#2023: excerpt
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kinetic-elaboration · 11 months ago
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December 13: Time Loop Excerpt
My head hurts. Here is an excerpt from the Time Loop fic. (Kinda spoiler-y maybe but also kinda not because... it's a time loop!)
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Bellamy knows that when he passes by Clarke's bedroom, the door will be ajar, that this will be an invitation for him and he will take it. He sees the scene unfurl in gauzy soft-focus, perfectly detailed, as if from a favorite movie that he's lovingly memorized. A scene he's viewed again and again, lived again and again. She'll talk to him of clarity and focus found in the searing, dry heat of the desert, of just letting go, then feeling centered in the aftermath. She'll kiss his forehead and let her touch linger when she pushes back his curls. She'll speak to him of forgiveness. Forgiveness and absolution, pardon granted for everything, for the worst of sins.
Everything he most yearns for and needs to hear.
He keeps his head down and he walks fast, and he doesn't let himself see the open door.
In his bedroom, he changes his clothes quickly. His stomach hurts from having barely touched his dinner. His gut twists with the pain of withdrawal.
When he slips back downstairs to the parlor, he finds the room empty and dark. Only two shaded lamps are burning, from end tables on either side of the love seat, casting weak halos of orange light from the center of the room. Through the narrow opening in the heavy, drawn curtains, a spark of lightning flashes, and illuminates the space in brief, electric outlines. In the aftermath, a long roll of thunder seems to shake the floor under his feet.
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ninasdrafts · 2 years ago
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You see - you’ve done it again. You’ve made it through another year. Whether you’re a fighter who suffers in silence or someone who shares their struggles with the world, you have over a hundred reasons to be proud of yourself. I hope you’ll never stop celebrating your victories, no matter how small they might seem to others. I hope you’ll find the courage to take that last step, to write that letter, to send that text. I hope you will be brave enough to change your life. What are you waiting for? Please don't tell me you're not ready yet. Truth is you will never feel ready enough to take a step out of your comfort zone. Something new will always be scary at first. If 2022 was for slow transformations and growth, 2023 will be about taking the leap. About the big jump - the falling, and the flying. Accept that you deserve something bigger, something better. You've got this.
hi, 2023 / n.j.
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byghostface · 4 months ago
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“I named her after Laika.💫🚀”
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(Nika introduced her rescue pet Laika.)
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Excerpt poem from"Muttnik" by fateolog about Laika the soviet space dog.
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Flatline week 2024 Day 2: Pet
Day1 .Day2
Just want to share pictures of my baby dog Miruku🥛🧋🤍 I love her very very much🥰🫶♥️♥️
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(pictures taken by my mom when Miruku was five years old🌼💗)
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oneidiotwithasword · 10 months ago
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spent most of today copying one of my favourite scenes from emily wilde’s encyclopaedia of faeries into my reading journal
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sirmanmister · 1 year ago
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ARTFIGHT ATTACK FOR @leavingautumn13 of Nora!!!!!
This was literally so fun to do I love Nora to bits 🥰
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floydleart · 1 year ago
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Yogtober Day 1: Beginnings/Encounter
The door opened, and a head popped through. They were human, significantly taller than the creature currently holding Xephos, maybe even a few inches or so taller than Xephos himself. Their hair was a bright yellow and messy, sticking up on one side as if they had been sleeping. Their eyes were pale blue-green, a color Xephos had never seen before in eyes. Those eyes glared down at the first creature.
“ˈHʌnɪdjuː, ɪt ɪz ˈbeəli faɪv ˈθɜːti, juː ˈbɛtə hæv ə gʊd ˈriːzn-“ Their eyes trailed up to Xephos’ and they froze. Their mouth fell agape as they stared him down, and Xephos managed a stoic glare back at them, puffing his chest out as much as his aching ribs would allow. He was insisting to himself that he would look brave even if he was injured.
The yellow-haired human glanced back and forth between Xephos and the other creature a few times. Their eyebrows suddenly dropped to an irritated expression as they stared at the other creature.
“Wɒt.” They said to them.
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zazikels · 1 year ago
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"Do you think we can win this?" "I do."
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powerful-niya · 1 year ago
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— (вírthdαч kíssєs.)
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶
˚ ༘♡ ⋆。˚𝙷𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝙱𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝙽𝚊𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚘! (𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹)
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Link to Oneshot below ↴
•Wattpad• •AO3•
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Pairing˚ ༘♡ ⋆。˚Naruhina 
Synopsis˚ ༘♡ ⋆。Hinata Hyuga takes it upon herself to create an unforgettable birthday celebration for her beloved boyfriend, Naruto Uzumaki. Filled with heartfelt gestures, creative surprises, and passionate moments, Hinata showers Naruto with love and attention, aiming to make it the most extraordinary birthday he's ever experienced.
Content Tags˚ ༘♡ ⋆。˚ Adoration • After Party • Alcohol Beverages • Birthday Celebration • Birthday Edition 2023 • Birthday Sex • Boyfriend Appreciation • Body Worship • Candlelit • Cock Worship • Couple Goals • Creampie • Dirty Talk • Drunk Sex • Erotic • Female Dominance • Food Play • Foreplay • Freaky • Frottage • Hickeys • Kinky • Kisses • Lingerie • Love • Love Bites • Marathon Sex • Modern AU • Multiple Orgasms • Naruto's Birthday • NSFW • October 10th • Pampering • Passionate Sex • Praise Kink • Pussy Worship • Riding • Romantic • Roses • Spoiling • Striptease • Unprotected Sex • Vaginal Sex • Whipped Cream • Wholesome •
Overall Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆。˚11.6k.
Tumblr Post: Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆。˚6.2k.
Preview ༘♡ ⋆。˚
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The front door, aged and weathered from years of use, creaked open with a reluctant sigh, revealing the dimly lit foyer beyond. A pale light from the street lamps outside spilled into the hallway of the one story home, casting elongated shadows on the wooden floors. 
As the door swung wide, the silhouette of two figures staggered into view, their unsteady steps serving proof of their intoxicated state. They leaned on each other for support, their laughter bubbling up in fits and starts, carried by the night air.
Naruto, with his tousled blonde hair and lopsided grin, stumbled indoors to escape the brisk autumn breeze, donning a rumpled suit that had clearly seen better days. His tie hung loosely around his neck, and he swayed with a carefree abandon, his boisterous laughter marking a lively climax to the night's celebrations.
Hinata, his lover, stood next to him, her dress somewhat awry. She possessed a contagious smile that shone even in the subdued light. Her lavender eyes, hooded as they were, danced with mirth as she clung to her companion, their shared revelry a testament to their camaraderie.
Together, they stumbled deeper into the foyer of their home. Hinata glanced back, doing her best to close the front door. Her movements were a bit unsteady, and she fumbled with the door and its knob for a moment before managing to shut and lock it with a shaky hand.
Turning back to her boyfriend, she made sure to support his wobbly frame once more, slipping his arm across her neck so she could hold him up.
The echoes of their laughter mingled with the hushed whispers of the night, leaving behind a trail of vivacious energy that lingered in the air. Their presence, though unsteady, brought a sense of vibrant life to the otherwise quiet house. 
The scent of sake wafted through the air from their beings, a delicate yet distinct fragrance that carried the warmth of the memories they had made only moments before. It started as a subtle undertone, barely perceptible, but gradually grew stronger, weaving its way through the entirety of their home.
As Naruto and Hinata moved further into the space, the aroma enveloped them, its notes of fermenting rice mingling with the gentle embrace of the wood furnishings in their home. It was a scent that spoke of tradition and conviviality, of the evening spent in the company of friends and loved ones.
The sake's presence in the air seemed to awaken the very walls of the home, imbuing them with a sense of history and shared experiences. It whispered of celebrations and laughter, of toasts exchanged in both joy and sorrow.
The lovers, caught in an olfactory embrace, carried with them the essence of the sake, becoming carriers of the lively moment of the night itself, as though replaying a forever lasting memory.
Naruto emitted a groan as he jolted forward, evidence of his clumsy state when intoxicated. He cursed his lack of alcohol tolerance, finding it both humiliating and frustrating that his legs often betrayed him. There were moments when his limbs would outright abandon him, necessitating the assistance of his equally intoxicated girlfriend to keep him upright.
Hinata would laugh, everytime he would stumble, merely trying her best to keep him standing with the help of her petite arms.
"I gotcha, Na-Na-Na-hic!" Her words were cut off by a loud hiccup which sprang from her throat and out of her mouth, seemingly out of nowhere, startling them both.
Naruto, his cerulean eyes, half-lidded and gleaming, whipped his gaze towards his midnight blue-haired girlfriend in an instant, his expression marked by sheer surprise. 
Hinata mirrored his astonishment. 
However, a single exchange of glances between them was all it took for both of them to break into uncontrollable laughter.
Naruto rocked back and forth in his spot, one arm draped over his girlfriend's neck, who tried her best to keep him upright, even in her intoxicated state.
"Damn, damn, damn." Naruto cursed between the fits of his laughter, "what a night!" 
Overwhelmed with joy, Naruto couldn't suppress the urge to vocalize how incredible his night had been. He practically shouted his appreciation to the ceilings of the home he and Hinata shared.  
The alcohol coursing through his system might have some contribution to his boisterous and chatty behavior, but he didn't care. He truly needed to share his feelings and reminisce about the extraordinary events of this memorable night.
The very night Hinata and Naruto experienced was truly unforgettable, especially for Naruto, as it was anything but ordinary, firmly etching itself into his memory. It was a special, special night. 
It was his birthday, after all. His 23rd birthday, to be exact.
The recollections of his festive night flooded back like a vibrant painting, occasionally veiled in a haze from the alcohol, yet with focused effort, Naruto managed to piece together most of the night's details in his mind with precision.
Yes, it was the wondrous night of Naruto's birthday, a night that would forever hold a special place in his heart. The memories of the night played like a reel in his mind. 
Every piece of it. 
His girlfriend, the mastermind behind it all, stood at the center of the festivities, as a beacon of love and joy.
Upon his return from work, she had initially left him a letter instructing him to don his finest attire and meet her at Hara No Tume, a lively bar located in downtown Tokyo. 
Naturally, he followed her instructions, fetching himself the most exquisite tuxedo available in his wardrobe, and then navigating the streets of Tokyo as fast as his car could take him. The city's vibrant neon lights and energetic atmosphere certainly set an ideal stage for his impending celebration.
He could clearly recall how his anticipation grew during that time, his face permanently grazed with a jolly grin. Even his stomach was churning, queasy with nervous excitement throughout the entire drive.
Naruto was aware that his girlfriend had a surprise in store for him, given that it was his birthday, (of course). However, like every year, he found himself unable to figure out any of her elaborate plans. Hinata hid them so well. 
With his excitement through the roof, he finally arrived at the bar and when he did, he remembered that he instantly recognized his girlfriend the moment he stepped in.
At the entrance, Hinata stood with her flowing midnight blue hair trailing behind her, adorned in a shimmering dress, and a gentle smile gracing her face as she turned to greet him.
Her eyes sparkled with the secret she had kept so well, a surprise that had unfolded like a beautifully orchestrated symphony.
At that moment, Naruto recalled being greeted by a chorus of voices, all shouting "surprise" in unison, their distinct tones blending into a cacophonous yet comforting familiarity.
Naruto was surprised, and is still surprised by the unexpected presence of his high school friends, whom he hadn't crossed paths with in years, joining him at the bar alongside his girlfriend. 
All of his comrades were there. 
Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Neji, Ino, Kiba, Lee, Shino, Shikamaru, Temari, Choji, and Karui had all gathered to join in to celebrate his birthday. 
Even his three sensei's from Konoha High—Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Iruka—made an appearance, their faces adorned with cheerful smiles, encompassing the essence of both gifts, cards, and nostalgic memories. 
But their presence at the bar to celebrate his 23rd birthday was more impactful to Naruto then he initially thought. 
It truly provided him with an eye-opening revelation.
His sensei's presence there served as an indicator that Naruto had officially grown out of his adolescence. He was no longer the kid who stirred up trouble in his sensei's classrooms; contrary, he had grown older and more mature. He's grown into a man. 
The realization of it all was pivotal, and it made his night all the more impactful. 
Naruto could still hear his comrades now, all animated and full of cheer, their laughter filling the entirety of Hara No Tume, painting a picture of camaraderie and carefree moments. Naruto could vividly recall the warmth of their embraces, the heartfelt wishes they gave, all the thoughtful gifts they shared, and the sparkle in his loved ones' eyes.
Naruto felt a swell of warmth in his chest as he continued to recall such a memory and all of its entirety. He felt a profound gratitude for the love and thoughtfulness that had gone into his very own birthday night. The scenes of laughter, shared stories of reminiscence, and heartfelt toasts painted a tapestry of cherished moments, forever imprinted on his heart. 
The fond memories of the playful brawls and daring challenges he shared with the guys resounded like a mantra in his mind, never failing to bring a smile to his face. 
They may all have acted foolishly, but with finally being in one another's company again, it hardly mattered.
Naruto vividly recalled the time Lee dared Shikamaru to yank his girlfriend's hair, only to be slapped across the face mid action. 
He remembered the dare that Sasuke gave Neji, that is to neck his drink, but respectfully he declined. But it was only after, when Kiba had the bright idea to dare him instead to chug, but not his own beverage but to down an entire bottle of sake. Kiba, as always, is so over the top. 
But, how could Naruto possibly refuse that? 
Naruto wasn't a pussy like Neji was, and besides, it's his fucking birthday. So, hell yeah. 
Naruto's actions, however, certainly left his girlfriend feeling extremely embarrassed as she watched him climb onto the bar table and down the entire bottle of sake he'd been handed. To make matters worse, every customer in the bar joined in with his dare with raucous cheers, turning the entire scene into a spirited celebration. It felt like a fiesta, a wild and carefree sake-drinking party where they could all momentarily shed the weight of the world, revel in laughter, and rediscover the joy of their youth.
For a while, they were teenagers again, embracing the liberating feeling of being free from life's stresses, able to laugh and smile without reservation.
The night certainly exceeded all of Naruto's expectations. He hadn't experienced a night like that in so long. The responsibilities of adult life have surely exacted their toll, and moments of unbridled celebration had become rare for Naruto.
But his birthday night, though, was a beacon of light through it all. He remembered how every laugh had felt like a gift, every shared story a treasure, and every wish a blessing. It was a night that reminded him of the beauty in simple pleasures and the power of genuine connections.
It all served as a reminder that life's true richness lay in moments like those, where time seemed to stand still, and the world was painted in hues of love and celebration.
His birthday was perfect. Absolutely perfect. 
Once more, it was his beloved who managed to make him feel like the happiest man alive, once again on his birthday.. 
She always does, regardless of the year, or his age. 
Hinata undeniably instilled in him a deep appreciation for both the essence of life and the privilege of having her in his.
A warm smile graced his lips, and at last, Naruto tore himself from his reverie to meet his girlfriend's gaze. She looked up at him with a radiant smile, content to watch him as he drifted through his musings.
She smiled warmly, "Did you en-enjoy tonight, my love?" Hinata's voice, though delicate in its essence, bore the subtle rasp of intoxication, like a gentle stream flowing over smooth stones, its surface occasionally rippling with a soft, throaty cadence.
Naruto shuddered, a tingling sensation coursing down his spine, causing his unsteady form to waver even more. He turned around fully to meet Hinata's gaze, and he observed as she mirrored his actions, bringing them face to face.
With gentle fingertips, Hinata caressed the fabric of his crumpled tuxedo, her head tilted due to their significant height difference. 
But her eyes were fixed upon her boyfriend, gazing up at him with twinkling lavender orbs. She witnessed his drunken but delighted grin, characterized by half-closed eyes and raised, whiskered cheeks.
"Yes, H-Hinata-chan." He huskily whispered before moving his arms forward to wrap them around her waist. He held her close, placing his forehead against hers, wanting to feel her, all of her. His spiky blonde hair slipped forth and caressed her cheeks, kissing her pale skin. 
Naruto inhaled deeply as Hinata's petite body brushed up against his own, the tenderness of her feminine body bringing his masculine one to its knees. 
"Hinata-chan," He stammered, "I cannot thank you enough for the joy you've brought me tonight. Everything you arranged was exactly what I'd always dreamed of, and I-I-I don't know how I could ever repay you enough." He whispered, his voice slurring at times, but Hinata understood. 
Emotions seemed to steadily grow stronger within him, engulfing him whole, and before long, he began to sway from side to side, partaking in a tipsy dance of sorts, a clear sign that he had lost control of his body.  
Hinata giggled in response, her own body swaying in harmony with his.
"Yes baby, this was the best damn night of my entire life. Mmm." Naruto leaned in, pressing a tender kiss onto her forehead, the very person who had bestowed upon him so much happiness.
"And it's all thanks to you, my love." 
"Mmm, oh N-Naruto-kun." 
Touched to the core, Hinata let out a soft whimper, moved by her boyfriend's evident satisfaction and appreciation to everything she had organized for his birthday.
She gently rubbed along his torso, with up and down strokes. She raced her soft hands up his neck and wrapped them around the broadness of it. 
She stared deep within his eyes, and practically melted in the world of warmth that lay within them. The warmth emanating from his blue eyes mirrored the comforting radiance of a crackling fireplace on a brisk, golden afternoon. It was a tender embrace, a comforting glow that invited her in. 
Within Naruto's gaze, Hinata found a haven of boundless love and gratitude, where each glance felt like a gentle caress, enveloping her in a profound sense of belonging and affection.
Naruto bestowed upon her the gaze she had always yearned for, fulfilling the longing within her to be looked at just as he was looking at her now. 
It made her heart flutter with joy. Every chamber within her pulsed with an exuberant energy, sending waves of warmth and contentment coursing through her veins. Her heart was in full bloom, a vibrant melody of happiness that resonated within, infusing every fiber of her being.
Her smile was broad, so much so that the edges of her lips ached. 
With a firm grip on the collar of her boyfriend's tuxedo, she gave it a tender pull, "Oh, Naruto-kun," She murmured against his sake-tinged breath, "I'm incredibly delighted that you had a wonderful time tonight. Your happiness means the world to me, and it's all I strive for." She whispered warmly, her breath carrying the scent of sake, just like his.
Her legs wobbled a bit, her heels scraping the floor underneath her but broad arms held her tight and upright, cradled in an embrace of warmth.
Hinata bit her lip yet again, "D-Demo…" She trailed her response, waking Naruto out of his dreamy reverie. His eyes drifted shut several times as he listened to the lullaby that was his girlfriend's voice. But he was shaken awake by her previous remark. 
"Demo?" Naruto repeated while continuing his rocking. He cupped her petite waist gently, rushing his hands in circular motions to caress her skin underneath her lustrous dress. At times, he even rushed his hands across the curve of her luscious ass, squeezing the flesh within his fingers through her dress. 
Hinata moaned in delight. 
Naruto's personal touches, whether deliberate or not, were undeniably on the mark for what Hinata's thoughts were wandering to. Naruto's cupping motions, the sexual intimacy of it, suggested her own naughty plans for tonight. 
The spiky-haired blonde raised an eyebrow as he witnessed the mischief that suddenly appeared in the glossy lavender eyes of his lover. She began to tiptoe her fingers up his chest and then his neck.
"This night, Naruto-kun, is far from over. I have one more surprise." She pulled up one finger by his neck, "One more." She repeated in a whisper. 
Naruto's eyes widened, "Another surprise?" The blonde was starstruck. Such unexpected news made his heart skip a beat; he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Hinata has surely outdone herself this year. 
The blonde's mouth gaped like an idiot, his blue eyes fixated and widened down at his midnight blue-haired lover. He shook his head, the dewy strands of his blonde hair tousling about in response, "Hinata-chan, come on baby. That's too much. You really didn't have to-"
"Shh." Hinata silenced him by pressing a finger against his lips, exerting gentle pressure to keep him quiet. Naruto obeyed, but he couldn't suppress the smirk that played on his lips.
In a playful gesture, he pressed a kiss to her finger, eliciting a giggle from Hinata.
She shook her head, "It brings me no burden, Naruto-kun, to make each of your birthdays better than the last, to go over and beyond each and every time." Hinata smiled, "I love you. I cherish you deeply, and I wish to demonstrate my love and appreciation in any way I can. So now…"
Hinata pulled her finger away from Naruto's lips to instead use her hands to grip his own hands. She began to gently guide him towards their bedroom.
"Your first surprise was only the beginning.  What I have planned for you next, is waiting in the bedroom."
"The bedroom, huh?" Naruto licked his lips, liking the sound of that. After a day filled with relentless work, toppled with a rowdy afternoon at the bar, he was more than prepared to lie down and be pampered to the fullest. 
Therefore, Naruto happily trailed after Hinata, summoning his strength to maneuver his sluggish legs across the wooden floor.
"Mmm, you naughty girl." He breathed, "Don't tell me-" 
"Shh. Just follow, Naruto-kun." Hinata enthusiastically cheered, her smile radiant.
Naruto chuckled, utterly captivated by his girlfriend's adorableness. How could he ever resist her? After all she's done for him, he was more than willing to do anything she asked.
Anything.
So, he followed her.
Every step of the way, his gaze remained fixed on her. She was the sun to his world, and he revolved around her, craving for her light and love.
If Hinata was determined to make his already perfect night even more extraordinary and secure its place as one of his best birthdays ever, he wouldn't object. 
Who in their right mind would?
Naruto was ready. He was ready to see what was to come. 
With each step, his heart raced, the anticipation within him reaching its peak. He couldn't help but speculate about what might lie behind their bedroom door, yet he found himself stumped by the multitude of possibilities. His intoxicated mind couldn't quite grasp it all.
His thoughts wandered freely, and his excitement bubbled over. In Hinata's hold, he couldn't resist the urge to dance around, eliciting giggles from her.
"Oh Naruto-kun, be patient, my darling. W-We're almost there." With a tipsy giggle, Hinata declared, thoroughly amused by Naruto's childlike dance, as he hopped around beside her, in her grasp like a hyperactive child.
To her, Naruto was utterly adorable, and observing his limitless enthusiasm in response to her surprise filled her with even more delight.
Though the journey to their bedroom was relatively short, it truly felt like an eternity to Naruto. However, his excitement reached its peak when he was finally guided to their closed bedroom door, adorned with numerous pictures of them both, including wall art displaying their names on the front. 
Hinata turned to Naruto with a giddy smile, one displaying exuberant happiness. She was just as happy as he was, maybe even more. 
She danced in her spot, gripping his hand for dear life, "Okay, Naruto-kun, your surprise is just in here." She nodded her head toward their closed bedroom door.
She turned back to him, her midnight blue hair flowing with each of her movements, clinging to her dewy, flushed skin.
"Are you ready?" 
"Am I ready?" Naruto repeated with a chuckle. He raised the hand that held his girlfriend's, bringing it to his lips. With his heated gaze still fixed on her, he pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
They both emitted a soft moan as they made contact, warm lips meeting pale skin. 
"Mmm, I'm more than ready. Show me this magnificent surprise of yours." Naruto kissed Hinata's knuckles again, squinting his blue eyes, "Go on, amaze me, Hinata-chan." 
Only after that did Hinata feel prepared to unveil Naruto's ultimate birthday surprise, a gift that had taken her days to plan and hours to execute.
With a smile, she gently moved her hand from Naruto's hold to guide it toward the doorknob. She gripped it tight, "Well then, here it is, my love," She announced.
"your surprise."
It was only after that moment that she confidently turned the knob, swinging the door open wide to finally unveil Naruto's surprise in all of its glory. 
However, the sight that lay beyond their bedroom door was beyond description. It stole away Naruto's breath and redefined the word "extraordinary.'  
It was unlike anything he had ever witnessed before. 
Naruto's breath caught in his throat, "Oh my kami." He whispered in astonishment, once more losing control of his body. Suddenly, he found himself taking a step forward.
Upon entering the bedroom, a gasp caught in his throat. He could hardly believe his eyes. 
The room, once so familiar and ordinary, had undergone a complete transformation. It now exuded an aura of love and intimacy, shifted into a sanctuary of affection. The room, and its condition now merely served as a magnified glimpse into the depths of Hinata's heart, like peering into an ocean of emotions.
A soft, golden light enveloped him, casting a warm and inviting glow throughout the space.
Naruto's heart skipped a beat as he took in the sight before him. 
Countless candles adorned every available surface, their flickering flames creating a mesmerizing dance of light and shadow throughout the entirety of the room. The air was filled with the sweet scent of vanilla, adding to the enchantment and even tranquility of the room. 
The bed, adorned with a sea of crimson rose petals, looked like something out of a dream.  The roses were arranged with such precision that they formed a heart shape on the bed, gracefully crossing the white sheets and pillows, creating a sight that begged for a moment of admiration.
Naruto couldn't take his eyes off of the bed.
But ultimately, he managed to get his eyes to shift. To his left. 
The nightstand positioned directly beside the bed now boasted a bottle of whipped cream, a plate of succulent strawberries, a festive birthday hat, and an ice bucket containing chilled champagne. Each element seemed carefully chosen, meticulously placed and planned creating a tableau of sensuality and indulgence. 
Naruto felt a surge of warmth and gratitude welling up inside him.
It was as if their room had become a canvas, painted with the strokes of love and affection. He couldn't help but be moved by the effort and thoughtfulness that had gone into creating such an enchanting space. The room's transformation truly spoke volumes about the depth of the connection his lover had with him, leaving the blonde male both touched and elated. 
It was a moment he knew he would treasure forever.
Hinata observed the scene in all of its entirety from afar, savoring the moment her boyfriend discovered the love she had poured into creating the romantic theme to their room.
With a smile filled with anticipation and affection, she stood by the door. Her gaze was fixed on Naruto's form, capturing both his back and the side profile of his face. She caught a glimpse of the wide, radiant smile gracing his tanned features, the candlelights dancing around him, illuminating him completely.
Hinata observed him as Naruto meticulously took in every detail of the room, his wide grin remaining ever-present. His head swiveled in excitement, akin to a child exploring a candy store.
Naruto's cerulean eyes absorbed every detail—the roses, the candles, the carefully arranged decorations—and he allowed the sentiment to wash over him, savoring the depth of Hinata's consideration.
Feelings welled up inside him, a torrent of emotions colliding and resonating so profoundly that he couldn't hold back a sob.
"Oh H-Hinata-chan. Th-This is…" His breath grew shaky. He was goddamn speechless, mouth gaped, eyes wide, and heart hammering against his chest. 
His movement was wobbly, but he used all the strength he could muster to finally turn around to face his girlfriend, to reveal the endless amounts of gratitude that adorned his face.
"Fuck! This is amazing, holy shit, Hinata-chan!" Naruto exclaimed in awe, gripping the blonde strands of his hair tightly. 
He shook his head in disbelief, once again absorbing his surroundings as if they might fade away, as if he might awaken and find it all to be a dream. Yet, everything remained as real as ever.
Hinata remained. 
He turned to her fully, tears of joy bundling up in his certulan eyes, "Oh, Hinata-chan, you did all of this…for me?" He whispered through shaky breaths.
He observed his beautiful girlfriend nod eagerly. She pushed herself away from the entrance and took a few steps inside, using a gentle hand to close the door behind her.
"Yes, Naruto-kun, I did all of this for you." She announced with joy evident in her sluggish voice, "D-Do you l-like it?" 
"Like it?" Naruto exclaimed, whipping his head back to connect eyes with his love. He gave her a large grin before making his way towards her.
"I fucking love it, Hinata-chan!" Naruto cheered before making his way across the room to her. He approached her, unhesitatingly cupping her cheek with one hand, while the other wrapped around her waist, drawing her close..
He growled, "Mmm, come here, baby." He softly murmured before engaging in a passionate kiss that seemed to nearly sweep her off her feet, undoubtedly leaving her breathless.
Their lips connected in a fervent, tender embrace, a dance of passion and appreciation. Naruto's arms enveloped Hinata, drawing her close, their bodies pressed together in a seamless connection.
Hinata wholeheartedly surrendered to the kiss, expressing her boundless love and devotion through it. She lifted her arms to cradle her blonde lover's neck, holding him close as he secured her waist. 
In that moment, time seemed to slow down for them both, allowing them to savor every electrifying second. Hinata's hands raised forward, her fingers beginning to trace a gentle path along Naruto's sculpted jaw, sending shivers of delight down his spine. 
Her touch was both tender and delicate, a confirmation to the depth of her feelings.
Their breath mingled, warm and inviting, as they lost themselves in each other. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in their cocoon of affection. It was a kiss that resonated with unspoken emotions, an indication to their deep love and devotion, leaving them both breathless and hungry for more.
As time passed, their kiss evolved, transitioning from passionate to heated. Tongues danced in a fervent rhythm, saliva mingled in a crazed fit, and their heads moved in rapid synchrony.
Fingers grew needy, scratching and pinching the other one's clothing in a desirable fit to get them off, to indulge in what they've been wanting to do ever since they stepped back into their home, away from the prying eyes of the public. 
Their groans and moans faded as one, as they kissed one another sloppily, bringing a warmth that came unmatched to nestle within the other's chests, a warmth that moved to envelop every part of them.
"Hinata-chan." Naruto moaned his girlfriend's name, breathlessly against her plump lips. 
"N-Naruto-kun." She moaned his name back, her lavender eyes hooded.
With a subtle push, Hinata prompted Naruto to take several steps back, her fingers deftly maneuvering to undo the buttons and fastenings of his tuxedo. Naruto readily lent a hand, ensuring the process was both swift and efficient.
In a rush of urgency, their fingers fumbled with buttons, their movements quick and determined. Fabric rustled as Naruto shedded his tie, his jacket, undershirt, and his trouser's with the assistance of his lover, flinging them all aside without a second thought. His tanned physique, a work of art, lay bare for his lover to admire in the soft, dimly lit room. Every move and sensation highlighted the contours of his sculpted muscles which flexed in relation. 
Now, Naruto was down to nothing but his boxers. His discarded clothes formed a haphazard pile on the floor, a testament to the urgency that fueled their actions. The room echoed with the sound of fabric meeting carpet, punctuated by the occasional gasp of breath.
Another gasp sprung out of Naruto's mouth as he was given yet another push, but this one was a bit stronger than the one before and he found himself falling backwards. 
With a sudden and unexpected stumble, he found himself tumbling, not on the floor, but on their bed, all at once bringing him back to the dream of his reality. 
The plushness of the bed welcomed him, yielding beneath his weight in a luxurious embrace. His body sank into the softness, cradling him in a cocoon of comfort. It was a surprise, an unplanned moment of surrender to the inviting embrace of the bed. 
He let out a relieved exhale as he observed his girlfriend gracefully positioning herself on top of him, signaling her intentions for the night.
It was going to be another of those nights again.
Another night where Hinata would take control in the bedroom and guide them both into a world of ecstasy. Naruto anticipated the sensation, anticipating Hinata's preparations, knowing in his bones that he'd remember this night fondly.
Hinata was prepared to give him a night of unparalleled ecstasy, and he was eagerly yearning for it.
Hinata gracefully settled onto his lap, her feet adorned in heels resting on either side of his waist, cushioned by the soft bed sheets.
Crimson rose petals, once strewn across the bed, now danced along their skin, caressing Naruto's tanned, well-defined chest and tracing the contours of Hinata's supple thighs.
Hinata's breath hitched in a soft moan as she gently rested a hand on Naruto's chest, urging him to stay in his relaxed state, stretched out across the center of the bed.
"Mmm, just relax, my love." She murmured tenderly against his eager lips, seeking another passionate kiss. Naruto responded with a blissful moan, meeting her with equal fervor.
Hinata's own moan intertwined with his as she hovered above him, her midnight blue tresses cascading over her fair shoulders, draping across his chest in a tantalizing caress.
Breaking the kiss, Hinata bestowed upon Naruto a smile that stole his breath away. His mouth fell open in awe as he beheld the midnight blue-haired angel above him, bathed in the soft glow of candlelights, which seemed to illuminate her.
Hinata looked perfect. So very perfect. 
Hinata appeared absolutely flawless, a vision of perfection.
Naruto was beyond astounded. The fact that he could claim someone as extraordinary as Hinata as his partner, and even know her, be loved by her, and have her in his life, was truly beyond belief.
He was in awe. In total awe. 
Hinata smiled down at him, her hands tenderly caressing his well-toned body, "Relax, and allow me this moment to appreciate every inch of you," She whispered, her soothing words merely turning Naruto's muscles into mush. 
A soft giggle escaped her lips as she noticed the intensity in his gaze, his hooded blue eyes rooted on her and only her.
She leaned back down, pressing a gentle kiss to his right earlobe before speaking softly within it.
"I yearn to kiss every part of you, Naruto-kun. I yearn to express the depth of my love, to adore every facet of you, honor the years you've lived in this world, and to cherish the time we spent together." 
Hinata's soft breath grazed his earlobe, a gentle whisper of warmth that sent tingles down his spine. The sensation was both tender and exhilarating, a delicate touch that quickened his heartbeat.
Her proposition was endearing to the tipsy blonde, igniting a response that pulsed through every nerve in his body. Even his excited friend between his legs perked up, eager to partake in Hinata's plans for the night.
Naruto extended his arms, gently caressing Hinata's thighs, relishing the sensation of her smooth, velvety skin beneath his calloused hands.
"Mmm, oh baby, that sounds absolutely delightful." Naruto nodded, "Yes, kiss my body, caress me, fuck me." He murmured, nestling his head into the bed, "Yes, make my night. Spoil me, sweetheart." 
Hinata giggled, drawing back just enough to playfully tap his nose, "Mmm, oh my love, you've just read my mind." 
Hinata moved her finger down to instead give his chest a tap, "But first…" 
She trailed off, then slid her hands to the hem of her shimmering black dress, gripping the fabric's edges. She remained in eye contact with him, to keep him the center of her attention, to give him all of her.
Naruto watched with bated breath, his eyes fixed on his girlfriend as she folded her arms, seized her dress, and tossed the glistening material over her head, revealing what lay beneath.
Once more, he was taken aback by Hinata's intricate efforts to surprise him, completely catching him off guard.
There, right on top of him, presented a woman of breathtaking beauty, her curves adorned in lingerie. Red lingerie. 
"Holy mother of kami." Naruto breathed, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over him.
The crimson lace clung to her porcelain skin, a vivid contrast that accentuated every curve and contour she possessed. The delicate fabric danced gracefully against her, a fiery frame against the canvas of her alabaster complexion. It was a tantalizing sight, the scarlet hue radiating confidence and allure. 
It was the sexiest sight he's ever seen, the clash of red, bringing rise to her silky midnight blue hair, and lavender eyes, creating a sight that he knew would show up again in his wet dreams of her.
Naruto couldn't even keep his damn mouth closed, he was so flabbergasted.
Hinata looked so beautiful. 
The vibrant red lace of her lingerie mirrored the rich hue of the roses adorning the bed. Like the blossoms, the fabric exuded a passionate energy, its intricate patterns weaving a tapestry of desire. The lingerie seemed to echo the very essence of the roses, each petal and lace detail telling a story of passion and longing. Together, they created a sensuous symphony, painting the room with an intoxicating blend of scarlet shades.
And it didn't help that Hinata was currently giving him a seductive squint, a sexy look that accentuated her plump lips, her porcelain skin, and the beauty of her appearance.
She grinded her hips along the bulge in Naruto's boxers, and giggled as she felt his cock brush against the slit of her red panties, an indication that he took great pleasure at what he saw.
She gasped, "Oh, you're such a naughty boy, Naruto-kun." Hinata teased, which only caused his dick to react once more, twitching against her. She moaned in response, placing her hands down to brace herself on his chest.
She shimmed her body yet again, rolling her pelvis in a circular motion along his crotch.
Naruto whipped his head back in delight, crashing against the bed. 
"Fuck." He breathed. 
Hinata moaned, biting her bottom lip, "Oh? I see that you have taken a great liking to my lingerie, Naruto-kun. I bought it specifically for you for your special night." 
Naruto's tongue swept across his lips as he brought his hands down to trace the contours of his lover's form, his hands skimming over the vibrant red fabric that embraced her exquisite figure. 
He cursed, "Hell yeah, I love it, baby. Fuck," Naruto swore once more.
"you're just full of surprises."
Naruto chuckled, before bringing his hands down the curve of her backside to cup her ass. He gave it a smack, propelling her forward, "I thought you were done with the surprises, Hinata-chan. Ya know, there's only so many surprises I can take, baby." 
Hinata giggled at Naruto's comical response before shrugging her shoulders, "Oh, did I say that? Gomen." The midnight blue-haired woman leaned in to kiss Naruto's lips once more, playfully tugging at them with her teeth.
"I lied." She whispered, "Get ready for a night full of surprises, my love. I'm determined to make this birthday your best one yet."
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Continue Reading on Wattpad Or AO3.
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roseandgold137 · 1 year ago
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“Hold up,” Kon said, holding his hands up, either in a placating gesture or to protect himself in case Cassie flipped out on him. “Shouldn’t we maybe, I dunno, know a bit more before we rush in?”
Cissie blinked again, this time at Kon. “Sorry, are we sure this is Kon?”
Bart piped up from behind the couch. “Well, if he isn’t Kon, then he’s a damn good match.”
amnt I just hilarious
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kinetic-elaboration · 1 year ago
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October 5: Excerpt form Ch 2
I'm not going to post chapter 2 for a little bit yet because I...just have a lot of writing projects going on right now, none of which I'm actually working on but I need a quick sort of cheat of an entry because it is VERY, worryingly late and I need to get to bed. I'm going to be leaving a couple hours early tomorrow, I've decided, but I do still need to get up and to work most of the day so.
Here's a little bit of Make a Lot of Money, chapter 2:
*
Maybe it's not déjà vu at all but just regular old memory: Halloween a reunion event for them, as always, and the impressions of every Halloween they've ever spent together as a group now stacked in thin layers in his brain, the details of one mixing with and fading into the next. He'd like to keep them all in neat folders like the organization of his hard drives but brains just don't work like that. They're all a mess of feelings distorting the hard angles and discrete numerical values of facts. 
If Octavia operated by fact alone, she would probably reject Clarke's peace offering in its small, brown-wrapped box and orange bow. Because the fact was, as she'd once told him, with neither explanation nor apology, that the friendship was over, history be damned.  
But then Bellamy says, "She's family," and family isn't friendship and it can't be erased, and Octavia accepts the gift and says simply, "Fine."  
Monty lingers for a moment in the parlor as Lincoln ushers the new arrivals to the door and on up the stairs to their rooms. He's still trying to recall something, frustratingly out of reach in the hazy outer edges of his thoughts.  
The door to the dining room opens again, and Jasper pokes his head out. "You coming?"
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wallofhearts · 1 year ago
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— everyone in this room will someday be dead
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razorsadness · 4 months ago
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Blue as a claddagh ring worn on a right hand with the heart’s point facing out towards the fingertips; blue as a claddagh that will never be turned in. Blue as a pigeon, dead in the gutter. Blue as the gutter we lay in, drunk, and the nightblue heaven of stars we wished on. Blue as a wish that can’t come true. Blue as the river, which is really green. Blue in green, like Miles. Kind of blue, like my eyes, like his eyes, which change color with the light’s moods, and with booze. His eyes whiskied to green, mine gin-soaked to a pale robin’s egg blue. Blue as Coltrane’s “Blue Train.” The relentless blue of the trains. The Blue Line train that took me to him; the Amtrak, which took me away. Blue as the color memory stains a person when you know you’ll never see them again; blue as the shadows that gather beneath a hat brim, or in a cheekbone’s hollow, or in the half-moons under the eyes of someone who can’t stop crying. Blue as the wind that scours these streets, the wind that will steal the hat right off your head. Blue as a scrap of paper, as an unread letter, as the ink in which is written a phone number that’s gone dead. Blue as my faded postmarked valentine tattoo. Blue as the spirit blue which they say repels devils, but for all the blues I painted my body with, all the blues I painted the walls of my room, it never could repel the memory of him. Blue as the sacred sorrow of a sad girl in a blue room at blue hour, singing so well a heartbroken, homesick, devil-may-care blues. Blue as the ruinous truth that no one gets to choose what or whom they love. We just don’t get to choose.
—Jessie Lynn McMains, from “Blue Ruins” (November 2023)
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the-writing-mobster · 1 year ago
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Heyyy Trick or treat!
(Yup, you're right. halloween is a state of mind and it's forever)
I'm Goth, so for me Halloween is eternal, hahaha
I think the best way to cap off my night however, is by TREATING you to an unpublished fic excerpt in my docs...
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Just some good old CLASSIC Frans fluff 😉 (yes! I can write fluff! I can!)
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aroaessidhe · 1 year ago
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2023 reads
The Girls Are Never Gone
a girl does a summer internship with the historical society cleaning up an old estate where a girl died 30 years ago, so she can investigate it for her ghost-hunting podcast
she’s a skeptic who privately thinks she’ll be able to find evidence of non-supernatural, but weird things start happening to her and the other two girls in the house
spooky lake & creepy dolls
bisexual diabetic MC with a service dog, f/f
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lavender-laney · 1 year ago
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choking on sea salt, chapter three
chapter 1, chapter 2 part one, chapter 2 part two, chapter 3
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Sadie awakens to the sound of creaking wood and footsteps. ­Her eyes flick open, and she’s met with the very first rays of sunlight streaming through the broken windows and illuminating the dust that endlessly fills the air of this house.
“You awake?” a gruff voice asks, and Sadie startles, the sun’s light suddenly blocked by the stocky man peering down at her, wisps of hair falling over his bloodshot eyes, coveralls hanging off his starved body. Nikolai, she remembers. He’s a rough-looking man, with a crooked jaw framed by thin white hairs that could, in some ways, be considered a beard. His mouth seems to perpetually hang open a bit, revealing gaps in his yellowed teeth.
Sadie throws the blanket to the side, finding the yarn has become even further unwound during the night, and sits up, gingerly moving away from where the man looms over her form. She stands, brushing the floor’s dust from her clothes.
“Yes, yes,” she stutters, wondering how long he’d stood there before she’d woke up. “I’m awake.”
He stares at her for a moment longer before nodding absently. Turning away, the man begins to make his way towards the door, lumbering footsteps leaving imprints in the dusty floorboards. Still shaking off the last dredges of sleep, Sadie follows, and as they step outside she realizes the sun has only just begun to peek its way over the horizon. The moon still overlooks the rolling fields, and Sadie is reminded of summers spent at her grandparents’ farm, of her grandfather shaking her awake at dawn’s first light, of shoving on her grandmother’s old work boots and mucking her way through the barns in shoes a few sizes too large.
The tense silence between Sadie and Nikolai doesn’t have nearly the same peaceful feelings as mornings spent on her grandparents’ farm, however. Whereas Sadie would expect birdsong or the last dawdling crickets from the previous evening, instead the air is filled only by the whistling of the breeze and the scuff of dirt under the pair’s shoes. The sheep pasture is along the dirt road, within the fence that Sadie recalls seeing as Joseph led her into town the night prior.
Nikolai pulls open the gate, and Sadie gets a closer look at the barn that houses the animals and the fence that surrounds the pasture.
The barn is in similar disrepair as the house Sadie spent the night in, though attempts to patch holes in the roof or reinforce broken fences have clearly been made. As they pass through the outermost fence, iron rods have been used to keep the wood standing where it has been weathered. Sadie peers closer and realizes that the fence has not only been aged by the elements but has also splintered outwards at the height of Sadie’s hip in many places. Her steps slow where she follows Nikolai and she leans closer to the wood. Clumps of wool catch in the damaged posts, shadowed by dark stains that Sadie quickly realizes is blood spattered around the impact points. An unnerved feeling abruptly fills her chest.
“Let’s go,” Nikolai calls, standing at the entrance of the barn, looking back at Sadie with a stern expression and shadowed eyes.
With one last glance at the fence, Sadie rushes over, fighting to avoid the man’s searching gaze. He scoffs, leading her further into the barn. The inside is in worse shape than the exterior, worsened by the smell of unclean wool, feces, and mildew. Sadie is sure the horror must show on her face and feels thankful Nikolai has not turned to look back at her, instead bending down with a pained breath to gather a tin bucket in his frail grip. He turns back to her.
“While I head over to the well, go ‘round letting them outta their pens,” Nikolai says, voice gruff. “Now I need you to listen close to this part,” his tone gains a stern quality, and Sadie feels the nerves in her chest tighten. “Do not give any of these animals an opportunity to get outta that fence out there. They like to … wander, you could say, and then I’ll have to come out and round ‘em back up because you weren’t paying attention. So watch what you’re doin’. These creatures are smarter than you’d think.” He pauses, eyes searching her face. “Do you hear me?’
Sadie nods, eyes wide. “Of course, yes. I understand,” she responds.
Nikolai’s eyes stay trained on hers for a long moment before he huffs, heading back out the barn door, bucket held against his hip. “I’ll be back.”
Sadie nods again, waiting until the man has started to make his way out of the fenced area and down the hill towards town. She grimaces. If he has to walk that far to collect water, no wonder his joints ache, she thinks. She’s certainly not complaining, however, and instead takes the opportunity to survey the barn. As she’d noticed before, it’s clearly an old building, and the closer she looks, the more unstable it appears. She risks a glance at the roof above her, and quickly looks away, choosing not to think about the decaying wood above her head. As she steps further into the barn, the sheep pens become more visible. They’re simple, fenced areas bordered by planks of wood. Each one holds a sheep or two, some with fragile-looking young lambs. Many of them, though, are empty, and Sadie is reminded of Mary’s words the night prior.
“We eat what meat is available to us,” she’d said, all shifty eyes and nerves.
Sadie steps up to the low door of one pen, studying the sheep and lamb that rest together within. They lie together, the lamb leaned against its mother’s stomach, but in perhaps the most … detached manner that Sadie has ever witnessed an animal behave. Although they huddle together for warmth, the animals appear as though they’re hardly aware of one another’s presence. Their gazes are glazed and unfocused, legs sprawled out and ears limp against their skulls. Their bodies, especially the mother’s, are littered in bald patches and wounds. The mother has a large wound across her forehead, her wool stained brown with dried blood. Sadie thinks of the damage to the fence outside, the clumps of wool and crusted blood decorating the wood, and cringes at the implication. With their current disposition, she couldn’t imagine either of these animals ramming their bodies against the fence with enough desperation to harm themselves.
Trepidation worsened by this realization, Sadie lifts the latch to the door and pulls it open, and the creaking wood draws the animals’ attention. The sheep blinks, lifting her head, as if reconnecting to the world around her. She stands, clumsily and without care for her lamb, who is sent tumbling to the ground soundlessly. Sadie can’t help the gasp that escapes her mouth, but the sheep doesn’t seem to notice, simply stepping over her lamb and stumbling out of her pen and past Sadie, making her way out to the pasture. Sadie’s gaze follows her, but the sheep continues on her way without a glance back.
The shuffling of hay brings Sadie’s attention back to the lamb, who is attempting to right itself, weak legs shaking under the weight of its own malnourished body. Caught in a moment of morbid curiosity and a cautious desire to help, Sadie steps forward hands outstretched, but the lamb finally gains its balance, shoving past Sadie’s legs without a care. As it walks past, the matted wool on its backside becomes visible, and Sadie wonders just how long the two had laid there together, unmoving.
As the lamb follows its mother, Sadie sighs, attempting to shake away the goosebumps that have spread across her skin. She moves towards the next pen, and the lone sheep it holds. This one, a ram with cracked, blunt horns curled in a wicked shape around its ears, is in a similar state as the first two and makes its way out of the barn in the very same, unnerving manner. She makes her way down the rows, but the last pen draws her to a stop. It holds a young ram, a little too large to be a lamb, but too leggy and awkward to be considered an adult. Its horns are still small, and the tips are dull. It stands in the corner of its pen, facing the wall with a dogged focus. Its legs are racked with shivers, and Sadie wonders how long it has stood there, weakening its muscles to the point of tremors. As she stands there, wondering how to draw its attention to the open door, it leans its weight back on its hind legs, preparing itself, then rears forward with the full force of its body. Its horns meet the wall with a harsh thud as wood splinters,­and Sadie flinches, immediately stepping forward to grab at its wool the same way you would hold an unruly kitten’s scruff.
Only after she’s done it does she realize how risky of a move it was, how easily the animal could rear towards her to drive keratin and bone into her stomach or kick out with its hind legs. No matter how frail they may seem, a tired muscle won’t prevent a distinctly hoof-shaped imprint on Sadie’s midsection and worn-down stubs won’t prevent a bruised kidney.
Even as the ram remains still, seemingly unaware of Sadie’s grip on the back of its neck, she envisions what her grandfather would say about a mistake like this one. She remembers the first summer she’d stayed at their house, the first time she’d stepped foot into the barn holding rows of dairy cows --- distinctly in better shape than the one she stands in now, met with the excited calls of hungry cows rather than the eerie silence of ill sheep. Her grandfather had led her to one of the stalls, occupied by the oldest and most tame of his herd. He’d held Sadie’s hand as they stepped towards the animal that towered over Sadie’s young frame. As the cow leaned down to snuffle at Sadie’s hair, her grandfather told her in a steady voice all the ways in which a peaceful creature can be dangerous. How quickly a playful horse can buck its rider, how easily milking a cow can become a hoof to the stomach, how even the sweetest of roosters can dig its spur into soft skin at a too-fast movement.
Sadie releases her hold on the sheep’s skin, nudging its shoulder to turn towards the open door. It follows her touch mindlessly, and the first step it takes out of its hay-filled pen and onto the packed dirt of the barn’s floor seems to bring it to awareness just a bit, just enough to take its own unsteady steps towards the door, following the same path as the others.
Sadie watches for a long, tense moment, and begins to understand the glazed, dissociative look in the animals’ eyes, wondering if perhaps she should’ve stayed in Pruitt’s stuffy classroom listening to the overconfident chatter of Bradbury and his peers. With a thud that splits the heavy silence, the pen door swings closed before her. Sadie snaps back to reality. She shudders, both at what she had just witnessed, and at herself for feeling so affected by it. The seed of frustration that had welcomed itself into her chest last night grows, and she pushes the pen door back open and steps into the pen with a huff, determined to get something out of this strange morning.
The pen looks fairly normal, if a bit barren and dirty, but Sadie moves further in, peering at the wall the sheep had been so focused on. The wood is spattered with blood, dried and fresh, and has started to splinter in places. One such crack has formed a sizeable hole in the wood, about the size of Sadie’s fist, and she kneels down in the hay to peer through it, uncaring for the way its filth dampens her knees. Through the hole, the pasture outside is visible, and Sadie can see the flock of sheep making their way past the barn, towards the farthest fence. Past the farthest fence, the ocean is barely visible, the rolling waves audible if Sadie strains to hear them. Sadie wonders if the sheep simply wanted outside but feels there must be more to it. When she surveys the rest of the barn, she finds nothing more of substance, and resigns herself to the unfulfilled curiosity weighing on her.
“Alright,” she huffs to herself, voice breaking the heavy quiet of the barn. “Alright.”
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As Sadie follows the flock’s path, she finds the animals gathered at the farthest fence. Some apathetically dip their heads to gather the yellowing grass of the pasture into their teeth, while the others simply … stare. Just as the last sheep was, they’ve planted their hooves in the dirt and watch the horizon, the ocean, like dogged sentries. Sadie steps up beside them to share the view. The sun has crept its way up past the horizon in the time Sadie spent inside the barn, though the sky is still dark with early morning. The ocean looks calm, waves rolling in and out slowly, meeting the sands of the beach gently. The picturesque sight is marred by the utilitarian iron fence that lines the grass just before the beach’s sands begin. It is tall, tall enough to withstand strong waves and winds. The base of the fence has been rusted by seawater and the sea salt encrusting it is visible even from a distance. Although it would certainly hinder a person from making their way to the water, it doesn’t appear impossible to bypass in any way. Based on Mary’s and Edith’s reactions last night, Sadie wonders if the fence is more symbolic than anything, a reminder of the fear of the ocean already held by the townsfolk.
As Sadie is studying one of the younger lambs, peering at the crooked position of its back leg and the grime encrusting its wool, she hears the outermost fence creak open and turns to see Nikolai carrying the bucket of water. At the same moment Sadie turns at the sound of the door, numerous sheep wheel around quickly, desperately, and force their way towards Nikolai, heavy step by stumbling step. One makes it quite close, too, as Sadie has already moved forward with a hand outstretched, prepared to grab it before it can bolt. Nikolai kicks out with a shout, nearly dropping the water bucket, and slams the gate closed. The sheep is unbothered by his reaction, and rushes forward anyway, slamming into the closed gate with the full weight of its body. It crumples into a heap, dazed by the impact, but its legs continue to kick, pushing at the dirt beneath it, mouth opening and closing without sound.
Sadie can only watch in horror, clenched hands still outstretched, even as the other sheep lose interest, rejoining their position against the far fence. Nikolai scoffs, stepping past the writhing animal to make his way toward the barn. Sadie looks between the man and the sheep, overwhelmed with a desire to move closer to the animal. Not to help, though, but to peer closer at its face, at the way its pupils roam, unseeing, and its mouth begins to foam with its desperation. She wishes she could pull out the notepad that sits in her pocket and record its behavior to study later.
“Are you comin’, or are you just gonna gawk at the damned thing?” Nikolai’s voice calls, and he sounds winded.
Sadie watches the sheep for a moment longer as it begins to lose energy, diminished to a twitching, heaving body. She commits the horrid image to memory, and follows Nikolai back into the barn, finding the man tipping the bucket of water into the troughs within each pen.
“Well,” he begins, heaving a deep breath as he sets the bucket on the ground. “Were there any dead?”
Sadie watches as he picks the bucket back up and carries it to the next stall, turning a calculating eye on her as he walks past.
“No,” she says, wondering what she would have done if she’d opened one of the pens to find a dead, decaying sheep. She wonders what the lamb would have done if its mother had died in the night, if maggots and flies had taken to her body with a frenzied hunger. Would the lamb have continued to lay against her cooling, festering corpse without even noticing her demise? Or, and this thought brings a nauseated feeling to her stomach, would it have joined the scavenging insects in their feast?
Nikolai grunts in response, continuing his task.
“What’s … wrong with them?” Sadie dares to ask, watching Nikolai closely for his reaction.
He pauses in his movements to look back at her. His chest is heaving in exhaustion, and his wrists tremble where he holds the weight of the nearly empty bucket. The looseness of his jaw somehow appears worse than it had just an hour prior, and the shadows beneath the redness of his eyes create a distinctly sickly appearance. Sadie can’t help but be reminded of the fragile, unnerving state of the sheep.
“They’re sick,” Nikolai spits, the most emotion she’s seen from the man. “The animals’re sick, the people’re sick, the land is sick. It’s all goddamned sick, and you’d do yourself an’ the rest of us a favor to get yourself the hell away from this place.”
The silence of the barn is suffocating following the man’s tirade. With the remaining energy from his proclamation, he heaves the water bucket up and dumps the rest of it in the next trough. That seems to be the extent of his capabilities, though, and he drops the bucket with a startling clang. It rolls, stopped by the edge of Sadie’s boot, and the man follows it, sliding down the side of the stall wall, coming to rest in the mud. His chest rises and falls rabbit-quick, and his eyes roll in their sockets.
“Oh god---!” Sadie begins, stumbling forward, kicking the bucket away. She kneels beside him, arms held out but wary to touch. “Are you, are you okay?”
Nikolai turns to meet her panicked gaze, seeming to regain a bit of clarity amid the frenzy. “Don’t you touch me,” he says, spittle flying from between the gaps in his teeth. “It’s your fault, you know? It’s always your damned fault. If you would just learn your lesson, just learn your place,” he leans forward suddenly, gripping at her shirt the same way Sadie had held the sheep’s scruff. “If she had just known her place, we wouldn’t be in this damned mess.”
Despite the pounding of her heart, the nerves wracking her limbs, Sadie’s curiosity, her damned curiosity, latches onto the man’s words.
“If who had known her place?” she asks, voice even, peering into his eyes. “Who, Nikolai?”
His demeanor has changed, though. His eyes have refocused, and they’ve lost their frantic quality. His grip on Sadie’s shirt loosens, and he instead uses his hand to push himself up from the ground, legs wavering beneath his weight. Sadie steps back, disappointment curling in her chest, as he fights to right himself. Once he’s found his feet, he huffs, and turns away from Sadie, bending to retrieve the bucket. Without a word, he carries it back to the corner it was originally retrieved from, leaving it to rest against the wall. Still avoiding Sadie’s gaze, he leaves the barn, making his way towards the pasture fence. The sheep that had tried so desperately to escape must have collected itself in the time it took to refill the troughs and has rejoined the rest of the flock down by the furthest fence.
“You’re gonna come back this evening to gather the animals back into their stalls,” Nikolai says, and Sadie rushes to catch up to where he has opened the gate. The sheep only have time to lift their heads, eyes widening, before the pair have slipped through the gate and closed it behind them. As Sadie pulls the latch closed, the sheep swing their heads back around to return to gazing down at the ocean.
“By myself?” Sadie asks Nikolai, now walking beside him. She wonders if he remembers how he’d acted in the barn, what he’d said, if he’s just choosing to ignore it. Sadie certainly won’t forget the way his crazed eyes met her own, nor the gnashing of his crooked jaw as he spit out the nonsensical words. Not for a long time, she’s sure.
Nikolai doesn’t look back at her when he says, “Can you not handle that?”
His tone is questioning, and Sadie feels like she’s being tested.
“Of course I can handle it,” she responds evenly.
Nikolai nods. “Alright then,” he says simply.
They walk to town in a tense silence, occupied only by the questions filling Sadie’s mind, and the echo of the heaving, desperate breaths of a man and a sheep.
༝ ˚ 。⋆ 𓇼 ⋆。 ˚ ༝
We're finally starting to get into the interesting parts...
Excited to hear what you guys think!
Tag list (lmk if anyone would like to be added or removed!)
@megarywrites @at-thezenith @repressed-and-depressed @plasma-studios @wrenofthewords @pb-dot @communist-mariner @phantomnations @thelittlestspider @inkingfireplace @silverslipstream @atreegrowss @i-rove-rock-n-roll @your-absent-father @borisyvain @ashfordlabs @digital-chance @boundedsea @kaze-writes @thebearthatreads @innocentlymacabre
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digital-chance · 11 months ago
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Hello! Just a reminder you're awesome and feel free to talk about something in a wip that captivates your attention at the moment
thank you for the ask!! sorry for the delay, and lovely to see you!!
i can't think of much, i need to do more worldbuilding, so here's an excerpt of Scars of Duty I did for this year's NaNoWriMo! enjoy!
The villain slinks up to Lucian. “Are you afraid Hero?" They purr, staring at him underneath their dark eyelashes. Lucian swallows compulsively, eyes fluttering around the villain as they approach. Lucian knows, he knows, that he should be fighting. But he feels frozen on the spot, compelled to watch the villain slink up to him, fire and power flickering in their eyes as they look Lucian over. They smirk as they reach Lucian, grasping his chin gently with their thumb and index finger. They lean in until Lucian and the villain are sharing breaths. “Perhaps darling, you shouldn’t be so trusting with your personal space,” The villain murmurs, wickedness flickering in their eyes. Their lips curl into a smile and Lucian, feeling the magnetism, clenches his jaw. The villain brushes their thumb against Lucian’s lower lip but then steps back. Lucian shivers from the touch, feeling dazed, as the villain declares, “And now I have you surrounded.” They gesture with both arms. Lucian whirls around, seeing armed individuals on all sides. There’s too many for just Lucian to take them all on. He feels his arm creep to the HQ panic button, but the villain catches him and tisks. “You had all this opportunity to press that button, and now, seeing that you’re outnumbered, you choose to press it?”  The villain stalks away with a hard look on their face. “I had higher hopes for you, darling,” they say bitterly, face twisted in disgust. Lucian searches for the right words, the feeling of inadequacy rising. His mouth opens and closes, words dying on the tip of his tongue. He has no defense. He has no idea what to do. He's afraid. The villain watches this with angry dark eyes. “No, I don't want your excuses. Not this time, my darling hero,” they say, spitting the pet name out like a curse. They sharply turn towards the crowd, cape fluttering in the wind.
< scars of duty tag list (comment to be added : @scumpleforeskin , @ruinmegently , @aziz-reads , @aspiringfictionwriter , @kae-luna >
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