#pgr x reader

[starryficsfinishwen]

✧!。◟[kinktober 2023] ɪɴᴛᴏ ɪᴛ — PGR & GI x reader [week 1]

I'm getting way too deep, I'm fucking into it

a.n. - I'm busy with midterms buT YOLO IM WRITING LMAO I just can't miss this event. I mean it's probably still October 7 somewhere hehe. updates on this might be jumpy, I am not sure if I am available all the time. TANKS and enjoy enjoy~

pairings - strike hawk [Chrome, Wanshi, Kamui, Camu]+ liyue [Zhongli, Baizhu] & sumeru [Tighnari] men x fem!reader (separate!)

word count(s) - mostly 400-1,000 words heuheue

kinktober masterlist

warnings: MINORS DO NOT INTERACT. NSFW THEMES: desk sex, asphyxia (reader is wearing a collar), threesome (mmf), somnophilia, bondage, oral sex (cunnilingus), aphrodisiac, anal. Some sprinkles of degradation. Use of pet names (darling, little girl, good girl, dearest, dear) and degradation (slut). reader is implied virgin (zhongli, baizhu). sometimes bratty (tighnari). some dubcon (baizhu).

special mention: banner credits to @/rookthorneartistry, @/cafekitsune

! — Chrome: Glory [ desk sex ]

“Fuck,” the creak of the office desk is the response, a muffled whine spewing out of your lips, “you feel so good, Commandant.”

Messy but so goddamn good — a few words to describe your situation right now: paperwork, probably important, are under you but you couldn't care less, not when your beloved's cock is busy splitting your poor little pussy. His gloved hand is on your drooling mouth, desperate not to let any lewd noises be heard from the outside. Your legs are trembling, from the pressure and force Chrome had been putting since minutes ago, lazily hung on his shoulders. You can feel yourself gushing now, a frothy white crowning at the base, dripping onto the expensive wood, but when your hips flush against the captain's, you forget everything but Chrome and his name.

“Mmph-” you called out, tears escaping your eyes, “y-you feel so good, Ch-Chrome, more please, please.”

Quiet is a funny word, especially — especially — when the revered Strike Hawk captain Chrome is busy railing you on the desk of Mr. Smith.

How did this happen? You can't remember now. All you can remember is being invited to the Smit's estate, sitting prettily for Chrome as he does his father's paperwork, but now -

Chrome leaned down close to your shoulders, teeth grazing your clavicle. As the relentless pace in your pussy is hard, you felt his gloved hand rub your neglected clit, jolting you from the surge of pleasure, a louder moan from your lips. Chrome bites down on your neck, a strangled sigh escaped his own mouth.

“So naughty,” he whispered, gently licking the bite mark, “I told you to keep quiet. Do you want the maids to know that the Gray Raven Commandant is under me?”

That didn't help, blinding pleasure already fogging your brain. You can't help it, not when his cock is hitting all the right spots, his fingers rubbing slowly on your clit, your orgasm teetering dangerously close now.

“I wonder; what would be Father's reaction, hm? When his beloved son is fucking a human commandant on his own work table? While everyone is outside of this room?”

“C-Chrome-!” You cried out, and he groaned. “M-Mr. Smith will-”

“-Fuck, you're squeezing me so good.” Eyes closed, he leaned up until your foreheads touched. Stealing a quick kiss on your lips, a small smile graces Chrome's lips. “That's my commandant; I'll let you cum soon. Just...let me fuck you like this more.”

! — Kamui: Tenebrion & Camu: Crocotta [ asphyxiation + threesome ]

The collar was tight, but it felt good on your neck. No, it felt great — the pressure on your neck as dark gloves tugged on the chain, and Camu's hips harshly thrusted on your pussy.

“Hah, what a slut you are.” Camu groaned, feeling your pussy flutter around his big dick, “should've known that you like being treated like a dog, a fucking dog in heat, too.”

What an innocent tease you were, somehow turned into a dog. You moan at Camu's words, desperately grinding on his hips. Your legs shake, and your hands try to balance yourself on top of him, fingers holding onto his shoulders.

“C-Camu,” you slurred, “y-your d-dick feels so good.”

“I hope you haven't forgotten your safe word, darling,” feeling foreign hands cup your breasts, you whined at the cold pressure there.

“Fuck off, Kamui,” Camu growled, tugging on your chain (making you moan again), “I'm busy with her right now.”

“You should share her with me, Camu,” Sheepishly grinning, his fingers languidly playing with your perky nipples, his voice drops, “besides, it's not like she has one hole.”

“Isn't that right, commandant?” Kamui whispered, tongue licking below your ear, causing you to shiver.

You want to say a word, but you already felt something hard nudging at the entrance of your ass. Unconsciously complying with the man behind you, you leaned forward and closer to Camu's chest. When you felt Kamui's dick penetrate your asshole, a handful of wanton babbles left your lips, saliva dripping and onto Camu.

“Atta girl,” Kamui coons, before slapping your ass, “such a good girl.”

You felt so fucking full now — Kamui and Camu's cocks somehow filling you up to the brim, even more than you've ever felt your whole mortal life. You babbled their names now, hips grinding to wherever to chase your high.

“Kamui, Camu...please...fuck me more...”

“She's mine.” Camu scowled, “she's my fucktoy. Look how cockdrunk she is now.”

Kamui smiled, despite feeling the tightness of your ass, graciously taking the chain from Camu. Harshly, he tugged on your chain, your body weakly thrown onto his chest.

“Let's see whose name she'll be screaming after this.”

! — Wanshi: Hypnos [ somnophilia ]

There's something about sneaking into the commandant's room at night that interests him.

By him, it's Wanshi. Although you've both established that he's allowed to enter your room whenever he wants, especially now that you're sick (“I'm sick,” you told him once during your patrols, a sweet pout on your lips as you sniffled, “you should come and visit my room.”), it almost felt like a sin at this point.

He's by the edge of your bed, watching the steady rise and fall of your chest. His pride may hate to admit it, but the way you're situated on the bed— sprawled out, breasts nearly spilling out of your tank top, legs wrapped tightly around a pillow — he can't help but think about something sinful.

What would your face look like under him? When are his hands playing with your breasts? Would your legs wrap around him like that when he's railing you?

The next thing he knew, he's sitting dangerously close to you. His pants feel awfully tight even. In the dark, he sees the outline of your chest better, the dip of your hips, and the sinful thoughts of somehow corrupting you are brighter than ever.

Slowly, Wanshi touched your breasts. Seeing as your nipples started to poke out, he gently massaged everywhere but there. You'd sometimes stir in your sleep, soft sounds from your lips, but Wanshi lives off the thrill;

Who knew you'd look so pretty with your guard down while he's touching you like this? Vulnerable. Sensitive. Pliant. Beautiful.

It doesn't take long before he ventures down to your nether regions. Constructs have heightened sense; Wanshi is no exception, and he could practically smell your arousal.

Dragging your shorts down, he unconsciously grinds his hard dick on the bed, as he sees some of your essence stick to your underwear. Prying your legs open, he felt like Pavlov's dog — your pussy dripping making him drool. Christmas might've come early now; without hesitation, he dips down to lick a long stripe over your slit. You stirred once more, a soft moan escaping your lips. He's relentless— kitten licks to your wet pussy, sucking on your bud. It could be driving you mad, but it's definitely making him hornier. Forget Christmas, he's the one coming soon.

Quickly unzipping his pants, he thrusted his hard cock swiftly into your aching hole. Both of you heaved a low moan, with Wanshi believing you must have woken up. But other than the tremble of your pussy, you were still sound asleep. Wanshi could feel his dick throb — this was too perfect.

He ruts his hips onto your sleeping figure, grabbing whatever skin he could reach. He could drown in this moment and regret nothing; as long as he felt your tight walls clamp on him like a vice, your face still contorting in pleasure even as you sleep through him fucking you.

Fucking into you greedily, somewhere in between, he heard you call out his name with a confused and doe-eyed look on your face. “Wanshi?”

It's too late to back down. Looking into your eyes as he grunted, a few seconds away from painting your walls white, “Good morning, Commandant. I'm just about to give you your medicine.”

! — Zhongli: Vago Mundo [ bondage + sensory deprivation ]

“Little girl,” your master coos, “You've been nothing but kind to me.”

With a butterfly kiss on your shoulder, Zhongli ties the last rope on your wrists above your head. You look at him, your master, blindingly trusting him as he steps back.

You are naked in front of him; tied wrist above your head, legs tied to the bedpost. Although shy, your willingness to please your master overtakes such behavior. Zhongli's smile never left his face. His fingers touched your chin, tipping it to meet his face.

“Mhm,” you curtly nodded, “my master takes care of me well. He's the one who is kind to me.”

“Say nothing more,” golden eyes glowed as a stray hand caressed your stomach, “After tonight, you will be mine forevermore.”

His voice only makes your tummy flutter a thousand butterflies. From his suit, he pulls out a red handkerchief, “what is your safe word again, little girl?”

“Red,” you inhaled sharply, as he started to cover your eyes with the handkerchief, “Master, will it...hurt?”

“Worry not, little one.” He kisses the shell of your ear once he's done tying the knot at the back of your head, “I will be sure to be gentle with you. If it gets overwhelming, use the safe word. Understood?”

Although blind, your trust in the man is incomparable. “Understood, master.”

“Good girl,” your mind tries to comprehend as lithe fingers start to trace from your shoulders to the dip of your chest, “let me see how much of a good girl you are for me.”

Tingles of fire in the wake of his touch. Your mind doesn't cooperate now, even as you feel his hand put a light pressure on your thighs.

“Pretty,” your master comments, inhaling your scent, “what a pliant little girl you are.”

You feel it, a long, slender finger brushing that part of you that you've never touched before. You gasped from his touch, yet unable to close your legs from the ropes he tied on you. “I-I'm sorry for being loud, master...”

“I would much rather have you be loud than be silent, dearest,” Zhongli's voice is a sultry comfort, loudly close enough that you felt the vibrations close to your throbbing pussy, “mm, archons, you are already drenched.”

“I-Is it bad, master?”

“No.” He said nothing more, only his fingers dipping experimentally and drawing slow, slow circles down there, “This is perfect.”

A surprised whine poured out of your lips, as you felt his finger slip inside your wet hole, fast and already filling the gap in between you. “M-Master Zhongli-!”

“Yes, dear, fuck,” it's the first time you've heard your master swear, that it made you throb down there, “mm, did that turn you on?”

“I-I-”

“Does your master being vulgar to his little girl turn you on?” You cried out as he started to thrust his slender fingers, “seems like you do.”

The flat of his palm rests and rubs on your clit, your tummy feeling so warm and shaking. “M-Master, i-it feels so...good...but why do I feel like s-something is coming out...!”

“That's alright, little girl,” his fingers assaulting your little pussy starts to be more ruthless, a finger slipping inside, “it means you're doing a good- fuck - job for me.”

A waterfall of moans escapes your lips, tears prickling your blindfolded eyes. “M-Master Zhongli...!”

When his fingers curved inside of you, they hit a particular soft spot that somehow made you see stars in the midst of your blindness. With a loud cry of his name, you crumbled in his fingers, something liquid squirting out of you. Zhongli fucks you through your first orgasm of the night, your squirt coating his drenched fingers, coaxing whatever you had left.

Heavy sighs and breathing filled the room. Your shaking figure, in the dimly lit room, and Zhongli thinks you're the prettiest he's ever seen in his entire lifetime.

“M-Master,”

“Good girl,” he coos, bringing his coated fingers to his mouth to taste your sweet essence, “I think you can take one more, hm?”

! — Baizhu: Beyond Mortality [ oral sex: cunnilingus ]

“Please open your legs,” said the timid doctor of Bubu Pharmacy, “I need to check what the problem is.”

Under the careful gaze of Baizhu, you shyly parted your legs. You were sitting on the patient bed of the back room of the pharmacy. You forgot to wear your underwear, seemingly noticeable as you were in a rush to your appointment with the doctor. Expecting a female doctor to attend to your needs, you were in for a surprise as the famed doctor himself was the one facing you instead.

His snake-like amber eyes carefully eyed your exposed cunt. It made you want to cover them, but his strong grip made you open your legs wider.

“Is...” you gulped, looking away as you felt his intense stare down there, “...is there a problem?”

“Hm,” it seems hard to decipher the emotions on his face. “It's quite complicated.”

Trying to take the awkwardness away, you coughed. Looking around, you somehow noticed the empty space on his shoulders, unaccustomed to the snake that always accompanied the doctor.

“Doctor Baizhu,” you spoke, voice cracking, “where is the little snake on your neck?”

“Ah, Changshang is not around yet.” He flashed a sweet smile to you, slightly calming your anxiety, “I let her sleep in for now. Worry not, fortunately your symptoms are fairly easy to fix.”

“Really?” You sighed in relief, somehow the mental counting of your expected expenses lessening, “can I ask what's it about?”

“However, I'd still like to be sure so I can give a proper diagnosis. May I...touch you?”

You nodded easily. Fairly easily, it's almost as if you were expecting so. Noticing your behavior, you shook your head and nodded slowly again. “I- um, of course, Doctor Baizhu.”

He dipped two of his fingers into a container close to him, a sticky, slime-like fluid coating his fingers. You stared at his ministration, almost as if in a trance: the way he lifted his hands, the two fingers mimicking a scissors. Slowly, they descended down to your core, and your heart skipped a beat as they lightly pressed onto your outside labia. Quickly taking your hand to suppress a sound, a muffled squeak instead made Baizhu laugh.

“My, that's cute. You don't need to hide your noises from me, dear,” he spoke softly, if he was aware that the two fingers rubbing your outside labia started, “Now, tell me: what happened and when did this happen?”

He seemed to know what he was doing. Trying to take off the distraction from down there, you try to recount what happened to you.

“Um...I was just walking around the harbor, I- uh, I saw a bunch of flowers...and ah, hah...I saw...”

The more you spoke, the more Baizhu's fingers were rubbing circles on your cunt. You try to close your legs, but Baizhu's grip was too strong.

“Dear, you were in the middle of talking,” his amber eyes were somehow entrancing you, that you never noticed you were lowering your hands to hold onto the hem of your skirt. “Please do not mind me; continue.”

“U-um...I saw,” looking away, you murmured, “you, Doctor Baizhu...”

“Mmm, and then?”

“I-I don't k-know...I started to feel all these, hah, things...l-like d-down there, I feel like I'm peeing...ah-”

You were cut off as you felt Baizhu's fingers graze your clit, a jolt of something good running through your body. A confused moan came out of your lips, embarrassment in the form of red cheeks evident as you noticed Baizhu smiling at you.

“I-I'm so sorry, Doctor! I didn't-”

“Please, darling,” he assured you with his free hand, the one on your cunt tapping happily on your nub, “don't apologize. Do not hide your voice from me, and don't feel embarrassed as well. This is just one of the ways that can help with the alleviation of your illness.”

His hand withdrew from you (a sense of disappointment scoured down there), “I think I know what this is. I have the medicine that you need. Would you like for me to administer it now?”

“Y-Yes!” You nodded, “please fix me...”

“I will. Now, will you please go on all fours?”

You followed his orders; awkward as it was, but Baizhu grabs your hips, pulling it closer to him, his hand pushing you gently onto the pillows.

“That's it, good girl.” You don't like, that praise somehow made your pussy throb, “I have an apparatus that can clean up your pussy. This may be overwhelming at first, but rest assured, you will feel better.”

You couldn't see what was happening, but you felt something long and sleek slip in between your puffy folds, causing you to moan out loud and grip the sheets. Not long after, something wet graces your sensitive nub, sucking it mercilessly.

Your jaw falls open, blinding pleasure wrecking your body into uncontrollable shaking. You could have lost yourself in it if it weren't for the grip Baizhu hand on your hips, probably enough to bruise you. But you didn't care; all you could feel was the delicious friction of something added more onto your gaping hole and your throbbing clit. Alas, it curved deep into you, a sensation that was foreign in your own innocent body.

“B-Baizhu!” you cried out, feeling something unravel on your stomach, “w-what-”

However, his answers fall deaf to your ears. You came all over the “apparatus”. Tears fall endlessly on your face, as you feel the apparatus diligently suck on your quivering hole, seemingly eager to clean it up. It felt like a long time before the shaking in your bones subsided, somehow overwhelmed with what happened earlier.

Gently guiding your hips to the bed, you heave long inhales, the world spinning from your vision.

“...ear? Dear? Are you alright?” Baizhu's voice brings you back to reality. Your eyes flutter open, still recounting the surge from earlier.

“D...doctor Baizhu?”

“Ah, I'm sorry. Are you alright?”

“Y-yes...” A dull pain paired with something leaking out from your pussy and into the sheets momentarily caused you to panic, but the assurance on Baizhu's face says otherwise. “I- is my treatment done...?”

“Yes, do not worry. You will start feeling better in no time. If you feel like that again, please do not hesitate to approach me so we can fix you up again.”

“A-alright, thank you so much, Doctor Baizhu...” You stood on wobbly legs, only to realize something on your stomach, “Although, what is this...?”

“Oh, that.” Baizhu wipes away the wetness on his chin, before looking at you with glinting amber eyes, “It's a medicine. It helps me know that you need help. If it glows, it's best you come here so I can fix you up.”

! — Tighnari: Verdant Strider [ aphrodisiacs ]

You never should have gone out on patrol.

Despite being a careful Forest Ranger, with years of experience carrying that title, you still get to be a victim of unfortunate circumstances. Sometimes, you trip over the spinocrocodiles on the lakes, or trip over large vines, or sometimes encounter a handful of Witherings all by yourself. It's all because of you and your poor excuse of mortal vision. Sometimes, you wished you were like Tighnari and his keen sense of smell and sight. But alas, you were human and not some hybrid.

But anyways, back to the problem at hand — or hands, because your body feels hot and aching all over, with the intense need to strip off and touch your now-wet pussy. Groaning and moaning as you crawled to the nearest hut, you desperately wished for some miracle to actually help you in this (unfortunate) situation.

But perhaps some archon took pity on you — the door of the hut opened even before you could knock. Plagued with an intense need, you try not to strip yourself now. The blinding yellow light caused your sight to disappear, before the outline of a familiar, pretty face and headwear shaped like a fox — wait.

“T-Tighna-”

“Y/N?” He called out, his usual hands devoid of gloves covering his nose, “I smelled you. What happened?”

You paid no mind to his use of words. Right now, his voice and himself were driving you to the point of madness. “Help,” you cried out, “I'm sorry.”

Quickly, he ushers you inside of his abode, locking it for good measure. You stumbled onto the floor, clumsily stripping out of your uniform and leaving you bare in your undershirt. You heard Tighnari call out your name, but you were too busy rolling on the rug.

“S-stop that,” he said, “what happened to you?”

“Ugh, hah, Tighnari...I feel hot all over...”

“Did you stumble on some poisonous plant?”

“No...” you slurred, a little bit of your rationality holding on to stop you from stripping off your pants, “I smelled some flowers...while on patrol...I didn't see...that they were aphrodisiacs...”

Attempting to open your eyes, you find worried verdant greens staring back at you. You've always liked Tighnari, but right now, the horny in your brain makes you want to strip him clean and make him cum-

“Help,” you cried out once more, “touch me, Tighnari, please.”

“I-”

The last of your rationality snaps. Pulling down your pants, along with your panties, you stare at the man as you start to rub your oversensitive cunt. You never broke your glance at him, even as you easily cum from your own touch.

“Tighnari, Tighnari,” you moaned his name, “need you now, want you to stuff me full of your dick, want to have you cum lots on me, please.”

Tighnari doesn't look away. Instead, he is entranced with the way your fingers dipped in and out of your drenched pussy. You see his tail puff out and somehow you remember - it's a telltale sign that he's eager.

“Mmfuck,” Tighnari cursed, trying to look away. But you were far too horny to react; raising your legs and opening them for him, you greedily chased your high as you abused your pussy.

“T-Tighnari,” you cried out his name as you orgasmed for the second time, “need you inside...”

“Don't regret this.” His vibrant green eyes turned dark in the light, lust clouding his vision as he stripped off his pants. It's so fucking hot, you admit, when he's like you, the last rationality stripping away.

Well, fucking your boss doesn't seem that bad, right?

Tighnari slipped in his hardened cock inside of you easily. You moaned out his name, feeling full as you felt his dick poke the deepest part of you. Roughly grabbing your hips, he easily manhandled you to the wall, your legs tightly wrapped around his waist.

“You just inhaled some aphrodisiacs and now you're acting like a slut.” He growled, speaking through gritted teeth. His thrusts on your pussy are driving you mad, that you unconsciously came over once more. “You probably inhaled that just so you can find an excuse to fuck me, isn't it?”

Euphoria and pleasure intertwine in your foggy mind, nails scratching his back. You whined as his dick hits that one specific spot, another orgasm clawing down there.

“What if I d-did, ah,” you bit back, but Tighnari saw through your play, mercilessly drilling onto that spot, “Ti-Tighnari-”

“No wonder you've been looking all doe-like to me. Should have known that you weren't so innocent, that you are just a slut wanting to be fucked by her own boss.”

You came from his words once more, pussy violently spasming over his cock. Tighnari seemed to follow after, feeling the rush of his seed coating your inside. Suddenly, you feel something else poking inside of you, before effortlessly slipping into you, aided by the mixture of your arousal.

“H-huh-”

“There's still aphrodisiacs in your system, no?” Tighnari ruts into you, a whine escaping your lips, “You triggered my rut, thanks to your influence. Now you'll have to suffer with me until it's over.”

please like, reblog, comment if you likey! please don't copy, plagiarize, or translate my work without my permission!

-ˋˏ starryficsfinishwen ˎˊ

[unhappy-last-resort]

Astral Desires (Yandere Watanabe x Commandant GN Reader)

Warnings: Obsessive behavior, stalking(?), sneaking into your room without your knowledge, mentions non-con fingering, touches you in your sleep but nothing nsfw

A/N: This was sitting in my drafts for too long. Inspired by that out of pocket secret his astral frame has, that as far as I know, is not given any context or explanation so I assume he's just secretly insane and honestly. Fair.

Not proof read, please lmk any mistakes or improvements.

The lounge was quiet, save for an occasional patrol by the Gray Ravens checking in on their Commandant and making sure nothing was out of the ordinary. They've failed.

Watanabe knows this because Lee hasn't noticed his presence at all and he's willing to bet that he'll leave without checking every nook and cranny. Maybe one day he'll teach him to properly check for enemies without disturbing the Commandant, maybe. Right now though, their lack of awareness made sneaking into your room all the easier.

Lee appeared in his vision once again, doing his final cursory check of the lounge. Watanabe moved with him, staying crouched while evading his line of sight and the lounge security camera until Lee finally exited the room. Thankfully, Babylonia upgraded his Astral frame significantly, replacing his old stealth module with a new one and even adding additional modules and settings to enhance his abilities, turning what was an outdated frame into one that provided him with more of an edge over enemies and proved useful in ensuring a few deals for the Forsaken went smoothly. He should thank you for encouraging him to take it despite his dislike of Babylonia, he thinks to himself. Having verified the coast was clear, and knowing that the none of the other Ravens will make their rounds again for quite some time, Watanabe quickly opened the door to your dorm and entered, silently observing your dorm room as the door shut silently behind him.

Watanabe rolled his shoulders slightly, now he could relax a little more. He stood up straight and slowly walked to your sleeping form, not bothering to hide his presence save for his sound suppression module. You had a thin T-shirt on and he didn't care to guess what the sheets were hiding, he already knew. The artificial moonlight shining through your window illuminated your face beautifully, although he hated that you left the curtains open like that, he had to admit that he never tired of this sight. This was his and his alone.

During the daytime hours you're always putting on a brave face, keeping it together for your squad and others around you so they don't see the way your fingers trembled ever so slightly during the Space Station mission, or your anxiety as you're being shuttled to another mission, wondering if it's your last. At night however, it was different. When you think you're alone you'll let down your high walls and let your shoulders drop under the invisible pressure you always feel with every step. Sometimes you cry, stare at a wall in thought, or write in your journal. Watanabe always liked when you did that, because that's where all your unfiltered thoughts and feelings are put down. He's read every single page more times than he could count. It brought a faint smile to his lips, thinking about all the things he knew about you. You never opened up to him unlike the humans at the Forsaken HQ and his patience started to wear thin after a while.

He couldn't help it. He wanted- no, needed to know you more. Who were you under the heavy title of "commandant"? What were you like before? What would you be doing if it weren't for the Punishing Virus? Would you be happy if you lived on Earth, or do you prefer to live among the stars? Are you loyal to Babylonia or your companions? He wanted to learn so much about you, but you always kept a distance. He could feel it, he could feel an invisible wall you would put up, barring him from getting any closer and from your secrets slipping out, but you...you were like a flower blooming in the desert. Beautiful, resilient, and wonderous, can you blame him? Can you blame him for finally cracking and taking things into his own hands?

He moves towards your window and draws your curtains closed, careful not to be visible from any potential passerby. After all, your sleeping form and all the thoughts and expressions you don't let anyone else see is for his eyes and M.I.N.D. alone. He walks towards your bed slowly, as though he might wake you even though he knew you wouldn't, not even if he pried you open with his fingers. He only knows that because it done it a few times, oh how sweet your soft little whimpers were as you would squirm and writhe in your sleep. The memories tug a small smile out of the corner of Watanabe's lips and his eyes instinctually drag away from your face and down to your thighs at the thought.

Watanabe gently brushes the back of his fingers against your cheek, admiring the way your warmth seeps into his synthetic skin so easily, making his M.I.N.D. hum in satisfaction. He wonders if you'd ever let him this close to you if you were awake, he tilts his head in thought as his fingers brush your skin. Perhaps it's best that you don't, your position as a commandant might be put in danger if you allowed him to display his affection for you this way in public.

He pauses. Affection? Is this really affection, or just obsession at this point? He'd throw away everything for you if you asked him to. He would abandon everything if it meant he could have you, if it meant you'd devote yourself to him the way he does to you. God, if such a thing exists then grant him this one prayer.

Let him stay by your side until your youth fades and your body wilts and withers. And in your final moments, he'll capture your conscious and your memories so he can keep you and protect you until eternity.

Yes. Watanabe smiles softly as he gently lays next you, inhaling your scent and feeling your warmth. You are so naive, so trusting, but it's alright. He'll keep you safe. He's been around for longer, seen the deluge both humans and corrupted bring, he knows what's best. He knows what's best for you, he just needs you to trust him more. Watanabe slowly leans forward and softly kisses your cheek as his nose brushes against your skin.

"I'll keep you safe, Commandant. Even if you struggle against me, I'll make you come to me in the end."

[empty-fantasies]

Heartbeat

a short rambling of Lee who’s blushing cheeks always seems to betray him in his denial of the heart fluttering actions of commandment.

Characters Included: Lee

gn!reader/commandment, fluff, no plot just lee and his tendency to blush at the slightest of things

Lee swears it is a minor bug that causes his temperature to raise and to bloom into an embarrassing shade of red on his cheeks.

“It’s nothing,” he would always say, quickly looking away with a near permanent frown etched onto his lips. A common response that has become expected whenever a certain someone would point out the sight.

He has always been so quick to deny it all. He’s a construct—these emotions and ticklish sensations are just mere afterthoughts that his conscious and M.I.N.D. managed to cling on to. No, the red hue blooming across his cheeks isn’t what you believe it to be. No, he didn’t mutter that the little frustrated pout Commandment had was cute. No, he isn’t denying this because he simply can’t place his emotions into words. He is only a construct, nothing more and nothing less.

“You’re being ridiculous, Commandment,” he would always scold.

Lee, an all too serious individual who can’t believe that Commandment would claim such a ridiculous thing in the first place. Lee, who could feel his patience beginning to wear thin, would rather toss himself into the abyss than to admit that something was amiss all because he was blushing.

Lee’s metal hands immediately swat away Commandment’s hands when they make an attempt to pinch his cheeks, grumbling and muttering about how this is merely no big deal. Swiftly, he turns around, arms crossed over his chest and frown even more apparent compared to before, unyielding in his efforts to hide his face from Commandment who continues their onslaught of teasing. Yet, it appears that his dear commandment is also relentless in their pursuit in making him admit it. How did he get stuck with a commandment like this one is beyond his understanding, but that was not the biggest concern right now.

Catching him going red in the face? Unwilling to admit it? Never happened in the first place.

[kangen-wanshi]

congrats on 300 followers, i love reading ur works! :'D may i request a lee x commandant for 4 on the hurt/comfort list?

"But I didn't." ft. Lee: Entropy

Losing a limb is nothing to him. With you on his back, your blood dripping onto his skin, he doesn't care what sort of hell he have to suffer through to get you to safety.

Tags: hurt comfort, mention of blood and death, being injured, losing a limb in Lee part, it's all sad but it ended happy so

A/N: Ty anon:DD Here's a little pain and a little comfort for u

300 followers prompt event! Ongoing until 11th June 2023

Constructs can be repaired. They can be replaced. They are superior in terms of physical use and disposability in comparison to humans.

Which is why, even though he lost a limb, even if the fluid in his body is rapidly decreasing, creating a trail of blood on the path he had carefully picked through the ruins, Lee kept on going.

His pain module had been shut down decades ago. He can’t be bothered to be concerned about the increasing weight his M.I.N.D is facing. He can’t, and he shouldn’t. Because you are carried carefully on his back, unconscious, and heavily injured.

It was an ambush. Both of you had been separated from Liv and Lucia while following a trail of suspicious Punishing Virus activity. He had lost a limb in an attempt to free himself from falling debris so that both of you can continue to find a way out, making you in charge of covering his blind side, only for you to suffer an even greater injury in the process of trying to protect him.

He doesn’t have a healing module as advanced as Liv’s, he couldn’t do much but to stop the bleeding that had kept on dripping and drenching his back. He couldn’t do anything. He couldn't do anything but to let the remaining stability of his M.I.N.D to send out a beacon signal to his teammates, all while forcing his body to keep on going through the desolated ruins.

Part of his M.I.N.D are still connected to you. Or at least, whatever is still awake, just so that he can continue with the idea that you’re still here with him. That the body he carries on his back is still breathing, despite the warm blood that keeps on sinking onto his back.

After what felt like hours of walking, when another squad finally spotted him - when his M.I.N.D finally catch on a signal that aren’t your dying thoughts, Lee finally dropped onto the ground - still careful as to not harm you in the process - letting his and your blood pools beneath him, flashlights finally found its way to shone at his body, followed by rapid footsteps and screams of urgency.

Before his M.I.N.D fades, his azure eyes spotted you being carried away by other agents, he felt his connection to your mind were hastily disconnected, and before he was engulfed in darkness, he was filled with the dread of your well-being.

When he wakes up, he wakes up to the familiar sight of the Medical Bay for constructs. White ceilings, and dim lighting filled his eyes as he felt himself stabilizing. He took a deep ‘breath’, letting himself process his new frame, and the new situation he’s been put through after the nightmare.

When Lee finally finds himself able to scan his surroundings, his focus first falls onto the familiar weight by his lap. He doesn’t need to use a scan to know who it is, the tuffs of your hair and your familiar, comforting rhythm in breathing drive him to a quick conclusion of your identity even though your face is buried deep in your arms.

Lee pulls his hand upwards atop of your head, caressing your hair, careful as to not put any pressure as he can still spot some bandages wrapped around your head and your arms.

Lee can’t tell how long he had been out. He can’t tell how long you had snoozed away by his side, on his lap, snoring quietly, waiting for him to wake up. Either way, you’re still very much wounded and are in the middle of a recovery. Meanwhile, he can exactly feel every inch of his physical body operating just fine despite the absolute wreck he was when he carried your bloodied self.

You’re still hurt. And yet, he’s already in top shape.

He wishes he could suffer alongside you. He wishes he could share your pain even if it’s just a little longer. He wishes he had flesh and blood and a beating heart just so that he could share your mortal physical pain.

Lee leaned his body forward, his face buried in your hair as both of his hands came up to cradle your face carefully. He trembles - Oh how glad he is when he trembles when he holds you. Even if his body is entirely replaceable, even if his frame changes every time his body becomes beyond saving, his mind is still there. Intact. And he still retains all his memories and his worry over you.

You stirred awake in his hold, yet he didn't budge. His lips are buried on the crown of your head as he let the feeling of relief wash over every inch of his system. Even though he couldn’t drop a single tear, with the way his hand shook and how desperate he was holding you, you can tell that he would cry in this very moment.

You pulled your hand up to hold onto his, tracing circles on his hand before pulling away slowly. Yet, Lee was quick to pull you back towards himself, his forehead resting against yours while your noses eagerly brushed against each other.

“Sorry,” you breathed out, giggling tiredly before rubbing your eyes, “I didn’t mean to sleep here. I know you’d scold me knowing I sleep with my back hunched - but I was just really really sleepy I guess.”

Lee shook his head, biting his lips as he closed his eyes, basking in the sound of your breathing, and the positive scan result that he received when he scanned you with his eyes. 

“How can you be so insensitive,” he finally whispered back, “You were the one whose life was on the line. I wouldn’t be bothered to be concerned about your neck now - you’re here, you’re alright, and that’s more than enough, I think.”

“Don’t say it like that, Lee.” You turned your head to face his palm when his hand came up to caress your cheek, “You’re saying it like my life was the only one in danger, Lee.”

“Is it not?” He retorted back with a strained chuckle, lips barely brushing against your cheek with a smile, “You’re still a human. Your body can’t simply be.. Replaced. You know this, I’m sure of it.”

“I do, but it doesn’t discard the fact that you were suffering just as much as I did,” you buried your face deeper into his palm, eyes growing warm as your breath slowly grew heavier, “You turned off your pain module, you connected your mind to mine while forcing your body beyond its operational use. You could’ve -” You choked lightly before taking a deep breath, “You could’ve..”

“But I didn’t.” He cut you off, not allowing you to finish your sentence before properly cradling your face within his hands, pulling your eyes away from his hand to look back at his azure gaze, holding you there, “But I didn’t. I’m here. And you’re here. We’re fine.”

So you broke down in front of him. Within his cradle as he buries your face in the crook of his neck. The erratic beating of your heart, and the tears that rolled off from your cheek compensates for everything that rushed through his M.I.N.D that he couldn’t administer in a similar manner.

Yes. You’re both here. And that’s all that mattered to him.

[king-of-the-kingless]

MINORS DNI, 18+ ONLY ~~Fem!! Reader~~ 1.3k words Warnings: vaginal fingering, creampie, squirting, power imbalance, rough, teasing

You going into Camu's room wasn't planned, you had a hard day, and everything you touched seemed to go wrong. Liv told you to take the day off, and it had just started, so your dejected self went straight to Camu. Knocking on his door, there was no response from inside, but that didn't stop you from opening the door and just walking in. 

You got used to Camu not responding to the door, but you're the only one he lets in. "Camu, are you awake?" you called out, seeing a mass on his bed in the vague shape of his broad shoulders. Shutting and locking the door behind you, you start walking towards his bed, taking off your shoes and jacket before sliding in under the blanket with him. You know he's awake, there was no way he wasn't. Almost immediately one of his strong arms wraps around your waist, pulling you against his shirtless toned chest. 

"To what pleasure do I get for waking up to you coming to me, Commandant?" his gruff voice spoke, more hoarse and masculine from just waking up. 

"had a horrible morning, you’d comfort me, right?" you glance up at his face, eyes locking with his discolored ones. 

"Mmm, depends." with that, he shut his eyes and got comfy, aiming to just go back to sleep. 

Pouting, you let out a heavy exhale and just pressed your face to his chest. Suddenly, you thought of an idea. Your pout is now replaced with a slutty smirk, hands inching downwards to remove your pants, making sure to make it obvious. You can feel his arm tighten around your waist, it was working. 

Slowly, you remove your panties as well, propping up your leg onto his hip. Your fingers dip into your folds, softly sliding around your clit, teasing yourself just a bit to get wet. Leaning forward, you press a soft kiss against his wide chest, taking a deep breath of his scent before plunging two fingers into your cunt. 

His hand slides from your waist to your thigh propped up on him, "What do you think you're doing?" 

"Giving myself comfort, because someone won't," you tease, a soft moan leaving your lips as you start to finger yourself, imagining it was him. Thrusting down onto your hand, you set a good pleasurable pace, moaning for him. However, it seemed like Camu's willpower was stronger than you thought, he didn't move his hand from your thigh. 

Speeding up a bit in retaliation, you cry out his name as your clit rubs up against your palm with each thrust of your hips and every curl of your fingers pressing right into your bundle of nerves. Keeping the rhythm, you sob against him, biting and nibbling against his pecs, earning you a deep groan from your lover. 

It wasn't long before you could feel yourself about to cum, clenching down on your hands, your slick sliding down your hand onto his bed. "Oh fuck, Camu, I’m close…" you whine, his hand squeezing your thigh in response. 

His hand slides down your thigh straight to your cunt, spreading your folds before applying pressure to your clit. That sent you over the edge, clamping down on your fingers and crying out his name. 

"Such a good girl, now let me comfort you some more," he murmurs, sliding your fingers out of your cunt and replacing them with two of his thicker, stronger ones. Immediately you can feel the stretch, whining at the feeling. 

His pace started slow, rocking you out of your orgasm, dragging it out before speeding up and roughly fucking you with his fingers. Throwing your head back, you grab onto his bicep with your slick-covered fingers, clenching against his fingers. "Oh fuck! Camu!!" 

His pace is rough, just like his personality, and drags another orgasm out of you, but he never stops just what you like. His other hand slides to the back of your head, grabbing your neck to pull your face up to his, latching his lips onto yours. His broken horn-like inver-device pokes you in the forehead before he tilts his head to prevent it. 

You whine into his mouth, feeling your slick slide down your thigh. You were so wet for him, dragging another orgasm. You were so blissed out, that you couldn't fight the tongue sliding into your mouth as it dragged against your teeth before pressing into your tongue. 

Having to catch your breath, you pull away, to his disappointment. Glancing downwards, you open the blanket just a bit to look down, watching as a soft purple glow can be seen from between your legs. His fingers illuminated the blanket enough for you to see him fucking you with them. Moaning at the sight, you spread your legs further apart lifting it off of Camu. 

His thumb slides up and applies pressure to your clit again, circling it with vigor. You go slack from the feeling, but it wasn't long before you could feel stretched again by him adding a third glowing finger into your pussy. Crying from the feeling, you rock your hips to his pace. As his third finger was added, you can see the light dim every time he thrusts his hand into you, knowing all that light is all up in your pussy and it sends goosebumps all over your body. 

He drags you through another orgasm, hearing the slick get louder. You whine his name, eyes rolling to the back of your head. But it wasn't long before you could feel another coming, but this one felt just slightly different. "Oh! Oh wait, Camu!" You cried but it was too late, squirting all over his hand, blanket, and bed, you shivered and fell limp, legs shaking and twitching. 

Only then did his pace slow and he's soft, pressing rough kisses against your face. "You did so well," he sits up, removing his fingers from your cunt and licking them off. He positions himself between your legs, sliding down his sweatpants enough for his thick erection to pop out. Grabbing onto the underside of your knees, he lifts and presses them down against your chest, sliding his huge cock against your folds. 

"Fuck Camu, please, I want you..." you whine, shaking in anticipation. 

That was all he wanted to hear before plunging into you. A groan leaves him as you clench down on him. Licking his lips, he starts to rock his hips into you, dragging a needy moan from you. 

Just like his hands, his pace quickens and becomes rougher, sliding out till he almost falls out before slamming right back in, forcing you to take his entire thick cock. Your noises got louder, you're crying out his name as he fucks you ruthlessly. 

Pressing you further into the mating press he had you in, he locks lips with you. Making out with you to shut you up, he doesn't need other people to hear you crying and whining on his cock. You reach up with a hand to slide your fingers through his soft gray hair, pulling at it as another orgasm rocks through your body. 

He laughs at you when he pulls away from your lips. Miscolored eyes staring down at you all dumb and needy on his cock, in response to his laugh, you clench down on him, orgasming again. It wasn't often he laughed. 

Groaning at the feeling, his pace gets sloppy, biting down on his bottom lip. It wasn't long before he slams into you and released his cum into you, filling you up. He rocks his hips, dragging out his orgasm, feeling his cock pulse inside of your walls. 

You reach and grab his broad shoulders, digging your hands into his muscles. "God Camu, I love you so much."

You earn a smile from him and he releases your legs and hovers over you, still fully sheathed in you. "Mhm, I know. You'll have to help me wash my bed, you made such a mess."

Rolling your eyes, you pinch his cheek. "After a nap, I don't think I can move thanks to someone."

[punishing-eden]

So idk if you do smut or taking any request at the moment but if you do can you do Lee where he gets jealous? Like commandant is spending TOO much time with Wanshi being his pillow and all.

Author's Note:

Hi, you can still submit requests,I don't mind doing them from time to time. But rn I am a bit busy irl, so it will take a while for me to finish.

As of right now, I don't write Smut. At most, I could is implications of sexual acts. But not full pornographic details/paragraphs.

But also, a Lee and Wanshi sandwich????!!! 😍😍

I know I said this before, but I will say this again, I really need to get to Echo Aria.😢I have heard about their interaction and, Boi... it's *Chefs kiss*

Edit: aksjakjskaka, I made a huge mistake, it has now been fixed.😭😭

---------------------------------------------------

"Our" (Grey Raven's) Commandant...

Lee (Entropy) x Commandant/reader (ft. Wanshi)

Summary:

Lately, Lee has been experiencing a unique emotion whenever he sees you with another construct, Wanshi. Although, he was convinced it was just some malfunctioning of his M. I. N. D programming. His actions spoke other wise.

Needless to say, Wanshi seems know what was going on.

Tags: Tw: Jealousy, gatekeeping behaviour, request, mild fluff, one shot, a triangle

It started at thirty centimetres. By the time you came back to Babylonia from an earth mission, the proximity, between you and Wanshi shrank by ten.

A week later, it reduced to five, four, three, two, one, all the way to zero. Lee counted the units, whenever he saw you and Wanshi together.

He had been counting, the units on full display in his inner device. Recording the number of times that proximity unit reached to zero. According to his data, it happened more than a 'good' amount.

"I am sorry, but this is 'our' (Grey Raven's) Commandant," he once warned Wanshi, who only looked at Lee with a nonchalant expression. Eyes heavy with fatigue, Wanshi, whom, with a more mature way of thinking, only nodded and ignore Lee's statement. Keeping things civil, Hypnos hummed and walked away.

Without a doubt, it infuriated Lee. Holing up in his room, the construct ruminated in thought, while dismantling his gears. In his mind, you have been spending more time with Strike Hawk. At first, as Lee thought, it was all professional and work related. That was until, he noticed how close you and Wanshi were. A little too close for Lee's comfort.

Needless to say, he began to device preventative measures to bring an end to this madness. Doing everything he could to stop the proximity reaching to Zero. He went as far as to slot himself between you and Wanshi, accompany you everywhere, turning down opportunities of contact on your behalf.

Despite the efforts, he was disheartened. Upset, having spotted you sleeping with Wanshi in the training room.

You were fast asleep against Wanshi's chest cushions, all the while, the construct 'slept' in leisure. The fire arms were laying on the ground, unsupervised, and the scent of gunpowder lingered in the air.

There was a heavy feeling in Lee's chest, a set of emotions ruptured from his M. I. N. D., triggering his physical symptoms.

In denial, Entropy questioned himself. Back tracking through his schedule to see if it was something he did or damaged. Did the construct engineering team replaced the wrong gear? Replenished too much vital fluid?

'I must be overloading', Lee thought to himself.

He didn't say anything but went to carefully picked you up in his arms. It would be better to sleep in a bed.

Without a word, Lee carried you back to your quarters. Only to find you, once again, asleep with Wanshi the following night in the training room. Same again on the next following night again and again.

Gritting his teeth by how maddening this occurance was, Lee picked you up for the final time. You were still fast asleep, exhausted from the training.

The same set of emotions swirled in his M. I.N.D. Lingering his gaze as Hypnos, Lee clicked his tougne out of frustration.

"This is our Commandant," he mumbled, "go get your own..."

"... That's not how Strike Hawk works, you surely know that."

Taking a step back, Lee glared at Wanshi. Shifting in his sleeping position, with his eyes still closed, Hypnos gave a yawn before slowly, very slowly, opened his tired eyes.

Lee scoffed at his last sentence. Clearly hiding the embrassment, of his biased opinion being heard.

"Of course I know that," Lee replied, "But what are you doing, always approaching our Commandant?"

Wanshi only look back at Lee with an indifference gaze. Disinterested in engaging an argument, the construct began stretching before laying back down. Shifting, in a more comfortable position.

He closed his eyes and said, "We just so happen to fall asleep here. Commandant just wants to practise aiming."

There was a scene of you mentioning about your shooting skills played in Lee's memory data. During that time, he wasn't in for a small talk, and didn't put your concerns at heart. Thus, it was his own doing for pushing you to seek others for help. Maybe that's why you went to Wanshi instead.

"... Rest assure, I am not stealing your Commandant. I was just trying to help..." Wanshi quickly fell silent, entering into a slumber, he left Lee reflecting on his emotions.

After a long paused, Wanshi spoke up again, "... it's okay to be jealous"

For a split second there was an impulse urge for Lee to point a gun against Wanshi's head. But, Entropy quickly recovered. He gave Wanshi's sleeping form one last look before heading back to your quarters with his teeth gritted together.

******

To recieve a notice on the following morning, Wanshi realised he'd just recieved an offical complaint. Placing the tablet down on the coffee table, the construct just resumed his slumber on sofa.

"Wanshi," Chrome's voice snapped Wanshi awake, "Care to explain why we got an offical complaint?"

"It was just some misunderstanding..." Wanshi replied.

"Is that all you are going to say?" Chrome pressed further.

"It's not much of a big deal," Wanshi said, "just about jealousy."

Looking up at the ceiling, Wanshi gave a small smile before yawning and fall back asleep.

(C) Punishing-eden

[arkbeyond]

helloo! may i request relationship hcs for watanabe and skk reader? tysm!! 💖

hello!! of course you may!! my watanabes arent v high afffection so i just had to scour the grayravens site for extra info, but i hope i still managed to keep him in character ^_^ i hope you enjoy!!

watanabe relationship hcs with the commandant

content warnings: none

➸ Suffice it to say, it wasn't easy to initially gain WATANABE's trust — with your rank and his...at best, complicated feelings about Babylonia — but he's come to a point where he would choose to fight for you as fiercely as he does for the Forsaken. You're not just his lover, after all; you're one of his closest confidants, his most trusted companion, his only guide... Isn't that right?

➸ Watanabe takes a simple joy in just spending time with you, too. It isn't often that he gets time to himself, and one of his favourite things is to spend it with you. He'll make some mint tea for you and let you talk about your day, or just sit in silence if you prefer, an arm wrapped snugly around your waist.

➸ Your relationship may start out as a bit of a secret at first. It's not that he's ashamed about it, no, but he's somewhat of a private man — and if none of his Forsaken and none of your Ravens ask about it, then he sees no point in broadcasting it needlessly. That being said, sometimes his gaze will fall more lightly on you, or he'll stand closer to you than normal, and the gears might start to turn in their heads...

➸ This does open the door to some clandestine meetings, though, and if he's being honest, even he thinks it's just a little romantic: late-night kisses illuminated by the moon with the desert wind tousling your hair, or holding you in secret under the cover of one of Babylonia's stairwells.

➸ He also seems like the type to enjoy simple, domestic tasks with you, too! He doesn't need to eat, but he definitely enjoys cooking meals with you, swiping stray flour off your cheek, watching the way you look in the flourescent lighting of your dining room, tap-tap-tapping a finger against the table... And while he knows you're more than safe at Babylonia or at Forsaken HQ, he likes being there to watch over you as you sleep, just to spend a bit longer in your company.

➸ Though he'll never say it aloud, it makes him think of having some sort of life with you, outside of all of the unending conflict. Sometimes, when he cups your face in his hand, he thinks about when he can stop being your blade and simply be yours — but for the time being, he will fight for you for as long as you need him.

[atrixamicus]

+:｡.｡𝓑𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼｡.｡:+

𝙿𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐/𝚜: 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒 𝚡 [𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚝] 𝙶𝙽.𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 𝟸.𝟸𝚔

𝚂𝚢𝚗𝚘𝚙𝚜𝚒𝚜: 𝙰𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙷𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎.

𝙲𝚆: 𝚂𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎

𝚄𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚠𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚊 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙱𝚊𝚋𝚢𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚊. 𝙽𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞��𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚗, 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚜𝚔𝚢, 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚊 𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚌 𝚜𝚎𝚊.

𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚢𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚎. 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚞𝚜𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚖 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚛𝚞𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚊 𝚜𝚞𝚋𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎, 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚒𝚌 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚖, 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚊𝚍𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎.

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚒𝚜 𝚞𝚜𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚖𝚘𝚍𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢, 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎, 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏, 𝚋𝚢 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚊 𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚜; 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍--𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚕𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎, 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚞𝚙. 𝙷𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚞𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞.

𝙰𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚛𝚋𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚍𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎.

"𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒, 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝, 𝚒𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚒𝚝?" 𝙷𝚎 𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜.

"𝚈𝚎𝚜, 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘𝚘. 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜..." 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎, 𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚍. "𝙴𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞..." 𝙷𝚎 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚍.

"𝙷𝚎𝚑... [𝙽𝚊𝚖𝚎] 𝚒𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚎, 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚞𝚜." 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚑𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝𝚕𝚢, 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝. "𝙱𝚞𝚝, 𝙸'𝚖 𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚢 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎." 𝙷𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚊 𝚑𝚞𝚖 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚍𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔, 𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘, 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚎'𝚍 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚞𝚙 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑.

𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚝 𝚌𝚞𝚝𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚔𝚢, 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚐𝚗𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜, 𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝. 𝙸𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍, 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚞𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚒𝚖, 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝙼.𝙸.𝙽.𝙳., 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎.

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚖𝚢... 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎. 𝙷𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝙱𝚊𝚋𝚢𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚊--𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍𝚜. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗, 𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍.

"𝙸𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒?" 𝙷𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚕𝚢, 𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚒𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝. "𝙻𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎... 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝. 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚌 𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚒𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢." 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝙻𝙴𝙳 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚢.

"𝙸... 𝙸 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍, [𝙽𝚊𝚖𝚎]. 𝙰𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜... 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝙸𝚗 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎." 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚜 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖 𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖, 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚕 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚎.

"𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍. 𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎. 𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚢, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚑 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚕." 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚣𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜' 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜, 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚊 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.

𝙰𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚝𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎, 𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚜, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗. 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖. 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚕, 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜, 𝚜𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚞𝚕𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚊 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.

𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚜. 𝙰𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 𝚋𝚕𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜. 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚖𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜.

"[𝙽𝚊𝚖𝚎]..." 𝙷𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚗, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛. "𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚊𝚖." 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞.

𝚃𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚗. 𝚄𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝, 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝--𝚊 𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚙 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚑����𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎. 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚢𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚢 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝, 𝚊 𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚘𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚞𝚝𝚢. 𝙰𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛.

𝙷𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚜. 𝙸𝚏 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚢, 𝚒𝚏 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚊 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐.

𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚖𝚎𝚝 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝'𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚢 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚜. 𝙰 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚗𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍... 𝚞𝚗𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚕𝚢.

𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚢𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎. 𝙷𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙 𝚒𝚝, 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝙼.𝙸.𝙽.𝙳 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚛𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝙱𝚊𝚋𝚢𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚊 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙴𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚝𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏. 𝙰𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚒𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚟𝚘𝚠. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍.

𝙸𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚢 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚖𝚘𝚒𝚕 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚕𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚍, 𝚜𝚘 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚘 𝚏𝚊𝚛. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝-𝚠𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚞𝚎𝚕 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎.

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚖𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚒𝚛, 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚖𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜, 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚙 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜, 𝚊 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚎𝚍𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙰𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚜𝚘, 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚐𝚊𝚙 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝.

𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎, 𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚑, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚕--𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎, 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚏 𝚒𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜. 𝙷𝚎 𝚔𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚔 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚢. 𝙷𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚟𝚞𝚕𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚎𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎, 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕.

𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚑𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚜𝚔𝚢. 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚜, 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚕 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚓𝚊𝚠𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚔, 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜. 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎.

𝙰𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚢𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚎. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚊ç𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝, 𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚜. 𝙷𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕, 𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐.

𝙰 𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚖𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚊 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚗𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕 𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚝, 𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔. 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢, 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚑𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚎.

𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚌𝚢, 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚜𝚔𝚢, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝. 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞.

𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎, 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒'𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚒𝚛. 𝙰 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝 𝚛𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚢𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚓𝚘𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝙼.𝙸.𝙽.𝙳. 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚜 𝚝𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘 𝚜𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢, 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚊���𝚖𝚝𝚑, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚝. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚎𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍𝚜.

"𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞..." 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚝, 𝚖𝚞𝚏𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞.

𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙸𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚎, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖, 𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎.

"𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒..." 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚞𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍, 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚔𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍𝚜.

𝙸𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝, 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗, 𝚏𝚊𝚛 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎. 𝙸𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚍𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜-𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐.

𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚌𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚢𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚖, 𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚝𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚘𝚛 𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚏𝚏 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖, 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚗𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚋𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚌𝚕𝚎.

𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚖 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛. 𝙽𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖𝚜, 𝚗𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛.

⊶⊰❣⊱⊷ᗰᗩᔕ丅ᗴᖇᒪᎥᔕ丅⊶⊰❣⊱⊷

+:｡.｡𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓷𝓭｡.｡:+

[rei-dragoness]

//slight pregnancy mention

I have one purpose in life and that's being Alpha's stupid little boywhore and I am COMMITTED.

Being tied up, legs open and arms bound for Alpha, little pussy so very exposed to her. Your whines and protests being ignored when you say she won't fit but she'll make sure that cute little boycunny of yours takes every inch of her fat cock until it's the only thing you can think of. She's gonna break her boybitch from a proud Commandant to a brainless cumslut who only knows how to beg for her cock. Every brutal thrust from her just penetrating so deep into your womb, screaming about how you'll get pregnant if she cums inside but she just holds you down on the pillow and tells you good boys allow themselves to be knocked up full of as many babies as their master wants to put in their tummy. Dumbly drooling and nodding when she keeps drilling into your brain your only purpose is to be her breeding stock. Spanking, degrading, slapping you as much as she desires, she's going to permanently break you into being her bitch, and don't you fucking forget for a second who owns you, only she is allowed to fuck you stupid like this, only her cum should be oozing out of your cunt until you cant walk properly.

[latimeria-fell-from-heaven]

Come to pgr we have alpha

sword gal with a narwhal and rides a bike

imagine her fucking you by slamming you over her bike as your pussy rubs against the cold leather while she possessively tells you you’re her bitch and that you’re gonna take her like it or not

she's literally the type to either overstimulate you to heaven and back, making you messily cream all over her fingers until she's satisfied that she's made you cum enough to only think about her, or she's gonna edge you like nobody's business and uses threats of a harsh punishment if you so much as dare squirt on her fingers. either way she's fucking you until all you can say and think is her name. and she's gonna degrade you the whole time too, calling you a messy little whore, that no one else but her is gonna fuck you this good, and telling you to take it all like a good slut. and pray to whatever deity you believe in once she finds out about being able to attach certain dildos to her crotch, bc she's gonna bend you literally everything until you pass out, your juices coating the silicone toy.

[mackjlee9]

[Kintober 2022]

Character & Prompt;

Kamui:Tenebrion/Bastion| Cumming Untouched

•|word count; 815|•

Kamui's feelings were comprehensible, he has never met another human in Babylonia that did not treat constructs like mere fighting machines. To Kamui, Gray Raven's Commandant was a special case.

(M/n) always made sure to treat constructs, transcendants, and androids like equals, even if they weren't part of his team, and he was always respectful to Babylonia's soldiers. He was so incredibly nice to everyone, and Kamui usually felt his face warm and a pounding sensation in his chest whenever (M/n) would give out gifts to him, sometimes even buying him -and the others- the special outfit for him to wear, getting some special-designed weapons to fight and have a good laugh with them whenever he could.

He was so kind, lovely, and sweet, so of course, Kamui was gonna develop a crush on his Commandant, Kamui felt thankful towards (M/n) for never pushing him aside when he decided to join, the Strike Hawk team soon following his lead to do so.

Kamui felt self-conscious about his feelings, but they just kept growing every time they spent time together, and he couldn't prevent that, not like he wanted to either. It felt nice, the warm sensation surging through his body felt really, really nice.

With that, Kamui became aware of a few things that he might've overlooked or dismissed before, but constructs, trascendants, and androids, as much machine as they were, they were constantly improving, developing human-like behavior and manners. Kamui didn't intend to, but he kinda fell asleep while imagining things, his mind wandering off into odd places, and he found out something.

Somehow, he could get an erection, but he couldn't ejaculate -he tried to-, however, his body does experience the jolt, the euphoric sensation of it, but he doesn't produce semen, which is understandable. He used that knowledge and kept it to himself, coming up with unlikely and risky scenarios in his head, his body trembling as he dry orgasmed every time.

Sometimes, the memories of those scenarios would come back to him, remembering how hot they were, and that would cause fluctuations in his M.I.N.D, something that Liv obviously noticed but only mentioned to their Commandant.

And like that, when they had come back from quite an eventful mission, (M/n) dragged Kamui away into a secluded room so they could talk. The blond had been spacing out more than usual, and (M/n) had to rely on Kamu to deal with Kamui's slip-ups, so he wanted to address the matter with him.

"Commandant I have something to do, Chrome wants me to-" he tried to free himself from (M/n)'s grip, but he was soon inside a room with the male.

"Is really important, Kamui, I can excuse you with Chrome afterward, but we need to talk," he said with a serious expression, but with a concerned tone of voice, Kamui shook his head and turned around to leave, a particularly hot and lewd scenario that occurred just like this came back into his mind. He was kinda grateful that he had managed to turn around, otherwise (M/n) not only would've seen his flustered expression and red face, but he would've also noticed his raging boner.

Yeah, it gets up just as fast as his imagination runs wild.

"C-commandant, I can't stay here, please..." He kept muttering, struggling to free his wrist, which (M/n) was still holding onto.

"Kamui, listen to me...!" Getting annoyed that the blond was rejecting him, he pulled on Kamui's wrist, making him turn around abruptly. With his free hand, (M/n) held Kamui's waist and hold him close to his body, pressing their lips together when there were mere inches apart.

Kamui's eyes opened wide, tears gathering in them, his hands desperately holding onto (M/n) as his legs got weak, trembling in his Commandant's hold as he came.

Their kiss lasted for quite some time, at least thirty seconds, and during that short amount of time, Kamui couldn't stop experimenting dry orgasm after dry orgasm, his mind was completely blanked by just one kiss, his thighs pressing together and his hips squirming as he tried to grind against (M/n)'s hips.

The moment (M/n) backed away from the kiss, Kamui's legs gave out, his body slumping on (M/n)'s, trusting him to hold him in his arms while he calmed down and could move by himself again.

"I told you it was important, and you were listening, Kamui, come here," reaching his hands to the blond's thighs, (M/n) picked him up and walked toward an empty couch in the room, sitting down and keeping Kamui pressed close against him, "Rest for a while, okay?" Silently, Kamui nodded and rested his head on (M/n)'s shoulder, closing his eyes to try and calm himself from what he just experienced.

[starryficsfinishwen]

✧。◟ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ — chrome x reader [PGR] [Happy Activation Day Chrome!!]

please don't be in love with someone else

a.n. - sometimes chrome just raghhhhhh. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHROMEE!! I promise to finish that other fic for you LOL also thank you for being one of my resilient lil construct, my Lucia and Wanshi are happy to be with you <3 mwa mwa (IM SORRY AGAIN IM LATE)

pairing - chrome x f!commandant

words - 7,881 (it's why I took long TvT)

tags/warnings - none. fluff! alcohol is involved yet again! chrome x reader shenanigans. yall up to what happens in the end uwu. non-sexual naked cuddling. cute stuff for chrome because happy activation day!!

The stars seemed to have blessed Babylonia tonight.

A crowded room. A brightly lit, dazzling chandelier. Wine and champagne glasses clinking together. Orchestral music filling the room — this is a sight that those who can afford luxury would generally see in their life. High society placed itself on top of the pedestal, overlooking its body that wore no gold.

Forget the war that raged outside; Babylonia beheld the grandeur of the rich folk for tonight, and the stars had rewarded their presence by granting the brightest evening for them.

Such sight is normal to a Smith. After all, they were always born with a silver spoon, to feed and to be fed by high society, for everyone to see.

But not for Chrome. He always thought this life was never fit for him.

There he is — champagne in hand, forcing laughter and faking smiles to those who are around him. Humanoid legs are already used to the wages of war, yet they trembled under the hours of talking to people that only blur in his M.I.N.D.

He is only here due to his father, Mr. Smith. “For you to be familiar with the people you will work with in the future,” he always said to Chrome, “be on your best attitude. Show them the makings of a true Smith.”

But they only bore him. He would rather be doing things that are mundane in the eyes of high society, such as lounging in the comforts of Strike Hawk's dormitory; dealing with Kamui's antics, helping Wanshi fix his sleeping pod, tasting Camu's dishes...or cleaning the corners of his room, or strolling the walkways of Babylonia, or playing chess with a certain someone...

A scene flashed in his memory — a warm hand reaching out to him, a sweet smile, a soft laugh, and the chessboard with scattered chess pieces in front of him. A scene that happened not too long ago, a memory so fresh that made him flush a light shade of pink. Was it the alcohol? No, usual alcohol would never make a construct drunk, unless...?

“How are you holding up, Chrome?” A familiar voice called out to him.

Mr. Smith. Holding an identical champagne glass in his hand, he looks up to Chrome with an expectant gaze. Chrome straightens, clearing his throat. “Mr. Smith, I am doing well. I have met the people you told me earlier.”

“Glad to know,” He nods, “it's beneficial as a Smith to meet your future prospects. You know that already, Chrome, don't you?”

“I do, Mr. Smith,” Chrome solemnly spoke.

“Other than that, have you seen the Commandants who are invited tonight?” Smith tsked, “they have commendable records. They seem to enjoy tonight's feast before they go back to war once more. Especially Gray Raven's Commandant, hm.”

Chrome's ears perked up. “Gray Raven's Commandant is here tonight?”

He knew the party was for high society, with some specially invited commandants. Yet, Gray Raven's Commandant? He overlooked that part, why didn't he know?

“Yes, it's understandable due to the glory they have brought to Babylonia countless times now.” Smith paused, moving his hand to make a circular motion with his glass, “I've seen them earlier. Now, they are nowhere to be found.”

“Ah,” Chrome slightly faltered, muttering, “a shame.”

“They also seem to blend well with us, I'd say.” Smith hums, taking a sip from his glass now, “they look well with us, even. We should try asking them to join when they retire.”

A particular thought crosses in Chrome's M.I.N.D. — a person wearing a simple dress amongst the crowd yet so vibrant, the same warm hand he saw as she held onto his arm, smiling fondly at him. The very thought that somehow made his heart crumble in a good way —

“Chrome?” Smith asked, causing Chrome to snap back to reality, “are you alright? You look red.”

“I do?” Chrome muttered, “I'm sorry. There must be something wrong with my cooling system after I got injured last battle. I am planning to get a maintenance check once more.”

“Alright then,” waving his hand, Smith nodded, “I'll leave you be. I need to meet with other people.”

“Thank you, Mr. Smith.” Chrome approaches the nearby table tp place his glass, “I will return soon.”

Finally, away from the party, Chrome found himself lingering outside. The garden outside of the hall seems to be the answer to his dilemma, the cool breeze and the artificial night decorated with the authentic stars sparkling above him. He breathes into this sight — once more, a thought that popped into his M.I.N.D.

“The sight may be beautiful in Babylonia,” your voice sent shivers down his spine, “but the ones here on Earth are prettier.”

Bright irises staring at him with a gentle gaze amongst the dark plains, a genuine smile on your lips, “don't you think so, Chrome?”

The memory shook Chrome, his heartbeat skipping. What was it with him lately? Thinking of a particular person that he holds with high regard? It seemed unlike him, the man who only thought of perfection. Battles and tactics are his expertise that makes up his thoughts, yet such stray memories and incredulous scenarios have distracted him since his recent rendezvous with that certain commandant...

His hands tremble. They seem lonely. A small part of him wishes those familiar hands would hold them right now.

Gray Raven's esteemed Commandant. The very thought of her makes Chrome weak. He who should maintain a professional, beneficial relationship with her. Yet, thoughts beyond that relationship seemed to have spawned in his M.I.N.D.

Chrome entertains that thought to no avail. After all, a small part of him wishes he should have seen or heard from you tonight.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star~”

Yes, something like a nursery rhyme that is sung by you. Sometimes, Chrome thinks you drove him insane to the point that he's having hallucinations of you.

“...how I wonder where you are~”

Wait. That voice seems closer and familiar. Surely, he wasn't dreaming. Chrome rushes to the source of the voice.

“up above the world so high,” the voice hiccupped, “like a diamond in the ska-ay~!”

Chrome thinks this sight is one of the best he's ever seen: sitting on the ledge of a fountain, gazing at the water beneath, your sky-blue dress nearly submerged yet you didn't look like she minded; in fact, in your hand was a glass of unfinished wine, and your face seemed too pleased with your antics, a contagious smile written on your face.

Gray Raven Commandant in the flesh. And drunk. (According to Chrome's readings anyway)

“Commandant!” Chrome's voice - shaking? - echoed throughout the garden, making you look, “Over here! What are you doing?”

You finally look at Chrome, your usual bright eyes laced with tiredness and mirth. Upon recognizing the figure that was approaching you, you cheerfully raised your glass to him.

“Hello stranger!!” your shoulders shake with visible joy, “you're hereeee, come on, come on! Join me in watching the fishies~”

Stranger? Perhaps the alcohol fogged your senses. “Fishies?” Curious, Chrome follows where your hand points, to the fountain...devoid of any fish, “I...see?”

Instead of fish, Chrome could recognize that the 'fish' the Commandant referred to are the coins that people must have thrown into the fountain. The reflection brought by the moonlight highlighted with the pattern underneath the fountain must have tricked you into thinking she was talking to fishes. Not wanting to break your delight, Chrome plays along.

“I named that lil' blue fish Lee, because he looks grumpy.” You giggle as you point to a blue-shaded coin, “then that pink one is Liv!”

“That's cute, Commandant,” Chrome chuckles, opting to sit at a considerable distance from you, “who else did you name?”

Lights over the garden seemed ethereal. Haloed with the gentle glow of the skies, the white noise of the party inside the hall, and the mellow laughter of the Commandant — Chrome could easily capture this memory for a lifetime, although you couldn't recognize him. He could try taking away the glass in hand and tell you that you're drunk, but he does not. Instead, he asks more about the 'fishes' you found. And somehow, you went silent.

“Commandant?” Chrome gently pokes the silent Commandant, “are you alright?”

“Mmm,” closing your eyes, you tapped your chin, “stranger, I can't see Chrome...”

The nickname seems to grow on him now. “Well,” he shrugged, “maybe he's sleeping.”

“Fishies never sleep!” opening your eyes just to stare at Chrome, “that's basic knowledge!”

Chrome could finally see you properly: the dress snugly fit you, the train already submerged in the water. Some strands of your hair framed your face perfectly. Alcohol flushed your cheeks in the shade of pink. Irises that still lit brightly amidst the dark, a sight Chrome could never forget. Blinking to come back to reality, Chrome reached out to brush away the strand that was on your lips.

“Some fishes sleep with their eyes open.” Chrome smiled, “but what you said is still, it's true, Commandant is always smart.”

A smug smirk flashed on your lips, arms crossed to assert her amusement, “hm! I told you!”

One of the sleeves fell to your arm as you moved. Flickering to that, Chrome spoke before reaching out to lift it, “Yes, of course. Commandant, are you not cold?”

“Nope!” Somehow filled with a new burst of energy, you drunkenly placed the glass in front of Chrome, making Chrome reel back, before struggling to stand up on the ledge with the heels on. Chrome acts quickly, aiding you by holding your legs for support. “I realized something!”

“Commandant! What are you doing, get down!”

“I need to find Chrome!” you spoke with such reverence, it could make Chrome cry, yet it only made him scared, “he could be drowning!”

Drowning? “Commandant, I know you're smart,” Chrome hesitates, before speaking, “but fishes don't dro-”

“-I know what I'm doing!” you grin at him, rotating your arm as if exercising and exhales, “that's why I'm going to save him from this ocean!”

At that moment, Chrome realizes where he went wrong. “Wait, Commandant, no!”

At least he tried to stop her.

A shivering Commandant is wrapped in Chrome's coat for tonight.

“Are you alright, Commandant?” Chrome spoke as he ran through the streets, “do you still feel cold?”

After the stupid attempt at jumping head-first into the water, Chrome had to save you - even after trying to get away from his hold. Now, you were tightly wrapped in Chrome's coat, carried like a princess in his arms.

Sneezing, you shook your head furiously, “I'm fine, you stranger! Why did you stop me?”

“The waters in Babylonia in the evening get colder. I don't want you to suffer from hypothermia.”

You whine, before sneezing once more. “I was fine! Oh well, I managed to get Chrome though.”

“You managed to- what?”

Fishing out of his hold and the coat, you childishly held out a white and blue-tinted coin. Chrome could only sigh in disbelief.

“Also, put me down, you stranger!” Attempting to wiggle out, you whine more as Chrome tightens his hold on you, the familiar way illuminated by the lights already in sight, “my mama said not to trust strangers!”

“Right,” Chrome laughed, his heart skipping a beat, “don't worry, I'm taking you to Chrome right now.”

Halfway through the run, you drifted off to sleep (and it granted Chrome the opportunity to see you comfortable with your guard down). Finally, they arrived in front of the Smith Estate.

Carefully opening the door, Chrome is met with a comforting silence. Were the cleaning robots still around? He knew his father wouldn't be around until the next day, which meant the robots were the only company. Stepping inside, he finds the place deserted, the faint sound of the Commadant's breathing filling the room. Placing you (not minding the water dripping off of you) to his room on his bed, Chrome rushes to the kitchen.

Still no robots around. Easy to explain and less hassle to explain why a stranger was in his bed. He'll worry about that the next day. Quickly, he grabbed a few pieces of food from the fridge and concocted a hangover drink and water.

Upon returning to his room, Chrome finds you still asleep on his bed. Silently placing the items he brought for you, Chrome wistfully gazes at you.

“you're always taking care of me, Chrome,” you'd say if you were awake, your voice echoes in his M.I.N.D., “I want to return the favor.” (You are now corrupting his thoughts.)

A little stir from you made Chrome snap out of his daydream. Slowly opening your eyes, looking around your surroundings in a daze, Chrome leans down to check on you.

“Commandant,” he softly calls out to you, hand touching yours, “are you awake? Can you sit up?”

“Mmmhm,” rubbing your eyes as you sat up, Chrome aiding you, “where am I...?”

“You're in my room. I will take you back to Gray Raven's headquarters when you've freshened up and rested. Come on, drink some water.”

Your legs dangle on the side of Chrome's bed as you sat up. Your figure, although shivering from the stunt, still seems smaller than him. Chrome reached out to grab the glass of water and hold it out for you, but you only stare at him.

“Commandant?”

“Ch...” you whisper, slowly lifting your cold hands to cup Chrome's cheeks, “Chrome...”

His heart flutters at the call of his name. With a free hand, he caresses the hold on his cheeks. “Commandant?”

“Why are you...hot?”

Chrome's cheeks burn at your touch, he noticed. Was it really the cooling system, or that his growing fondness for the Commandant of another team making him like this?

“The cooling system,” he chose the first option, “I'm trying to get it checked, don't worry.”

“Mmh, Chrome...”

Your innocent, sleepy eyes were looking at him. And you were leaning closer to him. A human instinct, Chrome leans forward as well, until their foreheads touch.

“...Chrome. Why don't you call me by my name?”

It feels expensive. It feels surreal. He wanted to tell her, but the words die in his throat.

“I will only do so, if you wanted me to do it, Commandant.”

“Mmh.” Your breath fans Chrome's own lips, further intensifying the heat in both of your cheeks. “Then, Chrome...”

He closes his eyes. Closer, closer...until you pulled away so abruptly. And then, a warm liquid spilled across his chest.

Chrome's eyes opened. Sometimes, the timings are uncanny.

—

A bathtub full of bubbles, lavender dousing the room with its intoxicating smell. Near the bathtub, Chrome sweats nervously as he stares at the guilty figure sitting on the toilet.

“I'm sorry,” the Commandant, who was usually strong and courageous in the face of danger, shrunk in guilt, voice timid and remorse, “I didn't mean to puke in front of you.”

“It's alright, it's not your fault,” he dismisses it, smiling slightly, “I was planning to get you changed...”

He is already wearing a new set of clothing, compared to you. After that quick nap, you seem sober. But based on Chrome's readings, you are still far from being sober. At least, you recognize him now. Squeaking, you shook your head. “I can't just let it slide. Is there anything I can do for Chrome?”

Kneeling on one knee, Chrome awkwardly pats you. “It's okay, really. Um...”

A reddening blush was on Chrome's cheeks as the words died in his throat. He motions to your soiled clothes, clearing his throat in an attempt to gather his pride.

“Commandant, I am going to...” whispering, “...I'm going to take off your clothes so you can...um, take a bath.”

You stare at him. Blinking tired eyes at him, you slowly nodded. “Okay.”

You turn your back on him, presenting the zipper on your back. For you, it seemed normal (Liv and Lucia are always hands-on whenever you are invited to events like this, so they're seen what's behind those clothes). But Chrome, whose ventilation was now out of place from the possible outcomes running through his head, was shaking and turning into a blushing tomato.

“You can unzip me, Chrome,” you pipped, noticing Chrome's silence, “I can't reach the top.”

A shaky exhale from Chrome. He mutters something you couldn't hear, but could feel the small pressure from his hand holding your hair to the side before resting on your shoulder.

“I will...start unzipping you, Commandant.”

It feels...intimate. The way Chrome held onto the zipper with care, thoughts running wild in his M.I.N.D., dragging it down slowly. You notice it, despite the alcohol fogging your thoughts. The sound of Chrome's nervous breathing, the water dripping from the faucet, the bubbles on the tub — it almost makes you sober.

However, a question seemed to linger on your lips. But before you could ask, Chrome had already unzipped your dress, the sleeves finally down on your shoulders.

“I-I'm done, Commandant.”

You turned to Chrome, a smile on your lips, “Thank you! But...are you...okay...?”

“Yes.”

You weren't that convinced. In front of you, Chrome's hands shook, and his face was in the deepest shade of red. You tilted your head to the side, before shimmying out of your clothes. Yes, still in front of the man who has been nothing but an angel to you.

“I'm done!” You excitedly quipped, standing up, causing the dress to fall to the floor. “where am I going next?”

Seemingly snapping out of his trance, Chrome looks down to pick up your clothes and dashes to the door. He stops by the door frame, his back facing you. “I need to put your clothes in the washer. They'll be ready after you take a bath.”

“Chrome, will-”

But he was already out of the door.

Chrome remembers every part of the laundry process, even without help from the robots. Yet, even though he has loaded up the washing machine (he knows it'll be done in at least 2 hours, clean and fragrant), his hands are still shaking, the memory in the bathroom turning his mind into a haze.

Even when he closed his eyes after he unzipped your dress, or when he heard it drop to the floor, he couldn't help but imagine — how your skin must feel under his touch, soft or smooth; the expanse of your back, would there be goosebumps like when you touch him; would there still be a smile on your face even when you would know about his feelings?

He accidentally slams the door of the washing machine too hard. It's all pointless, really; all he wanted was to show how eager his rapt attention, yet terrified that he may have crossed unwanted boundaries. Maybe he needed some rest. That's right - it has been a long week anyways. Sighing, he leaves to go back to the bathroom, in case you fell back to sleep...

— except, he called it too early.

“Chroooome,” you cried out as you whimpered in the tub, bubbles covering everywhere but your face, “I'm drowning!”

Suffice to say, he wasn't going to be relaxed tonight.

The water was warm.

And so was the hand that you wish you held onto as you dangled your arm on the ledge of the tub, reaching out to Chrome, who sat on the floor. You wanted something - but the golden boy wouldn't budge.

“Join meee,” you pouted, “don't you see I am a lonely girl sitting here so lonely?”

The light of the bathroom casts a glow over Chrome's frame. The sound of the water splashing around, paired with his humming, sends your mind in a close lullaby, you fear you'll only fall asleep at this rate.

“I see you well, Commandant.” He shook his head, “however, I will stay here.”

“Mean.” Huffing, you sunk to the comforts of the bubbling water, feigning annoyance to him “At least I could wash your hair...you said you'd allow me to see you with your hair down...”

“Commandant,” it's a surprise how Chrome could still hold his composure, voice calm and cool, “you are drunk. You are also very dirty, so it's best you wash up now and get dressed in something warm.”

“I'm not drunk!” Exasperatedly raising your hands, you glared at Chrome, “and I can't wash my hair...”

You look at him expectantly, to which he stares back with curiosity. Pointing to your wet hair, you whispered. “I always wondered what it's like to have my hair washed.”

“And?”

“Will you...wash my hair, please, Chrome?”

Crossing his arms, he thinks for a moment. “Will you promise not to do anything stupid?”

“No.”

As he scoots closer to you, you reeled back. Chrome mistook it as something else, when he sees the look on your face.

“...don't tell me you are planning to wash my hair in that.”

“Pardon?”

“Strip!” you pouted, “I get fussy when someone isn't touching me.”

In an instant, you see Chrome's cheeks tint a shade of pink. “Commandant, that sounded...”

“Hurry up,” you yawned, scooting a little closer to the faucet on your legs, “I won't look.”

True to your word, you look elsewhere but wherever Chrome was. Raising your hands high to your face (look how pruned they are, the longer you stay), before the shuffling of clothes and the sound of cautiousness tiptoes its way into the water, beside you. From your peripheral vision, you see two hands reach out to hold your open hands — have these hands looked so lonely until Chrome came?

“Look at you,” he huffs, fingers caressing the pad of your pruned fingers, “you should have been faster.”

You find comfort in this cramped space — the warm water that you're doused in, a familiar body close to yours, a heat that you never realized you've been craving all this time. You crawl; on Chrome's legs, your scent intertwined with the smell of lavender, you hope it rubs on the man beside you. Unknowingly, you crawled further, until your back hits the sturdy structure of Chrome's physique, leaning back to curl up in his chest.

“Can we stay like this?” the words slipped past your mouth, faster than you could have noticed. Without a word, his hands drifted to the expanse of your shoulders, your arms, your clavicle.

His hands rest there, as your body relaxes in his embrace. The subtle, erratic beating of his heart is there, it's not a surprise when yours mirrored his. And you smell the hint of vanilla on his skin, forgetting that he's humanoid in these very small moments. Yet, you breathe into it, the smell lulling you to sleep faster.

“If you want to,” he mutters, “I thought you wanted to rest.”

“I do, but I feel comfortable when there's someone else.”

The quiet snap of the shampoo bottle opens. Along the way, he places his hands over your head, gently massaging the tips of your hair to make the shampoo bubble, to your scalp. Gentle, soft as he held you like this. The way he pours the water over your head, careful enough to not let it reach your eyes. You must smell like lavender now; the scent already sinking into your skin, like how Chrome's warmth was seeping onto your cold ones. His touch felt unreal, it makes you want the world to freeze for a moment and only behold this scenario for a long, long time.

“Commandant,” even his voice was a whisper, movements slowing to a stop, a telltale sign that he's done, and a little emotion was hanging on your chest - annoyance - “finish up washing now. Your hair is done.”

A dissatisfied grunt escaped your lips. Sitting up straight, you turned to him, hands outstretched. “Let me wash your hair too.”

Slightly looking down from your chest, his eyes shot up to meet yours, the blush that was on his cheeks already invading his ears. “N-No. This bath is only for you, Commandant.”

“Pleaseeee,” you dawdled, brushing away the bangs that covered his face, “I want to help you.”

Although hesitant, he lets you anyway; you, crawling to straddle his thighs, reaching out for the shampoo on your right. His eyes were carefully trailing your movement, which made you shrink under his grasp, but you never minded (after all, the both of you are naked in front of each other, what else was the difference?). You mimicked his movements: massaging the scalp, entirely focused on how you moved your hands on him.

“You're so pretty, Chrome...”

“Huh...?”

“I'm drunk but you're still pretty.” you giggled, booping his nose, “in the morning, when I'm sober, I know you'll be prettier.”

You thread your hands into his hair now, forgetting that bubbles should come out, but you're too focused on everything around you, drowsiness coming to catch you.

“Your hair,” you mumbled, aware of his hands placed on your waist, “...it feels really soft.”

“Does it?” He chuckled, eyes closing, “I'm glad you think so, Commandant.”

Commandant. A title you've always worn, but the way he called you that, a gnawing feeling crammed in your chest — with that pretty mouth of his, a stray thought made you think: what would it be like if he were to say your name?

“You never call me by my name.”

Turquoise irises locked with yours. Unable to pull away, mesmerized by the magnitude it beheld as you stared at each other — you wanted to speak, but Chrome beats you to it.

“I- I never thought I'm allowed to say it.” Looking away, the flush you've seen earlier came back and dusted his cheeks, “we never established it before.”

“Call me by my name then, Chrome.”

You wonder how your name would sound when it leaves his lips. You wonder, if the sound of your heartbeat reverberates if speaks, if he calls you in a name hidden behind your title — and for a moment, you've realized.

“[Y/N],” it is quiet, a soft tone calling for your name, “[Y/N],”

All you could do is close your eyes. Your mind is racing. The sound of two people, breathing in the silence, in the warmth of another's presence. The bubbles are now dissolving in your fingers and in his hair, you're certain the ones on your head are gone too. Were you still drunk, or had the intensity of your feelings reached its threshold? It made your mind spin, and your fingers tremble. What was going on?

“Did that sound weird?” You opened your eyes to find Chrome's worried gaze. Still realizing the situation you're both in - and yet you were both comfortable now - you opened your mouth, only to close it.

You realized you've always liked Chrome all this time.

And the way he said your name is far from what you've imagined. You breathe in once more at his appearance: disheveled hair coated in shampoo, flushed cheeks in contrast to his pale complexion, doe-eyed in the shade of the light. Of course, you had to fall for this man. And it made your heart ache - alcohol or the touches alone? Who knows.

“No.” You quietly spoke, looking away, hiding the blush on your cheeks, “I...want to get out now.”

Chrome doesn't say a word. Instead, he stood up and left you there - confused, in a daze. When he comes back, a pair of clothes were on his arms.

“Can you stand, co...I mean, [Y/N]?”

“Thank you for the clothes.”

You spoke by the time you re-entered his room, the oversized shirt hanging loosely on your body. You looked at your appearance in the mirror twice before leaving the room, where you'd deemed it was good enough, however; judging by the way Chrome was staring at you intensely, head to toe, you couldn't help but wonder - is something wrong?

Chrome must have changed the sheets first, the shade of blue occupying the space on the bed. He now stood behind a smaller stool, a hair dryer in hand. You awkwardly stood, gesturing to the sight behind you: “I promise I'll repay you back when I get back.”

“The shirt,” He looks away for a moment, before clearing his throat, “it looks...good on you.”

You looked down — the oversized white shirt with the print fading away reaching down your thighs, just above your knees. At least, you were wearing something to combat the cold, yet your back catches the wetness of your hair, which made your temperature drop further. Noticing this, Chrome motions you to sit on the stool.

You are compliant with his wishes. He starts to turn the hair dryer on, before carefully handling your hair. In front of you was a tall mirror, which must have been Chrome's height. As he gently starts to dry your hair, you take in your surroundings - it's your first time in Chrome's room. As they say, the bedroom reflects its owner; tidy, neat, and everything in place. Various books with small print on the spine you couldn't make out on the shelves, the Queen-sized bed in the middle of the room. A perfectly neat study table with a few papers here and there near the dresser of the bed. It brings you to shame, how cleanly Chrome sets up his room which is far different from yours.

It reflects; your senses in a daze as you feel Chrome weaving through your locks, attentive to how his turquoise irises are on his masterpiece. Your eyes look up at his face once more.

“You also look good with your hair down.”

His attention flickers back to you. It's true - he looks more human this way, hair framing his face. Blinking slowly, he sheepishly laughs. “Ah, I always have my hair down after a shower. Do I look weird?”

“No.” You admit, “you look handsome still.”

Another wave of silence washes over. You realize you're more sober this way, the guilt of not talking too much gnawing on the back of your throat. But you are thankful, Chrome takes the opportunity.

“You are wearing my shirt that the F.O.S. gave,” humming, he brushes away the hair on your back, heat radiating off on your back, “they gave it shortly after graduation. I took it before father could notice.”

The hair dryer shuts off. He places it on the dresser, eyes still on your now-dried hair. You asked, “does your father not want you wearing these things?”

“He thinks it's useless. After all, medals and honor are the only valuable things the college would give to you.”

“But I see that it seems well-used,” you smell the cologne Chrome uses every day, “like you've always worn it.”

His hand is on your shoulder, tracing the outline. “Shortly after my Construct surgery, I always wore this. Anywhere as long as my father wouldn't see.”

A thought where Chrome wears the shirt comes to mind, in bed, clutching the fabric. Holding a handful and raising it to your nose, you spoke, “is there a reason?”

But he only sighs. “I am a Construct.” He looks up to meet your eyes in the mirror, “I am made for war. I threw away my humanity a long time ago.”

Those words tugged a hidden emotion in you. Spinning to meet his figure, you craned your neck just so you can properly look at him. Words are bubbling in your mouth, but it comes out dry.

Yet, you try anyway. “It's true that you're made for war, but you shouldn't be denied of these...”

“It's alright, co...[Y/N].” The call of your name sends your heart into somersaults, “I've learned it the hard way. There is no need for me to feel that way anymore.”

“Besides,” he added, as he got on one knee, smiling, “it's time for you to take a nap. It's past 2 am now. I wouldn't want my Commandant to be sleep deprived, yes?”

“I-” you looked at Chrome, you don't pretend you didn't mishear his words. Looking at his irises, you took a deep breath.

“The first time I saw Chrome,” you began, “I always thought you were attractive.”

That caught his attention. Tilting his head with an eyebrow raised, he curiously asked, “I'm sorry?”

“I wondered why a human like me was roaming around the city ruins that day.” You fidgeted with the hem of your clothes, “But then, I saw your inver-device.”

Ah, this memory. Chrome remembers it fondly. In the heat of dispute, where Lee had been injured badly, he doesn't remember if it was the situation at hand or the way the sunlight shone down on you that day - either way, he always thought it was something for that moment.

“It didn't change one bit of my impression of you.” You take a deep breath, “I think...it became something else.”

Your heart beats chaotically. You're sure it's the alcohol, but you're also aware that it's your feelings shaping at this very moment. Your hands tremble with want - to hold Chrome, to hold his hand.

“Something else?”

“I don't see you as a Construct, Chrome,” you whispered, reaching out to touch his chin, eyes trailing where your finger touched, “I see you more than that.”

You're aware; his gaze on you, as his own fingers shake as they touched yours. Such feelings have echoed in your mind, and you are afraid they wouldn't go away unless you tell them upfront. Are you scared to be rejected? Too bad, you're not; let the alcohol drain all your fears tonight.

“I don't want you to keep calling me 'Commandant'. I don't like it when you see me as someone from F.O.S., but I like it when you touch me, or when you're close to me-”

His hand is holding yours now. Firm, gentle. He's in front of you, and you swore you could see the future reflect in his irises. It's warm, the way he grasped your hand, fingertips touching his lips. His eyes are closed - a single kiss on every finger, mouth muttering some kind of prayer.

“[Y/N],” he whispers on your fingers, gazing at you with an expression you've never seen him make before.

Loving. Adoration. Something along those lines. It claws on your stomach, inching up to the top, that if you opened your mouth you would regret.

“When I saw you at that time, I didn't know what to think. I remember thinking: would you only be another soldier I will see on the battlefield, regardless if dead or alive?”

“Am I the former?”

“A part of me thought so. But...”

He pauses, before taking your hand to his chest, a strong vibration echoing there. Your heart feels the same, it wishes to free itself from the cages of your ribcage and into whatever was in the middle of the both of you.

“If I were to lose you, I...wouldn't know what I'll do.”

Heaviness weaves in your chest. You wrap your arms around his neck for support, blissfully unaware of the distance left between your lips. “Chrome,”

“[Y/N], I cannot...”

“I like you, Chrome.” It is a genuine confession. You never lied. “I like you too much, that I feel like my heart can't handle it if you disappear on me, too.”

A confession that brought tears to your eyes. “I want to run away with Chrome. I don't want to be away from you.”

“I'm not going away.” He took you by the waist, propping you on his thighs, “I'm here.”

“Meeting you...being here with you...it feels enchanting.” You closed your eyes, blindingly touching wherever your hands meet, “Please don't be in love with someone else...”

Chrome feels like it's the first time for him to recognize the ability to love. The passion for studying, living in the moment where examinations take place, keeping everything orderly — it has always been how he always lived. Yet, for the first time — someone was here in his room, in his touch, in this space. It makes him greedy; it makes him wild.

“[Y/N],” his hands cup your cheek, nuzzling your cheek, “I feel the same way. I like you - I adore you. Every glory I will bring to you, it will be all for you.”

That confession triggered something inside of you - to bridge the gap between the both of you. Leaning forward, the urge to slam your lips to him right there and then grows fervently. However, a hand stops your advances. Pulling back, you are met with a blushing Chrome, looking at you in awe.

“Comman- I mean, [Y/N], as much as I want to kiss you...I cannot. I can't kiss you when you are still drunk.”

“But I want to, let me show you how much I like you.”

His hand easily slips under your shirt, warm ones grasping your hips, rubbing circles around it, “In the morning. When you are sober, when you are about to make better judgement. I will let you do whatever you want.”

A mischievous smile graced your lips. “Anything?”

The blush on his face became a darker shade. Shyly nodding, “Yes, anything.”

He eases into his arms. Lifting you up and carrying you to bed, a thought crosses your mind — you, in a long white gown, and him, in a silver tuxedo. You see him in the lights of the room, illuminated in this dark evening, his smile sending ripples of your heart into motion. You see him this way, your hand carrying a bouquet of flowers that you both love, your fingers intertwined with a ring of promise. In your thoughts he carries you like this, and you swore it felt familiar; one day, you wish. You would have to tell him in the morning.

But for now, the alcohol hits you harder more than ever, drowsiness threatening to shut your eyes. As you felt yourself dip into the mattress - his bed - you wish you could stay with him, the lingering warmth on your skin now fading as you feel him pull away. But your mouth is a jumbled mess, only opting for the fatigue to succumb to you. So, you use your hand, grasping whatever you could reach - his shirt, his hand, his arm.

“Don't go.” You beg, voice laced with grogginess and want, “won't you stay here?”

“I will be sitting here next to you. Don't worry, I'm not going away.”

“No,” your voice sounds like you're pleading now, “don't go, stay beside me. I want you to be beside me when I wake up.”

“[Y/N]...”

“Stay with me, Chrome.”

With a sigh, you feel the space beside you dip. The shuffling of sheets, the smell of lavender invading your weary senses. At last, warm hands enclose yours, before placing them close to his lips, one last kiss before darkness consumed your senses.

“Goodnight, [Y/N],” you knew he'd tell you that, “I will see you in the morning.”

Chrome doesn't see you in the morning.

When sunlight slipped through the windows, he woke up to an empty space beside him. Disappointment comes knocking on his door, calling out that he was only dreaming for something unreal, something that only humans would indulge in. Although the sheets prove that someone else was here with him last night, he doesn't dwell on that slipping hope. Instead, disappointment and frustration, paired with despondency, makes a home inside his chest and his M.I.N.D.

No longer interested in ruminating on the mattress, he drags himself out of bed. However, the robots that usually greet him aren't around still. But the floors and the walls on the rooms he passed are cleaner than what he saw last night.

Probably elsewhere. Probably at the garden.

But the glass door to the garden shows no signs of robots, at least where his sight can reach. No robots cutting grass or cleaning the pool. At times like these, they should've been around. Where were they?

A sound of an R5 cleaning robot chimes in nearby. Chrome follows the sound, and the sight isn't something he was expecting.

“You did well,” your voice feels like a cloud, floating amongst the sea of beeping robots, “thank you for your help.”

Your back faces Chrome. Crouching in front of a faceless R5 cleaning robot, you gently patted its "head", small giggles on your lips.

“You're a good robot, aren't you,” the sound of beeping seemingly mirroring an appreciative noise, “you're a very good robot.”

A sizzle comes out of the oven, to which you jump to your feet, scrambling to reach the stove. “Ah, it's getting burned!”

Chrome couldn't help but admire you; the way you move, your interactions with the robots although lifeless, and your cautiousness seemed to boost his adoration for you. It must have been his M.I.N.D., but the sunlight on your toes, his shirt that fits you perfectly despite being too big for you, and the smile as you tasted whatever you were cooking — it hits him harder. The want, the like, the adoration for someone he could never think he'd fall for. The feeling that his chest had earlier disappeared; only warmth began to repair its fractured roots.

“Chrome?” Your quiet voice called out, the beep of the robot chiming in, “you're awake.”

“And you're here.”

Is this what pining feels like? An unspoken feeling that settles deep between the distances of the two of you. He knows he shouldn't hope, when a night drowned in alcohol remembers nothing. Yet, the way your eyes seem to tell him something, he hopes to cling onto whatever was left in his pride.

“Good morning,” he spoke, aware of his morning voice now, “I apologize that you had to be the one to cook.”

“N-no, it's alright! The robots mostly did the work. I merely supported them.”

“Still,” he slowly approached you, timid footsteps leading to you, “the fact that you treat them as if they're human too speaks a lot.”

“It's even a surprise that they show no hostility to you. They are trained to fend off those who are unfamiliar in the household.”

“Commandant [Y/N] is welcomed.” the robot from earlier chirped, “helped us with housework.”

“Mr. Smith also invited me here once in a while to talk about politics.” You shrugged, opting to pat the robot once more, “I just did a favor for them.”

You nodded to it, to which it purrs in your touch. Satisfied, it happily trots away, probably deciding to work elsewhere.

Another silence. You've decided to go back and finish cooking the food, but the fire had long been doused (probably from the advancement of this stove?). Chrome wants to talk, yet no words could be formulated in his head. After the agonizing long silence, you took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

“I remember what happened last night.”

Chrome freezes. He looks up to meet your guilty eyes looking elsewhere. “You do?”

“I...am regretful that I puked on you. That's why I decided to clean up here as an exchange.”

Ah, so you don't remember what happened afterwards. Chrome's heart sinks, before noticing you looking away, and a creeping blush on your cheeks.

“I...also remember that I asked you to take a bath with me.”

Memories of last night came crashing over his M.I.N.D. The garden, the bed, the bathtub, the hair dryer, and your skin — all a mixture of things that only makes him go haywire. His blush mirrors yours; that means one more thing.

“I also remember telling you how I feel.” You began, “and I...”

The sinker comes. And Chrome's heartbeat isn't sure now. But you - you approached him, eyes down, figure covered, but reaching out to him. With shallow breaths, you raised your hand to his chest, before looking up. And there - your eyes meet his. Same innocent, shimmering eyes looking at him with vigor, with enchantment; he forgets how to breathe.

“I like you, Chrome.”

You've said it once more. Sober, genuine, and true. And it breaks Chrome's heart into pieces, folded and mashed into dough, before it forms in the shape of a heart. You've set the oven now; his feelings are ready to be baked, ready to be eaten - and he wants you. No, he needs you to be the one to take it.

“I still like you, even when I'm drunk or sober. I want to be with you all the time. I want you, Chrome. I want you to be part of the future that I am building.”

Wordlessly, he captures your hips and pulls you close, him leaning down just so the proximity knows no bounds. He feels your breath ghost his lips, your heartbeat in his ribcage - it beats, and beats, and beats so loudly he forgets you're in the kitchen at daylight; in a house he's grown up with no love, but he's here now. Creating a love that no Smith can forge.

“A concrete object made of materials and information, whose borders are continuously constructed and reconstructed,” said the definition for 'Smith'. He could live in that definition forever, but what about Chrome?

“I am forging a new one.” He whispers, “I am...bridging the new future with you.”

Your eyes are shining, and there he knew-

“I like you, too, [Y/N].”

If only bodies were capable of seeing what's happening underneath, a cadenza ringing in Chrome's heart, beating furiously for you, only you. You smiled, a mischievous gaze written across your face.

“Does the offer about me doing anything I want when I'm sober still stand?”

He smiles back. “Of course.”

“I want to kiss you.”

Tiptoeing to reach Chrome's height, you craned your neck and tugged his shoulder. But Chrome is kind; he hoists you up by the hips, capturing your lips in an instant.

Sweet is a word to describe the first kiss Chrome shared with someone in his life. Forget the war, forget that you're on the kitchen island; it's only two lovers baring their adoration for one another, sharing a kiss blessed in daylight. It's warm, it's soft, it's needy - the way you both melt into each other, how you wrapped your arms around his neck, or how his hands are holding you up. Enchanted, Chrome's M.I.N.D. echoes, it's really enchanting.

Satiated, you both pull away, breathless, as your foreheads touch. He doesn't let you go, though. You (unfortunately) do, when the other kitchen door opens, a parade of little robots bursting through the door.

You cheer as the little robots go through the surprise: a small banner written "Happy Birthday!" hastily, and the cake you baked earlier with the robots. Chrome looks at you confused, before noticing what the parade had brought.

“How-”

“Happy birthday, Chrome,” You beamed, hands cupping his cheeks, “you deserve the celebration.”

“Thank you.” He whispers on your chin, leaving little kisses there, “I really appreciate this...I appreciate you.”

“You should enjoy today.” You winked, “my birthday present to you is for later.”

“Later?”

You squeezed his arm. He blushes. “Yes, later.”

Chrome is thankful his heart doesn't need to somersault out of his chest now. At least, until later.

HAPPY LATE ACTIVATION DAY CHROME!!!!!! please like, reblog, share, comment down on this post! don't copy and plagiarize my work!!

[unhappy-last-resort]

A Beast Unshackled (Alpha X AFAB GN Reader)

Warnings: Non-con, threats of violence (not acted upon), possessive and controlling behavior, overstimulation, Alpha is dominant, no gendered pronouns for reader but fem anatomy is used, some implied lucia x reader ig? this is smut fyi

A/N: I started this during patch update and wanted to write something lesbian. Not proof read.

You couldn't stop the moans from endlessly falling from your lips. The night was cool and the ground you were splayed out upon was hard, but the pleasure was so immense that you felt like you were burning, gasping for breath as her tongue dipped in and out of your folds. You tried, you tried so damn hard to avoid this, but in the end, like prey caught in a hunters trap, you failed. You couldn't do anything to stop the fate she chose for you.

You gazed up at the night sky, staring at the moon and stars who cared little about your plight as you mewled, trembling as her tongue drew circles around your clit before synthetic lips wrapped around it, sucking it eagerly. Your hips rolling into it, tears stinging your eyes as you curse yourself when you feel the way she smirks against you and pulls you closer, holds you tighter, and makes you moan her name louder.

You feel two fingers push their way into your sensitive cunt and pump in and out of you, long fingers reaching all the right places as her tongue continued its assault on your clit with new fervor as you shake and tremble. Her name has become a prayer at this point, you call it over and over in-between babbled apologies as desperate plea for her mercy as that now all too familiar tightness in your stomach makes you writhe. She chuckles in hearing your repentance, the vibrations making your back arch as you scream, her name freefalling from you mortal lips as more tears blur your vision.

"I-I c-can't..." You can barely focus, a thick fog settles in your mind as exhaustion creeps through your body, muscles aching for a bed and rest.

"You can." Her voice sounds clearly, sternly. Like a crimson blade slicing through the fog, you can only focus on her. "You will. I'm not giving you a choice."

A hand entangles itself into your hair and forces you to look at her. She wipes away your tears and shushes you gently.

"Look at me. You belong to me now, your days frolicking around with that cheap copy are over." Her face is so close to yours now, her white hair cascading around your faces, creating a canopy, hiding you in her shadow from the world. Her gaze is so intense, burning through you and crushing you with its weight. "Say it."

You squirm slightly, even in your haze still trying to fight back, but she crushes your resistance easily. Her grip on your hips tightens painfully, deepening the bruises her fingers previously left behind from earlier.

"Who do you belong to? Answer me." She growls, her grip tightening with every second.

"I-I don't belong to-" You yelp, wincing from the pain as your bottom lips tremble, you're afraid she might fracture something with how tight her grip is. She leans in closer, giving you no room to look away from her.

"Say. It." She whispers angrily, her eyes like daggers boring into your skull. Her fingers dig into your flesh, making you whimper. "Don't think I won't pull you apart if I need to."

Your eyes go wide as fear courses through your veins. Her nails dig a little deeper, confirming the truth behind her words. You don't have a choice, you have to do as she tells you. "Y-you." Your voice cracks and your breathing heavy as you felt smaller and smaller beneath her intense gaze. "I belong to you."

Her nails don't dig any further and her scowl relaxes, you feel relief for a split second. "Again." She commands, excitement evident in the undertones of her voice.

"I...belong to you." You manage to say a little louder, her fingers rubbing circles into your hips as encouragement and she lightly kisses your forehead, her breathing more labored. She almost seems like she's trembling, as though she's holding herself back.

"Again. Louder." She commands, the greed and obsession in her eyes is so clear. Her back arching as she pulls her face away from yours, as if she was readying for a final strike.

Anxiety pops and sizzles underneath your skin. What's she going to do? What happens if you don't do what she says in this moment? Your fear tells you that you'd better do your best to not find out. Squeezing your eyes shut, you drag the words out from the depths of your throat as gentle red eyes in your minds eye slowly give way to heartbreak.

"I belong to you, █████!" You yell. The words echoing into the night as more tears threaten to fall. The words had barely left your lips before her mouth collided with yours, the figure with the gentle eyes shattering into pieces. Her tongue over powers yours and invades your mouth, staking claim to what belonged to her as her hands traveled up your stomach to knead your breasts. Her body pressing into yours fully, causing you to shudder as your heart pounds in your chest.

Her hands feel cold against your hot skin, making every touch more intense and impossible to ignore. You were her toy, her plaything, and her possession and everything she'd done to you was a reminder of that. From forcibly connecting to your beacon, to the moment she cornered you with an almost ecstatic expression on her face as she told you that you'd lost her game and she was here to collect her prize, to when she dragged you to this secluded spot in the woods and stripped you bare. She will take that which has been stolen from her, even if it wasn't truly hers to begin with.

The rim of her pants brush against your overstimulated clit, making you yelp and jerk away. She reacts quickly, lifting your legs enough to rest on hers as she pins your arms above your head, deepening the kiss as she grinds her hips against yours, the ridge of her shorts rubbing against your clit perfectly each time.

She finally pulls away to let you catch her breath, smirking in satisfaction as she listens to your cries from all the stimulation she's giving you.

"Please...it's too much!" You sob, your attempts to pull away being entirely useless against her strength and the position she's holding you in. She laughs in response and grinds against you harder, intent on pushing beyond your limits.

"You're strong, you can take it. I know you can." She talks over you as your cries turn into moans again as the pleasure overtakes your exhausted senses. Your words become senseless babbling as she sucks and bites your neck, decorating you with bruises as one of her hands travels down your arm to pinch at your nipples, making you see white as you chant her name once more for the nth time that night.

She holds your hips firmly against hers. "Tell me you love me. Tell me you won't leave me, that you'll always stay with me." She whispers into your ear, eagerly grinding her hips against yours, desperate for you to say what she wants to hear.

Your resolve, your loyalty to████ █████ and █████ being ebbed away with each movement of her hips, with each press of her breasts against your skin, with every kiss placed possessively upon your skin, and with every nibble of your ear. You can't stop yourself.

"█████." You'll regret saying this, you will, you know you will. A commandant being brought to their knees like this, you can't believe yourself. You can't, you can't, you can't, you can't you can-

"I love you." You shudder and she smiles, your back arches, your head falls back as stars blossom in your eyes. The knot in your stomach comes undone and nothing but you and her exist in your mind. You can feel something leaking out of you and being smeared over your swollen pussy.

She takes you through your high, contentedly peppering kisses over your neck and face as you catch your breath. Exhaustion and pain settling into your muscles as you teeter on the edge of unconsciousness.

"Say it again." She whispers gently into your ear, pressing gentle kisses against your neck, pinching your arm to wake you up again. In spite of your tiredness, you won't say what she wants. Your mind having finally reached clarity you haven't been granted for several blurry hours, shame and embarrassment now eat at your insides, you look away. Opting instead to stare at her bike idly waiting nearby.

Her kisses stop and an arid sigh disappears into a passing breeze. A moment of silence stretches between the two of you, tension slowly building in the air as you wonder if you've possibly made a terrible mistake.

"No matter." She mutters, her usual confidence fully returned. "This was only your sixth orgasm and there's more than enough time to train you properly."

Your throat feels dry as you slowly turn to look at her again, dread creeping into your stomach as she grins down at you before reaching off to the side and pulling a water bottle and some biscuits out of her bag.

"Eat. You have a long night of 'training' ahead of you."

[vyrxz]

wanshi nsfw hcs

uhhh if you saw no smut in the masterlist, THIS IS SUGGESTIVE OK???!?!?!

im a holy child of christ

kinks

somnophilia

breeding kink

degradation

DUBCON

CNC

praise kink

what he likes

teasing (he's gonna tease you everywhere, public or not)

likes the idea of getting caught

can and will abuse the power of aphrodisiacs

ORGASM DENIAL AND OVERSTIMULATION. (oh ur close? nah he's stopping, if he's feeling a bit nice, he'll let you cum. but still continues even if you've cummed)

sleepy sex

wake him up by sucking his cock, he likes that

give and receive? fuck yeah, but if he's receiving, slight chance he'll dominate

cockwarming

if ur away, he's humping that pillow

he's an ass and boob person (maybe boob person more)

he's a SADIST.

marking you up

nipple play bruddah

it doesn't matter where u guys have intercourse. bed, kitchen, the wall, the shower, he's needy

scratch his back, he'll admire it. a sign he did so well and you took him well too

likes kissing you, american kissing, sip kiss, hot and cold kiss, like yeah

im not putting scenarios, although its in my tiktok.

@yvakii 🥰💞 (not my main)

[kangen-wanshi]

Hi!! I've been reading your blog and I came across your event prompt! So for that, can I request "Together Forever" number 5 for Watanabe and/or Jing Yuan?

Also, congratulations for reaching 300 followers🎉🎉🎊

Come Back To Me ft. Jing Yuan, Watanabe: Astral

Promises of returning to your loved ones embrace goes beyond words and hugs, for you, they have their own way to show you this side of him.

Tags: sfw, mention of death, kisses

A/N: Why is it so difficult to find Watanabe's good icon:(( Either way thank you anon!! Ty for requesting these two<33

300 followers prompt events! Ongoing until 11th June 2023

Jing Yuan, He gives you a task to keep you company

Jing Yuan looks like someone who pays lightly to the mission he assigned himself to. After all he’s the Dozing General, a legend amongst immortals, the Divine Foresight himself. Even if he were to leave for another few decades, he would pay no worries on the success of his missions.

Even so, you couldn’t help but worry for him. Whether you share immortality with him as a long-life species or not, you would always express your worry, your concern, and your wish of luck for him whenever he departed to take matter into his hands.

And he adores you for it. He’s viewed by a strong force in the military by many in the Xianzhou - to be seen as just another man that can in fact, die, suffer, be hurt, and most of all worthy of your concern, is just a hint of normalcy and domesticity he needed in his boring life as a general.

So instead of brushing off your concern and convincing you with just his words and his kisses, Jing Yuan gives a bit more effort in comforting you about his return. Before he leaves, he would ask you to count the number of strands on Mimi’s white mane, and with every hundred strands you’ve counted, he would give you a kiss in exchange when he returns.

“For every hundred strands you count on Mimi’s mane - I will give you a kiss in exchange. Keep counting, my dear. And when I return, my lips and attention will belong solely to you in effort to repay my promise.”

It keeps you occupied - it also keeps Mimi occupied with your affection. It’s a win-win in his eyes for the both of you. Mimi would have someone to take care of her should she be forced to wait another century for his return, and you would have a reminder of him when you crave to touch his own silver mane.

When he comes back after a long trip - the numbers you gave him doesn’t entirely matter anymore, he would give you dozens - hundreds of kisses if he could within a single night. Although if you came up with honest numbers, he would still give you a few dozen extra pecks. Why? Well you deserve a little more reward for your patience and care for his familiar, don’t you?

Watanabe: Astral, With his kisses and your warmth

This type of promise is something common that you and Watanabe exchange with each other. Living in a world full of war, fighting on the frontline to fight for humanity, risking your life has become the norm for the both of you no matter how cruel of a fate it seems.

Even so, both of you share similar intensity and feelings in your goodbyes. Whenever you leave, Watanabe will come with you if he can, no matter how dangerous your mission seems. But if it's a rare time where the two of you were assigned to different locations due to reasons, then either of you can only falter in defeat in hopes of gaining victory and coming home with your lives together in the end.

It’s like a ritual at this point. He’d pull you towards him, forehead pressed firmly against each other, as your nose grazed him lightly. You didn’t kiss, you didn’t share a word with each other, the short period of goodbye is only said through your touch. How his arms that were holding your shoulder slid down to your sides, holding you close to him, and how you cling onto him with a hand on his cheek.

The kisses you shared are light. A quick, silent peck, before he smothers your palm and wrist with his lips as you do his. It’s a promise that you would kiss each other when both of you returned. That you will come back to each other’s arms, alive and well. Only then will the two of you share your kiss.

“I don’t like being sappy with you.. Just, come back safe, and I will too, alright?”

As Watanabe left in the opposite direction of you, he let the warmth that your lips left on his hand to be the reason for him to come back alive. For him to return to you for more, for him to survive and return to your embrace.

[just-an-average-simp]

Random commandant : *mocking y/n's team*

Liv: commandant! Knives don't solve problems! Please put that knife down before you get hurt.

Y/n: *lowers knife* you're right Liv, knives aren't the solution.

Liv, Lucia , Watanabe , Lee, kamui and chrome: phew.

Y/n: knives are the question..........................AND THE ANSWER IS YES!- *bolts towards the other commandant*

Liv: *gasps* commandant!

Lucia: Commandant!!

Watanabe: HEY!

Lee: *runs towards y/n*

Kamui: commandant, come back!

Chrome:*chases after y/n to help lee catch y/n

M E A N W H I L E . . .

Bianca: *facepalms* I shouldn't have never left you alone with the commandant of punishing gray raven. *Sighs*

Karenina: *laughing maniacally*