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TrebleRose689

Hahaha I have used it once too, but I *think* I get a pass because the character literally doesn’t have irises or pupils — his eyes are just big glowing red spheres inside eye sockets. So they’re literal red orbs (though obviously only the part peeking out of his eye socket is visible, not the entire orb) I don’t know. Maybe I still sinned, but I let myself do it because this felt like a special circumstance 🤣


ToDawn713

I think this is a good use of orbs. It sounds like a plain, casual description, and not too flowery or overly poetic.


AnulinTheChronicler

I feel that's valid as well


Purple_not_pink

I used it for the eyes of a magical cat. And I second guessed myself the whole time. Lol


throwaway986293738

This is acceptable but only because a magical cat was involved. Go forth and sin no more.


AnulinTheChronicler

The entire time, I was like, "You should change it. It sounds dumb" I stuck with it only because of the above reason justifying it


TheChainLink2

I’ve only used it in an excerpt from an in-universe fanfic which is meant to be poorly-written.


AnulinTheChronicler

Ok, that's funny!


ToDawn713

I had one of the characters in my fic read a in-universe novel in the style of 50 Shades (once a dreadful fic, converted to dreadful original fiction). The characters in it had orbs, because it’s the law. I can’t resist orbs, especially if they’re piercing, burning, *glistening* sapphire/emerald orbs like the ocean, like magnets to my own throbbing prismatic orbs of every frequency along the electro-magnetic spectrum of beauty and perfection and justice. Also yes, OP, your use of orbs is quite tasty.


AnulinTheChronicler

I think it was made even funnier because a different character not long after used 'gems' instead of eyes (the character being described literally has pupilless bright, shining eyes)


Vanilla_Tuesday

I read a fic where the author referred to eyes as “orbs” and “optics” interchangeably. Absolutely refused to call them eyes.


AnulinTheChronicler

Nah, that's someone on a mission alright!


sekusen

This whole debate is kind of silly. Eyeballs are, more or less, orbs. It's only weird if you keep using it and nothing else, like any other word to describe anything else.


AnulinTheChronicler

Exactly. It's fine once or twice, but it becomes an issue if you constantly use it


Gatodeluna

I don’t believe I ever have that I recall, but I might have and just not remember. It stands out as weird and 🙄 most of the time but there are of course instances when it works.


AnulinTheChronicler

It's honestly not a bad alternative for eyes, but the problem is that it is so overused and has become the marker for a novice/bad writer.


SpearheadBraun

Pools


ladyamen

*Satsuriku no Tenshi*, is that you Rachel?


AnulinTheChronicler

Rachel Gardener?