#I LOVE a green and orange palette but I will almost never use one just because I feel like it

[chiropteracupola]

And come awa' wi' me...

[wolf-antonia and her uncles - requested by @seaglassandeelgrass]

[btsgotjams27]

perfect palette | jjk

vegas isn’t your first choice, but you love your best friend and are willing to do anything for her, including planning her bachelorette party. everything is all set, ready to go for the last day, until you receive a text from the model you’ve hired. he’s out sick but have no fear, he’s sent the next best thing to replace him for the night.

✨ title: perfect palette

✨ pairing: jungkook x f!reader (nicknamed Ro)

✨ genre/au: slice of life, light angst | model!jk, las vegas!au

✨ rating: m/18+ | ✨ word count: 7.5k

✨ warnings: language, drinking, mild nudity, jungkook + reader are tipsy, kissing, reader is nicknamed Ro but is only called by her name a handful of times.

✨ a/n: hi again! so this idea came to me when i was in vegas lmao, and the painting idea is from 'this is us' (the show). i just thought it was a fun premise. i hope you enjoy it.

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

Your head is pounding, and your stomach is growling. As you pop your head up, you notice the hotel room is a complete mess: furniture has been knocked over, empty tequila and champagne bottles litter the room, and clothes and money are scattered across the floor.

A low, muffled groan startles you, making you cover up with the duvet. You definitely don’t remember sleeping with someone. Your mind races, attempting to recall last night’s shenanigans.

Whoever is next to you mumbles under their breath and turns over on their stomach. The silver chain that’s adorning their neck glimmers from the sunlight peeking through the blinds. You can’t help but notice their broad chiseled back and the markings on it. No, they’re not scratches from nails—they’re purple lines, going from one beauty mark to the next, and each mark is surrounded by a pair of red lips. Turning your hand over, you see it’s stained with purple, matching the color on their back.

What the fuck happened last night, you think.

You lean over, peering at the mysterious person. A scalloped tattoo delicately covers their shoulder and the rest of their arm is covered in ink. You giggle when you discover the tattoos are colored an array of hues—blue, red, green, and orange. It looks almost like a child was told to have fun and went wild with coloring.

The person groans again, switching to lay on their back side. You pull back, holding the duvet up to your chin. A small gasp comes out when you recognize the mystery person—it’s Jeon Jungkook, your old college buddy. Five years have passed since you last saw him at graduation. Last you heard, he was in Los Angeles, taking a jab at modeling and acting. Well, with his perfect face and body (your eyes quickly scanned over him), who would say no to him?

The real question now was, how did he end up in Vegas, and specifically in your hotel room?

—

The day before.

“Ro, cheer up please. We’re in Vegas, not a funeral,” Lottie says, swiping on a pink lip stain. “You’re only gonna feel like shit if you keep scrolling through those photos.”

Lottie’s right because looking through your ex-college sweetheart’s wedding photos is not doing anything for you. Four years of committing to a man who said he never wanted to get married, but there he was with a ring on his finger.

Your phone is swiped from your hand. “Hey!” you protest, standing to snatch it back. “Give it to me!”

“No! I will not let my maid-of-honor mope around like a sad puppy. Forget Jimin! He’s a married man now and a Libra—an October Libra too, I might add. That should’ve been a red flag right off the bat!”

She’s been your work wife for the past three years, and the two of you bonded over talking shit about your boss and colleagues. The only anecdotes she knew of Jimin were the ones you spilled on drunken nights.

“Lottie, give me my phone. I have to make sure everything is ready for tonight. It has to be perfect,” you explain, holding out your hand, insisting she gives it to you. But it was an excuse to keep lurking.

The itinerary for today consisted of: brunch, pool and cocktails, dinner at Hell’s Kitchen, then a night of painting–naked painting you should add. As if the Magic Mike show wasn't enough skin for Lottie and the rest of the crew. You somehow stumbled upon a small business, ‘Perfect Palette’ combining models and painting into one. This would be the next closest thing to being with a fully naked man. It's been a hot minute since you've seen one.

The bride-to-be reluctantly hands over the phone and you're scrolling through emails, switching apps to confirm everything.

“Take a chill pill, babe. Everything doesn't have to be perfect, but I am excited about painting tonight!” Lottie smiles and claps, then leans over to give you a hug. “Okay! Time to get ready for brunch.” She runs off to the restroom. “And no more pining over Jimin, please!” She yells back.

It's hard not to look through the photos of your ex-boyfriend because it was supposed to be you, not the woman he's kissing and holding. If only you could go back to graduation and fix things between you and Jimin…maybe life would've turned out differently for you.

As you open up Instagram (your burner account, obviously), you see a new post of him and his wife on a plane with the caption, “Can't wait to honeymoon in Bali.”

Bali was your dream honeymoon location.

With a heavy sigh, flinging yourself onto the bed, you turn off your phone. Lottie’s always right—this is depressing.

A ding goes off and you're hoping it's just one of the girls confirming the schedule for today. Grabbing your phone, you hold it above you, the screen illuminating your face.

The notification reads:

Namjoon 8:30 AM

Hey. I came down with the stomach bug so I can't make it tonight, but don't worry, I'm sending the next best thing to replace me. I promise the bride and your girls will love him. He's a newbie but he's just as beefy if not more than me. Have fun tonight.

You turn the phone over and rub your hand over your face. Great, just my luck, you think.

Well, whoever this person is, you hope he’s worth what you’re paying for.

–

The Primrose restaurant is the perfect spot to finish off a weekend in Vegas. It’s bustling with groups similar to yours—probably other brides and bridesmaids celebrating a last hoorah before committing yourself to one person for the rest of your life. At this point it seems silly, doesn’t it? Being with someone, choosing them on a daily basis, loving them for all their faults, but who are you kidding? You’re a hopeless romantic now waiting for your charming prince.

Gwen and Ivy sit across from you and Lottie, whispering and pointing to their phone like two high school girls. You don’t doubt they’re plotting something. You just hope it doesn’t involve more naked men, minus the one you’ll see tonight. There are only so many ripped abs you can take.

“What are you two whispering about?” Lottie asks while narrowing her eyes. She holds her glass of mango mimosa, taking a sip.

“Nothing!” They both speak in tandem and Lottie makes a face at the two.

“No surprises,” you plead with your friends. “The rest of the day is already planned.”

“Don’t worry, babe! We’re not planning anything else,” Gwen reassures.

“It’s just that—” Ivy is cut off when Gwen jabs her in the ribs. “Ow!”

Gwen puts her phone down, hiding it under her thigh. “It’s nothing that concerns you.”

“But it does—kind of—” Ivy interjects. “Jimin and his wife—they’re pregnant.” She grabs Gwen’s phone, showing a photo of Jimin kissing his wife’s belly.

“Oh,” you say softly. “That’s great. I’m really happy for him.”

You hate to admit it, but it stings. He’s living the life you dreamed of with him. The big house, big cars, but someone else got the big ring. And now they’re starting a family? Everyone seems to be moving forward, but it feels like you’re at standstill. It’d be amazing to have a man plop in your lap, but life just doesn’t seem to be going your way.

Clearing your throat, “Should we get ready for the pool?”

—

It doesn’t matter how many times you tug down your swimsuit, it keeps riding up in all the wrong places. The white linen shorts and tie top aren’t doing you any favors either by being paper thin.

The pool is bustling with hoards of party-goers. They’re laughing, drinking, and having the time of their life. An ex-boyfriend’s current life shouldn’t be affecting yours—but it is. You wish you could let go, let loose, forget everything related to Park Jimin. You’d rather be consumed by anything, anyone other than him.

Lottie’s at the bar, ordering a round of drinks. Gwen and Ivy are grabbing the attention of four guys. And it’s the last night before returning to reality, so you should be having fun, flirting, and making a fool of yourself to someone whom you’ll never see again. That’s what Vegas is for, right?

As a maid of honor, you’re definitely not living up to the hype and you know Lottie’s disappointed expression like the back of your hand, and yet you can’t unbunch your panties that are in a twist. The effects of the morning mimosas have worn off, and maybe you need something stronger. Hell—even a gummy sounds tempting at this point. Anything to forget how miserable your love life is.

“You’re still thinking about him, aren’t you?” Lottie asks. You shake your head no, but she knows you. She sits down, taking your hands. “Look, I’m sorry about Jimin. It sucks that he got married even though he said he never wanted to—” You’re ready to interrupt but she stops you, placing her index finger on your lips.

“Bup-bup-bup. I know what you’re going to say, but don’t,” Lottie implores, pleading with her eyes. She knows how much you torment yourself with lowly thoughts.

You want to say that there’s definitely something wrong with you. Why else would Jimin say one thing to you about marriage and then do the complete opposite?

“You’re more than enough, so please don’t think otherwise. Don’t let this one guy determine the course of your future relationships. He’s not worth your time and energy.”

Tears began to well behind your eyes as she continued, “You deserve to have some fun. So please, can we enjoy this last night together before we have to go back to our real lives?” Lottie pouts along with puppy eyes.

Lottie’s always right and that’s what you love about her. You hate that you’ve been a poor sport this weekend when you’re supposed to be celebrating your friend and having fun. You’ve been busy moping over a man who is now married with a child on the way. It’s a pathetic way to spend your last night in Vegas.

You let out a deep breath, expelling all the bad energy you’ve harnessed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve been the worst maid of honor, but have no fear!” A server brings over the drinks that Lottie ordered, you pick up your Paloma cocktail and an oversized margarita, handing it to the bride-to-be. “Let’s have the best night. Cheers!” you say, clinking your glass against hers.

—

Tequila is one of your worst enemies, but also the best way for you to loosen up your limbs and lips.

By the time the four of you arrive at the hotel room, you’re unsure if you can even pick up a paintbrush, let alone even get paint on a canvas.

“Oh, I’m sorry, sorry that you love me! Change my mind up like it’s origami!”

The trio of you, Ivy, and Gwen are linked arm in arm trying to fit through the door while singing at the top of your lungs.

“Ugh—I swear Tate McRae is my spirit animal,” you say, turning to Gwen. “You know, she just gets it. Always gets me in my sad girl hours and then has me dancing the next.”

“I’m a-I’m a-I’m a wild ride that never stops!” Ivy continues singing, letting go of the two of you while Lottie trails behind. Someone has to be the semi-sober one.

“Hey Ro—they’re bringing everything right?” Lottie asks you.

“Yeah, the guy will bring the supplies. There’s an area cleared out for him. I’m gonna freshen up then I’ll be out.”

“I’m ready for a man to bare it all and ask nothing of me in return,” Gwen comments, taking a seat on the couch.

You chuckle, shaking your head at your friend. Hopefully, it’ll be the last naked man you’ll see this weekend. But either way, you’re sure you’ll enjoy this last activity.

The powder puff pats against your skin, making dust fly everywhere. Taking a step back, you give yourself the once-over in the mirror, but not before swiping a red stain on your lips. You don’t want to look disheveled for this naked guest. Apparently, he’s the ‘next best thing’ next to Namjoon, and you saw Namjoon’s photo on the website. You’re curious to see this mystery man and how this evening will end up.

As the door is ajar, you can hear the girls talking amongst themselves along with giggles. Whoever this guy is, he must be living up to their standards.

You’re unsure what to expect, how everything will turn out. Is this model fully naked? Are they covered? Do you keep your art piece? How are you supposed to bring a canvas of a naked man on a plane without receiving a few stares? You definitely didn’t think this part through.

“Ro! Get your butt out here. We’re gonna start painting soon!” Gwen yells, making you sprint out the door and into a curious situation.

Four canvases on easels and paint palettes on stools surround the model. His back is turned to you and he’s already half-naked with only a towel wrapped around his waist. One arm is completely inked from the top of his shoulder to his wrist. When he turns around and your jaw drops, not because he’s built like a Greek god (well, yeah he is), but because you recognize the half-naked man.

“Jeon Jungkook?” 

“Ro?” His eyes light up and he secures his towel, tucking it in his waist. “What are you doing here?”

You step toward him and the girls. “What am I doing here? What are you doing here?”

Jungkook rubs the back of his neck. “Err—”

Lottie clears her throat, blinking at you and then Jungkook. “Um, excuse me. How do you two know each other?”

The pair of you give each other a look and chuckle before you answer. “Oh, we went to college together.”

“Just went to college together? Nothing more?” Ivy narrows her eyes at you, trying to figure out if you’re lying.

“What? No! We’re just friends. I was with Jimin, remember?” A pathetic reminder of your past relationship and now non-existent one.

“Uh huh,” Lottie remarks, taking a stride to you, pulling you in. “I wanna hear all the details about that one later.”

“There’s nothing to tell,” you whisper. “We’re friends—nothing more.” Catching Jungkook’s gaze, you smile softly before taking your seat on the stool.

“Are you ladies ready?” Jungkook asks, ripping off his towel, only to reveal another small hand towel covering his crotch.

The girls are yelping and hollering. You can’t help but cover your eyes, giggling at the fact that you’ll be painting one of your friends—naked.

—

Jungkook’s surrounded by the four of you. His pose is simple, straight forward. Literally straight forward because he’s facing you, knees slightly bent as he’s sitting on the stool. Your eyes have caught his every now and again, but he's focused on something past you.

Every inch of him is chiseled like a statue right out of Ancient Greece. From his jawline, to his collarbone, to his sculpted chest and not one, two, three, four, but eight pack abs. How is it that some people are just born to look like a Greek god? You didn’t think God had favorites, but Jeon Jungkook definitely proves you wrong.

Studying Jungkook’s physique for the past hour has made you realize how intimate this feels. Although the pair of you were friends in school, this is the most time you’ve spent with him outside of it, and the most time you’ve spent just looking at him. He is definitely a pretty boy with a soft, sweet energy.

Your brows are knitted, biting your bottom lip, trying to figure out how to paint his inked arm. It’s looking more and more like a glob than anything distinguishable. It’s when your eyes catch his and he’s doing that smile, the one where one side curves up, and it makes your heart skip a beat.

Jungkook’s eyes flick to the large clock in the living area. “Okay, ladies. It looks like time is up. How did everyone’s painting turn out?” There are groans and grumbles coming from the four of you. Jungkook chuckles, “Aw, come on. It can’t be that bad.”

He turns, fetching a robe behind him, slipping it on to cover himself. Jungkook takes it upon himself to check out everyone’s canvases, and you’re dreading the moment when he approaches yours.

You clutch it, holding it close to your body, and you have no intention of Jungkook ever seeing it.

He tilts his head, giving you a look. “Ro—it can’t be that bad.”

“Trust me, it is!” You turn, hoping to somehow destroy it before leaving tomorrow morning. It’s not that Jungkook looks horrible—it’s that you’re a horrible painter. But your death grip isn’t as strong as he is. With a sigh, you hand it over to him.

Jungkook nods with a pout on his lips. “It’s…”

“Horrible—I know.”

“No, no. I’d say it has an abstract feeling to it. I like it.” He gives a bright smile, returning the canvas to you.

You give him a thin smile, knowing that he’s just saying it because it’s his job. “By the way, you’re really good at this gig, but are you still pursuing the whole modeling thing?”

“I’m still doing that. I just do this gig for fun on the weekends. I mean, I get to meet cool, and sometimes crazy people and the money isn’t bad either.”

“Alright, ladies and gentleman. Tequila, anyone?” Gwen suggests as she wiggles her eyebrows, holding up the bottle. No one answers which makes her frown. “Aw, come on!”

“I’m game. What about you Ro?” Jungkook’s eyebrows are raised, eyes practically pleading for you to say yes. “One for me?”

You know it’s never ‘just one’ with Jungkook. You’ve seen first hand what that one line does to people, but you take the risk. “Okay, Jeon—just one.”

Everyone else gives in, raising and clinking their glasses to toast the bachelorette. Expelled breaths come from everyone after knocking back the clear liquor.

“Round two?” Jungkook asks, extending his glass toward Gwen in which she happily obliges.

You smirk, shaking your head as you catch Jungkook’s gaze.

—

It didn’t take long until you were feeling euphoric from the alcohol coursing through your veins. You’re always on cloud nine when you drink Tequila.

Lottie called it quits after her fifth shot. Gwen and Ivy are also well on their way to sleeping like babies. But you and Jungkook? You both have caught a second wind of energy.

“Ugh, I’m so hungry!” you exclaim, rubbing your belly as it growls. Jungkook’s trying to hold in a laugh. With a gasp, you turn to him, slapping his back, which is firm to the touch. “Shut up! Drinking makes me hungry.”

“Okay then, let’s get some room service. What are you craving?” 

You tap your cheek with your index finger, combing through the many options. “Pizza. No—wait, chicken wings.” Jungkook closes his eyes and hums. “No, nope! I want a juicy, juicy hamburger…with…with…” Your brain is obviously short-circuiting.

“Fries?” Jungkook answers.

“Yes! Fries! And a milkshake!”

“We can do that. I’ll call it in.”

An hour has passed and you and Jungkook are sprawled out on the bed, bellies full and minds are swirling.

“Oh man, I haven’t done anything like this in such a long time,” you admit, turning over onto your belly. You lay your head in the crook of your arm, facing Jungkook.

“What? Eating?” he teases.

You giggle. “No—getting tipsy and I don’t know, just being free.”

“This is you being free?” Jungkook raises a brow. “I gotta get some more tequila in you then.” He proceeds to get up, but you pull him back.

“No, no, no. Trust me, this is good. I don’t wanna black-out.”

“Okay, how about some champagne then? Just to celebrate your last night here,” Jungkook suggests.

You know you’ll regret it, but you agree. “Just one bottle.” Besides you already paid for it, you wouldn’t want it to go to waste.

He sprints out of the bedroom to the bar area to grab a bottle and two glasses. You can’t help but notice how his biceps flex as he pours the two of you a glass.

“To—”

“Lottie,” you finish his sentence.

“To Lottie.” He clinks his glass with yours before chugging down his bubbly.

You stare blankly at the Greek god himself. “You’re trying to get me drunk, aren’t you?”

His lips thin into a smile. “I’m not doing anything…”

“Mmhm.” You take a gulp of your glass. You’re sure that if Jungkook were to ask you to do something, you’d say yes in a heartbeat. He made being around him comfortable and you always felt at ease.

“So, what should we do now?”

Your lips turn into a pout, peering around the room before a lightbulb goes off. “Ah! I have just the thing.” You rush over to your luggage, rummaging through it. Turning around, you wave a box of double tipped markers.

Jungkook knits his brows together. “And what do you think you’re going to do with those?”

You giggle. “You’ll see!”

—

Your tongue is out, concentrating on the purple line connecting from one beauty mark to the next. You’ve forced Jungkook to lie on his belly as you’re hunched over, straddling his legs.

“Don’t move!”

He relaxes, letting you continue on. Capping the purple marker, you set it aside. You’re giggling, tracing the line across his back and you can feel him squirm under your touch.

“You finished or what?” He peers over his shoulder but you turn him away.

"Just need to add the finishing touches." Leaning forward, you press your lips to the first beauty mark on his mid back, leaving a lipstick stain. Then you move to the next one beneath his shoulder blade, and continue on. His skin is smooth and warm under your lips, and though it's faint, you think you hear a low groan from him.

You sit up, adjusting your position, staring at the artwork you’ve created on Jungkook’s back. “Done—with your back at least. Now onto your arms.”

—

Jungkook turns his head to see what you’re coloring, flexing his bicep, making you color outside the lines.

“Oh my god! You made me mess up!” You try wiping the color, but it doesn’t budge. “You did it on purpose.”

“I did not! Why do you need to color inside the lines anyway?” he asks before returning to his previous position, resting his head on his arm.

“Because…that’s the way you’re supposed to color.” Taking an orange marker, you continue shading in his cloud tattoo.

“You don’t always have to follow the rules,” he breathed, gazing up at you.

“I know…” you mumble. Your eyes flick to his then back to the tattoo. You hate when things are not in your control. There were a handful of moments in your life when shit hit the fan and chaos ensued—Jimin being one of them.

You clear your throat, grabbing a yellow marker to color in a gradient effect. “And are you the type to not follow the rules?”

Jungkook chuckles, “I guess we don’t know each other well huh?”

“Well, I was practically glued to Jimin when we were in school.”

“What happened with you guys anyway? I thought you guys were like soulmates or something.”

“We just wanted different things,” you mumble, not wanting to elaborate. “What about you, hmm? Being a model in LA and Vegas? I’m sure you have women wanting to crawl into bed all the time.”

His gaze catches yours. “Exhibit A.”

You scoff. “Hey! We’re friends—that’s the only reason why you’re in my bed.”

“Uh huh. I saw the way you were eyeing me during the painting session. Don’t tell me you weren’t thinking about it,” Jungkook teases, making you stop coloring, and pinch his underarm. “Ow, ow, ow! Okay, just kidding!” He moves away, but you pull him back.

“Hey! I’m almost done coloring,” you say, gripping tighter onto his arm.

“That’s not fair. Only you get to color me?”

You sigh, tilting your head. “I’ll let you draw one thing on me.”

“Can I pick the location of where to draw it?”

“As long as it’s not my tits or ass.”

Jungkook lets out a hearty laugh. “Alright, how about your—”

Your hand flies to cover his mouth, knowing exactly what he’s going to say. “Jeon Jungkook! That’s a hard no!”

“You practically saw my junk and I can’t see yours?”

“Well, I paid for it.”

“I can pay you too.”

You gasp. “You can’t just buy me.”

“Fine. Give me a few options and I’ll choose the placement.”

It would be easy to choose a place more visible, but you’re feeling frisky. “My hip or my back.”

Jungkook lips his licks, eyes flicking to your hips then back up at you. “And I can draw anything I want?”

You hum with a nervous tremble. You’re sure he wouldn’t draw anything ridiculous. “I trust you.”

“‘Kay then, turn over on your belly. Top off.”

Sitting up, facing Jungkook, your hands fall to the first button on your linen vest. Your eyes never leave his as you continue to unfasten the rest, then you toss it aside, revealing a blush pink see-through bra with floral detailing. Jungkook is trying his best to not let his eyes wander lower and you’re trying to do the same. Yes, you’ve stared at his half-naked body for an hour tonight, but you didn’t have the chance to explore it up close.

“Is this okay?” You know it is, but you’d like confirmation.

“Mmm.” He gestures for you to lie down, and you do as he asks.

Jungkook reaches for a black marker, the tip is thinner than the others. He shifts his position a few times before lying comfortably next to you. The warmth from his body radiates, heating up against your skin. You lie on top of your crossed arms, facing him, wondering what he’s planning to draw. Maybe some flowers or stars.

His brows are knitted as he’s concentrated on where to begin. He starts on the middle of your back, drawing circular shapes from what you can tell. The tip of the marker grazes back and forth, and his hand and fingers emanate a gentle touch upon your skin.

He’s quite handsome, you think. Even the scar etched on his cheek has a certain beauty, and his nose must be a butterflies favorite place to land on.

“Is it okay if I unhook this?”

“Hmm?”

“Your um,” he clears his throat. “Your bra.”

You’ve been too focused on Jungkook’s face, you hadn’t realized he was halfway down your back. “Yeah, um, go for it.”

He unhooks your bra in one fell swoop and the sides of your bra fall to the side. Continuing with his design, he concentrates on the smallest details going down your spine. Your eyes flutter shut as his warm breath softly fans the wet ink on your skin.

“Are you seeing anyone?” Jungkook asks, trying to make conversation, realizing he doesn’t know you well, besides when you were with Jimin.

“Single as can be. What about you? A girlfriend? Friends with benefits? Situationship?”

Jungkook laughs. “What kind of life do you think I lead here, hm? That’s a lot of assumptions about me.”

“I don’t know. I just assume that someone that looks like you would have someone is all.”

“Well, I’m also single, and I’m a more monogamous kinda guy.”

“You are?” you question with a dramatic gasp. “That comes as a nice surprise. Maybe we should go get married tonight in a chapel,” you joke.

“With a few more drinks in me, I’m sure I’d say yes to anything.”

“Stop—don’t tempt me.”

“I’m serious. I’m ready to meet someone and do the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing, but a lot of the people I meet just want sex.”

“I’m sorry, did I just meet a guy who doesn’t want sex?”

Jungkook deadpans. “I didn’t say I don’t want sex. I do—I just wanna be a romantic and spoil someone.”

“Oh, well, you can always wine and dine me. I won’t object,” you tease.

As Jungkook continues drawing, the pads of his fingers create a light buzz of electricity, from one end to the other. Your eyes flutter shut, relishing from his soft touch. You almost let out a low moan but catch yourself when he gets to a ticklish spot near your ribs.

“Jungkook?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think the right person will come along for you?”

A beat passes before he answers. “Yeah, I think so. Whoever they are, I just know that I'm probably not ready to meet them yet, but the right time will come.”

“But what if the right person came at the wrong time?”

“Or…you were the right person in the wrong place,” he suggests. “Are you talking about Jimin?”

“Yeah, I've been trying to avoid talking about him. He recently got married and his wife is pregnant too.”

“Ah, don't tell me you're feeling shitty? ‘Cause you shouldn't.”

A sad chuckle leaves your lips. “I'm pretty sure I fumbled it.”

Jungkook stops drawing on your back, softly calling your name, in which you hesitate to look at him for fear of bursting into tears.

“Hey…you didn't fumble anything. Pretty sure it's Jimin’s loss.”

“You're sweet, Kook. Thanks.”

Jungkook continues on his quest to finish his drawing.

“Is it almost finished?” you ask, clearing your throat. The tequila and champagne are starting to wear off and tomorrow’s reality is beginning to settle in. Tonight feels like a dream and you don’t want to wake up.

He hums. “Almost. Just a few more details then we’ll be good to go.” Short strokes lightly mark across your back and he doesn’t break his concentration. He continues for a few minutes before closing the cap. “Done. Wanna see?”

“I’m not gonna lie. I’m low-key scared to see what it is.”

Jungkook straightens his posture then reaches for his phone. “You have nothing to be scared of. It’s pretty. I promise.” He takes a photo, showing it to you.

Though the drawing session didn’t feel long, you could see the intricate detailing he went into drawing the moon phases down your back.

Sitting up then turning away from Jungkook, you use your arm to cover your breasts and secure your bra. “Are you always good at everything?” you ask, standing and walking over to the dresser, you pull out an oversized shirt, slipping it on, then you grab the tequila bottle and two shot glasses. There’s just enough to end the night.

Jungkook shifts to the edge of the bed, legs spread, and you slot yourself right in between. “Nah, I’m not good at everything.”

“Oh yeah? What are you not good at?” you ask, making him hold a glass while you pour his then yours.

He chuckles, looking away, then back up at you. “For starters, I’m not good at flirting.”

“You’re lying.” Your eyes lock in on his as you set the empty bottle down on the floor.

“I’m not.”

“Okay, practice on me then,” you say, trying to persuade him.

“A bit of liquid courage might help.”

You raise your glass and clink it against his. “Bottoms up.” The both of you wince as you knock them back, tossing the glasses on the carpeted flooring.

“Better?” you inquire, wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders, playing with the hair along the nape of his neck. Jungkook’s fingers delicately trace up and down your thighs, sending tingles across every inch of skin. His eyes are so starry, you’ll gladly get lost in them.

“You’re pretty.”

“Could say the same about you,” you giggle, twirling his hair in your fingers. “You’re right.”

Jungkook closes his eyes, reveling at your touch against his skin. “Mm, about what?”

“That you’re bad at flirting.” Your eyes linger on his lips, wondering what they taste like and how much you’d like to kiss the chocolate chip mole right underneath his bottom lip.

He lets out a soft chuckle, looking down at his feet then back at you. “Told you,” he says as he pulls away, propping himself up on the bed. He scans you from head to toe, loving the fact that you’re in between his legs. Hasn't seen you in years, but he’s intrigued.

Letting out a yawn, you cover your mouth then apologize.

“Damn, didn’t think my non-flirting would put you to sleep.”

You laugh. “It’s been a long day and it’ll be an even longer one tomorrow.”

“Right, I should head out too.” Jungkook shifts, scooting to the edge of the bed but you don’t budge.

“Do you wanna stay? Since it’s pretty late already.” Nearly 3 AM and you know you’ll regret this but right now, you’ll indulge in whatever’s left of this trip.

Jungkook’s silent for a moment before answering, “Sure. I’ll stay.”

You crawl over him, slipping under the covers that have been calling your name for the past few hours. The plush, fluffy pillows are like a cloud as you lay your head down. Jungkook follows your lead, doing the same, facing you. His fringe gently falls, covering his eyes, and you find yourself moving them out of his face.

“You’re cute,” you whisper, letting your finger trace his cheeks to his jawline.

“I don’t really like being cute,” he hums.

“Well, that’s just too damn bad, isn’t it?” You inch closer to him, and can feel the warmth radiating off his body. It feels nice to be in close proximity to another human being again. And you like that there are no expectations. You can just be with Jungkook. The two of you run in the same circle of friends, and he makes you feel safe—like if anything were to happen to you tonight, he’d take care of you.

Your eyes flick to his lips, lingering longer than expected, and your cheeks are warming up, ridding the last bit of alcohol coursing through your veins.

Jungkook moves in, closing the distance. The tip of his nose brushes against yours, lips ghosting each other in a delicate dance before finally meeting in a tender kiss. Time seems to stand still as you melt into each other. Hearts beating in perfect harmony, lost in the sweetness of the moment.

With your breaths mingled, it creates a cocoon of intimacy as you savor the softness of each other's lips. Your fingers entwined in his hair, drawing him closer, bodies pressed together in a silent declaration of desire.

The last leg of this trip was fate trying to make you forget about your worries, and Jungkook was the perfect color to paint over your monochrome palette. 

There’s a longing deep inside you wanting to escape, and as much as you want to release it, you’d rather have him when you’re sober and in the right mindframe.

“Ro…” Jungkook moans as he pulls away, your hands splayed on his taut chest, forehead resting against his.

“Yeah?” you reply, leaning in for another kiss.

“I don’t want you like this,” he says, taking you by surprise, almost like he could read your mind.

Letting out a chuckle, you answer, “No—yeah, makes sense.”

“It’s not that ‘I don’t want you’, I do! I just—don’t want this to turn out like other flings I’ve had in the past because I don’t consider you ‘a fling’ or someone to just toss the next day because we’re friends and I would never do that to—“

You interrupt him with a peck on his lips. “Jungkook. I understand. I feel the same way.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I had a lot of fun tonight and that’s all thanks to you.”

“I didn’t do much.”

“No, you did! You helped me loosen up.”

“I’m sure it was just the champagne and tequila doing all the work.”

“They helped, but it was mostly you.” You smile, letting a beat pass before speaking again. “Should we try to get some sleep?”

He hums, leaning in for a kiss, in which you willingly give. You tug on his silver chain, asking for a few more kisses before letting him go.

Not even three minutes in and Jungkook is already snoring. His chest rising and falling, rumbling like a mountain. It’s cute, you think. Could get used to listening to this, almost like white noise.

You admire how Jungkook lives his life without worries, letting the wind guide him. It might not happen right away, but maybe when you return to reality, you should consider not always staying within the lines. That it’s okay to go out of bounds and live a little. Life shouldn’t be so serious all the time.

—

There’s a light sound of pitter patter sweeping across the floor with shushed ‘Ows’ and ‘shut up’. You weakly open your eyes to see what the commotion is. Your body wants to get up, but the pounding migraine is saying otherwise.

A loud thump makes you blink your eyes open and pop your head up. There’s furniture knocked over, tequila and champagne bottles are scattered everywhere, along with clothes and money.

The low, muffled groan startles you, making you cover yourself with the duvet. They’re facing away and you can’t make out who this mystery person is. You peer over to find a man covered in tattoos, and it looks like a child tried to color inside the tattoo lines but failed miserably.

He mumbles gibberish under his breath and turns over onto his stomach. Great, now you can’t even get a good look at him, you think.

His silver necklace glimmers from the sun peeking through the blinds. And holy shit—his shoulders?

Broad.

Chiseled.

For all you know, he could be some kind of athlete. Then you notice the purple lines on his back, and no—they aren’t scratches from nails, the lines connect from one beauty mark to the next across his back. It’s like one of those connect the dot pictures, except the finished drawing wasn’t anything recognizable. But surrounding each beauty mark is a pair of red lips, and as you look down at your hands, you find that you’re the culprit who must’ve drawn on this man.

What the fuck happened last night, you think.

Another groan escapes the man’s lips and he turns over again. You pull up your side of the duvet, further covering yourself, and the smallest gasp comes out. It’s none other than Jeon Jungkook, an old college buddy.

The duvet is pulled down, covering his bottom half, revealing his taut chest and not one, two, three, four—but an eight pack set of abs. Is it humanly possible to even have more than six?

How did he end up in Vegas? And specifically in your room?

“Jungkook?” you whisper. “Are you awake?”

“Mmm…”

You move closer, feeling the warmth from his body. “Jungkook, it’s time to get up.”

Still half asleep, he wraps his arm around your waist, bringing you flush against him. “Just five more minutes, Ro,” he says, nuzzling into you.

“Jeon Jungkook! What are you doing?”

He chuckles, smiling, finally peeking his eyes open. “You don’t remember anything from last night, do you?”

“I…remember things…” you say, lying through your teeth.

“Oh yeah?” Jungkook moves into a sitting position, turning to you. “So you know we got married, right?”

Your jaw drops and eyes widen. “Oh my god, please tell me you’re lying.”

“You’re the one who suggested it!”

How could you let yourself get married in Las Vegas? And at your best friend’s bachelorette party? It’s not like you’re trying to steal her thunder, quite the opposite, really. This was supposed to be about her, not you. Fuck—Lottie’s going to hate you, isn’t she?

Jungkook quietly watches you freak out. Wonders how long he can let this continue before telling the truth. He thinks you’re cute when you’re all flustered.

“No, we can't be married! I don't even know you and how would this even work? We live like 3000 miles away from each other? And would you move to New York? Or would I move to LA? What if your family doesn't like me? Your friends even? Wait–do you even like me? Oh–Jungkook, how did we let this happen?” you ask, burying your hands in your face.

Question after question runs through your mind and Jungkook is sitting there with a smirk on his face.

“Why aren't you freaking out?” you question, raising an eyebrow.

Jungkook chuckles, leaning over toward you. “You're really cute, you know that?” he says.

Your eyes follow his finger as he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. Clearing your throat, it's time to get down to the important things. “Kook–please! This isn't the time to tell me I'm cute. We have bigger things to worry about. We're married!”

He sucks in his lips, trying to hold in a laugh.

You knit your brows and narrow your eyes. “Unless…we’re not married…”

Jungkook lets out a soft laugh, his finger gently caresses your cheek. “Maybe one day, pretty girl. If we ever get to that stage of course.”

A smack against his arm reverberates throughout the room. “Aye! I'm gonna kill you. You really had me worried.”

He rubs the ruby red spot that's imprinted on his arm. “Why? Because marrying me would've been horrible?”

No, you think, quite the opposite.

“Of course not. It's just, we don't know each other and I wouldn't want you to feel trapped in a marriage,” you explain.

You'd at least wanna go on a real date and get to know him before strapping him down forever.

He nods in agreement. “Well, I had fun last night. Hence all the things I let you do to me.” Jungkook points out the badly colored arm and connect-the-dots on his back.

“Oh, I'm so sorry about that.”

“I'm not. I'm glad you had fun even though you don't remember it.”

“Please tell me I didn't act like an idiot.”

Jungkook laughs, shaking his head. “Nah, you're fine, but uh, I should get going since you have a flight to catch.”

“Oh, shit. My flight.” You reach over to find your phone. It's already 9 AM, and thankfully the airport isn't far away and TSA Pre-check has been a lifesaver.

With another glance, you see your clothes and Jungkook's scattered on the ground. He reaches to grab his shirt and sweats.

“I, um, I was pretty bold last night. Wasn't I?” you were referring to the pair of lips covering his back.

Jungkook snickers. “Yeah, just a bit, but I didn't mind it at all,” he says, slipping his shirt on. He stands, putting his sweats on and you can't help but stare at his peachy ass in his black Calvin Klein–the tight kind. “Do you remember anything else from last night?”

Your mind thinks back to the whirlwind of last night. There was definitely alcohol involved because you only act with confidence under the influence of Tequila.

But a recollection of soft lips and entangled hair between your fingers flutter back into the present just for a fleeting moment.

You shake your head, wanting to keep this memory to yourself.

Jungkook's lips thin into a smile as he ruffles his bed head hair. “Call me next time you're in town?”

You stand to meet him. “Or you can call me when you're in the Big Apple,” you reply, handing him your phone.

He dials your number, so you can have his. “Mm, looks like that confidence hasn't left yet.”

“Mm, I have a smidge of it left.”

“Yeah?” He draws closer, and you nod in agreement.

“Yeah,” you whisper, taking in his warmth and scent.

Last night was hazy but bits and pieces are coming back. You're not sure if a lot of these moments with Jungkook are real or just a dream. You'd like to hope he enjoyed spending time with you as much as you did with him.

“It was really good to see you, Kook.”

“Good to see you too, Ro. Don't be a stranger, okay?” He turns on his heel to open the bedroom door, but turns around to say one last thing. “Oh, and don't worry too much about the right person. Who knows, maybe you’ve met them already.”

You wonder if he's referring to himself. You have to admit, he's been making you smile and laugh more than usual, even making you blush.

“Mm, I'll keep that in mind.”

He flashes a smile, opening the door.

“Jungkook?”

He hums, turning to you again.

You reach up to kiss him on the cheek. “What happened in Vegas, can it not stay in Vegas?”

[andyoullhearitagain]

Top Ten Least Bad Outfits in TNG

I'm gonna be honest and say that the non-uniform outfits in TNG are not my favorite costume design in the world, but there are some looks that stick with me:

10. That Girl Who Kissed Data That One Time's Outfit:

I can never decide if I like this look or I think it's ugly, but I love the pants and tall boots combo. Her blouse is bad and the bouclé jacket is both too heavy and too fussy for this outfit, but I love the belt and suspenders combo, and the chevron embossing on the suspenders. This costume and all the others except #9 is a Robert Blackman design.

9. This Jumpsuit On That Girl From "The Dauphin":

This is the only William Ware Theiss design on this list. I love his TOS stuff but most of his TNG designs leave me cold 🤷‍♀️. But I love this is extremely 80s jumpsuit. Love the pretty drape, love the ruching on the sleeves, love the harem pants silhouette. Only note is that the whole bodice should be a structured corset bodice instead of the kind of odd structured panel it has now.

8. Picard's Shorty Pyjama Set:

TNG is absolutely full of the strangest pyjama choices you can imagine and Picard is no exception but I love this bold look. Would kill for this pyjama set. He also takes a work zoom wearing this one time which is insane.

7. Data's 1890's Looks But Specifically This One With The Shirtsleeves And The Blue Shirt:

The best part of "Time's Arrow" is that Data isn't a fish out of water in the 1890s, he's absolutely killing it, and I love that the only real Casual Data look we get is this one. I prefer the blue shirt to the pink because Data should really wear more blue, it's a nice contrast with yellow. Please also note his emerald watch fob, which was 0% necessary to blend in, he's just having fun with it.

6. 12 Year Old Keiko's Linen Overalls:

The paperbag waist! The bow! The little bows at the shirt cuffs! I can understand why she replicated a miniature copy of this outfit.

5. Beverly and Guinan's Dixon Hill Holodeck Costumes:

I'm counting these as one because they're essentially the same design in different color pallets but what color paletts! Bev is pulling off the very difficult pink+red+red hair and the mint green on Guinan is 🤌. I particularly love how Guinan's hat is so 1940s yet also echos the silhouette of her usual costume.

4. Deanna's Teal Dress:

Like all of you I prefer Deanna in the uniform, but this dress slays, ok? The space age asymmetrical neckline. The drop waist. The structured bodice. The slit almost all the way to the hip. And of course the matching tights and shoes CANNOT BE BEATEN. Also one time I saw a dude on a Star Trek forum call this a "ballgown" which baffles me to this day, this is clearly a slightly fancy day dress.

3. Picard's 1890s Look:

You'd think Picard would go full posh in the 1890s but instead he gives us this working-class Shakespearean director look and he 👏 looks 👏 incredible 👏. Way to mix textures, Jean-Luc.

2. Lore's Turtleneck and Giant Vest:

You and I know that Lore stole these clothes from the Pakleds because we pay a lot of attention to Star Trek costumes, but to a normal viewer Lore shows up and this is just his outfit!! It's giving, like, space-age goblincore and it's incredible. I want wear this oufit every day. I want to make a little doll Lore wearing this outfit to express my love for it. It's only not #1 because the pants are too orange and a strange weave.

Deanna's Ancient West Holodeck Outfit:

Deanna!!! The pants! The hat! The calico! She looks 10/10 hot in this outfit. For sure the superior version of this is before she gives her neckerchief to Worf (it really benefits from that cool highlight) but either way this is the best anyone's ever looked on that holodeck.

[sylenth-l]

Hi hello, I love your art so much LIKE MY BROTHER. IT'S SO YUMMY, THE SHADOWS THE EXPRESSIONS, I love how you draw Timur , Felwinter and Osiris together 🙏 little bird with his two funky adoptive parents. I stare at your art like , I'm always ready and hyped to give traditional art another try ✨

If I was to go back, any tips for which watercolours to pick? I so far got only aniline colours.

Aah, thank you so much!! 😳💙

Hmmm, the thing is, I use fountain pen inks almost always for painting. I don't use watercolour much, so I can't really suggest anything in particular… I have a selection of colours from different brands, of course, I know quite a lot about pigments, and I like using watercolour from time to time to add some special effects to my works. For sketching outdoors it's also the easiest to use among all other paints, probably. But painting a whole artwork with it……… I try doing it sometimes, but every single time I end up thinking "God, I wish I used inks instead, I hate this so much, why is it so BLEURGH". I guess watercolour just isn't my medium 😂 

I can share my thinking process when building up a palette though, I use it with all mixable mediums I use, be it inks, watercolour, gouache, etc. I found it to be the most effective (and money-saving, lol) approach for me.

So what I want for my main mixing palette is to have 3 sets of primary trios. All colours also must be as smooth as possible, with no surprises or unwanted colour separation. For watercolour - not granulating ones.

(my camera tends to make all colours brighter and also fails to see the subtle difference between some shades, but you can still get the idea)

The first trio is extremely vivid, consisting of bright cool colours - lemon yellow, cyan, magenta-leaning pink. It gives you access to all the bright, open colours.

Second is the classic they teach in all art schools (probably, from what I've heard, I never went into one alkjdshfk) - sunshine yellow, bright warm red and ultramarine blue. This gives you a huge selection of warmer, natural colours, like all shades of golds, eggplant purples, olive greens, etc. It also allows some nice selection of wood browns.

Third is my personal favorite, the muted trio. You kinda can get similar colours from the previous trio, but I prefer having these separately, because of how often I use them all. It consists of golden ochre-leaning yellow, dark bloody red and dark indanthrone blue. It gives you the most beautiful browns, beiges, blacks and other rich, deep colours.

On top of that I also like to have at least one decent black (in my case it's Quink Black ink, I cannot live without it).  And these 10 would be my essentials. Other colours I add to my mixing palette are basically shortcuts to the shades I find myself mixing the most - like a few browns and violets. There are also a few inks that I need for some very specific purposes - like, I have a very vivid cold magenta ink to mix a certain bright cold shade of the Void, and also a fluorescent orange for adding shiny Exo LED lights. And etc.

(Actually I'm currently in the process of re-organizing my main palette and also considering making a few small sets for painting some characters specifically)

I also have a separate selection of chromatographic inks, which can probably be compared to granulating watercolours… But not quite. A few examples:

Here I don't have any special notes or advices, just get the ink you like and enjoy it. Some of these I use so often that I always keep them in my main palette, and others I only get out for some special occasion. These are also mixable btw - I constantly add other ink in Quink Black to get different shades of it.

However, I must say that not all of the ~special effects~ inks are polite and well-behaved, some will agree to work only on some specific paper after a significant amount of coaxing, and others will straight out say "fuck you" at the most crucial moment, even if they worked perfectly just a moment ago.

Btw, when working with inks, I really recommend to put it into smaller bottles with a dropper, so you don't have to open the big bottle each time. It's both easier to use for you and much safer for inks! 

ANYWAY, I hope this post was of some use for you 🌈

[adobe-outdesign]

looking at the woodland color in neopets, I can safely say that my most favorite neopet in that color would be the techo. Which other neopet do you think fits that color if you don't mind me asking?

Woodland was released post-customization, but it shares one thing in common with some pre-conversion colours like Maraquan or mutant: the brush has a specific concept, but not any specific or consistent visuals. The amount of variation this brush has is truly insane; some pets are root vegetables, some are shrubs, some are wood carvings, some are tree-based, and some are oddly specific plants you've never even heard of before. Even color palettes, while mostly brown and green, can vary quite a lot.

Because the colour can vary so much, how good or how bad a pet looks in it is almost completely random and depends on both concept and execution. That said, as a whole I do like it as a colour a lot; it feels like it fills a specific niche and a large majority of the designs are pretty good. For example:

Favorite Species:

Techo: Not technically based on a plant at all (other than dried leaves), but instead several gecko species that disguise themselves as foliage, such as the satanic leaf-tailed gecko (yes, that is its real name):

Visually, the palette is monotone, but it does do a good job of using high contrast to break up the design. The leaves themselves are well integrated and feel natural to the design, and the tail's especially fun. Good stuff.

Grundo: This design is honestly incredibly simple compared to other woodland pets, but it works really well. Those ear stalks are just amazing and work perfectly with the Grundo's design, and the rest of the body is just a pleasent green and brown gradient with some leaf veins and a few extra leaves for support. Very nice.

Uni: This one goes in a very different direction than the browns and greens of most woodland pets, instead opting for a lovely off-white and pink palette. The cherry blossom mane and tail are somewhat detailed but not so much to feel overwhelming, and the little colorful accents around the hooves are a very nice touch. My only nitpick is that the extra blossoms at the tip of the horn are a bit too much.

BONUS: I covered this one in my Scorchio review so I'll keep this brief, but the woodland Scorchio is super nice. It's based on the very weird rainbow eucalyptus and shares a palette with that plant, using a black base with some pretty orange and green splotches. The on drawback is the out-of-place twig coming off the head.

Least favorite species:

Moehog: The only drawback to having so much individuality in a colour is that there's inevitably a few Neopets who get the short end of the stick. The Lutari and Poogle were also strong contenders for this spot, but ultimately I had to give the honor to the woodland Moehog for... just being really weird. The leaf mane and tail are perfect as are the wooden nose and ears, but as for the rest of the body, I'm... not even sure what's going on with. Is that supposed to be grass? If so, why it so flat, and why is it textured so strangely? Why does it have real tusks and eyes? Why does it keep the stripes on the back if they're barely visible? These questions and more will not be answered.

[antisatiric]

it's occurred to me i've never really gone through design notes for twain's design; i have nothing else i can do right now so i'll do that under the cut!

post-writing me adding this bit on: it ended up becoming a sort of chronology about the evolution of twain's design. it's really very long, but i'm happy with the way things turned out.

this is where we started compared to my current design for twain! it's important to acknowledge where he started; my version of twain very much did come initially from bungou stray dogs, and especially on my older blog you can see a long, long stretch of time where i still used his face for icons. there's a marked difference between these two designs, though.

first of all, bungou stray dogs has a habit of just dressing the foreign authors in whatever suits the time period their real life author counterpart was from. this isn't always bad, but in twain's case it wasn't particularly accurate, so i aimed to fix that by removing the aspect of period accuracy from the lore's equation. this is where my first ever redesign comes in;

this was my first ever go at redesigning twain's character to fit the more serious storyline i had in mind for him! there are a lot of aspects changed here and a couple aspects i kept the same so i'll go through them.

the shape and color of his hair remained consistent, save for the addition of a ponytail at the back---at this time, i wasn't confident enough in my portrayal and its deviations to change standout parts of his design, and moreover i wanted to be able to continue using icons of the canon design without too much of an issue. i also kept his giant belt because i found it funny.

i wanted to incorporate a lot more color into this design, though; his initial design is almost entirely black and white except for the belt and his hair, and twain had always seemed to me the type to enjpy vibrant colors. because i tended to base him off the characters featured in his works---usually huck and tom---i wanted a very earth-toned palette, and eventually settled on the green, brown, and black because i liked the way they looked with his red hair.

you might also note that i kept the button up shirt for this design! that will inevitably change later, but for now it's staying, although i had him button it up partway. i considered it an iconic part of his design at the time to have it unbuttoned but i secretly resented the unbuttoned shirt coming up as often as it did in my writing, so i changed it.

as for his shoes, i gave him something a lot more practical while still being a little unnecessarily complicated because i had always had a gripe with his sandals. he was meant to be a rough-and-tumble traveler and the shoes never seemed to be practical for that, so i fixed them.

then we get to my next iteration of the design!

this one is actually quite close to my current design, but it suffers from a few elements i wasn't quite sure how to commit to.

by this time, his official change in ability from aimbot to what it is now had already taken place, and i had also conceptualized no. 44 thanks to the help of a long-dead server for the plot point of humanized abilities, although he was initially quite a different figure in twain's life---originally, before settling into the tense and unwilling mentor-mentee relationship, i had intended 44 to be a sort of de-facto love interest for twain who gave him power out of a sense of fascination, rather than inevitable necessity. the plot of twain being his inheritor came later.

this is the first real appearance of twain's white eye, discolored skin, and white hair, though you'll notice i was hesitant to fully commit to sapping ALL of the color from his skin and his hair retains a lot more orange in a lot wider of a span.

the buttoned up shirt is finally gone, too! i figured since i was already taking dramatic liberties with his character i could just go ahead and change whatever i liked, so i decided it would make more sense to just put him in a non-buttoned shirt and be done with the button debacle that seemed to haunt him all the time. then i gave him a jacket to make up for the loss of green in his shirt!

and now we're finally onto my current iteration of the design.

i've committed fully since then to the color sap on his face. i also brought back the belt (it wouldn't have been visible, but he lost it for a few pictures after the previous one) and decided on a more consistent volume or his hair. this is, for now, what i'm considering his final design, though i imagine it will continue to recieve slight tweaks in the future as i draw him more.

then i of course have my redesigns of him that suit a specific purpose in a couple of his aus...

... but these each honestly deserve their own posts, and i've gone on enough here. thank you for reading if you've gotten this far. i love talking about things like this when it comes to twain. hehe.

[wild-moss-art]

22, 4, and 5 :]

22. What inspires you?

Something that really inspires my color choice is nature and more specifically birds. I find that birds, even the less colorful ones, tend to have really precise and cohesive color palettes. For example: pigeons, while mostly mottled grays, have orange feet and eyes, and purple/green iridescence on their feathers. This is a strict secondary triadic color palette, one of my faves. Sometimes i feel like birds understand color theory in a way I never could!

4. Favorite thing to draw?

I love drawing animals! I really enjoy small furry critters(like rabbits!) and, of course, birds! I can almost always be convinced to draw a cute animal pic, and I used to post a lot of animal art on instagram! (I no longer use insta though lol). I’ve always really enjoyed drawing animals

5. Least favorite thing to draw?

God, couches and chairs and stuff are so difficult for me to get right. Which is insane cause they’re so boxy and simple! I just feel like I can never get characters to sit on them quite right. However, I never hear this as feedback, so it might just all be in my head lol

[undertheashtree]

Creating My Own Version of the Pat McGrath Mothership XI Palette

If you haven’t checked out my YouTube channel, then something you need to know about me is that I love the Pat McGrath Mothership palettes. I own the first ten (nine of which were given to me as gifts by my husband and my mother-in-law). I’ve lusted after these palettes for years, though I never actually thought I would own so many of them.

Since “completing” my collection at the beginning of this year, I’ve had no desire to add to my Mothership collection. I also wondered if the brand would end the line at ten palettes, mostly because the last three received a lot of criticism for being too similar and too pink, but here we are with number eleven.

(This picture belongs to Pat McGrath, I just took a screenshot off the website.)

Upon seeing this palette for the first time, it immediately reminded me of Divine Rose I and II (the seventh and eighth palette). Everything appears to have some level of rosy pink to it, with the exceptions of the dark matte brown (bottom row, first shade) and the gold (bottom row, last shade). I can acknowledge this palette is pretty, but it’s painfully boring and repetitive, especially since I have every other Mothership palette. Without trying, I know I could easily dupe, or at least come extremely close to, this new palette with the Pat McGrath eyeshadows I already own.

Furthermore, the name of this palette—Sunlit Seduction—speaks to its wasted potential, in my opinion. Sunlit Seduction. I saw the name and was overwhelmed with the idea of what this palette could have been. Sunsets and sunrises came to mind, with their bold, fiery, warm color palettes, with just a hint of blues and purples. I spent some time Googling sunsets and sunrises, along with noting the names of the original eyeshadows, and set to work creating my vision of this palette.

By the way, there is a video of me building this palette up on my channel, if you’d like to check it out.

I used the names of the original eyeshadows as additional inspiration for what colors I wanted to use in my version of the palette. I’ll talk about the eyeshadows going top to bottom, left to right. The first shade is called Skintense Radiance, and it appears to be a champagne metallic with a pink undertone. I felt this should have been more yellow, something more sunshine-y, so I opted for a pastel yellow metallic. This is a franken-shadow I mixed together a while ago, and I don’t remember what went into it.

Next was Nude Rose. This felt too cool-toned, almost mauve. Looking at the sunrise/sunset pictures, some of the pinks do lean somewhat purple, but more like a lilac and not mauve. There were also a lot of warm pinks, although the majority seemed softer than I was imagining. I settled on this warm, peachy pink called Eden. The pigment is soft, but still bold, which mimicked the pink in the pictures really well.

Then we have Hypnotic Bronze. I’m not a fan of these orange-leaning bronzes/coppers, like what’s in the original palette, and which Pat McGrath insists on including in so many of her palettes. Also, bronze, the metal, can look blue and green. In the sunrises especially, I was seeing hints of pastel green, and thought this would be a good opportunity to include a small flash of green in the palette. The eyeshadow I included is called Crystal, and it’s got a pinkish brown base color with lots of green and blue shimmer.

Onto our first “special” shade, called Astral Pink Fetish. Another eyeshadow color I’m not a fan of is pink to gold duochromes, and no amount of sparkle—and this one seems to have a lot—will change that. This is also a duochrome that we see a lot from Pat McGrath, which makes this “special” shade the least special in the palette. I wanted to keep the pink but wanted the finish to be more blue/purple, so I went with Good Gawd for this shade. Even though this isn’t the same formula as Pat McGrath’s “special” shades, this eyeshadow is definitely special in its own way, and I felt it would replace that particular formula really well.

Then we have Blitz Crimson Ecstasy, which is the most disappointing shade in the palette. Nothing about the original eyeshadow says “crimson”. It’s incredibly pink and seems to have very little red actually in it. I have a few really lovely metallic reds, but I chose to go with a multichrome, which is called Lucid. It’s a black-based multichrome that shifts purple, magenta, red, orange, gold, and a hint of green at the end. I felt this really embodied the vibe I was trying to go for, especially the sunset side of things, and I wish the brand would include some bolder multichromes in their palettes.

Next was Xtreme Vermillion, which isn’t vermillion in the slightest. The color vermillion is more of a red-orange, leaning more towards red. The eyeshadow in the palette is a dark, warm brown. To be fair, I also didn’t go with a real vermillion, but I did want a primary red matte. One day, I hope Pat McGrath puts out some bolder colorful mattes like this one, called Button Bush, so I suppose this decision was partially driven by wishful thinking. I also love a good, matte, primary red, and I felt this was a good palette to include it in.

Next was Copper Dawn, which looks more gold than the bronze, but still very warm and orangey. My vision for this palette warranted a strong gold, but I didn’t want anything too yellow, or that leans orange. The one I chose, called 365, is a gold with brown undertone, giving it a bronzier look. It also has a subtle green finish, which, I think, added something interesting to the palette.

Then we have Sienna Mystique, which is a warm, midtone brown matte. Looking at the color sienna, it’s more of a burnt orange, so that’s what I went for. I considered going a little more neutral, but the brightness of this shade, called Enigma, embodied the fieriness of a sunset really well.

Probably the only shade in the entire palette that I enjoy is Astral Amethyst Allure. It’s a hazy kind of purple, lots of sparkle, and has a pink finish. My initial instinct was to dupe this shade, but I didn’t have anything close, so I went with a grungier brownish purple with lots of silver glitter, called Wild & Free. It has a similar vibe to the original shade, but adds an interesting amount of grunginess to the palette that I quite enjoy.

Finally, we have Astral Gilded Aura, which is a sparkly gold. It looks really bright, but also like a glittery gold in the Mothership X. For this shade, I chose to put my dislike of orangey metallics aside and opted for a gold with an orange base, called Stardust. It’s similar to 365, but the base color is bright, more red-orange, and it’s got a strong gold finish.

This is far from my usual color story. I’m much more drawn to greens, blues, purples, and greys, so this warm, orangey palette is out of my comfort zone, but I think I like it. It’s at least more interesting than Pat McGrath’s version, so I’m counting this as a win for that reason alone.

I’ll leave you with some swatches. The eyeshadow names, as well as their palettes, will be listed below (written in order from top to bottom, left to right, in the palette).

Yellow franken-shadow Eden - Anastasia Beverly Hills Prism palette Crystal - Beauty Bay Book of Magic palette Good Gawd - J.D. Glow single Lucid - Chaos Makeup multichrome Button Bush - Ace Beaute Floral Vintage palette 365 - J.D. Glow single Enigma - Blend Bunny Blends palette Wild & Free - Dose of Colors single Stardust - Beauty Bay Book of Magic palette

[julietas-basil]

⚠️Beware of NSFW⚠️

explicit content,sensitive scenes,swearing,mention of intimate moments. If underaged/feel uncomfortable I suggest you to scroll,I only want what's best for all of us 😘

"The fire in our souls"

So it started innocently,at a party with the whole town cheering,dancing,drinking,enjoying the music the town's band was playing in their traditional instruments. You could swear that the villagers had taken over the square,their crowd so big Noone could tell which was which...but there was one girl...

She was different than the others,creamy skin,freckles scattered all over her shoulders,hands and then her face.

Her eyes were covered in dark eyeshadow,making her green eyes glow under the dim light. Her lips in a sweet smile,the red lipstick matching with her fiery appearances. Her earrings were a golden depiction of the sun,indicating her gift linked to the emotions. Her dress was painted in orange shades,contrasting with her skin palette,it had small sun stiched and pleats at the top and at the end of the skirt.

Last but not least her hair...

A Beautiful long messy and curly mane rested on her shoulders and down to her lower back. Her curly bangs resting on her sweaty forehead. And then you breath hitched,you almost lost your breathing when you spotted her swirling to the rhythm,circling around the dance floor. She had a fire that pulled you closer and closer until she turned around to meet your gaze.

The world stopped,the time,the minute THE SECONDS...everything slowed down when her lustful stare fell onto you.

Pépa Madrigal. Right the firey redhead,who could bring piecefulness and chaos with her emotions ended up looking at you,signing her name under your love contract...

Your relationship started in the moment of heat and passion,as you ended up in each other's arms dancing together. The rest was history as it developed in an amazing marriage,where you would enjoy and indulge in each other whenever you wanted. Diving deep into your sensations and confessions that could burn down families if they knew...

Today was your 3rd anniversary,

You wanted today to be perfect as any other celebration but you wanted to set the decorations to your mind,before anything else. You had to set the atmosphere candles across her wide room,in her nightstand,on her furniture. You pulled the window covers wide letting the curtains fall and rise slightly by the hot breeze. You set the bed,fresh sheets on the mattress,petals of roses thrown to different directions,scattered on white blankets.

You picked a white wine for tonight,settling two glasses next to the bottle. Casita startled you,when she kicked the ringing clock over to your side "¡Gracias,Casita!" You kindly smiled at the friendly reminder. Your feet moved faster with every step,your skirt flowing in coordination with your moves,it seemed like pleats in your skirt were dancing on their own. You giggled at the thought entering the kitchen room

Your short frame crashed on your lovers tall one "Amor,are you okay?" She asked,her question sounded more like the one of whisper. You grinned,nodding your head

"Feliz Aniversario,Querida" you claimed before she could do anything. Your lips connecting in a longing kiss. Pépa's hands found your cheeks,pulling you closer to her. Her tongue begun lapping your rose colored lips "Naughty Nina...you remembered huh?" The taller woman said,smiling wickedly,half lidded eyes scanning your features carefully,never missing a detail " I could never forget you mi Vida,you're the woman I sold my soul to,since that night my eyes fell on you" you confessed, noticing Pépa bite her red lip,a blush radiating on the apples of her cheeks.

Just when you took her hand to drive her towards the table prepared for you (Julieta insisted,because the last time you almost burnt her kitchen to dust) the older woman pulled you back to her. Before you could even comprehend what was going on,her mouth attacked your neck,planting spicy red kisses around the burning flesh,biting onto the skin " We won't eat until I say so! Now follow me like the good girl you are" the redhead lifted your chin with a pair of digits,enough for you to meet her gaze.

Her eyes were dark,her pupils were dilated, it made you weak on your legs,feeling like the earth was made of cotton. She reminded you of one of those hungry tigers that looked at their pray,ready to hunt it down. The eye contact broke,when Pépa turned on her heel,pulling you with her. Between quick steps,both reached her room,the firey woman brought you inside.

Your back made friends with the opposite side of the door as soon as you stepped in,Pépa had trapped you under her figure. Her palms grasped your wrists,placing them on top of your head "you look so hot today" the redhead smiled wickedly,whispering on our ear. The interaction sent shivers down your spine,a moan escaping your throat. The struggle started settling in when her leg squeezed a particularly sensitive place and her lips once again found the soft skin of your chest. You felt dizzy with pleasure,the fire building up in your abdomen seemed to grow stronger with each one of her affections...

Freckled hands fought to unbutton your shirt. A few second ago you heard a growl and an angry Pèpa,her cloud thundering,who vigorously managed to undress you "Amor,relax let me do it for you.."your hands cupped hers,smiling at her. The cloud fading at your gesture. Your fingers played with your tops buttons for awhile before taking it off,remaining on your brassiere. Pépa wasted no time in thinking about her next move,immediately grabbing your breasts "you look cuter with this off" she added in her sexiest of voice,unclasping the cloth covering your upper body.

Red lips rested on a nipple,suckling onto the soft flesh,resulting in your moans. Her other hand was occupied with your other breast,massaging the numb between her knuckles,pinching it every now and then "¡Pépa!" You allowed your head to fall back upon experiencing the woman's ministrations. She sucked the hardened nipple,taking it between her lips tagging on it " let's go to our bed " she wore her best smile as if nothing happened.

She pushed you on the bed,her weight on top of your hips. The smell of cinnamon filled your nose,as the older woman started kissing you hungrily,craving for your taste. She got up,you whimpered at the loss of her body pressing on you only to find her tagging at your skirt,taking it off along with your bloomers "Eres Hermosa mi Amor, Open your legs for me..." she requested firmly,you hesitated at first your eyes locking. Her palms gripped the bones on your knees pulling them open "Ah!" The sudden movement caused you to moan " Cariño,all wet for me ?" She smiled her hands cupping your thighs. The redhead pushed your legs further,leaning into your most intimate parts. You shivered when her breath rested on your clitoris,the sensation enough to make you squirm. Your fingers tangled up on her hair,as you felt her tongue flat on the swollen bud "Ngh!" The skilled tongue initiating a series of circles around your bundle of nerves,making you tremble and moans come out of your mouth every so often. You chose to look over the way she worked herself on you,the tip of her tongue lapping ever so delicately over your clitoris,feeling every wave of pleasure eminating from Pépa's interaction. The redheads lips took the engorged numb into her mouth suckling on it. "AH!" You almost screamed,the dirty sounds filling the room were enough to bring you closer to the edge.

You felt drunk in pleasure,the way her mouth spoke her love language. It seemed like she was forming a whole paragraph on your body. A paragraph about how much she adores every part,every imperfection on your figure.

Your gaze locked with hers for awhile,and that was your cue,as you came undone on her mouth "¡Ay,Amor!" Your walls contracted,welcoming your powerful orgasm. You sensed her tongue running up and down your vagina,gathering as much of yourself as she could. Your body smashed while the redhead helped you come down from your high,your hips moving in sync with her practiced tongue. Pépa got herself on top of your nude form,your orgasm covering her chin,she brought her digits over the cum-covered place,taking the remainings of your pleasure " Suck..." the woman demanded as she placed her fingers on your lips. Without hesitation you sucked lightly on them,tasting yourself "Good girl" a wicked smile resting on her face,her eyes burning with desire.

Pépa removed her sides from your body, to take off her dress,then the remaining pieces of clothing. You stared as the woman in front of you stripped her bloomers off,she wasn't wearing any bra underneath. You weren't surprised Pépa was an independent woman,her breasts were small but could fit in your palms perfectly.

The firey redhead grabbed the bottle of wine,pouring some into the glass. She kneeled in front of you and you immediately followed her motions. Her freckled Hand folded your curly strands pulling them back so she could lift your chin, your eyes making contact. The move made you whine with excitement "drink,cariñosa...open your pretty little mouth for me." You did as you were told,never wasting time. With her palm she turned the glass over your mouth,pouring the sweet liquid in it.

A few drops of wine,traced down your chin and neck and one over the curve of your breast. You gulped the ambrosia,the liquid running down your throat,you were thirsty. Her lips once again met your own in a desperate kiss,you tasted yourself clearly,whilst she aimed for the taste of wine. Pépita,moaned her vibrations tingling on your lips "Your taste is Devine,mi Amor let's see what you can do for me now!" her long arms pressed you down on the mattress carefully,locating her wide hips over your mouth. The older adult used her arm to support herself,while she utilized her other hand over her lower lips spreading them wider for you. You circled your arms on her hips,your tongue making contact with the rose-colored clitoris.

"Mmh...",

You growled into her warmth lapping over the pulsating numb, the redheads hips adjusting to your pace as the minutes passed. "¡Miérda,(Y/N)!" The cursing drove you insane,you closed your eyes slowly determined to make your lover squirm under your loving gestures. You increased your speed,your tongue moving vigorously over the swollen numb,sucking onto the warm flesh every now and then.

An idea popped into your mind,adding two fingers in her vagina."¡Ay!" The reaction was followed by a pair of hands fisting on your hair,you grinned opening your eyes to the sight of your Hermosa,whimpering and panting "(Y/n) por favor, make me cum Amor!" you didn't stop,with a few sucks and links the tall woman was done for,her hips reaching each time to feel your tongue on her centre. You noticed steam clouds,in the atmosphere,covering the ceiling above your heads,with sweat drops dropping on her forehead,she bit her lip grinning over seeing your face taking her into your mouth.

Once she finished, she cimbed off your face,taking a towel from her nightstand to wipe your face clean, Pépa giggled panting a small kiss on your cheek her braid tickling the side of your neck " best Anniversary ever!" She emphasized in her sentence,her head resting on your chest " Te amo,mi Tesoro." her palm cupped your flushed cheek,stroking it with her thumb, you leaned to kiss her forehead "Te adoro mucho, mi Pépita" you told her with a smile.

It wasn't long until you heard a snore,coming from the sleeping beauty I front of you,who was nuzzling closer to you.

You caressed her hair,your eyes fluttered closed,at the end of the day you had each other,absorbing each other's scent,tasting a piece of your bodies,your words expressed in intimate touches,thoughts spoken aloud...

You couldn't be more grateful,as you've found your Ray of sunshine, warming you with her presence,shedding light into your darkest of places...you were complete and safe and nothing could ever be in exchange of your love

After all there was a fire in your souls big enough to warm any hard feeling away,protect you from danger once and for all...

Thank you for reading! Thank you for spending your time reading this wonderful request made by: @swiftdazer <3 who (so bravely) handed the idea down to me *cries in writer appreciation*

P.s: if any error spotted,don't hesitate to inform me, I'm all about learning!

I hope you liked it <3

[babymilkawa]

Hey bean! I was wondering if you could do a Bakugou x female y/n at a ball? (Like the school puts on a grand ball and students get personal designers to make suits/dresses that resemble their quirk) During the ball, the present mic selects two random students to dance and it just so happens to be Bakugou and y/n... I’ll let you decide the rest!! 💓💓

:00 I love this idea!! hope u like it :)

ball headcanons with:

bakugou katsuki

fem!reader :)

reader's quirk: water

warnings: swearing

everyone was sooo stoked when the ball was announced

it was to celebrate everyone's accomplishments throughout their high school career since you were now 3rd years

you immediately looked at bakugou first but he was looking bored as usual, uninterested at the fact that he would get a personalized suit to highlight his quirk

at the end of the ball, two MVH's would be announced and given a plaque and trophy. A hero and a heroine.

a week before the event, you were called to have your measurements taken. since your quirk was water your hero costume had a palette of baby blues and aqua greens. your designer gave you multiple options to decide whether it was the neckline or the train or even the little details on your sleeves

in the end, you settled for an off shoulder with a short train and ruffles trailing down your legs. the color of your dress was an ombre from a dark blue by your chest to white then a fading blue-green. it looked beautiful on you and perfectly outlined every curve of your body. you were so excited for bakugou to see you in it but you wanted to wait until the actual day

bakugou on the other hand was given a black suit with the choice of a tie or a bowtie. He picked the bowtie in a color of deep orange. His cuffs were the green of his hero costume and the vest underneath was a dark grey. truth be told, bakugou wanted to show up matching with you since he was your date and all. but he knew your hero colors were far different than his and it would look out of place if he went blue.

despite you wanting to keep your attire a secret from your boyfriend, you pestered him about his nonetheless. he, of course, refused to tell you unless you told him. "Why do you even wanna know anyways? Us guys don't have that many options dumbass"

another thing was also stuck on your mind. "Who do you think will win MVH?" you asked him one night. He snorted next you, "obviously us"

"How can you be so sure? Don't get my hopes up Katsu"

"I just know."

"Apparently they'll have to dance together too, so I’m hoping they pick an actual couple or else..that would be awkward” you laugh nervously

there was no doubt in your mind that your boyfriend would get Most Valuable Hero at UA, but your thoughts about yourself on the other hand...

“Hey” bakugou turned to look at you straight in the eye, as if knowing where ur train of thought was going. “You’ll get it, and even if you don’t, that’s fucking dumb because you’ve worked so hard. I think you deserve it no matter what.”

A week passed and Bakugou’s words remained on your mind. You were preparing yourself for rejection and now that you thought about it, it wasn’t all that bad if you didn’t win MVH. if Bakugou won it, you’d just show that you were proud of him

it’s finally the day and you’re in a room with the other ladies of your class. they’ve all got their dresses personalized as well and everyone looked beautiful in their own way

then present mic’s voice could be heard calling everyone to enter the ballroom. stepping in, you saw that tables were set up towards the side and a huge chunk of space was sitting empty in the middle with a ceiling that stretched almost 50 feet up.

you felt a hand on your elbow and turned around to see that it was Bakugou. he looked so handsome with the suit and bold colors but his hair was still the signature usual

his own eyes wandered around your body, taking in the tiniest of details put into your dress

“you look...really nice”

“thanks, you too babe. now come on.” you hooked an arm around his and brought him to the tables that went on for miles with food

after stuffing yourselves and conversing with other classmates, you found yourselves seated, waiting for the two MVH’s to be announced

present mic opened a folded piece of paper and said “ladies first! this MVH has utilized her skills cleverly. Just when you think that she’s gone out and done her best, she comes back looking for a way to top herself! I’m excited to announce that this heroine deserves this award as myself and many other heroes have watched her improve since her first year at U.A. Please congratulate this year’s MVH winner to...l/n y/n!”

Looking around at your fellow friends that you were proud of, you didn’t even hear your name being called until Bakugou shook you and you saw him looking at you with a beaming smile

“What did I tell you? Get up there princess!”

Stunned and still trying to process this new information, you stumbled up on stage and accepted your plaque and trophy. present mic handed you a piece of paper and said that you’d be announcing the Hero award.

opening up the folded paper, you looked at the name written and almost shouted with glee. but you composed yourself, wanting him to be by your side as soon as possible. leaning in to the microphone you announced this year’s winner of MVH

a round of applause broke out and Bakugou was given slaps in the back from his friends, all going about how he deserves it

bakugou has improved over the years at UA. He was no longer that explosive boy who could only yell out die at every attack. Though if he had to be honest, Bakugou felt that it was mostly thanks to you. Without you, he would’ve never learned what teamwork is like or why patience is so important as a hero. Really, you should get both awards!

After the dance, bakugou took you back to your dorm and after lingering kisses and long hugs he decided to just stay the night

the two of you hung your plaque and put your trophy at a nice shelf.

the night ended with whispers of I love you and how he was endlessly proud of you

bnha masterlist

[blossom-hwa]

I don't generally request stuff and the reason why I am doing this is because I absolutely love your work, especially the Kingdom Series and the Mermaid!Younghoon and I am a little embarassed to put out my little imagination request out

But I would like to request

Sunwoo + colour lavender but could you make it best friends to lovers au too? (It is okay if you can only work on one part too!!! Whatever you are comfortable with)

Thank you so much! Congrats on your 4 years, and thanking for alllllll the amazing work you have put out!!!!! Really big appreciation for you and your writing!!! Ly❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

hi love! there's no need to be embarrassed at all about this - it's a lovely idea, and thank you so much for your kind words and the request! I hope you enjoy this token of my thanks for your support <3

4 year anniversary drabble game: send me a Stray Kids/The Boyz/Golden Child/Ateez member + a prompt (check out the post for ideas) and I’ll write a drabble for you!

~

Title: Palette

Pairing: Sunwoo x gender neutral!reader

Word count: 1.8k

Triggers: none

~

"What color am I?"

The question comes on a hot day spent on the couch with the air conditioner broken, when everything feels like it's melting under the heat of the sun baking your apartment to a crisp. Somewhere in the building, a repairman is trying to figure out what's wrong.

You and Sunwoo, however, are melting into puddles on the sticky hardwood floor.

"What?" You shake yourself out of the blank state you’ve slipped into, staring at the empty ceiling. You've never spent much time looking at the ceiling. It's off white, maybe eggshell, a little cracked and blemished but not enough for you to say to no to the cheaper rent. Looking at it now, though, it's kind of ugly.

"You said Juyeon is yellow, like sunflowers.” He pauses. “Eric’s... green, I think. Sangyeon was red, Changmin was also green, but brighter than Eric. Right?”

Something tugs at the back of your mind, a memory of using your paints to describe some of your friends. Your eyes drift to the abandoned easel in the corner of the muggy room. You can almost feel the canvas melting off of it into a paint-splattered puddle on the floor. “Right,” you reply, wiping a bead of sweat off of your head. 

“You didn’t give me a color,” Sunwoo says. You can’t spare the energy to look in his direction even though he’s literally right next to you, but you imagine he looks about as wiped out as you feel. “So I wondered.”

Colors. Yes, colors like the off-white eggshell of your ceiling, the blue of the sky outside... 

What color is Sunwoo?

Orange is the first one that comes to mind, orange like a sunset, burning as it slowly dips under the horizon. Its rays wisp into the sky, fading in some places, intensifying in others, turning it into a mural of oranges and pinks and yellows, burning like the passion that fuels Sunwoo’s soul...

Oh, but yellow. Yellow exists - maybe not as golden as Juyeon’s yellow, maybe not as bright as the burning sun, but darker, deeper, like marigolds - orange mixed in, perhaps, but still yellow in abundance, like flower petals bursting into bloom. 

You frown. Sweat drips down the side of your face, but this time, you don’t even notice. Orange and yellow - they’re right, but not quite right. Not exactly. Not yet...

Sunwoo’s voice interrupts your thoughts. “Still thinking?” 

“Shut up.” You flail around a limp arm, smiling with satisfaction when it hits his stomach with an audible thump. “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“You’re thinking about a color.”

“How long do you think it takes me to mix the exact right shade for each part of a painting?” You turn just enough to let him see your raised eyebrow. “Thinking about colors takes a lot of work.”

He grumbles but shuts up, eyes closing as he settles back onto the floor. You keep watching him though, follow the curve of his jaw down to his chin, tanned skin shiny with the sheen of moisture that seems to have covered everything in this tiny apartment...

Bronze comes to mind, warm, metallic, rich like the color of his skin. They made weapons out of bronze in the past - strong, steady, unyielding, like Sunwoo’s will to push past obstacles no matter how hard they seem at a glance. He could be a bronze statue, for all you know - he’s handsome enough for that, certainly some sculptor from the past would have been taken with Sunwoo’s looks if he’d been around and created a statue that would have lasted for centuries afterward. 

But it’s warm. Too warm. And maybe it’s just because of the hot sun pouring into the room even with the shades drawn, but thinking about metal, about bronze, makes you feel like you’re touching a burning hot stove on a day like this. There have to be other colors, right? Other colors that aren’t bronze, green, pink, maybe blue - 

Blue. You latch onto the thought. Not the color of the relentless sky, but maybe like the ocean - cool, deep, ceaseless in its flow but not overbearing until a storm comes, whipping the waves into a chaos of whirling water that slashes and swipes across the beach. Sunwoo’s a little bit of both, you think, the part of the ocean that goes with the flow, but also the part that gets a little angry, a little passionate, a little too worked up about some things sometimes. 

But his anger isn’t quite blue. Not really. Sunwoo is quick to anger but also quick to calm when dealt with correctly. The storm builds up its rage and lashes out as long as it wants, but Sunwoo... no. He’s not that way. Not quite. 

You stifle a groan. Is there any color that fits Sunwoo perfectly, then? Any single color on the stained palette next to your easel, any single color in the world? He’s too complex, too much of everything all at once - he could be blue, could be bronze, could be orange or yellow or pink, of all things - you could find a way to justify every single one but none of them would be enough - 

Your gaze rises from his chin to his lips, and your mouth goes dry. 

Maybe he’s red, like the first time you ever noticed the fullness of his lips. 

No, don’t think about that. You squeeze your eyes shut tight before opening them as though that’ll erase the image of his lips from your mind. It was in high school - you’d handed him his water bottle after ten minutes of running laps and you’d watched him tip it against his lips so full and soft, and for a moment, you had let yourself imagine what it’d be like to have those lips against yours. 

You force yourself to look somewhere else, anywhere, just away from the lips and the shade of red beginning to shimmer before your eyes. Red, right - your mind scrambles to turn its thoughts away - red - colors - that’s what you were supposed to be thinking of - not lips, colors - 

Your gaze rises above the lips to Sunwoo’s closed eyes. 

Only they aren’t closed anymore. 

You can’t breathe. You literally can’t breathe - how long have his eyes been open? How long did he see you watching him like some stupid creepy stalker?

Did he realize you were looking at his lips?

“Done yet?” he asks, breaking the silence. Is it just your imagination, or do his eyes flicker down to your lips too?

Just your imagination. “Shut up.” Even the jab comes out weaker than you’d like to. You want to look away, but you can’t seem to do it - something’s rooting you where you are, eyes fixed upon his. “Give me a minute.”

“How many minutes has it been?” It’s just your imagination, just your imagination... “Is it really that hard? You thought of Eric’s in, like, a second.”

You’re too much, you think. Too many colors all at once. But instead of saying that aloud, you just swallow, like the idiot you are. “Let me think,” you say. Your voice almost cracks. 

Red. Shades of red, beautiful red, the color of his lips, the core of the sun burning at sunset, smoldering embers on a dying fire splashed across the canvas of your vision. And yes, it’s almost perfect, almost there - you have his flaring temper caught in a color, now, but it needs something to cool it off - 

Blue. Blue, like you thought before, the ocean and its ceaseless flow. Blue and red, blue and red, blue and red...

“Purple,” you whisper, too close to his lips. Rich, royal, the coolness of blue and the fire of red... “Some shade of purple.”

“Purple.” Sunwoo repeats the word with curiosity on his lips, almost like he’s tasting the color on his tongue. “Why purple?”

“I -” You swallow when the soft puff of his breath hits your face. When exactly did you two get this close? It wouldn’t take more than a few inches to close the gap between your lips. “I couldn’t choose between blue and red,” you say honestly. “You’re both. In fact, it feels like you’re a bit of every color. But purple... that’s the closest I can get without giving you a specific shade.”

“Which shade?”

Something clicks into place in your mind, and it is definitely not your imagination this time when Sunwoo’s eyes fall down to your lips. 

The dryness in your mouth makes it difficult to swallow. You try anyway. “Give me a moment,” you murmur, heart beating unnecessarily quickly. 

Think. Shades of purple. Do you go darker or lighter? Warmer or cooler? Is he magenta? Mauve? Violet? Your mind flicks as quickly as it can through the catalogue of colors in your mind. Cooler, probably - he’s more the ocean than the fire, more embers than a full flame - lighter, too, like a breath of fresh air - 

A blast of cool wind gusts down from the vent. It’s gone almost as quickly as it comes, but it stays with you in the name of the color forming on your lips. 

Your voice comes out like a whisper. It feels wrong to speak any louder. “I’ve got it.”

Sunwoo blinks. His lashes look so lovely, framing his eyes. “Really?” he asks, and you have wonder if he closed the distance slightly since the last time you spoke - the few inches that separated you before seem to have decreased to a mere centimeter or two. “So what color am I?”

There’s another blast of cool air. Neither of you reacts to it. Instead, as blissfully cold air begins to filter through the vents, impulse drives you to lean forward, to close the entire distance at last -

Sunwoo’s lips are softer than you ever thought they’d be. They feel cool and warm all at once, purple as a base but lighter, cooler, a breath of fresh air on your face after a horribly hot day spent in the sun.

“Lavender,” you whisper against his lips. “You’re lavender.”

You don’t offer an explanation, but he doesn’t ask you to elaborate, like he did with purple. It’s okay. You think he knows it. Feels it, at least, when you kiss him once more, fresh air washing over your bodies, painting the canvas of your skin in cool, blissfully cool strokes. 

Lavender. 

[sylenth-l]

Another art supply question! Your art inspired me to draw in a traditional way and I wanted to try it with Copic but they have so many sets that I’m confused which one to try first since I’ve never used them before. Do you have any advices?? Thank you!!!

Oh wow, I'm glad it did, anon! Drawing with markers is a very satisfying process, I hope you'll enjoy it 💙

I never bought Copics in sets, normally I just buy a bunch of colors I like individually, so I can't recommend any set in particular. But I can give some tips I use myself when picking colors to buy, maybe they'll be of some use for you too!

💠 Study your art first, what do you like to draw the most and what color palette is your favorite? For example, I draw people a lot, so for me the most needed colors are shades of beiges and browns (Earth tones or E in Copic color system) + some fitting pinks and oranges (R & YR) for adding blushes and highlights. My favorite color is blue, so I also have A LOT of different blues and cyans (B and BG). Also, after getting into Destiny, I found myself in a constant need of different grayish shades for drawing metal surfaces. Simple grays almost never look good in colored pictures imo, so for that purpose I try to look for desaturated browns, purples, blues, etc.

In short, the clearer idea you have of what you're going to draw with markers, the easier it will be to pick the best set for that.

💠 Most Copic markers I have layer and shade very well. Like this:

(The darker the color is, the worse it works though)

So you don't always need a separate marker to get a darker tone. But not any paper can endure a lot of layering, so it's better to be careful with that.

💠 Markers can be mixed together to get a new color, but it's nowhere near as good as paints or inks, where you can fill in a whole color wheel with 4 colors. So it's better to get a separate green than to count on mixing yellow and blue for it.

💠 There are some colors which may not look very pretty or useful by themselves, but are super good for shading or mixing - for me it's the light shades of violet and blue-violet. They're good for adding lively looking shadows to almost any color.

💠 It's always important to keep in mind the general color balance of your work and how all colors will look together. You may love some of them separately, but together they may simply not work.

See how out of place the blue in Set 1 looks, even though it's a pretty color? It's because it's too cool for that palette. Warm blue in Set 2 is a much better fit.

💠 Set of grays is always the safest bet! I think b&w works are actually the best way to try new art supplies, since you don't have to bother about colors and can focus on the supply performance.

💠 Copic sets are rather pricey, if it's not a problem for you, then cool, they are absolutely worth the money! But if it is, it'll probably be better to get some cheaper markers in a big set, to just draw with it for some time and learn which colors you use the most, which you lack, etc. And then buy Copics with all these things in mind so you don't feel like you wasted your money on markers you barely use.

Best of luck! 🌸✨

[kiloxy]

Dream Team Colors:

So I tend to identify people as colors, so when I think/hear/see them I will feel/see the color. I know it’s weird but I thought it was interesting what I identified the dream team as. 

So this is personally how I identified them,

Sapnap:

George:

Dream:

Analysis:

Sapnap: He has stayed the most consistent. Since hearing his voice I’ve felt orange for him. Though as I watch him more and more he leans towards red. So he’s like an orangey red. He’s warm and very bright, attention grabbing but also sharp and potentially volatile. I tend to really like people who are orange/red, so it’s no wonder I like his personality and content. 

George: uhhh, George was by far the most interesting. I couldn’t get a good grasp on him at first. I thought he was a cold muted blue, but then quickly he changed into green. But a very bold and bright green. And yes I realize he looks like Dream’s skin lol. Green is just mysterious, closed off but expressive. He’s this green because he’s attention grabbing, steady, feels grounded and earthy and yet bright. One of my best friends is a dark green and he’s pretty similar to George so I’m not surprised I think George is green. 

More explanations and interesting thoughts about how their colors reflect their relationship under the cut:

Dream: When I tell you this man is unabashedly pink. He just embodies it. I had no struggle with knowing he was this color from the second I heard him. He’s bright and attention grabbing. He’s sweet, strong, a bold potent color. Nearly as unforgiving as red but not quite there. A very powerful color. He’s just pink. 

Now the colors in relation with each other. This really doesn’t mean anything but I always love seeing how colors interact (like my friends for instance). But obviously this is all subjective as it’s how I perceive them, and the colors that I see. 

Dream and Sapnap: So first off Dream and Sapnap fit well together, they’re both warm colors and mesh super well. They’re just different enough to keep each other intrigued and from clashing. Too similar and I can see them having some issues. But their colors are like each other enough that they just fit. It’s no wonder they’re best friends. I always see warm colors work well together, that is as long as they aren’t the exact same color.

George and Sapnap: They are interesting as well. They’re kind of close to being complementary colors (opposites on the color wheel) but they aren’t. Their colors are much farther than say, Sapnap and Dream, but they look good together. They’re the friends that mess around and argue a lot but still fit really well. I think their colors reflect this. You wouldn’t expect them to work together but they do. 

Okay warning this is where it gets a little bit dnf so if you’re not a fan then don’t read:

George and Dream: So I was chatting with my friend about the colors I see for people and was talking about what I saw for Dream Team. He sees colors for people/voices as well and we were comparing. And I was telling him about George’s color and how odd it was that he was green despite it being Dream’s brand I realized something. 

I looked at a color wheel and, 

They’re complementary colors and I never noticed. Which blew my mind because it makes so much sense. Complementary are insanely dynamic together, when together they’re bold and appealing. It makes sense that their personalities reflect this in their relationship. Their personalities are opposite, which is why they work so well and their colors reflect that. They balance each other. 

George is very private about information about him, but he’s not about his identity, his image. Dream is the exact opposite. Dream is super competitive to a fault, George is not competitive to fault. Dream has no problem saying things and being affectionate through his words. George does not like using his words to show love. 

Opposites attract, and they work well together. They ground each other and find near perfect balance. It’s probably why their relationship is so special. It’s just.. different. Their colors are the same way. 

They just look good together. They draw attention and fit weirdly well even though they shouldn’t since they’re opposites. 

It’s no wonder Dream likes George so much. He’s green, his favorite color /j

Lastly Group Dynamics:

Their colors just fit together. It’s an interesting palette and they give me summer vibes. Ice cream, walks on the street, sunsets, grass, beach.... It’s almost sad that they didn’t meet in person. Can you imagine this group growing up together? Hanging out everyday. They’d be totally inseparable. Unimaginably fun. I can see how there would be blips in the road, moments where they clash, they aren’t a monotone group. It means that their personalities don’t fit perfectly together, they argue, they can have differences. But that’s part of what makes them so fun. They always got something new and fresh, keeping each other on their toes. 

I think they paint a beautiful picture together. So I don’t question why their trio blew up so big. 

Anyway that concludes this. I realize this is a really odd post. This isn’t meant to actually say anything about them it’s just fun. I wanted to share my perception of them and the colors my brain assigned them. 

What colors do you see them? What do you think that means? What’s your perception? Do you agree? Disagree?

My inbox is open. 

[p-artsypants]

I’ll Handle This (13)

In Which There’s Cheese

Ao3 | FF.net

Trigger or Squick warning: Man has done some messed up stuff in the pursuit of perfect cheese. And what is cheese but moldy, rotten milk? This chapter contains some very foul and nasty descriptions of actual cheese that people eat. So if eating rotting food makes you uncomfortable, best skip to the end of this chapter.

(Spoiler: Plagg gives Lila really gross cheese. She eats it, and has to run out of the room to vomit.)

--

“—so the best way to level up is to get a skill up to 100, and then legendary it back down to 15, so then you can use the skill perks on another ability that’s harder to level up. That’s where I’m at right now. I’m on level 106 and trying to fill up all my skill trees by using smithing, speech, enchanting, lock picking, and blocking.” 

Day three of Lila’s torment, and there was presumably no end in sight. 

Had she known from the beginning that Adrien Agreste was this big of a nerd and completely socially inept, she wouldn’t have talked to him at all. 

Funny how people looked less attractive the more annoying they got. 

And she had tried. She had sincerely tried to get him to shut up. She told him, “I’m sorry Adrien, I’m just not that interested in this video game.” 

“Well, you’ve just never played it before! You should come over this weekend—no, actually, I think we should go to your place. When you aren’t grounded anymore. Your mom seemed to really like me!” 

Of course she did. Her mother likes anyone who’s a ‘good influence’ on her precious baby. And nothing like Paris’ golden boy to fill that bubble.

Her mom probably preferred that Adrien was so naïve and oblivious. 

The bell rang for lunch, and Lila was up and out of her seat without another word. She was tired of the games. Skyrim, Magic: The Gathering, and trying to salvage a friendship with the dumb blond. But Adrien usually ate lunch at home or with Marinette, at least he had been, so lunch was her time to recharge! She’d take her place in the throne room that was the cafeteria and have everyone’s attention. With an hour of that, she could certainly put up with whatever Adrien had to tell her the next half of the day. 

In the cafeteria, most seats were taken. The two open seats were at a table with Alya, Nino, and Marinette. Of course Lila wasn’t thrilled with Marinette, but she’d leave eventually, and someone else would hear her tales and come to sit with them. 

“Hey guys! Do you mind if I sit with you?” Lila smiled, all friendly-like. 

“Not at all, Lila, take a seat!” Alya welcomed. 

Marinette and Nino kept their poker faces as she sat down. 

“So Alya, I had this amazing idea for an article for the Ladyblog, and I bet I could get some quotes from Ladybug for it too.” 

“Or really?” Alya squealed. “That would be amazing! So what’s the idea?” 

“Basically—“ 

“WHO WANTS SOME CHEESE?!” Plagg sang as he took his spot in the last remaining seat, right next to Lila. 

She wanted to die. 

“Cheese?” Said Nino, intrigued. 

“Yeah! I have been dying to give you guys a cheese tasting, and wouldn’t you know it? All my best buds are all together! So it’s perfect!” 

Lila cautiously relaxed. Cheese tastings were just as fancy as wine tastings. Maybe this would be a break and a peek into Adrien’s refinement. She could handle this. 

“Okay, so for you three,” Plagg gestured to Nino, Alya, and Marinette, “I have some more...beginner cheeses. They’re still extremely tasty, but more mild for a less refined palette.” 

“You calling me unrefined?” Nino glared. 

“I see what you eat. And yes.” 

“Touché.” 

“And for you, Lila, you mentioned that two weeks ago, you had dinner with Wolfgang Puck himself. I assumed you could handle more advanced cheeses.” 

Advanced cheeses? “Oh, well, yes of course. I’ve done a few cheese tastings before. Maybe not with the same quality of cheeses as you have...” 

“Then this will be a walk in the park.” He unzipped the lunchbox he had brought with him, and handed out three orange cubes to the ‘beginners’. “Alright, so first, we have a whiskey cheddar.  Whiskey is fermented in oak barrels that can only be used once. So they’re sold to beer, coffee, and cheese makers. The cheese is stored in the barrels and the remnants of the whiskey seep in and give it almost a spicy flavor.” 

They all took a bite, chewing thoughtfully, humming in content. 

“Oh wow, I think I can taste the whiskey! That’s really good!” 

“I’d put this on crackers and eat a whole box! This is really good!” 

“I’m not a huge fan of cheddar,” stated Marinette, “but maybe I just haven’t been trying the right stuff, because this is awesome!” 

“I’m glad you like it!” Plagg beamed. “And for Lila,” he opened a container and a smell emanated immediately. It smelled like rotten armpit. “This is finely aged Limburger, aged to three months. It’s imperative that you take in the scent of the cheese first, before eating it. Don’t waft it, just breathe it in.”

Lila took the offered container, sparing it a withering glance before she inhaled. 

If her face could have melted off, it would have.

“It…smells like rotten feet.” 

“Ah yes, Brevibacterium linens. This is a smear-washed cheese that gets a fresh coating of bacteria that prevents mold and helps the maturing process. As a food connoisseur, you’re getting the peak time of maturity. I usually let it mature longer than this still, so it gets really runny, like camembert~…” At the very name, Plagg moaned in a way that was inappropriate for young ears. He cleared his throat. “Sorry, I got swept away in the moment. Oh right! Limburger, you eat it with your nose. Take another whiff!”

“I’m good.”

“Another whiff I say!”

Lila inhaled, and her whole body shuddered. 

“Perfect. Now you can eat it.” 

She popped the sample in her mouth, and swallowed quickly, shuddering the whole time. 

“Good?”

“Hmm mmm…”

“Oh! I forgot to mention, the bacteria that that cheese is smeared with is the same that grows on your feet, that’s what makes the cheese stink!”

Lila made a face of disgust and turned a little green.

“Great! Round two!” He placed little samples in front of the other three first. “Okay, so this is a little more advanced. This is scamorza, which is much like Mozzarella, but it has a distinct smokey flavor. I think it tastes kind of like wood fired pizza.” 

“It does!” Nino cried, savoring each little nibble. “Oh my god this is so good!” 

Alya took a bit of tomato out of her sandwich and ate that with the cheese. “Oh, that is just like wood fired pizza. I’d love to try this warm! You have to get more of this!”

Plagg grinned. “And you, Marinette?” 

Marinette was still chewing, and just nodded with closed eyes and a contented sigh. 

“Awesome! I personally think scamorza is too mild, but it’s still very good. So for Lila I have another advanced taste.” He took out another sealed container and popped the lid. The smell wasn’t as brutal as the Limburger, but it was still potent. “This is Casu Marzu, a Sardinian delicacy. So it should sound familiar to you, since you’re from Italy and all. It’s made from sheep’s milk. Oh! And it’s illegal, so this sample is from a ‘friend’ who will not be named.”

Lila held the container a little away from her face and peered at it with hesitation. Her lip curled up in disgust, before she gave Plagg an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Adrien. It looks like this cheese has gone bad.” And she pushed the container back towards him. 

He looked in it. “It looks fine to me. They’re alive. That’s a good thing.” 

“Adrien, those are maggots.” 

“Cheese fly maggots, to be exact,” he corrected. “They’re introduced to the cheese to help break down the fat in the milk.” He pushed the container back in front of her. “I mean, it’s not any more gross than escargot, or caviar, or grasshopper, or tequila worms, you know?”

She looked back at the worms, her lip trembling. “This is a delicacy?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t bring bad cheese in for a laugh.” He took out a spoon and scooped out a little cheese, worms and all, and spread it on a piece of flatbread. Then he ate it. “Ohhh that’s good!”

“I…” She cast one more look at the container and confessed, “I’m sorry Adrien. I just can’t do it. It’s too gross for me.”

“Oh,” said Plagg, with genuine sadness in his voice. “Okay I guess...anyone else want to try?” 

Marinette, who was always looking for a chance to show up Lila, offered up, “I’ll give it a try.” 

Plagg’s eyes widened with glee. “You will?!” 

“Sure. Even if it’s gross, I can say I tried it. Not everyday you get to eat illegal cheese. And you ate some, afterall.” 

“Yes! I promise it’ll be worth it! You just have to thoroughly chew it to kill the maggots.” 

Marinette scrunched up her nose. “Can I...kind of eat around the worms?” 

“You can try.” 

So to Marinette’s credit, she did eat some of the cheese, though it was picked through, and she scraped what she could off with a knife. Then she spread a little on a larger piece of bread, more bread than cheese obviously, then chewed her sample thoroughly. 

“Well?” Asked Plagg, bouncing in his seat. “I think it’s kind of like Camembert and Gorgonzola had a baby. A rotten, decaying baby.”

“Mmm hmmm.” Marinette nodded, her lips shut tight. Once she swallowed, she downed a huge swig of her water, swishing around in her mouth first. 

“That bad, huh?” Asked Alya. 

“No no, it actually tasted really really good. And I couldn’t feel the worms or anything. I just couldn’t get over the idea that they were there. You know?” 

“It’s scary!” Plagg assured. “I know it freaked me out when I was a kid, but if it wasn’t worth it, they wouldn’t make it!” 

“You’re wicked brave, Marinette.” Nino patted her on the back. 

She chuckled. “Alright. Do you have any more samples so I can cleanse my palette?” 

“Oh yep! Last round!” He set out three more samples. “So this is Cantal. It’s from Cantal, France, obviously. And it’s often thought of as a dessert cheese, as it’s got a sort of spicy sweet taste, or like hazelnuts. Oh, and you’ll want to eat it with these apple slices. This is a young wheel, only two months old.” 

Contented hums filled the air as the three munched on the sweet, buttery, fruity delight. 

Plagg felt extremely pleased that he convinced Adrien’s friends to eat cheese. And he was especially proud of Marinette for eating the best, most amazing cheese of all time. If casu marzu wasn’t an absolute pain to get ahold of, and if it were more portable, he’d demand Adrien to get him that instead of Camembert. 

But, as it was, they had to go with more convenient cheeses. 

“I think I’m all cheesed out...” said Lila. 

“Dude, you only actually had one sample. You can’t bow out now!” 

At this point, especially after the maggots, a small crowd had assembled around the table to observe the tasting. And if anyone would cave under peer pressure, it was Lila. 

“Well, I suppose I could try one more...” 

“Perfect! Because this last sample is really special!” He placed the little white flecked square in front of her. “This is my take on pepper jack cheese.” 

“Wait, you made this?” She asked. 

“Yep! I figured that if I love eating cheese so much, I should make my own!” 

“So what’s it made of?” Lila asked, hesitant. 

“You have to guess! I want to see if you can guess the milk and the pepper. It’s part cow milk, obviously, but I wanted a different flavor that you don’t get with most semi hard cheeses.” 

“And there’s no bugs in it?” 

Plagg laughed. “Nope, no bugs!” 

Feeling a bit better, Lila brought the sample up to her mouth. The smell was subtle, a little spicy, a little milky. Not at all like the last two. 

She bit the sample in half, and chewed thoughtfully. “It’s...kind of sweet...but the spice is...” she blinked a few times, her face turning red and eyes watering. “It’s hot. It’s really hot!” She ate the other half, and then regretted it. “Ugh! I shouldn’t have done that!” She swallowed and downed her little carton of milk, but the heat wouldn’t leave. It kept getting worse and worse! 

“What did you put in there?! What was that?!” 

Plagg looked confused. “It’s really that spicy?” 

“My mouth hurts!! It hurts to talk!” 

“All it is is Carolina Reaper and Breast Milk.” 

Lila was up and out like a bolt, running to the bathroom to hurl. 

Marinette likewise, had to leave the room, as her uproarious laughing at Lila’s suffering would have looked really bad. 

—

(If you were looking for the cheese free section of the chapter, this is it!)

Lila didn’t return to class immediately. In fact, it was two periods later when she finally returned. Her face was flushed and her eyes bloodshot, and she had a wet spot on her shirt. Before everyone settled in, she claimed Adrien’s old seat, right up front. 

“Sorry,” she croaked, her voice hoarse after retching so much. “Vomiting usually exacerbates my tinnitus. I hope you don’t mind if I sit up front, Adrien.” 

Nino answered, “oh dude, you can have my spot. That way you and Adrien can still sit together!” 

Lila’s eyes widened slightly in horror, but before she could protest, Alya slid into the spare seat. She was unfortunately not in on the plan, and was picking up all the blatant body language Plagg was ignoring. “I think Lila needs a little girl time, after her rough lunchtime experience.”

Marinette silently scooted over into Alya’s spot, so that Plagg could sit right behind Lila. It wasn’t ideal, but it would work. Nino gave them both a silent thumbs up and took the open spot in the back of the room.

Lila let out a sigh of relief. 

“You okay, girl?” Alya asked.

“Yeah.” She said shortly. Lila was done with the day. She would have gone home if she thought her mom would believe the cheese story, but as it was, she was already in hot water. She just needed to make it through the last two periods, and she’d be okay. Maybe she could convince her mom that she was sick and stay home tomorrow? I would be worth a try. She just needed some time away from Adrien. He was much too much. 

As if reading her mind, Plagg leaned forward in his seat and spoke softly to her. “So I wanted to tell you about Stalhrim. It’s a material they added in the DLC, and you can learn how to craft with it, but it’s triggered by a quest. The first time I played the game, the person who was supposed to give the quest was killed by a lurker. Hold on, let me backup, so there are these huge monoliths call Standing Stones, and they all give you special abilities, like the Steed Stone let’s you carry things and the Apprentice Stone lets you learn magic quicker—“ 

As he talked, Lila’s fingers curled into the surface of the desk. His words didn’t even make any sense anymore, it was just this droning sound that wouldn’t stop. 

“So in the DLC, the stones are totally different, right? And there’s this bad dude named Miraack and he’s also a Dragonborn. You remember what a Dragonborn is, right? Except this one is bad and he’s brainwashing the people on the island of Solstheim. Oh right, the whole DLC takes place on a separate island—“ 

The whole two weeks had been a camel. And each little rant or pushed boundary Adrien forced was another piece of straw piling up. Just then, it was like that fragile spine snapped, and something in Lila went from ‘playing the long game’ to ‘MURDER’.

“SHUT UP!” Lila screamed, pounding her fists on the table. “OH MY GOD JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!” She stood and whirled around to glare at him. “Adrien, you are the single most obnoxious person I have ever met! You just don’t know when to shut up! Are you dense? Are you retarded? How can you not see that I literally cannot give a flying eff about anything you say?! I was trying to be your friend because I thought it would be an easy way to fame. Then I felt sorry for you because of how awkward you are. Now? It’s not worth it. It’s not worth pretending to think you’re interesting when you aren’t. It’s not worth trying to ease back and deal with everyone wondering what happened. Everyone in class would wonder why we weren’t talking anymore, and I’d have to come up with more lies to get away from you, and I just don’t want to deal with that! You’re not worth it, okay? You are so selfish and annoying! Is this why your dad kept you home schooled all your life? Because he needs to lock you right back up! You are a menace!” She swung back around for a moment to gather her belongings. “I can’t even be in the same room as you anymore. I’m so done with you and your stupid rants about stupid video games! And what kind of weirdo is that obsessed with cheese?! You ate maggots for Christ sake! You’re disgusting! If you weren’t attractive, I bet your father would have regretted having you, if he hasn’t already!” She moved to the door quickly. “I’m asking to change classes, effective immediately. I suggest everyone run while you still can!” Then she caught Marinette’s eye. “Listen, I dislike you almost as much as him, but you don’t want him, Marinette. He’s an absolute freak. Look at him! He’s wearing that stupid ramen themed sweat suit! You know what? Forget it! I’m out!” And she left, slamming the door behind her. 

No one had the nerve to speak after she left. It was just too big of a can of worms, no one wanted to open it. 

The silence was broken by a high pitched whine, followed by a sob. 

Though Marinette knew it was Plagg faking it, the sight of tears on Adrien’s face made her heart hurt. 

“Oh Adrien...” 

“You still like me, right Marinette?” He blubbered. 

She hugged him. “Of course, Adrien. I love you.” 

That seemed to be the words to break the spell and the classmates descended on him like vultures. 

“You’re not annoying, Adrien!” Someone protested. 

“You’re the coolest!” 

“I love talking video games with you!” 

“That cheese testing was really fun!” 

“Who cares if you struggle with social cues? We all do! You do better than most, even for being homeschooled!” 

“Lila admitted she was in the friendship for fame, her opinion doesn’t matter!” 

Marinette whispered in his ear. “Nicely done, but I was not expecting that blow up.” 

“Thanks, I was hoping she’d crack soon. That was just as violent as I had expected of her.” 

“You okay? Those look like genuine tears.” 

Plagg wiped his face as the rest of the class started to back off. “I’m okay,” he whispered. “Just hurts to hear someone be so cruel to my kitten.” 

He glanced at the ring, hoping to see the final pad gone, and the one minute wait to switch back initiated. 

But alas, no. The third pad was still there. 

Lila wasn’t finished yet.

[yellowsuitcase]

Christmas Morning // Ron Weasley

A/N: Hello! Happy first of December! I thought a great way to start off this month would be by posting a Ron Weasley fluff. (In this fic, Voldy doesn’t exist. ) Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

Summary: Y/N spends Christmas at the Burrow with her boyfriend Ron.

Warning(s): None.

Word Count: 2.3k

Y/N’s eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light streaming in from the Burrow’s windows. She sat up slowly and stretched her arms up to the sky, letting out a soft groan. Once she finished waking up her muscles, she glanced around the room and noticed all the décor. It’s Christmas, she remembered. Through the floorboards, she could hear that the Weasley’s were already downstairs. Mrs. Weasley was yelling at Fred while White Christmas was playing on an old fashioned radio. A few weeks ago, Mr. Weasley had found it at a muggle consignment shop, Ron had told her. Y/N pulled back the red and orange bed sheets on Ron's bed and touched her naked feet to the floor. It was cold to the touch, so she walked over to her bag and pulled out fuzzy white socks her mother had gifted to her before she left to spend this Christmas at the Weasley’s. She slipped them on her feet and headed for the door. 

Y/N failed to contain her excitement as she practically skipped down the steps until reaching the bottom floor. She turned the corner, passing the warm fireplace and sparkling tree, and walked into the kitchen where the entire family was digging in. Upon noticing her arrival, Mrs. Weasley smiled and stood up from her chair. “Happy Christmas, Y/N!” she said brightly, opening her arms up for a hug. Y/N eagerly embraced her, laughing as she did so. “Happy Christmas,” she replied. 

“You’re just in time for breakfast; we’ve saved you a plate right next to Ron,” Mr. Weasley notified her. Y/N gave her thanks to him and sat herself down next to her boyfriend. Ron leaned in for a sweet kiss. “Good morning, darling. Did you sleep okay? I didn't wake you, did it? It was hard to maneuver myself out of bed,” he chuckled. Y/N blushed and nodded. “I slept wonderfully, thank you, Ronald.”

“Eat faster. I want to open presents,” Fred said impatiently. “Fred! You’d better watch your mouth, or you won’t be getting any presents. Besides, Y/N just got here, let the girl get some food in her stomach,” Mrs. Weasley scolded. Y/N smiled softly, trying not to laugh at Fred. He glanced up at her and shot her a wink. “I’m only joking, Mum,” he replied. Mrs. Weasley scoffed as she sat back in her chair. Y/N started to eat her food. She, just as much as Fred, was excited to open presents. Ron, beside her, was nearly done with his plate. It only had a piece of toast left on it. He picked it up, folded it over, and shoved the entire thing in his mouth. Y/N promptly bent over with laughter, causing everyone’s eyes to turn to her. 

“Ron Weasley, I know you did not just put that entire piece of toast in your mouth.” Ron furrowed his eyebrows. “What?” he asked with his mouth full. Y/N shook her head in disappointment. “He can’t control himself, that boy,” Mrs. Weasley mused as Mr. Weasley nodded his head in agreement. “Yeah, the amount of times Mum has had to do the Heimlich on him is staggering. He used to choke every other day when he was younger,” George informed Y/N. Ron, who had swallowed his bread, spoke up. “I did not. And besides, it’s not like I set off a smoke bomb in the middle of dinner, just for a laugh,” he fired back. 

“That’s enough, boys. It’s Christmas; no arguing allowed. Now, take your dishes to the sink and let's gather ‘round the tree, alright? Y/N, dear, take all the time you need; we won’t start without you,” Mrs. Weasley told Y/N. The Weasleys put their plates away and headed for the living room, leaving just Ron and Y/N.  “Oh, no worries! I think I’m done. I want to save room for your delicious Christmas dinner that I’ve heard so much about!” Y/N replied happily. Mrs. Weasley blushed and waved her off. “It’s nothing. Now go on, you two, I’ll be there in a moment.”

Ron took Y/N’s hand and led her to the living room. They settled onto the couch and threw a blanket on top of their legs. Ron turned his head to look at Y/N. “I’m really excited for you to see what I’ve gotten you,” he told her before pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “You didn’t have to get me anything,” she said quietly. Ron shook his head, adamantly. “Nonsense, you’re my girlfriend, of course, I got you something.” Y/N sighed but rested her head on Ron’s shoulder and squeezed his hand lovingly. Shortly, Mrs. Weasley came into the room and sat down in the wooden rocking chair next to the tree. It was drowning in colorfully wrapped boxes. “Ginny, dear. Why don’t you open one of your gifts first?” she suggested. Ginny nodded and grasped the closest present with her name on it. Y/N felt Ron shift uncomfortably next to her. “You’ll get to open yours soon enough, Ronald. So impatient,” she whispered. Her boyfriend responded by slightly shoving her, eliciting a little giggle from her lips.

Their antics were interrupted by Ginny gasping. In her hands were brand new quidditch gloves. They had red accents around the base to match her Hogwarts house. “Thanks, Mum! I needed new ones,” Ginny said. Her mother smiled proudly. “I’m glad you like them. I even embroidered the red bits on it, did you see?” Ginny nodded and placed her gloves tenderly beside her. She then grabbed a small box and looked at the tag to see who it was addressed to, but was stopped short by Mrs. Weasley's sharp inhale. “I forgot! Ginny, would you grab that large bag back there? It has gifts for everyone.” Ginny did as her mother asked and handed the bag to her. Mrs. Weasley, one by one, pulled out each gift and gave them to their respective recipients. Once everyone had their package in their hands, Mrs. Weasley smiled and urged them to open it. Y/N ripped the red colored paper eagerly, while Ron opened his unhurriedly. He knew what it was going to be, as did the rest of his family. Y/N, however, didn’t know what to expect. But when she pulled out a dark green sweater with her first initial knitted onto the front. She gasped and immediately pulled it over her head. “Thank you, Mrs. Weasley! It’s so cozy,” she gushed. Ron smiled at his lover. He and his brothers and sister had received one of these sweaters every year. But for Y/N, she had never gotten one. And to receive one meant his mother regarded her as part of the family. This filled Ron with pride. And on top of that, she looked absolutely adorable in it.

After everyone put on their sweater, they continued with presents. “Dad, here’s one for you. It’s from Y/N,” Fred said as he passed his father the box. “Y/N, you shouldn’t have,” Mr. Weasley said lightly as he shook the box. “I wonder what it is,” he said while ripping the wrapping paper to reveal an electric razor. But it seemed as though Mr. Weasley didn’t know what it was just by the picture, so Y/N filled him in. “It’s an electric razor. You flick it on, and that way, you don’t have to go through the hassle of rinsing the normal little one. Does that make sense?” she asked. Mr. Weasley’s eyebrows were knit together as he opened the box and lifted up the small mechanism. “I think so, but I’m not sure.” Y/N chuckled. “I’ll go over the instructions with you later if you’d like,” she offered. He smiled and placed the razor back in the box. “What a curious little thing this is… Yes, that’d be great Y/N, thank you very much.”

Y/N snuggled close to Ron. She loved watching people open gifts; it made her feel fuzzy inside. They continued opening presents. Fred got a new scarf as well as a gobstone set. George got a scarf too, but instead of gobstones, he got a fanged frisbee. The twins were rather excited about that one. Ginny, along with her gloves, got a necklace with six rings to signify quidditch hoops. A large pack of chocolate frogs was gifted to Ron and another Chudley Cannons poster to slap on his wall. Mrs. Weasley got a new knitting basket full of supplies, and Mr. Weasley got a set of ties. Y/N got a large basket full of prank items from the twins, a makeup palette from Ginny, and a wallet from Mr. Weasley. She was extremely pleased with her gifts and promised each giver that she’d try them out as soon as possible. Once all the presents were gone, everyone began to scatter, some to test their new items and others to get properly dressed. Regardless, this left Ron and Y/N on the couch.

“So, are you ready for your present?” Y/N asked. Ron smiled, “I am. Where have you hidden it?” he asked. His girlfriend laughed. “It’s in my bag; hold on.” She wordlessly summoned the gift. It landed in her hands, and she passed it off to Ron. It was wrapped in red and silver striped paper and had a gold bow on top. Ron gingerly removed the bow and tore the paper. He was now left with a simple black box. When he opened it, he breathed, "Wow." Inside was a wooden wristwatch with walnut colored straps. Ron took it off the little pillow and studied it intently. Inside the face were various small holes, almost like the moon or perhaps a sponge. He unhooked the latch and wrapped it around his wrist.

“You like it?” Y/N asked nervously. “I love it, darling," Ron assured her. "Thank you. Could you help me latch it?” he asked. Y/N nodded and leaned over his wrist, her fingers nimbly pushing the prong through the hole and fastening it tightly. When she pulled away, Ron’s hand touched her cheek, and he drew her in for a kiss. She sighed softly, melting into him. “Now, it’s your turn,” Ron murmured after pulling away. He stood up from the couch and walked over to a shelf where he opened the top drawer and drew out a long, slender box wrapped in blue paper. He remained standing and handed Y/N the box. She looked at curiously, wondering what could be in such a skinny box. But when she removed the cover and saw what was inside, her face broke out in a genuine grin. Inside was an elegant red quill, spotted with gold flecks. Y/N ran her finger along the center, feeling its smoothness. She picked it up and held it in her dominant hand just as she would any other quill. It felt perfect. “Ron, this is beautiful. I hope it wasn’t expensive…” Ron smiled and awkwardly rested his hand on his neck. “It was a bit pricey, but I knew you’d love it so I had to get it,” Ron said with a blush on his cheeks. Y/N set the quill back in its box and stood up to face him. “Ron Weasley. I love you so much.”

Suddenly, the radio went silent, catching their attention. The pair turned their heads towards it, wondering why it was quiet. But then the telltale sound of winter bells filled the air. “Silver bells...silver bells... it’s Christmas time in the city…” Y/N averted her attention back to her boyfriend. He smirked at her and held out his hand. “May I have this dance, Ms. Y/L/N?” Y/N giggled at his playfulness but took his outstretched hand nonetheless. He pulled her close, gently pushing her head to lie against his chest. Her hand was still in his as it too rested on his chest. Ron’s opposite hand landed on her waist. They began to gently sway back and forth, letting the music fill their ears. After a few moments, Ron even started to hum along. The vibrations from his chest lulled Y/N’s eyes closed. She felt so happy, so peaceful in his arms. 

“Happy Christmas, Y/N. I’m really glad you’re here,” Ron whispered in her ear. Y/N took her head off his chest to gaze up at him. “Happy Christmas, Ron,” she replied. The couple’s dance was interrupted by the sound of a loud click. They froze in place as they snapped their heads in the direction from which they heard the noise. There stood Molly Weasley, a camera in her hands. “Oh, I’m sorry, dears, but you two looked so sweet, I had to capture the moment. You can have the photo; it’s already been printed,” she said excitedly as she passed the image to Ron. He brought it towards him while shaking his head at his mother. Y/N grasped his wrist and pulled it down so that she, too, could see it. There they were, pressed against one another, swaying back and forth. Then the Y/N in the picture lifted her head to look at Ron. Real-life Y/N had to admit that the photo was definitely worth it despite their moment being cut short. 

“Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. This is the best Christmas gift, being here with you and your lovely family.” The red-headed woman blushed. “Of course, dear, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. I’ll leave you to it now, sorry for interrupting.” She scurried back to the kitchen, once again leaving the couple alone. Ron scoffed. “Can’t believe that woman,” he said. Y/N lightly whacked his shoulder. “Hush, you. Because of her, we now have this wonderful photograph,” she scolded. Ron sighed and brought the picture closer to his face. “It is a really nice photo,” he admitted. Y/N laughed at him, grabbed his face, and placed a tender kiss on his lips; he returned it eagerly, relishing in the feeling of his girl in his arms.

“This will probably end up being one of my favorite Christmases,” Ron said when she pulled away from the kiss. Y/N rested her head against his chest yet again, breathing in his comforting scent. “Yeah, I think so too.”

Taglist: @cutie1365​ @orangecrayon​ @sambucky8​ @emilianamason​ @raplinethereal​ @dixiethemorab24​ @prongsandprancer​

[dakotasgreenkitchen]

Take A Chance On Me- Part 3.

“Florence?” Amelia called as she set the keys down onto the dish, placing Scout into his playpen.

“My room.” Florence answered back, her voice softer than Amelia’s.

“What did you do?!” Amelia exclaimed, her eyes wide as she saw the paint on the walls and tarps covering the floor.

“This room was plain, I made it better.” Florence said proudly, showing off the colorful almost retro flowers she had painted over the walls.

The white bed frame was now orange and the walls had a color palette of oranges, pinks and yellows. Amelia could clearly see Florence was taking advantage of being her own person.

“I didn’t tell you this was okay.” Amelia said firmly- like Evelyn told her once you’re building a boat.

“It’s just paint. If all else fails you can just get white paint and go over them a couple times.” Florence shrugged tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

“You really should ask permission. What if we sold the house or someone wanted to see it?” Amelia asked, her eyebrow raising.

“Oh so when Scout gets older and you get tired of having a random ass teenager you can give me back and won’t have to redo the house?” Florence pressed, was it stupid to argue with the woman giving you shelter and a life, sure. But Florence was never one to back down.

“We’re not going to give you back. I would just like some warning if you’re going to paint the walls.” Amelia said slipping her hands into her pockets, not willing to argue with a teenager- teenagers were scary.

“Okay then. Well I’m gonna keep painting and unless you want to inhale it I would leave.” Florence shrugged picking up the paint brush once more before making Amelia sigh as she walked away.

“I have no authority with her bubba.” Amelia pouted as she lifted Scout out of his pin.

Scout just babbled as he grabbed onto her scrub top, giggling at the faces Amelia was making at him. God babies were easy compared to whatever fight? Disagreement? That she clearly lost with Florence.

—

“I can’t believe you are the adult and you still lost an argument over the walls of our house with a teenager.” Link laughed as he stirred the sauce in the saucepan.

“I don’t know how far I’m allowed to push, technically I’m not her mother or I guess she doesn’t see me as that. I just don’t know how far I can push.” Amelia explained, her head resting in the palm of her hand.

“Well what did you do with Betty, how far did you push?” Link asked dipping the pasta and sauce onto plates.

“Well she was on drugs and like me so I knew how to handle that. But Florence as far as I know isn’t a drug addict. She’s just Florence.” Amelia sighed, leaning her head back facing the ceiling.

“Then just let her be Florence. She hasn’t done anything worthy of punishing her.” Link reasoned as he passed Amelia her plate.

“FLORENCE. COME EAT DINNER.” Amelia called as she walked the plates to the table along with their glasses.

“I’m here.” Florence said as she sat down at the table next to Scout’s high chair.

“What was school like. Did you meet anyone?” Link asked once everyone began eating.

Florence just shrugged. In her mind she wasn’t being rude, she never had sit down meals with adults who truly cared about her days.

Most days in the home was spent eating in the dining hall with one of her closest friends. Jolene. Jolene was much like the Dolly Parton song. Red hair and emerald green eyes.

Jolene’s hair curled into ringlets and Jolene had also lost both parents to a fire. Her and Florence had kept each other sane and was a shoulder to cry on and open mind to vent towards.

“It was fine.” Florence spoke quietly, moving her fork around her plate before taking a small bite.

“That’s good. Did you make new friends? I know it can be hard when you transfer.” Amelia said her voice supportive and kind.

“Yeah a couple, but I miss Jolene.” Florence sighed, taking a sip of her glass.

“Jolene?” Link asked, him and Amelia had never heard of a Jolene since Florence moved in.

“She was my best friend at the home. Her parents died in a fire too. We kept each other sane.” Florence said, Amelia and Link getting up to clean up the kitchen.

“Like your person?” Amelia mused, finally feeling like she could relate to the young teenager.

“Not really. Just my best friend.” Florence said, her brunette eyebrow raised as she placed the dishes into the dishwasher.

—

“Hey you.” Jolene smiled, glad to see her best friend’s face on the phone. They barely had time to talk since Florence went to school.

“Hi lovey.” Florence teased, her head resting on her knees.

“I miss you girl. It’s so fucking boring here. I thought Mrs. Lawrence would throw me out a window for my attitude today.” Jolene rolled her emerald eyes.

“Fuck her. She never liked me. Ever.” Florence laughed, propping the phone up as she walked towards her closet.

“She didn’t like either of us. The two bitchiest orphans.” Jolene chuckled, her ringlets falling out of the braid she had them in.

“Being bitchy kept us from being walked over. How is Dan. Or did you give up on him?” Florence semi shouted as she thumbed through her clothes, the patterns mixing as she moved quickly.

“I gave up. But some dudes who got married want to come meet me so. How’s the perky ones?” Jolene laughed as Florence sat back onto the bed, the phone in her hands.

Amelia passed by, Florence’s door cracked and she could hear them talking. Even though it’s a bad move; she had to learn more about her now daughter.

“They’re okay I guess. I just still don’t get why they wanted me. They have a baby. Like I’m way past the age of being wanted. But I think I got in trouble for painting the walls.” Florence said crossing her leg one over the other.

“Brutal. I don’t get that either but I don’t know why these guys want to talk to me. When I get out of here if I ever do I promise I’ll come see you Flo.” Jolene smiled sadly, even though Florence wasn’t that far, they had spent every moment of every day together since they were 8.

They had spent 7 years chained at the hip. And for the first time in a very long time, they were both virtually alone. Sure they had internet.

But that doesn’t come close to laying in bed at night, having snuck the communion wafers that night during mass. Laughing until they almost choked.

Or sitting outside, head on a shoulder just having a minute away from school or mass that they didn’t even believe in.

Using Amelia’s term- they were each other’s person. Jolene and Florence were the one constant in each other’s life. The one thing that was always there no matter the situation or time.

“Please do. I miss you lovey. It’s fucking weird not being able to just crawl in the bed in the middle of the night with the communion wafers.” Florence smiled, her head falling onto the pillows.

“You can say that again. Well phone time is almost up but I will call you tomorrow same time. Love you to the moon.” Jolene said waving her hand.

“And back every day.” Florence finished, her smiled fading as she hung up. Damn it, she missed Jolene.