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allstars-apt · 1 year

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“ It all began Ten years ago. “

“ I successfully lured many of Gaming’s Greatest Heroes and Villains alike into an all out Battle Royale with the promise of POWER. In truth, I gathered them and pitted them against each other to wipe them from existence! If I couldn’t be Playstation’s Best, why did they? But in my haste, I nearly failed to realize the miracle I had created. If I had Gaming Royalty in my grasp… Why destroy, when I could simply keep them? Thus, the Apartments were made. The Complex was a domain that existed outside of timelines, reset buttons, and rage-quits! It was a place where the All-Stars and their worlds were free to converge without worry of limitations! Of course, competitions would still arise, mostly for my entertainment, but nonetheless… It has been an honor being your Player One for these Ten Years, my All-Stars. You’ve continued to impress and intrigue me and other gamers throughout our time spent together, and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for us all! “

“ Uh, thanks Polygon Man. “ Drake responded, raising his red solo cup to the floating head. He cleared his throat, then faced the others. “ Ahem- …Ten years, huh? Kinda feels like yesterday when we are all tryin’ to beat the shit outta each other. “ He scoffs. “ But, for all the dumb things we’ve done, we’ve grown a hell of a lot closer even moreso. It’s been an honor bein’ with you guys. “ He raised his red solo cup. “ Here’s to Ten Years. “

There were cheers coming from the entire room. Before they could fully die down however, a voice interrupted from the crowd.

“ From the moment I laid eyes on you all, I knew you were trouble. “ Hale spoke from across the room. He took a swig of his drink, then stood up to face everyone. “ You were unauthorized civilians about to be collateral damage. But after some time getting to know you all, I feel I’ve become a better man for doing so. “ The soldier brought his legs together, stood tall, and placed his hand on his head, saluting everyone. “ Thank you, soldiers. “

“ It’s thanks to you guys- PaRappa especially, that I got to learn how to have more fun! “ Spike smiled. “ I’ve been catchin’ monkeys and saving the world for so long, I almost forgot how to do that! Happy Ten years, guys! “

“ You’re welcome, Spike! “ PaRappa gave Spike a thumbs up. “ I’m just glad we’ve all been able to hang out so much! I joined the tournament in order to impress my friends, but I ended up makin’ new ones instead! No matter what happens, we’re family! “

“ RRRRRRRGH…. !!! “ Big Daddy roared.

“ I know that’s right, Tiny! “ Daxter tried to give the diver a highfive, but as he did, Big Daddy’s lights flashed red. “ RRR… “ His growl was enough of a signal for Daxter to nervously back away and hop onto Jak’s shoulder. “ …Yeesh, you’d think Ten Years would give that guy enough time to learn about hygiene! “

“ Dax and I know what it’s like to end up in an unfamiliar world. “ Jak began. “ Dunno how it happens, but every time we end up gettin’ attached to the people we meet. You’re all alright. “

“ You’re not too bad yourself! “ Ratchet smirked towards Jak, which he rolled his eyes at. “ Look, I’m not the best with stuff like this, but… It’s been really nice havin’ a place we can always call home. We’ve been stuck in worse places, haven’t we, pal? “ He nudged the robot on his back. “ Indeed, Ratchet. “ Clank nodded. “ It has truly been an honor to be in the presence of you all! I believe we’ve changed each other for the better! “

“ …For the most part. “ Ratchet added, raising an eyebrow to the clown beside him.

“ HAHAHAHA!!! IF YA ASK ME, IT’S BEEN TEN YEARS OF ANNOYING ASS NEIGHBORS AND A GUT-WRENCHINGLY LOW AMOUNT OF FATALITIES HERE. THE ONLY HIGHLIGHTS ARE THE TIMES I GET TO CAUSE SOME MAYHEM. “

“ Sooooo, basically every day then? “ Sly asked, sipping his mug quietly.

“ YEAH…. I GUESS SO. BRINGIN’ CHAOS TO YOU TWERPS HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY PAST TEN YEARS. WHAT’S TEN MORE, THEN? HAHAHAHA!! “

“ I’ve gotta agree with Jak and Ratchet. I’ve been all over the globe, and no heist’s been as wild as this place. You all keep things fun, who doesn’t love that? “

“ FUN? “ Heihachi questioned. “ HAH!! The only FUN thing about you fools is defeating you in any tournament!! It’s always a treat hearing your screams when I send you to outer space!! HAHAHAHA!! “

“ There’s nothing fun about Outer Space. “ Issac snapped. “ You guys are better than fixin’ things in Space any day. These past few years have been a damn cakewalk compared to all that. I appreciate the change in atmosphere. “

“ The real fun’s been all the stupid shit we’ve been able to get into! “ Dante remarked. “ I mean, fightin’ alright, but who else is willin’ to break into Smash Manor, have a karaoke party with floatin’ heads and hands, and fight bigass monsters all in the same week? You guys know how to party. “

“ You can’t have parties without CAAAAAAKE!!!~ “ Fat Princess sang sourly. “ It’s been one yummy cake adventure after the other with you all! What could be better than making friends for life and having cake too? This Kingdom is wonderful!!!~ “ She wraps her hands around Evil Cole, who scowls, then breaks away from her.

“ i’ve never met a bigger group of annoying nobodies in my life, than all of you. yet… things were shit back at my old place. fightin’, walkin’ up and bein’ pissed at the smashers, gettin’ zeke back… honestly, i can’t think of a better place to be. “ He crossed his arms and turned away from everyone. “ just don’t think too much into it. “

“ I have lost everything I have loved. “ Kratos begins. “ Zeus and the other so-called gods robbed me of joy, so I met them with the same in return. “ He gives the old god a vicious glare. “ But this realm has reunited me with my brother. His second chance at life… I owe the Head much for that. “

Deimos happily grabs his brother by the shoulders and shakes him lovingly. “ I too owe the Head my thanks! I was slain as my brother and I reforged our bond. Now, we make up for many years lost. This realm and you all have been the hope I longed for many years ago!! TO TEN YEARS!! “ Deimos lifted his mug up high.

“ I’m pretty sure I’d be dead too if not for this place, “ Cole remarked. “ I put everything on the line to save my world, and I thought there was nothing more for me after that. Turns out, hey- Hangin’ out with a bunch of wackjobs is the life for me. It’s been a good ten years. Let’s keep it that way. “

“ As would I, “ Nariko added. “ I gave my life to protect my people… my father… Only to be brought to this strange land. You all reeked of incompetence and posessed an utter lack of strength… But getting to know you all has brought me joy upon so much pain. I thank you for that. “

“ HELLO? “ Sir Daniel motioned towards himself in muffled speech. “ I am quite literally walking dead! Ahem… This Kingdom differed greatly from Gallowmere, yet I am filled with pride to have met you all! …Most of you, anyways. To Ten Years! “ He takes a swig of his chalice, and due to his lack of lower jaw, the drink ends up entirely on the ground.

“ You all are like PESTS to me, “ Zeus said, crossing his arms. “ I had to witness my own son destroy my entire kingdom, THEN be cleaved from it entirely. I continue to be surrounded by fools and mortals… Ten years have felt like an eternity in the depths of Hades. “

“ Your description of a painful eternity is pitiful. “ Raiden remarks. “ This place is very far from any form of torture. Hell, it’s been pretty good here. I get to refine my skills, then interact with sane people. Sounds like a good ten years to me. “

“ Sane’s pushin’ it. “ Emmett scoffs. “ But you’re right. This place’s far from a hellhole. Sure we’re fightin’ but there’s a difference in fightin’ for fun, and fightin’ to make ends meet. One beats the other, that’s for damn sure. “

“ A fight, is a fight, Mr. Graves. “ Colonel Radec said, appearing out of thin air next to Emmett. “ While the Combat you all have displayed lacks a significant amount of skill, each battle brought forth unorthodox strategies. You lot possess more interesting prowess than any past enemy I have fought. No battle nor activity ends the same. As a strategist, you all are a challenge. One that, if surpassed, shall spell certain victory for the Helghast. “

“ I think we’re more than just some data on a board, “ Kat spoke up. “ We’re living, breathing people, with our own thoughts and dreams! Getting to know everyone here has been a lot of fun! I don’t know much about where I come from, but I do know a family when I see one! Thanks for making this place like a second home to me, everyone! “

“ Meeting Mishima-San and making friends with all of my favorite heroes, these past Ten Years have been great!!~ “ Toro happily hopped around. “ I couldn’t wish for anything better! “

Sackboy happily applauded his fellow All-Stars kind words. He then conjured up a few fireworks for everyone! As they exploded (it’s okay, they weren’t flammable) each of the All-Stars’ faces lit up. It was his way of celebrating everyone.

“ The future isn’t written in stone my All-Stars, but what we’ve accomplished will always be remembered. Go forth, celebrate! Tomorrow however, I expect another great battle from all of you!! “ And like that, Polygon Man disappeared into a great flash of light.

Following the announcement of another fight, there were immediate murmurs amongst the All-Stars.

“ Another battle huh? “ Sly remarked. He elbowed Drake, then tipped his hat towards him. “ Think you can still keep up, old timer? “

“ You kiddin’? I’ve been keepin’ up for ten years! Better watch your back tomorrow, ringtail. “

“ It’s on. “

Happy Ten Year Anniversary to PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale!! This game isn’t perfect to many, but it’s so special to me! Thank you all for being fans of the blog! This isn’t the end of the All-Stars and their Adventures!

#( drabble ! )#( long post! )#[ IM SO SAD I DIDN'T FINISH THIS IN TIME BUT YES ]#[ BUT YES HAPPY TEN YEARS TO THE ALLSTARS!!!!!! ]#[ i'm working on santaverse rn but the allstars are literally always on my mind!! ]#[ this ain't the end !!! ]

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booklr-nova · 8 months

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IT STARTS WITH US

Book Review

Let me start by saying this: there’s going to be a lot of hate for this book for the sole reason people just want to dislike this author for their popularity and there’s this hate train going on for the littlest things this author does so I already know people are going to just come out of the woodworks and find the tiniest thing to hate on this. That is not to say that this book is perfect or that your review will be disingenuous. Books are subjective-- therefore there can be books that I love you hate, and books I hate that you love. I just don't understand or stand for the unwarranted amount of hate that goes into BASHING books just for the way they are written. I have been reading Colleen Hoover since 2012- Slammed was my first book by her. I have had many misses with her along with many hits.

With that being said; I read It Ends With Us in 2016. I truly loved how it ended, I thought it was the end. I did not ever expect it starts with us and yet I could not think of what a beautiful and necessary addition this is.

It Starts with Us shows the after effects of abuse in every form. It shows how realistic, how tragic and how even a happily ever after is still shadowed by the ache and reminder of abuse.

I know people are going to be mad at how often Ryle shows up here but that’s the reality of how abusive situations are, they don’t just die or leave you alone— colleen did a fantastic job at showing how realistic this situation is, at how much of a gaslighter he is.

For the Ryle apologist and stans: I’m so glad Colleen wrote this book because there’s NO room for y’all’s bullshit. He is an abuser. This isn’t a dark romance. This is a contemporary romance where an abuser stays abusive, continues to be abusive in the tiniest ways and the cycles are broken. He truly and will forever be a terrible person and I’m so glad that this book continuously highlighted that. Abusers don’t “change” and even if they do, the cycle should be broken forever.

We get to see Lily and Atlas as an unit and we get to see them really fall in love with their love. I so deeply appreciated that aspect. We really do get to see them find their way back to each other and then fight for their love. This is THEIR story now.

I also want to add, I loved the side characters. Every single one of them. Theo and Josh stole my goddamn heart. The only thing I rolled my eyes at was Lily writing to Ellen still but alas a book can’t be too perfect.

Atlas has always been book boyfriend material but this book really cemented him as one of the good guys, and if not one of the top 10 book boyfriend’s in existence. I was not expecting this to get 5 stars from me, my favorite book by Colleen Hoover is Reminders of Him but this really deserves five stars for how thoughtful, realistic and just downright beautiful this was.

It ends with us was about Lily and her journey to end the cycle of abuse. It starts with Us is about Lily and Atlas navigating life after ending their own cycles.

PURCHASE HERE

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bestialchorus · 3 years

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The Invisible String- Chapter 5 (Final)

You feverishly kiss Donna back while rushing into the hallway, your grip tightens as she pulls you flush against her. To think, just hours earlier a simple grazing of skin burned your flesh like acid. But now you eagerly embrace each other’s desperate desire, welcoming all that was originally hidden in the darkness as it rises to the surface. You never could have predicted the woman returning your feelings, let alone with such vigor. You’ve only kissed and yet, Donna kisses you as if she’s trying to express something that cannot be said through words, speaking a language only possible through love and lust. Every touch is making it harder for you to keep your composure.

For a split second you think about heading to Donna’s room, only to quickly abandon the idea once you remember it’s full of dolls. You assume it best for all parties if you were away from prying eyes. The only witness to your passions is the grandfather clock you run by as you awkwardly enter your room, shutting the door behind you with a kick of your foot, your hands much too preoccupied to help.

Brilliant rays of sunlight shine into your window, illuminating the cozy room you’ve been occupying for the past year.

The bed dips under Donna as you lower her as gently as you can despite the haste in your movement. But the dollmaker has no intention of separating, you smile as she brings you down with her, bracing your hands on either side of her head. The plush bed anchors you as reality begins to melt away, all that exists is Donna and the little sounds of pleasure she exudes as you kiss her harder….but you want more, no, you needmore.

Donna almost protests when she feels your lips leave hers, only to release a small sigh once you start peppering kisses along her jawline. Already she feels slightly delirious, slowly catching her breath as you lovingly mark her skin and mark her you do. Donna cradles your face as you trial down her neck, softly gasping as you start to leave a hickey, her alabaster skin quickly bruises. The sensation is new for her but hardly an unwelcome one as she feels her core pulse, her body embracing, no, aching, for more. Warmth plagues her skin, making her head feel heavy as her physical desires start to take over. You make your way back to her lips, lightly nipping at her skin, leaving as many “signs” of your love as you can. You selfishly want to let the world know she is yours and you are hers. It’s primitive and a bit animalistic but you can’t help it, there’s something about the woman with veil trying to hold back her erotic sounds as you make her yours that brings out another side of you. The image of her snowy skin turning pinker as every touch overwhelms her is almost intoxicating.

When you finally pull away, heavy breathing fills the air as you admire each other. Her hair is sprayed across the sheets, finally free, crowning her with a dark halo. The image reminds you of the angels you’ve see on stained glass windows, appropriate considering you wish to worship her in every sense of the word. Her gaze locks onto yours, her eye is completely black now, like a void calling for you to get lost within it once more.

Donna places a hand on your cheek, worry evident on her face as her voice brings you back.

“Are you okay, Y/N? Is something wrong?”

You must have been staring at her longer than you realized.

You lightly shake your head, taking a few seconds to look down at her, REALLY look at her before answering. “You’re just……so beautiful, Donna.” You say with a breathy whisper, almost in disbelief of her existence.

Surprise flashes over her face for a few seconds, clearly not expecting such a response. Donna avoids your gaze as her cheeks flare up, her demeanor shrinks as she speaks.

“You just…..you’ve always just been too nice to me, Y/N.” She softly retorts, trying to find the hidden meaning behind your statement. *You don’t have to lie to me, I know what I look like*- she thinks, her expression riddled with insecurity and doubt.

Your eyes slightly narrow as you study her, gaze lingering as you try to process her statement, your expression unreadable as various emotions fill you. It pains you to think Donna believes you taking her bed is you simply being “nice”. But you know addressing a lifetime of anxieties isn’t exactly the best kind of pillow talk, nor is it something that can be helped overnight. But there is something you can do, right here in this moment; you can try to convince her, to show her your feelings go beyond “nice”.

The woman catches something flash over your eyes, but what exactly she can’t pinpoint. You ever so slightly bite your lip as you look away for a second before returning to her.

“I’m glad you think me kind, my love-“ You say while leaning down, your hair framing her face.

*my love* The term of endearment makes her heart skip a beat.

“..but it seems I’ve failed to properly show you how I really feel about you…” The bed creaks under you as you place a knee between her legs, the sudden pressure makes her gulp.

Your gaze locks onto her, “but I think I know how to convince you.” You finish with a low whisper, pressing your leg further against her. Donna loudly whimpers in response, quickly covering her mouth in embarrassment as she feels another pulse ripple through her core. Your own cheeks warm up from how erotic you find the sound…but you can’t help but want to hear more.

You gently remove her hand and give her a chaste kiss, her lips try to follow you as you pull away, wanting to explore your mouth once again.

“You sound as beautiful as you look.” You again overwhelm her with your words alone, your deep stare only adding to their meaning. Though you see disbelief in her eye- she doesn’t look away this time, almost as if this is her way of “compromising”.

You take your time as you lean back, bed creaking from the shift in weight as you straddle the woman, your gazes locked onto each other. Donna looks up at you, gulping as your stare doesn’t waver, instead, noticing your hand slowly start to reach towards her dress. Anticipation fills her veins as you inch closer. But right as you’re about to reach the buttons over her chest, you stop and hover for a bit before pulling back. Donna tries to suppress the anxiety that tells her “you’ve come to your senses” about wanting the one-eyed mutant. She instead tries to decipher the idea that flashes over your eyes. You catch the woman off guard, suddenly ripping your own outfit off with visible determination. You throw the clothing behind you with little care, showing no acknowledgement as it hits the floor.

You think it may be more comfortable for the dollmaker if you were naked first…and by the way she looks at you, you may be right.

Donna’s eye travels over your figure as sunlight highlights every detail. She looks up at you with what can only be described as awe, as if she was looking at an ethereal being for the first time. You never thought much of your body. But Donna’s expression says otherwise; for there is admiration there, mixed in with something you know too well, hunger.

“Y/N… you’re perfect.” She says earnestly and you can’t help but bashfully look away for a second as a crimson hue emerges over your face. She simply responds with a doting smile as it truly wasn’t her purpose to embarrass you, but she can’t help but adore every aspect of you, physical and all.

*Geez, for someone with little social skills she sure knows to make a girl blush.* You think while scratching the back of your head.

You try to regain your composure through a joke, “I’m sure you say that to all the girls, Mistress Beneviento.” Your voice low and coy.

Unfortunately, Donna refuses to let you recover, continuing to rattle your composure…all without even trying.

“You’re the only person I’ve ever wanted.”

She says without missing a beat. Her expression is as determined as it is loving, the seriousness behind the statement makes your heart race.

Oh, how you could write poems, novels, of how this moment sets your heart ablaze. How your love for this woman could be read as sermons of worship for those looking for the meaning of life, for you’ve found it in the face that looks back at you…but right now you can’t, for your mind is only full of static. Something is taking over, something more….animalistic. The heat you’ve felt late within the night as you dreamed of this woman is nothing compared to the flames that fill you now. Hell has awakened within you and it’s taking over…

Donna takes notice of how your breathing has quickened. You look down at her like a beast who has cornered its prey, she’s ashamed to admit that it excites her. Her gaze tells you to take her, to satiate your hunger and to not look back…so you do.

You capture her lips in a fevering kiss, running your hands down her dress. She quietly whimpers as she feels you begin to gently massage her chest through the heavy fabric. The pressure sparks heat between her legs, making it harder for her to kiss you as she moans against your mouth. Donna throws her arms over your shoulders as you deepen the kiss, anchoring herself as your tongue explores her.

The temperature in the room rises as Donna starts to realize just how sensitive she is, quickly becoming overwhelmed as your hands travel over her body. The dollmaker’s dress starts to feel tighter the more her arousal begins to grow. The offending fabric suddenly feels too heavy, almost suffocating as she aches for your touch against her skin.

Eventually your hands graze over the buttons on her collar once again, Donna holds you there with a fierce grip. The gesture makes you break the kiss, you look down at her in a slight daze. You’re met with a flushed Donna, her pale skin now wearing a prominent blush. The woman’s gaze travels down your body, taking her time before quickly flickering back towards her hands, squeezing tighter as she tries to tell you what she needs. You take the hint and begin undoing the first button, gently addressing her.

“Are you sure? There’s no rush.” You say with a slight shake to your head, looking to her for consent.

Normally Donna loves your patience but not now, not when she feels as if she could combust at any moment.

“Please, Y/N. Please don’t stop.” She pleads with a rasp to her voice, looking up at you with desperation. The image makes your cheeks burn, creating heat between your legs.

You lower yourself back down to her, matching her whisper. “Okay…” You claim her lips once again, “okay..”

Donna’s grip instantly loosens as you taste her again, hands surrendering as she feels you unbutton the rest of her dress. Your heart drums against your chest as you undo the final button, leaning back as you gently help the woman maneuver out of the outfit, finally removing it and her underwear with it. You toss the articles of clothing to the side, the fabrics gently smack against the floor.

Your eyes fall onto the woman before you. Donna sits on her knees; hands covering her chest as goosebumps naturally form over her newly bare skin. She wears a bashful look, trying not to retreat as your gaze travels over her. You notice the occasional patch of mutation over the right side of her body, very similar to her eye. But just like the rest of her face, the rest of her body is equally porcelain in nature. Everything about it is just so……perfectly Donna. You cup her face and softly smile at her.

“Thank you for trusting me…” You whisper while lightly caressing your thumbs over her cheeks. The woman hangs off your every word, taking in all of you as you take in all of her.

“Thank you for letting me see you…..but now I want to show you how beautiful I find you.”

Your words make her heartbeat quicker.

You position yourself behind her, brushing her hair away over a shoulder as your lips meet the back her neck. She relaxes under your touch, exposing more of her skin to you as she leans into your kisses. A sigh escapes Donna as she feels your hands trace over her the outline of her shoulders, lightly grazing over her skin with the pads of your fingertips, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Your amazed of how smooth she feels; even the bumps of her mutation feel almost inhumanely soft. Her skin feels less like skin and something more akin to satin.

“My gods, Donna..” You rest your head on top of her shoulder, looking down as you watch your hands makes their way towards her chest, slowly caressing up her body.

“You’re so soft.” You coo against her ear as you cup her breasts, making a shiver run down the dollmaker’s spine. Donna feels heat pool in her core as you massage her chest, quicky losing clarity as you lovingly fondle her. She moans, slightly squirming as she feels your fingers delicately claim her nipples, rubbing them between your index and thumb. To no surprise, your Mistress is quite sensitive, the nerves in her body ignite as her peaks pebble between your fingers. Her heavy breathing arouses you, making you release a shaky breath against her ear as your eyes shut for a moment. The sensation has her desperately seek your lips once again, turning her face towards with you with a silent plea.

Your mouths meet and her lips burn your flesh. Her moans fill you as her hands suddenly cover yours. Donna slightly keels over as your lips claim her shoulders, bed creaking under your weight as you singe her skin with more hickeys. Your dominate begins to hand glide down her body, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. You only have two hands and yet it’s becoming harder for the dark-haired woman to pinpoint where exactly she begins, and where you end. With every passing second your bodies blend more into each other, becoming one as your desires finally meet.

Donna takes a breath in as the tips of your fingers inch towards her sex, biting her lip in anticipation as you move a bit too slow for her.

“Please…” she rasps, already lightheaded.

You loudly moan into her ear as your fingers enter her with ease, realizing how wet she is, she’s practically dripping. “Fuck…”

Donna immediately covers her mouth as you easily fill her. At first your pace is slow, trying your best to slowly ease her into it as her walls engulf you. The dollmaker bucks into your touch, body urging you to speed up as she tries to focus on subduing her sounds but failing as they become louder from behind her hands.

“Please let me hear you, Donna. I want to hear you.” You breathe into her ear.

You accentuate the point by lightly biting her neck. You quickly make sure to soothe the sensation by running your tongue over it and sealing it with kisses. Too overwhelmed to refute, the dollmaker throws a hand to your cheek and the other over your hand, supporting herself as vocalises everything she feels.

Her sweet sounds fill the air; whimpers making your head spin and moans making you quicken your pace. The beast still rules you, telling you to mark her so the world knows she belongs to you but there’s something else here, something much softer. Donna begins to pant against your ear, making your core burn but that doesn’t matter right now, for all you want is for her to feel sweet release. You start pumping in and out of her as quickly as you can, hand starting to cramp up, but you don’t dare slow down.

Donna’s hand tightly grips yours as she finally keels over, landing on all fours as your body mounts her from behind, your hand never leaving her centre. You decide to try something out…

“You’re so beautiful, my love.” You praise her as you nip at her ear, making her whine and you decide to push further. You continue to whisper sweet affirmations, this in combination with your fingers pumping in and out of her makes her tightly clutch the sheets, knuckles turning white. You tell your Mistress how erotic she is, how her lovely mewls stir something deep within you, pressing your body further against her from behind. Wetness starts to drip down her thigh.

Without warning, the dollmaker loudly moans, her body slightly spasms once your fingers find a certain spot. Her legs start to shake as you repeatedly press against it, confirming your discovery.

“There! Please there!” She cries, rutting harder against your hand, desperately trying to add more pressure.

You answer her plea by tightening your grip over her body and suddenly upping your pace until its relentless. Your carnal desires take over as you hook your fingers into her, filling her as deep as you can while your palm roughly hits against her clit. Donna is barely holding herself up as you rail into her, pleasure clouding her mind as you grunt against her ear.

“Y/N…” She says in between ragged whimpers.

You involuntarily buck against her, your body moving on its own as you take her both from the front and from behind. You ferally pound against your mistress.

Your voice comes out heavy with desire, as you and Donna are cheek to cheek.

“Come for me, Donna….I want you to come for me, baby.”

Hearing your voice finally sends her over the edge…

The dollmaker almost blacks out as she comes with a cry, all of her builtup pressure finally released as her body goes limp. The woman would have collapsed onto the bed if you weren’t there to support her, you hold her flush against you. You lovingly kiss Donna’s face as you continue to gently finger her, slowing your pace as you help her come down from her high.

“You did so good, my love.” You comfort the limp woman in your arms, gently lowering her onto the bed as she tries to catch her breath. She looks up at you through hooded eyes, a lazy smile on her face as she feels completely at ease, it’s as if she’s released some sort of weight, she somehow feels lighter.

You return her smile and bring your hand to your mouth. You lick your fingers clean, keeping your gaze locked onto her, waiting for her reaction. A sudden blush appears on Donna’s face, eyes widening in realization as she gulps.

“You taste delicious, Mistress.” You say playfully.

The woman lays there stunned as another pulse sparks her core, blush deepening.

“Is that..possible?” Her voice quiet but carrying genuine curiosity.

For some reason you find the question endearing and you feel that softness once again. Without thinking you straddle her and lower yourself until you’re face to face. Her eye travels over you but different this time, it’s as if she was looking at you with fresh eyes, as if you’re still Y/N but meeting you again for the first time. You gently kiss where her right eye should be, taking a pause to look at her as you press another kiss to her lips. Your actions make you realize what this softness is…but you want to show her, just, without the beast.

She happily sighs as you she feels you kiss down her body, bringing her hands to your hair once again, lightly caressing your scalp. This is when Donna notices healed lash marks down your back, narrowing her eye as she tries to process them during the quiet moment. Confusion and worry fill her but right as she’s about to raise concern, she feels you kiss her inner thighs. Her gaze meets yours and without warning you give her sex a languid lick, never breaking eye contact. Donna bucks against you, feeling her arousal return as your tongue continues to worship her.

It doesn’t take long for pressure to build up within the dollmaker, her thighs tightening around your head as you suck on the sensitive bundle of nerves between her legs. But right as you feel her release coming, you stop- much to Donna’s disappointment as she whines. But you don’t leave her waiting for long as you quickly move back up her body, straddling her as you capture her lips once again.

But before she can register what’s happening you start to grind against her, rubbing your sex against hers. Donna holds you tight against her chest (consciously making sure she doesn’t disturb your marks), eye shut while gasping into your mouth as she loses herself to the sensation. It feels both heavenly and sinful. Sweat starts to run down your forehead as you give into the carnal pleasure, equally losing yourself to the moment. That is…until you look down at her.

The beast starts to fade away again, desperately trying to clutch at your senses but it’s no match for her…no one is. Your heart swells when you look at her, wound up to no end, hair in complete disarray as sounds of pleasure leave her. You now understand what the softness is…and it terrifies you. Insecurity riddles you once again as you ferally rut against her, feeling her wetness down your thigh. Donna arches her back off the bed as she’s about to come once again, further pressing herself against you as her toes curl.

No. Do not allow fear to blind you. Give yourself to her, ALL of you just as she has to you. Speak your truth and be brave, for she deserves that…and maybe..just maybe, so do you.

You feverishly capture her lips again and she matches your passion. “Donna? Donna, please look at me.” You almost plea between kisses.

Her eye flashes open, you see very little white in it, and you wonder if it’s a side effect on her mutation, regardless- it only adds to her beauty in your eyes. Donna struggles to keep your gaze as she feels you begin to speed up, responding with a shaky cry and you almost come then and there. But with the little composure you have, you speak.

“I love you…” You begin pounding into her with everything you have, the bed loudly squeaking under you. You press your forehead against hers as you continue, your entire body tensing up as your gaze locks onto hers.

“I love you, Iloveyou,Iloveyou, Iloveyou!!” You chant over and over again as you finally bring her over the edge. Donna arches her back and violently slams against the bed with a harrowing sob. Her eye rolls into the back of her head, nails digging into your back until she quickly goes slack under you. You come just seconds later; your voice caught in your throat as the smallest sound leaves you. You see stars before immediately collapsing onto the dollmaker.

The heavy breaths of you and your lover fill the air, a small smile appears on your face as you feel her hands embrace you, holding you in her arms. You hear her sniffle and use what little strength you have; you look at her. Remnants of tears can be seen in the corner of her eye and concern covers your face. But before you can comment Donna speaks.

“It’s okay, you didn’t hurt me, Y/N. Just a bodily response to overwhelming…feelings.”

Your worry is replaced with guilt. “I shouldn’t…so quickly- I should have waited-“ You’re stopped by her finger gently pressing over your lips.

“Shhhhh, believe me when I say I enjoyed every second of it. You would know if I didn’t.” She finishes with a warm smile. She’s right, you would. You can tell when Donna is lying or feeling uncomfortable by her voice alone and currently you don’t hear any discomfort in it (or see any for that matter).

Her smile suddenly becomes bashful as she awkwardly looks away from you, forcing herself to meet your gaze again as she speaks.

“I..I just wanted to say..” She gulps and anxiously stares as you as she works up the courage to continue. Whenever Donna struggled to say something, you always told her the same thing, time and time again; take your time, there’s no rush.

You decide to reposition yourself so you’re holding her in your arms, you place a kiss against her forehead.

“Take your time, there’s no rush.” You lovingly say as you bring the comforter over both of you. This seems to give her the courage she needs.

“I..I-I love you too, Y/N. Truly I do.” You smile at her as she characteristically blushes, and you tenderly kiss her once again. Though she hasn’t voiced it yet, the head of House Beneviento would kiss you for the rest of her life if she could. When you pull back you stop just a breath away and push some stray hair behind her ear. The air shifts as you address her, your voice soft but steady.

“I can’t believe it took us this long to say it….we make quite the pair.” You finish with a playful tone and Donna responds without skipping a beat.

“At least you didn’t have to get advice from the other lords…” She admits sheepishly.

Your mouth hangs agape in shock. Donna goes on to explain how she went to her fellow Head of the Houses for confessional advice, apparently some advice ended up being more helpful than others. She also admits that certain “meeting” days was simply a coverup so she could spend time at Castle Dimitrescu. Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters were especially helpful with listening and giving Donna the confidence boost she needed to tell you.

Donna tries her best to impersonate each of the animated members of House Dimitrescu and you listen intently, enjoying very much how comfortable she seems without her veil. It feels as if a wall has disappeared between you, and you couldn’t be more grateful. She giggles when remembering how defeated Alcina looked once the young women started suggesting “sexy” lingerie as “bait” (an idea she immediately shot down, but they continued anyway). You allow her to relive her memories, admiration in your eyes until a sudden realization hits you.

“Oh my gods, Donna…”

She looks at you, curiosity evident on her face.

“…..you seduced me. I can’t believe you would use your prodigious title to seduce a poor, innocent painter like myself. The rumors are worse than world could have ever imagined, Donna Beneviento; devious seducer of young maidens…who could have guessed.” You say while feigning shock. You add to your over-the-top performance by clutching imaginary pearls, hand splayed across your forehead.

Donna gives you the lightest smack on your arm while giggling but decides to play along.

“Oh, what will innocent maidens do with a menace like me on the loose?”

In a fluid motion you straddle her once again, lowering yourself to her face as you whisper.

“I suppose it’s up to me to help satiate your hunger. It’s the only way everyone will be safe.”

A pleased smile emergences on Donna’s face, happy of where the moment is going. “Are you willing to make such a sacrifice?”

You raise an arched eyebrow at her in response, fighting back a smile. You look down at her for a few seconds before going to whisper into her ear, your voice heavy with suggestion.

“That depends, how hungry are you Mistress?”

She answers your question by grabbing your face and bringing your lips back to hers, telling you she has an insatiable appetite but maybe just maybe, you’ll be able to help with that.

#tis #the invisible string #donna beneviento #donna x reader #female reader #re8 #resident evil village #wlw #smut

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lunarfly · 3 years

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Harmione Essay: the most underrated H/Hr hug

The Harry Potter movies did a great job at showing one part of book Harmione - they share lots of hugs. But this seemed to shift the attention from book Harmione hugs to movie Harmione hugs. And the situation is worse than you’d think. Many Harmione fans not only underrate some book hugs, but most don’t even know the existence of them. I’m going to be discussing the most underrated hug shared between Harry and Hermione. The one that happens in HBP after Dumbledore’s death. Here’s the hug I’m talking about:

They [Harry and Ginny] had reached the hospital wing. Pushing open the doors, Harry saw Neville lying, apparently asleep, in a bed near the door. Ron, Hermione, Luna, Tonks, and Lupin were gathered around another bed near the far end of the ward. At the sound of the doors opening, they all looked up. Hermione ran to Harry and hugged him; Lupin moved forward too, looking anxious.

In this scene, Harry had just seen Dumbledore’s dead body and Ginny was taking him to the hospital wing on McGonagall’s orders. Right as Harry stepped in, he looked around, everyone started looking at him and Hermione jumped in his arms and hugged him.

At first glance, this may seem like a regular H/Hr moment, just another one of their hugs. It may seem like nothing special, we don’t get a unique description of the hug like we did in OotP, for example, when Hermione “threw herself into a hug that nearly knocked him flat.” So you may think it’s not s big deal at all.

But it is.

We have quite a few things to keep in mind while analyzing this hug, one of them being the phrasing. As I said, this hug doesn’t get a unique description but there’s still one thing to note:

At the sound of the doors opening, they all looked up. Hermione ran to Harry and hugged him; Lupin moved forward too, looking anxious.

Hermione didn’t just wrap her arms around him, she ran to him. She was probably standing at the other side of the room but as she heard the “sound of the doors opening”, she immediately saw Harry and ran up to him just to hug him! It’s such a sweet moment.

That’s not all though. It isn’t only cute, it’s also deep and emotional. To understand this, we’ll just have to take a look at the context of this hug, which gives it most of its depth and beauty.

Here’s a rather long (sorry!) scene for some context:

Dumbledore turned back to look out of the fiery window; the sun was now a ruby red glare along the horizon. Harry walked quickly from the office and down the spiral staircase. His mind was oddly clear all of a sudden. He knew what to do.

Ron and Hermione were sitting together in the common room when he came back. “What does he want?” Hermione said at once. “Harry, are you okay?” she added anxiously.

“I’m fine,” said Harry shortly, racing past them. He dashed up the stairs and into his dormitory, where he flung open his trunk and pulled out the Marauder’s Map and a pair of balled-up socks. Then he sped back down the stairs and into the common room, skidding to a halt where Ron and Hermione sat, looking stunned.

“I’ve got to be quick,” Harry panted. “Dumbledore thinks I’m getting my Invisibility Cloak. Listen. . . .”

Quickly he told them where he was going and why. He did not pause either for Hermione’s gasps of horror or for Ron’s hasty questions; they could work out the finer details for themselves later.

“. . . so you see what this means?” Harry finished at a gallop. “Dumbledore won’t be here tonight, so Malfoy’s going to have another clear shot at whatever he’s up to. No, listen to me!” he hissed angrily, as both Ron and Hermione showed every sign of interrupting. “I know it was Malfoy celebrating in the Room of Requirement. Here —” He shoved the Marauder’s Map into Hermione’s hands. “You’ve got to watch him and you’ve got to watch Snape too. Use anyone else who you can rustle up from the D.A., Hermione, those contact Galleons will still work, right? Dumbledore says he’s put extra protection in the school, but if Snape’s involved, he’ll know what Dumbledore’s protection is, and how to avoid it — but he won’t be expecting you lot to be on the watch, will he?”

“Harry —” began Hermione, her eyes huge with fear.

“I haven’t got time to argue,” said Harry curtly. “Take this as well —”

He thrust the socks into Ron’s hands.

“Thanks,” said Ron. “Er — why do I need socks?”

“You need what’s wrapped in them, it’s the Felix Felicis. Share it between yourselves and Ginny too. Say good-bye to her for me. I’d better go, Dumbledore’s waiting —”

“No!” said Hermione, as Ron unwrapped the tiny little bottle of golden potion, looking awestruck. “We don’t want it, you take it, who knows what you’re going to be facing?”

“I’ll be fine, I’ll be with Dumbledore,” said Harry. “I want to know you lot are okay. . . . Don’t look like that, Hermione, I’ll see you later. . . .”

And he was off, hurrying back through the portrait hole and toward the entrance hall.

So I’ve highlighted the parts to pay the most attention to.

Basically, Harry rushes into the common room after meeting Dumbledore, Hermione asks him what has happened and she notices that Harry looks worried and is in a rush. She asks him what has happened and she’s anxious because she’s already worried just by seeing the look on his face. Harry answers “shortly” and runs to get the marauders map and Felix Felicis to give them to Hermione and Ron. He explains everything to them quickly, leaving out the details, and tells them what to do with the map and to take the Felix Felicis because he’s sure that Draco has achieved something which means no good. And now he’s off to this dangerous mission out of Hogwarts with Dumbledore where his life could possibly be put in danger! Just imagine how Ron and Hermione feel right now. Their best friend is taking a huge risk and is taking part in fighting the dark arts and he might not even return. They’re both looking “stunned” and Hermione is gasping out of horror! That’s right. Her worries and fears are sky-high. And now, after this short explanation, while Harry is “racing”, “speeding” and “dashing” to do everything in time and he’s going so fast that he’s running out of breath, “panting”, he’s just going to leave without saying proper goodbyes. The fact that this is all happening in such a rush is extremely important and meaningful because Hermione doesn’t even get to say a proper goodbye, she’s so scared and worried that her eyes are “huge with fear”, she doesn’t know what’s going to happen to Harry, whether she’s even going to see him ever again, she’s ready to reject the liquid luck so Harry can be safe, she’s trying to convince him to take the liquid luck, even after Harry says he’ll be fine with Dumbledore. She’s giving him the look of disapproval but before she can say another word and say a proper goodbye, he’s off again, hurrying to meet Dumbledore and his own possible death.

Just imagine how Hermione is feeling right now. And if that isn’t bad enough, Harry’s prediction actually comes true and death eaters start attacking! Ron, Hermione and Ginny barely survive the attack just by luck, literally. And now, when it’s all over and Hermione’s standing in a room in the hospital wing, desperately waiting for news along with the whole Order, Harry comes in. And she completely loses it. She runs to him and hugs him. Now do you understand the emotion in this scene? Both of them nearly died, she was probably going crazy thinking what could’ve happened to him, Harry was thinking and worrying about her too (”How long had they been away? Had Ron, Hermione, and Ginny’s luck run out by now?” “ Would he be responsible, again, for the death of a friend?”) and now they finally see each other and Hermione is probably feeling lightheaded knowing that he’s safe (compare to the DoM scene in OotP) and she hugs him. She just can’t do otherwise. And all of the unsaid “I’m so glad you’re safe” and “I’ve been so worried about you”s are all expressed through a beautiful and emotional embrace.

Now we know how deep this scene truly is. And imagine how beautiful this scene would be on screen. So much lost potential.

It brings a smile on my face imagining a worried Hermione running all the way across the room and flinging her arms tightly around Harry, hugging him and both of them looking so deeply relieved. Then quickly breaking apart as Lupin approaches “anxiously” and asks what Hermione doesn’t have the courage to ask.

The continuation of this scene is also nice. It’s Lupin who asks how Harry is, while Hermione stays silent but still stays next to Harry.

Nobody answered. Harry looked over Hermione’s shoulder and saw an unrecognizable face lying on Bill’s pillow, so badly slashed and ripped that he looked grotesque.

This shows they are still standing near each other.

And later everyone else seems interested in the conversation about Dumbledore’s death and Snape’s betrayal but Hermione doesn’t say a word. Like she’s still petrified from everything that’s happened and now this happened too.

Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and Ron groaned.

[...]

Almost against his will he glanced from Ron to Hermione, both of whom looked devastated.

She looks “devastated” and doesn’t say a single word until Harry directly asks her, it almost reminds me of the scene at the hospital when Ron was poisoned.

“So if Ron was watching the Room of Requirement with Ginny and Neville,” said Harry, turning to Hermione, “were you — ?”

“Outside Snape’s office, yes,” whispered Hermione, her eyes sparkling with tears, “with Luna. We hung around for ages outside it and nothing happened. . . . We didn’t know what was going on upstairs, Ron had taken the map. . . . It was nearly midnight when Professor Flitwick came sprinting down into the dungeons. He was shouting about Death Eaters in the castle, I don’t think he really registered that Luna and I were there at all, he just burst his way into Snape’s office and we heard him saying that Snape had to go back with him and help and then we heard a loud thump and Snape came hurtling out of his room and he saw us and — and —”

The rest is irrelevant. I just thought I’d mention that Hermione is whispering and she’s almost crying, on top of all of the battles and duels she went through and all the worries and fears she had before seeing Harry alive, now she’s shocked from the news of Dumbledore. This girl is so strong.

I know I wrote a little more than I should’ve but I just really love this moment. Their care for each other, their worries and their fears, that’s what strengthens their bond. They have the most emotional relationship out of everyone in the series. This hug was truly beautiful and much, much more than just a hug.

And to end this essay, I thought I’d give you something about hugs (they happen over 5 times between H/Hr in the books) in general:

“We love to feel loved, and we love to feel good. Hugs satisfy both needs. When you touch someone affectionately, sit or stand close to them, gaze into their eyes, or wrap them in a big bear hug, our body responds on all levels: emotionally, cognitively, and physiologically.

Oxytocin — the human love drug — is also released when we hug. This hormone reduces blood pressure and stress hormones. According to Medical News Today, oxytocin ‘contributes to relaxation, trust, and psychological stability.’ Over time, it makes us feel bonded with another person.

Oxytocin provides feelings of pleasure, contentment, happiness, and even euphoria. These feels feel great — and they’re good for you.”

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thosewickedlovelies · 3 years

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An Ode To Marcus Moreno’s Arms

Pairing: Marcus Moreno x GN!Reader

Rating: Mature

Summary: You’re a training specialist in swordsmanship at Heroics Headquarters, so you see a lot of Marcus Moreno.

Tags: Reader has a vivid (sexual) imagination, but there’s only a few brief sections.

Word Count: 2,272

A/N: This started out as an ode to his arms, but his arms are connected to the rest of him, so. Alternative title: In Appreciation of Marcus Moreno

My assumption/headcanon of his powers are telekinesis, plus general exceptional physical prowess and weapons skills? Idk, we weren’t given much, but those feel like solid abilities for someone implied to be the super among super heroes. Idk what this is but I regret nothing.

More content/worldbuilding set in this universe 💗

Marcus Moreno’s arms were capable of many things.

You knew this because you saw them on an almost-daily basis. You were one of the training specialists at Heroics Headquarters, one of a large, ever-expanding staff of instructors who were experts in their respective fields of combat or weapons. Your job, essentially, was to be a superhero minus the powers- and use your abilities to keep the Heroics in top form.

Your expertise was swordsmanship, which meant you spent more time with Marcus than any of the other heroes. All of the physical trainers and specialists sparred with the Heroics in mock villain showdowns, but you also helped them hone specific skills. You were here because your skillset and abilities matched Marcus’s.

So you’ve had plenty of opportunity to behold his arms at work.

One would think that they’d be most enticing mid-action, but it was a cosmically ironic fact that there was never really a wrong moment to ogle. How that man could make merely unsheathing his swords so erotic was beyond you.

But by now you’d seen it from every angle. You were as familiar with Marcus’s technique as you were with your own, and knew well the cycle of muscle contractions which rippled up his whole body. It started with his legs: setting his stance, primed and poised on the balls of his feet. Then every muscle in his torso, his clinging t-shirts sliding over taut flesh as they rode up with the lifting of his arms- his arms. Biceps suddenly incredibly present and visibly straining past barely-existent sleeves, tendons flexing rigid and obvious, a tangle of pathways you wanted to map with your tongue.

This show was best when he had started his day with tactical theory sessions, because then his expressive face got involved. Oh yes, it wasn’t enough for him just to be built the way he was, his face had to go and be attractive as well.

Tedious strategy debates with Miracle Guy during these sessions never failed to get under his skin- you could always tell how much steam Marcus had to let off based on the clench of his jaw. Or the way he’d drag his bottom lip over his teeth, nostrils flaring in an almost-snarl. When that happened you knew he gripped the hilts of his swords a little tighter, because you’d see the ridges in his wrist dip and pull like piano strings perpendicular to the line of his gloves. The blades would sing little sharper on those days, his arms freeing them in a jerk rather than their usual smooth, deliberate slide.

It was amazing you ever made it beyond unsheathing your weapons.

But oh, were you glad you did, because watching Marcus Moreno fight was truly a treat. The control he had over his body was remarkable; even when his limbs flung and stretched, they were to ready to contract again at a second’s notice. “Fight” was really too limited of a term for it- Marcus manipulated his body in an incredible harmony of mind and muscle, using his weapons- including his telekinesis- as extensions of himself.

You wondered sometimes how fine his control over his telekinesis was- if he could use it on himself. If he did use it somehow to give his blows that devastating extra speed and strength.

It was easy to understand, after witnessing him, why battle is often described as a dance.

On particularly ruthless training days, his tan skin would gleam with sweat. It would bead and trickle along the pulsing veins in his arms, drawing your attention even more, and salacious scenes would flash behind your eyelids: those same glistening forearms visible in your peripherals as they box you against a wall, that same intent glitter in his dark eyes as they come closer and closer, breathless, his chest heaving into yours-

You never let on to any of this though. You were a master of the blade, and had trained too thoroughly to let the appearance of an opponent get to you. Besides that fact, you would never do anything to risk your place with the Heroics. Although you were an authority figure, they were still superheroes, and thus unlike anyone else you’d worked with- it made for a challenging, stimulating dynamic in which you were constantly both instructor and student.

Even outside of the training arena, Marcus’s arms were a sight.

Holding data pads or writing utensils as he led the Heroics in discussions of group tactics, deftly manipulating characters onscreen or scribbling things on a whiteboard. Sometimes he would go to these sessions straight from physical training, and the cooling sweat on his skin would raise goosebumps all along the smooth flesh.

You observed how gently his arms could move in yet other circumstances.

Training specialists often joined in when the Heroics were given new gadgets to play with. And although these days tended to be slower, they still made you sweat. Watching the caution with which Marcus handled the gear at first, the slow care he reserved for things with which he was still becoming familiar. The precision and that control he always kept- even when his frustration slipped out in the form of snarky remarks, he was always conscious of his movements. As he gained confidence, the surety would return to his motions, his shoulders squaring in quiet triumph- his broad, broad shoulders, which you had imagined far too many times propping up your thighs while his hands and mouth were otherwise engaged between them.

You wondered if Marcus would treat your body like something new he had to master. If his hands would probe and caress with the same thoroughness. If the same wicked delight would steal over his features as he learned how best to coax you toward his desired goals; if his fascinated smirk would change after the thousandth time he had taken you apart.

It didn’t help that these sessions highlighted that he was a kind, competent teacher. His teammates exasperated him sometimes, but Marcus was the first to step in when one of them was struggling. A light touch to rearrange their stance, an encouraging word or smile. If you hadn’t personally felt the power thrumming under his skin, you would have never guessed that such a soft man was capable of his immense abilities.

Occasionally you had to remind yourself not to get all dopey-eyed when he was instructing the kids. If you thought he was patient with the adult Heroics, it was nothing compared to how he interacted with their younger counterparts. Equally firm and joking in turn, he taught them every trick he knew while desperately hoping they would never have to use the knowledge.

Some days were easier for him than others- the times they practiced with weapons could have unexpectedly diverting consequences. Marcus let Guppy hold his katanas, once- she was fully capable with her shark strength, but the vision of the diminutive girl brandishing swords that were taller than she was, her face aglow with a ferocious grin, had all the others in fits.

You swore he was suppressing laughter himself as he carefully took them away from her. His hands, already distracting enough, looked comically vast compared to hers as he delicately maneuvered them to pluck the swords from her grasp. Something about the sight of his thick fingers, resettling themselves around the hilts with reflexive ease, made your mouth dry.

His fingers squeezed other things, too, and it made flames leap low in your belly every time.

Lime wedges, on the rare occasions he indulged in drinks stronger than wine at the Headquarters bar. His friends’s shoulders, in affection and farewell, after relaxing with them at said bar following hard days. You longed to be one of those who Marcus slung an arm around in jest, a laugh shaking his shoulders and sparkling in his eyes. Would his skin be as warm as it was while swinging a weapon? What would his body feel like softened in mirth, instead of vibrating with focus?

You didn’t blame him for his more formal attitude during work hours. His days were busy, and you rarely saw him off the training mats. You had shared a few evenings with him on nights when the bar was quieter, though. He was perfectly friendly, treating you just like anyone else he was getting to know.

Tonight was one of those quieter nights, but you didn’t do more than cast a quick glance at the small group sitting in the corner before slumping to the bar. You were worn out today, and just wanted something strong and solitary before going home.

You sighed into the numbing wash of your drink, your eyes drifting shut. Nobody would bother you this evening; it wasn’t that kind of atmosphere.

Except- the barstool next to yours scraped against the floor.

You inhaled deeply, preparing to politely rip into whatever idiot was assuming you needed company- only to have the words struck off your lips by the apprehensive brown eyes of Marcus Moreno.

“Hey,” he said, clearing his throat. “I’m sorry to bother you. You can tell me to march right back to my table if you like, but uh, I just wanted to see if you were all right. After today.”

You could see that he genuinely meant it- he was perched only partially on the barstool, ready to take off again if you said the word. But his gaze was curious, concerned.

You brow furrowed. “After today?” you echoed, too caught off-guard to think of anything else. What could he mean? Nothing special had happened today. He’d disarmed you, sure, but it wasn’t the first time that had occurred in the eight months you’d been working with him.

Marcus shifted uncertainly. “You just seemed...tired. Reflexes slower than usual,” he noted wryly. “And, well. We have matching bags.” He pointed to his face, where dark shadows were visible beneath his eyes. He offered a self-deprecating, tentative smile, conscious that he was treading in new territory.

It takes you a minute to process. In all the time you’ve spent observing his fighting techniques to perfection, you’d never considered that he could have been using those same opportunities to observe you. It provokes a funny feeling in your chest, twisting your breath up in your lungs like tangled ribbon.

“Oh,” you murmur, surprised but unoffended by his mention of the bags under your eyes. “Well...I am tired today, I guess.” You took a sip of your drink, gauging his interest, hesitating before continuing. “My sister broke her hip, so she just moved in with me for while she heals. It’s been...a stressful transition,” you admitted.

He angles himself toward you, attention fully committed and eyes widening in sympathy. “Oh gosh, that’s terrible. Do you need some time off? I can clear it with the boss for you, work with Santino for however long you need.” He seemed to straighten up, as if ready to spring away and take care of it the moment you answered.

“No, please,” you chuckled in appreciation of his earnestness. “I might need a few shorter days, but neither of us need me fussing over her 24/7.” Both you and your sister were strongly independent. It meant that you had often been at odds when you were younger, but you were all each other had now, and had made efforts to improve your relationship.

Marcus nodded in understanding, settling again. He seemed at a loss for if he should leave or say something else, so you made the choice for him.

“Tired of getting your ass kicked in my lessons, Moreno? You know Santino doesn’t work you as hard.” Your fellow swordsmanship instructor was slightly younger, a newer hire who was still a little bit in awe of the Heroics.

You didn’t usually speak so flippantly to him, but his eyebrows arced high at the challenge, a smile tugging on his lips. “Sounds like somebody needs a reminder of who kicked whose ass today, ma’am.” Rolling right along with your apparent newfound playfulness.

You pinpointed, suddenly, what was different about him tonight, why this interaction felt different compared to your others. There’d always been an air of deference about him before, as if even outside of the arena he considered you a superior. But tonight he was just treating you like a peer, a regular person. Maybe it had taken your excessively dragging day for him to come to terms with the fact that you were a regular person, but the ice finally felt like it had broken between you and you just...talked, after that. For longer than both of you probably intended.

“Shoot, I have to go get Missy,” Marcus realized, catching sight of his watch. “But you- you’ll be here again? I mean, I see you here a lot.” He stumbled over his words.

Did he? It was true that you were often at the bar at the same time, but for him to acknowledge that meant that he actually noticed you. Remembered your presence.

“Yeah, I’m here pretty regularly,” you confirmed, cautiously hopeful.

“Good. I mean, I’ll see you, then- next time.” His voice rasped low, but there was a nervousness in his expression. He twisted his jacket between his large hands.

He wanted to see you again. “Yes.” You smiled at him, surprise and pleasure shining through. “I’ll see you next time,” you said with conviction.

His eyes crinkled in answer, and your breath caught. Your ordered yourself not to watch him leave the room.

You drove home with a quiet grin on your face.

#we can be heroes #wcbh #wcbh fic #marcus moreno x reader #marcus moreno x you #pedro pascal #pedro pascal characters #NOBODY LOOK AT ME

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akatsuki-shin · 3 years

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Review: 默读 Mò Dú (Silent Reading)

Notes:

(Very) long post ahead

Contains spoiler

This is my personal review and does not represent the entire audience, you are free to agree or not agree with what I’ve written here

Feel free to reply/send me a message if there are things you want to discuss

Using the Donghua poster because it fits the overall story more than the Audio Drama cover. :'))

Summary:

Yan City is a bright, bustling metropolis filled with all sorts of wonders, all sorts of people. From the richest occupying the city's most prestigious residential areas to the poorest huddling together in rundown slums, from the most fortunate blessed with a life of comfort to the wretched deemed to struggle until their last breath, from the virtuous walking in the path of light to the wicked lurking under the cover of darkness.

There is as much good as there is evil, and days gone by, people coming and going along with the passage of time.

Since their first meeting during a certain case seven years ago, Captain of the City Bureau's Crime Investigation Unit Luo Wenzhou thought he would never see eye to eye with Fei Du, son of a well-known conglomerate who inherited his father's position and wealth after the latter fell into comatose due to a near-fatal accident three years ago.

Words as sharp as knives dyed their bitter exchanges, even their personality was like the heaven and earth; the bold, blunt, and straightforward Luo Wenzhou - and the astute, secretive Fei Du, with his beautiful peach blossom eyes and a smile that is not quite a smile seducing countless people, his very presence seems as if it was covered under layers and layers of deceit.

Every single time they meet, they would always part on bad terms. Yet Luo Wenzhou would never have thought that a seemingly ordinary murder case of an ordinary deliveryman would lead him into the mystery of multiple long forgotten unsolved cases, turning over the Yan City and the City Bureau itself upside down, making him question his faith to those he respected and trust - and along with it, opening a door to the truth of Fei Du's past never once known to others.

STORY: 9/10

At first glance, the overall plot of Silent Reading seems neither extravagant nor exceptional. It's just one of those police drama where the main leads had to wrestle in a battle of wits with the villains looming around them, struggling to outsmart each other and eventually, bringing justice to those who deserve it.

But that is exactly what is so good about it. Silent reading could take all of those cliche and packed them into one nerve-wrecking, enticing journey from start to finish, complete with both intense and amusing interactions, and just the right amount of romance that does not disturb the flow of the main story.

And it actually does have its own uniqueness.

In most police dramas I've ever seen, the enemy is usually either a corrupt high-ranking official committing some hideous criminal acts by abusing their authority, or an individual/group with some very extreme values or obsession. Silent Reading, however, have both of those two most general types of villains in the story and what's more? It pits them against each other, pulling around and forcing the main leads to wreck their brains, slowly unravel the tangled mess until the truth finally comes to light.

The action and suspense, the atmosphere, the analysis, everything was almost impeccable to the point of perfection.

I have to especially give my kudos to how the author (Priest) structured the mystery in such a way, connecting one dots to the other from beginning to end. During the first few cases, I thought the resolution of the case didn't feel very solid, as if there are still some details that have yet to be properly elaborated. Yet halfway through, I realize that there is actually a bigger plot that encompass everything, tying all loose ends together.

And here, I would also like to highlight my two most favorite scene.

The first one is in Chapter 114-115 when Luo Wenzhou finally peeled of Fei Du's defense and for the first time exposed his true feelings, making Fei Du faced and spoke what he truly felt for Luo Wenzhou - that he really, actually did care for him. Their entire interactions and development up to this scene fits so well with these two main characters. There was no nonsense, no sappy crying and needless drama. Luo Wenzhou was as blunt as he was desperate and Fei Du, for once, admitted to the truth straight out with his own mouth.

The second one is in Chapter 157. In this case, one of Fei Du's most trusted men and an extremely important witness (that would later become their ally) were being chased and surrounded by thugs hired by their enemy. At this point of the story, the City Bureau was already in turmoil. Luo Wenzhou was suspended, nobody knows who they could or could not trust. Yet still, his subordinates all set out swiftly under his command and followed him to save the two witnesses, appearing at the most critical time.

It was actually a typical scene that exist in many police action drama, but given the development of the story, the well-built character relationship and interactions, I think it is Luo Wenzhou's coolest scene in the entire story and it makes me admire him a lot as the main lead and a leader figure.

One thing that does not quite sit well with me is Fan Siyuan's obsessiveness towards the late Gu Zhao. His motive for the crime was clear and I understand that he was using Gu Zhao's case as an example of injustice. But his extreme emotions whenever Gu Zhao was mentioned seems strange, even baseless. It makes me think whether he considers Gu Zhao as his own family or he was maybe madly in love with Gu Zhao, whereas in the entire story, unless I'm missing something, I have only ever known that Gu Zhao was Fan Siyuan's student - nothing more, nothing less.

CHARACTERS: 9/10

Silent Reading has a balanced, yet still very much appealing casts, from the major characters to the minor ones. Even the suspects and witnesses each had their own distinguishing features that didn't make them look like they were just there as canon fodders.

The composition of Luo Wenzhou's team itself is ideal; they've got the dependable leader, the smart advisor, the best friend and trustworthy right-hand man, the genius nerd, and the dependable aide.

I especially like Tao Ran (and I think most readers would agree with me). While he looks like the typical good guy type, he really, truly is a very good person. It's hard not to find him lovable. His relationship with Chang Ning was as cliche as it could get, but hey, as long as he's happy. Dude deserve it after everything he's done.

As for the two main leads, they are probably one of the most interesting couple I've found in the past few years.

Individually, Luo Wenzhou is the type of character I always like. He is confident to the point of having a narcissistic streak, but all of those are based on real talents and experiences. He speaks bluntly, but he cares for others through his action. He does not sugarcoat things and speaks the truth for what it is. Everything about him simply screams "reliable" as a leader (and a significant other to a certain someone). He deserves all of the respect and loyalty his subordinates gave to him.

Fei Du at first looks like a complex character whose real self is hidden beneath countless coats of pretense, but at the core, he is just a pitiful young man who does not know how to value himself, does not know how to love and be loved due to the abuse he suffered during childhood in the hands of his sadistic father. Despite his composure, his intelligence, his capability, he is almost like a lost little child, wandering in the darkness, going wherever the flow would take him until Luo Wenzhou pulled him out of that abyss. It is nothing less than commendable that he could restrain himself from succumbing into his father's manipulation, even if he has to correct himself through such extreme means for a long time.

And I'm glad that now he has someone who gives him the love he has long since been bereft of.

With Luo Wenzhou, Fei Du finally has a color in his life, someone to make happy memories with, and someone who genuinely love him for who he is. Likewise, with Fei Du, not only Luo Wenzhou got someone he could genuinely care for, he also finally has a place where he could relax, taking off the strong front he'd been putting before others all day long.

It was just so fulfilling to see two characters growing from "cat and dog" into inseparable lovers. They weren't sickeningly sweet, but just two people who are content with each other and would be each other's strength. I was especially happy when I saw how Fei Du changed his phone's ring tone into the one Luo Wenzhou in the extra chapter.

Now that I've finished reading this story, these two straight up went to the top of my all-time most favorite pairing list. But of course, this is just a personal opinion. Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du simply hits all of my favorite tropes, that's why. 😂

If I really have to point out one mini flaw, I suppose it's that the main villains aren't as appealing as the rest of the casts. They were practically overshadowed, even by some minor characters that only appeared for a short while.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS: 9/10

Just some very minor complaints:

1). When the story first introduced Fei Du in the beginning, it felt kind of abrupt. The narration had only been addressing him with his physical appearance, but suddenly they changed it into "Fei Du" with barely any proper start.

2). The international conference in Yan City (Chapter 2) was supposed to be a background information of the general setting of the first case, yet it was not properly mentioned at the start - rather, one sort paragraph about said conference was simply being slipped in the middle just for the sake to be there.

3). The switching of scenes between characters in the 3rd person POV are sometimes too quick with no signs of incoming transitions beforehand like taking shortcuts.

And by that, I mean that other than those three issues above, everything else was nothing less than perfect.

OVERALL SCORE: 9/10

A realistic story with perfectly balanced action, mystery, suspense, and romance - with a dash of comedy sprinkled at the right time and place.

Reading the novel from start to finish was nothing less than enjoyable. Whenever there needed to be a flashback or explanation, it didn't feel like info dump being thrown in all of a sudden.

I would like to point out a bit about the Zhou Conglomerate Case in Book 3.

Personally speaking, I think this is the most realistic case out of the others, and by that, I don't mean the crazy rich family drama.

The other cases in the books are something that to me feels "faraway"; murders, child trafficking, psychopath, organized criminal gangs. Yet in Book 3, due to the nature of the case, it was posted publicly for all to see, and damn if it didn't bring out the most annoying thing I actually hate in real life.

Clout-chasing media, meddlesome netizens commenting without thinking on the Internet, spreading personal information of the involved individuals without consent, handing down judgment based on rumors and personal opinions even if they have nothing to do with it (and know nothing about it), crashing the website due to mere curiosity, further hindering the police working on the case from doing their job.

They weren't thinking about those actually involved in the case, especially the victim. They don't care, or maybe don't even think that their meddlesome acts could cost a human's life because they see everything as mere passing entertainment. And if something were to happen because of their meddling, the most they would say is, of course, as quoted from Chapter 72:

"I didn't do it on purpose"

"I wasn't doing it to you"

"I didn't expect this to be the outcome"

"From a certain point of view, I'm a victim, too"

Even if I was just reading a fiction, at that moment I truly wished I could shut down the Internet for a bit. 😂

Anyway, amazing story. I might re-read everything from the start again when I have some free time.

#Mo Du #Silent Reading #Luo Wenzhou #Fei Du #ZhouDu #Review #Danmei #Priest

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thelightofthingshopedfor · 3 years

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gotta say I’m particularly pleased with Loki using magic fireworks to show off, because I literally put that in the Steve/Loki fic I wrote for @veliseraptor a few years ago, where they sort of grow up together as childhood friends because of handwavey time-travel shenanigans:

Loki shrugs, looking down. After a moment he says, “We Aesir live such long lives that we mark such events differently as we age, or at least that is the common practice. Young children’s birthdays are celebrated every year; later, perhaps the day is marked in small ways but is truly celebrated once each decade, or once per century for adults and those nearing adulthood. I am approaching that age myself, so it is not as though I expect a regular, lavish celebration or anything of that sort. It is only…”

“Thor gets a bigger party?” Steve guesses.

“A feast of some kind, most years,” Loki says, his voice flat. “It is good for our warriors’ morale, you see. When he turned 750, the festivities lasted nearly a fortnight, and he was gifted with Mjolnir, a weapon of great power. So I thought…well.”

“Yesterday was your 750th too,” Steve says (it still feels unreal to him to measure someone’s lifespan with numbers that high, but when he does the math in his head, he’s pretty sure that’s about equivalent to 15, so basically Steve’s age).

Loki looks down again and nods. “In truth, I am not sure anyone remembered this year was anything out of the ordinary.”

Steve and his mom have never had much, but she’s always managed to make Christmas and his birthday special in some small way, taking extra shifts to afford an art book for him or ingredients for a cake. He’s been a little jealous sometimes of the stuff other kids’ parents can afford, but he’s never, ever felt forgotten. In every other way, Loki’s so much richer that Steve can barely comprehend it, but—

“Well,” he says, “I can’t throw you a feast, but I can take you to Coney Island for ice cream or something.”

“Ice cream,” Loki says.

“Yeah, haven’t you—no, of course you haven’t had ice cream, that’s my fault. I don’t really want to spend money on the rides right now, but just walking around is fun, and I can at least do ice cream.”

“I would like that,” Loki admits.

***

“Here we go, this vendor doesn’t charge extra for toppings.”

Loki balks again when Steve pulls out his wallet. “You needn’t, truly.”

“I know,” Steve says. “But it’s your birthday, and I want to.” He buys them both double-scoop cones with chocolate sauce and hands one to Loki as they head down the boardwalk. “Careful, it’ll melt and start dripping if you don’t eat it fast enough. Uh, but don’t eat it too fast or you’ll get a headache. You just lick it.”

Loki smiles sidelong at him, looking faintly amused. “I think I can manage.” He licks at the ice cream once, delicately, and then his eyes widen a little and he returns to it with a lot more enthusiasm.

“I guess you like it,” Steve says, grinning.

“This is good. I wonder if the cooks at home could make something similar.” He catches a drip running down the side of the cone. “How is it made?”

“No idea. I bet we could look it up somewhere, though. I think it’s milk, ice, and sugar, mostly.”

“Mm.” Loki’s almost reached the cone already—maybe Asgardians just don’t get ice cream headaches—and is finally slowing down. “Well, if you can find me a recipe, I will see what can be done.” He neatly sidesteps a child running between them and smiles at Steve in a way that makes his heartbeat pick up. “Thank you, my friend.”

Steve ducks his head. “Glad you like it.” His own ice cream is starting to melt, and taking care of that keeps him occupied for a few minutes. Then Loki hops up to sit on the boardwalk railing, facing the beach and the water. Steve scrambles up next to him a lot less gracefully, but he manages, and for a little while they just watch the boats and beachgoers, with the Wonder Wheel standing sentinel overhead.

“When is your birthday?” Loki asks.

“July 4, actually. Just a couple months away now. There’s always…” His lips twitch. “My mom used to say the fireworks were just for me, like the city was wishing me a happy birthday too.”

“I am afraid this is another custom with which I am unfamiliar.”

“Right, yeah, of course. July 4 is America’s independence day, since back in—well, actually, that’s not important. Everybody celebrates with fireworks, they’re like colorful little explosions, and we don’t have a great view but my mom started taking me up to the roof to see better.” Steve laughs a little. “I think she felt bad after a while for telling me the fireworks were for me, but I’d already figured it out, and honestly I didn’t mind. I’m nobody special, I know the city’s not going to celebrate me, but it’s still nice feeling like everyone’s celebrating with me.”

“Well,” Loki says, “to your assertion that you are ‘nobody special,’ I would be inclined to point out that you are almost certainly the only living human to count a prince of Asgard as a friend. Which…focuses on me rather more than I intended.”

Steve snorts. “That was pretty much luck anyway, right? You could’ve stumbled across anybody.”

“True enough. But I met you instead, and I am glad of it. If either of us has cause to be grateful for that luck, I think it would be me.” He darts a glance toward Steve and then away, studying the shoreline, and Steve is suddenly struck by how beautiful Loki is. He’s noticed before, but not quite like this, with the breeze ruffling Loki’s hair and the sun highlighting those fine, sharp features Steve is always itching to draw. He doesn’t just want to draw Loki now, though; mostly he’s wondering what it would be like to kiss him.

***

The next time Steve sees him, it’s slightly more than two months later and he’s sitting on the roof sketching the skyline when Loki pops into existence next to him. He’s doing a terrible job of trying to hide a self-satisfied grin, so whatever his latest prank was, it must have gone well. Before he can ask, Loki says, “Your birthday is soon, yes?”

“Last week, actually.”

“Damn. I’d hoped to find you on the day itself, but—well, nothing for it now. I wanted…” He reaches into a satchel, hesitates, and pulls out a small wooden box. “I brought you a gift. A small thing, but—I hope you like it.”

Steve sets his sketchbook aside and takes the box, intrigued. The top opens on a hinge; inside, cradled in a nest of straw, is a black crystal ball about the size of Steve’s two fists, with a polished wooden base. When he pulls it out, flecks of color glint across its surface wherever the sun hits it. It’s pretty, but he can’t think why Loki would give him a fancy paperweight, and he’s not sure how to ask without sounding ungrateful.

“Put your hand on the sphere,” Loki says, his voice still full of suppressed excitement, “and think of your fireworks.”

Steve does. A tiny spark of light shoots up from the base of the globe and bursts under his fingers, then another and another, red and blue and gold and green, spiraling downward and fading out before exploding again, and his confusion turns to wonder as he stares at it. It’s like a snow globe but it’s full of little fireworks instead, fireworks that look just like the real thing in silent, miniature form. He turns it in his hand and the lights follow the motion, sinking back to and shooting out from what’s now the bottom, in spirals and spiders and starbursts.

“Fireworks in a jar,” Steve says. “This is incredible.”

Loki grins. “It is, isn’t it? I didn’t make the globe, of course, I bought that, but the enchantment is mine, built from scratch.”

Steve turns the globe again, marveling at the tiny little world in his hands. “I thought you didn’t know what fireworks were?”

“As it happens, they are a very old invention—as Midgard marks time, anyway—so I was able to observe some myself at a celebration of some kind in China, and I replicated those. So…now you have fireworks that really are just for you.”

The globe is slightly warm against his palms, and Steve closes his hands over it. “This is—way better than anything I gave you.”

Loki looks at him with a crooked smile. “I suppose that is a matter of perspective.”

I mean, I guess I was wrong about fireworks not being a thing on Asgard, but still, it’s fun. :)

#loki #steve rogers #loki show #loki spoilers #frostshield #steve/loki #fanfic #marvel cinematic universe #me shamelessly using new canon to plug an old fic? it's more likely than you think #look I'm practically incapable of finishing anything

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sugasugawarau · 3 years

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Happy New Years to you all! I’m a bit late in writing and posting this but I wanted to take the time to properly thank everyone who follows me for sticking with me :) I know I’m not the most active when it comes to writing or even making shitposts so I hope you know it means the world to me that you enjoy my content. While just because 2020 has ended does not mean things will get automatically better, know that you have the capability of making a difference both for yourself and others. I’m proud of you for coming this far and please remember to take care of yourself when you can <3

And I’d also like to take the time to thank some individuals who have made a huge impact on my tumblr experience and have made this year better under the cut! Be warned there are many words and also sorry for any typos I wrote this at 3am :D

I’m going to start off with a few major lo$ers (joking) aka my irl friends that have tumblr

@kbh-ton, @ashr00m, @kae-and-the-lost-dragons

Okay the fact that you all follow me here is EMBARRASSING because you have to endure perceiving me from a sorta totally different perspective but surprise hi,, ily 😹 I know ⅔ of you don’t even use tumblr that often but I digress!! Thank you?? Like I’m not kidding when I say I don’t know where I would be without any of you guys. Stinky pp Paul, you’ve been here with @/sugasugawarau since the beginning-ish and have always been supportive of my absolutely stupid ideas. And my sons AKA get cucked squad, this is going to be ultra sappy but I hope you know how proud I am of the both of you (but no thanks to one of you for teaching us about nussies 😕). Thank you all for tolerating my overthinking ass as well as whenever I get high from a lack of sleep and just in general bc I’m a constant mess of a human being; you are all the best people ik stfu I don’t take criticism.

To my first ever tumblr mutual, @tendouthighs

Hi Codie!! Ik we haven’t talked a lot lately but just know that I appreciate your endless kindness and how you’re able to keep up with my smooth brain antics in dms so much. You’re so funny and I’ll treasure all the jokes and headcanons we’ve made, I hope you’re taking care and doing well heading into 2021! 💖💕

To wife Lyra @yacoka

Miss… Thank you sm for dropping by my inbox all the way back in like June/July because otherwise I don’t think I’d ever have gotten the courage to dm you LOL. It would be an understatement to say that you’re the kindest and most easygoing person I’ve met on here - I hope you know how grateful I am to have met you and read your works (and for lending me your knives and just being so?? supportive??? truly idk how you do it but ily 😣❣️)

To wife Joy @lesbians4yaku

Joy!!! I really don’t know where to start because you’re just so amazing?? And we’ve been mutuals for as long as I can remember ajdjfka I’m just,, so glad to have met you and I hope you know how much I love seeing you on the dash, whether it’s being able to marvel at the genius that is your mind whenever you make a haikyuu shitpost or reading your tags. You always make me laugh and smile and I am wishing you both of those things in 2021 bc u deserve the best, love u 🤍🤍🤍

To Arell, the sweetest soul I know @g4nyu

You have a natural talent for being able to make me both soft ™ and also laugh as freely as Tanaka and Nishinoya with your relatable quips and jokes and I adore you for it. (Also.. can we talk about how absolutely gorgeous your writing is I will nvr shut up.. also also I am here whenever u need to be enabled to rave abt any and all Haikyuu or Genshin characters <33) ily and ty for being my mutual, I feel v lucky to have u in my life 🥺

To Cal, a goddess in her own right @heyhinata

Ma’am the way ily?? You’re beautiful inside and out and I have sm fun talking to you. Being able to call you a mutual and read your works is a blessing and I’m so glad we started talking in dms ajsjfja I’ll never forget plotting smaus with you to raving abt Genshin and making fun of B*n Sh*piro, hidden muppet 😍 Wishing you the best in all that you do!

To Rae, fellow Tim Hortona enthusiast @mehreya

Hi bae I just want to start off with a big thank you. You’re such a wonderful and invigorating person to talk to and I always feel at ease talking with you, and seeing you on my dash with your interactions with others is always a light in my day. And for u I will embrace the Oikawa kinnie in me any day <33 ly and have an amazing New Years 🥰

To Ria, the absolute best and only Ria ik @kumaoi

Omg hi sexc 😍 ahdjkfka idk if you’ll see this but hey,, fun fact even if we don’t talk as much as we used to I still love u sm and I hope you’re staying healthy and happy !! Meeting you was and still is one of the best highlights of my tumblr journey and I’ll always be grateful for your existence

To Gracie, writer of all things beautiful @sneezefiction

Gracie!! I hope you’ve been doing well since the last time we talked and that you’re enjoying the New Years to the fullest <3 You were also one of my earliest mutuals and I just wanted to say thank you for all the kindness you’ve shown me and for writing and sharing your works on tumblr. Sending love ! 💖

To the one and only angel, Yas @whipped-cream-writings

Yas bb we only became mutuals rather recently but I have sm love for you 🥺 Your kindness inspires me and your fics are the cutest things ever (pls,,, teach me how to write fluff ahfjfkka) Ilysm and I want to remind you that you’re so wonderful and amazing, sending you all my love for the upcoming year ahead !!

To Kay, who I will protect with my life @kayzume

Kay I don’t know how to even begin to put in words how glad I am to have met you in Lyra’s server,, you’re so sweet and you make me feel safe every time we talk. (Also THE DRAWINGS u made and shared with us,,, have I alr said ily bc ily and all that you do.) I know we haven’t chatted in a while but I’m sending you all my hugs and kithes always 💕💕💖

To mutuals I’ve interacted with some time during these months on tumblr and cherish a whole lot @taiyaaki @kageyuji @sophiawithstars @buddh-art @sa-suga @baeshijima @cherryonigiri @catharsisbabey @tris-does-stuff @tetsurolls @come-on-shitty-boys @iwas-angel @star-puff @voxamcris @azucanela @heartjime @miyafeuille @suikazura @deerixiie @hajiimes @skateme2yokohama @aliteama @yuujiya @omijime and many others but I think I hit the tagging limitajdhfka

Hi ily. You’re all such inspiring and talented individuals and while we may not interact frequently or know each other as well I wish we cld be ajfjjfa but I adore you all and I wish you an amazing New Year 🥺💖 (and if you ever want to talk, feel free to dm or smth! and I’ll try my best to be more active in popping into my mutual’s inboxes amhahshsj)

To the pillars of tumblr @sugardaddykenma @hina-wit-da-glock @nidaenk

You are all so special to me in that you are the reason I would wake up and get my butt on this hellsite and find so much fun and joy in the fandoms I enjoy - it’s not even the content you post but just,, your amazing and stellar personality and interactions with your followers and mutuals alike. Thank you for being a part of this weird space on the internet and I hope you are taking care and being kind to yourself, love u very much <33

#long post #happy new years !!#again #proud of everyone for making it here #bye i dont mean it to but that sounds so cryptic #i shld stop rambling in tags

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maddrmatt · 3 years

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A Beautiful Future: A Premonition or a Punishment? (SoKai Week 2021)

Greetings readers and fellow SoKai fans! It is I, the Mad Doctor, participating in SoKai Week for the second year running. This year, I have a special multichapter story that will be posted throughout the week. It’s going to be quite an emotional rollercoaster that I hope you all enjoy!

________________________________________________________________

Chapter 1: Two Hearts Become One

Radiant Garden

Dressed in an elegant white suit with golden highlights, Sora gazed over Mickey’s head at the long aisle ahead of him. It was going to be quite a walk. But it was going to be one worth taking given what was going to happen at the end.

Just then, music filled the air and Mickey began his walk. Once the mouse king was far enough ahead, Sora followed after him. ‘Okay. Here it goes. No pressure. It’s only the happiest day of Kairi’s and my life.’

As he walked, Sora took in his surroundings and marveled at how different the setting was from when, on occasion, he would picture his wedding day. ‘If the Keyblade had never come to me and I had never got caught up in my adventures, we probably would’ve been getting married in a simple beachside ceremony on the Islands with just family and friends from there. I never thought it would be in another world. Especially in front of a crowd like this.’

The Radiant Garden chapel that the ceremony was taking place in was indeed far from a beach setting. It had needed to be magically expanded to accommodate all the various friends from around the worlds that he made on his many adventures. There was even a giant screen hovering up front in the air so the guests could see the altar no matter where they were in the chapel.

There had probably never been such a gathering of guests in the entire history of the worlds. It was composed of various humans, animals (both regular and anthropomorphic), monsters, magical beings, artificial constructs and other kinds. And all of them looked incredibly happy to be there to witness this happy occasion.

Hercules pumped his fist. Rapunzel’s eyes were wet with happy tears. Stitch shot him one of his toothiest smiles. Jack Sparrow gave a salute.

Sora smiled at all of them as he passed by. ‘We may be shattering the World Order to bits for this wedding. But I’m so glad they could all be here today. Because they’re not just friends. All of them are family.’

Finally, Sora reached the altar and stood before Mickey. The mouse had never looked more like a king since he was dressed in his most official robes. It was fitting because he was the officiant for the ceremony.

‘Never would have imagined that we’d be getting married by a king who’s a giant mouse,’ thought Sora as he turned around and gazed down the aisle as his groomsmen, all dressed in matching black suits, approached.

Fittingly, the first groomsman to arrive was also the very first person Sora had helped in his lifetime. ‘I’d barely been born when I saved Ven. And because of him, I gained the Keyblade and became the hero the worlds and Kairi needed.”

Then came his former Nobody. ‘Roxas certainly earned his spot among my groomsmen. He gave up his existence to wake me up so I could stop the first Organization.’

Sora gave a little chuckle as he saw how identical Ven and Roxas were in their suits. ‘They truly do look like twin brothers. I can’t believe how many of the guests here really thought they were that.’

After Roxas, came the two who had been with Sora through nearly every step of his adventures. Donald and Goofy looked like proud parents seeing as how they had long considered Sora to be like another nephew and another son respectively.

‘An anthropomorphic duck and dog among my groomsmen. Now there’s something I definitely never thought I would have at my wedding. But I never would’ve gotten anywhere without them. Not that I would tell Donald that. Goofy maybe. But not Donald. He’d never let me hear the end of it.’

Then Riku came down the aisle. As he took his place right beside Sora, the two of them exchanged smiles.

‘Riku, I’m so happy that through everything that’s happened, our friendship not only endured but got even stronger. You’re my brother in everything but blood and there’s no one else I’d choose to be my best man.’

Now that all the groomsmen were in place, it was now time for the bridesmaids to come down the aisle. ‘My bride really didn’t have a lot of female friends when we were growing up on the Islands. Now, thanks to our adventures, she has plenty to fill her bridesmaids’ ranks,’ thought Sora.

The first bridesmaid to arrive, dressed in a pink dress that they were all wearing, came Olette. ‘She was probably the first person to call our story a romantic one. How right she was.’

Xion was next. ‘Her appearance is living proof that my strongest memories were always of Kairi.’

Following Xion was none other than the blue haired Keyblade master who was ultimately responsible for him meeting the love of his life. ‘I can never thank you enough for setting us up to meet, Aqua.’

Then came Kairi’s former Nobody. ‘I’m so glad that Naminè didn’t want to wake me up without my memories of Kairi. Although, I wish there had been a better way that wouldn’t have required Roxas and Xion to make sacrifices. Oh well. It all worked out in the end.’

Finally, came the maid of honor. ‘She may have been uninvolved in our adventures. But Selphie’s been Kairi’s oldest female friend, so she deserves to be maid of honor.’

Sora then gazed to the front rows of seats where the groups from Disney Castle, Radiant Garden, Twilight Town and Shibuya were all seated. In the very first row was Master Yen Sid, Terra, Axel, Isa, Hayner, Pence, Tidus and Wakka as well as his parents, Hayley and Jones who looked extremely proud of their boy.

‘Mom, Dad, I hope that our marriage turns out as wonderful as yours.’

Next to come up the aisle, was Pluto with Jiminy Cricket riding on top of his head. The dog had a cushion clutched in his mouth which upon it were two paopu fruits each in the middle of a crown of flowers. In the cricket’s hands was a cushion with two golden rings.

Once Pluto had reached the altar, he walked up to Selphie, who reached down and took one of the rings from Jiminy’s cushion. The dog then walked up to Riku who took the remaining ring. With the rings having been delivered to the maid of honor and best man, Pluto assumed a sitting position next to Riku until the time came for his next duty.

Then the music changed. All the guests rose to their feet.

After a short while, Sora’s eyes widened. Coming down the aisle, preceded by Chirithy who was scattering flower petals and between her adoptive parents Parker and Dorothy, was his bride.

Kairi was dressed in a lovely white sleeveless wedding gown. Golden designs were stitched into the fabric with an elaborate shape of a heart on her chest. Her hair had been done up in a bun and she was wearing a tiara with seven shimmering white heart-shaped jewels. In her hands, she carried a bouquet of flowers. Her eyes were bright with happiness and her lips wore a radiant smile.

‘She’s so beautiful,’ thought Sora.

________________________________________________________________

‘He’s so handsome,’ thought Kairi as she and her parents reached the altar with Chirithy taking its place beside Selphie.

The music faded and the guests resumed sitting. It was time for the ceremony to begin.

“Welcome all honored friends and family from around the worlds. We are gathered here on this most joyous day to witness the joining of Sora and Kairi in the sacred union of marriage. Who presents this woman to be married?” asked Mickey.

“Her father and I do, with all our hearts and with every blessing,” said Dorothy.

“We also say this on behalf of her birth parents and grandmother who sadly could not be here today but would surely be so proud of her,” said Parker solemnly.

A bittersweet feeling came over the bride. ‘I hope, wherever they are, they’re very proud. I just know they would’ve loved Sora especially after hearing about everything he’s done for me.’

Kairi handed her bouquet to Selphie and exchanged a loving embrace with each of her parents. ‘I can never thank you enough for taking me in, Mom and Dad. You’ve been the most wonderful parents I could ask for. I love you both so much.’

The bride then walked over to the groom’s side. Sora was then suddenly embraced by Kairi’s parents.

“Keep taking care of her, Sora,” whispered Parker.

“Just like you always have,” added Dorothy.

“I will. I promise,” Sora responded back as Kairi’s parents broke their embrace and headed for their seats.

‘And there’s never been a promise that you’ve failed to keep, my soon-to-be husband,’ thought Kairi as she took Sora’s hands into her own as Mickey started up again.

“What we are witnessing this day is the next step in what has been an incredible journey. Sora and Kairi began this journey as childhood friends. But although they were young, the light of love was present right from the start and it continued to grow over time. That light has guided them through many trials and tribulations throughout their lives. And now they have reached this day when their hearts, which have always shared a special bond, will now truly become one,” said the mouse king.

‘It certainly has been quite a ride for us, Sora. But everything that we’ve gone through, even the darkest times, has been worth it. Even more worth it since it has finally led us here to this day,’ thought Kairi.

“Sora, Kairi, your love and devotion for one another is greatly admirable. But while marriage is a beautiful symbol of that love, it is a commitment not to be taken lightly as you go through all the challenges that life will throw at you. But there is no doubt among anyone present here that the two of you will rise to meet those challenges together,” continued Mickey.

Kairi smiled at her groom who smiled back. ‘As many of our friends have said, when we’re together, Sora, there is nothing we can’t do.’

“Now, let us hear you both recite your vows of love for one another. And as Keyblade Masters, it is tradition to swear them on your Keyblades. Sora?” asked Mickey.

As he had been instructed by the Keyblade Masters, Sora released one of his hands from Kairi’s, held it out and summoned Kingdom Key eliciting a gasp from several of the guests. Planting the tip to the floor and kneeling down while not once breaking eye contact with Kairi or releasing her hand.

‘Okay, Kairi. Let’s keep it together. You don’t want to start crying and ruin Selphie’s hard work on your makeup. No matter how wonderful Sora’s vow is undoubtedly going to be,’ Kairi thought as the love of her life began.

“Kairi, when my adventures began, what kept me going was the thought of reuniting with the people I hold dear at the end. But looking back, I realize while that was true, it was not entirely accurate because the one I was fighting hardest to reunite with has always truly been you. You’ve always been the one who inspires me to be the best I can be, and you’ve always been the light that leads me out of the darkness and back to where I’m meant to be: where I can hear you laugh, see you smile and just be where we can share our lives and our love. So, this is my vow to you. As your husband, I will stand by your side in all things that may come our way whether it be fighting together to protect the worlds from the darkness or raising a family of our own. I will laugh with you in the good times and comfort you in the bad times. And most of all, I will love you now and forever even beyond the time we part for good.”

Kairi had bee successfully in refraining from crying. But it had been no easy task. Sora’s wonderful words of love had imbued her with immense joy.

As Sora rose and dismissed his Keyblade, Mickey turned to Kairi and said, “Kairi?”

‘Sora, that was absolutely beautiful. I only hope my own vow will touch your heart in the same way you’ve just touched mine.’

Like what Sora did earlier, Kairi held out her hand and summoned Destiny’s Embrace. She planted the tip on the floor and kneeled down while her eyes gazed into Sora’s while keeping one of her hands in his. It was fortunate that her gown had been designed so she had no trouble kneeling down for this part.

“Sora, when I first met you, it was during one of the darkest times of my life. There I was: a lost little girl whose home world was swallowed by the darkness and had been sent away to a strange new one with no memory other than her own name. And then there was you: a boy with the brightest smile who opened his heart to me and helped me build a wonderful new life. I don’t know what would have happened to me had you not become the friend that I needed. I realize now that it was not some random chance that we met. It was destiny. Destiny brought us together. Destiny always reunited us whenever we were separated. And now, destiny has led us here where our hearts will be united. And so, to you, I vow that I will support you in everything from the responsibilities as Keyblade Masters to bringing up our future children. I will always cheer you on and be your source of strength. And most importantly, I will love and cherish you for the entirety of our lifetime and beyond.”

Kairi looked into Sora’s eyes and saw a tear welled up in it. He too was clearly struggling to not make a scene. Her heart warmed to see that her vow had indeed succeeded in touching his heart.

Mickey wiped away a tear of his own from his eye as Kairi dismissed her Keyblade and rose up. “Those vows were beautiful, both of you. You should both be very proud,” he whispered to the bride and groom.

The mouse king then regained his composure and continued on with the ceremony. “The groom and the bride shall now exchange their rings.”

Sora turned away from Kairi. Riku immediately handed Sora the ring. After shooting his oldest friend a look of gratitude, he turned toward his future wife and took her hand into his.

“Kairi, wear this ring as a symbol of my oath to love you and my wish for the wonderful lifetime for both of us,” he said as he slipped the ring on her finger.

Kairi gazed at the ring. Engraved upon it, was a perfect recreation of the drawing from the Secret Place. A drawing that had evolved from simple childhood artwork to a foretelling of a very important moment in their lives.

‘Those Moogles certainly are quite the artists,’ thought Kairi.

“Kairi?” whispered Selphie snapping Kairi out of her thoughts.

‘Oh! Right! Time for me to give Sora his so we match!’

Kairi turned to her maid of honor who passed the ring to her. After giving her oldest gal pal a slightly embarrassed smile, she turned to her groom and took his hand.

“Sora, wear this ring as a symbol of my oath to love you and my wish for the wonderful lifetime for both of us,” said the bride as she slipped the ring onto the groom’s finger.

Mickey smiled. “And now, before we conclude the ceremony, there are two unification rituals that we shall observe. They are traditions that come from the two worlds represented here. First, from the bride’s world of birth, Radiant Garden, the flower crowns.”

Pluto left Riku’s side and moved until he stood before the bride and groom. With a smile of gratitude to the dog, Sora and Kairi reached down and each took one of the flower crowns off of the cushion.

“Entwined in these crowns, are three kinds of flowers. First, the yellow sunflowers represent your friendship, which was where the two of you began. Next, the pink carnations represent your love for each other that grew from your friendship and led you here. And finally, the white daisies represent the brand-new beginning of a whole new journey that two of you will share together in your love. Sora, Kairi, on this day, wear these crowns as symbols of everything your marriage encompasses.”

At the end of Mickey’s words, Sora raised the crown in hands and gently lowered it down onto Kairi’s head, careful not to disturb or obscure her tiara. Once he had finished, Kairi did the same, managing to get the crown past his usual spiky hairstyle that she loved so much.

Kairi then heard what sounded to be some snickers that could have come from either the audience or the groomsmen. Clearly the sight of Sora wearing the flower crown had amused some.

She shook her head with a small smile. ‘I can imagine he might be getting teased after the ceremony likely from Riku, Donald, Axel, Wakka or Tidus. I’ll have to remedy that by assuring him just how adorable he looks.’

“Now, for the tradition from the Destiny Islands. And it is one that carries a certain significance for Sora and Kairi: the sharing of the paopu fruits,” Mickey continued.

Once again, Sora and Kairi reached down to Pluto’s cushion. This time, they took the two star-shaped fruits from it.

“For those who do not know, there is a legend from the Islands that when two people share these fruits, their destinies are bound together, and they remain a part of each other’s lives no matter what. While Sora and Kairi have shared these fruits before, they will do so again here on their wedding day to renew and strengthen that bond.”

With that, Sora and Kairi began to reach their fruits to the other’s mouth. As they inched closer, they both recalled the day before their fight against Xehanort on the paopu tree, where they shared them for the first time.

‘Even if what followed that day were things we’d rather forget, the moment we first shared these fruits will always be one of our most treasured memories. But, this time, I know for sure that there’s nothing but good and wonderful things to come after we share them today,’ thought Kairi.

Finally, the fruits reached their mouths and simultaneously, Sora and Kairi took a bite out of the other’s. After chewing and swallowing, they returned the fruits to Pluto’s cushion. As the dog returned to Riku’s side, the couple took each other’s hands once again and faced Mickey.

Mickey gave them a smile. “Sora, Kairi, you have pledged your vows. You have exchanged your rings. You have crowned each other with the symbolic flowers. And you have strengthened the bond of your destinies with the paopu fruit. So, by the power vested in me as the king of Disney Castle, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Sora, you may kiss your bride.”

Sora took Kairi into his arms and the two of them exchanged the brightest smiles they ever shown. Their feelings of happiness could not be greater now that their hearts had been joined together.

‘It’s time, Sora. Time to make another memory to treasure for the rest of our lives.’

Closing their eyes and preparing for the thunderous applause that would soon fill the chapel, they slowly inched their faces closer together.

________________________________________________________________

But alas, the memory never came to be because the kiss never happened. At this exact moment, the wonderful dream had ended, and the dreamer woke up to a reality that was far less bright.

________________________________________________________________

Notes from the Mad Doctor:

As much as I hated to cut short what would have been a very lovely SoKai moment, it was necessary due to the path this story is going to take.

I really had to do some heavy research to make this feel like a believable wedding ceremony. I really hope I pulled it off and I hope you all liked what I included as special unification rituals. I always felt the paopu fruits would be used in Destiny Islands’ weddings and I also imagined flowers would play a part in Radiant Garden’s wedding ceremonies on account of the world’s name.

I was thinking, for the music that would play at this wedding, they’d use a new wedding rendition of Dearly Beloved for when Sora and the wedding party are coming down the aisle and an instrumental of Don’t Think Twice for the bride’s entrance. Any thoughts and ideas of your own, readers?

Now, I have mentioned this before in my other stories. But for the benefit of any new readers, I’ll mention it again. Since I couldn’t come up with good Kingdom Hearts-ish sounding names for Sora and Kairi’s parents, I decided to name them after recurring actors from Disney live-action movies. Here are their derivations:

Hayley, Sora’s Mother: Hayley Mills from Pollyanna and The Parent Trap (also doubles as a reference to Haley Joel Osment)

Jones, Sora’s Father: Dean Jones from the Herbie the Love Bug film series

Parker, Kairi’s Father: Fess Parker from Davey Crockett and Old Yeller

Dorothy, Kairi’s Mother: Dorothy McGuire from Swiss Family Robinson and Old Yeller

I give my thanks to whoever reads this chapter.

I’d also like to give a special thank you to my sister-in-law for helping me with picking out the best flowers for the flower crowns. I couldn’t have done it without her!

Comments, likes and reblogs are much appreciated! Stay tuned for we’ll be exploring what the subtitle of this story means as we go along!

________________________________________________________________

Onto the next chapter!

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zhowongli · 3 years

Text

footprints in the sand

notes: merry christmas, shin! being your secret santa and having the chance to get to know you were some of my highlights of these past 2 months :") i hope you like your present! merry christmas again, and happy new year! 💖 @gojjo

wc: 2.5k

summary: for once, kuroo does not look back. - kuroo centric, bokuroo

To Kuroo Tetsurou, family has always been the definition of love as he knows it. Love, he thinks with his six-year-old mind, is being happy despite scraped knees and dropped ice creams. He loves his mom, who holds one of his hands, his older sister, who holds his other hand, and his dad, who holds his sister’s hand. In those moments when his family is all together, Kuroo feels like he can conquer even the hardest kanji he’s learning that day or successfully hit the volleyball before it hits him.

As such, Kuroo loves going to the beach because it amplifies what he sees love as: his family is together, the skies are clear, and they can all play to their heart’s content by the end of the day. He loves wiggling his toes in the sand with his family. He loves leaving his footprints in the sand, marking his presence on this Earth, and he hates seeing them go so he keeps on retracing them. He loves watching the water crash into the shoreline as he jumps into the waves with his older sister, laughing without a care in the world. He loves building sandcastles with his dad and creating new stories about the imaginary residents of the castle. He loves eating shaved ice with his mom and hearing her soft laughter as she wipes away the mess he makes. He just loves them, loves life, loves love because it never fails to make him smile, never fails to make him feel like it’s truly the most magical thing in the world.

But for something that’s supposed to be the most magical thing in the world, love sure is fragile, Kuroo thinks bitterly, as he watches the slow decay of the warmth of his home turn into a cold house full of only memories. His older sister still holds his hand and tells him love will always find a way, but he thinks love must have lost its way when his parents separate and take his sister away. In a new city with an absent mother and a workaholic father, love becomes something that seems so dull.

His grandparents, of course, notice his downcast eyes and distant responses, so they take him to the local beach one evening. When he wiggles his toes in the cold sand under the setting sun of blended reds and pinks, he cries. He misses his parents, his home, the love that is his world as he knows it. His grandma pulls him into a hug and whispers comforting words, and his grandpa wraps his arms tightly around them both. For a while, he feels so warm, so loved, and he thinks that maybe love isn't completely lost, that love may just be in a different form.

When he finally stops sobbing, he thinks that while love as he knew it is different now, the love he knows now will be still as good. While the hands he's holding now aren't his parents', they are equally as warm. As he retraces his earlier steps that are now washed away by the ocean, he stomps extra hard to leave a deeper imprint and wishes that the ocean won't take them away. When he finally looks up and sees the soft glances between his grandparents and the tenderness in their eyes and honesty in their smiles, he thinks that maybe love isn't so breakable after all, that there is hope that love is still the most magical thing in the world.

~☼~☼~☼~

Kuroo is thirteen when he revisits the beach. He thinks of the text message on his phone and the worrying eyes of his grandparents during dinner, and he can't help but think that this really is over, that love is over. Nonetheless, he doesn't want his grandparents to worry, so he tries his best to keep his smile through jokes. Act normal, act natural becomes a mantra in his mind until he almost starts to believe it.

But when the clock ticks twelve and rings in a new day, he finds that he cannot sleep, cannot escape from the three weightless words sitting in his phone and heavy on his mind. He gets up and quietly puts on a jacket and his shoes before he tiptoes out his window.

The beach has always been a sort of solace for him. It reminds him of happier days in the past, when life was full of love and laughter, and it gives him hope for the future, where life will be full of love again. He is currently in the middle, in between a spot where he believes in love but love does not regard him. Now, he thinks that love may have abandoned him as he takes out his phone and stares at the text from his sister.

"mom's getting remarried"

In hindsight, he's not that surprised. The love between his parents, his family has long faded into sepia photos of the past, but he just couldn't help but hold onto a small ray of hope that maybe, just maybe love will return. He scoffs at his thoughts as he throws a rock into the ocean. It doesn't skip and sinks, and he almost wants to laugh because he feels that. He just wants to close his eyes and sink into the ocean of memories where his mother feeds him shaved ice on a hot summer day and holds his hand when he's too scared to go to the bathroom alone at night, where his mother is more than just an idea of someone who used to be here.

He walks aimlessly around the beach, each step is taken with another memory he has of his family, of love, and he finds that he keeps on looking back at his footprints, looking back as the waves kiss the shore and wash away his mark. He's angry, upset that the ocean is taking away the last means of his existence, of a love that no longer exists in this world, and he stomps even harder into the sand.

On his way home with blurry eyes, he accepts that this is now his new reality. He realizes that he doesn't understand what love is, that maybe he doesn't want to understand. Maybe love is just a fleeting concept of happiness, that love isn't so beautiful after all.

~☼~☼~☼~

Bokuto Koutarou comes crashing into his life just before he turns fifteen. If the world is a stage, then it is meant for Bokuto and his two-toned hair and loud presence on the volleyball court. He has so much energy, so much passion, and the way his every movement is so graceful despite his powerful presence amazes him.

Kuroo never realizes how bright Bokuto truly shines until he smashes the ball across the court, scores a point, and starts yelling a series of "hey" with the brightest smile. Soon, as he keeps getting blocked, his smile turns into a small frown until he feels so small. Kuroo thinks it's hilarious, but he also admires him a little bit for being so direct with his emotions. He's glad he sees Bokuto, sees Fukurodani in action before their game tomorrow.

Funnily enough, they meet in the showers after the day ended. Kuroo is humming a familiar tune from the science anime he's been watching, and as he hits the chorus, the door to his shower stall swings open. Bokuto stares at him in excitement, eyes sparkling and lips grinning. "Is that Dr. Stone?!"

Kuroo can only stare at him, frozen in shock. His mouth hangs open and his hands are still shampooing his hair. "Uhhh," he finally answers, "Yeah."

"Oh, yay! I love it! The science-y stuff is kinda confusing, but it's a lot of fun!! I'm really hooked on it!" Bokuto continues the conversation. Kuroo really wouldn't have minded it if Bokuto didn't interrupt him mid-shower by swinging his shower doors open.

"Oh, cool. I like the science-y parts too, but I get where it can get confusing," Kuroo nods in agreement, "Uh, do you mind if we continue this conversation after my shower?"

"Oh… Oh!!! I'm sorry!!" Bokuto immediately apologizes, "I just got excited!!!"

Kuroo laughs. It's been a while since he's met someone so interesting. "It's okay," he reassures, "I'll see you in 10."

Bokuto bobs his head into a series of quick nods before he leaves.

~☼~☼~☼~

When they hold an impromptu beach volleyball practice - or really, it's just mostly Bokuto, Akaashi, and him messing around - after training camp, Kuroo realizes that he hasn't had this much fun at the beach since his childhood. He's not sure why, but Bokuto has this power that makes him live, to just be, to just exist at this moment. Maybe that's why when the two of them combined, it is the definition of chaos that leaves Akaashi sighing before joining in.

As he looks at Bokuto trying to catch the waves, he thinks that maybe Bokuto is kind of like a wave. Like the first wave of the ocean crashing into him as he walks alongside the shorelines, Bokuto comes into his life the same way - by surprise, loudly and unapologetically, and it leaves him shaking to the core. Unlike the ocean waves that unkindly take away his footprints, he finds that Bokuto is the kind of wave that takes your sadness and brings it to the ocean with his boisterous demeanor.

He thinks maybe friendship too, is a form of love. One that isn't hand-in-hand with your parents as you play on the beach or sinking rocks on a lonely night, but one that is devoted and consuming, fun and loud, one that will make footprints in the sand with you by your side as he glances at his friends on his side, leaving a trail of footprints alongside his to let him know he's never truly alone.

~☼~☼~☼~

He’s not sure how he ends up at the local beach with Bokuto. The skies are clear, and the sound of the waves brings him back to his childhood days when his family is still together and love is in the form of his family. As he sees a lone boy sitting by the edge skipping rocks by himself, he remembers coming here by himself at thirteen, lonely and sad because love fails him. After all, it ends so effortlessly, so suddenly when his mother remarried. When he sees the bickering friend group sprinkle around the beach, it reminds him of the days when he would come here with his friends and learns that friendship is also love too.

“Hey,” Bokuto asks, head tilting to one side, breaking Kuroo out of his reverie, “Wanna build a sandcastle?”

Kuroo blinks once, twice before he laughs. It reminds him of his younger days when he’s building sandcastles on the beach with his dad, feeling like he’s on top of the world. When he sees Bokuto Koutarou, he learns that love can be rebuilt, that love is friendship but also volleyball rivalry and casual hangouts, heated cheeks and flustered stuttering, beating hearts, longing eyes, and lingering touches in between chaotic shenanigans.

“Let’s do it,” Kuroo grins easily and Bokuto mirrors his mirth.

Their sandcastle is nothing perfect or extravagant like the ones he used to build with his dad, but he finds that he couldn’t bring himself to care. This messy sandcastle, sloppy and flawed, is the most perfect one he’s ever built. It’s full of chaos, but it's holding its ground against the rising tides. It’s full of love as he knows it at eighteen.

Love, Kuroo realizes, is not what he expects. He knows love comes in many forms, and while he believes in love, loves love, it is a concept that seems so distant and foreign to him. He expects it to come in the form of someone gentle, someone who comes subtly, but love comes crashing in the rambunctious form of Bokuto Koutarou, boisterously laughing his way into his heart. The transition is quiet, soft, but love shines so brightly when one of his best friends is standing beside him, shouting something at top of his lungs as he watches the sunset. The fading oranges hit Bokuto's features, and it amplifies the natural glow of his personality, his sparkling eyes, and hearty laughter. He knows he can trust Bokuto, but love is just such a scary thing to fall in. So, he tries it out; he falls freely anyway.

"Hey Bokuto!" Kuroo starts, thoughts falling back to the four-letter word he's been thinking about a lot lately, "Catch me."

"Huh?" Bokuto barely breathes out as Kuroo sprints - quickly, purposely, desperately. As he leaps into the air, he can only fall, fall, fall, and hope that Bokuto catches him, that he doesn't have to be afraid, that he isn't the only one who sees the world in colors and feels the flutters of his heart.

He does. Bokuto naturally catches him with a grin on his face. He tilts his head in confusion as he holds Kuroo up. He doesn't understand where this came from, but he looks into Kuroo's eyes intensely and honestly anyway.

"I got you."

At those three words, Kuroo grins and accepts the deafening beat of his heart. Seeing his smile, Bokuto smiles too. His brown eyes flicker towards the fading oranges and reds of the sun, and as the ocean sparkles in liveliness, he feels the pulsing of his heart and finally realizes that the love maybe also like this - easily, full of laughter and crazy shenanigans, like someone who will catch him even when he's afraid to fall. He's not sure if it's love yet, but he's sure it's something because it feels like his soul has finally found someone to come home to.

Kuroo is eighteen and possibly in love, but he's not sure if he's ready to say those words quite yet. So, he settles for a short, “You’re awesome.”

Bokuto's laugh resounds loudly in the air and the sparks in his eyes shine brighter than the setting sun. There's a softness in there that makes Kuroo think maybe he isn't the only one feeling this way. In between soft, almost hesitant brushes of calloused hands and quiet laughter along the beach, Kuroo thinks that maybe he's not the only one dumb and in love.

After all, it seems like they do share the same brain cell most of the time anyway.

As they walk on the beach, toes wiggling in the sand and hands hesitantly, shyly touching, his habit of retracing his footsteps comes creeping into his mind. He always retraces them because he wants it to last, wants the world to acknowledge his existence, but when he feels Bokuto’s callous hands in his, he feels like he already won the world, that he’s okay that his existence is just briefly beautiful in this world, that love is finally here to stay.

He feels Bokuto squeeze his hand, and he smiles and does not look back.

#animangasecretsanta #animanga secret santa #bokuroo #kuroo tetsurou x bokuto koutarou #kuroo x bokuto #my last 2 brain cells #ahhh shin!!! merry christmas/happy holiday love!#it has been such a great honor to be your secret santa 🥺#i've never written bokuroo before so i hope it's okay!#i hope you had a good day at work <3 #sending you lots of love as always! 💖#sometimes i write things #also thank you annette for helping me with this and em for giving me confidence!! 🥺

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