Each and every time Wally would laugh nervously and then walk away from him, he knew it was Sammy’s fault, that Sammy told Wally to stay away from Shawn. He knew it, because he had heard him say it. He had been coming by to drop off a voice box, and he heard them arguing. He knew it was wrong of him to listen in, but there was a whole crowd near the door.
When they heard Sammy half shout that Shawn was bad news, and that he never wanted to see Wally near him again, everyone turned to look at the pale, and now paling, toymaker. He fumbled and passed the toy to another worker, telling them to drop it off in Sammy’s office when he would be available, and then he ran off, trying desperately to vanish into thin air.
It had been mortifying, tormenting, and it, most of all, felt like a huge betrayal.
From both Sammy and Wally.
Sammy, whom he had nursed through hangovers and cheered when he was frustrated, having the complete audacity to say such things about him?
And Wally, who called him his best friend (that ate him up inside, too, but it was better than losing him forever) and confidant, how could he stand idly by and let those accusations fall onto him?
Worst of all, how could he accept them and follow Sammy’s awful, terrible request?
Shawn tilted his head back as Wally walked away, and let his tears drip, knowing that way they would be quick and easy to deal with, trickling under his ears and under his collar.
He took a deep breath.
Uncurled his fists.
Exhaled.
Drew his fingers back in.
And repeated that.
The first few cycles were shuddery and painful, even though it had been weeks since Wally had started avoiding him even more than when he had begun seeing the music director. At least back then he was not eschewing Shawn on purpose, he had just been excited to be with his new partner. Shawn could live with that, he could smile and laugh all the same.
This, this hurt, and it twisted each time Wally made a pathetic excuse and awkward escape.
Shawn knew he had been scorned.
Instead of seeing out Wally, from then on, he vowed as he dried his tears that he would be solely doing his work, no chit chat, no nothing. He was applauded for his heightened output, and he was proud of that. He worked hard, perfecting designs and dolls.
Shawn moved a bit on from Wally. He loved him wholeheartedly still, but now, he felt freer.
When Wally crashed into his chest, full of tears and apology, he had been struck speechless.
“I missed you,” he croaked, looking up at him with a bleary face. Shawn wanted to kiss him, kiss those tears away, but he dared not. “I’m sorry I’ve been staying away.”
Due to bird name he'srelated to, his design is based on the fish known as Sea Robin.
Normally seafolks move in groups, but Wally traverses the ocean all by his own, never stopping on his journey. That is, until he met Sammy.
He first found Sammy when the poor human was stuck and dragged deep sea by a storm, and to save and protect the man, he took him to an underwater cave with an inner air dome.
Even when Sammy is not a normal human being, given his heritage due to his mother, the storm left him rather weak and sick. So Wally, unwilling to let this man lost and helpless, decided to take care of him until he was strong enough to carry him back to shore, risking to repeat what forced him to abandon his group in first place.
This one was originally made for Mermay, but honestly forgot to put it up here before ^^u
So does Joey get cursed with a poison pen thing like in the Invisible Man's Socks? Because I think that would be a pretty nasty curse that could show how dangerous Joey is.
That actually could be a cool way to curse Joey, but sorry to tell that not my Joey.
This AU, Of the cursed and creatures, is based on my main studio AU called Ink Shape, and therefore is an extra of the same AU, in which Joey (nicknamed Kestrel) is actually a good guy, even if he digs into magic and the occult (but always with a guide and mentorship).
In this particular extra, Joey and Henry (who are brothers) were cursed thanks to their parents, who angered a creature of unnatural power and it cursed them through their children. Only way to break the curse was to wholeheartedly regret and apologize, but these parents didn't, and now both Henry and Joey deal with the consequences.
Joey's curse turned him in wood. He barely managed to conceal a spell so at the very least his face looks normal. But kinda like these modelling dolls with limited mobility, he is pretty much stuck in himself, limping, with rigid movements, and this also provokes him to get frustrated and more than often ends up breaking some part of himself due to straining. At the very least he is able to replace almost every limb and piece of himself by carving some other wood pieces and using them, but he's still trying to find a way to break the curse and finally have a life as the human being he's supposed to have.
Sammy Lawrence is the Music Director at Joey Drew Studios. Currently dating the cheerful and somewhat clumsy janitor Wally Franks, he does his best to hide their relationship in mutual agreement and understanding that society is not a safe place to show their love (see Gossipmongers).
Grouchy, emotionally cold, does his best to keep his composture in the public image, as he rathers to see the fear and respect he transmit to those under his charge and around him. Only exception to this rule are his boyfriend (Wally), the one who knows better (Norman), and his half-sister (Susie).
Yet all this little attitude is nothing but a façade. Big emotions, he has learnt, only brings disastrous consequences, as seen when he first humiliated Wally when sheer wrath creeped upon him (see Day of Rage), or when publicly declared his love towards Wally in fear of losing him (TBA), or even worse, when he being a little kid was tormented by a singular bully, and in desperation in the middle of the woods on his way home, a lightning stroke the land between him and said bully, making him believe he killed the other kid.
This, in a more normal, rational understanding, should not be considered as more than what's commonly known as a childish belief of domain over their world and their surroundings. But when you are the child of such a powerful witch as is Nina Lawrence, and well aware of your own magic abilities, the fear of losing control can actually drive you to reject your own nature.
Be it either good or bad, magic is still part of his own nature. And when your most beloved one is exposed to dangers you cannot control, maybe a little magic is not that bad, even if using it is rather reluctantly than willingly.
---
In what respects to his design, this is how he mostly looks in any other AU he might participate in. His backstory may vary according to which AU is he involved in, as may his abilities and role overall.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Happy Ink Demonth, Everyone!!!
I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep the pace, but the very least I could try was to participate in its first day this year, no?
Here have another story from the Ink Shape AU, presenting Sammy Lawrence and Wally Franks.
If you want to read it directly from here, check under the cut and enjoy!!!
♥♥♥
Whole year
“Happy birthday to you~!” Chanted almost everyone gathered in the break room, cheering the Irish man in his special day as he blew the candles that topped the cake the janitor so heartfully got made in honor to the celebration.
Of course, this seemed special, but not really special. Sammy knew well. After all, Wally always made this for everyone in the studio with no exception. And as such, the only really special thing here was the janitor himself, and Sammy liked to watch him roaming around, putting smiles on every face he met, even on himself; he was really good about it.
“You enjoying the party, Lawrence?” Susie came to his reclused corner, earning a disgruntled groan that erased the soft smirk that was peeking from the corners of his mouth.
“Yeah, sure, as if this could even be called a party at all in the petty hour we have for lunch.” He retorted, dripping sarcasm from every pore as he made his way out of the corner, away from the voice actress, and towards the coffee machine by the other side of the room.
“Oh, and I’m sure you’ve gone to plenty of parties to actually know how’s one, don’t cha?” She followed; a glint of mischievousness adorning her eyes.
“The only excuse of a party I’ve been are these ones you and your little group drag me on, interrupting my job.” He said as he started the machine to boil the water, keeping contained the thought of Wally being into that so called “little group” and that he was the only reason he left them drag him on; Susie didn’t need to know that. “And seeing how they are, is easy to tell this couldn’t be called a party in any sense.” Was his final muttered statement.
“Oh, c’mon, mister grumps! Can’t you even pretend you can have fun once in your life? I even heard Wally got a really special kind of cake!”
“What could be so special about--” He turned around to face the short woman but his answer to his unfinished question came from the joyous shout of the man of the hour.
“Liqueur chocolate cake?! How did ya know it?!”
“Heh, I got mah ways.”
“And Joey agreed with this? It’s still working hours...”
“Well, he’s not ‘ere to know it, so I guess we still can enjoy it.”
A bunch of chuckles burst with the projectionist’s remark that gave way to a lightheartedly chat among the crew. All the scene witnessed by Sammy and Susie alike, the latter nudging the former on the ribs.
“See? There can be fun! And you gotta admit it: Wally’s pretty great at giving people what they want. Even for Your birthday.”
“Yeah, yeah...” He turned around to keep with his coffee task and face his back on the actress so she wouldn’t see his forming tender smile “I guess he does can use that brain of his more than for just horsing around.”
“...would it hurt you being nice at least once?” She snarked with a deadpanned glare that fell on the unbothered musician’s back, who only answered with completely ignoring her as he kept preparing his coffee and thrived on things that escaped the woman’s unaware grasp. But with a defeated sigh, she moved around, standing now next to him and leaning on the counter as she kept watching the celebration a couple of tables ahead. “He’s too nice for you to get it, Lawrence.” The understatement of the week, Sammy thought. “But even with all that, can’t help but feel it’s kinda weird...”
She didn’t continue, to what Sammy had no much more choice than to recognize it as his cue to question what she meant.
“What could be so weird that you need to point it out?” He asked, monotonously and not even gracing her with a glance, to what she promptly ignored.
“Well, do you even have an idea of when is his birthday?” That question honestly halted any action he was on.
Every inch of his mind screamed to demand what that even meant, but he couldn’t give away such kind of signs, lest he blew up their arrangement.
“...uh?” Was his so eloquent answer in hopes to show at most mild interest.
“Sammy, I mean it. He knows the birthday of everyone in here, and I mean everyone. There once was this intern that just came in, and barely two weeks after, Wally was already calling every member to the conference room where this intern was to sing and celebrate his birthday! With cake and all the deal! Yet how many years have been since he works here?” She asked, to what he deigned a blank stare direct to her. “He’s been here since before me, but still never heard of anybody who said “happy birthday, Wally” a single time! I wonder when it could...” But her voice got lost in the sea of thoughts that invaded Sammy’s mind.
He kept his blanc façade as he slowly turned to stare the man in question, bewilderment swarming behind those seemingly inexpressive eyes so focused on keep the role of uninterested and plain annoyed. He hated to admit it, but Susie had a point. Wally was actually really secretive, not even sharing his own birthday. Heck, weren’t for that accident, they wouldn’t even have known he was completely homeless! And now that they were dating, he wondered if there would really be things that maybe they’d never share. He could understand it, he had his own quota of private stuff. But if there were so simple things he didn’t know, how sure was he about what he knew of the janitor? Apparently not much beyond a name...
“Sammy... Sammy, are you listening?” The actress snapped him off his thoughts, though he was lucky of not even have reacted with a flinch, conserving his oh, so apathetic semblance. So, he just side-glanced at her as minimal response. “I was asking if you can recall a time where he announced his own birthday.”
“Heh, hardly think he would buy his own cake.” He snorted, half-voicing and idea on the built. And Susie gave him a quizzical look over such strange statement. “I don’t know, Campbell. Why don’t you go and pester him with those questions?” He questioned her with no room left for her to retort, as he grabbed his cup of coffee and proceeded to leave the room and return to his work office.
If he stayed there any longer, he would have started to feel frustrated over answers he wouldn’t be able to get right then. So, he needed to think, plot something to find when was his boyfriend’s birthday. Maybe some sort of surprise out of context so he would give answers in the middle of his confusion, could it work?
*-*-*-*-*
It was pretty late into the night, past 10:30, but for Wally was a usual time to arrive home since he has to keep all in check in the studio before leaving. Normally by this time he would go directly to Sammy, who’d be waiting for him, and have some “quality time” together, although rather brief, as Wally had to get soon to bed due to his day starting way earlier than Sammy’s. Maybe a little snack before bed. Not much really, it was just routine.
But what wasn’t in any sense routine was to find all in the apartment turned off, with only a faint glow that led him see a whole chocolate cake atop the kitchen counter and some burning candles on it.
“Uh, Sammy?” He called around, not having seen the man in question, only to be startled by his voice coming from around out the kitchen.
“Do you like it? I took a wild guess and thought you might like chocolate cake.” Sammy said, voice low and soft in a purr, almost inviting. Why was he doing it? Was some kind of proposal?
“Ah, well, most folks like chocolate cake, ain’t it?” Wally sputtered back, hesitantly. But Sammy paced towards him.
He looked scarily alluring, a rather strange yet enrapturing glint in his eyes, and Wally was unable to understand why all of this came to. Sammy got right in front of him, and not missing a beat, he encircled him and an hand was gently laid on Wally’s shoulder from the back, softly pushing him forward and towards the kitchen counter’s seat with the cake right in front of him; Sammy parting to the other side, retrieving a knife and some plates and getting ready for the unprompted event.
“Shall we begin?”
“Uh, Sammy...” Wally said but paused, refraining some words from just burst out and opting for continuing with caution. “...What’s... what’s all of this ‘bout?”
“Well, it’s to celebrate, of course!” He just stated as a matter of fact that Wally was unable to catch.
“Ce-celebrate? Celebrate what?”
“Oh, could be anything, actually. Like, a birthday.” Sammy murmured, leaving the young man even more befuddled than he already was.
“...Yer birthday was 3 months ago.” Wally said slowly after a pause, still trying to piece what his boyfriend was up to.
“It doesn’t have to be mine. What about yours?” There. He dropped it. Now Sammy only hoped for this to lead to what he wanted to know. Although the constricted, conflicted expression the janitor gave was certainly not part of what he expected.
“Sammy, it’s... ‘s not mah birthday.”
Silence overtook them. The only thing disturbing their quietness was the flickering of the candles, which wax kept melting in a steady pace.
“Oh, well.” Sammy continued, nonchalantly. “It’s hard to throw guesses when you have no clues. Then when is it?”
“Sammy--”
“What about this? I drop some guesses and you tell me if I’m close or not.”
“Sammy, this is--”
“Is it around spring, perhaps?”
“Sammy, no. It is--”
“Then what about fall? Is it close?”
“Sammy, just Drop It!” Wally slammed his hands on the counter, some candles being blown off by the fanning of his hands as some others dropped even more wax from the rattle.
As if running the most straining activity, Wally’s breathing was ragged, frantic, with his torso inflating and decreasing way notoriously. And now he sported a peculiar glint in his eyes; tears prickling his eyes shimmered with the glow from the lingering candles. Both remained there, unmoving. Sammy practically unable to react as he had no idea what had just transpired. Yet by the moment he decided to open his mouth, trying to say something, Wally just pushed away from the counter; the scratching sound from the stool he was sitting on being a piercing noise that Sammy barely could react with a wince, as the seat itself nearly toppled behind the young man. Wally stormed out of the kitchen, and the slamming of the door gave Sammy the shake he needed to properly react.
“Wally-- Wally, wait!” He called, leaving the kitchen, yet returning to blow off the rest of the candles and leaving again.
He slammed the door to their room open in desperation, unknowing and uncertain of what he did wrong. Wally wasn’t there, but the bathroom’s door was closed as well, locked. Sammy strode to that door, knocking it, leaning his ear trying to listen carefully for any sign his boyfriend could give.
“Occupied.” Was the rather dry answer he got, and so he tried again.
“Wally, you know it’s me.” He could hear the water splashing in the back from the running shower.
“I said: Occupied.” He reiterated, but there was a slight crack in his voice.
Sammy tried now by rattling the doorknob, fear building up within him from the uneasiness this ordeal left. Was he really angry at him from trying to guess his birthday? What did it all even mean? How could he blow up from something so common? Although he shook off that last thought, given he had no right nor room to judge what could upset anyone.
“C’mon, Wally!” He banged the door once more, and Wally flinched in the other side. He was sitting in the floor, back leant against the bathtub as the water from the shower fell inside it, some warm droplets bouncing and landing on his hair and shoulders, wetting his shirt in the process. He laid his arms atop his knees, face hiding in the space between his legs and chest, and fingers gripping tight the sides of his legs, nearly pricking skin with his nails weren’t for his trousers serving as a shield for his legs.
“Wally, please!” Begged the man in the other side of the door, confusion and fear creeping in his voice and Wally could not overlook it. “Can you tell me at least what I did wrong...?” One last thump, not as hollow as the previous knocks and bangs, but it pushed the door and rendered it still, probably from leaning his head in it this time. And Wally perked up his stare, eyes swollen and startled and a little panicked.
Because that was the question, no? What did he do wrong, indeed? Everyone had birthdays. Heck, he just celebrated a birthday that very same day! What was so strange on him wanting to know his? Even if he tried a weird move to allure him into telling, with the promise of a chocolate cake that most likely was unbound to whatever the answer he gave, was it really something wrong to wonder about something literally everyone had?
But he couldn’t. He wasn’t-- He did not—
“...Wally?”
“Nothin’.” Was a soft murmur that came from the bathroom, but the musician’s hearing still was sharp enough to at leas make out that he said something at least.
“What? Wally, what was that--” But he stopped on his tracks as a distinctive click resounded from the other side, and the knob slowly turned to let the door be opened, and reveal a rather worn-down man with wet curls, wet shirt and wet, singing eyes. Said man locked stares with him, affliction and sorrow flooding his eyes, and he just plummeted against the musician’s chest, as soft jerks from his shoulders gave away the silent sobs the janitor tried to contain.
*-*-*-*-*
It was past midnight already. Sammy had to juggle around his boyfriend to manage and get the shower turn off, risking some almost-slips that nearly sent him crashing to the tiled floor. But apart from that, Sammy didn’t dare to leave Wally’s side, and now both were lying on the bed, the pillows slightly wet from the moisture carried by the janitor’s hair and shirt. Wally was curled up, still tucked in his boyfriend’s chest, as the latter kept rubbing soft comforts across his back and his now-untied hair. Both silent. Both wide awake. One still confused as to what he did to hurt his lover this bad. The other still struggling with issues the first had no way of know nor had part in the reasons these things kept bothering him.
“Ya didn’t do nothin’ wrong...” A soft murmur rumbled through Sammy’s chest, prompting him to redirect his stare to his companion, even if only an image of messy curly hair tangled between his fingers was all he was able to look now. “’M sorry.”
“Wally, no, you don’t have to--” Sammy stumbled with his words, pretty much not expecting him to still be awake. “You--”
“--Shouldn't’ave reacted that way.” Wally cut him off and continued in his stead. “’S not like ya knew, anyways.”
“Maybe, but I still upset you.” No answer of any sorts, just silence and quietness. “I’m... I’m sorry, Wally. It just... Susie was talking, and made me think—There’s not too many thing’s I actually know about you, and well...” He trailed off, feeling the miniature figure in his arms going stiff for a moment. “Can I know what happened with it? Your birthday, I mean” He curled up even more. “Can I know when it is?” Wally shook his head against his chest, rubbing his forehead with his dress shirt in the action.
“’S not a good date.” Wally concluded; he wasn’t ready to share. And Sammy didn’t skip the slight crack in his whispered tones.
“Will I be able to know someday...?” His voice was soft, a pleading merging with the hope of wanting to know, to be there, to be with him. But after a few way too long seconds, Wally merely shrugged, uncertain even of himself.
Silence reigned once more. Wally jerked every now and then from the remaining sobs trapped in his chest, all the while Sammy kept with his line of thoughts, feeling unable do to anything else with the negatives his lover gave.
It wasn’t like he didn’t trust him; of that he was certain. Were that, he wouldn’t have recognized it as an issue in front of him, would he? After all, he admitted, even he himself had his own quota of things unprepared to share, albeit not even he believed his own could be nearly as painful as what the young man must have faced. But if that specific date brought up so many bad memories, then what about any other?
“What about today?”
“...huh?” Was the answer to a question that prompted Wally to part a little from his embrace, yet not enough to lift his stare, just enough to be better heard.
“I mean, I brought a cake, I put some candles on it... Is there anything that makes today a bad day for you?”
“Ya... ya can’t... pick up a random date and make it yer birthday...” Wally retorted, but perked up a little bit.
Keeping an almost serious tone, nonchalantly, Sammy shrugged. “Who says so?” And Wally finally looked up to him, eyes still reddened, but the faintest of smiles tickling the sides of his mouth.
“Still, can’t be today, ‘s Shawn’s birthday.”
“Number 1, people are born every day, every minute, to claim one specific day as exclusive for anyone. And number 2, probably you didn’t notice, but is past midnight. Shawn’s birthday is over.”
A little snort; Wally was loosening a bit and that was all that mattered to Sammy for the time being.
“Heh, alright. But ya can’t just-- pick a random day, anyways. Is called a Birth-day fer a reason!”
“Well, it doesn’t have to be a birthday, per say. What about... “Beginning day”? You know, so you keep the B-D and no one questions it.” He was pretty sure now it’d also help him to keep Susie’s pestering at bay with any random date. “Doesn’t have to be today either, if you want.”
A beginning day, Wally considered. Was... a weird concept, to be honest, but the prospect of start anew was something he chased since a long time ago. Never thought of giving it a proper day to commemorate, or celebrate, as Sammy put. But what date? Being on the run for so long didn’t help to keep track of days. The day he found the church? Was... quite a significative date, but his heart kept pushing for something relating Sammy. Can’t be their anniversary, wouldn’t make sense. Maybe something from before...
“April 20th.” He resolved, perking Sammy’s curiosity now.
“Really? Why then?”
But Wally only shrugged with a soft, heartfelt smile. And with no more explanation, he reached to Sammy’s lips, and planted a tender kiss on them, before returning to his secluded space between the musician’s arms, curled up, but hugging back this time.
“I love ya, Sammy.” He muttered, almost relieved, against the man’s chest. “Thanks fer ev’rything.”
Speechless, Sammy only returned the embrace, tightening his grip in loving protection, as he rested his cheek on his boyfriend’s hair.
“But you know what’s a shame?” Sammy prodded his boyfriend’s curiosity once more. “Still left like 7 months for that date! I hardly think the cake will last that long.”
“We can get another cake fer then!” Wally spurted between giggles.
“Yeah, but what about this one?”
“We could eat some now.”
“Nah, too late. I don’t pretend to sleep with a stomachache.”
“What ‘bout in the morning?”
“You have to go to work way earlier than me. Is not a good time for cake.”
Wally barely could believe it. Was Sammy actually ranting about eating cake? Although he had a clear suspicion as to why it came.
“What ‘bout this. Ya take some cake to tha studio, and leave it where only I can find it. Ya like it?”
“Eh, could be. But don’t complain if there’s not much cake left.”
A snicker bubbled up from within Wally, seemingly like self-validating his own suspicion.
In the same old trend of AUs where the characters are nicknamed and given certain qualities according those nicks (or maybe the other way around), is that the characters from the Ink Shape AU are also given nicknames, these based on Birds!!
Main studio character’s birds are:
Sammy Lawrence - Bluejay
Wally Franks - Robin
Joey Drew - Kestrel
Henry Stein - Falcon
Norman Polk - Eagle
Susie Campbell - Nightingale
Allison Pendle - Hummingbird
Thomas Connor - Hawk
Jack Fain - Ostrich
Shawn Flynn - Hobby
Bertrum Piedmont - Peacock
Grant Cohen - Broadbill
Buddy Lewek - Roadrunner
Dot - Kiwi
Abigail Lambert - Fairywren
Random Violinist (name TBD) - Lyrabird
Linda Stein - Grackle
Johnny - Sanderling
OC’s birds are:
Nina Lawrence - Raven
Father Felix - Cardinal
Grace Franks - Starling
Mildred Franks - Barn owl
Roxane Franks - Sparrow
Madison Franks - Eclectus
Charles Franks - Potoo
Cain Phelps - Blackbird
Joan Stein - Kea
Who are them? Why those names? If you’re curious, you’re welcome to ask about! ^-^
You planning on drawing Sammy Lawrence and Wally's parents,along with Joey in both of his forms for the Shape of Ink Au?
Sammy's parents is a definitive yes (though still not sure when).
Wally's parents, I'm not completely sure just yet. There are still some plot points that I want to refine before with them.
And Joey, he already has a prototype of design (though never posted here), I just need to make it official and he'll be up. But his ink shape, honestly, I haven't given it a tough thought, since, well, he's just de adorable dancing demon we all know~! (Only with a little quite a lot more of anxiety. Lucky him Henry still is there to ground him).
