

If I cried for this book, it’s score would be even higher. And I’ve been so obsessed with discussing the relationship, without shedding light on the characterization, which is definitely an unfortunate side effect. Then it occurs that quite possibly the second half (26-42) deviated even further from the script than the first? It doesn’t have concept art or blocking, plus possibly (heavily) edited to omit correlation to other arcs. My major complaint for the second half is Ventress doesn’t do much and we know NOTHING about Vos, even though he is given screen time in the book. my, I just wish Ventress punch him harder and drag his idiotic mess back to the light sooner.

And to criticism about it being their ‘toxic’ relationship being portrayed as ‘true love’, well, it really depends on how thoughtful the reader is, right? I think if the reader is able to notice all these red flags and gave their own interpretation of the relationship and its outcome, it’d’ve been an educating experience. There’s what for the reader and what for the characters. They don’t know this ‘love’ is destroying them, and what kind of message is it sending? What ‘love’ depicted in the book is true then? I have my answers, and I hope every reader comes to their own as well.

#dark disciple #sw reading #clean version #i yell 'EXCEPT THE FLIRTY PART' every three scenes

[duskowithapen]

Of Flowers and Tattoo Needles Chapter Two

Read on AO3

Read on Fanfiction

Read Chapter One

The Flowers

Luka walked into the Secret Garden. Juleka took one look at his face, sighed, and led him towards the backroom. “Be glad I hadn’t had time to take this home,” she grumbled, emerging from the freezer with a tub of caramel ice cream tucked under one arm. After a moment, a spoon appeared under his nose.

Rose looked up from where she was doing paperwork. “What happened Luka? I thought you and Marinette would get along really well!”

With a groan, Luka flopped into a chair. “We were!” He totally-didn’t-whine. “She designed the most kick-ass looking tattoo that was everything I wanted, she gave me the friends and family discount, she didn’t laugh at me when I flirted…”

“Well, that’s an improvement,” Juleka sassed from her own ice cream rub – strawberries and cream, because she was a sap for Rose, who she was intermittently feeding. “But I can’t see the issue…?”

“It was all going well until her boyfriend showed up.” Luka glared over his ice cream. “So thanks for the warning, guys.”

Rose frowned and put down her pen. “What do you mean? Marinette doesn’t have a boyfriend.”

“She was moaning about it during our last girls night,” Juleka interjected. “Talking about how all the guys who came into her shop seemed to be over-muscled sissies who cried the second they saw the tattoo needle.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know what to tell you. Him and Marinette were definitely close.” Luka was about ready to drown himself in his ice cream. Even the excitement over his tattoo had faded into abject misery. He looked into the depths of his slowly melting ice cream, recalling the last ten minutes with perfect clarity.

Marinette looked like she was going to devour him. Her eyes kept flicking between his, darting down to his lips and back. She had even started to lean in when someone coughed.

“Uh, excuse me, am I interrupting something?” It was a tall blonde, formally dressed in a pressed black suit that made his eyes stand out (yes, Luka noticed. He might have been besotted with Marinette, but he wasn’t blind.) While his question may have been innocent, the smirk that crossed his face wasn’t.

Marinette’s face lit up bright red as she jumped out of her seat. “Adrien! I wasn’t expecting you here till 4.30!”

“Look at the time, buginette. If I’d known you had another client, I would have waited.” Adrien laughed as he wrapped the smaller girl up in a hug, lifting Marinette off her feet.

Luka glanced down at his phone, while Marinette began to stutter out apologies. 4.28. He couldn’t have been a couple of minutes late, Luka thought bitterly.

“I’m really, really sorry Luka!” Marinette had come back, the blonde – Adrien – wandering away to look at dragon tattoos. “I didn’t realise how long I’d spent on your tattoo, and Adrien had been a last-minute booking, so I’d completely forgotten!”

“It’s okay, Marinette.” With an internal sigh, Luka gave her a smirk. “Gives me a reason to come back.”

It seemed to snap Marinette out of her anxious haze.

He didn’t know if it was his words or his smirk, but something snapped Marinette out of her anxious, apologetic haze. Her grin was evil when she stepped into his space. “You needed another reason? I thought you said you were fine with needles.”

Luka’s mouth opened and closed for a moment before he collected himself. “I’m fine with needles if you’re the one poking me with them.”

Whatever Marinette was going to say in return was interrupted, yet again, but Adrien. “Sorry Mari, but I’ve got dinner with Pere tonight, so if I’m getting this tattoo, I kinda need to get it now.”

Adrien was now shirtless.

That’s all Luka could process as Marinette stepped away with another apology.

Adrien was sitting in one of the tattoo stations, jacket and button up slung over the top of the chair. Marinette ruffled his hair as she walked past. “Don’t go rushing an artist, kitty. Otherwise you might end up with something less badass fire dragon and more Mushu.”

“Hey! Don’t go hating on Mushu!” Adrien gasped in faux-outrage, turning away with his nose in the air. “He’s travel-size!”

“Uh huh,” Marinette sighed as she walked back over to Luka. “Anyway, ignore him.” She held out a clipboard with a form on it. “If you just want to fill in your details, I can polish your design after I do Adrien’s tattoo, and then send it through for you to look at. If you like it, I can fit you in…” She paused and walked over to the desk near the door. “Well, I have a cancellation tomorrow morning, and I can get Nathaniel to do Ivan’s tattoo… I can fit you in for tomorrow at nine, if you’d like. If that’s too soon, I have openings next week?”

“Tomorrows fine,” Luka said as he wrote down his email. “And I’m sure I’ll love whatever you send me. Your rough sketch is incredible – I can’t want to see what it looks like in colour.”

The smile Marinette sent him was almost blinding. After Luka handed her back the clipboard, Marinette said goodbye and walked back towards Adrien.

The last thing he saw was Adrien’s smile as Marinette pecked him on the forehead. “Ready to get stabbed, mon chaton?”

Luka refused to look up as Rose and Juleka digested what he just told them. They shared a glance in that way all couples do – like they can communicate via intense eye contact – before bursting into laughter. Well, Rose burst into laughter. Juleka just chuckled and shook her head.

“You’ve got it bad, brother,” She said around a spoonful of ice cream, “It’s almost pitiful.”

Rose poked her with a pen. “Jules, don’t be mean to him!”

A scoff. “I can be mean to my brother as long as he remains a dumbass.”

Luka raised an eyebrow. “Oh really, sister? Do I have to mention the Prince Charming incident?” That had happened back in college, when Juleka had moped for days when she thought Rose had fallen for the foreign prince who she met on his visit to Paris. There had been much relief when Rose had clarified, no, the prince was too male for her refined lesbian tastes.

Alright, Luka had been pretty insufferable then too.

Juleka snapped the lid closed on her ice cream and turned to put it away. “You said that your appointment is at nine, right? Rose, we can open late tomorrow, right?”

“Ooo, yay!” Rose clapped, gathering her paperwork. “I can’t wait to see what kind of tattoo you’re getting Luka!”

“Do I get a choice in this?” He asked with a raised brow.

“No.” And Juleka pulled away his ice cream.

Later that night, Luka opened an email from [email protected]. Hey Luka! I’ve attached the full colour layouts for your tattoo. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow!

He was so glad he lived alone – there was no one there to watch him blush over an email from a girl who may or may not have a boyfriend. Then he looked at the photos. His breath caught.

These are incredible. The image was flat but drawn so that when the transfer paper was wrapped around his arm, the sides would line up. The snake was coloured in various shades of blue, with a lighter sea blue down what could be seen of the spine before merging into a deeper teal green near the belly. The belly itself was a pale yellow, blending in perfectly to the ring of daffodils just above where his elbow would be. As for the flowers themselves, they seemed to pop off the page. Bright blue iris’, with the edges of the petals tinted purple, bold red gladiolus’ with a white outline, pale yellow daffodils with brighter yellow middles… they all emerged from around the snakes body, with the gaps a deep shade of brown – the colour reminded him of his mothers’ mahogany chest – and tiny flickers of pale green leaves creating little spots of calm.

Beside the larger image was a single iris, connected to the main tattoo by two deep brown branches, with a scattering of leaves ringing it. The blues of this flower were paler – closer to the colour of his eyes, Luka realised with a blush – and the purple of the petal’s edges were the same shade as Juleka’s hair. The orange streak down each petal stood out starkly from the rest of the flower.

It was incredibly detailed, and just so much more than Luka ever thought a tattoo could be. He thought back to Rose and Juleka’s tattoos, how lifelike the flowers were, and found that he preferred this saturated, brighter than life version better. It matched perfectly against the calmer tones of the snake and stood out against the dark wood and pale greens of the supporting stems.

He sent back a response before going to bed. Luka couldn’t wait to go to Charmed Ink tomorrow.

This is amazing Marinette! I didn’t think your sketch could get any better, but you’ve blown all my expectations out of the water. Should have expected that such an incredible person can produce incredible art. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow – and get the tattoo.  

**************

The next day, a blushing Marinette waved Luka into the tattoo parlour, throwing a glare over her shoulder at where a red head was busy with another customer. “Luka! Hi! I only saw your email this morning – I was too tired yesterday to do much more than send you the design and go to bed.” She hopped up a little on her toes to press a kiss against his cheek, moving away before he could react.

“Rose! Juleka!” Rose was pulled into a hug that lifted the shorter blonde off the ground, while Juleka was greeted with a faire la bise, which his sister returned. “I believe I have you guys to thank for my newest customer!”

“Well if anyone deserves a Marinette Original tattoo, it’s Luka!” Rose chirped, “And he refused to show us the design – I can’t wait to see it!”

Juleka smirked from her other side, and Luka instantly felt on guard. It was never a good think when his sister made that face. “It’s something sappy, isn’t it? Mine and Mum’s name on a ship, or the score for his first song, or his guitar? Gods know he rarely goes anywhere without it – I had to convince him not to bring it with him today.”

Luka raised an eyebrow and wandered closer to Marinette. Her cheek kiss restored some of his earlier confidence, and he leaned into her space a little. “Marinette could make the most sappy tattoo concept into something that could even fit in with your Lady of Midnight, goth chic style. After all,” And here Luka returned Juleka’s smirk with his own, “She managed to turn your love song into a pretty cool looking tattoo.”

There was a hint of a blush on Juleka’s face as she pushed at his shoulder, making him wrap an arm around Marinette’s shoulders so that they didn’t both go over. Her first tattoo idea had been the Always from Harry Potter, surrounded by roses – Rose had always been a big fan of the series, and had actually cried onto Juleka’s shoulder as she read the last book – but when Juleka came back from the design appointment, it had been with the flower wreath concept. It maintained the original intent behind the tattoo – a permanent reminder of Rose’s impact on her life and of her feelings – while being truer to Juleka’s style and personality. Rose had loved it enough to get the same one.

Marinette glanced up at him, not bothering to move out from under his arm, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Ahh, so you’re one of those musicians. Any girl would have to fight your guitar for your affections.”

“With you, Marinette,” Luka said with a wink, “There wouldn’t be much of a battle.”

Another blush bloomed across Marinette’s cheekbones as she stuttered, almost drowned out by Juleka’s fake-gagging and Rose’s squeals. Despite that, it was a nice moment.

Of course, with Luka’s luck, someone had to break it.

The door of the tattoo parlour was slammed open, and a woman with black hair cut in a no-nonsense bob stormed inside, one hand curled around a wooden rapier. Behind her stood the blonde from last night – Adrien – and Luka’s stomach dropped.

“Marinette,” The scary woman started, “What exactly have you been tattooing on my fiancé’s chest?”

#miraculous ladybug #ao3 #fanfiction #of flowers and tattoo needles #lukanette #chapter two #tattoo artist marinette #tattoo artist/florist au

[rpgsandbox]

     Mock-ups for the Legends of Avallen rulebook, artbook, and playing cards

"From that island at the end of the world, no soldier returned without tales of wonder – walking forests, talking fae, enigmatic shapes half man and half beast: things that you ought not to believe unless you see them yourself.” — Kaato the Sage, writing on the invasion of Avallen

Legends of Avallen is an indie tabletop RPG inspired by Celtic mythology and Roman-occupied Britain. In this fantasy world, players and gamemasters alike will play out tales and themes of humble beginnings, the clash of cultures, and the mysteries of the Otherworld.

Where other games skip the origins of your character, Legends of Avallen starts from the very beginning: you're an ordinary townsperson looking for an excuse to adventure. From those humble origins, you will quest out into Avallen, growing both in character and in power as you discover its magic. Soon you'll choose to follow a legendary path, learning the ways of the Bard, the Gladiator, the Magister, or many more. You will seek out lost relics, slay terrific beasts, riddle with the Gods, and change the fate of Avallen forever.

Avallen needs legends – how will you forge yours?

      Illustrations of a humble shepherd, a Vallic druid, and a Raxian slayer

What makes this game different? You do not begin as a great hero; instead, you have humble beginnings as a shepherd, blacksmith, scribe, or other base profession before rising up to become an adventurer with your friends.

Designed to be quick to pick up for new players and RPG veterans alike, Legends of Avallen uses regular ol’ playing cards instead of dice. Players flip cards from the top of the deck hoping that they'll match the colour of their attribute, with face cards and aces helping you get critical successes—or a critical failure if they don't match!

The system pushes gameplay away from the rules and into the players’ imagination, emphasising creativity, teamwork, and resourcefulness. Players that make the most of their surroundings, narratives, and set up team plays gain advantages (more cards to flip!) while failure leads to interesting decisions instead of the end of play.

Gamemasters can handily make adventures with scene templates, a mix-and-match monster maker, and Fate Cards that add tension, risk, and a ticking clock to scenes.

And of course, the Celtic-Roman inspired lore!

Legends of Avallen will release as a full coloured and illustrated rulebook containing a player guide, a gamemaster guide, and a lore guide. It will be approximately 150-250 pages in length, depending on what stretch goals are reached. It will be available as a PDF and hardback book through DriveThruRPG.

Legends of Avallen is set in an ancient world but is designed with a modern system

Exclusively available for this Kickstarter we are producing a full regular deck of Celtic themed playing cards featuring illustrations from the mythos of Avallen. These cards are not necessary to play Legends of Avallen but they will definitely look amazing and complement the experience!

Ace of Clubs featuring Llyr-Don the Ever Elder and Jack of Hearts featuring a Bwbach

We don’t know about you, but we love art and have a large collection of artbooks ourselves. We want to share that joy of art and the thought that goes into its creation, so we are also producing an artbook for Legends of Avallen. Exclusively available for this Kickstarter, it will show off the concepting and designs that create the world of Avallen.

Preliminary sketches and concepting for Eilir, the daughter of a minor Vallic noble who sided with the Empire. She gave up her birthright to follow visions that lead her to the path of the Druid.

The Pen-Coed clan worship the Ever Mother and revere the forests, building their hillforts around great oak trees.

Avallen, the main setting for Legends of Avallen, is a mystical island home to the Vallic, a divided Iron Age people. The Vallic clans each claim ancestry to a different kind of Fae, and historically have been in constant conflict. These clans are scattered across Avallen’s diverse biomes, worshipping gods that embody the lands—enchanted forests hosting mischievous Fae and druidic rituals; rolling meadows scattered with earthen fortresses and cattle-raiding Vallic queens; mountains shrouded in mist, hiding ancient sanctuaries and terrifying beasts, and so many more.

But let’s not forget the Otherworld, a place of legends that lies parallel to Avallen, it is the domain of their gods, the Ever Ones. It serves as the final resting place for the spirits of the dead, but also as the birthplace of creatures of myth such as the dreaded Ffieidd-Dra (Feithe-Dra) and the tricksy Fae. The Vallic people are cautious in their dealings with the Fae, and there are many stories of unwitting travellers who wander into this unearthly realm never to be seen again… or so rattled they never wish to speak of their experiences so long as they live.

Stepping into the Otherworld often leads to great fortune, as long as you can find your way back.

Magic is also bountiful on the island, running through it like a roaring river. It is powerful, flexible, and vicious; the average person would do good to avoid it most of their life. The Vallic have a natural affinity for the spiritual magic of the mystics, those that channel the natural forces of the Otherworld.

Avallen is not all nature, magic, and mysticism, though—a new kind of people have settled on their shores. This is the Raxian Empire, whose concrete buildings, urban living, taxes, and other cultural oddities made landfall on Avallen from the mainland to the south a generation ago. As the Vallic always have been, their response was divided. Some welcomed the Empire onto their land, while other clans put aside ancient rivalries to stand up against the invaders.

                Port Magnus, a Raxian town on the south coast of Avallen.

The arrival of a new culture also means a new way of looking at Avallen’s magic and gods. The Raxians consider the magic of the mystics far too unpredictable and dangerous; they much prefer the more logical spells of the mage, those that shape reality to their whim. And while the Empire exiled their own gods back on the mainland, there are a number of Raxians in Avallen willing to worship the Ever Ones. For strategic reasons, of course—worship means protection, favour, and influence over the Otherworld.

Your character will start with very little, the basic skill their Profession grants them and a pouch of coppers to their name. But as they venture across Avallen and have a hand in solving local problems, they’ll come to learn new talents. From their Profession school, a character will go on to select a base Class, and their world will be opened up to the arcane arts and styles of martial abilities.

Valens is an apprentice smithy and part of the first generation of Raxians to be born on Avallen.

With your adventure rising to more epic heights, so will your character’s abilities—as they begin to make a name for themselves across the island, your character will begin to walk one of the Legendary Paths, like the Druid or the Gladiator. These Paths offer even more powerful, more specialised skills and abilities that will change how you approach the game both in and out of conflict. Your talents certainly won’t go unnoticed by the residents of Avallen.

After his border town was ruined by war, Valens followed the path of the Slayer, vowing to hunt warmongers on both sides of the wall.

Finally, in the most legendary tiers of play, as your character finds mastery at the end of their Legendary Path, they will be forced to face their own flaws as they contend with the powers that be in both the mortal realm and in the Otherworld. Both your fate and Avallen’s will rest in the palm of your hand. How will you change Avallen forever? How will your character arc end? Will yours be a legend of redemption, or tragedy?

You can check out the Rules Summary here!

Legends of Avallen is designed to be approachable for new players and gamemasters alike, with over 20 of our playtesters having never played a TTRPG before! The game rules are introduced gradually as your characters advance, opening up new lines of strategy and deeper interactions for RPG veterans to master.

The simplicity starts right off the bat with character creation. You first determine your key personality traits, your starting Profession school—the job by which your humble townsperson makes a living—and finally, your score in four attributes—Vigour, Agility, Wit, and Spirit. That’s it! You’re ready to play.

When faced with a challenging situation your character needs to overcome, you will make a check with an attribute by turning over two cards from the top of the deck. Cards of the correct colour will add one to your attribute, while cards of the opposite colour subtract one. You'll be on the lookout for face cards and aces though as they add or subtract more, with faces worth two and aces worth three!

You’re not always confined to turning over just two cards, though. Interacting intelligently and creatively with your environment can grant you Advantages—extra cards to turn over. And when you’re at an advantage, you’ll take the two highest cards of all the ones you turn over, which means the better chance you have of achieving a critical success! Your allies can always help you in ways that give you Advantages, too. This will prove particularly useful for tough foes—it's better to work together to get one key hit in than have everyone chip away in futility.

Llysaera, Valens, and Eilir face off against a Draig. Overcome terrific foes using teamwork with a few decisive actions rather than many repeated ones.

But you can always find yourself on the flip side of a situation—at a disadvantage. In this case, you’d take the two lowest cards you turn over. While that means a greater chance of failure, there’s no need to worry—failure doesn’t mean the end of play.

When faced with failure, you have a choice: either sacrifice equipment or yourself to force a success, or choose to accept failure and take an Edge. Edges are face down cards, that can buildup through a scene, representing progress despite failure. You spend Edges when you like, adding them to your own checks or passing them around to your allies.

By the end of an adventure, your character and your companions will be exhausted, and their gear will be broken down, but they will be triumphant, and you will have many a thrilling tale to tell.

Don’t worry GMs, we've been thinking about you as well. While the players rise up to become legends, you are the hidden hero weaving the strands of fate to make it all possible. Legends of Avallen will come with GM tools that will help you focus on storycrafting, worldbuilding, and play.

Quickly create compelling content by adding your ideas to Scene, Quest, and Campaign templates that will be built to support Avallen lore and faction guides.

Find out what your players' characters care about most by raising the stakes with Fate Cards. Fate Cards represent risk and a ticking clock in tense situations such as sneaking through an Imperial camp, or exploring an opening to the Otherworld. When a player tempts Fate, the cards will decide if there are consequences.

Concept art for a Vallic town, get ready to bring it to life with your own NPCs and story hooks!

The system is designed so that so you can come up with NPCs and enemies on the fly, because let’s face it—the players always find a way to throw you a curveball! Use the personality system built into social encounters to come up with deep and interesting characters at a moment’s notice, and see how your players use those aspects to their advantage. And quickly slap together fiends, when your players unexpectedly wander into places they shouldn’t be, with the mix-and-match monster maker.

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

Kickstarter campaign ends: Sun, September 20 2020 7:53 PM BST

Website: Legends of Avallen

#RPG #kickstarter #Legends of Avallen

[thoughtsofanexcitedspacechild]

The question is inevitable. I stop wiping down the ice cream equipment and look up. For the past two years, that’s all anyone’s ever asked me. Now as I sit here, I realize that by this time next year, I’ll be preparing to move. By this time next year, the question “what do you want to study?” will be answered. The thought of growing up and going to college has always been in the back of my mind, but it always seemed far off. Now as my boss asks me the same question I’ve been asked a million times, the answer doesn’t just feel real; it feels tangible.

“I want to hopefully study something in the arts,” I reply. “I’m hoping to study to then get a job as a concept artist for movies and TV shows.”

"Well, you know art can be just a hobby, right?”

***

I’m three years old. I’m sitting at the kitchen table with white printer paper spread out all over the place. Half of the sheets are filled and the other half to go. My tongue sticks out in determined concentration as I finish what feels like my fiftieth self portrait today. I’m still not happy with how the hair looks, but I’m getting better with every one I make.

“You know art can be just a hobby, right?”

***

I’m eight years old. I wait nervously outside the classroom in the aquatic and community center for my first ever real drawing class. I wait until the door opens and file in behind the rest of my peers into the classroom. I find a spot a little further away from everyone else. Once the teacher begins instructing us on how to draw the basic construction of a horse, I immerse myself into the lecture. Soon enough my anxiety melts away as I immerse myself in the drawing. By the end, I’m not quite satisfied with how my horse looks, but I look forward to the next day. There’s still three more days of camp, and I’m ready to get even better tomorrow.

“You know art can be just a hobby, right?”

***

I’m twelve years old. I’m sitting with what feels like my entire body sunken into an overly plush floral print couch. I watch as Mrs. Scalabrino, a family friend, teaches me how to make a magic loop with the yarn and crochet hook. “I’ve been doing it all wrong! Now I finally understand!” Deb hands me the yarn and hook and urges me to try myself.

This time, instead of having the hook slip through and make a tiny slip stitch, I loop the yarn though and then pull through a final time to create a stitch.

“I did it! I was doing it wrong!”

“It looks very good! Keep going and you’ll be making full projects in no time!” I smile at her compliment and keep practicing.

By the end of the afternoon, I have a long rectangle of clumsily made single and double crochet stitches, but I don’t mind. I’m proud of my lumpy, uneven, handmade rectangle.

“You know art can be just a hobby, right?”

***

I’m thirteen years old. It’s my first time at Blue Lake Fine Arts camp, and I’m taking my first pottery class. I’m carefully carrying my freshly reglazed pot to the back room of the pottery studio after fixing it for a second time. The first time it got damaged I had dropped it after molding the structure and the second time someone else bumped into me, messing up the glaze and sgraffito pattern and glazing in multiple places. I stayed after class during my recreation time and painstakingly remolded and fixed the intricate glazing pattern.

At the end of the session art show, I’m called to the front of the crowd of visiting parents and my fellow campers. I’ve just won the Outstanding camper scholarship. My cheeks flush furiously with embarrassment, but inside I’m also elated. Even though the pot wasn’t perfect. I was still proud of it. I worked hard to save and fix the pot twice broken, and for once, that work pays off. I look out and see the faces of everyone who was with me on the journey to complete the piece, and I know that that pot will always be more than a keepsake planter.

“You know art can be just a hobby, right?”

***

I’m fifteen years old. I lay in bed before my first day of high school. I should be worried about my academic classes, and I am. I can’t stop thinking about the homework for my double paced math class and honors biology, and the more advanced reading we’ll do in honors english this year.

I console myself by thinking about the art class that I’m going to take. By chance there was a scheduling conflict with my social studies credit, and there wasn’t a spot to fit it in. I’d have to test out of the class over the summer, but that meant that I could take Art 1 instead. I stay up and wonder what it will be like. Will it be like my art classes in middle school? Will I finally be able to try oil painting? What about ceramics?

I drift off to sleep anxious, but ready to try all new mediums and make more; to be able to create amongst all the chaos that comes with advanced academic studies.

“You know art can be just a hobby, right?”

***

I’m sixteen years old. I’m almost finished with what was supposed to be my sophomore year, but because of the pandemic, quarantine has made the past month of march even more grey and dreary than normal. The trees outside droop with the heaviness of the recent freezing rain and the sky is a somber grey. I stare absentmindedly at my computer screen waiting for my last zoom meeting of the day to end.

I return to my painting once I log off of our AP Art zoom. I glare at the canvas in front of me. I hate this piece. Even the dull grey color palette outside seems more appetizing than the same oranges and blues that I’ve stared at for the past three months. It’s the feeling in the pit of the stomach when you don’t feel particularly welcome and you know something is off. The dynamic is all wrong and you infuriatingly search the faces of the people there for an answer but to no avail.

I sigh and start to reach for my paints to force myself to push through to a solution, but set them down. “There has to be another way to get through this,” I say to myself as I open my sketchbook against my better judgement. After a quick image reference search, My pencil migrates from the jar to the page. I don’t worry about making it perfect. This piece is just for me.

I sketch out the figures of the boy and girl and boy in the photo, their arms intertwined in an embrace and their lips in a gentle kiss. I make sure her thumb just skims the length of his forearm and that his hand is placed just so on her waist. I step back. We’re getting somewhere.

Long since abandoned for my previous acrylic piece, my colored pencils feel slippery and foreign in my hand. I reach for the tan and brown colored pencils to start, but the bright fuschia red catches my eye. I cautiously begin to apply it to the girl’s face and neck area. Perfect. I don’t stop until the shadows crossing the girl’s face are all shades of pink and red and the boys silhouette is coated in deep blues. What next?

My watercolor palette sits just inches from my paints. I open it and observe my options. I water down a bright pink, an ocean blue, and my untouched cake of deep purple watercolor. I haphazardly splash the pink on one side and the blue on the other, applying purple to blend the area where the two seas of paint mix. I remember an old painters trick of using salt to make cool backgrounds, and apply a generous amount. The scissors come out next, and I delicately cut the form of the girl and boy out. I paste it right on the background and let it sit under a book overnight to press.

In the morning, I observe my work. It’s not perfect. The proportions on the girl’s arm are off and I never quite managed to capture the folds on the boy’s shirt, but I smile. I love it. This is my piece. No one told me to make this. I just did. It’s for me.

My abandoned assignment sits waiting on the other side of the table. I look at it again. This time I do see what’s missing. Like I did while I was working with the pencil, I need to add more depth. That’s why I hate it. That’s why it felt flat and boring. I set my new opus aside and reach for the beaten up acrylic brushes and paint tubes.

“You know art can be just a hobby, right?”

***

The computer screen finally loads. I'm exhausted and have just returned from a missions trip to the Dominican Republic, but in my blissful sleep back in my own bed, I'd remembered that AP scores had come out while I was away. The three numbers I've waited for loom in front of me:

AP Spanish Language: 5

AP Language and Composition: 4

AP Studio Art: 4

A four.

I stare in disbelief at the screen. I'd expected a three at best. I rush to tell my parents.

“You know art can be just a hobby, right?”

***

"Yeah, I know," I respond. "But it's so much more than that to me."

[ravenwolfie97]

2020 Art Summary

Yep, it’s 2021 already. 2020 is finally over. It felt like it lasted forever, and it felt like the end would never come, but here we are. Crazy how the time flew by.

I felt like I didn’t get much art done this year because of Current World Event, but I made a lot more than I thought I did. Even some of my new favorite pieces came out of this year, so I think that’s worth celebrating and looking back upon!

I was insanely productive during the first month of 2020, and looking back I was surprised at all the stuff I did, but then I remembered that that winter season was actually one of the best times of my life! I started being more socially involved, and I think my newfound drive at the time translated into all the art I pumped out this month. This is just a small fraction of what I made in January, but I only have so much space. Quite a few complex pieces in both style exploration and polishing my own style.

Apparently February was a rather intimate month. Things began to slow down in terms of my own art here, with me spending more time in social settings and school work ramping up, I didn’t have as much time to coop up in my room to draw. I did wanna do something for a friend’s Valentine’s Day OC art challenge, so I drew my lovey-dovey couple from Dance of 1000 Words havin’ a dance. Nothing actually came of that challenge, but it was fun to do regardless.

One of the things I was most proud of in the winter season was making more friends, and one of the closest friends I made was completely coincidental. I met a person named Kiri on the bus one night I decided to volunteer somewhere by myself, and we ended up chatting and getting along. They quickly told me their tumblr username, and I shot them a message immediately after they left. A couple days later, we met up for brunch, and we started becoming really close friends and creative partners!

Not much else happened in March cuz that’s when Current World Event started becoming an issue, but Kiri and I still kept in close touch and we randomly started developing a concept for a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Galar Edition. These are a handful of characters we thought up, with Skipper the Scorbunny and Dross the Dreepy as the main characters, Morgrem as the main antagonist, and some shopkeepers such as those of the Greedent Bank and the Indeedee General Store. This was also my first time drawing all of these Galar Pokemon (except Scorbunny, but I also made Skipper a bit more unique than a regular Scorbunny).

Lots of events happened this month. First of all, Steven Universe Future ended, one of my favorite and most influential shows was no longer continuing. I had to do something as tribute, both as a send-off to one of the greatest cartoons in the world and as a cathartic release for my feelings towards it.

A while later, I got the opportunity to start playing an MMO in beta called Fer.al, by the same people who made Animal Jam, which coincidentally I had also beta tested for back in the day. I ended up getting really attached to my first character, a Senri I named Sasha, and though I’ve made more characters than them since, they’re still my absolute favorite. Though I haven’t touched the game in a few months, I was really engrossed for a long time and enjoyed playing through the beta and early access phases.

At the end of the month, some friends of mine invited to a roleplay group with some mutuals, and we all played characters in a crime syndicate. Just a bunch of ragtag thieves and criminals who ended up together in order to protect an artifact called the Crown of Thieves, which was essentially a flag to be taken by other groups to prove that they are the best thieves in the land. My character was based heavily on my sona (if it wasn’t obvious) and was also influenced by Cloud Strife, since the FFVII Remake had just come out and I was super into watching the cutscenes at the time. My character’s (code)name is Valkyrie, and they are a mercenary, going between multiple different employers to carry out whatever duties they need to do. They have a more complicated backstory, but presently they were recently hired by recommendation of their friend Shark (played by @shmoots-universe​ who is also My friend now ily maya) who works with a group called the Court Cards who are currently in possession of the Crown of Thieves. Valk never really had a place to call home, but staying with this group of people had to be the closest they could get to that feeling. They still sleep with a knife under their pillow because of trust issue but that���s okay.

Okay, so technically these examples started in April, but I continued making content with them in May, and the month was just pretty void of art in general, so here I am addressing them.

There were two main things I worked on this month: a Steven Universe AU of my own and the whole #sixfanarts thing that kicked off around then. Let’s start with the fanart bits. I did two and a half of them (six in April and nine in May), and it was so much fun to be able to draw stuff I don’t normally do! My personal favorites are shown here: Blake Belladonna from RWBY, Roll from Megaman, Yuki Konno from Sword Art Online, and Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The other thing I’d been planning for a while was a Steven Universe AU, probably to cope with the show being over but also because I was inspired by a lot of those SU AU artists I started following at the time. I won’t share the details here because it’s gonna have its own blog at some point, but the example I’ve shown here is of a comic I made loosely in order to introduce a divergence in the plot of the story as well as introduce a character unique to my AU. It was a lot of fun figuring out how to draw the characters and get a feel for the style.

As the year progressed, my amount of art I made per month began to dwindle, this time mostly because school was kicking my ass especially hard with finals. However, I took what time I had to get some backburner pieces finished, like the Tigerlily picture which I sketched out a couple months back, and the Gunvolt picture which I started working on SIX YEARS AGO. I don’t quite know why I got the urge to work on it again after so long, but it was nice to finally realize. The other drawing for DOTS was done in the dead of night but I was really happy with how it came out.

Despite only having two summer classes left of school, this month was really rough because they demanded a lot of my time and attention. I did not have the gumption to do anything digital, so I stuck to my sketchbook to get out what I felt like getting out.

My friends and I did a stream of the game Helltaker, and I really enjoyed the concept, so in following my friends I made my own Helltaker demon OC named Raksha the Ravenous Demon (it’s a pun but also got mythical insp). I also got super into Hazbin Hotel at this point, mostly because the Addict music video dropped and I couldn’t get enough of it, so I doodled Angel Dust cuz I felt like it. The other drawing I did was actually a free commission I gave a friend of mine as a prize for a trivia game show I ran back in June. He along with a couple other friends got some free drawings from me for getting the top three scores, and this one in particular was fun because of how interesting it was. He wanted me to draw a video game reviewer called the Irate Gamer from a specific moment, and I decided to go ham and just make it as dramatic as possible.

University classes finally wrapped up and right after that I was in the process of moving out of my apartment and getting adjusted to living with my parents again. I did a couple of agg.io drawing sessions with my friends from the Court Cards group as well as a new Dungeons and Dragons homebrew group I had joined. I drew some more of Valkyrie and came up with a design for my DND character Qakuqtuq (or Kai for short). He is monkey grandpa and I love him.

My main focus was on finishing a polished piece for my friend Cake, whose birthday was in the upcoming month. I wanted it to be as amazing as possible, so I put a lot of time into getting more detailed and making them look good. In addition to that, I did a few TOME doodles just for fun. The creature on the bottom was for this month’s art challenge on my Discord server where we made original TOMERPG monsters, and I created Hundylow, a Crystal-element monster based on the Grindylow from English folklore.

This month was a lot more productive than the past few had been. I tried to do a 31-day art challenge called Creatober but failed to get past the third prompt because I was still swamped with other work. I’m still happy with what little I did, including the piece with my characters Kyle and Guarudan from DSWD.

I don’t remember how, but I also suddenly rediscovered an old Flipnote Hatena series called Tales of LostClan, a Warriors fan series that I would say was the most obscure thing I’ve ever been super invested in. It was what got me into the actual Warriors books, and I liked it so much I redrew the animations into a comic... twice. Didn’t get nearly as far the second time but clearly my love for this little fanfiction had not waned after nearly a decade. I felt like drawing a book cover/movie poster for the series, just to get it out there and see how much I’ve improved over all that time.

Also I felt like making a vampiresona just before Halloween because I never dress up for Halloween in art (or real life anymore, for that matter), and I wanted to do something like that for once. It was short-lived but I really liked the design!

The focus of this month was definitely on Pokemon stuff. As per usual I contributed to the current Gotta Draw ‘Em All collab, and I was tasked to draw Regieleki. It was really fun to figure out how to make it stand out and look like it was made of electricity.

I also committed a lot of my spare time to my Fakemon Gym Leaders, as I had been working on bringing them to life in the past year or so now. As of this post, I’ve finished rendering their full body poses and gym badges, but I’m still working on completing all eight VS portraits, the first half of which are shown here.

I... didn’t draw anything this month, actually. What I’m showing here was worked on in the last few days but has actually been in progress for a couple of months, and I just finished it earlier today, in 2021. But I needed to show something off, and it’s also about time I mentioned it.

Back in October, I kept seeing people rave about this game called Genshin Impact, and I was interested but not so much as to start playing it... until my friends started playing and I was like “fuck it, let’s download it”. Since that day, I have been super immersed and in love with this game, to the point I came up with my own canon based on my gameplay experiences. This also included the creation of an original player character: Astra, the non-binary Traveller. And now, I’ve finally drawn them and brought them to life.

It has been one hell of a year. I had some of the highest highs and lowest lows in 2020, lots of changes, and I have now officially moved onto the next chapter of my life now that my time at university is finally over. I’m very excited for what 2021 has to offer, and I’m going to go forward with great ambition.

#my art stuff #art summary #this is always a joy to do every year and i'm glad to keep up the tradition for the sixth year in a row #this year was super good for this as well just to look back on what i was actually able to accomplish #long post #tome #hazbin hotel

[nsheetee]

Okay,, hear me out,, enemy! Hyuck hating the reader, maybe like because they always comepete to see who’s better, and he always loves seeing the reader get hurt, whether it be they got a bad grade or they tripped over their shoelace. Hyuck just finds it satisfying to see them fail. But, like,, seeing the reader cry for the first time, just really gets to him and he eventually stops hating them and starts trying to help them, and bam, adorable romance because enemies to lovers is great

a/n: okay anon pls I LOVE enemies to lovers tropes, and with hyuck???? SiGn Me uP- (there’s also another one with Jaehyun coming soon so look out for that winkwinkwink) also, I’m doing this in a different style than I usually do, I hope its alright~

(featuring renjun, jeno, and jaemin- also, some swearing)

hyuck didn’t hate you because of one reason

he hated you because of a whole combination of reasons

like how in 8th grade you would sit at the edge of his lunch table

and when hyuck pulled out his DS to show off his Nintendogs

you joined in on the conversation and showed all his friends your own Nintendogs

making all of hyucks friends move over to your side of the table and crowd around your screen

or how in 9th grade when you accidentally met his parents at one of his basketball games

you were talking with them in the bleachers, and when hyuck shot a basketball into the hoop

he looked over at where his parents sat

they didn’t see him score

they were too busy talking to you

but the thing that pushed him completely over the edge was in 10th grade when there was a solo competition in choir

hyuck spent hours in the practice room rehearsing his piece and even got his own accompanist

and when you went up to perform for the competition, you admitted that you only practiced the night before

when you ended up winning the competition, hyuck’s blood boiled

he couldn’t even look at you

he decided right then and there that he hated you

he hated your ability to draw attention to yourself

and he hated the natural talent you have for anything you do

what he didn’t know, was that you did all this because you had a crush on him

you wanted to impress him and you thought he would appreciate your ways of showing him

but hyuck was just a boy- a dumb one (aren’t they all smh)

so hyuck tried to get back at you

like when he “accidentally” stepped on your shoelace while you were walking up the stairs

your books and papers tumbled down the staircase

you fell forward to catch yourself and landed on your wrist in a weird position

hyuck LOVED watching you get all pissy about having to wear a brace on your dominant hand

until his friend jeno offered to take all your notes for your classes

jeno sent hyuck an apologetic look as he moved to sit next to you

and hyuck had to spend the next few weeks watching you and one of his closest friend giggle over stupid stuff the teach said and whisper jokes in each others ears

or when you were in your culinary class and hyuck added in extra spices to your dishes when you weren’t looking, making you confused as too why your cooking didn’t taste good

until his friend jaemin came over and helped you balance out the spices

and hyuck watched from his table as you and jaemin fed each other the food you made

hyuck even went as far as to annoy you in your happy place- the art room

you and renjun would go to the art room during your breaks in school

and hyuck would wander in and pretend he was talking to renjun

when really he was trying to tease you about your drawings

and then one day- hyuck made a mistake

he was trying to see what doodle you just drew in your sketch book

he was tugging one cover of the book and you gripped the other and BAM

the book tore in half

you, renjun, and hyuck all stared at the shredded book in shock

hyuck couldn’t help the small laugh that left him- it wasn’t because he found the situation funny

it’s because he knew he screwed up

but you couldn’t tell the difference

“hyuck…” you choked out after hearing him laugh “don’t you think you went a little too far this time?”

whatever smile was on hyuck lips immediately vanished as he saw the tears coming into your eyes, pooling at the edges, ready to spill down your soft cheeks

you had never cried in front of him before

through all the teasing and pranks- you were always strong-headed and resilient

until now

his heart clenched at the sight and his hand reached out for some reason, like holding onto you would fix the situation

you pushed his hand away and stared down at the book

your heart was confused- your crush of so many years just ripped your pride and joy in half (literally)

you had hoped that somewhere deep in all of the teasing, hyuck had some feelings for you

but your head kept telling you that maybe you should just end it here

you let out a sob

and for some reason hyuck couldn’t bare it

he couldn’t bare knowing the tears on your face were because of him

renjun pushed hyuck out of the room and when hyuck looked back into the room through the window

there was renjun, comforting you as you held your torn sketchbook

hyuck knew he was the only one who could fix this mess

so the next day, you walk into your classroom and instead of your seat mate at your desk, hyuck was there

“hyuck, can you just leave me alone-”

“no, sit down”

hyuck was PERSISTENT AF

he bought you a new sketchbook

(it was your favorite color and you asked him how he knew and he stuttered out something like “you never stop talking about it, idk”)

he carried your books between classes

(you joked about “accidentally” stepping on his shoelaces)

(he was like, “if it’ll make you laugh”)

(yeah, whatever feelings you thought had gone away came right back after that)

hyuck was in MAJOR CONFUSION

he was only gonna “be nice” to you for a few days, maybe a week

but he ended up..,.,. liking spending time with you (???)

he just felt… comfy and like he didn’t have to always play pranks and say something funny to entertain you

be could just say whatever was on his mind and you would appreciate it either way

it made him relax into you

he also didn’t mind the other little things about you he started to get familiar with

like the unrestrained belly laughter you let out when jeno says something really dumb again

or the doodles you draw on your papers that eventually transferred onto hyuck’s because you ran out of room

hyuck was persistent in a lot of things- and his feelings were one of them

despite the fluttering feeling in his heart and the subconscious smile that would rest on his face when he was around you-

he still was confused about all the things you did to him when you were younger

he asked you about it one day after lunch

you were sitting outside on the lawn, the shade of a tree over you and spring air cooling you down

“y/n…. can I ask… why did you do all those things to me when we were younger?”

“what things?”

“you took my friends as your own… somehow even my parents like you after the first time they met you…. you even got 1st place in that choir competition last year- I mean I know you have talent but-” hyuck just realized how uncomfortable he was making the situation by asking you all this

thankfully you shut him up with a small laugh

“hyuck… you thought I didn’t like you?”

“well… yeah?”

“it’s the opposite” you admit

hyuck’s eyes widen and neither of you are able to look at each other

his usual confidence no where to be seen- he could only stutter out his next words

“d-did you think I hated you too?”

“… you ripped my drawings in half, what do you think, dumbass?”

“when will you let that go? it was an accident-”

“yah, will you two just kiss and make up already?” renjun shouted from the other side of the tree where he was also taking advantage of the shade

he leaned back against the tree with his eyes closed and a smirk on his face and you and hyuck shut up

whatever miscommunications made you and hyuck fight in the past

it was just that = in the past

(and indeed you did, kiss and make up)

#haechan #nct dream fluff #haechan fluff #nct soft hours #nct x reader #nct haechan #nct scenarios #nct imagines #nct au #nct drabbles #haechan scenarios #haechan imagines #haechan au #haechan drabbles #haechan x reader #nct fluff #haechan soft hours #dreamies #00line #enemies to lovers au #bulleted au #thank you for your request 💚

[callmegremlin]

Hesitation

Kagaminette/Marigami One-Shot, Takes place after Ikari Gozen

~~~

Marinette fixed the pillows on her bed, gazing around her room, now spotless from the scraps of fabric and sketches she’d had strewn about earlier. Her head turned at the ring of her phone, a text. Her breath caught and she felt her heart stutter as she scrambled to her phone. Eagerly opening the new message, a grin growing at seeing Kagami’s name at the top. Her face flushed pink at the text, like most interactions with Kagami over text the tone was serious and to the point,

“Finished training. Mother said she’ll let me sleepover. Thank you for inviting me. I can’t wait.”

           What really made Marinette’s heart melt was the emoji’s that followed, a smiley face and peace sign hand. Marinette had put a lot of effort to help Kagami grow comfortable being more casual with her, getting the other girl to use emoji’s was quite an improvement over the last few months. She quickly typed out a reply to Kagami, expressing how she was excited too along with her own set of emjoi’s. She set her phone down and sighed, flopping onto her chaise dramatically,

           “She’s actually coming tonight.” She said dreamily. It had taken a lot of work to get Kagami’s mother, Tomoe, to warm up to her. But she had approved of the girl’s friendship and allowed them to hang out regularly. Marinette actually got to sleepover at Kagami’s a few times already but having Kagami over to her house was a whole new hurdle for convincing.

Tikki flew out from where she’d been grabbing a macaroon on Marinette’s desk,

           “Oh wow, I can’t believe her mom’s letting her.” she said with a smile before taking a small bite of the macaroon.

           “I don’t know how she convinced her mom but yeah.” She said, biting her lip eagerly, making Tikki giggle

           “Good luck stumbling over yourself all night.” She teased, eating the last bit of her treat before flying up and nuzzling Marinette’s cheek. “You fall apart in front of her as badly as you do in front of Adrien.” She said with another giggle. Marinette rolled her eyes and blushed as she leaned into Tikki’s affection.

           “I-I can’t help it.” She muttered softly, she looked to the side shyly. Ever since Marinette had began spending more time with Kagami she couldn’t deny how her feelings had grown. She cared for Kagami as a friend, but their time together had allowed Marinette to see a side of Kagami she couldn’t help but fall for. When alone, Kagami’s usually stoic expression had shifted to subtly expressive and passionate. Not the stubborn, competitive passion she had with fencing. Instead it was passion for the latest book she was reading, or curiosity about Marinette’s designs and expressing herself creatively. The Kagami Marinette had slowly fallen for was who Kagami became when they were alone, unafraid of meeting her mother’s stern expectations. “She’s just… so sweet, she really cares and is always happy to try anything. She’s never afraid of anything and she’s so pretty.” Marinette gushed with a grin. Tikki giggled again and playfully flew around the other’s head,

           “You’ve really fallen for her, Marinette.” She said with a smile, tilting her head. Tikki loved seeing Marinette so happy, “You should tell her. She might feel the same.” She urged. Tikki had watched the two girls interact and had her own assumptions on how Kagami felt. Marinette’s eyes widened in horror, shaking her head dramatically and pushing Tikki away in a panicked wave of her arms,

           “Wh-what no!” she said in horror, “I can’t tell her! What if-“ before she could finish her sentence the doorbell rang making her heart race more, “Th-that’s probably her. You better hide Tikki.” She said, her face a soft pink as Tikki nodded and flew off to a hiding spot.

           Marinette hurried down to answer the door, but her mom had answered it before she could. Sabine was greeting Kagami as Marinette came down the stairs.  The polite smile on Kagami’s face grew as she looked up at Marinette and they locked eyes, throwing off any coordination Marinette had hoped to have in her feet. She tripped and stumbled down the last few steps. Falling over herself wasn’t unfamiliar to her, so Marinette was quick to stand with a blush,

           “Be careful Marinette.” Her mother said in serious concern as Kagami’s brow raised and her smile grew more. She’d grown to find Marinette’s clumsiness only slightly bothersome and more of a cute quirk.

           “I’ll make certain she gets upstairs without any new bruises Ms. Cheng. Thank you for having me over.” Kagami said in a kind voice, and a nod. “Hi Marinette.” She added looking back at her friend as she made her way to the stairs.

           “H-Hi Kagami.” She said nervously, trying to calm herself as she grinned, “Here, uhm. Let me bake your tags. Ah. No - take your bags.” She said, holding out a hand to take Kagami’s overnight bag for her. A soft chuckle fell from Kagami as she stepped closer, swinging the small bag behind her back,

           “I think you should focus on where your feet fall. I can handle my bag Marinette.” She teased, making Marinette’s heart stutter at the sight of the other’s playful smirk. She nodded jerkily and turned on her heel to lead Kagami up to her room. Now trying to pay careful attention to make sure she didn’t stumble again. Kagami followed behind her, using her free hand to press gently on the others back, wanting to make sure she really didn’t fall again.

           The sensation of Kagami’s hand on her lower back had Marinette’s face pink, and she swallowed a nervous lump in her throat.

           “H-how did you convince your mother to let you sleep over?” she asked softly, looking over her shoulder to glance at Kagami as she opened the door to their living room. Kagami walked into the room behind her with a shrug,

           “I pointed out that my test scores and training has improved since becoming friends with you. If you’re a good influence I have reason to spend more time with you. She’s making me practice extra next weekend, but it’s worth it.” She said with a smile as they continued up to Marinette’s room. Her friendship with Marinette had been one she hadn’t expected, but greatly appreciated. She had never known someone so kind and full of love. Marinette seemed to have a soft spot for everyone in her life, even those she didn’t particularly like. Her kindness was what had allowed their friendship to blossom and Kagami couldn’t help but admire how the other wore her heart on her sleeve.

           Kagami knew better than to lie to herself. She had slowly grown to have feelings for Marinette over the months of their friendship. The other’s devotion to her art and friends, her awkward stumbling, and her warmth to let Kagami open up in a way she couldn’t at home or school had led to butterflies in Kagami’s stomach.

           “Is that true? Have you been improving since we started hanging out?” Marinette asked curiously, letting Kagami up into her room. The thought that she could be such a positive influence in the other made her heart swell.

           “If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here. You know my mother. She’s all about the numbers and seeing actual improvement.” Kagami said as she looked around the vaguely familiar room, they’d spent little time hanging out together here – most of their time was at her house or public spaces. She made her way to the chaise and set her bag down beside it. “Enough about my mother and school though. Where’s that game you were wanting to have me play?” she asked with a smile and raised brow.

           Marinette felt like she was as light as a feather, hearing Kagami confirm their friendship had noticeable good impact on her – a fact that might lead to more sleepovers – made her stomach do flips and breath catch. She was shaken out of her eager thoughts at Kagami’s question,

           “Oh. Yeah! Ultimate Mecha Strike III.” She said with a grin, grabbing the game off her desk and holding it up. “It’s super fun. I’ll warn you I’m  really good at it. I even won a competition for my school.” She said proudly, this was probably one of the few things she knew she could beat Kagami at – she hoped. She did have doubts. Kagami was good at everything she did.

           Kagami laughed softly at Marinette’s bragging, sliding her white blazer off and laying it on the chaise. With a tilt of her head and raised brow, a smirk growing on her face as she loosened her tie and tossed it on top of the coat.

           “You should know by now Marinette. I don’t lose.” She said, a competitive tone in her voice. She rolled the sleeves up on her black button up. The mixture of Kagami’s smug look on her face, and her outfit adjusted to be more comfortable had Marinette weak in the knee’s. She nodded eagerly, slapping the game down onto her desk as she flopped back down onto her desk chair.

           “You’re so perfect- ah I think you’re perfect. No - You think you’re perfect. I mean you’re great! But uhm... I’ll be… better. At this game.” Marinette stuttered, her face growing red at her word vomit. Kagami laughed softly, brushing her hair out of her face as she made her way to sit in the other desk chair beside Marinette.

           “How are you going to beat me if you can’t even trash talk me Marinette?” she teased. Kagami had noticed how Marinette stumbled over herself in front of her. The soft blush that constantly covered her face the more they spent time together. She had only seen Marinette get this way before with one person, and it made her stomach do flips to think that she effected Marinette the same way Adrien did. Marinette stumbled to turn the game on, grabbing the controllers and holding one out to Kagami. In return Kagami made sure to let her fingers brush over Marinette’s hand as she grabbed the game controller.

           Marinette held back the urge to melt into a puddle or scream at the gentle touch of Kagami’s hand. She nodded shakily, and turned to stare at the screen,

           “I don’t need to talk to beat you.” She sassed back, unable to look back at Kagami in fear of word vomiting again and making a fool of herself. She started the game and took a few minutes to explain the basic controls and goals of it to Kagami. Kagami’s eyes bounced back and forth between the screen and Marinette’s face. A small smile grew on her face as she listened and watched Marinette, her pigtails bouncing as she turned her head to look at Kagami once she finished explaining the basics. A soft blush covered both girls faces as they locked eyes, “Uhm… D-does that make sense?” Marinette asked softly. Kagami nodded gently, turning back to the screen,

           “Yeah. Let’s play.” She said, hitting the start button.

           It didn’t take long for Kagami to get frustrated at the videogame. She was surprisingly good for a new player. Her skill impressed Marinette and was just further evidence to her that Kagami was amazing. But still, despite Kagami’s natural skill, it was nothing compared to Marinette’s years of playing with her father. Round after round Marinette mopped the floor with Kagami in the game. Kagami’s face was a soft red in frustration. She was not used to losing, and it rubbed her the wrong way when she did. Marinette raised a brow in concern when she looked over to see how upset Kagami was getting. Hitting the pause button on her controller put the game they’d been playing on hold,

           “No. What are you doing? Why’d you pause it?” she asked, her brows furrowing as she turned to Marinette. The sight of the other’s concern made her slightly embarrassed at how upset she was. “I-Im sorry. I got.. uhm too invested-“

           “Don’t be sorry.” Marinette interrupted her with a soft smile, the last thing she wanted was Kagami to think she couldn’t express her feelings to her, “It’s alright to be upset. But it’s just a game.” She said with a shrug, “Besides, you’re really good for a beginner.” She complimented, setting her hand on Kagami’s knee and giving her a light squeeze to reassure her. “And we both know you’re great at so many other things, like fencing.” She added with a smile.

           Kagami’s blush grew, no longer from frustration but now because of Marinette’s kind words. She smiled and brushed her hair behind her ear,

           “You’re right. I’d destroy you at fencing.” She teased Marinette, a small chuckle falling from her. Marinette raised a brow with a mock offended scoff,

           “I wouldn’t say you’d destroy me…” she argued as she crossed her arms over her chest. Kagami chuckled softly, and in one swift movement she turned in her chair setting her controller down on the desk as and grabbing a flexible ruler by Marinette’s craft materials. In the same fluid twist of the chair that let her change objects in hand, she was able to finish the 360-rotation facing Marinette, ruler in hand and pressing it up under Marinette’s chin with a smirk. Marinette’s face flushed pink at the ruler pressing against her chin, making her tilt her head back slightly, the confident smirk and glint in Kagami’s eyes had her speechless,

           “Let’s find out?” she challenged. All Marinette could do to communicate was nod gently, feeling the ruler press against her chin with the movement. Kagami lowered the ruler and grinned, standing and moving to stand in the open floor of Marinette’s room. She knew realistically the rulers were much too short to even consider whatever this was fencing, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to have fun with Marinette, make her laugh and impress her. Marinette found her own ruler, trying desperately to break herself out of the daze she’d been put in by Kagami.

Marinette stood a few paces away from Kagami, taking the stance she’d learned from Adrien, ruler in hand. This moment felt vaguely familiar, the thumping in her chest, her sweaty hands and face pink with nervousness the anxiousness to impress her crush standing in front of her but also being hyper aware of her body, not wanting to stumble or trip.

“En-garde.” Kagami said, and the two girls greeted each other with the rulers. Smiles and blushes covering both their faces, “Pret. Allez.” And with that they were off. Kagami was more confident in her movement, lunging for Marinette and expecting an easy win. She was shocked to find Marinette shifting and parrying her, nonetheless it still wasn’t difficult for Kagami to tap Marinette in the chest with the ruler after making her parry a few more lunges. The two laughed softly as they both returned to their starting positions. Once again, Kagami was first to move. Marinette doing well in defensive maneuver, her downfall was when she attempted to get a hit in after parrying Kagami. With a swift move of her hand Kagami was able to parry Marinette and tap her chest again. Kagami’s grin had Marinette’s stomach doing flips, “Don’t hesitate Marinette. Trust your instincts.” She instructed sweetly, a tone of voice that wasn’t heard often from Kagami but made Marinette into mush more than she already was.

The two returned to their starting positions and began again. Kagami waited a moment, wanting to give Marinette a chance to initiate, but after a few seconds she knew the girl wouldn’t. So, she lunged again, Marinette was thrown off more with this round than she had been the others. Kagami’s soft tone making her head dizzy, the words ringing a distant memory for her. Marinette found herself avoiding and parrying Kagami just barely, and in her daze as she stepped back to avoid Kagami she tripped over her own feet. Her hand reaching out instinctively to prevent herself from falling back, but only managing to grab Kagami’s shirt. Effectively bringing both girls down.

They fell back onto Marinette’s floor with a thud, Kagami on top of Marinette, both blushing furiously at their new position. Marinette attempted to stutter out an apology, only to be interrupted by Kagami’s laughter as she rolled off Marinette.

“I’ve not had that much fun fencing in a long time.” She said between laughter, tears of joy welling in her eyes. She wiped them away and giggled softly and Marinette couldn’t help but laugh with her. The sight of Kagami laid back on her floor, hair a short halo around her and her shirt wrinkled, the edges untucked from her skirt and hearing her laughter ring in the air. It was all too much for Marinette, her tongue was tied, and stomach was full of butterflies. As Kagami stood up and held out a hand to help Marinette up she felt déjà vu again. As she took Kagami’s hand and stood slowly she realized why Kagami’s earlier words and this moment were familiar, “The only reason you can't stay on your feet is your hesitation. I never hesitate.” The voice echoed in Marinette’s mind, Kagami’s words.

A wave of bravery she only ever felt as ladybug filled Marinette, determination and pure adrenaline filling her as she stood. Tightening her hold on Kagami’s hand once she was up. Marinette pulled Kagami closer to her, not wanting to lose this moment of bravery she felt in herself and doing as Kagami had told her to – following her instincts. Her free hand laying gently on Kagami’s chest as she leaned into the other girl and kissed her. Both Kagami and Marinette’s faces grew pink as they kissed. The meeting of their lips only lasting less than a second before they broke apart. Marinette’s hands flew to cover her pink face in embarrassment,

“Ah! I-I’m sorry.. I-I didn’t want to kiss you! No. I did. I mean to. I didn’t. I-“ Once again Marinette’s flustered words were cut off my Kagami’s giggles. Kagami gently pried Marinette’s hands from her face, the sweet smile on Kagami’s face making Marinette’s panic pause for a moment,

“Don’t be sorry.” She mumbled, “I told you to stop hesitating. And you did.” She said, breathlessly – part of Kagami was still in shock that Marinette had kissed her. Her heart was racing, and her legs felt like they were static, she’d never kissed anyone before. “Even I was hesitating with… that.” she admitted softly. Her eyes darting away shyly, Marinette’s face went from embarrassment to shy concern and then to shock at Kagami’s words,

“Like. That. That? You… like me?” she asked, looking like a deer in headlights, her eyes wide as she tried to process the information. At the blush that darkened on Kagami’s face Marinette got her answer, giving her the confidence to lean in and kiss Kagami’s cheek. Taking the other girls hands Marinette led Kagami over to her chaise and sat beside her. Unable to help herself as she grinned like a fool, “Because, I’ve had the biggest crush on you for a while now.” She admitted with a soft giggle. Kagami giggled softly, her blush only darkening more as she brushed her hair behind her face,

“How could I not have a crush on the prettiest, nicest girl I’ve ever met.” She said softly, she slid her hand over the chair to lay on top of Marinette’s. She wasn’t used to admitting her feelings like this. Hearing Marinette’s own confession had made it easier for Kagami to open up.

Both girl’s hearts were racing as they giggled together, telling one another about how their crushes had grown and slowly shifting so they were cuddling together on the chaise. Hands caressing each other’s or playing with the other’s hair as they spoke. A few shy kisses being shared between stories told. The two stayed up late into the night laughing at themselves, a light airy feeling in their hearts as they gushed over one another until a serious look washed over Kagami’s face. Marinette looked up at Kagami as she felt her hands still in her hair that she’d been raking through, hair ties that once held her hair into twin pigtails dropped to the floor.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” Kagami asked Marinette softly, locking eyes with her. Marinette grinned and leaned up to kiss Kagami,

“Of course.” She said with a giggle, her lips brushing against Kagami’s before she kissed her again.

#its been years since I wrote anything #it was so weird writing this #i enjoyed it though #miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic #mlb fanfic #kagami tsurugi #marinette dupen cheng #marigami #kagaminette

[kingstonoverstreet]

The Chess Master - An Intro

INTRODUCTION TO KINGSTON OVERSTREET

NAME – Kingston Overstreet

NICKNAMES – Kingston is the nickname

PRONOUNS – He/Him

AGE & DATE OF BIRTH – 18 and January 8th, 2001

PLACE OF BIRTH – Avignon, France

MAJOR(S) – Art and Music

EDUCATION – Astor Academy

ACTIVITIES – Drawing, Chess, Playing the violin, Writing poetry, Composing

FC – Timothée Chalamet

 BACKGROUND

His family was somewhat-wealthy when he was younger, enough to support Kingston when he was young during school and some extra tutoring lessons, and even enough to put him in a chess class, oddly enough. His mother was loving and warm, and his father was kind enough. His father was the type of person who never enjoyed externally showing his emotions, but Kingston always assumed that father loved him. He must have, in some way. And, Kingston knew that his father loved his mother, even in his odd, silent, stone-cold way. So, it didn’t surprise him when she told him that she hoped that he would have a little brother or sister to play with, and soon enough, mother got pregnant. She was overjoyed; his father was pleased to see her happy. Whenever she played the piano to Kingston, she would always make comments about how happy she was to have another child and that she couldn’t wait to meet them. Him. Even if it was only for a second before her body gave out on her and she died two minutes before she gave birth, no matter what he doctors tried to do. His father was too shocked to name his brother, and he always liked the name Caspar.

His father quickly became more and more distant, and if it wasn’t for the understanding neighbors, Kingston isn’t sure Caspar would have reached the age of one. They watched him when his father was gone from the morning to night and Kingston was too busy studying, and they returned him when Kingston finished his self-study books and homework, and his father came home with the stench of something bitter. He grew up focusing on studying, giving him a reason to avoid his father, all the while trying his best to take care of his brother. His father took care of Caspar when he could, but he would always act...distant. Kingston hated him for it. He took care of Caspar and loved him himself, even filled out the papers to enroll him into school.

He works at a small library where he can do his homework, has a few flings, never a real relationship. Wasn’t valedictorian but still was insanely intelligent. Friends with his neighbor’s daughter who was a year older than him. His only true friend. When she went to college, he never tried to make other close friends, although he was friendly to people in his school’s chess club and fellow peuple, for security reasons. Applied to Astor when he heard about the school from a fellow student in the chess club. Got in, told his father, who threw a fit and smashed a bottle before leaving for the night. He told Caspar that his father took a night shift. Constantly worked for two years in order to get the money to apply to Astor Academy. Sent in his art portfolio to the school, and even if it has a recurring image of a woman being surrounded by black creatures, ghostly and consuming, they accepted him.

He went, but before he did, he gave the signed transfer papers to the child-service center and legally adopted Caspar as his own, before dropping him off at his childhood neighbor’s new house. That move was probably the most strategic to make, but the pawn was often the most underrated piece of the chess board, but he inched it forward one step at a time, until he got what he wanted. Now, he had to focus on the rest of the match

PERSONALITY + HEAD CANONS

 He is quiet. He doesn’t usually make the first initiative to talk to people unless he has to, or he needs something from someone

·         If someone does approach him, however, he is friendly. He puts on a polite outer persona; however, he analyzes anyone and everyone, and tries to figure out their motives and how they are, how they act.

·         If someone tries to constantly talk to him, after the first interaction or few that sporadically happen, he gets annoyed and acts cold. But, if you stick around long enough, he’ll decide its less work to keep you then try to push you away.

An artist. Draws sketches and paints. Keeps drawing this white woman surrounded by black, ghostly creatures

Writes poetry. He enjoys Walt Whitman 

He is good at chess, objectively speaking. He was in his school’s chess team

Has a younger brother named Caspar that is 10 years younger than him and that he protects with his whole life

Hates the stench of alcohol. Reminds him of his father.

Cannot care sexually. Has no preference. You can call him pan-sexual but honestly, he doesn’t care a lot about relationships, they foil with his emotions and “master plan”

Incredibly smart. Was studious all throughout school--yet, chose to be an art major

Copes with his mother’s death through art.

He doesn't get angry often, but if pushed too far, he will lose his temper and steam over

He has insomnia and hasn’t really slept since he was sixteen. He has had a few patches of sleeping, but that’s usually when he is fully drained

It’s hard for him to get along with people and genuinely let them in, because truthfully, he analyzes them too much.

He plays the violin and cello (he will play them publicly without shame)

He writes scores and compositions for the piano, but never plays them

Daddy issues but his father isn’t really abusive, he just hates him. It is not so much that he doesn’t leave Caspar with his father because he fears for his life, but because Kingston just plainly doesn’t like him around Caspar. It’s the only time he follows his gut-instincts when it comes to decision making

He is secretive about his compositions and poetry. He won’t let you touch those. He doesn’t mind you looking at his art, he just won’t tell you much detail about them

AESTHETICS

pencil led marks on his hands. unruly hair. chess pieces. the king and the pawn. half-used cigarettes. ink-blotched paper. scribbles and doodles on homework assignments. dark forests. broken Greek statues. blurred images. striped-button ups. heavy bags under eyes. abandoned libraries. worn and marked novels. beaten up knuckles playing the piano. plucking violin strings. chewing the eraser end of the pencil. flickering lamp lights in a dark-lit alley. hair covering eyes. brief smiles. quick nods. old coffee stains.

WANTED PLOTS + CONNECTIONS

·         Best Friends/Ride or Dies: He’s not the best at making friends, but if you talk to him enough, and it seems like he can trust you, he will

·         Roommate: He is quiet and to himself, so someone who can push him to do more and adventure out

·         Hook Ups: The gender doesn’t matter, but someone who can help him break some steam. He is constantly tired, never sleeps, so someone who can take up his time and just have fun with.

·         Potential relationship: For relationship, someone who challenges him, but also finds a way to break his barrier

·         Mentor: He is one of the youngest students here, barely meeting the age requirement, so someone who can guide and aid him, because he is so used to taking care of himself

·         Rival/Enemy: At first, he doesn’t care about them, but then he sees that they’re smart, just as smart as him, and honestly, it amuses him to have someone that he can play with—chess is supposed to be a fun game, right? Academically challenging, artistically challenging, anyone who irks him but amuses him at the same time.

#kingston overstreet #astorooc #intro #the chess master #astor academy