#more like positioning her violin/posing
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Deeva Årud - Club Wear Voice Lines
When Summoned: Lights dimmed, tension building up… Are you ready to feel our rhythm?
Summon Line: Playing music with friends is fun, I’m glad to be here even though I’m starting to feel a bit nervous.
Groooovy!!: We’d be delighted to see you at our next show. Spotting a familiar face among the crowd is always nice.
Home: “Let’s rock and roll”, as some would say.
Home Idle 1: I joined the Pop Music Club on my second year. Perhaps it’s quite a drastic change from my previous club but… it’d be a lie to say I’m not enjoying my time here.
Home Idle 2: Most of the time I’m the one suggesting we should practice, but somehow Lilia, Cater and Kalim always distract me with all these unknown snacks and gadgets. Sometimes I have the feeling they do it on purpose…
Home Idle 3: I need to warm my hands, it’s hard playing an instrument when they’re cold.
Home Idle – Login: *humming Piece of My World* Ah- sorry, I didn’t see you there. Can I help you with something?
Home Idle – Groovy: I’ve been playing violin and other instruments since I was a kid. My family has always had a connection with music and I’ll gladly continue this legacy. Conveying your thoughts and feelings through sounds is quite satisfactory.
Home Tap 1: My first concert with them? Since it was the first time I’d be playing in front of many people, I knew I’d have a hard time trying to look at the audience. Cater noticed and told me to look at him so I could feel less overwhelmed… Let’s say I didn’t expect him to be so literal. His clones substituted the audience because no one came to see us.
Home Tap 2: Hm, my violin? Indeed, it’s not the same one I use at Mostro Lounge. An electric violin is more suitable for the club’s activities. I’m surprised you noticed it. That means someone’s been paying too much attention to the musician playing ambience music… That was a joke.
Home Tap 3: Kalim and I joined the club in the same year so I got to see how much he’s improved his drumming technique. It’s impressive. Certainly, Lilia’s been an excellent teacher to him.
Home Tap 4: I like the idea of having customized masks for our performances. Maybe I should mention it once we have enough funds.
Home Tap 5: I recently accepted to do some vocals just for our club sessions. You can come see us, but please refrain from telling everyone else. At the moment, I only feel comfortable singing for a few people.
Home Tap – Groovy: When it comes to a band like this many wouldn’t think of a violinist, but that actually gives songs an interesting feeling, don’t you think?
Duo:
[DEEVA]: Ready for a shocking performance, Cater?
[CATER]: Ready as ever, Dee-chan!
#To any violinist in the room: I tried :']#I can probably get away with some details since she's not actually playing here#more like positioning her violin/posing#but yeah. An attempt was made#I actually had to redo the whole card because I didn't like how the old one looked#and if it reminds you of something it's probably because I kind of borrowed Lilia's face shape#it was my last resort after drawing 20 heads and not being fully convinced by any of them HDSGSH#the rest is obviously brought to you by my own suffering#Oh and some extra info about Home Tap 1:#Deeva actually kept looking at Cater on stage out of habit even after they gained some listeners#sometimes the poor guy thinks she's glancing at him because he made a mistake or something lmao#Talking about Cater. One of the reason she joined this club was because she promised it to him#when they were first years she didn't know there was a music club like that#and Mr CayCay here informed her a little bit too late of the existence of the PMC#Also unrelated to what I was saying#but please imagine she says “let's rock and roll” with the most monotonous voice ever#zero spirit in those words#until she picks up her violin and the rock and roll starts rock-and-rolling#it's funnier that way#The need I feel to talk a lot under my art posts needs to be studied#twisted wonderland#twst#twisted wonderland oc#twst oc#Deeva twst#my art
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Pearl is panicking. What do you mean Gem Tay is her new room mate!? Gem was practically part of society's elite since she is set to inherit the majority of her parents' fortune and company after she graduates college since they couldn't really trust her brothers with it. But here Gem is, room mates with Pearl who was barely scrapping by
Truth be told, Gem didn't really expect to suddenly be thrust into this position but she isn't exactly opposed to it. Gem had accepted her fate after a few days of needing to process it. Gem still wanted to experience how it'd feel like to be a regular person though and not extremely rich. Extracurriculars, being top of her class, and having all that pressure on her isn't really good for a person..
Now Gem is roommates with this cute painter who gets extremely flustered around her. Gem doesn't mind though, she'd also be nervous too if she was in Pearl's position. It's nice, Pearl keeps her from being too detached from reality caused by her rich upbringing and Gem is happy to pose for Pearl as a reference for paintings and play the piano or violin for Pearl in return. Gem just worries that she won't be able to see Pearl again after she inherits what her parents are giving her. Though, Pearl also was gonna graduate the same year she is and Gem could use a private painter to totally just paint stuff for her. It's not like Gem had a love letter tucked away in her desk for when she gathers up the courage she needs..
In many ways, Pearl has been the reality check Gem desperately needed. She didn't realise how out of touch she actually was with ordinary people. How is she supposed to make good decisions for the company when she has no understanding of the people she's supplying?
How is she supposed to have any relationship outside of socialites is another great question. Do her parents realise they were setting her up for failure by keeping her so sheltered by the world?
Pearl helps Gem get a part-time job. Gem doesn't need it, but it's nice to have money that's her own. Pearl watches in bemusement whilst Gem celebrates her first paycheck.
Pearl also teaches Gem... Other things. Things Gem would very much like to continue past graduation. She didn't even need the love letter, it turns out, but she gives it to Pearl anyway.
Pearl teaches her how soft another girl's hands can feel. How perfectly lips can fit against her own. That's a better lesson than all her extracurriculars could every teach her.
Yes. If Pearl will accept it, she wants nothing more than to keep her in her life.
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How We Make Our Psychos: A Psycho Retrospective
By Rebecca Smith
Artwork by Dy Dawson @xgardensinspace
Psycho. For a great many people, that single word is enough to conjure up Bernard Herrmann’s iconic screech of violins and Janet Leigh’s screaming face as a knife arcs towards her in the shower. Whether or not a person has actually seen Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 psychological thriller won’t spare them – in the more than six decades since its release, Psycho has become a cultural touchstone for America and the horror genre. The pivotal spoilers Hitchcock went to much effort to conceal – if you didn’t know, the conventions of cinemas having start times and no late admissions policies are thanks to Psycho – are now so well entrenched in our collective cultural psyche that I wouldn’t be surprised if newborns’ shrieks these days are actually baby speak for “IT WAS NORMAN!!”
It's perhaps unsurprising that Hitchcock’s Psycho, which was named the greatest movie ever made by Variety in December 2022, is not exactly unexplored territory when it comes to analyses. Whilst the legendary shower scene is one of the most famous movie scenes in history, virtually every shot of this suspenseful masterpiece is familiar to us and, as such, has had interpretation after interpretation, and symbolism after metaphor after allegory, applied to and teased out of it. Fortunately, I’ve still been allowed to write something about Psycho anyway, so do indulge me and read on.
At its twisted roots, Psycho poses the question of how well we truly know other people, and this unsettling thought is where its lasting horror derives from. Lila Crane, Sam Loomis, and Mr Lowrey are all shocked to discover Marion Crane has run off with $40,000 because this isn’t the Marion they thought they knew; likewise, the entirety of Fairvale are shocked to discover Norman Bates has been murdering people while dressed as his mother – who he also murdered – and for years has been looking after her preserved corpse as if she was still alive. This isn’t the Norman they thought they knew, either. As the audience, we’re positioned to be shocked by this reveal about Norman too, as we’ve been encouraged to feel sorry for him as the dutiful, unworldly son of a cruel and possessive mother. Instead, we discover the brutal violence in Psycho is a part of Norman and we were just taken in by Anthony Perkins’ innocent smile – which, of course, was one of the many reasons he was chosen for the role.
In the real world, the people of Plainfield, Wisconsin, probably felt a similar shock in 1957 when it was uncovered that one of their locals had killed and mutilated two women and was living in a house full of stolen human body parts, many of which he’d morbidly fashioned into pieces of furniture. It is widely known that this unassuming local, Ed Gein, was a source of inspiration for Robert Bloch’s original 1959 Psycho novel, of which Hitchcock’s film is an adaptation. After the initial horror of Gein’s crimes, there remained the uncomfortable realisation that something like that could happen right under a community’s nose. A story not a million miles away from Psycho can, and did, happen somewhere it would be least expected to.
In a bold move for its era, then, Psycho explores why its killer kills. Psychoanalysis – the legacy of Sigmund Freud – was popular in America around the time of Psycho’s creation, and both Bloch and Hitchcock incorporated it into their respective works, most obviously through the character of Norman. As well as being one of the most recognisable poster boys for the Oedipus complex, which Bloch actually highlights Norman’s self-awareness of early in the novel, a significant portion of Norman’s dialogue in the Hitchcock film functions as Freudian slips about the horrible truth his unconscious is repressing. The inclusion of psychoanalytic elements in Psycho is an important component in making Norman a complex horror villain rather than one who kills for the sheer evilness of it. We could spend an entire essay debating exactly which mental illnesses Norman is supposed to be suffering from, and it is clear in retrospect that their depiction does not quite hold up to the reality in any case, but the fact that Norman is not well and has been spiralling for some time – while no excuse for murder – means we understand why he is where he is mentally and why he stays in his “private trap” rather than facing reality.
Of course, it is all very good understanding the psychology behind our so-called proto slasher, but Psycho hints towards the external as well as the internal factors that go into making a deranged killer. I am referring here to the place where Norman was allowed to fester: the fictional town of Fairvale, California. In its depiction of the small town, Psycho is critiquing the type of society and community attitude that unwittingly enables someone like Norman. American society in the 1950s was repressed – look what happened when Elvis wiggled onstage – and it is this repression that has disastrous consequences in Psycho.
It is Lila who summarises the issue with Fairvale in Bloch’s novel, in a disappointed observation about Sam: “He had that slow, cautious, conservative small-town outlook.” This outlook, exhibited by both Sam and Sheriff Chambers in their insistence on waiting and not bothering Norman, is perhaps best typified by Mrs Chambers in the Hitchcock film. When Lila and Sam learn Mrs Bates supposedly poisoned herself and her lover in a murder-suicide some ten years past, Mrs Chambers adds, “Norman found them dead together. In bed.” There is a disapproving emphasis on “in bed”, as if this is the most shameful aspect of the incident, which serves to highlight the still dominant conservative Christian outlook on sexuality and marriage prevalent at the time. This societal outlook on sexuality is shown throughout Psycho to be detrimental to its characters: at the beginning of the film, Marion is unhappy she and Sam are unmarried and must meet in hotel rooms for sex; and Norman, of course, has internalised disgust and guilt with his own sexuality to such an extent that, in a misogynistic twist, he projects that disgust and guilt on to any woman he finds attractive, allowing ‘Mother’ to surface and kill her.
In addition to this, Mrs Chambers has two other lines that provide insight into the community Norman grew up in. She mentions she helped Norman choose the dress his mother was buried in, remembering that it was “periwinkle blue”. Then, a few scenes later, she invites Lila and Sam for a meal to make reporting Marion’s disappearance and theft “nicer” for them. Both of these are kind acts, but are they inordinately helpful ones? Neither of these gestures would have illuminated what Norman had done; they were more like putting plasters over gaping wounds. This, it seems, is the Fairvale way: don’t ask, don’t know.
It is true that this effective silence around difficult or taboo subjects was a society-wide issue, but I think we can assume Fairvale, as a small town, was supposed to have its own distinct, concentrated flavour of it. If most people knew of the Bates family who lived like there was nobody else in the world, did no one ever think to query why that was? Did anyone know what Norma Bates was like? Didn’t anybody notice that Norman had lived in near isolation all his life, and wonder what effect that might have on a person? The answers are clearly no, because that was the Bates family’s business. The warning signs were therefore missed or ignored. At this time, and in this kind of place, the structural forces simply didn’t exist to avert crises of mental health, or abuse, or violence before they escalated. Psycho is pointing out the dark side of contemporary, as it then was, American society. The sort of situation that led to Gein. The story of Norman Bates is in part a warning about how pretending something isn’t happening and being unwilling to face reality – and that’s literal reality, in Norman’s case – only causes more harm in the long-term. And, once again, these external factors also do not excuse Norman’s murders. However, they do help explain how he was able to get away with them, unsuspected, for so long.
This is not to say there is one single set of circumstances which would enable the story of Psycho to play out in some way. The whole point of Psycho is that it could happen next door, to anyone, because we might not know someone as completely as we think we do. The story could only critique the world it found itself in at that moment, but the passage of time prompts the question: could Norman Bates exist today? After all, not only have taboos around sexuality and mental health weakened considerably in a general sense over the last six decades, but there have also been huge advancements in the technology used to catch criminals. Giving your bloody crime scene a quick wipe down with some water and a mop might not cut it now. The internet too is encroaching further and further on our lives. It is fast becoming impossible to exist without at least a small online presence – and once you have an online presence, there is something about you there for people to pry into.
Then again, while the internet can be a tool to help people in bad situations, we all know what a double-edged sword it is. Never mind the overtly dark corners of the web, someone as well-established in presenting a false state of affairs to the world as Norman is would surely excel in doing the same thing in the supposedly safer online places. In fact, doing it online would be child’s play in comparison to real life. And, inescapably, security cameras would be a modern-day Norman’s scopophilic dream, there is no denying that. There are also still parts of society that cling harder to the values and social etiquette of the past. Who is to say Fairvale would have kept to the average rate of progress?
Thus, the exact circumstances Psycho painted as aiding Norman’s murders in a small 1950s town might well have been altered in some way in the years since Hitchcock’s untouchable film first hit cinema screens, but the central fear in Psycho about how well we truly know other people remains. In Psycho, the two key characters of Norman and Marion, so often compared as two sides of the same coin, are being dishonest with those around them. Norman is even being dishonest with himself. Today, in our world of chronic oversharing, I’d wager there are still very few people who would – or even could – reveal every part of themselves to other people. Should that really be an aim for anyone? I would argue no, definitely not.
The inevitable consequence of personal privacy is that, in our imperfect world containing messed up people who sometimes do terrible things, there will be a few Normans. Likewise, not everyone can be the Lila who exposes and stops them. We can only exist inside our own heads; we can’t ever truly know the entirety of another person. In the end, the perversion of the familiar, of the people we tell ourselves we know – such as Norman – and the places we think are safe – such as our showers – is what continues to frighten and unnerve us in Psycho.
And Norman’s creepy smile at the end, of course; although that’s my favourite bit.
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Daisy Hudson - Cheerful - Clumsy Collector
Daisy's passion for all things green and growing is evident in everything she does. Whether she's tending to the community garden or whipping up a delicious meal with fresh ingredients, her love for nature shines through.
Daisy's dreams of owning a flower shop in the future or possibly a farm where she can grow her own produce. With her positive attitude and personality, there's no doubt that Daisy will continue to bloom wherever life plants her.
Daisy lives at No 1 Manzanita Terrace and has gotten to know her neighbours quite well. Interestingly, she hasn't seemed to click with Gia Angelo at No 2, feeling as though Gia looks down on her. On a brighter note, Daisy has formed a strong bond with Grant and Isla at No 3. She has been sharing gardening tips and the wonders of the great outdoors with Grant’s daughter Isla. Spending more time with Grant, they have started to grow closer, engaging in deep conversations. However, they often find themselves interrupted by the captivating Gia, who consistently manages to undermine Daisy in front of Grant and insert herself between them.
How will you continue the Story ...?
Aspiration
Freelance Botanist
Traits
Baking = 3
Charisma = 3
Comedy = 1
Cooking = 3
Fishing = 2
Gardening = 3
Handiness = 2
Singing = 3
Wellness = 2
Career
Gardener
Skills
Charisma = 2 DJ Mixing = 2 Dancing = 2 Guitar = 3 Media Production = 2 Piano = 3 Programming = 2 Singing = 3 Snow Boarding = 2 Video Gaming = 2 Violin = 3 Writing = 2
[ D O W N L O A D ]
You can download Daisy from the Sims 4 Gallery ID: ThinkSims.YT and now from Curseforge If you prefer tray files, these are available from Sims File Share
Please check out my YouTube Channel - For more Speed Builds & CAS Creations
You can find more of my stuff at Instagram and if you feel like buying me a coffee, tea or just plain water you can do that too at Ko-Fi
Take care of yourself.
There's only one of you!
Sally 💋
Text to include:
[ C U S T O M C O N T E N T]
All the Outfits are CC Free and only use items from EA Packs.
However, if you’d like the sims to look the same as the images, please include the following CC:
Eyelashes
Kijiko Remove-EA-Lashes
Kijiko eyelash_YF_version2_expansion-lashes
Available from - http://kijiko-catfood.com/3d-lashes-version2/
Makeup
Eyeshadow
Urban Eye Shadow Smoked
Eyeliner
Urban Liner Classic
Lipstick
Urban Gloss Honey
Urban Lip Kit Blotted
Available from - http://www.xurbansimsx.com/p/urban-cosmetics.html
Eyes Override
Chroma Eyes by Golyhawhaw
Available from - https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/create-a-sim/chroma-eyes
[ F A V O U R I T E P O S E S ]
Katverse- https://katverse.com/category/custom-content/poses/
Spirirock - https://spirirock.tumblr.com/
Cassandra Grussel - https://www.patreon.com/CassandraGrusel
Simmer Berlin - https://simmerberlin.tumblr.com/
Sakuraleon - https://j-e-n-n-e-h.tumblr.com/
Jupo45 - https://juupo45.tumblr.com/
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OC ask rb but i intentionally try to engineer them to be as difficult to answer as possible let's gO
Kingfisher, 5
For Marron, 8
12 for Corro
Lucrecia, 14
And because absurd wildcard/fuck you: Ellie... 18.
(that's all a LOT so feel free to just pick a couple, or space them out in separate posts, whatever u feel like)
Kingfisher - 5. What’s one hill your OC will die on (anything from a guiding moral position to a strong opinion about combining mint and chocolate)?
It's absolutely their freedom. They aren't willing to compromise that for anybody or anything.
Marron - 8. What’s something that your OC owns that means the world to them? What’s something they own that they don’t like, but can’t bring themself to part with?
Definitely her violin-- its a weird kinda electric violin that Kingfisher threw together for her years ago and it's her favorite thing in the world (second ofc to King themself). As for the second part, she kinda has mixed feelings about the special radio King gave her. It lets her talk to them more, but she wishes she didn't need it.
Corro - 12. What does their bed and/or desk look like? Tidy or cluttered - are they both the same, or is one neat and the other messy?
Oh, her stuff is absolutely a mess. Completely disorganized, clothes and all sorts of junk strewn everywhere. She considers it a Statement (no idea what its meant to be a statement about).
Lucrecia - 14. How comfortable are they relying on other people, and what situations would change their comfort level?
So, at the beginning of Thirst, Lucrecia is really uncomfortable relying on anyone. She views herself as dangerous, unreliable, and self-sufficient. She thinks she can tough through anything alone, and that's inherently better than getting anyone involved with her ever, because of the danger she poses to people.
As for what can change that, well, Ellie, it seems. An extremely gentle older woman who seems to be impervious to the danger that Lucrecia sees herself as. She doesn't trust her fully yet, but she's come a long way since chapter one.
Ellie - 18. If they can or would drive, what would their car be like?
Absolutely something flashy, some kinda sports car, bright red, the works. Lucrecia is embarrassed every time she gets into it because she doesn't like attention being drawn to her but Ellie doesn't care.
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Hello! More Júhua content I'd made, if you're not sick of it me yet! Have some musical moments of hers:
1. A comic of Júhua walking around in Old Europe (Italy?) contemplating humanity's inconsistent consistency before discovering her new love, and rambling to SWK about it like a madman.
2. Júhua and her playing the violin and cello. She plays it to calm her two monkey men, and also to drown out Mackeral ranting about SWK like the loser he is.
3. Júhua singing karaoke. Júhua and MK singing a duet together, and the former going so hard he had to take a break. Júhua is still primed for another round.
I hope you enjoy these! Will any future one-shots include the train ride the Crew rode on last time? Does Júhua have suspicions that MK is not as human as he thinks he is?
Additional note: I was thinking of MK being possibly molded by Nuwa, Goddes of Creation, and SWK, being made by her own creations instead, and it makes me think of the metaphor for AI programs and programmers and how SWK was formed through the amalgamation of AIs instead of normal creators and Nuwa is a programmer who created MK but maybe basing him on SWK, an anomaly himself. Hope the rambling makes sense.
OH MY GOD THEY ARE WONDERFUL 😍😍😍
that little comic of Júhua finding a violin for the first time is EXACTLY how i envisioned it lmao. and her little ramble to Wukong while he’s giving a monkey a head scratch 🥺
AND THE POSES OF HER PLAYING 😍 they were beautiful AND HER PLAYING WHILE MK AND SWK SIT TOGETHER 😭😭😭😭 (cackled at the macaroni one lmaooooo he better watch out 😂)
AND KARAOKE!!!! i totally forgot i told you about that but it’s so cute 🥰 MK and Júhua bonding time T^T
also, i had to check if i posted anything about her sabbatical to make sure if you reading my mind or not lol (bc i am writing something related to that i was a little freaked out with how close you were lmao)
and for your questions:
Yes! We will get back to the train ride but it coincides with the Samadhi ritual so it’ll be a couple more before we get back
i have seen the theory about MK being a creation of Nuwa 👀 it’s very interesting but tbh a lot about MK’s origins are up in the air so there isn’t really anything I am positive on (I will let you know that I do play with that theory in this AU :3 )
oooooh love that comparison actually 👀 bc I definitely agree that MK was probably made by someone who was inspired by Sun Wukong’s power. (Although I don’t know much about AI to really give you that great of an analysis :(
For Júhua asking about MK’s origins…..why don’t I show you a fun conversation between Sun Wukong & Júhua >:3
“So he was also born from a stone?”
“Look, I’m flattered, but couldn’t you just find some other magical stone egg?”
“Oh, Monkey King, there is no other stone like yours.”
“Yeah, just…a little differently.” Wukong sucked in a breath. “He was hatched earlier, for one. It’s why I agreed to place that seal on him. MK could barely control it before and for someone so new and fragile…it wouldn’t be safe. He just needed some more time.”
#your drawings give me life deary#i would never tire of it#hope you liked the snippet :)#it’s for part 9!#(also part 8 is out sorry forgot to promote that lol)#lmk#lmk oc art#lmk oc#huáng júhua (黄菊花)#lego monkie kid#asks#long post
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answered asks below cut!
@studythensims hello, thank you so much for this ask! sorry i held on to it for so long, it was really nice to have in my inbox to read everytime i went there 🥺 and it really does mean a lot to me, thank you so much!!
hi!
hello anon! i got a similar ask a few days ago where i recommended a sims 4 render tutorial thats pretty much the same as my process. i’m also gonna make my own speed render next time i have a big idea for one but i’m all out of inspo right now lol
thank you very much! however my fire was literally just a transparent png of a flame i put on a plane positioned over the candle 😭 no cool effects here, just plain old trickery. however here are some tutorials + resources i used for other effects i’ve done in the past! i’m also always down to answer questions
grass | mirror | ghost effect | free lighting presets + textures
raffy and roxana will meet sophie in tomorrows post! surprisingly they’re kind of indifferent about her. i knew rafael would be fine with it but i thought roxana might go a bit off the rails, but she didn’t! this was the face sophie made when she saw her though.. i don’t think she was in any hurry to get to know the twins.
i’m so excited too anon!! this high school pack aligned perfectly with the macmahon timeline 😭 i literally am just so excited to have her mess everything up. just absolutely destroy everyone. i really hope suspensions aren’t part of the pack.. she’ll be allowed in for an hour every week before they kick her out again🤦♀️
hey!! i’m glad you enjoyed the legacy so far 🥰 i actually do not prepare at all, i went straight in with all original ea townies and i now face the consequences of having hideous townie offspring populating my world. what's worse is they have every pose accessory under the sun attached to them.
the only reason that you see pretty sims in my gameplay shots is because i struggle daily to capture shots where guys like this aren’t poking into the frame 😭 thank you sm though!! sorry i’ve got not advice
fashion icon
@falsetochild he sure is but i am not letting it happen 😭 he’s already broken one gen rule with her, i’m not letting him break another. he deserves to be happy and she genuinely seems to have an interest in him, but no, sorry theo. he literally performed horribly at work the last time i played because he was in a flirty mood for 8 whole hours. c’mon man you’ve got a country to run get your head out of the clouds. but thank you sm i’m glad you enjoy it!!
@acuar-io ahh thank you sm!! i really hope you like the direction i’m going to take it in, i’ve got the majority of it planned out in my notes app lol
after all the set up posts i think they’ll be pretty frequent, and i’m more or less going to follow this structure. i can’t wait either but i know i gotta pace the posts or else i’ll run out of them 😭😭 thank you for your support!!! ❤️
i am a terrible person i completely just leave him in the background of everything at this point 😭 he’s good he’s just not up to much because i’m a sucker for his sister lmaoo. he practices the violin like 8 hours a day in the living room because i forget to cancel the action 🤦♀️ how am i gonna cope next gen when theres tons of kids if i can’t focus on two. i’ll try and include him more soon i promise 😔✊
@noiice 😭😭😭 very fitting of her. hopefully not many people make her mad though, teen roxana has the ability to use that voodoo doll she has 😔
#throwback to my fav pic of my fav rat#ask#long post#i hope the anons see this cus i hate doing it all in one post#but i don't wanna spam the dash :((
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for the dark urge ask game, 1 10 11 21 for lophi and 6 7 21 30 for vyper?
HAHA... YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
for this ask game
lophi questions:
1. What circumstances led to your Dark Urge becoming their Class/Subclass?
so, lophi's a bard, and i have this tied very much into her durge-isms. music was something she was always very passionate about as a child, and her first violin was a gift her foster parents had worked very hard for her to get. however it seemed that bad luck would follow her whenever she'd play, as much as she adored to. at first it was inconsequential things, like things falling or breaking while she'd practice.
until that eventually evolved into her music causing others to get violent, almost as if she was puppeteering them to cause their own demise, if that makes sense. like a fucked up pied piper. essentially what i'd assume bhaal's version of a bard would be. as she grew older and fit into her role as a bhaalspawn this would be a skill she'd learn to harness much more carefully, often posing as a humble street performer who'd be the single onlooker of episodes of mass hysteria around baldur's gate. something like that :-)
she also ends up as a college of swords bard, if only so that she can still cause some bloodshed by her own hands.
(putting the rest under a cut because otherwise this post would end up long LOL)
10. What motivates your Dark Urge to either embrace or resist the tadpole?
11. What motivates your Dark Urge to either embrace or resist the Urge?
answering both of these because they both play into the same element of lophi's character-- her need for control over herself. she doesn't even dislike the idea of killing, she just wants to be certain what she does is out of *her* own accord. not some dream visitor's, not some voice in her head telling her to kill.
she may not know much about her own self, but she knows enough that she doesn't like feeling like she's only serving as someone's puppet.
21. What are 2-3 songs that your Dark Urge would relate to?
LOVE THIS QUESTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! using it as an excuse to share songs from her playlist. and share the lyrics that relate to her as well
Marionette - Scarlet Room
In a quiet heart
Of a quiet wooden girl
There's an imaginary box
But it screams
I am so sick of this world
It owns me
I am so sick of this world
And she sings
2007 - You Love Her Coz She's Dead
Bang, bang goes a bullet to my head
But it's already been eighteen minutes since I've realized I was dead
Yeah, okay, so I've made a few mistakes in my life
But I never knew they'd force me to pay such a heavy price
Flight of the Crows - Jharia
Well, I think that I've gotta go, and I don't know why
But I need you to promise that you won't cry
'Cause you'll be fine, and so will I
So just let me out of your mind
In the morning you'll learn I disappeared off into the night so quietly
That your love for me will vanish too
vyper questions:
How does your Dark Urge react to waking up with memory loss?
god. he's like a lost dog. he's desperate to find answers and just some sliver of familiarity. he believes himself to be a paladin, and plays the role of one as such, but he doesn't even know what god he was devoted to, if he ever had any. this was a whole thing for vyper especially in act one. it's why i like to think he had some form of admiration for shadowheart before really learning about what being a shar follower entails. he admires how strong her faith is despite being in a somewhat similar position to his own.
Did your Dark Urge recall any childhood memories? If yes, how do they feel about the revelations? If no, was it by choice or lack of options?
i think he gets the odd feeling of deja vu, but never anything concrete. it eats him up inside. he wishes he could recall Something, as he does with his memories just in general, though sometimes he thinks if theyre ever worth recalling at all with the image he's built up of who he once was. it's rough!
What are 2-3 songs that your Dark Urge would relate to?
another excuse for me to share playlist music... teehee ^_^
Howl - Florence + The Machine
A man who's pure of heart and says his prayers by night
May still become a wolf when the autumn moon is bright
If you could only see the beast you've made of me
I held it in, but now it seems you've set it running free
The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound
I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallowed ground
Animals - Stomach Book
Pray for a change
A cocoon about to break
But now, you feel strange
And the wings started to take shape
Eat and then die
All your siblings cast aside, too
See with new eyes
A world ready to despise you
Futura - Vylet Pony
Is it so sinister to draw blood for it?
The future is now, the torch is lit
Can it all fall in so neatly?
Can we coexist?
How can I have faith that no flower will be missed?
What are your Dark Urge’s intentions/goals after the end of the game?
i'm still midway thru act 3 with vyper, so i'm still brainstorming ideas in my mind... i plan for him to re-awaken his oath when he finally breaks away from bhaal though, or perhaps take an oath of devotion instead. something along those lines.
he wants to be able to give this whole paladin thing a real shot, and turn his craving for violence that, while a lot quieter now- i don't think ever permanently goes away, into something more constructive for himself.
he learns that he does not have to atone for the pain he's caused, but rather make a new better way for himself.
AND THATS EVERYTHING... I THINK . THANK U SO MACH FOR ALL THESE QUESTIONS
#AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THESE WERE FUN TO ANSWER#rev txt#oc tag#oc:vyper#oc:lophi
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Portraits of Artists by youg Man
It's the second last day of the world famous fringe festival in edinburgh.
I first Visited the festival during my first ever international trip in 2019 and since then this was my third time visiting the festival. Edinburgh and fringe always gets the best out of me, the whole festival as an artistic and positive energy in the wind during this time! every time I have walked down on the streets of edinburgh I have become a different person, like a cosmic explorer of the world that existed all along side me , a side of me that I always wanted to be experience but was never truly fulfilled.
Each artists perofmring on the streets, pubs, cafes, event spaces they all immortalise the creativity in true sense!
Here are some of my pictures from edinburgh fringe festival 2023. All the pictures are captured in Canon 5D classic wiht a tamron 35which i was gifted from my teacher.
Here are some of the shots from my day at Fringe festival 2023.
Cockburn street that leads to Royal mile. They decorate the streets with this simple colorful flags which welcomes you with the festive vibes of the city.
Artist 1
This guys looks like he is from South korea and was playing a nice electronic funk pop music which sounded really refereshing on the street next to an Italian guy playing a plain guitar.
Artist 2
Walk Few meters, and you can see a crowd of children and youngs alike gathered around Human statue artist. She was playing marie curie and with such a grace she was performing her act I could not help but to capture some shots. I donated a pound to her and she changed her pose for me to a different pose however I missed looking her movement so the people around me told me hey, look she moved for you but by that time she was still again! what a nice way of saying thank you to everyone donating there!
Artist 2
Few more meters further on the road and you can see this very vibrantJapanese woman performing the best violin music you would hear. and she would again bow you for the every money you donate!
Artist 3
Another Human Artist in the way, this one was particulary surreal due to the contrast of the theme he was performing with the world around him.
Artist 4
A very honest, engaging and Daring act by this newzelander busker.
Artist 5
a very heart touching perofmrance by this singer , I found her performing with the violinist lady i saw earlier. and it was mesmerising. She ended her performance with the sonce called caledonia which was about returning to home(or coming to home!).
one of the performances, where you just want to let go of thirst to capture a video or photo and just enjoy the moment of her, singing.
Thanks
Akash
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What makes Eda the most powerful witch and why Raine is such a perfect representation of a bard
Obligatory Spoiler Warning
Yep. Fair warning, this is gonna be a long post.
Edalyn Clawthorne. My favorite character in The Owl House and the level of chaos I would probably put into the world if I didn’t have as much self control as I do.
In season one, she repeatedly claims herself to be the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, though she no longer believes this after losing her powers. I still think she is the most powerful witch, magic or no.
Why? Her skills go much deeper than the ability to do magic. Eda has an extensive understanding of how magic works on a natural level, including things like knowing how to connect with nature to the point where the aisles reveals the secrets of magic.
This is a skill only a wild witch can possess or even begin to understand. Coven witches master only one magic type unless they’re in the Emperor’s Coven, in which case they pay more attention to what magic does over what it is. The majority of witches on the Isles see magic as a powerful tool, where wild witches tend to adopt the philosophy that it’s like an extension of oneself that must be studied properly to be used properly.
A fact people don’t pay enough attention to is that Eda is incredibly intelligent and adaptable. She most likely figured all of this out for herself and is finding ways to translate her own learning into a way that Luz understands. Meaning she learns equally as well as she teaches, which is an ability that’s dangerous to the Emperor’s way of ruling. If Eda is capable of teaching her way of magic to larger groups, it means less following for the covens, and that’s a slippery slope.
Even without magic, Eda’s level of wisdom and knowledge still poses a threat. She’s still trying to learn, is still finding ways around her curse, and is still trying to stop Belos. The phrase “knowledge is power” is incredibly cliché, but it’s true. In the case of the coven systems, knowledge is one of the greatest weapons that can be used against it because one of the greatest flaws in it is ignorance. Belos maintains power by keeping the people of the BI in the dark about the Day of Unity and everything going on behind the scenes. If Eda were to try and share what she knew, and people started believing her, Belos’ plans might crumble around him.
So by all means, Eda is still the most powerful witch. Maybe her magic is weak, but she has so much more that allows her to hold that position. I hope she keeps utilizing her strengths to fight the Emperor.
This might be obvious, but IDK. I just think it’s cool. Sorry if the tone is kind of harsh or if I’m wrong on something.
Moving on!
Raine Whispers is my second favorite character, and a character I relate to on an unhealthy level and I feel called out every time they make an appearance.
Anyway, let’s talk about bards.
Bards are generally defined as being oral historians, lord keepers, storytellers, musicians, general entertainers, ect. A lot of people also consider them jacks of all trades.
In a lot of games, movies, shows, books, and all that, there’s a few key facts that are common amongst all bards:
- They’re highly charismatic.
-They’re good at one of the following: Music, history, or acting.
- Often portrayed as skilled with magic.
- Has a wide variety of abilities.
- They’re frequently underestimated.
Raine pretty much embodies this general description. They’re like a bard that decided to take extra classes in “how to hide a body and be home in time for dinner”
Aside from simply having the skills of a bard, they have the smarts to use those skills to their full advantage. Case in point:
- Before they started using their violin, they weaponized their ability to whistle, as they have an understanding that bards need to just make noise to be effective with their magic.
- They’re an incredible actor, to the point where they can convince their ex best friend/girlfriend that they’re brainwashed without her suspecting otherwise, and they can fool the person who is assigned to watch them.
- They know how to make their abilities work in pretty much any situation.
In the game Dungeons & Dragons, I mainly play a bard. When I said we get underestimated, I mean we get underestimated.
Like, everyone gets surprised when I use a powerful spell even though it’s in the job description underestimated.
“They’re just a bard, they can’t handle this easy enemy” underestimated.
It’s obnoxious, but I love seeing the shock whenever an anti-bard player watches me do something cool.
It doesn’t surprise me that bards in The Owl House are underestimated and under-appreciated as well. But Raine uses that by letting people assume they’re weaker than they are, then taking the advantage of surprise.
With or without stage fright, Raine is a genuinely good example of a bard’s abilities being used to their fullest.
Again, probably obvious, but I just wanted to talk about it.
Sorry to make this so long, and thanks for reading. I could talk about these two characters for hours.
#toh#the owl house#toh eda#eda#raine whispers#edalyn clawthorne#toh raine#raine#random#random thoughts#ideas#toh spoilers#bard#magic#toh magic#analysis
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notre enchantement
My contribution to Team Dick for the 2022 MGI Civil War
Warnings: this circus offers descriptions of hot performers dressed in animal leotards, ptsd flashbacks, mentions of death and is written like a musical / Disney movie
Civil war prompt: glitter
STORY MASTERLIST
Ao3
Chapter one: Now Presenting
A black ribbon descended from the sky. He could barely see it within the tent’s darkness. The violin screamed its first high note as a woman dressed in red and black appeared upon the aerial silk. Climbing to the top, she twirled around the fabric causing it to wrap around her waist, she spun the excess creating a tornado-like effect. With only one hand holding her up, she stayed perfectly horizontal, before splitting the ribbon and spinning some more.
The crowd watched in awe as she released her grip. With the ribbon tied around her torso and across her legs, it was stable enough to separate her limbs in a wide stretch. She held that position before once again following the music. She flipped again, her arms bursting free from the silk ropes at the bang of the drums. Tumbling down she unravelled herself before pulling her legs over her head and binding herself once more as she righted herself after the flip.
Her arms reached up while her legs pointed downwards, intending to become perfectly vertical with the ribbon. Turning to her left she faced the floor, her body becoming a /\ shape. Dick heard Stephanie gasp as the woman let go, she rapidly spun, only being held up by her feet. The dancer grasped at the silk below her, moving her arms in a circular motion to increase her spin, before throwing her hands off and to the sides.
She began to climb up as the music once again built to its climax. She kicked her legs and used the momentum to do the splits and flick a leg over her head and around the silk, pulling the fabric across her back. She continued to envelope herself within the translucent black material.
One more wrap of her leg, she brought her free arm up then threw them down. From his position in the crowd, it looked as though she was cartwheeling through the air; the ribbon’s tail creating a circle around her. She grabbed her leg and was able to stop, still a good few metres from the ground.
Moving her hips she made the fabric swing, slowly unwinding the ties that bound her body. Pulling herself up before finally dropping to the ground, she landed there on her back; her right arm up, as if still seeking the embrace of the threads. The ribbon was slowly pulled back up until only a couple of metres showed.
Her arm lowered and was placed over her eyes, or where her eyes should be. Dick sat forward in his seat, her mask was a matte black with two white splotches steaming from the ‘eyes’.
Her legs shot up, quickly V-ing them she rolled to her right. Her stomach was now on the floor, the forearm that once covered her ‘eyes’ was now flat against the floor pushing her torso up, allowing her other arm to meet her lifted legs. It seems she wasn’t just an aerial dancer but a contortionist as well.
Another turn and she pushed against the ground until she was in a backbend. Gently a leg rose, ever so slowly she transitioned into a handstand with splits. Swinging her hips back with her momentum she flew into several backflips. As she got closer and closer to the barrier, time slowed down for Dick. Her back arched and the muscles in her arm constricted. She pushed off the sandy ground, flying into the air.
She landed on one of five circular stumps that made the rink’s barrier into a pentagon. She cartwheels down the connecting beam to the stump to her left. Lifting her arms and pointing her foot, she posed for the audience. She drew her pointed left up to her right knee and brought her arms down to her chest. Dick remembered from Cass’ dance lessons her legs were in passé whilst her arms were in first position. She began the motion of a pirouette.
He was so entranced by her. He didn’t recognise what was happening until too late. The railing shook as the performer upon it. She was crouched and held on with her right arm, with her left she reached out to him. Her index finger was barely touching his chin but he still had allowed her to tilt his head up to face hers. He stared at her with wide eyes, taking in all the little details that he couldn’t before due to their distance.
Her mask stopped at the bottom of her nose and her mouth was covered by a translucent mesh connected to two bug pinchers. Her ‘antenna’ were two shoulder-length ribbons that tickled his face as she leaned over him. The eye slits showed her true eyes, surrounded by black eyeshadow her blue irises shone like stars. It was slightly unnerving to him. Her glistening blue eyes were hidden amongst the expanse of her black bug mask. She was humanely inhuman, the definition of anthropomorphic.
Her voice was barely above a whisper, “I heard you were strong.” He slowly nodded, she guided him to stand up and brought him into the ring. He could hear the crowd cheering, he could feel his family staring holes into his back. There were a few wolf whistles, they flustered him although it damped his mood slightly; HE would have whistled too if he was with them.
He picked her up to help her over the barrier. The music morphed into what was believed as a waltz or tango tune; whatever it was he had heard it before at one of Bruce’s galas. The music flowed through their still connected bodies.
She guided both their arms up, and suddenly it was only them there. Slowly lowering their hands, following the soft entrance of the music, they entered into a dance support hold. He steps forward and she steps back, it seemed as though he was the leader but truthfully she was. He was the eldest of his family, the support to the castle made of sand, the glue that held them all together. He was a very strong glue.
Snapping back, the crowd was cheering them on as they danced around. He clutched one of her hands tightly and flung her out to the side. Although she was prepared she quickly caught herself and spun back into his embrace. He dipped her, she booped his nose with a chuckle; his nose scrunched at the poke.
“I need you to throw me.”
“What?” He swiftly replied, his voice was a whisper against the crowd roar. They undipped and he spun her again.
“Throw me towards the ribbon and then get out of the rink. It’ll be dang—“ the crowd and the muffling of her mask made it impossible for him to hear her.
He had a matter of seconds before he must take action.
His eyes flicked up. The tent’s scaffolding sat roughly at forty metres, the aerial silk hung just below it, surrounded by the tent’s hanging curtains.
He sidestepped around her as she began her revolution back into his arms again. He was now out of the middle and closer to the barrier, a better and safer angle for the throw.
Her arm that had reached away from him at the apex of her spin was now clutched to her chest. She steeled three times on the sandy floor before Dick picked her up in his arms.
Four
Now that she was secure, she nodded. At that signal, he began to spin himself, following her previous momentum.
Three
He shifted his grasp higher before bowing lowly, his feet shifting, knees bent.
Two
He was rounding the bend, locking eyes on the target. He prayed for a miracle that this precious cargo met their destination.
One
He let go.
She spun through the air in a similar fashion to that of a javelin. His arms were still outreached, it had been mere seconds since she left but the distance between them was so grand already. He guessed this one event was a microcosm for his whole relationship with her. As soon as he let her go, she would fly far beyond his reach.
He jumped out of the rink, his eyes diverting from her as she barreled towards the roles made of silk. He had just sat down in his seat when he heard it.
Screams. Multiple screams from men, women and children alike. He turned to his right and saw Barbara’s terrified face looking towards the sky. Is the tent on fire? A villain causing havoc? Joker? Penguin? Selina?
His heart stopped as he saw it. It was the worst thing he could’ve ever possibly imagined, no, in his mind, it’s so bad that the possibility of it happening was blocked out.
Even as she fell he couldn’t lie and say it wasn’t angelic. An Icarus with black silk wings. The spotlights followed her plummeting form, the glitter and sequins on her leotard sparkled, and time for Dick slowed to a halt.
Even though he had just sat, he rose once more, preparing to run to her but his legs were frozen in place. He saw his parents in her place, his father hugging his mother tightly, hoping that his dead body would soften her fall. But he was no longer seven and this wasn’t his parents, but it was his girlfriend.
Her arm reached up just like his mothers did, the moment she realised she was falling. Marinette didn’t scream or panic, she looked calm, serene, relaxed as she fell to her death. There was nothing that could save her, he couldn’t reach her in time. He isn’t fast enough to save her. He isn’t strong enough to withstand this blow.
Another performer dressed in darkness and fur descended from above, hanging upside down on a trapeze. His outstretched arms grabbed hers, pulling her up in the air once more. The screams turned to gasps as she was saved mere seconds before catastrophe, her silken cloth fluttered down to the sandy ground.
Dick still couldn’t move. He stared blankly at the cloth before looking up at the aerial performers with torpefied eyes. He heard people in the rows behind him shout at him to sit down or move. Babs tugged at his arm and cocked her chin in Bruce’s direction. He turned to see Bruce staring at him from behind his cup, his eyes burning holes in his skull.
Glancing one last time to ensure Marinette’s safety he saw her get flung once more. She flipped through the air and landed in the arms of another aerialist; she was dressed in black and yellow but had two small translucent baby blue caps coming from her back. A bug, a bee and a cat… what’s next?
A snake banging drums and a dragon flipping through fire apparently. More and more anamorphic performers appeared, each with a unique leotard and mask. A pig, leopard and bull joined the snake with musical items. The vixen created illusions for the audiences, the peacock danced with a flurry of feathered ribbons, the turtle rolled around the rink on a giant wheel; bending his body around the bars.
The audience was entranced, his family was mystified, Dick was numb. His head hung in his hands and his back was hunched over his seat. Tremors rocked his body but he was in public, he couldn’t show it.
But the show must go on.
At each high note or bang a new performer appeared, the crowd roared in excitement. Some performers came into the audience like Marinette had to get participants for some acts. Damian was chosen at one point to ride an elephant around the rink with an actor dressed as a bunny doing a one-handed headstand splits.
The show drew to a close, but it wasn’t soon enough for Dick. He sat there in silent suffering, both his head and heart pounded, blood rushed through his ears.
Ladybug and the Bumblebee laced their silk ribbons and together they made a woven spiderweb. Slowly each performance ended, the actors bowed before climbing upon the ‘web’, the snake was left alone on the floor. Each bang of his large drum brought the webbing higher. The two insect females disappeared into the ceiling curtains, followed by the cat, pig and mouse.
The snake paused and placed down his mallets. Walking around to the front of his drum he bowed deeply to the audience. From where he stood he jumped into a backflip, his arms in front and behind his abdomen keeping his back straight.
He landed on the drum with a thud. ‘How could it withstand a grown adult male’s weight?’ Dick wondered as he peeked through his fingers. The snake crouched mid-air, gathering his momentum to make one final leap to join his comrades. His arms stretched to the sky, he left his echoing bang behind him.
The bull and bunny caught the viper, the ram climbed back down to make sure they were all secure before the four of them followed the rest into the shadows of the ceiling. The crowd cheered as the music faded off into a whisper. Whispers about pounding hearts full of trepidation during the first performance then became rants of wonder at each individualised act that appeared after.
Dick found her again in the smaller white tent out the back of the festival. Animals were all stored in their respective pens here, some of the anthropomorphic performers have been kicked out to this tent before; there was a certain rooster that was cooing too loudly at some hens, that was the day Dick realised that the bunny was definitely stronger than she seemed.
She was wiping down the trunk of the elephant, the blue paint slowly was washed off their wrinkled grey body. It whistled at the girl, she giggled as her blackish-blue hair tickled her face.
She heard his approach, his footsteps crunched on the fallen leaves. He never bothered to be sneaky when it was her, she’d somehow heard him anyways. His arms wrapped around her middle and buried his head in between his shoulder blades. She sighed and relaxed into his arms, her back meeting his warm chest.
“Hey, Dickie.” She softly spoke, a repose atmosphere washed over them. She continued the elephant's washing, although it was much slower. His head raised when she spoke, “This is Hathi. I remember you told me about that Elephant you had when you were younger; Zitka was their name right?”
Dick silently nodded, the bridge of his nose bumped against her ear, his breath prickled the skin on her neck. Mari guided his hand from her waist and to Hathi’s trunk, the grey beast whistled happily again on contact.
“Don’t…” Marinette paused, ‘don’t what?’ They stood there for minutes, enjoying each other in the night's sombre silence. She turned in his arms to face him, they tightened around her and he rested his head on her shoulder. What was on his mind?
“Dick?”
“Please don’t ever—” He cut himself off as he inhaled a much-needed breath. His head felt like the drum when the viper jumped on it and his heart felt like it’s cage was too small.
He flinched as Mari began to stroke his hair. She shushed him but allowed him time to speak her piece. “Please stay with me tonight.”
She hesitated with her answer for a second, is it a good idea for her to enter into the lion’s den? She glanced down at the hunched body of her partner, she bore the majority of his weight, one step back and he’d topple over. What kind of a lousy girlfriend would she be if she left him in this state? His family would dislike her more than they already do.
“Ok, Dickie.”
STORY MASTERLIST
Taglist: @miraculousmelodies @jumpingjoy82 @wolfy-kat @izanae @1rosebyanyothername @mic-is-dead @ledalasombra @ann0631 @iloontjeboontje @ev-cupcake @toodaloo-kangaroo @starfire21 @nightlychaotic
#maribat#mlb x dc#dc x mlb#dickinette#dick x marinette#marinette x dick#encanto#encanto au#songfic#batfam salt#Wayne family centric#MGIcivilwar2022#MGI civil war 2022#notre enchantement
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Waxing poetic idea: virtuosity
First of all, what a concept for a waxing poetic, we love the pun, we love it all. Second of all, I have no idea just how long this has been sitting in my inbox, but better late than never, I suppose!
When I think virtuosity I generally think about music, so for the purposes of this post, I am going to focus on how Virtue and Moir are masters of musicality, as I can make a separate post about their general talent and skating skills.
I truly believe that Tessa and Scott were (and continue to be) the most musically inclined ice dance team ever. It’s nothing new, but Paul MacIntosh their old coach has spoken before saying there as just something natural about them and their ear for music, Tracy Wilson commented on them as juniors and early in senior as a team that really listened to their music and that they used their edges and knee bend to match the rhythm of the dance, etc. It was obvious that this team just had a certain ability and flow that went above and beyond what had been previously seen in the sport.
They were ice dancing to music, not figure skating to background noise.
There was always an impression that music meant a lot to them, and the emotional connection they felt to music was very important, the program they hated the most (Malaguena) was because they didn’t chose it themselves, and the program they had the most trouble with emotionally (The Seasons) was because they also couldn’t form a connection and tried to force something. The stunning thing about Tessa and Scott’s skating is that nothing ever looks forced, it all seems to be placed and done to maximize their ability, the music, and the art of figure skating. So, cmplpete with hyperlinks as well as gif credit, lets get into it.
I say that Valse Triste is one of my favourite free dance of theirs, but I don’t think people get just how much. In terms of how much a song can be elevated by movement, VM did everything correct with Vale Triste.
This perfect moment in the beginning where the music is drawn out and sweeping and so their movements match perfectly, I just love the ina bauer moment right on that first long violin sound, followed by Tessa’s nice deep long edge and then another sweeping movement. Also, the last lift directly on the crescendo of the music, when Tessa raises her hands into the air when the silence holds, and then again, that lovely piece of silence while Tessa is balancing on Scott and his squat. Then the last moment with Scott’s arms and the violin again... All of this matches the music so well, it very much feels like they had this choreographed already, and then Jean Sibelius wrote Valse Triste for them. So stunning.
Umbrellas of Cherbourg was just a piece of mastery in terms of hitting musical highlights. The first lift was so effective, all the of the step sequences were musical and lilting and joyous. I also love the moment in this gif, the abandon in their movements echoes the abandon in the song as Catherine Deneuve sings “je ne peux pas, je ne peux pas” and it really does feel like they can’t help but move this way. I don’t need to understand French to feel it, they made the movement match the music so well that it becomes universal. Special shout out to the fucking stunning backwards inside edge they both hit as they go around the corner. *chefs kiss*
What I also love about their virtuosity and their musicality is that they never really settled. They picked a very difficult piece of music for the Olympic year because it was the only music they felt any connection with. It was a hard program because they really took time to highlight the music, and the accents are quick and staccato. What’s stunning, is that I think anyone who watches/knows vm can perfectly hear the music that should be playing over the gif, and nothing else COULD be playing. So often, especially recently, I watch ice dance programs if feels like any generic music could be on and it wouldn’t change much. Tessa and Scott could never. Every movement and every moment is deliberate and on theme.
Tessa and Scott’s dance holds are a literal thing of beauty and should be studied. That doesn’t have much to do with what I am writing about currently, but I thought it needed to be said. Nights and Days is an all time favourite programs. We love a wango. I love the opening especially and how they go from a nice easy arm movement to two quick poses, then Tessa’s moment with that leg and giving that face, that hit the opening notes so well, only to have the music really begin with their leg kicks.
Let’s talk about how a waltz goes counterclock wise on a dance floor and is quick-quick-slow and Tessa and Scott started their program going counter clock wise around the rink, and having their movement begin slow-quick quick, slow-quick quick...because I’m never not thinking about it
There are so many moments in their free dance to Hip Hip Chin Chin that I desperately love and that I have yet to see gifs of it. Besides the stellar and iconic opening footwork, the coolest twizzles (accenting the drums with their transition into each twizzle), and some very cool lifts (I mean, hello temptation lift), I love the step sequences and the transitions in this program so much. Some favs include:
Tessa’s booty pop to the drums and her arm on “rhythm”
Tossing Scott and a literal hip hip chin chin
Hitting twizzles and free legs on beat
Tessa just in this moment and her arms
The “I can’t resist” moment and the silence as they just pull in on beat, throw their hand up on beat, and hug on the ice sensually
That little kick they do in the step sequence right on the double beat
Anyway, that program is a fucking wonder and the fact they only did it once fully in competition is a small tragedy.
Tessa’s twizzle from the Waltz goes on right on that stunning lick of effervescent music lives rent free in my head and will until I die.
As does the extension and flair Tessa gets in this one small hand and arm movement. More character in this tiny little one second gif of carmen than in the entirety of Davis and White’s Notre-Damn that year, quote me.
Carmen, in and of itself, is so fascinating and intricate from a music standpoint, they hit all the moments so well. Tessa’s second leap into the air on the curve lift, the ending pose for the twizzles, that rad as hell and incredibly difficult transition where Scott all but throws Tessa face first into the ice and she lands in a sort of lunge that took all season to perfect. I could go on.
I truly am, one day, going to make a post about Dream a Little Dream and how it is the best short dance program ever performed. In terms of virtuosity it is unmatched. Again, it is that type of program where you can so easily hear the music playing the background because everything just...fits. I can hear Ella crooning “stars shining bright aboooove you” as Tessa rounds around Scott and his arms flow along with the melody. I also love the moment with “sycamore tree” and the transition there. Shout out also having the solo lady twizzle in the finnstep right on the boom of the music. There are too many moments to count. The whole program is magic.
Another special shout out to the latch step sequences and especially how they changed the diagonal step so that Tessa’s double twizzle hit right on the music and created such a moment. I also love the straight line lift and how with the changes made so it was timed perfectly to be in a moment of silence between lyrics. Tessa and Scott know how to use the moments of silence and stillness just as much as they know how to use the moments of intensity and attack.
Moment of appreciation for the guitar lick during the rumba where they kick in as they get that chocktaw key point before the inside 3-turns. Iconic behavior.
What I love is that they dig deep into their music, really listen, and really try and make their movements and their program not only match the music, but elevate the music to the point where you hear things you maybe didn’t before because it never got highlight in that way before.
I love that they aren’t afraid to not only hit the big, in your face “rooooxaNNE” moment, but it’s that they chose to put it at the end of their twizzle sequence which needs perfect timing, perfect synchronicity, and perfect attack. Not to mention, the amazing head-head moment with the violin right after. But then! It’s not just the end of the twizzle sequence, because they also accent the music every where in between because the first set is on beat to the music as is the second set which leads into their arm transition in character and then we get the big moment. With Tessa and Scott, their musicality is such that they create these little micro pockets of moments amidst one giant moment that is their full program; because the twizzles fit perfectly in the program, but the twizzles also stand alone as their own moment of tension and release -- just magnificent.
Off topic, but gosh it always amazes me just how fast they are going into and through this lift. As I’ve mentioned previously, it’s not just the big accents they are hitting, but the small ones as well. It took me half the season to realize there is a lovely little piano lick right as Tessa backflips and rises up into position, just as the music is rising along with her and once again, it just feels right. No other teams owns the ice and owns their music quite like them. Because it’s not just that they are so musical, its that they have the ability to skate to all of these different types of music, and look at home in every single one. In that, they are objectively unparalleled.
When Tessa and Scott skate, it almost feels like the music is asking them to create something, and is ultimately grateful for them doing so.
#konner talks skating#to the tuneof the staind song 'its been a while'#:D#hi!#have this!#tessa virtue#scott moir#virtue and moir#there are SO many i havent talked about#im so sorry#i didnt mention mahler#we would have been here all day#i made an executive choice#sdjfaskjdfasdkjf#anyway#happy reading!#okay#everything is tagged and credited#ive read it throughthree times#if there are mistakes#they are with god now#konner waxes poetic
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Little Stars
A/n: THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR 1.5K!!! THISMEANS SO MUCH TO ME SO HERES A LITTLE IMAGINES I WROTE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAN K YUO GUYS AGain
(this is way longer than I thought it would be! also not edited lol sorry)
Word Count: 3.4k
Warnings: maybe like one or two curse words, sexual tension??
Summary: Y/n is an up and coming artist. The problem is her collection deadline is one past up and coming. Lacking motivation since the job was assigned she is stuck the day before her deadline with no paintings or photos and thoroughly depressed. That is until shes see inspiration outside her window. Inspiration by the name of Lee Felix.
Genre: Fluff, strangers to ‘lovers’,
✧
Empty. My brain was empty. I had two months. Two months to come up with a small exhibit for a local gallery I was signed to. Two months. For five paintings. Or photos. Or both. TOO MANY DECISIONS. Decisions...granted I should have made...two months ago.
I sat near the biggest window in my apartment. Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a natural glow on the stark white canvas. I just needed a theme. A subject. I know! I could do a five-part exhibition on tea kettles!
“Oh for pete’s sake, I’m going crazy,” I said head in my hands.
I can’t paint teapots. Flowers are overdone. What the hell am I supposed to paint? This exhibition was a huge deal. I had nothing and my deadline was tomorrow night.
That’s it. I’m done. My short career is finished. I should just throw away all my paints and pencils and chalk and coal and trash all the canvases that littered my apartment. I glanced at my phone which sat a few feet away from me on a small wooden table littered with tubes of paint and jars filled with brushes and blades covered in paint.
An hour had passed and I still had yet to touch my brush to the canvas. Groaning, I rested my forehead against the linen canvas. “Come on, Y/n. Search your artsy soul for inspiration.” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I tried to imagine the canvas being filled by something beautiful. Something worthy of love and legacy. Something that could burn a hole in my life and set it on fire. Something to ignite my passion again.
When I opened them, of course, the canvas was still empty and my brain was too.
With the thousandth aggravated sigh of the hour, I sat up and looked out the huge window near me. My eyes caught on a flash of blonde hair. Down on the street, a boy with light hair and bright eyes was bouncing along with two other boys. They were joking around and laughing, as people who’s entire job wasn’t on the line would do. For some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.
All of a sudden I could see the brush strokes of his hair on my canvas. The delicate lines of his eyes. I needed to paint him.
I launched myself out of the chair and rushed to the door. My feet took the stairs two at a time and I jumped the last three before sprinting out onto the street. My head turned in all directions trying to find the boy I saw from my window. Once again, I found his blonde mop bouncing and laughing down the street, away from my apartment.
“Hey!” I called out, running to catch up.
Good grief boys walk fast. “Hey! You! With the blonde hair!” At my words, the three boys turned around, astonished someone was running at them. After a few words, the boys started running away. “No! Wait! I need to talk to the Blonde Guy!” I yelled out of breath. Desperate, I ran after them. Thankfully they turned down an alley only a few feet away that I knew was a dead end.
I put my hands on my knees catching my breath. The three boys stared at me a little fearful. “Look, I just need to talk to Goldilocks. I saw him from my window and there was just something about you. It inspired me.”
“Well... yeah. We’re kind of famous. We get that a lot.” The boy with doe-like eyes and dark, almost black hair said like it was obvious. The boy with blonde hair elbowed him in the stomach making the other laugh.
“You’re famous?” I asked, finally standing upright. They looked between each other surprised.
“You don’t know who we are?” The youngest looking asked. He reminded me of a fox I painted once. “Sorry. We thought you were a crazy fan.” To be honest I hadn’t really been keeping up with the news or popular things lately. I had been holed up in my apartment trying to paint. “We’re from a group called Stray Kids. I’m Jeongin. The rude guy is Jisung, and that’s Felix.”
My eye immediately darted to the boy now known to me as Felix. “Felix...” I said looking him over. He was even more entrancing up close. He had soft sun spots dancing across his cheeks and nose that brightened up his face. Freckles. How cute. How different.
“Yeah...what’s your name?”
“Uh- I’m Y/n, Y/n L/n.”
Jeongin’s eyes widened. “Hyung! Isn’t she that painter that Hyunijn likes? He dragged us to that gallery last year to see her stuff.” Jisung nodded and looked from me back to Felix. “Our friend loves your stuff. He made us take a bunch of pictures of him in front of it.”
“Oh, that’s awesome.” I couldn’t take my eyes off Felix, and he noticed.
“Do you think we could like buy a painting off you? That would shut him up for like a solid six months.” Jisung said pulling out his wallet. “How much are we talking?”
“For something I have with me? Not in a gallery? Probably like....Fifteen.” I said, still quite distracted. My imagination was spiraling out of control with how I wanted to paint the boy in front of me. How I wanted to capture his image. Photograph him.
“Fifteen bucks? Great! That’s awes-”
“Fifteen hundred.”
Felix burst into laughter as the look on Jisung’s face fell. His hand was frozen, extended out in front of him, already prepared to give me fifteen dollars. My heart skipped a beat watching Felix’s bright grin. He practically glowed.
“I’ll make you a deal. I’ll let you choose any painting you want from my apartment and I’ll sign it for...Hyunjin, was it?” The boys nodded. “I’ll give it to you if Felix will help me finish my new exhibition. It shouldn’t take long. I’ll even-”
“Sure.”
Felix shrugged with a small smile, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He looked me over with a soft and happy gaze. It seemed I intrigued him as much as he intrigued me.
“My apartment is just around the corner.”
“Cool. Just a heads up, I’ve never modeled except for like album jackets and stuff.”
“Don’t worry about it.” The closer he got, the harder it was not to smile. Jisung and Jeongin were joking behind us, something about Felix finally getting into a pretty girl’s apartment, but it all kind of faded away as I walked back with Felix. I felt the passion to paint again burning in my stomach.
✧
Felix patiently waited as I opened the door to my apartment. When we entered I hastily cleaned up some random junk cluttering the counters as he looked around. There was nothing I could do about the multiple canvases lying in stacks all around the living room.
“Wow. You are really good.” He said looking at a large canvas painted with bright and happy colors near my kitchen. Why did the compliment feel different coming from him?
“Thank you very much. I’ve had a bit of a dry spell recently.”
“For how long?”
“Give or take three months.”
Felix chuckled and looked at the other paintings near him. While he explored my art-filled apartment, I set up my camera on a tripod near the window and adjusted the position of my easel. “So, how is this gonna work?”
“Um...I’m not entirely sure. I’ve never been inspired like this before. I really have no idea what medium I’ll end up using...so I’m sort of using...all of them.” Felix laughed again watching me frantically prepping everything I could possibly need. I didn’t miss the lingering stares he cast my way.
“We’re doing photos? Should I like put on a base or something?”
“NO!” He was a little shocked at my outburst. He probably wasn’t used to being photographed without makeup. “Sorry. I just- I don’t want you covered up. I want to paint everything. Everything about you.” I looked to see a shy blush on Felix’s face as he came to stand near me by the window.
“So, I sit here?” He motioned to the windowsill, overlooking the street on which I discovered him. The light hit him perfectly, bouncing of his cheekbones and practically giving him a halo.
I nodded quietly and adjusted a few settings on my camera before returning to my easel. Felix looked at me with a smile. I laughed seeing he was trying to pose and stay very still.
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll ask you to be still if I need to.”
The sound of the camera clicking filled the apartment as Felix watched me paint him. The lines came easy to me as if I had painted him many times before. He watched as I painted the lines of his face and his eyes quickly appeared on the canvas, staring back at me just like he was.
“Do you want some music? This will take a while. I’ve got five pieces to do.” Felix chuckled, his adam’s apple bobbing up and down and his eyes crinkling into crescent moons.
“Music would be wonderful.” With a smile, I shoved my wet paintbrush behind my ear, streaking my cheek and possibly my hair, and shuffled over to turn on my stereo. Felix let a curious grin slip onto his lips. “Classical?”
“Do you like it? It helps me focus.” He nodded and looked out the window. His eyes closed as the sound of soft violins floated through the apartment. “So, Felix, what’s your favorite book.” He was a little shocked at the random question, but that happy smile returned.
“Ummm...let’s see,” While he thought I continued painting, the basics of his face and form already done. I quickly painted the window and background so I could go back to focusing on the shadows and details of Felix’s face. My hands worked quickly, shading in the dark patches behind the cushions and curtains.
“Peter Rabbit.”
“Like the kid’s book?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing! It’s just different. I knew there was something special about you.” I said with a laugh, grabbing a smaller brush and looking at the shadows behind Felix. He tilted his head, resting it on the window.
“Why did you pick me?”
The movement of my brush stopped. My eyes met the dark brown stare Felix held. He smirked noticing the heat rushing to my cheeks. “I thought you looked like a shooting star.” His eyebrows rose and he tried not to laugh.
“That’s quite the artist's answer.”
“Well, I am an artist.”
He chuckled and started playing with the edge of his sleeve. “So, a shooting star?” Again, I blushed. The painting was almost finished I just needed to finish the details of his eyes and cheeks. “Yeah. I don’t know. You just seemed so full of life. Something fleeting. Something...ephemeral.”
“Ephemeral? As in not lasting? What am I supposed to turn into dust after you’ve finished with me?” He laughed, his eyes crinkling. My eyes trailed down his cheeks to look at the stars dancing across his skin. The freckles scattered about his cheeks. Delicately, I began placing each and every spot as Felix told me about his life.
“It’s finished.”
“Can I see?” He said jumping up from the window sill. I shook my head and grabbed the still wet canvas. “Come on, Y/n! Let me see!” He chased me around the living room trying to carefully grab the painting. I laughed when his arms wrapped around my waist and he pulled me to him.
“You can see it when the collection is complete! We have more art to make!” He laughed and let me place the painting away to dry. Together we walked over back to the window and he sat back down, watching me expectantly.
I scanned through the photos the camera captured. They were fantastic. They were the perfect candids. I could edit these into black and white and it would be gorgeous. Felix came to look over my shoulder. He gasped at the pictures.
“How the hell did you do that?” Felix gently took the camera and scrolled through the pictures. “Seriously. You were busy painting. How did you do this?” I shrugged and cleaned some of my brushes while he looked through the photos.
“Sometimes it is not about the angle or the position. It’s just what the subject is doing or feeling.” I took the camera and scrolled to a certain picture. “Like this one.” Felix looked at the picture. It was him leaning against the window, his eyes crescents and aimed somewhere off frame. “Do you know when this was?” He shook his head and looked to me.
“When I called you a shooting star.” Felix looked at the photo again, seeing it in a new light.
“So, what’s next?”
I felt so close to Felix. Like I had known him for years. Had it really only been a few hours? My eyes traced the lines of his shoulders and back. The perfect canvas.
“Can I...paint on you?”
His eyes widened for a millisecond and he let out a breathy laugh. “Have you done it before?” I shrugged and wiped my paint stained hands on my jeans. When I looked up he had moved a little closer.
“I’ve never really wanted to. Like I said, I don’t want to capture your image...covered up. It should be seen naturally.”
Felix smiled. “So, where are we doing this?” He said softly. My heart thumped against my chest. I pointed to an open space on the wood floor and he nodded. I grabbed some body paints I had lying around in a cabinet and brought them over to Felix.
“Let me know if anything gets uncomfortable and I’ll stop.” He nodded and slipped his shirt over his head. I motioned for him to lie on his stomach and he followed my instruction. Felix shivered when his tan skin touched the cool wood floor.
“What got you into painting?” Felix asked, resting his head on his arms. I picked out the brush I wanted to start with. My palm rested on his shoulder as the brush hovered over his back.
“I’m not really sure. You see...I really sucked at math.”
Felix let out the largest laugh, one that shook his whole chest. I took the opportunity to start painting. Soon his lower back was filled with swirling colors of blues and purples. “Is everything okay?” Felix asked, interrupting his own story.
“Yeah, just an awkward angle.”
“You can adjust if you want to. I don’t mind.” My skin started to crawl when Felix turned to me in the eye. Like he was inviting me to come even closer to him. He smiled at the blush on my cheeks before turning his head away. Hesitantly, I situated myself above Felix, slowly resting some of my weight on the lowest part of his back possible. I saw him smile when he felt my knees on either side of his hips.
Felix continued his story about something one of his friends named Chan did the other night. The sound of his low voice mixed with the music still playing guided my brush like it had a mind of its own. When I looked at my work, a nebula with hundreds of little stars was born onto his skin.
“I think it’s done.”
Carefully, I got off of Felix and helped him up. I set the camera up again and it started taking pictures. Taking Felix’s hand I pulled him in front of the lens and positioned him with his back towards the camera. He watched me as I positioned his body, my hands unintentionally lingering on his shoulders.
Felix turned to me as I began to pull away. “I didn’t know art could be so intimate.” I looked down to see his hand on my arm, his body was slightly turned at the waist towards me and his eyes bore into mine. Never had I felt this passionate about something other than art. I liked Felix. A lot. More than I should admit after just meeting the man. “Is it supposed to be like this?”
I shook my head, hoping he wouldn't notice I stepped closer. “No,” His hand slid around the base of my back. “Maybe you are a shooting star. I couldn’t have wished for something this incredible.” He smiled and looked down at me.
“Can I kiss you? Sorry...I just-”
“You really didn’t have to ask.” Felix, let out a small laugh, almost a giggle, making me smile. My fingers traveled up his neck and into the edge of his blonde hair. “Well, are you gonna do it or are you gonna chicken out, Felix?”
“Oh shh.”
His lips tasted like strawberries. He was gentle and slow, like he was savoring every moment. When he pulled away I rested my forehead against his. “I do not regret putting off my work until the last minute.” He laughed, his eyes brightening and lighting up the whole room.
✧
Standing in the gallery felt like a second home. My exhibition hung on the wall .It was one of my greatest yet. The gallery had given me an extension after seeing the semi-finished product. A group of rowdy boys walked towards me, a familiar and handsome face leading them.
“Y/n!” He called, running up and greeting me with a kiss. The other seven boys followed after him. One of the taller ones hung towards the back clearly nervous.
“You must be Hyunjin?” I asked reaching for his hand. His eyes widened and he shook my hand vigorously. His sharp features lifted into a grin and he laughed. “You might want to let go of my hand eventually.”
“Oh. Sorry. I’m just such a big fan.”
“I know. Felix has told me all about you. I’ve got a painting signed for you in my car.” Hyunjin’s jaw dropped and I swear he almost fell backwards had Jisung not been there to catch him.
“So, what is your collection called?” The boy Felix pointed out to me as Chan asked. Felix proudly wrapped an arm around my waist as I guided the group to the first piece.
“It’s called Little Stars.” Felix, blushed when I lightly pinched his cheek. The boys marveled at the first painting. It was one of Felix sitting in my window. It was the only piece in color. We moved on to the second piece. The photo I had shown Felix of him smiling.
The next photo was a frame I had cropped to show just his eyes. Even in black and white Felix still managed to bring color and life with just a single look. “Wow, Felix! I had no idea you were this cool looking!” Minho said, marveling at the photograph. Felix kicked him as we moved forward.
The second to last photo showed the painting I did on Felix’s back. He was completely turned away from the camera, but you could see my hands on his shoulder and waist. I had edited the photo so just my hands and arms were seen. Felix smiled and kissed the top of my head before the both of us led the group to the exhibit finale.
“DAMN FELIX!” Jisung yelled.
“Jisung. We are in an art gallery. Don’t yell.” Chan scolded.
“Sorry, but Felix got game.”
I laughed and looked at the photo; it was my favorite. Felix was half turned towards me but you could still see the nebula and stars on his back, his hand was gripping my waist tightly and he smiled down at me, our foreheads pressed together. You could see my fingers pulling away from the base of his hair, giving movement to the photo.
“This is incredible, Y/n.”
“Well, it’s all you so I should say so.” He kissed my cheek with that bright smile of his. “You really are my shooting star. I’m getting everything I could ever wish for.”
✧
Requests are open, my lovelies!
Masterlist
#stray kids#stray kids imagines#stray kids preferences#stray kids reactions#rubber ducky you're the one#kpop imagines#stray kids incorrect quotes#kpop#stray kids funny#kpop incorrect quotes#stray kids masterlist#stray kids scenarios#stray kids apocalypse au#stray kids au imagine#stray kids au imagines#stray kids college au#stray kids fake texts#stray kids social media au#stray kids soulmate au#stray kids fluff#felix imagines#felix oneshot#felix smut#felix au#felix imagine#felix talks#stray kids felix#felix fluff
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3 Days of Bliss (a short story made by me)
So I wrote a short story, sadly it’s not a fanfic, I’m bad at those lol. One day I just woke up and decided to write this. English is not my first language so feel free to correct me if there’s any grammatical or spelling errors, I’m always ready to learn more <3
*******************************************************************************************
Phoebe, a brilliant name for a radiant person. A good friend of mine. We are on a road trip to a place that Phoebe will love for sure. I made an appointment with an artist. I decided to bring her to the artist's workshop and make some art. Phoebe has been a big fan of art for a long time, as far as I remember she always has been passionate about creating and learning about art since she was a child. My car moves swiftly across the highway towards our destination meanwhile Phoebe just spacing out into the road. We are enjoying each other's company and silence as all friends would do. About half an hour, we arrive at the place that we're supposed to make art for today. The town looks peaceful, almost like there's no trace of humanity compared to the workshop on the other side looks welcoming and humble.
As soon as we enter, a man around our age greets us with a smile on his face. He has long and wavy brunette hair that tied back messily. He is the true embodiment of an artist. The shirt he is wearing is smudged by the paints though it is hidden by the apron. He is lanky although there might be a little bit of muscle hidden behind the shirt, perhaps by carrying all of the art equipment. The building is quite empty but fills with various artworks along with the paints, canvas and brushes. At the centre of the room, something catches my eyes. A large glass platform is placed on the floor. The artist introduces himself as Kyle then tells us to change into the outfit he prepares. He says he is going to teach us to make art using our body parts. Kyle dips his hands in the paint while encouraging Phoebe to do the same. Phoebe hesitates to do so at first, but after watching Kyle spontaneously paint the glass platform using his hands, she starts to do it too. Kyle decides to turn on the music simultaneously doing their masterpiece while I just watch and take pictures of them. I already agree to be the cameraman throughout these three days' trip. Phoebe starts to use her feet to paint. She's suddenly dancing around the platform, each of her steps matches the beat of the song. Her pace is light. Almost seems like she's floating. Kyle and I are mesmerized by her, she shines like the sun on the crack of dawn. Before I even get to take more pictures of her, Phoebe drags me on the platform. We dance together along with Kyle, making art just by our footsteps.
We decide to take a tea break. Three of us are drinking tea while making small conversations to spare our time. While we're talking, I can't help but notice that Kyle never takes his eyes off Phoebe. As someone who is also a man, it kind of bothers me the way he looks at her though I try not to think of it that much. After that, we continue to work on the piece. The artwork actually turns out great! I had never usually held any significant adoration for art until today. Others might think our artwork is just a mixture of paints without any particular pattern or reference. However, art is not all about beautiful sceneries and portraits. It's about the meaning and emotion we put in it. Take the case of Starry Night by Van Gough. Even though he was the one who made it, he thinks of it as a failure though now almost everyone knows and praises his art. Besides, people find his story and the meaning behind all of his art pieces mesmerizing and eye-opening. Both of us thank Kyle for his guidance and willingness to help us throughout the class, he even takes the chance to give Phoebe his number in case we want to meet up again. After saying goodbye to Kyle, we check in to our hotel to rest and prepare for the next day.
I hear knocking on my door early in the morning, waking me up from my deep slumber. It must be Phoebe, she's an early riser after all. Phoebe seems enthusiastic about today's activity. She gobbles up her breakfast while I remind her to drink water, worried that she might choke on her food. Not too far from here, there is a music class that we will visit soon. Phoebe wants to learn to play a musical instrument ever since she saw me playing the piano once. We meet a Chinese woman in her 50s soon after we arrive at the class. She has a bright smile, friendly and sweet too. There are multiple instruments placed in the room, Phoebe obviously impatient to play all of them. I thought she wanted to play the piano though she reaches the violin at the corner of the room instead. The madam proceeds to teach her the right position to hold the violin while I do my usual task. I try to find appropriate lighting to take their pictures, most of it turns out great because of the madam's cooperation. Phoebe also looks natural while playing the violin, she always has been quick-witted. Phoebe exclaims to the madam that I'm really good at playing the piano. I am flustered when the madam requests me to play it though I do not dare to refuse someone's wish. It's been a while since I played the piano, I sit on the chair with caution. I touch the white tiles lightly, almost scared that it might break. Melancholy piano keys echoing in the air, the sound greets my ears like a bittersweet reunion of two soulmates who weren't meant to be. Phoebe sneakily takes a picture of me, making me stop from continuing to play the piano. Both of them give me an ovation even though I don't think I deserve it. I'm sure that they're just being kind to me. "I really want to be good at playing the violin now. It will be nice if I can do a duet together with Neil" says Phoebe in a child-like manner. The madam agrees while I'm flattered by their praises. Phoebe starts to become more persistent in practising after that. A duet with Phoebe as a pianist and violinist sounds surreal, kind of romantic may I say.
It's the last day of our trip. Today we're going to do some photoshoots, as always Phoebe will be the model. We check out from the hotel at 5 am in the morning and drive straight to the destination. It's kind of rough travel because we need to climb the mountain near the town before the sunrise ends. On top of the mount, there are lots of wind turbines that make you wonder how far our technology has developed. The scenery is breath-taking, the greenery soothes my eyes, what's more, my lungs are filled with fresh morning air. It is a wise decision to pick this place as our photoshoot's venue after all. This is also the reason why I choose to be a full-time cameraman instead of a professional pianist. I always have been passionate about photographs more than playing the piano. Phoebe looks beautiful today, she's wearing a white dress that really compliments her ocean eyes. She's stunned by the sun slowly rising up on the horizon. A lot of pictures are taken during the time, she doesn't even need to pose that much. "Neil, dance with me." She whispers while looking at me with adoration in her eyes. I take her hands, leisurely melts away in her gaze. As if all of our concerns are gone like it's actually an ordinary voyage between two soulmates. Phoebe suddenly bends over, she starts to lose her composure. I hold both of her arms, trying to get her to her feet again. No one can ever imagine someone who is as strong as Phoebe is in pain. She's been sick for a long time now. Instead of getting further treatment, she decides to spend her last remaining days with me. She wants to learn and does things that she always wanted to do since forever. There are a lot of activities that she wishes she could do. In the end, we decided to decrease it into three activities only. The trip is going great, she keeps glowing throughout our journey. Every picture I take throughout our journey is magnificent. She reminds me of the star at the centre of the Solar system. The sun that peeks through the clouds during one of those gloomy rainy days. She never fails to bring lights in one's self. Although, her eyes can't hide the fact that she's slowly dying. The trip back to our hometown feels sombre though Phoebe never let her smile wear down until the end.
I didn't come to her funeral today. Instead, I just lock myself in my bedroom accompanied by the dusty piano. I only play it once in a blue moon though I drag the cover on top of it revealing an old yet still sturdy piano. The dust flies around the room. This might help to distract me from the loss of a person very dear to me. I start with a delicate movement though it gradually turns into a desperate for melody of someone who refuses to let go. My slim fingers dance across the white tiles with fury, longing and regret. She was bedridden as soon as we got home. I knew that her body couldn't handle it, it might be risky yet she was still eager to go on with the trip. I should have stopped her, I had the chance but I lost it. I weep silently, the white tiles are drenched by my tears. The way she shines in my eyes, the way every single of her gesture makes my heart flutters. I was in love with her. I was in love with the sun that was no longer here. The rain pours down from the sky as if it's also grieving with me. I stop playing though the rain never stops. The sun is nowhere to be found either.
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