#started lining this and then felt that the sketch was better

[chipper-smol]

-THROWS THIS AT YOUR FACES LIKE POCKETSAND AND THEN SCAMPERS AWAY-

[moe-broey]

I CANNOT BE DOING THIS. THIS IS NOT WHAT I INTENDED TO DO. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[reshinless]

Hii! I wanna request for a nsfw single dad! Wriothesley or Moze x kindergarten teacher! reader that takes care of their kids for them while they're at work 🤔

Thank you!! 🩷

──── age ain't nun but a number

⠀ ۪ ⠀✧ synopsis. when he feels something for the single kindergarten teacher that their kid accidently calls them mom/dad. can't help the pretty thought of getting to call you his either

⠀ ۪ ⠀✧ pairings. wriothesley x gn!afab!reader (i use the term pussy :3) !!nsfw content ahead!!

⠀ ۪ ⠀✧ director's notice. i've yet to read about headcannons on moze! for now please settle with wriothesley only :pray:

wriosthesley recently started to send his lovely daughter off to school, specifically kindergarten (homeschooled her for nursery). waving her off as she looks off to the classroom- before turning around to face him with small tears prickling her redish-pink eyes.

"baby, what's wrong?" he calms her down shortly after, but still with a sigewinne who was still visibly saddened at the thought of leaving her dad.

all of a sudden, a gorgeous figure comes out of the classroom, and kneels beside wriothesley in a way to calm sigewinne down as well.

"hi sweetheart, what's your name?" you took the small blue haired girl's palms into yours, they were a little cold. "i-'im sige-sigewinne!" almost as if completely cheering up after seeing how beautiful you were, her father completely stunned as well.

"i'm (name), how about you come in and meet the other kids inside, would you like that?" the small girl quickly nodded at your words, watching as you stood back up and offered your hand out to her, sigewinne who takes it just as fast, holding onto one of your fingers.

as you let the bunny-like girl into the classroom, you walk back up to flushed face of her father. "t- thank you for that. i- i- um.. i'm wriothesley." he offers out a hand as you chuckle lightly. "i'm (name), does she get anxious without you or was that because this is her first time away from you?"

"ah.. the second. you .. the teacher of the classroom?" "mmmm, yes i am." oh your voice was just as lovely as your face. his eyes scanned over your features while you discussed details on sigewinne's schedule. subtly checking you out before his eyes trail back up to see you aren't talking anymore. oh.

"oh.. ahem-" he coughs awkwardly to excuse his actions as your own face flushes a little. "i'll send you the rest via... hmm, where can i contact you?" perfect- a way to get your number!

"ah just.. here." he hands his phone to you, as you added it to your contact list. "i'll send it to you there then." you bowed and left to tend to your class of 20 kindergarten students. fuck you were beautiful.

cut to a few months into school days, sigewinne is doing great all but in one subject. which results wriothesley having to ask you for a bit of tutoring just for sigewinne, openly inviting you into their house.

you agree, not minding helping another kid. as you drove over to his house; you felt a little bit of fuzz in your heart, seeing a moderately-sized house, with fence which looks like its supposed to be white; was colored to be coincidentally the colors of sigewinne's hair. random strokes and lines scattered all over each standing wooden plank, you couldn't help but laugh a little.

as you got out, you observed out the sidewalk near his home had hopskotch sketches on the floor as well, how adorable. as wriothesley opened the door to welcome you inside, the house seemed pretty spacy.

"i know its not much, but this house was closest to the school." he chuckled as he led you over to where sigewinne was waiting. "tell me if you need anything."

wow he sounds even better upclose. his smile is pretty too, the apron he wore as he baked sigewinne-shaped cookies was pretty cute as well.

but as much as it all seemed very adorable, and fluffy. wriothesley couldn't lie what he'd been feeling the last few months in knowing you, and knowing how much sigewinne looks up to you, even overhearing the way she accidently calls you mom/dad, meaning that even if he proposed right here and now; his daughter would gladly accept. his last partners she never approved of- but with you, it's almost like she was actively trying to get you together.

before he walks into the room to ask if you and sigewinne are hungry; he hears her ask a little question. "miss/mister (name)! do you like my daddy?" sigewinne tugs at the hem of your sleeve. "ah- w- what do you mean?" "you like daddy, right? because you always smile when you go to escort me back to him, i don't see you do that to like.. aika's dad! or amira's mom! so you like daddy!"

unbeknownst to you; the strong, and big reputation fighter wriothesley blushed behind the closed door, hearing every little aspect of the conversation. putting the desserts back before putting his ear against the door again. "your daddy is nice, but i can't have relationships with my student's parents. it's unprofessional." "so you would date daddy if you didn't work here? oh but i'm gonna miss you in class if you leave!"

you found it adorable how she thought you'd leave your job for wriothesley, but you definitely couldn't afford doing so; not at the expense of your own living space being taken from you again.

"i just.. i guess you're a little right, 'winne. but i can't do that right now." "daddy makes enough money! this is only one of his houses!" "alright alright that's enough, let's get back to studying."

something so innocent, yet so captivating about the way you talked about him, you simply agreed about smiling the more you saw him. he felt mutual about it. ah- damn he shouldn't think the way he does about you, catching himself palming his urgent erection through the fabric of his boxers at night to the thought of your entrance sinking onto his length so politely- he's getting ahead of himself now.

but fuck it'd definitely be hot, to feel you on him, or watch how he'd be the one to arch your back as you creamed onto his cock. oh fuck, guess the pastries will wait. off to the bathroom he goes.

oh but the thought of you just bending over for him, telling him it's all his, he definitely could bust right here and now. stroking his girth, imagining how it'd be so slippery, so vulnerable just taking it like anyone would.

shit he already felt it coming- his dick definitely felt a lot more sensitive than last time he thought of jerking off to you; and damn did it feel good as hell. damn, was that already his cum on his own stomach.. he came at the thought of you again. third time this week. huh.

he came out, pulling his pants a bit, looking a little disshelved, more than earlier at least as you saw him walk by. "hey, i put her to sleep for now." you wave to him as you round the corner from her room. "mmm? that's good." he took a seat beside you, "oh uh, and i have a little favor to ask, you mind i stay for now? the rain doesn't seem like it'll let up anytime soon."

"yeah, sure, make yourself at home, baby." he hadn't realized the slip of tongue of calling you the nickname, barely noticing the clear flustered state he had put you in. "huh, what's with the face?"

you looked away, admitting it was nothing, 'till he ringed a strong arm around your shoulders, using his finger to make you look into his eyes, turning your head back to his. "then you'd tell me, yeah?"

you couldn't avoid how attractive it was, it was a swift reaction. you could feel something pooling/hardening down in your lower region, "it's really.. u- um nothing. i just.. i.." you held eye contact with him for a bit before you felt a hand grasp your hair from behind your head, pushing your lips into his.

you reciprocated the kiss for a bit, as you pulled away, eyes opened in shocked, as wriothesley looked like it was a normal thing between you two. "has anyone told you how pretty you are?

"..." "does it make you nervous when i stare? sorry, it's a habit when you're that gorgeous." "this.. is.. this is unprofessional! i- i'm sorry i-" you try to explain before he pulls you closer with his arm, "sigewinne sees you as a parent figure, it's fine."

"c'mere, pretty, she won't know we did this, and no one else will, not unprofessional if no one else will know. i know you want me too." he stroked your cheek, a smirk appeared on his face, while he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. "come on, break the rules just once, i'll show you a good time."

...

he had you pinned onto his mattress upstairs, clothes stripped and onto the floor, now he could finally observe all and every inch he's been longing to see of you. trailing his palms all over your body, exploring it as much as he could. "just.. tell me to stop if i need to, 'kay?"

he already pried your legs open with just his words, one of his snake up to the other, holding it with a gentle, and soft touch, making sure you knew he cared about the way you felt about what he was doing.

but it was the way it was basically, your pussy was calling to him, the way they tightened around his fingers. "damn- already wet for me, baby?" he teased as he lowered his head to set a kiss on your cheek, watching you whimper, and arch your back from the simple art of getting played with (and it was just his fingers, just imagine his cock!!)

as he unbuckled his belt, shit you couldn't deny the sound of hearing his pants lower and drop the ground turned you on so much- ahh you could already imagine the way it'd feel inside. but you didn't have to imagine because he already lowered his cock to enter inside you, shit you could feel your already split in half from just the tip.

you can feel his girth, every vein, and inch, you could feel everything. "shh baby, i know you can take it." you could feel a reassuring squeeze on your palm. you could feel his forehead in contact with your as he slowly continued to penetrate, so slowly, so sensually. you felt a plethora of emotions, the guilt being quickly washed over with pleasure.

"ah- uhuh? you like that? like the way my cock kisses your stomach, sweetheart?" he teases into the shell of your ear. sending shudders down your spine, kissing your neck briefly. "ahh- mmf! yes, i do.." you whimper out with shame, the way his shaft smacked against your g-spot felt so good.

your legs started to tremble. you could feel his skin slap onto yours, making loud sounds that definitely would wake his neighbors up.

the strength in his palms that kept your thigh up on his shoulder now never faltered. hearing each moan felt like he only wanted to penetrate you even more.

"ah ah ah. careful with your sound so, pretty. you might wake up 'winnie." coy teasing is heard from the low rasp of his voice- damn he knew what he was doing. it was hard as hell to keep it down if his cock made such an adorable bulge in your stomach.

reaching for your swollen clit, rubbing over it with his thumb- oh fuck you could feel your third orgasm coming already. it didn't help how quickly he thrusts inside you, adding onto the euphoria you felt pooling in your stomach. the pressure only got worse the more you could hear his groans.

you started to clench onto the base of his cock, making it even harder for him to penetrate your stomach the way he did previously. "damn baby- relax, tryna keep me in there, or something?" he teased, promptly speeding up his digit over your pussy.

"haahn- gonna.. gonna c-cum wrio- fffuck!" you moaned loudly, squirting succus, as wrio holds your hips close to his own.

"hooollyy shiiit.. came all over me baby." he says breaths between his words.

he slowly pulled out of you, finally leaving your puffy hole alone, keeping one of his hands on your cunt still. "stay still, pretty." he licked a stripe over it, progressively lapping up the mix of cum between you both in your hole.

there was just something about either keeping every last drop in there, or at least letting himself have a taste to indulge in more intimacy as you calm down from your high (or cum on his tongue again, whatever you want.)

wriothesley who carries you bridal style to the bathroom. cleaning you up, and lets you borrow some of his clothes for the mean time before you go back home.

"dad! look! there's a storm outside!" sigewinne points out, her little finger out the window, cheek against the glass.

seems like you won't leave for now, how about you stay for the night?

[astralis-ortus]

gummy bears

✱ college student!hj x gn!reader

— art school is hard—at least having a muse makes it a little easier.

w.count → 1.8k genre → fluff...? warning → mild cussing, as per usual♡ a.n → hi!! i'm back with a new face addition to the page! hahah honestly i thought it would be either minho or seungmin first but ngl hyunnie has been tugging on my hearstrings lately he's such a silly little mandu i love him sm :( hope you guys find the story as enjoyable as chris' side of the blog, and also if anyone is interested for a commission there are slots available still♡ ⋆ see masterlist

has it always been this… weird?

your attention should’ve been sealed at the projected slides once the professor started the countdown on his infamous ‘how-long-can-i-yap-before-my-students-fall-asleep’ course, but holy smokes—even breathing seemed like a major task when you could barely peel your thoughts off the boy sitting a few rows in front of you.

hyunjin has always been the main attention-grabber wherever he went—and that includes yours.

it’s not like you denying it either. he is gorgeous, and even the heavens know you couldn’t help but glance in his direction whenever he’s in the room. hell, even a few of your initial sketches for last semester’s projects were inspired by hyunjin. it’s as if he had slowly solidified his spot as your muse—but what is this odd feeling gently fluttering between the rows of your ribcage?

a buzz from the pocket of your pants startled you out of your trance, and while you thanked the gods for sending you down here with a habit of putting your phone on constant silent, you peeked at the notification patiently perched on the screen of your phone—one nearly causing you a minor heart attack on the spot.

hyunjin: spot next to me is empty, you know

right—you forgot your position from a mere classmate-slash-secret-admirer has been upgraded to an actual acquaintance-slash-almost-friend of hyunjin’s, all thanks to that one final project from art history 101 class last semester.

you: being at the back is peaceful, thanks hyunjin: says the one who rushed for a front spot for literally any other class lol hyunjin: cmon, saved the spot for you

lord—now you’re genuinely glad you decided to wear that crusty baseball cap of yours today, or literally everyone would’ve noticed the way your cheeks had burned up into a bright shade of crimson.

you: geez hyunjin: cmoooon hyunjin: or i’ll literally ask mr. kang to move you here

the way your head snapped to find hyunjin’s playful yet determined gaze headed straight at you was not something you would’ve ever thought to add to your bingo board.

ever.

you: no you won’t hyunjin: try me

your eyes nearly doubled in size when you returned your line of sight in hyunjin’s direction, only to see the slow, comical way the long-haired guy is raising his hand while keeping his eyes on you, lips tipped up into a masked grin.

“yes, mr. hwang?”

fuck.

you scrambled on your phone while mr. kang—as well as the rest of the attendees of the class, fixed their eyes on hyunjin, quietly wondering what would come out of those lips of his.

“oh, i’m just wondering if—"

you: FINE I’M MOVING you: JUST SHUT UP you: PLEASE

And you swore you could see the way his lips turned into a victorious grin through the back of his head.

“if?” mr. kang repeated, seemingly a little impatient at hyunjin’s antics. to be fair, you actually felt the same way.

“if you have any movie or documentaries related to the topics you will be teaching this semester,” hyunjin’s voice rang loud and clear—as if the question had been his initial motive all along, and you’re simply a victim of his little magic trick.

“personally i do learn better through those mediums, mr. kang,” hyunjin perfected his question, smile as innocent as a puppy, and as he looked around the hall, scanning the dozens of nodding heads to his statement,

hyunjin made sure to lock eyes with you for a second longer.

“and i think my friends agree with me.”

“you’re an ass,” you hissed as soon as you secured the seat next to hyunjin, shooting daggers out of your eyes while the latter chuckled. given, hyunjin’s question did made your move less suspicious since mr. kang actually took a liking to the idea and decided to substitute one of the assignments into this movie presentation group project, but still—you were so close to losing your dignity in front of dozens of your peers, on the first day of the new semester.

“would’ve been easier had you listened the first time,” he playfully retorted, remnants of victory still glimmered in his eyes, “and now you know i’m a man of my words. win-win situation for both of us.”

“as if,” you groaned in annoyance despite failing to even make a dent to hyunjin’s victorious grin. “you are the only one benefiting from this, mr. hwang. i’m merely a victim in this scheme of yours.”

“ouch—mr. hwang? really now?” hyunjin placed a hand over his heart, pretending as if he has been shot despite the wicked smile plastered across his face, “do you really want to hurt me like that?”

if you were to be honest, you do enjoy your playful bickers with hyunjin. it made him less of a muse and more of a… human. a regular college boy, who just so happened to be blessed by the goddess of beauty herself and sent here with an exceptional heart of gold.

like he’s just a boy.

“seemed fair enough,” instead, you replied with a mischievous grin while greeting a couple of hyunjin’s friends joining your little group.

“1-1, mr. hwang.”

the massive numbers displayed on your phone screen further validates the exhaustion you felt looming over your shoulders. it’s only the first week of the new semester and you’re already held up on campus way past your classes—how are you supposed to survive the rest of the school year?

to be fair, you really do love what you’re studying right now. it’s what you’ve always wanted to be since you were a child, and to be able to live out your inner child’s dream is one of your prides—but god, it did not make things easier to actually do.

just as you slipped your screen away, sparing yourself from a bunch of exhausting thoughts as your footsteps led you to your bus stop, a pack of gummy bear suddenly popped out of thin air in front of your eyes, causing you to stumble backwards onto the—

warm surface?

“i’m not a gummy sharing type of person, but i think you need this more than i do.”

pushing yourself off the other’s figure, you didn’t need to turn around to figure out the person’s identity—but you did anyway.

“gee, thanks mr. hwang,” you playfully snickered, snatching the bag of gummy and popped one unfortunate strawberry flavored bear in your mouth, “didn’t know you’re so kind.”

over the past week, you found out that you surprisingly have quite a lot of classes together with hyunjin and a few of his friends. you’re thankful he dropped the ‘i saved you a seat’ act by the third class you shared and let you actually sit amongst your friends, but in ways you don’t even understand, you somehow kept getting sorted in the same groups as hyunjin. well, at least now you no longer freeze up while hyunjin’s around.

“oh, can you drop that already,” hyunjin groaned, lips pursing into a subtle pout, “the others are starting to call me mr. hwang too thanks to you, you know.”

you couldn’t help but let a chuckle slip past your lips to hyunjin’s protest, already with a picture in your head about the whining he would’ve done once his closest friends started to pick up hyunjin’s objection to the nickname and used the name against him. how adorable he would’ve—

wait.

adorable?

hyunjin’s supposed to be simply your muse—maybe a friend at best! you don’t call your friends adorable, do you?

“you started it!” shaking your head in an attempt to rid the word from the nooks and crannies of your brain, you instead defended yourself while offering hyunjin the pack of gummies at the same time.

“what do you mean i started it!” hyunjin groaned, still popping a gummy in his mouth in the process, “i was just simply requesting your presence at the spot I have reserved for you!”

“and threatened to embarrass me if i didn’t move!” you deflected, playfully glaring at the latter. “don’t you dare omit that part, you sneaky weasel! i thought I was going to have to drop the class due to embarrassment!”

the crease between hyunjin’s brows grew thicker when he realized he couldn’t counter your protest, resulting in another pout to form on his lips, now clearer than before. it made you feel a little guilty—did you go a little too far? was he offended by the—

“i just wanted to get closer to you.”

…wait.

wait—what?

“i know it’s a lame excuse,” hyunjin’s groans turn muffled as he hid his face behind the palms of his hands, “it’s just—i don’t know, i find you fun? i know we just started talking after that group project but i like talking about stuff with you and even after the group project ended i just kept finding myself wanting to talk to you? i just—”

“whoa whoa—slow down!” you instinctively grabbed hyunjin’s shoulders; not too hard to shake him off, just enough to gently ground him back from his rambles. “breathe, you don’t need to explain anything to me, hyunjin. just breathe.”

well, frankly you do need an explanation—just… not from this adorably frantic hyunjin.

no, scratch that—just frantic.

not adorably.

just frantic.

hyunjin’s face was nearly the shade of the gummy bear packet you still had on your hand, and as much as you didn’t want to embarrass him more than he’s already feeling, your lips seemed to have their own plans when they curled up into a grin.

“don’t even say anything,” he warned, fingers now pointing at the rapidly growing grin on your face. “just don’t.”

you would honestly love to comply to hyunjin’s wishes, really—after all, you’re the type to honor and respect your friend’s wishes…

but is he just a friend?

“I’m not!” you stated, but despite throwing your hands up in a sign of defeat, hyunjin knew better when he noticed the constant degree of smile etched across your face,

“I just never would have thought that the campus crush,” you emphasized, trails of laughter already slipping past your lips in harmony to hyunjin’s exasperated sigh, “the mr. hwang hyunjin himself, is quite clumsy at making new friends.”

hyunjin was genuinely dumbfounded at your accusation.

“no i’m not!” he protested, subconsciously following your footstep as you got ready to catch your nearing bus, “it’s not that i’m bad at making friends, i just—”

hyunjin’s explanation were cut short when your bus finally arrived, prompting another frown to appear on his face when you hopped on without sparing him another glance. dejected, hyunjin turned around and—

“hyunjin!”

the speed at how quickly hyunjin turned on his heels at your voice nearly made you giggle. from one of the opened windows from the back of the bus, you locked eyes with hyunjin and smiled.

“text me your excuses and we’ll see if you’re actually good at making friends!” you shouted as the bus began to drove away, only allowing you to witness a faint ‘okay!’ along with an excited wave before hyunjin disappeared behind the curve of the crossroad.

well, maybe hyunjin is adorable after all.

©️ astralisortus, 2024. | likes and reblogs are highly appreciated♡

[we-were-beautiful]

Unraveled Ends Chapter 2

Pre chapter Shenanigans 

a/n: Sooooo long time no post but I'm here now and that's what matters. Writers block hit me like a brick wall after my last piece that I did for the riders quadrant fic exchange back in July, that piece was only supposed to be 3k in words but ended up around 7.8k. I had been working on this chapter at the same time and had roughly 2k words but after I got through the edits on the gift fic couldn't seem to string together a coherent sentence much less moving the plot forward. all my photos for the moodboard/aesthetic come from pinterest. Last bit of info is that we did pick up two beta readers for this story( but I am always open for more if people want to hop in). So big Thanks to @loving-and-dreaming and @curse-bearing-hips for reviewing this chapter. That said we are all still human so there is more than likely some mistakes. And a huge thanks to @whisplion for inspiring me to write this fic. Hope y’all enjoy  

Summary: A tailor in the heart of Velaris finds herself mated to the two most powerful fae in Prythian. Unfortunately for her the mating bond only snapped for her, leaving her to question on how to move forward. Should she wait for her mates to feel the bond or should she go ahead and reject it and live with the gaping hole in her heart  

Poly!Feysand x Reader 

Warnings: None but there is angst

WC:3.1k

The next few weeks are nothing short of hell. I didn’t know pretending like nothing is wrong would be as exhausting as it has been. It was a never ending cycle of waking up, getting ready, going to work, and coming home. At work I was dancing a fine line of hiding everything from my seamstresses and sister and failing miserably. The only small mercy that I have had was that I haven’t had to see my mates. Thank the mother for that; I don’t know how I would have reacted to seeing them so soon after the bond had snapped. Not seeing them however did nothing to dampen the feelings that the two of them would throw down the bond unknowingly. Deep down  I know that they didn’t mean to send those memories and feelings to me, but on a good day it makes me sick to my stomach. I don’t know why it has gotten worse. I was fine for a year of burying the feelings that I have for the two down.

They were so happy together, and I don’t have a place in their perfect lifestyle. I thought that I had seen them around town a lot when they were just my customers but now it felt like every time I turned around they were there. It has increased since they came in to get their outfits for Starfall designed. I swear I ran into Rhys yesterday when I went to get lunch for myself. I ran into Feyre the other night while I was getting the groceries for my sisters and me. The two of them had actually approached me a week ago while I was at the park with my baby sister. They had little Nyx with them then and it felt like someone had taken a hold of my heart and started squeezing. The babe was adorable at two years of age. He's starting to reign terror on his parents who had apparently decided he needed to run off his energy at the park. The two of them are far more friendly with people than I would have liked, but mostly that friendliness was targeted towards me. As they joined me on the bench sandwiching me between them. They ended up chatting my ear off for the better part of an hour. There brushes of hands against my body that were too well placed to be incidental. It felt like a vice clamping down around my heart as I left the park with my sister to head home. Feyre had wanted me to stay a bit longer so that she could continue talking to me about my sketches. 

The physical interactions with them weren't the worst thing though. It was the images and emotions that the two had unknowingly sent down the bond. It wasn’t unusual to get a flash of lust from one of them at any given time of the day. It was inconvenient to just get hit with the overwhelming need for someone when I’m with clients. Late at night though I get the images. Of my mates tangled up in pleasure. Sometimes it was flashes of Feyre's face screwed up in pleasure; other of Rhys’s eyes alight with lust and desire. Those nights sleep was hard to come by. A few of those nights I found myself back in the shop working on my clients orders, anything to keep my mind from lingering on the two people that didn’t know I was bound to them.  I was surprised to be receiving so much from them down the bond given that both of them are powerful Demati. I figured that they would be skilled at keeping to themselves. 

Last night was one of those sleepless nights. It was a damn near endless barrage of want and need coming from both of them. If I hadn’t known that their mating bond had been accepted between them I would have assumed that they had accepted it last night. I left a note for my middle sister in the kitchen before heading to the shop in the dead of night. Being the night court, plenty of people were milling about the streets and shops in the palace of thread and jewels. Thankfully it isn’t one of the nights we keep the shop open for those who live under the stars, I could work in peace and not be bothered by anyone. No customers, no seamstresses, no nosy sisters, and most importantly no over friendly mates or their friends. 

It was wonderful to sit in the shop and do what I love with my shadows dancing around me. The shadows had been my friends since I was a very small faeling. They were more shy when I was out in public but when it is just me they come to life and sing. I had only seen two other people like me. One was my maternal grandfather who was from a court that had long since been lost; and the other was Azriel. Grandfather was able to teach me how to control the shadows and use them to my advantage. But he also told me to keep the gift to myself. Shadowsingers had long been coveted by the courts to be used as spies; and he and my parents were worried that the former High Lord would have conscripted me into his spy network if it was ever found out. I had successfully kept it a secret for nearly 400 years. Though times like this, when the shop is closed and I have the room to myself, I let them loose. A soft smile grows on my face as I watch the playful shadows dance about the room. A few of them try to be helpful by handing me tools and instruments that I need as I work on Feyre’s Starfall gown. 

Feyre’s dress had been coming along beautifully. She had come in for a fitting last week where we were checking the fit on the mock up. The High Lady had all but begged to have a similar fabric to my own. We had more of the fabric left; thank gods for that; the last thing I wanted to do was take a trip to the Autumn court to source more. I lose track of time working on the dress; so much so that I didn’t realize the sun had risen until I heard the lock on the door turn. 

“Sis, are you still here?” Genevieve calls out. Of course she came here. “I saw your note on the counter this morning. I dropped Itty bitty off at school and brought breakfast.” 

I sigh and set my things down to make my way out of the work room. Genevieve stands in the room looking so much like our mother; hair tied up in a worn red scarf, a dark red linen shirt and comfortable leather trousers. Ready for a day at the blacksmith. In her hands she balances a bag of what I assume is the breakfast and two cups in the other. 

“Your shadows are so helpful I’m jealous.” She passes me one of the cups and I take a sniff and immediately am greeted by the comforting scent of coffee “ Were you here all night again?” 

It's not hard to hear the concern in her voice as she takes a once over of me. 

“Yes” I responded, taking a sip of the delicious coffee that she had brought. 

“Ok what is going on with you.” She cocks her head to the side “It seems like you have been stressed this past year. Well more so than normal. This is starting to get worrisome. The number of times you have left the house in the middle of the night and worked through to morning is ridiculous.”

“What’s going on? I know it's not money since I help with the books and we have two sources of income coming in.” She takes a breath. “You can talk to me Sis.” 

“Let's go into the office. The ladies should be coming in soon.” I led her into my office not wanting to state what was going on when one of my employees could walk in. Once we are in the office I gesture for her to take a seat in front of my desk. I take a seat and my chair, bones creaking as I sit on the soft leather. She fixes me with a look telling me to start talking. 

“So I met my mates.” I sigh running a hand through my hair 

“You met your mate. That's good news right.” She starts rifling through the bag of food 

“Mates. Two of them.” She stops looking up at me 

“Two. Is that possible?” Her eyebrows nearly disappear into her hairline. 

“It is.” I lean back in my chair. “Incredibly rare but possible.” 

“So let me repeat my earlier question. That’s good news right?” 

“It’s complicated.” I bite my lower lip “The two of them are already mated. Sealed the bond and everything. But the bond only snapped for me.” 

“They don’t know.” Her voice drops in concern 

“No,they don’t.” 

“So what is stressing you out about it? You wouldn’t be leaving the house in the middle of the night over nothing?” 

“They are sending things down the bond. Images, emotions; it’s driving me crazy Gen.” 

“Shit, well can you block them out.” Mom had taught the two of us how to shield from Demati when we were younger. 

“I’ve tried; it only is able to dull it.” I fidget in my seat.  “It also doesn’t help that I keep seeing the two of them every time I go out into the city.” 

“Oh..” She hesitates “Do you mind if I ask who it is.?”  I quickly sent a few shadows out to make sure that the shop was still empty and that there were no busy bodies lurking around the shop. 

“It's the High Lord and Lady.” This was the first time I had ever said those words out loud. I guess I had thought that if I didn’t say it then I could pretend it wasn’t real and that it didn’t bother me. Gen lets out a low whistle.

“That does complicate things. I was going to tell you to grow a pair and tell them but fuck. The High Lord and Lady that… that makes things way more complex.” 

“You see why I am stressed now.” I can feel the ugly emotions filling my chest.

“Yeah, you are in the world's shittiest situation.” She lets out a sigh “It's not like you can go up to them and say hey I am your mate. Fuck I am sorry Sis.” 

I let out a wet laugh, a few tears escaped my eyes and rolled down my cheeks “ There’s nothing for you to apologize for. I just got dealt a shitty hand by the mother.” 

“Are you going to…” She trails off. I know what she was going to say though. It wasn’t something that was talked about often and not in polite company. Rejecting the bond. 

“It’s an option, and I am considering it. I want to ask a few friends of mine in Day about it first though. Since it hasn’t snapped for them they shouldn’t notice but I would like some confirmation first.” It helped that I had friends in other courts that I could gather information from; and there was no better place for information than  the Day Court.

“I will support whatever decision you make. You deserve to be happy Sis, and if your happiness is achieved by breaking the bond then do it.” 

The conversation between us dies after that as she passes me a blueberry muffin from the bag. Seems she stopped by our favorite bakery before heading over here. Time seems to fly too quickly and all too soon Gen has to leave for work leaving me here by myself. Although I’m not on my own for too much longer as my employees start trickling in.

The day seems to stretch on and on as clients make their way into the shop for fittings or to pick up their orders. The dull chatter of my employees and the various customers buzzes in my ears as I methodically pull a small needle through water-like silk. It's hard to make out any distinguishable conversation from behind my office door. Today seems like one of those days when time is just suspended and I can work in peace. There is a quiet content hum from my mates bond; one of the few times that I haven't felt heightened emotions from either of them. 

A soft knock shatters the silence of the office, effectively breaking the spell of tranquility that had fallen over me 

“Come in.” My voice cracks just a bit from not using it. The door squeaks open as a familiar head of midnight hair pokes in. Violet eyes twinkle in amusement as a smile grows across his stupidly handsome face. 

“Sweetheart!” The door swings open the rest of the way as Rhysand swaggers his way into my office like he owns it. I am quick to stand from my desk. 

“High lord.” I give him a polite curtsy, slamming my mental shields up before meeting his gaze

“How many times do I have to tell you it's Rhys?” He laughs before taking a seat in one of the leather chairs in front of my desk. “ So are you ready for my fitting or should I come back later.”  

Shit… Shit shit shit. I had completely forgotten that he was on my books for his second fitting today. It wasn’t like I was completely unprepared. No his suit was ready for the fitting but I was nowhere near mentally prepared for a fitting and not having slept the night before was going to be the actual death of me. 

“No, you are fine.” I move from behind the desk “Let me go grab your suit and we will get you out of here in no time.” 

“No need to rush, I quite enjoy your company.” I cannot afford to focus on my racing heart right now. I need to get him out of this shop as quickly as possible. I move through the back of the shop with practiced ease quickly locating the High Lord’s suit hanging neatly next to the High Lady’s gown. The two pieces were works of art in themselves that compliment each other. The suit as dark as the night sky embossed fabric giving the illusion of swirling depths. The dress flowed off the hanger like liquid moonlight, the delicate silk the identical twin to my own gown. Small gems sewn into the bodice catch and reflect the light like the stars that will make their journey across the sky on Starfall. For as much as I don’t want to care about the two, these pieces tell a different story. If I wasn’t just a little bit attached to the two of them I would have passed the designs along to another dressmaker and been done with it; but now I painstakingly designed and sewn these garments for my mates. I let out a small sigh before reaching up to grab the suite. Once I get back to my office I am quick to pass the suit off to Rhys directing him to the small changing area at the back of the office. I quickly begin to route around my desk for my supplies.  

An hour, all I have to do is make it an hour and then I will be free of Rhysand for the time being. It feels like forever before he walks out from behind the curtain. It is only years of working with Rhysand that keeps me from gasping out. If the suit was beautiful on the hanger and dress form it is absolutely stunning on the male it was made for. Rhys makes his way over to the platform and mirror in the office stepping up before moving to fuss with the cuffs. 

“This is a beautiful suit Sweetheart.” He moves to pick off the smallest piece of lint on the  collar. I move to stand behind him to begin the process of adjusting the way the suit sits on Rhysand.

We continued the song and dance that we had done for many years to get the suit to fit him perfectly. I can't help the small ache in my chest as I circle around him placing pins and chalk lines where minute alterations need to be made. Rhys is beaming the whole time chatting away like we hadn’t seen each other just the other day. I can feel the long day in my bones, my hands ache from the countless hours of work. My fingertips are raw from the amount of times I have jammed pins and needles into them. While I try to appropriately match Rhys energy, it's easy to tell that he isn’t buying the act. 

“You seem tired.” He arches a brow at me as I move to pin the hem of his pants. 

“My mates kept me up last night.” A mischievous glint grows in his violet eyes.

“Oh. They kept you up .” He teased but hidden in the back of his teasing tone seemed to be a bit of jealousy… possessiveness. 

“Yeah the two of them kept sending all of their emotions down the bond last night.” I sigh looking up at him from my spot on the floor 

“Two mates…” He stumbles with his words. He hasn’t done that since he was a teen and I was helping my father with his fitting “The mother has blessed you.” 

“Blessed or cursed.” I put the pins down. 

“Cursed.” He questions

“The bond only snapped for me.” A small sad smile grows on my face.  My mental shields are intact and stronger than ever and it's not like I can tell Rhys that he and Feyre are my mates. 

“Have you told them?” He questions, holding a hand out to help me from the floor 

“No. The two of them have already sealed the bond and have started their own perfect little family.” It feels like an Illyrian has punched me in the gut as I make this confession to him “I don’t want to ruin that for them.” 

“So what are you planning to do?” He tilts his head looking at me in sympathy “ Because you seem to have wilted these past few months. 

“I have a few things I am thinking about doing. I want to seek out a few friends in Day first before committing to it.”

“Committing to what Sweetheart?” he gazes at me with concern 

“Breaking the bond.” And as those words leave my lips you can see the color drain from his face.

Tag list: @rachelnicolee @goldenmagnolias @jesssicapanigua @sweetorangeblossom @cat-or-kitten @alowint @dream-alittlebiggerdarling @coldpeachkitten @esposadomd @araneea92 @saltedcoffeescotch @persephonesalvatore

[bunny-hwa]

Popular, Boy

☆03: The first betrayal.

Pairing: Nerd!Hongjoong x Popular!Reader

Genre: +18, slow burn, angst, smut, drama, dark academic, love triangle.

wc: 8,6k

Summary: Tensions simmer as alliances fracture , and lines are crossed; forcing one unexpected figure to take a stand. But every choice has a price, and betrayal lurks where it's least expected.

Leaving friendship and loyalties hanging by a thread.

Warnings: Cursing, verbal abuse, public humiliation, emotional manipulation, power dynamics, fluff, SMUT (MDN!!) Sub!Hongjoong, Virgin!Hongjoong, oral (m receiving) cum eating, use of pet names (good boy) suggestive.

Series masterlist

☆02 ☆04

The next few days passed in a whirlwind of your world enveloping Hongjoong entirely.

On monday, you made a show of having Hongjoong walk you to class, your hand looped through his arm as if he were some prized accessory. Your laugh rang out in the hallway, over-exaggerated yet charming enough to keep everyone’s attention firmly on you.

Hongjoong smiled sheepishly, still unsure how to navigate this new role. Despite your guidance, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being out of place, like a puzzle piece forced into the wrong picture.

By Tuesday afternoon, your curiosity got the better of you.

"You’re always talking about books and nerdy stuff." You teased, leaning against the library’s entrance "Show me what’s so interesting about it."

He blinked in surprise, adjusting the strap of his backpack. He wasn’t sure if you were serious or just looking for another way to flaunt your dominance. Still, the chance to share a piece of himself was oddly appealing.

"Uh, okay." He said, leading you to a quiet corner of the library.

You trailed behind, your heels clicking softly against the tiled floor. When you reached the shelves, Hongjoong’s demeanor shifted. His posture relaxed as he ran his fingers along the spines of the books, his face lighting up in a way you hadn’t seen before.

"This one’s incredible," He said, pulling a worn paperback from the shelf. The cover featured a pirate ship hurtling through the clouds. "It’s about a crew exploring the universe, trying to find a new home after their planet’s destroyed. The writing is just… amazing."

You arched a brow, your manicured nails tapping lightly against the edge of a nearby table. "Sounds... intense."

"It is," Hongjoong replied eagerly, flipping through the pages "But it’s also about relationships and survival. You’d like it, I think."

You leaned closer, taking the book from him, inspecting it like a rare artifact "You think I’d like it? Bold assumption."

Hongjoong chuckled nervously "Well, maybe not the battles. But the characters… they’re complicated, just like you."

Your lips curved into a smirk, and you handed the book back "Careful, Hongjoong. You’re starting to sound charming."

You spent the next hour browsing, with Hongjoong pointing out his favorite authors and you occasionally picking up a book just to make a witty comment about its cover. It was strange, almost surreal.

YN Clarke, the queen bee, immersed in his world.

At one point, you plopped down on a cushioned chair and crossed your legs elegantly.

"Okay, impress me." You said, holding out a slim notebook you had pulled from your bag. He hesitated, then sat across from you, scribbling a quick sketch of the pirate ship he’d described earlier. He showed it to you shyly, half-expecting a sarcastic remark. Instead, you studied it thoughtfully. "Not bad," You admitted, handing it back "Maybe you’re not as boring as I thought."

Your words were teasing, but the tone was softer, almost approving.

For the first time, Hongjoong felt like you were seeing him, not as a project or a pawn, but as something more. But just as quickly as the moment came, it passed.

You stood, brushing imaginary dust off your skirt "Alright, nerd. Let’s go. I’m starving."

"Where to?" He asked, slipping the notebook back into his bag.

"Back to my place," You said with a wink "You can show me more of your… fascinating hobbies while we snack."

As you left the library, Hongjoong couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of pride and unease. Your approval was addictive, but at what cost?

That afternoon was spent at your house, watching movies or listening to music in your plush room. You sprawled out on your bed, phone in hand, while Hongjoong sat awkwardly on the edge.

"You can relax, you know," You teased, patting the space beside you.

He hesitated before joining you, feeling your warmth radiate beside him. You tilted your head to look at him, your lips curving into a soft, knowing smile.

"See? This isn’t so bad."

By Wednesday, you had fully integrated Hongjoong into your routine. You sit with him at lunch, laughing at his jokes, and an odd sincerity in your gaze when you look at him.

For a moment, the lingering tension, the unspoken dynamics, and the ever-watchful shadow of Dann keeps Hongjoong’s heart uneasy, even as he tries to enjoy the fleeting comfort of your charm.

Little did you know, the world you were teetering on the edge of, was about to shift once again.

✮ ⋆

That same day, the tension between Seonghwa and you had reached a boiling point. It wasn’t just about your weird relationship anymore, it was about the power shift that Hwa couldn’t ignore.

You had been spending all your time with the nerd, and he couldn’t stand being sidelined.

At lunch, Seonghwa makes his move.

You are at your usual table, Hongjoong at your side, your heads bent close as you laugh over some private joke. His jaw tightens at the sight.

Without waiting for an invitation, he walks over, towering above you “YN,” He says curtly, his voice cutting through your laughter “We need to talk.”

You barely glance up, your gaze cool. “About what?”

“Alone.” He insists, his tone sharp.

Your lips curl into a faint smirk “If it’s so important, you can say it here.”

Seonghwa’s eyes flicks to Hongjoong, who stiffs slightly under his gaze “Fine,” He says tightly, crossing his arms “What’s with you? Ever since the party, it’s been all about him.” He jerks his chin toward Hongjoong “You’ve barely said two words to me.”

“So?”

Seonghwa let out a bitter laugh “You’re unbelievable. I get it now. He’s your new toy, right? Your latest project… What’s the plan, YN? To make him worship you till you get bored?”

Your eyes narrow as you rise slowly from your seat, meeting Seonghwa head-on “You’ve got some nerve, Park. Is this jealousy? Or are you just mad that you’re no longer the center of my world?”

He steps closer, his voice lowering but his words sharper “You think I’m mad because you’re ignoring me? No, Clarke. I’m mad because I know you, and I know how this ends. You ignore me and then come back to me like nothing happened, it's tiring.”

“Stop complaining, I can handle myself.”

“Can you?” Hwa shoots back, leaning in slightly, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “What would your brother think if he knew about your little extracurricular activities? The drinking? The parties? The weed?”

Hongjoong frowns at his words. Brother? Do you have a brother?

Your composure cracks further. The mention of your older brother makes your stomach twist. You could almost feel the sting of his hand across your face, the disappointed look in his eyes as he coldly tells your parents everything.

“Careful, Hwa. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I know plenty. Imagine if your brother finds out. What’s his name again? Oh, right—Mr. Perfect. He still thinks you’re his sweet, innocent little sister, doesn’t he?” Seonghwa grinds, he isn’t done “How do you think he would react if he found out about all the bad things you've done since he left? Or better yet, how do you manipulate people and toss them aside like trash? Bet he wouldn’t be too proud of his baby sister then.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” You say between your teeth, almost a murmur.

“Oh, I would,” His grin gets bigger “He’s abroad, isn’t he? Perfect son, perfect man... but if he found out about all this?” He gestures vaguely around “How long before he tells your parents? Or better yet, how long before he comes back and shows you what happens when you ruin his perfect family image?”

For a moment, all your confidence falters. Your heart racing at the memory of your brother… your parents’ golden child, the one person you couldn’t afford to disappoint. But you recover quickly, your smirk returning like armor.

“Nice try, Seonghwa. But let’s not forget that you have secrets too. Drinking? Drugs? You think your parents wouldn’t care? You’re a Park. Your last name is everything. What would your father say if he knew his precious son was sneaking around doing God-knows-what? How long do you think that reputation of yours would last?” Hwa’s smirk froze, his confidence visibly shaken for the first time “That’s what I thought,” You continue with an icy voice “So don’t come at me with fucking threats unless you’re prepared to deal with the fallout.”

He scoffs, his frustration evident as he turns and walks away “You’ll regret this.” He mutters under his breath before disappearing into the crowd.

As Seonghwa walks away, your mask slips for just a second, jaw clenching and your eyes flashing with anger and fear.

Hongjoong frowns confused “What was that about? Is he threatening you?”

You exhale sharply, brushing off his concern “Don’t worry about it. Seonghwa’s all talk.”

But your voice lacks its usual conviction, and Hongjoong isn't entirely convinced.

As you return to your conversation, your mind churns, plotting your next move. Whatever it takes, you’d make sure your secrets stay buried.

✮ ⋆

After lunch, your mood seemed lighter to anyone who didn’t know you well, but Hongjoong could see the subtle tension in your shoulders, the slight edge to your voice.

You barely touched your food, and your eyes kept darting around the cafeteria, likely searching for Seonghwa.

As the bell rings and students begin to shuffle to their next classes, you grab Hogjoong’s arm, pulling him close

“We’re skipping.” You announce, leaving no room for argument.

“What? YN, I can’t—”

“You can, and you will.” You interrupt him, locking your gaze with his “I need to relax, and you’re going to help me. Now come on.”

Without waiting for a response, you drag him through the hallway, your grip firm as you lead him to a quiet, empty classroom on the far side of the building.

“YN, what’s going on?” He asks as you close the door behind you, the soft click of the lock making his heart race.

You turn to face him, your expression unreadable for a moment before a sly smirk creeps into your lips.

“You’re going to make me forget about Seonghwa and his stupid threats.”

Hongjoong blinks, caught off guard by your sudden shift in tone “What does that mean?”

“It means,” You step closer to him, your fingers toying with the collar of his shirt “That I need a distraction. And you’re it.”

His breath hitch as your hands slid to his chest “YN, I don’t think—”

“Stop thinking, Kim.” You whisper, lips brushing against his ear “Just do what I say.”

Before he can respond, you press yourself against him, your lips finding his in a heated kiss. His resolve crumbles almost instantly, his hands finding your hips as you deepen the kiss.

You push him back against the desk, movements confident and calculated. As you straddle him, your fingers trail teasingly along the waistband of his pants, your touch light but deliberate, as you glance up at him with a sly smirk.

He holds his breath for a sec, his hands gripping your hips tightly. He looks down at you, wide-eyed and unsure, but there is no mistaking the nervous excitement that flickers in his gaze.

“You’re so tense, Joongie.” You purr with a soft but teasing tone “Relax. I’ll take care of everything.”

Your fingers toy with the fabric for a moment longer before tugging gently, letting his pants slide down his hips, and letting free his length already hard as a fuck.

Is he hard with just a few kisses? Cute

Taking a deliberate step closer, your hands gliding up his thighs as you position yourself between his legs, arching your back as you go down on your knees, your smirk growing as you notice the way his whole body tenses.

Hongjoong’s feels his face burning, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts as he struggles to meet your gaze. He swallows hard, trying to focus on breathing, but his chest feels tight, like all the air has been sucked out of the room.

He's never been in situations like this before, he doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know where to look, at your hands, at your face, at the classroom door, but his eyes keep drifting back to you, to you in a way he can't control.

He doesn't want to give you any more signs of his embarrassing virginity, but he can't help but feel tense.

“You look like you’re about to pass out.” A soft chuckle leaves your lips, the panic in his eyes seems tender to you “Relax, babe. Just enjoy it.”

His voice cracks as he tries to respond, but all that comes out is a strangled sound. You raise an eyebrow, clearly enjoying his reaction. You let your hands glide up his sides, nails grazing his skin ever so lightly.

“Do you want me to suck you off?” You inquire, looking up, connecting your gaze with his. You wait patiently for an answer by stroking his skin with your fingertips.

Shit, Hongjoong doesn't want to accept it, but you look fucking cute that way.

Kneeling in front of him.

Hongjoong’s jaw drops slightly, and he nods so quickly it's almost comical “Y-Yeah… please.” He stammers, his words barely audible.

“Good boy.” You murmur with a satisfied grin, your fingers brushing over his trembling hands as you guide one up to your head “Hold on if you want. I don’t mind.”

His touch is hesitant, his fingers barely tangling in your soft hair as if he is afraid to push too far. You roll your eyes with a playful smirk, your hands holding his thighs steady as you lean in.

His thick cock is firmly against his stomach, it has a deep shade of pink, and some pre-cum at the tip, its the prettiest dick you've ever seen.

Everything about Kim Hongjoong is pretty.

You hold the base, your fingers barely touching the skin, you start slow with kitty licks on the tip as you test his reactions. Hongjoong’s breaths come in uneven gasps, his chest rising and falling as he tries to process everything happening.

Your hands hold his thighs firmly, keeping him grounded, but his body seems to move on its own, shifting slightly as he instinctively searches for more.

He squeezes his eyes shut, biting his lip to keep from making a sound when suddenly you put all his length in your mouth, the warm feeling of your lips around his dick make his head spin in pleasure.

Soft whimpers escape him as he tilts his head back slightly, relaxing under your touch, enjoying the moment.

Fuck, he never understood why his male classmates always talked about blowjobs as if it were the best thing in the world, and now that he is in this situation, he understands them.

The warm feeling of your mouth around him, the wet sound that comes every time you bob your head, your hand stroking where your mouth can't reach, and the pleasure sounds you let out while savoring every little inch of his cock.

Goddammit! This is the best experience a virgin boy could have.

You glance up at him, relishing the way his head tilts back, his lips part, and his entire being is consumed by the sensation.

Every gasp, and every shaky exhale from his mouth feeds your ego.

“You’re so easy to please.” You tease, pulling back just enough to flash him a knowing smile.

His voice is barely a whisper as he mutters.

“YN, I…”

“Shh.”

As you continue sucking him off, you caress his thighs, and try to enjoy every part of his length. Savoring every inch of his dick, the softness of his tip stroking the back of your throat, the taste of the pre-cum on your tongue…

Fuck, you’re getting more than horny for this nerd.

Hongjoong feels himself nearing the edge, his breaths coming faster, his grip on your hair tightening just slightly causing you to whine. His whole body trembles, his hips moving involuntarily as he tries to hold on, but it's too much.

He is literally fucking your mouth, you couldn't be anything but happy, and your satisfied moan made it clear.

“Fuck… I-I’m close.” He whines with shaky breath, his hips moving a little faster.

You almost let out another whine when you hear him curse for the first time, you didn't think hearing it would make your skin crawl with excitement.

Motivated by the sweet sounds coming out of his lips, you move your head faster, applying more force with your tongue.

Hongjoong gets louder, forgetting where he is for a moment. His gasps turn into soft, needy whimpers, his free hand clutching at the desk behind him as if it was the only thing keeping him on the ground, and with one final moan, he finally reaches his limit, his whole body tenses, his breath catching in his throat as a broken moan escapes him.

“Shit…”

His vision is hazy, but he can appreciate the way you swallow all his load, licking every drop like it's your last meal.

He closes his eyes cursing internally, that is the hottest thing he's ever seen and experienced in his fucking life.

The best of all? It was with you.

When you pull back, just a little to watch his pretty face. You smirk to yourself, knowing that you have him completely undone. A satisfied grin spreads across your face as he slumps back against the desk, utterly tired.

When he finally regulates his breathing, Hongjoong can't bring himself to meet your eyes, his face burning with embarrassment and something else…. something like awe.

“See? Told you I’d take care of it.” You say smugly, standing and cleaning the edge of your mouth, removing any traces of lipstick.

Hogjoong looks up at you, his face red, his chest still heaving “I… I don’t even know what to say.”

You giggle “Don’t say anything.” His tender demeanor makes you laugh a little “Just remember who made you feel this good.”

You approach him to give him one last kiss, Hogjoong groans, he can taste himself in your mouth.

When you break the kiss he looks at you with something new in his eyes, you're not sure what it is, but as long as he's by your side doing everything you ask without question, you won't complain.

From that day on, Hongjoong could only think about you and the amazing first blowjob he received that day.

Maybe he should thank Seonghwa for making you angry.

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

That week had been amazing for you and Hongjoong, every interaction and every moment made you feel genuinely closer, and not only because of the small deal you made that day in the school's garden.

There was something more between the two of you but you didn't want to accept it.

However; that whole week was a martyrdom for Dann, you keeped asking her to do uncountable tasks that she can barely have time to do on her own.

In the mornings before going to school, you asked her to bring you breakfast in bed, to organize some things in your backpack, and to carry the books or folders with the work she did for you.

During school hours, you asked her to bring your things to your classroom and a matcha latte before the first class started. At lunch she would go get your and your friends' food.

She looked like a small waitress going from one end to the other with trays in hand.

And when she thought she could rest at home, you called her to do your homework and projects, in addition to cleaning your room, which by the way there was nothing to clean anymore... you just wanted her to waste her time.

One of the things that bothered Dann the most was the fact that not only did you order her what to do, but your friends also asked her to do small errands when they visited your home.

'I'm not their servant,' she used to repeat when Mindy or someone else asked her for something, but your strong gaze and your perfect raised eyebrow forced her not to reproach and to do what they asked.

She was tired, tired of your orders and mistreatment. The worst of all is that no one could help her. Your parents, especially your dad, were okay with you treating her like your personal doll, so she couldn't complain to them.

On the other hand, her mother could only look at her with pity every time your voice calling for her was heard. Dann complained every day to his mother about the things you made her do and she just hugged her, patted her on the back and said it would all be over soon....

But when will it be that, a week has passed and she feels desperate for this martyrdom to end.

Another thing that bothered Dann was the fact that Hongjoong was by your side all the time and watched the daily humiliations without doing anything, without defending her.

They're not supposed to be friends? Why doesn't he defend her as she did several times?

“I want to go shopping.”

Your voice slices through the fog of Dann’s thoughts, yanking her back to reality. She blinks at you with a blank expression, already bracing herself for whatever new errand or degrading task you have in mind.

“Have fun.” Hongjoong says casually, flashing one of his rare, easygoing smiles.

Your perfectly manicured fingers gently swat his arm, your playful grin in stark contrast to the command that follows “You’re coming with me, silly.”

He blinks, taken aback “Wait, me?” He asks, the confusion on his face almost comical.

“Of course. You don't want to come with me?” You tilt your head, feigning innocence, but the glint in your eyes reveals your true intention. You weren't asking him, you were telling him.

Hongjoong hesitates for a moment, his gaze flicking toward Dann, who shrinks back into herself, pretending not to listen.

“I... uh—”

You cut him off, stepping closer and lowering your voice “Don’t tell me you’re saying no, Kim Hongjoong.”

He responds immediately to your harsh tone when saying his name “Shopping it is.”

You clap your hands together in mock excitement “Perfect! You can meet me outside in ten minutes. Oh,” You turn to Dann, a sickly sweet smile spreading across your face, “And you’re coming too. I’ll need someone to carry my bags.”

Dann’s stomach knots as she swallows back a retort. She wants to argue, to tell you she has better things to do, but the cold, expectant look you throw her way dares her to say otherwise.

“I’ll... grab my things.” Dann mutters, her voice barely above a whisper.

You watch her retreating figure with a satisfied smirk, then you turn back to Hongjoong, your tone softening “We’re going to have a lot of fun!”

✮ ⋆

The luxury mall gleams under the bright lights, filled with the chatter of shoppers and the faint sound of background music. You move through the aisles of an upscale clothing store with an air of authority, Hongjoong walks beside you gladly holding your hand while Dann follows at a distance, burdened with shopping bags that seem to multiply by the minute.

You pause your walk in front of a mannequin dressed in a sharp blazer and slim-fit pants.

“This is perfect for you.” You turn to Hongjoong, your eyes scanning him with a mix of scrutiny and mischief “Put it on. Let me see.”

He hesitates, glancing at the price tag “It's so expensive.”

You step closer, your fingers brushing lightly against his as you take the tag out of his hand.

“Don’t look at the price. Your only job is to look good for me.” Hongjoong’s cheeks flush, but he nods and takes the blazer to the fitting room. You turn to Dann, your smirk widening “Careful, Dann. Those bags are worth more than your tuition. Don’t drop them.”

Dann glares at you, but she says nothing, her grip tightening on the handles.

Moments later, Hongjoong reemerges, the blazer fitting him like it was tailored just for him.

Your eyes light up as you clap your hands “I knew it! You look incredible, Joongie!”

You step closer, tugging at the lapels to adjust them. Your hands linger, smoothing the fabric over his chest before trailing down to his forearm. Hongjoong stands frozen, his breath catching as your touch sends a spark through him.

It's only been two days since that incredible blowjob, an act too intimate in his opinion, but he still can't help but feel shy about your touch and presence in general.

You lean teasingly close enough that he can feel your breath “I might just keep you dressed like this all the time. You look hot.”

Hongjoong chuckles nervously, his face bright red. Your lips curve into a sly smile, and before he can react, you lean in, brushing your lips softly against his mouth. Giving him a little peak.

“Consider it a reward for being such a good boy.”

He feels his ears burn, and his pulse racing at the sudden show of affection. Also; that pet name makes him feel something he shouldn't.

Dann, standing a few feet away, shifts uncomfortably, her expression a mix of bitterness and hurt.

✮ ⋆

You are sitting in a plush chair, slipping on a pair of sleek red stilettos. You stretch your leg out, admiring the way the shoes accentuate your figure. Hongjoong sits nearby, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, while Dann sits on a bench surrounded by luxury brand bags with all your purchases.

You glance up at Hongjoong with a mischievous smile “What do you think? Pretty?”

You tilt your foot, the curve of the stiletto catching the light.

Hongjoong stammers, his eyes darting nervously “Uh… They’re… pretty.”

“Is that all you’ve got?”

You stand, crossing the short distance to him. Placing your hands on the arms of his chair, leaning closer, your face inches from his.

“Say it like you mean it, Joong.”

He swallows hard, his voice barely above a whisper “You’re stunning.”

You smirk, clearly pleased. You straighten up, brushing a hand lightly across his shoulder as you walk back to your seat.

“That 's better. I like it when you’re honest.”

Dann shifts awkwardly, her eyes darting between you two. You notice and smirk again,

“We’ll take these. And those boots too.” You say to the salesperson with a sweet smile.

“YN, you really don’t need to buy me things.”

“Hongjoong…” You cut him off as you step closer again “I want to do it.”

Your thumb brushes lightly over his shirt, and he nods, his breath hitching.

Dann looks away, her face tight as she pretends not to notice.

✮ ⋆

All of you step out into the cool evening air, the weight of the shopping bags palpable, well… at least for Dann.

You walk confidently ahead, your hand joined with Hongjoong's was becoming a habit, casual intimacy.

“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it? Shopping is fun.” You tease with a grin.

Hongjoong chuckles nervously, his gaze darting to the bags Dann carries.

“I feel bad, though. About, you know… her.”

Your smile falters slightly, but you recover quickly, tightening your grip on his hand.

“She needs this. It’s character building.” You stop abruptly, turning to face him. Your free hand reaches up to toy with the collar of his denim jacket “And you need this too. You’re not the same guy you were last week, Hongjoong.” You lean in, your lips capturing his, lingering just enough to make his knees weak “You’re mine now. Don’t forget that.”

Hongjoong nods, his heart pounding as you lead him to your car.

Behind you, Dann struggles to keep up, her expression a mixture of bitterness and heartbreak.

YN and Hongjoong holding hands.

YN brushing her lips against his in fleeting, possessive kisses.

YN laughing, her voice light and carefree, while Hongjoong smiled at her like she hung the stars.

Each glance they shared felt like a dagger. It wasn’t just the weight of the bags that left Dann breathless; it was the sight of Hongjoong, her Joong, so completely absorbed into your orbit.

Dann swallows the lump in her throat as a sharp ache settles in her chest. She had known this day would come…. the day Hongjoong is fully absorbed into your world, but it didn’t make it any easier.

For every bag she carried, there was another piece of herself being stripped away, replaced by bitter envy and an unbearable sense of invisibility.

By the time they reached your sprawling mansion, the sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. The estate was as imposing as ever, with its perfectly manicured lawns and grand double doors.

You toss your keys to the porter, your demeanor as effortless and commanding as always.

“Let’s head up to my room,” You say, turning to Hongjoong with a smile that could light up the night “Snacks and a movie sound good?”

Hongjoong hesitates, glancing at Dann, who stands at the base of the grand staircase, clutching the bags like they were her lifeline.

It's not the first time he's spent the afternoon at your house, but having Dann right there watching your interactions makes guilt consume him.

“Uh… yeah, sure.” He mumbles, torn between your intoxicating pull and the pang of remorse that lingers whenever he sees Dann.

“Dann.” You call sharply, breaking Hongjoong’s thoughts “Take these up to my closet. Organize everything by type and color. Oh! And tell your mom to bring up snacks for us in ten minutes.”

Dann’s stomach churn, but she nods, her jaw tightening as she obeys.

Inside your room, the atmosphere is a world away from the cold detachment of the mansion downstairs. The expansive space is bathed in soft pastel tones, luxurious fabrics, and delicate lighting from the ornate chandeliers.

Despite its size and splendor, the room always feels surprisingly intimate.

You plop into the oversized bed, tossing your designer heels to the floor without care as you pat the spot beside you, looking at Hongjoong with an expectant smirk.

“Come on, don’t be weird about it. Sit.”

Hongjoong sits down, his posture stiff despite the number of times he's been there now. You roll your eyes, leaning into him with playful ease. “Relax, Joongie. I don’t bite… unless you want to.” You tease, running a hand lightly over his arm.

He gives you a little shy smile, but says nothing.

The movie began playing on the massive screen, though neither of you seemed particularly interested in it. You lean back against his shoulder, your head resting there comfortably.

You grab a handful of popcorn from the tray one of the maids had just delivered, holding a piece up to his lips, fingers brushing against his mouth as you feed him, and you smirk when you notice him blush.

As Hongjoong grows more comfortable, his gaze wanders around your room. His eyes caught on a silver-framed photo on your nightstand. It shows you smiling—truly smiling—beside a tall, impeccably dressed man with striking features.

“Is he your brother? The one that Seonghwa mentioned that day?” He asks cautiously, nodding toward the photo.

Your teasing smirk falters for a moment, and your body stiff slightly against him. You sit up and grab the frame, holding it in your hands as your eyes trace over the image.

“Yeah… That’s Mike.”

Hongjoong sense a shift in your tone, the lightness replace by something far heavier “I didn't know you had a brother.”

“Almost no one knows, only a few. He’s... perfect. The perfect son, the perfect student, the perfect everything.” Your fingers grip the frame a little tighter “He’s the reason I’ll never be good enough for my parents, no matter what I do.”

He frowns, leaning in slightly “YN...”

You force a small laugh, though it sounds hollow “He’s studying abroad now, getting his business master’s degree. Every time he comes back, it’s just to remind me how much better he is at everything. And if he ever found out about... stuff, he’d make sure my parents knew. It’d be game over for me.”

Your words falter as if Seonghwa’s voice still echoes in your mind from that day in the cafeteria.

'How do you think he would react if he found out about all the bad things you've done since he left?'

Hongjoong shifts closer, his hand resting gently on yours as you hold the photo “YN, nobody’s perfect—not even him. And you’re not... you’re not as bad as you think you are.”

You look at him, lips pressing into a tight line “You don’t know him, Hongjoong. He would... he’d destroy me if he knew half the things I’ve done.” Your voice cracks slightly, and you quickly look away.

Hongjoong hesitates before squeezing your hand gently “Maybe he’s not as invincible as you think. Maybe he’s got his own flaws, like everyone else.”

You let out a bitter laugh, wiping at your eye quickly as if you would never show vulnerability for too long.

“That’s generous of you.”

“No, it’s honest. You’re more than whatever shadow he’s cast over you. I mean it.”

For a moment, you just stare at him. Your usual sharpness seems to melt away, replaced by something softer, something raw. Then you set the photo back on the nightstand, your hand lingering on it briefly.

“Thanks…” You murmur, so softly it's almost inaudible.

He leans back with you again, letting you rest your head on his shoulder once more. Neither of you say anything, but the silence isn’t uncomfortable.

It’s a rare moment of understanding, one they both seem to need.

As Dann carries the bags upstairs, she hears the faint sounds of your laughter and Hongjoong’s responses through the closed bedroom door.

Her heart twists, the weight of the shopping bags nothing compared to the invisible burden she carries.

Dann unpacks the bags in your enormous closet, her hands moving automatically as her mind replays every painful moment of the day. When she finishes, she sits on the edge of your chaise lounge, staring at the floor.

From the hallway, she hears soft laughter and murmurs from your room, each sound a reminder of how far you and Hongjoong have drifted apart.

Her mother passes by with a tray of tea, her face tight with worry as she glances at her daughter. Dann gives her a weak smile, but as the door to your room closes behind her mother, the bitterness and heartbreak she’d been holding back finally spills over.

She sits in silence, the faint echoes of your laughter stabbing at her like tiny needles.

In that grand mansion filled with people, Dann had never felt so utterly alone.

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

Once again, Dann sighs tired while she organizes your and your friends' drinks on the table.

“Careful, Dann. If you spill anything, that’s just more work for you.”

She wants to roll her eyes at your words but she doesn't want to make a scene.

“Honestly, she should be thanking you, YN. Who else would give her such a generous chance to repay her debt?”

Dann places the drinks carefully on the table, her hands trembling slightly from exhaustion and frustration. She doesn’t reply to those sharp comments, knowing that any response could worsen her situation.

Mindy laughs, taking a sip of her coffee “She’s like your little pet now, Babe. So obedient.”

Dann grits her teeth but keeps her head down, focusing on arranging the drinks neatly “I’m not a pet.”

You raise an eyebrow, your sharp ears catching the quiet defiance “What was that, Dann?”

Dann stiffens, her hands clenching into fists by her sides. She looks up, meeting your cold gaze with as much courage as she can muster.

“I said I’m not a pet.”

The table goes silent for a moment, the air thick with tension. You lean back in the chair, crossing your legs elegantly. Your lips curve into a dangerous smile.

“Not a pet? Funny, because you’re doing a pretty good impression of one. Running around, fetching drinks, doing homework. Should I get you a designer leash next?”

Mindy and the others burst into laughter, and Dann feels her face burn with humiliation.

“YN, maybe that’s a bit much…” Hongjoong quietly, almost hesitantly says.

“Oh, now you have something to say? Where was this energy all last week when she was crying about carrying my books?”

Hongjoong looks down, not daring to meet your eyes. Dann glances at him, hoping for some semblance of solidarity, but he avoids her gaze entirely.

You sigh dramatically and turn your attention back to Dann “Now, Dann, let’s be clear. You ruined an expensive dress, so until I say otherwise, you’re working for me. Unless you’d rather I take the cost straight from your mom’s paycheck?”

Dann’s breath catches, and she clenches her fists tighter “No... I’ll keep working.”

“Good girl. Now, you’ve wasted enough time here. Go grab some snacks.”

Dann hesitates, her pride fighting against the inevitable, but ultimately she turns and walks toward the counter.

“Anyways, tomorrow I won't come, my father has a billion-dollar meeting and important executives will have dinner at my house, so don't miss me too much.” You drink your smoothie gracefully and your friends laugh.

“That's right, queen, I hope your dad gets those billions and can go on that summer trip that we have planned.”

“Of course it will be, my daddy is the best at his job.”

When Dann returns to the table, you look up at her with a saccharine smile “Took you long enough. Now clean this up, and make it quick. We’re leaving soon.”

Dann nods silently, her head low, as she leaves the snacks on the table and starts cleaning it. Her chest feels heavy, but she pushes the feelings down, knowing there’s no use fighting back.

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

It’s a rare day at school without you on her all the time. Dann feels a strange mix of relief and unease knowing you are back at your mansion, preparing for your father’s dinner.

With no errands to run for you, Dann finally has a moment to herself.

She sits quietly in the library with Jongho, Yeosang and Yunho, all of them engrossed in a shared book, when Hongjoong unexpectedly joins them.

“Hey, guys.” He greets them happily.

“Aren't you going to play at being popular today?” Jongho makes fun of him and he rolls his eyes while taking a seat next to Yunho.

“She is not here today Jongho….” Dann murmurs without taking her eyes out of the book, but then she frowns, looking at Hongjoong “Wait, why aren’t you with her friends? Did they give you the day off, too?”

“As you said, YN is not here. Why should I stay with her annoying friends? I prefer to hang out with you guys.” Hongjoong shrugs, smiling to see his friends here.

“Why?” Yeosang narrows his eyes at him.

This looked suspicious, for two weeks he ignored them as if they hadn't been friends since high school, and now he's coming back as if nothing happened.

“What do you mean, why? Can’t I just hang out with my friends?”

Yunho raises an eyebrow “We haven’t exactly been friends since... well, since you started following YN like a dog.”

Hongjoong lowers his gaze in sorrow “That’s not fair. Things are complicated with her.”

Jongho snorts “Complicated? That’s a nice way of putting it. You mean stupidity.”

Hongjoong shifts uncomfortably but doesn’t respond right away. Instead, he glances at the book in their hands.

“You’re still into these epic fantasy novels, huh? Guess some things never change.”

Yunho smiles softly “And you’re still into coding, I bet. Or did YN ban you from being a nerd?”

Everyone laughs at the tallest funny remark, even Hongjoong does.

“I sneak in some nerd time when she’s not looking.”

They fall into a familiar rhythm, talking about things they used to enjoy together. Books, games, and small, silly inside jokes.

For the first time in what feels like forever, they see a glimpse of the Hongjoong they used to know.

They had missed him a lot, but just as they’re laughing about an old shared memory, Mindy, one of your closest friends, spots them from across the library and strides over, her heels clicking against the floor.

“Well, isn’t this cozy? The nerd squad back in action.” She mocks.

“What do you want, Mindy?” Jongho is the first one to confront her.

“Oh, nothing. Just making mental notes for YN. You know how she gets when people step out of line, right Dann?”

“Why don’t you mind your own business for once?” She closes her book suddenly feeling angry at Mindy’s presence.

Mindy ignores her words, patting Hongjoong’s shoulder “Just giving you a friendly warning, Joong. YN’s not going to be thrilled when she hears about this little reunion. Better get your story straight before she does.”

Mindy saunters off, leaving behind an uneasy silence. Hongjoong looks conflicted, running a hand through his hair.

“She’s not here, Joong. You don’t have to let her control you every second of the day.” Yeosang says softly, feeling pity for his friend.

“It’s not that simple, you don’t get it.”

“Maybe we don’t. But you used to.”

They don't push further, but the words hang in the air. For a brief moment, Hongjoong feels a pang of guilt, a memory of simpler times when things weren’t so messy.

✮ ⋆

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, you are busy overseeing preparations for your father’s dinner when Mindy calls to report what she saw.

“Babygirl, you’re not going to like this, but guess who Hongjoong was spending his day with?”

You frown “What are you talking about?”

“Your little maid, Dann and the other freaks. They were all chummy in the library. It was kind of gross, honestly. Looked like they were best friends again.”

Your grip tightens around the phone. The thought of Hongjoong spending his time with his old friends you care little about, but with Dann… laughing with her, reminiscing. Sparks a flicker of jealousy and anger.

“Thanks for letting me know, babe.”

Cutting the call, you tell yourself it’s nothing. But the idea of Hongjoong slipping back to his old life, even for a moment, makes your blood boil.

The sound of the preparations for the business dinner echoes faintly through the mansion, but your focus is entirely on the phone.

Maybe you should remind Hongjoong which class he belongs to now.

Hongjoong’s phone buzzes just as he’s settling into class after his little encounter with his friends. His stomach drops when he sees your name pop up.

YN♡: I heard you were with Dann at school today. Care to explain why you thought that was a good idea?

Joong: We were just talking.

YN♡: Talking? Mindy says you were hanging out like old friends. Do you even realize how that makes me look?

Hongjoong hesitates, his mind racing. He knows your temper and doesn’t want to risk your wrath.

Joong: It’s not like that. I was just bored, and she’s… easy to be around when there’s nothing better to do.

The words feel wrong even as he types them, but he presses send anyway.

YN♡: Keep it in mind, Joongie. She’s not your friend anymore. You belong to me, remember that.

Joong: I know, YN. I won’t talk to her again. Promise.

✮ ⋆

It’s late in the evening. The business dinner is in full swing downstairs, but you have excused yourself to your room.

When you hear Dann come back from helping the staff, you call her up.

Dann knocks hesitantly on your door. She’s exhausted from helping clean up after the dinner preparations, but your icy summons gives her no choice.

“Close the door and sit.” With your head you point to the seat next to your large bed. Dann obeys, her hands clenching nervously in her lap “So, I heard you had a good time with Hongjoong today.”

Dann opens her mouth to start babbling “I… I didn’t mean anything by it. He just—”

“Oh, spare me. I already know everything.” You interrupt her.

You toss your phone onto the bed so Dann can see the screen. It’s open to Hongjoong’s messages.

Dann reads it, and her eyes moisten with sadness ‘easy to be around when there’s nothing better to do…’ Her heart sinks. The words sting more than she expected, and she feels a lump form in her throat.

“See? Even he knows where you stand. You’re nothing, Dann. A convenient distraction when he’s bored. That’s all you will ever be.” You lean back, watching the emotions flicker across Dann’s face; confusion, sadness, and humiliation.

“Why are you showing me this?” She whispers.

A mischievous smile lands on your lips “To remind you of your place. Don’t get too comfortable with Hongjoong. I don’t share what's mine.” Dann nods silently, unable to meet your gaze “Good. Now get out. I have to go back to an important dinner.”

You sit back down on your bed, satisfied but strangely restless while Dann stumbles out of the room, holding back tears.

As she retreats to the staff quarters her emotions swirl, the door clicks shut behind her, her legs give out, and she slides to the floor, the weight of your words pressing down on her chest.

She pulls her knees to her chest, resting her forehead against them as the messages replay in her mind.

‘Easy to be around when there’s nothing better to do.’

The words sting like a fresh wound, sharp and unrelenting. Hongjoong’s voice echoes in her head; not the Hongjoong she knew from before, the one who stayed up late helping her study for exams, who always made her laugh even when things were tough.

This Hongjoong felt like a stranger, someone who would say anything to stay in your good graces.

Her heart aches.

Why does she keep hoping he’ll be the person he used to be?

Dann clenches her fists, anger flickering alongside the sadness. Your smirk and your cruel words swirl in her thoughts, too. Dann knows your power, the way you can bend people like Hongjoong to your will.

But that doesn’t excuse him. He chose to say those things about her.

A single tear slips down her cheek, and she brushes it away furiously. She’s tired of feeling weak, tired of being the easy target.

"You’ll regret this, YN. One day, you’ll push too far, and everything you’ve built will crumble.” Dann exhales slowly, her tears finally dry “I can’t let her win. I won’t let her win."

✮ ⋆

Early the next morning, Dann wakes before dawn, the Clarke’s mansion still cloaked in silence.

She moves through her routine with mechanical precision, but her mind is elsewhere. Formulating, planning.

She thinks she owns me. That her words and her smirks can crush me into submission. And maybe, for a while, they did. But every cutting remark, every degrading task, only sharpens my focus.

'One day YN Clarke, you’ll realize I’m not as small as you think I am.'

She pulls on her simple clothes, smoothing the creases in the mirror. For a brief moment, her reflection stares back, eyes tired but filled with a quiet fire.

"I won't let her humiliate me anymore.”

Later that day at school in the cafeteria during lunch. You and your entourage sit at your usual table, the center of attention, laughing and chatting.

Dann approaches, carrying your latte on a tray. Her face is calm, but her heart races. She’s had enough of your endless demands and sharp tongue.

Dann’s fingers tighten around the tray. She can feel the weight of their stares, the way Mindy smirks at her like she’s a walking joke.

Her stomach churns, but she keeps her head high. She’s done everything you asked, swallowed every cruel word, and yet you still treat her like dirt.

‘One little accident wouldn’t hurt.’ She tells herself.

As she reaches the table, her hand shifts slightly, and the latte tilts; pouring straight into the table and your purse.

“What the hell?! Are you crazy?” You gasp with sharp voice

Dann feigns panic, though her lips twitch with suppressed satisfaction “I’m so sorry! It slipped!”

You stand abruptly, staring at your stained designer purse. Through gritted teeth “It slipped? You’ve got to be kidding me.” You scoff.

“Wow, Dann. Maybe YN’s been too nice to you.”

You narrow your eyes “You’re right, Mindy. I think Dann needs a reminder of her place.”

Dann’s satisfaction fades as Mindy steps behind her, pushing her forcefully down to her knees. The cafeteria goes silent, all eyes on the scene unfolding.

“What—what are you doing? I said I’m sorry!” Dann starts to panic, her confidence leaving immediately.

“Sorry isn’t enough.” You step closer, towering over Dann. Your voice drops, sharp and cruel “You think you’re clever, don’t you? Dropping my drink on purpose like a little brat. Let me make one thing clear. Your mother might work for my family, but that doesn’t mean you’re worth anything. You’re just a servant’s kid playing in a world you don’t belong to.”

Tears sting Dann’s eyes, but she bites her lip, refusing to cry. You smirk and Mindy crouches at Dann's height to whisper against her ear.

“Now, beg. Right here, in front of everyone. Beg for her forgiveness.”

“No... I won’t—” She shakes her head. You cut her off, stepping forward and pressing your Louboutin heel onto Dann’s hand “Stop! That hurts!” She yelps with tears rolling down her cheeks now.

You let out a slight laugh at her cries “That’s the point. Maybe next time, you’ll think twice before trying to humiliate me.”

The cafeteria is deathly quiet, the other students frozen, unsure whether to intervene.

Hongjoong stands a few feet away, frozen in shock. His stomach churns as you dig your heel into Dann’s hand, and your words like knives.

Hongjoong steps forward, raising his voice.

“YN, stop!”

You turn your head sharply, her eyes narrowing “Oh, What’s the matter, Joongie? Feeling guilty for siding with me?”

“This isn’t right. Let her go.”

You've never seen him so serious, for the first time his look made you feel intimidated. You blink several times before faking a smile.

“Fine. I’m in a good mood today.” You step back, your heel lifting off Dann’s hand.

She pulls her hand back, cradling it as she glances up at Hongjoong, his expression torn between anger and guilt. She wants to scream at him, to tell him it’s too late for him to play the good guy.

But instead, she swallows her pride, standing shakily and clutching her bruised hand. She doesn’t say another word. Instead, she stands up and walks out of the cafeteria, leaving the whispers and stares behind.

You watch her go, your lips curling into a satisfied smirk. Hongjoong’s angry glare doesn’t faze you; if anything, it’s amusing.

“You’re welcome to join her if you want. Maybe you two can cry about it together.”

He doesn’t respond, but the look he gives you says more than words ever could. He lets out a sigh and begins to walk in the direction Dann left.

You snort without being able to believe what you see “Fucking losers.”

Taking your phone, you open the chat you have with him.

YN♡: I hope you enjoy your return to the losers’ club, ungrateful pet.

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

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All rights reserved ♡bunny-hwa. Do not copy or translate my work.

[fideozepam]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𑣿ྀིྀ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐨

As the Marcellus family arrives to Rome, they brought along their daughter and gifts symbolizing compliance and respect. Their offerings met with the scrutinizing gazes of the now emperors of the powerful Roman dynasty.

The Marcellus villa buzzed alive with preparations as dawn broke. Servants scurried about, packing crates with fine cloths, silver and jars of olives and honey, that represented Lusitania’s loyalty to Rome.

Outside, a gleaming imperial carriage, emblazoned with the eagle of Rome, awaited. Soldiers stood at attention, their armor glinting in the sunlight, while horses snorted and pawed at the ground, ready for the long journey.

Camilla stood at the threshold, her mother fussing over the hem of her travel cloak. “You must make a good impression,” her mother murmured, smoothing the fabric. “You represent us now.”

Her mother’s hands trembled ever so slightly, though her face remained calm and focused. Tugging at the fabric and brushing away invisible specks of dust, her movements were deliberate, slow - as if she was stalling for more time with her little girl.

“I know,” Camilla replied, her voice barely audible. She glanced at her father, who stood silent, his face unreadable, though his eyes betrayed pride and sorrow.

In the Villa’s entrance, carriages awaited for them. Camilla bit her lip and glanced away, her eyes catching the horizon where the estate ended. She'd never been beyond that line before. The thought made her chest tighten.

Her mother straightened the brooch at Camilla's neck, her fingers lingering there a moment too long. When she finally looked up, their eyes met. For a heartbeat, they both froze, as if the world had gone still.

Without a word, her mother brushed a stray curl from her daughter's forehead, letting her hand linger just long enough for Camilla to feel the warmth of it. That simple touch spoke of years of comfort, protection, and love-things that no imperial palace or Roman luxury could ever replace.

Camilla blinked quickly, her vision blurring.

She reached out, gripping her mother's wrist. The older woman paused, squeezing her daughter's hand in return, her own trembling now fully visible.

The carriage driver cleared his throat, breaking the moment. Camilla let go reluctantly, her fingers slipping away from her mother's as if afraid they might break the fragile connection between them. As soon as the three of them got in, everything would start, marking her final steps on the land she was born in.

The carriage door opened, and Camilla stepped inside, her family following. As the wheels creaked forward, she watched their estate shrink into the distance. Her mother’s hand rested on hers, a steady anchor, but Camilla’s mind raced. She was leaving everything she knew—her home, her cat, her sisters, the quiet life of Lusitania—for a future she could scarcely imagine.

The days blurred together. The roads were smooth but long, the air thick with dust from the carriage wheels. At night, they stopped at bustling way stations where soldiers ate loudly and her father drank wine with the Roman envoy.

Camilla spent her evenings seated beneath the stars, trying to sketch the landscapes that passed them-rolling hills, dense forests, and eventually, the glittering sea.

But no drawing could calm her nerves.

At one point, the party crossed a river.

Soldiers rode ahead, their reflections wavering in the water. Camilla felt a pang of unease as she realized how far they'd come.

Her mother noticed her melancholy and tried to cheer her. "Rome will be magnificent," she said. "Think of the temples, the gardens, the people."

"I'm thinking." Camilla replied, managing a faint chuckle as she raised her eyebrows sarcastically, but her mind wandered. Would they treat her kindly? Would her new husband care for her? She was only seventeen and felt as fragile as the thin veils she wore.

“It will be better in Rome.” Her mother assured, caressing the back of her neck.

Two months later, Rome appeared on the horizon, vast and gleaming under the sun.

She pressed her face to the cool glass of the carriage window, her breath misting it. The city seemed alive-columns of smoke from chimneys, crowds hurrying along wide thoroughfares, a roar of voices that reached even out here.

They swept through the front gates, between statues of giants and banners of crimson and gold. Soldiers were at attention, saluting; people stopped and stretched their necks for a glimpse of the carriage and the so talked new bride.

Camilla's heart pounded as they approached the Palatine Hill, where Julia Domna was waiting.

"Remember," her father whispered, "you are no longer just our daughter. You are the Marcellus legacy."

With fingers intertwined in a vise-like grip, Camilla pressed her nails against the flesh of her hands to avoid breaking into tears. She had hardly touched down in Rome, yet it was almost as if she was being dissected for every move, every fault. She briefly glanced at her father, but his composed demeanor could not calm her spiraling thoughts.

Her unknown groom loomed large in her mind. Who was he? Would he be kind-or cruel? The rumors she had heard about Roman emperors whispered dark fates for their wives. What if he didn't like her? Worse, what if he hurt her? The thought made her shiver.

She cast a glance toward her mother, who, for once, seemed unreadable. Her mother's usual soothing presence felt distant, replaced by an expression Camilla couldn't quite decipher-pride? Worry?

Regret?

The carriage came to a halt, and the footman pulled open the door. Camilla's heart dropped as a wave of hushed silence swept over the gathered crowd. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay ahead, and stepped out into the dazzling sunlight, her mind still tangled with dread and the haunting question: What if he's a monster?

The grand hall was alive with murmurs, the expectations of the gathered senators, politicians, and dignitaries palpable. As the Marcellus family crossed the threshold, they were immediately met by the imposing figures of Julia Domna, the moment she entered the reception hall, the Augusta rose from her seat, her regal presence commanding the room.

She was every inch the powerful matriarch, her eyes sharp with the kind of authority that Camilla had only read about in her philosophical texts. Beside her, the two brothers stood, their faces betraying little of the emotions that might have been roiling beneath their expressions.

Caracalla, as always, stood slightly apart, his gaze steady but distant, as though he was sizing up the entire situation before making a move. He was known for his ambition, his need to dominate, but Camilla had heard whispers of his charm, of the way his confidence could make one feel seen-something that intrigued her, even though she had never spoken a word to him.

Geta, on the other hand, stood at Julia's side, quieter, perhaps more reserved in the shadows of his brother's more dominant presence. There was something about Geta's calm demeanor that left her unsure of where she stood.

Camilla's father, Lucius Marcellus, stepped forward, bowing deeply. His voice carried the practiced deference of a provincial noble addressing Rome's most powerful family.

"To the most revered Augusta Julia Domna and the noble Caesars, Imperatores Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and Publius Septimius Geta, the Marcellus family of Lusitania humbly presents itself."

Julia Domna's gaze, sharp and discerning, lingered on Camilla. A faint smile crossed her lips as she studied the young bride.

Lucius gestured gently toward his daughter, who stood hesitantly by her mother's side, clutching her cloak.

"May I present my daughter, Camilla Marcellus, who humbly comes to serve the imperial household and Rome itself."

Camilla gently bowed her head, her heart racing under the weight of so many eyes. She dared not lift her gaze to meet the imperious stares of the Caesars at either side of Julia Domna, though she could feel their scrutiny like a physical force.

After the family’s introduction, the Augusta graciously acknowledged their presence, “Senator Marcellus, Lady Marcellus, and your esteemed daughter, we welcome you to Rome, the eternal city that now looks forward to a union strengthening our shared destinies. Your presence honors us."

Her tone was regal yet approachable, she glanced meaningfully at Camilla as she continued,

"The journey from Lusitania is not a small one. You must be fatigued, yet you stand before us with grace. A testament, no doubt, to your noble lineage and fortitude."

Camilla’s grip on her robes tightens, raising her head to lock her eyes with her piercing ones,

Lucius gestures to their servants to bring the gifts forward.

Each item was meticulously unwrapped to showcase the Marcellus family's wealth and allegiance. He smiled proudly and spoke again,

"These, Augusta, are humble tokens of our reverence for Rome, for your illustrious family, and for the union that will further strengthen our bond with the dynasty."

Julia Domna and the brothers inspected the gifts with a keen eye, nodding approvingly.

There was a moment of silence as the gifts were presented, but the tension in the room was palpable. Camilla felt her palms grow clammy under the weight of the situation. Her eyes flickered to the two brothers - Caracalla first, who watched her with an air of quiet amusement. His sharp eyes lingered on her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Then, her eyes flickered to Geta, who stood silently beside their mother, his posture more reserved but no less imposing. He regarded her with a sense of seriousness that made her wonder if he knew more than he was letting on.

Julia Domna held up her hand, signaling for quiet. The room settled into an eerie silence. Her gaze, cool and calculating, swept over the two brothers, then to Camilla, and finally back to the Lusitanian family.

"It is truly a great honor to have you here, Camilla. The question remains, however.." Her voice dropped to a more playful tone, "..which of my sons will you be marrying?"

At this, Camilla's breath caught in her throat. She had known for months that this marriage was arranged, that it was political, but until now, she had never been told which son she would marry. Her mind raced as she turned to her father, but he gave her no reassurance. He simply watched the scene unfold, his face unreadable.

Julia's smile widened as she watched the confusion spread across Camilla's face.

The air was thick with tension, and Camilla's heart seemed to thump painfully in her chest.

And then, Julia Domna, clearly enjoying every second of the suspense, finally broke the silence with a voice that seemed to stretch the moment to its limits. "Well, then," she said, her smile now almost imperceptible, "I think we've kept the decision in suspense long enough."

She turned to Camilla, her eyes glimmering with mischief. "The decision has been made. But you shall not know which son will be your husband just yet."

The Empress's laugh, soft but chilling, rippled through the room, leaving Camilla with no choice but to nod, unsure of whether her future would lie with Caracalla's brash confidence or Geta's quiet composure.

The game, it seemed, had just begun.

lmk if u wanna get tagged ! | tags : @quuinyoung @mewchiili @darkwhisperswolf @peakygirl1919 @madmads007 @eirone-and-cheese @kitkat80

[waughymommy]

MOMMY KNOWS BEST 💕

Chapter 16

Progress was coming along nicely in the nursery. So far, Rebecca had successfully kept him from seeing the room’s transformation. She was confident that it would be ready for the big reveal on Friday. Brian also seemed to progressing with the hypnotic conditioning. She planned on really testing his suggestibility after she showed him his new nursery.

She wondered how Brian was faring at work. I wonder if Samantha has revealed our conversation yet. Speak of the devil. Her phone buzzed with a text from Samantha:

            Good morning. I wanted you to know that your baby boy soaked his diapers right in front of me. You have done such an amazing job regressing him.

            Rebecca: Oh I am so happy. I can’t thank you enough for your help. I feel so much better that he has someone to watch over him at work.

            Samantha: It’s really no problem. He is just precious when he is little. You must let me babysit him at home sometime.

            Rebecca: I think that can be arranged.

            Samantha: I never in my wildest dreams imagined changing a grown man’s diapers. But now that I have, I think if I ever get a man of my own, he will have to return to diapers.

Rebecca smiled. Not only had she gotten her baby, but it seems that a new friendship was budding.

After Samantha changed his diaper, Brian knew that she was never again going to view him as her boss, but he hoped she would at least pretend for appearance’s sake. She filled up his sippy cup with apple juice and set it on his desk. “Ok sweet boy, its time to be a big boy for a while and get some work done. I will check on you later. And remember its ok to use your diaper, but just come get me if you want to try and use the potty,” she said much like a mother to a toddler.

Brian blushed again at the mention of his diapers. She left the office and closed the door behind her. How on earth could he possibly focus? He realized he was still sucking on the pacifier and he quickly removed it. If these two women could regress him with such ease at any moment, was he now permanently bound to diapers. He had fantasized so many times about being reduced to a helpless baby. Now that it was happening and he questioned if this is what he wanted. But he feared it was too late. He was going to have to accept and trust that they would keep him safe.

He tried to act like everything was normal. Now that he was alone, his adult clarity started to return. He needed to start brainstorming how to market this new Babies R Us line. Brian always liked to sketch out ideas by hand whenever he was brainstorming. He even kept a whiteboard in his office for this very purpose. He went up to the board. His mind was blank. How could he ever have a mother’s perspective? He looked down at the sippy cup sitting on his desk. He brought it too his mouth and tasted the sweet juice. Maybe he couldn’t tap into the perspective of a mother, but he knew what it felt like to be a baby. Maybe not entirely, but then again, he was in a very thick diaper. He closed his eyes and tried to recall the feelings he had when his mommy was in control. In those moments, he didn’t think in words, but feelings and sensations. He opened the cap to the marker and started scribbling the feelings he experienced with his mommy: warmth, safety, trust, love, giggly. He kept scribbling across the board: cold, wet, hungry, scared, small, full, peaceful. He stared at the words he had scrawled out. He keyed in one word in particular: trust. He grabbed a red marker and drew a big circle around it.

Trust could be a nebulous word. It gets tossed around so much that it sometimes lost meaning. But with his recent experiences, it took on new meaning for him. When he was wet, he had to trust that his mommy would change him. When he felt scared, he had to trust that she would keep him safe. He thought about the night that this all started. By him agreeing to be her baby, he was entrusting her with his greatest vulnerability. Obviously, babies aren’t able to articulate what they are feeling, but who would know better as to what a baby was feeling: mothers. He still had a long way to go, but this exercise was getting the wheels turning.

Brian was so consumed with his work, he didn’t realize that half the morning had elapsed. He was so happy that he had been able to regain that focus. It gave him a glimmer of comfort that maybe he still in control of some things. Maybe he could be both a big boy and a baby. But then a rumble in his belly snatched his attention. He hadn’t had a bowel movement since Saturday. Perhaps his anxiety and nerves had bound him up. When he had played in diapers before this all began, he had never messed himself. It was one thing to wet, but he wasn’t willing to do that. He felt nervous about having to ask Samantha to go potty. He could just use his diaper, but having her change a messy diaper might be even more embarrassing. He looked back at the board. Trust. He had to put it to the test and trust that Samantha meant everything she said to him.

He peaked his head out the door, “Umm, can I see you for a moment?”

“Of course,” she smiled.

Inside the office, Brian started to have second thoughts about asking, but then another rumble in his belly made him find the courage to ask. “Ummm, I need to use the potty… I mean the restroom.”“Oh! Ok. Let me help you,” she was actually surprised that he came and asked. Brian started to unbutton his shirt. She playfully slapped his hand, “Uh uh uh baby, let me do that,” she chided him. After removing his shirt and pants, she pulled his onesie over his head, “Lay on the couch for me.” She undid the tapes of his diaper and set it aside. Fortunately, these diapers were refastenable. She then went through the trouble of redressing him. “Alright, I think you look acceptable to walk through the office. You don’t have any big boy undies, but I think you will be ok for a few minutes. When you get back, I will get you back in your diaper,” she said.

            “Thank you,” Brian said timidly.

            “Thank you what,” she said with one eye-brow raised.

            “Umm… thank you Auntie Samantha,” he said like a child that had just be scolded.

            She patted his bottom, “Off you go.”

After a few minutes he returned. Although he still struggled with his embarrassment, Samantha was helping him feel more at ease. Back in the office, she had Brian undressed once again. The haze of regression swept over him again as he stood before her in nothing but his birthday suit. His thumb made it to his mouth. “Lay down baby,” she cooed. She pulled out some wipes and proceeded to clean his bottom.

“But Aunfie Samanfa, I wiped myself after I went potty,” he said with his thumb still ensconced in his mouth.

“I know sweetie, but I just wanted to make sure that you are all clean,” she responded.

She rediapered him and got him dressed again. When he was finished, he started to “grow up.” He pulled his thumb from his mouth and blushed.

She placed her hand on his arm, “Brian what did I tell you. There is no need to feel embarrassed. Do you think if I was judging you that I would be standing here? I want you to feel comfortable to act as little as you want around me. Ok?”

“I know, its just hard. And if it makes you feel any better, I still get really nervous with mommy too,” he said not even realizing that he said mommy instead of Rebecca. “Its hard and scary, but I want you to know that I am really thankful that you are here to help me. It really helps to know I am not alone. To be honest, I felt really scared yesterday, especially when I had my accident.”

“I have to imagine that must have felt really scary and lonely. You aren’t alone Brian. You can count on me anytime,” she said. Brian felt a tear run down his check. He felt like he had cried so much over the past few days. “Oh sweetheart, there isn’t any reason to cry,” she said as she pulled him in for a hug. “You are such sweet boy and you are just too cute in your diaper. I could just eat you up,” she snickered and started tickling him. Brian’s tears turned to giggles. “Now I don’t want to hear anymore about feeling embarrassed, whether its around me or even around your mommy. We both want you to be a happy baby. Now let’s try to get a little more work done before I take you out to lunch, my treat,” she smiled.

[palajae]

episode three. | park sunghoon

PAIRING ▸ host!sunghoon x reader

GENRE ▸ ouran high school host club!au, high school! au, romance, fluff, angst, humor

WC ▸ 3.1k

SUMMARY ▸ host park sunghoon: the strong and silent type. with his cold, tsundere personality and killer good looks, it’s hard not to fall for sunghoon. his connection to sunoo is of utmost importance; however, you could be the one to change that. (but be warned, he’s a man of few words.)

AKA episode three of the kiss, kiss, fall in love! series

AN/NOTES ▸ social awkwardness, not proofread

sorry okay it’s been a fat minute since i posted but FINALLY JAE has gotten the next part out ‼️ i really channeled the engene in me for this one lmao.

EPISODE THREE. Beware the Ice Prince!

seriously, you only started attending the en-host club because your friends did and you really had nothing else to do.   

you had heard several of the boys in your grade were in the infamous club, but besides that, you had no interest in “club” affairs. 

natty and lily wouldn’t stop talking about how “chivalry wasn’t dead” and how “god had favorites.” you figured by going, you could kill some time and meet some new people.

mainly due to the fact that you were attached to the hip to your… well, sketchbook. what better to utilize the people around you for your passion? 

and the most pretty ones were—obviously—found at the en-host club! 

by going there, you could observe and hopefully see some good art. 

while your friends had their favorite designated hosts and activities, your first entrance to the club involved a lot of awkward silence and muttering. 

“you mean, you don’t want to hang out with any of us?” sunoo—you think—frowns. 

you shake your head, stammering. “n-no! i just, prefer to be alone. i can just-like-sit in the corner or something.”

he brightens up and you breathe a sigh of relief. 

“i see. you just like the company?” 

you nod and the host smiles again. “that’s fine. you don’t have to be entertained by one of us. you’re welcome as much as you like! you could even sit by sunghoon!”

your eyebrows furrow as you follow sunoo’s line of sight to-

oh dear. 

probably the finest man you’ve ever laid your eyes on. 

a true work of art. 

your heart pounds uncomfortably in your chest as you glance back at sunoo.

“he doesn’t like to talk much either, so i think you two will get along well!” 

you look uncertainly at the controlled chaos happening all around the room, before back at sunoo. 

he nods encouragingly at you. “don’t worry. even though sunghoon looks like it, he doesn’t bite. in fact, it’s probably the opposite.”

holding your breath, you clutch your sketchbook tighter in your hands before approaching the table sunghoon was quietly sitting at. 

he didn’t even do anything, yet you felt so intimidated. 

wow, it was really stifling to be in his presence. awkwardly, you take a seat. and although he doesn’t move, you feel his eyes land on you. 

biting your lip, you hesitantly wave. 

that was it. no words exchanged. 

after a while, you finally began to relax. still, neither of you said anything. you even felt alright enough to open your sketchbook. 

your eyes would travel across the room, although they always landed on the same person. the one sitting in front of you, silently sipping his tea.

so you sketched. and you enjoyed it. so much to the point you returned the day after, and the day after. 

eventually, the hosts came to know you as a regular. they knew your exact order and your routine. the same every time you came—even without your friends. 

they understood that you simply appreciated sitting and observing. with all the things going on at the club, you enjoyed staying off to the side the most. 

like sunghoon. 

after the first day, you couldn’t work up the courage to approach and sit next to him when he wasn’t with sunoo hosting. 

that was fine. you had eyes. you could sketch him as long as you could see him. pages, filled with a variety of sketches, began to fill up your notebook. 

and most of them were of sunghoon. 

who were you kidding—all of them were of him. every outfit in every season, every expression of his (and he rarely showed emotion). you basically memorized sunghoon’s face. 

and in your time observing at the en-host club, you realized you had only heard him speak a total of six phrases: welcome, goodbye, yes, no, and thank you. 

he more than piqued your interest, but you were far too shy and unmotivated to do something about it. 

checking the clock, you sigh wistfully while putting your sketchbook back into your bag. as always, this was your time to leave. occasionally, one of the hosts would notice you leaving and wave goodbye. 

this time, you’re almost to the door when a tall figure suddenly appears in your line of vision. 

you falter, swallowing abruptly when you realize it’s sunghoon. he looks dashing in his pink hoodie and light jeans—someone mentioned the boys had a boyfriend concept today.  

you stare up at him curiously until he steps closer to you. your mouth dries up at the close proximity. you feel like you can hear your blood rushing in your ears. 

sunghoon doesn’t say anything, as per usual. instead, he walks over and holds open the door for you. 

for a second, you don’t move. and then it hits you. 

what the what the what the, he opened the door for you! 

you quickly squeak out a thank you before practically dashing out of the club room. you’re not sure if you heard or imagined the soft “get home safe,” coming from his voice. 

was he watching you? is that how he knew to open the door? why did he go all the way to help you? did he know what time you usually left? 

you fall onto your bed with a sigh. you were overthinking, and you were delusional. just a little bit. 

perhaps, you would work up the courage to talk to him next time.

you swear you’re not that delusional. most of the time it was you who was staring at sunghoon, sneaking glances at him when he wasn’t looking. whenever he was busy hosting. honestly, your best works were of his stunning side profile. 

but something feels different from that day forward. 

like…like sunghoon was the one staring at you. at first, you were sure you felt eyes on you. 

you would glance up from your sketchbook with a frown, glancing around the room. it was at that moment you would catch sunghoon turning away from you. 

but in what world would he be looking at you? 

he didn’t say a single word. 

it happened so often to the point where you would actually meet his eyes before looking away. you always broke eye contact first. 

this back-and-forth occurred four times before you decided to do something. yes, you counted. 

you decided to remind yourself that you only live once, and you took the chance. you finally stopped being a coward and sat next to sunghoon, one lovely afternoon. 

he seems almost shocked when you approach him, like your very first day at the host club. 

once again, no words were spoken. you simply smiled before taking the seat. unlike the other girls who usually fawned and squealed over him, all you did was sit and enjoy his company. honestly, he was so familiar to you at this point, you actually felt comfortable.   

and when you thought he wasn’t looking, you liked to sneak peeks at him as well. he was even more breathtaking up close. 

that became your daily routine whenever sunghoon was free. although it was absurd, you once thought that maybe he looked forward to sitting and watching with you. 

“what’s up with you and sunghoon?”

“h-huh?”

natty leans over from her desk to shoot you a look. “i mean, what are you two doing in the corner all day?”

you look down at your desk bashfully, “it’s not all day…i just enjoy his company.” 

lily laughs, “sure. i bet you have a lot fun staring at him.” 

you feel your face get hot as natty elbows her. “i think the two of you are cute. even if you have nothing to say to each other.” 

“yeah, i don’t know how you managed to get so close to him. sunghoon is pretty detached from the other girls. he’s just there half the time with sunoo.”

your heart quickens. was that true? 

lily sighs, almost face planting into the table. “what up with all the boys recently? heeseung has been so obsessed with that one student who i don’t even know the name of since they’re so busy studying all the time. and then the top two people of our class are constantly preoccupied with each other. at this rate, i’m gonna move to jake…”

you nodded in contemplation. she was right, you’ve seen heeseung following around your classmate like a baby duck following their mom. even weirder, the two smartest people in your grade started to sit together at the club. 

you were there for it all. 

“sim jaeyun? um, I’m not sure about him. he and riki have a lot of crazy fan girls,” natty wrinkles her nose. “hey, i did hear there was a new host! his name is jung…jung-something.”

“jungwon,” you finish for her. she nods, “i think he’s pretty handsome.”

“not as much as sunghoon though,” you unconsciously mutter. 

sunghoon can easily remember the first day you walked in, eyes wide like you were a kid on their first day of school. the corners of his mouth tilt up slightly. you looked like a baby kitten. 

he catches himself, focusing back on sipping tea while sunoo devoured his sweet treats. 

“do you want a bite, hoon?”

he shakes his head amusedly at sunoo’s bright expression. 

“you should stop eating so many sweets. you already had two slices of cake today.” 

while sunoo pouts and gets up to put his plate away, sunghoon refocuses his attention on you. he didn’t mean to—his gaze was just drawn to your presence. 

he watches wordlessly as sunoo approaches you. you looked so intimidated, sunghoon already felt bad and he didn’t know the reason. 

he catches himself again, internally chiding his own behavior. get a grip, you’re a host. 

suddenly, you’re approaching him. you look like a kitten again in front of him, just like when you first walked in. his whole body tenses. 

sunghoon waits, yet you don’t say anything. only a simple wave and that’s enough to light a fire in his heart. 

he’s surprised to see you sit down and pull out a sketchbook. he observes as you flip through the pages, trying to sneak a peek. but then he realizes he’s being kinda, really creepy. 

so sunghoon purposely turns away to focus. look anywhere but at the person sitting across from you, he repeats to himself over and over. 

after that day, he noticed you didn’t sit next to him. for quite a while. 

so, he chose to watch you. he watched you walk in every afternoon with a hesitant smile. he watched as you took the same seat near the window and pulled out your scuffed up notebook to draw. 

he watched how your lips pursed when you weren’t happy with a sketch, or how you would stop to think while looking around you. 

sunghoon liked the way your eyes lit up when you turned to a blank, fresh page. and when you would smile and greet the other hosts, gratefully accepting a cup of tea. even the look of concern you had on your face as you watched jake and riki do something stupidly dangerous again. 

the thing he liked the most, however, was when he felt your eyes on him when you thought he wasn’t looking. 

sunghoon’s not sure why, but he likes it. after all, he couldn’t say anything. he did the same thing to you. 

he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you. 

that’s why, when you sit across from him one day with that stunning smile of yours, his breath hitched. 

sunghoon… wanted to say something. he tried, really tried, but no words would come out. he couldn’t think of anything to say. 

apparently, that was fine with you. you relaxed in the silence, so he did too. 

it’s not like he meant to, but he snuck a glance. he was so curious as to what you had been working on in that sketchbook of yours. he knew it had to be your prized possession, the way you carried it around everywhere. 

sunghoon certainly wasn’t expecting to see his own face, beautifully drawn. it was him from a few weeks ago, last week, and yesterday. he remembers the detective concept and outfits they adorned. 

you… you sketched it all. all this time, you sketched him? 

he’s truly speechless, and everyone knew it was hard to make the stoic sunghoon react. 

“…are you friends with y/n?” he randomly asks one day after the club had closed for the day, completely out of the blue. 

sunoo tilts his head, “we’ve talked. why?” 

heeseung pops by, “did i hear hoon’s got a crush? who could have warmed the cold tsundere sunghoon’s heart?”

although he wants to roll his eyes, he simply looks away. 

“y/n?” riki calls from where he’s playing catch with jake, “the one who doesn’t say anything and draws all day?”

“they could if they wanted to,” sunghoon remarks quietly. riki shrugs. 

sunoo watches sunghoon with an inquisitive expression. 

he’s never seen his friend act like that with the other guests before… 

“it’s his birthday soon?” the words spill out of your mouth without even realizing it. you stopped, overhearing some girls sitting near you. 

they eye you, and it registers in your head that they know you’re the one whom sunghoon often sits next to. you seem oh so close to him, and yet you don’t know his birthday? you feel embarrassed, making your way to your normal seat.

“hoon? yeah, his birthday is in three days,” sunoo nods. “why? are you planning something?” 

you’re quick to shake your head, flustered. “nono, i was simply curious… thanks for letting me know.” 

alright. you officially have three days to find sunghoon a gift. 

it’s only then it hits you. you know close to nothing about sunghoon. other than the fact that he was a host, you barely knew his likes or dislikes. heck, you barely even spoke to him. 

you’re doomed. all the other guests were probably going to get him extravagant gifts that were exactly to his liking. 

you? you scrambled to find something that would come in three days. and you weren’t even sure if he would like it. at the least, he could regift it to someone else if he really hated it. 

you clutch the small gift bag nervously behind you as you enter the host club. 

usually, decorations would be set up for the members’ birthdays. however, sunghoon never wanted a big celebration so they would get him a simple birthday cake every year. at least, that’s what sunoo told you. 

sunghoon wanted his birthday day to feel like any other ordinary day. you hoped you could stay true to that. 

or…not.

the sight of said host rejecting someone’s gift to him is the first thing that greets you. your smile immediately falters. 

he didn’t like gifts? your heart begins to race. crap, crap. what were you going to do? you couldn’t hide the gift—someone would find it. it was obviously who it was for, with the big fat words happy birthday printed all over the bag. plus your names written on it, addressed to sunghoon. 

your eyes follow him to his usual seat, only for your heart to drop. 

sunghoon looks around expectantly. almost like, he was… looking for someone (you). he does. almost immediately. 

if you move, he’ll see the bag behind you. heart racing, you decide to charge ahead and approach him. you couldn’t face a rejection of the gift you spent hours trying to find, but you also didn’t want to leave him hanging. 

you walk over nervously, doing your absolute best to hide the bag and appear unaffected. maybe he wouldn’t notice, right?

wrong. sunghoon was probably the most observant person on the earth. his eyes immediately fall to your suspicious hands.

it was over. his eyes flick back up to you with a questioning look in them. 

you close your eyes briefly, internally falling to your knees. well, there was nothing else to do. 

you nervously thrust out the bag towards him, hiding your face as you softly say,

“happy birthday, sunghoon.” 

you hold your breath and wait embarrassingly for the painful rejection. 

spoiler: it never comes. 

“thank you.” 

hearing his voice causes shivers to run down your spine. your eyes fly open. did he just…accept your gift? and more importantly, he spoke to you?!

he takes the bag and puts it aside on the table. 

“are you not going to open it?” 

he looks at your expectant expression before beginning to unwrap the gift. 

“i thought maybe we could share,” you mumble. 

sunghoon carefully opens the intricate wrapping to unveil the gift you ultimately decided on: a smooth, leather sketchbook with pencils. 

“now we’re matching,” you whisper before pulling out your own. 

“i… don’t know what to do with it.”

hearing his voice again still makes goosebumps appear on your arm. you stifle a laugh as you reach over to demonstrate. 

the real sunghoon watches in awe as you begin roughly drawing something in his new sketchbook. when you retract your arm, he’s finally able to see what you did. it’s a beautiful drawing of a cake and the words, happy sunghoon day! 

he glances up at you with wide eyes. you shrug and only look away. to your surprise, sunghoon determinedly picks up a pen and begins doodling as well. 

soon enough, the first page is filled with random drawings, doodles, and most importantly, meaningful connections. 

you both smile and silently laugh at each other’s drawings. sunghoon’s favorite is your drawing of a baby sunoo and his cake while your favorite is of sunghoon’s (rather awful, yet still recognizable) drawing of the seven hosts. 

this is the first time you’ve felt like you truly communicated with sunghoon, even if it was through a paper and pen instead of words. 

when the page is filled completely, you admire your collaboration work proudly. 

“thank you, y/n.”

your heart warms. “o-of course,” you stammer. maybe you were slightly very internally freaking out that he addressed you by your name. 

sunghoon must’ve seen your bashful expression because he reaches over to pat your head. nothing else had to be said, because in that moment, you felt all your feelings were conveyed. 

park sunghoon was supposed to be the cold and tsundere type of host. yet around you, he felt vulnerable, like you brought out a different side of him. 

as you sit across from him, sharing smiles, you wish this moment could last forever. 

all you can think is that sunghoon’s soul is so pure and needs to be preserved, protected. you really hope you can be the one to forever do that. 

previous episode. | next episode.

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[kozachenko]

[Click for better quality]

Ok yay I'm back from my vacation yipeeeeeee. I started this drawing of Keiki before I left and I was half considering just giving up on it.... until I did a short study of facial planes and then got motivated to work on this again! I'm glad I didn't give up on it though, as I'm actually really happy with this one!

Artist's Notes;

So as I mentioned in my last post about Touhou 17, I wanted to finish this by the game's five year anniversary but with how progress was going I didn't want to rush this so I decided to take a long break from it. Mainly because of the face. For a while now I was kind of feeling like I was stagnating with my drawings, not really in the clothing but in the bodies. There was something about the way I was rendering them that I just wasn't happy with, and after talking with someone else about this issue, I realized that the reason I felt this way was because the faces were too flat and didn't match the rest of the drawing and that I needed to find a way to make the rendering of the face feel consistent with everything else. So after doing a short study of the plains of the face (I used this 3D head model from art station as a reference for my short study, please go give this person some love as they are a lifesaver) I went back into this drawing and applied what I learned here. It was only after that that I finally became motivated to finish the piece, and while it started off as just a simple character sketch like Saki and Yachie's were, the moment I added in Keiki's little fire dragon I knew I had gotten in too deep and now here we are with a full on background. OK it's not super crazy or anything, but it gets the job done and it's better than there just being an empty void behind her. It's rare moments like this when I use brushes other than the Clip Studio Default Charcoal Brush and use the Clip Studio Default Paint Brushes as well (god bless the oil paint and dry gouache clip studio brushes, they were amazing). I don't know why but painting fire has always been really fun for me, there's something oddly satisfying about it y'know? I do think that another reason for this problem was because I was drawing faces like I would in my more sketchy style that didn't mesh well with my lineless style, so I'm glad I've started remedying that.

After adding in the fire dragon I had an idea to kinda make it feel like splash art in the way the composition works... probably because I have been playing Reverse 1999 again and it has taken over my brain. I do feel like Keiki's tools get a little lost in the composition, and I didn't fully render the metal parts of them mainly because I didn't feel like they needed it, but that's just something for me to improve on later down the line.

If you guys are wondering where I went for my vacation, I went to New York and got to go to the MET and the Museum of Natural History. In both places I found Kofun period stuff and I was so happy to see it you have no idea. I remember one of the Haniwa I saw had some neat face paint under the eyes that I tried to replicate with the makeup under Keiki's eyes in my drawing, though I think I'll gave to figure out how to draw makeup on characters because this reads more like blush to me than anything. While drawing this I also looked up some references of Kofun period jewelry and really liked the stuff I found, which also meant that now she has proper Kofun earrings instead of earrings shaped like Kofun tombs. I put some of the things I referenced with a closeup of Keiki's face as well down below. I made her outfit more reminiscent of the outfit I gave her at the beginning of the year with the buttons and all, though I do want to try and draw her in some more period accurate clothing like the Haniwa I took a picture of at the Museum of Natural History. I wish I could find a way to make her handercheif look better though as I wish I made it a little bit bigger, though I think I'm saying this because I've looked at this drawing for too long lmao. Once again something to work on for when I next draw her. Also want to get better at rendering hair, as some details (like the little strands in front of her ears) kinda got unreadable due to the similarities in colour lol.

Now you may have also noticed the little cracks I added onto Keiki's face, and that's because I have fallen in love with the idea of Keiki's body being made from ceramic and that she crafted her body herself. While they aren't very visible I also tried to add some doll joints to her body, which is an idea I played around with in the past but never went to far with. I also want to get better at rendering cracks in ceramic, porcelain, etc, as I'm not sure how those read in the drawing. I also have a headcanon where the cracks in Keiki's face show up because of heightened emotions, and while Keiki is aware of this and does her best to make sure her face doesn't break off.... she will still end up with at least a few cracks during any given day, and she can often forget to repair her own body quite frequently so Mayumi has to remind her quite a lot. Mayumi even taught herself some basic sculpting techniques to help repair parts of her body that are so badly damaged to the point where Keiki can't repair them herself, i.e. if both her arms broke off, Mayumi would put them back together for her so Keiki can at least have something to repair herself with rather than nothing. I also like to imagine that if Keiki created her own body, if you took a look at Keiki from the beginning of her life she would look completely different compared to now.

BTW If you guys are wondering what a very very angry Keiki looks like....ok in order for this to make sense have any of you read volume 11 of Land of The Lustrous? Am I bringing back some memories for those of you that have? Ok good, glad we all got that mental image brewing in our minds, I'll probably draw a version of Keiki that is somewhat inspired by that one day as it's an idea I've had for a little while now. And to those who haven't gotten to that volume yet and are confused.... don't worry about it, just keep reading :)

[weeping-statue]

YOU ARE ONTO SOMETHINGG

ALRIGHT ALRIGHT I GOT THIS LEMME COOK🫶

“I Don’t Care What You Think As Long As It’s About Me.”

I don’t care- fallout boy

Richard Sterling x AFAB!Reader

A little long 😔 also Richard fans please!!! Lemme know if this is good!!! I need feedback guys cause then I just think my work is buns😞

Positive and negative (politely) feedback is appreciated 🫶

So from what I saw, or should I say what we saw, we definitely know he’s a manipulator.

For whatever reason, you caught his eye, probably because you had money, but anyways, he knew he had to have you. All to himself. He doesn’t like to share. And he doesn’t play nice.

It started off gently with flirty lines and kind gestures to mask what he was really planning. And you almost could tell. He had this feeling to him that something just wasn’t right. But he was kind and surely you were just overthinking.

Spoiler, you were wrong.

So wrong.

He had approached you one day after he felt like he had done enough for you to favor him, and confessed. Reaching his hand out to you.

“Ah my dear, you’re special.. and I must have you. Please, give me your hand, let me court you properly.”

But you declined, respectfully, it didn’t feel right.

Richard looked at you a little stunned. What..? You were supposed to say “yes.” Not “no.” What was wrong with you? He had done so much to make you fall and you’ve declined him? This.. no he wasn’t going to stand for this. He grabbed the nearest object and whacked you in the head with it. Hard enough for you to black out.

When you awoken dazed and confused, with a pounding headache. You saw him brushing your hair with his fingers. A light ‘comforting’ smile sketched on his face. You couldn’t remember much, and looked at him with those curious eyes, asking him what had happened. To which he answered,

“Just a little tumble, my love. When I couldn’t catch you in time, I was devastated. But that doesn’t matter anymore, you’re fine now, and we are in due time to be joined in matrimony.”

You nodded and leaned into his touch. He seemed to care about you, and with your current situation you had to trust him. For now.

Months had gone by and you hadn’t a clue you were saddled in a relationship made of lies.

Richard during this definitely acted a tad suspicious. Either love bombing you or keeping you at an odd distance. Getting overly paranoid and possessive when any males come by you. Simple conversations or not. He’d have rules in place for you, making you heavily dependent on him. Though when he’d get annoyed he’d push you away without a second thought, not apologizing.

What a confusing(red flag)guy

So finally here is where the song comes into play <3

Richard was acting a bit more paranoid than usual. Biting his lip till it bled, pulling at his hair, biting his nails, and mumbling to himself as he stalked you from a distance. He watched as you and Kevin hung out, talking aimlessly about the previous matches. He was flirty and touchy, and loud, and obnoxious. Something that didn’t belong around you. You, in his eyes, were something from the heavens. You deserved better. You deserved him. In a moment of paranoia and anger he came from the shadows he hid in and grabbed you by the arm, whisking you away. Closing the door to the nearest room which happened to be the library. His hands gripping your shoulders as slammed you against the books, leaning down with a crazed look, mumbling to you,

“Say my name and his in the same breath. I dare you to say they taste the same. How he can compare to me. He doesn’t love you, not like I do. He’s a no good, scoundrel, liar and fiend. Unworthy of your attention. These friends you have, don’t love you. They only love your generosity.”

For the rest of the day you were attached to him and he didn’t let you out of his sight for a moment. Even taking it as far to move into your room for the night. Claiming he didn’t trust the people in the manor.

All while poor Kevin was so confused😞

Sorry Kevin, your no fiend <3

trust ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ )

————————————————-

Sorry Kevin lovers for doing your man like that😞 BUT let me have redemption if you bring me a Kevin fic idea..? Or.. perchance headcanons..? ANYWAYS LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

[blazetbw-art]

Hello, attempted a modern Sonic Bunnie Rabbot redesign!

@thepinkgalaxy55 did a post on twitter and it reminded me to finish this design from last year lol.

Check under the cut for the journey down the rabbit hole.

Started out with a sketch of her previous designs to get a better idea of what makes 'em tick.

From Left to Right: SatAM, Archie, Archie Reboot-all bunny, and Reboot Robo-bunny After that, figuring out the head. Stayed round, but wanted to avoid the same copy-past-face. Took out the bun-toof in the final since it really wasn't needed and she never had it anyway.

Next, let body & mech parts.

Initially started Forces Avatar like, but switch it over to a different direction. I wanted chonky lower legs and the Big O hydraulic fist. Started toying around with the joints found in the more modern renders of Metal Sonic and other bots.

Final lines and Color tests! Or at least with the original colors to see how I could make them fit, and where to take her design from there.

Went a more EggPawn style because they're very practical in their form and function in terms of design. I also like to think that if the modern Eggman were to turn to robotizicing, he'd probably keep the bots more simplified for what he could mass produce over something more complex that would require more fixing and tweaking.

She also got a pony-tail like MLP's Applejack because I felt it would help her shape a bit more.

And finally, figuring out colors for myself.

I ended up going towards the dusty-rusty-rose on the end to help her stand out from the bots as well as the other pink and purple gals already in the cast.

Yennyway, thank and be well~

[dreemurr-skelememer]

Hello :D

I have been following you for the last year or so (a few days after I got my Tumblr lmao) and I absolutely love your art!

I have been wanting to study your art style for a while but don't really know where to start,,,

Could you please show me a small portion of your art process, if it isn't too much trouble of course. Thank you and have a nice day!

hello. oh my god. this took forever to find.

im sorry it took 2 WHOLE FUCKING MONTHS for me to respond to this but i wanted to put it off until i felt happy with my art process again, so here it is

my fall 2024 rendering tutorial!

(this will be very very long)

FLATS AND WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO WITH LINES GIRL. then make sure to recolor the lineart to better match your base. trust me it helps, bold dark lines are Not your best friend when rendering. wait for that post-rendering

i start off with a doodle or a sketch, and then filling it in with flats and other details such as blush

FIGURE OUT YOUR LIGHT SOURCE. FIGURE IT OUT GIRL YOU CAN DO IT you can make it as simple as possible, make it as big as possible, dont even THINK about the details.........just make it really fucking big so you at least know where the shadows and the light goes THEN add smaller shading details LISTEN TO ME. LISTEN TO ME OKAY!!!!!!!!

my key point with this is for you to learn lighting fundamentals.

it's SOOO ANNOYING but alas......they are all correct. it helps a lot.

one thing i also really want to point out is that i like creating a big shadow shape first before fixing up the little details (such as folds and whatever) because it helps me focus on the way the lighting actually works instead of tunnel vision-ing into making the shading make sense on the clothing.

contact shadows (i dont remember if thats what theyre called okay) theyre fucking ugly because im not actually thinking sorry 💔

okay so basically:

contact shadows (if that's what they're called) are the spots in shading and lighting where light will NEVER hit.

shadows are still influenced by the colors and lights around it (it's why a blue shadow and a yellow shadow feel completely different, despite both being shadows) so it's not always COMPLETELY dark.

BUT! there are small points in shadows where light never hits, and they're almost always super dark or pitch black.

it's hard to explain shadow and light so briefly for a tutorial, but you'll notice it when watching fundamental studies and when trying it out for yourself

YES i unclipped the multiply layer YES its ugly and terrifying but it makes coloring the multiply layer easier okay the colors merged w multiply so now it looks cool and has depth overlaying colors that actually make sense

so basically what i did was color the multiply layer that i used to shade the overall drawing

adding a band of red/orange/yellow around where the light hits, and blue where the shadows get big and wide, gives it a fake ambient occlusion effect in the way that a person would get if they stood under the sun with a clear blue sky

the colors don't have to make sense, especially because i never draw backgrounds, but coloring the shadows really help it give a sense of depth and extra subtle detail and effect that just helps make the painting look nicer

around the end, i also put in colors (in an overlay layer with a low opacity brush) that actually make sense in context of the drawing, which is the lit cigarette and the yellow eyelights

mostly because none of the colors were making sense and i needed to actually make use of the lighting that DOES exist in the drawing lol

adding a muddy golden yellow pin light layer (opacity turned down to like 40-50%) to make the light colors less ugly lol

i SWEAR by the fucking pin light layer style. it's so useful and so so underrated.

i used an almost brown-ish gold color on stop of all the layers, and with the pin light layer, it helped make the bright (almost blue-ish) white colors more warm and more yellow. it just helps make things more warm (something i prefer)

i could probably show what it looks like without adjusting the layer opacity to truly show off what i mean (like in the coming section) but i sadly forgot to do that lol

make a layer on top of your drawing with this color in these ranges YES the drawing is fully merged NO don't be afraid, the base was fucking ugly anyway 💔 make this layer into an exclude/exclusion layer style TRUST turn down your exclusion layer opacity from a range of 10% to 40% literally until you're happy with the contrast and the way the color over the drawing. use your eyeballs. i know you can do it im so proud of you

this is pretty self-explanatory instruction-wise, so i'll go into why i do this instead

i really like art that seems like it has low contrast, with almost mid-gray shading and lines. i don't personally use dark and bold lines and shading, unless i find it necessary for the tone of the piece, so using this method helps lower the contrast of the art and make it look "pleasantly muddy" in the way that it's easier and softer on the eyes.

the inverted blue color also helps makes things warmer!

the exclusion layer style is still a bit of a mystery to me but i really like the effect it gives, even if i don't completely get how it works lol

if you want an alternative method to this, and if you have access to it (because i primarily use sai and sai only),

i absolutely encourage you to play around and experiment with gradient maps.

there are so many out there you can make yourself or even get from others that just give the painting an extra amount of depth and color variation. they're SO fun.

personally, if sai2 gets a gradient map update, it's over for y'all it will literally be so over no one will be able to stop me

then i merged everything and actually adjusted the contrast back up because it was looking too muddy for me 💔 but the color adjustments are still there so all hope is not lost here's a comparison of the adjusted contrast in black and white (adjusted on the left) (newly merged layer without adjusting the contrast on the right)

as you can see, i actually turned the contrast back up (despite talking all about how i liked things with less contrast lol)

i wanted to demonstrate that doing adjustments should be done in moderation, and is why i adjust layer opacity often when making color effects

you are free to play around with colors to help your style, but don't lose your initial idea and colors along the way.

you still need to trust your own colors and intuition!

along with that, i just want to say that it's completely okay to change your mind mid-painting, and it's okay to make somewhat drastic changes.

don't be afraid to change things you don't like or change your mind about certain aspects way later on

that's basically the whole thing of this!!! don't be scared!!!

now im gonna hold your hand when i say this..........but you need to learn how to render by yourself. it seems like i can teach you but i literally can't, because rendering is different on every piece and depending on how clean your base is. i have to render A LOT because of how fucking ugly my sketches are LMAO to simplify it, think of it as obsessively cleaning up every detail you can see, but with a color picker and a clean, hard edged brush. if you have shit lineart, you don't have to redraw it cleanly over and over, just paint over it. that's basically what rendering is

THIS especially is where you need to be brave and stop being scared.

like i said, i can't teach you how to render, and it's something you have to discover yourself because rendering is something that will always be personal to every single piece you make. the way you render on every piece is different.

on one piece, you will barely need to render, and on another, rendering is more than half of your ENTIRE process.

don't be afraid to paint over your old art.

rendering is a process that's both very perfectionist yet also very careless.

find your balance and just go for it.

and then that's it……..u did it………..now yuo know how to paint and render. it's literally just layering shading and lighting knowledge until you think it makes sense and looks okay lol additional note: since i render in only one layer (you don't HAVE to do this, but it'll be harder for you…), i also made slight adjustments with the transform (and liquify, if you have it) tool to make things more proportionate. (i drew the head too big lol)

if you compare the finished piece to the final unrendered base, you can see that a LOT changed, including a bit of subtle proportion adjustment.

particularly, the sleeves changed A LOT (because i really didn't like them)

but it's also over all cleaner and more coherent, instead of having haphazard colors and shading just thrown about.

rendering is when you finally use all 100% of your brain to finalize and figure out where the shading should go, where to clean up your lines, where to ERASE or ADD BACK in lines, and make sure all your colors look coherent.

it's not as intimidating as it seems, i only use a hard edged brush with a little bit of color mixing and my color picker.

it's like dragging and dropping colors to cover up mistakes, it's really quite fun when you get used to it

i wish i could explain it clearer but it's hard to describe without visuals!

i hope this helped, and i hope all my yapping isn't annoying (art as a special interest beloved)

have fun studying and trying to render in my art style!

[anna-proxx]

☆ evening in camp ☆

pairing: arthur morgan x fem!reader

genre: fluff

word count: 1882

a/n: my dear readers, this is my first attempt at a rdr2 oneshot here on tumblr, I started with something easy but will definitely add more action in the future. this right here broke my writer's block and for that i am grateful. hope this brings you some comfort whenever you need it.

It was a chilly evening, meek distant noise of nocturnal animals creating a peaceful ambience, along with the crackling fire nearby. The whole camp was already either asleep or holed up in their tents.

It has been a good day. Arthur and Javier successfully robbed a homestead, Micah was still locked up in jail and Bill brought a good catch from his hunting trip.

Javier sang and played the guitar by the campfire earlier and some people sang along. In general, this evening was one of those that made you feel warm inside.

The night sky was clear, stars peeking down at you as you wished your mare a good night, patting her neck and giving her a carrot before you'd leave her to sleep. That girl was dear to you and you showed her gratitude every day.

A small kiss on her nose and you finally turned around, admiring the full moon shining bright on the ink black sky. You walked across the quiet camp, careful not to make too much noise. You made your way straight towards the small light of an oil lamp in Arthur's tent.

He sat on his bed, slouched over his journal set on the table, writing with all focus. You smiled, feeling all the affection you felt for that man.

When you came close, he looked up from his journal, his gaze softening as he patted the place beside him. "C'm sit."

You sat right next to him, putting your hands in your lap as you gave Arthur a bright smile. He chuckled. "Ya done givin' that horse a g'night kiss?" he asked with a small grin on his face, returning his attention to the half-filled pages.

You slightly poked his arm with your elbow, a soft smile lingering on your lips. "She's like my family," you explained.

"I know. 'S cute."

You shuffled a bit closer, watching the pencil in Arthur's hand move swiftly. You enjoyed watching him write and draw, those idle moments always brought you comfort. And you had the honor to be allowed to watch. Arthur believed his drawings were nothing special but you knew better. His ability to draw details of an animal or scenery he saw just once from memory still blew your mind. You could barely recall such details, let alone draw them.

You quietly continued to watch, taking in every pretty letter he drew one after another. When he was done with the entry, he flipped the page and started sketching.

"What are you drawing?" you asked, watching the first lines of the sketch.

"A moose I saw t'day," Arthur answered, his voice calm and focused.

You continued to watch him and set your elbow on the table after a while, leaning your head against your hand. As always the drawing came out beautiful and you admired the authentic features of the animal that was looking up at you from the page. Arthur put the pencil aside and sighed, stretching his arms.

He then looked at you, a warm smile on his lips as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders. You leaned back from the table and snuggled into the half-embrace, resting your head on Arthur's shoulder. His body was warm and so were his fingers that drew small circles on your arm.

"Ya tired yet, darlin'?"

You smiled at the pet name and slightly shook your head. "Not really."

"Do y'want me to draw s'mthing for ya?" Arthur offered, watching your face intently as you thought.

"Me," you eventually said with a small grin. He drew you all the time and you loved every each one of those drawings.

"M'kay." He shortly caressed your arm before removing his from around you, shifting in his seat as he took the pencil again. He slightly nodded towards you. "Sit there, wanna hav' a good look at ya."

You slightly moved away to sit at the other edge, still facing Arthur who turned his body towards you, bending his leg on the bed to lean his journal against it. You shortly ran fingers through your hair, setting strands over your shoulders, and straightened your back, ready to be his model.

His face was relaxed as he started sketching, the soft sounds of the pencil gliding over the paper filling the air between you. Arthur kept looking up at you regularly, a gentle smile on his face as he met your soft affectionate gaze.

There was silence between you two but it was comfortable, happy. The light from the oil lamp lazily danced over the left side of his face, highlighting his features.

He was beautiful. As you remained motionless, you thought about how often he put himself down, being completely clueless about how he looked in your eyes.

"You're so pretty," you said quietly, nothing but affection and genuinity in your voice.

Arthur looked up at you surprised, then got visibly flustered as he blushed and looked back down at the sketch, scribbling on. He let out a small low chuckle. "I ain't pretty."

You slightly frowned, displeased with him rejecting the compliment like that. "So I am a liar?"

Arthur looked up, for a short moment he looked like a clueless child trying to find the right words. "I ain't meant it that way..."

You couldn't hold back a smile. "Just take the goddamn compliment, Mr Morgan, it's not so hard."

Arthur softly huffed as he returned his focus to the sketch, seemingly uncomfortable. A sad feeling grew in your chest. He really had no idea, did he?

"Am I a good model?" you asked after a while of silence. You knew very well he could draw you from memory but this was easier and you enjoyed being the center of his attention in any way. Frankly, Arthur enjoyed studying your features as you sat in front of him as well.

Arthur smiled. "M'favorite."

After a few more moments, he took a few glances at you and back at the journal with a satisfied expression, putting the pencil away.

Your face lit up as you shuffled over, curiously peeking at the page. You were met with your own soft gaze staring back at you, every detail of your face in its place. It melted your heart how carefully drawn each line was.

You kissed Arthur's cheek, loosely wrapping your arms around his neck. "Beautiful as always. Thank you."

"Yer beautiful," he said in response, putting the journal flat open on the table.

You slightly blushed and moved to sit behind him, resting your chin on his shoulder as you kept your arms wrapped around him. You weren't great at accepting compliments either. "Thank you, Mr Morgan." You sighed softly, feeling Arthur's hands envelope yours. "My talented outlaw," you mumbled quietly but clearly enough for him to hear.

You heard a chuckle. "What?" you asked, unsure of what that was for. "Yer in an affectionate mood t'day," he stated, amusement in his voice.

"There a problem with that?" you asked but the smile on your face remained.

You slightly leaned back and moved your hands to his shoulders, instinctively massaging them as you thought. Arthur was out hunting, riding and shooting most of the time, so your massages were always appreciated.

You heard a quiet sigh of relief as his body started becoming more relaxed.

"Would u like to go hunt with me tomorrow?" you asked. You were tired of being stuck in the camp and honestly going on a little trip with Arthur wouldn't be bad at all.

"Sure."

You smiled and reached for his suspenders, then slid them off his shoulders. He understood and unbuttoned his shirt so that you could get a better access to his back and shoulders.

"Thank you, darlin'."

You hummed in response and continued, your gaze moving over his exposed skin covered with small scars. You wondered about the story behind each one of them, some seemed to be almost faded while there was one very fresh bruise, a red line of dried blood.

Arthur took out a cigarette and lit it, puffing as he relaxed under your touch. He probably would've offered you one as well if you smoked, but you didn't, only ever tasting tobacco when you kissed him. You never minded.

After a few more moments you put a kiss on the nape of his neck, then kissed the fresher wound as well. You were always so worried whenever he left to do a dangerous job, only praying he'd return in one piece, but you knew it was his life; and you were a part of it.

When you moved to sit next to him again, cheeky smile on your face as your eyes met, Arthur sighed, mumbling with cigarette between his lips. "Yer too good for'm, woman."

You stared into his blue eyes for a long moment, a quiet voiceless conversation happening between you two with eye contact alone. He cared for you as much as you cared for him.

Without a word you snuggled up closer, soon being enclosed by body warmth as he embraced you. You relaxed into the hug and closed your eyes, just listening to Arthur's inhales and exhales of the smoke.

You assumed Arthur must've been thinking as well, as there was yet another comfortable silence between you two and you were slowly but surely slipping into sleep.

Arthur stubbed out his cigarette and wrapped his arm around your waist, making you open your eyes just as he moved back to a half sitting half lying position on his bed, effortlessly taking you with him so that you lay between his legs, head resting on his chest. You quietly giggled at the sudden movement and made yourself comfortable afterwards, positioning your head exactly so that you have Arthur's heartbeat beneath your ear.

You were happy to have him all for yourself, safe, alive. The mess in Blackwater or the emergent stop in Colter could've been much more fatal for you two. Davey and Jenny were gone. John was attacked by wolves. And although you loved Horseshoe Overlook, the homely feeling and the beautiful view, you knew you'd have to move eventually. You needed money and you weren't getting it exactly the legal way, and you could only lie low so long.

And frankly, with Micah in the gang now, your worry rose even more. Dutch trusted him, for some goddamn reason, but he seemed to be reckless and dangerous, bending some of the morals this gang used to have. Not to mention him being a straight up jerk to everyone.

"Arthur?" you spoke, your voice slightly worried as you caressed his arm with your fingers.

"Hm?" His chest vibrated under your head.

"We can't let another Blackwater happen again."

Arthur understood what you meant. Him and Hosea tried convincing Dutch that the ferry job was a bad idea but it happened nonetheless, putting your gang in a situation worse than ever before. You worried about the influence Micah had on Dutch and the potential limits.

You knew that Arthur trusted Dutch, him and Hosea raised him, after all; but he wasn't stupid either. And the plans Dutch claimed to have planted seeds of doubt in almost everyone.

Arthur's response was a sigh and a kiss on top of your head, his arms hugging you just a bit tighter. There wasn't really much he could say to comfort you, he always tried to be honest and he couldn't know how the future would unfold, after all.

But you trusted him. That he would do the right thing.

With Arthur's heartbeat echoing under your ear and embraced by his warmth, you were slowly being lulled to sleep by his regular breaths.

Whether you'd stay outlaws forever or not, this really was all you had wished for.

[erika-xero]

Thoughts on ai and Art

What has Ai really changed for me is the perception of my own art. Years back, I was extremely concerned of my work being imperfect: everything had to look "right", the anatomy had to be flawless, the lines - clean and refined. The pipe-line had to be flawless too: minimal amount of layers, one - for lines, one - for colors, and a few for lighting/shading.

Meanwhile I was yearning for chaos and the standard pipe-line felt too strict, too limiting. I finished the drawing and cried over the imperfections, but I could not let myself create a new layer and just paint it all over as I wanted to - that would "mess up my perfect psd". This was even harder because I started as a traditional artist and traditional art is basically the same as drawing on one layer or stacking the layers on top of each other whenever you wish to change anything. I was so obsessed with the anatomy/perspective looking right that my works started looking boring and stiff. If I was not sure that I would be able to draw a certain body part at a certain angle ANATOMICALLY PERFECT - I just refused to draw it at all. Drawing back then was HARD. I forced too much limitations upon myself, I was so scared of making any mistakes and thus did everything I could to avoid the risk to fail. It felts like an entire world would see me failing and everyone - literally everyone - will disapprove. And don't get me wrong - the art community in my country has always been astonishingly toxic. We had, like, a group of 20 THOUSANDS individuals hunting down children online and bullying them into oblivion for drawing anime and furry characters in their school textbooks. And pretty much everyone except a small group of people (which I was a part of) thought that it's absolutely fine and this is how the things should be. Even the industry professionals were absolutely sure that young artists have to suffer and be ashamed of everything they do unless it is absolutely flawless at an any aspect. I was ashamed of everything I did back then. I was ashamed of drawing and posting sketches because I felt like they are not good enough to be shown to anyone. And then the Ai-boom started. And I had mixed feelings because I was not THAT scared, but I was somewhat disappointed of people? General public praised the generated slop ignoring the mistakes far worse than what real artists got bullied for for DECADES. The synthetic artworks are shiny. They are overrendered. They are liveless, boring, they lack fundamentals and yet somehow people viewed them as some kind of a miracle. I decided to learn how does those little machines generated their slop out of morbid curiosity, just to make sure that I got it right and it is spitting out cadavers created from mutilated, dismembered works of real artists. Used by people who did not care enough to pick up a bloody pencils. And I thought: why would I care enough to look at something that no one bothered to create? And then I started seeing everything I do completely different. I suddenly stopped caring of being perfect. Every piece I have ever done, every work I was crying over for it being ugly, every messy sketch and unfinished doodle suddenly started to matter a lot. Not that I stopped caring of doing my best, no. I stopped wishing to disown my own mistakes. They are my own. I cared enough to try and fail and to try again, and fail so badly that I wanted to cry, scream and throw up. And I repeated the cycle for long enough that I started to enjoy my silly doodles and started loving every tiny imperfection because this is what made my art so human. I still suck at drawing hands and feet. My line-art is messy and I started doing it right on top of my colored sketch. My pipe-line is in chaos and my PSDs look like a total mess of three hundreds of layers. I draw sketches with huge-ass round brush only adding the details that really matters. My works are better than they could ever be because they feel alive and chaotic as we human had always been. This is a love letter to my art and write it while flipping off my middle finger to the cadavers generated by the machine. I will not be stopped by glorified autocomplete and I refuse to be outdone by people who confuse googling an image with the act of creation.

My worst drawing is better than any of the generative imagery out there, because I cared drawing it.

[ryanseslow]

How to Create Paper Cut-Out Reliefs: Tips and Techniques for Beginners

Back again with another lil' series of 2D wall relief paper cut-out forms. Both of the pieces below follow the same process and technique. Im really happy with the process and outcomes. Im working on animating them as we speak. I'll add them to this post later. My paintings inspire my drawings, and my drawings are inspired by those same forms found in my paintings. It makes sense that every so often I want to make those forms "pop out" and off the surface of a flat plane. Alas, it all starts with a quick sketch. See below, just a series of light loose free flowing lines take the lead, forward ->

Here we have a dude posing for a profile style portrait. Most likely, this is inspired by the NYC B-Boys from the years 1983 - 87ish. Either way, it's nostalgia for me. Once the sketch feels good, I'll break out the paper and x-acto knife. I keep telling myself that one day Ill work with another material other than paper for these works, perhaps wood or metal.. It will happen, I can foresee it for sure, hang in there. Im using a white bristol paper for the cut outs, I believe it is the vellum type and not the glossy, but either or will work just fine. I love to cut paper and the whole medium of paper art in general.

Paper cut-outs, also known as paper cutting or Kirigami, is a traditional art form that involves cutting shapes and designs out of paper. The history of paper cutting can be traced back to ancient China and Japan, where it was practiced as a folk art. The Chinese and Japanese would create intricate designs, often featuring animals, plants, and mythical creatures, and use them as decorations for festivals and special occasions. I always loved it and have felt inspired by these pieces.

Using the sketch above, I apply the "map" of the shapes and forms that I see. Sometimes I redraw those forms on the paper that I will cut out, and sometimes I just "draw" with the x-acto knife to recreate the forms. Sometimes, it's a combination of both of those techniques. There is also a series of "out-take / byproduct" cut outs that do not make the final piece, those can be saved and used for the next piece, obviously!

I layer the forms on top of each other to compose the arrangement as a whole, its fun to watch it all come together, in the next phase, you will need some kind of durable tape or you can make little paper forms that can be pasted to both sides of the forms as they stack, this will create the gauge and depth of the piece once it is placed onto the wall.

This is the final composition above, I love it! I used a roll of duct tape to make small cylinder forms that connect the pieces together, the piece as a whole comes "off of the surface of the wall" by about 1.5 - 2" inches - you can play with this a bit but keep in mind, the tape makes the piece heavier and it will want to comply with gravity :)

I hung the piece (also temporarily adhered via the same duct tape) for the photoshoot and to also get a good look at how it will function on the wall. I have an old painted fire place in my studio that is a great surface for hanging things, I love the contrast of textures between the bricks and the paper, as you know, the shadows will be super cool to see too.

Once I had the whole piece constructed I took a few pictures of it. I immediately wanted a clean vector line drawing of the whole character. I brought the photo into adobe Fresco and used a vector brush to draw this lovely variation. This is how my brain works, I switch paths because I know they are really pipelines to the "next thing" that I will push this to, so forward we go.

Then, it was light source and photo shoot time. Im not really happy with these picture as traditional "photographs" as I know I can do a much better job, but, as a series of "sketches" for a planned photo shoot, these will really help to make those plans a reality. I love neon colored lights. I have a bunch of them from various places and spaces that I found on the internet. Amazon has a great selection of flashlights with various colored light options. Get a few and play around with how the light can effect your work and the shadows that it creates. This is where the depth and gauge of your pieces play a role. The photos below are also a part of the same session, which all took place over a few days.

Here is another variation with a different character.. What do you think? Shall I make more?