#thinking of posting the first chapter of a fic on Sunday before my program begins.

[doggernaut]

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[spnfanficpond]

November 2018 Pond LiveChat Recap

We had a great time chatting with Rhi, @kittenofdoomage!!! Thank you so much for joining us!

We talked about getting readers, interacting with readers, and how Tumblr has made it more and more difficult with their changes for new writers to get noticed. Details from our discussion with Rhi under the cut, as well as notes on what we’re working on in the Pond!

Q: Do you wait until you are done writing a series before you begin posting, or do you post as you write?

I wait until I'm done writing a series. At some point, the idea will catch me and I have to write the entire thing, which will take about three days. Editing for another 1-2 depending on my betas and then it gets released in its entirety on Patreon (my patrons like reading the entire fic in one go, they're paying for it so I'm not gonna make 'em wait) and comes out in chapters on Tumblr about three-four weeks later. I hate feeling like I'm making people wait too long and then shit happens like it did with three of my permanently hiatused fics.

Q: Well, as for why we're here, Rhi, you get so many asks every day. How do you have such involved readers?

A lot of my readers who respond are regulars. I have those who pop up with the odd "this is awesome" and those who will write long involved reviews which I love!

Q: Do you think there's anything in particular that you do that encourages people to interact with you?

Yeah, I'm open with people and pretty approachable. I like discussing things, plot points, characters, anything really. There are very few things that trigger me, too. I have only three specific things that will turn me away from a fic. I think my lack of triggers helps with people who need someone like that to talk to.

Q: Do you ever ask around and try to figure out what people are looking to read to try and help boost your reader count or do you just draw inspiration from your own ideas?

At the moment, I'm mostly working on commissions, so it's other people's ideas. I'm lucky that most of my Patrons and commissioners are very patient with me and know up front that I have no specific time limits. I will write it but I can't force it. And I won't force it because that leaves everyone with a shit story.I never put an idea away forever though. I write them all down. If inspiration hits for something, I write it there and then because I never know if I'll get that mojo back.

Q: Has there ever been an Idea that has caught you by surprise when you start it as one thing but it ends up as something else?

Only about six thousand times.

Over The Hills And Far Away that I'm writing now, was supposed to only be a Dean x reader but my reader decided to go and have chemistry with Sam too.

Q: Have you noticed a bump in followers after you do anything specific?

I always have a bump in followers after Sinful Sunday. Unfortunately, I always end up with a bump in unsolicited dick pics and porn bots, too, so a purge usually follows. When I post new characters or fandoms, too. I've recently picked up a bunch of Marvel followers.

Q: As a big blog, you must also get some hate. How do you deal with that?

They don't like me because I play with them and their insults are like water off a duck's back with me. Unless they bring my kid into it. I shut an entire set of blogs down when that happened. That's also why I no longer post anything to do with my daughter. I will avoid using her name wherever possible. If I'm in a bad mood, I ignore it. If I'm feeling like an utter bitch, I'll tear them a new asshole.

Q: Rhi, it sounds like you have a lot on your plate with family, work, and writing.  Is there anything in particular that keeps your creativity flowing so you don't burn out?

I try and do something different every day. Painting, gaming, going for a walk - it's important for me not to spend all my time on one thing. Even if it's just cleaning. I also listen to a lot of music - Classic Rock on Absolute Radio is my fav. Actually, my favorite time to think about fics is when I'm about to go to sleep.

Q: I'm not sure how to even ask this, but I came into the spn fic fandom a little late and so I'm finding it difficult to gather new followers. Do you have any advice? I have a master post with the few pieces I've written but I've gotten a lot of flack for writing OCs...

Tumblr is not helping with regards to gaining new followers lately. Tags aren't working if you're an NSFW blog, no one can search anything. The only thing I can suggest is reblogging, asking other authors if they'll read your work.

[Other suggestions from the chat included submitting fics to @dirtysupernaturalimagines and the Pond, joining other people’s writing challenges (The Pond’s S14 Challenge is here, @thing-you-do-with-that-thing is always running challenges, and @mrswhozeewhatsis has a tag #writing challenge on her blog). Also, “Tumblr loves porn” and the fandom loves Dean, in particular, so writing more Dean smut will get you more readers. Just adding “Dean x Reader” to the tags, even if the relationship is barely mentioned, will get you more readers. Sam will get you the same result, but to a lesser extent. Rhi got bigger writing ABO fics, and carved out a niche for herself with them to the point she’s considered the ABO expert in reader insert fics. Another tip was to strip OC’s of names and defining physical features, since OC’s don’t get a lot of love. Many “Y/N”’s are actually just OC’s without a name. Also, if you’re writing a story that will eventually have smut, list “eventual smut” in the tags.]

Q: Random question:  a bunch of us smaller blogs have noticed a drop in reblogs over the last year or so, and I'd be curious to know if, as a bigger blog, you've seen anything like this as well?

Absolutely. A year ago I was getting about 10-20k notes a day. Now, if I hit a thousand, it's a good day and I'm expecting to take a massive hit because of Sinful Sunday, if they don't entirely delete my blog.

Q: Does anyone have any idea why the notes have all dropped so much?  Is it a glitch in notes?  People being more apprehensive to reblog nsfw things because of all the nsfw fear going on?

Community responses: The posts with outside links not showing up in searches is related to bots and porn blogs that only reblog posts to add a link to a sketchy outside web page. Several months ago, though, Tumblr started the “best stuff first” algorithm (which can be turned off in your dashboard settings, but not everyone knows this), and that pushed posts with few notes to the bottom of the dashboard feed. Since you never really get to the bottom, those posts never get seen. Tags and reblogs to build up note counts are the only way to combat this. Now, messing with the search functions means that there will be no new readers without blogs that just reblog fics, like the Pond and @dirtysupernaturalimagines and such.

[Editor’s Note: Rhi told us she’s working on a UPS Driver!Sam fic!! I’m excited. “What can Brown do for me?” YES, PLEASE!]

What’s coming up in the Pond:

Angel Fish Award nominations are due by the end of the month, so you have less than a week to submit yours and gain an entry for every nomination into the raffle! Win fabulous prizes just for spreading love! HOW COOL IS THAT? (Also, don’t forget to submit your own fics to the Pond so that other Pond members can easily find them and nominate them!)

Note: Please use the submission form to submit nominations. Asks do not allow you to include a link to the fic, and sometimes we can’t find what you’re nominating, especially now that Tumblr searches don’t work.

Design contest to find a Pond graphic! Entries are due by the end of the month, so less than a week away! So far, we have ONE (1) entry! (I mean, it’s a pretty fabulous entry, but still!) Winner gets their choice of swag with their design on it!!

SPNFanFicPond Season 14 Weekly Episode Writing Challenge - Since we didn’t have a new episode this past Thursday, the previous week’s challenge is still collecting submissions. (Honestly, there’s no deadline on any of them. Post a fic using a prompt from any week, and you’ll still be added to the masterpost and reblogged on the Pond blog.)

New Member Spotlight Post coming soon! Check out last month’s post here!

Still accepting additions and discussion about the Warning Tag List (tags to be used to assist folks in avoiding triggers and protect their mental health, not be confused with tags to help people find or avoid preferences). Reply or reblog the post itself, or send an ask to the Pond with suggestions!

Plans are in the works to try and make the blog more app-friendly. Please be patient with us in the meantime!

Plans to expand the beta program to make it easier to find the type of beta you need are also on the to-do list.

Housekeeping Note: If you send an ask to the Pond and do not get a response in a couple of days, please notify one of the admins (Michelle - @mrswhozeewhatsis, Mana - @manawhaat, or Kale - @aprofoundbondwithdean) via IM and let us know!

Thanks to everyone who joined us this month and made it an awesome conversation!! Can’t wait for next month!

Next month’s discussion: Giving feedback to other writers and how a beta reader can help your writing! Joining us will be @littlegreenplasticsoldier!

Be there Dec. 15th at the usual time!  (Los Angeles - 2PM, New York - 5PM, London - 10PM, Melbourne - Sunday 9AM)

[tenacioustooru]

About Me As a Writer

1. How did you come up with your username and what does it mean? Well, if y’all know me by now y’all know I love Oikawa Tooru. I was deep within the Haikyuu fandom (still am, actually) when I came up with it. So in essence it’s just Oikawa’s first name and the fact that he never, ever gives up on his teammates and what he believes in. Which is why he’s... tenacious. *ba dum tss*

2. Which fanfic of yours has the most feedback? (bookmarks/subscriptions/hits/kudos).

under the antique sky is currently my most popular work with 7,466 hits, 660 kudos, 156 bookmarks, and 252 subscriptions! It’s the most recent fic I’m working on and the one I most readily update.

3. What is your AO3 profile icon, and why did you choose it?

My icon is Oikawa holding a toddler!Hajime and I chose it because I was writing my second Haikyuu reincarnation fic Beyond the Stars and I wanted my icon to fit the AU I was writing for.

4. Do you have any regular/favourite commenters?

I do! I’m not sure if they have tumblrs otherwise I’d tag them but @aizawa-shoutas and @saltysvga consistently scream to me about my stories so 

5. Is there a fanfic that you keep going back to read again and again?

I often go back to read Leryline’s Three’s a Crowd series because UshiOi and because it’s just so beautifully written I can’t help but go back and read it again and again so please go check it out!

6. How many stories are you subscribed to? How many do you have bookmarked?

Uhhh I have four pages of subscriptions (don’t know what that adds up to) and 62 bookmarks (I often forget to bookmark and just subscribe whOOPS)

7. Which AU do you find yourself writing the most?

Probably the kid reincarnation AU I managed to conjure up. I’m probably gonna end up writing one for every fandom I’m a part of so I’ve got my work cut out for me

8. How many people are subscribed and bookmarked to you in total? (you can view this on the stats page)

55 are subscribed and 425 bookmarks!

9. Is there something you’d like to write about but are afraid of people judging you for it? (Feeling brave? If so, share it!)

Uhhhhh honestly I’ve never given this much thought so I’m afraid this question is gonna be a big fat N/A

10. Is there anything you would like to be better at? Writing certain scenes or genres, replying to comments, updating better, etc.

I’d love to write actions scenes and smut better. And replying to comments. Ever since I started working I’ve been horrible at responding to comments.so I’m sorry for that

11. Do you write rarepairs or popular ships more often?

Mostly rarepairs! Especially for the Haikyuu fandom. But for BNHA I find myself writing for the more popular ships (TodoDeku is life okay?)

12. How many stories have you posted on AO3 to this day (finished and unfinished)?

A whopping seven!

13. How many stories do you have saved in/with your writing program?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA too fucking many

14. Do you write down story ideas, or just keep them in your head?

I have to write them down. Like. My memory is so shitty I have to write down everything that comes into my head. Even if that means texting my friends at four in the morning to scream about it to them and screenshotting it so I have a picture and can refer back to it later because I’m too damn lazy to get up and get a pencil and my notebook

15. Have you ever co-authored a story?

No but my friend Aja and I have a plan for a story so maybe we can get on that soon! Be on the lookout!

16. How did you discover AO3?

I was searching for SasuNaru fanfiction and after digging through the limited reserves of FanFiction I stumbled upon a link to AO3

17. Do you consider yourself to be a popular or famous author in your fandom(s) on AO3?

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA no. Not even.

18. Do you have a nickname or fandom name for your readers?

That’s a thing?

19. Was there an author who inspired or encouraged you to write?

As far as famous authors go I would say Michael Grant and Jodi Picoult inspire me to be better every day. I love their books. And as far as fanfiction authors go, I would definitely say @aizawa-shoutas (novocaine-sea on ao3) 

20. What writing advice would you give to a beginning author?

Keep your head up! There may be days where it feels like your inspiration is so low where you have absolutely no energy to write but keep your head up! There will be days where your creative tank is empty but don’t push yourself. Remember to rest and do something else you enjoy! Pick up a book, binge watch your favorite series or movies -- do whatever makes you happy. Inspiration will return.

21. Do you plot out your stories, or do you just figure it out as you go?

Uh, both. I write out what I’d like for the chapter to contain in one of my many journals but sometimes the story takes a mind of its own and it goes in a completely different direction.

22. Have you ever gotten a bad comment on a story? If so, what did you do?

Oh yeah, definitely. I honestly just ignored it. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life when so many people have said such nice things about my stories.

23. Is there a certain type of scene that you have a hard time writing? (action, smut, etc..)

Action. And smut. I’m trying to get better at both. But I get so embarrassed writing smut. Not because I think it’s disdainful (you should see my bookmarks). It’s because my skills are so below par that I just cAN’T

24. What story(s) are you working on now?

under the antique sky is my main priority at the moment! I try and update biweekly since I’m working now. But then my OiSuga shapeshifter AU grey havens is next on my list.

25. Do you plan your next project(s) before you finish your current ongoing story(s)?

...........I don’t appreciate being called out like this.

26. Do you have a daily writing goal set for yourself?

No because I’m trying really hard not to push myself since I’m teaching 8th grade but I aspire to write a couple of sentences a day before I crash out. It’s better than nothing

27. Do you think you’ve improved as a writer since you first started?

Sweet Jesus yES. I go back and read my work from just a couple of years ago and I want to burn it all.

28. What is your favorite story that you’ve written?

Beyond the Stars, probably! I’m not sure if I should count under the antique sky just yet because it’s not done but those two are definitely my favorite.

29. What is your least favorite story that you’ve written?

...Remembering Sunday. Which I’ve gotta delete. And fix. Hella.

30. Where do you see yourself (as a writer) in 5 years?

Hopefully with my novel published! I’ve already got the first manuscript done I just gotta work out all the kinks.

31. What is the easiest thing about writing?

Probably characterization for me. I love exploring characters’ personalities and then tearing them apart. Angst is my lifeblood.

32. What is the hardest thing about writing?

Uhh again it’d have to be action scenes. I just. I can’t do them all that well.

33. Why do you write?

I write as both a hobby and a therapy -- and ultimately to bring other people joy in the fandom as much as they bring me! It’s something I’ve been doing since 2nd grade and I don’t ever see me giving it up for the world.

Tagging: literally anyone who wants to do this have at it!

[handsome-photographer]

polaroids | juminvweek day 1

a/n:

this fic was written for @juminvweek, but I’m only posting the first chapter as a one-shot because the rest of the story ended up straying from the event guidelines. You can read the whole story on AO3 (to be announced). Thank you for reading!

Rich boys rarely have a choice of ties to wear, even when your private school didn’t assign a mandatory, uniformed neck tie… or so Jumin thought as his mother once again talked on and on about a cute, patterned tie she bought just for him – a very expensive brand sure to make its owner stand out  – that she would love to see him wear for his first day in “a big boy’s international” school. She only stopped talking and fussing over him when his father kissed her good morning.

She also didn’t notice that Jumin had his nanny put on his favorite striped tie, so that was a small victory for him.

His father, hair dyed black even though he only had two or three grey hairs to hide, called him to put on his shoes and get ready to leave for school; their driver had finally arrived, and Jumin wasn’t to be late for his first day. He gave his mother a peck on the cheek goodbye and stepped outside his house, bag on his shoulders, when he heard a bell – a bicycle? – ring, and a voice call from outside their driveway, “Jumin!”

“Who’s that, son?” asked his father, looking around the large driveway before spotting, with a laugh, “My, it’s Jihyun, Mr. Kim’s from Sunday school. You know Mr. Kim’s son, don’t you?”

Jihyun from Sunday school was more than just a boy Jumin happened to meet years ago at church. Jumin did, in fact, remember Jihyun Kim. He was the beautifully blue haired, teal eyed boy who had been trying to calm his crying little sister, their voices too quiet to draw anybody’s attention. Jumin had given her his lollipop (a gift from the Sunday school teacher, even though Jumin didn’t like lollipops compared to, say, strawberry taffy) in an attempt to cheer her up. It was a simple act on Jumin’s part which he didn’t find particularly life changing, but after that Sunday, it seemed that whenever Jumin went to church, he would spot those light blue curls standing beside his sister both waving at him, quickly becoming a sight Jumin unconsciously expected during every Sunday school. They didn’t get to meet every week, but their chance meetings were frequent enough that Jumin began saying hello to him back and sit together in Sunday school since the beginning of this year.

That was why the thought of Jihyun Kim actually coming to see Jumin before school sounded a bit too good to be true. Jihyun hadn’t even written him all summer long, nor did he ever call his home phone either – not that Jumin expected him to. During the times he and Jihyun interacted, the boy was quiet and shy. Not much different from himself, but this sudden visit was a nice change. So Jumin ran out to get a better view of Jihyun, to see if it really was him and his father wasn’t lying to him – and luckily, Jihyun braked just in time to avoid crashing into him.

“What’re you doing here?” Jumin asked as Jihyun stared at him wide-eyed – he’d only just nearly trampled his friend. Jumin recalled Jihyun saying they were going to the same private school, last Sunday when they met at church. He always thought their next meeting would be in a classroom, not in his driveway like this. “Shouldn’t you be going to school?”

“I am!” he said, now smiling. “I’m taking you with me on this cool bike my mom and dad got – but… oh. You’re going with your father, aren’t you?”

Jihyun glanced back at the spotless limo still partially parked in front of Jumin’s garage and the man standing beside it, who was watching the two children’s exchange with a pearly white grin. Jumin looked back as well. “Father, is it alright if I go with Jihyun today?”

At first, his father gave a very stern, very serious frown before he smiled warmly once again and waved. “Who am I to stop you kids? Have fun.” At Jumin, he seemed to add as an after thought, “For your mother’s sake, please hold on to Jihyun and don’t fall off!“

Although Jumin can only see the back of Jihyun’s head, all teal curls, slightly blowing with the wind all throughout the way to school, he knew that the two of them did indeed have fun. Jihyun even complimented Jumin’s tie, saying he loved the stripes, and that alone made Jumin walk through his school hallways with pride… despite the hellish first day of school he had to endure, filled with homework and forced socializing and far too many bullies.

–

It only felt like yesterday that Jumin rode on the back of Jihyun’s bicycle for their first day of middle school together. Now, they’re on their final year, promising a much busier schedule than ever up ahead to prepare for their final exams.

Jumin felt that physically on his back as he shouldered his heavy bag filled with books that felt more like boulders. Jihyun never even once complained as he sat across from Jumin during lunch in the school gardens. That’s only because opening his bag revealed only a quarter of the books Jumin brought and finding instead a very packed lunchbox in place of at least three mandatory textbooks.

“I made it myself,” he told Jumin, proudly, as he showed him the contents of his lunch: two sunny side up eggs, fried rice with chicken meat and sausage mixed in, vegetables on the side, and an apple just to balance it all out. He began digging in so innocently, not feeling guilty in the slightest bit.

“My mother would’ve killed me if I ever slacked off like you,” Jumin said, eating his lesser-in-quantity lunch. “If I don’t bring all my books, my homeroom will give me detention, too. How are you still alive?”

“I’m a good and charming boy,” Jihyun said with the brightest grin Jumin had ever seen; not even his father grinned like that to his mother. His eyes practically sparkled – a charming boy, indeed. “And I always seem to get good grades anyways. Why do you think I keep getting presents at the end of each school year?”

Jumin remembered Jihyun’s bicycle, and then Jihyun’s watercolor set the year afterwards. “I wonder what they’ll get you this year,” he mused aloud.

Jihyun’s smile seemed to change – tight lipped, forced, plastered on – but Jumin didn’t point it out. That would be rude, even though Jihyun was his best friend and can handle the brutal honesty. “I wonder too.” He then shook off whatever dark cloud hovered above him and gave Jumin a grin. “Especially since we’re graduating to high school next year.”

Jumin grinned, but realised a bit too late that he desperately wished he and Jihyun could go to the same high school when the time comes.

Jihyun’s present, it turned out at the end of that school year, was a hand-me-down polaroid camera from his dad – quickly becoming outdated in the age of digital cameras that didn’t need any film for you to capture a photo, but Jihyun was excited all the same. One day in the middle of May after their exams were far behind them, Jihyun took Jumin for a ride on his bike – still able to support the two’s weight after all these years – around the neighborhood, his polaroid inside a small messenger bag he had.

“Did your parents tell you where they’re enrolling you?” Jihyun asked as he took a turn on a junction, leading them to the neighborhood park. “My parents still want me to go to our academy’s high school, mostly because they already know the arts program is good. Looking for a new high school is just a hassle.”

Jumin shrugged as Jihyun parked the bike. “I think our high school has some good social studies classes.” He got off and fixed his tie – a new one, still striped. “Maybe I can ask father if I’ll go back there, too.”

Jihyun grinned. “Then we can still see each other every day.”

“We’ll see each other every day, regardless,” Jumin stated as the two of them entered the park. “And I won’t take no for an answer.”

Jihyun chuckled, already finding something off to their side that caught his attention, pointing his camera at it. “I’ll never say no to seeing you.”

Jumin liked the sound of that, just as much as he liked the sound of Jihyun’s polaroid – a loud shutter and then sliding of photo film – as he took various images of the scenery around them. He didn’t even mind when his friend took a photo of him, sneakily as you do, admiring a butterfly on the side of a bench. Jumin didn’t take long to look at the picture before asking, “Can I keep this one?”

“Sure,” Jihyun said, and then he had that expression where he had a brilliant idea and he needed to see it come to life that instant. He faced away from Jumin, moving to stand next to him, and turned the camera around. “Smile!”

The picture of them developed in a few minutes, and when Jihyun saw his blurred finger at the edge of the frame and Jumin’s confusion immortalized in the picture alongside Jihyun’s own manic grin, he laughed. “And I’ll keep this one.”

It was a summer filled with taking pictures and walking around the block just talking and talking about nothing in particular – they already knew that Jihyun’s mother finally got worldwide recognition as an artist and would probably leave Korea for a while, or that Jumin’s father had opened several new branches of C&R International that he knew Jumin would direct one day, being his father’s sole heir.

No; they talked about the sunflower Mrs. Park could never seem to nurse back to life (Jihyun photographed this when they passed by her garden), the new café opening nearby their school that they can visit after a long day, and a missing cat Jumin found – the two boys returned her quickly after Jihyun discovered where the owner lived just looking at the cat’s nametag, and spent half of their reward to grab ice cream at their favorite parlor.

The two, sharing a gigantic bowl of ice cream sundae – with Jihyun as always letting Jumin have the strawberry flavored scoops – looked over Jihyun’s photographs, picking which ones they’d want to keep respectively, and which were good enough to be framed later if Jihyun so wished.

When summer ended, and high school properly began, the two stayed true to their word; they were in the same school, and would see each other every day. Although they weren’t in the same classes, they at least ate lunch together, and went home in the back of Jumin’s limo – since Jihyun’s bike had finally fallen to total disrepair one rainy autumn day.

It was actually during a rainy autumn day – September ninth – that Jumin thought to make up on all the lost time the two didn’t get to properly hang out ever since school started. They were cooped up inside Jihyun’s bedroom, the rain making loud pitter-patters outside his window, but not drowning out the CD playing in the background.

Jumin was on the floor, looking through some of Jihyun’s recent pictures, while the photographer himself was on his bed, lying upside down with his hair – still messy, still blue as ever – nearly touching the ground, trying to figure out the birthday present he received from his best friend.

“My dad let me borrow his SLRs before,” Jihyun said absentmindedly as he squinted, “but this one is really different from his.”

“It’s the best and most recommended one for beginners,” Jumin said, “and the lenses I got you should be good for a lot of occasions.”

“You’re the best,” his friend said with a happy sigh, “did you know that?”

In the bottom of his quire bothersome heart, Jumin knew that his best friend was indeed sincere. Yes, Jihyun was more than capable to buy his own photography equipment, but nonetheless, he was handling his gift as if it was the most precious thing in the world. Jumin turned back to the photographs – he always had his parents say he was the best son they could ever wish for, and his teachers always praised him for receiving top marks, and his maids always told him he’s a good and charming young man, but only Jihyun’s words just then truly made him smile.

“Hey, Jumin,” Jihyun finally said after a long silence.

He looked up for only just a fraction of a second before he realised what Jihyun just did, pulling away his camera from his face and peering into the viewfinder. “Did you take a photo of me?”

“When am I not taking a photo of you?” Jihyun teased as he grinned and carefully handed his best friend the camera to see the photo he captured.

“Why do you always take pictures of me?” Jumin asked, genuinely curious, as he continued to look at his face in the photograph – eyebrow raised, hair a managable level of messy, polaroids strewn in front of him, but that smile because of Jihyun captured in the business of the background. “More than you photograph other subjects, I mean.”

“I guess you’re the most constant and aesthetically pleasing subject I have,” Jihyun replied. “One day, when I’m already a few exhibitions in, I’m going to have a corner in my gallery titled…” Jihyun closed his eyes, a hand on his chin, the elbow supported on an arm crossed against his chest. “The Tale of Two Privileged Boys: Best Friends.”

“You’re just teasing me,” Jumin said with a pout, though it was more of a statement than it was an accusation.

Jihyun laughed. Jumin pouted less. “No. I’m truly serious. Maybe not the privileged boys part.” He ran a hand through his bangs, messing it up before continuing. “This friendship we have, Jumin, is something I want to preserve, and make part of my gallery. Including you. Especially you.”

“Me?”

“Mmhm.”

Jumin didn’t blush – that’d look ridiculous, especially if Jihyun had the camera in his hands and could immortalize that moment like he did with Jumin’s smile – but he did try to distract himself from thinking about Jihyun’s words too much and tried the camera out himself. He pointed it to Jihyun, upside down as he was, who gave Jumin a silly grin and a peace sign besides.

The photo turned out very out of focus, but that’s because Jumin was horrible at taking pictures, and not because he was nervous or flustered at all. Definitely not because of that.