Maybe i will finish one day, but the tldr of my tiefling is she’s stupid and joined a cult, met a girl, got turned into a monster/demon by said girl (she’s a hellhound flavoured order of the lycan bloodhunter), the demon bit is like a survival instinct but also it’s own kind of personality that takes over to look after her. 

ph also while i was drafting that last post i found this in my drafts and idk i’m feeling a little goofy silly funny. so. heres some thoughts on my self indulgent princes tutu/disney classic fairytales (really though just peter pan) story idea . i’m just gonna post whatever this says mostly unedited

idk if ill actually post this or keep it in my drafts but probably i will post it bc i like when people read my things and give me feedback even if its just for my own enjoyment :) (i did post it teehee)

for anyone whos never watched princess tutu heres the Quickest possible plot summary without spoiling it bc you Should watch it: its abt a town where fairytales come to life, because of a man who died while writing his last book, trapping the hero (the prince) and villain (the raven) in their final battle without an end, so they break out into the town and the prince shatters his heart into pieces to seal the raven away, but losing all his emotions in the process

the story is abt a duck (named duck) who is turned into a girl by the man (drosselmeyer) so that she can turn into princess tutu, a heroine from his story, and find the shards of the prince's shattered heart and return them to him. there are other characters in town who take on roles from the story but most people (duck included) dont seem to realize there even Is a story or that their town is taking part in it- except for those that know the prince (fakir and rue) and very much Dont want the story to continue. thats abt as much as i can say without spoilering the twists but its very good and you should watch it. thank u

anyways . now time to put funny guy in here for no reason . one of the other important story points in pt is that drosselmeyer Loves tragedies. so that combined with this idea that some of the ppl of the town are inadvertently becoming characters In the story gave me this idea that like. the peter and co in the story (slightly more book accurate just way edgy for reasons i will get into in 2 seconds) are completely different from the ones running around gold crown town (basically the disney versions) . and peter from the story is more like some dudes 'dark' version of peter pan where hes malicious or whatever and doesnt actually care abt people . and the tragedy of his story is eventually the lost boys all either grow up or die, tink dies, hook dies (idk what im even gonna do with him LOL), but peter forgets all abt them bc hes so selfish and obsessed with not growing up he never even feels sorrow over losing them so he doesnt even know he should be lonely and sad

but i know my boy so like. hes not like that. he genuinely cares for tink, and the lost boys, thats his family even if he never like says it. which is part of the problem cause like, while the prince has no heart the story has stalled, so everyone is just stuck in the same place in the story, otherwise living out their lives. the raven cannot get out and nobody can meet ill fates bc the story has stopped. but duck/princess tutu returning the prince's heart shards is causing the story to progress . plot points from the story begin to occur and they are quickly hurtling toward the return of the raven and the end of the tale- which btw is ALSO a tragedy. its always going to be a tragedy. things dont end well in the ending drosselmeyer had planned. but bc duck is a good person even once she realizes this she knows that the prince deserves to have his heart back so she keeps looking for the shards

anwyays this is rambling as hell but the idea i had was that at some point while duck is looking for more heart shards, she runs into peter who is, despite being forever an immature obnoxious boy , like genuinely a good kid who tries to do the right thing, so of course even if he doesnt like. know whats going on hes gonna help out! he doesnt know duck is tutu bc thats a secret identity magical girl thing but like, if she ever asks for help he does and they get along very well . he also gets along with tutu who he just thinks is a different person . he has No Idea that gold crown town is trapped in a story or that the story doesnt end well for him Or duck (tutu's fate is that she'll turn into a speck of light and vanish if she confesses her feelings for the prince so. lol)

UNTIL. he meets another character named princess kraehe, a crow prima ballerina, who tells him to stop helping tutu and that theyre all better off if the prince stays heartless forever. she casually drops that tutu is fated to die if the story goes as it is, and hes fated to lose everyone he cares about and be alone forever, and if he doesnt believe her he should seek out the story of the prince and the raven and read it for himself. which he does. and yeah shes right. and when she finds him again and is like hey like even IF nothing happens, wont you have to grow up if the story ends? so arent you in a lose/lose situation here no matter what if you help tutu? hes like yeah ok maybe everything IS better if the story stalls and nothing progresses . i happen to like things exactly as they are

so from that point on hes actively stopping tutu from finding the shards of the prince's heart as much as he can. hes still friendly with duck bc shes great and as far as hes concerned shes basically a lost girl even if she goes to school instead of running away into the woods with him (which is fine but lame) but that also gives him more reason to oppose tutu . whcih is conflicting for duck bc She Is Tutu. he never directly allies himself with kraehe bc shes obviously evil but its still like a mess

and then later on character development happens n blah blah he goes back to helping tutu but like ill save that bc im lazy and also i would have to spoil the twists of the story to get into that so maybe another time. lol

scenarios w iwaizumi, lev and yaku with an s/o who usually dresses super conservative and comfort>style but wants to try stepping out of her comfort zone so on one of their dates she shows up more put together and wearing clothes that show a bit more skin? (like off the shoulder tops, shorts, skirts w/o leggings etc) n the boys get a little flustered or excited?? ;);) thank u! im trying to step out kf my comfort zone too so i felt like this would b cute nd make me more motivated not to give up!!

mmm yessss good stuff. this is the fluff I’m after. I hope you enjoy these, anon!! and I really really hope they motivate you because you’re beautiful and deserve to feel comfortable!! i love how these scenarios gradually increase in word amount as I go along I’m so sorry for the inconsistency oops.

IWAIZUMI

For your movie date with Iwaizumi, you were feeling a bit experimental with your choices in clothing. Instead of your usual conservative style, you wore a shorter skirt with your legs fully exposed, choosing not to wear leggings like you usually did. The rest of your outfit went along together nicely, but you felt a little self-conscious whilst overlooking yourself in the mirror. You have never taken such a risky clothing choice before, one gust of wind and your legs wouldn’t be the only thing on display. Luckily, the evening weather was quite calm.

Your heart pounded loudly in your chest as you approached the movie theatre, eyes scanning the many bodies of people in search of your boyfriend. You spotted him leaning against the wall, casually watching the crowd walk by, your mouth dried at the sight of him. His style was one you always loved, a mixture between edgy and casual. He looked good, and you could only hope he thought the same about you.

“Hey, Hajime-kun!” you greet with a friendly smile, opting to stand a few feet away from him due to nerves. Your voice caught his attention immediately and he opened his mouth to ask why you were standing all the way over there until his eyes fell on your outfit and his words died off in his throat, his eyes widening at your exposed skin.

“Babe?” you question, your smile fading ever-so-slightly. You weren’t sure whether his speechlessness was meant to excite or worry you.

“You…You look nice,” Iwaizumi muttered out, coughing into his fist as he turned to look to the side, avoiding eye contact with you. The tips of his ears were tinged red and his cheeks were equally as flushed. Catching this, your smile widened.

“Thank you, but I think you look better.” He scoffed at your words and held an arm out for you, which you hooked your own arm around without a moment to spare.

“Whatever, believe that. Let’s get inside,” you nodded in reply, enjoying his blushing state. Both of you shuffled inside, buying your tickets and snacks before heading into the movie.

After your date, Iwaizumi took you home. Both of you stood outside your house, gazing at each other, neither wanting to leave. 

“You looked great tonight. I think you should…dress like this more often,” Iwaizumi trailed off shyly, annoyed by how fast his heart was beating just by standing so close to you.

“Really? I was actually worried you wouldn’t like it. I’ve never dressed outside my comfort zone like this before but… you make me feel beautiful, so maybe I will,” you offer him a delicate smile, blushing hard at your admittance. 

“I make you feel beautiful?” Iwaizumi questioned in a whisper, and you nodded in reply. He appeared to be taken aback by your words.

“Yes, you do.” There was a bit of lingering silence before Iwaizumi took a step closer to you, his hand grasping your own gently.

“I’ll make sure you always feel that way.”

LEV

Your boyfriend always took you out on fun dates that mainly consisted of you going outside, you thought it would be time to dress more appropriately for the occasion of the summer festival that he wanted to take you to. The afternoon sun would be hot, added with the running around he would likely make you do, you wanted to expose more skin to keep you cool. That and you also wanted to push yourself to dress outside of your comfort zone and experiment with new styles.

You wore a cropped t-shirt, with a denim overalls/denim shorts and a suiting pair of shoes. Having never worn something so exposing before, you were obviously a bit self-conscious and found yourself continuously tugging at the hem of your shirt to cover up your skin. Due to its short cut, the material merely snapped back in place. It was too late to bail and wear something else as you were already a few minutes late for your date, so you swallowed up your doubt and headed out.

Lev was standing at the festival’s colourful entrance, actively searching the heads of people in hopes of spotting you. You did text him saying you were running a bit late, but he had faith you would be there any second now. Once he saw you, you were given no time to prepare and anticipate his reaction to your outfit, as he immediately manoeuvered through the crowd and brought you close to him with a tight hug.

“Found you!” he laughed out joyously with closed eyes, which popped wide open as he felt the silky texture of your skin underneath his hands. Pulling back, he stared down at you in curiosity. You gulped, wishing the earth would swallow you up as he took in your appearance.

“Waah! You look so beautiful!” Lev cried out, bringing you into another hug which you slowly returned whilst processing his words. He…liked it? “You always look beautiful, but these clothes on you look great!” He pulled away again, examining you with gleaming eyes of adoration.

“Thanks, I was nervous that you might not like it…” you admit sheepishly.

“Me?! How could I dislike anything about you?!” he whined out about your assumption, “you worry too much, princess! Let’s go have some fun!” Before you could blink, Lev grabbed his much larger hand in your own, lacing his fingers with yours as he guided you safely through the crowd. Despite his exciting demeanour, he always handled you with such care and love it made your heart swell.

Throughout the day, Lev could barely shut up about how great you looked. He would constantly remind you how good you looked with your outfit and point out things he liked about it. You ended your day with one last ride on the Ferris wheel, and whilst furthest from the top, he turned to look at you.

“I’m glad you’re feeling more comfortable!” his words touched your heart directly, and you hugged him, catching him off guard slightly but he returned the hug a second later.

“I should thank you for that, you’ve made me feel more open to trying new things. Like…getting on a Ferris wheel,” you giggle, breaking from the hug to peer down the edge of the cart. You paled at how high up you were, but Lev tugged you back before you could worry about the height more.

“I’ll always be here to support you, princess!” he said with his usual happy tone, nuzzling his cheek against the top of your head.

YAKU

Your boyfriend had always enjoyed taking you on traditional and romantic dates, this time, he had really outdone himself, wanting to take you to a pretty fancy restaurant where even a dress code was required. You took this opportunity to exit your comfort zone when it came to your style choices and decided to go shopping for a dress. It hugged your figure perfectly, exposing your collarbone and also dipping to your lower back. You had never worn something like it before and scrutinized it intently in the mirror.

Despite the unease you felt wearing it, you forced yourself to ignore those feelings and finished dressing with a pair of heels/flats and minimal accessories since the dress itself was quite eye-catching. You were dropped off at the restaurant and entered in, hoping your nervousness didn’t display across your features.

A figure approached you from your peripheral vision and you turned to find Yaku looking handsome in a crisp black suit. Your heartbeat wildly against your chest, feeling much more nervous than before. He looked so good, you could practically be moved to tears. At that moment, you forgot all about the insecurity you felt wearing your uncharacteristic dress and smiled at him warmly.

“(Name), wow…” he stated breathlessly, taking in the sight of you. He felt his cheeks warming up instantly, convinced that he truly had the most breathtaking girlfriend in the world. Yaku wished he could tell you that, but he feared you might think him to be too cheesy. “You look stunning,” his eyes met yours and he held out an arm for you to take.

“Thank you, I’m glad it’s okay,” you mumble with a blush matching his own, latching onto his forearm as he redirected you to your table that was decorated with white and gold cutlery and trinkets. 

“Okay?” he turned to give you an incredulous look, “It’s more than okay, you really made me lose my breath back there.”

“Stop,” you whine out softly, dipping your head to hide your worsening blush. Yaku merely chuckled, kissing your temple and pulling your chair out for you. You thanked him after having been scooted forward and the evening was spent indulging in delicious food and almost crying of laughter due to your wild conversations. He took your mind off of everything, and you honestly felt good in your dress.

Once the evening came to a close after desert, Yaku offered to drive you home rather than taking an Uber. Obviously, you agreed and enjoyed furthering your conversation in the warm confines of his car as you could admire him openly and tease him about keeping his eyes on the road if he turned to meet your gaze.

Upon reaching home, the two of you sat in comfortable silence, Yaku making no attempts to unlock the doors and you making no attempt to question why. You wanted to stay with him longer, so even if they were unlocked, you wouldn’t have left.

“Thank you for tonight, you really spoil me too much,” you speak softly, for it’s easy to hear each other over the dead silence.

“I don’t think I’m spoiling you, I’m treating you to what you deserve,” he argues warmheartedly, turning to give you a small smirk. It fell quickly, as his face morphed into that of seriousness.

“Oh no,” you express with a small laugh, “I know that look, you’re gonna-”

“You look really beautiful, (Name), I mean it. I can’t express how glad I am that you’re feeling more comfortable with yourself, and even around me. That really means the world to me,” Yaku declares with the utmost sincerity, grabbing both of your hands in your own.

Your eyes narrow affectionately, your mouth opening but closing shortly after as you have nothing to say. Pulling your hands from his, you reach over and tug him into a hug, your arms around his neck and your chin resting on his shoulder.

“Mori-kun, I swear I’m going to marry you one day,” you mumble, sighing out contently as he rubs small circles into the exposed skin of your lower back.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

The oc asks: 5, 12 & 18? Btw hope you’re doing well!!

First of all, oh my effing God THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS AHHHH! I always love talking about my OCs but I never get the chance to bUT NOW YOU GAVE ME THAT CHANCE AND I’M OVER THE MOON RN!!!! I have about 16 OCs but because I don’t wanna spam my followers, I tried to narrow it down to some of my favorites to talk about. I’ll include some doodles of them so you have faces to assign their names to. 

What are their favorite songs?

Spectra- Your Soul by Forrest. It's just so funky and catchy and he can't help but dance when it plays :)

Autumn- La Vie en Rose by Edith Piaf. Given Autumn is French but lives in America, she likes indulging in a bit of her own culture. This song was her favorite as a child and it's become a comforting and nostalgic song for her.

Lucas- The Only Thing They Fear is You by Mick Gordon (from the Doom Eternal soundtrack). Lucas is a heavy metal musician so obviously, his favorite song is gonna be metal. He loves listening to this especially when exercising because of the immense feeling of power it gives him.

Iris- Resonance by Home. Iris's favorite genre (second only to heavy metal considering she is bandmates with Lucas) is vaporwave so naturally, her favorite song would be the one that started it all.

Icarus- STFU by Pink Guy. Icarus is a comedian whose style was heavily influenced by the style of Pink Guy. He loves making fun of the overly edgy and obnoxiously offensive “humor” used by most teenagers trying to be cool and edgy. He loves the aggressiveness of this song and often listens to it to vent his frustration at people who really get on his nerves. 

Doré- Derniere Danse by Indila. Doré being born and raised in France loves indulging in her culture through French music. This song just has this enchanting beauty that makes her want to get up and dance.

Lorenzo- Nocturnes Op. 9 by Chopin. Lorenzo has a taste for the finer things in life and loves classical music with culture and history behind them. He also quite enjoys Gymnopedie No. 1 by Erik Satie as it was one of the first songs he learned to play on the piano.

What is something they carry with them always or never leave the house without?

Spectra- Spectra is a mega softie especially for his girlfriend Autumn and his brother Neon who disappeared years ago. (There's a whole plot behind Neon’s disappearance. I’ll summarize it at the bottom*) Spectra likes to keep the cork from the wine bottle he and Autumn opened on their first date. He also likes to keep a bandana that Neon had before he disappeared. Spectra found it while he was searching for Neon and kept it as a motivator to keep up the search.

Autumn- Autumn has had some seriously traumatic stuff happen to her. I won’t say it here because it could be triggering to someone so I’ll put it in the hashtags if you wanna know. She has gained a strong passion for protecting children as a result of her trauma to the point where it’s become her life’s mission. She keeps a picture of herself as a child before the traumatic event happened to her as a reminder to never let what happened to her happen to anyone else. 

Lucas- Despite Lucas’s intimidating appearance, he is a massive softie off-stage and is very sentimental. To make a long story short, he had a freak accident when he was young that left him severely disfigured and scarred. He felt really self-conscious about this until he discovered the heavy metal community. He quickly gained fame because his appearance fit the heavy metal aesthetic really well and he made good music. He used his fame to promote body positivity and has helped a lot of people with scars and disfigurements accept them and learn to love themselves. Lucas likes visiting children’s hospitals and has kept a few mementos from some of the kids he’s met. Most of these include drawings and cards kids made for him. 

Iris- Iris loves living the aesthetic lifestyle and tries to make everything she owns fit her aesthetics. Lucas being her boyfriend knows this and gave her a gift of a keychain with a bunch of vaporwave and retro futurism-themed pendants. She cherishes it and keeps it with her everywhere she goes. 

Icarus- Icarus is not really one for being sentimental but he secretly keeps a bottle cap his dad gave him. He has a strong bond with his family (though he never shows it to other people) so he treasures that bottle cap as a piece of his family. 

Doré- Doré is a transgender woman and likes keeping pride memorabilia on her as she goes about her daily life. Her husband Lorenzo (although he is cis and straight) is incredibly supportive of her and likes giving her pride related gifts, one of which is a little heart-shaped crystal pendant of the trans flag with a pure gold rim. She keeps it as a bit of trans pride and a symbol of her and Lorenzo’s love. 

Lorenzo- Lorenzo is incredibly romantic and deeply in love with Doré so naturally, he would like to keep a (kinda literal) piece of her with him. Doré is a golden orb weaver spider that gets its name from its golden-colored silk. She is a luxury fashion designer and she uses her silk in many of her products (which is why they’re considered luxury). She made a little handkerchief for Lorenzo made purely out of her own silk that he cherishes as if it were his firstborn child. 

Do they love getting hugs or giving hugs?

Spectra- Spectra is a giver of cuddles through and through

Autumn- Autumn doesn’t like touching people but she likes getting hugs from Spectra

Lucas- He likes to give and receive.

Iris- She likes giving

Icarus- He’s not a hugger

Doré- She likes getting hugs, primarily from Lorenzo

Lorenzo- He’s a giver

*About Neon’s disappearance: To make a long story short, Neon and Spectra are the sons of the two main Gods in this universe and Neon was fascinated by Earth so he traveled to it and became mortal. He stayed too long, forgot he was a divine being, joined a gang, betrayed that gang, and is now constantly on the run from the authorities and the gang he betrayed. Spectra has dedicated himself to find Neon and bring him back home.

F L O R E N C E   T R A S K ; 

hello world ! it’s lucy here, attempting to string together a sentence again with my lovely florence. she’s dyssebia, a personification of impiety; and muse thirty two ! this is messy as hell but below you can find her application information and a brief eDgY bio, and HERE you can find a detailed, more practical factfile. you can also find her pinterest HERE. that’s all, folks ! my dms are always open and i am a slut for plots so :~)

[ ESTER EXPOSITO / POLYTROPOS / DYSSEBIA ] / [ FLORENCE 'FLORA' TRASK ] is a [ TWENTY ONE ] year old [ CLASSICAL CIVILISATION ] major. [ SHE ] is known for being [ CAPTIVATING, EMPATHETIC, ASTUTE  ] and [ VOLATILE, SELF-INDULGENT,  MACHIAVELLIAN ].  when i think of them, i imagine [ THE THORNS BENEATH PETALS, LIPSTICK STAINS ON COLLARS, MARBLE CRACKS FILLED WITH GOLD, CHAMPAGNE IN A TEACUP, BEAUTY LACED WITH FEAR, THE SOFT PURR OF A CAT, ROOMS SWIMMING IN ROSES, BRUISED PEACHES RUNNING WITH JUICE. ]. and even though they’re a proud hatchett u student now, we all have our roots. theirs run back to them being a [ MHP (AER) ] graduate . i wasn’t entirely sure, but we could’ve seen them walking past the always open office the other day. i asked around and it turns out they [ AREN’T ] an AOP student. in their interview, they managed to woo the admissions team by [ COMPOSING A SONATA AND PROCEEDING TO PERFORM IT ]. i guess that’s all there is to know! unless…

— you’re born two minutes after your brother, and you come into the world the way you plan to leave it; silent and unwavering. you don’t cry that day in the hospital. in fact, you don’t cry when your mother and father leave you alone in a silent house, with just the portraits’ soulless eyes to watch over you, and you don’t cry when your violin string snaps as you’re playing bach, cutting a slick gash into your wrist, red splashing against the varnished willow. you just purse your little lips and get on with it. — so you grow up empty instead. your sibling is your only solace, the shining sun to your cold and impatient moon. you sleep in his bed instead of your own until you’re seven, curled up together in the warmth of love like bear cubs under the covers. your parents toss money at you both, pay the french nannies to dress you in elegant little chanel and dior, take you on trips to london, rome, vienna, but nothing they give you can buy love. — and you’ve got a big heart too, aching to love and be loved in return; but all you get are slammed doors in your face and hushed “not now”, “don’t disturb me”, and little faces pressed against the cold glass of the window, watching the black mercedes pull out of the drive yet again. so quickly, you find friends among the shelves of your father’s personal library. the greeks and romans of old become your closest confidants. you drink pink lemonade with plato, and cycle around the garden to virgil’s words, reading quiet passages of homer under the covers at dusk. it’s a nearly obsessive fascination; you sit under the crooked blackthorn tree eating sweet peaches, the nectar dripping down your chin, dreaming of your own icarian fall. — as you grow, your parents encourage force these signs of greatness. they push you into music and languages, art and poetry; you play the piano until your fingers bruise over, recite latin and greek until your tongue is stiff, run circles and circles around the house until your lungs begin to burn. it’s not enough to be average, it’s not enough to be good. you must be great. — school is a welcome relief from the solitude of your own company. you lap up knowledge like it’s sweetened honey, every interesting little fact kept squirreled away somewhere within that brilliant brain of yours. you want to succeed, to do well, and so you do — you’re not cruel enough yet to push people down so you can climb, no matter what your mother says.  — so instead you just... be. you be as you always were; rosy-cheeked and sharp-eyed, observing everything. you stay lovely, but you have your thorns, hidden away under sweet petals. you make enemies, but you make friends too, cloistered among the halls of marble hill.  —  you’re a romantic, capital r. you always have been. not rom-coms and gas station bouquets, rotting chocolates in pink felt boxes from a lover long forgotten; no, no. think more of wild moors, dancing around crackling fires in the dark, and love so strong it breaks your heart. — you used to bow to your parents will, to the expectations of society. play the role of an obedient daughter, a selfless sister, the perfect student. it was easier to grit your teeth and continue doing as you were told. but as you grew, you discovered the sting in your words, the secret pleasure in doing as you liked, in owing nothing to anyone. you’re a hedonist now, a self-indulgent creature of the twenty-first century. you do as you want.   — now, nothing is sacred but yourself. you give no reverence to any god or man. if you could have, you’d have watched rome burn, striking the strings of your violin and the ivories of the grand piano like they’re matches. things like class systems and unwritten hierarchies mean nothing to you, as do the opinions of others. there’s a reason you’re so fascinated with the old gods of aristotle and socrates, and it’s not out of any form of respect. 

Explanation of design approach and some personality info under the cut.

Essentially, the way I’ve been approaching this I wanted to make each world feel like a self-contained and cohesive team. Nivienne is actually from Lamia and so isn’t designed to mesh with the others, but I use her a lot and have a design strategy for her so she’s included. For team Famfrit as a whole, I wanted to make sure that each personality and design would feel distinct and that the main color for each character would stand out. Most are also pretty obvious lol--black mage is black, red made is red, white mage is white. Areas I went different are gold dragoon (or aurum dragoon if we’re being fancy), purple scholar, green bard, orange ninja, blue warrior.

CENRIC ASHER

My main and a hyur midlander black mage. With him I wanted to push against the concept that hyurs are inherently vanilla or “boring”. Imo there is nothing wrong with designs that look like they could occur in nature, but with him I wanted to do an edgy personal spin in the classic Final Fantasy black mage look where the character is a dark silhouette with glowing eyes, a high collar, and a broad hat. Sometimes he wears other things too but the overall concept ties to that particular look. In personality Cenric is a pretty angsty guy due to having been a con artist who got a lot of people killed with medical fraud. He lies a lot out of fear of the reaction he’d get if his background was known. Possibly a little nuts, thinks he is the son of Nald’Thal and bound to spread death and destruction wherever he goes--striking enemies and allies alike, regardless of his own wishes. Probably actually just has Duskwight heritage. Has pretty hardcore imposter syndrome about being Warrior of Light, but in partial response to having been destitute and outcast for a long time he tries to play into the persona of a powerful, luxurious, mysterious black mage brimming with forbidden knowledge. In reality he is intimidated by most children, can’t whistle, and is a bit of a smartass when he’s not panicking his way through conversations.

J’MOR TIA

My red mage alt, I wanted to do a few experiments with him! One was that Red Mages usually read very sophisticated and swashbuckle-y to me, and I wanted to play more into the rapier as an almost roguish weapon. Very physical. He’s somebody who you initially would not assume is a magic user but who is just as versed and capable on that front as the ivory tower casters haha. I also wanted to make him a combination of ethnically black (contrasting Cenric who is ethnically Arab but weird) and a male miqo’te because I have never seen that combination before. I wanted him to feel very charming and like he has kind of rugged good looks. Just a bit too scruffy for pretty boy. Personality he is probably the most shonen hero of my alts lol. He has stuff he struggles with (he and his sister both wanted to be adventurers but she opted out after taking things way too far in a fight and getting scared of her own power) but doesn’t get stuck in his head nearly as much as some other characters do.

CESAIRE DELAROUX

I futzed with this guy for a while—main inspiration comes from a particular kind of horse called the Akhal-teke.

Also because I have seen some really cool and pretty elezen that specifically worked to play up gold as a color scheme, and in this case I wanted to evoke a kind of warm, soft golden light. Originally I was going to make him a contrast to Cenric and make him much paler, but I wound up going that route more with Asklona instead with drawing loose inspiration from certain forms of albinism. I went more gold to make sure Cesaire would stand out visually from Asklona. Another reason for this route is because I want to make a character who looks very light and pure, but in practice has hardcore bloodlust. XD Wanted one case for playing into that possible WoL element haha. I also thought it might be neat to make a character who could serve as a kind of foil to Zenos in many ways and might credibly say yes when invited to be besties. Cesaire is still a mostly heroic guy but I figure he’s a bit like Dexter if that makes sense.

KIYO SHIROGANE

An auri white mage from Hingashi! To me it felt a little odd that the Ruby Princess of Sui-no-Sato has more of a magenta color scheme than red. I wanted to tie Kiyo to Kugane specifically in part because I think the parallels between geomancy and white magic (land, sea, sky) are super cool imo, there are a fair number or Raen au ra in Kugane with less lore exploration, and I wanted to make a character whose past trailed behind her in a clear and interesting way while she travels. So for Kiyo I kind of took inspiration from the idea of a red pearl (pearls often being white as per the horns and scales but then she has vivid red hair) and from the idea of blood tied to injury and medicine. Plus ya know, white magic. I also took light inspiration from candles conceptually. I totally forgot that Shirogane is the housing district also lol so now she has backstory lore that her family had been heavily involved in establishing the area. Kiyo comes from a large and noble family with a ton of political and economic influence, being herself somewhat sheltered and naïve. She is very sincere, playful, outgoing, and does her best to be kind. Very animated!

OSK YASKARET

For Osk, I was essentially going (ʘ_ʘ;;) because I knew that I hadn’t used ANY brown hair so far and it was making so uncomfortable lol. So I thought about what combination would be appropriate, distinct, and striking enough to fit within the cast while also being distinct. Gray and brown feel like chinchilla colors to me and I think are nice in a way that wouldn’t be out of place with rabbits/viera. I wanted dark eyes since again, I hadn’t yet for this group... so dark purple wound up being her main color. Since I was going scholar, I also wanted to keep the sense of intellect and feeling like a healer without being mistakable for astrologian or white mage. I still want to build into her look, but another aspect I wanted to incorporate--saw a lot of people arguing about the inherent sensuality of Viera, so I figured for her I wanted to make her look elegant and sophisticated but more conservative in glamours. I didn’t want her to instantly read like she hopped out of the woods either. Figure she’d have had time to adapt since.

I’m still very much debating backstory and personality or her but am leaning toward her being the offspring of a viera who left the woods while pregnant. I like the idea of Osk wanting to connect with her heritage but feeling somewhat adrift. I also want to incorporate Nym lore because omg I want more Nym in-general. Personality I do think Osk is probably a little bit of a smug bunny but things remain super tenuous.

ASKLONA WANNEYNWYN

Asklona I literally wanted to make a super soft feeling, hyper feminine lady roegadyn because most interpretations I’ve seen have been either harder feminine or tomboyish. Still fun imo, but given the grief some fans heap on femroes I really wanted to show that this kind of look is doable. I usually try to incorporate the black noses on Hellsguard designs (tiger roooooes) while with Seawolves I tend to push either fully into something natural or fully into something unnatural. So ex. the most desaturated option or else just run with blues and greens. Asklona is specifically a bard because it is pretty and fancy imo and I haven’t seen a lot of roegadyn bards in-general. Asklona I mentioned before is modeled off of certain kinds of albinism, but by that I want to make the disclaimer that pink eyes don’t generally occur in people (pale blue or violet is more likely) and that normally there are some eyesight problems that come with the condition as well as ease of getting sunburn. I don’t necessary play into that with Asklona/am going artistic license because I mean final fantasy we can lift swords bigger than we are. I know these things get overlooked a lot though so it seemed worth specifying. My choice to go this route was because I wanted to make myself use more pastels lol and I figured this would be a fun spot to contrast Cenric. I think in backstory Asklona’s father lost his mind to a siren, and Asklona pursuing adventuring as a bard is partly to take revenge and partly in the hopes that she can call her father back with song. Her involvement becomes more complicated over time but I think that’s the general direction. I picked green for her color scheme because it’s a color that feels like it evokes both the woods of Gridania and the sea itself... and because pink is a shade of red and with green being complementary, I figured it would make the pinks stand out a lot. Asklona is tied to Limsa Lominsa and besides looking for outfits that will flatter her body type I am trying to evoke the ocean in her designs. Pirates, sailors, the works. Personality I am still figuring out a bit but I think Asklona is definitely a shameless flirt, can read as insensitive and self-centered at times as she indulges in what makes her happy. She plays herself off as much more shallow than she is and in-general focuses on pursuing pleasure as a way of avoiding heavier issues.

KOKONO KONO

The scrappy daughter of a Doman fox auspice and a Thavnairian lalafell, Kokono saw her mother waste away with homesickness after fleeing the Garlean occupation. She has two brothers, one who returned to Doma while the other remains in Thavnair witht her father. Kokono hates the idea of loving a place so much you would die over it and decided to travel Hydaelyn, causing mischief while indulging a deep-rooted curiosity and love for discovering new places. Has severe commitment issues. Can be prone to swearing and being insensitive because the shocked reactions amuse her a lot, but her heart is ultimately in the right place. I designed her literally to make a lalafell fox because with the dark nose option + werewolf ears it is SO EASY to make tiny canines and I don’t understand why more people don’t do this. Like I could make an elegant white fox lalafell or a yorkshire terrier lalafell or any number of things. We can have itty bitty dogs! And like Kiyo I wanted some background to be evident in her clothes too. I designed her before I picked her backstory and mainly went for rule-of-cute/what would most evoke the red coat of a fox.

SVATOMIR AZORYA

Last of team Famfrit, he’s a Warrior Hrothgar. Very conceptually rough, I’m interested in playing him much more reserved and traditionally masculine in a lot of ways. I think a character in that vein will help balance out against the other Warriors of Light I made for that world. Design goal here was to make him look as wolf-like as possible haha. I think we have plenty of cat people already with Miqo’te.

NIVIENNE LECLAIR

From Lamia, I’ve talked a bit about her before so copypasting that in.

Basically, when I decided to try doing the whole WoL/Emet-Selch fic writing misadventure it was just a personal challenge for funsies. I’d seen other people do some really interesting and impressive stuff using unnamed lady WoLs. Hadn’t really tried something like that myself so I decided to go full improv with it.

Except my instincts tend toward specificity lol, so I scattered details according to what would make for fun scenarios or cute details. I wanted the lady to be a certain level of tall so I went with elezen. I needed to describe a readily portable weapon that would mesh with that sweet, sweet Amaurotine lore, so I made her a summoner. So on and so forth. Very seat-of-the-pants.

Particularly since the fic I have coming up is gonna be bigger, I’m thinking name is okay now lol.

Cenric as my black mage main is a dark, broody guy who doesn’t quite realize he’s nicer and sillier that he gives himself credit. So I decided Nivienne should be much more socially adept (read: not a lameass poser), very mischievous, confident… but lowkey has some heavy shit going on. Girl can be ruthlessly manipulative. Other WoLs of mine have different personalities.

As I was going through fic stuff, I decided I wanted to visually tie to and contrast with Emet-Selch since shipping. He’s got gold eyes and accents on his regalia? She’ll go silver, but her skin will have a more golden tone. He’s got dark hair with a white streak? She’ll have light gray hair, tie into the ruff of his coat. So on and so forth.

Name-wise, I actually fucked up initially by going too on-the-nose. Nivienne is another (more elezen-French) name for Nimue. Given how that story goes I figured it would be fitting here.

As a couple of other notes--color scheme being gray was experimenting to try for a different-but-distinct summoner aesthetic. I wanted to play up horns/third eye concepts (not strictly in the Garlean sense) and create a vibe that wouldn’t feel like white mage, or red mage, or black mage, etc. I also saw people arguing that female casters all end up looking like magical girls, so I wanted to really make sure that she had a different look from that while still being very feminine.

scattered thoughts on sanditon so far 

this is a fun romp from andrew davies and there’s a lot to like and be invested in

but i do have some observations/ gripes

obviously davies is going for a modern/sexed up adaptation of austen and i have mixed thoughts on that, cuz there’s a lot of interesting stuff you can do with that, but you can also botch it up big time (i’m glad he didn’t do this to p&p back in 1995...i wonder what that adaptation would’ve looked like today. probably full monty darcy, lol). so i think some elements verge on the ridiculous, for instance having almost every dude in this show strip naked in front of a crowded beach several times in a row. ditto for theo james. i don’t mind the view (hehe) but i think it’s inserted awkwardly at times. like okay, we get it, it’s a beach resort and we’re trying to make austen edgy in 2019.... just maybe indulge a little less and literally keep it in your pants. 

this being a more modern adaptation i don’t mind hair and make-up anachronisms, but i DO mind the fact that rose williams sports this really weird shade of fuchsia lipstick in almost every single scene. stop iiiit

speaking of which, rose williams is a cutie and i loved her on reign, but i don’t understand what she’s doing with her face in this series. don’t get me wrong, she does a good job of making charlotte very likable, but the only way she can express...anything, really, is by making these confused faces, like a child practicing frowning in the mirror. it’s...really awkward. and she does this all the time, whether she’s happy or sulky or nervous, she just always looks like she’s trying to figure out the fibonacci sequence.  i mean it’s hilarious when u have theo james going all gruff to her about his feelings and rose williams is that gif of the blond lady doing math in her head. her acting is pretty good otherwise, but those faceeeees.

esther denham is my goddamn FAVE, gosh i love a Disappointed Queen and i’m glad she’s getting away from that boring skeevy brother. for once the incestuous siblings didn’t do it for me at all (which is pretty much the point lol). there’s nary a dude more uninteresting than edward whatshisface, my gaaaawd (also, davies trying to ramp up the sexiness with those scenes of edward brushing her hair or doing her stays...lol, sir, this rly isn’t your strength i’m sorry)

but i have to say that i thought esther and clara would be a thing. because my gosh, the chemistry during their scenes! the way they’d glide past each other with utmost contempt, while being disquieted by each other @___@. i mean it’s an austen adaptation, so i guess they’d never go there but!!! i need fic (would’ve made clara more bearable at least. i appreciate her character objectively cuz she’s an interesting pseudo-antagonist and you don’t get many of those, but blerghh. she was insufferable)

i was kinda (actually very) disappointed that the relationship between sidney and his ward, georgiana, wasn’t really developed. like there’s one more episode to go (as far as i know?) and they’ve barely scratched the surface with them. i mean he’s halfway decent to her now.... but ehh. i feel like this was a missed opportunity. after all, this was austen’s unfinished novel, so andrew davies & co could have added more material between these two. this, to me, should have been the real heart of the series. 

i like otis as a character, but georgiana/otis was zzzzzz. i suppose that they’ll end up together? zzzzzzzzzz (i frankly ship her way more with arthur! she finds him infuriating! he’s a sweetheart! the shenanigans!)

that German doctor is the real MVP, i feel like he should be sanditon’s no. 1 bachelor. i mean the shower rod??? providing pleasure to all the ladies in town, what a hero 

the soundtrack is rly rad! and the cinematography

i love how the show captures austen’s growing interest in the industrialized modern world which was emerging in the twilight years of the regency and i feel like maybe the show should’ve invested more time in that modern aesthetic (steampunk!) rather the awkward sexual shenanigans 

so....i can’t delay the inevitable anymore, can i? sigghh okay here i go

sidney/charlotte...annoys me. 

HEAR ME OUT.

 u know that i love LOVE “enemies to lovers” and hate/love stories, i LIVE FOR THIS SHIT. 

and i was ready to gorge on this dynamic because it looked delish 

 but i felt like michael bluth finding the dead pigeon in the paper bag. 

from what i can gather, sidney is supposed to be a mixture of darcy and capt wentworth, “haughty” and proud, with a history of romantic disappointment, a brooding sexy hero with a heart of gold. but to me this dude just comes off as weird. 

there’s legit no reason for him to be THIS mean to this young girl he just met. he is not just an asshole, he is ridiculously over the top about it, to the point where he makes a fool of himself. i am FINE with a man telling a woman off, believe me, but it has to have some kind of motivation, some kind of reasoning behind it. here, it just feels like the plot needs him to be utterly shitty to charlotte so that “sparks will fly”. that first ep convo on the balcony??? wtf???? it was genuinely bizarre. i got weird incel vibes. and every time he lashes out at charlotte (at least in the first 4 episodes) it’s fucking silly, because it’s not like he lashes out because she’s scratching the surface of his innermost painful memories. no!!! many of their arguments revolve around basic things that he could easily clarify!!! which he does eventually, so like whyyyyyyyyyy. charlotte keeps telling him he’s being vague for no good reason and he still does it. it doesn’t make sense he’d be this guarded and outspoken at the same time. like, fine, keep that shit to yourself, don’t tell ppl, but don’t also get pissed at them when they don’t guess your mind. again, i love an antagonist dynamic when it’s done right, but here many times it’s just pointless bullying, it’s not sexy or fun or challenging. the writers keep making charlotte apologize to him about how “wrong” she got him and how he makes her doubt her judgement but it sounds fake to me. like a) this dude went out of his way to be a total assface to you from day one, b) none of that bullying was him trying to coax you into having a more complicated view of the world. when darcy rebukes elizabeth, he is hinting at her limited point of view. he’s not blatantly negging her or calling her stupid as this dude does. AND U KNO WHAT.

i’d be absolutely fine with him calling her stupid IF IT MADE SENSE WITHIN THE STORY 

like if charlotte had truly done smth stupid during the first episode, sure, fine, it’s somewhat warranted 

but for him to decide she’s an idiot for no other reason than her making some honestly super nice remarks about his brothers when he asked for her opinion is THE HEIGHT OF NONSENSE 

it’s even more nonsense when 2 episodes later he decides maybe she’s not that dumb after all FUCK U MR. EDGELORD

and it makes me pity charlotte cuz she’ll probably marry this dude and have to deal with him in his old age when he’ll be even more insufferable. 

and i totally get the appeal. i do! i mean their scenes are manufactured to make you want more of them, i see the chemistry, it’s there (and we’re already at a point in the series where he’s trying to make amends) but at the same time i’m put off by this dude’s intensity, cuz it’s not the hot kind of intensity...it’s more like he’s a giant dumb baby who breaks things. meh. theo james is very pretty tho, and he is doing the most with his character (that voice def helps!). but i wish this antagonistic relationship had been written better, because it could’ve been glorious

this is why i think sidney/georgiana should’ve been so much more present. just like darcy has his georgiana we need the humanizing element, we need to see more variety from this dude than just “guy who clearly needs anger management classes”. 

i’m pretty sure i’m in the minority or possibly one of two ppl not won over by this romance, and i can’t lie and say i don’t root for them. too much of this show is predicated on their clashes for them not to work it out and get together, but boyyyy do i wish they’d done it a bit better

i almost feel like a reylo anti lol, but at least kylo ren doesn’t neg rey every single time they talk 

also, i go back to rose williams’ faces because they just rly enhance how clumsy this dynamic is. theo james is doing byronic asshole 2.0 and charlotte looks at him like he’s developed a smell lmao. i mean the scene where she catches him naked? she turns around and FROWNS in this rly bizarre way, almost like she noticed a growth on his dick lmao it’s that bad 

anyway i totally get the appeal, but i also know what i want from this kind of dynamic and...this ain’t quite it 

honestly i think i prefer charlotte/cute architect guy whose name i don’t remember right now! 

that being said, my fave moments of this show are the most austen-esque, where ppl don’t take themselves so seriously. i mean the adventures of the perennially-ailing parker siblings (arthur & diana)? deeeelightful. the pineapple scene? glorious

also it makes me sad that sanditon was left unfinished because to see austen tackling georgiana’s character in depth would have been so, so interesting 

in conclusion, the show’s a lot of fun but also frustrating in many ways

i hope davies doesn’t set his eyes on re-adapting p&p or other austen classics because ermmm i know i’m trash but i am kind of tired of these sexed-up “look how scandalous we are behind closed doors” adaptations. you can make the regency era feel modern and relatable without “shocking hand job in the estate park” pls and thank u. sure, the regency era was the inheritor of the sexually relaxed 18th-century, but it wasn’t that relaxed yall. ppl still kept their wits and bonnets about them.

still, i’m glad this show exists and that it tries to take risks, i just wish it took different kinds of risks, if that makes sense. like i am SO bummed i didn’t get into sidney/charlotte, u have no idea 

Waiting On A Friend

originally posted on AO3; one thing leads to another...  

Watching girls go passing by It ain't the latest thing I'm just standing in a doorway I'm just trying to make some sense Out of these girls go passing by The tales they tell of men

The one person, who has strangely and inexplicably withdrew herself from his orbit. Their current assignment being desk duty or whatever BS errands for whatever division that needed hands to do their dirty work, like pulling all night stakeouts for three nights in a row, alone, has made both of them edgy. They were used to having their own space, where they could talk openly, act naturally and work in peace. To make things worse Scully was acting weird ever since Diana came back, and he was starting to worry about it. Ever since Gibson brought his attention to it, he noticed how Scully became detached and kind of overtly profesionall, he recognized her reaction as something of a professional display of jealousy. He saw it every now and then, the strictness, the brusque professionalism, the short clipped sentences. It was her version of territorial behavior. Feeling threatened, she puled up her defenses. Neither of them would ever say it out loud, but they knew it, when they saw it. Gibson almost broke the rules, something that would surely make Mulder's life very difficult. The silent agreement between them broken in front of an outsider, would require explanations and declarations, neither of them was ready or keen to voice at that or any other moment. This was their matter, handled wordlessly, through gestures and body language and that subtle change in vibration of the air between them. The truth was, that anything that might have been between him and Diana was over years ago. He barely thought about her anymore. But their past existed and with that past came a certain degree of intimacy that was not repulsive to him, but at the same time not as welcome or comfortable as it might have been, let's say 4 to 5 years ago. It meant something, but that something meant next to nothing. To him at least. What was an inconsequential gesture to him did however tick Scully of like an omen of changing allegiance. He broke the rules, without the benefit of celestial conjunction as an excuse, and now it was up to him to fix it.

A smile relieves a heart that grieves

A wave of motion caught his eye and he saw her approaching through the gathering crowd. Her small frame and red hair unmistakable, navigating between the handsome lawyers and even handsomer lobbyists with their expensive suits and even more expensive ties, she was like a small meteor flying towards him. The heat of her passing grazing their orbits made them turn and stare after her. Her high heels clacking against the wooden floor, doing very little to bring them to her level. Casual Scully was small, truly petite, fragile and cute. If he Tried to tell her that to her face and she might kick his ass seven ways untill Sunday, but it was a fact, one he wasn't that conscious of usually, but the though did hit him now and then. Scully was beautiful, graceful and tough as nails. She was many other things too, but right now, with her face slightly flushed, wearing jeans and a soft casual light blue cardigan draped over her shoulders like a billowing cape she was mostly cute. And she smiled only at him. "Where's the fire FBI woman?" He teased as she finally stopped before him catching her breath. "You tell me, you called me here." She laughed incredulously but didn't sit. He might have exaggerate a bit over the phone when he called and invited her to join him, but her smile gave him hope he might get away with it. "Come on, let's go outside" "But I just got here" she protested weakly as he got up and steered her gently in the direction of the stairs that lead to the roof patio. "Please, I'll explain everything, but not around all this witnesses" he winked at her and she followed.

The early evening was mild and the sky was clear. The roof patio of the establishment offered comfortable white couches and a stunning vista of the city. Sunset painted the sky in all shades of purple, the moon was rising and the city geared down for the evening. A beautiful summer, Saturday evening. "I've never been here" she said looking around for a place to sit. "This way" he gently guided her to a couch far removed from the prying eyes and ears, as he always did. She sat next to him and took in the view, the light warm breeze, the waiter who was walking around lighting the tea lights on each table. This wasn't the usual place for either of them. Between the diners on the road, restaurants close to work where they sometimes indulged in long lunches discussing cases (change of venue proved successful in promoting new ideas) and their homes, they rarely (bordering on never) spent time together in a place like that. She seemed to be as awed as he was, which wasn't exactly his goal. He feared it might be a little too much to early, but the place had good reputation and he felt like they both needed a neutral ground to find themselves together anew.

Don't need a whore I don't need no booze Don't need a virgin priest But I need someone I can cry to I need someone to protect Making love and breaking hearts It is a game for youth

"So, Mulder, what gives?" She looked at him expectantly trying to make sense of it all in her own way. "You want something to drink?" He asked motioning for the waiter, clearly staling. "White wine, if you please" she answered dubiously. He ordered whiskey for himself under her arching eyebrow. He didn't usually drink, but tonight he thought he might need it. He feared he over did it, his doubts were starting to outweigh his resolve. He turned to her, resting one elbow on the back of the couch, focusing on her to take his mind of the memories of awkward dates. She was his friend for crying out loud and he intended to keep her that way. "It's nothing really, I just" he trailed off lowering his gaze, almost losing his nerve, why was this so hard all of a sudden? "You just what?" She prompted, not used to seeing him stammer and grasping for words, he always had something to say, one way or another. "I wanted to talk" he sighed, now or never "I missed our talks. I haven't spoken to you in a week" "Three days" she corrected him without malice. "Whatever, felt like a week and I missed it" he let himself go, just started blurting things out "we lost the X-files, they took our office, and not so long ago" he wanted to say I almost lost you, but he caught himself before he jumped of that ledge, settling for a close second "we were a team." "We're still a team, Mulder, we still work together" she never made anything easy for him, this wasn't about work. "Geographically yes, I know that, but it's not the same" he reached for his drink, taking a small sip and resting the glass on his bent knee "I miss our freedom, and" he hasitated staring at the gold liquid swirling around the ice cubes, the warmth of his hand melting it, if only his life was that simple "As presumptuous as it might sound," he looked into her eyes, willing her to understand "I miss my friend."

He knew he was pushing the line. He was pushing it from the day he found out about her cancer, about the fertility clinic, about her remission, about Emily, about 5 billion other things that weren't her. He wanted to tell her how most days she was his first thought in the morning and his last thought at night, how he was scared shitles of losing her, terrified of the day when he would wake up and not know when he would see her again. He was tired of loneliness, that recurring fear that resurfaced with every bump in the road they shared. The loss of X-files didn't destroy him the way he once thought it would. Now that he had a frame of reference, a bench mark of grief that he knew was his limit. He knew that work he could pick up again, he'd find a way, but without her, he wasn't sure if he would have the strength to do it. It was selfish to place all his hopes in her, knowing how loyal and devoted she's been, selfish to ask more of her, but he needed to know. He needed to know she would not turn her back on him because she thought he had a replacement for her in the wings. He was grasping, reaching out to her, hoping she'll meet him half way. Three days that felt like a week without her was what it took for him to notice what was missing, and he wasn't sure he would make it a week or even three days without it. "So, Scully, tell me, how was your day?"

But I'm not waiting on a lady I'm just waiting on a friend

She gave him a long look and finally said "Well, my car broke down, I might need a lift on Monday" He smiled and felt it, the threads intertwining again and resting his head in the palm of his hand he relaxed "tell me what happened."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I've been holding out so long I've been sleeping all alone Lord I miss you I've been hanging on the phone I've been sleeping all alone

"Mulder, when did you move to DC?" The sun went down, but the city around them hasn't lost it's charm. Under the twinkle lights everything looked better, their warm glow softened all the lines and that's what he wanted, for them to be more open. "High school, senior year, why?" She looked down at her half empty, second glass of wine. "No reason, I just never asked" She sat next to him, wrapped in her soft cardigan, watching him with sweet, unguarded eyes. She was honestly curious about it, it was worth a try. "I moved here to live with my father, he wanted me to go to Georgetown, but I preferred Oxford." He smiled at the memory "The farther away from him the better." "What was Oxford like?" She wanted to know more, was it the wine?

Scully usually kept her interest in people to minimum, she never liked to pry. Yet tonight, as she looked at Mulder, and the way he leaned in with his arm over the back of the couch, his whole body angled toward her, pulling her into his space, made her think of a night, nights - plural, and confessions wasted on strangers. Nights she wanted to share with him, but never seemed to find the right moment. Somehow they both realized, their time was now. "It was certainly a change from what I was used to. Bit of a shock at first, the freedom" his look became distant but not as sad as she expected "Once I moved to England, old Bill stoped calling, mom called sporadically, so it was basically me, finally free. Not that they cared much when I lived with them, but still, the knowledge that I was accountable to no one but myself, it was liberating." "You didn't miss home at all?" "I missed my friends" she raised her eyebrows "What, don't look at me like that, I had friends in high school. I almost had a girlfriend!" "No!" That was news to her, one she never heard before, apart from stories of his cold parents and missing sister, he never talked about his life before Oxford, and even those informations were scarce. She realized that Fox Mulder was a bit of an X-File himself. "Yes! I wasn't a complete loser all my life Scully." She laughed, he seemed amused as well, but his choice of words made her realize that the words of Eddie Van Blundht must have cut him deeper than she thought. "You're not a loser!" He probably thought that it took one to know one. She pushed him forward "What was she like?" "Brilliant, bold, took shit from no one" his chuckle was full of fond memories "especially from me! Reminds you of someone?" All she could do was smile "Sounds like a great girl" "Yeah, she was." He looked down at the almost empty glass in his hand, and she watched his smile turn from amused to wistful to sad. Once awakened, her curiosity could not be easily silenced. "What happened?" "The usual, we grew up and apart, nothing dramatic" he replied with a slight shrug "she met someone else, I met someone, the letters became few and far between. Life happened. Now when I think about it, she was the only good and honest person, who cared about me, at the time." "Have you seen her, since then?" "No, I haven't heard from her in years." He downed the rest of his drink and smiled at her with unguarded eyes "She's probably a dean at MIT right now or something like that" "We could find out"

"Agent Scully, are you suggesting we use our position to gather information for personal reasons?" He laughed at her arched eyebrow "I'm a bad influence. Besides it would feel weird." "Yeah, I guess you're right" she backed down smiling over the last of her wine. "You're agreeing with me? Just like that?" He couldn't believe his luck. "Enjoy it, while it lasts" "I am, immensely, and you know what, I'm hungry. You're hungry? Come on, have dinner with me Scully." "What? Right now?" His offer seemed to take her by surprise. "YEAH, why not?" "We... it's Saturday night, and we don't have a reservation." Two glasses of wine weren't enough to kill her rational mind. "That's it? Come on, I know a place." He signaled the waiter and paid for their drinks. "This seems to be a theme for this evening." She shook her head setting her win glass aside. "You liked what we had last week when I dropped by?" He got up and reached out his hand to her in invitation. "Yeah" "Okay, let's go there" Since she didn't move he leaned over and simply took her hand in his, pulling her up. If she waited for a comment about her small feet, it never came, he was serious about this. "Alright, but only if I can go dressed like this." "You look perfect, come on, I'm starving." His smile could power the city for a week.

Sometimes I say I won't miss you child I guess I'm lying to myself It's just you and no one else

"Have you sold the property yet?" They ended up in a small Italian restaurant, the food was simple but tasted great. The wine flowed, loosening tongues and greasing the conversation. "The house on Vineyard? I'm keeping it." She paused with a forkful of salad halfway to her mouth. "You said you hated it, too many bad memories. What changed your mind?" "I hate the house, not the place. I'm renting it for now, but one day I will move there." "I don't understand." He smiled at her, leaning over the table, as if he was about to share a secret with her. "I'll tear the old one down and build a new house in its place." "You want to build a house?" Her eyes went wide and he had to laugh. "Sure I do! I have this idea in mind, how it should look like." "Like what?" There was that curiosity again, was it the wine? She'll probably think he means it metaphorically, but he doesn't. He means every word, literally. "I want a bedroom with huge windows facing the ocean. Upstairs master bedroom. Just think about it." He looked up and her eyes drew him in, the vision took shape in his mind "You wake up, sun is rising over the horizon. Every year, for three days at the beginning of May, the sun rises in this one spot, where it's perfectly framed by the trees outside your window. The cloudless sky changes colors from purple to blue, the sun's reflecting of the water. The morning is a bit chilly, but the sheets are warm, and it's Saturday morning, with no places to go, no people to see. You have coffee in bed, read the newspaper listening to seagulls and distant crash of the waves. Doesn't it sound perfect?" "Sounds very peaceful." Somehow his story has put roots in her heart, she could almost feel the warmth, it must have been the wine, it couldn't be his eyes. "How about you?" He brought the glass again to his lips, the liquid courage was the theme of the night "You have a dream home Scully?" "I always thought about it in terms of people, rather than places. With the right people, paradise could be anywhere." She glanced down, avoiding his eyes, there was something in them she wasn't ready to confront. "And what people would that be?" He no longer felt like he was pushing, more like he was drawing her in by opening himself to her. "It's pretty simple Mulder" her cheeks flushed slightly, the wine, he repeated to himself, it's the wine, it's not you, it can't be you she's thinking about "people I love and people who love me." "I think you've earned all the love and peace in the world Scully." A shadow passed over her face and she looked up abruptly. "What brought this on Mulder? Is this about the X-files?" "Not at all" he shook his head slowly, opting for honesty "Well, maybe a bit about that too. But mostly, I've been wondering lately. What would it be like, to just let it all go. I'm starting to wonder if my heart is still in it as it used to," That wasn't the answer she was expecting, not from him, "We will get the X-Files back Mulder, I still have things to do, and so do you. You can't give up." "I know, and I'm not" that also was true "Actually I've been looking into ways to restore the burned documents, but I still have to find a way to convince Skinner to let me do this. It will take time and money, but I'm sure we can make it." "Right now, there's no chance in hell he'll agree to it." He sighed, back to shop talk, how could he save this? He waited too long for a night like this. "Yeah. I have to tell you one thing Scully. I'm not sure how long will I take this bullshit assignment. The bullpen life is killing me!" "Come on, it's not that bad" She smiled sympathetically but she knew it was worse for him than it was for her. "It's the noise. The noise is the worst." "It does feel a bit crowded sometimes" "I feel like we're constantly under surveillance" he leaned over the table dropping his voice to a mere whisper "Like they're watching our every move and glance." "The Syndicate?" She was instantly worried and hid her lips behind her glass, taking a sip and looking around inconspicuously. "No, other agents! The gossip I heard, believe me" she almost choked on the wine laughing, and he took the glass out of her hand "Easy! Easy! You'll suffocate Scully. Breathe" Once she calmed down the smile was back on her face "Mulder, I never thought you'd care about office gossip." "They can say what they want about me, but I won't stand by idly when they talk shit about you." His eyes danced with something that was equal parts humor and complete seriousness. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much." "I know you can, but it doesn't change the fact that it pisses me off, and I want us out of there, ASAP." It was his turn to avoid her gaze. "Mulder" "I want you all to myself again." There, he said it, though he was still afraid to look up and show the true meaning of his words. "Is this what this evening is about?" "No" it was his first instinct to deny his true feelings for her, a defense mechanism, but the wine made him chance a glance at her, and see her expression turned serious, in vino veritas her eyes have said "Yes... I mean, I guess. We never really talk all that much, do we." "No, we don't." Her voice was soft, perhaps she did want the same things he did. "And that's what I want to change." "So... let's talk about desert." He finally looked up, she saved him again apparently deciding it was enough confessions for one day, small steps. "What would you like?" He rested his chin in the palm of his hand, confident her smile kept his secret. "Chocolate cake?" She mirrored his position and her smile turned wicked. "Will you share?" Teasing was normal, teasing was safe. "Is this a date?" The question caught him off guard but instead of crushing him, it lifted him up, like an air balloon tied to his heart. "I don't know, is it?" Was she bluffing? The smile reached her eyes "You tell me." Could this be easier than he thought? "Would you like it to be?" She didn't let this go, got his hopes up, now he wanted answers. "This is starting to feel like a Monty Python sketch. Argument Clinic." He smiled at her, she was backing down, and he wasn't going to let her. "I've been arguing with you for over five years." Come on Scully, don't let me down. "Okay, you win. I'll share the cake." Her laugh filled his heart. "Dear Diary, our first date."

The girlfriend Mulder speaks about, is Phoebe, from Kami Garcia's "Agent Of Chaos" - give it a try.

How Want Is More Subversive Than You Think

Taipei in an alternate near future.

Mei: without; pronounced “may.”

You: to have; pronounced “yo.”

Cyberpunk has roots in horror. The loss of agency is supposed to evoke a sense of terror such that we give pause about the technological advances. Want subverts this. Climate change is arguably too far gone in Taiwan. There’s dense pollution that strips away one of the most heralded benefits of technology: the advancement of the human life span. People in Taiwan in the future now can only hope to live to 60. Hope. They breathe in pollution, their apathy literalized in the fiction. Killing them. The anxiety we should have around climate change is the focus rather than the technophobia of the late 80s and early 90s. Unless you’re rich, of course.

The disparity in the wealth gap has gone rampant. No more middle class. It’s just the haves and the have nots. The super-rich traverse the city in gilded cages. There are galas and events. The biomod trends of the week flaunted by dilettantes at fancy events are confined to indoors, away from the pollution. Outdoors, they navigate life in 20 million dollars suits that feed clean air and create proprietary, insulated, social networks.

“She was pretty in a way I wasn’t used to. Not like most you girls bowing to the latest beauty trends, indulging in temporary body modifications from reshaping their noses to plumping their lips, or hips, or rears, depending on what was in. You boys kept pace with pec implants and by buying new, chiseled jawlines. But fads came and went, and the yous altered their looks as often as the seasons. The meis, lacking the funds for such drastic changes, resorted to painting their faces in bright colors, using semipermanent tattoos, and dyeing their hair.”

This too is a subversion. Where cyberpunk usually has a microworld navigated, invoking the “new world” notion of Westerns, this instead turns the trope on its head, moving past the microworld exploration. Considering that’s a very western perspective that also comes along with colonial aspects you see in cyberpunk, it’s a very important and satisfying subversion.

There is essentially no physical connection for those people living their lives in these suits and this extrapolates out into the fiction to communicate the lens of the super-rich who miss what is happening to the majority of the population in the city. They compartmentalize their lives such that they can be apathetic about the troubles that don’t affect them directly. Their long lives and voluntary isolationism are meant to augment their lives parallels the current anxieties regarding technology and the ways in which people now are using social media networks to isolate ourselves into specific groups. Curating the content we consume so that we can dismiss anything we are not interested in.

“This is what it meant to be a you, to have. To be genetically cultivated as a perfect human specimen before birth—vaccinated and fortified, calibrated and optimized.”

It’s in this world that Zhou and his crew hatch a plan to save their city by way of radical action. He kidnaps a young woman (with the “richest” suit), ransoms her, and uses a “sleep spell” drug to erase this memory. After pulling off this kidnapping he infiltrates high society with their newly garnered 300 million. New apartment in a highly sought-after building. New suit; a new life. Using his purchased social status, he’s to gain the confidence of Jin Corps’ CEO’s daughter: Daiyu.

But…when he discovers that she’s the one he kidnapped and starts to play the part of the rich boy a little too well, things start to get complicated. The more time they spend together the more he finds out she’s not what he expected and begins to fall for her.

Zhou is not an anti-hero and he’s not anti-social. He does have a directly actionable plan against the major problem in Taiwan: Jin Corp. Which is in line with a lot of cyberpunk fiction. They manufacture the suits and without them the super-rich will have to confront the world they live in, ostensibly putting their resources into cleaning up the environment. The city’s economy is very much tied to this megacorporation, but the morality and ideals outweigh the possible economic problems for this group.

“…feathered wings, like swans, or transparent wings, gilded in silver and gold. The love for all things supernatural, fey, and demonic was the current rage among Taiwan’s youth, and the yous took it to the next level, surgically altering their physique, adding horns and tails, scaling their skin, be it mermaid or dragon. They were same-day walk-in alteratios at the physique surgeons, and the changes cast off in a week or two, replaced by some other trend.”

Not to mention, the destruction of the headquarters is more of a call to arms for everyone in the city than something that would actually destroy the company. But there is a tangible sense of hopelessness for the poor in Taiwan. Nothing can really be done, aside from making your life as comfortable as possible in a world where catching the flu could kill you because you can’t afford health care. It’s pretty solidly a group of punks trying to disrupt the status quo.

Interestingly, young adult fiction in itself is a subversion of cyberpunk motifs and tropes. It grounds this story in a different kind of emotion than those found in the genre if we generalize it. There is often anger that is directly implemented to hinder a corporation. But most of the fiction humanizes all of the characters, even the super-rich and this is not typical at all. Often the rich barely resembles humanity, and the anti-hero embodies some of those characteristics in order to have agency and strike back. Here, there is a palpable ignorance attached to the rich… but no sense that they’re evil for being born into privilege.

The thick, stagnant air reeked of perfume, cigarettes, and exhaust. Everyone was barefaced, wanting to flaunt their features instead of hiding beneath blank masks. To be able to flirt with their lips, to be able to kiss. But I wasn’t fooled by the dark—the air was still poisonous. Even if we couldn’t see the brown haze, it smothered our city lit in neon.

The romance weaved into the story also makes for a very different feeling fiction than most cyberpunk; it was very refreshing. There is a certain detachment in cyberpunk fiction that is usually associated with the isolationism we have anxieties about is contrasted well in this fiction with this notion that a young man puts everything on the line to blow up a company doing real evil to the world is conflicted because his socialization with people he has dehumanized his whole life no longer gives him that easy alibi of dehumanizing them. The natural way our own lenses are restricted in reality makes it easy to empathize and invest in Zhou’s experiences. His mission and his heart are at cross-purposes and that’s hitting a trope, sure, but it’s a satisfying one because it doesn’t come loaded with the other tropes you usually find with it. His target is no damsel in distress, for instance.

“Employees who would be out of a job if our plan succeeded. I knew that in order to bring about a revolution, not only would yous be hurt in the process, but many meis as well. It was something else I had to learn to live with.”

The dialogue is also great. The prose, especially surrounding emotional moments, are particularly great and memorable. The heist angle coupled with the YA tropes and subversions put me on my toes, never sure what might happen next as expectations were set only to be discarded. The closest thing I can think of in the sub-genre is The Summer Prince and that just makes me think I’d like to see more YA in cyberpunk.

“It was so easy to be you. And to lack and want were the complete opposite: hard, cold, unrelenting, and hollow.”

What knocks it out of the park is the insertion of climate fiction anxieties. It’s relevant, interesting, emotional and in the news all the time now. It’s an emerging sub-genre. Ecopunk, solarpunk, climate fiction, eco-fiction, etc. There’s neon, stun guns, evil corporations, futuristic technology, pervasive pollution, and a pretty damn fun heist. I also have to imagine that it must have been more than cathartic for Cindy Pon to write characters that look like her in a genre that sometimes uses marginalized identities to telegraph edginess and dehumanization of societal structures. It turns out that life on the edge is just as riveting when the characters are believable and marginalization is handled from a non-white lens.

Granted, I don’t know much about young adult fiction… but I think that cyberpunk isn’t going anywhere. Of that I’m sure. Authors with the ability to connect some of the larger and more intrinsically important aspects of the genre in new ways will end up displaying how far the genre has come and its future. It makes a certain kind of sense that one of the more recent and thoroughly enjoyable additions to the sub-genre stems from this partnership with young adult fiction. Who else is a new kind of cyberpunk for than the younger generation living with old anxieties?

“Truth is, reality always crushes your ideals…Just wait and see.”

50 Marvelous Metal Wall Art Décor Pieces

A bit of lustre combined with edgy compositions might be just what the designer prescribed to take your wall decor from boring to brilliant. Leave behind the world of flat paintings to explore a much more dynamic approach to wall art. Indulge in stylish oddities, such as wire art sculptures, 3D animals, recycled barrel art, and superhero shelving. Many of the finds that we have included are low in price, but definitely not low on style! Whether you’re looking to decorate a rustic farmhouse or a mid-century modern home, we’ve found a little something for everyone. Judge for yourself and live it up a little with our expertly crafted, metal wall art collection!

From $119BUY IT Abstract Human Torso Metal Wall Sculpture: The human form reimagined in a geometric flurry of metal rings. A chance to add some unique flare to your space with some 3D metal wall art. These abstract torsos are hand formed and welded by the innovative sculptor, Holly Lentz.

From $66BUY IT Metal Wire Art Sculpture: The Girl with a Pearl Earring gets a modern update, recreated as a metal art sculpture. Not only does artist, Isabella Pavanati, recreate famous designs and pioneer new ones, but she also offers custom wire portraits!

$4500BUY IT Metal Horse Wire Sculpture: Free flowing and unique, this metal horse wire sculpture brings equestrian decor to a whole new level, or should we say, a whole new dimension! A 3D piece that you just can’t miss.

$85BUY IT Metal Angel Wings Wall Sculpture: Elegant and chic, these metal angel wings can grace your walls for under $100. A rustic piece that will take your holiday decor to the next level, but we completely understand if you’d prefer to keep them up all year long.

From $32BUY IT Geometric Animals Metal Wall Art: These geometric masterpieces have the feel of paper cut art, but are actually made of sturdy metal. Pick your favorite animal or start a whole zoo wall!

$25BUY IT Metal Butterfly Wall Decor: Rustic meets nature with this metal butterfly wall decor. These whimsical, iron creations are sold as a trio and are a must have for any butterfly lover.

$29BUY IT Whale Metal Wall Art: A minimilistically chic creation brimming with character. This metal patina whale is handmade and available in 20 colors. With that many color choices, this little guy is sure to fit in with almost any decor! This whale and his other animal friends are suited for both indoor or outdoor use.

$86BUY IT Metal Fish Wall Art: A school has never looked so stylish on the wall! This school of fish is a textured display that would be an asset to any coastal or beach inspired home.

$30BUY IT Metal Jelly Fish Wall Art: A metal jelly fish created and signed by artist, Kendy Belony. With its dark gray and brown tones, it practically swims off the wall.

$69BUY IT Octopus Metal Wall Art: Well, hello Mr. Octopus. This metal octopus wall art brings a piece of the ocean right to your home. Handcrafted and hammered in Haiti from reclaimed metal, this guy was actually crafted from a 55-gallon drum. Love octopuses? Us too! Be sure to checkout our feature on octopus home decor.

$49BUY IT Metal Seagulls Wall Decor: These metal birds in dark brown will really pop on your light walls with their sense of movement and freedom. A great piece for a beach house or a nautical inspired room.

$20BUY IT Birds On A Wire Wall Art: The 5 little birds perched on this wall are busy being both affordable and stylish. This birds on a wire wall art is perfect for both neutral and brightly colored walls with its sleek, metal finish.

$72BUY IT Botanic Themed Framed Metal Leaves: With metal leaves wildly growing in brown, metal frames, this botanic inspired creation is overflowing with a natural charm. The distressed, gold finish will have your wall glistening with modern elegance.

$100BUY IT Framed Leaves Black Metal Wall Art: Finally! Trendy plants that won’t die when you don’t water them. This plant inspired, black metal wall art is a slightly unorthodox way to add some modern foliage to your home.

$25BUY IT Metal Tropical Leaf Wall Decor: A metal, tropical leaf that packs quite the design punch. This Monstera leaf decor has high contrast with its black finish and chunky aesthetic. A great way to bring some of the tropics in to your home, without the hassle of live plants.

$62BUY IT Layered Metal Flower Wall Decor: The layered metal design has this white flower practically blooming off the wall. Coated in a dreamy, white gloss finish, this flower arrives ready to hang.

$70BUY IT Recyclable Floral Metal Wall Art: Gold and silver unite to bring you this trio of metallic blooms. These galvanized, metal flowers are also available in Green, Light Yellow, Orange, Pink, and Turquoise.

$39BUY IT Metal Leaf Scroll Wall Art: Metal leaf wall art with the perfect amount of length to elegantly scroll across the top of a sideboard or couch. A wonderfully rustic addition to cottage or farmhouse decor.

$56BUY IT Fleur De Lis Metal Wall Art: This symmetrical, Fleur De Lis metal art is both rustic and elegant. Its well-made design means that it can be used as indoor or outdoor decor.

$68BUY IT Outdoor Metal Art Decor With Iron Wire Fan Leaves: Gold metal, leaf decor that gives off a Hollywood Regency vibe. Made out of textured iron and finished with a luminescent gold, these fan leaves are a modern piece of wall art that really shines.

$65BUY IT Rustic Style Metal Tree Wall Sculpture: A zen wall sculpture that can help you add a bit of tranquility to your decor. With free-flowing branches and a strong base, this tree of life would make a great centerpiece for a wall or a dynamic piece to hang over the fireplace.

$59BUY IT Metal Family Tree Wall Art With Photo Frames: Integrate some memories in to your decor with this family tree. Just pop your photos in and hang up the tree for some sentimental, yet modern wall art.

From $25BUY IT Tree Of Life Metal Wall Art: Tree of life wall art is available in multiple sizes and designs. A tree of life symbolizes love and growth, so they are a great reminder of the things we hold closest to our hearts.

From $135BUY IT Metal Wire Tree Sculptures For Wall: Intricately twisted and molded, this wire tree sculpture is rooted in luxury and modern style. Talented sculptor, Gabor Bedecs, crafts these unique trees using metal wire and lots of patience. They are available in multiple colors and designs.

$50BUY IT Floral Metal Heart Wall Art: Nature gets encapsulated in a metal heart with this wall art. Filled with flowers and birds, this is another piece that is handmade in Haiti from recycled oil drum barrels.

$40BUY IT Metal Sun Wall Decor: A little bit of sunshine for those cloudy days. Rustic wall art with a bohemian vibe that would look great in an entryway or outside on the fence. This metal sun also adds a bit of light to Haiti, since purchasing this art supports their local artisans that hand craft these metal beauties.

$44BUY IT Metal Mermaid Wall Art: Looking like an image straight from Aesop’s Fables, this metal mermaid wall art has a folksy charm. This is another fair-trade sculpture that aims to help eliminate poverty by creating jobs for Haitian artisans.

$349BUY IT Abstract Mountains Metal Wall Sculpture: Transparency in material isn’t something we see in a lot of wall art, let alone metal sculptures, so these abstract mountains really got our attention. The warm glow of these metal mountains is a divine illusion that makes them all the more unique.

$56BUY IT Metal Sunburst Wall Decor: Repetitious and simple wall decor with a big impact. A metal sunburst that is exploding with Mid-century modern glamour.

$44BUY IT Multiple Metal Starbursts Style Wall Art Pieces: This set of metal starbursts is a mid century modern living room’s dream. Edgy and modern, they are a simplistic masterpiece.

$169BUY IT Handmade Abstract Metal Wall Art: Movement and flow are taken to new depths with this abstract metal wall art. Handmade with grinded aluminum and high-quality car paint, this abstract painting has so much depth and dimension, it almost looks 3D!

$175BUY IT Abstract Metal Wall Art: Another piece of abstract metal wall art, but this time in a firey, red hue. The various textures splayed out across the 5 canvases create quite the poignant set of art.

$23BUY IT Metal Envelope Planter: Now that’s our kind of mail! A metal envelope planter that is a bit quirky and super stylish with its galvanized metal design. A great way to flaunt a bit of greenery in your home.

$30BUY IT Metal Musical Notes Wall Decor: Metal music notes that will make your walls sing! Okay, not literally. But your home will be a whole lot more stylish with this metal piece. For more musical goodness, pair this piece with other items from our curated collection of music themed home decor.

$60BUY IT Nautical Metal Compass Wall Decor: A nautical, metal compass that will take your wall decor in the right direction. The distressed finish is available in red (shown) or blue.

$120BUY IT Metal World Map Wall Art: A large, metal world map with an integrated compass and floral design. A black and white showpiece would make a great addition to a travelers home or any contemporary room looking for a bit of flare.

$488BUY IT Black & Gold Metal World Map Wall Art: Lots of wall map art exists, but none quite like this. A black and gold world map that is trendy enough for the home, yet simple enough for the office.

$100BUY IT Metal Wall Art Of USA Flag: An edgy rendition of the American flag. This tattered and torn US flag is plasma cut from durable aluminum and is available both painted and unpainted.

$31BUY IT Star Wars Themed Metal Wall Decor: Embrace the dark side with this Star Wars themed, metal wall art . The perfect addition to any true fan’s Star Wars home decor.

$49BUY IT Superhero Wall Shelf With Hooks: Superman saves the city, saves the girl, and now holds your keys and glasses! Alright, so maybe his new job feels like a bit of a downgrade, but this quirky superhero wall shelf will upgrade your superhero home decor.

$32BUY IT Floating Superhero Bookshelf: Guns of steel and a metal bookshelf make for quite the combo! This floating superhero bookshelf is super fly with room to display multiple books . An unusual gift and definite conversation piece.

$40BUY IT Modern Style Metal Wall Clock: A copper finish, contrasting black hands, and an asterisk design make this modern, metal clock both sleek and stylish. A simple, yet unique design, that is also available in a stainless steel or black finish.

$35BUY IT Metal Windmill Wall Clock: Maybe this metal windmill clock won’t get much wind in your home, but it is sure to get a few compliments. This eye-catching design, inspired by farm windmills, is also available in an Americana or Coastal finish.

$85BUY IT Steampunk Style Metal Gear Wall Clock: A steampunk style, metal clock that will shift any room’s style in to high gear. A unique configuration and galvanized finish, make this one industrial clock that you can’t miss.

$95BUY IT Farmhouse Style Wall Clock Made Of Metal & Wood: Tick-tock goes the clock. Wood and metal meld together to make this large wall clock. A farmhouse style clock that would be a great asset to any rustic decor.

$33BUY IT Decorative Metal Wall Sconces: A little more traditional, but nonetheless stylish. Hang these wall sconces up in the bathroom, bedroom, or anywhere else that could use a wash of ambient lighting.

From $14BUY IT Metal Letters For Wall: These industrial, metal letters are perfect to display initials or short words on your wall. Use a mix of lighted, marquee letters and simple, galvanized letters to keep things interesting.

From $25BUY IT Scrap Metal Typographic Wall Decor: Creativity and scrap metal mingle to create this unique typographic wall decor. The interesting shapes and various use of found items really help these signs come to life. Recycled metal has never had such a strong voice!

$50BUY IT Metal Wine Cork Holder Wall Decor: A modern way to show off how many wine bottles you drank upcycle your wine corks. This metal “WINE” cork holder is a durable piece of wall art that makes a sensational display over a bar or in the kitchen.

$26BUY IT Metal Kitchen Wall Decor: Spice up you kitchen wall decor with a blast from the past with this retro metal sign. The vintage vibe and rustic finish make every meal feel like it’s from an old school diner.

Recommended Reading: 38 Beautiful Bathroom Wall Decor Ideas That Add Modern Flare

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50 Marvelous Metal Wall Art Décor Pieces

A bit of lustre combined with edgy compositions might be just what the designer prescribed to take your wall decor from boring to brilliant. Leave behind the world of flat paintings to explore a much more dynamic approach to wall art. Indulge in stylish oddities, such as wire art sculptures, 3D animals, recycled barrel art, and superhero shelving. Many of the finds that we have included are low in price, but definitely not low on style! Whether you’re looking to decorate a rustic farmhouse or a mid-century modern home, we’ve found a little something for everyone. Judge for yourself and live it up a little with our expertly crafted, metal wall art collection!

From $119BUY IT Abstract Human Torso Metal Wall Sculpture: The human form reimagined in a geometric flurry of metal rings. A chance to add some unique flare to your space with some 3D metal wall art. These abstract torsos are hand formed and welded by the innovative sculptor, Holly Lentz.

From $66BUY IT Metal Wire Art Sculpture: The Girl with a Pearl Earring gets a modern update, recreated as a metal art sculpture. Not only does artist, Isabella Pavanati, recreate famous designs and pioneer new ones, but she also offers custom wire portraits!

$4500BUY IT Metal Horse Wire Sculpture: Free flowing and unique, this metal horse wire sculpture brings equestrian decor to a whole new level, or should we say, a whole new dimension! A 3D piece that you just can’t miss.

$85BUY IT Metal Angel Wings Wall Sculpture: Elegant and chic, these metal angel wings can grace your walls for under $100. A rustic piece that will take your holiday decor to the next level, but we completely understand if you’d prefer to keep them up all year long.

From $32BUY IT Geometric Animals Metal Wall Art: These geometric masterpieces have the feel of paper cut art, but are actually made of sturdy metal. Pick your favorite animal or start a whole zoo wall!

$25BUY IT Metal Butterfly Wall Decor: Rustic meets nature with this metal butterfly wall decor. These whimsical, iron creations are sold as a trio and are a must have for any butterfly lover.

$29BUY IT Whale Metal Wall Art: A minimilistically chic creation brimming with character. This metal patina whale is handmade and available in 20 colors. With that many color choices, this little guy is sure to fit in with almost any decor! This whale and his other animal friends are suited for both indoor or outdoor use.

$86BUY IT Metal Fish Wall Art: A school has never looked so stylish on the wall! This school of fish is a textured display that would be an asset to any coastal or beach inspired home.

$30BUY IT Metal Jelly Fish Wall Art: A metal jelly fish created and signed by artist, Kendy Belony. With its dark gray and brown tones, it practically swims off the wall.

$69BUY IT Octopus Metal Wall Art: Well, hello Mr. Octopus. This metal octopus wall art brings a piece of the ocean right to your home. Handcrafted and hammered in Haiti from reclaimed metal, this guy was actually crafted from a 55-gallon drum. Love octopuses? Us too! Be sure to checkout our feature on octopus home decor.

$49BUY IT Metal Seagulls Wall Decor: These metal birds in dark brown will really pop on your light walls with their sense of movement and freedom. A great piece for a beach house or a nautical inspired room.

$20BUY IT Birds On A Wire Wall Art: The 5 little birds perched on this wall are busy being both affordable and stylish. This birds on a wire wall art is perfect for both neutral and brightly colored walls with its sleek, metal finish.

$72BUY IT Botanic Themed Framed Metal Leaves: With metal leaves wildly growing in brown, metal frames, this botanic inspired creation is overflowing with a natural charm. The distressed, gold finish will have your wall glistening with modern elegance.

$100BUY IT Framed Leaves Black Metal Wall Art: Finally! Trendy plants that won’t die when you don’t water them. This plant inspired, black metal wall art is a slightly unorthodox way to add some modern foliage to your home.

$25BUY IT Metal Tropical Leaf Wall Decor: A metal, tropical leaf that packs quite the design punch. This Monstera leaf decor has high contrast with its black finish and chunky aesthetic. A great way to bring some of the tropics in to your home, without the hassle of live plants.

$62BUY IT Layered Metal Flower Wall Decor: The layered metal design has this white flower practically blooming off the wall. Coated in a dreamy, white gloss finish, this flower arrives ready to hang.

$70BUY IT Recyclable Floral Metal Wall Art: Gold and silver unite to bring you this trio of metallic blooms. These galvanized, metal flowers are also available in Green, Light Yellow, Orange, Pink, and Turquoise.

$39BUY IT Metal Leaf Scroll Wall Art: Metal leaf wall art with the perfect amount of length to elegantly scroll across the top of a sideboard or couch. A wonderfully rustic addition to cottage or farmhouse decor.

$56BUY IT Fleur De Lis Metal Wall Art: This symmetrical, Fleur De Lis metal art is both rustic and elegant. Its well-made design means that it can be used as indoor or outdoor decor.

$68BUY IT Outdoor Metal Art Decor With Iron Wire Fan Leaves: Gold metal, leaf decor that gives off a Hollywood Regency vibe. Made out of textured iron and finished with a luminescent gold, these fan leaves are a modern piece of wall art that really shines.

$65BUY IT Rustic Style Metal Tree Wall Sculpture: A zen wall sculpture that can help you add a bit of tranquility to your decor. With free-flowing branches and a strong base, this tree of life would make a great centerpiece for a wall or a dynamic piece to hang over the fireplace.

$59BUY IT Metal Family Tree Wall Art With Photo Frames: Integrate some memories in to your decor with this family tree. Just pop your photos in and hang up the tree for some sentimental, yet modern wall art.

From $25BUY IT Tree Of Life Metal Wall Art: Tree of life wall art is available in multiple sizes and designs. A tree of life symbolizes love and growth, so they are a great reminder of the things we hold closest to our hearts.

From $135BUY IT Metal Wire Tree Sculptures For Wall: Intricately twisted and molded, this wire tree sculpture is rooted in luxury and modern style. Talented sculptor, Gabor Bedecs, crafts these unique trees using metal wire and lots of patience. They are available in multiple colors and designs.

$50BUY IT Floral Metal Heart Wall Art: Nature gets encapsulated in a metal heart with this wall art. Filled with flowers and birds, this is another piece that is handmade in Haiti from recycled oil drum barrels.

$40BUY IT Metal Sun Wall Decor: A little bit of sunshine for those cloudy days. Rustic wall art with a bohemian vibe that would look great in an entryway or outside on the fence. This metal sun also adds a bit of light to Haiti, since purchasing this art supports their local artisans that hand craft these metal beauties.

$44BUY IT Metal Mermaid Wall Art: Looking like an image straight from Aesop’s Fables, this metal mermaid wall art has a folksy charm. This is another fair-trade sculpture that aims to help eliminate poverty by creating jobs for Haitian artisans.

$349BUY IT Abstract Mountains Metal Wall Sculpture: Transparency in material isn’t something we see in a lot of wall art, let alone metal sculptures, so these abstract mountains really got our attention. The warm glow of these metal mountains is a divine illusion that makes them all the more unique.

$56BUY IT Metal Sunburst Wall Decor: Repetitious and simple wall decor with a big impact. A metal sunburst that is exploding with Mid-century modern glamour.

$44BUY IT Multiple Metal Starbursts Style Wall Art Pieces: This set of metal starbursts is a mid century modern living room’s dream. Edgy and modern, they are a simplistic masterpiece.

$169BUY IT Handmade Abstract Metal Wall Art: Movement and flow are taken to new depths with this abstract metal wall art. Handmade with grinded aluminum and high-quality car paint, this abstract painting has so much depth and dimension, it almost looks 3D!

$175BUY IT Abstract Metal Wall Art: Another piece of abstract metal wall art, but this time in a firey, red hue. The various textures splayed out across the 5 canvases create quite the poignant set of art.

$23BUY IT Metal Envelope Planter: Now that’s our kind of mail! A metal envelope planter that is a bit quirky and super stylish with its galvanized metal design. A great way to flaunt a bit of greenery in your home.

$30BUY IT Metal Musical Notes Wall Decor: Metal music notes that will make your walls sing! Okay, not literally. But your home will be a whole lot more stylish with this metal piece. For more musical goodness, pair this piece with other items from our curated collection of music themed home decor.

$60BUY IT Nautical Metal Compass Wall Decor: A nautical, metal compass that will take your wall decor in the right direction. The distressed finish is available in red (shown) or blue.

$120BUY IT Metal World Map Wall Art: A large, metal world map with an integrated compass and floral design. A black and white showpiece would make a great addition to a travelers home or any contemporary room looking for a bit of flare.

$488BUY IT Black & Gold Metal World Map Wall Art: Lots of wall map art exists, but none quite like this. A black and gold world map that is trendy enough for the home, yet simple enough for the office.

$100BUY IT Metal Wall Art Of USA Flag: An edgy rendition of the American flag. This tattered and torn US flag is plasma cut from durable aluminum and is available both painted and unpainted.

$31BUY IT Star Wars Themed Metal Wall Decor: Embrace the dark side with this Star Wars themed, metal wall art . The perfect addition to any true fan’s Star Wars home decor.

$49BUY IT Superhero Wall Shelf With Hooks: Superman saves the city, saves the girl, and now holds your keys and glasses! Alright, so maybe his new job feels like a bit of a downgrade, but this quirky superhero wall shelf will upgrade your superhero home decor.

$32BUY IT Floating Superhero Bookshelf: Guns of steel and a metal bookshelf make for quite the combo! This floating superhero bookshelf is super fly with room to display multiple books . An unusual gift and definite conversation piece.

$40BUY IT Modern Style Metal Wall Clock: A copper finish, contrasting black hands, and an asterisk design make this modern, metal clock both sleek and stylish. A simple, yet unique design, that is also available in a stainless steel or black finish.

$35BUY IT Metal Windmill Wall Clock: Maybe this metal windmill clock won’t get much wind in your home, but it is sure to get a few compliments. This eye-catching design, inspired by farm windmills, is also available in an Americana or Coastal finish.

$85BUY IT Steampunk Style Metal Gear Wall Clock: A steampunk style, metal clock that will shift any room’s style in to high gear. A unique configuration and galvanized finish, make this one industrial clock that you can’t miss.

$95BUY IT Farmhouse Style Wall Clock Made Of Metal & Wood: Tick-tock goes the clock. Wood and metal meld together to make this large wall clock. A farmhouse style clock that would be a great asset to any rustic decor.

$33BUY IT Decorative Metal Wall Sconces: A little more traditional, but nonetheless stylish. Hang these wall sconces up in the bathroom, bedroom, or anywhere else that could use a wash of ambient lighting.

From $14BUY IT Metal Letters For Wall: These industrial, metal letters are perfect to display initials or short words on your wall. Use a mix of lighted, marquee letters and simple, galvanized letters to keep things interesting.

From $25BUY IT Scrap Metal Typographic Wall Decor: Creativity and scrap metal mingle to create this unique typographic wall decor. The interesting shapes and various use of found items really help these signs come to life. Recycled metal has never had such a strong voice!

$50BUY IT Metal Wine Cork Holder Wall Decor: A modern way to show off how many wine bottles you drank upcycle your wine corks. This metal “WINE” cork holder is a durable piece of wall art that makes a sensational display over a bar or in the kitchen.

$26BUY IT Metal Kitchen Wall Decor: Spice up you kitchen wall decor with a blast from the past with this retro metal sign. The vintage vibe and rustic finish make every meal feel like it’s from an old school diner.

Recommended Reading: 38 Beautiful Bathroom Wall Decor Ideas That Add Modern Flare

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