#college t shirt printers

[stubbornfactory]

University Jackets - Stubborn Factory

Find the perfect varsity that matches your desired level of comfort and warmth.

Choose from various colors, sizes, and materials to create a varsity that perfectly suits your preferences.

High-quality materials for comfort and style

Save valuable time by avoiding the hassle of searching for printing options

Suitable for businesses, event organizers, and promotional campaigns

Contact the sales team for inquiries and guidance

Easy care with machine washable fabric.

Free delivery for one location.

Graphics and color impact pricing.

[mendessi]

ii. the sun

The sun portends good fortune, happiness, joy and harmony. It represents the universe coming together and agreeing with your path and aiding forward movement into something greater.

paring: joel miller x fem!reader

summary: you meet joel for the first time while working as a trauma nurse in the emergency room at a hospital in austin, texas. joel can't handle a few stitches so he distracts himself by flirting with you.

warnings: pre-outbreak, mentions of injury, blood, stitches, flirty/nervous!joel, mention of a car accident, me pretending i know what being a nurse is like, no use of y/n

masterlist

minors DNI

Your day had been ridiculously rough but thankfully it was coming to an end within the next two hours. It was Saturday which meant it was one of your longer shifts at the hospital and it felt like it had no end in sight.

There had been a game at the university which brought a ton of mid day drinking to underage college students who couldn't handle their alcohol. This also typically meant a ton of fights between the rivaling teams, drunk driving accidents, and typical college bullshit that never seemed to end during the football season. If there was one thing you had learned about Texans since moving there was that they take their football seriously. Especially for a school like UT.

"Talk about a rough day." You say to your co-worker when you both finally have a second to breathe at the nurse's station. You flip open a chart to ensure everything is set for a patient's release and then shut it.

"At least Bradley over there didn't throw up on your brand new sneakers." Belle said to you with a sigh.

"College boys, what can you do?" You say with a laugh.

"So cute and yet so so stupid." She looked down at her pager and then groaned. "Great. I gotta run."

You grabbed your stack of release papers off the printer, stapled them and then headed over to one of your patients for them to sign. Considering it had been an early game, the chaos was settling down in the ER and the shift was getting easier which was a good sign you'd actually be leaving on time.

"Alright then Mr. Olson, you're all set." You gave your best smile and then turned on your heel after receiving the necessary paperwork.

"Hey, can you grab bed three? Brad needs his IV changed." Belle said as she quickly passed you by.

"Brad? We're calling him Brad now?" You huffed throwing your arms up. "Belle, I'm supposed to be leaving now."

"Sorry, love you!" She didn't even turn to look at you as she hustled off towards bed six where Brad was still recovering from his alcohol poisoning.

You roll your eyes and pick up the chart for bed three, reading over it as you walk towards the patient. Injury to hand. Probably from a bar fight. You pull the curtain back with a smile, slighlty surprised that the man sitting on the edge of the bed was not a college student but a grown man. Half a relief.

"Mr. Miller?" You say, pulling up your chair to sit in front of him saying your spiel, "How are you doing? I'm a RN at Austin General and I'm just gonna see what's going on and hopefully we'll get you out of here in about an hour, yeah?"

"Joel, please." He says. You can't help but take note of how handsome he is compared to the other drunk men that have come into ER today. Either he sobered up due to the gaping cut in his hand or he had time to sober up on his drive over here. "You're not from round here are you?"

"Seattle. That obvious, huh?" You say with a laugh. "I'm just gonna take a look." You take his hand, pausing for a moment when he sucks a breath of air through his teeth.

You unravel the sketchy and poorly wrapped t-shirt around Joel's hand, hiding any reaction you have to gash in the palm of his hand that is still bleeding.

"Get into a fight?" You ask, trying to make light conversation after seeing his pained reaction to the injury.

"Yeah, you should see the other guy." He laughs lightly.

"What really happened?" You ask, grabbing the antiseptic to clean the wound. This man was far from drunk.

You could see by the dirt on his hands that this was not a bar fight and indeed probably just a work related accident. What, you couldn't guess, but the man in front of you didn't give off the energy he was coming down from being wasted.

"Tried catching a pane of glass that was falling over. Sliced right through my hand." He said, watching your hands as they worked. "Not gonna need stitches or nothin, will it?"

"I wish I could give you the answer you want." You tell him with empathy coming to the conclusion that it was deep enough to not heal on its own and would need stitches.

"Shit," He sighs.

"It'll take about ten minutes tops. Not too bad." You finish preparing the wound and grab a fresh pair of gloves and your suture kit.

"You gonna do em?" He asked.

"Yes sir." You look up at him again from your chair and his eyes meet yours. They're soft and brown, and you almost imagine what they'd look like in the sun. Probably like honey, you think.

"You ever had em before?" He asks and you gesture to the small scar on your temple.

"My cousin pushed me out of our tree house when I was five. Cracked my head open pretty bad. Seven stitches." You say. "If five year old me can handle it, thirty-four year old you can handle it."

"How old are you now?" He asks.

"Twenty-four." You reply, pushing his fingers open so that his hand is laying flat on the table in front of you.

"Pretty young to be a nurse, I'd say. Pretty though." He says and almost immediately after he face palms with his free hand. "Sorry, I'm a little nervous."

You almost smile and then remember the amount of times you had been hit on today was astronomical between all of the college kids coming in and out of the ER. How hard could it possibly be for any men to keep their testosterone levels steady and not flirt with women simply trying to do their jobs. You do feel a little bit of empathy for him as needles do seem to make him nervous but you've had a hard, never ending day so nothing amuses you.

You look up at him with a blank stare, "Try to move as little as possible."

"Tell me somethin true." He says as you begin your first suture. He keeps his eyes on you but you're focused on stitching his hand back together.

"Such as?"

"About you." He releases a shaky breath and you notice his finger tips start shaking slightly. The caring person you are feels sorry for him. He does seem like a nice guy who is just dealing with the fact that he has a four inch slice in his hand.

"I think I'm quite an open book." You say, your eyebrows furrowing as you work carefully on his hand.

"I'd say the opposite." His voice is low and it's hard to tell if he's struggling to hold his composure or if he's still trying to flirt.

"I entered this field because when I was twelve I was in a pretty brutal car accident. I was in the hospital for weeks but the nurses that cared for me quickly became my reason for living. I was miserable, it was quite literally the worst time of my life, but I was excited to wake up everyday because I knew they'd be there to greet me. They were just doing their jobs, but it was so much more for me. I wanted to do that for other people." You talk quietly, but loud enough for him to hear. As you go on, you notice his fingers stop shaking and the muscles in his arm that were tense relax.

"I think you're doin a stand up job." You look up at him, a small smile on your lips. "You're makin this this thing a whole lot easier."

That was definitely flirting. Though, looking at him now, you don't seem to mind it much anymore.

"You flirt with women every time you go into their workplace?" You ask. You're half joking. What's the worst that can happen, you'll flirt, he'll be discharged and then you'll never see him again.

"Only the pretty ones." You look into his eyes, yours narrowed as you judge his words. He's not smiling anymore.

"You think I'm pretty." It comes out more as a statement than a question. You almost flip your hair but then remember you're supposed to be suturing his hand.

"I think you're the most stunning woman to ever walk the streets of Austin." He's 100% serious and you can tell he means what he's saying.

You're cheeks are red at this point and there's no hiding it. "You're not half bad compared to the boys that have been in and out of this ER today."

"That's cus I'm a man." He straightens his posture and you can't help but laugh at the bad line. "That was a bad one, m' sorry."

"Good to know." You glance at him and cut the suture. You wrap a bandage around his hand and then scribble stuff down on his papers. "Seven stitches."

"What time are you out of here?" He asks as he examines your work on his hand.

"As soon as you're gone." You say standing up. "I'm gonna grab your discharge papers and I'll be right back."

"Let me take you to dinner." He states more than asks.

"I don't go out with patients." You say before walking away to the nurses station located in the center of the floor.

As you print his papers and sign and date them you can feel his eyes on you but you avoid looking up. He was probably the only sober man you spoke with today and while yes he was extremely handsome, he was at least ten years older than you. You never really cared about that before so the only thing stopping you was your suddenly made up rule about not dating patients. You had never once been officially been asked out by a patient only tragically flirted with by every college kid that walked into building. The rule was bullshit and you knew it. What could one date hurt? He was charming and you didn't want to admit it.

"Okay, Mr. Miller you're all set. Just sign these for me and you're good to go." You slide him the discharge papers and wait patiently for him to sign them. He hands them back to you, a smug smile on his face.

"Thanks for everything." He says and you nod.

"Stay safe." You tell him and then turn on your heel back to the nurses station where you quickly file his paperwork and clock out. You grab your things and wave bye to your co workers as you head for the door.

"Hey," You look up from your pager and find Joel Miller waiting for you.

"Mr. Miller." You greet him, shoving your pager into your pocket. "Stalking me?"

"Joel. It's dark outside, figured I could walk you to your car." He says matching your pace which is always at a default fast pace, though it must be easier considering his legs are longer than yours.

"Sure you're not gonna kidnap me once we get there?" You ask with a huff.

"With my crippled hand against you? No chance, you'd take me out easily." He smiles.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" You look both ways before crossing the street into the parking lot, he still keeps up with you standing at your side.

"As a matter of fact I would." He says and you finally look at him as you reach your car. You cross your arms over your chest and stare at him for a moment before speaking.

"Fine." You pull your phone from your pocket and hand it to him to put his number in.

"Really?" He tries to hide his excitement but he fails as the smile spreads from cheek to cheek as he punches the numbers in on your phone.

"I'll call you tomorrow." You say when he hands your phone back.

"I'll be waitin." He pulls your door open and you get in as he smiles at you until he closes the door. "Stay safe."

You never would've have given him your phone if it were anyone else but there was something about Joel Miller that you knew you could trust. You knew he'd never try to physically harm you and you knew that he wasn't being weird with his action. The nerves of getting stitches brought out a flirty side of him that was amusing to watch.

He could pretend that the only reason he asked you out was because you were "the most stunning woman to ever walk the streets of Austin" but it realistically was the fact that you were caring (whether it was just your job or not), you were kind (even when he was relentlessly flirting with you) and it was easy to tell you didn't put up with anyone's bullshit.

The truth is, Joel Miller never would've flirted with you if you were anyone else. He hadn't even thought of another woman since Sarah entered the world. He had never gotten stitches before so the nerves were eating at him but you opened up to him and alleviated his nerves. You had a bright aura, one that resembled the sun on a winter day, the moment when it emerges from the clouds and everything is suddenly warmer. You made him feel eased despite the throbbing pain of the cut in his hand or the process of getting stitched up.

That night was simple to the start of your relationship. Despite the clouds that surrounded you that night, Joel brought out the sun.

tag list: @aphrcdites @rey26

PREV| NEXT

[gingerlee-holds]

The Puppet Master, Part 2

The long, long awaited sequel! This one is brutal heehee so if you prefer gentle twords, read my other fics for that! But a very very flustered cutie has been waiting for this for a loooong time, and who am I to deny her what she needs heehee!! I hope you enjoy!!

Written for @featherfoxx, thank you to @devious-bliss for the inspiration!

Word Count: 2,953 Reading Time: About 12 minutes Warnings: hand restraints, feet twords, hard tickling, implied mind magic

Before we begin, keep in mind that this is a reader self-insert! Now, without further ado, let me tell you how exactly you were tworded to fucking bits heehee

All that night, you blushed and squirmed through tickly dreams. You awoke at multiple points throughout the early morning hours, curled up in a ball, blushing and sweating from a ruthless puppet master playing with your subconscious. No matter what you did to distract yourself, it seemed like that pesky little magician snuck back in to ensure you hadn’t forgotten how ticklish and vulnerable you were. Squirming around and holding your favorite stuffed animal over your bright red face, it felt like this had been intentional; that sneaky puppeteer had delicately wrapped your mind in her yarn, and ever since you had visited her, you felt that yarn occasionally pulled on, filling your head with flustering, tickly thoughts. You, of course, had no way of proving this - as it was most likely your imagination making it worse for yourself - but the idea that the ginger in the purple suit had somehow fiddled with your brain was enough to fill you with a playful determination.

After the third wake-up, still kind of feeling the fuzzy ears of a fox puppet around your collarbone, you were resolved. ‘That’s it! She’s not getting away with this!’ you thought to yourself. ‘I refuse to be her plaything!’ And having made up your mind to acquire retribution, you spent the rest of the night hatching a bold plan: you would catch her by surprise and give that pesky magician a taste of her own medicine!

After a night fraught with ghostly pokes and phantom scribbles, dawn came at last, and you arose with a fire in your soul, burning for vengeance. Quickly throwing on a band t-shirt and some jorts, you grabbed a makeup brush, a spool of your bright red yarn, a few fuzzy feathers, and - grinning evilly - a brand new electric toothbrush, setting it all into a backpack along with a few water bottles. You put on some sandals and set off toward the park. You were ready.

The carnival had just opened when you arrived, which, in a way, was much more amusing than you had anticipated. A yawning attendant gave you a bag of crackerjack for free, chuckling and saying he “can’t be bothered finding the receipt printer.” You almost burst out laughing when you saw someone in clown makeup scrolling through their phone while dressed in street clothes. The carnival in the morning reminded you of a college student - wild and carefree, partying with reckless abandon into the night, only to be rudely awakened the following morning to set it all up again. It’s no coincidence that the circus visiting your town was primarily staffed by college-aged folks.

Nevertheless, you soon found the tent you were looking for. The purple and green tent looked just as cozy as it had the night before, but the sign in front differed. It read: “The Puppet Master Returns Tonight @ 6! You won’t want to miss it!” Instead of being pulled invitingly open, the tent flaps were shut tight, except for a tiny bit at the bottom where the flaps had pulled apart slightly. ‘Perfect!’ you thought.

Crawling inside, you were surprised at how little the mood in the tent had changed. The lighting inside was cozy, as it had been last night, even though the sun was out. The sounds of birdsong outside faded, too, and if you didn’t know any better, you could even say that you had entered some kind of pocket dimension. No doubt some more of that magician’s trickery. Everything looked as it had: the plush floor, the stage, the curtains… but where was the Puppet Master?

Only one of the curtains was closed, but the other was still open, showing the stage. All of the puppets had been put away in a toy chest, and beside it, your target slept, snuggled to a pillow. The Puppet Master looked different; where she had been chubby before, now she was somewhat skinnier. Her hair was longer and messier, but that was most likely the fault of her sleep. Instead of her suit, she wore a pair of fuzzy pajamas and socks and a cartoonish nightcap drooped over her head. A snorer, too, you observed as you approached. The pillow was less to support her and more to give her something to hold onto, and she cuddled it close. She almost looked too cute to tickle, but you knew your mission. 

‘It’s too easy,’ you said to yourself, holding onto the straps of your backpack and beginning to approach the stage confidently. You made it about halfway before shenanigans struck. 

The plush, comfy floor you walked on seemed to provide less and less support as you went on, each step sinking you deeper into the softness beneath. Once you were halfway, you had sunk into the plushness up to your waist, and, grumbling, you pulled yourself forward. Instead of a mattress, this plushness reminded you of a foam pit, and after a few more steps, you were completely stuck. The surrounding plush floor held you snugly up to your chest, and much to your dismay, it had now become too difficult to pull yourself out. Moreover, you quickly discovered that you couldn’t pull back either: you were stuck in the comfy, foamlike, plush floor, conformed to your body shape entirely. 

“The hell is this!” you muttered out loud by mistake. Unfortunately for you, the Puppet Master softly snorted as she awoke, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She reached over, picked up a pair of round glasses, scratched her head, and stood up to see her intruder. 

The sight of you, frustrated with the floor and confused at your predicament, sent her into hysterics. “Heeheeheeheehee! Ohohooh, dehehearrr!!” she laughed, hugging herself around her belly. “I-ihihihit seeeheeheems- heehehehehee!! - thahat sohomeone was a lihittle eager to return~!!”

Growling in humiliation, you hung your head to hide your face. The element of surprise had been entirely lost!

The sleepy girl before you padded over softly on her fuzzy socks, hopping off the stage and onto the plush floor, which didn’t sink under her as it did for you. Giggling helplessly at your condition, she laid down in front of you on her stomach, swinging her feet in the air behind her as she booped your nose. “Hey there again, cutie pie! Missed me that much~?” 

You said nothing, doing your best to retain your dignity.

“Couldn’t stop thinkin’ about me, huh~?” You suddenly looked up at her. She smiled as if she had known what your night had been like for you. Giggling at your shocked face, she continued, “Oh, you’re too precious. Don’t worry, hun! It’s only natural!” She reached over and ruffled your hair. “Anyone who needs this place finds it! That way, I can play with only the people I know will enjoy it as much as I do!” The Puppet Master suddenly tugged the air in front of your forehead, and all at once, your mind rushed with tickly thoughts and teases, all the memories of yesterday pushing forward and coloring your cheeks a bright red. It was her all along!

As you racked your mind trying to make sense of this information, you were interrupted by a sudden stream of bubbly giggles emerging from your throat. The Puppet Master’s head-scratching reached your neck, and her nails gently traced around and around. She smiled fondly, her whole expression painted with affection at your adorable glee.

“Now, let’s see whatcha brought! I’m super curious!” She crawled around behind you and sat, happily picking up your backpack.

“No, no! Don’t look in there!” you hastily said, but she had already unzipped it and was looking through its items. 

“Oh! New yarn, looks like! And… feathers? Is that a makeup brush…? Hmm…” She went silent for a bit, and you jumped when you suddenly heard her voice right in your ear: “Trying to get revenge, huh~?” she purred. “How absolutely adorable you humans are, thinking you can outsmart me~!”

Well, that cleared a lot up. She wasn’t human! That’s how she had all that power! What was she??

“Hey!” Her snapping her fingers in each ear brought your attention back. “Got a question for ya!” Pulling your bag of tools behind her, she crawled back to where you could see her. “Have you ever heard of Cat’s Cradle?”

Tilting your head a bit in confusion, you nodded. “Yeah, it’s that kids game with the string.” 

“Y’ever played?”

“Few times, while ago.”

She clapped her hands happily. “Perfect!” she exclaimed. The magician pulled out your red yarn from the bag but, to your shock, pulled out an identical spool of pink yarn after it. She unspooled a long string of each and cut it with a simple tug. “Okay, here’s yours!” she said, handing you your red yarn while she held the pink one. “Watch me. Try to follow along.”

Seeing as you didn’t have anything else to do, you sighed and tried your best to follow along as she skillfully began creating the Cat’s Cradle. She giggled a tiny bit when she finished, setting her yarn down to help you out by tugging the yarn here and moving your fingers there. In the end, you held a rather complex and beautifully made string figure between your fingers!

“Bravo! Oh, you’re remarkable at this!” She clapped again, making you smile sheepishly. However, it didn’t take you long before you realized you couldn’t untangle your hands from the yarn. Harder and harder you tugged, but your fingers were very well tied, your hands bound by the pretty Cradle. “Oop, here, let me help you with that…” she muttered, taking one of the ends of your yarn and giving it a gentle tug, and all at once, your hands clapped together, bound tight. “There! Now c’mon, cutie, let’s getcha out of my floor.”

Blushing at the realization that the game had been a ruse, you let yourself get tugged out from the floor by your yarned-up hands, feeling the ground become more and more firm underneath you. “T-that was a nasty trick!” you whined.

“Oh, you should have seen it coming a mile away. I’m a Puppet Master! Nimble fingers come with the job~,” she teased as she wiggled her fingers against your cheeks, making you sputter. Gently, her soft hands guided you to the floor so you were lying down on your back before she effortlessly grabbed your bound hands and moved them above your head, saying, as if it were an afterthought, “These can’t move now.” It shouldn’t have surprised you, but you were a bit bewildered by the fact that she was correct: you couldn’t pull your hands down as much as you tried. 

She suddenly gasped as she got an idea. “I know another game we can play! It’s called, how long can my ticklish little puppet stay silent while I tickle them!”

“T-that sounds like a terrible game!” you spat, and she patted your head in response.

“I don’t know… you did intrude on me while I was sleeping, so I think that deserves a little punishment~! Then again, maybe it’ll be a reward since I know you’ll enjoy it so, so much~!”

Before you could voice any more criticisms, you yelped in surprise when she pulled out all your tools and set them before you. 

“Hm… I can’t hold all of these at once… I know! I’ll need help!” She whistled, and the toy chest sprung open, a group of five puppets rushing through the air to her. “Here, Wolf, you can hold the makeup brush, and I’m trusting you two to hold these!” she said, handing the two extra-fluffy feathers to Lion and Cat. She removed the electric toothbrush as if she were holding a precious relic. “This one’s mine~!”

You didn’t even have time to say, “Wait-!” before it started~!

The two puppets with no tools, Snake and Owl, dove in first. Owl, all covered in fuzzy feathers, nuzzled into your neck, chin, and ears, hooting and cooing at you. “Whooooo’s a ticklish puppet! Whooooo’s a cutie patootie! Who? Who?” she asked, snuggling her soft felt beak into your ear. All by herself, Owl was sending you into squeaky, blushy laughter, but don’t worry, it would get a lot worse! <3

Snake, meanwhile, had slithered his sneaky way under your shirt, nudging your shorts down a bit to reveal your hips. “Sssssssscore~!!!” he victoriously said as he wound his way around and around like a belt, his surprisingly tickly underbelly making you jump and buck around. Besides the occasional hiss as his felt tongue flickered across your lower tummy, he stayed silent as he pulled wave after wave of laughs out from your lungs.

The Puppet Master sat, smiling and watching you being slowly picked apart so adorably by her cute little puppets. She was content to wait until you began getting used to the current tickles before ramping them up. After all, she had until six before her next show, so she was content to make you pay for your impudent intrusion!

Wolf’s patience wore out first, and after a lengthy squeal on your part when Snake dipped his head into your belly button, he growled and dove in, armed and ready with the makeup brush. The Puppet Master chuckled and pulled your shirt up to your ribs for him. Quickly swatting the reptilian puppet out of the way with the brush, he dipped it into your giggle button and swirling it around and around your tummy. He looked up and grinned happily at the results: deep belly laughter erupted from Mt. You, bouncing about the tent like a rubber ball, much to the amusement of the Puppet Master, who began giggling with you. To celebrate, Wolf started to nibble around your ribs while continuing to paint with the makeup brush. 

Lion and Cat, wielding their feathers like knights holding their swords, looked up at the puppeteer pleadingly, happily cheering when she nodded as their sign of permission. The two puppets flew down and began happily humming a circus tune as they started going to town on your sides. Cat, soft and sweet, hummed innocently as she wiggled the fuzzy feather up and down your right side, up and down, mercilessly rhythmic. Lion, by contrast, was anything but sweet as she giggled cruelly, turning the feather around to the pointy tip and, using it like a quill pen, began writing and scribbling over your left side. It was brutal! You thrashed away from the mean scribbles and pokes, only to be met by gentle feather strokes and wiggles! You were already shrieking through your laughter, yelping with glee, and unable to beg for mercy anymore. At around the twenty-minute mark, the Puppet Master herself made her move. 

You had absolutely no way to pay attention to what she was doing, so no alarm bells went off when she began crawling down to your feet and pulling off your sandals, but you could only go bug-eyed and squeal when you heard the unmistakable sound of the electric toothbrush turning on. Your thrashing increased a bit, but the other puppets made sure you were far too weak to put up any significant resistance. The Puppet Master smiled at you with pitiless satisfaction and adoring affection as she used the toothbrush under your toes on your right foot, scribbling across your left sole with her nails. That was the final straw for you. Tears rolled down your cheeks in rivers as you lay limply, unable to do anything but sit there and take your tickles like a good puppet. Your laughter had gone silent a while ago. Yet, this time, the puppets were out for metaphorical blood as they wrecked your spots creatively, curiously, and mercilessly. 

The second you began coughing, though, everything stopped. All the puppets dropped to the floor, inanimate once more, and the Puppet Master sprang up to get some water from your bag. She put the bottle to your lips, and you gulped it down eagerly, smiling at the relief it gave. She brought your hands back down again, and suddenly, you found that the strings fell apart, sloughing off your hands and allowing you to free yourself from the tangle with ease. Curling up into a ball, you finished your water, and the Puppet Master finished her water shortly after. 

“You feeling okay, cutie~?” 

“Y-yyeheheesss! G-gohohoshh…” 

“Didn’t think I’d go that far, didja~? I’m just a sweet, innocent girl, huh~? Not when you wake me up before I’ve finished my sleep!”

“S-sohohohorryy!!”

“Oh, don’t worry! This was such a pleasant wake-up ~!” With that, she quickly scooped you up in her arms, carrying you across the room and onto the stage, laying you down beside her. “Now, I think we could both use the sleep, right~? You must not have slept well, I’m guessing~!”

You nodded, all the sleepiness hitting you like a freight train as you yawned and got comfy on the floor. 

“Figures~!” She yawned, too, and wiggled over to you. “Besides, it’ll be nice to have something other than a pillow to spoon.”

The two of you were out like an identical pair of lights, you being snuggled by the petite magician. No dreams bothered you in your sleep as you floated in the void sea of the subconscious mind. What would await you when you awoke was no concern of yours because, for now, you were comfy, exhausted, and being snuggled by an adorably sweet… whatever she is. You’ll figure that out later. For all your life afterward, you would never recall a more peaceful slumber than on the floor of that tent, cradled like a cat by an adoring and tickle-hungry Puppet Master!

The end ~!

Read the previous entry in The Puppet Master!

[applechip118]

hello HLVRAI yaoi gang i have a question

the maker space i’ve been going to for making all my yaoi merch is only open to high schoolers and im going to college in a couple weeks so i want to make the most of the time i have left

they have a mug customizing thing, a t shirt printer, a 3d printer, an embroidery machine, and a bunch of other awsom art supplies 😼

my question for YOU is what other yaoi stuff can i make before i have to leave… i have a few ideas like embroidering patches or maybe 3d printing benrey’s helmet but other than that i’m not sure. LET ME KNOW! ILY GUYS

[cursedbanalities]

Zechariah 14:12-13 (A Horror Story)

Index | Next Chapter ->

CW: Blood and gore

“And the Lord will send a plague on all the nations that fought against Jerusalem. Their people will become like walking corpses, their flesh rotting away. Their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another.”

“...What the hell?”

Ethan flips the note around to look at the fake five dollar bill he’s been given as a tip. He should’ve known that it was a fake tip; it feels like cheap printer paper, but he was trying to hold onto hope that driving this far into the country to deliver a pizza would’ve given him some sort of restitution.

“I guess not.” he thinks, crumpling up the paper and throwing it into the back seat of his car. People have been so edgy lately. As Ethan drives away from his subpar delivery, he thinks of the recent news stories covering a new virus that appeared in Singapore, and with that, the constant speculation that it’s going to be the next Covid. However, since Singapore’s government hasn’t said anything more about it, a nervous note has hung in the air ever since the announcement. It’s no wonder the religious nuts are being extra crazy, Ethan thinks. Always trying to find some way to say the apocalypse is just right around the corner. Having lived through Covid and not getting sick, Ethan can’t help but not care that much. At least he’ll get a couple of weeks off from his college classes if it does come to the United States. Ethan turns up his car radio and bobs his head to his favorite song, Add it Up, immediately forgetting about the fake bill and possible viruses, and mimicking the ways that Gordon Gano sings— nasally, and full of angst:

“Don’t shoot, shoot, shoot, that thing at me,

“You know you got my sym-pa-thy

“But don’t shoot, shoot, shoot that thing at me!”

Ethan speeds down the country road, aiming to make it back to the restaurant before it gets any later. Thankfully, it wasn’t a busy day. His delivery to the bible thumper was the first they had in a while, but he wasn’t looking to stay for any longer than he needed to. He drives past a large open field, where twinkling lights from the only airport in the county lights up the sky.

A 747 lands on the tarmac just as another takes off. It's weird how slow it’s been, especially for the summer. The town Ethan delivers in is on the coast, and is the biggest in the area. While it’s a small town, the summer tends to inflate the area with tourists and rich people in their summer homes. That being said, Ethan doesn’t mind a slow day every once in a while. It gives them a breather from having to bust their asses every single night.

Ethan speeds up, accelerating until he sees red and blue lights flashing ahead of him. He brakes, not trying to get a ticket. As he drives by, he sees three police cruisers with their lights on parked in the driveway of a farmhouse. A group of them are walking towards the house with their hands on their guns, illuminated by the headlights of the police cruisers.

Huh, weird, Ethan thinks as he passes the farm, speeding up now that he’s safe from being pulled over. He’s never seen that many cops in one place around here. Usually it’s so slow they “call in backup” just to waste time, so having three cars indicates a serious crime. Oh well, not my problem, he thinks.

Ethan comes up on a curve, taking it fast. A little too fast, from the way that his old Ford Focus starts shaking, but that was quickly forgotten when, up ahead, he sees a woman walking along the side of the road.

Well, walking was a nice way to put it. She was stumbling, barely able to stay on her feet. As Ethan got closer, the headlights illuminated more of the her: she was filthy, wearing a pink shirt and running shorts with short dyed red hair. She walks into the path of his car, and before he could react, Ethan runs into her.

The woman’s head smacks against the hood with a loud ka-thunk! She rolls over top of the car and crashes onto the pavement hard. Ethan’s eyes widen with shock and he slams on the brakes, screeching to a halt. He sits in his car, panicking. What the fuck is wrong with her? Is she drunk, or high on something? Oh god, did he just kill her?

He looks in the rearview mirror and sees that she’s up again, walking towards his car. Well, she’s definitely on something, he thinks. That’s gotta be some crazy shit if she’s back up already. He throws his car into park and steps out, leaving the door open. Ethan flings his arms up and yells at the woman.

“HEY! What the fuck were you thinking?”

The woman just walks towards him.

“HELLO? Are you listening to me? What’s your problem?”

The woman continues walking towards him, his car’s tail lights illuminating her. A spattering of blood covers her chest and mouth. Her blood-covered teeth glow a dark red as she bares her teeth at Ethan. She also has what Ethan thinks is a large gash in the shape of a crescent on her neck, just above her shoulder. Her eyes are bulging, as though she’s either trying to contain herself, or she’s in horrible pain. The woman groans at Ethan.

“Oh shit,” he mutters, taking a step back. She’s way worse off from getting hit than he expected. He puts his hands up and says, “Are you okay? I... uhm-- I gotta get back to work, but I can drive you to the hospital or some shit. That looks really bad. Seriously, I ca--”

The woman lets out a scream. The kind of scream that’s full of phlegm and tears at her vocal chords; animal-like in its nature. As she screams, she pushes her chest up and arches her back, standing on her toes with her hands pulled close to her chest and a stream of spit and blood dripping from her mouth; it's like she was having a standing seizure. Finally, she stops, and, after a beat of silence, launches herself at Ethan, her bloody mouth flicking strings of red spit. He flinches, and tries to move out of the way, using his hands to redirect the charging woman. He’s too slow, and moves his hands a little too high as she connects with him, almost knocking him to the ground. His hands push at her face, trying to get the woman away from him, and she sinks her teeth into the webbing of his hand- just between his thumb and index finger. Ethan lets out a yelp, and immediately slams his fist into the side of her head. She breaks free from his hand and falls to the ground, bouncing her head off of the asphalt.

“WHAT THE FUCK LADY?” Ethan screeches, holding his bitten hand. “You bit me, you bitch!” One of her teeth got deep enough for blood to start oozing out of the gash. He runs back to his car and speeds off, covering the wound with an extra napkin he brought from the restaurant. He sees in his rearview mirror that the woman was back up and sprinting towards his car, but he didn’t care. He accelerated, trying to get back to his workplace as soon as he possibly could.

Ethan gets closer to town and stops at an intersection. His heart is beating hard enough he can feel it in his throat. He looks around. There’s nobody on the streets, and it looks like he lost that "crackhead" back there. Ethan pulls out his phone to call 911, holding his bleeding hand against his thigh to help staunch the bleeding. The call goes through, and Ethan’s greeted with a busy line.

“Ugh, fuckers. Of course.” Ethan mumbles under his breath. He steps on the gas, and beelines towards Eugene’s Pizza.

***

Pulling into the delivery driver’s parking lot of Eugene’s Pizza, a square brick building with two large windows in the front of the store, Ethan rushes to the backdoor of the building. The napkin is starting to bleed through, and he wants to get to the first aid kit as soon as possible. Walking around to the back door, he sees two of his co-workers sitting on metal folding chairs and sharing a joint. The first one, a tall, blonde man with shoulder-length hair named Andy, takes a couple of puffs and passes the joint to his friend; a shorter man with olive toned skin and a goatee named Cameron. Cameron has his phone out while he takes a few hits. He's telling Andy about a new gun he bought.

“Yeah man, she’s a real beauty,” he says, showing Andy a picture. “See that grip? I had that shit custom made. You gotta see it in real life though. And shooting it, man?” He does a chef’s kiss, and smiles.

“Daaaayum. Yeah, bro!” Andy says, taking another hit, and letting out a slight cough. “You free this weekend? I’d love to take that bad boy out to the range.”

“Hey, maybe! I only have a clip’s worth of bullets right now, but once I get some more... we’re gonna have some fun, baby!” Andy and Cameron both laugh, and give each other a fist bump.

Ethan pushes by them and throws the back door open, and some of the smoke starts to seep inside of the restaurant.

“Hey man, what the hell!” Cameron exclaims, “I don’t want the inside smelling like a skunk’s ass!” Ethan ignores him.

He walks past the kitchen, his manager for the night was running around cleaning up the toppings area while tending to the couple orders they still have. He’s about 45 years old, and is wider than he is tall. Greasy black hair shines from underneath his hat, and the smell of menthol cigarettes waft from him. A hand-tossed pizza reaches the end of the conveyor-belt on the pizza oven, and he cuts it into slices with a large, machete-looking pizza slicer. He looks up at Ethan as he walks by.

“Hey! Can you please get those two dipshits inside? I know it’s slow, but I’m tired of doin’ everythin’ back ‘ere.” He says with a gravelly voice.

“Yeah, yeah. Sure, man.” Ethan says, only really half listening as he finally makes it to the first-aid station-- or rather, a white metal box fastened to the wall. He starts pulling out gauze and antibiotic cream and setting it on a nearby metal table. His friend, another delivery driver named Hunter, is scraping the sides of Eugene’s Pizza’s deep dish pans.

“Damn, what the hell happened on that delivery?” He asks Ethan as he scrapes.

“Some fucking crackhead bit me.” Ethan spits, focusing on dressing his wound.

“What the fuck? Are you serious?” Hunter lets out a stifled laugh, “Hope she didn’t give you AIDs or something.”

“She didn’t give me AIDs.” Ethan chuckled, despite himself. “If she did, though, I’ll pass it on to you! I’ll bite you or some shit.”

“Yeeeah, whatever man.” Hunter laughs. “Like I’d let you bite me.”

Ethan shrugs and nods. Hunter’s easily half a foot taller than Ethan, and weighs a bit more than him too. If they were to get into a fight, Hunter would 100% destroy him. Johnny comes out of the kitchen and sees Ethan bandaging himself up.

“Holy shit, what happened to you?” Johnny asks, mouth open and eyes wide.

“Oh, you know, I got bi--”

“Some lady gave him AIDs.” Hunter said, cutting Ethan off. Jonny laughs.

“Yeah man, what he said. I think I have to go to the hospital. I might as well get checked out, right?” Ethan says, and Johnny comes up to get a closer look at the gash the woman’s tooth left behind.

“Meeh, it doesn’t look that bad,” Johnny says, ignoring the blood pooling out of Ethan’s hand. “An’ even if you do have AIDs, there’s nothin’ you can do about it now. I think you’re fine to finish closin’ up.” Ethan opens his mouth to say something, but Johnny turns and walks back toward the kitchen. Muttering under his breath about how maybe he’ll bite him instead, Ethan finishes wrapping up the bite and puts the first-aid supplies away. While he was focusing on treating his wound, he didn’t even realize that they were down a driver.

“Hey, where the hell’s Mason?” he asks.

“Yeah, some asshat called in a delivery while you were gone. He left before you got back.” Hunter replies, and Ethan groans. “At least it’s not busy, right? We should be out of here in no time.”

“Yeah,” Ethan says with a shrug. “Let’s hope so.”

He and Hunter start cleaning the back of Eugene’s Pizza. Hunter finishes scraping the pans and pours ladles full of corn oil into each of them. Once he’s done, Ethan douses the table with a foul smelling degreaser that makes him cough, wipes it up, and starts sweeping the floors. Andy and Cameron run to the back to grab some cleaning supplies and, much like Johnny, their eyes widen at the sight of Ethan’s bandage.

“Yooo, what the fuck happened to you man? Cameron says, chuckling with a relaxed smile on his face and squinted eyes.

“I got bit by someone on my last delivery.” Ethan says, showing them his bandaged hand and scratching at it. “According to Hunter, she gave me an STD or some shit.” Ethan digs his nails into his hand, turning the area around the bandage red.

“I dunno man, from the way you’re scratching at it it’s prolly a super STD or some shit.” They all laugh. “Seriously though, did you call the cops?”

Ethan cocks his head and squints at Andy, confused. “Whaddya mean?”

“Bro, some bitch bit you and you didn’t call the cops?”

“Well, right before that I saw a bunch of cops with their lights on outside of a farm, or something,” Ethan says, shrugging. “I kinda just figured they were after her. Besides, when I called them all I got was a busy line. I figured they had bigger issues to deal with or something.”

“Wait, you said the line was busy?” Hunter asked. “That’s fucking weird. You'd think they'd be able to answer. Noting ever happens here.”

“Man, between that shit in Singapore and Ethan getting bit, maybe people are just getting spooked,” Cameron scratches his goatee shrugs. “Maybe they think there’s a zombie outbreak or some shit.”

“I did get some freaky ass bible quote instead of a tip.” Ethan says in response. “I can totally fucking see that.” Everybody laughs and makes remarks about Ethan’s misfortunes of the night before dispersing and continuing to clean up the store. Hunter finishes the final dishes of the night, wiping out the walls of the dish sink. Andy and Cameron join Johnny out in the kitchen cleaning the counters and sweeping the floors. Ethan’s sweeping too, finishing up the back of Eugene’s Pizza.

As Ethan sweeps the floors, he scratches at his wound. For whatever reason, his hand is tingling. It’s almost like he was slowly getting his feeling back after his arm went numb. Pins and needles poke at every nerve in his hand, especially around the bite, making it unbearably itchy. No matter how much flexing or scratching he does, it doesn’t go away. If anything, it gets worse. He suddenly feels dizzy, and his stomach growls loudly.

“Damn, you hungry? I know I could go for something.” Hunter asks, looking up from the dishwashing sink. Ethan didn’t expect him to hear his stomach growling, and looked up with a start. He was pretty hungry.

“N-Nah, I think I just have to use the bathroom.” He says instead. He wants to look at his wound without hearing any more comments from the rest of the staff; plus the pins and needles are gradually moving up his arm.

“Alright man, have fun.” Hunter says, turning his attention back to the dishes.

Ethan quickly walks towards the back door, and Mason walks in-- A shorter man, with a skinny build and freckles. Short, ginger hair peeps out from underneath his Eugene’s Pizza hat. He starts to ask about Ethan’s delivery, but Ethan pushes past him as he rushes to the employee bathroom. The itch is getting worse. It's starting to burn.

Closing the bathroom door behind him, Ethan rips his bandage off and digs his nails into the back of his hand and forearm, searching for the sweet release from the horrible itching from his wound. He looks down at the bite mark. The skin around it is a bright red, with deep cuts from his nails covering the back of his hand and forearm. Blood oozes from the self-inflicted gashes, and Ethan stares at them as they flow like crimson rivers down his arm and onto the floor.

His stomach growls again.

God, he’s so hungry.

***

[[Hey guys! Thanks for reading this piece-- I wrote this in early 2023 while I was a delivery driver. Pizza-making is a theme in my works, since most of my career since going to college has involved making those delicious, greasy saucers. There was some contempt I had with some of my co-workers that might've slipped into the piece, but I think I still gave them plenty of time to shine both in this chapter AND those going forward.

[[Hope to see you guys in the next chapter!!]]

______________________________________________________________

Index | Next Chapter ->

[xtruss]

You Studied Computer Science But Big Tech No Longer Wants You. Now What?

Students at the Bay Area’s best universities once dreamed of working for Apple, Google and Meta. Then the lay-offs happened

— 1843 Magazine | May 15th, 2023 | By Charlie McCann

Armed with a stack of cvs still warm from the printer, Ayara (a pseudonym) plunged into the career fair. The room was already packed with job-seekers. The second-year student wasn’t expecting much. In past years, a computer-science student at the University of California, Berkeley, could hope to emerge from this campus ritual with an interesting summer internship, possibly at a “faang” company – the acronym for Facebook (now Meta), Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google. Ayara’s best friend had snagged an internship at Apple at a fair like this one.

But none of the faang firms was here this time. Neither were Spotify, Salesforce, Uber or Microsoft. In any case most of those companies and almost 50 others – “all the famous ones” – had already rejected her internship applications a few months earlier. And that was before the latest round of job lay-offs. There were 120,000 tech lay-offs in January and February alone; Alphabet, Google’s parent company, accounted for 10% of those lost jobs. (Meta would announce another 10,000 lay-offs shortly after the fair.) By the time the fair came round in March, Ayara had scaled back her ambitions. “Any company that will hire me is good, at this point,” she told me later.

By the time the fair came round, Ayara had drastically reduced her ambitions. “Any company that will hire me is good, at this point”

Ayara muscled her way to a crowded stall towards the back, where Juniper Networks was holding court. Founded in 1996 – long before most college students were born – Juniper is a workhorse of Silicon Valley: it makes a decent share of the hardware underpinning the internet, and software that controls that hardware. It has none of the “sparkle” (one of Ayara’s favourite words) of a faang company – its talent-acquisition manager told me that students often haven’t heard of it. Yet at this fair it had one irresistible selling point: it was still hiring interns.

Ayara caught the eye of a Juniper recruiter and they started talking. The fair was a bit like a cocktail party – the polite smiles, the hard sell – except without alcohol to quell people’s nerves. Some students were tapping their thighs or pinching the skin on their hands. Ayara put on a good show of appearing relaxed. As the recruiter scanned her résumé, she peppily described some of the highlights: interning at a subsidiary of Zipcar, a car-rental company; introducing emoji reactions within a messaging feature at PlayStation.

“Looks like you’ve worked for some big companies,” the recruiter said approvingly. “So why are you interested in Juniper? Do you know something about our company or just exploring?”

“I’m looking for a summer internship,” she said, gently dodging the question.

The recruiter, who wore a Berkeley alum badge on his t-shirt, nodded politely. He explained that a primary focus of the company is network security. “Are you interested in security?”

“Yeah,” she said tentatively, in the voice of somebody who had never considered pursuing a career as unglamorous – as unsparkly! – as security. After the fair, she submitted an application to Juniper. Weeks later, she had yet to receive a response.

It is not the ideal moment to enter the tech job market. For years the tech industry has paired huge profits with massive investments in expansion. Intoxicated by its own success during the pandemic, big tech binged on new recruits: Meta doubled its headcount over a short span. Now the good times are over. The tech giants have encountered stiffer competition (like TikTok) and tougher economic conditions, including manufacturing shortages and high interest rates. Pushed by investors to embrace unfamiliar concepts like “fiscal responsibility” and “long-term growth”, the industry has, over the past year and a half, shed some 300,000 workers, the most since the dot-com crash two decades ago. Amazon and Meta have rescinded job offers.

The effects are being felt in campuses all over the country. At Berkeley, would-be interns had formed a queue outside the career fair before its doors even opened. A few especially keen students wore suits and ties (a rare sight on campus where hoodies are de rigueur).

Even if they succeed in snagging an internship, their position is precarious. Some computer-science majors have had their internships cancelled; those with job offers have had their start dates pushed back, according to Sue Harbour, the executive director of the college career centre. They are the lucky ones. Several students told me that they had applied for jobs and internships at hundreds of companies with no offers to show for their efforts. When I introduced myself to a sophomore, who was majoring in electrical engineering and computer science, he asked, “Is The Economist hiring?” He was joking. Sort of.

More than 60 companies had set up stalls at the fair, ranging from government agencies and financial institutions to niche tech startups and, surprisingly, a spa. The biggest tech name there was sap, a European software giant. The absence of the most famous names in tech probably gave a boost to the less flashy suitors at the ball. “We get passed by a lot at this table,” a recruiter from a local public-transport agency told me; she managed to draw a smattering of enquirers. Firms that had suddenly become rock stars included Bank of America, and a startup making self-driving trucks. Students often haven’t heard of Juniper, said Benjamin Chen, a talent-acquisition manager whom I found setting up his stall, because “we work behind the scenes”. He’s often greeted by students who gamely open with, “Oh tell me about Jupiter,” Chen said, laughing.

Big tech binged on new recruits: Meta doubled their headcount over a short span. Now the good times are over

These companies have an appeal beyond simply being all that’s on offer. The quality that student job-seekers prize most in a company now is stability, according to a recent survey conducted by Handshake, a recruitment startup. Chen says he too has noticed a shift “towards a company that’s more stable and more predictable rather than something a little bit more, I guess, risky.”

This is a big adjustment in the culture of computer-science students at Berkeley. The large firms used to be imbued with an almost magical allure: no other companies were seen as worth working for. “The name is important because with the name comes recognition of your skills or your work,” Ayara told me. People say, “Oh, this person worked there.”

Some of this yearning comes from a sense of competitiveness and one-upmanship, driven by social media. Berkeley students had already gone through what one described as a “very stab-in-the-back” selection process to get on the computer-science course. Students who have secured jobs and internships crow about their success on LinkedIn, said Ayara.

The high salaries and gourmet food of the big tech firms were also part of the appeal. So are the sprawling campuses, which resemble “a playground”, said Vicky Li, a 21-year-old Berkeley graduate. Several students told me that big tech internships are far from demanding. Li has heard that interns at Google, for example, “get paid a ton” even though they work just two hours a day. (I asked Google about this and was told, “We do not accommodate part-time internships.”)

But students are now starting to wonder if they were seeing these big tech firms straight.

Li thinks she “romanticised” faang companies. She has started to see the perks they offered as gimmicks. Now she describes herself as “a little bit more anti-corporation”. She had realised she didn’t want to work in big tech before the lay-offs and is relieved she didn’t get sucked into it. She hopes to work as a product designer at a small company, ideally a startup, where she can get “solid experience rather than just chasing a bigger name”.

At the Juniper stall I met Arthur Kang, a Berkeley senior who had spurned offers from famous companies in favour of a job with a less glamorous firm this summer. Juniper offered him the opportunity to create something new rather than being a cog in the machine, he explained. His friends are puzzled by his decision, but he’s confident it was the right call. “Stability”, he told me, “includes not being fired right away.” ■

— Charlie McCann is a Features Writer for 1843 Magazine | Illustrations Klaus Kremmerz

[oneoffapparel]

Custom Apparel Printing: Bringing Your Vision to Life (One Off Apparel)

Custom apparel printing is a powerful way to showcase creativity, promote a brand, or celebrate special occasions. From personalized t-shirts to branded corporate wear, custom printing offers endless possibilities to design unique clothing that stands out. Whether you’re a business owner, event organizer, or simply looking for one-of-a-kind attire, Custom Apparel Printing can meet your needs with style and precision.

In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits, methods, and applications of custom apparel printing and provide tips for choosing the right service provider.

What is Custom Apparel Printing?

Custom apparel printing involves applying designs, logos, or graphics onto garments like t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and more. It allows individuals and businesses to create personalized clothing that reflects their identity or message.

Benefits of Custom Apparel Printing

Unique Designs

Custom printing enables you to create exclusive clothing that stands out from mass-produced items.

Brand Promotion

Printed apparel featuring logos and slogans serves as a mobile advertisement for businesses, increasing visibility and brand recognition.

Event Memorabilia

Custom clothing is a great way to commemorate special occasions such as weddings, reunions, or charity events.

Team Unity

Matching apparel fosters a sense of belonging and camaraderie among teams, whether for sports, schools, or corporate groups.

Gift Personalization

Personalized garments make thoughtful and memorable gifts for loved ones.

Popular Methods of Custom Apparel Printing

1. Screen Printing

How it Works: Ink is pressed through a stencil (screen) onto fabric.

Best For: Large orders due to its cost-effectiveness for bulk printing.

Advantages: Durable and vibrant prints.

2. Heat Transfer Printing

How it Works: Heat and pressure are used to transfer designs from vinyl or paper onto fabric.

Best For: Small orders or intricate designs.

Advantages: Highly detailed prints and quick production times.

3. Direct-to-Garment (DTG) Printing

How it Works: A specialized printer applies ink directly onto the fabric.

Best For: Small batches or highly detailed, multi-color designs.

Advantages: Soft, high-quality prints.

4. Embroidery

How it Works: Threads are stitched onto fabric to create a raised, textured design.

Best For: Logos, uniforms, and premium garments.

Advantages: Long-lasting and professional appearance.

5. Sublimation Printing

How it Works: Heat transfers dye directly into the fabric for an all-over design.

Best For: Polyester fabrics and all-over prints.

Advantages: Vibrant, full-color designs with no peeling or fading.

Applications of Custom Apparel Printing

Corporate Branding

Custom-printed polos, t-shirts, and jackets are excellent for promoting businesses at trade shows, conferences, and public events.

Sports Teams

Personalized jerseys and activewear help teams look professional and foster team spirit.

School and College Events

Custom apparel is perfect for representing school clubs, graduation events, or reunions.

Fashion Brands

Aspiring designers can bring their unique ideas to life and launch their own clothing lines.

Charity and Fundraising Events

Custom-printed apparel spreads awareness and raises funds for non-profit causes.

Personal Celebrations

Birthdays, bachelor parties, and family reunions are made memorable with matching custom shirts or hats.

How to Choose the Right Custom Apparel Printing Service

1. Define Your Needs

Determine the type of garment, design complexity, and quantity you need. This helps narrow down printing methods and providers.

2. Review Portfolio and Reviews

Look for a provider with a strong portfolio of past projects and positive customer feedback.

3. Check Quality Standards

Ask about fabric quality, printing durability, and attention to detail in design execution.

4. Compare Pricing

Get quotes from multiple providers to ensure competitive pricing without compromising on quality.

5. Understand Turnaround Time

Ensure the service provider can meet your deadlines, especially for events or large orders.

6. Ask About Customization Options

Choose a company that offers flexibility in design and garment choices to match your vision.

Trends in Custom Apparel Printing

Sustainability

Eco-friendly fabrics and water-based inks are gaining popularity among environmentally conscious customers.

Minimalist Designs

Simple and clean graphics are trending for their timeless appeal.

Retro Aesthetics

Vintage-inspired prints and typography are making a comeback.

All-Over Prints

Bold, full-coverage designs are popular for making a statement.

Interactive Designs

QR codes or augmented reality elements on apparel add a tech-savvy twist.

Conclusion

Custom apparel printing is an innovative way to express creativity, promote a brand, or celebrate milestones. With various printing methods and design possibilities, it offers unmatched versatility for personal and professional use.

By partnering with the right printing service, you can turn your vision into high-quality, stylish apparel that leaves a lasting impression. Start exploring custom apparel printing today and bring your unique designs to life!

[svgoceandesigns1]

Men's College World Series 2024 SVG, Tennessee Volunteers Baseball SVG PNG, Cricut File, Instant Download File, Cricut File Silhouette Art, Logo Design, Designs For Shirts. ♥ Welcome to SVG OCEAN DESIGNS Store! ♥ ► PLEASE NOTE: – Since this item is digital, no physical product will be sent to you. – Your files will be ready to download immediately after your purchase. Once payment has been completed, SVG Ocean Designs will send you an email letting you know your File is ready for Download. You may also check your Order/Purchase History on SVG Ocean Designs website and it should be available for download there as well. – Please make sure you have the right software required and knowledge to use this graphic before making your purchase. – Due to monitor differences and your printer settings, the actual colors of your printed product may vary slightly. – Due to the digital nature of this listing, there are “no refunds or exchanges”. – If you have a specific Design you would like made, just message me! I will be more than glad to create a Custom Oder for you. ► YOU RECEIVE: This listing includes a zip file with the following formats: – SVG File (check your software to confirm it is compatible with your machine): Includes wording in both white and black (SVG only). Other files are black wording. – PNG File: PNG High Resolution 300 dpi Clipart (transparent background – resize smaller and slightly larger without loss of quality). – DXF: high resolution, perfect for print and many more. – EPS: high resolution, perfect for print, Design and many more. ► USAGE: – Can be used with Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Cameo, Silhouette Studio, Adobe Illustrator, ...and any other software or machines that work with SVG/PNG files. Please make sDisney Father's Dayure your machine and software are compatible before purchasing. – You can edit, resize and change colors in any vector or cutting software like Inkscape, Adobe illustrator, Cricut design space, etc. SVG cut files are perfect for all your DIY projects or handmade businDisney Father's Dayess Product. You can use them for T-shirts, scrapbooks, wall vinyls, stickers, invitations cards, web and more!!! Perfect for T-shirts, iron-ons, mugs, printables, card making, scrapbooking, etc. ►TERMS OF USE: – NO refunds on digital products. Please contact me if you experience any problems with the purchase. – Watermark and wood background won’t be shown in the downloaded files. – Please DO NOT resell, distribute, share, copy, or reproduce my designs. – Customer service and satisfaction is our top priority. If you have any questions before placing orders, please contact with us via email "support@svgoceandesigns.com". – New products and latest trends =>> Click Here . Thank you so much for visiting our store! SVG OCEAN DESIGNS Read the full article

[dendrilart]

What's your personal art history?

That's a lot to unpack. lol I feel like talking about myself is boring to people so I'll include a TLDR at the bottom.

I was always very interested in art. I started creating characters in kindergarten and kept drawing and writing stories about them throughout grade school. I have a folder full of stories I wrote and illustrated, stapled together on notebook paper. The main characters were anthro reptiles and amphibians, living in a Florida community called Swampy Side. There was a whole cast of other animal characters. A gang of cats that bullied Lizzard and friends. (I know sp is wrong. I can't bear to change his name, lol) I was drawing them regularly until about 7th grade when I got hit with the Jhonen Vasquez influence. Started drawing monsters a lot more then.

Horror/spookiness was always an influence. I explored that more as I got older and nearly dropped the cartoons completely, but even in my old comics I gravitated to spooky themes. I think I was influenced by high school and early college education making me think I had to do fine art and not even considering illustration. I just painted and drew a lot of monsters. Explored styles - Stephen Gammell and Manglo Yukaman were big influences through that. Horror movies of course.

Eventually I came back around to doing more illustration and narrative work and started working on a webcomic called Estranged. I wanted to combine my interest of the paranormal and art. I burned through the first chapter and never really picked it up again for a long time. I have since started re-writing it. Like completely. Actually, I've re-written it several times. There's always a big enough gap between bouts of enthusiasm for it that I want to make significant changes.

I got a job doing t-shirt design and pre-press work for a local screen printer and did that for 8 years. I became the art dept. manager part way through and it eventually burned me out. I saved up and quit to pursue art and freelance full time. I've been selling various products and going to conventions here and there. Working on my portfolio and submitting to agencies sometimes.

TLDR; Drew cartoon animals as a kid. Got more interested in creepy art and comics as I got older. Painted monsters while confused about direction of my work. Then a "Real Job" as a screen print artist. Now I'm selling my own products and art and freelancing.

[fmp1nicomartin-hahn]

Failed Print for Transfer

The printer was on low ink, so I wasn’t able to get the desired result I wanted. So tomorrow (29/4/24), I’ll be printing on the second sheet of transfer paper at the college and then transferring the design to the t-shirt once I get home.

[stubbornfactory]

Mens Sweatshirts / Sweatshirts For Women

Find the perfect sweatshirt that matches your desired level of comfort and warmth.

Choose from various colors, sizes, and materials to create a sweatshirt that perfectly suits your preferences.

High-quality materials for comfort and style

Save valuable time by avoiding the hassle of searching for printing options

Suitable for businesses, event organizers, and promotional campaigns

Contact the sales team for inquiries and guidance

Easy care with machine washable fabric.

Price range may vary according to graphics , colour and fabrics.

Free delivery for one location.

[maximumcupcakereview]

They Only Hate Us Alabama Cause They Ain’t Us Shirt

As Rugby Union starts to gather a bit of They Only Hate Us Alabama Cause They Ain’t Us Shirt in the US, some professional players from the rest of the world are beginning to come into it. One of the highest profile signings so far is probably Ben Foden, who has 34 appearances for England to his name. Ben has signed for Rugby United New York for the 2019 season. If club rugby gains a foothold in the USA, it may start to see American Football players, particularly those who play for their college but aren’t drafted to the NFL switching sports, as there is no real opportunity to play to a high standard and be paid after college outside the NFL that I’m aware of.

Buy it now:         .They Only Hate Us Alabama Cause They Ain’t Us Shirt

Kids Don’t Like To Share Lagwagon shirt

talokan est 1571 shirt

25th anniversary 1998 2023 Diamond Backs thank you for the memories signatures shirt

Supernatural 6 Exclusive Friends shirt

Supernatural 6 Exclusive Friends shirt

Wtf Wine Turkey Family Fall Season Thanksgiving Christmas Shirt

Homepage: T-shirtsky.com Teeclover Molotee

Teejeep is your one-stop online shop for printed t-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, stickers, posters, mugs, and more…High quality original T-shirts. Digital printing in the USA.

Worldwide shipping. No Minimums. 1000s of Unique Designs. Worldwide shipping. Fast Delivery. 100% Quality Guarantee. to cover all your needs.

By contacting directly with suppliers, we are dedicated to provide you with the latest fashion with fair price.We redefine trends, design excellence and bring exceptional quality to satisfy the needs of every aspiring fashionista.

WHAT IS OUR MISSION?

Teeartprint is established with a clear vision: to provide the very latest products with compelling designs, exceptional value and superb customer service for everyone.

We offer a select choice of millions of Unique Designs for T-shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Posters and more to cover all your needs.

WHY SHOP WITH US?

Why do customers come to TeeJeep.com?

Well we think there are a few reasons:

BEST PRICING

Fashion field involves the best minds to carefully craft the design. The t-shirt industry is a very competitive field and involves many risks. The cost per t-shirt varies proportionally to the total quantity of t-shirts. We are manufacturing exceptional-quality t-shirts at a very competitive price.

PRINT QUALITY DIFFERENCE

We use only the best DTG printers available to produce the finest-quality images possible that won’t wash out of the shirts.

DELIVERY IS VERY FAST

Estimated shipping times:

United States : 1-5 business days

Canada : 3-7 business days

International : from 1-2 weeks depending on proximity to Detroit, MI.

CUSTOM AND PERSONALIZED ORDERS

Custom orders are always welcome. We can customize all of our designs to your needs! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

PAYMENT DO WE ACCEPT?

We currently accept the following forms of payment:

Credit Or Debit Cards: We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, Union Pay and Apple Pay from customers worldwide.

PayPal: PayPal allows members to have a personal account linked to any bank account or credit card for easy payment at checkout.

[reddirtroadpromotions]

Seen here getting a first class education in bovine husbandry by AG Professor at College of the Ozarks. While modern man learns video game show production or how to be a bit coin broker the ladies are taking up the real work needed.

During WW2 the farmers saved Britain from starvation not the Barista or T-shirt printer

[welllpthisishappening]

Hello okay one of the ouat blogs I follow mentioned liking your writing style and something about captain swan and I was like "ooh I should see if there's any captain swan fics here" and I read your bio and find out that you're a Jonas Brothers fan too???? /pos, very pos, I will never not be in my jo bros era

A not-so-short list of very real things I have done in my decade-plus of Jonas fandom:

• Stood in the pouring rain at a county fair for an abbreviated because the weather is dangerous set • Yelled at Big Rob in the post-dangerous set meet & greet because he tried to get me to move while my sister was still in line • Made TEAM JONAS t-shirts for the Burning Up tour with my friends with colors on each shirt that matched the Disney Games team our favorite Jonas was on that summer • Refused to leave a New Hampshire hotel room ON VACATION because the Paranoid video was going to premiere and I had to see it • Stood for five hours in Rockefeller Center because the Jonas Brothers were going to sing TWO songs at the tree lighting • Made shirts for that, too • Overall, ruined several perfectly fine shirts by drawing professions of my Jonas love on them • Waited outside of MTV overnight in DECEMBER for tickets to It's On With Alexa Chung when Nick Jonas was going to be a guest • Bought the Nick Jonas and the Administration album at midnight • Downloaded a Livewire version of Stay that included a cringe-worthy 45 seconds of Nick Jonas whine-falsetto at the end • Joined the Team Jonas fan club to get pre-sale tickets to the World Tour • Never got my Team Jonas membership gift • Ran around the Seventeen Magazine offices when the pre-sale started to get last row tickets to the World Tour • Slightly regretted my membership to Team Jonas • Saw the 3-D Concert Experience at the Regal in Times Square because that seemed like the most likely spot for the Jonas Brothers to show up at a screening • They didn't show up • Learned the Honor Roll, which is not directly Jonas-related, but felt like it was required to be a Jonas fan in 2009 • Used the fancy color printers at Sports Illustrated to print Just Jared photos of Joe Jonas coming out of the gym when he got that Joehawk haircut • Flew to Texas to see the Jonas Brothers on Spring Break • Ran through downtown Houston to meet the Jonas Brothers • Refused to stand at the end of the photo line because if I was going to fly to Texas, I was going to stand next to Joe in the picture • Snuck into better seats at the Houston Rodeo • If I'm ever on a revival of Drunk History, my subject will be Disney Channel star drama from 2007-2010 and at least 27% of it will be focused on Joe and Demi • Another 12% will be devoted to Nick-Miley-Selena • Experienced genuine terror at the Rolling Stone article announcing the reunion because I thought they'd found a picture of my college dorm • Breathed easier once my husband reminded me, "there's too much Nick on that wall, there'd be more Joe on yours" • Cried at the Chasing Happiness documentary • Sat second-row with my husband and a bunch of other 30-somethings at the latest Jonas reunion tour

[sirthisisa-wendys]

Promotion: Nanami Kento x Fem!Reader

synopsis: You don't ever make it to the convention. At all.

wc: 2.4k

tw: NSFW

masterlist

"Hey, y/n, are you coming out to lunch with us?" You turn your chair around to face your co-workers, all of them gathering their things to leave for the day. A half-day, right.

You'd completely forgotten about the half-day your boss offered as a reward for meeting every single editing deadline for a month straight. And now you were knee-deep in a manuscript, your mind completely focused on the task on the computer in front of you.

"I think I'll stay here and work on this for a little while. You all enjoy yourselves!" Your co-workers wave goodbye, chattering about their weekend plans as you turn back around, shifting the feedback sheet from your desk and onto the printer.

You dive back into your work - frowning as you come across a massive plot hole - the door to your boss's office flies open. You jump a little, startled by the sudden movement, and watch Nanami Kento adjust his clear frames before sliding them back on his handsome face.

"Y/n, could I speak to you for a moment? I'm sorry to interrupt your workflow, but this is urgent," he begins, and you stand from your desk, saving the work you've done before walking into his office. As you take a seat in the only other chair in the room, you cross your legs at the ankle, waiting for Nanami to take his place at his desk.

"Did you not want to take the half-day?" The blonde man wonders, sitting in his chair and unbuttoning his jacket.

"No, I really want to get as much work done as possible before the weekend."

"Big plans?" His brow lifts, and you inhale sharply, wondering what he's implying.

"No," you admit, looking down at your fingers and feeling your cheeks heat up. "I like to rest on my days off, is all."

"I won't keep you long, then. One of our managing editors - Hisoka - is leaving at the end of next week. You've been working very hard on making sure manuscripts are done right, clients are satisfied, and book deals go smoothly that I was wondering if you'd be willing to accept her position and her spot at the conference next week." A promotion? And a spot a the Editor's Conference?

"Sir, I'm flattered by your consideration--"

"Then it's done. I'll send over the paperwork on Monday morning, and I'll make sure you're settled in your new position by Friday." Nanami begins typing at his computer, and you stare at him, open-mouthed. "What's wrong?"

"I mean, this is all so sudden, I..." you trail off as Nanami frowns at you, his confusion evident. "Thank you, sir."

"You're the most qualified for the position, so I think you'll do just fine." He smiles as you stand to leave, giving him a slight bow.

"I'll do my best."

_____________________________________________________________

You shift nervously as the taxi takes both you and your boss from the train station to your hotel, where you hope the assistant booked you a decent room so you can get some rest before the big day tomorrow. Nanami is checking his phone, reading through emails before the taxi stops, letting you both out on the sidewalk in front of the ritzy hotel in the moonlight.

"I'll check-in for both of us," Nanami murmurs, and you go to sit in the lobby area while he speaks with the receptionist. Before long, you can hear a slight disagreement break out, and you turn your head to watch your boss approach you slowly, head bowed a little.

"What's wrong?" you wonder, clutching your bag close.

"Takada booked us only one room instead of two. I think she might have gotten the idea that since Hisoka left, that I would just be going."

"Well," you begin, standing. "Surely we can get another room."

"There isn't any room," he mutters, rubbing his eyes. "All of the hotels in the area are booked." You deflate, wondering what to do next. Nanami watches you carefully, picking up his briefcase before you reply,

"Well, I guess we have no choice, then."

He escorts you up to the elevator and swipes his keycard, pressing the highest floor before clearing his throat. You feel sweat pooling under your arms as you think about possibly sharing a bed with your boss. Yes, he's handsome as hell. But... sleeping in the same bed as a co-worker is... wrong. Right?

When the door to the suite opens, you look around at the lavish furnishings and beautiful view it affords you.

"I'll take the couch," Nanami announces, sighing as he drops his luggage beside the less than appealing couch.

"It looks uncomfortable," you state, and he takes off his glasses.

"I'm not going to assume you're comfortable with me sharing a bed with you, so I'm offering it to you by default."

"I'm sure we can both fit," you offer, and he glances up at you curiously. "Don't worry, it'll be fine." Nanami thinks for a moment, then moves his things into the bedroom, placing them on the other side of the king-sized bed. "And I promise I won't tell anyone," you tease, but he just gives you a blank look that makes you look away, cringing internally. Cool it with the jokes, you tell yourself.

As Nanami takes a shower, you pull out the various items you have to sleep in, groaning at your selection. There were only short, frilly things, instead of what you normally brought - baggy t-shirts and sweatpants. Why did you choose to bring these of all things?

Grumbling, you walk over to the mini-fridge and pull out a small bottle of Moët, tossing it back for courage. You feel the champagne hit your system moments later- and you wonder how you made it through college at this point.

The sound of the shower shutting off makes you squeak, and you throw on the silk slip before climbing into bed and facing away from the bathroom door. When Nanami emerges, you hear him shift around before climbing under the sheets, and muttering,

"Good night, y/n."

"Good night, sir."

_____________________________________________________________

Your arm is on someone's chest when you awake. You moan, lifting your head and coming face to face with your boss - who is already awake.

"Oh!" you shift off of Nanami, heart beating wildly. "I am so sorry, sir, I--"

"No, it's fine," Nanami chuckles. "It's not every morning that I wake up with a beautiful woman in my bed. Or have her talk about me in her sleep."

"Huh?" you stop, feeling your stomach drop.

"You said some... interesting things about me while you were asleep. If I had known you were a sleeptalker, I would have--"

"What did I say?" you whisper, frightened.

"Oh, nothing," Nanami chuckles, getting out of the bed and stretching. "Just something about how you found me good-looking and how you wanted to--"

You look away from him, rubbing your face in embarrassment. "I am so, so sorry, Mr. Nanami, it must have been the Moët I had before bed."

"Oh, I'm not upset. I just wish you would've said something sooner, y/n." You turn back to him, your eyes widening. "I find you attractive, too. But I had to be sure you weren't just dreaming before I said anything to you." He climbs back onto the bed, touching your face with a tender hand.

You instinctively lean into his palm, and he tilts your chin up, leaning forward. His lips ghost over yours before pressing against your cheek, and you moan. "Is this okay?" Nanami wonders, and you nod, feeling goosebumps run across your skin.

"Yes," you reply, and he leans forward again. This time, he kisses you gently, hands drifting from your face to your hips, where they play with the edges of your slip.

"Do you know how hard it was to sleep with you next to me?" he breathes, kissing down your neck. "Your beautiful hands fluttering from my face to my chest..." He cups your breasts over your slip and thumbs your nipples repeatedly, making you shudder.

"Nanami..." you exhale, and he removes one of the spaghetti straps of your slip slowly. "Sir, I--" He stops, replacing your strap quickly.

"I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to do this," The blonde man shakes his head, closing his eyes. Your breath hitches, but he doesn't move away from you, still. "I shouldn't--"

"Please," you interrupt him, grabbing his wrist. "Please." At your appeals, his lips crash into yours again and you tangle your fingers into his hair.

"Tell me when you want to stop," he urges you, hands running up your slip and gripping your bare thighs. But you allow him to lay you across the bed, tongues tangling as he undresses you with care.

"I need you," you breathe, and Nanami hums in response.

"We'll be late to the conference," he notes, but you shake your head. "We might not even make it the first day." But he makes no move to stop, again, rolling your nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. "You alright with that?" The only thing you can do is moan as your body writhes underneath his grip, his hands orchestrating the symphonic melodies coming from your throat.

Nanami blinks slowly, leaning down to capture one of the buds between his lips. He sucks and pulls with precision, and your mind goes blank, not even registering that the color of the ceiling. All you know are the sensations you're feeling right now.

"How do you feel?" Nanami wonders, a hand sliding down to your core. As his fingers slide between your folds, you whisper,

"It feels good." He presses a finger into you before adding another, hovering above you as he strokes your g-spot.

"You're so beautiful," Nanami moans, eyes roaming over your exposed body as he drives you to madness, adding his thumb on your clit. You want to let go, you want to cum, but the fear of your boss seeing you in this way is just-- "It's okay," Nanami whispers, pressing his lips to your ear. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Oh my god," you shudder, his fingers being coated with your slick and cum liberally. Nanami croons at the way your hips jerk into his palm while you squirt all over his hand. You pant heavily once it's over, and he removes his shirt, revealing a body you've only dreamed about. His muscles are just as defined as you thought, and as he removes his pants dutifully, you watch his thick cock spring free.

"Can I?" he wonders, pumping his cock with his slick covered hand. You spread your legs a little more, inviting him to fuck you just like you've wanted for so long.

All those days he walked by your desk with his sleeves pushed up around his arms... all those times he stopped to speak with you about your day... and all those times you watched him give a presentation, imaging his lips rolling across your skin during the meetings... You would faint if you knew just how close you could get to him in one morning.

As Nanami sinks into you, you exhale deeply, and he grips your leg, leaning down and pressing himself onto you carefully. Your arm winds around his back and he stares at you as he pumps into you, his warm breath caressing your face. "Is that good?"

"So good," you whine, curling your nails into his skin. "Nanami, I--"

"Kento," the man whispers against your skin. "Please, call me Kento."

"Kento," you instantly moan, and he presses a kiss to your throat, picking up his speed. His free hand snakes behind your back, lifting you up a little as he fucks you. His breathing becomes ragged as his cock strokes your insides, pulling sounds out of you that you never considered being in your lexicon.

The smacking sounds and wetness between your thighs are enough to bring you to the edge, but Nanami slows his strokes, making them long and deep. Your orgasm abates, but you don't mind. Being beholden to Nanami is heaven.

"I'm going to make you feel some things," he warns, and you open your mouth to reply, but he continues. "You might not like being edged, but I want you to feel this next orgasm in your soul." Edged? He picks up his speed once more, knocking the thought right out of your head as you're jostled back and forth on the sheets. You can't really think rationally, anyways. Why bother?

"Mmmm," you grunt, face scrunching together as you feel another orgasm building again. And you think maybe he'll let you cum, but he slows down again, sweat dripping from his face onto your chest. "Kento, I can't take it!" you pant, but your boss nods.

"Just one more, y/n." You oblige, toes curling painfully as he quickens his thrusts and pulls you up and leans back, pumping into you from below. The sensation is remarkably different, you note, and his dick curves into you perfectly as he continues thrusting. You gasp, fingers curling into his shoulders as you feel the same orgasm building. "Ken--"

He slows down again, and you cry out, thighs quivering with the need for release. "Hold on to me," Nanami breathes, smoothing his hands down your arms and taking your fingers in his. "I'm going to let you cum this time." You tuck your face in between the crook of his neck and shoulder, moaning obscenely as he fucks you back to the brink of insanity. But this time, when your thighs clench and your hips stiffen, he keeps going, squeezing your hands carefully.

"Kento, oh my fucking god," you shout, losing yourself in the intensity of the orgasm. You might have blacked out if it wasn't for Nanami holding you against him and his hips stuttering violently as he came inside of you.

"That's it," your boss moans loudly. "That's my girl..." You're so overwhelmed that you don't register where he stops and where you begin. Everything is hazy, and you wonder if this is what it's like to be fuck drunk. You feel something being pulled over you and the way Kento holds you close, whispering sweet nothings to you as you try to keep awake, but your whole body surrenders to the finality of the moment, to the peace, and you fall asleep in his arms.

[kittycat-kisses]

My Treasure

Male naga x female reader:

You were walking down the street one gloomy rainy day after work. All day went rather poorly, so the weather really matched your mood. Your alarm either didn’t go off or you slept through it (you really don’t know which), and when you finally got to work you realized you had forgotten to grab any sort of caffeine, then when you got into the office you were called into your bosses office and was yelled at about jamming the printer last night when you weren’t even in the office yesterday. As well as when you finally got to your desk you find not only did someone pour coffee all over your desk and not bother to tell anyone, but the project papers that were supposed to have from your team were not even close to being done. So you were called into the bosses office again, and yelled at again for being incompetent.Then to top it all off, when you tried to start your car to finally go home, the damn thing won’t start. Grabbing your umbrella and trying to take deep calming breaths you start walking down the street towards home. With your head down you failed to see the car speeding directly towards the large puddle forming next to you. Ice cold water dumps on you yanking you directly out of your self pity party just to shove you right back into it when you start shivering. Sobbing at this point you keep walking. “Hey lady! Wait!” Came a voice behind you. Turning around you see a large naga slithering towards you. His bright green and yellowish scales standing out. He stops in front of you and rubs the back of his head awkwardly. “Um I just saw what happened and um you c-can come in a-and warm up.” He says quietly and shyly. You hiccup trying to stop your sobs long enough to answer but soon realize that they don’t want to seem to stop so nod gratefully. He smiled shyly and leads you into a small library you hadn’t ever noticed. “I’ll be right back.” He says and slithers into the back room coming back a few minutes later with a towel, blanket, and what looks like a shirt and shorts, odd for a naga to have shorts, you think. He notices you stare at the shorts and his cheeks turn a bright yellow, something you found adorable. “I grabbed a pair of my roommates shorts and one of my t-shirts. I hope you don’t mind, I just figured you’d want to change.” He says awkwardly. You found it adorable. “Thank you so much…….” “Apophis, my name is Apophis. What is your name?” You tell him your name and he repeats it sweetly, like water on a hot day. “The bathroom is right over there by the way.” Pointing to the corner of the store. Getting changed you can’t help but be enchanted by the Beautiful green tree python (you know this because your a bit fascinated with snakes) that is named Apophis. That rainy horrible day turned into a sweeter in a few minutes. You spent the night talking to each other and getting to know the other while Apophis progressively got more bold until you were laughing at his story about the time he put a spider in his roommates bed and he saw it, and ran out of the house entirely naked leaving his date to fend for there self. You laughed so hard when he showed you the video you fell off your chair. You guys traded numbers and the rest was history. You both became the best of friends. Always doing mischievous things, and pulling pranks on the people around you. One day after 5 years of being the best of friends, 4 of which years you spent crushing heavily on him with, he came up to with a nervous face. “Hey Kit (which is your nickname from him) I want you to meet someone.” He stepped aside and there was a woman about the same age as you stand with him. “This is Ana. My girlfriend.” In the 5 years you both have been friends he nor you have dated anyone, both making the excuse that work was just to taxing to be able to have a healthy relationship, but in reality it was you only wanting to be with Apophis. So when he said girlfriend your heart plummeted, but you quickly wiped it from your face and stuck out your hand with the realest smile you could muster. All you could think was she was so much prettier then you.

After that encounter 2 weeks later of constant date nights and hugs (between the two of them), not to mention the peck on the lips, you learned how to fake your smile to perfection and nobody could tell the difference. At least that’s what you thought, until one day planting in the garden with Apophis he turned to you suddenly. “What’s wrong?” Startled out of your thoughts on wether to put carrots or celery here you looked up confused. “Huh?” Tilting your head in confusion. “Why are you always so sad when I bring Ana around? I thought you would be happy for me.” Realization washed over you and a flinch at the name of the person who got the one you wanted before you could work up the courage. Covering up the flinch with picking up the seeds for the celery you sigh. “I am happy I swear.” You start. “Why do I feel like a but is coming?” He said after you paused. Taking a deep breath you gathered up all your courage. “But I’m upset because she gets to have the one thing I’ve wanted for years……..you.” Then you got up and ran into your house and locked the door not having the courage to open it up after he slithered after you. You started to ignore him and trying to stay out of his way of happiness because you were convinced there is no way he likes me back. After 2 months of being ignored he had had enough, he came to your work right when you were leaving wrapped you up in some of his long coils and slithered off to his house completely ignoring you. When he unlocked the door and went in he put you down on the couch. You try to get up to storm out of the house to make a point but he grabbed a blanket and wrapped you up into a burrito. “Finally! For fucks sake kit will you finally listen to me!” Having never heard him curse you immediately stop struggling to shocked. “Now let me get you up to speed about that day. When you said she had the thing I want the most me, we’re you 100% being honest?” He said giving you a glare when all you do is nod. “Words sweetheart I need words.” He said with amusement with a hint of frustration. “Yes I was honest.” “Good because this next part is going to make you feel a whole lot better. Ana was never actually my girlfriend. She was an old college buddy that got sick of me talking about the beautiful girl that is my best friend. So she came up with a plan to make you jealous enough to admit it because I was to scared to say anything.” Looking shocked as can be realization washed over you with two new discoveries, the naga you have been crushing on for the better part of 4 years likes you back, also the girlfriend was fake. “To which I’ve been trying to tell you for the better part of two damn months trying to get you to just stop for a second and let me finish.” Feeling more then a little dumb you asked him to let you out of the blanket and you spent the night talking about how dumb you both felt about not seeing it way before. The next day you went on your first date, and the romance blossomed from there.

Thank you guys for reading this far! This has to be my longest post yet and I’m immensely proud lol. Anyway I will see y’all later byes!