#me showing off my sketchbooks like 'this was highschool this was the first year of animation school this was when i had just gotten back

[stsgluver]

Can I get a uhhh...hurt/comfort Choso drabble where he snaps at the reader? Maybe because he's worried about Yuuji or something?

𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐆𝐎 — kamo choso

synopsis. choso's parent's relationship is struggling and he doesn't know how to handle it.

wc. 1.4k

tags. very slight angst, happy ending, yuuji is choso's 10yo half brother, choso and yn are 18-19, both went to the same school, yn is yuuji's tutor, possible ooc choso I've never written for him before

a/n. MY FIRST CHOSO WRITING!! you never specified an au so I did a post-highschool!au-ish. I hope that's okay <33 thank you for requesting!!

2k event

“can’t you tell i’m busy?” choso uttered through gritted teeth, not even bothering to glance up at you from his sketchbook he was hunched over on his desk. you’d been trying to tell him about the sweet old couple you always saw at the cafe and hadn’t seen for weeks until today. the two of you had become invested in their wellbeing and you’d thought that had been something he would’ve wanted to hear about.

“oh, sorry.” you frowned at how unintentionally pathetic your voice sounded. despite his cold demeanour, choso was probably the, if not the, sweetest person you’d ever met. he was always doting on his younger brother and showing up at your day job unannounced to bring you something whenever you tell him you’re having a bad day.

for all intents and purposes, he was the blueprint, so for him to lash out at you for no explicit reason was the total polar opposite to his usual personality.

“sorry?” choso mocked, leaning his head back to push his hands through his hair which was still damp from showering. still, he seemed more preoccupied with the ceiling than his concerned girlfriend who sat cross-legged on his bed, “geto’s going to be pissed that i’m behind on these designs and you constantly talking in my ear is not helping.”

after graduating, choso had initially taken on an admin role at a small tattoo parlour in town. a couple of months into the role, the owner, geto, had offered him a proper apprenticeship. you’d met geto on a handful of occasions and, from how choso had previously described him, he didn’t seem like the type to be annoyed over a few incomplete designs. especially not considering the additional hours and effort choso always puts into that place.

“you invited me over choso,” you pointed out. it was a sunday and, while you usually have work in the evenings, you’d been given the day off due to staff sickness. your boyfriend’s first message had been to excitedly offer for you to come over and stay the night at his which of course you said yes to.

somewhere between sending you that message and you making the fifteen minute drive to his house, he had a drastic change of heart.

choso sighed, picking up a different pencil to continue his sketch. “well, now i’m uninviting you.”

the bluntness in his tone had you blinking back tears. it was the first time he’d ever been so intentionally dismissive towards you. you didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response or an argument, if that was what he was after, and picked up your coat and left his room. 

you hadn’t needed to bring over any clothes or essentials since you’d come over so often his room had designated areas for your spare bits. as upset as he had made you, you weren’t about to scare him with a breakup threat because he was having a bad day and lashing out at you. 

“yn!” yuuji’s bright voice spooked you from your thoughts as you made your way down the stairs and you had to quickly wipe away any tears so as to not worry your boyfriend’s ten year old brother. choso’s golden personality was hidden by dark hair and an introverted front whereas yuuji’s was clear from his pink hair to his loud voice. “are you leaving already? you haven’t even tried my pancakes yet!”

one of yuuji’s incentives to attend the lessons that he didn’t like (ie. anything that wasn’t sport) was for him and choso to make homemade pancakes together. it was a weekly thing that you usually missed because of work and yuuji had been jumping up and down when he had found out you’d be there this evening.

your heart broke a little more at the fact you’d now be upsetting him.

“sorry yuuji,” his little face dropped slightly, bounce in his step gone as he clasped his hands together. you gently rubbed his shoulder, “i’ll be here for friday?”

yuuji scrunched up his nose. “that’s so long away!” it was also the day he’d be sat at the kitchen island with you for several hours doing catch up on his classes.

yuuji was the reason why you and choso had reconnected after graduating school – because when you agreed to tutor a student how could you have known that itadori yuuji was kamo choso’s little brother? you’d never been close in school so you hadn’t even known he had any relatives.

“i’ll bring you a treat,” you promised, making your way out of the house after saying a quick goodbye to his parents. 

the pouring down rain coupled with the ever flowing tears that stained your cheeks meant you had to stop your car several times on the way home just to ensure you wouldn’t crash. each and every time you checked your phone to see if he’d sent you a message, apologising and asking you to come back (which you would have in a heartbeat). there never was.

you didn’t see choso for the rest of the week – not until friday, your usual tutoring session with yuuji. 

he had messaged you a couple times, asking about your day and sending you several pictures of tattoos he had done himself which you always responded to quickly. but the conversations were short and filled with unanswered questions.

most days that you didn’t sleep around his, the two of you would call until one of you fell asleep. for the last five nights both of you had made excuses for why you couldn’t call. 

your relationship was still fairly new and this was the first spat that you had had. neither of you really knew how to cope with the aftermath or even the initial falling out. you missed your boyfriend, though, and you couldn’t avoid this forever.

“is yuuji here?”

you’d knocked twice before the door had been opened by choso. he looked just as tired as you felt (you’d done your best to cover it up with a bit of concealer and highlighter), and his shoulder length hair was messily framing his face. the hoodie he wore was a matching one that you had still hung up in your wardrobe at home.

“no,” choso shook his head, “he’ll be back from fushiguro’s kids in about fifteen.”

yuuji had spoken about megumi a lot to you – his best friend in the whole world, he’d described him as. he told you he’d bring him around one day to meet you.

“okay,” you said slowly and there was an awkward silence that settled between the two of you. on a friday night whilst you were with yuuji, their parents went out for their weekly date night, so right now it was just choso in his house and you at the doorstep. you take a step back, “i can just wait in my car till–”

“i think my parents are splitting up,” choso said quickly – almost too quickly for you to understand – and his eyes dropped down to the ground below, avoiding your worried gaze. “friday date nights are now for marriage counselling,” he continued when you didn’t say anything, still in shock from the confession, “jin… he’s a good guy, but my mum is stressed with work and–”

“and she’s taking it out on the people closest to her.”

choso picked his head up and there was an unspoken understanding that that was what had happened on sunday. he looked guilty as he nodded.

choso and yuuji were half brothers – choso’s dad had up and left when he was only a couple of years old and his mum had had to single-handedly rebuild their life. he didn’t want yuuji to have to experience any of the hardships he did in his broken family.

“i’m sorry for hurting you. i don’t want to lose you too,” your boyfriend apologised and you made the first step on closing the gap to wrap your arms around his waist. he smelt like home, you realised, nestling your face into his hoodie, and you didn’t want to go five whole days without him again.

you lifted your head up to press one kiss to the corner of his lips, “we’ll get through this together, no matter what happens.”

[illubean]

Valorant Protocol as Highschool Stereotypes

Characters: Chamber, Gekko, Iso, Jett, Killjoy, Neon, Phoenix, Raze, Sage, Skye, Viper, Yoru Type: Headcanons

HAHA help me valorant brainrot >.< also this is based off of my hs experience soooo yeah

Warnings: none

Chamber

your typical pretty boy

all the girls love him all the boys hate him

well...most of the girls love him

they follow him around to classes or offer him gifts or ask to sit with him at lunch etc.

and he eats up the attention every time

he's lab partners with Viper in Environmental Sciences and he likes trying to flirt with her

she actually hates him btw

Gekko

canonically he skateboards

but honestly? I can see him being on the dance team

he's so high energy, he needs some sort of outlet

he never misses an opportunity to show off his dance moves

homecoming? prom? he is the center of the dance circle

like Raze, he doesn't know how popular he is

he's just happy to have so many good friends that it doesn't even actually occur to him that he's considered "popular"

Iso

he's an ap art kid

like he walks around with a big ass sketchbook every day

always talking about his portfolio

Iso baby ily but please shut the fuck up about oil paints <3

he probably volunteered part of his summer break to come in and paint a mural for the school

I think he'd also take a piano class as like a schedule filler but he actually gets crazy good at it

Jett

pe tryhard

if you end up on the opposite team as her while playing dodge ball good luck 😓

she's always picked as team captain because literally no one else is excited as she is

she's sorta like Hairo from Saiki K 💀

she gets a lil mad when her teammates don't try

Killjoy

she's in robotics club

she's not very popular but that doesn't bother her at all

she heads straight to and from every class and spends her lunch period in the workshop unless Raze drags her off somewhere

not a lot of people actually know who she is, and if they do they just know her as 'Raze's Friend'

i think she'd remind the teacher about the homework and hit you with the "erm actually 🤓" tbh

Neon

she's on track and field/cross country

after every meet you can find her laying on the floor somewhere ready to puke bc she tries so hard to win 😭

she always ends up top 5 tho

she complains about practice but joins the team every year anyways

she carries her bag around all the time and if you open it there's like 10 water bottles in there

#hydratedqueen

Phoenix

theater kid DUHH

he's probably drama club president or sumn

bro will NOT let go of a specific song from a musical he was in his freshman year and it wasn't even his song 💀

he's been in every show every year and somehow he manages to land every role he wants

he's insanely good at the game 'bang' (mostly because he's louder than everyone else...)

he probably plans/hosts the cast parties too

Raze

she doesn't care much about her grades

she does the bare minimum and gets straight Cs

she's just here to have fun

everyone likes her because of her approachable personality

she doesn't think she's popular but she is

Sage

she's in the medical assistant class

she takes it very seriously, as she plans on going to medical school

even before taking the class she carries a first aid kit and other essentials everywhere she goes

you need a bandaid? ibuprofen? a pad or tampon? she has it all

she's also ASB president

school events literally would not be able to run without her

lets just say her college applications/resume will look REALLY good...

Skye

she also took medical assistant but was less crazy about it than Sage

she just follows her friend's lead

she thinks the skills are useful but she doesn't see herself making it her career

but also I think she would play volleyball

she's a well rounded player but specializes most in defense

still, don't underestimate her bc this girl can SPIKE

Viper

she took every ap science class offered without taking the general ones first

she complains about getting any grade below an A...

"What are you talking about? That test was easy"

sorry not everyone is as smart as you Sabine 😑

she spends all her free time at chem tutoring (even though she doesn't need it)

Yoru

he thinks he looks cool and mysterious when he walks down the halls but he doesn't

everyone just thinks his mad all the time and stay out of his way 😭

randos try to pick fights with him bc he "looked at them wrong" (Yoru wins every time)

he's not exactly a 'quiet kid' but he does lay low when it comes to the social part of school

despite his 'bad boy' look, he has pretty good grades

he's also probably one of those guys that a handful of girls have a crush on but he has no idea

[saberpastel]

I had a dream about what I think was the rapture?

I don't know that I care to write down most of it, but I'll write the stuff that's notable.

I was moving, I think? I was in the garage of my childhood home. There were boxes everywhere and little kids (who were trying their best to help) kept finding my old sketchbooks and opening them to see what was inside. I had to keep taking them away. Not that my old sketchbooks aren't child friendly, I just didn't want them asking questions because they're all basically journals with pictures.

One of them found a book from my highschool library, which I had apparently forgotten to return. I wondered for a second about just keeping it.

There was a loud noise, I think? Or maybe the ground shook. Could have been both. We all ran outside to see what had happened and an angel (I think?) was floating down from the sky.

They were not what I expected. You know biblical interpretations of angels, all unknowably vast and hard to comprehend, it wasn't like that. Instead what I saw was just a person, a little too skinny, mostly naked, who radiated heat off of them so much that as they got close it felt like that air that rushes out when you first open the oven. When they were close enough, I noticed they had no eyes, only sockets with the eyelids sewn or otherwise attached shut. If you've never seen that, it's very reminiscent of a skull with skin pulled over it. The skin just sinks into the empty sockets.

The angel said something about the might of god, and to prove to everyone they were an angel sent from god, they pointed to the sun and moon, which promptly grew huge and eclipsed. I think I screamed, though I'm not sure as every sound other than the angel was very muted.

The angel began to list the sins of every person who was present. Their sins would manifest physically as soon as the angel listed them. A man covered in purple, thorny brambles had sexually assaulted someone. My own father had something to do with pride, and it looked as though his body suddenly became too heavy for him, as his skin sagged down and he fell to his hands and knees. A child, no older than 11, covered in purple thorns, for not forgiving himself. Another child once again covered in those thorns, maybe 15, for the same reason. On it went, some people had their hands replaced with heavy tools, others began to burn with no fire, once again others covered in thorns or brambles.

The children remained mostly unchanged, aside from those who had thorns stuck into their skin. Other children gathered around the 15 year old, helping her pull the thorns out. My parents and others their age gathered together to talk. I noticed some people helping to carry their heavy tool hands. My father leaned against my mother, who helped him stay standing.

I waited patiently for my own sins to be revealed. Surely I had sinned. Was I not supposed to be a part of this group? Had I been in the wrong place when the end of all things finally arrived?

I looked around to see exhibits, displaying the sins of the people present. I went to look and the little boy covered in thorns was away from the rest of the children. The man covered in brambles approached him, and he looked like he was trying to get smaller. My sister grabbed me to get my attention. She too, looked like she hadn't been convicted of any sin, and she asked me to help her look at the exhibits to find it.

I looked back to the little boy, and he had been taken in to the group of other children. The man covered in brambles was being escorted away by other adults. Nobody tried to help him.

I followed my sister to display cases, showcasing what a person's sins materialized as. The contents of the cases shifted every once in a while to show something new. In the furthest part of the display area were human sized cases, which, as I got closer, shifted to present the dissected body of someone who... had been perfect? It could have also been that their sin was so miniscule it couldn't be seen outwardly.

I looked at that body, surgically pristine, examining every inch, looking for anything out of place. Something seemed wrong, but I couldn't figure it out.

My sister called me over from another area. I couldn't see what she was pointing at, but she had climbed a shipwrecked wooden boat that hadn't been there before and pointed over the horizon to something in the distance which made the sky more yellow than orange.

I was so sure I would find answers over there...

And then my alarm woke me up.

[meruz]

i was gonna draw tonight but i dropped my tablet pen and the barrel of the pen broke off and flew somewhere underneath (??) my bed (?) and now i cant find it so I’m just gonna answer asks before bed instead. just some art asks and more mentions of infinity train LOL

What program and brushes do you use when making your art?

@ravki hi! part of this is in my FAQ but i’ll say it again anyways LOL: I use photoshop CC and have used photoshop for pretty much....my whole art career. I’ve dabbled in clip and paint tool sai in the past but photoshop is my true wife, we eloped away from her awful father adobe many years ago and are very happy together. 

as for brushes... I should prob put this info in my FAQ too lol,... my default brush set is actually free to download here! Tho I will say I also use steve ahn’s storyboarding brush sometimes and lately i’ve been using shiyoon kim’s brushes A TON. Shiyoon’s cost a couple bucks but they’re super worth it imo

How do you choose colors?

This is kind of a difficult one to describe from scratch but hmm.... I’ll put it this way. Generally when I go into coloring or painting something I already have some colors in mind. Like for a certain piece I know I want a bright green, or a magenta, or a dark blue in certain areas. A lot of the time I know a mood I want. So I’ll start with that core color tone and build around it. I’ll use an example from a recent piece

So you can see here that the first color I accessed was that bright cyan. So I start with that bright cyan and then bring in its “friends” in the form of analogous colors (shown below on the far left)

greens greys etc. THEN I know I want the characters to stand out against all the blue so I start laying down warm contrasting colors for them (middle group). the mat under them is orange, skin tones are warm, ryans flannel is red etc. then to get them to work together I work more cool colors into the shadows and slightly warmer (not too warm because its a cool img overall so in this case, greener LOL) colors into highlights. 

hope that makes sense? for me choosing colors is a lot about story and composition. If you know what you want to say, the mood you want to create, where you want to go, the path to get there becomes a lot clearer imo.

Have you ever considered making an art book?

I have! But I don’t think I currently have enough...original illustrations for one LOL? Not that an art book has to be all original work but if I were putting fanart in an art book...at that point I’d just make a fanzine. I’m making more original work lately though so maybe this year....? Who knows. For now, I do have a sketchbook up on gumroad. Hoping to do one of those next year too.

Any tips for keeping background drawings from getting super stiff, especially since things like interiors have a lot of straight lines?

This is a really interesting ask. Really great question that I don’t think gets asked enough - forgive me if I get a bit art school here but I drew up some examples.

First I think we have to investigate the assumption that straight lines make things stiff. That seems true on an instinctual level and certainly proves to be true very often But I don’t think its actually the straight lines themselves but the sort of arrangements and compositions they tend to dictate. Take this for instance.

pretty big difference, right? there’s a couple things that make a composition feel stiff and one of the most significant is lines that are perpendicular and parallel to the frame. it feels locked in and solid, like bricks. but the moment you shift these angles even a little the composition instantly becomes more dynamic because our innate senses of weight, gravity, and directionality can sense movement.

But it’s not just diagonals let’s take this one step further

when lines meet and terminate together those tangents can flatten and lock space so the best way to solve this is with overlap and complete intersection, forms continuing past or behind each other feel more layered and less like a flat mosaic... again, even in the simplest line drawings. So how do we apply this to a background?

ok I drew this really fast so its potentially not the best example but I think the idea is there. This space isn’t even particularly deep, it’s basically a room, a doorway, and a hallway behind it, and we’re not seeing that much of any of those things LOL. but when you draw an environmental object like a doorway in a way that lines up with the perpendicular and parallel lines of the canvas you’re automatically flattening it and making it look rigid.

and when you create tangents with objects and characters you flatten the space around them and make it difficult to tell what is actually in front or behind or if they’re on the same plane.

GOD I HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE. Anyways. avoid those things and you’ll instantly have less stiff bgs no matter what kind of bg you’re depicting.

I wanna mention however that this isn’t to say a stiff bg with flat space doesn’t have its purposes.

sometimes you want to create parallels and tangents. it can make characters feel closed in, trapped, regimented, part of a routine, etc. it’s also great for making a composition look ornamental (especially combined with symmetry).

directors like wes anderson can even use these compositional elements to make images feel uncanny or harrowing! its very versatile. I think the important thing is to just be aware of when you are making something rigid and when that’s the last thing you want to do. conscious choices.

Can you speak Tagalog?

@lemuelzero101​ I can! BUT NOT VERY WELL LOL ;;; both my parents are from Visayas! but they met and had me in the states lol so I’m pretty American born and raised. We go back to visit family on occasion but not regularly. My tagalog is mostly absorbed from listening to relatives at parties lol and my parents speak bisaya at home so I’m marginally better at that. Sorry to any filipinos out there hoping I’d be better educated, I’m like a little baby...

I do love meeting and talking to other filipinos online though, I grew up in an area that was relatively diverse but the asian population was small and the filipino population basically non-existent. I was like one of maybe 2 filipino kids in my highschool of 2000.

Apart from infinity train what shows are you watching now? Have you seen jujitsu kaisen?

Man this is gonna sound so boring but I haven’t watched a lot of tv lately.  It’s not really part of my daily routine. Let’s see... I was sort of watching Amphibia, Craig of the Creek, and the new Digimon Adventure 2020 but I keep falling off watching those for one reason or another. Also there’s a lot of episodes, it doesn’t feel like something I can just binge and be done with.

The last thing I binged was Succession. I want that show and Euphoria back so bad, when I’m done forcing all my friends to watch Infinity Train im cancelling my HBO subscription until Succession and Euphoria return so they know exactly what I’m on their list for LOL. 

I have not watched jujitsu kaisen but I’ve kept up with some of the sakuga news (I keep up with anime industry news and production info like x5 the amt i keep up with actual anime) for it and their compositing/editing looks dope. I’ve read the manga actually LOL or at least part of the beginning. I wasn’t super keen on the whole finger eating thing. Also to be honest I kinda feel like its the new Bleach and I never particularly cared about Bleach. Characters look nice enough tho. I wholeheartedly support jjk fans.

Thank you! Thank you @keznodzieja​! <3

And thank you anons who don’t watch infinity train LOL...it’s always nice to hear when people enjoy my fanart despite not knowing the source material because it lifts a little bit of the “oh god am I being annoying???” fear off my chest. But also I think you should watch infinity train because it’s really good I have no reservations recommending it.

[the-peak-of-despair]

Angie Yonaga x s/o with a fear of abandonment

anon said:  congrats on 300, mod akane !! super proud of you !! also, since you write for v3 now, could i get angie comforting a reader who's been distancing themself from her due to a fear of abandonment? (idea loosely based off talk to me by cavetown-) sorry if it's weird, but thank you in advance if you write it for me !! -⚒

aAAAAA Thank you so much, nonnie! I hope this satisfies, I’ve never written for Angie before and I kinda tired myself out reading through her wiki and writing this, haha;; It’s already like 12 am and I did not realize, but I’m hoping I can get some more things done before I basically fail highschool from all my missing assignments-

ANYway, enjoy! -Mod Akane 

Sitting on the other end of the couch, all you could hear was Angie humming to herself, the sounds of a pencil scratching almost to an unharmonious beat accompanied her. The TV in front of you both was playing some random TV show, but it was quite clear that neither were paying attention. 

Of course, you couldn’t help but stare at your hands as you fidgeted, head full of thoughts. No matter how much you loved Angie and adored her with all your heart, all her flaws, her personality, there was always that small part of your brain that didn’t stop doing anything but screaming about how one day, she will leave you like everyone else.

“Hm~ hm hm~” Angie hums, bobbing her head back and forth as she draws, and it feels like years before her humming dies down and you hear the pencil bounce down on the coffee  

“(Y/N), my beloved!~” Angie calls in a sing-song voice, and no matter how scared and self deprecating you feel, it’s loud enough to rip you out of the darkest reaches of your mind for if only a second. 

“hm..?” You hum quietly in response, looking over with unfocused eyes to check what she had called your attention for. 

“Atua said I should show my adoration for you, so I did!” She grins, before thrusting the sketchbook towards you, showing an incredibly realistic drawing of you. It was quite amazing, considering all she had in her hands for the past hour was a mechanical pencil. 

“It’s ah… it’s nice, Angie.” You give her a half-assed grin. No part of you wants to feel this lazy, wants to be so.. Cruel, in a way, but everything felt so tiring when all you could feel was fear it was the only thing you could say. 

Angie makes a small noise as she pouts and sets the sketchbook on the coffee table and kneels next to you. “What’s wrong, my dear?” She asks. Her tone is still happy, but it’s ever so slightly lower, pretty much the biggest sign of concern Angie would show sometimes. 

“A-ah, it’s n-nothing, Angie…” You stutter, avoiding her eye contact and averting your eyes back to the TV, not even sure of what was playing anymore. Had you even heard of this show before? 

“Dear, you cannot lie to me.. What’s troubling you?” She asks. When you still refuse to look at her, it’s mere moments before her hand is gently gracing your face, cupping your cheek and softly guiding you to make eye contact with her. “Atua is telling me you are troubled. Tell me, angel, what’s wrong?”

It’s impossible to not melt under her touch, to feel like the warmth and the love and all the reasons you began dating her in the first place come crashing back down, and it’s impossible to stop the tears welling in your eyes as you begin to talk with a shaky breath, Angie’s eyes softening for a moment as she waits patiently for you to talk at your own pace.

“I-I..” You take a second to breathe. “I-I’m just a-afraid, Angie, I-I’m so afraid that you’ll leave me like everyone e-else, t-that you’ll just.. O-One day yo-you’ll be gone a-and I’ll n-never see it c-coming..” You begin to sob under her touch.

She cups your face with both hands now, using her thumbs to wipe away your warm tears. “Oh, angel..” She takes a second to breathe. “There was a time, long ago, before I was with Atua, where I was alone.” 

You raise a brow. “H-Huh?” 

“I-I was very alone.. Until he found me. Sometimes, I find it hard to tell the difference between his voice and mine.” She explains. “It’s nice to have your voice, to have you around. I would never leave you alone, angel.. You are blessed by Atua and meant to be with me, and I would never break that promise I’ve made.” 

You sniffle and nod, processing her words as she pulls you closer for a sweet kiss, where the taste of vanilla and candies rest upon her lips and she is entranced by every feeling of you, down to the tears on your face as your hand reaches up to connect with her own and rest on top of it.

Regardless if you had believed Atua or not, you chose to believe in Angie. 

“C-Can I keep your d-drawing of me, Angie?” You ask, quiet as she pulls away from the kiss. 

“Nyahaha,” She laughs her signature laugh. “Of course, dear.”

[musictrash0426]

Killing Stalking

 My name is Elizabeth Stevens, I’m 17 and it is one month until my senior year of highschool. Most of my friends are going crazy trying to plan out their futures. However, unlike my peers, I've known what I've wanted to be since I was 13. I want to be an artist, my parents fully support my decision which is nice. They have bought me plenty of professional quality supplies since my 14th birthday when they saw all the hard work I put into my art. I've even started selling prints of my work on Redbubble. I also have quite the following 

Overall I live in a pretty good neighbourhood. It has great people, including my best friend Kai who lives a few streets over. My family and I live in a pretty large house. It has three floors which is a little big if you ask me. There are only the three of us living here, me, mom and dad. But with that being said my parents gave me the entire basement on my 13th birthday. They also helped me set up every room down here the way I want. Not much has changed, even after being down here for four years..

When you come down the stairs you are greeted with my lounge area. Where  we have a couch, tv, game system, large bookshelf and some other things. Next we have my room where I have a fairly minimal look. I have a large bed, large dresser, a walk in closet, and my vanity where I do my makeup. The next room is probably my favourite; it's my art studio. Like I said my parents have supported me over the years so I have a lot of supplies. Honestly I couldn't be more grateful for them and everything they’ve given me. I have a full easel, desk, and a lot of supplies, markers, colour pencils, paint (water, acrylic, oils), alongside my new drawing tablet.

This morning when I got up, I went to my art room and started sketching. I've gotten into this habit as it helps me get into a creative mindset, along with getting into drawing for the day. Once I stop doodling I start to make a list of the things of supplies I had recently run out of. 

As I was about to leave, I asked my parents if they needed anything. My mom told me to get her a drink from Starbucks on my way home as she knows I’m planning on going there anyways. 

I get into my car and drive to the art store. Luckily this store is only 10 minutes from my house. I walk into the store and look for the supplies on my list. While going through the store, grabbing the things I needed, I decided I also wanted to try out a new paint while I was here. I got some winsor and newton acrylics in red, blue,yellow, sienna, black and white along with some mixing pallets. I also got a canvas as I want to make a large painting later. 

My mom texted me asking if I could pick up milk and eggs. So I ran into the supermarket and picked up the few things she wanted. I then went to starbucks, got both my parents, and myself a few drinks, and went home. 

I got out of my car balancing shopping bags on my arm,the drinks in my hand and I went inside. I put the milk and eggs in the fridge, gave my parents their drinks and made my way down to my art room to put my supplies away. I started brainstorming ideas of what I want to paint and I finally came up with a concept I liked. I open my sketchbook and I start to draw the rough copy of the picture before blowing it up on the canvas and painting it. While I am drawing out the picture I'm watching lavendertowne’s creepypastas series as it's one of my favourites on youtube. 

In my concentration, I lose track of time, and before I know it it’s 4:30 pm. My mom walks to my art room saying her and dad are going on a trip for the next week. So I get the house to myself, which is cool. I've been home alone before. “Elle, you can have Kai over to stay for the week if you want.” mom said. “Also I transferred some money into your account so you and Kai can just order some food if you guys get hungry.” 

“Thanks mom,” I say “ I love you.”

“Love you too sweetie.” 

I walk upstairs with mom as her and dad are about to leave. I hug them goodbye and tell them to have a safe trip. 

I decide to take mom up with her offer and invite Kai over for the week. Lately I haven't been wanting to be home alone. So I called him and he said he’d be over in 10 minutes. 

I grab a glass of water and wait, before I knew it there was a knock on my door and it was Kai. I give him a hug and he smiles. 

“It’s like we haven't seen each other in a while.” Kai teases me. We saw each other yesterday and I called him late last night because I just wanted to talk to someone. 

Kai has literally been my best friend since we were both in diapers. Our moms grew up together so it was bound to happen that we would too. He’s my biggest support system, he’s one of the only people who know how I got into art. I watched a lot of anime growing up, I still do, and the art style is what got me into wanting to be an artist. 

“Have you started a new piece yet?” Kai asked 

“Yeah I have! And I just finished the rough copy” I say.

“Can I watch you work on it?” 

“Of course you can silly,” I say with a grin. I show Kai the canvas to let him gauge what I’ve been working on. 

“It looks really good!” But his face saddens a little bit. “Are you doing alright?” I give him a confused look. “You tend to draw horror pieces when you're trying to get yourself into a better place.” 

Horror pieces are my favourite to draw. I don't have an explanation for it, but I've always liked them. Maybe it's because I loved horror shows growing up but who knows. I look back at all my works and Kai’s right. I tend to do these pictures more when I'm not the best headspace. 

“You really know me, at this point it's mostly subconscious” I laugh “I was also watching creepypasta videos so the idea could have come from that. Anyways, what do you think about it so far?” 

“I love it of course!” Kai says

I work on transferring it onto the canvas and after about 2 hours the pencil sketch is laid out. Once that's done we decide to go to the movies. We went and saw whatever Kai wanted to see. He picked some rom com which I wasn't mad at as I enjoy these types of movies. 

After the movie we went to a sushi place for dinner. I wasn't that hungry so I got the rest of mine to go. Then we went to the supermarket to get some candy and pop for tonight. We decided that we were going to stay up quite a bit of the night so I can work on my artwork and we can just talk about life and stuff. We pull into the parking lot and head inside. This store is open 24/7 so we have plenty of time to get our stuff, but still it is 11:30pm and something makes the air feel very eerie tonight. 

After walking around the store Kai and I look at eachother and we both feel like something is off because this uneasy feeling Kai and I hurry up and grab what we wanted. Kai and I decided to pick up Sour Patch Kids, gummy bears and some chips. We then went into the drink aisle where I picked out Dr. Pepper, and ginger ale. Kai picked out diet Pepsi and cream soda. We picked out the four flavours that we both love. We then decided to get a tub of cotton candy ice cream. As we were turning there was this lady who crashed her cart into ours as we were on our way to check out. I looked up and noticed that it was the same lady that had been in each aisle with us, which honestly didn’t make any sense as we just went to the isles we needed. 

We check out of the store and head back to the car. After putting everything in the trunk of the car, I look up and see the same woman still there. What the fuck?

“Hey Kai, can you take the cart back please?” He nods and I get into the car and lock it. 

I hear a knock that startles me and I look up. It was just Kai. I unlocked the door and he got in. “Wanna tell me why you had the door locked Elle?”

I look over and the woman gets into the car next to us oh great my horror brain made something out of nothing. She was also probably having a movie night with some of her friends.

“It’s nothing Kai, I think I’m just psyching myself out.”

“Okay.” With that we drove back to my place right in the nic of time too as it just started to rain. We shut off all the lights and lock the doors and windows upstairs. We head back down to my studio and I set up everything to begin painting.

I wanted something in the background while I was working so I put on Another. Kai and I have already watched it a few times but we didn’t want to start something new since I wouldn't be able to give it my full attention. Also it's a horror anime so it will put me in the mood for my painting.

I looked down at the outline I drew; it was a girl who had gone psychotic and had a knife in her hand. My plan is to add blood to her once the painting is completely dry, but first I start by painting the eyes. When they are finished they look very dead and already mentally gone inside. I take a break and lay my head on Kai’s shoulder.

“Tired?” he asks me.

“No, I just wanted a break.” We continue watching the anime after two more episodes. There was a bang of thunder and a flash of lightning, I looked out the small window and saw what looked to be a figure of a woman. I looked back to get a better look but she's gone. I must just be seeing things.

I brush it off then get back to my painting. About an hour later I finish painting the skin and I see another flash out of the corner of my eye. I think to myself how odd that is  because there was no thunder. I brushed it off as the volume of the show probably just covered the sound. I decided to be done with painting for the night, so we moved out into the lounge area and continued watching Another. There was another flash and in the window we saw her. The woman from the supermarket was in my window.We were going to call the cops then with another flash she's gone.

We decided we couldn't take anymore horror tonight so we put on Ouran Highschool Host Club a few hours later we were on the episode where a character named Tamaki was trying to figure out his friend Haruhi’s biggest fear. When we see a flash of lightning in the episode, it also flashes here, and we see her silhouette again and she vanishes with the lightning once more. 

Creeped out we went to my room and lay in bed, I cuddled into Kai because honestly I was shaking and needed comfort.

In the morning Kai and I woke up to banging on the door. I checked the time and it was 8:30 am. We got up and checked no one was there, but there was an envelope that said Elizabeth Steevens and Kai Kalua I brought it inside.

“Ummmm Kai?”

“Yeah?”

I turn the envelope to show him. We were both scared and didn't know what to do. We opened it and there were at least 40 photos of us, starting from when we were coming out of the movie. There were photos of us at the sushi restaurant, the grocery store, and the worst ones of all the ones that were taken looking into my house. Ones of us in my art room, in the lounge, and ones of us asleep in my bed.

Panicked, I call the police and they tell us to come down to the station. Since neither of us knew the woman's name they said there was nothing they could really do for us except to have us tell them if something else happens. Some help they were, I thought.

Kai and I went back to my studio and I continued working on the piece. This time our show of choice was Miria Nikki. As I was painting the hair I saw another flash and considering what happened last night we decided to go to my parents office and check the security cameras and lo and behold she's there on the property.

“Kai whats that in her hand?”

“I don’t know,”

I looked closer and saw that it was a knife. We once again called the police and this time they came, but hearing a car must have scared her. They came inside and asked to watch the cameras with us. Only this time she was at the back door that's connected to the kitchen and of course I happened to leave it unlocked…

“Oh Elizabeth, Kai, come out come out wherever you are..” The woman sang out menacingly. Her voice rang through the house loudly causing me to look to one of the officers for advice

He nods for Kai and I walk out.

“There you two are,”

“Do we know you?” I ask, genuinely confused as to who this woman is.

“Yeah I don't know who you are either.” Kai said just as confused.

“I'm Chloe. I am in your art class.” She says.

We were both confused; we don’t remember having ever seen her before. Our art class had six people in it, us two, three other of our friends and some weird girl who doesn't talk to anybody.

“... you’re the weird girl in our class aren’t you?” Kai questions.

“What did you call me?” She asked with a defensive tone.

“What did you expect him to say, you literally refuse to talk to us. Then whenever the teacher praises my work, you get angry. Besides who goes around taking pictures of people in their own house! That is fucking creepy.” I say

“I get angry because you always get the spotlight! Give someone else a turn.”

“Elle gets the attention because she actually shows her artwork, you just sit in the back of the class and do nothing. If you want attention why ignore us when we try talking to you? What is your problem? And why do you have a knife?” You can tell Kai is starting to lose patience with the situation, as his questions get increasingly aggressive.

“So I can get rid of my competition,” she smiles sweetly.

“What competition? There is no competition Chloe” I ask 

“What competition? I have liked Kai forever!” Chloe says frustrated, slightly getting closer to the two of them with the knife.

Kai puts one hand out towards her, while using the other to pull me back with him a couple steps, creating distance between her and I before he speaks again.“I will never like you. Besides there is only one person I like, and hate to break it to sweetheart but it's not you.” This makes me curious who Kai was referring to.

“Then who is it then?” she asks angrily

That's when Kai kissed me. I kissed him back, albeit slightly flustered. This caused Chloe to become enraged, she came towards us with the knife and that's when the cops came out and told her to put the knife down. She complied and dropped the knife as she didn’t realize that the police were here. 

One of the two cops took her away as the other came and told us they were going to hold her and do a mental assessment on her. He also checked to see if Kai and I were okay. After we tell him we are he also leaves, leaving Kai and I alone to deal with this new revelation.

“Do you actually like me? Or were you just saying that to get her to stop…” anxious about the answer since I have liked Kai for a while, but didn't want to make things awkward with him.

“Elle I have liked you for a while but I didn't want to lose you.” Kai says as he pulls me closer to him.

I don't know how to respond, all my mind was telling me was ‘kiss him’. I pull him in by his shoulders to another kiss, quickly dispelling doubts either of us had. Kai placed his hands on my waist and melted into it. He pulls away and leans his forehead against mine, just holding me. For the first time in a few days I felt safe.

“Kai?” I ask in a quiet tone almost a whisper.

“Yeah sweetheart?” 

“Can you stay while my parents are gone?” I don’t feel safe enough to be home alone, and you wanted to stay in the comfort that he gave you.

“Of course I can angel.”

[aestheticdenki]

Butterflies- Tamaki Amajiki

You had a quirk where you could grow butterflies. It’s Tamaki’s favorite thing when you make them when your frightened.

Warnings- Tooth rotting fluff

—-———————————————————————

Tamaki Amajiki caught your attention from the moment you stepped foot into the classroom. His shy nature and sharp pointed ears were the cutest in your opinion. When you were introducing yourself, you accidentally made eye contact with him causing him to blush furiously and look away. The days following, you found yourself wanting to get to know him more than what the school tells you. You knew he was the top three and would soon be replaced by a younger promising student the moment he became a hero, be it underground or pro. Nejire was the first of the three to talk to you with Mirio following suit. They took a liking to you considering, you were like their other friend, reclusive. You were also the youngest of that class surprisingly but of course, switching from the other best school helps. Nobody even cared that you were an entire year younger.

“So were you recommended to Shiketsu Highschool? Is that why you are so young. Are you a daughter of a famous hero or two?” Well, everyone except Nejire. You knew it was her personal mission to find out everything about you and you didn’t mind. It felt nice to have someone want to know you. Setting down your pencil, you looked up at her expecting eyes. You stifled a scream when you saw Mirio popping up putting his clothes back (that Tamaki had to go get) on from using his quirk right next to you. “I was recommended to Shiketsu High when I was only ten due to my growing powers but they took me at twelve. I am not a daughter of a famous hero unfortunately. My mom and dad are both reclusive and scared of people.” While Nejire was talking, you resumed the paper you were filling out with a doodle of the Big Three in hero form. They couldn’t see it though, as you had it pulled closer to you at a weird angle.

“What are your powers?” You thought of how to explain it. Maybe you should just show them. A butterfly formed out of your wrist and flew around the classroom before landing on Tamaki’s nose and he smiled. Apparently, it was rare for him to smile so Nejire took a photo shoot. “So cute!” That startled the boy and the butterfly landed on your hand and disappeared. “So you have a butterfly quirk?” “Yes and no, I can deal with anything plant and bug related i.e growing, controlling, creating.” She smiled in delight. “I-I think I-it’s cool. I-I l-like the butterflies.” You couldn’t help but smile a little. Just the fact that he liked your butterflies made you feel a little better about your quirk. You were by far not the most confident person in your abilities. “What are you drawing? Can you show us?” Nejire pressed, not leaving any time for you to fawn over the boy with red cheeks. Slowly, you put the pad on the table and showed them the drawing of them. “I-I’m not that g-good so please d-don’t criticize me.” They offered you only good compliments and you sighed.

------------------------------------------------------------

Being a quiet person can be a curse and a blessing unless you were one of the big three. No one messes with you then. Since you weren’t part of the big three, you were getting picked on by the other classmates. You’ve become close with the ones everyone is pining for and that made you the easiest target. That is how you found yourself thrown on the ground with your sketches flying everywhere. “Oh look at these. These are all of the Big Three. Oh what is this?” The girl’s condescending voice made you feel small. She picked up the small stack of papers that hadn’t fallen out of your sketchbook. They were all of one person. “YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON TAMAKI?” She laughed in your face and you stuttered to come up with a response but nothing came out.

“B-B-But. But nothing. Stay away from them or else.” Tears in your eyes, you released vines out of your skin to grab the drawings. The girl pulled her hand back from the vine and cried out in pain when it wrapped around her wrist forcing her to drop the drawings. “You bi-” Her words were cut off by Mirio popping up in front of her, his smile never wavering despite being naked. It wasn’t long before she took off and he turned to you. You screamed and fell back into strong arms. Nejire handed Mirio his clothes while you were still being held by whoever had caught you. “A-Are you o-okay?” You shook your head. How could you be okay? Humiliation and embarrassment were all you felt, the tears in your eyes were long gone. Amajiki hugged you tighter and the other two joined in. You were their friend and they were going to protect you no matter how much it costs them.

------------------------------------------------------------

Your bully has been docile the past few weeks and you have been feeling better. On the other hand, your friends have just come back from their talk about hero work studies to class 1-A. Nejire and Mirio were as happy as ever but you noticed Tamaki looking glum. “What’s wrong with Tama?” Mirio explained how Amajiki couldn’t envision everyone as potatoes therefore got embarrassed and couldn’t talk the entire time. You watched silently and sympathetically as the nervous boy took a seat next to you. Feeling sad that they couldn’t cheer him up, Nejire and Mirio sat and watched him silently. No. You couldn’t watch your crush beat himself up over something he couldn’t control so you were going to do something about it. Taking his hand, you turned it over so that the back was in your palm and you hovered your other hand over it.

A butterfly formed in his hand. It had an indigo hue to it’s wings, almost the same color as his hair. You were confident in your decision until he looked up at you and just like that, you lost all your confidence. “Y-You said you l-liked butterflies s-so I wanted to c-cheer you up. I-I’m sorry, I-I shouldn’t have d-done that.” “T-Thank y-you.” He smiled and you did too. Cheering yourself up in your head, you watched as he played with the butterfly for a few minutes. Mirio nudged you, grinning. He knew your secret crush and he loved to tease you about it and push you to confess. “Mirio, no.” “______, yes.” God, you just wanted to smack him into next week. Luckily, he dropped it and moved onto something else Nejire was talking about and you went on watching Tamaki and the butterfly.

The bell rang signifying lunch. Everyone got up and raced towards the cafeteria leaving you behind in the dust. This time, you had to go alone because Principal Nezu and Aizawa wanted to talk to the Big Three. “Well. Well. Well. Look who doesn’t have her bodyguards.” Not again. “I saw that little stunt you pulled for Amajiki and it’s honestly pathetic. He doesn’t like you. Get over yourself.” She used her storm quirk to make it rain on you, drenching you from head to toe and anything you had with you which was the torn sketchbook she ripped the last time. All the pictures you drew would cease to exist anymore. You rushed to cover it to protect the pictures “Are you still drawing him!?” She grabbed the book and threw it on the floor causing it to flip open to a random page clear for everyone to see.

“Just give up and go away.” Your eyes stung with tears and you just let her hurl her insults at you. Why argue? They were all true. All of a sudden, the rain stopped and the girl didn’t move. She couldn’t. Aizawa had trapped her and canceled her quirk. At this point, your tears mixed with the water dripping from your hair. “Are you okay?” Mirio asked with seriousness in his tone. You looked up at him and saw Tamaki holding your sketchbook looking at the pictures. He wasn’t supposed to see them and your friends sure as hell weren’t supposed to see you getting bullied. “GO AWAY!” “We aren’t going to leave you alone right now.” You released vines as a shield and ran off to wherever your feet took you. “Amajiki…” Nejire’s voice was soft, far from her happy self. “I-I have to go.” They watched as the boy ran in the same direction you were knowing this was important.

He found you in an empty classroom crying, the plants around you growing at an alarming rate. Maybe it should be the Big Four, you’d make an excellent partner in battle. “________?” You looked up at him. Why is he here? “A-Are you here t-to make fun of m-my crush o-on you?” “N-No. I-I wouldn’t do t-that. I-I’m happy you h-have a crush o-on m-me.” Amajiki placed your sketchbook in your hands. “Y-You left this. I-I like your d-drawings of me.” “T-Thank you.” The two of you sat in silence. Thankfully, the plants stopped growing and returned to normal. “Y-You already know this b-but, I l-like you.” His eyes met yours and he smiled. “I-I like you t-too.” Tamaki quickly kissed your cheek. You yelped and released a butterfly. Hurriedly, you explained that because he kissed you, you got startled and created a butterfly. “W-Wait! E-Everytime I kiss you, y-you release b-butterflies?” You nodded. “I-I might have t-to kiss you m-more.”

[sue-bts]

How to Destroy Jeon Jungkook

Chapter 1

Pairing: Taehyung x Jungkook 

Genre: Eventual Smut/Slow Burn/Highschool AU

Words: 4,821

Summary: Taehyung usually isn't up to much, but Senior year brings about serges of boredom. So, Jimin devises a plan to mess with High School's baddest boy Jeon Jungkook. And Taehyung has to go along with it.

But a two day field trip could ruin it all.

/ AO3 LINK /

Freshman year, for most sane people, is a nightmare. Taehyung’s experience with it was no exception. He sat with his ankles curled in on each other during his first period on his first day of school. Usually, he’d whip out a sketchbook to lazily draw, but he was antsy and didn’t know how strict the teacher would be with the class. The bell hadn’t rung yet, Taehyung was five (agonizing) minutes early. The teacher-later revealed to go by Mr. Min-was casually scrolling his computer, not even glancing at his new freshman class. Taehyung was unaware of his ease, thinking every shift in his desk would alarm the teacher and certainly have him kicked out of school on the first day.

Jungkook was different-well, Taehyung didn’t know his name was Jungkook yet. As the bell finally began to charm, signaling Taehyung’s waiting period to be over, the black haired boy marched into class. He rode the sound of the bell like a pro, like it beckoned him into class. Already eyes were drawn to him, his ease, his stroll. It’s hard to resist people like that, they do what everyone else envisions their ideal self to act like. Taehyung forced himself not to watch the other boy, he wanted to be the one kid who didn’t care, not admit to being an admirer. But he felt the pull to look back up, to trail after the boy’s figure. From the corner of his eye he could see the sweep of black hair, his arms shrugging off his backpack, his dramatic fall into his desk, the boisterous sound of he and his friends exchanging pleasantries. Finally the bell faded out and the class was met with silence. Maybe for a split second there was silence. And then there was Jungkook.

He was obnoxious. Taehyung saw how the teacher already regarded the boy. Eying him up, the lines in the teacher’s face emphasizing his disdain with the boy. Roll call revealed the class clown’s name to be Jeon Jungkook. Many eyelashes batted in the direction of the name, girls were already writing their names with his last name, practicing the sound of the name as it rolled off their tongues. “This is my boyfriend… Jeon Jungkook,” “Oh, last night? It’s so embarrassing…I hooked up with Jeon Jungkook! Can you imagine that?!”

No ones eye’s batted when Kim Taehyung’s name was called, he raised a mild hand up from his scratch paper and the teacher hardly even raised his eyes from his list. Taehyung already felt a tinge of disdain in his stomach for the black haired boy-correction: Jeon Jungkook. Just his name sounded pretentious. But Taehyung couldn’t resist constantly sneaking a peek over at him. He was across the class from Taehyung, at a diagonal, in the perfect position for viewing. And Taehyung, despite his reserves, his morals, always took advantage of this seating arrangement perk.

The moments he lived for were when Jungkook’s eyes would travel and they’d flutter past Taehyung’s gaze, but sometimes they’d catch. The stare would linger, Taehyung looking away, a blush covering his cheeks and his fingers pausing from whatever writing or drawing he was in the midst of. Jungkook’s eyes would always wander away as quickly as they’d come across Taehyung. Maybe it was just a random glance, class was boring and eyes easily wander about. Those moments were chaste, but for the rest of Freshman year Taehyung always longed for them to be more frequent, and for much longer durations.  

The glitch in the Matrix-which was Jungkook-did not disrupt Taehyung’s Sophomore or Junior year. Taehyung thought of him as “a glitch in the Matrix” because normal life would be proceeding day to day, and then on a random occasion, Jungkook would once again appear.

Taehyung, not having a class with him anymore, was able to turn a blind eye to the rowdy boy’s antics as he terrorized the campus. Jungkook was always up to something, running around in spring on the quad, wearing little puffy shorts to flaunt his athletic calves. And in winter he’d be tucked away under large jackets and black bucket hats, never walking down stairs but riding the railing, a gaggle of girls following after.

Taehyung would let himself observe, it was like a zoo, a large lion performing a mating dance every day to a different admirer. Taehyung appreciated the distance though, not having a class with Jungkook meant he could easily scurry away before getting anywhere close to the black haired boy. He feared Jungkook to the extent one would fear a vat of poison. Definitely not because of Jungkook’s sharp features, broad shoulders and the way his body was slouched with ease. Taehyung was intimidated in how Jungkook would sit on top of tables in the cafeteria, throwing food at his friends, and during passing period he’d be standing on benches and then jumping onto his friends shoulders, running around like that until yard duty would stop them. Taehyung was content with his Jungkook-free lifestyle, it was quiet and his focus wasn’t interrupted by pretty boys with lazy behavior.

Taehyung’s Jungkook-free lifestyle was ruined when he walked into his English class, Senior year, 6th period, and instantly met eyes with the very boy was he content in never speaking to again

Of course. Taehyung’s luck was just that good.

“I don’t know why you’re so upset by this, you literally have spoken to him like… once? Twice?” Jimin says, veering the car as they head off campus for lunch the next day.

Taehyung winces at Jimin’s driving skills, the wheel continuously driving over the many orange traffic bumps.

“It’s not about me talking to him, Jimin,” Taehyung starts, his face contorted with disgust, “It’s like… I don’t know, his presence annoys me.”

Jimin rolls his eyes with a huff. “Bullshit, more like his looks annoy you.”

Taehyung really wants to punch Jimin’s arm for that comment, sadly Jimin is the one driving and Taehyung is too much of a wimp to commit to that.

“I’ll admit it, I’m one of Jungkook’s many admirers, but I’m of the group of guys who wants to be him, not fuck him.”

Jimin lets out an exasperated huff, his eyes squinting at the road

“Can’t say the same for you though,” Taehyung says, laughing, watching Jimin’s face contort with a sly grin and blush.

“Oh shut up,” Jimin scrunches his nose in the direction of Tae in the passenger seat. “Jungkook is way too much of a whore for me to go after, the whole school can agree his dick has been everywhere.”

“Not everywhere, Jiminie…” Taehyung giggles as they pull up to their favorite taco truck. Jimin does not play along with Taehyung’s grotesque antics. He twists his keys so the car sputters to a quiet, spinning in his seat to face Taehyung head on.

“I think you should give Jungkook a chance, I’ve heard he’s calmed down a lot, I mean it’s senior year, I think everyone has,” Jimin says.

Taehyung wants to agree with his friend, but he can’t drop how irritated he gets by Jungkook’s presence. “I swear Jimin, honest to god, I want to believe you…”

Jimin throws back his head and rolls his eyes, “Agh! Tae! When have I ever been wrong when it comes to guy troubles?!”

They get out of the car and shut the doors almost in unison. Taehyung laughs at Jimin’s question, “Actually, I can recall so many times you’ve been wrong.”

Jimin does a motion with his hand to disregard whatever Taehyung said as they walk towards the truck.

“The point is, I don’t think Jungkook is half bad. I saw him at a party a few weeks ago and he was helping a lot of really drunk people to not throw up all over themselves.”

“Jimin… my appetite…” Taehyung whines, dramatically leaning back and forth like he’s going to be sick.

“Maybe he’s just rowdy in class to get your attention Tae Tae, maybe he’s secretly in love with your little artsy ass,” Jimin muses, his cheeks puffing with a smile. Taehyung wishes he already had his burrito so he could throw it at Jimin’s face.

“Yeah, sure, because I love when boy’s are loud as fuck in class and never sit still.”

“I think my little Tae is in love!!!” Jimin cries out, his high pitch voice alerting some other people’s attention in line. Taehyung looks around in distress with Jimin’s loud proclamation.

“I’m starting to hate you as much as I hate ‘Jeon Jungkook,’” Taehyung says, his low voice a husky whisper until he raises his pitch to say Jungkook’s name, mocking girl’s voices who constantly yell out the name any chance they get.

Jimin is used to ignoring Taehyung though, just smiling back at his friend, “You are going to have so much fun in 6th period, I can’t wait!”

Taehyung curses Jimin when he shows up to his 6th period, burrito in hand, 5 minutes late. The class is nearly dead silent and Mr. Kim looks up from his desktop when he hears the door abruptly slam behind Taehyung. Taehyung noticeably cringes with the noise, everyone turning to look at him when they hear the sudden noice.

“I had people sit where they want today so I could make a seating chart for the year. There’s one seat left so you can take that one,” Mr. Kim says, unapologetically, hardly caring enough to look at Taehyung directly. Mr. Kim doesn’t realize how much pain he is currently inflicting of Taehyung’s body, Taehyung scans the room for the empty desk only to see that it is beside Jungkook. Jeon Jungkook.

He should’ve stayed at the fucking taco truck. Taehyung is too done with high school to have to deal with this shit. But he manages to gain control of his limbs and muster the effort to walk over to his empty desk. It’s like walking towards his own execution, the chair daunting and the metal of it cold. Jungkook doesn’t even look up, doesn’t acknowledge that the seat beside him is the one vacant. His dark hair just swoops over his eyes and his shoulders turn away from Taehyung to begin chatting with his friends to his left. Mr. Kim finally stands from his computer and shushes them as he begins the day’s lesson.

Thus begins Day 1 (of sitting next to Jungkook).

“I’m assuming everyone read chapters 8 through eleven last night. So, turn to your seating partner and discuss it for a few minutes, then I’ll hand out the prompt, and on one sheet of paper write down a cohesive response. It’s due by the end of the period,” Mr. Kim says, passing out the prompt paper to the different rows of students.

Taehyung feels a rush of relief with this and turns to his right, face to face with a random girl.

“You’re not my partner,” she says with a little smirk, “he is,” and she points to Jungkook to Taehyung’s left. Taehyung’s stomach drops, how lucky is he?!

“Oh…” Taehyung audibly sighs, slowly pivoting his body to an angle to face Jungkook, but the other boy hardly looks up from his paper. Taehyung scans the paper, it’s still blank, there’s really nothing for Junkgook to be so focused on.

“Uh… so… I did the reading… and I thought the chapters really had a lot to do with religion… and loss of… innocence…?” Taehyung slowly drawls out, words light on his tongue so as not to embarrass him if they end up being wrong interpretations. Jungkook does a small nod but still doesn’t meet Taehyung’s eyes. Taehyung gives up with his efforts, making sure to give a large uhmf as he spins in his chair to sit normally. That catches Jungkook’s attention and the boy looks up with a small smile creeping along his featuers. Taehyung tries not to pay notice to the boy’s change in attitude, not wanting to instantly forgive him after being so ignored just before.

“Wait-what’s your name?” Jungkook asks, his voice casual and at ease. Taehyung, on the other hand, is rigid. He wants to grab for his sketchbook and quickly scribble with his lead pressed as hard to the paper as he can before snapping it. He doesn’t know how such a simple question can have him so riled. Maybe it’s in Jungkook’s tone, or how he doesn’t change his posture to even show if he wants an answer.

“Taehyung.”

“Oh, I don’t think I’ve had a class with you before,” Jungkook says, and his eyes drop from Taehyung to look back at his empty paper. The conversation ends with that. Taehyung doesn’t even try to correct Jungkook and mention their freshman year class. Taehyung was silent that entire year, he doesn’t really expect Jungkook to have noticed him.

“Are you guys going to get started on the assignment?” Mr. Kim asks, interrupting Taehyung’s train of thought. Mr. Kim also has a way about him of nonchalantness, asking a question and already moving on before really getting an answer. He says these things to maintain order in the class, but his eyes never take in the empty sheet. Taehyung grunts a response, something like, oh we’re still thinking about it, but his mind is still hung up on Jungkook.

“I didn’t read,” Jungkook deadpans, dropping his pencil from his hand onto the desk and promptly grabbing his phone and earbuds from his backpack. Taehyung lets out a deep exhale through his nose, his nostrils puffing, and slides the blank paper and prompt sheet onto his desk. It doesn’t seem Jungkook is even apologetic about it either, putting in his ear buds, concealed by the hoodie he pulls over his hair.

“Thanks man,” he mumbles as he fully reclines into his desk and his eyes shut. Taehyung is nearly dumbfounded by Jungkook’s behavior, just watching the other boy in his blissed out state before finally turning his attention back to the assignment.

What. An. Asshole.

Later that night Taehyung tries to convey the story to Jimin over the phone, but Jimin seems to be an avid Jungkook supporter.

“I get it Tae, he’s popular, he’s attractive, and he uses that so he doesn’t have to do his own work… it’s horrible,” Jimin sighs, his voice small and sweet over the phone. Taehyung huffs, wanting it to be more complicated than it is.

“I don’t think he’s attractive!” He blurts, sounding defiant and silly.

“Oh c’mon now Tae, don’t flatter yourself. I think the entire student body at our school can agree he’s attractive.”

“Well, I just don’t see it. And second of all, even if he was, it’s just his whole demeanor that annoys the crap out of me. He doesn’t even notice my existence next to him.”

Jimin is quiet for a little while over the phone and then a small giggle escapes him. “You should make him notice you!” Jimin exclaims.

Taehyung is already rolling his eyes at Jimin’s antics, but still quieting over the phone to prepare for Jimin’s instructions. Teahyung would usually play into Jimin’s little games, smiling wide and finding it all very exhilarating, but with the thought of Jungkook on his mind, Taehyung is very serious about the issue at hand.

“You should try to act out like he does, be a class clown, don’t help him with partner assignments, act as laid back and fuckboy-ish as possible,” Jimin snickers. He speaks in almost a whisper, the idea so exciting to him he feels he must hush his voice.

Taehyung lets out a sharp laugh, “I do want to pass high school, Jimin.”

Jimin huffs, “you can pass and still act like you don’t have a stick up your ass all the time.”

Taehyung is mildly offended by the comment but lets it slide. “I guess it could be interesting…” Taehyung finds himself mumbling into the phone. He wants to take the words back but Jimin already latches on with a sheer giggle, followed by a trail of fast words spilling out of him.

“See?! Just do your homework in secret and act like an idiot when you’re around Jungkook, it’s perfect! Ugh! Tae! This is going to be so good! You’re going to beat Jungkook at his own game. You’re going to out fuckboy the fuckboy!”

Taehyung can practically picture how Jimin’s nose must be scrunching up while he laughs at the other end of the phone. He likes how excited Jimin gets about his mischievous plans, and that excitement carries over to Taehyung, lifting his mild expression to that of slightly pleased with himself.

Hopefully the plan will work and he won’t just end up looking like a complete try-hard at being a not-try-hard. Despite the little flutters of nervousness in the pit of his stomach, at least he’s actually looking forward to 6th period tomorrow.  

The next day, Taehyung pauses before automatically going for his usual sense of style. He reconsiders, eyeing up his closet, and thinks of what a more laid back fuckboy might wear. Usually Taehyung opts for a chic look, loose fitting jackets over a graphic tee (also loose), and then a set of…loose pants. He really likes loose fitting clothes with a pair of converse or slides, then maybe a hat to top off the look. He gets complements all the time on how he dresses, but he doesn’t dress like the lacrosse star Jeon Jungkook. This is who he must channel from now own.

The way Jungkook dresses reminds Taehyung of middle school, athletic shorts and a Patagonia long-sleeve. Taehyung goes to his dresser and reaches farther into it than he has in probably years. His hands finally land on a plain long-sleeve with a random brand’s logo and then some tight fitting light wash skinny jeans. Taehyung feels he morphed into a different person in the span of a few minutes, completely disgusted by his mirror’s reflection.

When Jimin sees him for the first time Jimin practically screams. He does do a few little jumps/skips though (which might be worse than if he’d just screamed).

“Taehyung! I did not know you even owned stuff like that,” Jimin says, snickering, landing a punch to Taehyung’s shoulder.

Taehyung wants to laugh but he just rolls his eyes, “I feel naked Jimin, this outfit is absurd.”

“But you do look like every other straight guy at this school, you’ll definitely have Jungkook fooled.”

“Ok so… how long are we going to keep this going?” Taehyung asks, a desperateness to his voice as he looks down at his body. It looks like his head is attached to a completely new person. His shoulders fill out the shirt almost too well, he must have bought the at least 5 years ago when he was a much smaller Taehyung.

“Y’know what our game-plan should be?” Jimin asks.

“I literally don’t, that’s why I asked.”

Jimin laughs, “Oh right. Ok, this is what should happen: You have a month to make Jungkook your friend, if you guys go to a party together, like as two friends going together, you’ll have won and you can stop dressing like that.”

Taehyung wants to strip from these tight fitting clothes the second he hears what Jimin says. “What?! That’s so extreme. Jungkook is so popular, even if we were class friends he won’t hangout with me outside of school.”

Jimin shrugs, “You know how I’m the teacher’s aid in your english class…”

Taehyung dramatically leans back, letting out a large groan, “Jimin, you are literally the worst and I don’t even know what you’re about to say.”

Jimin smiles, “Your english class is going on a field trip in one month and I’m in charge of randomly pairing people to stay in the same hotel room.”

Taehyung’s heart lurches from his chest, he wants to smack Jimin in the face, but he can’t help but stand there without movement and let Jimin continue to unravel his evil plan.

“If you don’t follow through with the plan… I can pair you two lovebirds up in the same room for 2 nights.”

Taehyung was expecting this kind of thing from Jimin, Jimin is always up to stuff like this. In 6th grade Jimin somehow managed to have a joint birthday party with his crush and this resulted in a wonderful photo collage of them cutting the cake together, dancing, everything mirroring a wedding photo book. Jimin has always been devious like that. Taehyung doesn’t know how, but Jimin always finds a way to get exactly what he wants, it’s probably the smile, his little crescent eyed smile.

“Ok Tae Tae… you know I’m your friend,” Jimin says sweetly, “I won’t actually hold you to any of this if you don’t want to… but it’s senior year! I need something to root for because it’d be so entertaining if you actually tried this out.”

“Jimin-” Taehyung tries to start.

“And once this is over and you win at Jungkook being our friend, maybe you can come up with a funny challenge for me and I’ll do it!”

“Jimin. Just listen to me for a second. I’ll do it. But if I win the challenge and get Jungkook to go with me to a party, you owe me like… a lot of money.”

Jimin smiles, knowing how disposable his income is, and juts his hand out to Taehyung. Taehyung with an annoyed sigh-that does have a pitch of endearment to it-meets Jimin’s and they shake on their plan.

Jungkook is doomed, (in a fun way).

Taehyung is, of course, on time for his 6th period class. He manages to hold a to-go box from lunch, a drink sweating with condensation, and his phone, somehow squished between two fingers. He wishes he could go into class and set all this stuff down with time to spare-as he would normally do-but instead he waits until the bell begins to ring and turns from his hidden corner and begins to walk to class. Jungkook is actually ahead of him and holds the door for Taehyung as they make it in before the bell fades out. Mr. Kim does a wave of his hand to acknowledge that they weren’t “actually” late as they find their seats.

Day 2 (of sitting next to Jungkook). 

“So much traffic,” Taehyung mumbles, already trying out his new persona, voice languid and his posture at ease. Jungkook still hardly returns Taehyung’s attention.

“Tell me about it,” he grunts in response. At least Taehyung got a response, that’s a development.  

Taehyung doesn’t try to continue the conversation though, he opens up his to-go box and begins to nibble at the remains. While Taehyung makes himself busy with his food, he uses his peripheral vision to eye up Jungkook as much as he can. Jungkook is dressed very similar to Taehyung, a white t-shirt on, paired with black shorts and some sneakers. The black and white color palette isn’t really Taehyung’s forte-as he usually goes for a beige or monochrome color scheme-but he admits that Jungkook pulls off the simple shades. Jungkook’s black hair goes well with his often black outfits, and the white t-shirt not only contrasts the large amount of black in his pallet, but also doesn’t drown out his skin tone, he’s tan from all his time on the field. The skin that is revealed, most of his arms, most of his legs, his neck, it’s all a warm honey color that would probably taste sweet under the tongue-

Taehyung tries not to get caught actually eyeing up Jungkook. And also not lost in his thoughts. They were definitely spiraling.

Jungkook turns to his friends and makes a comment about whatever assignment they’re in the midst of working on in a different class, Taehyung tilts a head and listens in on what subject they’re discussing.

“Has anyone done the Calc homework?” one of the girls in the group asks. Jungkook groans, finally a noise from him louder than his usual sighs and mumbles.

“Literally no one has, I have no idea who to get it from,” another girl answers.

“The group chat hasn’t been answering either, I think they’re sick of us asking,” one of the guys adds, with a laugh that negates all his previous words.

Taehyung has done the calc homework. But that isn’t part of his new persona. His new persona would ask for it from the group chat and if that didn’t work he’d simply not do it. So that becomes Taehyung’s advice.

“I heard it’s worth like no points,” Taehyung chimes in. Heads turn to look past Jungkook to where Taehyung sits. “I’m not gonna do it and I heard a lot of people aren’t.”

“Really?” The first girl asks, her face turning from concern to a proud smirk. “See guys, Taehyung isn’t stressing so I’m sure we don’t have to be either.”

Taehyung really doesn’t like how she said his name like that, it ruins his persona that he invented today. This new Taehyung is not the voice of reason when it comes to homework. New Taehyung didn’t hear about there even beinghomework until after it was due.

“Dude, I do the homework to get points so I don’t have to do good on every test, you don’t have to worry about that cause you do good on the tests,” Jungkook says. He turns his attention to Taehyung and Taehyung swears this might be the first time they’ve had a face to face conversation throughout the span of high school. But what Jungkook said isn’t a very strong starting point for Taehyung’s plan for achieving friendship. Jungkook’s words are sharp and Taehyung wishes he could just roll his eyes and ignore Jungkook as he would normally do. Taehyung tries to play it cool though, scoffing at Jungkook’s comment and slouching farther into his seat.

“She doesn’t actually look at what we write on the paper for homework, just scribble down some numbers and you’ll get full credit if you really care.”

Jungkook raises a brow and turns back to his friends with his shoulders raised.

“I mean, we’re only like 2 days into the school year, she might be an easy homework grader,” Jungkook says, his words instantly encouraging the rest of the group to agree.

One of Jungkook’s friends, Jung Hoseok, leans forward from his seat and outstretches his arm to Taehyung, “Dab me up bro, you’re a real one,” he says, fist bumping Taehyung who obliges with a mild smile. “Did you have a senior friend last year who told you how she grades?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung responds, dropping his arm from the fist bump and letting his arm slouch onto the back of Jungkook’s seat. Jungkook obviously feels the brush of Taehyung’s arm as it glides from his seat and back to Tae’s lap, and Jungkook’s body tenses with the sensation. Undetected from the rest of the group, Jungkook’s eyes dart over to look at Taehyung, but Taehyung tries his hardest not to emote, meeting Jungkook’s stare and then ignoring him to look behind him at his friends. Jungkook looks away from Taehyung when the brown haired boy disregards the eye contact.

“Bro, that’s hella chill, dab me up again, you’re for real the plug,” Hoseok says again, smiling widely and reaching behind Jungkook’s shoulder’s again to fist bump Taehyung. Taehyung, feeling even bolder after this exchange going so well, lets his arm slip back to Jungkook’s seat but leaves it there. The rest of Jungkook’s friends turn to each other to start their own conversations and Jungkook sits still with his eyes trained on his paper. Taehyung, with his free hand, starts picking at his leftover food again, and only lets his arm drop when Mr. Kim finally stands up to formally begin the class’ lesson.

When Taehyung’s arm casually slips off Jungkook’s chair to rest at Taehyung’s lap, Jungkook’s eyes follow. Taehyung is internally very focused on the lecture, outwardly projecting a dazed off appearance, one of someone completely spacing out. So he doesn’t see how Jungkook watches his arm, Taehyung’s tan skin only revealed in select places from under his long sleeve. What are exposed are his large hands, the veins are prominent and clench as he grazes his palm from his thigh to his knee. He does this back and forth, the repetition enticing Jungkook, who wishes he wasn’t so invested in how the boy’s hand moves. It grabs onto his knee, and from there slides up to his thigh, and then once again back to his knee. It has Jungkook imagining different things, what that large hand would feel like grazing up his skin-

Jungkook finally snaps out of it, trying to find an object to space out on, to drown out the sound of the lecture and forget all these new, strange and invasive thoughts.

But he can’t stop his mind from circling back to Kim Taehyung.

[heart2jeno]

the stars we saw that day

▸ 💌 : u:mi is writing … ✎♡

꒰ 26.02.27 ꒱— i tried posting this a few days ago but it literally ? just collected dust and a measly 2 notes so i’m guessing something went wrong when i switched from posting it on mobile to later editing it on desktop. be a peach and pretend this is the first time i’m posting this... heh, enjoy the fic <3 !

a sexc one-shot for my favourite scorpio on this website @jaenocide 

. . . 🌙 ⭐️ 🚀 . . .

₊˚. one (1) new incoming rq┊📥 !!

┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄╮

��� band au …

❑ enemies to lovers …

❑ prompt 1 : “ are you sure this

is legal ? ”

❑ member : RENJUN of NCT

↷… 🌙ˀˀ | opening FILE . . . ꒱ - - - - ☆

“you’re late.”

you dropped your schoolbag onto one of the plastic chairs against the wall, with a thump, and rolled your eyes, “and you’re already getting on my nerves,” is what you would have retorted, if you had had the energy to do so.

there were so many other things that you’d rather be doing. it was obvious that you hadn’t been given the choice of who you were meeting in one of the school’s tiny secluded practice-rooms after classes because the guy currently scowling daggers at your back would definitely not have been one of your choices—for obvious reasons.

if you had been given your way, you would never even have to see his face at all. so, naturally, when you looked over your shoulder, you returned his icy glare with one of your own, “my bad. ‘didn’t realise you’d be here counting down the minutes.”

his laugh was humorless, “don’t flatter yourself.” as he moved to the wall-piano in the corner of the room, he continued, “i wouldn’t be crying over my keys if you hadn’t show up.”

huang renjun: the art department’s favourite student, pianist protégée, beloved by every teacher who had ever had the absolute delight of having him in their class, the biggest pain-in-your-ass—only to name a few of the names that he’s accumulated during his years at the school on the outskirts of seoul.

no one ever really knew why the two of you couldn’t stand eachother; it had always been that way, for as long as anyone could remember.

☄︎. *. ˖⋆࿐໋₊

if you thought back on it—which you hardly ever found yourself doing—the first memory you had of huang renjun was back in elementary, when you had just transferred.

he had looked at you strangely—as if you were out-of-place, like an alien or something like that—the moment he had sat opposite you at the same table during class. you remember how he had murmured something behind his hand to jeno who sat beside him. they had kept glancing across at you throughout the lesson, muttering under their breaths.

during recess that day, you had stood on tiptoe and peered into the reflection of one of the school building’s window, wondering if your mum had braided your hair unevenly or if there were remnants of the cupcake you had eaten earlier in the day around your mouth. neither had seemed to be the case—which had only left you even more confused.

what had made you certain that huang renjun hated you was when he landed you your first ever lunch-time detention, in your last year of elementary.

the two of you, as well as your best-friends: donghyuck ‘haechan,’ jeno and jaemin (who had been renjun’s best friends first and still were—although admitting that you shared anything with renjun left a foul taste in your mouth) had sat on the same table in maths.

you had walked into the classroom, after break, to see renjun already sat down. usually, during lessons you’d ignore his presence as best as you could. you would pretend not to hear his ‘help’ whenever you struggled with the worksheet, prefering to soldier on; it wasn’t as if you’d feel any joy giving renjun the satisfaction of knowing more than you do.

but you had been quick to notice the sketchbook—your sketchbook—held in his greasy little hands. you must have forgotten to put it back inside your bag, the lesson before. his eyes had risen from examining the open pages and they widened when he registered you standing in the doorway.

as you stormed towards him, renjun’s mouth had opened to say something; it was as fruitless as trying to calm a raging tempest.

“give me that,” you seethed, snatching the book from him; your face felt like it was burning. the things you drew weren’t stuff that would get you in trouble but they were rather—well, looking back on it—weird: pretty schoolgirls with brightly-coloured hair sitting on yellow grass beneath a purple-coloured sky, mermaids on rocks akin to the candy of the same name beneath a gatorade waterfall, forest elves with the ability to control different elements. they were fantasy or sci-fi drawings, taking inspiration from the stories you made up in your head during daydreams, or from the stories you’d read at night when you were supposed to be sleeping. none of which you planned to sit down and share with renjun.

he had tried to say something again, bristling at your tone, but you didn’t allow him an opening, “haven’t you ever heard of a thing called privacy?” you quickly placed your sketchbook safely in your bag, making sure it was secured, before glowering at him, “paws off, brace-face.”you remember the surge of satisfaction that had coursed through you, when you watched how quickly his face became red.

after renjun had gotten his braces, you had overheard donghyuck call him the name, playfully nudging him in the arm. you didn’t think it would be enough to rile him up but it wasn’t soon after that when he stuck his hand up in the air to tell the teacher about what you had called him. you had stubbornly refused to apologise which resulted in a lunch-time spent writing lines of ‘i shall not name-call’ until your hand ached.

before you had started playing the guitar for the band, you had taken private violin lessons; since they were at your highschool, your music instructor would pair you and the other violinists up with the pianists for the end of month evaluation, because there weren’t that many of you altogether in the department. you didn’t mind, when you were paired with the care-free jaemin who smiled whenever he watched you play and let you sit beside him on the bench as he practiced his new arrangement. you may have even confessed that he gave you butterflies whenever he laughed at your bad jokes.

but there were a few months where you would be partnered with none other than renjun—who you felt was the only one who hated you more than the universe seemed to.

the pair of you played well enough during performances; in the words of your instructor who would even go as far as pulling the two of you aside afterwards, “it could even secure a place in the annual competition held in the city.” every time, the two of you would thank him stiffly, as if doing anything more would give the other a sort of advantage in your long-standing dispute.

to you, the thought of performing on stage would be a wonderful step-up from playing in the school’s small practice room littered with broken instruments on the shelves and the ancient piano stuffed in one corner (all giving the room a foul timeworn odour that hung in the air, even with the door open)—was welcomed, even—but with renjun? not a chance.

⋆·˚ ༘ * 🔭

“whatever,” you muttered, turning your back on him again and putting your case on one of the other plastic chairs. as you crouched down to unclasp it, you registered the sound of a page turning behind you and you took out your violin and bow. although you’d never admit it out loud, it wasn’t an exaggeration that renjun was a talented pianist. maybe if he did ever compete in the national piano competition, he’d even make it to the finals. maybe. your grip tightens on the neck of your violin as you brace yourself for an hour of torture (practice) with huang renjun.

that was in highschool.

“hey.”

you had graduated three years ago. yet here you were. 

you poked your tongue into the inside of your cheek, before letting it sweep over your teeth. not taking your gaze off the window and the scenery that rolled past as the car drove through the city, you muttered, “what.”

there’s a pause—which you knew meant that he’s taking a moment to study you. you’re past the point of caring what went on in renjun’s head when he saw you; if anything you wished he’d be less keen to voice them aloud.

“i thought you did well earlier.”

you tensed in your seat, despite knowing better than to rise to the bait he had once again cast out to sea. of course, he always managed to haul an abundance, by the end of the day. when you didn’t respond, he took it as a cue to continue—or he didn’t care and continued anyway (you assumed the latter.) “what you said almost made me blush,” you could practically see the mocking smirk on his face, imprinted on the inside of your eyelids, as you closed your eyes and took a deep breath.

you finally turned your head to glare daggers, which seemed to only harmlessly glance off him, as he continued, “almost. although, of course, we both know better,” your skin crawled when he patted your hand in mock-affection, “don’t we, baby?”

you would have assumed that the two of you would have grown out of your childish war by now, especially after your whole ‘rise-to-fame,’ but no, you still hated everything about huang renjun: how he always had to have the last word, always had a remark on the tip of his tongue with a glint in his eye, always laughed at you like there’s a joke you’re not aware of.

but, most of all—especially now—you hated the feeling you got in your stomach whenever he looked at you so... so lovingly: like a million butterflies laid dormant there until he started talking with that look on his face—like they only took flight at his beck and call. you hated it—you hated it all.

you couldn’t decide which one made you feel worse: the fact, you knew as well as him, that it’s all a fabricated lie or the fact that it still managed to affect you so deeply, despite that piece of knowledge.

you see: if someone had told you, during the days when you used to practice in one of your school’s cramped music-rooms, that, a few years down the line, your band would be signed to one of the biggest entertainment companies in korea, you would have called them crazy; if they had continued and said that you and renjun would quickly be known as the country’s beloved ‘star couple,’ you may have punched them square in the nose.

yet here you were, being driven home after the day’s schedule—which had included an interview for one of the biggest magazines in south korea.

you had felt like the interview had been less professional than it should have been; it focused more on your adored ‘relationship’ with renjun, rather than the promotion of your group’s new album. it included questions like ‘when did the two of you realise you loved eachother?’ and ‘what’s your favourite thing about the other person?’

there had been many instances where you had had to resist the overwhelming urge to throttle both renjun, when he watched you with more of a taunting smirk than a lover’s smile, and the interviewer who had clearly been far more keen on hearing his answer than yours.

does a person have to blink that much? you remember asking youself, as you watched the interviewer lean unnecessarily closer to renjun and bat her eyes, as he was answering one of the questions about how often you get into arguments (”rarely ever, we never disagree on things” bullshit, huang.) instead of letting your disgust slip through, you secure your mask and play the role of the meek girlfriend, giggling at your boyfriend’s answer.

you had dipped your head slightly and bit your lip, trying to stop yourself from smiling, as a thought came to mind; our fans won’t be too happy when they notice this, in the video. while they’re easily deceived by yours and renjun’s ‘romance,’ they could pick up on many other things: including smitten interviewers.

your supporters were dedicated, often even extreme—and it was both their upbringing and in some cases, their ultimate flaw. despite yourself, you couldn’t wait to read the comments about this interview, in a few days.

pinching the skin on your wrist wasn’t enough to distract you from renjun’s presence anymore; not when you had to always hold his hand or link arms whilst walking around in public, because of the cameras flashing wherever you went in order to capture and report every detail to this media and the other; there even had to be the occasional kiss, if they had been particularly quiet and needed something new to gush about, like a child being rewarded with a treat for being so well-behaved.

sickening, how so many people get a thrill from a deluded sense of control over celebrities’ personal lives and relationships; as if we’re nothing but dolls. even if your relationship was fake—it wasn’t as if these people knew that. you supposed it was your company’s fault, for making you and renjun parade  around like two stupid lovebirds as well as your own fault for letting them. but, hey, business is business.

to the public, you were two enamoured young stars who couldn’t wait until they were behind closed doors to display their desire for eachother. in reality, his hand on your wrist, as you waited for your transport after finishing the day’s schedule, was actually to keep you from writhing away: as if his touch physically scalded. when you leaned in to ‘lovingly whisper’ into his ear during music awards, you were actually hissing warnings about what would happen once you get back to the dorms if he kept getting on your nerves.

💫༉‧₊˚✧

you seize the opportunity to slip away from the eyes of producers and camera crew, as they finally move on to bombard haechan with questions and commands for another new promotion video. he notices you just as you’re about to leave and jokingly mouths a dramatic, “save me.”

you laugh silently and give him the thumbs-up, before backing out of the room. you make your way down the corridor and up the flight of stairs, the sound of your echoing steps drastically different to the constant chatter and background noise that you had grown so accustomed to. making it to the top, you barely hesitate, as you open the door to the building’s rooftop.

when you step out into the night, you close your eyes and—for the first time in what feels like forever—take a deep breath. you savour the cool air entering your lungs, as your muscles relax—you didn’t even realise how tense you had been. this life was everything you and your group had dreamed of: money, fame, parties with a-listers almost every weekend… so why did you feel so worn out by it all?

you tilt your head up to the inky sky, feeling infinitely small beneath the sparse pinpricks of light that shone above—out of reach, yet impossible to miss. a reminder. a comfort. your worries momentarily drift away on the cool wind, as the night embraces you, like an old friend. if only for a few minutes, until someone is sent to find you. it’s only when you open your eyes again that you notice someone perched on the ledge, their legs dangling over.

renjun’s silhouette was framed by the bright lights of soul: the office towers, shopping district and apartment buildings that made up the inner-city in the distance. had he felt like he had to get away for a while, the way you had?

he jumps at the sound of the door that slams shut behind you, his upper-body whipping around to find the cause of the noise. when he realises that it’s only you and not one of the production members who probably wouldn’t stop irritating him, he visibly relaxes and turns back around. some part of you is relieved that he would gladly tolerate your company over the crew’s—but, then again, you’d prefer him over their constant commands and orders too. and that said alot... right?

a slim beam of light shoots out from where your ‘boyfriend’ sits and you watch it dart across the towering buildings a distance away, “is that a… laser?”

he hums.

“are you sure this is legal?” you ask as you sit beside him on the ledge, maintaining a respectful distance—more for your own comfort than his. you continue watching the dancing light, “i mean, you might distract a pilot… or something.”

he’s silent for several moments, the laser-pen falling slack in his hand, “hm… nah, ‘don’t think so,” he gives you a sidewards-glance, noting your furrowed brow. he runs his fingers through his hair which you notice is now peaking behind his ears and down the nape of his neck, into the collar of his shirt.

if things were different, you may have even reached out to play with a few strands or ask him if he was thinking of growing it out. but, instead, your fingers remain curled into fists on your lap and your mouth stays shut as he resumes pointing the laser at seoul’s inner-city. it was surprising that the crimson beam was able to project that far.

“cut it out,” you finally sigh, after a few moments of awkward silence, ignoring his noise of protest as you snatch the pen from his hand and pocket it.

“you’ve never been any fun,” he murmurs, running his hands over his face before rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

at a sidewards glance, you realise renjun is bare-faced, without the usual thin layer of makeup and styled hair. he looks as tired as you feel. so he’s just been up here, all this time. as you steal a few more glances at him, you wonder if, maybe, your hectic schedule was taking its toll on someone else as well.

you quickly catch yourself staring, longer than you really should be, when he meets your eye. you avert your gaze to the city ahead, ignoring the heat rising in your cheeks.

“so you couldn’t stand it down there either, huh?” renjun says, if only to fill the silence stretching between the two of you. out of the corner of your peripheral vision, you can see him still watching you.

“just needed some air,” you say, shrugging.

he hums, clasping his hands in his lap. out of the corner of your eye, you can see him tapping a knuckle with his finger—a habit of his.

you both lapse into another stifling silence and, after a while, your eyes lift up to the sky; you strain to catch a glimpse of any stars.

renjun watches you, the corners of his mouth curving up into a small smile as he says, “it’s disappointing.” your eyes slide to meet his as he says, “you’ve heard of light pollution, right?”

“i was in your geo class, idiot.”

“well you wouldn’t blame me if i thought you didn’t pay a lot of attention,” after a beat, he quickly adds, “idiot.”

your eyes crinkle as you laugh, shaking your shoulders.

“i’m serious,” his intonation lilts off at the end, making it sound like he’s whining, “i swear you spent more time sleeping than actually taking notes.”

“i took tons of notes!” of course, you’re lying.

although you used to do your best to pay attention in class, you couldn’t help but fall asleep or stare out of the window or pay attention to anything else other than the lesson—it wasn’t your fault that the class was so boring.

what came as a surprise were the notes you discovered in your locker between classes which went over everything from the lesson before, delivered without fail. you didn’t know who left the neatly-organised notes, because you didn’t recognise the handwriting, whenever you compared it to your friends’.

the smile he flashes catches you off-guard.

it’s not like the ones that don’t reach his eyes—the ones you have forever been accustomed to—or the ones he gave you when there were thousands of cameras and eyes trained to capture every move that the pair of you made. those smiles were fake, dripping of unbearingly sweet honey which the oblivious public lapped up and simply couldn’t get enough of.

yet it isn’t the blatantly aggravating smirks he’d flash your way after delivering a biting remark about how well you sang his praises for an interview.

no, this smile is unlike the two masks he usually wears and discards. it seems… genuine? you can’t explain the feeling in your stomach at the sight.

“you mean, my notes?”

of course, they were his. your face burns as the realisation washes over you—or, more accurately, crashes into you like a tsunami wave. you mentally curse yourself for your stupidity as well as the irony of it all.

you had never tried to look at his writing, unless it was to quickly scrutinise the little notes he’d made on his music sheets which he begrudgingly shared with you during duet practices all those years ago. you had never really given it much thought. now you feel stupid for never doing so.

upon seeing your reaction, he takes your silence in stride—and laughs. the butterflies take flight in your stomach when you realise he’s not mocking you; you even smile weakly.

you’re not surprised at renjun’s reaction, before he muses aloud, “woah. ‘didn’t know you could do that.”

your smile falters. instinctively, your mouth works faster than your brain and you quickly retort, “well you don’t really give me many reasons to, do you?”

now it’s your turn to be surprised, as he simply tilts his head back, laughing up at the night sky. the sound is melodical and makes the fluttering in your stomach harder to ignore. you laugh weakly, the new situation catching you off-guard. are you seriously hiding on a rooftop and joking around with huang renjun? and were you… enjoying it?

“i bet i’m gonna wake up soon,” he says, as if reading your mind, after the laughter dies down. it’s a lot less awkward than it had been only moments before. “we’ll be at eachother’s throats again by tomorrow,” he quirks a brow at you for confirmation, “right?”

you hum, scratching your cheek with the knuckle of a finger, “maybe.”

“i mean,” he glances at you before staring down at his laced figers, “…why are we like this?”

you don’t have to ask him to be more specific, “i… i dunno,” you laugh dryly, fiddling with the laser-pen in your pocket, “you’ve hated me since day one.”

“what?” you would have thought he was goading you, if you hadn’t seen the shock that immediately crosses his features. he shoots you a puzzled look.

“you did,” you insist, trying hard to convince yourself that you were being logical, especially after his unexpected reaction, “remember? elementary school. miss kim’s class.” he tilts his head, like a confused puppy, brows furrowed as you continue to jog his memory, “you sat next to jeno and kept looking at me like—like i was something gross that you stepped in!”

“what?” renjun repeats, laughing breathily as he shakes his head, “no, that’s not true.” he looks at you, running his hand through his hair again. he searches your expression, “oh come on, y/n” hearing him say your name so casually makes your heart skip a beat. what is happening to you? “you were a new girl and…” his gaze falls to his hands again, as he mutters, “and… you were... cute…” he seems to be surprised by his own words, as he scratches the nape of his neck, his eyes suddenly avoiding your direction.

he did not just say that. he couldn’t have; out of all the things you were expecting, that was not one of them, “you’re joking.”

he gives you a pointed glance; as if the answer has been obvious, “if you asked jeno, he’d humiliate me,” quickly, he adds, “if he still remembers… which i doubt. i made him swear not to say anything.”

a supressed memory resurfaces, of jeno back in elementary: he had told you once that renjun had a crush on you. because of how unbelievable it seemed, you had iced him out for a solid week—similar to how you ignored renjun—for telling you such an unfunny joke, until he admitted that he had lied and apologised. maybe he hadn’t been lying afterall.

“oh,” you say quietly, before it fully sinks in and you put your face in your hands, “oh.”

renjun had never hated you. he had never insulted you first; if anything, he only ever lashed back in self-defence. it had been your fault for misunderstanding on that first day. while you were sat there feeling self-conscious, renjun had been talking to jeno throughout that lesson because he had thought you were cute.

renjun can’t help but smile at the way your voice came out muffled. “so you get it now?”

you reach out, weakly slapping his arm in embarrassment; he makes an equally weak attempt to dodge it, laughing again.

“god…” you rub your face, feeling like it was burning up again; this had to be the third time you’ve embarrassed yourself tonight. the crushing realisation of how different things could have been, if you hadn’t been so stupid, had you hiding your face in your hands again and shaking your head, “i’m…” your laugh is muffled, “i’m so sorry for…” you waved a hand between the two of you, “all of this.”

for the second time tonight, you’re pleasantly suprised when renjun only smiles up at the stars and shakes his head, looking lax, “well, better late than never,” he shoots you a playful grin, “ten years late than never.”

you slap his arm again, laughing, “stop that.”

in the end, or the beginning—whichever way you want to look at it—the thing that resolved your ten-year cat-and-dog relationship built over a misunderstanding was a fateful encounter on a rooftop and, under a light-polluted sky, you realised that you love everything about huang renjun.

you love how he talks so passionately about his different theories, especially the one about other universes existing at the same time as ours (“like. y/n. imagine that, in some other universe, we’re not even sitting on this rooftop. or that this rooftop never even existed. crazy, huh?”) as well as the possibility of alien life (“we haven’t even fully explored the ocean. who’s to say that aliens aren’t out there? or… already living amongst us?”)

you love how interested he had been, when you told him about the stories behind the drawings he had remembered from your sketchbook; he even described some of his own childhood drawings which were just as (and maybe even more) eccentric.

he has the sharp wit and humour to make you laugh until your sides hurt, especially on that memorable night which had been the first of many: you had had to hold his arm to stop yourself from accidentally falling off, as you writhed around; it proved to be almost useless, because renjun had been hysterical as well. both of your laughter rang in the night—and neither of you even had enough awareness to feel the cold.

but, most of all, you love the feeling you get in your stomach whenever he looks at you; those butterflies that take flight whenever he says your name. everything you had thought you knew about him was wrong—and your heart melts whenever you remember how he had been waiting for you to realise. maybe it had to take ten years, for the two of you to get to where you are now.

jeno gives you a wide-eyed look when he catches you cuddled up to renjun at the dorm, one night. passing the two of you on the sofa, he asks, “is this a hidden camera prank?” his eyes dart around, searching the corners of the room and even jokingly lifting up the bowl of cereal that he was carrying to inspect the bottom of it.

renjun grabs the cushion you had been hugging and you make a small sound of protest, before simply reaching to the side to grab another one. you laugh as you catch sight of jeno dodging the one thrown at him by the older boy and his free hand which moved to protect his cereal from spilling, “hey! you don’t have to hurt the lucky charms!”

as he saunters off to his room, he calls out, “i did try to tell you that he liked you, y/n!”

you reach out to the laser-pen on the coffee-table in front of the sofa and flash the light into jeno’s eyes, when he looks over his shoulder at the two of you. you laugh along with renjun as he yells in surprise and quickly shuts his door with a snap before any more harm can be done to him or his lucky charms.

huang renjun and y/n l/n: the nation’s beloved it-couple or, in your eyes, two people with a lot of time to make up for.

you believe that the two of you will get there, eventually—and hopefully it takes less than another ten years.

[localminstrel]

Stray Kids reaction : when crush!reader asks to paint/draw a picture of them

Warnings : little smut (Minho and Felix reactions), cursing (Seungmin reaction)

Tag : gender neutral!reader

Words : 6 597

Note : hey, it’s my first reaction so be nice please ~ Also english is not my native language so sorry if they are so mistakes ^^’. I maybe make it a little longer so, hope you like it !

Gifs credit to owners !

Chan

You and Chan are friends since highschool. He has a crush on you since then but never told you. One day, you were at the Stray Kids dorm, in Chan’s room. He was on his computer, composing while you were sitting on his bed, drawing. But none of them turns good. Angrily, you crimple the papier on which you were drawing and throw it all over the place. Chan looks at the papier and turns to look at you, surprised.

« _Y/N, what happened ?

_ I cannot draw ! It piss me off ! The whole idea is in my head but once i take my pen, my lack of talent blows up at me ! »

He giggles, looking at you angry face.

« _Stop laughing, i’m angry.

_ Sorry but i found you really talented. I can’t do half of what you doing. But if you struggle with one idea, change it maybe ? »

You humph, crossing your arms over your chest. But you turn to look at him, well, more like starring. He begins to be embarrassed and you speak before he could.

« _Well, good idea. Come over here. I want to draw you.

_ What ? No Y/N i don’t have time, i need to work !

_ Come on, you need a break ! Come here, you don’t have the choice. »

He sighs as he moves his chair closer to you. You sit properly on his bed, in front of him, your skechbook on your knees. He looks down on you, embarrassed because this is the first time you asks to draw him.

« _You can draw well while i’m like that ? High up ?

_ Yeah yeah, don’t worry ».

Then, the two of you don’t talk. You are concentred in your drawing, looking at this face from time to time and he’s obviously getting more and more embarassed as you stared at some part of his face, like his eyes, nose, lips. But you’re to focus on your work to noticed. Well, this is a good opportunity to him to look at you too. Even if he’s doing that for a couple of years, he never gets the time to look at you in details like that, shameless. He looks at your lips a lot, dreaming about them since a long time ago.

« _ Plump… » You mumble, head down on your skechbook.

_ What ?

_ Oh nothing, i just think you really have plump lips ».

You don’t watch him but his ears turns red instantly and he giggles a bit.

« _You can watch it closer if you want ». He don’t know what just happened to him, where this boldness is coming from, when he sees you lift you head up.

« _Okay » You say as you stood up, your face a few inches from his face.

He gaps at the sudden proximity, his eyes in yours, way to much closer for his heart. You stop drawing as your eyes quit his for his lips. He just freezes, just looking at your moves with straight panic. When he saw you closed your eyes and link your lips, his breathing stops again. When you move back, he can’t help but smiles at you and pulled you into a tight hug.

« _Oh god you can’t imagine how long i’ve waited for it ».

Minho

You and Minho knows each other since college because you end up roommates. You are so glue to each other people in your entourage calls him your ‘one brain cell twin’. And his friends calls you the ‘dumb couple’, even if your relationship is platonic. Well, but Minho has a crush on you and all of his friends knows it (poor boy is not very subtle). He wants to tell you because he’s craving to hug and kiss you but he also don’t want to ruin your friendship and your colocation.

You have this habit of going tag some random lost places together and this night is the night. This is also the night he decided to confess. Because he thinks it would be a great chance : your exams are finished, in some time you and him will go back to your family for summer so if he got rejected, he don’t have to see you all the time. He try to hide his nervousness while you dressed up, all black (huge sweater, jean, sneakers, cap and mask) but you noticed it.

« _ Hey Minho, what’s up ? You’re doing a fourth turn to your laces.

_ Ah ? Hum ? Oh nothing, nothing, i’m just afraid we get caught.

_ We’re doing this for 2 months and we never heard a police siren, i think we’re good ». You laugh as you got out of your appartement, in the landing.

_ Yeah, you’re right, i’m dumb ». He says as he locks the door behind him.

The night was good. Full moon, sky covered in stars ; the full package. You two walks in silence in the street, going to your favourite spot. You struggle to find a empty place to paint because you truly going there to often but you managed to find a great wall, large enough for you and Minho.

« _Hey partner, i have a idea.

_ I don’t like when you have idea Y/N. Especially when i’m involved.

_ Shut up. I want to paint you on that wall and you don’t have the choice.

_ Paint me ? No way. Are you dumb or something ? The police will found me if you do that.

_ Haaan you’re a baby. Of course i’m not going to paint your face. No, it’s just my way of showing my love to you and celebrate the end of the semester.

_ Oh you love me ~ ?

_ Of course dummy. How can i bear you everyday if i doesn’t ? Well, stop being cheesy and take the pose ».

You’re putting your mask and your glasses on and, thank to it, you don’t see Minho’s face turning really red. You gave him an opening and he gonna take it. So Minho approachs you while you’re facing the wall, shaking your bomb paint. You’re already start a draft.

« _How much do you love me ?

_ What ? I don’t know. What are you doing here ? Go further, i can’t see you properly if you are too close.

_ And what if i want to see you closely ?

_ You don’t see me enough everyday ? » You laugh as you punch him a litte. But he stays still.

_ Please Y/N. I agreed you to paint me to celebrate the end of the year but i want to celebrate it in my way to.

_ Fine. What do you want me to do ? Because if i don’t agree, you won’t shut up and let me do what i want, right ?

_ I want you to show me of much you love me.

_ I’m gonna paint you on a wall for memories on your friendship. It’s not clear enough ? »

He don’t answer but get closer to you, his chest barefly touch yours. He begins to slide your mask to your chin.

« _Minho, what are you doing ? You frown.

_ I guess it’s clear, yes you’re right. » He whispers as he leans closer to your face. « I should show you of much i love you too i guess ».

He stops a few inches from your lips. When he saw you close your eyes, he smiles and crashes his lips on yours. When he feels you starting to return the kiss, he can’t be more happy.

« Well, the kiss with the glasses on is not really a good idea » You say as you pull of.

_ I agree. Let take this off ».

Quickly, Minho remove his glasses and yours and throw them on the ground before kissing you again, more strongly. To deepen the kiss, you pass your arms on his neck as he pulls you againt the wall covered in paint.

« _Minho », You say with heavy breaths but he can’t stop kissing you « the wall… paint… my hoodie’s gonna be dirty.

_ Well, let take this off too. »

And you two begins to make out half naked and covered in pain. The sense of alcohol begins to tickle your nose. You two are about to fucking each other here when you heard a police siren, a few blocks away.

« _Fuck, we should go ! » You say as you push him, collecting your belongings and put back your clothes on weirdly.

As you runaway with loud laughing, Minho asks you.

« _ Promise me we continue this at home.

_ We gonna continue this all the time if you want ».

You can’t but laugh when he screams loudly in the night, from happiness. In your tag area, the wall of mischield don’t have a paint of Minho. Insteed, a shape of your ass and your back can be easily guessed.

Changbin

You were part of the make up team for Stray Kids since 1 year and a half. Mostly, you doing the make up of Chan, Minho and Changbin. You are not really close to them, keeping a relationship purely professionnal but you had some conversation during their make up. Changbin was the most talkative and mostly, he just talking while you nodding with a smile. The thing you don’t know, is that he had a crush on you for a few months now and the reason why he’s so talkative is because he’s nervous. So basically, you grew close to him because sometimes, you can’t just not answered him. And the boy remembers some things you tell him.

You are quite famous on Instagram, not a huge star but you got a little reputation. So one day, you got a phone call and an email from the Seoul Fashion Week : they need some make up artists and they like your style. You were super nervous but you accept. They gave you the theme of the year and the names and pictures of all the models you gonna make up. You notice all of them had some really sharp faces and you need to do a different make up for all. You start to panic, you are not accustomed with sharp figures, the only one is Changbin. So you start to do some make up plans based on Changbin’s face but none of them are accurate. You sigh as you put your face on your desk.

You know Stray Kids has a day-off the next day and you hesistate to ask Changbin for help. However, you call him anyway and after he check with his manager, he’s agree. So you’re now on your way to Stray Kids’s dorm.

« _Really, thank you for helping me, i’m so sorry to bother you ». You say as you sat in front of him, next to his room’s desk, where all your belongings takes place.

_ Don’t worry, it’s my pleasure to help you. Working for the Fashion Week is really a big deal.

_ Haha thank you. You’re a true angel. » You chuckle as you begin to draw his face quicky on your sketchbook, already thinking about the make up you could do.

_ Oh no, haha, you are ». He laughs, nervous as fuck.

You begin to do hundred of make up plans of his face, sometimes apply some products on him. As usual, he’s really talkative and make a lot of non funny jokes who laugh to anyway.

« _Whoah, you are really dynamic today. What do you eat, batteries ? » You laugh as you try some contouring on his chin.

_ Oh no, i’m always like this.

_ Changbin, i know you, you are extremely loud today.

_ No you’re wrong.

_ Changbin…

_ Ok ok right ! It’s because i’m nervous ! You’re making me nervous !

You look at him, confused.

« _What, me ? Why i make you nervous ?

_ Because… because… » His voice goes lower and you barely heard what he says next « because i have a crush on you... ».

At this time, your head exploded with red as you pull down your brush on the desk.

« _Oh my god, this is so awkward now ! I’m sorry, really sorry, forget what i say, i talking non-sense, I- ! »

You’re shutting him with a kiss because you can’t stand his monologue anymore. When you pulled back, he was so shocked his mouth’s still open. You laugh a little.

« _Now that you are quiet, i can talk now. No, it’s not gonna be awkward. I’m really happy you have a crush on me because you don’t make me indifferent either. So now, i’m gonna kiss you everytime you need to shup up ».

He laugh as your threat as you pull him into a big hug, getting some foundation on your face and collar.

Hyunjin

You and Hyunjin are both students in an art school, while he’s in the Dance Departement and you in the Visual Arts. You have friends in common so you hang on a little bit but you’re not really close. He has a crush on you since he saw your paitings. Well, to be true, he saw your art before you and fell in love with it. So when he finally meets you, he was crazy about it but acts cool. So, from there, he wants you to paint him. But he’s way to shy to ask you directly and you are too blind to notice his little tentatives.

It’s exam time and you can’t find a model for your final art. It pissed you off, none of your friends can’t because they’re busy too. As you look at the window, sighing, you see Hyunjin dancing in the atrium, hearphones on. It hits you. How could you not think of him ? You were amazed by his beauty the first time you see him but you never trusted your skills enough to paint him. Well, mayve it’s the time to try, you think as you’re make your way to Hyunjin.

On an other half, Hyunjin managed to stay cool when you ask him to pose for you while he’s screaming in his head. Well, he may or may not agreed to you too enthusiasly. But you didn’t noticed, too happy too finaly found someone (yes, you’re quite dumb).

So you and Hyunjin found a empty classroom and while he’s sitting on a table, you sit next to him. You’re major on portraits so you have to be close to him to see all the details on his face. At this stade, Hyunjin don’t know if he could die of happiness or embarassment. You begin to measure every part on this face with your tape measure to have all his proportions. Hyunjin shivers everytime your finger brushs his skin.

« _Do you mind if i take pictures of you ? I’ll draw only the first draft today because this is gonna be a lot of work and i don’t want to bother you on other days and ask you to be still for hours.

_ Oh i don’t mind, you can call me anytime ! » He says to you, excited like a puppy.

_ No really, it can be really exhausting for the model to be motionless and i can’t ask you that while you must work your exams, i guess.

_ Well, you can take pictures of me, but really you’ll never bother me. And don’t worry for my exams, they are next month.

_ Haha you’re so nice to me. What did i do to deserve you ? » You giggle a lit bit. « But really, you’re not realise the amount of time we need to spend together. I can’t impose that to you. » You begin to take your camera out of your bag but he takes your wrist slowly to stop you. You look at him, confused, as he takes both your hands in his.

_ Y/N. You will never bother me or impose your presence to me because i have a crush on you. I fell in love with your painting and i fell in love with you after. I’m litteraly dying for you to ask me to draw me and now that you finally did, no way i’m gonna quit. I’ll help you for your final as long as you need me and if you accept me in your life after, i’m gonna be here forever ».

You stare at him, both of your hands still in his. You just nod, smiling a little. Then he smiles harder and gives you a big hug. When he pulls back, he kiss your forehead.

« _I’m so happy i could die.

_ Before that, let me finish my exam please. »

Jisung

Jisung was so disappointed to learn that you don’t gonna debut with him. Because he wants so much to be in the same team as you. For him, you got the whole package : danse, sing, rap, face, everything.

One day, he find you alone in a practice room, satting on the flood, back against the wall struggling to do something on a paper he couldn’t see.

« _Hey Y/N, what are you doing ? » He says as he sats next to you.

_ Oh hey Jisung. PD-nim says we need to find a talent to show on broadcast so i try to learn to draw but i’m really bad at it.

_ Really ? It’s finally something you can’t do ? » He giggles as you hit him. « Show me what you did.

_No way, you gonna laugh at me.

_ Come on Y/N, this can’t be that bad !

_ Oh yeah ? Ok, shut up for a minute and let me draw you ! »

He smiles as you begin to scratch the sketchbook with your pen. After a few minutes, you show it to him and he can’t but burn into laughter.

« _Whoa, you’re not lying. Either you are very bad at it, either i’m really ugly and my mirror is lying to me all this time. »

You sigh and you give him a fake smile. You’re lacking and you are upset about it. When Jisung noticed you’re about to cry, he start to worry.

« _Y/N ? What ? What’s wrong ? I was being too far ? I’m so sorry, i don’t want to make you sad.

_ No… no it’s not you, Jisung. It’s me. I’m a failure, i’m just a big failure, i’m lacking about everything and i’m just lucky to be here. » You say as you throw up your skechbook all of the practice room and burry your heard in your knees.

_ Oh no, it’s not true. You are amazing. »

When he sees no reaction from you, he forces your head to light up and look at him, his palms on your cheeks. Your eyes are wet.

« _Listen, you are the most talented person i know. You are in the top trainee and this was nothing to do with luck, you work so hard for this. You can’t draw, so what ? Your dream is to become an idol, not a painter. And if you truly want to draw, you can learn it. It’s easy to learn you know ? You just need a pen and a paper ! You have years to learn how to draw ! And really, don’t you dare insult my crush in front of me ». He finish while laughing and release your head from his palms.

You blink.

« _ You what ?

_ My crush. I have a crush on you since forever and i’m a man of taste so i’ll never gonna like someone who is lacking. So, obsvioulsy, you’re not lacking. »

You begin to laugh as he pulls you into a tight hug, laughing too.

« _You’re a dummy but you’re lucky i love you too ». You say, as you wipping your tears.

Felix

« _Felix ? »

No response from the guy. He was so focused on his Fornite game he don’t heard you.

« _Felix ? Hey oh ? Yongbok !

_ Yah, i see you, where are you going? I’m gonna kill you ! » Is the only reponse you got from him because he was just screaming in his earphones.

Sighing, you move on the couch next to him to pass your hand in front of his eyes. The Stray Kids’s dorm was empty expect you two.

« _Wait what ? Y/N ? What are you doing ? I’m playing !

_ But i’m bored ! Let me draw you ! »

He turns his heard quickly to you before returns his attention on the TV, making a weird look.

« _What ? Draw me if you want but i’ll keep playing ».

You and Felix are friends for a couple of years and he recently develop a crush on you. However, he’s way too good at hiding it and just act with you like nothing change. Except when you give him PDA. It’s his weakness. So when you begin to sprawl onto him to beg him, he flinchs a little. But he tries to resist, even if the feelings of yours arms and body next to him are way too much for his imagination.

« _Feliiiiix !! Come on ! I want to make a good portrait of you !

_ My game is almost over Y/N, wait ! »

_ Ooooh no. I know you and your game are never over. »

When he don’t answer, you decide to take drastic action : you climb onto his laps, back facing the TV. TV that he couldn’t see anymore.

« _ Wait, Y/N, are you doing ?!

_ Now, you are obligated to focus on me.

_ But i’m almost first ! »

At the same time, the tv plays the « you’re dead ! » song.

« _Oh, look like you’ve lost now. Too bad. » You say ironically as you turn your head toward the TV. When you concentrate again on him, you begin to be worried. His face was red and he looks like he don’t breathing anymore.

_Hey, Felix ! Are you okay ?! What’s wrong ?! » You leaned unconsciously closer to his face, moving your hips at the same time. Weirdly, Felix begins to breath again – heavily breathing – as he try to moved and gets a better position.

_ No-nothing, i’m o-ok. Can you move please ?

_ Oh why, you’re quite comfy.

_ You got what you want, my game is over and i accept to be posing for your drawing, can.you.move.please. » Each time your hips move is a supplice for him and his now awaken-erection.

_ Pff you’re not fun- Oh. »

Now, you realised why he wants you to get up. But, you’re quite on a teasing mode.

« _You only got what you deserve to ignoring me. But it’s kinda flattering, thank you i guess ? »

Felix laughs as what you say.

« _Listen Y/N, if you get up, i tell you a secret ok ?

_ Oh, looks like you finally know how to talk to me. Alright ».

You return to your initial position : sitting cross-legged next to him.

« _So, spill the tea.

_ Well, Y/N, we know each other for a long time now, right ?

_ Yeah… it’s not really a secret you know, i don’t have amnesia.

_ Oh you’re really annoying. I like you dumbass ! I have a crush on you ! I only realise this not that long ago and you are not really go easy on me ! »

He got scared when he sees a smirk on your lips. In one movement, you’re back on his laps, kissing him with some eager.

« _You still owe me a drawing.

_ Whatever drawing you want » he whispers onto your lips before linking them again, hands on your hips.

Seungmin

« _Oh my god, he’s such a dick ! »

You yell in the studio while shutting your phone, resist to the urge of throwing it. Your friend and  photographer, Seungmin, jumps as he heard you.

« _Whoah Y/N, what’s wrong ?

_ This motherfucking dude just cancels our meeting tomorrow morning because, apparently he has other plans and ‘you’re not famous enough’. Who does he thinks he is talking to ?! Hum ?! I have ten art galeries all over the world and i’m under 30 ! One of my paiting is exposted in the Louvre museum and i’m not dead yet ! But nooo, for him, he’s too pretty for me and i’m not worthy. He can go fuck himself, this fucking narcissus ! And now, i have to find someone quickly because i have to make a draft to present to the director of the exposition in two days ! And it’s fucking 9PM and i can’t call anybody ! Oh my god ! »

You are just a mess of yelling and screaming right now, walking angrily in circle in your working studio. Seungmin can’t talk to you because your mouth can’t shut up.

« Wait. » You stop and turn at him with a scary face. « I can draw you ! »

He startles when you run towards him, shaking his shoulders.

« _Please Seungmin, i’m begging you ! Let me draw you ! Pleeeeeease ! »

Seungmin has no other choice but accepts. But, even if you were not begging at him like that, he would help you, of course. While you set up your work, he sits on the chair in front of your workbench and remembers how you begin to work together. He had a crush on you since then, 3 years ago. You were searching for a photographer to help you take some references. You suck at taking photos and you are upset when you can’t take a good picture of a landscape or anything to redraw it later, for practice. So you find him on Instagram and you two match. Starting from this time, he was always with you, at your work but even at home because you are roommates. During your meetings with models, he takes photos of them on every angles so you can polish your painting later. What you didn’t know, is that he takes of lot of pictures of you too. He finds you stunning when you are focused. He thinks he can make at least 3 exhibitions with them.

« _But i can’t take photos, you’re okay for the final ? Because this is just a draft, yeah ?

_ Yeah this is just a draft so don’t worry, i’ll be quick. Oh i don’t need photos ». You say while you sit on your stool and begin doodle him.

« _ What do you mean you don’t need photos ? He asks, confused.

_ Ssh Seungmin, let me focus ».

He closes his mouse but after a hour and half of staying still, he gives up.

« _Y/N, i’m tired right now and it’s going late, you’re taking your time for a draft. And i’m hungry.

_ Ssh, i’m inspired. I’m almost done.

_ I already saw you inspired and i know you’re taking your time. Come on, i’ll give you pictures so you can finished it later. The director just need a draft.

_ I told you i don’t need pictures ! And i’m almost done ! »

He noticed you’re hiding your head behind your sheet. Sighing, he gets up and walk to you. When you raise your heard, you noticed he’s a few inches away from your face.

« _Seungmin, what are you doing ? Return to your chair » You’re frown.

_ No, i’m fed up and i’m wondering why you don’t need my photos anymore.

_ Fuck, ok ! I don’t need your pictures because i look at you some much during the past 3 years that i know your face and all your features by heart ! Happy now ?! So let me finish my work. » You lower your head with shame while he start laughing.

_ Why are you laughing ?

_ Is it a confession ?

_ No.

_ Ok, so i’m doing mine, dickhead. I like you, Y/N, even if you’re annoying, stuborn and perfectionnist. If you know my face and body by heart, i know yours too. So i’m returning to my chair only if you agreed to let me take you on a date someday ».

Seungmin almost freaks out when you don’t answer. But after a few minutes, you look at him in the eyes, face red as possible and grumble a little ‘ok’ before waving at him to go sit. He laughs as he kiss your head before obeys you.

Jeongin

At first, you scared Jeongin a little bit. He’s shy with strangers and you gave him such a fierce impression that he got scared. You were his bestfriend’s relative and each time he got to your house to play with your brother, he can’t but bow to you awkwardly, praying that you don’t talking to him much that needed.

But as time goes by, you end up talking a lot, playing games with your brother and he finished to see that you are really nice and caring. He hearded his bestfriend – your brother – talks about you a lot, like how he was proud of you for your art studies, etc. So Jeongin begins to have a little crush on you. But he scares that you just see him as a little brother or just your brother’s friend so he don’t have plan to tell you.

One day, he rings your doorbell and your mother opens, welcoming him with a hug. He founds you and your brother sitting on the couch, drawing equipment all over the place.

« _What are you two doing ? » He asks as he sits on the armchair behind your brother.

_ I’m doing my book ! I want to be a caricaturist so i ask nicely to my family to be my guinea pigs ! » You say to him with a excited smile.

_ More like forced » You brother grumbles and you hit him, telling him to shut up because you don’t finised your drawings.

_ I’m almost done Jeongin, meanwhile, you can watch my previous drawings ! »

He nods and tooks the amount of papers you extend to him. He was amazed as how good all the drawings look, you succeed to make good caricatures about your family members. The details are really well-made and he can recognize the people he knows.

« _Whoah, you’re so good at it, Y/N.

_ Really ? Thank you ~  Wait, i finish the little goblin here and i’m doing you after. »

Your brother hits your feet while Jeongin looks at you, panicked.

« _Oh no no Y/N, no need.

_ Yes please ! Your smile is perfect for my art ! »

He can’t but agree because he found you to cute to deny it any longer. So now, it’s his turn to sit awkwardly in front of you on the couch. Jeongin heards your mother calling you a demon from the table’s kitchen.

« _Pff, nobody acknowlege my art in this house » You grumble as you take another paper. « So, Jeongin ! Make your biggest smile for me !

_ Are you sure ? My smile is not really beautiful…

_ And so ? I don’t want to draw a beautiful smile, i want to draw yours !

_ But i have braces…

_ I don’t care either. You are perfect just the way you are and this is what i want to draw you ».

He looks at you while blinking his eyes but don’t know what to answer next. So he just smiles at you and you give him a wild smile to encouraging him. This session was quiet, expect for your brother who tell you to speed up so he can play Mario Kart with Jeongin. But Jeongin doesn’t want it to stop. He loves how you look at him, how your face changed everytime you think about something different while drawing. He loves everything about you and he makes a promise with himself : one day, he gonna confess to you.

[inkbloodpaperandbone]

So this is a follow up to this drabble that is also cross posted on my ao3 account here

On the anniversary of the tsunami Buck gets a new tattoo. This time Eddie and Christopher go with him.

It's been three months since Eddie all but jumped Buck in the station's changing room, unable to hold back his feels upon seeing his son's drawing on his now boyfriend's skin.

It's funny but in hindsight not all that suprising how well they've transitioned from best friends to lovers. It's not exactly smooth sailing, no relationships ever are but in a way very little has changed. Only more kissing and umm other stuff.

In the week leading up to the first anniversary no one at work has braved speaking of the upcoming event. It's a date that marks a extremely traumatic time for both men, and Bobby - both the station captain being cautious about any potential risk of having the two at work on such a emotionally charged day and Bobby the friend, wanting to allow them time for themselves to - had given the two men the day off.

Neither had protested.

The city of LA still bore the scars of that fateful day in the streets and sidewalks of the most affected areas. In the buildings still under construction and renovation to repair the damage left by the water and debris. As the date drew closer new memorials for the dead and the missing where remade. But LA and it's people were healing. No matter how slow.

 

They're healing too, this little family of three they've created Eddie thinks on the morning of the anniversary as he watches Christopher cheerily eat rice crispies giggling around each mouthful whilst Buck dramatically throws away the toast Eddie burnt and proceeds to make more. It's a scene he's seen almost everyday now for the past couple of months but it hasn't gotten old yet.

Christopher still had nightmares, although they were becoming fewer and further between. He was still going to therapy and had even begun swimming again. In the shallow end clinging to his dad or Buck but it's progress.

Since learning that Buck had gotten a tattoo of his drawing Christopher has steadily been filling the Diaz household with new tattoo designs. Crayons and markers have been worn down to unusable stubs and there probably isn't a shred of paper that hasn't been doodled on.

Eddie doesn't mind, and has found himself perusing the arts and crafts section of the local superstore, Buck in tow for new supplies.

The news Buck getting a tattoo in reminder of surviving the tsunami (and the subsequent upheaval of the lawsuit, Eddie's fight club drama and the actual work of just dealing with it all) came during the billionth rewatch of Finding Dory with Buck confiding to Eddie in a low voice as not to disturb Christopher who was lodged between them fast asleep on the sofa, that he was thinking of asking Christopher to draw it.

Of course Christopher took to the task with all the enthusiasm a nine year old could muster- which was a lot.

He and Christopher had spent several nights after dinner huddled around the coffee table surrounded by paper and crayons working on it.

The end result wasn't anything elaborate or big - in keeping with the rest of Buck's tattoos.

Buck had also suggested that they made a day of going to the tattoo parlor on the tsunami's anniversary, to replace a bad memory with a good one.

Christopher finishes with his cereal, he rinses out the bowl as Eddie's taught him before hurrying off to get ready for their outing. Both Buck and Eddie where already dressed, Buck looking over the final design fondly as they wait in the lounge.

The design was three small fishes swimming in a wave.

There's been around ten different versions before now, but Christopher has become somewhat of a perfectionist and had deemed each preceding "not right" and thrown away.

Christopher has been telling everyone, friends, family, school teachers, random strangers in the street, everybody, that he's going to be a tattoo artist when he grows up.

Secretly Eddie worries that Chris will be heartbroken if this latest career dream doesn't pan out, although Christopher is likely to change his mind soon enough. He is nine after all and it's less frightening than his kid wanting to be a firefighter or astronaut. The thought of his little boy millions of miles away in outer space - nope not happening, no way.

Christopher's dexterity is good for a child his age with CP, his handwriting is improving and his art - though Eddie is definitely basis - is great for someone his age. Who knows. Maybe.

Christopher emerges from his room a suspiciously full backpack slung over his shoulder. Buck takes it from him and peers inside. When he shows the contents to Eddie, he can't help but laugh. Christopher has crammed a box of crayons, a paper pad, several power rangers and a couple of handfuls of Lego in side.

Buck slips the folded design inside before scooping up Christopher to carry him to Eddie's truck.

Eddie follows locking up behind him.

The drive to the tattoo parlor is a short one - well short for LA, only a little traffic since the morning rush hour has long since died - they arrive twenty minutes before the booked appointment, Christopher audibly excited as the truck pulls up.

The parlor is situated between a fancy free weight gym and a organic vegan coffee shop, it's larger than Eddie expected, there's a huge mural of flowers and birds in mixed styles reaching out over the shop front.

Glass doors lead into a spacious waiting area with a floor to ceiling shelving unit decorated with action figures and retro toys acting as a divider between said area and the actual work space.

Christopher drags his dad over to the shelves for a closer look whilst Buck confirms his appointment with the cheery receptionist a young guy with a purple mohawk and tattoos on every exposed bit of skin besides his face, he introduces himself as Luka and directs them to the couch to wait on before hurrying off to fetch their artist.

Both Buck and Christopher are practically vibrating in excitement. It's cute Eddie thinks as he ruffles his son's curls.

Chris has got the design stored in his backpack along with his latest sketchbook and some crayons to keep himself entertained. The little boy rummages through his bag whilst they wait, occasionally shoving unwanted items into Buck's waiting hands until Chris triumphantly pulls out his drawing.

"Is this the famous Christopher?" A lilting voice calls out. The owner, a short women probably in her mid-forties, the visible skin of her arms and legs adored with flowers and Disney characters, comes into view around the dividing wall.

She hurried over hugging Buck before turning to Eddie, hand out in greeting, they shake hands quickly. "I'm Mara, you must be Eddie, and you must be Christopher."

She shakes Chris hand too making him giggle.

"Well let's get this show on the road."

Lead into the main shop, Eddie looks over the room, more tattoo inspired murals cover the walls, one of which has a large flat screen TV hanging from it. There are three workstations with cushioned benches, wheeled stools and a desks. One station is already occupied, the burring of an ink gun travels the room.

Mara's station is already partly prepped, the bench and it's adjoining rests wrapped in plastic, several ink bottles line up along the desk. As she sets up her equipment Mara explains each step to Eddie, Buck and Christopher, although Eddie notes that she's directing the conversation to his son. Chris is utterly enraptured by it asking questions and peering closer.

Buck sits down on the bench rolling up his t-shirt sleeve to his shoulder. Eddie takes a seat on one of the free chairs, beside it, laying a hand on his boyfriend's thigh. Christopher comes over and Eddie picks him up to set Chris on his knees.

Christopher's backpack and crutches are leant against the leg of the second chair out of the way.

Mara demonstrates to Christopher how his drawing is printed on to a transfer sheet, " Like the temporary tattoos you can get with sweets,"  she explains, " it'll let me trace the design with my gun so it'll match perfectly with your drawing."

Mara, sitting on her stool, scoots up the side of the bench to were Buck is waiting.

"Okay Christopher now I'm going to wipe Buck's arm.." Buck makes a face at Chris as Mara does so causing the little boy to laugh.

"...where the tattoo will go so that the skin is all nice and clean and then we press the transfer paper on like so.."

The transfer paper is pressed to the inside of Buck's right bicep, Mara rubbing the paper to get it to stick down smoothly.

"Hold that there sweetie." She tells Buck as she moves to ready the ink gun with the first needle before turning back to Buck and starts removing the transfer.

"Now we peel it back and the design should now be on Buck's arm." Mara explains shooting a grin at Eddie and Christopher.

It looks really good already" Christopher chimes as the design comes into view.

"Sure does buddy." Buck agrees flexing his bicep like an old fashioned boxer, Eddie rolled his eyes, good god he loves this dork.

There's a part of Eddie that is still scared by how much love he feels for the man in front of him. Scared by how deeply that love has rooted it's way into his heart.

Eddie has had only three great loves in his life, Shannon, Christopher and now Buck. And each love is very different. Shannon was his first love, a highschool sweetheart turned wife and mother of his child. Despite their estrangement, their fumbled reconciliation and her untimely death that love still lives, though it no longer romantic in nature. A nostalgic love, a remorseful love but still love all the same.

His love for Christopher is all consuming. It is fierce and unbreakable. The love of a parent, wildly protective and proud. A love that for a long time was the only real thing Eddie felt he could show the world. Not just another role to play. Another title add to the list, like dutiful son, loving husband, war hero veteran, firefighter etc, etc.

His love for Buck grew out of the kind of friendship Eddie hadn't had since childhood, an easy friendship (despite the rocky start) that filled in the cracks left by Shannon's abandonment, his parents disapproval, the stress of single parenthood.

It grew as Buck began nudging his way into the life Eddie and Christopher were building in LA.

It grew from Buck introducing him to the godsend that is Carla Price. It grew from the endless random trivia Buck spouted. It grew from their seamless partnership on calls, from joking around with their friends.

Most importantly it grew from Bucks devotion to Christopher, his ability to work out ways to make that little boy laugh, to work out ways to help Chris do the things other kids could do. To have Christmas with his dad despite work. From Buck's sheer desperation to find and protect Christopher during the tsunami to his utter relief he was found alive and unharmed. The fact he loves Christopher so much he didn't think twice about getting a tattoo of a silly little doodle just because.

Eddie thinks of this love as Buck holds his arm still whilst another of Chris' drawings is permanently etched into his skin.

All in all the whole tattooing process doesn't take long given the size and simplicity.

Christopher has charmed Mara and her fellow colleagues who come over to say hi and is reaping the benefits of being a cute nine year old as the adults scramble to accommodate his every whim from choosing what to watch on the TV to being set up at a spare desk to draw when he gets bored to getting a chocolate milkshake from the café next door when the parlor's intern goes on a coffee run.

Eddie hopes Chris will never use his cuteness for evil but doesn't protest the spoiling.

Buck turns out to be terrible at sitting for a tattoo. He fidgets and winces. Makes faces and keeps nearly distracting Mara with random questions and jokes.

But Mara is clearly used to this, barely batting an eye and steadily working on.

When the last of the ink is applied and the the excess is wipe away she gives them a chance to look over the work.

It looks good even as the skin starts to redden, Buck is grinning from ear to ear.

"Pretty great huh Chris"

"Yuh huh." Christopher nods excitedly as he scrambles in for a closer look, hand reaching out to poke at it.

"Does it hurt?"

"It does if you poke it buddy." Christopher jerks his hand back.

"Sorry."

Buck laughs and pulls Christopher into a one armed hug, he looks over the boy's head and gestures to Eddie who moves to join in as Mara comes back to finish wrapping up Bucks arm.

She gives him a well rehearsed run down of after care, joking that she knows Buck knows what to do but that she also knows with his luck it's best to be on the safe side.

By the time Christopher's things are cleared away back into his backpack, buck has already paid.

Christopher shuffles shyly up to Mara and hands her a bit of paper. It's a drawing of a tattoo gun, a bit wobbly but clearly it's meant to be a tattoo gun.

Eddie watches as the woman smiles, a little teary eyed and thanks his son proclaiming the drawing will have to be hung up somewhere in the shop.

Christopher preens.

The day's still young as the trio get back into the car, Buck suggests getting some ice cream which Christopher enthusiastically agrees. Eddie knows that ice cream on top of a chocolate milkshake will mean trouble come bed time. But how can he resist the double whammy of both Christopher and Buck's pleading eyes.

They'll be the death of him for sure.

But Eddie doesn't mind.

Today maybe the anniversary of one of the worst days of their lives, but so far it's been pretty great.

So they go and get ice cream. Christopher will make a monstrousitity of chocolate, whipped cream, sprinkles and gummy bears he won't be able to finish. But will get brain freeze from eating his too quickly and will pester Eddie for kisses to make it better. Eddie will pretend to be annoyed but secretly enjoy his boyfriend's silliness.

Today will officially become a cheat day when Buck orders from their favourite Chinese restaurant too tired to cook after running around the backyard with Chris for hours after they get home.

And when Christopher has finally crashed and has been tucked into bed Eddie will grab a couple of beers and they'll sit and watch nonsense on TV.

It'll have been a good day, better than expected but nothing majorly special. Just the three of them, together happy and healthy and whole.

And if Eddie is honest he can't imagine anything better.

Tagging @evaneddie I finally posted yay!

[scribbles97]

Being Home -- Part 4

It’s not just as straight forward as walking through the front door and saying hi.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

Alternatively Read on AO3

Under the cut for Spoilers for The Long Reach Part 2!!!

Once he was strong enough and a bit more adjusted to gravity, Jeff had taken to walking around the GDF base. Gordon of all the boys had understood the most the need to get out and feel the air on his skin and feel the sun on his face. Apparently long stints on underwater research bases gave the boy worse itchy feet than Jeff could have possibly imagined for someone who loved the water so much. 

He’d found a quiet corner of the base, shaded by a tree that Jeff didn’t particularly care to identify. All that mattered to him was that he could sit in relative peace and watch the goings on, knowing in the back of his mind that he could get up and leave whenever he wanted. Some days he would take the recordings of Virgil’s music and simply listen, other days he would have the sketchbook and pencils the boys had brought him. On occasion he would have one of the boys with him to talk and keep him company. 

It didn’t really matter as long as he had something to do. 

“Colonel Tracy!” 

His head snapped up from the photos he had been looking at, the title one he hadn’t heard in years. He wasn’t sure who he expected, nobody on the base bothered him other than the doctors and nurses, anyone else simply too in awe of the man walking among them.

“How is it that even back on earth you’re still a bloomin’ impossible man to track down?”

Chuckling, Jeff set the lighttype down and pulled himself to his feet using the tree as a support. 

“Like you’re one to talk Lee,” He laughed, reaching out as his old friend approached, “The boys have told me all about what you’ve been up to.”

Lee chuckled, voice rough and gravelly as it always had been. He slung his arm across Jeff’s shoulders, shaking his head as he grinned, 

“At least I picked an actual planet that was actually equipped to support life.”

“I’m surprised they didn’t invite you to go in the first place,” Jeff grinned, “Or were you still up on Alfie when they made the selection.”

“You guessed it.” Lee nodded again, pulling away so they could both sit up against the trunk of the tree.

“We thought you were dead Jeff.”

“The papers said I was.”

The paperwork wasn’t the only thing that had said as much.

Lee’s voice was uncharacteristically soft as he brought his knees to his chest, “I shoulda known if anyone could survive out there it would have been you. Damn stubborn bastard you are.”

He had to smile, there was just something about Lee that eased him. Perhaps it was all those years having just him for company on the moon or on the long flight to Mars. The man knew him well though, knew his bugbears and worries and fears. 

“It wasn’t easy,” He whispered, voice catching, “Damn Lee, I had nothing out there.” 

There wasn’t an immediate response, which surprised him from Lee of all people. Looking up to his friend he raised an eyebrow at his silence. 

“A lesser man woulda given up y’know.” Lee sighed, “... Jeff I’m ashamed to admit that I did.”

Turning to face him, Jeff frowned, “What do you mean?”

“I…” He shrugged, looking up to the sky as he shook his head, “... When I found out you were gone, we did everythin’ to try and find you buddy. You weren’ there to be found though.” He paused, looking back to Jeff with a sad smile, “Casey and I argued a long time over it all. The fundin’ for Alfie stopped and they wanted me to come home. ‘Cept then it would’ve been real, you would really be gone and I’d have to accept it.”

“You never did like change,” Jeff murmured, reaching across to squeeze than man’s knee.

“When I went to Mars, I had no option but to accept it,” Lee continued, resting his hand over Jeff’s, “You know they memorialised your damn footprint? And I went up there every day… sentimental sod I am.”

He couldn’t help but laugh again, nudging his friend with a chuckle, “We'll go up there again Lee, you and me. For old times sake.”

Lee shook his head, chuckling too at the thought, “Them boys ain’t ever gonna let you in space again Jeff! Never!”

The thought sobered Jeff, the reminder of how Alan had piloted Thunderbird Three so beautifully through the Oort cloud. He wondered what would have happened if he had never left, would Alan have still become the pilot he now was? 

“Alan’s piloting my ship.”

“Don’t I know it,” Lee nodded, “The kid came with Johnny to come and pick me up.”

Jeff wasn’t sure why it surprised him. How else would Lee have gotten back from Mars? Yet, it still seemed so surreal. Alan, in Jeff’s head, was still a kid. Alright he had inevitably grown since Jeff had been gone, but he had still just graduated highschool. What the hell was he doing flying a rocket?

“He’s a damn good pilot Jeff, kid’s better than you even,” Lee shifted, sitting forward more to drop his voice, “And he loves it Jeff, more than life itself.” 

That didn’t surprise him. Alan had been talking about the stars as long as he’d been able to understand them. Much like John his fascination had been captured in rockets and planets and space as a whole. He had never doubted that the boy would follow him up there one day. 

“Did it have to happen so soon?” He choked out, a lump catching in his throat. 

“Hey,” Lee grunted nudging him not so subtly, “He’s still a kid really… still asking for stories and all that.”

And he was right, Alan had wanted to know everything when they were home. He’d read the book on space survival and wanted to know just what Jeff had done to survive. 

“Lee, there’s some things I can’t ever tell them...”

The hand on his shoulder was heavy and squeezed hard, “Then tell me.”

***

Alan had been hovering since he had finished post flight checks. Jeff knew because the youngest had been sure to make sure that he knew. He had even gone through just what checks he had done and explained in great detail how the hydraulics for the grasping arms would need extra checks having held the rock for so long. 

“So you like the ship then?” Jeff smiled, glancing up as Virgil attached a line to the IV in the back of his hand. 

“It’s amazing,” Alan enthused, eyes wide and bright, “Dad, it’s more than I ever dreamed it could be.”

Virgil chuckled, shaking his head as he stepped back from Jeff and looking to his younger brother, 

“He worked hard for it Dad.”

There was a plea in both of their words, a silent but all meaningful ‘please don’t take it from him’. 

From the brief glimpses that he had seen, Jeff knew he couldn’t.

“I’m proud of you kid,” He nodded, reaching out to pull him in for a hug, “I’m just sorry I wasn’t here to show you.”

Alan clung onto him just as desperately as he had in that first moment, head tucked into Jeff’s shoulder and arms squeezing the life out of him. 

“It’s okay Dad,” He mumbled into his shirt, “You’re here now.”

“Whilst I hate to break up a reunion…” 

Jeff looked up, smiling at the woman that had entered the room, 

“Val Casey, took your time didn’t you?”

She smiled easily at him, “Sorry, was dealing with our old friend and his new trainees.”

Alan’s face fell at the mention, “You’ve locked them all up right?”

His Aunt’s hand landed on his shoulder, reassured with a firm nod to the young man, “The Hood and the Chaos Crew aren’t going to bother you anymore Alan.”

Jeff looked to Virgil, tilting his head slightly towards the door as he did. Virgil nodded, getting the request loud and clear. 

“Hey Al, why don’t we go and get Dad some food before Grandma does?”

The youngest look back and forth, still young enough to not immediately take a hint but old enough to know he was missing something. 

“I’m not going anywhere kid,” Jeff assured, reaching out to squeeze his hand, “Promise.”

“I’ll make sure of it.” Val added quietly.

The slightest nod, an older brother’s arm slung around his shoulders, and a pair of glances back at him as the boys left. 

“I’d get up and hug you Val,” He smiled, “But gravity…” Trailing off he shrugged. 

Val laughed as she sat on the bed, as close as she could to him and taking his hand. 

“God I’ve missed you Jeff.”

He leant into her, sighing softly. He had missed everyone, his boys, his mother, and his friends, including Val. There was something different about being with her though, no questions or how are yous. 

Just company. 

Silent company. 

“Whenever you need to talk,” Val murmured twisting slightly to look at him, “Or if you need anything… things the boys can’t…” She trailed off shaking her head, “I’m around Jeff. Just like I was after Lucy.”

Gripping her hand tight he swallowed against the lump in his throat. If a few tears fell she said nothing as she sat with him in comfort and support. 

[casper-writes-stuff]

Fallen

ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20046148/chapters/47471281

Summary: Patton has Roman and he has Dolion. That's about it though, in the friendship department. Not a big deal though, that's all he really needs! Who cares if he gets picked on for his overly cheerful disposition when Dolion isn't around to shoot glares at everyone? Not him! In fact, he so doesn't care what other people think that- Yeah no, he usually ends up crying alone in his room when he feels lonely because Roman is always at rehearsals for some play or another and Dolion prefers to stay in his home alone after school to recharge for the next day.

That is, until he manages to catch the attention of one Virgil Ward, resident bad boy punk at the school who's rumored to have killed someone in the last school he was in and everyone avoids except for Student Body President Logan Thomas and resident biker gang member Remy Sanders.

Special thanks to @thetickleeraven for letting me write a fic inspired by their own fic, Rumored!! 

Patton was a lot of things. He was friendly, he was what Roman described as “soft pastel”, he was a dad joke loving fiend according to Dolion. He was not, however, popular. This was evident by the avoidant students and sarcastic teasing from the more, actually popular, kids.

That was fine though, he had Dolion and Roman and that was really all he needed, right? Wrong apparently, since he usually got overwhelmed with loneliness after school when he was home alone after school, waiting for his parents to get home from work. His mom already starting her twelve hour shift at the hospital and his dad barely coming home because he was a workaholic at his everyday desk job.

It was quiet existence and not exactly something Patton wanted, being the extroverted teen he was, but that wasn’t really something he could control. So, every morning, he’d wake up, put on makeup to hide his red puffy eyes from crying to sleep the night before, put on a bright grin and give himself a pep talk.

“You, Patton Heart, have got this. You’re kind, you love your friends, your friends love you, you’ve got all you need. You’re smart! Getting straight A’s at school and having a four-point-o grade average is hard to achieve and you’ve got that! You’re incredible, you can do this!”

Usually, the pep talk worked and he could get on with his day, but sometimes, like today, the words felt fake. It’s okay though, he could fake it ‘til he made it. He was going to get through today too!

Patton pushed the little voice in his head telling him he couldn’t do this to the back of his mind, grabbed his backpack from his room and headed out the door to go next door before Roman left to pick up Dolion.

The walk was short but definitely needed to pick up Patton’s spirits as he felt his grin grow more genuine at the thought of getting to see one of his two best friends so early in the morning. Roman Prince was already locking up the house when Patton made his way through the gate, beaming at the drama nerd humming some Disney song to himself (was that Go the Distance from Hercules?).

“Hey Ro!” Patton said brightly, making Roman jump and fumble with his keys, the jingle abruptly stopping when they fell through his fingers to the concrete porch step.

Patton snickered and Roman playfully glared at him, bending down to pick up his keys.

“Must you do that every morning, Pattoff?”

“I dunno, do you gotta get startled every morning, Romoff?” 

Roman sighed dramatically, walking past Patton and out to his red Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid (Patton had no idea what that was, but Roman was very insistent on saying the entire car brand or whatever it was).

“Honestly, you’d think with how often you scare me each morning I’d get used to you popping up out of nowhere, but no I’m always in different stages of getting ready when you come over!”

Patton rolled his eyes, readjusting his backpack strap on his shoulder before responding.

“Not my fault you’re inconsistent with getting ready. If you had a set routine I’m sure you’d get more used to it! I always come over at the same time every day, and I never know if you’re going to be still brushing your hair, putting on your makeup, or packing your bag.”

Roman stopped with the driver’s side door open to stare at Patton, as if just realizing something.

“Wow, you really do show up at the exact same time every day. Doesn’t the routine get a little boring?”

Patton shrugged, opening the door on his side and tossing his backpack on the floor before climbing in.

“It’s comforting, I guess? I dunno, I kinda like it though.”

Roman hummed as he climbed into the car with Patton, sticking his key into the ignition but not turning it and turning towards Patton.

“Didn’t you say once that routine wasn’t the healthiest for the human mind?”

Patton shrunk into his shoulders, staring out of the windshield.

“...yeah. The brain needs stimulation, and a regular routine bores the mind and makes depression more likely.”

Roman raised an eyebrow, but otherwise stayed quiet. Patton didn’t say anything else until Roman’s ringtone for Dolion started going off, Fall Out Boy blaring throughout the car.

Roman cursed and dug into his back pocket for his phone until he could answer the call, putting it on speaker so Patton could hear too.

“Yes, love?”

Dolion’s unamused voice came through the tiny speaker.

“Don’t you “love” me, you’re three minutes late in picking me up, Roman. School starts in five.”

Roman cursed again, setting his phone down on the center console while Patton snickered as they both buckled up.

“Did you seriously not even start driving yet? Do you want to be late again?”

Patton felt his heart jump into his throat at the reminder. If Roman made him late again that meant detention for Mr. Lendor because he was late yesterday but managed to get out of the punishment because he’d literally never been late before.

“Please step on it, Roman,” Patton whispered, sinking low in his seat at the thought of getting detention.

Roman gave Patton a weird look, Dolion already having hung up.

“Why? You usually advocate for safe driving.”

“I have Mr. Lendor first period, Roman. I was already late yesterday.”

Roman has a really bad habit of swearing, and usually, Patton would subscribe to the swear jar, but right now he actually agreed with the loud “Fuck!” that Roman let out as he pulled out of the driveway and stepped on the gas.

Patton ran into the school ahead of Dolion and Roman, quietly repeating crap to himself as he ran to the back of the school towards the English hall. Of course his first class had to be at the very back of the school! The bell rang thirty seconds before Patton slid into the classroom, his rubber soles squeaking against the linoleum flooring.

A bunch of kids starting snickering and whispering as Mr. Lendor handed Patton his detention slip, making his heart fall despite the heaving of his chest.

“I gave you a chance, Mr. Heart. I’ll be seeing you in Mrs. Montejo’s classroom after school.”

Patton nodded quietly, taking the slip before making his way to his seat in the front of the classroom, jamming the paper in the smallest pocket of his backpack before he pulled out his English textbook in dejection, opening it to the page written on the board. Today was going to be a long one…

And it honestly was. He’d had to run to every single class to make sure he was on time, getting warning shouts from teachers and angry ones from student’s he’d accidentally run into. He wasn’t usually in this much of a rush, but teachers kept holding him back after class to talk to him about this scholarship or that extra credit assignment and it was driving him insane!

He finally slowed down near his psych class, knowing Dr. Picani would be much more forgiving if he walked in a few seconds late than the rest of his teachers. His constant reference to cartoon characters definitely helped Patton get really into psychology. 

Patton gave a genuine smile at Dolion when he met him in the hall, walking along with him to Psychology.

“You look like hell,” was Dolion’s first comment, making Patton snort at the abrupt honesty.

“I know. I’ve been running around all day. Teachers keep holding me back to talk about my grades.”

Dolion groaned. “You’d think with your perfect grades, rivalling only Logan Thomas, teachers would leave you alone.”

Patton heaved a sigh, nodding in agreement. “I know, but they want me to start thinking about colleges, even though it’s still only Junior year and I don’t entirely know if I want to be a therapist or work with pets!”

Dolion gave Patton a Look. “You’re allergic to cats.”

“Not severely!” Patton defended, entering the open door of the classroom with Dolion, taking a moment to smile at Dr. Picani before sitting in his seat just as the bell rang. 

Of course, a minute after the bell rang, Picani hadn’t started teaching and that was because a certain student usually took two minutes after the bell rang to enter the class.

Patton shifted uncomfortably in the silence, Dolion already doodling in his sketchbook and not paying attention to anything but what he was doing. Patton sighed, resting his elbow on his desk before plopping his chin his hand while he waited for Virgil Ward to enter the classroom.

Virgil had a reputation. He always sat in the back of every classroom, regardless of seating arrangements, he skipped classes he didn’t like or feel like going to (which was saying something that he literally always showed up to Dr. Picani’s psychology class), he almost never spoke up and tended to insult whoever forced him to when he could.

He had also transferred to the highschool a year ago, and the rumor was that he had killed someone in his last school.

Patton didn’t think it was that extreme, otherwise he’d be in jail, right? Still, Patton couldn’t help but believe that maybe he had beaten someone up and gotten expelled or something and that had caused his transfer.

And right on time, Virgil sauntered into the classroom, his bottom lip dipping as he played with the piercing on it with his teeth.

Of course, there was also the fact that Virgil was incredibly attractive, with his piercings and tattoo sleeves and his ripped skinny jeans, his studded bracelets and black shirt and leather jacket. It was honestly ridiculous how hot the teen was.

And, instead of sitting in the very back, he always sat behind Patton.

Patton had grown used to it by now, what with the year being two-thirds of the way over, but it still gave him nervous butterflies. Whether it was from the tiny crush he had on him or the dangerous reputation he had, Patton never could tell.

He was just… he had control. He had friends too! Despite being labeled the dangerous bad boy everyone should avoid, everybody secretly swooned over him, and those that hated him didn’t dare make it known to his face and that was honestly just… so cool! It made Patton envious, but at the same time he admired him so much. He was friends with the actual smartest kid in school, Logan Thomas, and with resident biker gang member Remy Sanders.

Logically, pastel soft boy Patton, who wore pink and was one of the most sensitive kids in school shouldn’t be crushing on bad boy Virgil, but everything about him captivated Patton and he really couldn’t help it.

“Patton?” Dr. Picani said, making Patton blink back to reality.

“Um… yes?” he asked, sheepishly, making Picani raise an eyebrow.

“Can you tell me what HFD is?” he asked patiently, smiling knowingly as Patton flushed, realizing he had spaced out.

“High Functioning Depression. It’s uh… not actually a clinical diagnosis though, falling under Dysthymia instead....”

Dr. Picani nodded. “Exactly! People with HFD are found to be smarter than they were before, some psychologists find that people with HFD tend to throw themselves into their work, most claiming to be perfectionists before diagnosis.”

Patton breathed a sigh of relief when the attention was off him again, though now he was actually paying attention to what Dr. Picani was saying and taking notes. He’d have to ask someone for notes he may have missed, if he can find anyone. Dolion doesn’t usually take notes, and usually everybody else avoids him…

Sighing, Patton listened intently, trying not to let his mind wander off. He’d barely eaten today, so concentrating was difficult, maybe he should eat something when he gets home? His mom should have food ready when he gets home, if she decided to cook tonight. Though maybe not, she did mention having to go to work early today and wanting to get plenty of rest in his family group chat during lunch…

Before he knew it, the class was over and he’d once again barely paid attention, though it didn’t look like there was homework for this class at least. Hopefully he’d get a chance to go over someone’s notes during detention.

“Patton, if you wouldn’t mind staying for a minute?” Dr. Picani spoke up, making Patton sigh.

“Yeah, Dr. Picani?” he asked, forcing on a tired smile for the sake of his favorite teacher.

“Are you okay? You barely paid attention today. You had a faraway look in your eyes almost the entire class.”

Patton nodded, smiling more genuinely this time.

“Yeah, I’m okay! I’m just tired today is all, I was up late working on homework last night.”

Dr. Picani hummed to himself, tapping his chin.

“Can you do me a favor? I want you to research depression tonight, different types, as much as you can handle after all of your homework. Then I want you to come see me Monday after school and talk to me about what you learned, okay?”

Patton, feeling slightly confused, nodded. “Sure, Doctor. Can I ask why?”

“We’ll talk about that on Monday, Patton.”

Nodding, still confused, Patton turned to leave the room after Dr. Picani gestured for him to leave.

And then he noticed the time and he took off running through the halls again to get to the Spanish building outside. God, why was this school so big?

He barely made it into the classroom with a minute to spare, his rushed entrance gaining the attention of everyone there, including Virgil and Remy, the latter sporting a black eye that couldn’t even be completely covered by his shades. The former had bruised knuckles, and there was a third kid closer to the front of the classroom with a swollen nose and split lip.

“Kind of you to finally join us, Mr. Heart. Why don’t you take a seat next to Mr. Ward in the back and we can get started. I certainly hope you don’t make being late a habit.”

Patton bit back his response that he wasn’t late this time, deciding he didn’t really want to gain a reputation of fighting teachers and did as he was asked.

The butterflies in his belly returned, this time stronger, now that he was sitting right next to Virgil instead of in front of him. God help him, detention was going to be hard until he was able to focus on something else.

“Alright, now that everyone’s here, detention has officially started. You’re not allowed to do anything except sit there and think. You all know the drill. I’ll be back here every fifteen minutes to check in on you.”

Patton held back a groan, slumping forward and hitting his head against the table. Being forced to think with nothing to do? Bad idea, Mr. Lendor. If he heard Patton’s regular thoughts when he was crying himself to sleep at night (not that he’d do that here, too many people), he doubted the teacher would make him do nothing.

“I know this is something you’re not used to, Mr. Heart, but you do need to face the consequences of your actions.”

Patton sat up to stare at Mr. Lendor in horror at being sought out, the snickering from the other students making Patton’s cheeks burn.

“Yes sir,” he muttered, sinking low in his seat as Mr. Lendor left the room.

The second the authority figure was gone, Remus, Patton’s regular tormentor switched desks from the front to the one right in front of him, sitting backwards in the chair with a wicked grin.

“Well helloooo~ Pattoff!”

Patton flinched, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Please don’t call me that, Remus.”

Remus pouted, pushing his cheek into his hand so one side of his face squished up.

“Awww, why not Pattoff? Aren’t we friends?”

Patton didn’t answer, staring at his desk and picking at a loose thread on his pastel yellow jean shorts.

Remus huffed at the lack of a response.

“So, what’d you do, baby? You’re never late to class, surely Mr. Lendor was sparing you? Did you get in a fight? Finally grow some balls and punch someone? I knew you were faking that ridiculous sensitivity of yours.”

“Leave him alone, Burke,” Virgil snapped, making Patton look over at the other in surprise, Remus doing the same.

“Aww, Virge sweetie, I’m sorry. Am I bothering your little toy? I didn’t know you laid claim on him,” Remus purred, only to jump in surprise when Patton stood up abruptly, smacking his hands against his desk.

Patton was glaring harshly at Remus, tears in his eyes.

“I am sick of your gross comments toward me Remus Burke. You have anger issues and an obsession with sex? Fine, but leave me the hell alone.”

And then he stormed out of the building, adjusting his route so that he could head home, whether or not Mr. Lendor was gonna give him another detention on Monday or not.

[girls-scenarios]

Girl Group Fic Rec

A/N: Because I feel bad that I’m not going to be posting much this week. Please enjoy these fics while I suffer through the last week of classes and four major papers. - Admin Kiwi

Twice

Bedside Manner - Nayeon/Jeongyeon - T - Jeongyeon ends up breaking the record for most visits to the hospital in a month. She claims she's doing it for the challenge, but her friends are pretty sure it has more to do with a certain nurse she keeps running into.

Actions Speak Louder - Nayeon/Jeongyeon - T - Fate normally sounds romantic, but Nayeon is beginning to think that it's a curse in the form of this damned mystery girl in her class. College!AU

in the mood for love - Chaeyoung/Tzuyu - Chaeyoung often laughed as if nobody were watching, and Tzuyu now understood when Teresa Teng sang of smiles being comparable to flowers blooming on a sweet, Spring day.

louder - Nayeon/Jeongyeon - jeongyeon marvelled at the way nayeon made her feel like everything was alright with the world.and even if it wasn’t, that’s fine too. because they could take on the world someday, so long as they were in this together. (based on jeongyeon's part-time job at the bakery that she had while she was a trainee.)

get off free. - Nayeon/Momo, Mina/Sana - M - placing the bloodied knife down onto the oak table, nayeon blinks once, taking a deep breath in. well, fuck. serial killer au.

The Great Fog of 1893 - Jihyo/Tzuyu - T/M(?) - Vampire!AU - The last dairy entries of Miss Park Jihyo, regarding the events leading up to her disappearance, in 1893.

points and theories - Chaeyoung/Tzuyu - G - chaeyoung loves math, and, although tzuyu doesn’t always understand, chaeyoung finds a way to make it simple

sugar, we’re going down - Tzuyu/Jihyo, Nayeon/Jeongyeon, Dahyun/Chaeyoung, Momo/Sana - M - "look!" nayeon's mouth is right at her ear. tzuyu doesn't even need to back away, because the volume's just right. "the purple-haired one, right at the front. apparently she's part veela."

Afterglow - Mina/Chaeyoung, Nayeon/Momo, Sana/Dahyun, Jihyo/Tzuyu - T -Twice/X-Men AU. After discovering she has the power of hypnosis, Mina is sent off by her parents to a hidden school for the gifted in Korea where she will be safe from anyone attempting to harness her powers as a weapon. There, Mina befriends eight other girls, each with extraordinary powers of their own, that will help her to come to terms with being a mutant, as well as help her learn to control her powers, which can be detrimental, even deadly, to those around her.

Another Pretty Face - Nayeon/Mina - G - Nayeon’s used to imagining herself in healthy relationships with beautiful strangers she sees on the streets. Mina’s an interesting character who keeps showing up in her life from time to time.

Nightswimming - Nayeon/Jeongyeon - T - Nayeon is first. She's the best. She's always the best. Until she's fourth. 2yeon swimming AU; in which Nayeon is the star of the college swim team and Jeongyeon is her roommate.

Compliment - Momo/Sana - G - Three times Momo complimented Sana thinking she didn’t know japanese and the one time Sana returned the compliment

Game - Nayeon/Jeongyeon, Sana/Dahyun, Momo/Mina - T - It's finally Jeongyeon's year. She's finally the starting pitcher and she's got this. At least she thinks she does. But the opposing team's head cheerleader, Im Nayeon has different plans.

A guide to handling the girl who makes you write Batman on her coffee cup. - Jihyo/Momo - G - In which Jihyo is a barista and Momo has way too much fun coming up with weird names.

Green Tea - Jeongyeon/Sana - G - Jeongyeon needs to focus on her essay for class buts it’s pretty hard when her crush is looking sad and ill in the next room. Jeongyeon can’t act on it they’re unwritten rules about falling in love with your housemates. Right?

LOONA

On That Day, I Wished It Would Blossom in the Sun - Kim Lip/JinSoul - T - In which Jungeun is the local florist and Jinsoul is the tattoo artist down the road whose smile renders Jungeun speechless, leaves her desperately searching for wherever the air in her lungs went. She thinks Jinsoul took it with her.

the coloring book - Yves/Chuu - G - sooyong was never good with children, and although she loves her niece yeojin, she wasn't particularly happy to pick her up from kindergarten. little did she know she'd meet someone really, really special there.

Drowning In You - Kim Lip/JinSoul - lifeguard jungeun saves popular girl Jinsoul from drowning. feelings may or may not have ensued.

Goal - Hyunjin/Choerry (rare pairing!) - G - Friend asked for Hyunrry AU, and this is what happened. Soccer! and Highschool!AU

Wake Up Call (It's Like Holding Hands) - Hyunjin/Heejin, background Haseul/Vivi, Yves/Chuu, Kim Lip/Jinsoul, Olivia Hye/Go Won - G - “Happy Halloween, hoes,” is the first thing Yeojin says at exactly twelve midnight, before dumping a box of spiders onto Chaewon’s head. Or, Hyunjin is in love with Heejin. Yeojin tries to "help". Just another day in the LOONA dorm.

if you were also looking for me - Yves/Chuu (and background ships) - T - The annual talent show auditions are being managed by none other than Jiwoo's mortal enemy, it's snowing in September, and Jiwoo may or may not have vague magical powers. But hey, it's junior year: anything may as well happen, right? Featuring: teenage angst, social media, bathroom graffiti, magic-induced fainting, unhealthy amounts of obliviousness, truly awful pickup lines (courtesy of one Heejin Jeon), and the worst recorded snowstorm in history.

But My Heart is Like Paper (You're Too Good To Be True) - Go Won/Olivia Hye - Hyejoo looks at the little paper crane, spies the telltale pencil markings on its wings from where she had written her algebra work down before folding it. Gingerly, she picks it up, smiles to herself as she pinches its neck and tail, pushing and pulling, watching the paper crane’s wings go up and down. A light bulb flickers on in her head .Or, Hyejoo just wants to brighten Chaewon's week, so she folds her origami every day and hopes it's enough to bring a smile. Highschool!AU

Truth//Dare - All popular ships - G - All Jung Jinsol wants to do is take the train home after school. But when it breaks down, leaving her and 11 other girls stuck in a compartment, what's a girl to do but play a few rounds of Truth or Dare?

stole my napkins and my heart - Haseul/Vivi - G - Haseul wonders what exactly it is about the napkins at the cafe she works at that makes them worth stealing, and wonders what exactly to call the little leap her heart does when she sees the napkin thief.

Gonna fly now - Go Won/Olivia Hye - G - Truthfully, the boxing club had been their very last hope. Hyejoo had tried everything from football to swimming along with a impressive number of martial arts but after each she’d shrugged her shoulders and said she didn’t felt like playing it again and her parents had sighed and said let’s try something else then. But then Hyejoo enters the boxing club and while her parents starts chatting with the coach her sight immediately settles on the tiny girl with the long black hair who’s hitting a punching bag in a corner of the room like she wants it dead. She can’t seem to be able to stop watching.

tempting - Haseul/Vivi - T - Vivi hated this part of her job. Angel/Devil Au

what stays below, what flies above - Haseul/Vivi - Story behind Queen Vivian's favorite painting.

you make loving fun - Haseul/Vivi - G - Kahei desperately needs a date take to her parents’ company event so they won’t set her up with another “appropriate suitor”. Of course, she does what everyone in their right mind would do—she talks her long-time crush into being her fake girlfriend for the weekend. What could possibly go wrong?

cheating - Haseul/JinSoul - T - Soulmate AU where whatever your soulmate writes on their skin, it appears on yours too. And Haseul's soulmate loves to cheat on her exams.

there's sunshine in your smile - Chuu/Kim Lip - G - “She has the hots for Kim Jiwoo. Ran out midway to get her flowers and everything,” Sooyoung reports, flinching when Jungeun glares at her and raises her fist. Haseul has to step in between them to break up the impending fight. With Sooyoung cackling this much, it wouldn’t be long before Jungeun actually punched her anyway. Or: Jiwoo sings like an angel, and Jungeun runs out mid-concert to get flowers for the girl who moved her with just her voice.

steal my heart, too - Kim Lip/JinSoul - G - At first, Jinsol isn’t quite sure what to think as she watches a chubby Shiba Inu walk into her small pet store via the motion detector door because… well, the dog’s owner is nowhere to be seen. Jinsol just stares as the tiny dog struts up to one of the shelves, taking hold of a small bag of treats in its mouth. Amused, Jinsol just keeps watching as the dog walks out of the store. Wait, Jinsol thinks, I’ve just been shoplifted by a dog.

santa baby - Olivia Hye/? - G - it’s not until the fourth time that hyejoo gets suspicious. or,on the first day of december hyejoo finds a small present packed neatly on her desk. and the gifts keep on coming.

Red Velvet

Debugging - Irene/Seulgi - T - Irene is a game developer struggling to analyze what everything meant. Seulgi is a barista who thought she knew it all. Very loosely based on the web drama Game Development Girls.

Let’s Fall In Love For The Night - Irene/Wendy - T - Wendy catches the eye of a certain senior after a performance and a fall.

parties, smiles, and ice cream - Irene/Wheein (Mamamoo) - irene finds herself interested in a girl who owns a sketchbook, likes oversized sweaters, and doesn't mind strawberries at a not so interesting party.

a game is better when played by two - Irene/Seulgi - G - Kang Seulgi always sits beside the same girl on the bus ride home. Or where in Seulgi and Irene are two grown ass women who are passionate about playing mobile games.

Inside This Place is Warm - Irene/Seulgi - G - Irene is a barista at her university's coffee shop, and she just so happens to be the object of someone's affection. The only problem is that no one is quite sure who that "someone" is. This is where Seulgi and her friends come in. Or, in which Irene's a senior in college and she loses her mind over her beautiful neighbor, who she talks to far too often for it to be healthy.

IZ*ONE

it was such a sight, but it was just fluorescent high rises - Chaewon/Minjoo - G - minjoo discovers something about chaewon she shouldn't haveor in which it took her quite the time to get used in seeing her smile. highschool!au

of spells and potions - Chaewon/Minjoo, Yujin/Wonyoung - G - In-progress - Everybody in Hogwarts thinks the same of Yujin, Minju and Chaewon.They want to be friends with Yujin, want to date Minju, and want to never cross paths with Chaewon. /aka that hogwarts au no one asked for

Just Who the Hell Do You Think I Am? - Yena/Hyewon - G - Hyewon starts to regret so much about her life when her tinder date gets bundled into the back of a police car before she sets foot inside the restaurant.

Flavour of the Month - Hitomi/Nayoung (Produce 48/Banana Culture) - G -  Nayoung suffers a heartbreak and someone makes her heart race

i told you so - Eunbi/Hyewon, side Chaeyeon/Sakura - T - “Why are you guys arguing over the last condom if you’re both lesbians?” Yena asks. Eunbi and Hyewon both go beet red, avoiding eye contact. “Well, I mean, it’s always good to be safe,” Eunbi tries, but a lightbulb goes off in Yena’s head and she says “ohhhhh,” very loudly, wiggling her eyebrows. “I don’t get it,” Chaewon says. Eunbi thinks she might die of embarrassment. Or, Hyewon is a figure skater and Eunbi is an ice hockey player. They meet at the Winter Olympics in a rather unconventional way, but it turns out alright.

Stay Right There - Eunbi/Hyewon - Eunbi could only wish to be as carefree as Hyewon, instead of being the next CEO of Kwon Enterprises.

Mornings - Hitomi/Chaewon - Hitomi would always sneak up to the other dorm just to cuddle with Chaewon after their schedules.

Sweeter Than Fiction - Yena/Yuri - In-progress - Right in the moment Yuri met Choi Yena in that chat room, she knew the girl was gonna be someone important in her life or, Yuri being absolutely whipped by Yena since the first time they talked to each other and her rollercoaster ride going through feelings while being a broke college student with lots of responsibilities

Zone Wars - G - IZ*ONE's gamer line plays games to mixed results. Sakura taunts, Hyewon wins, Yena complains, and Minju just wants to be included.

BlackPink

And Fall - Jisoo/Lisa - G -  Her eyes, behind the lenses catching the veiled sunlight that must be blinding her, are so unguarded, glittering like quick little honey droplets. A gentle, thoughtless smile remains on her lips, even in the absence of an answer. It was hard enough resisting sweet underclassman Lisa, with her bleach-damaged hair and limbs far too long, movements far too sharp, for her body. But this? A gorgeously content Lisa, grown into herself and oblivious of the effect she has on the world, smiling at Jisoo so tenderly it must be a crime? Damn near impossible.

From every Sunday evening to every Sunday night - Jennie/Lisa - G -  Lisa wants Jennie to know the way she feels about her, so she writes her a note every day of the week.

CLC

Pumpkin spice with an undecent ammount of cream - Sorn/Seunghee - G - Seasons were only the background for companies to ask for money: “hey! Do you want to be like that girl, long curly hair, perfect make up, that is looking through the window as autumn settles in? Then come buy here! Everything is orange, red, maroon and brown and it tastes like pumpkin!” Seasons could suck Sorn’s toe for all they were worth. “And what would you like today?” “A pumpkin spice latte, please.” Or where Sorn has this big crush on a barista.

like a cat - Yujin/Yeeun - G -  Yeeun is a very, very tired college student. She doesn't believe her eyes when she sees a large cat dancing in the middle of a shopping centre. She didn't even know cats could dance. Yujin works at a cat cafe and sometimes has to wear a cat costume to advertise the cafe at the mall. One day, a very tired and loud girl stops to watch Yujin dance.

late groceries - Elkie/Sorn - G - sure it was too late for that, but still, they really needed their groceries. it was Urgent.

unexpected - Yujin/Yeeun - G - yeeun entered the building waiting for a job, and left with a soulmate.

Dancing with our hands tied - Sorn/Yeeun - T - A bet, an unforgettable night, and a really regretful Yeeun.

Weki Meki

trying to find an island in the flood - Doyeon/Yoojung - G - It is not the first time Yoojung has climbed into Doyeon’s bed, but it feels different, when Yoojung sticks her feet under the warmth of the blankets and Doyeon’s arms wrap around her almost instantly. “Sometimes,” Doyeon begins, absentmindedly tucking a strand of hair behind Yoojung’s ear, “I feel like I’ve already met my soulmate. But other times, I’m not sure, you know?” Something twists uncomfortably in Yoojung’s stomach and she swallows.

it's my favorite business interaction - Rina/Lucy - "Doyeon unnie, as much as I appreciate this, I'm seventeen. When am I going to need this?" "Interviews," Doyeon says offhandedly. "What… kind of interviews…?" "Like your date with Hyojung," Yoojung helpfully supplies. "That's sort of an interview." "Who said I was going on a date with Hyojung?"

Win Again - Doyeon/Somi (i.o.i, soloist) - G - High school heartthrob Jeon Somi's taekwondo team gets a budget cut for the cheerleading team's new uniforms. She has mixed feelings about their future captain, Kim Doyeon.

ten reasons why - Lua/Rina - G -  Soeun lists down ten reasons why she hates Sookyung.

fromis_9

the dazzling you, the angelic you - Saerom/Gyuri - G - Beautiful, breathtaking, alluring. That’s what Saerom was. And Gyuri couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off of her, ever.

despacito - Seoyeon/Jiwon - G - it’s this moment, seoyeon thinks, that her idol training has been preparing her for. that is, singing an extremely romantic song in front of the girl who you’ve liked for several months, who also happens to look extremely attractive right now.

the sun was in my eyes (the sun was in her smile) - M - Saerom/Gyuri, Saerom/Hayoung  "So, how did you and Gyuri meet?" Hayoung asks.Saerom should be more prepared than this. She has an email in her outbox sent to gyuljang@gmail.com with the subject line important backstory details for a reason. "Through Chaeyoung, the intern?" "Well, you guys look cute together," Hayoung says, giving Saerom an enthusiastic nod. (a buzzfeed AU)

Finding Solace - Saerom/Gyuri - G - Forest sprite Gyuri keeps finding a girl going back to the forest.

Pristin

all my nights taste like gold - Eunwoo/Rena - G - yaebin looked around quickly, but no one was looking at them. "you shouldn't call me that. if they hear you--" "you're always gonna be kang yaebin to me, dummy," eunwoo interrupted. "if they don't like it they can answer to me.”yaebin felt a rush of warmth in her chest, like she was comfortable in her own skin for the first time in years. she had almost forgotten that eunwoo always made her feel that way.

I'm Your Girl ? - Rena/Roa - T  “Do you want to know what’s on my mind right now then?” Minkyung asked slowly. Yebin looked back at her and nodded. “It’s you. It’s almost always you,”

falling, falling, falling (for you, you, you) - Kyulkyung/Eunwoo - it's like everything in jieqiong's life shifts into place, while also simultaneously crumbles, within five seconds.

Another Halloween - Yuha/Eunwoo - G - Kyungwon and Eunwoo spend their Halloween together, like always

WJSN

of course the snake would hate the lion - Luda/Eunseo - T - son juyeon, a muggleborn, was incompatible with lee luda, a girl that grew up with her parents telling her that muggles were inferior than them. when she sees herself being target of juyeon's jokes and attention, she thinks she's in hell. she really hates the younger girl, she's pretty sure of that, but when juyeon's get involved in a quidditch accident, luda started to care more than the normal about the other's well being.

Dreamcatcher

Summer Dream - Yoohyeon/Dami - T - Ever since she was little, Yoohyeon has spent her summers lazing away at the country club pool. Funny enough, despite spending so much time there, she never learned to swim. This summer there’s a hot new lifeguard in town who Yoohyeon is helplessly crushing on. When Yoohyeon’s genius of a best friend flings her in the pool in order to try and catch her crush’s attention, another girl ends up saving her from drowning and stealing her heart in the process…

close to you - Yoohyeon/Siyeon, SuA/JiU - T - Kim Yoohyeon has two goals for this school year: to get the solo at the school concert and to enjoy her life alone in her new apartment. Both of these goals are crossed by Lee Siyeon, Yoohyeon's biggest rival since middle school, when unfortunate circumstances lead to them having to share more than just their passion for singing...

A Date in Stilettos - Yoohyeon/Dami, SuA/Siyeon - Blind dates aren't supposed to be amazing.

Traffic Duty - Yoohyeon/Dami - T - Officer Lee Yoobin has the most boring shift ever, or she thinks she does.

One Of The Nightmares  - Handong/Yoohyeon - T - Yoohyeon often has nightmares while sleeping and while awake. Handong is always there to bring her back from them.

half my bones - JiU/Siyeon - T -  when siyeon wakes up, she finds herself in a garden of lilies. Hanahaki Disease.

i want it, i got it - Yoohyeon/Dami - E - Yoobin has quite a few feelings about Yoohyeon's outfit from the performance of 7 Rings.

[blitz-and-hearth]

I was looking through my wip folders and apparently, I wrote a bit of highschool au Blitzstone? I don’t remember writing it and probably won’t finish it, but what I’ve got is pretty good so I thought you guys might enjoy it 

It was a cool but sunny fall day, a nice day, a just lovely day to be spending... In detention. Hearth wasn't too upset over it, he normally spent his weekends sitting bored in the empty classroom. This time it was for being caught smoking in the bathroom when he should have been in math class. Really he should have been kicked out of Valhalla High by now, if he was any other highschooler he would have been. But because his father was the oh so great rich and powerful Alderman he was still here. Their family founded the town and he gave lots of money to the school and blah blah blah. Honestly, he was tired of being told the ways he should act differently because of that. It was useless he knew, nothing he could do would change his father's mind about him. He'd been a deep shame on their family the moment his parents found out he was deaf.

 Hearth had still tried to be a good kid for a while in hopes of winning his parent's praise, but when his younger brother was killed by a hit and run driver when they were playing together, he realized he'd never make them like him. He was only a freak and now in their eyes a murder of what had been their "good" son, it was pointless.

So Hearth had swung around the other way, going out of his way to be a troublemaker and bring even more shame to his family. Now at 17 he dressed in dark clothes, fingerless gloves, spiked chokers, knee-high boots, and nails painted jet black. He'd died his blonde hair to pure white and priced his ears, even gotten a few tattoos. He stole beer and cigarettes, banned from every Walmart and corner store around. Doing anything he could think of to look like a punk and piss his father off. Teachers and students alike either hate or envy him, muttering rumors and gossip whenever he passed. They always seemed to forget that just because he's deaf doesn't mean he doesn't know when they're talking about him. Fucking assholes. At least he was alone expect for the teacher this Saturday, who was busy grading homework at her desk. He could just lean back in the chair and doodle for the next two hours. Or at least that's what he thought until he looked up and realized another teacher had come in with a boy he recognized.

Hearth stayed out the social circles, but it was impossible to go to this school and not know Blitzen Gyllen, or Blitz as he went by often. He was the opposite of Hearth, bright and peppy, popular with almost everyone and well liked. He knew more about his mother, she used to run a vast jewelry company and had been very rich and successful.... Had been. Then the scandal came out how she stole all her designs from a poor man who worked under her, who she was also sleeping with. It cost her her business and a good bit of her money. And despite no actual confirmation, it was well known Blitzen was the resulting love child of all that chaos... She worked for Hearth's dad now. Hearth had never actually spoken to Blitzen before though, only having seen him from a distance at his father's parties or around the school. But he knew exactly what the normally well-behaved student was doing here in detention, the whole school had been chattering about it. Hearth didn't know the details, but apparently, Blitzen had been given a dare to prank the principal. So he'd filled the guy's office and car with rubber duckies, floor to ceiling, impossible to enter with how many there were.

No one knew how he'd done it or gotten so many fucking rubber ducks but people had started referring to Blitz as "the duck master." Hearth would admit it was funny just because of how incredibly angry the principal had gotten and yet despite knowing about it he didn't put two and two together that they'd most likely end up sharing a detention at least once with how many Blitzen had gotten for that. Hearth eyed the other boy suspiciously, getting a good look at him up close for the first time. He could see why people liked him, he was handsome, strong jaw with a soft form giving him a friendly look, very beautiful Hearth would admit. He was dressed nice, supposedly made his own clothes. White undershirt with a plump colored felt vest and dress pants in the same purple shade, and light brown pointed shoes. His hair was done in dreads and tied up in a ponytail, and despite being a year younger than him, already had the stubbly start of a beard growing in. 

Hearth hadn't realized he was staring till Blitzen turned around and started walking towards him, snapping out of it and quickly looking back down at his sketchbook. He side-eyed him as Blitzen sat at the table next to him. So weird, they were to only students in here and yet he'd sat right next to Hearth, what was this guys game? He ignored him at first, going back to drawing, but after a minute he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to look at him. 

"You're H-E-A-R-T-H, right?"

Blitzen signed, bit clumsily with a focused expression, clearly not used to using sign language. Still the fact he knew even that very much surprised Hearth, staring at him with wide eyes before narrowing them again. He was the only deaf-mute in town, and he'd never met Blitzen in person, why would he know sign language unless he wanted something from him. Hearth didn't answer, just nodding as he continued to glare at him. 

"It's great to meet you in person, I've seen you before at my mom's business parties. I'm Blitzen Gyllen, as you probably already know" 

He said with a grin as he offered a hand to Hearth, who did not take it right away. He didn't know what Blitzen wanted, his mother was poor but not that poor... After a second to consider he took the other boy's hand and gave a small shake. After all, he knew what was up, all these years he'd had many people try to get his family's money through him, and none had ever tricked him, this guy wasn't any different. But he might as well indulge and play along for awhile. Maybe he'll even get some free drinks or a quick fuck out of it.

"I heard about the duck thing, it was pretty funny"

The pale boy signed, and Blitzen took a minute to interpret what he'd said but then grinned when he figured it out 

"Thanks! It was my little cousin's boy... erm girl...? well date friend idea, she's much better at pranks then me. But it was really fun to do, I might do more of them if I could get away with it, being in detention often seems pretty boring."

He chattered, Hearth shrugging in response 

"Not too bad, especially this teacher, she doesn't give a fuck"

He signed as he glanced over at said teacher, who was currently reading a shitty looking adult romance novel with a shirtless dude and swooning lady on the cover. 

"Plus she's hooking up with the gym teacher and leaves after ten minutes to go see him"

He added as he looked back at the other boy. Blitzen was frowning with concern

  "That seems really irresponsible for a teacher..."

He whispered back. Hearth snorted at that thought 

"Who cares? Just means we can leave as soon as she's gone"

Hearth responded, huffing as he rolled his eyes. No surprise there, what a goodie two shoes. The duck prank was clearly a one-time thing 

"You can stay here for the two hours if you like but I'm leaving as soon as she's gone, with you or not, teacher's pet"

Blitzen blinked at that and flushed red, apparently not appreciating the insult 

"I'm not a teacher's pet just because I do well in school! Fine, I'll come with you, I'll show you what kinda "bad boy punk," or whatever you guys are calling it, I can be"

He said with a determined look, mumbling angrily to himself some things Hearth couldn't catch, arms crossed and pouting. Hearth rolled his eyes again. This guy was trying so hard to be his friend. But then he grinned as a thought struck him. This dude was obviously trying to get at his families money but was a clean-nosed kid who stayed out of trouble, Hearth could have some fun seeing how far he could push him. Maybe today would be fun after all...

Right on time five minutes later the teacher glanced at the clock and stood, putting her book in her bag.

"I have to take care of something, you two behave while I'm gone."

She told them and then was gone. As soon as the door closed, Hearth hopped up, stuffing his sketchbook into his backpack and walking over to the window. Blitzen followed him curiously, watching with a frown as Hearth pushed one open 

"What are we doing, why can't we just walk out the door?"

He asked in confusion 

"Its more fun being sneaky"

Hearth signed back with a shrug before climbing into the window frame

"Think you can keep up fancy pants?"

He added before jumping out onto the grass below. Blitzen's face burned red again, rising to the challenge and immediately hopping out of the window to land next to him, straightening up and brushing himself off, giving Hearth a look that said "bring it on"

"So, what are we going to do?"

[jdona769]

A Fueled Imagination: The Artists of My Life

My earliest memory of experiencing art is similar to the one that many people have. When I was a child, I would sit for what felt like hours, drawing any image my mind could conjure and my small hands could create. Whether it be with the small box of colored pencils that my elementary school teacher put in my cubby, or the bulky crayons given to young kids at restaurants, I loved drawing. However, I have never been artistically inclined; most of my creations were made up of formless scribbles and large, yellow suns crammed into the corner of the paper. 

Though I am not an artist myself, being surrounded by people who are and their creations has always been a constant in my life. Similar to everyone else, my first influence was my family. During the summer, when school was out, I would often spend the day at my grandparent’s house. While I sat on their swing couch in the living room, drinking chocolate milk through a crazy straw, I would look around and see art. Before I was born and when she was much younger, my grandmother used to teach ceramics in her basement. One of her favorite and most intricate pieces was a tall beer stein that she would put spare change in. The base was decorated with detailed foliage and wildlife, small rabbits and winding ivy in earth tones. The lid, however, was where the piece truly came to life. At the top of it sat some sort of fairy or elf, with rosy, blushing cheeks and a red leotard. I would run my tiny fingers over the stein, wondering what kind of life the figure may lead in the woods, with magic and rabbits twisting out in all directions. My grandmother’s artistry inspired me to daydream, a creative outlet that would help lead me to my passion for writing. 

I continued to form a closer relationship with art when my neighbor, Kera, moved in next door. When I first went to greet her and her husband, Clint, my attention was immediately drawn to the artwork hung on the walls of their new home. Kera informed me that they were her own creations from back when she was an art major in college: paintings of beautiful women’s shoes (a second passion of hers), places far off in Paris or Florence that she had traveled to. She took note of my appreciation for art and we quickly bonded over it. Since I was eleven years old, Kera has guided me through the realm of artistic expression, sharing some of her favorite works with me and encouraging me to find my own. Every summer, we travel to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and visit its newest additions. On one trip, we spent nearly all afternoon looking at Salvator Dali’s dreamy landscapes, filled with melting clocks and strange creatures that seemed to have sprung from the pages of Alice in Wonderland. We’ve also gone to a few painting studio classes, learning to create the perfect city skyline or bright moon out of nothing but acrylics and our brush-wielding hands. Kera even inspired me to take AP art history my senior year of highschool, where I was able to learn about artwork from all over the world and discover my love of the shimmering, golden romance that is Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. Being so heavily immersed in art was inspiring and allowed me to be more thoughtful and appreciative of the beauty close by. 

Almost cosmically, my connection to art followed me to college as well. My roommate since freshman year, Lili, is a graphic designer major, constantly creating all sorts of pieces with multiple materials. When we first met, we were able to talk about art and grow comfortable with one another. I would notice her drawing in a sketchbook late at night and ask to see what she was creating; she would show me incredible pencil sketches of warriors, flowers, and drawings of her friends or sister back home. She still shows me all her impressive class assignments, whether they are works in progress or hanging up in Endicott’s Visual and Performing Arts Center. Being around someone my age who is so talented and passionate is truly inspiring. 

The artists throughout my life have helped shape me into who I am and encouraged my own love for art. Being immersed in their vivid world of visuals not only makes me more appreciative of the beauty around me; it also fuels my imagination to make my own creations through writing.