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#so its unique and the art is wow
chadsuke · 7 months
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Comics Read in 2023:
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Vol. 5 by Agakishi K., Ren Eguchi, & MASA (2020)
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Vol. 6 by Agakishi K., Ren Eguchi, & MASA (2020)
Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga (2005)
Sleepless Vol. 1 by Sarah Vaughn, Leila del Luca, & Alissa Sallah (2018)
Sleepless Vol. 2 by Sarah Vaughn, Leila del Luca, & Alissa Sallah (2019)
Otonari Complex Vol. 1 by Saku Nonomura (2016)
Otonari Complex Vol. 2 by Saku Nonomura (2017)
Bibliophile Princess Vol. 1 by Yui Kikuta (2019)
Mother's Contract Marriage Season 1 by Siya & Choo Hyeyeon (2023)
[ID: Covers of the aforementioned. End ID.]
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cluescorner · 14 days
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I cannot imagine being a Damian stan right now. You've got both Zdarsky's bullshit (where he clearly doesn't give a shit about your boy) and The Boy Wonder (where Juni Ba clearly gives so many shits about your boy) coming out on the same day. The whiplash must be insane. I hope y'all get some nice warm soup for your efforts jfc
#damian wayne#damian al ghul#damian al ghul wayne#batman#batfamily#for all of the issues that come with having Steph as your fave having too much wild shit happening at once is never one of them#btw I quite like The Boy Wonder Issue 1. wow shocker an artist and writer who I have liked everything they've ever done#has once again written something that I am enjoying with art that makes me want to be part of its world.#it's almost like Juni Ba is really freaking talented or something#like I have some problems with it but it seems like many of those are part of the point. Damian is learning that his siblings are more#three-dimensional than he realized and that is part of this 'coming of age' story merged with fairytale#so I can't be mad at the oversimplistic defining of Dick and Jason and Tim until the conclusion of the series. that might be the point.#I hope that the series will address Steph as a Robin but if not then frankly it's not an issue unique to this series.#I'll be annoyed and disappointed but ultimately roll with it like I am with Babsgirl being here. There's too much good stuff here to get#hung up on shit that seems to be almost an editorial mandate at this point. at least that's where I'm at.#I am also very sorry that Chip Zdarsky is massacring your boy. he has 'X (Tim for him) is the best Robin so everyone else must suck' diseas#where a writer really likes one specific Robin and in trying to uplift them demeans all of the other Robins. instead of like...just writing#for that one character only or alternatively not demeaning the other characters in order to make his blorbo look good#it's wild because I actually think his writing for Tim is pretty solid. but he's not writing a Tim series. he's writing a Batman series.#and if you are going to write a Batman series and include other Batfamily members you need to actually write them well.#instead of assigning them like 2 personality traits while Tim gets to be a whole character#I accept that behavior in fanfic where I have lesser standards because it's fucking free. not a comic run that wants me to pay#tens of dollars in order to understand what the fuck is going on. he's been going for a while now it's gotta be a lot of money.#I can buy Steelworks with that money. I can see John Henry and Natasha Irons in a trade. Fuck you Chip.#it's why it takes such a special person to write a good ensemble story/a good Batfamily story. you have to be good at writing a LOT#of different characters. which I don't think most people are. I sure as hell am not. I can write maybe 3 at a time confidently well.#and you also have to give all of them at least SOME love or else people will be upset that you aren't focusing on their fave#and also the writing as a whole will suffer. Chip Zdarsky is a pretty good Tim writer. I'd maybe read a Tim solo written by him.#I would not read a story focusing on multiple characters that I like written by Chip Zdarsky. because every character who isn't Tim#is at least a bit weak/inconsistent/out of character INCLUDING FUCKING BATMAN. THE NO. 1 GUY MOST ARE HERE FOR
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mint-is-here · 3 months
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i drew ariel (he's my oc(i still need to figure what exactly they are because it has been hard. are they a literaly angel since he was ispired by those biblically accurate angels?? a being from an alternative universe that merger with ours??? a shapeshifting alien?? I DONT KNOW) in an alternative design because i wanted try and put more eyes in them
ill probably stick to the ribbons but yeah
havent done any pencil drawings in a while(tried doing more digital stuff recenlty) so this was fun:D
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acanthemp3 · 1 year
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does anyone else feel like whenever they make art out of their own experiences theyre just lying
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godzexperiment · 1 year
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nix's art of others: beautiful, tons of details sometimes silly inclusions (flowers that reflect their aesthetic+how they are as people) nix's art that has him involved: typically an redacting nature to it, swiping black charcoal across strategically,etc *bonus if it's an yearning piece he especially takes care to be vague/formless* 'nobody can tell it's not just two random people hugging if you just don't add give away details'
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hoodie-prince-kid · 1 year
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i think this is the first personified objects/concepts/whathaveyou anime ive watched that isnt problematic and is also super exciting and engaging and has l o r e and isnt flat-out parody
#and OF COURSE it's by the sk8 people#LIKE I ALREADY HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT THE CHARACTERS HELLO#so basically the characters are personified weapons that were given human forms so they can protect history from being changed#by the time retrograde army which basically wants to change history to fuck things up#apparently it's based on a video game that sadly i know i'll never play but i do not care#because they are very generous about giving the lore#the art/animation style reminds me a million times of sk8 but it's also its own unique thing and i love the characters so much already#one of the characters is a sword but he uses a gun because he loves modern invention and gets excited about steamships and is also loud#another is a spear who's a gentle giant and has kind of a tough guy exterior at first glance but he's softer than he looks#two of the protags are swords from the same wielder which explains why they look like brothers#and there's a quiet one who i suspect we'll get more lore on later#one of the brother swords (older) was assigned leader of the squadron by the head of the league they work for#but he butts heads with the gun guy because of gun guy's attitude and they remind me of cherry and joe if they were less mad at each other#and moreso very competitive and quite clearly a rivals thing#ok im gonna get back to watching i just had to get this out BYE#...wow it has been a very long time since i rambled on main without being prompted#IM FUCKIN HEALING BITCH >:D#ok peace i gotta watch the time travelling weapon guys anime
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lizardsfromspace · 3 months
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Wild that Schumacher Batman was criticized in its day for being a soulless commercial product designed to sell toys when like. Can you imagine even one shot in a MCU movie this colorful and bold? Bc his movies are all like this, from start to finish
(it's tempting to say "they don't make it like this anymore", but they weren't making it like this at the time, either; this was very much going against the dominant trend towards being more Gritty and Realistic)
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(WOW do I miss art deco nightmarescape Gotham, bring it back)
Also it's just so uniquely weird? Schumacher was under orders to lighten the tone after parents complained about the "darkness" of Batman Returns (a dark, gritty film with an army of penguins with rockets). That did not mean he had to run in the direction of "Adam West, but with a 90s blockbuster budget". One of the last big budget films that's legitimately camp instead of faux camp.
Also the overt, exceptionally horny homoeroticism that's given us three decades of straight critics trying to find ways to say they hate it for being gay that aren't just that they hate it for being gay (though they do)
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punkitt-is-here · 10 months
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How can I cultivate the same, "just keeping making stuff all the time" kind of energy you have? It's very impressive and something I wish I could do!
well, theres a couple reasons i think! one is that i just found ways to be satisfied with small amounts of work. its in part because of my ADHD, but my parents were always trying new things (motorcycles, leatherwork, acrylic paint, collage art, photography, video editing) so that definitely rubbed off on me; i had a great example of people just wanting to try stuff. i keep making stuff all the time because i love trying out new things; you don't have to be an expert to try something new! you just have to have a desire for it! wanna make a zine? google it! wanna write a comic? give it a shot! wanna get into woodworking? buy a carving knife and find a stick or something! i think theres plenty of ways to find entry points into interesting stuff and you gotta let yourself be okay with making shit that sucks just because its fun. which leads me to my second point!!
im okay with being dogshit at stuff! i try new things, i kind of suck at them, and i think it's either 1. cool that i made it this far or 2. kinda funny that this is what its like at the moment. i know that sucking is never permanent, everything can be improved with time, and rarely does anyone ever magically get good at something first try. i think of myself as a talented artist, but its over the course of 2+ decades of drawing; im always improving, and no matter what im going to find things i want to get better at, so why fault myself now for not being perfect? a couple of months ago i really wanted to try woodcarving, so i made spoon with my dad. did it turn out great? not really! you cant even use it as a spoon! but im glad i tried it, it was fun, i had a great time with my dad, and now i know a little bit more going in next time. the idea that you have to be perfect or make tangible progress every single time you try something new is a recipe for burnout. i promise you, it doesnt matter if something doesn't come out like God's Gift to Humanity! Did you have fun? did you learn something? are you satisfied in some small part? good!
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(pictured: tha spoon)
last, im just really easy to please myself! I'll make a doodle or implement an idle animation in my game or color a piece and go "wow! thats so cool i did that :)" and it really is just a matter of realizing that its fucking COOL to create stuff, no matter how small! whatever you made didn't exist before you, especially in your own unique way, and now it does! doesn't that rule?! i'm obsessed with it! even if its just a stick figure, its a stick figure you made, and it wasn't there before. thats fucking awesome!!! art is so cool!!!! i think that being happy with small goals and victories is a great way of trying out new things and showing off cool stuff u made, no matter what skill level. :) this turned into a whole big thing, but i hope this helps! tl;dr is try things if they seem fun, be okay with not being good at them, and find stuff about it that makes you happy or satisfied!
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dungeon-strugglers · 29 days
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✨New item!✨ Coldhand Ring, uncommon (requires attunement)
This iron band is ringed with frost and embedded with milky blue uncut larimar. The hand upon which you wear the ring is pale and ice cold to the touch. The ring has 3 charges, and it regains all expended charges daily at dawn. You can expend 1 charge while wearing the ring to do one of the following options:
Chilling Blow. When you hit a target with an unarmed strike or a melee weapon attack, the target takes an extra 2d6 cold damage and it must make a successful DC 13 Constitution saving throw or it can’t take reactions and its speed is halved until the end of its next turn.
Ice Javelin. When you take the Attack action, if your ring-wearing hand is free, you can replace one of the attacks with a special thrown weapon attack. As part of the attack, you summon a javelin made of ice and throw it at a target that you can see within range. The ice javelin uses the damage die and weapon properties of a typical javelin. Hit or miss, the javelin then explodes. The target of your attack and each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 cold damage. If the attack hit, the target has disadvantage on this saving throw.
The cloaked ranger rode into town on a reindeer, and a pall of silence fell upon the villagers. Icicles hung from its antlers and the fringe of the traveler’s mantle was stiff with frost. A young stablehand stepped forth and feebly offered to lodge the beast for the night, but the ranger’s only response was to hold out a frost-blackened fist. The stablehand instinctively responded, and a ring was dropped into his cupped hands… - 🖌🎨 Like our work? Consider supporting us on Patreon and gain access to the hi-resolution art for almost 200 magic items (wow!), printable item cards and card packs, beautiful creature art and stat blocks, and setting pdfs with narrative hooks and unique lore!🧙‍♂️ Thank you so much for your support! 💖
📜 Credit. Art and design by us: the Dungeon Strugglers. Please credit us if you repost elsewhere.
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topoillogical · 11 days
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The experience of having a niche special interest suddenly become popular, and then hated, is astounding
I remember after ChatGPT came out a guy I met on a dating app messaged me like "wow I remember you showing me that GPT stuff years ago... you were ahead of the game..." and then all of a sudden my silly, easily ignorable, little AI games, became Known, and became Judged, and became Evil
What do you mean everyone has an opinion on generative AI. Hello. I remember this room being empty
My profile picture is an oooold AI art generation, before people even began to fear it replacing us, and I like it for its awfulness. The text reads "togtaigbap todty". I told the AI to write "algebraic topology". I miss when silly little dumb AI pictures were just silly little dumb AI pictures
I don't even really blame the AI-haters. Like, I get it. I have a unique relationship with AI from loving her years before she could start taking jobs, so it's easy for me to see her good side. It's a LOT harder when you first met AI via deepfakes and voicetheft. I think a lot of AI use is currently pretty damn condemnable, but I just. No matter how bad it gets. I will always have to push back against those who say the problem is with the technology herself. She's my wife, I LOVE her
Although I will say that the whole ordeal forced me to go through a great deal of personal growth. I finally feel like I can actually BE a person who is comfortable with disagreement. Many of my friends hate, fear, or at least dislike AI. I'm sure some of them find my love for it tacky, gauche, and maybe a bit "techbro". But they still love me. And I still love them. Peace and love on Planet earth? Maybe. It is still difficult sometimes.
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barananduen · 2 months
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Art Advice: The Misconception Behind "Study Realism"
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Most people who draw anime/cartoons have, while asking for ways to improve, at one point or another been told to "study realism." A common response to this is, "But I don't want to draw realism!"
But, did you know that the purpose behind this suggestion is NOT so that you draw realism? They're not suggesting you change to a more realistic style. What, then?
Let's look at this through an analogy:
Say you don't know music yet and decide you want to learn how to play the Happy Birthday song. You're not interested in playing anything else, just the HB song, and you haven't started learning anything related to music at this point. OK, that's fine, and now we have our situation set up. Once you've decided this, you set yourself to learning the sequence of notes to the HB song. You practice and practice, and, after a while, you can play it really well without a hitch. After a few years, it starts feeling bland to you, and you ask, "How can I make my HB song better?" And someone tells you, "Learn all the other music notes," and "Study classical and other genres of music." And you reply, "But I don't want to play that type of music; I want to play the HB song!" (And that's FINE! It's valid; it's what you want to do.[*Footnote 1]) But without having learned all the other notes and other types of music, you can't make a remix of the HB song, or an "epic version," or a hip-hop-fusion version; you've capped at the end of the first paragraph of this story.
So drawing anime or cartoons is like playing the HB song, or any one song in our example.
And here's where our misunderstanding comes in:
"Study Realism" DOES NOT MEAN "Draw Realism"
Yes, you'll have to draw it to study it (not only your brain, but also your hand needs to learn the skill), but it doesn't mean that's what all your artwork will look like. It is meant to give you more tools to make your anime and cartoon work stronger, more appealing, and more unique.
How will it do that? The more music notes you know, the more types of music you understand and can play, the more original a remix /version of the Happy Birthday song you'll be able to make - and it will be unique. Because you will be able to take all that diverse knowledge and apply it to your song, making it stand out, and the next time you play the HB song, people will go, "Wow! This is a really cool version!"
So now we can be clear: There is a difference between learning something and performing it. You can perform whatever you choose, but by learning all the things, your performance of your "Thing of Choice" will be stronger.
What, Exactly, Will Studying Realism Teach You, Then?
I. VALUES
If you learn how to paint/shade with a full range of values (by learning realistic shading) that properly depict both volume and lighting, you will have no trouble simplifying that to cel-shading or gradient-shading in your anime or cartoon drawings, because you will at once spot when something is undershaded or the shadows are in the wrong spot.
On the other hand, if you try to do cel- or gradient-shading first, you are way more likely to a) undershade, and b) have an inconsistent light source. And when these things happen, you won't be able to tell *why* your drawing looks "off" or bland.
II. COLOR
By studying realistic coloring, you'll be able to learn how color varies across an item (say, a shirt) that is a "solid color." Example: you're drawing a character with a pink t-shirt, standing in the sun, at the end of the school day. The t-shirt is solid pink, however, the colors on it will vary from orange-ish to purple-gray, with some areas almost a bright red (and that's not even considering items around the shirt that would bounce light back onto the shirt and change its color). But you'll only know this (and how to do it) if you study realistic coloring.
Then you can apply that knowledge to your stylized artwork and make it stand out more.
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Painting of a stylized pear, where I studied real pears to understand their coloring and texture. See how studying realism can enhance your cartoon work.
III. MAKE BETTER STYLIZED ANATOMY
By studying and learning realistic anatomy, you will be able to make stylized art that, for example, doesn't have one arm longer than the other, because you will have learned how to measure proportions, even if you don't draw realistic proportions. So that if you decide you want to draw unrealistically long legs (eg: Sailor Moon), you'll be able to make them look good and keep them consistent.
You will also be able to draw figures in any position, because you will have learned how body parts are made up and how they move, as well as foreshortening/perspective. Then, when you go to draw a pose you haven't drawn before, it will be WAY easier.
IV. UNDERLYING SHAPES
Although this is one of the least-mentioned aspects of art-learning, it is, in my opinion, one of the most important, because when you learn to see underlying shapes (the quasi-geometrical shapes that build up a figure), coupled with learning how to measure a form using other parts of the same form as reference (measuring the length of one body part by the number of times another body part fits in it, as mentioned in Section III, above), you will be able to DRAW. (Period.) You won't be able to draw just people. Or just wolves. Or just cats. You will be able to break down a new subject into its building blocks and come up with a very reasonable likeness. And whatever's different, you'll easily be able to make relative measurements to spot why and fix it.
Once you learn to identify underlying shapes and how to measure proportions in anything, you will also be able to pick up and reproduce any existing style without much trouble.
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[link to Tumblr post with this artwork]
For example, this was my first time drawing anything Peanuts. I didn't have to do practice sketches for it (though there's nothing wrong with doing that). But I knew, from realism, that to achieve a good likeness, you need to measure body parts relative to other body parts, so I looked at Schulz's drawings and was able to determine: OK, Charlie Brown's head is roughly this shape, his body is so many heads tall, his eyes are this % of the head, the ears are this far in, the arms reach down to here, etc. I knew what to look for.
V. FOR THOSE WHO WANT SEMI-REALISM
If you want to do "semi-realism," you'll have a way easier time of it by learning realism and then stripping it down as much as you like, than by starting off with "100% anime" and trying to build it up without knowledge of realism. People think the latter is easier, because it *seems* less intimidating, but it's like trying to drive to a store you've never been to without knowing its address: you'll be driving around forever trying to find it, and it will be frustrating. What people call "semi-realism" is stylized realism, and you can't really hit it without knowing how realism works.
CLOSING NOTES
It also doesn't mean you should stop drawing anime/cartoons and focus solely on realism for X amount of time - you can do both concurrently. In fact, the most fun way to study realism is to do so on your favorite subjects; you can even turn your reference into your favorite character!
Studying realism is also one of the best ways to help develop your OWN, unique style; one which, when people look at it, say, "Oh, that's [your name]'s work!"
[*]Footnote 1: It is fine as long as you are drawing for yourself. As soon as art is a job and you're drawing for an employer, you have to draw in the style they tell you to. So, in this case, it's to your advantage to be flexible.
I hope this was helpful and helps clear up a common misunderstanding people go through when receiving feedback. 💞
MORE ART ADVICE ARTICLES
You can find the index to all Art Advice Articles [here] including:
How to Deal with Art Block
How to Have a Positive Outlook
How to Develop Your Own Style (coming soon!)
etc.
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weirdmarioenemies · 11 months
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You know, all this time I never realized that Bomberman had Enemies! I thought it was just all those Bombers Men blowing each other up for sport. And I love those Bombers Men, they are very cute, but wow! Enemies! I love those! Enemies are my friends. There have been sooo many enemies over the course of the franchise, but here I will be talking about the originals from the very beginning! For the sake of consistency, I will be using the artwork from Bomberman Party Edition, since that was sadly the most recent time they all got official art for the same game. Here they come! Some creatures!
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BALLOM
Ballom is The Enemy. The first one! It is very simple. It is really just a balloon, sometimes with a string, sometimes not. Watch out for this one! Ever try to kill a balloon before? Don’t let the media fool you, you need a bomb to do it. Ballom actually appeared before all the others in the very first game, called Bomber Man, where it was the only enemy! This game was localized in Europe as... Eric and the Floaters. It sounds like a band name! A real Yoshi’s Island style localization choice. This is not a Bomberman game anymore. It’s an Eric game.
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I do not think this is what balloons look like
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ONIL
Already we have reached my favorite one! Onil is a blue onion sort of thing, and I am really just a sucker for creatures that are vegetables. It is so cute! It’s almost not recognizable as an onion most of the time, with its tip looking like a dollop of frosting rater than actual onion skin, but the original sprite does a pretty good job of communicating Onion. As you can see at the beginning of the post, its name was originally localized as O’Neal, which I think is very funny. That’s a Last Name right there! This onion was named like a Fortnite character!
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DAHL
Dahl is a sort of barrel of a thing! Finally we reach a thing that would more reasonably require a bomb to destroy. Look at its little face though! I feel bad talking about destroying these things with bombs. I don’t have much to say about Dahl, it’s a barrel, though it is a very cute barrel. I can’t think of THAT many other cute barrels.
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MINVO
Minvo is a little boring. I’m sorry. But it’s just a Face! Sometimes it is a very inoffensive-looking face, while sometimes it is showing a few teeth, but still just a Face. They don’t do anything all that interesting either. However!
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In some 3D appearances, they are not a sphere, but instead shaped like a sandwich cookie! Maybe they have been cookies all along! They even have Filling!
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OVAPE
Ovape is a funny one! Originally, it was basically a smiley Pac-Man ghost, which is cute and funny, but not very unique. When allowed more detail, though, it often looks more like an octopus, and not just any octopus, but a hot dog cut into an octopus shape!
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You know? Yeah! I don’t know how intentional the resemblance is, but it is very cute and fun.
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DORIA
I love Doria! It is some kind of Substance, or perhaps an amoeba, and I love a simple cute blob. It is often seen in this weirdly flat-looking shape, like it was spread on an invisible piece of bread! I would not eat it! Doria moves slowly, but it is slippery and smart, chasing Bomberman while avoiding bombs. Very impressive for a brainless (I assume) blob!
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PASS
Here we have our Token Mammal! Pass is a tiger who forgot the rest of itself at home and hops around as a head lump. It almost feels like Minvo, but with an actual design! You’re lucky you became a cookie, Minvo. Pass is fast, like a real tiger, and is able to Pass right through certain solid blocks, which real tigers cannot do. Only snow leopards can.
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PONTAN
Another face? Kind of! But not completely! Pontan is a COIN, so more interesting than just a face, and spins around flatly in its animations. They are the most dangerous of the original enemies, and their design does nothing to reflect this! That is funny. Like Pass, it passes through some blocks, but it also hunts you down! If Pontan finds you, you will learn that it can indeed be used as currency. One Pontan is enough to buy you one Death!
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Some, but not all, of these enemies would have the privilege of appearing in a Mobile Match 3 Game with the release of Bomberman Chains, and boy! They look weird! All of them! Ballom looks like Chris Griffin. Onil looks like it just woke up at 3:26 AM to go to the bathroom. I cannot say I Like any of these designs here, which is a shame because I think they could have all looked especially cute in Doodle Aesthetic, like Bomberman himself does! But I am glad this happened, it’s funny.
These have been just a few of the many funny little creatures specifically designed to be obliterated by explosions. Thank you.
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hwaightme · 1 year
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Your fan, Hongjoong (part 1)
(part 2) (your fan ml)
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👘 pairing: hongjoong x fashion designer!reader 👘 genre: romance, fluff, mutual pining 👘 summary: a bulletpoint-style wordstream of what it would be like if hongjoong was stanning you 👘 wordcount: 5.5k (help) 👘 warnings/tags: language, radio shows, reader is goth, goth subculture, a bit of mutual pining, seonghwa aries rage, san is sus, jealousy, DRAMA(rama), hongjoong is starstruck, reader has her own fashion house/brand, photoshoots, brand collabs, demon line boutta act up 👘 a/n: Hello fabulous people <3 Here we have, the one, the only, the legendary, Hongjoong next in the Your Fan, ___ series! Thank you so much for your love and support, reblogs, likes, asks and comments all welcome
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"So alongside your brilliant songs, you are also well known for having breathtaking performances, with an edge that only ATEEZ can do. Could you elaborate on what exactly goes into creating your unique aesthetic?"
Hongjoong looked around the studio. Him and Yunho, being the resident radio DJs, had been invited onto a show to promote their newest comeback, and talk all things creative arts.
There had been a number of guests before them who he looked up to, from others in the music industry, to visual artists, writers, and designers. This was the way in which he had discovered new changemakers, and got to know those stars he had deemed 'unreachable'. Breathtaking, but there to be admired from a distance.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the amazing designers and stylists that we work with. Really, without them none of this would be possible and ATEEZ would not be the same."
"Definitely, with each stage and comeback, it seems that there is no end to just how much they, and you, can wow the world. Now, there is a particular fashion house that ATEEZ has been collaborating with recently, could you tell us more about that?"
Now that was an interesting direction to steer into. This was very new on the horizon for ATEEZ, and few media had covered this so far. Hongjoong perked up, forgetting the tranquility that he had to normally adopt for such shows, instead letting himself bask in the rays of his passions.
More specifically, your brand. He had known of its existence, thanks to a serendipitous selection by his stylist, before he had even figured out who the brain behind the art was. He discovered the connection entirely by accident - through this radio show.
You had come in for an interview, much like Hongjoong and Yunho, and sat in one of these seats, telling your story. This same man who was asking them questions, had conversed with you. This appearance was like Hongjoong's little moment to connect with his unreachable star.
You were notoriously elusive, so public appearances were few and far between, and this explained why he had initially not even associated you and the brand together. But as it turned out, that had been the point. The lore was strong in this one.
You had explained during the show that you felt no need for your personal image to be connected to the brand itself, as the garments and those who wore them were the real imagemakers. You had also shown a deep understanding of the subcultures from which you took inspiration and, yourself, followed, diving into legends who had pioneered their popularisation over the decades. In all honestly, that had him hooked, and left him wanting to learn more about how your mind worked.
"Ah yes, more than happy! ARNURI is a brand that we only recently started working with, and could not be more happy. The brand has a world view and prides itself on destroying boundaries in fashion. There is no gender, no size, no limit to what can be achieved. It actually takes inspiration from the variety that is within goth subculture and totally redefines what is meant by luxury. I mean, their slogan is 'lead by antithesis' after all."
He had paraphrased your introductory speech from one of your first exhibitions after you had your big break at one of the Fashion Weeks. It had been a solo show, organised outside of any specific season, every detail paying homeage to what had been advertised as 'embracing the darkness of nature'. For this show, you had scouted models among your friends, among the myriad of citizens of Seoul, and used those same city streets as your catwalk.
Maybe the reason why that particular event had spoken to Hongjoong was because it reminded him of the street busking he had done in his early days. The days of when one risked it all for a future that was not guaranteed, simply because they had hope.
Hongjoong could go on, but Yunho's shift to balancing his head on his hand as he rested his eyes on the captain, and batted his eyelids like a Disney princess made him stop abruptly.
Not that the host had noticed.
"Ah yes! And isn't the name, ARNURI, a play on "Our World?"
"Uh, yeah!" caught off-guard by the follow-up since he was trying to telepathically communicated to Yunho to cut whatever he was trying to do out, he stumbled over his words a little. But it was easy enough to settle back in once he thought of the moment KQ management had shared the official communications between the two companies with him.
"So it was quite funny when the brand approached us for this, they actually quoted our song 'New World'. Really if it were up to me I wouldn't even ask for a portfolio at that point."
"Of course you wouldn't..." Yunho whispered, leaning away from the mic so it barely caught, serving like background noise more than anything.
Hongjoong's head snapped in the other member's direction, but he was met with legendary nonchalance. Truly, the epitome of 'it's not awkward unless you make it awkward'. The guy even raised an eyebrow back at him as though Hongjoong was acting out of line.
"That is magnificent, it was meant to be! Maybe there are some ATINY in the company!"
"Oh we wish!" Yunho interjected, a chuckle escaping him as he glanced in Hongjoong's direction.
"Well, we are very much looking forward to seeing more of these fantastic designs, and the photoshoot that ATEEZ will be doing with ARNURI! Maybe you will be able to create some items together? Can ATINY hope for a new line in the future?"
"Hah, I do enjoy altering clothing and really letting creativity run free, but I am looking forward to the learning-".
"Oh yeah, Hongjoong has been a fan of the brand for quite some time, so finding out that we are now working together is a dream come true!"
Hongjoong lowered his eyes and let his fingers flitter across the table in front of him. There went his opportunity to be all slick and cool. Or was he over-reacting? Again, Yunho was unreadable.
The host then quickly rounded off that segment of the discussion, and cut to an ATEEZ song break, in honour of the guests.
Confirming that the mics were indeed off and he wasn't about to cuss out the entire nation, Hongjoong turned to his 6'1'' headache and hissed:
"Let's keep this about ATEEZ, shall we?"
"Why so serious, bro? Don't you like ARNURI?"
That, he did. The problem was that it was no longer just ARNURI he liked. To borrow some fandom-speak, he had abandoned the 'casual fan' territory, and had found himself quite a few clothing items and accessories-deep, and with a bias.
And since he would rather have Yeosang feeding him sour candy than revealing that he liked ARNURI more than he probably should, any joke in that direction was like an arrow that he felt the desperate need to dodge.
"Yeah, of course I do. I mean, we are working with them right?"
"Riiiight. And you are wearing their jacket. That you literally do not let anyone touch."
"What? I like clothes."
"And you keep said jacket in a plastic bag from the dry cleaner's because suddenly you are Seonghwa two point oh."
"Is that not... normal?"
"Rich to ask for a person who spray paints shoes in the living room at three in the morning."
"Hey I ventilate."
"BY TURNING ON THE EXHAUST VENT IN THE KITCHEN?"
"Shh, Yunho, we good. We can discuss this later-"
"Oh no I like your discomfort shawty talk to me."
Hongjoong pinched the bridge of his nose. This kid with his surprise attacks. Before he could think of a way to get himself out of the hole he dug, the host was suddenly showing that they had thirty seconds before going live. So he settled for:
"We'll continue this conversation later."
"And I chose Seonghwa over you."
"Choosing violence... I swear to-"
"And we are back! I hope you, dear listeners, enjoyed the wonderful-"
You paused the podcast. So, your personal assistant was not kidding when she ran into your office, waving her phone side to side as though she was at a concert, saying that Kim Hongjoong knew a lot more about ARNURI than you assumed.
Really sometimes you thought you hired her not for her abilities as a PA, but because she made you feel a tiny bit more sane. But at the same time, you were one in the same - who was listening to the recorded radio broadcast right after she left your office, reduced to a fit of giggles, sitting in total solitude? You.
Quite the contrast to how you normally were - zoned out due to exhaustion, brutal because that was how your business worked, or totally unreachable because 'the vibe was right and you were in a creative flow state'.
But this was how you got that bread. And had taken ARNURI to new heights. You continuously sacrificed yourself for the art.
There had never been another option for you - ever since you were a kid there was only one thing you were interested in, and that was fashion. You were that one kid who shamelessly stole (and wore) her parents' and siblings' clothing, modifying it so that it looked more like you.
You had 're-designed' your school uniform which had nearly led to your suspension. To this day you were confident you had done the right thing remaking the outfit to being pitch black - it was not your fault that the school had no sense of taste and had chosen such a horrid shade of grey.
And aside from becoming the 'adopted child' of some goth clubs in the city, you had crashed fashion show after fashion show to just see how the legends did it. You were taken by the stark contrast between what was classically accepted and popular on the runways versus the enchanting amalgamation of Victorian era dress, New Romantic, punk and new wave.
You had sworn to yourself that if there was one thing you were going to do, it was be one of the designers to fuse the worlds together. So you gave all you had to this dream. You had completed fashion school, worked in Finland to immerse yourself in the nation's vibrant, borderline mainstream goth scene, and had participated in many art exhibitions and avante garde fashion shows to make yourself known.
This was your calling. Your everything. So when you finally managed to get your brand up and running, bringing your vision to South Korea, you were shamelessly promoting it as best you could. Sending samples, contacting influencers, knocking on all the doors until SOMEONE answered.
And that someone turned out to be a stylist at KQ Entertainment, working with a group called ATEEZ. After a few exchanges on Instagram, they had agreed to use a couple of items, and let the media do the promotional magic.
You were desperate, having not had much success in the country due to difficulty in finding early adopters of the brand, so you agreed.
Turned out it was a much better investment than you had initially thought. A few members had sported ARNURI wear for a fansign, and pictures from the event FLEW around the internet. Eventually, the clothing was discovered, and your site started getting more and more hits.
You assumed it was just a fluke, but that fluke turned into one of the members, who you learned to be Kim Hongjoong, starting to make regular appearances in ARNURI, especially when it was evident that he had the final say in what to wear - airport looks, more casual events... black-clad, supporting you more than he could imagine.
Inadvertently, he had turned into a motivation for you. He had given you the hope that you could reach the stars if you so desired, and so you began to build up.
Season after season, you worked tirelessly, and eventually broke into Seoul Fashion Week. Your daring showcase of your 'ANTITHESIS' collection had gathered a large audience, and soon enough, you had to step into the spotlight, and reveal your identity.
You could remember it as clear as day, 'She Sells Sanctuary' by The Cult roaring in the background as you stepped out, every bit ARNURI, an overnight neo-goth sensation.
As your brand got bigger and bigger, and you were now leading a business of nearly 100 people strong, you had to become colder and more distant. It was a sort of self-preservation, since fashion was not an industry where one could escape criticism and blatant slander, especially when your primary goal was to be yourself.
But that one idol. The one who had agreed to wear your brand, and then continued to do so voluntarily, Kim Hongjoong, still remained special to you. He was your quiet encouragement.
So when you heard from your marketing and communications team that they had scouted out an opportunity to work with ATEEZ, you gave them the green light almost instantly, and much to their surprise, participated in crafting out the perfect proposal.
And when you received an agreement and contracts in response, you needed to excuse yourself and locked yourself in your studio, letting yourself squeal. Just a bit. And then walked back out - she is beauty she is grace.
The first stage of the collaboration was going to be a nice and simple photoshoot. You said simple but you were running around the building like a headless chicken making sure everything was ready.
It was going to be for a new line, 'PHANTASMOS', an ode to phantasmagoria, horror theatre and the portrayal of all things fantastic, strange and ghoulish. And who would be a better group of models than ATEEZ?
As the day approached, Hongjoong was becoming considerably more nervous, and that was only exacerbated by the announcement that you personally would be attending the shoot.
He did not want to come across as a fool of some sort, wanted to be a serious leader, really leave the impression that he meant business. To him, you were elegance itself, a tranquil beauty in black, and he wanted to match that to the best of his ability.
Which was exactly why he had turned his and Seonghwa's dorm into a fabric skip, with shirts, trousers, t-shirts... all of his prized possessions were strewn around the perimeter and occupied nearly every inch of the floor. Hell, even his customised Doc Martens were lying miserably on his bed.
Just as he was contemplating between a blazer with lines of safety pins as decal on the lapels or a classic leather jacket with more zippers than ways his children could annoy him, Seonghwa returned from his trip to the LEGO store.
Hongjoong had never seen every single stage of grief flash across a person's face in one second. But there it was. He gave the eldest member a sheepish grin, subconsciously cowering away closer to the windows - as far away from the evidently not too pleased Seonghwa.
"Kim. Hong. Joong. What kind of fuckery is this?"
"Oh. OH! Amy Winehouse! Yes, big fan, that's uh, that's Me & Mr. Jones right?"
"I will use you as a broom stick Joong."
"Look I just got carried-"
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU? PLEASE LET ME KEEP AT LEAST SOME OF MY NERVE CELLS!"
"What's happening- oh Joongie is in trouble~" Mingi poked his head in through the door, making it look as though it was the Teletubbies sun floating above Seonghwa's shoulder.
Hongjoong really wished he could laugh. He really did. But he was afraid he was about to be forced to eat the starship that his roommate bought.
So much for trying to be 'chic' and impressing you. Now he had the goal of making it to the shoot in one piece.
"Mingi. Exit. Now." Seonghwa commanded, jaw clenched, which made the younger member quite literally bolt, slamming the door so hard that the items that were hanging on the stuck-on hooks slid off and fell behind Seonghwa.
There was a mass meeting audible right outside of the room, and a very distinct seagull laugh penetrated the walls. Hongjoong cursed his bad timing. Had he only started early, maybe he would have had time to shove at least some of the items under the bunk so it didn't look too bad.
"Right. You know what. I am zen. I am the calmest of the calm. You take care of others, I take care of you. Right? Now. Wait, you know what I need to just-"
Seonghwa picked up a large pillow off one of the beds, eyed it, looked at Hongjoong once more, and then PUNCHED it with blinding rage, sending it flying right back into the bed.
"Okay now I am fine. Care to explain when you were planning to sort this shit out?"
There was another wave of mumbles outside, to which Seonghwa responded by making the door fly open and shouting out "we are having a VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION."
Before closing the door entirely, a quiet comment from Yeosang could be overheard: "they're getting divorced in there," leading to some giggles, and pitter-patter of footsteps away from the door. They probably just chose a slightly different location to camp and snoop.
Hongjoong decided to sink into one of the clothes piles, motioning for Seonghwa to take a seat next to him. He was in a dilemma, unsure of what sort of explanation would be the most effective for Seonghwa. So he just settled for the truth.
"You know the shoot that we are going to do?" he began, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yes, I do. What, is the aesthetic landfill-chic?" Seonghwa motioned at the explosion over the room.
"No, not at all! Don't even. You have seen the clothing, right?"
"Of course, I wore ARNURI before. Must say, very flattering. And fashionable. That one overcoat made me feel like a vampire prince."
Hongjoong raised an eyebrow, but chose not to comment on that. Seonghwa was Seonghwa, he had his own agenda and his own interpretations.
"Right, so... well, you know I have a lot of ARNURI stuff? It's not just that... I have um... sort of become a... fan? Of the designer? L/N Y/N? She is just... her vision... her style is just... yeah she is great."
"Oh my gosh my boy Kim Hongjoong actually wants to meet someone outside of ATEEZ, this is legendary, I should post this on Universe."
"What in the- hey I meet people! And don't you dare"
"When, mister 'I don't really have many friends' and literally getting jealous over me talking to Minho from Stray Kids?"
"Hey, being a best friend is a responsibility, and you are my best friend!"
"Oh wait... I get it... I don't think you are aiming for friendship here... isn't that right?" a grin started spreading over Seonghwa's face as he looked like he discovered a new planet.
"I am just a fan of hers! Don't twist this!"
"Sure... okay now I get... this," he gave a judgmental side eye to the pile of sweaters that had made their home right by his display cabinet. "You are like a middle schooler before a first date, I swear. This is definitely because she's going to be there, right?"
"You know what? Yes, yes it is. And I might not have had my growth spurt yet but I am not a middle schooler." Hongjoong said, standing up as straight as possible, putting his hands on his hips.
"That's exactly what an angsty middle schooler would say." Seonghwa looked him up and down, stifling a laugh.
"You are on a power trip aren't you?"
"Hell yeah I am, and I will be for the entire shoot and beyond."
"Park Seonghwa why you do this to ME?"
"If you don't want the others to get the details I have an offer."
This made Hongjoong stop on his tracks and retract his 'leader card'. He did not want to lose face in front of the 'teezer crew entirely, so keeping this information in confidence was enticing.
"Yes?"
"First off, clean your shit. And second, I get that spot on the dresser for the Imperial All Terrain Armoured Transport model I've been hunting down."
"First, deal. Second, say that one more fucking time dude I dare you."
"IMPERIAL ALL TERRAIN ARMOURED TRANSPORT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE AT-AT WALKER, IS A FOUR-LEGGED TRANSPORT AND COMBAT VEHICLE USED BY THE IMPERIAL GROUND FO-"
"Did you legit memorise Wikipedia or something?"
"May the force be with you, bitch. Now you clean, I will go chill outside so I don't have an aneurysm because of how you do it. And by the way, I'd pick the leather jacket if I were you. Classic, timeless and looks good."
"Thank you man, you are the best."
"I know, now impress me with how you can make this room spotless."
And with that, Seonghwa left Hongjoong alone in the room. From what he could hear, there was a circus outside, with the other members having gathered around, interrogating about what had just unfolded. but Seonghwa was keeping his word, for now at least. He knew that he did not have to try too hard, since Hongjoong would probably expose himself as soon as he were to see you anyways.
And Seonghwa was more than right. The next day, when ATEEZ arrived to the studio, Hongjoong was very jittery. Alert to any and all people and sounds, he was looking around as if he was expecting someone - well he definitely was. As soon as they stepped into the ARNURI office, he was convinced that you could be around any corner.
The other members were beginning to catch on that this hyung was acting odd, to the point where Yeosang commented on Hongjoong looking like he was playing Alien Isolation in real life. The reference flew right over the leader's head, but he tried his best to tone his Pink Panther-style snooping down.
And instead focus on the many photos that decorated the walls of your house of fashion. Memories of particularly memorable parts of a show, awards, red carpet events... club nights, themed evenings, collaborations... this was your life. Right there, immortalised in tasteful monochrome.
The boys were in awe of the refined interior - strictly monochromatic, any accents in the otherwise white rooms and corridors were done using the colour black. Although it was not a rule by any means (in fact, you encouraged being as daring as one wanted), the majority of ARNURI employees were clad in the colour, fitting right into the brand and the aesthetics.
They were led up a couple of flights of stairs, and as they were making their way down one corridor, Hongjoong began to catch snippets of lively conversation, the occasional staff gliding a clothing rack past them or across the hallway, and... shouts of 'yes ma'am'?
Initially he was confused, but as they were getting closer to the photo studio, it clicked in his head: you were in there. Who else could be referred to as ma'am?
"Hey, Hongjoong, I think we are -actually- meant to... walk in the hall to do the shoot." Jongho walked up behind the leader, fake whispering, causing a round of chuckles from the other members. The only member who was not as smiley (except Hongjoong himself, that is) was Seonghwa, and it was because Hongjoong not so little infatuation was old news to him, and the room had been cleaned to a very satisfying level, much to his surprise.
"Woah no way, Jongho, that's insane. I was sure that this was a new technique or something..." Yunho piped in, glancing at Hongjoong, lips curling up.
He had a couple of sneaking suspicions about Hongjoong's behaviour whenever ARNURI, or more specifically the founder and lead designer, were mentioned or he was given the chance to gush about it.
The radio appearance was the closest to a confirmation that he could get - Hongjoong getting shy over being a big fan... what a sight to see. But seeing the post-discussion silent conversations between the two eldest members, and some signal exchanges while they were driving up to the venue really sealed the deal. There was something really fun going on with Hongjoong, and Yunho needed the deets.
For research purposes. And who was he to pass up on a ship in the making?
Finally, their manager, after finishing up a conversation with some of the relationship management staff from ARNURI, who had greeted them, decided to speed up the process and usher the kids in.
To soothe his nerves, Hongjoong picked at a bracelet he had selected for completing his 'first meeting and first impression' look. He had worn it many times over, and had even taken it with him on tour before, so it was a little ball of positive energy for him.
But nothing could prepare or prevent the Error that Hongjoong.exe experienced as he finally saw you in your element.
There was something spellbinding about the way you looked. Head to toe in your own creations, you were wearing an onyx-hued Victorian era inspired suit, matched with military boots that had immaculate metal detailing.
He could not stop staring, even if it could be perceived as rude, or too forward. There you were.
"Oh, guys, man down, man down, our captain's overboard~" Wooyoung taunted, shouldering San and Yeosang who were on either side of him.
It really was a sight to behold. Hongjoong, entirely captivated as you stood in the middle of the photo studio, guiding the entire room like a conductor would lead an orchestra.
He ignored the youngers' attempts to get his attention, much to their utter disbelief and resulting giddiness. If there was a definition of starstruck. This was it.
You appeared to have a pulse on EVERYTHING, down to the tiniest details, pointing out that there was a very specific prop missing, adjusting accessories, exchanging one scarf for another. It was the most organised chaos that Hongjoong had ever seen, and he was amazed at how you could keep it under control.
The star he had deemed unreachable was right there. Right in front of him.
"Joongie, I think you can leave your drooling until after the shoot. You don't want your makeup ruined."
"Oh Hwa is this how it is?" he looked at his friend in disbelief.
"I think you exposed yourself enough, no?"
"Ew, Hongjoong come on don't traumatise your wife." Wooyoung was not giving up on his mission to annoy Hongjoong into early retirement.
"GUYS please don't embarrass me-"
"Oh so you admit it?" San questioned, smirking like the devil.
"Admit what?"
"That you are doing some shady shit."
"Where did this even come from, San."
"So the studio then, no wonder you come back from there at like four in the morning."
"You guys are making me lose brain cells that I need to get instructions from the photographer." Yeosang deadpanned, nodding towards the set.
"I don't even want to begin imagining what sort of things you are thinking about, but I can assure you I will annihilate you if you start kindergarten season here." Hongjoong threatened but it fell short as Mingi grinned and joined in the ambush:
"Say 'aye' if you think this minion is invested into this shoot." the way he said it almost sounded like an innuendo, making Hongjoong scowl.
The most deafening collection of 'ayes' resounded around Hongjoong, and caused you to shift your focus to the newly arrived group. He noticed your expression soften, shoulders roll a little further back as you ambled towards them, the thuds of your boots setting his heart's pace.
"Ah good morning to you all! It is such a pleasure to be working with you. Did I make you wait for long?"
"Not at all, the pleasure is all ours." Hongjoong forced out, pushing the snickering members out of his sphere of attention.
"Great, well it is wonderful to finally meet you, I am L/N Y/N, the mad scientist behind ARNURI!"
"Very much the same here, Miss-"
"We'll be working closely enough to be informal, no?" you interjected before Hongjoong could call you by your last name.
Your allure was more powerful than he had hypothesised, to the point where some of the other members, more specifically San and Seonghwa, could not look away from you either - it seemed that you had the energy for attracting demons. The way you carried yourself, poised and courteous, demanded nothing less than respect.
At the same time, there was nothing demure about you. If anything, you resembled a cat that was ready to pounce any moment. As though there was a coil within you, permanently tense and even slightly dangerous. But that was thrilling.
Hongjoong cleared his throat, and corrected himself, "Yes, of course, sorry, Y/N. Shall we do the official greeting or-"
"Let's keep things personal for now, and once my lovely colleagues are done with the final checks, we can get started with eight makes one team." you winked, and suggested, quoting the greeting.
It was beyond entertaining for Wooyoung to see just how putty-like Hongjoong had become in your presence. He was just playing by your rules at this point, without questioning them. But it was understandable, who wouldn't get weak when their type was right in front of them and said 'let's keep things personal'?
"Well then let me be proper, I am San!" whilst you were exchanging words with Hongjoong, the member had time to slip from where he originally stood, and was now almost right in front of you, beaming.
Hongjoong chortled, but at the same time wanted to kick his fellow member in the shins because of the interception. What was his game here exactly?
Ever so politely, you greeted San back, not giving away that you were interested in continuing your chat with Hongjoong. It was second nature to you to blend one interaction into another without revealing any preferences - otherwise you would have a lot more enemies in the industry.
Then you simply proceeded to greet each ATEEZ member separately, your attention shifting entirely each time. You had a way of making people feel like, for even if just a moment, they were your universe.
It came from your tendency of seeing people both as perfect canvases, and as living works of art. You enjoyed the challenge that working off a person gave you, and this was mainly why you wanted to give each ATEEZ member a final once over - to see whether what you had planned was even right.
Each member gave you a unique impression, ranging from mischievous to shy to strictly professional. Seeing as you had never actively followed their activities, aside from their leader's, you were fascinated by the dynamic they were displaying, taking note for who you wanted to see in the camera together, and maybe even matching in some accessories.
Hongjoong was nearly holding his breath as he saw you reading ATEEZ like an open book. You were scanning everyone in the way he had seen renowned critics do while inspecting models on the runway. A Mona Lisa smile, and conclusions no one would know except yourself.
When it was finally his turn, he said his name as brightly as possible, faltering only towards the end as your eyes locked. He swore his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. It did not last long though, as you glanced down, and appeared to be incredibly happy because of something you spotted.
San was taking a particular interest in this silent mental tango, intently following your every move, while Wooyoung cupped his hand around his friend's ear and whispered.
"The bracelet."
"Ah, yes, it's uhm, should I say yours?"
"I guess so! It is from the limited edition MEDUSA collection. It suits you well. And the condition is impeccable though it's been what, a couple of years?"
"It's very precious to me, I try to take good care of it."
Seonghwa pursed his lips, the chaos of their dorm room clouding his vision. He imagined that you probably would go ballistic if you were to ever see clothing being treated in that way. Though Hongjoong did have separate storage for accessories and jewelry - that much was true.
"That means a lot. Thank you-" you turned as someone called out for you, alerting that everything was ready to go, "it's time, gentlemen, let's get this party started!"
As you clasped your hands together and moved away to join the lead photographer, allowing stylists to guide the group away and begin working their magic, San peered at Hongjoong once more.
When he made sure everyone else was out of earshot, he placed a hand on the captain's shoulder, and muttered:
"If you don't ask her out, I will. No hierarchy on this battle field."
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synthaphone · 3 months
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The Steampunk Centibyte is Finished!!!!! Wow!!!!! I'm so glad Steampunk is complete!!!!!!!!!
I decided I wanted to avoid one of my pet peeves of the official Steampunk pets, which is how frequently the different pieces of clothing are fused into one or two big chunks that can't be mixed or matched (the Techo), or are just clearly not designed to be worn on their own and look really awkward when its attempted (the Bori). We lost unique art for customization, so let me CUSTOMIZE!!!
But I understand now why this is so common, because jesus this is a time consuming color to make- and ensuring the 7 individual clothing pieces worked properly on their own AND together in the same outfit took additional time and effort that official site artists might not necessarily get.
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i ended up basing the unclothed base color on the giant redheaded centipede- i deviated a little more from the pb standard than i would usually like to, but the zafara has unique markings and the kyrii is orange, so i decided to let myself have a little fun
you can see all the completed colors so far here!
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twopoppies · 1 year
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Hi! Would love if you could do a favorite fics of 2022 🥰
Hi sugar. I’d love to do that for you. I have to say, this was a tough year for me and for whatever reason I didn’t find a lot that I loved, but all of these are really good reads.
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distractions by fondleeds (E, 4K) one of my favorite authors. The writing just feels effortless. This one is super short but sexy, tender, and sweet.
Golden by Shaylea (E, 128K) I loved this author‘s last fic, and somehow, they managed to write another captivating story that’s so immersed in the country it takes place in. I was sucked in right from the start and really like how they write complex, flawed characters that you still root and cheer for. It’s a bit neat in its conclusion, but I think it’s very much worth a read.
The School of Extraordinary Lovers by Stylinsoncity (M, 191K) This author always knows how to write a deeply layered story that draws you into the world they create. This time it’s friends to enemies to lovers set in a world of magic, betrayal, and family honor. The ending is a bit simple for how complex the set up is, but I still loved reading it and couldn’t put it down for two days straight.
makes me wanna try her on by mercutionotromeo (E, 2K) if you haven’t dipped your toes into this author’s entire list of works. I love every single one. This one is very short, but wow does it pack a sexy punch.
Gold-skinned, eager baby by StarryDay13 / @daydreaming-sunflower (E, 17K) This was soft and tender and sexy and beautifully done. There were wonderful moments of gentleness and vulnerability as Harry awkwardly expresses his thoughts about his gender and his feelings for Louis, and as Louis reacts and holds space for who Harry is. I really just loved this one. And I cried. So that’s a bonus. 😆
where the tide takes you, I will follow by @pinkcords (E, 40K) First of all, I’m so happy this author is writing again! Second, everything about this was just lovely. The slow, dreamy tone of their writing fit the setting and the way Harry and Louis fell into each other so, so well. I love how descriptive their writing is without being flowery or pointless. The smut scenes were toe-curlingly sexy, and gave us beautiful insight into both of the boys. I just wanted to live inside this fic.
seven hours behind by justanothershadeofblue (E, 5K) very few people write canon these days, so it was such a nice surprise to read this one and, especially because it’s an author new to our fandom, and find the characterizations so well done. Plus, I love a fic that can combine a loving established relationship and dirty phone sex. 😆
no one's gonna know by jishler / @snowjosh (E, 9K) This author always does such a wonderful job of writing an established relationship fic where there’s so much warmth and expression between the characters, while also showing how much lust and passion there is. This is chock full of edging, exhibitionism, and dom/sub dynamics and it’s such a good read. 
Nothing’s the same as it was (save you) by metal-eye. / @metal-eye (T, 4K) This author’s fics are rare, not just because they only grace us with their writing now and then, but also because the words they chose to tell each story feel so precise and so special… each one is like unwrapping a gift. This one is a touching exploration of gender and support and dysphoria and comfort and it’s really just beautiful.
Hike Up Your Skirt (And Show Your World To Me) by Brooklyn_Babylon (E, 18K) This one is mine, but I’m proud of it and I hope you like it. Make sure you read the tags on this one because it’s not your conventional fic and Louis is definitely super manipulative. But if you like the idea of secretary Harry in lingerie, CEO Louis, copious amounts of dirty talk, some power imbalance, and exhibitionism… this could be for you.
The Lost Art of Breeding and (Mis) Behavior by @indiaalphawhiskey (E, 14K) Breeding kink just isn’t written enough in this fandom and this one takes a beautifully unique approach. It’s got the flavor of Captive Prince, combined with the feeling of reading about soulmates that you get with Harry and Louis. Super sexy and beautifully written.
given a chance by @ialwaysknewyouwerepunk (E, 18K) This was such a lovely exploration of childhood friends confronting why they fell out with each other.
Only Gonna Touch It by @lovingstheantidote (E, 3K) on the surface, it’s fic that’s about watching each other wank. But this author brought so much love and connection to the characters’ relationship and made it even sexier.
babydoll blues by devilinmybrain / @thedevilinmybrain (E, 112K) At last, the full-fledged, dirty, sugar baby fic we needed. Harry's character is so layered and so beautifully drawn, I just fell in love with him. Louis is sexy and powerful and also tender and sweet, just how I imagine the actual Louis to be. This author wrote one of my favorite fics of 2021, so I was really excited to dive into this one. They really know how to set a scene and draw you in to their characters. Scorching smut scenes, excellent use of side characters, and some angst that fully made me cry. Definitely worth a read!
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depressedraisin · 9 months
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do u ever listen to eycte and get awestruck by how perfect that album is like wow not a single moment of weakness throughout the entire hour of its runtime it's so tightly packed and precisely executed the vocals are so smooth so buttery the harmonies are on point all the fucking time the instrumentation the strings the guitars everything are giving exactly what needs to be given each song is quite unique but there's a story flowing throughout alex and miles aren't just the performers but characters in that too the lyrics seem so random and rambly but you Get It if you're really paying attention even the internal rhyme and meter are so nicely constructed the words make complete sense with the melody and chord structure too i love this album so much i genuinely do think its such a well made piece art not just because i have an irrational level of love and appreciation towards alex and miles mom i love them so much im losing my mind over them again
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