#I know it hardly counts as character designs seeing as all I did for most of them was slap a pair of eyes on the Bonus Fruit... | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

intothetlkverse · 2 days ago

Text

Decided to challenge myself by drawing every single TLK character out there, up until this point in time, and post it here. You can see the finished project on my main account, though I figured to post it on my tumblr just show I could proudly show off my work and a few of my head canons.

Here's part two of all the non-raptor birds across TLG/K:

Starting strong with the egrets we have Ono/Maono(vision). The last of the Guard members to be featured here, though hardly due to lack of interest. I do like Ono, for how know-it-all and blunt he can be, I do see the appeal in his respectful and pragmatic nature, plus seeing him in his arc in the third season. He eventually becomes the Night Pride's majordomo/scout for the Day Guard, filling in for the time of day when Rani and her group are asleep and Kion and his team are awake. Ono, like myself, if also ace-aro, so while he doesn't get into a relationship or fathers any children, one day, who should come to the Tree of Life but a pair of hamerkops, none other than Ona/Kuona(sight) and mother Kulinda(protect), and he does take on a fatherly-uncle type role with Ona, as well as another egret.

Next up is what I like to call the secondary TLG characters category, composed of Tamaa(appetite) the drongo, Mwenzi(partner) the red-billed tickbird, and the yellow wagtail, featured in "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes", Nyuni(the bee). For all my gripes with TLG's design and story choices, I will say that their bird designs are pretty consistently decent across the board, even if Tamaa's design resembles the Asian-native greater racket-tailed drongo instead of a more geographically appropriate fork-tailed drongo, as I've portrayed here. I did also notice that there was a female yellow wagtail, so I made her Nyuni mate and her name is Mbila(millet). Also Bupu and Kifaru make very small cameos here.

I was really surprised to find out TLK doesn't have a lot of flamingo characters. Sure they appear in quite a few comics and stories, though counting named characters and ones we see in TLG, mentioned in the TLK wiki no less, that gives us about three actual characters. So I added on two more to the ones we got. Also Africa is home to two species of flamingos, the greater and lesser species, which in my research is more just size rather then quality, though the really bright flamingos you think of when seem to be more an American/Caribbean species. Still, considering that flamingos get their pink feather coloring from crustaceans, and the more they eat the more pink they are, I'm just gonna say that the seafood/algae in TLK/G for the most part is extremely rich in carotenoid. You can pry my Barbie pink African flamingo designs from my cold dead hands.

First off are TLG's Flamingo girl 1/Fuari(happy) and Flamingo girl 2/Juisi(juice), named after two of my favorite songs. They're greater flamingos and both of them live in their flamboyance next to Azaad's territory, often becoming his meal. I imagine flamingos, while native to most of Africa where there's water, are an uncommon sight for many, though are very adored for their perky pink plumage and fabulous, flamboyant festivities. For the other flamingo character before we get to the unnamed ones we have Yeye(she). She is leader of the greater flamingos in the Pridelands, specifically at Lake Kidogo. She is also considered a bit overdramatic, as she and her fellow flamingos once nearly declared war on Kiboko and the hippopotamuses for their less kempt nature/appearances, though in fairness Kiboko was being an extra big jerk, though he alone would've made pink morsels out them realistically. I based her design off the ones glaring at Kovu before his exile in TLK2.

The last two flamingos didn't have names, but considering I'm a big fan of flamingos and we definitely needed more, here you go. First off is the one we see from "A Kinglike Hair-do" I've named Sabuni(soap), yet another song I like. While walking down with his vain monkey friend Isimo, Simba and him come across a flock of flamingos, which Isimo argues about how pretty can they really be compared to him and decides to spook them by running through them. Simba then noticed Sabuni, injured and realizes her flock was trying to protect her. Simba calls the rest of the flock back, promising not to harm any of them, and they are able to go back to their injured friend, who eventually recovers. This event would make the flamingos have a more positive outlook towards Simba later on when he set about restoring the Pridelands back after Scar's reign, making them easy support. Later in the comic the flock plus a lemur Simba helped earlier save him from a snake-infested river.

Fataki(fireworks) is the last of the flamingos, and last one named after songs I like. From "Pretty in Pink", he is the only male on this list, and is the leader of a flamboyance of lesser flamingos who take over a small pond in the Oasis during a dry spell, peeving off our Hakuna Matata trio and anyone else hoping to use the pond for cooling off. The trio decide to infiltrate the pond by painting themselves pink with berry juice and gathering fallen flamingo feathers to try and trick the flamingos into allowing them to enter, though the plan fails when they topple into the water and wash away their disguise. However before they can get pecked for their trickery, Pumbaa emerges from the mud the sight of him is so frightening that the flock flees, allowing the trio to cool off in peace. Since then the flock has avoided that specific pond in fear of the 'mud monster' that appeared before them, though still are pretty selfish and vain still.

So at this point you already know my penchant for making these lists increasingly harder for myself. TLG has a long list of bird species that they've shown or used for a line or two, but are never given proper names, just barely a wiki page if they're lucky. The next five characters do have a TLG wiki page yet no specific names. After that, I decided that the other bird designs in TLG were too good to waste, so they will be given a brief mention and name.

Starting off with the unnamed characters which mostly come from "Friends to the End", we have the peacock leader of his flock, now a congo peafowl, Shabiki(fan). Congo peafowl are technically peacocks in Africa, but are much more subdued and don't nearly have as much pizzaz with their tail feathers as your typical Indian variant, and neither are nearly as stunning as the green peafowl... fight me. They've got eyespots all over, not just their tail feathers.

Next we get some waterfowl, starting with the former barnacle geese Mother goose/Ndege(fowl), now an African goose, and her son Jirgi(flight-Hausa) and daughter Gurbi(nest-Hausa) from "Friends to the End". So with barnacle geese, apparently they create nests on high cliffs to avoid predation, however within a few days of hatching goslings must jump off these cliff faces in order to meet their parents who are foraging on the grass below, which is what we learn in TLG, however I have no knowledge of African geese doing the same. However given how rude she was, in my 'verse the chicks did fall off a cliff where their mother had decided to build their nest on top of, and was too prideful to admit she was in the wrong. She later becomes food for Makucha's Army, though her chicks thankfully make it to adulthood relatively unscathed.

Last of the waterfowl is the African black duck from "The Search for Utamu" that Fuli saves her nest from some fighting oryxes. Her name is Bata(duck) and given that her species can have 4–8 eggs at a time, I like to think she named one after Fuli. Their design was pretty nice, though I changed the orange bill/beak to the original's black, though I imagine the reason why they originally had it orange was to help with figuring which part to animate.

Now for the unnamed, background species from TLG. These guys were already enough work to figure out how to make that they'll just get a brief excerpt.

White-throated laughing thrushes: Safisha(tidy). Their colors in the show just seemed to be extremely saturated, so I mellowed them somewhere between their real-life and cartoon counterparts.

Common Kingfishers: Choraji(painting). They're only found in a TLG "Look and Find" book, though still included because... well just look how pretty they are.

Great blue turaco: Mkweli(truthful) and white-crested turaco?: Mchele(rice). Such beautiful blue feathers for the former, absolutely stunning. For the white-crested turacos, for some weird reason in the show they made them... so weird. Like they took a blue-crested turaco and used pastel colors, baby blues and creams.... so I used the real-life design here. Perfectly colorful and serviceable design, I don't know what TLG was planning, though in my book these two are happily married to one another.

Grey-Headed Tanagers: Eji(dew-Yoruba). Another really-saturated cartoon design, though I honestly was doubting whether or not it was a tanager and not a sunbird or superb starling, or even if it was meant to be a variant of the grey-headed bushstrike they've already made. However it did get to a point where looking up species was starting to not be fun, so I conceded in the end, but did mute the colors more.

Grey-Headed Bushshrikes: Pazia(veil). Not much to say, but a really good design overall, for both real-life and TLG.

Southern red bishop: Kivara(clothing). Technically put under the finches wiki page, though the Southern red bishop is actually part of the weaver family, though stunningly beautiful nonetheless.

Peach-faced lovebird: Koro(heart). A cutie patootie, him and Kivara are mates too.

Green bee-eaters: Limu(lemon) and blue-throated bee-eater: Dubaku(look). The blue-throated bee-eater is an Asian species, so it's swapped with a blue-headed/mustached bee-eater here. I also had to work with the green bee-eater design a bit, since it seems TLG based it more off the Asian green bee-eater and not off the African one, which is slightly less flashy then the former.

White-necked ravens: Mlio(crow). It seems a bit weird to put a raven here, though like the peregrine falcon, apparently they too are found all across the world minus Antarctica and weirdly South America too. Hmm, well anyways I think they are very beautiful.

Lastly is Binti the hornbill, a yellow-billed oxpecker here and you can read more about her story here, as well as why this deleted love interest for Zazu is apparently a tickbird and not a hornbill. I did give her a slight redesign and that will apply to all the unnamed chicks which I did not bother to redo here, but I feel like she has a good design for the last character on this sheet.

#african birds #lion king #lionkingchallenge #art challenge #charcater design #character design #lion guard #flamingo #egret

0 notes

phantomfitzroy · 10 months ago

Text

I got caught and tagged like a wild animal by @cromerholt AND @noellevanious :-) quastions time

Are you named after anyone? Technically yes. When I listened to TAZ:Graduation I was really caught on Fitzroy Maplecourt, Knight in Absentia to the realm of Goodcastle 's name for some reason. Don't get me wrong, Griffin made a very fun character but I really don't associate my attachment to the name to him at all. It was more like inspiration, you know? Also my middle name, Aleksandr, is from an old ass youtuber I used to watch religiously in high school. If you know you know. I still use it as a first name, though, Fitz and Aleks are both good names I will respond to. Fun fact, my best friend called me Aleks through our junior/high school before I knew I was trans. I guess it just stuck.

When was the last time you cried? Yesterday. I watched a vid of an older woman with Alzheimer's talking with her daughter. She repeatedly asked her daughter to stop calling her mom, which did get to me, but what got to me most was her gradually remembering her daughter as the video went on while she looked at old photos and trinkets from her past. It really got to me.

Do you have kids? Nope :-) I fluctuate between not wanting kids and maybe wanting kids. I'm sure I'll have a better idea when I'm older and actually can take care of myself first.

What sports do you play/have you played? I used to play basketball in junior high. Also if you count marching band? Our director had us doing laps around the football field before practice and shit.

Do you use sarcasm? A very hesitant yes. I hardly use it, the closest I could say I get to sarcasm most of the time is just telling silly lies to people, but there's never any ill will behind it ever. I just like seeing what I can get people to believe, but I always let people know I lied after.

What's the first thing you notice about someone? In a physical sense their smile. I'm drawn to people's mouths for some reason. But in a broader sense the first thing I notice is usually the way they interact with other people.

Eye color? Hazel. I've got this cool ring of orangeish gold around my pupils.

Scary movies or happy endings? Depends on the day. I usually like scary movies though. As long as the ending is satisfying, it doesn't have to be happy for me to have enjoyed the experience.

Any talents? I don't like talking myself up but I am pretty good at acting and singing. Admittedly, I think I'm a better singer now than before my voice dropped from HRT.

Where were you born? Midwest. Minnesota. You're not getting anything closer than that, I shant dox myself.

Hobbies? Art. I draw and have been trying to get back into painting. I also technically do theatre as a hobby currently, since I don't get paid for the performances I'm in. And viddy games :-)

Any pets? I do not legally have pets, at least not in my own home, but I consider my dad's dogs my dogs since I take care of them as much (if not more) than they do lmao. Also one of my mom's dogs is technically mine, since I did pay for him when we got him, but I haven't been able to have pets anywhere I've lived since I moved out so he stays with my momma.

Height? 5'4"... I thought I was 5'5" until I was 18 years old.

Favorite school subject? I liked most science classes in school. The graphic design class I took in high school was fuckin awesome. Currently, though, I'm trying to teach myself to code and I'm enjoying that immensely.

Dream job? Professional acting!! Ideally I'd do live theatre, musical or otherwise. But I think I'd also be happy doing film. I would also be very happy as a live theatre director, though I'd need more experience directing first. I would also love love love to be a part of a professional improv troupe. Because I'm a dweeb. And good at improv.

Now I get to tag people. @genderkiller @gravellymistaken @nilovalentine @thesexiestlobster if you guy wanna do this :-) also anyone else who wants to, this was fun smiles

1 note · View note

clarktooncrossing · 11 months ago

Text

HEY THERE PEOPLE OF TODAY AND ROBOTS OF TOMORROW! IT IS I, SANTA CLARK! Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost is nipping at your nose. Mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again. All the dogs in the neighborhood somehow learned to bark Jingle Bells in sync. Yet retail workers are still more annoyed with Mariah Carey. Snow is getting shoveled, tossed, and formed into sentient beings leading parades without permits. It makes for an excellent distraction as the Krampus abducts children for bad behavior. Fruitcake is exchanged only to find its permanent home in the garbage. Terrorists have hijacked the Holiday office party right before your boss can give you a Jelly of the Month Club membership as your bonus. And of course, the Turducken has returned to wreak its fiery vengeance upon an unsuspecting world! If all this doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit, perhaps this festive slice of cheer from the Clarktoons will!

Let's make like The Ghost of Christmas Past and rewind back to 2014. Folks were suffering from Frozen Fever, both as a result of the movie and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. That year also saw Jimmy Fallon take over The Tonight Show after Leno stepped away for real this time, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 swung low while the Guardians of the Galaxy aimed high, people still cared about Kanye and Kim's relationship as if either people are worth your attention, Bill Cosby was outed as the horrible monster that he is, and most importantly of all, I initiated the 12 Days of Christmas event. Yes, clearly that's as major a moment as those other things I mentioned. Starting December 14th I would post a new pic or comic everyday leading up 'til Christmas. Our first year saw the Pizza Bites writing their oddball letters to Santa (with help from Mr-Herp-Derp), Crocie visualizing his perfect yuletide, and even a full length action comic starring me as a seasonal superhero. And in case anybody asks: no, the Holiday Knight isn't coming back. Sadly, neither will the 12 Days at this rate. Despite my continued best efforts, this festive event hasn't been able to return ever since 2020. Blame that on the last four months of every year becoming an increasingly busy time for. Should the choice arise, I will always pick spending the season with my family over drawing. Weird to hear, I know. Still, that's not to say I haven't been hard at work. You can tell I have considering this giant page of sketches I found lingering in Clarktoon Christmas limbo. Thus we have Dumpster DUDELZ: Regifted Edition! Let's take a peak to what's waiting under the tree?

[1] KARL THE KRAMPUS People credit that crummy 2015 horror movie for introducing Krampus into the popular culture. To that I say; you're all wrong! Clearly I did that a year earlier with my own character, Karl. Being a Clarktoon take on a German folk monster, naturally he became a big, bumbling goofball envisioned to have the voice of Richard Kind. It also meant he encountered Croc's Swamp Gang the most, Xena and Bumper especially. After years of the two (or at least Xena) tormenting the fluffy demon, it was time for a facelift. Honestly this design is a drastic upgrade over the original, making Karl more monstrous while not losing his approachability. Cuz only in the Clarktooniverse will you meet a cuddly monster who drags naughty children of to hell. XD

[2] NUTCRACKER: REB00TED CAST Nutcracker freak'n sucks! I have made my opinions regarding this boring ballet no secret over the years. For crying out loud, I compared going to see it to the Five Stages of Death. Nothing against anybody who does enjoy it, just don't count me among your masses. Getting me to like adaptations lacking Mickey and Minnie is a challenge. Then again, I enjoy a good challenge. While contemplating what I would do with the story one year, an ad for Matrix: Resurrections dropped onto YouTube. After seeing it I thought: what if the world of Nutcracker was set within the Matrix? Hence we have Nutracker: REB00TED! I plan to diverge more plot details later, but for now you can at least meet our cast. Starting from left to right we have Prince Leon, the Nutcracker Prince who's grasp on reality is slipping. Helping to guide him is the Count Drosselmyer, turned into Love-A-Lot Larry Beary. Don't let his cuddly facade fool you, he will whoop yo' @$$! Alongside his niece Clara, the badass ballerina determined to rescue her beloved and free the kingdom from the evil Rat King! What does the king look like? Good things come to those who wait...

[3] ROSIE MEETS THE HOGFATHER Any excuse to draw Rosie Stardust is an awesome one! Even if the sketch is last minute like this one. During the Holiday season last year this random little idea sprung into mind of Rosie exploring Christmas contemporaries across the multiverse. This would include Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Hearth's Warming Eve, Life Day, and of course Hogswatch. Anyone familiar to the works of Terry Pratchett will recognize the name. Just like those esteemed few will also recognize the mini-Claus counterpart the Cosmic Cutie's encountered. It's not the Hogfather she was expecting, but she will gladly take it!

[4] WILBUR'S PLASTIC TREE You'd think a collection of coupons would be the easiest to complete. Just like you'd think the monkeys would stop flying out of my butt at some point. Nope, that ain't happening. Blame it on my nitpicky attention to details, otherwise Wilbur's White Elephants coupons are already a third of the way done. In fact, the sketch here is already fully colored just waiting to be posted. Being the cheap sonuv'a bush he is, Wilbur naturally won't go for a natural Christmas tree, instead opting for plastic. No, the other kind of plastic. The kind that'll guarantee some poor tree manufacturer in Hoboken will get an angry phone call from an irate store manager. And in case you're wondering what he sounds like, my ideal voice actor is Daran Norris doing his Jameson voice from Spectacular Spider-Man!

[5-7] REDESIGNS FOR RANDOLF, CUPID, AND ZED My, here's a jolly trio that haven't been seen in a good while. Probably because I keep wanting to give them better designs! This is an itch I can't ever seem to scratch! Since I've listed all three of them together, let's go over each character:

RANDOLF: The cocky but caring step-brother of a certain red-nosed reindeer, Randolf hosts the famous North Pole 1 radio show alongside his bear buddy Zed whenever not hosting the even more famous Reindeer Games. Out of all the characters, Randolf is the one who's design if the toughest to crack. I want him to look young, but not super young. Think early to mid 30s if you will. It'd probably help if I could pin down a potential voice for him. Sam Rockwell is the top contender in my mind.

CUPID: Following some messy drama between princessofDisney27 of Disney and I, the original version of Cupid was thrown out and reworked from the top down. With an extreme hairstyle I 'borrowed' from MLP and an athlete's need for speed, Cupid lives up to her namesake who first pulled Santa's sleigh years ago. No idea on who would voice her if I could afford it.

ZED: Raised by gay penguins on a diet of Polar Cola and smooth jazz, Zed is a laid back bear with a beach comber's attitude. So long as wherever he is has a heater and is populated by his buddies, Zed will go with wherever the flow will take him. His design is the easiest, being a polar bear in a Hawaiian shirt. One of these days I wanna draw him with his two penguin papas too, but for now we at least have the bear. Again, not sure who I'd have voice him.

[8] BUMPER'S A STAR! A sad truth about my Christmas tree is that I can never put a star on top of it. Everything we've tried is too top heavy. For the longest time I meant to make one featuring everybody's favorite floating marshmallow, finally following through on this desire this year. I made a shape template in Illustrator, drew the front and back of Bumper around it, colored it all in Illustrator, printed both sides out and glued them together. I would've just printed both sides on one sheet of paper, but printers are evil devices meant to torture mankind as a whole. I hate them! But I love this tree topper! ^^

[9] PANICKED TURKEY It's a shame Panicked Turkey didn't get to come out of hibernation this year. Especially when I had some good ideas for tips involving Canon Events, certain cartoon rodents, time traveling, dragons, and Rosie. Chances are I'll be able to use these ideas again in the future, but for now I just wanted to post something with the cowardly bird. So here's the sketch detailing his redesign from last year. Like Karl, this is another change I really like, PT feeling more expressive than he previously was. Hopefully we'll get to see this design in action again next year!

[10] I'll Have a BOO Christmas Without You ...I'm not even sorry! XD

[11] ALIENS OF THE ROCKAPOCALYPSE! Hey look, more characters you haven't seen in forever! This is Phil, the Clarktooniverse's resident one-eyed rockstar from outer space. Back in the day I used to do mock album covers for Christmas, Phil's girlfriend Yezzi standing in for Mariah Carey on one particularly great one that still holds up. Sadly there's only so many iconic Holiday CD covers you can do that aren't just the same generic 'things coming out of a box' design. Heck, it's why the last one of these I did was based on a Manowar album. That following year would've seen an all-new, totally original creation depicting Phil and Yezzi rocking around a dried out Christmas tree in a Nuclear Winter Wonderland. Sadly the full sketch was never realized, save for Phil's rocker gear here. Worse still, these characters have been retired until I can iron out the finer details of their story. Once I do, expect the ultimate comeback tour from the Aliens of the Rock! Just in time for the yuletide / end of the world!

[12] PANICKED WHO? What turkey? I don't see any turkey. All I see is this friendly induvial with a mustache! One who was just drawn randomly with no other intent behind it. Totally. XD

[13] KREEPY KRAMPUS Once upon a time I was able to complete entire comic storylines before Christmas. That couldn't be said for this one comic where Bumper and Xena both try to buy each other Christmas gifts, each of them going after different notable Christmas creatures to pay for them. Bumper would've gone after the wild Nog while Xena would've picked a more frightful foe: the Krampus! This image of the German monster is what she'd find while searching for information online, my intent to be truer to the original folklore than my usual interpretation. It would've made Karl's inevitable appearance that much funnier. Part of me still wants to see this comic fully realized someday. Until then; let this haunt your nightmares!

[14] ANGELICIA, THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON Remember earlier when I mentioned a comic centered around me as a Holiday hero? The one I will never bring back? Part of that idea involved a literal spirit of the season named Angelicia, an adopted sister of sorts to Finjix's own character Aklamos. Both of us have tweaked and upgraded her overall appearance over the years, this being her last for an intended Sketch BOOM that was scrapped. I really should use this character again, the question is for what?

[15] A TURKEY DINNER TO GO! Like I said, there was once a Holiday Sketch BOOM that was never completed. This Panicked Turkey sketch is one of the few things to survive from it. Ignoring how this design was pre-2022 makeover, I still think this silly little pic is hilarious! Next Thanksgiving I'll make sure to remake this in full color!

[16] THE NOG Along with Karl, the Nog has become a seasonal staple of the Clarktooniverse. For years mankind has wondered where the eggs for Eggnog have come from. Some silly saps think they come out of chickens, but we all know that's a lie! Obviously the eggs come courtesy of the wild, North American Nog! These rambunctious creatures hail in the colder climates, sticking primarily to the North States where they graze on wild berries, tree bark, and rare flowers. Whenever it's not foraging for food it's fending off wild predators, displaying its tusks for potential mates, running for Congress, or raising their young. That is, the young that actually get to hatch. Good luck drinking that next ice-cold cup knowing the Nog is 100% real and you're feasting on what could've been one of its young you sick monster!

[17-18] TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE DOVES Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Doves! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Doves! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Doves! Heroes for the Holidays! BIRDY POWER! Back in 2019 I made a silly little parody of the Ninja Turtles based on the beloved Christmas carol "The 12 Days of Christmas". Was it an extremally obvious joke to make? Yes. Does my earlier pun prove I will stoop to such lows? Heck yes! Thus these two goofy characters were born and eventually given the names Currier and Ives by AnimatedTigerGirl. Currier is the one with the bo staff on the left. At home he's a easy-going party animal, but in the field he's a dedicated leader fighting to keep his family safe. Next to him is the nunchuck-wielding Ives, a hot-tempered brainiac with a big heart. Together the two must save their mother, face the 10 Evils of Christmas, and help out their new human friend Ash.

Standing in for their April O'Neal is Ash, one of their few human friends who helps her fine-feathered friends move about New York. Since this story is set during the 90s, she's naturally a skate-boarding tomboy ready to prove to her dad that she's more capable than given credit for. That chance comes suddenly when her father is abducted by the Partridge Crime Family and their ten specifically themed assassins. Now Ash must rescue her dad alongside these two magically enhanced bird-themed ninjas. Y'know, that old chestnut!

[19] SHORT-E AND SHER-I Dang, it's been a while since these two were seen either. I'm sensing a pattern here. At leas these designs have held up the best. Heck, they look especially good in their winter ensemble. SHORT-E wears basic gloves and a jamaica while SHER-I went shopping with EMIL-E to get fancier gloves and a beret! SLAY, QUEEN!

[20] SNOW CONIE MEETS THE NOG Yes, another refuge from the scrapped Sketch BOOM. This one featuring the unofficial mascot of the Sketch BOOMs, the Snow Conies! Or at least one, facing down the angry snout of a mother Nog. I envision these creatures having the temperament of wild hogs, much to the misfortune of this innocent sentient dessert!

[21] SIR PANICKED TURKEY, THE CANADIAN! Along with redesigning this cowardly bird, I also made a special bonus Panicked Turkey tip for Canadian Thanksgiving. It was very last second, going through a few iterations before settling on the final idea. Before then the plan was to either have PT surrounded by angry canucks with guns in a style similar to the John Wick posters or the giant chicken disguising himself as a Mounty, not yet realizing he'll find no peace in the Great White North. Ultimately both were dropped in favor or one menacing Mounty looming over the frightened fowl, which I thought wouldn't work until I saw the final product. Funny how that works, innit? Still, what about the entre in shining armor? That has to do with an idea I mentioned earlier, but I dare not spoil the surprise further than that. Like I mentioned, said idea can be reused for next year. So when Turkey Day rears its ugly head, Sir Turkey turned tail and fled!

[22] UGLY SWEATERS, TROPICAL WEATHER Yet again another idea I hope to bring back, though slightly modified. Originally the plan was to make Ugly Sweater pin-ups for the couples (or friends) of 3K with my friends Finjix and @burningthrucelluloid. This one was the only one sketched before Alec lost his Adobe art programs that would've allowed him to help in this project. Even then, my nitpicky attention to details got the better of me again and too much time was wasted attempting to draw the other pics. All we got out of this failed collaboration were Nerva and her buddy Weed Eater in their Hawaiian-style sweaters, the latter not happy about his situation. He was even depicted eating the sweater and partridge at one point. Who would've guessed the living Christmas tree would be a humbug?

[23-24] CROCZILLA VS TURDUCKEN When I released by Terror of the Turducken posters back in 2020, peeps said they would totally pay to see that movie. Hopefully the same can be said for its sequel, an epic clash between the titular Turducken and the colossal Croczilla! Why are they fighting? Who cares, it's two giant monsters beating the stuffing out'a each other! No doubt the posted to go with this creature feature would've been a legendary one! At least had it not been for my nitpicky attention to details. Plenty of poster designs were drawn up, including this one that was inspired by the then-current Godzillva vs Kong posters. Perhaps I can recycle this idea next year when the sequel comes out and the two fight another giant monkey. Until then, feel free to place your bets on which of these festive Kaijus come out on top!

And if you're rooting for the Turducken, enjoy this redesign of the character where each of its heads feel more distinct. Hey, if nothing else it's cooler to look at than another freak'n ape.

MAY THE GLASSES BE WITH YOU!

0 notes

itsbrandy · 1 year ago

Text

Burnout Chapter 6

Word count: 6.7k

End of Episode song: Will I See You Again? - Thee Sacred Souls

Chapter 6: Good To See You

Bee didn’t know how to feel or how to act after filming wrapped for the day. What she did know was that her interest in acting had increased far past the point of no return. The sensation manifested on her skin like an incessant itch that she just couldn’t scratch. She wanted more of it. More camera time, more attention, more of putting on a persona that wasn’t her at all.

Not in the slightest. She wasn’t confident, wasn’t sure of herself, and most importantly wasn’t capable of effortlessly conversing with the Dieter Bravo. But all at the same time she was.

And so after half of a work day of interacting with her all-time most intense crush, she felt like she wasn’t sure who she was anymore. More than anything, she felt like she could be Bee, the stunning and vivacious character that she had transformed into without a second thought.

That thought lingered with her as she tried to spin the rest of her workday into one that was productive. She continued on, trying her best to act like the morning hadn’t happened at all. Instead, she scribbled down notes for new pastries, tested out a new lemon curd filled cupcake.

With just an hour left in her shift, she decided she should review the upcoming schedule of Disney releases that still needed creative desserts and snacks assigned to them. The title of the upcoming Star Wars show made her heart flutter in her chest as she examined her options.

“Hopeless,” she murmured to herself. “Completely hopeless.”

There were several options for her to choose from that still required this creative development. She viewed sneak peeks at costumes and poster covers to gain color inspiration, but finally she settled on designing a new Dole Whip cone option. There had been several of these cones produced before for Walt Disney World – Snow White, Rapunzel, Moana, etc. There was a list of possible options for her to choose from, but she decided on two potential options: Aurora and Mulan.

As she sketched out a quick design for both Disney Princesses, she tried to remove thoughts of Dieter and her giddiness from her mind and instead thrust herself in her work. For the Aurora, she chose to go with a blue cone and pink raspberry? strawberry? Dole Whip, she was undecided on the specific flavor. A small chocolate charm of the owl from the film would adorn the Dole Whip portion.

“So…how was it?” Staci’s familiar voice pulled her away from her work.

Oh my gosh, she thought. It was just what she was hoping to avoid for her last hour. She was trying to behave like she was meditating, relaxing even before she had to return back to her sad normal life in her sad normal apartment with her sad normal–

“Helllooooo?” Staci asked, waving a hand over her face. “I asked how it went with Dieter Bravo?”

The actor’s name she said in a hushed whisper that made Bee burst out laughing. It was so ridiculous that the man was a secret between them as if he was still lurking the very halls of their workplace.

“Why are you whispering?” Bee whispered back to her, using her arm to cover up the sketch that lived on her notebook. “He’s not–.”

“--he is!” Staci whispered back playfully. But it was less than a whisper and more of a shriek and her words had Bee so paranoid that she whipped around in her seat to make sure that Dieter was not standing right behind her in the studio.

“Why hasn’t he left yet?” she hissed. “What is he still doing here? I thought they were busy, I thought they had an agenda.”

Staci nodded eagerly. “Most of them have already left! But then I just got back from going to take a pee and I saw You Know Who in the hallway!”

Bee wrinkled her nose at the joke that lived in her head. You saw Lord Voldemort in the hallway? she thought. Or Dieter Bravo?

Who was she kidding, both of them were just as fantastical of creatures. She could hardly believe that she had actually met Dieter Bravo himself that day let alone that he was still traipsing around her bakery while she was sketching out ice cream cones and she had no clue.

Staci shrugged. “I have no idea but he’s definitely still here. How did it go? Do you think he wants to talk to you?”

Bee laughed out loud. A short, sharp, ridiculous Ha! “As if,” she said. “I mean, I think it went well but do you really think so? That’s like fanfiction, Staci. That type of stuff doesn’t happen outside of fanfiction and fanfiction alone.”

“Isn’t fanfiction at least a little bit based in reality?” Staci challenged. Her dark eyes darted down toward her notebook. “What are you working on?”

“It’s not finished yet,” Bee shrugged. “I was just trying to pass the time for the last hour.”

The ticking clock pulled her eyes toward it as if it demanded her attention. Her task of sketching Dole Whip cone ideas had only consumed a mere 20 minutes of the final hour of her workday. The day had begun to feel like three workdays wrapped up into one. Regardless of the sloppiness of her idea, she turned the sketchbook around toward Staci for her to view it.

“It’s a Dole Whip cone for WDW,” she explained. “I was thinking of something similar to the Snow White cone for this one. Can you guess who it’s for?” she asked.

Staci laughed. “Well, yes. But you wrote ‘Aurora’ in the top right corner so that kind of gave it away…”

“Oh my god,” Bee whined. “Leave me alone, girl. I’m tired, okay?”

“It’s good though!” Staci insisted. “I think it’s perfect for her. Pink dress and blue dress, I love the owl as the accent. I’d eat it.”

“Strawberry or raspberry?” she asked.

“Hmm,” Staci placed her pointer finger on her chin. “I think raspberry, but I’m biased. Make both though.”

Bee saluted her. “Aye, aye cap’n. I might work on it some tomorrow. I’ll definitely let you taste it, though. I know you’re the ice cream queen.”

“I am!” Staci said proudly. “They loved my Tatooine Ice Cream Sandwich. Did they like it in your room?”

Bee wracked her brains, trying to remember his reaction to Staci’s dish. Selfishly, she had implanted the memories of Dieter trying her own dishes in her mind. The ice cream sandwich had been the third dish that Dieter and Amanda tried, after her own donuts and cookies.

“I love it,” Dieter said with a little bit of vanilla ice cream on his lip and in his mustache.

She had a distinct and not-so-pure thought of licking it off of his mouth before she quickly put the brakes on that train of thought.

“It’s really good,” Amanda agreed. “Definitely a quality Disney dessert.”

“You have um–” the woman said, pointing to Dieter’s errant ice cream drip.

“Sorry,” Dieter said, licking the ice cream from his lip. “Actually, can I get a napkin please?

He laughed and she felt like her breath was being taken away. A production assistant quickly produced an extra napkin for Dieter to clean the rest of the lingering sweetness from his lips.

“What I was going to say…” Dieter said, the tips of his cheeks turning rosy even underneath the thin layer of makeup. “Was that I love this, but I think I preferred the ones that Bee here designed a little bit more. I might be biased though. Who can tell an artist that they preferred someone else’s art more?”

She beamed from ear to ear. “I don’t hold grudges, Dieter! Speak your mind. If you like this one better than one of the earlier desserts, it’s totally okay! I know they’re all good, I’ve tried them all.”

“He liked it a lot,” Bee said. “He even got some of the ice cream on his mustache and…” She trailed off, unsure if she should share the details with her coworker, but the cat was already out of the bag. Staci clapped a hand over her open mouth in shock.

“Noooo, not Dieter Bravo and my damn ice cream sandwich recipe,” she said, stunned.

“When does this come out? When will I get to see it?”

“You could’ve seen it in real life if you hadn’t switched with me,” Bee said, rolling her eyes. “I don’t know why you decided to do that to me but I’m not going to lie, I’m grateful for it.”

Bee closed her notebook and began to fan herself with it for dramatic effect. Staci playfully smacked her on the shoulder to get her to stop.

“I’m glad I did,” Staci admitted. “I was nervous enough as it is with the other two. Sweating buckets, I mean. Actual buckets. I would’ve passed out with Dieter Bravo in the room. Like flat on the floor on my back passed out.”

Bee giggled and turned her attention back to the clock. Just five minutes had passed. “Can that thing move any faster?” she asked. “I swear we’ve been gossiping for more than five minutes.”

Staci followed her eyes to the clock on the opposite wall. “I know, I’ve been ready to go home since after filming. I need a shower and a nap more than anything right now.”

“A nap? I feel like I could run three miles.”

Staci rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Superwoman. I’m emotionally exhausted from all of that smiling and pretending not to be me. I guess that’s what would make you a better actress than me. If you’re feeling pumped after half a day of filming with the hottest man in Hollywood, more credit to you.”

“Maybe it’s just the adrenaline,” Bee shrugged off the compliment. “I’m not a superhero by any means.”

“Sure,” Staci said, and Bee detected a hint of jealousy in her voice.

“Where do you think he is by now anyway? Probably left right?” she asked, changing the subject back to the object of both of their affections.

Staci looked at her with a mischievous quality to her dark eyes. “Should we go find him?”

She set down her notebook with a harsh slap on the table in front of her. “No,” she said. “We shouldn’t.”

Staci raised an eyebrow. “I think we should. 30 minutes left now? We could come up with an excuse to wander for a bit. What else were you going to do?”

Bee looked down at her sketchbook. “Well, I was going to sketch a Mulan cone. And maybe an alternate version of the Aurora one just for good measure. Something with sprinkles on the cone maybe.”

“And that sounds better than looking for Dieter Bravo?” her friend asked. “Actually?”

“It sounds like doing the job that I get paid to do,” Bee said with a bit of sass. “Hunting for Dieter Bravo was not in my job description as much as I would love it to be.”

“Hmm,” Staci hummed in response, her eyes catching on something right behind Bee’s head.

“I don’t think I’d like being hunted,” a familiar, smooth voice said, and Bee’s shoulders sagged with embarrassment.

She turned around to address the person who had entered the room – Dieter Bravo – she had no doubt. If she hadn’t been overwhelmed by the idea of seeing him again, she would have sworn she could smell the masculine notes of his cologne that drifted to her from where he stood to where she sat with her sketchbook and her closest work friend.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Bee said with ease. She had to stop herself from freezing completely at the sight of him. When he was standing, and she was sitting – the height difference – she didn’t even want to get into detail within her own mind about it. “I was just talking to Staci, and she told me that you hadn’t left yet. We were going to come find you to say goodbye.”

Dieter smiled, one deep dimple appearing in his cheek that sent her heart fluttering like eager butterfly wings. She felt like the creature itself, emerging from a sticky cocoon and becoming the person that she wanted to be.

It was then that she realized that being in front of Dieter wasn’t easy because she was a good actress. Instead, it was because she was being herself in front of him. She could crack jokes, smile, open up, and be herself without worry of judgment or being “too much”.

“That’s funny,” Dieter said, leaning against the doorframe in a way that only served to make his body appear larger. “I was just coming to find you to say goodbye.”

“Oh,” Bee’s face fell a bit. “Well, in that case, it’s great to see you.”

“It’s more than great to see you,” Staci said with a slight squeak to her voice that didn’t exist when they talked normally to each other.

“Your name was…” Dieter sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “I’m sorry, my memory has not been great lately. Don’t tell me –.”

Staci stood eagerly, anticipating what Dieter was going to guess her name as.

“It starts with an ‘S’,” Dieter continued. “And that ‘S’ is for….Staci! Staci, right?” The smiles from both women answered his question.

“You got it!” Staci said.

“Ugh, I’m so glad,” Dieter said with a bit of fake dramatics. “I would’ve hated myself for forgetting. I just wanted to say thank you to the both of you for today. I know that you’re both very busy women and our filming ate up a good portion of your workday.”

“It’s no problem,” Bee said. “I actually enjoyed it a lot. It was nice to have a break from a normal day and I like being in front of the camera.”

“You’re a natural at it,” Dieter said genuinely. “Seriously, I mean it.”

Bee felt herself blushing, a deep heat spreading across the apples of both of her cheeks. “Oh, no you don’t need to flatter me,” she said. “I promise you. I know that I’m not the best at it.”

Dieter shrugged. “No one said you needed to be the best to be good at something, Bee.”

The silence that took place after Dieter Bravo said those words to her left her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Her girlish heartbeat was no longer comparable to the wings of a fledgling butterfly, but of a thundering stampede that was so loud she could hear it consuming her mind. She was so nervous. So nervous. But at the same time, talking to him felt natural.

“I guess you’re right about that,” she said finally. “I’ve always been a little too competitive for my own good.”

Dieter chuckled. “Aren’t we all?” He then looked to Staci, careful to not leave her out of the conversation. “I’m sure you did wonderfully in your room, Staci. I loved the desserts that you made. The ice cream sandwich was incredible.”

“Thank you, Dieter,” Staci said happily. “I’m so glad you liked it. It was a pain to get right but so worth it.”

“All of the desserts were wonderful, and I think the footage we got today is really going to make these a hit in the Parks,” Dieter said, removing his arm from the doorframe and righting himself again. “Thank you both, Staci and Bee. It was a pleasure to meet you two talented ladies.”

He thinks I’m talented, Bee thought. Oh my god he thinks I’m talented.

“Thank you, Dieter,” Staci said.

But Bee found herself suddenly speechless with her celebrity crush right before her. The thought that this interaction could be the last that she would ever have between herself and Dieter. What do you even say to someone for the last time? How do you say a final goodbye to someone that every fiber of your being wants to say more than ‘hello’ to?

“Thanks, Dieter,” she settled on. Like an old friend. “It was good to see you.”

“Good to see you too, Bee,” he said, echoing her sentiment. “Nice to meet you, Staci.” And then he was gone. Back down the hallway where he had originated from after copying her reluctance to not close their door, but rather leave it open.

Even though he probably just said the same to her to be polite, she couldn’t help but feel like maybe Dieter wanted to see her again. As soon as he was out of earshot, Staci grabbed her by the forearms and shook her with excitement.

“Oh my god, I think he likes you?” Staci said with wide eyes. “Why does he talk to you like that?”

“I-I don’t know,” she answered. “He’s just so nice, I don’t even know where to begin.”

“There’s something there, I don’t think I’m imagining it,” Staci said before she looked over her shoulder to the clock that dictated how long they needed to stay at work. “Let’s get out of here, we only have 10 minutes left. I doubt the boss would say anything if he found us at our lockers a little early.”

Bee nodded, a little too starstruck to disagree with her friend's rule breaking. They were careful not to speak about Dieter as they walked through the hallway toward the lockers that held their personal belongings.

Instead, Staci kept Bee’s mind busy with chatter about upcoming pastry ideas and events that Disneyland was hosting that they needed to keep an eye on. They spoke about work, only to have an excuse if they were caught trying to sneak off early from their duties. The idle chatter kept Bee’s mind busy and off the insanity that her day had been so far. The talk consumed those painful last 10 minutes as the two of them packed up their things and made their way to their vehicles.

“Thank you for keeping me sane today, Staci,” Bee said as she slipped into the driver’s seat of her car. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Same to you, girl!” Staci yelled, waving the hand that contained her jingling keys.

The Los Angeles traffic did not help her to keep her mind free from thoughts of Dieter. Her mind went wild as she drove, inching forward on the freeway as the radio played and her windows were half-rolled down.

As she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the radio, she thought of his smile and his eyes and his dimple – that dimple. Each feature consumed her thoughts and each nudge forward of her vehicle through the early afternoon rush of traffic had her dreading the return to her apartment more and more.

Going home was a must, not an option but the mere suggestion of her thoughts straying to a fantasy world where she could drive home to Dieter who waited for her at home instead. She would drive through several hours of traffic and it’s start and stop pattern if it meant that she could go home to him instead.

Her mind drifted to the way that fanfiction authors described him from the light in his eyes to the curve of his lips. It was all so stunningly true. He was like a character brought to life for her.

The only thing that she was missing was the plot.

Because in this story, there was no next step. In this story, if she was the main character, she was meant to return to her “normal”. There was no big break, no romantic gala, no dinner in a crowded restaurant full of hot people where he only looked at her.

Her chest ached at that thought. What she would give to be in a room full of hot people where Dieter Bravo only looked at her.

As she continued home, the traffic eased and the lanes grew less congested, so did her mind. Instead of focusing on Dieter, she began to focus on turning all of this frustrated energy into something productive instead. She hadn’t followed up with Claire properly, the instructor from the acting workshop.

The rest of the way home, she thought of what it would take for her to begin to act. She would need headshots, certainly, and perhaps more lessons. She would need an agent, eventually, and to quit her job. She’d probably need to move too. Her apartment was in a less than ideal location for acting gigs if she was landing roles shot at the studios in L.A.

But all of these details were minimal when it compared to the heartache that would be breaking this news to her partner. He had accepted her one-time deviance of skipping work for a simple, cheap acting workshop, sure. Would he accept a long-term departure from the career that she had so intensely dedicated herself to?

That answer was less clear. And so, she walked up to the door of her apartment with a clear mind and no more jitters and emotions for Dieter Bravo in her heart. Instead, she would play the role of a doting, attentive girlfriend as her home life had quickly turned into her most important acting role.

“Hey babe,” she said happily, setting down her belongings and rushing over to the couch where her partner sat.

Watching the news, she thought sourly. As he always does, always watching the nightly news.

“Hey!” her partner said, looking up at him from here he sat. “You seem like you’re in a good mood today, what’s up?”

“I had a good chat with Staci at work today,” she lied with ease. “She really set me straight. Any idea of what you might want for dinner?” She leaned over and planted a kiss on the top of his head.

“Um, I’ll take anything you have to offer,” he said with a shrug. “What were you thinking?”

She frowned. “I want to make something that you want to eat. I’m trying to do something to make you happy.”

“Okay,” he said. “I guess I’m fine with that nice garlic cheese-y pasta that you made last week. I loved that.”

Bee straightened up and headed straight to the kitchen. Good, she thought. It’s deceptively easy to make.

“Alright, I’m right on it,” she said as she pulled the ingredients from the pantry and arranged the pots and pans that she needed. She placed her phone on the counter and pulled up a Dieter Bravo forum to look at what the fellow Dieter fans had been saying about him. More than anything, she wanted to anonymously leave a comment shouting to the world that she – NOT them – had spent more than half of a full work day with him.

Anything they had to say about him, they didn’t even know the real him. But she? She did. Bee had been lucky enough to chat with him, receive compliments from him, and see that adorable dimple in person.

She left her phone unlocked as she filled the pot with water in order to bring it to a boil. Her partner stood from the couch and entered the kitchen to get himself a glass of water before leaning his frame against the fridge, kind of like how Dieter had in the doorway at her work.

Except her partner had not nearly the character or the body to do so and look anything remotely like Dieter did. Bee averted her gaze, trying not to make the comparison for her partner’s sake and locked her phone screen. As she did so, a text message popped up from her mother, lighting up the screen from its brief darkness.

[Mom]: How are you?

“Who’s that?” her partner asked, jealousy like the tone that Staci had held with her earlier that day.

Bee held her phone screen up and showed it to him. “My mom.”

Her tone was less than kind, but her partner accepted the biting tone as he had been the one to pry without reason to. While it's true she had been texting the Whole Foods acting guy, they hadn’t communicated about much more than acting. Even that would be innocent to someone from the outside.

“Oh, well then text her back!” he said eagerly. “How often does your mom text asking you how you are?”

Bee frowned. “True.” She unlocked her phone and hit reply.

[Bee]: I’m not really having a great time, but I’ll live.

For once she replied honestly, rather than sugar coating how she was to her mom. As a defense mechanism, she usually pretended that all was right in the world when she interacted with her mother. That way there could be no room for criticism or question. After a childhood that was filled with control, her adult life was consumed with disallowing any level of it.

She set her phone down on the counter once more, face down this time to avoid her partner’s prying eyes. Turning to the stove, she turned on two of the burners to bring water to a boil and warm up the pan to melt butter with garlic and some fancy cheese.

Her partner kissed her on the cheek before returning to his place on the couch once more, leaving her to do her duty and cook them dinner.

The first half of this recipe was simple enough that she could text her mom through it and as the text messages of questions and demands as to what was wrong with her came flooding in, Bee found herself opening up to her mom over text message.

She told her how unsatisfied she was living in Los Angeles without pursuing the dream that had once consumed her. And she opened up about how boring she had begun to find her partner or maybe it was that he was boring so that’s why she picked him.

Much to her surprise, her mom listened to her and didn’t try to overcorrect. Mom had always known that she wasn’t working to reach her full potential. They hadn’t come to this country for her to be a baker living in an apartment with two dogs and an entrepreneur boyfriend with no personality.

Her daughter was supposed to accomplish great things. If it was too late to go to medical school and become a doctor, then trying to go for the big screen still counted in her eyes.

[Mom]: I always thought he was a nice American man. [Mom]: But not much more than that.

Bee’s heart sank at the words on the screen. She knew it, her mom knew it. And honestly, she wouldn’t be surprised if her partner knew it too. What more did he have to offer than a little bit more financial security than your average Los Angeles man, a love for their dogs, and her cooking.

Bee scowled as she turned her attention back to her cooking, beginning to work on the butter, garlic, cheese mixture for the pasta.

[Bee]: I know mom. I just don’t know how to change the things that are bothering me in my life.

She added the pasta to the now-boiling water, but her mother’s reply had returned immediately.

[Mom]: You just do what’s best for you. [Mom]: If you don’t, you will be unhappy for the rest of your life.

Damn it, Bee thought. She was so right. More right than her mother had ever been. In fact, she couldn’t recall a moment in her life where her mother had been so encouraging of her to drop everything she was doing and start on a new path. In the past, she had been so staunchly against Bee doing anything against the realm of “normal American success story” that she had felt completely and totally suffocated by her impact.

[Bee]: Thank you mom. [Bee]: I love you and miss you.

[Mom]: I miss you more.

She probably did, but Bee didn’t want to admit that to herself. Having a strained relationship with your mother was a painful wound that rarely healed itself. The only thing that could be done about it was to work on the relationship, to treat it like a baby that needed to be fed and nurtured.

Up until today, her mom had been so stubbornly opposed to that notion that they had made very little progress. Today, her unquestioning support made her feel like her mom actually cared about her wellbeing more than her perfect American dream…even though her support of her acting had been like…at least a little bit based on that.

“It smells good!” her partner said from the couch.

“It’s going to be so good,” she called back. “I’m adding more cheese to it this time.”

“Nice!” he said, giving her almost absolutely nothing to form a reply off of. She gritted her teeth at that. Why on Earth was he so boring? Why is talking to him like pulling out her teeth one by one from her molars to her front teeth?

Rolling her eyes, she pulled her phone out once again and texted Claire, the instructor from her acting workshop. Though it had been a full day since the workshop and she still hadn’t texted, Claire responded to her quick “Hey Claire, finally getting around to texting you about getting connected with your agent.”

[Claire]: I was wondering if you were ever going to text me!

[Bee]: Of course! I’m sorry, I just had a busy day at work to deal with! How are you?

Bee stirred the pasta in the boiling water idly as she watched the three dots that showed that Claire was typing back to her.

[Claire]: I’m great! Even better now that you texted. I spoke to my agent about you, and they really want to meet with you soon.

[Claire]: Here’s his number. His name is Mark Carter, and he has an office right here in L.A.

[Claire]: You should text him tonight so you can meet with him before the weekend.

Bee read the messages as she switched over to the other pan and stirred her garlic butter sauce. She began to feel giddy, getting that heartbeat flutter that she had felt when she was around Dieter. It was almost like taking this step was her next step to seeing him and so it excited her especially so.

Quickly, she inputted the agent’s contact information into her phone and made a mental note to text him after she finished dinner with her partner. There was no way that she could text an agent without absolutely squealing and letting loose that she was planning on making a real pass at being an actress.

Just then, her timer went off and signaled the end of the eight minutes that the noodles needed to be in the boiling water. She tucked her phone away in her pocket and grabbed a strainer from the cabinets to strain the water from the pasta.

She quickly completed the meal and plated enough for her partner and enough for her. She was ravenous after skipping lunch from her nerves after meeting with Dieter.

“Dinner’s at the table,” she announced. “Do you want extra parmesan on top?”

“Yes please,” her partner said, getting up and meeting her at the table for food.

“How was your day?” she asked, putting a forkful of pasta in her mouth. The pasta was warm and cheesy and everything that she could have ever imagined in a meal after such an insane day.

Her partner shrugged. “It was good. Not too much news or new developments.”

“No news is good news, right?” Bee asked him.

He nodded, unable to respond to her with his mouth full of pasta.

“I had a pretty fun day at work myself,” she said, trying to coax him into more meaningful conversation. “I designed a new Dole Whip cone for WDW. And I did some testing in the test kitchen. There was a film crew at work today too.”

“Oh, that’s cool!” he said. “Were you on camera at all?”

Yes, I was. And with Dieter Bravo at that. For over an hour in the same room. And he liked me and talked to me, and he was so nice to me.

She shrugged. “We’ll see if I make the final cut.”

“I’m sure you will, you’re too fun to not make it,” her partner said with a goofy grin.

Too fun, she thought. Not too pretty or too beautiful…

“I hope so. It was pretty fun, but you never know. I had a good day at least,” she said. The two of them ate in silence for the rest of their meal, both of them not leaving a single noodle behind of their pasta meal.

“Did you like it?” she asked. “Just as good as last time?”

“Better,” he said with a smile. “What next? Want to watch a movie?”

She yawned and stretched. “I’m actually pretty tired from today. I was thinking of going to bed early actually.”

“At seven o’clock?” he asked. “That’s really early.”

Bee shrugged. “Well, I was thinking of playing around on my phone for a bit first. I just want to lay down is all. Want to come with me?”

She offered the company but knew that he would decline. He hated laying down in bed and doing nothing. He would much rather sit upright on the couch and listen to political nonsense than cuddle with his girlfriend or spend time with her more than he had to.

“I get it,” she said. “I’ll see you when you come to bed then.”

He stood up and kissed her on the forehead. “See you then, enjoy your extra rest.”

Bee smiled and cleared the plates from the table before heading straight to their room where she changed into a set of shorts and a loose t-shirt.

As soon as her legs slipped underneath the covers, she found herself typing in a Google search for ‘Mark Carter agent’ just to verify that the agent was a real person. She wasn’t about to text some random stranger without knowing for sure that Claire had been telling the truth.

Deciding that he was in fact a real person, she decided to text the newest number that was now in her contacts. She must have typed out the message two or three times before she finally got the courage to hit ‘Send’.

[Bee]: Hello Mark, my name is Bee, but Claire might have introduced me as a different name. I was in her acting workshop yesterday.

The reply came too quickly for Bee’s comfort, almost as if he had been sitting there and lying in wait for her text message.

[Mark]: Bee, I like it. That makes for a pretty good stage name! I’m excited to meet you and glad you reached out. Claire was very impressed with you which means that I’m impressed with you.

His next reply had her feeling a bit too anxious for her own comfort, so she texted Claire and let her know that she had texted Mark. She also thanked her for her guidance and asked if she would like to get coffee sometime to talk about acting things.

[Mark]: Claire told me that you’ll need some headshots taken. I have a photographer that I use for my clients. If you call them in the morning, they might be able to squeeze you in tomorrow sometime between 12 - 5 pm.

Bee added the phone number for the contact card that Mark had sent her for his photographer. She felt giddy at the prospect of making so many new connections in the industry. It had been years since she had gotten headshots done.

She considered taking a half day or even calling in sick for the next day. Her ends were fried and she needed to get a trim at least. A haircut was in order before she got her pictures taken. And she had no clue what she was going to wear.

[Bee]: Sounds good! I will call them first thing in the morning. Thank you, Mark. I really look forward to working with you.

[Mark]: So do I. Don’t get your hopes up but from what Claire told me about you, I might already have an audition for you sometime soon. If you can get me those headshots ASAP, we can discuss more.

Bee clapped her hand over her mouth in shock at the words on the screen.

“Oh my gosh,” she whispered to herself. “There’s no way, there’s no fucking way.” Her fingers were shaking so hard that she had to correct multiple typos to make a coherent text. Finally, she skimmed it over and hit the ‘Send’ button.

[Bee]: I’m so happy to hear that! I’m excited to get my photos taken and submit them to you. Thanks again - Bee

[Mark]: I’ll be in touch tomorrow. Thank you, Bee.

Bee set her phone face down on her chest and closed her eyes. She imagined herself at an audition for a big role, she imagined herself walking the red carpet for the release of her first big movie or TV show. And in her imagination, she saw Dieter standing beside her, with her arm looped through his.

He was smiling at her and telling her how great she was. He was proud of her and how far she had come. From a nameless nobody who he had called a silly childhood nickname while filming a baking video to his equal partner on his arm at a premiere.

In her imagination, she wasn’t starstruck with him. Instead, she was at ease. He was so natural to her and even though she was still taken in by his looks and his height and his charm, she felt like he was her home.

When she opened her eyes, the surroundings of her apartment disappointed her. The masculine scent on the pillow to her left was not the same as the hints of Dieter’s cologne that she had smelled throughout the day. Instead, they were her partner’s, the man who day-by-day she was falling more and more out of love with.

Rather than returning to the living room after she had completed her acting-related texts, she stayed in bed alone and instead thought of Dieter. She pulled up one of her favorite fanfictions on AO3 that involved Dieter falling in love with a fellow actress and she read the entire fic from start to finish, imagining that it was her instead who was the object of his affections.

After their day of filming together and the interest that this agent had in her, she was stunned that her impression of him only enhanced the experience of reading these stories, rather than taking away from it. She could more clearly see the expressions; she could edit the story to fit the truth of Dieter Bravo. She knew how his cologne smelled, rather than the author of the fanfiction that merely had to guess.

As she drifted off to sleep, earlier than she had really planned to. She fell asleep with acting on her mind. Plans to get her hair cut, plans to get her photos taken, plans to get her first audition, and perhaps most importantly, a plan on how to get Dieter Bravo to really see her as any equal.

When she opened her eyes, her partner was in bed next to her, with his heavy arm draped over her waist. The time on her phone read just past 8 in the morning.

Slowly, so as to not disturb him, Bee slid out from under the covers and padded out to the living room before dialing the photographer’s number to leave a message. Instead, the photographer answered the phone immediately.

“Hi, I’m Bee,” she said confidently. “I was asked to call you by Mark Carter for some headshots.”

“Hi Bee,” the photographer said eagerly. “I’m happy you called so early! I’m open whenever today, you can drop on in when you can, just text me and let me know when you’re on your way.”

“Okay, sounds great! And your name was?” Bee asked.

“Sam,” the voice on the other line said happily. “See you sometime today! Bye!”

“Bye,” Bee said. “I look forward to it.”

She briefly considered getting back in bed before she realized that she should get an early start to what might just be the first day of the rest of her life as Bee, an actress.

Chapter 7 | Series Masterlist

#dieter bravo #dieter bravo fanfiction #dieter bravo x oc #dieter bravo x ofc #Dieter and Bee Universe

1 note · View note

gameguides · 2 years ago

Text

The Last Secret Walkthrough & Guide

You can have a general idea about the game in this guide to the last secret. And you can see the walkthroughs of some episodes.

The Last Secret Walkthrough & Guide

Character Creation Here you can create the character. You can choose between female and male. Here you can let your imagination run wild. Create yourself or do you have your own character in mind that you always wanted to send on an adventure? There are no limits to your fantasy. These two lovingly designed anime characters will hardly be seen in the game, if at all. That's why you can also imagine someone else's appearance if you or your self-imagined character actually looks different.

There is also an option to turn on which also gives you the option to match same gender.

You dont need a Printer The game will ask you exactly this:

You don't need a printer. You have four options for memorizing the clues: 1. Use Paint and Snipping Tool to help (Should be available on every Microsoft PC) 2. Use your smartphone to take pictures of the screen or take notes 3. Screenshots 4. Pen and Paper Relationship Character You can win the heart of these five characters for you (There is a small/short description of the characters in the lower area):

Anna - A mysterious girl who appears out of nowhere. Meilin - The player character's childhood best friend and neighbor. She likes to annoy you. Karina - A friend who is new to the friends group. She's really into math. Ben - A member of a band. He already seems to be famous and gives concerts. Honghong - A nice, humble and intelligent young man. A very strong Go player. As with most dating simulators, in order to win the character of your heart you have to pay special attention to this character. There are key events that already show you how attached the character is to you. However, you should not neglect the small things in life (conversations). First Riddle (Squares on Field 13x11) Here is the first riddle if you at least take the right decision.

When you click "No problem, show me." Then you get the riddle. In this puzzle you have to make it in a field of 13x11 the complete field with as few squares as possible. Here you can sit down and try to solve the riddle if you want. My tip would be that you try to solve the puzzles for the fun of the game. In an emergency, you can still rewind or load. Here you can solve the puzzles immediately. There are 6 squares. The largest is 7x7. Picture that you understand the answer:

Second Riddle (Go game Liberties) Here is the second riddle if you at least take the right decision.

When you click "Yeah, and I´am supposed to figure that out how?." Then you get the riddle. To solve this riddle you should do the Go tutorial to know how to play Go and the rules of this game. You can also select "And what did you mean by "liberties"?". Then the necessary knowledge will be explained to you to solve the puzzle. If you are now ready for the puzzle, a board will appear that is empty. On this you have to put the stones together so that you have a group. Place the 8 stones in such a way that you have as little freedom as possible. If you want you can see how here, then you just have to count the freedoms.

Here you get the answer directly: 10 Freedoms Here the explanation:

Let's beat him

Here's a joker you can defeat for an achievement. To get this achievement all you have to do is: Do what the vision tells you. Put the stone in the corner.

Let's beat her

Magarita is a sweet and lovely girl. But on this playing field, she is your enemy and you must defeat her. To get this achievement all you have to do is: You have to take the group's eyes as explained in the Go rules. As soon as something has 2 or more eyes, it can survive. Take this option. If you want to know more, look at the picture.

Fair Game As a rule, the game will warn you in some situations if you make wrong decisions. However, since this game is very diverse and, in my opinion, the paths to be taken are large, some decisions can also lead to an immediate end. But don't worry... The game has several ways to make this easier for you: 1. Game loading 2. Rewind 3. If you don't save for a while, don't worry. It often saves automatically. This is an example of how such an "ending" is prevented by the second chance game(when you click wrong:

Second Chance:

Third Riddle (The Escape Room) Here is the third and probably the biggest puzzle in the entire game. This puzzle consists of many different puzzles. In these puzzles you have the following options: 1. You can try to solve it yourself. 2. You can ask your friends for help in the different categories 3. You can completely solve/skip the puzzle with the help of Karina. 4. You can show on the Internet. Of course you can use my guide to solve and understand the puzzles piece by piece OR I will provide the solution for the last puzzle at the very end so that you can finish it quickly and still have solved it yourself. I will now show you three pictures with numbers from 1 - 11. Only below will I try to solve all the puzzles piece by piece as best as I can. I don't want to take away all the fun from you right away.

Step 1: You can press 1, 5, 9 and 10 directly to unlock some of the clues/puzzles. 1: "What does vegetable mean in italien?" - Ask Meilin 5: a small yellow note is on the wall - That is for Number 3 9: "The next code number is 28, but not 92" - With green point 10: "The next code number is 92, but not 28" - With red point Step 2: If you solved 1Now you can go 11: Note 1: The immovable will become movable once everything is in place - Connected with 5 and 3 Note 2: For the combination lock on the cabinet, you need a secret number, which is written on the next slip of paper Note 3: The secret number is the smallest three-digit happy number - Ask Karina Step 3: If you solved Note 3: Go to 8 and open the closet with the result of Note 3 - 100 Step 4: If you solved 8: Now you can do the following: A: Take a closer look at the Go Bowls Not important B: Take a closer look at the iPad Dont use it. Wrong Code = Game Over

Dont use it. Wrong Code = Game Over C: Look closely at the Note

A letter with "The black stones form a code number for the iPad" You can go to Meilin, but they will send you to Honghong or go directly to Honghong. After Honghong's explanation (It's best to photograph/screeshot/use the snipping tool and paste the explanation into Paint) Save the board as the explanation and then fill it in using the explanation. Don't forget that the first stone placed is black, meaning all odd numbers are black stones. Here is the result of the puzzle: 31 D: Examine the scroll

Ask Hong Hong Endresult: Q 1: Tanzania - T Q 2: Israel - I Q 3: Asutralia - A Q 4: Nippon - N So its "TIAN" but you can solve the puzzle instant when you ask Honghong "All of them would be great, to be honest with you". Then you get Solve it with the Chinese Letter. That TIAN ist not important only the chinese letter for what TIAN stand.

Step 5: If you solved C from Step 4 Enter the result into the iPad. 31 Play the Game on the iPad Help by every Stage: Stage 1: Right, Down, Left, Right, Down, Left, Right, Down, Left, Up, Right, Down, Left Stage 2: Right, Left, Up, Right, Left, Up, Right, Up, Right Stage 3: Up, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Down, Left, Down, Right, Up Stage 4: Right, Up, Right, Down, Left, Up, Left, Right, Up, Right, Down, Left, Up, Left Stage 5: Up, Right, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down The Result: Try the year on top of the mouse as a code on the iPad/ Look at 2 Step 6: If you solved Step 5 Look at 2 for the code to enter on the iPad - 2020 Step 7: If you solved Step 6 Give the Code in the iPad - 2020 Now come: "Another code number for the iPad = mass of Go Stone in g" Now go to 7. Step 8: If you solved Step 7 Now click on 7 to use the digital scale. Weight a Go Stone and go back to the iPad. Result: 6 Step 9: If you solved Step 8 Give the Code in the iPad - 6 Now the Wooden Cabinet open for you. Go to 6. Step 10: If you solved Step 9 Now think carefully about this puzzle which color comes out when you mix the two colors in the equation. Each color is marked with a character. Just see what is required. The result can be found on the internet OR you ask Karina.

Result: Light Green Step 11: If you solved Step 10 Now look at your note with the knowledge of the correct color and enter the number in the iPad. Light Green

Result: 28 Step 12: If you solved Step 11 Give the Number in the iPad - 28 Now the Chinese Text come. In this text you have to mark the TIAN.

Result: "Move the boxes according to where the prime numbers are!" When you solve it then go to 3 and make the box riddle. Step 13: If you solved Step 12 Here you have to find out the prime numbers (all numbers that can only be divided by themselves and by 1) and put the boxes there. Here is the solution: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17

Step 14: If you solved Step 13 Go to 4 and look in the metal boxes. You get the question:"What is the answer to the question about life, the universe and all the rest?" Its a question that is in one Science Fiction Movie/Book. The code number is for the iPad. Ask Karina Result: 42 b]Step 15: If you solved Step 14 Give the Code in the iPad and make the last Test/Game. - 42

This Game is not hard. Its easy. Take the present(Magic Marble) and never use them for yourself. Just help the other people all the time and NEVER use them for yourself. Result:

b]Step 16: If you solved Step 15 Now Ask Meilin about the Result from the Game and the door Open. Here is the best skip for this big Riddle with not mutch work: Just open with 100 the 8(Where the iPad is inside) and then use the iPad with the number 42 and follow Step 15 and you speedrun it. After one run you can skip that part without this trick. Fourth Riddle (Picture Failure) This is the fourth riddle. In this puzzle you have to find things that are inconsistent. Then you have to talk to Honghong. Below this text I will mark the picture as a spoiler so you can see all the stuff.

1. Click on the corn and then to Honghong. "Honghong, ask your encyclopedia up there when corn came to china!" 2. Click on the button and then to Honghong. "When were the first buttons invented?" 3. Click on the individual Go stone and then push to the answers below. "Both Stones on the Point 4-4 are white." Then: "Because people used to put stones on these points in the beginning." Fifth Riddle (Concert) This is the fifth riddle. You have to listen carefully to the opening because the singer says something that is then the answer to your first question.

I follow you Now you have to talk a little bit with the band. Then you have to press the following: "I heard two songs..." Then: "Maybe the accident won't happen at this concert?" Then: "Why not?" Then you can enjoy some of the concert. Then next you can click this: "I nodded." Then something important happens. You need to remember/save this:

0118334499 Date Day This is the day when you can really look forward to a date with the character you like the most. I don't want to sound weird, but I don't quite understand the mechanics of the game yet, so I suggest you be extra nice to the character you like. You shouldn't be mean to the others now. But it may be that if you are friendly to another character like Karina because of her Hoddys and math problems then for example the date with my darling Anna is not possible. One of the best moments in the game for me(Anna Date Day Night):

Sixth Riddle (Escape) This is the sixth riddle. I'll just call it a riddle because you have a few things to consider about the visions. In the first vision this passage is important:

In the second vision this passage is important:

Here comes the first decision to be made after the two unknown men (secret service): "You´re right." Then you have to choose this: "Stop! We should take another road." (From Vision 2 the warning) Then you have to choose this: "Qucik, get on the train on track 2!"(From Vision 1 the warning) Call Someone Now you can use the Number from the Autogrammcard: 0118334499

Seventh Riddle (Wood walk) In the seventh riddle you have to memorize a map very well. (It is best to save it). Then you have to find your destination with the help of the map and the descriptions from the forest.

If one of your three friends is your favorite, then you can go with them and maybe share a nice moment. Here is my resolution: "Straight ahead." Then: "The path straight ahead." Then: "Go around the bend in the path." Then: "Down to the right." Then: "Are Read the full article

0 notes

obsessivevoidkitten · 2 years ago

Text

A Ghoulish Encounter

Yandere Male Ghoul x Gender Neutral Reader (CW: Kidnapping, general yandere behavior, yandere ghoul, gender neutral reader, monster consuming human flesh, minor character death, no smut) Word Count: 1.2k (I made the reader gender neutral because no smut was requested so without a sex/gender specific sex scene the difference between a male and gender neutral reader seemed small and I wanted as many people as possible to be able to enjoy this since it is my first fic in so long. I know this is not my best work, but things have been crazy lately and I still liked how it turned out.) You had been working at The Facility, a vague and secretive government research lab, for several years now. You were a lower ranking biologist. You had been recruited immediately following the completion of your degree, but your refusal to participate in any unethical research on any of the various “subjects” at The Facility prevented you from rising in rank. The aforementioned “subjects” were in fact abnormal organisms ranging from werewolves and vampires to demons such as ghouls and afrits. It was of course policy to keep them alive, where possible, but they were not treated very well at all. Except of course by anyone other than you. You cleaned their habitats, made sure they had food, you even tended to their wounds when you had to. As such most of them were rather pleasant towards you. One ghoul in particular was always pretty friendly towards you. His designation given by The Facility was “Subject 73”, but you used his real name, Leech. Honestly you were the only employee at The Facility that had even bothered to ask what his name was. It was the act of simply inquiring more about him that made the ghoul first take notice of you. He was no idiot, of course, he could still see the way you trembled slightly when he made movements and he could detect the hints of nervousness in your voice when you spoke to him, you clearly feared him. He could hardly blame you, given his jet black demonic eyes, and gaunt, almost skeletal, appearance, but you put aside your fear to treat him decently and that meant everything to him. You were going about your duties as usual, bringing food and some requested reading materials into his room as he greeted you. You were always nervous around the subjects, but Leech made you extra anxious, the scent of blood always hung about him and he had gotten progressively more flirty with you as the weeks went on. “Ah, thanks for the books pumpkin~ What’s on the menu today?” Leech gave you a big grin that showed off his many sharp teeth, the teeth of a predator. “O-oh, um, just a standard ghoul ration meal, s-same as always.” You struggled to stifle a shudder at his unnerving gaze. Leech hated the ration meals, they weakened him. Ghouls needed human flesh to survive and the fact that he had not yet died in The Facility’s custody was a testament to the contents of the standard rations, but it was either so diluted that it kept him from getting to full power or it was drugged somehow. But that was okay, the monsters cooperated and now had multiple inside operatives in The Facility, and soon, mere moments from then, they would enact their plan. Then Leech could feast on the abusive researchers and go back to his life of harmless scavenging fresh corpses. Of course, he could not let you leave his room when all this went down. He did not want you in any danger, and he had no intention of leaving without his little darling scientist either. You made to leave the room after handing him his food but he grabbed your arm and pulled you back from the door. “Hey uh um, you kn-know the rules! No contact!” You clicked the button on your bracelet that should have notified security you were in trouble but nothing happened, no signals or alarms, or response via intercom, or anything. Your face blanched in deepening fear. “Ah, don’t be like that (Y/N), I am just making sure you do not get all caught up in that mess outside.” He looked down at you and smiled wide, he was drooling quite a bit, something that ghouls did when they anticipated a meal. “Wh-what are you talking about?” You writhed and squirmed to get out of the grip he had on your wrist, but despite his skinny appearance and even in his somewhat weakened state it was like trying to escape pure steel. Then you realized you could hear the scrape of all of the metal doors to all the subject’s rooms opening. You could hear screams and the snap of tendons and bone, the ripping of flesh, laughter and cries of joy from the various monsters. That’s why he did not want you to leave he wanted to kill you himself! You started sobbing and crying and hysterically redoubled your struggles to get away. This couldn’t be happening. This Couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be- Leech put his free hand on your head and used the mild demonic magic he still had available to him to put you to sleep before picking you up and carrying you over his shoulder. “Sorry pumpkin, but I had to calm you down. You were being quite silly.” He rubbed your back soothingly as you slept under the effects of his magic. When you woke up you were on an unfamiliar bed in a dark red room with strange architecture. You looked around in a daze before remembering the events that had preceded you losing consciousness. You saw Leech in the other room, what seemed to be the kitchen, wiping his face of blood. “Oh hey, sorry you had to see me all bloody like that buttercup, I normally only eat long dead corpses but I needed the meal to get us here. You know, for someone who acted so bitter Director Sparrows was surprisingly tasty.” “Please don’t kill me!” You sat up, trembling, and backed yourself as far as you could on the bed until your back hid the head board. “What? You’re being silly again (Y/N), I would never hurt you. I honestly never hurt any human! Our friend Sparrows here was already deceased when I found him.” He moved towards you but you leapt out of the bed and ran. But there were no doors in this strange place, there were no windows. There was no escape. It had been months since Leech so lovingly added you to his home. True to his word he had never once hurt you. Quite the contrary actually. He often left and came back with books and would pull you close to him on the bed as he read to you. Though you never stopped trembling when he put his arm around you. Leech would even take you with him sometimes on walks to secluded places so you could get some fresh air and sun, since those seemed to be so good for human health, but any attempts at escape just ended with him catching you quickly and whisking you back to his happy little pocket dimension of hell. Whenever the ghoul had to sleep he would always pull you on top of him and hold you securely close, you would shake in fear for hours before exhaustion finally pulled you into the merciless void of sleep. Leech even tried spiking your interest in biology, bringing otherworldly creatures and plants home for you to examine, though you were cautious of anything despite the fact that Leech would never bring anything around you that could do you harm. He didn’t mind it though, he didn’t mind any of it. He did not mind the flinching away, nervous stammers, anxious shaking, he could deal with a bit of fear. You had seen him feasting on your former boss after all, and he always naturally smelled of blood. So he could be patient with you, in his tiny realm he had limitless time for you to accept him.

#yandere terato #yandere teratophilia #yandere exophilia #yandere male monster #yandere male x gender neutral reader #male yandere x gn reader #gender neutral reader #my oc #my oc leech #yandere ghoul #yandere demon #monster boyfriend

1K notes · View notes

mygodyouredivine · 3 years ago

Text

Something About You

Summary: After you joined the Avengers, you had quickly bonded with all the team members and accepted even Loki. Loki finds himself drawn to you and develops a begrudging fondness for you. He doesn't realize just how deep that affection was rooted until you are injured on a mission.

Characters: Loki Laufeyson/(f)Reader

Warnings: mostly none, minor injury (nothing graphic), minor angst

Word Count: 2965

Notes: Hi! This is my first ever fanfiction and the first time I’m posting on tumblr! I’ve read many (many, many, many) Loki/Reader fics and I wanted to give it a try to see if I could write a short interaction between Loki and the reader. Please forgive me for any spelling/grammar mistakes, and if you enjoyed, any feedback/comments would be much appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Loki despised the Avengers. It was impossible to miss the distrustful looks thrown his way, the way the air shifted uncomfortably when he entered a room, or the thinly veiled jabs at his loyalty despite him living in the compound for well over a year. However, their treatment of him wasn’t the source of his contempt. It was you, and for all the Norns he couldn’t determine why.

You had moved into the compound a few weeks after he had and every single occupant of the tower had been immediately infatuated with your charm. Not that Loki could blame them. You maintained a sense of innocence he could hardly believe, especially due to your history. He didn’t know much about you, but you had been rescued - and then recruited - into the Avengers after all. A tragic backstory was practically a prerequisite. You were also contradictory; for though you exuded innocence, there was also a complexity and rage that simmered underneath your skin. During missions, you were a force not to be underestimated - you stuck down enemies with a certainty and ease that even Loki respected. But in the safety and comfort of the tower, you were, for lack of a more eloquent term, adorable . Walking around in oversized Midgardian articles of clothing and fuzzy socks that often sported cartoonish designs of various animals, you almost appeared soft. Paired with your bright, but not blinding, personality, it only made sense that the others warmed to you so quickly.

Stark was the first to fall under your spell, pampering you with his latest inventions before showing anyone else. Loki supposed it had to do with your genuine enthusiasm when Stark talked, and the team had quickly learned that besides Pepper, you were one of the only people who could persuade Stark to venture from his lab to get the rest that all mortals needed. Rogers had been next. It wasn’t hard to see why the Captain had taken such a quick liking to you. Loki personally believed Rogers only saw the innocence and not the complexity, but that innocence had apparently activated his protective mode, for the Captain was oh-so-careful whenever he reluctantly sent you on any missions. Next, it had been Banner. You and the shy doctor had bonded over your shared love of quiet relaxed conversation and he could often find you in Banner’s labs, assisting him with various mundane tasks. You had even swayed the ever-suspicious Widow. How you did so, Loki had no idea. Even now, months later, the Widow only gazed upon him with open hostility. Finally, his oaf of a brother Thor. Thor had loved you from the first time he met you, but that was no surprise. What was surprising was how you tolerated his boisterous brother’s extroverted and often over-enthusiastic nature with a never ending well of patience. He could see how you flinched when Thor would sometimes talk too loudly, but you were always quick to cover it up with a smile and a hug for the oaf.

Loki noticed that like many Midgardians, you seemed to crave touch. Even among the highly suspicious Avengers, they all seemed to trust you intimately. Stark, who, putting it lightly, was not a hugger, seemed to enjoy the occasional brush of your fingers across his arm. Rogers loved to ruffle your hair whenever he saw you, his large hand continuously running through your soft locks during meetings. Loki wondered briefly what it would be like to feel your silky strands of hair between his fingers, to have you sigh contentedly and close your eyes while he wove intricate braids into your hair. He didn’t know. The only one besides Rogers who touched your hair was the Widow, and you could both often be found brushing and braiding each other’s hair. With Banner, you seemed to be fond of side hugs, quickly smooshing the entire side of your body against his, and with Thor, well, you seemed to be the most comfortable with his brother. Your customary greeting was a hug, and it often annoyed him when his brother would abandon whatever interaction he was having with Loki to embrace you and spin you around while you giggled with a childlike glee. During the weekly movie nights, you could usually be found next to Thor, curled next to him with one of his arms thrown haphazardly behind your shoulders. Loki hated it.

When you had first moved into the compound, you had been cautious around all of your new companions. Slowly, that careful apprehension had faded away, and you had become an integral part of their family, while Loki had remained an outsider. He had tried to hate you, and for a time, he was successful. He looked down upon your openness, your softness, and categorized it as a weakness. Over time, he began to see your courage and ability to trust as a strength and as a sign that you were truly comfortable with all the occupants of the tower, and he admired it, rather against his will.

Though Loki refused to admit it to himself, his fascination with you had nothing to do with how the others saw you; Loki couldn’t care less about the opinions of Midgardians. Except you. There was something about you that drew Loki to you, for when he noticed you were relaxed with all of your roommates, he was startled to see that it included him. Not to say he was your favorite by any chance, or that you paid special attention to him, but he was excruciatingly aware of your perfectly average treatment of him. The way your eyes met his without flinching and how your body refused to tense when he entered a room and the way you didn’t hesitate before contentedly dropping into a seat next to him made him feel accepted. Though his pride prevented him from acknowledging it, acceptance was one thing Loki strived for but could never reach, regardless of his Silvertongue or magic, charm or tricks. But with you, Loki didn’t have to strive for acceptance, he simply was. As uncomfortable as it made him, Loki begrudgingly began to develop a fondness for you.

Not only did your laid-back treatment of Loki prompt him to lower his defenses around you, your complete and inherent trust in him pleased him immensely. He wasn’t talking about you sharing all your deepest and darkest secrets with him, but rather the way you trusted he wouldn’t hurt you or betray the Avengers. Occasionally Loki would unintentionally hear snippets of conversation between ‘Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’ making jabs regarding his ability to be trusted and simply at his expense, but you were never a part of the unpleasant discussions. In fact, Loki would often see you frowning disapprovingly at whomever had made the disparaging comment, and while the others’ opinion of Loki did not matter to him whatsoever, seeing your discontent had him appreciating you even more. More than how you acted when Loki wasn’t present, Loki still mostly enjoyed the interactions you did have with him. Loki typically hated movie nights as he was forced to suffer through the combined presence of all the people who disliked him crammed into a single room. He constantly craved to distance himself from everyone, including you, until he had experienced your closeness for himself. Though it was unbearably harder to see you interacting so affectionately with Thor after he knew just how intoxicating you were, the times you would touch him always kept his negative feelings at bay. On the rare occasions when you weren’t glued to Thor’s side during movie nights, you opted to sit next to him. More often than not, you ended up falling asleep, either right next to him, or on him, though that seldom ever happened. The few times it did, Loki found himself paying even less attention to whatever repetitive and predictable Midgardian film was playing and focusing on you. The steady rise and fall of your breaths against his skin, the warmth your body radiated, contrasting deliciously with his own icy interior, and the unpredictable actions you took in your sleep, such as the occasional tightening of your fingers on his chest or the charming way you enticingly nuzzled your cheek into him. Whenever you feel asleep on him, Loki would take extreme care to keep his breaths as even as possible to not disturb you. He once mustered up the courage to drape his arm across your slumbering form, and you had sighed ever so softly and only burrowed deeper into his side. When you woke up, you always looked mortified and apologized profusely, as if Loki could ever be displeased by your actions. Unbeknownst to you, the moments you spend curled up next to him warmed him during the days you were absent or off on missions.

He doubted you knew how much you mattered to him, and he himself didn’t understand just how deep he cared for you, until he almost lost you. You were on a mission with Thor and the Widow and were supposed to be back a week ago. Various complications had arisen, and while worry grew within Loki, he pushed it deep within himself as missions rarely did go completely smoothly. However, his sleep quality, while usually less restful when you were not within the compound, deteriorated at a rapid pace, and he found himself in the kitchen making tea when the Quinjet returned, announcing your return. Loki immediately knew something was off, for he did not hear any quiet chatter or soft laughter that usually accompanied you, Thor, and the Widow. Convincing himself that he had nothing better to do, Loki had gone up to the roof with the intent of offering his brother tea as a guise to check on you. The sight Loki was met with had his fingers tightening on the mug and his teeth being grinded so hard he could almost hear it. For there Thor was, leaving the Quinjet with you held in his arms and the Widow prancing along behind. A concoction of emotions began boiling within Loki: confusion, hurt, anger, disgust. As Loki continued to watch from the shadow of the roof, his revulsion only increased as Thor lowered his face to yours in a disgustingly sweet manner and whispered in your ear. However, as Thor and the Widow drew closer to where Loki was standing, he began to pick up on the oddity of the situation. Why would Thor be carrying you in his arms? The Widow was not prancing, she was running. Why was she running? Why were you still limp? Was that blood? Loki quickly emerged from his corner and walked forward towards you. The sight he was met with had the tea in his hands dropping to the floor and shattering with a crash that Loki couldn’t hear. In fact, he couldn’t hear anything but a distant buzzing surrounding him, for you were there, lying in Thor’s arms with your eyes closed, skin sickly pale but shining with sweat, hair matted, and coated in blood that seemed to ooze from your body. Without a word, Loki had teleported all of you into the doctor’s lab.

As Thor positioned you gently down onto the bed and the Widow ran to summon the healers, Loki could only focus on you. Your breaths, so solid against his side a few days ago, were erratic and thin, your chest barely rising at all. Your fingers twitched, not in the peaceful way they had against his chest, but painfully. Your brows furrowed and you whimpered pathetically. Loki’s heart shattered. Under any other circumstance, he would have immediately demanded what had happened, but he could not tear his eyes from you. Oh, you precious little mortal. Loki had forgotten how frail Midgardians were and how easily you could break, how utterly short your existences were. He reached towards your fragile form, carefully brushing your tangled hair away from your face. He poured his seidr into you, praying to all the Norns - Hel, even to Odin - that you would survive this ordeal, all the while cursing himself for not going with you, for allowing you to become injured to such an extent, and for not practicing healing magic when he had a change. His desperate attempt to heal you and self loathing was cut short by the arrival of doctors, nurses, and the other Avengers, all wildy alert after receiving news of your injury. Loki allowed himself to be jostled away while medical personnel surrounded you as the others began questioning Thor and the Widow on how you had arrived in this condition.

Now, Loki sat by your bedside, where he had resided ever since they had stabilized your condition. He refused to budge, plainly ignoring anyone who tried to take his place and brushing off Thor’s half-hearted attempts to get him to eat. No, Loki spent all his time here, watching you for any sign of recovery and ensuring that your breaths kept coming. Your clothes had been changed. You were no longer wearing your bloodied uniform, but a set of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt taken out of your bedroom. Your body had been cleaned and hair had been brushed. You looked so peaceful, just laying there on the crisp white sheets. Your eyelids fluttering randomly and the occasional wince and groan were the only signs of life you exhibited. Your body convulses, and your face tenses as sweat begins to bead across your forehead. Loki recognized these symptoms all too well. You were having a nightmare.

“Darling? Darling do you think you could wake up? I know you can. Come on, you can do it.”

Loki whispered encouragement into your unconscious body, hoping he could rouse you from whatever torment your subconscious decided to inflict upon you. Surprisingly, you do awake, though it was not with the grace he typically saw from you. Instead, your eyes jolted open with a start and you immediately attempted to sit up, falling back down onto your back as your injury took over you. Your eyes were clouded as a result of the medication the doctors had pumped you with and your lips were chapped. Your hair framed your face haphazardly as a result of your incessant twitching from the nightmare. Your eyebags were prominent and half of your body and face still swollen. Norns, Loki thought he had never seen anything so beautiful.

Seeing him, your half alert face breaks into a genuine smile and Loki hands you a glass of water, prompting you to greedily gulp all the liquid down.

“Loki?” , you croak. “I'm cold.”

Loki’s relief at your awakening is palpable, and he immediately shrugs off his hoodie and bundles you up in the dark green (and insanely soft) fabric. His heart seems infinitely lighter as you look up at him wearing his ridiculously large hoodie and softens when you lay back down and burrow yourself into the fabric. You looked so small there in the hospital bed, your body still recovering and drowning in dark green cotton, and Loki has a sudden desire to brush his lips against the top of your head. Justifying his actions of simply that of a concerned friend, Loki gives into his want. The instant his lips come into contact with your skin, Loki never wants to let you go. The warmness of you seeps into him and fills a void within himself he didn’t even know he had. But Loki lets go, and you sigh happily. Looking down at your now sleeping figure, Loki decides to alert the others. As much as the Avengers dislike him, he does not take joy in witnessing their restlessness as they wallow in guilt. Moving away from you, Loki is stopped by your voice.

“Don’t go.” , your sleepy voice whispers, “Please don’t go. Don’t leave me.”

Though he wasn’t sure of the exact details of your past or what experiences prompted you to ask him to stay, but in that moment Loki vowed to completely annihilate not only those who put you in your current state, but also any being who had ever dared to harm you in any way, even if he had to track down the man who had cut in front of you when you were in line getting coffee for the team a few weeks ago. Your eyes look at him with sadness and pleading within that whatever miniscule amount of conviction within Loki dissipates. He quickly returns to your bedside, dragging the chair closer to you. Selfishly, Loki wants to touch you again, so he reaches out a hand to close your eyelids.

“Shh. It’s okay love. I’m not going anywhere. I won’t leave you. I promise. Try to get some rest. I’ll be right here.”

“Thank you. You’re the best you know. You’re my favorite,” you mutter almost incoherently as you doze off again. As he moves his hand away from your face, you grimace and grab his hand before he can pull back entirely. Your fingers intertwine with his as you bring it back to you. Turning onto your side, you pull your connected hands back up to your face and cuddle with it. You. Cuddling. With him. “Thought you said you weren’t going to leave,” you mutter as you frown, “Lokiii” you drawl. You smile then, and truly drift off.

Something inside Loki cracks. He had been suppressing and denying it for weeks, months now even, but he could no longer run from the realization that his heart belonged to you. Looking at your sleeping form, willingly grasping onto him even though you knew his history and all that he had done, Loki finally let himself believe he might not need to run anymore.

#loki #loki laufeyson #loki x reader #reader insert #soft loki #feelings realization #protective loki #jealous loki #loki x you #loki fic #marvel

365 notes · View notes

chocominnie · 3 years ago

Text

Desperado — 09 (M) | JJK

Pairing: Badboy!Jungkook X Reader

Summary : A messy situationship at it’s finest. You don’t even know whats headed your way, just even engaging in the slightest within him. See, he has an assignment to complete. A mission granted by his father thats do or die. You just so happen to be a major pawn in that assignment. He didn’t mean to take an interest in you. Surely it was an accident right? Only except. you hold much value in this game that he’ll do anything to complete it. Oblivious is what you are. Poor thing. Poor.. Poor thing.

Genre: Mature/ Mafia!Jungkook

Trailer: xxxxx preview 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08

Word Count : 7.3k

Warnings : This honestly isn’t for the light hearted and the weak…High angst, usage of drugs, drug mentions, mental illness, switch!jungkook, Brat reader, possible stockholm syndrom, kidnapping, assault, death of side characters, murder, weapons, usage of weapons, masturbation, physical violence, blood, alcohol, weed, unprotected and protected sex, spanking, honestly its a lot of aruging…

Copyright: please do NOT repost, translate, or modify my works in any way, shape or form, on any platform. If found doing so , it is considered as plagiarism and appropriate LEGAL action will be taken

TW : Suicide, Body Hanging for display.

Her hair moves so flawlessly and the her breasts spill over the mini triangle bra with each sensual move she makes. The way her waist and body whines against the pole could leave absolutely anyone in a trance.The rhythm of the music blasts in the air and she’s directly on beat to it, not missing anything through the song playing.

The led lights are dimmed low enough in a red color, but enough for everyone to see. Shes uncaring at the men in the room sizing her up in her designer high waisted thong that hugs her hips very well, showing off her round, plump ass. That was what she wanted, the attention all on her while they throw hundred dollar bills for her.

“ Who knew someone could get down and dirty like that.”

To no suprise, Jimin, the ladies man but heartbreaker for sure, enters the private room and closing the door beind him. He throws a stack of money towards her, as he was the seemingly late one to the meet-up.

“ Jungkook is late, he’s never late. What’s taking him so long?” A grumpy Namjoon says, looking down at his apple-watch. It’s half past 10 pm and usually he’s the first one here.

“ He’s probably sucking up to yn-”

The girl turns her head sharply towards the boys, overhearing what they said. She furrows her eyebrows at them, “ Why would he be doing that..”

Taehyung lets out a small groan. “ Because Mr. Lover boy has gotten himself a crush. The worst part is, she’s his target for this mission.”

“ Shut the fuck up. I don’t have a crush on her, i’m just doing my job.” A semi-loud voice roars through the doors. Everyone stops to look at the sudden intruder and to relief it’s him, Jungkook.

Of course he has to lie about that. He knew for sure he caught himself up with you and the feelings were strong. Though the big bad mafia boy catching feelings for his target is highly uncommon, and Jungkook doesn’t know the consequences.

“ Jungkook..” The girl says, frowning at him with her hand on her hips. He takes a seat on the couch and tilts his head at her to go on. She rolls her eyes and shakes her head at the young boy. “ You fell for her.. so what about us?”

It isn’t hard to say that he doesn’t have any more feelings left for the girl. She and him both knew what they agreed upon. The pair had history together, sexual to be exact. Romance was hardly there if he were to be honest. She’d began actually working for Won-Shik, under this club they’re in now which is owned by him, a year ago. Jungkook had entered the club once when he was considered a minor, but that was to pass a message along to the girl from his father. He was told to go straight in and straight out. Of course, he did the exact opposite. Sat around looking at all the half naked women that night as the music blared loud.

It wasn’t until his phone rang and it was Casper telling him to hurry up and come back to the car, is when he finally decided to get up and look for the girl. When he did find her, it was over with for him. The girl was, and still is, stunning. One of the many foreign girls in the club but she’s the one that stood out of all. She wore nothing but a small outfit as she danced on the pole. Her beauty mesmorized Jungkook that night as he watched her dance in awe. Soon enough she came to him showing her her dimply smile and perfect teeth.

He was stunned alright. She knew he looked to be too young for the club so she asked him his age. He told her, and thats when she nearly called security on him until he told her who he was and affiliated with. The message was passed along accordingly to her, she got the memo. Jungkook though, kept coming back to that club and always going to where she was, following her around the club like a lost puppy. She enjoyed his time, as all she did was sit and talk with him and that turned out to not be enough for him. He wanted her, and she insisted that he was too young for her.

So Jungkook did what any other person would do when feeling rejected, he started to present himself like a true man and mafia boy. The gym was his favorite place after that and he buffed up very well. That jawline of his got sharper and his personality gained more confidence and dominant by the time he turned nineteen. He of course kept going at her, shooting his shot anytime he could and yet kept getting denied. It wasn’t until his nineteenth birthday is when he begged her telling her how bad he wanted her, and that lap dance he kept suggesting months before. Since it was his birthday and he was legal, she gave him what he wanted but that still wasn’t enough for him. He wanted her underneath him bad. The slight age gap between them didn’t phase Jungkook at all. What he wants, is what he gets.

And he did.

And kept getting it, and getting it, and getting it since then.

“ Relax baby, I’ll still be coming around you know that.” His voice is smooth, smirking at her. He wasn’t going to be coming around as much, but he knew that would disappoint her.

She purses her lips and begins walking towards him and sits directly on his lap, straddling him. Jungkook can’t push her off the way he wants to because it would confirm the crush rumors from the boys about you. So he lets her sit there, uncomfortable as hell for him.

Namjoon clears his throat to get the rest of the group attention. It’s nearly 11 pm and Crystal has been blowing up his phone ever since he stepped foot in the club. He told her beforehand about the meeting, but she wanted him at her apartment by at least 1 am.

“ We all know you love yn, but remember who you are Jungkook.” Namjoon says, glaring at the boy who returns the glare back at him. “ Fuck you. Like I said, im just doing my job.”

“ If you were doing your job Jungkook, there’s no way in the hell that it should take you this long. “ Jin retaliates. He knows hes right.

By this time, Jimin had finished preparing seven perfectly rolled blunts filled with the most finest imported weed. He places them onto the tray, taking his own and then passing the tray to Yoongi. Each of the boys take their own until it reaches down to Jungkook who takes his and puts the tray back onto the table.

“ Enough about her. I was summoned to go over the details for the next seven days. “ Jungkook groans, sparking his blunt and inhaling. He passes it Melanie, who takes it to inhale as well.

A malicious smile comes upon Yoongi’s face as he exhales the smoke into the already fogged up air. One thing he loves to talk about is torture. One of bangtan’s best walking torture device to be known.

“ Tonight we are starting.. I say you let me go first.” Yoongi pauses, taking a long inhale of his blunt. “ I’m coming for their trade transaction place. Arson, let me burn the bitch down and then fuck around with their father.”

It’s a good idea. Sending a message after burning it down straight to it’s opponent. Fire is Yoongi’s thing, and that’s his signature marking in the Bangtan Boys. The father of the shooter was one of their dealers, until the shooter’s father fucked up by taking money out of bangtan’s cut little by little. The boys knew about it, they waited for the perfect time back then to take action. Of course, giving them a mission to complete.. or so he thought. The mission was a false one. Created by Jungkook to catch him off guard. Jungkook used some of the mafia men on Won-Shik’s side to set up a trade off of drugs, decieving the shooter’s father by thinking they were just setting up a regular mafia trade from another gang. The trade was complete, but their protection was no more. Needless to say, the men didn’t even make it back to their cars. It was a bloodshed war between Jungkook’s assigned men and their men. The point was to send a memo that the Bangtan Boys were coming for them, and coming hard.

Everynight for two weeks unimaginable signs were sent to their family. Ranging all the way from several gunshot bullets going through their home, to severed heads of previous betrayers of the bangtan boys, sitting right on their porch. By now, all the other gangs in Korea knew not to have any business with them.

“ Day 2 I want it. I’m going for the mother. That scamming bitch and her precious flower shop? I’m shooting it up. Whoever lives, lives. Whoever dies, dies.” Jimin shrugs, smirking as he leans back in his spot.

“ Day 3, for me I’m sending another message. One of their men is gonna die in my god damn hands. I’ll be sure to take a selfie and send it to the father. The body will lay hanging on that pretty little oak tree in their yard.” Taehyung says. The boys are roar with shock that he’s said that. Normally he doesn’t like touching a dead body, so it’s a change for him.

The boys continue listing off the days and assigned tasks for the rest of the night into the wee early morning. Namjoon left after his, of course going straight to his girls apartment. They don’t judge him, seeing as though the boy really is in love and knows when and how to handle it. He definately doesn’t mix business and his love life together, unlike his other hyung. Soon enough the banter and socializing ends and it’s time for Yoongi first.

Night 1

It doesn’t take long for Yoongi to find the place. The empty steets of Seoul have soon faded into just dirt roads with the city left behind. The humming of his porsche echos through the night time air. Yoongi takes one final turn, making sure to pull into the place slowly like a true hunter keeping it’s eye on its prey. It’s not a full house tonight, even better.

Taking the jug of gasoline out his car, he carries it with ease up to the empty warehouse. The wildlife outside don’t make a noise. As if they know who’s approaching and just shut right up. Forty degrees fahrenheit outside and lastnight’s snowfall piled all around.The darkness outside is haunting, anything could pop out at any second to kill the man. That doesn’t scare him at all. Darkness is always what he crave. Inside and out.

“ Sir.. do you want us to go in with you?”

Yoongi stops dead in his tracks. He’d almost forgotten about the back-up men Jungkook ordered for him. It’s not like he needed them anyways, but since Jungkook can’t be there with Yoongi, that was the next best choice.

Rolling his eyes without turning around,“ No. Wait in your cars. I’ll handle it on my own.”

Just like that. The boys are off like lightening. Yoongi takes one final step towards the two double doors, and begins to pour the gasoline at it’s starting point. Usually, he’d go from the inside out, but seeing as though he wanted them to scurry out fearing for their lives, this is the next option as well. Soon enough, the enire jug is empty and he’s now poured all of it around the outside of the warehouse. Leaves crunch with every step he makes back to the starting point. Part of him hopes they can’t hear him from the outside. It’ll ruin the plans.

The lighter in his pocket feels so smoothe against his palms as he reaches for it. It’s one of his signature ones with his initials on it. An andrenaline rush runs through his veins as flicks the ignition with his thumb. The flame all bright and orange as he stands there infront of the building. It’s going to be a damn good night.

Without hesitating, Yoongi runs his fingers through his hair and throws the lighter right onto the gasoline puddles. The way the whole ring of fire lights up infront of his eyes makes him laugh hysterically while watching the whole building go into flames. The loud crackling sounds of the now decomposing warehouse jumps him back into reality.

He heads right towards the big tree next to the right of the warehouse, leaning on it with one foot up against it with his hands crossed. That sinister smile doesn’t leave his face. He enjoys the view of the men from the inside running out as fast as they can. Some falling in the ring of fire in the process. The fire is no match for any human as they try to stop drop and roll. Ha, as if that would work with a 15 foot fire consuming the warehouse. The dead bodies pile up on their own, just burning in the fire over their simple mistakes of falling and thinking they would survive the fire.

Until the golden egg comes out. He’s furious as runs out perfectly, as if he’s been through this, without managing to catch on fire. Yoongi chuckles, leaning off the tree. “ Kang Dong-Woo.”

Usually Yoongi would use the honorfics to people who were much older than him. In this case though, he doesn’t deserve honorifics.

“ Min Yoongi.” He says, harshness laced within his voice. Dongwoo frowns when nearing the man. He knows what Yoongi is capable of, and that’s what sets his fight for flight into action.

“ Let’s get straight to it. Your daughter is after our leader. She seems to be doing the dirty work for you yeah? Did you not train her enough? Of course you know she wont be able to live after this right?”

Dongwoo laughs right into Yoongi’s face as if he was joking. It angers Yoongi, so he grabs Dongwoo by the shirt and drags the man over to the fire where he kicks the back of his legs to where he’s kneeling inches away from it.

“ I don’t think this is a laughing matter, Dongwoo.” He growls, tightening his grip around Dongwoo’s arms that are behind his back. “ You want to die?”

“ She’s gonna fuck you all over.” He growls.” You may think she’s not capable of finishing off you guys one by one, but she is. I raised and trained her since a kid. She’s stronger with more energy than me. She’ll kill you all when you least expect it.”

Yoongi rolls his eyes at him.” The dumb bitch can’t even shoot right. Going for someone else knowing Jungkook would save them is an ameteur move. Should’ve went straight for his damn head.”

“ I’ll make sure she’ll bring you guys hell Min Yoongi. All of you. Tell that shit to Jungkook and his daddy for me alright?” He mocks, laughing again at the boy to taunt him.

Yoongi doesn’t care for it. He’s had enough of this foolish talk. With one swift move he kicks the man’s back making him fall down to the left side, away from the fire. He’s lost it. He’s totally lost it at this point and there is no going back. Kick after kick after kick, he doesn’t stop. No. Not until the Dongwoo is sure to cough up blood. The crimson liquid poors from his mouth as he lays there. No remorse is felt.

Besides, the bastard bitch needed to get the message. Consider it message recieved.

Night 2

The flower shop is full, but not full to its entirety. There's tons of different bouquets and arrangements set around the pretty shop, from what he can see from the outside. It’s almost closing time, an hour left. Jimin’s fingertips grip on the steering wheel, anxious but patient to make his move. He’s running off of pure adrenaline and 2 cans of monster that are crushed and sitting in the passenger seat. Waiting isn’t his forte and he’d honestly like to get this show on the road now.

The moon is out and shining bright tonight. A sigh escapes his lips when he glances again at the shop. The only reason he’s not done it yet is due to the fact that there is a child and his mother inside. Rule number 2 of Bangtan, injure no child. The price to pay if you were to break the rule? Simply it would cost you your own damn life.

As if time would of went any slower for the boy, the child and his mother finally made their transaction and made it out of the store, heading across the street to continue their journey of shopping. It’s go time.

He knew to come prepared with his bulletproof vest and full face ski mask, long Sleeve black shirt to cover all the markings he has and also the two tattoos on each of his arms. He knew that the little lady wouldn’t be so dumb to not carry, or at-least have someone inside that would be her undercover security. Considering who her husband is, there’s no way she won’t be protected.

Oh how innocent the people look to not know what’s coming next. Jimin loads his Glock 19 with golden bullets that have Bangtan Boys initials and symbols on it just before pulling his mask down and getting out the car. He makes sure to signal his back-up men to create a distraction so he could make his entrance. Sure enough, a loud boom in the near distance of what sounds like some type of construction falling, echos loudly. It turns heads from all around to look where the sound came from, making it easy for Jimin to slide into the flower-shop.

Not a sound made by him. He draws his gun and pulls the safety off the trigger, then cocks it. Eyes are all on him as his eyes shift around the room looking for his target. There she is, eyes wide in the middle of a transaction for two middle aged couple. His eyes set into hers, lowly smiling and pointing it at her. The way everyone frantically screams and cries out doesn’t phase Jimin, no. It just encourages him even more as he starts firing shots mid air, shooting any and every person in sight for the hell of it. Bodies drop to the ground, and the bloodbath begins.

Jimin doesn’t hesitate to step over everybody, eyes still set on his target. The middle aged couple’s shrieks were cut short by their bodies dropping to the ground with three shots each to their hearts.

“ Park J-” He cuts her crying off with a finger to his lips, daring her to say his name in public. She gets the memo. “ I wouldn’t if I were you.”

The barrel is pressed against her temple as she trembles with fear. He cocks his head to the side, smiling at her when he taps the gun against her head harshly, repeatedly. “ You know why I’m here.”

“ You kill me and she will murder you all.”

Jimin chuckles, “ That’s what you guys think. We don’t have time for your gimmicks. It was you guys who stole money from us. Why did you think you’d still be protected from the law from us? Getting your daughter to go for the leader first is dumb, like the rest of you.”

“ We almost went to prison for you guys, remember that? We needed that cut money from you guys to pay off our legal fees. Thats why we stole. We completed your dirty work while trying to pay off the fees, its the least you guys could of did as a reward.”

“ That’s not how it would’ve worked. You fucked up. All of you.”

With two shots to the leg, she falls into Jimins arms. He rolls his eyes and throws his body off of him and onto the floor. It’s going to be a headache trying to explain to the dry cleaners why there is blood stains on his designer ripped jeans.

Night 3

It was too easy, way too easy. It took nothing to lure that man right into Taehyung’s trap. Nothing but a simple few slick comments made to him for him to get a riled up at the wrong person. Taehyung had spotted the man prior heading into the park with a small duffle bag. He assumed it was for a night trade off for some other person who had delivered drugs for him. Nontheless, it was merely too easy to pose as the alleged person who completed the mission.

A rookie. That guy must’ve been a rookie.

When the money was handed off to Taehyung, he tossed it to the side and struck the man down. The two did fight on the concrete floor for a bit but the man was no match for Taehyung’s quick moves. Taehyung’s pocket knife dances around the man’s throat as his body is pinned to the ground.

“ Rookie mistake not verifying if I’m the real one.” He chuckles, pressing the blade against the mans neck. The man pleads for his life but it’s no use. Message must be sent, that it’s no way you’ll fuck around with Bangtan and escape.

“ You know, I would’ve trained you more than Dongwoo. Letting the weakest link go run an errand? Ha. Your boss set you up for that one.”

Although the man is merely innocent, it doesn’t stop Taehyung from slicing into the man’s neck. A blood curdling scream comes out, but soon hushed over as his will of breathing and screaming is cut. It’s music to Tae’s ears.

The body is transfered per request of Taehyung to his back-up men. It’s not like him to touch a bloody dead body. So they take him into the back of their car and follow Taehyung to the residential house of the shooter. Nothing more than 10 minutes away.

The lights are cut off in the neighborhood. Not a sound made other than the two cars coming down the street. Everyone seems to be at peace and quiet in their homes. Sleeping to say the least. Upon arrival, Taehyung parks his car right infront of the house. The back-up men drag the bloody body out the car and onto their lawn, placing it right under the oak tree.

Taehyung takes the rope be brought along with him, and begins to tie multiple knots around a sturdy branch from the tree. When done, he wraps some of the rope around the dead boy’s neck, tying it into a slipknot and hoists him up high into the air.

The body dangles from the tree like a flag waving in the sky proud and high. He signals for the boys that the assignment is done and that they’re free to leave. Taehyung though, he just sits back in admiration of his work. It’s been a while sinice he felt this way. So he stands there soaking it all in.

Message recieved.

Since it’s been three entire days of hell, Jungkook knew his day will be approaching faster than ever. If only it could get here faster though. Truth is, Won-Shik isn’t too happy about Jungkook’s plan still not being complete. At this point, the father is going against him any chance he gets to just get this over with.

Luckily, tonight he’d be able to meet with his father again with some good news. It hasn’t been brought to his attention yet about your father being in Taiwan. With the technology of Won-Shik’s men, your father could be brought here within 12 hours tops.

“ Father.” Jungkook says, entering his office doors. The boy fixes his leather jacket upon entering and places his hands back into his pockets. “ I have news.”

Won-Shik is one to not play around with. Interupting his office time is a big, big deal. One is to not enter without it being urgency. That rule still applies to the heir of the company. “ It better be damn good because your plan isn’t getting anywhere Jeon Jungkook.”

Won-Shik takes his glasses off and sets them to the side on his desk. Its full of papers and photos of himself and Jungkook when he was a child. His favorite one right in the middle, where Jungkook had just ate some cherry flavored ice cream and his lips were all red as he smiled for the camera showing his two front teeth. It reminded him of when Jungkook was easier to manage rather as to now where he’s a damn menace.

“ Taiwan. Her father is in Taiwan. I don’t think it’s Taipei though.. he’s hiding so a city wouldn’t be ideal. I say search the mountains first, then the city.”

Bringing this proposal to the table meant that Jungkook wanted to atleast gain his father’s trust back. Hell, he wanted all this to be over with by now because you were driving him crazy to the point where he’s beginning to actually forget who the hell he was and why he was assigned this mission. The plan was not to fall, but to complete. He’d be lying if he wasn’t knee deep in love with you right now. It all comes down to him protecting you from his father at this point.

“ So your little plan is suddenly working huh.. still doesn’t mean she gets to run free Jungkook.” He says, smirking at the boy to challange him. Jungkook knew that. Once it’s proven that your father is the snitch, all of the family dies.

You’re innocent. Too innocent to know that or to be even tangled in that mafia mess of his. Part of him wishes he never met you and never had been assigned this mission. Then everything would be so damn different and emotions wouldn’t be caught up in this. From the moment he met you, he knew it would be hard. You have always held a special part in his heart. Only because you acted just like his mother. Sweet, but sassy and it hurt him a lot on how you remind him of her. You even word your words just like her, even when upset. Everything about you, is just like her.

It was hard to not get attached to wanting to get to know you more. Somehow he thought that if he got to know you, he’d somehow fill that hole inside him of his mother’s disappearance. As if you were going to be his new replica as you would be the one to put a band-aid on that hole to patch it up.

Here you are, not knowing you could die any moment and it will all be thanks to Jeon Jungkook, who couldn’t save you fast enough.

“ I know. But she’s innocent. She doesn’t even know her dad worked with us. I swear she doesn’t.” Jungkook bites his lip in hopes that there could be someway to save you by the hands of your father.

“ I dont care!” He roars, jumping out his seat. Jungkook flinches, backing up a bit from the sudden outburst. “ You know not to mix business and pleasure. You reap what you sew. You get to pay the consequences.”

Jungkook knew that though.

“ Father-”

“ Nothing more. I’ll have my team start the search right now. You on the other hand, get you god-damn shit together Jungkook. You’re the heir, not a damn lover-boy. Got it?”

It is no use of arguing with him. Jungkook looks down at the ground and nods his head yes just before Won-Shik dismisses him. It’s going to hurt. Seeing you dead. He hopes for a miracle can happen, that your father will not be the snitch. That you and him could live happily ever after. There will no be any happily ever after about this situation though. One will die. Just a matter of who it will be.

The vibrating sensation in his pocket snaps him out of his trance. An incoming call from Namjoon. It’s alarming since today is Namjoon’s day of hell, and only one thing could be happening right now if he’s calling for Jungkook.

There’s been a mistake.

“ What is it Namjoon.”

“ She fucking outsmarted me. The bitch caught on to where my location would be for the next kill. I don’t know where the fuck she is Jungkook.. this is bad.”

Jungkook sighs heavily, closing his eyes while letting out strings of curses come from his mouth. Shit couldn’t get possibly worse than this right now. Namjoon said he’d wanted to go straight for the killer and bust her up a bit. Give her some words and a branding on her. He had wanted to do it with a knife, carving the initals of Bangtan Boys into her upper hip. Namjoon had zero problem tracking her next location down, as he had been keeping an eye on her all day. To him, it seemed as if she would be heading to an orchestra shop in the city. Every step she took, Namjoon took it too.

Until she rounded the corner to go inside the shop and she wasn’t there. There wasn’t any outlet. The shop was on a dead end street surrounded by other shops that they both had passed. There was no way she didn’t go back, he would of saw it. He saw her go into the store, so she had to be there right?

Wrong. You see she knew all this time that Namjoon was followering her while in disguise. The orchestra shop where she led him to, she knew the owner. They were good friends. She had spoken to him asking if that she could use his upstairs office to read over some of the newest edition of music pieces for her to practice. He obliged, and she made up there in time before Namjoon came inside.

Up there, she’d be lying if she wasn’t scared to death. All this week the boys had definately given her hell. Each day with zero remorse. It was taking a toll on her for sure. Taking up this assignment by herself wasn’t something easy but she wanted to prove to him that she can be just like him. That she wanted to work with him too to take down Bangtan for decieving them and leaving them in the dust.

She can’t do it. The boys are to expierenced for her. It’s a bad mistake that she cannot come back from. You see, she thought it would be easy to befriend you and become close to you after you’d laid eyes upon Jungkook your first day here. She knew you’d soon fall for him, like any other girl did, and that would be her easy acess to him from you. It was all planned beforehand. To be quiet and observe you and your moves with him. In her mind, Jungkook needed to die first. The boys can’t function all that well without him, so that would be the weak spot to take advantage of if he would’ve died when she knew he’d take the bullet for you. She coudn’t shoot him first, it’d be too straightforward and blunt.

It was going all well. Deep in the inside she was jealous of you as well. Sungmin had been her crush for years, they even almost dated. Until you came along and he left her in the dust for you. Sungmin is everything she wanted in a boy, but you took that away from her. Her chances to date him ruined by you. It hurt everyday to see him head over heels in love with you, when that was just her at one point before you came along. Not only that, but she seen the way you play with Sungmin’s emotions. It made her upset that you do that. Sungmin’s love is a drug, whether it be friendship love or romantic, nobody can get enough of it.

All this stressed her out to her max. Her family being hurt because of her, her mom unable to walk for the next few weeks is all because of her. Only cause she cannot complete this task she brought onto herself. As if being in danger because of Won-Shik and Bangtan wasn’t enough beforehand, she just made things worse all in all. There is no way out of this for her and her family. So it’s time to just accept it and say goodbye to it all and start a new life.

“ I’ll find her. You wait at the base and I’ll report back to you guys after I find her. When I do, you will come and finish your damn task Namjoon. Do you hear me?” Jungkook’s beyond pissed at this point. If it wasn’t for him, the boys would be lost as fuck without him.

He shoots Casper a text, letting him know that he is to follow him closely as he searches for her. To his luck, Casper was already outside his apartment building in his car. Not long after he pops those contacts in and changes his outfit again, he’s cruising the streets of Seoul in his midnight purple lamborghini.

The pain in his shoulder throbs with each turn he has to make with the wheel of his car. A little pain medicine would of helped beforehand, but rushing to get this shit over with was more important. This bitch definately has it coming. It’s been taking Jungkook these past few days to not just up and kill her. No that would just be too easy. Torture and marinating her to lose her shit at the last minute is something so satisfying to him.

The streets of Seoul soon end behind him and the Mappo Bridge comes into view. It had been an a whole hour searching around the areas of where she could’ve been, including where she was last seen. No sights of her at all. She’s good at this for sure. Text messages are sent back and forth between the boys and Jungkook. They’re all on edge, tired, and frustrated at this chasing game that they’re all playing.

He’d almost missed it. The body walking alongside the side-walk of the bridge with their head hanging low and hoodie on. It’s the hoodie of his school, but most importantly it has their class graduation year on it. It has to be her. Jungkook flashes his hazard lights on, letting Casper know to pull over with him.

It’s now or never.

After sending the text to Namjoon, he’s out the car and jogging towards the suspect. Height, body type, and shoes match the alleged identity. It seems she’s too into something to notice the extra footsteps behind her. He can’t do anything to her though, it’s not his night.

“ Kang Minlee.”

She stops dead in her tracks as if a ghost had called her name. Frozen, she stands there contemplating on running or staying. If she runs, she’s dead. If she stays, shes dead.

“ You think..” He pauses, grabbing her arm and turning her around to face him. Her face is red from crying and her glasses all fogged up from underneath her mask. For a split second, Jungkook does feel regret.

Killing a classmate of his wasn’t something he’d ideally let happen. But it’s far too late to not have her killed off. “ You think that running away is the best option?”

Minlee trembles underneath his grip, “ I made a mistake. Please just let me go. Let me and my family go and we’ll leave you alone forever.” She breaks down into tears, placing her hand over his in attempt to let her go.

It didn’t hurt Jungkook to see her like this. All in all it just feels weird to him. Weird to have one of his classmates begging for her life to be spared from the gruesome events to come.

“ You know I can’t do that.” It honestly can’t be an option at this point. It’d be better to just continue out her days of hell with her family. “ You came for me, that means you die.”

Finally she jerks her arm back from his still in tears as she starts to back away slowly. Jungkook knew that she wouldn’t run. Not in this case. Letting her cry it out was the best way, hell it’s the only way because Namjoon would be here any minute to brand her. It would mean she belonged to Bangtan after that, and she’d have to keep quiet as they planned out her death.

Her sudden movement from the ground to climbing up the railing of the bridge alarms Jungkook. She cries louder when Jungkook comes closer to getting her down so he stops. Suicide? Right now? What happened to being all big and bold? It confuses Jungkook as to why she would take her own life right now. Either way she’d still end up dead and unhappy if Bangtan would kill her or she’d kill herself.

“ Jungkook!” She semi-yells, pointing to the direction behind him as another guy approaches them. Just in time, the sound of Namjoon’s car can be heard from afar. He’s getting close.

The guy she’s pointed to is Casper, who’s also alarmed at the fact that she’s close to the edge right now. Jungkook holds his hand up at Casper for him to stop right there and shakes his head, meaning that it’s too risky for Casper to step in right now. Casper nods and Jungkooks turns back to the scene.

“ Don’t you think that I’ve suffered enough? Everyday you guys give me hell. My mom can’t walk because of you guys, and my dad has health issues. You left us in the dust when we needed your support the most! I was almost put up for adoption a year ago because of you!” She sobs, wiping her never ending tears with her hoodie sleeves.

Jungkook doesn’t know what to say, or do. It’s not like him to have sympathy over a rival. It’s just not in him at this very moment.

Minlee continues on, “ Yn? She took what’s mine. My Sungmin. She plays with his heart and it hurts him a lot. I wouldn’t have did that. But no, he’s head over heels in love with him. I got left in the dust when she came along and it looks like everyone loves her, including you Jungkook. My friendgroup does anything and everything she wants because she’s just oh so little miss perfect. That was supposed to be me!”

There it is. The jealousy. Jungkook would have never known it. It’s all news and shock to him. Sungmin and Minlee? Didn’t seem like a match to begin with.

Her dramatic meltdown continues on, but Jungkook allows it. Namjoon will be here any minute to sneakily get her down. Where is he and why the hell is he taking so long?

As if on cue, Namjoon pulls up to the scene and immediately gets out his car running towards the girl. Jungkook waves his hands for him to stop, eyes wide with a finger to his lips. The last thing he wanted was for the girl to jump. A death from their school? Surely was to be put on him and his boys.

Namjoon stops infront of Jungkook’s car, confused as to what’s going on. Jungkook mouthes to him the words suicide attempt. That’s when Namjoon gets it and decides to let him handle getting her down.

“ Yeah it was meant to be you. But I plan to take Yn away anyways. Then you and Sungmin could come together again.” Jungkook’s convincing isn’t convincing enough, she doesn’t buy it at all.

“ If I get down I’m going to die. There is no escaping that within the next few days i’d be dead in your hands. I made a mistake and there is no going back. Spare my parents. Let them live. I’m the one that started this. I’ll be the one to finish it.”

The girl lifts one foot off the railing and leans backwards. Jungkook’s breath hitches along with Namjoons. No. It wasn’t supposed to end like this.

“ Kang Minlee!” They both scream, running towards her. It’s too late though. Her body falls gracefully down as all three of them watch over the railing. She looks peaceful, a smile on her face while her body is sprawled out in the air.

Inches before she hits the water, the three of the boys look away with only the sound of dense water splashing to fill their ears. Namjoon sighs, putting his hands against his head. Jungkook stands there in complete shock. Casper, well Casper just shakes his head knowing the two boys weren’t prepared for that.

“ We fucked up Jungkook.”

“ I fucking know that Namjoon.” His voice cracks. It isn’t like Jungkook to cry. No not at all. Especially for a target like that. At the end of the day she was human and she did what any daughter would do for her family.

She was also your friend.

You hadn’t heard about her death yet the next day. It’s a normal saturday morning for you. This time you’d decided to go to the cafe with your laptop and write your essay for your Psychology class. The cafe is nice, it’s cat themed and has some pretty kittens running around the outside of the kitchen and customer service area.

As soon as you order and sit down with your Caramel frappe you spot a white kitten laying near you on the floor. A smile comes upon your face when it comes to you when you call for it. They don’t have these in Canada. Cat Cafes. The kitten lets out his purrs when you rub his back as he lays across your lap. The nametag says Mochi, a cute name for a cute kitten.

Minutes seem to pass by without your knowledge. You’d been too into typing to hear the news on the tv being broadcasted live. It wasn’t until you heard suicide of a teenage student on Mappo Bridge. That got your attention.

You listen carefully as the news reporter goes into detail of how the body was found. It had gotten caught on a rock as the stream moved it around. A mother had found it with her kid as they walked across the bridge that early morning to look at beautiful water. It saddens you to know someone took their life. Maybe if that person had access to getting help, they’d live to see many more days.

When they announce the name and show a school picture of the student, the look on your face drops.

Minlee. It’s Minlee on the screen. Its all too much for you right now. Your stomach twists and turns along with your hands that begin fidgeting. She seemed so healthy and happy these past few days when you saw her. It didn’t add up. It wasn’t going to ever add up to you that you had just lost one of your new friends.

Packing your things up in a hurry, your phone begins to go off with a bunch of text messages at a time. You know it could be the groupchat. What you wanted to the most right now, is to go home to cry and calm down. You shove everything in your backpack and place the kitten back on the floor nicely before taking off towards the door. You bump into somebody on the way out, causing them to drop a picture in their hand. The two of you both reach to pick it up, but they pick it up first before you.

“ I’m sorr-”

You’ve seen her before. Long curled hair, big dimple on her left cheek, and bangs.

There’s no fucking way.

183 notes · View notes