Various x Reader Oneshots

Sketching Struggles (Dirk Strider; Homestuck)

Warning: Mild cussing

The sound of pencil lead gliding on paper echoed in my ears, my hands furiously sketching an outstretched hand. I grunted in dissatisfaction and flipped my pencil over, the eraser doing its work. I kept making strokes and erasing it, frustrated at how much time I've wasted on drawing a single hand. With my back hunched and my tongue poking out of my lips in concentration, I kept drawing on top of the glass coffee table with my legs tucked underneath.

I groaned and dropped the pencil on the glass with a clank, the living room as silent as it could be. I wasn't bothered on how eerily silent the apartment is, after all, this is the Strider's place we're talking about.

As I sketched, the two would be strifing on the rooftop by now. For the umpteenth time.

A frown slithered its way on my lips, my eyebrows creased in a passive aggressive manner. I let out a sigh then stood up to get a glass of water to clear my head. My sneakers squeaked at how I trudged up to their small kitchen, the noise bothering the silence for a bit.

I opened the fridge and gave it a blank look, seeing that it was stocked full of bottles of apple juice.

Dang it, Dave. Could you at least get some clean water here?

Biting my lip, I hesitantly took a bottle and softly shut the door. I wordlessly uncapped it then drank half of the contents. For apple juice, this is actually decent.

I heard the door click open and the sound of clangs, as if something metal was dropped on the floor.

I hummed and peeked over, seeing the brothers nonchalantly come in. Dave let a small frown slip, but it disappeared as it came.

"Can't you take it easy on the strifes? It's not like your fucking life depends on it."

"You're only upset because I beat you again, bro."

"Dave, hope you don't mind me drinking your apple juice!" I waved, taking another gulp of the mentioned beverage.

"Yo (Name)." The younger Strider gave me a high-five before he strided over to his room, shutting the door with his foot.

"Beat him again, Dirkus?"

"I told you to stop calling me that." The otaku turned his head to me, his Kamina shades hiding his eyes. I shrugged with a grin, drinking what's left in the bottle and putting it down on the kitchen isle.

"Alright, unless you help me with this shit." I walked around the isle and plopped down in front of my sketchpad. Dirk went up behind me and peered over my shoulder. "... You were trying to draw Genos?"

"Well, sorry~" I lazily drawled on the last word, pencil in my hand. "It's just— I can't get his hand right."

Dirk glanced at me, as if asking "Why me?"

I closed my eyes and sighed again, elbows propped up on the table and hands cupping my cheeks. He sat down beside me by then.

"Look, Strider. I know you only do digital art so far, but can't you lend me a hand?" I can imagine Dirk rolling his eyes at my unintended pun.

"Fine, give me the pencil."

He took the pencil from my hand and slid the papers in front of him, then he looked at me. "I'm gonna help you on this, but don't look."

"What? Why?"

"Just agree already, (l/n)."

I rolled my eyes and nodded, my back leaning on the sofa behind us. He shot me a small nod then turned to work on another drawing, flipping over to a blank page.

I closed my eyes and thought of the reasons why I decided to draw Genos from One Punch Man. In some way, he reminds me of Dirk.

They're both logical, charismatic, smart, and loyal in a way. Not to mention that they're both stoic blondes.

My thoughts wandered to the aforementioned katana-wielding Strider beside me. His emotionless visage popped up in my mind and I imagined several occasions where it cracked or slipped.

None that I can remember of.

I was snapped out of my daydream when I felt my face heat up a little, and I smacked a hand to cover it in embarrassment.

Yes, I do have a crush on the anime-loving genius. I prefer not to show it though, it'll only ruin our friendship.

Well, that's what I thought.

I can still hear the pencil lead scratching the paper and taps on the glass. A few minutes later, I began to doze off.

**

Dirk glanced at the (h/c)-haired female beside him to see her sound asleep. His hand stopped drawing, his orange irises trained on her.

(Name)'s head was lying on the seats, her temple resting on its side so her sleeping face can be seen. Her lashes caressed her cheeks. Her mouth was slightly parted as she slowly breathe, her chest rising and falling. Her hair was tangled and messed up, but he still saw her as beautiful.

More or less, like the girls he sees in anime except she's real.

He stared at her for what seemed like eternity, admiring her peaceful expression. He was snapped out of it when she moaned and shifted in her place, her body now turning to face him with her hands on her stomach.

Just this once, Dirk let the corners of his lips twitch into a small smile at the sight.

"Kawaii." He mumbled, his smile dropping immediately and he looked down at his drawing. He didn't draw Genos like what she requested.

He drew the both of them.

Dirk is on the left, his head turned to the side and his right hand in his jeans pocket. His signature shades still perched on his nose. (Name) is on the right, smiling with closed eyes and her left hand behind her.

The most noticeable feat is their intertwined hands, a small heart encasing it. Below it are the katakana and hiragana characters for aishiteru yo, which means I love you.

"Someday." He thought, taking another glance at the still sleeping girl, the one he loved since they began to start their high school year.

He put in the final touches and shut the sketchpad closed, scooting over to wake her up.

She'll see the drawing, he knows this, but he'll tell her what he really feels someday.

And no, he doesn't expect a scene where there's fucking cherry blossoms raining down on them as he confesses to her in the middle of a sakura tree.

That kind of shit doesn't even exist in Texas.

He's okay with being friends with her in the meantime and he'll let her see that he's serious about being a thing with her.

And he's yet to man up and tell her straight on. 

********

Another one of the one-shots I mentioned before ^^ This was actually published first in dA, but I think it doesn't matter in terms of release date. I hope you enjoyed reading this!