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#breaking out my tablet like 'i'll do it myself'
queermustelid · 1 year
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WHERE IS THE SALT AND SERPENT CONTENT INTERNET YOU HAVE FAILED ME
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I'm surprised you haven't posted any Welcome home stuff recently! Honestly kinda makes me sad since I love your WH art and stuff
yea y'all are gonna have to be Patient w/ me bc
a) i have like. a week left to pack all of my stuff before i need to shove everything into a uhaul and leave, so its crunch time! leaving little to no energy/interest in anything else
b) to be honest my mental health is the worst its been in years - which is fine, its whatever, i can deal. it's not as bad as it could be and im handling it! like a champ, even! but also its leaving little to no energy/interest in anything else
c) had a minor crisis over my art and how i interact w/ WH, and i realized im not scribbling enough of what I want. ive mostly been trying to please people and do as asked and thats! not good! so i want to temper expectation & reassert that im Not a WH art blog - its just a hyperfixation / something i love rn. i draw what i enjoy & what i want in the moment.
#i picked up my tablet last night and all of my motivation died on the spot#so im just. eh whatever ill get back into the swing of things eventually#but yeah im spending my time packing & keeping myself afloat! not much room for other things at present!#rambles from the bog#but yeah i was starting to feel like a commodity of sorts?#like the majority of asks are just some form of 'can you draw this' 'draw this' 'id love it if youd draw this'#which is. fine. im an art blog! thats what i do!#but its also like hey. im just some guy doodling what they enjoy. im not a machine churning out content for consumption#& it gets to the point where there's so much expectation and obligation and 'demand'-#when do i ever sit down and truly indulge in what i want?#like the monster scribble i posted the other day! it made me so happy! i love monsters and Beasts!#when do i ever allow myself to draw them?#rarely bc i feel like people Expect puppets from me. and thats not a great feeling!#i love puppets i love wh and everything but i would like to enjoy it w/o pressure yk yk....#& for a second there i Was feeling the pressure and scribbling puppets was starting to feel like a chore#something i Needed to do to please people#so! im focusing on real life & taking a break from creation & keeping my mindset away from 'jump into traffic' thankyew <3#theres just too much going on right now#in my head And outside of it.#so ill stick to packing & binging psych & i'll lovingly place everything else on the backburner
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sysig · 2 years
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Alright, speed drawing time
#DDoodles#Doodles#I'm actually just about to take a break but believe me - once my blood sugar level is back up it will again be Speed Drawing Time#Today's warmup! I haven't been posting my warmups lately 'cause they've been turning into their own projects lol#I'll post 'em in November it's fine#Anyway my goal is to get today and tomorrow's Requestobers done ASAP because I've added ummmmmm#Probably a solid couple hours onto tomorrow's lol#It's nothing particularly impressive lol I wish that it was it's just time-consuming tedium#And I don't know how to do it other than by hand so I'm doing it by hand lol#I mean I /guess/ I could /try/ to plonk it into a program that's capable of what I want and then go from there but like#That'd Still be an extra couple of hours just to figure out how to do that and then get it to do exactly what I want anyway lol#So I'll just do it manually! Make it harder for myself! Lol#At least I know how to do it manually - I can do almost anything given enough time and passion >:3c#Mostly I just need the assets in place - it'll take a jif'n'a half#Or it WOULD if my tablet would stop DYING on me!#The lights are on but nobody's home!#I can't tell if it's the cord or the ports or the tablet itself - I've had it for almost ten years so it's no spring chicken#I know the port is loose and this laptop has seen better days too lol#But still! I need it to hold out!#I could use my Gaomon but I'm still getting used to it :| Okay no that's a lie I haven't been practicing I'm avoiding it uou#It stopped displaying on my main screen and only displays on the tablet screen itself despite me not having changed any settings >:0#Technology just needs to chill and do only what I ask it to and stop making weird decisions without my input#Anyway! I'm gonna go eat sugar
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hookhausenschips · 12 days
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A Little Release {LH44}
500 Follower Special!!!
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Summary: Lewis has a terrible qualifying for the race so he decides that the new intern can help relieve his stress
Taglist
Minors Do Not Interact🔞🔞
Warnings: smut, daddy kink, praise, degradation, countdown, rough sex
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Y/N's POV
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an orange glow over the Shanghai International Circuit, my heart sank with the weight of disappointment. Today's qualifying session was nothing short of a bitter pill to swallow for the Mercedes F1 team. Lewis Hamilton, our champion, sat in 18th position on the starting grid for tomorrow's race. It was a far cry from where we expected to be.
Toto Wolff's urgent request echoed in my mind as I navigated through the bustling paddock, the gravity of the situation pushing me forward. As the social media intern for the team, I knew my responsibilities extended beyond crafting engaging posts and capturing behind-the-scenes moments. Sometimes, it meant being a messenger in moments of tension.
My footsteps quickened as I approached the team's designated area, my mind racing with the task ahead. Finding Lewis Hamilton wasn't a challenge in itself; it was the conversation awaiting me that made my stomach churn. But Toto's words rang clear: "We need Lewis at the briefing."
I scanned the corridors, dodging mechanics and team personnel until I reached Lewis's designated area. The subdued atmosphere surrounding the room betrayed the intensity of the situation within. I took a deep breath, knocking lightly on the door before stepping inside.
The dimly lit room offered a stark contrast to the vibrant energy of the racetrack. Lewis sat in a chair, his features etched with frustration as he pored over data on his tablet. The tension in the air was palpable, like a storm waiting to break.
"Hey, Lewis," I began tentatively, my voice cutting through the silence. His gaze flicked up, surprise mingling with the frustration etched on his face. "Toto's calling for the team briefing. It's time."
His jaw tensed, a fleeting expression of annoyance crossing his features before he sighed heavily. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute," he muttered, his tone clipped.
I hesitated for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. But I couldn't afford to falter now. "Toto needs you there now, Lewis," I urged gently, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination.
He let out a frustrated growl, his eyes narrowing. "Fuck this shit," he muttered under his breath, setting aside his tablet. A flash of vulnerability crossed his face before he stood abruptly, his eyes searching the room. "Come here."
His voice held a command that sent a shiver down my spine, and without hesitation, I moved closer. My heart raced as I found myself standing in front of him, feeling the heat of his gaze on me. In the dim lighting, I could see the tension in his jaw, the anger simmering beneath the surface.
"Sit down," he instructed, pointing to a chair near him. I obeyed without question, settling into the seat with a sense of unease.
His hands gripped my hips, pulling me close, and my breath caught in my throat. I felt the heat radiating from his body, the strength of his grip sending waves of excitement through me. His lips brushed against mine, a gentle caress that belied the intensity brewing within him.
His hands explored my body, tracing along my curves with a possessive touch. His fingers teased my skin, leaving a trail of anticipation in their wake. And then, with a sudden surge of energy, his mouth captured mine again, this time with a fervor that left me breathless.
His tongue traced every inch of my mouth, exploring hungrily. My own desires rose to meet his, aching for more. His hands slid down my waist, gripping tightly before he pulled me up onto his lap. I gasped at the sudden movement, feeling his erection press against my thigh.
With a low groan, he leaned back into the chair, drawing me closer to him. His hands slipped beneath my shirt, his fingers dancing across my skin. I moaned softly, lost in the sensation of his touch.
And then, with a swift motion, he pushed me back onto the chair, pinning me firmly in place. His hand slipped under my skirt, sliding higher until it found the fabric of my panties. With a single tug, they were gone, leaving me exposed and vulnerable to his touch.
His fingers danced along my inner thighs, sending shivers of pleasure through me. And then, with a sudden rush of adrenaline, his fingers found their way to my center. His movements were slow and deliberate, each stroke bringing me closer to the edge.
I moaned softly, my body arching against his touch. And then, with a sudden surge of energy, he plunged two fingers deep inside me. I cried out, my head falling back against the chair as the sensations overwhelmed me.
His thumb found my clit, rubbing it in slow circles while his fingers continued their relentless rhythm. My cries became louder, my body writhing against his touch. And then, with a final push, he brought me to the edge of climax.
He leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, "You're so fucking wet, baby. You want it?" I nodded frantically, unable to form words. "Tell me what you want," he demanded, his voice low and commanding.
"Please, Lewis. Please fuck me," I begged, my voice hoarse with desire. His smile was wicked, his eyes glinting with satisfaction.
Without warning, he lifted me up and positioned me on his desk. I gasped as he spread my legs wide open, exposing my pussy to his hungry gaze. He leaned down, licking a stripe up the length of my slit before he pressed his tongue against my clit. I cried out, my body arching against his touch.
His tongue worked magic on my clit, stroking and sucking in perfect harmony. I moaned loudly, my fingers digging into the desk as the sensations overwhelmed me. And then, with a sudden surge of energy, he plunged his tongue deeper into me. I screamed, my body shaking with pleasure.
He lifted his head, looking into my eyes with a smirk. "Fuck yeah, baby," he murmured, his voice low and rough. He kissed me deeply, his tongue tangling with mine in a dance of lust and desire.
His hands roamed my body, teasing and tormenting me. I writhed against him, desperate for release. "Please, Lewis," I whimpered, my voice breaking. He laughed, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"What do you say?" he asked, his voice low and taunting. "Please, please, please," I begged, tears welling in my eyes.
He leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear. "Beg for it, baby. Beg for my cock."
My breathing grew ragged as I struggled to form words. "Please, Lewis," I pleaded. "Please fuck me."
His laugh was low and cruel. "Is that all you have to offer, little girl? Is that all you're worth?"
His words stung, but I refused to let them bring me down. "Please, Lewis," I begged, my voice breaking. "Please fuck me. I need you."
He leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear. "Are you sure, baby? Are you sure you can handle all of this?" He thrust his hips forward, his cock hard and throbbing against my entrance.
"Yes, yes, yes!" I cried, my body arching against him. He thrust forward again, burying himself deep inside me. I gasped, the pleasure overwhelming me.
His cock filled me completely, stretching me in ways I never thought possible. I moaned, my body trembling with desire. "Harder, harder," I begged.
He obliged, pounding into me with increasing force. My cries of pleasure echoed throughout the room, blending with the sounds of our bodies slapping together.
He leaned down, his lips grazing my ear. "Good girl," he whispered. "That's right, take it all. Take everything I give you."
His words sent shivers of pleasure through me, and I arched my back further, taking him deeper than ever before. He growled in response, his pace quickening as he slammed into me harder and faster.
"You're such a good little slut, aren't you?" he growled, his eyes burning with lust. "You love taking it all, don't you?"
I nodded frantically, my eyes locked on his. His smile was wicked, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. He leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear. "That's right, baby. You're mine now. Mine to use and abuse as I see fit."
"You're so fucking tight," he rasped. "So fucking wet. Can't get enough of this pussy."
His words sent a wave of arousal through me, and I moaned, bucking my hips against him. "Faster," I cried, my voice raw with desire.
He complied, slamming into me with renewed vigor. His cock filled me completely, stretching me in ways I never thought possible. I moaned, my body trembling with pleasure.
He leaned down, his lips grazing my ear. "Good girl," he whispered. "That's right, take it all. Take everything I give you."
"Such a dirty whore. Taking all of me like a good girl. Fuck your pussy was made for me." he said, his voice low and gravelly. 
I moaned, my body trembling with pleasure. "Yes, yes, yes!" I cried, my eyes rolling back in my head.
"Is my baby girl close?" He whispered as he placed his hand around my throat to pull me up to kiss him. I moaned, still able to taste myself on his tongue. "You don't get to cum until I get to 0. Got it?" I nodded. He tightened his hold on my throat slightly, "Words Y/N or I'll stop and leave you here until the briefing is over." I shook my head, "No please, please, please. Yes daddy I understand." I cried out. He smirked, "Good fucking girl. Now 10," he started.
I bit my lip as he counted down, my body growing increasingly tense with every number. "9," he growled. "8," his voice deep and demanding. "7," he paused, giving me a chance to breathe. "6," his hips bucked against me. "5," his hands gripping my ass. "4," his voice softening slightly. "3," he whispered. "2," I moaned softly. "1," he pulled away from me and stopped thrusting completely. "0," he slammed back into me hard and fast.
I screamed out in pure bliss as I came all over his cock. He grunted and buried himself deeper inside me. My walls contracting around him. "Fucking hell," he cursed as he came hard into me. I felt his hot liquid filling me as I rode out my orgasm. He leaned down and kissed my forehead as we rode out our orgasms together. Then he pulled out and helped me sit up and catch my breath. "Holy fucking shit," I panted. Lewis smiled, "Hell yeah, baby. That was amazing." I looked down at my legs and noticed cum dripping down my thigh. Lewis saw it too and smirked. He grabbed me and carried me to his couch and laid me down. When I regained my senses, I looked up at him and smiled, "Thank you, daddy." He chuckled, "Of course, babygirl. Anytime." 
He handed me a towel and some water. I winced as he cleaned me up. "Sorry, babe. Just needed a little release after today." I blushed and nodded. "It's fine," I said quietly. "Just be careful next time." He chuckled and kissed me softly. "Of course, baby. I'll make sure to keep your legs closed next time." I rolled my eyes but smiled nonetheless.
"Thanks, Lewis." He grinned and wrapped his arms around me. "Anytime, Y/n." We stayed like that for a few more minutes before we finally got dressed and headed out for the team briefing. He walked over to his closet and grabbed a jacket and threw it at me. "Here, put this on." I did as I was told and wrapped the jacket around myself. He opened his arm and pulled me into a hug, "We should get going before everyone starts wondering where we are." I giggled and nodded my head, "Okay, let's go."
He walked out of the room and led us towards the briefing. Everyone looked up when we entered. Toto's eyes widened as he saw me wearing Lewis' jacket. Lewis smirked, "Sorry Toto, we got sidetracked for a bit." Toto raised an eyebrow, "Oh really?" Lewis chuckled, "Yeah, we were having a good time." Toto rolled his eyes, "Well, glad you two decided to join us." Lewis winked at him and we all settled in for the briefing.
After the briefing was over, Lewis walked up to me and whispered in my ear, "Let's go back to the hotel and finish what we started." I blushed and nodded my head. He grinned and took my hand, leading us out of the paddock. We got in the car and drove back to the hotel.
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LH44 Taglist: @tallrock35, @yourbane, @lightdragonrayne, @really-fucking-tired, @evie-119, @asparklysoul, @leclercdior, @ilivbullyingjeongin
F1 Taglist: @hiireadstuff, @really-fucking-tired, @donteventry-itdude, @spookystitchery
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e-vay · 5 months
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Evay QA Bulk Post 3
Here’s the latest assembly of asks, assorted by topics so you can browse only what interests you. Also, some questions refer to the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure game I made, so to avoid spoilers for those of you who haven't played it, I put those asks all the way at the bottom. If you haven't played my game yet, please go play it!
PERSONAL ASKS
Anon asked: E-vay may i ask which tablet mark do you use for your drawings?
And dreamylumi-art asked: Was wondering what is your favorite brushes In Procreate? Your drawings look so fun and bouncy that I’m interested in your process!
A: I use an iPad and I do all my drawings in Procreate now. I like to experiment with brushes, but the primary brushes I use come standard with Procreate. I use the "Procreate Pencil" for my sketches and the "Technical Pen" for linework :)
Anon asked: How are u and ur family doing? ❤️
A: You are so very sweet for asking ❤️ We're all doing really good right now. My dad's surgery went great and he's cancer free and fully healed. My mom is on medication that's helped her a lot. Things are also looking up for my younger sister (she even got engaged this Christmas!). I'm stressed but for good reasons hahaha I'm very thankful and counting my blessings right now.
twistedchaos101 asked: Hey, what’s your MBTI?
A: I just retook the test and I got "INFJ-T Advocate" for myself :)
karura-senpai asked: Have u ever heard of these new bollywood movies like Animal and Dunki which are popular rn around the world because of instagram reels and tiktok videos...
A: I can't say that I have, I'm sorry! My Tiktok FYP is very niche so I don't see many things about movies on there.
edwinflores428 asked: E-vay, since you're also a Beatles enjoyer, did you hear the new Beatles song 'Now and Then'?
A: I had not known about this before you told me! I just listened to it and I really loved it. It has that beautiful, 60's-Beatles feel to me. Thank you so much for point it out to me!
Anon asked: What's your creative process when going into writing / planning for a comic? Apologies if this has been asked before.
A: I normally start by just jotting down any super rough concepts/quotes in my notes app. If the piece I'm doing involves stuff I don't know by heart (renaissance clothing or certain landscapes or anything like that) I'll work on gathering a TON of resource images. That way I'm not interrupting my drawing process by repeatedly stopping to look up references. I try to do it all up front and have it saved somewhere I can easily access.
Once I have more time, I'll write out the script in a Google Doc. I break up the script by each panel. I won't always have all the elements ready in my head, and sometimes I'll combine panels or separate them more, but I can always adjust:
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Once I have a basic script, I can start to rough out the drawings/panels. These are just gestural drawings; I'm not looking to do anything too detailed here. I'm trying to figure out what best captures the emotions/energy of the scene and determine the natural flow of where your eyes will want to read the art and word bubbles:
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Then I move on to the "pencils." This is my opportunity to nail down the expressions and flow. Sometimes I'll realize the page is imbalanced so I will redesign the panels so it has more even weight distribution or make it more dynamic/emotional. I always draw the characters in different colors so it can help me make sure I know what lines belong to which character:
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Then it's on to all the fun stuff: Lines, coloring, shading and adding text!
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I hope this answered your question! It's pretty straight forward :)
Anon asked: have you ever watched the anime fairy tail? if no i think sonamy fits the main couple NaLu (natsu x lucy) really well, like as if they’re similar 🫶🏻
A: I'm sorry, I've never seen it! I don't watch much anime anymore.
Anon asked: Can you make different characters(aka people sonic characters/oc) in your own style
A: When I'm open for commissions, yes! I am not open for commissions at the moment but I plan on doing that this year.
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MISC SONIC ASKS
chrismantike asked: What’re your thoughts on longclaw (the owl from the sonic movie) does she exist in your AU as Sonic’s mom?
A: I liked the relationship we saw between Longclaw and baby Sonic in the movie, but I consider the movie as something entirely separate from the game/comic canon. I don't include any of the movie elements as part of my AU.
essycogany asked: What do you like most about Prime!Sonic?
A: Hmm, I think my favorite thing about him is how open he is with his emotions. In this show, he's very verbal about how much he cares about his friends and he doesn't hide it when he's sad or upset about something. In other media, Sonic has a habit of masking his emotions. I get that that's part of his personality, but it's nice to see this different side of him. (I also like how he showed more emotions in Frontiers, too!)
juli071023 asked: e-vay, what motivates you a lot about Sonic these years, why do you love it a lot, what motivates you about that character?
A: In the words of Young Neil, 'that's kind of a big question' haha. Simply put, the franchise just fuels me with excitement and joy and love! The character Sonic represents happiness and freedom and living in the moment and loving life to the fullest and I think that's such a great outlook to have. From a meta standpoint, I love how good the Sonic Team is to us fans. They engage with us regularly and put out SO MUCH CONTENT for us, more than any other franchise I'm aware of! I mean there are plenty of other great IPs out there, but you don't get the bombardment of games and shows and comics and social media engagement (etc) that you get with Sonic. I just think that's so cool! The fans love Sonic so much and the creators know that and reward us for our commitment. It's awesome.
Anon asked: So who do you think would win in a fight between Mario and Sonic
A: I gotta go with my boy Sonic! But of course it's better when they team up :D
Anon asked: How do you feel about the Dadow theory/au? As in Shadow being Silvers Dad. I honestly like it a lot.
A: If they're related, I think it makes more sense for Shadow to be Silver's grandpa or great grandparent. I think there are plot holes to say that he's directly his dad but I'm definitely open to them being related. Plus I think people can headcanon/au just about whatever they want, so I'm not against that theory :)
Anon asked: Hi e-vay, I hope you’re having a great day!! My question is: if there were to be a Sonic movie that’s only about Sonic and the guys but they were all being played by human actors, which actors do you think would suit them best?
A: Thank you so much, I hope you are too! Oh man this was so difficult but I put a ton of thought into it. And I'm sure there are still tons of actors I'm not thinking of who would be better, but here's what my gut tells me: Older Sonic: Max Greenfield [x] [x] or Jack Quaid [x] [x]. They're so witty and handsome and are built like runners! Younger Sonic: Jack Dylan Grazer Older Amy: Alison Brie. Even if it wasn't a live action movie, I so desperately wish that Alison Brie could be Amy's voice actor. I'm actually working on an animation where Amy is paired with some Alison Brie lines because I think it's such a perfect fit. She's sweet and funny and strong and sexy. She's on the petite side but she has that confidence that just commands a room. Ugh, Amy and Alison are my dream women 💖 Younger Amy: McKenna Grace Older Tails: Justice Smith or Cole Sprouse Younger Tails: Noah Jupe or Jacob Tremblay. Sorry, I don't know many young actors but I think they're both great! Older Knuckles: Terry Crews or Jason Momoa Younger Knuckles: Tyler James Williams [x] [x] Shadow: Jensen Ackles or Michael B Jordan 💖Swoon💖 Older Rouge: Ana de Armas or Charlize Theron Younger Rouge: Jenna Ortega or Sophie Turner
Anon asked: How old are the sonic boom characters in your opinion?
A: Firstly, I've said this before but I don't think Mobian age works the same as human age. I consider the Sonic Boom characters as all being what we'd consider as late teens or young adults. They all act like me and my friends did when were were college age haha
Anon asked: What do u think tails looked/acted during puberty🙂
A: That's what Tall!Tails is all about! I think he shot up in height and outgrew Sonic immediately. Maybe he got a bit more snarky and might mutter about how annoying it is that Sonic doesn't think things through before acting, but Tails is a sweetheart and I think he'd overall still be nice even while he's in that awkward stage of life.
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MY OCs/AU ASKS
@redbirduniverse13 asked: Hi i love your art 💖 My question is, are your characters aware that other versions of them exist?
A: Thank you so much! No, they aren't aware of any other versions of them out there. Ruff would probably be most hopeful to meet other versions of himself since he's into comic books and would love the concept of the multiverse.
twistedchaos101 asked: What's your ocs MBTI?
A: I have too many OCs to do all of them lol But I'll do it for Aurora and CC. As Aurora, the results from the test were: "ENFP-T Campaigner" As CC, the results from the test were: "INTJ-A Architect"
Anon asked: Question, how is Aurora able to glow ?
A: Aurora has photokinesis, which gives her the ability to manipulate light. This results in a lot of things she's able to do that involve light, but glowing is the easiest thing for her to do (and is the hardest for her to suppress lol). She was born with these abilities but they didn't manifest until she was about preteen age.
charlieangel345 asked: You know everytime I saw Aurora glow up, her photokinesis power changes color. It made me wonder if she feel happy, angry, or sad, her light power might change colors. I can imagine she can create rainbow light.
A: Absolutely! Her powers are severely influenced by her emotions, so the color of her glow would definitely change based on her feelings. I have her inhibitors glow green naturally, but she could do any color under the light spectrum.
freshcreationgarden asked: I like to think Aurora's favorite fairytale growing up was beauty and the beast. Something about a handsome prince who hides beneath a rough exterior who believes they are not worthy of love who is bound to a "Rose"
A: Oh that is just too sweet! That metaphor is very perfect for what I write for her romantic future ;) I have said in a previous ask that Thumbelina is her favorite fairytale, but I like your headcanon too!
Anon asked: Hi, something randomly popped in my head about like the comics of aurora and I wondered, has aurora ever gotten sick?
A: Of course! She's just a regularly lady so she gets sick like average people do. I see her as the type that doesn't get sick often, but when she does it LAAAASTS. (That's how I am and it sucks!)
Anon asked: I know this might be a weird question, but can it be possible if Aurora can do chaos control with a chaos emerald like Sonic and Shadow.
A: I'll be honest, because we don't know much about Chaos Emeralds, I don't know who is capable of using them or not. But because Sonic is capable of using Chaos Control, I'm going to say yes Aurora should be able to as well. I don't think it's a technique either of them can master like Shadow does. Chaos Control seems second nature to Shadow.
Anon asked: if we go by sonic underground lore imagine Aurora finding out that she's technically a princess/duchess. Like sonic always call her princess because that's what dad's typically call their daughters, but then she finds out and her mind just explodes.
A: Honestly, I'm not a Sonic Underground fan. I know a lot of people love it for the nostalgia, but I didn't watch it growing up so I don't have any ties to it and I am not a fan of the story. I'm okay if people want to headcanon tying it in, but it's not for me.
*The next question is a Shadora Ask. Skip if you don't like Shadora*
Anon said: Hi, so glad you’re back! Just reread Boom!Baby where Rouge mentions how hedgehogs have a lot of babies and I think it’s kinda funny in the future Shadow and Aurora have eight
A: Thank you so much, I'm so happy to be back! Yeah, Rouge really knew what she was talking about 😆 I bet she told Shadow the same thing when they were expecting!
Anon asked: Does aroura ever run into her ex again?
A: Aurora spends most of her life in a small bubble, rarely leaving her home town, so she would have run into him now and then. Again though, they were kids when they were "boyfriend/girlfriend" and you can hardly even call them that (Imagine like in the Barbie movie, how Ken and Barbie don't know what it means to be Girlfriend-Boyfriend) so it's not awkward running into each other. It's more of a "Hey there's that person I used to know"
prophecyhyper asked: When Aurora was born and Amy said "She's more perfect than I imagined" What did she imagine of Aurora looking like?
A: She didn't have an exact image in mind when she said that. It was more like an amorphous concept. You know somehow the baby will look like you and your partner, but there are so many different outcomes. So she would have daydreamed about all the possibilities: the baby looking more like Sonic, the baby looking more like her, maybe the baby having elements of their grandparents.
Anon asked: Will Sage exist in your AU?
A: Yes! I adore Sage!
*The next question is a Shadora Ask. Skip if you don't like Shadora*
Anon asked: Hey Evay, I’ve been thinking about this lately. It’s kind of silly question. If there is a naughty and nice list, which of Shadora Kids is naughty or nice.
A: This was a great question and I'm so sorry I missed it before the holidays! This is all in fun, none of them got punished: Piper: Nice but ONLY after Santa had to give her a lecture on how she needs to not be a smartass and boss around her siblings Zane: Naughty (He did too many stunts indoors!) Nova: Nice Aster: Naughty (He and Blitz plotted to kidnap Santa) Blitz: Naughty (She finds it a point of pride) Diamond: Nice Cinder: Nice (He's scared of Santa) Boon: NICE! (He doesn't know the meaning of the word naughty!)
Anon asked: haven’t seen CC in a while, could we have more CC please
A: There will be more CC, I promise! :)
kbluetoons asked: Say, after reading your spindash lesson comic (which was really cute by the way), what if Aurora showed her kids how to spindash like how Sonic showed her?
A: Aw I'm so happy you liked it! Yes, learning to spin dash is vital to a hedgehog's upbringing ;) She'd teach them very young but then immediately regret it because they'd be spindashing all over the house. Now she knows why Sonic was so hesitant to teach her when she was little!
mod-bubamon asked: I know spooky season is over but how do cc and tails handle horror movies? Does cc Criticize every litter thing the protagonist do? Does tails even get scared after all he's been through? IF CC GETS SCARED DOES SHE HUGS TAILS TAILS FOR COMFORT??? THIS IS IMPORTANT
A: Hahaha I loved this question! First of all, Spooky Season is never over for me! ↜(ˈ╰ •ω•)╯ψ So bring on all your Halloweeny ideas! CC would not be fun to watch horror movies with. She would be overly analytical, not only of the actions that the victims are doing but how unrealistic the injuries/gore/battles are haha. I see Tails as someone who originally was afraid of scary movies, but watching them with CC has actually helped him to be less afraid of them. Now he spots the same flaws she does and they like to roast them together! Just to clarify -- CC does get scared of things, just not horror movies.
Anon asked: Hey, I rediscovered your art recently and almost forgot how much I loved it! I love CC and was wondering if you had any small head cannon kinda things you have for her and Tails you would share that you haven't already?
A: Well welcome back and thank you so very much! This question was not related to the previous question, but the previous question sparked an idea for me so I'm going to expand on it here. When Tails and CC first started watching horror movies together, CC noticed that Tails was super on edge. To help relax him, she'd take his tails into her lap and pet them to calm him down. He's not as scared of movies anymore, but he always has her stroke his tails while they watch shows together now :) Also, CC is still getting used to Mobian mannerisms and nuances. They've made a nightly routine where during dinner, she debriefs Tails on all the new conversations and interactions she's had with people and Tails scores her on how well she's adjusting. She likes the challenge and strives for a better "score" every day!
--
SHIPPING ASKS
essycogany asked: How are you feeling about the new Sonamy material from this and last year? Things are really starting to become more obvious as the years go on.
A: It does my shriveled little heart so much good! I don't know that they'll ever cross that line in canon, but I love how much their relationship has evolved compared to years ago. It means the world to me that Sonic considers Amy as one of his best friends and as someone he can depend on (and is even willing to think about dating ((in reference to that cut dialog line from Frontiers)). And I love that Amy has proven that her feelings for Sonic are more than just a fan-crush; she genuinely loves him for who he is and will always be there for him. UGH IT MAKES ME FEEL SO ALIVE!
Anon asked: I just wanted to say that I love love love your sonamy works! :D Absolutely adorable (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧ Also, only if you want to answer ofc, what are your thoughts on the ship Metamy (Metal Sonic and Amy)? Thank you for the lovely food you bring and have a wonderful day!
A: Oh gosh, thank you so much! You just made my day wonderful by this sweet message! I do ship Metamy! After all, I believe in my heart of hearts that Sonic has feelings for Amy and Metal Sonic is supposed to be the same as him... ^_~ I think despite his transgressions, Amy has a special place in her heart for Metal. He's one of the reasons she even met Sonic in the first place! But what I'd prefer most is for Metal Sonic to have a Metal Amy. That way everybody wins 💕
Anon asked: Hi e-vay I love ur dr who art!! Question, do tenrose remind you of sonamy? Or do any characters or couples from the whoverse remind you of any sonic character or couples?
A: Ahhh thank you so much! I always thought my Doctor Who art got lost in the void so I'm so glad you found it! TenRose is my favorite DoctorWho ship, so I think by law I have to relate them to sonamy haha. But honestly I think RoryXAmyPond suits sonamy more if you reverse the roles. Rory's absolute dedication to AmyPond--regardless of death--was the definition of love, and that's how I feel Amy Rose is for Sonic. I can't think of any other ships that are good parallels. River Song reminds me of Rouge just that she's savvy and flirty. Forgive me, I stopped watching after Eleven regenerated so I'm not up to date on anything. If you don't like the Shadora ship then don't click this link, but I have drawn Aurora and Shadow as Ten and Rose before :)
Anon asked: Werehog Sonic and Werehog Amy kiss meme or a mini comic about both kissing in their werehog forms?
A: I kind of already drew that :) It's the 10th drawing in this post.
*The next question is a Shadora Ask. Skip if you don't like Shadora*
penguin-evere asked: hello! this is my first time doing something like this. i've loved your art for a while now (probably since 2017-2018), and i love the new style you have! anyways, i wanted to ask if you've seen the frontiers twitter takeover, and the newfound information about shadow's secret like of some good ol' t. swizzle music, and was curious if aurora would be a fan too, and if they would go to a concert together! i think it'd be really cute.
A: Thank you so much! And I'm so relieved you still like my stuff even after all this time :) Aurora loves pop music and so yeah I could see her being a Taylor fan for sure. Although I don't take Swifty!Shadow as canon (lol) it is still fun to think they could bond over that music together!
*The next question is a Shadora Ask. Skip if you don't like Shadora*
Anon asked: what was the shadora confession like? Cause I like to imagine that it was shadow who confessed and that he did it in the most dramatic way possible, cause he's our drama king.
A: I don't want to reveal too much until I've properly drawn it, but yes for my stories Shadow would confess his love first. He's technically loved her longer since he met her when she traveled back in time to save him so once they've "re-met" I don't think he'd be willing to hide his feelings too long. It's Shadow so of course it has to be so romantic and dreamy~!
--
ASKS RE: MY GAME
Anon asked: How did you make the Trick Or Sweet Halloween Game, can you show me what you used or did to make it? If you can do a step by step that would be helpful or just tell me how you did it that would be helpful:))
A: Oh man... Honestly, it was way too complicated of a project to explain in just one answer. And I won't be able to explain any of the technical/coding side. I watched so many tutorials but I just couldn't grasp it, so my husband had to code it for me and I have no idea how he managed it. From a non-technical standpoint, I had to first write out the script for it. That means writing out all the dialog and also writing out every option possible. Even though my game was fairly linear, this was still complicated to write. What helped me was using icons and colors to help me know which actions would lead to which outcomes:
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Then came the longest part, the drawing! I had to draw a variety of sprites and backgrounds and objects. Also, some of the actions you take make certain items go away, so I had to remember to hide them depending on the path you took. Once I had all the elements, I assembled them in a Slides presentation to test it out. If you're not doing anything too complicated, you could probably get away with making your game entirely in Google Slides. Mine was too complicated and I wouldn't be able to publish it to my website but it was good for testing. When it was ready for build, I had to make a comprehensive guide for Ryan showing what clicks lead to where, what sound effects should be played when, when the music tracks should switch, etc:
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He programmed it in Adobe Animate. I don't know how he did it, other than he's just a brilliant babe and I thank god for him lol
Anon asked: Just at a curiosity though, whatever happened to everyone (especially Sonic & Amy) AFTER your truth serum wore off from your ‘Trick or Sweet Adventure’? Also how about Shadow & Rouge? Did they get affected as well?
A: They lived happily ever after, of course! If the two just told each other how they felt then they'd be happy (in my opinion) so they just needed a little magical kick in the butt haha. I didn't have any plans for Shadow or Rouge, but if I could cast a spell to make them happy then I would give Rouge a throne of diamonds and Shadow the chance to ease the pain in his heart (T▽T)
---
Thank you all for the questions!
Evay QA Bulk Post 1
Evay QA Bulk Post 2
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iztea · 6 months
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Maybe you have some drawing tips for beginners?
Your style is incredibly beautiful and it just inspires this thing inside me to grab my iPad and start drawing but unfortunately I have no idea where to even begin
Or maybe you have some recs where to look to learn how to draw stuff?
But I understand completely that it’s your thing and artists should never feel pressured to share all their techniques and secrets, you worked hard on it!
I just really really love your art to the point where I just look at it for 30 minutes straight with this big feeling in my chest
<3
ah it was never about being secretive, i'm pretty open about my drawing process since gatekeeping knowledge is a big pet peeve of mine. It was more like,, laziness because writing a cohesive and helpful drawing tutorial is pretty difficult and i wouldn't even know where to start; i'm afraid i'll get maybe too technical and what have you.
As for tips for beginners, i've shared plenty on my couriouscat so you can scroll through the answers there, i also have some drawing timelapses on my twitter account as well (albeit you'll have to scroll a little)
I'm very flattered you feel that way about my art, it really means a lot to me and i'm glad to have inspired you to draw as well that's awesome and i wish you best of luck!
I actually don't know how different drawing on an iPad is compared to a graphic tablet+desktop, so I am actually pretty clueless in that regard. I think Procreate is the most used digital art app for iPad so you can start by getting it and familiarizing yourself with the UI. I think this step is often overlooked. The brushes and the chosen program can make or break the drawing experience. If you simply find yourself not enjoying Procreate, experiment with other apps or maybe try switching to a graphic tablet, maybe that feels better and is more suited to your tastes.
To be completely honest, one "bad" piece of advice that i should probably keep to myself is to draw something you actually enjoy: fanart, Pretty Girl Portrait(tm), your cat, landscapes etc even if it's above your skill level (becoming obsessed/ fixated on some character from a piece of media also works wonders i'm just gonna throw that out there). The main point is to actually care about your chosen subject in order to get inspired and to have that inner desire of "doing them justice" aka drawing them well. The traditional art learning route probably involves studying the fundamentals, shading spheres and cones and simple 3D forms blablbablah which. Yeah ! sure that's probably better advice but i'm telling you what will make you want to keep going and not get discouraged after a few failed attempts.
As for the drawing subject, I highly recommend having photo references to guide you.. you always need refs it's a recurring thing. My fastest artworks are the ones where I have the right references. the less references the more difficult it is to draw something
As a beginner it is also a good practice to draw OVER your photo reference to get the proportions right ( i'm not talking about literally tracing the contour of a face or limb ( just an example ), but moreso identifying the Main shape which makes up that body part and observe how long is it in respect to the other components, how does it connect to the other parts etc - big difference. Tracing won't help you in the long run).
Another thing you can do is to study your favourite artists and see how They tackle whatever it is that you like in their work. how do they simplify facial features? what about anatomy? color/ light etc and kinda reverse engineer your way through their process. ( but i highly recommend to just keep these practice sketches to yourself, and to not share them on social media- unless you get the artist's permission)
This is how i got into drawing and what i did back then, again, for more technical hands-on information i did answer similar CCs before so with a little bit of stalking you'll find them in no time
I wanna finish this with some resources that helped me:
>youtube guys - sinix, ahmed aldoori, marco bucci, and also just speedpaints in general i highly recommend watching those
>for simplified anatomy i found @/ taco1704 's ref sheets to be very helpful but ........... I'm pretty dry here i just look up refs on Pinterest tbvh
speaking of, here's my pinterest i have a bunch of art related boards board cool stuff overall maybe they can help guide you towards some direction or inspire you in some way idk
ok i kinda suck in the resource department listeN. im starving too just.................. watch youtube speedpaints ok
SORRY IT'S SO LONGGGBGGG i hope it was at least a bit helpful? this was all over the place... I'll try to come up with a tutorial as well but i really gotta be careful with how i go about it. I'll leave you with this for the time being. Again, thank you a lot for the kind words, I really am very grateful and touched esp by that last part about staring with the big feeling stuff eeeeeeeeeeeeee really wow T T that's so lovely and a big compliment thanks ty ly
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genericpuff · 9 months
Text
Alright, update on the tablet situation, I do NOT have good news but there are some silver linings.
First off, thank you all so much for your patience. That one week I took off to relax seemed to be an invitation for the universe to fuck with my shit because my tablet literally chose the worst time to get on my nerves ( This is totally not something I'm gonna bring up with my therapist as proof that I'm not allowed to rest /s) I've tried just about everything to get it working again, I got a replacement 3-in-1 cable and even that didn't do anything, so I've ordered in a new pen, but that's not due to show up for another week or two.
However, I do not want to wait a week or two on the off chance that a new pen even solves the problem.
So the GOOD NEWS in all this is that I do still have my iPad. It wasn't setup with Clip Studio Paint because I own a perpetual license for my PC, but seeing as how now I can't use it on my PC (at least not with my tablet pen) I've gone ahead and setup the mobile version on my tablet, thankfully I got a discount because I already own a perpetual license but it's still gonna cost me $10/month so that's yet another subscription to slap on the 'ole credit card.
Now that does mean I have to go through the painstaking efforts of moving everything from my PC onto my tablet, but thankfully that issue is easily solved with cloud backups and transferring. Really all I need to be able to do is draw, I can still do speech bubbles and text input and texture overlays and all that post-production stuff on my PC, but anything that requires actual drawing I'm gonna be using my iPad for. So please, don't mind if you notice some weird little art differences between Episode 30 and 29, I'm adjusting to a new workflow! It shouldn't be too bad because I'll still be using the exact same brushes and textures and all that fun stuff that I do on my PC, it just comes with the adjustment of drawing primarily on iPad, which I don't normally do (I usually only draw on my iPad for tattooing and that's in Procreate which I still suck at using outside of lineart LMAO)
This is a very stressful situation that I'm hoping will only be temporary until I get that new tablet pen, and if THAT doesn't solve the issue, then I'm gonna have to start shopping for a new tablet entirely, and that's not something I can do immediately because I'm already starting to struggle financially due to the slow season creeping in at work and I'm still paying off that new PC I put down on layaway (which I'm regretting already). All that said, if you want to help a pal out, please consider tossing a dollar or two at me on my Ko-Fi, it's all gonna go towards a new drawing tablet if I need it (and if the pen solves the issue, then you'll be helping me stay afloat so I can keep bringing you guys the good shit LOL)
What's wild is that in all my Google searching, I found a thread from two months ago with literally the EXACT same issue, under the exact same conditions, in which OP's tablet pen unexpectedly stopped registering with their Huion Kamvas 22 Plus that they had owned for two years. According to them, it did start working again, after resetting the PC and re-installing the driver over and over again, but I've already done that myself a ton of times and I'm tired of being let down and that doesn't seem like a "real" solution beyond luck, so I'm gonna take a break from doing that while I get my iPad set up. I have the sneaking suspicion this might have to do with some recent Windows updates that just rolled out, my PC had definitely gone through a couple leading up to the malfunction. This wouldn't be the first time Microsoft has fucked with my tablet functionality so I literally wouldn't be surprised if it was something like that. Either that, or the '2' in Kamvas 22 stands for "will only last for 2 years before stopping entirely" LOL
Anyways, that's all for now. Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding through all this. While I don't want to have to reduce the quality or frequency of what I put out for you guys due to technical issues, I also don't want the comic to stop entirely, so if this turns into one of those desperate situations where I'm delivering you guys episodes of Rekindled drawn on a Nintendo DS, so be it. I'm not gonna let this beat me.
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peachypede · 4 months
Text
Hi all.
I haven't been happy lately. I've been thinking a lot about why. Had a little meditation on it this morning. I think my brain is too busy. I've decided to take a break from Tumblr for a week. Possibly more if I feel like it.
I'm deleting Tumblr off my phone for now. Mutuals can still message on Discord. I'm a sahm, I'll go crazy with zero human interaction other than children lol. (If you're a mutual who doesnt have my Discord and you want it, feel free to DM to ask for it. I got notifs on for Dms on Tumblr on my tablet only)
...
There's this constant pressure, almost need? To churn out as much "content" as possible or be buried in the past. Idk if it's just me not being able to do art normally? I used to draw for myself. I used to be self-indulgent. I used to be fine with only my closest online friends seeing my art. I don't know what changed. It makes me feel ill that ive begun seeing my art as "content" that others "consume". I wanna make my art for me again.
I stayed up till 11 pm last night despite having to wake up at any time to feed the baby. Idk why I did it? Maybe I need a med change? Meh.
I've also just been discouraged. I've seen a lot of posts filled with hate lately and I feel like it's infecting me with hatred too. I'm angrier lately and I hate it. (Is there a way to turn off the "for you" page?? Cause all it gives me is bad takes lol.)
I think I need time to be me? To draw art without feeling like I should post it right away. Also it'd be nice to make art without thinking: "what will get the most notes?" I've wanted to do a project with my ocs for months now but I kinda have been putting it off in order to make stuff I think people would like more...like Submas stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love our submas boys and I'm still gonna draw stuff with them but they're not the thing I'm most passionate about now.
So I'm gonna go explore that stuff now with zero social media influence :)
See ya later. ❤️
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ozwuv · 4 months
Note
If I have hand pains (as artists get) what’s should I do? Do you recommend any exercises?
hmmm so i don't get hand pains necessarily, but i did damage my ulnar nerve pretty badly end of 2019-2020 from the oz fanbook grind lol. this led to a constant, dull pain in my dominant arm and persistent numbness in my hand. for a long time, i couldn't hold a pencil at all and to this day my grip is pretty weak. i remember when acnh came out in march 2020, i cried out of frustration constantly bc my grip was so lax i couldn't play.
that said, i'm speaking from experience when i say that taking advice on stretching techniques i found online made things way, way worse for me because it exacerbated the nerve damage i didn't know i had until i saw a doctor. the wrong kind of stretches can be more damaging than helpful if you're not doing them correctly, and especially if you have some kind of underlying issue that would be counterproductive for. the same thing goes for wrist braces and such -- a lot of people recommend them, but the wrong kind of brace can damage you further, and you should not be constantly wearing a brace unless a medical professional has told you to; constant usage of braces weakens your muscles over time because the brace prevents you from actually using them. if you have the means for it, i would really recommend consulting a physical therapist for preventative care.
but i didn't have access to medical care for a long time, so i get that's not feasible for everyone. if that's you, basic harm reduction guidelines are good to keep in mind. these are going to be things you've undoubtedly heard before, but they're drilled into your head for good reason:
take breaks. set a timer for every ~30-60 min and every time it goes off, get up, walk around, flex your hands and wrists, etc. ideally at least 10 minutes.
keep plenty of water within arm's reach at all times. hydration manages/prevents pain more than you might think. as soon as my grip gets too slack, i know that i need to stop drawing and drink a ton of water, but you should be drinking fluids at a semi-constant rate so you don't get to that point.
if you're in pain, stop drawing. no "i'll just wrap up the lines and then stop" -- listen to your body. if you're hurting, you've already pushed it too far and anything more is just going to make it worse.
posture posture posture -- any kind of posture advice for office workers generally applies to drawing.
^if you use a screen tablet (like cintiq or ipad) it's going to be virtually impossible to maintain good posture without buying a tablet arm or something. in cases like that, you should place even more of an emphasis on harm reduction or maybe even consider switching to an analog tablet so your monitor is at eye level. personally i'm in it for the longhaul with my ipad though lol
unfortunately advice like this kinda sucks for ppl with ADHD (meee) because pausing in the middle of something can cause you to become distracted or lose motivation. i don't really have a solution for that, but ultimately i got to the point where the nerve damage was so bad that i solidified these habits to prevent making it worse. i do get distracted and lose motivation a lot, but i did that to myself by not treating my body with the care it deserved.
if you take one thing from this response, let it be this: if you don't already experience chronic pain and/or nerve damage while drawing constantly without taking necessary precautions, it's not a matter of "if" you develop these issues, but "when". if you don't already have chronic pain from drawing, your goal right now should not be to preemptively look into things to remedy it, it should be seeking to prevent these issues altogether. work in some good habits, even if it's just taking breaks every now and then. even just one break per drawing is better than no breaks at all. i thought i was immune to these issues for over a decade & then i developed arthritis in my upper vertebrae at 20 years old lol nobody is immune i prommy<3
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I broke another thing today.
My shitty body and my adhd (caused from PTSD) combine to make me just so incredibly bad at like, making sure nothing breaks or falls, and I'm so tired of more things breaking because of me. It's expensive, i'm disabled, and because of the (C)ptsd, I feel so bad about myself when this happens. I literally don't know what I can do differently - it's like my very existence fucks objects up, with my carelessness. But I don't know how to care for things more and better with the limited mental and physical resources I have. One time I left a spoon in the ice maker and it completely turned around the mechanism that churns out the ice cubes, basically breaking it.
I have no recollection of this. It took me like 20 minutes to figure out a possible situation where this might have happened. But I genuinely don't remember.
I broke my tablet LCD screen and I literally have no idea how - I don't remember dropping or harming it. (Though my hands are bad or I'll set it in a poor position and it'll fall, so I have in the past).
It's like everything is working against me to make sure I never feel good about myself, and always feel grimy as a person.
Thanks for reading <3
Hey, I'm really sorry that you keep accidentally breaking things, and I don't blame you for being upset and frustrated that this keeps happening. But it's NOT your fault that you have some challenges which result in this happening to you more often than it does to most people, and you are not a failure or a bad person for struggling more with this than the average person ❤️
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shurisneakers · 2 years
Text
bridges break (ii)
summary: steve shuts himself away. you pull him along on a trip of a lifetime in an attempt to reconnect. great plan! except there's one big secret he's keeping from you that could change the course of your entire relationship, and there's no greasy stack of diner pancakes in the country big enough to hide behind.
(road trip!au, best friends to lovers)
Warnings: angst, mentions of death, mental health issues and disorientation, ptsd, swearing, my garbage attempt at humour and art history. lemme know if i missed anything and I'll tag it.
A/N: hi <3 thank u all for your bday wishes and yes i feel literally as old as this geriatric mf. love u guys
there's a poem in here that's been credited to a.j. it was written by the wonderful @barnesandco whose poetry you can find over on @pakpoetics so follow her and send some love!!
Previous Part || Series Masterlist
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"Passport."
"Yes."
"Tablet."
"Yes."
"Synced calendar on your phone."
"Yes." Steve breaks away from the threshold of his apartment and into the cold air.
Mona face lags on the screen, and Steve waits for her to start moving again. The sun had just barely begun to peek through the clouds, the air chill with the thin layer of condensation, and she was already working on full steam.
He'd assured her, swore to her, that he wouldn't need a physical copy of the checklist delivered to him. Still, her call had come about ten minutes ago to make sure Steve had an updated copy of all the fundraisers and public service announcements he was scheduled to attend when he was back.
But then she asks, "Pager?"
"Pager?" Steve stalls in his steps.
"The Constitution?" she continues. "Declaration of Independence?"
He watches the desolate road in front of his apartment, biting back a wry smile. "Very funny."
"Sorry. Couldn't help myself," she says and then adds something else he doesn't catch.
"What'd you say?" He squints at the bars-- he had full network.
"I said, we've only got clearance for a month and one week," she says, louder. "And that's after a lot of negotiating. So please try to make it back by then."
"Gotcha," he says, studying a cyclist that rode past him leisurely. "How are you gonna keep busy?"
"I've got my ways," Mona replies. "Oh! Last thing before your vacation officially starts--"
A sleek, black SUV pulls up in front of him in true movie fashion. The window rolls down to reveal your face complete with a bright smile and sunglasses, both out of place for this time of the morning. Still, he can't control himself and  his own lopsided smile grows at the sight.
"Too late," Steve says, waving to you before making his way around the back of the car. “Think it just did.“
"Just a document, I swear. Captain Ro-"
"It's just Steve, Mona." He sighs, balancing the phone between his shoulder blades as he leaves his two duffel bags in the trunk. “We've taken care of all of it. Even if I disappear tomorrow, it'll be fine."
The hecticness had slowed to a crawling pace, anyway. He put in a few extra hours, pre-recorded several videos for the public for various hypothetical scenarios, and in general seemed like he had done most of what he could from his position.
He made tired, but overall sincere, promises to return immediately if aliens landed up in the city again, or if Mona sent him an SOS. The latter was more of a priority.
"Okay, first of all, please don't do that,” Mona adds quickly. “If you’re planning on disappearing, then-"
"I was kidding." Sort of. "I'll sign the thing."
"Great!” He watches the white light on her face change to blue she switches apps. "Now, I know I said that was the last thing but-"
"Hanging up on you now." He closes the trunk firmly with a thud.
She lets out an exaggerated exhale before looking at him.
"I was just gonna say send me a postcard. I like the old, weird ones."
"I will keep that in mind," Steve promises. "Bye, Mona."
"Bye, Captain Rogers."
"Steve."
"Captain Steve," she replies swiftly before the screen goes dark, leaving him to stare at himself.
He shakes his head lightly, tucking his phone into his pocket and makes his way to the passenger's side.
"Hi," you say as he peers in through the window. "You ready to get this thing started?"
______
A map spread wide, arm to arm, takes up most of the space in the front.
"Why am I looking at this again?" he asks in delayed clarification, nevertheless not tearing his eyes away from it.
"For directions."
"Yes, but why?" The paper rustles as he folds it up in half neatly along the creases. "Last I checked, we still got GPS."
You have a firm grip on the steering wheel while your posture is relaxed back, one elbow leaning out the window.
There is an anticipatory curl in the corner of your mouth, and he’s lead to believe he is entirely too predictable in the kind of questions he asks.
“If we’re doing this, we’re doing it right,” you reason, as he follows a trail down the printed road with his index finger. It’s a long way to go. "Like all the movies."
"Were these movies made after 2005?"
"You know, now that you mention it, they were in black and white," you say thoughtfully before turning to face him. “Are you absolutely sure you’re not hungry?”
“Positive. Had a good breakfast.” He can’t really see you through the obstruction of the map, but mostly he’s glad you can’t see him because he was still getting used to outright lying to you. “I got us some bars, just in case.”
“What bars?"
"Nuts, fruits. The usual. Oats."
"Stevie," you say in bewilderment, and he pulls down the paper to look at you, "I love you, but we’re not eating health bars on a road trip. Sam would have my head if I let you.”
“You might wanna avoid telling him about the protein shakes, then.”
“You did not.” Shock turns to horror at the idea of several containers worth of whey in his secondary duffel bag.
“Didn’t I?”
“No.” It takes no longer than a second to settle on. “You wouldn’t.”
The traffic you’ve spent half an hour in already graciously allows you to move a few inches forward. He wonders how long it would be till the skyscrapers and billboards would be swapped for a stretch of nothingness, a bright blue horizon and cloudless sky.
"Besides, even if you did," you continue, even though he thought the topic had already run its course, "once we start picking up all the unnecessary touristy shit at every stop along the way, I will not hesitate to throw your protein powder out first to save on space."
Steve smile reappears. "How much are you planning on buying?"
"Buddy, I got a whole other bag just for that," you draw out in a sing-song voice. "I'm gonna single-handedly fix this economy."
There’s a sharp reminder that flashes through his mind, leaving in its wake a sudden unsettling feeling that combs its way through him.
He should check if the list had made it with him on the trip. The stupid, godforsaken list.
"I wanted to get some stuff too," he says in an effort to placate it.
"Yeah? What stuff?"
"I’ll show you later," Steve waves off, shifting in his seat to get comfortable. "It's just some stuff from ‘round the country."
"Like memorabilia?"
"Kind of." He powers through the image of the torn notebook paper, a incomplete list in unruly handwriting, pressed between the folds of his pocket out of his brain.
"Sounds cool," you say. "We'll get 'em all."
“Why are you here, Captain?” she asks finally.
“You know why, doctor.” Steve's cheek leans on his fingers, leaving behind indents.
“It’s a part of your deal, I know,” she says, “but why are you here?”
Steve snaps the map up again, keeping him out of your sight before his eyes shut tightly.
“Where’s our first stop?” he musters as normally as he can.
“Given the state of this traffic, it'd be for lunch,” you reply, staring straight out at the line of cars in front of you. “After that it’s Pittsburgh. There’s this art museum I wanted to check out.”
Steve realizes he's been clenching his eyes too hard once the spots start dancing in front of him, forcing him to relax them.
“Art museum?”
“You like art, don’t you?”
“I do.” A heavyweight paper sketchbook and a set of good pencils were staples of his luggage. “But I didn't know you were into it now.”
“I mean, I've definitely developed an eye for the finer things, Steven. Art included.”
"Yeah? You got a favourite artist yet?"
"I don’t know if you’ve heard of this guy. He's kinda niche," you reply. "Bob Ross."
“Oh?”
"Big fan of the way he hits things with a brush. Very good use of space."
It's enough to make him laugh, dismiss the disembodied thoughts floating around in his head for a moment. He lowers the map and folds it up before tucking it back into the glove compartment.
Steve shifts in his seat again to pull out his phone, deciding to make himself useful by at least finding a good place to get lunch.
"According to the ratings, the nearest res-" he cuts himself off when he turns to look at you and finds a big grin on your face as you look out at the road ahead.
"What?" he asks instead, slightly confused.
“Nothing.” The smile on your face doesn’t let up. “Just been a while since I've heard that laugh."
_________
Steve’s been to one gallery since he was out of the ice.
For a man whose hand itches while his mind stalls, it’s criminal that the only time he had the opportunity to was on an undercover op.
It's strange how similar it all felt now, blue baseball cap covering his hair, oversized jacket with his hands shoved deep in the pockets and shoulders hunched to make himself smaller.
But this time, his low profile isn’t to trail a HYDRA operative. It was to avoid a seemingly unlikely confrontation in a silent hall. The crowd is sparse and scattered where available, but he supposes that was normal considering that it was a weekday evening.
You had gone in search of a map again, leaving him to his own devices for a few moments.
The place was gorgeous. A mix of both classical and modernism; high ceilings held up with marble pillars, art painstakingly carved into stone, grand staircases, and murals lining the walls, whereas the galleries were sleek, with plain white walls with strategic lighting, and labyrinth dividers.
Steve breathes in deeply, finding notes of aromatics they’ve used to enhance every human sense. If his being could fracture into shards of glass, he knew that the minute bits would be art, the ones that slip by unnoticed until you realize what filled in the gaps between the more significant pieces.
"Turns out they've got tours," you say, coming to stand beside him. "But they focus on specific artists or like, themed ones like the ‘Effect of Labor on Art’. Told 'em I'd ask you and let them know."
"Maybe we could just walk around for a while?" he proposes instead. A tour this early already seemed too restrictive, like he was following a schedule when he'd just managed to escape from one.
"That's what I was thinkin' too." You tap his shoulder lightly with a thin, folded brochure. "So I got us a map and a few directions from them to get started."
"Where to first?"
You narrow your eyes playfully at him. “How much do you know about contemporary art?”
“Haven't really had time to study it,” Steve replies. "I'd say roughly the same as you."
“So… not much.”
"I thought you had an eye for the finer things in life," he reminds as you begin leading the way.
"Oh yeah, I can definitely tell if it's fine or not." You grin. "Rest is obviously up for interpretation."
"So-- contemporary art first?"
You look down at the map where a little number indicated where you were. "Contemporary art first."
_____
Admittedly, this style of art isn’t really up Steve's alley, but he likes looking at them all the same. The symbolism isn't always decipherable, but he admires the flair and the subjectivity. Every piece of art had a bit of someone’s life in them, and it took a great deal to part with it from the kind embrace of your mind and leave it on a canvas.
His own sketches of Nat’s coffee cup on the window sill of their safehouse in Montana, or the view of Wakanda from the hall outside Bucky’s cryo chamber took a lot longer than some of the other quick doodles he’d leave on paper napkins.
"Art is subjective and all that, but I tell ya this, I got a lot to say about some of them."
Some of the pieces had colours that were striking, bold. Looking at them alone raises his spirits, even to the smallest degree.
Steve smiles slightly. "What does your fine eye make of it?"
“Of this one? It's... interesting,” you say, pausing in front of an acrylic on linen. Splashes of every shade of mustard in shapes, strokes, lines hiding lavender symbols at the back, highlighted by notes of black. "Very strong narrative."
Steve silently waits for an explanation.
“It’s about the artist’s love for her niece. There’s lavender for the nursery she helped paint, yellow for her love and the black’s representative of her troubled relationship with her sister,” you explain, eyes never leaving the painting. “She wishes she could see her niece more, be a part of her life but her sister isn’t having any of it. It’s why there’s such little lavender in the grand scheme of things, always hidden by a lot of black.”
Steve lingers at the picture, following every word you say with the intent of connecting it with what he can see. He knows you're talking about of your ass, but it was mildly impressive.
His eyes flicker towards you.
"Like I said," you finish, "very strong narrative."
“You just came up with that on the spot?" Steve asks instead.
“Who, me? Lying?” You scoff. “Never.”
His jaw clicks as it slides to the side before returning to its position, eyes trained on the floor with a shake of his head. He tries his best to hide his smile before looking back up at you.
The next few ones are observed in silence before you move on. You don’t provide your analysis, even though he waits for it, shifting focus between you and the art.
By the third one he realizes that you probably weren’t going to unless he asks. But he missed your voice. He could do with a little more of it.
“You got anything to say about this?“ he asks, face stoic as he points to one that from afar looks like oil pastels on paper. It’s scribbles upon scribbles of different colours, drawn without any restraint. "Strong narrative?"
He watches the corner of your mouth quirk up.
“Messy, non-linear narrative," you correct, head leaning to the side. "The creator was clearly thrilled about something. A lot of colours, messy. Man was having the time of his life.”
Steve feels a laugh bubble up to his chest. “Right.”
“These little circles here-” You point so confidently to the corner of the canvas, it almost sounds convincing “-they represent the magic mushrooms he was on while painting this.”
That was definitely… an opinion.
"Very insightful," he agrees, following you as you throw him a wink over your shoulder. “What about that?”
“This one’s easy.” You stop in front of a blank canvas. There’s a thin square of red outlining the boundary, but it’s bare except for it.
“Let’s hear it.”
“Wait, read the description first,” you encourage, pointing at the label at the side. “I wanna see if I’m right.”
“Unnamed, by Flo Dyer, is a prototypical minimalist abstraction.” A whole lot of words for a canvas full of nothing. “The visual and tangible characteristics of the piece pushes the interpreter into a journey of self-discovery.”
“Obviously,” you say. “Duh.”
---
The gallery is divided, each hosting works from different eras, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist. This, he has a little more experience. He'd read a few books, talked to kids who had enough money and time to get into art school, to have his mouth slightly agape the minute he steps in.
The detail and care in every restored painting hanging on the wall takes whatever words he could have from his throat, rolls them up and blows them into the wind. He wants to extend a finger forward, brush up against it and feel history under his skin. But he can’t, so he settles on watching from afar.
He wordlessly spends time in front of each painting, breathing in the passion and love of people who lived centuries before him.
The longest time he spends is at the portrait of a sleeping woman, head draped delicately over her forearm. You don't say anything, only sitting patiently beside him as he loses track of the evening.
It reminds him of the light through the window falling on the mattress pushed up against the wall. Slow afternoons and her sleeping figure under it, back turned to Steve. He wonders how the heat didn't seem to phase her.
“It’s beautiful,” you say, eyes not leaving the art.
Steve's attention snaps back to you, blinking away slow afternoons and the blanket left at the foot of the bed.
“Albert J Moore.” He can hear his own voice muted as it replies. “Acacias.”
Steve wants to ask if you can feel the same sense of peace that washes over him the longer he watches it.
He hopes you do. It’s a feeling he wants to float in for as long as he could.
___
Roaming around the museum on his own wouldn't have been nearly as fun. Steve liked seeing which ones you had a visceral reaction to, whether it be awe or criticism. Whatever facts he knew, he’d rattle off and you’d listen attentively as if his word was gospel. Each gallery with its own collection had something for him to linger at a little longer, and sometimes he explained why but others he couldn't.
The next gallery he enters, he enters through a small path until he comes to a stop in front of one piece in specific. Even without glancing at the name, he can tell the artist; it was so distinct.
Steve knew the works of Edward Hopper. Had seen them cited far more often these last few years than any other artist, but this is the first time he’s seen one in its original form.
Sunday, it’s called.
Sunday by Edward Hopper, 1926.
Oil on canvas, it has the almost sepia-like laziness that comes with the end of the week. Warm colours dip in and out of shadows, it paints the curbside of a road lining rows of closed shops.
In 1926, Steve was 8. A spunky, spitfire eight that by May, had already been in and out of the nurse’s office four times.
Eight-year-old Steve still remembered his ma asleep on the mattress that was usually reserved for his frail bones most of the week, until the weekend rolled around and she got two hours to herself on it for a nap. He left the apartment to find something else to do, somewhere else to let off some energy that came with pent up defiance at the world residing in his blood.
On Steve’s curbside, the shops weren’t closed for the weekend. They were ‘Sorry! Closed for Business’ on weekends, weekdays, months, years. Sometimes a new owner flipped over the cardboard sign to welcome people in, and flipped it right back after a month.
Edward Hopper’s curbside has a man in the forefront. There’s a cigarette in his mouth, and his arms are closed in a way that shuts him off from the world. In the deserted, empty street this man--
The man looks at him and Steve feels seen, as though his stare has pierced through the seven walls of defense that lines his chest.
The man looks at him and he knows. The man knows.
Steve feels it in his heart first, before it makes its way up to his throat like a rush of bile. His cheeks pain, ache. It’s a feeling he thought he got over a long time ago as everything unrelentingly went on.
He feels out of time.
“You know this one?” you ask when he doesn't make any movement,
"No." His answer is short, mumbled.
“What are you lookin’ at?”
His soul, it feels like. Bared out there for the world to see how much of a damn liar he is. The man and his cigar don’t look at you. They pierce through him and him alone.
Your gaze follows his. “He seems lonely.”
“Yeah,” Steve’s voice comes out hoarse, “he does.”
“’Least he’s got a smoke.” You’re optimistic, too radiant for a portrait like this. He’s glad that it doesn’t affect you the way it does him; at least he knows that you have nothing on your conscience to have exposed to the world like this.
The man has a cigar and Stevie has a shield.
And they’re both alone.
___
It takes you linking your arm with his for him to finally pull himself away from the painting, but the walk to the next gallery is spent with him wishing it would stop searing itself stronger into his brain each time he closed his eyes.
The final collection is at the far end of the hall, in a separate room altogether. Accessible only if you wanted to, which was good. Saves people from an uninvited gloom.
Pain and Perseverance: A Glimpse Look into the Darkest Years
He knows what it’s about. You do, too, which is why you turn to him hesitantly.
“We don’t have to go in,” you say, standing near enough to him for his enhanced hearing to catch your heartbeat. It tethers him, connects him to a living, breathing being.
“I think we should,” he replies, steadfast to the point it was almost robotic.
There is only one other person in the room with you both, and she isn’t paying much attention to him, so he takes off his cap in reverence.
It’s fitting how silent and closed off this part of the museum is to the rest of the world. A tribute to those who wouldn't be able to set foot into this room.
Your hand slides out from his and he lets you go gently. He knows you’re around, so it’s okay. He knew the second you'd walked in that you'd need space to process each piece on your own.
He quietly makes his way through the fifteen paintings and photographs, mulling over each one for a few seconds at the very least.
There’s one in all black, two birch wood trees on a hill with nothing else in the distance. Another blurry picture of a single armchair left to collect dust from years of unuse in the corner of an old age home.
Steve doesn't dare to swallow the heaviness in his throat. There is anger, regret, helplessness in the walls around him. But all of it stems from the same miserable channel- a single, desperate sadness.
He lands up at the final piece on display, a glass box standing tall. The woman from earlier is still there, unmoving.
Steve doesn’t disturb her, only stays a step away from her and instead stands in front of painting of comfort, of two men so close their necks entwined with each other.
“Sorry.” She clears her throat to get his attention, giving him a misty smile when he turns to look at her.
“Please,” he says, earnest and kind, “take all the time you need.”
“Feels like I’ve been here hours.” She inclines her head towards the casing. “There’s something about it.”
He only waits for her to finish. A few minutes of silence later, she takes a step to the side, allowing him a little space to stand beside her and see for himself what she had stopped at.
It’s a sculpture, a kid made of metal, with spangly arms and a tiny head molded rustically like years of weathering had done a number on him. His arms wrap around his knees, hugging them close to his body as he dipped his forehead in the valley they formed together.
Its emotion lays in its simplicity- anything more than what has been made would have been too much.
There’s a pull that doesn’t allow him to tear his eyes away from it. The only time he does is to read the artwork label, to gain a little more insight.
“Heartbreaking, isn’t it?” the stranger asks from beside him. His silence and the pit in his stomach is enough to answer.
He hopes she’s all right. He hopes she made it out all right.
Berta Pedrero (b. 1976)
Despair, 2020
In memory of her son, Mateo J. Pedrero.
If he dared to, he would shoot a little prayer into the sky for her son, wherever he is, but he stays grounded, eyes on the sculpture because he remembers he has forgone that right a long time ago.
The stranger beside him walks off after a few more minutes of silence. He can feel your hand slip into his, and he holds on, tighter than usual.
Steve continues to stare, long after she’s gone.
___
You read out the description from the pamphlet, the idea behind the execution and the artists who made it possible as Steve walks silently beside you.
“Took three years to curate it,” you inform him. “Fifteen different countries. They’ve included a quote.”
His gaze flicks to you, clearing his throat as he asks, “What is it?”
You wordlessly hand it over to him and he scans the page until it lands on the quote at the bottom.
Steve exhales, jaw tightening as he reads through it again.
The poets write of tragedy, not to honor the sorrow,
but to remind themselves that something survived it.
-A.J.
Though the sentiment is strong and he feels it in his bones, he discards his pamphlet on the way out. He already carries the weight of the world on his back, and he tries not to add the weight of the words to his pocket.
-----
"Okay, Rogers." You clap your hands together, rubbing your palms as you shift in your seat. "Prelude to the big event. Spill.”
Steve raises an eyebrow. "This wasn't the start of the road trip?"
"Nope. That only starts once we get to the first official stop. This is just the introduction. The prequel, if you may."
"Ah," he says from across the booth. "It was... impressive."
"Please note that at the end of this trip, you will be filling out a form on the overall serve so that we can improve our experiences for next time.” You sound exactly like some of the sales people he’s met, chipper yet monotone.
"Can't wait." Steve picks up his glass of water, avoiding your sight. Next time. "As if the very comprehensive survey you sent wasn't enough."
"You chose to be friends with a scientist. I had to check all the variables and preferences before I planned a trip."
"What did my fabric preferences have to do with the road we're taking?"
There's a wicked twinkle in your eye. "Just checkin’ those boxes, Rogers. Like I said, all variables"
The kitchen doors open, and Steve hears the crackle and sizzle from inside for a few seconds before they swing shut again. The brief opening is enough for the smell of meat grilling to overpower the scent of lemon pies in display domes, stale coffee and freshly mopped floors.
"What is it then?" Steve asks as you push a large glass towards him. "The trip you’ve planned?"
You look up at the waiter, giving him a quick smile as he leaves two milkshakes on the table.  
"Route 66."
His eyebrows knit together in recognition. "The Mother Road?"
"You've heard of it." Your smile widens.
"Yeah, they started constructing it when I was a kid. I thought it didn't exist anymore."
“Technically it doesn’t,” you admit. “But I’ve done my research. We’re just following what it used to be. Old highways and signs and all that.”
He hums in agreement. “And if we get lost?”
“I got a couple of flare guns in the trunk,” you dismiss. “I’ll get you to California, Stevie, don’t you worry.”
He doesn’t doubt it.
“So,” you say, wiping your hands on your napkin before unlocking your phone and sliding it towards him, “We stay at the motel down the road tonight, get an early start tomorrow.”
Steve's reply is cut short before it even begins when someone comes to stand beside him.
"Here you go," the server drags the last syllable out, placing two hefty plates in front of you both. "Enjoy."
Steve thanks him courteously before says before eyeing what you'd convinced him to order.
“To the first burgers,” you hold up a fry, “and many more to come.”
Steve pulls the plate towards him where it joins his still untouched vanilla milkshake.
"No healthy stuff, you said?" He peers up at you.
"‘Least not for the first week,” you reply determinedly. "Relax. You can get back to the oat bars next week."
“I haven't only been eating protein shakes and nut bars,” he protests. “Microwave dinners. They aren't the healthiest, they should count.”
"I thought you hated those." Your eyebrows knit together. "Isn’t that why you cooked?"
Steve's voice immediately drops to a mumble. "Haven't had the time."
“She still pickin’ up those extra shifts?”
“Double this weekend.” Steve fidgets with a newspaper.
“How’re you gonna keep yourself fed?”
“I can cook.”
“Cereal ain’t a meal, kid.”
If you notice the shift in his tone, it's quickly distracted by the way he pushes a fry around the plate.
“Jesus, Rogers, it’s not gonna kill you.”
“I’m old.” Nevertheless, he pulls the glass towards him. “We can’t write off anything.”
You snort. “Just drink the milkshake, Stevie. It’s good for ya.”
Burgers, greasy, well-salted fries and exorbitantly large glasses of milkshakes; it’s probably the most American Steve’s felt in a while. The minute he takes a bite from it, his body sinks down with a content sigh that has you grinning.
“Tomorrow, the first stop; Chicago, right?” He takes another bite from his burger, watching you scroll through pictures of the motel for him.
“Yep.”
“We got plans there?” The food shouldn’t taste this good, but it does. Probably one of the better establishments you were going to encounter on this trip but he can’t really be bothered by the implications at that moment.
“I got a few ideas.” You pull your phone back before returning to your meal. “But mostly we’ll be figuring it out as we go. Survey results dictate that we don't follow a tight schedule.”
"Today we're in Morocco. Next week we'll be in Lebanon," she sings slowly. "After that who knows?"
"Depends on where we're needed next." He takes aim and throws his dart.
Beyond all the restrictiveness and tediousness, he was just really fucking tired of them.
“You know," you pipe up, observing his features for a second, "you’ve been doing this thing a lot."
“What?”
“Spacing out.” Ah, fuck. “You did it back there, at the museum too.”
Steve simply shrugs, head turned down to his plate. “It just happens."
“How long?”
As long as you'd known him, he had always been attentive, on his toes, waiting.
“A little while.” He can pinpoint exactly when and what had lead to it. Studying through window blinds, old uniforms, and all of a sudden his path for the future started to get less clear.
“Have you talked to anyone about it?”
“Not specifically."
You pause. "Does anyone know?”
Steve’s next exhale comes at a delayed pace.
"You'd be the first."
Your lips press together in a thin line, deep crevice between your eyebrows.
"I've just been tired lately," he deflects. It wasn’t a whole lie, but it feels wrong. He had time. He had time. He has to remind himself that he had time.
Steve continues quickly, “I'll be fine. Look, I'll be gettin' loads more sleep now anyway.”
He leans forward to steal a fry off your plate and it works to an extent. There's a small smile that pulls at one side of your face.
"Steve."
"Sweetheart." He cracks a smile. “I'll be fine, I promise. What have you been writing lately?”
The swift subject change has you furrowing your brows, and then a sigh when it registers. However, you drag yourself forward to take a sip from your milkshake.
“Nothing,” you admit. “Haven't written in a while.”
It’s the silence that lingers in the air that prompts you to go on.
“I dunno.” You twirl a fry around the plate. “Been hard to find something to write about.”
Steve finishes off the last of his burger, wiping his hands down on a napkin.
“When was the last time?”
Your eyes squint in contemplation. “Six, seven years ago?”
“Can I get y’all anything else?” the server chirps from beside the booth, refiling your glasses of water, while balancing a tray in another.
You look at Steve and he shakes his head. “No, thank you. Just the bill, please.”
“Sure thing,” he says, setting down a plate with a slice of pie. “Enjoy.”
You glance up in confusion. “I think you have the wrong table.”
“It’s on the house.” It’s clear who it’s for, though the answer remains up in the air.
Steve sends the man a side-smile. “Appreciate it.”
The server nods, before leaving the both of you alone.
“Told you your stupid cap isn’t going to do anything.” You laugh when Steve pulls it off his head and sets it down beside him, running a hand through his flattened hair.
“Just got us a free piece of pie, I’d say it has some use.” He passes you a spoon and pushes the plate so it’s in the middle of you both.
“Right, because it’s your fashion sense that won them over, Steven.” You break a piece of the crust. ”Lift your leg up, show ‘em your slacks. Maybe we could get an extra slice for the road.”
He laughs, partly at you and partly at the absurd amount of whipped cream on the pie itself. It was generous, to say the least, and melting all over the still-warm filling. Pretty as a picture.
“Fuck, that’s good.” You sigh, chewing thoughtfully. “I need to earn free food privileges if this is what I’m missing out on.”
“The pie’s the better end of the deal.” He shovels a spoonful into his mouth. “A lot of the time it’s beer bottles with your face on it.”
“Classy,” you reply, having seen exactly what he was referring to. “What's next? Your face on underwear?”
Steve's silence and his failing ability to hide a pained smile has you faltering in your movements.
"Really?"
"I've been shown pictures," he complains. "From what I know, they're not sold as a collection or retail line."
"Which means they're customized," you continue, fingers pinched together explanatory. "Does that make it better or worse?"
Steve's nose scrunches and he hides his distaste with a spoonful of pie in his mouth. "You tell me."
He’s a little grateful that you don’t shy away from pulling his leg. Makes him feel normal, like he was more than a concept; if there was something so hilarious about Steve as an ambassador for patriotic fireworks then it means that he hasn’t lost himself completely.
“What’s an average person gotta do around here to be inspiration for horrifying underwear, huh?” You send the last piece of pie his way. "Get printed on cereal boxes, et cetra et cetra."
“Get kidnapped, maybe.” He accepts it without an argument. “They’ll stick you on a couple of milk cartons.”
You narrow your eyes at him and he sends you a sly smile in return.
"Invent something.”
“Hell, maybe I will.” You wave your spoon around dangerously. “Get my name in a textbook.”
“You could do that,” he agrees. “You'd have the resources from the new job. A whole team under you, funding.”
You narrow your eyes at him. "Very smooth, Rogers."
His smile comes back bashful. “Why don’t you want to take it? I thought it’s everything you’ve worked towards.”
“It is.” You collect foam off the side of your glass with the straw, a distraction from having to look at him. “I’m just not sure I’m ready for it.”
“Is it the job or something else?”
Your lips press together, curling inward, but you don’t respond. It tells him he’s clocked you scarily fast.
“Job’s mine whenever I want it,” you say, eyes still trained on anything you could fiddle with. “I’m just not sure I’ll ever be ready."
Steve only slips his hand into yours the same way you did at the museum and squeezes. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to."
You give him a smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes, and he returns it before you shake your head in an attempt to change the mood.
“I’m not kidding about the slacks, by the way.” It immediately relieves some of the tension that had settled in comfortably.
"Yeah, hold on, I'll lift my leg up," Steve affirms, clearing his throat.
“Damn right. Let’s see if we can score another flavour, I know you get hungry at night.”
Next part
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madaraservingcunt · 5 months
Note
Are there some artists on YouTube or tutorials you would recommend ?
I will put some links below that helped me💛
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This artist can help people at any level of art. For people just starting out or who have had some self-taught practice, or maybe they're picking up the pencil again after a few years of not drawing.
All-time favorite YouTuber right here!
His voice is soothing, but he also has videos where he doesn't talk at all if you aren't a fan of that type. The videos are pleasing to just watch if you dont feel like following along. He breaks anatomy down by shapes, which helped me understand it all a lot more.
youtube
If you are looking to draw humans, this is your guy. I recommend starting with understanding the basics of anatomy before you jump into any stylized art like manga or anime stuff.
youtube
He has tutorials for traditional pencil sketching and digital art. I think it's best for beginners to start out traditionally and work their way into digital art.
It's cheaper than a tablet, for one, and it's way easier to learn the basics on a sketchbook! Chommang teaches better in his traditional sketching videos.
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Also, I'd recommend focusing on the body more than anything as a beginner. Drawing a face is hard, especially if you have a specific style in mind, and you might get stuck trying to get the face to look right.
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Drawing and mastering body parts will build your technique and confidence in working up to small details in the face.
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The coloring book specifically was super helpful to understand muscles and why things may look weird or normal in some drawings.
A personal favorite:
youtube
I was having a rough time a majority last year and feeling down on myself. Eventually I lost the energy to do any hobby.
This video really helped me flip my perspective. He pretty much says don't be too hard on yourself and compare your drawings to other people. He spent years of his life doing that and hated drawing because of it.
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Also... it may sound annoying or obvious... but practice every day. I fell off for a while and stopped my daily practice, but I'm starting up again. It really makes all the difference in the world.
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Good luck anon! I hope you have a good weekend. With enough patience we can learn to draw Madara in any situation.
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The Sad Tale of an Artist's Burnout
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I have been burnout over a lot of things but being burnout because of art hits differently. Art burnouts are the worst. Imagine just losing your passion for something or having to force yourself to do so. If this sounds like something you’re going through have no fear, I’m here. Imma tell you how to prevent a burnout and some tips that will help you get back into shape in no time.
Stop Drawing
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Mcutie are you serious? Yes, I’m not joking. Stop drawing. Your brain is tired of doing the same thing over and over again, give it a break. Find another hobby, play a game, watch a movie, catch up on a comic or manga (if you want some recommendations I got you;) maybe then you will find inspiration to draw.
Ease your mind a little. What always helps me is ASMRs, find a channel you like and relax to them or put on some Lofi tunes, whatever it takes for you to get your mind out of the sketchbook. Don’t think that when you stop drawing you’re gonna lose your talent, you can’t lose talent but you can lose passion.
Stop looking for likes and views
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They'll come eventually, I'm still in the baby stages myself and sometimes it's disappointing not to see any likes or views but that just takes the fun out of art. Social Media is tiring especially with the algorithm doing whatever it likes. If you run an art page why not give it a break a little, maybe the stress of putting out too much content is getting to you.
Also, the self-declared “art critics” don't help either (baby artists please ignore these people, pay attention to the ones who really give you solid advice) so drop social media for a while and post your art unless you want to.
“But Mcutie I need to advertise to get commissions!” (in a future post, I'll give you tips on how to make money with your art). I hear you, but the posts you have in your feed are already enough to tell your audience about what you do and which commissions you’ll take. My advice is to shake it up a bit, instead of Instagram try Twitter maybe art station or deviant art, they have some nice communities on there.
Or better yet create your little website and build a community around it (I'm currently trying this one on Tumblr so follow me on my journey if you want) who knows maybe you’ll find people who respect and admire what you do. ^^
Don’t Compare Yourself!
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HA! I need to take my advice. It’s easy to compare yourself with others and let’s be frank there is always gonna be a better artist or athlete or dancer but there is never gonna be another you. The way how YOU draw is different from other artists, no two people are the same and no two artists have the same style unless one artist copies from another. However, it's good to try out new styles and see how you can implement them into your drawings. You may find something that can add an extra spice to your art.
Find Inspiration - Outside!!!
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AHA! You thought I was gonna tell you to take up Pinterest and browse huh? Nope! I need YOU to TOUCH SOME GRASS! Look at the clouds find shapes in them, take a walk in the park or something. “But what if it is snowing?” Who cares?! Sit at your window and watch the snowflakes fall you may just find something that inspires you. Doing this motivates you to take up that pen and paper or tablet or whatever kids use these days and draw.
Sleep!! - Please Sleep...
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Once again…….I need to take my advice. But let’s face it have you ever gone to bed and suddenly at exactly 3:00 am you get the urge to get creative? That’s what you want! Therefore, get some rest, take a nice bath, rub on your favorite lotion, put on your favorite PJs, and sleep it out. “I suffer from insomnia….” So do I but if it is chronic go and see the doctor maybe you need medical assistance, if not try playing rain sounds or as I said earlier find your favorite ASMRist and just close you’re eyes and fall asleep.
In Conclusion....
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At the end of the day, something is gonna burn us out whether it is work, hobbies, or just life in general but the thing is we do not want to stay in a burnout. Besides if you stay in a burnout you’ll just shrivel up and die. So try my tips and if you have anything to add say it in the comments so others can benefit from them. Until next time stay healthy and stay cute.
(〃^▽^〃)
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kandidandi · 1 year
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What’s it like being autistic?
sorry if this is weird or sounds rude-
I’m just curious ‘^^
this isnt rude at all, tho one autistic person is never the same as another, its a spectrum so everyones experience is different. (i will talk about my experience. bad + half bad half good and good yknow (p.s. i am not an expert on the tism don't quote me))
its good and bad, sometimes i love having autism and sometimes i wish i didnt have it.
i hate having it because i cant go into shopping centres without panicking or breaking down because of all the noises and sensations. i got bullied for literal years in a row for being the weird kid and i didnt know why until i found out i was autistic. i dont like being spoken to in a condescending way like im five years old once someone learns about my autism either hgh
sounds and noises are way louder and lights are brighter. i wear sunglasses and carry earplugs for when its especially bad. when im in a crowded environment like the city i have a hard time calming myself down and sometimes meltdown because of all the sensations going on (not all autistic people hate the city).
bright lights and noises aren't just annoying, they physically hurt aswell (dont ask me how)
i love matching my clothes together! like if i have a blue shirt i'll have blue socks :D but but but if i cant find a combination i like i'll panic because nothing seems right. i really like some textures one day but might hate them the next, for example i really love the feeling of foam beads but sometimes they feel so bad i'll throw up.
im semi-verbal, sometimes i can talk and talk and talk but then sometimes im super quiet and its hard for me to say anything, for this i have hand signals i use with my family and friends to communicate what i want to say! other autistics may also use cards or AAC (Augmentative and alternative communication (basically just speaking with a phone or tablet).
i love having it because i feel things more intensely and see the world differently. i stim almost constantly because it feels nice and makes me happy. i love listening to my favourite music because i connect with it a lot, not because of the lyrics but just cuz makes me extremely happy idk its hard to explain. i love having echolalia, when i pay for soemthing the machine makes a beep and i always always say beep in response awawa and sometimes the cashier will beep aswell!!! i love when im so happy i need to full body stim to regulate myself its great i love it. i love being easily entertained! slap some blocks infront of me and i'll have a blast for hours!! i also really like puzzles and jigsaws because of this awawa (i also really like solitare and minesweeper)i also also love having random sayings i use like "awawawa"! i actually do say these things irl aswell as a vocal stim hehehe
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Text
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Notes:
You have a burnout and Rook is comforting you.
"Melancholic" once again, so maybe a bit OOC? HCs/fic/whatever it is too.
I don't know how to deal with burnout effectively and properly, so don't take it as a guide or anything like that.
Let me know if you want to see my hcs about how Rook deals with his burnout.
One day, instead of going to NRC like usual, you studied from home using one of Idia's spare tablets. Nobody knew why you suddenly decided to do that. You didn't look sick yesterday, you didn't say you felt sad or exhausted. Your friends just thought that you probably caught a cold again or simply wanted try out the tablet. But Rook, on the other hand, was more than aware something was wrong, even if he couldn't say exactly what at first.
You looked so cheerful the day before it seems suspicious to him. Rook decided not to comment on that back then just in case you genuinely felt so happy.
But when you didn't show up to classes in person he knew it wasn't the case.
So, he decided to secretly leave you some gifts in the afternoon!
Your comfort food, some favourite sweets and drinks, even photos you took together while exploring woods behind the campus.
It did surprise you at first, but you immediately could tell it was Rook's doing. He wasn't nearby so you thanked him in your mind. "I'll do it in person later," you thought.
While all of these gifts were great and they did make you happy at first, your mood suddenly went down.
You felt guilty for making him worry. And you knew these presents won't give you energy to go back to college to socialize and study with barely any breaks. And don't forget about cleaning up everyone's mess...
In a few days, you stopped showing up. At all. You didn't even use that tablet. You couldn't bring yourself to get out of bed, let alone study. You tried to get up but kept falling back, if your body even tried to listen to you in the first place. But a sudden loud phone call managed to get you up instantly.
You picked the phone in panic, your heartbeat was so fast you could hear it loud and clear in your head.
The person who called you was Rook. He paused before speaking so you could catch up your breath.
"Good morning! Hope you're doing better, we all are worried about you here. If you need medical help, I can bring you to the nurse office at anytime."
You reluctantly responded, "I'm glad to hear that but... I can deal with that myself."
"Can you? You're going to overwork yourself again and burnout even more. So please, let me lend you a hand."
"I don't need to go to the nurse though, I'm not doing that badly."
"But are you taking care of yourself?" You didn't respond. You genuinely forgot or just didn't have energy to do your daily routine. You even forgot to eat some of the sweets he gifted you. "I'll visit you once I'm done with my work, alright?"
In the evening, when Rook entered your room his eyes were locked on you. You looked clearly exhausted, half-dead if you will. You didn't even brush your hair this morning. Yet he still found you beautiful.
He kept murmuring compliments while brushing your hair. You smiled out of reflex, even though you didn't feel super comfortable. You were so used to taking care of others, it felt so weird to be taken care of.
"This sweet little smile of yours is just so magnifique! You know how to charm people in an instant."
Rook even did your makeup! And helped you to get in warmer clothes, as it was a bit chilly inside your room.
Afterwards, you had a nice dinner. He made sure to choose something both healthy and what you would've liked for 100%.
When you said you didn't have much appetite and left a bit of food untouched he understood that. You kept feeling like you forgot something important and just couldn't make yourself eat because of that.
Suddenly being taken care of like that was pretty overwhelming to you, so you asked him to leave for a while. "I'm genuinely sorry, but... I really need to stay alone for a while. Could you go outside for some time? You're a vice housewarden, I'm sure you have a lot of work. There's no need to spend so much on me anyway."
"Non, your well-being is one of the most important things for me! But I will leave for half an hour or more, so take a good rest. I'll knock on the door when I come back, agree?"
You nodded and he soon left. It was hard to relax, yet you tried. You lied in bed for who knows how long, staring at the ceiling and not moving. As you began to doze off, Rook gently knocked on the door. Wait, was it really half an hour already? Oh. It was almost midnight.
You quietly said "Come in" as you couldn't get up and open the door yourself. Rook entered the room with some papers. Was it notes for your classes? Yeah, it was.
He cuddled with you until you fell asleep despite trying to stay awake. You remembered what you wanted to do and why you didn't really have appetite earlier. In the end of the day, you still didn't thank him! You began to speak but only a barely noticeable "Rook..." left your mouth. And so, you feel asleep in his arms.
It will take a lot of time for things to go back to normal. And yet, despite everything, there's someone willing to be with you when you feel like an empty shell of your own self. "Goodnight," he softly kissed your forehead before falling asleep as well.
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what made you decide to have a go at making zines, and how did you find the process? fun? frustrating? new hobby unlocked?
it's been a lot of fun and is super satisfying to hold a finished booklet in my hand. new hobby unlocked for sure.
in fact i'm going to ramble about it under the cut.
i'd been looking into on and off for over a year, and, frankly, i've been going slowly mad at having normal levels of focus and productivity dangled in front of me, only to be snatched away AND put on bed rest without even jacking off as an outlet.
i did a bunch of painting, but i've run out of canvases and focus. and while i really wanna sculpt, 1) i just haven't gotten my brain to switch to that track, 2) i've only just recently been able to tolerate standing at my usual work counter again, 3) having a small child who wants to mirror everything i do is fun when i'm physically able to handle it, but i am not physically able to handle it. i can do a craft myself OR i can set them up with supervised craft time. not both.
that leaves my writing, but i haven't been able to focus enough to write. so what to do with all my old stuff? may as well take that last leap into making zines! it's also an excuse for me to break out my drawing tablet to make cover art (i'm not good but they're small and it adds to the charm i think).
overall it's been shockingly easy. the hardest part was making a format template, but once i had that figured out i was set. i conveniently already had a laser printer, and considering i can't go anywhere (like a place with a public printer) i wouldn't have been able to do this otherwise.
the most expensive thing i had to buy for this was a nice paper cutter, which was $24. it honestly wasn't necessary. i could have just folded the paper or cut them with scissors, but imo it really goes a long way in making them look nice. i also have a long reach stapler that's made for making booklets and magazines coming in that will be really nice for putting them together neatly and consistently.
i still dont know what i'm going to do with them tbh. i have some friends that are gonna get free copies of their favs, and at least the poetry one i'm going to have out if i'm able to do the craft fairs this year (fuck me i hope i'm better by then), but i need to see what kind of stuff they allow. even if they allow sexually explicit material, i'll probably still leave stories like Red Hot at home.
i could do an online shop for the rest, but i'm not sure where. i already have a kofi account for commissions, and they have a shop feature, but at the same time they say in their TOS they don't allow any form of sexually explicit material. and last i heard about etsy they were being shitty about charging for advertising you didn't opt into. so i'd need to do more research into that.
say what you want about whether or not i should be able to make a profit off of little homemade porn booklets, but i'd at least need enough money to buy the toner for my printer by the time i ran out, which is hella expensive. i think back when i got this thing it was like $70 a pop. it lasts a lot longer than ink but it's more expensive up front.
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