Indulgence (Shiva + Summoner)

"(Name)..."

As he held your smaller form with his battle-hardened hands, Shiva gazed at you longingly from his helmet, taking in the very sight of you embracing him. You lifted your head, and you found yourselves gazing into one another. Even with a mask on, Shiva felt as though you were staring straight into his soul.

The same soul Varuna Kamadeva once pierced with her arrow.

He recalled the night he departed Tokyo after you, your friends, and he felled the Exception Mahakala. Beneath the light being reflected by the shattered moon hovering above you both and backdropped by the Tokyo skyline, he saw you, beaming with hope, indignation... Determination to end this Game that held Tokyo captive with every loop. Several times you were beaten but never broken, and with every death, you came to life again, each time more defiant and determined than the last.

And here he was, summoned to this Tokyo again purely out of your own desire to see him once more. Even now, as he looked into your ashen orbs, you radiated the same brilliance you had that day, if not brighter.

Heavens above, you were simply beautiful.

"Shiva..." You whispered while giving him an eager, yet shy, smile, "May I...?"

You didn't need to say anything more for him to understand what you requested from him, and he absently curled his lips beneath his mask. Granted, it was something he so desired as well. 

Even men of abstinence deserved their moments of indulgence.

Without a word, he leaned in, and you met him halfway; this was all the answer you ever really needed.

---

After two years or so, I finally got back into Tokyo Afterschool Summoners... And despite being a fan of this game myself I realized it's actually my first time to draw something about it. So there's that.

Also, I'd like to take this moment to just say DEAR GOD, THIS GAME, MAN. IT REALLY BRINGS OUT THE THIRST. And the inner furry that I didn't realize even existed.

This game is a gift that keeps on giving, I swear to god. Just when you realize you found the husbando for you, it throws you another one. I went from Horkeu Kamui, to Ophion, to Zabaniyya, to Nomad, to Kurogane, to Gunzo, to Tezcatlipoca, and to (most recently) Shiva. WHAT THE FUCK.

And don't get me started on how it makes you whiplash between one person to another. Usually, this happens when one of the characters is suddenly relevant in a recent seasonal event the game is promoting, and they get a new portrait that looks hot af, as if they're beckoning you to ignore all your other options and just take them back (I'M LOOKING AT YOU, HORKEU).

Seriously. Lifewonders has no chill. Not that I find more husbandos unwelcome, but man. Y'all are making it hard for me to settle for just one romantic interest here. 😩

/rant over

---

Now to delve into the artsy side of things.

Despite having started it two days ago, this piece, unfortunately, took longer than I expected. It was meant to be a smaller image that only featured Shiva and the Summoner from the waist up. I found myself itching to draw more than I intended, eventually going right into full-body for both of them. I do admit this came out much better than I originally wanted, so being a little late for it was honestly worth it. Hooray for anatomy books and pose references!

I also mulled just submitting it without any shading at all. A little trial and error with the lasso tool later, I became willing to put in the extra effort. Hooray for not being half-assed with my final product!

Now I think I ought to get some shut-eye after this... 😪 I'll be working on the next Digitober entry when I wake up.