#anyway i wanted to play around with lighting and a coloring style way different from my usual to keep things Fresh ig

[bunnalien]

waking up in the hubby's oversized shirt...

#ffxiv oc #male miqo'te #artists on tumblr #miqo'te #catboy #anyway i wanted to play around with lighting and a coloring style way different from my usual to keep things Fresh ig #ffxiv #robin suhe #ffxiv art #warrior of light #wol #bun art

[toji-girl]

wrapped around | villain! t. amajiki

synopsis: All you wanted to do was move on from Tamaki who took a turn from hero to villain, but why can’t you stop thinking about his indigo eyes even though he’s on the other side now?

wc: 4.6k

tags: dark content (read cw) + 18+ ONLY content + explicit smut: minors and empty blogs DNI + not beta read + he's ooc + repost from my blog + my writing style was different years ago + tentacle play+ Quirk play + bunny! reader + gagging + wound care + makeup sex + biting + rough sex + pet names + vaginal stretching + fluff in all this porn + multiple tentacles in one hole + dubcon + yandere! Tamaki + overuse of Bunny pet name + spitting + oral f! and m!+ fingering+ hentai references + porn + fem! masturbation + aphrodisiac (?) + cum play + possessive! Tamaki + nipple play + mentions of ovulating+ unprotected sex + breeding + mating press + finger sucking + dumbification + womb flooding + creampie+ tummy bulge from cum inflation.

AN: so I wrote this maybe close to four years ago, not sure how I came up with the idea to write something like this honestly, he is very OOC though! but I wanted something new with Amajiki, also please forgive my old formatting lmaoo.

Rain pattered on the roof trickling down the windows coupled with the bolt of lightning flashing in your bedroom drowning out the soft noise of the TV but it wouldn’t matter anyway with your phone propped up in your hand, moans streaming from the device.

Instantly your stomach curled thinking of the thought of the indigo-colored-haired man with eyes to match. 

The orgasm that you’ve been chasing for the last forty-five minutes finally ended with you kicking the blankets off, throwing the toy and phone down on your bed as you sat up, looking around for your shorts, flinging pillows, and everything to the floor.

It’s been weeks since you’ve thought of him and now you were wondering why you had to think about him in a time like this. You scratched the base of your soft floppy ears as you looked around and sighed seeing the pillow that Tamaki had you hump for hours overstimulating you until you were sobbing and clinging to him to stop.

Part of you missed him but not the way he acted in a relationship. It was a mystery how you stayed with him for so long.

Another sigh left your lips while swinging your legs over the bed placing them on the bare floorboard, another crack of thunder shook the house flickering the lights as you adjusted the oversized sleeping shirt you wore pulling it over your shoulder, another sound startled you.

Someone knocking hard and rapid on your door, your ears perked up when you heard him.

Calling your name like a mournful song, Tamaki’s voice wavered as he leaned against the door knocking again, “Please, bunny, let me in.”

Your heart restricted in your chest hearing your nickname. It was something that he only ever called you even though you hated your stupid Quirk. Everyone got cool ones or even none at all but nothing at all has to be better than being a bunny.

His voice came in again begging, “I-I’m hurt.”

Chewing on your bottom lip you walked to the front door barely opening it. Wind and rain hit you like needles. Tamaki sat leaning against the doorframe now holding his side. Indigo eyes met yours.

“Tamaki?”

You crouched down and moved a piece of wet hair from his face to scared to get closer to him, “Bunny.” Tamaki wrapped his fingers around your wrist pulling you closer, “I need help.”

You aren’t stupid. As soon as he asked for help you knew what happened, it was either some bar fight or he got into a scrap with a Hero which you happen to be ironically enough.

Your brows pulled together as you moved his hand from his ribs seeing a medium size cut, blood pumping from the torn flesh only darkening the fabric of Tamaki’s shirt. “What do you need help with?”

“What do you think?” He hissed covering the wound again.

“If you want to be like that Tamaki you can go fuck off. Why did you come here out of all the places? Let me guess you and Dabi got drunk and tried to fight someone.”

Tamaki winced and smirked as another clap of thunder startled you, “Still scared of storms, huh? Let me in and I’ll protect you.”

You raised an eyebrow and played with your ears catching his attention. He knows you too well, his eyes burned the side of your head. You felt way too vulnerable in front of him like this, your shirt stretched over your knees but Tamaki already got a glance at your bare cunt.

“Hello? Bunny. Let me in.”

You turned back to glare at him feeling your heart sink in your stomach seeing the pain in his eyes. His hair wet and matted covered most of his face along with his hood but you saw the flash, “Oh, damn you, Tamaki. Tell me what happened then I’ll let you in but I swear if you try anything I’ll hurt you.”

He rolled his eyes and laughed followed by a wet cough, sighing you kicked the door open and grabbed Tamaki by his elbow pulling him to his feet, “Shit,” he cursed, swaying on his feet. With your arm wrapped around his waist, you guided him to the bathroom with his hand gripping your shirt leaving bloody handprints.

“Sorry.” He looked down at your shirt pulling the sticky fabric from your torso, “Don’t worry about it.” You said not looking up to meet his heated gaze. It’s only been four months since he’s last seen your face and that was when you two were screaming at each other about how the relationship wasn’t going to work.

How could it?

A villain and a hero?

Tamaki took his shirt off, tossing it on the floor, and leaned back against the sink holding his arm up, “What the hell happened? The skin is all jagged.” You muttered looking at the wound while washing your hands.

“Dabi was sleeping with this dude’s girlfriend and they got into it. Of course, I’m going to help my friend out.”

You looked at him pulling gloves on before grabbing your first aid kit, “Have you been sleeping with anyone’s girlfriend?” You didn’t mean for your question to come across so cold but you barely trusted him in the relationship and knowing he’s been running around for months single you didn’t have any reason to believe him.

Tamaki sighed and shut his eyes hissing when you applied a bandage to the wound, “Careful bunny,” he said through gritted teeth, eyes opening to slits, “can I still call you bunny?”

You rolled your eyes despite feeling the ache between your legs or the way you were sure that at any given moment your heart was going to explode when you met his gaze, the feelings he still has glittered behind the mischievous grin that spread across his lips.

“What?”

“I’m waiting on my answer.”

You sighed,and focused on the gauze, “I do have a name that I know you know.” Came your answer, short and simple that’s all that was needed because you could feel the sexual tension building faster and faster brick by brick sitting on your chest suffocating you.

“Yeah, that’s true but I like bunny,” he replied gently flicking your left ear making you glare at him, Tamaki chuckled and winced when you pressed in. “Do try to remember that I’m treating your wound, now you answer my question.”

“What?”

“What caused this? And was this really all over Dabi and some hookup?”

You stepped closer pressing your stomach against his hips looking at the jagged flesh, your tail twitched when you felt Tamaki caress your stomach, “It was, I never lied to you no matter what you think. I might be a villain babe but I would never hurt you, I would burn the world down for you. I would do anything you want me to. You’re still my queen.”

Tentacles wrapped around your throat stilling your movements.

Tamaki leaned in ghosting his lips against yours releasing your throat, “I was serious when I said I wanted to run away and get you knocked up.”

You couldn’t help the ugly laugh that bubbled from your open mouth irritating Tamaki who leaned back and watched as you looked back at him, a serious look taking over your face.

“Runaway and get me knocked up? I’m sorry but I told you that I don’t want to live a villainous lifestyle let alone with a baby? Do you even know how to take care of a baby?”

“I took care of you, didn’t I?”

You leaned down and grabbed the alcohol squirting it on the gash, “Fucking hell you-”

“I suggest you watch how you talk to me Tamaki, you came here and interrupted my plans to help your ass now don’t be so rude.”

He kept quiet and still watched as you sewed his wound shut. You revealed the wincing in pain and hissing Tamaki let out when you tugged just a little too hard, “You’re being rough.”

“And I thought you liked that?” You asked placing the bandage over your work and glanced back up at him taking your gloves off. “Now I have to take a shower, you can let yourself out.”

Another tentacle wound itself around your wrist protruding from Tamaki’s hand, “Can I join?”

It’s not a good idea, the moment he asked you cocked your head to the side tugging your shirt down, “No, and you know why.”

He frowned and leaned back against the sink, “Can I at least take a shower after you at least?”

His voice didn’t come across confident anymore instead it wavered watching you play with the hem of your shirt again, fingers twisting in the fabric. Your ears twitched and flopped over as you avoided Tamaki’s gaze. If you looked at him it would be all over.

“You can’t take one with your bandage, let me clean you up.”

It wasn’t like he hasn’t seen you naked before but when you slid your shirt off tossing it in the hamper Tamaki cleared his throat feeling his cock throb, “Keep staring and I’ll poke your eyes out.” You growled making him laugh.

“You’re so cute when you get angry.” It was out of habit when he reached out fingers coming in contact with your ears scratching the base softly, he watched your eyes roll to the back of your head and body go lax.

It was always a different sensation when someone else rubbed your ears or stroked your tail with the occasional squeeze that left you dripping.

You hated yourself when a small whimper left your lips bringing you back to reality as you grabbed the shirt hanging from the back of the door pulling it on, “Don’t touch me again. I’m serious.”

“Got it,” he said raising his hands up slowly before taking his shirt and pants off balling them up, “can I wash my clothes then?”

“You’re being awfully needy, when your clothes are dry I want you out. You’re lucky I’m letting you stay this long.”

Tamaki nodded his head and pushed his hair and hood out of his face, a new scar coming into view. Jagged pink flesh beginning to heal and spreads from the end of his eyebrow to his jaw, somehow adding to the beauty that is the man who brings so much chaos to your life.

“What happened?” You asked, walking out of the bathroom with Tamaki behind you.

“My scar? Dabi and I got into a fight with a couple of your Hero friends. The bunny woman and that stupid bird.”

“Rumi and Keigo? I’m going to assume it was Hawks who gave you it.”

His laugh was his response as he broke off and entered the kitchen sitting on the barstool looking around brain flooding with so many memories, you and him dancing music playing in the background dinner on the stove, or the times he held your legs open fucking you hard like it was his last time over the counter.

You padded back in the kitchen grabbing your plate from the microwave handing it to him not ignoring his looks until you snapped, “God damn it Tamaki did you come here in hopes that we would get back? I told you that it can’t happen. We can never work out, we want so many different things.”

Indigo eyes looked at you hard and unforgiving before dissolving into despair and something pitiful, “No, I told you why. Your house was close and after Dabi left I had to find somewhere and I really can’t go to the hospital after what we did last week.”

“Yeah, you’re wanted for grand theft and so many more things I couldn’t even list them.”

Tamaki shrugged his shoulders and picked at the food, the image of him hunched over barely eating not acting himself tugged at your heartstrings. More than anything you wanted to wrap your arms around him letting him know that you still love him.

You still love him.

A fact you did not want to surface as he sat half-naked and dripping wet on your barstool.

It didn’t help the fact that you also wore a top that covered the tops of your thighs.

“If you really want me to stop doing all of this,” Tamaki gestured to the new wound and old battle scars, “I would do it, I’d do anything to be with you again bunny. You don’t have to believe me but I love you, and I will forever. I might be a bad guy but I want to be a good guy for you.”

His sudden confession was enough to make your head snap up to look at him feeling the pit in your stomach widen. Your heart raced in your chest making you dizzy. It was all you and Tamaki fought about the last couple of months of the relationship, the thing that finally drove a wedge between you two.

“You can’t come back and say all of that when I begged you to stop, every night I was worried you weren’t going to come home and I stayed up waiting for you to get back drunk and mean.”

You felt proud for standing up for yourself, it was something that finally needed to happen.

“I know and I can apologize for that or try to make up for it now, I screwed up my first chance and I promise I won’t do it again.”

Your bottom lip quivered listening to his words but his actions are what you needed to see.

“Don’t cry bunny,” Tamaki slid off the barstool before walking over to you wrapping you in his arms, the sudden contact broke the dam you’ve been holding in. After months of not being held or human contact, you melted against him clinging like you were scared if he let you go then you’d disappear.

He felt warm.

And familiar.

“Shh, I’m here now, I’ve missed you.”

His words were the last nail in the coffin. With your arms wrapped around his waist, you buried your head in his neck tasting the salty tears that streaked his bare skin, “I’ve missed you too Tamaki. Damn it, I haven’t been with anyone since we broke up.”

When you pulled your head up to look at him Tamaki smiled and kissed your lips softly at first barely pressing together then his hands are cupping your cheeks deepening the touch between you and him, he wanted to be greedy and grope your flesh, hungry and needy. His tongue tasting every inch of you until you were crying for him to stop.

He wants to make up for all these missed months but it was happening too fast, your hands worked on his belt trying to pull his pants down, “Hey, wait a minute. Shouldn’t we talk first?” Tamaki asked, hooking his finger under your chin, forcing you to look at him.

“Do you want this as much as I do?” Your voice came out strained and foreign, “Tamaki. Don’t make me beg, please. Only you know how to help me cum and that’s what I want, I want to cum.”

Each word only constricted his heart and dick, it wasn’t fair for him to finally have his dream but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt you.

“I’m trying to keep my hands off of you but you keep begging for me to touch you and I don’t want to be an asshole bunny, tell me what you want me to do to you.” Tamaki demanded, his voice and personality shifting to the Tamaki you love the most, the one who roughs you up, gives you everything you need without even having to ask. Your body was a map that he knew front to back, your sighs were different calls for things that you liked.

No one else knows you the way he does.

“I like it when you’re an asshole,” You whispered, grabbing his hand and putting it between your legs, rough calloused skin brushed against your clit.

“Do you?” Tamaki asked, grabbing the back of your neck with his free hand, “But I know what you really want.”

You felt his hands turn into tentacles sucking at your flesh, the sensation barely there but you could still feel it when one suction-cupped to your clit drawing the swollen bud in as another tentacle probed your pussy spreading your slick lips apart.

“Oh my bunny, you are so wet.” Tamaki groaned using the rest of his appendages to lift your shirt up, tentacles wrapped around your breasts squeezing and massaging, “Tamaki.” You begged, what for? You weren’t sure.

“I know, I’ll take good care of my sweet girl, have you been neglected? I know you were using one of your vibrators, let me guess were you watching hentai?”

Your eyes glassed over in embarrassment even though you and he watched countless videos of all sorts trying to bend your bodies in almost impossible ways and after bruised shins and foreheads Tamaki suggested using his tentacles which soon became an almost everyday thing.

A tiny mouth wrapped around your nipple latching on the bud drawing each pulse from your core like an echo. The tentacle that was working on your pussy finally pushed its way inside, one at first stretching you out as it flattened against your cervix, you felt incredibly full.

You groaned and rolled your head back gripping Tamaki’s arms moaning looking at him, the need for him so obvious that he took a step back wiping his forehead returning his limbs to normal, you gasped and fell forward a little catching yourself.

“Why did you stop?” You asked panting.

“Because if I keep going I won’t be able to stop myself until you’re nothing but a mess of cum, drool, and tears. I haven’t been with anyone since you bunny.”

Another confession that stunned you momentarily before you ripped your shirt off closing the gap between you and Tamaki, “Are you worried that if we do this then I’ll kick you out afterward? You would have to take care of me if you have your way with me.” You smiled and dipped your hand in his pants stroking his cock finally, he sighed softly and kissed you pressing his tongue in stroking and tasting.

It wasn’t enough, both of you wanted more, greedy and hungry for each other. Tamaki snarled when you sank to your knees yanking his boxers down to his knees letting the fabric pool. You kept your hand around the base of his dick before your mouth was sucking him in, your throat nice warm and wet.

Fireworks burst inside your stomach when he moaned your name, your toes curled as you took him in deeper using your saliva making it easier to take his length, “I forgot how cute you look with my cock in your mouth.” Tamaki grunted snapping his hips ramming his dick further down your throat.

Tears stung your eyes as you held onto his thighs and let him hold the top of your head using your mouth for his own pleasure, the wet slaps of his balls hitting your chin echoed through the kitchen. He hissed above you grabbing a chunk of your hair pulling you off with a wet pop.

“Stand up.” Tamaki helped you to your feet quickly, “Tamaki!” You squealed, surprised, “Remember your wound?” A laugh fell from you, shocking both you and Tamaki who watched you lovingly, “Don’t lose that laugh, it’s the best sound in the world, and don’t worry about my wound sweetheart, I won’t strain myself.”

With your arm around his waist you walked with him to the couch laying on your back spreading your legs, Tamaki kneeled between them, you watched again with hazy eyes as his fingers turned into tentacles that wrapped around your thighs spreading your lips apart, both you and Tamaki could hear how wet you were.

Thankfully it was dark in the living room aside from the random flashes of lighting when you saw the look in his eyes.

Tamaki was starving and the only meal that could feed the insatiable feeling sitting in his stomach was you.

“When was the last time you came?” He asked abruptly, still eying your drooling pussy watching it pool around your ass, the tight hole he’s thought about exploring but that would have to be saved for another time.

“It’s been a while, I haven’t had sex with anyone and nothing has been able to make me cum.”

Your voice came out breathy and whiny as you shifted your hips feeling the suction back on your clit.

“Oh, fuck,” You curled your fingers around the couch dropping your head back keeping your back arched trying to shut your legs but two thick strong tentacles kept them apart, “Don’t be so shy now, I’ve seen this pussy bouncing on my cock so many times I’ve lost count.”

Your flesh burned like a wildfire watching as he pulled the tentacle off your clit to drag it up your slit gathering the wetness, he pulled it back looking at how your slick dripped, “I haven’t seen you this wet in such a long time bunny, I’m sorry you haven’t been taking care of, I know just the spots,” he broke off thrusting a tentacle in your cunt suction cupping to your walls keeping still.

Your eyes went wide with your mouth going slack feeling the fat root slowly crawl deeper spreading your walls to an almost impossible width, “Tamaki- wait s’big,” you whined trying to scramble away from the pressure between your legs, “Just for a second bunny, I want to make sure I can get you pregnant.”

His words didn’t register in your blissed-out brain when he began to move the tentacle slowly in and out, he leaned down and spit on your stretched cunt. Tamaki’s eyes sparkled hearing the lewd sounds coming from something so delicate, the way you took him was impressive.

Your eyes focused enough to see him pull back putting his hands on your breasts, flesh against flesh. Thumbs rough brushing over your nipples pulling them into aching peaks, Tamaki bent down wrapping his lips around the bud circling it with his warm tongue.

“Oh, more, more,” You babbled feeling the tentacle go deeper rubbing against your cervix feeling it soften with the secretions that pumped through your now opened cunt which leaked cum from the orgasm that took you by surprise, cum frothed around the base of the tentacle as your body jerked.

“You’re ovulating aren’t you?” Tamaki asked, pulling away from your breast. You opened your eyes blinking a few times before nodding your head slowly, his words bounced in your brain a few times before you sat up, “Are you sure?” You asked wrapping your arm around his shoulder pulling him down pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, “If you really want a baby then breed me please, I want you to pump me full.”

That’s all he needed to hear before pulling the tentacle from between your legs, you gasped loudly going from feeling so full to empty in such a short amount of time, “Give me a warning-” You were cut off when Tamaki flicked his tongue against your battered pussy, your clit throbbed in his mouth as the wet muscle turned into a tentacle sliding back in your cunt probing at your cervix again.

You whined, throwing your head back curling your fingers in Tamaki’s hair, feeling the large muscle thinned at the tip pressing you open, “Tamaki!” Your voice came out hoarse so did the protests when you felt the tentacle pierce your cervix making way to your womb, the pressure in your stomach snapped sending your body into a frenzy of tingles and a hot flash, “What are you doing?” You gasped grabbing Tamaki’s hair pulling him up, “Hey,” He snapped rubbing his scalp, “calm down, first of all, my tentacles secretes this substance, let’s think of it as an aphrodisiac so that’s why when you had your first orgasm it took you by surprise and when I fuck you I can fill your womb with my seed breeding you like the dumb little cock slut that you are.”

His words were dirty and filthy but his tone came out sweet and promising.

You reached for his cock wrapping your fingers around the shaft jerking him off, “I need you now, please.” You begged him, “Wait a minute, bunny, okay? Don’t you want to make this last?” He asked, chuckling watching your pussy twitch and drool again.

“No!” You rolled your eyes.

“You asked for this, I’m going to give you what you want and you’re going to take it, do you understand me?” He asked, holding your jaw thumbing your bottom lip blindly trying to thrust in you hips snapping wildly against yours battering before he finally slid in bottoming out.

His cock slipped past your cervix easily fucking into you deep and hard feeling just how soft and wet you really are past the normal barrier of your cunt.

Tamaki growled pinning your hips down as he thrust in and out with his head buried in the crook of your neck, his arms now hooked under your armpits pressing your breasts against his chest rubbing your nipples over his rough flesh.

Your poor cunt pulsated around Tamaki’s cock hot and velvety squeezing him, he didn’t want to cum just yet but it was getting to the point where he couldn’t take it anymore so he pulled out despite both of your protests, “I can’t cum just yet.” He said thumbing your pussy apart watching your cum trickle down, he scooped it up and sucked on his fingers groaning.

Tamaki sat between your open legs pressing sweet slow kisses to your inner thighs suckling on the slick flesh from your orgasm, “I don’t want to wait anymore, I don’t care when you cum just fuck me now.”

He laughed again turning his fingers into tentacles once more shoving two of them in your gaping hole at once thinning the muscles straining against the sudden intrusion, “Fuck!” You cried feeling tears stinging your eyes as they streamed down your cheeks.

“I got to get you ready some more, just relax bunny.” He soothed, kissing away your tears shoving them deeper, spreading you open more pumping another round of aphrodisiacs in your dripping cunt, your body went into a paralyzed-like state, liquid ecstasy flowed through your veins drawing your orgasm higher and higher.

Tamaki yanked the tentacles out of you before plunging his cock in feeling you clamp around him sending you into an orgasm that curled your toes and fingers making you cry out loudly, drool dripping down your chin pooling around your neck as your pussy twitched sending Tamaki into his own orgasm losing control of his hips ramming against you chasing his climax.

Your name came out in guttural groan when he filled your womb hot and sticky with his seed over and over until your stomach swelled with his cum leaking out from your pussy.

Tamaki kept fucking you sending both of you into overstimulation, your cum creamy around his dick as you came over and over again pushing Tamaki into his last orgasm, snarling like a wild animal pinning you down ramming his cum in your womb watching your tummy bulge.

He pulled out hearing the wet squelch of your cum soaked pussy. “Are you okay bunny?” Tamaki asked, laying down, pulling you in his arms.

You were fully fucked out, “I’m fine,” You replied snuggling against his chest feeling your eyes droop shut.

Tamaki wrapped his arm around your shoulders pulling you into his chest and placing a chaste kiss on your forehead, “Now you’ll be mine forever.” He whispered.

#tw: dark content #tw: degradation #tw: dumbification #cw: breeding #cw: dubcon #Tamaki Amajiki smut #Amajiki smut #villain Tamaki Amajiki smut #my hero academia smut #mha smut #Amajiki x reader smut #bhna smut #mha x reader #Tamaki x reader smut #tamaki amajiki x reader #Amajiki Tamaki smut

[desceros]

rotating your fics in my head again, as i often do (they will haunt me for the rest of my life... in a good way), and i just wanted to thank you for not specifying the reader's race - or, i guess a better way to put it would be not making them... white-coded, like 99% of other people do

it's less something that i'm mad about and more just kind of... tired of seeing. i'm so used to it at this point that i just kinda ignore it and tweak the writing in my brain, and it's nice to not have to do that for once! no more of a guy running his fingers through my hair. no... no you will not, sir. not easily, anyway. have fun getting stuck in my curls

i'm absolutely delighted to hear that!! :D

in the past, i'd read that a lot of specifically black readers have trouble inserting themselves into fics because of (unintentional, i'm sure) white-coding. and that made me really sad, especially when there are such small things you can do that not only make your writing better, but also make it more inclusive! so i chose to eliminate those things from my writing years ago, as much as possible.

like... okay, when you get embarrassed. you don't feel yourself blush, specifically. you feel your face get hot. this happens regardless of race. it's a more tangible description for a reader to have to a pov character, AND it has the bonus of not coding light-colored skin. sure, you now have to write around the fact that there's not an obvious red blush for other characters to react to... but not only do i not mind, i find that more compelling! maybe the pov character shifts their weight from foot to foot and tangles their fingers together. deviates their gaze, clears their throat, rubs the back of their neck, gives an embarrassed little laugh. see how much more vivid that is? and it has the bonus point of not making a dark-skinned reader feel alienated.

hair, too, as you mention is an excellent example. i try not to mention hair specifically because of that very conundrum. for example, 4c hair acts very differently to someone's fingers than 2a and to straight hair. short hair is different from long hair. there are some exceptions (for example, i have a particular hair style in mind for viola-chan), but even then i try to keep it as vague as i can within those choices. viola-chan puts her hair up into a bun when she plays... but what that bun looks like, how it acts outside of that is up for your imagination. i don't say how it's styled, how it's washed, in the same way that i don't specify what scent your perfume is.

now, i'm not going to say that every author Should be so specifically inclusive. it's not my place to say what people Should be creating with their art. if someone wants to write a story about a character blushing a bright pink with another character threading fingers seamlessly through their silky smooth hair, that's their prerogative. i've just chosen to try and have fics that are more inclusive, because i want black readers to feel welcome. i want asian readers to feel welcome. i want someone who wears a hijab to feel welcome. etc. i'm never going to be perfect; i'm going to make mistakes, i'm going to code for whiteness simply because i'm white and it's my worldview. i'm never going to write a fic that perfectly represents every reader. but i will go out of my way to reduce it as much as possible, because i see that pain in non-white readers and i really dislike it.

#ask tag

[senorabond]

Rumor Has It: Chapter 6 Peña x f!reader x Pike

Pairings: Javier Peña x f!reader; Marcus Pike x f!reader; future Peña x f!reader x Pike

Chapter 6 Summary: Javier meets you at the office the next day to help you with the big briefing, then shows you a different side of Houston. 

Rating: 18+ (Minors DNI), Explicit sexual content, additional warnings may be added for future chapters

Chapter Warnings: no use of y/n, previous relationship (Marcus x f!Reader), slowburn, workplace romance, fantasizing, masturbation (m), ohh the yearning

Reader/Character notes: Reader is fem!afab; No mention of Reader’s body size, shape, composition, or skin color.

Words: 5.6k

Author’s Note:  I am having so much fun with this story and can’t wait to share more of it with you. I have a LOT more in store for you all. Muchos besos para mi beta @kilamonster!!! Thank you for reading multiple versions of this and being my Spanish tutor! 💋💜

Series Masterlist || Previous Chapter

Texas The Next Day

You hate to admit it, but the most difficult part of your day so far was figuring out what the hell to wear. You’d be working at the office with somebody who was your superior on the case, but on a Sunday and outside the social confines of a regular workday. Your usual work attire would be too formal, but you don’t want to swing too far in the other direction and show up looking sloppy. 

Playing it safe, you choose a pair of leggings for comfort but pair it with a smart tunic-length top with a hem that floats around your hips. A pair of simple studs adorn your lobes, and your hair is swept back from your face and off your neck in a utilitarian style. With just a minimal touch of makeup, you feel like your armor is complete. You might wear the same outfit out to dinner with a friend – if you had any here.

You arrive at the office a whole two hours before you and Peña had agreed to meet. You’d already been up and working on the briefing since six that morning anyway and were just getting antsier the longer you worked at home. At least you could prepare the briefing room before Javier shows up and would feel ready to jump right in. 

You greet the weekend security guards and make your way up to the conference room. The normally bustling halls and work spaces are eerily quiet and only half of the overhead lights are on. Once in the shared meeting space, you begin to unpack your box of files and hook your laptop up to the audiovisual setup. 

It feels like only a short time has passed when you hear a knock at the door and Javi is standing there holding a paper box, presumably with more files. You check your watch and see that it’s still a half hour before your meeting time.

“You’re early.” You stand up and Javi walks in, setting the cardboard box on the table.

“So are you,” he counters. “How long have you been here?”

“Umm…” you glance a bit guiltily at the clock on the wall. Javi cocks his head and sets his jaw sternly, but his eyes are playful.

“That’s what I thought.” From the box, he pulls out a cardboard drinks holder with two large coffees, an assortment of creamer and sweetener packets, and another paper bag. “Bagels. Wasn’t sure what you like, so there’s a mix.” 

Your stomach growls in loud appreciation and you blush a bit. In your eagerness to get to the office you skipped breakfast. You decide on a cinnamon raisin bagel and begin slathering it with a hearty amount of cream cheese.

“Thanks, you didn’t have to.” The first bite is carb heaven.

“And you didn’t have to agree to this briefing.” Javi grabs a sesame bagel for himself and takes a small sip of coffee.

“Well,” you pause to swallow. “You asked me to.” 

“And you could have said no.” Javi shrugs off his leather jacket – the same one he wore to the bar the other night – and drapes it over the back of a chair across the table from you. The faint scent of tobacco and citrus and spice floats your way.

Without his usual suit on, the broadness of his shoulders is even more accentuated by his choice of casual wear. He’s wearing a short-sleeved blue button-down shirt tucked into a pair of slim-fitting dark-wash jeans, black leather belt cinched with a plain buckle. You caught a peek of the leather boots he’s got on and wonder how you didn’t hear him walking down the hall. 

“Something wrong?” Javi has an eyebrow lifted.

You realize you’ve been staring and try to recover somehow. “Nothing,” you gesture at your own clothes. “I just feel a bit overdressed.” 

Javi smirks and lets his eyes rake over you, taking your statement as an invitation to look. “I think you look great.” 

Thankful again for the bagel, you rip off a large piece and shove it into your mouth to avoid having to say anything in response. You gesture to the cardboard box and mumble around the bread in your mouth. “What else did you bring?”

Brushing crumbs off his hands, Javi reaches in and pulls out four large accordion folders. “I still haven’t quite made it to the digital age yet,” he prefaces with a frown. You push the coffee and bagels aside and he sets the files down. 

Over the next several hours, the two of you fully entrench yourselves in the conference room, elbows deep in records and evidence Javier and his team have already gathered on the narcos in question: surveillance reports, bank statements, criminal records, photocopies of multiple passports with the same face. There’s so much information to absorb, but Javier is patient as you learn the background of the case and the layers of politics involved. He’s been in the game so long, he’s got entire family trees memorized. 

Javier helps you identify the holes in your strategy you were struggling with last night, and together you come up with workarounds and back-up plans. Soon, the two of you settle more easily into a rhythm, comfortably sharing thoughts and ideas, unafraid to shoot something down if it won’t work. Javier respects your experience with Customs and your time with the FBI, and you can tell he actually listens when you have something to say, even if he’s in the wrong. 

You’re close to finishing the presentation you’ll use to walk the rest of the team through everything when a knock at the door startles you both and breaks your concentration.

“Good evening,” the security guard says. “Still here, I see.” 

Javi chats with the guard a bit in Spanish and you use it as an opportunity to take a quick bathroom break. Outside, the sun hangs low in the sky. You can’t believe how long you and Javi have been working, it feels like only a couple of hours have passed since you had that bagel. Your stomach clenches as you spy the vending machine in the break room and wish you had brought your wallet with you. 

After you finish in the bathroom, you walk back to the conference room to find Javier standing alone, the security guard back off on his rounds. Javi turns to face you when you walk in, pausing to rest his weight into one of his hips, the other knee cocked. The man can really fill out a pair of jeans. 

"We should probably wrap this up soon," he remarks, fidgeting with the pen in his hands. "We've been at it for hours now." 

You know he heard the innuendo as well, because his eyes dart to the side and he clears his throat. If you didn't know better, you might even think the great Javier Peña was blushing a bit. You can't pass up the opportunity to tease him. 

"And that was just on a bagel and coffee. Imagine what we could manage if you bought me dinner." Javi huffs out a small laugh and seems to relax a bit, potential awkwardness avoided. 

As you're walking back to your laptop, Javi asks, "How do tacos sound?" 

You turn around and see the mischief glint in his eyes, his lips twitching under his mustache. "Agent Peña, is that a proposition?"

"Depends on your answer."

Now you're the one blushing. You had noticed the way his eyes were drawn to your legs every time you stood up and walked to the front of the room, could feel the heat of his stare on your ass. He tried to be subtle, but after the first couple of times you had to admit you liked that he was looking. It had been awhile since you felt desired, and having an attractive man check out your ass and flirt with you certainly wasn't the worst thing in the world. It was harmless, and it's obvious you can both keep it professional when you have work to get done. 

"Tacos always sound good to me." 

"I guess we better hurry up and finish, then. Let's run through it one more time and get the hell out of here." 

You stand at the front of the conference room to the side of the projector screen. Javi taps the keyboard and the first slide of your presentation appears. Well-rehearsed now, you walk through your strategy step-by-step. 

First, a team will bring in the shady art dealers and confront them with the evidence that they’re helping launder dirty money. Javier already has the go-ahead to offer them a deal in exchange for their cooperation with the investigation, and you have a back-up plan prepared if they decide to be stupid.  

Next, two undercover agents will pose as competing art dealers at a private gallery event, and establish contact with the narcos. The agents will make them an even better offer than the actual dealers, something that’s less risky for the narcos, while still keeping a lower cut of the profits – basically too good to pass up. 

Javier will decide which of his agents are suited for this move, as it’s the most critical. They’ll need to be able to sell themselves as the real deal and maintain the relationship with the narcos as the case develops.

The following stages of the plan will involve the FBI's assistance, and you already have several ideas in mind for what that entails.

"You've got it," Javi remarks after you finish your spiel. "You're ready." Again, you light up at his praise. There's a small smile on his face that makes the butterflies in your stomach take flight.

"If you say so,” you sigh. “I don't exactly feel ready." 

"Nobody feels ready – if they say they do, they’re lying." It's funny, you think, that although Javier says so little, you still feel comforted by the few words he offers. 

The two of you begin to clean up your workspace and pack up. Javier drops off the box of files in his office while you wait in the elevator bay. You decide to check your phone to catch up on any missed messages and see a text from Marcus: You're going to be great tomorrow. 

The same pressure in your chest returns from the phone call with him last night. You really miss this part of your relationship with Marcus, the friendship and support. In that moment, you almost want to call him up and tell him all about your day with Javier, how great it felt to be working on a case again after being exiled in Rumor Mill Siberia for so long. But you remember the pang you felt when he mentioned his girlfriend and wonder if you’ll ever be able to go back to the way things started with Marcus. 

Javi walks up then, leather jacket and aviators on. "Tacos?"

"Tacos,” you agree, and press the elevator call button. Javi stands close enough to you in the ride down to the lobby that you can feel the supple leather of his jacket graze your arm. 

Throughout the day, your typical observation of personal space began to dissipate. Your bodies were drawn into each other’s orbits over and over, like a rocket slingshotting around the moon. 

Eventually, you found yourself looking for ways to approach and test that invisible electric current, breach its barrier. It was little things: faces hovering near each other as you made a change to the presentation on your laptop; fingertips and hands brushing when you pass each other something; torsos aligning while you’re bent over the conference room table, barely an inch between you.  

You wave to the security guards as you exit the building and Javier points to where his Jeep is parked, just a few spots over from your own tiny Corolla. "We can take my car; I’ll bring you back here when we're done."

"Works for me."

You drop your stuff off at your car first, then hop in the passenger side. The Jeep SUV smells faintly of cigarette smoke and air freshener, but not in an unpleasant or cloying way. There’s a comfortable silence for the first few minutes, then you suddenly remember the question you were going to ask Javier. 

"Out of curiosity, who was it you originally spoke to?"

"When?" Javi pops a piece of gum in his mouth. 

"When you called the FBI."

"Oh, right.” He drums his fingers on the steering wheel as he thinks back. “Uh, some white guy, can't remember his name..." 

You snort. The vast majority of the federal agents you’ve encountered are white men. "That narrows it down." 

"Let me think." He makes a 'pump the brakes' gesture with his hand. "He was an asshole – even for a fed, which is saying a lot. On the young side, stuck up; I wanted to slap him through the phone.” 

“Kind of nasally voice, probably has a rich daddy complex and wasn’t hugged enough as a kid?” 

Javier laughs, “Probably.”

"Wilkins?" 

"Yeah, I think that was it. You know him?" 

"We're acquainted," you grumble. You fire off a quick text to Marcus and put your phone back in your pocket. For the rest of the drive you can feel Javier's eyes on you periodically, but he doesn't say anything else until you arrive at your destination. 

You're in a residential neighborhood, the homes older and sunbaked, next to a soccer field that may be more dirt than grass. There’s a food truck parked half a block away, bursting with activity. Rows of bright lights are strung across an outdoor seating area with picnic tables painted beautifully bright colors, and lively ranchera music plays over a speaker. The line is long, but moving quickly, and a crowd mills about the picnic tables while a group of young men play a casual game of soccer nearby, their fast footwork illuminated by the nearby streetlamp. Kids shriek and play, running in a frenzy around the tables; a group of old men sit together, laughing boisterously; and the workers in and around the truck are yelling out orders in rapid-fire Spanish, chatting with customers, and dancing along to the music as they prepare food. The energy and vibrancy of it all makes the air practically sparkle with life.

“They don’t have taco places like this in D.C.” 

"I know." Javi gives you a genuine smile and begins walking towards the end of the line. You follow closely behind him, the music making your steps light. "What would you like?"

"Huh?" Eyes wide, you’ve been too distracted, trying to soak in as much as you can. "Oh, uh... I don't know, what's good?"

"Everything, but we'll start off simple. Unless you feel up for an adventure?" He's still wearing his aviators against the last of the setting sun, but you can still make out the teasing look in his eyes. One of his eyebrows is quirked, waiting for your response. 

You square your shoulders and say, "I'm very adventurous." 

This turns Javier's smile into a smirk. He gives you an appreciative look and you both step forward as the line moves up. About ten minutes later, you're nearing the front of the line. Javier asks if you like cilantro and onions – yes, definitely. Spice tolerance – average, maybe? He takes this all into consideration. 

Javier orders for both of you in Spanish, and it seems like he's a regular with how the workers greet him and chat conversationally. The woman taking his order smiles and nods her head in your direction; she looks to be about in her fifties or sixties, silver streaks in her dark hair pulled back into a chic twist. Javi dismisses her comment with a wave of his hand and smiles, then says something that makes the woman laugh and slap his arm playfully. This light, happy side of Javier is a joy to watch. You imagine it’s probably a side of him people at work never get to see. 

"What did she say about me?" You ask once Javier is back with you. You're standing off to the side with the other customers anxiously waiting for their orders. 

"She asked if you were my girlfriend." Again, you think he might be blushing a little. He fidgets with the receipt in his hands, looking anywhere but at you.

"And? What'd you say?"

"I told her she was the only girl for me, and that I'd never bag a girl who could cook as good as mi mamá." With the sun nearly fully set, Javier finally takes his aviators off and hooks them into the top button of his shirt.��

"Well, I definitely can't cook as good as your mom, that's for damn sure." He laughs and you stand together in companionable silence until your order is called. You're practically salivating over the aromas wafting from the plastic bag. Javier finds a couple of empty spots at a picnic table near the soccer field and begins pulling out paper napkins, plastic utensils, and little containers of different colored salsas. 

"You're in for a treat, Carmen had lengua on the menu tonight." He sets a foil-wrapped package in front of you.

"Lengua?" You eagerly unwrap your gift, your eyes nearly rolling to the back of your head at the smells – onions, cilantro, fresh masa tortillas, and meat seasoned and cooked tender, all nestled together in a shiny pouch.

"Yeah, that one in the middle. Try a bite first before you add any salsa."

You do as Javier instructs, leaning over the table to catch the juices and some onions as they fall. "Oh...my god," you mumble, your mouth full. 

"You like it?" Javier digs into his own tacos, going through the motions of preparing them in a way you can tell he's done a hundred times before. 

"What is it?"

"Beef tongue." He bites into his own lengua taco, then watches, waiting for your reaction. The smug bastard doesn’t even try to hide his smile. 

You sputter a bit when you swallow, but don't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing you go green. The texture of the meat is different than you’re used to, but the flavor can't be denied – the taco is delicious. 

You decide to beat Javi at his own game and take a huge bite of the tongue, letting out a deep moan around your food. He watches you, stone-faced with lips pursed. "So good," you manage to get out. Your moans of pleasure and appreciation for the food begin to gather notice from the group of older men nearby, who start laughing and pointing. One of them calls out something that must be cheeky, as his buddies begin laughing and nodding in agreement. 

Once you finish your last bite and lick the juices from your fingers, you sit back, sated, making sure to ham it up for good measure. 

"Javi, wow," you say, brushing your hair away from your forehead and letting out a heavy sigh. "That was so good." He's chewing his food, trying and failing to look unamused at your antics, his knee jiggling under the table. "I never knew I'd like tongue that much." 

Javier chokes a bit on his food, then begins coughing a little into his fist. "Jesus," he splutters. You laugh and reach across the table to pat the back of his shoulder jovially. 

"That's for trying to get a rise out of me... pendejo." You nudge his leg under the table with your foot for emphasis. He shakes his head and nudges you back.

The group of men nearby laugh uproariously at hearing you swear in Spanish, and one of them returns shortly from the truck with two cold glass bottles of Coca-Cola as a gift. 

"For making us laugh, hermosita," the man says kindly. 

"Muchos gracias," you demure, taking a celebratory swig. The flavor of the soda was slightly different, Coke had never tasted so good. 

"It's Mexican, made with cane sugar." Javier has composed himself, eyes still a little shiny from the tears that came up while he was coughing. 

"It's amazing." Javier nods in agreement, and takes a sip of his own bottle, after raising it in thanks to the gentlemen at the next table over. 

"Which one is this?" You point to the taco on the right. "Brains?"

"Carnitas," Javi says, then clarifies, "Pulled pork." 

"I know what carnitas are, I've been to a Chipotle," you throw back.

"Don't ever say that to me again." 

You share a laugh and continue to dig into your delicious dinner. Javier tells you what each of the salsas are and you sample a bit of each before adding the green one to the carnitas. The remaining taco is al pastor, and doesn't even need salsa, it's so good. 

With all the tacos depleted, you and Javi pick up your trash and walk along the edge of the soccer field together with your bottles of Coke.

"Thank you for the delicious dinner, by the way." 

"No problem, I'm glad you liked it. This is one of my favorite places, reminds me of the small mom-and-pop places back home."

"Where's home?" 

"Laredo – small town on the border. It's not that far, but with work always so busy I don't get out there as often as I'd like to."

You nod in understanding and take a sip of your soda. 

"What about you?"

"I was a military brat, so there really isn't one place that's home." Javi watches you silently, waits for you to elaborate. "I guess D.C. was the last place that felt like home to me, though."

"Do you miss it?" 

"Yeah, I do. I didn't think I would miss it this much actually. It's been kind of a rough transition, to be honest. Haven't really felt like I've settled in here yet."

A soccer ball crosses your path and Javi kicks it back over to the group of guys. "I know what you mean." You wonder if he’s thinking about his time in Colombia, or just being far away from his hometown.

"But this has been great. I haven't enjoyed food like this since moving here."

"Well, I'm always happy to bring you back. Or show you some other great spots," he shrugs casually, but there's a slight tension in his frame, like a wire pulled taut. Your stomach does a little flip at the idea of more evenings like this with Javi, and you decide to change the subject.

"I also wanted to thank you for helping me out with the briefing today. I really appreciate it." You’re looking at the ground, but can feel his eyes glancing over at you. 

"You don't have to thank me – we'll all benefit just as much from this kicking off well tomorrow." The ground is slightly uneven and your shoulders bump occasionally as you walk, but neither of you move farther apart.

Javier didn't have to meet you in the office, bring you breakfast, or buy you dinner. He didn't have to work with you – on a Sunday, no less – for nearly an entire day. But he did, because he wants you to succeed just as much as he wants the entire team to succeed. He just might not be able to put it in so many words. 

You walk around the other edge of the field, Coke bottles now empty, and watch the soccer players pack up their gear. Twilight is emerging, and some of the brighter stars are already appearing in the sky. With the sun down, the breeze is refreshingly cool and carries the scent of jacaranda. 

Your phone buzzes in your bag, interrupting your reverie. It's a text from Marcus: Thanks for letting me know, I'll handle it. You grin as you put your phone away and catch Javier trying to appear as though he hadn't been watching you. 

"That was about the guy you originally spoke to at the FBI. It's being taken care of." Wilkins had always been such a prick, and you’d long suspected he was the source of the nasty rumors back in D.C. Hopefully he'll finally get the ass-chewing he's been begging for all this time.

The crowd at the food truck has dwindled to a few small groups of customers finishing their dinners while employees begin getting everything ready to close shop.

"I guess I’d better get you back to your car. We've got an early start tomorrow." Javier takes your empty Coke bottle and places it in the recycling bin with his own. You wave goodbye to Carmen in the food truck and walk back to his Jeep. 

The entire car ride back takes maybe ten minutes, and you can’t help feeling a little disappointed that it doesn’t take longer. Back at the office parking lot, Javier drives right up next to your sedan. You open the passenger door to get out and Javier reaches out a hand, placing it on your arm to stop you. He clears his throat.

"I- um," he stalls, shifting in his seat. You shut the door to show him he has your full attention, and he starts again. "I'm glad you're here. And I’m grateful for the hard work you’ve already put on the case." 

You're not quite sure what to say. Javier's words create a warm, pleasant glow in your stomach, the butterflies becoming more familiar now the more you’re around him. 

"I think I might have come across wrong, at first.” His eyes meet yours, holding your attention. “I didn't just want to use your connections with the FBI. I wanted you." 

The warm glow in your belly begins burning, igniting the butterflies’ wings. 

"Thank you for saying that."

"I mean it." Javier's eyes are warm, wide and earnest. They’re holding you there, and all you can do is nod, show him you accept his offering. Javi looks away, and the spell is broken. He removes his hand from your arm, but you can still feel it there like a brand burnt into your skin.

Taking a breath, you try to lighten the mood as you open the car door again.

"I'm going to be dreaming about those tacos, I hope you know. For a long time." You get out and throw your bag over your shoulder, giving him a teasing glare.

"I hope that's not the only thing you dream of, cariño." Javier winks, matching your tone. You shake your head at him with a smile. 

"Goodnight, Javi." He waits until you start your car and drive off before following you out of the parking lot. 

Javier’s words ring in your ears the entire way home. You don't know what to think of this enigmatic man, who always has a way of surprising you, but you’re also hoping for more interesting dreams.

~*~*~*~

Back home, Javier decides to take a shower and wash the day from him. All in all, he thinks, it’s going to be a very successful briefing. He knows you’ll do a fantastic job, even if you don’t believe it yourself. At the food truck, Carmen was telling him you seemed nice, and then, “You need a nice girl, Javi.” You are nice. 

Javier puts his head directly under the hot spray and lets the water cascade down his body. Your face enters his mind, like it does so often these days. He can picture you at the picnic table, smiling and laughing, teasing him by practically reenacting the deli scene from When Harry Met Sally. Javier shakes his head, smiling to himself, and grabs the soap. That viejito with his friends had called out, "I hope you make her sound like that at home, mijo!" 

Indulging, just for a moment, Javier wonders what sounds you would make if he did have you at home. His cock twitches to life at the mere idea. 

If he had you laid out on his bed, writhing, responding to his touch, his mouth, his words…what would those noises be like? He wants to hear all your sounds, wants to be the one to elicit your breathy pants and gasps, your moans, whines, and whimpers. He wants to hear you beg him for release – needs to hear his name on your lips like an invocation.

Javier's cock is responsive, quickly becoming hard at the thought of hearing you let go and lose yourself. "Jesus..." he groans, the soap in his hands makes his motions slick and easy. 

First, he washes himself slowly, languidly, taking his time with the fantasy. His hands become yours, spreading the rich lather over his chest and shoulders, then trailing down the plane of his stomach to the thatch of hair at the root of his dick. 

Javier begins stroking himself, slowly at first, experimentally. "Shit…oh, shit." He's already so hard, his dick jumping as he grasps himself more firmly. He wonders if your fingers would be able to close all the way around his girth. Would you be tentative and hesitant at first, or would you take him confidently in your grip, grasping with a twist of your wrist at the head. 

Precum pearls at the tip of his cock and he swipes the pad of his thumb. Would you do the same, or would you get down on your knees and look up at him through your lashes, tongue out to taste him? The thought of you there in front of him, mouth and hand encasing his cock, sends a spasm of pleasure through him and he braces a hand against the cold tiles of the shower wall.

"Fuck–," he chokes out. He grits his teeth and squeezes the base of his cock, breathing through his nose for a second until he’s backed off from the edge. 

If he’s going to let himself go there, to cross that line mentally, Javi wants to draw this fantasy out and make the most of it. He wants to imagine what your body would feel like under his hands, how soft your skin would be, the jiggle of your soft flesh as he thrusts into you. Javier imagines your beautiful legs wrapped around his waist, heels digging into his ass, spurring him on harder and faster. 

His strokes start to falter as he thinks of your tight, velvety walls squeezing him, fluttering as he pushes you closer to the edge. He's so close, he could cum right now if he let himself, but in his mind's eye you're not there yet. Not quite ready. 

What would get you where you need to be? Maybe you like your nipples sucked and nibbled on, your neck and ears kissed, a thumb circling your swollen clit. 

Javier's pants and grunts are the only noises over the rush of the water, besides the slick, rhythmic sound of him jerking off. So close. So fucking close – but not yet.

Maybe you like to be on top, grinding down against that delicious pressure, sweaty chests pressed together. You might like to lean back, hands on his thighs as he supports you with a strong grip around your waist, just so you could feel that angle just the way you like. 

Would your legs and belly start to shake, like his are now? Would a deep, searing kiss help you inch closer to finishing, his tongue thrusting into your mouth the way his cock would piston in and out of your cunt?

His pants are turning into gasps, his chest tight, your name on the tip of his tongue…if he could just let himself give it over.

Or…maybe all you need is to be talked through it, given permission to let go. Maybe you need to be told instead, to follow orders, to let him take what he needs from you –

"Unh, oh–f-fuck – FUCK," Javier's fingers grasp for purchase at the slippery tile, legs threatening to give out as his cum shoots out in ropes. One hits the wall, the next the edge of the tub, the rest spills out over his fist. 

Javi huffs out a moan with each spasm, toes curling, vision going black at the edges. He wishes he could give himself over to the sensations, disappear into the rush and tingles, the blood pumping in his veins, heart beating through his chest. But something holds him back from fully giving into the fantasy. 

He feels a twinge of guilt as he cleans himself up and finishes the shower. Even though it is just a fantasy, he wonders if allowing himself this indulgence will make it more difficult to face you tomorrow morning at the briefing. 

Still, as he lays in bed, the sheets cool and refreshing against his naked body still hot from the shower, he wonders what you like after sex. Once your heart beat slows and you catch your breath, opening your eyes to look at your lover, are you a cuddler? Do you like to be taken care of, cleaned up gently, soothed and reassured, held closely? You strike him as the type to enjoy the sensuality of physical touch and affection; it could add to your post-orgasm comedown, drawing out the blissful mental space you enter. 

Digging the heels of his palms into his eyes, Javier lets out a heavy sigh and fights the temptation to light up a cigarette. Instead, he chooses to distract himself with his phone; he can answer a few work emails before going to sleep. Javi’s surprised to see a text from you instead. 

Thanks again for your help. I'm really glad I'm here too.

In spite of himself, he can't help but smile. The urge for a cigarette eases and he thinks about what to write back. Grinning, he sends his reply and settles in to go to sleep. 

We’ll get tamales next time.

Series Masterlist || Next Chapter

Additional Author’s Note: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all the lovely comments and reblogs! I can’t tell you how much they mean to me. As always, I would love-love-love to know what you think. I really want to become a better writer, so any and all feedback is welcome! Thank you for reading! 💜

#senorabond writes #rumor has it fic #javi x reader x pike #javier pena fanfiction #javier pena x reader #javier peña #marcus pike x reader #marcus pike x you #marcus pike fanfiction #marcus pike #javier pena x you

[canarysage]

Gradient Maps For Dummies <3

— as written by a dummy

it’s been a while! hello gracious reader and welcome back to the series where yours truly fails at explaining things: photopea for dummies. if you’re unfamiliar, this is a series where the admin of this blog tries to explain how photopea works. whether or not the series is successful is yet to be determined.

today, we’re attempting to tackle yet another one of photopea’s adjustment layers: gradient maps. gradient maps have become more popular in the editing community lately, so i’ve been meaning to make this one for a while. apologies for the delay!

what is a gradient map? a gradient map is a form of layer that adheres a gradient to a photo’s dark and light values. a gradient fill is something different altogether, wherein a gradient is made atop the image without regard for the image’s original form.

think of it as a bedsheet. when held upright, a shield is just a rectangle, but if you lay it on something three dimensional, you can see the object beneath, because gravity causes the sheet to adhere to whatever is beneath. in our case, your image is two dimensional, but a gradient map applies different colors to the dark, light, and middle values.

this is the gradient map used on all of the icons above. i made this one by experimenting with different colors. to add colors to a gradient map, double tap below the line, and you’ll see a small square appear. click the square to choose the colors you desire, and feel free to adjust it as you wish.

in photopea’s gradient maps, the colors closest to the left will adhere to the darkest parts of your image, while the colors closest to the right will adhere to the lighter parts of your image. the saturation and lightness values of your color itself don’t affect this at all—for example, here’s the same gradient map applied in reverse.

(to reverse a gradient map, toggle the reverse button as seen above. to undo it, just click the button again.)

pretty different, right? especially with no blending modes or adjustments in opacity, this gives your images a spooky negative look. if that’s what you’re going for, go crazy. if you want something a little more plain, set your darker colors on the left, and your lighter colors on the right.

exactly how the editor utilizes a gradient map is up to personal preference. some editors use gradient maps in lieu of complicated psds, while others like myself use gradient maps as one of the pieces of our complicated psds. gradient maps often go hand in hand with blending modes—for more on that, see here.

personally, i use a gradient map as a base for most of my psds.

the exact settings are up to you, but i typically use either blending mode soft light with 50-75% opacity, or blending mode overlay with 10-25% opacity. the gradient map i use is one of the default ones available in photopea, a simple black and white set to reverse.

i like to use this gradient map to soften the colors and as a simple, easy to do base for all of my psds. if you look in some of the psds i have posted, you usually see this at the bottom or close to it.

how else can i use a gradient map? anyway you want, really! as you can see in my example image, gradient maps can be used to completely change the colors of your project, or to add a little bit of spice. something else you can use is a noise gradient map for texture.

go to the gradient map itself as if you’re going to adjust your colors, and switch the type from normal to noise. then click randomize until you land on something you like!

it looks something like this. set to normal is pretty chaotic and janky looking, but set to soft light or to a lower opacity hue setting, this can be a great way to add some flare to your psds!

like with a lot of things in photopea, it’s best to experiment on your own and figure out what works best for you. i recommend playing around with opacity and blending modes, as well as what color combinations you personally like. every editor’s style is different, and the sky’s the limit with what you can do!

yours truly, canarysage

#i have a migraine so i sincerely apologize if this is incomprehensible #photopea for dummies #ʚɞ — tips.

[ectokelpeigh]

Hic. "Huh?"

Valerie knew it was kind of—okay, really a dick move to take advantage like this. Phantom was obviously tipsy. How a ghost could get tipsy, she'd need to investigate later. Priorities.

"When you... weren't a ghost. What did you look like?"

"I could show you."

"You can— What, you have a picture or something?" It tracked, Valerie thought. Phantom didn't exactly act like he'd been around pre-cameras.

"Well, yeah, but I could show you." He shrugged, the twisted to float belly-up through with his arms folded behind his head. All he was missing was a pool.

"Okay." Valerie said, and waited.

And waited.

Phantom kept floating, around and around her, in wobbly, imperfect circles between the city below and the stars above.

"Well?" Valerie hedged.

"Well what?"

"You could show me?"

"Yeah, I said I could."

"Will you?"

"Pfft, no thanks, I choose life." He paused. "Or I guess I choose staying dead. But I choose you not killing me."

"Why would I kill you?"

"Because you'd recognize me." Hiccup.

"You... think it'd upset me because you don't look different now? What, did you have anime boy hair when you were alive, too?"

"Pfft. No. It wouldn’t upset you. It’d do way more than that. You'd kill me because I don't look different. And once you killed me, I guess I'd look like this again, so it's a waste of energy. And I am—hic— lazy by nature." He kept drifting in circles around Valerie, speaking straight up to the stars. It would be hard to hear him if it wasn’t such a calm night, hardly any breeze, even so high up.

"So I knew you?” Valerie hedged, “And I didn't like you?"

She wracked her brain for anyone remotely close to her that had died young, and came up short. Luckily, Valerie's life hadn't been marred by that kind of tragedy.

That made Phantom pause. Literally. He stopped his circling, and turned so he was “laying” on his side, head now propped up on one fist. "I like to think you know me. But if we're having this conversation, I guess not." He frowned. His aura flickered— Valerie's never seen a ghost's glow falter. Is this is a tipsy thing?

Then Phantom smiled, and visibly brightened, like he was the proverbial light bulb. "Let's get to know each other, Red. What's your favorite color?"

Valerie's eyes tightened. She couldn't tell what Phantom was playing at, if he could play at anything in his condition, but she didn't have much to lose by playing along.

"Red." she said.

Phantom looked her up and down. "Boring."

"What's yours, green?" she fired back, pointedly locking eyes.

"Purple, actually."

"There's nothing boring about decking yourself out in your favorite color." Red was more of an accent since Technus's upgrade, but she still loved it. "Why no purple suit for you, huh?"

"Because I didn't get to pick,” he said, sitting up and crossing his arms across his chest. “Black is classic, anyway."

"Black is always in style, but I won't get a fashion lecture from someone in a hazmat suit."

"Yeah, yeah. Again, I didn’t pick. Next question: you remember that cartoon, American Dragon?"

"Do I— Phantom, what?"

"It's a classic."

"The theme song was terrible."

"The theme song was part of what made it a classic. I'd want something similar, if I had a theme song."

"You're right, I am going to kill you."

"Fine, fine! But you do remember show!"

"I wasn't denying it, that's just a random fucking question."

"What did you think of the show?"

"It was okay."

"You have a favorite character?"

"If you're angling at some Huntsgirl joke, I swear to—"

"The Huntsgirl! Yeah!” His eyes brightened. Again, literally. “I think Rose was her name? And no, I'm not making any jokes about you and her. Even if the simirali —hic— similarities are. You know. Crazy."

"Hmph." Valerie crossed her arms. "Make your point, ghost."

"Oh, so I'm 'ghost' again. Which is actually kind of funny—"

"Phantom!"

"Right. So you're the Huntsgirl. Kinda crazy that we never got to see her react to Jake being a dragon, huh? I mean, they had that whole star-crossed lover thing, and Jake knew but Rose didn't know that Jake knew."

"So you turn into a dragon? I don't see how that'd be 'too familiar' to show me. The only dragons I've met are Dora and her brother, and you're not them."

"You know, that is somehow a much more plausible explanation than what I actually do."

"You don't turn into a dragon?"

"You don't have to sound so disappointed."

Valerie glared.

"Me right now, is the equivalent of my, uh, dragon."

"This is what you turn into. Okay. From what?"

"What is Jake when he's not a dragon?"

"A dumbass."

"Now you're getting it. In fact, I think I've said enough that I should probably go hide now."

He vanished.

Valerie cursed under her breath, then laid on her back on her jet sled, one leg dangling off. She'd heard of that cartoon, but didn't remember much. She'd Googled it in study hall a couple years ago; when 'Red Huntress' first caught on, she overheard Mikey make the Huntsgirl comparison at lunch. It was around the time Paulina and company had ditched her, so she had time on her hands.

She made a mental list of what she remembered: Jake Long's dragon-ness was hereditary. She didn't know of any of Phantom's familial ties, not since his "cousin" turned out to be his clone. Valerie wasn't exactly a ghost hunting legacy herself, so that parallel was starting to feel like a dead end altogether. If anyone in this town had hunting as a family business, it was—

Rose and Jake's star-crossed lover thing...

Valerie cursed again, not-so-under her breath this time.

Yeah, Phantom was right that Danny Fenton's stupid cute face would be 'familiar'.

Phantom was also right that she was going to kill him.

-

Danny flew hard and fast, making four laps around the perimeter of Amity Park, trying to clear his head with the biting wind.

The more he sobered up, the more he wished he could go hide in the Ghost Zone indefinitely.

Valerie was waiting on Ops Center's catwalk.

Like a coward, he touched down and transformed around the corner before walking up to her, sneakers clanging across the metal walkway. No point in trying for stealth.

"You're dead." she said, not even looking at him.

Crap. "Debatable."

"You're going to be dead. I will make you dead."

"Can't argue there."

"I'll go easy on you if you tell me one thing."

"Uh. Okay?"

"You don't have a catchphrase, do you? Please tell me I didn't almost date a kid who shouted 'Ghost up!' or something."

Danny winced. "Yeah, about that..."

#Danny Phantom #danny phantom fanfiction #danny phantom fic #Valerie Gray #Danny Fenton #danny #valerie #klo #my fic #I didn't even proofread this xoxo

[crimsonsnippet]

sorry for spam liking/reblogging ur swap au LOL. but i saw u asked for swap au asks and i have plenty of questions so:

would light and l end up dating in the swap au? would it be fake dating like canon yagamane or real dating like canon lawlight? if they do date do you think they’d be open about it or would they consider it too much of a risk to their kira personas? what would be soichiro’s reaction, and misa and the task force’s opinions?

does l like light’s blond hair or does he prefer his natural hair? and what does he think about his outfits (canon l was so horny for light even when my guy was wearing khaki everything and like. brown suits. what would he think of light wearing goth fits with tons of accessories (inc chains) and skirts and stuff 😭)

how comfortable do you think light and l would be with mikami and kiyomi discovering their kira identities, on accident or on purpose? because they’re still pro-kira, right? on that note, how comfortable is light with mikami and l with kiyomi? what does light think of mikami being in love with him (i assume he knows, lol)?

is light’s fanbase more international or national? and what’s his relationship with his fans like? what does the general public think of him? what do other celebs tend to think of him? and speaking of other celebs, have light and ryuga hideki interacted? ik you said light is more of a performer than an actor but if he’s acted at least a little, was one of his roles a romance movie with ryuga hideki like misa in canon?

how do ryuk and l get along? are they buddies like canon ryuk and light? and how do light and ryuk get along when they meet in this au? does light play video games with rem like he does in canon with ryuk?

do any of them have pets? i could totally see light with a giant fluffy cat.

does l act similarly to canon, eating lots of sugar and sitting weirdly and stuff? his fashion style seems a little more similar to canon light’s, is it just for appearance’s sake or does he find it comfortable? does misa still like gothic and occult stuff? is light still a huge nerd?

what’s light’s relationship with sayu and sachiko like?

how did l find the death note (sorry if u already mentioned that)?

sorry for spamming you with so many questions, ik it’s a lot but i started writing them and just kept thinking of more as i went lol. i love the swap au, it’s so fun, and your art style is literally so gorgeous i’m obsessed with it.

have a good day <3

THIS IS SUCH A BIG ONE I THANK U FOR UR SERVICE 🛐🛐

light and L probably wouldn’t end up openly dating though they’d definitely flirt terribly and they may date in private. they definitely feel. a certain way about each other. but both are far too smart to draw suspicion to themselves by dating. misa probably sees it coming because their frustrations were very similar from the start and they have similar opinions about the government (even if she thinks light is harmless and L is kira). soichiro is a different story because he’s likely wary around L anyways. L doesnt like the police even if he’s working on the case by recommendation and when light waltzes in and makes contact he knows immediately that L is the type of person light would get involved with to make him uncomfortable. he still refuses to acknowledge whatever light is going through isn’t something he’ll grow out of.

i’m not sure what hair color L likes better! he definitely thinks light is attractive but he’s still primarily attracted to his intelligence. im sure L is. Completely Definitely super Normal about light’s fashion choices…. (no one believes him)

L wouldnt be comfortable at all with kiyomi discovering shit because he’s a very secretive lone wolf as always and wouldn’t want her messing anything up for him or light even if she’s a supporter, but he gets along with her just fine as a person. Mikami likely knows fairly quickly light is kira 2 because light tells him. they’re best friends and mikami is his manager so light probably manipulates mikami’s feelings for him as he does with misa in canon (without dating him) but sees him more like another rem. he’s a friend, but definitely not “anywhere near his league”.

i imagine light’s fanbase is more international! japan is pretty rule driven and strict so like ado’s “usseewa” he probably gets a lot of people in japan disliking his music and talking controversially about it but internationally in countries that have a more rebellious outlook he’s the coolest guy around. his relationship with his fans is not unlike his relationship to his peers in canon, he charms them and talks to them and looks cute and genuine even if it’s an act, but he’s a bit of an outcast among his peers who think he’s a bit of a freak or a mental case. and also- funny you mention hideki 💀 i never did decide on this but it had crossed my mind

i talked about ryuk and L in an ask i answered a few minutes ago so ill go more in depth on the others! light and ryuk get along much the same as misa and ryuk did, but ryuk thinks light is far more entertaining than L so hes a little more enthusiastic. when it comes to rem i think he would play games with her! he probably treats her a little like a big sister or almost motherly figure since he doesn’t have one so rem becomes very protective of him

light doesn’t have a relationship with sachiko since she’s dead which causes a lot of the friction, but his relationship with sayu is a lot closer than canon! he basically had to look after her himself when their dad often wasn’t available and she thinks he’s super cool and thinks the world of him while light is pretty protective of sayu in return because it’s always been the two of them against the world

I figured L would find the death note pretty similarly to light because he’s already in japan himself.

I LOVE QUESTIONS SO DONT BE SORRY!!! IM SO GLAD U LOVE THE SWAP AU BECAUSE I DO TOO… AND TYSM 🛐🛐

have a good day yourself too!

#death note swap au #asks

[helium-stims]

Hi, I know you made a tutorial for making stim gifs before but I was wondering if you had any advice on how to find cool stim sources like you do in the first place? I'm super curious cos I feel like searching places like instagram and youtube could get super time consuming or overwhelming. So I thought I'd ask! Thanks~

Yes, looking for sources can be very time consuming and my process might not help much, but I'll share it anyway :)

Under a cut because I have a lot to say, lol

General tip

So the thing that has helped me the most is to make looking for sources it's own separate task. If I'm sitting down to do gif making, and in that time I also have to find sources, I get overwhelmed pretty quickly. So by the time I get to the gif making part, I usually already have some sources saved on instagram or bookmarked in my browser.

Sometimes I don't have enough sources for a board and I may do a quick supplemental search, but often this leads to my brain 'switching tasks' and I have a hard time going back to gif making. Or there will be times when I have a video saved and by the time I get around to giffing I forgot what I wanted to gif it for. So maybe it's not the best process but it's what works best for me.

Starting from a source

An easy way to begin looking for sources is to find a gif you like and follow it back to the source.

If it's a youtube source, you can let the algorithm recommend different videos, or you can go to the profile of the video poster, and look through their other videos.

If it's on instagram, you can search through the profile for other videos that weren't giffed, or you can look at what kind of tags they're using and type those into the search filter. Unfortunately instagram does not have a way to filter out videos vs. photos (that I know of), which is why I don't use it that much. Most of my instagram gifs are from people I follow or something that came up in a supplemental search because I wasn't finding what I wanted on youtube.

What to type in the search bar

If you're starting from scratch, staring at the search bar wondering what to put in, I've been there too. I owe a lot of my unique gifs on the unique requests I get. But when you don't have any requests to prompt you, think about something you might like. Favorite animals, favorite textures, or colors. If you can't pick something, try just typing 'asmr' or 'satisfying' and see what comes up.

A lot of asmr videos that pop up for me are of people speaking into a microphone and tapping their fingers on it, which isn't something I usually gif, but it can give me ideas of other things I might be interested in.

A quick glance at a thumbnail might show this asmr person uses bubble wrap, and while I know their video style isn't going to work for me, I could be inspired to type in bubble wrap in the search instead.

Or if someone is wearing gloves, I might be inspired to make a bunch of videos on gloves (anyone else remember all my gloves gifs)

Another thing to consider when looking through youtube, is that if you're looking for something with people, it will almost always show white creators on top. It can help to type ethnicities (Jamaican, Vietnamese, etc.) to try and get more diverse content. [this rarely works for food as it will usually show white people making ethnic food :( ]

Looking through videos

Once my search has begun, I usually start playing music or watching a show in the background. Then I mute my computer and just start playing videos. On youtube, I usually go for thumbnails that are nice (not too blurry) but not clickbait-y (This Shocking Video!).

I'll run my pointer to view the preview and see if there are any good looking moments. Paying attention to how things move, color changes, light movement, etc.

If I find a good moment, I bookmark it, then look at the recommended videos. If a video looks addictively good to me, I usually click on the uploader's profile instead and look through videos there.

Once I feel I've exhausted the algorithm, I go back to my initial search and see if any more videos look promising there. Or I may choose to search again with different keywords based on what caught my interest in other videos.

Doing Research

There have been a couple times where I know what I want to gif but can't get the keywords to work for me. The example I remember off the top of my head is when I was making the purple nature board. I knew I wanted to have a bird in it to mirror the other color nature board I did, but typing in 'purple bird' got me nowhere.

So I stopped looking for videos and started googling. Are there purple birds? The Costa's Hummingbird is what I was looking for and using that term I was able to find a better video.

Sometimes you can find reddit threads where people recommend satisfying videos or asmrtists with good visuals.

The End

So it really is just a bunch of clicking and going down an internet rabbit hole, but I hope that gives you a starting off point and gives some insight into my process.

If there are specific gifs where you wonder how I came across them, I probably remember how I tracked them down and am happy to share :)

#ask #notstim #tutorial #hope this helps!

[hanmi-xo]

Chapter 4: "A Blooming Moment"

| Between Us | Chapter List |

Previous | Next ------------------

| L I H U A |

I played with my fingers while I waited for Minghao. The front of the museum wasn't that busy when I showed up with a few couples and elderly people walking around. I waited outside next to the ticket booth.

"I'm sorry, but Minghao is currently tour guiding a group right now," the elderly man said. He stood behind the counter with an apologetic look with a radio in his hand. "His break will be in 15 minutes. Did you want to wait here or walk around? But if you decide to go inside, you'll need to pay a ticket for entrance."

I stared at the building which had carefully crafted architecture. The sun was hidden behind the clock tower that stood tall at the center of the building.

The exterior walls were similar to the renaissance era with the way the upper arches curved into an elegant form. It looked like I was staring into a painting- or history if you will.

Did I want to enter the place again?

The image of that painting came into mind. It was my conundrum.

"I'll buy a ticket."

~

The museum was the same as I first entered this place. Elegant yet modern. I walked passed the water fountain and made my way pass the crowds. The skyline roofing caused light to shine through inside the building. I remembered where the painting was from the art gallery after following the different yet recognizable paintings.

Upon reaching the area, it was hidden from the crowd. It stood upright with nobody around to admire its crafts.

I stared at the painting and anchored myself in front of it. I felt some sort of connection to this painting. I don't know why, but I did.

I feel like I've seen this before, but where exactly?

Was it one of my paintings? It looked similar to it the more I gazed at its strokes and colors. The tones were recognizable but the way it was painted- the more I looked at it- it wasn't really similar to my style of art.

I crossed my arms. There was something standing out within the painting. It was small, but I was able to see it.

I looked behind me to see if anyone was around. It seemed the room was almost empty. There was an elderly couple leaving the area, and I quickly went under the black stanchion that separated me from the painting.

I tilted my head to get a better look at the engraving. There was some paint cover it. The layer was thick than the rest of the painting. It was like someone painted over it.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I jumped from the sudden voice. I turned around and saw the man who I've been waiting for. He was giving me a confused look.

I quickly went back to the other side of the stanchion and he watched me do so with a raised brow. He glanced at the painting before looking back at me.

"Listen, you can look, but you can't touch," he says with crossed arms. "What were you doing anyways? There's a rope barrier for a reason."

"Uhm..." I felt embarrassed for being caught. "I was just looking at something within the painting..."

I twiddled with my thumbs, avoiding his judging eyes.

He moved next to me, and I saw him stare at the painting too. He seemed to be admiring the artwork just like before. There was a sparkle in his eyes with the way he looked at it.

It makes me wonder...

"Do you also like the painting?" I decide to ask him.

Minghao turned his head towards me with wide eyes. He was bit taken back from my question, but he didn't seem against my curiosity. He crossed his arms with a thoughtful look and gazed back at the painting.

"It's a good painting, I guess," he says. His brown orbs shifted back towards me. "Why?"

I put my hands behind my back and stared at the artwork again. It hung there and presented itself as if it wanted me to speak about my connection towards it. It was bizarre and hard to explain. It felt like it was trying to tell me something...

I tilted my head and my eyes went back to the small carving that seemed to be painted over at the corner of the art piece. I could recognize the sketch, but I also couldn't.

"Have you ever felt so connected with an art piece that... you can't stop coming back to it...?" I say my thoughts aloud. "Like you want to know more about it?"

There was a moment of silence between us but I felt his dark orbs hit me. I turned to look at him and his eyes met mine. He stared at me with an expression I couldn't understand.

Did he agree with me or was he judging me for saying such a thing?

I looked away from him- breaking our eye contact.

"Never mind..." I mutter.

I guess I shouldn't have asked him.

My eyes wandered the floor before staring back at the man who seemed to be doing the same. He was quiet, but the way his brows knitted together told me he was thinking.

I wanted to ask what was on his mind, but I didn't.

I came here to get my journal. So I shouldn't bother him longer than I already have.

"Minghao," I call for him.

His eyes shifted towards me. "Yeah?"

"Do you have my journal?" I ask him.

He changed his composure and slowly nodded his head. "Yeah..."

His voice seemed hesitant. It was like he wasn't sure if he should confirm its whereabouts.

I felt a little suspicious of him so I stared him down. He avoided eye contact with me and quickly maneuvered away from me. He made an invisible barrier between us as if he was trying to get away from me.

"So.." I start. "Where is it?"

I watched him slowly turn his head further away from me. I narrowed my brows.

"Minghao?" I called for him again.

Why was he acting so cold all of the sudden? Or rather, why did he seemed so frigid?

"Hey," he says suddenly. His voice was low and slow. "I'll give it to you later, okay?"

I narrowed my brows. This isn't what I agreed on.

I walked in front of him in hopes of speaking to him without him avoiding me. He had an awkward expression and shifted his eyes to avoid mind. He looked guilty over something.

But what exactly?

"Minghao," I call for his attention.

He continued look away as if he couldn't hear me. I was getting upset with his behavior.

"Where's my journal?" I ask once more, but this time my voice was stern compared to before. "Can you please tell me where it is?"

I watched his eyes slowly look back at me. He seemed to show some cooperation, but he still seemed guilty over something.

"About your journal," he starts.

He closed his eyes and put his hands up as if he was trying to calm me down over something I don't know about.

"You have every right to be mad, but..." he spoke slowly.

I squinted my eyes at him. "Mad?"

Why should I be mad?

"Let's say... I might have... " He spoke almost in a whisper and it was hard for me to hear the end of his sentence.

I raised a brow in confusion. "Wait, what did you say?"

I watched him closed his eyes once more before taking to courage to speak aloud. He gave me an expression as if he didn't want to repeat himself but he knew he had to.

"I said, I might have ripped it," he says much louder than before.

I felt my stomach twist from his words.

—-

| M I N G H A O |

She was upset. And she had every right to be. I didn't intend for this to happen, but it did, and I don't know how to make things better.

I gave her the journal before getting off my shift, and she stared at it with horror. She was quiet and didn't know what to say to me.

I felt guilty beyond measure.

What was I supposed to say at a time like this?

"About your journal, I-"

"Don't," she cut me off quickly.

Her voice was gentle yet cold. It was a tone I didn't think I would be able to hear from her. Her eyes were low and avoided looking at me.

How was I able to make this up for her? I hated feeling guilty, and I hated knowing that I couldn't fix what I've done.

"I can drive you home," I tell her.

I needed to find some way to find common ground. She may be a woman, but I still have my sense of morality.

I watched her sit down on the outside bench, ignoring me. She was more concerned over the journal and how it was mishandled.

I found myself watching her as she checked each page to see if anything was missing along with counting photos. She was thorough with her organization with the way she knew where each page and photo goes. She must have spent a lot of time writing in it. There was a lot, and I mean, a lot of things thrown into that. It amazes me how she's able to keep it all in there without it falling out.

Unlike me who broke it the moment I turned it around...

She picked up the worn-out letter that was written in Chinese, and my eyes lit up.

Her eyes turned to me as if she knew I was looking. I immediately tried to look away, but I felt her staring at me.

"Did you see what's inside?" Her voice was soft yet curious.

I turned to look at her. She had her usually calm expression. I don't know if I should be concerned. Was she mad? Upset? Or was she okay now?

"No..." I answered.

It wasn't the entire truth since I did get a glimpse of that letter. I tried to avoid looking at everything else though.

She smiled softly before turning away from me. She seemed to be amused by something. I watched her lift the letter in her hands with low eyes. She held it as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

Her eyes went up and I followed her gaze. She was staring at the park across from us. The lake was lively with a few people walking around it and other getting their daily run. Then there were those that walked their dogs and those that fished or did yoga.

The weather was nice today.

The trees softly danced with the spring flowers blooming under them. The scenery was beautiful. It was almost like a scene in a book.

I looked back at Lihua.

She was smiling softly while she gazed at the scenery in front of us. It was that same look she had on the balcony back at the reunion. Though she was stressed earlier, she looked almost in bliss.

She seemed happy.

Strange enough, I couldn't help but gaze at her. Why did she look like that?

She seemed so fond of the world around her...

"I'm sorry for ripping your journal." The words came out of my mouth without realizing it. It must be from the guilt I had, and I was too fearful to speak about the matter.

It's too embarrassing to admit my faults, but for some reason, Lihua just seemed to have the patience for me- or maybe for almost anything.

Maybe it's because of this tranquil nature of hers, or maybe it's just I how felt in the moment from seeing the beauty around me, but I felt the need to tell her how guilty I felt.

She slowly turned to look at me. Her head titled to get a view of my face that I tried to hide from her. I covered my mouth with my hand to hide my embarrassment before looking away.

I felt the breeze hit me with a few petals flying from the cherry blossom tree near us.

"It's alright."

Her voice danced with the wind. I turned around to look at her. She was smiling at me, and I couldn't avoid her eyes.

A few petals floated pass us with a butterflies fluttering around.

For a moment, I felt my gut twirl. It crawled all around and gave me goosebumps along my skin. My heart raced with a follow of nervousness. But why should I be nervous? And what would making me nervous?

I didn't understand this feeling.

I watched Lihua get off the bench after fixing what she can with her journal. She was ready to leave.

I didn't want her to go yet.

It might be the warmth of the sun, or maybe the way the place felt too lively to just walk away, but I didn't want her to leave like this.

"Don't you want to walk around and look at the scenery?" I ask her.

She looked at me with surprise. I watched her twirl back around to look at the park we were looking at earlier. She thought for a moment before looking over at me.

Her orbs met mine, and I felt warm and a tingle in my gut.

"Are you asking me to go on a walk with you?"

Her question threw me off from the way she worded it. There's no way I asked her that. I asked her if she wanted to walk around to look at the scenery. I don't recall bringing myself up.

And even if I did, I highly doubt she'll say yes. That's practically a date.

She's Dokyeom's sister.

Why would I do that?

"Why would I ask you to go on a walk with me?" My voice came out a bit rude than intended.

Her eyes widened. "Oh."

I watched her turn away again, and I felt myself get guilty. She didn't get upset because of that did she?

"I'll walk around then," she says.

Her eyes looked towards the park before looking back at me. Her eyes sparkled from the sunlight.

"Thanks again for my journal, Minghao." Her voice was soft and smooth.

Why did she have to say my name like that? And why did she act like I wasn't going to see her for awhile?

I'm friends with her brother. So I'll see her around... right?

The thought of her not being around suddenly hit me. It's not like we're friends. I'm Dokyeom's friend. Not hers.

But my legs moved on their own.

And I found myself following her.

Her eyes met mine again once she realized I was behind her. I too was surprised by my own actions.

"Uh..." Was all I could say like the moron I am.

She tilted her head at me with curled lips. She seemed amused by my behavior.

Trust me. I'm not always like this.

"If you wanted to go for a walk together, we can," she tells me.

I was ready to protest against her.

"I won't consider it a date," she quickly tells me. It was like she read my mind. "So don't worry."

I don't know why, but I disliked her words. I didn't hate it nor did I like it. I don't know.

I didn't know what to say, so I stayed quiet. I followed behind her as she led the way.

The park was beautiful and charming. It was much prettier up close seeing the ducks swim in the lake and the squirrels that ran across the grass to climb up the trees. The scent of flowers were faint and being under the trees' leaves felt like a breath of fresh air. The path around the lake wasn't too long, but it was shorter than I expected.

She didn't speak during the walk.

Maybe it's because she didn't know what to say to me, or maybe it's because she didn't want me to feel irritated by her presence.

But I wish she spoke.

It was quiet with her, but it didn't feel terrible. Was walks always this peaceful?

When I walk alone, it's nothing like this.

I wish the walk was longer...

But she had to go.

~

"I can drive you home," I insisted.

She was ready to go our separate ways far quicker than I thought she would. We stood near a water fountain square area where there were different paths.

There weren't much people around other than an elder man with his grandchild feeding the birds.

"It's okay. You've done enough, already. I can ride the bus," she says politely. The sound of the fountain was faint behind her voice.

"Would Dokyeom be okay with that?" I ask her. I couldn't help but bring up her brother.

I didn't like how she suddenly thought of me as a stranger. We aren't close enough to be friends but I'm sure we couldn't be strangers.

We're acquaintances at this point.

"Dokyeom?" She said with a hum.

I watched her brows knitted before softening. She was thinking of her dear brother who I know wouldn't like it if she road the bus when someone he knows could just drive her.

"Even if he would be upset," she starts.

Her eyes met with mine.

"I thought you don't like being around women?"

Her question was abrupt and caught my attention. It was like a switch flickered within me. I do dislike being around women, but it's mostly certain ones.

But with Lihua-

She makes me forget about them. My views of all the girls I met in my life that used me and messed with me were bitter.

But with Lihua, she seemed different.

I didn't know what to say to her. It always felt like she knew how to tip me off balance even when my guard is up. I never had to think this much for a woman, other than my mother.

"I rather deal with my brother than make you uncomfortable," she tells me.

Her voice carried through the breeze. Some of her bangs waved from the wind. My chest felt funny with the way she spoke towards me.

She smiled. "I can handle my brother. I more concerned how you'll feel towards me being around you."

Her eyes changed tones with a look that seemed apologetic. I didn't like it.

"You don't have to be nice to me just because Dokyeom's my brother," she says.

She was smiling, but I knew inside she wasn't. There was something about her I didn't understand. She seemed to care deeply about her brother, but she also seemed to belittle herself at times. I didn't understand it. But I wanted to...

Was it because of me? Or was it something else?

"I'll see you around. Okay, Minghao?" she says before I can find the words to speak.

I watched her turn around and make her way far from me. Her retreating figure didn't feel right. Or rather, I didn't feel right.

Her words bothered me. And the look she had bothered me more.

I am Dokyeom's friend, and she is his sister. Yet, why do I feel annoyed hearing her say that to me?

Am I really treating her like this because of Dokyeom? Because she's related to him?

~

The drive home was quiet. I couldn't find myself to play music and when I got home, my empty space didn't make me feel any better.

I'm used to being alone, but right now, my thoughts made me feel different.

Why does it feel empty when I'm alone but not so bad when Lihua is there? She doesn't even talk yet I feel okay to have her company.

The image of her filled my mind.

I wish she let me drove her home. I wished she didn't have that look when she spoke.

I stared at my phone as I laid in my bed. I had emails about upcoming clients that want to examine the museum and other emails about upcoming art pieces that would be coming in next month that I would have to analyze.

Art pieces...

The painting came into mind.

Lihua was invested in it- even having to go pass the stanchions. I wander what makes her so intrigued by the painting?

I remember getting it from a seller and the quality was in good shape. He didn't say much about the art piece other than the painting was sold to him long ago. It's around 10 years old he said, but the whereabouts of it is unknown. Should I tell her about the painting?

But wasn't Lihua losing interest in art?

They way she reacted towards the painting said otherwise. It wasn't a look of disgust or indifference though. She clearly was admiring it.

I wonder... is she's curious about it as much as I am?

My phone rung with a notification. It was the guys. They wanted to celebrate Soonyoung's upcoming race.

I refuse to let that rodent party in my abode. I just moved in here. I don't need him stinking up the place with his hamster vomit.

He can set the party elsewhere.

I narrowed my brows at the thought of using another person's home. It's worst knowing it's women I hardly know.

Should I even go if it's going to be held there?

---

| L I H U A |

I heard my phone ring with notifications while I tried to stitch the journal back together. Senko slept on his back on my bed. His paws were up in the air while he snoozed off in a comfortable position. He acted as if he was human with the way he was sleeping. I tried not to wake him up.

I grabbed my phone off my desk and stared at the messages the girls sent.

I didn't mind the guys coming over, but the thought of seeing Minghao again felt strange.

I'm sure I wouldn't be talking to him anyways. The guys can have their fun. I'll just be in my room.

A notification popped onto my screen.

Xu Minghao...

Do I dare click on it? My eyes wondered away. I don't think I should.

I turned off my phone and left it on my desk.

I have to fix my journal.

---

| M I N G H A O |

My phone rang again with notifications. Soonyoung seemed to get an answer.

Lihua hates parties?

I'm not too surprised by that. No wonder she was at the balcony...

If she's housemates with Seungcheol's girlfriend, then that means Lihua will be there.

It'll be at that house...

I stared at his question with contemplation.

Should I go?

Of course Soonyoung was going to make it weird. I rolled my eyes from his messages.

So in the morning we'll see what happens...

I was ready to put my phone away, but my phone gave me a notification. My eyes lit up upon reading the name.

Do I dare look at her profile?

No. Why should I?

Why should I look at some chick's profile? I mean- she is Dokyeom's sister though...

Should I?

—————- SM Post: Soonyoung has posted...

Minghao has posted...

• • • Previous | Next

#seventeen ff #seventeen fanfic #svt minghao #minghao x oc #svt x oc #seventeen x oc #seventeen minghao #xu minghao #seventeen smau #svt smau #minghao ff

[rivetgoth]

Today we went to this walk-in art installation presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art made by a DJ meant to capture the experience of clubbing / partying / the nightlife through the lens of high art. It was really interesting for sure. The exhibit was in this MASSIVE warehouse space, full of these lights that slowly changed color and sometimes flashed on and off or went completely dark for periods of time that felt very accurately indicative of club lighting, though the coolest thing about it was the spatiality of the soundscape — there were four speakers, one in each corner of the room, and each one was blaring a different part of the same techno song, and then in the very center of the room beneath a set of off-white lights sort of evocative of a spotlight were four more speakers that played it all together as a single composition. So you could walk around the room and experience this ever-evolving song that changed with each part of the area that you walked to, while all ultimately combining into a single piece of music. It was a cool exploration of sonic landscapes in art and putting audio into a physical sphere but it also just really accurately captured the way different parts of the club can feel like completely different realms while still all being interconnected.

That said, I had one really big critique of the whole thing, aside from my more ornery “Why do we need to convey the club as a transcendent space to non clubgoers anyway? Do we need to prove the worth of it to those on the outside?”, which is the emptiness of the space. There was no sign of human life save for the museum security guards watching to make sure nobody went out the wrong exit and other museum attendees wandering around to see the exhibit. It made the space feel very lifeless. And it made me realize that I think the idea of trying to capture the transcendence and magic of the club without including the clubgoers is kind of destined to not hit quite as hard. It’s a losing game; the club isn’t anything without the people who make it. A club can be an amazing venue, have a great sound system, great drinks, cheap entry, but if it’s crawling with creeps nobody wants to go. Likewise, some of the clubs I adore the most aren’t necessarily anything special when it comes to the music but the people are the thing that make it worth going as often as you can, because you know you’ll meet cool people, see your friends, and just have a good time. Every club scene IME has local club celebrities—sometimes these are “real world” celebrities, like musicians or actors or artists, but a lot of the time these are people who are literally just famous within the club itself because they have cool style, they’re well connected, they’re friendly, they’re interesting, they just stand out in some way and everybody who’s anybody at least knows of them…

Some of the best or most memorable club nights of my life were at kinda shitty venues but the right people turned out and it was just amazing to be within a group of good people. I can’t really imagine an artistic representation of the experience that is the nightlife without the people… It feels a bit hollow to me. Andrew Holleran’s Dancer from the Dance is one of my absolute favorite studies on the art and magic of the club, and it spends so much time on the people, both as individual and as community (hence the very famous use of collective first person throughout the novel, ie. the narrator is often a “we”). I think this art piece captured the spatiality of the club very well but it missed for me the humanity of it, and I struggle to see the former being able to exist without the latter, so the whole exhibit felt less full or complete than it could have been.

The best club nights are the ones where all the right people show up. The DJ could be playing the most uninspired dance set in the world but if you look around and everyone on the dancefloor is a friend, loved one, member of your community, someone you look up to or someone you deeply care about or at the very least dressed to the nines and fun to look at, if you feel at home amongst the crowd, it doesn’t really matter what you’re dancing to… I just wish that a piece of art so invested in the magic of the club gave more of a spotlight to those that make the club magical to begin with.

I dunno, this sounds like a much harsher criticism than it really is, because I did like the exhibit. I think it’s very cool to see the nightlife projected into the high art walk-in installation world. It’s neat to see something I’m so intimately familiar with translated into new mediums. I think one of my favorite things about it was how well it captured the sense of entering a new club; to get into the exhibit you had to walk through a kinda long empty hallway into the back of the warehouse, where you came to these huge semi-transparent doors where you could see the darkness and lights ahead but nothing else and could just hear the booming bass of the sound system inside… there was a little bit of apprehension as you push these heavy glass doors open, like, “What’s it gonna be like in there?”, trying to put a mental image to the noises and configure your expectations. Even though it was just an art installation I think it managed to evoke a very accurate sense of intrigue, wonder, curiosity, and apprehension very much akin to when you’re finally past the security checking IDs and can enter the club after hearing the music blaring from the outside… Really cool!

But I guess I have a lot to say (including my critiques) because it’s something I feel my existence is sort of in direct conversation with. I’m at a club or a concert like twice a week on average so I feel like I am kind of an implicit part of the dialogue of this art and it’s really interesting to me to kinda see something so near and dear to me attempt to be “elevated” into the broader art world like this. So I guess a lot of my criticism is from a place of affection and passion rather than dismissal or dislike. Personally I think TR/ST’s album “Joyland” is the best artistic expression of the nightlife that I’ve seen in a long time and I think it captured the essence that this was attempting to evoke with a bit more heart, but these two things also don’t need to be in competition with each other lol, and I do respect what this artist was doing for sure.

[i-can-even-burn-salad]

Littlewood

[ID: The start screen of the game Littlewood. It shows a scene of the game’s village, restored and with many of the villagers standing on a square. At the bottom are the title of the game as well as a few buttons to play, change options or quit. The game’s artstyle is colorful, low resolution pixel graphics, and the menus are light brown. End ID.]

Well this one isn’t too unknown, but I just finished it and am typing a review for Steam anyway, so... :D

At first glance, one might think it’s similar to Stardew Valley, and of course, as with all those type of sim games, there are some similarities. But, after having finished it, I have to say, it’s not, not really. The goals are just too different.

Most of all, this is not a farming game. It’s a “follow the red line to rebuild a town according to requirements while grinding for money and materials” game.

You meet new people, they move into your town when you build their houses, and along the way you unlock new structures you can upgrade. The world is rather small, your town, a few destinations you can travel to, as well as two randomly generated dungeon maps. Mostly you run around, raise skills and gather materials, to build and upgrade and unlock new stuff.

[ID: The character creation screen. It has the options hair style, hair color, skin tone, outfit and personality. End ID.]

Positive Points

Stress free. There is no time, but every action costs energy. You can walk around, talk to people or decorate for as long as you want each day. Early on, the available energy might seem a bit low for all the things you want to do on a day, but there really is no downside to time passing. Later, you get a tool to have limitless energy.

Character generation is basically hair and clothes, and a way to change them can be unlocked in the game. The only thing you’re stuck with is your name, skin tone, and the town’s name. The personality is, I believe, only used for the town square statue.

I’m not sure it’s even possible to mess up permanently. Resources are technically infinite (if sometimes heavy rng based), and tearing down objects gives the used resources back. I guess you could cook with a rare fruit before you’ve planted it and hate yourself in the following hours until you find it again.

This is very subjective, but I enjoyed the obligatory card mini game very much, once I got the hang of it.

The game’s wiki is perfect, and has all the information you could ever want.

You can shape your town as you want, raising hills or creating lakes and rivers. You need to fulfill the villagers’ requirements, but after unlocking the rewards, you can technically move their houses as well.

[ID: The village as you start out. It’s all empty meadows with sandy paths, hills and a few small lakes. The only building is the player’s house, in front of which the player stands. The NPC Willow is dancing in front of it, happy about the player waking up. End ID.]

Neutral Points

There isn’t really a conclusion to the story. Which is kinda fine, I’m not playing this for the story.

Similarly, the NPC personalities aren’t that deep. Every character has a couple of quirky dialogues, but they repeat constantly, are not subtle at all, and I think even the marriage dialogues are all the same.

I spent the first I don’t know how many hours having to take care what I spend my money on, and it was fine. Then I reached 2-3 milestones pretty quickly and from one moment to the other, money was no problem anymore. Unlocking a vegetable that sells for a nice amount so I could get a few thousand per day - nice. Unlocking selling each cooked dish for 3000 no matter what, so I am swimming in money after a week - meh.

There isn’t that much freedom. Every villager wants exactly one set of furniture, and their house at a certain spot, and exactly one set of objects next to it (as in, right next to it, touching it). You only have room for a set amount of vegetables, fruit trees, animals, namely three of each. In my opinion, it does give the game some structure and a tangible goal, but also lowers the replay value.

If going for achievements, you should start the timegated ones - flower breeding, villager quests) early on.

There’s three save slots, as well as cloud saves.

[ID: The endless forest, a randomly generated area with green grass and lots of pine trees and weeds. The player is talking to a bee monster in a field of yellow and white flowers. The monster, called Beeford, says: Please don’t hurt me... I’m just a low-level bee monster! I don’t drop any rare  items! End ID.]

Negative Points

Oh, the grind. There’s two different kinds: For items, and for achievements.

For items, there are a lot of special items you can get while doing an action. Chop down a tree, have a chance of acorn. Most of those are fine, you can farm them by just doing that action over and over and over. Some are less fine. Super rare, super random, needs a wiki to figure out where they might drop.

I spent a substantial amount of late game time just checking the fully upgraded (and therefore offering any item in the game) merchants each day. That’s not fun gameplay.

There are several achievements that require you to do a huge amount of chopping/mining/fishing etc. The fishing one was the most obnoxious one. It took me half a (real life) day after finishing all the others just running around, fishing each spot dry each day, sleeping, repeat. And I already did do the fishing trip each day way before that, as well as catching every fish I came across in the forest and mine while doing the other ones.

Keybinds cannot be changed. This was the main reason I did not buy it on desktop PC, because I hate that. It also didn’t like my controller/the steam deck much, not being able to move with the d-pad, and not recognizing the x button to turn chairs, but that was easily fixed with the deck’s configuration tool. I am not sure if the windows version has the same issues.

[ID: The same town, much later, in fall with an orange color scheme for grass and trees. Now there’s lots of houses, to both sides of a river, and some on top of the hills. There’s sparkly purple stones on the ground, two birds around a bird bath and a bird house, two cats, a few colorful flowers and more decorations. End ID.]

I bought this with two expectations in mind:

I knew it was grindy, most of the reviews on steam mentioned that. I was actually looking for a game with a bit of grind, to brainlessly play a day or two before bed, making progress without having to think.

I wanted to play it on the deck, where I knew I could rebind my controls.

Considering that, I did get exactly what I wanted. It took me about 50h to 100% the game (well... I got all the achievements, and leveled all the skills up, but didn’t bother maxing all relationships or dating all villagers or beating them in the mini card game.) The game isn’t overly expensive to begin with, but occasionally goes on sale for 20-50% off.

Things I wish I had known before:

All recipes use two ingredients, but you can just slam the bar full and the game will prioritize undiscovered recipes with the ingredients you picked.

There is a stat page in the menu, showing you progress on the “do x” achievements (I forgot, ok).

Anyway, I’ve already written too much, and if you’re into that kind of games, this is a good one.

#Littlewood #salad-games

[nostalgiachan]

For this batch of 100 OCs, I decided to do something a little different and zazz them up with some colored backgrounds. Let me know if you prefer the images with or without. As always, new drawings up top, original drawings down below (with a special double for Arlein since I completely redesigned her from her original iteration), and detailed character info below the cut.

#53: Mina II Idea: Peppy punky lead singer (and eventual keyboardist come 3) Story: Rock Band

Now, if there was any instrument I could play expert, it was vocals, lol. Except on fucking Good Vibrations because HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HEAR WHAT PART I'M SUPPOSED TO BE SINGING ON A LIVE FUCKING RECORDING? IT'S A SIX PART GODDAMN HARMONY. And also Tanlged Up in Blue because BOB DYLAN IS NOT SINGING SPECIFIC NOTES HALF THE TIME WHY ARE THESE CHARTED LIKE THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS.

Anyway, Mina.

Mina's my character for vocals, and come Rock Band 3, I slotted her in for keyboards, as well. She's the upbeat and outgoing punk of the posse, and her character color was green; green hair, green microphone, green-forward outfits. Even though the characters predate the release of the anime, I like to imagine now that D.A.R.K. specifically starts because Mina saw K-ON! and said "Dude, Sydan, we could fuckin' do that. We could do it better. We just need to find, like...a drummer and a bassist." They meet Ren and Paz in their school's band, start their own...and then spend half their time dicking around, not unlike Houkago Tea Time. They do scrabble an EP together, though, and thus their legend begins.

#54 and 55: Ren and Paz II Idea: Polar opposite identical twins who aren't actually that polar opposite Story: Rock Band

Finally, we have Ren and Paz, the twin brother rhythm section of D.A.R.K. - Paz as bassist, Ren as drummer. The only reason they wound up being twins was that there was only one face option I really liked for men in RB1 and I really liked The Emover hairstyle, so I just kind of leaned into it.

Ren's character color was light blue, though unlike the other characters, I didn't include any black in his wardrobe because I wanted him to have a kind of ice king look. I'd initially planned on him being the Metal representative, but most of the metal items leaned more towards GWAR costumes - lots of armor and literal metal. So instead, I also put him in Goth attire. Thus, he became the graceful, mysterious, icy drummer - who was a total dork behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, Paz was the Rock style representative, and while I'd intended on giving him a yellow color scheme, it turned out that the game didn't really have a good bright yellow color. Thus, I went with pink instead, and the combination of pink scheme and flamboyant classic rock attire went quite a way towards forming my image of him as an upbeat, showy performer, all sunshine and rainbows and bouncing about on stage in contrast to Sydan's stoic technicality.

Ren and Paz also provide back-up vocals (as Sydan is far too self-conscious about her voice and will only step to the mic in those instances where a four-part harmony is absolutely necessary), and Paz has done lead precisely once: when he wrote a song for his Spanish final project (aka when they added Me Enamora to Rock Band 3).

Fun fact: their hair highlights are reversed (Ren has white hair with a blue highlight, Paz has pink hair with a white highlight)

#56: Arlein Idea: Storm Lord in training on a bit of field work Story: Dragon Tavern

Somewhere around 2009 or 2010, I made a second batch of nine characters for Dragon Tavern. Since I already had the idea for the five-year timeskip, I decided these guys would be bands of adventurers searching for the missing Champions; their respective kingdoms started to get suspicious after they stopped receiving updates from the parties and put out monetary rewards for anyone who could find and bring them home. An entire subculture began to form among these "Seekers" as they traded info, banded together, and raced against one another, eventually leading to the formation of the titular Dragon Tavern and its surrounding community in an area equidistant between the three kingdoms.

The first group of Seekers in this story hailed from the Mountain Kingdoms, led by the trainee Storm Lord, Arlein. Unfortunately, Arlein's one of the least developed of this second generation, probably most evidenced by her original design; it was supposed to be an armored mage look, but it came out fairly bland. Years later, when I was redrawing everyone for practice, I noticed a funny little thing about all of my previous characters: thanks to not really thinking about it as a kid, they were basically all white people, barring the slightly tan Enkeli and Systir and the vaguely southeastern Asian adjacent Alriem. Since I was more aware of actively trying to create diverse characters, and since I wasn't overly fond of Arlein's original design, I decided that was the perfect time to give her a complete overhaul. Since I didn't have any no-shit black characters in DT, Arlein would be the first.

Now, I still have to work on her backstory and details, but the general idea for her is that she's on this trip to earn a hefty tuition - so long as she does some general "field work" along the way, the Academy will give her a basic stipend, and the full reward would cover just about any proper academic work she would ever undertake - and the notoriety that bringing in Alriem, Systir, and Iros would bring.

#my art #100 oc challenge #rock band #rock band game #dragon tavern #original characters #pencil art #traditional art

[onehunnit]

Cinema Studies Minor Gets Super Into Analyzing K-Pop Videos 2.1

Disclaimer: I'm still a student, no where near an expert, I will be wrong in some technical aspects. Also my interpretations are my opinion which means you may disagree and that's okay. Awesome even! Just be normal about it fr. This is also very out of order bc that's how my brain works. Also I am but a baby loretiny, which means my interpretations are shaky at best compared to what's been established. But the lore is confusing anyway so....

The World EP.FIN: Trailer Analysis pt 1: Sections

Why Not Film?

K-Pop's Obsession with Wong Kar-Wai

Ateez and Metropolis

Why Not Film?

I mean like filming on film stock. Because there is a film grain/noise... (overlay? mask? idk man i'm not an editor I forgot my terms) texture to parts of the video that I think is supposed to evoke the idea of a security camera (I would have LOVED some high-angle shots to drive this home but oh well) BUT could also just be representing that it's old/in the past because it is also in black and white.

the texture is especially evident on San's face. I think they just put a noise filter over this part, which creates grain that you'd find on old film

So why not just film on film stock? It's expensive and cumbersome my guy. they filmed this between schedules like.... digital editing and stuff is just so much easier.

Which leads me to the next section:

K-Pop's Obsession with Wong Kar-Wai

STEP PRINTING!!!! 8/10FPS!!!!! STREAKS!!!! WE! LOVE! IT!

I fucking love this effect which WKW first did by filming (on stock) at 8 frames per second (fps) and then repeating the same frame 3 times to create that streakiness. Filming at a low frame rate then playing it at a higher one (usually 24 fps, which I'm guessing is also what they used for this trailer, 24-32(ish) fps is the cinematic standard) creates fast motion. This process is called step-printing.

The subject(s) would stay still/ move very slowly while filming to give the effect that everything is moving fast around them while they're normal speed. Super cool, gives sense that time is passing around them and/or isolation from others, which is what I think is intended here since HJ and the teezers are isolated from society as they're trying to fight against the government. sweet sweet storytelling through style. OBSESSED!

Here is an example from Chungking Express:

But also: K-Pop in general is OBSESSED with WKW's style. I will make a list of MVs that rep that eventually, but off the top my head, Mamamoo's mv for wind flower is inspired by Fallen Angels. The color grading, cinematography, the scene references etc.

Ateez and Metropolis

Now for something completely different: Before I get into it I really want to emphasize how fucking instrumental cinema was in globalization, because when cinema first became an industry it TRAVELED like TRAVELED. and resulted in a mix of styles since the fucking like 1920s. AMAZING

Okay so speaking of 1920s, let's get into IT! German Expressionism was a film movement that was born out of post-WW1 Germany and society's need to express (ha) the horrors of war they went through and since hyperinflation fucked up the economy so much, film companies were like "spend whatever" and blew budget on super elaborate film sets and facilities.

Expressionism is focused on the physical and really emphasizing features and such. It's hyperbolic as show in the screen shot from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari:

The subject's face is deepened by the make-up and lighting and shows their state of mind, a mindless corpse being controlled by another power (think Master/Puppet, but we don't have time to rly get into post WW1 Ger's anxieties)

It's also hyperbolic, as I said, which sometimes takes form in the sets. Specifically the establishing shots. These would traditionally be miniatures or painted, as they are easy and you can see how they're similar:

1- Metropolis & 2- The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Notice anything? The lines maybe? Perspective? Symmetry? These are all qualities seen in German Expressionism which I will get into in a momement but first. Let me explain why I use Metropolis as an example. In short, they already referenced it in Guerrilla:

click to get the whole picture! Guerrilla MV and the film poster for Metropolis, the book cover is similar.

See the lines and perspective? The establishing shot at the beginning is the same, let's compare it to Metropolis again:

THE WORLD: EP.FIN Trailer & Metropolis

German expressionism is alive and well in film style and I'm so in love with how the director utilizes it.

Next, we're going to talk about structure and lines, along with style and how it helps the narrative.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

#x.txt #x.cinema analysis #ateez #I will reach image limit so I'll just do a pt 2

[gabriella-trn1042]

Playing around in this particular pool with a few folks so here's the rundown on Spider Person Gabriella:

Gabi developed her abilities from an accident at the Alchemax labs while there with her father. Her version of Miguel was killed in the accident. Gabi survived, but contact with the various tech in the lab during the accident caused her transformation.

Her preferred moniker is Spider Girl. This is partly because she was a relatively young teen when she gained her abilities.

Gabi is a Spiderman 2099 style spider person meaning she shares a lot with Miguel: fangs, talons, organic webs, red eyes, and sensitivity to light. She is also a tall girl at about 6’1” and muscular. The spider stuff likely contributed, but given Miguel was also tall, some of it could just be her normal genetics (speaking as a tall girl of almost the same height myself)

Her power set is also very similar to all Spider People, though she can only climb on walls with hands and feet (as opposed to the others who usually just sort of stick anyway they'd like) and hiding her physical differences is harder. She does heal faster than a human and can withstand more, but her healing isn't instantaneous.

She is not a vampire, but we should make all those jokes. She is venomous and capable of paralyzing someone with a bite. The venom is non-toxic beyond being a paralytic.

While all versions of Spiderman have long been a bastion of body horror and puberty metaphors, Gabi's particular brand of Spider Personhood certainly comes with those kinds of challenges including the fact that fangs and claws and venom can sure get in the way of living your best teenage life. Plus don't underestimate those predatory instincts to hunt and handle your emotions with violence.

I'm very mindful that categorizing a person of color as especially animalistic can be problematic. I am working hard to tow that line, but do know that like canon Miguel, her genetic code has been rewritten into what is essentially a predator. Baby girl may have some anger issues and instinctive drives that put her on the edge of going rogue without the right guidance. She's going to try really hard not to rip anyone's throat out, but there's a tiny part of her that wants to rip your throat out. If someone's throat needs ripping out, you should totally point in her direction.

She's definitely a hardcore carnivore (because 50% spider DNA) so if she's a little too hangry and irritable (and there are no throats to be ripped out) just toss her one of those Miguel-themed burgers from Spider HQ's cafeteria and she'll chill out.

#headcanon #spider!gabi

[spacedykez]

hii i know i am almost two whole hours late and i am sorry but if you’re still here and in need you should infodump to me about something /nf

aw juke I love you /p thank you

took a break from tumblr for a bit (not by choice but shhh) and genuinely feeling better having had time to think things through.

that being said, today I would like to tell you about the bat empire because I love it and I don’t think I’ll ever have a better chance

the bat empire is an idea I worked on for fun that I didn’t really think I’d ever get a chance to share because I won’t end up doing anything much with it. But I did build it and I love it.

One of the most interesting yet overlooked mobs in minecraft is the bat. Bats are so cool, irl and in minecraft. Minecraft bats aren’t talked about very much because they don’t have a real function. You can’t do anything with them in the game- there’s no real reason to interact with them. And that’s cool, actually. I really love them and I like that there’s a mob that’s there just to add life to the world.

So anyways, bats are super fun because echolocation. I don’t remember how I got to the idea of a bat hybrid but I adore them. I think hybrids with more different features aren’t talked about enough. Like, give me snake hybrids that can smell with their tongue! Butterfly hybrids that taste with their fingers (quite annoying, I’d imagine. How would they get around that?). So bats with really bad eyesight! And really good hearing. A bat hybrid would be great to take to fight the warden because the lack of sight isn’t quite as much of a disadvantage.

Technically bat hybrids should also have wings like wyverns, where their arms and wings are fused. But from a character design standpoint I wanted Luna (name of my bat hybrid oc/sona) to be more humanoid. So unrealistic demon-y wings it was (and because there was no way I could design an inhuman character like that in picrew, tbh).

I gave bat hybrids large, fluffy ears on the side of their head because they’re bat ears. Bats are really fluffy actually and they have big ears to hear very well. And big fluffy ears are cute too so that’s a bonus.

and as for empire design- sculk! Bats don’t set off the sculk shriekers, to my knowledge? I haven’t played the update and explored a deep dark but I think from what I’ve seen only players can summon the Warden?

anyways, this lead to the idea that the bats and the sculk get along! So the bats living in a sort of deep-dark style city, carved out of stone, in harmony with the sculk. And so this came to be!

The sea lanterns are just a cool way of adding light to the area because lighting that cave is HARD. Glow lichen too (it adds to the ancient aesthetic too though)! Sculk-infested deep dark towers for the bats.

and you see the lanterns! They’re sea lanterns with sculk to try to give a more soul-lantern vibe. I love the idea that the deep dark would have a link to the soulfire/soul lanterns/warped blocks because the wardens colors match! And souls just feels like a theme they have in common. Another Lanterns pic:

And in that pic you can see the mineshaft entrance thingy and the scaffolding/platform design. I feel like dark woods/tones match the deep dark aesthetic really well. And I was gonna have buildings all along that wall but I didn’t get to that. I kinda based them on the sorta mismatched vibe Grian’s s8 Hermitcraft base had:

And then to finish off the city part, the entrance! The mouth of the cave I sort of tried to make as if the deepslate was holding up the ceiling of the cave, and get that Vibe while not making it as infested! Also a fun experiment to design the pillars.

(yes those are custom trees :D) Dark woods, deepslate, and warped wood for the roof! Segmented design adds interest, I think.

for my oc Luna, the idea was that she’s a scientist/she lives on her own. So I designed a little area in a side cave for her. She’d be a potions brewer sort of character!

Storage/workroom for Luna! Featuring shelf designs & warped nylium/sculk flooring which I actually really love btw?

Textured up a tunnel with a lil balcony at the end!

And a tunnel/walkway! Featuring little warped plant gardens on either side & various decorations.

this got a little random but there you go! Bat/deep dark empire and a bat hybrid designs.

#the otter splashes #asks #jukeboxtea

[kaijis]

can i ask what psd you used for your s/v set? the colors are soo pretty 😍😍 if not, how did you achieve the look if i can ask?

thank you!! i’m assuming you’re referring to my sv characters graphic?

tbh, it took ages and a lot of trial and error to get the coloring for that edit to look how i wanted. i like to go for a bright/vibrant coloring style, but for some reason the colors kept coming out too dull in an initial version of the edit (probably bc the original images are considerably duller than those from previous pkmn games). at the same time, i couldn’t just simply turn up the sliders to avoid color banding in certain parts of the images like geeta’s hair. anyways, i’ll try to explain my general process and what adjustment layers i used to achieve that look in the final version of the edit. please note that the steps below do not reflect the exact order of layers for my edit as this is just meant to be a rough guide; i recommend playing around with the layer order to see what works for you.

explanation under the cut!

i’ll be using the florian & juliana panel as an example, but to clarify, i did use the same coloring for the entire edit. for reference, this is what the final version looks like:

and this is what that panel looks like without any adjustment layers:

i started by using selective color layers to adjust the colors to my liking (just one selective color layer doesn’t do the trick so i will always have a couple). in general, i like making warm colors more vivid and giving them more of a pink than yellow tone, so for the reds, yellows, and magentas, i increased the amount of magenta in particular (and yellow to a lesser extent) and decreased the amount of cyan and black. for the greens, i prefer them to have cool (vs. warm) undertones, so i increased the amount of cyan and decreased the amount of yellow. for the cyans and blues, i did something different for each selective color layer, but i generally adjusted them in such a way that 1) there wouldn’t be too much color banding, 2) the parts that were originally purple (e.g., the protagonists’ uniforms) wouldn’t turn into dark blue, and 3) the parts that were originally green wouldn’t turn too bluish. i also added a curves layer to brighten up the edit.

to further adjust the colors and make them pop out more, i added a hue/saturation layer where i upped the master saturation to +15 and tweaked the hue for some colors just slightly (i personally never go beyond ±10). for example, i wanted the reds to look even more pinkish, so i set the hue to -3 for that color range. i also added two vibrance layers where i upped the vibrance, and this greatly helped bring out the colors in the background.

next, i added a light texture and set it to soft light at 30% opacity to make the colors softer (by light texture, i mean something like these). the alternatives are using a solid color fill or gradient map layer, but i thought a texture looked better here as it made the edit less “flat” in a subtle way.

now the colors seemed about how i wanted them, but the edit as a whole looked too light and low in contrast. to fix this, i added two levels layers (increasing the black point value) and a selective color layer (adjusting the blacks only) to make the dark parts darker without affecting the other colors too much. the final product is as follows:

that’s about the gist of it! i’m sorry if my description above was kind of vague, but the specific adjustments/values/layer order really depend on the image (e.g., for other images that aren’t as dull to begin with, i probably wouldn’t use two vibrance layers). i hope this is somewhat helpful though, and feel free to send another ask if you have any further questions!

#answered #seinquant