Hello my gemlins~ π
I think this is probably the very first time I've ever drawn Charon and Leo kissing, which is WILD, considering that I've had these two occupying brain space for over 20 years LOL And this isn't even a canon scene from the main comic :') Which is something I talked about a little bit on Twitch while working on this today.
I know from experience and conversations with other artists in the romance genre, that most people really want those romantic and/or erotic parts to be shown directly on screen as often as possible, I've also seen that as criticism for #Muted before, because there was too little of it for some readers. And it's totally valid and I understand that that's important for many! I obviously also enjoy seeing my faves smooch πHowever, for my own writing I always feel like the most magic is present in the small moments between physical intimacy, so I treat kisses etc like special occasions that I don't openly show to the audience very often. They feel like private moments, somehow? It's so difficult to explain, lol. But I do really like the anticipation of physical intimacy in whichever way, almost more than it actually happening, haha.
Shallow Sleep is also a special case for me, because of Charon's lack of humanity. In a way he does feel very human, but he's missing some vital experiences, so there's always going to be a bit of a disconnect to concepts like romance and sexuality. Leo and him just suddenly making out has always felt wrong to me, their connection and relationship is almost intangible, no kiss will ever bring them close enough to really show how deep those feelings run between a mortal and an otherworldly entity like him xD That's not to say that I don't enjoy proper romance between characters like that in other stories, this is purely me talking about my specific case, especially for Shallow Sleep, so please don't misunderstand!
Anyway, I DO want them to experience that physical contact with each other, feeling that sensation and warmth must be insane for someone like Charon who has no concept of it and was never meant to feel any of that, and also for Leo, who has been deprived for so long. But that's exactly why I need to use it sparingly.
Does any of that make sense? |D Not me overthinking my characters smooching on a random Tuesday evening LOL
However, in regards to all of that, I do also have projects planned for the future where physical intimacy WILL happen way more often, because it's going to be important to understand the character's relationships with that kind of closeness. I'll probably have more to say on that when the time comes, ahah.
I'd love to hear your opinions on this topic, if you have any. As in, if you read a story that's in the Romance genre, does it have to have a specific amount of making out and kissing (and sex, depending on rating)? Or are you also someone who's sometimes more invested in the moments before, between, and after that? π
ANYWAY
Please enjoy Leo and Charon smooching in these panels, I promise it'll happen again :kek: