#Though no shade to people who do it it looks super cool! But this is part of diversifying regression

[piinktearxs]

It’s okay if you don’t own or want agere gear

it’s okay if you don’t own or want an agere room

agere inspo boards are fine but don’t feel pressured to conform to the aesthetic just because that’s what you see online - nobody is going to see that space without them being worthy of it (ergo non judgmental of how it looks or how it is) - you do what feels best for you in that moment, no pressure, this is YOUR safe space so whatever makes sense to YOU

[gloomyluvr]

NEEDY

in which rafe just wants to nap

fem!reader x rafe cameron

fluff

warnings!: bit of sarah shade. cameron siblings getting along (iktr 🙂‍↕️), reader is from the cut and kind of a pogue idk,

a/n: hiii ! first rafe fic ever and first fic since 2023 (oops...) to my spiderverse readers i will write when they give us content and when the fandom is alive. hope this fic is good and people like it. it's not the best but i'm working on other fics so give me a chance please 😣. this ones pretty short. pls let me know if you enjoyed this or if there are any spelling errors. requests are open !

masterlist

summer in the outer banks was nothing short of fun. spending most days at the beach taking in the warm sun, relaxing and cooling down in the cold water, all while hanging out with the people you love most. but fuck, did it get so hot sometimes. unbearably hot. it wasn’t enough to cool down in the water, the intense sun on skin overpowering the coolness of the ocean. it was worse at the chateau, or anywhere on the cut. only a lucky few could afford the luxury of air conditioning. fortunately, you had a super awesome hot rich boyfriend with a mansion with air conditioning that ran 24/7. 

you laid in bed with the youngest cameron sibling, helping her with online shopping for the upcoming school year. having been with rafe for just a couple months, you had become close with his sisters. you saw sarah at the chateau with john b more than you had ever really seen her at tannyhill. therefore, when you spent time at the mansion, you typically spent time with wheezie when you got bored with rafe. 

“wait, that one’s cute,” you pointed to a crop top on wheezie’s laptop which rested on her knees.

“i think i already have that one though.” she looked around her room to see if the top was among the clothes on the floor before giving up and continued scrolling through the catalogue, “i feel like these clothes are too revealing.”

“cmon wheeze! this is nothing, you just gotta get out of your shell. it’s just clothes, try something new and i don’t know, maybe you’ll like it.” you tried convincing the younger girl. over the past few months you had become like an older sister to her, as sarah spent more time with john b and the other pogues.

“my dad would never let me buy these,” she turned her head to look at you. 

“just put it on rafe’s card,” you whispered, “i won’t tell.” you stuck your pinky out and wheezie quickly wrapped her pinky around yours, giggling. 

as wheezie finalized her cart a familiar voice began to call out for you, “babeee! babeee where are you!”

wheezie rolled her eyes, “speak of the devil,” she muttered. 

“summon him and he shall come,” you smiled at her which she returned, “i’m in wheezie’s room!” you called back. on queue, you heard obnoxiously loud stomps coming up the stairs. “he is so dramatic and for what?”

rafe stood in the doorway looking at you and his younger sister, “why’d you steal my girlfriend, wheeze?” 

 it was your turn to roll your eyes, “she didn’t steal me, dipshit. you were too busy ignoring me for topper and kelce and your stupid game so i came up here where i am truly loved.” you sighed, wrapping yourself around wheezie who stuck her tongue out at her older brother. in return, rafe picked up one of the shirts laying on the floor and chucked it at wheezie. 

“douchebag!” she yelled.

“cmon y/n, i wanna go take a nap.” 

“but i’m so comfy here!” you whined cuddling wheezie tighter. 

rafe walked over to your side and quickly got on the bed, spooning you and throwing one of his long legs over your body, reaching wheezie. rafe wasn’t an affectionate brother by any means, but when he was with you he definitely softened up with everyone around you guys. 

wheezie kicked her brother’s calf, “ew get your nasty dogs away from me!” but rafe didn’t budge.

“what’re you guys doing?” he mumbled looking at the laptop screen. 

“y/n’s helping me shop for school.” 

“why? you have enough clothes. you don’t need none of those crop tops. no boyfriends till you’re 30.” rafe stated as he viewed the clothes on the screen.

you gently smacked the leg that was on top of your own, “don’t be rude! wheezie’s not little anymore.”

 “hm, whatever.” he grumbled, nuzzling his face against your neck, eyes shut as he fully enveloped you leaving no space between your bodies. his hands found yours, wasting no time to intertwine your fingers. 

“get off me, fatty!” you feigned disgust, as if you weren’t enjoying every second of rafe’s neediness to cuddle.

rafe grumbled, “only if you come take a nap with me in my room.” 

“fineeee, get up then,” you reached behind to gently smack his butt and he quickly got up, no effort to hide his big smile, “sorry wheeze, duty calls.” you sighed, getting up following rafe as he walked to wheezie’s door.

before walking out he turned back to wheezie and stuck his tongue out as she had done earlier. with no hesitation, wheezie returned the gesture as you smacked rafe’s head and shoved him out the door. 

[xichilie]

Phainon x (fem)reader

Phainon is crushing, and Y/N is oblivious XD

🤭🫶🏻

_______________________________________

Okhema City was a marvel of elegance and energy, its golden towers glowing under a soft, perpetual light. The streets hummed with the sounds of music and conversation as people moved through the grand plazas and intricate skybridges. Laughter drifted from bustling vendors, and faint trails of sweet, spiced aromas filled the air.

Phainon walked beside you, exuding what could only be described as dramatic confidence. His regal coat swished behind him, the embroidered gold and blue threads catching the light with every exaggerated step he took. He kept glancing at you out of the corner of his eye, trying to appear casual but failing miserably.

You, however, were entirely oblivious to his nervous antics. Your gaze was fixed on the city around you, marveling at the sheer beauty of the architecture and the lively atmosphere. “This place is amazing,” you said, a smile tugging at your lips as you looked up at the softly glowing arches above. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Yeah, it’s... something,” Phainon replied, his voice a little too eager. “But, uh, I could show you the really amazing parts. I know all the best spots.”

“Like what?” you asked, genuinely curious.

“Oh, uh...” Phainon faltered, his confidence slipping under the weight of your direct attention. “Like, um, this fountain right over there! It’s super... historic?” He pointed toward a glowing marble fountain that you were already walking toward, his enthusiasm betraying the fact that he hadn’t actually thought this through.

Trailing behind you were Phainon’s companions: Tribbie, a small girl with fiery red hair and vibrant blue eyes who seemed incapable of standing still, and Mydei, tall and intimidating with his untamed blonde-and-red hair and an aura of perpetual irritation.

Tribbie grinned as she jogged to keep up with you two. “He means he wants to show you off,” she whispered conspiratorially to Mydei, giggling. “Look at him! He’s been tripping over himself the whole time!”

“I noticed,” Mydei muttered, crossing his arms as he followed. “Not like he’s being subtle.”

Phainon overheard them and whipped around. “I am being subtle!” he hissed, his face red.

“Sure you are,” Mydei deadpanned, not even bothering to hide his smirk.

“Don’t listen to him,” Tribbie said, skipping up to Phainon’s side. “You’re doing great! Well, except for the part where you keep blushing every time Y/N looks at you. But other than that, perfect.”

“Tribbie, please!” Phainon groaned, glancing nervously at you to see if you’d noticed their conversation. Fortunately—or unfortunately—you were completely engrossed in admiring the intricate carvings on the fountain.

“It’s okay!” Tribbie whispered loudly. “Y/N’s totally clueless. You’ve got time to pull it together!”

“I don’t need to pull anything together!” Phainon snapped, though the panic in his voice betrayed him.

“What are you two whispering about back there?” you asked, glancing over your shoulder.

“Oh, nothing!” Tribbie said with a grin, skipping back to walk beside you. “Phainon was just telling us how much he loves—uh—fountains! Right, Phainon?”

Phainon coughed, his cheeks still pink. “Yes. Fountains. Very majestic.”

You raised an eyebrow at him, but didn’t press the matter, much to his obvious relief.

Tribbie, however, was far from done. “So, Y/N,” she said, clasping her hands behind her back and tilting her head in a way that could only be described as way too innocent, “what do you think of Phainon? Pretty cool, huh?”

You blinked at her, caught off guard by the sudden question. “Uh... sure. He’s great.”

Tribbie gasped dramatically, spinning to face Phainon. “Did you hear that? Y/N thinks you’re great!”

Phainon’s eyes widened, his face turning an alarming shade of red. “She didn’t mean it like that!” he said, his voice cracking slightly.

“I mean,” you said, looking between them with a confused smile, “you are great. You’re a good leader, and you’re... fun to be around. Why wouldn’t I think that?”

Phainon opened his mouth, then closed it, his brain clearly short-circuiting. “I—uh—thank you?” he managed weakly.

Tribbie clapped her hands together. “Oh, this is too good. Mydei, isn’t this great?”

“Yeah,” Mydei said, rolling his eyes. “If by ‘great’ you mean ‘painful to watch.’”

“Okay, that’s enough out of both of you,” Phainon said, his tone equal parts exasperated and mortified. He took a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure. “Y/N, do you want to see the market district? It’s a lot livelier than this part of the city.”

You nodded, still oblivious to his obvious fluster. “That sounds fun.”

As you all made your way toward the bustling marketplace, Tribbie leaned closer to Mydei, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “You know,” she whispered, “we should help him out. Like, nudge things along a bit.”

Mydei gave her a flat look. “Or we could let him suffer. That’s been entertaining enough.”

Tribbie stifled a giggle as she looked up at Phainon, who was now awkwardly trying to match your pace without looking like he was trying too hard. “He’s so hopeless,” she whispered.

“I can hear you,” Phainon muttered without turning around.

“Good!” Tribbie chirped. “Maybe it’ll inspire you to actually do something about it!”

Phainon groaned, his face in his hands as he walked. You, meanwhile, simply admired the sights, blissfully unaware of the chaotic energy simmering between your companions.

By the time you reached the market district, the air was alive with music and the scent of freshly baked bread. Phainon, for all his flustered awkwardness, managed to walk beside you with his usual confidence—though his companions’ constant teasing kept his nerves simmering just beneath the surface.

For Phainon, it was a miracle you hadn’t picked up on his obvious feelings. For Tribbie, it was her favorite ongoing drama. And for Mydei, well, it was just another day in Okhema City.

The market district was a riot of colors and sounds, with stalls overflowing with intricate wares: handwoven fabrics, shimmering jewelry, and jars filled with glowing powders that seemed to hum faintly with energy. Street performers danced and spun glowing ribbons in the air, while vendors called out their prices, each trying to outshine the next.

You walked ahead, drawn to a stall filled with delicate glass ornaments that sparkled in the warm light. Phainon hovered a step behind, trying to look relaxed but still stealing glances at you.

“You know,” you said, turning a small, intricately carved pendant over in your hands, “this place is so vibrant. I feel like I could spend days here and still not see everything.”

Phainon took a deep breath, willing himself to act natural. “If you wanted, I could show you around tomorrow. Or, you know, whenever you’re free.”

Tribbie appeared out of nowhere, practically popping up between you two. “Ohhh, a private tour? How romantic!”

Phainon choked on his own breath, quickly covering it with a cough. “Tribbie, not now!”

“What? I think it’s sweet!” she said with an exaggerated pout, blue eyes wide with mock innocence.

You blinked at her, clearly confused. “I mean, it’d be nice to have a guide,” you said, glancing at Phainon with a smile. “You know a lot about this place, don’t you?”

Phainon’s heart skipped a beat at your words, but before he could reply, Mydei strode up, carrying a skewer of grilled meat and giving the group his usual deadpan stare. “What’s going on now? Is Tribbie making it weird again?”

“She’s trying,” Phainon muttered under his breath.

“I’m helping,” Tribbie said brightly. She grabbed Phainon’s arm and gave him an encouraging shake. “Go on, tell Y/N about how you’re practically an expert on Okhema City!”

“Uh, well,” Phainon stammered, clearly thrown off by the sudden pressure. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to pull himself together. “I’ve spent a lot of time here, so I guess you could say I know it pretty well.”

“You guess?” Tribbie teased, nudging him with her elbow. “Come on, sell yourself! Tell them about that time you saved that merchant from bandits!”

Phainon groaned, his face turning red. “Tribbie, that’s not relevant—”

“Wait, you did that?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, yeah,” Phainon admitted sheepishly. “But it’s not a big deal or anything.”

“Not a big deal?” Tribbie gasped, placing a hand dramatically over her heart. “Y/N, did you know he fought off three bandits at once? With nothing but his sword and his sheer determination!”

Mydei snorted, taking a bite of his skewer. “Don’t forget the part where he tripped over a crate halfway through.”

“Hey!” Phainon snapped, glaring at him. “That crate was in a bad spot!”

“Sure it was,” Mydei said dryly, smirking.

You couldn’t help but laugh at their banter, the sound drawing Phainon’s attention back to you. His flustered frustration melted into a soft smile as he watched you, his companions’ teasing momentarily forgotten.

“Still,” you said, glancing at Phainon, “that’s impressive. You’re braver than I thought.”

“Brave?” Tribbie repeated with a grin. “He’s practically a hero! You should see him during training—he’s always going on about protecting people and doing the right thing.”

“Tribbie,” Phainon groaned, his face buried in his hands.

“What? I’m just saying you’d make a great knight in shining armor!”

“You mean a dramatic idiot,” Mydei muttered, earning a glare from Phainon.

“You’re not wrong,” you said with a playful smile, making Phainon freeze in place.

“W-wait, what?” he stammered.

“Nothing,” you replied innocently, already turning back to the glass ornaments on display.

Tribbie leaned toward Phainon, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear. “She totally likes you.”

Phainon let out an exasperated groan. “Tribbie, stop!”

“Or,” Mydei said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, “you could just tell them how you feel instead of embarrassing yourself all day.”

“I’m not embarrassing myself!” Phainon protested, though his flushed face suggested otherwise.

“You kinda are,” Tribbie chimed in with a grin.

“You know what?” Phainon said, throwing his hands in the air. “I’m just going to go buy something. For Y/N.”

Tribbie gasped. “Oh my gosh, are you getting them a gift?!”

“It’s not a gift!” he said quickly, already heading toward a nearby stall selling small, carved figurines. “It’s... uh... a gesture of friendship!”

You raised an eyebrow as you watched him stride off, clearly flustered. “What’s he doing?”

“Something dumb,” Mydei muttered around a bite of his skewer.

Tribbie clapped her hands together, practically bouncing on her heels. “Oh, this is the best day ever.”

As Phainon returned with a small, delicate figurine of a bird carved from white stone, his nervous smile made you tilt your head in curiosity.

“For you,” he said, holding it out. “I saw it and thought... well, it reminded me of you. I mean—not in a weird way! Just... it’s graceful. And unique. And, um...”

“Thank you,” you said, cutting him off before he spiraled completely. You took the figurine, turning it over in your hands with a smile. “It’s beautiful.”

Phainon’s shoulders sagged with relief, though Tribbie immediately burst into applause.

“He did it!” she said, grinning at Mydei. “He actually did something right!”

Mydei just shook his head. “Don’t encourage him.”

You laughed again, the sound filling the air like music. Phainon smiled, his heart swelling despite his companions’ relentless teasing. Maybe you hadn’t caught on to his feelings yet—but moments like this gave him hope.

For now, walking beside you through the glowing streets of Okhema City was more than enough.

As you passed through the busy market, your eyes caught sight of two familiar figures ahead—Dan Heng and Trailblazer.

“Hey, Y/N!” Trailblazer’s voice called out, a mischievous grin spreading across their face as they waved toward you.

"Hey!" you called back, a bright smile spreading across your face. Without missing a beat, you waved back and started making your way toward them.

Behind you, Phainon straightened up at the sound of their names, his steps growing a little stiffer. Tribbie noticed immediately and nudged Mydei.

“Looks like Phainon’s acting all nervous again,” she whispered, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “He’s got that look.”

Mydei grunted. “He’s not fooling anyone. Especially not Y/N.”

Phainon pretended he hadn’t heard them, but his cheeks were just a little flushed as he joined you, Tribbie, and Mydei in greeting Dan Heng and Trailblazer.

“So, what brings you two here?” you asked as you approached.

Dan Heng nodded with a small smile. “We were checking out the local sights. Thought we’d catch up with you and see how things were going.”

Trailblazer grinned, their eyes flicking over to Phainon before returning to you. “Well, it looks like Phainon’s been keeping you entertained.”

Phainon stiffened at the sudden attention, his white hair swaying lightly as he gave a small nod. “I’ve only been showing Y/N around. It’s nothing special.” His voice was a little too casual, and his gaze flickered away nervously, though no one commented on it—except for Tribbie.

“Nothing special?” Tribbie shot a glance at Phainon, her voice full of playful innocence. “Phainon’s so modest. He’s been the perfect tour guide—especially when he bought Y/N a gift earlier. So thoughtful!”

Phainon’s face went crimson. “I—Tribbie, please.” He looked around desperately as if hoping for a distraction, but everyone was watching him now.

You blinked, completely unaware of the undercurrent of tension. “Yeah its pretty cute look"

“It was just a little trinket,” Phainon mumbled, now avoiding eye contact as he fidgeted with the hem of his coat. “Nothing to make a fuss over.”

“Oh, I’m sure its just a little trinket,” Trailblazer teased, arching an eyebrow at him. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”

“Trailblazer…” Dan Heng’s voice was flat, warning them to ease up on the teasing.

You, still oblivious, gave Phainon a warm smile. “I think it was really sweet.”

Phainon tried his best to hold his composure, but his cheeks were a little too pink for anyone to miss. “It’s... really not important.”

“Sure it’s not,” Trailblazer said, nudging Dan Heng with a sly grin. “What do you think, Dan Heng? Think we should give them some space?”

Dan Heng didn’t respond immediately, but his eyes flickered briefly between you and Phainon. He sighed, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice as he answered. “If you want to, sure. But we know how Y/N is when they’re excited about something.” He turned to you with a faint smile. “You’re enjoying the city so far, I take it?”

You nodded enthusiastically. “Definitely! Phainon’s been an amazing guide. I’ve learned so much about Okhema already.”

Phainon’s stiff posture relaxed slightly at your words, though he was still visibly flustered. “I’m happy to help.”

Trailblazer, clearly enjoying the awkward tension, leaned toward Phainon with a grin. “You’re making great progress, Phainon. Keep it up.”

Phainon’s eyes widened slightly. “I—I’m not—”

Mydei crossed his arms, leaning in slightly toward Phainon. “You’re not fooling anyone, man. You might as well just admit it.”

Tribbie giggled at Phainon’s embarrassment, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. “Don’t worry, Phainon. You’re doing fine.”

Phainon sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. “I don’t know what you’re all talking about.”

But his blush was all the answer they needed.

Dan Heng gave a small, knowing smile. “It’s alright, Phainon. You don’t have to say anything.”

Trailblazer tilted their head slightly and gave Phainon a wink. “Oh, I think Phainon’s doing just fine.”

You, still unaware of the subtle back-and-forth happening around you, smiled and glanced between your two crews. “We should all hang out together more often! You all seem like you get along great.”

“Yeah, we totally get along,” Trailblazer said, their grin far too wide. “Just like a big happy family.”

“Don’t encourage them,” Dan Heng muttered under his breath.

You laughed, giving Dan Heng a playful shove. “Come on, Dan Heng. You can’t be that grumpy.”

As you continued chatting with Dan Heng and Trailblazer, Phainon found himself strangely quiet, caught between the overwhelming urge to retreat and his desire to stay close to you. He still couldn’t shake the feeling that your attention was like a distant star, just out of reach, even as you smiled at him occasionally.

[cat0901h3]

Goosebumps Books 1-10

Can't believe that it took me nearly two years to just do 10 covers for the books. Will be posting more Goosebumps in the future, along with other stuff.

Read more to know my personal opinions and critiques on my fanart for each book:

Welcome to Dead House: I wanted to make the house look alive like Monster House, so I gave it more human characteristics (ie: the people in the windows to form eyes, or the finger-like branches.) Also paid homage to a horror film by styling it after The Amityville Horror house.

The Benson children themselves look a bit depressed, that's because the first book is actually more scarier than the rest of the series, so they're a bit angsty.

Stay Out of the Basement: This one killed a lot of my green markers lol. I tried to make Dr. Brewer as menacing as possible while still showing that he is a father with the photos, There were going to be more plants reaching out, but I decided that the leaves hidden on him would be enough.

Though I have to admit my disappointment with the lighting. It still looks a bit too bright, and not dark enough. That's just my own critique.

Monster Blood: Honestly, pretty mixed about this one. While I'm proud of the bubbling ooze that looks like a skull, which is outlined by one of my colored pens. I'm not proud that everything else is so muted with brown. Almost all of Jacobus' works are vibrant and saturated, so it being dull in colors feels like a disservice to him.

Also, Andy's last name was made up by me, she apparently just doesn't have one. It's inspired by Stephen King. Btw, hope you love banana and strawberry dyed hair, you'll see more of it soon in future batches.

Say Cheese and Die!: One of my favorite books, and of course it gets the best fanart imo. The screaming skeleton form of Greg Banks with red bg in the polaroid, contrasting with the dark background is just super cool, coolest shit I've ever done. Though I might be biased, I really like skeletons. Like Curly.

I actually made concept art for a Say Cheese and Die! graphic novel, which includes drawings of the photos and Spidey! Let me know if you're curious.

The Curse of The Mummy's Tomb: Not much to this one honestly. Just a mummy casually busting down a wall filled with hieroglyphics. Though I will say, I was experimenting with shading with purple and blues like Jacobus. As you can see, didn't stick for long.

This is also the book that I discovered that if the protag doesn't have a last name, then there is an official one either in the Presents novels, the mobile app, comics or other.

Let's Get Invisible!: This was pretty tricky to draw. Drawing someone turning invisible maybe easy in Photoshop or Procreate, but this was traditional art. Sure Jacobus did it with airbrushes, but I all had were pens and markers. But I somehow managed to pull it off, which is insane that I even managed that in the first place.

Night of the Living Dummy: Ah, the infamous Pamela Vorhees book, where the main antagonist isn't the mascot, but instead some other puppet lol. I've seen a lot of fanart of Slappy, but never of Mr. Wood. So I wanted to do justice for Wood while still showcasing Slappy. While I am proud for how it mostly turned out, there are two things that bother me. 1. This is the night sky that is black, the rest are either blue or purple. 2. I forgot to add the lines that make the jaw on Mr. Wood, whoops.

Aside from that, I hope guys like that Misfits poster in the background and Kris's cool hair cut. The green was inspired by the comic adaption not 2015 Jacksepticeye.

The Girl Who Cried Monster: Please forgive me for the small thumbnail, I wasn't using a ruler at the time. The design for Mr. Mortman wasn't much of a challenge. I loosely based it off of the French rendition of the cover and gave him a large leech-like mouth.

In my headcannon, the teeth spin like a garbage disposal, making easy work of the turtles.

Welcome to Camp Nightmare: Another one of my favorites, and I think I did a decent enough job, too. The lighting is perfect, the clouds look alien enough, and you can just barely see the screaming campers inside the tent. I do have one issue though, and that is the size of the monster, Sabre. In the original sketch I did, he was supposed to blend in like a bush, but instead he looks like Sasquatch Sr. Oh well.

While they did give Billy a last name in the Presents books, I had to make up one for Dawn. Just based it off Gwen Stacy lol. Also, hope you enjoy the little bonus pictures down below.

The Ghost Next Door: The original Jacobus art was perfectly vague enough to keep the twist there but not spoil anything. Of course to do the same thing, but with a twist of my own. The "ghost" shadow that you see in the street is the Dark Figure that follows Hannah around or when Danny is near. I wanted it to look like it was constantly on fire, since SPOILERS: someone in the book does die in a fire.

Another headcannon is that the Dark Figure isn't actually a ghost or whatever, but instead the embodiment of Misery.

[mmisosoupp]

Things I think the haikyuu boys would do before dating you

(Karasuno ver.)

Hinata

•Most definitely confides in you.

•does anything that he can do to attempt to impress you. Weather being trying extra hard in his classes, trying a super cool new attack, or even just talking about things that he did that he deems a cool.

•is pretty touchy, not in a weird way. But he tends to somehow get his hands on you one way or another.

•He gets so hyped up seeing you at any sort of volleyball game, and he tries extra hard to do something cool and / or win.

Kageyama

•I personally believe he pays a lot of attention to things that aren't volleyball and that transfers to you. You tell him about a show you liked once three weeks ago? Yeah, he remembers and asks you about it when a new episode comes out.

•He tries his best to compliment you. He's not very good at it though, but I promise he tries.

•usally isn't a good listener, but for you he is, it's like a switch clicks on when you talk that has him zeroed into your rants and rambles

Yamaguchi

•He LIVES to complement you. There isn't a day where he isn't saying you look amazing or that he likes the way you did your hair that day.

•he's not very fond of touching. Like he would normally be very uncomfortable If someone tried to hug him. But every time you hug him, he melts into your touch, like he could be there all day.

•He will NEVER, and I mean never let you feel left out. He knows what it feels like to be left out and he wouldn't ever wish that on you.

•(metaphorically) dies when you get too close to him. His freckled face turns a bright shade of read.

Tsukishima

•somehow gets snarkier with you. But not in a bullying sense, he doesn't tease you more than anyone else. If you can tease him back, OH he has a field day.

•not only does he get snarkier, but he's also nicer to you. Especially if it's around other people who annoy him (hinata and kageyama)

It's kinda scary how nice he becomes.

•takes geuine interest in the things you talk about, especially if you do the same for him.

Tanaka

•you get the kiyoko treatment I fear. So if you don't like that, sucks to be you.

•another one who tries his hardest to impress you. He tries his best fo score extra points during a game or just look cool.

•is incredibly bashful. Dude, in private, he's internally panicking because he doesn't want to embarrass himself in front of you.

Nishinoya

•literally says I love you to you. "I love you, yknow that?" Good morning and goodnight texts "Goodnight, I love you" "Good morning, love youuu"

•gets you things that reminds him of you, a pair of socks with your favorite animal. Bought. A bracelet with your favorite colors on it. Also bought.

Sugawara

•flirts I don't care. you both have definitely made out "as friends"

•uses nicknames on you like "darling" or "my love" again just as friends, right? (No he's deeply in love with you)

•takes so many pictures with you. Like he has an album just of selfie with him titled: K + (your initial), he would die if you saw that folder name

Daichi

•pays extra attention to you, another one who buys things that remind him of you. He's gotten you a key chain of your favorite character that you cherish now.

•is protective of you but not OVERprotective. But he's always making sure you don't get hurt. (Not that he wouldn't mind taking care of you) He's a natural care taker due to being the oldest of his siblings.

•is always subconsciously bringing you up in conversations with the other third years. Poor guy doesn't even realize it.

Asahi

•is always showing you his sketches of outfits he's drawn, somehow they're always very close to your style (I wonder why that is..)

•He reassures you anytime you feel down. He never wants you to feel upset. I mean if he knows what it feels like to not be happy with himself why would he want you to feel the same?

•cuddlebug even before the relationship, you two are latched to each other's hip. Always touching each other.

•let's you play with his hair a the time. Usally he wouldn't let people touch his hair but he can make an exception.

[kyri45]

✨ShadowPeach Bio Parents Bio AU Q&A! 16/10✨

Welcome to the Q&A! A space where I can answer related or similar question about the Shadowpeach Bio Parents AU! If you submitted your ask anonimously, then you’ll have to check the whole post if it’s answered here, if it’s not, worry not! Your asks might have been used for a future comic or just in the queue~

Anonimo ha chiesto: i absolutely adore your shadowpeach bio-parents au comics they flow really nicely from post to post, and i looove the balance between angst & fluff i feel as if with shadowpeach, its always either angst or fluff- no inbetween, but somehow you've found a really nice mixture of both thanks for singlehandedly keeping me in the LMK fandom haha

Thank you! Fluff and angst keep going around each other like a microwave ahah

Anonimo ha chiesto: So like with mks monkey form does he have to deal with shedding during summer I think it would be funny if macaque and Mk got fluffier during winter. Wukong wouldn't complain about a fluffy macaque though probably like sleeping with the best plushy.

Oh man I think they do indeed haha. Pigsy would scold MK bc he keeps finding fur hair everywhere in the house

Anonimo ha chiesto: You seem like someone who knows a lot about the LMK fandom, so I must ask where does the idea of Princess Iron Fan and Macaque being sworn siblings come from? Like, is it from JTTW, and im just not aware of it, I'm still trying to learn as much as I can, and I need to actually read the book. The fact that people assume I know a lot about the fandom is so hilarious (not in a mocking way, I'm just very surprised) bc like- I watched the whole show in 1 day, speedwatched Overly sarcastic production recap of JTTW and read half of the book in a week. All of this in July. That's everything that I know from the fandom.

I think it's an headcanon. in JTTW Wukong, Macaque and DBK are all part of the brotherhood so.

Anonimo ha chiesto: First off I LOVE your comic but I have the animal autism and wanted to share some Monkey facts: monkeys don't sweat like humans do they mostly sweat on the palms and feet, areas they have no fur. For overheating monkeys mainly seek shade staying under trees , increase respiration (panting), seeking water sources. Also some species might shed for a thinner coat during summer. Sweating is an exclusively human thing and why humans have been so successful humans are persistent hunters. We would often follow herds for miles waiting for them to tire and overheat while sweating keeps us perfectly cool. Humans are also the only animal to blush. Lol Again no hate love the comic I love me some Flustered blushing gay monkeys. I just have the animal autism and wanted to info dump.

Thank you for the animal fact dump! Those were actually super interesting facts!

@draxeanlxia ha chiesto: Hey question that I have no idea if you already answered but how old is MK in your BIO Parents AU? I know people (usually) believe him to at least 18 due to China’s minimum driving age but others believe him to in his early 20s. Also Mac in your AU said was ‘grown ass man’ during the baby arc. So in your AU, how old is MK?

So. in the AU he's 21 y/o. Meaning that when he arrived to Pigsy door they saw him and went "yeah, he looks around 2/3" and from then they counted on. Buut there's also the thing that he looks a little younger than that age. I wont say anything else.

Anonimo ha chiesto: Who your Favorite Lmk character??

mmmmmmm... MK bc he's monkey now. Before season 4 probably Macaque or Wukong. But I have a "thing" for characters discovering they are actually a different species and slowly gaining new/different body features bc of that, so when I saw him flickering at the end of s4 I flew to a different universe. Literally the whole reason this AU exist is because I would die for this trope

Anonimo ha chiesto: What inspired your Human Wukong & Mac designs? Mostly because my brain looks at Macaque and thinks “Cranky middle aged pirate” meanwhile Wukong’s is “That chill gay uncle” (this is based off of purely looks by the way)

Macaque is drama queen so of course he would wear a trenchvoat during fall. plus he's old inside and outside bc of all Wukong bullshit. Wukong is your friendly neighbour who lives in a sketchy house and survives on peach sodas and chips (oh wait that's just canon Wukong.)

ainnur ha chiesto: You know I like how Wukong in your comic just compare something hot with Laozi's furnace. Like with spicy food and time he help MK created the weapon. Mk: You know Wukong you mention Laozi's furnace a lot. Must really tough 49 days for you... Wukong:Yeah worst 49 years *eating peach* Mk: Can tell- wait- years..? Wukong: Yeah a day at heaven is like one year here or so..Do the math, bud *continue to eat the peach* Mk:.... what..? Wukong just casually and accidently recall his trauma because he thought it never effect him like his other trauma. Also the brotherhood have 49 years to help him but they didn't do anything. "Yeah because normally you would rush into my rescue"

Thank you for giving me this traumatic info I didn't know about. Now I will never look at Wukong the same (why did my boy have to suffer so much)

Anonimo ha chiesto: Macaque: I think I'm in love with Wukong . . . Any thoughts. Chiyou: and prayers you're going to need them.

me too bitch, the fuck

@mirror-queen226 ha chiesto: I agree about the last ask you posted (about Wukong surely wearing a dress on a date), and I just couldn't help but say my own headcanon too (with a little bit of knowledge about the ancient times that Wukong was just a child on the jttw and lmk): I dunno if you agree but okay. Honestly, both Wukong and Mac/Mihou (like i usually call him) does not care about clothes, if they feel comfortable with them, be it for woman or man, they'll wear it, especially Wukong though, I feel like he'd act like a famous diva in a on a runway showcasing new high-class clothes from Victoria Secret, Channel, or something, whilst Mac is much more discreet but not too far from that too. And considering Wukong was wearing WOMAN clothes when he was in the brotherhood in the season 4 lmk flashback, it just made me believe in that headcanon even more :) Also, I am really loving your au, it's just so perfect the way you develop every character slow and patiently, keeping their personalities untouched, not changing but instead expanding and showing them a bit more, how they are really trying to improve (Wukong and Mihou in this case) and how satisfying it is to see. I always rush to see the new updates you post about the Biodads au every time i see too, and honestly, one of the 5 best au's ever, you draw so good too, it's adorable! That's all I wanted to say, have a nice day, drink water and take care of your health! 🥰🥰🥰

Yeah true! Like they are shapeshifter, they wouldn't care what species they are, even less the perceived gender norms

Anonimo ha chiesto: Little question, while the monkeys where at Chiyou's forge, shadowpeach where still sleeping together or not?

They were all sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor (but they all were close to each other.

Anonimo ha chiesto: Generally curious what you think would have happened if MK had not been woken up and the stone wasn't broken what do you think would have happen. would he had grown up on FFM?

Aww he probably would have been raised by Wukong. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.

@wolfsonic ha chiesto: I have question! Does Rumble and Sabage have sentience in your stories? Like, do they have their own personalities like MK clones do? If yes, what do they think of WuKong and MK? Also, will we see more of them? Cause I'd love Mk to meet them when he wasn't stuck as a cub and not remember.

Yeah I think they have a littel bit of personalities. They like both MK and Wukong, but would also do prank on him.

Anonimo ha chiesto: I think I won't say I'm in love from Hercules fits macaque very well

The little monkeys are the muse doing backup choir

Anonimo ha chiesto: Can we see what a courtnapping room typically looks like?

Courtnapping rooms are made specifically for the courted one, so they are all different. Basically, the room should include everything the courted person would need to live comfortable and also a collection of things they like / to pass the time /love.

It must show that the person courtnapping them is able to provide, care and protect for them. And also knows what makes them happy.

So it can be a huge castle full of jewerly and elegant clothes/ornaments or just a cozy room with some chips and video games.

Anonimo ha chiesto: Is LBD going to be a topic in your au again ?

maybe

@wolfasketch ha chiesto: We need MK interacting with his new found Auntie and Uncle please(we also new to see Red being flustered by MK while his parents are around and PIF being like "Ooohhhh")

We are VERY luky Red Son and MK didn't grew up together or we would have thier parents playing love-matching with them while they are toodlers

Anonimo ha chiesto: could we possibly get a traffic light trio and shadopeach grooming train at some point, i would love to see some bonding time between them all <3 and i would love to see mk grooming redsons hair since there's so much of it

Wait who would be the second person to be groomed? I assume RedSon hair are too hot to touch. (when he's flustered, at least)

Anonimo ha chiesto: So like how does Redsons hair/ fire work. Does it just feel warm to MK and Mei. Will it only burn/ hurt you if he doesn't trust you. Another note it must be nice having two fire demon friends during winter.

I think when he's relaxed, the hair is just- a little bit warm, then with his feelings and emotion it can go up to a bigillion degrees, so it's not harmful as long as he can control it.

[dioslesbianwife]

can you do the jojos and jofoes with a gyaru reader?

sure, hope you enjoy, ty for requesting <333

Jonathan Joestar

Very confused but polite. He doesn’t understand your fashion at all but will never judge you for it.

Might worry that you’re “too bold” for society’s standards. “Are you certain you don’t want a more modest dress?” But if you’re happy, he won’t say another word.

Thinks your nails, hair, and makeup are fascinating and listens attentively when you talk about them.

Joseph Joestar

Thinks you’re AWESOME. “Damn, you’re stylish as hell! You gotta teach me some of that stuff!”

Loves the flashy nails, hair, and accessories. Might even let you paint his nails as a joke (but secretly enjoys it).

Tries to use different slang but gets it all wrong. “So like, is this kawaii max or whatever?”

Jotaro Kujo

Silent stare. Slow blink.

Honestly? He doesn’t care. You do you.

If anyone makes fun of you, he will deck them.

“Tch. You talk too much.” (But secretly likes listening to you ramble about fashion trends.)

Josuke Higashikata

IMMEDIATELY impressed. Loves stylish people, so he thinks you look amazing.

Will hype you up every time you change your look. “Damn, you look cute as hell today!”

Loves that you take care of your hair, because he also takes his hair very seriously.

Probably asks for your help in picking out outfits.

Giorno Giovanna

Very chill, but he definitely notices your sense of style.

“You have an eye for beauty.” He respects that.

Will never judge you, but he will be brutally honest about what looks good. “That shade doesn’t suit your complexion. Try this.”

Secretly impressed by how well put together you always are.

Jolyne Cujoh

Thinks you look COOL AS HELL.

Will 100% let you do her nails, hair, and makeup.

She’s into bold fashion too, so she loves having a partner-in-crime for shopping.

If anyone talks shit, she’ll cuss them out immediately.

Johnny Joestar

Confused but rolls with it.

“You’re a little much, but hey, whatever makes you happy.”

Lowkey impressed by how much effort you put into looking good.

Will never admit it, but he kinda likes when you pamper him.

Josuke Higashikata (Gappy)

Tilts his head like a confused dog. “Gyaru?”

Thinks your style is interesting but doesn’t fully get it.

Doesn’t care what you wear as long as you’re happy.

Will just nod and say, “Looks good,” no matter what.

Dio Brando

“Hmph. Such vanity… I like it.”

Absolutely respects the confidence. He values self-adornment, so he sees you as someone who knows their worth.

Will gift you jewelry and expensive clothes, just to see you draped in luxury.

Might tease you for being “frivolous,” but secretly loves how bold you are.

Kars

Raises an eyebrow. “Humans and their strange trends…”

He thinks your dedication to beauty is admirable but unimportant compared to his perfection.

If you explain gyaru culture, he’ll scoff but still listen.

“At least you have standards. Unlike most mortals.”

Yoshikage Kira

Internally screaming. Your bright fashion and bubbly nature are the exact opposite of his ideal quiet, unnoticed life.

Tries to act like it doesn’t bother him, but your boldness makes him nervous.

If you do your nails a certain way, he might get uncomfortably fixated on them.

“You’re… very lively. Try not to stand out too much.”

Diavolo

“...” (Long stare, trying to process your existence.)

Hates how eye-catching you are. You’re the complete opposite of his desire to remain hidden.

Secretly impressed by your confidence, though.

Might let you paint his nails if you insist. But only black.

Doppio

“You look pretty cool!”

Genuinely excited about your fashion. He thinks you’re super fun to be around.

Loves it when you do cute nail art for him.

“Boss, don’t you think they look amazing?” (Diavolo: “Focus, Doppio.”)

Enrico Pucci

Deep sigh. “God is testing me.”

Thinks your fashion is excessive and distracting, but won’t tell you how to live your life.

Will try to convince you to embrace a simpler, more humble look.

“You shouldn’t concern yourself with such worldly things.” (But he does notice how much effort you put into your looks.)

Funny Valentine

Politely intrigued. “You are certainly… unique.”

As long as you support his ideologies, he does not care how you dress.

Might suggest a more “refined” version of your style to suit political events.

Secretly enjoys your confidence. A bold woman is a powerful woman.

Tooru

“Oh? Now this is a rare aesthetic.”

Thinks your style is super interesting and probably flirts with you nonstop.

Loves teasing you about your fashion choices. “You must spend hours getting ready… Do you do that for me?”

Secretly enjoys when you focus on him, like offering to do his nails or style his hair.

[thlpp]

Have you seen that someone (Clint from Clint's Reptiles) target-trained his tegu? I thought it was super cool. I know a lot of tegus can be a bit bitey because they associated human hands with food, so they think it's feeding time, which is why Clint decided to give target-training a try.

(Clint is a zoologist with a YouTube channel for people who aren't familiar)

Idk, tegus are so cool. Reptiles (and a lot of non-mammals tbh) are a lot smarter than a lot of people think and target training is a good demonstration of that (I also know of an animal sanctuary that is target training an alligator, so it's not just tegus)

Short answer: yes, I watched all of Clint's videos about argentine tegus, including the one showing how he target-trained Gus-Gus. These videos helped affirm my interest in adopting a tegu myself, but the one of the largest factors have been posts by @kaijutegu showing how intelligent and rewarding tegus can be as companions.

Before picking up my new friend from her old keepers, I bought a shocking pink dog toy to be our training target. I chose this specific shade because I personally am allergic to pink, and don't own anything of that color, which would make the toy uniquely associated with feeding time.

I stuck it on a stick and have been showing it to her when offering food. Her lack of appetite and desire to just nap (trying to brumate, I guess) make it a bit difficult with the training, since food is the main reward in that system, and if she's not interested in food, the rest just doesn't work.

The flip side of this is that she's not been trying to nibble on my hands as a snack, so there's that.

We're still establishing rapport, though, and having a solid foundation of trust is pretty much a requirement for any enriching interaction between her and me. I'm looking forward to when we get there!

She was being given up because of changes to her temperament, supposedly becoming cage-defensive and bitey, explained by her entering "guberty" (tegu puberty). I haven't seen a lot of that from her, but this may be because I'm a New Person and therefore Scary, I don't know.

She did bite my sleeve once while I was trying to get her from under a sideboard, but that was clearly because she felt cornered (which she was). After being extracted from under the furniture and on the way to the cage, she also scratched my wrist trying to wiggle herself free, but that one time was very different from her typical behavior. Since then the access to underneath the sideboard has been barricaded shut, so as to avoid repeating this situation, as neither of us enjoyed it.

I have been picking her up almost daily without incident since, so she's not quite the anger monster I was expecting.

Note on picking up tegus: My understanding is that the best way to pick them up is kind of like you would a bunny rabbit: the football hold. Scoop your forearm under the tegu's chest, tummy, and pelvic girdle, then gently grip the base of tail with other hand. My new friend hasn't objected to being lifted that way.

PS - This is not a blanket endorsement of all things Clint has ever said and done. I'm highly critical of his support of breeding spider ball pythons, for one, so don't at me. However the vast majority of his videos are filled with good information, and if he manages to prevent people from impulse-buying a venomous snake or a crocodilian, he's doing good.

[blasphemousclaw]

ok so I watched Vaati’s new video on Rykard, really liked it overall but I wanted to go into more detail about what I liked and what I disagreed with. 

Gonna start with a list of the things I loved/found super interesting:

The way he laid out the evidence for Rykard’s inquisition having been on behalf of Leyndell was really really well laid out!!! 

I laughed at the “FAMILEEE” soundbyte 

His discussion about the origins of “hexes” was super cool 

I had never heard of the cut item description linking the Serpent Arrows to Shaded Castle! 

The idea that poison was involved in Rykard’s desecration of the Minor Erdtree… he didn’t mention this, but this idea could explain why there’s sickly greenish growths at its base?  

(Gelmir Minor Erdtree vs. Consecrated Snowfield Minor Erdtree)

Talked about the idea that the Great Serpent grew because of the sacrifices it was fed, then was killed, then came back as a normal-sized snake, that Rykard fed himself to and then grew large due to once again devouring sacrifices

Pointed out that the snakes inside the Abductor Virgins look like metal!!! I thought I was crazy for thinking this

1.0 Daedicar mentioned ‼️

His overall characterization of Rykard and his motivations is really good. he gets it

Now here’s some arguments he made that I disagree with:

Early in the video, Vaati makes the argument that the blue-robed Officials originate from House Marais because the blue robes are a part of Maleigh Marais’s garb as head of the House, because Inquisitor Ghiza wears bandages, suggesting that he’s “sickly born” like the rest of the Marais family, and because the unnamed guy in the Volcano Manor portrait also wears a metal mask like Maleigh Marais. He argues that House Marais were assimilated into Erdtree society, and presumably that the Official’s blue robes were a precursor to the other robes associated with the nobility (the Ruler’s robe, the Upper Class attire, and the Consort’s robe). 

There are several reasons why I disagree with this theory:

Masks aren’t unique to the Marais family: the Ruler’s set comes with a Ruler’s mask, said to be “customary dress among lords,” and Tanith also wears a mask with her Consort’s robe. I speculated that masks are simply part of the noble fashion alongside the particular style of robe. 

I don’t think it makes a ton of sense for pompous noblemen to have adapted their style of dress from a robe associated with a family of executioners carrying out “the darkest duties of mankind”

The Volcano Manor portrait guy does not have bandages under his mask like Maleigh does.

Maleigh and Ghiza don't really look alike at all:

Also, a different explanation for Ghiza’s bandages could be that he’s a remnant of the 1.0 version of Daedicar, a torturer in Rykard’s inquisition: “he would test new methods of torture first upon himself."

Overall I think a better explanation for the Marais attire is that, since their ancestral duty was serving as executioners on behalf of the Erdtree's justice system, they simply incorporated the Official's attire (worn by magisterial officials carrying out "surveillance, executions, gruesome rituals") into the garb of the head of their house.

I absolutely think House Marais is connected to Volcano Manor though; I've suggested that as executioners they serve as a branch of the Erdtree justice system working in tandem with Rykard's inquisition.

2. Later in the video, Vaati makes the argument that the Abductor Virgins were made after Rykard snakeified himself. I personally think that they were made before the snakening, but I can see the evidence for the contrary and I definitely think it’s possible. However, Vaati later says that the Abductors were used to transport people to the Underground Inquisition Chamber to be interrogated, which contradicts his argument that they were made after Rykard’s snakening… if Rykard is now a serpent, no longer a Praetor, what use is there for interrogation? And who is doing the interrogating, if Tanith was the only human left loyal to Rykard, and his inquisitors have long abandoned him? If the Abductors were made after Rykard became the serpent, the victims are probably just being fed to him. 

3. Towards the end of the video, Vaati says that the serpent displayed in the Temple of Eiglay is the flayed skin of the Great Serpent, and that might explain the Godskin’s presence there. But it’s not the flayed skin of a snake, it’s a snake shed:

It’s a pale, milky, almost translucent color, with some ragged edges and holes. Snakes shed their skin as they grow, and we know the Great Serpent “devours, grows, and lives eternally.” Rykard even has some shed skin stuck to his body and tail:

4. Lastly, I’ve beat this horse to death but you can’t say with 100% certainty that Rykard was born with red hair because he has pale hair in the present day. I will die on this hill

[rosesradio]

how it feels to write...

valdangelo: i'm in my friend's gaming room, and they just pulled out a huge box of snacks i'm not allowed to have at home. super smash bros is cued up on the wii. it's 2013, and nothing bad has happened yet.

jercy: i'm sitting in a field at my old high school, the air cool and refreshing as i crack open a new queer romance i requested the library to order. some people are playing football in the distance, though i couldn't tell you who's winning or what's going on. it's a spirit week day, and i'm allowed to wear a hat.

lukercy: i'm in the club when i shouldn't be. i have plans the next day, though maybe i should forget about them. there's someone speaking to me, their voice warm and low. i don't know their name and don't care to know. i can only look at their lips.

valgrace: i'm with an old boyfriend in his shoebox apartment, talking for hours until we realize it's way past the time i should be home. it doesn't matter. his bed is warm and time stands still as i am, for a fleeting moment, understood.

lukethan: i am crawling through a haunted maze that the church put together, my heart pounding. i'm not sure why i'm so scared; my parents said everything would be okay. the money is for a good cause. it's dark, and i can only hear my own shallow breathing. a warm hand latches out like a python, grasping my ankle.

jasico: i'm weaving through the trees at girl scout camp. after the third time walking through the poison ivy fields, i have no rash; perhaps i am immune, perhaps i am a superhero. there is a large cement box in the center of a field, some sort of industrial project i do not yet understand. inside there is a deep, empty blackness. it calls out to me. i should jump in.

lukabeth: i am at a party at my friend's house, playing a game one of them found online. hands wrap around my throat, pressing me to the bedroom door. i black out, dreaming in shades of yellow. in the dream, i'm yelling at my sister, crying to her. i am ignored. i wake up, gripping the carpet with sweaty hands. a strange man comforts me, telling me i shouldn't have played such a stupid game. his breath smells of alcohol. there are no sober adults in the house.

x readers: i am in an auditorium, putting on a play like i used to as a kid. much like the stress dreams, i have over forty lines and didn't crack open the script. i manage, and i look out, and i wait. the lights don't blind me this time. i can see everyone in the audience. they wear masks and clap politely. the sound is muffled, fading into silence like tv static. their eyes are expectant once more.

[hope-to-hell]

You look good in red. Ivo Robotnik and Agent Stone. Shades of pre-Stobotnik. Blood, gore, torture, whump. Robotnik pisses off the wrong person, and he bleeds for it.

This is entirely dialogue; I’ve done this sort of story once or twice before and it’s always a challenge. It’s been a hecking good time to write, though. The speaker is nobody in particular, though I picture a grad student with an axe to grind.

——————

The hardest part is being patient, you know? All I really want to do is tear your skin off, pour salt in the wound and grind it in. Make you really understand that you’re fucked, that even if he comes for you it’ll be too late. You think he’ll still look at you like you hung the moon? Or will he hesitate, stopping short when he sees what you really look like underneath it all? Assuming you live, of course, which I kinda doubt. Wouldn’t want to leave any loose ends.

But let’s start small, shall we? It wouldn’t do to end this party before we’ve even begun. Give me your hand— yes, I know you don’t want to and I don’t care. So hand—hah— it over. No? Okay. This is. Ugh. This is why you’re tied up, you know. If you’d just do what you’re told there wouldn’t be a problem. For me anyway. So which finger is it going to be? My vote’s for the fourth finger. Not like you’ll be needing it for a ring anytime soon. Let’s see, where did I put that— oh, there it is. A chisel’s pretty classic, right? It’s kinda sharp and everything. Hang tight a sec, I’ve just gotta grab the mallet.

There we go. A little more blood than I expected, but that’s cool. Now quit hollering or I’m gonna make you eat it. Crunch it right up. Yeah, that’s what I thought, old man. Hey, you know what sounds fun? Lemme just grab one of these skewers here aaaaand oh yeah, okay, super gross. Are those tendons? Here, come on. Take a look. What do you mean you’re not that kind of doctor? Fuckin useless, aren’t you, then?

I know you’re not used to this. It must be hard, being the guy things are done to instead of the other way around. You’re kinda pretty, though, with all the bruises and everything. Really makes your eyes pop. Mmm, that gives me a great idea. But hang on, you’re getting a call. Well, would you look who it is. I’ll put him on speaker.

Hey there, Agent. How’ve you been? Listen, I think I have something of yours. Bitchy, sharp dresser, mustache? Looks like he fails people’s dissertation defenses for kicks? Yeah, that’s the one. Go on, say hello. Bet he’s just dying to hear from you. I didn't intend for this to be a show, but that’s alright. This makes it even better; you’ll never reach him in time, so this is gonna be your last memory of him: screaming til his voice gives out, then moaning and gasping until that final breath.

You hear that tearing sound? It’s just his shirt, nothing special. Looks like our dear Doctor could use a little sun, though. Did you know he’s got freckles all over his chest? They’re cute; I wonder if they go all the way down. I bet you’d hate to find out like this, you poor thing. I’m gonna carve them right off him, one at a time. Maybe I’ll save them in a jar for you. There’s one down. He just bleeds so pretty, you know. That’s two. He could use a little more red on him, though. Let’s open him up a bit. Oh, you should see his face. I think I’m even starting to see a little fear.

Don’t worry, Doc. I’m not done with you yet. We’ve still got hours to go. All I did was take a little strip of skin right over his ribs, juuuust wide enough to drag a finger through. He’s such a delicate thing, once you get down to it. All men are mortal; all men bleed. You’re not special, not better than me. You’re just some guy, just some asshole who figured out how to push hard enough to get whatever he wanted. Shh, it’s okay. I know you couldn’t help it. It’s just who you are.

Zip it, Agent, or I’m hanging up, and I know you wouldn’t want to leave him alone. Whatever you were gonna say, I guess you should’ve said it earlier. So just go on and think those sweet desperate thoughts as hard as you can. Maybe he’ll even hear them somehow. Doesn’t matter to me, so long as you shut up and let me work. There goes another slice. God, just listen to the sounds he makes. If I wasn’t here myself I’d say he was getting the best fuck of his life. Ooh did I strike a nerve there? Damn, talk about missed opportunities, you sad little—

What do you mean, time to hang up now? Don’t you want to— oh. Oh shit. Whoa, easy there, no need to get all crazy. Let’s just settle down. He’s okay, see? Almost intact, even, which he won’t be if you get any closer. Are you fucking stupid? Back off, and maybe I’ll let you say goodbye before I cut his fucking throat. Let’s talk about this. We don’t want to do anything rash. Come on, man, shit, just take him. What more do you want from me?

[cookiesdippedinanime]

I normally don't ever put my reviews online get out my feelings about a anime or show, but I have to talk about

Apothecary diaries🌿

⚠️Warning: Slander. Angry dialogue and a few bad words. Don't interact if you like Apothecary diaries.

Due to a super cool Youtuber I like (Classic man D) I got intrigued by the show. Seeing Maomao brutally slap a dumb later in waiting was choice. That was 2 years ago, and since I've been casually looking for ways to get into it. Manga? No library. Anime? Crunchyroll? Kept forgetting to ask my parents to subscribe. Watch moments? I didn't want to spoil anything big.

(Oh, how I wish I did)

Pan to about 8 days ago, it's finally available on Netflix. I was ecstatic! Unfortunately, though. It wasn't what I thought it was.

Maomao was kidnapped to the palace first off and was tremendously passive about the whole thing. (I'll explain why that's bad later) Don't get me wrong, if I was kidnapped, I'd totally keep my head down too. Next it's unfortunately brought up about a lot of infant demise. Then, there's Jinshi😒

Now, I love pretty boys as much as the next shojo fan girl, but he wasn't hitting for me. Lemme explain better. When we're first introduced to the beautiful menace, he's curious which servant girl (I can't remember what they're called) could not only read and write, but also knows the cause of Lihua's son's death.

I'm a bit fuzzy on the details, but I know he tried to "seduce" Maomao in the same first episode. I found it adorable how he was getting blocked and how she was not feeling pretty boys. Notice how I said "found" as in past tense.

I was already a bit turned off by the "rich people pull" he and Gyokuyo pulled by making Maomao the poison tester, when she wants nothing to do with the royalty. But, then the "aphrodisiac" part turned up. Both me and Maomao were rightfully grossed out because she was technically supposed to taste the spiked steamed buns. Chew and swallow.

I don't doubt Jinshi's slick ass probably knew her razor sharp wit would catch on before it went into her mouth, but still😬 My red flag indicator did go off because of that, but I turned them off and hoped for the best. I was wrong. At the end of the episode, quick as a horny cat (Yes, I said the H word) He swooped behind Maomao, touched her and got very close to her neck.

He practically kissed it. Before she could react, he was ghost. (Or backed up. Can't remember!) But, she didn't do anything about it or call him on that. And as I recall, that was technically sexual harassment. I tried to Jinshi a chance after that, but the inner feminist in me and eventually the rest of me, decided I didn't like him.

I tried to just ignore him, but everytime he came on screen, I was just disgusted. He's so...slimy. Besides being extremely nosy (actually being an imperial detective) and handsome, I couldn't find any redeeming qualities. Maomao constantly getting the ick from him didn't help either.

So by episode four, (or five) I REALLY wasn't digging Jinshi. He was giving annoying second lead who couldn't take a hint, rather than elegant main lead. I actually started shipping Maomao with Gaoshun instead, lol. My final straw though, was right before the garden began.

Our Apothecary dame was all dressed up and preparing. Jinshi, (still being Gyokuyo's best homie) enters and was in awe of Maomao's beauty. And surprisingly lack of freckles. Now, I'm not bagging Jinshi too hard about learning about the dangers the common folk go through. I mean, yay for awareness. But, with my hate shades on, I was ticked he wanted to police the joint better now, because Maomao (his "girl") had talked about her struggles.

Talk about favoritism. I was hoping he'd go away after that, but I barely get what I want in media. Jinshi gets this horny blushy look on his face and is once again way too close for comfort. He sticks his hairpin thing in her bun. Not only did he put it wrong and actually prick her a bit, they tried to portray it as a "moment" between them.

And when she was like "what the hell" Jinshi mutters that it's hers now and rushes off to take care of his boner. (Yes, I consider him driven by lust. Sue me.) I was happy when Maomao removed his claim on her, but I was pushed over the edge Gyokuyo put it back in her bun. Once again, trying to make his constant harassment romantic.

Mad, didn't even begin to cover how I felt about it. I was enraged. I see all these moments between them posted on Crunchyroll and honestly thought it'd be a legit relationship. And hell, maybe it is? Maybe Jinshi's slimy personality does do an 180 and he's actually does treat Maomao like a person?

But, I for one, can't vomit in my mouth 'till he does. Jinshi's a sleaze with a pretty face. And I hate that Maomao hasn't done anything about it and it's condoned. And I'm usually pretty loose and understanding with shaky beginnings of relationships. Not to mention, I wished his attempts at rizzing were made comedic like Tamaki (Ouran highschool host club) but, I've already been ranting too long.

Thank you to anyone who lent listening eyeballs about my recent anime failure. If you have any opinions or agree with me, please comment🌿

[cephalotyrant]

🔆anon

Hi, if you don’t mind me asking, how do you make Vinny’s sprites? They look like they’re from the game itself and it’s really cool

Ah, hello! First of all, thank you!! That's really flattering,,

Tbh, idk if I'm the right person to go to- I've seen some super cool artists who have outright made rigs of theirs, so they can move n stuff, plus there are people who take commissions and add way more detail. My process is kind of convoluted and not the cleanest per say, etc etc BUT!!!

(I use Ibis Paint and a pen set up btw lol, that might have some effect?)

It's a whole lot of tracing and referencing! I started with merging Azul and Riddle's sprites together. For Vinny, it was easy since he's supposed to be a blend of Azul and Riddle's traits, which means it's easier to just mash them together to get a result. (Like you can see here, it's Riddle's main body with Azul's background arm and smile and his tie/chest plastered on to get rid of the bow.)

A completely original character like Corwin was a little harder to do, since he has his own personality that's supposed to show through his pose- a lot of characters just have a hand on their hip while the other relaxes, though!

And then I block out the main parts! Each color seen here is a different layer in accordance to what they are, I guess- the shirt collar, the jacket, the vest, the shirt itself. I do this by outlining the edges manually and then filling them in. It's not exactly shown here, but I start with the head as well!

For the face itself, I used a thin brush for the mouth and additional details, but I used the lasso fill tool to wing my way with the eyebrows and lid creases- I did have the reference face beneath it, but it came out more naturally to me to make a few quick swipes following the guide and erasing any excess.

For Vinny's face, I copied Azul's eyes but made the "irises" bigger, like Riddle's, just by rounding them out. Ibis paint has a brush shape that looks exactly like the pupils the sprites use, so I only pasted them on and adjusted them.

I'm ngl I mixed up the order at some point. While the first Vinny sprite has a dark base with lighter highlights, the newest one has a light base with dark shading. But I locked the layers, color picked the lightest shade from my reference sprites and filled the layers in. The tie may be tricky since it doesn't really stand out unless you're doing a bow.

From there, I added smaller details like the buttons, the crease lines, the belt, etc, then color them in as well.

twst sprites have a lot of gradients to them, so this is where I pull out the airbrush lol- this time picking the darkest color on my reference and using a clipping layer/mask to add the color. The gold trim and buttons on Vinny's vest are also a clipping layer/mask, for convenience.

For the hair, I... kind of just went for feeling? (And a lot of referencing the original sprites) Using the lasso fill tool, I used a multiply layer in places where the hair is darkest and overlaps, then played with the opacity until I was satisfied, then did the same thing but at an even lower opacity. Did it a third time, but this time with an airbrush. The highlights are pretty simple, but you'll notice more complicated hairstyles like Azul or Epel's have more highlights around the edges of their hair to help distinguish the layers. I used the lasso fill tool for these again.

The face/neck is kind of like this too- shading color for the inner ear/neck, some slightly along the "jaw", and a lighter layer with airbrush where the nose should be.

I do use folders! This is why Vinny's hair remains the same throughout the three I've made— I copied the hair folder to make it easier on myself lol. In theory, you could make folders for each body part and have an actual posable sprite instead.

I do hope this wasn't too rambly anon!! 🛐 I may make more sprites in the future so maybe writing down my process will help me in the end too lol.

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FROM BEYONCÉ'S COWBOY CARTER *  assorted lines from the album, some slightly adapted, adjust as necessary

nothing really ends.

for things to stay the same, they have to change again.

hello, my old friend.

you changed your name, but not the ways you play pretend.

do you hear me?

let me make myself clear.

can you hear me, or do you fear me?

can we stand for something?

now is the time to face the wind.

can you stand me?

this isn't the time to pretend.

they used to say i spoke "too country."

they don't know how hard i had to fight for this.

goodbye to what has been.

you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

i had to leave my home at an early age.

i'm not in my bed.

i gotta choose myself.

i might cook, clean, but still won't fold.

i'm still working on my life, you know.

only god knows.

i got art to make.

i got love to create.

they won't dim my light.

i had to sacrifice and leave my fears behind.

you'll remember me, 'cause we got something to prove.

i will lead you down that road if you lose your way.

i'm born to be a protector.

even though i know someday, you're gonna shine on your own.

i gave water to the soil, and now it feeds me.

there you are, shaded underneath it all.

i feel proud of who i am.

i first saw your face in your father's gaze.

how many times have you let yourself get down?

be fond of your flaws.

i just hope you love yourself like that.

i really hope the best for you.

you're my love, my sweetie pie.

don't let go.

lay your cards down.

i'll be damned if i can't slow dance with you.

don't be a bitch.

there's a heatwave coming at us.

i give you kisses in the backseat.

you make me cry, you make me happy.

just toss it.

they couldn't have me and they never will.

sometimes i hold you closer just to know you're real.

sometimes i take a day off just to turn you on.

i could be your bodyguard.

you should let me ride shotgun.

you know how people like to start shit.

someone better hold me back.

i'm warning you, don't come for my man.

don't take the chance just because you think you can.

the games you play are nothing new.

you don't want no heat with me.

i know my man better than he knows himself.

shoot your shot with someone else.

i'm warning you, woman, find your own man.

i have to have this talk with you.

i really tried to stay cool, but your arrogance disturbed my solitude.

look what you made me do.

if you cross me, i'm just like my father.

you say move a mountain and i'll throw on my boots.

how does it feel to be adored?

think about leaving? hell no.

time moves quickly, and so do i.

i don't need anything.

here's to hoping i'll fall fast asleep tonight.

i need to get through this.

i came here for a reason, but i don't know the purpose.

time heals everything.

i'll be your backseat baby.

been a while since i haven't tried to pull away.

come here, you sexy little thing.

baby, you play too much.

i'm looking super hot.

i'm a fucking animal.

every time you know just what to do.

no one ever got me going quite like you.

girl, i wanna take you home.

they won't be around.

i hope that you know that once i loved you.

history can't be erased.

got you up all night and now you don't wanna leave.

how can a true love go so wrong?

put on a show and make it nasty.

let me sink into your arms.

i died and someone brought me back to life.

i plan to steal your heart again.

who am i to judge?

i will carry on.

baby, i've been waiting my whole life for you.

wherever you wanna go, that's fine with me.

all i see is the best of you.

i'm gonna give you the best years of your life.

you owe me a debt.

i hated you once.

tap me on the shoulder when you reload the gun.

i know they're looking for me.

i fall to pieces each time i see you there.

it don't matter what nobody says.

we can take back roads.

just say what you need from the store.

i'm coming home.

take that shit on the chin.

have mercy on me.

this house was built with blood and bones.

i need to make you proud.

[the-s1lly-corner]

Loving the digital circus content! Digital crew x tiger!reader. The are basically a tiger that can walk on two feet and talk but can still run on all fours. Their suppose to do tricks like jump through rings of fire or so super cute tricks for entertaining people. But they have a dark sense of humor and a temper. Not wanting to be there. Their kind to others who treat them nice tho. Ex: Jax makes a poor joke or tries to mess with them expect one of another crew members turn the corner to see Jax neck in between their razor sharp teeth with a nervous smile. “Heh guess they don’t like jokes.”

TADC cast x feisty!tiger!reader

...is feisty the right word..? I dont think so but I'm drawing blanks

This one may be a little all over the place and this isnt exactly written with romantic stuff in mine !! Hope that's alright anon !!

Side thing I just noticed the anon icons have shades

That's so cute

CAINE:

Honestly I think he would constantly compliment your stripes! Thinks they look cool..... and given that hes a ringmaster, hes definitely going to be using you for circus acts... sure you're not a lion, but hey, beggars cant be choosers. As for your humor, I'm a little stumped on whether or not he would enjoy it... I think it would depend on the joke!

Would kind of just stand there watching you bite jax. Kind of just

Strolls off while whistling, pretending he didnt see anything

Likes calling you "spitfire" thanks to your personality as well as the whole fire loop trick

POMNI:

I mean, you're a big cat. And also physically large, probably. You're fast and you're agile. Pomni understands that in reality youre a person and this is your digital body, but shes still getting used to this world. Obviously very wary around you, and I don't think shes an enjoyer of your little jokes. Probably has a genuine freak out if she walks in on the jax thing. Like actual genuine fear

Does not enjoy your temper either, I think she may avoid you tbh. Like she would still be polite but. You know?

RAGATHA:

Probably also not a fan of your temper and sense of humor, but since this is ragatha we're talking about shes still going to be as nice to you as she can be and include you in things. probably one of the one of the only people to actually try to fet you to back off of jax. Purely basing this on her intro thing where she literally shrugs off an axe to a face. Ragatha has balls of steal and a few bites arent going to stop her, I think

Polite to you but I also dont think you guys would be close

JAX:

Honestly jax looks like he would make a squeaky toy noise while you bite him. Jax being jax, hes going to antagonize you. Probably calls you "kitty". Does the 'pspsps" and "here kitty kitty *Pat's thighs*" thing when hes trying to get your attention

Sure you biting him cant kill him or leave any real damage, but it's definitely not comfortable

Is a dark humor enjoyer though so at least you guys share that in common

KINGER:

Attends some of the little shows you and Caine put on. Claps very loudly and probably very cartoonishly since hes not bound to.. well having arms..! Your sense of humor does freak him out, though, since hes scared that one day you're going to get sick and tired of this digital world and start a rampage... I mean you've already demonstrated you're more than willing to be aggressive

Overly polite to you, trying to make sure he stays on your good side. Squeaks and runs off when he walks in on you biting jax

ZOOBLE:

You dont mess with them, they dont mess with you. You guys kind of just stay in your own lanes. Does enjoy some of your dark humor. Also likes your stripes, they think they look nice! Maybe they start wearing striped limbs more often!

I know I'm leaning heavily on the jax biting thing but I think if they walked in on you biting jax they would huffed out an amused but short laugh before carrying on with whatever they were doing

GANGLE:

You know how gangle covers her mouth when zooble is taken apart by the gloinks? She does that when she sees jax in your teeth

Vefy very intimidated by you.. but also.. has a weird crush on you.. maybe I'm self projecting on gangle, a lot, but so far I've said that gangle is into:

Mysterious broody guys

Monsters

Gentlemen

And now, big strong intimidating folk

She just like me frfr

Like would she be weird or straight forward with her crush on you? Hell no. Is she good at hiding it? No not really. So.. I guess her snd Caine are the only two that have the potential for romance..

Honestly gets a crumb of satisfaction with you biting jax, given how much he messes with her. Does feel bad about feeling satisfaction

[starhvney]

𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝟑 | 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟓: 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐒

𝐂𝐖: none? very wholesome today.

𝐀/𝐍: um.. so this chapter originally was supposed to be cool moms and a dinner... but now it's just cool moms because i realized i was nearing 7k works and the dinner hadn't even started lmao. anyways enjoy this chapter it's super cute

𝐖𝐂: 6,400 +

��𝐀𝐒𝐓 ☆ 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 | 𝐀𝐎𝟑 | 𝐅𝐈𝐂 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 | 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐒

ivy didn’t even glance your way as you walked into homeroom the next day, her hair covering her bruised cheek and head turned sharply away from you. a few people mentioned the slight splotch of purple against her porcelain skin, but it seemed everyone was under the impression that she had just fallen and injured herself. 

you’re surprised that she didn’t try to frame you for her injury, especially since you came to school the next day with not even a red mark against your skin. you suppose she really wanted garroth to be under the impression she was a sweet girl who would never get in a fight.

oh, please. 

it’s not like she had to try extra hard to do so, with how trusting and kind the school’s “prince charming” was. 

to add on to your suspicions, ivy proceeded to not bother you for the rest of the week. it was something that was both relieving and incredibly anxiety-inducing. was she really done messing with you? or was she planning something else?

your thoughts are interrupted as you nearly collide with a meif’wa girl who was stationed around the corner and peeking from behind some lockers at the display in front of her. aphmau and a familiar-looking boy argued in the hall, just outside of the werewolf classroom.

the meif’wa girl turns to you, her round eyes holding a brilliant shade of gold and pale cheeks colored a lovely shade of pink. a pink that similarly matched her straight hair that framed her round cheeks and curled at the ends of her shoulders. with her perfectly groomed black tail and ears and the cute bows she used to accessorize, she looked like an adorable porcelain doll. 

“excuse me!” she muffles an apology behind the hand she raised to her mouth, her voice mousey and soft.

“oh, that’s okay! i was sidetracked,” you glance back at your friend and the boy who towered over her. “um… what are you doing?”

“well, i always end up passing by those two after my classes are over, and i’m starting to think maybe they like each other without realizing.” she blinks up at you, her smile particularly cheeky and feline. “i want to see if my ship sets sail.”

“your…ship?” you trail questionably, frowning at aphmau’s peeved expression and the guy's deep frown on his scratched and bandaged face.

was this the rude classmate from werewolf studies that aphmau had mentioned before? 

“yeah, wouldn’t the enemies to lovers be cute?! and he’s the new “bad boy” junior. i love playing cupid in the school,” she giggles from behind her hand. 

you blink, watching as the rather scary-looking boy rolls his eyes, looking totally fed up as aphmau holds her hands on her hips.

“uhh… yeah. nice to meet you by the way,” you give her your name, politely waiting for her to respond as you slowly make your way towards the two.

“oh! it’s… nana.”

“i’ll catch you around sometime,” you wave, before quickly shuffling right up to the tense duo.

man, he is tall. his skin was a tanned olive color, with cuts and bandages littered across his face. ink-black hair hung messily in front of his equally dark eyes and thick brows.

“you ready to go home, aph?” you ask, though you kept your eyes trained directly on deep brown ones.

you recall why you thought he was familiar now, he was the one who unintentionally photobombed your first-day selfie with aphmau and bumped into her without apologizing. 

she lets out an irritated huff of air, muttering a “yes” before marching down the hall before you.

you stare at the boy a second longer, before turning away and stretching out your stride to catch up to aphmau. the two of you make your way out of the doors, walking down the street in silence.

“…so?” you start, raising an eyebrow and carefully lacing your hands behind your back. 

“i confronted him on why he teases me and is rude to me for no reason and he just said “i was annoying”,” she uses air quotes as she mocks his choice of words. “so i got mad and said he was a jerk and no one would want to be friends with him if he acts like that to people who are just trying to be nice.”

you roll your eyes.

“good. if you act like that all your life you’ll end up sad and alone.”

“that’s what i said!”

when you make it home, your mom is once again eagerly awaiting to tell you something, still in her work clothes as she lingers near the entryway.

“so! we happened to move closer to some other family friends that were also friends with the salomes, and we’re going to meet them all at the park tomorrow afternoon.” she announces to you as you enter the kitchen, clasping her hands together excitedly. “there’s three boys around your age, too!”

“uh, what? why am i just now finding this out?”

“oh don’t worry so much, i’m gonna be there and they’re sweet kids. at least they should be.”

you huff, “alright then.”

☆

you and your mom enter the park from a different side than when you came last time, the trees are less dense, and there’s lots of open space to run around. nearby is a pretty and intricate fountain, with a sculpture of the matron on top. you glance away from it, eyes immediately landing on aphmau and then sylvanna.

sylvanna smiles warmly, approaching mom and giving her a hug. “it’s good to see you again, girl!”

“i know! it’s so good to see you!”

aphmau and you glance at each other a bit awkwardly, crossing your arms as your mothers once again hit it off.

“and oh, mija! you look so cute today, que linda!” her mom’s warm brown eyes land on you.

“thank you-“

“yes, of course! well, why don’t you two talk while we catch up and wait for zianna? when we older ladies go jogging together you two can play with her kids!”

before you can say anything else, the two walk a short distance away, already chatting up a storm with wide eyes and…seriously intense expressions.

“uh, whose kids? what?” aphmau exasperatedly asks to no reply.

you look over to aph as she holds her hands out in annoyed confusion. her hair is held back by a red headband that matches her outfit: red sneakers along with a red square-neck tank top that was loosely tucked into a denim skirt.

you shrug at the girl, used to not being told what was happening until the last possible moment.

“uh… good to see you, i like your outfit?” you start awkwardly.

“…thank you.” she says, looking down at her attire as if she had forgotten what she wore today.

you walk over to a bench that rests under a large and twisted tree. the afternoon sun beats down on the pavement and reflects onto your faces despite taking refuge under the leaves, causing the two of you to squint at each other. the heat from the summer had finally begun to leave, thankfully, and a warm breeze rustled some of the trees, sending some more leaves onto the ground's growing collection.

aphmau sighs, leaning back as she gazes around at the park.

“ugh, at least i’m with you,” she mutters. “are we gonna have to babysit some five-year-old brats?”

“oh, no actually i don’t think-“

“hey, girlfriends!” a bright and cheery voice interrupts your conversation.

you turn to see a beautiful woman with warm green eyes and black hair tied back into a styled ponytail. she was definitely a grown woman, but her blue—and slightly revealing—jogger set and trendy gold jewelry told a different story.

“ah! wassup girl!” sylvanna calls out from behind you, both her and mom jogging up to the woman who you now assume is the third mother in this get-together.

“oh you two, it’s been too long,” the black-haired woman greets. “and you both are still lookin’ fine!”

“zianna, it’s so good to see you!”

“what’s with the slang?” you lean over and mutter to aphmau, who rolls her eyes.

“that must be where my mom learned it from, it’s been nonstop with her, too.”

suddenly the cheery voice is closer.

“oh! and look at you two! you two became so beautiful, like little dolls! lookin’ just like your pretty mamas! you all are going to have so much fun together!”

“oh, um thank you, it’s nice to meet you-“ you start.

“it’s nice to meet you! wait… you ‘all’? great. so we’re babysitting multiple brats.”

you turn to glance at aphmau warily. now why would you say that…

“well, i wouldn’t exactly call us brats.” a familiar deep and smooth voice causes you to jump as you spin back around towards the source.

garroth stands tall as usual, today wearing a dark teal carhartt jacket over a white tee and some loose tan cargo pants and white sneakers to pair. his fluffy hair is tucked under a baseball hat with the pdh emblem and a small captain embroidered along the side. behind him were two slightly shorter boys, their faces filled with a tad more youth based on the baby fat that still clung to their cheeks.

one had a lovely shade of chocolatey brown hair and shared the same warm green eyes as their mother. he had a kind, friendly face, one of childish friendliness and openness that hadn’t been squandered by teenage years. 

the other was… starkly different from the others. straight, dark black hair covered the right side of his face, hiding the rest of the rather cute freckles that splayed across his cheeks and nose. his strikingly icy blue eyes and pale—almost nearly translucent looking—skin contrasted against the rest of his dark outfit and features. he looked the least athletic out of the other two, his loose hoodie swallowing and hiding what looked like a thin and gangly frame underneath. 

“wha- i- garroth?” aphmau stutters out, her jaw dropping in complete shock. “what are you doing here?”

“huh. so you’re the other kids. that’s funny.” i smile. “who would’ve thought our moms were friends?”

“i… oh…” aphmau finally catches on, her thin eyebrows raising in surprise.

an annoyed sigh comes from the black-haired kid, who you can now safely assume is garroth’s brother. “so, these are the brats we have to babysit?”

you wrinkle your nose and narrow your eyes at his complaint. well, aren’t you just a ball of sunshine? 

“babysit?” you echo.

he doesn't seem older than you. in fact it would be safe to assume he was younger considering the higher, nasally, middle-schooler voice he had.

“hey, not-alone buddy!” the other brother cheeses in aphmau’s direction, baby cheeks squishing against his smile and crinkling his eyes.

“mom, are you kidding me? these guys also go to my school!” aphmau looks back at her mother.

“oh, how did we not talk about that?” your mom giggles, the other ladies laughing along with her.

“i had no idea your boys went to the same school as my daughter!”

“oh, samesies! that’s so adorable!” zianna cheers. as she smiles i can see where that brown-haired boy got his energetic grin from.

“i guess that means we have a lot to catch up on. ready for our jog?”

“yep! ok, kids, have fun together!” zianna turns to the emo brother. “remember, zuzu, i want you to try at least one sport with your brothers and new friends while you’re here at the park! we need to toughen you up, but not so much that you aren’t so tough for mommy kisses!”

under the black hair, you can see his pale skin turn to a bright red in embarrassment. 

“mom! stop embarrassing me!” he complains. his voice has a slight whine to it.

“i love you too, zuzu! you kids play nice!” she airily smiles and waves, already beginning to walk backward from us, to which your and aphmau’s moms follow.

“be good! text me if there’s an emergency!” your mom waves to you, seemingly excited about the meetup despite being much more mellow than the other two women.

you smile and wave to her before holding a thumbs up. “kay!”

“do you still listen to beyoncé, zianna?”

“are you kidding me? i brought this portable speaker so we could listen to her while we run! it’s gonna be the bomb dot com!”

“word, yo!”

…

and they’re gone.

“oh wow.” the youngest boy sighs.

“can mom get any more embarrassing?”

“hm. so that’s where my mom learned to talk like that. i see.” aphmau says, raising her eyebrows and narrowing her eyes in accusation.

“uhh, i’m pretty sure your mom rubbed off on our mom.” garroth pipes in.

“more than likely they both rubbed off on each other and it just started escalating.”

“hey, garroth!” you finally greet, gathering your bearings and waving to the tall boy.

his eyebrows raise and his eyes soften to the look of an adorable puppy dog. he gives a small smile, back waving at you and chirping your name in greeting. you turn to look at garroth’s brothers.

“ah, i haven’t met you two yet,” you introduce yourself. “it’s nice to meet you two.”

“yeah, whatever. now we’re stuck in this stupid park in the stupid sun.” the dark-haired boy slinks away from you with his hands shoved in his pockets.

you have to stop your jaw from dropping in bewilderment. is this boy really garroth’s little brother? there’s no way they share an ounce of dna. 

“hey baby brother, where are you going?” garroth questions, his lips dropping into a disappointed frown as he follows the scrawny boy.

“i’m going to sit under a tree. on my phone. and as isolated from you four as possible.”

you glance at the other brother, who offers a sheepish smile.

“i’m vylad, it’s nice to meet you too… sorry about zane.”

you shrug your shoulders awkwardly.

“um… it’s no problem. nice to meet you, vylad-“

“nope! come on now, you heard mom. we need to get you into a sport.”

“i’m not doing it.”

garroth and—as vylad kindly introduced for you—zane have begun to talk a bit more heatedly from the tree zane decided to stubbornly plop himself under. 

“yes, you are.”

“why should i?”

garroth looks down in contemplation, before looking up at zane with an almost mischievous expression.

“because if you don’t, i’ll hug you in front of the entire school every chance i get. for the rest of the year.”

you three spectators snicker in amusement as zane looks down in annoyance.

“…i hate you, garroth.”

oh.

“aww, zane! you should just tell your brother you love him.” aphmau laughs, a bit nervously at that.

“shut up you girl-woman-thing!”

“girl-woman-thing?” you deadpan, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

“uhh… so, vylad! pick a sport.” aphmau quickly recovers.

“easy! soccer!”

garroth has walked back to us. he’s smiling, but the corners of his mouth turn into something that looks more dejected.

“are you sure? i was thinking base-“

“oh my gosh! i love soccer, vylad!” aphmau gasps.

“really? you should’ve said something when you were talking about it with laurance. you should try out for the team,” garroth starts tugging off his jacket, tossing it onto the nearby bench.

“i played a lot of soccer as a kid, so i wanted to try something new. like track, maybe. i still really love soccer, though!” she looks back to where the parking lot is. “i actually have a soccer ball in my mom’s car, i’ll go get it.”

“okay, i know a perfect spot in the park to play on!” vylad agrees, excitedly beginning to walk down the sidewalk. “it’s further down this way.”

you nod, glancing over at aphmau. she waves you on along with the brothers, already walking off to the parked cars.

“alright! you guys go, and i’ll meet you there, okay?”

you split off from her, following the boys down the pavement before remembering garroth’s teal carhartt still on the bench.

“oh!”

you spin back around jogging and retrieving the jacket before catching up to garroth. it’s heavier than expected, and you jokingly pretend to use it as a dumbbell before handing it off to him.

“i threw a baseball in my pocket and my phone is in there, so thanks,” he sheepishly accepts it, tucking it over the crook of his elbow.

“while aphmau and your brothers play soccer—“

zane sighs in annoyance from behind you.

“—do you want to play catch? i’ll probably drop it more than i actually catch it, but…”

garroth chuckles, reaching up to softly facepalm in amusement.

“sure, i’ll throw softly.”

you clap your hands quietly, turning to the younger boy that you had finally caught up to.

“so, vylad, right? are you in aphmau’s class or something?” you inquire, wondering where the edge lord behind you fits into the equation.

“yep! i transferred from o’khasis prep cause the commute was too far, and i got to move up a grade cause i had pretty good grades.”

“oh! that’s cool,” you glance back at garroth. “i thought i heard that o’khasis accent.”

garroth’s eyes widen for a split moment as the tips of his ears begin to redden. vylad giggles a bit, finally stopping in front of a pretty field with freshly trimmed and thick grass. conveniently, it also has two goals set up on either side for community use.

“yeah, zane and i actually got homeschooled for a bit and didn’t catch on to the accent, so garroth is mainly the one who still kinda has it from when we lived there.”

you hum in understanding, glancing back at the boy who was readjusting his hat and scratching the nape of his neck.

“i didn’t know i still had one.”

“it’s nice.”

you’d almost forgotten that the emo kid was there until he sighed again, looking around for a shady spot to retreat to. before he could walk away, garroth yanks him back by the hoodie, pulling him into a forced side hug. zane makes a noise of discomfort, a sound mixed with annoyance and disgust.

“no, you’re gonna play with vylad and aphmau.”

zane glares over at the brown-haired brother who has wandered a little off into the field. he holds out a thumbs up, smiling as he squints through the sun's rays.

“why don’t you actually say something nice to her?” garroth pinches zane’s shoulder.

shockingly light blue eyes glare at you through straight, dark lashes, narrowing at you in pure annoyance.

“hi,” he tensely greets, jaw immediately clenching.

“hi…” you awkwardly return, before pointing towards your cheeks. “um, i like your freckles…?”

the boy’s nose wrinkles, seemingly not liking the cute undertones your compliment implied. despite the look of refusal and defiance that he gives you, his whole face begins to grow pink.

“okay?” he snarkily responds, looking at you like you had just said the sky was green.

“go with vylad,” garroth groans, releasing him and lightly pushing him forward, causing him to stumble out into the grassy field.

he catches his footing, shooting a sharp glare back to garroth and flashing him with his middle finger, black rings and nails contrasting against the pale skin. garroth shrugs at him, completely unphased.

“i’m sorry about him, he’s uh… going through,” he gestures at the boy in black now skulking over to vylad who was jumping around like a goofball. “uh, whatever that is.”

you shake your head with a dry laugh, shrugging your shoulders.

“it’s fine, it’s not your fault.”

he sighs, frowning at his younger brothers.

“yeah well…” he begins, trailing off before shaking his head. “never mind.”

“i got it!” you hear aphmau announce, her small footsteps bounding up to you and stomping to a stop right next to you, soccer ball in her hands. “you playing?”

“we’re not that good at soccer, so we were gonna let you and vylad teach zane while we play catch over here,” garroth pulls out the baseball from his pocket… and then reaches into the hidden inner lining of his jacket and pulls out two baseball gloves.

how did he hide those in there?

aphmau blinks, before shrugging and excitedly running off into the field with a chirpy, “okay then!”

garroth smiles at you before looking down at the two gloves, handing you the slightly smaller and much more worn one.

“this one was from when i was younger. it’ll fit you better and it's worn in already, so it’ll be easier to catch.”

“oh, thanks.”

he nods, tossing up the ball in his hand and catching it as he paces a little distance away from you. he lightly spins the baseball between his fingers before nodding at you to get ready. you lift the glove up, feeling a bit nervous as the broad-shouldered baseball captain stands in front of you.

“what position do you play, garroth?”

“pitcher.”

he throws the ball your way. it’s still dauntingly fast, and your whole face unwillingly flinches as the ball smacks against the glove. you can tell he barely put any force into it, too, which makes you feel bad for anyone who has to bat up against him.

“i can tell,” you meekly respond, holding the ball between your first two fingers and your thumb.

“sorry…i thought i threw that soft,” garroth smiles, a small entertained laugh leaving his lips.

you shake your head sheepishly, throwing the ball back and watching as it satisfyingly lands in garroth’s glove.

“not bad,” he throws the ball back, a bit slower this time. “how do you like phoenix drop so far?”

“uhhh—“ you think of your recent detention and put a little more force into your throw. “it’s okay.”

“just okay?”

“well, it’s school. and i guess there’s a few good people who have made it better so far.”

you deadpan back at him when he doesn’t throw back the ball, instead humming and readjusting his cap while looking at you expectantly

“yes, you’re one of them.”

he grins cheekily, tossing the ball back in satisfaction.

“cool.”

“i can run.” you hear zane protest, and you turn to look at the group. aphmau is slowly backing up, arms crossed as she watches him glare at his polar opposite brother.

“…really?”

“away from you.”

you glance back at garroth before both of you silently agree to walk closer. you both pause near aphmau, who is picking at her nails.

“sorry… i knew you were excited to play soccer,” garroth apologizes for his brother’s behavior once again, glaring over at the boy’s attitude.

“it’s,” she sighs. “fine. at least he’s giving it a chance? he always seems so lonely in class.”

garroth shrugs, looking on at his brothers with a complex of emotions on his face. 

“yeah, but he likes to be alone, so i try to respect it. he’s my little brother, so it’s not like i can parent him out of being that way, even if i try.”

you watch his side profile as he stares at his younger brothers. he looked so fond of them… but strangely distant. 

“no! i don’t want to play with you vylad!”

“fine…” vylad sighs, his tone dejected. “then garroth can kick to you.”

“hell no!”

“what’s going on?” garroth walks forward, aphmau and i trailing behind.

“zane being emo,” vylad shoots a glare at his peeved brother. “he doesn’t want me or you to kick the ball to him.”

“it’s stupid.”

“you just don’t want garroth or i to show you up.”

“shut up.”

“i’ll kick with you, zane,” aphmau pipes up, nervously stepping forward.

zane looks at her for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

“you? you couldn’t kick the ball to me from where you are right now with those twinkle-toe-looking short-ass kid legs.”

you hate that the corner of your mouth twitches in amusement. 

“zane,” garroth says, his tone threateningly even and deep as he shoots an irritated glare at the boy. “that’s rude.”

aphmau walks forward, grabbing the ball from vylad. she sets out on the ground before kicking the ball right by zane’s shoulders and into the goal’s net. 

“you're supposed to block it, by the way.”

“that was just a practice run.”

vylad walks towards you and garroth, though his eyes are trained on his older brother’s, his excitement from before now turned into a disappointed frown. garroth’s hand claps onto vylad’s shoulder, patting the younger boy assuredly with a sigh.

thwack!

your attention is suddenly pulled back to the mood-killer of the day, only to find him crumpled on the ground with his hand to his face. garroth, who saw the whole thing, doubles over in silent laughter and uses vylad to keep him upright. 

“damn,” vylad says, before joining garroth in his giggles.

“oh… my… i’m so sorry!” aphmau apologizes frantically, her hand slapping over her mouth.

you sigh, jogging towards zane as a strange feeling of pity fills your stomach. he sits himself up, hands still on his head when you reach your hand out for him to take. he flinches when he realizes you’ve walked up to him, his lip curling and hands winding back like he was getting ready to slap it away. 

“just take the hand, dude.”

a second passes before his bony hand slaps onto yours, digging uncomfortably into your skin as you help him get back on his feet.

“you good?”

he glares off at his brothers, eyes pricked with tears no doubt from getting hit square in the face. his pale skin was irritated and splotched red, his only exposed eye beginning to swell.

“yeah, it just stings,” he trudges ahead of you and off the field, sitting on a nearby bench.

“i have to say, i wasn’t expecting you to catch the ball with your face!” garroth laughs at the younger boy.

“shut up, garroth!”

aphmau catches up, stopping in front of zane with a petrified look on her face.

“oh my gosh, zane, i am so so so so sorry!” she rambles, hands coming up to cover her mouth.

“you did that on purpose.”

“no, i swear i didn’t! i’m just not good at aiming!”

“you could’ve told me that before you fully sent the ball hurling towards my head.”

“i’m so sorry. are you okay?”

“i’m fine.”

“yeah, his other eye got messed up from—“ vylad starts, before getting cut off by a warning look from zane.

you happen to glance over at garroth, who has a deep frown on his face. he notices your stare, and immediately his expression shifts back to his normal passiveness.

“well, this definitely calls for a break. i’m glad you at least tried it out, zane.”

zane rolls his eyes, only to make a small groaning sound and hold his head.

“whatever.”

you look around, noticing a bathroom building that had a vending machine outside of it. without saying anything you jog off towards it, leaving behind your group. reaching in your pocket, you snag some cash you had taken with you, sliding it into the machine and pressing down on the water button.

quickly, you grab the water and jog back, seeing that the moms have returned from their run.

“oh, he’ll be fine, he has two brothers, and zane’s been through much worse.”

you wave to your mom, before holding the water bottle out near the boy’s face.

“here. it’ll help with the swelling.”

“well, aren’t you just a sweetheart! you should take notes from her, zuzu.” zianna gushes, coming up to you and cupping one of your cheeks adorably in her hand.

zane sighs, holding the water bottle up to the side of his face, letting the cold condensation soothe the sensitive skin.

“thanks,” he grumbles and you nod in response, waving off the gesture like it was nothing.

“oh-em-gee, this is totes deja vu! remember that time that aphmau did this exact same thing to zane when the kids were playing dodgeball in the old neighborhood?”

“that’s totes right!”

“yes, i remember! they were all the cutest little kids back then!”

you glance back at aphmau and the three boys, who look just as confused as you feel. as you lock eyes with aphmau, something clicks, and you remember the childhood photograph on her wall.

slowly, your jaw drops, eyes widening in realization.

“huh?” she questions, looking concerned by your sudden expression.

“the picture!”

she blinks, before her head whips back to garroth and then to the other two.

“the picture!”

“what picture? we just met you guys?” vylad looks between you two and the women giggling behind you, amused by the whole situation. “what are you talking about, mom?”

she breaks out into more giggles.

“oh, don’t tell me you don’t remember each other?”

sylvanna catches her breath from her own amusement, placing a hand on her chest.

“we lived in the same neighborhood when you guys were all so tiny. you played with each other every week!”

“oh, girl. i was so devastated when the two of you moved away!” zianna frowns at the memory.

the five of you teenagers gawk at the information, jaws hanging open in shock.

“you know, i actually do vaguely remember. aphmau wore that red dress all the time,” garroth glances at you. “and i remember playing t-ball with you.”

you furrow your eyebrows, trying to recall the memory and getting a few glimpses of your childhood.

“oh yeah…”

“well, they were pretty little, so it’s no wonder they don’t really remember,” your mom laughs, glancing at you. “you were such a worried and cautious kid even when you were little. you cried more when the boys or aphmau did when they got hurt, trying to make sure they were okay.”

“yes, i remember that! she’d come running back to the house asking for bandaids that weren’t even for her all the time, the little medic. seems like that hasn’t changed.”

“this is so cute! i had no idea you guys didn’t remember each other! we should have dinner over at my place tonight so we can all catch up!” zianna squeals, grabbing onto sylvanna and your mom in excitement. 

“that sounds wonderful! we’ll head home to wash up and i’ll bring a dish or something.”

“same here, we’ll be there!” your mom smiles.

“ooh, please bring those quesadillas, sylvanna,” zianna butchers the pronunciation, before turning to your mom. “and you should totes bring that yummy guac you used to make!”

“it’s que-sa-di-yas, zianna,” sylvanna playfully rolls her eyes.

“it’s delicious to me!” she claps her hands with a laugh.

“alright, we’ll see you later this evening then.”

“bye, girlfriends! let’s go boys, you’ve got some cleaning to do.”

you turn and wave to your—freshly reunited?—childhood friends, who seem equally as bewildered.

“uh, i guess we’ll talk later,” garroth waves back, robotically turning to walk with his energetic mother as the cogs still turn in his brain.

“see ya…?”

you and aphmau trail behind your moms, who are excitedly planning to drive together to the ro’meave home later.

“this is crazy. we became friends with them again without even knowing.”

“yeah…small world i guess.”

☆

“do i have to wear a dress?”

“yes, it’s a small dinner party and we need to look presentable,” your mom answers, turning to make sure your dad also kept his word on dressing decently. “plus, the ro’meaves are super rich…”

“what was that?”

“nothing! besides, it’s not like it’s a super fancy dress, you look so cute! do you have the guac bowl?”

“yes…”

she nods, ushering you and your dad out of the house and speed walking down the sidewalk. you both deadpan at each other, your dad scratching through his beard with a sigh.

“alright, if it makes your mom happy.”

you shrug, “and me.”

“that’s good enough for me, i guess.”

aphmau’s house smells good, the scent of chicken and beef quesadillas wafting through the air.

“oh mija, aphmau and one of her little friends from school are out back picking some hot peppers for the salsa, why don’t you go join them!” sylvanna points towards the back door, before leaning towards you. “and make sure there’s no flirting or funny business.”

you nod with a knowing smile, holding back a laugh at her insistent stare.

“okay, i’ll give you an update when i return, captain.”

you slip out of the sliding glass doors as the adults start to talk, looking around before spotting a garden to your left. you step off the deck, following a pretty mosaic stone trail to the intricate, fenced-in veggies and flowers. after stepping into the gate, you admire all the terra-cotta and talavera pots, as well as a lime and orange tree in the mix. everything seemed almost overgrown, but so carefully groomed and placed that you could tell it was well cared for. 

“hey guys,” you greet, spotting aphmau in a cute red dress and headband, as well as that white-haired kid from your first day. “oh, and hey travis! good to see you again.”

his eyes widen, before he shoots a brace-filled smile your way, earnestly greeting you with a call of your name.

“good to see you too! so you’re going to vylad’s house, huh? that’s crazy.”

“i know, right? none of us remembered each other at all.”

“yeah, super weird,” aphmau shakes her head analyzing the jalapeños she picked in her hand.

“i think it’s super cool! you have a little connection to someone you didn’t even know was there.”

you smile at him. “yeah, that’s a nice way of putting it.”

“yeah, garroth is almost unrecognizable from the childhood photos,” aphmau trails. 

“stop drooling,” travis deadpans at the girl, laughing as she flusteredly panics in response.

“i’m not!”

“you totally were. but hey, i don’t blame you! lots of girls have a crush on him.”

“no kidding,” you monotone, an image of ivy’s twisted face popping into your mind.

“i do not have a crush on him,” she defends, though the red on her cheeks betray her.

“uh-huh, sure,” travis drawls out sarcastically, turning to laugh with you when aphmau hisses at him to stop again.

he puts his hands up in defense, backing up when he’s threatened with a jalapeño to the face. the two of you let your giggles fiddle out, before travis seemingly remembered something important, his lips flattening into a serious line.

“hey, i heard you two were with gene and his gang a while ago… is that true?”

“oh, i mean we did “meet them”, i guess. but we didn’t really talk to them.”

“oh, okay. good. i was kinda worried.”

“where did you hear that?” aphmau stutters, dusting off her clothes as she stands back up, seemingly satisfied with her selection of peppers.

“dante told me. he said gene mentioned it or something. he didn’t say anything bad, but he was talking about you two,” he reaches up to fiddle with a strand of his hair by his ear, lost in his thoughts for a moment. “i just… know they’re not the best influences, so i wanted to check on you guys. dante really looks up to gene, but i don’t think he knows the kind of stuff he gets up to.”

“thanks, travis. that’s really nice of you.”

he nervously laughs, shrugging his shoulders.

“i mean yeah. i haven’t gotten to know you that well but aphmau’s my not-alone-buddy, so if you guys are good friends i’d like to look out for you, too.”

your chest feels warm as you smile at him. 

“thanks. i’ll look out for you, too.”

“oh! that reminds me travis, how’s theatre club?”

“ooh, you joined?”

“yeah, i did!” travis stutters, eyes lighting up. “it’s going really great. hey, you know the girl with blue hair that hit me in the face on the first day?”

“katelyn?”

“uh, yeah! she stops by and visits the club sometimes…” his cheeks grow to a warm shade of red.

“sounds like you have a crush, travis.”

“wha—no, i mean—!” he sputters, scratching the back of his neck. “i mean she is really cute… but she has a boyfriend already.”

you blink. katelyn has a boyfriend?

“really? who?”

“his name is jeffory. goldwyn is his last name, i think. he’s a really good-looking senior so i don’t even have a chance.” he sighs.

you hum in pity and understanding for the boy, recalling the tall, smiley, and handsome upperclassman who had stopped by volleyball practice a few times. he had pretty eyes and brown hair, and he seemed super friendly and charming from the few times you said hello. now that you think about it, he did really only hang around katelyn when he did come by the gym.

“so i’m not even gonna try anything. she is really pretty, though.”

“maybe one day,” you halfheartedly encourage with a shrug of your shoulders. “uh… not wishing on her to break up with him or anything—“

travis laughs, face brightening again from the small dejected pout that had begun to form on his lips.

“hey!” sylvanna calls from the porch, her projected voice startling the three of you. “what’s taking you three so long?! we have to get going soon! dios mío…”

“coming, mom!” aphmau calls giving you two a look before shuffling out of the garden with her peppers in hand. “guess we lost track of time.”

“yeah, better not make your mom mad,” travis mutters, quickly falling behind the girl before leaning over to whisper to you. “she kinda scares me.”

you laugh at him, stepping through the sliding doors into the house. dad quickly scopes out the boy, making himself known by very firmly grasping his shoulder and reaching out to shake his hand. you watch as travis’s soul nearly leaves his body, face paling at the gruff-looking man in front of him.

“how’re you doin’ kid? what’s your name?”

“uh—hello sir,” travis stutters, quickly shaking his hand. “it’s travis.”

your dad pauses, squinting down at him uncertainly.

“what’s your last name?”

“va—valkrum… sir?”

“huh. you terry’s boy?”

“you know my dad?”

“yeah. we were old buddies a while back when you were just about to here in height,” dad gestures to his knees with his hand. “i thought you looked familiar.”

you glance over at sylvanna and mom, who are staring at each other with shocked looks on their faces.

“well, nice to meet you, son. you need a ride home?”

travis freezes with his mouth open, trying to muster up words.

“if it’s not out of your way, that would be nice.”

he nods, before leaving the poor boy be—as he was almost quaking in place. when your dad is out of earshot he leans over to you again, face still pale.

“your dad scares me more.”

©starhvney, 2024. please do not steal or repost my works as your own

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