iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

perfect perfect prefect, also loved seeing happy isa and jasper crumbs

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that scene is so good with the music and all, the perfect peak moment after their slow burn haha, chefs kiss

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everything he never quite knew how to say seemed to exist here already, woven into the music and carried from the stage to the crowd and back again. for a short but perfect moment, casey felt like he was part of something larger than himself, but exactly where he was supposed to be. #sims4

casey’s nerves burned off song by song, replaced by adrenaline and something dangerously close to joy. he forgot the audience, forgot himself, playing harder, singing louder under luna’s sideways glances, pushed by the flicker of approval in her eyes. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

their entrance was timid at first, but nyon quickly loosened, leaning harder into the rhythm. collin swayed as he played, completely lost in it. luna grew bolder on the bass, setting one foot on the amp, claiming the space and shooting casey a knowing look. by the chorus, the room was theirs.

the lights above the small stage of the supernova records café cast a soft glow over the tangled cables and the scuffed floor. the place had seen more open mics than real crowds, people usually cradling steaming mugs, sitting on the sofas near the front. tonight though, almost everyone was standing.

she screwed the cap back onto the nail polish and stood, brushing her palms over her skirt as casey flexed his fingers with cautious care, tilting his hand to catch the light on the glossy black, a faint, disbelieving smile tugging at his mouth thinking of what was to come in mere minutes. #sims4

she leaned back slightly to look at him properly. the dark polish, the earrings, the black tank top he’d swapped into last minute. her voice softened as she complimented him, and he raised an eyebrow, caught off guard. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

painting his last nail, luna nodded toward his ears, and as he turned his head the small silver hoops caught the light. she blew softly over his fingertips, focused. up close, she smelled like coffee and something citrusy. casey smirked, then tugged one hoop lightly, as if to prove it wasn't real.

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luna tilted her head, watching him with amused focus. casey’s left kept bouncing, as if ready to bolt. he insisted he was steady, but his restless energy gave him away. luna smile widened, teasing and reassuring as she called him out. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

less than a week later, the supernova records café buzzed with energy. amps hummed faintly from the stage as collin ran scales for the tenth time. nyon was nowhere to be found, and casey sat on an upstairs sofa while luna crouched before him, one hand steadying his fingers. #struckbylove #sims4

what exactly was she holding on to? she grabbed a sponge again, and dragged it across the grimy tub in harsh, uneven strokes. she hated the tightness their last interaction left in her lungs. she scrubbed the tub harder. this putting it off had to stop. they would move. soon. #struckbylove #sims4

so why hadn’t she done it yet? her mind answered before she could stop it. kiyoshi. she exhaled sharply and pushed herself to her feet. that was foolish. they weren’t talking anymore. nothing was going to happen. nothing could. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

she sat back against the wall of the bathroom, that realization landing with a dull weight in her chest. she could leave. not someday, but now. she had enough savings now to get them somewhere bigger. somewhere clean, with a bedroom for each of them and faucets that didn’t leak. #sims4

scarlett tightened the last screw of the toilet lid and wiped her hands on the already stained towel, then leaned back on her heels to inspect the pipes, as if sheer willpower might stop it from leaking again. this apartment needed everything. sealant, paint, patience, money. she had the latter now.

luna clapped her hands. already stepping back as another customer waved her over, her fingers lingered at her chin, eyes distant. casey was ready to revisit his entire wardrobe if that meant playing in front of a real crowd for the first time. still, he didn't like her ominous tone. #sims4

at that, casey shot back a dry reply. he didn’t appreciate being mocked about music ; let alone being talked about like he wasn’t even there. if all it took for these guys to take him seriously was ripped jeans and a fake piercing, he’d hit the nearest mall right this minute.

the one she had introduced as nyon leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, dark eyeliner slightly smudged on his eyelids. his gaze swept over casey in a slow, unapologetic scan. the other, collin, seemed less hostile, offering a grin as he too looked casey up and down, gauging him.

the supernova records café was busy, the smell of coffee blending with vinyl sleeves and old speakers humming in the background. luna was on shift, apron tied around her waist, and casey sat at one of the round table, being introduced to her two band members before their first rehearsals. #sims4

there was a beat before she explained why she was really there, more hesitant. casey raised an eyebrow, then blinked, surprised by her interest in him. he considered it for a moment, fingers tugging at his jacket. it was a real opportunity, and she was attractive enough to make it hard to refuse.

000

when the last chord rang out and faded into the room, casey exhaled and let his hand drop from the strings. the girl pushed off the wall, and went towards him with a big smile on her face. he was certain he knew her from somewhere, and nodded slowly when she introduced herself. #struckbylove #sims4

of course, he still prioritized to make time for his music. just as he'd found the music room on his first day of high school, the campus music studio had now become his second home. and recently, a certain someone had been tracking him down there as well. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

amid the chaos, he’d started going to the campus gym. partly to escape the cramped apartment where he never had space to himself, partly because, for some reason, he’d developed a new interest in sports. maybe, deep down, he felt the pull to follow in his dad’s footsteps in more ways than one.

000

spring had started off on a brighter note for scarlett’s kids. casey had aced his first terms at SMU, adjusting to the whirlwind of campus life and slowly finding his place among new friends and challenges. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

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inside, the apartment felt unbearably silent now. the anger drained away, leaving something sore and bruised in its wake. she felt tears welling up, hating herself for expecting anything different. whatever she’d lost tonight, she knew it was her own doing. and that somehow hurt the most. #sims4

she slowly nodded. obedient and defeated, she took a step back and turned without saying anything else, retreating to her apartment. she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her heart pounding and her throat tight.

000

the second the words left her mouth, she regretted them. his expression hardened again, annoyance washing out the earlier discomfort. she swallowed, heat flooding her cheeks, but kiyoshi remained firm. that was all it took. whatever fragile thing had been holding her together cracked. #sims4

he glanced behind him, then back at her, clearly putting things together. his expression shifted and his tone softened, embarrassment flickering across his face. but she cut him off, words spilling before she could stop them.

000

he sounded surprised, and not pleased. she crossed her arms, gripping herself like she might splinter otherwise. her voice came out colder than she meant it to, edged with something brittle she couldn’t hide. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

the noise inside stopped, a moment passing before the door opened. kiyoshi stood there in his boxers, skin flushed, hair damp and disheveled. the sight of him hit her like a slap. for a second, her mind went blank, her eyes lingering oh him, betraying her. then he spoke, and reality rushed back in.

000

but the sound led her straight to kiyoshi's door. there was no doubt now. something ugly and violent bloomed in her chest, hot and irrational. before she could talk herself out of it, before she could think at all, she raised her hand and started pounding on the door. #struckbylove #sims4

annoyance flared, sharp and immediate, something she could cling to. anger was easier than whatever this was. she pushed herself out of bed, pulled a cardigan over her pajamas, and stepped into the hallway, barefoot, determined to locate the source and shut it down. #struckbylove #sims4

at first, she told herself it had to be another apartment. sound traveled weirdly in the building, through pipes, vents and thin walls. it could be anyone. it had to be anyone else. but the noise kept coming, rising and falling in a way that made her stomach tighten. no. no, it couldn’t be kiyoshi.

000

weeks had passed since that night, and they still hadn’t spoken. not a word, not a glance in the hallway. now, once again, a noise was keeping her awake. but this time it was a woman’s voice. breathless and rhythmic, unmistakably intimate. not even a voice, really ; moans, more than anything else.

000

he turned and walked away down the hall, leaving the door open behind him. scarlett followed a few seconds later and closed it slowly, leaning her forehead against the wood. only then did she let her knees give out beneath her. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

her words felt final, leaving no room for negotiation. he searched her face, like he was hoping she’d take it back. she didn’t. after a beat, he nodded once and began to step back, slowly, letting the new distance that had grown between them finally take form. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

as kiyoshi's voice, tight with frustration rather than anger, turned both accusatory and heavy with hurt, scarlett's suddenly broke. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

the thick silence stretched between them, when suddenly, he took a step closer to her, trying hard not to look at the light nightgown she was wearing. his jaw tightened as she shook her head, refusing to meet his gaze, still looking at anything but him. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims

scarlett stared at the wall, avoiding his eyes. her words were abrupt, and she knew it, but deliberately so. she couldn’t face him any other way. #struckbylove #sims4 #showusyoursims