Not Gonna Lie To You, Im A Marvel Fan Through And Through. But I Enjoyed Snyder Version Way More Than

Not gonna lie to you, I’m a Marvel fan through and through. But I enjoyed Snyder version way more than Whedon’s, but it confused the fuck outta me.

But my man Henry do be looking sexy as fuck.

Satan’s Angel

Johnny Storm x WOC!Reader

Summary: She was hidden from the world at the age of 16 when something within her awoke. Something demonic. But she has her brother to hold onto when things start to get worse, because he’s there for her. Right?

warnings: language, blood, violence, mentions of medical problems. mentions of needles, abuse and torture. 18+

WC: 2.2K

masterlist I Chapter 2

So I wrote this ack in my Quotev days, and I decided to edit it - because it was atrociously written. And I’m now posting it on here so I hope you enjoy my loves 

-619x

The world has never been in my favour, I realise that now.

I should’ve realised it years ago.

But standing here looking my estranged brother in the eyes; I finally realise that the world has led me on a path that had to end this way, no matter how hard I tried to swerve and dodge the upcoming circumstance, I would always end up staring at my brothers empty eyes, with my hand deep in his chest.

Killing him. Killing my brother.

She sat there, waiting for the pain to embrace her like a long-lost cousin. She knew it was time; her heart was spasming, she could hardly breathe. Her eyes were watery, tears sliding down her face.

Yet she sat there at the edge of her bed staring out the window that occupied the whole wall opposite her bed. She could see the mountains from her bed so clearly. It was as if she was there.

If she was there.

Her chest moved erratically, her cheeks soaked with tears, yet she sat calmly; pondering, wondering, daydreaming about a life outside these four walls that kept her trapped in her own mind.

A mind that kept her sane and crazy all at the same time. She would dream up stories of a handsome young prince saving her with a fiery kiss. Or most times it was a nightmare, a world made of purple skies and vibrant green grass, set aflame; with bodies lying across the ground as she ran with some man, her hand in his so he wouldn’t lose her, the other hand on her belly housing a precious creature. She never got the end of the nightmare because she would wake up just before a monster jumped on top of her.

She would always jolt up, sweat weighing heavy on her skin, a scream rising up her throat along with bile and the feeling on nostalgia. She hated how she knew the place she was dreaming of yet couldn’t place a finger on it.

Before she could ponder anymore, she felt the first flicker of pain, it started at the bottom of her spine, and oh-so painfully started to spread across the rest of her rigid body. She drew in a ragged breath as the pain wrapped a hand around her heart and squeezed. She clenched her eyes shut tight and tried soothe her breathing, but the hand around her heart squeezed harder. She gasped out in pain and rolled forward; landing on the floor on her knees as her hand started to scrape at her chest, desperately trying to remove the hand off of her heart. It was as if it was laughing at her attempts because next thing she knew, the hand squeezed so hard she fell forward onto her hand and screamed.

She screamed so loudly, black dots clouded her vision and danced around her. Her throat felt sore, but she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t.

Her body shook as sobs replaced the screaming in a matter of seconds. She hated this, for the past eight years it just seems to be getting worse. Ever since she surpassed her sixteenth birthday, all it has ever been was pain, pain and pain. It was tenfold as worse as it used to be. Before her sixteenth birthday it was like a build up to the pain she was feeling now. Minor headaches, to migraines, to temperatures either too hot or too cold. No one knew what was wrong with her. Not even the best doctors’ money could buy. And if it wasn’t for Victor she wouldn’t be here, with round the clock care to make sure she is okay, she knew that he loved her even though he wasn’t around as much as he used to be. She knew.

Of course, he loves you. Your all he’s got, and vice-versa.

The thoughts echoed around her head, bouncing painfully off her head.

The vibrations of the floor let her know that the people were on their way.  Moments later she felt her body being lifted from the floor, she felt herself slump against the broad chest of some man, she given up fighting against the pain and just let it take over her system. She couldn’t stop the tears, the echoed the lack of control she had over her own body as the gushed down her paling face.

“Hush now, close your eyes. I’ve got you.” The deep voice vibrated through her body, it felt oddly familiar and through all the pain she managed to look up into the familiar blue eyes of her brother.

“Vic- “her words fell short as she lost the energy to speak, instead she used all her energy to place her hand onto his smooth cheek.

“Hush, it’s okay. I’m here now.” With that statement she let her eyes roll to the back of her head, as the pain drowned her in its last tidal wave.

  Victor released a long ‘huff’ as he stopped at another traffic light. He regretted coming back to New-York at 14:00 pm when the streets would be busy with the afternoon rush. He rhythmically tapped his fingers against the arms rest and looked on through the divider, he smirks as he saw his driver’s hand gripping the wheel tightly out of frustration too.

His attention was quickly drawn to his phone when he heard the ringtone brake through the silence in the car; reaching into his jacket he removed his phone from the inside pocket of his black Louis Vuitton suit jacket.

‘Her vitals are erratic again; she’s going to go into Comatose. But I think it’s best if you came over. You can get the samples you need.’

The text message was all he needed for him to clear his throat and say;

“Michael, turn back around to the airport, please. We’re going to visit my sister.” With a nod from Michael, the car was swiftly turned around and quickly driven back to the airport. He sent a text to his pilot, telling him to ready the helicopter that will bring him to the facility he has in the Alps, which is coincidentally where he is keeping his sister.

Victors blue eyes grew stormy as he remembered how much pain his sister has been through in the past few years, the undiagnosed tantrums her body would throw sent his sister into an unbreakable cycle of pain and then unconsciousness. He knew deep down that one day she’ll have an episode that she won’t concur.

He remembers the first time it happened; he was stepping through his front door. He barley even had time to take his jacket off before he heard a scream that made his blood curl, rushing upstairs he was met with a sight that had the breath taken out of him, there hunched on the bed was his sister.

Head clasped between her hands, nails digging into her skin as if she was trying to peel her own skin off, her lower face was covered in blood from her nose, and her eyes were screaming for help, for an escape that she was so desperately seeking.

Victor rushed forward and attempted to prise her hands off her head. But was met with a force that had him crashing into wall next to the door. He looked up and saw his sister looking at him with unnatural black eyes and a hand pointed towards him with her palm open. Her eyelids fluttered before they were back to their normal hue.

“Help me…” her voice came out hoarse and timid before she convulsed onto the ground.

Surging forward Victor managed to catch her head just in time before it hit the corner of the bed frame. His vision was blurry as he looked at his sister, her head cradled in his lap as he tried to steady her from the excessive shaking.

His ears picked up the sirens and then the sound of the door getting thrown open as paramedics came rushing upstairs.

Yet he couldn’t move, his body wasn’t registering what was actually happening.  

Their voices all became mumbled as he watched them pry her out of his grip, he tried to speak but his mouth wouldn’t move it just stayed there, hanging open like a fool.

He continued to stare at the group of paramedics struggling to hold his sister still as he felt two pairs of hands under his arms to haul him up.

‘Come on son.’ The voice sounded so distant and foreign to him as he let the two strangers support his weight as it appeared his own legs couldn’t do that. He hazily watched as the world around him moved without some much of a struggle. Next thing he knew he was sat on the curb with a blanket wrapped around him. Apparently for the shock.

Fuck that.

His head snapped to the side as he heard the shouting of the paramedics as the rushed his unconscious sister out of the house; one split off from the group and came over to him.

“Are you the boyfriend?” Victor shook his head, eyes trained on his sisters’ body being hauled into the back of the ambulance.

“Brother,” he managed to rasp out.

“Okay then that’s even better. Can you tell me anything about her?” His eyes stayed trained on his sister as the paramedics sorted her out in the back, the doors were wide open so he could see what they were doing.

“Yeah, yeah.” He numbly nodded. Half listening to what the man was saying.

“Any mental illness, inherited disorders from the family?” Victor continued to shake his head; the man continued asking questions, but they all had the same answer. A shake of the head from Victor Von-Doom.

“Okay can you tell me how old she is?” Victor looked down at his Rolex, his eyebrows furrowed in sadness when he realised what day it was. The watch read back 03:45am.

“October 31st, she turned sixteen forty-five minutes ago.” He finally looked over at the paramedic and noticed how young he really was, said paramedics face contorted into a look of unease. Victor sent him a look of confusion which lead to the boy looking away.

“Sorry sir, it’s just three am is considered the ‘witching hour’ in my religion, and it clashes with it being Halloween today as well- ‘the paramedic turned around and noticed the look on Victors face and cleared his throat- ‘Sorry sir. Happy birthday to her, you can ride with her if you wish.”

And with that the young boy scurried off.

Looking out the window, Victor noticed they were about to touch down on the landing pad. Exhaling unsteadily, he rolled his shoulders back preparing himself what was to come.

If only he knew.

  The steady, rhythmic beeping of the EKG machine soothed Victors heart as he stood by the window and looked out onto the scenery that was suspiciously calming. Now he understood why his sister made him replace the tiny window for this huge one. It was once a wall, but with the extra light and the view it made the room less constricting, less likely of a panic attack for her.

“Hey.” The soft voice barley reached his ears, but he heard it and he couldn’t be happier. Spinning around he marched to her side and plonked himself down onto the chair that he’d been sat in for the past fourteen hours.

“Name?”

“(Y/N) Von-Doom. Victor?”

“No, Birthday?” “Monday, October Thirty-first, three am. Victor please.”

“Favourite person in the world?”

“Steve Harvey.”

“Hey, what happened to it being me”

“You wouldn’t shut up. Your making my head hurt Victor.” She raised a hand to rub her temple, only to hiss in pain as her muscles burned. Tears clouded her vison as she remembered what happened.

“Did anyone get hurt?” She was met with a ‘no’ from her brother. She mumbled a response that Victor couldn’t hear. He watched her as she looked out the window; eyes glassed over and distant, like she was somewhere else.

“I can’t do this anymore,” her voice was quiet, lacking emotion. It caused Victors heart to beat faster. He couldn’t let her go. Not now.

“(Y/N)?”

“I mean, here. Here in this room. Because these episodes are getting stronger, I can feel it. I probably won’t survive the next one. Or fuck, the one after that. Who knows Victor. I need to leave, get out of here. I don’t care where, I just need to leave.” Her sobs grew louder as did the EKG machine, he tried to soothe her, but it only grew worse.

Doctors and nurse appeared in a matter of minutes, they checked the vitals and the machine only to see her hysterically crying.

“Ma’am, you need to calm down for me please.” The nurse’s voice was sweet, almost taunting to (Y/N). She sighed when the girls crying grew louder. Nodding towards the older man in a pair of grey scrubs she quickly caught (Y/N)’s attention as the Doctor came forward and injected her with a mild sedative.

With in seconds the room grew quite as they all watched (Y/N)’s eyes close slowly.

Just before she went completely under; Victor cupped her cheek.

“I need you. So, I promise I’ll find out what’s going on. You’ll get out of here soon. I promise.”

He watched her eyes close completely and looked out of the window, leaning back against the chair he spoke one last time before closing his eyes:

“I promise.”

——

Chapter 2

And suddenly, life has meaning again 😘🤌🏽

a short ego 08 preview

because i'm working on the chapter now and i've had 2 glasses of wine and am therefore in a sharing mood lmao. subject to change as always! 😉🤸🏾‍♀️✨

You knew your best friend.

You were perfectly aware that ignoring his texts and calls would not make him go away—that not responding in a timely manner would only result in him seeking you out. But, at the very least, you were sure you had bought yourself a couple of days. The fact that Namjoon was currently standing in the doorway to your living room, a plastic bag dangling from a couple fingers, was proof that you had been wrong.

Your eyes narrowed, immediately looking past him to where your traitorous roommate was casually rooting around in the refrigerator. “Meen! I thought we agreed no visitors!”

“Since when is Namjoon a visitor?” Mina snorted, not even bothering to spare you a glance. “He practically lives here.”

“Mina.”

“My bad,” she replied mildly, not sounding sorry in the least. She shut the fridge door, taking an unbothered sip from her newly-procured beverage as she headed back to her room with a shrug. “Maybe next time you should specify.”

“Really?” you hissed, but she didn’t even acknowledge your indignation as she left.

Namjoon’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at you, unimpressed and slightly offended. “I know you did not just try to call security on me.”

You let out a loud huff, turning away from him to moodily stare at your tv, intent on getting back to your Snapped marathon. “Joonie, go away, I’m done with men. All they do is disappoint me.”

“Hmm, are you sure about that? I brought you that Italian sub you like.”

At the sound of crinkling plastic, your attention rather predictably drifted back to where he was tauntingly swaying his bribe.

“…your pass expires in twenty-four hours.”

Namjoon ignored your grabby hands, instead choosing to join you on the couch and set the bag just out of reach on the coffee table. The cushion bounced a bit when he determinedly plopped down next to you, the two of you staring at each other in the stretching silence, waiting for the other to break. In the end, your best friend’s current patience turned out to be shorter than your current pettiness levels.

“What happened?” he asked rather gently. And just like that, his obvious concern easily reawakened the swirling emotion that you had been spending all day pushing down, down. “Are you okay?”

“I’m just fine, Namjoon,” you sniffed, eyes shifting away. Down, down. “Just fine and dandy.”

From the look on his face, he didn’t believe you, and frankly, you didn’t blame him. Yes, it had been a few hours since you had essentially had a meltdown and manipulated your mutual friend into giving you his car, but that wasn’t nearly enough time to pull yourself together and rope your feelings into something more muted and productive. Joonie knew that—he knew you—and so he had clearly found you as soon as he could, seemingly hopping right off the BTS bus and making pit stops only to drop off his bag and pick up your sandwiches.

However, despite the logical part of your brain plainly laying all of these facts out for you, the panicky part still reigned supreme, reflexive in its feigned ignorance.

“_____, you are clearly not fine.”

“And so what if I’m not? What, did you come all the way here to comfort me by letting me rest my head on your bosom?”

He looked at you flatly. “For the last time, I do not have a bosom.”

“And for the last time, you do. Now stop fighting me and let me put my face in your titties. You know that always makes me feel better.”

“So you’re admitting that you feel bad,” Joon pointed out triumphantly.

Damn. You had walked right into that one.

“Who said that? Can’t a girl just get motorboated in peace?”

“AHT!” Namjoon interrupted, raising a warning finger.

“What?” you asked defensively.

“Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what?”

“You know what.”

“What?”

“The whole shutting down and shutting people out thing you always do whenever you get really upset. I’m gonna need you to communicate and stop deflecting!”

You blinked, reflexively tensing at being read so blatantly. See, this was exactly why you had tried to stay away from Namjoon for as long as possible in the first place. He knew you way too well and wouldn’t allow you to properly wallow in your misery like you wanted. Rude ass.

How exactly is Amber Heard oppressing anyone? It never occurred that she might be telling the truth? That Johnny Depp is most likely an abusive asshole and beat her up because he’s a queerphobic misogynist. Also during the divorce when she got his money she donated all of it to organizations that help fight to end violence against women and toward women’s shelters. So why don’t we let THAT sink in.

I was going to write something about this whole JD-AH mess, but since I got this, I figured I’ll do it here.

When Amber Heard came out saying that she was a victim of domestic abuse back in 2016, I believed her. she came out saying that JD was abusive and controlling, that he was paranoid about her friends and thought that she had cheated on him with some of them. As a bisexual woman who has her own history of abuse (not domestic) and her own experiences of biphobia, I felt emotially compelled to support her.

I mean, she wouldn’t be lying about something as serious as domestic violence, right? Especially in what was the genesis of the #metoo and Time’s Up movements.

As the divorce was taken to court, it became a media circus, full with “he said, she said”. Both parties presented a great amount of evidence. But Heard’s case of domestic violence against JD was dismissed with prejudice, by herself. What does it mean? That AH’s case could not be brought back to court.

Since then, she’s been one of the public faces of the #metoo movement and human rights campaigns, she gave a speech at this year’s Women’s March and even wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post about domestic violence and harrasement. She became a spokeperson for survivors of abuse.

But then, last year, Depp came forward saying that he was the one that suffered from domestic violence. JD maintained his innocence throughout this whole ordeal, saying that he was never violent, that he never attacked her. He even filed a lawsuit for defamation in May 2019, trying to stop AH’s alleged “campaing to damage his reputation”. With this, the media circus started again, with AH coming forward with more accounts of the abuse she allegedly suffered from JD.

But, weeks ago, an audio surfaced in which is crystal clear that AH was the violent on in the relationship. Here are some of the things that are said in that audio [TW for mentions of domestic violence] :

For those of you who haven’t heard the first tape (you can find transcripts of boths leaked audios here), AH is accusing Johnny of leaving her. But to put things in perspective, he leaves when things get intense (physical violence). AH basically admits that this is not the first time things get physical. She blames JD for their fights, saying that when he leaves these situations, he’s actually making things worse. She’s also convinced that her initiating physical fights with him is the same as him defending himself, which JD refers to in the audio. The altercation being mentioned is the one that happened in May 2016, weeks before AH filed for divorce. This confirms that physical violence was recurrent on her end. 

She also continues to victim blame JD, a tactic used by abusers. “If you poke an animal enough, eventually… it doesn’t matter how friendly it is” she says to him, putting all the blame of the beating on him. “It’s your fault I’m doing this to you, you made me do this”. Classic abusive behavior. She says that if it weren’t for her love of him, she would’ve left already, but as it is, she’s the only one fighting for the relationship. She’s brave and strong, while JD is lazy and a coward (her words, not mine). 

When JD confronts her about her getting violent, she retorts by saying that sometimes she gets angry, that it is to be expected because she’s human. She sees physical violence as a normal response to her anger. I don’t know about y’all, but when I get angry I don’t start screaming at people and throwing stuff at them or hitting them. She keeps on victim blaming, saying how he makes her feel bad by making her look like a tyrant and a bully, which she actually seems to be, if you listen to the audio. 

Then, she admits to throwing pots and pans at him. Let THAT sink in for a moment. She activately says she throws stuff at him when she’s angry, but that’s not all. She says that her throwing pots, pans and vases is irrelevant. She says her violent actions are irrelevant because when all is said and thrown done, he’s doesn’t go to her door to apologize. She’s complaining about being the one having to apologize. She’s trying to guilt-trip her victim into apologizing for her own violent behaviour.

She also admits to hitting him the previous night, downplaying the gravity of her actions:

You didn’t get punched. You got hit! I’m sorry I hit you like this, but I did not punch you! I did not fucking deck you! I FUCKING WAS HITTING YOU! I don’t know WHAT the motion of my actual hand was but you’re fine! I did not hurt you! I did not punch you! I was hitting you!

She yells at him, calling him a baby for going out of the room when she was getting physical. She tells them to “grow the fuck up”. She sees herself as the one being mature because she can handle “hard times”, when in reality, it’s just her being violent to her SO.

The conversation goes on, discussing the previous night and previous incidents. But something that is bone-chilling is the fact that she says that she cannot promise to not get physical again. She justifies any violent behaviour as her “being human”, which goes on to show her toxic understanding of what a relationship is and should be.

The second audio is about her threat to JD about exposing him as an abuser. She tells him she has an incredible amount of well documented, time-stamped evidence of his alleged abuse, something that has been gojng on for years.

When you hear it, it’s basically like hearing a super-villain reveal their plans to the hero when they have them trapped on a corner. She goes into detail about her evidence, telling him how no one would believe that it was fake.

JD is calm in his response, telling her that he loves her and that he would rather not go to court (not make any of this public), since it would be damaging for both of them. He’s offering a way out before it turns into a media circus.

She mentions her reputation. At this point, her statements were already being questioned. 

One example is the incident from December 2015, in which she claims JD violently attacked her (she mentions being afraid for her life), while JD claims that it was AH that physically attacking him, leaving scratch marks across his face. Later that night, they were seen out and about in LA; JD had his face covered with big sunglasses and a hat, while AH had no discernible injuries (she claimed to have a bashed nose, which would’ve been impossible to hide with make-up).

Another example is the one altercation that happened in Australia in March 2015 while JD was filming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. This was the altercation in which JD almost lost a finger. AH claims JD did it to himself while being high. JD claims his injury was caused by AH when she threw a bottle of vodka at him, which impacted on a cabinet near him, causing one of the shards of glass to cut off great part of his finger. Production had to be put on hold for several days after the altercation.

When JD brings up the incident on Australia, AH loses it. She says the following:

You can please tell people that it was a fair fight, and see what the jury and the judge thinks. Tell the world Johnny! Tell them Johnny Depp, “I, Johnny Depp… a man… I’m a victim too of domestic violence!”

[…] see how many people believe OR side with you!

When JD asks her if she believes herself to be an abuser, she responds by saying that since she’s a woman, there’s no way she could ever overpower him. When he brings up the fact that all the physical altercations were started by her, this is her response:

You’re going to get up on the stand Johnny, and say [in a mocking tone] “she started it”. Really?! I have never been able to overpower you! That’s the difference between me and you!

[…]

And that’s a difference, that a whole world, and that a jury and that a judge will see that there’s a very big difference between me and you!

She’s banking on the fact that she’s a woman and that she could never hurt him, except she most certainly did… numerous times.

I believed AH, as ton of people did. I believed her when she said she was abused by JD. Only to find out, years later, that the abuser was her all along. I feel ashamed because I wasn’t able to catch the lies. But as she says in the second audio, she planted every step of the way. She used the #metoo and Time’s Up movements to further her lies. She used a community to support those lies. It’s despicable and utterly disgusting. It’s appalling that someone would even dare to use other people’s pain and suffering like that.

So, to answer your question, anon. How is it exactly that Amber Heard is oppressing people? 

Well, for starters, she most likely lied about her abuse (exposed in the first leaked audio, her plan on framing JD explained in detail in the second leaked audio). What does this mean? It means it will make it 1000x harder for real victims of abuse to come forward. It will make it harder for victims of abuse to be heard and believed. Her lies give abusers ammo to counter-argue the results of their abuse.

One of the things she used to support her allegations of abuse was JD’s biphobia, something that a lot of people (myself included) go through. There’s already this perception of bi people as being two-faced, deceitful people. We’re already being accused, both by straight people and people in the LGBTQ+ community, of being attention seekers. Her lies do nothing but harm the bisexual community, which already has to face a lot of prejudice.

So yeah, she’s oppressing two groups of people with her despicable actions. 

She used the pain of survivors feel every single day.She used the prejudice bisexual people face every single day.

So why don’t we let ALL OF THAT sink in, hm?

A beautiful piece by Nikkolas smith.

Rest easy Mr Floyd. I and the world will forever remember you. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

As a PoC, who mainly writes about PoCs this is the most helpful blog I have come across ever since I started writing. I find it difficult to be able to describe skin colour in the most intricate of ways, sometimes I leave subtle messages and leave it up to the reader to interpret them. But now I personally feel more comfortable with straight forward representation of my characters. 

Words for Skin Tone | How to Describe Skin Color

We discussed the issues describing People of Color by means of food in Part I of this guide, which brought rise to even more questions, mostly along the lines of “So, if food’s not an option, what can I use?” Well, I was just getting to that!

This final portion focuses on describing skin tone, with photo and passage examples provided throughout. I hope to cover everything from the use of straight-forward description to the more creatively-inclined, keeping in mind the questions we’ve received on this topic.

Standard Description

Basic Colors

Pictured above: Black, Brown, Beige, White, Pink.

“She had brown skin.”

This is a perfectly fine description that, while not providing the most detail, works well and will never become cliché.

Describing characters’ skin as simply brown or beige works on its own, though it’s not particularly telling just from the range in brown alone.

Complex Colors

These are more rarely used words that actually “mean” their color. Some of these have multiple meanings, so you’ll want to look into those to determine what other associations a word might have.

Pictured above: Umber, Sepia, Ochre, Russet, Terra-cotta, Gold, Tawny, Taupe, Khaki, Fawn.

Complex colors work well alone, though often pair well with a basic color in regards to narrowing down shade/tone.

For example: Golden brown, russet brown, tawny beige…

As some of these are on the “rare” side, sliding in a definition of the word within the sentence itself may help readers who are unfamiliar with the term visualize the color without seeking a dictionary.

“He was tall and slim, his skin a russet, reddish-brown.”

Comparisons to familiar colors or visuals are also helpful:

“His skin was an ochre color, much like the mellow-brown light that bathed the forest.”

Modifiers

Modifiers, often adjectives, make partial changes to a word.The following words are descriptors in reference to skin tone.

Dark - Deep - Rich - Cool

Warm - Medium - Tan

Fair - Light - Pale

Rich Black, Dark brown, Warm beige, Pale pink…

If you’re looking to get more specific than “brown,” modifiers narrow down shade further.

Keep in mind that these modifiers are not exactly colors.

As an already brown-skinned person, I get tan from a lot of sun and resultingly become a darker, deeper brown. I turn a pale, more yellow-brown in the winter.

While best used in combination with a color, I suppose words like “tan” “fair” and “light” do work alone; just note that tan is less likely to be taken for “naturally tan” and much more likely a tanned White person.

Calling someone “dark” as description on its own is offensive to some and also ambiguous. (See: Describing Skin as Dark)

Undertones

Undertones are the colors beneath the skin, seeing as skin isn’t just one even color but has more subdued tones within the dominating palette.

pictured above: warm / earth undertones: yellow, golden, copper, olive, bronze, orange, orange-red, coral | cool / jewel undertones: pink, red, blue, blue-red, rose, magenta, sapphire, silver. 

Mentioning the undertones within a character’s skin is an even more precise way to denote skin tone.

As shown, there’s a difference between say, brown skin with warm orange-red undertones (Kelly Rowland) and brown skin with cool, jewel undertones (Rutina Wesley).

“A dazzling smile revealed the bronze glow at her cheeks.”

“He always looked as if he’d ran a mile, a constant tinge of pink under his tawny skin.”

Standard Description Passage

“Farah’s skin, always fawn, had burned and freckled under the summer’s sun. Even at the cusp of autumn, an uneven tan clung to her skin like burrs. So unlike the smooth, red-brown ochre of her mother, which the sun had richened to a blessing.”

-From my story “Where Summer Ends” featured in Strange Little Girls

Here the state of skin also gives insight on character.

Note my use of “fawn” in regards to multiple meaning and association. While fawn is a color, it’s also a small, timid deer, which describes this very traumatized character of mine perfectly.

Though I use standard descriptions of skin tone more in my writing, at the same time I’m no stranger to creative descriptions, and do enjoy the occasional artsy detail of a character.

Creative Description

Whether compared to night-cast rivers or day’s first light…I actually enjoy seeing Characters of Colors dressed in artful detail.

I’ve read loads of descriptions in my day of white characters and their “smooth rose-tinged ivory skin”, while the PoC, if there, are reduced to something from a candy bowl or a Starbucks drink, so to actually read of PoC described in lavish detail can be somewhat of a treat.

Still, be mindful when you get creative with your character descriptions. Too many frills can become purple-prose-like, so do what feels right for your writing when and where. Not every character or scene warrants a creative description, either. Especially if they’re not even a secondary character.

Using a combination of color descriptions from standard to creative is probably a better method than straight creative. But again, do what’s good for your tale.

Natural Settings - Sky

Pictured above: Harvest Moon -Twilight, Fall/Autumn Leaves, Clay, Desert/Sahara, Sunlight - Sunrise - Sunset - Afterglow - Dawn- Day- Daybreak, Field - Prairie - Wheat, Mountain/Cliff, Beach/Sand/Straw/Hay.

Now before you run off to compare your heroine’s skin to the harvest moon or a cliff side, think about the associations to your words.

When I think cliff, I think of jagged, perilous, rough. I hear sand and picture grainy, yet smooth. Calm. mellow.

So consider your character and what you see fit to compare them to.

Also consider whose perspective you’re describing them from. Someone describing a person they revere or admire may have a more pleasant, loftier description than someone who can’t stand the person.

“Her face was like the fire-gold glow of dawn, lifting my gaze, drawing me in.”

“She had a sandy complexion, smooth and tawny.”

Even creative descriptions tend to draw help from your standard words.

Flowers

Pictured above: Calla lilies, Western Coneflower, Hazel Fay, Hibiscus, Freesia, Rose

It was a bit difficult to find flowers to my liking that didn’t have a 20 character name or wasn’t called something like “chocolate silk” so these are the finalists. 

You’ll definitely want to avoid purple-prose here.

Also be aware of flowers that most might’ve never heard of. Roses are easy, as most know the look and coloring(s) of this plant. But Western coneflowers? Calla lilies? Maybe not so much.

“He entered the cottage in a huff, cheeks a blushing brown like the flowers Nana planted right under my window. Hazel Fay she called them, was it?”

Assorted Plants & Nature

Pictured above: Cattails, Seashell, Driftwood, Pinecone, Acorn, Amber

These ones are kinda odd. Perhaps because I’ve never seen these in comparison to skin tone, With the exception of amber.

At least they’re common enough that most may have an idea what you’re talking about at the mention of “pinecone." 

I suggest reading out your sentences aloud to get a better feel of how it’ll sounds.

"Auburn hair swept past pointed ears, set around a face like an acorn both in shape and shade.”

I pictured some tree-dwelling being or person from a fantasy world in this example, which makes the comparison more appropriate.

I don’t suggest using a comparison just “cuz you can” but actually being thoughtful about what you’re comparing your character to and how it applies to your character and/or setting.

Wood

Pictured above: Mahogany, Walnut, Chestnut, Golden Oak, Ash

Wood can be an iffy description for skin tone. Not only due to several of them having “foody” terminology within their names, but again, associations.

Some people would prefer not to compare/be compared to wood at all, so get opinions, try it aloud, and make sure it’s appropriate to the character if you do use it.

“The old warlock’s skin was a deep shade of mahogany, his stare serious and firm as it held mine.”

Metals

Pictured above: Platinum, Copper, Brass, Gold, Bronze

Copper skin, brass-colored skin, golden skin…

I’ve even heard variations of these used before by comparison to an object of the same properties/coloring, such as penny for copper.

These also work well with modifiers.

“The dress of fine white silks popped against the deep bronze of her skin.”

Gemstones - Minerals

Pictured above: Onyx, Obsidian, Sard, Topaz, Carnelian, Smoky Quartz, Rutile, Pyrite, Citrine, Gypsum

These are trickier to use. As with some complex colors, the writer will have to get us to understand what most of these look like.

If you use these, or any more rare description, consider if it actually “fits” the book or scene.

Even if you’re able to get us to picture what “rutile” looks like, why are you using this description as opposed to something else? Have that answer for yourself.

“His skin reminded her of the topaz ring her father wore at his finger, a gleaming stone of brown, mellow facades.” 

Physical Description

Physical character description can be more than skin tone.

Show us hair, eyes, noses, mouth, hands…body posture, body shape, skin texture… though not necessarily all of those nor at once.

Describing features also helps indicate race, especially if your character has some traits common within the race they are, such as afro hair to a Black character.

How comprehensive you decide to get is up to you. I wouldn’t overdo it and get specific to every mole and birthmark. Noting defining characteristics is good, though, like slightly spaced front teeth, curls that stay flopping in their face, hands freckled with sunspots…

General Tips

Indicate Race Early: I suggest indicators of race be made at the earliest convenience within the writing, with more hints threaded throughout here and there.

Get Creative On Your Own: Obviously, I couldn’t cover every proper color or comparison in which has been “approved” to use for your characters’ skin color, so it’s up to you to use discretion when seeking other ways and shades to describe skin tone.

Skin Color May Not Be Enough: Describing skin tone isn’t always enough to indicate someone’s ethnicity. As timeless cases with readers equating brown to “dark white” or something, more indicators of race may be needed.

Describe White characters and PoC Alike: You should describe the race and/or skin tone of your white characters just as you do your Characters of Color. If you don’t, you risk implying that White is the default human being and PoC are the “Other”).

PSA: Don’t use “Colored.” Based on some asks we’ve received using this word, I’d like to say that unless you or your character is a racist grandmama from the 1960s, do not call People of Color “colored” please. 

Not Sure Where to Start? You really can’t go wrong using basic colors for your skin descriptions. It’s actually what many people prefer and works best for most writing. Personally, I tend to describe my characters using a combo of basic colors + modifiers, with mentions of undertones at times. I do like to veer into more creative descriptions on occasion.

Want some alternatives to “skin” or “skin color”? Try: Appearance, blend, blush, cast, coloring, complexion, flush, glow, hue, overtone, palette, pigmentation, rinse, shade, sheen, spectrum, tinge, tint, tone, undertone, value, wash.

Skin Tone Resources

List of Color Names

The Color Thesaurus

Skin Undertone & Color Matching

Tips and Words on Describing Skin

Photos: Undertones Described (Modifiers included)

Online Thesaurus (try colors, such as “red” & “brown”)

Don’t Call me Pastries: Creative Skin Tones w/ pics I 

Writing & Description Guides

WWC Featured Description Posts

WWC Guide: Words to Describe Hair

Writing with Color: Description & Skin Color Tags

7 Offensive Mistakes Well-intentioned Writers Make

I tried to be as comprehensive as possible with this guide, but if you have a question regarding describing skin color that hasn’t been answered within part I or II of this guide, or have more questions after reading this post, feel free to ask!

~ Mod Colette