#I’m envisioning a mainly warm-colored scene

[lovelesslittleloser]

Sometimes, when I listen to a particularly good song, I can envision a scene and the emotions brought with it, and it makes me sad that my art and animation skills aren’t good enough yet to depict it to others the way I see it

[tinyyoungblood]

midnight in prague | tom holland

summary: you play MJ in far from home and when filming gets too stressful, you and tom sneak off from set to explore the city of prague at night while also talking about the idea of running away together

pairing: tom holland x actress!reader

word count: 1.9 k

warnings: a bit angsty but mainly fluff, one (1) violent metaphor, language 

a/n: i highly recommend listening to the song, it’s absolutely beautiful, sets the mood and inspired this story. used some of the lyrics as dialogue. enjoy! 

song/inspo: Canada (ft. Alessia Cara) by Lauv

↳ masterlist

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“That’s a wrap, guys!” The crew cheered weakly, lacking the usual enthusiasm. Not moving from your spot, you meekly pumped your fist in the air in mute joy. To say you were exhausted wasn’t just an understatement, it was a big truck that rammed and then dragged you through the empty streets of Prague. You’ve been up since 9 am and the enormous clock, that had surely become the focal point for everybody, almost signaled three hours after midnight.

Your scene partner was even more drained than you. Tom was barely twitching a limb—only a hollow shell, containing the last remains of his wiped-out energy.

With his head rested on yours, you believed he was dead asleep and lightly poked his side to wake him up. But he only reached out and held your hand in a loose grip, arms dangling between your bodies. “I’m awake,” he murmured, and you were sure he was talking in his sleep.

“Tommy, wake up,” you said gently and wrapped your arms around his torso, letting him engulf you in a warm hug but he didn't budge, “You’re compressing my brain, Tom.”

Slowly, he lifted his head, eyes fluttering open to scan your face but only a second later did he realize that insomnia had caused him to believe your teasing for once. You couldn’t help but pout at the prominent exhaustion on his face. Footsteps on cobblestone and the movement of heavy filming gadgets made up your surroundings but you focused solely on Tom and the guilty look on his face. No words were needed for you to know that he was still sorry for something that he had no control over.

It wasn’t his fault that the weather conditions pushed the night shootings back and it certainly wasn’t his fault that cars were constantly driving over the bridge that you were filming at, forcing you to quickly jump to the side, only to shuffle right back to restart the scene.

But this was Prague and he was Tom. Much like his character, he had thoroughly planned a romantic trip for both of you and after weeks of gushing about it, he was sure he could make it work but something would always come up and push his plans into hopelessness.

At this point, he had accepted his fate but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t sad every time he looked at you and mad every time somebody said “action”. He loved his job and was forever grateful but for fuck’s sake, was it too much to ask for to spend some alone time with his girlfriend?

Just when he was about to open his mouth to apologize to you, you locked his lips with yours and he melted into the kiss, tense shoulders dropping. Releasing his lips with a soft plop, he sighed with a small smile, but his eyes still held sadness. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed that the others were already walking toward the van to drive back to the hotel to fall into a restless sleep, but you couldn’t bring yourself to let Tom go to bed like this.

Your mind flicked to back home where you had naively envisioned your trip to Europe to be completely different—free and without a care in the world. You knew you were here for work, but you didn’t expect to have this many obligations that added to the constant pressure of having to deliver the perfect scenes. The world was counting on you to not fuck this up.

You sighed and looked down at the river. The water reflected the vibrant yellow streetlights and brought you a sense of much-needed peace and tranquillity. Tom watched you curiously as your eyes marveled at the scenery.

Your head whipped back to him and now you were beaming at him, a glimpse of mischief dancing in your eyes. “Let’s get out of here.” Tom blankly stared at you and blinked to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. “What?”

“I’m saying,” you dragged out and let go of his torso to swing his arms excitedly from side to side, he squeezed your hand, “this is our last night in Prague! We’ve been looking forward to this for the longest time, do you really want to miss it? Come on, we can sleep on the plane tomorrow. Let’s be carefree for once.” Your soul was fueled with sparkling joy and you forgot about your exhaustion. “Let’s be free.”

Tom took a second to contemplate your words before a wide grin broke out on his face and he nodded eagerly, surrendering to bliss. “God, I’m obsessed with your brain sometimes.”

With your hand still in his, you pulled him with you, excitement shimmering. Crossing the Charles Bridge, the two of you slipped away and entered the night you had dreamed of.

Golden lanterns on the side of the houses marked hidden but absolutely breathtaking alleys and for the first time on this trip, it was quiet and serene. Your eyes couldn’t stop darting everywhere, taking it all in with the deepest admiration. It was like you were falling in love with the whole world.

You had a bounce to your step and Tom couldn’t contain his bubbly feelings at the sight of you. He didn’t really understand what switch of yours was suddenly flicked for your spirits to fly this high, but he didn’t need to. He missed spending time with you. Back in the States, both of your schedules were packed and barely allowed a fleeting glimpse but now, the girl of his dreams was buzzing with happiness while the streetlights highlighted her glowing face and he’d be damned if he wouldn’t treasure every moment.

The darkness made the town appear like a secret fairytale village with its colorful houses and narrow passages. Your soft chatter lingered in the warm summer air and every time a giggle left your lips Tom’s heart filled with more love for you, warming him from within. With his adoring gaze, he spun you around. Your dress flying up and you stretched your arms upward, enjoying the carefreeness with a broad smile. You felt like you were floating, feet barely touching the ground as the both of you were dancing to no music.

Drunk with happiness, both of you laughed as Tom pressed your back against a wall. With his hands caressing your hips and your foreheads pressed against each other, your heart throbbed with profound joy, something you haven’t felt in a while.

Adrenaline and happiness consumed you, so much of it that you nearly forgot to breathe but you didn’t need to as Tom’s lips were already on yours. You pushed off the wall, sealing the tiny space between you and he deepened the kiss. Your heart almost broke with joy. Pulling apart, it left you breathless again and you were certain nothing could ever wipe off the stupid grin on your faces.

Arms swinging, the two of you continued your fairytale walk and ended up at the Charles bridge again where you had started off the night. Still high on emotions, Tom pulled you with him as he swung his legs over the rim of the bridge and gestured for you to follow. You didn’t hesitate and sat next to him, legs dangling over the river. You rested your head on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around your small frame as you overlooked the sight in front of you.

Your voice was delicate as you spoke, cautioning into the silence, “I really needed this. It's almost like I've been stuck at home forever.” Tom was playing with strands of your hair and you knew he was deep in thoughts.

Again, you watched the dancing streetlights reflection on the water surface but this time it didn’t bring you peace. You had your night and that was all you wanted. So why did you feel a pinch of sadness at the simple thought of heading to the hotel, settling into your bed and calling it a night. You didn’t want this night to end and you knew Tom also dreaded having to end this feeling.

So the question he asked next wasn’t a surprise to you in the slightest—it resonated with you.

“What if we move to Canada?”

He sounded hopeful. Musing about taking on the world in a different way than you both already did but he knew you two were in no position to be bold and just not give a damn. It was neither in his nor your power to be selfish. A sudden breeze left goosebumps on your exposed skin, but he dreamingly gazed at you with vulnerable eyes and you let yourself dream with him.

“We could bring Tessa,” you voiced, and the corner of his mouth quirked up. “And your paintbrush and some candy,” Tom added, and awe transformed your face, eyes lighting up.

“I guess we’re lucky that we don’t need much outside of us, do we?” You chuckled softly and he shook his head with a sad smile on his face. He took your hand in his and started to play with your fingers, eyes looking heavenward. For the first time tonight, you noticed the endless stars sparkling from above.

“You know, when we film those movies...” He licked his lips and your gaze darted to his hesitant face. You weren’t sure if tears were brimming his eyes or if they reflected the deep water but they were glistening and you squeezed his hand to remind him that you were there. “...When they talk about those people in the movies who up and leave, I always think about how that could be us.”

He looked down at you, hands tightening around yours and now you were sure those were tears shimmering in his eyes. “That could be you and me.”

You didn’t answer and he didn’t need you to.

Both of you knew this wasn’t the heat of the moment talking. ‘Let’s get away from here and do our own thing’ wasn’t an option for any of you. Your thing was acting, you loved it from the bottom of your heart, and you wouldn’t be completed without that passion in your life and Tom—Tom was Spider-Man. Arguably one of the most recognizable cinematic characters in the world. Besides the fact that he couldn’t just quit, he didn’t want to either.

This was the life that you both chose. Unforgettable memories, unconditional support and overwhelming opportunities. There were also hours of press tours, draining interviews and nerve-wracking red carpets.

Your heart rate picked up at the single thought of it all but if tonight had taught you anything, it had taught you something deeply beautiful. Amid the chaos and pressure, amid the glamour and blessings, all you needed in the end was Tom by your side. He was the reason why you soared your highest heights and he was your support system when you plunged to the deepest depths. Gratitude flowed through you.

Leaning forward, you pressed a soft kiss on his cheek, letting it linger for a moment before you nuzzled your head back into the crook of his neck—brown eyes never leaving you. He returned the gesture by leaving a gentle kiss on top of your head, before resting his own on yours, pressing you closer into his body with a content sigh.

We are lucky that we don't need much outside of us.

* * *

wrote this at 5 am so it might be extra cheesy but i’m still too sleep-deprived to tell lol. i appreciate the hell out of feedback so feel free to leave me some and if you don’t, that’s okay too. thank u for reading, buh-bye! x

masterlist

[beelineshortfilm]

Week 1: Director's Vision

Skeleton Crew is a thriller shot from the perspective of our protagonist, Jared. The camera and lighting techniques of the short are meant to establish the reality of Jared’s POV: his situation is unforgiving, his environment is dangerous, and he has no one to look to for help.

Naturally, because this film is a thriller, I’m basing my visual and overall tonal inspiration on certain thriller films, namely those of Denis Villeneuve, like Prisoners and Sicario. Other notable inspirations include the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men, Chinatown and the TV series Breaking Bad.

I want the color palette of the film to make the environment feel barren, bleached and muted. Jared’s reality is bitter as he is forced to try and defend his loyalty after being forced into a robbery by his lowlife coworkers. The color’s lowered saturation and dull hues should reflect that.

Dull, muted color and good contrast in this frame from Sicaro.

This photo from Chinatown has a great dynamic range, and uses a harsh lighting pattern from the blinds on the window we presume is out of frame near camera right.

The outside colors make a nice cohesion for the palette of this frame. Contempt.

The outside color temperature and desolate warm tones are great for how I envision certain scenes will look. No Country for Old Men.

The color palette of Grave of the Fireflies is very pale and lifeless, especially compared to other Japanese anime. It lends a lot of realism and grit to the film.

Harsh light coming in the windows from The Piano.

The lighting of this film needs to be harsh and high contrast. Practically, because the home has been left for vacation, all the lights should be off in the house. With daylight being our key source of light, a small amount of haze indoors will allow for intense beams of light emanating from the house windows, intensifying the contrast between light and shadow. As Jared sneaks through the house, the austerity of the light will help heighten the tension of the indoor scenes. Outdoor scenes will be in direct daylight, the sun beating down heavily on our crew, adding feelings of exhaustion and fatigue to the opening of the film, as well as starkly differentiating the indoor/outdoor environments.

The film will mainly be a mix of handheld and sticks, with opportunity for an occasional dolly movement. The handheld will provide a nice contrast to the sticks shots to make the action feel more hectic, while the locked down shots make for an eerie stillness, especially as Jared treads carefully through the house with his camera.

The color palette of Grave of the Fireflies is very pale and lifeless, especially compared to other Japanese anime. It lends a lot of realism and grit to the film.

Harsh light coming in the windows from The Piano.

Harsh light, high contrast, silhouettes really standing out make this shot eerie and dark. No Country for Old Men.

The Production Design for this short will be mainly within the house, showing a nicely decorated, upscale mid-century modern home. While there is no set time period for this piece, I imagine it taking place in the mid-to-late 90s or early 2000s. There’s a lot of leeway there since I’m still honing in my vision for the interior decor, but I think the home will be more on the classic side of wealthy furniture rather than being too modern.

I still have a lot to pick and choose with the aesthetic of this film, but these reference frames are a good place for me to start!

[nitrateglow]

My god-tier Audrey Hepburn movies

I just realized I’ve technically seen all of Audrey Hepburn’s movies-- or rather, all the movies in which she was given star billing.

So, because I’m bored, here’s a list of my top ten personal favorites of her films. The criteria is simple: 1) she had to have starred in it, so nothing from her pre-Roman Holiday career counts nor does 1989′s Always, and 2) this is based on my level of enjoyment of the movie in question.

1. Wait Until Dark

Wait Until Dark possesses many merits, but Hepburn is one of its key strengths. For me, the most interesting performances are the ones able to balance seemingly opposing elements of the character in question. Here, Hepburn balances vulnerability with inner strength, insecurity and terror with courage, angry frustration with budding confidence. She makes her character seem like such a real, vital presence, like someone you would know. Also, having someone as sweet as Hepburn as the target for the cruel mind games and brutal violence of the villains makes the horror all the more terrifying.

Beyond her performance, this movie feels like it was tailor-designed to appeal to me: an intelligent and formidable villain, the everyday setting juxtaposed with a menacing atmosphere, scary scenes that don’t rely on gore, eccentric criminals, dark humor, a tight script without an ounce of fat on it. But you’ve heard me go on, so I’ll leave it there.

2. Charade

Charade is a prime example of how to mix suspense and comedy. The mystery at the heart of the movie is very clever, with twists and turns every other moment, constantly keeping the audience on their toes. Best of all, the film holds up after repeat viewings because of the delicious chemistry between Hepburn and Cary Grant, and the witty screenplay, which has such an elegant and tight structure that I seethe with envy as a writer every time I revisit this glorious thriller.

As in Wait Until Dark, Hepburn is concerned for her life as she’s terrorized by criminals, only here, they’re mostly more humorous in nature, sometimes even lovable (except Scobie, he can just jump off a cliff). She mainly gets to exercise her comedic chops, throwing off quips, sarcastic lines, and screwball banter with wonderful finesse. It makes me sad she never made more films with Cary Grant-- the two have a spark that belies the large age gap between them.

3. Roman Holiday

The character-building, naturalistic performances, and humor make Roman Holiday one of the best examples of romantic comedy. The film has both a gentle touch and a grounded maturity that make it more than just a remix of the earlier and quite similar screwball comedy It Happened One Night. To get a bit literary and pretentious, it reminds me a bit of Romeo and Juliet-- not because of the romance, but in how the movie starts as a standard screwball comedy and ends on a lyrical, wistful note you might not have expected.

Even though this was her first lead role in a feature film, I think Hepburn’s performance as Ann remains one of her strongest. Ann feels regal and dignified while also possessing the naivete and restlessness of a teenager on the brink of adulthood. It’s as fabulous a star-establishing movie as anyone could want.

4. How to Steal a Million

How to Steal a Million is pure fun. Not a moment of this caper comedy is to be taken seriously (which makes it the perfect quarantine movie if you need something to de-stress with). I always regard this movie as Charade’s even frothier spiritual successor: both films are playful, stylish, funny, and packed with romantic banter, plot twists, and colorful 1960s fashions. The main difference is that in this one, there’s no mortal threat involved and the humor gets a little more risque though not crass.

Also, how nice is it for Hepburn to be paired with a leading man closer to her age? Peter O’Toole was only three years younger than Hepburn when this was filmed. The two of them have glorious, cute chemistry.

5. The Nun’s Story

I hate the question of “objective best” anything, but if you put a gun to my head, I would say The Nun’s Story is features Hepburn’s most impressive work as an actress. For those who accuse Hepburn of being too affected, of being a mere clothes’ horse, here she is bare-faced, dressed in a nun’s habit, and playing a very reserved character whose dilemmas are largely internal. She plays her character’s spiritual conflict with an understatement that could only be considered skillful.

The film itself will likely be seen as “too slow” by most and there are a few colonial elements towards the Congo section that date it, but the film’s strengths, both from Hepburn’s performance and the mature way it presents its individual versus the system story, give it classic status. Few movies regarding organized religion are this balanced and lacking in propaganda, either for or against it.

6. Breakfast at Tiffany’s

While still Hepburn’s most iconic role, Breakfast at Tiffany’s gets called “overrated” a lot these days and fans of the original Truman Capote novella routinely dog it for making heavy changes to the source material. There’s also the, you know, gross yellowface a la Mickey Rooney that deflates every scene in which he appears. However, is the move bad? NO. It juggles zany comedy, tender romance, and rather heavy drama too well for me to consign it to the “overrated” bin. Blake Edwards was a fine director and this movie is one of his best.

And Hepburn gives a damn good performance as Holly Golightly, even if she is not the character envisioned by Capote. This character could easily be unlikable if played the wrong way-- she’s a “phony,” rather pathetic, and self-loathing despite her wit and charm. But rather than coming off as an unbearable loser, Hepburn’s Holly is a realistic, relatable loser we all love in spite of her own delusions and lashing out. She might even hit too close to home (or maybe that’s just me).

7. Funny Face

Funny Face took a few viewings to grow on me. It was one of the first Hepburn movies I ever saw (that was back in high school) and I was initially excited because it was directed by Stanley Donen who co-directed Singin’ in the Rain with Gene Kelly, a long-time favorite of mine. I expected this movie to be just as sublime and was disappointed when it didn’t hit that high mark.

Rewatching it later, I now find it very charming. It’s incredibly upbeat and relaxing, the sort of old-school movie musical that doesn’t get made anymore. Hepburn’s singing is a bit rough in the bigger numbers, but she is very sweet, a damn good dancer, and quite attractive to the point where she just takes my breath away. Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson are also wonderful and get a lot of great moments that show off their talent.

8. My Fair Lady

When considering what would go on this list, I was honestly shocked to realize how much I like this movie. I’m in the camp that considers Hepburn miscast, I find George Cukor’s direction rather stiff, and I really don’t like how the ending is changed from the original play. In spite of all this, I still really enjoy this movie for the songs, costumes, and what remains of Shaw’s brilliant satire on class and gender relations. Those three hours go by and the movie never outstays its welcome.

While I think Hepburn wasn’t the number one best choice for the part (I don’t really buy her as a crass flower girl in the beginning), she isn’t a disaster by any means. She’s still charming and sympathetic, and once she makes her transformation, you have to wonder how Higgins held it together, she’s so gorgeous. And I love the relish with which she approaches the “Just you Wait” song or the way she delivers the “move your bloomin’ arse” line at the races.

9. Sabrina

I think producers figured because of the fairy tale appeal of Roman Holiday, Hepburn would be perfect for this modern take on Cinderella, set in 1950s New York. Just like in Roman Holiday, Hepburn gets to undergo dramatic character development and show her comedic skills. It’s a cute movie, with a very charming William Holden and gorgeous black-and-white cinematography. It’s also shockingly uncynical for a Billy Wilder project.

About the closest thing this movie has to a flaw is Humphrey Bogart as Linus, the guy who Sabrina chooses in the end. This is a role Cary Grant could have played in his sleep, but Bogart clearly is not enjoying himself in some scenes. However, he isn’t movie-breakingly bad by any means. His character is meant to be a hidden softie and far more dependable than his handsomer brother, so I can buy that Sabrina would warm to him in the end.

10. They All Laughed

People tend to argue what the last “worthwhile” Hepburn movie is. Most argue it’s 1976′s Robin and Marian, while I’ve seen some go as far back as How to Steal a Million in 1966. They All Laughed, a Peter Bogdonavich comedy from 1981, gets my vote. This is a love letter to screwball comedies much like Bogdonavich’s 1972 classic What’s Up Doc, only with a far more melancholy edge.

Hepburn does not become a major presence in the movie until nearly halfway through. However, she approaches her role with a mature dignity that makes me wish she’d done more work along this line towards the end of her career. Her character comes off as an older, sadder Princess Ann from Roman Holiday. This makes the movie sound morose, but it isn’t: it ends with life going on and the characters accepting that with grace.

[ofdogsandwriting]

Emerald Fire

[Ao3 Link]

Hey, @paranormalstopsign I decided to be your back-up santa for the @weekofhetalia holiday gift exchange! I went with the soulmates prompt, I hope you like it c:

Word Count: 1,705

Characters: Canada, Prussia, Scotland

Rating: General

Pairing: Canada/Prussia/Scotland

Summary:  Matthew was born only being able to see red and green, the color of his soulmates' eyes. He always wondered who they are. Slowly, he discovers them, all in due time.

Matthew loved being able to watch the trees change from a bright green to vivid hues of red. He could see the entire transformation before his eyes, like a flower opening its petals, and each year fall came, he was mesmerized by the sight before him.

Red and Green. They were the only two colors he could see, a rarity in itself when it came to soulmates. Often, people were able to only see one color before they met their soulmate’s gaze, then the world became all the more vibrant and full of life, dull greys transforming into something magnificent.

He would stand in a room of grey, and that vibrancy he felt would leave. Sometimes he would only see red or green in the monochromatic world, and try to envision the red in the eyes of his soulmate, or the green eyes that would crinkle upwards in a warm smile as they laughed. 

Red was a rare color for people to see, it would make it easier to find them, someone that more than likely had albinism.

Green was more common. He had met people with green eyes, but they were never the right green, not like an emerald glowing under a night’s sky. They were still beautiful, but not the right one.

Matthew always thought about his soulmates, since the only two colors he could see reminded him of them, putting the idea into the back of his conscious made it complicated. It was hard to find one, let alone two. He had slowly become resigned to the fact that he may never see them.

Until he found himself walking outside on a rainy day, wet leaves of red blowing in the wind and landing in puddles, trees baren from the oncoming winter. He had brought an umbrella that was a darker shade of grey, because he enjoyed the type of grey it was, but the curiosity of its color always laid in the back of his mind.

He turned to enter a shop, but roughly bumped into someone. The other man fell backwards, landing his behind on the hard, wet pavement. 

Matthew gasped, reaching out a hand towards him to help him up. “I’m so sorry,” he apologized profusely.

The man groaned, looking downwards to the ground, muttering something inaudible as he rubbed the back of his head. A head of white, messy hair.

He looked up and their eyes met. Red, a red he had never seen before that glowed in flames of life, providing warmth around it, shining brightly over every other shade he had seen before.

Slowly, other colors swirled in his vision. He could see the color of his skin, the true color of the shop’s door, and so many more that surrounded his vision. It had nearly been overwhelming, so he decided to stare into that beautiful red until his eyes adjusted.

The man broke his gaze, looking upwards to the umbrella in wonder before slowly looking down to him again. “You’re-” he began, but cut himself off, entirely at a loss for words.

Matthew smiled then, nodding, a warmth spreading inside him.

He noticed that Matthew’s hand was still offered to him, and blushed out of embarrassment before gingerly taking it in his own. Matthew helped him up and they stood in silence, until, “The names, Gilbert, by the way. What’d they call you before they cast you out of heaven?” He grinned then, and even without the fact of them being soulmates, he knew that it was blinding for any stranger to see.

Matthew quickly learned more about Gilbert’s quirky and upbeat personality, all with an ego that he might have been fond of enabling. They started hanging out, and going on dates.

They discovered that they still could not see certain colors, but mainly, they could not see the colors of their own eyes. Gilbert informed him that his eyes are blue like the sky, that the umbrella he owned was a darker shade of blue. Matthew tried to get him to explain what it looked like, but explaining colors were more complicated and harder then it seemed.

Matthew told him that his eyes are red, like the bracelet he wore from his brother, or like the perfect apple, and the leaves on the trees during the fall that he was always so captivated with. He tried to explain red in return, but imagining the colors when they were never seen before are hard to imagine.

It was on one of their dates that they finally met him.

A locally owned coffee shop that had just opened recently, filled with greens with accents of red. The door to the entrance was large, and a pale yellow, he learned of the color after some research. He sat down at the table with Gilbert, the booths red and the menus green as the waiter served them.

Gilbert prattled on, joking around and leading much of the conversation, waiting with interest whenever Matthew spoke.

A commotion behind Gilbert caused some turning of heads, including said boyfriend, turning to see two men bickering.

One was blond with green eyes, large brows furrowed, lips formed into a pout as his foot tapped impatiently against the ground. He wore an apron covered in flour. Matthew could tell by the name tag that he worked here, and possibly owned the restaurant, with the stance he carried himself with.

The air was tense between them, until the other man cracked a teasing joke, red hair obscuring his eyes as he smirked. 

The first man lightly shoved him, and let out a sarcastic laugh. There was a slight quirk on his lips, giving way that their argument no longer held any heat.

He turned then, intense green facing them. Emerald like the other man’s, his brother, he assumed, but they stood out so much more vibrantly.

Matthew and Gilbert met his eyes, Gilbert’s jaw went slack, and the entire world came to life. More colors exploded around them, unfurling at every corner, moving from the restaurant, to the outside, the sun’s rays filled with yellows inside of the shop, the tables and chairs, booths, to the scratches on the wooden surface all had color, all came to life.

He looked down, and could see the color of his his cup, and the steam that slowly rose from it. 

The stranger looked genuinely surprised, and the man next to him leaned over to him, mumbling something in concern before his shook his head and looked back at him. He eyed the other, as though he was seeing him for the first time, like he was staring at a complete stranger before his shook his head again and spoke.

They talked in hushed tones, until the man with red hair cocked his head towards them, gesturing to Gilbert and Matthew. 

The other smirked and nodded in response, shoving him towards them before dusting off his apron and disappearing into the back again.

The man approached them, standing at the edge of the table, crossing his arms and leaning his weight onto one foot.

Before they could speak, he talked first. “I never really believed in soulmates, you know. Seemed like a hassle, seemed unfair that people couldn’t just see in color when they’re born, and that these people who are fated-to-be get to.” Gilbert seemed disappointed by that statement and Matthew frowned, a despondent feeling rooted in him.

“Don’t expect me to like you right away, just because you two are my soulmates. However,” a small smile formed on his lips, “that doesn’t mean I won’t try, since you two are here and all. Say, you two have room for one more today?”

Gilbert’s grin returned in full force, and Matthew smiled, inviting him to sit next to him.

They discovered that his name was Allistor.

Matthew loved being able to see in full color, but his favorite colors were still green and red. They always stood out to him more, able to easily see the two colors in the room above all else.

They share dates together, whether it be restaurants, picnics, homemade dinners, visiting each others homes. They usually met at Arthur’s restaurant, Allistor’s brother’s business. They got discounts during lunch, and it quickly became their favorite place to meet.

As months passed to years, they eventually all found a home together. Gilbert brought his dog with him, Matthew had his own dog as well, and Allistor had a cat. Their household quickly became a family with all of the additions. Luckily, all of their pets got along, aside from the bump between Allistor’s cat and Gilbert’s dog.

They make dinners together, lay on the couch in a pile and watch movies, sit at the table and share stories over morning coffee and tea.

It was all so incredibly domestic, and Matthew was happy with it. He appreciated simplicity and love, and in their household, not a moment went by without Allistor staring at one of them fondly, or Gilbert’s excited smile, or Matthew’s reminder of how much he cares about them.

They still went out on dates together.

Matthew sat under a tree with Gilbert and Allistor. Gilbert had his head resting on his lap, strumming the acoustic guitar Allistor had bought him for his birthday. He had learned how to play it relatively quickly, a natural talent he had. He did not sing, but he strummed the guitar, a soft melody befitting their surroundings.

Matthew rested his head against Allistor’s shoulder while he leaned against him in return. He listened to his soft breathing in tune with the music. His eyes were off in the distance, but his lips quirked up in the faintest of smiles. 

He looked down to the pond before them, watching as two swans drifted over to the cattails nearby.

He paused to appreciate the scene before him, the blue water of the pond, still, save for the small waves formed from the swans movement, the red leaves of autumn’s return floating atop the water, and the green grass that surrounded them.

But most of all, Matthew loved their eyes, the emerald green, and the fiery red, those were the most beautiful colors he had ever seen.

[justanotherdumpingground]

Chapter Reviews: February 19-23, 2019 + Thoughts on Nightbound and Wishful Thinking

High School Story: Class Act Chapter 2:

I've always suspected that Morgan will be a candidate in the school presidential elections, and I take it as a bad sign that she's running. I can never forget how cruel and unapologetic she was back in Book 2 of the first trilogy. Not to mention she nearly accepted Max and Kara's bribe in Book 3. Anyway, she better remain a lost cause, and the same goes for Lorenzo, who has no platform to speak of.

Once again, Skye shows valid concerns about the school presidential elections and the drama it will cause. I also admire Rory for seeing the elections as ultimately fun and games. Regarding Ajay, why does he have to see almost everything as serious business? He needs to be knocked some sense that his overcompetitiveness is alienating people.

It always warms my heart to see my old MC and Aiden together. And it's nice of them to lend their sled to new MC and Skye. Might pick the premium option to go sledding with Skye and visit the Silvas.

As to who I will support, I'll most likely support Rory. Her priority in encouraging the arts is much needed, especially with the heavy emphasis on sports at the expense of other activities. Not to mention that the twin's being too rash regarding her decision to run for president. I might support Myra, but time will tell if I will favor her.

The Heist: Monaco Chapter 12:

I think this Tristan Dumont fellow is shady, even after he conceded to the MC and Fabien. I mean, he has an illegal and dangerous race track that has seen many deaths. Not to mention that people play dirty all the time. I certainly do not enjoy seeing Gino again, especially since he played dirty as usual. Good thing I beat him in the race.

OH HAI Tillie! Nice to see you again! I might pick her over Fabien if I replay this series. I heard she's more interesting. I mean, I couldn't fully immerse myself in Fabien's backstory about him switching to street racing after losing to a street racer as a professional racer.

Okay, so the next chapter's title cracked me up and made me cringe at the same time. I have zero love for #LoveHacks, especially since the first book's completely aimless. The second book's a bit better, but the ending felt less satisfying than I thought because Martin and TJ's reactions at their defeat weren't shown. Bah! That aside, I look forward to know my hacker Anton better.

America's Most Eligible Chapter 6:

Holy cow! Slater is definitely a snake! Using Eden as a human shield and tripping Mackenzie over are some of the examples I've seen of his foul play. Fortunately, the popup I got said that I won fair and square. Well, my MC did, not Slater. I was just careful with the choices I picked. Nevertheless, I'm going to keep him at arm's length. He's definitely playing to win.

After seeing Slater cheating to win, I've come up with a new theory. What if he and Vince are the co-antagonists but with different agendas? After all, they're playing to win, but have different ways of interacting with the MC.

Seeing Ivy, Vince, Adam, and Mackenzie in the bottom four felt bittersweet. I like Mackenzie and am okay with Adam (partly because I roleplay my MC as gay and having a weakness for hot men). As for Ivy and Vince, I'd love to have them eliminated to save my skin and feel more secure. Now I just need to have Slater eliminated and focus on winning.

It's ridiculous that I have to spend diamonds to meet with Natalie despite her potential as the reason why Mackenzie's competing. I didn't pick the option to meet her because I'm saving my diamonds for now. I definitely will pick the option to meet her with Mackenzie.

A charity date at a high school prom sounds interesting, but please don't let my MC do anything dirty to Adam or Derek. High schoolers do not need to see that kind of stuff.

A Courtesan of Rome Chapter 16:

It's about time I get to kill Aquila. That scumbag finally got what he deserved when my MC intoxicated him, interrogated him, and finally killed him when he was begging for mercy. Pathetic of him. I still have to say that even though Caesar is the big bad of this series, Aquila is still the one executing his orders, and he likes feeling powerful.

Yay! Sabina's finally a free woman! I didn't pick the premium option to go to her house and trash Aquila's stuff, but the sight of her free from her abusive husband was just awesome to behold.

Victus fighting in that premium armor I bought when he was in Rome was awesome! I had him spare the gladiator because I envision him as compassionate if necessary.

Darn, the next chapter will involve Victus and Syphax fighting at the arena? What a nightmare! If there will be an option to determine who to live, I'd say Victus because I roleplay my MC as concerned with family. This is gonna be a dilemma.

Open Heart Chapters 1-2:

These are way better chapters than Ride or Die's first two. I enjoy how agonizing I felt when I struggled with the two patients. I was fully immersed at the tension, dynamics of the characters, and atmosphere.

Aurora already intrigues me with her anger at being compared to her aunt and desire to make a name for herself. Seeing her acting nice towards patients despite her aloof behavior proves that she's professional at her job. Reminds me of Anton Edison, but with a guarded personality. I'm curious to get to know her better and hopefully watch her slowly warming up to everyone else, but knowing this is an app where the writers have a tendency to lapse into thirst-fests for male love interests, chances that Aurora's story will progress at all will be slim. And in case anyone's wondering, Aurora doesn't qualify as a "mean girl" because she's already professional towards her patients and ultimately wants to prove her worth as her own individual, outside her aunt's shadow.

Ethan Ramsey's a tough boss, though his attitude comes across as too harsh at the same time. He could be weighed down by years of his job and wants newbie doctors to actually do their best, but that doesn't excuse his initial behavior. What irks me is that he's the cover LI, so I'll probably have to see him more than the other LIs, and there will be little to no progression with his character.

I like Jackie, Bryce, Sienna, and Elijah already. Jackie's tough on the MC but also has a soft side when it comes to her co-workers. In fact, she's tough at the right moments, and I respect that. Bryce is the big bundle of energy I sorely need after a stressful day at work. Sienna's perseverance at her job gives me optimism. Elijah's Harry Potter references are guaranteed to brighten my day.

So far, I'm moderately enjoying this, but time will tell if I'll like it or not. Here's hoping the writers keep up the good work.

Ride or Die Chapter 6:

I'm so helping MC's dad with his job, so that's why I circled the Verratti Motors manufacturing plant, in case the Mercy Park Crew or some other crew steals from it. However, I told Mona because she's my love interest, so she can stay. As for Colt, I didn't tell him. Oh, and I told Jason about the MPC heading to confront the Brotherhood. I like the idea of playing both the MPC and Brotherhood.

So the MC easily got her driver's license even though the instructor pointed out her many flaws when doing it? Ugh! A driver's test shouldn't be that easy, especially since you have to achieve a near-perfect score. I swear, this story is a blatant wish-fulfillment fantasy that defies common sense, but that's already obvious.

Logan and Colt arguing again. I swear, Pixelberry better give us players the option to set them up together, especially since I have no interest in pursuing either of them.

Surprisingly, this chapter sucks slightly less than the previous ones, mainly because I get to help the dad with his investigation and line of duty, and I don't feel forced to be with Logan. I even get to kiss Mona on the cheek.

The Elementalists Chapter 19:

It feels so satisfying to see my MC receiving various honors from Professors Kontos and Englund, and Dean Swan. Not to mention that I get praised by Atlas. Nice.

I'm so happy for Aster when she finally gets accepted to Penderghast. I hope this means I'll see more of her because she rarely shows up throughout Book 1 despite the lore she mentions behind paywalls. Seriously, there's a lot of potential she and the things she has said can bring to the story. Pixelberry better not waste their resources on Book 2.

Honestly, the new villain looks ridiculous. His weirdly colored suit, equally weird top hat, and evil-looking mustache make him look so over the top that I can't take him seriously, even when he was killing the poor hiker with a tornado. He looks like Discount Dorian Pavus, but with horrible fashion taste.

Anyway, I think The Elementalists is enjoyable at first, with its worldbuilding early on and the clues I receive. Pity it degenerated into a Beckett thirst-fest since Chapter 9. I mean, he's okay as a character, and I'm fine with pursuing him with my MC, but he has too many premium scenes that make no sense or even move the plot and his character forward. It's like Pixelberry has wasted their limited time and resources on certain love interests they think the silent majority loves that they squeeze other love interests and the story out in order to make way for their cash cows. At least the few moments I get to learn about the setting and other characters are worthwhile.

What do I want from the next book? I want to see the interactions between the different races, and Aster's enrollment into Penderghast is a good start. I hope to see more races, however, and the dynamics between them. Like, what are their histories, priorities, and approaches to the world around them and how they affect the way they see the world and other races? I also wonder how this new villain will factor into this engrossing setting. He could be someone who tricks one race into turning against the others.

Thoughts on Wishful Thinking and Nightbound:

I'm kind of wary that Nightbound will only let us play as a female MC. Bloodbound lets us play as a female only because Pixelberry was saving funds for other books, and it's possible Pixelberry will do the same thing to Nightbound, being a spinoff of Bloodbound. It could be good, but the possible lack of gender options will be a wasted opportunity.

As for Wishful Thinking, I honestly have no opinion on it so far. I think it has a higher chance of providing gender options, but it doesn't guarantee that the story will be good. So far, I'm not super excited, considering the declining quality of most of the stories as of late.

[scott-scribner-blog]

Interview with Kelsie Vang

    For this blog assignment I held an interview with my classmate Kelsie Vang, a fellow photography student who enjoys dolls, drawing, and anime.  In this one on one I was able to gain insight in the way she approaches art and how she perceives her future working with it.

                                  Vang, Kelsie. Lexi Krueger. 2017.    

  Would you say that photography is one of your favorite mediums?

Yes! It’s quite funny, because before I began taking photography classes in college, I didn’t like photography class. Only because I was quite worried that I wouldn’t be able to grasp the technicality of it. But now taking photography in college, I’m having quite the blast. I find the medium much more fun than drawing, arts & crafts, and watercolors. I think it’s mainly because photography can be used in ways to be created and expressed digitally through our electronics.

    Being a student of the fine arts, what would you say is the biggest creative challenge you have to get past for every assignment/project?

One of the scariest and challenging matters that I had to do for my projects and assignments was trying new things that I wasn’t used to, and try to think up of ideas that was really out of the box for me. I like to express my creativity and work with what I know, what I love, and what I’m used to. Trying new things is scary for me, even now it is, because I’m not familiar and not used to something that I don’t have a vast knowledge about it yet.

     I noticed that you like to draw a lot before class, would you say you use your drawings as inspiration in your photography?

Of course! Using photography is one of the best mediums that help bring my drawings to life. In drawing, there is only a white page as the background, and the shades of grey and black streaks of mechanical pencil to convey shape and form of the subject being sketched. Photography is an advanced form of drawing. Cameras can quickly snap shots of subjects and backgrounds in one second, and there you’re sketch is finished. In drawing, it takes 15-30 minutes for me to sketch a whole figure of a human. Cameras are quick, while pencils take longer.

        Looking at your previous and perhaps upcoming project, what seems to be the reason for your attraction to dolls?

This also has to do with my drawings too. Most of my drawings are 2D characters, they’re flat, and the only thing can do with a drawing is to look and stare at it. Dolls are 3D-figured toys, you can physically interact with them. You can bend their articulated arms, legs, brush their hair, and change their clothes, or even sew clothes for them. Every doll I ever bought was solely because of my fondness to collect each doll’s characteristics that conveys the dolls personality, ranging from their hair color, eye color, skin tone, and fashion clothing. Dolls are 3D reality of a figure drawing.

     In relation to your projects, what is your process for creating them from start to finish?

It varies with the level of difficulty the project is. If it’s a project that I like, then I already have a mapped out plan and artistic vision in mind, and execute it. But if it’s a challenging project, then I have to think deeply. At this point, it’s hard for me to envision a picture, so I look up online to Google images to see other artist’s artwork, and get inspired from them. I would then get scratch paper, and quickly sketch out each scene that I have in mind. Afterwards, I would set up at the scene of the location I want to take pictures of, and then edit them onto Photoshop.

     Looking outside of school, what do you see yourself doing after college?

After I graduate college, I’ll have to find myself another state to move into where art entertainment thrives, like either California, New York, or Chicago. I want to go into cartooning and animations someday, and work for Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon. Afterwards, I want to open my own cartoon studio and air my own cartoon-anime show on public television.

     What are your plans/goals for your art?  What do you hope to achieve or say with it?

I want my drawings to have a unique style that pulls in a viewer’s eye and make them amaze. I want my drawing style to be a combination of realism and naturalism mixed in with anime. I want to set a new original drawing style, where everybody can recognize that it belongs to me. For my photography artwork, I like to set atmospheric moods. My favorite element to convey that is through color. I don’t like black-and-white photography, because I think the photo is missing out the colors that life offers. My favorite color palette for photography is bright and warm hues to convey comfort, warmth, home, and positivity.

        You can find out more about Kelsie and all the work she does at https://kelsie-vang.tumblr.com/