Wanted to do another of Monet's pieces ^^ I really love the colors and lighting of this one :D
wallacepolsom
NASA
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dirt enthusiast

shark vs the universe
ojovivo

Discoholic đŞŠ
Sade Olutola
Mike Driver
styofa doing anything
Misplaced Lens Cap
Keni
Monterey Bay Aquarium
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
Not today Justin
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todays bird

izzy's playlists!
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
Stranger Things

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@flwrxielian
Wanted to do another of Monet's pieces ^^ I really love the colors and lighting of this one :D
Wanted to do another of Monet's pieces ^^ I really love the colors and lighting of this one :D
armando, it's called a noogie
ÂŤA Patchwork of HopeÂť đ
Xie Lian "calling Xiao Ying ugly"
There is a common misinterpretation among international fans that Xie Lian was mean to Xiao Ying, calling her ugly, or that XL is very mean and sarcastic/critical in general. However, this is a misinterpretation for a few reasons, including mistaking the 3rd Person Narrator's voice for Xie Lian's voice.
1. 3rd Person Omniscient Narration in TGCF
The TGCF novel is written in the 3rd Person Omniscient Perspective, not the 3rd Person Limited Perspective. This means that some parts of the novel are a separate narrator speaking, not XL.
See also this post by @baiwu-jinji about how MXTX often inserts her own thoughts & opinions into the narration, even sometimes in the middle of XL's POV, which gets mistaken for XL's own thoughts.
CN fans also do not perceive XL as mean at all, instead separating the narrator's opinions from XL's. See this tweet from a CN fan that I have translated:
Here is also a good thread by luoreos with examples of when it's the 3rd person narrator speaking, or other characters' thoughts, not XL.
2. MXTX's use of the "ĺć§˝" style of sarcastic, hyperbolic, comedic writing
MXTX has a distinctive writing style that shines through in all her novels' narrations. This is distinct from XL's voice as a character. In SVSSS and MDZS too, you can see how MXTX's writing can have an ironic/sarcastic sense of humor, sometimes exaggerated for comedic effect or coming off harsh in English, but it's not meant to be literal.
See this post written by @baiwu-jinji about the "ĺć§˝" style of chinese comedic writing that MXTX uses, which is exaggerated, hyperbolic and not meant to be taken seriously as the protagonist's actual thoughts.
3. Xiao Ying's character arc
Although the donghua did not portray Xiao Ying as "ugly", in the novel it is clear even in the English translation that Xiao Ying's character was deliberately written by MXTX as objectively having facial features considered very unpleasant by many people, hence being unfairly bullied for it - which is meant to highlight certain themes of the novel regarding injustice. It also is an example of XL's philosophy of treating others with kindness instead of judging them by superficial metrics.
(continued below)
Saw a piece by @xnighten which had this cool black out poetry style look! ^^ I thought it was so cool and wanted to do something like it with the ORV boys :D The result turned out pretty nice in my opinion~
Stay warm!
Stay warm!
Finally finished drawing all the default sprites for hualian. And I'm not looking forward to drawing all the needed variations of expressions for each outfit...
Now that I have a good look at them lined up together, I can't help but think I missed an opportunity to give Xie Lian red robes. I think the outfit for Gambler's Den could've easily been red (the one with white patterns on the robes and XL having a low ponytail). But I have already made a couple of CG's featuring it, and I'm not going through trouble of repainting them.
The only other suitable outfit is the one with tiny white flowers in XL's hair but...I don't know. I can't imagine it being red for the story it's used in. It's melancholic, maybe a tiny bit sad and white just fits better with this mood.
Guess I have no choice but to let go of it. You can't squeeze in every possible idea in a tiny passion project :')
Also, please appreciate my Xiao Hua looking like an actual 16 year old teen! (he looks small in comparison to his sequoia-tree brothers but I think he ended up being the same height as Xie Lian)
The way Hua Cheng says "it's not your fault" and "you, not the state of you" and "there's no banquet that doesn't come to an end" and that all of these Xie Lian said first. It truly showcases just how highly Hua Cheng thinks of Xie Lian, that so often he decides the best way to support Xie Lian is by repeating Xie Lian's own words back to him, like he can't think of anything better or more fitting in these moments. And every time he does it he's saying, "I listen when you talk, I hear what you say, and I think you're right" to a man who has been ignored and maligned and alone for almost all his life. It's one of the sweetest possible things Hua Cheng could do.
Still really love this guy! ^^ Ghostblade my beloved~
You and Me Against the World
inspired by the gladiator backstory hehe this is my take of it
Next
It hurt to breathe.
A sharp pain flared every time my lungs expanded, like something was lodged beneath my ribsâjagged and wrong. I curled tighter into myself, pressed against the cold wall of the holding cell. Blood soaked the torn fabric around my waist, seeping slow from the gash the monsterâs claw had left just above my hip.
They hadnât even cleaned the arena yet. I could still hear the crowd screaming for the next fight. For someone elseâs suffering.
Footsteps. Fast. Heavy.
I tensed, expecting one of the wardens. But it was Sylus.
Of course it was Sylus.
âIdiot,â he muttered as soon as he saw me. âYou didnât dodge.â
âI did.â My voice came out a whisper. âJust not fast enough.â
He crouched beside me, silver hair falling into his eyes, streaked with grime and dried blood that wasnât all his. He looked furiousâbut not at me. Not exactly.
âYou were supposed to wait for me to draw it out,â he said, tearing open a small white packet. My eyes widened.
âIs that...?â
âFirst aid kit,â he snapped. âI cashed in thirty points.â
âThirty?! Thatâsââ
âShut up.â He was already tearing the seal open with his teeth, fingers shaking as he pulled out gauze, a needle, antiseptic. âYou were bleeding. What did you want me to do? Wait until your lungs collapsed?â
I bit back a groan as he peeled the fabric back from my wound. His hands hovered, and for a second, he hesitatedâSylus Qin, who never hesitated.
âYouâre too soft,â I said, trying to sound like him. Cold. Unbothered.
He didnât look at me. âAnd youâre too reckless.â
The antiseptic burned worse than the claws. I hissed and nearly doubled over, but he held me stillâone arm around my shoulders, the other pressing the gauze against my side. There was pressure in his grip. Pressure and heat. His Evol was active, flickering like a spark beneath his skin.
âI can match it,â I breathed, my fingers brushing his wrist. My Evol trembled just beneath the surfaceâResonanceâa whisper ready to rise.
âNo,â he said instantly, tone steel. âYouâre too weak. If you match my energy now, youâll burn your own out.â
âI can do it,â I insisted.
He finally met my gaze. His red eyes were glowing, just slightlyâbut enough to let me know he meant what he said next.
âNot now. You donât get to prove something to me while youâre half-dead.â
There was something terrifying in how gently he wrapped the bandage, how quiet he went. I realized, in that stillness, that Sylus wasnât just angry. He was afraid.
âIâll earn the points back,â he muttered, voice low. âIâll take the next match solo. Just... donât die. Thatâs not allowed.â
âSylusââ
He stood quickly, like the words made him uncomfortable. âRest. Heal.â
I watched his back as he walked to the bars. His posture was straight. Confident. Already planning the next move. But I knew him too well.
He only walked like that when he was breaking inside.
I rested my head against the wall, the bandage warm with fresh blood, and whispered into the empty air between us:
âI didnât dodge because I was protecting you.â
He didnât answer.
But I saw his hand curl into a fist.
i was in a silly mood hehehe
You and Me Against the World
inspired by the gladiator backstory hehe this is my take of it
Next
It hurt to breathe.
A sharp pain flared every time my lungs expanded, like something was lodged beneath my ribsâjagged and wrong. I curled tighter into myself, pressed against the cold wall of the holding cell. Blood soaked the torn fabric around my waist, seeping slow from the gash the monsterâs claw had left just above my hip.
They hadnât even cleaned the arena yet. I could still hear the crowd screaming for the next fight. For someone elseâs suffering.
Footsteps. Fast. Heavy.
I tensed, expecting one of the wardens. But it was Sylus.
Of course it was Sylus.
âIdiot,â he muttered as soon as he saw me. âYou didnât dodge.â
âI did.â My voice came out a whisper. âJust not fast enough.â
He crouched beside me, silver hair falling into his eyes, streaked with grime and dried blood that wasnât all his. He looked furiousâbut not at me. Not exactly.
âYou were supposed to wait for me to draw it out,â he said, tearing open a small white packet. My eyes widened.
âIs that...?â
âFirst aid kit,â he snapped. âI cashed in thirty points.â
âThirty?! Thatâsââ
âShut up.â He was already tearing the seal open with his teeth, fingers shaking as he pulled out gauze, a needle, antiseptic. âYou were bleeding. What did you want me to do? Wait until your lungs collapsed?â
I bit back a groan as he peeled the fabric back from my wound. His hands hovered, and for a second, he hesitatedâSylus Qin, who never hesitated.
âYouâre too soft,â I said, trying to sound like him. Cold. Unbothered.
He didnât look at me. âAnd youâre too reckless.â
The antiseptic burned worse than the claws. I hissed and nearly doubled over, but he held me stillâone arm around my shoulders, the other pressing the gauze against my side. There was pressure in his grip. Pressure and heat. His Evol was active, flickering like a spark beneath his skin.
âI can match it,â I breathed, my fingers brushing his wrist. My Evol trembled just beneath the surfaceâResonanceâa whisper ready to rise.
âNo,â he said instantly, tone steel. âYouâre too weak. If you match my energy now, youâll burn your own out.â
âI can do it,â I insisted.
He finally met my gaze. His red eyes were glowing, just slightlyâbut enough to let me know he meant what he said next.
âNot now. You donât get to prove something to me while youâre half-dead.â
There was something terrifying in how gently he wrapped the bandage, how quiet he went. I realized, in that stillness, that Sylus wasnât just angry. He was afraid.
âIâll earn the points back,â he muttered, voice low. âIâll take the next match solo. Just... donât die. Thatâs not allowed.â
âSylusââ
He stood quickly, like the words made him uncomfortable. âRest. Heal.â
I watched his back as he walked to the bars. His posture was straight. Confident. Already planning the next move. But I knew him too well.
He only walked like that when he was breaking inside.
I rested my head against the wall, the bandage warm with fresh blood, and whispered into the empty air between us:
âI didnât dodge because I was protecting you.â
He didnât answer.
But I saw his hand curl into a fist.
i was in a silly mood hehehe
âThe girls in the tribe have unique braids. I should give you one.â
this is what I'm talking about 𤧠I love this part so much đ
â¤ď¸Nap with Sylus~
*More art on Patreon
A Rising Sun
Summary: Thirteen missed calls and twenty unread text messages. Not even Mephisto could track you. âYouâre really starting to worry me here, kitten.â Sylus pressed the phone to his ear, eyes glued to Mephistoâs live feed as he soared through the N109 Zoneâs darkest alleys, âIf it was something I did, let me make it up to you.â Tags: Sylus/Reader, gender-neutral, slight angst, hurt/comfort, reader is mc, established relationship Word Count: 1.8k A/N: requested by @hrts4hanniehae read on ao3 | masterlist
Crystal clinked loudly against a mahogany table as Sylus put the empty glass down with a seething glare. He wouldâve slammed it were it not for your sleeping form just several feet away, however. Your chest rose and fell under his satin sheets, and he counted each breath like a rosary bead; youâre fine, youâre fine, youâre fine. He unstopped a priceless bottle of whiskey and poured himself another drink, but the tremor in his hand sloshed amber liquid over the sides. Sylus huffed but didnât bother wiping up the mess. Instead, he downed the whiskey in one go and squeezed his tired eyes shut. The burn was nothing compared to the chill down his spine when he found you.Â
Consider if you will for a moment: Like and/or Keiran accidentally calling MC âmomâ
please, anon this is literally so cute :â)
whipped a lil something, i hope i did you justice
. Ýâ âš . Ý âĄ Ý . âš â Ý.
It was just a normal day made special simply by spending time with Sylus. The two of you had been rather busy the past few weeks, only seeing each other here and there, but never for as long as you really wanted.
You were the one who suggested taking time off, to which Sylusâalbeit surprisedâeagerly agreed, which was how you found yourself in the kitchen of Onychinusâs base, apron wrapped around your waist as you and your boyfriend made cupcakes.
The twins sat at the island behind you, impatiently waiting to eat the sweet treats.
âHow much longer?â Luke whined.
It was the third time heâd asked in the span of ten minutes. The first batch of cupcakes were currently cooling off to the side so Sylus could frost them, he was surprisingly deft with a piping bag. You were mixing the batter for the second batch.
You glanced at Luke over your shoulder. âIf you keep whining, you wonât get any.â
Kieranâs shoulder shook with quiet laughter.
Lukeâs head lowered. âSorry, Mom.â
Everyone went still.
You looked up at Sylus in shock, but he only offered a slight raise of a brow and a tilt of his lips. Was he enjoying this? Of course he was, what a silly question.
If you were being honest with yourself, hearing Luke call you Mom fill your heart with warmth. Since dating Sylus, youâd become quite close to the twins, creating what you felt was a little family of five (including Mephisto, obviously). Youâd often joke with Sylus that you and he were like their parents. Sylus would go along with the joke, saying you were a great mother and asking if you thought he made a good father. Youâd always answer him with the upmost sincerity, telling him Yes Sylus, youâre a fantastic dad. Theyâre lucky to have you.
But Luke hadnât called Sylus Dad, heâd called you Mom.
Sylus watched you, curious to how youâd respond. It had warmed his own heart, hearing Luke call you his mother, not that heâd ever admit it. Sylus held a deep-rooted fear that youâd one day leave him because you didnât feel at home in the N109 Zone. This slip of the tongue served to ease that fear, but your reaction was what was most important.
Saying nothing, you gently took the piping bag from Sylusâs hands and grabbed one of the cooling cupcakes. It was still a little warm, but it didnât stop you from piping the frosting onto the top. Passing the bag off to Sylus, you took the cupcake to the island, to Luke.
You offered it to him with an affectionate smile.
Luke hesitated for a moment before taking it.
âHappy now?â you teased.
Luke lifted the mask enough to reveal a wide grin before shoving the cupcake in his mouth.
âCan I have one too, Mom? Please?â Kieran asked from beside his twin.
Your smile widened. âOf course, how can I say no to my boys?â
â
After eating nearly half of the two dozen cupcakes made, the twins had retired to their rooms for a post-cupcake nap, leaving you and Sylus alone to clean up.
Sylus nudged you with his elbow. âI guess we really are parents now.â
You chuckled. âThat was the last thing I expected to hear today.â
âYou didnât seem to mind.â
You smiled fondly up at him. âNo, why would I? The twins mean a lot to me.â
Sylus mirrored your expression. âIt makes me happy to hear you say that, sweetie.â
You turned to face him, looping your arms around his neck. âI love nothing more than spending time at the base with you and our boys, and Mephisto, of course. I feel at home here, Sy.â
Sylusâs arms encircled your waist, his heart filled with so much love he thought it might burst. âTheyâre never going to stop calling you that.â
Your smile grew. âThatâs okay, if it makes them happy, then thatâs all that matters to me.â
Sylus dipped his head to whisper in your ear, âHow would you feel about adding a few more crows to our flock?â
âI thought a group of crows was a murder, not a flock.â
Sylus scoffed and nibbled at your ear.
You laughed, unabashed, slapping his back lightly. âYou owe me a ring first before we even think about that.â
âMmm,â he hummed, his arms tightening. He placed soft kisses on your neck. âI think that can be arranged.â