#except for brush for sketching but yeah...

[kopifuran]

ur francis is SO attractive everytime i see him im blushing and kicking my feet like a lovestruck teenager. you draw him so well!!

((Hkgacdjkbdcakjbdac hey anon im glad you found the embodiment of all my self indulgent anc delusion attractive))

[scarletdreamers]

Throwback to when I decided to do something different with my style and did some old (VERY MESSY) character studies last year

[atanxdoesstuff]

nejisasu doodle! a universe where the hyuuga's slavery bs doesn't get ignored and Neji and Sasuke are better off for it (and also they're married)

[morickkk]

Huh...

This is base on like ifk my old desert duo au i made that dissapeared bc it was in my old phone's notes app Lmao but yeah

Basically just school au

This eas technically the sketch, i didnt have wifi when i did this so i had to use brushes that didnt need the uhm ad thing, except lineart there i did it with wifi but when iwas planning to put the actual line art wifi died so i jsut coloured it with a watercolour brush

[genericpuff]

oh boy it's that time again

when rachel posts 'video progress' of her work and we proceed to dissect it like a frog in 9th grade science class

like ok first the caption of "is persephone the chicken and hades the egg" makes no fucking sense except to anyone who overthinks it and goes "wait is that a reference to the popularly-perpetuated version of the myth where persephone went down to the underworld willingly and hades didn't actually exist???" because if it is ima scream lmao

but MORE IMPORTANTLY-

Here's the transcript of what she's saying in the video:

"I think I've always wanted to write Hades' and Persephone's story because obviously I really like them. It's like very much a chicken and egg situation because I think in the beginning I thought that I was going to use a very abstract black and white style, and I realized it wasn't very enticing or fun for me, um... and I started drawing these very like vibrant characters and as I drew them I understood more about the story the more that I explored the art style, um and I guess an example of that is, y'know, Persephone is like a very bright color um, and the Underworld, is a very dark dark blue, and so when she says she really sticks out so it's just environmental uh processes like that that really helped inspire the direction of the story."

(despite her expanding on the "chicken and the egg" bit it still doesn't make sense imo lmao)

But what we're seeing isn't S1 LO, it's actually from S3 of LO:

But um... you notice anything interesting about the screenshot I just showed you?

That literally looks NOTHING like what we see in the final panel. At the VERY least I think this goes to show how overcooked it becomes in post-production, when they add the canvas layer and hypersaturate the shit out of the colors, but even the blending technique just isn't matching up?

A lot of what she's doing in this video also feels very... non-existent, like she's brushing her pen around but very little is happening so it feels more like her just putting down random brush strokes to try and make it seem put-together but really she's just kind of pushing colors around and/or doing nothing. Especially when, again, what she's painting here looks nothing like the final picture (so at best it's a lot of wasted work??)

And knowing what we know about the assistants drawing the characters separately so that Rachel can rearrange them in the final episode layout... I don't wanna call foul play here, but this feels like yet another attempt on Rachel's behalf to make her process seem more involved than it is by simply redrawing a scene for the performative aspect of it all. It's like the "sketches" in the books looking way too 'clean' for the final product and giving the impression that she just sketched over the final panels to make them look pretty enough for print.

I also wanna mention that for some reason she's drawing this on her iPad when she owns a Cintiq. It could be because she was drawing this while abroad in the US for her conventions last fall, but despite clearly being ahead of schedule, she still wound up drawing the final episode the night of-

Oh yeah and btw there are like a million clipping layers for what looks like just a simple drawing of Demeter. And this lines up with our previous theories about her using like 128549021809 layers for literally one character.

And aside from all that her commentary, as always, is very nothingburger, just a bunch of word salad. Like she's literally trying to explain LO's color theory as "well Persephone is bright pink and the Underworld is dark blue so she sticks out! That's all you need to know!"

IDK, I'm not coming to any sort of ironclad conclusion based off this one video, but it does feel like yet another desperate attempt to prove that she does work on LO and doesn't just leave it all to her assistants to do at the last minute. But like... she's kind of screwed in that argument either way, because even if she draws the majority of panels in LO, that just further proves the argument that she's stopped trying.

[prettymfwrites]

Ink & Flannels Pt. 2

»»————> <————««

Here’s part two of Ink and Flannels, with Ellie finally taking Y/N on a date.

Ellie x female reader

Lots of fluff👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

---

Ellie pulled up to Y/N’s apartment, the familiar growl of her old pickup truck echoing in the quiet night. She hopped out, adjusting the sleeves of her flannel as she leaned against the truck, trying to appear casual. She glanced at her reflection in the window, brushing her fingers through her hair. This wasn’t her first date, but something about Y/N made her heart race in a way she couldn’t quite explain.

Y/N stepped out of her building, her coat slung over one arm and a soft smile lighting up her face. Ellie straightened immediately, pushing off the truck.

“Hey,” Ellie greeted, her voice just shy of nervous. “You look…really nice.”

Y/N gave her a quick once-over, noting Ellie’s flannel and the way her fingers twitched slightly at her sides. “You clean up well, Ellie.” She smirked, adding, “Though the flannel is very on-brand.”

Ellie chuckled, opening the passenger door for her. “Hop in. I’ve got a whole night planned. You ready?”

“As long as you don't murder me,” Y/N teased, sliding into the seat.

---

The drive to the theater was filled with easy conversation. Ellie was quick to crack jokes, and Y/N found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. Ellie’s charm wasn’t overbearing—it was comfortable, like slipping into your favorite sweatshirt on a cold day.

By the time they reached the drive-in, Y/N felt like she’d known Ellie forever. Ellie handed her a bag of popcorn she’d picked up on the way, along with a drink.

“Gotta keep it authentic,” Ellie said as she pulled the truck into a spot near the middle.

The screen flickered to life, and a classic black-and-white movie started to play. Y/N raised an eyebrow.

“A classic, huh?”

Ellie smirked, resting her arm along the back of Y/N’s seat. “Figured you might have a thing for old-school romance. Am I wrong?”

Y/N leaned closer, her eyes narrowing playfully. “Maybe. Or maybe you just wanted an excuse to sit close.”

Ellie grinned. “Guilty as charged.”

As the movie played, the two settled into an easy rhythm. Ellie’s arm stayed draped behind Y/N, and at one point, Y/N leaned into her, resting her head on Ellie’s shoulder. They exchanged teasing whispers during the slower parts of the movie, their voices barely above a murmur.

“Do you actually know what’s going on in this film?” Y/N asked, her lips quirking.

“Absolutely not,” Ellie admitted. “But it’s a vibe, right?”

Y/N laughed softly, her breath warm against Ellie’s neck.

---

After the movie ended, Ellie started the truck but didn’t immediately head toward Y/N’s place.

“You’re being suspicious,” Y/N said, crossing her arms but smiling.

Ellie glanced at her, that mischievous spark in her eyes. “You trust me?”

“Should I?”

“Guess you’ll find out.”

Ellie pulled up to her tattoo studio, the lights inside dimmed except for a faint glow in the back. Y/N followed her in, curiosity piqued.

“Ellie, if you brought me here to convince me to get a tattoo…”

Ellie laughed, leading her toward a door at the back. “Not tonight. This is something different.”

She pushed open the door to reveal a room filled with art. Paintings, sketches, and unfinished works covered the walls and tables. The space was chaotic but alive, a perfect reflection of Ellie herself.

Y/N’s eyes widened as she stepped inside, taking it all in. “Ellie…this is incredible.”

Ellie scratched the back of her neck, her ears tinged pink. “Yeah, uh, I paint. When I’m not tattooing, anyway.” She gestured toward a wall with several portraits. “That’s Jesse and Dina. They’re my best friends. And that one—” she pointed to a swirling abstract piece “—is how I felt after eating too much spicy ramen.”

Y/N laughed, walking slowly through the room, her fingers brushing the edges of the frames. “You’re insanely talented. Why don’t you show these off?”

Ellie shrugged. “I dunno. Feels personal, I guess. But…there’s one I wanted to show you.”

She pulled a small canvas from a shelf, holding it out with both hands. Y/N took it carefully, her breath catching. It was a stunning painting of her, every detail lovingly captured. On her shoulder perched a delicate songbird, its feathers vibrant against the soft tones of the background.

“Ellie…” Y/N’s voice wavered, her eyes glassy.

“I started it the day you walked into the shop,” Ellie admitted, her voice quiet. “You said something about wanting a tattoo with meaning, then you spoke about your mom and it kinda…stuck with me.”

Y/N laughed through her tears, shaking her head. “Do you do this for all the girls you ask out?”

Ellie smirked. “How do you think I pull ’em?”

Y/N set the painting down carefully, turning to Ellie with a playful glare. “You’re ridiculous.”

“But it worked, didn’t it?”

Y/N stepped closer, looping her arms around Ellie’s neck. “It did.”

Ellie’s hands rested lightly on Y/N’s waist. “So, uh…how do I get a proper thank you?”

Y/N leaned in, her lips brushing Ellie’s ear as she whispered, “Thank you.”

Ellie shivered, pulling back just enough to look into Y/N’s eyes. “Not good enough.”

Y/N smiled, closing the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss that was slow but deep, the kind that made the world fade away. Ellie’s hands tightened on Y/N’s waist, pulling her closer as the kiss grew more heated.

Before Y/N knew it, Ellie had lifted her onto the art table, brushes and sketches pushed aside. Y/N tugged Ellie closer by the collar of her flannel, their kisses growing more fervent.

“Ellie,” Y/N murmured against her lips, a teasing lilt in her voice.

“Mm?” Ellie responded, her lips trailing to Y/N’s jawline.

“You’re gonna have to clear your table more often.”

Ellie laughed, her breath warm against Y/N’s skin. “Guess I’ll need a muse to inspire me.”

Y/N grinned, pulling Ellie back into a kiss. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re perfect.”

---

Baby Dina says thank you for reading! 😛

[sebarial-the-economist]

Lines from the Words of Radiance chasm sequence that made me think I was reading a bodice ripper romance ahem different genre:

They range in intensity from "yeah that belongs in a romance" to "out of context that sentence would not be safe for work" to "I cannot believe Sanderson wrote that"

She looked disheveled, her blue dress scuffed and her hair a mess

He stared into her eyes. So intense. She felt a shiver meeting that expression. This was a man of passion.

She stumbled toward him in the darkness

She turned back to him, then looked down. Inadvertently, he’d grabbed her by the safehand. He let go immediately.

I doubt you’d look good in the traditional short trousers and open vest. Or, rather, you’d probably look too good. It might be a little distracting for the other bridgemen.

“Storms,” Kaladin said. “You’re not drawing a picture of you wearing one of those outfits . . .”

“Yes, of course,” she said. “I’m drawing salacious pictures of myself for you after only a few hours together in the chasm.” She scratched at a line. “You have quite the imagination, bridgeboy.”

She sat up and stretched sore limbs, checking to make sure her sleeve hadn’t come unbuttoned in the night or anything equally embarrassing.

She blushed deeply.

There was a sort of rugged handsomeness to the fellow. Like the beauty of a natural rock formation

But Kaladin’s intensity, that frightened her.

This bridgeman was proving himself different. The way he watched her, the way he thought.

Perhaps she should spend as much time wondering about this man’s motives as he apparently fretted about hers.

Why did he lose control when talking with her?

She sat back on her knees, holding up her sketch. She brushed aside an unruly lock of red hair.

Well, onward, then.” She took a deep breath. “Through soreness and exhaustion we go. You wouldn’t be willing to carry me a little ways . . .” He glared at her. She shrugged with a smile. “Think how grand it would be! I could even get a reed to whip you with.

"when we get out, everyone will cheer me for being a hero for rescuing you.” “Better,” Shallan said. “Except for the fact that I do believe that I am the one rescuing you.”

Shallan smiled, and they continued on, keeping a brisk pace. “I am glad we’re down here,” she said, “because by now, Adolin will be worried sick about me—so when we get back, he’ll be ecstatic. He might even let me kiss him in public.” Adolin. Right. That dampened his mood.

He whipped Shallan in front of him and thrust her into a fissure in the wall.

The chasm fell silent. Kaladin could hear only Shallan’s panting and his own heartbeat.

Slowly, Kaladin twisted about, putting his back to Shallan. She held him from behind, and he could feel her tremble. Stormfather. He trembled himself.

He was suddenly aware of her pressed against his back. Holding him, breath warm on his neck. She trembled, and he thought he could hear in her voice both terror and fascination at their situation.

He clung to Shallan, but their wet hands started to slip.

Kaladin pulled against the wall of the alcove, his injured leg smarting like nothing else, Shallan clinging to him. She was a warmth in his arms, and he held to her as much as she did him

He continued on, talking of his days as a slave, of his attempts to escape. Of the men he’d gotten killed for trusting him. It gushed from him, a story he’d never told.

When he finished, they both let the silence settle on them, and shared warmth. (This makes it on the list for what it sounds like, but even more importantly it comes from a place of emotional intimacy after he bared his soul to her)

Kaladin looked toward her. In a flash of light, he saw her eyes as she looked up from where her head had been resting against his chest, beads of water on her eyelashes. With his hands around her waist, hers around him, it was as close as he’d held a woman since Tarah.

“And so,” she continued, pressing her head back against his chest

For now, he wanted to think—though he was still glad for her presence. And aware of it in more ways than one, pushed against him and wearing the wet, increasingly tattered dress.

He shifted to move to climb down, but realized that Shallan, curled up against him, had fallen asleep.

This list is incomplete because at least half of the lines in the chasm sequence are open flirting and also I didn't include all of the mentions of Shallan’s dress tearing (or of her removing parts of it to make bandages). And all the blushing.

[blush-boulevard]

𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓬 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓢𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓼

𝐄𝐤𝐤𝐨 𝐱 𝐉𝐢𝐧𝐱- After Jinx sacrifices herself in an explosion to kill Warwick and save Vi, everyone believes she’s dead—except Ekko. Following a trail of cryptic clues she leaves behind, Ekko discovers Jinx is alive, injured, and struggling with her identity, setting the stage for a bittersweet reunion filled with unresolved tension and lingering hope.

Character x character/ Fluff/ Romance/ Arcane/ League of Legends/ Ekko/ Jinx/ One shot

word count: 891

@blush-boulevard｜𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬｜𝑅𝒰𝐿𝐸𝒮 𝒜𝒩𝒟 𝒢𝒰𝐼𝒟𝐸𝐿𝐼𝒩𝐸𝒮｜𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘｜𝓚-𝓹𝓸𝓹 𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽｜𝓡𝓮𝓰𝓾𝓵𝓪𝓻 𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽

The wreckage of the factory was a graveyard. Twisted steel and charred concrete stretched out before him, the acrid scent of burnt metal and chemicals heavy in the air. Ekko picked his way through the ruins, his boots crunching over debris.

He shouldn’t have been here. Vi had begged him to let it go, to let her rest. But Jinx had never rested in her life, and Ekko wasn’t ready to believe she was gone.

Hours of searching yielded nothing but soot-stained wreckage. Frustration clawed at him until he spotted it—a piece of warped metal embedded in the rubble. He knelt, brushing away the ash. His heart skipped a beat.

The markings were unmistakable: part of Fishbones.

Turning the shard over in his hand, Ekko noticed something scratched into the edge—a chaotic scrawl that sent a chill down his spine: “You are Ice cold, Little Man.”

It wasn’t just a coincidence. She was leaving him a trail.

The graffiti began to appear as he searched the twisting streets of Zaun. In the alleys, on crumbling walls, hidden beneath soot and grime: wild, colorful scrawls taunting him with her signature chaotic style.

“Still cold, Little Man.”

“Wow, you aren’t very good at this.”

“Getting warmer.”

The messages were like a game, her voice echoing in his mind as he followed her path. Each clue was more personal than the last. He found a shattered gadget they’d sketched together as kids, now mangled but unmistakably hers. A scrap of a drawing tucked into the cracks of a wall—a messy, childlike sketch of him standing beside her, both of them grinning.

As the clues grew warmer, so did his memories. He could hear her laughter in the back of his mind, feel the tug of her hand pulling him through Zaun’s streets. But the closer he got, the darker the messages became.

“Too hot, Little Man. You’ll burn yourself.”

The last clue led him to a small, hidden workshop deep in the Undercity. The air was thick with the metallic tang of old machinery, the walls painted in her vibrant, chaotic style. The table in the center bore her final taunt, etched into the metal with a jagged tool: “You’re on fire, Little Man.”

“You’re persistent. I’ll give you that.”

Her voice, rough and low, cut through the silence like a knife. Ekko turned, and there she was.

Jinx stepped out of the shadows, her electric blue hair dull with soot and her frame wrapped in bandages. She leaned against the wall, her grin weaker but still unmistakably hers.

“Jinx,” he breathed, relief flooding through him even as anger simmered beneath the surface. “You’re alive.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t get all mushy,” she said, waving him off. “Figured you’d find me eventually, Little Man. You always were too smart for your own good.”

Ekko closed the distance between them, his fists clenched. “You let us think you were gone. Vi thinks you’re dead! Do you know what you’ve done to her? To me?”

Her smirk faltered, her eyes flickering with something softer before she turned away. “What was I supposed to do, huh? Go back? Let you both see me like this?” She gestured to her injuries, the scars that crossed her arms and neck. “I’m not who I was, Ekko. I’m not even Jinx anymore. I’m just... broken.”

“You’re not broken,” he said softly, his anger ebbing into something warmer. “You’re just... lost. And I’ve found you, haven’t I?”

Her laughter was hollow, bitter. “You don’t get it, do you? You’re chasing a ghost, Little Man. Powder’s gone. And Jinx...” Her voice cracked. “Jinx doesn’t deserve to be found.”

“You’re wrong.” Ekko stepped closer, his voice steady. “I’ve seen her. In every clue you left, every stupid taunt. You’re still Jinx...and you're still powder. Even if you don’t want to admit it.”

For a moment, her mask slipped. Her eyes softened, and Ekko saw a flicker of the girl she’d been—the one who called him Little Man with a laugh that lit up Zaun.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, battered timepiece. Its hands were cracked, its face scratched, but it still ticked faintly, resilient against the odds. She pressed it into his hand, her fingers brushing against his.

“Take it,” she said softly. “So you’ll know I’m still ticking. Even if I’m not the person you want me to be.”

Ekko stared at the timepiece, his fingers curling around it. “You don’t have to do this alone, Jinx,” he said, his voice breaking. “You don’t have to run anymore.”

Her lip trembled, but she quickly masked it with a shaky grin. “You’re too good for this place, Little Man. Too good for me.”

He stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on her arm. “You’re worth it. You’ve always been worth it.”

For a moment, Jinx stood frozen, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. Then, with a sudden burst of impulsive energy, she leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. The contact was brief, fleeting, but it carried a weight that left Ekko speechless.

She pulled back, her cheeks flushed beneath the grime, and grinned at him—a real grin, filled with something genuine and raw. “Don’t think this means I’m going soft, Little Man,” she teased, though her voice wavered slightly.

Ekko smiled despite himself, his fingers tightening around the timepiece. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Jinx let out a small laugh, the sound brighter than it had been in years. “Guess you’re stuck with me, huh?”

“Yeah,” he said, his voice warm. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Instead of disappearing into the shadows, Jinx lingered, sitting on the edge of the workbench as she leaned against Ekko. For the first time in what felt like forever, the silence between them wasn’t filled with tension—it was something softer, quieter. A beginning, not an ending.

[potchi-fics]

the tower (part two of caitvi tangled au)

          the peaceful day was ruined when caitlyn suddenly opened the window of her tower, exclaiming a little ‘aha’, running a hand through her head and resting on the side of her neck, her eyes looking suspiciously on the corner of the window, landing on a not suspicious chameleon hiding behind a plant pot.

she hums out, “well, i guess rifel’s not hiding out here.” her voice gets quieter as she seems to walk away.

          rifel, the cheeky chameleon he is, lets out a noise of victory, his yellow face holding out a grin, his entire body covered in brown except his blue belly to blend in with the pot. but that only lasted a second though because a few strands of hairs wrapped around his tail before quickly pulling him up. the reptile lets out what seems a scream of surprise, hanging upside down and facing an upside down caitlyn as well, scaring him to green.

“gotcha. that’s twenty-two for me.” her eyes excited and gleaming with her own victory, she returns to the ground, letting the poor animal down slowly, “how about twenty-three out of twenty-five?”

          rifel could only stare at her with an annoyed look, tired of playing the same game over and over again. caitlyn, hands on her hips, staring back at him. 

“okay. what do you want to do?” she takes a seat at the window, rifel perks up and his tail points excitedly outside of the tower, “yeah, i don’t think so. i like it in here, and so do you.” she maneuvers herself so that her feet are dangling on the edge of the window. she points her finger at her towards the end of her sentence and rifel retaliates by sticking out his tongue, she tries to convince the chameleon. “oh come on, rifel, it’s not so bad in there.”

          she carries him on her palm, going back in her tower, running across the room— her hair following behind. and so her day begins: at seven AM, she’s doing her chores: sweep until the floor is clean, polish and wax, do laundry, and mop and shine up. and of course, sweep again and by then, it’s seven-fifteen. all done with her chores, she’ll read a book, or maybe two or three; considering that’s her only books. she’ll add a few new paintings to her gallery afterward, she’ll also play guitar and knit and cook basically wondering when will her life begin.

she’ll indulge herself with puzzles and darts and bake after her lunch. do paper-mache, a bit of ballet, and chess. she’s not done yet, she’ll do pottery, ventriloquy, and candle-making. then she’ll stretch, maybe sketch, take a climb, even sew a dress for rifel. then she’ll reread the books if she has time to spare. she’ll paint the wall some more, she’s sure there’s room for somewhere. and then she’ll brush and brush and brush and brush her hair— stuck in the same place she’s always been. and she’ll keep wondering and wondering and wondering and wondering: when will her life begin?

she runs back to her window, the thought of the floating lights appearing, makes her curiosity deepen more, because it always happens on her birthday. walking to the painting she made, taking a brush in her hand and adding minute details, asking herself if her mother might let her go for the first time to see the floating lights. 

…

          sliding off rooftops, jumping from pillar to pillar, sweat drips down the side of her head as she makes her way to the top of the structure. carefully balancing herself on the ledges, the height not scaring her, vi, as well as two other accomplices: twins. they look exactly alike except one has an eye patch. the three made their way to their destination.

“wow, i could get used to a view like this.” vi soaks in the view from the top of the building, not caring that she’s meters high.

a gruff voice calls out to her, “rider, come on.”

“hold on,” she brings up a hand to shush them, not even bothering to look back, “yep, i’m used to it.” she puts her hands on her hips, a sly grin forming on her face, “guys, i want a castle.”

“we do this job, you can buy your own castle.”

          he grabs vi by the scuff of her shirt, roughly pulling her so that they can do the “job”, not letting vi utter another word. they tie a rope around her waist, securing it nicely before dropping her down the window, with the two supporting her weight. 

once she was able to put the crown in her bag, a guard sneezes.

her chin resting on the palm of her hand, with the other grasping the satchel, “hay fever?”

he responded, briefly looking back at her, “yeah.” realizing it was her, he turned to do a double look, “huh? wait, hey, wait!”

          but she’s gone. with her feet only being spotted by the dumbfounded guard. the three thieves run like their lives depended on it.

“can’t you picture me in a castle of my own? because i certainly can.” they sped up, with her running between the twins, heading for the forest. “all the things we’ve seen, and it’s only eight AM in the morning. gentlemen, this is a very big day!”

…

“this is it,” rifel sitting on the side of the box that contains her paint, caitlyn talked to him, “this is a very big day, rifel.” he jumped on her forearm, nodding his head as if he understood, “i’m finally going to do it. i’m going to ask her.” her gaze determined, she feels him run to her shoulder.

“caitlyn!”

          mother gothel’s voice echoes, resulting in caitlyn gasping in suspense.

“let down your hair.” she sings happily.

she looks at rifel, “it’s time.” he stares mischievously, a smile occupying his derpy face, “i know, i know. come on, don’t let her see you.” she puts him on the wall, letting him change the colors that allow him to blend with the wall. 

“caitlyn!” gothel calls out for her once more, “i’m not getting younger down here.”

caitlyn spots her mother down on the ground, her hood covering most of her face, “coming, mother.”

          she hooks her hair and throws it out the window. gothel catches the tip of her hair and wraps it around her hand, grabbing it onto the hair, she makes a makes-shift step so that caitlyn can pull her up. caitlyn lets out some quiet grunts as she pulls gothel up, but years of doing the same thing made her build up strength. it takes a couple of seconds but she did pull her up the tower.  

caitlyn, though out of breath, greets gothel, “hi, welcome home, mother.”

“ugh, caitlyn,” gothel removes her hood, exclaiming in astonishment, “how you manage to do that every single day without fail. it looks absolutely exhausting, darling.” gothel runs her hand down caitlyn face.

“oh,” caitlyn chuckles, albeit still panting a little bit, “it’s nothing.”

gothel boops her nose, indirectly insulting her, “then i don’t know why it takes so long.” but she heartily laughs afterward, “oh, darling, i’m just teasing.”

          caitlyn looks down with an unknown look, still chuckling to shake the comment off. she gathers herself, bracing her shoulders, a smile coming back on her face.

“so, mother, as you know, tomorrow is a very big day,” they walk to stand in front of a mirror, she didn’t get to say anything more.

“caitlyn, look in that mirror,” gothel pulls caitlyn by the shoulder, “you know what i see? i see a strong, confident, beautiful, young lady.” taking a second to admire the mirror. “oh, look, you’re here, too.” once again, with the backhanded comments— gothel laughs it off again. “i’m just teasing. stop taking everything so seriously.”

          gothel elbows caitlyn— strong enough to make her sway to the side, before gawking at herself in the mirror, pulling back her eyes and assessing her teeth— grey streaks of hair prominent on her head.. pushing through, caitlyn ignores all of it, she has one goal set in her mind.

“okay. so, mother, as i was saying, tomorrow is…” 

gothel glares at her hand after noticing the slight wrinkles, “caitlyn, mother’s feeling a little run-down. would you sing for me, dear? then we’ll talk.”

desperate now, caitlyn rushes to set up a chair, “oh, of course, mother.”

          she pushes gothel down to her seat, runs to get her brush, and rushes to finish the song. wait’s from mother gothel try to slow her down but it was no use. before she knows it, a puff of hair blows at her, making her look younger again: the wrinkles gone, the streaks of grey gone.

“caitlyn!”

caitlyn rushes to get in her face, “so, mother, earlier i was saying tomorrow is a big day, and you didn’t respond. so i’m just gonna tell you, it’s my birthday.” she laughs and leans her head on gothel’s bicep, “ta-da!”

“no, no, no, can’t be,” she gently removes caitlyn from her, attempting to dismiss her daughter’s oncoming proposal, “i distinctly remember, your birthday was last year.”

“that’s the funny thing about birthdays. they’re kind of an annual thing,” caitlyn cheekily replies, nervousness lacing her words. she sighs, sitting back down, “mother, i’m turning eighteen, and i wanted to ask… what i really want for this birthday.” she plays with her hair now, beginning to mumble, “actually what i wanted for quite a few birthdays now…”

“caitlyn, please, stop with the mumbling.” she scolds caitlyn, her eyes rolling, “you know how i feel about the mumbling. blah-blah-blah-blah.” gothel’s hand mimics a mouth yapping. “it’s very annoying. i’m just teasing, you’re very adorable. i love you so much, darling.” she pinches her daughter’s cheek and boops her nose to show that she’s only joking.

          caitlyn’s face morphs into sadness, like a kicked puppy and she hears rifel squeak, offering comfort. she looks at him and she sees him waving his tiny hand to encourage her to try more. she hesitates but she blurts it out.

“i want to see the floating lights.”

gothel chuckles in surprise, the exclaim making her pause from picking up an apple, “what?”

“i was hoping you’d take me to see the floating lights.” she stands up to show gothel the painting she made: it’s caitlyn sitting on top of a tree, with her hair flowing down to the ground, while watching the floating lights.

“oh, you mean the stars.”

“that’s the thing,” she throws her hair up to the hook of a window on their ceiling, pulling it open, letting sunlight seep through, “i’ve charted stars, and they’re always constant. but these,” she gestures to her painting, “they appear every year on my birthday, mother. only on my birthday. and i can’t help but feel like they’re meant for me. i need to see them mother. and not just from my window, in person. i have to know what they are.” her eyebrows furrow in desperation, hands clasped.

gothel scoffs, closing the opened window to where she came in earlier, “you want to go outside? why, caitlyn…” she walks to caitlyn and twirls her, patting her head lightly, “look at you, as fragile as a flower. still a little sapling, just a sprout. you know why we stay up in this tower…”

“i know, but…”

“that’s right. to keep you safe and sound, dear.” she caresses caitlyn’s soft locks. she dramatically puts the back of her hand on her forehead, pulling the curtain close, dimming the tower, “guess i always knew this day was coming. knew the soon you’d want to leave the nest.” she walks up the stairs, “soon but not yet.”

caitlyn attempts to get a word in but gothel shushes her, “shh. trust me, pet. mother knows best.” she slams her hips, the vibration making the lever go down and closing the window caitlyn opened prior before— now, darkness enveloped the entire tower. caitlyn lights up a candle, “mother knows best. listen to your mother.” posing as a scary monster, caitlyn sees her and screams, “it’s a scary world out there. mother knows best. one way or another, something will go wrong, i swear.”

          caitlyn, ever the innocent and naive teen she is, is starting to believe what her mother is saying to her.

“ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand,” gothel portrayed those using objects that is similar to shadow art. “cannibal and snakes, the plague.”

she looks at her left to find her mother showing a scary face while holding a green lantern, she screams, “no!”

“yes.”

“but–”

“also large bugs, men with pointy teeth,” caitlyn falls down due to gothel pushing her using a mop, letting her see the ‘men with pointy teeth’ she painted on the floor, “and stop! no more, you’ll just upset me.” once again with the dramatics, gothel sits on the floor while leaning back and putting her hand on her forehead.

          caitlyn wrapped herself in her hair, making a cocoon, with a candle in front of her. her gaze looks around wildly, truly terrified of what mother is telling her.

“mother’s right here. mother will protect you.” she lulls her into a feigned sense of comfort, pulling her up. she opens her arms for caitlyn, “darling, here’s what i suggest…”

          she hugs her ‘mother’ only to find out that it’s a mannequin. she sees the real one walking down the stairs theatrically, candles on each step.

“skip the drama, stay with mama,” she puts out every single candle, their home turning dark again before she appears under what seem a spotlight, she opens her arms, “all i have is one request.”

          caitlyn runs into her mother’s arms and this time, it’s real. she feels gothel’s arms around her, grounding her, and one hand moving to pet her dark navy blue hair.

“caitlyn?”

“yes?” she pulls away from gothel, slightly looking down at her mother.

gothel’s gaze holds strictness, “don’t ever ask to leave this tower again.”

“yes, mother,” her voice fades out softly, feeling her mother’s hands on her shoulders tighten.

“oh,” mother gothel affectionately tell her, “i love you very much, dear.”

“i love you more.”

gothel gently pulls her head down, kissing the crown of her head, “i love you most. don’t forget it, you’ll regret it— mother knows best.” she’s leaving the tower again, using caitlyn’s hair to go down, “ta-ta! i’ll see you in a bit, my flower!”

“i’ll be here,” she walks to the window, sitting and resting her chin on her arms, gazing down on the ground with a longing look.

          and just like that, the idea of her leaving the tower gets shut down. with her hair still swaying in the wind.

…

          back to the thieves— vi pants, coming to a halt beside a tree, gasping out in horror at what she’s seeing. it’s her in a wanted poster.

she rips it off the tree, “oh, no. no, no, no, no, no. this is bad. this is very, very bad. this is really bad.” the twins, their hands on their knees, chest heaving, stares at her in reply. “they just can’t get my nose right.” she shows them, her face displaying that of someone who just got their heart broken.

“who cares?”

“well, it’s easy for you to say,” vi responded back sassily, her eyes rolling, “you guys look amazing.”

          she stares in envy at the portration of the twins but her attention is caught by a faint neighing of horses. she looks back and the guards have caught up to them. without a second thought, they run again. turning and turning to lose their trail, adrenaline pumping into their veins. however, they stop when they see that they end up at a dead end.

“all right. okay. give me a boost and i’ll pull you up.” vi starts, 

the twins look at each other, “give us the satchel first.”

“wha…” vi looks at them betrayed, “i just.. i can’ believe that after all we’ve been through together, you don’t trust me?” ending her sentence with a hand on her chest.

          she doesn’t get much of a response from them, they just stare at her like they are done with her shit. letting out the word ‘ouch’, she grudgingly gives them the satchel. one twin stands on his brother's shoulders, allowing vi to climb them like a monkey. she intentionally steps on the twin’s head, successfully reaching the top.

his hand reaches out, “now help us up, pretty boy.”

“sorry,” she flashes them her foxy smirk, showing them the satchel. “my hands are full.”

“what?” he pats down his body, “rider!”

          long gone now, vi almost slips making a hard turn, the mossy and wet mud tainting her boots—behind her are four guards mounted on horses, chasing her down. 

the general, or atleast vi is assuming he’s the general, shouted at his men, “retrieve that satchel at any cost!”

“yes, sir!” the soldiers obeyed, holding crossbows. 

          vi was able to duck under a fallen tree just in time to avoid five arrows being shot at her. she looked back at them for a second, tensing that they really were gonna do anything to get the satchel. the forest seems like a blur to her, the speed and intensity of it all, the arrows flying past her, digging into trees, anything— she’s hysterical now.

“we got her now, maximus.” the general spoke to his horse.

          thinking quickly, vi uses a vine to launch herself high in the air. she circles back and spots him, using her momentum to kick the general off his horse. she laughs triumphantly at this and grabs his reins. but the horse notices her rather quickly, stopping in its tracks. they look at each other.

vi grunts out in frustration, lightly kicking him, “come on, fleabag! forward!” the horse, maximus, eyes the satchel and tries to bite it to get it back. “no. no!” maximus thrashes around wildly, buckling and still biting for the bag; victoriously getting a chomp,  “stop it! stop it! give it back! give it to me! give me that!”

          due to the force, it gets sent up in the air and lands at a perfectly convenient spot: a tree that is hanging horizontally off of a cliff, and the satchel landed right on the very edge of the tree, hanging on a tiny, slim branch. perfect convenient spot.

they race to it, pushing one another, hitting, et cetera. vi almost falls but she manages to grab the trunk, clinging to it like her depended on it— well, it did. maximus’ hooves thumps against the trunk, aiming at her hands and legs that is wrapped around the tree. that goes on until she’s near the satchel but she sees it slipping off; going faster, she barely gets there in time but she grabs it before it falls.

a smiles adorns her face, it was quickly wiped off when they hear the tree make a noise. it snaps off and a scream from a human and a neigh from the horse fills the vast forest. a rock sticking out, breaks the tree off in two. they should be dead but no, the mountain they fell off gave them the chance to roll instead, saving their lives. maximus shakes himself off and smells the ground, trotting past a big rock—vi is hiding behind it. the things she’s seen today, truly. she keeps an eye out, hands looking for a wall to lean on but instead, she nearly falls.

vi hears maximus in the distance, so she opts to part the hanging leaves, entering the secret cave. she hurriedly hides behind the stones, the silhouette of the horse making an appearance. maximus leaves and she sees it: the tower. caitlyn’s tower. 

using arrows, she climbs the tall tower, using the crevices of the stones to dig the heads of the arrows. her muscles burned, and she is running out of breath, but she did it. she reached the window. climbing inside and closing it, she takes the satchel into her hands and opens it.

“alone at last.”

but a clang of a skillet pan rings throughout the tower. she falls face first and behind her reveals a terrified caitlyn. holding the said skillet.

note: not proof read

[indigosunsetao3]

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRE4g6YQ/

Okay but look at this 😭😫👏🏻❤️🥺🥹 it’s such husband behavior and I could see all the 141 guys doing this tbh. Maybe except Price (I feel like he’d go to the ends of the Earth to find one and would be successful. Even if it means driving 2+hrs to every Tesco trying to find the cake)

What? Stop it right now. This is too cute.

Just doing read more because it's a bit long to list them all. All are SFW and fluffy. 💙

Price for sure is going to every. single. store. He's going to find this cake one way or another; he won't come home until he's got it. He loses count of how many places he tries. He makes store managers call other stores to see if they have it in stock, watching them from the counter with narrowed eyes. When he tracks down the last one, which is another hour away, he asks the store to set it aside and pays them double when he arrives for their effort (and to apologize for slightly threatening them if they sold it to someone else). Traditions are important to him and he'll be damned if he misses a year. "I know it's almost midnight dear, but it's still technically your birthday. Never mind where I've been all day, not important."

Soap is making a masterpiece. Baking may not be his forte per se but man is artistic. His creation is a variation of all the different caterpillar cakes; selecting only the best qualities from each. And yes, he looked and studied them all. He has pictures of them all over the kitchen counter with notes on each about what he likes and doesn't like. Then he sketches out his own picture and uses it as a blueprint for his design, proudly naming it Craig.

"Clyde's eyes are terrifying, bonnie. But I didn't like how Chris didn't have feet...they have to have feet or then it's a snake. And Morris was boring, not enough stripes."

Gaz is in the kitchen for hours baking. He's bought everything he needs in bulk because he knows it's going to be a learning curve. He ends up with multiple failures, that he'll take to the team to devour, before finally getting it right. By the time he finishes, the kitchen is a disaster—every pan, bowl, plate, and pot (yes pot, he ran out of clean bowls) is dirty by the time he finishes. And flour? It's everywhere, his hair, clothes, the cat. "Stay out of the kitchen. Just sit here and enjoy this...I'll be back in a bit. If you see the cat just brush him off for me, yeah?"

Ghost enlists Soap to help him. It ends up with a bunch of arguing about how to do it. They fight over where to put the milk chocolate decorative pieces, the proper spacing of the eyes, the size of the feet and every other little imperfection Ghost can find. Soap eventually leaves telling Ghost to do it himself...before coming back thirty minutes later to help him finish. It's a bit lumpy and there are little slashes where it had been pulled apart and resealed with chocolate icing like glue from Ghost's attempts to get it perfect. "It's a bit beat up, sorry love. Tried to make it perfect for you, now it looks like he's been to war with all the scars."

Bonus:

Alex, poor soul, had no idea this kind of cake was even a thing at first. He assumed a caterpillar cake was just a sheet cake with the Very Hungry Caterpillar on it until you explained. Once he knows what it is, you get a caterpillar cake every year; he doesn't care that shipping costs three times as much as the cake itself. But this year the shipment runs late and he has to call in backup...which involves Gaz going to the shops to sweet talk the little old lady bakers for their recipe while Alex frantically takes notes. He only has a few hours to get it together and while he does his best...it's the thought that counts right? At least it tastes like it's supposed to.

"I know it's not Colin but if you squint hard enough it's vaguely a caterpillar....really squint, maybe cover one eye, and stand back a few feet. I promise your real one is on its way, just had a bit of delay."

[quibbs126]

So I’m not entirely done with the page, but I just wanted to show off this thing I’m doing right now and also talk about these two (in part because delays means I can’t get my answers)

I’m trying out this thing to see if it helps me with posing (or more accurately drawing humans), where I basically have a shape layer and then that clean sketch layer that becomes my lineart

Admittedly I think one issue is that I won’t meddle with the sketch layer, as in using the enlarge/warp/distort tools, because I’ve deemed this brush one that I can’t do that with (actually I say that with most of my brushes except like one, which is my normal sketch pencil). And become of that I end up having to do most of the work on the clean layer. Which I also refuse to meddle with, but that’s also because it’s the clean layer

Like compare the shapes here with the sketches

I think I need a bit more practice, and hopefully this will be useful in it

Personally I think Peach Blossom has turned out way better, but I plan on drawing more Chocos, so we’ll see

Anyways sorry, I’ll get back to what I was saying with these two

So previously I’ve alluded to me wanting yaoi with Peach Blossom. Well if I haven’t already said before, the person I want him to have yaoi with is Dark Choco. Or even just an interaction between these two, I’d be satisfied with that, especially if it left room for non-problematic shipping

I haven’t wanted to say because we don’t know Peach Blossom yet, and I don’t want to be horribly, horribly wrong, but fuck it, I can’t take another 2 weeks of waiting, I’m saying now. Will I regret this in the future? I don’t know, hopefully not

But anyways I want to point out things about their 2 designs

One thing I noticed particularly when drawing this is that while Peach Blossom is a bunch of light, semi pastel colors, Dark Choco is a bunch of dark colors, even in this form. I know that’s nothing groundbreaking, but my mind’s fixated on these two as a pair, and I like the contrast

Secondly and something actually more interesting, I’ve noticed for a while that they’re both missing one eye, and it’s the exact same one, that being their left one. Sure we don’t really know what the whole flower eye thing is, but I imagine Peach Blossom can’t really see out of it, so missing eye

One of the reasons I find it interesting is because as far as I can tell (at least right now), Peach Blossom doesn’t need to be missing an eye, and yet he is. And this is also the update that finally brings back Dark Choco, who is also missing a left eye

Is this a coincidence? Maybe, maybe not, we’ll have to see, but shut up, I find it interesting

Anyways yeah, I just wanted to share

I’m not sure what their ship name would be since darkpeach is already taken. And I wouldn’t be surprised if darkblossom is also taken as someone’s rare pair of Dark Choco/Cherry Blossom. I mean you could call it yaoi darkpeach or something, but there should probably be a better name

[stale-cornflakes]

Kapitan - Pirate AU

Song: Kapitan (1936) - Pyotr Leshchenko

-

Two best friends find themselves fighting against each other. One raises a mutiny against the captain who never wanted to be in that position of power in the first place.

-

OH MY GOODNESS IT'S FINALLY DONE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE 3 DAYS MAX BUT THEN I TOOK WEEKS OFF FROM IT 😭😭 Its been in editing purgatory for weeks,, (Polaroid is going to DIE 2 seconds)

Deep dive under cut

I had this idea for a bit where Ui is willing putting up with Pol showing her faults. She could easily break out of the rope and punt Pol across the sea if she wanted to.

But now it's time for designs, Headcanons, and production!

First off. Pol and Ui are girls. You can't look at me and those designs and saw those don't scream "Butch." They are butch and you can't do anything about it (light hearted I'm just really passionate about this!!) SECONDLY, the designs are meant to be kept quiet faithful to the originals.

However, there are some big changes specifically with Ui's design. I maayyy have taken her leg away 😋 so yeah! Ui is now an amputee in reference to both the madness world, but more importantly, Unethical Spite with the Porlivian chapter (episode 4). Super awesome. I took most of the colors from my own art fight attack with them where I whipped up some colors :D

As for Polaroid, not much changed with her design either. I considered coloring her and almost did! However, not even a few minutes before I opened that drawing session on Krita, Salesman was added to the Google Drive which states that in that little au anything that Pol touched becomes white. I took that to heart and made pirate pol completely white as well! She also carries a cane due to having weak legs.

I did a different method of planning with sticky notes. First, sketching the drawings on paper. Then, Redrawing it in krita. The last time I did this was with the Daisy bell pmv. Which was actually jotted down during lunch.

As you can see, the quality is much different.

Once configured onto Krita, every scene was a group. The entire project is made in groups sorted by scene. Polaroid an Ui and drawn separately, then exported as transparent pngs in order to edit them in capcut. The only exception to this was scene 6, where the two are drawn together.

The coloring was actually quite the chore. I wanted to use the paint-like brushes to give the two texture. By doing this I had to first completely paint over the line art and continually erase until it fit into the line art. That was simply done for the base color and was incredibly time consuming. Once that was done; a clipping layer would be added, and the color would be added there.

I love this au so much it's my guilty pleasure. Teehee.

🤸

🏌️

Complimentary ping @wogot3

[noritaro]

bestie asked how I rendered so yeah, kind of a tutorial? it's more like a step by step but alas

tutorial under read more

sketch/line art ► I don't do line art out of sheer laziness + I'm not very good at getting clean looking lines. My lines are always coloured and set to a multiply layer.

colour block + base colours ► the block is 90% of the time the characters skin colour, but if I'm feeling fancy I might go with other colours like I'm doing with this one, a light reddish pink

I do this because I colour everything in one layer

I use a mixing brush to sloppily throw in the characters actual palette

yeah it's very messy, but has a fun unpredictable variation in the colours you typically wouldn't get if you just threw in base colours like a normal person

shading ► continuing the trend of being absurdly sloppy with my process...

I like shading with multiply or burn layers, and highlights are usually done with overlay or add (mostly add) could obviously be done with any colour except full on black or white

after this I merge all my layers together for clean up

clean up ► the fun yassification part wooo!! essentially all I'm doing is just carving out the various shapes I want with a basic round hard mix + soft mix brush, further refining everything and making it not look sloppy

I always start with the face and then move out to other parts like hairs and clothes

Marco Bucci on YouTube has fantastic videos on painting shapes and he explains everything better than I ever could

Optional filters + edits ► boring part simply adding a paper texture over the piece using overlay, just makes everything look less flat and digital

profit ► yeah!! uhh thats really it honestly, I don't really do anything special lmfao

[51faces]

From Shadows to Shining Moments

Dreamcatcher's Kim Bora (SuA) x Female Reader

One late afternoon, sunlight filtered through the tall windows of Dreamcatcher's practice room, casting long shadows across the polished wooden floor. SuA sat alone on a bench, her gaze fixed on the mirror in front of her, but her mind was far from the routine practice she had been so dedicated to. The announcement from the company had come just hours ago: Siyeon, her best friend and cherished groupmate, was taking a hiatus due to severe stress and exhaustion.

The room was silent except for the faint hum of the air conditioning and the occasional distant sound of a passing car. SuA’s heart felt heavy with a mix of guilt and frustration. She had always considered herself to be in tune with her members' needs, but this time, the signs had eluded her. The pang of guilt settled in her chest like a stone. She replayed conversations and interactions in her mind, searching for clues she might have missed.

Her phone buzzed on the bench beside her, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a message from the company, reminding her of the upcoming schedule changes due to Siyeon's absence. SuA sighed, her shoulders slumping. She felt like she was being crushed under the weight of responsibilities and emotions that she couldn’t seem to manage. 

With a sense of frustration, she stood up and paced the room. The usual energizing atmosphere of the studio now felt stifling, the walls pressing in on her as if they were closing in with every step. SuA needed a distraction, something to take her mind off the turmoil that was consuming her.

She grabbed her bag and decided to visit a local art supply store. Art had been her new sanctuary, a place where she could express emotions that words couldn’t quite capture. Maybe losing herself in the world of sketches and colors would offer some respite from the relentless anxiety she was feeling.

As she walked out of the studio and into the crisp evening air, SuA hoped that immersing herself in drawing might help her process her feelings. She found herself walking faster than usual, driven by an urgency to escape her own mind and the suffocating silence of the practice room. The art supply store was only a short drive away, but it felt like a journey toward a semblance of normalcy.

The store was a cozy haven, filled with shelves of colorful materials and bathed in the warm glow of overhead lights. The gentle instrumental music playing in the background added to the store’s serene atmosphere. The smell of fresh paper and paint hung in the air, offering a sense of calm.

SuA entered the store, the soft chime of the bell signaling her arrival. She paused for a moment to take in the comforting environment, hoping that the act of picking out new supplies would provide a temporary escape from the turmoil she felt over Siyeon’s hiatus.

She wandered through the aisles, her mind preoccupied. As she reached for a set of high-quality graphite pencils, she accidentally bumped into a display of sketchbooks. The resulting clatter drew the attention of Y/N, a young woman who was arranging some supplies behind the counter.

Y/N looked up from her work, her eyes bright with curiosity. “Oh, are you alright?” she asked, her voice warm and friendly. She moved toward SuA to assist, her smile never wavering.

SuA, slightly taken aback, glanced at Y/N with a mix of surprise and irritation. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit clumsy,” she replied tersely, trying to brush off the incident.

Y/N, unfazed by SuA’s curt tone, continued to approach with a helpful demeanor. “No worries. If you need any recommendations or help finding something, just let me know. I’m Y/N, by the way.” she says pointing at her name tag

SuA gave a small, non-committal nod, her gaze returning to the pencils she had initially been interested in. “Just looking for some supplies,” she said, her voice lacking warmth.

Y/N’s cheerful persistence remained undiminished. “I can totally help with that! We have a great selection of sketchbooks and pencils. Are you working on a particular project or just stocking up?”

SuA, feeling a bit of her frustration softened despite herself, replied, “Just stocking up. It’s been a long day.”

Y/N picked up on the subtle hint of weariness in SuA’s voice. “I hear you. Art can be a good way to unwind, though. Sometimes it’s nice to just focus on creating and forget about everything else for a while.”

SuA glanced at Y/N, surprised by her genuine empathy. Despite the store’s calming atmosphere, she found it hard to fully relax. She continued to browse, trying to ignore the fact that Y/N’s friendly demeanor was starting to chip away at her emotional walls.

As Y/N continued to assist other customers, she made sure to periodically check on SuA, offering helpful tips and engaging in brief conversations about different art supplies. Though SuA tried to maintain her distance, Y/N’s unwavering kindness began to create a small, unexpected sense of comfort.

The interaction was brief but left a mark on SuA. The warmth of Y/N’s presence, though initially met with resistance, began to offer a glimmer of solace amidst her turbulent emotions.

The days had passed, each blending into the next, with moments of quiet reflection and subtle healing. The late afternoon sun now cast a serene glow over the art supply store, a stark contrast to the storm SuA had weathered. Y/N moved with practiced ease, arranging a fresh shipment of sketchbooks on the shelves, her movements rhythmic and calm.

As she placed the last sketchbook on the display, the soft chime of the doorbell broke the stillness of the store. Y/N glanced up, expecting another routine visit. Instead, she saw SuA standing in the doorway.

The warm light filtering through the windows caught on her tired features, highlighting the vulnerability that had become part of her recent days. Y/N’s heart ached at the sight, recognizing the depth of the struggle that lingered behind the idols weary eyes.

Y/N greeted her with a warm smile. “Hey, It’s nice to see you. Are you looking for more supplies today?”

SuA returned a faint, tired smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yeah, just picking up a few things. I’ve got a lot going on right now.”

Noticing the strain in SuA’s voice and the weariness in her posture, Y/N gently extended her offer. “If you need any help finding something or just want to talk, I’m here. Sometimes, talking can be a good distraction.”

SuA hesitated, her eyes scanning the art supplies but not really focusing on them. Finally, she sighed deeply, a sound filled with heaviness. “Actually, I could use someone to talk to. It’s been… really tough lately.”

Y/N led SuA to a quieter corner of the store, away from the usual traffic. As they stood by a shelf lined with art materials, Y/N spoke softly, “I’m here to listen. What’s been going on?”

SuA’s composure began to crack as she spoke, her voice trembling. “My friend, is taking a break from work. She’s been struggling with stress and exhaustion, and it’s been taking a toll on me, I feel like I’ve failed her. I should have been more aware, more supportive.”

Y/N listened with empathy, her heart aching for SuA. “It sounds like you’re carrying a lot of responsibility. It’s hard when you feel like you haven’t done enough for someone you care about.”

SuA’s eyes filled with tears as she continued, her voice breaking. “I’ve always been the mood maker at my job, the one who lifts everyone’s spirits. I feel like I’m supposed to be strong and keep everyone positive, but now… now I’m the one who feels like I’m falling apart. It makes me feel like I’ve lost my value as a person. If I can’t even support my friend when she needs me the most, then what good am I?”

Her voice trembled with raw emotion, and Y/N gently placed a comforting hand on her arm. “You’ve been doing your best, and that’s all anyone can ask for. Sometimes, even when we try hard to help, we can’t control everything. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and to admit that you’re struggling.”

SuA looked at Y/N, her face a mixture of sadness and relief. “I feel so guilty for not being able to handle everything. I’ve always been the one everyone relies on, It’s hard to accept that I can’t always be the strong one.”

Y/N’s voice was soft but reassuring. “It’s important to remember that you’re human, too. You have limits, and it’s okay to acknowledge that. Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you’re failing anyone. It means you’re being honest about what you can handle.”

SuA’s tears finally spilled over, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. “Thank you for listening. I didn’t expect to break down like this, especially not to someone I barely know. But it helps to have someone who’s willing to listen and understand.”

Y/N smiled gently, her eyes full of understanding. “Sometimes, just sharing what you’re going through can make a huge difference. I’m glad I could be here for you. If you ever need to talk more or just need a distraction, don’t hesitate to come by.”

As Y/N rang up SuA’s supplies, the atmosphere between them felt lighter, though SuA still carried the weight of her struggles. SuA offered a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks, Y/N. I really needed this. It feels like a weight has been lifted, even if just a little. I'm SuA by the way, I should have mentioned it sooner, I'm also an idol”

Y/N chuckles, "Ah that's why you look so familiar, I've probably seen you on TV or something, Thank you for trusting me with that information."

She watched SuA leave, feeling a deep sense of fulfillment. The connection they had made, even in such a brief encounter, was significant. Y/N was glad to have offered some comfort and understanding during SuA’s difficult time.

A few weeks had passed since SuA’s last visit to the art supply store. The rain had been replaced by crisp autumn air, and the store had a fresh, vibrant feel with seasonal displays. Y/N was busy arranging new canvases when the doorbell chimed, signaling SuA’s arrival.

Y/N looked up and smiled warmly. “Hey, SuA! It’s good to see you again. How have you been?”

SuA returned the smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Hi, Y/N. I’ve been okay. Just… trying to manage. I came by for some more supplies and, well, I guess I could use a bit of company.”

Y/N guided SuA to the art supplies, noting the tiredness in her eyes and the way her shoulders seemed to carry a heavy burden. “Of course. Feel free to take your time. If you want to talk, I’m here.”

As they walked through the aisles, SuA seemed to be seeking a moment of normalcy amidst her ongoing struggles. Y/N watched her with concern, sensing that SuA was wrestling with something deeper.

SuA finally picked out a few items, her hands lingering on a set of pastels. “I’ve been performing and doing interviews without Siyeon, and it’s been really hard. It feels like a part of me is missing.”

Y/N listened intently, giving SuA the space to share her feelings. “I can imagine how difficult that must be. Siyeon must have been such an important part of your performances and interviews. How are you managing without her?”

SuA’s gaze was distant as she spoke. “It’s not just the performances or interviews; it’s the little things too. The inside jokes, the shared glances that we used to have. It’s like a void that nothing can fill. When we’re on stage or in interviews, it feels like a piece of me is left behind.”

Y/N nodded, trying to empathize with SuA’s experience. “It must be incredibly tough to navigate those moments without her support. It’s hard when someone who understands you so well isn’t there by your side.”

SuA sighed deeply, her frustration evident. “I feel like I’m constantly putting on a brave face, but it’s exhausting. The fans expect us to be the same as always, but behind the scenes, it feels like everything is falling apart. I’m trying to hold it together, but it’s hard to ignore the emptiness.”

Y/N reached out, placing a reassuring hand on SuA’s arm. “It’s okay to acknowledge that it’s hard. You don’t have to be perfect all the time, and it’s understandable to feel a sense of loss when someone so important isn’t there.”

SuA’s eyes welled up with tears, her vulnerability surfacing. “I’ve been trying to stay strong for the group and for the fans, but inside, I’m struggling. I miss the comfort and support that Siyeon brought into my life. It’s like I’m performing half of myself.”

Y/N gave SuA a comforting smile. “It’s important to take care of yourself too. It’s okay to grieve the changes and feel the loss. Your emotions are valid, and expressing them is a great start to heal.”

SuA’s shoulders relaxed slightly as she absorbed Y/N’s words. “Thank you for understanding. It’s hard to find someone who really listens and gets what I’m going through. Talking with you helps me see that I’m not alone in this.”

Y/N’s voice was gentle but encouraging. “I’m glad I can be here for you. My door will always be open, feel free to come by. You don’t have to face this alone.”

SuA nodded, her expression softening. “I really appreciate your support. It means more than you know.”

As SuA prepared to leave, Y/N felt a renewed sense of connection. The bond they had forged was deeper, and Y/N was grateful for the opportunity to offer comfort and understanding during SuA’s challenging time.

With a final smile and a promise to stay in touch, SuA left the store, feeling a bit lighter. Y/N watched her go, hoping that their conversation had made a meaningful difference.

Raindrops beat steadily against the window, creating a soothing rhythm that contrasted with the warmth inside the store. SuA stepped in, her rain-drenched coat clinging to her, and the gentle jingle of the doorbell marked her arrival. Y/N glanced up from behind the counter, her eyes lighting up at the sight of SuA.

“Hi, SuA,” Y/N greeted with a smile. “It’s really coming down out there. What brings you in today?”

SuA attempted to sound casual, though the anxiety in her voice betrayed her. “Just needed to pick up some art supplies. I’ve run low on a few things and thought I’d get them now.”

Y/N nodded, setting aside her tasks to help. “Sure thing. Let me get that for you.”

As Y/N gathered the requested items, SuA watched the rain streaming down the window, feeling a mix of nervousness and determination. She wasn’t really here for the supplies; she was here to see Y/N. The past few conversations they had made SuA realize just how much she had come to rely on their interactions for comfort and distraction from her mounting stress.

Once Y/N had prepared the supplies, she offered, “We still have some time before closing. How about a cup of tea? It’s been a quiet day, and it might be nice to relax for a bit.”

SuA smiled faintly, feeling a flicker of hope. “I’d like that. Thank you.”

They moved to the small kitchenette, the aroma of brewing tea mingling with the sound of rain. As they sat together, the warm tea in their hands, SuA felt a rising tide of emotions. The cozy ambiance of the store was a stark contrast to the turmoil she was feeling inside.

“You know,” SuA began hesitantly, “I’ve been feeling a lot of things lately, and talking with you has become one of the few things that helps me deal with everything.”

Y/N’s eyes softened. “I’m glad to hear that. Sometimes just having someone to talk to makes a big difference.”

SuA took a deep breath, her heart pounding. “It’s more than just talking. I didn’t realize how much I’d come to look forward to our time together. It’s been comforting, but it’s also made me realize something more...”

Y/N leaned in, her heart racing as she hoped that SuA's words would reveal something she had been longing to hear. “What is it?” she asked softly, her voice tinged with a mixture of anticipation and hope.

SuA’s voice wavered, and she looked away, unable to find the right words. “I... I don’t know how to say this. I’m normally good at expressing my feelings, but when it comes to you, it’s different. I’ve been feeling something more, but I can’t...”

Before she could finish, SuA felt overwhelmed. Her emotions were swirling, and she felt like she was on the verge of breaking down. She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this right now.”

With that, she hurried out of the store, the rain soaking her through as she dashed into the stormy night. Y/N was left standing in the kitchenette, her heart racing and her mind reeling from the abrupt end to their conversation.

As Y/N prepared to close up the shop, she noticed the rain outside had intensified. She was finishing up her tasks when she heard a knock at the door. She opened it to find SuA, drenched and holding her art book. The sight was both surprising and heart-wrenching.

“SuA?” Y/N called out, her concern evident. “What are you doing here?”

SuA, shivering from the cold and wet, stepped inside. “I had to come back,” she said, her voice trembling. “I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to say, and I realized I needed to be honest.”

Y/N led her to the counter, quickly grabbing a towel to help dry her off. SuA took a deep breath, her emotions laid bare.

“I’m usually good at talking to people,” SuA began, her voice steadying. “But with you, it’s different. I didn’t want to admit it, but I’ve been struggling with how to express my feelings. I think I’ve developed feelings for you—feelings that go beyond just friendship.”

She opened her art book, revealing a sketch she had made earlier. It was a drawing of the two of them, their figures intertwined with delicate lines and soft shades, a visual representation of the bond she felt.

“This drawing,” SuA said softly, “is my way of showing how much you mean to me. It’s not just about the art. It’s about how you’ve come to occupy such a special place in my life, and how much I care about you.”

Y/N looked at the drawing, her heart swelling with emotion. “SuA, this is beautiful. I’m really touched.”

SuA took Y/N’s hand in hers, her eyes filled with sincerity. “I know it’s been confusing, we've only talked a handful of times but I wanted you to know how much you’ve come to mean to me. I hope we can find a way to navigate this together.”

Y/N smiled, her own feelings mirroring SuA’s. “I’m glad you came back and shared this with me because, I feel the same about you.

Y/N and SuA walked side by side, their hands brushing gently against each other as they left the store. The rain poured down heavily, soaking their clothes and making their skin cling to the fabric. Yet, despite the chill of the downpour, they felt warm inside, comforted by the closeness they shared and the warmth in their hearts.

The lights dimmed, and the roar of the crowd surged like a wave. As the opening notes of their first song filled the venue, SuA stood center stage, her heart pounding with exhilaration. The moment was more than just a performance; it was a celebration of perseverance, friendship, and a return to something deeply cherished. Siyeon had finally returned.

SuA’s movements were filled with a vibrant energy, her passion shining through every step. Her smile was radiant, and her voice carried the strength of someone who had overcome obstacles and rediscovered her joy in performing. The stage lights illuminated her with a warm glow, and the connection she shared with the other members was palpable.

In the front row, Y/N watched with a mixture of pride and awe. As SuA danced and sang with renewed vigor, Y/N’s eyes sparkled with admiration and her heart swelled seeing SuA so alive on stage. The bond they had forged was significant, though the nature of their relationship remained somewhat veiled.

As the concert reached its peak, SuA’s gaze swept over the crowd. Amidst the sea of fans, her eyes caught sight of a poster being held up. The poster depicted an intricate, beautifully detailed drawing of the seven Dreamcatcher members, capturing their essence and the vibrant energy of the group. The drawing was stunning, and SuA was struck by the familiarity of the style.

She followed the line of the poster to its source, and a smile slowly spread across her face as she recognized the person holding it. There, in the front row, stood Y/N, holding the poster proudly. The drawing was Y/N’s work, a testament to their shared journey and a visual echo of the connection they had.

During a brief pause in the performance, SuA’s eyes met Y/N’s across the crowd. The recognition and silent communication between them spoke volumes but remained subtle and open to interpretation. SuA’s smile widened, and a wave of emotion surged through her. The support and love from Y/N had been a constant source of strength, though the nature of their relationship was left to the imagination of the audience.

As the adrenaline of the concert faded, the energy backstage remained electric. Amid the buzz, SuA and Y/N found themselves tucked away in a quiet corner. The distant hum of staff moving equipment and fans screaming from outside the venue created a backdrop to their own world, one where everything else melted away.

SuA’s eyes locked onto Y/N's, her gaze soft but filled with an intensity that sent Y/N's heart racing. There was a tenderness there, but also something deeper—an affection that had grown over the weeks they spent together, a longing neither of them had dared to voice aloud. SuA’s lips parted slightly as if she were about to say something, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she simply smiled, the kind of smile that could break a thousand hearts.

"I can't wait any longer," SuA murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, almost drowned out by the distant sounds of the post-concert chaos.

Y/N’s breath hitched, unsure whether SuA’s words were meant for her to hear. But before she could respond, SuA took a step closer, closing the already minimal distance between them. The next thing Y/N knew, SuA leaned in, her warm breath brushing against Y/N's skin. And then, their lips met.

It was a soft, tentative kiss at first, both of them testing the waters, as if asking for permission without words. But as the seconds passed, the kiss deepened, becoming a sweet, heartfelt affirmation of everything they had shared—every late-night conversation, every stolen glance, every moment they had secretly cherished.

The world seemed to fall away entirely, leaving only the two of them wrapped in the glow of this long-awaited moment. SuA’s hand gently cupped Y/N's face, her thumb brushing softly against her cheek. Y/N responded, her fingers curling into the fabric of SuA’s jacket, pulling her just a little closer.

But just as they pulled apart, breathless and wide-eyed from the kiss, the door to the backstage room swung open with a loud creak.

"Oh," a voice gasped.

Both of them whipped their heads around, startled, to find the rest of Dreamcatcher standing frozen in the doorway. JiU was the first to react, her eyes widening comically as she took in the sight of SuA and Y/N standing so close, their faces still flushed from the kiss. Siyeon blinked, visibly confused, while Handong’s gaze shifted back and forth between SuA and Y/N, trying to process the scene. Gahyun’s jaw dropped open, and Yoohyeon exchanged a wide-eyed look with Dami.

“Uh… what’s happening here?” Yoohyeon finally blurted out, breaking the stunned silence, her voice filled with disbelief and curiosity.

SuA’s face turned crimson, her embarrassment as palpable as the tension hanging in the air. But beneath the blush was a flicker of resolve. She inhaled sharply, steeling herself for what was about to come.

"This isn’t how I planned to tell you all,” she began, her voice trembling slightly but growing stronger with every word, “but since you’re here…”

Y/N's heart pounded in her chest. She shot SuA a glance, silently asking if she was sure. SuA gave a small, reassuring nod before turning back to her bandmates.

"Everyone,” she said, her voice clear and firm now, “I’d like you to meet Y/N. She’s... she’s my girlfriend."

The room fell into a momentary silence as the members absorbed the information. JiU was the first to break it, her surprise melting into a wide grin. “SuA, seriously? You’ve had a girlfriend this whole time, and you didn’t tell us?” She let out a playful huff but then immediately stepped forward to embrace SuA. “I’m so happy for you.”

Siyeon, recovering from her shock, smirked. “You’re sneaky, SuA. I didn’t think you could keep a secret like this.” She crossed her arms but the warmth in her eyes was unmistakable. “But if Y/N makes you happy, that’s all that matters.”

Handong stepped closer, her smile soft and genuine. “It’s nice to meet you, Y/N,” she said warmly. “We’re happy for both of you.”

Gahyun, still a little dazed, finally spoke up, her voice full of excitement. “This is amazing! I had no idea, but… you two are so cute together!” She giggled, her joy contagious.

Yoohyeon grinned widely, nudging SuA with her elbow. “You really surprised us! But to be fair I kind of had an idea you had someone”

Dami, who had been quietly observing, gave Y/N a small, genuine smile. She stepped forward and extended her hand. “Hi, Y/N. I’m Dami. Welcome to our little family.”

Y/N smiled shyly, shaking her hand, appreciating the warmth in Dami's gesture. “Thank you… it's really nice to meet all of you.”

The group exchanged supportive glances before JiU spoke again, her tone serious yet gentle. “SuA, this is your life. Whether you want to keep this between us or tell the world, we’ll stand by you. You don’t have to decide now, but just know we’ve got your back no matter what.”

SuA’s eyes glossed over with emotion as she took in her members’ words, the overwhelming sense of support filling her heart. “Thank you… all of you,” she whispered, her voice thick with gratitude. She turned to Y/N, her hand squeezing hers tightly. “I don’t know what I want yet, but it means the world to me to know that whatever I decide, you’re all here.”

Siyeon stepped forward, placing a hand on SuA’s shoulder. “We’re your family. And Y/N’s part of that family now too. Whatever you choose, we’ll help you through it.”

Y/N, touched by the girls' support, smiled shyly. “Thank you… really. I wasn’t sure how this would go, but… I’m so glad you’re all okay with it.”

Gahyun beamed, practically bouncing on her toes. “Okay with it? We’re excited! You’re one of us now, Y/N.”

Handong laughed softly. “No pressure though. Just take your time.”

SuA chuckled, the tension finally melting away completely. She turned to Y/N with a loving gaze, her heart swelling with warmth. “I don’t know what the future holds,” SuA whispered, her eyes never leaving Y/N’s. “But whatever happens, I’m glad we’re in this together.”

Y/N smiled, her eyes reflecting the depth of her feelings. “I’m excited for whatever comes next.

Later that evening, as they walked back to their cars, SuA paused and took Y/N’s hand in hers, gazing up at the starlit sky. “No matter where we go from here, we’ve made it through so much together,” SuA said softly. “And that gives me so much hope for the future.”

Y/N squeezed SuA’s hand, her heart brimming with love and hope. “I feel the same way,” she replied, her voice filled with warmth. “I’ve never felt so supported and understood. Thank you for letting me be a part of your world.”

SuA smiled, her eyes shining with a mix of relief and affection. “I want to thank you too, Y/N. When we first met, you were my comfort when I needed it most. Your kindness and understanding helped me through some of my toughest moments. I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Y/N’s heart swelled at SuA’s words. “I’m just glad I could be there for you. You’ve given me so much in return—love, friendship, and a place where I truly belong.”

SuA leaned in, resting her forehead against Y/N’s. “We’ve come so far together,” she murmured. “And whatever comes next, we’ll face it together, with the same strength and love that got us here.”

Y/N nodded, her eyes closing as she savored the closeness. “Together,” she agreed softly.

The sound of distant laughter and the soft hum of the city around them created a comforting backdrop as SuA and Y/N stood in their own little bubble of happiness. The challenges and uncertainties of the future seemed distant and manageable, overshadowed by the love and support that surrounded them.

As they finally parted, a sense of peace settled between them. They both knew that no matter how the world changed, their bond would remain a source of strength and joy. 

With their hearts intertwined SuA and Y/N walked towards their future with confidence and hope. The night air was crisp and refreshing, a promise of new beginnings and endless possibilities.

As they approached their car, SuA turned to Y/N, a playful smile on her lips. “So, how about we celebrate tonight? We can get some food, just the two of us.”

Y/N laughed, the sound full of happiness and anticipation. “That sounds perfect. I’d love that.”

With their hands clasped together, they headed off into the night, ready to embrace the next chapter of their lives with each other by their side. The future was uncertain, but they faced it with a heart full of love and a sense of belonging that made every challenge seem conquerable.

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Vesuvia Weekly: Fashion Intervention

~ here's another sketch of an afternoon with my fandom self-insert :P ~

1.8k words

One of the best parts about being the type of person to prefer sitting in corners is needing to worry less about my appearance.

One of the worst parts about being the type of person who doesn't worry much about appearance is having six friends who definitely do.

The part I don't understand is when my fashion sense got so horrifically bad that said six friends actually banded together to stage an intervention. In the marketplace. While I'm writing. With Selasi, that delightful baker, enabling them.

"Ah-ah-ah, don't try to resist! You're a fine young man, my friend, but we all have our weaknesses. Appearances are easy to fix!"

My neck is going to start hurting if I keep having to look up like this. Julian is gesturing enthusiastically, his coat billowing in the breeze as he gets caught up in his monologue on self-improvement. Do I point out the irony, or -

"He doesn't look that bad, he just needs some more ... smrthrgnh." The last word of Asra's sentence is muffled by a mouthful of bread. My bread. Why is he eating my snack?

"Why are your clothes so shapeless anyways? Show off a little something! You should do like I do and get everything tailored. Work that figure!" Lucio takes a few heeled steps and then spins, striking a pose to show off his suit. Muriel frowns.

"It's okay if you don't want to show off." Thank you. "But maybe you could ... pay attention to patterns." I take it back.

"Yeah, what's up the funky looking skeleton? There's no way the fabric it's painted on is going to last longer than a few washes."

"It's merch, Portia." She huffs at my defense and plops down across from me, brushing my parchment out of the way. "I like it because of the pattern, the quality is just ... unfortunate, sometimes."

"I believe we've made our intentions clear." Nadia sails into the discussion and gives me a no-nonsense look. "It would be remiss of us to allow our friend to sit in a public space with so little care for his appearance. Especially when he is one of Vesuvia's aspiring authors."

I try a pleading look, but the only person who starts to look remotely guilty is Julian. Portia's elbow to his ribs makes quick work of that.

"I have shi- I mean, I have stuff to write. And to get done. If you want to look through my wardrobe and help me put together outfits later, we can, but I don't want to leave my corner right now."

"I cannot say this response is unexpected," the Countess gives me a sly but friendly smile, "so I've prepared something for you in advance. When the time comes to return it to me, I expect you to do so with a cleared schedule and an open mind to fresh aesthetics." She holds out her hand, an intricate set of silver chains dripping from her fingers. "From my personal collection - I expect it will suit you nicely."

I sigh. The sooner I accept, the sooner I can go back to not being scrutinized by six pairs of frustratingly kind eyes. "Thank you. I'll take very good care of it."

Nadia moves the jewelry out of the way as I reach for it. "I desire something in exchange."

"What ... what something?"

"I'd like your sweater, please."

"My hoodie? But it's so comfy!"

Her eyelids droop in poorly concealed annoyance. "Your 'hoodie' is in a severe state of disrepair. I can see the threads poking out from the seams, young man, I don't care to see my prized jewelry hidden under such a tired item."

"... okay." I squirm out of my hoodie, handing over the pile of fabric in exchange for the chains. The short sleeves of my undershirt leave my arms exposed, something that I thought I did more often, except -

"You have tattoos?!" Portia's reaching across the table, snatching up my wrist to get a closer look at the slowly growing sleeve. "That's so cool! I've heard that they can really hurt."

"That's a familiar symbol," Asra eyes the lineart on my upper arm where its stretched across the table in front of them. "What do the other ones mean?"

"There's one on your neck, too!" Lucio sounds almost scandalized. "Let me see it!" Before I know it, my freshly exposed neck and arms are being closely examined while a few more sharp eyes focus in on the hints of ink peeking out on my shoulders and chest. This is why I wear hoodies.

Muriel's quick to notice my discomfort when the attention shifts to my neckline and bound chest. "My turn," he grumbles, dropping a navy blue scarf around my collar.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now give me the second hoodie."

It's hard not to scowl, but I untie the backup hoodie's sleeves from my waist and hand it over. Dang it. "Here."

"You look chilly, my mentally decaying friend!" Good lord, when is Julian going to stop ribbing me over my pen name?

"It's brainrot." He doesn't falter.

"Allow me to rectify your situation! I guarantee you this trusty cloak will protect you from the fiercest of storms." He pulls the massive, dramatic coat from his shoulders in a rehearsed sweep and twirls it to fall behind me. He keeps the armholes open with an excited grin until I push my hands through them.

"This is ..."

"Warm? Comfortable? Touching?"

"Huge." I can barely hold back my laugh. "There's no way even your arms come out the other end of these sleeves! ... but thanks, I'm definitely not cold any more."

"I'll help you roll them up," Portia chirps. Her nimble fingers make quick work of the endless fabric, and I can see my ink stained hands again in no time. "Now give me your socks."

Oh no. My boots are sitting next to the pile of cushions, my socked feet tucked under me for maximum comfort. It's not the stink I'm worried about - for all my poor fashion sense, I never miss my daily shower, or laundry day - but to say that I walk gently would be a blatant lie. I briefly size up the determined look on her face before sighing and shucking them off under the table. "... remember, you asked for this."

Hey jaw drops. "Please tell me you have at least one pair of socks that don't have holes in them."

I shrug. "As long as I can still wear them ..."

"No!" She slams her hand on the table, rattling the now-empty bread bowl sitting in front of a shameless snack thief. "These aren't socks anymore, they're practically cobwebs! I'm knitting at least five more of these."

She shoves a pair of knit orange socks into my hands, lovingly covered with Pepi's cat hair and decorated with little blue bows. "Put these on, I'm burning the rags you gave me."

We both know my pout is just for show. It's not my usual style to wear anything that isn't black (or very, very dark grey), but the bright orange gift is supremely comfortable when I put it on.

"My turn," Asra begins with an innocent smile.

"Where's my bread?"

The dimples deepen. "Give me your head covering, and I'll tell you."

"My beanie?"

"Is that what it's called?" He holds out his hand, taking a closer look at the shabby knit fabric when I pass it to him. "I don't see why, there aren't any beanlike qualities about it. Ooh, unless they're invisible beans ..."

Nadia's sharp cough sets them back on track. "Wear this instead, until we can find a better replacement." Oh god, tell me it's not -

It is. It's his iconic wide brimmed hat, complete with the oversized neon rainbow feather nodding from the band. I don't have time to protest before they're plopping it onto my head and wobbling it into place with a laugh. "Now you're unnoticeable." I highly doubt that. "As to your bread, Selasi's been asked to bring you some of the next hot batch. Can you forgive me?"

Nothing about a smile as smug as his says "guilty", but to be fair, I was never upset. I nod. "So ... can I go back to writing now?"

"What about me?!" I glance from Lucio's outraged pout to the rest of the group. I'm fairly certain that, even if he was invited to the planning for this, he didn't follow through on deciding which offending article of clothing he wanted to replace. "You didn't tell me I had to bring something!"

Portia rolls her eyes. "Well maybe if you had listened when I was talking to you, then you would've known." I don't miss the quiet smile lurking in the corners of Muriel's face as Lucio turns bright red and sputters.

"Well joke's on you, 'cause I'm going to give him something anyways!" He starts taking a hasty inventory of his outfit. "Yeah, that's right! I'm gonna give him ... I'm gonna give himmmmm ... this!"

He unfastens his smallest medal and leans over the table, poking the pin of it through the thick leather of Julian's jacket, disregarding the whimper of protest from the doctor behind him. "It's supposed to be airtight, to keep out the bad humors ..."

"There!" The ex-count grins down at me proudly. "Now your outfit isn't boring. You can give that back to me when you have a better look."

"Thanks," I tell him, and I mean it after noticing the way he glances forlornly at the new empty spot on his sash. "I'll make sure it gets back to you."

"We should go now." Muriel's already half-turned away. "... I'm still not sure this worked."

Asra steps back to his friend, surveying my new look from a distance. "Maybe this will motivate him to let us fix his look sooner."

"It looks better with my medal on it," Lucio announces proudly. Portia lays a firm hand on his shoulder and starts heading away, dragging him with her.

"You'll look better once you make time for us, promise!"

"You should be somewhat protected from the elements, at least." Julian eyes his cuffed coat critically. "If you fasten it correctly, it's airtight, humors proof, water tight, blood proof, pus proof -"

"We'll leave you in peace." Nadia smiles again, amusement dancing in her eyes every time she looks at me. "I suggest you prioritize finishing this project soon."

The six disappear back into the crowd. I lean back against the stone wall behind me, Asra's hat knocking forward over my eyes and giving me a moment of peace. Sure, I may have looked shabby before in my all black-and-grey, well worn clothes, but now -

I'm startled out of my blissful shuteye by a surprised choke. Selasi's standing by my table, a fresh bowl of spiced rolls in one hand and the other clapped over his mouth. "Would you - would you like a mirror, my friend?"

I hold out my hand for the rolls, mentally taking it as a consolation prize for what I've just been lovingly wrangled into.

"Oh, don't think I'm not aware that you let this happen, Selasi."

[thesoulbonder]

Lumity Evolution

Hey peeps!

So how’s about that Owl House finale, huh? I definitely didn’t cry, what are you talking about???

Anyhoo, my dear friend @shyartist06 wanted to do another double collab to celebrate! I made a sketch for Titan Luz, which she posted on her Instagram (ShyArtist10), and they made a Lumity sketch for me to finish!

I actually had so much fun drawing the backgrounds for this, which is EXTREMELY surprising! It may have to do with how easy certain brushes make the actual process, but I honestly think it’s because of the unique Boiling Isles colors for trees, grass, etc.

Green trees? No. Red/Purple Trees? FUCK YEAH!!

So yeah!

Thank you Dana Terrace and the rest of the Crew for your amazing show, and thank you for giving everyone the happy ending they deserve (Except Belos lol)