#STILL MESSING AROUND WITH MY OWN COLOR PALETTES FOR HIM

[shubbzebubs]

Nya nya nya nya~ Nya nya nya ny-nyaaa~

[wave2tyun]

strawberry kisses | ☆

pairing: beomgyu x reader

genre: fluff

summary: when you accepted your boyfriend's sweet request to do his makeup, you weren't expecting the fiery turn that your little makeup session was going to take

warnings: none<3

word count: 875

a/n: reposting with much love for my dear 🐾 anon!!😼💞💞 to this day i still don't know what possessed me when i wrote this fic tbh ASBHJDBSJ my turn to experience this when.......?<//3

☆ = repost from my old blog!!

“ah-“ “-it’s so cold” beomgyu exclaimed, slightly moving away from you.

“stay still-“ you grabbed his face again, dabbing the concealer you had just put on his face with a sponge.

beomgyu had been all over you that night, begging you to recreate the makeup look you had on your last date with him. but he was just so cute doing it, there was no way you could ever refuse him. so now- here you were, beomgyu sitting down on the edge of your bed with you on a chair, leaning over to do the base of his makeup. your hands were shaking a bit, even though you weren’t gonna leave the house again after this was done. it was just beomgyu who got to see the result. perhaps that was actually the root of your worries, you were nervous whether beomgyu would like your work or not.

“my neck hurts” beomgyu complained again. you let out a laugh as you got up, wanting to get your eyeshadow palette from the nightstand.

beomgyu’s arms suddenly wrapped around your waist, bringing you down with him on the bed. “w-what was that for?” you asked, flustered by his actions.

“i think i like this position better- my neck feels more relaxed this way.” he replied with a shrug.

beomgyu’s hands rested on your waist as you straddled his hips and continued continued your work. sometimes his fingeres travelled down to your thighs, tracing patterns on the velvety material of your pants. you grabbed his face again. every single one of your touches had his body melting underneath you, he was so infatuated with you, simply letting you do whatever you needed without questioning anything. he was content watching you do your thing, enjoying how all of your attention was on him and him only.

“your eyelashes are so pretty” you whispered, putting on a light coat of mascara on him. your cold fingers touched his skin, soothing down the burning sensation that bloomed in his cheeks from such simple words. your hand slid down to take hold of his chin and lift it up “pout your lips for me gyu”

“do i get a kiss if i do that?” beomgyu asked you cutely, voice laced with honey.

you playfully tilted your head to the side “maybe” you teased.

beomgyu closed his eyes, pouting his lips exaggeratedly. the feeling of the lipstick touching him instead of your own lips made him open them again. beomgyu huffed; he looked at the floor, sulking, instead of looking at you. you held back the urge to laugh and carried on with the final step, blending the crimson color with the pad of your fingers, feeling his plush lips against your skin. you could notice the way his face lit up, eyes glistening with mischief from the idea that just crossed his mind. one way or another, he was going to receive the kiss that he wanted from you “you know what this lipstick would look good on?”

“hm?” you lifted your eyebrows, waiting for beomgyu’s response.

“you” he answered, giving you a quick peck, chuckling at your surprised face.

you glanced at his lips, smudged lipstick on his face inviting you to mess it up even more. you leaned down, moving away the bangs covering his face to return the favor.

the continuous tentative pecks slowly raised in intensity, and with each kiss you would linger against his lips more, blood rushing through your veins. beomgyu took hold of you, rolling you on the bed so that you could be the one underneath him. he held your wrists above your head with one hand, his other one playing with some strands of your hair as he left kisses all over your cheeks, red marks from the lipstick blossoming along, as a clear sign of his adoration towards you. beomgyu’s heart fluttered at the sight, he took the lipstick tube and placed it in your hand, silently asking for more. he pouted his lips once again, and this time, you couldn’t resist him. your lips captured his in a shy, chaste kiss before fulfilling his request. the corners of his lips turned up and he gazed directly into your eyes as you colored his lips again. then, his head dived down, painting your neck with the same crimson marks that adored your cheeks. he nipped and gently bit at your skin, his tongue swiftly gliding over those same spots, letting out a sigh as he let himself become more and more absorbed by you, the worry of keeping his makeup intact long forgotten. he covered you with his love, slightly pulling the collar of your shirt down to cover the area right underneath your collarbone with more kisses. as much as beomgyu relished telling you that he loved you, he was much fonder of showing his endearment towards you through actions. he loved seeing how you couldn’t control the blush rushing into your cheeks as he kissed you, how you held on tighter to the sleeves of his sweatshirt as he travelled down your body, soft gasps escaping past your lips whenever his kisses turned slow and sensuous.

his face came back up, rosy lips curving into a smirk as he looked at you again “what a beautiful sight”

[heennnngggggarae]

Sunny side up

a/n : This is long, and by long I meant few hundreds word more than my usual drabble. also minor notes it might seem like this is totally out of character for Minghao, VERY VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT!!

ANYWAY please like and/or reblog to ket me know if you guys like it or not!!

Painting or anything art related is not a particularly strong suit of yours, so when Minghao asked you to accompany him on one of his painting sessions you didn’t think much of it. That is until he gave you a 6x6 sized canvas and a set of paint tubs and brushes.

“Why are you giving me this? I thought I was supposed to be staring at you while you paint and getting bored in the process,” You said after grabbing the equipment and putting it on the floor next to you, eyeing it uneasily. The sound of a sigh was heard before you tilt your head towards him and seeing his expression. Eyebrows furrowed and lips tight. You feel kinda guilty for saying that but it’s true wasn’t it? You prefer to watch Minghao paint rather than get into that mess of colors. 

“That’s exactly the reason why I’m giving you this,” he gestures to the discarded tools beside you before sitting in front of it and giving it to you again. “You look bored, yes. But I also saw how your eyes sparkle when you see me paint small details, so that’s why I bought you this,” 

You look at the brushes and the paints before looking at Minghao again. “At least try it once, hm? For me?” he smiled at you, silently trying to make you waver, which he won, darn that cute face. 

Sighing, you finally nod before saying yes to him. He clapped his hands together before standing up. “Great! I’ll set the easel on the table,” he said as he moved to the storage. 

“You bought an easel? For this mini sized canvas?”

“Of course, I had a feeling you’ll like painting sooner or after, so I just bought it in an impulse,”

“What if I still don’t like it?”

“Oh you’ll like it, beside I can use it even if you don’t”

Always thinking ahead with this one. “Alright then,” you shrug before grabbing the easel from Minghao and placing it on a nearby table.

What should you paint? Minghao? too hard for a first timer. The apartment? nah, too much stuff inside of it, a field with flowers? definitely. just blue sky and green grass, with patches of color for the flowers.

Grabbing the blue paint tube you splatter it on the canvas before spreading it as a base, making the sky. The blue unnerves you, shouldn’t it be more saturated? The sky on Minghaos painting aren’t this… boring. 

‘Whatever, I’m still a beginner at this stuff,’ You look towards the other tubs of paints beside the easel. ‘Maybe I should add a cloud? Wait, what flowers should I paint?’ 

Too focused on your painting, you didn’t notice Minghao looking at you with a small smile on his face. He barely even started on his painting when he decides to abandon it, choosing to sit in the chair behind you. Staring at your movement, placing the palette a little too rough, fidgeting with the paints, before grabbing one and placing it again, and scratching your head, made Minghao chuckle.

Turning back you’re surprised that Minghao wasn’t standing a few feet besides you, focusing on his own canvas.

“What are you doing there?” You asked him before placing your palette again and walking towards him.

“I can’t sit here and stare at my lovely partner?” he tilted his head to the side and looked up to you from where he’s sitting. You stuttered before sighing and turning back towards your painting.

Smiling at your back, Minghao decided to stand up before wrapping his arm around your waist, peeking at your painting. Though his smile falters when he actually sees it.

“Why is there an egg between the grass?” He ask tilting his head towards the painting.

“What are you talking about?” You asked him back before focusing back and paint more flowers between the grass.

“You’re painting an egg between the grass again,” He said pointing to the flower you just made. 

You look back towards him with a questioning gaze. “Minghao, that is a daisy,” 

He stayed silent before looking at the flower you just painted and back to you.

“That doesn’t look like a daisy” 

“IT DOES! look it got yellow and white, a daisy,” you said exasperatedly 

“It looks more like a sunny side up,” He said as he picked up the canvas, observing it carefully

You pouted at his words before placing the palette on the table and sat at the chair, crossing your arm. “This is why I don’t want to paint, I rather sit back and observe you”

Minghao cooed at your pouting face before putting the canvas back at the easel, and walked towards you. He hugged your body before apologizing to you.

“Sorry for forcing you paint, and saying your daisy looked like a sunny side up”

You sighed at his words before hugging him back. 

“Apology accepted”

Hearing that Minghao smiled before pulling back a bit. “You looked like you enjoyed it a lot though”

“I did, actually, and I now realized that my daisy does look like a sunny side up” 

“So this means I’m right?”

“Shut up”

[rafayelsss]

THE WORLD IS MY CANVAS ˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ content: rafayel x gn!reader, no y/n, face painting, usual rafayel shenanigans ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Rafayel surprises you with some impromptu face painting.

Rafayel had once again invited you over with a pretext of igniting his artistic inspiration, or so he claimed.. But by now you’ve just about figured out that he just wanted you to keep him a little company, not that he was hiding it at all in the first place. Even with that, you couldn’t just ignore your employer. After all, Rafayel wasn't a bad person, and the perks weren't too shabby either.

Gazing out through the expansive windows, you observed a squadron of seagulls fly through the vast expanse of the clear blue sky. It struck you how the hue mirrored the paint smudge Rafayel had inadvertently left on the tip of your nose—wait, what?

You snap out of your momentary daze to focus back on the present, where Rafayel stood in front of you, giving a curious wave ahead of your face. You must have not noticed his presence up until now.

“Sure took you a while to acknowledge me.” Rafayel grumpily pouted at you, stepping back slightly and putting his hands on his hips. His behavior was a curious mix of irritation and adorableness. At times, his childish antics towards you, as if he were a prince demanding attention, could be exasperating yet endearing. You return his pout with one of your own as you wiped the paint off your nose with the back of your hand. “You could’ve just… I don’t know, tapped on my shoulder or something? Called my name? Like a normal person does. Just a suggestion.”

Rafayel scoffs softly and shakes his head. “You don’t think I tried that? You were as still as a statue. My bodyguard should be alert at all times, you know? And,” He retrieved a mirror and positioned it next to his tools, handing it over to you. The sunlight bounced off the surface, making for quite the task to discern exactly what he was attempting to show you. 

As you finally position the mirror just right, you notice how the paint you tried to wipe off just now is even more spread across your nose. As if the baby blue was trying to cross a bridge between your cheeks.

“you just made even more of a mess of yourself. Not that it’s a bad thing, besides, I think blue is really your color.” The painter used the end of his paintbrush to gently push your chin and move your head to the side, inspecting your now-vandalized face closely.

You couldn't help but chuckle at Rafayel's antics, amusement in your tone as you replied and playfully rolled your eyes. “Whatever you say… Now get this off me. I don’t want to look like a knock-off of Rudolph.”

“If you insist. The bathroom’s just around the corner, make a right and–” He pauses abruptly in the middle of his sentence, and you could practically see the imaginary lightbulb going off in his head as he stared at you. 

Furrowing your brows in confusion at his sudden shift, you silently gave him a questioning look. Sensing your bewilderment, he pressed on, "Don't wash it off just yet. Stay still… No, actually, sit down." Before you could even ask, he firmly pushed down on your shoulders, forcing you to sit amidst the paint and paper-laden wooden floor.

You could only watch as he retrieves his palette, crouching down to your level as he expertly mixed paint with practiced precision, fitting for an artist of his caliber.

“What are you doing, exactly?” You finally spoke up, observing him intently as he continued to mix paint.

“Shhh. Don’t move a muscle.” Rafayel spoke in a hushed voice, his eyes momentarily glancing up at your features. “Sit up straight and face me.”

“Why should–” “Hurry! This is an urgent order! Imperative, even.”

Fine, okay. You’ll play along for now. Whatever he planned, it was amusing so far, at least. You adjust your posture as instructed and lift your chin up, hands folded over your lap. 

Rafayel gives you an approving smile before he brings the tip of his brush closer to your face, making soft strokes across that tickled, the cool paint dancing across your skin.

“So what exactly is so urgent about this?” You couldn’t help but be curious about what he was actually doing.

Rafayel's hand paused for just a second, a mischievous smile forming as his eyes crinkled at the sides. "You'll see when I'm done. I'll be making you my new masterpiece," he declared before resuming his work.

From this angle, you could see everything . Every little scrunch of his face as he steadied his wrist to flick a particularly fine brushstroke, every soft little sigh as he worked upon the initial smudge. Rafayel’s lips tightened to a firm line as he put his focus into his work. Did that smidge of purple in his eyes grow brighter?

Your intense gaze didn’t go unnoticed. Rafayel seemed to stare back at you, the ministrations of his brush slowing to have his other hand be brought to the side of your face. The air around you changes drastically, tension building between you. Your heart rate went up on its own accord and your eyes couldn’t help but flutter shut as you felt his palm lightly graze your cheek…

“I need my canvas to be free of obstacles, dear bodyguard.” He offered a teasing look thinly veiled by an innocent smile as he brushed a strand of hair away from your face. “What else did you think I was doing?”

This bastard.

“Just finish what you were doing already.” It came out harsher than you’d wanted it to, but he seems to get the message as he proceeds with one final brushstroke from the bridge of your nose to your left cheek. 

“I’m already finished. Wanna have a look?” Rafayel grabs the mirror from his side and hands it to you. Looking at your reflection, he turned your face into a canvas of intricate detail and smooth, expert strokes that resembled the waves of the ocean, its cerulean hue particularly unique to his paintings, a show of his artistic style. Something that showed, beyond doubt, that Rafayel was the one who made a masterpiece of you.

You cautiously touched the cool, dried paint with a light finger as you admired the impromptu face-painting. You seemed to have been staring for a bit too long, as Rafayel snorted a bit and brought the hand mirror down to force your focus back on him.

“From that reaction, I’m guessing you like it?” 

You shook your head. “No, that’s a bit of an understatement… It’s beautiful, Rafayel.” And you weren’t lying, either. You’d never doubt his skill for a second, but being the (indirect) subject of his art made you appreciate it in a new light.

“It isn’t.” he countered.

His words made you jolt a bit, perplexed. “What?”

"Really, this was just a spontaneous creation. I've merely enhanced the inherent beauty of an already beautiful face," Rafayel explained, his voice carrying a charming lilt. His gaze softened, not directed at his creation but at you as he ran his thumb gently across the paint.

"Spontaneous or not, it's a work of art," you insisted, appreciating not just the colors on your face but the sincerity in Rafayel's expression.

“I’ve enough to think that you’re someone who’s just easily impressed when it comes to art.” He shook his head and stood, holding out his hand to you. “But you’re right. I did pretty well today, maybe I should have you displayed in the next exhibit instead? Much easier than spending weeks on one piece.”

“In your dreams.”

[mtkay13]

Qi Ye cast poster!!

This had started as a sketch, waaay back as I was still reading Qi Ye. The original is pretty different from this (I considered adding it in the post but I actually don't like it anymore haha), but the plan was already to make this big spread with most of the -more or less- important cast.

I will add here some thoughts about the whole piece, and I guess, Qi Ye itself. My main goal was probably to express my deep and intense feelings for Qi Ye, its grandness, and its awesome cast-- and along with that, flesh out my mental image of each of them, their personality, their style. Here is a table with the names, so we know who is whom, and so I can add some details about my perspective on them and their design.

Jing Beiyuan has always come quite naturally. I just go for the "prettiest face" I ever came with in terms of : my own taste, and the features I find the most delicate. I'd argue he's the easiest character to draw for me across both QY and TYK. On this image, he's probably around 16 or 17. I find his expressions to be very fun to work on in general.

Ping An is also quite an easy character to draw, just for how specific Priest is when describing him.

Wu Xi's design is mainly inspired by a discussion with my friend Hanya, who talked about how, in SHL, Wu Xi more resembled a northern shaman than a southern shaman. It made me want to explore the designs and characteristics a bit more, and come up with more colourful fabrics, patterns, and darker skin color. Same goes for Ashinlae and Nuahar, to have them matching Wu Xi's aesthetic.

Ming Hua was included in this just because of the mess the mention of his name caused in the story. The two jealousy tantrums are just so delightful!!

Su Qingluan was made to resemble Jing Beiyuan, of course. What I wanted to reflect in her face was her frustration, mainly.

Ji Xiang and Hua Yue... Well. Nothing particular about their design either, but they had to be there. Of course, of course they had to be there.

Finally, an opportunity to draw Zishu with his fan and henchmen! Not mad that he kinda looks like a villain, here.

Lu Yu!! I drew him with an Ashinlae mask, since he disguises himself as Ashinlae. I included him because he matters a lot in my headcanons about Siji Manor. (it isn't specified, in Qi Ye, whether or not he's actually part of the manor, but I like to consider that he is for various reason that I may detail if I ever make a Siji Manor post)

I'll skip Jiang Xue and Liang Jiuxiao because their designs are steady for me, now.

I hesitated a lot for Helian Pei's pose, but ended up going for this one (looking bored, out of his depth, lost in the distance with his birds around him). I considered showing him with a bird in his hands, but I guess that's not the main vibe I get from him. And then, well, golden, flashy clothing, suited for an emperor.

Helian Zhao had to be in a showy armor, and I hated making it because it's so much work, haha. I took inspiration from an armor in NiF. I'm quite happy with how he came out in terms of both vibe and showiness.

I tried going full out on Helian Qi. Making him the villain that Qi Ye deserved. Dark, showy, elegant and horrible.

Helian Yi is also pretty solid for me, by now.

About the illustration itself, the main challenge was definitely to make a nice colour palette while still differenciating all the characters. I wanted to go with something intense, eerie, that could also complement the main tones I would go for (= red, purple, blue and green). I'm quite happy with how the golden tones, along with the green and reddish lights, make the whole thing come together. I struggled a little bit with the composition at first, but once I got the flow and the main figures down, it just happened quite easily. Anyway, I'm quite proud of this, and hope it conveys the love and admiration I have for Qi Ye well.

[kremechihihi]

My Yoyo Design(s)!!!!

While messing around w/ the Yoyo doodle from my last blog post, I found that adjusting the hue by 25% to the right gets you his jsrf palette. Coincidence or not, I ran with that logic and thought of creating a new Yoyo design with what I got from sliding the hue adjustor all the way to the right : purple and blue.

But before running with purple jacket blue hair Yoyo just like dat, I wanted to try n analyze his canon looks n take note of the constants in both desoigns which are : red ractangular shades, baggy clothing, hanging belt, hooded upper wear, dark-colored bottom wear, bigger (compared to others) round yellow hued skates, and ofc his smug ass grin.

More importantly, his character color palette utilizes red, orange, yellow, green, and blue only which made this redesign thing a little challenging,,,

,,,and challenging it was 😵‍💫 i wanted to try pushing a 7 hue palette on him to sort of break from his usual scheme and make the look more ‘new’ buut obviously it didn’t work out. so i stuck with the usual 5 hue limit and wowers it works!!!

As for the design itself i wanted to go for a layered look. Gave him a cargo vest cus i thought it’d look sick on em + gives off the same tactical look his “bullet sling” looking sash from his future design does. Instead of a hanging belt, I went with a hanging suspender (?) similar to what tripp pants have. Double layer ripped jeans for a way to add color to the usual dark bottom wear, also to have (lime) green stand out in his overall look similarly with his canon designs. As for the skates…they’re not exactly skates. He’s wearing sneakers but with this chunky round skates sole that’s removable so he can wear/show off his counterfeit sneaker collection while being able to skate around town. For the sake of this design, I wanted the sneakers and soles to have a similar yellowish hue to counter the usual yellow skates with black/navy grey design. Similar to future, his hair is exposed but it’s messy and unkempt like what i assume his og hair is. Lastly, the shades are all-red and sport-like in shape.

In the end, I am satisfied with how he looks but I still wanted to make a Yoyo design based on my own tastes and color scheme. So here’s anotha wan!!!!!!!!

Originally just an alt color palette, I turned it into its own design cus why not.

This time I’m following the idea that instead of a hue adjustment, his hair is the color of the previous design’s jacket which is turquoise! 5 hue rule applies here too.

Kept the same idea for the shoes, but now his socks can be seen. His hair roots are grown out (though i personally think it’s just bleached). He’s got a headband keeping his bangs away, orange fingerless arm warmers, and lime ish olive green cargo pants. Jacket is now royal blue going indigo cus i’ve always thought it’s his favorite color n i really just wanted to see it as a main color in his design from just his og skate wheels color. Instead of a belt, the open rings in his jacket have three ribbons hanging made to look like an arrow, in reference to the arrow designs on his og skates as well. Aaand lastly the shades, kinda wanted to stick with all red again but what if red frames and white/transparent lens 🧐 an inversion of his og sunglasses. It’s asymmetrical in shape to form a silly eye expression.

Anyway that iz all, designing these were an inch resting experience. Considering doing other character redesigns as well but not anytime soon, i got other stuff going on.

[j0kers-light]

an ask reply from @juniebugg originated from this tik tok prank!

Y'all know I had to switch it up but because mister mister depicted here was not it. I could not stand him as a partner but anyhoo!!!

This is about Joker x Reader! You love pranking J cuz his payback is always smexy 🤭

You didn't learn last time with the boba straw prank. Don't mess with Joker yet here you are... doing exactly that. You are asking for it at this point.

In all honesty you were minding your own business and he bothered you but I digress.

You were messing around with some new makeup palettes when he walked past the room. He didn't know you were recording yourself and you were still debating if you were going to post the footage when you reached for a new lip shade that J bought stole for you. You were holding the tube up for the camera to catch, "I loooove this red! It goes with any skin tone and the payoff? Lemme just show you!" You opened the shape with a flourish.

Joker walked in onto you swiping your lips with his infamous shade and he smiled in pride. He loved seeing you wearing his colors..

"Look at that. Look at that flippin hue, its sickening.." you pursed your lips, admiring yourself. "Yeah that's hot."

Joker popped up behind you- startling you in the process- and left a kiss stain on your cheek, "Mmmm verrrrry sexy, baby doll. I luv it." Then he winked at the camera. Of course he did.

You glared at the camera and sighed.

Now you couldn't use the fun makeup video you were making because Joker had to show his face to the potential world.

You were so pissed and the only way to get back at the laughing clown currently poking in your makeup was to pull a prank. And you knew just the one to pull.

Joker immediately stopped laughing when you picked up a cloth soaked in mineral water and proceeded to wipe your cheek where he kissed you.

You were shaking your head in disgust until the mark was removed, then you smiled and picked up where you left off in the video.

"Okay! Now that I got that off, where was I? This shade is perfect for dramatic date nights, a good blow jo---"

Never mind what you were saying, J didn't care about that. He was standing next to you in disbelief at your actions. "Did you just.. wipe off.. my kiss, Y/n?"

You locked eyes with Joker in the mirror. "Yeah and?"

You shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal and picked up a mascara tube to pop your lashes more.

You decided to edit out Joker later. “Its perfect for dramatic date nights, a good--"

Joker growled at you clearly dismissing him and spun your chair around so you could face him.

He roughly grabbed your face before smothering it with kisses. You said his name in warning when he went overboard but you let him make a point or whatever. Once he was satisfied that your face was covered in red stained kisses, he let you go.

"Try n' wipe that off doll." He dared.

His grin was handsome but it quickly fell when you used the same cloth to scrub your entire face. Almost two hours of makeup was ruined because you wanted to prank J but it was oh so worth it. You were left with a bare face and a ticking time bomb of a lover behind you.

Joker's left eye twitched and you swore he chuckled lightly before going off on a rant.

"Do I have cooties or something the reason why you're uh, ~wiping~ off my kisses huh doll? After I went outta my way to steal.. err.."

You raised an eyebrow at his choice of words.

"Buyyyy that Morphe palette for ya and that sparkly Fent-y stuff you're using and this is what ya do ta me!? I can't be erased! No no no no no no youuuuuu're not getting off so easily, c'mere!"

You squealed when Joker picked you up and tossed you on the bed. He let you bounce twice before yanking you back towards him by your ankle. All you saw was green eyes and a lecherous grin hovering over you.

"When I'm done with ya... mm, you'll need a shower to wipe off all the kisses."

and I oop 😳

[machatheo]

when it’s your birthday | enhypen ver.

heeseung - the one who brings you to a fancy restaurant

“do you have a reservation?,” the lady behind the front desk asks when you enter the restaurant. your hands are sweaty because you’ve never been in such a expensive place and you’re scared you will mess something up. heeseung stands next to you, wearing a black suit which catches your attention every time you look at him. he looks so handsome.

“yes, it should be under the name heeseung, a table at 9,” heeseung casualty answers, squeezing your hand in return.

the lady flips through the book on the desk and then finally nods, “right, okay, follow me.” she smiles at both of you and the walks away from the desk into a more open place where all of the tables are stood. she motions you to the table at far right. heeseung pulls out the chair for you and you sit down, fixing your dress.

you look around. the restaurant is very pretty, there’s a few big chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the main color palette is red and black. the table is next to a tall window which gives you a nice view of the city before you. the lady places the menu’s in front of you and then heeseung orders two glasses of wine.

“if you spoil me this much, i might expect this everyday,” you laugh when the lady finally leaves.

“you deserve it, today is your special day,” heeseung smiles and reaches out for your hand before intertwining your fingers together. you feel giddy inside.

you eat and spend the rest of the evening in the restaurant. the food was great and you feel full. only when you’re finishing off the last sips of your wine, heeseung pulls out a box out of his suit pocket. you look at it, surprised, “what’s this?”

“a little something i got you,” heeseung smiles and places his chin on his hands, watching you open the box. there’s a necklace inside, with a little heart pendant.

“it’s so pretty heeseung,” you pout, taking out the necklace and looking at it closer. there’s yours and his first name initials on the back of the heart, “thank you, not going to lie i thought you were about to propose to me,”

heeseung laughs out loud, “one day i will, happy birthday y/n.”

jay - the one who pulls the ‘i forgot’ tactic on your birthday.

“what day is today, jay?,” you ask, tapping your fingers on the table to get your boyfriends’ attention, who’s eyes are currently glued to his phone. a bright smile rests on your face.

jay looks up with those serious eyes of his and shrugs, “monday?,”

you squint your eyes together, “well yes.. monday, but what else?” you motion for him to continue.

“uh.. the day we go grocery shopping together?,” jay looks oblivious to what you’re hinting at and continues to name various things: from your anniversary to (for some reason) your parents wedding anniversary - everything - except your damn birthday, and a frown deepens on your face every time he misses. you almost feel like he’s doing this on purpose.

“hmph whatever, you’re hopeless,” you huff and puff before turning around, waving your hand in dismiss and walking out of the kitchen. for the rest fifteen minutes, you sit on the couch with crossed arms and throwing daggers from your eyes at every object in the room. so annoying, you think.

jay walks into the living room after sometime and you side eye him when he walks toward you, holding a bag of some sort.

“what? did you honestly think i would forget?,” he jokes, after noticing your never ending glare, “that today is my beautiful girlfriends birthday? you’re the one who’s hopeless” he laughs before sitting down next to your and nudging your shoulder with his own.

“not funny,” you pout, shaking your head, still on your ‘i am disappointed in you’ arc.

“oh c’mon now,” jay leans into your side until you have no other choice but to look at him. when you do, he shakes the bag in front of your face, “look i got you a gift”

you sigh and reluctantly take the bag. truthfully, you’re not even that mad but still continue to give jay the cold treatment for pulling such a joke on you. jay leans in and plants a kiss on your cheek right before you’re about to open the bag, “happy birthday, y/n”

jake - the one who planned a lot but it all gets ruined

“ah,” jake whines once he arrives at your doorstep, feeling little droplets of rain landing on his body. you open the door seconds later and pull him into a hug. jake’s heart melts when he sees how pretty you look but when you pull away, there’s a pout on his face, “it’s raining..”

“so?,” you lightly chuckle, glancing behind him to see that the once light droplets have turned into a whole shower.

“..i planned a lot of things for your birthday,” he scratches the back of his head, almost looking a hurt puppy, “half of them now impossible due to the rain..”

“it’s okay, jakey, let’s do the other half then!,” you beam with light and hope that jake won’t sulk around anymore. an instant smile appears on his face and he nods, grabbing your hand and pulling you to his car, both of you shielding the rain with your hands.

when jake pulls up to the booth where a lady sits, he rolls down the window of his car and taps on the glass to get her attention. she looks a bit confused but opens it anyways, “anything i could help you with?”

“ah yeah, we’re here for the drive-in movie..?,” jake says, shoving two tickets her way, she takes it, looks it up and down before giving them back to jake again.

“we’re closed,” she sighs. jake blinks a few times before looking up ahead. everything’s dark, not a single light is seen. reality sets in. the lady continues after seeing his confused expression, “since it’s raining, you wouldn’t be able to see a thing even from your car, sorry” just like that she closes the window of her booth and goes back to whatever she was doing. you watch as jake lets out the biggest longest sigh before lightly thumping his head against the wheel.

“jake.. it’s okay,” you stroke his shoulder in an attempt to soothe him.

“no it’s not okay, i have planned so many activities for us to do together on your birthday for it all to get ruined by the stupid rain,” he looks up with you with sad eyes.

“i don’t care for the activities as long as i can spend time with you, so you being here with me is enough,” you smile and jake can’t help but smile along you as well. he still feels a bit guilty but your words make him feel a tad bit better. he drives you back home and you spend the rest of the night together, cuddling on your bed as the rain slowly subsides.

sunghoon - the one who planned a surprised party

you open the door to your apartment with a sigh of tiredness leaving your mouth. it has been nothing but a long day with things you’ve almost barely managed to finish. you take off your shoes and walk in deeper, quite surprised to find your apartment buried in dark. usually you would see sunghoon playing games on the couch but there’s no sight of him. you wonder where he’s at. your hand searches for the light switch on the wall and before you know it, loud screams and claps erupt in the room, “surprise!!”

you stumble backwards a bit, hitting the said wall, sudden noise giving you a mini heart attack. sunghoon stands in the middle of the room, holding a party popper. he’s surrounded by your other friends and you sigh in relief after recognizing their faces. only then you take in how the room is decorated. there’s a ton of balloons, a big ‘happy birthday’ banner hanging on the wall.

you feel like you’re about to cry, you have never had something like this done in your life. sunghoon finally pops the party popper, after having struggled with it, and confetti flies out, half of it landing on your hair. your friends begin congratulating you one by one, giving you their gifts before settling down somewhere around the room.

you walk towards sunghoon and give him a big hug, “did you plan this?”

he nods, “do you like it?”

“of course! i absolutely love it!,” you exclaim, “you don’t know how happy i feel right now”

sunghoon caresses your head, removing some of the confetti that’s still stuck in your hair, “i am so glad to hear that.”

sunoo - the one to surprise you with a puppy

“watch out, there’s a step,” sunoo says behind you, holding his hands over your eyes. you slowly place your feet down, afraid of falling over even though you know sunoo would be right there to catch you.

“is it far?” you ask, your voice excited but also hinting a bit at fear, unbeknownst to what you’re about to discover.

“nope, just a few more steps,” sunoo beams behind you and you can already imagine the way his eyes turn into crescent moons. after a few more minutes, sunoo finally stops you, “alright now stay here, don’t open your eyes!”

you hum and halt in your position. you replace his hands with your own, afraid you will accidentally open your eyes. you hear sunoo shuffle around for a bit until the noise subsides.

“okay, you can open your eyes now,” you hear him say and slowly retract your hands that have been blocking your vision for awhile now. it’s bright and it takes you a few seconds to get used to the sudden light but you immediately gasp. sunoo stands in front of you, holding a small puppy in his hands.

“no way,” you shake your head in disbelief. the puppy appears to be sleepy, yawning and cuddling more into sunoo’s arms, “you got me a puppy?”

“this is rose and now she’s yours!,” sunoo smiles, looking down at the golden fur puppy.

“oh my god oh my god,” you ramble on as sunoo places her in your hold. you’ve wanted a dog for practically all your life and now this felt like a dream. you melt when you pick up an actual fluff ball and the puppy seems to be waking up too when it licks your hand, “sunoo…,” you feel like you’re about cry.

“no no, no tears,” sunoo shakes his finger in your face, “happy birthday!”

jungwon - the one to bring you on a picnic

“the weather is really nice!,” you exclaim when you and jungwon finally finish setting up the blanket on the field and all of the food you’ve brought. you settle down and watch as jungwon pulls out some fruits from the basket.

“right, it’s so nice,” he nods in agreement, looking upon the view from the small hill. jungwon has been planning this picnic for awhile and it not only took him to find a good day for no rain prognosis but also somewhere where the view would be nice. and in the end he succeeded. everything was going exactly according to his plan.

the breeze is warm when it blows in your face and you lean on jungwon. his hand snakes around your waist and he holds you close, “say ah,” jungwon’s mouth goes into an ‘o’ shape when a strawberry appears in your sight. you lightly chuckle and bite into it. it’s sweet and refreshing.

“mm that’s really good,” you say, savoring the taste, “i am glad that we finally went to a picnic together, i have always wanted to do this”

“that’s why i planned this on your birthday,” jungwon ruffles your hair, “also,” he moves away from you, reaching towards the basket before pulling out a small box. you’ve seen it already, right before you left the house when jungwon ‘secretly’ took it out from the fridge and hid it beneath all the other food you’ve taken, “i made this for you,” he smiles and places the box in between you two.

when he opens the box, there’s a little cake, “you made it?” you gasp because it almost looks bought.

“well.. i struggled a few times but in the end it came out pretty good, i hope it tastes good too,” he scratches the back of his neck in worry.

“it looks so cute though! let’s taste it then!,” you excitedly clap your hands and jungwon chuckles at your reaction, “since you made it, it will taste good, i know for sure”

ni-ki - the one who buys you a plushie as a gift

“what’s this?,” you ask in confusion when ni-ki appears in your sight, holding a box.

“what do you think? your birthday gift of course!” he beams in excitement, sitting down next to you and placing the box on your lap.

“aw ni-ki.. you didn’t have to,” you shake your head but there’s a big smile on your face anyways. the box is prettily tied up with a bow and you gaze down at it before unwrapping it.

you feel ni-ki’s eyes on you when you take off the lid and look at what’s inside. there’s a big snorlax plushie inside and you gasp, taking it out. it feels so soft in your hands, “a plushie, huh?”

“i..,” ni-ki clears his throat, grabbing your attention, “well it reminded me of you.”

“how so?,” you ask, hugging the plushie to your chest. it even smells like your boyfriend so you think he must’ve had it for awhile.

“it’s cute,” ni-ki simply answers, “and you know.. you’re cute too”

you can’t help but break into a fit of chuckles, your heart simultaneously doing cartwheels in your chest, “now you’re the one who’s being cute”

“i am not cute,” ni-ki grumbles, crossing his arms and looking like he’s about to throw a tantrum. you lean into his side and snuggle into him.

“thank you,” you say, pressing a chaste kiss on his cheek, which makes ni-ki turn red in seconds, “i love it.”

[crestfallercanyon]

Weekly Tag Wednesday Thursday

Thank you @darlingian for creating this week’s game. Thanks for the tag @michellemisfit ! seems like fun.

Which character from any media would you like to have as a father? 

Sean Maguire from Good Will Hunting (i.e., Robin Williams's character). Maybe not a very exciting or fun answer, and there's probably a lot of reasons to not pick him, but he just seems to be an extraordinarily good man who wants to help people get to a better place in their own lives, who is trying his hardest to get through the day to day, made some mistakes, loved his wife very much, and can make people who are really going through it still manage to laugh and see the world in a new perspective.

If money, laws, time, and effort were no object, what animal would you want to have?

Dragon is a hell of a good answer @michellemisfit, but if money and time and help were no object but I think I'd be intimidated by that (also I wouldn't know what to feed it!) I think I'd want either a highland cow (because once I got to pet one and it licked me and followed me around and I loved him) or a horse, because I think they're neat.

What is your Chinese takeout order? 

General Tso's Chicken, crab rangoon if they have it, steamed spring rolls.

What's your favorite emoji?

👍. it's versatile. I often use it like this: 👍👍.

Would you rather have a library, greenhouse, or home theater in your house?

I was going to say library, but honestly? I might pick a greenhouse. A place that's filled with plants that I can go listen to music to even in wintertime and be warm and surrounded by nature? I think I'm going to have to pick the greenhouse.

What childhood tv show do you think of the most fondly?

Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, Power Puff Girls, and the old Pokemon tv show with Brock, Misty, and Ash.

What was your tumblr like when you first joined?

I had a shared computer with the entire house as a kid, so I did not have a tumblr then. I only saw it occasionally because I was a nerdfighter and saw fishingboatproceeds (and heard about the drama of that later). It wasn't until a couple years ago that I got a tumblr, so, not all that different to now. My tumblr was a pitiful attempt at being a writing blog, but I got more interested in fandom pursuits instead. Some things have stayed the same, though, like having an obscure icon lol.

What clothing style do you love but don't feel compelled to replicate yourself?

Dark feminine academia. Black ribbons in the hair, the plaid pleated skirts with the ripped nylons or the smoke color pleated pants, the black mary janes, the cranberry or bourbon or navy colored sweaters with the collared shirt poking out underneath, the neat dark nail polish, the dark lipped makeup. I always think it looks really cool, but a) a ribbon is going to just become a mess in my hair, b) that particular brand of feminine style and color palette rarely looks good on me, and c) seems like a lot of freaking effort that I'm not willing to put in.

If you were plopped into a fictional world, which one would you know the layout of the best?

I know the Legend of Zelda: BOTW map pretty well. The Glade in the Maze Runner is pretty simple so I think I'd know it pretty well, but I do not want to be there lmao.

What is your favorite piece of art? 

This is a really hard question, um. I do love art, my brain provides things like Claude Monet or seaside paintings, but I'm going to be honest, I'm always more enchanted by the architecture of things and places -- I love to do "urban hiking". One of the most amazing places I ever got to explore was Radio City Music Hall in New York City. I learned a lot about why they designed the interior areas the way they did, and it was just such an amazing experience.

Do you have a water bottle? what does it look like?

Yes! I have a yellow one with a bunch of stickers of places I've been.

What fanfic trope is a quiet fave?

It's not even quiet for me -- character A is injured and character B patches them up. I love it.

Do you carry a daily bag? what does it look like? what's the weirdest thing in it?

I've got two. A burgundy faux-leather-looking bag for when I need to carry a bunch of stuff and look professional, such as files, a water bottle, my laptop, and other personal belongings. Otherwise I have an old thrifted purse made of green corduroy and a button with an engraved hummingbird on it that perfectly fits my laptop and my journal and one book. Attached to it is a small pouch I was given by a friend that I put my headphones case into.

If you had to ship Mickey with another Gallagher, who would it be?

I'm a fan of enemies to lovers, lol, so I would probably explore a Mickey/Lip dynamic. Also the amount of sarcasm and actually the frightening capabilities the two would have together would be fascinating.

What is a fanfic trope you didn't expect to like and then very much did?

I actually love post-sex scenes, particularly like aftercare scenes. I was not expecting that.

Do you think s11 Mickey can still carry s11 Ian?

Yup. I kind of think Mickey would make a show of it every time Ian feels weird about his own body, he would pick him up and show Ian he's still his lumbering ginger boy.

Who got custody of the killing bat when they sold the house?

@lingy910y's Mickey and Carl fighting over the bat is GOLD, but I also see Ian quietly grabbing the baseball bat and handing it to Debbie while they're arguing for actual purposes of "I want you to have this and stay safe wherever you are."

I am pretty sure everyone I am familiar with in the fandom has already been tagged, but just in case, I'll add @callivich ! if you've already been tagged my apologies -- and if you haven't been tagged, then by all means, see this as an open tag and go right ahead. <3

[feebleturtleduck-artz]

Some more Scooby-Doo throawback art! And some extremely old art to boot lol. This is my first Scooby-Doo OC, that isn’t directly related to the main gang, since most of my current OCS are of some direct relation.

Meet Jay! The first image was drawn ‎June ‎13, ‎2011. I was only 10 when I drew it! How time flies. For some reason, his name was Abasi. According to the original description of the image, he wasn’t even a Scooby-Doo character, but because he was a great dane I decided to make him one apparently lol. His name was Abasi for some reason. That might literally be something in Swahili, which would make sense because I drew nothing but Lion King lions back then.

I...don’t know why I assumed Abasi would be a good name for a Scooby-Doo dog but whatever. He was Scooby-Doo’s brother in that image.

Second image was drawn ‎September ‎02, ‎2012. So a little bit over a year later. This was when he was first renamed to Jay. Still more in line with the SD style. Now sporting his own Scooby-Doo collar! It reads “Jay” though. I really like how he looks in this style; I think he looks rather cute, innocent and dippy. It also reminds me of the later style I used in my “Pool party” and “Scooby and Amber’s puppies” image.

The third image was drawn on December ‎08, ‎2012. This one was referenced directly from Clipart of Scooby-Doo himself. Maybe I can find it sometime and redraw it LOL. This one looks...rather terrible  I remember being really happy with it at the time as it was the closest I was able to get to SD style at the time. I’m still kinda happy with it LOL! It was a land mark for me of learning a different style. Return of the one sided whiskers! I couldn’t ever get SD’s eyes close enough together without looking weird, and I still can’t :’)

Annnnddd the fourth and last image was drawn on ‎December ‎23, ‎2012. Featuring his own, Casandra, who is a literal recolor. And by literal recolor, I mean the first image I ever did of her I traced a screenshot of Daphne and used it to get a color palette down. I never posted it online though lol and I still have it. Even her appearance is still a hodge-podge of the other gang members for some reason. Casandra is literally blonde Daphne, with the smarts of Velma(and Freddy’s hair, now that I think of it) she’s wearing the Ankh necklace from Scooby-Doo In Where’s My Mummy. Maybe not the SAME one but a Ankh necklace because I was obsessed with Egyptian culture at the time. I believe she also ate a lot of food like Shaggy lmao. What a mess!

The letter she is holding is the same one from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! Season 1, episode 2 "Hassle in the Castle". I think the photo on the wall is well....

Her backstory was she was a die-hard fan-girl of the gang and wanted to join them. She also owned Jay, who was changed to be Scooby-Doo’s cousin rather than brother at some point. She would solve a few mysteries herself, but would mostly wander around and get lost as she was kinda dense. She was well meaning but would walk into a clearly marked chasm if someone didn’t stop her. Jay wasn’t much better, outside of having a exceptional sense of smell. I remember her favorite SD member was Shaggy, who she hung out with sometimes. It’s strange, if I had made her today I’d probably had considered them a couple, but Shaggy and her never were a couple lol. I just wanted to draw them being freinds!

I definitely need to remake them sometime! I think I’ll make Jay a realllllllllllllllllllly distant cousin of Scooby. Or maybe just a fan-boy! He looks like he could maybe be Scooby-Dee’s son with someone. But that would just be another bright-eyed-nephew to look up to Scooby. I’ll probably change him to be unrelated.

[icebear4president]

A little snippet of my AmeBela fic :) (It’s still not finished lol)

Every human being was a blank canvas just waiting to be drawn on.

Each their own color on the palette board, a special characteristic that gave them individuality from one another. With very precise dip into the paint, Natalya assigned them those colors with a quick stroke of her brush. If she believed in things such as souls, she would say this colorful essence was as close as one as anything could be. Every name, every face, she could give color to without a second thought.

All except one.

A myriad of colors reflected off him, bright shards of light breaking away to cut her like glass, piercing her eyes and blinding her. Now her hand shook, unable to see the canvas right in front of her. For the first time in her life, she was unable to paint someone.

Heels clicking on the linoleum floor, Natalya continued along the long corridor, ignoring the looks she received from the many bystanders she passed. She was more than aware that she was considered attractive in their eyes. The glorification of physical appearance was foreign to her since most nations did not care about such things, excluding the special few that. It was unusual to hear a compliment on each other’s looks, unless it was part of a pleasantry.

Speaking of the other nations, she was used to being ignored by them. Her personality was not one that welcomed conversation; instead her cold demeanor and sharp words led them to steer clear of her, until she was mostly surrounded by her fellow Eastern Europeans.

Was it lonely? Yes, but it was better than the alternative of letting her walls come down and be hurt. It had happened to many times before, and she refused to let it happen again. Her life was one of betrayal and bitterness, not love and warmth.

“Natalya!”

Natalya squared her shoulders, but otherwise made no indication she had heard anything. If she ignored him, he would go away; she had realized long ago he thrived off of attention. Unfortunately, the sound of fast approaching footsteps told her differently.

“Hey, hey, Natalya, wait up!” A hand on her shoulder. Excruciating warmth against her cold skin. She jerked back roughly and spun on her heels to face the offender who dared to touch her without explicit permission.

“Do. Not. Touch. Me.” Ah, of course it was that obnoxious smiling face she loathed so much. “America.”

Said man just smiled wider, holding his hands up in a placating manner. “Sorry, my bad, didn’t mean to scare ya,” he said, somehow sounding both apologetic and amused at the same time. Natalya tsked and looked away, avoiding those cheerful blue eyes of his.

It hurt to look at him for too long. The colors that curved around him, blinked brightly than dimmed repeatedly, attacking all of her senses at once. Every time she saw him, he was a new mess of a palette of colors that didn’t make sense and didn’t fit together in any way. It wasn’t only nauseating, but distasteful to an artist such as herself.

She shook her head in annoyance but began walking again instead of engaging in mindless conversation. But, of course, he only took it as a challenge and continued to walk side by side with her, a bounce to his step that countered her dragging feet.

[alienturnip]

🌺 ☺️ 👀?

Ahhhhh a BE ask?? For me??? Thank you! 💗

And sorry for the upcoming ramble lakjdfljksf i go crazy for them

From this lovely ask

☺️ A character you wish was explored more

This is actually a tie between Jae Yi and Yu Yeon for me, it's so hard to choose.

Jae Yi because she's the love of my life light of my life, and her recovery process in the 2nd part of the series I feel was a bit rushed/ambiguous in favor of, well, *gesture vaguely at the rest of the plot*. Especially since the first half of the show established her in such a strong compare/contrast position to Dong Sik's grief. I want to see if my baby actually did return from Busan, if she still longs to leave to find her own life, or has she found what is worth building for back here, in the butcher shop, on her own term in her own words this time. I wish the show addressed that part a bit more.

For Yu Yeon I feel like it's a bit of a missed opportunity to have her and Dong Sik be twins and not go buckwild on the haunting, the presence that stretches and reaches, the severed connection, traces of her that linger through him, how he both tries to remember and not think about her (that flashback about the ring that he gave her! That was so good! I cried, sibling tragedy is my jam! But there's only the one scene!). I'm sort of interpreting the show's message as it is as the Absence, like you feel the pain through What Is Not There, and also as the Uncertainty of her disappearance, the incapacity for DS and everyone else to move on: should they speak about her as if she'll be back soon, or as if she's forever gone for good? That's also nice! But, because the show revolves itself around these missing women, I can't help but wish for more exploration of their personhood, even symbolically through Yu Yeon.

🌺 Where are your favourite character(s) going next?

Ohh, tough quesh! Especially since the talented folks in the fandom have already written hundreds of post-canon getting-together goodness for JWDS. My vision is a slow romance, maybe probably dancing that water between QPR and romantic, but being undeniably a package deal and always loyal & affectionate toward each other. And DS can finally experience the peaceful time in his life, even if the shadows aren't quite gone. And JW can have career fulfillment finding & helping missing people in whichever way he can, that it's a source of satisfaction instead of a constant reminder of his guilt. That's my happily-ever-after for them.

(Might I also throw my ace Joo Won headcanon here? In my head he's a sap and loves hugs and the intense touches that are on-brand for JWDS, but he's also sex-repulsed. I cry happy tears whenever I see him being explicitly written as ace, I can't get enough of it. Mad respect for the horny JWDS content tho, you guys are great - I love watching everyone enjoy it even if i don't engage w it)

For Jae Yi I already said a bit above! But yeah, I hope she can go wherever she wants, try out whatever future she likes - maybe she'll travel a bit, keeping in touch with Manyang all the same. And maybe she will comeback to the butcher shop or not, but if she does, I hope she will finally make the shop her own, adding decorations, experiment w the menus, change around, make a mess, be happy, etc. You go girl! Do what you want!

👀 What would you like to see if they did a season 2?

If i have it my way season 2 would just be a slow romcom (with a basket of angst because that's who I am) with same title, same font, same color palette & poster style and no explanation LOL. You get a closure, you get a closure, everyone gets a closure.

But in a more serious tone, I don't long for a season 2, I think the show as it is is pretty much completed, but if that ever happens hm... I would like to see the theme of "Beyond Evil"/"Monster" explored through different premises, but not necessarily with the same cast. There are some themes that I think were under-explored in the show as it is (ableism, the so-called loopholes in the laws, etc.), so if they move on from the "missing adults" premise and tackle those topics as a central theme this time, that'd be a thoughtful continuation that I'd like to follow. It's hard to say!

[insomniakingdoom]

Been messing around with Bezel from Chikn Nuggit, I've saw a concept art of him being chubby and honestly, we need more chubby representation. So been like, considering recycling some design element from it as a new character. He would have a pocket watch as a head rather than a clock. I've named the character "Clock" as for now, but I imagine him having like a normal name like "Steven" or something XD

I don't want to reuse straight up Bezel color, but I thought it would be funny to still like, use it as an inspiration and just hue shift his color palette lmao. So yea, harmless fun. I obviously want the design of my own character to be unique enough so Bezel just seems like a mere inspiration for mine.

Here my very early concept, really just a bunch of pocket watch taken from google image + potential color palette lmao. The idea isn't set yet but it's getting there

[kwangya-express]

Dream In A Dream (WayV) - EN

Author: Onyx

Keywords: Ten (Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul, NCT-WayV); Max Changmin (Shim Chang-min, TVXQ); Kwangya.

Inspiration: Teaser - Ten (SuperM); Paint Me Naked, New Heroes, Birthday (Ten); Low Low (Ten & YangYang); Truth (TVXQ)

The dust danced through the air, accentuating the desolation that encompassed every inch of the once elegant space. Amidst the wreckage, Ten, one of the 'visionary children,' now grown into an adult with intensely red-dyed hair and adorned in immaculate white garments, advanced with cautious steps. His eyes revealed a mixture of curiosity and nostalgia as he surveyed the chaos surrounding him. It was evident that the environment was unfamiliar to him. Sunflowers of various colors, crushed and devoid of petals, sprawled across the floor; their once vibrant and cheerful hues now accentuated the aura of prevailing sadness.

In the center of the room, a painting hung solitary on the wall, untouched amidst the chaos wrought by the flowers around it. The light wooden frame created a stark contrast against the fabric that veiled it, a blue so deep and radiant that it brought to Ten's mind the reflection of water touched by light. With deliberate, unhurried movements, he pulled away the fabric to reveal what lay hidden beneath: a depiction of a man seated before an expansive mirror reflecting the same image endlessly, capturing the room in which he was situated. The man's face remained obscured, concealed by a black hat and veil; his body exhibited indiscernible designs, and thick chains imprisoned his hands.

A sense of discomfort engulfed Ten as he stared at it, yet he got lost in the depth of the brushstrokes, seeking solace in the beauty crafted by hands long absent. In the midst of this scene, he found a connection to his past and a potential path for the future, recalling that, much like sunflowers always follow the sun's light, they could indicate the way he and his friends could now tread. As he was immersed in his thoughts, he was startled by a shrill and familiar sound. His cellphone vibrated in his pocket, signaling an incoming call. He retrieved the device and saw his friend YangYang's name on the screen. Ten answered, his voice somewhat shaky as he said, "Hello?"

[YangYang]: Where are you?

[Ten]: I'm on my way, just had a little setback.

[YangYang]: I see... How much longer is it gonna take?

[Ten]: Not too long, I just need to wrap up something.

[YangYang]: Oh no, not this again, man? Just give it up already. You don't need to worry, we're using the Dream Lab, Ten. They can't trace us.

[Ten]: I know. But that wasn't the setback.

[YangYang]: Then what is it?

[Ten]: (long pause)

[YangYang]: Hm. What do you know?

[Ten]: Me? Nothing! (brief pause) At least, nothing that would affect you guys.

[YangYang]: (loud laughter) I'm sorry, but we're all tangled up in this mess together. So, it does affect us.

[Ten]: It's not the best time right now. I need to have some certainties first.

[YangYang]: Dude, what's going on with you? We're in the dream world! Nothing is concrete.

[Ten]: Still, I want to pursue it.

[YangYang]: You've got to stop this hero complex. You know we're with you, bro.

[Ten]: (no response)

[YangYang]: Waiting here. Literally.

[Ten]: I know, I know... I'm on my way.

[YangYang]: Don't forget your passport and ID.

[Ten]: Oh...

[YangYang]: Please, don't tell me you lost your documents again.

[Ten]: Alright. I won't tell you.

[YangYang]: Never mind. I'm coming up there.

[Ten]: No! Leave it to me, I'll sort this out. Let's meet up in 10 minutes.

Ten quickly hung up the phone and left the ruined room behind, entering his own creative haven: the art studio. The contrast between the two spaces was striking. The change of environment seemed to release a new spirit within him. The walls were adorned with sketches, unfinished canvases, and a rich palette of colors, forming a visual kaleidoscope that mirrored the artist's mind. Almost magically, his clothes transformed. He now wore a blue beret, black pants, a coat adorned with splattered paint flower patterns, and red sneakers. The studio wasn't just a physical space but also a gateway to his true essence, reflecting a glimpse of his soul.Chaotic...

He rummaged through the disorder with determination, searching for his passport and ID. Amidst the search, his attention was captured by an unfinished painting that stood out. It was his own work, an enigmatic portrait. On the canvas, the figure of a man took shape, dressed in a shimmering black long-sleeved shirt and leather pants. The enigmatic veil was still present, but now it enveloped the figure's entire body, revealing only silhouettes and contours. The developing scene in the painting was that of a moonlit beach, its silver sand peaceful under the night sky. The atmosphere conveyed a blend of melancholy and serenity, as if capturing a moment of deep reflection.

Breaking from his reverie, he continued his search, and among piles of art materials and works in progress, a sigh of relief escaped when he finally found a small notepad, next to a rectangular semitransparent red plaque with a striking "V," the emblem of the Visionary Forces, near a paper mask – his first creation.

With a final gaze at the studio, Ten stepped outside, only to be enveloped once more by a sensation of change. His jeans and sunflower-adorned coat vanished like traces of paint being washed away by water, and in the blink of an eye, he was dressed in a canary yellow suit that radiated a brightness reflecting the vibrant spirit of a blooming sunflower. Ten spotted YangYang, also dressed in a matching full yellow suit that harmonized perfectly with his own. His friend's gaze overflowed with excitement.

"Finally! I thought we were going to miss the trip," YangYang said, as a mutual nod was followed by a knowing smile. They headed out of the building.

"Did you find the documents?" YangYang asked.

"Got everything right here," Ten replied, pulling his passport and identification from his pocket and displaying them for YangYang, who, in turn, retrieved his own ID and inquired, "Did you bring your WayV card?"

"Yeah, I thought it would be wise. At least that way we can avoid more confusion by showing that we're different from the Neo City residents."

"I'm not sure if the higher-ups make, or want to make, that distinction. After all, we're from Neo City too," YangYang reflected.

"Can't hurt to try..." Ten responded, a tone of hope in his voice even as he shrugged uncertainly.

As they walked down the notably deserted street, their plans were interrupted by an entirely unexpected encounter. At the exact moment they crossed paths, Ten experienced an energy that was profoundly distinct from anything he had ever felt before – an energy that evoked the primordial. A man of commanding presence and confident demeanor decisively disrupted their journey, approaching with a certain elegance. His appearance projected an intriguing blend of mystery and resolve. Dressed in a balance between contemporary elegance and classic style, he wore a black overcoat, black shirt, and black trousers. The aura he radiated, like that of a deity from the West, instantly piqued the curiosity of Ten and YangYang. His dark eyes emanated keen intelligence, while a subtle smile danced on his lips as he drew closer.

"I apologize for the intrusion," the man spoke in a polite yet firm tone. "But there's something I'd like to discuss with you." His gaze turned toward Ten. "So, lost child, what have you to say?"

As mutual surprise reflected in the shared gaze between Ten and YangYang, their expressions were an intriguing blend of astonishment and interest. In almost natural synchrony, they halted their steps, allowing the enigmatic man to take the lead and define the new path they would tread. Under the starry gleam that shimmered in the sky, a magical aura seemed to envelop the scene. The journey that followed was unexpectedly brief, culminating in the opening of the first door they encountered at the end of their path.

Upon entering the room, Ten once again underwent a transformation in attire. His canary yellow suit made way for a checkered ensemble with a vibrant pink shirt and a black tie. His once blonde hair adopted a light shade of orange. The next room they found was spacious, filled with an array of blue hues that seemed to stretch infinitely. At the center, a small dark wooden table held a red telephone and two chairs. One of the chairs was the subject of a camera on a tripod pointing at it, indicating it was on, but at the exact moment the mysterious man took the lead, it turned off, revealing a smile on his divine lips.

"Of course, we wouldn't want any unwanted audience for our conversation, now would we?" he announced with a shrewd tone.

Having said that, the man deliberately chose the seat opposite the camera. This choice didn't go unnoticed by Ten, who was uncomfortable with the situation, as everything indicated he was being led into an interrogation. The pressure was evident; he felt that a wrong answer could seal his fate.

"Where's YangYang?" Ten asked, his concern palpable.

"He is safe, but for this conversation, his presence is not necessary," the man reassured. The trust Ten felt, even without knowing him, was strange. The man's aura was so persuasive that it left no room for doubt, and his imposing nature was such that Ten wouldn't dare challenge it.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier," the man said, showing no sign of remorse, releasing a slight smile. "I am Shim Chang-min, to those close, Max, the Rising God," he proclaimed with grandeur.

"... the bearer of dawn, the guardian of renewal, sentinel of Cassiopeia," Ten automatically completed, and a satisfied smile appeared on the god's face.

"I'm pleased to know you've heard of me, Chittaphon," the god said, and Ten shuddered at hearing his true name pronounced. "It makes our conversation more fluid," he added. The revelation that an entity of such magnitude had knowledge of him didn't put Ten at ease.

"What would you like to know?" Ten asked, revealing his unease. "I don't think I have any interesting information for someone of high position like you."

"Me? About you? Nothing. Nothing of particular importance, really. Just... Explain yourself," Chang-min replied.

"Could you repeat that? I think I misunderstood," Ten asked.

"Ex-plain your-self! Is it clearer now?" Chang-min answered emphatically.

"Why? And where's Xiao Yang? (sheep)," Ten inquired.

"Because it was you who invaded my domain, and today I'm in a good mood, so I'm giving you this chance," Chang-min responded seriously. "As for your friend, unfortunately for him, he was linked to you, but it was you who connected with my domain and left the door open."

"No, sir. I assure you I didn't invade anything," Ten hastened to say.

"Words of mortals hardly convince me, Chittaphon," Chang-min replied. "By the way, be careful with that nickname. There are certain beings who wouldn't react well to hearing it."

"I'm sorry, sir, Chang-min, right?" Ten spoke hesitantly, choosing his words carefully as if weighing each sentence. "We are in the Dream, using the Dream Lab..."

At this moment, Changmin let out a loud laugh, interrupting Ten's words. "You're astute, so tell me, do you really believe you're still in the dream world?" Ten shook his head dispiritedly, denying it.

"Something must have happened," Ten murmured, searching his mind, rifling through his memories for what happened before he entered Neo City. "We tried to synchronize again all together, the mission was vital. We received a signal from others like us, lost in the Dream. Taeyong assured us there would be no more failures this time. My leader, Kun, had no choice." He reflected aloud but realizing he had revealed more than intended, his eyes widened, and concern settled in.

Changmin remained silent for a moment, seemingly pondering Ten's words. The West God arched an eyebrow. "I knew a conversation with you would bear fruit," he said with an enigmatic smile. "You're lucky. If it were my brother, the situation would be quite different."

"Thank you?" Ten replied uncertainly in his voice.

"It's amazing to think that there was a time when I still cared about you lost children," Changmin muttered, his voice laden with gravity. "But let's get straight to the point: you children are irreparable errors of the Cosmos, and now I see how powerful you're becoming. Neo City should have never existed." Ten had already imagined this, but hearing it directly from a god made it even more distressing. "The gap between humanity and the Cosmos is shrinking," Changmin continued.

"Theoretically, it's not our fault," Ten tried to defend.

"But the Dream Lab is," Changmin emphasized. "You're creating an opening in the veil that protects Kwangya."

"But we navigate through the Dream," Ten protested.

"It's not that simple. How do you think you arrived in my domain? Or better yet, what explains the inexplicable connections all of you have?" Changmin rose from the chair, emanating total irritation. "Kangta was merciful in allowing the construction of the carriage for you. Otherwise, none of your journeys would be so easily accessible, and the price for staying here would be higher."

"You said 'price,' what do you mean?" Ten sighed, delving into the depths of his thoughts.

Changmin observed for a moment, his dark eyes scrutinizing every expression on his face. "At first? Your memories," the entity replied. "But don't fool yourself, losing your memories means losing your individuality, and losing that in here is a fate worse than death. You would be led to eternal madness, a mind empty and without control. And you humans are the most susceptible. That's why you're our biggest problems," Changmin concluded, his words heavy with gravity. "Even for us, inhabitants of the Cosmos, we can't handle it so well. Just look at what happens to the children of the Mother Tree."

Ten nodded, recognizing the truth in Changmin's words. The complexity and risks involved in their forays into the Dream were becoming increasingly evident. Sitting back in the chair, the Rising God continued, "You have no idea what you're tampering with. The Ether offers endless possibilities, but the fragile human mind could easily get lost in them. Whether it's the carriage or the plane, they shield your minds from collapsing. Your minds are left vulnerable, something easily manipulable. Moreover, the abundant flow of Ether could shatter your minds, which is why our esteemed general created this device to protect you. However, you can't always rely on this protection. Hence, the loss of memories," his tone was taking on a darker nuance. Their gazes met, a silent understanding passing between them. "Why are you telling me all this?" Ten asked.

"It would be imprudent of me not to explain at least the basics before recruiting you, don't you think? Usually, it's my brother who takes care of this sort of thing, but this time you'll be working directly for me," the deity said, a smile dancing on his lips.

"Recruiting?" Ten repeated, seeking clarity.

"Yes, I can't lead you the way you are now. You presented me with a big problem to solve. And since I'm in a good mood today, I'll decide to give you a chance," Changmin commented.

"A chance to save Kwangya?" Ten speculated.

"Oh no, I don't care that much about that. The real issue is that you opened the door to my domain and don't know how to close it. And until that's resolved, you'll be under my command."

Ten realized he had no choice, no power or influence there. He looked at Changmin with frankness, his expression serious. "I accept," he declared. A satisfied smile curved the entity's lips.

"I, Shim Changmin, the Rising God, declare that the group known as WayV is now part of my subordinates," Changmin proclaimed firmly. A stream of something akin to water began to flow before Ten's eyes, intertwining his hands like chains, meeting the palm of the god's hand. "The pact is sealed," he said.

Ten sat stunned in the chair, overcome by profound dread. "I can't decide for my group," Ten rushed to emphasize. The words spoken echoed in his mind as he tried to process what had just happened. WayV's fate was now intertwined with a god of Kwangya.

"You fooled me," Ten retorted.

"I would never do that. It was you who didn't pay attention to my words," Changmin replied. 

"You share the same individuality, that's how it works here. The fate of one affects all," he explained. Ten felt a wave of terror for what he had just committed to, as the understanding of the complexity of the situation deepened.

"Will I remember this conversation later?" Ten asked dispiritedly.

"Maybe. Who knows. I'm not the one who controls the Nexus," Changmin jeered.

As Ten's thoughts plunged into shadows, an unexpected sound cut through the air. A red telephone began to ring, emitting a piercing tone that echoed through the space around them. Changmin looked surprised at the phone and, with a quick gesture, answered the call.

The voice on the other end of the line wasn't audible to Ten, but the expression on the god's face changed drastically. His brows furrowed, and his gaze turned serious. He listened attentively, occasionally nodding or asking short questions. He was engrossed in the call, but he quickly covered one side to avoid being heard. Instead of speaking aloud, his lips moved, saying, "We'll talk another time," and he gestured for Ten to leave.

Something strange began happening around Ten. The colors and shapes around him seemed to distort and blur, as if reality was dissolving. He felt a whirlwind of sensations, as if he was being sucked into a vortex.

Ten blinked, confused and slightly disoriented. He was back in what he believed to be reality. He rose from the bed, rubbing his eyes as if trying to dispel the haze that lingered in his mind. He approached the window, and as he looked outside, it was as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes. The city before him was a futuristic metropolis filled with gleaming skyscrapers, neon lights, and flying vehicles cutting through the sky. The landscape seemed straight out of a sci-fi movie.

"Damn it," Ten cursed.

Realizing he was in Neo City, Ten grew even more bewildered. He looked around, taking in the sight. The truth finally clicked: He had been in a dream within a dream. All of this had been part of a dream lived within a world he still didn't fully understand. And now, waking up in Neo City, Ten was facing this truth. The idea that the Dream Lab could have been breached and that he had been dragged into this situation was unsettling. The blend of dreams and reality felt almost surreal, and he found himself questioning what was true and what was imagined.

[orieriee]

Going on a date with one piece men + their wardrobe!

Author's note: it has been a long time since I posted but I have these random date hcs I like to imagine from time to time for a thousand notes/reblogs special! Thank you liking and supporting my work! Also sorry for the cringey outfit edits, it's for visual purposes only.

Pairings! Ace, Zoro, Sabo, Law x GN! Reader. Fluff.

Portgas D. Ace:

Probably wears an old white T-shirt, an outer (specifically yellow for this one) so that when you're cold he could give that to you, and jeans with a pair of old sneakers.

He doesn't own that many sets of outfit but he's giving me very chill but extroverted, casual skater boy vibes. (And yes, I headcanon he does actually skate)

Spring is the season of love so it is spring every day with Ace. Man is a clingy golden retriever boyfriend

It's a good day today so he's taking you to the nearby park to feed the swans and the geese! His favorite part of the date is getting to hold your hand ofc!

Don't forget the picnic basket, he has been planning on going picnic with you in his favorite park for WEEKS

He didn't cook the meals because of how clumsy he was in the kitchen but still wanted to help so behold his messy strawberry jam sandwiches

Wipes the corner of your mouth because there's some strawberry jam and then eats it

Or better, you're wiping the corner of his mouth but instead of wiping it with a hand/handkerchief, you kissed the corner of his mouth, tasting the strawberry jam

Ace would be so flustered and turns as red as the fresh strawberry jam

Tries to kiss you back on the cheek but missed because you move to lay on your back

Still flustered but joins you anyway, spending quality time staring at the pink and orange-yellowy sky

Oh look! The swans!

Roronoa Zoro:

Tbh, his closet's color palette is a mess but there's definitely green. He usually wears sport jackets with nothing underneath but sometimes he does wear sweater underneath when it's cold

Loves to collect sport shoes so you know how he is, sport is his passion on this one. Or should I say fashion? Get it? Passion and fashion? Nevermind.

Let's you wear whatever you want, feel free to borrow his clothes

The chill but protective boyfriend

You wanted to go to the skating rink but since he's terribly bad at it and doesn't want you to see him make a mess out of himself, he's taking you to the bowling alley instead!

He's not bad in bowling but he's also not that good either. It all depends on his throwing skills... But mostly luck he says

Wear your sportwears, something a bit tight. That'll get him distracted for sure. Although he tries to be respectful.

But when someone decided to do the same (aka, staring), he'll make sure the other person does not anymore by shooting death glares and sending them threat*ning aura

"What's up, babe?" you took the bowling ball from his hands while he's looking to the other person

"Nothing. Just some creeps." he said as he's tying his jacket around your waist, covering your bottom

He says that he's sorry for bringing you to the bowling alley, saying that he should've bring you to another place for the date so that you can be more comfortable

Honestly a gentleman behavior

Sabo & Law under the cut!

Sabo:

Definitely academia aesthetic. He likes shirts, with the collar and all. Also coats. The colors may vary but an outfit put together has to be from the same palette so it looks more neat and, well, put together🤷‍♀️

Actually collects hats but only wear them on special occasions

He may seem like a funny and chill going guy but behind your back, he's kinda possessive

Like, if you're talking to another person (where the other person shows interest in you but you're just trying to be friendly), he'll appear behind your back quietly and shoot threatening glare + smile to the person in front of you

Speaking of him appearing, he promised you to go on a full planned out date so the first thing he did was taking you for lunch at a cozy cafe that belongs to one of his friends!

He kept asking whether you find the food delicious or not and making sure to take notes on what you like and don't like so that when you two decide to come back here again, he'll order it for you

After the delicious lunch, he's taking you to the cinema to watch his/your favorite movie! He likes documentary types of movie and a bit of sci-fi and historical. You'll see him geek out about it after the movie. It is even better if he gets to geek out with you

But if you don't like these types of movie, he'll pick your favorite to watch and eventually learn to like it and geek about it with you

Exiting the cinema while holding hands, both of you walk down a few blocks to the amusement park

The highlight part of the date was enjoying the sunset from the top of the ferris wheel

Usually you two have deep talks, sharing about each other's day or confessing love to one another while the sky's the color of cotton candy

Who knows, maybe you two might share a kiss or two in the ferris wheel ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Trafalgar Law:

Mostly black aesthetic with a touch of silver or gold. He likes turtlenecks, coats, and long sleeves. Sometimes he wears glasses to read but not usually. Also belt is a must.

Sometimes wear something grey or navy. Own some colors but never too bright

This man might appear cold on the outside, but the type to immediately melts the moment he's with his spouse--No, not the mushy type but you can definitely feel the temperature difference ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) (get it?)

Law is actually very protective if he really finds the right person, so if you are one for him, you'll soon find him and yourself having a heart-warming conversation about your future house and how many cats/dogs you would want to have

So he's taking you for a ride to see the beautiful estate with gorgeous mountain/sea views

But before that, he's stopping by at a bookstore to pick up some new books to read, his house has a corner dedicated to his medical books as well as some sora;warrior of the sea comics hidden in the shelf

The bookstore has a cafe nearby so both of you warm up with some coffee before heading to the estate

The estate is a little far from here since it's a countryside estate, but the views are amazing so both of you figured that buying a house there would be nice

And Law's driving skills, oh gosh, imagine his one of his tattoed arms on the steering wheel while the other grabbing the persneling-- sorry I have a thing for Law's smexy arms ✋😔

Arriving there, you two talked with the estate agent before they're taking you to one of the houses to see the interior

The house itself is pretty big, with the backyard immediately faces the sea views with mountains surrounding the area. Law's already thinking about living the rest of his life here with you if you don't mind, he's quietly having butterflies in his stomach

Man who plans ahead with you in their future >>> ��

[herbgerblin]

for the fluff prompts, blupjeans for 18!

“you come here often?” “Well considering I work here, yes.”

—

Barry unfortunately knew jack shit about paintings. He knew about popular painters, of course. He even owned a couple of paintings that he liked. But the Art World™ generally bewildered him. And right now he was staring at a collage of photorealistic objects merging into a cacophony of neon-colored, abstract blobs and zig zagging brush strokes. It made him feel even more out of place than he already was.

Behind him was a gathering of other professionals and scholars in various areas of the arcane sciences. He only agreed to attend the luncheon at the local art museum because he had skipped out on two previous work socials, and the department head had been breathing down his neck about it. Now, one opening speech and a shrimp cocktail later, Barry was already wondering what constituted as a reasonable time to sneak away.

Seventeen minutes obviously wouldn't cut it, so for now he was biding his time. He tried to get immersed in the art, but he eventually settled for leaning forward to read the little title cards. The one for the visual mess in front of him was called, "Touch Grass." Artist name, Archibald. It was priced at 69,000gp.

"Nice," Barry murmured.

"I agree," said a voice to his right.

Barry nearly leapt out of his skin! He didn't do that though. Instead, he straighten up to acknowledge the person who daringly snuck up next to him. Maybe not snuck up, but he had been zoning out pretty hard, admittedly. It was habitual.

He was met with the curious face of an elven woman. She was dressed in a white button up, a black pencil skirt and a short apron. She didn't look at all concerned by his sudden reaction. Instead, she gestured with her hand to another painting around a corner and said, "This one's pretty intense. If you need a mental palette cleanser, I suggest that bad boy over there."

She sidestepped to let Barry have a look, and Barry wordlessly obliged. The art piece in question featured a giant, white canvas with three, tiny, silver squiggly lines painted in the center. A row of stage lights illuminated it from above. It was titled, “An Inexplicable Observation of the Continuous Herewith and Ontoward.” Lumalinus. Priced at 5000gp.

“This has High elf written all over it," the lady said. "I can say that, I am one.”

She didn’t look like any of the High elves Barry was familiar with. At least not university faculty. Most dressed in flawless, well tailored suits. Or hand made garments that had been embroidered over centuries. And they carried themselves with the airs of nobility.

The stranger still at his side was leaning on her hip, and her apron had obvious food stains on it. But she otherwise looked very neat. Her thick, curly chair was pulled up into a highly ponytail, with lots of pins to hold back rogue wisps. From where she stood, the stage lights haloed a pretty face with tan skin and warm freckles.

Say something goobus, Barry thought, quickly realizing he was staring more intently at her than he had at the paintings.

“Y-you come here often?” he asked.

The lady smirked and tapped on a little name tag pinned to the right side her shirt. The name read, "Lup Taaco."

She replied, “Well considering I work here, yes.”

"Oh." Barry could feel his face turning red. Godsdammit. He rubbed the back of his neck and tore his eyes back over to the painting. "Well, I guess you've gotten a pretty good look at most of these works already."

"This gallery for sure," she replied, nodding. "But we've just recently updated one of the other wings. Less surreal, and more biology inspired. I recommended it if you're the nerdy type."

Barry felt like that was a light jab at him, with his tweed jacket and bluejeans. But he liked that she was down to earth with her art knowledge.

"Would you mind showing me where it is?" Barry asked, before recalling that there was a luncheon going on. "Oh, unless you're busy."

"Nah, it'd be my pleasure," she replied. As she led him away from the rest of the group, she gestured at her messy apron. "I actually work the front desk, but we were short staffed on catering today. So cha'girl ended up on shrimp duty."

Barry held up his mostly finished shrimp cocktail. "My compliments to the chef."

That got a smile out of her that rendered him speechless once again. Which actually turned out fine, since Lup proved that she definitely knew her ins and outs of the museum. She gave a comprehensive description of each exhibit, in such a way that never left Barry feeling bored.

They exchanged names and bits of info about each other. The pair also took turns determining their favorite art pieces as they continued touring.

There was a chalk drawing of a man eating a bowl full of purple broccoli, titled, “My Friends All Want to Play Fantasy Smash Brothers but I Want to Play Fantasy Mario Cart. This Blows.” Tifty. 20,000gp.

A vacuum cleaner filled with worms on strings, resting on a fuzzy carpet that was also littered with worms on strings. “It’s Not a Phase, Mom.” Shoto-Karagon, 7,500gp.

A photo of a mouse dragging a slice of pizza down some stairs. “Due to Inflation this Image is Now Worth 11,500gp.” Walton. 12,000gp.

"I would drop fat money on that worm-vacuum," Lup declared. "Worm-cuum.”

“I don’t know, the inexplicable whatchamacallit was really speaking to me," Barry said, absolutely joking. "I could see it hanging over my couch.”

Lup snorted and elbowed Barry's arm, which made him blush yet again. He'd completely abandoned the luncheon and had no regrets about it. Time seemed to fly by the two of them with reckless abandon.

“Oh, this one makes me sad," Lup said, her voice softening suddenly. "But I keep coming back to it.”

They paused their tour in front of a large installation of suspended statues. The focal pieces were two humanoid figures made of delicate porcelain. Their clothes rippled around them as they descended down crystalline pieces that collectively made a winding staircase. The figure in front appeared to reach back to the figure right behind them. The figure behind appeared to crane towards the figure right ahead.

“They always look like they're gonna touch each other's hands," Lup explained. She slumped the side of her face on her own palm. "But they never do.”

Barry glanced from the beautiful installation to Lup's surprisingly forlorn expression. It saddened him to think that she always had to walk by this thing that she loved, and never feel satisfied by it. He looked back at it, before quickly spotting a title card on the wall a few feet behind where the figures were suspended.

"Maybe the artist made other sculptures like this one?" he suggested. He walked over to read the card, keeping an eye out for any "Do not cross this line" signs on the floor. There weren't any here, so he felt okay maneuvering around the sculpture. "Like a continuation of the story they were trying to tell."

"This installation was from an anonymous donor," Lup replied. "And as far as I know, it's a standalone piece."

"Huh," Barry said. The title card simply read, "Salut D'Amour." Nameless. No price given. Barry turned around to look at the piece. “Maybe you just gotta…oh shit...”

He blinked and silently gestured for Lup to join him. She did so, curiosity bubbling across her face. Barry scooted over a bit to give her room, and she followed his line of sight towards the statues. She let out a small gasp.

Barry's words came back to him. “...find the right angle.”

From where they both stood, they could now see the point where both figures were gleefully descending the glittering staircase, hand in hand, not letting go.

“Wow,” Lup murmured.

Barry was too aware of how close he and her were squeezed together in the corner. His face was burning like a furnace and he had no idea if this was entirely appropriate in an art museum. But seeing Lup look at her favorite art piece with a newfound appreciation, Barry couldn’t take his eyes away from her. Lup turned her happy gaze at him, grinning from ear to ear.

“I don’t think anyone's figured it out since we’ve put it up," she said, in almost a whisper. "So for the time being, this is our little secret."

"I think this one might my favorite too," Barry replied, matching her smile.

"You have excellent taste."