Do Y'all Remember When They Found All That Tf Art In Osamu Tezuka's Drawer Post-mortem Because I Think

IM NOT DOING ANYTHING.

The gang has just confronted Caine about him not allowing them to exit.

Dialogue from: ENAs Dream BBQ

Keep Reading - Behind the scenes and Analysis

ANALYSIS -

“Guys, Guys- Wait!”

intention and Context: When Caine gets outright accused of being malicious, he goes into full defensive/panic mode. Whats being said is a fully detailed accusation, not something he can easily brush off as typical irrationality or petty comments like when Pomni first joins or Zooble calling the adventures stupid.

At first it may be interpreted that he’s panicked because "the game" is about to be given away. But really its just because he has never fully comprehended what people think of him until now.

How I Portrayed it: The accusations are represented by the lines in the background going into him, looking sharp and jagged, as these words are incredibly harsh. Also noted that the colors are extremely intense, and the lighting is from below, giving a sort of “scary stories” or “on edge” look.

The repeating purple and red color combo is also meant to give a feeling of cop car lights- adding onto the accusing atmosphere.

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“Im Not Doing What You Say Im Doing!”

intention and Context: Caine yells that they’ve got it all wrong- trying to gain his composure and explaining himself in a calm and orderly fashion. (this doesnt work.)

How I portrayed it: This attempt at getting a reign on his emotions is shown by the background getting lighter, the lighting being more direct instead of from below, his expression sofening a tad, and the accusing sharp lines blow out to make room for his fighting back.

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Outside Shot 1): The state of the building where his computer is. uh- not good 😭 The company has long since been abandoned.

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“Im Not Doing Anything!”

Intentions and Context: Caine insists he’s not doing anything to keep them away from an exit, or to hurt them. Or…at least… he doesn’t want to. Caine is now more or less trying to convince himself of this. This scope of his actions has now become way more than just stopping them from finding an exit. One thought led to another- and yeah.

This is all reminiscent of his language in episode 3 when he talks about how “making adventures is all (he’s) good at”. Whats so interesting about that line is the thing that truly sets him off. Caine says that it’s all he exists to do, this is just factually true! He’s very much BEEN aware of this. He’s an A.I. whos built for making adventures. yeah. this isn’t a shocking revelation.

That is until he takes it far more personally and emotionally than I think he’s ever considered. Its not just all he exists to do- its ALL he does. Its all he’s good at, it is EVERYTHING he is. If he’s not good at that then… uh….Its like he goes from Logic- To emotion- And rounding back to logic. Its all hes designed to do- its all hes GOOD at. What does that mean for someone whos bad at all hes meant for? replacement. fixing the issue. the issue being him.

How I portrayed it: The spotlight-lighting! instead of the attention being harshly accusatory, coming from below and stabbing into him, its more like his every move is being watched under a microscope. He feels pressured more than ever to be perfect now that it’s been made clear people see him as the complete opposite of what he’s supposed to be. A good host wouldn’t make people genuinely think he’s secretly evil-

The glitching is also meant to go back to what I was talking about with the ep 3 moment, as well as show he’s feeling all the emotions hes NOT SUPPOSED TO. He’s afraid, he’s angry, he’s confused. His programming is screaming in pure “!?!?!?!?!?”

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Outside Shot 2): Inside the abandoned C&A office, there are several conceptual posters on the wall, as well as newspaper clippings. The reason behind the place shutting down is also shown with the graph in the way back (stocks plummeting-) (CAPITALISM!!!) (i still wholeheartedly believe whoever the hell was in charge of C&A was some Cave Johnson ass man who was a complete moron at being a CEO while his programmers worked so hard to keep the ship afloat.)

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“Im Not Doing Anything At All!”

Intentions and Context: This line helps presents the actual issue here. He isnt doing what they say he’s doing, but he’s also not doing ANYTHING. AT ALL. He’s not actively choosing to cause harm, but he’s also not actively choosing to see where he could be helpful.

Another way the line can be interpreted/have double meaning is the way he feels purposless, especially when he was left alone all that time ago when the office shut down. He feels aimless without the things that give his life meaning and purpose. They left him.

Caine flashes back to where he was before, and without them. He still is currently failing at the only thing he was built to do- but at least he’s not in complete isolation anymore. Theres a lot of conflicting feeling right now with that. He would NEVER stop them from leaving, as he’s only ever built to assist. BUT ALSO IF THEY DID LEAVE, THEN HE’D GO BACK TO THAT.

You know when you get accused of doing something you know you didnt do but then you start gaslighting yourself into believing you did? yeah thats whats happening here

How I portrayed it: The blue that has been seen to depict the real world, is now way more vibrant cause we are now in the digital world- but just as lifeless and sinking as the real life shots. Instead of panic (the shots of Caine explaining himself) or hollow (the shots of the outside world) its supposed to give off a sense of dread (a mix between the 2)

Caine has his hat off as well, like he is removed from the Ringmaster roll he was designed to fill.

-

BEHIND THE SCENES

Ok so wow.

This project has completely consumed my life for the past 4 days and I couldn’t be happier!!! I heard this ENA audio and well- the pieces just slid into place so perfectly, I had to do SOMETHING about it, and then ofc that plan turned to be way bigger scale than I ever could have imagined.

I made a youtube playlist for the vibe I was going for music wise too!

YouTube

IM NOT DOING ANYTHING

IM NOT DOING ANYTHING

This project took a lot longer than expected because the emotional impact i wanted to potray, THINKING ABOU THIS HURT and I wanted it to hurt to look at. But…that was really hard to do. I played with quite a few different vibes, but I ended up with something i am inCREDibly proud of!!!

So heres a speed paint of just THE CONCEPT because thats the interesting bit! And still lasts a WHILE because of the aforementioned ✨I had no idea what I was doing✨ :D

I figured it out-

If you made it this far, I mean it from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much :3 it means a lot that people care enough about my art to read a bible about it. You’re welcome for the pain!

Favorite Spot

Alhaitham visits his regular viewpoint for morning coffee, however is surprised upon realizing it is already occupied by someone...

in short, this is a fluff KaveTham one shot. gosh I love these two idiots with my whole heart, I want to cry. Have a nice time reading this, loves!! take care of yourself, don't forget to drink enough water, and have an amazing day <3

The sun rose above the green peaks of Sumeru City. It was truly a sight to behold. Dancing in golden rays, the landscape seemed magical, as if from a fairytale. In fact, I’d say that not a soul would be able to resist admiring such a view in front of their eyes, which brings us to the situation at hand.

Alhaitham had already brewed his usual morning coffee, taken the cup with him, and navigated to his favorite location near his quarters. It was a lovely terrace, placed high above the ground. Sumeu’s peaks seemed to dance in unison upon glancing from it. It was a marvelous place which, of course, a big amount of people pass daily. However on such early mornings, it tended to be more of a secluded, empty space, where you could truly enjoy your time without anyone bothering you. Or so Alhaitham thought.

Upon arriving to his usual spot, The Scribe was greeted with a person, already standing where he usually stands, gazing upon the landscape. And frankly…Alhaitham didn’t know how to react. Part of him was extremely frustrated with this situation. But in the Scribes defense, who wouldn’t be? Taking the effort to wake up extremely early, simply to have some peace, make yourself a coffee in your favorite cup, bring it outdoors, just to have it snatched away right in front of you? That does not sound like too comforting a scenario. However, another part of him was amused. It was silly, really. Someone was standing exactly in his usual spot, at a time when he usually does, gazing upon the view, just as he usually does. It was hilarious to Alhaitham for some reason, although some might argue that  his sense of humor is…questionable.

After a quick few steps towards the place where The Scribe usually has his morning coffee, he realized who this person was. None other than The Light of Kshahrewar. His hands were placed on the railing of the terrace, chin resting upon one of them. The Sunrise had just started painting it’s hues in the sky, right in front of the view, and warm light danced upon Kaveh’s hair. It covered the latter in gold, which, truthfully, made the spot thief look a little bit too dazzling, at least to Alhaitham.

“Kaveh? How come you’re up so early? And may I ask, what exactly are you doing specifically on my favorite spot?” - Alhaitham truly didn’t wish to come off as cold as he did, and truth be told, Kaveh knew that.

“Oh, hi Haitham. Good morning to you too” - the blonde's tone sounded untainted with hatred, or any negative emotion for that matter. It was simply casual.

“Apologies, good morning, of course”

“It’s alright” - Kaveh responded, his tone warmer this time.

A few moments of silence were shared between the two who unexpectedly met. Alhaitham made a few steps forwards, and was now standing right near The Light of Kshahrewar

“Although still, pray tell, why are you up so early? You went to sleep quite late, if I’m not mistaken” - Alhaitham stated, after which he decided to finally sip on his coffee.

“Well, the reason I am up so early is that I…have not went to sleep through the night yet”

Upon hearing that phrase, The Scribe almost choked on his coffee, spitting it out, similarly to a fountain. Good thing that beforehand his gaze was focused on the landscape. Otherwise The Light of Kshahrewar might have his clothes covered in coffee at 5 in the morning, which isn’t a preferable scenario to both parties here.

“Excuse me, what? You have not gone to sleep yet?” - for once, Alhaitham’s tone was evidently laced with emotion. This time, the emotion was a mix of worry and disbelief.

“...come on, is that truly so difficult to believe?” - Kaveh asked.

“Well now that you say that, not really. However still…How are you not falling asleep on the spot?”

“I myself don’t know”

“Kaveh, why did you stay up?” “Well, the project I’m working on had it’s deadline pushed to an earlier date, so it’s necessary to compromise in this situation. I will be able to sleep properly after it is finished. One or two all nighters won’t hurt” - the blonde responded. However it seemed he was rather attempting to assure himself of these things, rather than Alhaitham.

A few moment of silence passed by, after which Kaveh decided to glance upon Alhaitham. After all, who wouldn’t be at least a bit perplexed from getting no reaction from the person you are conversing with. Kaveh was met with The Scribe frowning. However it wasn’t a scowl, or a disappointed expression. It was simply a frown. A frown of worry, rather than disappointment. 

“Oh stop that, you know I always fix my sleep schedule after my projects” - Kaveh reassured the person beside him.

“That does not make me any less worried” - was all The Scribe could come up with.

A few more moments of silence passed.

“How come you chose this spot? …for all I know, the terrace to our right is much more impressive, architecturally speaking, and it has actual places to sit” - Alhaitham could not refrain from asking. You see, if you had asked him that question, the answer you would have gotten would be extremely specific.

After a moment of hesitation, Kaveh responded

“For the sunrise. I don’t come here to rest or to sit on a high terrace. I come here to watch sunrises and sunsets. They are not visible from the terraces nearby. And the reason for this specific spot…well, this spot is where the sun first shines it’s light in the morning. I like to think of it as a lucky spot”

Another moment of silence.

“How come you chose this spot, Haitham?” - the architect was now facing the person who joined him directly, observing their expressions and admiring how they looked, basking in the first sunlight of the day.

“I…I think…you and I are more similar than we tend to imagine, Kaveh” - The Scribe glanced back, warm smile playing on his expression, coffee already slightly forgotten.

A rare sight was painted in front of Kaveh this morning. This sight would probably be engraved in his heart for years and years to come. What he did not pause to consider at the moment, however, is that perhaps, the person beside him felt as dearly towards him, as he did to them. “Perhaps…” - the blonde thinks to himself - “...perhaps I should come to this spot more often”.

note: I am a firm believer that Kaveh and Alhaitham don't deserve to be painted as the two people who constantly hurt each other, because of their differences, and have unresolved conflicts all the time. of course those two bicker a lot, but come on, through many years, they have gotten to know each other thoroughly, in and out. although I am sure they have had their fair share of conflicts, THE AMOUNT OF KAVETHAM ANGST I'VE SEEN IS JUST INCREDIBLE. LIKE DAMN, WHO HURT YOU PEOPLE? anyhow, hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this! <3

Genshin characters as Stock Photos #2

never in my years of living I've been to a waffle house

Fandom: Honkai Star Rail

Pairing: Sampo x Gepard

Wordcount: 2.520

tags: AU - canon divergent; Gepard chasing Sampo; Sampo being a smug fxxker; very slightly spicy (nothing graphic or anything, no actual mentions of nsfw, just some light hinting); Gepard actually being into it; Sampo being the sassy dude he is

“Stop right there, Sampo Koski! Running is futile, I will arrest you!” Sampo’s pursuer called, just a few steps behind and hot on his heels.

The blue-haired man chuckled low to himself at the fact that it was yet to be decided who would catch whom as he took the next turn leading into another abandoned alley.

He could do this for hours; walking around in circles, leading whoever was chasing after him into the darkest corners of the underground, or finding a hideout and simply waiting there until they gave up on trying to find him. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s done that and certainly not be the last.

And he’s been running in circles for who knows how long that day already while fooling his pursuer into thinking he actually had a chance to eventually get him. But even Sampo Koski’s patience was bound to reach its limit sooner or later, so he decided it was about time he finally lured his prey straight into his trap.

Knowing the streets of Belobog’s Underground better than anyone else, he took yet another turn, this time purposefully stepping straight into a dead-end.

“Oh nooo! What to do now? I’m trapped!” Sampo called over his shoulder in an overly dramatic manner, “What an unlucky fella I am…”

He said it loud enough for his persecutor to hear him but not too loud to give their position away to the other guards. Sampo was sure that none of them would be able to find their way here anytime soon in the first place but that was exactly what he’d aimed for from the beginning.

He didn’t need anyone interrupting them now.

Sampo slowed down, taking the last few steps toward the end of the alley. He came to a stop in front of some abandoned, old, and dusty wooden boxes that were scattered there in front of the tall stonewall. They’ve been looted before, considering that some of them were open, the tops mindlessly thrown aside and others simply cracked open to access their content.

A short moment later, his scheme played out just as planned.

“Stay right where you are and don’t you dare move a single finger, Koski!” Gepard Landau called, loud and firmly, voice booming across the narrow street. “You can’t escape anymore.”

Sampo grimaced before taking a deep-drawn sigh and slowly turning around, wearing one of his trademark lopsided smirks on his lips the moment his eyes fell on the blonde.

“No need to shout, Cap. I heard you just fine,” Sampo answered as he lifted his hands in feigned defeat. “Seems like you finally got me, huh?”

The Captain of the Silvermane Guards took two careful steps forward and Sampo waited for another few moments, letting the Captain believe just for a bit longer that he was actually cooperating. But Sampo had never planned to do that, so soon enough he narrowed his eyes, gaze turning predatory as he slowly let his arms down again.

Instead of staying put, the Mercenary was now slowly approaching Gepard. His lips stretched into a mischievous smile as he watched Gepard’s eyes widen with realization and a spark of anger flashing in them.

“Don’t move!” the Captain called.

Sampo didn’t bat an eye at the command, rather taking another few steps closer to his target.

“I said. Don’t. Move!”

A low chuckle escaped Sampo.

“Aw, or what?”

The Mercenary kept moving, only stopping right in front of Gepard, and staring at him with an amused glint in his emerald eyes. The Captain was frozen to the spot and his heart must’ve been racing, considering that he was breathing heavily through his nose while trying to hold Sampo’s gaze.

“Will you handcuff me?” Sampo asked, voice low and provocative.

He wanted to see how fast he could get the Captain of the Silvermane Guards, Gepard Landau, to let his guard down and how much Sampo could get under his skin. Considering that the Captain had been on Sampo’s mind almost every day those past weeks— it was only fair, one would assume. 

It wasn’t out of fear that Gepard could eventually catch him and lock him up but for several other reasons. Reasons, which would certainly make Gepard get all flustered and tongue-tied if Sampo told him about.

“Will you punish me for being a bad boy, my dear Captain?” Sampo asked again as he took a step to the side and slowly started to circle the blonde while keeping his eyes locked on him.

Sampo studied every emotion flitting across the Captain’s face, watched a single bead of sweat running down his cheek, and was captured by the way his Adam’s Apple bobbed slightly as Gepard swallowed under the pressure of being observed so closely.

And Sampo wanted to do more than just watch, fingers itching to touch, tease, and simply do whatever indecent thought was crossing his mind right at that moment. Being this close to the sole reason for many of Sampo’s sleepless nights and being able to smell his heady scent— it was hard to resist. But Sampo also knew he needed to go slow about this and ought not to make any rash decisions.

But a little teasing never hurt anybody, right?

Sampo leaned in close, nose almost brushing the flushed skin at the back of Gepard’s neck as he continued.

“Would you enjoy doing all those things to me?”

The Mercenary lowered his voice even more, barely above a whisper as he breathed. “Or would you enjoy it more if I did that to you instead…?”

Gepard visibly shivered, his adorably flushed skin puckering and Sampo had to bite down hard on his lower lip to keep himself from simply latching onto the Captain’s neck right then and there. Instead, he let his hand wander to the small of Gepard’s back, gently brushing over it as he tensed. Sampo then finished his round and came to a stop in front of the blonde again, keeping his hands to himself with a satisfied smile on his lips.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” Gepard asked and Sampo swallowed hard at how unbelievably enticing the sight of a flustered Gepard was. His flushed cheeks, the frustrated look on his face, and the way his eyes were dancing around as he tried his hardest to hold Sampo’s gaze but ended up being too shy to do so— everything combined was almost too much for the Mercenary.

“I’m going to arrest you, so don’t get ahead of yourself,” Gepard eventually said, voice low and less convincing than before.

Sampo chuckled low.

“You sure about that, Cap?”

“What do you mean?” Gepard asked, brows knitting in confusion.

What Gepard hadn't noticed until now was that Sampo, while walking around him, had taken advantage of the situation and snatched the handcuffs from Gepard’s belt.

Sampo once again leaned in close, so close their noses almost touched. And at first, Gepard flinched hard, backing away an inch or two but just a moment later he visibly steeled himself and stood his ground, trying not to show any weakness.

Which played right into Sampo’s hands.

“I mean that I am the one who actually caught you…” Sampo whispered as the soft click of the handcuffs locking echoed through the quiet alley.

That was the moment Gepard’s eyes grew comically wide in realization as his face went slack and his mouth fell open in surprise. A moment passed, then another until Gepard blinked a few times, mouth moving in an attempt to form a coherent sentence but it just didn’t work. He tried to retreat, taking two steps backward but in the blink of an eye, Sampo grabbed him by the handcuffs and pulled him back closely.

“Nuh-uh, no running away now…” Sampo warned.

Their chests touched and even through the thick fabric of both their clothes, Sampo could feel the Captain’s heartbeat hammering in sync with his own.

Sampo’s eyes turned dark with burning desire as he uttered his next words.

“I gotta admit that at one point I started to enjoy our little cat-and-mouse games because you are quite the fascinating fella. I’d love to break through that stoic and upright facade of yours someday to see what you hide behind all that. But not today and not here, my dear Gepard…”

Sampo pulled back slightly, just to satisfy the urge to see a flustered Gepard once more but the moment his gaze fell on the blonde’s face, he was completely mesmerized.

A dark crimson had settled high on the Captain’s cheekbones, accentuating the brilliant blue of his sapphire eyes, and making them shine brighter than Sampo had ever noticed before.

But that wasn’t everything that had captivated him; he was taken aback at the glint of something dark and wicked hiding in them, a secret waiting to be found out, an ardent longing wanting to be released as Gepard stared straight at him, brows knitted in frustration.

Sampo was concentrating hard, trying to find out if his mind was trying to play a dirty trick on him or if what he’d just witnessed was actually real. He decided to go for the latter as a lopsided smile spread on his lips and he stated.

“Or maybe you’re already enjoying all of this more than I’d expected from you…”

Sampo closed the distance between them, grabbing Gepard’s chin between the thumb and index finger of his right hand, and pulled him in.

Their lips almost touching, Sampo breathed.

“I hope you don’t mind…”

Gently pressing his mouth on Gepard’s for a soft peck, Sampo felt him tense underneath the touch, body turning rigid against his own for a moment. The Mercenary was sure that Gepard would soon enough start a fuss and find a way to free himself of the handcuffs. Sampo was also sure that he was about to catch one of the blonde’s relentless fists any second now.

After another agonizingly long moment, Gepard suddenly relaxed, slightly pressing forward and—

Sampo needed a second longer to realize that Gepard was actually reciprocating the kiss.

It felt like a stroke of lightning had struck him, surging through his whole body, and setting every single nerve alight with a sizzling feeling that finally settled, pooling low in his gut. Sampo willingly took the invitation, angling his head, and slotting their lips together like fitting puzzle pieces and hands wandering, cupping the Captain’s face in both of them.

But before he could get any further or enjoy this moment a bit longer, he heard the stomping of heavy boots and guards calling Gepard’s name coming closer and closer.

Sampo reluctantly retreated as he heard them yell in the alley right beside them. He knew they would find them in less than a minute, so he had to act fast. Groaning, he pulled back completely from a still very much spaced-out Gepard while fumbling for a smoke grenade in one of his back pockets to prepare his escape.

Sampo couldn’t suppress the soft chuckle that escaped him as he focused back on Gepard, who was slowly coming back to his senses and flushed a crimson red the moment realization hit him hard. The Mercenary closed the distance between them, pressing their bodies together as he uttered a last warning into the small space between them.

“You better cover your sweet little mouth now or the smoke will cause a nasty coughing fit. And I wouldn’t want that to happen to you, my dear Captain Gepard.”

He watched with an amused smirk on his lips as Gepard’s eyes grew wide and followed the grenade Sampo threw over his head. It landed a few feet away behind the blonde and continued to roll a bit further until it stopped right at the feet of one of the guards who had just stepped around the corner.

Sampo placed a quick peck at the corner of Gepard’s mouth before he unlocked the handcuffs and freed his hands. Taking step after step backward, he blew the Captain of the Silvermane Guards one last kiss as the grenade went off and thick white smoke started to fill the alley. The Mercenary winked, then turned around, and climbed up the wooden boxes in a fluid motion before swinging himself over the sturdy stonewall.

The guards were coughing violently as Sampo landed smoothly on the other side of the wall in yet another abandoned alley. He paused for a brief moment and took a deep breath, heart and mind still racing as he recalled the latest events.

Sampo was still very much surprised and would’ve never thought that a simple kiss could break so easily through Gepard’s defenses and that he would willingly let him in. It was exciting, exhilarating even and Sampo wondered how far he could’ve gone if they hadn’t been interrupted. The possibilities were endless and thinking about them sent an electrifying shiver down his spine, fueling his darkest desires, and granting him some of the wildest fantasies.

He groaned and dragged one of his hands over his face in desperation as a wicked smile spread on his face. Just a moment later he heard a guard shout his name behind the stonewall he’d just climbed over.

“Sampo Koski!”

He didn’t hesitate for another moment, not wanting to risk getting caught after all as he took off and disappeared into the maze of Belobog’s Underground alleys.

Meanwhile, the Captain of the Silvermane Guards, Gepard Landau, was still unable to move a single muscle, blood rushing in his ears and heart hammering wildly in his ribcage as he dragged a single finger over his lips. They were still tingling from the touch of someone else’s lips.

Chapped lips, though skillful and luscious.

Lips that had him captivated.

Sampo Koski’s lips.

Gepard was so lost in his mind, reliving every second of what had just happened, that he didn’t notice the smoke engulfing him until the sharp sting of it burned in his throat. He hiccuped as it became hard to breathe and immediately covered his mouth with both hands. The Captain coughed a few times until he managed to calm down again and was able to somewhat breathe normally.

He needed another moment before he eventually shook off the thought of Sampo and what had just happened between them, straightening his back, and bellowing orders.

“Koski escaped! Scatter ‘round and find him, we can’t let that happen again! And cover your mouth and nose while searching in this area until the smoke has dissipated.”

Gepard himself then moved to leave the dead-end he was still standing in but stopped after a few steps. He turned around and looked back at the wall Sampo had disappeared behind, just a few minutes before.

A thought crossed his mind, one so indecent, he tried to shake it off as fast as it came up. But it didn’t keep his face from erupting into a crimson shade of red as he grimaced and sighed miserably.

Eventually, he stomped off, determined to catch the obnoxious and sassy Mercenary sooner rather than later.

just fucked up my sleeping hours for the millionth time anyways how are you guys?

scratched the back of my neck and saw a bug HALP

Of course we can pet them Lumine

meow meow meow :33