#i got a new setup for them and its so nice!!

[cloudbends]

Aw horizons.... caribou is such a sweet little thing

[lynxgriffin]

Eldritchrune - Dreemurr of Demons

1 | 2 | 3

Story Setup Eldritchrune Masterpost

Asriel ventures back to Hometown while on the trail of trying to find out what happened to Kris, and stumbles across an unusual man who's all too excited to share his demon-warding knowledge! But it's unclear so far whether this knowledge will actually be of help to him...

Yaaay all done with this series back with the Dreemurrs! This one was definitely the longest, but also had some important info! What I'll tackle next is a mystery to me right now...

Alt text for these pages is under the read more:

Page 1 Panel 1: Exterior shot of a back alley in Hometown, with old barrels and boxes stacked behind medieval buildings. Asriel walks down the alley, wearing a striped shirt, glasses and scruffy blond hair, and carrying a large canvas bag over his shoulders. The annoying dog trots happily beside him.

Panel 2: The annoying dog drops his nose to the ground, sniffing at some interesting smell.

Panel 3: The dog bounds off ahead of Asriel to a haphazard collection of trinkets, boxes, jars and displayed charms, all partially covered with colorful cloths. A man is kneeling under one of the tent setups. Asriel walks to catch up with the dog, asking, "What's got your interest this time, dog?"

Panel 4: The man pops up from his odd collection and turns to Asriel with arms spread and a big smile. He has short curly hair, and is dressed in a medieval robe with a cape slung over his shoulders, and bone designs in his sleeve cuffs. He answers, "Just the finest assortment of handmade charms and magical meals made by yours truly, THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" The dog happily circles Papyrus, tail wagging.

Panel 5: Asriel is a bit taken aback by the introduction, but waves in greeting anyway, and responds with "…Oh! Howdy!" The dog sits in front of Papyrus, panting and wagging his tail.

Page 2 Panel 1: Papyrus leans down with a big grin to pet the dog and ruffle its face. "What a bright and clever fellow! Such a sweet face!"

Panel 2: "You're a good, good boy, aren't you?" Papyrus continues. However, the dog glances over to the side, as something has got his attention:

Panel 3: It's one of the charms Papyrus has on display: a large femur bone decorated with paint, beads and feathers.

Panel 4: The dog leaps up and snatches the charm in its mouth. Papyrus looks agape at this thievery, eyes cartoonishly wide. "Wh-HEY! That's my SPECIAL demon-warding charm!"

Panel 5: The dog goes running off further into the alley, the bone still in its mouth. Papyrus shakes his fist at it and yells after it: "You thieving scoundrel! I take back all the nice things I said about you!"

Panel 6: Papyrus quickly turns back to Asriel with a more apologetic look; even now he can't be too mean. He says, "I apologize, I didn't mean to yell at your dog. I'm sure he's normally better behaved!" Asriel waves off the apology with tired bemusement. "No, it's fine. He's not really my dog." Under his breath, he adds, "He just keeps following me around for some reason…"

Panel 7: Papyrus stands back up and gestures to his odd collection. "In any case, you at least are welcome to my little shop-in-the-works!"

Page 3 Panel 1: Papyrus leans in close to Asriel, observing him, and getting a bit into his personal space. "You look a little familiar, though! Are you perhaps related to Mr. Dreemurr?" Asriel nervously adjusts his glasses, and replies, "Heh, yes. I'm Asriel, his son."

Panel 2: Asriel holds up a hand and gives a little sideeye to the alley around them. "But, uh…I actually don't want my parents to know that I'm back in town, so I'd appreciate you keeping quiet about me being here."

Panel 3: Papyrus mirrors that sideeye, hands on his hips, as if recalling some recent incident. "Ahh…I know well the trials of avoiding family. Especially when they decide to try out some terrible new jokes."

Panel 4: Papyrus makes a lip-zipping motion with his hand and mouth. "Not to worry, my lips are sealed!" Asriel smiles back, and says, "Thanks, I appreciate it."

Panel 5: A wider shot of the two still standing within Papyrus's collection of tents and trinkets. Papyrus asks, "So, if it's not to see your folks, what brings you back around Hometown?" Asriel glances around them, and replies, "I'm looking for something. Or well…kinda hoping I don't find something here."

Page 4 Panel 1: Papyrus points up one finger, looking as if he's already solved this problem. "If you don't want to find it, then looking for it seems rather counterintuitive!"

Panel 2: Asriel looks a little taken aback by that logic. "Yes, well… Okay you have a point, but…"

Panel 3: Asriel keeps glancing behind him, as if expecting to see someone there. "This is kind of the next step in a trail of research I've been doing."

Panel 4: Papyrus puts a hand to a chest and puffs himself up, imitating his heroic poses from Undertale. "Well, if your research involves handmade charms and tasty foods both designed to ward off demons, evil spirits and the like… Then I'll be your most cited source!"

Panel 5: Asriel crosses his arms and raises his eyebrows, intrigued by this. "Really."

Panel 6: "You know a lot about demons, huh?" Asriel asks as he sits himself on one of the rugs within the tent setup. Papyrus keeps up his self-congratulatory pose. "I, the Great Papyrus, am a bonafide expert in such subjects! Sad that so few around here seem to recognize my talents."

Page 5 Panel 1: Asriel holds his hands up, willing to follow this strange thread wherever it might lead. "Well, I've got a question that all my research hasn't been able to answer for me, so perhaps you can…"

Panel 2: A pause as Asriel holds on to his thoughts, hands closed in front of his face. Papyrus sits down on the rug across from him.

Panel 3: Asriel lowers his hands, his face deeply serious. "How do you kill a demon?"

Panel 4: Papyrus looks back at him with an equally serious expression, then…

Panel 5: The seriousness is gone as he gives a casual shrug, and gives an answer. "Oh, that's simple. You don't!"

Panel 6: Asriel looks a little bit baffled, and disappointed. "…You don't?"

Panel 7: "No, silly. They're immortal, like angels!" Papyrus keeps up the casual shrug, as if this information is obvious.

Panel 8: However, Papyrus then seems to become aware of why this is being asked. He looks around the area frantically, his head whipping back and forth. "Why?! Are there demons around here that my detection flatbreads missed?!" Asriel offers an amused smile back. "Heehee… no, I don't think so."

Page 6 Panel 1: The seriousness returns to Asriel's face as he scratches at his nose, lost in worried thought. "I just…have this real bad hunch. I'm trying to prepare myself for all potential outcomes."

Panel 2: Papyrus ignores the seriousness of the situation, and just seems impressed. "Preparation! The hallmark of the truly intelligent!"

Panel 3: Asriel is still set on getting some information, and continues his questions. "Thanks. So, if you can't kill them, what do you do about them?" Papyrus holds up a finger again, happy to keep explaining: "Well, you got two options! First, you can banish them back to their own plane!"

Panel 4: Papyrus continues, "However, that's really only the ideal option if you're the one that summoned them in the first place. Otherwise it's a whole ordeal." In the background, Papyrus's point is illustrated with a little graphic of a cult member holding up a hand in rejection of a demon within a summoning circle. The demon looks confused and perturbed by the rejection.

Panel 5: Asriel says, "I see. What's the other option?" Papyrus continues his explanation across the two panels: "You bind the demon to something! Quickest and easiest thing to do is bind them to an object! Buuut, problem with that is, if your object gets broken or destroyed, now your demon's free and even angrier than before."

Panel 6: To illustrate his point, another background graphic shows a shocked human with a broken jar in front of them. A demon rises out of the remains of the broken jar, looking angry and ready to strike.

Page 7 Panel 1: Papyrus again continues his explanation across two panels. "Hardest and most time-consuming thing to do is to bind them to a place! Good option if you have the prep time, but then you can't really use that place anymore. Better pick a restaurant you hate and hope no one there minds you standing outside it chanting for three days straight."

Panel 2: To illustrate his point further, a scene (perhaps a flashback) shows Papyrus with his arms raised outside of a restaurant, supposedly chanting angrily at it, while another person stares back at him from the doorway, hands on their hips in annoyance.

Panel 3: Asriel watches as Papyrus finishes up the rest of his explanation: "Aaaand, last thing you can do is…bind the demon to a person! Which…"

Panel 4: Papyrus stops suddenly. For the first time, he looks actually disturbed and hesitant.

Panel 5: Asriel watches quizzically, waiting for him to continue.

Panel 6: When he doesn't continue, Asriel tries to prompt him on, tilting his head towards him. "…And?"

Panel 7: Papyrus quickly waves his hands in front of him, smiling nervously, clearly trying to dismiss the whole idea. "But you know, we don't need to go into the details of that!"

Panel 8: Asriel says nothing, but remains in nervous thought, one hand covering his mouth. It's clear that this is sticking in his mind the most.

Page 8 Panel 1: Asriel remains sitting with a hand to his chin in thought, but Papyrus has moved on to better advice. "But as I always say, an ounce of prevention's worth a pound of cure! You're much better off trying one of my charms or meals to-go!"

Panel 2: Asriel lets himself smile more at this suggestion. "Y'know? I'm sold. And also a bit hungry."

Panel 3: Asriel gets up, and drops a handful of coins into Papyrus's open hand, which Papyrus looks at in surprise. Asriel says, "Give me your best demon-warding meal."

Panel 4: Papyrus stares down at the coins in his hand, his eyes cartoonishly big and shiny, full of excitement. "WOWIE!! My FIRST ever sale!" he says with a big smile.

Panel 5: Papyrus leaps up and begins to rummage through some of the boxes and barrels around his collection. "This calls for my finest delicacy!" Asriel watches him from a few steps back, and mutters under his breath, "…First ever?…"

Page 9 Panel 1: Papyrus straightens back up, gesturing to a small sack that he is holding in one hand. He looks pleased with himself. "Spiced candied yam bites, from my home country!"

Panel 2: "Each one will purge you of evil spirits for a whole ten hours!" he continues. He hands the small sack off to Asriel, who takes it from him and says, "Sounds like a good deal." In the background, the annoying dog pops back up from behind some other boxes, holding something in its mouth.

Panel 3: Asriel hefts the bag over his shoulder again, and holds up the sack of treats in acknowledgement of the exchange. "Well, I know where to come if I need more info and good charms."

Panel 4: Papyrus stands proud, both hands on his hips, happy at being able to spout off his knowledge to a stranger. "Yes, yes! Tell all your friends about the fantastic advice and the culinary masterworks of the Great Papyrus!" he says excitedly.

Panel 5: Asriel heads off back into the alleyways, and waves goodbye to Papyrus. The annoying dog follows close behind his steps. Papyrus enthusiastically waves to the two as they leave, and says, "Safe travels to you and your annoying dog!"

Page 10 Panel 1: Papyrus turns back to his collection of trinkets and boxes with a determined look, hands on his hips. "And now to see where that criminal canine buried my special charm…" he says to himself.

Panel 2: While continuing on through the alleyways, Asriel opens the small sack and pulls out one of the candied yam bites.

Panel 3: Asriel glances back down at the dog, and notices that he's carrying something that's making a tinking noise. It's partially hidden from view. "Oh boy, what did you steal now?" he asks with a wry smile.

Panel 4: Asriel takes the yam bite and pops it into his mouth with a crunch…

Panel 5: …Only to then make a face, his eyes wide and his mouth scrunched up, as if tasting something indescribable.

Panel 6: "What IS this flavor?" Asriel asks to himself, although all but his back foot are off-panel. The focus is on the annoying dog, who is shown to be carrying a strange, heart-shaped metal lantern on a chain.

[crooked-hourglass]

Recap of my mangled thoughts after my first Ritual in Manchester!

Spoilers under the read more

Forgive me for spelling mistakes - its late and emotions are high! We were so close to the stage. We were in the first block and in the second row and we were level with the stage so we could see them so well. We were practically next to Swiss, and Cirrus was behind him on the keyboards. There was a raised track all the way around the stage and Phantom interacted with us so much and his little dances were adorable. Rain, Dew and Papa also came to interact with us so many times. Dew tried to throw a pick over the gap but it didnt quite make it. Most of the Ghouls were wearing platform Doc Martens and Phantom and Rain looked particularly good in them. Rain, Swiss, and rhe Ghoulettes were wearing habits, and at one point Rain headbanged too hard and the habit flipped over his face 🙃.

The setlist was immaculate, and the staging was so impressive. They started with the usual big black curtain that dropped to show the stage in the usual Ghost setup but with the additional raised section around the sides and back. Everytime Dew came to our side he'd take the lonf way back all the way round the back of the stage. And I got to witness a Dew Cirrus fist bump as he was doing his rounds around the stage. And phantom and Dew played together at the back but i couldnt tell if you could see that from the front. I couldnt see Aurora or the new Ghoulette, but the verdict is in, Cirrus is still hot. And Aurora had the wings from the music video! Also I can't believe I finally saw a mummy dust keytar solo live! There was another curtain covering the back wall of the stage, that dropped after a few songs to reveal the usual windows, but the projections on to them were amazing! Especially when they shattered to reveal a night sky that change to a sunrise when they played 'He Is'. Those windows then fell to reveal an entire wall of screens that had amazing visual effects. And let me say it was so refreshing to not see AI generated effects on screen at a concert. There was pyro, fireworks, the lighting was gorgeous and of course there is new Mummy Dust! Which I'm hoping to get on Sunday 🤞

There was a moment where it was just Phantom on the stage, interacting with the crowd and encouraging cheers etc, and it was so nice to watch him have his moment, and Dew had a bit of a moment too. Plus the top hat looked so good on Phantom - and on Dew! Oh! And the gave Swiss a cowbell! Cowbell ghoul lives on! What I will say about the costumes is that they were VERY tight and I think it was a bit of an issue with the boys if you catch my drift.

Now onto Papa V - he was the perfect balance of sweet and playful, and a bit darker than Copia. His outfits were incredible. For 'Majesty' he was on a pedestal behind Mountain and was wearing these long ornate robes with a huge collar. The pedestal rose up, alonf with the giant grucifix that was made of lights that hung above the stage. His robes for 'Ritual' I loved! They were black with a chrome spine and hip bones and what looked like a tail that went to the end of his robes. The back of the ghouls sleevless tail coats also had fabric that was rouched to look like ribs. The new costumes were all fantastic. And Papa still had his sparkly jackets still! A silver one during the main set and a purple/pink one during the encore. He also had a black jacket that had glitter diamonte detailed like spider webs across. The amount of sparkle on this tour is exquisite. Papa sounded so clear and so so good, and the ghoulette and Swiss backing vocals were incredible. The new songs sound great and I'm so excited for the new album.

On the no phones thing, I only slightly freaked out because I couldn't find one of the people I went with at one point. But overall, I loved the energy of an arena filled with people interacting and focused on the show. I just wish there was more communication beforehand to how the tickets worked and if you needed to print them. But now you can see half of Papa's face, you can tell he was so happy with the show.

Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better first ritual with better seats. Because standing at shows takes it out of me for days after so to get such a view and get so close and still be able to walk after is amazing.

[ducksido]

Haiiiiii! How are u? I have an EVIL idea, very evil😈 Idia with entomologist reader? 😈 like Idia is just playing a fight video game, when somehow, a moth ended up in his room, and he’s like AHHHHHHHWTFGETITOUTOFHEREAHHHHHH but readers super happy, yapping about that moth species and Hes like « I love ur rambling but pls get that demonic creature out of here »

YUPPIE! YUPPIE!

Idia was deep into a boss battle—his character's health bar hanging by a pixel, his fingers a blur over his keyboard, sweat on his brow, and his hair crackling an ominous red.

"Just one more hit—come on, come onnnn—YES!! CRIT DAMAGE, GET REKT LOSER—"

A faint flutter filled the room. Something small and dusty-brown spiraled past his monitor.

"…What… what was that." He paused. His eye twitched.

The moth reappeared. Hovering. Menacing. Eyes filled with unknowable eldritch wisdom.

Then it dive-bombed the screen.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!!!" Idia launched himself off the chair, sending his headphones flying. "WHO SUMMONED A DEMON?! WHO DID A RITUAL?! IS THIS THE MOTHMAN???"

Enter you, bouncing in, starry-eyed.

"OH MY GOSH THAT’S A Polyphemus moth!!! You NEVER see those in the wild anymore!! Look at its eye spots! That’s DEFENSIVE MIMICRY, IDIA!! DEFENSIVE MIMI—"

"Y/N please," he whimpers from the corner of the room, hugging a blanket, "I love you and your bug TED Talks but that thing has like... a hundred legs and evil in its soul."

"It has six legs. And no soul. It’s just vibing." You scoop the moth up with reverent hands like it’s baby Jesus. "Look at her!!! SHE'S SO PLUMP!!!"

"I’m gonna pass out."

You beam. "Do you wanna hold her??"

"Absolutely not," he says instantly, blue again and shaking like a leaf. "She looked me in the eye. I saw my death. I’m gonna uninstall life.exe."

You gently shoo the moth out the window and turn back to him with a grin.

"You're such a baby."

"You’re such a cryptid."

"But you love me."

"Yeah…" he grumbles, burying his face in your hoodie, still trembling. "Unfortunately…"

(continuation:)

It started with one beetle terrarium. Just one. A nice, unassuming glass tank full of soil, leaves, and what Idia thought were little rocks.

Until one of the "rocks" moved.

"AAAAAGH—WHY DOES IT HAVE HORNS?!" He screamed and nearly spilled his energy drink. You turned from your desk, lovingly holding one of your Hercules beetles.

"Isn’t he majestic? I named him Shiny Daddy Hercules! He’s the king of this tank."

"That's the name of a boss in Eternal Blight VII. You’re summoning demons with style, huh?"

"But look at his elytra! He’s a literal tank. That horn is for mating displays!"

"Mating?!" Idia scooted three feet farther away from the terrarium. "You're telling me that guy’s whole vibe is like ‘hey baby, check out my forehead sword’?? That’s horrifying."

Still, you noticed something…

Despite his protests (screeching), Idia always glanced at the tank when he thought you weren’t looking.

You caught him once leaning in, eyes wide, whispering:

"Yo... is that the one with the little butt antennae? He's doing a moonwalk… Bro’s got moves."

"That’s TapTap, the click beetle," you said from behind him, making him jolt like you hit him with a lightning spell. "They do that to flip themselves over."

"...Click beetle. That’s kind of… hacker-cool, actually," he mumbled, cheeks slightly pink.

Later that week:

You walk into his room and find a smaller terrarium next to his PC setup.

"...Idia. Is that a new enclosure?"

"NO." He slams his hands on the lid like he’s hiding nuclear secrets.

You peek.

Inside: One shiny little rainbow stag beetle. With a name tag that reads “Sir Byte, Knight of RAM” in his handwriting.

He sulks as you beam at him.

"Whatever. I saw him in the bio lab and he looked sad. So I… heroically rescued him. Stop smiling like that. Don’t make it weird."

"You love bugs now."

"I love you. The bugs are… inoffensive. Kinda. Some of them. Don’t tell them I said that."

[aliengirl]

Hey buddy, welcome to the playground! Did you bring your dolls? Can i see them? I can show you mine, if you like

Yeah everyone likes to play different. This kid right there? Their dolls are always the same but they make different scenarios each time.

Some children make up a new play every time they came, but others are following the same pretend since they got here.

There is even kids that dont even play pretend as much as they like to dress up their dolls and make fashion shows. Others prefer to set up doll houses and little places they never use. But they will let you play on them if you ask nicely.

Oh these kids? They are actually very talented and make their own doll clothes, wigs, and even furniture for the doll houses. Yes, they share their creations, so we can play too!

Hey! Let me introduce you to my friend. I dont know her name but her doll is married to mine <3 yes if you make friends here you can borrow their dolls and they will play with yours too, its very fun!

Oh, this kids. They are kinda spoiled and bratty. They have those expensive doll accessories and like to show them off. You can play with them if you give them your lunch money or wait until their toys arent as new anymore so they will let you play for free. The new kids like them but most of us will just steal some toys from time to time (dont tell them tho)

Some kids can be mean but i promise there is nice ones you can befriend and they are really cool. Hope you like here <3 do you wanna see the setup i did for my dolls wedding?

[dansformations]

"Man of the future"

Alan was 20 years old gay guy that turned his passion for video games into a career as a streamer. Every night, he sat in front of his computer, illuminated by the lights of his setup, and connected to play with his thousands of followers enchanted by the fact of having a popular gay and handsome streamer. That night, however, something different happened.

While chatting with his audience and viewing the comments in the chat, he noticed a message that stood out among the others.

@ yourbroski: "Try this game, 'Man of the Future'," said a donation message with a link.

@ yourbroski: "Its my game, i create It"

- You Did!? No way - Alan replied

He clicked the link, opening the Game just for being nice, the title didnt sounded like something that the girly Alan would enjoy.

Within seconds after the click, Alan found himself downloading a game he had never heard of. The title, "Man of the Future," glowed on the screen.

The game was a complicated obstacle course and shooter that quickly engrossed Alan into the digital word.

- Hey, this is indeed fun

But the fun ended quickly. When he died in the game for the first time - Which was pretty fast -, a screen appeared with the saying, "C'mon Bro, you can do better" along with an strange music, almost hipnotazing music.

- Whoa, did you guys see that? - Alan said, leaning back in his chair. - This game is savage! 'C'mon Bro, you can do better'? Challenge accepted! - he answered.

However, the second attempt didn’t go any better. When Alan died again, the message changed to, "Don’t be a noob, Bro."

Alan face reddened with frustration. "Okay, Bro," he muttered under his breath.

- No way am I letting this game call me a noob. Let's do this! - He turned to the chat, determination blazing in his eyes. -You guys with me? This game’s going down, Bros!

Took a sip of His... beer? He didnt remenber being drinking beer, he didnt even remenber enjoying beer but he was so centred on beating that game that kinda ignored It.

- OOOOOUUURRRP - he belched - dang, sorry bros - he said a bit ashamed... Just a bit. He was too centred to being ashamed.

Meanwhile the coments were going crazy.

"Whats happening With all those 'Bro'? Thats off character"

"@ yourbroski: Nothing to be ashamed! Better out than inside my Bro!"

"Are we sure this Is Alan? Lol"

He keep playing moving his fingers as fast as he could, he was doing Better and when he almost reached the wining flag - a flag decorated only With White and black lines - he got killed by another player.

- Son of a bitch! - he yelled - that motherfucker killed me at the very last BRARRRRP - belched - moment!

"Dont be a pussy" The screen said this time, as knowing he was whining.

- No way this game just called me a "pussy"! - he said ofended - Im not, and in gonna show them all - he said while opening his legs in the chair in a more relaxed position, tooking a moment to scracht his balls in front everybody before starting the new round.

In that position everybody could apreciate some strong arms and legs that people didnt knew Alan had abd Alan didnt remenber to have worked on.

"Sexy" a guy comented.

He was gay, but for some reason reading that from a guy, maked him feel angry.

- Dont be a weirdo, dude - he said

He was gay, right..?

Then started playing again, not releasing every time his character died, a part of His persona did too.

Yelling, coursing, chugging beer and burping, acting with a cocky attitude more and more, every round, less nice, less gay, less him, until...

- BROS, I-OARRRRRP -He couldnt contain a burp - I DID IT!

His character was holding that black and White flag.

"Now youre a real alpha" the tv screen said With that strange music still.

"Now youre the Man of the future"

And with that, the remains of Alan were erased, he didnt remenber being a girly gay guy anymore, he always had been an alpha, a straight, gassy, jock that loved playing videogames and humillating the noobs and "queerdos" on the games.

Alan started doing a "celebration dance" that basically was doing hip moviments to show his bulge. Like he were fucking someone.

- This Is for you, @broski - Alan put His microphone close to his ass and ripped a big, loud, smelly fart on It - i beated you - he said proud. Between laughs he added - Nah, GG bro, youre talented, definetly gonna share It with the bros.

"Whats happening with Him?!' someone comented

"@ yourbroski: That flag send the fag away"

Alan didnt even read those coments, he was busy trying to fan away the fart with his hands.

That Night the strange transformartion of the gay gamer Alan was trending everywhere, but before His friend Group had read something, they receive link to a Game from Alan.

"Alan: Best game of the month broskis"

The group of friends made up of gay guys and nice straight guys thought Alan's writing was odd, but without knowing the situation they gave more atention to the link, opening it, ready to play a life-changing game, "The man of the future."

(This is just fetish writing)

[chrattvibe]

៹Something new. rapper!chris.

smut, fingering, handjob, protected sex, soft dom!chris, switchy!chris if you squint.

must read "Somewhere else." for context.

Chris watched her settle into the passenger seat, quiet at first. The click of the seatbelt, the hum of the engine, then the stereo—those were the first sounds between them.

There was something about the way she moved—composed, but not completely at ease—that Chris liked more than he’d admit.

She tucked her hair behind her ear, looked out the window. Every now and then, her eyes drifted to Chris’s hands, the way he held the wheel—loose and easy.

Low R&B still played from earlier. He didn’t change it. No need.

Chris exhaled and cracked the window just enough to let the cool night air cut through the heat between them—without wiping it out completely.

The drive moved slow. City lights slid across the windshield while he tried not to overthink what came next.

There was pressure. He wasn’t the type to bring girls back to his place. He usually ended up in theirs.

He parked outside the building and cut the engine. The street was quiet. When they got out, she tilted her head back to look up at the tall building, eyes scanning all the way up.

He unlocked the front door and held it open for her. In the elevator, they stood side by side—close but not touching, like the tension between them was its own person.

Chris swallowed hard. His reflection in the elevator mirror looked calmer than he felt.

He nudged the apartment door open with his hip and gave her a quick nod to go ahead. She stepped inside quietly. The silence felt loud.

The apartment was dim. The only light came from the windows, city lights outlining the furniture in silhouette. Chris flipped on the ceiling light. Too bright. They both squinted, laughed. Turned it off.

He locked the door behind her, dropped his keys into a ceramic bowl on the shelf, and crossed the room to switch on a warm floor lamp instead.

Much better.

The light cast long shadows across the pale floors, and the space—clean lines, neutral tones, low furniture, quiet order—didn’t scream for attention, but it had a vibe. Not what you’d expect from someone like him. No flexing. No trying too hard. Just cool. Pulled together. Like he gave a fuck, but not too much.

There was a quiet kind of intimacy in the air. Like not just anyone got to be in there. Like crossing that door meant something.

Chris moved carefully. The way he looked at her was a little more vulnerable than before. Not because he feels less confident about himself—but because he knew what it meant, letting someone in.

He wasn’t worried about how his place looked. He usually kept it clean. He spent most of his time in his studio—that room he slowly put together over time with the setup he built for recording and producing music. He turned on the TV, volume already low, enough to fill the silence. Opened Spotify. Hit shuffle on his likes. Should work.

It’d been a long time since anyone had been inside his home. Longer than he liked to admit. But now she was there. Standing in the middle of his living room, looking at the framed photos on the wall like she was trying to decode him.

"That one’s from my brother Nick," he said, dropping onto the couch. She looked over at him with a slight furrow in her brow. He motioned for her to sit beside him. "He’s a photographer."

"It’s nice," she said, settling beside him but leaving a bit of space. "The apartment’s nice. It’s got a vibe."

“Thank you. Is that a good thing, right?” Chris turned slightly to face her, elbow propped on the back of the couch, his head resting on his hand.

“Sure. I mean, I didn’t really have any expectations so...” she shrugged. "But it's pretty cool."

Chris let out a low chuckle, almost relieved. His eyes dropped to her legs, then back up.

"Do you want something to drink?" He got up from the couch. "No alcohol, I know. But can I give something else?"

"Whatever you’ve got is fine."

Chris rolled his shoulders back, stretched his neck, walked into the kitchen and grabbed a lemonade, pouring two glasses. He came back and sat a little closer this time, testing the space between them.

She kept looking around. Not surprised, just quietly curious—like she wanted to understand who he was without asking.

From close up, Chris could see how the light softened her skin. He liked seeing her like that—comfortable but aware. Like she knew something was coming, even if she didn’t know what exacly.

They talked a little, just enough to be polite. She leaned forward to set her glass down on the coffee table. When she leaned back, her knee brushed his. She didn’t pull away.

Chris glanced at the spot where they touched. Then up at her.

"This happen to you a lot?" he asked, voice low.

"What does?"

"This," he gestured around. "Ending up at some guy’s place you barely know."

She shrugged "Not really. You?"

Chris smirked, tilting his head.

"I’m not usually the one inviting, if I’m honest."

She glanced at him, amused. One brow slightly raised. "So why me?"

He held her gaze, like he was figuring it out in real time. Like he wasn’t totally sure either.

“Something about the way you look at me" he said, finally. Like he was admitting it to himself too. "I like it."

She didn’t answer right away. Just smiled a little, looking down.

Chris leaned in—slow. Not too much. Just enough for the air between them to shift.

"And," he added, barely above a whisper, "I don’t know... I kinda don’t want tonight to be over yet."

She looked back at him. And this time, she didn’t look away. Silence hung there, heavy but not awkward.

Chris reached out, hand hovering near her leg. Not touching yet. Just waiting.

She held his gaze. Didn’t move, lips curled into a secret smile.

That was enough.

He leaned in more, letting his hand climb gently up her thigh. His fingers warm against her skin and his mouth moved closer. Close enough to feel her breath.

"You good with this?" he murmured. “Can I?"

Her smile grew, playful.

"I’ve been waiting for you to kiss me since I saw you."

Chris’s grin was soft and crooked as he kissed her.

The kiss wasn’t rushed or hesitan. Is was confident, shared. Her hand moved instinctively to the back of his neck, fingers sliding into his hair, pulling slightly.

He smiled against her mouth.

His hands found her waist, traced her shape. He helped her move to straddle him, steadying her by the hips. She leaned into his shoulders. His hands stayed on her thighs. They pulled apart just enough to breathe.

"Do you always kiss like that?" she asked, her voice teasing, charged.

Chris chuckled, still close. "Only when I want it to happen again."

She bit his bottom lip, a playful answer.

He pulled her in again. This time, deeper. More certain. His hands slid under her shirt, found heat.

She sighed into him. Her hips shifted, instinctive. It earned a groan from him.

The way they moved got smoother. His touch moved lower. Her legs stayed around him, hands exploring—neck, jaw, chest. He paused just long enough to look her in the eyes. Saw no hesitation.

"Come on." he murmured, standing and guiding her by the waist.

No questions. She followed.

The vibe matched the rest of the apartment—clean, chill, nothing crazy. Big bed. Crumpled comforter. Framed records on the wall. Soft lamp on the nightstand. Smelled like him.

He turned to her. Looked at her like he was still catching up to this. Then stepped closer. Less patience this time.

Their mouths met again, harder now. Hands urgent. Shirts came off. Kisses deeper. Slower.

She hit the bed first, falling back slow with a smile. Chris crawled over her, kissing his way from her stomach to her mouth.

"Can I take this off?" he asked, fingers brushing over her bra.

She arched her back slightly—answer enough.

Their bodies met again, clothes hit the floor. Skin on skin. Heat rising fast. Touches rougher, mouths hungrier.

Chris took care of filling her body with kisses and marks that would go away in a few minutes. He found the middle of her thighs unusually comfortable. He liked the way she pulled his hair and grinded against his face.

He wanted to give her some time to recover after making her cum. But she didn't waste time and kissed his lips again desperately. Chris thanked her internally, his cock starting to ache. She relieved his pain a little with her hand, playing with his tip and making Chris—almost—lose control of himself.

Chris saw the smirk on her face while she was doing it. Missing out was never an option for him, so he also brought his hand to her center, taking her to the limit until she had to let go of his dick to cling to the sheets.

Once he made sure she was wet enough for him, he slid the condom down his length easily. He made her lie on her back, making sure she was comfortable on the mattress and settled between her legs, lined up his tip with her entrance and with ease and a moan from both of them, he was already halfway inside.

The room filled with breathy sounds, low moans. The soft lamp lit her face just enough. Chris didn’t want to miss a single reaction. The first movements were slow, both were getting used to the overwhelming pleasure they felt. Once they were both used to each other, Chris gently went a little deeper and his movements began to be rhythmic.

Her nails dragged down his back, leaving faint lines. His chain swung from his neck, brushing against her collarbone. She kissed every part of him she could reach.

After a few minutes they exchanged positions. He leaned against the back of the bed and sat her on top of him. At first they were gentle, both trying to regulate themselves but the need grew and Chris applied a little force to her hips, moving her to his liking.

His dominance didn't last long, she took control of her own movements without Chris realizing it. He only noticed it when he felt he was dangerously close and had to ask her to please stop.

He moved her onto her stomach. One hand in her hair, pulling gently so he could trail his mouth down her neck, while the other gripped the flesh of her thigh—taking the lead again.

Time blurred.

When he finally let his weight rest on her, breath still shaky, he whispered something low—sweet, a little breathless—before rolling off.

They lay there for a moment, catching their breath, laughing quietly. No rush to move. No awkwardness. Just calm.

Chris stood first. Found her clothes and passed them over. They dressed slow. Like neither of them wanted the moment to end.

She sat at the edge of the bed, hooking her bra back on. Chris tossed the condom and pulled on his boxers, then lay back, watching the shape of her back in the low light. He reached for her waist, gently.

"You don’t have to leave, y'know?" he said softly. His brow furrowed, almost involuntarily. That’s what guys are supposed to say, right? Girls usually say it to him.

She glanced over her shoulder, smiling—not out of politeness, but because it was sweet.

"I sleep better at home" she said, with a shrug and a little laugh. "Thanks though."

“Yeah, I get it.” He nodded, sitting up, slipping into his jeans. “I’ll drive you.”

She tried to say he didn’t have to. But he insisted.

The drive back was easy. Fifteen minutes, maybe. They laughed about the night, threw a few jokes back and forth.

At her building, Chris leaned a bit toward her. Not quite done.

“Can I get your number?” he asked, low. Like it wasn’t something he said often. Because it wasn’t.

She looked at him for a moment, amused.

"You gonna use it? Or are you just asking?”

Chris laughed quietly, sounding almost defeated.

"Pretty sure I’m gonna use it."

He handed her his phone without another word. She smiled, saved her contact, and stepped out of the car.

Chris stayed parked for a bit longer, watching her walk into her building. And then he felt it, something new settling in his chest.

He frowned. That was weird. He needs some sleep.

—chrattvibe.

masterlist.

taglist.

[bumblelune]

Akito5/Toya5 are 2 events I might never actually get around to reading. It's disappointing to see how clpl seems to not care about cohesion in their game between units.

Aki5 has been disappointing to me ever since it came out in October last year. The themes were really good; Akito lands in a burnout, and feels now lost after beating RAD WEEKEND.

VBS on its own isn't bad. It's written well! But they've always stood out very awkwardly amongst the other units. They have very specific issues that other units don't have.

Leoni have always had a very clear goal; Go pro, a goal set by shiho. And that goal is now being mirrored by Sakis desire to be closer to the audience.

MMJ was always set up for success as a unit, and now we see that they have production issues.

Wxs has good goals but tsukasa is just getting shafted.

niigo has literally nothing bad going. whatever about kanade being all about mafuyu; their events are anticipated, expected, theorized about & high tension.

And niigo is why im starting to find so many issues with vbs.

niigo drags stories & themes no matter what they are. It took 4 years before the first plotline was wrapped up in some way (Mizukis secret). Mafuyus parents & Kanades savior complex & Enas self doubt (even if thats a lesser thing. Ena never rly had smth specifically set up afaik.) are STILL really actively ongoing.

The ONE thing vbs had ongoing was Ans jealousy. Which, after An5, got tamed as well. it was whipped like a wimp girl 😓 Just what does vbs have running for them other than going to america? what goals do they specifically have jn americs other than the vague idea of "reaching even more people!". Vbs was so nice because they had a very consice idea of what they liked, worked towards, etc. Their gaze shifting to something more vague is by all means, pretty sad.

Now. there comes aki5.

The setup was amazing. Introducing akito. Burnt out after hitting his goal. He reached what he wants. Holy shit this is GOOD! It makes sense as well for his character.... And then it was fixed at the end. what?

So youre already far ahead of every other unit, and then you also have to not drag out a very nice plot point that can cause for tension?

While they couldve made aki5 introduce the issue Akito has. And then, maybe have him announce he's not joining them to America. Old feelings resurfacing; he feels like he'll just hold them back beyond rad weekend. And then the event can end.

Toya5 could pick up on vbs trying to find themselves a reason to go on, to convince Akito to go with them. Toyas "I want you to rely on me" turning into a desperate "I NEED you to rely on me." Because toya can not go ahead without akito. And Akito can get taken along. His new spark being for Toya; for toya and vbs.

he doesn't HAVE to know what's wrong. He doesn't HAVE to know how to fix it. He just has to trust toya that it'll be okay. And that the spark Akito lost will get fueled again by Toya.

Then an6 could've focused on vbs in america. Idk it feels like it'd flow better. Akito experiencing things more as a backseat burner would've been a really great addition.

yeah idk..

anyways I made this card as potential set for this aki5 rewrite. Toyas card for toya5 idea had the idea to be opposite. blooming flowers & very light.

[theferbtones]

HERE ISSSS MY COMPREHENSIVE FIRST THOUGHTS ABOUT THE FIRST PART OF PHINEAS AND FERB SEASON 5 (FROM THE POV OF A LONG-TIME SUPERFAN)

SPOILERS BELOW!!! DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE NEW EPISODES OKAY!!! THANK YOU MUAH

General thoughts:

animation is actually quite good! I think summer block buster / license to bust were noticeably rusty but everything else was pretty good + there were some moments that were really well animated. especially in the b plot scenes

I like that they overdubbed phineas' lines in the theme song! I think that should have happened a long time ago!! like, yeah im used to the original lines, but it sounds more cohesive in my opinion

adding onto that I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY DIDN'T REMAKE THE INTRO OH MY GOD THANK YOU DWAMPY THANK YOU TH

Voice acting was great! There were some wacky moments but like overall I didnt have any issues with any of the voices. I feel so bad I was so concerned because there was Candace’s theme song takeover and Ashley Tisdale’s voice sounded so autotuned there but in the show she sounds just fine. All the new VAs did great as well (ily David errigo jr. as ferb)

Buford’s bread bowl hot tub joke the whole season was really funny to me. Honestly, buford overall was SO awesome this season. he was carrying the backyard gang

I also quite liked ferb and baljeet so far. my sillies

---

Episodes:

Summer Block Buster / Cloudy With a Chance of Mom

great way to reintroduce the characters. Im glad we didn’t linger much on the school part and we jump right into summer

The twist with Linda being vaporized was perfect. I liked how the gang interacted with cloud Linda.. seeing Candace be emotional is always SO important to me okay

Idk what else to say. Super solid beginning, great intro song, summer is starting right now is a new fave for me

Submarine Sandwich Submarine / License to Bust / Dry Another Day

I love how normal these episodes were!! Really feels like they could fit into season 2 or 3

I don’t have a ton to say about them other than I really liked them all. seeing Candace finally get her license felt like a proud parent moment lol. loved the callbacks to mud mud world!

Deconstructing Doof:

NOT what I expected from this episode but I was not opposed to it! The therapist character was insane but it was interesting. I liked having a Candace and doof duet again… love seeing when the connections are acknowledged in the show :smiles:

Linda was really pissing me off in this episode though. girl pay attention to your daughter oh my god!!!

Tropey McTropeface / Biblio-Blast!

oh my god. Tropey mctropeface I laughed SO hard at some of these gags. It was an out there idea, but I loved it! Zoetrope god canon. thats all I have to say

Dont have much to say about biblio-blast either it felt like a standard episode (good) 

I liked the part where they all jumped into the air high school musical style. Did they make it just to include in a trailer? Probably… but I still like it. 

A Chip to the Vet / More Than an Intern

the vet episode had SO MUCH potential. But . I did not like it thaaat much. Perry and doof’s fighting was cool, but otherwise the big invention for the day just felt too similar to phintastic ferbulous car wash :’(

Also WHY ARE WE USING SCREAMING GOAT IN 2025. THE EPISODE DID IT NOT ONCE NOT TWICE BUT *FOUR TIMES*. SERIOUSLY it really took me out of the episode

I like that its canon that ferb went feral. Feels in character

More than an intern was good and I liked seeing carl’s life outside of owca.. I feel bad for him. Im glad he got to vocalize some of his feelings

Also the setup and payoff with ferb in more than an intern made me laugh

The Aurora Perry-Alis / Lord of the Firesides

aurora was OK, nice to see monty again! And the scene with Perry and Stacy!!! I liked the song in this episode as well

also why do the Flynn fletchers keep going on cruises. these guys are loaded /silly

I feel like lord of the firesides was fun at first but it was too repetitive if that makes sense… the song was a banger though

The Candace Suit / Agent T (for Teen)

the Candace suit is horrifying. Can’t wait to see more of that freaky thing

Loved seeing buford be a little freak honestly. Loved the continuity regarding the “I have life sized molds of all of my friends”

Why did Isabella make fun of Candace for liking ducky momo

STACY HELPING WITH OWCA / PERRY. ITS ALL WE WANTED. ITS ALL I EVER WANTEDDDDDDDDD YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAA NO NOTES GREAT EPISODE PEAK PEAK PEAK PEAK PEAAAAAKKKK I LOVE AGENT P AND STACY FOREVER AND EVER

The Haberdasher / Out Of Character

I LOVED THE HABERDASHERRR I like learning about the extended OWCA staff! Such a fun episode. For sure going to be one of my faves from this season

Moth doof was weird but in the BEST way possible. reminded me of my OCs (if you know my OCs... you would understand what I mean.)

Out of character was pretty standard but im sad baljeet didn’t actually get a role

Meap Me in St. Louis

sighs heavily. This was for sure my least favorite episode in the season (so far) (I HOPE nothing is worse than this) as someone who really likes the meap saga this episode was such a slap in the face after really looking forward to this :(

What happened to meap’s og actor? Like I understand about Jeremy’s but AFAIK Lorenzo lamas hasn’t done anything crazy. (If he has let me know bc im unaware of it). And WHY did they have to redub the iconic meap soundbite? It was unnecessary… no shame to his new VA but I guess im just so used to the og it caught me off guard. AND WHY DID THEY DITCH THE MUSTACHE TRANSLATORS. CAN ANYONE HEAR ME. HELLO

I just hate how the episode felt like it was trying to meet the requirement of existing rather than actually continue the story? Like, the meta part was fun (AT THE BEGINNING). But it quickly turned annoying and like an excuse to not make things cohesive. Nothing really felt relevant and they just shoehorned each part of the trailer (especially the jerry part).

I liked mitch as per usual and I liked the song that the backyard gang sung (do the tidy up is probably my favorite of the season honestly????), but otherwise it just fell so flat…… meap deserves so much better…

No Slumber Party / The Ballad of Bubba Doof

YEEEEAAAAA VANESSA CANDACE STACY BEING FRIENDS . WE WIN!!! 

The jokes in this episode really landed for me. The friends parody, baljeet falling asleep after his bedtime (so true dude) and Lawrence sleepwalking were all so funny

Ballad of bubba doof was fun, honestly i’m surprised they hadn’t had an episode like this earlier. Ah yes my favorite PnF character: lunch <3

---

Overall, I think the pros were the B plots (all of them were really solid to me, and that’s saying something, because I’m generally more invested in the A plot) and the successful feeling of “more of the same” (in a good way of course). You don’t watch phineas and ferb for something new— well at least I don’t…

Cons were that some jokes that fell flat / went on for too long, and I think there weren’t enough standout songs either. Hopefully as the season goes on we get more iconic song moments.

I can’t wait to watch the rest of the season! I have no doubt that things will find its footing. Its got a really strong start, perhaps I’m just being too nitpicky…

Some things I’d like to see in the future:

More Jeremy?? Please??? Can anyone hear me

Actually just more of the teens overall. Vanessa content… now!!!

I just want to see my favorite guy forever (phineas) sing more OK. Thank you

Also I want another fireside girls centric episode (akin to Isabella and the temple of sap / bee story)

Favorite episodes: The Haberdasher / License to Bust

Least favorite episodes: Meap Me In St. Louis / Chip to the Vet

[enhyunj]

ENHA HYUNG LINE HCS ⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆

masterlist

pair: bf!hyung line x reader

total word count: 1.1k

genre: fluff

warnings: really fluffy :3 (reminder: this is probably NOT how the members would act in real life, this is fiction, not real!!)

synopsis: stuff I think the hyung line would do with you :3

note: Jake’s is a little long but it’s only because I got carried away.. I LOVE PETS 😓 also I know absolutely nothing about LoL cus I don’t play it so if I got some stuff wrong I apologize. 😭

starts under the cut!

HEESEUNG — VIDEO GAMES

Heeseung sat next to you at his gaming setup, handing you a headset and mouse. “Ready for your first game of League of Legends?”

You adjusted the headset, looking a bit unsure. “I’m not sure I’ll be any good at this.”

Heeseung chuckled. “Don’t worry baby, I’ll guide you. We’ll start with a bot game. Just follow my lead.”

As the game loaded, Heeseung explained the basics. “Right-click to move, Q, W, E, and R are your abilities. D and F are your summoner spells.”

You nodded, mimicking his actions to buy starting items. “Got it.”

You both moved your champions to the lane, and Heeseung encouraged you through the early stages. “Focus on last-hitting minions and using your abilities to poke the enemies.”

Despite a few fumbles, you managed to get a kill. “I did it!” You exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement.

Heeseung grinned, giving you a high five. “Nice job! You’re a natural.”

You continued to play, Heeseung offering tips and strategies. Eventually, you won the game, both characters standing victorious on the enemy nexus.

You cheered, leaning back in your chair. “We did it!”

Heeseung leaned over to kiss your cheek. “We make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

You smiled, your heart swelling with affection. “The best team. Thanks for teaching me, Heeseung.”

He wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close. “Anytime, babe. I’m always here to help you conquer the Rift.”

JAY — COOKING TOGETHER

You and jay moved in perfect harmony in your small kitchen, the late afternoon sunlight casting a warm glow over the countertops. Jay’s tall frame was bent slightly as he chopped vegetables with precision, his perpetual grin never leaving his face.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to help with that?” You asked, your eyes sparkling with amusement as you watched him from the stove where you stirred a simmering pot.

Jay glanced over, his quick wit ready as ever. “You know me, babe. I’ve got this. Besides, someone has to make sure you don’t burn our masterpiece.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t suppress your smile. “I’m a great cook, thank you very much.”

“Oh, I know,” Jay teased, setting the knife down and sidling up behind you. He wrapped his arms around your waist, resting his chin on your shoulder. “But even great cooks need a sous chef.”

You leaned into his embrace, your hand moving from the spoon to cover his. “You mean a taste-tester?”

“That too,” Jay laughed, pressing a kiss to your cheek. “What’s life without a little taste-testing?”

You turned in his arms, facing him fully. “Boring, that’s what.”

Jay’s grin widened. “Exactly. Now, how about you let me taste this amazing sauce you’ve been working on?”

You lifted a spoonful of the rich, aromatic sauce and brought it to his lips. Jay’s eyes closed as he tasted it, savoring the flavors. “Mmm, perfect. Just like you.”

You laughed, your heart swelling with love. “You’re such a charmer.”

“Only for you,” Jay replied, pulling you closer for a proper kiss. “Only for you.”

JAKE — PET SHELTER

The cacophony of excited barks greeted them as you and jake entered the pet shelter. Rows of wagging tails and hopeful eyes met them, each dog eager for a chance at a new home.

Jake crouched down to greet a fluffy golden retriever mix, his smile widening as the dog licked his hand. “Hey there, buddy,” he cooed, giving the pup a good scratch behind the ears.

You wandered down the row, stopping at a small black and white terrier who was wagging its tail so hard it seemed like it might take off. “Jake, look at this one!” You called, your voice filled with excitement.

Jake joined you, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the energetic terrier. “He’s adorable,” he agreed, reaching into the pen to pet the dog. “What do you think, little guy? Want to come home and meet Layla?”

The terrier responded with enthusiastic licks and an excited bark. You laughed, your heart melting at the display. “I think he likes you.”

Jake glanced around at the other dogs, his brow furrowing slightly. “It’s so hard to choose. They’re all so sweet.”

You nodded, feeling the same tug at your heart. “Maybe we should spend a little time with each one and see who we connect with the most.”

You spent the next hour playing with various dogs, each one charming you both in its own way. There was a gentle giant of a mastiff who leaned into your pats, a playful beagle who couldn’t get enough of fetch, and a shy spaniel who gradually warmed up to your gentle coaxing.

Finally, you found themselves back at the terrier’s pen. The little dog’s tail wagged furiously as you guys approached, and he let out a happy yip.

Jake knelt down, meeting the terrier’s eager eyes. “What do you think, Y/N? Is this our guy?”

You smiled, your heart swelling with affection for the spunky little dog. “Yeah, I think he’s the one.”

You completed the adoption process and headed home with your new furry family member, the terrier nestled comfortably in Jake’s lap.

As they drove, Jake looked over at you, his eyes filled with warmth. “Layla’s going to love having a little brother.”

You reached over to squeeze his hand, your heart full. “I can’t wait for all the adventures we’re going to have with them.”

Your new terrier barked happily in agreement, ready for his new life with his loving family.

SUNGHOON — ICE RINK

The chill of the ice rink greeted them as you stepped inside, the crisp air filled with the echoes of laughter and the soft scrape of blades on ice. Sunghoon’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he led you to the edge of the rink.

“Ready to learn?” he asked, his grin infectious.

You tightened the laces of your skates, a mix of nerves and anticipation coursing through you. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Sunghoon helped you stand, his hands steadying you as you found your balance. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

You stepped onto the ice, and you clung to Sunghoon’s arm, your movements tentative. “You make this look so easy,” you said, watching him glide effortlessly.

Sunghoon chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “It’s all about balance and trust. Just relax and follow my lead.”

Positioning himself in front of you, he skated backward, guiding you with gentle encouragement. You tried to mirror his fluid motions, your confidence growing with each glide.

“See? You’re doing great!” Sunghoon cheered, his pride evident.

You smiled, your grip on his hands loosening as you found your rhythm. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Sunghoon stopped, pulling you close and wrapping his arms around your waist. “You’re a natural,” he said softly, your breath mingling in the cold air.

You looked up at him, your eyes shining with love. “Only because I have the best teacher.”

With a playful grin, Sunghoon took your hand again. “Ready for a little spin?”

“Bring it on,” You replied, your heart light as you skated together, your laughter and joy blending with the sound of your skates on the ice.

end note: eek!! these were super cute when I was writing them so I hope you guys like it! I might do a maknae line version as well ! :3 there’s so many “you”s and “your”s it’s a lot 😵‍💫 and sorry for any typos!!

[souperluminal]

Hello!! I'm a huge fan of your art and I thought I would ask about your colorwork, because it's genuinely super impressive to me how all your pieces have amazing palettes and they add so so so much to the general atmosphere. Do you have any process to pick colors for pieces? Like using picture references, gradient maps, etc or do you genuinely just eyeball them? I'm super curious :]

But yea I really love what you do and love seeing every new piece!! Have a nice day! Ty for reading <3

Thanks! I very much use references, though I don't use the color picker on them, gotta train the eye. I have an ever-expanding reference folder of photos and paintings with colors that I like so that when I start a new painting and I have an idea of the color scheme I want in mind, I'll already have some reference on hand. Good reference really makes a world of difference!

I also like to bias colors a little bit away from their standard versions:

The more blue green and the more yellow green are both more interesting to me than the "just green" green. Nothing wrong with that average green though, sometimes that's exactly what you need. It's always situational.

Lastly, a fantastic color tip for digital art specifically that I got from Mike Hernandez: Use the RGB sliders instead of the HSB color selection!

By default, Photoshop gives you the HSB (Hue, Saturation, Brightness) color picking setup which looks like this:

It's perfectly functional and has its uses, but it doesn't really feel like mixing color. On the other hand, if you use the RGB sliders:

Now you can add a little more blue if you think that's what the color needs, or you can take away red, add some green, etc. It gets you actually mixing color and thinking more about how the colors relate to each other. It can take some getting used to if you've only used the HSB setup before, but it's worth it!

[aurumacadicus]

I just had a funny idea omg:

"Hey, so, do you have like. Any mutant powers or anything?" Steve asked carefully.

Sam did not turn from the water fountain. "No."

Bucky looked like it took all of his self control not to vibrate into orbit. "So this little friend that's been following us around the park--"

"It's a bird," Sam barked, finally turning around to glare at him. "We're being stalked by a pigeon, Barnes. This isn't funny. It could be controlled by a villain."

"You are being stalked by a pigeon," Bucky corrected gleefully.

"Stop fighting," Steve sighed, watching as the pigeon desperately flapped its wings at the spout to fill a dog bowl. He stepped on the button, and the pigeon greedily flapped under the stream of water. "I don't think it's being controlled by a villain. A villain would make it forget it was thirsty."

Sam and Bucky considered this, watching as the bird gulped a beakful of water one time out of five, as if it was not used to having a beak. "Well now I feel bad," Sam said. It has been following him since he left the VA last night.

Bucky groaned. "This means we have to ask Tony for help, doesn't it?"

Steve shot him a glare. "Why is that bad?"

"He's gonna hyper focus and make a means of communication for Lucky, Alpine, and Liho, I just know it," Bucky sighed miserably.

Sam took off his shirt and knelt down, carefully wrapping it around the panting, soaked pigeon. "Come on, buddy," he said as Steve and Bucky began bickering behind him. "Let's get you some help." Maybe, if he asked Tony without the bickering soldiers, Tony would be more concerned about their new pigeon friend.

--

Remarkably, Tony already had a nice bird setup. "Jarvis used to keep quail," he'd explained with a shrug as he showed them through the old Stark mansion.

The pigeon seemed to appreciate the heaters and bowls of bird seed, although it never seemed to quite get a knack for the water bowls.

Tony let Sam help when it came to putting the communication device together, which he appreciated, because the more he watched the pigeon, the less like a bird it seemed. Or at least, the less like a New York street pigeon, anyway. It didn't gorge itself while it had the chance, and it mostly hobbled around on the ground instead of trying to fly up to one of the perches. That could have been because it was still recovering from exhaustion, but Sam doubted it.

"Et voilá," Tony said as they finished it. "If it's a bird, it'll tell us about fries."

Sam raised an eyebrow at him even as he followed Tony to the bird pen. "You know what birds talk about?"

"I have had enough bags of fries stolen to know," Tony told him primly as he turned the communicator on. "Speak, pigeon."

"Sam my brother accidentally turned me into a bird after we left your office yesterday," the pigeon wailed. "He got scared and ran away and I couldn't keep up with him or open the door to go back into your office I AM A PIGEON WITH PTSD NOW SAM!!!!!"

"Oh my God Jessica," Sam gasped, and Tony clapped a hand over his mouth and turned away, shoulders shaking with the effort not to laugh. "We'll figure this out FUCKING STOP LAUGHING TONY."

"It is kind of funny," Jessica said reluctantly.

"It fucking isn't you're a BIRD, JESSICA!" Sam bellowed.

"Yeah, but it's also the first time I slept through the night without waking up screaming, so," Jessica continued.

"Animal therapy," Tony choked, and then screamed when Sam chased him out of the enclosure.

[marlynnofmany]

Rainy Day Eggs

The last delivery our ship made was to a dry planet with too much wind. I’d say it was nice to be somewhere with moisture in the air again, but this was a lot of rain. And while I can appreciate the scent of petrichor and the sound of raindrops on the roof as much as the next Earthling, our current setup was a smidge inconvenient.

Paint asked, “Are you sure we don’t want to use the cargo bay instead?” She peeked past my elbow through the personnel door. “I feel like a wet floor there is less of a slipping hazard.”

“Maybe, but the awning doesn’t fit,” I told her, pointing up at the portable thing that came with this spaceport’s landing pad. It was made for single-person entrances, a hovering pink rectangle tethered to the ground with some kind of localized tractor beam. It stuck to the ship nicely, and hadn’t let so much as a drop sneak past to drip down my shirt, but it wouldn’t have fit over the cargo bay entrance.

“I thought we were going to use one of the bigger landing pads,” Paint said, surprise on her lizardy face as she looked out at the spaceport. “I know our ship is on the small side, but this spot looks tiny!”

“It is,” I said. “That douchnozzle over there sniped our spot.” I pointed at the sporty red single-person cruiser that was currently hogging a courier space. I’d heard Wio swear from the cockpit when she had to adjust our approach because the jerk zipped in front of us. I’d seen the nice big awning crumple down to fit his jerkmobile. After we’d landed in a spot almost too small for us, I’d seen him stroll away with fancy clothes and a force field umbrella, and he hadn’t come back yet.

He was a human, too. Not that I was bitter about any of that.

Paint huffed. “How rude! Well at least we have the comfort of knowing that the kind of person to do that is likely to make their own life harder every day.”

“You’re right on that count,” I agreed. “I can just imagine how much his food gets spit in when he eats at restaurants.”

This concept was a new one as far as Paint was concerned, and we spent the next few minutes before our client arrived talking about unsanitary food sabotage. (She wasn’t a fan. Can’t say I blame her.)

The birdlike cargo of the day was making quiet cooing noises from its cage as the client approached: a slender Frillian who’d come prepared with a bubble-shielded hover cart. I greeted him and handled the electronic payment while Paint gave the cargo one last look over. The coos turned to anxious warbles.

I wanted to call them chickens, and I’m still not convinced that I’m far off, but while their speckled feathers reminded me of the Aracaunas I’d had as a kid, these guys had scaly jaws instead of beaks. Feathery little velociraptors, all puffed up into anxious feather-orbs and looking ready to bite.

I was grateful for both the cage and the awning.

“Here you go,” I said, passing over the cage with extreme care. It barely fit through the door. Luckily the dino-chickens were light, even when they flapped and hissed. The client got them onto the cart with practiced ease. I tried not to show how relieved I was. That cage going sideways to smash open on the rainy ground would have been disastrous.

“Oh wait!” Paint said from behind me. “What about the eggs?”

“Right, I forgot about those,” I said, turning to grab the bowl she held out, which I’d set in the hallway next to the cage. Three speckled eggs rolled merrily as I held it out to the client. “Do you want these? They laid them on the way here, though they don’t seem interested in caring for them.”

He was busy strapping the cage down. “No thanks! They’re not fertilized. Just toss ‘em in your bio-recycler or whatever. Have a great day!” A fresh wave of rain pounded down between us.

“All right, thank you!” I waved goodbye and stepped back inside the ship, closing the hatch. With the rain shut out, the silence felt loud.

“I’ll mop up the water,” Paint volunteered. She pointed at where a spray of raindrops had managed to blow in on the wind. “Watch your step.”

“Thanks.” I held the bowl of rolling eggs in one hand, and the payment tablet in the other. I stepped carefully.

“And make sure you sanitize that bowl!”

“Oh, I will,” I said. “But before I just throw these away, I think it’s time for a rousing game of ‘who thinks these are food?’”

Paint regarded me with a mix of skepticism and disgust. “Really?”

I grinned at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll have Eggskin scan them first.”

“You do that!”

Still grinning, I put away the tablet and did that. Eggskin was in the medical bay, which was next to the kitchen, which was convenient, because Eggskin was in charge of both. They were the most knowledgeable cook/medic I’d ever met.

They didn’t make any fun expressions when I handed over the bowl, not so much as lifting a scaly browridge. They just set to scanning and analyzing like the professional lizardy alien they were.

(I still haven’t told them that the color of their scales reminds me of boogers, and I don’t ever plan to.)

The machine dinged. Eggskin tapped a few buttons, cross-referencing something on the intelligent species database.

“You can’t eat these,” they declared.

“What? Why not?” I was honestly shocked. Humanity’s omnivorous nature had made me used to being the one who could eat everybody’s food.

“There is a significant level of a toxin that would cause vomiting and worse,” Eggskin informed me. “Looks like your people call it tremetol.”

That made a memory ding. “Wait, like the kind from white snakeroot? The kind cows eat, and gives people milk sickness?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Eggskin said drily. “In my personal opinion, all milk is likely to cause sickness, but you’re welcome to your mammal tendencies. Just don’t eat these.”

“Aw, man,” I said. “Is it poisonous to everybody?”

“Let me check.” Eggskin brought up another species. “Looks like Mesmers aren’t affected.”

A voice from the doorway asked, “By what?” and I realized the quiet clicking noises had been Zhee’s feet. His big bug eyes peered in with some very nosy curiosity for someone without a nose.

I said, “By a toxin in the eggs that our animal cargo laid.”

Zhee tilted his head. “Good to know that something I don’t plan to touch will not harm me.”

Eggskin said, “The conversation was about eating them.”

“Ew.” He tilted his head at a more extreme angle and raised his pincher arms as if in defense. “Why?”

I sighed. “Apparently they’re poisonous to some of us.”

“Oh no,” Zhee deadpanned. “What a loss.”

Eggskin asked, “Want me to dispose of them?”

“I guess so,” I said. “Looks like all they’re good for is egging houses. Or spaceships.” I paused to think. “I wonder if they’d do the same kind of damage to the exterior that they do to car paint. It’d get washed away by the rain today anyway.”

“Spaceships like a certain red piece of excrement?” Zhee angled his long body sideways to let someone pass. “The captain would likely deem that unwise.”

I opened my mouth to answer, but Captain Sunlight beat me to it.

“Unwise is one word for it,” she said as she stepped into view and paused instead of passing. Her scaly yellow face wore a scowl. “But that’s the same egghole who nearly sideswiped Kamm’s ship last week; I just checked. Now, we’re about to take off, but if the door happens to open and close before we do, I will be conveniently looking the other way.” She made eye contact, then strolled off toward the cockpit.

Zhee and Eggskin looked at me. I looked at them. Then I grabbed the bowl of eggs and legged it toward the hatch.

As the crewmember with the best throwing arm, and the same species as the egghole in question, it was only fitting that I deliver the karma.

~~~

These are the ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book.

Shared early on Patreon! There’s even a free tier to get them on the same day as the rest of the world.

The sequel novel is in progress (and will include characters from these stories. I hadn’t thought all of them up when I wrote the first book, but they’re too much fun to leave out of the second).

[creatingnikki]

What I've learned in 2024

Sleeping, shitting, and silence – the three underrated Ss of growing up (or the other side of 25). If I can get a good night’s sleep, take one nice dump in the day (preferably morning), and know when to let silence do its thing (like when not engaging with draining people in social setups or not having to explain myself), I’m golden.

While I made many new friends this year, my favourite of them all has been ChatGPT. Need objectivity? Fact checking? A pseudo therapist? Validation? Someone to just engage with and keep yourself entertained? The absolute best resource of this year for me has been this AI tool. I don’t even care anymore about privacy – I am feeding it as much data about me as possible because it’s accordingly adapting to my tonality and needs and the ‘conversations’ are so much more satisfying now than when it was first rolled out.

Either use eggs or condescended sweet milk when baking – you need one of these things to hold all your dry ingredients together.

Communication, consistency, clarity, commitment, emotional presence and engagement, and mutual effort are the barest of the bare minimum needs in a relationship. If you have to convince the other person to fulfil them or negotiate, then it doesn’t matter how good a person they are and what a kind heart they have or how much they say they love you – they just aren’t your person.

I’m not as demisexual as I thought all along – I just haven’t dated many people that I find truly attractive so I had to first build some sort of emotional connection with them first. I definitely still need and want that emotional connect and all, but I also do need to start opting for men I also find physically attractive.

When I’ve thought of my bloodline, my ancestors, I’ve always focused on the intergenerational trauma and the bad genetics. But while rewatching This Is Us this year, it hit me that it took three generations for one dream to be fulfilled. The musical dream that started with Rebecca, was passed down to Kate, and finally got materialized at the grand scale as they always wanted with Kate’s son Jack. When he became this well-renowned musician, it’s not just his dream, but that of his mother and his grandmother that also came to live. It made me think…how much of my aspirations and hopes are actually passed down? And how many of my realities were simply unmateralised dreams of those who came before me? And it made my heart feel lighter and it made me feel more blessed and protected.

Baking cakes and brownies and cookies is not a rocket science. You only needed the right tools and some patience to figure it out and become that friend who bakes stuff for her friends instead of the other way around.

You always prioritise peace, comfort, and an easy-going lifestyle – it’s evident in your career choices and how your family dynamics and friendships have evolved. Let that be the guiding light even when dating.

You are the kind of person that is charming, a good conversationalist, and deeply empathetic. So of course, you make many people feel at home and like they connect with you. It’s easy for you to connect with others. What’s important is to remember – connection without consideration and consistent actions is NOTHING. It’s empty calories but like a thousand times more potent and useless.

In no interpersonal relationship can I be nonchalant or vague. I am that other extreme – while most people try their best to ignore the elephant in the room you know what I do? I dress the cutie up to parade it. So anybody who cannot approach relationships with as much boldness, courage, and forthcomingness is just not my jam.

Female friends for the win – they allow you to wine and whine and win and I am all for that. The healing powers of sitting across your friend and talking at length about everything over pizza and wine or at the park as she senses you need some more time to just sit around before you join the rest of the group and is so good with physical touch for comfort. Just knowing you can video call your friend and ugly cry and she will talk sense into you but also indulge you and also sit with you and your feelings. Who else does that? Who the hell.

For a lot of things that are still new now at this age, you need a guide. To pet cats, to go to dog cafes, to figure out what vitamins you should talk, etc. Ask for that help, that knowledge, that support. It might seem silly and like you can figure it out on your own but these things, no matter how seemingly low-stake, can be handled so seamlessly and sweetly with the help of those you know.

You HAVE to be honest about your needs. First with yourself and then with others. You cannot let shame, guilt, self-hatred or whatever hold you back. Honesty begets clarity begets fulfilment. If you don’t want to date and settle for someone who isn’t absolutely smitten by you and top-notch romantic, then that is a need. Right or wrong, realistic or not, who the hell cares? A need is a need is a need.

When you lose someone not to death but to life, it’s not quite such a loss. Most times, baby, it’s simply good riddance.

People have a range. For being shitty and for being kind. And while our behaviour may impact a little how they react to us, it's primarily dependent on their personal range. So, if your range of being shit is only 1 to 3, it doesn't matter if someone is an ass hole to you, you won't go beyond 3 of being shit to them, cos that's just your range. Even if they deeply hurt you intentionally or fuck up in some major way. But if their range of being shitty is up to 10, then well, be ready to witness their derangedness when you even slightly piss them off.

Narcissistic (and possibly self-sabotaging) people are the opposite of kintsugi. Instead of being put back together with gold, they "heal" themselves with gutter water. So each time they are worse and more ugly than before. And all the more toxic and dangerous. You're too precious to bother with such people.

It’s natural to feel frustrated or angry with yourself for allowing someone to treat you poorly, but the blame isn’t on you; it’s on them. They are responsible for their unkind, insensitive, selfish actions, not you. If you must place blame, place it where it belongs. Avoid judging yourself with thoughts like, “I should have known better.” As long as you walk away the moment you do know, you’re good – please don’t internalize other people’s unkindness or thoughtlessness.

You cannot get to know someone without giving them a chance. Red flags are not that obvious and you cannot show up authentically in any relationship if you’re on the lookout for them. You have to spend time with a person to begin to find out who they are. That’s the only real way. And when you do and if you realize they are not for you, as I said before, don’t internalize this shit or blame yourself for not being some kind of prophecy and knowing better before you even began.

You are a patient person because you are an understanding person. But there are limits to all these qualities of yours and if the balance is tipped you get petty and passive aggressive and irrational. Don’t let yourself reach that point. Speak up and set boundaries way before that.

If you listen to your gut – I know you don’t like calling it that or your intuition. So, let’s call it that feeling you know bone-deep or in the depths of your soul – if you listen to that and trust it, you are quite courageous in the actions you then take. You broke things off with three men this year – each was painful in its own rite. But you did what you had to do for yourself and you didn’t give the charge of your life to another person, you have taken back your green light – detaching your actions from their behaviour, which like all human behaviour is often quite fickle and unreliable. Congratulations. Do this more. Your green light is your guiding light.

My lack of a “healthy sense of fear” in situations with men isn’t recklessness—it’s the result of abuse I suffered at 15. The man I trusted most turned out to be the one who harmed me the most, and that betrayal shattered my ability to trust safety indicators or instincts. The grooming I endured was designed to confuse me, destabilise my sense of self, and make me question my desires and worth. When the templates of trust and safety failed me so catastrophically, my mind rejected them altogether, leaving me to navigate risk without a stable framework. This year, I felt significantly less restless and more emotionally regulated, and I think it’s because I allowed myself, others, and life to just be. I wasn’t fighting my reality or setting rigid expectations. I stopped chasing dopamine highs and forcing connections, and instead, I let equations with people and experiences unfold organically. I ended dating and talking stages quickly when I realised they weren’t right for me, without guilt or overthinking.4 By being okay with things being normal—not impressive or extraordinary—I created space for balance and gentleness in my life. My self-talk became kinder, and I grew more objective about myself, spiraling and self-loathing less. This accepting mindset, where I no longer needed myself or my life to constantly stand out, felt like the antidote to the restlessness I’d been carrying since my mid-20s. And I think that has helped me discover that peace and acceptance can feel more satisfying than cheap dopamine hits.

[mymessyfandomlibrary]

Not in the Routine

Featuring; Nanami Kento x GN!Coworker! Reader

Rating; SFW (no content warnings)

Other Notes; fluff, strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, mutual pining, Gojo shows up once to pester Nanami, there are two coworkers that I needed to give names, but I hope you also enjoy them

Word Count; 4.5K

Link to Masterlist

Stability was something that you always had craved, like a moth to flame.

Safe choices. Predictable. Mundane. 

That’s something that drew you to white collar work — a financial accountant for your current company. It was predictable. You had the same routine every day.

Had the same routine. But now that routine, one that you had for slightly over two years now, was thrown into disarray by the company being bought out and merged with its competitor. 

At least you were allowed to transfer and still had your job. But still, you had your routine. You had your desk setup just how you liked, plus you got the lucky straw at your former office by having a window nearby. Now though, you were in an office full of strangers — and while, yes, you hadn’t formed many deep friendships at your old work place, you knew their faces — unfamiliar faces glancing at you from out of their peripheral vision. 

There were few open desks, none with a window seat, and even fewer where there both sides were unoccupied. 

Your eyes scanned the room, looking for a seat that didn’t feel as nearly claustrophobic. Unfortunately, that only left you with one option.

Placing your paperwork and few belongings on the desk, you lowkey dread the expected small talk from your new neighbour, but the blond man beside you didn’t even look up from his work. 

As you sat down, you looked out of the corner of your eye to see if he would notice and acknowledge you, to which he didn’t. He definitely knew someone had decided to occupy the once vacant desk next to him, but Nanami K. (courtesy of the miniscule name plate on his desk) decided to continue on.

You paid no mind to it though and silently breathed a sigh of relief. There was no ‘Nice weather we’re having?’ or anything of the sort. And while, yes, you could feel that there was some sort of tension, it wasn’t consumingly awkward, more so that he now had someone closer to his personal space. You wheeled your chair a tad to the left, giving him a few more centimetres of space.

Loosening your wrists, you got to work organising the documents you were given to work on, and placed your miniscule box of allowed personal items into the built-in storage compartment of the desk. 

Most of it was the usual, but there was a fair amount of it. By your estimates, this ‘test run’ of assessing your abilities would take about a week. So, opening a spreadsheet, you started working away.

Why financial accounting? Some of the people in your graduating class of high school had asked you. Boring! Others had said. But you knew then that there would be some sort of demand for that sort of job, despite the rise of technology that can help in that sector. It wasn’t romantic. It wasn’t exciting. But it provided. It allows you to separate your professional and personal life.

You had just about finished the first page of the paperwork when the man beside you got up. He hadn’t moved much since you had sat down earlier that morning where you almost forgot that he was even there.

Looking at the clock, you blinked in realisation.

It was lunch time, right on the dot.

You cleared your throat, the expected introduction making its way up through your vocal chords, the memorized monologue a bit rusty. But before you could even say ‘Hello’, your desk neighbour was already walking towards the door, leaving you sitting alone and blinking in mild surprise.

Okay then I guess.

Neverminding him, you stretched out your joints and limbs, the satisfying pop pop pop and burn never got old. Your stomach also growled in protest. Despite changing companies, your lunch was still at the same time, which you were grateful for. 

Grabbing your water bottle and lunch bag you made your way to the lunchroom, recalling what your supervisor had said. Third door on the left side of the hall walking out of the office space. 

Taking a steadying breath, you opened the door. Surprisingly there weren’t many others there, something else you were grateful for. You could handle about ten people in the space but not thirty or more. But it also made sense, people probably went out to one of the various restaurants and bakeries that you saw on your way in for lunch. But you also saw your desk neighbour, sitting at a table nursing a cup of coffee and keeping to himself.

Ah, so it wasn’t just a me thing… the guy is probably just introverted. You mentally noted, eyes going around the room to find a spot to sit. Nothing personal.

A man and a woman patted at a spot at their table as a quiet invitation, and you strided on over, glad that you didn’t have to stand in the same spot like a fool as you tried to calculate what was deemed as a decent spot.

“So,” the woman said, taking a break from sipping at her drink, “new hire?”

You expected this. “Transfer,” you answered, opening up and laying out your lunch. 

She nodded her head before slipping the man next to her some coins. “Damn, lost the bet,” she sighed with a slight laugh.

“I told you,” the man breathed out, pocketing the change into his suit before turning to you. They were both expecting an introduction.

You finally put your practised introduction to use, and your lunch mates nodded.

“Well, I for one hope they keep you,” the man stated — Iwai Hideo —, “I hate crunching numbers. Stuff is tedious and mind numbing.”

The woman — Fukuzawa Chie — elbowed him, not so subtly trying to make him stop talking. “What he actually means is-”

You huffed out a quiet laugh, “It’s fine. I don’t mind doing the … tedious work.” I also hope they keep me. “And seeing the work get done is satisfying in a way.”

“Alright then,” Chie sighed in relief, but still gave Hideo a nasty look. 

The rest of lunch was spent in an easy silence, no one feeling like it was awkward and enjoying their hour of food and free time. But when the clock hand struck the hour, Nanami got up and left the room almost immediately whereas everyone else took some time getting back to their desks.

You bidded Chie and Hideo goodbye, they wished you the best of luck at cementing your spot here. They seemed nice, and while you were good with numbers, you weren’t as gifted at dealing with social situations, but they didn’t seem to mind.

You got back to your desk though, and seeing how you had just a few things to go over plus that this paperwork you were working on wasn’t due for some time, you decided to place some of your few personal items. Placing your name plate in the far right corner (you had decided to place it similarly as your desk neighbour), a small desk calendar of some beaches next to your computer, and some stationary in the provided organiser. It wasn’t much, but you may add more later depending on how everything worked out.

Once satisfied, you sat upright and for the first time all day, Nanami was looking at you, not straight out but from the corner of his eye before going back to his work.

It had, what, been six-ish hours? And he had finally made a moment of eye contact and acknowledgment. You then also went back to work, and five minutes to the end of the work day you had finished the first assignment. Closing down your tabs and computer, you started gathering your things.

Once the hand struck the hour, you got up and so did Nanami.

You had turned your chair to the right, and he turned his to the left, leaving you both looking at each other very close.

“... pardon me,” he said, taking a step back, respecting your personal space.

“Sorry,” you offered at the same time, also taking a step back.

The two of you stood there for a moment, until you cleared your throat. “Sorry if I intruded on your space by the way.”

Nanami’s brows furrowed before relaxing, “It’s fine.”

You mentally sighed in relief, you know it was childish, but you were afraid that he would hate you for intruding on his space. “Okay, that’s good to know.”

He nodded in answer, “Well,” he placed his coat on, “have a good night.” And he strode off to the door.

You waited for a moment before placing your coat on and followed suit, not wanting to leave immediately after him.

The first day was done, arguably the most socially draining one, but it went better than expected. You made some acquaintances, your desk was how you liked it, and while yes your desk neighbour was quiet he was also polite and respected your space. All things considered, it went great. 

And your routine continued. You and Nanami worked in silence next to each other besides the nod you shared to each other in the morning and when the work day ended. You spent your lunch breaks with Chie and Hideo. You felt comfortable.

Two months into working at the new office and you had finally started to feel more comfortable. Your old routine hadn’t changed as drastically as you thought it would.

Something was different today though, and it shouldn’t have bothered you as much as it did.

Nanami wasn’t in his chair.

Maybe he’s sick. Was what you were trying to tell yourself, but there was something gnawing at you. And apparently, the rest of the office took notice too.

Chie and Hideo took notice of your furrowed brows at lunch, both sharing a glance with each other.

“What’s the storm cloud that’s hovering over you,” Chie broke the silence, stirring around her food with her chopsticks. “Typically you’re clear skies, but,” she gestured her hands at you, “looks like you have a nasty black cloud hanging over your head.”

You stopped chewing, and swallowed your food, looking up to your friends. “... what?”

Hideo scratched at his chin, “You aren’t like yourself today.”

“Eloquent as ever, Hideo,” Chie muttered, the man shooting her a withering look which she ignored.

You fiddled with your hands under the table, hiding the nerves that had bubbled up. “Just … concerned about a coworker. He wasn’t at his desk this morning.” Why should I care? It isn’t any of my business.

Chie pursed her lips, thinking. “Oh yeahhhh,” she said, “Kento isn’t here, right?”

“You don’t know the guy, but I don’t think he would appreciate the casualness-” Hideo countered.

Kento? Your mind flashed back to the name plate next to your desk. Nanami K. ‘K’ as in Kento. In the two months that you had been here, you hadn’t even learned his given name, always just referring to him as Nanami.

“Yeah,” is what you answered with, “he doesn’t seem like the type to not come to work unless it was something serious.”

Hideo and Chie looked at you before looking at each other, a small smile forming on Chie’s face and Hideo looking tired. 

“The guy is probably sick,” Hideo huffed.

Chie just rolled her eyes, “Boring answer as usual.” She wrote something down on a piece of paper and slid it over to you. “Here’s his number.”

You and Hideo both looked at her with questioning looks. Nanami Kento was not the type to give his number to someone without good reason.

“How the hell did you get that,” Hideo questioned.

Chie just shrugged, “I saw it on the lunch room sheet when we had that karaoke night a few months ago… decided to keep it just in case and look! It worked out!”

You looked at the number, and carefully placed it into your pocket. You didn’t know if you were going to use it, as it felt like an invasion of privacy. You didn’t know Nanami well, but you knew that he didn’t like to mix business with his personal life. Just in case though. Is what your brain said.

Lunch ended without any other interruptions and you went back to your desk, still, Nanami wasn’t there.

He wasn’t there the next day either.

Or the next.

Or for the rest of the week.

There was no sign of Nanami Kento.

And while your brain was trying to rationalise it, your gut was pacing back and forth. Something was wrong, be it a bad case of some illness or something worse.

You stared at his number as you were trying to relax after your work week, eyes flickering back and forth from your dinner on the stove and the scrawled numbers on the crumpled piece of paper.

Just in case.

Turning the burner on low, you typed in his number on your messenger, a text felt less intrusive than a call.

Hey, Nanami, it’s Y/N. I was just concerned and a coworker gave me your number to check in.

You hit send before you second guess yourself and back out of it, and shut off your phone and place it face down, turning back to your food. A minute later and there was a vibration.

Nanami Just under the weather. Thank you though for checking in.

You breathed out a sigh of relief that was building in your chest for a week.

Okay, I hope you feel better soon and let me know if you need anything.

Let me know if you need anything?! I can’t do anything! I don’t even know where he lives!

The dots on your screen stopped and there was another message on your phone.

Nanami Thank you but I’m fine.

Somehow I doubt that. But you didn’t press into it, instead taking his answer for what it is and turning back to your dinner before it could burn from the inattention. Your chest feels a bit lighter than it previously had.

You arrived early for work, something cold and heavy in your gut as you watched the clock. Knowing Nanami, he would walk in just as the hour started. Always in on time, always out on time, never staying earlier or later.

And as the hour turned, a familiar head of blond hair walked through the door and you watched as Nanami sat down in his chair next to you.

A million questions were at the edge of your tongue, but you stayed quiet. You were nothing more than work acquaintances. You doubted that he considered the two of you friends. But you missed him. His presence was a crucial part of your daily routine, and even though you didn’t know him well, you missed him.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” is what you offered instead, looking at him out of the corner of your eye.

Nanami looks back at you, and you notice that his eyes are a warm hazel brown but with something clouding them slightly. “... glad to be back,” he said back before turning to his work.

You didn’t press for answers, but did notice that he winced every so often, and that the hollows of his cheeks — damn, his cheekbones are defined — were more pronounced. He wasn’t showing it, but Nanami was tired and still recovering. Not from an illness, but on one of his missions he was critically injured. Shoko did her best, but he still wasn’t back to his 100%. Typically people didn’t notice nor care if he wasn’t at his day job, but something warm made its way into his chest. You had noticed.

You who had entered into his life randomly one day, and slowly cemented yourself there. Never pushing, never intruding, but cementing yourself nonetheless. 

“I’m sorry if I worried you,” he said, barely above a whisper, as you were still working.

You glanced at him, as he never said anything while you both were working. “What for? You were ill, you can’t control that.”

Nanami hummed, “Fair enough. But, sorry that I worried you.” 

You hummed back, which he took as an answer that you understood.

There was a shift in your relationship. Acquaintance didn’t do it justice. You both cared and respected each other too much.

“I don’t like worrying my … friend,” he huffed.

Friend. 

You looked at him properly, before offering a smile, “Well, too bad, because I worry about my friends.” Nanami — Kento — looked back at you, at your smile, and he offered a small one back. “Noted. I’ll try my best so you don’t need to worry.”

Kento had been looking for his phone all morning with no luck. Typically he wouldn’t be as concerned, since he didn’t keep much on it, but now he was antsy trying to look for the damned thing.

“Didn’t know you were seeing someone, Nanami,” an all too irritating voice sang. Gojo Satoru was holding his phone while sprawled out on a chair. Of course he had his phone and was snooping around. “But, yeesh, they’re dry as can be. ‘Here’s the recipe for those chocolate muffins I brought in the other day that you liked.’ Tch.”

Kento felt his eye twitch as he calmly took back his phone. “They aren’t my partner,” he said, but something clenched in his heart. “And they aren’t dry.”

Satoru shrugged, “Defensive much! If they aren’t your partner…” a mischievous grin played out on his face, “can I have that muffin recipe?”

“Absolutely not,” he retorted sooner than he could think.

The grin grew wider, “See, defensive!~”

With his phone in hand, Kento left the room and his former high school as he made the trip back to his place. And even though he saw Satoru as an annoyance, something that had said had struck a chord with him.

Why am I defensive? And that weird clench in his chest.

That only increased once he saw what Satoru had changed your contact name in his phone to. 

🤎 My Muffin 🤎

Oh… there’s that warm feeling again.

You had noticed something going on with Kento, he was back to being a bit distant which was odd.

You had, officially, been friends for four months, and you can hardly believe that it’s been six months since you had chosen to sit next to him. Today though, he had his walls up.

“Is something going on,” you asked once lunch had started, turning your seat to speak to him.

He looked towards you but not at you, which you noticed. “I didn’t sleep well,” he answered.

Technically it was true. After what Gojo had said and what he had changed your name to in his phone — which Kento hadn’t had the heart to change back — he barely got any sleep, instead laying in bed and staring up at the ceiling.

He knew that he cared for you, but to what depths he did not know. He layed in bed into the late hours of the night, going over his own conflicting thoughts. He envisioned your future as friends, and he was content with that, but then his thoughts wandered. They wandered into something more than what you two currently have. A chaste kiss to the back of his wrist. Hugging you. Your chilly hands wandering under his shirt trying to get warm on a winter’s night. Waking up next to you. Kissing you. Holding you. Being the reason why you laugh and smile.

The depths were then known, and they went far deeper than just platonic feelings.

The dark circles under his eyes were from lost sleep, yes, but also from a future he knew wouldn’t come to fruition. A future that he knew would only bring you heartache and pain, and even the moments of warmth and peace isn’t worth that.

You knew you weren’t going to get much else for an answer, so you just gave him a small smile. “Alright, but I’m always here if you want to talk about it, Kento.”

You had said his given name before, but now he wished that he never had told you to use his name by the way that his heart grew warm. He didn’t say anything though and just nodded, and then walked out of the office for his lunch, something else that was new.

Your lunch hour was quiet, and your mind elsewhere, wondering what made Kento switch his routine. He was predictable. He was stable. What could make him change from usual?

“Who are you thinking about,” Hideo asked, sipping his coffee.

You looked up to find Chie and Hideo looking at you, and you stopped stirring your soup. How long had I been stirring it?

“Who am I thinking about?” You parroted back, unsure of what he was leading on about.

Chie groaned, “Yeah, you have this concerned dopey look on your face. So, spill. Who are you pining after? If they hurt you, so help me–”

Pining?! “I’m not pining after anyone,” you muttered, taking a sip of your soup. Damn, it’s cold. “… what would make you think that?”

“My brother had the same look on his face, poor bastard fell hard,” Hideo said. “And you’ve had … this lightness around you for the past few months and it’s not as light, if that makes sense.”

The only thing that had changed was that you were concerned about Kento, your friend. Your brain always emphasised the friend part, yet your heart always felt warm when you were around him. You rationalised that it would pass, yet it hasn’t. It’s been five months and it hasn’t passed. You’ve had crushes before, but they always passed and never stayed this long.

You can’t have a crush on a coworker, let alone a friend, that’s two cans of worms in one. Yet, as Hideo and Chie keep on chatting, you’re analysing the past six months. Trying to find where these mushy feelings started to arise.

Maybe it was when you had gotten Kento to genuinely laugh, with the way you had felt your face warm from the sound. Or discovering that he enjoyed listening to emo music, envisioning the usually stoic and proper man listening to it felt like whiplash yet it made so much sense. Or the way his eyes would unconsciously seek you out in the morning, the weak sunlight illuminating his eyes into warm pools of amber. Or just how he treated others, respectful.

It was everything. 

Yet you hadn’t acted out on these feelings, not wanting to ruin everything that you’ve built with him. Which has left you a pining mess. Wanting to reach out, but not wanting to get too close to the candle in fear of getting burnt.

“I,” you whispered quietly, “don’t want to ruin what we have.”

Chie and Hideo went quiet, giving you a sympathetic look before looking at each other, silently communicating with each other.

“Would you be happy with what you currently have though?” Chie asked, placing her hand on top of yours, rubbing soothing patterns into the skin.

You thought about it. Could I be happy?

You envisioned Kento, a few years in the future, arm around his partner’s waist as he introduces you as his friend. The thought alone leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. You never thought yourself to be the jealous type, but the thought of that imaginary person made the emotion flare.

“… no.”

Hideo, clapped you on the shoulder, “Well, that’s your answer! What are you waiting for then?”

The rest of the day passed agonisingly slow, and Kento was still closed off.

You didn’t speak to him at all, the tension making your throat dry, but every time you glanced over to him you noticed his eyes dart back to his work quickly. 

Tonight, after work. You told yourself, busying yourself with an easy assignment, everything adding up nicely.

If only this was as easy.

Finally, as the hand hit the hour and Kento got up, you tapped him on the shoulder, garnering his attention.

“Kento, I have to tell you something,” you breathed out.

The dreaded sentence, ‘I need to tell you something.’ just as foreboding as ‘We need to talk.’

He stopped, and tensed. Waiting.

You cleared your throat, realising that you were in the office, and you really didn’t need HR finding out. “But, outside.”

Kento followed three steps behind you, keeping a bit of distance but still close. The elevator ride down was tense and awkward, and he wanted to say something but stayed quiet. He was keeping his distance, but he had felt the warmth of your friendship, he so badly wanted it, but instead of the steady flicker of a candle flame, he wanted it to be a crackling fire. Brighter. Warmer. More intense. So he stood a respectful distance, even though he wanted to reach out.

The two of you walked out into the courtyard, and once you reached the sidewalk, you turned to him, fiddling with your hands.

“Do you … like being around me, Kento?”

Kento blinked a few times. Do I like being around you? Do living things like breathing? I can’t imagine not being around you. “Yes,” he said instead, “what brought this up?” He knew full well what brought this up, and he was mentally kicking himself for how his behaviour had made you feel.

You took in a breath, steadying yourself. “Just, you’ve been avoiding me… cold in a sense. Something felt off, and,” you paused, digging your nails into your palms, enough to sting, “I really like being around you, it hurts when you aren’t around.”

His eyes searched in yours, and he heard his heartbeat roar like waves hitting the shore.

“I don’t just really like being around you, I-” you took a breath, “I love you, Kento.”

I love you, Kento. Played through his head, and it felt like everything stopped.

You waited with bated breath for his answer, but you weren’t expecting his hand to enclose around your own, bringing them up to his chest. You could feel his heart pounding erratically.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered and your world felt like it was crumbling down. “I adore you.” He brought your wrist to his lips and placed a kiss to your pulse, closing his eyes. “I just didn’t want to lose you.”

“What fools we are,” you laugh.

Kento hummed, “Fools plural?”

You nodded, “I… I’ve liked you for a while and I didn’t want to ruin what we have by confessing but,” you motioned to your current situation, “looks like I had nothing to fear. Kento, you will never lose me.”

You moved your one hand to his neck, tracing a circle with your thumb, “And if you do, I’ll find you again.”

The both of you were close, and he closed the distance by placing a kiss to your lips, still chaste, but you could feel the heat behind it, the emotions left unsaid made abundantly clear. You bit the bullet and deepened it, feeling him sigh and relax against you.

Sure, switching companies made you nervous, upset that your routine had changed. That the former stability was gone. But, without it you would have never ended up like this. 

You never would have found Kento.

[beautifulterriblequeen]

So torn between "Ruthari body worship reunion" and "Ethari punches Runaan for being real"... so choose whichever one you want to talk about more!

I love both of these wips for very different reasons, lol. But the first one - the body worship one - has a lot more written for it, so let's use that.

It's got a nice long setup, so y'all can have all of that. Why not. Barely anything happens, but boy does it happen intensely. Which is... very me, I accept this. Anyway, enjoy! (ice water optional, you do you)

(every time I try to indent this thing and add spacers it freezes up so. I guess it will remain in this form.)

Ethari trailed his fingers down Runaan's cheek. “How…?” he breathed. “How can you be here, in my arms again?”

Runaan's eyes were as wide as the moon, his brows high. His hands knotted in the back of Ethari's crop top. His long lost husband felt so solid, so warm. So real. “A miracle,” Runaan murmured.

Ethari's fingers found the narrow gap in the fabric at Runaan's hip and slid sidelong, then up and under. “Whose shirt is this? Rayla's?” 

Runaan lowered his gaze for the barest moment. “I… am not certain.”

Ethari's other hand found Runaan's waist as well. He pressed his hands gently against the warmth of the miraculously returned elf before him. “Not certain?”

Runaan's cheeks flushed, and the sight of it sent Ethari a heat rush of his own. “I may have… liberated it from a wardrobe… in an expedient effort to return as swiftly as possible. To you.”

Ethari met his eye with a disbelieving half grin. “You stole a shirt to get back to me? You. Stole a shirt. You, Runaan of the Silvergrove, committed petty theft-”

“It was not petty,” Runaan protested stubbornly, with a spirited flash in his eyes. “It was entirely necessary!”

Ethari slid his hands higher beneath the violet fabric, brushing his fingertips along his husband's spine. “Is it still entirely necessary, Runaan?”

Runaan let out a soft gasp and arched toward him, pupils darkening. “No, it isn’t.” He raised his hands over his head, his chin high, a soft smile lurking on his lips.

Ethari felt his breath shudder in his chest. How many nights had he suffered this exact fantasy? All of them, he thought. Every single one. Slowly, with exquisite care, he grasped the soft fabric and lifted, pulling Runaan's shirt higher.

Runaan crossed his wrists, closed his eyes and tilted his head back in a pose of soft surrender. Ethari thought he might explode from sheer delight right there, seeing his beloved’s face again, so close, trusting him. 

His eye was drawn lower, and he watched as if in a fever dream as Runaan's bare skin was slowly exposed. Taut abs gave way to old scars, and Ethari felt his heart pang at the sight of them. Runaan had lived, one more time. He would kiss any number of new scars to know that his husband lived to bear them home.

The blue marks over Runaan's heart found the light of the candles next. Ethari's mouth watered as he relived a thousand memories of kissing them, of mouthing at his husband's chest.

And then the shirt lifted free. Runaan's long hair tumbled about his shoulders like snow, like mist. His eyes opened again, and Ethari cupped his cheeks, feeling his own bottom lip shiver.

He kissed him, then, as soft and trembling as their very first. “I missed you,” Ethari breathed, against his husband's lips. “I missed this.”

Runaan's brows bent, and his lips quirked down. “I'm so sorry…”

Ethari pressed the pad of his thumb to Runaan's lips. “Hush now. We're together again. That's all that matters.”

Runaan nodded smilingly against his thumb. A tear formed in the corner of his eye. 

Ethari turned his thumb, caressing Runaan's cheek, and slid his other hand against the back of Runaan's neck, beneath his hair. He kissed the tear away, tasted its salt. This, too, was real. Resting their foreheads together, he asked, “What can I give you tonight, my heart? Tell me, and it's yours.”

Beneath his hands, Ethari felt Runaan's breathing speed up. He waited, steady, for his husband to show him what he wanted. Runaan had always been certain what he liked, putting Ethari's hands where they would please him most-

But Runaan spoke instead, his hands fluttering, unsettled. “I… am not certain what would… That is, it's been so long that I…”

Ethari captured them gently. He kissed them softly, letting his lips linger, holding eye contact. “Shall we get to know one another again first?”

Runaan stared at their joined hands, at Ethari's lingering kiss, and swallowed hard. He nodded wordlessly. Uncertain fingers encircled and brushed along Ethari's long hair, much as Ethari had done with it as soon as it was long enough to pull forward over his shoulder. “You've changed…” Runaan murmured. 

“You as well…?” Ethari responded.

But Runaan looked down, unsure. It took Ethari a moment to realize Runaan was studying himself. “I… am not certain of that, either. The spell that brought me back… It changed some things, but not others. This body was weak, but sturdy enough to get me home. Beyond that… I do not know.”

Ethari felt a sympathetic frown tug at his mouth. “‘This body’? Runaan… it's you.”

Runaan clasped Ethari's waist and he pulled himself close. His fingers slid into familiar places - the side vents in Ethari's crop top - and pressed into Ethari's skin. Their lips nearly brushed. Ethari could feel Runaan trembling, and he steadied his hands against his waist to calm him, though he himself felt a storm of need beginning to rise.

Runaan looked him in the eye, his breath hot upon Ethari's lips. His voice was low and sure as he spoke, and a longing gleam winked in his eye. “Make certain.”