#these are gonna be a part of a bigger project soon :]

[rafesapologist]

strangers ─ drew starkey; ch. 2

summary: getting casted on outer banks threw you into overnight stardom, and an unforeseeable off-screen romance with one of hollywood's newest and biggest heartthrobs.

warnings: unedited, tension (kind of)

author's note: the info in this story about drew is mostly made up!! some of these scenarios and 'facts' are not things that have happened in real life, this is all merely part of the plot of the story.

As if the expectations of being cast onto one of the biggest shows wasn't enough, you were in for the surprise of your life when your manager called and told you that the directors wanted you to start spending time off-screen with your soon-to-be co-star.

"They think it'll make the chemistry on the show more believable if you guys get to know each other more in real life," Kendra sighed and you could practically hear her shrug over the phone.

"Okay?" You responded with a subtle temperament in your tone that went ignored by your manager, "I auditioned for the show, not to become some PR stunt for ratings." You rebutted firmly, crossing your arms as if it made your testament any more earnest.

"Not PR, just friends. If you're gonna work with somebody for who knows how long, you need to at least be acquainted with them," she reaffirmed blithely and you could hear her light up another cigarette over the line, as if her raucous smoker's voice wasn't prominent enough already.

"Then what are we supposed to do that doesn't make it look like we're dating? Cause anything we do is gonna draw attention," you asked, pointing out the burning question in your mind. Drew was a rising star in Hollywood, and it didn’t take much for the media to latch onto any spark of gossip, let alone the proximity between two co-stars. You could already imagine the headlines—"New Romance on Set?" or "Chemistry Beyond the Screen?"—flashing across tabloids, fueling rumors neither of you had any control over. The mere thought made your stomach twist, but at the same time, you couldn't deny the pull of curiosity.

"I don’t know, just grab lunch, go over lines, anything normal," Kendra responded with a casualness that felt at odds with the gravity of the situation. "The point is to make you two comfortable around each other, not to stage some fake romance. But hey, if the chemistry works out in your favor, it's not a bad thing, right?" Her tone was light, but you could sense the subtle hint of persuasion.

You bit your lip, considering the reality of it. Drew—charming, talented, and devastatingly handsome—had already made an impression during the audition, and though his professional demeanor had been disarming, you couldn’t ignore the undercurrent of tension that had crackled between you both. But off-screen was a different game altogether, one where your vulnerability wasn’t masked by a script or camera angles. The idea of spending more time with him outside the confines of rehearsals left you feeling exposed in a way you weren’t sure you were ready for.

"Fine, I’ll do it. But if this turns into some media circus, you owe me a long vacation after this project is over," you finally agreed, letting out a deep breath that didn’t quite ease the knot in your chest.

Kendra laughed, the sound raspy yet full of amusement. "Deal. Besides, you never know what might happen. Worst-case scenario, you make a new friend, right?"

But even as you nodded, you couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this arrangement than just bonding over scripts and coffee. Drew's name carried weight, and being linked to him—professionally or otherwise—was bound to stir something bigger than either of you could control. And for a brief moment, you wondered if it was the career boost you’d always needed, or a risk you weren’t prepared to take.

"Alright," Kendra continued, breaking the silence. "I’ll set something up. Keep your schedule open for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" You almost choked on the word, your pulse quickening at how soon this was all happening.

"Yep. No time like the present." Kendra’s voice was cheerful, almost too cheerful. "You’ve got this, kid. Trust me."

The call ended before you could protest, leaving you standing alone in your apartment, staring at your phone. You sighed, running a hand through your hair as the reality of tomorrow loomed over you. There was no backing out now, no escaping what was already set into motion.

You treaded over to your fridge, the soft hum of it the only sound in your quiet apartment. Pulling out the bottle of sangria you’d been saving for a special occasion—though right now felt more like an emergency—you unscrewed the cap with a small sigh of relief. The deep, ruby liquid swirled into the stemware glass, filling it halfway as you watched the dark red hues glisten under the dim kitchen light.

It wasn’t a celebration, not yet, but it was something—a moment to collect yourself before you plunged headfirst into whatever tomorrow would bring. You took a slow sip, letting the sweet, tangy taste linger on your tongue, savoring the small comfort it provided. The cool glass felt grounding in your hand, a quiet contrast to the chaos spinning in your mind.

With your hands pressed firmly against the cool countertop, your head hung low as you silently questioned how you ended up in this whirlwind of events. The soft buzz of your phone broke the stillness, pulling you back to reality. You glanced at the screen, and there it was—a text from Kendra.

"I talked to Drew’s managers, they said he suggested having lunch tomorrow at 2. I'll have a driver booked for you around 1:30."

Your heart nearly leaped out of your chest, the words sinking in as you scanned the message over and over. Tomorrow. Lunch. With Drew. And with little to no time to prepare, your anxiety came to life, flooding your mind with a thousand what-ifs.

You stood there, staring at your phone, trying to piece together how you were supposed to handle this. Drew seemed perfectly polite at the chemistry read—cordial even—but one-on-one? Would he be the same, or was that all just an act for the directors?

Your mind raced through every worst-case scenario like a rapid-fire slideshow: what if your mind went blank, and you sat there fumbling for words like an awkward mess? What if you somehow got food stuck in your teeth, making a fool of yourself in front of him? Or worse yet, what if he wasn’t the nice guy he seemed to be? What if Drew, the rising star with all that charisma on-screen, turned out to be an arrogant asshole in real life?

The swirling thoughts made your stomach churn as you stood in the quiet of your kitchen, your fingers gripping the counter tighter. It felt like the universe was pulling you into something far beyond your control, leaving you standing on the edge of tomorrow, unprepared and vulnerable.

You gulped down the remainder of your wine, feeling its chill cascade down your throat, sending a fleeting shiver through your chest. The slight buzz gave you a brief surge of energy, enough to momentarily push aside the weight of tomorrow’s uncertainty. In that brief spark of clarity, an idea—unusual but oddly practical—struck you.

Without hesitation, you darted over to the couch, grabbed your laptop, and flipped it open with renewed purpose. The glow of the screen illuminated your face as you typed in the familiar search bar. But your focus wavered for a moment as the homepage tempted you with random recommendations—cooking tutorials, music videos, travel vlogs—each one a distraction you almost fell for.

You shook your head, quickly typing in the search: Drew Starkey.

As soon as you hit enter, the screen flooded with clips of interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and fan-made compilations of your soon-to-be co-star.. You clicked on the first interview, your heart picking up pace as his face appeared on screen. There he was—laughing, smiling, completely at ease in front of the camera. His presence was magnetic, the same kind of charm you witnessed during the chemistry read, but now you were analyzing him in a different light. You weren’t watching an actor—no, you were trying to get to know the man behind the character.

Each video you watched painted a picture of Drew’s personality, his mannerisms, the way he laughed mid-sentence, his casual but thoughtful way of answering questions. It was easy to see why he’d become such a rising star. He had that effortless charisma that made him seem approachable yet untouchable all at once.

As you watched one of his MTV interviews, something about a particular one shifted your perspective. Drew was talking about his methods for diving into a character—how he found little pieces of himself in each role and let that guide his performance. But it wasn’t just the professional insight that caught your attention; it was the casual, almost vulnerable tone of his voice as he spoke about his life beyond acting.

He talked about college, how he had balanced classes and part-time jobs, how uncertain he’d felt back then—just like anyone else trying to figure out their future. He laughed about the odd jobs he worked before landing his first big role, like waiting tables and doing temp work. It was such a stark contrast to the larger-than-life persona the media often painted around actors. In that moment, Drew wasn’t just the rising star you'd auditioned with; he was a regular guy who had worked hard to get where he was.

Suddenly, the looming anxiety of tomorrow’s lunch didn’t seem as unbearable. If anything, the idea of talking to him felt almost comforting. You realized he was probably more grounded than you gave him credit for—despite the fame, despite the rising spotlight. It was refreshing, and it put a part of your mind at ease. You’d been so caught up in the idea of him as a powerful actor, you hadn’t considered that, like you, he might just be navigating this career with a sense of uncertainty, too.

You closed the laptop and leaned back, exhaling a long breath. Maybe tomorrow would be more casual than you imagined—just two people talking, finding their rhythm, building that off-screen chemistry in the same way you had in front of the directors. For the first time, the thought of sitting across from Drew didn’t feel like a storm waiting to hit. Instead, it felt manageable. And maybe, just maybe, it would even be enjoyable.

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶

“Seriously, Kendra, what should I wear?” you huffed, your phone perched precariously on the edge of your bed as you sifted through the chaos of your closet. Fabrics of every texture spilled over your arms as you frantically flipped through hangers, eyeing each piece with increasing frustration. Nothing felt right. You didn’t want to come off like you’d tried too hard, but showing up looking too casual to lunch with Drew Starkey didn’t feel right either.

“It’s just lunch, Y/N,” Kendra's voice came through the phone, nonchalant and steady as usual. “Just dress like you normally would. No need to overthink it.”

You paused, clutching an emerald green blouse in one hand, a simple beige sundress in the other. “But what if I show up looking like a total slob, or worse, like I’m trying too hard? I don’t want him to think I’m one of those actors.”

Kendra sighed on the other end, and you could practically see her lighting another cigarette in her usual blasé way. “Look, you already met him. He’s seen you act. It’s not a pageant, it’s lunch. Just wear something you feel comfortable in and go be yourself. You’ve already impressed him—trust me, your wardrobe is the least of anyone’s concerns.”

She made it sound so simple, but the weight of it all still sat heavy on your chest. You weren’t just meeting up with Drew Starkey; you were being thrown into this situation with someone whose presence alone had enough gravity to throw you off balance. Even though he’d been polite, kind, even reassuring at the chemistry read, today felt different. More personal, more exposed. What if you said the wrong thing? Or worse, what if there was nothing to say at all?

Your eyes landed on the black sundress, a light fabric that flowed in all the right ways—comfortable, but still enough to make you feel put-together. You plucked it off the hanger and held it up in front of the mirror, examining its soft, understated elegance.

“Okay, okay, I think I found something,” you said, exhaling a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding. “A sundress. It’s casual, right?”

“Perfect,” Kendra replied, almost as if she wasn’t really paying attention. “Remember, Y/N, this is supposed to be easy. You’re overthinking it. Just go, have lunch, talk. You’ve got nothing to prove to him—you’re already Maisy.”

You nodded at her words, trying to absorb her confidence. “Yeah, I know… You’re right. I’ll text you after, okay?”

“Good luck, kid. Don’t sweat it.”

The call ended, leaving you alone with your thoughts. The room suddenly felt too quiet, and you found yourself staring at the sundress again, smoothing out the wrinkles. Kendra was right—this wasn’t an audition, not anymore. It was just lunch. But the thought of being alone with Drew Starkey for more than five minutes made your stomach flutter with anticipation.

It was already 1:30 before you knew it, and the driver was waiting outside your apartment complex just as Kendra had promised. You stood in front of the mirror, staring at your reflection, the black sundress clinging to your figure in a way that made you feel both presentable and oddly exposed. The sun streamed in through the windows, casting golden streaks across the floor, but all you could feel was the thrum of nervous energy buzzing through your veins.

You took a deep breath, throwing your bag over your shoulder as you prepared to step out the door. But just as your hand touched the doorknob, an impulse hit you, a wild flicker of hesitation. One more thing, you thought, as if something—anything—could make the looming lunch with Drew feel more manageable.

Without a second thought, you turned back and hurried over to the fridge. The cold hum of the appliance felt almost calming as you pulled out a bottle of liquor, the glass cool beneath your fingers. You reached for the shot glass on the counter, the one you hadn’t touched in weeks, and quickly poured yourself a small measure of liquid courage.

With a swift motion you knocked back the shot. The bitter burn hit your throat like fire, and you winced as it traveled down your chest, leaving a searing heat in its wake. The burn did nothing to dull the nervous energy that coiled in your stomach, but it brought with it a flash of warmth—maybe just enough to get you out the door.

You set the glass down with a clink, exhaling sharply. Okay. Just get this over with.

The city noise hummed in the background as you locked the door behind you, your heels clicking softly against the floor as you descended the stairs. By the time you stepped outside, the black SUV was already waiting, sleek and ominous, like a portal to the unknown. The driver glanced up at you from his phone, offering a quick nod as you approached.

This was it. You were about to spend the next hour or so sitting across from Drew Starkey, face to face, with no script to guide you. Just conversation—easy, simple conversation. You repeated the words like a mantra in your mind as the driver opened the door for you, and you slid into the backseat.

The drive to the coffee shop felt like a blur, as though time had folded in on itself. Twenty minutes passed in what felt like mere moments, your mind a carousel of spiraling thoughts. Each new scenario played out in flashes—awkward silences, fumbling over your words, or worse, making a terrible first impression. You barely noticed the city streets, the buildings slipping by as your pulse quickened.

Before you knew it, the car slowed to a stop. You glanced out the window and felt a jolt in your chest—the café stood before you, quaint and modern with wide, floor-to-ceiling windows that seemed to strip away all your defenses. You could already imagine Drew inside, perhaps sipping on his coffee, glancing up to see you through the glass. The thought made your stomach flip.

Your driver stepped out and came around to open the door for you, his gentle nod barely registering as you mumbled a quiet "thank you" and handed him a tip. As your feet touched the ground, the sunlight was warmer than you'd anticipated, but it did nothing to chase away the cold wave of anxiety coursing through your veins.

You stood there for a moment, frozen in place as you stared at the entrance of the shop. The cheerful chatter and soft clinking of cups inside only heightened your nerves. You could feel your heart beating harder, faster, each step toward the door a battle against your own hesitation.

He’s just a person, you reminded yourself, trying to quell the panic rising in your throat. But it didn’t feel that simple. Drew Starkey, with his effortless charm and natural presence, was far from just a person in your eyes. This wasn’t a screen test or a scripted scene; this was real, and the vulnerability of it all felt like stepping into a spotlight with no lines to recite.

Taking a deep breath, you smoothed down the front of your dress, squaring your shoulders as you approached the door. The reflection in the glass showed a version of yourself that seemed far more composed than you felt inside.

The moment you stepped through the door, it hit you—a wave of vulnerability like never before. The cozy warmth of the café felt stifling, too intimate, too exposing. Every eye seemed like it could be on you, but none more so than the one pair you hadn’t yet found. Your heart thudded in your chest, your breath quickened as your gaze darted around the room, desperate for a familiar face.

Heat flooded your cheeks, and you prayed Drew hadn’t noticed your awkward search. You fidgeted with your purse, shifting it from one shoulder to the other in a vain attempt to appear more casual, less like a deer caught in headlights. Your arms instinctively crossed in front of you, a small shield against the sudden discomfort that surged through your veins.

Your eyes swept over the café, landing on tables filled with groups of friends, couples huddled in cozy corners, and lone patrons with their noses in books or laptops. And then—thank God—there he was. A tall figure with broad shoulders, his back to the door, sitting by the window.

Drew.

Relief rushed through you, as if finding him tethered you back to reality. He was alone, his posture relaxed, almost casual, as if this was just another day for him. You took a slow breath, allowing yourself a second to gather what remained of your composure. The butterflies in your stomach still fluttered, but at least now you had a destination, a focus that made the swirling anxieties just a little more bearable.

With as much confidence as you could muster, you made your way toward him, every step feeling like it stretched on forever.

"Hi," you greeted softly, your voice barely above a whisper as you approached the table. You pulled out the chair opposite him, your nerves fluttering beneath your skin. "Thanks for taking the time to do this. I know you're probably super busy." The words left your lips with a quiet, breathy chuckle, an attempt to mask the awkwardness that clung to you like a shadow.

Drew looked up from his coffee, his eyes warm and inviting, as if to assure you that there was no need for nerves. A soft smile tugged at his lips, and he shook his head. "Actually, I have this week off before we start filming season 4," he explained with an easy laugh, his thumbs tracing the rim of his cup absentmindedly. "I needed to get out of the house anyway."

You laughed softly at his comment, reaching for one of the menus to give yourself a brief moment of reprieve from his gaze. Drew straightened in his chair, the subtle movement drawing your attention just before he cleared his throat.

“So, how did you get into acting?” His question was direct, almost startlingly so, his eyes fixed on you in a way that made you feel suddenly seen—too seen. You weren’t used to such earnestness from someone you'd only just met, but in a way, it was a relief. At least he wasn’t skirting around small talk.

You shifted in your seat, caught off guard by his boldness, but grateful all the same. "Uh, well..." You started, your fingers tightening around the menu. "I was in college for a while, studying psychology, but..." You hesitated, glancing down as if the table could offer some solace. Opening up so quickly wasn’t something you were accustomed to, especially with someone like him. Still, there was something disarming in the way he listened, waiting for you to continue.

"It didn’t feel right," you confessed quietly, your voice softening. "I always had this dream of becoming an actress, ever since I was a kid. So, eventually, I just... dropped out and moved to L.A." You let the words hang there, reluctant but honest. You weren’t sure why you felt the need to lay your cards on the table like this, but it seemed to happen naturally with him in that moment.

Drew’s gaze never wavered from you, his attention unwavering in a way that both flattered and unnerved you. You weren’t used to being the center of someone’s focus like this, especially not someone with his kind of presence. But his expression was kind, reassuring even, and you found some comfort in that.

“There’s no shame in that,” he said with a gentle shrug, his voice warm and understanding. “I took acting in college, but if I had done anything else, I probably would’ve left, too.”

His words brought a flicker of relief to your chest, causing you to sit up a bit straighter. You tilted your head slightly, your eyes tracing over his face, searching for any trace of insincerity but finding none.

“Really?” you asked, a light chuckle escaping your lips. “I don’t think my school even offered that.” You tugged at your bottom lip for a moment, a nervous habit you hadn’t realized you were doing until now. “Besides, I couldn’t have done that anyway. I only went to school because my parents wanted me to. I was basically just trying to make them proud.”

Your confession came out more candidly than you intended, but in the quiet of the café and under Drew’s steady gaze, it felt natural to share. For a moment, you expected him to change the subject, to keep things surface-level, but instead, he continued to pry.

"How did they feel when you came to L.A. to act?"

Your eyes widened slightly at his question, taken aback by his curiosity. It was such a personal, almost mundane topic, yet he was genuinely interested. "They were… wary about it," you replied, your gaze drifting down to the table as you absently picked at your nails. "But they told me they’d support whatever I wanted to do. Though, I’m pretty sure they thought I wouldn’t make it very far, deep down."

You laughed softly, the sound half-hearted, as if trying to ease the seriousness of your own words. You didn’t want to come off as too open or vulnerable so soon, but there was something about his attention that made it difficult to hold back.

Drew didn’t look away. His focus on you never wavered, the intensity of his gaze somehow soft yet unrelenting, making you feel both exposed and heard.

"That’s tough," he murmured, his voice low and reflective. "It’s hard enough chasing something you love, but doing it without knowing if the people who matter most really believe in you… that’s even harder."

His words surprised you. Most people would brush off a confession like that or try to lighten the mood, but Drew leaned in, showing a depth of understanding that made you pause. You glanced back up at him, searching his expression. He wasn’t offering empty sympathy. It was like he genuinely got it.

“Yeah,” you responded quietly, nodding in agreement, “I guess I’ve always had that in the back of my mind, like this little voice telling me I need to prove something.” You hesitated, wondering if you should go deeper, but there was something safe in the atmosphere between you two. “I think that’s why landing this role means so much. It’s not just for me—it’s to show them I wasn’t wrong for following my gut.”

A silence settled between you both after that, but it wasn’t awkward. It felt purposeful, like both of you were letting the weight of your words sink in.

Drew gave a small smile, one that seemed to reach his eyes, softening the intensity of his stare. "Well, I think you’ve already proven that. You nailed the audition, and now here we are. You’re here for a reason."

For a moment, the two of you sat there, enduring a silence that wasn’t awkward, but the tension felt almost suffocating. Drew's gaze lingered on you, so intense that it felt like it was burning through you. Heat rose to your cheeks as his blue eyes seemed to analyze every inch of your face. You wondered if he was searching for flaws, or maybe even finding them. You felt small under his stare, like you wanted to say something to break the tension, but the words wouldn’t come. You were simply speechless under his trance.

"Have you ever taken a role like this?" Drew suddenly asked, breaking the silence as he took a sip of his coffee.

You blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question. "What do you mean?"

"Like playing a love interest," he clarified, his voice calm, almost too casual for the depth of his question. "Have you done that before?"

Your brows furrowed slightly as you processed his words, feeling the weight of them sink in. "No, not really," you replied slowly, your voice quiet but steady. "I’ve done smaller roles, but nothing like this. It’s… new for me."

Drew’s eyes softened, his expression shifting from curiosity to understanding. He nodded as if he expected that answer, but the way he watched you made it clear he wasn’t just asking about acting. There was something deeper to the question, a vulnerability you couldn’t quite place.

"That’s interesting," he said, leaning back in his chair, his gaze never leaving you. "Because it doesn’t seem like it. You handle it like a natural."

His words caught you off guard, the compliment landing heavier than you anticipated. For a second, you weren’t sure if he was still talking about the role or about something else entirely. The air between you thickened again, the tension suffocating, though not entirely uncomfortable. It was the kind of tension that made your heart race, the kind that left you wondering where the line between professional and personal blurred.

"Thanks," you murmured, trying to shake off the growing heat in your chest. You didn’t trust yourself to say more. You could still feel his eyes on you, studying your reaction, and it made your pulse quicken.

“It can be intimidating at first,” he admitted, his tone reassuring as he leaned slightly forward, elbows resting on the table. There was a sincerity in his voice that made you feel at ease, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside you. “But I’ll make sure you’re always comfortable. They can write some pretty crazy plot lines in there, so just let me know if you ever feel uncomfortable doing a scene. I’ll talk to Jonah if I have to.”

His words hit you suddenly, unexpected in their warmth and assertiveness. You paused, lips pursed in contemplation, trying to grasp the significance of his commitment to protect you from any overwhelming scenes. The air between you seemed to thicken with unspoken understanding as you wondered if this was the kind of guy he was towards everyone—protective and kind—or if this consideration was reserved solely for you, his co-star.

Regardless of the reason, you felt flattered, a soft blush creeping to your cheeks as a sense of security enveloped you, wrapping around you like a soft blanket. His presence across the table offered a calming reassurance that you hadn’t anticipated.

“Oh, well thank you,” you finally replied, sincerity coloring your voice. “Nobody has ever done that for me.”

There was a moment of silence, and in it, you could see a flicker of understanding pass between you—a shared acknowledgment of what was ahead. His blue eyes held yours with an intensity that made your heart race, as if he was searching for something deeper within you.

“It’s important,” he said softly, his tone earnest. “Acting can be raw and vulnerable. It’s easy to get lost in it all, especially when the emotions run high. I just want to make sure you feel safe.”

You nodded, a swirl of emotions churning within you as you searched for the right words. The moment felt fragile, hanging delicately in the air between you, and you didn’t want to shatter it with any misstep. Yet, the intensity of his demeanor made you feel small and nervous, as if the weight of his gaze was both exhilarating and suffocating.

Breathless, you sat across from him, the man who was still practically a stranger, yet in this moment, it felt as if you had known him for years. There was a strange familiarity in the way he looked at you, a connection that ran deeper than surface-level pleasantries.

“Thank you, Drew,” you finally managed to say, your voice softer than you intended, tinged with sincerity.

His smile widened, a warm and genuine expression that sent a flutter through your chest. “Of course. I’d be happy to do that for you,” he admitted, softly biting down on his bottom lip as his eyes flickered between yours and your lips, as if caught in a moment of contemplation. It was a fleeting look, but it made your heart race, igniting a mix of anticipation and curiosity within you.

“And I’m sure the rest of the cast will do the same. They’re great to work with,” he added, taking it upon himself to shift the mood, straightening his posture as if shedding the weight of the moment. You couldn’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment at the change in direction, yet a part of you understood the necessity of pacing yourself. Maybe diving too deep too soon was better left for later.

“Yeah, I’ve heard great things about them. I’m excited to meet them next,” you replied, attempting to mask your intrigue with enthusiasm.

Drew nodded, his expression brightening as he spoke about the cast. “You’ll love them. We all hang out outside of filming too. It’s like a little family, you know? Makes the long hours much more bearable.”

You giggled slightly at his comment, a lightness in your chest blooming as you absorbed the warmth of his enthusiasm. “Well, I’m honored to now be a part of it,” you joked back, a playful lilt in your voice.

Drew’s eyes sparkled at your smile, the corners of his lips curving upward in a genuine grin that seemed to radiate joy. It was as if your lightheartedness sparked something within him, and for a brief moment, the café around you faded into a backdrop.

“I think you’ll fit right in,” he replied, his tone sincere and warm, and you could sense the unspoken camaraderie beginning to take root between you. It felt refreshing, as if he was offering a piece of reassurance that made going ahead seem a little less daunting.

You felt a surge of confidence at the playfulness in his tone, fueling the conversation further. “And what makes you so sure of that?” you teased, a hint of mischief in your voice, as if daring him to justify his statement.

Drew’s tongue grazed across his teeth as he pondered your question, his blue eyes narrowing slightly in thought. The pause between you was brief, yet charged with a subtle tension, the kind that comes when two people are testing the boundaries of familiarity. His gaze locked onto yours, and for a moment, you felt as though he could see right through you.

“You just seem like a likable person,” he replied, his voice soft yet confident, the corners of his mouth lifting in a sly smile. His tone was earnest, but there was something about the way he said it that made your pulse quicken—like he knew more than he was letting on, like he could already sense there was more to you than what lay on the surface.

You couldn’t help but smirk, leaning slightly forward as if to match his energy. “Is that your professional actor assessment?” you quipped, raising a brow, trying to mask the flutter in your chest with humor.

His grin widened as if your playful retort amused him. “Maybe,” he shrugged, leaning back in his chair, completely relaxed yet fully engaged. “Or maybe I’m just good at reading people.” His eyes glimmered with something more—an invitation, perhaps, to challenge him further.

Your heart raced slightly as you matched his stare, the game between you intensifying without either of you needing to acknowledge it. You felt emboldened by the easy rapport, as though you could push the conversation anywhere, and it would still feel natural, still flow effortlessly. There was something refreshing about it, and it left you wanting to keep the banter going just a little longer.

“Well, you could be wrong, you know,” you shot back, your voice lilting with amusement. “I could be the least likable person you’ve ever met, and you wouldn’t even know it yet.”

Drew chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Somehow, I seriously doubt that,” he said, his tone low and smooth, leaving just enough mystery in his words to keep you guessing.

“I guess we’ll have to see,” you shrugged nonchalantly, playing into the lighthearted banter. Drew’s eyes sparkled with amusement, as if your coy responses were entertaining him in a way you hadn’t anticipated. Despite the casual nature of the conversation, there was something in the air between you that made it feel deeper, more charged.

He leaned in slightly over the table, his body angled toward you, his presence suddenly filling the small space between you. “You know,” he began, his tone shifting to something a little more serious, yet still playful, “if we’re going to be working so closely together, why don’t we start hanging out more? It’ll make everything on-screen more believable.”

His suggestion hung in the air, sending your mind reeling. Your initial instinct was to question it—was this about the job or something more? His words seemed casual, but the way he looked at you now, with a sincerity that felt more personal than professional, told you there might be another layer to his offer.

You tilted your head slightly, trying to read him, your lips curling into a small smile. “You think so?” you asked, your voice soft but teasing, leaning just enough into the moment to keep things light, while still acknowledging the subtle tension between you.

Drew’s gaze didn’t falter. “Yeah,” he nodded, his smile widening. “The better we know each other, the easier it’ll be to build that connection on-screen.” He paused for a second, watching your reaction, and then added with a smirk, “Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to get to know you a little better off-screen too.”

Your heart fluttered at his words, and you couldn’t help but smile back, trying to keep your cool. You glanced down at your hands for a moment before meeting his eyes again. “I guess that makes sense,” you replied, your voice light and playful, though you could feel the heat rising to your cheeks.

The suggestion seemed innocent enough on the surface, but the underlying implications—the chance to spend more time together, to see if this chemistry extended beyond the lines you’d be reading—made your pulse race just a little faster.

“Alright,” you said, leaning back in your chair with a shrug, pretending to be more nonchalant than you felt. “Let’s give it a try. See if we can make this whole thing more believable.”

Drew smiled in agreement, his eyes lighting up with a warmth that seemed to settle the tension between you. He opened his mouth, about to say something more, but was interrupted by the soft buzz of his phone lighting up with a text. He glanced down at it briefly before shifting his attention back to you, his smile still faint but genuine.

“It’s been nice getting to know you a little more. I really enjoyed this,” he admitted, his voice sincere. You noticed his gaze flicker toward the window, as though he was checking for something or someone, before returning to you. “Why don’t I give you my number so we can plan something soon?”

Your heart skipped at the casual offer, but you maintained your composure, feeling the air between you both shift into something more comfortable, yet still charged with potential. “Yeah, that sounds good,” you replied with a small smile, trying to keep things light despite the slight flutter in your chest.

Drew pulled out his phone, tapping on the screen before handing it over to you. You quickly typed in your number, handing it back to him, your fingers brushing briefly as you exchanged devices.

“Great,” he said, locking the phone and slipping it back into his pocket, his smile widening. “I’ll text you later, and we can figure something out. Maybe something less... formal,” he added with a playful wink, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

You laughed softly, shaking your head. “Sounds like a plan.”

"I'll see you later, Y/N." Drew’s voice was soft, still carrying that same warmth and kindness that had made you feel so at ease throughout the afternoon. He offered you one last smile before gathering his belongings and heading toward the door.

You watched him as he stepped outside, the sunlight casting a soft glow on him as he made his way to the black SUV parked out front. There was something effortlessly graceful about the way he moved, the casualness of it, yet it left you with a feeling of weightlessness. The butterflies in your stomach fluttered as you saw him disappear into the car, the sound of the engine starting up almost muted by the rush of your thoughts.

The café around you sounded with the usual hum of life, but your mind was far from the present moment. Instead, it replayed every detail of the past hour—the way he had smiled at you, the easy flow of conversation, the unspoken connection that had blossomed between the two of you. You could still feel the warmth of his gaze, the way it made you feel seen in a way that felt both exhilarating and unsettling.

As you sat there, a small smile crept onto your lips. The butterflies in your chest wouldn’t settle, and you weren’t entirely sure if you wanted them to. Something about today had changed things, and as you grabbed your bag and stood up to leave, you realized the anticipation for whatever came next was already beginning to build.

───────── ౨ৎ ─────────

taglist: @romantic-punch, @cl4uus, @clearpoetryobservation-blog, @willowpains, @simp4f1, @kaiparkerwifes, @cali-888, @allthoughtsmindfull, @sabrina-carpenter-stan-account

[mildswearingat4am]

I'm not really sure how to describe it but like -- it's been so long since I was writing regularly that adding words to the story doc feels weird. Like, risky. Cartoon-slapping-down-a-train-track-right-before-you-drive-over-it.

This just didn't exist??? Then I put some words together and now it does??? How do I know I'm steering this thing correctly it feels like we're about to drive off a cliff

[yparkwrites]

SON OF THE MOB SUNGHOON FF

Pairing: Mafia Sunghoon x Female reader (Y/N)

Content warnings: explicit content (smut), mentions of abuse, bruises, blood, etc.

Word count: 18k+

Synopsis: When Sunghoon, the son of Mr. Park meets a fearless girl everything will change around him as he tries to fight for his freedom from his father's nest.

Note: this is my first ever Enhypen ff, it is published on Wattpad as a complete story.

© 2024 Y. PARK WRITES. All Rights Reserved.

NO MINORS ALLOWED 18+ ONLY

Part 1 - 4

CHAPTER 5: Moving Forward

1

Three years had passed since the night Sunghoon had left Y/n, the night since he left a void in her heart. During those past years their circle of friends became bigger. Jay and Jungwon are additions to their circle. 

“How many years left before we graduate?” Yura asked, completely worn out due to their projects and exams coming up. 

“2 more years,” Y/n replied, chuckling at Yura’s presence, bags under her eyes and messy hair. 

“Did you guys hear the rumor?” Jungwon asked as he sat beside a sleepy Yura. 

“Jungwon, everyday you come with new rumors, new gossip, please give us a break,” Jake said, taking a seat as he placed his tray of food on the cafeteria table. 

“The new gossip is for Y/n,” Jungwon said smiling, raising both his eyebrows.

“Just spill it,” Jay said uninterested, worn out too, as he failed to get enough sleep the other night. 

“Sunghoon is back in town, a student said he saw him beating up a drunkard in the alleyway near the convenience store.” Jungwon said, catching Y/n’s attention. 

“What?” Jake asked.

“You weren’t interested awhile ago,” Jungwon retorted at Jake. 

“Well now you have my attention spill everything,” Jake argued back at him, widening his eyes a little.

“That’s the only information I know for now, but I heard that he’s gonna go back here anytime soon, and everyone should be prepared as he’s not the same Sunghoon from three years ago.” Jungwon said. 

Before Jungwon could add more details on what he had said the bell rang indicating that lunch was over. 

“Damn I’m not even done eating.” Jake said.

2 

Y/n sat in the library to study, she decided not to pursue business and study literacy instead, she doesn’t have many classes compared to when she was in business class. 

As she tried working on her reviewers, her mind kept drifting off to Sunghoon, especially to what Jungwon had said during lunch. “Is he really back?” Y/n asked herself, looking at the necklace around her neck, the necklace Sunghoon told her to keep. 

“Are you really back?” She asked herself again, touching the necklace. 

“You good?” Someone said from behind her, and it was their group leader, Heeseung.

“Yeah, just thinking about something,” Y/n responded, looking down at her books.

“If you’re thinking about what I told you yesterday, it’s fine if you don’t feel the same way,” Heeseung said, taking the empty seat beside her.

“No, it’s not that. It’s about the rumor.” Y/n replied.

“Oh Sunghoon? Yeah, it’s not a rumor, I saw him a while ago, he enrolled in our class, I don’t know why our class but what can we do about it.” Heeseung said, clearly frustrated that Sunghoon will be in the same class as them. 

“Do you hate him?” Y/n asked.

“It’s not that I hate him, but he’s gonna put everyone in danger,” Heeseung said.

“He won’t.” Y/n replied looking at him.

“You don’t know him Y/n,” Heeseung replied back.

“Neither do you, he protected me from getting hurt three years ago.” Y/n stated slightly raising her voice. Y/n started grabbing her books to leave.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to offend you, but still.” Heeseung argued, holding her arm to stop her from leaving.

“You asked me, where I got the necklace, Sunghoon gave it to me three years ago before he left so that his father won’t try hurting me,” Y/n said, pulling her arm from Heeseung’s grip and leaving him alone in the library. 

3

“So you’re telling me, Heeseung told you he saw Sunghoon at the university?” Jake asked while driving Y/n home.

“Yeah,” Y/n responded. 

“And Heeseung pissed you off when he talked bad about him?” Jake asked. 

“Yeah, he’s talking like he knows him very well.” Y/n said, crossing her arms.

“Y/n we might know the old Sunghoon, but not the new one, the student that saw him the other night said he had changed completely, he’s like a different person,” Yura said, opening her eyes to look at Y/n.

“Well that’s just the gossip.” Y/n stated.

“It was on the news this morning that my mom watched, he killed the drunkard Y/n.” Yura replied, looking at her. “You don’t have to believe it, if you don’t want to, but I wouldn’t approach him first, if he approached you first talk to him, but if not, don’t.” Yura added.

4

At night, Y/n can’t fall asleep again. She grabbed the bottle of her sleeping pills, “It’s empty, great,” 

Y/n stood up from her bed and went downstairs. It was dark and quiet. She reached the kitchen, flipping on the light to search for something that can help her sleep. She sighed before opening the refrigerator, hoping a glass of milk might help her. 

She stood there, her thoughts consumed by what Yura had said, Sunghoon, a killer? That 's impossible. 

Y/n took her glass of milk and went upstairs to her room, she went out of the balcony as she stared into the night. She remembered the ball night, the first he held her in his arms, he kissed her and left her. 

Tears streamed down her face remembering that night. “What if they’re right?” Y/n asked herself. “What if he really changed?” She asked herself again. 

Y/n sobbed imagining the worst case scenario possible. 

5

The next morning, she texted Jake to let him know she was walking to the university to clear her mind.

Lost in her thoughts, she heard someone call her name and saw Heeseung approaching.

“Y/n, hey, you’re walking today?” Heeseung said.

“Yeah, just to clear my mind a bit,” Y/n replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

Heeseung sighed. “Y/n, look, I’m sorry about yesterday. I know I might have come off harsh. I don’t know your history with him, and I’m not really into gossip. I was just worried.”

“It’s fine, no worries. I just hate it when someone badmouths him. But I understand, it’s been three years, and he might have really changed,” Y/n said, her voice softening.

“You don’t mind if I walk with you, right?” Heeseung asked.

“No, it’s fine,” Y/n responded.

6

Due to their upcoming exams, Y/n decided to stay late at the university library, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Sunghoon.

“I should just go home,” Y/n mumbled to herself. She gathered her things and decided to call it a night.

She walked home to clear her mind. As she passed by her mom’s convenience store, she saw a familiar figure.

“Sunghoon,” she whispered. She watched him grab some snacks and pay for them. Their eyes locked for a brief moment. He looked at her, emotionless.

After a few seconds, he walked away without saying anything.

CHAPTER 6: He changed

1

Y/n stood there, her heart pounding as she watched Sunghoon walk away. She couldn’t let him leave without trying to talk to him. Mustering all her courage, she called out to him.

“Sunghoon!” she shouted, her voice trembling.

He stopped but didn’t turn around. Slowly, he looked over his shoulder, his expression unchanged, cold and distant.

Y/n walked closer, her steps hesitant. “Is it really you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Sunghoon turned to face her fully, his eyes cold and filled with confusion. “Excuse me?” he asked.

Y/n looked at him, her eyes welling up with tears. “Where have you been?” she asked.

“Do I know you?” Sunghoon asked. Y/n’s heart sank upon hearing those words. He didn’t remember her. She let her tears stream down her cheeks. Sunghoon sighed before turning to leave.

“You gave me your necklace before you left,” Y/n mustered all her courage to say. He looked back at her.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you, nor that necklace,” he replied, leaving her heartbroken. Just then, it started raining heavily, as if the clouds were crying with her.

“Y/n!” Someone yelled from behind her. She didn’t turn around, watching Sunghoon’s shadow disappear.

“Are you crazy!?” The same person said before dragging her into his car.

2

“Jake, what happened?” Yura asked as she brought Y/n a towel.

“I don’t know. She won’t say anything,” Jake replied to his sister.

“He doesn’t remember me,” Y/n mumbled as they both turned to look at her.

“Who?” Yura asked, sitting beside her.

“I saw Sunghoon. I saw him, and he doesn’t remember me,” Y/n replied, tears streaming down her face.

Yura hugged her, letting her cry on her shoulder while Jake watched, feeling helpless as her sobs grew louder.

3

The next morning, Y/n woke up with swollen eyes and a heavy heart. She couldn’t shake the image of Sunghoon’s cold, unfamiliar gaze. The weight of his forgotten memories pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe.

“Morning,” Yura greeted softly, bringing a cup of tea into Y/n’s room. “How are you feeling?”

Y/n took the cup, her hands trembling slightly. “I don’t know,” Y/n responded.

Yura sat down beside her, gently squeezing her hand. “Everything will be fine. By the way, we called your mom to tell her you had a sleepover here,” Yura said.

“Thank you,” Y/n said, taking a sip of tea.

The three of them went to the university together.

4

As soon as they walked inside the university, everyone was gossiping about something. Just then, Jay and Jungwon came running toward them.

“Slow down,” Y/n told them as they almost slipped.

“You wouldn’t believe it,” Jungwon said, panting.

“Sunghoon is here,” Jay said, smiling at Y/n, unaware of what happened last night.

“You’re not happy?” Jungwon asked as he noticed the lack of excitement in her eyes.

“I’m going to class,” Y/n muttered before leaving them at the entrance of the university.

“What?” Jay asked Jake.

“Sunghoon doesn’t remember anything,” Jake responded.

“Who told you?” Jungwon asked.

“Y/n saw him last night. He didn’t recognize her, so don’t talk about him for a while,” Jake said, following Y/n.

Y/n entered the classroom and saw him there, sitting beside her assigned seat. He looked up when he heard the door opening, and their eyes met. His gaze fell on her neck, where the necklace was now visible due to the sunlight shining into the classroom. He stood up from the seat. As he slowly approached Y/n, his eyes remained fixed on the necklace.

When Y/n noticed where his gaze was, she held the necklace and tried to hide it under her shirt, but before she could do so, Sunghoon grabbed it, pulling her toward him, making her wince in pain.

“It hurts,” Y/n mumbled, trying not to cry.

“Where did you get it?” Sunghoon asked coldly, pulling her closer by the necklace.

“You gave it to me. Please, it hurts,” Y/n said, but he didn’t let go. He pulled her even closer, making her wince in pain.

“Let her go,” Jake said as he approached them, trying to pull Sunghoon’s grip away from the necklace.

“It’s mine,” Sunghoon said, tightening his grip on the necklace, making Y/n wince again.

“You’re hurting her!” Jake yelled. By now, they had attracted the attention of other students.

“I’ll remove it. Please, it hurts,” Y/n mumbled as Sunghoon released his grip on the necklace.

Y/n removed it, and Sunghoon took it harshly from her hand.

5

The next day, rumors of Sunghoon losing his memories spread throughout the entire university.

Sunghoon arrived at the university, wearing the necklace. Students started whispering about how harshly he had taken it from Y/n.

“Sunghoon,” someone called him, and he turned around.

“What do you want?” Sunghoon asked Jake, clearly frustrated.

“Can we talk?” Jake asked him.

“We already are,” Sunghoon replied sarcastically.

“In private,” Jake said, glancing at the students whispering among themselves.

Sunghoon and Jake went to the parking lot.

“What happened to you?” Jake asked him.

“Nothing happened to me,” Sunghoon replied.

“You gave that to Y/n before you left her, left us,” Jake said, slightly raising his voice.

“Listen, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ve never seen you or that girl in my life,” Sunghoon replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be late,” he added and turned to leave, but Jake held his arm.

Sunghoon grabbed Jake’s collar and punched him.

“What, are you going to kill me too?” Jake asked as he held Sunghoon’s collar.

Sunghoon was about to land another punch, but someone pushed him off Jake. “What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Y/n yelled at him.

“Stay out of my business. Next time, I’ll put a bullet right in your skull,” Sunghoon said before walking away.

6

During lunch, they all sat in front of Y/n’s mom’s convenience store.

“What has gotten into you?” Yura asked Jake.

“He really changed,” Jake said.

“Why would you even approach him after what happened yesterday?” Jay asked him.

“I wanted to clear things up, to see if he really lost his memory or if he’s just pretending,” Jake responded, eating his sandwich.

“Well, that was a dumb idea,” Y/n said.

“Is your neck okay?” Jungwon asked.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Y/n responded, smiling a bit at them.

“So, did you think about what Heeseung told you?” Yura asked, raising her eyebrows to tease her.

“I don’t like him,” Y/n responded.

“Oh, then I’ll take him,” Yura said.

“Yeah, do that,” Y/n said, chuckling.

[kirkscarr]

ok so i just finished my book cover for First, Best Destiny - Part 1 by the amazing @ophelia-j !!

admittedly i was going to wait until i actually attached the text block to the cover before i posted this haha, but i was SO excited after making this cover that i decided to just post it and then update with the finished product later!!

this book is absolutely embedded in my soul, and words cannot even describe how gorgeously it’s written. it’s a book that made me realize - hey, the adventure doesn’t end as you grow old.

you can read it here. i promise you won’t regret it!!!

anyways!!! here’s all of my other bookbinding steps for anyone interested.

cam’s somewhat incomplete bookbinding guide

please note that i am an AMATEUR hobbyist. please do not actually use this as a tutorial.

oh also!! bookbinding terminology will have a * by it which will be explained at the end in order to make this flow better. i’ll also link the tutorials i used at the end of this for anyone interested.

1) Formatting the document! I downloaded the original text as a PDF, and then designed a cover page, grabbed some art from the internet (i know, frowned upon, but this is just a personal copy so it is what it is), and then designed a table of contents and chapter icons!!

*side note! i added which episodes each chapter follows to the table of contents (pictured below) as this book was written as an accompaniment to TOS and the movies.

2) Next, I printed out all NINE HUNDRED PAGES??? admittedly i could have done it in less if I’d used a bigger page size, but sending things out to be printed is expensive so we made do. after printing, i folded them into signatures*.

*there’s an additional note about the paper i used at the end

3) punching out holes in all the signatures! although not technically necessary, I honestly don’t think i would’ve been able to sew this behemoth without doing it.

4) sewing the pages into a real!! actual!! book!! this was the part i was most nervous about. i’ve NEVER attempted to sew anywhere near this large of a book before, so i tried out a new method of sewing in hopes of making it a bit more sturdy. we won’t know if it worked until this book endures some wear and tear, but i’m pretty optimistic!

5) next up is glueing the spine! this is where it really hit me that a lot of bookbinding is just…glueing shit together. later i also added cardstock to the spine in hopes of helping it adhere to the cover better, and a book headband* for decoration.

5) now we’re onto the book cover!! they only sell bookboard in minor bulk around here, so we’re not even gonna discuss how much bookboard i now own… anyways! i glued the faux leather onto the bookboard and then let that dry.

6) last up! off to the cricket! a huge thank you to my friend for letting me borrow her cricket AND supplies! anywho, this is where i designed my cover art. i then adhered the design to the cover. after this step, i realized i…definitely need some kind of sealant - so, if any more seasoned bookbinders have suggestions for this i am all ears!!

all in all, this was a super fun project, and a great way to kill some time while i recover from surgery! i absolutely plan to bind the sequel at some point, but that may be a…ways away. i’m a STEM major and school starts back up soon so…time will be in short supply lol!

To be continued...

Terminology

*signature: group of sheets folded in half, to be worked into the binding as a unit.

*book headband: just look up a picture if you’re curious because tumblr says i can't add any more pictures lol.

*about the paper!! i actually got it from a local specialty paper store, but if you want something similar i've heard amazon has some good bookbinding alternatives!

Tutorials

please PLEASE go check out Jess Less on youtube. she's phenomenal. here are her vids and what i used them for.

don't laugh!! i actually stole MOST of my techniques straight from this video.

i used this one to help me format the book correctly! although i still ended up with some goofs haha (see: any pages on the left side have the page number in the margin LMAO).

[arc852]

A Sewn Surprise

Summary: Grian and Joel try to teach themselves how to sew, in order to surprise Jimmy with some new clothes. But it isn't going well.

Word Count: 1716

AO3 Link

Yay! A new fic! I'm sorry it's been a couple of weeks but I'm finally writing again, so hopefully there will be more fics posted soon. Oh, and this is my first time writing Cleo, so hopefully she is in character!

I hope you guys enjoy!

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

 “Ow!”

 Grian looked over just in time to see Joel stick his finger in his mouth, a frustrated look on his face. “You okay?” Grian asked, though he was only half asking about the prick Joel got.

 “No, I’m not okay. This is stupid! What were we even thinking?” Joel put his head in his hands and let out a deep, frustrated sigh.

 “We were thinking it would be nice to make Jimmy some new clothes.” Grian said and then let out his own sigh, more defeated than frustrated. “But you’re right, this is going nowhere.”

 They had been at it for three days now, trying to learn and sew Jimmy some new clothes. Ever since he had moved in fully, it was easier to notice the fact that Jimmy only had two outfits. One regular and one specifically made for borrowing, apparently. Though, since Jimmy didn’t borrow anymore, he wore the other pair of clothes more often.

 Still though, only having two pairs of clothes was…kind of sad. It was impressive, for sure, that Jimmy had made the clothes himself but when they had asked him why he hadn’t made more, Jimmy had said he hadn’t had enough supplies. But then continued and reassured them he didn’t need much more than that anyway.

 Grian and Joel, however, begged to differ. So outside of their dorm, where Jimmy couldn’t overhear them, they talked about looking into getting Jimmy some new clothes. Of course, they knew they couldn’t just buy them, doll clothing was stiff and way bigger than Jimmy anyway. But maybe, they could make him some themselves.

 And that’s what led them here, in the sewing club's room. They had graciously allowed them to work on their little project and even use their supplies. But sitting down with a laptop open to a tutorial and trying to figure it all out was not working out for them.

 It had been three days, and they were nowhere close to even a single item of clothing.

 “It’s been days. Sooner or later, Jimmy is gonna get suspicious.” Joel said, lifting his head away from his hands. He stared at the mess of fabrics, needles, and threads and glared at them.

 “We might have to ditch the surprise part of all of this.” Grian suggested as he put his own needle and thread down. It was just so hard to make stitches that small, and that was with previous experience with sewing. For Grian and Joel, who had absolutely no experience, it was next to impossible.

 As they were stewing in their own defeat, someone walked into the room. Grian and Joel barely paid attention, people were walking in and out of here all the time after all. What did catch their attention though, was a sudden familiar voice. “What are you two doing here?”

 Grian and Joel looked up to be met with Cleo, a good friend of theirs. She was looking at them with a surprised look, which was fair. Neither of them had ever brought up wanting to sew before. This was also bad though because, well, what were they supposed to say? They were trying to make tiny clothes for their borrower friend Jimmy? Yeah, no, that would be bad.

 “We’re uh…trying to learn how to sew?” Grian said though it came off more as a question. Which only deepened Cleo’s confusion. 

 “Sew…what, exactly?” Cleo asked, looking over them and at the table to see the mess of tiny fabrics and even tinier stitches. Grian and Joel looked at each other, slightly panicking.

 “Uh, doll clothes!” Joel suddenly exclaimed, laughing nervously. “For Grian’s cousin!”

 Cleo blinked and looked between the two of them. She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “You two are making doll clothes for Grian’s cousin? Why not just buy them some?”

 “My cousin is…very particular about it?” Grian chimed in, going along with what Joel had said. Though, once again, his sentence came out more as a question.

 Cleo continued to look at the two of them, not seemingly convinced. Thankfully though, she changed the subject, walking along the table to its side and picking up one of the fabric pieces. “Well, this is definitely not where you should be starting if you’re just now trying to learn how to sew.”

 Joel sighed, once again putting his head in his hands. “Yeah, we’ve kind of figured that out already.”

 Cleo hummed, brushing her thumb against the fabric. “Do the two of you care if you're actually the ones to make them or were you just trying to do it yourselves because of your cousin’s ‘particular’ taste?” Cleo asked.

 Grian blinked, a bit surprised by the question. “Uh, well, I guess the second? We would have bought them if anyone made them.”

 Cleo nodded and put the piece of fabric down, moving her hands to rest on her hips. “Well, then the two of you are in luck. I happen to have an opening and I’m sure I can squeeze in making a few clothes for your cousin’s dolls.”

 Grian and Joel’s eyes widened and they both stood up in surprise. “Wait, seriously?” Grian asked.

 “Of course.” Cleo said with a smile. “Just leave it to me.”

  ***

   It was only a day later that Grian and Joel heard a knock at their door. Jimmy ducked behind the lamp on Joel’s nightstand as Grian stood up to answer the door. When he saw that it was Cleo, Joel joined him and they stepped outside for a moment. Cleo gave them a slightly confused look at not being invited in but didn’t say anything about it. Instead, presenting them with a neat handful of folded up outfits.

 “It was a bit tricky but I managed.” Cleo said as Grian took the clothes from her hands. There were three in total. Grian’s thumb brushed over the tiny jeans, in awe at how real they felt. Joel leaned in to try and get a good look himself.

 “Cleo, these are amazing.” Joel said, grabbing one of the shirts and studying it more closely. “It’s like you took regular clothes and shrunk them down.”

 Cleo chuckled. “Well, that is basically what you asked for.”

 Grian looked up and away from the tiny outfits in order to look at Cleo. “How much do we owe you?”

 “Aww, you two don’t owe me anything. Consider it a friend discount.” Cleo said. As Grian and Joel started to argue against not paying her, she held her hands up, stopping them. “I’m the one who offered, so I don’t want to be paid. This time. Now in the future if you happen to need any more outfits, then we’ll talk.” She said with a chuckle.

 Grian nodded. “Absolutely. We’ll definitely be coming back to you for some more.”

 Joel grinned. “Yeah, Jimmy is going to love these.”

 Cleo tilted her head, a smile still present. “Jimmy?”

 Both Grian and Joel froze and looked at each other. Joel looked a lot more panicked though and so Grian was the one who spoke. “My cousin! Jimmy, he’s my cousin.”

 “Hmm, right.” Cleo said, arms crossed with her smile never leaving. For some reason, she still didn’t seem fully convinced. But she moved along, which Grian and Joel sighed in relief at. “Well, I really do hope he likes them. Feel free to come to me if I need to make any adjustments.”

 “Thank you Cleo, really. You’re amazing.” Joel said, after having calmed down from his slip-up.

 “I know.” Cleo said and then turned and left, waving goodbye as she did so. Grian and Joel nodded at each other, grinning.

 “Ready to show Jimmy?” Grian asked.

 “Let’s do it.” Joel said as he handed the shirt he had picked up back to Grian. Grian put his hands together, covering the small outfits as they headed back inside.

 As they closed the door behind them, Jimmy popped his head around the lamp, only fully coming out once he realized it was just Grian and Joel coming back into the room. “Who was that?” Jimmy asked, looking behind them at the door.

 “Just our friend Cleo.” Grian answered. “She stopped by to drop something off.”

 Jimmy blinked in confusion, only because it didn’t appear as though either of them were holding anything. “What did she drop off?”

 Grian and Joel glanced at each other with a grin before Grian knelt down and moved his cupped hands in front of Jimmy. “We’ve got a surprise for you.” And that was all the warning Jimmy got before Grian opened his hand.

 Jimmy came closer and looked to see what Grian was holding, only for his eyes to widen in shock. Jimmy could barely believe it. He slowly reached down and grabbed a shirt, looking and rubbing at the texture. If possible, his eyes widened even more, realizing that not only were these tiny clothes the perfect size for him but they felt exactly like Grian and Joel’s clothes. Soft and comfortable and warm.

 “We tried making them ourselves at first.” Joel’s voice cut through and Jimmy looked up. “But learning to sew is harder than it looks. So then Cleo offered to make them.”

 “But don’t worry.” Grian chimed in before Jimmy could overthink anything. “She just thinks she was making custom doll clothes for my cousin.”

 Jimmy laughed at the same time he could feel some tears start to gather in his eyes. “Do you even have a cousin?” He asked as he wiped away the tears.

 Grian smiled softly. “No, but Cleo doesn’t know that.”

 Jimmy held the shirt close to him. This was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for him. “Thank you. This is…this is amazing.”

 Joel’s smile was also soft as he reached down and gently brushed his fingertips over Jimmy’s back, cupping his hand around him but not grabbing him. Just offering comfort. “Of course. We wanted to do this for you. You deserve to have more than two pairs of clothes.”

 “Yeah. And we’re glad you like them.” Grian said.

 “I love them.” Jimmy corrected and then started looking at the other articles of clothing, feeling them and holding them up to himself. Grian and Joel just watched, happy their surprise had been a big hit.

[papil0nglegs]

Vox x Daughter!Android! Reader

Chapter 2: Empathy

Ch.1 Ch.2

Warnings: Swearing

A/n: so this is kinda a continuation of a rlly old fic I made a few months ago. I edited it a bit to make it look more like my new style of writing so make sure to read that! Also idk anything about computers so most of this stuff is just stuff I pulled out my ass 😻

Robot vocab-☆♡~!!•?

Third POV:

“Step on here.” Vox says out loud, tapping your oval shaped eyes, glowing blue. Your light blinks a bit at him, while you lift your head in order to face him, still collecting data on everything around you. The floor, the walls, the wires, your feet, Vox. Everything felt so new yet so familiar, you knew everything as well as nothing at all.

Vox sighs out of annoyance, that the robot that he had been working on for years is being quite unresponsive. But of course, he can’t just throw you out of all things away for such a small flaw. To him, you were bigger than his other products, you were a spectacle.

Vox eventually just decides to grab you by the back of your neck, and places you on the charging system for you. Like a mother cat lifting her babies by the neck. You then hear a small click beneath you, as the area around you glows. While Vox stands right next to you, his hands clasped behind his back.

“AW.77//FOUND”

Your head snaps at the voice that comes as soon as the square glows. “Don’t be frightened my failure of a friend, this is just a test! You’ll be in and out in no time.” Vox says in his regular swingy tone. “Now we just gotta see if your basic stuff is there, Yknow just to see if I’m not gonna have to worry about you for the next few years. Again.” Oof, he sounds a bit irritated on that last part. I mean who wouldn’t be after spending hours upon hours on an ai that can’t even respond to you.

“4ARM//:FIREARM”

Your left arm is then lifted by some sort of force that took over your body, then revealing a firearm of some sort opening from underneath your forearm. “Oh shit!! I forgot I added that..” Vox laughs, tapping at the muzzle of the weapon. The socket begins to close as the voice comes in again.

“VOICEBOX//:220”

“☆”, high pitched beep comes from the speaker that is laid in your chest. Vox eyes widen a bit, realizing that he had forgotten to finish up your voice file. Now you can only speak in beeps. “✿$~?” You ask, (I think..) “Fuck, no wonder you couldn’t respond. Alright let’s get you off” Vox then recreates the same scene he did putting you on the square, now removing you.

“You know what? Why don’t you stay here while I go grab my dead friend Velvet to get you some clothes for your naked self!!” Vox asks, waiting for a response as if he was gonna receive one. All he gets is two glowing ovals staring at him, “groan okay I’ll take you with me. Not like you have much to do here anyways”

Vox drags you the towers main elevator, then getting to Velvettes floor where she was screaming at her designers as usual. “Velvette?” Vox calls out calmly as if she wasn’t yelling at the top of her lungs. “Oh! Thank goodness you’re here Mr v.” She says sarcastically. “What do you need? And make it fast. I have a show to do in 2 hours and my models aren’t here yet.” Velvet exclaims.

“Well, I have a new model for you.” Vox nudges you a bit to take a step ahead to present you to Velvette. Velvette raises a brow, clearly unamused at vox’s ‘model’. “The fuck is this? Do I look like I make clothes for Claires?” Velvette complains while poking your fairly large metal head. Vox clicks his tongue, “okay well she isn’t supposed to be a model, she’s a project I’ve been working on and I just need her in some clothes.” He admits, holding his hands behind his back.

Velvette, still in her unamused look, sighs. “Yeah sure I’ll find her something.” Velvette then claps her hands twice before yelling, “MELISSA, THE STAGE, NOW!!” Her dear model steps onto the plush step up chair to try on outfits while Velvette snaps her fingers in order to show off the clothes she has in store for Voxs ‘project’. A short pink sundress poofs onto Velvettes model, Vox immediately cringing at the flashiness of the dress.

“How about this one? It was apart of my summer collection a few months ago” Velvette grins waiting for Vox’s response. “Hmm, let’s uhh look at more!” Velvette shrugs snapping her fingers again, showing a white thigh length dress, folded on the chest to be shoulderless, completed with a blue belt. “Oo this one’s cute innit? I bet your little friend would love it.”

Vox shrugs, he didn’t really care about the aesthetics, just as long as it covered his ‘projects’ body. “I’ll take it!” Vox says proudly, Velvette snaps her fingers, the outfit appearing right in her hands on a hanger. “Here ya go luv, tell your project I said you’re welcome” Velvette chirps. “Speaking of which, where did the cheeky little bugger go?”

Vox looks around a bit, before laying his eyes on you, who’s now covered in large unrolled sheets of fabrics and threat. “Hey! I had those organized!” Velvette yells. Vox, like a panicked parent, runs towards you to grab you by the wrist. “I’m so sorry Velvette! She’s still getting use to this place Yknow” Vox says with a large smile on his face. “Well then get er’ out of here! I don’t need her ‘getting use to’ anything around here” Vox makes a poker face at her, before dragging you to the elevator.

“Are you serious? You could’ve gotten damaged out there! I mean my work could’ve been a huge waste if one of those things fell directly on you!!” He yells. You completely ignoring him, begin to poke the random buttons that were placed in the elevator. Vox slaps his screen, “Jesus fuck what am I gonna do with you..”

You begin to look up at his screen, attempting to gather most of what he’s feeling.

“#$@*”

Vox looks down, to see you, now hugging him, your cheek lying against his stomach. Suddenly, you started to glow pink. Now for some reason, you can feel. Not feeling physically, but emotionally. Empathy was being printed in each wire in your body, and from what you knew, hugging was the best way you could show it.

Vox was a bit confused at your gesture, he didn’t really know how to feel since no one has ever showed him this level of affection. It felt right tho, like he got what he deserved. Even without words, he knew what you wanted to say. And he knew how to respond.

“Uh, I guess I forgive you..?”

[huckleberrykai]

choi soobin ~ superstar

paring: soobin x idol!reader summary: soobin is a HUGE fan of yours. he's run into you a few times before, but when you need to work together closely on a project he feels his chest tighten a little. genre: kinda fluff ? simp-bin warnings: none ! word count: 1k click here for my masterlist!

when soobin was offered the opportunity to participate in a collab stage with you at one of the biggest award shows around, his first instinct was to scream. of course he wanted to work with you, his favourite idol of all time. and so he agreed.

you were only around a year older than soobin, but you debuted much earlier than he did, and as soon as he first heard your voice on the radio he knew he adored you.

the few times you had met soobin he had been very,, stiff. he let yeonjun do most of the talking since he had never felt so starstruck. you were just as polite and lovely as you were on screens, and it made his heart melt into a puddle when you said you loved his voice and their song 'blue hour.'

it wasn't until the first day of rehearsals that soobin even realised what he agreed to. you would be working together one on one for two weeks straight. the second it dawned on him he tried to think of ways to back out, but his members managed to talk him out of it, reminding him that this was a once in a million chance to work with his idol.

and so that brought him to day one. he managed to fumble an introduction out, as did you. you seemed more shy when you were alone with him than when you were with the whole group or others, which he thought was absolutely adorable. your dance teacher wouldn't be there for another 30 minutes, since both you and soobin are chronically early to things and didn't expect the other to be the same way. you spent the time gushing about your favourite performances and songs the other had done, and soobin's cheeks burned when you admitted you were a much bigger TXT fan than you originally let on.

over the course of the first week, the ice broke significantly, melting into puddles of laughter as you messed up a part of the choreography in the funniest way. being around soobin just made everything calmer, and he encouraged you so much. by the time the second week rolled around, soobin had grown more comfortable too, beginning to see you truly as a human. someone who isn't perfect all the time (although he'd desperately disagree with that statement). during the 2nd week, instead of going your separate ways for breaks and lunchtime, you'd go to the hybe cafeteria together. some days you even stayed in your practice room and ordered coffee and your favourite takeout.

sooner than he would have liked, show day rolled around. of course he was excited, but he'd miss talking to you every day. in soobin's words - you made him nervous, but in a good way.

"i'm scared!" you said from side stage, standing with soobin and waiting to be introduced. his heart thumped and he gently placed his hand on your upper back, rubbing soothing circles. "you're gonna do great," he reassured. his heart almost melted when you looked up at him with soft eyes and a sweet smile. your own hand moved to rub his back like he did yours, "no, WE're gonna do great!" you corrected.

"3 minutes!" a protocol member shouted to you and soobin, who shot him a thumbs up in acknowledgement. you shuffled closer to soobin and gripped his hand into yours with a soft squeeze.

"SOOBIN!"

you let go quickly, much to soobin's disappointment as you both turned around to be met with 4 boys that you recognised to be his group mates. they had come to support his performance from side stage, having finished their own group performance in the first half of the show. you greeted them warmly and before you knew it you'd be on in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2..

the performance went by perfectly without a hitch. breaths heavy, you smiled at each other fondly in your ending poses.

that video made it into all the Y/N-bin edits.

rushing off the stage, you cheered and double high fived, holding onto each other's hands. "you were amazing!" soobin whisper-yelled, not wanting to be too loud and distract the people that were on next. "no way! it was all you!" you argued back. "you stole the spotlight!"

he denied it and kept complimenting you as he walked you back to your dressing room. the boys ran to congratulate you both, but when they realised you were still talking as you walked, they hung back a little and eavesdropped observed their leader talking to you.

you slowed down a little at the top of the dressing room corridor, not wanting your time with soobin to end.

"i know we won't be working together anymore.. but can we still hang out?" you asked shyly. "i've really loved spending time with you soobin." you stopped walking to see his response.

he could hear his heartbeat in his ears. he placed his hand on his chest and prayed you couldn't hear it the same way he could.

"its okay if you don't want to.. i just.." he only realised he hadn't responded when you started talking again, and he frantically started shaking his head, "NO!" he panicked. your face fell even more and soobin kept fumbling over his words. "NO! i didn't mean no! yes! yes i'd definitely like to hang out with you again. please..?"

relief washed over him when your little smile he adored came back. "Great! you have my number so just.. let me know when you're free, we can grab coffee or something!"

soobin didn't trust his words anymore, so he stepped forwards and gently pulled you into a hug. with a giggle, you wrapped your arms around his middle and tucked your face into his chest.

you pulled away from the hug and smiled warmly at him. "you should text me later okay? i need to go change now but it was really lovely to work with you!" soobin nodded, his ears flaming red. "i loved working with you too, Y/N. i definitely will!" he smiled back, the butterflies in his stomach calming down a little as you walked away, but rushing right back when you spun on your heels in your dressing room doorway to blow him a kiss.

"you're looking a little flushed there, soobin."

"shut up yeonjun."

[yutafrita]

[12:02pm]

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Sungchan x Superhero!Reader

A part of Through the webs but can be read as a one-shot. this will def spoil that story!

Genre: Fluff, some angst, but mostly fluff, sci-fi

Warnings: spiders and spider imagery, alcohol, references to vomiting, organized crime, depictions of violence, near death experiences

WC: <4k

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ｡⋆ ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Sungchan felt like he lost his mind.

It was you. It had to be you. He just wanted to tell you thank you for saving his life was all. So, why was he sitting awkwardly on the other end of the cafe staring at you?

You weren’t completely oblivious to the soccer player burning holes in your back as you worked on your own project. While Sungchan had been working to figure out your identity, you had been working to maintain your appearance as an average person despite being a super powered vigilante.

“Are you gonna tell him something? It’s creeping me out?” Ten asked. He sat across from you doodling on his notebook. Ten was easiest to identify for a few reasons, but his tattoos made him extremely easy to catch. You had seen him around campus before, so seeing the video of him pulling a sword out from his skin to fight a robber made it click pretty easily for you.

You shrugged, “I don’t have the energy to deal with a mild creep when there’s bigger fish to fry.”

“You’re still focused on the Capsik case, huh.”

You cringed. Capsik was one of the richest men in the city, and you were heavily suspicious of his wealth and true intentions.

“My intel is saying there’s going to be a robbery in the Mayor’s home soon.”

“Hm, I think Jaemin has a friend that works by the Mayor’s place. We can stake out there to see if we catch something.”

“Perfect,” You nodded.

“Hopefully we keep up the good luck,” he got up shortly afterwards, rushing out to his next class on campus.

You went back to your notebook, writing out some last notes before you felt the air shift in front of you.

“Can I help you?” You didn’t bother looking up, already feeling irritated.

"I'm Sungchan," he spoke, and you still didn't look up.

Sungchan on the other hand was shaking in his sneakers. “Why would you acid wash your shoes?”

This caught your attention. You glanced down at your stupidly expensive boots and flinched. A few weeks back, you saved someone after they slipped and fell off a building. Lucky for you, they didn’t catch a glimpse of you, but unlucky for you, they were drunk and threw up on your boots. When you got back to your apartment, you grumbled to yourself as you tried to disinfect them in vinegar, only to accidentally stain the boots.

They were too expensive for you to not keep wearing!

“It makes them look cooler, no?” You lied, plastering a smile on your face and kicking your foot on the table for him to see. He blinked quickly, and you swear you almost had him fooled until he shook his head.

“You saved my life,” he whispered, his eyes wide. Shit.

Quickly, you shoved all of your stuff into your backpack and walked out of the cafe. Maybe if you went fast enough you could outrun the athlete.

This was a bold, foolish thought. He was fully in a soccer uniform with his hair held back with a sweatband and a large duffel bag sitting at his hip. He was fully ready to confront you.

“I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you hissed, turning around to glare at him.

“I know it was you who saved my life,” he tried again, his voice low. You furrowed your eyebrows, and took a step forward to stand closer to the soccer player.

“Do I look like someone who cares enough to save your life? I don’t even know your name,” you countered, obviously forcing a confidence that was not there. You hated being so mean, but you were desperate- you had barely been a vigilante for long and already someone had figured out your identity.

Sungchan paused, analyzing your face before nodding, clearly standing his ground. Sungchan had thought for a long while if it was really you, and between your voice, the shoes, your stature, and your attempt to brush him off, he felt certain that you saved his life.

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Nope,” he smiled in a smug, excited way. He was so forward with his thinking and emotions, it was jarring to you.

You huffed, before looking around to inspect who else was around you both as you stood in the University's grass courtyard. “Come with me.”

“Where are we going?”

“You sure do ask a lot of questions.”

“And you don’t give a lot of answers,” he countered. You let out a harsh laugh, earning additional looks from your fellow students as you moved through and out of campus. After a block, you lead him into the building you've begun to regard as your home.

“Is this your place?” He asked as you entered your apartment. He stood at the door, afraid to enter.

“I’m not gonna bite,” you announced, arms crossed in your living room as you waited for him to enter. You took him to your balcony, and you two stood on there for a moment, staring out in silence.

"This is a sick view," Sungchan noted, looking out at the horizon. Sighing, you pointed to the building across the street and his eyes widened.

"I was annoyed at how loud that rooftop party was and just came out to glare. I didn't think someone would be drunk enough to slip off a roof," you explained, staring at the ledge the lanky man slipped off of.

"I'm not going to tell anyone," Sungchan spoke. He was sincere, this was obvious as you studied his face.

"Okay, I trust you."

"Thanks," you were quiet for a moment.

"This doesn't make us friends, by the way," you added. You didn't want to owe him anything, and you didn't want him to force himself to hang out with you.

"Thank you, for saving my life... and I'm sorry about your shoes," his voice was so small and he moved so quietly, you almost didn't hear him leave.

*****

“Twenty bucks! I’ll pay you twenty bucks, Bambi!” Yangyang’s voice was loud in the morning, and something about him being over the phone made his begging almost intolerable to Sungchan.

“Where’s the class again?”

“In the science hall! It starts in twenty minutes! I need to cover my coworkers shift so I can get these concert tickets but I need you to record the lecture or else I’m screwed.”

“Fine. I’ll sit in the back and record it.”

“Oh my god dude I love you!”

Sungchan made it to the class ten minutes later, his bed hair swooped into a baseball cap and his body snuggled into a hoodie and old soccer pants that had a grass stain on them.

The classroom could hold up to 75 students, so Sungchan wasn't too worried about the professor noticing him. Sitting in the back he opened his laptop and set a show on silent with the captions on, and had his phone ready to record.

"Are you watching One Punch Man?" he looked next to him in shock to see you standing over the empty seat next to him, looking over his shoulder at his laptop.

Yangyang did say you were classmates, he just never said what class.

"Uh... erm yes," Sungchan answered once he realized how long he was staring at you for. Without giving it much thought, you sat next to him and throughout class silently watched three episodes together. Throughout the lecture, you two took to writing notes on your notebook, sliding it to each other in hopes of the professor not noticing.

You’re not in this class

I’m not, my friend just asked me to record the lecture for him.

You’re a good friend

I know. I need to stop that.

You held back a laugh at his note. You were trying to not be too friendly with him, but he frankly seemed like a deer in headlights most of the time. You liked it.

“Do you like Demon Slayer?” He asked once class ended. You were packing up your notebook, so hearing his actual voice to you aback. You nodded in response.

“The theatre down the road is playing the new movie in an hour. I was already planning on going… do you wanna come with?”

Why were you so drawn to the lanky, nervous soccer player? Maybe it was his inability to hide his thoughts and feelings, or the way you would catch him taking notes during the movie because he wanted to talk to you about it afterwards and didn’t want to forget anything.

“Sungchan,” you stated his name as you were about to part ways. You were going to do a solo hike this weekend but had read online that some portions were difficult to do on your own. Your Mom was busy volunteering, so your options were slim. Sungchan was a soccer player, and you figured if anyone could keep up with it, it would be him.

“I’d love to join,” he replied after you asked him.

“Cool, I’ll text you the details,” you turned on your heel and headed back to campus.

****

“Spiderweb,” you called too late, watching as Sungchan walked straight into an old spider’s web.

“Gah! Can’t you tell them to remove their old webs?” He asked, removing the webbing that attached itself to his hat. You picked up Sungchan near the crack of dawn to get to the hiking trail that was a few hours away.

“Why would I tell them that?” You hummed, waving at the small spiders that had taken to following you two along the trail.

“I can’t help that I’m tall but I also don’t want to keep accidentally destroying their webs with my face,” Sungchan complained. He seemed genuinely distressed, so you sighed and turned back to the small formation of spiders.

“Can you guys take care of the webs along the trail please?”

Sounds like a lot of work. But fine.

“Thank you,” you said as they began to scamper off.

“Oh, thank you!” Sungchan called over slowly, his eyes wide as he watched them run along the trail and out of your line of sight.

“You’re not freaked out?” You asked, now taking the lead.

“Why would I be? Spiders are an important part of our ecosystem,” he shrugged it off. He was so… clear. It’s like he was just unable to hide his feelings or his thoughts.

“So, how long have you had your powers?”

“When I started puberty. When did you start playing soccer?”

“Since I could walk. Do you know the other masked vigilantes?”

“Are we playing 20 questions here?” You joked, looking back to see his face unwavering. “I…. Yeah. I figured it out a few weeks ago and thought it would make sense for us all to work together.”

“Woah! That’s awesome… hey, was that guy at the cafe-.”

“I’m not telling you who they are,” you snapped, your breathing getting difficult the higher up the elevation got. The trail was up along a mountain headed towards a really cool peak, but the elevation change was sharp and left it difficult for your lungs to adjust.

“Fine fine- oh look!” You had come across an opening in the line of trees, and Sungchan immediately moved slightly off path to get a better look. “Wow, this is awesome!”

He was right, the view was pretty breathtaking. Considering that the elevation was beating you down and that the trail was empty, you found yourself glad to have invited the soccer player. Your mom had been berating you for not making more friends, and maybe she was right- you wouldn’t let her know that, though.

Wednesday’s became movie nights because that’s when the theatre would have $5 movie tickets, and Saturday’s would be your outdoorsy activity. The only time this would vary would be if your vigilante side got caught up, in which case Sungchan would ask as many questions as possible.

“So, you think Capsik is selling faulty medical equipment?” Sungchan whispered as you sat in on your Wednesday movie. You had picked an early afternoon movie on purpose knowing it would just be you two. Sungchan and you had a horrible habit of talking in the middle of movies, so this was the best compromise.

“That’s one of my theories, that or he’s injecting baby’s with drugs only his group makes,” you posited, taking a handful of the popcorn Sungchan held and eating it.

“Hm. Hey, are you going to go to my states game by the way?”

“I thought I already told you yes.”

“Oh, okay cool. That guy Jaemin is gonna be there since he’s friends with YangYang,” he noted. You nodded, staring at the screen and still eating popcorn. “Are you guys, a thing?”

You choked on a kernel, coughing until it came up. “Oh my god! No, absolutely not, he’s just a coworker,” you half lied. Coworker really just meant he was another vigilante, but Sungchan didn’t need to know that detail.

“Oh, cool.”

“Sungchan I think I’ve told you like, everything there is to know about me. Does Jaemin seem like someone I’d date?” You taunted. You went to grab more kernels until Sungchan lifted the tub out of your reach.

“What kind of person would you date?” He asked. You frowned, and within the blink of an eye used the webbing from your wrist to grab the tub and bring it back into your lap.

“Not someone that takes my popcorn,” you taunted.

“Until you tell me, there’s no way I’ll actually know it all!”

You furrowed your brows, “why are you so interested?”

Sungchan panicked. It was clear to him you didn’t pick up on less obvious social cues, but he was still shy- he hadn’t worked up the nerve to tell you about his romantic feelings yet.

“I… I have a friend that you might be into!”

“…oh. What are they like?” You hoped Sungchan didn’t catch the disappointment you felt. You weren’t even sure why you felt that.

“Well, he’s on the soccer team with me.”

“Is that like, his whole personality?”

Sungchan glared at you, and you raised your hand in defeat to let him continue talking. “He loves nature, is moderately sociable, and his big brother used to have a pet tarantula so he’s cool with spiders.”

Maybe it was the way Sungchan sold this person to you, but you found yourself agreeing to go on a date with the guy. He refused to tell you his name, just that he would be holding yellow roses in the park at the agreed upon day and time.

You felt stupid as you sat on the park bench. You wiped the sweat off of your hands and onto the sundress Jisoo has insisted you wear. You were already planning on how to let this guy down gently when you felt a tap on your shoulder.

“Sungchan? What are you-?” You stopped, seeing the large bouquet of yellow roses he held in his shaking hands.

“I like you as more than a friend,” the sentence came out clumsy despite him having rehearsed it a million times. You stood up from the bench in complete shock as he continued to ramble on, “you’re awesome. I feel like I could talk to you for hours without ever getting bored. You push me out of my comfort zone and you’re really, really pretty and I just want to be there for you if you’ll let me.”

You were quiet, studying the tall man whose hands were still shaking with the bouquet. Carefully, you leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek.

“I think you’re really, really pretty too,” you giggled, taking the flowers from his hands. “You make me feel loved. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Sungchan quickly wrapped you in a hug, squishing the flowers as he tried to hide just how giddy he felt.

“So, if we’re dating, that means I can call you my boyfriend?” You teased, walking hand in hand through the park with sungchan.

He pretended to think before responding, “only if it means I get to call you my girlfriend.”

Permatag! @nini0620 @enhazen

[regretfulcorrine]

Heeey everyone! So little explanation as to where I’ve been— I kinda took a dive for a while 🥲 Really sorry about that! ((tw// mentions of mental health and mushy gushy emotional stuff under the cut))

In terms of content, I’m sure y’all have seen my Hazbin spiral kinda take a front seat for a bit but I miss my Drarry boys. They have infected my heart too much for me to part from them for too long 😔 And I may or may not have joined/finished a special project filled with amazing people coming out soon involving them 👀

So on Insta and here you’ll see me dive back into my love for them more than on the bird app! I love the amazing people/Drarry artists I found on Twitter, but it’s also a very big place for the fandom to just hit the fan unfortunately 😭 And it’s small enough to where unlike a bigger fandom, it can be hard to avoid. Doesn’t help the anxiety so for now at least I post my boys more here. I honestly wanna just post more on here in general!

I of course will still post my Hazbin stuff but it’ll be just more of a mix on here in terms of what I draw is all 💃 Thank you for still being here 💖

I’ve never really mentioned my health too much before but I have pretty bad crippling anxiety. It’s hard to do a lot of stuff (go outside, talk to people, etc.) and it even at some points has affected me physically. Whether that’s me worrying myself sick or being so paranoid I don’t even wanna really do anything besides watch like silly videos. And because of that I’ve only been really able to focus on one platform and that for some reason just happened to be Twitter (which in hindsight may have…contributed to the anxiety due to the nature of Twitter….ANYWAYS) I have meds and have finally decided to participate in regular therapy, but of course there’s always those breakout episodes!

Idk if anyone else has this thing but it had been such a long time I was afraid. That so much time had passed people were mad for some reason or there would be issues 😭 BUT I’m very happy to have finally just bucked up enough to come back, if you’ll have me!

Ive really missed you guys, and the second I opened this app and decided to post it was literally like a breath of fresh air. It’s weird to say in our great year of 2024 that Tumblr of all places has become calming but here we are lmao

Thank you for reading my rambles and excuses I’m gonna make it up to y’all with some good old fashion boys kissing 💖

[frostgears]

art project

"Oh, that? Art project I've been messing with."

The glass vat takes up most of her kitchen table, filled with uniform muddy brown fluid that reeks of organic solvents, something like nail polish.

"Um… what kind of art?"

"It's kind of a work in progress, okay?"

She says it's easier if she shows you. The vat is wrapped with a half-dozen turns of copper wire; she screws the bare ends into terminal blocks on a messy proto board, plugs cables from that into an antique PC, types a command on a grubby keyboard.

The muddy brown fluid vibrates. Waves cross its surface, forming interference peaks and troughs. Simple patterns grow more and more complex, and then the stuff climbs out of the vat entirely.

Cubes and pentaprisms and planar hexagons hang in the air above churning liquid. You move your head and some of it, seen edge on, disappears. You move back; there it is again. The chemical miasma of nail polish intensifies, and something else.

"That's… how? I've never seen anything like it. Some kind of ferrofluid?" you ask.

"Uh, sure, something like that."

She kills the program. Her hand creeps onto yours, squeezing it gently but firmly. She says, "Shall we go upstairs?"

—

It's been three weeks. The sex has been incredible, the two of you practically joined at the genitals whenever you're together.

You tell her, incredibly full, that if she ever manages to get more of that strap inside you, you'll probably pass out. The next day, she shows up hefting a bigger one, and proves you right.

You're spending more and more time at her place. It's fine. It's really fine. You have roommates, she doesn't. But you'd like to use her kitchen, surprise her with something that isn't cheap takeout, and you can't, because that vat is in the way.

You ask her if she can move it? She can't. She shrugs. "I don't really cook much, so…"

"I do."

"Yeah… I need the table, though."

You're miffed, but she makes it up to you, by going slow enough that night that you don't immediately pass out. That leaves plenty of time for screaming.

You sleep over. You wake up in the middle of the night to piss, and find her gone. From the bathroom, you see the flicker of LEDs in the kitchen down the hall, smell acetone and… something else. Dusty rooms in empty houses?

You leave her alone. You're too tired; you don't want to fuck this up; you don't know what you'd say anyway. You go back to sleep.

—

It's been two months. You can't get enough of each other. You've gotten used to takeout, and her pelvis-endangering sexual appetites haven't let up; if anyone you knew saw you bent into the positions she likes to dick you down you in, they'd be shocked at your flexibility.

Most of your stuff is at her place now. (Just not the kitchen utensils.) It's easier that way. Less back and forth, and you're here basically every night anyway, have been for weeks. You want to ask her about moving in.

She can be… grumpy, sometimes. You can put up with it, moving around her moods like water. God knows you've had enough practice in your life. She's in a mood tonight, but you have to ask soon, because your lease is up in a month.

You've stacked the deck as much as you can. Her favorite noodle place for dinner; her favorite perfume dabbed behind your ears; a tight, low-cut minidress for easy access; your lips painted a smeary black, so she can see where they've been later.

"I'm gonna go out for a bit," she tells you, before you can make your play.

You were ready for a lot of things, but not this. Improvise. You put on your best disappointed pout, tug your bodice down a little more.

"Wait, weren't we going to…"

"Later, okay? A friend just texted me that he's got something I need for," she waves to the kitchen.

"Can't he just drop it off?" you beg.

"Nah. Fragile. I'll be back," she says. The door clicks solidly behind her.

Well, shit. There goes your plan for the night. And your… you hadn't worked up to "girlfriends" yet, which is a mistake on your part, you know. But she's out the door.

You give it a few minutes. You can wait patiently.

—

You've talked yourself into giving it a few hours when you really start to fume.

What the fuck is that godawful vat that's so important to her? How is it somehow a higher priority than you? Fuck it, fuck her, she needs to get this the right way around. She's going to come back to a scene she won't forget in a hurry.

You stomp into the kitchen and face down the vat. The smell is. Wow. Okay. That's a lot. But if it was really deadly toxic, she wouldn't leave it out like this, right?

You're going to drink it, throw it back up, splash some around, tell her she needs to choose because she apparently can't have both.

You're going to drink it, throw it back up, you tell yourself, as you dip a mug in and hold your nose.

Your throat spasms the minute the stuff is in your mouth, forcing it down. It's inside you in seconds, the whole mug.

You're not going to throw it up. You… need more. You scoop more out, lift it to your lips. Swallow. Again. Again.

—

She does come home to a scene.

"Oh fuck no, you didn't drink it, did you. You did."

"I," you tell her. You burp up a bit. "Absolutely. Did. You can't have." It spills down your chin and drips on your dress. "Both. Okay?"

"Yeah, no, here's the thing, I was going to break up with you. Gods. What a mess." She drops a paper bag down on the little kitchen counter, sits next to you, puts her head in her hands. "I was almost finished with it."

"So was I," you drool. You're so full. You can't get the stuff back out of you, though. You tried. You tried so hard. The vat is empty and it's all in you. Your eyes flutter closed and open and half-closed again.

"Oh, no, not by a long shot, you're not. I'm not wasting another year."

You hear the crinkle of paper. She's opening the bag. She forces a small hard thing into your mouth. It cracks and electricity crawls down all your limbs at once.

"Guess I'm stuck with you," she says, as you sink back to the floor.

You feel cold metal on your skin. She's taken the coils off the vat, she's wrapping them around you. You hear the clatter of the keyboard.

And then your skin starts to roil. The muddy brown fluid is in you, it's oozing out of everywhere, it is you, you're light and heavy at once, and you flow, and you're moving in ways that flesh and bone aren't supposed to move, and it seems like it should hurt,

And then you hear the familiar velcro noise as she tightens the harness of her strap. You don't remember her cock being this big. What the fuck. There's no way she expects you to take that… is there?

She stands over you, shoves it into you. And your new flesh flows to take her. As best you can, anyway. Her thrusts pushes the last dissolving, infiltrated bits of you out of you, the last pain, and now you're just you, and you pass out.

And then you wake up. And she's got a cock smeared with you, and a… smile? on her face. Like you're not what she wanted, but maybe, just maybe, she can work with this. So she starts again.

Later, you realize: You're moved in. So that's good, right? You want to find her and tell her, but you can't get outside the copper circle, and you can't quite form words yet, after what she's done to your throat. Okay. You can wait. You live here now anyway. □

[manicplank]

My Friend, Bruno (Part 3)

Bruno sat in the back office in his pizzeria, pacing back and fourth. He was nervous. He needed to find a map of the tower without raising suspicion. He awaited Gerome, but he was nervous that Pizzahead would do his spontaneous visits. The door opened, but it was just Fake Peppino coming in for his usual leftovers. "Hey, buddy," Bruno greeted. "Here," he poured out a few containers of olives and peppers. "Those pass their date today, I'd hate to waste them." Fake Peppino gulped them up without hesitation. Gerome walked in the door and furrowed his brow. "Bruno," he called out, "did the big clone finally snap and eat you?"

"No, I'm back here." Bruno moved over so Gerome can see him and waved him into the back office.

"I got the map."

Bruno sighed and smiled. "Great. I've got a set path, but I want to make sure I'm going the right way."

"Are you going to go out the lobby door?"

"No, I'm going to jump out the window- Yes, I'm going out the lobby door! It's the only door in and out of here."

"Calm down there, lad. No need for the sarcasm."

"Sorry, sorry. I'm nervous. I'm going to act soon. The longer it takes, the riskier it is."

Gerome nodded. "So when are you thinking?"

Bruno curled his lips inward. "I don't know. I think maybe in a day or two."

"And where will you go?"

"Anywhere but here. Once I get out, it's all improv."

"I wish you luck." Gerome patted him on the arm.

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it."

Gerome turned to Fake Peppino. "And you're not worried about him?"

"I am, but only a little. I'm worried his reaction to me leaving will cause an issue."

"He does seem quite fond of you."

"He's a good... thing. It sounds cliche, but he's misunderstood."

Gerome shrugged. "I get it. He's more afraid of you are than you are of him."

"Yep, exactly. I'm afraid he's going to throw a tantrum when I leave."

"Maybe that'll make a good distraction."

"I've thought about it. It'll make it seem like he killed me in a fit of rage."

Gerome nodded. "Well, I won't hold you up too much. Wouldn't wanna raise suspicion."

"Thanks. And thanks for the map."

-

Bruno was in the lobby sneaking around. His heart was racing. He searched around the door for a way to open it, but he couldn't even find a handle. He would have to find someone to open it for him, but it was risky. As far as he knew, nobody but Pizzahead and Pizzaface could open it. It was the only part of his plan that was flawed. He just couldn't figure it out. He wanted to ask around, but he could feel that tensions were already high. It couldn't wait any longer. He had to act quickly.

He rushed to the fifth floor. "John," he spoke, "is Pizzahead around?"

"No," John replied. "He hasn't left the lab in a day."

"How do I open the lobby door?"

"Oh... No one-"

"Yes, I know, nobody but Pizzaface and Pizzahead can open it. I need to know if there's some other hidden way to open it."

"In order to do so, you'd probably have to kill me. But that's a bigger project than you've planned for."

"I think I'm just going to go for it. I'll jump out of a window if I have to." Bruno turned around and started to storm off.

"Wait-" John cried out. Bruno turned back to him. "If and when you get out of here, do me a favor. Run. Run as fast as you can for as far as you can. Run, run for the both of us. Don't ever look back. And whether or not you escape of get caught, I will think of you. If I ever make it out of this tower alive, I'll be sure to visit you.

Goodbye, Bruno, and good luck."

Bruno smiled and nodded. "Thank you, John. Goodbye."

He headed back down to the fourth floor. He went into his pizzeria and into the back office. He went into the safe and stuck his savings as well as any leftover money into a small satchel. The door opened, and his heart sank. He peeked over. It was just Fake Peppino. He smiled and shot up. "Ah, buddy," he cheered, "come here. Give me those cheeks." Fake Peppino rested his head in Bruno's hands.

"Fake. I never understood why they never gave you a name other than Fake Peppino. You're so much smarter than the other clones." He rubbed Fake's cheeks with his thumbs. "My buddy, I've always called you. And you know that you are my friend. My pizzeria is yours now."

Fake Peppino jolted up in shock.

"I have to go somewhere. Somewhere outside of the tower, and I won't be back."

Fake whined sadly.

"No, I'm afraid I can't take you with me. You have to stay here and protect my pizzeria from bad guys, okay?"

Fake Peppino let out a small cry, and Bruno grabbed his hands.

"Goodbye, my friend. Unfortunately, there is no 'until I see you again'. But I will never forget you."

Bruno walked past Fake Peppino. Fake let out a demonic screech and stomped. Bruno didn't acknowledge him, so he threw a table and smashed it. This did not stop Bruno from walking out of the door and locking it behind him, Fake Peppino still inside. Fake grew big and angry. He screamed and cried. He threw all the chairs and tables around, smashing them and chipping the walls. Bruno took a deep breath as he walked off.

Before he left The Slum, he stopped by Noisette's Cafe. As usual, it was empty. "Oh, hi Bruno," she shouted and waved. "Shhhh," he whispered. "I'm here to say goodbye."

"WHAT?!"

"SSSHSHHHHHH!!!"

"Wha... But... But... No! You can't leave! I'll miss you!" Her lip was quivering. She looked like she could burst out into tears at any moment.

"I'll miss you, too. But sometimes, goodbyes are for the better."

Tears began to fall down her face. "Please, don't..."

"I'm sorry," he hugged her. "I need to experience life outside the tower."

"Well," she sniffled, "If you really think you have to go... I support you." She smiled, still crying.

He hugged her again, and she sobbed into his shoulder.

-

Bruno went down the elevator to the third floor. He looked around. Setting Fake Peppino off was a good distraction for Pizzahead and Pizzaface, but he was still paranoid that they would come out of nowhere. He headed over to the NTV building hoping to find The Noise. The automatic doors slid open. A small Noisy was at the reception desk. "Can I help you, sir," it asked in a feminine voice.

"Uhh," Bruno aired, "I'm looking for The Noise."

The Noisy presses a button on a receiver. "Mr. Noise?"

"Yeah?" A voice came from the speaker.

"You have a... I'm sorry, sir, what was your name?"

"Bruno."

"You have a Mr. Bruno here to see you."

"Send him to set."

The Noisy got down from its chair and led Bruno down a hallway. A large set stage that resembled an interviewing office was in the middle of the large, open room. The Noise was in full costume. "Bruno," he smiled and greeted.

"I need to talk to you in private."

The Noise's face completely changed. "Wuh..."

"It's nothing bad!"

Noise looked around and announced, "Take five!" He walked past Bruno. "Follow me, let's make it quick." He led Bruno through a door, down a hall, and into his dressing room. He sighed, "What?"

Bruno took a deep breath. "I'm leaving."

"You're leaving? Really?" The Noise raised his brow.

"Yes, I have to try. I can't live my entire life in this tower when there's a whole planet out there! I know you and I didn't necessarily get along, but... May I hug you?"

"... You're setting me up."

"Please..."

Noise looked around. "Fine." He opened his arms, and Bruno hugged him. "Escape for all of us," Noise muttered softly into his ear, "and be safe."

"Thank you," Bruno nodded.

"Alright, I gotta get back on set." Noise brushed himself off and walked out of the room. Bruno followed behind and left the building.

-

Bruno went down to the second floor. He walked his way over to the Fun Farm in search for The Vigilante. The farm was huge, laid on hundreds of acres of land. He came upon a large red barn. Without thinking about it, he opened the sliding door. A gun clicked, and he put his hands up. "Don't shoot," he cried out. "It's just me."

"Bruno?" The Vigilante put his gun down. "The hell're you doinng sneaking around my farm?"

"I was looking for you."

"You coulda just called."

"My phone is uh... Broken. Let's say broken."

"Yer acting weird."

"I'm leaving."

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"No, I mean, I'm leaving the tower."

"Yer gettin' outta here? Why?" The Vigilante raised his brow.

"There's a world out there I need to discover. I don't want to be trapped in the tower, anymore."

"... You be safe out there, ya hear? I'll miss you, kid. You were the most sane person in here. C'mere." The Vigilante held out his arms. Bruno knelt down and hugged him. As Bruno went to leave the barn, he turned back to The Vigilante who nodded at him with determination. He was shocked that the sheriff was letting him commit what was known to be the biggest crime in the tower.

-

Finally, Bruno found himself at the first floor. He went over to Pepperman's art studio. He knocked on the wall to alert Pepperman that he was there. Pepperman stopped and looked at him.

"Bruno!" Pepperman announced. "My beautiful, talented friend. I see you're not creating your artisan pizzas today."

"I'm leaving."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No, P. I'm leaving the tower."

"What? No... No, you can't do that. It's not possible."

"It is possible. I think I've found a way to escape. I came here to say my goodbyes."

Pepperman looked depressed. "Then this is farewell, my friend." He pulled Bruno into a tight hug. "Go, and spread the love of your glorious, artisan pizzas to the world of people who deserve it!"

-

Bruno was in the lobby. There it was, the only door that led outside the tower. He stared at it with wide eyes. He was scared. It was like he was staring death in the eyes. There was no way for him to open it. He forgot to plan that out.

"Ahem!"

Bruno gasped and turned around. It was Pizzaface. Bruno's heart began to palpitate. "Uh, hey, um," he cleared his throat. "I was just, um-"

"Trying to leave," Pizzaface spoke with doubt.

"No, no, I was-"

"Trying to leave. I know. Why else would you have a duffle bag full of money?"

Bruno went silent. He was caught.

"I know all about your little plan." He gave Bruno a grimaced look. "Don't worry, I'm on autopilot. Truthfully, I support you. I can open the door for you."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because Pizzahead gets on my nerves constantly. This would piss him off so bad. It'd be hilarious!" Pizzaface rammed into the wall, and the door opened. He nudged Bruno out of the door. "Now, run! RUUUUN! DON'T EVER COME BACK!"

Bruno gasped and clutched the bag to his chest. He started running, using the momentum he got from Pizzaface's nudge to get a head start. He ran to hard that his body could barely keep up with his feet. He went faster and faster, into mach one, then two, then three. All of the power he had absorbed from Peppino's DNA were kicking in to his benefit.

Back in the pizzeria, Fake Peppino could see Bruno running from one of the windows. He wailed a screech that was loud enough to shake the tower. Pizzahead was alerted and put the tower on lockdown. He rushed down to Bruno's pizzeria to find that the door had been knocked off its hinges. He went in to see Fake Peppino tearing the place apart. Tables and chairs had been thrown around and broken. He grabbed the counter and tore pieces of it off. The walls had chunks missing. Fake Peppino was in a complete uncontrollable rage. He screamed, he cried, and he destroyed everything in his path. Pizzahead tried to console him, but ended up having to leave due to the amount of danger.

Out of the corner of his eye, John could see Bruno running from on of the windows. He smiled.

Bruno finally got far enough from the tower. He came across a small building. It had a sign on it, "Peppino's Pizza." Peppino... It was a familiar name. Bruno stopped and stared through the window as he tried to catch his breath. In it, there was a stout, strange man who looked identical to some of the clones in the tower. He didn't look like Bruno, but it was clear that he was the Peppino that Pizzahead set out to destroy. The strange man looked up and made eye contact with Bruno. Bruno gasped and ran into the woods next to the building. Peppino came out of the shop and wandered into the woods. Behind a tree was Bruno clung to a tree with his legs backwards, very similar to a frog. As Peppino went around the tree, Bruno skittered around it as to not be seen. Peppino shrugged. "I must-a be seeing things again..."

[guardevoir]

The Great Temporally Displaced Meadow Gremlin Outfit Project, Part 1: First ideas.

Fuck if I know whether this will lead anywhere eventually, but a fiber gremlin can dream.

No research has been done yet, this is not in a place where I'm happy with this plan at all, this is not going to be the whole thing either because I need at least one fucking cape. It's mandatory.

Anyway, a way-off-base first draft is easier to fix than an empty page, so here's that, I guess:

(also, yes, I am Very open to comments and suggestions 'n stuff)

My main starting point here was definitely "which fibers am I willing to work with for what might be years?"

It has to be sturdy, fun to spin, and available without completely breaking the bank, at least for the majority of this. I'm not opposed to using luxury fiber for smaller bits, but a skirt in a silk blend or something would be prohibitively expensive and kind of a waste.

So, two things primarily came to mind: A light grey Merino that spins up disconcertingly quickly (that has the slight problem of being the subject of my current mammoth project, so I will probably be roundly fed up with it before long), or the same dark grey Icelandic blend i used for my hat.

In case someone's tuning in who hasn't been here for that long: The Hat. Also a random impulse decision that worked out extremely well.

Largely the aforementioned natural grey Icelandic mix, with dyed Merino because while you'd think 100g of fibers would be enough for a goddamn beanie, it sure as shit wasn't. Ended up looking great though, so I'm not mad about it.

Now, the upside of the Icelandic blend is that it's fun to spin, cheap, has a nice, substantial hand, feels like it'll work very well when lightly, gently felted, and it is really fucking gorgeous. On one hand, that means I could leave the majority of my stuff undyed, because that grey is timelessly, classically gorgeous. On the other hand, maybe I want to dye shit.

Construction-wise, I'm pondering a turn-of-the-century-esque walking-skirt inspired thing; I will have to do a lot of fabric piecing and I'm limited to a pretty thick fabric, so that'll limit my options some, but - long, simple, classic. Means I'll likely need a petticoat to make it sit right, but I'm willing to compromise and either use millspun linen yarn to weave my own linen fabric or just buy some linen or cotton outright; I can always swap it out for something handspun later.

Currently I'm planning on every (bigger) woven bit being rigid-heddle-woven and plainweave, color-and-weave techniques and clasped warp/weft nonsense optional (but risky, because of the piecing), but I'll also be gaining access to a floor loom pretty soon, so that'll put twill fabrics on the menu, as it were. Shadow-weave, maybe.

Now, the sontag shawl will be crochet and likely pretty straightforward. There's patterns, I could probably draft one up myself even; it'll be slightly tedious but perfectly doable. I also want it to either have fringe or some kind of scalloped edge with picots, because I think that'll bring some details and maybe a hint of gremlin energy to an otherwise pretty austere outfit.

The shirt's gonna be something flouncier than historically appropriate, probably, partially because it'll be fun, partially because the less something has to be fitted, the less likely I'm gonna be to fuck it up. probably gonna do a classical, lace pirate shirt collar, because if I attempt do a high collar, I will cry and give up. Once again, I will have to compromise on fabric, but That's Fine It's Fine.

Then, I'd like to have some details: Wrist warmers, maybe a pixie belt or something, anything to bring in more gremlin vibes. I'd love to add a nice crocheted collar piece too, but I'm pretty worried about how it'll look with the shawl... but I'm also worried about how the pirate shirt-style collar with look with that, so. oops?

Now, Problem #1: If I make an entire outfit myself, do I really want it to be largely shades of grey and plainweave if I could also make the coolest fucking plant-dyed rainbow known to man and create some kind of Hyper Gay Mega Plaid?

Problem #2: I aesthetically enjoy what I came up with, but I don't think I'd be using my skills to their fullest potential. I could make that thing with millspun yarn and storebought fabric and nobody could tell the difference.

Problem #3: It's not really screaming "Guardy made that", and I should probably find a way to put in more personality.

Problem #4: I'd be utilizing only about half of my fiber arts skills (no embroidery, pin loom, band weaving, knitting, macrame, etc), which would be a shame.

How will I solve all of this? Fuck if I know!

But yeah, this is about the state of the brainstorm currently.

[chubbening]

OH MY GOD OKAY HEY so me and a popular artist friend who shall not be named recently got into your fic Calories and Kink and IT IS SO HOT AND SUCH A HUGE INSPIRATION!!!! I literally started my own fic bc of it and I'm trying so hard to do my own things based on my own tastes and not lift too much inspiration xD

I just wanted to ask if any of your characters (Alexa, Reggie, or anyone else) has references? We may or may not be doing gay fanart for your adorable fat lesbian comfort fic.

Also I was stoked to find you're trans (us too)!!! Happy for you, also just learned you're a system!!! You both rock, keep up the good work, you got some real fans here :D

I think you just broke Ava's part of the brain lmao (she'll be fine) but thank you so so so much!! We've gotten so much lovely feedback on this story, and it means so much to us that what started as a kinky little side project has so engaged folks in our corner of the internet <3 Best of luck with your fic! One thing about writing is no one else is gonna do it like you, so even if you take inspiration, it'll still be your own.

It's funny you ask about references, because we've been thinking about commissioning some art for a while, just haven't gotten around to it (*coughcough* $$$). So like, we don't have ref sheets or anything. But (speaking of lifting inspiration) Reggie was originally inspired by one of NekoCrispy's characters, Astrid. Specifically the energy of this piece sparked something. Obviously we made Reggie a maned wolf and very much our own character, but we still think of her shape as similar to Astrid's (while compensating for NekoCrispy's more stylized hips), but 6' tall and with bigger arms ;)

For Alexa, shape- and vibe-wise, we go to https://www.tumblr.com/littlestpigletann. She's been posting since she was a lot smaller, so it's handy to dig back (on various platforms) and get a sense of Alexa at various points in the story. Although, Alexa's probably a bit lankier than Ann, who if I remember is 5'1" (Alexa's 5'6").

Feel free to DM us with any questions (about this stuff or w/e), we love chatting with folks! Honestly feels surreal to have people calling themselves fans and talking about doing art of something we created, like… Obviously no pressure to follow through, but we'd love to see what y'all come up with!!

Woo, trans! Honestly if we had a do-over, the one thing we'd change is making one or both of the MCs trans. We were just at a weird place with our dysphoria when we started writing it, and by the time we got comfier with things, there wasn't enough support in the story to retcon that. That's probably why we started doing more with Ash, tbh.

Okay, last anecdote here, the system thing is so funny in relation to Calories & Kink, because we didn't know we were plural when we wrote most of it, but we 1000% wrote Alexa and Reggie as individual self-inserts. When one of our partners started reading it, she compared us (still unaware) to Reggie because I fronted more during sex, but Ava, the more frequent fronter at the time, was like, "What? No, I'm way more like Alexa."

Anyway, thank you so much for sharing this message <3 We'll be giddy all day now ^^

Promise we'll work on the last few chapters soon--we really do want to give this thing a proper ending.

Take care,

Seija

[vaninakan]

Late night thoughts vol. 1

It's 4 am and I cannot sleep so I'm just gonna splooge some random thoughts that I have (some positive, some negative, and some that's probably just nonsense.)

Uhh, I like to get negatives out of the way first so I guess I can start with that.

- Does anyone else miss when art/animation communities felt more niche but open? I'm particularily talking about the animation meme community here cause that's a community I've more or less lurked in for a long time. I remember a time when there was the big three of animation memes a lot of people and myself were inspired by. It feels silly to say that what got me into art were a bunch of independent artists animating anime cats fighting eachother, but that's exactly what happened. I loved these creators (still do) and I looked forward to seeing what else these creators had to offer. As time went on, more creators came in the fray with a lot of cool talent and craftmanship and it was honestly very cool seeing what everyone had to offer. That's something I loved most about AMC, that so many were able to feel free to create whatever they wanted and how wonderful it paid off to see that creativity put into so many special masterpieces of independent art and animation, and that's something I'll always admire. So it breaks my heart to see what the AMC has became. Don't get me wrong, there's still a ton of great artists out there and y'all are fantastic, but I cannot help but feel like the environment in that community especially had gotten a lot more vile than what it started off as. To be fair, that's pretty much any community these days, I'm well aware of that. But I have never seen so much drama, so much infighting, and so much people being deplorable to eachother in my life that it's honestly sickening! I've always wanted to make my own animation memes and I still do, I have a TON of ideas I'd love to get to eventually, but if I ever decide to post them, don't expect me to engage much with the rest of the community. IMO, the best communities you can have are the small close ones you have with your best pals.

- For the past few years, I've been distancing myself from big social media branches and fandoms because of how toxic the environments can be for some of these spaces especially, and it's honestly helped a lot with my mental health (Deleting my Twitter and moving here has honestly been one of the best things I've done last year). It's partially why I've stopped posting so frequently, because really the only people I truly care about pleasing are me and all my close friend groups and found families I've built. I don't really care about statistics and platform building, if people like my stuff, then that's cool. I can look at a post I made with bigger numbers than usual and go "huh, that's pretty neat" and then move on talking about a crossover AU I've been cooking up with my boyfriend. That's not to say I don't appreciate my followers or people who like my content, I do. But know that what I make isn't catered to what'll get me the most attention, it's what'll make me and my family happy. And if people like that, then that's cool. Maybe every now and then I'll ask my followers what they'd like to see, maybe a fanart raffle or sketch request event, I think that'd be nice. But for the most part, this page is very, and I mean VERY self indulgent.

- Uhh I've been doing okay for the most part, personal issues I don't wanna get to aside. I've mainly been working on plushies, commissions and other self indulgent projects. I mentioned before that I got into the latest Cookie Run game, and that's pretty cool. I've mostly focused on making art for that and mine and my boyfriend's OC/AU projects. I'll post more about it when I get there, but for now uhh... gay people.

You'll learn who these guys are soon enough, for now you'll only get name drops

The big gruff fellow is a lava rock golem named Vulcan and the pretty boy is named Jack Frosting.

- And I think that's mostly it for tonight? This post took me a full hour to write so it's actually 5 now as I'm finishing up oops..

My sleep schedule's fucked.

Uhh any final words before I pass out? Hmm..

Gender dysphoria sucks okay BYYYEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

[bixels]

Gonna start cracking down harder on boarding for my portfolio. I needed some story-driven boards with dialogue, so I did these roughs for an opening sequence to a fake soft fantasy, Ghibli-esque film last night (not part of a bigger project).

Turning this into an animatic soon.

[originalleftist]

Dolph Lundgren on Amber Heard and Aquaman II cuts.

Looks like Dolph Lundgren isn't following the studio line:

"Action movie icon and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom star Dolph Lundgren has revealed that Jason Momoa "got spooked" with the "Amber Heard situation," and believes that the Aquaman franchise is now over. In an exclusive interview with MovieWeb, Lundgren addressed the future of the Aquaman franchise and says he has heard "through somebody else" that Momoa wants to move on to other things.

"I don't know what's gonna happen with Aquaman. I've heard Jason Momoa thinks it's just his last one, and he wants to do something else. I heard it through somebody else. But it's hard to know what's going to happen in the future, except I just thought they had a great script, and they had a great director and good cast [for the second film]."

After praising the script, director, and cast of the sequel, Lundgren reasoned that Momoa grew concerned about the involvement of Amber Heard, the bad press the actress was getting at the time, and how this would affect the box office and audience response.

"And I guess he got spooked with this Amber Heard situation and the fact that people weren't gonna see the movie because she's in it. I always thought that was overrated. I mean, I think when you make a movie, you've got to stick to your guns a little bit... So, I personally wish they stuck with the original because I thought it was quite good."

Lundgren also referred to "the original," by which he means the first version of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. A version in which both he and Amber Heard reportedly had much bigger roles.

Lundgren is likely right in thinking that the Aquaman franchise in its current form is over, with Momoa rumored to be changing characters and playing Lobo in James Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DCU.

The Aquaman sequel was hammered with delays and negative reports from behind the scenes, with documents released as part of the Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard defamation trial even claiming that Momoa had arrived to set drunk and "pushed" to have Heard removed from the project entirely.

While his time underwater may now be done, Dolph Lundgren has plenty in the pipeline. The action star will next lead Wanted Man, a movie that he has also directed, co-wrote, and produced. Starring Christina Villa, Kelsey Grammer, and Michael Paré alongside Lundgren, Wanted Man follows the Rocky IV star as an aging detective who travels to Mexico to extradite a woman who witnessed the murders of two DEA agents. Of course, things are never as simple as that, with Lundgren soon finding himself unable to trust anyone admit flying bullets fired from every side.

Wanted Man is due to be released by Quiver Distribution in select theatres and on video on demand from January 19, 2024. You can check out the trailer below:"

Some takeaways here:

Further corroboration that Amber Heard was telling the truth about her role being reduced, that this was done to placate the hate mob.

Jason Momoa is a self-absorbed coward who threw his costar under the bus for the sake of his own career.

There was a prior version of the film (not sure if it was ever all actually shot or just scripted) that would have had expanded roles for Heard and likely also Lundgren, and was probably superior to what was released.

Glad to have supported Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (#OnlyForMera), will not be watching the reboot as things stand. Nor anything by Wan or Momoa.

#ReleaseTheAmberCut