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meanbossart · 2 months

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Another much overdue ask compilation! Some short-ish lore asks (Gale, Gort, DU drow relationships and pet-companion preferences) and a couple of art/advice ones sprinkled in. THIS IS BY NO MEANS ALL OF MY ASKS so as usual I appreciate everyone's patience!

I actually think he'd give them a pass entirely as soon as he noticed. Correct me if I'm mistaken but half-drow get No love from underdark drow and are usually surface babies right? So that fruit is miles away from the tree lol. I think he generally has a bit of a soft spot for mixed kinds since he himself feels like an amalgamation of sorts.

Thank you! They're kind of a pain in the ass to draw at times for that very reason but man I do like the look 😩if other people like it too then that makes it all worth it!

THAT'S TRICKY TO ANSWER BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES I'M NOT... REALLY TRYING. I've draw a ton of horror comics for mine and my partner's series' SAD SACK and SORTIE, so I think it just comes naturally to me 😅 also I do genuinely find expressive and, uh, rugged faces more attractive? (I think they look rugged, again that's what people tell me at least.)

I think the secret might be adding bits of realism in there. I get a lot of comments about the wrinkles and eyelashes I add to my art, as well as the way I draw individual teeth (though I've lately been making an effort to simplify my style in favor of drawing faster, so I haven't done that as much or in as much detail.)

Both symmetry and the lack of it can also add to that effect. I have employed both facial unevenness and almost point-perfect symmetry to achieve something a little frightening or otherworldly in my work. [MORE UNDER THE CUT]

Thank you so much!!! The contrast is very much intentional, that's what DU drow's character is all about ;)

Hahah well I somewhat doubt Bhaal would care that his spawn gets named, but either way he stripped himself of his name as soon as he killed his foster parents and abandoned the Underdark. He had a drow name that I jotted down somewhere but it's completely irrelevant because nobody has used it since he was a child, and he doesn't remember it (even pre-tadpole/having his brain scrambled.) Here's a little write up about his origins that might shed some more light on that: https://meanbossart.tumblr.com/post/739688837431836672/did-drow-ever-have-a-childhood-before-the-temple

And about his original drow-given name and the reason behind it: https://meanbossart.tumblr.com/post/741350986692591616/drow-had-to-have-been-given-a-name-by-his-adoptive

Everyone just referred to him as his supposed race, or as Bhaalspawn or Bhaal's child, and any other similar titles. Orin called him "kin" and "brother" and Gortash likely called him his associate. Post-tadpole the camp grows entirely used to calling him "the drow" and he has no desire to change that or to choose a proper name.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH😭 no reason to be intimidated, I'm just some rando drawing BG3 fan art LOL I've been drawing since I was a child, and started taking it semi-seriously when I was 16 years old, so twelve years ago! That's around the time where I got my first non-display tabled and used that well into my twenties, prior to that I only did stuff on paper and liked to do inks color with pencils. I never really ventured into traditional painting at all except for a little bit of water-coloring in college.

Traditional and Digital art are very much different beasts. Which one you want to start with is, in my opinion, just dependent on what you want to do. Digital art gives you a lot of tools that makes learning easier, but you might find yourself having much steeper of a learning curve if you ever decide to do traditional art instead. If you want to be good at both, you need to practice both, since the skill doesn't entirely translate from one medium to the other.

Naturally you will be able to draw well on either, it's just... Different. I will say though, that I think if you're still learning you should use whatever allows you to look directly at what your hand is doing, so either traditional or display tablet/Ipad. I have no idea what a non-display tablet would do to a beginner, but remembering my experience with it I feel like it might be a huge detriment to developing the skill (feel free to share your experiences in the replies if you disagree, as I would definitely be curious to read them!)

YOU KNOW ME BABY IT WAS MESSY AND COMPLICATED the tldr.: is that they were "buddies", absolutely no romance intended there on either mine or DU drow's part, but due to his nature the friendship was extremely weird.

Here's a couple of replies where I go into more detail about it: https://meanbossart.tumblr.com/post/739191190871818240/i-dont-have-a-particular-question-in-mind-sorry

https://meanbossart.tumblr.com/post/744952815768764416/so-not-sure-if-youve-covered-this-but-i-thought

That's definitely reserved for the vamp LOL DU drow very much enjoys when Astarion teases and fusses over him, and while Astarion probably got a kick out of acting that way around such a big and scary looking guy at first, I think by "now" (later and post-game) he's pretty much immune to DU drow's looks and just enjoys doing it in earnest.

He's not at all averse to being touched (even rather intimately) by close friends, but he wouldn't be quite THAT vulnerable with anyone else.

HE REALLY DISLIKED GALE... He irked him out by seemingly fostering a rather persistent romantic interest in him for at least half the time they spent together (very much based on my interpretation of their in-game interactions at the time, though my Gale might have been a little bugged.)

But also they had a... Fairly in depth relationship still? Gale was a staple in my party, and even though I antagonized him constantly by the end of the game it still felt like they had so much weight in each other's lives, if that makes sense. I might need to do a bit of an "update" on the DU Drow/Gale lore sometime, I feel like I've had some thoughts since that warrant more exploration of their dynamic (you can find a lot of old asks about it if you just search the Gale Dekarios tag in my blog though).

The gist of it is that DU drow found him arrogant and duplicitous, his constant optimist irritated him to no end and felt like it veiled a stream of self-pity (two things DU drow despises) Gale's attempts to get through to him only added insult to injury. By the end of the game he decided to pursue the crown of Karsus and this only lost him even more respect in Drow's eyes, seeing as he doesn't value godly power at all.

I was pretty overwhelmed by the game at the start so I actually missed a lot LOL including Scratch. I did get the owlbear cub though, which DU drow gladly welcomed into camp since it was injured - but I think he would have wished for it to remain a wild animal and to return back to it's home after it had grown up a bit. He didn't really make a "pet" out of it more than he just looked after the little guy in the way it's mother might have, probably with Shadowheart's help.

He wouldn't be opposed to proper pets though if one were to stumble into his life. He'd definitely be more of a cat guy because of their independence and strong little attitudes.

It is very hard to build proper rapport with him. He will be "friendly" to most people who have a good sense of humor about them, but friendSHIP is another thing entirely.

I think it's kind of circumstantial. He's very economical in his relationships and doesn't really seek them out at all - so a situation where he's forced to be in someone's company might be the only way to develop a bond with him, as he doesn't appreciate insistence either and that's more likely to push him away. He doesn't value status or titles either (kind of looks down on them really) so that won't help.

I think he just likes people who are true to themselves and their nature, sometimes even if the nature is one he disagrees with at it's core. This is why he liked Gortash, why he and Shadowheart got along so well, and why him and Astarion fit together so seamlessly despite seeming so different. Likewise I think it's why he didn't jive with people like Gale or Wyll, because they seemed to be rather... Dishonest with themselves and their own end-goals.

#ask compilation #DU drow lore #ask

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synthaphone · 4 days

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What's your process for your sculptures if you don't mind breaking it down? They look really good!

Thank you!!! I'm not sure if my breakdown will be much different from what i show in posts like this, but i can try my best!

Uhhh lets see. there's some variation depending on what i'm sculpting, but in general my process goes like this:

Decide what I want to sculpt, and gather/draw any necessary references

Create a rough armature out of wire and tin foil for the 'base' of the sculpture- this is usually the body, with wire for limbs, necks, and anything that i think needs support. Doing this helps establish how the sculpture will balance! Its easy to forget how much space the clay will take up and make the armature too big, so i try to undershoot the size i want by a little bit.

Put some clay on the base and get it into roughly the shape I want-again, usually a little smaller than the intended final if I know I'm going to want to add details or texture. Since I like to bake my sculptures multiple times during the process to avoid squashing finished parts, its WAY easier to add clay later than it is to subtract baked clay.

Flesh out the load bearing limbs- making sure it can stand is a big priority!

The base for the head comes next- this is often the second heaviest part of the sculpture after the core body, so getting it positioned correctly and making sure it can stand with the head attached is important. I usually do this as a tin foil ball with a small amount of clay around it, and keep it smaller than I intend the final to be so that I have plenty of space to add the facial features. Sometimes baking at this stage bites me in the ass, if I don't predict how far I'm going to want to carve into the clay to etch in mouth details, but I prefer it to the risk of squashing the whole head out of shape once the details are on (its SUPER hard to fix at that stage)

Then I do more details for the head + limbs, trying to work in an order that will make it easiest to sculpt said detail without squashing it/elements getting in the way of other elements. Turning the sculpture to see it from different angles is really helpful for keeping things symmetrical! Lately, my process for mouths has been carving in elements like the line for the mouth, baking it once I have it where I want it, and then building up sculpted muzzle, lip and cheek mass around the guidelines so that they feel more dimensional and less like a drawn on feature.

Whenever I bake the sculpture, I like to sand areas that feel like they could be smoother- I feel like this step has helped a lot with making my sculptures seem more professional, because its very hard to get smooth surfaces with just your fingers. Using isopropyl alcohol on the still wet clay is another way to smooth things, but its better for smoothing out very small scratches and textures than larger ones.

UHHh and then once I'm happy with it and i've gotten all of the elements on and baked and sanded how I want- I'm done sculpting!!!

my painting process is more straightforward-

Put a coat of gesso on the sculpture so the paint doesn't scratch off easily

Paint a base coat in a color that's a little darker than I want the final colors to be- make sure to get this coat into every little crevice in the sculpture!!

Layer lighter colors on top, leaving crevices and areas that would typically be in shadow darker, until it looks how I want. This is a long and tedious process, but I really like the final appearance so I do this every time. I usually go too dark for my base color, underestimating how it will look once the lighter one goes on, and my paint is cheap as hell so it takes like one billion coats. I try to apply the lighter colors by dry brushing, but it doesn't always work how I want due to different paint having different consistencies, lol

Apply a couple coats of matte varnish onto most of the sculpture, and gloss varnish to eyes + any elements I want to be shiny. I try to use gloss sparingly because that makes it pop more where I do use it. This is also why I don't paint any bright highlight shines onto my eyes- its personal taste, but I think it looks SO cool when the natural light against the gloss varnish applies that bright highlight on its own.

Hopefully some of this is helpful! I have more WIP photos of older sculptures in my 'sculpture' tag, and also in my 'wip' and 'wips' tag (I'm really bad at remembering what tag to use so I've used both over the years, whoops)

#asks #sculpting #SORRY ITS A WALL OF TEXT lol #long post

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rstarsims3 · 8 months

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Hi! What tutorials helped you learn how to mesh clothes in Blender? Or what tutorials or tips would you recommend? Thank you

Hi,

I've watched a lot of character modelling videos on YouTube to get better acquainted with Blender. What I can recommend for you to watch is this 10-part tutorial by Darrin Lile. The creator even provides the images he's working with which makes his workflow easier to follow. The notions you'll learn here will help you create basically anything in Blender, from a bed to a crop top to a bridge.

Another good series you can watch -and specifically made for creating clothing in TS3 - is this one by Lyralei.

Once you're more comfortable with Blender, you can search all kinds of tutorials (like how to mesh flowers, coats, skirts, pillows, etc)., if you're interested and need further clarification.

What I strongly recommend is for you to export the EA game meshes and break them apart in Blender to see how the dev team has approached the category you're interested in. At the beginning, I wouldn't look too much at anyone's meshes except EAs because every creator has their own style and views over what a reasonable polycount is (you can have the same skirt at 2k or 4k- for instance, depending on how much detail you want to add to the mesh). But it is useful to look at other creator's meshes when you deal with transparency, for example.

You can also try to convert CAS stuff from TS4 if you have the possibility. This helped me a lot in getting used to meshing in general because, while being similar to TS3s, their meshes are a bit more detailed (a belt is often painted on the mesh in TS3, but in TS4 the belt will be meshed).

Another important process in Blender is UV mapping. Because it's TS3 and you can't get away with wonky and stretched textures -as long as you make your stuff recolorable, that is - you need to pay special attention to this part.

In general, for Blender I'd say:

keep your polycount in check; too detailed/high poly meshes will "explode" in the game;

close the openings on a mesh (where the sleeves, pants or skirts/dresses end); I also UV unwrap these and find them a spot on the UV layout to make the textures more cohesive.

avoid using the "subdivision surface" modifier as it increases the polycount too much;

try to delete as much of the body under the clothing mesh as possible (I'm also doing this part in Blender for a while now and it's a lot better, easier and more precise to crop it; it helps a lot with avoiding clipping too);

for baggy clothing you can use a plane or cylinder to start with; for skin-tight clothes you can use the EA body meshes ((like in the second link);

If you're really set on creating custom clothing -and sharing your stuff- I'd get used to some good practices from the beginning (because we humans tend to get used to do things one way and keep at that from there on):

create all the LODs required for your item (if it's clothing you'll need all these three: HLOD, MLOD and LLOD) and load them into TSRW. This way your carefully crafted blouse won't change into a t-shirt when zooming out in the game.

in TSRW leave only the maps/images you created for your item. Delete everything else.

for every LOD in TSRW, go to Mesh -> HLOD (MLOD, LLOD)-> Material and load your maps by using Browse. Don't import over the same map again.

textures are really important and the more time you spend working on them, the better your item will look. It's very useful to know how to create normal maps as they add depth to your mesh.

never export packages directly from TSRW as it doesn't compress your file the way it does for sims3pack files. Export as sims3pack, use S3RC to compress it further, then use the Sims 3 Pack Extractor to convert into packages.

Note: When I say TS3 and TS4 meshes, what I'm referring to is meshes from the games, not CC. Also what you're going to learn here is how to make Maxis-Match content for TS3, which I do 90% of the time. The only differences is that my textures are usually more "alpha" looking. I've got a similar ask a while ago if you want to check it out.

The most important thing is to keep at it and don't get discouraged. All this info might seem like a lot now but with practice you'll get used to it. Start with something easy like a tube top and see how it goes. If you have any more questions you can contact me again, either through ask or through DM if you feel comfortable.

Hope this helps!

#ts3 ask #ask #ask response #anon ask

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comicavalcade · 11 months

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Submariner Summer 23

Hey hey everyone its time for #SubmarinerSummer read through, part 23. Diving into Tales to Astonish #90: To Be Beaten By BYRRAH! The cover paints quite the tableau, too. Byrrah, a Golden Age rival of Namor, now makes his Silver Age debut to bedevil our sea prince once more.

On the Title page, we are quickly reintroduced to him just as his long-laid plans to destroy Namor are ready to begin. The fiend! Truly an appropriate antagonist for issues with art by Bill Everett, and I'm sure that's no coincidence. Also dig those Forbush water ballets! 🤭

Fair warning, I'm likely to get a little ranty since this ish leans on a key element of Namor lore that deserves highlighting. Case in point: racism. Namor has faced it his whole life from other Atlanteans, including and perhaps especially from other royal Atlanteans

Being mixed-race has been a challenge he's had to struggle with; his arrogance, insisting on his own worth and excellence, is a *response* to that struggle. He'll show them who's a "mongrel" "half-breed"; and of course, his physical power has been his avenue to that validation.

Of course its no easier for him on the surface; he doesn't even pass for *human*, let alone white (he's typically described as looking asian, traditionally, if he's described in human terms). He is absolutely always an outsider there. So why is Namor so angry all the time? Lol. Rofl. LMAO, even. Why *wouldn't* he be?

ANYWAY, back to Byrrah, blond racist of Atlantis. He's been biding his time, using his aristocratic influence building up trust and influence with people and connections that will help him take control for his own selfish gain

Now he sees his chance, and starts a full public relations campaign, painting himself as peace-loving and Namor as a warmonger, as well as a "freak" who's just dumb and strong because again, metaphorical racism. And it seems to work well as people start to call for a plebiscite

Of course, he's pulling this little Game of Thrones move while Namor is away. Luckily, Lord Vashti comes to let him know. Namor doesn't believe it could work, but Vashti disavows him of that, so Namor returns to Atlantis to try and counter Byrrah.

Byrrah had planned for just that, and takes the opportunity to demand a royal challenge for Namor calling him a coward. This seems counterintuitive, since Namor is more powerful, so Dorma is suspicious, as is Vashti, but Namor is Namor, and Byrrah knows him well...so its on!

Incidentally, this is like the third trial by combat we've seen; seems pretty ingrained in Atlantean culture. Makes for exciting stories of course, but also lends context to Namor solving things by insisting on fighting about it since he sees himself as embodiment of his culture.

At any rate, it doesn't take long for Byrrah to start using loopholes to gain an advantage on Namor. Namor has advatages of his own, of course, but Byrrah was two steps ahead, and doses Namor with a strength-draining chemical applied via saw-fish. Ah yes, oldest trick in the book, saw-fish injection

Now weakened, Namor is unable to take down Byrrah, who takes the offensive and delivers the knock-out blow on Namor. Imperius Rex?

Namor is devastated, of course. But not because of his loss so much as that the people have turned against him and cheer his enemy. Dorma and Vashti try to comfort him, but Namor is worried that all his enemies will now team-up, dooming Atlantis and then the rest of the world!

Call me crazy, but I like the internal Atlantean politics stories, bringing back the racism against Namor that would pop up in the Golden Age and will pop up in future stories, delivered by a Golden Age adversary that's fun to dislike as a low schemer in Byrrah.

The art really works for the story too, Everett hasn't lost a step. The man knows Atlantis, and he adds in little details that remind me of the Golden Age Atlanteans/"submariners", which is cool to see if you've read Namor's oldest stories.

But, our cliffhanger left Namor at this low point, and NEXT we'll see what happens in the reign of Prince Byrrah of Atlantis in Tales To Astonish 91: Outside The Gates Waits Death!

#submariner summer #submariner #namor the sub mariner #namor #namor the first #namor of atlantis #byrrah of atlantis #lord byrrah #byrrah #lady dorma #dorma #lord vashti #vashti #trial by combat #to be beaten by byrrah #tales to astonish #marvel comics #marvel #silver age comics

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crispsandkerosene · 2 years

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Mesh Optimization Info

(I am posting this by itself at the request of the tutorial database gang. This post contains information and links about optimizing 3d models, retopology, and texture baking.)

What I was taught in my video game art dregree is that for modern GPUs, handling a lot of geometry isn’t a big deal. However, it’s still best to optimize your models for ease of use. A model with a reasonable poly count and good topology is easier to skin (assign bone weights to) and will deform better during animations. It’s less to load for the game engine or 3d modeling software. More on good topology here.

(Modern game characters usually have very high polycounts because of detailed outfits and hair (including brows, beards and eyelashes) and the desire for curved surfaces to look smooth. These models are not plopped directly into the game from Marvelous Designer or ZBrush. Nathan Drake’s face geometry may be heavy, but it’s intentful. See the circular ‘flow’ around the eyes and mouth.)

Something that is costlier on the GPU is complex shaders, such as alpha blending of overlapping elements as seen with hair and foliage. (Here is a screenshot from Unreal Engine showing the rendering cost of foliage vs the rest of a scene.) This means that in certain cases, using more polygons to avoid their overlap is the better alternative. Here is an example I drew.

Texture size is alsosomething to keep in mind with tS2. The game isn’t great with texture memory: just look at how quickly you’ll get pink flashing in a forested neighborhood. The standard I was taught is that texture resolution should roughly correspond to the space the object will take up on the screen. The UV map should take up as much of the texture space as possible. Since tS4 uses one big texture for all of a sim’s component meshes, it’s better to rescale their UVs and crop their textures when converting.

Now onto some actionable advice :p

I’d highly recommend using Blender rather than Milkshape, at least when dealing with big meshes. It’s got a learning curve, but the software is very powerful and the internet is full of tutorials. Here are the plugins to use for GMDC meshes in Blender 2.8+, and Blender 2.79.

The first step to making an extremely high poly mesh game-ready is retopology: creating a version of the model with simpler geometry.

- It can be done using tools, such as Blender’s Poly Build Tool. This is quick, but good results are not guaranteed for every mesh.

- My preference is to do it by hand. This video by FlippedNormals explains in detail how to do manual retopology in Blender.

- I’ve also seen multiple tutorials from Sims 4 creators, but I can’t vouch for whether they are good or accessible: mauvemorn, SM&Kleos, jwofles.

- If the original mesh already has good topology (eg. it looks like a grid and not a bunch of uneven little ‘flowers’), you should be able to simplify it by simply deleting rendundant edge loops.

The second step is texture baking: translating shape and shading details from the high poly model into the texture(s) used by the low(er) poly model. In a modern game, most of this information would be ‘baked’ into a normal map. Since the Sims 2 is old, its capacity to render those is pretty basic. Most everything has to go into the baseline diffuse texture.

- This great tutorial by Lyralei explains how to create and bake texture details in Blender into the ‘multiplier’ texture of a tS3 outfit. (I highly recommend creating a multiplier style base to all textures, even when you’re not working from a high poly model.)

- The add-on TexTools (old website with more info) has powerful baking tools which greatly simplify the process. Its ‘Paint Base’ preset does a decent job at producing multipliers.

- I personally do my texture baking and creation in Substance Painter, which sadly is paid. I use Luis Armstrong’s smart material as a base for most my textures. The set up is shown in case you want to recreate it yourself - which should be doable in any software as long as you can bake the relevant texture maps. I can share more about my process if there’s interest.

(Texture baking is also very useful in ‘adapting’ the multiple texture maps of modern PBR rendering into a diffuse that will look good in the Sims 2. For example, here is the original diffuse of this object, and here is my final texture.)

#ts2 #text #tutorial

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simbib · 5 months

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It's finally time!!!

Xmas has finally come and gone, and the time is here to FINALLY share my giant project with you all.

BEHOLD

THE FRUITS OF 200h OF LABOR

FULLY CUSTOM DICE BOXES!!!

Every single box was made completely from scratch, from flat sheets of balsa to the fully assembled beauties you see.

Each box was a gift and is hand bound in brown pleather to resemble a tome with custom covers based on the interests of my friends.

The boxes open from the center with two hinges, and both the right and left halves are equally deep so the boxes lay flat on a surface when opened. The interiors are lined with felt and have one large tray on the interior left hand side to roll the dice, and have six partitioned cubbies on the right hand side to store your dice in.

Since the boxes are equally deep on both halves, the dice would fall out if not protected, so the right hand side of the boxes each have a unique, inset wooden divider door that pressure fits on top of the dice cubbies, keeping them firmly shut when travelling or when the boxes are not in use. And, since the rolling tray is hollow, it can be used to store pens and paper or dice towers as well!

Most of the partition doors are secured to the inside of the box with a hinge made out of a folded over ribbon that is glued into a carved out hollow on the inside left edge of the doors. They also have magnets installed along the inside right edge that connect with small studs inside the dice trays to confirm they stay firmly shut. One of the doors has different fabric hinges, but those fell apart a bit quickly so I had to find a more secure way to attach them.

I'm immensely proud of how all these turned out. They came out almost exactly how I imagined them. I've learned so much while working on them, both about my own capabilities and tenacity but also just on the general construction of the boxes. The next one I make will be so much easier, and will probably be even better!

My only regret is that I gave all of them away- and didn't make one for myself!!

The creation of these boxes was inspired hugely by this amazing video by Kobold's Craft on youtube (with my own spin!):

youtube

I've added more details and more pictures of each box under the cut if you want to take a look 😃

1) The Tyranid Box

This box was made for one of my oldest friends. He's got a huge warhammer 40k army full of tyranids, so I themed his box to match his army! His was overall the easiest to create, because the vision was very clear to me from the start.

2) The Ork Box

This box was made for another close friend, who is my fellow DM for our shared TTRPG group. He recently was inspired by my Tyranid friend to start a warhammer army, and since he didn't really have a paint scheme figured out for his army I winged it a little. This was the 2nd most challenging design, as the Orks by nature are very crude and don't really care much for beauty. How do you show their chaotic nature while creating something beautiful? But I think it worked out well!

3) The Tarot Box

This box also came together quite nicely, and was gifted to a friend I reconnected with when I moved to my new city. He usually plays casters and elves in DnD, so I wanted the book to feel like an oracle/high fantasy/tarot inspired fancy spell-caster's tome, while maintaining his playful nature by making the interior Portal themed. The cover for this box took me by FAR the longest, as the hand stitching was very complex.

4) The Music Box

This one was another clear yet challenging design. This is one for my DnD crew, and I knew he liked audio engineering and music, so the cover was clear cut. The interior door was also an easy one, but when it was done I felt it was much too plain... when I shared my predicament with a coworker, she suggested that since he played a bard, I should add some arcane symbols on the door! It was just what was needed to tie this box together, and I'm really happy with the end result!

5) The Druid Box

This one was probably the most difficult to design, mostly because this was designed based on the character this DnD friend was playing at the time (and is playing still). The character is an elf druid who is high all the time and let me tell you the urge to make the cut out on the inside a marijuana leaf was astronomical. But I wanted the box to be a bit more versatile so I went with some puppy paw prints instead, since he has a dog!

6) The Faerie Box

While all the boxes were mostly assembled at the same time, any box that I needed to do some experimentation on I did it with this box. This one was given to a friend I made in my new city. I'm really happy with this one, and they were happy to receive it as well!

And there you have it!

That was my huge project! I'm glad I came across that dice box video by Kobold's Craft since it provided me with the method to the madness.

I poured my heart and soul (and blood and tears and. lots of blood. i cut myself often) into these books and everyone was super happy with them.

I learned so much and I can't wait to make some more- with all the knowledge that I gained from these!

The time breakdown is roughly as follows: - 60h to cut, glue, sand, stain and assemble the boxes - 50h to hand sew the embroidery on all the boxes - 20h to add the felt interiors - 20h to paint all the boxes - 30h to design, carve, sand, stain, paint, cure and assemble the cubby doors - 20h of research, design, purchasing and various other things I needed to do lol

I'm thinking of making a tutorial video on how to make these... 🤔

Stay tuned! Happy new year!!

#SIMBIB #stuff i make because i'm bored #dice box #dnd #dungeons and dragons #dice tray #5e #custom #craft #art #diy #unique #dice #storage #spell tome #tome #Youtube

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maxyvert · 1 year

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I do traditional art as well, though I still have a lot to learn about illustration (I was trained in fashion illustration). Do you have any tips for what media to use/what your process looks like?

Hi! I'll combine the answers with your other question: It depends what would you like to improve. Practicing that you feel you lack or that you're interested in always help. You can gather your fav works from artists and try to describe what you like about them then experiment.

Actually I don't know a lot about illustrations, I studied visual representation and animation. Tho we did learn about composition and color theory which are very important. Tbh I usually just wing it, making sketches until it looks acceptable to me :')

As for what media to use, something you already know or like or it can be something you always wanted to try. I'm using watercolors and anilinky now,but before that for years I only used colored pencils. Those drawings were more detailed,but more time consuming to make. Watercolors are easier to use for me, and still can be detailed.You can add a lot of effect with things like salt or simply just pressing a tissue on the wet surface. It's also fun to use markers like Copic/Touch for creating softer textures, finer gradients and acrylic pens like Posca/Pilot for creating bigger color patches. Depends what you're going for. I usually combine these tools on my drawings. If you have the chance try to experiment with more tools, you don't have to stick to one :)

The process (under the cut, because this will be pretty long)

- thumbnail/colored sketch (it helps a lot!!!)

-sketch on watercolor paper

-lineart

-then I like putting the main colors on first, with inks. This also helps to improve the picture as a whole instead of getting lost in the details

-main colors but now with watercolor, one by one. If there's something blue then I just paint all of the blues then go for the next color. Sometimes I start detailing and texturing here (like in this one, I overdid the background xD)

-details! textures! shadows!

-now the watercolor part should be done

-time for some extra details with colored or watercolor pencils/markers/posca and white gel pen

-lastly, don' forget to sign your work!

I hope I answered your questions. This became pretty long :'D

#ask #traditional art #asks #i also hope it wasnt overwhelming or generic #tbh practicing is the only way to improve #and experimenting to find what you like

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lo-kom · 6 months

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Bag screenprints

1st image- prototypes/tests on canvas material. This was probably when this more dense print came out the best. Afterwards with the thicker grey fabric the image started to breakdown quite quickly.

2nd image- testing my screenprints on a very thin fabric. The image came out very crisp and I was happy with the level of detail that came through the screen.

4th and 5th image- first full-scale screenprint. As I moved to the thicker fabric it became more important that I perfected my technique- making sure I flooded the screen in one go. Applying the right level of pressure when printing for the full image to transfer completely, lining up print correctly so that one print blends into the next, and doing all of this in as little time as possible to avoid the paint drying out etc. The more I repeated the process the better I got at gauging things eg. the right amount of paint needed to print vs when I needed to add more, how I could use the shadow cast by the image on the screen before it had been flooded to help me adjustment the alignment, how much paint needed to be on the screen in order to fully the flood the mesh etc. I also developed my own methods to achieve crisper prints, such as adding a bit more than a 50:50 ratio of textile medium, or adding water to avoid the paint drying off so fast, using a hairdryer in between layers to make sure paint was fully dry before I added a new layer with a different colour etc etc.

First grey fabric screenprints- Even though I had already tried printing on different fabrics quite a lot I wasn't really prepared for how the paint would react with thicker waxed cotton material. Especially with the fabric being waxed which meant that the paint was never entirely absorbed into the fabric but kind of just sat on the surface.

Later on, as I printed the first full-scale bag design I was trying to repeat-print my image onto textiles and the paint began to dry. I had to wash my screen to tackle this however, in between washes I realised some of the emulsion was rubbing off my screen, making my images far more blurred. I think this was an issue particularly because this image was so dense, so it felt like the print was almost decaying the more I printed onto my fabric.

Later on I found out that I could mitigate this issue by trying to avoid washing the screen as frequently, but I also made my monogram designs a lot larger, which meant that even if the emulsion did come off slightly when the screen was washed, it wouldn't be enough to lose much of the detail in the print.

Red large-scale screenprint on grey cotton- my second attempt at printer on a larger scale. This series of prints went far better and I was able to achieve a much greater level of detail. In part this came from what I had learnt about not cleaning the screen too regularly when it does dry, but this was also to do with the fact that the images I exposed on my screens were far larger in size, so the lines in the images came out a lot clearer.

Last image- a third potential bag design I ended up developing. In the end I went with the previous design because I think it was easier to understand that the images used were themselves referencing the market and so the audience gets a bit of a clearer understanding of the self-referentiality of the design.

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fabulivonline · 1 year

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The Pros And Cons Of Owning Wood Cabinets - What You Need To Know

Wood is the classic choice of material to use when manufacturing cabinets. It isn't as durable as other materials, but it's still quite durable. The durability and beautiful look of wood make it a popular choice for cabinets. If you have never been exposed to this material before, let me tell you about it because its benefits are endless! In this blog, we would like to give you a brief overview of wood cabinets and their advantages and disadvantages.

Types of Wood used in Cabinets

Wood cabinets are a great way to add style and elegance to your home. They also have their unique advantages. Wood is a natural material that can be used in many different ways, making it one of the most versatile materials available.

However, nowadays Wood cabinets are available in many different types of woods, including maple, oak, pine, and mahogany. Each type of wood has its unique character and characteristics that make it suitable for use in cabinet construction.

Here are a few things you should know about the different types of wood used in cabinet construction, such as;

Solid woods:

These are the most common and durable. They can be used for kitchen and dining room cabinets, bedroom cabinets, bathroom cabinets, and entertainment centers. In some cases, solid wood is used to make furniture as well.

Particle boards:

These are made from a combination of wood fibers that are bonded together with a resin binder. Particle board is lightweight and inexpensive but it doesn't hold up well over time or when exposed to moisture or heat.

Red Oak:

Oak is one of the most popular woods used in cabinet making because it's durable, strong, and resistant to moisture. It's also easy to work with and relatively inexpensive compared to other woods. However, red oak tends to darken over time so it will eventually turn a brownish color.

White Oak:

White oak is one of the most common woods used in cabinets because it's very durable and resistant to moisture. It also has a nice finish that makes it easy to stain or paint without having to sand down or apply varnish afterward. White oak may darken over time depending on how often you work with it; however, this does not affect its strength or durability at all!

Bamboo:

Bamboo is a very popular choice when it comes to building cabinets because it's lightweight, eco-friendly, and affordable. It's also very durable and can be painted or stained to match any other interior design elements you may have in your home.

Cherry:

Cherry is another popular choice for cabinetry because it has beautiful colors that complement most décor styles. It's also relatively easy to work with and can be stained or painted without harming its natural beauty or durability.

MDF:

MDF stands for medium-density fiberboard and it's made from recycled materials like paper or corrugated cardboard. It has a similar appearance to particle board but it's more durable and easier to clean than particle board. MDF can be found in both pre-finished and unfinished styles so you can choose between a light or dark finish depending on your decorating style or tastes.

Pros of Owning Wood Cabinets

Wood is an inherently beautiful material. It’s warm and inviting, and it’s also strong, durable, and versatile. There are countless ways to use wood in your home. It can be used as a surface for your furniture (and even as the body of your furniture), or you can use it for the walls of your home.

While many people think of wood as a natural material, there are a lot of things that can be done with it to modify its look. For example, if you want to make your home look like it was built by hand, then you may want to choose stained or painted wooden cabinetry instead of plain white cabinets or other types of furniture.

Another benefit of owning wood cabinets is that they have a unique look that blends well with other architectural details in your home. You might not always want to match them exactly but rather have unique elements that help define different areas in your house such as an entryway or living room area where you can place some wooden furniture pieces that will accentuate the space while still allowing room for entertaining guests or entertaining yourself!

Cons of Owning Wood Cabinets

Wood cabinets are susceptible to damage from moisture, so they need to be sealed and protected from scratches and other damage. If you have wood cabinets in your home, you're going to want to keep them looking nice and new. There is a lot that can go wrong with wooden cabinets though, so it's important to know what not to do.

Wood tends to expand and contract with temperature changes. This means that if you place items on top of the cabinet, they could easily fall through the gaps between the boards. If you use your cabinet for storage or as a surface for placing things on top of it, this can cause issues down the road.

It also requires constant maintenance to keep it looking good. If you don't clean it regularly, dirt and debris will build up over time and make your wood look old and dirty. You can prevent this by using a soft cloth or spray cleaner regularly.

Maintenance Tips for Wood Cabinets

Wood cabinets are a great way to update your home. They can add elegance and style, while also being durable and maintenance-free. However, wood cabinets do require some care. Here are some tips on how to maintain wood cabinets:

Keep it Clean:

Wood is a porous material, so it collects dust and debris very easily. Regularly clean the wood with a damp cloth or vacuum cleaner to remove dust and grime. Wood can also get scratched by sharp objects like knives or forks, so keep these items away from the surface when cleaning.

Use Proper Cleaners:

If your wood cabinets are damaged beyond repair, you may have to replace them with new ones. Before replacing them, though, make sure that you use the proper cleaners for each type of wood used in the cabinet doors. You can find specific instructions for cleaning each type of wood on the manufacturer's website or product packaging instructions. For example, if you have oak cabinets, you should use an oil-based cleaner since this type of wood tends to absorb water easily (especially if it gets wet). If you have maple cabinets, then use a solvent-based cleaner since this type of wood does not absorb moisture well (which makes it easier for stains to stick).

Use a soft cloth or damp rag to wipe down the cabinet surface:

You will want to wipe down your wood cabinets with a soft cloth or damp rag. This is important because you do not want water stains on your wood cabinets. Wood is an organic material and it absorbs moisture from the air. When you clean your wood cabinets, you want to make sure that there are no water spots or stains left behind from cleaning the cabinet surface with a dry rag.

Do not use harsh chemicals such as bleach or ammonia on wood cabinets:

Wood cabinets are the perfect decorative accent for your kitchen. They add warmth and texture, but they can also be a bit of a pain to keep clean. You may have heard that you should never use harsh chemicals on wood cabinets, such as bleach or ammonia. This is true for most products, but it’s even more important when cleaning your wood cabinets.

The reason that harsh chemicals should be avoided is that they can damage the finish of your wood cabinet, which will eventually lead to water spots and other issues down the road. If you are concerned about your cabinets looking new again, consider using a non-acidic cleaner like Dawn or Comet instead of harsh chemicals such as bleach or ammonia.

Conclusion

Wood cabinets are a great way to add aesthetic value to your home. They can also be very functional for storing and displaying your things. There are many different types of wood cabinets available, but which one is best for you depends on your needs.

An uncomplicated wood cabinet will serve just fine if all you're searching for is a way to organize your kitchen. However, if you like a more upscale appearance or storage solutions that go beyond the fundamentals, you might want to think about getting bespoke cabinets constructed out of different materials like glass or stainless steel.

#wooden cabinet #wood cabinets

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protechdetailingaz · 1 year

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How Can Ceramic Coating Extend the Life of Your Car's Paint?

Have you ever wanted to give your car's paint a longer life? If so, consider using the ceramic coating in phoenix. Ceramic coating is a nano-coating applied directly on your car's exterior and can provide several benefits for the paint. In this blog post, we'll explore how ceramic coating in Phoenix works and how it can help extend the life of your car's paint.

What Is Ceramic Coating?

Ceramic coating in Phoenix is a semi-permanent nano-coating applied directly onto your vehicle's exterior. It helps protect the paint from UV rays, dirt, debris, and other elements that can damage the finish over time. This protection also makes it easier to keep your vehicle clean because dirt will not stick as quickly as it would if there was no protective coating.

The Benefits of Ceramic Coating in Phoenix

Using ceramic coating on your car has several advantages. First, it provides an extra layer of protection from environmental factors such as UV rays and water. Additionally, the ceramic coating in Phoenix adds a beautiful glossy finish to your car, making it stand out from the rest. It also helps reduce scratches and swirl marks on the surface while making it easier to wash away dirt and grime with less effort. This step means less time spent maintaining your vehicle's exterior, so you can enjoy more time driving around in style.

Finally, ceramic coatings are long-lasting and easy to apply. Once applied, they can last up to five years, depending on how well they are maintained and taken care of. Even when they do start to wear off, they can be reapplied without much hassle or cost—unlike traditional waxes, which need to be reapplied every few months or so—which means you won't have to worry about constantly spending money on touch-ups or maintenance work for your car's paint job!

How Does Ceramic Coating Work to Protect Your Car's Paint Job From the Elements?

The ceramic coating in Phoenix protects your car by creating a barrier between the paint and harmful environmental factors. It helps block UV rays, water, dirt, debris, and other elements that can damage the finish over time. Additionally, it also helps reduce scratches and swirl marks on your vehicle's surface, making it easier to wash away dirt and grime with less effort. The ceramic coating in Phoenix also adds a beautiful glossy finish to your car, making it stand out from the rest!

What are Some Things to Look for When Choosing Ceramic Coating in Phoenix?

When looking for a ceramic coating in Phoenix to use on your car's paint job, you should consider a few things. First and foremost, ensure the product is of good quality and has been tested and proven to work. Additionally, please ensure the company you choose provides detailed instructions on applying the product and maintaining it safely. Finally, ensure the product comes with a warranty in case something goes wrong during the application or needs any repairs down the road.

In conclusion, ceramic coating in Phoenix can significantly protect your car's paint job from environmental factors and make it stand out from the rest. It provides extra protection from UV rays, dirt, debris, and other elements that can damage the finish over time. Additionally, it adds a glossy finish to your car, which makes it look fabulous and last longer. If you want to make sure your car's paint job looks great for years to come, using ceramic coating in Phoenix is an option you should consider.

How Often Should You Have Your Car's Paint Job Treated with Ceramic Coating to Get the Most Protection Out of It Possible - Is There a Time frame or Mileage Limit That Applies?

The frequency of how often you should have your car's paint job treated with the ceramic coating in Phoenix will depend on how often it is exposed to environmental factors that can damage the paint. Generally, you should consider having your car's paint job re-treated with ceramic coating every 6 months; however, if it is exposed to harsher elements more regularly, it may need to be treated more often. Additionally, it would be best to consider how long the ceramic coating has been on your car's paint job. If it has been on for over a year, it will likely need to be re-treated to get the most protection possible. Lastly, if you have any questions or concerns about how often you should have your car's paint job treated with ceramic coating in Phoenix, it is best to consult a professional for the best advice.

Will Applying Ceramic Coating to Car's Paint Void My Warranty in Any Way or Affect the Resale Value Down the Line If I Choose to Sell It Later?

Applying a ceramic coating in Phoenix to your car's paint job should not void your warranty or affect the resale value if you choose to sell it later. Generally, ceramic coatings are designed to protect and even enhance vehicle finishes without causing any damage to them. Most manufacturers also offer warranties that cover their products as long as they are correctly applied and maintained according to their instructions. Therefore, using a ceramic coating in Phoenix for your car's paint job should not void your warranty or affect the resale value down the line if you choose to sell it later.

Conclusion

Ceramic coatings in Phoenix are an excellent way to extend the life of your car's paint job while giving it a beautiful glossy finish that will make heads turn! They provide superior protection against environmental factors such as UV rays and water while helping reduce scratches and swirl marks on the surface for easy cleaning. These coatings are long-lasting and easy to apply, so you won't have to worry about constant upkeep or expensive touch-ups to keep your vehicle looking its best! So if you're looking for a way to give your ride an added boost in style and performance, consider investing in ceramic coatings in Phoenix today!

#Ceramic Coating

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raymondcollins · 2 years

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If you're thinking about a property development undertaking, you most likely have questions and truly feel doubtful. Exactly what is anything goes wrong? Nicely, this post includes may possibly guidelines to help you on the way. It can tell you the best way to very easily stay away from mistakes and acquire achievement when saving time and expense.

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cheek93maher · 2 years

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When preparing to create enhancements on your home, it would be intelligent to have the most information and facts feasible about property improvements. You do not have to be a carpenter to follow along with the tips presented in the following article. The following tips are simple to stick to and can help you reach your goals in enhancing your house.

It's important to do makeovers which add value to your property. A very individualized renovation may not entice potential buyers, so the fee for your job is probably not worth it. Age group your brand-new walls paneling a few days just before setting it up. New paneling is generally stored at the factory in big tightly compressed stacks. When the person pieces are pulled from these piles and in contact with area moisture they at times decrease. Supplying an getting older period of time of some days and nights at home will keep you from suffering the results in the shrinkage. Any home remodeling project intensive sufficient to involve opening a house's walls needs to include newer and more effective electrical wiring for present day electronics. Even though the cutting edge of great-tech has moved to wifi laptop or computer networking, introducing important Ethernet electrical wiring to your property increases community stability, provides additional comfort and increases resale benefit. Keep tabs how a lot you would spend on your own renovations. It really is simple to nickel and dime oneself with small particulars and never understand simply how much you may have totaled. An easy spreadsheet or budgeting resource will help you keep track of this all details. It will be easier at taxation time too, in order to get all the deductions you are entitled to. home remodeling company St Louis Park enough to include starting a house's wall surfaces should include new cabling for contemporary gadgets. Even though the leading edge of great-technology has moved on to wifi personal computer network, adding important Ethernet electrical wiring to your residence boosts network stability, offers extra comfort and enhances resale value. One particular fantastic thing to consider performing when you're enhancing your house is to add solar panels. The initial outlay could be a little costly, but over the long term this can be an incredibly beneficial investment. This lowers your electricity bills because of kept vitality. That's why this natural answer is a superb method to satisfy your home's energy needs. In relation to redecorating, the first questions that you need to contemplate is if you plan on promoting the house shortly. If the reply is sure, then all you do must be entirely to market the value of your home emphasis only on the vital maintenance things along with the places with top exposure. In case you are not offering quickly, then you will get more leeway to design in a fashion that is much more beneficial in your own style. In the event the closets in your house are certainly not huge, it might be a good idea to work with coordinators if you are trying to sell your property. Doing so can make the cabinets in your home seem to be much larger and lots of customers will get around homes that have too little place. To make a built-in show situation for the preferred china, glassware, or elaborate touches, think about taking away a number of cabinet doorways through your cooking area kitchen cabinetry, or swap a couple of solid cabinet doors with glass entrance doors. The within the case could be painted, and you could very easily add accent lighting effects to make the spot a vital major region. When preparing home improvements, one has to take into account the environment and predominant nearby conditions before selecting a project. For instance, creating a deck in a location that generally activities higher winds may not be smart. If the renovation is not going to go well with the environment circumstances, the restoration will not be useful. When you find yourself thinking of doing any redecorating, it is best to take into account the landscape design. Landscape design on your own home's front grass is often the very first impact people get when coming to your house. As well as, it is possible to actually win over other people through the neatest lawn about the prohibit. Clip the grass and style landscape designs that has both flowering plants and shrubs to produce the very best hunting grass in the city. Consult with your local electrical and/or petrol company to ascertain if you might be entitled to a grant to weatherize your property. In the fascination of preserving electricity, your heating and air conditioning business may protect your attic, weatherstrip your doors and windows and also change your historic heating and air conditioning method. Take the time to inquire! Doing redecorating jobs is something you can achieve oneself with some hard work, passion, and imagination. Obviously, even experts acquired from someplace, so that you can also. Make use of the over assistance and you will discover the best way to turn out to be experienced at creating your property charming.

#home remodeling company St Louis Park

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not-wholly-unheroic · 3 years

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A Collection of “Oops, We Goofed!” Moments with Captain Hook

When you’ve watched the films as often as I have and move in circles with other obsessed Disney fans, you start to notice little details that most casual fans don’t pick up on, including the occasional goof-up by the animators. Here are a few of the best ones that I’ve either found or had pointed out to me for your enjoyment. Feel free to add more if you like.

“Looks like they’re headed for Skull Rock.”

Uh… You sure about that, Peter? Because last time I checked, Skull Rock was in the other direction. Seriously, let’s look at this a bit closer. Here’s the image of Hook and Smee with Tiger Lily as they go past the lagoon:

And here’s the map of Neverland we see when Hook first shows up on screen.

In the first film, we only ever see the ship moored at Cannibal Cove (later known as the Pirate’s Cove). So it makes sense that that would be his starting position. If we assume Hook had to go by the village after leaving the ship to grab Tiger Lily, it would make sense for him to take the route shown in yellow. If he takes this route, he won’t even pass by the lagoon. Now if we assume he had already captured Tiger Lily and brought her back to the ship before leaving, the most direct route (shown in red) has him going past the lagoon…but in the opposite direction. The blue arrow shows the actual path we see him taking in film. Seriously, Hook, where are you going? You guys just paddling circles around the island for the fun of it?? The only reasons I can think of as to why the animators might have kept Hook coming into the scene from the wrong direction are (1) They didn’t want to be TOO on the nose with Hook’s “Washington Crossing the Delaware” pose and so switched up the angle from the original painting, or (2) the villain traditionally enters the stage from the left side, so they decided to have him come in from that direction. Either way, every time I see this scene now I’m cackling at the thought of Hook just having Smee row around the island in circles because he can.

“Oh no, John! It was the left hand.”

In Barrie’s story, it’s the right hand but Disney thought it would be easier to animate if it was the left hand (since most people are right handed). However…there are a few scenes where they mess up. Like this one:

That awkward moment when you go underwater with the left hand missing, have it switch to the right while swimming back to the surface, then have it suddenly change back to the left again.

Or this one….

Which hand is it again, Disney? Are you sure you know??

Bonus points for that one scene in House of Mouse where the animators literally forgot for a second that the dude named Captain Hook has a hook for a hand.

…Whoops! (Look, ma! Both hands!)

This isn’t meant to seriously pick on the animators by any means. We all make mistakes and sometimes they slip through the cracks when we’re revising…some of those mistakes just happen to be funnier than others.

#captain hook disney #disney peter pan #disney #disney villains #house of mouse #return to neverland #Disney bloopers #Disney goofs #bloopers #goofs #mistakes #Captain Hook #captain James hook #James hook

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hanibalistic · 3 years

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#FBB2F3 | LEE FELIX.

genre | bittersweet, nostalgic fluff

word count | 2589

warning | none

tag | @fluffyskzclub

note | very easily could have been chan, but i wanted to write about lixie!!!

the paint on the brush splattered on the classroom floor after felix playfully nudged you with his feet. you groaned before regaining your balance, carefully hoisting yourself back on your kneeling position. your glare was paired by his light-hearted snickers.

"lix, either help me or go home," you said as you pointed the colorful end of the paintbrush at him threateningly. you pouted when he stood unfazed, smiling down at you with amusement. "i really need to finish this by tomorrow. everyone is counting on me!"

he took a step back when you returned your attention to the banner-sized canvas, adding more detail to the seemingly finished product. tilting his head, he admired the decorative artwork with both intrigue and cluelessness.

it was something his non-artistic self could have never done on his own, which was why the painting looked so grand to him, but he also couldn't understand why it wasn't finished yet when there was no more blank canvas left on the surface.

you obviously wanted to add more to the painting, but he couldn't see what there was to add that would make it less or more appealing. in the end, it would just look the same to him, so why couldn't you pack everything up so you two could finally go home?

looking up at the opened windows, felix sighed as he watched the orange sun slowly fade back into the mountains. he wanted to go home, but he had no plans to leave you alone at school at this hour, nor did he want you to walk home alone, so supposed he would have to stick with you and your endeavor for now.

"what do you need help with?" he asked as he took his hands out of his pockets and knelt next to you, accessing the painting with unease. "i might mess up."

"you're not touching the painting," you said as you reached over for the plastic color wheel and handed it to felix.

his eyes followed your hands—boxes of paint, a jar of dirty water, a paper of abandoned colors, and a spiky brush. after setting them around him, you reached for your bag on the chair nearby and pulled out your notebook from the thin gap of your heavy textbooks.

felix raised his brows when you leaned over to him, flipping the pages of your notebook before stopping at a messy page. he saw circles and circles of colors, lined up together in a way that looked like detailed instructions but also a disorganized brainstorm map. his gaze moved from the notebook to the color wheel, utterly clueless.

"do you see number three, eight, and twenty-five? mix those colors for me," you instructed, pointing briefly at the paper before dropping it before his knees and turning back to the painting. "make sure they look like the ones in the notebook but a little more vibrant!"

felix nodded as a soft, confused hum of an agreement left his lips. he gripped the paintbrush in his hand, his shaky eyes glancing at the colors on your notebook and the lines of acrylic paint.

a gentle fear shook upon his ground when he was shifting through the colors. he could not tell the difference between the first red paint and the seventh one, but they had different names so they must be two kinds of red. putting his shrunken hand next to his face, felix licked his lower lip with concentration, thinking that if he stared at the colors long enough they would appear different to his eyes.

they did not.

giving up, he glanced up at you in preparation to ask for your advice, but he stopped when he saw that you were putting your utmost attention to the painting. with softened eyes, he decided to bother you at a later time—

"uh, haha, no," you interrupted the trip down memory lane with a sharp chuckle, and you looked up at felix with a sneer. "that was not how it went."

felix tossed his much longer hair away from his face with shy laughter. his short ponytail bounced slightly and his side fringes framed his sharp face. shoving his hands further down the pockets of his coat, he jutted his lower lip out and shrugged, "that was how i remembered it though."

"then you have bad memories," you scoffed, "you kept bothering me about the colors that i ended up telling you to just step aside and wait for me."

"i was not bothering you!"

"yes, yes you were."

"i was–ack! i was being thorough!" he retorted, throwing his arm out and waving his finger at you. there was a flustered smile on his face; he was looking like he could remember everything but was purposefully making things up. your chest felt light seeing it.

"remember how you told me your entire class depended on you to win the class board contest? how, like, they will literally kill you if you mess up?" he exclaimed.

you furrowed your brows in exaggerated horror, placing a hand on your chest and leaning back slightly to further state your surprise. "i never said that!"

"you never?"

"no!"

"was it just me?" felix questioned himself with a scratch of his head, taking shallow breathes of thoughts as he turned away to look around the classroom he once studied in. taking notice of a familiar corner, he raised his hand and pointed at the broken end of the door. "oh, they painted over the wall jisung scrubbed on."

you looked over instinctively and pouted.

of course they would. jisung had written profanities on that corner, after all. you weren't sure why he had done it then, but you remembered watching him get dragged by the ear to the principal's office and grimacing when you met eyes with him. who would have thought he became such an introverted and well-behaved boy now?

"i'm sure they changed a lot of things around these years," you said quietly as you walked through the narrow rows of the wooden desks.

the words jisung left on the wall, the rack of art supplies hyunjin always kept on the top cabinet shelf where the homework was stored, seungmin's neat handwriting being the first thing everyone sees on the blackboard whenever they walk into the classroom, and felix's school jacket he always dumped near the locker for easier access.

they were all gone. the presence of your youth has been erased.

"it has been a while since we came back," you finished off when you came across your old seat and you sat down.

it has been a while since you both came back to your high school, and it has been a while since you two went separate ways to pursue your careers. nothing physical has changed in these classrooms, but they no longer hold the scent of your old friends or the sights of your old classmates.

other people study here now, these classrooms are a foreign home now. as much as that irked you, you had to accept growing up.

felix pulled up the chair in front of you—the desk that belonged to him—and sat down facing the back of the chair. he propped his arms on the top rail and leaned his chin on his intertwined hands, staring at you.

the golden sun glossed over your faces, reflecting a younger light that made you gasp as it deceived your eyes with a newfound nostalgia, manually turning the gears in your head to make you see what you haven't seen in a long time.

felix's hair was black—black, short, and messy. you used to run your hands through them, especially when he was pouting from having trouble with finishing his literature homework. the teacher was the worst, he got unlucky to be stuck with them for a full year. it was thanks to your help, and the longevity of the lunch breaks, that he managed to survive.

instead of the turtleneck and coat, he wore the loose tie he never learned to properly tighten and his wrinkled uniform. his shirt was untucked because he couldn't be bothered. he would eventually fix it up, though, because he was scared of the discipline teacher. but, this was between him and himself only, compared to the discipline teacher he was more scared of you scolding him about his untidy uniform.

(funnily, there was nothing more he would purposefully chase after than your gentle nags back in the days.)

the freckles across his cheeks would be less visible. hyunjin used to have to cover it up for him because he wasn't confident about the way they looked on his face, but you remembered—you remembered how he had told you he loved it when you counted them, touched them, and kissed them as you sat on his lap.

he had told you he loved it.

he had told you he loved you back in high school, and you had said it back.

you remembered. under this blazing sun, the sun that never changed, the sun that only showed you the truth and what you secretly longed for, you remembered that you and felix were once in love.

"ah, this really brings back old memories," felix sighed dramatically with a smile. "we used to talk like this a lot. i remember being so uncomfortable sitting like this, but i wanted to talk to you so i kept sitting like this until the bell rings."

"what?" you scoffed, leaning back on your seat and raising a brow. "you should have just told me."

"i didn't want the ruin the flow of our conversations!" he said, then he propped his face on his fists like a flower. "besides, i used to think i look cool sitting like this, so i always sat like this when we chatted."

you gave him a faint eye-roll. you thought it was lame now, but back then having him turn as soon as the lunch bell rings and hearing your classmates coo teasingly at you two was the one thing you looked forward to in school, that was besides seeing felix, of course.

"well, it worked, didn't it?" you said. "you snatched me."

"i totally did." he laughed.

both of you didn't want to verbally acknowledge the fact that you two had been so madly in love back then that you would rather let silence fall over. it would have been awkward to talk about it after so long, even though you two had been very mature about the break-up and remained as loose friends afterward.

in an attempt to break the silence, you kicked your feet, reached out, and playfully ruffled his hair. felix was taken back by your sudden movement, his eyes widening in panic that you were messing up his hair as his hand immediately flew from his pocket to stop you.

"hey! i spent a long time on this ponytail!" he complained, frowning at your loud giggles at his misery.

"i'm sorry! it's just–" your eyes caught sight of a single run sitting on his fourth finger and you paused. there was a gentle pang in your chest as you tore your eyes away.

regaining your senses quickly, you removed your hand from his hair and sat back down, then you nudged your head over at his hand. "i see you got a promise ring there?"

felix hummed questioningly. he looked up at his hand, still trying to recover from the initial shock of your action, and he sighed with recognition when he realized what you meant. a smile blossomed over his face, a smile so bright and familiar that it made all your forbidden hope dissipate into the hole of your heart.

"yeah, i have a girlfriend," he said, wiggling his fingers. "we have been dating for a year now. i got it for our anniversary!"

you kept the smile on your face. you had gotten over the break-up a long time ago, but when the reality of moving on slapped you across the face like this, your heart churned in distaste anyway. felix was no longer yours, and you were not his—you accept that, you were just a tad bit upset.

"that's good! i'm still waiting for this boy to confess," you muttered with a glare of your eyes as you shifted on your seat. seeing the curious glint in felix's eyes, your thoughts swirled and suddenly your fondness for him faded to the back of your head. you sighed with a defeated smile at the new name in your head. "there is this boy at work–new guy, just a little younger than me–yang jeongin. he is so, so shy."

"i thought you don't like boys younger than you."

"he's an exception."

felix rolled his eyes and waved his hand. "alright. just don't scare him off, you can be intimidating. remember that time when a junior tried to ask you out and he chickened out the last minute–"

"uh, that was because i was dating you back then."

"no, he said it was because you looked like–"

"i know what he said, shut up!" you kicked him under the desk, bubbling a burst of laughter out of him as he stumbled.

after adjusting his position, felix patted his head to fix his hair before he crossed his arms and propped it on the top rail again. he looked at you seriously this time, but his eyes were caring and lovely. after all this time, he looked at you the same way—always, and you loved it all the same.

"does he treat you well?" he asked.

you pursed your lips into a thin smile and nodded. "mhm."

"good."

you glanced at him, wanting to ask your fair share of questions. is he happy? is he loved? is he being held? are his freckles being kissed, or is his hair being combed? is he nagged to take a rest, told that he is pretty? you kept your mouth shut.

the sun was setting into the mountains and the day was changing. the youthful light faded that your current-self once again resurfaced to sight, but just before the last trace of the sun died out in your classroom, you two gazed at each other, and it all went back to the wrinkled uniforms, the tousled hair, the old textbooks, and the shy intertwined hands.

back when felix was the only boy you kept in your heart.

the sun set, the light of his promise ring reflected in your eyes, and you felt a drop in your stomach that you ignored.

"i'm gonna go back and make sure jisung isn't causing a ruckus in the hall," you said as you stood up. "you coming back? dinner is about to start."

felix looked up at you and shook his head. "not yet, you can go first."

you shrugged and left the room with no questions asked. felix returned to the front when you left and he sighed at the worn-out desk before him.

he refused to think about the fluttering feeling in his tummy when you ruffled his hair and when he saw the younger version of you seated in front of him, but he knew for a moment there when he felt it, it was kind and warm, and he knew he missed it somehow.

he missed you, he used to, the only person he had kept in his heart.

tapping his finger, felix rolled his eyes.

"yang jeongin," he clicked his tongue, "pff." and he scoffed.

92 notes · View notes

cherrynojutsu · 3 years

Text

Title: Like Gold

Summary: Sasuke grapples with love and intimacy regarding his developing relationship with Sakura after returning to the village from his journey of redemption. Kind of a character study on Sasuke handling an intimate relationship after dealing with PTSD and survivor’s guilt in solitude for so long. Blank period, canon-compliant, Sasuke-centric, lots of fluff and pining, slowly becomes a smut fest with feelings.

Disclaimer: I did not write Naruto. This is a fan-made piece solely created for entertainment purposes.

Rating: M (eventual nsfw-ness)

AO3 Link - FF.net Link - includes beginning/ending author's notes

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Chapter 4/?: Soothe

Sasuke arrives outside her building shortly before seven in the morning, an ubiquitous aubade sung by birds, polished and practiced for many years, lilting into his ears along the way. The village for the most part is still slowly awakening from its slumber; no merchants in the streets yet, and he only passes a few people here and there as light slowly seeps higher into the sky.

He carefully pushes open the glass door of the exterior portion of her complex, making sure to keep it quiet in case her neighbors are still asleep. As he goes up the stairs, he notices that all of the downstairs tenants’ lights are on, emanating from beneath the trio of entryways. Once he reaches the upper landing, he sees that Sakura’s light is on, too, though her other two neighbors' are not.

The doors of each unit are all painted different colors. Hers is sage green; he hadn’t been able to discern that previously, with the desaturation that night brings.

He's wondering if maybe he should knock to let her know he’s here, but then she emerges a few minutes early, beautiful and bright-eyed and full of life, pale yellow sunshine coating her from the large window with diamond patterning behind him.

She seems pretty awake already; she must be an early riser. She's carrying her tote bag again, and today she wears a dark skirt with a red top, along with a familiar pair of knee-high sandals. She's also wearing a smile, directed upwards at him.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun," she acknowledges him softly, looking very happy to see him.

"...Morning." He keeps his voice low, because it is still a little hoarse. He tries to memorize her eyes again in the span of seconds before she turns to lock her door behind her.

It's 6:58 by the time they're out the glass door, her leading the way. They take the main road west a few blocks before turning to go north, this time. There are several more buildings that appear residential on her street. One of them has vines creeping up the sides, starting to bud after the warmer spring weather. He notes there is also a bakery on the corner, not open yet, but one that seems like the kind to also sell confections. He wonders if that factored into her apartment selection at all; he remembers she has a sweet tooth.

It is an easy silence they share on the walk there, bird calls lulling in as background noise again. There are more of them now, a more layered song than earlier, with a wider variety of voices filtering in and out.

Sakura leads them to a very small tea shop within five minutes of the hospital; it is quaint and simple, definitely not modern. It is also quite small, with only four or so small tables situated by windows, looking out towards the street. The entire establishment utilizes a spread of cinnamon-colored wood for its surfaces; floors, counters, and the shelving in the back, laden with neatly-labeled teas of several varieties in glass jars. He assumes the larger jars are store stock, with the smaller ones higher up on the shelves being available for purchase for use at home, if one decides they like a particular flavor enough.

He finds he likes the atmosphere. He figured he would. It's not a formal place, but rather one where you retrieve what you've ordered from the counter and can choose whether to stay or go. He supposes that makes sense; it’s closer to the busier part of the village. There appears to be a small area to the left of the counter where one can add cream, sugar, lemon, or honey, though he knows he won't. He vaguely remembers that she used to take lemon and sugar in her tea, and possibly cream, depending on the brew. Honey seems like something Sakura would like, too, now that he’s thinking about it.

He scans the menu briefly upon entering before deciding something hot with caffeine would probably be best. Sencha green tea is usually what he gravitates toward. He also enjoys black tea during cooler weather, and jasmine occasionally, though not often; it had been his mother’s favorite.

Once he orders, he says, "Hers, too," and glances back towards Sakura expectantly. She looks at him with a blush that rivals the color of her hair when she realizes he's offering to pay for hers.

"Oh! Um, lavender matcha. Hot, please."

His lips quirk upwards a little, because that is possibly the most Sakura thing she could have ordered.

It doesn’t take very long until it’s ready, as they’re not busy; they are the only ones there, thus far. He takes a sip while idling by the end of the counter as he watches her add honey and cream into hers, stirring carefully. It is one of the better blends of sencha he’s had, aside from a particular place nestled on the edge of the Land of Mountains, where he’s pretty sure the elderly woman who ran the place harvested the tea straight from her private garden. He had pilgrimaged there a total of five times on his journey, months scattered like the seasons in between.

It was an odd teahouse, more formal than this one and off the beaten path, not near any major landmarks, nor plotted on any map he’d seen before or after. The lady, who had wizened eyes of a crystal clear blue, slightly lighter in hue than Naruto’s, had served the brews in eclectic and sometimes chipped mugs and teacups, from which he had assumed after multiple visits must be a fairly vast collection. The china was different every time, but he had liked the tea itself so much he kept coming back, if he was anywhere near the area. Twice he had been the only customer there, the first two visits occurring during early morning hours, and there was something extremely cathartic about sitting at the table in the far corner, looking out the window as the sun rose higher in the sky until it no longer skimmed the horizon and the mountains in the distance.

The other three visits had occurred during the afternoon, so there had been at least one or two other people present, at those times. He had noticed that third time that other patrons were served out of much different teacups than he was; he had secretly suspected, after that, that the woman tried to match the stoneware from her collection to whatever she saw in her patrons.

There had been a father sitting with his daughter, who had looked to be around six or seven, on his third visit. The father’s teacup had been robust, solid with carved detail that appeared to have been created with something like a miniature chisel, and an earthenware glaze mix of green and russet, strangely looking similar to the color of seaweed. The daughter’s had been a smaller cup, dainty finery of opalescent sky blue, with a similar mother of pearl finish coating the inside. The girl had quickly drained her glass once she realized the inside was pretty, too; she had spent the rest of the time there in awe of its beauty, turning it in the light as her father watched with soft eyes, enjoying his own cup more slowly. Sasuke had thought it must have been an expensive teacup, not necessarily what you’d typically give a child that young, but the girl hadn’t chipped or broken it. Instead, she had been enamored by its beautiful finish, even more enthralled with the inside than she had been with the outside, and had handled it with great care.

He never saw the same cup twice, for him or any other customer there. He had hoped by the third and fourth time that this was a good sign, that it meant progress. Once he figured it out, he wished he’d examined the first two cups, near five months apart, with greater care; he had thought there might have been a lesson there he had missed. His first teacup, from what he remembered, had been rather plain: rounded, no handle, slightly hard to grip, a shiny black glaze with a burnt orange rim. The second time, he’d been served the sencha in another black piece of china, though this one must have been fired differently; there was no glaze at the very bottom of the outer portion of the vessel, bare toasted clay in an oatmeal color. Carved designs on the outer portion of the piece had nearly melted glaze off it, allowing for the viewer to see the true color of the clay body beneath, creating an effect of brushstrokes in the third dimension, rippling out of the darkness. That one had had a chip at the top, but it hadn’t compromised the structural integrity of the piece, and was easily avoided simply by sipping from the undamaged side.

The third cup had taken him off guard in its uniqueness, and is what had caused him to look to the girl and her father. He had analyzed theirs, and then his own cup closely for a long time that day, thinking. Still no handle, but it had been a bit more narrow, as well as taller, easier to grip. The glaze design was fascinating, a thick glossy black base coat overlaid with a strange dissolving mixture of sapphire and indigo. It had reminded him of a night sky in the middle of nowhere, tiny amounts of galaxy blues and violets barely visible to the naked eye in their sheer scope and complexity. The glaze itself also only covered around two thirds of the vessel, at an asymmetrical angle, with the remaining half left unglazed, as if it hadn’t dripped down to be fully covered yet because the artist had liked the way it looked as is.

When he went back for a fourth cup several months later, the lady had given him an entirely too knowing look, and served his tea in a somewhat misshapen mug, this time with a handle. The handle was awkward, too small, and slightly malformed; the mug’s overall shape seemed as though it may have been an artist’s first attempt, shoddily trimmed and uneven in many places. The glaze design itself was mesmerizing, though, something like a gradient this time, shifting from splattering black to sepia to a lighter color, akin to the inside of a water chestnut. It was almost as if the cup had been constructed by a beginner and then drenched in magisterial color by a master. The sencha had tasted just as good from that cup as it had from any of the others, despite the challenge of grasping it with any semblance of comfort.

The last cup had been only a few months ago: well-designed, with a near perfect handle, easy to hold. The foot and interior of the mug was a smoky gray, well-trimmed, but the exterior body of it was a white raku crackle, twisting patterns of scale-like ivory and black outlines, small dots sprinkled in between where the unevenness of the heat must have interfered in the firing process.

When he reached the very bottom of the vessel, having finished his tea, it had been gilded gold, metallic and astonishingly bright, catching the light of the sun coming through the farthest window, where he sat in the corner alone.

He had sat there staring at it for the better portion of an afternoon. It was a peculiar artistic choice.

This sencha is good, too, he thinks as he takes another sip, here with Sakura, also at a table in the farthest corner, looking out another window. Herbaceous, earthy, and light, and in a cup that matches hers. It feels cleansing on his sore throat, corrosion, not too hot but not lukewarm, either; a rather perfect medium between mellow and astringent. It is a nice way to greet the break of day.

“Thank you, Sasuke-kun," she murmurs, after they’ve been seated for a few seconds.

He nods; she’s still flushed as she says it. He can see it better now, in the bright light of the window. He takes another sip, and continues to enjoy looking at her.

“How is yours?” She asks.

“...I like it.” He considers his next words. “You didn’t add lemon.”

Her lips quirk upward, dimple appearing. “It doesn’t go the best with the lavender. They only have this kind on hand for the springtime.” She pauses, then adds, “I still put lemon in pretty much all my tea, otherwise.”

Sasuke inclines his head again, and she takes another sip.

They sit there for a while in a comfortable silence, watching more of the village wake up and people pass by from the window, on their way to work and other responsibilities. There are two small birds across the street, perched on the awning over an apartment building’s entrance. Finches, he deduces by their plumage and size. Perhaps they are looking for a mixture of materials with which to build a nest.

“It’s a good place to just sit and watch, in the morning,” Sakura mentions after a while, still looking out the window contentedly.

“...Is that your favorite thing about it?”

She meets his eyes, then, and smiles. “One of them.”

He looks at her expectantly, so she continues. “The tea itself is good. It’s close to the hospital, and I like... “ Her voice trails off, and she glances over at the station where she added cream and honey, lips still turned upwards. “I like that they don’t overfill the cup; it makes it easier to add what it needs.”

A ghost of a smile overtakes him. Practical, as always.

Sasuke finds himself contemplating what kind of teacup the elderly lady would give Sakura, if he took her there.

XXX

"You're a little on the skinny side for your height, now," Sakura notes as she writes down his information on the form he's given her, stepping off the scale; 163 pounds. "Not unhealthy, necessarily, but you should try to put on some weight."

They are at the hospital, in an exam room this time instead of her office. Her voice has shifted to something more professional, and Sasuke knows he is now with Sakura the clinician, though her affection is still an undercurrent in the way she's looking at him carefully with warm eyes. She’s already measured his height, and has his paperwork from his last physical to compare it to; apparently he’s grown another two inches since then.

He hopes he’s done growing, in that regard. It doesn’t seem likely that she’ll grow any taller; she’s twenty now, and they already have a considerable height difference. He doesn’t know how tall she is, exactly. He must hover over her by at least six or seven inches.

"Okay," He responds, because he trusts her judgment. Being away and mulling on his failures never gave him much of an appetite. Being back in Konoha hasn't much either, so far, but he can try. “How much?”

She looks somewhat surprised that he asked. “160 to 196 pounds is considered a normal range for six feet; I’d start with ten, and then evaluate from there.”

He nods. Her eyes linger on him, as if she’s contemplating saying something more. When she turns to set down her clipboard and grab the cuff typically used to measure blood pressure, he thinks she must have decided against it, whatever it was. He goes to sit in the patient’s chair, familiar with the routine at this point. He's gotten a physical near every year of his life that he’s spent in Konoha.

She sits on the wheeled chair that’s next to the desk, rolling it closer to him. He extends his right arm, and as she carefully adjusts the cuff, she tells him, tone casual, “You’ve got an inch on Naruto, now.”

There is a very stupid and juvenile part of him that takes immense satisfaction in this news, but she doesn’t look like she’s finished speaking yet. He waits for the rest.

She smiles apologetically. “He’s got about fifteen pounds on you, though. There’s some motivation for you.”

He pins her with a pointed stare, unimpressed but also a little amused. Motivation, indeed.

Her expression turns somewhat guilty, now. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist. I did his about a month ago; he came back from a mission with a cracked rib, and it needed to be updated.”

She starts increasing the pressure, and he suddenly becomes aware that she is closer to him than before, by the nature of the operation of the equipment. He had become aware of her physical proximity at roughly this point in the exam the last time, too.

He’s thankful it doesn’t seem to affect his blood pressure. “105 over 70; good,” she concludes, before reaching to remove the cuff from his arm. Her fingertips make brief contact with his skin, this time, and he has to fight an urge to shiver, even though they’re warm.

She picks up her pen to input this information in the appropriate slot, then sets it aside and puts away the cuff. When she turns back to him, she says, “Heart rate is next. Hold out your wrist, please.”

He holds out his right arm again, letting his elbow rest on the surface of the desk this time. Both of her hands come to grip his single one, lightly and carefully feeling for his pulse. He tries to hold very still, and to not think about how soft her hands are. He distracts himself by preoccupying his gaze with the clock on the wall behind her. It feels like a very long thirty seconds, though he knows by watching the hand tick that it’s actually not.

She doesn’t vocalize what the number is, just removes her hands finally and reaches for the pen to fill it in on the paper. He wonders if it was elevated.

“Heart and lungs next.” She reaches for the stethoscope, positioning it in her ears before leaning in to listen to his heart first, over his shirt. He looks to the ceiling.

It doesn’t take very long. “Sounds good. Lungs, next.” She gets up and comes around the chair slightly behind him. He shifts to pull the back portion of his shirt up to his shoulder; he remembers this from the last exam, too.

“It’ll be cold; I’m sorry,” she warns gently, before pressing the instrument to his back. She is nothing but professional as she asks him to take a few deep breaths. Routine, and very careful not to touch his skin with anything but the diaphragm of the stethoscope, cool metal.

It feels… different than the last exam. He had been a little on edge during this part, then, too, even though she was nothing but professional then, as well.

He is just… very aware that she is behind him, and that his shirt is pulled up, and she’s listening to him breathe and can see the skin of his back. And that he's kissed her.

The coolness slips away after a short amount of time. “Lung function sounds good.” He pulls his shirt back into place, feeling a faint sense of relief as he does so. She goes back to document her findings on the paperwork.

She then lays the stethoscope back in its appropriate place. Scanning the page, she asks, “Any issues with your hearing?”

“Not that I’m aware,” Sasuke responds. She dips her head in acknowledgement, filling in that box with what he assumes is non-applicable.

“Sense of smell?”

He recalls raspberries and antiseptic. “No.” She fills another box.

“Sinus or lymph node issues?”

He shakes his head.

“I’m assuming you’ve used the Sharingan and Rinnegan since last time, so I’ll look at your eyes towards the end.”

He nods, and she reaches for a light instrument to use to look at his throat, as well as one of the wooden sticks from a glass jar in the corner. “Throat next,” she says, flicking the light on.

He tries not to furrow his brow. He wasn't looking forward to this part.

He opens his mouth for the wood, reedlike and firm against his tongue, and then she’s shining the light in and frowning.

“Say ah, please.”

He complies, feeling quite undignified, though he knows it’s necessary and just part of her job. She removes the stick after a second, setting the flashlight instrument aside, and he closes his mouth.

"Teeth and gums look good, and your tonsils look fine, but your throat looks a little raw. Have you been sick recently?"

"Yes." It is technically the truth, though not in a viral sense.

She looks thoughtful as she’s making a note on her clipboard. “Within the past week?”

He nods. She must see him from the corner of her eye, because then she asks, while still writing, “Any other symptoms? Cough? Does it feel sore?”

“No.” He pauses, then clarifies. “No cough. A little sore. Not bad.”

Verdant eyes flick up to him for a long moment. He feels somewhat guilty; even if he knows the truth, she might be thinking right now that he’s been irresponsible, that he may have given her an illness via kissing.

She breaks eye contact eventually, and sets the pen down, standing to open the uppermost cupboard door in the exam room. His brow furrows, until she’s pulling down a small box that he sees has cough drops in them.

“We only have mixed berry; they’ll be kind of sweet, but it should help. Take a few for later, and put one in now, please.”

Sasuke blinks, and then takes a handful. He puts all but one in his pocket, and then unwraps the one left in his hand, putting it in his mouth, as she asked.

She arches to put the box back in the cupboard, and he forces himself to look elsewhere.

It does feel good on his throat, soothing. “...Thank you,” he says after a few more seconds, as she makes another note on his form.

“You’re welcome,” she replies. Then, back to clinical Sakura. “Any other issues? Abdominal, neurological?”

“No.”

She flips the page. “Infectious disease screening questions are next. Obviously you’ve traveled outside the village in the past 21 days, but have you been outside of Fire Country in that time?”

He thinks. “Rain, about thirteen days ago. Wind, 19 days ago.”

Sakura inclines her head, and writes in the information. He notices she keeps her eyes trained on the questionnaire now. “Have you, to your knowledge, had close contact with a person with measles, mumps, or chickenpox in that time period?”

“No.” She checks the 'no' box.

“Have you, to your knowledge, had close contact with a person or source in that time period for any of the following: botulism, diphtheria, E. coli, encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever, hepatitis, influenza, listeriosis, malaria, meningitis, pneumonia, rabies, severe acute respiratory syndrome, smallpox, or yellow fever?”

“No.” He watches her check several 'no' boxes.

“Have you, to your knowledge, had close contact with a person in that time period who may have exposed you to any sexually transmitted infections?”

He’s glad she’s looking at the paper still, even if that answer is obvious. “No.” She checks several more 'no' boxes.

“And you didn’t have a fever earlier.” She checks another 'no' box. “And sore throat, but no shortness of breath at any point?”

“No.”

“Vomiting or diarrhea?”

“...Vomiting, yes,” he answers honestly. “No to the second.”

She nods, as if she knew that already from looking at his throat. She probably did. She’s good at what she does.

“Any kind of rash?”

“No.”

That’s the last question on the page, so she turns to the next one.

“Next is bloodwork. We’ll do a cholesterol screening, in regards to heart health, and then we’ll also do a general workup and run it for any infectious diseases. I don’t think we’ll find anything if it’s just the vomiting and resulting sore throat, but better safe than sorry.”

She then starts getting out the necessary supplies with which to get a blood sample. It doesn’t take very long; he holds out his right arm again, and Sakura finds the vein easily. “You’ll feel a pinch.” Within sixty seconds it’s over, and she’s pressing and holding the cotton to the dot of red before taping over it, a small pressure dressing.

“Leave that on for a few hours, please,” she advises, and he nods to indicate that he will. She makes quick work of labeling the blood sample, and sets it aside with the clipboard, he assumes for the end of the appointment.

She scribbles in a few more comments on the sheet, he assumes for whoever is running the tests. “Okay, just eyes and arm left. We’ll do eyes first. Any deterioration in vision that you’ve noticed?”

“No.”

“Good. I’ll shine the light to check your pupils quick before I use chakra to look at them.” She grabs a different light tool, a penlight, and turns it on, before looking at him expectantly.

He blinks, curious what she’s waiting for, and then she asks softly, “Could you move your hair out of the way, please?”

Oh. He complies, and she shines the light in one eye, moving it slightly and monitoring the progress. She then does the same to his Rinnegan.

“Reactivity is good; no signs of defect.” She sets the penlight back where it belongs, then makes a note in his paperwork indicating that. Then she’s shifting her chair a tiny bit closer, so she can reach his eyes with her hands.

“Do you have a preference, which one I start with?” She asks. He shakes his head. “Okay; I’ll check the right eye first.” She reaches out with her left hand, pressing her thumb above his eye over his eyebrow, and her other four fingers lightly to his temple, just next to his eye socket.

Sasuke tries not to dwell on how close she is again as green chakra drizzles into his ocular system; he keeps his vision trained forward, as he knows he’s supposed to as she examines. There is a freckle on her right ear that he remembers focusing on, the last time; he does this time, too.

Around thirty seconds passes, before she informs him, “I’m going to funnel some chakra into the retina and optic nerve here; there’s some damage.”

He had suspected there might be, though his vision has not suffered; mostly there was just a bit of pain, sometimes. He hasn’t overworked it by any means, but he hasn’t completely abstained from using it since he’d last been healed by her, either. “Okay.”

The flow of her chakra works its way deeper, more of it now. This part has always relaxed him; her chakra really is quite calming, careful and gentle, threading its way behind his eye and wrapping around the nerve.

She works for about five minutes before the chakra starts to let up.

“...There. That should be a little better,” she says before lifting her hand from his right. “Look up, down, please.”

He complies.

“Left to right, now.” He does. “Good. Does it feel okay?”

He nods, meeting her eyes again finally. It feels stronger, no pain. He decides to verbalize that, even though he’s already nodded. “It’s better. Thank you.”

She smiles at him. “Good.” Then she’s detailing whatever she’s supposed to detail in the paperwork, before setting the pen down again.

“Left eye now.”

She repeats the process, frowning again. “There’s some damage here, too. I’ll fix it.”

This time, it takes longer; not quite ten minutes, but fairly close. He tries to focus on the wall behind her.

He had asked her once, when she was healing him following the war, if it used a lot of chakra. She had said not necessarily, but it depended on the level of damage. She also told him that it was moreso a delicate process, requiring careful manipulation, so he has tried not to talk during any healing sessions since.

When her hand finally pulls away, he’s gotten so used to the contact that it feels like a loss.

“Look up, down, please,” she requests again. Then left to right.

“Function looks good. How does it feel?”

“Better. Thank you.”

She smiles at him gently, just Sakura again for a second, before turning back to the form to finish the optical section.

Then, she turns the page. “Arm is last. Could you please roll up your sleeve to your shoulder?” He grabs his empty left sleeve with his right arm and starts shifting it upwards, rolling it so that it stays put once it’s to the top.

She touches the end of what’s left of the limb with careful fingers, soft but steady on marred skin and scar tissue. “I’ll look with chakra in a second, but any redness that you’ve noticed?”

“No.” He shifts his gaze forward, because her fingertips really are softer than he remembers.

“Any areas that occasionally feel warmer than is typical?”

He shakes his head.

“Swelling of any kind?”

“No.”

“Have you been stretching it as instructed?”

He meets her eyes, then. “Yes.” He wants her to know he listens to her recommendations.

Soft jade, and she’s smiling again. She moves her hands away momentarily, and grabs the clipboard with the papers, checking several boxes as he has indicated. He looks back forward.

“Any phantom limb pain?”

“Sometimes.”

“Residual limb pain?”

“...Sometimes.”

Her gaze flicks upward. “If you had to rate it on a scale, one being hardly anything and ten being the worst?”

“...Usually two or three.” He pauses, and she waits. “...Sometimes four or five.”

“How often, for the worst of it?”

He thinks. “Maybe twice or three times a month.” It’s a bit more often than that, but not by a lot.

She notes it on the paper; that must be a normal range. “Alright. I’ll check with chakra, now.” Her fingers come back to his stump, touching more firmly now. Green chakra starts to thread its way in.

Sakura frowns, after a second. “Nerve endings are a little inflamed. I’ll fix it.” The flow of her chakra increases, and he feels almost instant relief; he supposes it still hurt, faintly. Maybe he just got used to it. “Has it hurt in the last day or so?”

“...Late last night.”

She nods, as if that makes sense. “It won’t take too long. Maybe five minutes.”

He inclines his head just barely, not wanting to move while she’s working.

“You should let me know if it hurts again,” she suggests quietly, after a moment. “It doesn’t take much to fix.”

“...Okay.”

There is a comfortable silence for a few minutes as she works. He feels the chakra start to dilute a little towards the end of it.

“I’m going to stop my chakra and manually massage the tissue, now. It should help prolong the effect.”

He feels her chakra dissipate. She has done this to him before, throughout the rehabilitation process following the war; it was more important then, she’d said, to develop tolerance to touch and pressure of the residual limb. It had hurt, the first few times, but later in the healing process, he had secretly enjoyed it; it made it hurt much less, and the process itself felt… nice.

He had privately wondered what it would feel like on his back.

It elicits the same response now, too, kneading fingertips gradually increasing pressure to access deeper tissue, helping to work away pain that has lived there for a while.

"You wear your hair differently now," she comments after an incredibly nice period of time, still pressing tenderly in little circles, though the pressure is starting to taper off now, since they’re getting towards the end of five minutes; that was roughly the time she would do back then. Since there’s no chakra anymore, it must require less of her concentration.

He realizes he hasn’t shifted his hair back into place yet, then. He takes a moment, then responds quietly, furtively, "Most people dislike looking at the Rinnegan."

She doesn’t respond right away; just finishes massaging the end of his stump, then removes her hands to pick up her pen.

"Not me," she murmurs softly as she makes her final notations.

His heart flips in his chest, and he feels his face grow warm. He's glad she's focusing on the forms, so she can't see the effect her words have had.

The lozenge has dissolved fully, and his throat isn't as sore.

XXX

Sasuke goes to the Hokage’s office, after, to see if the dobe is there. He has some time to kill before lunch, and he wants to take him up on his offer to spar at some point, given that his eyes are freshly healed. Now that he knows Sakura’s schedule for the next few days, he can fill the rest of his time with whatever else. He’ll see her tomorrow at four, at the hospital, and then at Ichiraku’s on Saturday, and then for a bit after, too; they still need to confirm an actual time for that with Naruto and Kakashi. He assumes Sunday and Monday must be her days off. If they’re not, she works too much. He’s going to ask her tomorrow, he thinks.

Oddly, he finds only Kakashi in his office.

“Ah, Sasuke. Good morning,” he greets as he walks through the doors.

“...Morning.”

The copy ninja sizes him up with a single eye for a long moment, as if considering what to ask him. Sasuke braces himself.

"You got your physical done."

Sakura had said after the bloodwork was complete, she’d drop off the paperwork for him. "...I did."

"It went well, I assume."

"...It did."

"Wonderful," he says quietly, sounding pensive.

There is a very long pause.

“And the date, with Sakura this morning, before that? That went well, also?”

Sasuke deliberates. There is no teasing lilt to his old sensei's voice this time, just genuine curiosity, so he answers honestly, even though his neck warms and he doesn’t quite appreciate being spied on. “...It did.”

Kakashi gives him one of the widest and most genuine smiles he has ever seen him wear, beneath the mask.

“Wonderful,” the copy ninja says again, this time teeming clearly with pride and meaning.

“...Yeah.” Sasuke agrees, looking anywhere but at him.

Kakashi shuffles a few papers around his desk, and starts talking again, as if Sasuke has not just admitted to something he’s sure their sensei had suspicions about for the better portion of eight years. “Well, Naruto’s not here; I’m assuming that’s who you were looking for. Hinata’s leaving for a mission later today, around one, so I gave him the day off. I kind of assumed he’d use the opportunity to seek you out for a spar in the afternoon, after she leaves. He was going on about it yesterday, along with a Team Seven dinner on Saturday night; sounds like that will be at six.”

Sasuke just blinks, gears turning still; the scroll from yesterday is still on the desk, so he's not sure why he'd grant Naruto another day off so easily.

Kakashi further clarifies, smile shifting into something more sly. “I wouldn’t go over there before a little after one, if I were you.”

His first thought is oh, and he feels rather stupid. His next thought is gross. His old sensei is grinning, as if his reaction amuses him; he must have made some kind of face that belayed his internal thought process.

“Ah, love requited and besotten newlyweds. What a time." Sasuke's neck burns again, because he realizes after a second that the ‘love requited' portion of that is referring to Sakura and himself. Kakashi's moving on, though. "Anyway, now that I’ve given you too much information…” His voice trails off, and he looks at the intricate scroll tucked away at the table beside his desk, where Naruto usually sits. “If you’re not busy and want something to do until lunch, you could take a look at this scroll for me, since Naruto won’t be getting to it today.” He appears to be thinking, then adds. “For all his progress, he can still be less than perceptive, in certain instances. Your assistance could be invaluable, since I’m occupied with other tasks at the moment.”

Sasuke ponders for a bit; he has already read a good portion of the way through his books, and it’ll be a few hours before he needs to eat. It's not lost on him that this involves a level of trust in him on Kakashi's part, as whatever is in the scroll is likely not public knowledge.

He decides it can’t hurt, though he hopes he doesn’t get asked any more questions about Sakura. He makes his way to take Naruto’s seat, opening up the scroll.

He stares at it long and hard, rolling it out on the table to examine it more closely. Kakashi wordlessly grabs the stapler on his desk and sets it on the top end of the parchment, to hold it in place as he further unravels it. It appears to be a cipher, and quite a complicated one.

“...You think Naruto’s going to be able to crack this?” Sasuke questions incredulously, glancing towards his old sensei with his brows furrowed in doubt. His eyes catch as he does so on the framed photograph sitting on his desk; from this angle, the side instead of the front, he can now see that it’s their original Team Seven photo. He hasn't seen it in a long time.

Kakashi chuckles, not looking up from his paperwork. “Not at all, which is why I was helping him with it yesterday. It’s good practice for him, though, and at the very least, it does keep him busy when I don't have anything else for him to do.”

XXX

Sasuke ambles back to his apartment around noon. He made some progress on the cipher, enough that Kakashi said Naruto might actually be able to take it from there. It feels good to be of use.

It also feels good to have something to give the idiot shit over, when he goes to visit him later.

He empties the cough drops from his pocket into one of the cups he bought yesterday, and pops another one into his mouth before he starts getting out ingredients to cook. It feels good on his throat, menthol pleasantly numbing despite the slightly sweet taste. He pours a hefty amount of rice into a pot to start boiling, and then begins slicing carrots and scallions and mushrooms for takikomi gohan. It takes a while to slice with one arm, as holding the vegetables in place with one hand is a challenge, but he manages by summoning a clone. Once he’s done, he slips them in a pan with some salt and dashi stock. He also adds frozen peas before covering it with the lid to simmer.

Once that’s going, he washes his hand, then folds the comforter he had washed and left out to dry this morning, ultimately storing it in the closet. He stirs the vegetable mixture occasionally, after, reading more of his book while he waits for the rice to finish. The one about kenjutsu is more interesting than he thought it would be. He might finish it by the time he sees Sakura tomorrow.

He really hopes he can walk her home again; he hadn’t gotten a chance to kiss her today. She might not want him to, if she thinks he's sick, but somehow he suspects she likely understood it wasn't actual illness. She's good at what she does, and smart.

It’s a simple but savory lunch, a larger portion than he’s accustomed to. He eats all of it, albeit slowly, as he reads.

Uncannily, an abrupt and earsplitting knocking erupts on his door as he puts the last bite in his mouth to chew.

“TEME! Open up!” More incessant knocking. “I’m fucking bored, and Kakashi-sensei gave me the day off! Let’s spar!”

Sasuke rolls his eyes and closes his book before standing to rinse his dish, setting it in the sink to wash later, along with the pot and pan already rinsed and stacked there.

“Alright, dobe. You don’t need to bust down my door.”

He grabs another cough drop and removes the tape and cotton from his arm before he goes. It’s a little tender, but the blood has clotted by now.

#naruto #sasusaku #ssfanfiction #cherry writes #like gold #fanfiction #this timely update brought to you by my pure unadulterated spite for studio pierrot

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