Monochrome: 7

“My key’s here, I’m heading back to my apartment.”

Finn stared at the message on his phone. Unknown number. Must be Sullivan. His phone buzzed again.

“There’s something wrong with your sink, I swear I didn’t do anything to it.”

“Yeah, it’s been messed up for a few weeks now.”

Work was slow. Finn thought about next week. Next Friday, the 24th, he was having his Christmas party. He counted his guests in his head. Gavin, Jenny, Aaron, Luke, Bee. Maybe Sullivan was coming too. He was hoping he could convince his friends that Kieran really was different. Maybe they would accept him, and then he would have more friends. Maybe he would be happier.

The week slowly drained away, full of quiet work. Finn started a few reviews of recent books. By Thursday, the first was complete. The party was tomorrow. He left to buy some groceries after he posted his review online.

Comparatively, the time leading up to the party was a mere blink in time. Before he realized the hour, Gavin and Jenny were knocking on his door. Bee arrived a few minutes later. She met him with a kiss. Aaron and Luke joined the rest at seven thirty.

Eventually, it was nine. Nine ten. Nine fifteen. Nine twenty. Nine thirty. It didn’t seem like Sullivan was going to be coming over.

“Finn, don’t worry about it,” Bee said to him. “You have us. You have me.”

She added, “I’m sure he’s fine. You can’t take on everyone’s problems.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Finn said. Bee hugged his arm and smiled.

Ten more minutes passed. The doorbell rang. Finn answered the door.

“Uhh… hey, Blake,” Kieran said. He had a box of cookies in his hand. “Were we… supposed to bring food? I brought these. I don’t know if you want them.”

“Oh, great, thanks! What are they?”

“Ginger snaps. I was going to get peanut butter, but I thought someone might be allergic…” Kieran said awkwardly, scratching his head.

“Hah, come on in, I’ll introduce everyone.”

Kieran followed Finn to the living room, where Finn introduced him.

“This is Kieran Sullivan. He’s my neighbor,” he said, smiling.

“These are my friends, Aaron, Gavin, Jenny, Luke,” Finn recited, pausing and pointing for each of them. They each said their greetings.

“And this is Bee—short for Bianca—she’s my girlfriend,” he said finally. Bee got out of her seat and went to shake Kieran’s hand.

“Uhh, hi,” Kieran got out, shaking Bee’s hand. She smiled brightly at him.

“So, do you guys want anything to drink?” Finn asked everyone. Everyone made their requests.

“Beer, I don’t know, anything with alcohol,” Kieran said.

“I don’t have any,” Finn lied.

“What? Really? Water, then, I guess.”

Finn left to the kitchen, and Kieran took a seat on the carpet. He stared at the TV, which was playing a holiday commercial and its accompanying jingle. Holidays didn’t mean much to him, anymore.

“Sullivan, right?” asked Gavin.

“Hm? Yeah,” Kieran answered.

“Why are you here?”

“I… was asked to come here.”

“What makes you think—”

“Gavin, stop, we don’t need this—” Bee interrupted.

“No, Sullivan, what makes you think you can just come here after how you‘ve been acting?”

“…I don’t. I was asked to. You’d have to talk to Blake about that.”

Finn returned to the room with the drinks as Gavin continued.

“To hell with that! I’m not too comfortable with some jackass mooching off of my friend!” Gavin shouted.

“Gavin, what the hell!” Finn yelled.

“This was a mistake…” Kieran whispered.

“I’m going to go,” Kieran said, standing up, then heading for the door.

“Sullivan, wait—”

“Good night,” Kieran finished as he went out the door.

Finn stood there for a moment, and the apartment was quiet. In the next instant, he turned to Gavin and directed his anger at him.

“Why would you do that?!” Finn shouted. “He didn’t do anything wrong! Why don’t you understand that?!”

Gavin seemed surprised by Finn’s response.

“Stop thinking you need to defend me! I can take care of myself!”

“Finn, I’m sorry, I—”

“No, just… leave! Everyone, please.”

Everyone gathered their things as Finn sat in a chair in the dining room. He buried his face in his palms, letting out an exasperated sigh. Bee approached him, planting a kiss on his cheek and saying good night. As everyone left, Gavin apologized, unanswered.

Sketchdump Time

This next picture...

-puts on sunglasses- ...is drawn to crime.



YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Monochrome: 6

“Finn, are you completely out of your mind?”

“What?”

“How could you possibly let that psychotic asshole into your apartment?”

“He’s not that bad,” Finn said, stirring his drink. He was sitting in a diner with two of his friends, Gavin and Jenny. They met up after work to get some late lunch. Gavin and Jenny were dating. They had met Finn in college.

“This guy was treating you like shit just a week ago,” Gavin pointed out.

“Well, I think he’s done with that,” Finn started.

“How do you know?”

“The way he was talking, how he acted, it was all pretty honest,” Finn responded. He added, “And… I don’t think he has anyone else.”

“Yeah, he probably drives everyone away with his jackass behavior! Look, Finn. I’m not trying to tell you not to help people, but, I don’t trust this guy. You shouldn’t get too involved with his life.”

“Maybe.”

The conversation drifted away from Finn’s temporary (and temperamental) roommate. Despite Gavin’s warnings, Finn wasn’t convinced. Finn had dealt with Kieran firsthand; he witnessed Kieran’s behavior. He could tell that things were different with him. And, he could tell that Kieran needed some sort of help.

Gavin and Jenny soon parted ways with Finn, and Finn left the diner not long afterwards. As he walked down the sidewalk, he wondered what would happen when he came home. He couldn’t help but fear that Kieran made a similar mess of his own apartment. He assured himself that Kieran had enough composure not to.

Finn soon arrived back at the apartment, and opened the door. Everything seemed about the same. Kieran was again sat on the couch, drawing.

“You sure do draw a lot.”

Okami - Mixed Media Project (Progress)

In my Color and Design class, we've been working on a mixed media project. I decided that I wanted to work with a dog for my design, and eventually wound up on Okami, when checking my available colors. So, here's my progress, so far!

High contrast (to see the sketch) <-- CLICK HERE LOL

Monochrome: 5

“There’s the sofa,” Finn said, “you can sleep there.”

“Yeah, we’ve met,” Kieran remarked. He threw his backpack onto the sofa.

“Oh, I didn’t even notice you had a bag,” Finn said.

“Yeah, good thing, anyways.”

“Why, what’s in there?”

“Nothing much, just a sketchbook, really.”

“You‘re an artist?” Finn asked. Kieran was heading toward the sofa, and sat down.

“Yeah, why else would I be in the apartment with a studio?”

“The space?” Finn responded. Kieran was going through his bag.

“I’m gonna make some food,” Finn told him, “do you want some?”

“What is it?”

“Pasta, I think.”

“Sure.”

Finn headed out to the kitchen as Kieran withdrew his sketchbook. Finn pried open the cabinets, retrieving a pot and a box of pasta. He set the pasta down, filling the pot with water. He turned the stove on, sliding the pot on top of the burner.

As the water slowly heated, he returned to the cabinets, pulling out containers as he looked for the sauce. He set the glass jar down, and put the rest away. Next came the saucepan, which he sat down on the countertop. He poured the sauce in, and set it on another burner on low. Out of things to do as the water boiled, he checked on Kieran. Kieran was sat on the sofa, sketchbook on his legs, drawing.

“Are you doing anything next week?” Finn asked.

“Hm?”

“Christmas.”

“Oh, no, I don’t really… believe in that, anyways.”

“Still, it’s nice to have something to do.”

“I guess,” Kieran responded, continuing to draw. Finn went to the kitchen to check on the water (even though he knew it wasn’t ready yet), and sat down at the dining room table to wait.

“I’m having some friends over. My parents are away, so we’re going to do something when they’re back,” Finn said, a little louder so Kieran could hear him.

“You could come over, too, if you want,” Finn added.

“I don’t think that would work out so well.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t think I’m the sort of person you usually hang out with. And, let’s face it, I’m not exactly an agreeable person. I will probably just ruin it, really,” Kieran said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Well, then, don’t be an asshole,” Finn stated simply.

“Hah, can’t argue that,” Kieran responded.

“So, will you do it?” Finn asked again.

“Maybe.”

Finn could tell he wasn’t going to get a ‘yes’ out of Kieran. He returned to the stove and continued watching it. It reached boiling, and he dropped in the pasta, stirring the sauce. It was done, soon.

“Food’s ready,” Finn called.

Monochrome: 4

The next few days went by quietly. Finn went to work and came home, all without comment from Kieran. During the first two days, Finn was relieved. However, as the week continued into its end, he noticed he wasn’t seeing Kieran at all. He started to wonder if he was too harsh.

The next day came, and Kieran was sitting in front of his door in the hall. He had his face down in his hands. Finn approached him slowly.

“Hey,” he said.

“…hey,” Kieran responded, removing one of his hands from his face.

“You’re locked out?”

“Yep. Keys are in the door, still.”

“Where’s Grey?”

“She’s visiting her parents. She’s going to mail me a key,” Kieran said, putting down his other hand and sighing.

“Shit.”

“Yeah,” Kieran said with a laugh, staring at the floor. Finn walked over and sat next to him.

“I’m sorry about last week,” Finn said. “I… shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s fine. You were right,” Kieran answered.

They were both quiet for a moment, as Finn tried to find the right words to say.

But, Kieran got to it first: “Why did you bring me to your apartment, anyways?”

“I guess… it’s because it didn’t seem right to leave you there.”

“I’ve probably spent a few nights on the floor.”

“It didn’t feel secure anymore,” Finn explained. There was another, momentary lull in the conversation. Finn picked it back up.

“Are you… okay?” he asked awkwardly.

“Oh, I’m fine, just locked out of my home,” Kieran responded. He sighed at his own sarcasm and answered more properly, “I don’t know, what do you mean?”

“Well, what happened last week?” Finn specified.

“I… lost my job. Got pissed, went drinking. Then I got mugged on the way back home. It’s like, nope, the job wasn’t enough. Had to get mugged, too. Whatever, I didn’t have much in my wallet, anyways,” Kieran complained, very noticeably aggravated.

“You lost your job?”

“Yeah, I think I said that.”

“No, I mean, what about your apartment?”

“I think I have enough in the bank to pay off this month, then I can’t really push it much further.”

“What about a new job?”

“Gotta find someplace that’s hiring that’ll take me. So far, no luck.”

“Do you have somewhere else to stay?”

“Not… really,” Kieran said, reluctantly.

“Your parents…?” Finn asked.

“…no,” Kieran said, after a pause. Finn decided not to ask about it.

“So, you don’t have anywhere to go tonight then?”

“No, I don’t think so. I’ll… figure something out,” Kieran answered.

“Well,” Finn started, “You could stay at my place until you get the key.”

“Eh… you don’t want me around.”

“I could put up with it for a couple days,” Finn assured him, laughing. He stood up.

“Come on.”

“…alright,” Kieran said.

Monochrome: 3

Kieran awoke to an unfamiliar room. He was lying on a soft couch, staring at a TV. The room was quite clean and tidy, and he could hear someone in the other room. He began to get up to investigate, and his head surged in pain. He winced and grabbed his head.

“Ugh…” he groaned. Fucking hangovers.

After a moment of waiting for his head to calm down, he rounded the corner into the other room. Finn stood in his kitchen, making toast.

“So, uhhh, how did I get here…?” Kieran asked.

“You were passed out in your apartment, last night. The place was wrecked and your door was wide open,” Finn told him without looking up from the counter.

“Oh,” Kieran said, not entirely phased. He stared at the dining table in front of him. Just as neat as the living room. There was a bowl of fruit in the center of the table.

“Care to explain?” Finn asked, sounding somewhat agitated.

“Nope,” Kieran responded, picking up an apple from the bowl.

Finn put down his knife and looked up, clearly annoyed.

“You’re really not going to explain any of that.”

“Nahhh.”

“Are you serious?”

“Why the fuck do you care? It’s none of your goddamn business.”

Finn was angry.

“None of my business? Screw you! I thought you got robbed or attacked or something! But, nope! You’re just an asshole who gets drunk and trashes his apartment!” Finn shouted.

For a moment, neither of them responded.

“Thanks for the apple,” Kieran said, taking a bite and heading out the door.