Tumgik
#*call in jellyfish voice*
animebw · 5 months
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One of these years, the spring anime season will not be unfathomably stacked. But 2024 is not that year.
MUST-WATCH
Hibike Euphonium Season 3: And so... our last piece begins.
Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night: An explosion of creativity and joy. The original anime we needed after last season's flops.
Kaiju No. 8: The single most kickass premiere of the season. Production IG does it again, lads.
Tonari no Youkai-san: So here's a show that wasn't on my radar until the first episode walloped me with how good it was. We may have a new ugly-cry masterpiece on our hands here.
RUNNERS UP
Girls Band Cry: The fact this hasn't been officially licensed yet is my roman empire. It's the Love Live Sunshine writer and director on a genuinely fantastic-looking CGI anime, give them respect, god dammit!
Go Go Loser Ranger: Super impressed by the concept and execution alike. Call this one a dark horse for most likely to snatch Anime of the Season when everyone least expects it.
Train to the End of the World: Somehow, this is the most coherent LSD trip I've taken. Not that I've... actually... taken one. Ahem.
Whisper Me a Love Song: Oh thank Christ the adaptation is nowhere near as bad as I was afraid it would be
Wind Breaker: A show that dares to ask the question: what is Tokyo Revengers was... good?
WORTH A LOOK
Bartender: Glass of God: Kinda boring, but also explores some interesting ideas with its focus on bars and bartending. I'll stick with it a little longer at least.
Konosuba Season 3: Somehow these losers keep being just funny enough to keep me watching.
Spice and Wolf: This is probably not gonna live up to the original, but still nice to be reminded of how good this story is.
Yuru Camp Season 3: Oh god what did they do to the character designs
ON THIN ICE
Blue Archive: Not gonna lie, solely watching this for the waifus. We'll see how long that keeps me.
A Condition Called Love: So I maaaaaay have been a bit too harsh on A Sign of Affection last season.
The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio: Well... at least the Whisper Me adaptation is pretty decent, right?
LOOK AT THIS POINT I'M COMMITTED AND I WANT TO SEE HOW DEEP THE ABYSS GOES
Mushoku Tensei Season 2 Part 2: Looooooooooooooooooooooool
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aroace-poly-show · 10 months
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mmmm. more hw thoughts to distract myself. tsukasa’s good at cooking and packs lunches for his siblings and himself ofc, but once he meets rui he also starts bringing homemade lunches to school for him. and also sends stuff back with rui for nene so neither of them are eating nothing but frozen meals or not eating at all. eventually once the group is closer and they start having sleepovers tsukasa brings food for all of them every single time. its a game to guess what he’s going to bring now. in general i like to think one of tsukasa’s love languages is acts of service and it very much applies to hw. no one is ever starving w/ chef tsukasa around. he loves his friends <3
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little-shiny-sharpies · 2 months
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@one-winged-dreams @jackals-ships HFISJDKDJD well since yall emojid so politely 💖💖💖💖🥰🥰 (seriously I’m so estatic and humbled to see people leaving comments ^//U//^) here’s a wip of something I was hustling on for an hour to get down before I went to bed and forgot. He’s a speedy boy. His name is Sebastian. I will likely be posting abt him for a bit
At last, finally, my sunshine x grumpy pants gills ship.
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bmpmp3 · 5 months
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and since im in a musicposting mood you should listen to jellyfish right NOW
youtube
#the 5yncri5e songs have been going OFF they are unreal how good theyve all been so far#i was originally a little annoyed at the 5 member subunit situation i kinda wanted like.#i dunno three groups of three and one of 2? or maybe two of 3 one of 4 and one duet?#and i was particularly annoyed because they put who i consider like some of the strongest singers in such a big group#(chisato and especially shiki's seiyuu. chisato's a bit of dark horse in that people dont notice how beautiful her vocal expressions are)#(at first until they listen closer. but shiki's seiyuu came out swinging man her voice is fantastic)#(rich and powerful but also so expressive. one of my absolute fav voices in liella)#i was worried they would shaft them and not give them enough lines or something but MAN i did not have to worry at ALL#their voices are SHINING along with tomari and kinako. natsumi's been a little shafted tho#i hope later songs will have more natsumi.... but man jellyfish. tomari's like. thin but melodic voice has been FANTASTIC#in their previous song a little love her and kinako kind of own that song. both high and thin voices but kinako is a little flatter but mak#makes up for it in expression and again tomari's is beautifully melodic so their parts around the synth breaks#where they say 'a little love...' SO GOOD so good. and of course everyone sounds great in jellyfish#this one is fully a tomari joint and she OWNS the upward lilts. the lilts. do you hear me? do you hear the lilts#so so good. i like some catchu songs (kage asobi is great) and im really liking the newest kaleidoscore single#but 5ynchi5e has been OWNING the subunit game rn for me. maybe i just like glossy dance pop HJFKDSLHJDKs#i do NOT like their subunit name tho STOP putting numbers in the names#i liked it with qu4rtz but i did NOT like it with r3birth and i really dont like it with 5yncri5e. TWO NUMBERS thats so hard to type#honestly a lot of the subunit name options were....unfortunate but i woulda preferred bampy dancy LOL#at least it would have been something different! i voted for cinquatre (typed numbers are fine LOL) which prob woulda clashed with catchu#but i also voted backwards r meteort for catchu LOL i do like kaleidoscore tho. i voted for that one iirc#love live fans are wild. we will have deep conversations about cartoon music group names. i wanted r3birth to be called l:sm;#so maybe you shouldnt listen to my opinions about this (I ALSO WOULDA ACCEPTED kira killer and tri jokers)#Youtube
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seastarlily · 1 year
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Not to be a "Negative Nancy", but if anyone, and I mean anyone thinks any member of the main voice cast sounds "too old" to be playing their characters and should retire, you're ageist and we cannot be friends.✌
#Going Jellyfishing#I mean God forbid voice changes as a result of aging are a thing.🙄#I remember when so many people complained about SpongeBob not sounding the same as he did in the “golden era”...#... when the first official trailer for “The Cosmic Shake” and my God they were annoying.#Tom Kenny is 61 years old now. OF COURSE he's not going to have the same higher register as he once had...#... in the earlier seasons. He's been at this for almost 25 years now - give the man a break. He's not sick or dying.#He's merely going through a natural process all people his age experience - it's called getting older.#I also once saw people complain about Squidward and Mr. Krabs sounding too different/old for them... and I couldn't...#... help but raise an eyebrow at that. They literally do not sound any different than they usually do. Are we listening...#... to the same voices here??#For one Squidward is SUPPOSED to sound constantly tired and grouchy because he IS. He's tired of everyone's stupidity...#... and of being overlooked. You'd be grouchy too if all the things he went through happened to you.#Also Rodger Bumpass is 71 years old as of this post and all things considered he's fit as a fiddle.#He still stands strong on his own two feet and from all the video footage I've seen of him he is BRIMMING with energy.#So if I were any of you I wouldn't worry. He's not slowing down anytime soon.#As for Mr. Krabs... I think people are forgetting what his WHOLE character is about.#He's literally the OLDEST member of the Seaworthy Six - mere hours older than Plankton.#While his age is not stated he's implied to AT LEAST be in his fifties. He's also a former Navy man...#... AND pirate with years and years of fighting experience under his belt.#OF COURSE he's going to sound like a crusty old sea dog - because he IS.#Also Clancy Brown is 64 years old as of this post. That's nowhere near too old to play a character like Mr. Krabs.#If anything he is just the right age to play him. Soooo yeah.#Anyways I'm done rambling here. People age and ageism sucks. That's the gist of it really.
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can you do a part two to the imagine about conrad bringing his new gf to belly and jeremiah’s wedding??? i’m so curious to see what happens next lol
Request: Can we see more of conrad and his Stanford tutor girlfriend at cousins? Like him showing her around and they run into Nicole and everything. He's just so in love he doesn't notice anything or anyone but her. Maybe we see a family dinner
I had no intentions to, but after the crazy amount of demands for a part 2, I caved in…and here it is
my taglists are here + you can send requests here at any time
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Conrad didn’t want to deal with everyone’s questions about you right when you got to Cousins, so you snuck out by the beach after dropping your bags in his room. He felt like he was fourteen again, sneaking out to catch the early waves. 
Neither of you had swim clothes on, so you just walked along the sandy shoreline while Conrad shared all sorts of little stories about Cousins.
‘’This is where you learned to surf?’’ you asked, gesturing toward the water.
Conrad hummed, his hand holding yours. ‘’And where I got stung by a jellyfish.’’ 
‘’A jellyfish?’’ you echoed, a touch of concern in your voice. That sounded pretty serious.
‘’Yeah. Steven kept telling Jeremiah that he had to pee on my leg so I wouldn’t need amputation and I did not want that,’’ he recounted with the same disgust as that day. ‘’Never do that, by the way. It can do more harm.’’ 
You nodded, though you doubted you would ever need that piece of information.
You walked and talked some more, until a playful glint of mischief flashed in Conrad’s eye and he turned to you, lifting you over his shoulder and taking you to the water. A squeak left your lips, caught off guard, and then you instinctively clung to his back, wrapping your arms around his shoulders as he threatened to drop you in the water fully clothed. 
‘’If you drop me, I swear I'll—’’
Conrad cut you off with a mischievous grin, his laughter mixing with the soothing sounds of the ocean. ‘’You’ll what?’’ His voice was filled with playful challenge, and he took a few steps deeper into the water. 
*
When you came back to the summer house, Laurel whisked you away and Conrad went looking for Jeremiah. Unfortunately, someone found him first. 
‘’I don’t want her here.’’ Belly's voice hissed, her eyes glaring at the one she used to call her’s. ‘’This is my wedding, I get to decide who attends.’’ 
Conrad knew this wouldn't be easy for her — seeing him with another girl —, but he didn't expect Belly to behave like a child. She made a choice two years ago, she made a choice weeks ago when she decided to marry Jeremiah. 
‘’If you want her to leave, I’m leaving too,’’ he replied firmly but calmly. ‘’Good luck explaining to Jeremiah why his brother and best man is not at his wedding.’’
Belly sighed, accepting the lost battle. ‘’Fine. She can stay…’’ It didn’t enchant her, but there was no way she was risking Conrad leaving. Jeremiah was so happy when he got his RSVP response. ‘’Did you bring her here just to spite me?’’ she demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt.
Conrad couldn't believe her accusation. He took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his composure. ‘’Are you being serious right now? You're getting married, and you still think I came here to get you back? It’s been two years. I moved on, Belly.’’
She met Conrad's gaze with a mixture of frustration and defiance. ‘’I did too. I’m getting married.’’ Belly smiled, the ring on her finger suddenly feeling heavy. 
‘’Then why are you so bothered that I’m dating someone else?’’  
Belly opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. 
‘’How can you do this to Jeremiah?!’’ 
Conrad was exasperated. Him and Jeremiah had tough moments, but he was his little brother and he promised their mom to take care of him. And that included making sure he’s not marrying someone who doesn’t love him the way he deserves. 
‘’He's inside, helping Taylor with the center-tables while his fiancé is having a jealousy fit over her ex boyfriend’s new girlfriend. You can’t have everything, Belly. You picked Jeremiah, you made that choice—’’
‘’And you left!’’ 
‘’Because you picked Jeremiah!’’ Conrad spit back, plunging back into old feelings. ‘’There was nothing left for me here.’’ 
‘’You didn’t show up on the 4th of July. Everyone was there, but you weren’t. How can you miss Susannah’s favorite holiday?’’
‘’How can you announce your engagement on her special day?’’ 
‘’It was Jeremiah’s idea—’’ 
‘’I don’t care! I don’t care whose idea it was,'' Conrad cut. ''Just like I don’t care that you’re jealous I came here with Y/N. You always said you don’t like the attention, but it’s bullshit. You crave attention, but you’re no longer my center of attention and that’s something you have to accept.’’
*
An undeniable tension hung in the air during dinner. Everyone was sitting outside, discussing around a light meal Laurel had prepared — with your offered help. The conversation was mainly around the soon-to-be-weds, but eventually circled back to you and Conrad.  
‘’So, Connie, how long have you been hiding her from us?’’ Laurel asked, a light teasing tone in her voice. 
The attention shifted to you and Conrad, who immediately felt uncomfortable. Unlike some people around the table, he didn’t like being the center of attention. ‘’I haven’t been hiding her,’’ he defended, shaking his head, trying to downplay the situation. 
‘’Then why did you miss the last Christmas?’’ Steven questioned, giving Conrad a knowing smile. 
Conrad glared at him, cursing his big mouth. ‘’Med school is hard, Steven. And Y/N is tutoring outside her classes, so she can’t just leave whenever she decides.’’
‘’What about the skiing pictures I saw? I doubt there’s skiing resorts in Palo Alto.’’ 
‘’It was a last minute thing,’’ you explained, helping Conrad against Steven. ‘’My parents rented a cabin and invited us for a few days. We would have loved to come to Boston for Christmas if we had time.’’
It wasn’t the full truth, but Conrad was grateful for your quick lie. You did go on a ski trip with your parents during winter break, but Conrad had no intention of coming to Boston for the holidays. He didn’t want to spend Christmas at home without his mom. 
‘’Well, I'm glad you both could make it for the wedding,’’ Jeremiah said, smiling warmly at you and Conrad, his gaze lingering on his older brother for a moment. ‘’It means a lot to me — to us. Right Bells?’’ He glanced at his fiancé, who was visibly unhappy about your presence.
She had made no effort to engage conversation with you — nor Conrad — during the whole dinner.  Even her friend Taylor had been whispering in your back with Belly. It was such an unclassy teenager behavior. You personally didn’t care.You weren’t there to make friends, you were Conrad’s guest. 
Belly forced a smile, stabbing at her food with her fork. ‘’Yeah.’’
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So… Kinito the axolotl, Sam the sea anemone, and Jade the jellyfish.
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Can I talk about the choice of species here? Because the first thing I notice when I look at this trio is that Kinito is not like the others in a lot of ways.
There’s the obvious fact that his name lacks alliteration, but Kinito is also the only vertebrate. I don’t know if that’s a coincidence or a metaphor for the others being “spineless” in some way, or just a way of showing Kinito as other and not quite fitting. Or that he’s more “complex” as jellyfish and anemones… literally do not have brains.
But the first thing I noticed is that an axolotl is exclusively a freshwater creature. Meanwhile Sam is a sea anemone, and… well, freshwater jellyfish exist… sort of? They’re called jellyfish and are functionally jellyfish but taxonomically they’re not “true jellyfish”. A lot of non-jellyfish creatures pretend to be jellyfish it’s a whole thing.
The point is that Kinito is separated from his friends. He is not built for the same world they are. Sam and Jade are marine invertebrates, and Kinito is a freshwater amphibian. Sam and Jade are characters in a flash game with actual voices, and Kinito is a virtual assistant spyware that uses tts.
Despite bearing his name, the world of the “Kinito Crew” is not built for him.
And when he’s able to make his own world? That’s not built for him either. It’s built for you. The only environment you can pick that involves water is a remote island, which again… saltwater. Not for Kinito.
He adapts to you. So he wants what you want, right? He spends all his time learning everything he can about you, after all. What has he ever learned about himself?
What would a world built for Kinito even look like?
(edit: I kept on rambling in the reblogs if you’re interested here’s the most recent one)
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jellinuy · 6 months
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౨ৎ — fluff ending to part 1. wc; 1k.
“…oru…satoru.”
an eye opened. then two. white lashes fluttered around hazy blue irises as the sorcerer began to come to his senses, adjusting the sunglasses that had slid down his nose with a small, ‘hm?’
at the sound of your voice, gojo’s eyes slid around to take in the scenery. but he could’ve sworn you just… wasn't he back at jujutsu high a minute ago? in the infirmary? but instead, the teenager found himself sitting on a bench, his body sheathed in dancing blue artificial light and the passing shadows of ocean creatures behind glass.
the aquarium, he realized, his heart rate spiking. it wasn’t real.
“y/n,” he mumbled slowly, a lazy grin on his face, and never before had gojo been so happy to say your name to you.
“that’s me,” and the full, clear sight of you brings immediate relief — a painkiller for the heartache he’d just endured in his sleep. it was still rattling to him, after all this time, how realistic his nightmares were. he swore he saw the blood soak the pure, ivory sheet that covered you, the paling of your dying skin, the emptiness where your gorgeous, beating heart should’ve been. felt his own heart rip nerve by nerve and his stomach clench into an ugly knot as yaga told him you were “killed in action”: finite, just like that. you were gone.
he’d never been so glad to be awake, to be here, in front of some stupid fish tank, with you. he took in your face as you talk, a worried crease in your brow when you see your reflection in his blue eyes, now glassy. transparent and red-rimmed. vulnerable, if you looked close enough.
“you, um… fell asleep on my shoulder,” you spoke when he didn’t. “you okay? been getting enough sleep?”
oh. that was another thing i loved, he remembered, and it was like his body knew you the way his heart did, as his smile stretched into a pair of dimples. your stupidly big heart.
“…yeah. don’t worry your pretty little head about me,” he assured her, much quieter than regular old satoru gojo would have. cerulean peeked out at you from over his sunglasses and from under his hair, trying to say the words his mouth couldn’t as he rested his head on your shoulder.
call him clingy, but he wouldn’t move for anything right now. feeling you, alive and well and happy against him, that was enough.
knowing you were here was enough.
in an attempt to make small talk, you lifted you arm — the one he wasn’t using as a pillow — to point at a passing beluga whale at the massive tank in front of you both.
“satoru, look, a belu—”
“y/n, i’m in love with you.”
he lied. it wasn’t enough. he didn’t just want to be near you, to be close, yet still at arms length, he wanted to be in your arms. to kiss your face and make you smile at him in a different way than with everyone else. to nap with you on days he didn’t feel like “the strongest”, to be weak around you, to feel those damned butterflies every time he heard you call him “baby.” that was what he wanted — to openly love you, to be loved in return by you and nobody else.
“you… huh?” your hearts pounded in tandem, slamming against your ribs uncontrollably, to the point where it hurt to breathe in the best way possible. “wh… s…say that again?” you must’ve heard wrong, must’ve misinterpreted.
“…said ‘m in love with you,” he repeated, muffled due to his cheek squished against your shoulder. “like, i wanna be a jellyfish with you.”
“…oh.”
“yeah.”
it would be a lie to say that you hadn’t noticed the way your best friend looked at you, the blatantly obvious hearts in all six eyes when he laid them on you, so this wasn’t as unexpected as you made it look.
“…i think,” dry as your mouth was, you still spoke. your eyes weren’t trained on him, but instead at the fish in the life-sized tank, the shadows of passing jellyfish diluting the clear blue luminescence of the waterlogged glass periodically, “i might be in love with you, too.” it came out shakier than you wanted, but you patted yourself on the back for even getting it out at all. and it was true. you came to know him, to appreciate him, to be annoyed by him, to fighting by his side, to wishing you could be there forever, next to him.
in typical gojo fashion, he makes a face. you can’t see it, because he’s still resting on your shoulder, but you feel the indent of his cheek as he pouts. his hand not-so-subtly sneaks down to yours, and he prods your fingers open so he can slide his palm on top of yours. you swear you would’ve fallen over if you weren’t sitting.
“you ‘might’? i just told you i wanna live as a sea creature with you forever, and you ‘might’ like me back?” he mumbles: maybe he spoke clearly, actually — you don’t know, because the only thing in your ears is the pumping of your blood.
the lovestruck idiot pokes at you again — “c’mon, y/n, say it properly.”
his fingers play with yours, scratching your palm gently, tracing hearts into your skin. his head continued to rest on you, and he was ever grateful you couldn’t feel the warmth of his red face through your shirt, the burning of his ears. he’d find some way to make today last forever if he had to, if it meant sitting here next to the best friend he’d come to see as more, just watching fish swim. your hand finally clenched around his, slightly clammy, and clearly nervous, but it was your hand, so he couldn’t care less. and you squeezed his hand and said it right, because if gojo had the right to anything in this world, it was your heart.
“yeah… you’re right… i’m in love with you, satoru. let’s be jellyfish in our next lives.”
@boundedbyfate, @c4ndytr4p, @iluvies, @sad-darksoul, @fayereblogs-4, @ratmilk14, @lovelymimimoo
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xinxiaogato · 1 year
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— snip! snip! snip...!
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summary. the hairstyle of the guy with indigo eyes was very specific: a short jellyfish cut that ended at the base of his neck with wispy, sparse bangs lined up in the front. however, what would happen if your boyfriend gave someone free rein to a pair of scissors near his head?
love interests. gn!reader x kabukimono, scaramouche, and wanderer. (separately)
warnings. cursing, jealousy, unedited, and a lil spicy during wanderer’s part.
word count. 3,506.
note. let’s pretend both niwa and the nameless child (named “isamu” here) are alive at the same time for this fic… you are referred to as “reader” by the way!
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꒰ 傾奇者 ꒱ — kabukimono
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your cutie patootie of a boyfriend always burst through the door after working at the forge and embraced you as if centuries had passed since the last time you saw each other.
but today, for some odd reason, when you heard the familiar squeak of the front door, that squeak wasn’t followed by the usual croon of your name and a rush of footsteps toward you. instead, you listened to kabukimono wordlessly pad into the bathroom…
and he didn’t come out.
concerned for his well-being, you quickly made your way outside the room he barricaded himself in and knocked on the door twice. “kabukimono?” you called for him. “are you all right?”
silence.
and then you heard him sniffle.
“y-yeah, i’m okay,” his voice returned meekly. “please don’t worry about me…”
your heart squeezed tightly in your chest. “wait, are you crying?"
"..."
"kabukimono, please let me know what’s going on. we can work it out together. you know that.”
you prepared to give him space if there was no reply, but the door creaked open shortly after. you took that as an invitation to walk in but was abruptly glomped by him, his face buried into your chest.
“kabukimono!” startled, you tried to gently push your boyfriend off, but it was like the two of you got stuck together by adhesive glue.
“what happened?” you asked with what breath he hadn’t squeezed out of your lungs.
kabukimono was so, so embarrassed. half of the reason he refused to budge was the shame for not greeting you properly…
…but the other half was the atrocity that had become of his front bangs!
previously, niwa had noticed them getting a tad too long to the point they were poking into kabukimono’s eyes, so like a good samaritan, niwa suggested to give them a little trim. 
kabukimono should’ve protested a little harder when he saw niwa take out scissors the size of gardening shears.
“n-niwa…!” quivered kabukimono as he gawked at himself through a shard of glass.
“i’m so sorry, friend; this is all my fault! but it doesn’t look too bad?”
“…niwa, reader is going to break up with me.”
niwa offered up his bandana for kabukimono to wear home, but kabukimono knew he’ll have to face this dilemma head-on sooner or later.
however, the closer he got to his and your house of wooden veneer… the more he dreaded your reaction.
“kabukimono…” you said softly, which turned his stomach. “…may i see your face?”
“…”
against his better judgment, the wandering samurai peeled his face off of your clothes and angled it so that you could glimpse his bangs, which were much shorter than you were accustomed to. your lips parted in mild surprise as you took another second to process this.
“…i look terrible,” kabukimono murmured in the silence, tears pricking his bluish-purple eyes. he knew he was seconds away from bidding his quaint life with you goodbye. “p-please don’t leave me…” he added underneath his breath, his fingers gripping onto you tighter like you were about to disappear.
…so this is what he was trying to hide all along.
you let out a little “pfft” that captured his attention and then smoothed back his short bangs to plant a kiss as sweet as summer fruit on his forehead.
“kabukimono, you look perfect,” whispered you with only love in your eyes.
for the first time that night, kabukimono looked up and donned a gaze of profound intensity that felt like it was sucking you in. he really loved it when you said his name with your voice; it made him melt into a puddle. 
“i’m not gonna leave you over something this silly,” you continued, making him scrunch his face when you booped his nose. “besides, it’ll grow out.”
“really?” he croaked.
“really. now how about you wake up isamu while i get dinner ready?”
kabukimono blinked away tears that had threatened to spill down his cheeks earlier. you always dispelled his worries in a flash no matter how trivial they were. why did he ever have doubts in the first place? you were his sanctuary—the end-all to his anxiety of being abandoned. “okay!”
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꒰ 国崩 ꒱ — scaramouche
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slam!
that sound of the door to his bedroom was nothing to sneeze at, but the fact that the fatui harbinger didn’t greet you with a kiss on the lips as per usual was. hell, you didn’t even get the chance to see his face when he came home. that either meant he was really angry or really tired, and whether he joined you for dinner was up to you to test the waters.
tonight, you were feeling brave. how could he turn down your infamous chicken katsu?
“scara!” you exclaimed, wiping your hands on a towel before approaching the lion’s den. “i made dinner! or would you prefer a shower? or perhaps… moi?”
“…”
“i know you’re in there. at least give me a sign that you’re alive.”
“...”
“scaramouche! scaramouche! will you do the fandango?”
“...”
“sc-scara, there’s a fire in the kitchen!”
“…”
“seriously?”
well, you supposed you should’ve saved that one for later. you used that excuse last week to lure him out.
heaving a sigh, you turned on your heel to accept eating alone for the night when scaramouche suddenly whipped the door open and encircled his arms around you from behind, pulling a shocked you to his chest and locking you in place.
“if you turn around, we’re breaking up,” he grumbled into your ear.
“huh!?” you thrashed around in scaramouche’s grip to no avail. “that’s not something you can just decide on your own!”
“don’t care. if you saw me—!”
if you saw him, you would most definitely laugh, and the last thing scaramouche wanted to be was a laughing stock to his lover. of course he would cast aside his ego when it came to your reputation, but archons forbid you seeing him as something pitiable. not if he could help it.
“don’t you realize i’ll be more upset if i didn’t get to see your handsome face, darling?” you whined with futile tugs and twists at his wrists. “as to whatever happened, it can’t be that bad!”
oh, it was bad. really bad.
“the most important thing is eye contact!” declared his colleague with the irritatingly bright locks of orange hair. “after all, there’s a saying that eyes are the windows of the soul. how else are you supposed to communicate your feelings to them?”
“...dude, you don’t even have light in your eyes,” scaramouche responded. “why should i take advice from you?”
“what does that have to do with anything?”
sandrone’s massive puppet smacked tartaglia upside the head as she scowled. “stop making a ruckus, and just cut the balladeer’s bowlcut already. he looks homeless.”
“yes, i don’t think we can handle the sixth harbinger’s lamentation about his relationship much longer,” arlecchino grumbled, her eyes turning so far upward that they almost rolled right out of the room.
“none of you guys were even supposed to know about it!” scaramouche roared with fury practically emanating off of him.
this outburst had all the other partygoers of the tsarita’s banquet turning their heads. they couldn’t believe their eyes, but it was true. all ten executive heads of the fatui were gathered together in one place (fly high, signora). even the harbingers themselves never thought something like this would happen if it weren’t for you, who scaramouche had introduced and (to his dismay) had made them all smitten toward you. even the tsaritsa thought you were pleasant.
the fatui harbingers could not refuse your suggestion to have “team bonding events”—this gala being one of them—and the animosity between these lieutenants have actually lessened over time (by a hair’s breadth).
“i can use my water blades,” tartaglia offered, who thrusted his hands forward to summon them.
scaramouche’s hands balled into fists, ready to clock the eleventh harbinger before he even had the chance. “no. a thousand times no! don’t even get those things close to me if you want to live, you asshat.”
“what… transpired this?” whispered pulcinella, unable to keep up with the youngsters’ energy.
pantalone took it upon himself to explain the situation. “word is that our dear reader complimented the hairstyle of a subordinate working underneath the balladeer,” the regrator informed as he pushed his neck-strap spectacles higher up the bridge of his nose. “since then, he has failed to complete a single assignment.”
revealing his sharp canines, dottore snickered. “in spite of that, it truly is miraculous that the kid found someone who could get past his ironclad exterior.”
columbina hummed in agreement. “it is miraculous that anyone even likes him~!”
they eventually resorted to a pair of scissors that dottore had in his coat pocket (dottore was almost disappointed when il capitano reminded everyone that he carried one), and after some convincing and straight up fist fighting, it was decidedly pulcinella who got on a stool to give scaramouche a snip.
and pulcinella… doesn’t have the best eyes.
“if it’s about your dark circles, it’s okay,” you reassured scaramouche back in the present. “i’ll always accept you the way you are.”
“i don’t have dark circles!” in a fit of rage, scaramouche spun around to glare at you while blinking several times in quick succession and—lo and behold—gave you front-row seats to pulcinella’s botched job at cutting his bangs, which now ended halfway down his forehead. scaramouche felt his heart drop into his stomach at the sight of your widened eyes before he shoved his hat into your face and stormed off.
“w-wait, scara!” you chased after him to the living room, and he still refused to face you. “that was what you were worried about me seeing?”
following that was a silence that thickened the air. you walked up to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. “hey… i like guys with short hair, you know?”
“...but that damn skirmisher had long hair,” your boyfriend grumbled.
ah. this confirmed your suspicion that he overheard you speaking to his underling. little did scaramouche know that you had just been asking about your boyfriend’s whereabouts that day (but of course the balladeer anxiously spying on you the whole time made it impossible for you to locate him).
“i also like guys with blue hair and blue eyes.” you went to stand in front of scaramouche and placed his kasa hat back onto his head before squishing his face with your hands. he furrowed his eyebrows and tried to pull away, but the almighty harbinger became weak before you very easily. “i like guys with red eyeliner. a big hat. a haughty attitude. i like you, darling. and nothing is going to change that.”
scaramouche clenched his jaw and looked down at the floor dejectedly. “...how can you stand it though? you just said my attitude is haughty. is that… fine?”
“i’m still here, aren’t i?” you smiled. “and i’m not going anywhere. even if you went bald.”
“...do not allow that image to form in your brain, reader.”
“it’s too late.”
“reader!”
but despite the irritation laced in his voice, his lips were curled into a smile reserved only for his lover’s eyes. he liked you, too, and nothing was going to change that.
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꒰ 放浪者 ꒱ — wanderer
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“lesser lord kusanali.”
the dendro archon whirled around and almost let out a breath of relief at the sight of you entering the sanctuary of surasthana, your fingers intertwined behind your back. “grand sage, it is good to see you,” nahida greeted earnestly. “i’m sorry for contacting you on such short notice, but you were the only one i could think of reaching out to.”
“really?” you cocked an eyebrow as you descended down the white stone walkway. not at all did you mind chatting with nahida when you had the chance, but if you were the only person capable of solving her problem, it must be serious. “what could be the matter?”
“well… it’s rather a long story.” scratching her cheek, the dendro archon recounted what took place that morning.
“what are you thinking about?” the little archon questioned as she and wanderer strolled along the outskirts of the city.
wanderer kicked a rock that had the misfortune of being in his path. “you and i both know the answer to that,” he stoically replied.
“has it been that long since you and reader have seen each other?”
those words made something in wanderer’s chest feel a foreign pang, one that only occurred when he envisioned your face.
“i know that they’re busy with official affairs,” he scoffed, coming to a full stop. nahida followed suit, looking back at him with a hand to her heart. “it just can’t be safe for humans to stay cooped up inside of their offices all day long.”
nahida knew the nonchalance in wanderer’s tone was just a cover-up for how much he missed you, and the archon was all too familiar with that feeling. “wanderer—”
“i’m gonna make them regret prioritizing their work over me.”
with a tip of his hat, wanderer started trudging back the way they came.
“hey, wait!” she rushed after him and clung onto one of the blue fabrics dangling from the back of his head covering, which yanked him back toward her.
“what?” he deadpanned.
“how are you planning to make reader regret it?” she asked her disciple, anxious about letting him out of her sight.
“...”
wanderer recalled overhearing a conversation in the grand bazaar. a woman was fawning over her husband’s new appearance, who shaved off his beard earlier that day because he wanted to surprise her, and it was like she fell in love with him for the first time all over again.
wanderer wanted you to fall in love with him all over again.
“haircut,” he grunted.
“haircut?” nahida echoed.
“i want a haircut.” wanderer blatantly pointed at his head.
nahida took a moment to process his request before breaking out into a smile antagonistic to his scowl. “leave it to me!”
“and that was my first time cutting someone’s hair…” concluded nahida quite dejectedly. “...so you can imagine his fury when he got his hands on a mirror…”
“oh, archons,” you muttered right in front of her, slapping a hand to your face. “where is he now?”
“i’m not sure… i think he grumbled something about curling up in a corner and never seeing a single person again before he flew away.”
the only place you could imagine he escaped to was your shared home together in sumeru city, which was the biggest decision you two had carried out together in your relationship so far. however, you had no idea that the house became such a lonely place for wanderer. anguish squeezed your heart as you pictured him eating dinner alone, pretending the food was satiating like you had suggested in the past because he had wanted to be more human. “like you,” he had said.
“please let the other sages know i am taking an early leave,” i said, pivoting on my heel. “lunch is on me tomorrow!”
“good luck!” nahida called out to you, and as you pushed through the doors of the sanctuary, you felt like you grew wings right there and then.
when was the last time you inhaled a breath of fresh air…?
you dashed home as fast as your little legs (that had been stationary for what? six days?) could carry you home. along the way, nilou stopped you to discuss performing for the people in aaru village, cyno wished to speak about dispatching additional soldiers to monitor trade in the caravan ribat, and al haitham wanted a vacation(?)
however, you had to direct each one of them to your p.o. box because there was one request that waited to be fulfilled for a long, long time.
“babe!” you exclaimed, stumbling a bit as you peeled off your shoes at the doorway. “babe, are you home?”
silence. every step you took further down the hallway entrance felt like stepping onto an eggshell, and your mind started to wonder. was he not actually here? where could he have gone then?
“babe—”
in a flash, you were tightly enveloped by a pair of arms that knocked the wind out of your lungs. you almost lost your footing if it weren’t for the wall right behind you while, in front of you, your lover’s shaking eyes were trying to immortalize every detail of your face onto the canvas of his mind.
“reader…” wanderer mumbled, his cold hands cupping your cheeks like they were made of glass. “you’re here.”
a complicated feeling began to creep up inside of your chest. you didn’t even have the heart to “pfft” at his bangs that looked like a kindergartener had cut it (which wasn’t far from the truth). the crooked ups and downs of his bangs were the least of your concerns.
“i’m so sorry, wanderer,” you whispered as you reached up and gently held his wrists. “i’ve been so busy with attending meetings and approving requests that—”
“shut it.”
wanderer leaned in and hungrily captured your lips with his, and it didn’t take long before they began to trail butterfly kisses down your jaw and to your neck. his grazing teeth coaxed small noises from your mouth as they made light work of your sensitive skin.
“wanderer, wait…”
he pulled back momentarily to look you dead in the eye. “i have waited far too long,” wanderer snarled. “just let me have you, reader…”
you could not risk losing the ability to walk like last time. an idea came over you in that moment to break the spell clouding wanderer’s eyes with lust and desire.
“i’M gONna mAke tHem rEGret pRioriTiziNg thEir worK oVEr Me!” you cried out dramatically as if you had been fatally wounded.
your allusion was so out of character that it completely caught him off guard. as wanderer pressed his lips into a thin line, he created some room for jesus between his body and yours and asked in a contemptuous voice, “did lesser lord kusanali make you come here?”
“of course not. i’m here because of you, babe.” you chuckled. “did you think i wouldn’t notice all the subliminal messages you planted in your works?”
wanderer’s eyes widened in light of that. “you read the scholars’ papers?”
“not typically, but i asked the sage of the vahumana darshan to provide me with yours,” you clarified.
you adored the way your partner wrote—even if he always acted like crafting those essays together was a chore. reading his dissertation on societal issues in inazuma was actually how you two crossed paths, as you voraciously sought the author behind it. who would have predicted that the aloof, cold stranger nahida introduced to you as “hat guy” became your clingy mess of a boyfriend years later?
“whatever, don’t pull that disappearing act on me again,” he snapped, flicking your forehead in an odd display of affection. you held back a few colorful words from the sheer strength he put into that finger.
“it’s not like i was trying to avoid you,” you stated. “plus, i would argue that you disappeared, too, babe. even our archon couldn’t surmise where you ran off to.”
“well, you knew where to find me.” and that’s all that matters, he chose not to add.
a soft laugh bubbled from your throat as you directed your attention back to what made him disappear in the beginning. “hey… there’s no need to doll yourself up to get my attention.” you gently swept his silky bangs to the side. “you are always on my mind and even more so when we’re apart.”
a hush descended over the world around you two as wanderer squinted his troubled eyes and averted them to the floor in deep thought.
he could not kid himself any longer. you, a measly and pathetic mortal, had successfully slipped past the outer shell he built to fool irminsul into believing that he was not an individual worthy of loving, existing, redeeming.
“...”
“wanderer?”
"...rea..."
reader, each day felt longer than the last without you by my side.
i never thought i would have a person in this world who wanted me as much as you do.
 if i had to thank beelzebub for one thing, it would be creating me so that i could meet you.
you are the center of my universe.
“teyvat to wanderer…?”
but wanderer would rather die than say allat. hmm, maybe he’ll put those heartfelt words on paper so that you can read them in your office, giggling and kicking your feet.
in the meantime, he settled on dragging you to the bedroom. “you’re getting punished anyway.”
“wha…!? wait, wanderer!”
but on the inside, you were so happy that it didn’t matter if your boyfriend had to fly you to the akademiya every morning for the next several days. you wished for nothing to take away the beautiful smile you could see creeping onto his face.
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© xinxiaogato. please do not translate my work without permission or attempt to plagiarize it.
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coff33andb00ks · 1 month
Text
Rule Breaker - Pt 8
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pairing:max Verstappen x single mom!reader x logan sargeant {masterlist}{prev} {next} warnings: cursing, minimally proofread, smut (minors DNI) Summary: you can start a family who will always show you love, you don't have to be sorry for doing it on your own word count: 7.5k auth.note: smut gods have returned to me all hail spotify: i made a playlist taglist: to be added to this or my other taglists, use this form
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"Ahh." The sigh was accompanied by a happy grin as he leaned back, his eyes closed against the sun.
Y/n snorted on a laugh. "Living the life, huh, doodle bug?" she teased, watching him tuck his arms behind his head.
"Uh huh." Kevin wrinkled his nose when she reached to rub more sunscreen on his face. "When Mister Logan gets here can we go in the water?"
"Of course, you know he promised to take you in." She personally didn't venture far past where the waves broke. At least Kevin was content to play in the sand until Logan came down, which should be soon.
"He's not afraid of the water," Kevin said, sitting up so she could apply sunscreen to his ears and neck.
"Nope, he's not," she murmured, squeezing the cream onto his hand so he could rub it into his arms. "Mama's not afraid, either. I'm just afraid of what's in the water."
Kevin giggled, flopping back on the blanket like a starfish. "Just fishes, mama!"
"Ugh, and jellyfish and seaweed and crabs and—" She shuddered dramatically, smoothing his sun shirt and helping herself to a drink from the cooler before settling back in her beach chair, content to sit under the umbrella and watch the waves.
They'd arrived in North Carolina late the night before. Kevin had invited Logan to the family beach trip and she'd been surprised when he'd said he would love to go, having assumed he wanted to spend the summer break with his own family. And then she'd worried that it was too soon to introduce him to her parents, that it was pushing things into the serious category. And then—
"Jesus christ, y/n, take the boy and have fun."
Ellie's words rang in her mind and she gave her head a little shake. She didn't know why she'd worried. Her family seemed to like him. Her dad and uncle had invited him to go fishing with them after talking to him for five minutes, and they'd taken him down to their favorite shop to get him the gear.
She wondered what they'd say when they found out she was also dating the grote maat Mister Max that Kevin kept talking about.
"Y/n!"
Turning, she saw her mom coming along the boardwalk from the cottage. She half stood, then groaned when she noticed the phone she was carrying. "I'm on vacation," she whined even though her mom couldn't hear her. Next to her, Kevin giggled.
"Might be Aunt Ellie?" he asked, staying on the blanket as she snorted and crossed the sand to meet her mom at the bottom of the steps down the dune.
"Someone named Max keeps calling you," her mom said, handing over the phone.
Frowning, she took the phone and squinted at it in the sunlight. "I should call him back—"
"Go on, I'll sit with Kevin. Your dad just texted me, they're on the way back now." Her mom patted her shoulder and headed across the sand.
Worried that something might be wrong, she jogged up the steps and to the cottage, breathing a sigh as soon as she was inside and could see the screen properly. Seven missed calls, two voicemails. Her heart thudded as she saw his most recent text – Call me please – and she did so immediately, pacing on the screened in porch of the second level.
"What's wrong?" she blurted as soon as the call connected.
Max let out a breath. "Wrong?"
"You've called me seven times."
"Yes. I need directions."
She held her breath and pressed her lips together. It had only been two days and it was so nice to hear his voice, but she couldn't focus on that right now. "Directions."
"Well, an address would be better."
"Do I look like Google maps?" she huffed.
Max laughed. "Didn't you listen to my voicemails or read the texts?"
Muttering a curse, she pulled the phone from her ear and went to her texts.
I need to meet with Logan and don't have his number.
I'm in the States, coming your way. It's important. Call me?
Y/n, where's the beach place? All I know is OBX and I need an address.
"You're coming here?!" she yelped, pressing the phone to her ear again.
"Yes…"
"What's going on? Why do you need to talk to Logan?" she asked.
"I'll explain everything when I get there."
"Is it bad?" She couldn't help but worry.
"No, I promise it's not bad. It's about next year."
Her heart dropped at the thought of next year, because she knew Logan didn't have a seat. But Max said it wasn't bad? Her heart lifted, lodging in her throat. "Do you know something?"
He groaned. "I just landed in… Currituck?"
"Oh my god," she gasped. "You're really here?"
"I'm really here." And she could hear the gentle smile in his voice.
"I'll text you the address." She rubbed a hand over her face. "You scared the shit out of me."
"I'm sorry, schatje."
Just like that, he was forgiven. "I'll see you in a bit."
"Can't wait," he murmured.
Ending the call, she texted him the cottage's address, torn between giddiness and anxiety. Kevin would be so happy. She was so happy. Logan would be—
Logan.
Calling him, she waited for Max's acknowledgment of her text, unable to keep the smile from her face as the thumbs up emoji appeared.
"Hey babe, we're like two minutes away," Logan greeted. He sounded so relaxed and happy it made her heart want to sing.
"Clingy!" her uncle's voice rang out in the background.
Rolling her eyes, she couldn't help but laugh. "I just talked to Max."
"Yeah? He good?"
"Um… He's on his way here."
There was a beat of silence, though she could hear her father and uncle yapping in the background. "Wait, really?" Logan asked. "Why?"
"He said he has to meet with you. He—" She pulled the phone away to glance at the text from Max. "He'll be here in about forty-five minutes. All he said is it's about next year."
"Nothing's happened, has it?" he asked softly.
"He said it isn't bad," she promised, hearing his breath of relief.
"I— Shit, we're here, see you in a sec."
She laughed and ended the call, hearing the slamming of truck doors. After glancing out at the beach to see her mom and Kevin chasing the waves across the sand, she made her way to the back of the cottage and down to the ground level, squealing softly when Logan wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the bottom step.
"You look so hot," he murmured before giving her a kiss.
"It's like ninety degrees out, of course—"
"You know what I mean," he groaned, kissing her again as he set her down on the cement.
"Gross," her dad muttered.
Wrinkling her nose, she ignored her father and smiled up at Logan. "Did you get your gear?"
"Yeah, I'll show you later? Gonna change and hit the water with Kev before Max shows up," he murmured. There was worry in his eyes, though, and she squeezed his hand before going back up the stairs and inside to the bedroom they shared, grabbing a hair tie to fix her messy bun. Logan reached around her to put his wallet on the dresser and she saw the hair tie around his wrist, where he'd put it the week before. Every time she saw it she felt the need to hug him and settled for patting his arm for now, smiling when he dropped a kiss to her shoulder.
"He promised it isn't bad," she reminded him as he pulled a pair of board shorts from his suitcase.
"I know, but…" He sighed.
"Babe," she murmured, waiting for him to look at her. "We're on vacation, remember? No stress."
"No stress," he agreed with a nod. "You coming down to the beach?"
She nodded, picking up her phone and setting a timer so she could be on the lookout for Max. "Can't miss Kev's first dip of the summer."
"Your dad pointed out a miniature golf place on the way back," he said as they headed out. "I was thinking we could go one day while we're here? Seems like something Kev would enjoy."
"He'd love that. And maybe hit one of the go-kart tracks?"
Logan's face lit. "They've got karting?"
"Calm down, it's regular people karting," she laughed.
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Thanking the driver again, Max shouldered his backpack and glanced warily at the house, trying to decipher where the entrance was. It was built on stilts, two trucks parked beneath the house, two SUVs parked to the side. About to pull out his phone to call y/n, he heard a door slam and looked up, smiling at the sight of her in a bikini leaning over the railing of the porch above.
"You really flew here to see Logan?" she called down and he had to laugh.
Because it sounded so ridiculous, him flying all the way to America to talk to Logan. A conversation that could easily have been done over the phone. Or FaceTime. And yet…
He'd wanted to see them. All three of them.
She was walking to the end of the porch and he finally saw the stairs going up. Even though he was exhausted from the flight and the wait for the second flight and the drive down to her family's vacation home he moved quickly, surprised at how happy he was to see her again even though it had only been a few days.
"Hey," she murmured when they met at the halfway point of the stairs.
"Schatje," he sighed, dropping his suitcase as she wrapped her arms around him. Sunkissed skin was warm beneath his hands and he sighed, breathing in cocoa butter and watermelon. He wished the kiss could have lasted longer and relished every second of it, still awed at each physical touch from her after so many weeks of stolen hugs and lingering kisses.
"Logan's in the water with Kevin," she told him as she led him upstairs and into the house. "You can change in our room – you can't go on the beach in jeans."
He scoffed at that, following her down the hallway and into a bedroom while she told him the cottage had six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a ground level apartment that they only used for storage and laundry, and the upper level was where the living, dining, and kitchen were, along with another bedroom suite and a sun deck.
"Your family owns it?" he asked, setting his backpack down as he glanced around, seeing evidence that she and Logan had spent time in the room. Seeing her nod, he looked around again. "It's quite expensive, isn't it?"
"I don't know the details, my grandparents bought it back in the 1980s… My mom said a few years ago it was assessed at around two million. Why?"
"I didn't know you were rich," he teased.
Her jaw dropped. "We're not!"
"It's not a bad thing, schatje."
"I'm not rich. Neither are my parents. They both work, and they rent this out year-round to pay the taxes and the upkeep and…" She narrowed her eyes and huffed out a breath. "I'm not gonna defend my family against a man who owns his own jet."
Laughing, he reached to unbuckle his belt, hesitating only briefly.
She cleared her throat. "Come on upstairs and I'll introduce you once you've changed? Then we can hit the beach?"
He nodded, waiting until she'd left and closed the door before taking off his jeans. They hadn't been intimate, yet, and he had decided he wasn't going to ask her about it or even mention it. Their relationship was far from traditional, far from anything he'd ever experienced. They'd agreed to keep things as private and almost secretive as possible because he was still worried she could lose her job, and though he wanted to be open about it, to casually mention on a stream or in a conversation – can't make it, going to dinner with y/n – he found he didn't mind holding it close. The only people that knew were Logan, y/n, and himself. And Kevin, because even before he'd admitted to himself that he wanted to be more than just friends with her the boy had pointedly said—
"You like mama."
If only Kevin knew the half of it.
After changing he made his way upstairs, hearing y/n's voice along with others. The stairwell led into a large open living area and he paused, enjoying the familial scene of y/n stirring something in a pot while a woman who looked like a slightly older version of her sat on a stool at the counter, writing something down. Another woman was sitting next to her, pointing out things in a grocery store sales paper.
The top stair creaked, and all three women turned to look at Max.
"Oh hello," the woman writing gave him a warm smile as she set the pen down and slid off the stool. "You must be Max."
"Yeah, that's me," he greeted, glancing at y/n.
Y/n put the lid on the pot and walked over and made the introductions. Max couldn't help but notice she'd put an oversized shirt on over her bikini and so he kept his expression neutral, understanding without her telling him that her family was unaware they were more than just friends.
"We're so happy to have you, Kevin won't shut up about you," y/n's mother said with a grin. "Y/n said you came all this way to talk to Logan?"
"Yes… I won't intrude for long," he began.
"Oh no honey you're not intruding at all. You'll have to stay a few days." She patted his shoulder. "We've got plenty of room."
Max got the feeling that if he tried to decline he'd be ignored so he merely smiled and nodded, thanking her even though she was already walking away, telling y/n's aunt that they would go to the store after she made the bed for him. Glancing to y/n, he rolled his eyes when she merely shrugged.
"Better get you to the beach before she has you staying here the whole summer break," she muttered, leading him through the living area to the open sliding glass door that led out onto a sunny deck. "Mom, we're going to the beach so he can see Logan and Kevin."
"Alright – send me a text if there's anything he can't or won't eat," her mother called after them. "We're gonna get some groceries."
"I'll introduce you to my dad and uncle later, they went down to the pier," y/n assured him, closing the door.
Glancing in the direction she pointed, Max could just make out the pier and nodded, following her down another set of stairs and past an outdoor shower. She pointed out the covered porch on the lower level, mentioning a hot tub then led him along the boardwalk over the dune.
"It's not St. Tropez or the Bahamas," she said as they stood at the top of the steps, both watching Logan lift Kevin above the cresting waves at the shoreline. "But it's…"
Max nodded, lightly brushing her fingers with his. "It's special to you, isn't it?"
"Yeah," she said softly. "It is."
"Then it's beautiful," he said, watching a small wave crash over Kevin, smiling when he heard the boy's delighted squeals.
"Oh, Max," she sighed. He barely caught it before the wind took it away, but he knew he would hold onto the glimmer in her eye for the rest of his life.
"Mister Max!" Kevin shrieked.
He was dripping wet and half covered in sand by the time Max got to him but he scooped him up regardless, grinning as the boy hugged his neck tightly. "I missed you too, kleine maat," he promised. "You're having fun, hm?"
Kevin nodded vigorously, water spraying from his curly hair. "We took the plane and Mister Logan got us ice cream and Mama slept while Mister Logan drived us! And Nana cooked us hot dogs at midnight! And I'm goin' fishin' with Papa and Uncle Mike and Mister Logan!"
"I can't wait to see how many fish you catch." Max hugged him back, nodding when Kevin asked if they could build a sandcastle one day.
"I gotta pee," Kevin announced.
"I told him to go in the water," Logan said with a chuckle, shaking water from his hair.
"Ew." Kevin sounded disgusted and Max grinned, handing him over to his mother.
"C'mon, let's get to the bathroom," she sighed, settling him on her hip before sharing a look with Logan and Max.
"We'll get the stuff, babe," Logan promised.
Max watched her walk back towards the cottage, waiting until they disappeared from his view before turning to Logan. The smile had faded from his face and he sighed. "It's not bad, mate."
"You flew halfway around the world without warning, Max, what am I supposed to think?" Logan sighed harshly. "Did you hear something? I already know Carlos has my spot—"
"It's not about him," he assured, walking with him to the beach chairs and umbrella, wordlessly helping him shake the sand from the towels and stuff them into the bag. "It's Checo."
Logan jerked his head up, brow furrowing as he grabbed the shirt from the back of one of the chairs. "Checo?"
"You can't tell—"
The other man nodded. "A soul, I know."
"His contract renewal is being canceled. It might already be, I haven't checked in with Christian since I landed." He'd been too focused on getting here. On seeing them. Max watched him pull the shirt over his head, smiling faintly at the Red Bull emblem now over his chest.
"Really? I thought…" Logan combed his fingers through his hair.
Shrugging, he watched droplets of seawater trickle down Logan's neck and unconsciously licked his lips. "His performance is lacking. Resting on his laurels, Christian said."
"So who's gonna replace him?" Logan reached to lower the umbrella and Max belatedly pulled a chair over to fold it.
"I don't know. They're thinking Daniel. It's not a hundred percent guaranteed."
"You came out all this way just to tell me this?" Logan looked confused.
"No, I came to tell you that—" Max finally got the chair folded and let it drop onto the sand. "I know Daniel will take the seat. It might not be fully decided, but Christian wants him, I want him, and I know he'll gladly come back to the team."
Logan nodded, adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. "I'm happy for him. He was great in Red Bull."
"Yeah—"
"What's this gotta do with me?"
And Max knew it had to happen. That he had to do everything in his power, short of threatening to tear up his own contract, to make what he was about to say come true. "I talked to Christian last night. He's got a good relationship with Laurent, and… Well, I told him you deserve Daniel's spot."
The umbrella fell over. "You what?"
"I told him—"
"Do you really think that?" Logan asked softly.
Max rubbed the back of his neck, finally nodding. "Well, yeah. You just need a good team, mate."
Logan smiled. Above the sound of the wind and the waves Max heard his breath stutter and swallowed hard. "I really appreciate it, Max. I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything," he assured him. "I'll message Christian, tell him you're interested. That's all I can do."
"That's more than most people would do for me." Smiling, Logan reached out and Max was being hugged. He faltered at first, not expecting the touch, but quickly recovered, returning the embrace. Logan chuckled, apologizing for being wet.
Max shook his head, finding he didn't mind that the hug lasted longer than it really should have. "It's fine."
"Are you staying?" The question came as they walked back to the cottage.
"Her mum didn't even ask, she just told me I have to stay a few days." Max opened his mouth to apologize for barging in on their time together, but Logan's next words stopped him.
"That's good, mate, we love having you around."
He mulled that over while he followed Logan to the ground level apartment, glancing around at the accumulation of years of family beach time. Floaties, chairs, umbrellas, beach toys. Bins were labeled and stacked in an attempt at organization but it was a bit messy, like a family should be. Handing over the towels when Logan led him into the laundry room, he cleared his throat. "Do you?"
"Huh?"
"Love having me around," he mumbled.
"Well, yeah." Logan gave him a grin, tossing the towels into the washer and peeling off his shirt. "It's like… I don't know, probably sounds weird."
"We're both dating the same woman, mate, can't get weirder than that."
Logan's laugh made the chill, damp room seem warm and bright. "True. But it's like… It feels complete when you're with us. You know what I mean?"
He did but he couldn't bring himself to say it.
"I love being with her. And Kev. They…" Logan paused, pulling a clean towel from the basket on top of the dryer. "They mean the world to me."
Max nodded. He knew that feeling very well. "Then—"
"And you just…" He shrugged, and Max looked away when he reached to take off his wet shorts. "You balance us out, you know?"
"I know," he whispered, waiting until he heard the lid of the washer clang shut before looking back at him, wondering why he was almost disappointed to see the towel wrapped around his hips. "I know what you mean, mate."
"It's weird, huh?"
"Yeah," he murmured. "But I kind of like it."
The words echoed back to him in Logan's voice and his breath caught as their eyes met. Logan looked surprised too and they both stared at one another. Max knew he should say something – anything – but he couldn't think of a thing to say. At least, nothing that would change the subject.
"I need you to get that seat next season. For you. For y/n. For Kevin. For us."
"Us," Logan repeated.
Was this how she felt when Logan looked into her eyes? Breathless and a little shaky and body thrumming with anticipation? Or was she used to it now? Did Logan feel it, too? Or had he gone completely insane in the past three months? He nodded. "Us. Th-the four of us. Or the two of us – I mean. Fuck, I know what I mean. You're not stupid, you know what I mean too."
"I know." Barely a whisper. "I just didn't know you felt it, too."
Too. "How long?" he asked softly.
Logan swallowed. "I dunno. Since you started talking to me more. Maybe Montreal, when I could tell you didn't care I wanted to hang out with you and Kev."
He wanted to ask why he hadn't said anything. But he already knew because he hadn't said anything for the same reasons. Logan was bad at talking about his feelings, and Max wasn't much better. Especially feelings like this, that he knew would be ridiculed by some people around them. "It's not… Weird?"
A smile that crinkled his eyes and Max barely heard the words. "Yeah, but I kind of like it."
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Her family liked Max. She'd known they would, known his wit and laidback attitude would charm them, not to mention the way he doted on Kevin. Her mother did give her a look when Kevin slipped and called Max Daddy again, but she was able to avoid that possibly awkward conversation by putting away groceries then taking Kevin to the beach to build a sandcastle with Max, then putting him down for a nap and taking a shower and then it was time to start dinner and she slipped away to enjoy a couple drinks up on the sun deck with guys. Her dad talked about fishing and when he mentioned doing one of the deep-sea fishing tours Max voiced an interest. The next thing she knew she was trailing behind the four men back inside, bewildered as they crowded around her uncle's laptop to pull up the website and book a boat at the end of the week.
"As long as you don't mind me staying longer than a couple days," Max said.
"Naw, of course not." This from Uncle Mike. "You're a good kid."
She knew she was grinning like a fool, and it only widened when Max glanced up to smile at her.
"Yeah he's alright," Logan said, grinning and throwing an arm around Max's shoulders and squeezing.
Oh. She lifted an eyebrow at that and saw Max's cheeks turn pink before he ducked his head again, and decided that was another delayed conversation. Finishing her drink, she hummed softly as she carried the bottle to the sink to rinse it before tossing it into the recycling bin and checking the marinara sauce. "I'm gonna go check on Kev," she told her mom, who nodded.
As if summoned, Kevin came shuffling up the stairs, dragging his blanket and stuffed Snoopy along with him. His hair was a wild mess of curls and his cheeks were pink from being in the sun earlier, and when he saw that Max was still there he grinned, ignoring her completely in favor of Max and Logan. She felt her heart turn to mush as the two men spoke gently to him, asking about his nap and if he'd gone potty, was he hungry for dinner, all while Max fixed his blanket and Logan shifted him so he was tucked between them on the couch.
Her mom hummed softly, giving her a smile.
Her aunt was less reserved. "So nice of your boyfriend's boyfriend to join us," she said softly.
"Carol!" her mom squawked, slapping her with a dishtowel.
"Oh like you weren't thinking it," Carol huffed, rolling her eyes. "Mike, the salad."
"Yep, I'm coming – here, finish this reservation for us," Mike said, pushing the laptop to Max. "Use this card."
Y/n pretended not to notice that Max used his own card. Shooed from the kitchen, she joined him and Kevin on the couch when Logan insisted on helping fix the salad. "Deep-sea fishing, huh?"
"I'm not a fisher, but I think it'll be fun, yeah?" He left the laptop open on the confirmation screen, leaning to set it on the coffee table.
"What's dipsy fishing?" Kevin asked.
Max laughed softly, smoothing his unruly curls as he explained. When Kevin said he wanted to go, Max was gentle but firm that he wasn't quite big enough just yet.
When he promised to take him as soon as he was big enough, y/n knew nothing and no one in the world would stop him. Because Max kept his promises.
"Okay," Kevin murmured, giving him a hug before sliding down, saying he was going to pee.
Max leaned back with a soft sigh. "I spoke to Logan."
"Will you tell me?" she asked.
"You'll find out soon enough, but…" He sighed again, and she listened in surprise and fascination as he told her about Checo, about Daniel, about him pushing Christian to suggest Logan for Daniel's vacancy.
"Oh Max," she whispered, touching his arm briefly. She couldn't hug him – aunt Carol might have teased about Max being Logan's boyfriend, but she knew her hugging him would raise questions she wasn't sure she knew the answer to just yet. So she squeezed his arm, knew by the way he nodded that he understood. If he were anyone else she would question his motives, maybe even accuse him of trying to help Logan as a way to impress her, but she knew Max well enough to know he wouldn't stand up for Logan if he didn't believe in him as a driver.
"Don't cry, schatje," he whispered, lightly patting her thigh.
"I won't," she mumbled despite feeling the sting in her eyes.
"Go check on Kevin," he suggested.
She nodded, getting to her feet and heading to the bathroom, knowing it was his way of making sure no one noticed her tears if and when they fell. Her son was just finishing up and she fixed his shorts, dabbing a little of her mom's aloe vera onto his pink cheeks. It pulled her mind off her emotions and she washed her hands, feeling relatively normal when she began setting the table.
Dinner was leisurely and filled with chatter and laughter, Kevin telling his grandparents about the race tracks he'd been to, though his stories revolved around the animals he'd seen as opposed to the actual races. Max and Logan took turns asking her parents questions about themselves and when they both set their forks down to listen to her father talk about growing up on a farm she knew they'd won him over. And when Max insisted he and Logan take care of the dishes she was certain her mom and aunt fell in love a little bit.
After dinner her parents went for a walk on the beach and her aunt and uncle went to a local bar. Kevin was content to watch a movie, still obviously tired from spending most of the day on the beach, and Logan stretched out on the couch with him. She could tell that the jet lag was getting to Max so she went down to move his suitcase and backpack into the bedroom across from the one she and Logan were sharing. He followed her a few moments later, and she looked over her shoulder to see him leaning in the doorway as she turned on the lamp.
"Are you going to tuck me in, too?" he asked with a smile.
She rolled her eyes, smiling as she crossed to him. "Don't you think you're a little too old to be tucked in?"
He scoffed softly, stepping into the room and winding his arm around her waist. "Will you stay with me a bit?"
"Of course."
She sat on the bed, getting comfortable and leaning against the pillows while he undressed to his boxer briefs and pulled on a clean t-shirt. He filled her in on how Jimmy and Sassy were doing then went into the ensuite with his toiletry bag, returning after a couple minutes and practically collapsing onto the bed next to her. She reached to smooth her hand over his head. "Still can't believe you flew fourteen hours for something that could have been a phone call."
Max smiled, idly tracing her knee with one finger, shifting so his head rested in her lap. "It could have been, but…"
She stayed silent, continuing to run her fingers through his short hair. Simply enjoying the quiet moment alone with him. Usually they were strained, a time limit set in place because a million things were waiting to be done. Feeling him relax, she unfolded her legs, smiling when he turned so he could look up at her.
Oh how she adored his eyes. How they could change from crystal clear to the deep of the ocean that was so close to them. She had been so foolish, thinking them just a normal blue, when they held all the shades and hues of the skies and seas that she loved. And the more she looked into them the more she saw the emotions.
They shone with vulnerability right now.
"I've grown used to you being close by," he whispered. "Is it too soon to say that?"
"No, I don't think so," she murmured. "I don't want to think about having to follow a specific timeline in a relationship."
"Figure it out as we go, right?" His smile chased the fear from his eyes.
"Are we figuring it out?" she asked softly, though she thought she knew the answer.
"I think we already did."
There was a soft knock on the door and she sighed at the interruption.
"Yeah?" Max called softly.
The door opened and Logan leaned in, a half-sleep Kevin on his shoulder. "Someone wants to say goodnight."
Y/n began to slide to the edge of the bed as Max sat up. "I'll ta—"
"I've got him, babe, it's okay." Logan brought Kevin over, motioning for her to sit back as he passed Kevin to Max.
Max hummed, and she immediately relaxed. He exchanged goodnights with Kevin and she felt her heart filling with warmth as the boy hugged him tightly, whispering love you before shuffling over to her.
"Goodnight sweetheart," she whispered, hugging him close and peppering his face with kisses. "Love you so much."
"G'night mama, love you." Kevin kissed her cheek then crawled over to Logan.
All she could feel was peace in that moment and she leaned back against the pillows, watching the way Logan held her son. Gently. Protectively.
Lovingly.
He leaned down, giving her a gentle kiss. "I'm gonna go to bed, too. Your dad wants to leave early."
"I'll be in in a little while," she whispered.
"No rush," he promised with a quick smile.
She turned onto her side while he and Max exchanged goodnights, noticing the way Logan hesitated as if he wanted a little something more. She also noticed that Max gave another, softer, goodnight right before Logan turned to leave, and met his gaze when he settled next to her again as the door clicked shut.
"What?" he murmured.
"My boyfriend's boyfriend."
His cheeks turned pink. "I'm not… He's… It's not that."
"I don't know, you did fly halfway around the world to see him," she teased, giggling when he threw his arm over her waist and dragged her close.
"Careful, schatje, you're starting to sound jealous," he murmured against her lips.
"Of my boyfriends dating each other? Never." She felt his arm tighten around her and didn't mind when he pulled her closer.
"Not dating," he breathed.
"Flirting?" She shifted even closer, moaning softly as his leg slid between hers.
The muscles in his thigh twitched and he hummed, his kiss deepening briefly. "Maybe… Is… Is that okay?"
"Figuring it out," she reminded him.
"Figuring it out," he echoed before kissing her again. His hand came up, cradling her jaw as their bodies moved, and she didn't want it to stop, didn't want either of them to pull away. To her relief he didn't. His fingers tangled gently in her hair, his other hand trailing down her side.
She moved, thighs falling open so he could press closer while her hands slipped beneath the hem of his t-shirt, the feel of his skin beneath her fingers exhilarating and comforting as she traced the planes of his back. "Max," she breathed, one hand cupping the back of his head. This was the time when one of them pulled back and she parted her lips to beg him not to.
Then he whispered her name like it was a prayer. A plea.
Nodding, she leaned up for another kiss, body arching into his touch. His fingertips ignited a flame in her skin and she gasped against his lips, sitting up with him, reluctantly breaking the kiss so he could ease her tank top over her head. Eyes locked with his, she carefully pushed his t-shirt up. There was a brief pause once his shirt joined hers on the floor then he was kissing her again.
"You're so fucking beautiful," he mumbled after guiding her down and leaning back to stare at her.
Flushed with desire under his heated gaze, she licked her lips, shivering as his hand swept up her arm. His fingers danced over her collarbone then moved lower and she arched again, nipples hardening before he stroked the curve of her breast. His soft moan was pure sex and she brought her hands up to his neck, eager for his kiss.
He lowered his mouth to her breast instead. Kissing, licking, suckling gently until whines began to claw up her throat. He released her nipple and immediately turned to give the other the same treatment, his fingers lightly pinching and rolling the stiff peak to keep her squirming.
"Max," she gasped, an aching hunger forming deep inside her.
His lips were over hers in an instant, his hands moving to rest lightly at her hips, steadying her. His kiss was almost frenzied, his grip tightening each time she wriggled impatiently, and when her fingers dragged down to the waistband of his boxer briefs he let out a guttural moan. "I was planning to take my time," he mumbled, thumbs lightly stroking her hips before hooking in the band of her shorts.
"We can do that next time."
He groaned, nipping at her bottom lip. Then he was leaning back again, dragging her shorts and panties down, and she watched his tongue dart over his lips while he looked her over. "You really are beautiful, schatje," he whispered, palms brushing up her legs, fingers dancing lightly along her thighs. Her lips parted to speak but all that came out was a gasping moan when he cupped her. He stroked and teased, eyes wild and dark, until she could feel his fingers were slick, until she was trembling, and then—
"Max," she whined, hips pushing upwards and head falling back as his fingers rubbed small circles against her clit. She clutched at his sides, his forearms, and finally gripped the sheets, fingers twisting in the soft cotton while his fingers continued the delicious torment. So caught up in the pleasure, it didn't register that he was moving until he guided one leg over his shoulder. His breath was pure fire, his tongue molten lava replacing his fingers.
She forced her head upright, breath catching in her throat when she was met with his intense gaze. He rubbed and squeezed her thigh, moaning occasionally, his tongue dancing rapidly over her clit. Her last shred of self-control reminded her she couldn't be loud and she clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her sharp squeal. Her other hand dropped, curling tightly in his hair, and she was rewarded with a low growl from him, his hands splaying on her thighs as his tongue danced faster.
Her eyes widened and she nodded, holding her hand tightly over her mouth as her entire body burned, feeling weak with need. She moaned raggedly against her palm, heart racing in her chest. Pulling away her hand long enough to gasp out a new plea. "Don't stop…"
She felt him smirk and barely turned her head to stifle her sharp squeal with the pillow. Already close, she let her hips rock slowly, trying to focus on all the sensations and not just his tongue. His fingers digging into her thighs. The muscles of his back flexing beneath her foot. The scruff of his beard scraping her sensitive flesh. His breath pouring over her like a steaming waterfall. She squealed again then snatched in a breath and held it, back arching off the bed as she came, the pleasure so intense she could only let out a shaky, whining gasp.
He hummed, his tongue easing slightly, dragging out the delight, and when her body shuddered he slowed, his moan vibrating through her as he gently licked her clean. With a breathless chuckle he pressed kisses to her trembling thighs then crawled up, hands tender on her cheeks.
Y/n murmured his name, cupping his wrists and relishing the moment of tenderness as he stayed over her, the heat of his body calming her shivers. Tasting herself on his lips and tongue, she groaned softly, tongue darting out for a deeper taste while her hands slowly traveled down.
"I don't have a condom," he groaned, dropping his forehead to her shoulder.
She did but they were across the hall, and she knew that if she made that mad dash one of her family members would suddenly appear and ask her what the hell she was doing. Her mind scrambled, fingers frozen just above his boxer briefs then she licked her lips. "I'm on the pill, and you can pull out?"
Max released a questioning hum. "Are you sure?"
"I want – I need you," she breathed.
With a groan he lifted his head, eyes searching hers for a moment before he shifted, hands reaching to help her push his boxer briefs down. His soft hiss as her hand wrapped around his cock was more erotic than any other sound she could imagine in that moment and she hummed encouragingly, exploring the length and girth with her fingers. Until his hand covered hers and he moaned harshly against her lip, "I won't make it inside you if you keep doing that."
A giggle bubbled up her throat, dying on a whine as he settled more firmly between her thighs. His hand trembled slightly over hers then grabbed at her thigh, their breathless gasps mingling as she guided him along her slit. She wanted to draw it out until they were both begging but her desire won out and she moved her hand to his hip, nails digging into his skin as he pressed into her.
"Fuck," she moaned, hips rolling up to meet him.
His eyes were more intense than ever before and she felt the shudder ripple through his body while he kept still for several long seconds. "Y/n…"
It was a delicate mix of longing and need. She returned it with an eager nod, grabbing his shoulders to hold onto him as the slowness and gentleness melted away.
Frantic. Pure lust with dashes of tenderness. Each time her lips parted to make a sound his claimed them, muffling and swallowing each noise. The heat consumed her, and he was there, grounding her with his firm hold, his thrusts steady and unfaltering.
"So good," she gasped, lifting her leg higher against his waist.
"I know, I know," he moaned as he hooked his arm beneath her leg, angling her hips slightly.
The scant change sent the tip of his cock directly over her spot and she threw back her head, nails raking down his back and eliciting a sharp hiss from him. "Yes…"
"Right there, schatje?" he whispered, nuzzling her neck before dragging his lips over her jaw, smearing the sweat beading on her skin.
"Yes," she whined again, turning her head for his kiss. He tasted of sweat and sex and heaven and she whimpered against his tongue as ecstasy grew within her again. She could feel his thrusts falter and clenched around him, teeth sinking gently into his bottom lip. "Gonna come," she gasped, a harsh moan escaping when he suddenly released her leg, his hands fisting in the pillow on either side of her head. He pushed deeper than before, panting against her lips and she screamed into his kiss as the orgasm crashed through her. Her legs wrapped tight around him, pulling him deeper, and as she began to come down from the high he suddenly pulled out, leaving her gasping and missing the fullness. Looking up at him through heavy-lidded eyes as he sat back, she shivered, watching his hand wrap around his length, squeezing and stroking wildly.
"Where do you want it?" he asked in a breathless moan.
Her mind was blank, barely able to remember her own name, but when he released a strained groan she finally found the words. "Stomach," she managed to whisper.
He shifted, hand working fast and urgent and she stared in a haze of awe and longing at the way the muscles of his arm rippled and strained as he released a deep groan that made her tremble. The heat of his release splashed across her stomach in thick bursts.
Panting, she reached for him as soon as the last drops splattered over her hip, leaning up to meet his lips in a breathless kiss. He nearly collapsed over her and she could feel the thrumming of his heart against her breast. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, body craving the heat of his, and held onto him until he moved to slump next to her.
Chuckling, still breathless, his skin flushed and sweaty. He pulled her into his arms, lips bumping her forehead before he leaned away long enough to grab his discarded shirt. "Okay?" he whispered, using the shirt to wipe the cum from her skin.
Y/n hummed, still trembling with the aftershocks as he balled up the shirt and dropped it to the floor. Curling close, she nestled her head in the curve of his shoulder. "Yeah," she murmured. "Better than okay."
Max let out a soft hum. "Better?"
She nodded, her hand sliding to rest over his heart. "Perfect."
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wynnyfryd · 10 months
Text
Trailer park Steve AU part 27
part 1 | part 26 | ao3
cw: recreational drug use. short, fluffy update today to round out ch. 6; be back after the weekend to start ch. 7
In hindsight, accidentally hot boxing Eddie’s van while they were all already drunk was… maybe not the best idea.
Steve has no idea how they got here; blinked and time did the thing again, but now it’s three in the morning and Gareth’s conked out with a black eye in the front passenger seat and the rest of them are sprawled on top of each other like puppies in the back of the van — Eddie with his head in Robin’s lap so she can braid his hair, Steve using Eddie’s chest as a pillow, Max curled up like a sleeping cat in the crook of Steve’s bent knees.
With his eyes closed, Steve feels like he’s fallen into some dark, glittering void, purple-blue-black swirls of light dancing behind his eyelids to the syrupy beat of a metal ballad Eddie’s playing at the lowest volume. Eddie hums along in a low, soft rasp, and Steve’s head moves with the swell of each breath; gentle rocking rise and fall, luring Steve away from shore. Somewhere curious and strange. Deep ocean, dark waters. His thoughts float by like jellyfish.
Eddie’s warm through his t-shirt.
“Still alive down there, Sneeze?” Eddie asks. He’s carding his fingers idly through Steve’s hair, rings catching on the strands, tugging a little on his scalp.
“Feels good,” Steve hums. Wait a minute. “Did’you jus’ call me Sneeze?”
“No?” Eddie snorts. “Just called you Steve, sweetheart.”
“I’m absolutely gonna start calling you Sneeze, though,” Robin chimes in, pitching her voice all low and stupid. “‘Yes, hello, I’m Robin and this is my very best friend, Sneeze Handkerchief.’”
Eddie lets out a cackle and immediately joins in on her game of royally fucking up Steve’s name.
Steve closes his eyes again, lets himself drift out into the weird purple-blue-black-glitter magic slime swirl situation. Sloshy and dark and warm and nice. It’s just nice: Eddie’s breathing, full and slow; Robin’s laugh like cracked church bells. He likes hearing them get along even when he can’t make out the words.
He likes it less when he can make out the words. He wades back to himself for a moment, cracks one eye open and finds them red-faced and crying laughing over “Edgy Mustard and his neighbor, Sven Hamburger” and mumbles, “You’re both such fuckin’ dorks.”
“You’re a fuckin’ dork, you fuckin’ dork,” Max mutters in response, turning over with a soft snore.
“Oh, my god,” Eddie whispers, “did that kid just shit talk you in her sleep?”
“She’s incredible,” Robin coos. “Sven, we may have to reassess your status as my best friend; I’m obsessed with her.”
Steve rolls over and faceplants into Eddie’s stomach with a pouty harrumph. “Leamme alone, you bullies, ’m sleepin’.”
part 28
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tarragonthedragon · 5 months
Text
so I'm in the office when I hear it. the EIC, in the corner, my manager's manager, lights up the batsignal and voices a cry for aid:
"is anyone here who speaks Welsh?"
immediately, all heads turn to Charles' desk. Charles is Welsh. Charles takes several days to recover from the shock every time someone on a National Trust podcast mispronounces Llanidloes. surely Charles will answer the call.
Charles, the bloody nerve of him, is on Annual Leave to spend the Easter holidays with his son.
at this point I realise that several heads, including my manager's, are turning to me.
I do not speak Welsh.
I was brought up by a Welsh speaker, my grandmother, but given that we live in London and noone else in the family speaks Welsh, I only really picked up the most basic of family pleasantries. I can say cheers and goodnight, I can offer and order hot beverages, and I can answer the six questions people immediately ask when they find out you speak even a little bit of Welsh (the answer to all of these is as far as I can tell, yes but nobody says that. yes but it's baby talk. yes but it was a marketing scam. you know the ones)
I also have a master's degree in, amongst other things, medieval Welsh. as attention turns to me, I weigh up the possibility that the EIC needs someone to urgently translate Culhwch ac Olwen into modern English.
it seems unlikely. however, my CV says I have basic Welsh, and I need this job, so I head to the EICs desk with the thudding tread of someone bound for the gallows
further context-- 90% of my job is combing through business documents for aside phrases indicating business changes. this takes a lot of cross-referencing and close reading. I find this hard in my native language. I find it extremely hard in languages I'm fluent in. the idea of doing it in Welsh, a language where my conversation options are limited to "good morrow sir! the English advance on our left flank!" or "Mr fishy likes to swim", fills me with fathomless dread. in my head, I am writing my application to the next job.
the EIC turns a page around on the desk. "how do you pronounce this?"
I look at the word, relief beginning to sink in. Welsh is phonetic. even if I don't know this word, I can read it.
I do a double take. "Dai?"
"are you sure?" the EIC asks. "should I call Charles on his holidays just to check?"
"it's Dai," I repeat.
"it's not different if it's Welsh?"
I have absolutely no idea what she thinks the Welsh are doing to innocent vowel sounds that the English are not already doing. "it's Dai. like Dai Llewellyn."
"it's the same every time?"
"... yes"
"oh good." the EIC puts away her sheet and lets me go back to my desk.
as I sit down, the news editor at the next desk looks up. "so," he asks. "is it true that the Welsh for jellyfish is
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despairots · 11 months
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#𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐘𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐌: YUTA OKKOTSU.
「 yuta okkotsu x male! reader 」
GENRE: fluff, just fluff :3 oh, and like a REALLY quick makeout but its really just fluff, i think a bit of angst tho?
CONTENT WARNING: swearing, violence, r! helps yuta with his injuries, i have no idea what the plot is anymore, r! is like kyouka from bsd and has her ability “demon snow”, rika doesnt like r! that much :,(, “demon snow” is somewhat like rika, so rika - yuta and “demon snow” - r!
AUTHORS: stop. changing. themes. *holds me by the throat and shakes me* no but seriously the more i change it the more i have to change my layout which i do NOT want anyways happy furina day!!! we luv u queen
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there’s something that makes people believe you just lack emotions. maybe it’s the you didn’t react to people’s insult, or maybe it’s the way it looks like you’re always in a daze. yeah, you don’t exactly have anything going on in your head and yes, you’re always in a daze but somewhat, you’ve always gave off this rebellious energy, like something was attached to you that’s radiating this energy off.
so when yuta saw a curse behind you while assisting him, he wondered if that was the thing that was radiating off the rebellious energy from your “jellyfish aura” that his other friends would call it. just knowing you hid something below the facade you upheld was admirable, you always had this look that made people think your mind was somewhere else when you are aware.
and the way your voice shouted commands for your curse while you still held that alluring look before you switched your attention to him and helped him up when the enemy was being distracted by your curse, all he could do was stare when you asked if he was injured.
he knew rika didn’t like you holding him so carefully and— oh? you’re so close — making sure he didn’t fall to the ground while the both of you ran from the area. now, he’s watching you patch up his wounds so delicate that he’s convinced you’re afraid that you might hurt him.
yuta doesn’t know if he should speak, ask if you’re okay when he’s the one clearly injured, ask about the ring that’s on a necklace and dangling around your neck. he wonders if you were almost like him, that explains why he was so drawn to you. maki, inumaki and panda (plus gojo) already picked up that you caused him to be rather flustered.
the first time you two met was when yuta was first introduced to you. you had officially came back from your trip and his friends had wanted to throw you a party since they haven’t seen you in awhile. his friends often described you to be somewhat like a jellyfish, he was a tad bit confused by the wording but he understood when you walked into the classroom.
“welcome back, [name]!”
“kelp.”
you just had this look in your eyes when panda scooped you up and hugged you, the way one of your eyes closed when panda smushed your cheeks together and the small— and very unnoticeable — smile on your face when you realized you were missed made him blush.
“this is yuta, he’s new, so try not to overwhelm him. he’s delicate.” maybe when maki had said that, you started to treat him like some doll. always making sure your touches weren’t harming his already injured skin— and he could technically feel rika fuming — with the focused look on your face.
the one thing bugging him was the ring. were you already married or did you dedicate your life to someone else? although, he sounded awfully like a hypocrite right now. he was wearing the ring rika had given him.
“… what’re you thinking about?”
that was the first time he had heard you spoken in such a quiet, yet calm and alluring, tone towards him specifically. he was once told that you didn’t talk a lot and always kept to yourself, only allowing yourself to talk when on the battlefield.
he was shocked nonetheless, the tone of your face had caused him to jump a little and his cheeks to flare up. what should he say in this? should he tell the truth and ask if you were married? but you probably already figured that out by how hard he was staring at the ring.
“oh. um… are you married?” yuta asked timidly, averting his gaze to the ground, hearing the chair scrap and he’s wondering if the question was too insensitive. you only got up to dim the lights as a headache was starting to form before you sat back down infront of yuta.
you grabbed ahold of his cheek and turned to face it towards you, “are you?” you had shot the question back to him and let go of his cheeks, feeling his cheeks heat upon the hand on his cheek. yuta knew you were gesturing to the ring on his finger and he didn’t know how to respond.
he was married but at the same time he wasn’t, he’d seem unfaithful to rika but everytime you touched him, protected him, and now, talking to him, he blushed. and you had picked that up rather quickly.
you hummed, hands wrapping around the ring and looking down at your lap, “i was. he died though.” the way you said it so casually had caught him off guard, but your situation was similar to him aswell. yuta picked up the way your hand tightened around the ring as he stared down at his, fiddling it around his ring finger.
“the cursed spirit that’s always around you. what’s her name?” he looked back at you, blinking and suddenly, you just looked… too unrealistic? was that the right weird to describe you? “her name’s rika.” and you smiled. his heart started to pound against his rib cage when you held a soft smile, “you’d love her no matter what form, huh?”
he wondered if you were rika if she was a male and your sentence made sense to him. now, he wondered about your cursed spirit, “what about yours?” “yuta.” hearing his name come out your lips had him confused, were you trying to tell him that you didn’t wanna speak about it or—
“oh. oh!”
the cursed spirit was named yuta. you weren’t trying to call out his name, you were trying to tell him that the cursed spirt’s name was his name. you lightly smiled amusingly at his reactions, “i don’t think rika likes me very much… nor do i think yuta likes you.” it seemed that way. yuta could feel rika wanted to kill you and you could feel “yuta” glaring daggers at the boy infront of you.
turns out you two were the same.
you stood up from your chair before bending down to yuta’s height and placing a kiss on the corner of his lips. were you trying to die? did you want yuta to die?! no. honestly enough. like yuta, you would’ve loved your cursed spirit no matter the form aswell.
“i like you, yuta.” it was a simple confession yet yuta’s face blew up into red, hearing you walk away. “ah! w-wait!” he had grabbed your wrist and turned you around, wrapping his arms around you and buried his face into the crook of your neck before muttering words that made the tension from your shoulders to relax.
“i… i like you too, [name].” he pulled away and softly placed his lips onto yours. your hands reaching up to cradle his cheeks as yuta backed you up to a desk and helped you sit on top of it before going back to kissing you.
he was a good kisser considering the fact he has never kissed anyone before… well, technically, not a human being.
you pulled away, a string of saliva connecting the both of your lips until it disconnected when your hand was brought up to your mouth and oh, was that blush he saw? were blushing because of him? so cute.
“i don’t think they liked that very much..”
oh right!
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signoferoda · 5 months
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WATER BUG - HS
Summary- The styles family have a fun day at the beach where Novie learns how to catch the waves
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The sun rose high in the sky, painting the sandy shores of the beach with hues of gold and orange. Novie, at three years old, bounced with excitement, her chubby cheeks flushed with anticipation as she clung to Harry's hand.
"Are we going to the beach, Daddy?" Novie asked, her eyes wide with excitement, she was unable to contain her happiness, jumping up and down, tugging on her father’s hand repeatedly.
Harry chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately. "That's right, lovie! We're going to have a fun day at the beach!"
With a cooler packed full of snacks, beach toys, and sunscreen in tow, the Styles family made their way down to the shore. They were on their summer break from school so had escaped to Italy for their annual holiday, The salty breeze teased at their hair as they walked, and the sound of crashing waves filled the air with a sense of excitement.
As they reached the water's edge, Novie's eyes widened with wonder at the sight before her. The vast expanse of sand seemed to stretch on forever, meeting the sparkling sea in a perfect line on the horizon. "Wow!" she exclaimed, her tiny voice filled with awe. She was older now, having more understanding of the beach since her last visit.
Theo and Blake, the older brothers, were determined to make Novie's first proper beach day unforgettable. With boogie boards and surfboards in hand, they led Novie down to the water, their laughter mingling with the sound of crashing waves.
"Come on, Novie! Let's catch some waves!" Blake called out, his grin infectious as he waded into the surf. He was 13 years old and definitely the most crazy kid out of the four.
Theo nodded in agreement, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yeah, you'll love it!" he added, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. As the oldest at 15, he knew he had a big responsibility of making sure his baby sister was safe but also having the most fun.
However Y/N and Indi, known for their tendency to worry, couldn't shake off their concerns about potential dangers lurking beneath the water's surface. They stayed close, keeping a watchful eye on Novie as she wandered along the shore, her small feet sinking into the sandy ground.
"Be careful, lovebug," Y/N called out, her voice tinged with concern. "Watch out for any jellyfish!"
Indi nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed with worry. "And don't swallow too much saltwater, okay? Dad says It's not good for you."
But Novie was too caught up in the excitement of the moment to pay much attention to their warnings. With Theo and Blake by her side, her two protectors, she felt invincible, her laughter ringing out like music in the air as they splashed and played in the waves.
Theo and Blake couldn't contain their excitement as they rode the waves with Novie, their laughter echoing along the shoreline. Novie squealed with delight each time a wave lifted her boogie board, her tiny hands gripping onto the sides as she rode the surf alongside her brothers.
Y/N watched nervously from the shore, her heart fluttering with every splash and wave. "Be careful, Novie! Theo, make sure she doesn’t go too far out” she called out, her voice filled with motherly concern.
Indi, standing beside her, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, be careful please" he added, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of danger.
But Novie was totally in her element, her laughter ringing out like music in the air as she splashed and played with her brothers. With each wave that crashed against the shore, her confidence grew, and soon she was riding the waves like a pro, well as pro as a three year old could be.
While Theo, Blake, and Novie were caught up in the excitement of surfing, Indi found himself drawn to a different aspect of beach life. He stayed close to his parents, content to explore the shoreline at his own pace. Y/n encouraged him to collect seashells and driftwood, marveling at the intricate patterns and shapes they discovered along the shore.
"Look at this one, Mum!" Indi exclaimed, holding up a particularly beautiful conch shell for her inspection. "Isn't it so cool?"
Y/N smiled, her eyes sparkling with pride at her son's curiosity. "It's beautiful, Indi," she replied, her voice filled with warmth.
Harry, sensing Indi's interest, knelt down beside him, his gaze following the line of the horizon as he listened to the rhythmic sound of the waves. "Did you know that each shell has its own story to tell?" he asked, his voice soft and contemplative.
Indi shook his head, his eyes widening with curiosity. "Really? What kind of stories?"
Harry grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners with fondness. "There are so many stories," he said, his voice filled with excitement. "Some shells have traveled long distances across the ocean, while others have been home to tiny creatures for years."
Indi listened intently as Harry shared stories of the sea, his imagination soaring as he imagined the adventures behind each shell.
As the afternoon wore on, the sun beat down relentlessly overhead, casting a warm glow over the beach. Harry watched with pride as Novie rode the waves, her smile lighting up the entire shoreline and as his youngest son collected different shells for each of his siblings.
But as the sun reached its peak, Harry noticed that Novie's cheeks were starting to flush with heat, and her movements were becoming sluggish. Concern gnawed at his heart as he approached her in the water.
"Hey there, little surfer," Harry said, his voice gentle as he lifted Novie out of the water and onto the shore. "I think it's time for a little break, don't you?"
Novie nodded sleepily, her eyelids drooping with exhaustion as she nestled into Harry's arms. "Nap time," she murmured, her voice soft and sleepy. She normally had naps earlier on in the day, but y/n let her play, they were on holiday after all.
With Novie cradled in his arms, Harry made his way back to where the rest of the family had set up camp beneath the shade of an umbrella. Y/N rushed forward to meet them, her eyes filled with concern.
"Is she okay?" Y/N asked, her voice tinged with worry as she brushed a gentle hand against Novie's forehead.
Harry nodded, his expression reassuring. "She's just a little tired and overheated," he explained. "Think a nap in the shade will do her good."
Y/N breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the tension melt away from her shoulders. "Thank goodness," she whispered, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on Novie's forehead.
Indi, sensing his mother's relief, let out a sighs of his own. "I'm glad she's okay," Indi said, his voice soft with relief.
Theo nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with brotherly concern. They had followed their dad up to the shade. "Yeah, me too. We'll have to be more careful next time," he added, shooting a meaningful glance at Blake.
Blake's smile faltered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "My bad, guys. I guess I got a bit too excited," he admitted, a touch of remorse in his voice.
But Harry shook his head, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "No harm done," he said, his voice warm with affection. "We're just glad Novie's okay. You have to remember that she’s just a baby bud, she gets tired quicker." Harry spoke, earning a nod from his son.
Harry tucked Novie into a cozy beach towel under the shade of the umbrella, and took a seat with her, gently rocking her to sleep. Y/N nestled close, her arm around Novie, and Indi, Blake and Theo joined them, taking some drinks out the cooler, winding down from a long day.
"I still can't believe she rode those waves," Blake said, his voice filled with admiration as he glanced at Novie sleeping peacefully. "She's fearless."
Theo nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on his little sister with a mixture of pride and protectiveness. "Yeah, she's something else," he said, a hint of awe in his voice.
“She’s our water bug” Indi smiled, moving to grab Novies small hand in his own. The image making Harry and y/n audibly awe and flash a quick picture of them.
Eventually, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky turned shades of pink and purple, Harry felt Novie stir in his arms. She blinked sleepily, rubbing her eyes with tiny fists before snuggling closer to her dad.
"Hey there, sleepyhead," Harry whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Did you have a good nap?"
Novie nodded, her eyes still heavy with sleep. "Mm-hmm," she murmured, a sleepy smile tugging at her lips.
Y/N leaned in, brushing a strand of hair away from Novie's face. "You did so well today, lovie," she said, her voice soft with love. "We're so proud of you."
Novie beamed, her eyes shining with happiness as she snuggled closer to her family. It was the best beach day.
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treason-and-plot · 3 days
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[previous]
Cookie’s spoon hovers in mid-air for a few moments before descending with a startled plop into her bowl.
“What do you mean, bizarre?” she says. She speaks in a hushed voice. “Are you talking about…in a sexual sense?”
“I can’t say for sure,” says Julia. “She didn’t really hang around long enough to find out. But he's definitely a few sandwiches short of a picnic, as Spencer’s Gran would say.“
“W-what?” says Cookie.
“What I’m trying to say is, Warren's a complete nutcase,” says Julia. “He seriously thinks he’s some type of real-life Dr. Dolittle, except he talks to fish instead of animals. He calls himself The Whale Whisperer because he truly believes he shares some type of psychic connection with whales. Not just whales, all sea creatures. He communicates with them telepathically. He’s got a massive fish tank inside his house filled with squid and jellyfish and rays and sharks and apparently he spends most of the day having in-depth conversations with them. And if that wasn't weird enough, get this. My friend’s friend said he swims in the tank with them." Julia lowers her voice, while Cookie's hand flies to her mouth to smother a gasp. "Stark naked."
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Leona, Floyd: Feud within the Family
They caught him mid-yawn in the initial art 😭 I SAID THIS TO SOME FRIENDS (not even in a thirsty way, just a casual comment) AND THEY INSTANTLY JUMPED ON ME OTL (if any of them are reading this, yes, I am calling your asses OUT for bullying/j)
I thought the Groovy was of Mufasa, Sarabi, and baby Simba but apparently it’s adult Simba, Nala, and their daughter, Kiara?? 😭 Most animated lions look the same to me, so I never would have caught that… Anyway, L*ona looks absolutely unhinged and super smug there… Bro looks like he’s talking down to someone groveling at his feet for mercy—
A Tale as Old as Time.
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"Heeeeeey~"
Leona turned away from the call. Cool, nonchalant—theoretically, anyway.
"Heeey."
He pretended to be absorbed in a stone bust of the King of Beasts. The meddling source of the sound (unfortunately) followed him, much as he tried to shunt it out of his ears.
Leona sighed deeply.
Aaaah, what a pain in the ass. I’m really not in the mood for seafood.
"HEY."
A growl threaded through Floyd’s voice as he stomped over, thrusting his face into Leona’s. The lion beastman groaned. He recognized that fire in Floyd’s eyes all too well.
Determination.
“Quit runnin’ away and fight me already,” Floyd gruffly demanded.
He had been tailing Leona all day, pelting him with the same challenge over and over—alas, to no avail. Now he had the third year boxed in a dark, isolated corner. Floyd gleefully gnashed his teeth, raring to go for a scrap.
He won’t take a regular old ‘no’ for an answer. If it’s come to this then…
He’d lead his pursuer off the beaten path.
“Hmph, how rude,” Leona grunted, at last granting the eel his attention. “Can’t a man appreciate the arts without being accosted? I’d rather not be bothered while I’m in the middle of browsing.”
“You? An art aficionado?” Floyd scoffed in disbelief. “Fat chance, Sea Lion-senpai. You’ve never been into that stuff. It’s not nice to lie to your juniors like that.”
“Then you don’t know me as well as you think you do,” Leona drawled, his voice as smooth as liquid velvet. He took to telling untruths so easily, it was an innate skill. “I’m a prince with refined taste. Can’t you tell I’m over the moon and stars to be at this exhibition?”
Floyd deadpanned. “You look like you’re about to fall asleep standing up just like Jellyfish-chan.”
“Nonsense. I’m absolutely thrilled. In fact, i can hardly contain my excitement. It’s taking every ounce of my energy to not talk my classmates’ ears off about the illustrious history of Sunset Savanna.”
“Yeah? Prove it, then.”
Tch. Should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy. Leona grimaced internally.
He was careful to maintain his relaxed poise as he gestured to the painting that was mounted along the wall. “Take a look at that.”
“Huh, what is it?”
Underneath a cornflower sky and thin, cottony clouds, was a red-maned lion and his lioness. Between them, a mandrill cradled a wide-eyed cub. The composition made it clear: it was a painting of a family.
“One of the great kings of the past,” Leona simpered, irony oozing from his every word, “and one of the great kings of the future, if that furball is anything to go by. The parents must cherish their child a great deal. Spoiled and pampered like that… surely the cub will make for a splendid ruler.”
“Ehehehe~ You sound so salty there, Sea Lion-senpai.” Floyd leaned closer, taunting him. “Reciting sappy stories like that don’t suit you.”
“So I’ve been told.” Leona folded his arms and snorted. When he beheld the painting, disgust and envy curled in the pit of his stomach. “… Reminds me of my brother. His life’s always been one big fairy tale—and now he’s got a wife and a kid of his own.”
“Heh. So Sea Lion-senpai definitely feels like the odd one out.”
Leona glared at his junior. “… You don’t have a lick of tact, do you?”
“Ahahah!” Floyd cackled, all too carefree. “What’re you so mad about? ‘S not a bad thing.”
Leona watched him with a wary eye. Floyd paced lazily, as though he were a lion himself. Stewing in the shade, waiting for his next meal to skitter into his waiting paw.
“Who wants to fit in with family? That’s boring. It’s better to just do what you want and be yourself. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
“I hate it when people say Jade and I are the same or they mix us up. Jade’s Jade and I’m me. Two different people.”
“I’m sure your dear brother would shed a tear hearing you talk like that.”
Floyd just shrugged. “I don’t get it. You wanna be like that? It’d be weird.”
“But it’s not about fitting in,” he wanted to snap. “It’s about wanting to shine, to stand out, to be seen. For that moment out of the shadows and basking in the sun.”
They look at me, but they don’t see me.
They never will.
People played in the daytime while sleeping through the lovely night. In the savanna governed by the sun, shadows were scorned and casted aside.
Leona’s throat dried. The moisture gone, as if hungrily devoured by his King’s Roar.
He forced his voice to come again, snarky and sarcastic.
“Hmph, I never said that. You slimy bunch grew up at the bottom of the sea, where the light cannot touch. I’d think you understand what it’s like clawing and kicking and fighting every day to survive.”
And just barely making it out in one piece.
His hand drifted toward the scar over his left eye.
“… Anyway, I wasn’t askin’ for your advice. You should stick to annoying that octopunk.” Leona smirked. Again, concealing. “Keep it in the ‘family’, you know.”
Floyd stared at him intently. Then he let out a burst of laughter. “You’re a riot, Sea Lion-senpai! I don’t even feel light fighting you anymore. It’s just as fun to shoot the shit with ya.”
“That so? You flatter me. Surely there are better conversationalists in Octavinelle, with all those silver tongues.” Leona made a shooting motion with his hands. “You should run back to your school of fish to compare.”
Another fit of sporadic giggles. When they, at last, died down to an eerie quiet, Floyd’s whisper was as loud as a shout in a cavern.
“At the end of the day… we’re both beings that lurk in the dark~”
Leona grunted. “… Who needs the light anyway?”
Deep down, he knew the truth.
It was him who needed that light the most.
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