#High-dynamic-range imaging | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sirfrogsworth · 1 month ago

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This man just loves shooting movies on "hard mode."

The 15 perf, 70mm film he uses is pretty special. In very limited circumstances, it can have the same detail as an 80 megapixel medium format camera. Roughly 12K if you average out the sharpness of the lens (the center is sharper).

It's gotta be the lowest speed film and on a tripod and *nothing* can be moving and there has to be plenty of light and the lens needs to be sharp enough to resolve that much detail and the air cannot be too moist or dusty... but yeah, sure... theoretically you can get a tiny circle in the center of the frame to be 18K. With the entire frame averaging out to be 12K.

And as you watch that 12K image on a 100 foot IMAX screen you can say to yourself, "Cillian Murphy should really try a pore cleanser."

But Nolan *rarely* uses it under those ideal conditions. So he is mostly preserving the resolution of the grain structure.

I know people go to movies to admire the high-resolution film grain structure. Right? Any grain nerds reading this?

So why is he doing this?

There is the "film look" that is a bit of a cheat code to reduce the need for extensive color grading. People just like the look of film. It has a nostalgic aesthetic that gives us comfort. All of the films of my childhood were on film. All of my childhood photos were on film.

But you can get film without film.

They have developed workflows that emulate film to a near-imperceptible level. There are filmvestigators who think they can always tell. But if it is close enough that only a few specially trained people can see the difference, it is imperceptible.

You can also hack digital to be film. Dune 2 took the digital footage and exposed it onto film and then scanned it back to digital.

Looked great.

Looked like film.

So he doesn't need to do this to get the film look.

WHY? What else could compel him to go through this considerable bother to capture his movie?

I could make an argument for gradients.

Any large format is going to capture very nice gradations. Gradations are probably the most underrated aspect of image quality. People get obsessed with Ks and megapixels, but 1080p is enough detail for most people.

Whereas having one color smoothly transition into another color is a very subtle thing that gives our brain an aesthetic buzz. It's that thing that makes people go, "Oh wow, you must have a really nice camera." It's that subconscious element in photos that helps differentiate snapshot from art.

This iPhone photo is great.

It is amazing this can be captured by a phone.

But a large format image just hits different.

And you can't always put your finger on why.

I mean, the why is because a professional photographer took the photo. (Unless that is one of those dentists with a Hasselblad.)

But if you account for the skill of the photographer, what else makes the photo special?

I think it is the gradients. The megapixels are nice. The color science is nice. But the way those tones just seamlessly shift into each other makes my brain tingle.

But the Arri 65 digital cinema camera is also large format. It has nicer lenses that weren't designed before the 90s. It doesn't cost thousands of dollars just to develop a few minutes of footage. It has more dynamic range. It can do the buttery smooth gradients. It weighs an entire 2-year-old child less than IMAX cameras.

And you don't need 4 dudes to deliver the movie to the projectionist.

And unless Christopher had them develop a silent IMAX camera, I guess all of the dialogue is going to be recorded in post.

youtube

I mean, IMAX claims they made them "30% quieter."

Which is a bit like when I inquired about an $8,000 treatment and explained that I had 0 money and the doctor offered me a 30% coupon.

So whyyyyyy?

It's heavy. It's loud. It doesn't offer better image quality.

I think it is just because film is cool and he doesn't want it to die.

I wish he would stop saying unscientific things about the magical 15/70mm film and just say "Because it is fucking cool."

I'm sold. That works for me.

By using the most extreme film camera, he brings attention to the use of film. He inspires people to learn about it and maybe even use it in their personal photography. (Film photography is very popular right now.) And he makes other big Hollywood directors think they can manage the pain in the ass of film as well.

I'm glad Nolan is this stubborn and willing to take on the challenges of using the heaviest and loudest cameras in existence.

The large format quality is good enough that it will be preserved well. We won't have a Star Wars crisis where people are trying to stitch together degraded 40 year old film to make sure Han shot first.

An 18K scan of IMAX will stand the test of time.

That doesn't mean IMAX is 18K or any other K.

The Ks don't matter! Stop talking about 18K! All you reddit r/IMAX nerds need to calm down about the Ks.

Talk about them sweet, sweet gradients.

Film is a variable resolution medium. If it is dark and you are using a Russian lens from the 50s, you might be getting 3K IMAX. You could have one scene from two angles be completely different resolutions. It's fine. No one is complaining that a movie isn't Kenough.

The only thing "scanned in 18K" means is that all of the detail will be well preserved, including that sexy grain structure.

Nice.

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izanacore · 4 months ago

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“after hours” | bonten men x reader

mini-collection 𓂃⋆.˚

synopsis: as a bonten executive, y/n treats hooking up with bonten men after meetings like just another part of the job—routine, effortless, and far too easy to stop.

characters: manjiro “mikey” sano, haruchiyo sanzu, ran haitani, rindou haitani, hajime kokonoi, fem!reader

warnings: smut (18+), explicit sexual content, multiple partners, rough sex, anal sex, semi-public sex, spanking, spitting, cumplay, hair pulling, degradation, choking, dirty talk, objectification, power imbalance, manipulation, possessiveness, markings, orgasm control, overstimulation, light humiliation, drug usage, alcohol usage, smoking, non-consensual image sharing, mean sanzu, reader being a bitch, bonten men being menaces, toxic dynamics, dubious consent (consensual but with coercive undertones), exhibitionism (y/n being watched), implied criminal activity, unsafe situations, minor aftercare but mostly neglect, mild sadism, and very filthy vibe.

notes: wrote this out of nowhere tbh. this is very flithy. i also wanna say that i really think the haitani brothers are sweet when it comes to their girl (sometimes) and not the manipulative womanizer type, but that’s just my hc (is it canon? idk!). and please, i’ve written every content warning i could think of (i’m considerate like that), so please read at your own risk. again, this is flithy. anyway, enjoy! credits to the fanart i used above.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

part 1

the private lounge smelled of expensive liquor, sweat, and sin. dim lights cast shadows over the leather couches, the sound of bass thumping through the floors beneath them. it was routine now—business first, then pleasure. bonten’s little after-meeting tradition. drinking, getting high, and letting loose like they owned the world. because, well, they did.

y/n lounged beside ran, her legs draped over his lap, glass in hand, his arm snug around her waist like she belonged there. and she did—at least for tonight. she took a sip, the burn of alcohol making her hum before her eyes flickered to kakucho, who was already standing.

“c’mon, kakucho, you’ve never joined our after-meeting sessions.” she tilted her head, pouting before smirking. “i’ll let you play with my tits.” then she drank, the ice clinking against the glass.

kakucho exhaled sharply. “fuck off, y/n. i’m going.”

she clicked her tongue. “boo. god, you’re so boring.”

he ignored her completely, turning to mocchi and takeomi. “c’mon, we have to take care of the clients.”

y/n groaned, rolling her eyes as she leaned further into ran. “you too, mocchi? takeomi?” she huffed, fingers tapping against the rim of her glass before she suddenly grinned. “ugh, fine, go ahead. you just missed a chance of getting a free blowjob!” her voice rang through the room, teasing, shameless.

the three of them didn’t even flinch. used to her mouth, to the filth that spilled from it like it was a normal thing to say. kakucho shut the door without looking back, and y/n simply scoffed before taking another sip.

not like she had sex with everyone… well. okay, maybe something did happen between her and the haitani brothers. and sanzu. and even… mikey. but it was casual. nothing that could affect their work at bonten. just a way to blow off steam, to release tension in the most primal way possible. they were just having fun.

“why don’t you blow me instead, y/n?” sanzu’s voice cut through the music, lazy and dripping in amusement. “i’ll fuck that pretty mouth of yours so you’ll finally shut the fuck up.” a smirk played on his lips as ran and rindou chuckled beside him.

y/n turned to glare at sanzu, already flipping him off before she suddenly gasped dramatically.

“mikey!!!” she whined, pushing off ran’s lap and making her way to the man sitting at the head of the lounge. she plopped down onto his lap, arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her face against his shoulder. “they’re ganging up on me again.”

mikey didn’t react. barely spared her a glance as he pulled a cigarette from his pack, tucking it between his lips.

but don’t get it wrong. y/n was his favorite. she got the special princess treatment—more than anyone else in bonten. sure, she was a little unhinged, maybe even on sanzu’s level, but that’s what made mikey keep her around. the smartest of them all. she kills just like sanzu. no remorse.

and without thinking, as if her body had memorized the action, she reached into the pocket of her blazer, flicked her lighter open, and brought the flame to the end of mikey’s cigarette.

mikey inhaled, the tip burning red, before exhaling a slow stream of smoke.

the lounge was drowning in smoke and sin, the bass-heavy music vibrating through the floor. drinks kept pouring, the air thick with the scent of liquor and something dangerously indulgent.

then koko spoke up, tossing a small package onto the table. “here’s the one you wanted, sanzu.”

sanzu’s eyes lit up as he snatched it, tearing it open with practiced ease. “finally. some good fucking shit after dealing with those annoying-ass clients.”

he poured the fine powder onto the glass table, leaning in to take his share. the rush was instant, his pupils dilating as he let out a satisfied sigh. “fuck. that hit nice.” he turned to ran, waving a hand toward the powder. “try this. better than last time.”

ran didn’t need to be told twice. he leaned down, did the same, and so did the rest of them.

glasses clinked, slurred cheers filled the air. everyone was too high, too drunk, too far gone.

y/n swayed with the music, lost in the haze, her body moving on instinct. she pressed back against ran, rolling her hips as his hands found her waist, his breath hot against her neck.

she should slow down.

she was too high for this.

but fuck it.

pushing off ran, she stumbled toward the table, dropping to her knees as she reached for another line of powder—

only to have her head yanked back by a fist in her hair.

“enough of that, princess. try this instead.”

sanzu’s voice was a slow drawl, and before she could react, he slipped a pill between her lips, fingers pressing against her tongue.

y/n didn’t even flinch. she held his gaze as she sucked on them, slow and teasing, letting her tongue drag along his fingers before finally swallowing. then she stuck her tongue out, showing him the evidence, eyes dark with amusement.

“did you just get hard from me kneeling in front of you?” she taunted, lips curling into a smirk.

his grip on her hair tightened in an instant.

“fuckin’ brat.”

before she could blink, he yanked her up, shoving her backward—straight into rindou.

“shit.” rindou caught her with ease, her back pressed against his chest, his hands settling low on her hips. she could feel the way his breath hitched, the way his fingers twitched against the fabric of her dress.

sanzu’s grin was sharp, eyes blown wide. “and so what if i’m hard just looking at you?” his voice was low, edged with something dark. “you’re practically a walking sex toy.”

his fingers traced the inside of her thigh, slow, deliberate—

but y/n slapped his hand away without hesitation, shooting him a glare.

then she raised her middle finger at him, smirking. “get out of my sight, haru.”

sanzu just chuckled, dropping onto the couch with his legs spread wide, licking his teeth.

the heat in the room was suffocating, a mix of smoke, alcohol, and the lingering haze of ecstasy.

“fuck, it’s getting hot,” y/n muttered, slipping off her blazer, revealing the curve-hugging dress beneath.

rindou was quick to help, fingers grazing her bare shoulders as he pressed lazy kisses along her skin. his hands moved lower, squeezing her tits without hesitation. she barely reacted—she was used to this by now. at least with them. the haitani brothers and sanzu had a habit of touching her whenever they pleased. during meetings, in passing, anywhere they wanted.

ran grabbed a bottle of whiskey, his grin sharp as he gripped her jaw. without warning, he tilted the bottle, pouring the liquor past her lips. she swallowed what she could, but the excess spilled, running down her chin, soaking into her dress.

he chuckled, taking a swig himself before leaning in to lick the trail of whiskey from her neck, down to the exposed curve of her cleavage.

“fuck, ran…” the sensation sent a shiver down her spine, a moan slipping out before she could stop it.

her hands found his face, pulling him inches from hers, eyes dark with something dangerous. “you ruined my dress.”

ran’s tongue flicked over his lips, gaze burning. “if i get to fuck this body, i’d gladly ruin all your clothes.” his fingers trailed up her thighs, teasing, promising.

rindou’s grip tightened on her chest, his other hand slipping lower, brushing over the damp fabric between her legs. “shit, y/n, you’re already so fucking wet.”

before she could respond, ran hooked his fingers around the waistband of her panties, dragging them down her thighs. with a smirk, he tucked the flimsy fabric into his pocket, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

her breath hitched as rindou’s fingers pressed against her, rubbing slow circles over her core before one slipped inside, stretching her with ease.

“ugh… rindou…” her hips moved on instinct, grinding against his touch, her fingers tangling in his hair. rindou groaned against her neck, rutting against her from behind.

ran pushed her dress higher, his eyes darkening at the sight.

“rin, more, please…” her voice was a breathy whimper.

but before rindou could give her what she wanted, sanzu shoved ran aside took his place.

“move over, greedy fucks.” his grin was wicked as his fingers plunged inside her without warning, matching rindou’s pace.

they weren’t in sync. they didn’t care. her pleasure wasn’t the point—just the filth of it all, the way they could have her, touch her, ruin her. they were already fucked in the head. what was a little more filth?

ran, scowling from the side, ran a hand through his hair. “fuck you, man. we’re all horny here. at least share the fucking pussy.”

sanzu ignored him, curling his fingers deeper, faster, rindou doing the same.

ran had enough. he knelt between y/n’s legs, tongue flicking over her clit, adding another layer of sensation that had her gasping.

“fuck… slow down… ugh… m-mikey… want you too…” her grip tightened—one hand fisting ran’s hair, the other clutching sanzu’s wrist.

rindou’s hand wrapped around her throat, squeezing just enough to make her dizzy. his tongue dragged over her cheek, hot and possessive, while sanzu spit onto her chest, watching it glisten against her skin.

koko, who had been uninterested up until now, finally scoffed, shaking his head. “damn, y/n. didn’t know you were this much of a slut.”

he stood, grabbed the whiskey bottle, and took a slow swig, his sharp eyes lingering on the filthy sight before him. with a dark chuckle, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, exhaling a satisfied sigh—like he was merely indulging in a show put on for his amusement.

she barely heard him. the pleasure was too much, too consuming. her body tensed, and with one last sharp cry, she came, soaking the hands still working her open.

ran didn’t hesitate. he shoved sanzu, grabbing her thighs and pulling her to his mouth, licking up every drop of her release.

“ran, fuck…” she whined, tugging at his hair.

he groaned against her, the vibrations making her jolt. he gave her one last slow lick before pulling back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“shit, this will always be the best pussy i’ve ever tasted.”

y/n grinned, pulling him close again, cupping his jaw before pressing her lips to his.

out of all the men in bonten, it was different with the haitani brothers. whether it was ran or rindou, their touch always felt possessive. they weren’t just fucking her. they were claiming her. and they didn’t do that with just anyone.

ran pulled back, smirking. “gonna take a break for a bit, y/n. need some good shit first.” he gestured toward the drugs. “i’ll fuck you later.”

y/n bit her lip, grinning. “i’ll be waiting for your cock deep inside me.”

y/n leaned back against rindou’s chest, hiding her face against his neck, breath still uneven. rindou didn’t react much—just took a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it up while letting her rest against him. the room was still thick with heat, the air buzzing with something filthy, something intoxicating.

“boss, you just gonna sit there and watch?” sanzu suddenly asked, his voice dripping with amusement. he turned his head toward mikey, who had been silent the entire time, observing from his seat. “wanna fuck her first?”

mikey exhaled slowly, picking up his cigarette from the ashtray. “make her a mess for me.”

sanzu’s grin was wicked. “you heard him, y/n. i’m gonna make a mess out of you. that means i’m gonna fuck this pretty little pussy until my cum is oozing out of your fucking cunt.”

y/n shot him a glare. “can’t you just fuck someone else downstairs? you always go hard on me.”

sanzu leaned in, his nose brushing against hers, his voice dropping. “but you like it when i’m rough, right?”

her lips curled into a smirk. “right.”

the next second, their mouths crashed together, the kiss deep, hungry, desperate. sanzu groaned into her mouth, gripping the back of her neck to pull her closer, tongues tangling in a fight for dominance.

rindou, still smoking behind her, didn’t even flinch. he didn’t care—just let her grind against him as he exhaled a slow cloud of smoke.

between kisses, sanzu muttered, “wanna feel your mouth, but i’m already too fucking hard to wait.”

with that, he unbuckled his belt, freeing his cock, and y/n wrapped her fingers around him, sliding his length along her soaked slit, teasing.

“bitch, you really like to tease, huh?” sanzu growled.

before she could respond, he thrust inside her without warning, pulling a sharp, loud moan from her throat.

“haru—!”

but before the sound could echo, rindou clamped a hand over her mouth, his lips brushing against her ear as he muttered lazily, “shhh… i’m trying to remember something, y/n. don’t be too loud.”

as if sanzu wasn’t already fucking her into oblivion, as if he wasn’t buried to the hilt inside her, stretching her open like he owned her.

“haru, god—right there, right there!” y/n gasped, nails digging into sanzu’s arms as he fucked into her, relentless and precise. sometimes, sanzu was considerate. sometimes.

rindou, who had been watching behind her, finally leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. “you can take another one, right?” his voice was low, taunting. “just like how you were when ran and i fucked you?”

her head lolled back against his shoulder, body already trembling. “gonna be too much, rin,” she mumbled, barely able to form the words.

rindou wasn’t having it. “i don’t care.”

before she could even process it, he was lifting her up slightly, adjusting her onto his lap. the sound of his belt unbuckling was the only warning she got before he spit into his palm, lazily coating his cock before pressing it against her.

“riiiiiin!!” her voice broke into a sob as he pushed inside, stretching her open with no real prep. she wasn’t ready for it, not after how deep sanzu had already been, but rindou wasn’t in the mood to wait.

he snapped his hips forward, burying himself to the hilt.

a tear slipped down her cheek. sanzu caught it before it could fall completely, gripping her jaw and pressing her cheeks together. “not so tough now, are we?”

her only response was to clench down around him, intentionally squeezing sanzu’s cock.

“fuck, y/n…” sanzu groaned, eyes rolling back for a second before he fucked into her harder.

rindou, ever so casual, took a long drag from his cigarette, lazily exhaling smoke into the air. when he finally finished, ran—who had been watching the whole time—wordlessly reached over, taking the cigarette from his brother like it was second nature.

rindou’s now free hands slid over y/n’s chest, groping her as he thrusted up into her. sanzu, on the verge of cumming, pulled out just in time, stroking himself over her skin.

“wanna paint you with my cum,” he muttered, and then, with a few jerks, he spilled over her tits, the warm mess dripping down her body as rindou continued fucking her.

“ew, man, fuck you. your cum got on my hand,” rindou complained, though he didn’t slow down in the slightest.

sanzu only chuckled, licking his lips as he admired the sight in front of him—y/n, covered in his cum, still getting wrecked on rindou’s cock.

he was already getting hard again, tempted to go another round, but before he could even open his mouth, ran stretched out from where he was sitting and drawled, “oi, it’s my turn.”

sanzu clicked his tongue but didn’t argue, adjusting his pants before plopping down on the couch beside rindou, who was still fucking into y/n like he had all the time in the world. sanzu grabbed himself a drink, smirking as he watched.

rindou’s fingers, still slick with sanzu’s release, smeared the mess onto y/n’s dress. “clean it up,” he murmured, bringing his fingers to her lips. obediently, she parted them, tongue gliding over his digits, licking up the filth.

ran watched with a smirk, his gaze dark. “rin, want her on all fours.”

without hesitation, rindou pulled out of y/n, leaving her empty and whimpering. a strong but measured push sent her toward ran, who caught her with ease.

rindou kneeled on the couch beside them, while ran—ever the gentleman, at least to her—helped y/n into position. with slow, teasing fingers, he unzipped her dress, grazing her bare skin before peeling the fabric off her trembling body. soft kisses trailed down her spine, sending shivers through her.

“mmm, ran…” y/n whimpered, her voice breathy.

he chuckled, the sound dark, as he unbuckled his belt and freed his cock. the teasing didn’t last long—ran lined himself up and rubbed his tip against her slick folds. behind her, rindou’s voice cut through the haze. “stick out your tongue.”

she obeyed instantly, lips parting, and rindou tapped his cock against her tongue, smearing precum along her lips.

ran, usually so composed, wasn’t gentle when he finally sank into her. his control shattered the moment her tight heat clenched around him, and he slammed into her with a force that had her crying out. he wasn’t sweet now. he was fucking her like a man starved, like she was something to ruin.

“fuck, you’re squeezing me so good,” he groaned, punctuating his words with sharp thrusts.

the rhythm of his movements rocked her forward, and rindou was quick to take advantage. fingers twisting in her hair, he yanked her head back just enough to keep her still. “keep your head still, y/n.”

then he shoved his cock past her lips.

rindou was rough, using her mouth like a toy, fucking her throat with no regard for how she choked and gagged around him. “wanna go all the way in,” he muttered, shoving deeper, groaning as she struggled to breathe. drool spilled from her lips, dripping down her chin in messy, glistening strings.

“look at you,” rindou taunted, his grip tightening in her hair. “so fucking messy and pathetic for us.”

y/n whimpered around him, and rindou groaned at the vibrations against her throat. ran’s hand snaked between her legs, fingers finding her clit, rubbing slow, teasing circles. the added pleasure had her legs shaking beneath him.

rindou, already on edge, cursed under his breath. “shit, y/n—gonna cum.”

with a few more thrusts, he spilled into her mouth, the warm, bitter taste coating her tongue. some dripped past her lips, but rindou wasn’t having that. with his thumb, he scooped up the mess, pressing it back against her lips.

“swallow it for me, baby.”

her lips wrapped around his thumb, sucking obediently as she swallowed every drop.

rindou’s expression softened slightly, fingers brushing over her cheek. when she instinctively leaned into his touch, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before pulling away to fix himself.

but ran wasn’t done yet.

ran, the only one still fucking her, suddenly grabbed her arm, pulling her flush against his chest. his other hand slipped between her legs, fingers rubbing slow circles against her swollen clit. his arm caged around her neck, keeping her in place as he buried his face against her heated skin, groaning into the curve of her shoulder.

“fuck, y/n. you’re so wet, you feel how i’m sliding easily in you right now?” he murmured, his voice thick with pleasure. ran was drunk on her—on the way her body swallowed him up, on the way she clenched around him like she never wanted to let go. “you’re sucking me in so good. like your pussy doesn’t wanna let me go.”

y/n arched her back, head falling onto ran’s shoulder as her mind clouded with nothing but pleasure. he fucked her so good—better than anyone. he knew exactly how to make her fall apart, how to tease, how to make her melt. unlike sanzu, who only cared about chasing his own high, ran knew how to take his time. how to ruin her just right.

his thrusts grew rougher, more erratic, his pace faltering as he neared his end. y/n could feel it. she was close, too.

chasing her own release, she turned her head, lips brushing against his neck. her tongue darted out, licking, kissing, sucking at the sensitive skin, and ran groaned deep from his chest. neither of them cared that the others were still in the room, too lost in the moment, too caught up in the pleasure of it all.

y/n’s moans came louder, sharper, and ran cursed under his breath, snapping his hips harder, faster.

without warning, pleasure surged through her, and she came, her walls pulsing tight around ran’s cock. the sensation dragged him under with her, his grip on her waist tightening as he gritted out, “shit, y/n… wanna fill you up. fuck—ugh, fuck—”

his hips stuttered, cock twitching, before he finally spilled inside her, warmth flooding deep. he rocked into her a few more times, slower now, riding out the pleasure.

y/n gasped for breath, body slumping against ran as exhaustion settled over her. he carefully pulled out, hands steadying her as he helped her plop onto the couch, her body spent. she laid there, stomach flat against the cushions, trying to pull herself together.

ran tucked himself back into his pants, grabbing a cigarette from his pocket. he lit it, exhaling smoke as he sat beside her. she barely stirred, too exhausted to move. instead, she lazily turned her head, resting it on his lap. still naked. still messy.

sanzu, the crazy bastard he was, grinned. he crouched beside y/n, pulling out a small packet of powder and pouring it down the curve of her back. then, with no warning, he leaned in and licked it off.

no one reacted. they were used to sanzu’s antics by now. y/n barely flinched, too tired to care.

but sanzu wasn’t done. he grabbed his phone, angling it just right. the screen flashed.

he smirked down at the picture—y/n, naked, messy, cum still dripping from her thighs. with a few taps, he sent it to their group chat.

his next message tagged the three who left earlier.

sanzu: what y’all missed out on.

the replies were instant.

takeomi: man, should’ve stayed there. kakucho, this is your fault.

kakucho: 👍

mocchi: fuck??

sanzu laughed, tossing his phone aside. he plopped down on the floor, resting his head against y/n’s ass like she was nothing more than a pillow.

he sighed in content, then turned to koko. “aren’t you gonna try her?”

koko scoffed. “i’m good, man. don’t wanna stick my dick where all your dicks just went.”

sanzu only shrugged. “your loss. this is literally the best pussy i’ve ever had. heaven.”

the room settled into a lazy silence. some were high, some were drunk, and some were simply too tired to move.

then sanzu broke the quiet again. “boss, your turn now?”

mikey had been there the whole time, watching from the shadows, unreadable as always. he finally stood, eyes cold.

“dress her up,” he ordered. “we’re going home.”

sanzu smirked. “you guys heard the boss.”

y/n whined, face still buried in ran’s lap. “but mikey… i’m too tired.” her pout was audible. “this is the first time you guys all went at me together. that’s not fair.”

sanzu rolled his eyes, already tired of her bratty attitude. “who do you think you are, not following boss’ orders? get up.”

he grabbed her, yanking her away from ran. their faces were inches apart now.

“i should’ve fucked mikey instead of you,” she huffed, eyes narrowing.

sanzu’s grip tightened on her ass, pulling her closer. “don’t act like you weren’t moaning like a bitch in heat earlier for me.”

before y/n could snap back, mikey’s voice cut through the tension.

“enough.”

sanzu let go.

rindou, quieter than the rest, grabbed her dress, helping her slip it back on. his fingers brushed over her shoulders, lips pressing soft kisses against her skin. a rare moment of tenderness.

y/n sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips.

mikey didn’t say another word. he turned on his heel, walking out without a goodbye.

y/n barely managed to stand, legs shaking, but she pushed herself to the door. “bye, boys!”

no one answered.

she followed mikey outside, slipping into the passenger seat of his car.

oh, she was in for a long night.

start | part 2

1K notes · View notes

salemsimsrender · 4 months ago

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Sims 4 Render Lighting Tutorial

"Environmental Lighting" won my most recent poll, so let's get right into it!

A few notes before we begin:

I render exclusively in cycles!

This tutorial assumes some basic knowledge of blender

Though this tutorial covers the basics, HDRIs can be used in conjunction with any scene/your built scenes

I decided to focus on environmental and other lighting in this tutorial, since they all kind of go hand in hand.

For this tutorial, I'll be using my recent Cupid Sim. Here's a render of her with no additional lighting:

1. Base lighting

In any full body, single sim render (like lookbooks, for example), I really like to use a glowing base. It grounds the sim a bit and casts some interesting lighting on them.

To do this, I add a circle under their feet by pressing shift+A and selecting circle.

An empty circle will appear, but we need it to be a solid disk, so go into Edit mode (by pressing tab while the circle is selected) then hitting F on the keyboard to fill it.

After that, you can go into the Materials tab and add in color and glow.

Mine is adjusted like this:

And gives this rendered result:

2. HDRIs

HDRIs (High Dynamic Range images) are extremely useful when it comes to environmental lighting, I always use them now to add better/more dynamic lighting to my renders.

HDRIs are 3D/panoramic, which makes them extremely useful.

You can find/download HDRIs online in a few diff places: PolyHaven, AmbientCO, and Blender Market.

There are also several available for FREE using BlenderKit (my preferred method).

So how do you use an HDRI?

We can add HDRIs to our render by navigating to the world tab and changing the color to "environment texture".

I chose this vaporware HDRI from BlenderKit, & here it is with no adjustments, but it's looking a little rough so let's adjust it.

By adding vector nodes, we can adjust how the HDRI behaves. Here I mostly use the Z rotation and the background strength:

Here's the same render with the Z-rotation set to 50, 150, 200, & 250.

You can put in any value for the Z-rotation, this is just an example of how the HDRI turns. This is maybe not the best example of the rotation, but putting her in a forest just didn't feel right lmfaooo, hopefully you can see how the light changes on her depending on the rotation.

You can also adjust the strength of the HDRI. Here's the HDRI (rotated to 150) set at .5 and 1.5 strength:

For this tutorial, my favorite lighting is the HDRI set to 150, and the strength set to .5, like this (this is a rendered image):

3. Transparent HDRIs + Point Lights

But I'm not fully happy with the lighting. I don't love how the HDRI is a bit blurry, so I'm going to set it to be transparent.

To do this, go to the Render Tab, scroll down to the Film option, and check Transparent:

The lighting effect from the HDRI will stay the same, but the background will be transparent.

From here, you can add a background (when I do this, I like adding a plane, & moving/shading it until I'm happy (kinda like this):

NOTE that you have to put the plane far enough behind your sim so it doesn't affect the HDRI lighting too much.

SECOND NOTE You can use this same method to use HDRIs in conjunction with scenes. They can provide the perfect backdrop!

This is still really dark, so I'm going to add three point lights: -Two on either side of her head/shoulders that will be smaller (in radius) and brighter -One in front of her to add actual light (so details aren't lost)

Here's how I set up my lights.

The pink light settings are for the two point lights on the sides The white light setting is for the light in front of her

For a basic render, this is almost good enough for me, but I really like the glowing effect I get in my renders.

To achieve this, we have to go to the compositing tab:

4. Compositing

Full disclosure, my compositing tab is set to glow by default (that's how much I love it), so all of the renders in this tutorial have it turned on.

I use the glare node and set it to fog glow.

Here's my preferred setting:

I prefer the fog glow effect, but bloom, ghost, streaks and star are also options.

Here's a guide to the glare node!

Tbh, I never use any of the other settings, so I'll leave this tutorial here for today.

Here's the final result (with no additional editing):

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to send an ask, message or join my discord (no minors pls) for help! <3

#ts4 render tutorial #ts4 blender tutorial #sims 4 render tutorial #sims 4 blender tutorial #sims render tutorial #sims blender tutorial #salemsims tutorial #render school tutorial #blender

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sharkylass · 1 year ago

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ALRIGHT IN STARS AND TIME FANDOM, I'M BOUT TO HIT YOU WITH MY TAKE ON THE BELOVED SISTER!!

Those who don't want to get spoiled about little details about Bonnie's sister (or the game at all for that matter- There's spoilers for Act 3 and 4 in here so YOU'VE BEEN WARNED)

SAY HELLO TO PETRONILLE!! Or how I am going to call her, Nil. I've seen a few people do their take on her, and I wanted to join in!

@insertdisc5 I am sorry in advance if you have a vision for her, especially if it is WILDLY different to mine-

KEEP IN MIND, I AM GOING TO BE RANTING A LOT, IVE HAD THIS IN THE MAKING FOR A WHILE, THERE'S MORE ART, SO SKIP AHEAD IF YOU'D LIKE

First thing's first! I tried to figure out what she would look like in the original style. I didn't want to overly detail her with my normal style, and I wanted her to somewhat fit in with the rest. Bonnie was clearly the strongest inspiration , she has their eyes, the black hair, white thing around their head to bring attention to her face- That's also why she has lip piercings! To bring more attention to her face (and due to Bonnie's earring type, I assumed piercings can exist in the world)

Her ear has 3 earrings, that was not intentional, I just thought it was cool. I like to think they perceive those as "regular" earrings, and even if a person wears bonding earrings, they can also wear more normal earrings.

I just had the image of her not really having a short range weapon, so maybe it's time for someone with a semi-long range weapon to join the team! In my head Nil seemed to be the type to like getting dirty with her hands, so a rope seemed fitting somehow.

Also- She is paper type! I liked the idea of her looking like such a rock type, but being paper. I considered making her dual type, but since those are rare, I didn't want to get ahead of myself. Admittedly, that does make the party a little overloaded with paper types, so if she was to be in a game with balancing, I'd probably change her to rock or something. BUT AS A CHARACTER THING- she remains paper.

(EDIT: I was just reminded of the huge hammer she broke a wall with, so that is ABSOLUTELY a valid replacement weapon for her. If she was rock type that would be her weapon for sure. Altho it IS funny to imagine she broke the wall and swore off heavy weapons for life. I like to think thats what happened with my take on Nil)

Mechanically I think she wouldn't be too dissimular to Isabeau, but instead of boosting the party, she debuffs the enemy. Particularly slowing them down, and lowing defense. Alternatively, I can see her being a second healer of sorts, but while Mira is good at healing everyone, Nil is good at healing a single person and giving them a boost (just things she learned to take care of Bon). I do see her attack not being that high tho, probably lower then Mira.

ALRIGHT, TIME FOR MORE ART

Her dynamics with everyone:

Bonnie:

I like to think Bonnie got their spunky attitude from somewhere. So I like to think Nil is very playful with them, even if she is looking out for them. Bonnie clearly knows the difference between lighthearted serious, and SERIOUS serious. They also seem to revel in compliments, so I like to imagine they are used to receiving them from their sister!

Nil is the most serious around Bonnie tho. As their sole caretaker, she's trying her best to keep them out of trouble while teaching them and letting them grow at a normal pace.

However, when she's with the adults- I described it like- Around Bonnie she can be serious and a voice of reason. When she's with adults tho she herself becomes the Bonnie, so to speak. She's loud and a bit hot-headed.

Mirabelle:

I swear I saw Insertdisc mention that Mira and Nil would have a bit of a rivalry going on AND I'M SO HERE FOR IT-

The two of them are those siblings that fight constantly, but the moment someone else gives either of them shit, the other will go for the jugular. They mainly try to compete for Bon's affection and who's the better sister, and they get a bit... blindsighted. Nil usually doesn't go out of her way to spoil Bonnie I don't think, I think she tries to be reasonable with them where she can. However with Mira in the picture it becomes- a little hard... Nil doesn't like the thought that she's being replaced

However, if either of them needs it, the other will be there. Nil provides Mira with a strong shoulder to lean on, and Mira provides an emotional yet reasonable approach to the situation bothering Nil.

Odile:

I like to think at first Nil didn't really get along with Odile. Supposedly Nil has a bad relationship with her parents, so I imagine her seeing someone who's a parent aged adult who holds seemingly more authority- It would... Unnerve her for a little while.

Odile will probably give her something to do, and Nil would refuse, because who is Odile to be ordering her around?? You know. Like a child. But with time they get used to the dynamic, Nil grows to respect Odile at the very least, and Odile picks up on the fact Nil seems to respond positively to positive reinforcement from her.

Having someone close, to break that pre build idea in Nil's head with positivity, despite Odile being strict and struggling to show affection- It would do her a lot of good, and Nil will eventually thank her, and apologize for being so rough to her in the beginning.

Isabeau:

Isa and Nil are actually very similar- I did not mean for it, but I hope they don't end up being TOO similar.

They are both loud, love to laugh and take care of those they love. Even their hobbies are a bit more similar then everyone else. Nil likes gardening, and taking care of things, and Isa likes to create clothes. Both of them are in a way creating something. Nil making sure what she's taking care of grows to be big and strong, and Isa is more literal-

Where they differ is in smarts partly. Isa is clearly very book smart. I think Nil would turn to him if she had a general question about something (and later on Odile once she gets used to her). She completely encourages him to show more of what he knows.

They also differ in their buffness slightly. While Isa is still the beefiest on the team, he did it with the intention, he trained. Meanwhile I think Nil just likes the field work so she's constantly outside doing heavy dirty work.

I like to think that after being unfrozen, Nil's clothes were roughed up and she didn't really think to or have the time to fix it. So I imagine Isa saw the roughed up state of her pants and gloves, and made her some himself, Which she treasures but GOD she is not used to receiving anything from anyone, LET ALONE gifts.

They also similarly hide their insecurities under bavado. Isa hides his smarts to be liked, and Nil hides her fears so she can be brave. I'll go more into detail when I get to Nil's own section. (I SWEAR I didn't mean for Isa's section to be so long I PROMISE-)

Siffrin:

These two don't do a lot of talking I'd imagine. While Nil is used to being loud, I think she'd get used to the silence around Sif and simply enjoy the quiet.

A lot of the ideas I had with those two were very touch focused. I assume Nil struggles with touch because of potential childhood related traumas, and not being warned sends her into a fight or flight. While Sif is deeply unused to it but craves it.

I still imagine Nil isn't an inherently NOT touchy person- I mean. Bon's the touchiest little guy out there. So maybe she knows how to warn people of when she's about to touch them, AND she is more used to asking for hugs and affection. So after she learns that Sif struggles asking and being startled, she became the person that would encourage them and tell them how to do it. In every single drawing where they're touching just know that either she warned them or they asked for that touch.

Also Nil is a very grounding reminder for Sif that he's not in the loops anymore. So if they get a particular scare, like they were woken up wrong, they had a rough sleep, smelled a banana, remembered the king- anything involving going back- Nil serves as a reminder that they're here, with everyone, in the present. No going back. So that, combined with their touch therapy, it results in him being particularly physically clingy with her. She squeezes their hand ocassionally. It's a grounding reminder.

Nil is also UNBELIEVABLY THANKFUL for Sif, once she learns about how they lost their eye. The fact Sif went out of their way to protect HER little sibling- It means the world to her, and she wouldn't wish it on Sif one bit. She probably holds guilt that she couldn't take the hit for both of them, Bonnie is her responsibility! They probably end up having a conversation similar to Sif telling Mira "Do you think she was wrong? To save you?" She doesn't know about the end of act 3

AAAAAND NIL HERSELF!

A lot of this is already information I mentioned. Her being a paper type, her liking bugs, being traumatized, startled by touch- But I drew these beforehand, so!

I imagine Nil ran away young, cause Bonnie doesn't remember her running from their parents. What happened in there, I do not know and I don't think I'm capable of imagining. It might not even be as dramatic as I illustrated it. But either way, she grew up being the sole caretaker of Bonnie. I'm sure Vaugardians were kind and that they didn't have to struggle too hard for food or a place, or to get Bonnie into a school- But Nil still wanted to learn how to be self sufficient, how to provide in case something happens. It might be why they live in Bambouche honestly, Nil learned how to grow plants and being close to the sea is good for catching a lot of fish! ...It was also at the edge of Vaugarde. Probably the edges where the King's curse reached slower.

She likes getting her hands dirty and working outside, so I imagine she's a bit sunburnt! If only on her shoulders and cheeks.

Growing up alone, self sufficient- She probably had to grow a bit fast (even if she indulges in childish things with Bonbon). She quickly started repressing all fears, all questions of her decision to run away. I imagine she's actually insecure in her abilities, how Bon deserves more capable people in their life, how she doesn't really know anything and how she literally got frozen and Bonnie had to fend for themselves- After Bon comes back, she's so filled with admiration and adoration for her little sibling. They really went to the ends of the earth and saved the world. What a brave little sibling she has.

The new family kind of... Feels like a threat to her title as sister at the start. All 5 of them saved a country. The people Bonnie met are strong, knowledgeable, been all over the world- She's glad they protect Bonnie. She just wishes she had something to offer. It takes her a little while to realize they are also there for her too.

I was ranting to a friend, and I am pretty sure we know Nil would like to travel after everything. Being able to explore her more child like fantasies, with the safety blanket that is the family- It means a lot to her. She gets to truly indulge in living and letting loose and depending on people for the first time in her life.

Afterwards tho... I like to imagine she would settle down. It takes a while, but she likes having a place to call her own. And so we talked about how she would probably have a ranch of some sort. I like to imagine she'd love having horses. A way for her to remain free spirited, while taking care of creatures and having the security of a place to rest at the end of the day. And if she chooses, she can go wherever she wants with those bad boys!

My friend mentioned they might have goats or sheep or chicken, and I'm all aboard for that too. I'm not settled on the idea of a farm life for her, but I like it.

Also if I dare pull a Dreaming One for a second- Bonnie and Sif are like little siblings to her, Mira is like a twin (or relatively same aged), Isa is like an older brother, and Odile the everlasting grandma.

ALRIGHT THAT TOOK A WHILE-

Sorry, I started drawing her for fun and just started BRAINROTTING about her out of nowhere.

I still have little doodle ideas but this was already getting so lengthy so I am going to leave it here, and maybe return another day.

I just deeply wanted to establish Nil as her own character who can fit within the group's dynamic and belong in the family. While she very much IS Bonnie's sister and that's such a big part of her, I wanted to expand her a little further.

If you took the time to read, THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU LIKE HER, AND THAT YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL REST OF YOUR DAY

P.S. IF YOU DRAW OR WRITE WITH HER I BEG YOU TO TAG ME

#OH! AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! MAY IT TREAT YOU WELL #long post #isat #in stars and time #isat siffrin #isat bonnie #isat mirabelle #isat isabeau #isat odile #isat nille #in stars and time nille #isat spoilers #in stars and times spoilers

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resart · 1 year ago

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The Inconspicuous Writing Gem: Daeran’s Look-alike Contest Breakdown

The Dance of Masks brought the long-anticipated last hurrah to the Knight Commander’s story. Although it was announced that the DLC would focus on the companions, I wasn’t holding my breath for substantial content that would actually enrich the characters’ plots. The game is already massive and has a ton of variables, so expecting the writers to continue storylines that can have multiple outcomes would be unreasonable. But one scene far exceeded my expectations and set the bar high for the rest of the expansion, rendering me more critical about some of its elements than I would normally be. The event in question may not appear as much, but the true artistry in writing stories driven by the player’s choice fully reveals itself in what we don’t see on the surface. Daeran’s look-alike contest varies greatly, depending on how his personal quest was resolved, and, therefore, serves as a semi-epilogue to his arc. I wanted to post an analysis of his character’s progression for quite some time, and this send-off is a fitting opportunity to delve into this matter. I’ll break down the differences in the new scene as well as in a few others and share my overall thoughts on what this addition brings to the table. Brace yourself because it’s going to be long.

I'll start with a quick reminder of what Daeran’s questline outcomes are, because I'm going to reference them a lot:

Good, in which he’s openly grateful to the Knight Commander despite having to face the tribunal, and Liotr, noticing their bond, intervenes so the Inquisition doesn't lock him up;

Lobotomy, in which Daeran reluctantly accepts his predicament of having to face the trial, Liotr doesn't support him and after the crusade, the Count is sent to the asylum and lobotomized;

HappyEvil, in which the Commander kills Liotr to secure Daeran’s freedom;

ArchEvil, in which Daeran doesn't have any trust in the Commander, feels deserted and murders Liotr to avoid the trial.

At first glance, there's nothing profound about Daeran’s festival quest — it fits his image to indulge in the vain act of self-celebration by choosing the most accurate imitation of himself. However, this simple setup proves itself clever when we realize that, by observing the contestants, he sees himself in a distorting mirror. Coincidentally, each participant appears to represent a different facet of the Count’s character. Therefore, his reactions to them speak volumes of the self-image and mindset he developed during the crusade in each scenario.

Among the doubles, we have an aasimar who mimics Daeran's arrogance and cruelty, and constantly interrupts other participants' speeches with mocking remarks.

A woman who recreates Daeran's sophisticated bon vivant persona.

A drunkard who paints Daeran as a worthless and utterly unapologetic rake.

And finally, an innocent boy who keeps staring at Daeran with admiration and portrays him as a virtuous hero of the crusade.

After the presentation of the contestants is over, Daeran asks the Commander’s opinion. Again, his responses to their verdict vary in each case (unless they choose the cat), but the difference in how he reacts to being compared to the little boy is the most telling.

No matter what the protagonist suggests, the winner of the contest is fixed for each of the outcomes. If the Commander failed to earn Daeran's trust and he murdered Liotr himself, the conceited aasimar is declared the winner.

If the Commander killed Liotr, the Count awards the lady.

If the quest was resolved peacefully (either Good or Lobotomy), Daeran chooses the boy and has a heartwarming exchange with him.

This variety of possible scenarios and the way they are handled encapsulate why I consider Daeran's story so intricately woven and enjoyable to analyze. He's an incredibly flexible and dynamic character whose potential endings range from becoming a saint to a homicidal maniac. But what makes this duality and everything that comes in between so engaging is that all these vastly contradictory conclusions are equally organic and convincing, given his rich characterization and the player’s choices. The subtle yet significant divergences in the narrative paths maintain the integrity of his personality and prevent his evolution from seeming far-fetched while efficiently showcasing his growth or regression.

Regretfully, this attention to detail is missing from the other new scenes, which don't convey a similar sense of progression and can come off as somewhat disconnected from the rest of the playthrough. The rendezvous, for example, avoids references to how the player concluded Daeran's romance and quest. Given these plotlines' non-linearity, it's an understandable approach, but it prevents the scene from exploring deeper themes and hitting more emotional notes. What's particularly detrimental to the its overall intensity is the absence of exclusive dialogue for the True Love outcome. Ironically, it's the two worst endings that get unique and surprisingly heartfelt lines.

The difference is insignificant, however, because the conversation always plays out the same. All in all, the segment is nice and leaves a lot to the imagination, but only partially exploits its potential. Meanwhile, the festival mini-quest embraces the aforementioned strengths of the storyline's writing, giving every iteration of Daeran distinct dialogues that clearly demonstrate the impact the crusade and acquaintance with the Commander had on him.

I won't examine every dialogue branch in detail but will mainly focus on the Good scenario. As someone who likes this ending the best and even advocates the controversial writing in the final confrontation with Liotr, I always thought the narrative failed to properly sell its implied benefits. Apart from the closing conversation in the quest itself, late-game provides little reactivity to differentiate the outcomes, making it hard for the players to fully grasp the internal shift that Daeran undergoes. Comparison of said dialogue in various scenarios reveals his perspective in Good route as the least egocentric and overall most mature. Unfortunately, in an individual playthrough, these qualities can get overshadowed by the Count's dissatisfaction with the inconveniences he will eventually have to endure.

Aside from that, the effects of each resolution manifest only in Daeran's responses to one question in the romantic route and how he expressed his feelings regarding Galfrey’s death.

Even though they show evident contrast and serve as a much-needed emotional pay-off for the moral dilemma the player faced in the storyline finale, both are relatively minor, with the Queen one completely missable in most playthroughs. When combined with the similar omission of negative repercussions for Daeran’s moral condition and emotional maturity in other outcomes, it's not surprising many players believe he doesn’t ever change or that becoming better fundamentally clashes with his nature.

The discussed competition scene remedies the narrative’s deficiencies, ultimately proving this statement untrue. In the Good outcome, Daeran presents a reasonable dose of self-distance. When confronted with the drunk’s insults, he replies with humor and courtesy, which is a stark contrast to his reactions in the Evil outcomes and his past responses to criticism. Despite being hurt by the harsh judgment, he understands such a low opinion of himself is somewhat justified. The Count's mild response and his sensitivity to the suggestion that he's nothing more than an unfeeling scoundrel may even indicate that he has developed some remorse for his past actions. He also dismisses unwarranted flattery and distances himself from the brash egotism. All without falling into a spiral of gloom and self-deprecation that occurs in the Lobotomy scenario. Introspectiveness and vulnerability showcased here are a seamless continuation of the self-evaluation Daeran does in the High Trust version of his quest upon being supposedly betrayed by the Commander.

It's all the more unfortunate that the other interactions in the DLC don’t acknowledge these differences and instead return to the common denominator of all endings. As a result, the player will go from Daeran, who self-reflects and claims the aasimar presents an unfunny caricature of him, to Daeran in the tavern, who puffs himself up exactly like the guy (using even the same words) and seeks more sycophantic praise. While it's expected for him to put on an airy act and tease others, the absolute lack of self-awareness he previously exhibits in the Good route is quite jarring. Considering the complexity of the storyline as well as all sorts of limitations, such inconsistencies are inevitable (the base game already has a fair share of them) and in the end, one can easily reconcile them through their own interpretations. However, after being spoiled by a reactivity treat like the festival mini-quest, it's disappointing that the remaining dialogues lack similar nuance.

In the Good scenario, Daeran's behavior reinforces what we learn in the epilogue — that in this version, he has the most difficulty navigating through his newfound freedom and redefining himself in it. Choosing the winner of a silly contest shouldn't be hard for him, and it isn't in the Evil outcomes. There, the self-satisfied Count (who in both cases already has the blood of at least one innocent man on his hands) picks what he perceives as an idealized version of himself — be it the aestheticized depiction of his self-centredness or the unbridled and unyielding haughtiness. Noteworthily, in the Happy variant, Daeran openly flirts with the lady and, in both Evil paths, if not romanced, attempts to seduce his favored contestant. It’s peak narcissism, given the implications of the scene. In the peaceful outcomes, especially the Good one, the ordeal is a series of unpleasant self-reflections that even causes him to become overwhelmed by sorrow at one point. In the end, Daeran’s choice stems not from an ulterior motive or a desire to boost his ego but from genuine fondness for the boy. The youngster's belief in the Count’s kindness and heroism reminds him of his own innocence that was prematurely and brutally snatched from him. At his core, Daeran is not a self-sufficient master of his own fate but a helpless child thrown by unfortunate circumstances into otherworldly oppression and a vicious cycle of selfishness. In the Evil routes, he successfully deludes himself into believing he’s the former, but here, he realizes he’s the latter.

We're used to seeing Daeran scoffing at saccharine narratives and lofty ideals, and in the Evil versions, he's indeed annoyed with the boy’s portrayal of him. In one of them, he even anticipates him to be disenchanted, finding the prospect amusing. In the campaign's early stages, the Count voices his dissatisfaction with being enrolled in the crusade and laments the tarnishing of his ill reputation. Any suggestions that he may be secretly vulnerable are met with biting retorts. But now, Daeran doesn't disabuse the child and isn’t even bothered by being seen as a heroic figure. There also isn’t any objection when the Commander points out the similarity between him and the boy. He’s shocked they can see through him but decides to be honest and agrees with their assessment. Daeran’s sensitivity and his tendency to be more emotionally transparent with the protagonist is, at this point, a recurring theme in the peaceful outcomes, so it’s a shame that when they later choose to compliment his vulnerable soul, he's always equally dismissive.

Daeran is perfectly aware of how damaging cruel disillusionment can be to one’s psyche. As a child, he witnessed firsthand the powerlessness of good in the face of evil, the suffering adhering to moral principles can bring, and how those who claim to be righteous can turn out to be as callous and uncaring as hardened villains. These experiences left the young Count with a pessimistic view of the world and human nature, making him adopt coping mechanisms that only deepened his melancholy and loneliness. Knowing this, he wishes to spare the boy a similar fate and plays along to preserve his innocence.

In the non-peaceful outcomes, Daeran gives the signet away as if it was an insignificant bauble. But even though we barely ever see this side of him, some dialogues indicate he’s proud of his heritage and his ancestors' role in Mendev’s history. They were valiant defenders of the kingdom, who, for generations, protected its borders from any threat. This is who the Count, as a scion of the Arendae house, was originally destined to be and who, it so happens, the boy sees in him. Perhaps his take on him makes Daeran reflect on how differently things could have turned out had it not been for his family's demise and the Other’s interference. It undoubtedly revokes memories of his roots and deceased kin, since he not only rewards the child with the ring but also educates him on its meaning and sentimental value, expressing unexpected sincerity and kindness. In the Lobotomy scenario, this gesture is particularly bittersweet — with his impeding childless death, Daeran’s lineage is going to expire, making the memento the only way to keep its memory alive.

Finally, the Good version of the scene carries a deep symbolic significance. Daeran rewards one person who doesn't focus on his superficial traits or recreates the mask he hides behind. The image the boy paints of him may not be accurate, but while the other portrayals embody what the Count turned into under the Other's influence, this one shows what he could have been if he hadn’t lost the childish naivety he now longs for. And who he, despite his own skepticism, still can or perhaps even already started to become, thanks to the good protagonist's compassion and support. Just like the Commander, the boy views him as someone better than what his predicament forced him to be. And Daeran, confronted with sincere faith in him, cannot help but answer the call.

#pathfinder: wrath of the righteous #pathfinder wotr #pwotr #wotr #wrath of the righteous #owlcat games #daeran arendae #daeran #Дейран #my analysis

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tricksh0t · 2 months ago

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★ high degree fraternization

☾ garrus vakarian x male shepard

𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘩0𝘵 ⛥ hopefully the turian anatomy descriptions don't seem disgusting; started with a plot and it really fell apart, but the smut part prevails at least. google ostrich reproductive system if you want to visualize it more (specifically the "odd" hole part)

𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘴 ⛥ 3.12k

cw: one part sub garrus into no sub/dom dynamics, top shepard, bottom garrus, missionary, hair tugging, guns (not during sex), several comparisons between turians and humans mostly, then some comparisons to asari and earth animals, alien s*x, interspecies s*x, fraternization, in-depth descriptions of turian anatomy (it's weird)

There's a target ahead of you, down one thousand meters. It doesn't move and it doesn't breathe, but you do. Your gun sways with your body, the image of the red circle in your scope moving in your vision.

A shot rings out to your right, not a bullseye, but close. You're not alone, but you've got a turian beside you and no one else.

No one else, just you and Garrus Vakarian, ex C-Sec operative; though you know damn well that doesn't mean much at all. No, this is Archangel: the turian who tamed Omega... but you're no no-name, either. You're the Commander Shephard, Reaper Killer. Before that, you were already a War Hero, or a ruthless Sole Survivor in other accounts.

None of that matters now, actually. Only skill matters.

One deep breath in, another out.

You and Garrus are much alike. He's snarky with a quick tongue, though it only seems to serve for bragging. Apart from that, you're both decorated soldiers with a preference for the sniper rifle.

Though you and him both know that liking the same broad category of gun doesn't mean jack shit. He likes a slow but powerful rifle, something he can perch with like the little bird he doesn't know he is. You like it when the mag holds more than one bullet; when you can peak over cover, get a pick, and move on. You're at a disadvantage here. With no time constraints, Garrus can go as slow as he wants, and from this distance? You have to too.

Yet, you've matched him shot for shot. You're at a disadvantage and you're still matching him, but that's still infuriating. Garrus does not give you any length of rope to tug.

You'll admit, though... the game is fun.

Another deep breath, this one you hold. The gun sways less, the image grows still.

The crack would be defeaning if it reached your ears. The splinter of the red, wooden target even worse, shattering all over you, but you're one kilometer down range and so it doesn't reach you.

"Dammit." Garrus mutters beside you, that flanging, deep voice of his wavering ever so slightly.

"Give up, Vakarian?" You can afford to look away from your scope now, turning to look at him. He doesn't do the same. Unlike his voice, his stance and his grip on the gun do not falter.

"You wish." He replies instead, and the next moment he shoots.

You scramble to look into your scope again. Then, lo and behold, his target has shattered.

"You were saying, Shepard?" Garrus smirks, or at least that's what you think you're seeing, as he stands up. You and him both know that a thousand is the farthest target in this range. Low, for his standards, but it was the closest place to you in this somewhat remote colony, and you just couldn't wait for the next warp to settle your score.

"It's Commander to you." You reply, falling back to pettiness in a lack of quick wit. You can just see it in his scarred expression how he knows he's won, at least with words, for now. "You had the home field advantage."

"Oh?" Garrus says, like he's pleasantly surprised, "And what is it about this backwater planet that screams Garrus Vakarian's home?"

"You know that's not what I mean, smart-ass."

Together, the two of you rack up your borrowed rifles–you had to borrow the same model, it's only fair–and walk out of the range. If it weren't for your words, you'd look like a jolly ole' pair of friends.

"Then–?"

"I meant that there were no time constraints, no factors, no stakes," You scoff, "where you thrive best. The waiting game. I'm much better on the field: closer distances, plenty heads, a fast pace."

Garrus laughs in turn, amused. You're like a light game to him. "You've seen me plenty on the field, Shepard. I'm your most trusted soldier."

He says it like he's sure of it. That confidence, it's infuriating... but it's also his selling point. You can't deny it.

"Let's have a rematch."

Garrus' smile only shows clearer. It's weird on a turian, rows and rows of teeth like geese, though still hidden behind mandibles and jaws. Never a good sign when other species smile on Earth. For monkeys, it's aggression. For turians... it's amusement; and on this particular turian? It's pretty.

"Sure. Where?"

You had a temper, he had a tongue.

A tongue that he didn't know how to use properly. Whether with Vega or you, or anyone else for that matter, he only ever used it for bragging or talking about calibration or guns, especially guns. That's why you had to shut him up.

His mouth never stayed closed, anyway. You mean it in the literal sense—turians always keep their mouths open when their faces are resting, you're not even sure if they can close them.

Garrus certainly tries, though, on Commander's orders.

"Keep that pretty mouth open." You'd said. The first bit, kneel? That part went unsaid. One glance down at the floor and Garrus was happy to obey.

Sure, he was good with a gun, he had skill; but you had him beat in some places. All the talking, the persuading especially. Not that it took too much persuading to get him here.

He knows what to do. It's instinct. Either that or secretly educating himself on human male genitalia, a Fornax mag or two. Now that's an idea! Garrus prepares himself for everything. He checks for sniper perches every time he enters a room. So preparing himself for this means he was anticipating it.

You were too, and it'd be a lie to admit otherwise. Fucking into his mouth, you already know what to hold onto: the crests atop his head. Little flimsier than you'd imagined, but you're not an animal.

No, you're just angry.

Vakarian got on your nerves. With no other gun range on this random planet, there was only one way to settle this.

When your tip hits the back of his throat and Garrus gasps a tiny "ah!" you know you've won, but then you need a prize now, don't you?

Like geese, as you'd imagined earlier, there's no teeth right 'round the very front, top or bottom. That just leaves a very clear path for you to fuck. Right on top of his tongue, straight to the back of his throat. No obstacles, no uvula, you like that.

It's clear that you do. You can't keep your mouth shut. You know he'll be running his mouth after that. After.

You wonder why it is the asari that dominate the stripped clubs and fantasies, when everyone's got perfectly good turians right there, with their perfectly good mouths.

It's probably their military pride and all that. Although, Garrus for his part... being a good soldier doesn't mean he can't take it. He lets you manhandle him all he wants, using his crests to pull his mouth on and off your cock like a damn toy. And those damn eyes of his... they never leave you.

"What do you have under that armor?" You wonder out loud. Garrus, of course, can't answer you, much as his eyes find their limit at the very top of his eye socket to stare at you. "Before you ask, no, I'm not a fan of Fornax."

Leave it to humans to publish a sex magazine to the whole galaxy just ten years after first contact. Not that you'd blame them, though. This right here is heaven; and if it's anything like turian heaven, you're headed for the bar.

It does make you wonder, though. What do they have under there?

It takes some self-restraint to pry yourself from his throat. It takes even more when he cranes his head to look up at you, alert and confused. Did he like it when you fucked his throat? After that look, you think so.

"Up." You command, then nod over to the bed. In stealth missions, Garrus tends to know just what you want just from a gesture. Bringing him out all the time gives him more to brag about, but it has his benefits.

"You like fucking peoples' throats, or just mine?" Garrus says as he stands, wiping off the saliva from his lower jaw. Before you can think about brat taming, he settles at the foot of the bed, your bed.

"As far as that goes, yours is the best turian throat I've ever fucked." You begin to strip fully, and Garrus takes that as the sign to follow suit.

"My turian throat is the only one you've ever fucked," He pauses then, in the middle of taking off his pants, as he really thinks about it. "right?"

"Exactly."

Garrus rolls his eyes.

"If it brings you some comfort," You slide the one pant leg Garrus was missing off his body and suddenly push him down, making him let out a flanged oof. "a man always remembers his first."

"Is that supposed to make me blush?" Maybe that doesn't make him blush, but following your gaze does.

The turian dick, or what you think is a dick, anyway, is conical, fleshy, and rather flat; grooved in a way that actually makes it look like a large tongue. Right below it, and you mean right below, is an opening. Both hole and phallus are blue, the color hanar glow when they talk. Definitely alien.

"Return the favor and don't scrutinize me? It was hard enough not to comment when I first–"

"You were quite eager to shove my cock down your throat, if I recall correctly." That gets him to shut up rather quickly. "I won our little competition anyway, so–"

"That remains to be seen."

Before Garrus can get an inkling of what you have planned for him, you prod open his hole with a thumb. He lets out a sound, the flanged effect of it making one half of his voice sound like a groan and the other a whimper.

"No fair."

"Why isn't it fair?" You ask, shallowly adding your index finger to the fun and stretching your fingers out, just to see the resistance of his hole. Garrus shudders.

It's wet, you realize, pushing your index finger deeper and curling it.

"Because I don't get to touch you back." Uneven grounds, the perfect reason to call it quits.

But... "I'm ripe for the picking, Vakarian."

As if you've given him permission, Garrus cups the back of your neck and pulls you down to kiss you, like humans do. He's certainly done his research. He can't really move his jaws forward like lips do, but he makes up for it with wandering hands, in your hair, on your back, twisting and smoothing.

You've won there, in that kiss, by default. It shouldn't feel like a fun game because of it, but Garrus' jaws open his tongue twists with yours. It's different now. You've still got the upper hand, yes, of lip movement, but is it really a factor to compete over when he doesn't have lips? You'll take anything you can get, actually, because his tongue is longer than yours...

You push another finger into him and Garrus gasps, breaking the kiss. Okay, you've won that game.

Garrus' legs spread just a little wider, it comes easy. Spreading him open is easy, too. His hole is malleable, gummy, and secretes its own lubricant. There's one thing turians have over humans, you suppose. Their males are more fuckable.

Stretching him open is familiar ground. His dick, on the other hand? It's wide at the base, you can't wrap your hand comfortably around it like you're used to...at least you think.

Well, first time for everything.

"Shit, Shepard!" Garrus exclaims. His hips follow with a thrust into your hand from pure instinct. "Give a guy a warning."

It really is kind of like a tongue. It's fleshy and wet, coated base to tip with something fairly viscous. Garrus rocks his hips into your hand softly when you start jerking him off. It doesn't take much until he starts dribbling–and you don't know whether that speaks for the man or the race–but when he does, it comes out of him from the top, sliding down the whole length of it down the center, guided by the grooves on the sides, and it's somewhat thin, not viscous.

It comes rather easy, actually. It's vulnerable, eveb. The only soft part of a turian and it's his cock. You marvel at the rest of Garrus' body, his thick skin especially; how bony yet fragile the protusions behind his knees are, sharp not in the way of a knife but in the way of silhouettes. A powerful figure, sleek and slender. Turians sport thin waists and thin hips, but their strength is supported visually by legs as wide as their shoulders, curved at the top like little hand holds.

Garrus' hand comes suddenly atop your hair, where it finds a good grips and tugs, making you wince. "Are you scrutinizing or admiring? Can't tell, Commander."

"I can tell you like my hair." As if caught, his hand moves down to your cheek. "Or human hair."

"Your hair." He corrects. "You have hair on your cheeks too."

"Never realized until now?" You let go of him to press closer and wrap his legs around your waist securely... really can't resist anymore. You grab the curves at the tops of his legs to pull him closer. It makes his head slide off the pillow, but lets you lean right over his body.

"No." With the proximity, his voice comes in a whisper now. "I see it when I look at you for long enough."

"Huh." You hum with mild surprise. Turians do have keen eyes. "We call it peach fuzz."

"What's a peach?"

You break apart to laugh, but Garrus pulls you right back in, his hand back in your hair. You kiss. Or well, you kiss him, but he seems to enjoy it.

"What do you feel when I kiss you?"

"If you're concerned about what I feel, just fuck me." He replies crudely, unhooking one leg from your hips to spread it aside, exposing himself to you.

His... pre, you think, has spilled onto your mattress. You clear your throat, "Point taken."

It's natural. He has a hole, you have a cock; but then, he's a turian, and you're a human. You're not the first turian-human relationship. You're far from it, even. Except...add to that fraternization, a roaring synthetic-organic war, you're the most well-known human military figure in the Milky Way and he's the, well, you don't know just how the turian military is ordered, but you're sure he's somewhere up there.

After years of negotiating ceasefires, perhaps you should try thinking with your cock for once.

It's weird, at first, prodding in. There's less resistance than... well, you know. It's a lot wetter, too. There's already an embarrassing schlk and you haven't even added lube.

"I really do want to know what you feel when I kiss you–youch, Vakarian."

Garrus tugs at your hair, and though it didn't stop your train of thought, it did stun you for a moment. "How do you feel when I do that?"

"Hurt." Lightly. On the other hand, you're beginning to think Garrus quite likes your hair.

His foot finds its way somewhere on your back, and it's no mistake, as it begins to push you deeper and deeper into him, and who are you to hold back?

"...and that?"

"Good." You chuckle. His grip on your hair turns into a hold of the back of your head as you lean down, over him. It's intimate. Even more so when you bottom out inside him.

"Commander?"

You probably shouldn't let him call you that, but... it feels natural. "Yeah?"

"Kiss me."

You don't have time to think about how that probably means that he does feel something when you kiss him, because you're too lost in actually kissing him.

And fucking him, for that matter. At first, it feels rather cavernous, until Garrus does this little magic trick called clenching down around you and it feels fuckin' good.

There's more than his cloaca sucking you in. Oddly, you feel another hole somewhere inside of him and along his gummy walls. Your tip catches against it sometimes when you pull out to the head and fuck back into him, and it makes Garrus whimper every single time. Yes, whimper. The Archangel, whimpering for you.

And yes, turian males are indeed more fuckable.

As you thrust into him, much of the temper you had before comes back to you. It doesn't manifest as anger, but rather a fervor, a determination, to fuck him until he's molded into the sheets.

Whimpers turn to moans, Garrus can't keep his mouth shut, on the literal sense. His mandibles have flared out. His arms wrap around your neck.

They jump from the base of your neck to the top each time your pelvis meets his body, as moans turn to gasps. Then gasps turn to groans as you fuck him harder.

His hands fall off your neck now, talons digging into your sheets. With a rip, the fitted sheet tears under fhe pressure his talons, but you can't find it in you to care. It's merely an afterthought, in front of what you can have.

A turian—no, not just a turian. Garrus Vakarian.

This is more than a turian hole that you're fucking, more than the odd turian anatomy or the primal smell of what lube his body secretes. This is Garrus' hole you're fucking, and despite all the fun you poke at each other and all the competitions, you love that it's his.

When Garrus cums, it's with a squirt so harsh that it doesn't get to dribble down the grooves of his dick, but sprays just to get out of him, wherever it can. That includes, even, behind it. When Garrus cums, it's with a start, a gasp.

And when you finish, your cum lands on his thin abdomen, flowing down the panel-like grooves of his body and pooling right above his pelvis.

But that's not the only thing to look at. You suppose what you're seeing is the turian equivalent of going soft, as his tongue-like, cum-covered mess of a phallus retreats into his hole.

"Huh." You can't help but hum.

Garrus, unphased, asks, "Surprised huh or confused huh?"

"Both." You say. Garrus' hand lands on your cheek again; in his post-nut bliss and ignorance, talons first. You don't let that threat keep your attitude down. "...surely I've won this one, right?"

"Oh shut up, Shepard."

#mass effect x male reader #mass effect x reader #mass effect x top male reader #x top male reader #garrus vakarian x reader #garrus vakarian x male reader #garrus vakarian x top male reader #garrus x reader #garrus x top male reader #garrus x male reader

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sigalrm · 2 months ago

Video

flickr

Kongresszentrum Hohenschönhausen by Pascal Volk

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ultimac · 1 year ago

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CLİPART - DRAGON+

When exploring the diverse range of clipart categories available on https://clipart.tips, one prominent category is drink clipart. This collection features a variety of images related to beverages, including sports drinks, water bottles, and other drink-related graphics. Users can choose from a selection of 695 sport drink stock illustrations, providing high-quality and royalty-free vector images for various creative projects. Whether in need of illustrations for energy drinks or water bottles, tis category offers a wide array of options to suit different design needs and preferences.

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For those seeking dynamic and heroic visuals, the superheroes clipart category on https://clipart.tips is a must-visit. This collection features a wide range of superhero-themed images, including superheroes in action poses, superhero families, and superhero kids. With over 6,800 superhero clipart stock illustrations available, users have access to a diverse selection of royalty-free images to enhance their creative projects. Whether looking for illustrations of superhero girls, power girls, or superhero families, this category offers a wealth of options to bring a touch of superhero magic to various design endeavors.

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spacedlexi · 5 days ago

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sorry if you've been asked this before , but do you have any advice for someone who's looking to get better at backgrounds ? It's the one part of my art I struggle with immensely and your illustrative pieces are so intricate and inspiring !! I was wondering if there were methods you used that you'd be able to explain for someone wanting to attempt more dynamic perspectives and backgrounds :]

thank you for thinking so!! my perspective class really helped me level up my backgrounds/environments. theres a few things i keep in mind

references!! i dont use them as much as i should but try to compile a reference board. the environment, things in that environment, color palettes, etc. the Vibes. heres a job board i had to make for class that also includes thumbnails and values

contrast/value: our eyes are drawn to areas of high contrast (light and dark). this can help establish your focal point. the farther away things get from view the less contrasted they become (for Science reasons. air particles impact our view. the more things in the air the more impacted our vision becomes). be conscious of where you use high contrast. and also use a full range of values!! light and dark and everything in between. i like to put a black color filter over my pieces to make sure i have enough contrast in value. remember this value chart. this goes for light/shade as well as the values you use when picking palettes for your characters/environment. contrast contrast contrast !!! if it feels muddy it needs more contrast!!

semi connected to this: lose your edges!! what this means is that when it comes to shadows, the edges between an object and its environment can get lost. if something feels like its floaty/disconnected from the environment, where the object meets shadow might not be dark enough

also connected to this: gradients!! think of how things exist in 3d space. light and shadow shift around the body of an object. heres a quick example my prof used. the wall the window is on (if light is coming through) will be darker, while the wall opposite the window will be lit. the wall connecting those two walls will be gradient light to dark. this also ties into things like bounce lighting (light rays hit an object and bounce off of it, scattering the light (and color) to the objects around it. and keeps bouncing until it dissipates/is too weak to see). adding gradients helps an environment feel less flat

perspective: leading lines help direct a viewers gaze around the image. the type of perspective you use can help accentuate directionality. the type of perspective you use can also accentuate the mood you want

for 2 point you can have the two vanishing points be vertical instead of just horizontal. this example only shows 3 point down, but you can use 3 point up with the third point above the horizon line instead of below. i dont really find much use for 4 point. i think 5 point is so fun. if youre doing a down or up perspective, you may want to keep the horizon line low/high in the frame, or out of the frame completely. its best to avoid having your horizon line at the center of the image in general. im a fan of a low horizon myself. sometimes things in an environment arent perfectly aligned (like a messy room), so using multiple perspectives/vanishing points may be necessary. also its good to have your vanishing points spread out/off the page. having them closer together make things look warped or unnatural. in reality vanishing points are typically extremely wide from each other. you can have one vanishing point on the page, but usually more than that looks squished (unless thats the vibe youre going for)

side note for perspective: its ok if things dont perfectly go to the vanishing points!! most things in reality dont. this is where using vicinity helps. as long as youre close enough its fine and honestly helps things look more natural. im just lazy and use the csp perspective rulers so unless im doing 5 pt or free handing itll be perfect perspective

also another side note: personalize a space. think of clutter. make your environments look lived in. adding organic shapes to an environment (like clothes or plants etc) can help break up hard lines/edges from furniture and walls and stuff

i hope this isnt confusing i feel like im just vomiting words. so, tldr: know the perspectives you have to work with, leading lines help direct a viewers eyes around the composition, a range of value is important, our eyes are drawn to high contrast areas, USE REFERENCES, gradients add depth, lose your edges in shadow, personalize spaces

#replies with lexi #the-shark-well #art tips

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badomenslullaby · 5 months ago

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Chapter One

Paring: Noah x Fem reader

Rating: 18+ Minors DNI

MasterList

It's a serene and mildly cool Tuesday afternoon in September. Once again, you’re tucked away in the snug, bustling heart of your family’s small shop. As your grandmother diligently dusts shelves, you take the initiative to prop the front door open, inviting a much-needed breeze to dilute the still air. A warm and inviting scent of beeswax and linseed oil fills the air of the small shop, mixing with the faint aroma of coffee brewing from upstairs. Sunlight is filtering through the large front window, casting a golden glow on the extensive array of artwork that fills every part of the shop with no wall left bare. Several hand-painted canvases bursting with vibrant colors and intricate details on the walls. Your grandfather's landscapes, capturing the tranquil beauty of local scenes from the town and countryside, hang beside Your grandmother's delicate watercolors of blossoming flowers and whimsical creatures.

Two tall, slim bookcases in the corner proudly showcase your collection of several photographs. Two different photography series are on display. Both tell a compelling and immersive story in their own way. One of the series, in black-and-white, features many haunting self-portraits that capture a raw essence of emotion as it explores the mental health struggles you endure daily. The images convey the experience in ways that your words often cannot. Your second series is lighter but is equally as powerful. It focuses on the extraordinary and captivating energy that music festivals and concerts have to offer. Presenting several dynamic action shots of a multitude of crowds, their movement, and spirit frozen in time, with each frame pulsating with rhythm and excitement of the moment.

In the center of the room, several wooden tables hold a multitude of small sculptures that various local artists handcraft. The sculptures range from smooth, polished pieces to quirky, abstract figures made of different types of recycled materials. Each piece has a personality and story that calls out to those who wander in. One is never here for too long without finding a home. The quaint family shop is a cozy labyrinth of creativity. Handwoven rugs cover the old, creaky wooden floors, splashing the area with earthy tones. Where there isn’t art hanging, shelves and display cases are overflowing with art supplies such as paint tubes, sketchbooks, canvases, and handmade art brushes.

Currently, like most days, the atmosphere is lively, with a blend of quiet determination and artistic energy. Several customers chat softly as they browse, occasionally pausing to chat with your grandmother or grandfather to share stories or talk about the pieces that catch their eyes. You quietly hum to yourself as you get to your position behind the counter; you gently sit on your knees and rearrange the display case underneath it. While doing your usual mind-numbing task, your attention is suddenly drawn to a pair of beaten-up Converse and black skinny jeans. Your eyes widen slightly, and your mouth goes dry. Feeling a flush of heat creep up your cheeks, you tentatively lick your lips, close your eyes, and slowly count to five.

Of all days, today is when tall, dark, and handsome decide to browse through the store. You’re torn between feeling thankful and slightly embarrassed since he doesn't know you. Standing up, you straighten your burgundy sweater and steal a glance out of the corner of your eye. He's relatively new in town; you first noticed him at the local coffee shop a few weeks ago. With beautiful, long, dark brown hair falling a good couple of inches past his shoulders and tattoos covering his arms, hands, and neck, it's safe to say that you were enamored with him right off the bat. As you awkwardly watched him from your peripheral view, you noticed that he stopped in front of your photographs. A small yet slightly high-pitched squeaking noise comes out of your mouth, and right as he turns towards your direction, you drop down to the floor, busying yourself with the display case again.

After a few minutes, you slowly peeked over the counter to see his attention back on the photographs.

“Get yourself together, Morrigan,” you quietly whisper to yourself. “You don’t even know this dude, and he has you acting like a damn high school girl.”

You take a deep breath in and quickly huff it out. Compiling your composure once again, you bend down and shut the display case, swiftly locking it and putting the key in the small cubby hole beneath the register. Once you return to standing, you grab a rag and cleaner and wipe down the counter. A flash of long white hair catches your eye as your grandmother walks across the store toward the beautiful man. You both made eye contact as she walked by, and she slyly winked at you. Your right eye starts to twitch.

A customer gently clears her throat at the counter, pulling your attention back. She offers an awkward smile as you quickly rub your eye to stop it from twitching. While engaging in small talk with her, your mind is only half present, the other half focused on your grandmother, who has just struck up a conversation with the intriguing stranger. You ring up the customer's purchase, forcing a polite smile as she hands you the exact change. You silently say a prayer of gratitude for not having to do math during this stressful time. As your heart races, you can't help but steal glances toward the back of the shop, where your grandmother and the stranger are having a conversation.

As you politely listen to the customer's story while packing up her purchases, you catch a glimpse of your grandmother picking up one of the photographs with a broad smile, talking animatedly. As you hand the customer her bags, your grandmother nods in your direction, prompting the stranger to turn and look at you. You quickly avoid eye contact and begin to feel overly warm, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. In a quiet voice, you stammer goodbye to the customer as she leaves. Swiftly, you turn and head through the chipped-painted doorway and into the narrow staircase leading to the upstairs living quarters. The worn and creaky steps groan under your hurried footsteps.

As you reach the top of the steps, you lean on the handrail, panting to catch your breath. Knowing you can't stay up here for too long, you quickly turn to your right down the hallway, passing your bedroom and the bathroom. You make your way into the kitchen, fumbling slightly as you open the cabinets to grab a mug. You need to bring a cup of coffee downstairs to make it look like you came up here with a purpose. As you pour the coffee, you notice how clammy your hands are and how suddenly hot you feel. Setting the coffee pot down, you head to the fridge and grab a bottle of water. You take a deep breath and gulp it down, one sip turning into two until you've chugged the entire bottle. Once you throw away the bottle, you grab the mug and make your way out of the kitchen, almost bumping into the table.

When you arrive at the top of the stairs, you halt momentarily and take a deep, calming breath.

“You are okay, Morrigan. It’s okay for attractive people to look at you and interact with you. Just because they are attractive doesn’t mean that they are on a higher level than you are,” you mumble to yourself.

With that, you start walking down the stairs, counting each step as you descend back to the shop. Once you reach the bottom of the steps and walk through the doorway, you are greeted by your grandmother.

"Ah, here she is!" your grandmother exclaims, her eyes twinkling as she sees you. “Morrigan dear, this is Noah. He was just telling me that he and his friends had just moved here about a month ago.”

You slowly made eye contact with Noah, and your breath got caught in your throat. He was even more beautiful up close. He gave you a small, yet dazzling smile.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you Morrigan. Your grandma was just showing me some of your photos.” Noah said.

The way he was looking at you made you want to melt. You gave him a shy smile.

"Thank you. That really means a lot," you said with a shy smile. Heat rises to your cheeks as you send a silent prayer into the void, hoping someone, anyone, is listening. Please, don’t let him notice.

“I was asking Noah what brought them to our little town, and he told me it’s just temporary until his band takes off,” your grandmother said, raising her eyebrows.

It clicked, she was trying to play matchmaker. She knew all too well about your weakness for musicians.

Noah let out a small laugh and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Noticing his nervousness, you offered him a reassuring smile.

“That’s cool. What kind of music do you play?” you asked.

“We play a mixture of metalcore, nu-metal, and alternative metal.” Your eyes light up.

Not only is this man super cute, but he plays music that is right up your alley. Could he be even more perfect?

“I definitely need to check you guys out, that’s totally my scene,” you said excitedly.

Your town is full of creative energy, but most local bands stick to a mix of Midwestern emo and indie. You appreciate it, sure, but it’s rare to meet someone who plays your kind of music. He perked up a little when you said that.

“We’re throwing a party tonight and playing our newest album. You should swing by, maybe even take some pictures of our performance… if you’re up for it.”

On the inside, you felt giddy, it had been a while since you’d gone out. This was your chance to not only work on your photography but also connect with a cute guy. You tried to mask your excitement, aiming for a calm, cool, and collected smile.

“I’m always up for good music and a good time. Count me in.”

His smile widened at your acceptance of his invitation. You watched as he pulled his phone from his back pocket.

“Would it be okay if I got your number? I can text you the time and location,” he asked, a hint of anticipation in his voice.

Your smile widens slightly as you grab a pen, fidgeting with it to keep your hands busy.

“Yeah, just don’t sign me up for spam calls,” you joke.

He laughs, and it sounds like music to your ears. You giggle and give him your number. Once he inputs it into his phone, he sends you a text so you’ll have his, too.

With that, he waves goodbye and walks off. You stand there, a goofy grin on your face, looking like a love-sick puppy.

#bad omens #bad omens band #noah sebastian #noah sebastian davis #bad omens cult #bad omens fic #noah sebastian fanfiction #bad omens fanfiction #fanfic #noah sebastian x reader #noah bad omens #noahsebastian #badomens #noah sebastian bad omens #noah sebastian fic #bad omens x reader #badomenscult

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redroomreflections · 9 months ago

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My Other Half

Natasha Romanoff x Fem!Reader and their teen!daugther

request:Am I bugging out or did Cara have a half sister? If so do you think you could write something about them being reunited and how Natasha and R would view this?

Note: this is going to have to be two parts because that's all i got.

w/c: 2.9k

Cara sat cross-legged on her bed, the soft hum of her laptop providing a comforting backdrop as she edited her latest video. Her YouTube channel had gained a decent following, and she enjoyed sharing her life with her audience, but sometimes the influx of notifications left her feeling overwhelmed. Tonight was no different. The chime rang out again and again, interrupting her flow.

She let out a sigh and pulled her headphones down to rest around her neck. It was her own fault, she knew, that her notifications were still on. It's then she decided to take a break and check her Instagram notifications. Her account had been buzzing with comments and messages from fans, and she hoped that scrolling through them would be a nice distraction. Cara opened the app and began to sift through the usual fan messages and occasional sponsorship offers. A message in her inbox caught her eye, and her breath caught in her throat.

The message read: @jennajoy "Hi Cara, it's Jenna. I hope this isn't too weird, but I found your YouTube channel and saw your videos about your life and your family. I’m Jenna—your little sister. I know this might be a shock, but I wanted to reach out. Maybe we can talk?"

Cara's eyes widened as she processed the words. Shock and disbelief flooded her senses. She read the message again, her heart racing with hope and trepidation. The room seemed to spin slightly as her thoughts raced. The possibility that this could be a joke was high; she was no stranger to internet trolls. But as she clicked on the girl’s profile, she was met with images that felt strangely familiar.

Jenna’s profile picture showed a girl with a bright, open smile that mirrored Cara’s own features. Jenna had inherited their shared diamond shaped face and expressive eyes, though her hair was a shade lighter, a sandy blonde that caught the light in a way Cara remembered from her own childhood. There was a warmth in Jenna’s eyes that seemed to speak of a genuine, kind spirit.

Cara scrolled through Jenna’s feed, finding a series of simple, heartfelt posts. The first few pictures were of Jenna with a golden retriever, the dog’s fluffy coat complementing Jenna’s light brown hair. In one photo, Jenna was kneeling beside the dog, her laugh captured mid-air, radiating joy and innocence.

Another set of photos showed Jenna at a lake house, her sun-kissed skin glowing against the backdrop of a serene, blue lake. She appeared to be having fun, surrounded by what looked like her dad and a woman who might be her stepmom. They all shared a family resemblance, though the stepmom’s features were distinct, marking a clear, blended family dynamic.

Cara read through the captions, each one giving a glimpse into Jenna’s life. One read, “Had the best weekend at the lake with Dad and Mom! Can’t wait to go back soon!” Another photo showed Jenna sitting with the golden retriever, captioned, “My best friend and I, always up for adventures!”

The familiarity of Jenna’s features and the personal nature of her posts tugged at Cara’s heartstrings. She felt a lump in her throat as she digested the captions, each one a small window into a life that felt both distant and intimately connected to her own. The possibility that this was indeed her sister seemed more real with every swipe. She sat there for a moment, contemplating the message. Her fingers hovered over the screen as she fought to steady her breathing. After a deep breath, she slowly began to type a response, her mind a whirl of emotions.

@ iamcara Hi Jenna, thank you for reaching out. This is a big surprise. I am glad to know you and have some family. Do you want to chat on Facetime?

Cara sent the message and held her breath. It was a long shot, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The reply was instant. Jenna agreed to a call.

Cara’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared at her phone, her breath caught somewhere between hope and anxiety.

"She agreed," Cara thought.

She quickly tossed her phone onto her bed, rushing to her mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, wide-eyed and flushed.

Without thinking, she started to adjust her hair, smoothing the unruly curls that framed her face. She tied it up, then let it fall back down, unsure of which look felt more right. This wasn’t just any video call—it was her sister. Her sister. She glanced down at her clothes, then opted to throw on her favorite hoodie, something that made her feel like herself but still presentable. She bit her lip, wondering if she was overthinking it.

"Okay, just be cool. Be yourself," She thought, pacing her room as she waited for the call to connect.

Jenna’s face popped up on the screen, her wide smile lighting up the room from wherever she was calling. Cara’s breath caught in her throat as she saw those familiar eyes, the same shape and shade as her own. Jenna looked just as nervous as she felt.

“Hi! Wow, this is crazy,” Jenna said with an excited laugh. “I can’t believe we’re talking.”

“I know, right?” Cara smiled, her nerves easing a bit. “I wasn’t sure if… I mean, I didn’t even know if you’d remember me.”

“How could I forget? I’ve wanted to reach out for so long. I’ve been watching your YouTube for a while… it felt like you were always just right there.”

“Same for me. I used to wonder where you were all the time.”

There was a moment of silence as they both took it in.

Finally, Jenna broke the silence.

"I have so many questions,” she admitted. “What’s your life like now? I mean, everything you show in your videos seems so fun. And… do you still remember Mom?”

Cara’s heart tugged at that last question. Her eyes softened, and she gave Jenna a knowing smile.

“Yeah, I do. It’s kind of blurry in places, but I remember her.” She paused. “It was really hard when we were separated, but my life now? It’s good. Natasha and y/n are amazing. They adopted me officially when I was 11, but I’ve been with them since I was 9. It feels like home.”

Jenna smiled at hearing that, her excitement palpable.

“I’m so glad! I mean, I’m with Dad and my stepmom, and they’re great too. But I always wondered what happened to you, where you ended up.”

“I wondered about you, too.” She laughed, realizing how similar they sounded. “I have questions too. Like… what’s your favorite thing to do? And your dog—what’s their name? They’re super cute, by the way.”

Jenna smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "That's Zoomie."

"Zoomie," Cara echoed, giggling. "I like it."

"Are you still in New York?" Jenna asked.

"No, actually we moved to Ohio. My family and I," Cara tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You have brothers and sisters right?"

"I do, two brothers and two sisters," Cara nodded. "Also, my cousin lives with us. My grandparents too."

"Wow, that's a lot of people. Do you like living with so many people? I feel like I have so much privacy when it's just me and my parents."

"Well, it is a lot, but it's also pretty great," Cara explained. "So you don't have siblings?"

"Nah, I think my parents are good with just me," Jenna shrugged.

"Yeah. You seem really happy."

"I am," Jenna's smile was infectious. "It's nice talking to someone who knows what it's like."

"You mean, having a family who kept you?" Cara clarified.

"Yeah. Dad and Greer are great, but they can't really understand. I mean, they try, but..."

"Yeah, I get it." Cara nodded.

Jenna shifted slightly, her curiosity returning. "How old are you now? You’re like eighteen months older than me, right?"

"Yeah, I am fifteen," Cara confirmed. "Sixteen in a couple of months."

"Crazy," Jenna said, a slight laugh in her voice. "I’m fourteen now. It’s weird, right? I mean, we’re so close in age but lived totally different lives."

Cara nodded. "Yeah, but it kind of feels like we’re picking up where we left off." Cara leaned back against her pillows. "I don't want to hang up. It's like I want to know so much about you. The last time I saw you, you would cling to me all the time. With your little pigtails and pacifier. You had that thing until you were three."

Jenna laughed. "Yeah, well, you had a blankie. That's what Mom called it."

"I did!" Cara's eyes lit up. Jenna seemed to have good memories.

"Do you still have it?"

"No, I lost that thing a long time ago," Cara said. "What about your stuffed elephant? I remember that was your favorite."

Jenna's smile faltered a bit. "Um, I lost that. I actually didn't see it again after we left you."

Cara felt a twinge of sadness for her sister.

"Do you... remember more about her?" Jenna asked quietly. "Mom?"

"Yeah. Sometimes, when I was little, I would dream about her." Cara swallowed. "I'd like to think she's out there living a good life."

"Yeah, me too," Jenna nodded, her expression serious.

"Can I tell you something?" Cara whispered, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Of course."

"When we were separated... I thought you were gone forever," Cara said quietly. "I mean, we were sisters and they separated us."

"I know." Jenna's voice was barely audible. "I thought the same thing. I'd ask Dad and Grandma about you. They could never truly give answers. Dad always said he was working to get everything in order to be able to take you too but by the time he was able to find contacts you had been adopted."

"I always wished we had been together," Cara admitted. "I know that's stupid, but we were all each other had."

"No, I get it," Jenna said.

"You seem like a cool kid, Jenna."

"So do you." Jenna smiled, her eyes softening.

"Well, I should let you go." Cara looked away from the screen.

"Yeah, my dad will be coming to check on me soon," Jenna said, the sound of voices in the background. "Can we make this a weekly thing or something?"

"Yes! I'd like that a lot." Cara beamed.

"Awesome, me too."

They’d exchanged more information about each other before hanging up.

Cara sat in the quiet of her room after the call ended, staring at her phone, her thumb still hovering over the “end call” button even though the screen had long since gone dark. The reality of what just happened began to sink in. Jenna—her little sister—was real, alive, and out there, living a life she had never known. The conversation replayed in her mind, their easy connection surprising her as if they hadn’t spent years apart.

She leaned back on her bed, her heart swelling with a mix of emotions she could hardly name. Part of her was overwhelmed—joy, relief, even sadness—all tangled together. There was a time she thought she’d never see Jenna again, that she was just a memory Cara would hold onto in pieces, fuzzy and distant. Now, here she was, a real person with a life of her own, and they were talking like it hadn’t been years since they were ripped apart.

Cara let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, her eyes drifting to the window where the evening light was fading. We were all each other had, she had said, and it was true. For so long, Cara had convinced herself it was okay, that her new family had filled the void. But the truth was, there was always that small piece missing—the one Jenna used to fill. Now, with just one conversation, that space didn’t feel so empty anymore.

A soft smile crept onto her face as she thought about how similar they were, despite everything. Jenna’s smile, her laugh, the way she spoke—so familiar yet new. It felt like a second chance at something Cara hadn’t realized she’d been waiting for.

She pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them as she stared at her phone, Jenna’s last message still glowing on the screen. Weekly calls. It sounded so simple, but it meant everything to Cara. She wasn’t alone in her past anymore—she had someone who understood in ways Natasha and you, as much as she loved you, never truly could.

***********

A few weeks later...

The house was quiet this time of night. All of the younger kids were asleep so it gave her the perfect opportunity to speak with you. She stood in front of your bedroom door, hesitating for a moment before lightly knocking. Her palms were slightly sweaty, her nerves buzzing in the pit of her stomach. She had been thinking about this for weeks now, trying to find the right time to bring it up. Tonight felt right—after all the calls with Jenna, the questions swirling in her head, it was time to talk to you.

“Come in,” Natasha’s voice called from the other side.

Cara pushed open the door slowly, her eyes immediately landing on the both of you winding down for the night. Natasha was slipping into her favorite t-shirt, while you were already sitting on the edge of the bed, moisturizing after a shower.

“Hey, Babygirl, everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Cara said quickly, her voice a little too tight. She shifted awkwardly in the doorway, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. “I just… I want to talk to you both about something. Is now okay?”

Natasha, now fully dressed for bed, exchanged a glance with you before she nodded.

“Of course, come in,” Natasha said, her voice soft with concern. “What’s on your mind?”

Cara entered the room, sitting down in the chair next to your bed. She hesitated, then decided to just say it.

"So I know this might seem strange, and I can't stop thinking about it," she began. "I don't want you guys to be angry or anything."

"Oh my god, are you pregnant?" You asked.

Cara's face flushed with embarrassment, her heart beating erratically in her chest. "No!" She shook her head vehemently, her cheeks turning a deep crimson.

"Oh thank goodness," You sighed with relief, clutching Natasha's hand for support.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Natasha asked, her brows furrowed.

Cara took a deep breath, steadying herself before she continued. "Well, a month ago someone reached out to me on Instagram. A girl. Her name is Jenna and she's fourteen. She's my sister."

"She's my little sister. The one I told you about before," Cara continued nervously. She could feel her palms sweating as the words hung in the air. "I know I should’ve told you sooner," She said quickly, her voice rising with a mix of panic and defense. "But I didn’t know how you’d react! I mean, I’ve been talking to her for weeks now, and it’s not like I was hiding it on purpose, I just… I didn’t want you to think I was doing something wrong. And—"

“Cara,” You interrupted gently, sitting up on the bed and reaching out a hand to stop her. “Breathe. We’re not mad.”

Cara blinked, her breath hitching. “You’re… not?”

Natasha, who had been listening quietly, shook her head, her face softening. “Of course not. We’re just surprised, that’s all. This is a big deal for you.”

Cara let out a shaky breath, her hands fidgeting with the sleeve of her hoodie. “I-I thought you’d be upset or worried that I was talking to someone I didn’t really know…”

“We know about Jenna, sweetheart,” You said, your voice calm. “You told us about her before. We understand why this matters to you.”

Cara’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but the nervous energy still simmered under the surface. “I just… I didn’t want you to think I was trying to replace you or my life here.” Her voice wavered. “I’ve always felt so lucky to have you both, and I don’t want you to think that changes just because I found her.”

You gave her a reassuring nod.

"Babygirl," Natasha said, moving over and taking Cara's hand. "You're allowed to want this."

Cara felt her chest tighten at Natasha’s words, the anxiety that had been building inside her for weeks slowly starting to ease. “I’ve just… missed her. I didn’t even realize how much until we started talking. And I want to get to know her. I want her to know me. She's a lot like me. I mean she's really great and I know you guys would like her. ”

You nodded, smiling softly. “That makes sense, Cara. We get it.”

Cara bit her lip, her fingers twisting in her lap as she worked up the courage for what she wanted to say next. “I want to meet her.”

You and Natasha shared a quick look before you turned back to Cara.

"How does that work?"

"She says she's been speaking with her parents. They're willing for us to meet if you are cool with it. They still live in New York."

"So what does that mean? How would it work?" Natasha asked.

"Her parents want us to have a family meeting, all together. They'll explain how everything works," Cara said.

You nodded, a smile pulling at your lips. "Okay, then. That sounds reasonable."

"Are you sure?" Cara's eyes darted between the two of you. "You're not just saying that because I'm being a pain in the ass, right?"

"You're not," You assured her.

"Okay." Cara gave you both a grateful smile, her shoulders slumping as the tension eased from her body. "Thank you."

You returned her smile, reaching over to take her other hand.

#natasha romanoff #black reader #natasha x reader #black widow x reader #natasha romanov #black widow x female reader #natasha x you

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