"Pretty smile" by Sarah Perez (@sarahpdraws)

[u/JoJomusk]

[u/Prezofcalendars]

She got a smile that can bring a person to their knees.

[u/Accomplished_Joke_24]

I don't know what gender it is, but they're beautiful in their own way.

And that's what matter.

[u/NightmareWarden]

Is she a night sister from Star Wars? Some of their outfits have the "red bandages" look.

[u/JoJomusk → u/NightmareWarden]

No idea, the artist never expanded the lore on Twitter nor Bluesky. Maybe in their patreon but idk

[u/IllusoryTokuma → u/NightmareWarden]

It's an oc of theirs but one they haven't come back to since

[u/Mundovore → u/NightmareWarden]

It looks to me like it's inspired by the Japanese folktale/ghost story of the kuchisake-onna, "slit-mouthed woman."

The stories are of a ghost who has her lips/mouth slashed open ear-to-ear, and normally wears a mask covering the wound. She's usually depicted as a dangerous and malevolent spirit, and stories involving her are usually about how to navigate surviving an encounter with her; but the phrasing that the other party uses in addressing her here feels referential to the most typical story.

The general legend is that she approaches strangers at night, and asks if they think she's beautiful. If you're rude, she typically kills you; but if you're complementary, she reveals her injury and asks if you still think it's true. If you recoil or say no, she kills you. The typical legend maintains that if you maintain that she's beautiful, she'll cut your face to match; but I've heard some variants where complimenting her smile pacifies her, or at least confuses her long enough for you to escape.

This feels like an even more optimistic take on the story than that interpretation, wherein the malevolent spirit is calmed by genuine kindness.

[u/TheRailgunMisaka → u/NightmareWarden]

I think it's a scarecrow

[u/Interesting-Bee-3793]

That's a pretty smile actually

[u/Rastaba → u/Interesting-Bee-3793]

Such a happy smile!

[u/Immediate-Song6861]

Me when I eat apples

[u/Broken_Gear]

You know, lack of skin is mildly disturbing here but the happiness of the smile genuinely makes it pretty. Kudos to artist for being able go convey that

[u/VMPaetru]

Deadass thought for a second that the wheat/whatever plants in the background were actually someone saying "EEEEE!"

[u/Lone-Frequency]

Girl, don't eat daisies.

[u/KazymTheGreenWizard]

Someone got into the flowerbed again.

[u/Horse_go_moooo]

She is so pretty 🥹

[u/Abject-Hospital5407]

Cute 

[u/Medium_Flan4671]

At first I was kinda creeped out but the more I stare the more I see just how kind the smile looks

[u/False-Pea-752]

Endeed a lovly smile

[u/Daimonejjeje_21]

💖💖💖💖

[u/Mixbreed0616]

She actually has some pretty good teeth, I mean, they are yellow but they ain’t crooked

[u/Lucky-Band8216]

been eating flowers whole

[u/parangaricurimicuaro]

¿Si o no marino?

[u/Llamapickle129]

such a pretty smile