sketchthestoryteller

[sketchthestoryteller]

Stuttering Heart (Karamatsu X Gender Neutral Reader)

You've known Karamatsu for quite some time and you are not immune to his charms, even if he hadn't meant to woo you.

Friends to lovers with history behind it!

AN: Okay, this was an old self indulgent piece I wrote and decided to recycle (No descriptions of dazzling blue eyes or anything of the sort, I assure you) The original was male leaning so I'm making a gender neutral version that's ambiguous of the reader's gender and Karamatsu's sexuality (with minimal change of the dialogue!). Enjoy!

Masculine Leaning Version Here

When you first met the flamboyant man, you were… a little put off by his behavior as it was far too loud and noisy for you. But as time progressed, you began to admire Karamatsu for his confidence and being true to himself.

The feelings bloomed when you saw Karamatsu, the real Karamatsu. Behind those tinted shades, behind that confident persona was Karamatsu, a soft spoken man with a smile that could brighten a room, seeing it for the first time, hearing his true voice made your body transcend where only white space, yourself and Karamatsu remained, cherry blossoms fluttering past you.

After realizing your feelings towards Karamatsu, you kept it to yourself, acting like everything was the same as usual. Except your feelings for him only grew and it was becoming harder to hide your feelings. You began to grow flustered, stuttering and tripping over your words more often around the confident Matsuno. 

You could barely stay in the same room as Karamatsu without blushing and shaking like a chihuahua. It was starting to become a problem, a pit of guilt forming in your stomach from essentially ignoring Karamatsu. The recent memory of his disappointed and somewhat hurt expression as you stuttered out your half baked excuse and fled intensified that guilt eleven fold.

So you did what you thought was best at the time, pouring all your feelings into a love letter, the weight burdening your heart lifting a little with every word, every sentence you crafted. And in the dead of night, you dropped it off at the Matsuno residence, no signature, a secret admirer’s declaration. 

You were able to hang around Karamatsu again without growing flustered and fleeing (Karamatsu was more than happy to see you again as he was worried for your health.) You heard brief mentions of a secret admirer spill from his lips before his brothers either cut him off or smacked him upside the head as he’d been misty eyed and gushing non stop and the boys were already at their limit.

Thus the birth of a new cycle began, when the feelings became too much for you to handle, you wrote a letter, delivered it in secret, overheard brief snippets of Karamatsu bragging about his secret admirer then he’d be too busy to hang out with you as he was searching for the one behind the letters, according to the annoyed responses from his brothers anyway.

Weeks passed, and the letters became more frequent, your emotions becoming harder and harder to contain and the longer Karamatsu searched. 

Now you sat at the kotatsu in thought, brows furrowed and wondering what to do, the blinking cursor of your notes app taunting you.

The answer was obvious, of course but… Would you even have the courage to do it? Did Karamatsu even like you that way to begin with? I mean, he acts a bit fruity but you weren’t sure if that was him or the carefully crafted persona. You wanted to put Karamatsu’s mind at ease but you also didn’t want to ruin the relationship you have with him. You bring a hand up to rub your temple with a groan, letting your forehead drop onto the table with a soft thump.

“. . . What are you groaning about?” Ichimatsu asks quietly, you jolt from hearing his voice, momentarily forgetting you were in the Matsuno living room in the first place. You lift your head with a sigh, dropping your hand into your lap, spotting the purple clad man curled up in the corner and staring right at you. Choromatsu was sitting on the floor, back against the wall reading manga and Todomatsu was across the kotatsu on his phone. 

“Just thinking,” You answer vaguely with a wave of your hand, Todomatsu scoffs. 

“Come on, you know that vague shit is only going to bother us, spill,” He says bluntly, eyes never leaving his screen. You stiffen, fingers tugging and fiddling with the loose fabric around your legs as you try to come up with an excuse.

“Having trouble writing a confession scene, nothing more,” You say with a shrug, the moment those words left your lips, the room’s atmosphere shifted, Ichimatsu’s eyes widening a bit, cat like ears sprouting from his head, Choro’s eyes flickering between the manga and you, and Totty stopped scrolling on his phone. He sets his phone down and looks up at you with a smile, a trained smile you know well. 

“Oh? With who? What story? Or is it one of your little self shipping projects?” Totty asks, teasing you a little with that last sentence. Your anxious fiddling only worsens as a blush overtakes your face, your mind thinking nothing but Karamatsu.

“I- uh- that’s,” You trail off, your mind freezing as you realize you’re caught in Totty’s trap, you turn off your phone before covering your face and screaming into your hands for a short moment. 

“AGH, you suuuuuck,” You whine, Totty smirking smugly as he observes you. 

“So what’s this really about?” Choromatsu asks hesitantly, closing the manga and setting it in his lap. Ichi’s gaze never left you, as if studying you, watching every micromovement you make. You shrink in on yourself, shaking your head.

“Mmm, I don’t wanna talk about it…” You mutter flustered. Totty hums.

“You don’t? Or you’re afraid of our reactions if you do tell us?” You flinch from his statement, bingo.

“. . . It’s not like we’re going to hate you or anything…” Ichimatsu mumbles, Choro nodding in agreement. Totty softly tuts.

“Come on,” He says your nickname in a sickeningly sweet tone. 

“What's the matter?” He asks, trying to gently pry the answer out of you. You peer from between your fingers, lowering your hands shakily as you take a breath. Then the shoji slides open with a cheer. 

“I’M HOME!” Jyushi chirps as he enters the living room before taking stock of the situation. His eyes dart between You, Totty, You, Ichi, You, Choro and finally, You. There’s a pause before Jyushi speaks up.

“Oh! Is-” He chirps your nickname as if it was the sun itself.

“-ready to confess to Kara-chan?” Those 5 seconds of silence are deafening.

“HUH?”

“What?!” Choro and Totty exclaim, Totty slamming his hands on the kotatsu and leaning forward as Choro suddenly stands up, manga falling to the floor. Jyushi tilts his head as you tense up. 

“KARAMATSU?! OF ALL PEOPLE?! WHY?!” Totty yells, you yelp as you frantically wave your hands.

“Shh! Not so loud!” You whisper shout as Osomatsu peeks his head in.

“What’s all the ruckus about?” Choro points to you absolutely dumbfounded.

“THEY LIKE KARAMATSU. KARAMATSU!” Oso blinks before glancing at you who was currently mortified that this was happening. 

“Oh, is that all?” 

“HUH? WHY ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS?!” Totty asks, Oso stepping into the room and rubbing his finger under his nose. 

“I figured that out a while ago,” Jyushi raises his hand.

“THEY TOLD ME!” Ichimatsu hums as he looks away, his ears disappearing back into his hair.

"Kinda obvious with how often you stare at him,” 

“YOU KNEW?! Totty and Choro exclaim, their disbelief now directed towards their brothers. You sat there frozen, eyes white as your soul leaves your body, hand unconsciously grabbing your phone as you lean sideways, body collapsing unceremoniously, you’d be damned if you let anyone touch your phone after death. Jyushi notices with a jolt and kneels beside you, gently shaking your shoulder.

“You okay?”

“No, I’m dying from embarrassment…” 

“Haha! You’re silly!” Jyushi lifts you to sit upright again before patting your head, the rest of his brothers (minus Ichimatsu) still arguing in the background.

“You know that’s not possible! Besides, Kara-chan might like you back!” You blink, your eyes returning as you peer over your shoulder to look at Jyushimatsu.

“Might?”

“Uh huh! He’s not exactly subtle with his preferences!” You stare at Jyushi for a long while, slowly pocketing your phone before lunging at him, digging your fingers into his collar as he let out a surprised yelp.

“And you didn’t think to tell me until now?!” You ask, a flurry of emotions stirring within you.

“I figured it was obvious!” 

“Well clearly, it wasn’t!” You countered, groaning softly as you rest your forehead against Jyushi’s shoulder.

“This sucks…” You mutter, Jyushi gently patting your back.

“Okay, OKAY! Let’s all just take a breath!” Choromatsu yells, exhaling slowly, Totty rolls his eyes and Osomatsu stuffs his hands into his pockets.

“You guys were the ones yelling so loudly,” He points out with a cheeky grin.

“That’s besides the point,” Choro hisses through gritted teeth, turning to you and Jyushi. 

“So what do you plan to do?” 

“Eh?” You mutter, raising your head to look at Choro.

“Are you going to act on these feelings or what?” You stared at him for a moment before glancing between Jyushi and Ichi.

“. . . Are you going to be mad at me?” 

“What? NO! Of course not!” Totty exclaims, sounding a tad offended that you’d even think of that possibility. You narrow your eyes at them.

“Are you going to be mad at Kara?” 

“Ah- Uh-...” Totty mutters, looking away and scratching his cheek as Choromatsu does the same.

“I think they’d be cute together!” Jyushi raises a hand with a wide grin, you jolt and look away with a slight flush despite practically cuddling him.

“I don’t really care, just don’t forget about the rest of us,” Ichi mutters. Translation: Don’t forget about me. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure these bozos don’t bully Kara too much,” Oso declares, you stare at him with a deadpan expression.

“That’s bullshit,”

“H-Hey, come on! I’m trying here!” Oso whines, you roll your eyes as you separate yourself from Jyushimatsu. Totty and Choro sit in contemplative silence before Totty nods and rises to his feet.

“Well, nothing we can do about it now. Might as well make you presentable!”

“Huh?” You ask, dumbfounded as Totty approaches, stopping just before you, giving you a once over with a critical eye.

“Don’t tell me you were planning to confess in that!” 

“. . . You just gestured to me,” 

“Exactly! You’re giving off sad, pathetic nerd vibes with that outfit,” You look down at your outfit.

“. . . I mean- You’re not wrong. B-But still, I wasn’t even p-planning on confessing to Kara anytime soon!” You explain, frantically waving your hands around, you were considering it but no way you were going through with it… Choromatsu groans.

“Seriously? All that and you’re not even going to try?"

“I-I didn’t say that,” You mutter, shrinking in on yourself. Jyushi pats your back enthusiastically.

“I think you’d look great in a suit!” He chirps encouragingly, you sputter from the sudden compliment.

“Ooo, yeah, I can see it! Though that may be a bit much-... Scratch that, it’s perfect for Karamatsu-Niisan,” Totty comments, framing you with his fingers and closing an eye.

“What color bow though…?” He thinks aloud, Ichi clicks his tongue and mutters your favorite color. Jyushi hums in thought.

“Karamatsu-Niisan likes roses so we should get some for a confession gift!” He suggests, Choromatsu smiles.

“That’s a great idea! He’s a sucker for big romantic gestures. Now all we need is a location and-” The rest of their conversation is a blur, chatting as if you weren’t even there, planning and prepping for a confession that might go south. You sit there, anxiety slowly rising within you, its tendrils wrapping around your heart. Jyushi had gotten up to talk to Totty, exclaiming his suggestions with excitement. 

You flinch when Ichimatsu suddenly appears beside you, gently bumping your shoulder against his.

“It’ll be fine, Shittymatsu is a romantic at heart,” Ichimatsu tries to be reassuring, looking away with a small grin.

“And we won’t beat him up too badly,” You huff in amusement, returning the physical gesture.

“Thanks,” Ichimatsu hums in reply as the two of you watch the surprisingly excited brothers discuss how to execute this confession.

_________________

Karamatsu was many things, an artist, a man of mystery, a sinful guy! (A NEET, a virgin, desperate and lonely-) But never once in his life did he expect to find a letter, a love letter, addressed to him.

Sure, it may have been a prank (or so he thought at first) but the more letters he received, the more he felt touched and recognized by the pasted magazine words across the paper. He felt confident, smug even and allowed himself to boast in front of his brothers, detailing the letters he received, an anonymous love just beyond his grasp. (He had gotten a few nasty looks from his brothers, and head trauma from being drop kicked into the ground-) 

But who was behind these words of affection escaped him, whoever had delivered these letters ensured they couldn’t be traced back to anyone. (Your secret admirer, secret indeed…)

That didn’t deter him, he began looking for his “Karamatsu Darling,” even if it killed him. Though his efforts were fruitless and the amount of people on his list were quickly dwindling… (It certainly wasn’t Totoko, who quickly punched him in the gut for even suggesting that, nor was it Chibita as he was busy with his oden stall, also called him an idiot-)

Though he’d never admit it aloud, he was growing desperate. Maybe it was because he hadn’t been shown any interest in so long. Maybe it was the possibility he could kiss his virgin hood goodbye. Or maybe it was because he actually felt seen, heard, understood after so long of being just… Karamatsu.

It was a nice sunny day, one he’d normally take in stride if he wasn’t so preoccupied with his thoughts, dressed in his usual attire, sunglasses shielding the world of his emotional plight as he leaned against the bridge railing, trailing the cobblestone beneath his feet with his eyes. 

He wasn’t planning on anything much, no secret admirer hunting, no Karamatsu Girl, Boy, Or Fan scouting, just a day where he could sort his messy thoughts, maybe glean some inspiration from it.

“E-Excuse me?” A soft voice asks, one he doesn’t recognize, he lifts his gaze to a gorgeous brunette with soft brown eyes, around his age staring at him with flickering eyes, not quite meeting his, fidgeting hands and a soft blush.

“I-I was wondering if you… maybe… want to go on a date sometime?” They mutter quietly. Karamatsu was shook, that was the first time in… ever that something like this happened to him. (that wasn’t a scam lol) Normally he’d be caught off guard, blushing, stuttering, attempting to play into his cool persona. 

But now? He just smiled politely. 

“While I’m flattered by the invitation, I have another in my heart at the moment, however,” He gently takes their hand and cups it within his own.

“I hope you find someone who will share your feelings ten fold,” He pulls his hand back to lift his tinted shades, genuine warmth and kindness reflecting within his gaze, accompanying his dazzling smile. They blink, flush intensifying as they return his smile and nod.

“O-Of course, thank you! Sorry to take your time!” They gently retract their hand from his and bow in apology, Karamatsu is quick to wave it off.

“It’s no trouble! Now get out there and find your soulmate!” He encourages, they straighten with a determined nod before running off. He huffs, satisfied with himself as he slips his shades onto his nose once more.

He was a bit lost as to why he responded in such a way, except that it felt right in the moment. Odd considering he’d jump at any opportunity to be with another in a romantic sense. 

“K-Karamel?” Karamatsu perks up at the familiar voice and nickname, turning to see you, his beloved friend standing there in a crisp suit and tie, a singular blue rose in hand. (A gift from the Matsunos, but someone had spent all their money on gambling so they had to make due-)

He noticed right away that you looked rather anxious and flustered, more so than usual as of late. 

“Ah, Starlight! You look quite dashing, off to impress someone?” He asks with a smile, a slight twinge thrumming in his heart like a tightened guitar string, it wasn’t very pleasant…

For some reason, he didn’t like the idea of you going to someone else, perhaps he was worried about his friend getting hurt and heartbroken? Now wasn’t the time to dwell on it, he needed to be present for his clearly nervous companion. 

“A-Ah, uh, y-yes, um…” You stutter, palms growing sweaty as you begin to shake a little, glancing at the nearby and not very inconspicuous bush nearby where all the brothers gathered behind it. They give you a thumbs up to which you take a deep, shaky breath.

“U-Um, th-this is for you,” You mutter, offering the rose. Karamatsu blinks, a bit surprised. 

“Th-Thank you, my dear, but is this not for who you’re attempting to woo?” He asks, tilting his head in confusion as he gingerly accepts the rose, admiring its petals. Your flush deepens.

“I-I’m getting to it! U-Uh… You uh- You know those l-letters you’ve been getting lately?” You begin, Karamatsu’s eyes widening a little, his heartbeat kicking up.

“Yes, why? Do you know who sent them?” He asks, his hope skyrocketing. You purse your lips and nod. Karamatsu absolutely beams, his heart exploding with happiness, his grip on the flower tightening just a bit. 

“Destiny has blessed me this day! Tell me, who has sent me these wondrous symphonies of affection?” He asks, buzzing with excitement, energy, and determination. You mumble quietly under your breath.

“Sorry, could you please repeat that?” You shrink a little before repeating yourself again, eyes tracing the cobblestone beneath your feet. 

“M-Me…” Karamatsu blinks, his world halting all around him, did he hear that right?

“P-Pardon?” He asks, unable to keep the nerves from leaking into his vocabulary. You take a shaky breath.

“I-I did. I wrote them. You uh- d-dont have to reciprocate, I know it’s weird a-and sudden coming from someone you only see as a friend-” As you continue to ramble on anxiously, Karamatsu stares at you, emotions raging a war inside him as the world seemingly disappeared all around him, leaving only you and him in a white expanse.

Little details in the notes suddenly made sense to him, the little quirks of your writing style. This then melted into flickers of his time with you, the way you engaged with Karamatsu’s interests, shared your own with an excitement that rivaled Jyushimatsu’s. Your soft encouragement and firm encouragement. The fire in your eyes when you were about to deck someone for hurting Karamatsu. All these little moments came rushing back, building higher and higher before reaching a crescendo, something clicking, breaking the chains deep within him that stole the air right out of his lungs.

He loves you. He’s loved you longer than he realized. And here he was, standing like an idiot, clutching a momentous gift like a life line and staring at his beloved while you muttered nervously, tearfully, full heartedly expecting a rejection.

“S-So uh, W-We can forget this whole thing ever happened and uh- just stay frien-DS?!” You conclude before you were suddenly pulled into a hug by Karamatsu, making you squeak in surprise, Kara couldn’t help the tears forming in his eyes as he held onto you tightly, rose falling out of his hand and fluttering to the ground.

“K-Karamatsu?” You ask hesitantly, a hand hovering over Kara’s back with uncertainty, Kara buried his face in your shoulder, his sunglasses slipping off and clattering to the ground as your suit absorbed the tears.

“N-No…”

“No?” You echoed softly, confused. You inhale sharply when Karamatsu pulls back, placing his hands firmly on your shoulders, eyes a little red and puffy as he desperately tries to hold back his tears. 

“No, I-I won’t forget about this. I CAN’T forget about this!” Karamatsu says determined, lifting a slightly shaky hand to rest on your cheek, releasing a soft exhale of wonder as you flush slightly.

“Those letters… Your letters mean so, so much to me, even if I didn’t know who it was behind the pasted words. I felt seen, heard, understood. So even if you’re the one behind these letters, it only makes me love you even more,” Your breath catches in your throat, staring at Kara’s flustered, teary and warm eyes reflecting affection and determination.

“Y-You do?” You ask, breathless, subconsciously lifting a hand to wipe Kara’s tears, he stiffens for a moment, releasing a shaky breath as he leans into your touch. 

“I do. And I’ll say it as many times as I need for you to believe me,” Kara says, determined, hand travelling from your shoulder to your waist, hesitant for a moment before you rest your free hand against his chest. He swallows, face slowly turning red as he blinks his tears away, clearing his throat. 

“I-I um-” 

“JUST KISS THEM ALREADY!” You and Karamatsu jolt from Osomatsu’s sudden bored exclamation, upper body over the bush and cupping his mouth for added effect. Choromatsu growls as he rises from the bush and hits him upside the head.

“You idiot! You killed the mood!” 

“Ow! Hey! That hurt!” Osomatsu complains as the rest of the boys rise from the bush to berate Osomatsu (Totty) or congratulate/glare at Karamatsu (Ichi and Jyushi.) Karamatsu is more than mortified, taking a step back and covering his face with his hands with a low whine.

You were a little sad to have lost the contact but understood why, glaring daggers at Osomatsu who was already getting a verbal (and slightly physical) beating from the third and sixth born. 

You perk up from Jyushi calling out your name, the energetic Matsuno waving at you with a cowboy hat in hand. 

“Catch!” He chirps, tossing the hat to you. You yelp as you fumble with the hat for a moment before securing it in your hold. Jyushi sends a thumbs up, pushing a confused Ichi into the bushes when he was about to ask, earning an indignant hiss from the purple Matsu.

You look at the hat, and then at Kara, and finally, the fallen, slightly crushed rose. With a sudden, foreign confidence, you stride forward, leaning down to scoop the rose as you approach him.

“Karamatsu,” You call out softly, Kara lowering his hands, fresh tears brimming in his eyes from the embarrassment. You gently tuck the flower into his breast pocket, grab his shoulder, position the hat as a shield and surge forward, pressing your lips against Kara’s. He lets out a short squeak mixed with a yelp of surprise, face immediately turning red, wisps of steam fluttering off his face and from his ears as he froze, hesitantly shutting his eyes, a hand resting on your shoulder. He slowly but surely melts into the kiss, reciprocating the best he can from what little experience he has. 

The brothers argument abruptly stops, the others gawking at the hidden display, 

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you?” Ichi asks, narrowing his eyes at the rambunctious sextuplet. Jyushi merely shrugs.

“Now shoo! Shoo! Give them privacy so they can reach final base!” Protests emerged from his brothers as he began shoving them (and the bush) away from the couple, giving Osomatsu an extra hard push for thinking it was an innuendo.

[sketchthestoryteller]

Stuttering Heart (Karamatsu X Masculine leaning Reader)

You've known Karamatsu for quite some time and you are not immune to his charms, even if he hadn't meant to woo you. Friends to lovers with history behind it! AN: Okay, this was an old self indulgent piece I wrote and decided to recycle (No descriptions of dazzling blue eyes or anything of the sort, I assure you) But it is male leaning as I'm quite proud of some of the dialogue choices I made. I'll see about making a gender neutral version (which will just most likely cut some dialogue and what not but we'll see.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy the madness!

Gender Neutral Version Here

When you first met the flamboyant man, you were… a little put off by his behavior as it was far too loud and noisy for you. But as time progressed, you began to admire Karamatsu for his confidence and being true to himself.

The feelings bloomed when you saw Karamatsu, the real Karamatsu. Behind those tinted shades, behind that confident persona was Karamatsu, a soft spoken man with a smile that could brighten a room, seeing it for the first time, hearing his true voice made your body transcend where only white space, yourself and Karamatsu remained, cherry blossoms fluttering past you.

After realizing your feelings towards Karamatsu, you kept it to yourself, acting like everything was the same as usual. Except your feelings for him only grew and it was becoming harder to hide your feelings. You began to grow flustered, stuttering and tripping over your words more often around the confident Matsuno. 

You could barely stay in the same room as Karamatsu without blushing and shaking like a chihuahua. It was starting to become a problem, a pit of guilt forming in your stomach from essentially ignoring Karamatsu. The recent memory of his disappointed and somewhat hurt expression as you stuttered out your half baked excuse and fled intensified that guilt eleven fold.

So you did what you thought was best at the time, pouring all your feelings into a love letter, the weight burdening your heart lifting a little with every word, every sentence you crafted. And in the dead of night, you dropped it off at the Matsuno residence, no signature, a secret admirer’s declaration. 

You were able to hang around Karamatsu again without growing flustered and fleeing (Karamatsu was more than happy to see you again as he was worried for your health.) You heard brief mentions of a secret admirer spill from his lips before his brothers either cut him off or smacked him upside the head as he’d been misty eyed and gushing non stop and the boys were already at their limit.

Thus the birth of a new cycle began, when the feelings became too much for you to handle, you wrote a letter, delivered it in secret, overheard brief snippets of Karamatsu bragging about his secret admirer then he’d be too busy to hang out with you as he was searching for the one behind the letters, according to the annoyed responses from his brothers anyway.

Weeks passed, and the letters became more frequent, your emotions becoming harder and harder to contain and the longer Karamatsu searched. 

Now you sat at the kotatsu in thought, brows furrowed and wondering what to do, the blinking cursor of your notes app taunting you.

The answer was obvious, of course but… Would you even have the courage to do it? Did Karamatsu even like guys to begin with? I mean, he acts a bit fruity but you weren’t sure if that was him or the carefully crafted persona. You wanted to put Karamatsu’s mind at ease but you also didn’t want to ruin the relationship you have with him. You bring a hand up to rub your temple with a groan, letting your forehead drop onto the table with a soft thump.

“. . . What are you groaning about?” Ichimatsu asks quietly, you jolt from hearing his voice, momentarily forgetting you were in the Matsuno living room in the first place. You lift your head with a sigh, dropping your hand into your lap, spotting the purple clad man curled up in the corner and staring right at you. Choromatsu was sitting on the floor, back against the wall reading manga and Todomatsu was across the kotatsu on his phone. 

“Just thinking,” You answer vaguely with a wave of your hand, Todomatsu scoffs. 

“Come on, you know that vague shit is only going to bother us, spill,” He says bluntly, eyes never leaving his screen. You stiffen, fingers tugging and fiddling with the loose fabric around your legs as you try to come up with an excuse.

“Having trouble writing a confession scene, nothing more,” You say with a shrug, the moment those words left your lips, the room’s atmosphere shifted, Ichimatsu’s eyes widening a bit, cat like ears sprouting from his head, Choro’s eyes flickering between the manga and you, and Totty stopped scrolling on his phone. He sets his phone down and looks up at you with a smile, a trained smile you know well. 

“Oh? With who? What story? Or is it one of your little self shipping projects?” Totty asks, teasing you a little with that last sentence. Your anxious fiddling only worsens as a blush overtakes your face, your mind thinking nothing but Karamatsu.

“I- uh- that’s,” You trail off, your mind freezing as you realize you’re caught in Totty’s trap, you turn off your phone before covering your face and screaming into your hands for a short moment. 

“AGH, you suuuuuck,” You whine, Totty smirking smugly as he observes you. 

“So what’s this really about?” Choromatsu asks hesitantly, closing the manga and setting it in his lap. Ichi’s gaze never left you, as if studying you, watching every micromovement you make. You shrink in on yourself, shaking your head.

“Mmm, I don’t wanna talk about it…” You mutter flustered. Totty hums.

“You don’t? Or you’re afraid of our reactions if you do tell us?” You flinch from his statement, bingo.

“. . . It’s not like we’re going to hate you or anything…” Ichimatsu mumbles, Choro nodding in agreement. Totty softly tuts.

“Come on,” He says your nickname in a sickeningly sweet tone. 

“What's the matter?” He asks, trying to gently pry the answer out of you. You peer from between your fingers, lowering your hands shakily as you take a breath. Then the shoji slides open with a cheer. 

“I’M HOME!” Jyushi chirps as he enters the living room before taking stock of the situation. His eyes dart between You, Totty, You, Ichi, You, Choro and finally, You. There’s a pause before Jyushi speaks up.

“Oh! Is-” He chirps your nickname as if it was the sun itself.

“-ready to confess to Kara-chan?” Those 5 seconds of silence are deafening.

“HUH?”

“What?!” Choro and Totty exclaim, Totty slamming his hands on the kotatsu and leaning forward as Choro suddenly stands up, manga falling to the floor. Jyushi tilts his head as you tense up. 

“KARAMATSU?! OF ALL PEOPLE?! WHY?!” Totty yells, you yelp as you frantically wave your hands.

“Shh! Not so loud!” You whisper shout as Osomatsu peeks his head in.

“What’s all the ruckus about?” Choro points to you absolutely dumbfounded.

“THEY LIKE KARAMATSU. KARAMATSU!” Oso blinks before glancing at you who was currently mortified that this was happening. 

“Oh, is that all?” 

“HUH? WHY ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS?!” Totty asks, Oso stepping into the room and rubbing his finger under his nose. 

“I figured that out a while ago,” Jyushi raises his hand.

“THEY TOLD ME!” Ichimatsu hums as he looks away, his ears disappearing back into his hair.

"Kinda obvious with how often you stare at him,” 

“YOU KNEW?! Totty and Choro exclaim, their disbelief now directed towards their brothers. You sat there frozen, eyes white as your soul leaves your body, hand unconsciously grabbing your phone as you lean sideways, body collapsing unceremoniously, you’d be damned if you let anyone touch your phone after death. Jyushi notices with a jolt and kneels beside you, gently shaking your shoulder.

“You okay?”

“No, I’m dying from embarrassment…” 

“Haha! You’re silly!” Jyushi lifts you to sit upright again before patting your head, the rest of his brothers (minus Ichimatsu) still arguing in the background.

“You know that’s not possible! Besides, Kara-chan might like you back!” You blink, your eyes returning as you peer over your shoulder to look at Jyushimatsu.

“Might?”

“Uh huh! He’s not exactly subtle with his preferences!” You stare at Jyushi for a long while, slowly pocketing your phone before lunging at him, digging your fingers into his collar as he let out a surprised yelp.

“And you didn’t think to tell me until now?!” You ask, a flurry of emotions stirring within you.

“I figured it was obvious!” 

“Well clearly, it wasn’t!” You countered, groaning softly as you rest your forehead against Jyushi’s shoulder.

“This sucks…” You mutter, Jyushi gently patting your back.

“Okay, OKAY! Let’s all just take a breath!” Choromatsu yells, exhaling slowly, Totty rolls his eyes and Osomatsu stuffs his hands into his pockets.

“You guys were the ones yelling so loudly,” He points out with a cheeky grin.

“That’s besides the point,” Choro hisses through gritted teeth, turning to you and Jyushi. 

“So what do you plan to do?” 

“Eh?” You mutter, raising your head to look at Choro.

“Are you going to act on these feelings or what?” You stared at him for a moment before glancing between Jyushi and Ichi.

“. . . Are you going to be mad at me?” 

“What? NO! Of course not!” Totty exclaims, sounding a tad offended that you’d even think of that possibility. You narrow your eyes at them.

“Are you going to be mad at Kara?” 

“Ah- Uh-...” Totty mutters, looking away and scratching his cheek as Choromatsu does the same.

“I think they’d be cute together!” Jyushi raises a hand with a wide grin, you jolt and look away with a slight flush despite practically cuddling him.

“I don’t really care, just don’t forget about the rest of us,” Ichi mutters. Translation: Don’t forget about me. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure these bozos don’t bully Kara too much,” Oso declares, you stare at him with a deadpan expression.

“That’s bullshit,”

“H-Hey, come on! I’m trying here!” Oso whines, you roll your eyes as you separate yourself from Jyushimatsu. Totty and Choro sit in contemplative silence before Totty nods and rises to his feet.

“Well, nothing we can do about it now. Might as well make you presentable!”

“Huh?” You ask, dumbfounded as Totty approaches, stopping just before you, giving you a once over with a critical eye.

“Don’t tell me you were planning to confess in that!” 

“. . . You just gestured to me,” 

“Exactly! You’re giving off sad, pathetic twink vibes with that outfit,” You look down at your outfit.

“. . . I mean- You’re not wrong. B-But still, I wasn’t even p-planning on confessing to Kara anytime soon!” You explain, frantically waving your hands around, you were considering it but no way you were going through with it… Choromatsu groans.

“Seriously? All that and you’re not even going to try?"

“I-I didn’t say that,” You mutter, shrinking in on yourself. Jyushi pats your back enthusiastically.

“I think you’d look great in a suit!” He chirps encouragingly, you sputter from the sudden compliment.

“Ooo, yeah, I can see it! Though that may be a bit much-... Scratch that, it’s perfect for Karamatsu-Niisan,” Totty comments, framing you with his fingers and closing an eye.

“What color bow though…?” He thinks aloud, Ichi clicks his tongue and mutters your favorite color. Jyushi hums in thought.

“Karamatsu-Niisan likes roses so we should get some for a confession gift!” He suggests, Choromatsu smiles.

“That’s a great idea! He’s a sucker for big romantic gestures. Now all we need is a location and-” The rest of their conversation is a blur, chatting as if you weren’t even there, planning and prepping for a confession that might go south. You sit there, anxiety slowly rising within you, its tendrils wrapping around your heart. Jyushi had gotten up to talk to Totty, exclaiming his suggestions with excitement. 

You flinch when Ichimatsu suddenly appears beside you, gently bumping your shoulder against his.

“It’ll be fine, Shittymatsu is a romantic at heart,” Ichimatsu tries to be reassuring, looking away with a small grin.

“And we won’t beat him up too badly,” You huff in amusement, returning the physical gesture.

“Thanks,” Ichimatsu hums in reply as the two of you watch the surprisingly excited brothers discuss how to execute this confession.

 

_________________

Karamatsu was many things, an artist, a man of mystery, a sinful guy! (A NEET, a virgin, desperate and lonely-) But never once in his life did he expect to find a letter, a love letter, addressed to him.

Sure, it may have been a prank (or so he thought at first) but the more letters he received, the more he felt touched and recognized by the pasted magazine words across the paper. He felt confident, smug even and allowed himself to boast in front of his brothers, detailing the letters he received, an anonymous love just beyond his grasp. (He had gotten a few nasty looks from his brothers, and head trauma from being drop kicked into the ground-) 

But who was behind these words of affection escaped him, whoever had delivered these letters ensured they couldn’t be traced back to anyone. (Your secret admirer, secret indeed…)

That didn’t deter him, he began looking for his “Karamatsu Darling,” even if it killed him. Though his efforts were fruitless and the amount of people on his list were quickly dwindling… (It certainly wasn’t Totoko, who quickly punched him in the gut for even suggesting that, nor was it Chibita as he was busy with his oden stall, also called him an idiot-)

Though he’d never admit it aloud, he was growing desperate. Maybe it was because he hadn’t been shown any interest in so long. Maybe it was the possibility he could kiss his virgin hood goodbye. Or maybe it was because he actually felt seen, heard, understood after so long of being just… Karamatsu.

It was a nice sunny day, one he’d normally take in stride if he wasn’t so preoccupied with his thoughts, dressed in his usual attire, sunglasses shielding the world of his emotional plight as he leaned against the bridge railing, trailing the cobblestone beneath his feet with his eyes. 

He wasn’t planning on anything much, no secret admirer hunting, no Karamatsu Girl, Boy, Or Fan scouting, just a day where he could sort his messy thoughts, maybe glean some inspiration from it.

“E-Excuse me?” A soft voice asks, one he doesn’t recognize, he lifts his gaze to a gorgeous brunette with soft brown eyes, around his age staring at him with flickering eyes, not quite meeting his, fidgeting hands and a soft blush.

“I-I was wondering if you… maybe… want to go on a date sometime?” They mutter quietly. Karamatsu was shook, that was the first time in… ever that something like this happened to him. (that wasn’t a scam lol) Normally he’d be caught off guard, blushing, stuttering, attempting to play into his cool persona. 

But now? He just smiled politely. 

“While I’m flattered by the invitation, I have another in my heart at the moment, however,” He gently takes their hand and cups it within his own.

“I hope you find someone who will share your feelings ten fold,” He pulls his hand back to lift his tinted shades, genuine warmth and kindness reflecting within his gaze, accompanying his dazzling smile. They blink, flush intensifying as they return his smile and nod.

“O-Of course, thank you! Sorry to take your time!” They gently retract their hand from his and bow in apology, Karamatsu is quick to wave it off.

“It’s no trouble! Now get out there and find your soulmate!” He encourages, they straighten with a determined nod before running off. He huffs, satisfied with himself as he slips his shades onto his nose once more.

He was a bit lost as to why he responded in such a way, except that it felt right in the moment. Odd considering he’d jump at any opportunity to be with another in a romantic sense. 

“K-Karamel?” Karamatsu perks up at the familiar voice and nickname, turning to see you, his beloved friend standing there in a crisp suit and tie, a singular blue rose in hand. (A gift from the Matsunos, but someone had spent all their money on gambling so they had to make due-)

He noticed right away that you looked rather anxious and flustered, more so than usual as of late. 

“Ah, Starlight! You look quite dashing, off to impress someone?” He asks with a smile, a slight twinge thrumming in his heart like a tightened guitar string, it wasn’t very pleasant…

For some reason, he didn’t like the idea of you going to someone else, perhaps he was worried about his friend getting hurt and heartbroken? Now wasn’t the time to dwell on it, he needed to be present for his clearly nervous companion. 

“A-Ah, uh, y-yes, um…” You stutter, palms growing sweaty as you begin to shake a little, glancing at the nearby and not very inconspicuous bush nearby where all the brothers gathered behind it. They give you a thumbs up to which you take a deep, shaky breath.

 

“U-Um, th-this is for you,” You mutter, offering the rose. Karamatsu blinks, a bit surprised. 

“Th-Thank you, my dear, but is this not for who you’re attempting to woo?” He asks, tilting his head in confusion as he gingerly accepts the rose, admiring its petals. Your flush deepens.

“I-I’m getting to it! U-Uh… You uh- You know those l-letters you’ve been getting lately?” You begin, Karamatsu’s eyes widening a little, his heartbeat kicking up.

“Yes, why? Do you know who sent them?” He asks, his hope skyrocketing. You purse your lips and nod. Karamatsu absolutely beams, his heart exploding with happiness, his grip on the flower tightening just a bit. 

“Destiny has blessed me this day! Tell me, who has sent me these wondrous symphonies of affection?” He asks, buzzing with excitement, energy, and determination. You mumble quietly under your breath.

“Sorry, could you please repeat that?” You shrink a little before repeating yourself again, eyes tracing the cobblestone beneath your feet. 

“M-Me…” Karamatsu blinks, his world halting all around him, did he hear that right?

“P-Pardon?” He asks, unable to keep the nerves from leaking into his vocabulary. You take a shaky breath.

“I-I did. I wrote them. You uh- d-dont have to reciprocate, I know it’s weird a-and sudden coming from someone you only see as a friend-” As you continue to ramble on anxiously, Karamatsu stares at you, emotions raging a war inside him as the world seemingly disappeared all around him, leaving only you and him in a white expanse.

Little details in the notes suddenly made sense to him, the little quirks of your writing style. This then melted into flickers of his time with you, the way you engaged with Karamatsu’s interests, shared your own with an excitement that rivaled Jyushimatsu’s. Your soft encouragement and firm encouragement. The fire in your eyes when you were about to deck someone for hurting Karamatsu. All these little moments came rushing back, building higher and higher before reaching a crescendo, something clicking, breaking the chains deep within him that stole the air right out of his lungs.

He loves you. He’s loved you longer than he realized. And here he was, standing like an idiot, clutching a momentous gift like a life line and staring at his beloved while you muttered nervously, tearfully, full heartedly expecting a rejection.

“S-So uh, W-We can forget this whole thing ever happened and uh- just stay frien-DS?!” You conclude before you were suddenly pulled into a hug by Karamatsu, making you squeak in surprise, Kara couldn’t help the tears forming in his eyes as he held onto you tightly, rose falling out of his hand and fluttering to the ground.

“K-Karamatsu?” You ask hesitantly, a hand hovering over Kara’s back with uncertainty, Kara buried his face in your shoulder, his sunglasses slipping off and clattering to the ground as your suit absorbed the tears.

“N-No…”

“No?” You echoed softly, confused. You inhale sharply when Karamatsu pulls back, placing his hands firmly on your shoulders, eyes a little red and puffy as he desperately tries to hold back his tears. 

“No, I-I won’t forget about this. I CAN’T forget about this!” Karamatsu says determined, lifting a slightly shaky hand to rest on your cheek, releasing a soft exhale of wonder as you flush slightly.

“Those letters… Your letters mean so, so much to me, even if I didn’t know who it was behind the pasted words. I felt seen, heard, understood. So even if you’re the one behind these letters, it only makes me love you even more,” Your breath catches in your throat, staring at Kara’s flustered, teary and warm eyes reflecting affection and determination.

“Y-You do?” You ask, breathless, subconsciously lifting a hand to wipe Kara’s tears, he stiffens for a moment, releasing a shaky breath as he leans into your touch. 

“I do. And I’ll say it as many times as I need for you to believe me,” Kara says, determined, hand travelling from your shoulder to your waist, hesitant for a moment before you rest your free hand against his chest. He swallows, face slowly turning red as he blinks his tears away, clearing his throat. 

“I-I um-” 

“JUST KISS THEM ALREADY!” You and Karamatsu jolt from Osomatsu’s sudden bored exclamation, upper body over the bush and cupping his mouth for added effect. Choromatsu growls as he rises from the bush and hits him upside the head.

“You idiot! You killed the mood!” 

“Ow! Hey! That hurt!” Osomatsu complains as the rest of the boys rise from the bush to berate Osomatsu (Totty) or congratulate/glare at Karamatsu (Ichi and Jyushi.) Karamatsu is more than mortified, taking a step back and covering his face with his hands with a low whine.

You were a little sad to have lost the contact but understood why, glaring daggers at Osomatsu who was already getting a verbal (and slightly physical) beating from the third and sixth born. 

You perk up from Jyushi calling out your name, the energetic Matsuno waving at you with a cowboy hat in hand. 

“Catch!” He chirps, tossing the hat to you. You yelp as you fumble with the hat for a moment before securing it in your hold. Jyushi sends a thumbs up, pushing a confused Ichi into the bushes when he was about to ask, earning an indignant hiss from the purple Matsu.

You look at the hat, and then at Kara, and finally, the fallen, slightly crushed rose. With a sudden, foreign confidence, you stride forward, leaning down to scoop the rose as you approach him.

“Karamatsu,” You call out softly, Kara lowering his hands, fresh tears brimming in his eyes from the embarrassment. You gently tuck the flower into his breast pocket, grab his shoulder, position the hat as a shield and surge forward, pressing your lips against Kara’s. He lets out a short squeak mixed with a yelp of surprise, face immediately turning red, wisps of steam fluttering off his face and from his ears as he froze, hesitantly shutting his eyes, a hand resting on your shoulder. He slowly but surely melts into the kiss, reciprocating the best he can from what little experience he has. 

The brothers argument abruptly stops, the others gawking at the hidden display, 

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you?” Ichi asks, narrowing his eyes at the rambunctious sextuplet. Jyushi merely shrugs.

“Now shoo! Shoo! Give them privacy so they can reach final base!” Protests emerged from his brothers as he began shoving them (and the bush) away from the couple, giving Osomatsu an extra hard push for thinking it was an innuendo.

[sketchthestoryteller]

Here's the archive edition!

I might be giving myself away here lol but can I request some hurt/comfort for Sandy (LEGO Monkie Kid) where reader gets rescued by the gang after being kidnapped by a gang of thieves? Can be pre-relationship or during it, I don’t mind :)

Risings Sands Against The Tide (Sandy X Reader)

I can definitely do that! Though it’s been a while since I've seen LMK (or written proper requests) so I'm a little rusty-

Relationship is more ambiguous than anything so you can see at as platonic, romantic or both!

Warning for knives, a hostage situation and a tad bit of blood.

When you're friends with the Monkey Kid (or even associated with them in a positive light) you're more often than not going to be captured by… less than intelligent people (seriously, they don't ever plan these things.)

So while being kidnapped by a group of bandits is always nerve wracking (waiting is the worst part) you could always count on MK and the gang to save the day.

Except this time, the people who captured you in broad daylight weren't the laughable losers with little to no plan.

They had a more dangerous aura to them, they had planned this out, choosing a proper location, using magic artifacts to impede anyone trying to find you (at least, in a timely manner.)

They hadn't harmed you yet, but sitting in a makeshift cell with your bindings chafing against your wrists and a guard standing by with a cold glare was not doing wonders for your anxiety.

Your eyes focused on a corner of the room, counting the cracks in the worn bricks as you felt your body begin to shake, a sharp ringing over taking your hearing, the steady rapid beat of your heart slowly joining the high pitched chorus. The edges of your vision blurred as you willed yourself not to show your fear, holding back stinging tears as the time slipped away from you.

You didn't know how long it was. It could've been seconds, minutes, hours, certainly not days, thankfully, before the telltale signs of rescue made itself loud and clear. (An explosion and wild, energetic cheering.)

Before you could breathe a sigh of relief however, the guard clicked their tongue before your cell door creaked open, stepping inside to grab your arm and force you to your feet before dragging you out with barely any time to catch your footing.

The sounds of battle rattled the building, dust loosening from places thought unreachable from the sheer force thrumming through the walls. Your stomach churned, your brain unhelpfully supplying you with the image of the building collapsing on top of you.

It isn't long before you're dragged into what was previously the meeting room before this whole mess started, your captor grabbing an old handle, its mystic energy crackling off the relic.

The bangs, thuds, shouts and general sounds of destruction only got louder before the boisterous successor bursts through the wall… with an open door right next to him. He shakes the dust off his form before taking a scope of the situation.

MK might be fast, but your captor was faster, pulling you against them, arm wrapped around your waist before flicking the handle, energy forming from the handle to form a blade which they quickly pressed against your throat, eyes narrowing at MK.

MK tenses, he was about to do his whole hero “your reign of terror ends here, villain,” line when the situation went from a 2 to a 7 in 3 seconds flat. Yes, he's fast. Yes, he may be able to take your captor by surprise. But your captor wasn't an average demon, they were quick, too quick.

“Here's what's going to happen,” They begin, slow, methodical, calculated. 

“You're going to let me walk out of here, you're going to forget this ever happened and your friend here,” The blade nicks a bit of skin, a sharp hiss whispering through your teeth.

“Will get out of this alive,” They finish with a drawl. MK barks out a nervous laugh.

“Haha, okay, no need to do anything too crazy- I mean, we're all friends here, right?” Your captor’s frown deepens, opening their mouth to speak when the wall behind you both crashes through, chunks of old wall and infrastructure whizzing past you.

Your captor jerks when attempting to dodge, a sizable chunk landing square on their back causing them to stumble. Unfortunately, this causes the blade to slip across your skin, creating a shallow, stinging cut. 

Before any more damage could be done, Mei swiftly bonks your captor over their head, with her sword. They drop like a sack of potatoes, relic clattering to the floor. Your captor groans lowly as swirls spiraled where their eyes were.

“Awww yeah! You just got owned!” Mei cheers right into your ear, resting her sword against her shoulder as MK gawks at her.

“Mei, what the heck?!”

“What? We got the bad guy and it looked cool, right?” 

“Oh yeah, the coolest! Wait- That's not what I'm talking about!” Already tired, overwhelmed and not in the mood to hear two overenthusiastic young adults arguing (playfully or otherwise), you speak up before this can go on any further.

“A little help here?” You deadpan, wiggling your arms to show your still binded wrists. The two pause their fight, turning to you.

“Heh, whoops!” Mei exclaims a bit sheepishly before stepping forward and carefully cutting your bindings with her sword. You breathe a sigh of relief as your bindings drop to the floor, feeling the energy drain from your body as you gingerly rub at your marked wrists. You hear MK gasp sharply, calling out your name.

“Your neck!” Ah, right, in the excitement, you had briefly forgotten you had a slightly stinging, bleeding wound that pounded with each beat of your heart. You raise a hand to your throat to inspect it yourself but are stopped by Mei gently grabbing your arm, causing you to flinch.

“Ooo, that's not good, come on, let's get you out of here and get that looked at,” Now that was something you could get behind.

“Yes please,” You mumbled tiredly. Mei gives you a kind smile as she leads you through the busted wall, MK scrambling for the relic for a moment before following after you.

The scorch marks of magic littered the floor along with dozens of unconscious, possibly dead demons, impact craters and cracks lining the floor and walls. You frown, it's a miracle the building was still standing.

And it was. Until you all made it outside to which it gave a pathetic shiver and collapsed like cardboard in rain. You almost felt bad for the demons inside, that would be one hell of a headache tomorrow…

“There you two are! What the heck happened?!” Pigsy exclaims as the remaining trio runs up to you, Tang nearly shrieking upon seeing you, warm blood cascading down your neck and soaking into your shirt. Sandy is by your side in seconds, examining your wound with a critical eye.

“Ehe, long story…” MK mutters as Sandy pulls a cloth from his waist pack, placing it firmly but gingerly against your neck, his other hand gently guiding one of yours to the cloth.

“It looks worse than it is, keep applying pressure til we can get you patched up,” Sandy reassures with a gentle smile. You keep steady pressure on the cloth as Sandy gently pats your back, Pigsy scolding Mei and MK in the background while Tang was trying not to pass out. Even if you were out of that hellish building, the weight on your shoulders didn't feel any lighter.

________________________

You were taken to Sandy's boat to get patched up while Pigsy and Tang dealt with city officials and MK and Mei went on a snack run per Sandy's request.

You sat on a crate while Sandy cleaned and bandaged your wound, helping you apply ointment to your wrists and offering you a clean shirt while he washed your stained one. Your finger tips brush against the somewhat rough gauze around your neck as Sandy puts away his supplies with a smile.

“Thank you,” You mutter, Sandy beams.

“Anytime! Just remember to replace the bandage every couple of days and you'll be all set,” You hum in reply, eyes trailing over the screws and metal plates keeping this vessel together. You flinch upon hearing the long metal groaning deep in the boat's bowels.

Sandy takes notice, putting away his first aid kid and grabbing some drink making supplies.

“How're you holding up?” He asks gently, preparing a kettle of water to boil. You lift your gaze, watching Sandy carefully, about to open your mouth to speak when you release a startled shriek upon Mo jumping onto your lap unprompted.

Mo jumps a little but calms down, soon rubbing up against your arms, making biscuits in your lap. You laugh nervously as you lay a slightly shaky hand on Mo, lifting your gaze to Sandy once more to see his worried frown.

“So not well then,” He deduces softly, you open your mouth to retort but deflate, you're too tired to deflect.

“No, I'm… I'm not doing good,” You mutter, feeling the familiar stinging of tears behind your eyes, quickly blinking so they wouldn't form. Sandy nods thoughtfully.

“I'd be surprised if you were fine after all that. But I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me,” You smile slightly.

“Would you like to talk about it?” He prompts softly. You furrow your brows in thought, mulling over the question before shaking your head.

“That's okay, do you want me to keep you company?” God yes, you don't know what would happen if you were to be alone right now.

Sandy takes your frantic nodding as a yes, removing the whistling, steaming kettle from the stove, pouring two cups, tea for himself, and your favorite hot beverage for you. He collects the tray of drinks and brings them over, you gingerly take the warm cup with a small smile.

“Thanks,” You mutter once more, Sandy nods as he places the tray on the table, cupping his mug in his hands as he sits next to you.

“Anytime,” He replies, taking a slow, meaningful sip of his tea. You listen to the sounds of the boat, no longer creaking eerily, but making the sounds a boat should (or shouldn't) make, the muffled cries of seagulls outside, the pitter-patter and scampering of countless cats running around the boat.

The exhaustion you've been holding back crashes into you all at once, eyes drooping as you let your body fall sideways until it meets Sandy's solid shoulder. He doesn't mind. You sleepily sip your drink as best you can in silence, dozing off every once in a while.

You (and Mo) jolt awake when the door slams open a few minutes later, startling you, you're thankful you managed to drink your beverage otherwise you would've had a mess on your hands. You relax your rapidly beating heart as Mk and Mei march in with far too many plastic bags, Sandy clicking his tongue in disapproval of the rather forceful method of entry.

“Check it out! There was a sale on off brand chips! Apparently they were ‘unsafe for consumption' or something but who cares?! Discount junk food here we come!” Mei exclaims, not paying any mind to Sandy's silent disapproval. You were more than a bit concerned by what was disclosed before MK gives an apologetic smile to you both before joining in on Mei’s cheering.

“Aww yeah! Junk food sleepover, woo woo!” You glance at Sandy with a raised brow.

“It was their idea, we figured it'd be better to have company tonight than sleep alone, unless you don't want to of course,” He explains, correcting himself nervously as he didn't want to overstep any boundaries.

You glance at the outrageous pile of snacks, flickering your gaze to the chaos duo saying hi to the cats and finally to Sandy's warm and friendly smile. You couldn't help but smile back.

“That sounds great actually,”

And so, with another cheer of excitement, the duo scampered to Sandy's TV and the bookshelf next to it, debating on what shows/movies they should watch or games they should play. They inevitably started to argue about the best Monkey King movie just as Pigsy and Tang came back, absolutely wiped from having to deal with the city council but made up for it by bringing noodles.

Mei offered a blanket she found to Sandy and you with a sheepish smile, apologizing for accidentally waking you before returning to MK as Pigsy found a compromise film to play. 

Sandy wrapped the blanket around you two, an arm loosely around your shoulders, Mo purring contently in your lap as the TV softly played. Tang happily slurped some noodles in the corner, Pigsy rolling his eyes as he sat opposite of Sandy on the couch.

MK and Mei situated themselves in front of the TV, legs idly kicking in the air as they munched away on the possibly radioactive snacks, laughing loudly at any gags the movie presented.

The soft buzz of your friends around you relaxed your tense muscles, allowing your mind to realize you were finally safe as exhaustion took hold of you once more. Your breathing slowed as you leaned further into Sandy who curled his arm around you further as you let your mind drift away. Because you wouldn't be alone when you woke up.

[sketchthestoryteller]

I might be giving myself away here lol but can I request some hurt/comfort for Sandy (LEGO Monkie Kid) where reader gets rescued by the gang after being kidnapped by a gang of thieves? Can be pre-relationship or during it, I don’t mind :)

Risings Sands Against The Tide (Sandy X Reader)

I can definitely do that! Though it’s been a while since I've seen LMK (or written proper requests) so I'm a little rusty-

Relationship is more ambiguous than anything so you can see at as platonic, romantic or both!

Warning for knives, a hostage situation and a tad bit of blood.

When you're friends with the Monkey Kid (or even associated with them in a positive light) you're more often than not going to be captured by… less than intelligent people (seriously, they don't ever plan these things.)

So while being kidnapped by a group of bandits is always nerve wracking (waiting is the worst part) you could always count on MK and the gang to save the day.

Except this time, the people who captured you in broad daylight weren't the laughable losers with little to no plan.

They had a more dangerous aura to them, they had planned this out, choosing a proper location, using magic artifacts to impede anyone trying to find you (at least, in a timely manner.)

They hadn't harmed you yet, but sitting in a makeshift cell with your bindings chafing against your wrists and a guard standing by with a cold glare was not doing wonders for your anxiety.

Your eyes focused on a corner of the room, counting the cracks in the worn bricks as you felt your body begin to shake, a sharp ringing over taking your hearing, the steady rapid beat of your heart slowly joining the high pitched chorus. The edges of your vision blurred as you willed yourself not to show your fear, holding back stinging tears as the time slipped away from you.

You didn't know how long it was. It could've been seconds, minutes, hours, certainly not days, thankfully, before the telltale signs of rescue made itself loud and clear. (An explosion and wild, energetic cheering.)

Before you could breathe a sigh of relief however, the guard clicked their tongue before your cell door creaked open, stepping inside to grab your arm and force you to your feet before dragging you out with barely any time to catch your footing.

The sounds of battle rattled the building, dust loosening from places thought unreachable from the sheer force thrumming through the walls. Your stomach churned, your brain unhelpfully supplying you with the image of the building collapsing on top of you.

It isn't long before you're dragged into what was previously the meeting room before this whole mess started, your captor grabbing an old handle, its mystic energy crackling off the relic.

The bangs, thuds, shouts and general sounds of destruction only got louder before the boisterous successor bursts through the wall… with an open door right next to him. He shakes the dust off his form before taking a scope of the situation.

MK might be fast, but your captor was faster, pulling you against them, arm wrapped around your waist before flicking the handle, energy forming from the handle to form a blade which they quickly pressed against your throat, eyes narrowing at MK.

MK tenses, he was about to do his whole hero “your reign of terror ends here, villain,” line when the situation went from a 2 to a 7 in 3 seconds flat. Yes, he's fast. Yes, he may be able to take your captor by surprise. But your captor wasn't an average demon, they were quick, too quick.

“Here's what's going to happen,” They begin, slow, methodical, calculated. 

“You're going to let me walk out of here, you're going to forget this ever happened and your friend here,” The blade nicks a bit of skin, a sharp hiss whispering through your teeth.

“Will get out of this alive,” They finish with a drawl. MK barks out a nervous laugh.

“Haha, okay, no need to do anything too crazy- I mean, we're all friends here, right?” Your captor’s frown deepens, opening their mouth to speak when the wall behind you both crashes through, chunks of old wall and infrastructure whizzing past you.

Your captor jerks when attempting to dodge, a sizable chunk landing square on their back causing them to stumble. Unfortunately, this causes the blade to slip across your skin, creating a shallow, stinging cut. 

Before any more damage could be done, Mei swiftly bonks your captor over their head, with her sword. They drop like a sack of potatoes, relic clattering to the floor. Your captor groans lowly as swirls spiraled where their eyes were.

“Awww yeah! You just got owned!” Mei cheers right into your ear, resting her sword against her shoulder as MK gawks at her.

“Mei, what the heck?!”

“What? We got the bad guy and it looked cool, right?” 

“Oh yeah, the coolest! Wait- That's not what I'm talking about!” Already tired, overwhelmed and not in the mood to hear two overenthusiastic young adults arguing (playfully or otherwise), you speak up before this can go on any further.

“A little help here?” You deadpan, wiggling your arms to show your still binded wrists. The two pause their fight, turning to you.

“Heh, whoops!” Mei exclaims a bit sheepishly before stepping forward and carefully cutting your bindings with her sword. You breathe a sigh of relief as your bindings drop to the floor, feeling the energy drain from your body as you gingerly rub at your marked wrists. You hear MK gasp sharply, calling out your name.

“Your neck!” Ah, right, in the excitement, you had briefly forgotten you had a slightly stinging, bleeding wound that pounded with each beat of your heart. You raise a hand to your throat to inspect it yourself but are stopped by Mei gently grabbing your arm, causing you to flinch.

“Ooo, that's not good, come on, let's get you out of here and get that looked at,” Now that was something you could get behind.

“Yes please,” You mumbled tiredly. Mei gives you a kind smile as she leads you through the busted wall, MK scrambling for the relic for a moment before following after you.

The scorch marks of magic littered the floor along with dozens of unconscious, possibly dead demons, impact craters and cracks lining the floor and walls. You frown, it's a miracle the building was still standing.

And it was. Until you all made it outside to which it gave a pathetic shiver and collapsed like cardboard in rain. You almost felt bad for the demons inside, that would be one hell of a headache tomorrow…

“There you two are! What the heck happened?!” Pigsy exclaims as the remaining trio runs up to you, Tang nearly shrieking upon seeing you, warm blood cascading down your neck and soaking into your shirt. Sandy is by your side in seconds, examining your wound with a critical eye.

“Ehe, long story…” MK mutters as Sandy pulls a cloth from his waist pack, placing it firmly but gingerly against your neck, his other hand gently guiding one of yours to the cloth.

“It looks worse than it is, keep applying pressure til we can get you patched up,” Sandy reassures with a gentle smile. You keep steady pressure on the cloth as Sandy gently pats your back, Pigsy scolding Mei and MK in the background while Tang was trying not to pass out. Even if you were out of that hellish building, the weight on your shoulders didn't feel any lighter.

________________________

You were taken to Sandy's boat to get patched up while Pigsy and Tang dealt with city officials and MK and Mei went on a snack run per Sandy's request.

You sat on a crate while Sandy cleaned and bandaged your wound, helping you apply ointment to your wrists and offering you a clean shirt while he washed your stained one. Your finger tips brush against the somewhat rough gauze around your neck as Sandy puts away his supplies with a smile.

“Thank you,” You mutter, Sandy beams.

“Anytime! Just remember to replace the bandage every couple of days and you'll be all set,” You hum in reply, eyes trailing over the screws and metal plates keeping this vessel together. You flinch upon hearing the long metal groaning deep in the boat's bowels.

Sandy takes notice, putting away his first aid kid and grabbing some drink making supplies.

“How're you holding up?” He asks gently, preparing a kettle of water to boil. You lift your gaze, watching Sandy carefully, about to open your mouth to speak when you release a startled shriek upon Mo jumping onto your lap unprompted.

Mo jumps a little but calms down, soon rubbing up against your arms, making biscuits in your lap. You laugh nervously as you lay a slightly shaky hand on Mo, lifting your gaze to Sandy once more to see his worried frown.

“So not well then,” He deduces softly, you open your mouth to retort but deflate, you're too tired to deflect.

“No, I'm… I'm not doing good,” You mutter, feeling the familiar stinging of tears behind your eyes, quickly blinking so they wouldn't form. Sandy nods thoughtfully.

“I'd be surprised if you were fine after all that. But I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me,” You smile slightly.

“Would you like to talk about it?” He prompts softly. You furrow your brows in thought, mulling over the question before shaking your head.

“That's okay, do you want me to keep you company?” God yes, you don't know what would happen if you were to be alone right now.

Sandy takes your frantic nodding as a yes, removing the whistling, steaming kettle from the stove, pouring two cups, tea for himself, and your favorite hot beverage for you. He collects the tray of drinks and brings them over, you gingerly take the warm cup with a small smile.

“Thanks,” You mutter once more, Sandy nods as he places the tray on the table, cupping his mug in his hands as he sits next to you.

“Anytime,” He replies, taking a slow, meaningful sip of his tea. You listen to the sounds of the boat, no longer creaking eerily, but making the sounds a boat should (or shouldn't) make, the muffled cries of seagulls outside, the pitter-patter and scampering of countless cats running around the boat.

The exhaustion you've been holding back crashes into you all at once, eyes drooping as you let your body fall sideways until it meets Sandy's solid shoulder. He doesn't mind. You sleepily sip your drink as best you can in silence, dozing off every once in a while.

You (and Mo) jolt awake when the door slams open a few minutes later, startling you, you're thankful you managed to drink your beverage otherwise you would've had a mess on your hands. You relax your rapidly beating heart as Mk and Mei march in with far too many plastic bags, Sandy clicking his tongue in disapproval of the rather forceful method of entry.

“Check it out! There was a sale on off brand chips! Apparently they were ‘unsafe for consumption' or something but who cares?! Discount junk food here we come!” Mei exclaims, not paying any mind to Sandy's silent disapproval. You were more than a bit concerned by what was disclosed before MK gives an apologetic smile to you both before joining in on Mei’s cheering.

“Aww yeah! Junk food sleepover, woo woo!” You glance at Sandy with a raised brow.

“It was their idea, we figured it'd be better to have company tonight than sleep alone, unless you don't want to of course,” He explains, correcting himself nervously as he didn't want to overstep any boundaries.

You glance at the outrageous pile of snacks, flickering your gaze to the chaos duo saying hi to the cats and finally to Sandy's warm and friendly smile. You couldn't help but smile back.

“That sounds great actually,”

And so, with another cheer of excitement, the duo scampered to Sandy's TV and the bookshelf next to it, debating on what shows/movies they should watch or games they should play. They inevitably started to argue about the best Monkey King movie just as Pigsy and Tang came back, absolutely wiped from having to deal with the city council but made up for it by bringing noodles.

Mei offered a blanket she found to Sandy and you with a sheepish smile, apologizing for accidentally waking you before returning to MK as Pigsy found a compromise film to play. 

Sandy wrapped the blanket around you two, an arm loosely around your shoulders, Mo purring contently in your lap as the TV softly played. Tang happily slurped some noodles in the corner, Pigsy rolling his eyes as he sat opposite of Sandy on the couch.

MK and Mei situated themselves in front of the TV, legs idly kicking in the air as they munched away on the possibly radioactive snacks, laughing loudly at any gags the movie presented.

The soft buzz of your friends around you relaxed your tense muscles, allowing your mind to realize you were finally safe as exhaustion took hold of you once more. Your breathing slowed as you leaned further into Sandy who curled his arm around you further as you let your mind drift away. Because you wouldn't be alone when you woke up.

[sketchthestoryteller]

I might be giving myself away here lol but can I request some hurt/comfort for Sandy (LEGO Monkie Kid) where reader gets rescued by the gang after being kidnapped by a gang of thieves? Can be pre-relationship or during it, I don’t mind :)

Risings Sands Against The Tide (Sandy X Reader)

I can definitely do that! Though it’s been a while since I've seen LMK (or written proper requests) so I'm a little rusty-

Relationship is more ambiguous than anything so you can see at as platonic, romantic or both!

Warning for knives, a hostage situation and a tad bit of blood.

When you're friends with the Monkey Kid (or even associated with them in a positive light) you're more often than not going to be captured by… less than intelligent people (seriously, they don't ever plan these things.)

So while being kidnapped by a group of bandits is always nerve wracking (waiting is the worst part) you could always count on MK and the gang to save the day.

Except this time, the people who captured you in broad daylight weren't the laughable losers with little to no plan.

They had a more dangerous aura to them, they had planned this out, choosing a proper location, using magic artifacts to impede anyone trying to find you (at least, in a timely manner.)

They hadn't harmed you yet, but sitting in a makeshift cell with your bindings chafing against your wrists and a guard standing by with a cold glare was not doing wonders for your anxiety.

Your eyes focused on a corner of the room, counting the cracks in the worn bricks as you felt your body begin to shake, a sharp ringing over taking your hearing, the steady rapid beat of your heart slowly joining the high pitched chorus. The edges of your vision blurred as you willed yourself not to show your fear, holding back stinging tears as the time slipped away from you.

You didn't know how long it was. It could've been seconds, minutes, hours, certainly not days, thankfully, before the telltale signs of rescue made itself loud and clear. (An explosion and wild, energetic cheering.)

Before you could breathe a sigh of relief however, the guard clicked their tongue before your cell door creaked open, stepping inside to grab your arm and force you to your feet before dragging you out with barely any time to catch your footing.

The sounds of battle rattled the building, dust loosening from places thought unreachable from the sheer force thrumming through the walls. Your stomach churned, your brain unhelpfully supplying you with the image of the building collapsing on top of you.

It isn't long before you're dragged into what was previously the meeting room before this whole mess started, your captor grabbing an old handle, its mystic energy crackling off the relic.

The bangs, thuds, shouts and general sounds of destruction only got louder before the boisterous successor bursts through the wall… with an open door right next to him. He shakes the dust off his form before taking a scope of the situation.

MK might be fast, but your captor was faster, pulling you against them, arm wrapped around your waist before flicking the handle, energy forming from the handle to form a blade which they quickly pressed against your throat, eyes narrowing at MK.

MK tenses, he was about to do his whole hero “your reign of terror ends here, villain,” line when the situation went from a 2 to a 7 in 3 seconds flat. Yes, he's fast. Yes, he may be able to take your captor by surprise. But your captor wasn't an average demon, they were quick, too quick.

“Here's what's going to happen,” They begin, slow, methodical, calculated. 

“You're going to let me walk out of here, you're going to forget this ever happened and your friend here,” The blade nicks a bit of skin, a sharp hiss whispering through your teeth.

“Will get out of this alive,” They finish with a drawl. MK barks out a nervous laugh.

“Haha, okay, no need to do anything too crazy- I mean, we're all friends here, right?” Your captor’s frown deepens, opening their mouth to speak when the wall behind you both crashes through, chunks of old wall and infrastructure whizzing past you.

Your captor jerks when attempting to dodge, a sizable chunk landing square on their back causing them to stumble. Unfortunately, this causes the blade to slip across your skin, creating a shallow, stinging cut. 

Before any more damage could be done, Mei swiftly bonks your captor over their head, with her sword. They drop like a sack of potatoes, relic clattering to the floor. Your captor groans lowly as swirls spiraled where their eyes were.

“Awww yeah! You just got owned!” Mei cheers right into your ear, resting her sword against her shoulder as MK gawks at her.

“Mei, what the heck?!”

“What? We got the bad guy and it looked cool, right?” 

“Oh yeah, the coolest! Wait- That's not what I'm talking about!” Already tired, overwhelmed and not in the mood to hear two overenthusiastic young adults arguing (playfully or otherwise), you speak up before this can go on any further.

“A little help here?” You deadpan, wiggling your arms to show your still binded wrists. The two pause their fight, turning to you.

“Heh, whoops!” Mei exclaims a bit sheepishly before stepping forward and carefully cutting your bindings with her sword. You breathe a sigh of relief as your bindings drop to the floor, feeling the energy drain from your body as you gingerly rub at your marked wrists. You hear MK gasp sharply, calling out your name.

“Your neck!” Ah, right, in the excitement, you had briefly forgotten you had a slightly stinging, bleeding wound that pounded with each beat of your heart. You raise a hand to your throat to inspect it yourself but are stopped by Mei gently grabbing your arm, causing you to flinch.

“Ooo, that's not good, come on, let's get you out of here and get that looked at,” Now that was something you could get behind.

“Yes please,” You mumbled tiredly. Mei gives you a kind smile as she leads you through the busted wall, MK scrambling for the relic for a moment before following after you.

The scorch marks of magic littered the floor along with dozens of unconscious, possibly dead demons, impact craters and cracks lining the floor and walls. You frown, it's a miracle the building was still standing.

And it was. Until you all made it outside to which it gave a pathetic shiver and collapsed like cardboard in rain. You almost felt bad for the demons inside, that would be one hell of a headache tomorrow…

“There you two are! What the heck happened?!” Pigsy exclaims as the remaining trio runs up to you, Tang nearly shrieking upon seeing you, warm blood cascading down your neck and soaking into your shirt. Sandy is by your side in seconds, examining your wound with a critical eye.

“Ehe, long story…” MK mutters as Sandy pulls a cloth from his waist pack, placing it firmly but gingerly against your neck, his other hand gently guiding one of yours to the cloth.

“It looks worse than it is, keep applying pressure til we can get you patched up,” Sandy reassures with a gentle smile. You keep steady pressure on the cloth as Sandy gently pats your back, Pigsy scolding Mei and MK in the background while Tang was trying not to pass out. Even if you were out of that hellish building, the weight on your shoulders didn't feel any lighter.

________________________

You were taken to Sandy's boat to get patched up while Pigsy and Tang dealt with city officials and MK and Mei went on a snack run per Sandy's request.

You sat on a crate while Sandy cleaned and bandaged your wound, helping you apply ointment to your wrists and offering you a clean shirt while he washed your stained one. Your finger tips brush against the somewhat rough gauze around your neck as Sandy puts away his supplies with a smile.

“Thank you,” You mutter, Sandy beams.

“Anytime! Just remember to replace the bandage every couple of days and you'll be all set,” You hum in reply, eyes trailing over the screws and metal plates keeping this vessel together. You flinch upon hearing the long metal groaning deep in the boat's bowels.

Sandy takes notice, putting away his first aid kid and grabbing some drink making supplies.

“How're you holding up?” He asks gently, preparing a kettle of water to boil. You lift your gaze, watching Sandy carefully, about to open your mouth to speak when you release a startled shriek upon Mo jumping onto your lap unprompted.

Mo jumps a little but calms down, soon rubbing up against your arms, making biscuits in your lap. You laugh nervously as you lay a slightly shaky hand on Mo, lifting your gaze to Sandy once more to see his worried frown.

“So not well then,” He deduces softly, you open your mouth to retort but deflate, you're too tired to deflect.

“No, I'm… I'm not doing good,” You mutter, feeling the familiar stinging of tears behind your eyes, quickly blinking so they wouldn't form. Sandy nods thoughtfully.

“I'd be surprised if you were fine after all that. But I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me,” You smile slightly.

“Would you like to talk about it?” He prompts softly. You furrow your brows in thought, mulling over the question before shaking your head.

“That's okay, do you want me to keep you company?” God yes, you don't know what would happen if you were to be alone right now.

Sandy takes your frantic nodding as a yes, removing the whistling, steaming kettle from the stove, pouring two cups, tea for himself, and your favorite hot beverage for you. He collects the tray of drinks and brings them over, you gingerly take the warm cup with a small smile.

“Thanks,” You mutter once more, Sandy nods as he places the tray on the table, cupping his mug in his hands as he sits next to you.

“Anytime,” He replies, taking a slow, meaningful sip of his tea. You listen to the sounds of the boat, no longer creaking eerily, but making the sounds a boat should (or shouldn't) make, the muffled cries of seagulls outside, the pitter-patter and scampering of countless cats running around the boat.

The exhaustion you've been holding back crashes into you all at once, eyes drooping as you let your body fall sideways until it meets Sandy's solid shoulder. He doesn't mind. You sleepily sip your drink as best you can in silence, dozing off every once in a while.

You (and Mo) jolt awake when the door slams open a few minutes later, startling you, you're thankful you managed to drink your beverage otherwise you would've had a mess on your hands. You relax your rapidly beating heart as Mk and Mei march in with far too many plastic bags, Sandy clicking his tongue in disapproval of the rather forceful method of entry.

“Check it out! There was a sale on off brand chips! Apparently they were ‘unsafe for consumption' or something but who cares?! Discount junk food here we come!” Mei exclaims, not paying any mind to Sandy's silent disapproval. You were more than a bit concerned by what was disclosed before MK gives an apologetic smile to you both before joining in on Mei’s cheering.

“Aww yeah! Junk food sleepover, woo woo!” You glance at Sandy with a raised brow.

“It was their idea, we figured it'd be better to have company tonight than sleep alone, unless you don't want to of course,” He explains, correcting himself nervously as he didn't want to overstep any boundaries.

You glance at the outrageous pile of snacks, flickering your gaze to the chaos duo saying hi to the cats and finally to Sandy's warm and friendly smile. You couldn't help but smile back.

“That sounds great actually,”

And so, with another cheer of excitement, the duo scampered to Sandy's TV and the bookshelf next to it, debating on what shows/movies they should watch or games they should play. They inevitably started to argue about the best Monkey King movie just as Pigsy and Tang came back, absolutely wiped from having to deal with the city council but made up for it by bringing noodles.

Mei offered a blanket she found to Sandy and you with a sheepish smile, apologizing for accidentally waking you before returning to MK as Pigsy found a compromise film to play. 

Sandy wrapped the blanket around you two, an arm loosely around your shoulders, Mo purring contently in your lap as the TV softly played. Tang happily slurped some noodles in the corner, Pigsy rolling his eyes as he sat opposite of Sandy on the couch.

MK and Mei situated themselves in front of the TV, legs idly kicking in the air as they munched away on the possibly radioactive snacks, laughing loudly at any gags the movie presented.

The soft buzz of your friends around you relaxed your tense muscles, allowing your mind to realize you were finally safe as exhaustion took hold of you once more. Your breathing slowed as you leaned further into Sandy who curled his arm around you further as you let your mind drift away. Because you wouldn't be alone when you woke up.

[sketchthestoryteller]

Project on hold until further notice

I'm really struggling with getting the compiler to work, even more continuing the other paths. I'm sorry if y'all were excited for this project (I know I was) but more and more complications keep coming up and it's really stressing me out. I'll work on it on my own bit by bit without the pressure of expectation on me but still, I'm sorry. I can still do oneshots with Twine, that'll be fun and it'll help me learn my rhythm in a way. Til next time I suppose!

[sketchthestoryteller]

June Progress Report

My Dev log of sorts for my current project, read at your own risk /Light hearted

May 29th Got to work on a very basic rough draft for my new idea.

June 5th Began work on the official project, have a good grasp on how I want things to go, will need to look into some HTML though. Got some of the prologue written out into Twine, gonna have to figure out the UI business.

June 6th Experimented with the UI styling, I managed to get something working! I'll have to experiment with hex colors but so far, it's looking great! Added what I had first draft wise into Twine, getting started on some basic variables. I only have one option for the other variables written out rn. I need to add the character customization as well but so far I'm making good progress. I'll also do some experimenting with the UI styling in the future.

June 13th Experimented with the UI, figuring out how to affect the links, might want to consider a scroll method with a fixed box position. Got something going for the default one, which will be the basis for the other UI. Finished the second draft for the AO3 story on the 11th, going to start either the final draft or the brothers First Meet first draft. Either or. Also added a side bar for testing purposes, might remove before posting. Struggled with getting the UI to work, may have to use Java script. Finished the third draft for the AO3 introduction, got started on the alternative choices for the interactive fiction. Might focus on the more variable heavy stuff for a while and write while I figure out this UI business.

June 15th Got started on the first draft of the brothers meeting.

June 16th Got a good chunk of the first draft with Osomatsu done, things might be expanded upon in the future or it may not, I'll try to keep each interaction the same length (or as close as I can)

June 22nd Wrote a bit of the first interactions with the brothers a few days ago, added some loop confirmations. Added the base working for the Hub (more a blank slate than anything) Prepared the door passages, Added the basics of the character customization (without polish or in terms of spelling corrections) Haven't tested it properly yet but I'm planning on it after a bit more writing/editing is done. Finished adding the variables to all the necessary portions of the story (Character customization only) Added the shells for the scrapbook, adventure and character.

June 23rd Added the start up variables for the later adventures. Got the basic system down for the Scrapbook, mainly for the characters, may fiddle around with the adventure log a bit. Planning on implementing a save system, a basic one to keep things in order hopefully. Once everything is prepared for the introduction, we'll see how stitching together works out.

June 24th Wrote a bit more for Osomatsu's path, planning on writing more for the others either today or tomorrow.

June 29th Progressed a little more into the second draft within the project itself (AO3 is already in it's 3rd draft and ready to be published but I'm holding out until the First Meet is at least done.) It's only the groundwork route for now, I'll work on the others in time. Visual Update:

[sketchthestoryteller]

Minor Update

Having a bit of trouble writing the First Meet portion, it's been a while since I've written for anyone but myself and the pressure is kinda getting to me a lil- But I am slowly but surely building the Twine project as I figure out the groundwork/creative stuff, even if I'm running into a few walls- I'll do a Dev Log/Progress update of sorts at the end of this month or the start of next month. Thanks for taking the time to read this! I hope you have a pleasant day!

[sketchthestoryteller]

Hit a bit of a wall-

I'm trying to make it so that the reader is able to change the UI design via a drop down menu mixed with variable calling with additional HTML code but it just isn't working? I used the Link rerun method and even that didn't work, it worked with one of them but the other just refuses to switch. I'm using Harlowe 3.3.9, I'll post the code I'm using in under the read more to not clutter anything (and hopefully get some feedback/help on this, I suspect it has something to do with the text color Css)

Stylesheet code:

html.UIDefaultGlow tw-passage { position: static; border: 4px white; border-style: solid; border-radius: 15px; margin: auto; padding: 20px; box-shadow: 5px 10px 10px 10px white; background: linear-gradient(gray,#dcdbdd); opacity: 0.3 color: black; }

html.UIDefaultGlow tw-link { background-color: transparent; border: 2px solid white; border-radius: 15px; padding: 5px; color: white;}

html.UIDefaultGlow tw-link:hover {background-color: transparent; border: 2px solid white; border-radius: 15px; box-shadow: 5px 10px 15px 10px white, 10px 15px 20px 15px black;; padding: 5px; color: white; text-shadow: 10px 10px 20px black, 5px 5px 15px white;}

html.UIDefaultGlow tw-link.visited { background-color: transparent; border: 2px solid #dd9d9d; border-radius: 15px; padding: 5px; color: #dd9d9d;}

html.UIDefaultGlow tw-link.visited:hover {background-color: transparent; border: 2px solid #dd9d9d; border-radius: 15px; box-shadow: 5px 10px 15px 10px #dd9d9d; padding: 5px; color: #dd9d9d; text-shadow: 5px 5px 15px #dd9d9d;}

html.UIDefault tw-passage { position: static; border: 4px white; border-style: solid; border-radius: 15px; margin: auto; padding: 20px; box-shadow: 5px 10px 10px 10px black; background: linear-gradient(gray,#dcdbdd); opacity: 0.3 color: black; }

html.UIDefault tw-link { background-color: transparent; border: 2px solid white; border-radius: 15px; padding: 5px; color: white;}

html.UIDefault tw-link:hover {background-color: transparent; border: 2px solid white; border-radius: 15px; box-shadow: 5px 5px 10px 15px black; padding: 5px; color: white; text-shadow: 5px 5px 10px black;}

html.UIDefault tw-link.visited { background-color: transparent; border: 2px solid #dd9d9d; border-radius: 15px; padding: 5px; color: #dd9d9d;}

html.UIDefault tw-link.visited:hover {background-color: transparent; border: 2px solid #dd9d9d; border-radius: 15px; box-shadow: 5px 10px 15px 10px black; padding: 5px; color: #dd9d9d; text-shadow: 5px 5px 15px #dd9d9d;}

Passage/UI selection code:

{(set: $UI to "Default Glow")}

{[(set: $UI to "Default Glow") (set: $UI to "Default")]} (dropdown: 2bind $UI,"Default Glow","Default") {(if: $UI is "Default Glow") <script>$('html').removeClass("red yellow blue").addClass('UIDefaultGlow');</script>] (if: $UI is "Default")[<script>$('html').removeClass("UIDefaultGlow").addClass('UIDefault');</script>]}

[sketchthestoryteller]

Working on another project

Working on both an Ao3 story about a concept that I liked (and will also be the groundwork for the interactive fiction) it's going to be bigger than the prototype oneshot test so it'll be a bit before I have something I'm willing to share.

Most likely going to post the Ao3 story first then the interactive fiction, the project will rely on a loosely connected oneshots format while I learn/navigate how to relay the story via twine. I have the first draft of the prologue mostly written out then I'll get started on the "First Meets" Oh, and this is an X reader story (obviously, but I want everyone on the same page) and it's involving my current hyperfixation: Osomatsu San. I may post some progress reports on here, I may not, time will tell. Either way, thanks for reading and I hope you have an awesome day!

[sketchthestoryteller]

Ao3 up and running!

Got my A03 account approved recently and have since added the interactive oneshot there! A03 Link

[sketchthestoryteller]

Trying something out! Seeing if this is better than going to the itch.io page itself.

It’s the Inside That Counts (Zane X Reader) Interactive

Making a Twine Project!

Or should I say multiple! Ever since I got my hands on Twine, I've been wondering what creative opportunities were presented to me in regards to X reader/self shipping works! So I got to work on a very, VERY bare bones concept with a rewritten drabble (WITH PERMISSION) by @timbertumbr! Interactive Oneshot I want your input on what I can do to make this better! To make it as customizable and fun for everyone! Keep in mind that with each change, there's a chance the original story/drabble will be expanded upon or changed drastically! Don't hesitate to ask questions! I'm using Twine Harlowe though I do plan to dabble in Sugarcube in the future!

[sketchthestoryteller]

Fandom List

Undertale

I'll write for most AU's and characters but teens and kids are staying strictly platonic. If you're not sure if I would write a certain character, don't be afraid to ask!

Deltarune

Same as above, I've seen both chapters currently out.

Edit: I've not seen 3 or 4 yet unfortunately so no spoilers please

Ninjago

I'll write for any except Nadakahn and Lloyd. Going to finish up the last season before watching Dragons Rising.

Lego Monkie Kid

The majority of the characters.

Transformers (Most gens)

I've seen Animated, Prime, RID 2015, Rescue Bots and Earth spark. I will write for most of them, including humans but again, I'm writing strictly platonic for the minors.

DC Superheroes

I've seen some shows, animated or otherwise. I'm not writing Shazam.

Fallout 4

Most characters

Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition

Most characters

Osomatsu San

Slowly but surely making my way through season 3 so no spoilers please! ALSO NO FUCKING BLMATSU, EW! Edit: Caught up and waiting for more episodes of season 4 I will be writing the Matsu bros mainly but I can try writing for the other characters.

Date Everything!

I see a lot of potential with the characters! I absolutely adore it but I might be on the fence/not willing to write some (like Sophie- She makes me uncomfortable) Feel free to ask if it's okay to write certain characters!

[sketchthestoryteller]

Intro And Rules

(This post will be updated if/when necessary)

Howdy! I'm Sketch, hobby writer, beginner coder (using Twine) and occasional digital artist! Mainly going to be writing X reader/self insert content so I hope you enjoy your stay! Note: I'm more likely to write in my current hyperfixation but am willing to do other requests outside of it but it may take a little longer.

Fandom List

A03

Current Hyperfixation: Osomatsu San Requests: (0/5) Keep In Mind

I am limiting myself to 5 requests a month, Twine requests will take longer depending on what is asked (I'm new to Twine). I'll mostly be doing oneshots as I'm more comfortable with that format. I'm willing to write:

Fluff Angst Platonic reader Romantic reader I will NOT write: Trigger warning has been placed here to warn of the potentially triggering subjects within this list. You've been warned

Lemons Limes Kinks Abuse Rape Incest

Anything Dark/Proship, just no

[sketchthestoryteller]

Making a Twine Project!

Or should I say multiple! Ever since I got my hands on Twine, I've been wondering what creative opportunities were presented to me in regards to X reader/self shipping works! So I got to work on a very, VERY bare bones concept with a rewritten drabble (WITH PERMISSION) by @timbertumbr! Interactive Oneshot I want your input on what I can do to make this better! To make it as customizable and fun for everyone! Keep in mind that with each change, there's a chance the original story/drabble will be expanded upon or changed drastically! Don't hesitate to ask questions! I'm using Twine Harlowe though I do plan to dabble in Sugarcube in the future!