#someday I’ll go back to all of these and properly render them but for now

[ydteus]

The Third House | Book One

Coronabeth Tridentarius | Ianthe Tridentarius

[bitter-sweet-farmgirl]

Birâthhur du Îdir Asta

Part 12 of ‘A Deep Misunderstanding’.  This is turning out to be like a 60 part thing...  Link to Series Masterlist.

Thorin falls for a Dwarrowdame raised by Elves, and tries to make know his feelings, but accidentally offends her, which leads to another and another misunderstanding between the two.

Based off of @immawriteyouthings​ ‘Falling Stars’

MASTERLIST

TAGS:

@kumqu4t​

OC(s) Used: Estel

Word Count:  2,649

Warning(s):  

Translation(s): Birâthhur du Îdir Asta:  Get(ting) to Know You

Nê akhshum:  Don’t worry

~~~~

It was so strange, how Thorin and I got along so well.  At the beginning of this quest, one would never have believed that we could ever peacefully get along; but now that we were... courting or something like that--as strange as that sounded--it was like we were two pieces of a puzzle.  It was just that easy to adjust to our new relationship.

Those little glances we would throw at each other throughout the day; the little smiles or barely perceptible nods... Every little thing that we did to show the other we were thinking about them.  Each glance was a treasure I stowed deep within my heart to pull out when things seemed to be bleak.

"So, you say that this is the first time you've ever traveled from Lothlorien?"  Thorin asked quietly, an eyebrow raised in silent question.  I nodded and he chuckled softly.  "Well, Estel, you are quite a long way from home...  Do you get homesick often?"

My gaze wandered away from his sapphire blue eyes and bearded cheeks.  Eru, it had to be a sin to be so handsome.  Butterflies still rose in my stomach whenever I saw him.  "Sometimes," I whispered, leaning my head against Thorin's shoulder and nuzzling my face into the soft fur of his coat--Eru, I wanted one.  "It was worse at the start of our journey.  It's not so bad now.  Just some moments here and there."  

Thorin wrapped a strong arm around my shoulder and squeezed gently.  "I know well the feeling of homesickness.  I myself haven't been back to my home in around 140 years..."  He said in a voice that contained the barest hint of sadness.  

I let out an involuntary gasp of surprise, quickly raising my head to look up into his eyes.  "Eru, Thorin...  140 years?  And here I am, complaining about being away from home for a few months!"  I exclaimed, fingers absentmindedly tangling themselves into his long, dark brown hair.

Thorin just smiled sadly, looking down at me with a thoughtful look in his eyes.  "Nê akhshum, Amrâlimê.  We are returning to my home, so any thoughts of homesickness have long since disappeared."  His face gained a sudden hesitance, "perhaps one day you will--"

"Thorin!  Come over here and take a look at this map..."  Balin's voice cut Thorin off before he could finish his sentence, and Thorin quickly turned his head to look over at the white-haired Dwarrow.

"I'll be back, Karkith."  He murmured, slowly pulling away from me and standing up; his large, calloused hand reaching out to grip mine for a moment and squeeze it gently.  Then he turned and walked away, broad shoulders squared.

I was left alone to smile to myself over the nickname he had been quick to give me.  'Little raven' after my long black locks that he said looked just like the feathers of Erebor's ravens.  Any thoughts over Thorin's unfinished sentence were quickly brushed aside.

But before Thorin's warmth could fade from beside me, Kili was sliding in to take it--and for once, Fili wasn't with him.

"Can you teach me more Elvish?"  He asked, and I slowly turned to look at him, an unimpressed expression resting on my features.  

Kili bit his lip, and I watched as his brown eyes took on a forlorn expression.  "Please?  I promise I won't tell Uncle, and I'll teach you some more Khuzdul in exchange..."  He pleaded, and I let out a sigh, shaking my head.

"Fine."  I groaned, and Kili's smile reappeared in an instance.

"Good!  But on one condition; I get a kiss for every phrase I get right."  He said with a cheeky grin on his face while I gaped at him.

"What?"  I asked, not sure if I was hearing things correctly.  Hadn't he been one of the ones dropping hints for weeks?  And didn't he understand that I was in a.... relationship or something with Thorin?  And wasn’t he the married one?

Kili picked up on my hesitance and gave me a questioning look.  "I mean, it's not like you are Uncle are serious or anything..."  He chuckled, and I glowered at him.  

"Kili--” I began, but he raised a hand to cut me off.

"Can you prove to me that you're a taken woman?  What's one thing you can show me to prove that?"  He asked, and I fumbled for words, searching frantically for a single thing I could use to prove Thorin's affection for me.

I drew a blank, my shoulders sagging as I shook my head.  "No, I cannot."  I mumbled begrudgingly, and Kili clapped his hands together.

"That's what I thought.  Anyways, you don't have to kiss me properly if you don't want to.  Now, let's begin!"  He said, and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Eru, I didn't want to be kissing anyone but Thorin.  Besides, Lorelei might murder me if she ever found out…

Kili looked at me expectantly, and I bit my bottom lip, thinking through all the possible phrases I could teach the Prince sitting before me.  "Hmmm... What about 'gen ú-velin'--I hate you."  I said, and Kili slowly sounded out the words silently before saying them aloud.

"Gen ú-velin."  He said proudly, smirking at me as he turned his cheek towards me.  "Go on," he teased, and I took a deep breath, leaning in to peck his cheek.

Leaning back, I fought against the blush rising in my cheeks as I caught sight of Kili's mischievous expression.  Valar, I didn't like this.

"My turn.  'Sasakhabi abnâmul'--you look handsome.  I believe Thorin would appreciate this compliment."  He said, and I repeated it back to him, receiving a pleased smile back when I pronounced it right.

But now it was my turn, and I lamented the ease with which I was learning words in Khuzdul now upon having mastered the basics.  That just meant I was now going to have to kiss Kili once more.  

"Let's try a harder one.  Mibo nin orch--go kiss an orc.  This one is the most common insult in the Elvish language."  I said, and Kili frowned as he struggled to say the words right.

"Mibo nin, orc."  He tried, and I shook my head; not bothering to hide my laughter.

"No, it's mibo nin orch.  Like 'arch'."  I laughed, and Kili frowned, soundlessly moving his lips before he tried again.

"Mibo nin orch."  He said, and I hide the grimace that crossed my face at the correct pronunciation.  

"Correct," I sighed, leaning forward to peck his cheek once more.

"What is going on here?  Kili, Estel, what in Mahal's name are you doing?!"  Thorin's outraged bellow scared me half to death and I jumped back from Kili as if I had been shocked.  

"Hey, Uncle!"  Kili said far too calmly for being in this situation.  "Estel was just teaching me some words, and we made a deal that she gave me a kiss for every phrase I got right."  He said without a trace of merriment.

Eru, I was going to murder him someday.  Forget the fact that he was a Prince and Thorin's sister-son, he was practically asking for it.

I cowered beneath Thorin's murderous glare--even thought I wasn't in the wrong here--watching as he radiated rage.  By the Valar, he looked as though he could tear down the forest with his bare hands.

He sent a stormy look towards me, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides as he stared at Kili.  "And why would you ask such a thing of Estel...?  You are married to Lorelei!"  He growled, and Kili only shrugged.

"It's just harmless kissing, Uncle.  I mean, it's not like she's a taken woman or anything."  He protested, and Thorin let out a huff, his chest heaving as he took in a deep breath.  Kili's words had suddenly rendered his speechless and I was curious as to why.

"Kili..."  Thorin began, then trailed off, grumbling under his breath.  "Estel, inkhi.  Come."  He rumbled, reaching out to grab ahold of my arm and haul me to my feet.  "Igjijê, follow me."

Apprehensively, I followed after him, noting the lack of butterflies rising in my stomach at Thorin's touch.  The sight of his anger towards me and Kili had somehow killed them off.

Thorin led me towards the forest; between the tall trunks of the trees and over the dry, leaf-strewn ground until we reached the trunk of a fallen tree.  Here, Thorin paused, turning to look back at me.

Relief rushed through me as I saw that all traces of anger had faded from his features.  "I apologize for my outburst, Estel."  He murmured, motioning for me to take a seat on the log.  "Sa'gimthiya, Amrâlimê.  Sit."  He said, and I did so, watching as he paced before me; leaves and twigs crackling underneath his feet as he did so.

"I-I'm sorry, Thorin...  I didn't mean to do anything wrong..."  I stuttered, but Thorin was quick to shake his head.

"No, Amrâlimê.  You did nothing wrong; you didn't know any better."  He said, and I watched him in confusion.  Was there something I didn't know that I should have?  "It's my fault for not moving faster...  Mahal, the braid should have been put in that day on the riverbank..."  He said, almost as if he was talking to himself, while I watched.

"Braid? What about a braid?"  I asked, and Thorin paused in his pacing to look at me.

"In Dwarven culture, we place a special braid in the hair of the one we court so that everyone knows that they are taken.  You do not have one yet, and I suppose Kili was trying to hurry the process along.  Albeit in an inappropriate manner given the fact that he is married."  He explained, walking over to me and taking a seat beside me on the log.

I nodded in understanding, starting slightly as Thorin's hands suddenly grabbed a section of my hair.  Peeking out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Thorin delicately braided my hair; steel blue eyes gentle as they flickered repeatedly between the braid and my face.  "I'm not hurting you?"  He asked quietly, and I shook my head slightly.

"No, you're far gentler than I would have expected actually."  I said, laughing softly.  Thorin let out a chuckle, mouth curving upwards into a smile as he reached the end of the braid and fastened it with a small silver bead.  Snagging the braid in my hand, I carefully studied the beads twining through it, my eyes focusing on the one at the end and taking in the strange markings and runes decorating it.

Now that I thought about it, Kili had a braid similar to this in his hair.

Thorin silently watched me, waiting for my eventual question.  "Does the bead at the end mean something?"  I asked, and he nodded, resting a hand on the rough bark of the log we were seated on.

"Yes, Amrâlimê.  It bears the symbol of my kin and shows any Dwarf that you are mine."  He said, gazing at the bead with a fond expression.  "Now it is your turn to braid my hair."  

My eyes widened in surprise, and I was quick to shake my head.  "I don't know about that...  I don't know how to do that braid and I'm afraid I might mess it up."  I said worriedly, but Thorin only laughed.

"Karkith, it is just a simple braid; you cannot mess it up.  Besides, I do not care how it looks."  He said, gesturing for me to come closer.  "Do not worry yourself over it, Halwûna."  

I blushed at the familiar endearment--one meaning 'sweet one'--scooting closer on the log so I could take a section of his long hair in my hands to start braiding it.  My leg was pressed up against his thigh as I began to braid his hair--weaving in a handful of small beads he had tipped into my hand--and I could feel the heat radiating off of him.

Gently, I maneuvered the dark strands of hair, marveling as I always did over the softness of it.  Perhaps I could persuade him to tell me how he got it so.  Surely most Elves didn't have hair as soft and wondrous as Thorin's.  Not that I had much chance to find out, living in Lothlorien where everyone was so stiff and proper.

Sneaking a glance at Thorin's face, I was surprised to see his eyes closed in an expression of bliss.  All the tension had slowly fled from his shoulders, leaving him relaxed in a way I had never seen before.

Reluctantly, I finished the braid, securing it with the larger kin bead Thorin had given to me, and settled back, looking over my handiwork.

Slowly, as if finally realizing that I had finished, Thorin opened his eyes, exhaling deeply as he fingered the braid in his hair.  

"Is it good?"  I asked, my worry over whether or not the braid was good creeping into my voice.  

Thorin smiled, gazing into my eyes.  "It is perfect, Halwûna.  You did a good job.  Now, let us return to the others."  He said, rising to his feet and rolling his shoulders.  Glancing back at me, a sly look crept across his face.  "I must say, you have a magic touch.  Never have I felt such bliss before."  He said, causing the blood to rise into my cheeks.

Eru, he knew how to sweet talk a woman.

Deciding not to comment on his words, I stood up and fell into step beside him as he began to walk back towards the camp.  

Of course, the second we arrived back, Thorin was peeled reluctantly away from me to go discuss something with Gandalf; leaving me alone to find something productive to do.  A difficult task when all I wanted to do was be held in Thorin's arms so I could snuggle myself into his coat.

"Ah, so I see everything is official now."  Balin walked up to me, a wide smile on his face.  I blushed, knowing what he was talking about.  Fingering the braid, I smiled back, unable to help myself.  

There was such happiness welling within me, I felt as though nothing could possibly make me feel any different.  Was this what people talked about when they spoke of being in love?

"Yes, it is."  I said, and Balin nodded, glancing over my shoulder for a moment.  I followed his gaze to see Thorin striding towards us; having deserted Gandalf in exchange for me.

"Balin, are you bothering my One?"  He asked gruffly as he stopped beside me and wrapped an arm possessively around my waist; but I could detect the teasing tone underneath the gruffness.  

Balin chuckled, sticking his thumbs in his belt as he shook his head.  "No, my friend.  Only congratulating her on your courtship.  I'm very happy for you both."  He said, walking forward to clap his hand on Thorin's shoulder and look him in the eye.  "Bare your heart, my friend.  Always remember that.  Never be afraid to show it."

With that, he gave Thorin and I a smile and a bow before walking away to leave us alone.  Thorin watched him go, a contemplative look on his face.  I looked over at him, wondering what Balin had meant.  Obviously, it meant something to Thorin.

"What did he mean?"  I asked, and Thorin glanced over at me, the contemplative look still in his eyes.  

"One day you will understand, Amrâlimê.  I promise you that.  Now, how about we go sit by the fire..."

He gently led me towards the glowing embers of the fire, but I was lost in my thoughts.  Balin's cryptic words would haunt me for days until other events slowly pushed them out of my mind.  Somehow, they gave me a foreboding of days to come; of some important event far in the future.

I would just have to wait and see.

[smoochi-dazai]

✿ “ Bare Touch ” ✿

—> Bungo Stray Dogs, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa | reader / @akutagawasbitch​​

—> Sweet | Gift

—> Description | It’s a surprise, i changed my original idea for this. Sorry for any mistakes <3 I did this to win our affection contest. 

No matter how much flickering crimson coated Akutagawa, he couldn’t find himself fazed by the many mangled bodies in front of him. He was a hellhound, looking for someone or something to one day find a method for taming his spirit. That significant item in order to render his spirit vulnerable was none other then you, the women who managed to creep their way into his tar coated heart. Who knew something as fierce as him, could become a mere puppy beneath your praise.  

No matter how powerful he found himself become, Akutagawa couldn't satisfy the drought of his emotions, running dry of spirit. The boy no longer felt the urge to flaunt his power, for his old mentor's affections. At least for the time period where he found his distraction. 

Akutagawa never foresaw this happening in his life, where an angel could purify even a soul like his own. A heart coated with a thick layering of tar, only to puff into smoke and escape threw coughing fits. He could only wonder if Dazai saw this happening someday, the day where he got a woman of his very own. He cherished you, even if he didn’t always express it. 

The fact you changed his life for the better was odd, he was still a dog. But now he felt as though he had a home, besides the Port Mafia. 

Footsteps echo in his mind as Akutawgawa walked out of a large company building. Leaving a purse at the receptionist's desk. He claimed as though it must have been a lost item to be delivered to one of the women who work there, simply returning it for safekeeping, before they could question he already left the door. 

As the door shut behind him, a loud explosion could be heard from inside. The blast opened the door behind him, smoke escaping the now open windows and doors. 

Reaching to his hip, the raven-haired boy takes his phone within his grasp. Flipping it open before dialing a number. 

“ I’ll meet you at our usual spot. “

Ending the call before the other person could even reply, the boy tucks his phone back to his side. Making his way towards a park, ways away from the crime he just committed. 

Normally this park would have children flooding the area, but after the company building behind attacked, everyone flooded out of the area for safety. Leaving him there alone to wait for the person her expected to arrive. Even though the building was out of sight, the sound of the blast put many civilians into a full-blown panic. 

Coughing into his hand, Akutagawa's empty grey eyes meet with the faint glimmer of light that pierced into a pond of water. Allowing even a little beauty to flash in his dull iris’s. 

Without any sign of his guest being there beforehand, a calloused yet gentle-looking hand plunged into the water by someone other than himself. Turning his head, he noticed someone all too familiar.  

You.

Staying quiet, he observed as you seemed to try and grasp the light from the ponds clear waters. To no avail, as expected, your hand only slid right past all the light like a ghost. Unable to grasp it, he heard you sigh. 

You two were alike, yet opposites. He couldn’t find himself to understand your thought process, attempting to figure out your motives behind small actions like this. Both you and he were members of the infamous Port Mafia, not afraid to get your hands dirty to complete a task. 

The couple were not allowed to grasp the light, they dug themselves too deep to surface. Or so they thought. 

Lifting her head, their eyes met. 

Akutagawa could see the pain beneath that shimmer of light that reflected off the water into your beautiful eyes. You made him feel weak, and he hated it. 

He had a longing to be strong, strength was the reason to live for him, a purpose to breathe. Even in a trembling dark world like his, a place he could drown any minute, you still insisted on holding his hand. Reaching deep depths of darkened waters.

He yearned for Dazai’s praise, the man who abandoned him and the entire Mafia on the flip of a coin as he saw it. Without a word, he left without care. There was a creeping pain, but it was only a trivial matter at this point. Finding a substitute, maybe even better than the real thing, here at his side. 

You were better then Dazai even could be in his eyes.

Even if his body shatters, you’d pick up his pieces and fix him back to new. When others trampled over his pride, you’d protect him. Even when he didn’t need a savior. 

He yearned for you, not just your praise. But your body, heart, soul and mind. Everything, you were his desire. He refused to admit the weakness in his heart you’d send his way, the way your smile could falter his clear mind, coughing to cover up the smile you brought to his chapped lips.

Sometimes he would believe you were an illusion, holding his stray heart with tenderness.

“ Yoo-hoo? Earth to Aku, are you in there? “

Your voice snapped him out of his daze, not realizing he had been staring at your form for quite some time now. Akutagawa adverts his gaze, coughing into his hand while huffing.

“ Where else would I be? “ The cloaked in black boy inquired.

Before he could react, a pair of arms wrap around his neck while your body crashed into his. Forcing him to instinctively hold you up, a grunt escaping his lips.

“ You’d be in my arms of course! “ You exclaim happily, that dull expression from before now hidden behind a more cheery attitude. It wasn’t any mask though, that smile was genuine when it was shared with him.

“ You’re heavy, get off- “ Akutagawa groaned, knowing there was no way of convincing you to get off. 

“ First of all that’s rude, second of all I know you have no issues with me being here or you could’ve just dropped me. “

Arms wrapped around each other, Akutagawa shut his eyes for a moment, finding himself in the depth of darkness. Opening them again, he looks at the pond next to them. Gaining a newly found idea from your last comment. 

“ I see. “

Without a second thought, Akutagawa walked closer to the body of water without you noticing, and as soon as you grasped the situation, he dropped you in the pond. It was shallow where you landed, making an ‘oof’ sound as you felt your bottom pressed against the pebbles.

“ Hey! What was that for Aku?! “ You found yourself cry out to Akutagawa who stood triumphantly above you. That pout of yours was always cute to him. His expression remained unclear to you, 

If a thing called heart existed, he could only assume this is what it was. The way his heart would pound at the thought of your praise, your smile coating sugar on his visible skin, the way your lips would melt against his like chocolate. 

He would never be seen like this around others, remaining the violent dog working for the Port Mafia. With you he was normally an awkward mess, always going from cold remarks to instant regret. 

Meeting your gaze was... beautiful to him. 

The sun began to set, the light fleeting from the once vibrant water was now full of nothing but darkness, an endless abyss of shadow.

You’ve shown him something special, for sure it must be more than a trembling dark world he was used to.

Lifting yourself out of the water, your clothes were not completely drenched. Feeling a slight chill race up your spine. Crossing your arms both in order to keep yourself warm and to threaten Akutagawa which never worked but you try anyway. 

“ Do that again and I-... I swear ill make sure you’re the one soaking wet next time, Aku!! “

The night grew chillier as the seconds go by, stuttering on your words while a couple of wet strands of hair stick to your wet skin. 

Your skin began to emit a gentle glow from the moon, almost putting Akutagawa in a trance. 

Looking at your feet now, your clenched jaw and trembling body told Akutagawa that what he did has successfully backfired. Feeling a pang of regret in his heart, you felt something be thrown over your head. Darkness consuming your vision. Uncrossing your arms, you feel the fabric of whatever was thrown over your head, it was Akutagawa's signature black coat. 

Smiling to yourself, you shut your eyes, still hidden under its protection. The familiar scent of Akutagawa was captured in its contents, blood and smoke- two deadly things somehow turned into a more comfort waft. 

Another hand lifted the coat, your eyes meeting with Akutagawa who was peeking under the temporary cover for you. A concerned looked in his eyes was there, but hidden behind anything he could muster up. 

“ Why are you smiling like that? “ Seemingly flabbergasted genuinely by your small smile, you pull him closer to you. 

Your lips capture his beneath the coat, hiding your little scene away from the public along with your identity. His eyes widen, while a blush spreads to his ears and down his neck. Pulling away immediately, Akutagawa has a slight coughing fit. 

Pulling the coat from your head, you slip your arms through the sleeves to wear it properly. That same smile adorned on your features left him in utter shock and confusion. His coat was pretty big on you, but no the less fit well, it was nice to be wrapped up in his coat. His warmth still lingering on it, while he now stood with his dress shirt exposed. 

Pivoting on his foot, Akutagawa attempted to hide the blush against his pale skin. Walking away from you. 

“ I’m heading home, return the coat tomorrow morning or you won't be happy with the results of your mistake. “

Akutagawa loved you so much, unbelievably much. 

“ Roger that, Aku! “ You wave him goodbye, halting as you begin feeling a buzz in your pocket. 

A short messaged left your heart pounding.

“ You look cute in the coat, I’ll see you tomorrow. “

Looking up from your phone you noticed Akutagawa staring back at you, phone in hand, another buzz went off while he started his strut away again. This time he was gone for good, at least for tonight. 

His final words in text left you in bliss.

“ I love you. “

[tiaragqueen]

Ferae Naturae

✂ Pairing: Yandere! Bakeneko! Sakuya x Reader

✂ Word Count: 1,4k+

✂ Trigger Warnings: Death, arson, possessiveness, implied abuse

[Edited]

***

If you like my writing, please support me on ko-fi!

A longer version of my old story, Get Even, with a lot few tweaks here and there. And I finally got to use my favorite word here. I present to you my favorite darling, Sakuya! Above is his human form.

“I promise you're safe with me. You're not alone. You're safe with me. Your heart is home. Now and forever, I'll be your shelter.” - Safe With Me [Megan Nicole]

Sakuya never really understood why most humans always stayed or returned to the person who had hurt them, even when the said person had blatantly displayed no sign of repentance. Irrefutable matters such as consanguinity must’ve played a huge factor in their so-called ‘loyalty’, he supposed, but it still didn’t justify their self-destructive actions. The way they behaved as though nothing was wrong and deliberately allowed their pain to fester under a veneer of tolerance was exasperating and absurd at best, even for him who tended to observe from the distance.

Then again, Sakuya wasn’t born in a human family, anyway. There was only so much he could learn from their lives without actually experiencing them.

But he knew enough to know that hitting his owner was an unforgivable sin; one that deserved an equal punishment.

“You never do anything right!”

A sturdy man, whom Sakuya learned his name was Araki, shouted. He had been doing this ever since he came home and found that you hadn’t cooked dinner because you were exhausted from cleaning the house all day. Granted, it was a humble cabin in the middle of a forest, but for someone to clean all the nooks and crannies while doing other tasks proved to be taxing. Sakuya knew it, too, because he’d seen just how tirelessly you worked every day with little rest and appreciation. All you’d gotten was more and more complaints from that bastard of a husband, sometimes elevating to verbal abuse. Sakuya wondered why and how you bore such an attitude for a long time and stuck with him when you could have someone better.

If it were him, he’d surely leave without a second thought. Better yet, kill him.

But, alas, you were too meek. Under the pretense of loyalty, you accepted everything from him – every word, every beating, every overt manipulation – and toiled even harder. However, Sakuya wasn’t a fool. He was fully aware of your insecurities and fears; of being incompetent, of being abandoned, of being lonely. Although you already had him, a cat that had been spending time with you more than your own husband, you remained hopelessly in love with the latter.

And, honestly, Sakuya couldn’t fault you. It wasn’t easy to separate a wife from her husband due to the finality of marriage, and the only way would be death.

Would it be worth the effort, though? It wasn’t as if you were blind to Araki's vices, anyway. Rather, you accepted them wholeheartedly and believed he’d change someday despite the lack of progress. You loved and married him, knowing full well you’d plunge yourself into a turbulent life. Heck, you’d even confessed it to Sakuya! You weren’t naïve and acknowledged that your love story was far from perfect or even good.

You comprehended the result of marrying such a rough man, which meant, you also comprehended his treatment towards you.

However, wrath defenestrated every understanding and sense the moment Araki raised a hand to slap you. Normally, Sakuya wouldn’t bother much with domestic violence because he wasn’t attached to either of them. But you were his owner – no, belonging – and he protected what was his, regardless of the consequences.

Sakuya hissed and leaped to Araki’s face, swiping the delicate skin ferociously. He didn’t even use his real claws, but the current ones were enough to provoke a stream of curses and groans from Araki.

Your eyes swelled, torn between intervening and doing nothing. Should you help him? You didn’t want to get scratched too, but your cat was clearly and purposefully harming him for unknown reasons. Maru usually left whenever an argument arose and returned when Araki had exited the room. It’d become such a pattern until you believed that he’d recognized human quarrel and learned to avoid it to maintain his peace.

Cats weren’t entirely stupid, after all. Although his constant, almost acrid, glare towards Araki was a little strange, to begin with.

Finally, Araki was able to yank Sakuya from his bleeding visage and flung him against the wall. You gasped and rushed to his aid, examining his tiny body for any sign of grievous injuries. Araki was enraged with the way you prioritized him than your husband who clearly displayed raw gashes, and grabbed you by the collar of your kimono.

��Oh, so you care about that dumb cat more than me, huh?” he snarled through ground teeth, his glower intensified when you shook your head frantically. “What? You’re in love with it or something? Well, why don’t you live with it then?”

Araki seized Sakuya by the scruff of his neck and dragged you both to the porch. “This is where disobedient wife sleeps!” he declared, dropping Sakuya on to your lap carelessly. “Hope you enjoy your stay.”

You watched his retreating back helplessly and flinched when he slammed the door shut. Pursing your trembling lips, you looked down and caressed Sakuya’s dark fur as a poor attempt of solace.

“It’s alright, now. You’re safe,” you whispered, trying to ignore the slight quiver within your voice. “He’ll be in a better mood tomorrow, and then we can go back inside. We just have to endure sleeping here for tonight.”

‘He’ll be in a better mood tomorrow’. Did that mean he’d locked you out before? Did that mean he’d slapped you before? Sakuya had only met you around a month ago, but it was enough to show him everything he needed to know regarding your daily life.

And with this new information, came another surge of fury strong enough to shapeshifted him into a human.

You could only gape at the sight of his dainty body burst to reveal a leaner, paler one underneath. His hair remained its raven sheen, but the cat ears were probably the sole thing to pinpoint his genuine form. Had the latter weren’t present, you would’ve thought this was his true appearance instead. His eyes were yellow with black slits, smoldering under the tranquil moonlight. He had a boyish face, but his aura suggested otherworldliness and ancient. You averted your gaze from traveling lower, noticing the lack of… fur to cover his private area.

“Are you… my cat?” Would it be foolish of you to ask that? No. That was just natural, wasn’t it? It wasn’t as though you knew what else to say after witnessing what would be a staggering transformation in your whole life.

“Duh,” he retorted. “I’m human. Can you see?”

Yes, you could recognize it perfectly; every detail, except his ears and irises, that just screamed a human throughout. And you didn’t know how to respond to his quip or react.

Then, you spotted it. A large tail, flicking behind him and left a trail of flame in the air. A cat’s tail. How you didn’t notice it before, especially with its substantial size, was beyond your perception.

“Maru, why are there fire on your tail?” you asked shakily.

“I wonder…” he drawled lazily, much to your chagrin. There was a spark of panic that ignited within you when the tail shot up and flared in the sky. “Oh, the name’s Sakuya, by the way.”

His name breezed past your ears at the same speed of his tail that swept your house. The fire kindled your dilated eyes and parched your throat from screaming or uttering anything. You listened to the frenzied screams of your husband and the constant tugging at the front door. The desperation wrenched your heart, but there was nothing you could do than standing and let the blaze engulfed the cabin you once called ‘home’.

You just realized how powerful Maru, no, Sakuya was. Even his grasp on your arms and flinty stare rendered you immobile throughout the arson.

Once the smoke cleared up and exposed the soot and chars littering the ground, you wilted against his grip. Sakuya instinctively kneeled to free your body from its invisible pressure and hugged you, whispering sweet nothings. You stared blankly at the debris despite his solace to break your composure, the shock hindered you from processing the situation properly. It wasn’t long before you broke down, however, and wailed on his shoulder.

“It’s alright, now. You’re safe.” Sakuya mimicked the words you’d spoken to comfort him earlier. It was excruciating to remember how fast the tables had turned, and how your lovely pet soon became your killer.

Sakuya buried his face on your shoulder and smiled, relishing the proximity now that the bastard was no longer exist to separate you both.

Because that was how it should be the moment he encountered you in that riverside; a diligent yet fatigued woman who kept washing the clothes despite the setting sun.

“… I’m here now, [Name], and I’ll always be.”

Sakuya: 昨夜

Araki: 荒木

Maru: まる

[kiwi-xeet]

Alright Bioware fandom, we need to have a LONG serious chat about the Bioware DOOM bullshit...

... because this is getting ridiculous. Bioware might be dropped by EA someday, but they also might NOT be dropped by EA. We literally have no way of knowing what will happen. We don’t have enough inside information to predict what will happen.

I’m not about to ignore EA’s bad track record. They dropped Visceral like a box of rocks, right? I am not saying it isn’t possible for Bioware to be canned as well. It IS POSSIBLE. You should all be cautious and not get your hopes too high because you never know when a studio is tied to a AAA company (especially EA), but that doesn’t mean immediate doom. Someone in the industry correct me if I’m wrong, but under AAA companies, studios die all of the time. Regardless, the fandoms opinion may influence more than they know, and when people constantly go into the rant of “EA is Palpatine and Bioware will turn into an EA sith machine. Bioware is pushing political agenda. Bioware’s new live shit is all because of EA.” And then spew these posts on Youtube, tumblr or reddit without any forethought towards the consequences, it just kind of makes what we fear... so much more likely to kill what we love, right? Can you see that logic? Stop allowing our uninformed outrage to turn our fears into reality. Bioware has been known to interact with fans far more than other studios. But not just that, Bioware fans can be very polarized and since the Bioware dev community is so accommodating, I worry about that. Do you think the above worries adds to or diminishes the odds of another Mass Effect or Dragon Age being made? IMO, the biggest and most important thing keeping Bioware creators inspired is the support of its passionate fans who have gobbled up their games like candy. So please stop trying to destroy what you love, but don’t stop giving them your opinions and honest critiques. To youtubers and other game reviewers, please be honest about your reviews but don’t bash a franchise for clicks, instead criticize them for the shit they can improve on. Be honest about the faults but don’t do it in a way that sways a viewer to love or hate the title based on outrage, instead point out the good and the bad and let people decide on their own. Your opinions hold significant weight in the gaming community. I’m not saying we should ignore the terrible state Anthem was ‘released’ in. Seriously, tell Bioware and EA that their incomplete mess was unacceptable, because I agree. EA won’t care because $$$money$$$$, but at least the creative part of the team can see what they did wrong and improve upon it. They worked hard and I can tell they love their work. They are passionate about it, and for good reason. Bioware fans and Bioware devs have both felt the pain of EA forcing an amazing title out before it was ready. DA2 anyone? We don’t need to sit here yelling at Bioware devs for the shit they’ve already agonized over. We need to clearly state our problems by saying “I didn’t pay for this, instead this is what I was promised. I love your game but this is what I want instead. This is what I expected and you didn’t deliver, here is where you can improve. And also, I can wait but this is what we need in the future.” So that EA understands fans hate their rushed releases and devs have feedback that actually helps US, as consumers. I’m not clearing Bioware of all blame, but they have been known for listening to fans and fans go with the attack route first. I.e. Mass Effect 3 ending drama. We can’t jump to conclusions about Bioware’s future, because we aren’t directly involved. I'm just a fan but, even if Anthem does poorly, which it honestly... it has already done poorly, according to metacritic. If my opinion matters to you, I think it’ll be a while until we see Bioware’s demise regardless, but that is just my pleb prediction. It has been confirmed that EA already sunk money into Dragon Age 4, so if anything we still have that. Casey Hudson has confirmed they haven’t forgotten about Mass Effect either. Sure... Bioware could close down tomorrow, and if it did... I honestly wouldn’t be able to properly convey how devastated I would feel if that happened, but we aren’t there yet. And if it did close down, that isn’t Bioware’s fault. And if it did close down, who knows, maybe they’ll pick back up and be even better and rise up apart from EA. Trust me, I worry about it too... more often than I want to admit. It’s actually pathetic how obsessed I am with Mass Effect and Dragon Age. If either franchise was destroyed forever, I would be rendered emotionally useless  as far as gaming goes (and that isn’t an exaggeration), but the reality is that... I am just a fan, so all I can do is put hope and trust in the creators who have carried me along the way with what I can only call brilliance. If the franchise died I’ll still remember the times I sobbed. I sobbed when Mordin walked into that tower despite Shepards protests and then recited his song until the end, when legion made the ultimate sacrifice due to Shepards actions and Tali accepted it and mourned a race she once hated, or when Morrigan told my Warden that she was the only female friend Morrigan ever had, or when Fenris warmed up to a mage(friend or romance Hawke) and Hawke helped him through his trauma, or when Dorian (in a romance) was flirtatious but over time realized he could finally be loved without frivolous expectations, or with Solas where he lost all hope in the physical world and you could give him something to hope for outside of his narrow perspective (friend or romance), or Zevran, where you could have killed him but you finally gave him a purpose beyond veiled slavery and now he has a true friend, Varric, who was always a jokester but found his way to a better family that wasn’t blood related, but everything he ever wanted was Hawke and their friendship could never be broken. Edi and Joker, who both survived the war and symbolized what hope could mean in a time of adversity and diversity. Aveline, who felt her fate was tied to your survival at first, but in time Hawke became her only and most trusted family. Trust me, I have emotional investment in what we could lose. Regardless of what happens I do sense that the people at Bioware are invested as we are. Imo, that is the most important aspect.

[unicorn-sprinkles-101]

I'm an autistic, mentally ill young adult who very desperately needs to find a new place to live.

I can't exactly recount what happened during most of my childhood but I have to say that my parents have drastically spiraled out of control since then. 

My mother had never really been a big impact on my life other than being my primary guardian and taking me from place to place. Other than that, she has little to no emotional connection to me and especially not now. I don't really "hate" anyone listed here, I just don't care for my family anymore and don't want anything to do with any of them.

My mother is completely unable to work, relying mostly on disability since I was a baby due to an ongoing condition. My father refuses to get a better job to support my mother and I, often leaving us with around $5-$10 at a for gas money (often with tons of quarters) or to take with me when it is absolutely required.

Now that I've turned 18, things have gotten much harder when it comes to me being used for financial gain. I do admit that alot of that money was used towards me in some way or another while I was growing up, but not anymore.

While my father is unable to let go of grandmother's old house (which has gone to shambles), one of my mother's friends has lives under us in the basement after being rendered homeless, which can make akward when describing family troubles.

She started living with us a while ago after her trailer finally caved in after we packed water jugs back and forth to her location for several years.

Ever since she moved here, she's developed an overbearing attachment to her "animals". It got so bad she refused time and time again to put her very ill 16-year-old dog to sleep, rendering them unable to walk, see, eat or hear for months on end. The breaking point was when they bled out all over the kitchen (which we knew would happen eventually), which was traumatic for us and highly unnecessary for the dog to go through considering how miserable they were when they came here.

She has made tons very rude and hurtful comments to me about how I'm such an "abuser" when I told her dogs (she has 3) to go away or get off the couch in front of her. She often claims that I'm abusive towards my guinea pigs, saying that I don't "take care of [my] animals".

This friend of my mother has also made comments ranging from my weight to my behavior and called me names ranging from "brat" to the more recent "trashy white girl" while my mother rolls her eyes and tells me it was all just a joke.

She's physically done things towards me such as shoving me out of the way, crushing me on the bed, and almost hauling a foot tall scratching post towards my direction after I refused to get her a broom the second she demanded it (I ended up getting it for her anyway.

However, physical altercations between me and my mom's friend are very rare and this type of behavior is often seen as the norm in my area, so unless it's something that left bruises or sexual assault, it isn't really that big of a deal compared to the other stuff I face on a daily basis.

It only got worse after I graduated from highschool. It got so bad that it became worse than all of the countless harassment I faced throughout my highschool education combined.

I was forced to give up over 3/4s of my $700 worth of graduation money to my mother in order to pay off bills, food, and other neccessities. While I ended up snagging some small gifts for myself (apx. $120) before it was all sucked up, I know I'll probably never be able to get paid back that amount of money from either one of them and I feel extremely cheated as a result.

While I was legitimately excited to see them grow as people in a good home, my sister's kids have drastically changed for the worse ever since they've been shoved in a tiny old trailer and moved back to the classic small town community full of people with money (maybe extracurriculars will keep them busy).

The youngest of them (8), who is often dumped here on a daily basis, has disrespected us in a variety of ways including: eating at the computer after my mom's friend made a rule not to, not picking up after themselves when they did so (often leaving uneaten food out), and using every other dollar my mom had to go get candy and drinks from the Dollar Store (they stole my leftover change in front of me and lied about it, but that was a one-time occurrence).

The back room often smells like trash because my mother puts off going to the dump until the very last minute.

Nobody can keep up with the animals, use a flyswatter on the cat to keep it from climbing everything and having to lock it up so it wouldn't take the food straight off our plates while we were eating.

While two of the dogs from my mom's friend stay downstairs in the basement, the third one stays up here and refuses to go downstairs.

The dog is well-behaved (aside from agressive barking) but while it doesn't pee anywhere in the house (as far as we know), it appears to leave, traces of leftover urine on pillows, blankets, and the furniture (or at least the odor, although I felt small wet spots on the couch before) which could spread germs, not good for someone with a few open sores.

None of them use leashes, so when this dog bursts out the door it takes off up the street aggressively barking at everyone and everything, with little to no repercussions from either adult. The overly intense noise from this small dog has gotten way out of hand, making me a nervous wreck.

These two stress factors combined with everything else makes it impossible to keep the house clean by nearly any means (I'm doing my best just to sweep off the porch).

I'm grateful that my mom's friend took one last shot at trying to clean up the bedroom, but there's no point in trying to keep anything kept up when all it does is get destroyed.

Moving to my own place means I won't have to look after anyone else but me and my pets (guinea pigs). However, I don't have anyone to support me in my endeavors.

As my parents often failed to attend my physical and emotional needs, I became highly unstimulated and constantly stressed as a result. This has lead to severe bouts of depression and executive dysfunction, which has caused my mom's friend's harassment to get even worse.

Not only did they fail to properly take care of my needs all throughout highschool, we've never been able to afford ANY sort of renovations to the house during our residence here (about 8 years), aside from basic roofing which was performed by a small Hispanic business instead of a professional company. 

The only two instances of DIY fix-ups I can remember during my 8 years here are replacing the shattered windows with plexiglass (which happened years ago) and recently restoring some of the rotten floorboards under the washer that were caked in mold.

The simple act of taking a shower has now become one of my worst dreaded nightmares and unless I move to a safe environment then I won't ever be able to properly take care of myself like I dream of doing someday.

Even though it'll take top surgery to make me feel comfortable taking showers again, moving to an inspected apartment means I  have one less worry about falling through the basement and the rancid smell of burnt urine that sometimes reeks from the basement.

I never went outside much, aside from sitting on the corner of the porch since the rest of it was turned green by air conditioning water and the walkway was flooded by overgrown plants (even they've been given more respect than I have).

I often vented through various social platforms but I decided that enough is enough: I needed to grow as a person and stop shoving all my problems on others.

It was then I knew I had to find a way to escape. Unfortunately, in order to move out I needed at least a little bit of stable funding, which I'm very, very far from.

My sensory issues make it hard to gain interests in whatever food was cooked (ex. spaghetti, dumplings), and I didn't have the desire to eat expired canned greens from the food bank, which have since been covered in roach poo. They're pretty much everywhere you go.

Even the cleanest of countertops could be seen crawling with a few roaches. They reside deep within the microwave along with fried maggots from ages ago.

They have also made their way into the refrigerator, making it difficult to scour what little there is without feeling grossed out. It's getting harder day by day to tell the difference between of the smallest of bugs and pepper. Since we we can't afford a closed-top hamper, our dirty clothes are often covered in roaches trying to find a place to hide, making it difficult to gather the strength to wash them like I should.

They've also taken over my computer, rendering my unable to even touch it for months.

No amount of bombing, traps, or pesticides will clear them either. They were there to begin with, and they always come back.

There's even been an increase in other types of bugs, most notably fly's and gnats.

The Crock-Pot would often fill up with mold  every other week because me and my mother didn't like chowing down on her friend's grand "homestyle cooking" every day. 

We didn't eat it as much as we should've because it was often bland in taste and we don't know how to make her stop (I know I can't). She ended up making a fuss when we tried to make suggestions, so we let her get what she wants even if it wasting precious ingredients we could've used to make something we could actually eat.

To make up for it, I often had to buy single cans of Spaghettio's at a time from the Dollar Store and call it my meal for the day. 

Now it seems like I can't even do THAT anymore. 

It got to the point where I even considered that any drink besides water, hell even soda, could have some sort of nutritional value. It was better that eating nothing, after all.

I often pondered mother's financial choices when came to these things but as we all have been told "mother knows best" and we as children should not be allowed to question our parent's decision.

She recently told me my SSI completely cut because the government labels me as "being able to work".  It turns out that they cut my disability check as opposed to SSI but I'm still left just as broken inside as before.

Why? Because there's absolutely no way I can save up such a large amount, we need every last drop to survive off of. I've used a very small portion of it to buy some little stuff to help me cope from time to time, but I'm gonna refrain from that from now on until I completely move out.

Even though the issue has been resolved for now, I'm tired of being dragged through hoops when I know they'll just try to cut it off again. I can't keep staying here because I'm sick and tired of having our only source of income dangling on a string.

I would really like to gain some much needed work experience and I plan on applying to Wal-Mart as soon as I upload this post.

However, there's one problem: I have no source of reliable transportation to get to my job.

My mother had to borrow money off of my grandmother (as she has done in the past) in order to have the gas to pick me up from therapy this week. While that tank of gas may last a bit, this is not sustainable enough for me to keep any sort of job regardless if it were part-time or full-time. The three job options in this very small town don't offer a position that would be comfortable enough for me to perform the tasks I am assigned and two are often known for mistreating their staff members on a regular basis.

Another reason I want to get a job in a bigger city is so I can continue to work once I move closer to Wal-Mart, which will save tremendous amounts of gas money and time. To avoid the trauma of driving, I will probably be using a transport bus as opposed to using a car.

The reason it appears that I don't look after my guinea pigs as much as I should is because their cages are inaccessible making it excruciatingly difficult to clean their cages and fufill their needs. With my own apartment to live in, I will have the ability make room for them and I can organize a place for my piggies in a much more open location free of mess.

I'd really like to keep them with me when I move alone, especially considering that I adopted one all the way from Louisville (I live around the west side of KY). I want to give Marlene the proper life she deserves after traveling across the state to take her beautiful soul home with me.

While I probably won't have access to a small animal veterinarian to get a proper diagnosis, my older guinea pig Chloe (about 4 years) had a massive tumor/cyst on her leg burst open a while back.

Her weight has drastically increased to the point where she feels like a limp water balloon when I attempt to pick her up, so it lead me to assume that her body is slowly being taken over by some form of internal cancer.

Even though there's nothing I can do to heal her, my ultimate wish is for Chloe to drift away peacefully in a safe environment free of bugs and other filth. This means that not only do I have myself to care for, but my two precious babies as well.

I admit that I have been going through a slow regression in regards to financial behavior, but I would love to learn how to shop responsibly while keeping my true interests at heart. I have plenty of plushies and figurines to keep me company at the moment. Some I'll sell to make room for new ones, but most of them will there to  comfort me during stressful times.

After buying one of the most beautiful children's lamps I had ever seen at GoodWill, I soon found out that buying doesn't have to be boring and dull like all the adults have told us all our lives. I learned that you should buy furniture and clothes based on how it makes you feel instead of relying on others to tell you what to do, I would love to purchase decorations for my apartment that reflect who I want to become as a person.

Not everything should have to be about scrounging for my next meal.

However, the funds from this will go towards covering down-payment, rental costs, and buying a new setup for my guinea pigs if they are allowed at the apartment (I don't want to track bugs from the old cages, plus they need a bigger space).

I wanted to let you guys know that I will have to use a portion of the donations

to cover my mother's monthly electric bill. As much as I want to talk myself out of it, she literally relies on me for money so I don't exactly have the ability to opt-out of that right now.

The extra stuff (such as small appliances, furniture, groceries, and of course... a limited-edition plush or two) will be paid for using a compilation of my paycheck and whatever I earn off of Redbubble.

I'd love to start a YouTube channel where I do things like art, gaming, and reviews to strengthen my voice and get it out into the world in a peaceful, sanitary environment free from interruptions or harassment over a seemingly innocent/important subject matter.

There's lots of things that I missed out on when I was younger and I bet it would be so awesome to finally express myself free of constant toxicity and hatred.

I deeply love OK K.O. and I'd love to honor the impact that this person of color and his creation has left on me someday, as well as continue down my path of original content that I've been waiting to share with you guys!

[artstartart]

Erik's Picks - November Collection

With Thanksgiving around the corner, here at ArtStartArt we have a lot to be thankful for.  We're thankful for the opportunity to meet new artists every week, see the work they create, and hear their stories.  We're thankful for the chance to build ASA and work on a business that we adamantly believe in.  And we're thankful for you, the folks who take the time to read our emails, support our artists, and tell your friends about ArtStartArt.   Below are some of my favorite pieces from the November Collection and I'd love for you to take some time to explore them, learn more about these artists, and hopefully make one these originals your own. Erik | Co-Founder ArtStartArt

Jake Munch has been listing (and selling) his work on ArtStartArt for several months now and this new series of galactic night scenes are some of my favorites.  Images like this simultaneously harken to adolescent memories and strike a sense of wonder in the strange and beautiful machines we've created for our entertainment.  This is a magical photograph and printed on canvas so it is easy to hang. 

This is Lizi Budagashvili's first time listing work on ASA and her entire collection this month is exceptional.  Originally from the country of Georgia, she currently attends the prestigious Ringling College of Art and Design and already has a serious pedigree including international solo shows (read her entire bio to get the full scope). This work on paper is a stunning display of rich talent with complex color laying and sophisticated mark making.  Float mount this masterwork in a solid wood frame and display in natural light for a lifetime of reflection and pleasure.

What a gorgeous figure study.  If you've read my 'picks' before you know that I love a painted figure, and this gem by Audrey Williams has it all going on.  I love the movement and expressiveness in the brushwork that forms the skin and am entirely impressed with how well the woman's face is rendered.  The color palette is refined and minimal with perfect moments of warmth and the final result is a stunningly lush and substantial portrait. Bellissima. 

Faith Ferretti is another artist from Ringling showing work for the first time this month and this small gouache painting has captivated me since I first saw it several weeks ago.  I love the scale. It's a fairly small work, which not only makes the delicacy of the composition that much more impressive, but for me there's something about this clutch-able size that endears me to a piece.  It feels like there's a secret at this scale.  Works like this are also so much easier to frame, and I promise when this is properly displayed (and if you purchase this piece I'll tell you exactly how I would frame it) it will hold a power and mysticism that will be addictive.

Someday if I make paintings again, I'll go back to the basics, focus on simple and thoughtful compositions, an I'll hope to create something like this oil painting by Josh Barish. The longer I look at this work the more I'm moved by the elemental components that reveal themselves.  Geometric plains, an alizarin underpainting breathing through and the transfer of color through space to form the soft shadows of muted and mirrored hues.  There's a lot to love about this work.

From a simple still life to a mesmerizingly complex one, this painting by Alexandria Guerrero is both technically and conceptually remarkable.  There are far too many wonderful "moments" in this piece to extract just one and write about it, so my advice is just to study this piece and let yourself indulge in staring at it. Let the composition guide your eye and pause for long windows as the paint and image unfold.  It's startling how well it's done, and like many of my picks this month, it's priced low for an original work of this caliber. 

My wife and I collect a fair amount of photography in our personal collection.  It's partially because we met in the photo lab and both love photography, but it's also because we're very familiar with the craft and have spent a lot of time considering it through a fine art lens.  If you're looking to buy your first "fine-art" photograph or add to an already large collection, you can't go wrong with this work by Kat Barbieri. Not only is the image classically beautiful and darkly captivating, but the print itself is a thing to behold.  Kat makes these cyanotypes by hand (you can read more about the process here) and as such, no two are exactly the same.  As always, frame this work properly (in this case I'd recommend matted behind UV glass in a white frame) and it will look like it was plucked from a museum wall.

I'll round out my picks with two artists I've featured before, but alas when the work is exceptional and I love the pieces I'm left with little choice.  This oil on canvas by Brianna Howard of Boston University is yet another example of her raw and unique artistic talent.  Her landscapes are dreamlike, her portraits are wrenching, and her still-lives, like this piece here, are meditative and stirring.  I just love how she puts paint on a canvas - bold loaded brushes of color sitting against each other.  Take the petal of an orchid or the reflective chrome of a kettle or the green glass of a bottle and behold the skill.  This piece also happens to be large and superbly priced.

This photograph by Zach Brock won't be for everyone, and it's probably a hard piece to live with, but it is heartbreaking and beautiful to the point that it takes my breath away.  While I enjoy all types of art, in truth there are very few pieces that move me to the point my stomach sinks.  We've all had those dreams we remember most of our lives, or seen a film that has left us overwhelmed with the mystery of it all.  Everything comes together in this photograph to frame a moment of overwhelming sadness in a transcendent grey eulogy.  It doesn't remind me of the fragility of life, it makes me feel it.

View The Entire November Collection