#Acrylic sheet cost

[kapoorplastics]

While many companies and professionals can help you with buying an acrylic glass sheet you need to look for the ones that have a presence in your city.

[a-sentient-cup]

I just have a giant sheet of acrylic (currently 4' x 2'4" or 122 cm x 71cm) and it's just been next to my bed for well over a year now and somehow i forgot it was there

I don't know what to do with it so taking suggestions

[plywoodsinchennai]

Top 10 Interesting Ways How Does Plywood Match and Improve Your Home?

Plywood has been a popular and reliable material in the construction and design industry for a long time. Its versatility, strength, and affordability make it a great choice for various home applications. Whether you're renovating your current space or building a new home, plywood can provide numerous benefits that improve both the aesthetics and functionality of your living environment.

Lakshmi Timbers and plywood matches and improves your home in multiple ways. Some of these ways include the following:

Bend Resistance

If you have ever been worried about your furniture bending due to force, then you will never have to worry about it again with Lakshmi Timbers and plywood. Lakshmi Timbers and plywood has considered your every concern and needs when creating its plywood. And that is the reason why Lakshmi Timbers and plywood, sheets fit your home the best.

Protect Your Home Against Fire

One thing that hinders people from getting plywood furnishings is the fear of fire. However, Lakshmi Timbers and plywood has unique firewall technology that protects your home from fire hazards. Also, since it's Lakshmi Timbers and plywood, even if the surface of your furniture catches fire, it will take longer to reach the plywood's core. It gives you enough time to act, call for first responders, and protect your family.

Easy Installation

One of the best things about Lakshmi Timbers and plywood is its incredibly easy installation. Even if you use them for any other purpose apart from furnishing, all you need to do is go to the Lakshmi E-shop and place an order for them. Once you have given and paid for your order, your chosen plywood gets delivered straight to your home.

Borer and Termite Proof

Lakshmi Timbers and plywood makes a great addition to your home because it can last long while protected from any kinds of termites and borers. It is made possible during the manufacturing of plywood when special additives are used to protect your furnishings from any termite attack. Moreover, such a benefit does not wear off with time but provides the same yearly efficiency.

Durability

The suitability of Lakshmi Timbers and plywood is increased when most of its qualities contribute towards increasing its durability. Durability is one of the important qualities your material needs to make long-lasting furniture. Since it's durable, you can use Lakshmi Timbers and plywood in your kitchen, bathroom, living room, or any other space without hesitation.

Once used in furniture, Lakshmi Timbers and plywood will last a long time with all its features and benefits. Unless it gets physically damaged, you will not have to replace it. And furniture made out of Lakshmi Timbers and plywood does not need much maintenance either.

Warranty

One of the best factors about Lakshmi Timbers and plywood is that you get years of warranty. With some of the plywood, you may even get a warranty of over a decade. Such long warranties ensure the longevity of your plywood. Furthermore, Lakshmi Timbers and plywood is considered the most trustworthy brand when purchasing quality plywood.

Customization Options

Plywood offers ample opportunities for customization to suit your specific needs and preferences. Available in various thicknesses and grades, plywood can be tailored to meet the demands of any project, big or small. Whether you're looking for standard-sized panels or custom-cut pieces, plywood can be easily adapted to fit your design requirements, ensuring a seamless integration into your home.

Maintenance and Longevity

When it comes to maintenance, plywood requires minimal upkeep compared to other materials. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and resistant to moisture, mold, and pests. With proper care and maintenance, plywood can retain its beauty and functionality for years to come, making it a wise long-term investment for your home.

Variety of Density and Plywood

Lakshmi Timbers and plywood does not have a shortage of benefits. But some benefits can differ depending on the kind of plywood you purchase. Lakshmi Timbers and Plywood provides a varied range of plywood, each depending on the kind of space and reason you want to use it. Before you purchase any plywood, you can check the features of all of them individually to ensure the purchase of the material you need.

Lakshmi Timbers and Plywood provides you with an option to choose the type of plywood you want to buy and its density. Depending upon your use, you may require a different density of plywood. The density can be thicker or thinner. And that is where Lakshmi Timbers and Plywood shines. You can find a vast range of densities that gives you the same benefit as any other. However, your price range will change depending on the density you purchase.

If you choose a thicker density, your price will be higher, and if you go with something thinner, your price will be lower.

Conclusion

In conclusion, plywood offers a multitude of benefits that make it an interesting match for your home. From its versatility and strength to its cost-effectiveness and aesthetic appeal, plywood ticks all the boxes for homeowners seeking quality and reliability in their construction materials. Whether you're embarking on a major renovation or a minor DIY project, consider incorporating plywood into your home design for a durable and stylish result.

Lakshmi Timbers and Plywood stand out as the best plywood suppliers in Chennai, thanks to their unwavering commitment to quality, customer satisfaction, and sustainability. With a rich legacy of excellence and a forward-thinking approach, the company continues to set the standard for the industry.

FAQs

1.     Is plywood suitable for outdoor use?

o   While plywood can be used outdoors, it's essential to choose the right grade and apply proper sealants to protect it from the elements.

2.     Can I paint or stain plywood to match my home decor?

o   Yes, plywood can be painted, stained, or treated with various finishes to achieve the desired look for your home.

3.     What are the different grades of plywood available?

o   Plywood is available in several grades, ranging from A to D, with A being the highest quality and D being the lowest. Each grade has its own set of characteristics and intended uses.

4.     Is plywood environmentally friendly?

o   Yes, plywood is considered environmentally friendly as it is made from renewable wood sources and can be recycled at the end of its life cycle.

5.     Can plywood be used for structural purposes?

o   Yes, plywood is commonly used for structural applications in construction due to its strength and durability.

[shinkai-kaiju]

tbh once i get Space Going [tm] it would be cool to get back to linocut/screenprinting. I miss the more physical arts that dont have me up for over 24 hours in an arguably insane state working on a project that'll get dropped within seconds after i take a break bc my brain decided its not good/theres no point to it

BUUUT more importantly i wonder. just how viable it would be as a printing method for me. I'd need a rack to dry things on, but it could be cool to sell some small linos whenever I get to opening up shop. My linos have always been more consistent than my screenprints when it comes to making a series, but I really do prefer screenprinting...

(and lithography isnt viable at this time bc i do NOT have the necessary chemicals/kitchen lithography doesnt work anymore apparently??)

[qsmpzine]

✨Preorders are now OPEN! ✨

It’s finally time!

Our preorders are open August 5th to September 2nd! Visit our Kickstarter page to see everything our wonderful creators have made!

Our available bundles are included below - the first 50 orders will receive a special, early bird bonus sticker, at no extra cost!*

Our team is so, so excited to finally showcase all of the hard work that has gone into making this zine happen!

Check out our Kickstarter page for a full showcase of all the different items! A list of what is included in each bundle is under the cut!

All prices shown are in USD *Only physical bundle orders are eligible for the early bird bonus and stretch goals.

BUNDLES: Egg Bundle ($15 USD) Digital Zine (Not eligible for any stretch goals)

Clutch Bundle ($29 USD) Physical & Digital Zine

Carton Bundle ($45 USD) Physical & Digital Zine + Bookmark, 2 Sticker Sheets, 2 Die-cut Stickers, & 3 Prints

Dozen Bundle ($60 USD) Digital Zine + Bookmark, 3 Sticker Sheets, 4 Die-cut Stickers, 3 Prints, 1 Random Sticky Note Pad, 1 Button Pin, & 1 Acrylic Keychain

Crate Bundle ($90 USD) Physical & Digital Zine + Bookmark, 4 Sticker Sheets, 5 Die-cut Stickers, 5 Prints, All 3 Sticky Note Pads, 1 Button Pin, 1 Acrylic Keychain, 1 Candy Keychain, & 1 Plush Keychain

ADDITIONAL ADD ONS: (Only available for physical orders)

3 Sticky Note Pads ($14 USD) Includes all 3 patterns!

Egg Shaker Keychain ($16 USD) Choose 1 variant of the different designs!

[uwuchidraws]

If I sell the first as sticker sheets and the second as acrylic charms will you guys be interested...?😳👉👈💦

(I'm in the US so overseas shipping might cost $20-40 tho🥲)

[traitorszine]

PREORDERS OPEN 🐦‍⬛🗡️

The time has come—pre-orders for BLOOD OF A VILLAIN are now open until October 25th! 🩶 Don’t miss out on your chance to purchase this phantom thief anthology!

🛒: https://bloodofavillainanthology.bigcartel.com

Details below ⬇️

🔪 DIGITAL BOOKS ONLY 🫀

➣ $15 USD ➣ Anthology Fanbook PDF ➣ Concept Booklet PDF ➣ Not eligible for stretch goals or early bird

🔪 DIGITAL BUNDLE 🫀

➣ $20 USD ➣ Anthology Fanbook PDF ➣ Concept Booklet PDF ➣ TRAITORS Downloadable Card Game ➣ 2 Sets of Emotes ➣ 2 Phone Wallpapers ➣ 1 Icon ➣ 1 Printable Minizine ➣ Not eligible for stretch goals or early bird

🔪 HALF BUNDLE 🫀

➣ $30 USD ➣ Anthology Fanbook PDF ➣ Concept Booklet PDF ➣ All Digital Merch ➣ 1 Matte Print ➣ 1 Opaque Acrylic Charm ➣ 1 Badge Button ➣ 1 Sticker Sheet ➣ 1 Die Cut Sticker ➣ Eligible for stretch goals and early bird item

🔪 MERCH BUNDLE 🫀

➣ $40 USD ➣ All Digital Merch ➣ 4 Die Cut Stickers ➣ 2 Matte Prints ➣ 2 Sticker Sheets ➣ 2 Badge Buttons ➣ 1 Opaque Acrylic Charm ➣ 1 Connector Charm ➣ 1 Acrylic Pin ➣ Eligible for stretch goals and early bird item

🔪 FULL BUNDLE 🫀

➣ $55 USD ➣ Anthology Fanbook PDF ➣ Concept Booklet PDF ➣ All Digital Merch ➣ 4 Die Cut Stickers ➣ 2 Matte Prints ➣ 2 Sticker Sheets ➣ 2 Badge Buttons ➣ 1 Opaque Acrylic Charm ➣ 1 Connector Charm ➣ 1 Acrylic Pin ➣ Eligible for stretch goals and early bird item

🔪 EARLY BIRD SPECIAL 🫀

Surprise! This exclusive charm designed by @/Grumblecorn is our early bird item. The first 50 orders of either the half, merch, or full bundles will include the charm at no extra cost. Hurry and grab your bundle today!

🔪 STRETCH GOALS 🫀

We have some exciting stretch goals for you all! Above are the milestones required to unlock them and add them to the half, merch, and full bundles. Order your copy today to help us reach them!

Thank you for the boost! 🖤♥️

@zine-scene @zinewatch @fandomzines @zinefeed @welovezines @zinecenter @zinefans @zineforall @zinesunlimited @personacalendar

[sapphicbarbiezine]

💖 PREORDERS ARE NOW OPEN FOR LOVE ME FOR ME: A SAPPHIC BARBIE ZINE 💖

We are thrilled to announce that preorders for the Sapphic Barbie Zine are open from January 14th to February 18th, 2024. The project includes 80 pages of rich illustrations and incredible stories by 30+ incredible artists and writers, as well as a range of beautiful merch from our merch artists, all featuring lovingly crafted sapphic content from all corners of the Barbieverse!

Keep reading below the cut for bundle details and more!

Love Me For Me is a charity zine, and after production and shipping costs our profits will go to the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice.

💖 BUNDLES 💖

Throne Bundle: Digital bundle. Includes a PDF of the zine [Not eligible for stretch goals.] || $20 USD Tower Bundle: Zine-only bundle. Includes a physical and PDF copy of the zine. [Eligible for all stretch goals.] || $30 USD Castle Bundle: Merch-only bundle. Includes 2x prints, 1x holographic bookmark, 1x paper doll, 2x acrylic charms, 1x sticker sheet, and 3x die-cut stickers. Does not include zine or PDF. [Eligible for merch stretch goals.] || $45 USD Palace Bundle: Full bundle. Includes a physical and PDF copy of the zine, 2x prints, 1x holographic bookmark, 1x paper doll, 2x acrylic charms, 1x sticker sheet, and 3x die-cut stickers. [Eligible for all stretch goals.] || $65 USD

Stretch goals will be announced shortly. Keep an eye out for an update!

@zinefeed @zine-scene @all-zine-apps

💖 STORE 💖 ABOUT 💖 ASK 💖 UPDATES 💖

[2e2ezine]

👁️ LEFTOVERS OPEN 👁️ 

Leftover sales for 2 Everything 2 Everywhere: An EEAAO Zine are NOW OPEN! This is your last chance to buy a bundle, and physical supplies are extremely limited so get them while you can!

🛒 2e2ezine.bigcartel.com  ⏰ June 14 - 28, 11:59pm EST

More information about our available bundles below!

👁️ EVERYTHING ($50)

Everywhere, all at once. This full bundle includes: - 1 enamel pin - 1 magnet - 1 wooden charm - 1 acrylic charm - 2 die-cut stickers - 2 sticker sheets - 4 postcards - 3 prints - 1 A-Grade physical zine - All digital merch

🧧 RED ENVELOPE ($45) 

Filled with good luck from our family to yours. This near-full bundle includes: - 1 acrylic charm - 1 magnet - 1 wooden charm - 2 die-cut stickers - 2 sticker sheets - 4 postcards - 3 prints - 1 A-Grade physical zine - All digital merch

🥯 B FOR BAGEL ($35) 

Guaranteed to taste fresh and delicious. This B-Grade near-full bundle includes: - 1 magnet - 1 wooden charm - 2 die-cut stickers - 4 postcards - 2 sticker sheets - 3 prints - 1 B-Grade physical zine - All digital merch

🦝 TAX EXPENSE ($30) 

We promise our mystery goodies won't be as stressful as filing taxes. This B-Grade grab bag bundle includes: - 1 wooden charm - 4 postcards - 1 random die-cut sticker - 1 random sticker sheet - 1 random print - 1 B-Grade physical zine - All digital merch

🫧 QUICK CYCLE LAUNDRY ($23) 

Simple, but efficient and bubbling to life! This B-Grade zine bundle includes: - 1 random print OR wooden charm - 4 postcards - 1 B-Grade physical zine - All digital merch

🪨 JUST BE A ROCK ($20)

This is sure to prove that things do matter. This digital bundle includes: - 1 PDF copy of the zine - 1 "Making of 2E2E" bonus PDF - 18 digital stickers

*This is a non-profit, charity zine! All profits raised after production and shipping costs will be equally split and donated to Red Canary Song and Asian Mental Health Collective.

[elaine19day]

To those who are confused as to where and how to buy OldXian's new artbook and merchandise, let me try to break it down for you.

A few days ago, OldXian announced the pre-sale of their new artbook which comes in two versions.

Variant A (regular) includes: - the new artbook - a poster - 2x postcards

Variant B (deluxe edition) includes: - the new artbook - a poster - 2x postcards - 4x buttons - a shishiki board - a sticker sheet - a 24 page booklet

Furthermore there's two new acrylic standees which can be purchased separately. A tianshan and a zhanyi version.

The cost of these items is as follows: Artbook (version A): 89 Yuan [roughly: 13 USD | 12 Euro | 10 GBP] Artbook (version B): 189 Yuan [roughly: 27 USD | 25 Euro 21 GBP] Acrylic Standee: 49 Yuan (each) [roughly: 7 USD | 7 Euro | 6 GBP]

All of these items are available for purchase in their taobao store now, under this link: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?ft=t&id=786971367604

But if you have trouble creating a taobao account or your country isn't on the (very short) taobao shipping list [China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand] then you have several other options to get your hands on these new items.

1. You could use aliexpress, koonbooks or any other China-based shopping app/website to buy these things from a 3rd party seller.

Now, keep in mind that these sellers obviously want to make a profit, so you will pay more than in the original taobao shop. However, on the plus side, they usually offer free shipping, which is nice considering that items like artbooks are heavy and shipping costs are based on weight, so if you pay over, some of that money also goes towards covering the shipping costs, which is not bad.

The risk of ordering with such a website is obviously that the independent seller could turn out to be a scammer and keep your money and not send you the goods. I have no idea about koonbook's policies, however in the case of aliexpress you are at least protected by such practices and should you not receive what you paid for, you will be refunded and get your money back.

Also keep in mind that the artbook and merch is still in production at this point! But Old Xian said the merch will be shipped out BEFORE May 20th. That's less than 4 weeks from now.

That being said - in some cases the merch will be cheaper on aliexpress after official ship-out, because there will be more people offering it, competing for best prices.

However there's obviously also a risk that the deluxe edition will sell out before that or that these re-sellers only ship the artbook itself with none of the extras.

Here's two links where you can have a look at potential resellers, but carefully think about all the pro's and con's I gave you before you consider to buy. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006893284852.html https://koonbooks.com/products/old-xian-19-days-art-collection-3-chinese?variant=46493038674166 2.

The other option you have is using a taobao shopping agent. If you google that, you'll find dozens of websites offering their services. I myself have used parcelup, 42agent and superbuy before. Here's links to all of them: https://www.superbuy.com/ https://parcelup.com/ https://www.42agent.com/ What all of these agents have in common is that you need to create an account BEFORE you can start searching and shopping. All you need for that is a valid email address. I'll show how it works with superbuy screenshots here. After you signed up, you can copy the taobao-link I gave you earlier and paste it into the search-field.

What will come up is an embedded view of the taobao listing where you can pick which variant you want and then add it to your shopping cart.

Once you have added everything you want, click on the shopping cart and simply follow all further payment instructions.

They will also ask you if you want them to keep the original packaging or if you want them to remove anything unnecessary and repack everything in order to make it weigh less so shipping will be cheaper. It's up to you. You will then be asked to pay for items, domestic shipping (so mosspaca studios can ship the goods to your agent's warehouse) and in some cases a service fee. For example, superbuy has no service fee, however they stopped offering paypal as payment method recently so you'd need a credit card or other online methods to pay for your order and everything. Parcelup, however, still offers paypal, but they also charge service fees. (They are fairly low though, if you ask me.) So after you paid for your goods, they will order the items for you and then you'll have to wait about 4-5 weeks for them to arrive, because keep in mind - like I said earlier - everything is still in production and Old Xian aims to ship everything out before the 20th of May. There's hundreds, if not thousands of parcels arriving to all agent's warehouses every day, so it will take them a few days to sort through things after your order arrives. You need to be patient!! They will get back to you with pictures of your order, trust me. When this happens you need to look at the pics and if everything is okay, you can reply to them to proceed. You will then be presented with shipping quotes. Usually they offer more than one shipping method and some are tracked, others are untracked, some will take only a week or two until they arrive at your doorstep, others will take 6 weeks or up to two months. Choose wisely which method you want and consider what is in your budget. (Obviously fast shipping with tracking is more expensive than slow shipping without it, however personally I'd always recommend a tracked service.) Just to give you an estimate on what to expect when it comes to international shipping - parcels with that amount of merch and weight, will always cost me about 50 USD or more to ship from China to the UK, where I live. (So keep that in mind before you order. International shipping is very expensive!) But once you picked a shipping method, you pay for it (that's your 2nd payment) and once they have processed that - your goodies will be on the way to you within a few days. And that's it. Sit down, eat your food and wait patiently for it to arrive. If you have further questions, just plop them into the comments and I'll try to answer them.

[balkanradfem]

I keep thinking everyone knows the exact same information as me, but since I'm about to make more posts about textiles and clothing, as I'm reading the book on them, I'm going to write down some basic information, just in case it's not very common, because a lot of this I only gathered recently. If I get something wrong please correct me in a kind way!

So where does the clothing come from, and how do we make it? During most of the history, textiles were made by women, from natural materials; flax, wool, cotton, silk, jute. Recently we started using more synthetic materials, like acrylic, polyester, nylon, spandex. If you want to make clothing from the natural materials, like wool or cotton, they first need to be processed, cleaned and combed, then spun into yarn, or thread. Spinning is the process where women manage to pull a thin part of the material and spin the fibres into one consistent, firm thread. It's super impressive to watch them do it and I have no idea how they manage to make it consistent, I've not yet tried to do it myself.

Once the thread is done, it can be made into a textile by knitting, crochet, or weaving. There are also other more complex, decorative methods, like tatting or lacing.

For knitting, you need two needles, or a special circular needle, or, there are also knitting machines, which you can use to make woolen fabric. For weaving, you need a loom. For crochet, you need a crochet hook. While knitting and weaving can be done by a machine, crochet can only be done by hand. Woven fabrics are firm, sturdy, durable, and not stretchy, while knit fabric is the most stretchy and soft. I'm not sure about crochet since I only have one crochet garment, but mine is very sturdy!

All of these methods were historically done by women; families were able to grow flax plants close to their homes, and women would then create linens, woven textiles made from processed flax, which was used to make sheets and clothing. Linen was specifically useful in keeping people clean, since it's very good at absorbing moisture. Used as an under-garment, it was capable of absorbing sweat, and protecting the outer layers, which were not washed. Experiments have shown that frequently changing into clean linen was more effective at keeping clean than showering and then putting on the same clothing back on.

Women's ability to create clothing was sadly exploited, and women were even banned to sell it commercially, or from competing at the commercial market, but their husbands were allowed to profit off of their craft.

In the USA, cotton was the most produced material, however for this too people were enslaved and exploited; cotton took human labour to grow, harvest and process, it also required a lot of water, and caused destruction of environment, because of the chemicals used in it's growth, and the unsustainability of monocrops.

Creating a piece of clothing out of textiles, or sewing, is a process that still cannot be completely automated; while you can use a sewing machine, you cannot make a machine that would produce a whole garment out of textiles. No mass-produced piece of clothing was sewn by a machine, it always has to be made by a human being. This is why a lot of the sewing labour is currently outsourced to third-world countries and companies use modern slavery in order to create fast fashion; there is no machine that can do it, so by the rules of capitalism, the companies are trying to get that labour as cheap as possible, often at the cost of human lives.

We didn't use to have as many garments as we do today, in the 18th century people would have two outfits, one for normal days of the week, and one for Sunday. The clothing they owned was usually made to fit them exactly, either by a female member of the family, or a seamstress, and these garments were made to last them for decades. As clothing became cheaper to buy than to make at home, and more of it became mass-produced, people started acquiring more of it, but also using it for lesser period of time. This would eventually grow into a bigger problem, due to the amount of chemicals and labour used to grow, process, dye and sew the garments, and the amount of waste we were starting to accumulate.

Introduction of synthetic materials, like acrylic, made the yarn and the textiles much cheaper, however it lacks the important properties natural materials have. Do you ever notice how synthetic garments sometimes continue smelling bad even after you wash them? That is because they'll absorb sweat, but become hydrophobic when wet, meaning they will take in your sweat, but refuse to let it go once they're in the water. This means that the longer you have them, the worst their stink becomes. This, of course, can be hidden by the generous use of scented fabric softener, but it won't exactly make the garment clean. This information I've learned recently, but it helped me identify what were the most synthetic pieces of clothing I had. Acrylic clothing had also proven to shed 1.5 more microplastics than any other polyester when put into the washing machine.

Having our clothing grown, processed, spun, woven/knit, and then sewn far out of sight, it's possible to lose the sight of where it came from, or how it's made. Only by trying to do it yourself, or learning closely about the process can one learn to appreciate what a monumental task it is, to create fabric, or a garment. Other than the synthetic textiles, of which I still know very little of, all of the natural clothing is a product of plants and animals, it takes land, farming, agriculture and water to grow the plants, raise the animals, and then labour to process and spin the fibres. It's also something people used to do in their gardens, inside of their homes, something that was normal for women to do, and to trade for anything else they needed, saving them from having to work for wages. Women making fabric was always to the benefit of everyone around them, while m*n taking over the industry and doing it commercially, ultimately brought slave labour to a lot of people, cheap and low quality garments to the select few, and money to the hands of the exploiters.

Being curious about clothing and what becomes of it, is a big benefit to the environment and the future of the earth! Knowing what the textile industry is doing, and how does it affect the planet, can be a great motivator to try and sew, or upcycle and mend clothing, or create garments. It's presented to us as something women were forced to do in the past, and it's connected to 'feminine hobbies', but in actuality, it is power to create something humans cannot do without. Women in the past used it's power too, whenever they could. And we are the only ones who ever used this power for good.

[kapoorplastics]

If you are planning an acrylic office partition you want to ensure that you have the best quality and type that would enhance the overall appearance of your office.

[oozeandgoo-art]

Adoptable - Cordyceps Archer

Do you want to take over this character?  I'm selling this design! Auction starts now and ends midnight (EST) 3/8! Bid here: https://forms.gle/rqa4ptksAtPxvDTM6 (You can also view current bids by following the linked spreadsheet in the form!) Starting bid is $200; autobuy (if you're not about all that) is $400.  Piece is a standard-sized mixed-media (primarily watercolor and ink; some glitter gel pen, acrylic marker, and food dye as well) piece painted in pink, orange, blue, and gray. The full piece includes one full-body back ref, one partial-body full-color illustration, one partial-body partial-color illustration, and several detailed "design notes" in fine black ink! Please be aware: colors are a little different in person due to the nature of photographing a painting; there may be some differences between digital and traditional versions. The piece was also ripped and has been glued back together and securely reinforced from the back with another piece of watercolor paper, unfortunately; I have dropped the price from my intended starting bid accordingly, and will not be charging any additional fees for the original artwork, in deference to the fact that it's damaged goods.  Final owner of the character can request two rounds of adjustments (ie: modifying colors, retouching stains and dingy spots, etc) from me for free and other rounds for small flat fees worked out between the two of us. The final owner can also request glitter on the traditional ref sheet if they so desire, at no additional cost! And final purchaser gets all final rights to the character and art, including resales and merchandising - once you've paid for the character, they're all yours. 

[arctic-hands]

I didn't want to clown on the gift donation for kids post and this might be a little late anyway, but if you're going to donate art supplies, or even give some to kids in your family, please think twice before getting those art kits that come with everything, even the ones that do come in fancy wooden boxes. They're almost always terrible in quality and even as a little kid you end up feeling frustrated by them and feel like you're the one doing something wrong or you don't have talent or something.

I get it, they're usually cheaper than buying even student grade supplies individually, but I remember getting one of the fancy wooden box ones at like thirteen then after a while getting (secretly, as to not upset the person who got me it that Christmas) because I felt I wasn't good enough at art to warrant such a gift because I couldn't get the pencils or watercolors or oil pastels to behave like how the books and videos told me they would behave. And even getting the plastic box ones as an even younger kid left me feeling frustrated. Because the kit ones are all full of cheap filler and less pigment as a cost cutting measure. And the paper that came with it was no better than printer paper so the watercolors disintegrated it.

Anyway I'm not saying you have to buy a one hundred dollar professional set of paint or something. And even student grade does add up. But a decent sketchbook (I recommend Canson XL Mixed Media, because not only is it cheap but the paper is great and there's like sixty sheets it), and maybe just one type of art supply instead of buying a whole studio's worth. Decent sets of artist pencils of different lead types are easy to come by. Or even just a few tubes of primary colors acrylic paints (I've been using Arteza acrylics and I like them a lot), or a box of decent oil pastels or a small watercolor pallet. And you can find decent brushes, even in packet sets, just make sure they're the right kind for the paints you're getting (and there are mixed media brushes too) Avoid at all costs the Crayola brushes with the thick plasticity bristles that are the bane of children everywhere tho.

TL;DR honestly, if you have the chance to know what the child likes in art supplies, just get them a decent set of that instead of one of the frustrating art kits that give you everything but for a lesser quality

(ALSO: make sure art supplies geared to younger kids are nontoxic, and if giving to an older kid who knows not to drink the paint water, make sure they know if there's anything toxic even still. This isn't too much of a worry these days unless you're getting really expensive pro stuff, but look out for warnings anyway)

[hqkurokenzine]

🐾🐈‍⬛ANNOUNCEMENT: PREORDERS MEOW OPEN! 🐈 

Celebrate our two favourite kitties, Kuroo Tetsurou and Kozume Kenma, and their timeskip life with Partners, a timeskip anthology. 

Preorders are officially open until October 1st!!

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Calico Cat 🐾 Full Bundle -$65

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1 Physical A5 Book

1 Digital Anthology PDF 

1 Coloring Book PDF

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2 Die-Cut Stickers

2 Sticker Sheets

1 Polaroid

1 Acrylic Standee

1 Acrylic Keychain

1 Lanyard

1 Washi Tape

😺 Eligible for ALL Stretch Goals!

Tuxedo Cat 🐾 Flat Bundle - $40

🛒Includes:

1 Physical A5 Book 

1 Digital Anthology PDF 

1 Coloring Book PDF

2 Art Prints

2 Die-Cut Stickers

2 Sticker Sheets

1 Polaroid

😺Eligible for Stretch Goals 1 & 2!

Black Cat 🐾 Anthology Only Bundle - $25

🛒Includes:

1 Physical A5 Book 

1 Digital Anthology PDF 

1 Coloring Book PDF

😺Eligible for Stretch Goal 1!

Digitabby Bundles 🐾

😸 Orange Tabby - SFW Bundle $15

Includes:

1 SFW PDF 

1 Coloring Book PDF

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Includes:

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😽 Mackerel Tabby - Paired Bundle $20

Includes:

1 SFW PDF

1 NSFW PDF

1 Coloring Book PDF

😿Not eligible for Stretch Goals!

Make your bundles even meow-re interesting by adding our purr-fect double-sided tote bag!

Note: Extra tote bags can only be purchased alongside other bundles and are not for individual sale.

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[blimbosworlddd]

Nirvana: A Rock Lee Tale (Chapter 4)

Summary: Your dating life is terrible. Your friends’ marriage is fantastic. Your career as a medic is doing great, though. But you aren’t happy. However, after one quick trip to the Mighty Rock Dojo, you stumble upon the most magnificent man you’ve ever met- the taijutsu master- Rock Lee.

Notes: slow burn fic, afab/fem/black reader.

Warnings: Mentions of sex, (light) descriptions of blood and violence, usage of the N word. The reader and Lee are in their 20s but virtually any age group that is 18 and up can enjoy this story. Again 18+, minors do not interact… pls.

Word count: 6.3k

Masterlist

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Shikamaru loves his late father’s lighter. At the tender age of seventeen, he found it in one of his coat pockets in the closet after his funeral. It’s one of those old school classic lighters that you flick open and to this day, it’s the only one he uses to smoke. A morning glory flower is engraved into the sleek silver, and it’s the same flower that Shikamaru orders in his wife’s bouquets. Sometimes he doesn’t even use his lighter for smoking. He’ll just stare at it or keep it in his fist, rubbing the smooth round edges to ground him when logic and practicality no longer pay for his taxing burdens.

This is exactly what he’s doing now: one hand caging the lighter in his pocket while using the other to emphasize important phrases with gestures,as he tries to convince the couple why they need to buy this mansion. The words he finesses them with make up for almost any preconceived concern that they may have with the property, his gravelly tone carrying the undeniable confidence necessary to sell it.

The three stroll through the hallways, and the couple takes in the interior that they imagine looking at for the rest of their lives. The wife is beaming, running her fingers across the lustrous wallpaper while also investing her attention on the little history lesson Shikamaru teaches them about the house. The husband nods along to the story wordlessly, grabbing his woman’s hand as they follow the real estate agent into the kitchen.

He’s not really feeling how loudly the wood creaks beneath his feet, or how the cabinets in the kitchen are wooden despite the variety of building materials that adorn this establishment. However, Shikamaru ain’t paid to do nothing. So he turns around, releases the lighter in his pocket and raises both his hands to stop the customers.

“The intramural design of this house is pretty old, I’ll admit. But one of our most trusted general contractors is already drafting the modern upgrade of the interior.”

The husband raises a brow. “Such as?”

“Glad you asked.” He walks by the marble counters and opens one of the cabinets. “Why have wooden cabinets when there are significantly more durable options? Our contractor can laminate a sheet of acrylic or stainless steel over the medium-density fiberboard.”

Shikamaru leans on the countertop. “It's your choice, of course, but acrylic is susceptible to scratches.”

The wife hums in thought, realizing she hadn’t noticed the material of the cabinets until now. She feels her man let go of her hand, the chill air hitting her moistened palm. He clears his throat.

“Okay, but-“

Shika’s coldly sharp eyes quietly welcome the man with his full attention.

“How much will the installment cost? And what can we do about these creaky wooden floors? Will that also add to the price?”

“Nope.” Shika doesn’t miss a beat, lightly pushing himself off the marble. “Since our contractor has been working on this project before you found it, you won’t be paying for any upgrades on their behalf. S’just how we do business.”

The wife’s eyes crinkle in relief, hooking her elbow with her husband’s so she can rest her cheek on his shoulder.

“Does this apply to ordering a security system?” The husband continues.

“Well… no. You’ll hafta pay for that since it’s not a part of-“

Shika’s phone vibrates in his back pocket like a war cry in a distant battle zone. It’s on Do Not Disturb for obvious reasons, but his intuition tells him it’s a call he shouldn’t ignore. And he never ignores his gut. So, he excuses himself for a millisecond only to check who could be calling.

It’s his own wife.

What does this woman want? He thinks. I’m about to sell this house in fifteen minutes anyway. She can wait.

He turns off his phone, facing the couple whispering lowly to each other with approving nods and content-laced grins.

“Sorry about that.” He sighs. “Where were we?”

-

>>Your call has been forwarded to an au-

Temari shuts off her phone, eyebrows pinching into a soft cringe as she glares at the black screen.

This is the third time her husband hasn’t answered her calls, what’s worse is that they’ve barely seen or even interacted with each other in the last couple weeks. He always excused it with ‘gotta sell another house” or “too tired, we’ll talk later” or toe curling sex like that’s enough justification to shut her up. But Temari shuts up when Temari wants to shut up, and Temari once again may hafta spend another day sleeping on their shared california king bed without Temari’s man. 

The exhausted woman scoffs, tossing her device on the couch as she slouches to reach the TV remote. The screen illuminates with the press of a button, and the channel displays a reality show. Images of a bunch of older women are raising their drinks in a toast to celebrate whatever the fuck, and it made Temari think of you.

Y’all haven’t had a proper hang out since she and Shika took you to the dojo, maybe some girl time could give her a less jaded outlook on the situation.

I’ll reach out later, she thinks.

-

Today is Veteran’s Day. Lee is at a restaurant eating with his sensei, Might Guy, and Neji. They’re celebrating Guy’s survival of the Fourth Great War, so it’s not surprising that he and Neji have downed a couple shots of whiskey. Lee, on the other hand, contently sips on his humble glass of cranberry juice from a squiggly straw.

“And so get this,” Neji chuckles, talking as if his face isn't beet red with liquor. “He puts slippers on her feet like she's Cinderella, and then she thanks him with the most unamused tone possible and walks away with a face so lifeless you could mistake her for a zombie.”

Guy Sensei cackles and slaps an open palm on the table. Lee pouts, shooting Neji the sassiest side-eye he can muster at his stupid humor, but his friend just ignores him while slurping on some ramen. Lee hums, gently placing his glass cup down before resting his chin on his folded hands.

“And yet she's the same woman who agreed to go on a date with me tomorrow.”

Guy Sensei drops his jaw with a gasp and Neji drops his chopsticks. 

“And you're telling us this now?” Neji glares at him, but there's no real irritation in his tone. His eyes glow with pride for his friend.

Guy Sensei grips his shoulder lovingly, a serious expression adorns his face.

“I know I never really bothered teaching you how to love a woman.” The thrumming bass in his demanding voice carried subtle waves of regret and faith. “But despite all that you've been through, you taught yourself how to do it. That's how I know you've always had it in you. I'm proud of you, my boy.”

Lee feels his lips wobble with joy and turns to Neji who closes his eyes with his own knowing smile.

“Th-thanks Guy Sensei. I think I hit the jackpot with this one!”

Guy leans his back into his wheelchair with a hand rubbing his chin.

“I’m glad,” he grumbles. “Tenten’s lost her choke hold on you, I see.”

Neji’s eyes rip open and his smile melts away. He snaps his head to Lee, who’s already frowning while his eyes stare a thousand yards ahead of him. Guy catches onto the shift in the aura and watches his student’s depressing reaction with subtle horror.

“I’m sorry Lee,” Guy sighs guiltily. “I thought you were over her.”

Lee lowers his unfolding hands from his chin. No one’s mentioned my ex-fiance in years, he thinks. I thought I was over her too. He inhales deeply and takes a swig from his cranberry juice.

“Her memory still brings me pain,” he prompts reluctantly.

Neji side-eyes Guy before looking down at his now-cold ramen. He's losing his appetite, and it's not even about him, all because Sensei couldn't watch his mouth. 

Suddenly, images of your tear-stained face, your beautiful smile, and your relentless kindness replaces the void in his chest with a warmth only you can provide. And he can't help but smile, more tenderly, this time.

“But not only have I grown stronger, I have another chance with an amazing woman.” he turns to the window beside him and gazes up at the blue sky, hope twinkling in his eyes.

“For the first time in a long time,” he turns his gaze back to Guy. “I look forward to loving again.”

Neji and Guy silently marvel at his growth and maturity. It’s now Guy’s turn to make a wobbly smile, quietly sniffling as he reaches to hold Lee’s hand. He offers his hand to his other student as well, and Neji hesitantly accepts it with a hopeless sigh. But he's also smiling again, nonetheless.

-

Today is the day you go out with Lee! You both decided he’d pick you up at your place at 7 pm, so you have the whole day to pamper yourself. You’re with your best friend Bria, and both of you are getting your nails done by her nail tech. Bria is another childhood friend of yours, y’all met in elementary school. She had to move to a neighboring state for college, but y’all always kept in touch when you could.

You sigh happily against the massage chair, feeling the tension around your shoulder blades erode while watching the color on your nails blossom with each stroke of the tiny brush.

“Bri, this is the best,” you groan softly. “Thank you.”

“Girl don’t even stress it, you know I missed you.” She rolls her eyes lovingly.

You chuckle sweetly. Bria always showed her affection by spoiling the people who have their own little place in her big heart. You understood why, you just didn’t feel comfortable having money spent on you. However, as years passed, Bria helped you realize that you rejected the way she loved because you felt like a burden - like if she burned some cash for you it'd ultimately be a waste. 

But ever since y’all met, you’ve supported her through many trials and tribulations. You were her strength when she was weak, especially after she was homeless for a period after being kicked out by her abusive grandmother. You and your father took her in when no one else would, and helped her get back on her feet. You made her feel like a normal teen amidst all the chaos. Without you, she would've never been able to blossom into the highly successful woman she is today, finally having her own home and even owning two businesses. From Bria’s point of view, the very least she can do is prepare you for your highly anticipated date.

Your nails are finished and they’re so you: stiletto shaped with a French, purple chrome tip. Bria’s nails are long and Spongbob themed which makes you giggle uncontrollably but at the same time they look dumb good. All this pretty art and not a single dent in your pockets - as it should be.

-

Next up is a shopping spree, but y’all only buy from one store. It’s a small thrift boutique with tons of vintage brands, Bria knows you love your 20 plus year old classics. God, it’s like a hidden museum riddled with ancient yet modernized pieces here. You feel like you’re time traveling as you scan through so many garments; some premiered in 90s runways from Paco Rabanne to Mugler. Where the fuck did the store owner get these?? Your brain ponders in a fashion-crazed frenzy.

While remaining hyper vigilant, you make sure to find something that doesn’t stand out but still screams classy. Simple yet effective. 

“Ayo Bri,” you call out, unable to see your friend anywhere.

“Yeah, hun?” She responds from the other side of the boutique. Predicting her exact location, you put your items in a cart and follow her voice. You show her your selection. Her eyes and fingers silently run over every ridge, every crease, every edge. The cotton is smoothly refined, beautifully dyed and feels amazing.   Your bestie nods affirmingly with a sharp grin.

“…You gon drive him crazy.”

“Like I don’t already.” You scoff.

Bria guffaws as you eagerly throw your arms around her shoulders, swaying you both side to side.

-

It’s 4pm, and y’all finally make it back to your apartment. Luckily, you have a few hours to settle in so you won’t hafta rush to get ready. Both of you sit on your couch while watching Bernie Mac. Bria pours two glasses of Pinot Noir while you take down your twists. You feel the cushion drain your energy from beneath you, but the idea of missing Lee’s inevitable call straightens your back and forces you awake. 

“Pookieee, you never showed me a pic of your lover boyyy,” Bria whines before taking a sip of some wine. Her brow raises unexpectedly at its richness.

You cease your twist out and reach for your phone. You never caught a proper portrait of Lee’s face, but you would sneak a few pics of him sparring with multiple fighters at once. So you show her those. She brings the screen closer to her face, and her eyes bulge out of her sockets.

“DAMN,” She barks. “Bruce Lee who?”

Your jaw drops, gently slapping her thigh at her boldness.

“Don’t disrespect Bruce’s legacy like tha-

“I’M NOT! LOOK,” Bria scrunches her eyes and zooms in on his body. “You can see his muscles through the clothes. THROUGH THE CLOTHES!”

You feel yourself wheezing, a hand over your clenching abdomen to ease the burn of laughter. But you can’t disagree, Lee’s stunning like that.

“Bri… I can’t with you,” you huff with a weak smile.

“Sure ya can!” Bria chirps, framing her words with a fake southern accent. She stay playing.

-

It’s 6:45 pm and you’re all dolled up; hair done, makeup done, outfit on, perfume spritzed. Bria takes a bunch of pics, squealing in delight at how much you ate up this look. She’s proud, so proud of the queen you’ve become.

“Bitch, ya lover boy lucky I’m straight.” 

You smile goofily, about to respond to her joke until you feel your phone vibrate in your hand.

You take it out and Lee’s contact brightens your screen. Bria slaps a palm over her mouth when you answer the call.

“H-Hello?”

Lee closes his eyes, reveling in how sweet and lovely you sound.

“Hi angel,” he chuckles gently. “I’m downstairs.”

You press your thighs together. That voice of his; a deep raspiness thrumming with a tone so sensual, it caresses every nerve in your body. To top it off with a pet name, and he arrives early?? Wheww.

“Okay. C-coming down.”

You hang up and turn to face your friend. She hugs your shoulders and wishes you the best night ever. 

“You can spend the night here if you want, ‘kay?” You coo. Bria nods appreciatively against your neck.

“I’ll save some wine for you,” she whispers.

“No you won’t.” She snorts at how well you know her.

You take your keys, purse and blow Bria a kiss before locking the door behind you.

-

Lee stands outside, leaning against the door of his car as he waits patiently for you. He tugs at his gray slacks, wondering if he should have entrusted his suit to Neji’s personal tailor. He snaps his head up when he hears your door unlock. Your black stiletto pumps clack as you descend down the steps like a goddess from her shrine. He couldn’t look away. He just physically couldn’t.

“Oh my god…” he mumbles, staring hopelessly at your figure; a royal purple sweater dress that reaches your mid-calf, fitting you like a glove as the soft fabric hugs every curve, crease and roll that adorns your body; smoky eyes and a glossy lip accentuate your soft glow; pretty round face framed with an afro- the radiant moonlight illuminating your fluffy coils. You watch your step while gracefully lifting the bottom of the black vintage mink coat draped over your shoulders. He feels like falling to his knees at the sight of you.

After approaching him, you stop at arm’s length so you can take him in. Calling Lee sexy would be a disserving understatement; the gray suit he’s wearing clings to his body with tasteful minimalism; it’s not too baggy, nor is it too tight; the fabric’s at peak quality, smoothly pressed, but not too shiny; you could see the bulk of his thighs slightly stretch his pants (the hems are cropped to perfection); the top four buttons on his black shirt are undone, so you can see his sternum and a delicious peak of his pecs. This fit frames his build with such majestic subtlety, you can't help but undress him with your eyes from head to polished boot.

“Lee! You… you look so handsome,” there’s that familiar lilt of humble adoration in your voice he loves oh so much. It boosts his ego, yet doesn’t soar it to great heights- he’s used to not getting any compliments on his appearance besides his impeccable physique. The rosiness that blooms on his cheeks is evident enough of that.

“Thank you,” he smiles softly. “I know you’re always beautiful no matter what you wear. It- it’s just..”

He nibbles on his bottom lip without ceasing eye contact, the sight urges you to look down shyly but you’re too mesmerized by him to tear your gaze.

“Seeing you tonight has confirmed to me that you’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met.”

Gravity wins the battle and you finally look down, feeling like you’ll melt into a puddle if he gives you any more sweet praises.

“Th-thank you, Lee. That means a lot.” 

“Of course,” There’s a reassurance in his tone that boosts your ego as well, making you feel like his flattery isn’t just flattery. He makes it feel like a widely accepted fact amongst the masses of an entire nation. No man has ever made you feel that way, you couldn’t depend on them to do that. It took your whole life up until now to realize yourself that you’re the shit, you were always the shit, and forever will be the shit.

He turns to open the door for you, making sure the ends of your fur don’t graze the pavement as you step inside the vehicle.

-

The ride to the restaurant is quiet, words have yet to be exchanged between you two.This kinda baffles Lee because he’s been on plenty of dates; but there’s something about your aura, the way you carry yourself with such poise, from how you speak to how you sit- his face just won’t stop heating up- he's terrifed of messing this up.

You on the other hand are just chilling; basking in the woody scent of his car that mixes with the expensive cologne radiating from Lee in small, balanced whiffs. He smells like cinnamon, sweet and warm while trailing a sharp spiciness. You sense his hesitation, but you don’t know what to say either. And date or not, you refuse to force small talk. It makes you feel icky. So you just enjoy his presence silently.

You’re both halfway to your destination and Lee decides to restart his brain a little. He turns on the radio, making sure the music is only loud enough for both of you to listen casually. Barbra Streisand’s The Way We Were plays in the background. I loved this song as a teen, you think. Gosh I was a hopeless romantic… still am. You ponder if that was ever a bad thing. Or if you were just scared of the fact that you either love passionately, or don’t at all. 

You ponder if that even matters right now.

Lee hums every note Barbra sings with attentive effort, his finger tapping against the wheel to match the feather-light percussion’s rhythm.

“Smiles we gave to one another,” you turn your head to him, not expecting his singing to enchant you the way it does. “For the way we were…”

He sounds so invested in the moment, simply appreciating the song by singing along. Your heart skips a beat when he shifts his gaze to you, a silly smile raising his cheeks before returning his focus on the road ahead. It makes you strangely jealous, the way he so easily erased the growing tension between you two.

You want to do that. You want to do that for yourself, for the people around you, for your patients. Maybe you already do, but you don’t think anyone can do it quite like Lee does.

-

“SO IT’S THE LAUGHTER WE WILL REMEMBER. WHENEVER WE REMEMBER..”  your mouths hang low as you both shout the sentimental lyrics at the top of your lungs. Your bodies sway to the music with fervent enthusiasm like you’re in a soap opera, like it’s the last song you both will ever sing. You feel so free. You both don’t mind how crazy y’all might sound belting notes slightly beyond your registers, for your hearts called out to Streisand’s magnificent delivery of an undeniably nostalgic message. You both feel so free.

“The way we were. The way we… were.” The song concludes with the introductory hums from earlier, and you feel yourself sink back into your seat.

“Damn!” You exclaim. “You got some pipes, Lee.”

Laughter erupts from Lee’s chest. “I can say the same for you too, y/n.”

-

You finally make it to the restaurant and the exterior design is sleek and well illuminated. Lee walks ahead to open the door for you, and you thank him before entering the establishment. You’d expect the interior to have a modern style similar to other restaurants you’ve dined at. To your delightful surprise it’s very old-school. The lights are dimmed to increase the intimacy but not to the point where it’s hard to see. Shika and Temari would love this place, you think. Speaking of that, I wonder if everything’s okay between those two.

A waiter approaches the two of you.

“Good evening, my name is Jeremy,” he prompts. “Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes,” Lee verifies. “Under the name Rock Lee.”

“Right this way.” Jeremy smiles politely and leads you both to a booth in a secluded corner.

The round table is draped in a black cloth and decorated with silver utensils, two Riesling wine glasses and burgundy twin candles. Even the seats are adorned in red velvet fabric. Is this how royalty dines everyday?

Before stopping yourself, you tug on the hem of Lee’s sleeve. He looks down at you and the concern in his expression almost makes your incoming words clog up your throat. It’s too all too much. He’s just too much.

“Lee… you didn’t hafta do all this.” You protest weakly.

Lee blinks at you, big eyes widening as he processes your remark.

“ ‘Course I did,” he says matter-of-factly. “You deserve it, princess. Now, let’s eat!”

He waits for you to release your hold. You let go of him, feeling your cheeks puff up in a small grin. He pulls back a chair, offering you your seat. You thank him once more as he steadily pushes your chair forward so you’re close enough to the table. He sits across from you while you shrug off your coat. 

After taking off his own jacket, he rolls up his sleeves and his forearms look delectable; the way his veins protrude as his muscles flex makes you imagine how they’d feel wrapped around your neck from behind as he p-

“Here are your menus,” Jeremy gives you each a fancy pamphlet listing all the available dishes and beverages. You both make sure to receive them with verbal gratitude and scan your options.

You want to pull out your phone so you can look up these Italian words, but you don’t want to violate the etiquette so you read the ingredients of each meal from the menu instead. Your eyes follow Lee’s confused ones, and hide a snort with your pamphlet when he asks the waiter what a certain meal is and completely butchers the pronunciation of the dish’s name.

After requesting your appetizers, you both wait patiently with a glass of wine in your hand and a glass of orange juice in Lee’s.

You raise your glass to the crease of your mouth, but something about Lee sitting prim and content with his orange juice peaks an interest within that urges you to indulge it.

“Not a fan of drinking?”

Lee lowers his glass at your question, swallowing a glob of spit to brace himself. Yes, he’s not obligated to answer that question and could just manage a way to politely change the subject. Or, he could tell the truth no matter how mercilessly his shame is clawing at his back. However, the sincerity behind the bleakness of his past sprouts in the form of a relaxed smile embellishing his features.

“I was an alcoholic,” Lee makes sure he’s loud enough so you can’t misconstrue the truth in his words. “Been sober for five years… going on six.”

Lee stares at you and waits. He waits for your reaction, your character, the potential volume of your heart. He sits and stares, looking for any judgment in your eyes. He knows how mature and grounded you are, Neji and Guy Sensei have helped him see those traits in admirable people. But you’re going to have to accept all of him if he’s going to give you all of him.

You turn your head, scanning the area for the nearest waiter. Luckily there’s one who’s an earshot away from you. To Lee’s confusion, you summon them for assistance.

“Hi, how can I help you?” Inquires the waiter.

“May I have a glass of orange juice, please? I’d like to return the wine.”

Lee’s eyes widen, wondering why his lungs no longer feel like they’re being buried by dumbbells. But rather, they feel like an inflated balloon, like a sky lantern floating gracefully into the atmosphere until they look like one of the infinite stars so impossibly far away. Except, you’re right in front of him.

“Yes, of course.” The waiter grabs the glass and bottle of Riesling, retreating to the kitchen.

“Thank you,” you mumble, mindlessly watching them walk away.

A heavy sigh pulls you from your trance. You turn your attention to the man before you, his chin resting on his palm while dreamily gazing at you.

“Why did you do that?” He blinks slowly, and the nonchalance of his grin almost perfectly masks his bewilderedness.

“Because I'm proud of you! Five years is no easy milestone.”

Lee leans back against his seat, carefully drinking in the subtle meekness in your eyes. Yes, you were a bit nervous, twiddling with your nails while wondering if the gesture you just pulled was really necessary.

“No one’s ever done something like that for me before. Thank you, angel.”

Lee raises his chin, briefly facing the decorated ceiling with his eyes closed while reveling in this moment you’ve blessed him with.

“Of course…!” You lean a tad bit forward, folding your hands on the dining table. “ You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. In body and spirit.”

A hearty chuckle slips through Lee’s lips, and the sound rumbles through your brain.

The waiter comes back with the orange juice and pours you a new drink. You thank them as they leave and raise your glass towards the man before you.

“To five years?” You prompt with a shy smile stretching your thick lips.

Lee straightens his posture, and reaches for his drink. He ascends the glass and clinks it gently against yours, the look on his face so relaxed and at peace. A quiet sombreness radiates from the satisfaction of this precious moment because of the unbearable days he had to bear just to experience it. And yet, that resentful trail of suffering led him to share an intimacy with someone he never ever thought he’d encounter. You are invaluable, and he’s gonna make sure you enjoy every second you spend with him.

“To five years.”

-

The ride back to your place is a bit noisier, y’all don’t sing this time but rather continue the intellectually fruitful and deeply polarizing conversations you shared back at the restaurant. So much depth:

“Fave powerpuff girl?”

Lee takes a shallow breath at your question, pondering on how to answer most truthfully.

“Y’know, quite a few people thought I liked Buttercup because we both have short black hair and our color is green but…” Lee kisses his teeth in thought while steadily swerving onto the next block..

“Bubble’s innocent naivety and relentless bliss always resonated with me,” he shrugs while looking ahead. “I wanted to be the ‘happiest citizen of Townsville’ for the sixth year in a row when I was a toddler.”

You snort, resting your elbow below the passenger window. “You know, she gets extremely aggressive when she’s mad though.”

“Another reason why I love her! She’s so underestimated as a fighter but is the most feared by Mojo Jojo himself.”

You loll your head in Lee’s direction. “Jojo is not a very impressive villain. I mean, you didn’t forget about HIM, did you?”

Lee catches a glimpse of how your pretty eyes slant a bit when you playfully smirk at him, an image he snapshots with his brain.

“Who can forget the most manipulative, morally inept character in that show? S’why he’s so interesting!”

“His fashion sense is interesting too,” you remark while recollecting the character’s iconic design. “Wanted to dress up as him for Halloween back in kindergarten.”

Lee bellows at the thought of a tiny version of you embellished in red crab hands and a pointy chin beard.  Shameless laughter has never sounded sexy to you. But after seeing his cheeks rise and eyes crinkle shut in hopeless glee; after seeing the way his sharp jaw falls open to let out that deep bass rumbling through the car. You want to make him do it again. You want to drink it in, to feel him do it again.

“You’d look so adorable,” he wheezes while resting his forehead against the wheel.

You try to ignore the effect he has on you. You try to ignore how contagious he is, but a few sniggers escape your lips in merry futility.

“Thank you…” you turn to look through your passenger window, taking in the streets and architecture that look more and more similar to your home as Lee drives by. 

“Your Bubbles cosplay would be quite convincing, if I do say so myself.” You add.

“Don't tempt me, princess.” Lee continues to look ahead, but you can see a sneer creep up his handsome features in a way that makes you cackle unabashedly.

-

“This is you, right?”

“Yep!”

Your date pulls up right in front of your apartment, and you reflect on your time with him while he unplugs the key from his car. You had so much fun; didn’t feel stressed in any way, you ate good, you learned so much more about Lee than you ever expected to; you secretly hope he knows more about you too.

Lee steps out of the car and opens your side of the door. He offers his hand for you to balance yourself as you step onto the jagged pavement. While nodding your head in gratitude, you feel your pores prick open at the rough texture of his palm. His fingers are solid and scarred, yet so soothingly warm just for you.

Before you take out your keys to unlock the gate, you turn to face the man’s chest before you. You look up to find those big eyes, and his gaze consumes you; he tucks his hands in his pockets, sighing as he stares lovingly at you; lidded eyes and a lazy smile, you got him on cloud nine. It gives you the urge to cower, but you don’t want to. The way he is looking at you right now, with such an undeniable bliss, urges you to face the fear. To judge yourself a little less. It’s quiet for a few moments, the both of you kinda just stare at each other but it’s comfortable. Not awkward, just the both of you. No one else. 

“I don’t want this night to end.” You pout, a little whine erupting in your throat.

Lee chuckles lowly at the adorable sight, quietly grateful that you show this side of yourself to him.

“It doesn’t have to,” his tender tone sugarcoats the fearless conviction in his words.

You briefly shut your eyes in a frown and take a deep breath. “Yes… yes it does.”

Lee’s smile doesn’t even falter, he’s simply grateful that you blessed him with your precious time and presence.

“Well,” he sighs. “I had a wonderful time with you. You’re wonderful, y’know that?” The bass in his voice rasps you away into the air while simultaneously grounding you. Your eyes drop to your heels so you can hide your silly grin. 

Lee takes a step closer, and he can smell the vanilla and honey wafting from your shiny coils. The warm cologne radiating from his body starts to insulate your own. His throat bobs with every subtle gulp, and you feel like taking a step back because it’s so much but not even close to enough.

A tiny gasp escapes your lips when Lee gently cups your chin with his hand, slowly tilting your head up so you can look him in the eyes. He tightens his grip on your cheeks, just enough to watch your lips squish cutely together.

“You know that, right sweetheart?” 

Oh. So it’s like that.

Didn’t take him for a fucking tease, you think.

“Right,” you whisper mindlessly. ”But if I’m so wonderful…”

 You gulp, “Then why don’t you kiss me already?”

Lee’s smirk grows back. There you go, he thinks. Demand what’s yours.

The man before you swipes a careful thumb over your bottom lip before dragging his other fingertips across your cheek. He caresses the smooth skin before gripping the back of your neck, and pulls you in.

Your hands instinctively find their place on his chest to brace yourself.

His mouth hovers just a stray hair from yours, and you can feel his minty breath set your goosebumps aflame. He languidly plants his lips onto your plush ones, groaning at how pillowy they are. Lee shamelessly expressing how good you make him feel makes you squirm slightly against his hold. He slowly snakes an arm around the small of your back, tugging you closer until your torsos press together. His hands massage your waist and upper back while holding you, appreciating as much of your body as he can. The print of his abs poke your soft tummy through his shirt and you melt against him, letting your shaky hands run up his chest until they grasp onto the junction between his neck and shoulders. Lee angles his head to deepen the kiss, your breaths get heavier and you start panting at how overwhelming he’s being.

He loosens his jaw to lick a teasing stripe up the corner of your lips, silently requesting more access which goes straight to your poor pussy. Your tongues mold together, muffling the pathetic whimpers that escape your mouth and Lee swallows the delectable sound. It’s filthy... You love it so much.

You haven’t been kissed like this in at least three years, don’t even know what to do with yourself anymore. You feel like this man’s delving into your soul, peeling you layer by layer with just his mouth. You can only imagine a pleasure that the rest of his body would drown you in.

You start feeling antsy, like if you don’t stop now Lee will take you to a corner store for some plan b. You scream inwardly, knowing you’ll be fucking your toy until its battery dies instead when you go upstairs. So you gently shove him away, causing your spit-slicked lips to separate with a lewd ‘pop’. Lee releases your waist, watching you inhale deeply as you awkwardly button his suit jacket.

“See you at the dojo. And get home safely,” you whisper with a tight smile, patting his chest conclusively before walking to your gate. The jingling of your keys snaps Lee out of his trance, a meek little “I will” tumbling from his lips before he retreats back into his vehicle.

Lee runs a tired hand through his black strands, lazily holding some hair in his fist while replaying his new three months worth of daydreaming fantasies. God you’re so divine to him; your lips are divine, the way your eyebrows scrunched together when he tongue-fucked your mouth was divine, how your tits pressed against him when he held you was divine, your needy voice when he french kissed you just how you like was divine. And the way Lee looks down to see a tent in his pants- beads of precum seeping into the fabric- harbors peak divinity.

-

You open your apartment door, catching Bria snuggling with your Kuromi in a blissful slumber. After closing the door behind you, you kick off your heels and pad your way to your bedroom. You decide to sleep naked tonight, chilling under your comforter while scrolling through Instagram.

Your phone vibrates and Temari’s caller ID pops up on your screen.

I haven’t heard from her in a while, you wonder. How’s she been doing?

You answer.

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