mylittlejamjar | Stitch Eight [Visual]

[It's a familiar apartment if anybody saw the video of an earth pony on guitar. But there's some commotion, hooves clicking against the floor somehow rather than the usual clop. But nobody's in view...]

A'right! I'm open for commissions! The Gala's comin' up real fast, but I can take on as many orders as I can and get 'em done, damn it!

[Then, a sigh.]

Just drop a scroll, got it? ...And for those who want a sample, here's somethin' I just kinda threw together.

[Samples? What's he mea-- oh. Oh that's definitely a stallion trotting into view of the 'camera', wearing an ornate white dress with lace and pearl, something that couldn't be 'thrown together' if anybody tried. He'd even styled his mane to match, and kicked a back leg to show the flow of the skirts. Well, at least he doesn't look embarrassed to be in the stuff. In fact, he looks awfully comfortable.]

Could be as simple or as fancy as ya want it, but you gotta be able to walk in the stuff, got it? I ain't takin' orders for 30-foot dress trains. You'll thank me later.

[Did he just do a little mane flip? He just did a little mane flip.]

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It's been a while, but sure, I'll teach you. Even with the extra feet.

I put myself in your hands, Sensei.

Ah...

[Raising a hoof, she lowered her hat even if the fur hid her blush. As for why the hat, habit when she left her room.] You don't have to call me that.

[Oh boy... why was his heart pounding?]

Heh, what's that for? It'd be true, y'know!

...And I wouldn't put my trust in this step forward with anybody else.

[His shoulders hitched and he looked down, fidgeting.]

You help me wanna be better with my temper, be more like myself...

I-I've just... never been called 'Senpai'.

[She looked down too, her hooves pawing at the ground.]

It's not me doing that though. You're the one who decided to try changing.

Maybe, but... you're like...

[He paused, thought, and puffed his chest. Speak your mind, Kanji!]

A muse. I feel like I can do damn near anything I put my mind to! You inspire the hell outta me! Even standing right there.

A... muse?

[That had her blushing a little more.]

That's... a bit of a pedestal to put me on. You're not only looking at me like that, are you?

No... [He shook his head, and he lowered to the floor, folding one hoof over the other. It let him peek under the hat that had tipped so low at this point that it would be any wonder if Naoto could see ahead.]

You're an amazing friend t'me, too. You- you didn't bat a freakin' eyelash when ya first saw me, and not once made fun of me for any part of me. Not once.

You've been so damn good t'me and for months I was too scared to tell you how much I appreciated it, appreciated you, damn it.

[Though he fidgeted again, he fought to keep from looking away, but the smile was shy.]

...And a man doesn't back down from bein' honest to himself and those close to him. So...

[More fidgeting. Dark fur did nothing for the new color to his face.]

...I-I love you, is what I'm sayin'.

[Her eyes widened seeing him beneath the brim of her hat, wings unfolding slightly, but she kept her eyes trained on him after the brief startle passed. Seemed like he was attempting to hold his eyes on her too.]

[All the things he said, how could he? She had been so blind to his affections; how could he still feel so much for her? It made her embarrassed.]

Kanji... [Her ears lowered in her hat and she was red again beneath blue fur.] ... I love you, too. A-At least, if that is an accurate way to surmise these feelings.

[He'd said what he said, and he meant it. Maybe she was figuring out how to be herself when for years society didn't allow her, but whether she realized it or not, she'd been so dear to him. Whether it was in small conversations or mild gestures, she was so dear to him.]

[Hearing the words froze him up. As his color rose further, he babbled for a moment and nodded - y-yeah, maybe that was accurate - before he hid his face against her chest, right between the front legs. He was having an overload.]

[Still flushed, she found her wings flapping several times and her hooves almost clicked as she nearly reeled.]

K-Kanji...! [Was that an inappropriate hiding place??]

Wh-what?

[Was it!? He didn't appear aware as he pulled back and frantically fanned himself to try and cool down.]

What's wrong!?

You were--!

[Though, he seemed to be spacing out. Hrm...] ... Never mind. W-We should finish our preparations though.

[Quick nod, and he scoots back to rise.]

Y-yeah, it's... the masks, we gotta...

Yes. So... designs.

[They should work on the designs.]

[He revealed his sketches, then, a blending of the two designs while allowing sight through both sides. Rather than a half and half split, it seemed like a fine mesh of the two. But he also seemed to doodle a rather adorable tiny pegasus with a short, choppy mane in the corner, having a break for a cup of coffee.]

Here's what I got so for. Thoughts?

[Looking over the new design now, it was better than the rough half and half earlier. Though, there's something else. Her eyes drifted to the drawing of a pegasus having coffee.]

... We can get coffee.

...C-coffee? [But his eyes drifted as well. Sometimes his mind wandered even in the middle of work, and he just drew what was in mind. A small pegasus did like to wander on his sketches frequently these days...]

Yeah, I think a break might work. Got a ton of messages. Lotta work to do later.

[She nodded and turned on her hooves, heading towards the door.]

The fresh air should help us too. [Since they both pretty much just had their own personal panic attacks.]

[He had to wonder if it was normal to have mental bluescreens. Kanji hurried to the door to get it, but paused to get his keys from the kitchen table, plastic strap of it caught in his mouth.]

[Fresh... fresh air was good right now.]

Stitch Eight [Visual]

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