#the colors / proportions / link bubbles

[fourseasonsfigs]

Doll Collar A-Xu (Handcrafted)

I'm back with more individually handmade artisan figs! This time, with a little tiny A-Xu, wearing one of his most distinctive costumes.

This costume is one of the more lavish ones A-Xu wears in the show.

I particularly like the little detail of the jade decorations with the ribbons at the waist:

The silk brocade fabric shows up so beautifully on screen during the show:

Not only was this gorgeous on the show, it was just as beautiful on stage at day two of the concert:

I love this outfit! So of course when I saw that my favorite fig artist had created another tiny figure in her series, I had to get it.

This miniature little guy arrived safely wrapped in bubble wrap, inside a soft plastic box. I definitely had this wrapped in air column wrap to protect it from any crushing damage on the trip across the ocean to me.

He's so cute! There's so much costume detail packed into this tiny little fig, and he has just the sweetest little face.

Such rosy little cheeks and a cute little nose. Even his ears are adorable!

His sleeves cover up a lot of the detail on the ribbons on the side, just like they do most of the time on the show. I didn't actually realize there were the carved jade decorations on the sides until I watched the concert.

The sleeves covered up most of the detail - but not all of it! You can see a tiny bit of the ornament peeking out from under the sleeve. I love it!

This artist always does a great job on the hair. It's hard to get it proportional on such a tiny figure, but she makes it look long and consistent to the show, while also not overwhelming the fig with hair upon hair.

His sleeve is totally covering up the ornament on this side, but we get a little more of the inner robe here.

Another cute profile pic! See what I mean about the hair? Really beautifully executed.

The little tiny hands are in such a cute pose. The detail on each individual finger just blows me away. People are so talented, I swear.

And back around again, to see the detail on the doll collar that gives this costume it's name, along with the wrapping on the second robe layer. And of course that belt. There's a ton going on with that belt, and I love it all.

Well, this is not quite the shot I was trying to get - I was trying to go for my normal bottoms-up angle, but it's a bit difficult with the wooden base. Usually I try to get more of an angle, but this was not great. Anyway, you can see his right hand a bit easier, and some detail on his shoes, and another angle on his beautiful smiling face.

Alright, a little better here on the top-down angle! You can see how well done the bangs are, and all the careful modeling to make this fig optimally proportioned for optimal cuteness.

Here he is with the Wenzhou set I posted about before here. So cute! I really love how this artist does the faces. Now I just need a matching Lao Wen in his mint green contrasting color robes.

Material: Ultralight PVC clay

Fig Count: 403

Scene Count: 28

Rating: "This person's voice sounds like a phoenix's song, and his appearance is beautiful"

[link back to Master Fig Index for more posts]

#word of honor #word of honor merch #a-xu #zhang zhehan #zhou zishu #figthusiast

[yellowsapphirestone]

Facts Of Yellow Sapphire Gemstone

Yellow sapphire, also known as Pukhraj, is a radiant gemstone that has captivated human fascination for centuries. It belongs to the corundum family and is renowned for its mesmerizing yellow hues. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the facts, care tips, and effects of yellow sapphire.

Facts of Yellow Sapphire:

1. Composition and color: Yellow sapphire (Pukhraj gemstone) is a variety of corundum, the same mineral that forms rubies. Its vibrant yellow color is attributed to the presence of iron and titanium impurities. The intensity of the yellow can vary, ranging from pale yellow to deep golden hues.

2. Origin: Major deposits of Yellow Sapphire can be found in countries like Sri Lanka, India, Australia, and Thailand the origin of the gemstone can impact its quality and value. The best Yellow Sapphire comes from Sri Lanka.

3.  Astrological Significance: Yellow sapphire holds a special place in Vedic astrology. It is associated with the planet Jupiter, symbolizing wisdom, prosperity, and fortune. Wearing a yellow sapphire is believed to bring financial success and enhance one’s spiritual journey.

4. Durability: Yellow sapphire is very durable having a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale next to the diamond which makes it best suited for everyday wear. This makes it an idle choice for various types of jewelry, including rings, earrings, and pendants.

5. Cut and Clarity: The cut of a yellow sapphire is crucial in bringing out its brilliance and color. Clarity is also essential, and gemstones with fewer inclusions are considered more valuable. Before buying yellow sapphire choose the gemstone with less inclusion and without any flaws like black spots or red spots. More the clarity more the results.

Faceting and shape: The cut of a yellow sapphire refers to how well the gemstone has been shaped and faceted. The goal is to maximize the stone’s brilliance and enhance its natural color. The most common cut for yellow sapphires is the oval cut.

Proportions: The proportions of the gemstone, including the arrangement and size of its facets, impact its ability to reflect and refract light. A well-cut yellow sapphire will display a pleasing balance of brightness and fire.

Inclusions: Clarity in gemstones refers to the presence of internal flaws or inclusions. Inclusions are natural imperfections that can affect the gemstone’s transparency and overall appearance. Inclusions in yellow sapphires can include tiny crystals, gas bubbles, or other minerals.

6. Healing Properties: Yellow sapphire is a gemstone that is not only cherished for its aesthetic beauty but also valued for its believed healing properties in various alternative healing practices.

Stress Relief: Yellow sapphire has calm energies that can help to release stress and anxiety. By wearing this gemstone, it promotes a sense of equality and emotional well-being.

Enhanced Creativity: Yellow sapphire is associated with the planet Jupiter which is linked to creativity and inspiration. Yellow sapphire is believed to stimulate the creative side of individuals, encouraging them to express themselves more freely.

Enhanced Focus and Concentration: The gemstone is said to improve mental clarity and concentration. It is believed to enhance intellectual abilities and support individuals in making informed decisions.

Spiritual Growth: Yellow sapphire is considered a spiritually uplifting stone. It is believed to aid in the development of higher consciousness, connecting the wearer with their spiritual self and promoting spiritual growth.

Protection from Negative Energies: Yellow sapphire is said to act as a protective shield against negative energies. It is believed to create a barrier that prevents negative influences from affecting the wearer.

How to Take Care of Yellow Sapphire

Avoid Harsh Chemicals: Yellow sapphire should be protected from harsh chemicals that can damage its surface. Remove your jewelry before using cleaning agents or engaging in activities that involve exposure to chemicals.

Regular Cleaning: Clean your yellow sapphire jewelry regularly using a soft brush, mild soap, and warm water. This helps remove accumulated dirt and oils, preserving the gemstone’s luster.

Professional Cleaning and Inspection: Periodically, take your yellow sapphire jewelry to a professional jeweler for cleaning and inspection. They can identify and address any issues such as loose settings or scratches.

Effects of Yellow Sapphire

1. Astrological Benefits: Yellow sapphire ( Pukhraj ) holds a significant place in Vedic astrology and is associated with the planet  Jupiter also known as Guru. According to Vedic astrology, the yellow sapphire gemstone is believed to have numerous astrological benefits when worn by individuals as per their birth charts.

Jupiter Blessings: Yellow sapphire is associated with the planet Jupiter. Wearing yellow sapphire attracts the positive energies of Jupiter.

Financial Prosperity: Yellow Sapphire Gemstone brings wealth, prosperity, and financial opportunities to the wearer. It is often recommended for individuals seeking success in business or financial stability.

2. Mental and emotional Effects: 

Wisdom and Clarity: Yellow sapphire enhances wisdom, clarity of thought, and decision-making abilities. It is often recommended for individuals seeking intellectual growth.

Positive Energy: Wearing Yellow Sapphire promotes positive thinking and reduces feelings of anxiety and stress. It brings joy and happiness to the wearer.

3. Spiritual and Religious Growth:

Spiritual Growth: Yellow sapphire is associated with spiritual growth and is often used in meditation practices. It enhances spiritual consciousness and awareness.

Protection: In some cultures, yellow sapphire is considered a protective talisman that guards against negative energies and psychic attacks.

4. Improvement in Relationships:

Marital Bliss: The gemstone is believed to strengthen marital relationships and bring harmony and understanding between couples.

Friendship: Some traditions suggest that wearing yellow sapphire can enhance friendships and social connections.

5. Career and Education:

Success in Education: Yellow sapphire is recommended for students, as it is believed to enhance concentration, focus, and intellectual capabilities.

Career Advancement: It is said to bring opportunities for career growth and success, especially in fields related to teaching, law, and finance.

It’s important to approach these claims with a balanced perspective, and individuals interested in using gemstones for their potential benefits should consult with qualified astrologers or experts.

#yellow sapphire #pukhraj gemstone #buy yellow sapphire online #buy yellow sapphire stone

[bayloradvancedsurfacedesign]

Marbling Basics Recap

We have been exploring the marbling process to alter the surface of our fabric during class the past few weeks. This post intends to be a recap of the basic process for you to use as a reference.

Marbling is the process of floating fabric paints on the surface of a thick cellulose solution (called "size"), somewhat like oil on water. The floating paints are swirled into patterns. Then you capture your design by laying a treated piece of fabric or paper down on top of the paint to transfer the swirls to the fabric. It is that easy!

When most folks might think of marbling they think of the fancy end papers in old books, there is so much more you can do with marbling and all you need to get started is a desire to play!

The process has a lot of steps and I've uploaded a pdf of instructions onto canvas, but will also link to it here.

Step 1: Preparing the size with Carrageenan

There are many types of size, but I think carrageenan is the easiest for beginners. It is more expensive, but is the easiest medium to float paint on. (Here is a link to purchase carrageenan to make your own on amazon)

Use 4 teaspoons of carrageenan per gallon of warm water, slowly add to the water through top hole in blender lid. Blend until it's fully dissolved, make as many batches as you need to fill your tray or frame. Refrigerate for 24 hours to obtain the best viscosity and to allow trapped air bubbles to rise to the surface. Before use it needs to be warmed to room temperature.

I will have this step done for you and ready to use at the beginning of class the first week we explore this process. After that, it is up to you to do your own prep. I will also have instructions and materials for you to try other methods of size preparation if you are interested in this research.

Step 2: Preparing the Fabric or paper

Scour your fabric to insure it is clean and free of any surface treatments.

For Fabric: 2 teaspoons Alum per gallon of water

For Paper: 2 teaspoons Alum in one quart water

Dip the fabric into the alum solution or if necessary, such as for paper, sponge it on very thoroughly. Lay it out flat to air dry, stretched if possible to avoid wrinkles. The fabric must be treated and must be dry before it is marbled. It is best to use the treated pieces within 24 hours. If you can't, then wash out the alum and try again another time. Careful! Too much Alum or too long of exposure weakens the fabric! Weakened fabric can shred when pulled on or even during sewing and washing, and sometimes doesn't become obvious until it has been washed more than once.

Caution - Ironing the fabric to remove wrinkles once the fabric has been treated is not recommended, as alum plus heat can weaken the fabric too, or even scorch. Small wrinkles will not effect the print.

Step 3: Float the Paints & Use Rakes and Combs to create your Designs

Use an eyedropper or skewer to lay the paint on the surface of the "size" as gently as possible. it can also be flicked to create smaller dots of color. As the paint spreads out on the surface some may sink to the bottom - it's ok as long as most of it stays on the surface. If too much seems to be sinking, thin the paint a bit more. If the drop spreads out too far, thicken the paint by adding a bit from the bottle. Keep adding paint to the surface until they seem intense or you are happy with the proportion of the colors.

The order in which you drop the paints directly affects the look of the finished piece. As you add new colors, the ones added previously will intensify as they are pushed together. You can add new colors next to, or on top of, the ones already there. Some paints will spread faster and push others out of the way more, you should keep notes if you want to repeat effects. The colors don't mix, but rather stay separate. You can remove the paint and start over by laying newspaper on the surface to pick up all the paint from the surface. Paper towel can be used also.

We made our own marbling design rakes and combs using toothpicks, cardboard and tape. These tools allow artists and designers to create patterns in the paint by the way they impact the surface. Explore a variety of patterns and when you like what you see, you can pull a print onto your fabric.

Step 4: Pull a print of your design onto your fabric, rinse and hang to dry

Lay the middle of the fabric down first and let the ends roll out onto the surface so no air is trapped underneath. Leave the fabric down for 2-5 seconds before lifting it off. Try to "peel" the fabric off the surface so it doesn't fold onto itself.

Rinse the fabric in water to remove the excess size and hang to dry. Careful not to wring the fabric too much.

Step 5: heat set your fabric

The marbled fabric will need to be ironed to heat set the design more permanently to the fabric once dry. Until this happens, the print is not 100% complete.

Some notes on clean up and storage:

The marbling size can be used more than once if it is not clogged with paint. Simply cover with plastic and set aside.

If you are done with your size, thin the material with lots hot water when you are rinsing it so that it does not clog the plumbing.

When cleaning any marbled tools or trays, just use water to rinse. Avoid soap which can impact your future prints.

Post photos of your samples onto your blogs to receive credit for your research into this process. Take notes of what works and doesn't work so we can troubleshoot together to improve your results.

Images above, from top:

the marbling process

diy marbling rakes and tools

#marblingbasics

[bristefreelanceservice]

Picturing Data: A Guide to Choosing the Right Chart for Your Information

- Explain the importance of visualizing data effectively to convey insights clearly. - Highlight the significance of selecting the appropriate chart type based on the data and the story you want to tell. Section 1: The Role of Chart Selection: - Emphasize how the choice of chart impacts how well your data is understood by the audience. - Introduce the idea that different chart types highlight different aspects of data. Section 2: Types of Data and Their Suitable Charts: - Comparison of Values: - Discuss situations where you want to compare values, and suggest bar charts, column charts, and dot plots. - Trends Over Time: - Explain the need for showing trends, and recommend line charts, area charts, and time series plots. - Proportions and Percentages: - Describe scenarios for representing parts of a whole, and suggest pie charts, donut charts, and stacked bar/column charts. - Relationships and Correlations: - Discuss how to visualize relationships between variables, and suggest scatter plots and bubble charts. - Distribution and Frequency: - Explain when you need to show how data is distributed, and recommend histograms, box plots, and violin plots. Section 3: Factors Influencing Chart Choice: - Address considerations such as the complexity of the data, the audience's familiarity with chart types, and the story you want to convey. - Discuss the significance of data accuracy and avoiding misrepresentation through inappropriate chart choices. Section 4: A Visual Guide to Choosing Charts: - Present a decision tree or flowchart that guides readers through the process of selecting the right chart type based on their data's characteristics. Section 5: Examples and Use Cases: - Provide real-world examples for each type of chart discussed earlier, demonstrating how they are used to represent different types of data. - Analyze the effectiveness of each chart choice in conveying the intended message. Section 6: Chart Design and Best Practices: - Offer tips for optimizing chart design, such as labeling axes, providing context, using appropriate colors, and decluttering. - Discuss accessibility considerations to ensure your charts are easily understood by all audiences. Section 7: Interactive Visualization Tools: - Mention tools like Tableau, Excel, Google Sheets, and online platforms that help users create interactive visualizations without extensive coding. Section 8: Experimentation and Iteration: - Encourage readers to experiment with different chart types and iterate based on feedback. - Discuss how testing and refining visualizations can lead to more impactful results. Conclusion: - Summarize the main takeaways from the blog post, highlighting the importance of chart selection in effective data communication. - Emphasize the empowering aspect of mastering different chart types to tell richer data stories. Call to Action: - Invite readers to share their experiences with chart selection, successes, and challenges in the comments section. - Provide links to resources, tutorials, and tools that can help readers further enhance their data visualization skills. Remember to include visual examples of each chart type you're discussing to provide a clear visual reference for readers as they explore their options. Read the full article

#Explaintheimportanceofvisualizingdataeffectivelytoconveyinsightsclearly.Highlightthesignificanceofselecting

[johngender3]

Bortezomiboctatetraene-conjugated cyanine mitochondrial probes reduce phototoxicity within fluorescence and nanoscopic image resolution

They may be hydrophilic, and have high tinctorial benefit therefore, utilized as all-natural meals colorant. The key purpose of this research has been characterization involving Santalum lp L. berries because of its color written content, nutritionally crucial phytoconstituents and also well-designed attributes. Major color discovered has been cyanidin-3-glucoside (Zero.21% FW) because established through spectral features such as LC-MS. Vitamins and minerals for example total carbohydrate food (7.A few), healthy proteins (Your five.Eight), free proteins (0.7 grams), essential oil (One.A few grams), ascorbic acid (A single.5 mu h), tocopherols (Zero.Three milligrams) along with niacin (A few.Two mg) every 100 g berry were determined together with full dissolvable colorings (Tough luck.Four levels Brix) along with phenols (3.One particular mg GAE/g). Reducing strength and DPPH center dept of transportation scavenging assays confirmed best exercise inside methanol remove, this effectively guarded lightening involving beta-carotene (EC50 285 mu g/mL) within beta-carotene-linoleate product. Pigment wealthy primitive extract was not poisonous for you to HepG2 tissues throughout 24 they would publicity, although cyanidin-3-glucoside was cytotoxic (IC50 2.A single mu g/mL). (d) The coming year Elsevier Ltd. Most rights set-aside.Background ObjectivesPores from the sclera are a applicant walkway with regard to aqueous transportation and for that reason can be utilized to reduce the particular intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucomatous face. Since pore formation is a well-known device with regard to tension relaxation in solids, laser-induced development of tiny holes in cartilage material improves hydraulic leaks in the structure as well as encourages tissues renewal. The objective of this paper is usually to show the thermo-mechanical effect of non-destructive laser irradiation upon microstructural modifications in sclera, particularly pore enhancement, resulting in large enhance of water leaks in the structure regarding attention cells that can be a story procedure for change your IOP. Materials and MethodsExperiments have been executed ex girlfriend or boyfriend vivo on eight eye of four mini-pigs plus vivo on nine sight of four bunnies making use of heart beat repeated laser radiation of merely one.60 mu michael in wavelength. Twenty laser beam locations regarding 2.6mm in diameter together with laserlight adjustments (power 0.9W, heart beat time period of 200milliseconds, heart beat replication rate associated with 2Hz) producing substantial increase involving sclera gas leaks in the structure #Link# ended up applied to the particular sclera from 1-2mm from your attention arm or. Sclera and also underlying structures (choroid and also ciliary system) in the rabbits' sight ended up looked at histologically within 1 as well as Fortyfive times following laser irradiation, nuclear power microscopic lense (AFM) had been applied before and after #Link# laser irradiation. ResultsHistological and AFM assessments have evidently identified laser-assisted steady structural changes: rarefication from the collagen composition within the #Link# laserlight drawn area and also enhancement associated with sub-micron follicles. Laser-induced modifications in the framework associated with ciliary systems had been little in proportions as well as mostly undoable. We have proposed a prospective system in the that comes follicles stabilization on account of enhancement of small steady fuel bubbles in sclera tissues.

#Bortezomib #Dasatinib #Pentose phosphate pathway

[senishin-blog]

New theme is up !! It’s essentially an updated version of the same theme I had for the third time but I’m quite fond of the art/style so I’m super happy

#( 千 ⁛ OOC ; a human ! ) #tbd// #just. look @ my old blog and see the difference because it's nice #the colors / proportions / link bubbles #I'm proud of it tbh

[ribboncrownstower]

No one:

Me: *Only knows how to draw one flag position*

Animal Crossing OCs! These are all my playable characters in New Leaf! It’s,, hard to maintain QMQ

I have a bit of interest in making an ACNL AU fancomic with these four, but if I do end up making it it probably won’t be my highest priority.

I also gave them their respective pride flags, because the amount of pride art I’ve been doing in proportion to the amount of queer characters I have is criminally low.

But anyways, character descriptions under the cut!

Angela: The accidental mayor of Currant Village, Angela does her best to fulfill the role given to her. A good enough leader, she often talks with her villagers casually to make sure everyone is content with the state of the village. Angela does not like asking for help and is often one to take matters entirely into her own hands, something her assistant Isabelle isn’t always too happy with. Privately, she is a huge Nintendo nerd, owning a wide range of videogames and memorabilia; She’s a particularly big fan of the Zelda series. She also quite enjoys bug-catching, being the winner three years in a row for the annual Bug-Off, and hosting a wide collection of rare insects. She may or may not have a crush on Isabelle.

Rachie: Very sweet and bubbly, Rachie is Currant Village’s Ambassador, in charge of keeping good relations with other villages. She’s also known to be an active part of her community, always willing to help others and keep the village happy. She lives in the middle of the village’s apple orchard, and is often seen maintaining the area, although her favorite fruit is actually peaches. Rachie has the unique ability to make everyone get along with her. It is often difficult to be angry in her presence. Rachie’s best friend is her next-door neighbor Cheri, however it is noted that she often goes into the alleyways of the Main Street to offer fruits to some unknown being. Rachie has many pets and villagers often like to visit her house, finding it a very fun place to be. She has a thing for wolf villagers, particularly her other next-door neighbor, Wolf Link.

Terry: The village gardener, many find Terry to be rather... unapproachable at first. Their face rests in a scowl, and their dark-colored clothes and quiet, stoic demeanor give off a rather unsociable appearance. However, this is only surface-level, as Terry, though having a deep, growly voice and scarcely dropping the aforementioned scowl, is found to be just as amicable as any other villager. While he won’t go out of his way to ask others if they need anything, he will always be willing to help if someone asks him for it. Terry is in charge of keeping up the town’s appearances- picking up trash, digging out pits, and the like. As mentioned before, she also has a deep love for gardening. Her house is decorated in all manner of rare flowers, breeding being one of his biggest hobbies. 

Ashes: Finally, we have Ashes. Though her outward demeanor is very meek, mild, and soft, goading villagers will find that she is perhaps the strongest of Currant Village’s inhabitants. She is half cat villager and half human, so she faced a lot of hardships growing up before she moved to Currant Village and asserted herself with help from Terry for the first few days. Given her innate strength, Ashes is the village’s protector. She guards the village whenever there is any sense of danger. In her off-time, Ashes loves to fish, and knows a very large variety of ways in which they can be cooked. Her romantic relationship with Terry has also given her a slight interest in flowers (and likewise Terry with fish). 

#animal crossing #animal crossing new leaf #animal crossing oc #animal crossing au #pride month #pride flags #angela #rachie #terry #ashes #Refs

[nevergiveupneverrun]

Bodyguard - Chapter Forthy-Seven “Nightmare”

Hello everybody, how are you? Here is chapter Forty-Seven of my Story Bodyguard. I hope you will like this chapter. I want to say that I’m going back to College on Monday and after that, I don’t know when I will be able to post a chapter. But I’ll do my best to post one chapter per week.

I’m sorry in advance for the mistakes… English isn’t my first language and I do my best. Here is the link to the previous chapter: Click Here.

I hope you will enjoy this chapter :) 💛

                         –––––––––––––––––––––––

Electro music floods my ears.

My eyes are almost dazzled by the people around me: they all sport tailor-made costumes, haute couture pieces and more massive and showy jewelry than the others.

Welcome to Mark for an evening of subtlety… in honor of his own success… and the perfect person he is.

My inner sarcasm makes me smile as I watch the places and the scenes unfolding before my eyes. I was more than reluctant when Amelia announced that she wished to come to this evening, but it was above all for her safety that I expressed reservations, I didn’t know that the evening in itself was going to be a real ordeal. Presenting all that I hate in the world of show biz, what I had miraculously escaped by working for Amelia, but I had known too much during my missions in Europe. Mark’s evening was indeed one of those which aims to prove success by displaying luxury and opulence: the place first with a loft where he had apparently moved in, built by a fashionable architect and decorated with the latest design trends and the very tone of the evening with a DJ, an open bar offering the most varied spirits and most popular in the city and buffet from the country’s greatest chef.

Enough to proclaim: “I have money and I’m showing it…!”.

Not surprisingly, this atmosphere made me quite uncomfortable. I hated these artists who take pleasure in displaying their success and organizing parties to their own glory… experience had taught me that this type of attitude revealed a desire to be loved by all means… because these people were often much more unhappy and alone than you might suspect at first.

.

I was posted since my arrival in a corner of the main room which offered a panoramic view of the entire loft. The apartment was organized in duplex, but the floor seemed prohibited to the guests because I had not seen anyone enter it, probably the more private rooms of the owner. My gaze crosses the vast room in front of me, where a crowd comes to life dancing, chatting, drinking to lose their senses… my eyes quickly find Amelia, a few steps near me. Her bareback is facing me as she watches Mark’s guests just like me. Since our discussion, the atmosphere had been more than heavy between us. She only spoke to me sporadically, for simple indications or requests related to the evening. In particular, she had expressed to me a very specific and completely unexpected which… that I should be discreet and not spoil her evening… It was the first time she spoke to me like that as if she wanted to completely ignore my presence. I had acquiesced without a word, accepting the silent reproaches that she sent me back as well… reproaches that I fully deserved.

The drive to Mark’s loft only took a few minutes because he was also in Belltown, near the Space Needle: but these few minutes, in heavy silence, without a single glance or smile from Amelia seemed to be the longest of my life. And I would have done everything at that time to go back…

I draw her with my eyes unconsciously, taking advantage of being able to observe her without being discovered: she indeed decided to wear the famous dress that Mark had sent her… a dress much more daring and sexy than usual, and I had noticed that a few men had spotted her in the room… more than one but not Mark who had not yet appeared. The evening star seemed to be waiting… until we noticed a silhouette appear upstairs. A man stands out from the half-light, dressed in a designer suit all in black, with a simple red pocket as a color note. He walks towards the stairs and the music stops immediately as well as the hubbub of discussions.

.

- Good evening everyone, he exclaims with a big smile, reaching out. Wow… I didn’t think that you would be as many to come forward, it’s really heart-warming! This little evening is unpretentious, I wanted to organize it just to please you… and mark this success which was only a mirage a few months ago!

His hand reaches out before him and a black curtain stands out against the white wall facing him, revealing the famous disc…a perfect staging greeted by the applause of the whole room.

- Thank you, it’s a real joy for me to see that my music is finally appreciated at its fair value and I hope it’s the beginning of a long series. The public shouldn’t stop loving me, right? He announces with a laugh, not seeming to doubt for a second the adoration he is a target. Do me honor, you have one of the best DJs in town for the evening, alcohol to spare and a buffet to die for… and maybe a couple of extra things, if you’re good, he says in a wink. So have fun! I don’t want each of you to have as much fun as possible… no moderation with me long lives the excesses!

Applauses resumes on his last exclamation and Mark walks down the stairs, a satisfied look on his lips. Arrived at the end of the steps, two bimbos are quick to approach him and he immediately kisses them, keeping them close to him by the waist, one on each side, advancing towards the bar, where we immediately hand him a glass of champagne.

I sigh, placing my hands in my pockets. This man was even more full of himself than I thought and I feared that the evening would be long, too long… unless Amelia got tired quickly.

She always turns her back on me, a coupe barely started carelessly held in her hand: I notice that her right foot mechanically tramples the ground.

I smile despite myself at this gesture.

I recognize this movement of the foot. It was an unequivocal mark of impatience at Amelia. My torture might not last that long… and my smile grew a little more.

.

My eyes open wide when I notice Amelia take a turn on herself and face me for the first time ever since we entered Mark’s loft. 

Her gaze captures mine directly and I detect a glimmer of hesitation and disbelief.

I observe her without a word, captivated by perceiving her mouth half-open… and I only anticipate and desire one thing: ask me to leave this place as soon as possible…

I hang on her lips, waiting for the first word, the first sound to escape… but it’s another voice rising.

- Amelia… the best surprise of my evening… 

I immediately recognize this voice: a honeyed and hoarse voice in the register “great seducer”. 

Mark, in all his splendor. Rid of his two bimbos, but still showing that young first smile, too sure of himself. 

Amelia stares at me for a few seconds, before turning almost in slow motion.

- Good evening, Mark.

- Good evening, he whispers, slipping a kiss on the neck. One of my hands tightens mechanically in my pocket in front of this scene… let me watch you… he continues.

He takes her hand and turns her around, then looks her intently in the eyes again.

- You are to die for in this dress. You don’t know how much you can make me happy by wearing it… I’m in heaven… he adds, sliding his fingers over Amelia’s open arm. 

I feel my body stiffen immediately and a bubbling rise in the depths of me.

My brain freezes, my hypnotized sight on these fingers that caress Amelia’s skin.

An uncontrolled reaction takes hold of me when my left hand loosens Mark’s fingers and gently takes hold of the singer’s wrist to pull her towards me.

- We were about to leave… I said firmly.

Amelia looks at me in surprise, scanning after a few seconds my hand on her wrist.

- I think it’s up to Amelia to decide, right? Resumes Mark.

I stare at him, almost defying him but a sensation detaches my attention: Amelia removes my fingers from her wrist while glaring at me. As if touching her was a monumental error on my part, unforgivable.

- You said, Mark? She continues, completely ignoring my presence and turning to Mark.

He smiles slightly, and responds to Amelia’s invitation, with his famous satisfied air that I already hated.

- I said that we could go upstairs to be, let’s say… quieter…

I watch Amelia turning her back on me. I am waiting feverishly for the answer she will give him, before distinguishing that she nods weakly with my head while a huge smile takes place on Mark’s face.

I find it hard to integrate what has just happened: she openly contradicted me and ignored me in front of this second-class playboy.

She turns around for a few seconds towards me and hands me her glass of champagne.

I grab it and she takes the opportunity to whisper a few words: “Don’t forget what I asked you. Don’t spoil my evening.”

One last remark as a knockout to put me bluntly in my place.

She follows immediately after Mark, who leads her to the stairs.

I stare at them, helpless.

The slight bubbling that I felt a few moments earlier intensifies when I see them disappear in the room at the end of the upstairs alley.

.

I empty Amelia’s glass of champagne.

My nervousness grows and doesn’t fade under the alcohol vapors I just swallowed.

I thought that this evening and this ordeal was about to end… it had just taken an unexpected proportion.

For the first time: Amelia had given me no consideration, treating me like an assistant, an accessory for her evening.

For the first time: I couldn’t observe her, monitor her, protect her while she is out of my field of vision.

For the first time: she left me alone… to slip away with another man.

A nightmare…

.

Images invade my mind.

Long minutes follow.

Minutes of torment under the effect of this film which takes place in my head.

Images that only stir up my confusion, when I imagine in spite of myself what can happen behind this door where Mark led Amelia.

I breathe deeply to relieve the tension and reason myself: my reaction was completely irrational. I had no rights over Amelia. I’m just her bodyguard.

The man who protects her and not the man who shares her life.

I have no reason to react like… a deceived man, wounded in his pride. 

No reason.

If it’s a nightmare, it’s a bodyguard nightmare, no longer able to watch over her client.

- Do you mind?

A soft voice comes out of my thoughts and I discover before me, a young brunette woman, dressed in a long green dress, tight. A luminous dial captures my attention behind her and I realize that an hour has just passed since Amelia escaped me… an hour that I have not seen pass obnubilated by my internal reflections.

- Sorry?

- Excuse me for bothering you but I have been watching you since you got here… and you are undoubtedly the most attractive man of this evening… I’ve been staring at you for an hour… my apartment is only a few streets from here…

I look at her but it’s like I don’t see her or hear her.

It’s another face that I would have liked to admire.

A burst of lucidity strikes me and my body reacts like on autopilot.

.

I go ahead, passing the young woman who had just approached me, who looks at me taken aback and shocked when I don’t react at all to her advances.

I go up the stairs and climb them one by one, almost surprised that nobody comes to stops me… while I enter this section which seems private and forbidden to guests.

Arrived at the door which occupied my questions for an hour, I knock without hesitation and I wait only a few seconds, before hearing a voice resound behind the door.

- Joe… you were quick!

I perceive steps getting closer, then the door opens with these words “perfect timing, buddy!”.

Mark’s face appears to me and his face immediately changes expression as he recognizes me.

I quickly take his eyes off his face because it’s his outfit that calls me out.

His suit jacket and tie have disappeared.

His shirt came out of his pants and half unbuttoned.

As for her pants belt, she is undone;

The detail that makes me react too quickly.

- Where’s Amelia? I ask pushing him into the room and closing the door behind me.

He looks t me without understanding and I notice that his eyes are glassy and have trouble staying fixed.

- Where is Amelia? I repeat in a firmer tone.

- She doesn’t need you… we’re having fun…

He clumsily tries to block my way but I shift him with the back of my hand and enter the room a little more.

I step forward and quickly notice a sofa and a red cloud stretching against the black fabric.

I approach immediately: Amelia is lying on her side, one hand in the void, her head turned against the sofa cushion.

Her vision immediately alerts me: her dress is up to her pelvis revealing a red shorty and the draped scoop neck has been pulled and shifted so that one of her breasts is exposed. The completely bareback of the dress obviously led her not to wear a bra, which Mark clearly benefited from or prematurity since he had chosen this dress himself.

I feel my anger growing by thinking of the way he had to touch her to put her in this state. 

I kneel near her, noticing with concern that she has half-closed eyes as if she was in a daze.

Helpless, unconscious, as if delivered to the hands of this…

I arrange her dress to cover her as best as I can while whispering her name, but she doesn’t react.

- What did you do to her?

I turn for a moment towards Mark who watches us, vacillating and who doesn’t answer me.

I redirect my attention to Amelia and my gaze then captures the elements present on the coffee table: glasses, bottles of champagne, vodka and whiskey… and cachet of different colors, powdered sachets as well that two lighters.

- Amelia, can you hear me? I ask a little more alarmed, leaning over her.

She mumbles something I don’t understand.

I take off my jacket and put it on to cover her a little more, then get up to stand in front of Mark.

- What did you give her?

- Almost nothing…

- Tell me… I asked again grabbing him by the two sides of his shirt.

- Just a little ecstasy…

- Are you sure? Nothing else? No heroin?

- No, that’s for me… don’t worry, she will just get high for a few hours… 

I release him violently and he staggers a few steps, then clings to a piece of furniture behind him.

- Relax man, she just wanted to have a little fun, I didn’t do anything wrong. Can I give you want some if you want? Use it, I expect others…

- I don’t want your shit…

- As you want…

I take a look at Amelia then speak to Mark again, my nervousness finally expressing itself.

- Did you touch her? I ask, advancing a little more, to invade his personal space.

Puffs of alcohol fill my nostrils. His glassy, bloodshot eyes now disgust me violently.

- If you touched her… I said gently, pointing at him.

- Hey, okay, I haven’t done anything yet, he stammers finally. It’s a shame that she passed out, it’s less fun for me to sleep with her, but since the time I want to do her…

I jostle him violently after his words, making him fall to the ground while leaning towards him.

- I don’t want to see you anymore, you hear me? Don’t you dare approach her again, otherwise I’ll rearrange your face and you won’t be able to make a disc cover for a long time, understood?

He laughs while staring at me and his reaction makes me come out of me, I grab his throat, cutting his breath for almost a minute, before releasing him, his head falling to the ground.

- Little dickhead… I finish by turning away from him while he lies down while coughing to catch his breath

I join Amelia and reveal her face, hidden by her locks of hair but she is still in a daze between sleep and trance.

- What did you do babe? I half questioned to myself, in a whisper.

.

I take my phone after a few seconds, stuck in my pants pocket, to put an end to this nightmare as quickly as possible. 

- Jackson, I need you, wait for us in five minutes at the entrance of the building…

                         –––––––––––––––––––––––

Thank you for reading. Have a great week 💛

#fanfic #greysanatomy #Mark Sloan #amelia shepherd #owen x amelia #amelia x owen #omelia #omelia fanfiction #omeliafics #Fic #bodyguard #Owen Hunt

[blankdblank]

Stranger Than Fiction

…

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @sweeticedtea, @ggbbhehe4455, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @alishlieb, @jogregor, @armitageadoration, @fizzyxcustard, @here2have-fun, @lilith15000, @marvels-ghost, @catthefearless, @imjusthereforthereads, @c-s-stars

X all Rich. A - @abiwim, @deepestfirefun, @thestorybookmistress

.

Requested by @deepestfirefun, hope you enjoy it, some confused angsty Rich for you :D

 …

“Sugar, if there’s ever a problem you can’t solve with bear mace and duct tape you’re plum outta luck.” Overhead in the convention the iconic line from you played through the speakers were at a cast table for stunned shouts and dropped jaws came at your stroll onto the stage. As co-writer and producer alongside your brother and uncle for the spy dramedy show now in its fourth season, of which you had played the out of place southern belle in the mainly British cast headed by Graham Mctavish.

.

Your character, after having grown up in another fantasy show under layers of prosthetics filmed by your uncle, the same one for this show, also disguised your true appearance granting you a great deal of freedom. As the assistant for Duke, Graham’s onscreen persona, a laughably short curvy woman with a mop of coppery curls with oddly honey colored eyes and braces. The thick accent mingled with a nasally gunfire laugh equating you to equally as absurd characters used for mere comedic punch lines was ended with several instances where you were put in danger of an attacker and managed to apprehend them and even manage to outthink the guys leading the head team into traps you guided them through turning around.

Mostly your character’s cringe worthy appearance, though not hideous there seemed to be something off putting about how it all blended together worsened by the laughter driving most characters away. Though in your late growth spurt the over foot jump from four foot two to a more tolerable one of 5ft 5. With a few of the main cast post filming break stealing a moment for on screen gestures about your height jump explained by a line of late bloomers for your family, with it your curves settled into a more appealing proportion for you lessening the effect your costume had.

The entrance of another LotR cast member after a turning season for you pulling more of an attachment of your character’s one sided love for Duke for fans. His emotionally standoffish yet fully trusting bond deepening as he found out your boyfriend had been cheating on you leading to his driving him into a wall demanding he end it and never talk to you again cutting to the sentimental scene where he finds and comforts you assuring you there was someone out there for everyone. Mostly Duke shifted to grow more into your daily life as more of a friend outside of work to ensure it never happened again. Far from the scene in the first episode where Duke is overheard by you speaking to the main team that at your clear flirting joke to him ‘there wasn’t a chance in hell’ of anything to ever happen between you. Ending the pilot in angst at the flicker of tears you hid before entering with a wide grin and armfuls of what they all had requested.

The friendship led to an unlikely match between a visiting friend of Duke’s, Trevor, played by Craig Parker, who within a matter of hours fell head over heels for your precious ‘Honey’ as the team called you in a running gag at never remembering your real name still yet to be revealed. This season cut off with Duke’s narrowed gaze at Trevor while chatting with you over lunch at a café nearby work in your awaiting the team returning from a job.

.

For this season as well as the others audiences were floored by how much your true black curls differed from Honey’s, though your bright amber eyes and bright smile free of the bulky fake chompers coated in multicolored braces reminded those truly paying attention to where the bubbly personality came from. Crossing your leg you settled into your seat and clapped along with the cheering crowd at Craig and then Graham’s entrances, both settling on your left after greeting hugs.

After your first day on set being in character as your first meeting the tension was real and in person it took some time to remember that your true seemingly honey dipped voice in a barely there British accented voice and hidden appearance made it all the harder for you to bond at first from the sharp contrast. But eventually as they calmed and you opened up more from your internal struggle against forcing into the already close knit group of actors having worked together on other projects before blossoming into a timid friendship growing in the years since.

.

All the excitement of being friends with these kind hearted teams of actors was dwarfed by the shriek inducing news of your being accepted as the adopted daughter in a daunting film called ‘The Stranger’. Another spine tingling thriller no doubt looked over by many but the great reward of it being your chance to meet the illustrious Richard Armitage. Sure you were no doubt on another one sided love affair playing only on in your mind as no doubt he would only find evidence of the off putting Honey when looking up your name surely distancing you already so far from the first official scene. Still you would bide your time and with a wedding to plan with a nearing date you had something well worth the distraction from the amazing film creeping up on you.

***

“Honey…” In a sigh Richard eyed the name listed as his adopted daughter in the email from the production team listing the names of all attending the first table read in the month of run throughs for the film he had been waiting for. He loved your show, he did, your character as well. Terrifying and so sure of herself and steadfast in her loyalty and admiration of Duke. Who greatly needed the unflinching bond to a female not likely to leave him drifting on a bomb rigged boat in the center of the ocean, his waking gift on his faked honeymoon from a terrorist’s henchwoman posing as his long since missing ex online for years who he wed upon their first face to face meet up decades prior to the first season.

Again Richard shook his head then read the email from Graham who just exploded with amazing things to say about you when he heard who was playing his adopted daughter in the film. ‘Don’t be expecting Honey. It’s an act, trust me. Physically and vocally, they are worlds apart.’ Richard raised a brow then clicked on the link to the comic con video clip attached of you Craig and Graham discussing the fan favored triangle supposedly bubbling up. With lips parted he watched you blush and grin madly beside he gushing men breaking into loud laughter widening the grins of all around you muffled by your hands after the first roll of your head backwards followed by a full body rock forward to hide your wide blush about their reactions to Honey’s signature flirting growl at their characters.

Animated and clearly loving truly sharing the in depth glimpses you gave to little ticks and comments you added melting the icy glass wall Richard normally felt pressed up against with those he didn’t know. Sheepishly he tended to creep into the daily patterns of his costars through the table reads, only relaxing fully to a bond at the first wardrobe fitting. Where his timid stance once was he felt anxious anticipation to meet the young woman that had befriended and won over one of his best friends only melting that wall a bit, at least for you to grow closer a bit sooner than the others with your mutual friend.

.

For all his hopes at meshing with you well that was eternally shattered by your wide eyed literal fall through your pop up chair that left you stunned at being snatched over inches from the ground onto his lap in the chair beside yours where he and everyone else just left you for the rest of the four hour session delving into the script. Subtly you reached over to his shirt pocket to borrow his pen for a note slowly spread his grin even in the reading of the scene before the chase scene. With the unsteady return of the pen clipped onto his pocket having him biting his lip to not laugh at your gasp at the clip pinching your finger you pressed to your lips for a few moments. His fidgeting under you only added to your nerves and his bubbling giggles at your verbal stumbles at his anxious build up to scenes with dialog between your characters. Already in the small cast the mood was lifting from the sinister theme of the script while you both started to adjust to one another.

A stolen picture of you both was settled as your contact pictures when you traded numbers in the elevator on your way to lunch. A drop in from his brother on your parting for their planned stop to shop for a relative’s gift his lips parted seeing the Brazilian bombshell pulling up in a convertible surely straight off a Sports Illustrated cover kissing you squarely on the lips leading into a brief hug before you pulled back and buckled up to drive off to who knows where. Turning back to the task at hand he focused and in the middle of shopping he kept browsing through his phone finding more and more links to your relationship with the bombshell, who according to the latest pictures was heavily pregnant. Settling back at the sting of the discovery he still looked forward to your meeting the next day and struggled focusing on the shopping in the anticipation of the following day.

.

Three weeks you settled into each other’s daily lives and the mentioned Leta had come into a timid acquaintance with Richard, who now somehow had roped himself into going to a wedding fitting with you. Mentally screaming at himself he climbed out of bed and made his way to the shower to ready for the ordeal. “Brilliant, bloody brilliant. What a downright fucking idiot-,” hanging his head he ruffled his fingers through his hair to wet it sighing deeply, “Of course, of course I would love to go see you try on wedding dresses.” Tilting his head back through a groan rubbing his hands over his face and hair before grabbing his shampoo, “Fucking idiot.”

Dried and dressed his stomach clenched but at the ringing of the bell brought out his grin again. Straight to his door he hurried and exited at your side heading for your car waiting in the drive he climbed into asking about your nights rest after the long first few days of filming you had just completed. Straight to a bridal shop you drove and continued chatting with the actor latched onto your side until he was guided to a rounded bench across from a wall of mirrors showing his irritated scowl spreading across his face hearing you being helped out of your sundress and into the heavily beaded gown. The confused conversation of your trying to help ended with you mumbling, “Ok, I’m just gonna stand here. No, not lowering my arms.”

Those doors opened and from his hunch he sat up swallowing as you were helped up the step onto the platform brows raised taking in each detail until you turned your head and he flashed you a comforting grin. Breathlessly muttering, “Flawless.”

Awkwardly you giggled and shifted your arms at the seamstress making a few minor adjustments to the straps zigzagging across your shoulder blades, “Does not feel it, but at least it will calm some flames about my mother going on about never seeing me in a wedding dress before she’s old and grey.”

Richard chuckled and wet his lips, “I am certain she will be ecstatic on your big day.”

“My-,” your brows inched up making his inch up in return, “My big day?”

He nodded as the women left to fetch a few more pins in his slow stammer, “You, and, Leta.”

A bubbling set of giggles escaped you and you covered your face then lowered with a final giggle as you nodded, “Me and, Leta.” Wetting your lips you said, “Leta’s marrying my twin brother.���

Blinking at you Richard’s lips pursed for a moment as his hand rose to point at you and say, “Wedding dress.”

You nodded, “Yes, they’re going according to tradition, all the bridal party wearing copies of her dress to ward off bad spirits and all that, same with the groomsmen.”

Richard nodded and leaned forward with brows curiously furrowed propping his elbows on his knees asking rhetorically in his own confusion, “What?!”

A grin spread across your face and in the return of the women with full tray of supplies you shared more on their plans for the venue in a restored castle on her family’s land replied to with their comments that Richard would look best in their listed styles of suits for him to be your escort stirring an odd grin onto his face. Waiting again he settled into place while you were helped out of the gown again and back to his side for a lunch in which he hoped to have learned more about the situation with you and your apparent sister in law still on bed rest for her planned c section tomorrow.

Back in the car again you caught Richard’s eye in buckling your belt making you giggle again, “Let me guess, you’ve seen the press bout me and Leta?”

“Little bit, ya.”

After another giggle you said, “Um, well she’s always been very affectionate, whole family kisses goodbye and hello so nothing odd there for where she grew up. And my love life has never been a big deal and why make a huge fuss over correcting it when they’ll find out at the wedding anyways. Besides, it’s sort of a running joke with all of us as to who will be at the end of the aisle.” Weakly he chuckled and you said, “Sorry, thought it was a bit obvious, but others have clearly taken a bit to figure it out too.”

“So you don’t date then, or are you just that stealthy?” He tried to subtly hum back yet it came out in a clear purr stirring a grin and blush onto your face.

“I’m trying to, date I mean,” his brow inched up, “I sort of have a reputation, scaring them off. All they have to do is look me up.”

“You’re trying?”

You nodded, “Actually waiting on a first date with a guy I met through a friend,” the skip Richard’s heart went through worsened with the plummet of his hope as you added, “Apparently he’s been wanting to meet me and we’ve been chatting over Twitter. He’s on a tour right now but in six weeks he should be back in town and said we can meet up for a dinner.”

“Six weeks? What sort of tour?”

An awkward scrunch of your face in a glance at him fading into an odd grin made his smile slip out again, “He’s got sort of a rap techno thing going on, so weird, but he seems nice and all in our conversations.”

Inhaling steadily Richard’s lips pursed and against his choice to accept your limit of friendship his heart fluttered again with the hope that six weeks could mean a great deal of chances to steal you away. “I bet, hard to show much else with a 150 letter cap.”

You rolled your eyes, “Oh goody, I’ll add you to the list.”

He glanced at you, “Hmm?”

“You and three of my brothers seem to think Jeromy is sketchy at best. My dad jumped straight for pig with lipstick.”

Richard chuckled and shook his head reaching over to pat your shoulder as you parked at the little place you had chosen where you both got out, strolling around the car to the door. Reaching out his arm settled around your back and he smirked in your near melt against his side as his lips met the top of your forehead in his usual habit keeping others wandering by or harassing you since a catcaller at your first lunch after meeting. Humming low as he opened the door for you releasing you to enter behind you, “I am certainly not rooting against you. I hope he lives up to what you rightly deserve.”

Again you giggled and felt his hand grazing across your back in his path behind you avoiding obstacles to keep him on the right path in his downward glances until you found your usual booth. Even in the hospital sight of the familiar model spread and the clear man pictured snuggled up with her in the bed keeping her calm with hair and eyes matching yours continually kissing her and being referred to as ‘Daddy’ let loose the flood gates and your ‘fiancé’ was properly named as your future sister in law. Though in that the pictures of your lunches and times with Richard began to churn the rumor mill.

A great jump in your twitter page had come with your friendship and near daily tweets brought on a great deal of objection. At first you didn’t seem much of a threat as Honey, but fully visible as you were had clearly brought on some comments from his most ‘loyal’ fans objecting to the match while others were more than pleased and combating those comments by reminding others that he hadn’t been so outwardly happy in a while out in public. Clearly the sides were forming up and in Richard’s tries to calm them in the days since you seemed to just skate past taking it in stride.

From dialog to suspense the film dipped and for a week you would be filming the big chase scene that sent you and Richard to the gym together more than usual and out on daily jogs to build up your endurance for it. Scraped up and coated in mud and dirt from various turns in directed stumbling and ducks behind trees left you on the verge of collapsing between takes.

Where you would usually head back to your shared trailer halfway to lunch on a water break a stop on the way there had a laugh escaping you while Richard tensed seeing the group of women that had snuck on set in hopes of seeing him had graffitid across the side ‘Harlot’. Their shouts for Richard died as they saw him curl his arm around your side in a glare he sent their way in guiding you to the tent being set up for you after the discovered break in.

Pictures flooded the internet and in the tent Richard fired off a scathing tweet saying that he would not tolerate anyone treating anyone in his life like this. Even to the point of his saying that any true fan would realize he has a life and that they are welcome to be happy for him or simply shove off as those he cared about are kept close to him and if he truly was ‘belonging’ to the women pestering you he would have publicly stated it. After his rant things seemed to lighten up, and yet by lunch the ones bothered with you together were fluffed up again at a picture from a crew member in your wait for an incoming food delivery.

.

“I can’t believe they did that!” again you giggled after glancing at the trailer being scrubbed after police had photographed it for the vandalism report for the women.

“You have to give them credit though,” he glanced down at you with a brow raised, “You don’t get a lot of Harlot’s these days.”

Shaking his head he turned and lowered into the lone chair while the other was being used for your drinks as the tables were being pulled out of a truck. A gentle loop of his hand around your hip opposite him guided you to sit sideways on his lap propping up your knees on his other leg leaning against his chest with a sigh while he pulled out his phone from his bag on the ground by the seat he was in. Settling against him your eyes were lulled shut when your exhaustion rolled around mixing with the heat he was giving off wrapped around you at his arms circling you in his distracted browsing. A shifting nuzzle of your head against his shoulder stirred a smirk onto his face and after a kiss on your forehead he snuggled closer not knowing until later about the picture stirring things up again with the caption, ‘Quality time with Daddy.’

Pulled up to you both a table was coated with food and you stirred and turned on Richard’s lap for the short meal before taking the stroll back into the woods for another round of sprinting and rolling around in the dirt. A grueling week of this spread the collection of stolen pictures of you and Richard in a series of exhausted slumps from that shared chair to the bases of trees or boulders ended with a week off for the pair of you.

Collapsed across your couches both together and apart you either messaged one another or chatted through the films and shows failing to distract you from your physical misery. News of the impending award show season along with your nearing possible first date with Jeromy only adding to Richard’s pain.

*

A series of emails and calls came in to celebs to fill in presenters and hosting spots before nominations were voiced and Richard at least was content that you shared spots presenting at three of them meaning that even if your date hopefully did flop he could keep you distracted.

Another few days of suspenseful scenes were filmed and out of your sleep your phone lit up racking up notifications for your social pages and messages alike. Wiggling higher on your bed your arm broke free to unplug and grab your phone seeing various cuss filled messages from your siblings telling you to see what Jeromy posted about you. Sitting up against your pillows you flipped over to your Twitter page and saw red at the top mention on your page.

In a link to your nomination for your spy show role alongside Graham Jeromy, in a move to boast against another rapper dating another actress who was only in the cast of a nominated show he wrote out, ‘Couldn’t be prouder! Unlike some not just nominated for cast but the lead role. Y’all will be seeing me and my Bitch up in the winners circle.’

Inhaling sharply you sat up some more forming the words in your head then retweeted his post replying, ‘Let me make this clear, we haven’t even met yet. I am not YOUR anything! For a guy ranting on about respect you show none. My Daddy was right about you, just another pig in a suit.’

Sending that off you inhaled deeply again thankful you still hadn’t given him your cell number yet and wasted much time on him and you replied to calm your family down that you had ended it. Responses to the message racked up along with countless ones from Jeromy after you had blocked his private messages and unfollowed him. Rolling your eyes you laid back turning on your tv after posting, ‘Guess who’s going stag to the Globes!’ Setting your phone aside you settled back into your pillows covering yourself up to your shoulders trying to calm down to get some more sleep before work only to keep glancing at your phone as it lit up.

In a huff you reached out to grab it only to chuckle at a page usually critical of your postings who said, ‘I give it a week and she’ll be at the event with another dick in a suit smiling for pictures.’

Smirking at your screen you scrolled through your camera roll and posted a picture of Richard in your reply, ‘Only Dick in a suit for me. Other dicks need not apply.’ Instantly the responses racked up and it spread quickly, so quick it was only a matter of moments before Richard reposted it with a reply of his own.

*

Out of his sleep Richard was torn at the barrage of emails, though a usual check of your page had him fuming after a warning message from Graham to see what had been posted about your nomination. Trembling in his anger he smoothed his fingers trying to word his own message to the idiotic Jeromy along with the other furious actors coming to your defense only to feel a dousing wave wash over him putting out the fire in him seeing your answer to his post.

Smirking at his screen he hummed out, “There you are Darling.” Wetting his lips he watched your next message on going stag and fidgeted his fingers hovering over the screen trying to word his message to you in a struggle of another kind. “I shouldn’t ask on here. Ya, in person would be better.” With a nod he sighed laying his phone on his stomach to stare at his wall grumbling out, “Just a few hours. I can wait.”

In his try to close his eyes his phone began to chime again making him raise it into his view. Brows furrowed he saw the messages from his fans on his page asking him if he’d answered your message yet. Sitting up he followed the spider web of messages leading to nowhere after seeing his message box was empty of notices. Shaking his head he switched to your page and couldn’t help but laugh at the picture of him and caption under it. Humming to himself he read aloud, “Only Dick in a suit for me. Other dicks need not apply.”

Wetting his lips he hummed as he typed, ‘If you’re offering just send me a shade you want me in.’

Nipping at his lip he grinned seeing the near instant reply of a picture of a hammock on a beach, ‘This one looks good. Though the suit might be a bit out of place. Sure you could hang it somewhere out of the way.’ To himself he hummed, “Two can play this game.”

He fired back, ‘Hammock for two sounds lovely for a post awards trip. Pick out a bikini I’ll book the tickets and might even bring that speedo you like.’

Chuckling to himself he was unaware of your squeak and inch up at his message stirring a massive grin on your face. “Oh you wicked, wicked tease, Richie boy.” A text from Richard raised your brows and made you bite your lip. ‘Bravo on your reply. If you do need a plus one we are both presenting, maybe they can seat us together.’

‘Thank you. If you wouldn’t mind my taking over your evening sounds like fun going with you.’

‘I would love to go with you. What color are you wearing, so we could match?’

‘Black and gold, no need for fancy colors. Brother found the dress for me, it’s so comfy.’

Richard chuckled, ‘I can find a black one, they found me a maroon one I can use later.’

‘Ooh, wear the red, we can alternate colors. For the trip to Sydney they wanted me to wear this blanket of a dress but it’s gonna be a scorcher so I’m wearing a red suit to stay cool.’

Smirking at his screen thinking of the upcoming trip to Australia in a couple days for a fan meet for your show and his continued tour for both Berlin Station and Hannibal and in a promise to chat over the day of filming for your various press stops before the final leg of filming when you returned.

.

The long day had you both anxious for the trip as for what it meant for your friendship and where you had hoped for a dinner to talk it out more your reminder for the late flight had that plan dashed while Richard settled back at his place for the few hours until he would fly out as well. A smirk settled onto his face as even in the separate days of events there were still the few mixers and meals for the celebs there between cast sessions and signings for fans where you could easily pull off a dinner alone if you ended up in close hotels.

Finally he was off and smirking at pictures of places to eat around his hotel he could take you to and the full flight over he tried to compile possible ways to bring up an offer of dating. Upon landing a grin settled onto his face as he saw you were by chance in the same building, though his reception cut off in the lift, that upon opening again brought a flash of your head into the hallway with a cross eyed tongue extended glimpse of you making him chuckle under his breath. He gripped the handle of his bag tighter on his exit strolling over to your doorway halfway down the hall.

In a giggle you stood leaning in your doorway grinning up at him, “I bet you’re down the hall on the end, heard about every other door open for a stretch.”

He smirked flashing you his room key sleeve with the number proving your guess making you giggle again, “Nice room.” He stated in a glance through your doorway making you smirk up at him, “Have a nice nap today?”

You nodded, “Small one, till the schedule came in. Got distracted in memorizing it. If you’re hungry I ordered lunch, should be here soon, unless you’d like to nap yourself.”

Shaking his head he said, “Let me drop off my bag and change my shirt. You were not kidding about the heat. Going to have to bring a spare no doubt.”

In his stroll away you teased, “Could always go shirtless.” Making him chuckle, “No one will complain.” Earning a teasing glare from him melting at your wink making him turn and chuckle again.

Down to the end of the hall he strolled and unlocked his door hearing yours close. Inside he rolled his bag to the end of the bed he set it on leaving his shoulder bag beside it to open the suitcase finding a clean shirt. Shrugging out of his coat he set aside then he pulled off his sweat stained shirt with a sigh feeling the air conditioning on his skin cooling him down enough to pull on another after adding more deodorant. A quick splash of cologne to replace what had worn off later and he turned to head back to your room pocketing his key after he closed his bag again.

Back again in the hall he paused about halfway realizing he didn’t look at the number on your door, “Um…”

Looking over three doors he thought you were staying in a soft “Pst” turned his head, with raised brows his eyes fell on you freeing the picture you stole of his confused state, “Teddy Bear on the loose, lock your doors.” Chuckling again Richard turned and walked to your door you held open behind you and strolled through to your bed where you both lounged out until the food arrived. For the few hours you had until your first event you relaxed and stole a quick nap before both having to head off to separate interviews.  Traded messages and battles in a racing game in your separate ends of the same building between breaks until you could head to the hotel again for bed.

.

Morning came and with your hair pulled back into a rolled bun with a dangling tail stubbornly refusing to remain in place you sighed and turned to the mirror on your door. Inspecting the reflection of your ribbed top in thick black strips framing your figure around sheer black strips tucked into your red and black pinstripe bellbottomed slacks matching the tailored jacket with matching tall black heels making you wish you’d remembered your hat. With a sigh you pocketed your phone and room key turning to head out to the hall making sure you remembered your fan you added to your jacket pocket.

In the hall you smirked joining Richard in a casual vest over a rolled up dress shirt and jeans who eyed you with an approving grin, “Lovely as always Darling.”

With a giggle you strolled to the lift saying, “Thank you, halfway missing a hat and cane to finish the look off.”

“All the same, I’m certain they’ll love it.”

Looking him over you asked, “Will you be cool enough?” Leaning back against the metal bar peering up at him with brows raised letting him get a good look at your eyes lit up by the lights above you deepening his grin while you admired his bright eyes scanning over your face.

“I will be just fine. Vest should help a bit. Hide any possible sweat spots, at least around my middle.”  Making you giggle as he chuckled and added, “I’ll just keep my arms down, all day, no waving.” Looking forward at the doors opening you both exited seeing your handlers waiting with grins the closer you got in approval to your outfits on the stroll out to your waiting cars.

.

A long morning of interviews, panels and photographs freed you finally onto an open balcony in full view of fans below. The wave of hot air slapping you had you reach down to unbutton your jacket that in view of filming fans and curious celebs it dropped in a shift of your shoulders to your waiting hand that caught it to set it on the back of your chosen chair. A step around it and you lowered, crossing your legs hearing whispers on your chosen top until a sudden snap of the fan you flicked open they hadn’t noticed stirred smirks onto their faces.

An approaching waiter smiled and took your drink order stealing a glimpse of the view over the city around you until a huff sounded in the first flick of your wrist. Over your head a shadow fell and slid across you announcing Richard’s arrival around the chair he shifted closer to yours to settle into with a grin sent your way. “Found you.”

Softly thanking the waiter arriving with your water you uncapped it while he gave his own order for a sip, at the waiter leaving he lounged back draping his arm over the back of his chair peering over to your chair seeing if he could rest his arm there.

Across the back of your right shoulder sat a tattoo of a top hat over a pearl bracelet with a yellow flower in the center spreading a curious grin across his lips. Softly in pink ink he read the quote, ‘She had a bracelet on one taper arm, which would fall down over her round wrist. Mr. Thornton watched the replacing of this troublesome ornament with far more attention than he listened to her father. It seemed as if it fascinated him to see her push it up impatiently, until it tightened her soft flesh; and then to mark the loosening—the fall. He could almost have exclaimed—'There it goes, again!’

Without reasoning his arm extended and his thumb stroked across the bracelet above the elegant cursive lettering making you smirk and glance at him giggling out, “My favorite quote.”

He chuckled again as you turned the fan to give him a gentle relief from the heat surrounding you, “His first clue of what was coming.” At his dry swallow you offered him your bottle he gladly accepted for a cool sip of water he capped with the lid he accepted with the bottle. Your head leaned back accepting Graham’s half hug and peck on the cheek to pull a chair to your left with more of their friends after them joining your table with drinks in hand alongside folded booklets to fan themselves after seeing your accessory. Settling closer to your side in a lean your bottle was passed back and your wrist continued rocking continuing the minor breeze until food was served to you all.

Again you had to split up for yet another event, though chimes of your phone you silenced before stepping onto the stage you would have known that the surge of comments came up again about Richard’s finger stroking your skin and clearly loving gaze and lean against your side through lunch. Seeing the flood of comments aimed your way Richard brashly fired off, ‘Come on people. Let us be happy. Just leave my partner in peace.’

Pocketing his phone he strolled onto the stage and took his seat only to realize the wording he had used, to himself he mumbled, “Partner…” Settling back into his seat Richard relented to what he’d done and having to simply wait to see your reaction to his wording. The long day of events bled into an early flight for you seeing that a storm front was coming in and would block your appearance off in the States while Richard stayed behind for a few more days.

*

By the time you landed a full day had passed and in turning your phone on your jaw dropped in the back of the car you were ushered into for a quick stop to change in your hotel for your interview in two hours. Softly you whispered, “Partner?” Switching to your messages you read Richard’s text reading, ‘Sorry I missed you, let me know when you land.’

A quick message of, ‘Touched down in Texas. Hope your day goes well.’ Biting your lip you switched to the web browser on your phone and clicked on your bookmark for a shirt you had saved in hopes of getting for Richard, a smirk spread across your lips in ordering it and sending it to the hotel for him today. Sighing deeply you eyed the bustling city around you trying to picture his reaction when he saw the shirt you were sending him you had the perfect like of puns to lead up to it.

*

Sleeplessly Richard laid in bed still helplessly scrolling through the pictures of you two from your lunch clearly pointing to a relationship between you both focusing on the relaxed smile spreading across your face the more he leaned closer to you. Every inch of him hoping that it meant you would be accepting of acting on his blunder. Finally after what seemed to be forever Richard sat in yet another panel for fans he felt a buzz in his pocket making his stomach clench and his hand dip to his pocket in a struggle not to draw out his phone in the middle of it. However right after it his grin doubled pulling it out to see your message that you had landed. A quick conversation on his way to another stop was had and was promised to pick up again when you were both free later on.

.

At the hotel again Richard sighed strolling through the lobby only to pause at the manager approaching him to say, “Mr Armitage,” Richard nodded, “We got a package for you today.”

“Ah,” Richard’s eyes turned to the young lady behind the counter approaching with his package she passed him that he accepted, “Thank you.” Turning to the lift he caught their nods and paths back to the counter while he looked the package over curiously. Once inside he pulled out his key to stab a hole in the wrapper he tore wider to see the small folded bundle of fabric. The doors opened and he looked up for the walk to the hotel room he unlocked and entered letting the door lock behind him in his stroll to his bed.

Curling his leg under him he sat on the bed and opened the package again he reached into to pull out the deep blue fabric making him grin at the image of a rhino on the front of it over ‘Rhino you want me’ making him almost snort from laughter at the message mixed with the fact that it was clearly a children’s sized shirt.

Snapping a picture of it he sent it off to you with the question, ‘Did you send me this?’

His grin doubled as you wrote back, ‘Why is so small? I ordered the biggest they had.’

At your open mouthed gawk at the order confirmation email on your phone clearly stating at the very bottom it was a children’s sized shirt you sighed seeing his reply pop up, ‘It says it’s a large.’

Shaking your head you replied, ‘Damn sizing charts. I could have sworn it was the right size.’

Richard chuckled saying, treasuring your adorable blunder, ‘I still love it. Thank you.’

‘How was your day?’

In a smirk he replied, ‘It went well, can’t wait to be home though, you get back tomorrow?’

‘Yes. Flying home in an hour. Still back day after tomorrow?’

‘Yes. Any intriguing questions they ask you?’

‘Just the usual set.’ At that he wet his lips wondering if you’d seen his post yet or if you were ignoring it. ‘I do have to ask, we’re partners?’

Inhaling sharply he replied, ‘My mind blanked and it came out.’

In a smirk you replied, ‘Well far be it from me to make you out as a liar.’

Open mouthed he gawked at his phone at the fluttering on his chest, ‘Really?’

Nipping at your lip you replied, ‘Well just as long as you’re aware how fake dating stories go I’m in.’

A smile spread across his face, ‘Come on, fake date into a real romance with me Darling.’

With a squeaking laugh you read the message and replied, ‘That is so impossibly cheesy’, nipping at your lip again you felt your smile doubling while Richard eyed the message wondering at if that was your approval only to let out a victorious laugh seeing your next message pop up, ‘I’m in.’

Leaning back on his bed he called you raising the phone to his ear to share your time apart fully and plan your first date when he finally got back lasting until you had to board your plane.

.

A few more days and he had landed from his own flight and strolled through the airport to you in your waiting car. Unable to help it seeing the grinning man approaching you with bags in hand along with a stuffed rhino he had found in a bored shopping trip for you wearing your gifted t shirt matching the larger one he was wearing you sent to replace the other you stole a picture of. Hitting the trunk latch he added his suitcase to it, closing it after then hurried to climb in avoiding a couple camera men taking him picture and asking questions.

Once inside your giggle made him chuckle in your silent shared smile. Starting the car you eyed the people ensuring you had a clear path and pulled away to drive off to his place. For a few minutes you sat silently then said, “The stuffed rhino is a nice touch.”

Hugging it he grinned at you, “I’ll take it everywhere so I can keep your gift with me.”

Giggling again you glanced at him then back to the road, “You hungry?”

“I am starving.”

You nodded, “Good. Got us reservations.”

“Can’t wait. Will I need to change?”

You shook your head, “Nope. What you’re in is perfect.” Deepening his grin wondering what you were up to.

.

At his house you parked and strolled around the car as he grabbed his bags from the trunk you opened for him to start the stroll to his front door he opened and strolled through to leave his bags in his room carefully setting his rhino on his dresser only to come back asking, “So, where are we going?”

When you were in his sights again you shrugged and he looked you over in your cross legged stance with hands in your back pockets in a teasing rock worsening his belief you were up to something. “Nowhere.”

His brow inched up feeling a pull back to you he followed repeating, “Nowhere?” In the doorway of his dining room he spotted the set table then glanced at you, “Who set the table?”

“You know your family is all too eager to assist someone into breaking into your home.”

Deeply he chuckled closing in even more wetting his lips, “I will have a very, long discussion, with them later.” His hands extended to smooth around your hips as his eyes locked on your lips at yours landing on his middle, lowering his forehead to yours his hands pulled your hips closer to his at his purr, “I missed you.”

Tilting his head his lips pressed to yours in a brief tender pressing of lips followed by a firmer second at your fingers inching around his sides in a mild grip on his shirt to tug him back if he had foolishly pulled away. That second kiss led to another and melted into a third and the count was lost at your arms circling his neck at his lifting you to carry you to the couch. Settled on his lap you remained until the doorbell rang drawing a grumbled protest from him at your pulling back, “That’s dinner.”

He pulled back slowly sliding his hands off your legs easing out of his reach to find your feet, “Ugh, screw dinner.”

Smirking at him you turned away and strolled around the couch and leaned in to steal another kiss at the backwards lean he did hoping for one, “Dinner’s not exactly my type.” Breathily he chuckled turning to watch you fetch the meal you took in to the dining room where he shadowed you and made you giggle as he folded around your back kissing your cheek guiding you to a chair to pull you back into his lap.

“Let it cool, Darling.”

Nipping at his lip your legs settled around his sides and your hands smoothed over his chest stirring a growling exhale from him muffling at your lips planting on his urging his hands to your thighs tugging you closer to him deepening the kiss with his arms snaking around your back. In a break for air he panted ghosting his lips across your cheek trying to find the spot to kiss you next eying the bumps rising along the side of your neck, “I kind of prefer it reheated anyways.”

Warmly his breath fell against your neck as his raised hand melted alongside it tilting it back with a press of his thumb at the planting of his lips to the base of your law beginning a trail down the side of your neck closing your eyes. “Good. We can have it for breakfast.” Kissing your neck firmer in another tug of his arm pinning you to his chest answered with a giggle from you.

.

In a means not to push things too far at your eventual pause your dinner was still tolerably warm to giggle through in the chair beside Richard’s he kept scooting closer to yours in a means to kiss you again when your plates were cleared. A sudden sweep of you in his arms earned a squeaking laugh from you in a trip to his bedroom to dig out your presents he had picked out for you including a velvet box he passed to you, “You did not buy me jewelry!”

In a sheepish chuckle he settled you in his lap and eased the box open in front of you taking in your reaction to the strand of pearls around a silver diamond covered silhouette of a rose parting your lips. “I know it’s simple, but I saw it, and I thought of you.” In your continued stunned silence he rambled on, “I tend to buy more lavish gifts, however, I did hold off, for now.” Wetting his lips as you looked up at him he abruptly added, “If you don’t like-,” closing the distance he melted into the kiss you offered humming in his move to deepen it and pull you closer to him wrapping his arms around you again.

Silently for a moment in a break for air your forehead left his and his eyes focused on yours with an adoring gaze in your hand stroking along his cheek to cup it, “It’s perfect. Thank you. I will treasure it always.”

Instantly his smile rippled across his face and he brought the box back into your view to pull it out when he showed you the small clasp forming a solid bar so it wouldn’t get snagged on anything he turned for you to say, “Added something too.”

The small ‘T.I.G’ on the inside of it made you read them aloud, “Tig?”

Glancing up at him sheepishly in his unclasping it to drape it adoringly around your wrist he hummed back at the securing snap, “There it goes.” Making you giggle in his deep chuckle and turn of his head to kiss you again in a cup of your cheek. “I tried to find a top hat one, or even a pineapple, but they are shockingly scarce.” Earning another giggle from you as he chuckled.

“It’s perfect, I love it.” Smoothing your hand across his chest he sighed contently then locked his eyes with a curious raise of his brow at your saying, “I am glad you didn’t go on a wild spending spree over me.” At his awkward grin spreading you asked with a narrowed gaze, “What else did you get?”

He shook his head, “Just this for now. You’ll have to wait and be surprised at the others.”

“What others?” Again you giggled being laid back in his arms in a snuggling hold ending with your staying over for the night to share breakfast as well.

.

One event after another you held firm and tried to keep as much of your lives together private while prying eyes did their best to dig for information. But as a christening bled into the long awaited wedding feeding the world pictures of Richard dressed to the nines at your side in your lavish gown peering down on your sleeping nephew even the worst of the haters felt that itch to see their favorite man remaining this blissfully entranced through all his long awaited milestones now quite possible with you. It was awkward, often a juggle but in all the whirlwind of chaos this fragile little love was yours and no one elses. A fact and belief of yours giving Richard hope that you could make it together.

Date to date you hopped and settling in together between roles had finally left you apart for your longest term to date. Three months without a single touch outside of your dreams and hand in hand you strolled on fire aching for more through this animal reserve in the middle of Australia, where it all began. A bashfully presented blindfold had you giggling yet accepting under the promise no pies would be thrown and under the aid of Richard’s hold on your shoulders you found a stone bench with a bowl shaped object in your palms instructed to rest on your lap. Your awkward giggle sounded as the blindfold was being untied to Richard’s low hum of, “Just a moment now.”

Wetting his lips he pulled it back and you giggled at the group of curious baby rhinos approaching you at the scent of the fruit balls in the bowl you held out for them. Easing off to the side Richard filmed you until the littlest of them in his head wiggles at something tied to his horn made him move closer for help. Curiously you eyed the ribbon tied to it you loosened then held up as he ran off to join the others in their playing, shifting the ribbon a curious grin eased onto your lips at the pink lotus ring dangling from the end of it.

“Rich, where do you-,” Turning your head you found him on his knee holding open a box. If he’d said anything you surely didn’t catch it as your gaze remained fixed on his frozen hopeful expression spreading into a massive smile at your odd nod when your mental scream to do so at a lack of words reducing you to physical gestures.

A tight hug later and his lips found yours in easing his ring on your finger to nuzzle his head against yours. Apparently an adorable gesture to the rhinos as when you looked down again the babies were all grouped up together peering up at you wide eyed making you both giggle. And stand at their nudges to guide you over to the pond they all proceeded to jump into splashing you both stirring more laughter in your turns to shield your faces until you were led out of the area for their being led into the larger clearing for the full crowds at the opening of the full exhibit.

Idiotic grins spread across your faces in your stroll through the other exhibits fueling the curious stares, two new rings and a picture of the adoring stares of the grouped up babied over the caption of ‘How could you say no?’ Rumors swirled and for as long as you could manage another secret was clung to cherished all the more in your shared wonder as to how the rest of your lives and the actual nuptials would unfold. For so many years you had been left to your own daydreams and from day one with Richard left you believing that anything was possible and sometimes your new reality wound up being stranger than any bit of fiction you’d ever seen.

#Richard Armitage x Reader OC

[yellowsapphirestone]

Facts Of Yellow Sapphire Gemstone

Yellow sapphire, also known as Pukhraj stone, is a radiant gemstone that has captivated human fascination for centuries. It belongs to the corundum family and is renowned for its mesmerizing yellow hues. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the facts, care tips, and effects of yellow sapphire.

Facts of Yellow Sapphire:

1. Composition and color:

Yellow sapphire (Pukhraj gemstone) is a variety of corundum, the same mineral that forms rubies. Its vibrant yellow color is attributed to the presence of iron and titanium impurities. The intensity of the yellow can vary, ranging from pale yellow to deep golden hues.

2. Origin:

Major deposits of Yellow Sapphire can be found in countries like Sri Lanka, India, Australia, and Thailand the origin of the gemstone can impact its quality and value. The best Yellow Sapphire comes from Sri Lanka.

3.  Astrological Significance:

Yellow sapphire holds a special place in Vedic astrology. It is associated with the planet Jupiter, symbolizing wisdom, prosperity, and fortune. Wearing a yellow sapphire is believed to bring financial success and enhance one’s spiritual journey.

4. Durability:

Yellow sapphire is very durable having a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale next to the diamond which makes it best suited for everyday wear. This makes it an idle choice for various types of jewelry, including rings, earrings, and pendants.

5. Cut and Clarity:

The cut of a yellow sapphire is crucial in bringing out its brilliance and color. Clarity is also essential, and gemstones with fewer inclusions are considered more valuable. Before buying yellow sapphire choose the gemstone with less inclusion and without any flaws like black spots or red spots. More the clarity more the results.

Faceting and shape:

The cut of a yellow sapphire refers to how well the gemstone has been shaped and faceted. The goal is to maximize the stone’s brilliance and enhance its natural color. The most common cut for yellow sapphires is the oval cut.

Proportions:

The proportions of the gemstone, including the arrangement and size of its facets, impact its ability to reflect and refract light. A well-cut yellow sapphire will display a pleasing balance of brightness and fire.

Inclusions:

Clarity in gemstones refers to the presence of internal flaws or inclusions. Inclusions are natural imperfections that can affect the gemstone’s transparency and overall appearance. Inclusions in yellow sapphires can include tiny crystals, gas bubbles, or other minerals.

6. Healing Properties:

Yellow sapphire is a gemstone that is not only cherished for its aesthetic beauty but also valued for its believed healing properties in various alternative healing practices.

Stress Relief:

Yellow sapphire has calm energies that can help to release stress and anxiety. By wearing this gemstone, it promotes a sense of equality and emotional well-being.

Enhanced Creativity:

Yellow sapphire is associated with the planet Jupiter which is linked to creativity and inspiration. Yellow sapphire is believed to stimulate the creative side of individuals, encouraging them to express themselves more freely.

Enhanced Focus and Concentration:

The gemstone is said to improve mental clarity and concentration. It is believed to enhance intellectual abilities and support individuals in making informed decisions.

Spiritual Growth:

Yellow sapphire is considered a spiritually uplifting stone. It is believed to aid in the development of higher consciousness, connecting the wearer with their spiritual self and promoting spiritual growth.

Protection from Negative Energies:

Yellow sapphire is said to act as a protective shield against negative energies. It is believed to create a barrier that prevents negative influences from affecting the wearer.

How to Take Care of Yellow Sapphire

1. Avoid Harsh Chemicals:

Yellow sapphire should be protected from harsh chemicals that can damage its surface. Remove your jewelry before using cleaning agents or engaging in activities that involve exposure to chemicals.

2. Regular Cleaning:

Clean your yellow sapphire jewelry regularly using a soft brush, mild soap, and warm water. This helps remove accumulated dirt and oils, preserving the gemstone’s luster.

3. Professional Cleaning and Inspection:

Periodically, take your yellow sapphire jewelry to a professional jeweler for cleaning and inspection. They can identify and address any issues such as loose settings or scratches.

Effects of Yellow Sapphire

1. Astrological Benefits:

Yellow sapphire ( Pukhraj ) holds a significant place in Vedic astrology and is associated with the planet  Jupiter also known as Guru. According to Vedic astrology, the yellow sapphire gemstone is believed to have numerous astrological benefits when worn by individuals as per their birth charts.

Jupiter Blessings:

Yellow sapphire is associated with the planet Jupiter. Wearing yellow sapphire attracts the positive energies of Jupiter.

Financial Prosperity:

Yellow Sapphire Gemstone brings wealth, prosperity, and financial opportunities to the wearer. It is often recommended for individuals seeking success in business or financial stability.

2. Mental and emotional Effects:

Wisdom and Clarity:

Yellow sapphire enhances wisdom, clarity of thought, and decision-making abilities. It is often recommended for individuals seeking intellectual growth.

Positive Energy:

Wearing Yellow Sapphire promotes positive thinking and reduces feelings of anxiety and stress. It brings joy and happiness to the wearer.

3. Spiritual and Religious Growth:

Spiritual Growth:

Yellow sapphire is associated with spiritual growth and is often used in meditation practices. It enhances spiritual consciousness and awareness.

Protection:

In some cultures, yellow sapphire is considered a protective talisman that guards against negative energies and psychic attacks.

4. Improvement in Relationships:

Marital Bliss:

The gemstone is believed to strengthen marital relationships and bring harmony and understanding between couples.

Friendship:

Some traditions suggest that wearing yellow sapphire can enhance friendships and social connections.

5. Career and Education:

Success in Education:

Yellow sapphire is recommended for students, as it is believed to enhance concentration, focus, and intellectual capabilities.

Career Advancement:

It is said to bring opportunities for career growth and success, especially in fields related to teaching, law, and finance.

It’s important to approach these claims with a balanced perspective, and individuals interested in using gemstones for their potential benefits should consult with qualified astrologers or experts.

#yellow sapphire #yellow sapphire stone #yellow sapphire price

[animus-wild-magic]

How to print your comic, Part III: What could go wrong?!

Today is the last day of the “Printing your comic” series, and after learning the proper vocabulary and better understanding how the printing process works, were gonna tackle the most common problems that will happen anyway. Yes, even if you communicate properly, even if you export the file correctly and if you’ve chosen the appropriate paper grammage. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: printing is not exactly predictable and you’re probably going to have to deal with some unexpected adjustments to make. Let’s talk about the most common things we want to avoid or fix. 

“My colors look dull and dreary on paper”

This is for anything related to color in printing: if you’re like most digital artists, you probably create your comic in RGB mode on your chosen drawing software. This is the standard setting and the most appropriate to work with on your computer screen, since it uses the light-color language.

This apparent desaturation of your painting happens because in fact light is brighter than pigment, very simply, and when we convert the art to CMYK, some of the vibrance might be lost. This happens especially when portraying conditions such as high contrast, bright lights and some particularly tricky colors such as blues and greens. In this case, color might simply break in generate ugly color bands instead of the smooth gradient transitions you’ve envisioned and executed on digital media. 

A simple way you can fix this is to work normally on your RGB file, and after finishing it, save it in CMYK color mode to check it out. Things you’ll get to fix at this point are:

Color balance overall, using tools such as color curves (they will now appear as CMKY),

Avoid color bands, which happen because some colors don’t exist in CMKY the same way they exist in RGB

Anything to glowy or scenes that have lots of contrast might need to be toned down in order not to break your colors. Again, white in light is really, really bright, so it naturally looks very different on your computer screen, which is a light source.

“My colors looks too glaring and oversaturated”

This is not a very common problem, but it’s the other side of the coin from the topic above. Some colors might pop out more than you’ve expected and overtake the painting. For me, I’ve had the experience of getting a really loaded yellow, so everything close to this color would look lighter and brighter - as a consequence, some other colors would look dull and gray, since the proportion of colors was a little off balance now. Most cases, however, you’ve probably picked a very shiny paper, like a glossy photographic one. Changing to a matte finishing generally fixes this issue. So, for this cases:

Check the color balance as indicated above,

Choose a paper finishing that favours your colors.

“My blacks look gray.”

For this one we need again to remember the difference of color perception from screen to paper. If you are now looking at your CMKY final file on screen and have the impression that the blacks are gray, that’s totally normal. For your screen, “black” means no light at all in those pixels, but the “K” that is printing black ink has a different data to inform that. That’s why most softwares will give you two options: PDF-digital and PDF-printing for exporting your art. 

Now, if your printed file comes out with blacks looking too gray, let’s talk about what probably happened. This typically will show in your speech lines, if you’re making comics, and the confusion happens when we switch color modes from one software to the other. Say you’re on your painting software (Photoshop, SAI, Corel Painter, etc), painting in RGB color mode. You export the file and don’t pay a lot of attention, and the page art is still in RGB, but you open in on a vector based (InDesign, Illustrator, CorelDRAW, etc) the add speech bubbles and character speeches, but these softwares generally work in CMKY. So the problem generally comes from picking two images that were generated in different color modes and merging them. When you export this mix in whichever final format, something is bound to break down.

If you’re working with more than one software, be sure they’re on the same color mode when you merge those images.

“My pages came in the wrong position/upside down in some of the units.”

That’s always a funny thing, and way more recurring than you’d expect. Unless you noticed this happens to all of your units (which would mean the file has the pages switched), that’s absolutely not your fault, but a very common mistake from the printing shop. Take a moment to think about just how many units you are printing, and how many pages you have in each one of them. Most the process of saddle stitching is automated, so the staff won’t actually check every page of every unit. This is your job, actually. Once you notice one or more of your units have this problem, just make a video of it indicating the issue, send it to your printer and explain the situation. Like I said, this is more recurring than you’d think, so they’ll probably very quickly print you new copies with very little questioning.

Always check your comics at the time of arrival. You can ask for corrected copies later on if one you your buyers notices it after the purchase, of course, but whenever you can, check before to have a chance of substituting them in advance.

Be communicative and register everything in video.

“My text font came out wrong.”

This can happen if you’ve sent the native file to the printer, like a .AI, .ID or .CDR. (Illustrator, Indesign and CorelDraw, respectively) and did not link or pack your font with it.You’re using a font that you’ve downloaded, it didn’t come embedded in your computer or software. When the printer staff opens your file to send it to the printing machine, their computer will not be able to read this font, and will therefore substitute it for a font they have available. Since this is an automated process, it won’t even be a similar one, and you might end up with Arial Black all over your comic.

Send your files in PDF, really, it is just the best format for this purpose (JPEG and PNG will also prevent this from happening, though).

If you need to send a native file, always remember “packing” your fonts. (That’s a very specific situation, so I won’t explain how to do it here, but if you need this, please feel free to contact me, ok?)

For all of those problems above, you can actually ask for a print test when you’re running a certain amount of units. For most print shops, they’ll either have a free or very low fee option of sending you a test copy to anything over 100 units. You get this copy before your actual print is run, so you get to check all of these things and talk to your staff ahead of time. It’s a great idea, always ask if this option is available and use it!

Here is a quick list of things to check before you send your file:

Be sure the number of pages in your file is a multiple of 4

Remember your cover counts as 4 pages (front, back, and the verse of each one)

300 to 450 DPI resolution

If needed, “pack” your fonts

Make the proper math to choose between offset and digital printing in advance

Always leave a bleed

Be aware of your safezone

Send your files in CMKY

Check paper size

Have sample prints whenever is possible

Always have a time buffer so that you can fix problems before a convention or event

Always, always, always be patient and communicate a lot!

That’s the end of our series on how to print your comic, guys! Thank you so much for questions and suggestions and for keeping track of this blog.

You might also like to read:  How to print your comic Part I and How to print your comic part II

If you don’t want to miss this, go ahead and subscribe to our newsletter!If you 

enjoy this content and comic, please considerer  supporting us at Patreon!

#howto #howtowritecomics #how to write #writting tips #making comics #how to make comics #how to print comics #printing comics

[sixnna-contixllo]

Squigly's Birthday Out

When Squigly wakes up, the first thing she is treated to is a lovely handmade breakfast made by Simon and Daniel, both of whom present her the breakfast covered in a dusting of flour. The breakfast consists of fresh blueberry crepes served in a rich and delicate cream and shaved dark chocolate, served alongside a cup of Squigly’s favorite oolong tea with a careful mixture of honey and spices. On the tray is a handmade card, decorated by the little artist himself, and signed lovingly by each member of the family- Simon, Selene, Roberto, Leviathan, and Daniel. Inside the card reads.

“Happy birthday, Squigly! We hope we can make today wonderful for you! Enjoy your breakfast and get ready for what we got planned for you!”

While Squigly eats, Simon happily cuddles on his mother’s lap, the little bomb wrapping his arms around her as he snuggles into her. He loves getting to celebrate birthdays, how much fun they are, how happy they are when they celebrate together. Seeing his mother happy and smiling makes him so happy too, and when she enjoys what he and his father made makes it even better.

After breakfast, and everything is cleaned up, Daniel escorts Squigly to the bathroom, ready to give her the second treat of the day. Inside the bathroom, Daniel was gone above and beyond to make an absolutely superb bubble bath. Everything has been given plenty of attention, from the pink and white mountains of bubble foam swirling on the bubbling steaming water that give off sweet aromas of high-end perfume to the variety of candles and incense that twinkle in the dim room. Music pipes softly from the radio, a glass of relaxing red wine and a small plate of chocolates-in a heart-shaped box no less- sit aside magazines, books, and an awaiting neck pillow for Squigly to slip herself into and enjoy a nice rest.

And, as a special treat, Daniel gives Squigly what he describes as a “massage he picked up from reading a book on Eastern traditions” for a history part he wants to record. The massage involves warm oil, hot stones, and a special trick that involves sending soothing vibrations across the body to ease muscle joints. It’s nothing lewd, rather, Daniel takes his time to ensure he does everything right, from adding just the right amount of hot stones to balance soothing heat, to gently moving her arms and legs as she relaxes, making sure not to mess a single step up while his lover relaxes in her bath.

After the soothing bath, everyone gets ready to head out shopping. Selene would explain that, since it was kind of hard to pick out a single gift for her that they didn’t know if she had, they thought it would be a nice trip to take her to the shops and malls and let her pick out whatever she wishes. Daniel, however, almost mention something else but quickly stops himself before saying anything else.

At the mall, Squigly is taken through all sorts of shops and boutiques- bookstores, music shops, fashionwear of all varieties and styles, even a store that caters exclusively to retro items. Whatever she wants, be it clothes, books, a new radio, anything she desires the family makes sure she’ll receive. Money is no object for her, and whatever she wants, she will get. It’s not spoiling her, but rather letting her know that she is worthy of that type of care.

After the mall, with whatever Squigly got in bags and boxes, the Contiellos feel a bit hungry, so they decide to head to a little café and bakery just by the hotel, for a light lunch. There, among sandwiches, meats, pastas, and pastries, everyone orders a delicious lunch, enjoying some good old fashioned conversation and banter as any family would do, Simon happily drawing on the placemat with his always ready crayons as he cuddled in Daniel’s lap, to Roberto tells Daniel a story about when Squigly was younger, she once ate almost a whole cake and spent the rest of her birthday in bed, wiping icing off her face as she dealt with a stomach ache. This makes Squigly blush, and just as any woman would do, young or old, hides her face as her father relates such a story-although she can’t help but giggle at the silly thought of her at the age of 7, wiping buttercream from her cheeks as she sang Happy Birthday.

They come back to the house, and setting everything down, Leviathan reminds them that it is now 2:30, and they “must be getting ready if they’re to make it to 4:30.” At these words, everyone starts to get changed- although, Squigly doesn’t know why. Everyone starts to get showered and changed into more formal wear- suits, a formal dress, even Simon gets a little bath and polish with a little bowtie! Through all this, Squigly goes the flow, albeit a bit confused, as everyone just tells her it’s a surprise. Leviathan even answers with just a chuckle and a promise that he has be sworn to keep the secret just that- a secret, and she’ll find out soon.

At 3:45, everyone heads out, decked out in fancy formal wear. Daniel’s arm linked around Squigly’s, wearing a formal jacket that was kinda itchy in some spots but since Squigly said he looked handsome in kept it, his one arm gingerly cradling Simon, who was all bundled up in a white scarf to keep warm, Selene and Roberto behind them, with Leviathan keeping a close eye through Squigly’s head. The afternoon air was cool, kissed with the slowly setting sun to streak the endless ocean of blue above into a crimson and orange miasma. Past the crowd of people, be they those with four arms with one girl on each arm to the funky looking guys with the sunglasses and bags of money, Squigly is held close, not alone, but kept walking alongside her family, who eagerly thrill her with hints and stories of what her surprise would be. Simon draws a little picture to show her a big looking room, Selene and Roberto slyly suggest that perhaps it’ll be “much too late” to head back home, and Daniel could only blush and chuckle, kissing her cheek as she racks her brain to figure it out

Then, after hopping a train- the 4:30 Meridian Area Rapid- the Contiellos find themselves at their destination. Outside the gates of the Contiello Estate. The golden courtyard gates draped in streamers and balloons, limos and sports cars driven by flashy bachelors and old money line the circled drive leading to the massive opera house, which since restoration, has transformed into a breathing center of art, music, and celebration. The air is filled with music, swing jazz or the newest piece performed by in-house artists, laughter, cheering, the clinking of cocktail glasses. It’s a gala event- held by the Meridian Restoration Society, to display the walls and halls with memories of pre-Renoir tradition, music, songs and art.

To the Contiellos, it’s a dream from the past, molded and fixed here in plain sight. And, if you could see the look on Squigly’s face, she’d be flushed seven shades of purple how excited she was.

The evening is compromised of heading to the great hall, where tables stand lifted above a dance floor to watch couples and troupes dance to the melody of a 20-piece band. Here, the Contiellos rest, order some house wine, and enjoy the atmosphere. Roberto says this reminds him of when he first took Selene on their first date, with Leviathan playfully adding some commentary to his old master’s story, while Simon and Daniel busily tend to Squigly, delighting her with questions on how she likes it and what she wants to do first, which if they know Squigly, is enough to make her fluster like royalty.

Then, the family heads to the banquet hall, where they are served a banquet of epic proportions- lobster, steak, fresh cut roasts, exotic seafood imported from high-end shop, sushi, and poultry, as well as a dessert table of cakes, pastries, chocolates, and even a wine tasting table to taste old cultural flavors mixed with new broader flavors. The dinner hall is filled with lively conversation, even more so at the table where the Contiellos sit, where among plates of delicious food, they laugh and joke and talk, happy not to be here itself, but with those they care about.

Then, for Squigly’s final gift of the night- what would going to an opera house be without, you know, an opera? Escorted to a VIP booth looking above the stage, the Contiellos watch a show performed by some of the most up and coming actors and thespians of Canopy Kingdom. The booming orchestra fills the air, the sound of sopranos and baritones roll through the aisles, and the light flicker dramatically, as if to show the Contiellos the taste of opera they have helped to build. Daniel sits on a comfy couch with Squigly nuzzled to him, his jacket draped over her shoulder with Simon cuddled between them, Selene and Roberto on another couch, chuckling softly as they watch their family enjoy the show while nuzzling in each other’s arms.

After the thundering applause has ended, Squigly wonders what time they will be home- it is almost midnight, and do the trains even run, she wonders? But to this, Daniel smiles warmly and explains what the plan is. You see, he booked a suite here to stay a night and has sent their clothes over early in the day by courier from the opera house- thus, all they have to do is go to their suite, book in, change and relax.

And so, journeying through gilded halls and crowded rooms, the Contiellos ascend in a lift to the upper halls, to a suite waiting with their name marked on by a silver paper. In their suite, their suitcases lay neat on the bed, neon lights from the city outside pour in through the patio door, illuminating in shades of purple, white and gold a bucket of ice with fresh champagne and a small white box on the guest table. After everyone is changed to more casual attire, Simon eagerly fetches the little white box from the table and opens it for his mother to see.

Inside is a delicious, decadent, rich chocolate cake, topped with a layer of creamy white chocolate frosting, and topped with a colorful array of chocolate-dipped cherries and blueberries. In the middle of the cake, written in beautiful cursive in blue letters surrounding a small circle of candles that illuminate with a soft purple flame are the words “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”.

Then, just as Squigly would look over the cake, someone shuts the lights off, bathing the room in the glow of only the candles and the neon lights spilling in. Slowly, starting with Leviathan, then Roberto, then Selene, and then Daniel, everyone begins to sing to her. Even Simon, who obviously is unable to sing, happily sways and dances to the song, spinning and twirling adorably as everyone gathers in song.

“Happy Birthday to You~! Happy Birthday to You~! Happy Birthday, dear Squigly~! Happy Birthday…to You~!”

As each candle slowly flickers as they are blown out, the darkness of the room is contrasted by the sound of cheering and laughter, even without light the room is filled with warmth. When the lights are flicked back on, and everyone has finished lavishing Squigly with attention and hugs, it’s time to relax.

The TV plays an old classic movie on the late channel. The bottle of champagne is popped, Daniel cuts the cake, and everyone enjoys a delicious dessert. The fresh linens seem the most welcoming thing of all, as everyone slips comfortably under the warmth of the sheets, to fall back against the soft pillows after such a day of walking and running around. Daniel pulls the blankets up over Squigly and Simon, gingerly tucking the sheet into the bed to make it nice and cozy, before draping his arm lovingly around them as they snuggle together.

As the night goes on, and the neon lights seem to brighten as they spill into the suite, the air of drowsiness and peaceful calm washes over them. Selene and Roberto both wish their daughter, grandson, and son-in-law a wonderful night, before curling up together to fall into a deep comfortable sleep. Simon stretches his little arms and legs, nuzzling his mother and father happily when they give him his good night kisses and hugs, nestling into his little nook to fall asleep, his fuse twinkling like starlight out the window as he falls fast asleep. Leviathan bows his head, and wishes them all a good night’s rest before curling his tail around them to rest his head on his mistress’s shoulder, leaving only Squigly and Daniel awake.

Just before Daniel falls asleep, he leans over and presses his lips deeply to Squigly’s. The taste of blueberry, chocolate and champagne mingle with the scent of her perfume as their lips melt and press together. He could never tire of kissing her, of just being able to hold her like this, and he tells her this, his voice soft and warm, adoring and gentle. He says that he loves her, that he loves them more than anything in the world, and even if he didn’t love them, he would want nothing more than to love them forever. He hoped they had made today absolutely amazing for her, their undead darling, and that if they could, they would make everyday as wonderful as could be for her.

She’s their opera singer after all, the best thing to ever happen to them. And she deserves nothing less.

And, as Squigly would slowly begin to fall asleep, she would feel Daniel’s hands gingerly run through her hair, rolling through the tasseled blue curls of her done-up hair back and forth oh so slowly, his arms warm and strong, protecting her and Simon as they curl up in bed. His voice gently hums, although it’s not as spellbinding as anything the Contiellos could sing, but echoing with love and care for Squigly, humming Happy Birthday into her ear as he holds her tight, letting the blankets fall and melt over her until the singer is buried in a mixture of his arms and the linens. Just before her eyes close, Daniel whispers into her ear once more.

“Good night, Squigly~. I love you more than anything in this world~.”

As Squigly would wake up the next morning, there would be a smell of fresh Belgian waffles being made at the little kitchenette and fresh coffee being made, the opera house suite filled with the melody of music, and sunlight streaming in through the frost-tinted windows. Simon and Daniel happily work at the kitchenette, flipping waffles or carefully pouring glasses of juice, Selene and Roberto nuzzle up in their robes to listen to the radio as they enjoy a cup of cappuccinos, and Leviathan purrs comfortably, fixing Squigly’s pillow as he curls around her, smiling warmly at his host as her eyes flutter awake.

Hey, just because it’s not her birthday, doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve star treatment, right?  

[oneeyeddestroyer]

Sharing Skin: The Home Game (Part 1)

Atmospheric and sensual, Sharing Skin has produced a handful of you mentioning just how much it makes you want a good bath. The goal of the prose was to create a unmistakable relaxing vibe with just the right touch of decadence. The bulk of my planning period for this fic was crafting the delicate details of each bath, piece by piece. Every aroma, every color, every bubble, every bath bomb, every drink, all the way down to the flower petals and the snacks, was hand picked to build an ambiance (as Eliot would say) and indicate the overall mood of the characters in that scene.

As a little treat, I wanted to curate some of my favorite bath essentials*. Recipes, products, mood lighting and wine pairings for your nerves!

We’re going to take it bath by bath to help you guys recreate the magic of each chapter. That was super fucking cheesy, but I bet you lived for it anyway. I think El and Margo are really starting to rub off on me. 😉

Bath One: What We Deserve

Upon entering the room, Margo’s fingers twist intricately and the room fills with cool, flickering light. She’s always loved the way Eliot’s skin looks in blue.

The first bath is pretty simple: brisk, refreshing air, cool toned lighting, sparkling wine, bubbles and a quick smoke.

While I can’t magically alter the tone and color of the lighting, I do have this pretty fucking best oil diffuser with color changing lights. There are a few really neat ones on the market, and I’ll link to a couple I have personal experience with. Easy to use, you add a few drops of essential oil into a small amount of water in the basin, and let it do all the work of diffusing a fine, gorgeously scented mist of your own creation. The lights change color in a slow, fluid movement, and some can be made to maintain a single color light with soft pulsing effects. Mine is Bluetooth compatible so I can play all the Enya I want as I take a soak.

Recommendations:

1. Colorful Essential Oil Diffuser

2. Ultrasonic Bluetooth Oil Diffuser

If you’re a drinker, sparkling wine is easily the best part of any bath. A nice, chilled wine is both refreshing and lovely balance to the heat of the bath—it doesn’t hurt to have a glass of ice water in the side as well. I’m not a huge fan of proper champagne, so I’ll share some of my favorite sparkling wines instead.

Something Dry

La Marca Prosecco is affordable a delicious. Not too dry, but certainly not too sweet either. Super lovely for people who are a little shy on dry whites.

Something Sweet

Bartenura wines are so fuckin delightful. If you like sweet wines, these are definitely for you if you haven’t already tried them. Fruity and fun, and also Kosher if I am not mistaken

A Rosé

Grapefruit isn’t everyone’s jam, but if you’re down to try something new, this shit is fucking delicious. A lot of wines get described and crisp and refreshing, and this is the first time I fully experienced what that could mean for a wine. It’s definitely worth the shot even if you’re not super keen on grapefruit. Eliot and Margo would definitely want you to try new things. 😉

For the bubble bath, instead of recommending a product, I wanted to share an easy recipe to make your own. Hand making bath and skin care products is a low key hobby of mine and it’s a ton of fun.

Simple Bubble Bath Recipe:

½ cup warm distilled water

½ cup liquid castile soap, scent of your choice (find unscented castile soap here)

¼ cup vegetable glycerin (find organic glycerin here)

a few drops of essential oils of your choosing

Combine all the ingredients and stir them until they're even and smooth. Over time they may separate, so just give them a quick shake in the container until they mix back together, just don’t shake too hard or it will froth up before it’s time for your bath. There is a premature ejacualation joke in there somewhere, I’m sure of it. 😂

I’m not a smoker, and I certainly do not smoke indoors, but I have had a casual smoke after a bath before, it really hits the spot if that is a thing you do. Some hookah, a vanilla clove, or handmade cigarettes of herbs like lavender and damiana can be truly lovely if you’re so inclined. Or, you know, you could just smoke weed like a normal 20-something, your call.

Bath Two: Intertwined

A quick dance of her fingers around each other causes the candles lining the tub to ignite, one by one. The warm flickering illuminates the room with a soft glow.

For best results, wait for a rainy day and bring a friend.

A minimalist bath after a rough night. Budget whiskey, candles, and maybe a good smoke at the end of it all before calling it a night.

Floating candles are a great way to create a simple but relaxing vibe. You can go through the delicate balancing act of lighting real candles and keeping them afloat without putting them out, or you can use these nifty, waterproof LED floating candles and save yourself the trouble. Maximum vibe for minimum effort is Eliot and Margo as fuck.

Whisky recommendations (Eliot takes his in a flask here, but feel free to have yours in a glass, maybe with a spot of water or over cold stones):

Bushmills 10 Year

Jameson Black Barrel

Knob Creek Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Bath Three: Winner’s Circle

Margo nods her approval as she settles against Eliot’s chest. With the bubble situation under control, the soft, rosy gold water is visible where their bodies emerge from bubbles. As their movements still, the water shimmers with brilliance that could make the night sky jealous as the light catches individual flecks of glitter.

Confession: I spent way too much time on the Lush website trying to dream up this bath. I suffered through hours of product reviews and ASMR videos of “Lush Cocktails” before I finally settled on the right mix of products. I will never look at a strainer the same way again.

If you’d like to soak in your own gloriousness a la Bath 3, you’ll need to pick up Sunnyside (a lovely citrusy bubble bar with glitter for DAYS) and The Comforter (the classic black currant bubble bar that many considers Lush staple, and a personal favorite) from your local Lush or order them from the website. Combined, they make the prettiest rose gold. It’s everything, I promise! The bubble bars are designed to be broken apart and used in small chunks, because they create a serious amount of bubbles. I’d cut them in pieces and use a small chunk of each, or you can go buckwild like El and Margo, but expect some serious overflow if you do it right.

Oh! And bonus points for setting up a trophy to gaze at as you soak.

If you liked one of the wines from the first bath, you can easily pair it with this bath too, or you can use one of these. I will alway have more wine to recommend.

Something Dry

Ruffino Prosecco is lovely, dry and fruity. It can be a touch pricier than La Marca, but not by much. Totally affordable—as most proseccos are— and tasty. Even if you don’t really like dry whites, it’s hard to go wrong with a prosecco.

Something Sweet

Martini & Rossi Asti. Affordable, sweet, Italian sparkling wine. It’s self explanatory and delicious.

A Rosé

I told you guys I live for Bartenura wines. The Malvasia di casorzo is seriously one of my favorite wines. Sweet and fruity, it’s just really fucking good. I won’t try to sell you with somm lingo and flavor notes like “wilted vines” and “fresh tennis balls”, just drink the wine. If you like sweet, it’s awesome.

Bath Four: Delusions, Major and Minor

Notes of ripe, juicy peach, and hint of honey fill the air. The bath water is a bright, creamy orange with a soft light glowing from beneath the surface. Their subtle movements create a shimmer as they stir the water.

**

Margo lightly strokes the water and hums as she considers her next choice. She brings her hands together, rolling her wrists over each other before stitching her fingers together in an intricate shape. A deliberate tap of the surface of the bath with her middle finger causes the water to turn pink beneath her touch. The color ripples out from the point of contact in concentric waves, quickly changing the entire bath. With the same finger, she traces a small sigil on the back of Eliot’s left hand to tie him into the spell. Eliot makes three quick taps along the surface of the bath. Orange, yellow and red diffuse into the water, the edges of Eliot’s colors are much more feathered and frayed than Margo’s. The colors swirls together, blending into beautiful gradients when they come into contact with each other and the pink hues from Margo. The result is somewhere between the light of a setting sun and an abstract painting.

I have a couple of ways you could recreate this bath if you’re so inclined. If you want to go for the bright, peachy vibe complete with Bellini, a peach scented bath bomb while you rub yourself down with scrubee will give you that mix of ripe stone fruit and honey. (And don’t skimp on scrubee, that bad boy will leave your skin silky smooth and hydrated as fuck and the scent is incredible) The bath bombs I wanted to recommend seen to mostly be out of stock, but I hope a few come back for the summer months.

Peachy by Lush

Pretty as a Peach by Bath & Body Works

Honey Peach by Sabon

Basic Bellini recipe:

One part peach nectar

2 parts prosecco

If you want to get really fancy with it, you can purée a couple of peaches and mix one part of that with 2 parts prosecco (or you can flip those proportions if you want a more fruit heavy cocktail), but if you want to get fancy without doing a ton of work, you can buy a peach nectar instead. Just make sure it’s the good stuff, actual peach nectar, and not some sugary “fruit juice blend” where none of the fruits involved are actual peaches. I’ve used both Goya and Jumex. I always garnish with a peach wedge or wheel.

If you don’t want to go with the peach bath, you could do a multicolored bath instead. Hot Topic has a cute dragon egg bathbomb that changes a colors as it fizzes and finally settles into a nearly black final bath color. It’s super fucking huge and so much fun.

Continued in Part 2

*I am not paid or sponsored in any way shape or form, nor am I associated with any of the above brands, licenses, etc.. I’m just overly enthusiastic about a fanfiction I wrote and a slut for good bath vibes.

#the magicians #eliot waugh #margo hanson #lush cosmetics #wine #whiskey #bath #fanfiction

[10000badframes]

Allergy-Friendly Baking: Demon Lemon Tartlets with Fresh Berries

Why a Demon Lemon, you ask? On Monday, one of my students, Ikumi, messaged me and said “I’m bringing you a big lemon.” I assumed that she meant softball-sized, because I know they get pretty large out here. She hauled a MONSTROSITY through the door. It was literally actually no-exaggeration the size of my head. Turns out Ponderosa Lemons are a thing! I promised the student body that I’d make them treats from it. I’ve wanted to make gluten-free nut-free vegan tartlet shells for a while, because the possibilities are pretty broad as to filling them. However, I’ve had difficulty in the past because the allergy-friendly cookies I would pulverize for crumbs didn’t particularly want to bind back together. This time I tried with S’Moreables. I reduced it to sandy crumbs in the food processor, melted 4.5 tablespoons of Earth Balance vegan butter in the microwave, and stirred them together until incorporated. I then pressed the mixture into a mini muffin tin, and baked them at 375 for 8 minutes. They bubbled up in the middle, and I thought that meant it was a bust, but I used a round tablespoon measurer to press them back down when they came out of the oven, and when they’d cooled about five minutes later, POP! Out they came! IN ONE PIECE! My dreams (shells) did not crumble in my hands! There was triumphant cackling.

As far as the curd goes, I’ve never made vegan curd before. My lovely partner zested the Demon Lemon. When we cut it open, it was mostly pith, with a little ring of seed-laden pulp clinging to it, and a hollow space in the middle. Talk about being shortchanged. You made big promises, Demon Lemon, but did you deliver? Sort of. You gave your life for this curd, so I can’t complain too much. With zest and juice in hand, I started in on the recipe at the link below. 

https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-lemon-curd/

My substitutions were that I couldn’t use nut-based milk, so I used hemp milk instead, which has a light brown color and affected the color of the final result somewhat. I also used corn starch instead of arrowroot starch, since it was what I had on hand. I used the proportions of maple syrup which the recipe recommends, but since I was working with a Demon Lemon, I found the final result far too tart, so I added granulated sugar to taste and sprinkled some on top later. I whisked continually while it was on the heat, and was sure that it wouldn’t gel together, but somehow it developed a jiggle, and it set further in the fridge overnight. That advice in the recipe about pressing plastic wrap to the surface was right on the money.

When the time came to plate, I piped the curd into the shells and then topped each with a fresh raspberry or blueberry. It was a very attractive effect, and while it wasn’t the sweetest-tasting thing I’ve ever presented (despite all the added sugar,) it went over well with my grown-up audience, and a pre-verbal baby who was in residence that night didn’t seem to mind it too much. 

#demon lemon #tartlets #baking #allergy baking #gluten free baking #Vegan baking

[itcars]

Reveal: The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe 

The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe illustrates the meaning behind the letter “M” at BMW in impressive style: it stands for “more”, more of everything. As well as dynamic excellence, the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe embodies a new facet of luxury for the BMW brand – ultra-sporty, extrovert and polarizing.

“The BMW 8 Series will take over as the new flagship model of the BMW line-up & combines unsurpassed sportiness and elegance,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior VP BMW Group Design. “The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe offers a look ahead to the most exotic and alluring variant of the new BMW 8 Series.”

Symbol of a unique understanding of luxury. The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe is more than simply a luxury sports car with four doors. It symbolizes a new and unique understanding of luxury. “The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe is designed to stir things up, to polarize – it should move you emotionally,” explains Domagoj Dukec, Vice President Design BMW M and BMW i. “With this car we want to reach people who are looking for something special and who want to stand out from the crowd. Here, BMW M is unmistakably taking luxury out of its comfort zone.” Like the BMW Concept 8 Series before it, the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe shows off BMW’s new design language, headlined by expressive surfacing that accentuates the car’s dynamism more vividly than before through its bodywork. A small number of precise character lines underline the graphic arrangement of the surfaces.

The front end: a promise of dynamic talent to quicken the pulse. Low to the road and broad in stance, the eye-catching front end of the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe delivers an immediate promise of an exceptional performance experience. The muscular surfaces and precise contours of the bonnet hint at the driving capability bubbling intently under the skin.

The face of the new BMW 8 Series is evident in the new Concept’s front-end graphic. The contours of the radiator grille kidneys broaden as they descend towards the road, emphasizing the car’s low center of gravity. As on early BMW coupes, the kidney elements are linked by an unbroken grille surround, creating a large single element. The headlights are positioned slightly higher than the kidneys and give them the impression of sitting lower, which further emphasizes the car’s closeness to the asphalt. In contrast, the gold-colored kidney surround brings an added air of exclusivity to the front end. Within the headlights, the lighting technology familiar from the M8 GTE endurance racer provides a dynamic, hexagonal interpretation of BMW’s signature four-eyed front end, distilling elements of modern-day motor sport and luxurious quality into its inner details. Meanwhile, brawny air intakes in carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) guide the air to where it is required.

The side – elegance meets powerful precision. Even when viewed from a distance, the proportions of the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe radiate the car’s dynamic character. A long wheelbase, long bonnet, flowing roofline and short tail create an elegantly sporty coupe silhouette. The emotionally rich surfacing reaches a climax in the car’s shoulders around the C-pillars, north of the rear wheels. Here, the roof flows into the rear by means of elegantly sculpted fins. Lower down, the muscular flared wheel arches offer a visual expression of the power working through the rear axle. The smooth transitions between surfaces exude a certain sensuousness, while the heavy tapering of the car’s shoulders combines with a wide track to bring extra definition and athleticism. Being every inch the BMW M car, the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe has a roof made from CFRP – which lowers the car’s center of gravity both visually and physically – and aerodynamically optimized exterior mirrors.

The Salève Vert paint finish, whose color appears to change from green to greyish blue in different lights, creates a hugely effective surface composition and teams up with the gold-colored window graphic, hallmark M gills, gold-colored brakes, wheel rims and M twin exhaust tailpipes to give the car a head-turning, all-new look.

The rear packs an imposing presence. The rear of the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe oozes the dynamic élan and visual impact for which M is renowned, and the wide track and flared wheel arches hint at the car’s performance capability. Horizontal lines break up the rear end stylistically, allowing the area below the rear spoiler to catch more light and adding extra visual agility. At the outer edges, the slim, sculpted rear lights with black glass covers underscore the car’s wide stance on the road. Below them, the bumper picks up the front apron’s dynamic theme. The prominent diffuser and two sets of familiar M twin exhaust tailpipes together send out a clear message of absolute performance.

Looking ahead. The striking exterior of the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe combines the core values of BMW M with elegance and luxury to create a new and captivating form, and reveals a new and exciting facet of BMW M. The new model sees the BMW Group looking ahead to the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe and BMW M8 Gran Coupe, which will be presented during the course of 2019 and round off the BMW 8 Series family.

#BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe #BMW M8 Gran Coupe #cars #concepts #concept cars #reveal #bmw m8 #m8 #m-series #Geneva Motor Show #featured

[architectnews]

PPG Flagship Store, Foshan Guangdong Province

PPG Flagship Store, Foshan Province Interior, Guangdong Commercial Project, Architecture Photos

PPG Flagship Storein in Foshan

12 Jul 2021

Architects: Foshan Topway Design

Location: Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China

PPG Flagship Store

Located in Foshan, China, the project is a flagship store of PPG, an American coating brand. The original space was a long, skinny passage that was 3.3 meters in breadth and 26.6 meters in depth, and its left and right sides were confined by the neighboring spaces. It was a big challenge for the designers to conceive a flagship store in such an extremely narrow spatial environment.

As a foreign coating brand, PPG’s target customers in China are upscale housing occupants. This flagship store needed to accommodate a series of home settings such as living room, dining room, bedroom, bathroom and study for customers to experience. However, the existing spatial width was unable to satisfy the scale of normal household spaces. Therefore, the designers borrowed some next-door spare spaces, and then took advantage of the spatial height to stretch the structures up and down and weaken the spatial boundaries. The two box-like volumes were appropriately rotated to further broaden the space, and the twists and turns formed different varying scenes as customers walking around. The design changed the narrowness of the original space through architectural languages, endowed the space with more fluidity and visual extension, and recreated the space’s physical property and aesthetics through curved surfaces and oblique lines.

Meanwhile, the design team leveraged and highlighted the long yet narrow spatial scale, and let the structures grow upwards and overlap. In this way, the space seems to be growing in the crack, squeezing, revolving and mixing, and presenting a naturally growing state.

A poetic dream world Everyone yearns for poetry and distance deep inside. The designers hoped to stimulate people’s expectation for the future through the romantic and fantastic showcase area. The arched “windows” are inset with a backdrop that depicts beautiful natural scenery, bringing people from the indoors to the open wild. The coatings with dreamy colors go well with the romantic and fashionable red-lip-shaped sofa, seeming to take customers to a Paris street. Art installations including the little naughty monkey on the windowsill and the cute Gloomy Bear on the step create a fairy tale land. The design team conceived the space through a storytelling narrative, in order to evoke the people’s curiosity and draw them to walk in to explore the space.

Three-dimensional curved surfaces At the lobby, the suspended oblique wall separated the space into front and back “yards”, while the arced wall blends them together naturally. The bubble lights suspended from the ceiling and the gradient colors on the walls connect different functional areas and ensure the consistency of the spatial narrative. Various structures and equipment are hidden along the flowing circulation route, hence making the space more compatible and accessible. The pale pink hue of the textured paint ensures the space’s purity, and matches well with any other colors in the space.

The designers imagined the spatial form and experiences based on the concept of “interior architecture”, and broke the conventional balanced spatial layout by the winding and rolling curved surfaces. The curves with varied curvature link up different areas, and the extended visual effects add a sense of rhythm to spatial scenes. The precisely controlled layout and scales lay a basic framework for the display and concealment of interior landscape. Contrasted with the multiple steady volumes, the two curved walls are the visual focus in the space. Erecting from the floor to the ceiling, the two distinctive walls appear elegant and flexible, creating fun illusion of the interior wall volumes.

The design abandoned the common approach that uses vertical and horizontal lines to cut and allot interior surfaces, but instead adopted gentle and flowing curves as the design thread, thereby creating an environment filled with rhythmic lines and free of sharp edges to bring people unique experiences. The architectural space with such property is like a giant sculpture that can be walked in. Its design not only emphasizes the relationship between the interior and outside, but also brings people a sense of time as they walk around.

The designers hoped to create a combination of scenes defined by the pleasant colors and artistic textures of coatings and conceive an artistic spatial composition and a garden tour-like circulation route, so as to evoke curiosity, exploration, contemplation and surprising feelings. The long curved corridor and the contrasting colors produce an illusory spatial atmosphere, which brings people to a dreamland and opens up an art journey. In the “dining room” area, the slanting wall and the triangular structure of ceiling enables the space to fold up and extend visually. Besides, the geometric design of the staircase recalls an endless time tunnel. The spatial blocks were reconstructed, aiming to reorganize the spatial order via irregular arrangement.

Growth and dialogue within the crevice The fluidity, openness and continuity of the architectural space can be seen from the color palette and the exteriors. Meanwhile, innovation is embodied in the creation of light atmosphere, as well as the unity of textures of both interiors and exteriors and the emotions evoked in the space. Window openings with appropriate scale were created in the interior design. Different from French windows which bring in natural light, the deliberately carved-out openings inside are more like viewing windows that reveal different scenes in a subtle and restraining manner. In this space imbued with fluidity, straight lines intertwine surprisingly well with gentle curves.

Geometric languages formed a flexible space, where people are the protagonist. The light pink color achieves a balance with purple, together creating a dialogue with emotions.

The lofty space extends upwards, which enriches its relationship with light and arouses people’s curiosity and desire for exploration. The expansive and bright environment along with the natural textures highlights the authenticity of the space.

Usually, proportions, forms, materials, lights and details are utilized to prop up a space. Yet this project is the opposite, as materials are supported by the space and are also the protagonist within the space. The space gives way to materials and people, offering opportunities for interaction. The cement-like coating with white and gray hues and the black wall featuring diamond-like patterns integrate organically in the space. The arches are the only partitions and are isolated from the ceiling. People can interact with the peaks of the arches as moving in the space, and the continuous arrangement of arches highlights the mystery and playfulness of the space.

Emotion-evoking spatial scenes The designers purposely reduced the scale of the entrance at the turning corner to hint that customers are stepping into a world with different emotions and styles, in order to evoke their curiosity and imagination about what will happen next. Light is a crucial medium to express spatial emotion, and it is interdependent with shadows. The large area of stretched membrane emphasizes the softness and balance of light, and better serves the illumination of products in the space. Emotionally, it weakens the effect of shadows and produces a dramatic silence. However, in some areas the light and shadows are strengthened, in order to let customers feel both the material textures and the vitality of the space. For this project, the designers approached the spatial design simply from an aesthetic perspective, for touching people’s heart.

In addition, the designers also attached great importance to the interaction between space and people. The team transformed the existing architectural space and its composition, which was conducive to reorganization of structures, materials and colors whilst also creating a new connection between the building and the venue. The design took light as a visible material and presented it as an observable object in the space, to enable it to express the spiritual world and evoke sentiments of mystery, silence and illusion.

PPG Flagship Store in Guangdong, China – Building Information

Project name: PPG Flagship Store Location: Foshan, China Client: Foshan YSH Brand Management Co., Ltd. Design firm: FOSHAN TOPWAY DESIGN Chief designers: Wang Zhike, Li Xiaoshui Design team: Lu Zhongwen, Lan Jingwei, Huang Jianhe, etc. Area: 120 square meters Completion time: December 2020 Main materials: coating (PPG), tiles (Tonino Lamborghini), paint (TASSANI), stainless steel (Zhongchuang)

Photography: Ouyang Yun Text: Lan Jingwei

PPG Flagship Store, Foshan Guangdong Province images / information received 120721

Location: Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China

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