#and the laptop is at an inconvenient height

[reitziluz]

i can do digital art again

[briwates]

Zero context WIP game ! Thank you @clawbehavior for the tag, excited to do this because I've got like 10 different wips and kept resisting the temptation to post snippets. These fics don't have definitive titles yet so the ones here are approximative descriptions

1. Ms Ji & the Kangs

“Yohan-ah, I love you, don’t cry” Isaac says, patting his baby brother’s stomach when he fusses. They’re both laying on Isaac’s bed after lunch, a bit drowsy in the early hours of the afternoon. Young-Ok watches the two as she folds laundry.

“Nanny, why does Yohan have no eyebrows ?” Isaac asks curiously.

She chuckles at the question, taking a tiny pair of socks out of the basket and folding them together. “Most babies are born without much hair, he’ll grow them later on.”

2. Conversations

Gaon swipes ‘accept call’ and props his phone against a utensil holder as Elijah’s lovely face comes into view. She has cut her hair into a bob, even bangs forming a curtain on her forehead.

“Gaon, it's an emergency ! You need to come to Geneva and do something !” Elijah’s voice immediately comes through the phone speaker, loud enough to be heard over the sound of meat sizzling on the stove. “Yohan is serious about growing that ugly mustache and the clinic receptionist keep trying to hit on him !”

3. Yohan through Isaac's photography

October 1991, Yohan showing me his teeth 

Gaon chuckles at the photo. It’s blurry like the objective had gone out of focus at the last minute. Yohan is giving the camera a smile and scrunching his nose, eyes closed under his fringe like he’s shielding them from the flash. Some milk teeth are missing from his gums, two permanent ones just peeking above the surface. He must have been no more than six or seven here.  

4. Gaon scrolls online forums

"Judge Oh, I have this file I wanted discuss with you"

Jinjoo comes up behind him to see just as he is about to unlock his computer. What greets Gaon after entering his password is the previous night's research topic brightly displayed on the screen. Shit. Carelessly, he had simply shut the laptop before going to bed, instead of closing the tabs and erasing his search history.

Panic and embarrassment seize Gaon on the spot. He's about two hundred-percent certain that Jinjoo got a glimpse of what was written on the screen. Omegaverse fanfiction of him and their boss. Gaon wants to explode.

"You have…a lot of open tabs, Judge Kim."

5. Another snippet from Conversations

“You have something under your eye”

“Hmm ?” Yohan hums, closing said eye when Gaon’s thumb gently swipes across his skin.

“Eyelash.” Gaon flicks it away “crap I should’ve told you to make a wish”

They’re laying on the couch in a tangle of limbs, Gaon on top of Yohan like a weighted blanket, chest to chest, book long abandoned on the coffee table. Kkomi is on the armrest behind Yohan’s head, sniffing at his hair. Gaon yawns into Yohan’s collar.

“We should go to bed.” Yohan says, voice hoarse.  

6. Sunah lives

It is routine until her ears catch familiar voices, ones she thought she would never hear again, along with the cries of a fussy child.

“Gaon-ah, give her to me”

Sunah turns around to see, to her surprise, peering over the café’s balcony, Kang Yohan, his niece, his former associate, passing over an agitated toddler.

“I told you we should have brought her stroller,” Kim Gaon’s reprimands are a refreshing thing to hear “She gets tired.”

“It would have been inconvenient though, with all the stairs and narrow streets.” Kang Elijah chimes in. She is on crutches now, standing just a few centimeters shy of her uncle’s height.

“That’s fine” Kang Yohan hauls up the little girl against his chest so that her head rests on his shoulder, pats her back. “Appa will be the stroller today."

Tagging @thedeviljudges if you feel like doing it !

[aveduniya]

Innovation in Piano Black: Abacus Key 2.4GHz Wireless Keyboard for Modern Living

Abacus Key

The Abacus key is a game-changer that promises to take your computing experience to new heights in the fast-paced world of modern technology, where efficiency and convenience are king. This innovative keyboard redefines how you connect with your devices and streamlines your productivity beyond just being a typing instrument. It's a multipurpose powerhouse.

Quick Overview:

Brand: AV

Model: Abacus wireless key 

Color: Piano Black

Connectivity: Bluetooth v5.0, Bluetooth v4.0, 2.4 GHz wireless

Number of Devices Supported: 3

Battery Type: Rechargeable

Compatibility: Windows Vista, 7, 8, 9, 10, and Bluetooth-enabled devices

Ergonomic Design: Yes

Key Type: Quiet, Tactile

Embracing Connectivity:

The advanced connectivity possibilities of the Abacus key are one of its most notable features. This keyboard expands your options with its 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 4.0, and Bluetooth v5.0 connectivity. With a smooth transition between various modes, you can connect to up to three devices at once. The Abacus Key makes switching between your laptop, tablet, and smartphone, as well as managing several devices on your desk, seamless and effective. 

Say Goodbye to Battery Hassles:

Say goodbye to the ongoing inconvenience of battery replacements. The Abacus Key integrates a long-lasting rechargeable battery, ensuring continuous productivity. The provided USB charging cord powers your keyboard sustainably and environmentally, making recharging simple.

Universal Compatibility for Hassle-Free Pairing:

The Abacus key provides a highly versatile option, being compatible with Windows Vista, 7, 8, 9, and 10, in addition to other Bluetooth-enabled devices. With this keyboard, you can easily link it with a variety of devices and operating systems, so you can forget about compatibility issues and always have a smooth and unproblematic connection.

Ergonomic Design for Comfortable Typing:

The Abacus key's ergonomic layout promotes comfortable typing and reduces strain during extended use. Its small size optimizes the desk area, making it ideal for both work and play. The piano black finish on the sleek and contemporary keyboard gives any workspace a touch of refinement.

Silent and Responsive Typing Experience:

The silent and tactile keys of the Abacus key provide a typing experience unlike any other. It's perfect for both quiet work situations and shared spaces because each keypress offers a gratifying and distraction-free experience. 

Dimensions and Weight:

The manufacturer expertly designed the keyboard to achieve the ideal ratio between mobility and functionality. By providing its measurements and weight, make sure that the Abacus Key is small and light enough for people who are always on the go.

In Conclusion:

An indispensable tool for increased efficiency and productivity, the Abacus key is more than simply a fancy accessory. A device that fits your connectivity requirements, looks well in your workspace, and smoothly integrates into your workflow will help you embrace the future of computing. With the Abacus Key, you can usher in a new era of typing perfection where efficiency and innovation meet, and productivity is boundless.

[richkomlkk]

Laptop Adapter

One often overlooked yet essential gadget that keeps our laptops powered up is the laptop adapter. It is the unsung hero behind every productive work session, late-night Netflix binge-watching session, or hours spent gaming. Without a reliable adapter, our laptops would be rendered useless within a matter of hours.

But have you ever stopped to wonder about the intricacies of this humble device? It not only supplies power to your laptop but also regulates it to ensure safe charging while keeping it at an optimal temperature. Moreover, advancements in technology have made adapters more compact and lightweight without compromising their power output. So next time you plug in your laptop and feel grateful for easy access to uninterrupted power, take a moment to appreciate the innovation behind this trusty companion.

In addition to its functionality, the laptop adapter has also evolved in terms of design and versatility. Manufacturers are now offering adapters with interchangeable tips that fit various laptop models, making them convenient for travel or switching between devices effortlessly. Furthermore, some adapters come with additional USB ports for charging other devices simultaneously—a lifesaver when desk space is limited! With eco-consciousness on the rise too, energy-efficient adapters that minimize electricity wastage have gained popularity.

Despite often being overshadowed by other tech gadgets, the laptop adapter deserves recognition as an indispensable component of our digital lives. Its ability to provide efficient and reliable power means we can stay connected anytime and anywhere without worrying about running out of battery life abruptly. So next time you sit down with your laptop ready for work or leisure

Laptop adapters, often overlooked, play a crucial role in the seamless functioning of our beloved portable devices. While their primary purpose is to charge the laptop battery, these compact powerhouses have more to offer than meets the eye. With advancements in technology, laptop adapters have evolved from mere power suppliers to intelligent devices capable of regulating voltage and protecting against surges.

One exciting feature that has gained popularity in recent years is the universal compatibility of laptop adapters. Gone are the days when you had to buy a new adapter every time you switched laptops or traveled abroad. Various manufacturers now produce adapters that work with multiple brands and models, making it convenient for tech-savvy individuals looking for flexibility and cost-effective solutions.

Moreover, many modern laptop adapters are equipped with additional features like fast charging capabilities and smart circuitry protection. These innovations aim to enhance user experience by providing faster charging times while safeguarding your device from potential damage caused by fluctuations in electrical output.

Laptop adapters, often overlooked in the world of technology, deserve much more recognition for their crucial role in our day-to-day lives. These compact power sources are the unsung heroes responsible for ensuring that our laptops never run out of juice. They possess the ability to instantly transform a standard electrical output into a safe and precise charge tailored specifically to meet the needs of our laptops. Imagine the chaos and inconvenience if we were forced to rely solely on battery power! Laptop adapters not only provide constant energy, but they also serve as trusty companions during long flights, coffee shop work sessions, or even remote camping trips. Innovation has taken laptop adapter technology to new heights with features like universal compatibility and fast charging capabilities. The days of fumbling with multiple adapters for different devices are now a thing of the past. Universal laptop adapters have come to rescue us from this wireless jungle by providing a one-size-fits-all solution. Additionally, advanced fast-charging technology has made waiting around for hours just to recharge our batteries an obsolete idea. With these new features combined with their portable nature, laptop adapters are becoming indispensable accessories for professional world-trotters and everyday users alike.

[geeksonline]

Unleashing The Freedom The Power Of Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

In today's fast-paced world, technology continues to evolve, providing us with innovative gadgets that enhance our daily lives. One such invention is wireless Bluetooth headphones. These cutting-edge audio accessories have revolutionized the way we enjoy music, communicate, and immerse ourselves in various audio experiences. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the fascinating realm of wireless Bluetooth headphones, exploring their features, benefits, and the reasons why they have become a must-have accessory for tech enthusiasts and music lovers alike.

Cutting the Cords: The Advantages of Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Embrace Freedom: Say Goodbye to Tangled Wires

Wireless Bluetooth headphones liberate you from the inconvenience of tangled cords. No more spending precious minutes untangling knots before enjoying your favorite tunes. With Bluetooth technology, you can bid farewell to the hassle of wires and embrace a seamless, cord-free listening experience.

Seamless Connectivity: Connect and Conquer

Gone are the days of wrestling with cables to connect your headphones to your device. Wireless Bluetooth headphones provide effortless connectivity with various devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart TVs. Simply pair your headphones with the desired device, and you're ready to immerse yourself in high-quality audio without any cumbersome wires.

Mobility and Convenience: Your Sound, Your Way

The portability factor of wireless Bluetooth headphones is a game-changer. Whether you're on a morning jog, commuting to work, or relaxing at home, these headphones offer unparalleled convenience. You can enjoy your favorite music, podcasts, or audiobooks anytime, anywhere, with the freedom to move around unrestrictedly.

Stellar Features: What Sets Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Apart

Wireless Bluetooth headphones come packed with a range of features that elevate your audio experience to new heights. Here are some notable features that make them stand out from the crowd:

Enhanced Sound Quality: Immerse Yourself in Audio Bliss

Designed with advanced audio technology, wireless Bluetooth headphones deliver exceptional sound quality. From deep bass to crystal-clear highs, these headphones offer an immersive audio experience, allowing you to appreciate the finer nuances of your favorite tracks with pristine clarity.

Noise Cancellation: Immerse Yourself in Silence

Say goodbye to external distractions and immerse yourself in your own world with noise-canceling wireless Bluetooth headphones. These innovative devices utilize intelligent algorithms to analyze and counter ambient noise, creating a tranquil auditory environment for your listening pleasure.

Long Battery Life: Never Miss a Beat

Wireless Bluetooth headphones are engineered to keep up with your busy lifestyle. With extended battery life, you can enjoy hours of uninterrupted playback. Whether you're embarking on a long journey or engaging in an all-day work session, these headphones will be your reliable audio companion.

Conclusion

Wireless Bluetooth headphones have truly transformed the way we listen to music and enjoy audio content. With their wireless convenience, remarkable features, and impeccable sound quality, these headphones have become an essential accessory for those seeking a seamless audio experience. Whether you're an avid music lover, a frequent traveler, or someone who appreciates the freedom of wireless technology, wireless Bluetooth headphones are sure to enhance your audio journey. Embrace the freedom they offer, and immerse yourself in a world of unparalleled sound.

[singthesongsofsin]

How is your living room arranged? (Hellaina and Dia)

Living space headcanon | @heavensxstray

Sadly there's no nice and fancy pictures for this, just some poorly cropped screenshots of my Sims 4 game, where I've built an approximation of their living room/kitchen! The problem with their house is I had just enough hcs to make it inconvenient, without enough to really know perfectly how it is, so this seemed like the easiest way to get everything across.

Right, so, first thing! Their main living space is split into two piece: the living room, pictured above, which has the couch, tv, window seat, and a bunch of plants both inside, and on the planter boxes on the other side of the windows. Those have a few flowers, but they also have herbs and other things Dia can use to cook. They have quite a large dining table, more of a square shape that usually seats six, but can, if pushed, seat closer to 10. It's quite high, more akin to a bar-counter height, so the chairs are raised, and swivel. (Whereas Vox just straight up has no dining table at all).

The doors through to the rest of the house (not pictured because I didn't build them) are through the sort of... alcove area, beside the dining table. The dining table itself has books-- both for pleasure, and work. The one in the above pictures that is open is one of Dia's cookbooks. The laptop is Hellaina's.

They have a decent number of windows, but nothing like Vox's window-palooza. There is a decent amount of colour, split between a more purple and neutral living room, and the very red kitchen. Dia was the person who actually decorated most of the house, so it's a lot more her style than Hellaina's.

They have a ton of art up, and more in the kitchen, which is below.

In the kitchen, you get the wall which gets the more personal things. Their wedding photos would be here, Dia doesn't have her actual degrees down here, but, because she spent years working for them, and she'll be damned if she can't display them, she got copies-- she did Hellaina's at the same time.

It's quite a large kitchen, lots of counter space, and as Dia is a bit of a gourmet, that's useful!

The lighting in the kitchen is these sort of... vintage looking chandelier lights, that were 100% bought from the Cannibal Colony. In the living room, while they do have an overhead light or two, alongside a couple of lamps, most of the light is actually from string lights, that are liberally strung up.

The two rooms are more distinct than in Vox's apartment, but there's no proper door between them, just where the wall ends.

Their house feels lived in, it's very much their space, rather than a space they just so happen to live in.

A lot of the smaller details get cycled through-- rugs get swapped out, new art, the art gets rearranged.

But at it's most basic, you walk in through the door, and the couch is along the same wall, if you turn the other direction, there's the kitchen, straight ahead is the dining table, and on the far wall, is the entrance to the rest of the house.

[purplearklifepvtltd]

Benefits of installing a Monitor Arm in Your Home Office

People's mindfulness regarding comfortability and convenience is elevated in this contemporary world. Whether you work from a remote location or work from home, creating a comfortable and pleasing atmosphere is essential to maintain or boost productivity. However, if you are working in the office – a soothing atmosphere can be created by the installation of a monitor arm.

With the installation of the monitor arm mount, your office work atmosphere can become more convenient and comfortable for the employees. Thereby, the employees won't be struggling with the inclination of the monitor screen. Then, there would be no need to adjust the monitor screen to the eye level. The monitor arms hold the computer screen and laptops at a certain height that is suitable and comfy. They are generally attached to the walls, desks, and ceilings to promote the ergonomics of your office.

Major Benefits of Monitor Arm Desk Mount

1. Space-Saving Desk Setup

If you consider the traditional setup, you must be familiar with the monitor setup and the space it encompasses. As a result, it would be difficult for you to take the items from such a congested space. It is also observed that a lack of desk space can impact your work performance. Hence, you can rely on a monitor arms desk mount for a productive and distraction-free work environment.

A monitor arm mount is fairly adjustable and efficient in compact spaces. This monitor arm can provide ample space for your other necessary materials. Plus, you can keep the essential things in front and less used in the back. Also, puzzling wires and cables are central concerns that are waved out in this arrangement.

2. Adjustable Monitor Settings

Working in the same sitting position for several hours can be a daunting task that can cause back pain, imperfect body posture, neck pain, and eye strain. In addition, it is also found that due to poor ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders are mainly suffered by the person. As a result, it is recommended to install adjustable monitor arms in your workplace that offer comparatively better healthy posture, which eliminates or lessens musculoskeletal pain and enhances productivity. Even if we consider work performance, health disorders, and comfortability, monitor arms outperform traditional resources in that case.

Changing the height, depth, and inclination of the monitor arm desk mount is simple and easy. Follow the steps cited below for the effective installation of the ergonomic or monitor arm:

• According to your comfortability and maximum work output, choose the befitting height. • After installation, test your monitor position to ensure that the assumed fit is ideal for you. However, if you are still unsatisfied with the fit height, you can make adjustments to make it convenient. Besides this, it is recommended that arm's length is the best possible distance for your monitor to be placed.

Final Words:

Hence, these are some of the significant benefits of the monitor arm. This is handy equipment to overcome the uneasiness and inconvenience by providing an enthralling and productive environment. However, if you are interested in purchasing the products, you can refer to Purpleark. They are well-recognized and prominent suppliers of advanced, comfortable assets. To know more about the firm, you can visit their official website- purpleark.in.

[medisupplements]

GreenChief Bed Step Stool for Elderly, Bed Assist Bar LED Light for Fall Prevention, Adjustable Height Bed Rails with Storage Pouch, Large Platform Step for High Beds, Holds up to 450 Lbs Price: [price_with_discount] Customer satisfaction rating (according to Amazon product Details) Product description Why choose GreenChief? GreenChief is committed to upgrading our products and services to provide our customers with a great shopping experience. We hope to help the elderly, disabled, and anyone who has inconveniences to live more conveniently and self-sufficiently in daily life. If there are any suggestions, please let us know. We will always be here for you and take responsibility for our products. GreenChief Big Platform Step for Bed Change the way you enter the bed - for fall prevention For people with limited mobility, even getting into bed becomes a challenge. This bed rail is nice and sturdy, supports up to 450lbs, will help you get in and out of bed more independently and safely. The extra wide landing space allows you to turn on it. The bed step is equipped with a motion activated light (battery not included), some people may get up multiple times a night and it will help improve safety when getting in or out of bed in the dark. Color: Black+White Net Weight: 25 lbs Gross Weight: 30 lbs Fits on either side of the bed: yes storage bag There is a removable storage bag, convenient for storing mobile phones, laptops, remote controls, glasses, etc. Tidy up a messy nightstand. adjustable height To meet different needs, there are 4 height levels for you to adjust. Shortest Handle Height: 29.5-32.5 inches; Top Handle Height: 34.5-37.5 inches. Tool-free mounting The bed stool can be assembled in 8 minutes, with no additional tools required. Totally 8 large plum knobs make this process easier. Wide Non-Slip Platform The platform step is fully covered by rubber mats to prevent slipping.

It is comfortable and you can get on it with bare feet. Adjustable Height ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Overall Height 36.6''-40.5'' 32.7''-43.7'' 36''-39'' 40.8''-49.5'' 33.5''-37.5'' Weight Capacity 500 lbs 300 lbs 300 lbs 300 lbs 500 lbs 400 lbs STURDY FREESTANDING DEVICE: The GreenChief Overbed Stool is stable and durable, supporting up to 450 lbs. The platform step provides additional elevation to help people get in and out of bed with ease. It's so strong and stays in place that you can use it with more independence and safety. If age, injury, surgery, or other impairments make it difficult to lie down, then you can use this device. WIDE NON-SLIP PLATFORM: The platform of this bedside step for seniors is approximately 27.3'' wide, so there is ample room to turn and step back down without fear of falling. Double steps decrease difficulty getting in and out of bed. In addition, the non-slip surface to keep you safe is comfortable and you can stand on it with bare feet. NOTE: BE SURE TO MEASURE TO FIT YOUR BEDROOM. HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE HANDRAILS: The auxiliary bed step features 2 different height handrails, which are adjustable to suit individual needs, thus perfectly fitting all beds and their height. Shortest Handle Height: 29.5 - 32.5 inches; Top Handle Height: 34.5 - 37.5 inches. The bed step is sturdy and you can use one or both sides of the armrests. Fits on either side of the bed. LED NIGHT ASSISTANT: Our adjustable stool with handle is equipped with a motion-activated night light. When you need to get up at night, this will give you the perfect amount of light to move around without fumbling with switches in the dark. (Needs 3 AAA batteries, NOT INCLUDED) TOOL-FREE ASSEMBLY: Quickly and easily complete installation as directed without tools in 8 minutes. The storage pocket is large and can store books, glasses, remote control, mobile phone and other scattered items. #GreenChief #Bed #Step #Stool #Elderly #Bed #Assist #Bar #LED #Light #Fall #Prevention #Adjustable #Height #Bed #Rails #Storage #Pouch #Large #Platform #Step #High #Beds #Holds #Lbs See more related items: GreenChief Bed Step Stool for Elderly, Bed Assist Bar LED Light for Fall Prevention, Adjustable Height Bed Rails with Storage Pouch, Large Platform Step for High Beds, Holds up to 450 Lbs Read More: This site is affiliated with Amazon

[monsterbroth]

haven’t gotten around to doing the shirt I’m messing around with I’m waiting for the day but I’m mostly sleeping all day because I haven’t been able to sleep which is why I am wake now and eating noodles, and it will be easier when my room is cleaner so I have a flat surface to work on so it’s not uneven I’m gonna use the back of a plastic container coz I don’t have a table :>!!

[dkakapizzaboy]

7:15pm

Part 1 || Part 2

Masterlist

Category: Fluff (Au!Office Setting!)

Pairing: Seokmin x Fem! Reader

Trope: People who are funnily afraid of each other TO People who are really into each other (but are idiots(?))

Warnings: None I think (please lmk if otherwise)

Words: 940

A/N: As usual, no power dynamic involved.

Also a big, big thank you to @xuseokgyu @junkissed and @sadkidwarexpert , thank you for putting up with my unreasonable measurements for the fic (4 heart flutters... Kinda weird I'll admit)

Feedback always helps!

After the frankly awkward meeting with Seokmin that literally made you feel like your skin was on fire, you packed up your stuff from your desk and headed towards the parking lot. It seemed like most of the office had left early because of the weather. It was pouring heavily by the time you reached the main entrance, thanking yourself for having the insight of always carrying an umbrella in your laptop bag.

You saw Seokmin in front of you and immediately stopped, hoping he won't notice and you can just walk out after he's gone. You didn't really know why you felt so flustered, all the guy did was prevent you from falling and wear a good perfume but one touch of his hand on you waist had sent an electric shock through your whole body, making it hum, almost.

Yeah, you needed to stay away from this man.

You saw him shake off his coat, broad shoulders clearly evident beneath the cotton shirt, and put it over his head, clearly the poor guy didn't have an umbrella as he tried to cover his laptop bag under the coat as well, that was on his head and back.

You mentally cursed yourself for getting soft at the sight, took a few steps forward, opened your umbrella, and raised it over his head, refusing to even look at him.

"Where did you park?" you muttered.

Seokmin hadn't noticed you at all till he heard the sound of the umbrella being opened. He took a big sigh when he saw how close you were standing to him.

Yeah this was not good for his heart. He could still feel your fingers digging on his neck when you'd held him to stabilize yourself. It affected him more than he'd like to admit, briefly revisiting how perfectly his hand had fit on your waist. He pulled himself back to reality after he heard your question.

He told you where he'd parked, it would've been a five minute walk had it not been raining this heavily. So the two of you huddled together under the umbrella and started walking slowly, trying your best to not get wet.

Seokmin suddenly realised how much shorter you were than him, mainly because you had your arm fairly up high to accomodate his height and he immediately took the umbrella from you, quickly apologizing for the inconvenience.

Now listen, on any good day, even with an average sized person, it would've been difficult to share one umbrella without getting somewhat rained upon. And with a Seokmin sized individual, with all his shoulders and biceps, your right side was practically wet.

You noticed Seokmin's left side wasn't doing particularly well either. What even was the point of sharing an umbrella if both of you ended up getting soaked?

So, even though your heart was practically hammering against your ribcage and you were praying that he doesn't hear it, you (very timidly) enclosed your hand around his right forearm and pulled him towards you, your shoulders and hands now brushed against each other's with every step you took.

Seokmin's brain had officially shut off, or so he hypothesized, because currently all his mind was focused upon was how soft and cold the back of your hand was, everytime it brushed against his. It was sending goosebumps down his spine everytime. He was suddenly overcome with this unnatural urge of holding it and running his thumb across the soft skin repeatedly, just to test if what he was feeling was real or a fantasy made up by his hormonally charged brain, and had to almost consciously instruct himself to not do that.

You both walked in silence, the only sound heard was the pitter-patter of the rain. There was an awkwardness almost, surrounding the little umbrella. Two people insanely attracted to one another but neither of them had the guts to admit it to themselves, let alone the other party.

There was a sudden loud noise that cut through the rhythmic melody of the rain, of an accelerator being pressed too hard, as you saw a car speeding through the parking lot coming towards you. With rain this heavy, puddles had formed almost everywhere there was a slight dip on the surface of the concrete. As you were walking on the side of the driving lane, you were sure you'll be completed drenched knees down in a matter of few seconds.

You unexpectedly felt a strong, firm hand on the middle of your back as Seokmin twisted you around so that his body was completely shielding yours as the car sped away, completely soaking Seokmin's pants from the calf down along with his smart shoes.

You had instinctively closed your eyes, waiting for the dirty, muddy water to ruin your mood and your shoes, but as Seokmin spun you around and you didn't even feel a single drop hit you, you opened your eyes, a little bit perplexed, hoping to get some clarity from him.

You opened your eyes, to look into his, only to find that he wasn't looking into yours. His eyes were cast a bit downwards, and as you realised they were on your lips, you felt your cheeks heat up, hoping to God you weren't blushing as profusely as you actually felt internally. Your eyes were still on his, as he looked back up, realising he was caught staring at your lips as his eyes widened a little, his cheeks turning a bit rosy. His hand was still on your back, pressing you to him.

You looked down at his lips and back at him as well.

And for the first time, in a very long time, you dared.

[feralmoonlight]

Oh god I'm hooked even more djdjdj

That does bring into question Y/N's temperment which is very fun. And that what I'm curious about.

Yes- anxiety does fuck with people (speaking from experience 😭) my curiosity lies in how Y/N might not realize immediately the power going off since they are doing a commission. And I understand that you don't always have voice calls but if they do commercial commissions (as in characters for companies) they would have to have gone on zoom calls. My wonder is if it's first panic then into perfessional tone bc Y/N doesn't want to show fear in front of their new buddy??

Power going out during a commission session just gave me PTSD from my old laptop that's battery was nonexistent and that'd mean anything unsaved is just GONE. My miserable ass would be so pissed cause when I got into a real groove of working on things I would just... Realize I lost the WHOLE thing. And if I wanna make YN's life hell, THEY GET 'THE BRICK' to deal with. A glorified paperweight with a finicky power port and a battery that may as well not even be attached, probably duck taped in there just to pretend it isn't an actual piece of junk. As a stay at home hermit, the dark itself isn't so much of an inconvenience, and in fact keeping the lights off as much as possible in the house helps save on money so the darkness is like a warm friend. MMM But the idea of the zoom call, the panic as soon as the call is lost, realizing second that the work was lost, would have them frustrated as all fuck But ah, if the zoom wasn't on the computer itself, maybe running through their phone instead so there's this tiny screen of light illuminating the now dark room, panicking internally while trying to explain why the stream feed to the drawing went dead... And remembering that Sun doesn't like the dark for some reason. Reaching out to pat him on the shoulder maybe? Still talking down the now annoyed client, while you try and explain that...probably a few hours of work are now gone because YOU hadn't saved recently. WHY didn't you have an auto save function?? It causes lag every time it does, which makes you have to redo linework or take pauses constantly. Then why not manually save? It messes with your flow, and when you get really into working on something you just tunnel. Well it's very unprofessional, so those lost hours wont be paid for. Thats annoying but understandable you guess... as much as you don't want to agree with it at the moment theres something off. Sun's being particularly quiet, and you're getting concerned now that he's worse off than just scared of the dark. Another pat turns into rubbing his back to let him know you're still right behind him, cause he seems to like physical contact (even if you're not a huge fan yet) -- But he shifts away. THAT is strange. The call goes dark as the client closes their end leaving you in almost full blackness aside from an outside light that's still lit (on a different grid you guess) and this odd red glow that's reflecting two hazy dots back from where you know the TV screen is. The next voice you hear is definitely NOT Sun, and the anxiety and worry you were feeling for Sun has shifted int a more pure fear of the unknown. Something is very wrong as you can hear the 'bot shift and stand up to his full height, almost reaching the ceiling. The only reason you know this is his head has turned towards you, the barest outline lacking the sun rays, as two red beads stare down at where you're still curled, frozen on the couch like a deer in headlights. The thought to run floats through your mind but doesn't get farther than that. That stare has you pinned. Maybe if you don't move, he can't see you. You know... Like a T-Rex.

[tsarisfanfiction]

Unspoken Fluff Starters

Giving them their coat: Scott & Penny

Clandestine

Fandom: Thunderbirds Rating: Teen Genre: Romance/Friendship Characters: Penelope, Scott

It wasn't that there would be a scandal if it got out, she just didn't want the world to know every detail of her relationships.

...Did I just write a romance fic? I think I did? That was unexpected, but it was where my muses jumped at this prompt, so here we are. I'm going to preface this by saying I am quite content with the canonical Pen&Ink ship, but I do find the idea of an earlier relationship with Scott (with an amicable end that has nothing to do with Gordon!) an interesting scenario to explore - people who have been following me a while may remember a teaser chapter I did earlier this year about Gordon finding out.

Ages in this fic are Penelope, 18, and Scott, 19. At this point, she's only met Scott and John out of the brothers. There is kissing but nothing more, although they are hormonal teenagers.

Unspoken Fluff Starters

Cashmere peacoat buttoned up tightly against the autumn chill, eighteen year old Lady Penelope accepted Parker’s assistance out of the car with all the elegance and grace expected of someone of her status. Her hair had been left loose, artfully styled to appear the smarter side of casual, yet also free enough to bounce back into position should anything ruffle it slightly during the evening.

The streets of Oxford were well-lit, yet simultaneously preserved the dark night skies above with their specially designed street lighting. It was something her good friend and course mate John Tracy approved of. Her heels – high stiletto because one did not mingle with certain Tracys without an extra couple of inches of height – clipped professionally against the worn street as she thanked Parker for his assistance and confidently made her way to her friend’s front door.

This was not an unusual occurrence, and the pale pink laptop tucked not quite fully into the handbag she was clutching would broadcast the same fact as always – after all, John was known to be the best in the year, and they had spent many evenings together going over material in his small flat since striking up a friendship. No casual observers would have any cause to consider this a different visit.

The doorbell was old, rather like the building John resided in, sounding out a sharp yet melodic trill for the duration she depressed it. A summons, one might call it, much like the servants’ bells hidden all through her estate. The sound was similar enough.

It worked just like one; seconds later the door was opened to reveal the Tracy she was there to visit.

Still, any observing masses must be appeased.

“Good evening,” she greeted, stepping across the threshold as though she owned the small flat, despite it being far below anything her social peers would ever consider possessing, “is your brother in?”

“He’s at the library, working on some assignment or other,” Scott told her, stepping out of her way seamlessly.

“Ah well,” she sighed, “I shall wait for him here, if that isn’t an inconvenience for you?” The way that blue eyes hadn’t looked away from her since the moment he opened the door told her that Scott was not at all inconvenienced by her presence.

Behind her, the door finally closed, the catch clicking into place and shutting out the outside world.

“Not at all,” Scott verbally assured her, holding out one hand. “May I take your coat, Lady Creighton-Ward?”

A childlike giggle bubbled up inside her at the formality, ruined only slightly by the way his gorgeous blue eyes glimmered in amusement, but she pushed it back down with all the experience that came with being one of the social elite heiresses.

“You may, Mr Tracy,” she responded, a little airily, as though talking to a servant – or at least a man below her standing, passing him her handbag to set down by the door before offering him her relaxed hand in greeting.

He needed no prompting to lightly grasp it and lift it to his lips, pressing a light ghost of a kiss to the back of it before stepping back so that she could strip her outermost layer. While tightly fastened, her peacoat was simple to unbutton and her deft fingers slipped the last one from its buttonhole before letting the material slip back off of her shoulders.

Scott caught it, standing a little too close behind her to be proper and brushing his hands down her arms entirely too improperly as he helped her shed it before hanging it on the coat stand that stood sentry by the door. The designer coat stood out starkly against the rugged navy denim on the hook next to it, and not just because of its pale pink colour.

The Tracy family might have money, but they rarely spent it on things such as clothes.

“May I escort you to the couch?” Scott offered her his arm, the sparkle in his eye extending to include a playful grin whispering at his mouth. He enjoyed the faux formality of their little arrangement, she knew – Penelope did, too, but she also hid it far better.

“Very well,” she said, slipping her hand daintily through the loop. “Escort me.”

Even with five inches of heels, he still towered over her as he guided her from the entryway to the sofa – barely any distance at all, and certainly not in something one could consider a separate room – before guiding her to take a seat.

On the television, a film was already poised to play. A timeless classic, an adaptation of Jane Austen at her finest literary peak, and one Penelope had seen many times before. Scott, she had learnt last week when they had planned this encounter, had never seen it.

A rectification was tonight’s plans, at least on the film front – provided Scott paid attention to it, rather than her.

He still hadn’t looked away from her since she’d arrived. Penelope was, of course, used to being the centre of attention, but there was something so very different about that attention when it came from her beau, rather than the rest of the world. There was no judgement in Scott’s gaze, no watchfulness as the eyes waited for her to commit a faux pas, and it was both refreshing and exhilarating.

Those watchful eyes possessed by the rest of the world would be full of glee should they ever learn that she was not quite as single as she pretended to be. Very few knew that she even knew John’s older brother, let alone that they often arranged dates behind closed doors.

John, her wonderful friend, understood her desire to keep tabloid suspicions away from her love life, and usually vacated his flat for the evening so that they could have somewhere private. Tonight, he had allowed them three hours before his return, which was plenty of time to watch the film and curl up scandalously close to Scott as it played. His warm, strong arm wrapped around her shoulders firmly as she let her body lightly brush against his, pulling her in close.

An equally strong hand delicately lifted her hand from where she had let it rest on her thigh, guiding it back up to his lips and leaving a firmer kiss to the skin.

“It’s good to see you again,” he murmured, not pulling back as he spoke and leaving little breaths of air to brush the back of her hand with every word. It took all of her self-control not to physically react to it.

After all, this was another of their little games – Scott liked to see if he could crack her Lady façade, and she took great pleasure in being on the receiving end of attempt after attempt.

“It is,” she agreed, leaving her hand where it lay in his grip. “We haven’t seen each other in too long.” That was the problem with living either side of the Atlantic, although she knew his visits to England had increased since their relationship had begun.

One day, she would have to make the journey out to Kansas, but for the time being there was no reason for her to be seen doing so.

“I missed you,” he whispered to her skin, the words caressing as they skipped over. His eyes were locked on hers, despite the way he was slightly bent over in order to reach her hand, and vibrant blue peeked up past dark eyelashes.

“One would hope so,” she replied, allowing the flicker of a smile to flash through her façade. A reward for his efforts. “I must admit company has been lacking in your absence.”

“Is that aristocracy speak for ‘I missed you, too’?” Scott asked, rather cheekily. His dimples sunk deep into his cheeks as the playful grin blossomed in full bloom. She resisted the urge to press the tip of a finger into the indent, at least for now.

They were too early into tonight’s performance for that level of intimacy just yet.

“That could be an interpretation,” she allowed, finally drawing her hand back to settle in her lap. “Now, are there refreshments to go along with the film?”

“Do I count?” came the immediate answer, complete with a flash of a grin that could only be described as flirtatious, before Scott continued with a more respectable response, gesturing with the arm not around her shoulders at the coffee table. It was piled high with snacks, ranging from cutely cut sandwiches in perfect triangles to bowls full of crisps. A selection of chocolates – casual, not the high-end she was used to being served – completed the feast. “Help yourself to whatever you want,” he told her.

“Thank you, I shall.” She selected a sandwich and took a dainty bite. It was soft and just the slightest bit chilled. Bought from a shop, or even specially ordered; certainly not made by the young man sat next to her, but she didn’t mind that at all. “Now, the film?”

“Whenever you’re ready,” Scott promised her, shifting down a little on the sofa until his head wasn’t much above hers.

“I’m ready now.” With a demure gesture, she set the film to play.

It was, of course, a magnificent film. One of Penelope’s long-time favourites, she would never tire of watching it, and the alluring romantic growth of a young female aristocrat and a tall, dark and handsome suitor had featured in her daydreams many a time as a younger girl.

Her own tall, dark and handsome suitor’s attention was clearly divided throughout the film. He made a valiant attempt to watch it, but fingers trailed circular patterns on her arm and almost every time she could pull her own eyes away from the screen, it was to find those vibrant blues watching her as though it would be a crime to look away.

A lesser man might have tired of their game and made a move before the film ended, but even as the story reached its climatic peak, the most Scott had done was to lightly rest his head against hers, drawing her a little further into his hold. She’d gone willingly, the candid contact still a relatively new and exhilarating experience for her despite it remaining entirely free of inappropriate connotations.

It was as the end credits rolled that Scott made the daring leap into something a little more suggestive.

“You’ve got chocolate on your face, your Ladyship,” he told her, raising a finger to the very corner of his mouth as an indication. “Right here.”

Penelope hadn’t got food on her face since she was a very young girl at the start of her etiquette lessons, and was well aware that she had made no such mess this time, either. Still, she was willing to humour him, and raised a hand lightly to the indicated spot.

“Oh, dear,” she said. “Well, that simply won’t do. Please excuse me for a moment; I need to visit the bathroom.”

“No ne-”

Scott’s protest was interrupted by both of their phones vibrating in tandem. If it was simply one phone, they would have ignored it and carried on their charade, but both meant it could only be one person, and as their date was occurring entirely at his discretion, ignoring John would not be wise.

It was Scott’s phone they checked, and while logically Penelope knew that the film would have eaten up most of their time, it was still a shock to see how late the hour had got when the time flashed up. John’s message was simply confirmation.

I’ll be back in ten minutes. Be on your best behaviour when I get in.

Scott sighed, outwardly disappointed, and Penelope felt the same way, despite both of them knowing in advance about the arrangement. Time simply went by too fast.

“Well,” she said, “I suppose that puts an end to tonight’s advances. We shall have to continue this at a later date.”

“On the contrary,” Scott said, setting the phone aside and turning his full body to face her, “that means we have nine minutes left to play with tonight.”

She’d known he would say something along those lines; the glitter that had been present all evening had just begun to darken slightly before John’s message.

“And what could we do in nine minutes?” she asked, feigning cluelessness even though he was leaning forwards slightly, broadcasting his intent with every muscle in his body.

“I haven’t kissed you yet tonight,” came the charming American bluntness, although he softened it with a following, “may I?”

In answer, she once again presented him with her hand, which he grasped lightly and kissed the back of, dark blue eyes peering past his lashes to look up at her with a hopeful expression.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, breath caressing her skin lightly for the third time that evening. This time, she didn’t hold back her reaction, closing her eyes for a brief moment at the sensation.

“You’ve got eight and a half minutes left,” she told him by way of answer, reopening her eyes in time to see the permission register on his face in a dawn of unconcealed delight before he advanced.

In Penelope’s opinion, Scott made fantastic use of every single moment of those eight and a half minutes.

[rfadaydreaming]

— cellophane

why won’t you do it for me? when all i do is for you?

pairing: jumin x mc

words: 4.4k

link to read on ao3 [x]

prompt: failures // fights

tags: angst, language, unhealthy relationship, a bit toxic tbh, insecure jumin, emotional manipulation, unhappy marriage

a/n: for: @mysme-events​ angst week. this piece is inspired by fka twigs song, cellophane!

“Are you mad at me?”

Your voice had come out smaller than you had intended.

“Is there a reason I should be mad at you?”

He replied without meeting your gaze, opting to focus on the rain outside the car window instead. You didn’t quite know what kind of emotion his tone was carrying, but yet you knew it wasn’t good.

“No...”

You became hyperaware of the bad taste beginning to form in the back of your throat. It’s all too familiar, unfortunately.

“Then I shouldn't be mad at you. Should I?”

You didn’t answer him. You just weren’t sure what to say.

Heavy silence filled the car once again, the rain against the roof of the vehicle was the only thing that occupied the small space.

You sighed louder than you meant to, arms crossing over your torso, cheek resting against the foggy glass of the window. The cold felt nice against your skin, helped keep you grounded, calm. You took in a few deep breaths as you thought back on the events of earlier tonight.

The unfamiliar hand grazing the small of your back surprised you to say the least, you wanted to flinch away the moment you felt his hands touch you,, but yet you didn’t move. Why? You’re not exactly sure. Politeness, anxiety, maybe a mix of both. Maybe something else underneath it all.

You recognized the voice as a business partner of Jumins, the owner of the company that’s been occupying most of your husband's time as of late. Late nights, long meetings, hoards and hoards of paperwork.

His reputation was one you knew well, hearing it all secondhand from Jumin. He was quick to drop anyone who disagreed with him, no matter how small. Such a pain for your stubborn husband to work around, but yet as always, he somehow managed.

But one thing your husband made sure you knew about was his stance with women in particular. You weren’t allowed to come to the company dinners anymore. You could only drop things off through Jaehee at the office.

It seems he didn’t even want you to call him after meetings, one thing you two have always done even before you had started dating. Maybe the fear of his colleague overhearing your voice was the reason behind it, you didn’t know, you didn’t ask. You knew he would get upset if you did. 

Stay away from him, was all he warned.

And you promised him that you would.

“And you must be the famous Mrs Han, I presume?”

He was in front of you now, his hand lingering on your hip for a moment before pulling away. You inched away ever so slightly.

“Ah, Yes. I am.”

You had to look up to him to reply due to how close he was, the first thing you noticed was just how much he resembled Jumin. The only major difference was his eyes, while your husbands were grey and light, his were brown and deep. The similarities threw you off guard for a moment, however your surprise once you met his gaze seemed to be taken a different way than you had intended.

A slight chuckle escaped his lungs, It was warm and clear, it had a bit more of a higher pitch than Jumin’s did. More character to it.

“I’ve heard such great things about you! Your husband seems like quite the happy man. And I can see why, you’re beautiful. Ah– If I can say that, that is.”

You shied away without thinking, you didn’t particularly like the feeling you had in your stomach right now. You were also painfully aware of how his position was giving him a ‘good view’ of your body from up there, as your husband would sometimes say. 

His words seemed innocent, he seemed kind. But Jumin’s warning still flickered within your mind.

“Thanks, I suppose.”

You fully expected him to take advantage of his much taller height, but yet he didn’t seem to. His eyes were trained onto your own as he smiled, never glancing down at your chest even once.

A weird feeling stirred deep within your insides.

He isn’t like how Jumin described at all.

Why would your husband lie?

You entertained his small talk for a few minutes, he introduced himself, as did you.

Fear was the main thing holding you back from leaving, of course. Jumin had been working on this project for months now, the memories of him falling asleep over his laptop, his dark circles, his late night confessions of just how much his head ached were fresh in the back of your mind.

His mood swings, his exhaustion, his late nights.

Be polite.

Be polite for Jumin.

“–But enough about all that! Do you drink?”

“Uhm… Wine, sometimes. But i’m not the biggest fan.”

“Any reason in particular?”

He leaned into you a bit, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. You naturally smiled in return.

“I’ve tried some wine, but they’re just all so bitter to me.”

You scrunched your nose a little at the memories. Vineyards with Jumin were never your favorite, he just loved such sour wines.

“Bitter? Your husband is an investor in how many wineries exactly, yet only offers his wife bitter wine? Hm. We can’t have that now, can we?”

He spoke with a smile, wrapping his arm around your waist and beginning to guide you towards the bar. Before you even got the chance to protest in return, he was already sweeping you away. His thumb ran circles on your hip that you were painfully aware of. 

The pit in your stomach was growing heavier and heavier with every step.

It's been awhile since Jumin’s had even touched you like this, you thought.

It was nice.

He was rambling on about the wines he had lined up for tonight as he led you to a seat, pulling it out for you while still going on and on. You couldn’t even find an opening to interject, ask for a bathroom break, anything. 

He ordered you a drink, as well as one for himself.

You desperately scanned the room for Jumin, eyes bouncing off black suit after black suit. You just couldn’t pinpoint him like this, everyone was wearing such similar clothing...

You swallowed thickly and took a sip of the wine in front of you, face cringing a bit as you expected the worst, however pleasantly surprised once the taste had hit your tongue. 

It wasn't nearly as bitter as the wines Jumin often offered you.

Jumin’s sudden touch to your knee had caused you to jump a little, breaking you away from your racing thoughts.

“Stop.”

He finally met your gaze, you scrunched your brows in confusion. Two fingers pressed down against your skin, putting a halt to your restless leg.

“You know I don't like when you do that.”

A sigh escaped his lungs as he pulled his hand back, crossing his arms over his torso once again. Back to staring at whatever was so interesting outside the window. Oh yes, you had forgotten. How could you.

You glanced down at your knee after he had already pulled away.

It was red from the pressure that had been placed there.

“Well, sorry for being such an inconvenience then.”

You laughed a little in disbelief as you spoke, pressing your cheek against the window once more. 

Maybe it was a childish thing to say, but you truly didn’t care right now. You slumped further into the seat, humming to yourself softly as you stole some glances here and there towards your husband. 

His face was void of any readable emotion as of now, but his clenched jaw and narrowed eyes said everything you needed to know. He seemed to be thinking about something, your words perhaps. He suddenly met your eyes without warning. It made you flinch. 

“Inconvenience.”

He looked at you as he spoke. It felt so cold. You could feel anxiety beginning to build. 

“Inconvenience, is searching all over the venue for my wife when she won’t even bother to pick up her phone for her husband.”

He opened his mouth to continue, but you had cut him off before he got the chance,

“Jumin I told you it was almost dead earlier tonight, I just–“

“Don’t interrupt me while i’m speaking. Please.”

Jumin raised his voice harshly, it was ever so slight, but it still took you by surprise. His eyes were oddly intense with an emotion you couldn’t quite pinpoint, all you knew is that they carried weight behind him. One you weren’t used to seeing. 

His gaze made you feel small and slightly embarrassed, you weren’t even sure why. It just did.

You nodded and closed your mouth, letting him go on.

“Inconvenience, is watching my wife entertain another man while I watch from the sidelines. Not just any man, but the one man I so vividly remember telling her to stay away from.”

You opened your mouth to interject once more but his brows furrowed as soon as you did so, his chin tilted forward in silent warning.

He continued on.

“Inconvenience, is seeing my wife share drinks with another man. Flirting with another man. Touching another man.”

“I didn't flirt.”

You raised your voice slightly, not by much, but it was enough to make him raise a brow. It was just... so hard to control yourself when he was being like this sometimes.

“Sharing a few drinks with him, laughing and giggling like some teenage schoolgirl, letting him put his hands all over you. Might as well have.”

Jumin’s tone was still so cold, monotone, and for some reason that hurt more than anything else could have.

It was like this most of the time. He would never yell, he would never shout, barely even show any emotion at all if you’re being honest. It drove you up the wall sometimes. You always left feeling like you were the irrational one because of it, no matter the case. 

It seems that’s what was happening again. As it always does.

“I wasn't given a choice, Jumin! He wouldn’t let me–”

The car came to a sudden stop, you groaned a bit, nearly biting your tongue due to the stop. It interrupted you just as you had begun to raise your voice.

 Jumin gave you an heavy look before rolling down the partition, Driver Kim gave him the confirmation that you two were back home.

He got out first, offering you a hand that you had refused to take.

The elevator ride was so uncomfortable.

His posture was relaxed as it usually was, hands messing with his cufflinks absentmindedly, his expression nearly blank while he stared at the panel of buttons on the wall, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world or something. The only indicator he has when he’s upset would be a clenched jaw.

It was something you had become oh so familiar with these past couple of months.

Anxiety was building up inside of your body, it felt itchy, it nearly burned. It was almost always there and had no issues made itself well known. But there was something deeper building behind it, not just from the argument. Something unfamiliar, bitter, ugly.

It frightened you.

You weren’t sure what it was yet.

And you weren’t sure if you wanted to know.

The two of you entered the penthouse in heavy silence, it felt like even breathing was much too loud for the atmosphere around the both of you. Elizabeth the Third had come running over as soon as the door opened, but it seems even she was able to sense the tension. You weren’t surprised, she usually can.

She opted to climb up on the couch instead, tail twitching back and forth as she watched her parents carefully from afar. You vaguely wondered if she knew something you didn’t.

Jumin went straight to the kitchen as soon as his jacket and shoes were off, not a word was spoken while he left. He went for a glass of wine you could only presume, he usually did once he got home. Normally you would get on his case about it, his more unhealthy drinking habits had been increasing as of late, but tonight wasn’t the time to nag him for it. You didn’t have the energy to fuel the fire more than you already had. 

You walked over to the living-room with a sigh, giving Elizabeth a slight pat before sprawling out on the couch. Your feet ached due to the heels from earlier tonight, but the relief of home was a welcomed feeling. You let your body sink into the cushions as you relaxed, at least the best you could for now.

You stared outside the window for a few moments, admiring the beauty of the city below. Your mind wandered just a bit. So many different types of people, most you’ll never meet, never see. But yet you wondered if maybe anyone out there knew how you felt right now. Maybe they could offer advice, a shoulder to cry on, something. Anything.

You closed your eyes, suddenly aware of how heavy they were getting, allowing your head fall back against the couch. It felt nice for a moment. 

You drew in a deep breath, your lungs stung as you pushed their limits.

It was peaceful. 

Jumin popping open a wine bottle in the kitchen caused you to flinch as you were brought back down to reality. The anxiety of the situation flooded back all at once, enough to make your stomach churn. 

The gentle still of before was gone in an instant.

You knew how all of this would play out. It truly felt rehearsed at this point.

He would press your buttons.

You would get angry.

He would give you the silent treatment as soon as you lost your cool.

You would apologize.

He would forgive you.

The two of you make up until the next time, then the cycle repeats.

You were almost numb to it at this point.

It used to be fun fighting with Jumin at first, if you could even call it that. It never lasted for too long, never too harsh either. You both would talk it out, laugh a little, then of course the make up afterwards was always amazing.

But now? There was nothing. No heated passion afterwards. No talking. No laughing.

Nothing.

Now you two could stay angry at each other for days on end until eventually one of you got tired of it, usually you. And someone halfheartedly apologizes, again, usually you. There was no communication either, you two just… go on like it never happened.

But it did happen.

It does happen.

And it’s getting harder and harder to pretend it doesn’t.

You heard footsteps coming from the kitchen, getting louder every second that passed. A soft sigh left your chest as you kept your eyes closed, maybe he would go away if you closed them tight enough, you could only hope.

It's Jumin. That’s your husband. You should never feel that way about him. But yet, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t.

You opened your eyes slowly and watched as he sat on the chair across from you, crossing his ankles in a somewhat sophisticated manner before slowly looking you up and down. The position you had wasn’t ladylike if you were being frank, your legs spread out despite the smaller dress you wore, arms sprawled out across the back of the couch, your posture slouched deep into the cushions. It felt a bit judgemental the way he observed you, maybe not, but right now you genuinely couldn’t tell.

“Feeling better?”

“Oh fuck off.”

You spat in return with a bitter laugh, god how you hated when he said shit like that during times like these. You knew that he knew you hated it too. Enter the pushing of buttons.

“I was simply asking a question. No need to get so worked up, my dear.”

He focused his attention on the dark liquid swirling within his glass while he spoke, putting emphasis on the pet name, feigning fondness. You narrowed your eyes in return.

“I feel great, especially good knowing that i’m not the one in the wrong here.”

While you beamed, he tensed.

You shouldn’t have said that. You knew you shouldn’t have the second it came out of your mouth.

“A lot of confidence coming from a woman who was acting like a little whore less than an hour ago.”

He suddenly met your gaze, your eyes widened as you felt anger begin to flood your chest. Jumin had never called you something like that before. 

“Excuse me? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Your voice was laced with offense, rage, maybe a bit of hurt if he cared to listen closely enough. But inside you knew he didn’t. You had gotten up from your place on the couch so quickly it had made you light headed for a few moments.

“Apparently something since you feel the need to flirt with any man you can get you hands on whenever I'm not around.”

Jumin looked up at you, you looked back down at him.

You were silent for a moment.

Processing things, taking it all in. Trying your hardest not to lose your cool, you just knew once you lost it he would have the upper hand. Don't lose your cool MC, please, you mentally chided. You inhaled deeply, exhaling even deeper as you took a quick breather.

“Look. I know how hard you’ve been working on this project okay, I didn’t want to fuck it up by saying something wrong to the guy or anything, I didn’t know what to do. He wouldn’t take no for an answer, Jumin.”

You pleaded almost pathetically. Here it goes. This is the part where you usually start to apologize.

“Please, dont pretend like you’ve ever had my best interest in mind.” He said with a bitter laugh.

His laugh stung.

It was the thing to finally push you over the edge.

“You know what, I really, really wish I didn’t. If you cared enough to pay attention you’d see i’m always putting your best interest first and it makes my life miserable, absolutely fucking miserable Jumin! I can't even speak to another man without you getting all insecure and pissed off about it, and guess what happens after that? You make me feel fucking insane when i’ve done nothing wrong!”

You shouted, vented, spilt things you’d never even said out loud before.

“I don't even want to go outside anymore because I just know i’m going to do something that’ll make you mad, and you know what? I’m the person who has to apologize for it. Every single time. I’m the person who ends up comforting you even after you spend hours making me feel like i’m some whore or a broken fucking toy you only keep around because you’re scared of being alone again. It’s always me, me! It’s never you! I am so, so fucking tired of yo- this.”

He met your eyes, they were wide with surprise, shock, maybe even anger, but honestly you didn’t have the energy to care about his feelings right now. You couldn’t. It’s all you ever do, and it’s taking its toll on you. It’s too much.

Your slip up felt heavy in your throat. An apology almost spilt from your lips, but you stopped yourself before it had.

“This. I am so tired of this.”

You corrected yourself much quieter this time. It sounded so desperate, so empty.

The both of you sat in heavy silence once more. Exhaustion was slowly creeping its way into your body, mentally and physically.

You regretted all of your words almost instantly.

They weren’t false. But that only made you feel worse.

“MC.”

He spoke up after a few moments.

“Jumin.”

You replied calmly.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

He genuinely seemed confused as he spoke, nervous, scared. On the inside you knew that he knew. He just wanted clarity, confirmation on what your words truly meant. It annoyed you, you had just explained exactly what you meant. But with a sigh, you held back your frustrations.

“Jumin. I am tired of this.”

You put emphasis on it, weakly pointing between the two of you. Eyes beginning to well with tears that you tried your hardest to shove away, your voice sounded so raw from yelling before, It hurt your own ears to listen to it.

A flash of guilt rapidly spread across his features, the glass in his hand shook slightly as he soaked in the true meaning behind your words. You were starting to feel guilty, he looked… scared. Your heart hurt looking at him in such a state right now.

His features softened as he met your eyes, he swallowed thickly. He looked like the old Jumin for a second again.

“MC, I’m–“

You cut him off with a shake of your head, a sad smile tugging at the corners of your mouth,

“You’re so sorry. I know. You always do that. You put me through all of this only to apologize the second I say something that makes you even the slightest bit nervous.”

He broke away from your gaze like it had burned, instead staring down at the red liquid resting within his glass. His jaw was clenched again.

When you first entered a relationship with Jumin, you knew the kind of person he was. And at the time, you really thought you were okay with that. 

He had a lot to work through, you knew.

You could help, you told yourself, you told him. You’d be there for him while he figured things out, it would get better, as long as you were there for him, he would get better.

And he did. For the first year at least.

But now, things were different. So different.

You would start to laugh at the cashier's jokes too loudly for his liking. He would grab your arm a little tighter than usual, a silent warning, and you would quickly stop.

If you entertained Zen’s antics a few times too many, he would give you the silent treatment. Eventually your relationship with Zen had suffered in the long run, it was just better for Jumin’s sake if you two didn’t talk anymore.

Is it better for your sake, MC?

You remember Zen asking, but you couldn’t answer him.

Now it’s gotten to the point where you can’t even look at another man for a few seconds too long or else it turns into another argument.

Sorry didn’t feel comforting anymore.

After all, nothing changed afterwards, so did he ever really mean it?

They were just empty words to you now.

He’ll grow out of it, right?

That’s what you wanted to believe at the beginning. But how long would it take before he did? If he ever did? You didn’t know if you’d be able to stick around long enough to find that out.

“Jumin I’m not sure… if this is…”

working anymore.

The words just wouldn’t leave your throat. But still, he knew. And you knew that he knew.

You took a few steps back with a sigh.

Something had triggered within your husband as he grasped the gravity of the situation, the implication behind your words, the consequences of his actions. He dropped the wine glass to the floor, making you jump from the awful sound it made as it shattered against the hardwood. 

“You can’t leave.”

His eyes were wide as his head shook frantically, his expression took you by surprise, you could see panic claw their way into his features.

“Jumin.”

“No. Don’t– Don't leave. I’m sorry, I'm so sorry.”

He was on you in an instant, you knew he stepped on the glass judging by the sound it made, but yet he didn’t even flinch. You didn’t have time to process anything before he was holding you tightly against his chest, you couldn’t go anywhere even if you tried to, the pressure hurt a little. 

“We’re fine.”

His voice was shaky as he comforted himself more than anyone, it had an uncertain edge to it, painfully reminding you back to the first time you had stayed in his apartment. It made you more than a little nervous.

“This won’t happen again. Just don't leave. Don't leave me.”

Jumin rambled uncharacteristically, apologizing relentlessly as he buried his face into the top of your hair, his hands coming to hold the back of your head softly, pulling you into his chest. The sudden shift in his mood was enough to give you whiplash, you felt so much, too fast. Confused, guilty, scared, numb. Surprise wasn’t one of them though, no. It’s always like this.

You could hear him swallow thickly while he shakily ran his fingers through your hair, his racing heartbeat filling all your senses. You couldn’t help but notice his embrace didn’t feel as comfortable as it once did, it was unfamiliar to you. 

Your silence only made him even more nervous.

He leaned down to kiss your cheek, your jawline, your temple, your forehead. You felt his tears press against your skin. He kissed your lips next, it was sloppy, panicked, filled with emotion. A sharp contrast to the Jumin you’ve been used to these past few months. Past few hours.

You didn’t react.

You didn’t kiss him back.

There was no spark to his touch like there should be. Like there used to be.

Your stomach was reeling, your ears were ringing. You suddenly buried your face into Jumin’s chest without warning, sobbing so hard that your head felt like it was about to burst from the pressure of your tears, your husband instead took this as a good sign. He hushed you with more of his frantic apologizes, but to be honest you weren’t really listening to him right now. Your mind only focused on one realization as you broke down within your husband's cold embrace.

“I love you.”

He whispered into your hair, you could tell by his tone that he really did mean it too. He cried with you even. Something he’d only done a few times in the relationship before.

You knew he did. You knew deep down, he loved you. 

All you could offer in return was a nod. You couldn’t speak, you couldn’t move. Just nod. 

You realized something in that moment. 

You weren’t able to say I love you back to your husband anymore.

[cheri-translates]

Headcanon - when he becomes tiny

This work, 当他变小了, was originally written by 君兮耶君兮 on Weibo, and she has given me permission to translate it 🌸

[ VICTOR ] 

“It’s time to get up.”

In response to the voice, you open your eyes blearily to the familiar morning sunlight, the familiar temperature of the room, the familiar decor of the bedroom, and the familiar...

“Who the hell are you? Victor’s illegitimate son?”

You’re alarmed at the sight of a child at Victor’s designated spot next to you.

The innocent-looking, tiny version of Victor wears a blank expression on his face.

Your brain gradually starts functioning again. “You’re... Victor?”

“Idiot.”

It’s him, it’s definitely him! Apart from him, who else would call you an idiot? Evol fluctuations probably caused his body to shrink.

Curious, you give him a pat on the head, then pinch his chubby cheeks, finding this experience incredibly novel. “Victor, you actually look... strangely cute like this.”

He swats your hand away, shifting his tiny body off the bed.

“Where are you going?” No longer feeling the soft touch, you feel slightly disappointed. You stare at his fuzzy hair, and your fingers itch to ruffle it.

“Making breakfast for a certain dummy.” 

Without turning his head, Victor leaves the bedroom, his short legs striding forward clumsily, like a kitten learning how to walk. 

Your maternal instincts are set aflame.

Something occurs to you, and you quickly hop out of bed and run into the kitchen. How’s he going to cook with his current height?

As expected, Little Victor, with his short limbs, is standing in front of the counter wondering how he can reach the knife and chopping board.

“Little Vic, since it’s inconvenient for you, why not go outside and play. Let this big sister take care of the meals today~ I promise to bring you up well!” You hoist him up by the armpits and bring him out of the kitchen, using this opportunity to squish his tiny face.

Considering how long you’ve known him, you can instantly tell from his expression what he’s about to say next. Before he has time to conjure a venomous remark, you hide in the kitchen and shut the door.

The door slams in front of him, and he shakes his head laughably. “Pretty bold.”

After some twists and turns, you finally churn out an edible “breakfast”. When you lay it on the table, Victor is looking through company documents while wearing glasses that are evidently too large for him.

He shifts the laptop to the side. Furrowing his brows, he uses a knife to slice open a slightly blackened poached egg. “Your skills could see an improvement.”

You roll your eyes at him. “Yes yes yes, I can’t possibly compare myself to the skills of the great chef Victor. So I’ll have to trouble Little Vic to bear with it.”

“I’ve taken leave today. After breakfast, there’s an e-meeting I have to attend. When the time comes, attend to it for me.” Finding the food a little salty, Victor holds up the coffee in his hand. Before he even takes a sip, you exchange it with a cup of milk.

“Little children can’t drink adult coffee. You can only grow tall if you drink milk~” You grin while explaining.

His sharp eyebrows furrow slightly. “I’m 28 this year.”

Sizing him up, you click your tongue and sigh. “No matter how fast you grow, this body looks like a six-year-old's.”

“...” Not knowing how to rebut, Victor’s face blackens. When his immature-looking face accompanies this serious expression, he resembles a child who’s throwing a fuss - it’s cute.

After breakfast, you enter the e-meeting. The other high-ranking members of the company notice that CEO Victor isn’t around, and is instead substituted by you. Someone curiously asks, “Did CEO Victor go somewhere?”

Donning an official business-like expression on your face, you respond. “CEO Victor is feeling unwell today. I will be representing him in the meeting, and will convey the contents of the meeting with him in its entirety.”

Following a few concerned pleasantries, the meeting delves into the main topic. You take down notes seriously, posing questions according to the slips of paper Victor hands you. The meeting goes by smoothly.

“Your performance during the meeting wasn’t bad.” Victor flips through your meeting notes, satisfied.

Even though you didn’t understand the purpose of you recording notes when he was right there listening alongside you, you’re thoroughly welcoming of his compliment. Puffing up your chest with pride, you lift your head and say, “Of course. I’m the boss of a production company. Meetings are naturally not a cinch.”

“You’re off in the clouds just after a compliment?” The disjunct between his adorable features and the expression that doesn’t suit his age causes you to burst into laughter. “Victor, stop speaking like that, it’s too unsuitable.”

Victor immediately reverts back to his blank expression, which tickles you even more.

Both of you have taken leave and are staying at home doing nothing, apart from the moments you can’t control your fingers and they knead his cheeks or tousle his hair. Each and every time, he would either swat away or evade your claws. Apart from that, everything has been very peaceful, until...

“Since you’re so small that you’d probably drown if you fall into the bathtub, should I help you bathe?” You suggest earnestly.

Knowing that he can’t convince you otherwise, Victor reluctantly agrees to your request to wash him up.

Standing stark naked in the bathtub, the clear water covers nothing.

You glance at it casually. “When Little Vic becomes smaller, everything else becomes smaller too...”

“...dummy, don’t look.” 

The child’s cheeks are pinkish and tender, and it seems to redden even more after hearing your words.

“Stand here and don’t move. I’ll get the shampoo.” You pat his wet hair and turn around, heading to the shelf to retrieve the bottle of shampoo he uses frequently. 

However, the bathroom floor is too slippery. Accidentally stepping on a puddle of water, your body lunges forwards.

“Be careful!” 

The pain you anticipated doesn’t arrive. Instead, you’re greeted by a warm touch. You flick open an eye.

Victor frowns in pain, his hair dripping with water, sticking to his forehead. There is obvious worry in his eyes. “Are you hurt?”

Your brain is stunned by the depth in his eyes, and you can only nod in a daze. 

Sensing this, Victor’s large hand, which was originally on your waist, travels up your spine slowly. His searing eyes causes your breathing to hitch and your mouth to feel dry.

Satisfied by the effect he has on you, the corners of Victor’s lips twitch slightly.

“A dummy said something she shouldn’t have. Now, are you ready to accept your punishment?”

[ GAVIN ]

“Yes, so sorry to trouble you, Captain Eli. And no, it’s not that serious, you don’t have to specially visit. Thank you for the hard work.” You sit on the sofa while making a call to Eli, asking him to help Gavin apply for leave.

Gavin sits beside you quietly, looking at his tiny hands in a trace-like state. He clenches them, but doesn’t feel the strength he’s familiar with.

“All right, let’s just treat today as a rest day. How long will this last?” Your maternal instincts are set alight when facing this tiny Gavin. Carrying him onto your lap, you can’t help but knead his cheeks.

Gavin doesn’t struggle, letting you do whatever you want. “It won’t be long, but it does feel a little strange...”

“I think it’s very cute. Like this, I really can’t bear to let you go~” You place your right hand on the top of his head, patting his soft hair. He probably said it wouldn’t last long so you wouldn’t worry.

“Ahem... it’s fine as long as you like it.” That’s right - Gavin has always been pampering you, and this remains the same even if he turns tiny.

“Gavin, shall we have KFC for lunch? It’s been such a long time since we’ve eaten it.” You rub your hands together, yearning for the KFC New Orleans chicken wings, chicken popcorn and...

Gavin smiles when he sees how eager you are. “I heard the kid’s meal comes with a Conan toy.”

You’re brought out of your thoughts, and there are almost stars in your eyes. “You really know me too well! Thank you, Little Gavin~” 

Gavin subconsciously reaches out to tousle your hair, but since his short arm can’t reach the top of your head, he lowers his arm and holds your hand instead.

Leading him out of the house, you suddenly feel as though you’re holding onto your son. Your eyes crinkle as you tug on his hand. “Today, Little Gav has to follow his mother closely.”

“Cough cough cough cough...” As though you gave him a shock, Gavin chokes violently. With a slight redness in his cheeks, he says your name softly. You laugh, carrying him to the backseat of the car and fastening his seat belt before settling yourself into the driver’s seat.

“Drive more-”

“Drive more slowly - I’ve heard these three words so many times already.” You cut him off before he can finish. Somehow, causing Little Gavin to blush is even more interesting than usual. 

Gavin furrows his brows and changes his words.

“Then, be careful.”

Considering how there’s a ‘child’ in the car, you drive as smoothly as possible, reaching the nearest KFC in the shopping mall only after half an hour. 

“A kid’s meal, a Beijing chicken roll, and a 10-piece chicken bucket. Little Gav, do you want popcorn chicken?” You turn your head to Little Gavin, who is behind you.

He retrieves a mobile phone from the Mickey Mouse backpack you forced him to carry, and hands it to you. “If you want it, just order it.”

"I’ll have the big portion then.” You unlock the phone with your fingerprint, showing the payment code to the clerk. After scanning the code, the clerk takes out a Conan toy and gives it to Gavin.

“Little boy, this is a toy which comes with the kid’s meal.”

Gavin takes the toy from her hand and stores it into the bag. 

There aren’t many people, and most of the patrons are parents with their children. Originally, the two of you planned to pretend to be a mother-son duo and leave quietly after eating. However, a girl around the same height as Little Gavin walks over.

“Little brother, would you like to play in the children’s playground?” The girl’s face is red, her cheeks plump, and the pigtails on her head sway with her movements adorably.

“No he can’t.” You refuse the little girl’s request even before Gavin speaks. 

The girl turns her pleading gaze towards Gavin, who’s helping you get ketchup. He frowns. “I’m not going.”

Perhaps never experiencing such treatment before, the little girl’s eyes immediately turn misty, and it looks as though tears are about to spill from them. Feeling as though you’ve bullied her, you soften your voice and comfort her.

“Little girl, this brother isn’t feeling well today, so he can’t play with you, sorry about that.” 

The child’s mother quickly comes over to apologise, takes the girl away, and compliments your “son” for being both cute and handsome.

After seeing that they’ve walked a distance away, you rub your chin thoughtfully and lower your voice, teasingly saying, “Even as a kid, Senior attracts the eyes of the opposite sex.”

Gavin takes out the Conan toy and hands it to you. “I didn’t expect my girl to feel jealous over a child.”

You dip a fry into ketchup and feed it to him. “I’m not the sour one - it’s the ketchup!”

[Note] In Chinese, jealousy is 吃醋 (”chi cu” - loosely translated to “eating vinegar”. So when MC says she’s “not the sour one”, it’s a pun!

After lunch, the both of you decide to head home to rest since the weather is too hot to remain outside. 

Travelling at noon on a hot summer day causes a sheen of sweat to appear on both of your bodies. 

After returning home, you head to separate bathrooms to have a shower. When Little Gavin steps out, wrapped in a bath towel that is usually only enough to cover his lower body, you can’t help but laugh.

“Gavin, are you wearing a tube top?”

He frowns, lifting the bath towel which is threatening to fall. “The only thing I have is that set of clothes which turned small along with me. I can’t wear anything else.”

You poke his tummy and hug him close to your chest. “Good boy, it’s time to go to sleep~”

The air-conditioning makes the room temperature just right, and you fall asleep to the sound of each other’s breathing. 

When you awake, the little person in your arms is gone. Instead, you’re resting on a firm arm. A naked man props his head on his palm next to you, smiling and gazing at you tenderly as if he wants to engrave your appearance, the intoxicating sunset, and the beautiful scene of summer on his heart forever. 

You can’t help but stare at his tender and clear face. In the cramped space, the sound of your breathing is amplified.

“Slept too much?” he breaks the silence.

Something occurs to you and you ask in surprise, “Did you know when you’d change back?”

“Mm.” Gavin lowers the arm supporting his upper body and lays down again, reaching out to hug you into his arms. His chin rests on top of your head, and the familiar touch sends tingles down your spine. 

The arms around your waist tighten, and his voice is low and hoarse. 

“Don’t move. I've been holding back for a long time.”

[ LUCIEN ]

You’re pretty sure you’re either still asleep, or having a hallucination. After shaking your head a few more times, the scene in front of you remains unchanged. 

You hold one side of the table to prevent yourself from falling to the ground from dizziness. In front of you is Lucien, his eyes crinkled with a smile... to be more precise, he’s a smaller version of Lucien.

"Lucien, what happened to you?!” You have no idea how to react to the sight before you. “Were you attacked by Voldemort's black magic?" 

Lucien waves your hands away in resignation, and says comfortingly. “It’s likely Evol fluctuations. It shouldn’t last long.”

Curious, you tug at his hair. “Is this for real? Mm, much cuter than usual.”

He takes your hand from the top of his head and holds it tightly. “Didn’t we agree to visit the bookstore to pick out books together today? Aren’t you going to prepare?”

"Are you sure you can still go to the bookstore like this?" You ask in uncertainty, looking at his small frame.

“If it’s something I agreed with you, I’ll definitely fulfil it.” He looks at you with a smile, his eyes gentle and firm, channelling ripples in your heart. Seeing you staring at him in a daze, he chuckles. "Go change your clothes, little fool.

You nod blankly, turning around to head into the room.

-

There are twice as many patrons in the bookstore over the weekend as compared to normal. Book lovers are either shuttling through the bookshelves or reading quietly with a cup of coffee in front of them. 

In contrast to the quietness in this area, the children's book section is much livelier. The walls are decorated with childlike decorative paintings, and the bookshelves are also constructed into various shapes - small houses, elephants, tall trees...

You hold Lucien’s hand as you walk past the children's book section. Feeling mischievous, you look at Lucien, whose height reaches your waist. "Little Lucien, do you want to pick a picture book?"

Lucien lowers his head and doesn’t speak, simply quickening his pace as he holds you. After walking to the western literature section, Lucien stops. “These are the books people my age read.”

The shop helper was just about to ask if he needed directions to the children's book section pauses. 

You laugh softly, taking a collection of poems from the shelf, and read it softly. 

“I love you, for putting your hand into my heaped-up heart, and passing over all the foolish, weak things that you can’t help dimly seeing there, and for drawing out, into the light...”

“All the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked quite far enough to find.”

Someone continues the second half of the sentence. The moment you lift your head, Lucien’s eyes turn icy. 

"It’s ‘Love’ from Roy Croft, right?” The uninvited man leans against the bookshelf in front of you and makes an inviting gesture. "Beautiful lady, may I invite you to have a cup of coffee with me?"”

Before you have time to speak, you hear a childish babble from Lucien. "Mom, dad would be anxious if we don’t get home soon.” 

Lucien smiles, his eyes crinkling as he tugs at the hem of your clothes. Nothing seems out of the ordinary - that is, if you ignore how he almost broke the hardcover copy of the “Theory of Psychoanalysis” in his hand.

Knowing that it’s no good to stay any longer, you take the few books Lucien picked, and prepare to leave. “Sorry, I should be going off with my... son.”

With a look of regret, the man shifts so you can access the aisle. “Next time, then.”

Carrying Lucien, you want to sprint away from this strange man. At the same time, you find the special smile on Lucien’s face very familiar. Every time he catches you doing something ‘bad’, he wears such an expression when he’s about to punish you.

After making your purchase at the checkout counter, you decide to use this rare opportunity to take Lucien to the trampoline. You’ve always wanted to experience it, but have always been too embarrassed to go. This way, you can play on the trampoline under the guise of bringing a child along with you.

Just as you’re able to compliment yourself for your wit, Lucien suddenly grips his chest and gasps, as though he can’t bear the pain.

"Lucien? What's wrong?" You grip his small body anxiously. 

Lucien raises his head with difficulty, his forehead covered with beads of sweat. “Let’s return quickly. I think I’m changing back.”

When you hear that, you dare not delay further. You step on the accelerator, and drive home before Lucien changes back.

As soon as he sits on the sofa, the little Lucien in front of you morphs back to his usual self, his eyes crinkling as he smiles. 

You thought this incident would pass, but you had forgotten that Lucien, a sly fox, doesn’t forget debts owed to him...

“My wife didn’t refuse that man in the bookstore today.”

"You didn’t even give me the chance to refuse,” you gripe, wrapping your legs around his waist.

...

Your whole body is sore, and you don't want to get up at all. Fortunately, it’s the weekend and you can spend the whole day in bed.

There is still lingering warmth in the vacant space beside you. In your line of sight, you see a thick book on the bedside table, and you can barely support yourself as you pick it up. 

Andersen's Fairy Tales.

"I got it from the children's section yesterday. Since I was a child for a while, I bought a book meant for a child." Lucien tousles your hair affectionately, and reaches out to place the storybook to the side. 

"After all, there’s a child at home who needs to listen to stories before bed."

[ KIRO ]

“Where’s Kiro? Where’s my fat... I mean, big Kiro?” You look around exaggeratedly, gesturing with your hands around the height of 176cm, as if you were really looking for him.

“...Miss Chips, stop pretending that you don’t see me.” Kiro looks at your antics in resignation. 

That’s right - the waist-high blond kid in front of you is your Mr Chips.

“I’m sorry, it's just really hard to believe that you’ve suddenly turned small.” Though you’re apologising, your hands cling to his cheeks. Sure enough, they feel like how you imagined. Soft and smooth, which make people reluctant to let go.

"Miss Chips, let go!" Kiro, who initially let you do whatever you want to him,, begins struggling when he realises you have no intention of sparing him.

You let go reluctantly, peeling your hands off his face. 

"Miss Chips, I asked for time off from Savin after telling him I wasn’t feeling well. Shall we go out to play?” 

As expected of Kiro. Even if his body size has turned abnormally small, he can still be optimistic about it, and still be in the mood to play.

“’Not feeling well’? It’s no good to lie to Savin, right?” You look at him, slightly troubled. 

“Savin doesn’t know that I have Evol. Ah, just tell me if you’re going or not.” Kiro opens his eyes wide, as though afraid he would receive words of rejection from you.

You prop your chin and think. "The amusement park then?"  

"Of course! We’ve planned to go for a long time!” Kiro jumps in place with excitement in his tiny body, looking adorable. "I haven't played the running escape game in the amusement park for a long while~”

You size him up, shaking your head regretfully. "Kiro, with your height... are you still able to run fast?" 

"...” Little Kiro feels slightly offended.

Although there may be many restrictions, you still drive to the amusement park with enthusiasm.

-

“All the best Kiro! Just a little bit more.” You watch him stand on his tiptoes laboriously, trying to reach the height permitting him to ride the rollercoaster.

"I made it!" Pleasantly surprised, he sees that his... hair reaches the red line. The staff ruthlessly presses his hair down. "Sorry kid, your height doesn’t pass, so you can't ride this.”

“..." Little Kiro wants to shut himself down. 

"It's okay Kiro, let's go play something else.” You pat him on the head comfortingly, ready to take him to other attractions. Kiro hangs his hand low, utterly aggrieved. "Miss Chips, I suddenly like amusement park rides won’t make me happy.”

You can’t bear to see your Little Sun being unhappy, so you lift him up off the ground. "If you aren’t happy, let's find a restaurant for dessert first, then play later?" 

When he hears that his favourite Miss Chips is bringing him to eat his favourite desserts, the Little Sun’s eyes light up. “Okay, okay~”

Smiling, it occurs to you that this personality and body are actually not that incompatible.

You order a teddy-bear shaped European bun and two dragon fruit juices stored in magic wands, taking a brief rest.

"This seems to be the first time I’m eating with Miss Chips in public.” Kiro dangles his feet off the bench triumphantly, taking out his mobile phone. "I want to take pictures of all our ‘firsts’”.

"Kiro, if Savin sees that, he’d chop your body into pieces.” You remind him softly. 

Sure enough, the fearless and brave Little Kiro stiffens, then quickly puts the phone back into the Donald Duck bag behind him, pretending he never made such a suggestion. "Forget it..." 

“Excuse me, do you have plans to let your brother become a child star?” Your conversation is interrupted by a man in sunglasses. He stands stands beside your table and looks at you expectantly. 

Before you can speak, Kiro answers. "I don’t want to. I hate all that stuff about having to maintain my figure.”

In response to his vehement refusal, the man in sunglasses continues. "No, no, being a child star is very relaxing, and you can even become very famous. Kid, do you want to give it a try?”

"No.” He says this clearly, giving you the impression that he’s been traumatised by Savin’s ‘torture’ over the years.

Not wanting to further entangle yourself with this man, you step in. “Sorry, we don’t have such a plan. We’re heading to another attraction, so please let us pass.” 

While you say this, you pick up the magic wand drinks on the table and lead Kiro out of the dessert shop.

“I didn’t think you’d still attract people’s attention even as a child.” You look at him with mirth.

Kiro scratches his head in irritation. "Absolute Charm is so annoying during these situations!"

You burst out laughing, helping him tidy his messy hair. Holding his hand, you complete all the other rides in the park. 

"Kiro, this is the last thing you can play.” You gulp, gazing at the dark, silent building in front of you. Unlike haunted houses in other places where there are monsters with scary teeth and claws decorating the walls outside this haunted house takes place in a small forest, keeping it out of the noise. The door opens quietly, as though making a silent invitation. 

Kiro squeezes your hand. "Let's go, Miss Chips. A superhero cannot back down!”

Upon entering the house, you discover that there is a line of people, and there are many, like you, have brought children with them to experience the attraction. The staff checks and accepts the express tickets in your hand, and allows around ten of you walk in together.  

The lifelike props and the crying of children fill your ears, and the shrill screams of women make the atmosphere even more terrifying. Trembling slightly, you grab Kiro’s hand, and he grips you. "Don't be afraid, I’ll protect you!”

Although he’s obviously afraid himself, he comforts and protects you from start to finish. 

He’s definitely your superhero.  

After finally getting out of the haunted house, all the children who went in with you, apart from Kiro, are bawling. Little Kiro, with his face pale, is still holding onto your hand.

"Congratulations to the bravest child. As a reward, here are coupons to the night floating parade!" The staff smiles and hands him two paper coupons. 

He receives them in a daze, and doesn’t respond until he walks out of the building and asks, “Miss Chips, does this count as cheating?”

You wink slyly. “If it’s such an adorable kid, cheating is forgivable~”

Kiro agrees with a nod. “Yes, cuteness is a ticket to doing whatever one wants~" He looks at the cartoon electronic watch on his wrist, and suddenly pulls you into a run. "Hurry up Miss Chips, we won't make it to the floating parade in time!”

[ SHAW ] 

You’ve always been calling Shaw “little brat”, but you didn’t expect your words to turn into reality. 

“I’m Shaw, the only graduate student from the Department of Archaeology at Loveland University. When I was playing games instead of sleeping last night, I didn't know that my hair had started falling out. At the time, I picked up the fallen hair but ignored the other harms of staying up late. After that, I was forced to go to bed. When I woke up, my body had shrunk! Although my body has become smaller, I’m as mischievous as always...”

You stand on the bed, raising your right hand exaggeratedly and forming the classic pose of the famous detective Conan.

"...” Shaw, who’s smaller than usual, stands at the side of the bed, looking as though he’s watching a fool.

"You should visit a brain doctor.” He picks up the pillow that fell to the floor accidentally because of your big movements. 

You laugh and get off the bed. "This is the first time I’m seeing a Little Shaw - when you look this small, you’re much cuter than usual.” You grab his cheeks with both hands and knead them to your heart’s delight.

"Don't do that!" He waves your hand away, stepping backwards and walking out the door. Seeming to remember something, he turns around. "I took leave today. You better be at home today too so you can take care of me. It’d save me from inconveniences.”

You purse your lips, mumbling softly, "What do you mean ‘took leave’? All you did was tell the teacher you wouldn’t be in class. You definitely didn't go through the formal leave procedures.” 

Although you’re complaining, you still call Anna to ask for a day off. 

By the time you’ve changed your clothes and freshened up, you find Shaw having breakfast in the living room and watching television. 

You walk over, picking up a dumpling and stuffing it into your mouth. "You’re unexpectedly thoughtful, knowing how to order takeaway for us.”

Shaw scoots over, making space for you. He lifts his head and says disdainfully, "If I didn't order takeaway, I’d become the first kid in Loveland City to starve to death because he didn't eat breakfast." He quickly grabs the last fried dough stick on the table. "Hey, don't touch my fried dough stick!" 

Knowing there’s no chance of grabbing it, you retract your hand and pick up a tea egg instead. “Stingy.”

"I'm a growing boy. Don’t you feel ashamed snatching precious nutrition from me?" He takes a bite of the fritter in his hand and looks at you in disdain.  

"You’re twenty, Uncle Shaw." You retort.

"I look six, okay!”

You click your tongue, pick up the remote control, and switch to a channel playing "Peppa Pig" before placing it back on the table.

"Children should look like children, and watch cartoons that are good for the brain." You turn his head so he faces the television screen.

On it, a pink piglet hops around in the mud pit, splashing muddy water on her brother George.

Shaw looks at you, his face dark. “Do you think I’m you? Isn't this something which suits your intellect?" 

You don the standard smile of a flight attendant, answering him in the sweetest voice you can muster. "Didn't you say you’re six years old? Little brat?"

Shaw looks at you sympathetically. "Unexpectedly, Auntie MC is old enough to have a bad memory, and forgot that my body possesses a twenty-year-old soul." 

Is it illegal to whack a child? If it weren’t against the law, I’d whack him to death!

Stuffed with food and drink, you’re half-lying on the sofa, leaving only a small space for Shaw. You poke his back. “Little Shaw, clean the table.”

He turns around blankly. "I’m a kid. You do the cleaning." 

Fine, even though he’s a child now, he knows how to switch between being an adult and a child when it suits his interests. You decide to teach him a lesson.

You smile and suggest, "I'll take you out to play later.”

Listening to his, Shaw lifts his eyes lazily. “Oh? Is your conscience pricking at you?”

“Children have to write reflections after going out to play. No less than 800 words.” You hold your palm out to him. "Also, you have to give me your money, and let the adult decide your share of the pocket money.

“I knew you weren’t so kind.” Shaw turns away from you. "I want fried chicken cola for lunch. Remember to order properly.”

You roll your eyes, whipping out your phone to order takeaway. You swear that you’re buying it for yourself, not following what he says just because he looks cute.

There’s plenty of fried chicken to go around in the afternoon, so there’s no repeat of the food-snatching that happened in the morning. 

After you’re full from cola and fried chicken, you clear the table and urge him to take a nap. "Children need their afternoon naps, or they won’t grow tall." 

Shaw refuses. "I'm 1.82 meters tall!”

You stare at Shaw, who isn’t even as tall as the television. Even if you don’t speak, what you want to express is self-evident.

He comprehends the meaning in your stare and scratches his head in irritation. You seize this opportunity, whisking him up into your arms and walking towards the bedroom. 

"I don't want to sleep!" He struggles violently, causing you to lose balance and fall forwards.

"Ah!”

“Damn!”

...

You find yourself straddling the enlarged version of Shaw, staring at him with wide eyes.

With a mischievous smile, he strokes your waist. “Since you can’t wait, I have no choice but to comply with your wishes.” 

-

More translated and original works: here

-

[ Permission to translate ]

君兮耶君兮: You can - just note the source of the author

[cali-holland]

Pictures of You- Harry Holland One Shot

Pairing: Harry Holland X Reader

Requested by anon: Can I have a Harry request where the reader finds a folder of all these pictures of her that Harry took without her knowing and that's how he tells her he likes her? Thank you ahead of time!

Prompt:You always thought Harry hated you… but that changes when you stumble across some pictures.

Word Count: 2600

Masterlist   Harry Holland Masterlist

*Not my pic*

Warnings: swearing

~~~

“Y/N, you made it!” Sam smiled, hopping up from his seat at the table to tackle you in a hug.

“Did you think I’d bail?” You stepped out of your best friend’s hug with a laugh, before sitting beside him at the table. The rest of your friends around the table, including Sam’s girlfriend El, greeted you kindly. You smiled happily, purely content with being back home again since your latest journey abroad. You noticed one open seat beside you at the pub, and you unfortunately knew just who would occupy it.

“God, it’s a good thing I got the drinks.” Harry scoffed as he walked up to the table, setting down a round of drinks for everyone. Surprisingly, he had gotten you a drink, too.

“Yes, I definitely need to be drunk to sit next to you all night.” You rolled your eyes, taking a quick drink of your beer, and Harry begrudgingly sat in the empty chair beside you, seating you between the two twins.

“Hey now, play nice tonight, yeah?” Sam teased, but you knew there was an underlying seriousness in his voice.

You’d been best friends with Sam for the past few years after having met at a cooking class one day when you burned the poor meal and Sam, the star of the class, had to help you- he still did all of the cooking in your friendship. Because you were so close with Sam, that meant you spent a lot of time around Harry.

Somehow, it still surprised you that, even though they were completely their own individual beings, one twin could get along with you so well and the other one seemed to despise your existence. Maybe it stemmed from that one time Harry needed a model for his shoot, and Sam suggested you, but you couldn’t be more repulsed by the idea of modeling- and Harry took it offensively. Maybe it was the time that you found out that Harry had told the guy you were talking to that you were actually into Harry instead, so the other guy completely erased himself from your life. Either way, you two hated each other.

At least, that’s the front you put up. You thought Harry was cute, and you loved his stupid jokes and how passionate he was about everything in life. You didn’t like that he seemed to hate you, so you just met his hatred with your own. You hadn’t told Sam about your miniscule, tiny, minute, barely-in-existence crush on his brother, too scared that somehow Harry would find out. Sam was just caught in between you two, trying to ease the tension as he balanced his best friend and his brother. It also didn’t help that now you, Harry, and Sam had formed the same friend group.

“So how’s your first night back in town?” Sam asked you with a smile.

“My roommate’s sexiled me already. Either I need to stay out until 3 am or I need to find a hotel already.” You sighed, with a small laugh, “She had weeks and still managed to line that up poorly.”

“You can stay at my place, if you’d like?” He offered.

“Excuse me, what?” Harry questioned his twin’s words. The twins shared a house together, so Sam inviting you to stay the night meant you’d have to deal with Harry, too.

“Sam, I don’t want to encroach. I’ll just get a-“ You started, but Harry cut you off.

“No shit, you’d be encroaching.” He stated, drinking down his beer.

“You know what?” You eyed him angrily, before turning back to your friend, “I’ll take you up on that offer, just to spite a certain someone.”

“As long as I don’t wake up tomorrow to find that one of you murdered the other, it’s fine.” Sam chuckled before taking a drink of his own beer.

You got pulled into a conversation with your other friends, ignoring Harry’s presence beside you as he did the same. Or so you thought. You were so caught up in your own world that you didn’t notice Harry’s lingering gaze on you when you’d throw your head back in laughter, your eyes crinkling in happiness; you didn’t notice how his hand closest to you seemed to itch like it was resisting the urge to reach up and move the loose strand of hair out of your face. You didn’t notice any of it.

“I’ll get the next round.” You stated, standing up after a couple hours to get everyone refills. The bar was busy, and you were unsuccessful at trying to get the bartender’s attention.

“Good luck with that. I’ve been here for almost ten minutes already.” A voice laughed from beside you. You let out a small sigh with a smile as you looked at the stranger. God, he was so pretty with perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect eyes, perfect everything.

“Well, then I guess you’ll be my entertainment until he comes by?” You joked.

“I’m Tyler.” He introduced himself. “And what’s your name, gorgeous?”

“Y/N.” You replied. You weren’t the type to flirt with a stranger at the bar, but you had a few drinks in you and you knew you’d be waiting alone for a little bit and he was totally your type, so might as well.

After a few minutes of talking to Tyler, you finally managed to place your order of another round with the bartender. While he gathered the drinks behind the counter, Tyler turned back to you with his freshly made drink.

“Am I coming on too strong if I say you’re beautiful?” He asked with a little laugh, making you blush. Before you could respond, you two were interrupted by quite possibly the most inconvenient person in your life.

“No she’s not.” Harry said, coming to stand a little too close to you. You looked at him with wide eyes, silently questioning what the hell was wrong with him.

“I- I’m sorry, who are you?” Tyler spoke up, questioningly.

“Run along, mate. She’s not interested.” He replied with a scoff.

“What? No,“ You started but Tyler had already backed up in surrender, leaving you alone with Harry at the bar. “What the fuck was that?”

“I was saving you. You’re welcome. Did you get our drinks yet?” He asked, making you roll your eyes at him.

“Saving me? What kind of-“

“He was looking for a quick fuck, you’re not into that. Done.” Harry said as if it was simple.

“Who are you to say what I’m into?” You questioned.

“Oh come on, you weren’t seriously into him, were you?”

“That’s not up to you to decide.” You scoffed, “I don’t need your help, Harry, and I certainly don’t need your shitty insults.” You left the bar without another word, leaving the pub entirely. Harry warily turned back to see Sam, who sighed in frustration from his seat across the bar. Before Sam could get up to go find you, Harry trailed after you.

“Y/N! Y/N, wait!” Harry called out to you, jogging to catch up to you down the street as you had started to make your way home. Surprisingly, you had managed to make it a ways away from the pub, much closer to his house though than yours.

“Go away, Harry.” You grumbled, arms crossed and refusing to stop for him.

“Please, I’m sorry.” He reached out to grab your elbow to stop your angry walk back to your place. You unintentionally jumped at the sudden contact, your ankle rolling a little in the process and you heard your heeled shoe crack.

“Shit, Harry!” You exclaimed, grabbing onto him to keep from falling over completely.

“It got you to stop.” He said, not realizing you’d broken a heel from his attempts.

“You broke my fucking shoe. Thanks, dickhead, now leave me alone.” You took off your shoes, holding them in your hands and started to walk further, biting back the urge to limp from the pain in your ankle. You didn’t hear Harry follow you, and you thought he was finally leaving you alone, until he showed up at your side, holding out his sneakers for you.

“Come on, put them on.” In one hand, Harry took your heels from your hands, replacing them with your sneakers.

“I’m not wearing your shoes.” You scoffed.

“Put them on.” He insisted. He paused as he noticed you wince a little as you walked, “Did you roll your ankle?” God, he was stuck to you like glue right now; you’d never seen him so interested in actually talking to you.

“Yes, what about it?” You replied, trying to act like it was nothing but the searing pain from your ankle didn’t really help.

“Here.” Harry stopped in front of you, bending down a little.

“What are you doing? Leapfrog?” You questioned in disbelief.

“Get on my back. I’m not letting you walk home on a bad ankle.” He stated. When you were silent for a moment, he continued, “I’m giving you a goddamn piggy back ride or I’m throwing you over my shoulder and carrying you home.”

“How chivalrous of you.” You rolled your eyes, but climbed onto his back anyway. With your arms wrapped around his shoulders and neck, you held his shoes and your heels that you’d gotten back from him. Harry kept you steady as he stood to his full height, hands holding onto you under your thighs.

“Harry, my house is that way.” You pointed out as you noticed he took a wrong turn.

“My place is closer.” He assured you. You were happy your face was hidden from his view, not wanting him to see your apparent blush at his kindness. His actions and comments back at the bar were annoying and hurtful, but this was a different side of Harry, this was the sweet side you found yourself falling for.

The rest of your short journey was quiet. Harry set you down so he could get out his keys once he reached his front door, and you leaned on one leg, trying to keep your weight off your bum ankle. You knew it wasn’t broken or anything serious, just in pain. Your shoe was more damaged than your foot. Harry helped you inside to his living room, sitting you down on his couch.

“I’ll get you some ice and clothes to change into.” He told you, leaving you alone in the room.

As you shifted on the couch to get comfortable, you realized his laptop was precariously placed on the edge of the other couch. You got up to move it, your fingers just barely brushing the touchpad and it flicked on. It was open to an editing all; he had obviously been working on pictures before he went out with Sam earlier.

Curious, you flicked through the nature pictures he had pulled up, smiling at the ones of Tessa and his family. He must have had a millions folders on his laptop of his pictures, you couldn’t believe it. You noticed how most of them didn’t have very descriptive names, just brief titles such as ‘Cherry’ and ‘family’, but then you saw one of your own name. You knew it was wrong to snoop, but you were curious about what could be in that folder. Clicking on the folder titled ‘Y/N’, the laptop opened a long list of pictures of you.

The first one had to have been around the time you first met Harry through Sam. You were just casually talking to Sam in his backyard, but the camera was focused on you, almost like Sam wasn’t even in the shot. You clicked onto the next one, displaying a picture of you laughing at something Sam had said to you- again, it was like he wasn’t there. Going through a few more pictures, you found a theme to them. They were all taken when you didn’t realize it; the camera- Harry, had been focusing on you and no one else in every single shot, and there were dozens of pictures. Somehow, you didn’t find it creepy that he had a whole collection of pictures of you- it was rather endearing. Here you had believed Harry didn’t like you, but maybe you just weren’t looking, you were never looking.

His laptop dinged, and a message came across the top of it.

From Sam: ‘Did you kill Y/N or did you kiss her... please tell me you at least told her you liked her finally’. A couple seconds later, another one came through ‘don’t fuck my best friend on our couch’.

Your heart started racing and you quickly closed the laptop, placing it on the coffee table. You had definitely snooped too much, but how were you supposed to know that Harry had a folder of pictures of you- but not like creepy pictures? How were you supposed to know that his phone was connected to his laptop so every single text he got went through to his laptop as well? And what the hell was Sam talking about? Did that mean Harry actually liked you too? Well, that’d explain his odd overprotectiveness and why he was so concerned tonight about your ankle.

“Here you go.” Harry’s voice pulled you from your thoughts as he came into the room with an ice pack wrapped in a towel, a pair of sweats, and a t-shirt for you.

“Thank you.” You replied quietly, taking the items from him.

“Do you want to stay in my bed tonight? I’ll take the couch.” He shifted awkwardly between his feet, like he was trying to figure out what to say.

“I’ll take the couch. I’m fine.” You said as you put the icepack on your ankle, hoping that would prevent it from swelling.

“Are you sure? I don’t mind.” He stated, sitting beside you on the sofa, and you let out a small sigh.

“Harry, do you like me?” You asked. You watched as his cheeks heated up a little at your words.

“Wh- what? Why would you say that?” Harry replied, trying to brush it off.

“I, um, I saw the pictures on your laptop.” You nodded towards the closed laptop that had obviously moved places since Harry had last been in the room, “And I saw the text from Sam.”

Before you could continue, he cut you off, rambling nervously as he did so, “It’s not what you think. You’re just a really easy subject to photograph because, well, you just always look… beautiful, and you’re really photogenic, too. And Sam- he was just being a prick. I wouldn’t try to- not here with you, and that’s not to say I wouldn’t want-”

“Harry,” You cut him off, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, “I’ll be disappointed if it’s not what I think because I like you, and I’d like to think you feel the same about me.”

“You do?” He was at a loss for words, attempting to decipher if you were serious or just playing him. The soft smile on your face told him it was the former. “I always thought you had a thing for Sam.”

“Oh God no.” You laughed, shaking your head, “It’s always been you.”

“In that case,” Harry shifted closer to you, bringing a hand to rest on your cheek, leaning in a little, “Is this okay?”

You nodded with a smile, and he leaned in to capture your lips with his own. The kiss was soft yet passionate, and his free hand cupped the back of your neck delicately. You tentatively shifted into his lap and your hands found their way to his hair, his trailing down to (respectfully) rest on your waist. The intimate moment was broken by the sound of the front door opening and the loud, somewhat drunken voice of Sam following it.

“For fuck’s sake, not on the couch!”

~~~

Tag List: @viagracex​ @theamazingtomholland​ @hellomoveonby​ @heyitsshrez

[hoidn]

tree Explains Things 02: Creating Animated GIFs in Photoshop

In this tutorial I'll be going through the process of loading image files into Photoshop and then creating a basic animation that you'll ultimately be able to export as a gif. (For better quality and a larger video size, I recommend viewing this on YouTube.)

My goal is to keep these videos to a duration of 15 minutes or below for all our sakes. (Okay, mostly mine.) To that end, I've added a lot of notes along the way in this one. I hope that I've allowed enough time on screen for you to read them, but not everyone reads at the same rate, so you may need to pause the video in places. I'm sorry if that's inconvenient for anyone, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And this girl's got a laptop that threatens to blow up if she uses iMovie for more than ten minutes at a time.

(This transcript is approximately 75% accurate to the tutorial and 25% me condensing my waffle into more sensible narration.)

--

If you're not familiar with how to extract files from your video source, I have another tutorial about a program called SnapMotion (here) that explains some basics about frame rates and how you go about deciding what frame rates to use with particular sources. For this tutorial I'll be using caps extracted from a 24 fps clip at every second frame.

Since this is a pretty basic tutorial, we're not going to worry about things like the number of frames or the eventual size of the gif. However, I will briefly go through Tumblr's dimensions and maximum file size for images because ultimately that's what you'll be working towards when you're making your gifs.

When I started making gifs, Tumblr's maximum image file size was 3MB. It's now 5MB, which is a pretty significant increase. The Tumblr dashboard displays single images at a fixed width of 540 pixels. You can also post images in rows of two or three. If you have two images side by side, they will both have a width of 268 px; if you have three images side by side, two of them will have a width of 177 px and one will have a width of 178 (because 540 isn't evenly divisible by 3).

If you upload images that don't conform to this width, they'll be stretched or shrunk to fit. I recommend making your gifs at these exact display widths because I find gifs, in particular, don't shrink well, especially if they have text on them. They just don't look good at all. And nothing looks good when it's been stretched.

--

The Actual Tutorial Part of the Tutorial

Once you've opened Photoshop, go to File, Scripts, then Load Files into Stack. From the Load Layers screen, click Browse, and select all the files you want included in your gif. Then click Open. You can scroll down in the files box to see the names of the selected files. From here, click OK. Photoshop will open each image file and insert it into this newly created file as a layer so that each cap from your video source becomes a layer in a single Photoshop file.

My next step is to resize the images in the file. Since I'm making a single gif for this tutorial, I want to make it in Tumblr's large size. To resize an image, go to Image then Image Size. Enter 540 in the Width field. Make sure your dimensions are linked so that the height is changed proportionally to the width. Click OK.

To save the file, go to File then Save and choose a name and destination the way you would when saving any type of file.

Creating the Animation

Go to Window then Timeline. This is the area where you'll create your frame animation and then your video. To insert the layers you've just imported into this window, click Create Frame Animation. This creates a single frame populated by one layer in your stack. In order to insert the rest of the layers into frames, click on the timeline menu and select Make Frames From Layers. Each layer now populates its own frame and can be viewed by clicking on that frame.

At this point, the first layer in the stack appears in the last frame of the animation. When Photoshop inserts the image files in the Load Layers process, it does it backwards. This means that the last image (in this case, image 40) is loaded first and the first image is loaded last. In terms of viewing the layers panel, it makes sense, because it means that the images appear in order; however, the effect of this is that the frames are also backwards. In order to correct the order, go to the timeline menu and click Reverse Frames. Now the last frame corresponds with the last layer and the first frame corresponds with the first layer, which is what we want.

At the bottom left of the timeline window are the controls. In the centre is the Play/Stop button. The button to its right will take you to the next frame and the button to its left will take you to the previous frame. The left arrow|bar button takes you back to the first frame. Next to that is the Looping menu. Although it's possible to select other options, for our purposes looping should be set to Forever.

Playing through the animation at this point shows that the frames are in the correct order but it's too fast. That's because there's no delay between frames. To select the frame delay for a single frame, click on 0 sec. at the bottom of the frame. You can choose from the presets in the menu or click Other to enter the whole or fraction of a second of your choice. To select the frame delay for all frames at the same time, go to the timeline menu and click Select All Frames. Now when you click on the bottom of one of the frames and select a duration, all the frame delay durations are changed.

Playing through the animation after applying the frame delays shows that it's slower. Actually, it looks too slow now. For some reason, playback in the frame animation timeline appears slower than in the video timeline.

You can see what the frame delay speed really looks like by viewing it in the video timeline. Click on the icon at the bottom left of the window. The controls in the video timeline are basically the same as those in the frame animation timeline, plus a few others that we won't be needing right now. Each of the layers in the video timeline is one frame plus the frame delay we just selected. Playing the animation in the video timeline shows that it looks smooth and more like the normal speed that you'd see a video.

To return to the frame animation timeline, you can either undo the previous action (Edit, Undo) or click on the icon at the bottom left of the window, which will convert the video back into frames.

Ordinarily I like to crop the height of my images even after they've been resized. It's partly because I like the way they look with a larger width to height ratio, but also because reducing the dimensions of the images is going to reduce the size of the gif file and that's always a good thing when you're dealing with limits.

To do this I use the Crop tool. From the menu, I select W(idth) x H(eight) x Resolution. My last preset was 540px wide and 290px high. I'm going to stick with that because I don't want to cut off too much of Vic's head in this. The resolution is set to 72 px/in, which I check against the image files' resolution located at the bottom of the window next to the image dimensions. Clicking into the crop screen shows the crop grid, which by default is the centre of the image. I usually test that out first before making any adjustments. To approve the crop, I click the tick at the top right of the toolbar, then click the play button to determine if the cropped animation looks the way I want it to.

When I'm happy with my frame delay and crop, I go back to the video timeline. You can stretch or shrink the timeline by adjusting the slider at the bottom of the window. I usually run the image through one more time to make sure I'm happy with it before committing to the animation.

The next step is to create a Smart Object. Highlight all the layers in the layer panel and right click, then select Convert to Smart Object. Now there's only one item in the layer panel and one item in the video timeline.

The last step is to sharpen your video. Some people might say that that's actually an editing step but I absolutely disagree. I think sharpening is foundational and it should happen at this point. It should not be optional. Everyone should sharpen their damn gifs.

Go to Filter, Sharpen, then Smart Sharpen. The main setting to be concerned with is Radius. A smaller radius means less sharpening and a larger radius means more sharpening. When I'm working on larger images like this one, I tend to use 0.4 or 0.5 px sharpening; when I'm working on smaller images (e.g. 268 px wide), I tend to use 0.3 or 0.4 px. It depends on a lot of variables: the image quality, the amount of motion (sharpening is less effective when there's a lot of motion), what the light is like, etc. Work with the preview to determine what looks best. (Although what I just did is hideous. Don't do that.)

With this image I choose to go with 0.4 px because she's moving a lot and I don't think the extra point of a pixel is going to make a lot of difference. Click OK to confirm the selection. If you disable the filter visibility now, you can see that everything looks slightly blurry. When you enable the filter again, there's a lot more delineation in terms of the lighter areas and at the outer edges. I find that Smart Sharpen is particularly good at picking out the edges of light coloured things and also metal. Metal comes up really nicely in Smart Sharpen.

So that's Smart Sharpen. As I said, everyone should sharpen their gifs. This is a hill and I will die on it.

The very last step is to export your animation. Go to File, Export, then Save for Web (Legacy). The main thing to look at in this screen is in the lower left corner. (Obviously this file is too large for Tumblr.) The main contributor to your file size at this point is the percentage of Dither. I don't change any of the other settings. At the lower right of the window is a kind of final check area. It shows the dimensions of the animation and the looping. You can also play it back here.

When you're satisfied with all of these elements, click Save to save your gif file.

And here's my gif!

--

That's how I create my gifs. It's not the only way, but for me this is what makes the most sense out of a very unintuitive process. Thanks for watching, and if you have any questions about the tutorial, please come and talk to me on Tumblr. As I noted in several spots in the video, next time I'll be talking about a few more advanced parts of the process, as well as Smart Objects.