#a complicated art style that focuses too much on details

[arrowpunk]

I have gotta actually work on developing a more simple and stylized art style too

[itsaspectrumcomic]

Hello,

I really enjoy your comic. Both from aesthetic and informative point of viev. I have a question about begging stages of your crative process. How did you pick a suitalbe art style for a comic of that sort? I'm asking because I want to illustrate my struggles with OCD in similar form (I can never find any good representation of OCD in media and it's so often used as a comic relief I'm sick of it, so I thought if i want to see it I'd betterdraw it myself) However my usual art style is way too complicated for a comic like that and i don't know how to simlify it without copying anyone else's style.

I am aware asking you about art related advice might be too much, so you don't have to respond. But your comics are really good and i wanted to ask about it a person who does it well. And please tell me if me asking is inappropriate, I have trouble discerning what i am allowed to ask for and what is impolite.

I apologise if my message is unclear. My way of communicating tends to be chaotic and I'm afraid I'll be misunderstood so I tend to talk way too much. Also English is not my first language.

Thank you for hearing me out.

Don't worry, I'm very happy to talk about my art process!

I deliberately simplified my art style for It's a Spectrum since I wanted to be able to draw them quickly and get my ideas across clearly without worrying too much about the art being 'good enough'. My usual art style is closer to what I'm using for my graphic novel:

They have more realistic eyes! And body proportions! They actually have noses!

For It's a Spectrum I focused on simplfying the things I find more difficult or time consuming like eyes, clothes, shading, and backgrounds, and I avoid drawing more complicated poses or angles unless it's necessary to get my point across.

Dots for eyes, no background, just head and shoulders, didn't even draw hands for this one.

One way to learn to simplify your art is by trying to draw really quickly without losing the most important parts of the drawing. Have you seen those drawing challenges where you have 10 minutes to draw an object, then 5 minutes, then 1 minute, then 10 seconds? That's a really good way to practice because in the end you're forced to avoid adding any detail that isn't completely necessary.

Also, look at other comics with styles you like! There's nothing wrong with taking inspiration and mix and matching different aspects into your own work. At first your art might start off looking similar to others, but the more different people you're inspired by and the more you draw your own work, the more you'll develop your own style.

If you do make any illustrations about OCD, feel free to send them my way! I would love to see them :)

[comicaurora]

So far, has there been any sort of art technique or process you've tried that made you go "that was surprisingly easier/harder than I expected"?

Oh man, yea. So many things. Doing this comic has been a learning experience and a half because of all the textures and effects I have to do, most of which I figure out on the fly because I've either never done them before or I've never done them that many times before.

The first "surprisingly easy" effect I'd never succeeded at before was the scales on the Storm Drake in the interlude after chapter 6:

It's a Droplet particle brush used on two layers, one set to Multiply and the other to Screen. It produces a very easy texturing effect that works on everything from scales to sand to rock, making the surface look like it's catching the light in complicated ways. I used it again in Dainix's desert flashback in chapter 19 to make the sand look like it was catching the light.

I actually used a similar method to draw the background in the arena fight in chapter 12 - using a rounder particle brush, but the same combo of Multiply and Screen to produce a chaotic pattern that gave the illusion of a massive background crowd without making me hand-draw ten thousand tiny people.

This one was an effect that didn't surprise me and that I sadly had very little cause to replicate, but I LOVED the multicolored highlighting effect in Erin's chapter 6 flashback in the heart of the Storm. It ended up being very simple to do and it just looked SO pretty.

Changing the highlighting colors to just the cool-tones for this page just made me like it more.

When we hit Falst's intro arc and I had to draw about a million forested backgrounds, I decided to refine the process I'd used in the first few chapters, because I wasn't happy with those results:

Starting in chapter 8 I tried a lineless style for forested backgrounds, and it worked out better than I'd hoped. Not only did it produce a feeling of depth and shadow, I didn't even need to plug in my drawing tablet to do it - I could literally do these backgrounds with my trackpad and mouse, which was a huge timesave. Combined with a little experimental sunbeam stuff and these forest backgrounds ended up both shockingly simple to make and VERY nice to look at.

I used a similar technique for the soulcrystal in The Collector's lair - stacked Multiply and Add layers with nested rough shading patterns similar to the ones I used for foliage, but with more overlap to produce the effect of chaotically scattering light.

This was another no-drawing-tablet one, and I liked this texture so much that I willingly redrew it for the stinger in chapter 18 rather than copying the texture from the earlier chapter.

In terms of effects that took longer than I anticipated, Dainix's fully-realized Crucible form has been giving me trouble for literally as long as I've conceived of the comic. Drawing fire is already hard enough, but giving that fire a semi-solid, tangible form that was clearly readable as a humanoid figure was a HUGE pain in the ass. The head and arms were easy to design, but what to do with the bottom half was always a struggle, and beyond that I wasn't always sure how opaque to make him - real fire is a semi-translucent light source in constant motion with no clearly delineated edges, and if you draw it in a way that deviates from that too much it can make it feel less like fire. It took a while before I was happy with the color balance on him to make him suitably glowy without losing the internal detailing that made his expression readable.

Similarly time-consuming, working out how to do Vash's "nova mode" took some trial and error. I wanted to make it clearly visually distinct from Paladin light magic and regular fire magic, so I focused on trying to replicate the texture of the surface of a star, with sunspots and flares rather than licks of fire or sharp-edged lightsaber vibes. I'm happy with how it ended up, but if I recall correctly it took upwards of two days just getting all those glowy effects sorted out.

Then drawing the actual starfire blast was an even bigger pain, because again I didn't want it so glowy that it was completely unreadable. To be honest I'm still not sure if it worked.

This is a very recent one, but it took me a while to figure out an effect I was happy for to communicate "this place is really, really dark." I didn't settle on a blanket dusty purple desaturation layer until quite late, to sort of replicate what night vision supposedly looks like for animals that can see decently well in the dark. Lights and darks are preserved, but color isn't so much, and this way I wasn't way-overshadowing everything and making it impossible for US to see. And conveniently the actual effect is quite simple to do - it's just a universally gray layer at 50% opacity set to the "Saturation" combine mode, stacked with a universally dusty purple layer at 70% set to the "Color" combine mode. Very easy to add quickly and copy/paste across different pages.

There's probably more, but yea. Almost all of the "that was surprisingly difficult" effects either get easier with time or I figure out ways to simplify them and make them work in fewer layers. This is the really fun thing about a longform project like this - I keep finding new ways to challenge myself I'd never even thought of before.

[anangelforsure]

I am asexual. Many of my favorite fictional characters and robots or inhuman. What do those things have in common? I’m glad you asked.

In this essay I aim to highlight some connections between inhuman characters and the ace community, largely based off of my own experiences and the experiences of others I have read on the internet. This is going to be a niche and personal piece, as sexuality is a unique experience for every individual.

Some of the characters and media I will touch upon include Mettaton from Undertale, the animatronics from the Five Nights at Freddy’s series, Crowley from Good Omens (tv), AM from I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream (radio show), and the dolls from the Barbie movie.

(*gentle CW for a bit of a vent about personal experiences in paragraph 6- after the FNAF bit. As much as I’d like to have a professional analysis style, this is an art piece)

Asexuality is a difficult topic due to its complicated and varying nature. Identifying as asexual does not mean one straightforward thing, and it can be hard to explain what it means without being too narrow in the definition. So, to briefly explain for anyone who does not know: to be asexual generally means a person does not experience sexual attraction towards others. There are people who identify as being under the ace umbrella who do experience some sort of limited or condition-dependant sexual attraction. An ace person can experience romantic attraction, or maybe they don’t, and are aromantic as well as ace (research the Split Attraction Model for more detail. Aromanticism and asexuality can overlap in many areas, but I will be focusing on asexuality). An asexual person may have sex with others for various reasons, or they may not. Libido and sexual attraction are separate entities.

Now that we have a basic understanding of asexuality, let me get into the fun part, character analysis!

I will start with Mettaton. Mettaton is a hugely popular character in the trans community due to his backstory being an obvious allegory for transitioning. Hundreds of people have written about it better than I ever could, and so I will not waste my time trying to add something new to the discussion. My take on his hypothetical sexuality is what I think sets my views apart. Now, I adore all interpretations of this character, the delightful thing about headcanons is that as many versions of a character as you want can exist simultaneously. Due to his flirty personality, Mettaton is very commonly sexualized (and we do! Wholeheartedly! /ref). But in order to make everything about me, I take it upon myself to headcanon his robotic existence as a metaphor for asexuality. Think about it, a character who so desperately wanted to become something more, to take a form that will make him more relatable and palatable to the masses. The possibilities for gender/ sexuality headcanons are endless. To get more literal, he is a robot. And robots do not generally contain the hardware required for human procreation, you know? So his attitude can be seen as an overcompensation for that void, the lack of true understanding of human sexuality. Or rather, an attempt to cover the unavoidable truth that he will never be truly human. Avoiding alienation is a task many ace people perform in their daily lives, as it is frowned upon by some to be uncomfortable with sex, as the topic of discussion or jokes, not to mention the issues it raises in potential romantic relationships. Sometimes ace people will take part in uncomfortable conversations, or even perform sexual actions they don’t want to, simply to fit in. For example, many of us have a history of making up crushes to relate to our peers at school, rather than admit we didn’t feel that way about anyone. The fear of being unable to relate is an ever present and strong one.

Another example of robots representing asexuality is FNAF. This stems mainly from the many amazing fan works that have come from this fandom, giving the animatronics distinct personalities seperate from the canon possession from the games. As much as I adore the messy franchise, I am partial to the idea of sentient robots, rather than haunted. It is a fascinating idea, the animatronics having artificial intelligence so advanced that they are self aware, they know that they were used in the missing child incidents but were powerless to stop anything. The few canon instances of sentient AI that I cling to come from Security Breach, once is when Freddy is brought into a room with spare endoskeletons he has a moment of panic where he questions his creation and the nature of his existence. The other is when Gregory asks Freddy why he is helping him rather than hunting him like the other bots, and Freddy struggles to answer. The other robots are his friends, and yet they are monsters. My heart aches for him in those brief moments, his touchingly human feelings are distinct from our own because of their roots in artificiality. A sort of isolation, as asexuality can be. Knowing there is something slightly off about yourself, a barrier that prevents you from fully understanding others.

You can come to feel like a monster, when you’ve tried so hard yet failed to feel the way you’re supposed to in a relationship. When you end up hurting the person you were supposed to love, because you’re not the person you thought you could be. You go through the motions, hoping that something changes, maybe once you get comfortable things will click and you’ll be normal.

The realization that those feelings are not going to happen is sickening. You’ve strung them along, wasted their time trying to fix a broken machine. And the worst part is that underneath it all you knew. You knew it was never going to work, and you selfishly tried it anyways. Even more selfishly, you know in your heart that their injury is not what is causing the pain gripping your chest. It’s the cold weight of your darkest fear coming true. You are broken. You’re incomplete. Unforgivable…

Which brings me to my next character. The demon Crowley from the Good Omens TV series. While he is not a robot, Crowley is certainly not human. And despite living on earth for thousands of years, as an immortal being he struggles to totally understand human existence, the power of free will. His experience with free will is that it turns you into a monster. “I won’t be forgiven. Not ever. It’s in the demon job description. Unforgivable, that’s what I am”. It applies to all queer people, because it really is just… part of our job description. There will always be people who see something wrong with you. Crowley’s relationship with Aziraphale drives the point home even harder. Aziraphale, as Crowley’s closest companion, cannot understand him either. The line between them, Aziraphale believing in the existence of a ‘right’ side, while Crowley knows there is no such thing, means he ultimately walks alone. It can be difficult to connect with other asexual people, I have always been the only one in my friend groups. As much as I know I am loved and accepted by my friends, they can’t understand this aspect of me.

I do not have a strong lead in for my next character, but I feel so strongly about them considering the source material is only half an hour long. AM, from I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, specifically the radio show. This character is a horrifically evil totalitarian AI, created by the very species he despised so much he wiped them from the planet. How exactly could a villain like AM tie into this? Well, I fully believed he was going to be completely cold and unlikeable, up until this one line: “Because in all this wonderful, beautiful, miraculous world, I alone had no BODY, no SENSES, no feelings. Never for me to plunge my hands in cool water on a hot day. Never for me to play Mozart on the ivory keys of a forte piano. Never for ME to MAKE LOVE. I was in hell, looking at heaven. I was machine and you- Were flesh.” This says it all, literally. I would highly recommend listening to the radio drama, the written lines don’t do it justice. The wavering in AM’s bitter, hatred-soaked voice struck me right in my core as I went ‘oh’… and all of a sudden he wasn’t quite as much of a tyrannical evil as before. AM has no physical form, and that is the cause of his endless suffering. More than anything, he wants to be the very thing he hates so much. Human. To experience corporeal existence in all its limited glory. As heavy handed as it sounds, yes, this really hits hard as an ace person. The emptiness, once you recognize it, is incredible.

Another form of the no-body/ no genitals thing we have going on with AM and the robots comes from the Barbie movie. They flat out state that the dolls have no genitalia. Again, I will admit that is a heavy handed way to present an ace allegory, especially considering the nuance that goes into ace identities, remember that it’s not all about the act of sex. But the thing about art is that it doesn’t have to be taken literally. A lack of genitals can be more of a metaphor for lacking what they represent. I also want to draw from the music in this movie. ‘I’m Just Ken’ sung by Ryan Gosling, as silly and fun as it is, contains the line “I want to know what it’s like to love, to be the real thing” which is surprisingly impactful. Coming from an inhuman character, wanting to experience the real thing.. I fear I’m getting a little repetitive here as I try to come up with unique ways to drive my points home. Barbie and Ken each struggle with their existence, and wanting to be more than they are. The song ‘What Was I Made For?’ by Billie Eilish Is another really good piece of this movie. Ace people often have the titular question on their mind. Without attraction driving us to procreate, what is the purpose of our lives? Obviously it is ridiculous to reduce humanity down to that in this day and age, but it is subtly ingrained into society so much so that it can be shocking to family members and friends when an individual is not looking to start a family. There is also a common misconception that sex/love are what define us as human. We are so much more than that.

Now that I mention music, I have a small selection of songs that encompass some of the feelings I am trying to convey, sticking to the theme of asexuality and otherness with the robotic/inhuman metaphor as best I can.

‘A Human’s Touch’ by TWRP is the first song on my list. I have seen this song used by many of the fandoms I have referenced above, which really fuels the personal connection here. The song is, a lament of technology past that doubles as a metaphor for a broken relationship. Things we used to adore but no longer have a use for, yearning for someone to pick them back up and make them useable again. From an ace perspective, the notion of being replaced or discarded when a newer, better version shows up is all too real. Sometimes ace people are treated by allosexual people as a last resort, or a placeholder until the other person finds someone more compatible, more willing to do or able to feel the things ‘normal’ people should. “Am I just a toy to you, my love?” Is a question I have asked myself when someone I used to know would come back to me whenever their ‘real’ relationships ended badly.

Steam Powered Giraffe is a really cool band, I love that almost every song is about being a robot. “Brass Goggles” was the song that put me onto them. There’s a lot going on in this song, but there are some really hard lines lamenting robotic life. “Will I ever be something with feelings to hide? Or am I just a boiler with nothing inside?” Wondering why they are alive, what constitutes being alive and human. I think I’ve said as much as I can say about the connection between robots wondering why they exist and can’t feel what a human does, and an ace person wondering why they can’t feel what others do, and why they were born that way.

‘Cabinet Man’ by Lemon Demon is such a cool song for the robotic metaphor. It is about a person who is somehow reanimated as an arcade machine, and is no longer quite human. In particular I like this line- about having people come from all over to see and to play this machine- “this must be what love would have felt like”. It can weigh on you sometimes, thinking that maybe something else is the closest you will ever get to ‘true’ love. Maybe you can’t feel what the humans feel, but isn’t it nice to know that maybe this is what it would have been like…

‘Fake Plastic Trees’ by Radiohead is a little more abstract, as is classic Radiohead fashion. But the general theme is the fakeness of society. To me, this resonates with the way society imposes itself upon asexual people. A culture steeped in sex, where everything is catered towards allosexual people. Simply put,“It wears me out”. Another notable line “she looks like the real thing, she tastes like the real thing, my fake plastic love” I see as coming from the partner of an ace person, resigned to loving a shallow imitation of a human. It’s how I fear I will be seen by a partner, not quite the real thing, but close enough for now.

Now to end on a lighter note, I do love being ace. As much as it can be difficult to navigate the world as an under-acknowledged queer identity, it is beautiful. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. We are an integral piece of the infinite variety that comes from humans. If you are ace, I love you. If you can relate to my experiences, we’re gonna figure it all out someday, I promise.

So, in summary, I really enjoy an inhuman character’s inability to totally grasp humanity as an allegory for queerness, asexuality in particular. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading!

[the-kr8tor]

I've been writing so much tonight that my finger's are cramping up in the double jointed way and I'm listening to the sauciest, most diabolical jaw-dropping, toe-curling, the father the son and the holy spirit amen-needing songs but WE PERSIST. Daily Hobie HC! I love the art of Hobie you get for your fics- they're crunchy and tasty and I love them. Hobie was always mesmerized by the way your art seemed to be so captivating, yet you were always able to find things you don't like about it. Whenever you tried to even nitpick ever so slightly about your art, Hobie would hold a hand over your mouth, whispering playfully about how you shouldn't talk badly about something that you spent hours on in case the government finds out, and that's where he knows he loses you due to the absurdity of it all. But, despite you rolling your eyes multiple times at him , he's aware it works wonders as you're no longer hyper-focusing on every little detail of your art and instead just laughing at his creatively worded ramble about government schemes. He always loves to nick (or buy, depending) art supplies and sketchbooks for you, adoring the way your eyes light up at whatever he brings you, whether it be a mechanical pencil which you always gush over what led it is (Hobie is clueless but he likes listening to you), or a new sketchbook with one of those textures on the hardcover which feel nice to run your fingers along. Any time you're doing art, you can't help but use Hobie as a muse. He could be doing anything, and yet you can't help but sketch him out, including his texture and border. Hobie teases you on how he is the perfect remedy for art block, and yet he really is. His textures, borders and colours always make you try something different with how far you can stretch with your style, as if he was perfectly made to be the cure to one of the most frustrating things you have to go through. One thing that usually happens as you're sketching out a picture, this time, a polaroid picture, Hobie will come over and drape himself across your back, burying his face into the back of your neck while his arms tightened around your middle, snuggling into you from behind. Occasionally, he'll look over your shoulder and rest his chin against it, his eyes roaming over your work. He'll sometimes point out things that you might've forgotten, like an extra stud on his choker or the dripping mascara design on his Spider-Man mask. Or, when you ask, he'll suggest things for the background. Certain flowers to frame, or a pattern or just even funny icons. However, you noticed that sometimes, Hobie will toss some crumpled up papers aside with a frustrated sigh, as if he had no idea what to do and was trying to think of something. Once, your curiosity got the better of you, and you took one of these crumpled pieces of paper while Hobie was patrolling. Your heart melted when you saw the chibi drawings that Hobie had doodled representing the two of you. You could see that in corners he was planning out your design, before one being a coloured final. This one, you two were holding hands and smiling at each other, with little scribbly hearts surrounding it. Unravelling the other pieces of paper, you noticed that Hobie had spent a while in figuring out what design best suited you, not wanting to simplify your appearance too much, yet not wanting to complicate it.

He figured that he wanted to leave a bigger gift this time, so why not leave a piece of art? Yet, he was having some trouble over the past few days figuring out a doable design for you. When Hobie came back, he barely noticed that one crumpled paper was missing, while you had already cut the doodle out and hid it in your little memory box, out of Hobie's grasp. Only was it on the anniversary of you two when Hobie finally gifted you the little drawings that he did was when you revealed the one you took. Although he was slightly surprised you paid that much attention, he was happy that you at least enjoyed it much more than he did. For Hobie, that made it all the more worth it. -🐦‍⬛

I'm so jelly rn I wanna write a lot today too! I'm happy that you are writing so much today tho!! ❤️

Daily Hobie HC ‼️‼️‼️

I have such talented and amazing lovelies! I'm not worthy of their talents

HHAHHAHAHAHHAHA he starts to spill out conspiracy theories just to stop u from bringing yourself down

Oh Hobie would have the time of his life (nicking) in one of those bougie art supply stores with the world class stationary!

You are so right! Hobie is the best muse there is! (Stares at my 100+ fics of him)

Lol he's backseat drawing 😂

Aisbwjbswhjs He makes art of you!!! 😍😍😍 Ooh what if he paints like a little chibi version of your face on his guitar! That would be so sweet I'd cry fr 🥹

[technicianuprisingau]

Drawing the Rest of the Copy Ability Stars, Round 1!

I wasted a lot on this... so let's get this show on the road!

Yes, there are oh-so-many abilities that are canon in Technician Uprising, but HAL doesn't bother making ability stars for them. And so, as an AU owner... I have a full reign to design all of them! I am going to comment on each of them as well! Click down below to learn more about the process of making each star and what I think about the ability overall.

From top left to bottom right:

Balloon - The first one I draw overall (and the first ability fully illustrated, though I wanted to design Light fully first). This ability really just appeared in Canvas Curse, which is canon to TU, and due to a totally not secret plan of mines, I had to turn this into a full-fledged ability. Honestly. It just existed for Canvas Curse, so I hope the revamp moveset will give it a bit more versatility outside just "haha easier to control ball go brr".

Light - The MOST underused and underrated ability, FIGHT ME. God I love the concept of Light being used as a power but MAN. BIGGEST OOF FOR THIS ABILITY. Literally exists as early as in Adventure and was left for the slumps, never to be adapted. Watch as I make this a permanent use ability. I had to check the illustration of this ability in Adventure to get the icon.

Metal - Once again taken here due to a due to a totally not secret plan of mines. Honestly this is just Stone but Stone Change is always on. But I'll figure out what to do with it. And no, we're not using the scroll's additional ability, that's just Ball (which is also here in this round). I really just ctrl+c ctrl+p the icon from Squeak Squad directly.

Missile - Oh I would make this a Technician Mode... IF JET DOESN'T HAVE F^CKING MISSILE SALVO, making this ability UTTERLY OBSOLETE. Thanks HAL, but okay. Honestly it's pretty... eh. Maybe I haven't seen it too much in action. Also redrawing the Missile was. Hm. Okay I guess. I struggled setting up stroke thickness and setting since I'm limited to two colors and I don't want it to look weird, but the flame exhaust effect on the back is nice.

Bubble - I would make this a Technician Mode but at the same time I'm not so sure, it's already perfect enough to, you know, not change much... while the point of the modes is to EXACTLY twist the abilities' skills in a sense (at least for Technician. Idk. Most of Robobot Armor's ones are just normal attacks with bigger damage™ and that's it). Thank you Squeak Squad icons for saving me once again. Btw, Animal aside, this is my favorite ability in Squeak Squad. Though I'd change it to just trapping opponents in bubbles in my AU perhaps. Idk, turning them immediately to ability stars sounded... OP?

Ghost - Hahahaha spooky. I would also make this a Technician Mode... except I have an OC with Technician + Ghost with a rather complicated backstory, so, uh, no. I tried drawing a ghost, ends up just being frustrated because the proportions aren't right, but hey I did it!

Freeze - I cheated from Air Ride. Anyways, I guess I remember a Kirby gijinka artist (KirbyTardos, if I recall that username) who noted this might be more focused on defense, which I'll happily steal. Sir if you see this, I hope you're doing well, I should really check your comic series. Anyways... this one was supposedly fused with Ice nowadays, but whatever, it can co-exist I suppose. Trying to make it fancy but ends up giving up and settled for this.

Paint - Uhhhh... Isn't this just Artist? Nope! Decided that Artist and Paint are for two different specialties just like Ice and Freeze, in this case Artist is for precision while Paint is for R A N G E. I think their style should be differentiate too, with Artist you have the user having much cleaner, detailed art that needs thinking into it, while Paint is just. Graffiti. Go crazy. Go insane. Spread 387493743 splashes of paint to the wall of your neighbours!! I tried to recreate the icon in Super Star Ultra, but then I realized it looked wrong every single time and after more tweaking I just leave it like this. Could've done it better. Maybe I will revisit it someday.

Animal - Another one I could've done better I guess. Stealing again from Squeak Squad's icons! Tried adding a claw mark. Didn't work. F^ck. But oh well! ANYWAYS I LOVE THIS ABILITY HOW DID HAL DIDN'T ADD THIS TO FORGOTTEN LAND??? NOOOOO!!

Magic - Insert that one song from Milgram here. I love Deco*27. Anyways. Went simple with this one. Three cards and a magic hat that I stole from Squeak Squad. I also stole the colors of the illustration as we already have abilities with black and white ability stars and I doubt I can change em much to make it distinct. Yeah, yet once again taken here due to a due to a totally not secret plan of mines.

Ball - Ballin huh? You guessed it, it is, yet again, once again taken here due to a due to a totally not secret plan of mines. I don't think this one has to change a lot, it's just so goofy. I like its vibes, but I bet it will be a pain in the ass to use properly in-game somehow. Shoutout for Nightmare in Dreamland's little ability illustration for this. Also it's hard to design the ball icon itself so I went with a beach ball.

Laser - I kinda want this to be a Technician Mode, so we'll see this one with great interest! I wanted other colors but the illustration artworks only gave me colors that already exist or too close to other ability star's colors... then I realize that not all copy abilities have to share their outfit colors with the ability star, because Wing existed - it doesn't have blue but the star's blue-ish anyways! So I decided to go for pink, the color of the laser beam that was shot in the illustration!

Iron - Yes this is canon. Yes I will have to revamp this to avoid this being just Stone 2.0 but with deflect system, and in fact, I have made a full moveset from this long time ago! It's now a construct creating ability, creating simple things such as pillars and stuff. Still retains the "deflection with staff" technique and the one that reminds you of Stone Change... but I made the latter time-restricted rather than "as long as you hold it you're invisible" spiel. Anyways. The ability hat, as well as some iron blocks to hammer it to the point that HEY THIS ABILITY'S ENTIRE THING IS IRONS and not just "snek????"

Top - Went with green because that color is rare for copy ability stars, THANK GOD. It's also one that I purposely made canon because it's funny! Also young me already made a full-fledged moveset for this, thank f^ck. Tried to make it look like the top is tipping and gliding. And still spinning. Kinda looks smooth me thinks.

Baton - Oh god the ability's design itself is kinda mid imo but I'LL REDESIGN THAT JUST YOU SEE. Anyways. This is another one in the "so underused it hurts" category. For some reason the ability is one-use in the anime!!! Wow!! F^ck it!! Young me made a full-fledged moveset so WE'LL GO BY THAT THANKS. I went with pink... again... Or red... uh... I guess it's just pale dark pink, I used color picker on the staff don't ask. Tried to bring more of a Suplex vibe with a puffball holding the staff as if spinning it. S p e e n. I like the concept of the ability though, Motion Manipulation baby!

We might have more abilities on the go, but we'll see. I might move on to redrawing all Technician Modes after this. I'll also update the spreadsheet eventually with all these damn stars WAHOO.

Please enjoy ^^

P.S. if anyone wants to use these for their TU OCs, hmu and I'll give you separate version of the ability star you want!!

[arcadechan]

Hey! I just found your art and I adore it! I don't mean to be a bother, but how do you draw hands? They're so amazing and I struggle a lot with them!

Hello there, thank you so much~! It's no bother at all, sorry it took me a little while to respond (I came down with a cold and wanted to reply properly!), but check under the cut for a quick rundown on how I do hands and some general tips!

So I generally draw hands in four steps. First, I draw the block of the palm (which depending on the angle of the hand will typically be either a squarish shape or a wedge shape). Then I place the MEAT, that good chunk that's basically part of the thumb, if it's visible for the pose.

Next is the fingers. If the knuckles will be visible I usually circle in a KNUCKLE GUIDE, it helps me space out the fingers, follow the curve of the hand, and can sometimes make some nice shapes for me. As for the fingers themselves, I'll either just draw straight lines to start, or come in with big blocky shapes. I've found sometimes it's easier to erase the shape of the fingers than to draw them outright, especially in the sketch phase where I use thicker brushes (on purpose, so I don't worry about detail too much). That's my usual process!

I make frequent use of reference - normally I use my own hands. Either looking at them as is or taking a picture, I do both all the time

working digitally is GREAT for learning to draw something you struggle with, especially hands. sometimes I'll draw them very large on purpose and then shrink them down, or I'll zoom in while I draw them. big hands.

looking at how other artists draw hands can be just as helpful as looking at real-life reference, especially if you have a more "pushed" style

when drawing complicated hand gestures, I usually stick to simple shapes (at least for the sketch phase), because then I can at least get the idea down.

using the eraser or a brush on transparency to find the shapes of the fingers for you is a gamechanger, erasing can be drawing too!

I let the character decide the finger and hand shape

knuckles still don't make much sense to me (that's why I often use a KNUCKLE GUIDE, sometimes I'll just partially erase the circles to make the knuckle shape for me and call it good)

Nothing...hugely revelatory. Hands can be pretty intimidating, they're comparatively small and full of bits and bends...and you can always just kind of tell when a hand isn't "drawn right". Practicing drawing singular hands on a larger scale really helped me, as well as focusing on "shapes" over "details".

One thing I've been really trying to remind myself of lately is that I can draw things how I WANT them to look instead of how I think they SHOULD look; looking good or cool vs "right" or "correct". This is especially helpful with drawing hands, as they can be so expressive and articulate and weird in their own right, that ignoring technical correctness in favor of GOOD SHAPE, LOOKS COOL can really help you land somewhere a bit more satisfying.

[skylinx2o]

What’s your most favorite games

Geez, this is a hard question ; -; Because I like a lot of games to be honest...

So, the one I like the most at the moment is 'Corn Kidz 64' on switch. It's a retro styled platformer (not a coincidence, it will become pretty obvious I'm really into retro games). It's pretty silly, kinda difficult sometimes but to me at least pretty relaxing and engaging. The main character is a goat lol Tho, this game's humour might not be up everyone's alley :v

Other games I play most frequently on switch are Animal Crossing and Sky: Children of The light. Not much to say here, just cute cosy games to relax with.

Now let me think.... I played Oblivion a lot on my PC some time ago, tho, it was more messing around and exploring plus adding mods. I don't know, the storyline is interesting, but it's not my fault that then sights are so pretty for such an old game (even more so after I modded the hell out of it.) Plus the random things happening around the map make for some fun stories

I also played Sims quite a bit. Both the Sims 4 and 2, but I like 2 more because it has more subtle and cool details. I'd argue it's even more realistic than 4 despite older graphics. But even more than the main game, I like the spin-off for the Sims 2, the Sims castaway. Basically, the Sims 2 but you're stranded on a tropical island.

Oh, and just remembered! From more modern games, I really loved both Unravel games. It's another platformer, and it has gorgeous scenery! You play as yarn creatures in this one :3 It has no dialogue, and story is shown in scenes of memories that appear in the background as you play. And the stories are rather moving

As for mobile games, I think I liked the Cookie Run games the most. I played a lot of mobile games, but non aren't really that good. Pokémon Go and Pikmin Go are fun to Play from time to time, I guess, but I wouldn't call them my favourite.

I really liked the Rayman series a while ago, you can still find some old Rayman art on my Instagram account… But not so much now.

And I liked playing the old Counter Strike (is it called Counter Strike Source? Idk, I think it was even older version) but only with other people, and I have no one to play it with now.

There are a lot more games I like, but some are retro games, like all the classic survival horror games, and emulation can be tricky since, some of them never came to PC. So I haven't really played them… But I like a lot of retro-styled indie games like that, I should play them… I'm sure I'm forgetting some games, but that list would be too long anyway

Ah! How could I have forgotten! Lara Croft/Tomb Raider. This series was why I wanted to be an archaeologist (plans didn't work out tho.) I'm planning to buy the three first games for my switch, since they re-released it not long ago with some graphic improvements! :3

Oh, and one more game I feel like I'd really like would be Vintage Story. It has the look of Minecraft, but is more focused on survival and has some more complicated mechanics. Plus eldritch horror. And underground abandoned cities! My jam really - w-

[voxxyboxxy]

Household Tips | Running a House and Home off Witchcraft

Table of Contents

I.Introduction

II.My Best Practices

III.Practices

Introduction

The most basic things in witchcraft can be applied in most functions of our lives-including the home life we live. Most people have a safe space in their home/apartment/room, a space that is supposed to be theirs and where they keep their most personal items. This space is sacred in a different manner than an altar, it is sacred to the self. It’s our privacy, our abode, where we are to be comfortable. While it is a sad fact not everyone has this-this blog will be focusing on this safe and sacred space. I am truly sorry I do not have much to give to those without one.

I will mostly be going over cleaning, and using witchcraft in your regular house upkeep/maintenance. Please remember if you take any tips from here, and decide to change them up you’re always looking at the possible outcomes. Cleaners should never be mixed, and you should absolutely check anything you use in tandem with cleaners. This is for your safety, health, and life. Please pay close attention to this.

My Best Practices

Some of the best practices I use in my home are relatively simple and almost mundane. Scented cleaners to use the scent for specific intentions, like lavender for calming. I typically do not mix anything with cleaners-I only use what it already is. And most cleaners you can find with different scents, some of which having good properties behind them.

Outside the cleaners themselves, I also use scents in general! Candles, plug-ins, sprays, just about anything that’s meant to smell good in your home also has the added benefits that it has properties behind it, that can be used for your benefit.

Using physical intention can be a huge help too. Wiping out old dust to bring in the new, sweeping in a specific pattern for sigils, all sorts of little things.

On a note different from cleaning, your decor can have a very specific vibe while still being beneficial to you and your craft. For example, my house is decorated in plants. To the point I have a succulent Bath and Body Works Wallflower plug. My room has vines and flowers hanging from the ceiling… it’s… a problem… But there’s also the color magic! Lots of red, pink, and whites! I fill my home with art magic that I did myself, or artwork my friends made to symbolize our connections.

And then of course the use of a modular altar in a different sense than what I talked about in my one post! Ever since I got my own flat I have been able to use my modular altar set up to spread my altar across the entirety of my space, not just one room or one area. Some are in the living room, some my bed room-some are a bit scattered even! But since this is ~my space~ I treat it as ~my space~ and things are where they work for me.

More Complicated Practices

So the best practices is my “easy” pieces of advice. Things just about anyone can follow given the right resources and access. But what about some more complicated pieces of magic in the home that may be a bit more advanced or even just kinda specific to myself?

I have a lot of protections set up for my home. As a paranoid schizophrenic-this is a must to me. I want to be sure anything I see or hear is a hallucination, so I do extensive protections to make sure I don’t have to question or doubt my own mind at any point. Just about every room; every entry and exit has something. If it was more tangible I’m certain you’d remark that you could tell I was a paranoid person. I also have severe OCD. Magic doesn’t help that much but I will unlock and lock the door 15 times. There’s not much else on that, which while I wish I could feel comfortable going into deep detail on-Id be handing you the ability to find ways through. And I do not wish to do that. Something I mentioned before was the color magic I use in my home. My whole house (minus my daughters room) is styled in primarily black and white, with the occasional pink and red accents. This is on purpose, as both black and white are heavily used in protection or related to my protection set up in some form.

Organization is also an odd one, but still one I have some magic involvement with. Not just things looking nice but the way things are set up in a room. I avoid clutter, as it feels like a giant blockage in the room Im in. While I am sort of a maximalist, I believe there is a difference in clutter and decor. Decor makes you feel good, clutter does not.

I mainly use this because I enjoy having a free flow of energy room to room. I actually stick more to wall decor and open floors and use the open floors as almost a form of energy work. The ability to move freely feels like it affects my workings-so I keep all rooms I do workings in as open as I can. If it’s harder to (say a living room with a coffee table) I stick to lightweight furniture that can be scooted over easily.

[tran-nguyen-decor]

Simple Wardrobe Design

Simple wardrobe design is a popular trend, especially in modern living spaces where convenience and aesthetics are top priorities. The wardrobe is not only a place to store clothes but also a personal space, reflecting the owner's lifestyle and personality. To design a simple wardrobe, it is necessary to focus on factors such as reasonable layout, minimalist furniture selection and smart arrangement.

Reasonable layout

A simple wardrobe does not require too much space, but the layout must ensure convenience in use. Instead of trying to integrate too many complicated elements, you should focus on arranging basic functional areas such as wardrobes, shoe racks, and mirrors. The space needs to be arranged in a reasonable flow, making it easy for users to move and access items without being obstructed.

Minimalist interior

Minimalist design style, also known as minimalism, is always the top choice for those who love simplicity and neatness. Choosing furniture with simple designs, few details but still fully functional is a good way to keep the space from being cluttered. Built-in wardrobes or open cabinets are popular choices, helping to save space and create a spacious feeling. Materials such as wood, glass or metal can all be used, depending on personal preferences and the style of the overall house.

Smart arrangement

One of the most important elements of a simple wardrobe design is scientific arrangement. You can use drawer systems, shelves, and hangers to optimize storage space. Classifying clothes by season, color or function will make searching easier. In addition, using accessories such as storage boxes, cloth bags or hanging baskets is also a solution to keep the room neat and tidy.

Color and light

Color plays an important role in creating a comfortable and modern feeling for the space. For a simple wardrobe, neutral colors such as white, gray, beige, or natural wood are ideal choices. These colors not only make the space more sophisticated but also easily combine with different decoration styles. In addition, lighting also needs to be focused on. Natural light should be used in combination with recessed LED lights or string lights to create soft light, not too bright but bright enough for users to easily observe clothes.

Personalization

Even with a simple wardrobe design, you can still personalize the space according to your own preferences. A large mirror placed in the right position not only makes it easy for you to try on clothes but also creates a feeling of a more open space. In addition, some small decorative details such as green plants, pictures or some art pieces can also increase the aesthetics and create uniqueness for your wardrobe.

A simple wardrobe design does not mean you have to sacrifice aesthetics or function. With a reasonable layout, minimalist furniture, scientific arrangement and attention to factors such as color and light, you can completely create a storage space that is not only convenient but also reflects your personal style.

Read more: https://tndecor.vn/nha-o/40-mau-thiet-ke-phong-quan-ao-don-gian?utm_source=sakrad_entity&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=gd1&utm_content=sakrad

[paulstreet123]

Achieving an Expensive Look on a Budget with Paul Street

In the world of fashion, everyone dreams of sporting an expensive, high-end look, but not everyone has the budget to match. Thankfully, looking luxurious and polished doesn't necessarily require breaking the bank. With some strategic choices and a keen eye for detail, you can curate an expensive aesthetic while sticking to a budget. Paul Street, a brand synonymous with affordable elegance, is here to guide you on this journey.

Understanding the Basics of Luxe for Less

Before diving into specific tips, it's crucial to understand that achieving an expensive look is more about how you wear what you wear rather than the price tag attached to it. It's about the fit, the fabrics, and how you pair your pieces together.

1. Focus on Fit

The cornerstone of looking expensive is ensuring your clothes fit impeccably. Even the most budget-friendly attire from Paul Street can look like a million bucks if tailored to perfection. Clothes that hug your body just right, without being too tight or too loose, elevate your overall appearance. Consider investing a small amount in alterations if needed; it can transform an outfit.

2. Choose Quality Fabrics

Fabrics play a pivotal role in how luxurious your outfit looks. Opt for natural fibers like cotton, silk, wool, or linen, which not only look but also feel superior. Paul Street’s collection often features these quality materials at price points that won’t make you wince, ensuring your wardrobe is both chic and sustainable.

3. Master the Art of Layering

Layering is a stylist’s secret weapon for adding richness and dimension to any outfit. It’s not just about staying warm; it's about creating a visually appealing texture and depth. A well-layered look from Paul Street can include a crisp, white button-down under a fine-knit sweater, topped with a structured blazer—all without compromising your budget.

4. Invest in Timeless Pieces

Trends are fleeting, but classic styles last forever. Invest in timeless pieces like a classic trench coat, a well-fitted blazer, or a sleek pair of trousers. Paul Street excels in offering these staples that can form the backbone of your wardrobe, ensuring you always have something chic to wear, season after season.

5. Pay Attention to Details

Small details can make a big difference in elevating your look. This includes ironed clothes, polished shoes, and accessories like belts, watches, and jewelry. Paul Street’s accessories line offers an array of options that can add a touch of elegance to any outfit without exceeding your budget.

6. Stick to a Neutral Palette

Colors like black, white, navy, and beige look inherently more expensive and are incredibly versatile. They also make mixing and matching your wardrobe pieces a breeze, allowing for endless outfit combinations. Paul Street’s collection often revolves around these shades, giving you a solid foundation to build upon.

7. Embrace Minimalism

Sometimes, less is more. A minimalist approach to fashion—focusing on clean lines and simplicity—can often look more luxurious than overly complicated designs. Paul Street’s minimalist pieces can help you achieve that coveted high-end look without the high-end price tag.

8. Keep Your Clothes Well-Maintained

Maintaining your clothes is just as important as purchasing them. This means regular washing, proper storage, and prompt repair of any wear and tear. Taking good care of your garments ensures they retain their newness and luxury appeal for longer.

Final Thoughts

Looking expensive on a budget is entirely possible with the right strategies and choices. By focusing on fit, fabric, and timeless pieces, and by paying attention to layering, details, and maintenance, you can create a wardrobe that looks luxurious without spending a fortune. Paul Street is your partner in this endeavor, offering quality, style, and affordability all wrapped in one. Remember, true style is not about how much you spend but how you put it all together. Let Paul Street help you craft that perfect, expensive look, proving that luxury is an attitude, not a price point.

[perryhedge]

tsurune

My feelings on this one are a bit mixed. I generally really like the world of Tsurune. Super saturated bright colors, detailed lighting, and even little details like the generally realistic style combined with some characters having odd hair or eye colors, it's a really great aesthetic like you'd expect from KyoAni. As far as animation goes, well for a show where the character art is this detailed it seems impossible for it to move well, but there's plenty of good stuff even if the acting is more on the understated side. I couldn't really bring myself to care too much about the characters, even if I was at first shocked at how well the cute girls design philosophy of KyoAni could create so many cute boys.

The bit of the story I enjoyed the most was the episode focused on Seiya, which I thought had the most interesting direction of any episode, too, though in retrospect the relative suddenness of his crisis is indicative of the show's approach to drama. After that comes the storyline of Masaki in the car crash. I felt it was all a bit silly and kind of lent the last arc of the show this really strange confused tone, and when that transitioned to full-blown infighting and drama I realized how little I care for the way these moments are written. In particular, a lot of the misunderstandings and the reconciliations that follow feel very autopilot and in a way that doesn't even really make sense (why would Kaito think Minato trying to disrespect Masaki, this late in the story? Why would this kind of misunderstanding even happen?) And all that was just leading up to apparently a big breakthrough in the characters' relationships, where they call each other by their first names and point out the fact that they're doing so. There's a lot of stuff like this, where big character moments are usually forecasted in advance in an interesting way, but they bubble up and boil over very suddenly, and aren't allowed to just happen but instead are spelled out with over-baked platitudes that just kind of made me roll my eyes (Seiya: I'm not chasing Minato anymore, I'm walking with him). I guess there's a reason I struggled to remember any character's name.

The real star of this show is the music, which elevates a lot of these very generic YA moments and make them feel much more believable. There's some really sparkly pianos, lush strings, really everything you would want for a show that looks so bright, green, and vivid. Overall the OST lent a certain gravity to the show that I feel it needed. I quite like the OP and ED as well. There's also the bow shots themselves, which are great throughout, in the last few episodes become this tasty little nugget of an audiovisual experience, starting with the tsurune, the quick flight through the air, and then hitting the mark with a sparkly sound effect. I can sort of understand the whole point of this show just from these last few scenes.

Overall, as far as sports anime go I think the actual things I usually come to this genre for are mediocre here, but there are other strengths. Another thing I didn't mention is how gay it can be, which I like too, and it goes farther than the average male sports anime which can already be pretty damn homoerotic. There's a certain...complicity? in the character relationships that adds this extra layer of tension, especially Shu and Minato, where it's very hard to believe they aren't both at least somewhat aware of their feelings for each other, but also Minato and Seiya and even Minato and Masaki to some extent (both of those are one sided, I think, and the latter not that serious). Even if it's the safest KyoAni anime of the 2010s I've seen, the show is very polished and has a coherent aesthetic. I'm truthfully on the fence about season 2. The characters haven't endeared themselves to me, and I don't see anywhere interesting the story can really go now. That said, I did see some clips on Twitter of the bow scenes and….damn it, here we go again.

[constellaj]

I have a syllabus made for my character design bootcamp and will be posting exercises as I complete the tutorials! I plan to release everything in two stages- a rough cut (like this post!) and a final, professional-looking PDF-adjacent set. The final will come with an actual daily schedule and weeklong plan, but for right now all roughs will be posted as standalone exercises if you wanna try em out!

All will be tagged as “chaDes bootcamp.”

Disclaimer: as an animation nerd who loves cheap 2d animation, this syllabus is geared towards character designs that aren't inherently complicated; chief inspirations will be gravity falls, steven universe, total drama, and danny phantom, for example. It also focuses entirely on bipedal, human (or incredibly humanoid) characters. While these tips can probably be used for more detailed art styles and non-bipedal characters, they don't consider such, so you're on your own buddy. If you intend to do character design bootcamp multiple times, or are new to character design in general, consider using all bipedal characters your first time around.

Warm-up: Style Swap 

Task: Pick a character with a distinct body type from one 2D animated show, and draw them in the style of a different show.

Question: What is a distinct body type?   

A distinct body type is one that is unique within the context of its own show, that varies from a given template immensely. Generally, side characters have the most distinct body types, while background characters and main characters have the least distinct body types.

What to avoid

Here are some characters that do NOT have distinct body types, and therefore should NOT be used for this warm-up:

Danny Phantom. Within the context of the show, Danny's body shape and silhouette are common enough to be reused on his two closest friends, his sister, and numerous background characters; his silhouette is very generic for the universe he exists in. If you want to draw a Danny Phantom character for this warmup, consider the Lunch Lady, Skulker, or Amorpho.

Gwen, Izzy, and Bridgette from Total Drama Island. Total Drama has a habit of using similar or identical body shapes for female characters, which will give you little to work with. Better total drama candidates include Beth, Eva, or even Dakota (from roti).

Dipper and Mabel Pines from Gravity Falls. Their designs are a base from which all other designs, especially those of other kids, sprout (compare to Pacifica, Gideon, Grenda, and Candy; notice how all four designs are variations on the twins). Some of the best characters would be Manly Dan, Robbie, Fiddleford McGuckett, or Lazy Susan.

Anyone from the main cast of Equestria Girls. There is no variation whatsoever in these body types; and no, hair does not count as variation.

Additionally: Be wary when picking your characters that they aren't too distinctive so as to make them untranslatable. Steer away from:

Phineas from Phineas and Ferb. The triangle head is all well and good until it looks absurdly incorrect in any other art style.

Most characters from The Amazing World of Gumball. These characters have great potential for humanization, but because they lack distinctive human features, it's incredibly difficult to fit them to any other art style.

Some fusions from Steven Universe. Multiple limbs and facial features will clutter a design, especially on a simpler style. Again, while these designs have the potential for humanization, this warm-up isn't about redesigning, it's about style matching.

TL;DR:

Too many words? Too much to think about? Here's a simple chart you can follow for quick warm-ups. Pick one character from one show, and a separate show to match styles with.

Enough lecture. Let’s draw something.

Follow-Along

After picking a character, select a show to style-match. When style-matching, keep in mind the style context in which the original characters exist, and how that style context changes between shows.

For example: Let's take Manly Dan from Gravity Falls and draw him as if he were a background human in Steven Universe.

Our first instinct might be to take the buffest main character we know of, Jasper, and draw Dan with her exact body type.

However, Dan exists in a world where other buff characters exist; Stan Pines, for example, is in-universe relatively muscular and large. We should set our baseline for buff characters to Stan.

Knowing this, we can probably use Jasper as a standin for Stan's level of buffness; after all, there are some characters who are physically larger than Jasper in the show.

All together, we know now that we should draw Dan as larger and with broader shoulders than Jasper, because he is stronger within his own style context than Jasper is in hers.

Summary and Review

This warmup should teach you to pay attention to style rules and silhouettes. At the same time, it should give you a larger palette to work with-- every different face shape, nose, torso block and eye shape is a new tool to add to your character design toolkit, that you can use later in any of your own designs.

Don’t spend longer than 30 minutes on a single sketch, especially if you’re frustrated.

Pay close attention to what you’re doing, and think about every shape.

Remember that good design and good illustration are not necessarily the same thing.

Godspeed.

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Light Novel Review — I'm in Love with the Villainess

A stunningly profound, entertaining, and queer title that eclipses other isekai and Yuri series

There are few titles the general public seems to be as excited about as Inori and Hanagata's I'm in Love with the Villainess, as it has been sitting at or near the top of Amazon's LGBT Manga list for months and Twitter is consistently abuzz with the latest news on this isekai Yuri series. I was somewhat more skeptical, as I have had relatively poor experiences with isekai and fantasy Yuri. Still, my excitement went through the room, and I eagerly boarded the "hype train" upon the cover reveal for the third volume. Yuri families, where two women raise children together, are one of my greatest desires and something I rarely see portrayed in the genre. However, I still had mostly low expectations for the series going into the first volume. I looked forward to some light meandering comedy and typical boring trope-filled isekai shenanigans. However, I'm in Love with the Villainess more than exceeded my expectations. No, even this statement is far too moderate to describe how utterly stunned and blown away I was by Inori's creation. I'm in Love with the Villainess is completely shattering and easily one of the greatest light novels I have ever read. Thus, I have no choice to award a perfect 10/10 score, my first ever for a light novel.

After waking up in the world of her favorite otome game, Revolution, protagonist Rae is ecstatic to be faced to face with Claire Francois, the game's villainous rival. However, Rae never played Revolution for the thrill of romancing any of the three attractive young princes. She was always in love with Claire. She attends the academy and studies magic in the fantasy world alongside Claire, the princes, and various other supporting characters. Using her skills from the modern world and her encyclopedic knowledge of Revolution, Rae manipulates the situation to be close to Claire, becoming her maid, and garnering status and money along the way. As an inevitable conflict looms closer, Rea begins to enact plans to protect herself and Claire, many of which are not fully understood or explained until the finale fantastically reveals the reasons for her actions. There is a natural and steady pace to the narrative that awards readers’  predictions and attention to detail.

I'm in Love with the Villainess has some excellent supporting characters, all of whom have unique personalities, histories, and abilities, some of which are revealed by Rae's exposition and others naturally throughout the novel. However, the stars of the show are the central couple, Rae and Claire. Claire is an elite aristocrat and extremely bratty. She often sneers at commoners and makes her disdain of Rae very clear from early on. On paper, she sounds like the perfect villain and someone all readers would despise. However, Rae's utter devotion and infatuation with Claire is so sincere that we cannot help but be pulled in and adore Claire and all her tantrums. Rae is a delight herself, continually flirting and poking fun at Claire, which gets her verbally berated, much to her masochistic pleasure. However, she is also exceptionally cunning and intelligent, and some of the light novel's greatest joys are listening to her analyze a situation or watching one of her plans fall into place.

“Ah, I’m… Well, it doesn’t matter. I mean, it’s irrelevant to cuteness—because, Miss Claire, you are cute.” “Huh?!” She pulled away. It was perfect—such a pure reaction. “Miss Claire, you hate me, right?” “Of course!” “That’s fine. Please keep teasing me. I love it.”

The beginning of the book does not immediately clue one into its brilliance. Sure, Claire and Rea get some great one-liners as they bully each other, and the scenarios are authentic and fun, but it is nothing shattering. I was feeling pretty relaxed and having a lot of fun with the characters, their relationship, and the various slice-of-life style scenarios they encountered until one section, I remember the exact page, 81, as it stopped me dead in my tracks. I was flabbergasted and briefly frozen before shooting up out of bed, shouting expletives as I ran to my office to immediately record what I had just experienced. It all begins with the line, "Hey, Rae. Are you what they call gay?" What followed was one of the most thoughtful, condensed, informative, and nuanced discussions of gay and queer identity (both terms used in this scene) I have ever seen in Yuri. Everything from representation in media, the perceptions of and prejudices against gay people, and the role gender plays in romance for bisexual and gay people are analyzed. Its commentary is succinct yet so respectful and forthright that it could have only come from genuine experience, thus selling the book and its characters so much more.

"Queer people were still overwhelmingly closeted in this world, which was rife with prejudice and nurtured little understanding. As I noted, the queer people depicted in the story were either the sex fiends Claire imagined or the free-loving sort Lene had in mind. Diversity and acceptance were a long way off.”

Thus, Inori's writing's beauty exposed itself, and the book opened itself up to a delightful cycle. The narrative masterfully integrates isekai slice-of-life hijinks, like running a cross-dressing café or battling a giant slime with nuanced and challenging moments that dissect complicated topics. The latter mainly consists of a growing rift between the aristocracy and common people, mirroring real-world wealth gap issues, but the novel also touch on matters such as unequal prison sentencing and segregation. Every scene helped further the complexity of the characters and their relationships or else built onto the world of Revolution. Speaking of which, I'm in Love with the Villainess has some of the best worldbuilding ever seen in a light novel.

Initially, brief exposition establishes much of the world, which is adequate if not exciting. I will mark up to a casualty of the light novel's serialized nature, as it must present readers its setting immediately. However, Inori does not stop here. Through the narrative, new elements are established, such as a magic system and the kingdom's politics. Rea notes and describes how the world, while clearly based on medieval Europe, has many modern Japanese attributes, as Japanese game developers created it. Her pointing out the intersection of the two is fascinating. Furthermore, A great deal of time is spent establishing characters and organizations all have their own wants, agendas, and methods, many of which are not even directly involved with the story. Instead, they act as a background and help further contextualize others. For example, the Church publicly appears to lean towards supporting the commoners in their efforts for equality but has its own agenda of superseding the nobility. While they play little role in Rea and Claire’s adventure, they are one of numerous factors contributing to the unrest of the lower class. All these additions are interesting, and it never feels like the story or characters suffer for their inclusion, quite the opposite.

“The Bauer Kingdom had started a step behind other countries when it came to magical research. They dominated the surrounding countries in military strength, and this had made them complacent, leading them to underestimate the value of new magic technology until the best researchers had all been enticed to other countries. Even after the king came up with his magic-focused meritocratic policy, Bauer lagged behind.”

I can only make complaints by scraping the very bottom of the barrel. Hanagata's beautiful art is too infrequent to add much to the light novel, and many scenes crying for illustrations are left to the readers' imagination. However, Inori so wonderful writes the story that one hardly cares and can easily picture every moment with delight. Besides, the manga adaption will nullify this issue. Where I cannot complain at all is the spectacular translation by Jenn Yamazaki and Nibedita Sen, one of Seven Seas best (which is high praise considering the competition). Sure, I was slightly disappointed at first to see the adaptation left off honorifics, but the more I thought about the setting, the more sense it made. I am sure people much smarter than I gave the issue much more consideration, and I am happy with their decisions.

I'm in Love with the Villainess left me reeling with how pleasurable and powerful it was. The story and characters are such a joy, and I cannot wait to see Rea and Claire bully each other again in the next volume. Astounding worldbuilding and powerful, thought-provoking politics surround their antics and the high stakes plot. Every moment of their journey will enthrall readers as they squeal with glee at its hilarious set pieces or are shocked by its commentary of society's most significant challenges. Inori has created one of the most delightful, heartfelt, complex, profound, and genuinely queer light novel series ever. If you only read one thing I recommend this year, let it be I'm in Love with the Villainess.

Ratings: Story — 9 Characters — 10 Art — 5 LGBTQ — 10 Sexual Content — 2 Final — 10

Review copy provided by Seven Seas Entertainment

Purchase I’m in Love with the Villainess in digitally (9/23) and in print (11/10) today: https://amzn.to/32NEyG1

Supports creators by purchasing official releases.

[whatifyoulivelikethat]

red+white, m | kth, jjk

pairing(s): taehyung x reader x jungkook

summary: On Christmas Eve, you take Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook out on a date and they’re surprised to find out that... it’s actually a real date. At least, until you decide to pull up your dress right in front of them. You are a horny little seductress after all.

warnings: rated M (18+) for language, semi-public sex in the back of a car; intense smut (fem reader, threesome, nipple play, fingering, vibrator use, f-receiving oral, multiple orgasms, overstimulation); fluff; non-idol!AU; noona!reader gets all the attention this time, so sweet of them!

other parts of this series: just kidding + part ii, car ride.

--

You massaged the base of your right thumb, sucking in a tight breath at the pain.

You shouldn’t have played so many League of Legends games last night, but there was an event pass and you had to grind games. Well, you didn’t have to, but you wanted to. League of Legends was probably your longest commitment in your entire life. And it gave you carpal tunnel.

Like all your interests, it was making your life complicated.

You pulled the sleeve of your fur coat over your wrist brace. When you played a lot, you kept it on all the time. It wasn’t the sexiest thing, but you needed your hands after all. For various reasons.

“Excuse me?”

You grinned to yourself before turning around, waving at the smooth, baritone voice of Kim Taehyung.

“Hey, Taehyung!”

Taehyung made his way through the crowd in the busy outdoor mall to stop right in front of you. It was late afternoon on Christmas Eve, when everyone was getting off work, sunny but cold. He looked you up and down, narrowing his dark brown eyes. “What is this?”

White faux fur coat that barely covered your ass, black thigh-high heeled boots, and the outfit completed with a large red fabric bow tied around your neck. You had nabbed it from a package of Christmas cookies you received earlier in the day. Your hair was pinned up, leaving a few strands framing your face. In comparison, Taehyung was wearing a biscuit-brown corduroy jacket with a forest green sweater and white dress shirt underneath, collar poking out. Dark brown hair a bit pushed back, but with most of it falling onto his forehead. Coffee-colored slacks, pointed oxfords.

“But you haven’t seen the best part, Tae!” you quipped, far too cheerful for the suspicious eye Taehyung was giving you. You unsnapped the buttons of your fur coat, revealing the tight, slinky, red silk mini-dress underneath. It clung to your every curve, molding perfectly to your breasts and hips.

Taehyung’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He grabbed the sides of your coat and yanked them shut, breath frosting in your face.

“What the FUCK?” he hissed under his breath. “You can’t wear that!”

You blinked at him. “Why not?”

“That’s the kind of clothes you would wear to a club! Not a date!”

“But I don’t go to clubs anymore. I think it’s better to wear what you already own than to buy new ones.”

The look you were giving Taehyung was innocent, but he knew better.

“At least tell me you’re wearing underwear.”

You grinned. “Maaaaaaaybe…”

“Noona,” he growled low in his throat, making you wet already.

“Alright, alright, yes I am.”

Taehyung buttoned your coat, frowning. “Just wait until Jungkook sees you. He’ll be pissed.”

“Pissed about what?”

Jeon Jungkook’s bouncy, energetic voice popped up behind you. You turned around to see him in a big black parka and black jeans with chunky black boots. He grinned, waving a hand, his long black hair half-slicked back as usual. He was wearing leather fingerless gloves. You bit your lower lip, grinning back. Jungkook’s smile faltered, suddenly apprehensive once he saw your expression.

“What’d she do?” Jungkook asked, eyes flickering to Taehyung.

“She–”

“Jungkook,” you cut Taehyung off jovially. “I wore something nice for you two!”

And you popped your coat open once again, ruining Taehyung’s good work of trying to keep you covered. Taehyung threw up his hands as Jungkook’s eyes widened, jaw dropping at the sight of your sinful body wrapped in red silk.

“Noona!” Jungkook scolded, yanking the sides of your coat closed, pressing his body against you. “You can’t wear that!”

“Why not?” you purred, licking your lips. “It’s nearly Christmas.” You pointed to the large red bow on your neck. “I’m festive!”

Jungkook looked aghast, clenching his jaw. “T-That’s not…” He hurriedly re-snapped the buttons on your white fur coat. “You’re going to be cold.”

You shook your head. “This coat is super warm. Plus, I’m wearing panties!”

Jungkook shot Taehyung a pained look. “I’m proud of you…”

“We’re going to be late! Let’s go!”

You grabbed their hands as Taehyung and Jungkook sighed at each other, smiling despite knowing they were already in big trouble.

-

“A… mug café?”

You pointed to the menu. “Not just any mug café, Jungkook. See, you pick a style of mug and then you decorate it with paint. Once you’re done, they cure it for you and then you can eat some snacks as you wait for it to be finished.”

Taehyung tilted his head, reading the instructions. “Looks like you have to make an appointment.”

“I did. It’s almost time,” you said cheerfully. “Look at all these different ceramic colors and paints. I thought it would be fun to do together.”

Taehyung and Jungkook exchanged a look. “You mean… this is an actual date, noona?”

You turned away from the window to frown at them. “Of course, it is. I booked a time and everything!”

Jungkook shifted his eyes. “Uh, well… usually you’re interested in doing other things with us…”

You blinked at them. “What?”

Taehyung clapped a hand over Jungkook’s mouth. “Never mind, never mind. Let’s go in.”

-

“Ah! I’m done!”

You turned your extra-large pale blue mug around, revealing the fluffy white Poro you painted, complete with a tasty cinnamon-bun-looking Poro-Snax biscuit in its mouth. Tiny white and yellow sparkles circled its head like a starry sky.

Taehyung smiled, shaking his head. “Your League of Legends obsession is a little extreme.”

“Oi, Poros are cute. I like cute things. That’s why I like you.”

Taehyung’s tan cheeks turned bright pink as you turned your attention to Jungkook’s masterpiece. He was painting a nighttime forest of evergreen trees on a black mug, with a small cabin and white dotted stars. He had three plates of different colored paints and at least ten small paintbrushes next to him. His pink tongue was in between his lips, holding his breath as he added small details to the trees in different shades of green.

“Wow, that’s intricate,” you admired, scooting your chair closer to him. Your sleeves were rolled up, but you were still bundled in your coat. Somehow, no paint got on the white fur. “You’re so talented, Jungkook.”

He finished the tree he was working on and pulled it back, frowning slightly. “Ah, I don’t know…”

“What are you talking about? That’s the coolest mug I’ve ever seen. I would totally buy that if I saw it at the store,” you protested.

Jungkook smiled sheepishly, picking up another paintbrush covered in white. “Really?”

“Of course. Especially since the artist is so handsome,” you added with a wink.

Jungkook’s ears turned red as you shuffled back to Taehyung to look at his mug. He was painting a small brown bear with a red Santa hat next to a wildly decorated Christmas tree on a light green mug.

“Should I add snow?” Taehyung wondered out loud.

“Maybe on the ground? But I think the tree should be the focus,” you mused. “Will the bear have a little coat?”

Taehyung puffed his cheeks. “Ah, I forgot!”

You scraped your chair back, holding your own Poro masterpiece. “I’m going to have them cure mine first. Be right back,” you chirped cheerfully, walking up to the counter where the jolly-looking man was waiting.

Jungkook watched you go, pursing his lips. “Kind of surprised she hasn’t tried to do anything crazy yet.”

Taehyung squirted out way too much red paint and made a disgruntled noise. “Well, she isn’t a horny seductress all the time. Just most of the time. Also, we’re in public.”

Jungkook went back to his mug as you chatted with the owner. 

“It’s nice, just like this.”

Taehyung paused mid-stroke of red. His eyes flickered to Jungkook’s lowered head, back to being focused and working carefully. Taehyung thought about adding to the conversation, but kept his mouth shut, rubbing his chin instead. Then he went back to the bear and adding the red Santa coat.

You came back with a muffin and hot chocolate.

“Ah, the owner was so nice. He gave me the last blackberry muffin. He said they’re really popular.”

“Oh, can I try some–” Jungkook raised his head as you turned around to place your white fur jacket on your chair. His eyes widened, voice turning into a tight hiss. “Noona!”

You settled back in your seat, facing him as you popped some more muffin in your mouth. “Mmm?”

“Your dress is backless!”

“IT’S WHAT?” Taehyung whispered shrilly, nearly dropping his work of art.

You chewed. “Yeah… so?”

Jungkook jabbed his paintbrush in the air angrily. “So? SO?”

Taehyung craned his head and his jaw dropped. “That’s nearly to your ass!”

You took a sip of hot chocolate. “Yeah… so?”

Jungkook got up suddenly. “I’m going to have my mug cured.”

You blinked at him. “Are you done?”

Jungkook narrowed his eyes at you. “As done as I have focus for.” He walked stiffly to the counter.

You blinked. “What’s his problem?”

Taehyung scraped his chair back loudly, startling you. “I’m also finished.” He also began to shuffle awkwardly to the counter. You tilted your head and went back to your muffin, eating happily. Maybe a little too happily.

Well.

Definitely smugly, that’s for sure.

-

“Ah, should I just put them on the floor like this? Or like this?”

Jungkook and Taehyung were standing behind you as you struggled arranging the nicely wrapped, hand-painted mugs you all had made in the backseat of Taehyung’s car. Meaning that the backseat door was open and you were on your knees, bending down to the floor to arrange said boxes, your thigh-high black boots sticking out, white fur coat riding up your ass and your equally short red dress slowly hiking up your thighs.

Taehyung and Jungkook stood behind your legs, staring at your increasingly exposed butt in the parking lot and blocking the view from passersby.

“You are doing this on purpose,” Taehyung muttered.

“No, I’m not,” you shot back. “I don’t want someone to look in your car and want to steal your Christmas presents. I paid a lot for that appointment!”

You yelped and fell to your elbows, the hem of your dress shooting up your ass and popping against your waist, leaving your thin red thong out in the open. 

“What the fuck?” Taehyung grumbled indignantly, stomping around to the other side of the backseat.

Jungkook rubbed his temples, already expecting it, but still unprepared.

You grinned to yourself, unsurprised as Taehyung ripped the car door open.

“You,” he growled, sliding into the seat and shutting the door sharply. “Are a horny seductress.”

You smiled innocently at him. “Who, me?”

He took the three boxes from you and placed them in the front passenger seat firmly.

“Hey, be careful with those–”

Taehyung grabbed your face and kissed you, pressing his warm lips into yours, silencing your words. You sighed happily, opening your mouth and moaning, enticing him. You felt Jungkook’s fingers on your cold, exposed skin, snapping the string of your thong into your ass and making you whine against Taehyung’s lips. Jungkook grasped your panties and pulled up hard, burying them into your rapidly dripping slit. You bucked, wiggling your hips as Taehyung rubbed his tongue against yours.

“Fuck, noona,” Jungkook breathed. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

He pushed your legs in, forcing you to sit in the center seat and slipped inside, shutting the door.

It was cold outside, but inside the car was so very hot now.

Taehyung broke the kiss, glaring at you. You loved how dark his eyes became, so demanding and lustful, annoyed but also amused with your antics.

“You’re such a bad girl,” he muttered. “But you make me want to fuck you anyway.”

He pushed you into Jungkook’s waiting arms, forcefully turning your head. Your stared into Jungkook’s piercing gaze, his long black hair covering his left eye. He smirked at you, bringing you close to his face as Taehyung unsnapped your coat.

“Can’t even wait until we’re home to cause trouble, can you?” he whispered against your lips.

You tried to kiss him, but Jungkook dodged you, roguish expression on his face. You frowned and grabbed his head, crashing your lips into his as he infuriatingly smiled against them, catching your lower lip in between his teeth and sucking on it. You moaned softly as Taehyung ran his large hands up your hips, all the way up to your breasts. Jungkook’s fingers tangled into your hair, pulling your head back as a needy whine escaped your lips. He shook a finger at you, scooting his body closer, pushing you into Taehyung.

“No, no,” he chided, shushing you. “You want to be so bad and get us into trouble, then you’ll have to face the consequences.”

He placed his leather-covered palm on your cheek, forcing you to face Taehyung as he lowered the shoulders of your coat, exposing the thin straps of your silk dress. Taehyung sucked in a breath, looking down at you hungrily.

“So jealous that someone must have taken you home in this,” he murmured.

You winced a little, biting you lip. “Um… maybe many someones?”

Taehyung’s eyes flickered up to you, dark and dangerous. “You’re insatiable.”

He took one strap and Jungkook took the other, sliding them down your shoulders. Your breasts swelled against the red silk before popping out, black x-shaped pasties covering your nipples. They didn’t need to help you take them off. You reached up with some difficulty and peeled them off yourself, nipples hardening in the cold air.

A part of you was aware that some bystander might witness this and the same part was quite satisfied about that.

Jungkook leaned forward to press his lips against your ear, right hand coming up to knead your right breast. He had removed his gloves, his bare palm rubbing against your hard nipple. Shivers ran through you at his touch.

“Someone’s going to see how naughty you are, noona,” he purred, licking your earlobe. “Someone’s going to watch you get toyed with by Taehyung and I and probably jack off to it tonight.”

You exhaled deeply, feeling Taehyung’s left hand on your left breast, pinching your nipple as he shifted a little to cover your body, leaning his forehead against your temple. You should have been cold, being mostly naked, but you were scorching hot with arousal and the bodies of the two men pressed against you.

“Let them watch,” was your reply, moaning against Taehyung’s lips.

Taehyung scoffed. “Jungkook would probably fuck you out in the open like an animal.”

Jungkook grinned mischievously. “I would.” He sucked on your ear, flicking your nipple as you kissed Taehyung. “And she would be begging for it.”

You spread your legs, whimpering, but they ignored it, Taehyung working his free hand into your hair, ruining all the hairpins, kissing you hard and possessively. You inhaled his heavy, spiced cologne, intoxicated. He released your nipple and reached up to the one end of the red bow, Jungkook playing with the other end.

“I know you said the mug-painting class was our Christmas gift,” Jungkook began, twisting his fingers around the ribbon.

Taehyung broke the kiss, licking your lips lightly as he spoke into your panting mouth.

“But we would have been satisfied with unwrapping just this one.”

And then they both pulled on the red fabric ribbon, slowly untying it, ruining the perfect bow and your common sense, tipping your head as you arched your back. The ends brushed against your chest as Jungkook hooked a finger in the center, fully undoing the tie and exposing your neck. It fell against your elbows, your arms still trapped in your large fur coat.

“Fuck, noona,” Taehyung breathed against your skin. “You’re so pretty, just like this.”

He kissed down your neck, licking down your quivering throat. You had no time to watch though, because Jungkook immediately kissed you, thrusting his tongue into your mouth, making you moan as Taehyung’s lips found your nipples, licking and sucking them while Jungkook sank his fingers into your thigh.

Your panties were drenched, sticking to your folds, leaking down, the strong scent of your arousal filling the car. You suddenly felt Taehyung’s long fingers grip the top of your thong and pull up. You gasped into Jungkook’s mouth and he grinned, fingers trailing up your thigh, so close but so far.

“You want to be touched?” Jungkook taunted, tapping your inner thigh.

“J-Jungkook, please…”

He hummed cheerfully. “I will if hyung lets me.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. Jungkook grinned cheekily back, dark eyes flashing, black hair obscuring his left eye. It was clear that all he wanted to do was deny you, because Jeon Jungkook was a relentless tease.

Well, you had that in common.

Your conversation with Jungkook had distracted you from the fact that Taehyung had removed himself from your chest, reaching into his coat. You jumped as you felt something cold and hard press against your clothed, but still throbbing, wet clit. You whipped your head to Taehyung, who licked his lips, devilish spark in his brown eyes.

“Present for my good girl.”

And then he turned on the bullet vibrator, assaulting your clit.

Your cried out and Jungkook slapped a hand over your mouth, grunting as he held down one leg, preventing you from squirming away as Taehyung pinned the other to the seat, sending intense vibrations straight to your sensitive bundle of nerves. You whined around Jungkook’s palm and he lowered his face to your right breast, taking your nipple into his mouth. Taehyung followed suit with the other.

It was a cramped space, and yet you were already in ecstasy, head forced back, both your nipples being licked and sucked as Taehyung coaxed you to orgasm. Your whole body jerked as you came quickly, unable to cope with the initial harsh, intense vibrations and the sensation of two tongues on you at the same time. Your clit flared with stimulation, thighs trembling. And still Taehyung held you there, barreling you through your first orgasm and pushing for the next, making you scream behind Jungkook’s strong hand, eyes squeezing shut as the wave crashed down again, hips shuddering and spasming with pleasure.

Taehyung removed the vibrator to press it against your wet nipple. You shuddered, clit aching, still wanting more. Jungkook removed his hand and Taehyung kissed you, breathing in your euphoric exhale. You moaned into his mouth, eyes half-lidded, staring into his beautiful lashes, his soft hair brushing against your forehead. You whined and Taehyung broke the kiss, your name floating from his lips, turning off the vibrator for a moment. You wanted to reach up and touch him, slip your hand under his sweater and shirt, but your hands were pinned in place from your jacket.

“Sorry, noona,” he purred in his soul-shakingly deep voice. “Only one of us is getting naked here, and it’s you.”

“B-but, Tae…”

He chuckled, the sound reverberating in his chest. “That’s what you get for teasing us with your sexy body.” He turned away from you, tapping Jungkook who was lazily pushing your nipple around in circles with his tongue, steady pleasure that graced you through your afterglow. Jungkook raised his eyebrows.

“Hm?”

Taehyung pointed to your thong. “Rip it off.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me if I still want those?” you interrupted, amused.

Taehyung cocked an eyebrow. “I have to convince you to keep clothes on in general.”

You nodded knowingly as Jungkook’s fingers danced down your stomach. “You’re right.”

“You don’t have to convince me.”

Jungkook made eye contact with you, lower lip trapped in his teeth. Your lips parted, feeling his fingers close in on the top of your panties. He was smirking playfully, aware of his power over you, watching your eyes tick between his face and his hands. His nail traced your slit, smirk widening as you moaned at his light touch.

“I would let you be naked as much as you want,” Jungkook drawled, slipping a finger under the soaked red fabric, prying it out of your folds. You whimpered softly, lost in his dark brown eyes and his sinful words, his knuckles brushing against your heat as he grasped your thong with his two hands.

“And that’s why I have to wrangle you two,” Taehyung muttered, eyes flickering to the outside world, hoping the owners of the two cars next to you were not going to come back anytime soon. “Otherwise, both of you would be arrested for indecent exposure.”

Jungkook grinned. “Sorry, hyung.”

“Don’t you ‘hyung’ me.”

You gasped as Jungkook ripped your thong apart, turning it into useless scraps of wet red fabric. The strings on the sides snapped as well and it fell off your body. Jungkook swept the shreds from the seat onto the car floor.

Taehyung glared at him. “And I’m supposed to explain that to the car cleaners, how?”

Jungkook shrugged. “Tell them you had a very horny woman you needed to please.”

Taehyung looked up at the sky, exasperated, mouthing silent words before he addressed him again. “I’m first, then you. Then we’ll switch again.”

The younger man grinned. “Okay.”

You blinked as Taehyung handed Jungkook the silver bullet vibrator. “Excuse me,” you said quietly, “I would like to know exactly what you mean by–”

You were abruptly cut off by Taehyung shoving two fingers into you, your words turning into a sharp yelp as your drenched hole was suddenly filled, all the way up to his knuckles. Jungkook lifted you slightly, perching your leg on his so your hips were raised, giving Taehyung a better angle. You felt Taehyung’s lips against your ear as he slowly slid his fingers out, whispering your name.

“We’re going to make you cum so much you can’t stand,” he growled. “And then we’re going to take you home and stuff you so full of cock that you’ll think twice before teasing us like this again.”

Jungkook chuckled, appearing in your vision, speaking in Taehyung’s ear.

“She’s going to take it as encouragement to do more dangerous things.”

Taehyung sighed knowingly, forcefully jamming his fingers back into you. You gasped, pressing yourself against Jungkook’s hard body so you could raise your hips as Taehyung began to pump his fingers into your dripping pussy, wet sloppy squelches accompanying his movement. You could barely register the sound of the vibrator turning on again, but you felt it, sliding down your stomach, skin tingling as you panted.

“D-don’t…” you whimpered, already knowing it was falling onto deaf ears. You were clenching so tightly around Taehyung’s fingers that there was absolutely no way you meant it.

Taehyung smirked. “Jungkook’s allowed to do whatever he wants while I finger you.”

The pulsating vibrations attacked your clit, shooting bolts of pleasure up your torso, hips shaking as Taehyung’s fingers repeatedly rammed into you. Your eyes slid closed, a moan tearing from your lips, Jungkook’s snicker above you, his free hand pinching and rubbing your nipple as he massaged your clit with the bullet vibrator.

“Noona, you’re so fucking hot,” Jungkook praised, breath heavy against your skin. “The most perfectly fuckable body I’ve ever touched.”

You bit your lip hard, pleading noises in your throat, getting wetter at Jungkook’s words, one of your hands clutching Taehyung’s thigh, digging your nails into his pants, indicating you were close. Jungkook changed the setting, increasing the vibrations, and your hips bucked violently, burying your face into Taehyung’s shoulder as you came, screaming into his brown coat.

“A-ah, Taehyung, Jungkook!”

You gasped sharply as Taehyung removed his fingers, moaning as they touched his tongue.

“Fuck, you taste so good.”

Jungkook’s lips pressed against your ear, teasing you. “My turn.”

And then his two fingers slid in, slightly different from Taehyung’s, but just as good, filling you up. He scissored them in you and you lifted your head from Taehyung’s shoulder, panting, watching Jungkook and his sharp jawline, pupils so dilated that his eyes looked black. He seemed to feel your gaze and he turned his head to look at you, the tiny mole underneath his lips flashing as he grinned.

“Who’s a good girl?” Jungkook hummed, tilting his head, pink tongue darting out.

“I-I am…” you breathed, whimpering as you saw his tongue. “I am, Jungkook…”

He cocked his head as the vibrator sounded again, Taehyung pressing it against your swollen nipple, smearing your orgasm all over your tits. You moaned wantonly, leaning back into Taehyung as Jungkook began to finger you roughly, a bruising pace, sliding you up the seat a little with his force.

“What do you think, Taehyung?” Jungkook purred. “Do you agree with her?”

Taehyung chuckled into your hair. “Maybe if she cums for us a few more times, I’ll be convinced.”

He slid the vibrator down, down and you were there again, drowning in copious, sinful pleasure as Taehyung assaulted your sensitive bundle of nerves with relentless vibration and Jungkook fucked you hard and fast with his fingers, your juices sliding down his palm, probably sticking to the seat and your coat, but none of you cared, all three of you chasing your next orgasm, pushing you to the edge, going, going, gone.

It came fast and it came hard, ricocheting through you, so hot, so intense, clit and pussy throbbing together, sucking in Jungkook’s fingers, moaning their names deeply as you rocked your own hips through your orgasm, extending it. You shuddered when Jungkook pulled his fingers out, licking them off noisily as Taehyung pressed the bullet vibrator against your puffy, soaked pussy lips, watching your erotic expression, mouth open, tongue lolling.

“We’re not done, noona.”

Taehyung’s deep voice, warning you, but you couldn’t think, couldn’t believe there was more, more. He turned off the vibrator and switched it for his fingers again, dipping them in, the feeling of his joints and calluses rubbing against your walls, and then he added a third finger. You gasped, throat dry from all your noises as you opened your eyes to see Jungkook’s head lower, pushing your hips down so your knees hit the backs of the front seats, uncomfortably spread wide, ass half-hanging off but feeling so good that you didn’t notice. Didn’t notice until Jungkook’s tongue was on your swollen clit.

Your eyes rolled back into your head.

So fucking good.

Taehyung shoved his fingers into you, fucking you hard and deep as Jungkook lapped at your raw clit, teasing it, nipping at it. It throbbed against the tip of his soft tongue, so sensitive you were a whimpering, moaning mess, even more so as Taehyung’s and Jungkook’s free hands played with your nipples, pinching them as they drove you crazy, ruining you with fingers, lips, and tongue. Your name, coaxing you in heart-shaking baritone, telling you to come in Jungkook’s mouth and all over his hand.

“Aren’t you Taehyungie’s good girl?”

“F-fuck, yes, fuck, Tae, I’m your good girl, oh, fuck–”

Your words tumbled together in a hoarse hiss, hips rutting into Jungkook’s face as you came, liquid gushing everywhere, walls spasming and clamping around Taehyung’s fingers, one of your hands pulling out of your coat and grabbing Jungkook’s head, forcing him down as you rode your high into his mouth, messing up his long hair. Jungkook gave you a muffled groan, twisting your nipple slightly.

Your core was aching with pleasure and overstimulation, never before having been pushed this far, intoxicated by the feeling. You loved every second of Taehyung and Jungkook having their way with you, drunk on the feeling of back-to-back orgasms. Your hand slipped and Jungkook resurfaced, lips shiny with your juices, licking them off slowly as Taehyung sucked on his fingers.

Then Jungkook flexed his right hand at you, tattoos dancing as he did so.

“Round two.”

And then the positions changed, Taehyung’s lips on your inflamed clit, Jungkook’s three fingers knuckle-deep inside you, except Jungkook craned his body to place his lips on your abused right nipple, sucking on it as Taehyung pressed the slippery bullet vibrator against your other nipple, vibrations jarring you right to your heart. Taehyung’s tongue was gentle and firm, still too much as it was paired with Jungkook’s wet muscle teasing you as his fingers thrust into your pussy, slow, deep, hitting your favorite spot. You completely forgot you were in Taehyung’s car in some random parking lot, partly out in the open, lost in the ecstasy and elation.

It took them no time at all since you were already so sensitive that you were the one holding back, trying not to give in, trying to prolong the pleasure, but eventually you lost and the taut coil in your stomach snapped.

“O-oh, Jungkook, Taehyung…”

Your hips jerked into Taehyung’s face, your orgasm leaking onto the floor of his car, fingers curling into his hair, so lovely and soft, wild torrents of pleasure soaring through you. So very, very good. Dirty, deviant, and glorious. Taehyung removed the vibrator from your nipple, turning it off. You moaned softly, coming down from your high, clutching Taehyung’s head, your fingers massaging his scalp as he continued licking you gently. You gazed into Jungkook’s eyes as he slowly removed his lips from your nipple, glassy eyes locking with his.

“You taste so good,” Jungkook murmured, face centimeters from yours. “Smell so good, look so good, feel so good, sound so fucking sexy.” He kissed you, your taste still on his tongue, breathing your name like a caress.

Taehyung finally untangled his head from your hand, panting softly. He came up to your face too, and Jungkook moved to make space, tenderly kissing your cheek and ear.

“Noona,” Taehyung mumbled, smearing your own orgasm onto your chin as he placed a chaste kiss on your lips.

Your voice was raspy and gravelly from all your noises. “W-what?”

“You’re going to spend Christmas with us, right?”

Your lips curved into a mischievous smirk. “Well, I was going to slide down your chimney and–”

Taehyung prodded you as Jungkook laughed heartily. “We don’t have a chimney.”

You shrugged. “Same idea, break in and fuck you both.”

He narrowed his eyes at you. “Santa doesn’t do that.”

“All I’m saying is that Mrs. Claus definitely gets some–”

Taehyung shut you up by kissing you once again.

-

part ii: gold light

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masterpost