#this was SUPER QUICK and hence pretty simple

[eliounora]

testing the waters...

#this was SUPER QUICK and hence pretty simple #meant to invoke that exciting feeling of being close with your crush for the first time #zelink #legend of zelda #my art

[cal-kestis]

Hi, Nik! I hope you are doing well! If it's okay with you, I have a question about your Pedro birthday edit.How did you get pictures to overlay with the gifs? I'm familiar with gif overlay efect, but this is the first time I've seen an image and gif overlay. It looks so cool. Best wishes.

hi there! getting this effect is super easy! you're simply adding an image layer above your gif and its adjustment layers. since you're familiar with gif overlays, I'm going to assume you're asking how to create a cutout (aka erase the image's background) in order to make that image appear as though it's on top of the gif like this:

there are a few methods for creating an image cutout (click and zoom for a better view). more info below the cut:

in the tool bar, the lasso and selection tools are the 3rd and 4th, and they're nested (so you have to right click the tools to see the other options):

first, let me say: the image you choose will greatly determine how simple or annoying it is to cut the subject. if you find a high-quality image with a solid, high-contrast background, making a cutout will be a breeze. if the background is busy and the edges are fuzzy, it'll be a bit more challenging.

my personal fav tool in most cases is the Quick Selection tool because I find it's, well, quick. you just click a bunch of times until everything you want is outlined by the dotted line. and it works well for both images with solid backgrounds and busy backgrounds. but here's a short explanation of each tool:

Magic Wand: automatically detects a portion of your image using "machine learning" to approximate a selection (a bit too finicky for detailed images or ones with low contrast between the subject and background for me)

Object Selection: allows you to draw a rectangle or ellipse around the subject and automatically detects the selection (I've only used this once, but you can see in the image above, it did a pretty good job! that was just one click)

Quick Selection: my fav! you can adjust the brush size and continually click your subject until the dotted line is outlining it fully

Magnetic Lasso: haphazardly draw a line around your subject and this tool will smart-detect the edges and "snap" anchor points around your subject like a magnet. it's relatively accurate except around finer details like hair

Polygonal Lasso: the most manual and, therefore, my least favorite of the options (hence why I didn't finish it in the example above lol). you have to click all around the subject to connect the dots. not fun for subjects with lots of curves and crevices (at least not for me)

whatever option you choose, the most important part for perfecting the selection is the "Select and Mask..." tool in the upper toolbar:

this tool opens a new panel where you can refine the selection and see the effects in real time. I don't have any go-to numbers for this, it's all about tinkering with the sliders until you're happy with it. but I usually play with everything except Feather because I want sharp edges.

in the gif below, I used the Refine Hair tool (which refines the selection around the hair automatically), moved the sliders very minimally because my selection using Quick Selection was already pretty decent. then, I'm showing you the effects of Shift Edge. increasing it pushes the selection outward, creating a sort of buffer. this could be good if you want to go in later with a layer mask and manually erase some parts yourself. decreasing Shift Edge pulls the selection in tighter. I wouldn't recommend decreasing too much as this can cut off too much of your subject:

once you're happy, click OK and you'll come back to your normal screen with the dotted lines. simply use the Command+J shortcut to duplicate your selection — leaving you with the original image and a layer with only the cutout. from there, you can add a black and white background to check if you missed any bits, and then use a layer mask and black brush to erase them:

then, just like you would if you were overlaying a gif, add the image layer ABOVE your gif and adjustment layers, and color the image separately if needed. you can also choose to add the image above or below your text layers if you have any. in my case, the image is above the text:

sorry this isn't as organized as my usual tutorials, but I hope it answers your question and helps nonetheless! :)

#nik.help #resource* #photoshop help #gif tutorial #tutorial #ask #anonymous

[kpophubb]

Hi! Congrats on 2k 🥳 May I request an OT7 reaction to prompt number 28? Thank you so much for writing and posting your works! <3

♡єηнуρєη χ яєαԃєя ♡

❥𝖤𝗇𝗁𝖺 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀/ 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗇 𝖺 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅 𝖽𝖺𝗒 ♡

🄶🄴🄽🅁🄴: 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗳𝗳, 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗳𝗳𝘆 ᰔ // masterlist

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘺. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 911 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵, 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘐'𝘮 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺."

✼••┈┈┈┈••✼♡✼••┈┈┈••✼ ♡✼••┈┈┈┈••✼

☆ нєєѕєυиg :~

Although heeseung and you liked eachother, none of you confessed to the other one and made things official

You two yourselves knew that it was TOTALLY mutual and even the members shipped y’all!! But-

Both of you were waiting for the other one to make a move

But your hee wasn’t confessing or asking you out at all..no matter how much you waited. He was being shy and dorky and you knew you had to take matters into your own hands now..🤦‍♀️🙄 after all, how can you blame him if he’s our innocent vanilla bambi?🤭

And besides even tho a bold and flirty hee (which was a super rare case for someone like him) made your heart flutter, it was no denying that a shy and giggly heeseung was the very best!!🥺

So you arranged everything really well. You didn’t want it to be too simple or too extravagant, and hence you invited to take him out for a lunch date at his favourite place!

Even though he didn’t know what was coming, this sweetheart dressed in your favourite style and even brought you flowers?? 🫠😭

You already told the waitress before hand and handed her your note, instructing her to hide the proposal note carefully in between the paper towels when she would serve your order.

And therefore after 15 minutes passed and you guys were good to go, the food was here as per your signal!

Hee lifts the paper towel in a while and his eyes quickly follow to the note that fell down the table. Confused, he picks it up and stares at it to read it.

When he reads the words “will you be my dear boyfriend?💞” written there, he’s immediately in denial.

At first this dummy even thinks it’s a mistake and calls the waitress to return it UNTIL he feels your heavy glare like you’re about to murder him😠🔪😆

But then he instantly checks the handwriting and..realises its from you😳

Man goes all “😳🙈💓💘🫣😱😊💗”

Like bazooka and fireworks were exploding inside his stomach

So shy that he tries to hide his face in the handkerchief bc he doesn’t want you to laugh at the way his cheeks are going pink 👉🏻👈🏻

hee is quick to read the situation and he gets up and sits beside you hastily, taking your hands inside his and looking at your eyes directly.

“Ofcourse I would love to have you as my girlfriend y/n” he boldly confesses, somehow making the moment so intimate with his honesty and romantic eyes!

Will be so giddy throughout the whole lunch date and never let go of your hands even for a minute

A nonstop giggle machine who can’t hide his big, happy smile at finally dating the love of his life!

And duh, he expects to act bold in turn and kisses your cheek..but

Almost has his heart stopped in the process bc he’s such a cute and flustered babyboy hehe 😝💓

☆ ʝαу:~

Okay so, you can never be the first one to propose to jay!

Cause he be that perfect romantic guy straight out of them hollywood movies ! >.<

Hence he already made his 11/10 preparations to propose you on your birthday!

Valentine’s Day is a pretty cliche and you’d be expecting sth on the day of love so he avoided that ocassion on purpose

When you least expect it, you’d find a gift bouquet of dress, matching accessories and shoes lying on your bed with a note that says “meet me at your doorstep in an hour” from jay.

He handpicks your outfit for the day by himself! Talk about being classy🥹

And when you do dress up, anticipating sth romantic, it is then you meet him, all dressed up in a suit outside your doorstep, greeting you with the brightest smile ever!

He blindfolds you the whole drive, holding your hands securely the whole ride and kissing the back of it from admiration.

Also compliments you so so much more than usual

After around half an hour later, you reach a very luxurious dinner restaurant at the side of a beach! A beach cause that’s your favourite!

You open your eyes and immediately get teary from the way the table is decorated with candles and rose petals!🥹

The whole beach is lit up by lamps, and there’s even people he hired to play the piano as you guys eat!

Soon enough, you see him kneel down for you the traditional romantic way and tell you “will you be my girlfriend y/n” in the sweetest voice you’ve ever heard

And how could you ever say no to the fairy tale romance?

You obviously agree and the blissful night ends in harmony, the sound of crashing waves and soothing piano keys as you and jay dance together and drown in eachother’s loving confessions!💞

☆ ʝαкє:~

Your romantic, ROMANTIC guy who’s totally head over heels in love with you and ofcourse..so are you

He would definitely take his chance to cheesily flirt with you here and there, but would be so affected by it lmao and run away after that

I mean..he was still in his shy phase with you and didn’t quite enter his shameless jake phase yet

So you wanted to be the one to ask him out first

Besides it would be a great revenge on him since he was always making you bashful by complimenting you randomly and blowing up your heart BY BEING OUTRIGHT FLIRTY😳

Now it was your turn to blow up HIS heart..😈

You invited him over at your place on a special weekend and specifically told him to come alone

What you didn’t know was how not only were you the one planning to propose but so was he!

You dress up all nice and cute and even set up a nicely decorated place with “date me” letter balloons and cupcakes you yourself baked!🥺

The moment jake rings the bell to your door, you open it and rush straight inside his arms, yelling excitedly “my jakeyy!!”

He freezes for a second there and his soul almost leaves his body from the abrupt contact of your body with his..😳💞 like wow..you were so soft and smelled so nice and your heart beat was beating against HIS CHEST now that you were squeezed together

He immediately notices the set up behind you and gets the scene

Hugs you back 10x tighter, almost squeezing the life out of you and giggling with his squeaky voice in your ears >~<

When you let go after what feels like an hour, you kiss him on the cheek all of a sudden, catching him off guard

his eyes go “O.O” and he almost dramatically falls to his knees from embarrassment and shyness ! 🤯💓

But Damn girl..you better be prepared cause when he gets up..he will ATTACK YOU WITH KISSES >.<

Like who did you pull this romantic stunt on? The clingiest puppy of the century so you’re now in for a parade of his sweet kisses 💋

“I.*kiss.* love *kiss* you *kiss* my *kiss* girl *KISS*” 🫦🫣

No way can you shove him away so you just give in and enjoy your moment of a lifetime ;)

☆ ѕυиgнσσи:~

It was the 14th of February, the day of lovers, so you knew you had to make it special for your sunghoon!

Besides he finally got a break day admist his busy schedule (that was very intentional bc he begged for a day off just so he could spend it with you 🤫)

Y’all plan a mini trip to the next city, to spend some time by yourselves, both of you planning to confess on this big day!

As it was a special ocassion, all the shops and stalls were decorated with red heart balloons and many couple offers!

When you walk by a plushie store, your eyes immediately land on a stuffed bunny that you wanted but you had to shoot the aim with a playgun- the game that you were so horrible at.

But ofcourse, these are the moments sunghoon loves the most! >.< when you can depend on him for anything

And him being the man he is, he proudly wins the bunny for you!

The moment hoon goes to take the bunny, the shopkeeper hands him another one, the female pair, and says “this one is for your pretty girlfriend. Since you guys are the cutest couple that visited our store today.” winking at you

To this sunghoon shyly smiles and thanks the lady adding “my girl indeed is really beautiful. Thank you again.”

You hear the whole conversation and just…stand there in awe

When he comes back, after a while you do ask him:

“Since when did I become your ‘girl’ sunghoon?🤨”

“Well…” *coughs*

“Maybe you will be…..at the end of today.” He chuckles nervously.

And awwh!🥺You take this chance to ask him out indeed.

“Then will you be my boyfriend?😳”

Well well..You know the answer from the way he looks at you and brushes your fingers together instead. 💕

☆ ѕυиσσ:~

Actually, this smart boy saw your proposal coming 😆

From the way you were being so clumsy and hesitant today and blushing every now and then, stealing glances of him

He knew from a long time that you liked him anyway

And…..so did he ☺️🙊

On the day you first met, that you celebrated as your “meeting anniversary” you guys go on an ice cream date!

After buying him his favourite mint choco (mind you, you bought him 3 scoops today just to bribe him to say yes) you look at him with frowned eyebrows, as if warning him that you will only take a yes for an answer even before you asked the question. -.-

“So kim sunoo..* clears throat * “

He holds a laughter back immediately at how determined you sounded lmao

“HEY DON’T LAUGH.😠 this is important!” You warn.

“Yes ofcourse. *chuckles* go on fast. My ice cream is melting.”

“Will you spend the rest of your life with me?😳”

And..3,2,1 he just bursts out laughing loudly.

Which causes you to raise an eyebrow from displeasure

“Well sure. If you promise to accept mint choco as the world’s best flavour.😌” he teases.

“AS IF I WOULD EVER.” You roll your eyes and give him a playful nudge on his stomach with your knee, his sunshine smile causing you to smile in turn.

But you knew the boy just agreed, because once he’s done eating, he gives you a doting forehead kiss and murmurs a silent “I’m-so-lucky-to-have-you.”

You wish you could enjoy the romantic moment, but nah, you’re running after him to wipe the cream off your forehead that he just mischievously smudged from his lips!😆💕

☆ ʝυиgωσи:~

Okay so our yang leader lost a bet with the boys and was dared to propose you as part of the losing deal

Even tho jw isn’t someone who’s very openly affectionate and likes being cheesy (he’s a silent sweetheart and we all know it 🥺) , we all know how competitive he is and hates losing!

Hence, he agreed to do that like it was no big deal for him!

But like in all reality, it was a PRETTY BIG deal because they literally asked him to propose you for marriage??😳

And that too, infront of them as witness…🙄

Like how could they miss out on this golden content of their leadernim??😆

And so they forcefully dressed him up and even cleaned the space where the great act was to take place!

Although the rational part of jungwon was being skeptical and feared your reply as y’all were still teenagers, the irrational part of him was going crazy over the thought of having you as his wife 😳 (well not now but someday)

So when you came, you already could sense the sus smell in the air

Like why was your wonie acting so weird and where were the boys?🤨

They were all stacked one on top of another by the door, hiding and peeking in to see the show without you noticing! 😝

Abruptly, you are thrown aback as jungwon suddenly kneels down infront of you and reaches out his hand for you.

You could tell he was smiling a second before, but now? His eyes were glimmering with a hint of honesty and intimacy.. 💘

“Y/n. Will you marry me?” He blurts out in the most polite way he could ever say.

And damn he sounded so romantic and SEXYY that you could swear you felt your senses leave you for a second there

But you fumble a “yes” shyly and rest your hand on his reached out one, that causes him to smirk in a winning delight

The cute moment is crushed to pieces in seconds when the boys shout and fall like dominos infront of the door from excitement lol

That causes jungwon and you to separate hands in a flash

“KISS HER! KISS HER! KISS HER” they all begin cheering loudly, raising an eyebrow at their bashful leader

But ugh no, he really doesn’t do it and just tells them to shut up😔

Okay NO..maybe he does give you a small littol peck on your lips 👉🏻👈🏻when the others weren’t watching and whispers into your ears “I really meant it, though. Be prepared to be my wife someday” in the faintest voice that makes you wonder if he really did that or it was just a heart fluttering fleeting hallucination.

Well you are good as long as you don’t that topic up again infront of him, cause if you do, he will LITERALLY pretend like it didn’t happen and he WASN’T absolutely being mr.romantic a few seconds ago😒😆

☆ иι кι:~

A certified menace 🙄

And there you were…taking the chance to propose him on this hyped up “propose day” on the 8th of February

You called him so nicely too..

“Hey niki?🥰”

“Yes y/n?” He asks suspiciously, catching the extra excitement in your voice. 🤨

“It’s proposing day today so I wanted to ask. Be my boyfriend?😚”

And…………..

The line just beeps and disconnects.

YEAH HE JUST HUNG UP THE CALL ON YOUR FACE when you asked that </333

And lowkey disappears and ghosts you for the next few hours

Until you get mad in turn and decide to not reply to his nonchalant “hey” text that he sent literally 3 freaking hours later…

But you can’t be mad at him for long because….

He shows up at your door with food at midnight with the most mischievous smile ever haha

You pretend to frown upon seeing him and try to run away, but he catches you immediately into a back hug tightly and declares

“Okay okay. Let’s be dating from now on.”🫣💖

——————————————тнє єηԃ

🄰/🄽: 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝗈𝗇𝗂𝖾! <𝟥 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖼𝗁𝖾𝖼𝗄 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗆𝗒 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗂𝗆𝗂𝗅𝖺𝗋 𝖿𝗂𝖼 "𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂"

𝗉𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝖽𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗆𝗒 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 ♡

𝘠'𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 here! {𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘵7 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 ♡☻︎}

#anon do send an ask to lmk if you liked it🥰 #enhypen x reader #enhypen x engene #enhypen x you #enhypen x y/n #enhypen fluff #enhypen soft hours #enhypen imagines #enhypen headcanons #enhypen reactions #enhypen scenarios #enhypen drabbles #enhypen fanfictions #enhypen fanfic #lee heeseung x reader #sim jake x reader #park sunghoon x reader #enha fluff #park jay x reader #yang jungwon x reader #sunoo x reader #ni ki x reader #nishimura riki x reader #Kim sunoo x reader #heeseung fluff #jake fluff #heeseung x reader #Jake x reader #enha scenarios #enha imagines

[echonidae]

a buncha headshot portraits! three out of five portraits, i'm finishing up the last two c: the sketches here are from way back in august/september, and i fiddled with them for some weeks on end trying to make Something out of them, then proceeded to frustratedly shelf the lot of them away. so it's nice to see at least these three all finished up now :') and they were really nice to work on too ;v;

but ohoho okay, this is a lot of announcements in one single post, so bear with me a moment :3c here's a tl;dr first: 1) headshot portraits as a new commission option maybe? :0ccc 2) commissions are opening again on monday, jan. 23rd! 3) separate commission info webpage for reading convenience (particularly for folks on mobile) 4) commission rules changes: payment in full & upfront, rather than half-and-half 5) two-slots-per-person rule will be no more and folks are free to send as many orders as they want, but any ones after the second will go into the queue instead 6) also a small change with unoccupied queue slots

the rest is under the readmore :')

so, i've been thinking about adding this sort of portrait as a commission option!! fairly simple compositions but fully rendered (because i darn love painting so much; cellshading is nice and all, but coloring it all in one layer is just... heart-eyes), on the big 2600px to 3800px canvases as well c: and i'm thinking of pricing commissions like these at 28 USD (feels like a good price but i'm accepting feedback on that — the point was to add something that's just straight up fully-rendered, but for the lower end of the pricetable, and the limitations of a headshot portrait feel fitting enough on both sides ;v; )

also portraits like these are fairly quick to draw, so the turnaround time would be fairly short! add to it that 1) these are fun, 2) i could use focusing on just the face and expressions rather than elaborate poses and all, 3) portraiture lighting my beloved, and 4) these are painted, and don't take forever to figure out or paint. :D but yeah, let me know what you think of the headshot portrait option!! would you folks be interested in something like this? :0c

and now hold on a moment, i have more things to say!! xD

commissions are reopening monday, jan. 23rd, at the usual 5pm BRT (UTC -3:00)!

6 active slots (previously known as regular slots; can't believe it's taken me years to figure out a better way of calling these orz), as well as another 24 slots on queue. these will remain open until further notice; money's tight right now, hence the lack of closing date :')

there should be plenty of slots either way tho, so no rush at all! but i apologize for the super short notice orz

also, i went and got all the commission info on a separate webpage on wix instead. here you go!

should be easier to access and read through stuff, particularly on mobile — or at least i sincerely hope it is, please leave me feedback if you can!!! let me know if you encounter Problems, i've looked and combed through every bit of these four (4) pages but i might have missed stuff still, pretty please let me know if you run into any Issues! ;-;

but yeah, the website has all the rules and info and all the different options as well, with extra examples and all. on monday, you'll also be able place orders directly through there, i made a little form and all c': technically the form is already there but pls don't send requests yet, i can't reserve slots ahead of time!

also also, and these are the last things i've got to say, i promise (and thank you if you've read this far!),

a couple commission rules are changing!

1) from this new batch onwards, i'll be charging commissions in full & upfront instead of the half-half system i'd been doing up until this point. the exception is if an order exceeds $80 USD; for those ones we'll return to the half-before-sketch + half-once-finished situation instead!

but how's that? :0c i hope this is alright, but please let me know if this would make commissions just... unaffordable ;o; i do really like the half-half system, and i'd rather keep it, but it's either this or raising prices, and i don't think i can do that yet :T either way, please let me know your thoughts on the matter!!

2) the only-two-slots-per-person rule will no longer be in effect, so go ham with multiple orders if you wish on monday — the caveat is that i'll still be working only on two orders at a time per person, so if you order three things, the third one will be placed at the end of the queue c:

looking back i could've... done this from the beginning. orz it should be more convenient to send multiple orders if you have 'em!

and finally, 3) if the queue list hits its closing date with slots still available, folks who have already ordered and would like to get in the queue again can go on and grab those empty queue slots if they want, instead of being limited to two slots per person per batch, and then having to wait for an entire new batch.

i opened this exception for the last round of commissions (thank you once again to the folks who wanted repeats ;-; ) so i thought i should just make it into a proper thing instead, since it does make sense to do it anyway — the queue list is purposefully filled with a ton of slots, then left open for weeks on end to make sure everyone interested can get their orders in, so letting folks claim those remaining slots after the deadline sounds fine ;v;

that being said, there won't be a deadline for this monday's batch, so this bit technically doesn't change anything xD but i thought i should mention the New Thing #6!

and that's it! that's all!

while i'm pretty set on most of these (specially the full-upfront-payment bit — again, money's tight orz), i'm still definitely open to feedback, and to change things if something doesn't work for you folks!! please do share your thoughts on it, or send a note if you'd rather!! and let me know if you have any questions too ;v; 

i apologize for the super short notice again (and for cramming all of this into a single post) orz i'll be sorting things out until 5pm on monday, and getting these last commissions posted as well c:

thank you again for reading all of this orz and please don't feel obligated to reply to all the points if you have thoughts on only a specific one, i'd rather hear a little feedback than none at all ;o;

all in all, hope at least these portraits look nice, they were fun to work on :') Oliver, Owen and Steffan (previously known as the Swordsman/the Warlock — yup he's got a name now!); i'll get the other two of Matthew and Coriander done and posted!

thanks again folks, have a nice friday! ;w;

#artists on tumblr #my art #art #digital art #artenidae #finished stuff #oc stuff #;;oliver #;;owen #;;steffan #character art #oc art #original character #oc portrait #headshot drawing #oc painting #digital painting #fantasy oc #original character art #oc #i think these turned out really nice ;w; #haven't done portraits like this in a loooong time #there's matthew's and coriander's left to do #busy busy weekend #queuestione

[deusvervemakesgames]

Project RBH Devlog 0011

This last week has been something of a busy one. I managed to get quite a bit of groundwork laid for future developments. I’ve been expanding the list of possible upgrades that you can receive, and that means I need to also have the bullet and damage functionality to make those upgrades actually do something. Strictly speaking, I only got two or three upgrades added to the list, but I’m quite pleased with what I had to do to make those work.

The first thing I implemented was the Critical Hit system! That’s right, you can now land crits against enemies! I’ll have to go back and revise this system to make it play nicer with the rest of the damage systems, which I don’t think will be hard since all I have to do is move the code from one script into another and make sure the variable references don’t try to make an invalid reference, but I’ve done that sort of thing before—including with the other thing I did last week—and it shouldn’t be hard at all.

I’m also very pleased with how specifically implemented the system. Like most creative types, game designers are magpies; we steal anything shiny enough to catch our interest. And there’s one Critical Hit system that always comes to mind for me before any other: the Yellow, Orange, and Red Crits from Warframe.

If you don’t know what Warframe is, it’s free, go play it. What’s important here is that in Warframe, it is possible to upgrade a weapon so that its chance of landing a Critical Hit is more than 100%. There’s no official name for this, but damage numbers in Warframe are color-coded, hence why I referred to these as Orange and Red Crits last paragraph. The basic way the system works is that you can Crit multiple times with one attack, with each Crit reapplying the Critical Hit Damage Multiplier. For example, if your weapon has a 150% Critical Hit Chance and a 2x Critical Damage Multiplier, you are guaranteed to do twice as much as your base damage, with a further 50% chance to do four times as much damage instead.

I refer to this as an Overcrit, since Warframe players always refer to this by the color of the damage number—Yellow for a normal crit, Orange for two Crits, Red for three.

And it turns out the Overcrit system is actually super easy to implement! You take a For loop that randomizes an integer between 0 and 100, and if it’s lower than the Critical Chance, apply the Damage Multiplier, subtract 100 from the Critical Chance, and repeat the loop until it fails. I haven’t capped this number yet, meaning that if you could somehow get 1,000% Crit Chance or something you’d have some frankly absurd damage multipliers applied, but that’s half the fun of crazy builds in Roguelikes/lites! If it becomes a problem I can easily fix it later.

(I also took a quick break to fix the upgrade system crashing the game due to an invalid reference when upgrading the player’s Bullet Movement Speed. Like I said before I’ve done this fix a lot; it’s pretty easy. In this case, I took the chance to improve the versatility of the code, as well.)

But when people think of dedicated builds in games like this, one of the ways I generally see it broken down is a Critical Hit Build versus a Status Effect Build, and you’d better believe that I implemented some status effects! Or, one status effect, but the system is designed to be easily expandable, like pretty much everything else in the game. Future-proofing your code is extremely important to avoid coding conflicts later down the line. The further you are in production, the harder adding new things becomes.

Anyway, I Added a simple Burning status effect. I don’t have Overstatuses the way I have Overcrits as a way to further make them play differently from each other, so the Status Check only runs once per Status Effect. Having a dedicated script for handling all my damage handling makes it extremely simple to add new code to it.

There was an issue where I forgot how arrays worked for something like two hours which resulted in my conditional statements failing to find the status effect I was looking for in the array because the arrays were nesting, but once I figures out the problem it wasn’t that hard to fix, albeit somewhat convoluted. Combining arrays like that without duplicating any statuses means I need another For loop to check each entry in the array storing the Bullet’s statuses against the target’s active statuses, and adding any that aren’t there. I also only have a single Status Chance variable, meaning that all status effects have the same chance of applying in a single shot—which doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s all or nothing, but that it’s currently impossible to have a build where you have a better chance of any one status over another. That might be worth changing, but that’s something only playtesting can prove.

For the sake of simple implementation, I created a script that runs every frame to apply every status so that the entire Status Effect Code within each enemy is a single line. Much like the array comparison from before, this is handled with a simple For loop, checking each item in the Status Effect Array and then executing the corresponding script. While this makes it very easy to implement, it made it somewhat tricky for the status effects to actually wear off. See, if I ever set the duration within the script, then it would reset the timer back to full every frame of the game, which isn’t exactly ideal. In the end I had to initialize a specific variable for that status effect, which I set equal to another variable: the player’s Status Duration. This means I can also have upgrades that make status effects last longer, but I’ll also need every enemy to have a timer variable for each status effect. I’ll probably move that to its own script to save me some time, and so that I can update those variables whenever the player gets a Status Duration upgrade.

It also took me some fiddling to get the Damage Over Time of the enemy burning just right. I don’t want a basic enemy to burn to death after a single bullet with no other upgrades, but I also don’t want to damage to be so little that it’s unnoticeable. But after a few different tests of frequency and damage, I got something that I’m happy with.

This is also useful for me for future Status Effects. For example, I want a Bleed Status unique to Critical Hits (once you have the associated upgrade, of course) that’s distinct from Burning or Poison or whatever other Damage Over Time I end up doing. These experiments to get Burning just right will be invaluable for that later.

Though I do need to also adjust some other things so that the Status Effects have other, additional effects, like increasing how much damage an enemy does or takes, for example. That shouldn’t be too difficult, I don’t think, so long as I make sure not to double-up on those effects and accidentally adjust a parameter in a way I wasn’t expecting.

And I got a new keyboard, too, since my last one was having trouble reading my inputs, especially on certain keys.

All in all I think it was a successful week.

Until next Devlog!

-DeusVerve

Special thanks to my Tier 3 Patrons, Haelerin and Christos Kempf!

Support me on Patreon

#devlog #indie dev #game development #indie game #game dev #video games #rbh

[squidkidnerd]

Operation Atlantis Notes - "Heatstroke" (chapter 6)

Yay, it's finally... here. Yeah, sorry for the delay on this one guys. I told myself I would do this over the summer, but then I procrastinated on it, and before I knew it I was back on the grind doing college admissions!!! Yay!!! Anyways, those are (mostly) done, so I'm back now. Anyways, enough dilly-dallying, let's talk about chapter 6.

The most difficult part of this chapter is that it's a transition. Compared to the first half of part 1, we're moving from beyond the basic setup and more into the actual plot, with Three and Eight both making some headway during this chapter. For Three, that's the museum, and for Eight, that's clothing. Both pretty trivial things, but hey. They mean something.

Opening poem: I actually really like this one. It's easy, simple, and gets quick to the point, which is Eight contemplating her identity. This is, of course, something we'll see in this chapter as well as the rest of Operation Atlantis.

Three and the Museum: Given that Tartar was created to be an archive of human knowledge, I think it's reasonable to assume that it, and by extension Kamabo as a whole, has access to a bunch of old human media. Hence why Three sees so many old videos of them. It's also, if you think about it, really weird. It's like if we had videos of the dinosaurs or something. Also, we get some background on Kamabo itself. Hm, I wonder how reliable that information is...

Eight and Trying on Clothes: Unironically, this was one of my favorite parts of the chapter. Just—Eight trying on that new sweater and loving it is so wholesome, guys. I love the feeling of finding a piece of clothing you really like, and I tried to convey that here. The other element, though, is of course, the flashback. It was kinda just a cool idea and I went with it because why not. It also forces Eight to get more invested in figuring out her past...

Heatstroke and "How Do You Dance": Oh, would you look at that, it's this chapter's namesake! Yeah, I was pretty excited to introduce them. Their music can best be compared to the style of the band Paramore—kinda like this pop-rock kinda deal. Anyways, the lyrics of "How Do You Dance" were entirely written by me! Yeah, I dabble in songwriting from time to time, mostly for ones about my OCs lmao. The other song Three mentions, "Budding Lilies," is in fact the name of part 1! In conclusion: these guys are super cool and I'm excited to show off more of them. Guess which one's my favorite :P

The Ending 👀: Yeah, Things are going be to happening next chapter, as you could've guessed. Nothing quite crazy yet, but expect some more intrigue and even a tiny bit of action! Woo. Hopefully Three's investigating goes well.

Anyways, that's it! Shorter notes then last time, I don't have as much to say lol. As for chapter 7... I'm not making any promises, but hopefully I can get it out by the end of year. I really wish drafting chapters didn't take me this long, but they do and I'm trying my best to speed up the process :'). Also Operation Atlantis's first year anniversary is coming up soon on October 22nd... man I have to do something special for it.

#ari's updates #writing notes #operation atlantis writing notes #chapter 6

[whiskeyandwolfsbane]

8/26/22 - 12:51PM

There haven't been many updates, hence why I haven't been posting much; there still isn't really an update per se, but I figured I'd pop in anyway and go through it.

CONTENT WARNING: not too many details, but there is mention of blood/scabbing/etc. in this following entry so continue with caution.

So I'm still healing okay... I think?

My nipple grafts have been pretty gnarly and like, I'm moooostly sure that it's just because they're out of the "scabbing over" stage and starting the fourth stage which is a lot more grim-looking than simple scabs but I still have been stressing out about it. One of them, the last bit of scab kinda got stuck to the gauze pad, and even though I tried to be super gentle in removing the gauze, it still came off and there was quite a bit of bleeding.

It freaked me the fuck out, but that was a few days ago and I haven't had a repeat occurrence, especially since I went back to cleaning and redressing them twice a day after that. The lady at my post-op had originally said I could switch to just once a day, but I figured that if the gauze was getting stuck like that, it was probably best to change it out more often and so far, I've had no problems.

I'm still worried about the placement and look of my nipples in general; I haven't emailed my care team about the bleeding, just because the last time I was super worried about something regarding the grafts, a quick post on Reddit told me that I wasn't the only one who had experienced it and that it was probably totally fine - also I messaged the care team about that issue and basically just got a message back from someone whose messages I don't usually appreciate because they're always so... blunt and unintentionally feel kind of patronising. I'd rather not get a message from her again if I email about the bleeding so I'm just gonna hope that all is well. I mean, the scab was gonna come off eventually, it was already mostly off, so there shouldn't be too much to worry about.

But yeah. I'm stressing about the grafts is basically the main update here. What if they aren't healing right, what if I'm doing something wrong, what if it's not swelling and they really are too far apart, what if they don't look 'normal' even months down the line, etc.

I don't really know who to vent to about these things so I've mostly just kept it quiet and made occasional posts in the Reddit about things - I joined a group for this on Facebook, but the first post I made took days to get approved and when it was finally approved, there wasn't a single reply to it, so I just don't really bother anymore.

Anyway. that's basically all I've got really. I started using scar strips on my incision scars for a couple days, but my chest got super itchy again so I decided I would stop and see if maybe it's because of the scar strips.

So far, it's been a day without them and it seems like it has nothing to do with them because I'm still itchy as all fuck. I think it just coincidentally started the same time I started with the scar strips but isn't because of them, but I'll give it another day just in case. worst case scenario I just have to try something else, like silicone scar care gel or something.

Oh, and the medical leave paperwork - you know, the one I've been struggling with for months now, lmao. In short terms: nothing has happened. In slightly more detailed terms: I FINALLY got the stupid form that my job wanted filled out and sent to me, thank god. I don't think HR is gonna be bothering me anymore, although I don't think they're going to help me at all either since they already told me I dont qualify for financial aid from them.

And I don't think the state is gonna budge either on their whole "you didn't work 820 hours in the last year so fuck you" stance, but either way, I sent them the new form just in case and requested a review, basically saying "hey, I wasn't sure if this was required paperwork so I'm sending it now, also is there literally any way I can get any sort of financial assistance at all like maybe having it reduced because of the 50 missing hours of work I don't have or whatever".

I know the chances of getting anything out of that is next to none but whatever, may as well try.

In the meantime I tried reapplying for my EBT cash assistance card. That was a pain too because I didn't have pay stubs, and had to contact my job's HR, and of course they were out of the office, and I had to wait for them to finally come back and send me my pay stubs. Which of course I can't just email to the state, so I had to go to a nearby library and use their fax machine a few days ago, and now I'm just. Waiting some more for the state to get back to me and probably just tell me to fuck off, I don't qualify, lol.

Anyway. Yeah. That's about all I got, I guess.

#journal entries

[homestuckpolyswap]

Sign-Up Troubles? Fear not!

Signing up for events on AO3 can be pretty complicated. Trust us, we know exactly how finicky the site can be about accepting your GLORIOUS PROMPTS and WONDROUS OFFER.

Therefore, we've constructed a really simple "getting started" guide that answers the most common sign-up woes. With pictures! Wowwww! Keep your eyes peeled for that, because it's coming. SOON.

In the short-term, here's a quick glossary!

PLACES

AO3: The website where everything is hosted, Archive of Our Own dot ORG. It is an archive with a collection feature grouping similar fanworks together, and that's where Polyswap takes place! [The term "A O 3" comes from older internet shortenings, because there's one A and three Os.]

PROSPIT: One "half" of the Polyswap event, an all-ages collection where no fill can be rated higher than T. You can be part of Prospit if you're under 17 or over 18. But to be mindful of our younger creators, we keep it neater.

DERSE: One "half" of the Polyswap event, an anything-goes all-ratings collection where anything... goes! You must be 18+ to be in Derse, but you can still write SFW material here. NSFW is also allowed, all the way up to E!

OBJECTS & ACTIONS

POLYSHIP: Any relationship configuration with 3+ people in it. Poly- from polyamory and -ship from relationship. Polyships can be platonic, romantic, purely intimate, or something with all three! Get funky with it.

PROMPT: This is where you request gifts in your sign-ups. It details things like the ships you like, the dynamics you want explored, and maybe an AU you want someone to play with. Everyone must have at least THREE prompts.

OFFER: This is where you tell the moderation team exactly what your deal is. What do you like to make? Are you an author, an artist, or something else entirely? This is where answers to that would go.

DEFAULT / DEFAULTING: When a gifter is removed from their assignment. If the project is not complete on-time or life gets in the way, a default happens. There's no shame in defaulting manually, especially if you do it early in the event.

FILL: This is the "project" or "gift" mentioned all around Polyswap. When you're all done with a gift, you submit it by clicking a button labeled "FILL" ... hence the term! If someone doesn't complete or defaults, the project is unfilled.

TREAT: Anything generated after someone's fill is complete. Maybe your giftee had more than one awesome idea. Maybe someone else had a super great prompt. Anything you make after submitting your fill... is a treat!

MOD CHAT: Something unique to the Discord server, which is available by link to anyone that signs up for Polyswap. Need a super secret conversation with mods? Request a mod chat in the correct channel and we'll be right on it.

DEAR GIFTER LETTER: A comprehensive message outlining do-nots and squicks for your anonymous gifter to read. Not required, nor enforced, but helpful if you have many squicks. Any private do-nots should be in your offer.

PEOPLE

PARTICIPANT: Anyone that's taking part in the "primary" part of Polyswap, the gifting and receiving part. That could be you!

GIFTER: Anyone that is making something for someone else. The person assigned TO you is your gifter, and they are ANONYMOUS. No peeking behind the curtain.

GIFTEE: Anyone receiving something from someone else. The person YOU are assigned to is your giftee, and you are a SECRET. Get nefarious, but don't reveal who you are!

PINCH HITTER: Someone that has signed up to "fill in" on a defaulted gift. Not sure if you're giftee material? Couldn't think of any prompts but still wanna write stuff? Sign up to be a pinch hitter and save someone's Polyswap!

PROSPIDERSER: A funny term that refers to someone who signed up for both subcatergories of Polyswap, Prospit & Derse. That means you have two giftees and two gifters! Bonus!

#homestuck polyswap #homestuck event #polyswap 2024

[grimvestige]

You've mentioned before you don't really like to do cute art, and are more in it for the cool vibes - but having seen the super adorable plushies you've made for your stream, I'm genuinely curious if you would consider doing commissions in this style, or if that is a Mythic Spark exclusive deal?

Additionally, I've been wondering where you stand on commissioning familiars - I swear I've scoured your TOS, but I've only seen a passing mention of commissioning anthros/animals at one's own risk?

HMMMM....I think I would do commissions in that plushie style! Perhaps once I finish my current batch of commissions I'll make those a monthly special early next year ^^ I think as long as it's not all the time I don't mind - plus they're super quick to do.

For folks who need context, at the highest tier of my patreon, I add a plushie that represents each patron to my stream overlay! (btw there's one spot left for that >:3c ) You can always see them below my monitor (tho sometimes they're covered by alerts)

(Btw, the pixel Daisy-san is by @kingxxlink, the miku & daisy-san fanart is by @incalotlarts, and the theif daisy-san fanart in the last one is by Keko Design on twt!)

~~~~~

As for art of familiars, they're sort of the same category as as anthros & animals for me since I specialize in humanoids. If they're smaller I'd price them similarly to a complex prop (Probably as low as $15usd if they're very simple) if they're bigger they'd get character pricing. I probably can pull them off, but they're a big challenge for me and the quality fluctuates a lot so it would feel dishonest on my end to promise I can do them, hence the at-your-own-risk. (Dragons and cat-like anatomy are pretty safe bets though)

That being said, I'm happy to work on stuff not listed and/or based around a client's budget. The website prices are just the things people get the most, and a baseline for me to math things out ^^

#daisy rambles #not art #yami-musume #asks

[sweeetchillies]

INDIAN STYLE BASIL SPAGHETTI

This simple Indian-style basil spaghetti recipe is one to keep in your back pocket for busy evenings. It’s quick, easy, and requires minimal ingredients—and most importantly, it’s absolutely delicious! Plus, you can customise it completely to suit you by adding in your favourite herbs and veggies—this recipe is a good base for you to turn it into your perfect dinner!

Here I tried a simple Indian tadka style, making it more lip-twisting and more grounded.

To make it Indian style, you don’t need extra spices, it’s just a replacement for what we use in general.

But, you can also make it more aromatic by adding extra herbs. Try adding some finely chopped thyme, oregano, and parsley in with the basil for more of a delicious fresh herb flavour. This would also be delicious with a few halved cherry tomatoes and black olives!

Replace regular salt with herbs or even lemon salt for an extra depth of flavor! Obviously, you can still use regular salt for the pasta water, but a sprinkle of infused salt on top won’t do any harm!

Add in some chopped onion, chopped shallot, or garlic chives for some extra texture and more of an onion-garlic flavour. Obviously, this pasta already uses plenty of garlic, though, so if you prefer things less garlic-y, then this isn’t the best route for you.

A little bit of fresh lemon juice and zest at the end would also bring another element of freshness and lightness. However, you don’t necessarily want to bother zesting a lemon and squeezing out (probably half of) it for this dish—hence why it’s an optional extra.

Ingredients

80 grams (3 oz) of spaghetti

4-5 cloves of garlic, very thinly sliced or smashed.

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

Chilli oil

Oregano

60 grams (1/2 cup) grated parmesan

1 bunch of basil, very finely chopped.

Salt and crushed black pepper, to season to taste.

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon flour

Salted butter (I used Amul butter)

Mushrooms -finely chopped

2 processed cheese slices

Extra Veg

You can add in almost any veg! For example,

Chopped cherry tomatoes right at the end.

Caramelized, chopped onions

Boiled corn or baby corn

Halved, pitted black olives at the same time as the basil

Thin strips of bell pepper (green, yellow, or red) 2-3 minutes after the garlic and chilli flakes have started cooking.

Replace spaghetti with pasta, pasta shells, and courgette (zucchini) partially or completely.

Add in some fresh spinach towards the end (or right at the end, depending on if you like it wilted or not).

Replace the chilli flakes with a deseeded and finely chopped red chilli pepper.

See – pretty much limitless! You can make this garlic and basil pasta as healthy as you like, really. Plus, it means that you get so many different variations, each with the same cooking method, so that it’s super easy to change it up and have something a little different, even in the evenings when you’re absolutely exhausted!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and begin to cook the spaghetti.

2. In a separate pan, heat the chilli oil over medium heat, then add the sliced garlic cloves, mushrooms and basil leaves. Cook until it’s golden brown.

3. By this time, the pasta should be cooked. Drain it and add it to the pan.

4. In a separate pan, take butter and flour and, on low heat, cook them. Once it turns brown, add milk to it slowly and at the same time whisk it in order to avoid any lumps.

5. Once creamy, at this stage, add your veggies, pepper, salt, oregano, and cheese slices and give it a good whisk.

6. Keeping the heat on low, add the spaghetti and stir to coat the spaghetti evenly. Turn off the heat and stir it gently. Serve with parmesan and basil on top.

A simple and quick basil spaghetti recipe with plenty of flavour. It’s cheap, easy, veggie-friendly, and perfect for when you need an easy weeknight dinner and doesn’t want to turn the oven on! Plus, it’s single-serving, so you don’t have to worry about leftovers.Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on INSTAGRAM with the hashtag #sweeetchillies

Leave a comment below:

Your comments make my day. Thank you! If you have a question, please skim the comments section—you might find an immediate answer there. If you made the recipe, please choose a star rating, too.

“This content is monitored by Scrrum Labs. For any complaints, please write to us at [email protected]“

#Indian-style basil spaghetti #basil spaghetti #spaghetti #spaghetti recipes #sweeetchillies

[crimsonophelia]

Hello! do you think that you could write something about Makima like fem!reader with Xiao? Like she acts like Makima and has her abilities. Makima from chainsaw man btw:)) Ofc if you don’t wanna write about this you don’t have too<3

featuring: xiao x fem!reader

warnings: chainsaw man spoilers, manipulation, power imbalance relationship, she/her pronouns

published: june 11, 2021

form: headcanons

a/n: hi anon! thank you for this request--it's a super creative idea! i'm not sure if you wanted an imagine or hcs, so i just went with some hcs. just a heads up for those who don't want chainsaw man spoilers, this will contain major spoilers as to makima's identity. for those who do want context and don't care about spoilers, makima's powers make her able to manipulate others and make them love her and be subservient to her. i hope you enjoy!

i think in the same way that makima is the devil of control, you would be a god of manipulation. since there are other gods in teyvat, like the salt and dust gods, you would probably be something of the sort

and hence, the occasion that brought xiao and you together would have been your rising to the status of godhood, and becoming acquainted with xiao as one of the renowned yaksha that watched over liyue

at first, xiao is apprehensive about you. there was guizhong the goddess of sand, and havria the god of salt, and of course, rex lapis, god of contracts. but manipulation? that seemed dubious to xiao.

most of your time while in status as god of manipulation was spent assisting rex lapis in his contracts with the people of liyue and the various other powers that dwelled under your watchful gaze.

other times, when rex lapis’s attempts at negotiation and diplomacy failed, you and your powers were called upon.

with much ease, you could get rex lapis’s target alone, and with your charms, wit, and power, could take them under your control. and if rex lapis’s wish be done, the other party would be eliminated with ease.

xiao, bearing witness to your power, was fearful, but undeniably intrigued. your ability to manipulate and control was fearsome, no doubt, but he wondered. he wondered if you could make the other yakshas feel warmer towards him, or perhaps, if you even possessed the power to make someone fall in love. it was an interesting thing to muse upon for xiao, since he himself never experienced “love”.

you noticed that xiao had taken interest in you, and you were amused. to you, he was young, merely a speck of existence in your eternal lifespan, a pretty little thing to be toyed with. so you did.

it began unconsciously at first. whenever you were around him, a little bit of your power would trickle out, showing xiao what he wanted to see. to him, you were bathed in a warm, comforting aura; a safe presence. 

he never realized it--nobody ever does. gradually, over time, he began to experience what he suspected was love. you were beautiful, naturally, and you always treated him with such respect and dignity. he couldn’t quite place his finger on where the love for you stemmed from, but frankly, he didn’t care. the feeling was intoxicating and it dulled the pain from his karmic debt.

over time, it grew stronger. your hold on him, and his infatuation with you as well. whenever he saw you with another god, an infernal, unexplainable rage came over the yaksha--you were his, and his only. 

it was all rather entertaining to you. you knew the effect you had on xiao, and he kept you entertained. you had also taken a liking to him recently, quite like a little pet; a puppy. 

perhaps you let him get close to you at times. pulling him from his duties to show him material pleasures of this world, or entering his room late at night to take him out for late night trysts under the moonlight. sometimes you may take advantage of xiao’s loyalty, making him get on his knees, relishing in the way he looks up at you like a cute little dog.

it’s up to you to decide how xiao and your story draws to a close. perhaps your ambition exceeds the limit acceptable by the terms of the great rex lapis, and he, in a great war, seals you into the ground for the rest of eternity. perhaps, xiao, your little toy, your loyal dog, somehow breaks free of your spell, bringing about your tragic end at his own bloodsoaked hands.

a/n: these were super quick and simple because i wasn’t sure what type of tone you were going for, but this is just my small little interpretation!

#genshin impact #genshin headcanons #genshin impact x reader #genshin imagines #genshin impact fanfiction #genshin x reader #xiao #xiao imagine #xiao x y/n #xiao x reader #xiao genshin impact #xiao headcanons #makima #chainsaw man #csm makima #chainsaw man fic

[cinnamonest]

I got these and more asks regarding the post from last night so I wanted to elaborate and explain some things, and also make another point about the anniversary thing and clarify for anyone confused. After this I promise I'll shut up about this lol sorry

1) yeah please do NOT come after the VAs for any of this, not even the actual developer side either is at fault. This is largely an issue with the PR and marketing and higher up people. It's really awful that some people are harassing people who have no responsibility here. And thanks to the original asker's reply, I feel like I'm really bad at conveying my thoughts so I tend to overexplain lol, but thanks that means a lot.

2) I have seen people confused on this so if you didn't already, you should know that this isn't just about the anniversary so much as the anniversary was a final straw. While Honkai has similar rewards/exchange for irl money as genshin, mihoyo itself has some of the worst in comparison to other gachas from other developers. Games like Arknights, Granblue, Azur Lane, Dragalia Lost, hell even a cutesy casual gacha app like LoveNikki have much better real money to game currency ratios, huge anniversaries where they give out tons of free shit, and much more generous systems (such as Arknights giving free 10 pulls with a lot of events/new characters/etc). All despite being smaller, less profitable games. There's major glaring issues with the game that have gone unresolved for a long time despite people asking over and over to change it. It's a combination of the rewards, general stuff, and mihoyo's refusal to solve certain issues for a long time that has people upset.

In any industry, any company is going to be held to the standards set by the mainstream industry, which is what is happening here. It is natural to hold a company to it's competitors for comparison and expect them to match standards, especially when the company that is lacking is the richer one and could easily meet the standards if they were willing to.

This is especially true for people who put money into the game. Due to the nature of gachas/online games, companies that produce these games are usually very adamant on rewarding players because whales/P2Ws, people who buy welkin and similar stuff, etc keep the game alive. When they do not match the standard of the industry, those people will feel unappreciated and go elsewhere eventually, which means they will not be able to afford much progress, then even F2Ps won't have content, and the game will burn out.

3) I probably should have clarified this last post but, I know review-bombing does seem like a kinda shitty tactic at first and I get that, but the reason people are doing that now is because mihoyo has completely ignored people complaining for months normally, and even now has started to censor and ban people, deleted critical posts, etc. Basically it's clear that mihoyo will just ban and censor criticism until people do something that actually forces them to listen, hence review bombing. Banning/censoring criticism is a really, really bad move for any company, historically speaking, it's insulting to players who keep the company afloat and results in losses. The review bombing + a lot of people uninstalled the app apparently + people who usually pay refusing to do so anymore, all of that hits them to where they can't afford to ignore it when people do it en masse. Because it will cost them money/players.

What people are kinda really upset about, even more than rewards itself, is just the silence and censorship on their end, which is more frustrating than the lack of rewards itself. I did have some sympathy for them up until they started censoring and deleting criticism on their site. At that point they're doing this to themselves by doing that.

4) Also, notably, this has worked with plenty of other game devs. You may remember the disaster that was Fallout 76. Bethesda also responded poorly at first, but spamming bad reviews and horrible coverage for Fallout 76 got Bethesda's attention, and they went the whole nine yards formally acknowledging the complaints and more or less apologizing to the whole world of players at E3 and even gave refunds, which is a very surprisingly humble thing for a company of their level of fame to do. The situation calmed down because people felt listened to, and while Fallout 76 was kinda a lost cause and didn't get fixed, the idea is that the refunds/open and honest communication restored the consumer base's relationship to Bethesda. That was a big blow, but Bethesda was willing to take that hit to maintain the sense of communication and mutual respect/value between players and devs.

In contrast, with mihoyo, what most people have been trying to beg/bargain for for an anniversary rewards is a free permanent banner 5 star, which would cost mihoyo essentially literally nothing.

So far they have responded by banning people for literal years on hoyolab, deleting posts, banning people from various social platforms etc, for criticism. Even putting whether or not that's ok aside, it's very unusual and not how game companies usually handle these things, and can only end badly for them.

Also mihoyo has had time to fix this -- it's not like Fallout 76 where they released the game and then the backlash came very suddenly and they had to scramble to prepare a response/plan and needed time. People have been complaining about these rewards for well over a week, so they could have easily fixed it by now if they had any intention of listening to people's complaints, especially considering the proposed fix of a single free permanent 5 star would be very simple and quick to implement.

5) also? it's extra unfortunate and really a marketing team issue bc they could have *profited* from giving more, if they opened rewards to new players as most gachas do. Genshin is incredibly popular right now, to the extent that a lot of people in the gaming/weeb sphere who don't play it, but still know of it, and even know a bit about it.

If you were someone who had never played genshin but had been considering downloading it for a long time, but just kept putting it off or forgetting, and heard "hey join now and you get free Diluc/Keqing," that would have convinced a lot of people to go ahead and join, and they would inevitably get sucked into the game and bring mhy profit. So it's a little strange imo that they chose not to do that, it would have been beneficial to them.

6) also, be aware that the glider we're now getting was supposed to be paid originally. Releasing it free now is damage control. It's also, well, a glider. Again, while it is pretty, it's paltry in comparison to the industry norm and does not have much use to most people.

Finally, criticizing all of this/the game/mihoyo does not mean people hate the game. I do see some people lashing out in defense of mihoyo and I get that bc they produce something we all really like. I really really do not want to see genshin become "that one game that was super popular for a year or so and then died" -- that's why people want improvements, because if improvements aren't made, that's where it's headed. What people are asking for right now is stuff that is very easily in mihoyo's capability and would not cost them much of anything. It would be one thing to ask them for something that would cut their profits or take time to develop, but that's not what's happening. People are asking for very little in the scope of their capabilities/the norm.

[demonslayedher]

Ramble on the Limitations of Looking for KnY Interpretation based on Japanese Mythology

One thing I notice a lot in the Japanese side of KnY fandom theories is a lot of deep dives into religious and mythological reasons behind Gotouge's creative choices. It is super interesting stuff, and Gotouge borrows enough and does homage to enough that there is a clearly a solid knowledge base there. While I find historical details handy for interpreting the characters, ultimately, I find that the canon of demons and Breaths can be interpreted in a vacuum without relying too heavily on the uncanny coincidences lurking in deep dives. This isn't going to be a well-supported essay, this is going to be a ramble that may include a bunch of interesting nuggets. (And then she went on to ramble for 3249 unedited words...)

First things first: I'm a nerd. I like to say I broke the weeb scale a long time ago, but I'm not exactly a university professor or anything like that. That said, I do read a lot of stuff from experts who have jumped on the KnY trends to talk about how elements in KnY are taken from, say, the sword making traditions of the Okuizumo region that results in black swords or simply making comparisons to famous swords, or local legends of supernatural encounters that resulted in split rocks, or comparing specific oni with and the heroes who slayed them or at least comparing elements of specific characters to other famous oni legends, or that Hinokami Kagura is based on a specific Shinto legend and has 12 forms based on existing Kagura traditions, etc. And I love reading this stuff, because I wouldn't had learned about some of it without my interest in KnY leading me to those articles, or as I read it I cheer because they're making references to things I already (as a nerd) really enjoy and therefore it strokes my inner echo chamber bias, or I nod along and think, "oh, yes, why of course, that makes total sense, Hinokami Kagura must be based on the dance Amenouzume performed to enticed the Sun Goddess Amaterasu out of the cave, how silly to think it could be based on anything else" but I then also take a step back to think, "...but it also doesn't have to be." For as many similarities as there to existing legends, it feels to me that Gotouge made it a point not to make specific reference to any particular mythological or religious elements. As an example, Gotouge considered titles with reference to a Shinto fire god named "Kagutsuchi" but never made actual reference to any fire god (or sun god) by name in the finalized direction canon took. Granted, a lot of fan theorists have read into that, going so far as to say because Nezuko's fire powers she represents Kagutsuchi, Yoriichi represents Amaterasu, etc., but while I find the idea of borrowed elements makes for highly interested interpretation of canon, one-to-one comparisons really don't work for this series. By not invoking a name like Kagutsuchi in the title or otherwise, Gotouge succeeded in not being boxed in by the canon of any particular deity. (Granted, "canon" for mythology can vary significantly by whatever historical writings you're looking at, with standard interpretations going through many big changes throughout the centuries. It can be as loose as it is limiting, depending on what sort of historical/mythological/religious figure you're talking about.) I feel there's more evidence of this avoidance by never invoking Amaterasu as a deity, despite the emphasis on the power of the sun in slaying demons. Even looking back and trying to figure out who Akeno placed so much faith, it was only called a "god of sunlight" as opposed to a "sun god." It's as though KnY works with a generic approach to religion. Even if the use of Buddhist element, the Nenbutsu prayer is called such, and Himejima's repeated phrases are legit Buddhist practice, but there is a huge variety of Buddhist sects and practices and theologies, and throughout history, many of them didn't get along. Going back to Akeno and wondering if she might had been Buddhist, I went so far as to suspect she was influenced by Nichirin sect philosophy based on its emphasis on the "Nichi" (sun) representing Japan and incorporating Shinto gods into its philosophy, and for its likely influence in the Kanto area in Akeno's time period, and for its encouragement for the salvation of women and therefore popularity among women. I felt pretty satisfied that it was all lining up, but also, none of this is necessary for a quality interpretation of canon. If Gotouge wanted to say specifically what informed her religious conviction, then it would had been said. But that's not what was important, was it? What was important, and therefore focused on, was Akeno's feelings toward her son and wishes for his sake.

While KnY's worldbuilding feels richer with all the clear religious influence, the details are not actually important. If anything, I feel like Gotouge dove into the heart of the elements of, say, Shinto mythology, and played those core elements up. It's different, yet still familiar, to take sun-associated elements and used them in a way that serves the story without being boxed into existing traditions. The sun is clearly important, and once you start looking for it, you find subtle recurring references to it. Like, Akeno's name? The "Ake" is one way of writing "red," and there are all sorts of uses of other ways of writing "red" throughout the series, in everything from the sand used for making Nichirin blades to the way that Haganezuka calls Tanjiro an auspicious "red" child with a very rarely used kanji. Our commoner main characters, though, just use regular old ways of saying "red" when referencing Tanjiro's appearance without thinking deeply into it, like there's something special right in front of them but they don't recognize it. Similar to how something as special as Sun Breathing was hidden right in front of them in Hinokami Kagura, with a name so generic and simple that it's entirely unsurprising that the Taisho era Kamado family would interpret it as "fire god." The very lack of limiting real-life details is what allows Gotouge to sprinkle these deep touches around, cover them up with branches and leaves, and then sit back and wait for readers to stroll through and invitingly pleasant looking field and then trip and fall down a rabbit hole. This is also what I think gives Gotouge the freedom and malleability to work with the sun in a way that serves the story, especially in ways that tie it to fire. While I don't think there's strong ties for this is general Japanese culture, the way canon is written implies a close tie between fire and the sun as being a very closely related element, hence the influence on the Kamado family, Tanjiro's appearance, his suitability for Sun Breathing based on a history of tending fire for careful charcoal burning, and Tanjiro and Nezuko capability as demons to overcome the sun. Here is where I go into a bit of a tangent about the purification element. This, again, is not strictly tied to any particular Shinto canon (and Shinto does place heavy emphasis on purification), but instead is an example of Gotouge getting to the underlying heart of a lot of common religious elements. Fire is associated with spiritual purification in everything from Buddhism to Catholicism, it's very easy to apply Nezuko's fire abilities as something which burns away something evil (demon poison) so as to purify something good (human flesh, or even other physical substances). Maybe lesser known, but very deeply entrenched in Japanese culture, is the purification element of charcoal. While it may be known around the world for soaking up undesirable elements and therefore used in everything from fish tank filters to treating food poisoning, in Japan, there's a bit of a spiritual side to it as well. For something so closely tied to the way of life for citizens throughout hundreds of years of history for everything from cooking to heating the home, it's unsurprising that quality charcoal would receive as much emphasis as good water and rice. Japanese charcoal is especially known for not producing undesirable smoke or odor, making it appropriate for use in a lot of settings. Charcoal farmers have often not just been that; they've been caretakers of the forest. Keeping the right trees, at the right sizes (both for use as charcoal and for how you pack it together when making charcoal), and in the right numbers to ensure you have stock for coming years, requires management of the forest. (Other tangent side note: many of the other names in the Kamado family are references to plants. Sumire both has the "sumi" sound of charcoal and is the word for violet, Kie is in reference to hollyhock, Nezuko is in reference to red beans (and the asanoha pattern of her kimono is in reference to hemp leaf, an

auspicious symbol of strong and quick growth), Takeo is in reference to bamboo (ironically bamboo can be a problematic plant for charcoal farmers, because it may spread too fast and take resources from other trees--stop stealing all the takuan pickles, Takeo!), Hanako is in general reference to flowers, Shigeru is in general reference to (plants) flourishing, and maybe by the time they got to Rokuta they gave up and said "he's our sixth child, let's just call him 'Six-Boy', lolz." BUT I DIGRESS.) That means the Kamado family not only had careful management of fire in the actual days of charcoal production, but of a wide variety of natural resources to ensure the trees were healthy. Natural weather phenomena, clean water, pest control, minerals from rocks getting into the soil, hmm, so many elements to pay attention to. Hmm. These sure sound a lot like other Breaths. And Breaths all stem from Sun Breathing. That means there may be certain elements of Sun Breathing that have been emphasized in each of them, but none of them encompass so many qualities of the natural world. The natural world which Yoriichi saw with such clarity than nature accepted him with open arms, practically, in how well animals took to him. Sun Breathing, while especially using that all-important purification aspect of sunlight which burns evil demons, is like an all encompassing embrace of nature. While being closely tied with fire is hugely important, there's more to it than just flames. While Shinto is very much so closely tied with nature (the extent to which this is emphasized may vary from shrine to shrine, scholar to scholar), what I see in KnY is a clever use of emphasis on spirituality in nature as opposed to emphasis on Shinto mythology. And I think that was a smart move. While stories based more directly on various theologies, mythologies, and religious ideologies often use those building blocks often wind up having very creative takes on them (even and especially with the confines of them), ultimately, the story of KnY is whatever Gotouge wants to do with it, and it does not seem guided by the specific conventions of more specific religious elements. But again, those deeper elements are still everywhere. You know what color Japanese charcoal burns? It's a gorgeous jewel tone red, spanning many of those rare shades of red Gotouge make reference to. And, in wider Japanese culture, red is the color of the sun (as opposed to how other cultures may represent it as yellow or orange or white or so on). (Not as exactly a KnY tangent, just personal: Japanese charcoal is so freaking pretty, I had no idea until I saw it used in the tea ceremony at parts when guests crowd around to enjoy the sight of it as the host prepares it for boiling the water. I can stare and stare and stare, it is so so so so so pretty, but also this element of the ceremony has gotten rarer both as many places have made a more practical switch to electricity, and tea ceremony quality has gotten more rare both due to fewer producers and due to beetle-related damages to the trees used, and I will always state HOW DISAPPOINTED I am that Kanata and Sumihiko are not out there raising charcoal, because charcoal is precious and I'm always so terrified of wasting charcoal in my practices because its so precious, but seeing the amazingly beautiful burn of the charcoal is absolutely one of my favorite elements of the ceremony and this of course gives me an extra soft spot for Kamado Tanjiro BUT I DIGRESS AGAIN, I TOLD you this was going to be a ramble, but SERIOUSLY IT IS SUCH A GORGEOUS RED).

So anyway. My point is, as interesting as incorporating outside elements may be, I don't find them necessary in interpreting KnY's canon. Even if it takes tons of Taisho Secrets to do so, Gotouge presents the details necessary, and that's more than enough to work with. After all, despite all the care taken in historical details in building the setting, KnY takes place in a fictional universe, it can make its own rules when it comes to things that don't actually exist in our universe. Demons, for example, follow a chronology and power system with sources and limits that is unique to a this universe, as tempting as it is due to general cultural familiarity, it does not call for a one-to-one comparison with existing demon legends. Breath as well, as a power system, is very interesting. Again, this is because it has a lot of basis in core concepts of real life physical and spiritual training. It's presented as a method available to anyone who can pick it up, not drawing on a mystical outside power or summoning the actual superhuman elements of nature. Other stories that present their power systems like that are well and fine, but when it comes down to it, this is a story about mere humans doing everything in their limited power to wave swords around and defeat creatures that seem so likely to outpower them. This is a common, relatable basis of stories throughout history, and a lot of analysis I've heard of KnY's success says that it shows how classic this story structure is. Many Japanese demon stories have their origin in epidemics, and some people suggest that the world looks for hope in stories like KnY in times of seemingly insurmountable crises like coronavirus. I think that's an oversimplification of KnY's success, but again, because of Gotouge's use of core cultural elements, it can be applied easily. OKAY BUT ON THAT NOTE we can do some really interesting digging if we want. : D Gotouge does make some highly specific references, included religious ones (granted, not in ways that impact the plot). The example coming to mind is the Seventh Form of Thunder Breathing, the "Flaming Thunder God." In Japanese, this is "Honoikazuchi-no-Kami," the name of a lightning deity who had a very, very brief mention in the Kojiki and who appeared among a handful of other lightning deities named in reference to other aspects/phenomena of lightning, like the sound or the rumble through the ground. Honoikazuchi is not so much the lightning itself, but the fires started by lightning. Stick with me a bit longer, I'm building up to something here. You've probably heard of the twelve animals of the Chinese (poorly translated as) Zodiac, right? Well, the system is way more complex than that, and really, if you want complexity, skip Japan and go dive straight into ancient China. I laugh and cry at myself for having a graduate degree in Chinese studies, the extent of my knowledge is is pitifully small, I know nothing, nothing. Suffice to say, China has its own five element system of water/wood/metal/fire/earth, it's more a philosophical application than a more physicality-based four element system popular in the west (fire/water/air/earth, why hello there, Avatar), with attributes of these elements assigned to every about anything through Chinese culture, from medicine to, you guessed it, the Zodiac animals. Japan saw all this and said "cool, we'll do that too" albeit their sort of mixed and matched a bit and made their own take on it in Onmyodo. An Onmyoji, who keeps track of, like, really any other-worldly matter you might have on your hands as a Heian noble, is someone who is paid to know all this stuff (it was very likely an Onmyoji who told the Ubuyashiki clan, "yeah, you got an evil family member to blame for your curse, squash him"). Yours Truly is not an Onmyoji and therefore will not attempt to go into more detail, save the one that a handful of Japanese theorists in the KnY fandom love to bring up: The Boar is a water sign. This means that, especially in Shinto practice, boars are considered an animal that protects against

fire, hence, a lot of practices to protect against fires were done on days of the Boar, in the month of the Boar, etc. So? So-o-o-o-o-o? You see it? You see it??? Boar = Water, Honoikazuchi = Fire, Inosuke and Zenitsu are basically foils to Tanjiro? Yes, yes, see it, yessss??? Deep dive Kamaboko theory, yes?????? Hahahaha. Naw. It's just a fun coincidence. ^_^ Again, I find these details completely unnecessary, for we are already given so many details in canon to work with on its own, and I think Inosuke and Zenitsu as foils to Tanjiro works entirely well simply based on their personalities, not because of any supernatural elements that require a high level of nerdery to have any hope of appreciating. Besides, once you start reaching too hard for cultural details Gotouge might have used and clinging too tightly to those ideas, there's likely something in canon to make it doubtful. For instance, Inosuke more widely presented as a king of the forest who wears deer and bear hide as well, and the fanbook state that Beast Breath is considered a likely offshoot of Wind Breathing. Even if we rely more strictly on historical detail, there's still the question of, say, what one of the basic Breaths, Thunder Breathing, even was when it was but a thunder inspired sword form not necessarily powered by Breath, you know, back when swords were longer and it would have been harder to make the fast draws katana would later be better suited for. Maybe they called it Thunder because it was practiced by swordsmen who stomped around really hard, and then when they added Breath technique, they figured out "oh dude, we can use our strong legs to go fast"??

Those are the kinds of things I find more fun to play around with in interpreting canon by bringing in little outside details, because as a work of fiction, there are already so many fun details to work with already even when treating it in a vacuum. But, giving Gotouge extensive and subtle use of cultural elements, especially core elements, it sure makes a lot of outside details applicable. Which is all to say, it's all super interesting, and I think the more people realize these things, the deeper they read into it, to an extent more than canon calls for. As much as I like it, and as much as I've enjoyed pulling outside elements in to fanfiction (like Kagutsuchi and lightning god tidbits), ultimately, if Gotouge thought these things were necessary, they'd have been included. Since they are not, I try to stick to canon details and Word of God-touge in answering Asks (lolz, I didn't plan on becoming a meta blog, it just kinda happened). BUT ALSO, JEEZ, I AM SO EXCITED IF PEOPLE TAKE A DEEPER INTEREST IN JAPANESE CULTURE BECAUSE THEY LIKE KIMETSU NO YAIBA, YOU CAN HAVE SO-O-O-O-O-O MUCH FUN PLANNING A TRIP TO JAPAN AROUND KNY THEMES, DO IT DO IT DO IT, GO TO YAGYU AND POSE IN A TANJIRO HAORI AND STICK YOUR SWORD IN A SPLIT ROCK, THE LOCALS THERE LOVE IT, DO IT but also like maybe learn about the tea ceremony and appreciate how beautiful the charcoal is with me k thx bye

#kny fandom theories and meta #sooooorta #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #am I a Pillar or a Demon? #neither #I am but a nerd

[memes-in-a-half-shell]

Personalities

Guess I’ve never really did one post like this one, but I wanted to list out how I envision the guys to be like, generally. My creativity has been going down the drain lately, so hopefully that’ll boost me up a bit !

-- Leo --

Leo gives out that tough, serious vibe, mostly because he’s the leader and wants to show that he’s in control.

...

But in general, that dude does like to laugh and have some fun!

Don’t worry though, he knows when he has to be serious!!!! ... At some points he just has to relax, you know?

A Man of Culture ™ , he owns some bonsai trees and loves to meditate so he can have a clearer mind. Tranquility is his way to recharge his batteries (yes, I do see him as an ambivert, with a strong introvert side).

 A comic books fan, shares that passion with Mikey! He’s more of a Marvel fan, personally - some of his favorites are Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain America, and probably a bunch of others).

Anger and strong emotions can hinder his leading choices. Anxiety rises in him, which can cloud his thoughts, but he’s working hard on that (and he’s kinda good at hiding his panic, generally).

Even if he doesn’t say it often - he does love spending time with his brothers! Watching basketball matches is definitely a must for those four.

A Leo in love is a smiling Leo. A true gentleman, he can turn into quite the passionate lover when alone with his s/o. He’s not much a fan of PDA, but his s/o shouldn’t worry much about that as the affection is multiplied tenfold later on.

Actually has a good singing voice, but he would prefer to die than to let people know.

Values Splinter’s opinion highly and often goes to him for guidance about many things - mostly regarding his leadership.

It’s a bit hard for him to let new people enter his life, since he’s scared for his family to be discovered and out in the open by any means possible, but he’s slowly starting to trust his instincts and his brothers’, knowing when it’s safe to let certain people in their world or not.

He’s an avid reader. Has a preference for classic litterature, but also enjoys horror, crime stories, and a bit of romance (if he really feels like it).

-- Raph --

Sir Raph bitchinson is in DAH HOUSE.

He’s not afraid to speak up and call out anything wrong in this household.

He and Donnie love to gossip and bitch around - you can’t change my mind. But they do that in secret though (wouldn’t want to hurt people with their judgements!!!)

Can be pretty much eloquent, when given the chance. He’s more street smart than book smart, but all knowledge is good knowledge.

He always likes to come up with some challenges for himself and his bros. Some sort of “friendly” competition amongst them, just to spice things up. He does consult Splinter sometimes to see what could be done in order to train certain skills.

Raph has a lot of love to give, but doesn’t like to show it plainly. He’s gotta show that big buff strong man attitude !!!!!!!!!! ... But he does have a big heart.

He and Mikey definitely do some music on the side - which has sparked the hilarious idea of a Hip Hop Christmas album. ... Mikey does call himself “MC Mikey”, but Raph is a better rapper.

Suprisingly good with arts and crafts (ex: woodcarving, knitting). Patience, precision, and carefulness are skills he has to work on often.

Training and lifting weights are his prefered ways to think back and analyze various things. That’s why when he’s angry, he goes out to train. It gives him the opportunity to calm down (somehow) and review the situation.

Even though his arguments with Leo can turn quite bitter, he knows he’d miss them if they were to stop. Butting heads with the leader is what brings them together (some would argue it’s not a healthy relation, but both are strong headed so it’s just always gonna be like that, you know~)

-- Donnie --

You know that shy, awkward, nerd stereotype? Throw that out the window, please.

Donnie sure is quiet when he first meets new people, but that’s only so he can observe them better and get to know how to interact with them better.

Once he’s starting to grow more comfortable, he’s probably one of the chillest dude you could hang out with.

Sure, sometimes he’ll start blabbering about his projects and throw out some complex terms, but that’s just because he’s always happy to include people into his things (IF the project is going well, that is...)

A patient teacher. Yes sometimes it’s tiring having to explain whenever he says a big word, but he doesn’t mind overall explaining and bringing forth new knowledge to those who seek it.

He’s not one to flaunt his intellect. He is not above anyone and he understands that not everyone has the same passions as him. Everybody can learn something new everyday - himself included.

Has a good sense of humor, mostly sarcastic. Is always up to doing some pranks around the lair with Mikey.

Donnie’s anger management could be described as “the calm before the storm”. He usually has a good control over his emotions, but if they ever get to explode, he can be quite ... “sharp”. He doesn’t hold his words and can be a bit judgemental when angry - but he’s quick to rectify the situation and apologize. Overall, when he’s facing a situation that displeases him, he is silent  and thoughtful. ... A lot goes on in his mind.

When in love, Donnie’s heart is soft and he’s a big romantic/cheesy dork. He’s often caught gazing at his s/o, with a smile on his face. He’s not afraid to lay his feelings in the open and doesn’t mind some PDA, but when he and his s/o are alone together, you can say it gets cranked up a bit ;)

Listens to various music genres. Has a preference for 80′s-90′s rock, jazz, and various types of electronic music.

Sometimes does some remote tech support jobs on the side so he and his family can have some money to spend.

Loves to play videogames! The first one he ever completed was Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo (hence why he has a SNES controller with his gear - an object filled with good memories!).

The self proclaimed “handyman” of the lair. He loves tinkering around and find ways to upgrade simple things in the house. He’s always up for a good challenge! (May or may not have a suggestion box for his bros and his dad to drop ideas once in a while <__< !!!)

-- Mikey --

Searching for a litteral ray of sunshine? Look no further; Mikey is here.

For him, finding joy and positivity in anything is a must - at least, most of the time.

He knows his family is not of the ordinary kind with a normal house, but that doesn’t mean things have to be grim and miserable!

This mindset does come at a price though. It does happen for Mikey to have his morale drop considerably low, but in those moments he knows he has his family to support him and make him feel better.

In return he is extremely supportive of anything his family does and will always encourage them when they’re going through a rough patch.

He and Raph love to collect various human items. Mikey has a tendency to go for art related items, which sparked his interest in arts (painting, spray cans/graffiti, drawing).

He also developped an interest in cooking.

Both skills are well received by his bros and he loves to teach them some tricks here and there, along with providing creative inputs to anything (mostly Donnie’s projects).

He’s an empath and doesn’t mind when his brothers vent to him. He wants them to know they are heard and valued! The best medicine he can provide is humor.

He’s a big flirt. Everyone is beautiful in their own way and he’s not afraid to express his admiration.

A party needs to be organized? Leave that to him. He always come up with some cool playlists, lots of booze, various activities, and a theme (if needed).

Loves to reference a lot of movie quotes, popular stuff and such. And it’s never out of place too, which can be surprisingly clever!

#I'll maybe expend more at some point #but for now I am leh exhausteddddd #I love exploring their personalities 😊 #and fsdjfbdj of course Donnie's has a lot of stuff LMAO #also I imagine Leo to have a similar level of anxiety to mine - so that's easy to imagine

[cowboy-anon]

It’s a long one, lads, but here’s the ✨ super special whump ✨ I promised! The reason? It’s the amazing @unicornscotty‘s birthday!! (Make sure to wish them a happy birthday! :D ) Happy birthday to one of the first friends I made here on Tumblr. <3 What am I doing to celebrate? Posting a Pirate Whump fanfic (OG story by @unicornscotty, hence it being the present)!!!

!!! Note: You don’t need to read the story to understand this fic, but once you’re finished with this, you ought to if you like pirate whump!

Super amazing story idea courtesy of @milk-carton-whump. Then I made it an AU because rivalry, am I right? Canonically, these two get along pretty well, but a prince and a pirate on the same ship? There’s bound to be some bad blood. Then, of course, a sprinkling of enemies to lovers because why the heck not! :) 

Truth be told, I don’t know if it’s whumpy enough. That being said, I’ve been especially bloodthirsty lately, so there probably is enough whump XD. Hope you guys like it!

CW: Accidental self-harm (biting tongue), alcohol mention, bodily fluids (drool and blood), cuts, death mention (in passing), derogatory language towards the classes (monarchs and pirates), hitting, implied murder (but what do you expect with pirates, y’know?), lots of salt and sarcasm, pirate whump, stitches mention, spartan kick, swearing, swords against throats, sword fighting (!!!)

Now, without further ado:

ENEMIES TO LOVERS SLOWBURN AU - ONLY YOU NEVER GET TO SEE THE END >:)))) 

Alternatively:

Prince v. Pirate

Augustus calls them “scum” one too many times today. Luckily, Alex knows just how to push his buttons back. 

They stare into the murky bucket of mop water by the mast, full and swirling with the grayish tendrils of dirty soap and muck from the ship’s wooden floorboards. Alex can feel Augustus’ presence by the bow of the ship. He takes up far more space than Alex realized when the two of them first boarded this boat. 

But that’s... perfect, they think slyly. Someone who casts such a long shadow surely has that much more to lose. 

“When we first met,” Alex calls suddenly, fighting the amusement in their voice, “you didn’t kill me. I doubt your father will be very pleased to hear that.” They laugh and give the mop another soapy swipe across the deck. Alex looks over their shoulder with a devilish grin. “A prince saving a pirate. A prince too weak to finish them off. I may be scum, but at least I’m not a coward.”

Alex’s grin only grows when they hear the stomp of Augustus’ approaching boots coming down the stairs behind them. “Careful, Gus,” they jive. “That day was a fluke. Mind you, if we do this again, your inexperience will be your downfall.” Alex spins on their heel and laughs at what they see: The prince wielding his sword, carrying himself in a learned but clearly off-centered defensive position. “Very well. I could give you some pointers if you’d like.”

“Pointers?” Augustus scoffs and moves in closer to Alex, sword low to the ground and too tight in his grip. He crosses his feet when he moves, too, Alex notes. All classic mistakes. 

“The kingdom’s best sword fighters have been training me since I could walk,” Augustus continues lowly. “ I spar as one of the best in the kingdom. Don’t overestimate your prowess, pirate.”

Alex laughs. “You think sparring is anything like combat?”

“Sparring is combat,” Augustus spits back. “And as far as I can tell, your sword isn’t even drawn. Does that not invalidate all of the claims you’ve made so far as to your knowledge on the matter?” He gestures at Alex with his sword. “One of the first rules, be prepared.”

“Oh, not at all, Gus.” Without warning, Alex takes the mop in hand and swings it at Augustus’ exposed shoulder with a wet crack. 

Augustus’ hold on his sword falters when his right hand instantly moves for his injured shoulder. 

“First rule, gain the power in the situation.” Alex unsheathes the sword at their hip and holds it out, at the ready, gripped comfortably between their hands. The correct way, they mentally boast.

 “You know,” Alex says, motioning with their sword, “if you’d held your blade a little higher and led with your chest, you would’ve been able to block that blow with ease. But what would I know?” Alex runs their thumb over the engraved hilt of their sword, etched with tallies. Ten to be exact. Ten men. Ten dead men. “I’m certainly not a seasoned fighter, not like the beloved prince.”

Alex’s eyes fall back on the prince, still nursing his shoulder with gritted teeth—at least, that’s what he wants them to believe. Alex catches the way his fingers curl around the handle of his sword with newfound determination, the flicker of mischief that crosses his downturned face. 

If only he knew who he was dealing with.

Augustus lunges, sharp and quick, favoring his right shoulder but still far faster than Alex expects. But they are expecting it. 

Alex drives their sword forward at an angle, and Augustus misses his mark by a good three inches. It was such a simple maneuver, such a simple counter. 

“Now you’ve done it,” Augustus growls. 

Alex rolls their eyes. “Hasn’t anyone told you good sword fighting comes with a clear mind?” 

Augustus doesn’t hesitate with the overhead arc. Alex brings their sword up in a quick parry and forces Augustus’ sword to the left. “Don’t lock your elbows,” Alex quips, coming in with a left cut that Augustus barely avoids. “And never use that move unless your opponent is incredibly vulnerable.”

“Shut up!” Augustus swings his sword hard at Alex’s right side. “I don’t need advice from a pirate!” 

Alex notes his breathlessness as they match his swing from the left. The swords collide, loud and dangerous. But Augustus breaks it up before it becomes a battle of strength. 

Augustus goes for the arc again. Alex slips to the right and his sword hits the wood with a hollow thunk. 

In the time it takes Augustus to get back in position, Alex has their sword at his throat, not quite touching but threatening nonetheless. “What did I say?” Alex purrs, moving in closer. “If your opponent isn’t vulnerable, you are, plain and simple.”

Augustus’s sword crashes into Alex’s, swiping it away from his neck. The motion shocks Alex and stopping the momentum pulls at their back uncomfortably. They barely manage to get their feet underneath them in time to block yet another attack from above with their sword. 

Augustus wipes the sweat from his brow when the two part, watching Alex scramble towards the bow of the ship to compose themself. The smirk on his face is undeniable. “Vulnerable enough for you?”  

“You’re vulnerable,” Alex snaps back, chest heaving, “and predictable.”  

Augustus snarls, taking it upon himself to make the first move once again. Alex sighs but takes their sword to the ready position. 

“I’m surprised you’re fighting so fairly,” Augustus muses, advancing on the pirate. 

Alex takes a step back and startles when their boot connects with one of the stairs at the end of the deck. They need to move, that much they know, but for now they focus on the princely pain in the ass in front of them. 

“Is that so?” Alex steps back onto the staircase, one step, then another, sword extended in front of them.  “What does fair mean to you monarchs?”

Augustus’ expression sours as he begins ascending the stairs after them. “All sword, all skill. True combat. Noble combat.” 

“‘Noble combat,’ hmm?” Alex reaches the top of the stairs and stops. “You mean as noble as oppression can be, don’t you?”

Augustus smiles, taking another step. “I mean as noble as a piliger who follows it can be.”

Alex nods, feigning understanding. “If I could make one note,” they start. 

Augustus glares at them. 

“Fighting fair gets you killed.” Alex pulls their sword to the right, and with Augustus’ sword so low, Alex has a clear view of his abdomen. “And playing dirty? Well…” Alex sets their feet. “Pretty par for the course.”

The kick Alex delivers to his stomach is solid. Augustus manages to keep a hold of his sword on the way down,  but he hits the ground hard, and the moan that leaves his lips is wretched. Well-deserved but still wretched.

Alex clambers down the stairs and back onto the deck, equally impressed, amused, and horrified to see Augustus getting up so quickly. Augustus keeps one hand on his sword and the other on his stomach, and for a brief moment Alex considers kicking him until he stays down. 

By the time Alex decides that’s exactly what they’re going to do, Augustus is on his feet with more fire in his gorgeous blue eyes than Alex’s seen since they started fighting. 

This isn’t going to end well. 

Augustus straightens and rolls his shoulder with a grimace. “I did say I spar as one of the best, pirate. Part of that is being able to get back up.”

Augustus comes in strong with a ruthless swing to Alex’s right side. Alex brings their sword up and out for a block, and although they don’t end up cut in half, their shoulders ache, then burn with a deep familiar pain. Still predictable, they note, wincing. Thank goodness for that. 

Alex isn’t so lucky the next time. Another swipe, fast and aggressive, flies towards their face. Alex sidesteps but trips over their own feet. They’re quick but not quick enough. 

They feel it, the sharp sting of sweat mingling with an open wound. Alex brings their fingers to their face and prods gently at where they think the cut is. When they bring them back to look at them, they’re covered in blood, superficial but maddening all the same. 

Alex grins, glaring through rich brown curls as they click their tongue. “You’re persistent. I like that. But it does seem like someone needs to work on their timing.”

Alex lunges forward, faking with no spared conviction that they’re going in for a jab and instead plant their foot on the toe of Augustus’ boot. With a spin that’s just as practical as it is for show, they slam their elbow into his jaw. “Like so!”

On their way back to the mast, arm alight with near-paralyzing pins and needles, they catch a glimpse of the trail of blood oozing from Augustus’s lip. He bit his own tongue it seems. Poetic almost. 

“Fighting dirty, are we?” Augustus brings his hand under his chin and catches the blood and drool in his palm. “You know, any other time, your kind would be hung for this. But I must admit I’m enjoying this.”

Augustus tosses his handful of fluids across the freshly-mopped deck, more blood than anything else, and wipes his hand on his pants before returning his bloody grip to the sword’s hilt. “Now then. Let’s continue, shall we, pirate?”

Alex bristles at the way Augustus spits it this time, pirate, like it’s poison. At this point, Alex thinks skewering him might not be a bad idea. 

But no, that won’t be satisfying, not for the likes of him. Alex wants to humiliate him. They want to win. And all winning requires is submission. That and a little salt in the wound. 

“You might want to reconsider, Gus,” Alex says. Their stance is defensive but comfortable, balancing on the balls of their feet just in case Augustus tries to make a move. “It is quite cowardly to submit to a pirate, but if the king knew what I planned on doing to you, I think he’d understand.”

Augustus scoffs. “Meaning?” 

“Meaning I sincerely hope you don’t. I’m sure a missing arm would be quite the message to bring back to your fair kingdom.”

Augustus lunges in for a jab, all rage and false-assured thoughtfulness just like Alex expects him to. All it takes is a slip to the side and an outstretched leg to send them stumbling past them, fighting to regain his balance. 

“What did I say?” Alex goads at Augustus’ back. “Vulnerable and so, so predictable. Switch up your moves and it won’t be so embarrassingly easy to send you reeling.”

Alex doesn’t even see the side swipe coming, but they most certainly feel the slice across their abdomen. “Fuck!” It’s heat, raw and burning, but it’s not pain, not yet, not with the blood roaring in their ears. They swallow their blooming panic in time to meet Augustus’ next blow, weaker than the rest have been, with equal ferocity. 

There’s the shriek of metal against metal, invigorating at any other time, and the swords catch on each other at the hilt—the battle of strength and dexterity Alex was waiting for. Will Augustus break it off again?

Alex meets his eyes through their interlocked swords, brown on blue. No, he won’t break it off, not this time. The wolfish grin hiding the twisted agony behind his eyes says it all. That, and the trembling grip Alex has on their own sword. 

“You look unwell, Alex.” Augustus pushes harder against Alex’s block and laughs windedly. “You may want to consider submission.”  

Alex pants and grits their teeth. “And let you miss out on a… a valuable lesson? That’d be awfully rude of me.” They push back.  “Besides, I could ask you the same thing. How’s that shoulder of yours?”

Alex breaks away and feels the first stab of agony rip through their middle, hard enough that when they swing in retort, their sword almost flies from their unfeeling hands. 

“Keep it together,” they whisper, reclaiming their hold on the sword. Then, to Augustus, “If you’d broken the hold purposely, you could’ve reestablished your power in the situation, you know.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Augustus says lowly. Alex notes the cryptic tone in his voice but not fast enough. Without another word, he charges Alex, sword held higher, chest out strong, back straight because of it. 

Alex anticipates the collision and holds their sword at the ready, stepping back towards the mast in preparation for the inevitable block. What they don’t expect is the way Augustus’ foot hooks around their own. 

Alex’s feet fly out from under them, and this time they’re the one who’s stumbling. In their search for ground, they go blind to everything around them until their back collides with the mast of the ship. 

When the space around them registers again, Augustus is right in front of them and his blade puts a threatening pressure against their neck. His breath is hot and wet against their face. Under their chin, they feel the faintest trickle of sweat or, more likely, blood running down their Adam’s apple. 

Checkmate. 

Augustus stares into Alex’s eyes, still out of breath but gradually recovering. “How about that?” he breathes.

Alex stares back and chuckles softly, then groans at another stab of pain in their stomach as the adrenaline starts to wear off. “Not bad, Prince. Legs further apart though. You’re screwing your balance.” Alex dips their hands between themself and Augustus, careful not to nick themself with the sword at their throat, and touches at the tear in their shirt, feeling around for damage. It’s nothing rum and a few dozen stitches won’t fix. 

Augustus follows the movement with his eyes, then raises them back to Alex’s face. “Anything else you want to teach me?”

Alex grins. In one swift movement, they drop their sword, tear the arm holding the sword to their neck away from them, and pull that same arm behind Augustus’ back, shoving him hard into the mast. “Yeah,” they say above his surprised grunt. “Never lose focus.”

Alex gives Augustus’ arm a final rough pull, their chest against his back before pulling away with a huff. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a drink.”

Alex walks across the deck to the sailor’s quarters. They hope Augustus can’t see that their body is on fire.

#*whispering* super special content #feel free to dm me if you think there's a typo in here 'cause real talk #the proofread game was kinda weak today #anyway #thanks for reading! hope you liked it! :D #pirate whump #accidental self-harm tw #blood tw #drool tw #alcohol mention #alcohol tw #death mention #derogatory language tw #swearing tw #cutting tw #hitting tw #stitches tw #kicking tw #sword tw #sword fighting tw #whump #whump writing #not my characters #alex and augustus belong to the lovely unicornscotty! #implied murder tw

[nightly-noivern]

It’s been a while, huh, lol? The last time I was doing proper updates on this blog was like, 2 years ago. I just want to leave a nice message at the top (rather than me joking about old community drama, etc). I’ll probably draw a little something on my main (@hummingbird-scratch) as a goodbye, and reblog it here.

I’ve been trying to get back into more art lately, so if you liked my characters, please interact with them there— and see more of what I have created over time! I need to organize that blog (removing defunct links/etc) but I would encourage you to check it out. The noiv co will probably pop back up there in one form or another, and I do pokemon fanart and stuff.

I loved this blog and I still love this blog, I just don’t have the time to dedicate to drawing the same thing daily— I’d much rather dedicate the time I have to getting better in other areas (not just drawing dragons, lol). This blog definitely helped me improve; comitting myself to drawing every day was such an important thing in terms of learning how to make drawing muscle memory, and stuff like that.

Not to mention that I got through some hard times with this. I didn’t talk about this much, I don’t think, but I got pretty sick when I was about 14, and spent a year basically bedridden with little energy— not enough to go to school or hang with friends or anything like that. In that year, I started this blog, and it (and the wonderful interactions) gave me a reason to get out of bed and use the little energy I had. So thanks.

Thankfully, I’m in a much better place physically, and have been for some time— that’s most of the reason I left this blog to begin with: I felt a lot better, so I was suddenly doing other things (outside of my room/house), and I didn’t need this blog to be social because I had people offline that were in my life. I always wanted to come back, hence why I never posted a proper goodbye, but I can admit it’s long overdue, and I likely won’t because I spend my time drawing a wider variety of things when I feel like drawing, and generally spend my days consumed by other projects, classes, etc.

Still, I’m very happy I got to participate in what seemed to be this whole community’s heyday! A quick thank you to everyone who’s interacted, be it in the form of an ask, fanart, or something else entirely! I have all fanart saved and credited, and I still cherish it.

I’m also super happy to have provided mindless happiness / simple entertainment with my silly little doodles of fun dragon-bats. Can’t ask for more than making people happy, tbh.

HERE’s THE TLDR: So it’s kind of bitterswet, I guess, is the conclusion. Yes, it’s the end of a blog I enjoyed, but also it’s the dropping of a coping mechanism that I needed when I was pretty damn miserable. I don’t have any big projects going on rn to boost, lol, but I’m enjoying life and still doing art elsewhere.

If you wanted a life update, keep reading:

I’m 19 now, graduated highschool last year (2020). Which, yanno, not gonna be sunshine and roses: it kind of sucked, because in junior year I didn’t get a normal year and then I didn’t exactly get a normal start or a normal end to my final year, which was especially rough because I had gotten surgery in junior year and finally felt significantly better, good enough to fully participate in school, extracurriculars, etc.

But that’s life, I suppose. Nobody’s having fun with quarantine, though it’s our new normal (apparently, and at least for now).

Despite my whinging, I’m happy where I am right now— my gap year hasn’f exactly worked out as planned (to say the least), but I had the presence of mind to take advantage of some fun volunteer opportunities (I got to feed baby birds for several months straight!) and load up on some fluffy, fun community college classes (ASL, art, animation, and computers).

I’ve played dnd, and run my own campaign, gotten back more into videogames in general, gone on socially distant and safe road trips, gotten back into getting fit, and have generally adjusted pretty well lol. I also, obviously, still do art (just not with the incredible frequency I used to, hah).

So... yeah. Next year, I’m transferring to a state college, and going there. I hope things’ll be better by then, and I’m definitely excited to engage with people that aren’t my family.

I’m still open to talk, and still open for OC interactions / etc. Please reach me on @hummingbird-scratch!

This blog will, of course, stay up for posterity! I will probably do one last edit to remove defunct links from the theme (aka blogs I’ve abandoned lol), and better advertise my mains and organize some of the tags, but otherwise all will remain the same.