#accessible sightseeing

[jennifier-kraft]

Discover the best of Chicago's wheelchair accessible attractions with this comprehensive guide. From world-renowned museums to iconic parks and entertainment venues, our city offers a diverse range of inclusive experiences. Explore the most wheelchair-accessible attractions in Chicago, where accessibility meets breathtaking sights and unforgettable moments. Whether you're a local or visiting, this guide ensures you can fully immerse yourself in the city's rich culture and vibrant offerings without compromising on accessibility. Get ready to experience Chicago's most wheelchair-accessible attractions like never before.

[enkvyu]

7:02pm — gojo satoru ; part two to this imagine

"gojo, your hair is in my mouth."

"you're lucky i washed it a few days ago."

you peer up at him over your phone. "a few days? how many? gojo, tell me."

gojo hums to himself and you hate that it might be serious consideration that he's under. "like maybe seven?"

you gag, flailing at your mouth and spitting out the few strands. you faintly hear gojo complain but it's overridden as you deal with your dilemma.

the two of you were curled inside the stomach of one of getou's curses as it flew across the ocean to arrive back at jujutsu high. the cramped space and gooey flesh makes you shiver, effectively increasing your poor mood, but perhaps the biggest detriment was the person you were stuck with.

sure, public transport was a viable option but yaga had specifically emphasised on the "top-secret" and "classified" written in big bold red letters on the mission file. this meant no one was to know, not ordinary people, not curses and not even other sorcerers.

granted, the school had access to one private jet which they were willing to offer, but that jet only had space for one.

the three of you had sat down and played a game of scissors paper rock to determine who takes it, and while you were lucky to win it for the trip forward, getou ends up victorious for the way back.

and now, you were stuck in close proximity with gojo inside the gut of a flying dragon.

"why are you in such a bad mood anyway?" gojo has the audacity to ask, as if he wasn't the sole reason why you were uncomfortable. you keep your mouth shut though, nothing good will come out of admitting your undying, and unfortunately unrequited, love for him.

"i'm in a perfectly fine mood."

"why do you look like that then, all constipated and everything? did you not go to the bathroom before we left?"

you curl your fingers into a fist and punch him in the chest. it hits his uniform, smearing some of the curses' stomach juice. "of course i did! i'm not a newbie sorcerer."

"ouch!"

"that didn't hurt you."

"how are you going to tell me how i feel?" gojo jabs back. "because it did hurt, it hurt my feelings."

"oh boohoo."

"so you are mad."

you bite your lip and turn away, finding the abdominal wall of the beast easier on the eyes than your own friend. "i'm not."

"you're sulking."

"i'm not." you hiss before taking in a deep breath. "look gojo, can we just stay quiet until we get there?"

gojo keeps staring at you through his glasses and his face fails to give his thoughts away. the suspense is killing you, but before you can relent and ask what he has to say, he clears his throat.

"i have something to tell you."

you sigh, rubbing at your head. "what is it?"

"wait, don't turn around and keeping looking at the wall. hey, what did i just say?"

"gojo, the view isn't really the best to sightsee. why can't i look at you?"

"because if you do, i don't think i can tell you after all."

you close your mouth. "is it that serious?"

"yeah." he clears his throat again, adjusting the collar of his uniform. "look, i know you've been weird around me the past few days and i don’t think it’s because i stretched out your uniform when i wore it last weekend. i don't know why you’re being mean to me, and shoko and getou won't tell me either."

you resist the urge to look at him. "you're having this kind of talk with me now? here? seriously?"

"you won't even stay in the same room as me for more than a few minutes! getou may call this curse his bad-luck curse but for me right now it's the only way to get you to listen to me." he stays quiet for a few seconds. "this is really serious, okay, so don't make any comments. i know you're practically brimming with them."

it was true you had a lot to say, but gojo's serious attitude was putting you off. still, having him call you out made you more aggravated and you let one slip. "well, this is really bad-luck for me."

gojo clicks his tongue and you can see the irritation on his face before his words are even coloured with it. "i'm not telling you this so you can feel the same way but—"

the curse suddenly tilts to the side, throwing you into gojo as the four walls of its stomach becomes a wheel, rotating you around. you yelp as your forehead hits him hard in the chest, tears springing to your eyes at the pain.

“what’s going on?”

the two of you spin round and round, and you can't distinguish your screams from gojo's as gravity plays you like a toy, throwing you around.

the movement makes you sick. "gojo, do something! blast it!"

"getou'll get mad if i kill another one of his curses!"

"are you kidding, we're going to die!"

gojo swears, grabbing you around the waist and pulling you into his chest. with his other arm, he holds out his hand and presses it on the flesh.

you tuck your chin in, squeezing your eyes shut when you realise he hadn't started chanting his technique. "what are you doing?" you look up at him and find him staring at the exit of the stomach through all the goo and chaos.

with a trembling finger, he points to it. you stare into the abyss, squinting your eyes to make out its indistinct shapes. what was that pulsing thing, attached to the side? and was it just you, but was it getting bigger?

with a start, you realise that the curse was about to throw up. and coincidentally, so were you.

"it's going to throw us up!" you share your realisation with gojo but the look on his face tells you he already arrived at the same thought.

he opens his mouth to say something, or scream you're not too sure as the walls of the stomach contracts. distantly, you feel gojo slide his other arm around you and his infinity takes over, shielding the two of you as you're forcefully ejected from the curse's mouth.

a scream escapes your throat as you escape the curse's, wind rushing through your ears. gojo swears again, bringing his arm up to protect your head.

you only know you're safe when you feel air again, the real kind, not the gas built up in the curse's stomach. a thud tells you gojo has landed on solid ground again and you've never felt more grateful to be alive, your entire body relaxing as your soul leaves.

gojo sighs with you, his hold slightly loosening.

getou watches as you're spat out, stepping out of the private jet with a big smile on his face. "you guys look rough."

you feel gojo tense his jaw rather than see it. "what was that for?"

getou shrugs, throwing a bag over his shoulder. he starts digging through it. "i told you that curse is some serious bad-luck. at least you both arrived in one piece.” he looks up and raises an eyebrow at you. “literally in one piece, are you guys going to stay like that forever?"

your mind slowly pieces together your position, still curled up in gojo's arms as he is sat on the pavement, before you leapt out. gojo makes no move to stop you, though you think he might have tsked.

"here, this is for you." getou finally pulls out what he was searching for from his bag and throws it at the two of you.

you catch it instinctively, studying the object in your hand. "a can of soda?"

"for surviving."

"that curse of yours is a safety hazard." you mutter, but accept the can. you crack open the lid and tilt your head back, taking a long, cool sip.

gojo stares down at the drink. "i told you i don't like this flavour!" he complains and you roll your eyes at his antics.

"then don't drink it."

"no. give me your one instead."

getou pauses, halfway to opening his own iced coffee. "huh? i got this for me. and you don't even like coffee! you should be glad i even got one for you in the first place."

"let's play a game of rock paper scissors to decide who gets it."

"no. i just told you i got this for me."

gojo stands up, taking a step forward menacingly. "huh? after what you put me through, you think i'm just going to take no for an answer?"

getou's eyes flicker to yours before he takes up gojo's challenge, activating his cursed technique. black liquid opens up the air beside him, a peering red eye on the other side. "can't handle rejection, gojo? because you better get used to it."

you take another sip as you watch the boys, absentmindedly wiping at a stain on your sleeve. you remember the feeling of gojo's arm around your body and you blush despite yourself.

"are you feeling sick?"

you look up to see that gojo had stopped fighting with getou, his entire attention on you.

"huh?"

"you're red in the face. you look like a tomato."

ignoring the last part, you hide your face behind your drink. "i'm fine."

getou looks between the two of you and there's a glint in his eyes that you've seen before, one that you've grown to dread.

he throws back the rest of his coffee, grimacing as it gives him a slight brain freeze, before crushing the can in his hand. gojo mutters a quick, "show off" that he ignores, instead chucking the can into a bin a few metres away.

"what a time." he starts saying, the words static. "that was great. well, now that i've finished my drink, i should head back inside."

“i should head in too. i smell real bad.” you sigh and give gojo a glare when he agrees.

“actually, can the two of you stay here? i think my curse isn’t feeling too well after eating you two. just until i come back, okay?”

you think there might be an ulterior motive but glancing over at the curse, you find that it did look greener than before.

"where are you going, and for how long?" you ask and hope the look in your eyes will make him stay.

"i need to tell yaga we finished the mission. you guys can just stay here, i've got it." then to you, he says, clenching his fist in support, "you got this."

you want to break his arm.

getou hurries away despite your silent plea, leaving you in an awkward silence with the one person you wanted to avoid most. you take multiple quick sips to busy yourself, but you can’t ignore the person standing by your side.

gojo shifts his balance to his other foot and the sound of his shoe against the pavement breaks the silence. "so."

"so."

"it's really bright, huh."

"you're wearing sunglasses."

"and do they completely cover my eyes? no they don't. i can still complain about the sun."

"just push your glasses up then."

"no." gojo huffs. "i look cooler this way."

"who told you that? because i know for a fact it wasn't anyone whose opinion actually matters." you jab back.

"your mum said that, actually."

"are you a child?"

"what, are you too cool for old jokes? they're iconic for a reason."

"and there's a reason why 'your mum jokes' died and should stay that way."

the natural way in which you banter with gojo gives you confidence. maybe it didn't matter that you liked him, or that he didn't like you back. it was enough that he was here with you now, joking around. perhaps you could even live with knowing that your unrequited love had come to an end, perhaps you could even pair them up yourself without a sense of bitter jealousy.

"i know you like getou." gojo says in one breath.

the peace you had come to, shatters.

"what?" you say in an inhale, and it comes out sounding weird.

gojo pouts, crossing his arms. "i'm right, aren't i? you like getou. i heard what you were saying to shoko that one time."

"don't eavesdrop on other people's conversations!"

"you were saying it pretty loudly, what was i meant to do? shut my ears?"

you wave away his whining. "stop, hold on. you think i like getou?"

gojo nods. "i don't think you do, i know. you said you like people like him."

"when did i ever say that? also, i'm not the one who likes getou, you are!"

"what?"

"what, what? you do, don't you? you told me yesterday that you liked getou."

"i never said that!"

"then who were you talking about?"

"who were you thinking about?" gojo shoots back. "because you didn't even hesitate when you explained your type to shoko. you were thinking of someone, weren't you?"

you gulp. "i asked first."

he looks at you long and hard and you stare back at your reflection through his glasses. his mouth opens and there's a mixed sense of dread and anticipation brewing in your stomach.

"tch."

"did you just click your tongue at me?"

gojo faces away. his jaw is tense as he blatantly ignores your question. "you're really annoying."

"huh? speak for yourself!"

"you have a problem with me?"

"i have a problem with your stupid attitude."

when gojo closes the distance between the two of you, you take a step back out of instinct. it doesn't matter though because gojo steps forward again, pushing you up against the curse getou had left behind. he slams a hand into the flesh of the curse and it makes a startled sound. the both of you ignore it. "it's you, idiot, i like—"

the force behind his slam is frightening, but the thought is torn from you when the sound of regurgitation grabs your attention. with a start, you turn around at the curse and find your phone on the ground at the entrance of the curse's mouth, covered in goo.

"my phone!" you exclaim, bending down to pick it up.

gojo backs up and groans loudly, but you don't care, wincing instead when the item is sticky.

"i didn't even know i lost this! thanks gojo, i think." your voice trails off wearily, holding up the phone and watching as viscous liquid slowly drips off it.

gojo rubs his face with his palm and you wonder why he looks so distressed. "that curse is seriously bad luck." meeting your eye, he points a finger at you. "listen to what i have to say!"

you raise your eyebrow at him. "damn okay, gojo's arrived." you mutter, wiping down the phone and pocketing it.

the clouds overhead parts, sunlight shining down in rays. the trees whistle in the summer breeze and light filters through the gaps in the leaves and branches. it hits gojo perfectly, adorning him in a golden light and you've never seen him so beautiful. guilt fills you at the thought and you hold your soda tighter.

he breathes in one more time. "i don't care that you like getou." he says. "because it doesn't matter to me. it just means i have to work harder to change your mind and get you to notice me instead."

"it's kind of hard to not notice you." you say. "i mean, look at what you're wearing."

gojo hisses. "don't ruin the mood, you're throwing me off. like i was saying, it's not your fault you like getou but i had to tell you this anyway, because it's been making my heart feel all prickly and stuff. so shut up and just stand there looking pretty, or whatever." his last few words trail off uncertainly, as if he never intended to say them at all.

"what are you even saying?" your heart picks up. was he about to confess?

"i'm saying that i think i like—"

"there you guys are!"

your head whips around at the voice, scanning the familiar landscape before settling on a single person. shoko stands metres away, waving a hand to grab your attention. "over here!"

"shoko!" a grin splits across your face. "i haven't seen you all day!"

"am i interrupting something?" she yells to get her voice across the distance.

you don't even look over at gojo as you shake your head. you had a feeling he was just going to tell you something you already knew, that he liked getou, anyway. “no! hold on, i'm coming over."

before you can run up to her, gojo grabs your arm, a deep frown etched on his face. "wait, you still haven't—!"

without another thought, you hand him your half-finished can of soda and wriggle out of his hold. "you can have the rest of that. i'll hear you out later, okay?"

"but the mood was so right!"

"look after the curse until getou’s back, later!"

gojo stands there in front of the bad-luck curse, one arm limp by his side and the other holding a can of blue soda. he watches as you fling yourself into shoko's arm, already listing all the things you've been saving up to tell her.

there's that prickly feeling again, gojo realises, noting the way the sun lightens the shade of your hair, the way your eyes curve up as you smile, and the way you hold onto shoko's hand, wishing that he had enough courage to hold yours.

defeated, battered and drained, gojo looks down at the can in his hand, and notes the slight lipstick stain on the rim.

with a red on his cheeks that didn't come from the sun, he presses the aluminium to his lips and takes a sip. it tastes sweet.

gojo decides that he'll just have to settle for this.

i hope this was okay considering i had no intentions of writing a part two. sorry for all the descriptions of stomachs and throw up, i was studying the digestive system 👎 if this isn’t what u guys expected feel free to leave a request !!

[cher-rei]

Heyy,

Could u write a Jamal Musiala x reader fic

Where they are both on vacation and just go swimming on the beach but she doesn’t like swimming because she fears deep water,so he helps her

and he propose her later ,at dinner

I know it’s kinda kitschy

xoxo

bottled up– jamal musiala [ J.M ]

I will always love you [godsped– frank ocean]

pairing: jamal musiala x fem!reader

summary: a much needed trip to the maldives ends in a wave of emotions and unforgettable memories.

genre(s): fluff and a whole lot of emotions, suggestive content but it's chill

[wc: 2.3k] masterlist

notes: screaming. crying. throwing up. me when????

your jaw dropped at the breathtaking sight of the resort in front of you. jamal had surprised you with a trip to the maldives, saying that it had been so long since you too have been alone together without any interruptions.

and you were so glad that the thought dawned on him because the way that the sun soaked island looked from your hotel room was gorgeous. the azure waters, flourishing greenery, and the vibrant hibiscus flowers set a perfect backdrop for your much needed holiday.

jamal had been looking forward to this trip for weeks, eager to spend quality time with you without any pressure. he shut the door to your suite behind him, a smile on his lips as you gawked at the view from the window.

"this view is making me emotional," you joked and took a few pictures of the sunset scenery.

jamal hugged you from behind, letting his chin rest on top of your head to admire the view and appreciate the feeling of you safe in his arms. "yeah?" he laughed at your eager nod in response to his answer and gently peppered the crook of your neck with kisses.

you felt the featherlight touch of his lips start to roam, causing you to giggle. you shivered at his touch, absentmindedly tilting your head to give him more access. this probably wasn't the best thing to do at a moment like this, especially when you still had unpacking to do.

jamal's kisses grew more insistent, his hands roaming over your body and you turned around to face him, needing more. your lips met instinctively, your fingers tangled in his hair which caused him to let out a satisfied moan.

taking this as a sign, he took a few steps back that had the two of you stumbling back toward the bed, your laughter mingling with the sound of the crashing waves outside. the energy between the two of you was playful, nothing short of a giggling mess. but you loved it.

"I know I said that I was tired when we landed." his kisses moved from your lips to your jaw, down your neck, and across your collarbone. "but I think I'll be good for another hour."

disregarding your laughing state, he gently pushed you back onto the mattress, the playful twinkle in his eyes never leaving as he looked down at your smiling figure.

you covered your face with your hands in attempt to hide the blush forming on your cheeks. "an hour?" the shock in your voice made him smirk, and he pulled your hands from your face.

"baby, if you want two then I'll be more than happy to--"

"--jamal!"

the following morning, you woke up feeling more relaxed than ever. the atmosphere was enough to lull you to sleep for at least a week, but there was still much exploring to do.

jamal made sure to have you up and ready for breakfast in record time so you could be out for some sightseeing. his excitement for this trip was jarring and it warmed your heart knowing that he finally got a chance to rest after the season he's had back home.

it was filled with ups and downs and you recalled the evenings where he would come home from practice and lay himself down on your chest. no words were exchanged in moments like those, instead you'd gently trial your hand on his back.

in minutes you'd have him fast asleep with his head resting in the crook of your neck, his light snores of exhaustion tugging at your heart as a reminder of how hard he worked. all this at the ripe age of 21, so you knew that your role wasn't just to be his girlfriend, it was to be his support and home.

which was what you were doing now in your hotel room after taking a tour of the resort and eating lunch. jamal's grip tightened on your waist as he cuddled further into your side, basking in your warmth.

"I'd kill to have vacations where we could just lay like this," he muttered through a smile, a warmth spreading through his chest at the low hum vibrating from your chest. and he was just about to fall back to sleep when a wave of realisation washed over him.

he lifted his head to look down at you, flashing his trademark smile. "are you ready to hit the beach?"

you smiled back at him, though with a hint of apprehension. "sure, but you know how I feel about the ocean right?"

the ocean, or rather the depth of it was one of your greatest fears. you were one to appreciate the way it looked, and the beauty of the waves crashing and how it looked on the horizon but when it came to swimming in it, your chest tightened.

jamal understood this better than anyone and ruffled your hair teasingly. "don't worry, I'll be holding your hand the entire time. and we'll just dip our toes in, okay?"

screw jamal and his power over you, because not even 10 minutes later, you were on your way with a bag full of snacks, sunscreen, and a ridiculously sized inflatable flamingo that he insisted on bringing. when you arrived, the beach was everything you'd hoped for— clear waters, soft sand, and surprisingly empty.

your boyfriend wasted no time and set your things beside your lounge chairs, making sure that you were comfortable. before he got too excited you wave him over and took out the sunscreen.

"j, take your shirt off. you can't get it wet," you said and applied some sunscreen to your arms and legs. you were wearing a cute cream linen two-piece— shorts and a button-up shirt with your swimsuit underneath,

janal sat on the lounge chair with you standing between his legs, with a pout on his lips, clearly not wanting to put the sunscreen on. "you just wanted a reason to touch me, I know how you think."

you rolled your eyes as you smoothed the sunscreen onto his shoulders, just the sight of his toned upper body had your heart pounding but you couldn't give in.

he must've been tipped off by your lack of reply though and took it as an invitation to tease you further. there was silence as you applied the last of your sunscreen but your breath hitched at the feeling of jamal fidgeting with the hem of your shorts.

not having any of, you gently slapped his hand away. "we're done here, thanks."

to your surprise, he gladly took his leave and made sure to drag the flamingo to the water. after 10 minutes of relaxation and peaceful sunbathing, he called out to you, saying that it was time to get in.

you happily declined however, and said that your presence and the fact that you took of your shirt and shorts was enough as is. there was no need for you to get in the water instead, you stood on the water's edge and watched as he played around.

"but the flamingo is lonely without you," he whined with a pout, bringing the flamingo floaty closer.

you shook your head and kicked the water beneath your feet, which sent an unwanted chill up your spine. "no thanks. I'm fine over here."

jamal was a baby at times like this, where he would whine and beg because no matter what, he knew that you'd give in eventually. he came up to stand a few steps in front of you, the floaty still at his side.

"come on baby." he extended his hand out for you to grab. "for the flamingo?"

what was up with him and this famn flamingo?

with a deep sigh, and a roll of your eyes, you relented, watching as his eyes lit up. "fine, but if I drown, it's on you."

"deal," he said and took your hand in his, slowly taking a few steps further into the water. "I'll even throw in a free cpr lesson."

a scoff left your lips and the two of you continued to wade into the water which was now resting just above your knees. the comforting grip of jamal's hand on yours made the situation ten times better and you found yourself enjoying the feeling of the water on your skin.

"see. this isn't so bad," he said and lightly splashed you with some water and you splashed him back.

it took a bit but you were more or less fully covered by the water that was now resting at your chest. you floated around on the flamingo calmly while jamal stayed at your side in the water. it was more relaxing than you thought it would be, and you quite enjoyed the feeling.

as the afternoon went on, the two of you enjoyed the water, had fun with the flamingo and took a bunch of pictures with it, and laughed until your sides hurt. by the time the sun began to set, you were both comfortably bobbing in the water, watching the sky turn into a masterpiece of warm hues.

a few days later, you and jamal found yourselves back at the beach, this time with a picnic basket and a sense of excitement. the flamingo floaty was noticeably absent, but there was a twinkle in jamal's eyes that you couldn't quite place.

after a lazy afternoon of sunbathing and snaking, jamal suggested that you should take a walk along the shore. you were a but suspicious at first since it was starting to get late, but agreed seeing as that you wanted to spend more time with your boyfriend in this setting.

as you strolled, hand in hand, jamal kept glancing around, seemingly searching for something. you took notice of this and couldn't help but wonder. "jamal what are you looking for?" you lightly nudged his arm and he turned to look down at you with his lips pursed.

"I have a feeling that the flamingo is following us," he deadpanned, causing you to laugh. his blank expression didn't last long though, and his focus was fully on how beautiful you looked.

the way that the setting sun reflected your complexion was awing and he couldn't help but stare, his heart pounding in his chest. you were breathtaking and it took jamal a while to realise that you were talking to him.

you waved a hand in front of his face. "hello? are you okay?"

he cleared his throat and smiled. "yeah, you're distracting me that's all."

a scoff of disbelief fell from your lips at his comment but you continued to face forward, your interlocked hands swinging at your sides. the stroll continued for a bit but finally he gasped and directed your attention to something.

"it's looks like there's something in it." you squinted, spotting the bottle bobbing in the gentle waves.

jamal who couldn't contain his curiosity ran to the waters edge and picked up the bottle, inspecting it before attempting to remove the cork. he was struggling by the looks of it, and waved you over to help him.

you rolled your eyes but joined in, both of you tugging at the bottle until jamal finally popped it open, almost falling over in the process. he laughed sheepishly as he handed it over to you with a sigh.

"open it, I'm too tired I need to catch my breath," he said dramatically and took a few steps to dramatically fan himself off. you watched your boyfriend with a disapproving look as he walked off but gave in.

you uncorked the bottle and pulled out a piece of paper, laughing at how this was probably something like a few kids did a while ago. nonetheless, you unrolled it was a smile until your eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

the paper read, "will you marry me?" but what confused you was that it was obviously in jamal's handwriting. "j, wha--" your sentence abruptly came to a halt when you turned around to look at your boyfriend who was dropped to one knee, holding up the most gorgeous ring you've ever seen.

a knot of emotions formed in your stomach and you were honestly about to throw up. words were lodged in your throat, your gaze softening as you looked at jamal who was nervously smiling. "I love you. I am, who I am because of you— you are every season, every hope and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens in the future, everyday that we're together is the greatest day of my life."

the tears were falling down your cheeks in record time, but you tried to wipe them back as jamal carried on speaking and all you could think of in that moment was how much you loved and appreciated every single thing about him.

a small chuckle left his lips as he watched you blink away your tears. "I have so many things to say right now but you're making me nervous-- seriously you look so gorgeous right now." the trail off was unintentional and after a beat of listening to you laugh, his heart swelled.

"just like the grains of sand that make up this beach, you make up every part of me. so before I start crying— will you marry me?"

your heart raced, a of laughter filling the air as you didn't waste a second to nod your head with an excited "yes, of course I'll marry you!"

jamal slipped the ring on your finger, picking you up and spinning you around as you both laughed. he set you down and kissed you deeply, the waves lapping at your feet as you sunk into the sand and the feeling of utter bliss.

it was when you pulled away that you heard a few more familiar screams echo through the air causing you to look behind you. at a nearby rock, sophia, aaliyah, kai and florian appeared. they were carrying— of course— the flamingo floaty, now decorated with flowers and a banner that read, "she said yes!"

you burst out laughing and looked at jamal who pulled you closer to his chest, kissing the top of your head. "I told you the flamingo was following us."

[mvrkieboo]

Old Bloodhounds

P18 | not tonight please 🩷

You walked to where Jaehyun was standing and when he finally saw you, walking toward him, he started to gather his bags. He looked a little startled when he saw your face. After you got to him, you tried to take his baggage but he quickly snatched it away before you could even touch it. As if he couldn't bear watching you touch his belongings.

Back then, he really was touchy when you would take his stuff without asking him first. But this time, he made it as if your hands were too dirty to be touching his belongings.

“I can carry it.” He spoke through gritted teeth, and you can't help but think he looked ridiculous with one duffel bag on one shoulder and two more on the other while pulling on his baggage.

He hated you so much, he was willing to carry all of that by himself? If you weren't so hurt, you would've laughed at his stubborn ass. A security guard—whom you were very familiar with—walked up to you and Jaehyun, wearing a pleasant smile.

“Good evening, Ms. y/n. Does your friend need some help?” You wiped away any downcast expression you were wearing and put on a pleasant smile that matched his.

“Good evening, Sungwoo. Can you take two of his duffel bags?” He nodded, the smile still painted across his face.

You felt your smile and whole body freezing when Jaehyun gladly gave two duffel bags to Sungwoo. You coached yourself and controlled your feelings as you swiped your card at the elevator buttons.

The ride up was awkward, to say the least. It was leaning more to tense. Jaehyun was obviously tired from his day and you were still feeling the effects of downing 6 bottles of hard liquor and crying your eyes out from yesterday—the headache was still there. Sungwoo, knowing the lines he shouldn't cross, placed the the duffel bags at the entrance and said his farewells to you before taking off.

You closed the door with a click and turned around to see Jaehyun was already back with his bullshit, carrying all four bags by himself. You gritted your teeth and walked past him.

“Follow me.” You spoke to him, leading him to where his room was.

You opened the door for him and turned on the lights. Jaehyun's room was just opposite of yours, and his room had a wall of sightseeing windows facing the city like your room does too. Jaehyun entered the room quickly and thoughtlessly threw his duffel bags on the queen bed. You walked into the room and clicked on the button of his closet wall to open it.

“This condo rarely has power outages, so don't worry about not being able to open your closet if the power goes out. There's a plug right next to your nightstand to charge your phone, and I don't really mind if you wanna plug in an extension. The bathroom is on your left once you get out of this room, and there's a wall of shelves in there, so place your toiletries nicely. Also, there's a door right next to the fridge in the kitchen area that'll lead to the laundry room, equipped with a washing machine and a dryer. There's an installed ironing board right next to your closet, you can figure that out.” You spoke robotically, beating down your overwhelming emotions after you took in the sight of your estranged older brother under your roof.

“And—and here's your access card, make sure you have it with you at all times. There'll be some nights where I take late night shifts for my job, so I won't be here to open the door for you if you forget your access card and come home at ass o'clock in the dead of the night. Do you have any questions?” Crossing your arms, you made it seem like you were totally unaffected with this sudden sibling reunion.

“How’s the security here?” Jaehyun asked quietly, then rubbing his eyes at the exhaustion taking over his body.

“24-hour security with shift rotations.”

He nodded and quietly muttered his thanks as he started to unpack. You nodded back, after he was already not looking at you anymore. You went to exit his room, but once you got to his doorway, you paused for a second and looked back at him. His back was to you, bent over the bed as he unzipped his duffel bags one by one.

Yuno looked so far away from you.

Once you wholly exited his room, you quietly closed the door. When he was certain you were out of his room and he was out of your sight, Jaehyun stopped what he was doing and stood straight up again, running his hand through his hair before it went to rubbing his face, a sigh exiting his mouth.

When he saw you at the lobby, he had noted that you looked really sick, and how swollen your eyes were.

prev | masterlist | next

A/N : THAT'S RIGHT, SURPRISE DOUBLE UPDATE Y'ALL 😜

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

• taglist • [OPEN]

@spiderm444rk @morkiee @xiuriii @solvrse @herebyaccident0 @injunnie-lemon @dearmonamour @v-6893 @sehunniepot @bee-the-loser @nessaassen02 @luluvhs @sunghoonsgfreal @docilismo @neocrashed @soobinbunnie5 @cigarettesafterjae @dudekiss3r @kittydollzz @urlocalbeaner5 @polarisjisung @conwunder @wonupuppy @jae-n0 @413ktz @kimsaerom @meowtella @aerivrs @swanyvess

[11queensupreme11]

If this was a competition to see who was winning in the advancement of their relationship with Percy let's just say:

1st place: Anubis

married

sleeps in the same bed

have a palace together

have a kid

Successfully co-parent

Semi-stable relationship (only because one doesn't know their actually in a relationship🤪)

2nd place: Hades

Married

Rule together (sorta I mean their King and Queen of Helheim now so c'est la vie)

Took her first kiss

Has had some HEAVY petting sessions

3rd Place: Poseidon (I just know he would hate that his relationship is ranked lower than Anubis AND Hades but u snooze, u lose; my man)

Closer bond and easier access to Percy and what she can and can't do (cause he's, u know...her dad😭)

Have couple-themed thrones

Has the backing of Proteus and the other seven kingdoms (plus mommy!rhea)

Had some HEAVY petting sessions😏

Will throw hands for his daughter (no words, his hands are rated E for everyone (even Percy but only during certain...situations😏👏🍑))

4th Place: Beelzebub (has been bumped down to 4 since he's been avoiding her lately and the other yans have taken this time to STEP UP their mf game!)

Percy has an unacknowledged growing crush on him that was confirmed by Aphrodite

They have gone on MULTIPLE dates (strawberry picking, trips to the city, Ferris wheel💙, outings to Valhalla, sightseeing via taxi cab(with a little side of assisted homicide for flair 💅🏾) slow dancing, etc.)

Knows about her friends and family

Knows most of her secrets

Shared backstories

Similar suicidal tendencies (we love shared trauma🥺)

Slow burn couple

Compliment each other personalities (very black cat and golden retriever vibes)

BONDAGE

Also very How to Train Your Own Percy coded (rewards via blue food and walks help✅)

5th Place: Loki (lost a lot of points with the recent murder attempt but gained some aura points for saving his girl from being 🍇ed by her uncle so be lucky u made it to 5th)

Been on MULTIPLE dates (dinner in Valhalla, sleepover in Asgard, braiding each other's hair, trip to Scandinavia (even tho it was brief lol), etc.)

Knows most of her more important secrets

Personally crafted a life sized doll in her image (even when she's not around he's thinking about her🥺)

6th Place: Apollo

Been on ONE date

Is an honest and genuine guy

Can't and won't lie to her (we all need a partner like this)

Things she's beautiful no matter what state he sees her in (it's mostly angry or irritated)

7th Place: Cu Chulainn (TBD)

Not much known yet but I predict he will be an ass at first but his shittiness grows on u (like a situationship that was only supposed to last months but lasted years instead 😭)

Little enemies to lovers (they have fun bantering w each other)

I LOVE THE LITTLE SUMMARIES OF EACH SHIP 😭😭😭

especially the beelzebub one!!! let me just add that they used to go on WEEKLY dates together!!!

so the ones i wrote about are just a few of them, there are actually many more that happen off-screen (cuz you know, i gotta focus on the plot) so yeah, since beel used to be her caretaker for months now and they go to "dates" on midgard once a week (unless percy misbehaves during class or scores low on exams lol; the midgard dates are her rewards for being "good" so yeah), they've been on at least more than ten dates

(they're actually really not dates to percy, she just thinks it's two besties hanging out, but to beel??? oh yes they are DEFINITELY dates)

[hunieday]

Iori, Yuki, Touma 2024 Shuffle talk RabbiTV Episode 1

Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3

Please note that I am not a professional translator and I'm only doing this to share the side materials to those who cannot access them, if you notice any mistakes please let me know nicely. Enjoy!

*Door opens*

Izumi Iori: Good morning...Uh. What are you doing, Yuki-san?

Izumi Iori: Wrapping your hands around Inumaru-san's biceps…

Inumaru Touma: Good morning! Izumi!

Yuki: Good morning, Iori-kun. Touma-kun said he’s been really into muscle training lately, so I was just checking him.

Izumi Iori: C-Checking him...?

Yuki: If you're aiming to be like Ryuunosuke-kun, maybe you still have ways to go.

Inumaru Touma: That’s right...! I'll work even harder!

Yuki: Yeah, keep it up.

Izumi Iori: What kind of conversation is this... I thought I walked into the wrong room for a second…

Yuki: This is the planning room for the "Monthly World Travel".

Izumi Iori: I am aware.

Inumaru Touma: Oh man, I'm looking forward to Taipei! It’s interesting that we’re going sightseeing and challenging ourselves on a mission at the same time.

Inumaru Touma: We decided the members for this project by drawing lots, but the combination of the three of us seems a bit unusual, doesn't it?

Izumi Iori: Yes, it does. We’re different types of people...

Izumi Iori: ...I'm starting to feel anxious.

Yuki: What's making you anxious?

Izumi Iori: Just, overall.

Inumaru Touma: Huh? And here I thought that a trip with the dependable Izumi and Yuki-san would be good…!

Yuki: I’m dependable?

Izumi Iori: Please don't ask me that question.

Inumaru Touma: You really are dependable! I’ve been recording and watching "NEXT Re:vale" a whole lot!

Inumaru Touma: Also, I saw the way you looked at us when we were on the show together. You were looking as if you were watching over us, and it made me straighten my back!

Yuki: Is that so. Thank you.

Yuki: Maybe because Momo was there.

Inumaru Touma: Momo-san?

Yuki: Yeah. Momo isn't with us this time so I'll have to make sure I don't space out.

Izumi Iori: ...Inumaru-san.

Inumaru Touma: Huh?

Izumi Iori: Let's do our best. We should cooperate.

Inumaru Touma: Y-Yeah...?

Yuki: We’ll have the power of a hundred people with IDOLiSH7’s brainiac Iori-kun and ŹOOĻ’s leader Touma-kun in here. (1)

Inumaru Touma: Hehe, thank you very much...! I hope I’ll be able to communicate with the locals in English at least? That's the only thing I'm a bit worried about.

Izumi Iori: I think you'll be fine. Do you have confidence in English, Inumaru-san?

Yuki: Your rap is usually so cool after all.

Izumi Iori: We have members who are fluent when they sing but completely terrible at speaking, though...

Inumaru Touma: Well, my English is just about average, but I can manage somehow! It's all about the flow and momentum!

Izumi Iori: It's really strange, but it seems like it...

Yuki: That's hilarious. Our group shouldn’t have trouble communicating with the locals then.

Inumaru Touma: Yeah! Since everyone here can speak English, I'll learn a lot of things!

Izumi Iori: ...Looking at Inumaru-san’s positive attitude is making me believe everything will work out fine.

Yuki: I'm counting on you, children. (2)

Yuki: Now let's hope it's not too hot.

[Cut to Taipei]

Izumi Iori: As expected… Taipei is bustling with tourists.

Yuki: That's right. 

Inumaru Touma: I was a little worried about the weather since the rainy season is right around the corner, but I’m glad it’s sunny!

Yuki: That’s right.

Izumi Iori: ...Are you okay, Yuki-san?

Yuki: I might not be right…

Inumaru Touma: Are you tired, Yuki-san? Want me to give you a piggyback ride?

Yuki: ...ŹOOĻ’s Inumaru Touma giving me a piggyback ride doesn’t sound too bad.

Izumi Iori: You don’t have to do that. This isn't "NEXT Re:vale" after all...

Yuki: You're right. But I'll suggest a segment where we carry someone and run to the finish line next time.

Inumaru Touma: Sounds fun! I think Tora would be the only one in ŹOOĻ who could carry me…!

Accompanying staff: Once again, thank you for joining us today! Here is the card containing the missions with hints written on it. We'll also give you a map of Taipei to explore around!

Inumaru Touma: Thank you very much! ...Uhh, the mission is... 

Inumaru Touma: "Make your way to the flower carpet!", or so the card says!

Izumi Iori: A carpet... in a flower field, perhaps. We should be able to narrow it down quite a bit this time of the year...

Yuki: The hint says "popular tourist spot," but the map we got doesn't seem to have anything that hints at it.

Inumaru Touma: Yeah... Then how about we go somewhere we can ask the locals?

Yuki: Good idea. Sounds like a task that fits Touma-kun's high communication skills.

Inumaru Touma: Thanks! How about Yongkang…jie? It says there are many restaurants to enjoy and walk around, there might even be some shopkeepers who know something!

Izumi Iori: ...I see, it’s Yǒngkāng jiē (Yongkang Street). I've heard that there are many stores here where Japanese is spoken because of the amount of Japanese tourists who visit, so we might be on the right track.

Yuki: Amazing, Iori-kun's extensive knowledge is coming into play now.

Yuki: Momo, our children are growing up splendidly.

Izumi Iori: What are you mumbling to the camera?

Inumaru Touma: Well then, let's go there for now! Yuki-san, you feeling better now?

Yuki: I'm fine. Let's just take it slow. It's hot.

Inumaru Touma: Yeah! Slow but steady wins the race or something. Izumi, if you’re in trouble, let me know right away! You look like the type who doesn't show that kinda thing on your face.

Izumi Iori: Oh, thank you...You truly are the one who keeps ŹOOĻ together, aren't you...

Yuki: Fufu. I'm glad we have this group after all.

End of Episode 1.

This is a pun on Momo’s name (Hundred), as he has a combination of Iori’s wits and Touma’s communication skills and leader status. 

Yuki says “kouhai-kun-tachi”, which sounds like a more endearing way to refer to his juniors with the addition of the “kun” honorifics commonly used for younger people, so I chose to translate it as children. You can still interpret it as “little juniors” if you wish!

[adiluv-moved]

❥ 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐄 + 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐃𝐎𝐋 𝐇𝐂𝐒. ˚⊹꒷

🎤୧・꒰word count꒱ 1154.

💿୧・꒰warnings꒱ yandere character ꒰implied stalking, obsessive/possessive behavior꒱, idol/modern au, reader is not traveler, reader is from sumeru, intentional lowercase, not edited.

🎧୧・꒰adi moment꒱ inspired by this ask! i'm literally such a big fan of yandere idol scara there is so much untapped potential here that i think we need to start looking at!! hope you enjoy!! ໒꒰ྀི∩´ ᵕ `∩꒱ྀི১

as a disclaimer, i don't support yandere behavior in real life! please don’t interpret this post as justification for any of scaramouche's actions.

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who's the sixth of the twelve harbingers, a snezhnayan-based idol group that's recently gone viral and taken teyvat by storm. with members hailing from all seven nations, you'd instantaneously deem the inazuman native your favorite—something about his more blunt and bratty personality catching your attention. with plenty of releases and tons of merch drops, you'd find most of your income going to posters, albums, photocards, and apparel—an easily noticeable focus on scaramouche themed items taking hold early within your collection.

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who meets you while lost in sumeru city, having decided to take a vacation after the success of his latest tour within liyue. delays with transportation had caused him to show up late for his hotel reservation, leaving him stranded in the foreign city without anywhere to stay... which is precisely where you come in. even with the large amount of mora you'd dedicated towards supporting the group, concerts were far out of your budget—tickets being sold out mere minutes after dropping. so when you'd met your bias sitting on a staircase with a suitcase beside him, you'd been quick to offer him shelter within your apartment, leading the man back to your place and opting to sleep on the couch and give him your bed.

꒰💀꒱・it's this trusting nature of yours that initially causes him to consider you the biggest idiot in teyvat, with scaramouche contenting himself to make good use of the amenities you've oh so graciously provided. he's given free access to all of your belongings for hours on end whenever you go to work—given more than enough freedom as you slave over your stove to cook dinner once you finally return. really, you're lucky he's the real deal, he thinks, because it would be stupidly easy for him to just rob you one day and run off. ꒰not like anybody would believe he robbed you, either.꒱ ...but he has no need for your pitiful belongings, and he'd feel like a real asshole to do such a thing, so he leaves them be.

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who, despite his first impressions, finds himself growing fonder and fonder of you as time goes on. you're an utter klutz, lacking common sense and self-preservation skills—however. you're caring. kind. you take him sightseeing on your days off and offer to pay for the things he buys, even though he currently has more mora than you'd ever obtain within your lifetime. while a superfan with his merch lining the walls, you see past the persona he wears on stage—see the real him and make an effort to know him. you treat him like an equal, unlike everybody he'd encountered after becoming an idol.

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who begins missing you after returning to snezhnaya, borderline regretful that he hadn't entertained his idle thoughts and taken something from your apartment as a reminder of your hospitality. he's never felt this way about a fan ꒰let alone anybody else within his life꒱ this way before—wanting nothing more than to cast away his duties and seek you out once again. the first night back in his home is spent as an all-nighter, detective-esq determination while he searches instagram for your profile and nearly jumps out of his bed once he finally locates it. of course, you accept his request, and he takes great joy in scrolling through your posts and unashamedly liking all of them. not like you'd even mind, anyway. your followers list is, in the same manner, put up for examination—though he doesn't exactly want to tell you about that.

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who stalks your spotify almost every day, listening to all of your playlists and taking notes on the various musicians that pop up. immature as it is, it's difficult to stop the searing jealousy that threatens to pop up whenever other idol groups pop up a little too often for his tastes, a sour taste left in his mouth as he attempts to convince himself that the harbingers ꒰him, specifically꒱ are still your favorites. although he publicly claims that he has no need for rivalries with other groups, there's just something inherently satisfying about seeing one of his tracks beating those of the other groups on your playlist, silent hopes that you'd also prefer it over theirs. 

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who begins sending you gifts once his obsession really takes hold. whether it be money, merch, or the random items on your avidyazon wish list, expect to see a lot of packages arriving at your doorstep—all with notes from scaramouche commenting on whatever's inside the box. receiving tickets to any and all harbinger concerts also becomes a common occurrence, transportation to the other nations paid in full. while touring in inazuma, he does the honors of sending you a kimono alongside front-row tickets, practically ordering you to wear it and saying he's excited to see just how amazing you'll look in it. you're so preoccupied by the gesture that you don't even think to ask when he got your measurements. 

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who takes you backstage after each and every one of his performances, having his bodyguard escort you to his personal dressing room. although he asks you to tell him about any significant events within your life, he almost never seems to be shocked by any of them—instead giving you an almost knowing look... as though he already had the information. not to mention that anybody bothering you almost always stops after mentioning your discomfort to him. a part of you wonders whether he does anything to interfere, but it seems near impossible considering his busy schedule and the fact that he's miles away from you in another nation. must just be a crazy coincidence, right..?

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who demands your attention at every moment within these meetings, growing insanely agitated if you so much as attempt to talk about the other harbingers—especially il dottore. attempts to figure out why he hates the senior member so much are outright ignored, scaramouche instead opting to quickly silence you by either pinching your lips together or boldly kissing you ꒰if he's feeling particularly jealous, that is꒱. "you shouldn't even think about other men in my presence," he'll say, "let alone dottore." and because you don't want to upset your idol, you simply nod your head and change the subject.

꒰💀꒱・yandere idol scaramouche who would've asked you to be his partner by now, if not for the many scandals that would erupt from such a request. he's aware that some of his fans obsess over him in the same way he does you, and he'd hate to place you into any dangerous situations because of his greed. don't get him wrong, though. you still aren't allowed to date anybody else, a fact that he'll remind you off right before he sends you on your way. things may not be official, sure—but you still belong to him.

i have a taglist, which you can sign up for here!

[httpiastri]

currently thinking about clement novalak railing me while I wear a flowy summer sundress, the sea breeze coming in through the window (the entire thing obvs being as sweet an playful and intimate and romantic as possible) 🫣 I AM SO IN MY FEELS RN

aaaAaaAaA this... this made me so....... 😶 no because i've been thinking about him every second all day today and now my cousin is in my room bcs she's staying over but i still HAD to write something

also i started writing at maybe 1am? and then i got stuck looking at pictures and videos of him so this took way too long... currently 4am but my energy is 📈

18+ content below the cut, minors do not interact, thank you!

you loved going on vacations with clement.

you hadn't been to france before, so to have your sweet boyfriend along with you to show you around the cities where he used to go for trips when he was still a little boy was more than you could ever ask for.

your mornings are spent drinking coffee and having breakfasts at cute coffee shops, with clement reading you the french newspapers as you both pretend like you understand what he's saying, holding hands and going through your plans for the day. your days are spent sightseeing, jumping from museums to art galleries to tourist spots, not forgetting to stop by and buy souvenirs for your friends back home. and your nights are spent in the fanciest restaurants, the ones only locals know about, the ones with the best wine and the best cuisine.

this particular night has been spent just like that – possibly with an emphasis on the good wine-part.

you're both tipsy, but not full-on drunk, once you stumble in through the door to your hotel room. your bodies are already clinging to each other and he's placing playful kisses down your neck as he kicks the door closed with his heel.

the hotel is a cozy building owned by a really cute elderly couple, thankfully not overly crowded despite the fact that it's located right by the ocean and yet within walking distance of the city. you must've gotten the best room in the building, because the view of the sun setting over the water is to die for.

not that either of you are thinking about the sunset right now.

your hands reach up to his shoulders, trying to push him away from you to look at him, but his hold on your waist is strong. instead, you settle for leading him towards the bed as his lips move to explore the skin of your collarbones.

this time when you push at his shoulders, he gets the hint and sits down on the edge of the bed. he looks up at you, eyes hazy but smiling as they meet yours. his hands are still holding onto you, and they usher you to come near and close the gap between you.

your hands come up to hold his face in them, thumbs stroking his cheeks as you lean in to kiss him. clement helps you sit down on his lap, moving his lips against yours and tilting his head to gain better access. his arms sneak past and around your waist to pull you closer, dragging you against his already hardening member. his actions elicit a whine from your mouth and he uses the opportunity to let his tongue slip past your now open lips.

your head is spinning already, and you don't think it's purely because of the wine. when one of his hands reaches under the material of your dress, going up your thigh inch by inch, you pull away from the kiss. "clem..." your forehead leans against his, your eyes closed and breath heavy against his face.

"yeah?" he answers, hand reaching further up, stopping right before your underwear before going down again.

"just... please..." you can't find a way to form your sentences, your brain too busy focusing on the feeling of his skin against your own.

his thumb drags along the edge of your panties. "tell me what you want me to do to you, love." he pulls his head away from yours, putting on a small smile at the sight of your already so lustful expression. "i want to hear you say it."

your eyes flutter open as a grin – or, as much of a grin as you can muster in your current state – spreads over your lips. "clement novalak," you start, tilting your head. "are you trying to make me beg?"

"maybe." he pauses for a moment, his own grin growing by the second. "are you going to?"

a laugh escapes from your mouth as you shake your head, lacing your lips with his again. "you're unbelievable," you mumble against him.

clement has no problem flipping you over, laying you down against the sheets before climbing on top of you. taking off your dress is too much of a hassle, he thinks, so he doesn't bother. he's memorized every inch of your body anyway – he could probably draw you like one of his french girls just from memory – so piling it up by your hips is good enough.

he helps you out of your underwear and then pulls his white linen pants off and his boxers along with them. before he throws them away, he gets his wallet out from the back pocket, pulling out a condom. "see? i told you this was a good spot," he says, tugging off the packaging with a content look on his face.

you roll your eyes at him. "sure. now, just hurry up, will you?"

he laughs at your response, and you can't help but join him. once the condom is on, one of his hands reach to take one of yours in it, intertwining your fingers as he positions himself above you. he connects your lips for what feels like the millionth time of the day, making sure you show off no sign of hesitation before he slowly pushes into you.

the sunset casts a pink hue over the room and when it lands on your bodies, it illustrates an artwork much more beautiful than any of the paintings you'd seen on your trips to the museums these last few days. the waves crashing against the beach right outside the window, combined with the quick breaths and quiet moans flowing from your mouth, is like music to clement's ears as he continues making you feel good. your eyes are hooded as you watch him, your mind completely clouded with lust. he's all you can see, all you can feel, all you can think of; it's all him. and you wouldn't want to have it any other way.

[bridgetotheskyyy]

chapter three.

masterlist

Chapter summary: You and the Sand Siblings go on vacation and, in the process, you and Gaara grow closer . . .

Chapter warnings: violence near the end, mentions of gambling lol, sexual tension, angst

Word count: 12k

A/N: (I encourage everyone to read the notes of this chapter from my ao3 as they're quite extensive lol)

Read on ao3 here

The paper stack damn near reached the ceiling.

 You stared at it. “Wow.”

“Yep.” Kankuro approached the chair, slouched into it. “This is what it looks like when a war ends and you put off all the serious stuff.”

The paperwork pile was hardly the most eye-catching thing in the office; Kankuro had brought Crow, Kuroari, and another puppet, whose name you hadn’t learned, into the room. They slumped against potted plants, readied for polishing or tweaking the moment their daddy required a break from the workload.

Still, your eyes returned to the pile and wondered how many of the sheets referred to the Kazekage’s imminent marriage. How many mentioned you by name?

Your brow quirked. “What kind of serious stuff?”

“Boring stuff.” Kankuro yawned as he swiveled in the Kazekage’s chair. “Only thing that makes it bearable is knowing I won’t have to see any of this stuff for the next few days.” He shot his fists into the air. “The beach!”

“The beach!” You echoed. A thought occurred. “Have you ever been to one?”

“No.” Kankuro chuckled, kicking feet up on the desk, arms behind his back. “I’m like you; desert child through and through. Never even seen one. Can’t wait.”

“But you’re a shinobi!” You said. “I bet you’ve been all around.”

“I have,” Kankuro said. “But, I don’t know, it just never happened.” He looked out the window, where the day was uncharacteristically clear. A smile tugged on his lips for reasons eluding you. “When you’re a shinobi, you get to go to lots of exotic locales, but there’s not a lot of time for sightseeing.”

Your gaze climbed the bodies of the puppets with awe. “Such amazing powers you all have.” 

“Don’t be so quick to envy us,” Kankuro said. “It’s not a very glamorous life; you’re usually fighting for your life or trying to take somebody else’s.”

“At least you get to determine your life.” You barely heard yourself in your reverie. “Or, if you don’t like it, fight to get out of it.”

“Yeah?” The Kazekage’s chair creaked; Kankuro must have leaned forward in it. “And what are you fighting to get out of, (Y/n)?”

You sobered, turning your head to see Kankuro staring. “Hm? Oh — Sorry, I was just …” 

“(Y/n).” Kankuro was serious now. “Temari wasn’t too hard on you the other day, was she? Look, I know she can be scary — uh, most of the time — but, when you get to know her, she’s —” 

“What? No! I—” You swallowed, surprised by yourself. What was wrong with you? You couldn’t black out like that! “I don’t — know where my head went just now!”

For seconds more, he was quiet, only watching you inquisitively. You felt spotlighted.

The hand of the analog clock at the wall caught your eye. Nearly noon. 

“I better go get Gaara.” You headed to the door.

“You’re sure you’re all right?” Kankuro asked from behind.

“Yes, definitely,” You hastened, only to halt your hand at the knob. “Oh, by the way, how exactly are we getting to the beach?”

Another smile tugged at Kankuro’s lips as he pulled a cloth forth from the desk drawer, likely for polishing. “Oh, that’s a surprise.”

You continued self-flagellating as you traipsed through the halls of the Kazekage’s palace, attempting to find a way out of its maze. 

What was wrong with you? Like being a shinobi would give you more power over your life, access to your fate. Hideo was a shinobi. Did he control his fate?

Did anyone?

You were controlling your fate now — rebelling against your father, choosing Gaara and his siblings. You had grabbed the rope of fate.

You only hoped it didn’t slip from your grasp, burn your hand in the free fall.

You caught eyes with someone as they rounded the corner opposite you. Someone familiar … Rough lines creasing his aged face, Suna council garb —

“Elder Joseki,” You greeted.

Joseki’s eyes widened imperceptibly upon recognizing you. “Lady (Y/n),” he drawled. “I hope you’re enjoying your stay in the Sand.”

“Yes,” You replied coolly. “It’s been most pleasant. Thank you.”

Joseki studied you with a demeaning glare, the same one he had fixed you with at the party a century ago. You couldn’t tell if it was you he was displeased with or the world.

“And,” he began, “I’m guessing Lord Kazekage hasn’t told you anything of … importance?”

“He’s told me enough.”

“Has he?” 

You matched his cold stare with your own. “Your dislike of the Kazekage seems personal.”

Joseki advanced. “He’s more dangerous than you know, my lady. More dangerous than you can conceive. Do not buy into his act; the villagers are still deeply afraid of him, they only pretend to love him.” He clenched his fist. “Seas could not contain the amount of blood that boy has shed.”

You hardened yourself to his speech. “Personal, and most unpatriotic.”

“I only hope you will reconsider,” Joseki urged. “Return to your village before it is too late, and you are trapped here with more enemies than friends.”

“If you insist on riddles, I’m leaving.” You hurried past him.

“Going where?”

You stared crookedly at him. What right did he have to be so forward? So familiar? You had no reason to answer, but a desire to bite back at him corrupted you. “If you must know, the Kazekage and his siblings are taking me on a trip.”

Joseki’s eyes went wide, his skin paling. “You — You can’t be left alone with him!”

“You have stepped out of bounds, Elder.” Your voice was harsh. “We have nothing further to say to one another.”

“Lady (Y/n), wait —!”

But you were already on your way, blocking Joseki from your mind. 

You were so sick of paranoid old men.

He’s just like father … a pathetic old man, all of them.

You found Gaara asleep at his desk in the greenhouse, surrounded by the small cacti he fathered and loved so much. 

You tiptoed forward to see his face, plastered, along with his arms, against his desk. You had never seen him so vulnerable. Gaara’s eyelids, rimmed with coal-black, were closed, and his lips parted to exhale gentle breaths expanding his chest. 

So cute.

And intimate. 

Just days ago, you had sat in the same chair and told Gaara about your brother’s death. You squirmed with the memory. You refused to think of Father’s letter, the allegations that Gaara had been the one to …

Gaara stirred in his sleep. You hated to wake him — and considered against it. You leaned forward —

Something caught your eye. You turned your head. Behind a series of tall plants, something large loomed in the shadows. Something made of sand.

You tiptoed away from Gaara, synchronizing your steps with his gentle snores. Brushing banana leaves aside, you saw:

It was a sand-made statue of a woman. Short-haired and kind-eyed, along with the prettiest hands you had ever seen. It was only a second or two before you realized who she must be.  

Karura.

You made your way back to Gaara and leaned over his shoulder. With a loving begrudge, you began to rouse him.

“Gaara …!” You gently nudged his shoulder. “Gaara!”

His eyes cracked — flew open.

He shot up. You were face to face. Your lips almost touching —

“Eep!” You jumped away as his face turned red. “I’m sorry!”

“No …” Gaara looked around as though surprised by himself. “I’m sorry I fell asleep.”

“Can’t tell you how much I didn’t want to wake you.”

He smiled. “I catch up on sleep now whenever I can; I guess I sleep deeper than I thought.”

“That’s a good thing,” You assured him. He works so hard as the Kazekage that Kankuro taking over gives him time to breathe.

Gaara’s eyes roved over you, an arm roped over the chair. “You look nice.”

You admired yourself; you had been more casual in your dress since Temari had taken you shopping. A white shirt, underneath which was some fishnet you had become smitten with and borrowed from Temari’s closet (she said if you wore it some might mistake you for being a shinobi, which only made you want to wear it more) and simple black pants were what you choose to go with today. 

“Thank you.” You hung your head bashfully — only to be reminded of the statue and redirected your gaze toward it.

Gaara followed your attention. He stiffened. “You saw it …”

You met his eye and shared the vulnerability swimming there. “I … hope you’re not mad; I wasn’t trying to snoop, I … It’s very pretty.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s of her, isn’t it?” You said. “Your mother.”

Karura. The modest woman with the pretty name. You had only seen small portraits of her here and there, tiny mementos her children clung to in their efforts to never forget her. 

“Yes,” Gaara said, rising from his chair to approach the statue. “I was inspired last night. I’m never really satisfied with the work I do.”

“Don’t say that.” You followed him, feet instinctively carrying you wherever he went. “She would have loved it.” 

Gaara’s eyes widened, clearly taken aback by your assessment. He faced you as the two of you stood side-by-side, admiring the sand stature. “Do you think so?”

You turned to give him a smile. “I know so,” You affirmed. 

Of course she loved him; who wouldn’t?

And you don’t know if you did it on purpose or not, but your index finger came to brush against Gaara’s. You were thrown by the fire the slightest touch erupted in your belly. You looked down to spot your finger’s treachery. Gaara seemed neither to care nor mind. 

Your heart cartwheeled when he took your hand in his hold, the skin of his palm warm and secure against your own.

You remembered how it felt to be cradled in his lap seconds before you had leaped away, his hands on your shoulders … Something purred inside you, compelling you to lean into the hand hold.

You cleared your throat and broke away without knowing why. “You don’t talk about your father much, I notice.”

A shadow came over Gaara’s face. “The relationship the Fourth Kazekage and I had was … difficult.”

“You’re speaking to the choir with that one.” You giggled. You wiggled the hand Gaara once held in hopes of eradicating the tingle there. “I won’t pry.”

“No,” he said. “It’s all right. I was his … experiment.”

Cold water ran over you. You paused. 

Experiment. It was the same word Joseki had used. How odd …

A bitter laugh from you. “I think we’re all experiments of our parents.”

Gaara relaxed, seeming to be grateful for the out you’d given him.

“Lord Kazekage,” a new voice entered the greenhouse, and the two of you turned to see a servant. “Lady Temari told me to fetch you. The party is ready.” 

“Ooh.” You turned to Gaara with a conspiratorial smile. “And it begins.”

Luggages were hauled into carriages while Sand and Oasis ninja gathered to accompany the four of you on your vacation. Staring at the carriages ready for departure by the gates of Sunagakure gave you a strange sense of deja vu. 

“I’m not looking forward to getting back into those things,” You said to Gaara. 

He didn’t answer you.

A strange puppet you hadn’t recognized from Kankuro’s collection lay hunched by the side of the carriage. Temari came through the gap between carts, wielding a metal bar you couldn’t identify. She was followed by Kankuro and Baki.

“I hope the two of you have considered what I said,” Baki said.

“Oh, believe us, we have,” Kankuro said, and he and his sisters tapered into giggles. 

Baki sighed before catching sight of you. His demeanor transformed; the fatherly air had returned. “Lady (Y/n)!” He said warmly.

You returned his smile. “Hello, Baki.”

Baki turned to the carriages. “We took the luxury of packing your things for you. I hope you don’t mind. None of your things were extraneously handled, and I made sure your privacy was secured.”

“Oh, I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble,” You said. “I don’t need much!”

One of the carriage doors was left ajar; you spotted the luggage you had come with. 

“None at all,” Baki said. He gave a warning look toward Temari and Kankuro, who only bowed their heads. “I hope you all enjoy yourselves.”

You sighed, the reality of another carriage ride looming ever nearer. Let’s just get this part over with.

You made to hop into the carriage —

Someone caught your hand. You looked to your side and Gaara was there.

“What’s wrong?” You let Gaara lead you away from the carriage by hand.

“Oh,” Kankuro pointed to the carriage, “that won’t be your ride.” He shut the carriage door and turned to the ninja. “Start moving! We’ll catch up!” 

The ninja scurried away while the carriage jerked to life. It rode down toward the village gates. 

You looked toward Gaara with a nervous laugh. “What’s going on?”

Gaara simply smiled and swept his hand —

And enveloped you in a small sandstorm as tides of sand whipped past you. The wind pulled at your hair and toward Gaara. A giant platform solidified at his feet. He nudged you gently toward him and the two of you bumped hips as the platform began to float.

Float. 

Your scream crescendoed as the platform carried the two of you into a cloudless sky. The vertigo had you gripping Gaara’s shoulder as the entire village sprawled beneath you. Its spidered streets and huge, domed buildings grew smaller as Gaara directed the two of you away from the village. 

“I thought this would be a fun way to travel,” Gaara said, before looking down at you clutching his arm to add, “but, if you don’t like it —“

“Are you kidding?” You screeched. “Go faster! Faster!” 

Temari and Kankuro were at a lower altitude, carrying themselves over the Suna gates by their own machinations; Temari’s metal blade was actually a fan she used to glide over the gate, while Kankuro’s puppet was somehow attached to his back, propelling him through the air with giant batlike wings. 

“As you wish,” Gaara murmured, and sped up.

You could do nothing but gawk. The desert spilled out past the gates like a giant ocean; rolling dunes towering like waves, seeking to outdo one another as their hills stretched out over undisturbed cerulean. You detected the ninja and carriage below, but barely, having been reduced to mere ants from the altitude.

“This is amazing …” You breathed out.

“Come.” Gaara lowered himself on the platform to sit criss-cross. “Sit.”

You clutched onto him hard as he aided you. You let your legs lay out on your side. You traded his arm for his neck — hesitated, until Gaara allowed your touch, and you wrapped arms around him.

“I would never let you fall.” Gaara bowed his head forward with an assuring stare. “You know that?”

You nodded. A calm smile graced his lips, perfect on his face. His hand rested gingerly on your waist, sending your heart into a back-flip. Wind ruffled his crimson hair, bits of sand carrying into the air. And in that moment you believed Gaara had never lied once in his life.

Your hold on him mercified. “I believe you,” you whispered.

I was right. Amazing powers. You looked back to see Temari, the wind rippling her ponytails, laughing in the air. She watched Kankuro do flips and dips in the sky, folding and reopening his puppet’s wings. Squeak. The cork of Gaara’s gourd loosened to free yet more sand, and in midair the strips of sand morphed to become butterflies. 

They were all gods to you.

One butterfly landed on your cheek, kissed your face, and you giggled. “How is this possible?” You asked.

Gaara’s ease lessened. “I was … born with special gifts. Because of a spirit.”

You glanced at him — only to do a double-take. Your eyes widened. 

Wait.

Were they really gods?

“The spirit is gone, but very little of my power has dwindled,” Gaara added.

You leaned into Gaara’s side, allowing this new information to sink in. You were curious, so curious, and for once your father’s intentions did nothing to pervert that curiosity; you were enthralled.

You tilted your head. “What kind of —“ 

But then you realized; you were close again, so close, even closer than when you were in his lap nights ago. Your arms fastened around his neck, his hand holding your waist. There was no startling need to get away this time, only a growing need to dispel the remaining inches. 

Gaara stared at you from the corner of his eye, smiling. No blush, no fluster. 

The sun shone in your eyes. You cupped a hand over your forehead to visor them.

“The sun looks amazing on you …” 

You were not prepared for the husk in Gaara’s voice. Heat colored your cheeks. You raised your head to him. Your heartbeat quickened in your throat as your eyes got lost in the turquoise of his. That sweet, serene green —

A gust of wind blew past Gaara’s face to ruin the moment. 

You gasped, spun your head. “Not funny!” You yelled.

Kankuro and Temari only laughed and flew ahead of the two of you.

It was a full three hours of flight before a town, nestled into a cliff, came into view.

It was hard, after the fanfare of the last three hours, to both literally and metaphorically come down to earth. The moment Gaara had you on the ground, and the four of you huddled at the town’s gates, you playfully socked Kankuro’s arm. 

“O — ow!” Kankuro chuckled, rubbing his arm. 

“Why didn’t you tell me he was gonna do that?” You play-hissed in his ear.

“It was my idea, actually,” Temari said smugly.

Your hand flew to your chest to feign shock. “Female solidarity is dead!”

“Let’s hurry to the hotel,” Gaara said. “While it’s still nice out.”

The four of you ushered into town, as incognito as possible to avoid causing a stir. You wove your way through the streets when wet hit your nose. Salt graced your tongue when your lips parted.

The sea.

Excitement added élan to your steps. You barely maintained the proper pleasantries as you entered the hotel lobby. The group revealed identities and startled the receptionist — along with the rest of the staff, one of them prompted to fetch the hotel owner. 

“Lord Kazekage!” He bowed furiously, sweating just as much. “And his lovely siblings! Oh, oh, this is such a surprise! What an honor!”

“Sir,” one of the staff whispered in his ear, “I’ve seen her. She’s Lord Boutoku’s daughter, she’s marrying the Kazekage next month —” 

“LORD BOUTOKU’S DAUGHTER —?!”

Kankuro slapped a hand over the owner’s mouth as people in the lobby looked away from their newspapers and fine breakfasts to mind the commotion. “Mind keeping it quiet! Someone might overhear!”

The owner fished a handkerchief from his pocket to dab himself. “Yes, of course …! My apologies, Lord Kankuro …!”

“Look,” Kankuro’s eyes flickered every which way as he leaned in conspiratorially, “we’re here on a little weekend vacation, all right? We’d appreciate it if you helped us lay low.”

“Oh, oh.” You were sure the owner would go into shock. “Of course, certainly, oh, whatever you need, we’d be more than happy to provide!”

“Thank you, sir.” Temari was all charm and smiles as she slid a mysterious gold card to the receptionist behind the desk. “If you could just set us up with rooms now.”

“Of course, of course!” the owner said. “Only the finest for the Kazekage and his family!”

And he hadn’t lied; the rooms were enormous. It occurred to you just how little Gaara had to actually do as the Kazekage; only a few minutes had passed and already he had been secured the most luxurious room due to his title. It was decided: You and Gaara would share while Temari and Kankuro would have their own separate quarters. Gaara’s, of course, was the largest. He grew concerned on your behalf and asked if you wanted a room of your own, but, as there were two beds in the suite, you didn’t mind. And anyway, Gaara was the most trustworthy man in the history of men. 

“And besides.” You held back giggles as Temari and Kankuro collapsed on plushy couch cushions. “Your room has the best accommodations anyway — we’ll all just end up congregating in here anyway.”

“If you’re sure about it.” Gaara let himself smile as he examined the room. “We really must thank the owner for his hospitality. They are nice rooms.”

“A big tip!” Kankuro said, sinking into the cushions with pleased sighs. “The biggest!”

“I’m so sick of buildings,” You said, nearly bouncing up and down. “I want the beach!” 

“We might as well,” Gaara said. “I would hate to make you wait any longer.”

You gulped, imagining that phrase in a different context. What’s wrong with you lately? Too much Icha Icha!

The four of you retrieved the beach appropriate clothing and items from your bags and left the hotel. It didn’t help that the hotel had such lovely views of the beach — the bluest water you had ever witnessed. So close.

It was a five-minute walk until the beach, its plush sands transitioned from orange-beige to white, came into sight.

“Whoa,” Kankuro said. 

The waves curled and laid on the shore. Your eyes widened.

You ripped your shoes off and ripped past people cluttering the beach. You were through with your inhibitions. You expected to hear someone call for you to come back, only to glance over your shoulder and see Temari and Kankuro following you into the water. You let out a delighted scream as you plunged headfirst into the toiling waves.

Only then did you remember you didn’t know how to swim.

“Okay,” Kankuro motioned what was called a backstroke, “just lean your arm out like this —“

“No!” You squealed. “I’ll drown!” 

“Don’t be silly!” Temari said. Temari, who had decided she was already tired of the water, opted instead for a beach chair, sunglasses, and a smoothie underneath a shading umbrella. “You’ve got three of the strongest shinobi in the world watching over you. No one would let you drown — especially Gaara.”

Gaara, against all odds, could swim himself. He shadowed you in the water, holding his arm out to you.

 You pouted. “I thought neither of you had ever been to the beach.”

“Well, we know how to swim,” Kankuro said. “We’re shinobi, remember? Trained for every occasion.”

“I can continue helping her,” Gaara said as Kankuro made to help you. Something unknown passed between them, and Kankuro backed off.

“I’m, uh, headed back to shore.” Kankuro performed his so-called backstroke. “Take care, you two!”

You waved him goodbye.

“You’re doing well,” Gaara said. “Do you like the beach?”

“I love it!” You cried. “I can’t wait to catch starfish and, oh!” — You let go of Gaara — “shells —!”

“(Y/n!) —!”

Without his arm, you went under. Your cries transmuted to bubbles as you flailed. A wave brushed you aside, jolting you into panic. You flailed harder. Hands grabbed you and pulled you to the surface. 

“Are you all right?” Gaara’s voice was muffled by the water in your ears.

You looked over your shoulder to see Gaara holding you. Wild crimson locks clung to his face. Shirtless.

“I—” You spit saltwater out before answering, blinked water from your eyes. “Yes.” 

Your skills improved as Gaara taught you the basics, and soon you could bob your head over the water without support. Pleased with this progress, you decided on a break. You two emerged on land to admire the view. 

“Finally,” Temari said. “Thought you two would be at sea forever.”

“It’s really nice, Temari.” You pat your hair dry. “Sure you don’t wanna join?”

“I realized I prefer the view.” Temari took another sip of her drink — only to suck at the bottom of her cup. “I’m gonna get another.”

“I’ll come with,” Kankuro said. “I’m starving.”

You and Gaara were left alone on the beach now. You looked back at the waves. They coiled, crested, and collapsed to bask on the white sand with rhythmic harmony, as though dancing to a tune you were too ignorant to hear. You sighed.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” You said.

“Yes,” Gaara said. “It is …”

“But how can there be a sea next to a desert?” You said. “It just doesn’t seem possible …”

“It’s indeed possible, if the air on the desert side is dry enough.”

Amazing … You looked out into the horizon. The world was such a magical, beautiful place — and your delusional father had kept you from it.

“You know,” You let your towel slip into your lap, “back home, it’s said that our oasis was once a sea. A lot of us believe that.” You paused; did you believe that? You hadn’t thought much of it, only thought it was such a pretty myth. “Or a gift from a spirit, after our first village head, Goro, slayed a horrible beast.” 

“It sounds like an amazing place,” Gaara said. “I hope, one day, you will take me to see it in person.”

Your father shadowed the conversation, dimming the light of the tales running rapid in your head. 

“Kankuro has told me some things about it, though little has been written,” Gaara continued, looking straight ahead. The shade of the umbrella shrouded all but one leg as he propped an elbow on a knee. “About how it has magical properties. Is that true?”

You cast your gaze to your feet, which you burrowed into the sand. Your knees were hugged to your chest. “I don’t really know. The truth is, I’ve never seen it myself. Father forbade me, said I’m not ‘ready.’ Everyone I know, I know from him.” Like everything else. “He’s told me stories … I just know people who aren’t from our village can’t access it or drink its water. They need permission from the village head. But …”

You leaned forward to take his hand, enamored with the way your fingers intertwined with his. 

“Once we’re married, you’ll be considered family,” You said. “We’ll see it together.”

Gaara ran a thumb over one of your fingers, considering you with a faint smile. “Yes, I’d like that.”

You unearthed a new dream. You gave it life and love and cradled it close to your heart. You watered it, as Gaara did his beloved plants, to keep it strong, and so it flourished in your mind’s eye: You and Gaara, visiting the oasis together, lounging underneath palm trees and sparkling water. You made to clench your hand until you remembered Gaara was holding it. 

I can’t let Father destroy this dream. I  can’t.

Gaara looked over your shoulder. “Oh, Temari and Kankuro are coming back …”

Temari and Kankuro sulked back to your section on the beach.

“The stands have nothing good,” Kankuro sighed. “Let’s go in the hotel to eat.”

“That’s Kankuro language for ‘let’s gamble,’” Temari snickered.

“I would never kid about food!” Kankuro argued. “I’m seriously hungry.”

“So am I.” You stood and dusted off your skirt. “Let’s go”

“Very well.” Gaara reclaimed your hand to help him off the beach, gave it a squeeze. “It will be on me.”

You secured a round table in one of the hotel’s swanky restaurants. It turned out Temari was right, because the moment your order came, Kankuro snatched his tray and made his way to the seductive poker tables to lose only the gods knew how much money.

“So predictable.” Temari rolled her eyes, crossing her legs at the table. 

You played with your fries, twirling them in the ketchup — something that would’ve gotten you a firm lecture back home — while Gaara set down his glass. 

“I meant to ask you both,” Gaara began. “When you went out shopping, did anything interesting happen? Did you talk about anything?”

You and Temari froze. You focused on the smiley-faces you were making with your ketchup pile while Temari scrambled for words. 

Your sister told me in so many words that she would rip my throat off if I so much as laid a finger on you — which makes all this a hundred times harder …

“Uh, I — aha, well.” Temari continued to stammer, worrying a napkin in her hands. “We …”

“Just girl stuff, that was all it was!” You chirped. 

“Ye—Yeah!” Temari said. She waved him off. “Nothing that would interest you, or — or any man, really!”

“Any man …” Gaara parroted. “I see.”

“No offense!” You nudged him assuredly. 

He raised his head. “Does that mean you discussed the wedding?”

“Hm?” You blinked. You were caught off guard; in fact, there had been no discussion of the wedding since you’d arrived. The wedding that was meant to be a wedding.

The wedding that was only a sham to get you here. 

“I think I would like a more traditional wedding, like Naruto and Hinata had,” Gaara said, surprising you with his forwardness. “You would look beautiful in traditional attire.”

“Uh.” This was not something you thought he would ever have any interest in.

“It seems like something the council would approve of, considering how stubborn they are about the old ways of doing things.” Gaara stiffened. “Only if you wanted. I thought we could discuss it over this vacation.”

“Gaara!” Temari scooted smoothie number five away, scandalized by her brother’s forwardness. Clearly, she had never met this version of her brother before, either. “What brought this on?”

“Our friends from the Leaf have been ecstatic about the news,” Gaara said. “And, as it’s only two or so weeks away now …”

“I think we should wait until we’re all gathered to talk about this, don’t you?” Temari’s amicable, sweet-older-sister voice was so incongruous with the woman you had come to know. 

“I agree,” You hastened, thankful for the save. “That way we can all be in the know. I mean, Kankuro’s not even sitting here.”

“I think you may be right,” Gaara said bashfully. “Sorry about that. I guess I just got carried away for a minute there.”

“Not at all,” You said before biting into another fry. He’s so cute.

You had come to realize there was nothing quite like Gaara flattery; he was so earnest, so sincere. And he was excited about the wedding, about marrying you. The wings of your heart brushed your ribcage. But you didn’t want to have this discussion; it brought your lie(s) to the forefront of your mind. It was too raw, and you were not yet strong enough to weather it, to invite the others into your delusions. Only you could have these fantasies in the privacy of your mind where nothing could reach them.

But it was another facet to the dream you’d begun to nourish. 

A new thought slotted in with the rest: Gaara mentioned Naruto, seventh Hokage — his friend.

“You’ve said before that you know Naruto Uzumaki personally.” You leaned in with curiosity. “What’s he like?”

“An absolute goofball,” Temari said.

“A true friend,” Gaara amended. “And an incredibly strong and formidable opponent.”

Temari shrugged. “Yeah, that, too.”

Gaara began sharing amazing anecdotes about his adventures with his other shinobi friends, how he and Gaara had fought after the attack on Konoha (you paid special attention to your meal, averting your eyes from anyone else), how the Leaf ninja had changed his perspective on life, how addicted he was to ramen. Your head spun with it all, especially when they used what you suspected were special shinobi words from their lexicon.

“And he was trained by Jiraiya,” You said, awed. “The same Jiraiya who wrote the Icha Icha series?”

“That’s the one,” Temari twirled her fork with sarcasm, head in her palm. 

“This is all so incredible …” You said.

“Really?” Gaara said. “Is that so?”

“It’s a shame I can never meet him …” You said solemnly. “If things had turned out differently, he would be coming to the wedding as well — I could even get a signed copy!”

“The world is so cruel.” Temari feigned sadness.

Gaara wore an expression you had come to know when he was deep in thought. “I could get Naruto to arrange something, regardless.”

“Really?” You said as Temari choked on her drink.

“Gaara, no,” she said.

“No, no.” You echoed her sentiments, albeit for a different reason. “You’ve done enough for me.”

Blingblingbling. A series of metallic sounds blared as machines blazed their dispensers with coins. Gaara furrowed his brows. You could tell he was not fond of the hotel’s busy atmosphere, the endless commotion — not to mention the cigarette smoke.

“Let’s go to our rooms,” You said. “It’s getting late.”

Gaara perked. “Really? If you don’t mind …”

“Not at all.” You faced Temari. “Right, Temari?”

“I could get a break from the beach,” Temari said, waving the smoke away. “And the smoke.”

The three of you took the elevator back to the room floors and traipse the hallways, looking for your respective rooms. 

“Thanks for saving me back there, by the way,” Temari said, cupping a hand over her mouth conspiratorially. 

You chuckle. “You don’t have to thank me.”

“I’m sorry for the way I acted in general,” Temari said. “I’ve been meaning to apologize, actually. I was hard on you. But … Gaara’s my little brother and all, I’m sure you understand.”

“Absolutely,” You said. “Something tells me my …” You fought a stutter in your throat. “… brother would have done the same for me.”

Hideo would always be the gnawing pang at your heart. You realized that as you approached the knob to admit you and Gaara into the room.

You turned the knob — 

Crying. Wails.

You gasped. “Who is that?”

The three of you looked to the corner of the hallway — the source of the sound — where Kankuro was rounding, tears streaking his makeup. 

“Kankuro?” You said. 

“What’s happened?” Gaara said with startling authority.

“I’ve …” He sank to his knees in the hallway. “I lost so much money!”

“Oh, no!” You cupped your mouth. 

“It’s those damn scheming geezers!” Kankuro cried, throwing his hand, tears wobbling down his face. “They cheated me, saw me coming from a mile away!”

“I told you not to get cocky if you were gonna gamble!” Temari said. “Now look at you!”

You and Gaara chuckled at the sight and each goodnight to them, but you were sure neither of them heard you over Kankuro’s crying and Temari’s yelling.

The next day, the blue of the sky was forced to contend with the weak wispy clouds breezing past, shielding and unveiling the sun at their leisure.

You admired them as you emerged from underneath the water. The sky enveloped your vision, and for a second you were sure you had been transported to heaven before Gaara broke you from your reverie:

“You’re advancing fast,” he praised, stationery in the water beside you.

You swerved, so you were across one another. “That’s because I have such a good teacher.”

Gaara smiled wordlessly as you initiated your novice backstroke. The irony of the Kazekage of Sunagakure teaching you how to swim was not at all lost on you. Chuuyou had worried about you being so far from his watchful eye, but you had insisted he keep more of a distance.

“My Lady,” he had said, his soft tone cut with an imploring edge, “I encourage you to reconsider.”

“I’m fine, Chuuyou.” You did your best to curb your annoyance, but it came out as a hiss, anyway. He’s just doing the job Father assigned him. “I would just like a little space. Please?”

And he had started giving it to you, no matter how unwillingly. You didn’t want Chuuyou so close; he was such a reminder of Father, of your real reason for being with Gaara and his siblings. You wanted all reminders gone. You wanted to fall into the dream.

Now, you couldn’t see Chuuyou anywhere on the beach. A pinch of anxiety previously holding your chest hostage released, relaxed into nothingness. 

You splashed Gaara with water, giggling. “Race you to the shore!”

And Gaara, once again, didn’t answer; his answer came in the sound of him trading water with precision and speed. He was strong, much stronger than he looked, although you were not ignorant of the faint trace of muscle his lean form possessed. 

He beat you, of course. He helped you from the water, the beach waves dispensing their white suds around your ankles. 

“Oh!” You looked over the faint red burn forming on Gaara’s skin. 

“Hm, I see.” He inspected his arms, which bore a few red spots. “I forgot.”

“You have to be more careful! Come here.” You took his hand, leading him back to the mismatched collection of beach towels you had secured on the beach. “I’ll put some on you.”

Kankuro and Temari were mysteriously missing. While you were sure Kankuro was engrossed in a life-or-death rematch with the old men who had swindled him the night before, you were not entirely sure what was keeping Temari.

You suspected, maybe, she was willingly leaving you alone with Gaara, who you hadn’t had a quiet moment with since only the gods know when. Unless, of course, you took the night before into consideration. For at least thirty minutes, you had pretended to sleep, pretended to not be aware of Gaara’s loving gaze on you in the dim tangerine light of the hotel room, only for him to fall asleep and you to turn the tables on him, staring at him semi-darkness with a racing heart you were hopeless to still. He had not even touched you; the only words he had exchanged after you had traded your beach clothes in for some pajamas had been a simple, hospitable goodnight, and still you couldn’t take your mind off of the intimacy of it all. Despite the two beds, despite everything. 

Now, you were squeezing sunscreen into your hand, ready to massage it into his skin?

Gaara resisted. “You don’t have to,” he insisted. 

You rubbed the cream together with your hands. “It’s all right, I don’t want you to get hurt — the sun is really intense.”

You ignored the way your heart skipped at the idea of massaging his bare skin. 

I’m helping him, that’s all …

Gaara acquiesced. He closed his eyes when your hands fell on him. The sunscreen cooled underneath your palms as they made a trail down his arm. 

“I’m usually more careful than this,” he said as you leaned in to address the arm across you. “It must have skipped my mind.”

You didn’t answer; your mouth went dry as you preoccupied yourself with how smooth and soft his skin felt under your fingers, like refined virgin marble. It was as though he had never been touched by another living soul in all his life. You felt blessed, honored. 

A low rumble escaped Gaara’s throat as you leaned farther, the plush of your breast sinking into his arm and you jerked away, conscious of it. 

You’re just helping …

“Does it feel … okay?” You asked.

“It does.”

Gaara leaned his head away so that you could massage into his neck, where your fingers brushed against the nape of his neck, felt the slightest indication of soft red hair beneath your fingernail. The slight of red hair under your fingers — you wanted to thread them in his forest of hair, before transferring to his chest. You could feel the ghosts of muscle you detected earlier, hard and … and steady. Gaara sat back to give you more access, but it only encouraged you to admire him more; the cliff of his jaw and, eyes trailing down even further, his lips …

Helping.

Your finger grazed one of his nipples, and Gaara flinched underneath the touch. He cracked an eye open at you, but you refused to meet it, pretending it didn’t happen by moving next to his back, lathering the span of it with sunscreen. 

“There.” Your mouth was so parched the word almost didn’t form. “You should be all … set.”

You noticed the thoughtful, intense look Gaara was giving you. Your throat constricted, feeling more exposed than he was under his attention. If this was an Icha Icha novel, you knew he would lean forward, cup the back of your head and …

“Thank you,” Gaara’s voice was light.

You only nodded. You curled sinful hands in your lap, the sensation of Gaara’s skin tingling yours. 

“… Excuse me?”

You were grateful for the distraction as your head turned to the source of the new little voice. 

A little boy had crept toward the two of you on the beach, but he was staring at Gaara.

“… Are you th — the … Kazekage?”

Gaara turned to you for help and you sighed.

“The jig is up, I suppose,” You muttered to him. 

“It’s true then?” the boy perked up in anticipation of Gaara’s answer.

Clearly emboldened, some of the boy’s other friends and playmates came to his side, waiting.

Gaara smiled and after a brief pause, “Yes. I am.”

Murmurs of amazement. 

“Cool!” the boy said. “Can you show us some stuff?”

The kids crowded Gaara with their strung-out “pleases” and adorable pleading.

You leaned to whisper to Gaara, “Do it!”

He smiled before turning his attention to the beach. Sand began to stir and move, and you were glad the beach itself was much less crowded, with only the children doodling there, because sand began to rise and churn. Gaara grew sand structures on the beach. You furrowed your brows, following his vision as the sand morphed and solidified into …

Gaara had raised a giant sandcastle, complete with terraces and a drawbridge which plopped onto the beach floor to admit everyone.

The children rushed to the castle to admire it. 

“Wow …” You gawked, entering into it. “It’s like a dollhouse!” 

“Temari and Kankuro used to ask me to make things with sand all the time,” Gaara said as the children took your entering for clear permission and began to flood the castle. 

Slides rolled down from spaces in the railings, little windows above the balustrades cut squares of sunlight for the perfect game of hopscotch. An atrium admitted invited more sunlight. 

You giggled as they ran and played. 

“This is amazing!” The little boy said, swinging on makeshift monkey bars. He plopped down and approached Gaara. “I wanna be just like you when I grow up, Lord Kazekage.”

Gaara looked stunned, before recovering with a gentle smile. “I hope everyone enjoys themselves …”

An hour or so passed while the two of you played with the children. Gaara constructed kaiju out of the stand and, having taken lessons from Kankuro, puppeteered them into fights as the children cheered on their favorites. Children took turns on the slides, falling into a giant whirlpool Gaara made. He encouraged you to go last, and your laughter turned to screams as you were propelled into the air and caught by Gaara’s forgiving sand.

“I want a castle just like this when we marry.” You admired the sandcastle from the outside as children tired themselves out around you. The sun had intensified, bringing with it a heat to parch your mouth dry.

You waited for Gaara’s interjection, but when he stayed quiet, you turned to him, only to see his attention was away from the beach, near a rise of obsidian rocks.

“I think there’s a cave over there,” Gaara said.

“I’ve never seen a cave before …” You said.

He turned to you. “Would you like to?”

You smiled. “What about the —?”

“I think they’re more than occupied.” Gaara gestured to the children still running and playing in and out of the sandcastle. “They won’t miss us.”

You smiled, nodded. “Let’s go.”

Rocks erected and curved like crescent moons to protect its own private island; a lagoon. 

The two of you swam to explore, the way led by the sounds of seagulls and rushing waves. Gaara chaperoned you, but you swam without aid until the two of you came to the rocky shore. 

You raised yourself from the waters by grabbing a rock for purchase, Gaara not far behind.

“I knew it,” You said triumphantly.

A small alcove indicated a cave not far off. 

“Let’s go in!” You said, any and all fear you might have had to explore such a place dulled by the fact Gaara was with you. “I’ve got to find some souvenirs for this trip.”

“All right, then,” Gaara obliged.

The cave’s ceiling cast shadows over the water. A hole in its rocky ceiling created a natural spotlight at its center. Color winked in your periphery, hinting at aquatic flowers accosted by the rolling waters, and you wondered if you could find petals lost in the water.

“This is amazing,” You said. “It’s like earth meeting water.” You twirled in the water to see Gaara admiring you thoughtfully. You became self-conscious. Nerves constricted your speech. “What’s wrong?”

 “Nothing,” Gaara muttered as he inched closer. “You are very brave; you try new things all the time.”

You stilled — only to remember your imperative to stay moving in the water. He called me brave. You weren’t so sure. You only had the nerve to explore because you were aided by the Kazekage. But still, you opened your mouth, only to close it again; never had anyone ever complimented you on anything other than your “beauty.” You struggled to receive it.

Am I brave? How would I know …?

“I would like to thank you, (Y/n),” Gaara went on, cradling your name in his deep, dulcet tone. “You’ve done nothing but smile since the moment you came to my village. It must have been difficult to come here, all things considered … So, thank you.”

You were silent. His warm words blanketed you. It had been hard. Frightening. Everything was foreign. Nothing felt like home. And there was the weight of your — you swallowed — mission. What was this ability Gaara had to make you feel so seen? Now exposed, not undressed, but … read. Appreciated. Lovingly studied. Annotated. 

You became struck with the intimacy of the cave; it was only you and Gaara. You were so far from shore. The scene was beginning to soften, its edges watercoloring until it seemed more dream than reality. The water had to rival the peaceful turquoise of Gaara’s eyes as you became lost in them. 

He caressed your cheek so gingerly you flinched at the hand you hadn’t seen rise.

“I would … like to try something. Is that all right?”

Your mouth refused to form words; you nodded your consent.

Gaara’s other hand came to rest against your hip, steadying you in water as he had done in air. He leaned toward you, into you. You blinked water from your lashes, frozen everywhere else. You were in a dream:

Gaara’s lips brushed against yours.

His kiss was gentle, virgin, but you felt the soft plant of his lips on your own, and your soul departed from your flesh despite its lack of violence. Your eyes fluttered close, your hands resting on his shoulders.

Centuries later, Gaara moved away. You opened your eyes to see him nestled among the stars clouding your vision.

“I’ve …” Gaara lowered his gaze. “I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

You struggled to recover. If you were speechless before, he had managed to eviscerate your vocabulary, your mental library set ablaze. Your heart was a hummingbird trapped in your chest. “Li — likewise …”

Gaara looked up, concerned. “Was it okay?”

You shook your head — until you realized you would have to couple it with words to assuage his concern. “No, no! It was — Gaara … it was amazing.”

Gaara smiled. “… I was worried. Thank you for letting me kiss you.”

You returned his smile. “Thank you for the souvenir.”

You were plopped back into reality, with the sea and the salt and the seagulls singing their songs overhead. An awkward silence punctured it all. You simply stared at him. And stared and stared and stared.

He grazed a hand over your wet forearm. “Would you like to do it again —?”

“Yes …” You said before he could finish, wrapping arms around him. 

“Gaara! (Y/n)!”

It was Kankuro’s voice, far away, yet loud enough to dispel the dream entirely.

“Is that …?” Gaara trailed.

“Gaara!”

You broke away from him. “We should head back — there might be trouble.”

Gaara didn’t object, following you out. You could detect the significant dots of Temari and Kankuro on the shore as you two returned. 

“What’s going on?” You said as you and Gaara emerged from the water. 

Kankuro’s thousand-yard stare was your only reply. “I’ve done it,” he said quietly. “I’ve finally done.”

“What, Kankuro?” Gaara asked. 

Kankuro thrust something in your faces. You fixed eyes on it. A medallion the color of the sun stared back. 

You gasped. “But that’s —!”

“One of the old geezers won it off a pirate years back!” Kankuro said triumphantly.

“He begged me to help him beat the guys at the table,” Temari exclaimed, arms crossed. “How much is it, anyway?”

“Temari,” Kankuro deadpanned, “it’s worth thousands.”

Temari’s gasp echoed yours, as though she were doused with cold water —

“I take back everything I ever said about you, Kankuro!” Temari said, fingers knitted and stars in her eyes. 

“That’s a once in a lifetime, I bet!” You said. “I’ve only seen one of those things once in my entire life.”

“Who would bet something this valuable in a game of cards?” Temari said. “Men are so reckless —“

“Congratulations, Kankuro!” Gaara said. “We knew you could do it.”

“Me, too,” Kankuro spun the coin with his thumb and caught it, satisfied with himself. 

“Me, too,” Temari patted him on the back. “Now you can help pay off the Sand’s debt!”

It was a second before Kankuro realized what Temari was saying — and then the crying and begging began.

“So, you two been up to much?” Temari said. She eyed the giant sandcastle of Gaara’s making and the kids who had turned it into their personal playground, all while ignoring Kankuro’s crying in the background. She raised her brows. “Ah, I see. Anything else?”

Neither you nor Gaara answered. A few seconds ticked by before Temari blanched.

“Nothing much,” Gaara said finally.

You kept eyes on your toes, hoping the red on your face could be excused for the beach heat.

Gaara watched you return to his hotel room, saltwater washed from your hair, sighing. Kankuro sat on one of the couches, grumbling and cradling his precious coin to his chest, while Temari lounged on another, drink in hand.

“Those kids must’ve had a field day,” Temari said. “It was sweet of you to do that, Gaara.”

“It was (Y/n)’s idea, actually,” Gaara corrected. Warmth spread over him as he remembered the parents coming to collect their children, their little hands raised in farewell as they called it a day. He had decided to leave the sandcastle where it was, however, so they might play another day.

“It was your expertise,” You said, patting your damp hair with the towel. “Just hopin’ those families will keep us being here a secret.”

Gaara watched you inquisitively.

“It’s the least they can do,” Kankuro said sullenly, kicking his feet on an ottoman, fuzzy slippers dangling from its edge. “We built them a freakin’ fast food playground for free.” His face softened. “They did look real cute out there, though. And playtime is important.”

“I’m sure they will!” You settled into a chair. “It must’ve taken a great deal of chakra control, as well!” 

Temari paused. “You know about chakra?”

“Of course I do,” You said, waving her off.

“No, you don’t.”

The room paused. Heads turned to Gaara. 

You tilted your head at him. “What do you mean?”

Gaara didn’t answer. He raised from his chair. He fished a shuriken from his pocket and threw it —

It pierced the flesh of your throat.

“Gaara —!” Temari and Kankuro yelled in unison.

You clutched your throat and Gaara waited for blood. There was no blood.

You poofed away.

“A clone!” Kankuro shot from his chair.

“We need to find her,” Gaara said. “Now.”

The violent colors of the sunset bled into the horizon; burnt oranges and crimsons drowned the sky. You hugged knees to your chest as the suds of waves kissed your feet. 

Your fingers were touched to the skin of your lips. 

He had kissed you. Gaara, the Kazekage, had kissed you, and he had wanted to do it again.

He wanted you. It was clear. You wanted him.

And yet you lied to him.

It was not like you had imagined. Nothing about this trip to Sunagakure was, but this … was especially off-kilter. You had imagined a filthy, detached nightly tryst. Your yukata torn from your body by feverish hands as the Kazekage ravaged you — not asking, only taking. And, after defiling you and drifting to sleep, you would unwind your treacherous necklace from your neck and drip poison into his snoring mouth …

It was what your father had intended and what you had expected.

Instead … The ghost of Gaara’s hand tingled your hip, and his gentle kiss had imprinted itself on your lipskin. So sweet, so …

You searched the horizon. Hideo, what do I do? What would you have me do?

Did it matter if you chose to remove yourself from your father’s plan? Gaara is exactly who you would’ve wanted for me, Hideo. You were still lying. Even if your father came and killed you for being a traitor, you would still be lying … No. It was more than that. That was skin deep. The shame went deeper to puncture veins and bone. You were the lie. A pretty wife for the Kazekage, come to make peace. Come to destroy it.

You stood, nausea wobbling your step, and wretched your necklace from your neck. 

Your necklace was a lie, too. 

A weapon.

Did it matter if, in your madness, you had decided to hang on to it to protect Gaara, or yourself, if the time came? You stumbled, eyes returning to the horizon.

You would throw it into the sea and let the water devour it. 

The pendant of it sat in your palm, cool against your skin. Your hand made a fist around it, ready to —

A force at your side. You collapsed to the ground. The necklace flew from your hands. Your side exploded with pain. Something wove to restrict your hands behind your back.

You cried out, groaning with pain and barely able to register it before harsh hands yanked on your constricted wrists. They hoisted you to your feet by something — someone.

You screamed — only for a hand to clasp to your mouth.

“You’re quite the prize. I’ll admit that at least,” said a voice in your ear, low and masculine. “And in more ways than one. I can only imagine what Lord Boutoku will trade for you.”

You struggled as you were dragged backwards, the beach shore growing smaller. 

No. Nonononono.

Someone had found out, someone had found you —

A blast from behind you and the hands holding you were gone. You stumbled to remain standing. You turned around to see your captor crash on the beach floor.

“Get away from her!”

You turned. Temari — fan unfolded at her side — and Kankuro were running toward you. Gaara mysteriously absent, but your eyes searched for him, nevertheless.

Temari took you in her arms before maneuvering you behind her. Your captor was on his feet now, knife-weapon in hand.

“Heh,” the guy smirked. “I can take you two.”

Kankuro’s matching smirk was deadlier. “What about three?”

Sand pooled, tentacled, and shot forward to grab your captor. It hoisted the man in the air as he screamed. It bound his arms and legs.

Your eyes widened as sand cocooned him. “What in the world —?”

Sssssssss…

You frowned, concentrating on the sound. A snake? No … Sand rustled. You turned to see something rising on the beach. It emerged slowly, taking on the image of a man — it was a man. 

Gaara.

Gaara’s image solidified to become flesh and bone, hair and skin and clothing.

“Gaara …” You were relieved — until you felt the rage radiating from him. 

Even from where the man lay trapped, towering in the air, you could see the color leave his face.

“The — the Kazekage …!”

“You knew Lord Boutoku’s daughter was here, but not the Kazekage?” Kankuro mocked. He clicked his tongue. “You’re even dumber than you look.”

“Explain yourself,” Gaara ordered.

“H — Hey.” The man trembled in the sand’s death grip. “I didn’t know — I’m sorry, okay? I — I take it back. I never would’ve hurt the girl, all right? I only wanted —“

“Your prize?” Gaara’s voice was low, his stare hardening. “And what if she hadn’t given you the information you wanted?”

A deceptive curl of sand wrapped around the man’s throat like a python. You turned back to Temari and Kankuro, who were watching with detached amusement.

“I — I only wanted money, okay! That’s all!” 

Temari feigned a coo. “Aww. You’ll be getting a bit more than that now, I’m afraid.” 

“You’re a disgrace …” Murder lived in Gaara’s eyes. 

Sand constricted, crushed, concealing your captor’s tremors as he screamed in terror. The amusement was gone from Temari and Kankuro, replaced with a growing concern.

“Gaara!” Kankuro said, inching closer. “C’mon. Don’t. It’s not worth it.”

“Gaara!” Temari hissed. “I thought you were only going to scare him, don’t tell me you —?”

“Gaara.” Your voice was small among the screaming and the perennial rustling of sand and your rapid heart in your ears. “Please, don’t. Please … it’s all right.”

Gaara’s hand flinched beside him, as though desperately resisting the urge to clench it. His glare did not leave the man he threatened to kill.

“Please …” You pleaded softly. 

Gaara tore himself away from the scene, stalking away.

The sand lost its shape and crashed like water downward. The man plummeted to the ground. You yelped as a sickening crack sounded through the beach, and then silence. It was only until you saw the man rise from his place, one leg making up for the mangled other, were you able to breathe again. He was alive.

But barely.

Sand and Oasis ninja flooded the hotel. You felt bad for the other clientele, who were looking around for answers and found few. 

Your captor had, apparently, heard about your staying at the hotel and, once getting a glimpse of you at the beach, had created a clone of you to fool everyone. Afterward, it was only a means of finding you alone to make a move. He had been carded away and, despite the horrible crack you’d heard, had only managed to break literally an arm and a leg. Nothing more. Until more information was known, the guests were either encouraged to leave or sequester themselves in their rooms. 

The rogue had managed, in the fray of the vacation, to fool even Chuuyou. Who, you had a feeling, would be glued to you even more than before from now on.

You were fine. Slightly shaken, and your side still screamed with pain if you grew too bold, but otherwise fine, your necklace having been returned to you by Temari to weigh you down like an anvil. You were more concerned for Gaara, who had not spoken a word to anyone since walking off the beach. He lingered in the corner of the lobby. He said nothing to no one. 

“I am so, so very sorry for this.” The hotel owner bowed profusely in the lobby, over and over, as the situation resolved. “The family of the Kazekage, please … Whatever we can do to rectify this horrific event — please accept my apologies, oh gods, oh oh oh —“

“It’s all right,” Kankuro said soberly, attention clearly elsewhere. You had never seen him so serious. He shook his head at Temari. “You were right. Damn, I’ve been reckless …”

“No, Kankuro.” Temari petted him on the shoulder. “It’s all right; it wasn’t just your responsibility —”

“No,” Kankuro swatted her away, “it’s not all right. I am the Kazekage’s guard. Imagine what could’ve happened?”

Temari was quiet, face soured by the multitude of ugly possibilities. A strange knowing pulsed the air, passing between the two of them and excluding you.

You recalled their faces. At first, Temari and Kankuro had been derisive, hardly bothered at all by Gaara’s rage. As though they had witnessed it a million times. It had startled you. Only later, when it seemed Gaara would kill him, did they move to stop him … 

But something gnawed at you, like a mosquito stabbing for blood, refusing to be ignored. The way Gaara’s sand had curled up around your captor. The cocoon. How ready it was to envelope him, seal him away.

A sand burial. 

… Wasn’t that what Father had called it in his letter? … 

… Where had he gotten that terminology?

Something gross and lingering layered over you like the remnants of a bad dream, like snake-skin. It crawled up your skin. For a split second, you imagined Hideo in the man’s place, and the need to retch sent you grappling at the back of a chair.

Hadn’t Joseki tried to warn you, tried to stop you? 

What if he had good reason?

Seas could not contain the blood that boy has shed.

No. It didn’t make sense — nothing made sense.

You had so many questions and no way to get them. Gaara had moved to protect you. A warm sense of comfort sat beside the gross feeling.

Gaara, kind, loving, his villagers loved him, his siblings loved him, he was kind to you, had kissed you — 

And yet, you couldn’t reconcile the murder you had seen in Gaara’s face, holding the man he was ready to kill (for you!!) in the air …

Dizzy, you steered yourself in a chair. 

It got Gaara’s attention. “Are you all right, (Y/n)?” 

You startled at the sound of his voice. “Ye — Yes, I’m fine …”

Gaara studied you. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No,” You lied, side sore and aching for Epsom salts.

“Are you sure?”

His voice was gentle. You looked up at him, noted the concern in his face, those lips you had kissed only hours ago. Looking into his eyes ignited a storm inside you. It shouldn’t have been possible to feel so much just by the mere sight of someone. 

Did you kill Hideo, Gaara?

“Yes.”

“We’re not staying,” Kankuro told the hotel owner. “We’re too vulnerable here. Too confined.”

“I understand,” the owner said. “If there’s anything I can do … Anything at all …”

The desert was quiet. The four of you were on your way back to Suna. The emergency tents from the carriages had been risen and now sat like tiny pyramids in the starry night.

You snuck away from yours, coming out from its flap into the chilly desert air, such a stark contrast to the heat during the day. Gaara’s tent sat adjacent to yours, a soft orange candlelight emanating from its slit. It was long into the night before Gaara’s shadow could no longer be seen flickering on the tent’s cloth walls. Somehow, he had found sleep.

You didn’t know what you were doing or why. Despite Gaara being the last person you should want to see, all you wanted was to be near him, as though the truth you couldn’t piece together would show on his face. 

Barefoot, you carried yourself toward Gaara’s tent. The breeze swept the hem of your robe. A flicker in your periphery startled you.

Chuuyou stood by your tent. He met your eye.

You froze.

He nodded to you and stared out into the desert, as though he had seen nothing.

A shared secret. Understanding.

He’s thinks I’m going to kill Gaara. A chill trickled your spine.

Something about Chuuyou’s reaction made the plan so … real. Others were waiting on you. They would act. What would happen after it was done? Would the Oasis ninja ambush the other tents, attempt to kill Temari and Kankuro? Would there be a full scale battle right in the middle of nowhere as your ninja stole you away and took you back to the village? The chill within rivaled the chill without.

You shook it off, attempted to chip away at the reality of it. We’re in the middle of the desert. It would be foolish to do it now — even if I was going to. Doesn’t he see that? You crept into Gaara’s tent. 

He slept on his slip of a bed on the floor, face peaceful in the candlelight. Quiet, save for the slight crunch of your bare feet on the sandy ground. 

How could he sleep after everything that had happened? A better question: what were you doing here? Did you want to talk to Gaara, hoping there would be some way you could bring up Hideo’s death without seeming suspicious, accusatory? But you had no plan, and he was asleep. And now here you were, standing over him in the night.

You remembered how Gaara had told you about his heavy sleeping. In another world, this would be the moment. You would simply slip the poison from the necklace into his mouth and be done with it. No more confusion. It would be done, your tight-roping act over and done with. 

You wouldn’t have to wonder anymore. A decision would have been made. You would just have to live with yourself. But could you live with yourself? 

The mental torture, and the desire to free yourself from it, sent your hand to your necklace. You trailed fingers to the back of it, to detach it.

You stood witness to his sleeping form. He slept the way he had when he was surrounded by his plants. How sweet his hobby was, how he had endeared himself to you. The statue of Karura. How gorgeous he was then, how gorgeous he was now … 

In your madness, Hideo’s voice morphed with your father’s: Do it. Avenge me. Avenge me.

You studied his face but found no answers there.

You leaned over him, as though the answers you sought after were an inch or so away —

“(Y/n)?”

You startled. Temari’s head had poked through the slit of the tent.

“What are you doing in here?”

You froze. In that moment, you knew exactly what it looked like: you, deviously bent over her baby brother, about to do only the gods knew what. Your mind spun for an excuse.

In that moment, you saw a slim change in Temari’s expression — Concern? Anger? Suspicion? 

Before it could change, Gaara roused. A groan rumbled in his throat. “What’s happened?” he asked groggily. 

He propped up. Your eyes flickered from him to Temari.

“I — I couldn’t sleep,” You said, not technically a lie. “I wanted to sleep with Gaara tonight.”

Gaara sat up in bed.

“What?” Temari was blushing.

“I’m … still so rattled by what happened …” You went on, using your actual nerves to amplify the effects of your lie-not-lie. I’m such a mess. “I’d feel safer if I …”

“That’s fine,” Gaara said.

“Gaara,” Temari said, scandalized. “Are — are you sure?”

“It makes sense that (Y/n) would be uncomfortable alone after what happened.” Gaara moved aside to make room for you on the futon. “We’ll be husband and wife soon enough as it is. It’s only natural we begin sleeping together.”

Gaara seemed to avoid your eye, the weight of the day’s events an uncomfortable one. As if on cue, you slipped into the futon to be beside him, making a mental side note of the warmth flooding you immediately after.

“Well —” Temari stammered. “A — All right. As long as …” She paused; considering what came after as was too horrifying to think about. “Good night!” 

You blushed; of course her mind would go to when she had found the two of you on the beach, the unspoken words to explain what you had been up to. She zipped the tent back up, leaving the two of you alone.

You laid down, exhaled a long breath. Gaara’s presence beside you was immense.

“I am … sorry,” he said. “For today. This is not how I wanted things to go.”

“It’s all right. I’m not as fragile as you think.” You balled a fist under the pillow. “I’m sure shinobi see far worse.”

“It’s no use comparing yourself to us; we are trained to face violence and be somewhat desensitized to it,” Gaara said. “I don’t expect you to be. Do you want to talk about it?”

This was the Gaara you had come to know, but what about the one from earlier? There were two Gaaras in your mind.

“No,” You assured softly. “I’m fine.”

“I understand …” You detected a bit of disappointment in Gaara’s voice. “Sleep now, then. We’ll be back in the village by the afternoon.”

You obeyed without meaning to. Exhaustion won out against your anxieties. The moment your eyes closed, you were asleep.

In the morning, you would wake up with your hand in Gaara’s, having reached for it in the night.

[dodgeballstuckonthegymceiling]

Hello! I'm going through a rough time right now and I was just wondering: can I request the ROTTMNT turtles x a S/O who has anxiety, depression and PTSD? How would they take care of a S/O whose depression spells make it hard for them to get out of bed, take care of themselves etc? Bonus if S/O is plus-sized/chubby and insecure about it.

Hope you feel better soon 💜

Raph Leo Donnie and Mikey x Reader with anxiety, depression and PTSD

Raphael

★ Oh lawd please let him help. He wants, no, he needs to help you. You are his s/o and he cares about you more than you think. Need a mental health day? He's coming over with sented candles and snacks.

★ Anything you need, he's going to give. If you are having one of those days where you feel you can't leave bed he will stay by your side so you don't feel alone. If he needs to leave your side he grabs a few of his favorite teddy bears and puts them on the bed where he was.

★ He's familiar with the concept of having body image issues but never once thought about you having them. Your body is perfect to him. It's soft and warm, ideal to lay down and cuddle with. What could be missing?

★ You are gorgeous. You're probably tired of hearing those words from well meaning people but to him it's true. In his eyes every single thing you see as a flaw is beautiful.

★ "How was your day?" Is asked every night when the two of you meet up. He genuinely wants to know how your day went and how you are feeling. If something went wrong of if you are stressed out about something you should vent.

Leonardo

★ When you start to open up to him about being insecure he is going to feal really bad. Mostly because he knows what it feels like and the idea that you feel the same hurts.

★ He is going to mess up at first, but he wants to help. He regularly sends you random body positivity photos and memes he finds online.

★ One of his go-to ideas for when you're feeling stressed out is to bring you on a walk around the hidden city and do a little sightseeing. Usually it works and you get your mind off whatever was bothering you.

★ PTSD attacks scared him at first, purely because he didn't know what to do. He felt really bad after he first saw you have one because he had to call his sister, April, to help. Later he went down a rabbit hole of googling and websites to know what to do next time.

★ Nowadays he is much more prepared, he knows a few grounding techniques to try and help you through PTSD attacks. He even put together a "emergency Y/n kit" filled with stuff for you. Among other things it's got gum, a soft blanket and some watter.

★ it's just a tote bag that sits in the corner of his room. It also has a few Lou jitsu movies on DVD to watch together.

Donatello

★ You have unlimited access to his room and lab for the sole reason that it's the quietest place in New York. It's definitely not because he worries about you and wants to give you a safe space. Not at all...

★ When you don't have the motivation to get up out of bed you get to have some very rare and valuable Donnie cuddles. Usually he would cuddle you for so long but you need this, so he does it for you.

★ He tries to gently bring up the subject of antidepressants, hoping that you might decide to try them. But in true Donnie fashion does it by saying "Did you know antidepressants affect two neurotransmitters in particular, serotonin and norepinephrine?" Yea, he ain't slick.

★ He would never force or pressure you into going on meds. If you say you don't want to go on them for whatever reason he accepts it and leaves it at that.

★ However, if you choose to he would go over the different types of medication. Lists off the side effects and benefits along with what they actually do. For gods sake, he might go through the process of drug compounding for you. No doctor prescription needed.

Michelangelo

★ Can't find the motivation to get out of bed? He's joining you and ends up clinging to you while asleep. He's only leaving the bed if you leave the bed.

★ However, neglecting your own health is where he draws the line. You are not allowed to neglect yourself (not bathing, eating enough or letting yourself to give up). Imagine him saying "open wide!" While holding a chicken nugget up to your mouth.

★ Venting session might do you some good. If you can't afford therapy (thanks American lack of public healthcare) he will pick up a book on phycology and try his best. He's not the world's best therapist/boyfriend but he's trying.

★ Over time you end up telling him a lot about where your PTSD came from. Mikey is really good at noticing things that upset you now. Along with that he researches the effects of mental illness, to try and know more about what you're going through.

[82mitsu]

{18Trip} Tidbit collection of producer, main director & scenario director interview with animate Times (story oriented)

Another rather long tidbit collection of my personal highlights from the 18TRIP interview from animate Times, featuring A3! producer Okita-san, main director Ishiguro-san and scenario director Fujii-san. 

This interview covers a lot of ground, but I selected the more story oriented parts to cover, due it being my own priority with 18TRIP.

These are paraphrased and not a direct translation, but I hope it will be interesting information either way!

Okita-san is in charge of supervision and general direction, he also has a hand in the scenario. Ishiguro-san is in charge of planning the game’s features, game design and system. Fujii-san is in charge of contents relating to the characters, and divides work with Okita-san relating to character plans and scenario plot. Fujii-san’s previous work was DREAM!ing where he took on a similar role, and Okita-san is the producer of A3 currently.

Context: DREAM!ing was a joseimuke mobile game by COLOPL. Inc. It went out of service in 2021. A3 is a joseimuke mobile game by LIBER, the same company as 18TRIP. 

The reason as to why Pony Canyon was chosen to develop the contents with (mainly events and music) is because it was a first thought that they’d be the most fitting. They also have a long working relationship and Okita-san knew the staff would have love for the contents. Pony Canyon itself also has a department focused around “area entertainment”, where it revolves bringing back life into local communities by working with contents and entertainment. Okita-san believes this also made Pony Canyon a good fit for 18TRIP as a kind of “regional revitalization project”. 

Context: Pony Canyon is a Japanese publisher and major lead in the music industry in Japan. It’s involved in a lot of anime and mixed media projects. 

The artist Oyo-sensei was both Okita-san and Fujii-san’s first pick for the art. Fujii-san was also passionately pushing the idea. As mentioned in the previous interview, Oyo-sensei was chosen due to their art style having a unisex appeal and talent for drawing backgrounds. Okita-san always imagined Oyo-sensei’s work for 18TRIP, so both of them are elated over how their first choice came true.

Yokohama was chosen as the main setting because it’s a place Okita-san is personally attached to. He has childhood memories from visiting Yokohama with his mother and going on short trips with his friends there. He thinks the accessibility is also nice, in addition to the atmosphere of being a port town and how the presence of Chinatown brings a different kind of color in your life. Yokohama is a place you can truly explore to your heart’s content, and he wanted to make it the main stage no matter what. The Nishi and Naka wards take the lead when it comes to sightseeing picks for Yokohama, but he wanted to make sure all 18 wards were included due each of them having their own charm. 

Okita-san’s personal pick for sightseeing in Yokohama is Zou-no-hana park, you can view many famous landmarks from there. The name means “Elephant’s nose”, which is fitting to how it’s pleasant to walk on the land stretching far out as if it’s an elephant’s nose.

18TRIP has 200 fully voiced stories, accessible at any point in time. Stories are divided as follows for all units: prologue, four chapters where it explores how each group is formed respectively, and epilogue. Further it’s divided by side A and side B, like a cassette tape. Side A has the members going on a study tour, where they face troubles and overcome them in the spirit of learning hospitality. It’s a feeling akin to a road movie, while side B is more about town revitalization. The cassette tape motif is also stretched further with how side A has the opening song, and side B the ending song. Including music videos. 

Context: A road movie is a film genre where characters leave home on a road trip, typically altering perspective from their everyday lives, as Wikipedia describes it. My first example would be Paul (2011), but I don’t ever watch movies so don’t take that as a recommendation.

The reason why something as cassette tapes is used, something from a bygone era, is to create a familiarity despite it being set in the modern future. Okita-san said it would feel rather alienating to have modern tech that was unfamiliar. Thus he relied on aspects we associate with the future today such as drones & holograms. In the setting of 18TRIP there’s a “Heisei Boom” for the nth time, thus retro stuff like pages and cassettes are trendy amongst the characters. Okita-san imagined that in a future where everything is convenient, people of the future might yearn for the novelty of inconvenient, analog devices.

Context: A western equivalent of a Heisei Boom would be the trend of y2k.

The following segment will cover Okita-san’s short summaries of each main group's story for their chapters.

Sun will R1ze!: This focuses on the Morning Squad. This group already starts out as mayor wards, a difference with the others. Each of them worked individually until the mysterious Murakumo Ten joined in and a unit was established. Each member has a profound emotional attachment to HAMA. However, as the main plot of the game goes, tourism in HAMA has been deteriorating. Their unit might be referring to morning but their story starts far away from dawn, eagerly waiting for morning to come. Renga has a complicated situation he can tell no one else about, and his growth will play a key point in this chapter. In terms of dynamics, Renga and Liguang, and then Kafka and Yukikaze both get on each other cases due to their own circumstances. With Ten’s easygoing aloof attitude being the cherry on top in terms of amusement. Okita-san hopes that you will be emotionally moved to laughter and tears from the relationships between these guys, which is described as everlasting sparks of fire.

Bitter Sweet Sixteen: This focuses on the Noon Squad, who are all highschool students. One night, there’s an incident where the old school building explodes, and the five people who happened to be there form a unit. A key point is why they were there during that explosion, and how it all falls into place once you come to know each of their circumstances. The focus lies on the identity of a 16 year old, the struggles of how you yet have to become “someone”, and the anguish held within your heart. Okita-san says that most players most likely experienced being 16, and hopes that you can experience the story as if you were back in the shoes of your 16 year old self. From the four stories, this one has a more “pop” & gag feeling to it. 

Chained Up Scarlet: This focuses on the Evening Squad, where all members are prisoners on a prison island surrounded by the ocean. The atmosphere is different here compared to the other stories, and the developments might be “hard” to read in terms of how the story is intertwined with other prison factions, Okita-san hopes it will be an enjoyable read nonetheless. By some strange turn of events, the prisoners are chosen to become idols for HAMA, with a natural backlash from the public. Besides being prisoners, the members all have one point in common: which is being scarred by the “scarlet sunset”. Okita-san wants you to pay attention to how these prisoners paint over their scars with their idol activities.

Designs of Happiness: This focuses on the Night Squad, and starts out with Ryui disappearing, and Toi asking you to go look for him. The leader’s disposition, Nagi, is far removed from being the one in charge. He’s more inclined to accept defeat when facing absurd situations. The story will focus on his growth as the leader. The story is also extravagant, in the way the timeline is messed up and has a challenging composition. Outside of the twins, the other members do not have a semblance of synergy with each other, but do share the common ground of “wondering what happiness is.” Okita-san hopes that each individual answer to that question will be something unforgettable to every reader.

Now a continuation of other bits of the interview.

As we know by now, the units are divided by the time of the day. Morning Squad functions as bringing dawn to HAMA who sunk to rock bottom, Noon Squad symbolizes youth in how bright the daytime can be, Evening Squad brings life to an ephemeral lonely dusk by putting on an idol live, and Night Squad serves as a beacon of light for anxious nights on the road.

All characters live in the “HAMA House”, a company dormitory that was formerly a Japanese inn (ryokan). There’s 24 people there total: all members, conductors, the player and the dog Shuumai. Each room is filled with personality and named after one of the Chinese zodiacs. The two persons' rooms are equally divided, but chaos arises with the three persons' rooms. An example of dorm dynamics: in Night Squad, the twins share a room with Netaro which leads to an unexpecting dynamic. The twins share a strong brotherly love with each other, and seeing Netaro get mixed up in the bubble these two create between each other is an interesting aspect. 

All of Night Squad’s have their own pet robots, due to each member running their own business. They serve as little helpers, and are even treated as friends or family. Robot pets are a common commodity for people who run a business, since they can be left in charge to run the store. Some people also like to have a pet robot. 

The rest of the interview is spent on the hospitality tower defense gameplay and various other system aspects. I personally covered all aspects that interested me enough to write it out like this, so I’m wrapping it up here.

If there’s demand, I’ll make another tidbit collection about the gameplay and system.

[monstrousproductions]

Episode 2 of Travelling Light is now live!

The Traveller makes an important choice and shows off their skills; but not before they do a little sightseeing for the archive...

Subscribe now Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your podcatcher of choice 🚀✨ Full transcript available here.

Travelling Light is an all-new science fantasy podcast. It follows the Traveller as they explore their galaxy, collecting stories from the people they meet and adding them to their community archives.

Every week our artist Matt McDyre (@diabeticspoon92) illustrates the episode’s archive entry, shown above. This week’s entry was based on an idea by Matt himself 😍 You can send in your own submissions via social media, by email, or through monstrousproductions.org.

If you're enjoying the show so far, the best way you can support us is by telling your friends. Leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts, and help us get the word out 💕

You can also help us keep the lights on at Monstrous HQ by supporting us at ko-fi.com/monstrousproductions. Whether you make a one-off donation or sign up to give a little every month, you'll be eligible to vote in the next audience decision, in Episode 4.

Everyone who supports us through Ko-Fi will also receive an invitation to the Monstrous Productions Discord server, and monthly members get access to annotated scripts and exclusive art work - including illustrations of the results of last week's audience vote, coming out tomorrow 🤩

Thanks so much for listening, and if you enjoyed this episode, remember to tell someone about it!

🚀✨ See you next week! ✨🚀

[the-peak-tmnt]

Asking a few people this! If the turtles weren't from New York, where would you like for them to live? What city or state or even country?

Whoa! I love this question!

Okay, so my choice is Los Angeles. I no longer live there, but it was my second home and I plan on moving back once my parents are gone. I was a transplant, though, so take all this with a grain of salt. Or maybe some lifelong/longtime locals can chime in and build off this!

The turtles traditionally travel around NYC via sewers and rooftops. LA is extremely spread out, though. It’s also a car city, and I think the turtles would embrace the car culture in a couple different ways.

First of all, I think we’d see a lot more of the turtles traveling like the boys did in the grocery shopping montage in Mutant Mayhem:

Lots of riding on cars in the dense LA traffic, luring under overpasses to hop a ride on the right truck, hopping over barriers along the shoulder, etc.

Secondly, I can see the turtles fixing up an old van like a 1970s/80s/90s Ford Econoline or Club Wagon or something similar as their turtle tank. I know the 87 series Party Wagon is based on a classic VW bus, but those are just too flashy and iconic for the boys to keep a low profile in modern LA. Whatever they had, it would need to look a little busted up to blend in!

That being said, I think it would be almost impossible for them to go completely unnoticed! I think they would end up in a sort of hybrid situation where they’re known to exist by Angelenos, but everyone outside of Los Angeles thinks they’re just some quirky LA urban legend. But for Angelenos, I think they’d be sort of like P-22 the mountain lion; something everyone knows is there, but only a lucky few ever actually see.

They might actually play this up by hitting up popular tourist attractions or local hotspots to let people catch a glimpse of them. Like they might swing by Griffith Observatory or Santa Monica Pier to psych people out like ‘holy shit did I really just see a turtle?!’ I think they'd get a kick out of it, and their need for secrecy wouldn't be taken as seriously as it is in most TMNT iterations because that matches the more chill vibes of LA.

I think even some locals would take advantage of this and start turtle sightseeing tours like they do celebrity sightseeing tours, and take tourists to places that the turtles have been spotted in the past. The boys might even work with some of these tours under the table and intentionally let themselves be spotted as a side hustle or something lol

Making the turtles Angelenos would also be perfect for way to play up their skateboarding hobby, because LA is a skateboarder’s paradise. There’s tons of skate parks which they’d probably be hitting up at night, but I could also see them taking advantage of the LA river and sketchier places only the most adventurous of humans try to skate.

If the turtles were Angelenos, I think they would be based in DTLA since that’s the best urban cover for them. It also gives them access to DTLA’s Metro, which would be the easiest way for them to get from DTLA to the greater Los Angeles area so they wouldn’t always have to rely on using the van.

I could keep going, but I think I’ll leave it here for now and maybe come back to this later!

[midnightshade]

🏮 𝐀 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 🏮 | Kenjaku's reaction to seeing you in lingerie

𖤐 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2,603

𖤐 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Female Reader, Reader has a pussy, Third-Person POV, not beta read, biting to draw blood, creampie, light choking, slight breeding kink

𖤐 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: N/A

𖤐 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

"I'll be back soon."

A lone woman walked through the streets of Tokyo, tucking her phone back into her pocket as the call ended. To anyone else on the street, she was a normal woman. In reality, she was anything but.

She was centuries old despite her youthful appearance, but then, this wasn't her original body. Coming from the Kamakura era, she had only managed to cheat death with the aid of one man.

Kenjaku.

Ever since the two of them met, she had been faithfully serving as his assistant. He liked her enough to continue bringing her back from death, using the bodies of others as suitable vessels.

It never bothered her, knowing that someone else had to die for her to come back. She refused to feel guilty about living and she was thankful to Kenjaku for the continued gift of life.

For centuries, she had been loyal to him, not out of obligation, but out of want. He made life interesting; she enjoyed his company.

She loved him.

Staying with Kenjaku, making him happy – It was enough for her.

The crowd carried her with them through the busy streets like the current of a river, and she allowed herself to be pulled along. She took the time to sightsee, looking around at all the different shops and stalls from clothing stores to arcades and food stands.

Occasionally, she would pop in and browse the selections, but none seemed to catch her eye today. . .except for one.

She stumbled over her own feet, nearly colliding with a man in front of her. Quickly regaining her balance, she pushed her way out of the crowd and towards the shop.

It was small and easy to miss, tucked away between two larger buildings. The face of the building was styled like a traditional Japanese minka house, and the sign was written in ink calligraphy, broadcasting its primary wares: lingerie.

The juxtaposition between this traditional style and the items being sold immediately piqued her interest. She stepped inside, finding the theming on the outside to be consistent with the interior. The shop was designed like a tea room, with clean tatami mats.

She took her shoes off, spotting a place to leave them before continuing inside. There were a variety of different mannequins dressed up in different styles of lingerie.

A worker spotted her, coming over to greet her and welcome her into the store with a polite bow. "Hello! May I help you today? Looking for anything in particular?"

As she examined the store, a mischievous idea began to form in her mind. She walked over to one of the mannequins, examining the high quality material it was dressed in.

"Yes, please. I would appreciate the help."

──────

An artificial night had fallen within Dagon's Domain. The ocean waves lapped at the shore, creating a tranquil atmosphere that stretched towards the Tiki Hut sitting just beyond the treeline.

The building was of modest make, containing only two bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a shower. Curses may not need to sleep or eat, but their human allies did.

One of whom stood within the master bedroom, adjusting her new outfit in front of a full-length mirror.

She admired her form, running her hands up her body and over the red rope that mapped itself across her skin. The lingerie was styled after shibari, made of soft threaded rope that allowed easy access to her bare chest and pussy.

The only thing keeping her modesty was a silken robe overtop, styled loosely after a yukata. It was black with a red floral pattern. Red lace adorned the front, along with red stitching on the seams.

This type of luxury was a rarity for her to indulge in, but it had been a while since she and Kenjaku did something like this. This was as much a surprise gift for him as it had been for her.

The thought of that made her heart skip a beat. Even after centuries spent at his side, it was still so easy to feel like a lovestruck teenager doing these types of things.

The ivory sheets felt cool to the touch as she climbed into the master bed. She closed her eyes, breathing out slowly as she moved her hands down her body, relaxing against the plush surface.

Kenjaku would be back any minute now. His face would be priceless, she was sure of it. She suppressed a giggle, imagining it, as her hands moved down to the in-between on her thighs.

Her giggles died down, turning into soft moans as she spread her folds apart with her fingers. Her cunt clenched around nothing and she bit her lip, already imagining Kenjaku on top of her.

"Fuck. . .Kenjaku," she moaned out, her now trembling fingers beginning to rub at her throbbing clit.

She dipped her fingers down, collecting some of the slick that was beginning to build as her arousal grew, but she didn't get far before she heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Kenjaku was home.

For a moment, she found herself conflicted. Should she stop now or should she keep going and let him watch?

Reluctantly, she pulled her hand away from her core, sitting up and adjusting her robe so that she was properly covered. Shs was just in time, as the door opened with a silent 'click' just as she finished adjusting her robe.

Kenjaku walked in through the bedroom door. Unlike usual, he was not wearing his Gojo-kesa, instead opting for a pair of black pants and a black shirt.

It's not like it mattered. The vessel he was in now, Suguru Geto, was more than handsome enough to pull off just about any look. Kenjaku's confidence always helped as well.

He paused in the doorway, his eyes immediately landing on her form, sprawled out seductively on the bed.

"Welcome home," she purred. Her voice was dripping in amusement as she watched Kenjaku. She would be lying if she said she didn't feel the slightest bit proud of herself for managing to catch him off guard.

Any trace of surprise was quickly wiped from his face, replaced with his typical self-assured smile that she'd come to love so much.

He walked over to the bed, his eyes never once leaving hers. He stopped in front of her, and his hand came to rest against her cheek. She closed her eyes, immediately leaning into his touch.

"Isn't this a pleasant surprise," he soothed. "What's the occasion?"

At his question, she chuckled and kissed his palm. "Do I need an occasion to surprise you? Maybe I just wanted to show my appreciation."

His hand moved down from her cheek to wrap around her throat. His grip was firm, but not enough to harm her. She gasped, pupils dilating as her skin prickled with anticipation.

He made her look at him, and she clenched her thighs together when she saw his gaze clouded with lust.

"Who am I to deny you, then? If you're so eager to offer yourself up to me, I think I'd like to unwrap my gift."

She breathed out, already feeling heady with anticipation. All she could manage was a small nod, which seemed to be enough as Kenjaku firmly pushed her back against the bed.

The bed sank as Kenjaku climbed into bed with her, not bothering with his own clothing as he loomed over her. He leaned down to catch her lips in a kiss, squeezing a little more firmly as he did.

Kissing Kenjaku was always an event. Whether he was being rough or slow, his kisses were always hungry and filled with passion. He bit at her bottom lip, hard enough to draw blood. The sting of pain was welcome, and she opened her mouth to him, allowing his tongue to slip inside her mouth without argument.

As Kenjaku kissed her, his hands began to roam up and down her body, feeling the lace of her robe and groping at her tits through the fabric. She held his face in her palms as she kissed him back with equal passion, moaning even as she tasted her own blood. She nipped playfully at his tongue, arching her back to be closer to him.

Kenjaku began to grind himself against her, and she could feel how hard he was getting already just by kissing her. Feeling coy, she removed one of her hands from his face, rubbing at his clothed erection.

He growled against her lips, breaking the kiss. He stared down at her, lips bruised and bleeding from his bite. His own cheeks were flushed slightly.

He grabbed her wrist, pulling it away from his aching cock. When she whined, he grinned down at her.

"Needy, aren't we? You never were very patient," he teased

She pouted at the accusation. "You're not much better right now. You look like you're about to cum in your pants."

Kenjaku laughed, releasing her wrist. "Maybe we're both a little pent up. These last few weeks have been busy."

He wasn't wrong. With their plans finally so close to starting, the last several weeks had been a whirlwind of activity just ensuring everything would run smoothly. It was as exciting as it was stressful.

They hardly had a moment to themselves anymore.

Her gaze softened slightly as she sat up, reaching to kiss the stitches along his forehead. No matter what body he was in, she only loved him.

"Then use me however you'd like tonight," she whispered, pressing more gentle kisses against the stitching.

Kenjaku shivered at her touch, suppressing a breathy moan. His stitches were always a sensitive spot for him, and the offer of doing whatever he wanted was just too good. His dick throbbed painfully in anticipation.

His eyes immediately went back to her robe, admiring the outfit as he traced the red lace. "This suits you. You should dress like this more often."

She smiled at the compliment, directing his hand to the sash that kept the robe closed. "You haven't even seen the actual outfit yet. I picked it out just for you."

Kenjaku moved her back against the bed, letting her settle down before he finally pulled the knot. He opened the robe, admiring the sight laid out before him.

"Beautiful," he groaned, tracing his hand over her bare skin. He watched as her skin prickled under his touch, as if every cell in her body rose with anticipation to be touched by him.

He looked down, seeing her petals were dripping with her arousal and her cunt was clenching around nothing, desperate to be fucked.

She looked up at him in anticipation, but before Kenjaku gave her what she wanted, he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it off, exposing his muscular chest. The X-shaped scar across his Vessel's chest always caught her eye, and she couldn't help but to reach up and trace it.

Kenjaku hummed at the touch, allowing her to smooth her hand over his skin while he pulled his cock free from the confines of his pants. He sighed in relief as his dick sprung loose, hard and throbbing.

Suguru's body certainly didn't disappoint. The man was a work of art; lithe and muscular like a wild cat with that long, silky black hair she could spend hours playing with. His cock was long and thick, curving gently up with a supple head.

"You really are needy," she teased, watching as pearls of pre-cum dripped down the side of his shaft.

"You're no better," he responded, quickly folding her legs back as he mounted her.

She felt his cockhead nudge against her entrance and she relaxed, feeling him begin to push his way inside of her. Both of them groaned as he slotted himself inside, her velvety soft walls gripping his shaft and sucking him in deeper.

His pelvis met her own when he finally sheathed himself fully inside. Time stood still as they savored this moment, adjusting to the blissful embrace of each other's bodies.

"You always feel so good for me," he said, leaning in and pressing his forehead against hers. "No matter what vessel. This pussy of yours takes me so well."

She grinned shakily, pecking at his lips. "So glad I can make myself useful."

As Kenjaku began to rock his hips, starting a steady rhythm, he hummed and closed his eyes, savoring each blissful drag of her walls against his cock.

"No one else," he muttered, his voice trailing off as he failed to finish the thought, choosing instead to focus on kissing and nipping at her jaw.

She moaned as he began to fuck into her, the room quickly filling with the sounds of skin slapping against skin. Her thoughts began to grow fuzzy, lost in the feelings of pleasure he was giving her.

Kenjaku's expression was beautiful, and it struck her that she was the only one lucky enough to see him like this regularly. Mouth parted, eyebrows furrowed, and his pale face dusted a pretty shade of pink.

She would gladly sacrifice her body to him like this any time he asked. This was all she wanted in return – to bring him pleasure and comfort.

Kenjaku's hands held her thighs back against her chest as he properly mounted her, getting more aggressive with his thrusts as his pleasure began to climb.

He smothered her cries with a hungry kiss, forcing his tongue back inside her mouth as he began to jackhammer his hips into hers. His touch was no longer just firm, it was rough.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, gasping into his mouth as his dick throbbed deep inside of her, desperate to fill her with his seed.

His fat cockhead pounded against her cervix as he violently bucked into her, his hips colliding with hers and leaving bruises, proof of his love for her.

Kenjaku's fat balls smacked rhythmically with his thrusts, each time sending sparks of pleasure careening through his body. He moaned, grinding into her with every thrust.

"I should have put a baby in you years ago," he panted against her lips. "I'll have to make up for lost time."

She clenched hard around his shaft, gasping in delight at the thought. Her nails dug into his back as she cried out. "Please! Kenjaku, please. Don't pull out."

He grinned, moving one hand away from her thigh to pull her hair, forcing her to bare her throat. He bit down harshly, leaving a mark as he growled out, "Everyone will know you're mine."

The pleasure reached a fever pitch as they both reached their climax. Her body locked and spasmed as she pulsed around him, sucking him in deeper. Kenjaku breathed in sharply, emptying his balls deep inside of her.

She could feel his dick twitching with every pulse, painting her insides white, and for several moments, they stayed like that, enjoying the comfort of each other's bodies.

When Kenjaku finally let her thighs down, she collapsed onto the bed, totally spent. Her chest heaved with effort, but her entire body felt heavy and relaxed.

Kenjaku didn't pull out, instead opting to pull her on top of him as he laid back against the cool sheets. He pressed soft kisses against her face, petting her hair as he basked in the afterglow.

He rubbed his hand down her back, taking another opportunity to admire the lingerie she had gotten just for him.

He smiled, pulling her closer as she began to drift off, his cock still snuggly slotted inside of her.

"Thank you for this gift."

©Midnightshade. All rights reserved. Do NOT repost, reupload, or modify my works. Do not translate my works, do not link to them or recommend them on other websites, and do not use them for AI training

[hunieday]

Oogami Banri 2024 RabbiTV - Episode 1 : A travel Guide

Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3

Please note that I am not a professional translator and I'm only doing this to share the side materials to those who cannot access them, if you notice any mistakes please let me know nicely. Enjoy!

(Cut to the i7 Dorms)

Nanase Riku: Manager is here~!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you for your hard work, everyone! Sorry for the intrusion…!

Nikaido Yamato: Oh, there you are. Good work, Manager.

Izumi Mitsuki: Thanks for your hard work! Sorry for calling you here out of the blue! We just wanted to discuss something we can’t really talk about at the office.

Takanashi Tsumugi: Don’t worry about it at all…! You’re holding a meeting about Banri-san’s thing, right?

Rokuya Nagi: YES! It’s an important meeting to celebrate Banri’s birthday!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yaay! Our Ban-chan!

Osaka Sougo: We’re thinking of offering him a one-day tour of Atami this time.

Nanase Riku: We were lucky to work on the "OFF/Travel @ SHIZUOKA" project since it’s such a wonderful city, so we were hoping Banri-san would experience its charm too!

Izumi Iori: It would be difficult to tour all of Shizuoka after all, so we’re planning the tour around the  Atami area since it’s easier to go through. 

Takanashi Tsumugi: So you all came up with an original tour plan! That’s wonderful…!

Nikaido Yamato: And we have this thing over here.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Ta-daa! Our original travel guide!

Izumi Mitsuki: We made the entire thing by hand!

Rokuya Nagi: King Pudding and Kinako are dressed up in OFF/travel fits on the cover!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Wow! I-I want one…!

Izumi Iori: Everyone contributed to the illustrations of the guide. We plan to make a few copies, so we’ll give one to you as well.

Yotsuba Tamaki: I supervised Sou-chan’s drawings so I don’t think they’ll freak Ban-chan out!

Osaka Sougo: Tamaki-sensei gave me some guidance.

Rokuya Nagi: And the person who drew this Kokona over here, is actually me.

Nikaido Yamato: Yeah, we could tell without asking I think.

Nanase Riku: We also made a schedule together! I thought we could add a few more detours but…

Izumi Iori: Your suggestions were way too inefficient. If we walk for more than 30 minutes between every stop, we won’t have time to do any sightseeing. And Nagi-san keeps suggesting taking taxis for every trip…

Rokuya Nagi: Of course! Japan is still hot even in September.

Osaka Sougo: As you can see, Iori-kun was supervising the schedule.

Izumi Mitsuki: By the way, the gourmet food selection was supervised by Yamato-san! He compiled all the delicious things we ate in Atami.

Nikaido Yamato: Well, Banri-san likes Japanese food so we have similar tastes. Mitsu and Tama were a big help with the sweets stuff.

Yotsuba Tamaki: All thanks to Mikki!

Izumi Mitsuki: You did well, Tamaki!

Nanase Riku: And the highlight of the trip!

IDOLiSH7: The Atami Seaside Fireworks Festival!

Takanashi Tsumugi: A fireworks festival…! Isn’t that amazing? They hold it more than ten times a year…!

Nanase Riku: That’s right! And not just during summer! We want Banri-san to finish a day of sightseeing by watching the fireworks!

Izumi Iori: I watched a video about the festival, and the way the fireworks reflected on the sea was beautiful. I think it’ll be even more impressive in person.

Rokuya Nagi: Please take lots of photos. We’re looking forward to hearing all about it.

Takanashi Tsumugi: Right, I’ll ask Banri-san about it!

Nikaido Yamato: No, no. We’re asking you, Manager.

Osaka Sougo: Could you please take a look at the participant list here?

Takanashi Tsumugi: Huh…? 

Takanashi Tsumugi: Banri-san and… me and the other agencies’ managers…!?

Izumi Mitsuki: I’m sure Banri-san would feel too reserved going alone, so the president decided to make this the annual manager’s trip too!

Takanashi Tsumugi: The president…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yup! Then we asked the other managers via rabbitchat and everyone was on board to help out!

Osaka Sougo: I was in charge of supervising the messages sent to the senior managers just in case.

Rokuya Nagi: There sure are a lot of supervisors!

Nanase Riku: Everyone just wants to express their thanks to their hard working managers! They even helped us a little bit with the guidebook.

Izumi Iori: That’s why we want you all to have fun and take it easy. (1)

Nikaido Yamato: Go eat lots of delicious food!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you so much! I’ll take you up on the offer and enjoy Atami to the fullest…!

(Cut to Trigger’s Apartment)

Anesagi Kaoru: …And that concludes our meeting. Thanks for the tea. I’ll come back and pick you up again tomorrow!

Yaotome Gaku: Wait, Anesagi! We didn’t invite you here just to drink tea!

Kujo Tenn: Actually, we have a request for you, Anesagi-san.

Anesagi Kaoru: A request from you guys…? That’s unusual.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Anesagi-san, please go on a trip to Atami during your next day off!

Anesagi Kaoru: Huh!? Atami!?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: The IDOLiSH7 members are planning a celebration for Banri-san’s birthday, and they suggested turning the relaxing trip into an annual retreat for all the managers!

Kujo Tenn: You haven’t been able to take a break recently, right? This is the perfect opportunity to relax and refresh your soul.

Yaotome Gaku: We even made guidebooks! We worked on them with the IDOLiSH7 guys. Look at the souvenir page here.

Kujo Tenn: I included a section on hot spring water skincare products that looked appealing.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Your skin’s already beautiful Anesagi-san, but it could become even more radiant!

Anesagi Kaoru: Oh,you! You say such sweet things. Those skincare products sound great too…

Anesagi Kaoru: Wait. Oh my god…! Nagi-kun drew something too!

Yaotome Gaku: How do you even know that…?

Kujo Tenn: Hehe, who knows?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: So, what do you say?! You’ll go, right?

Anesagi Kaoru: …Well, since you went through all this trouble to plan this… I guess I’ll go to Atami!

Yaotome Gaku: That’s the spirit!

Kujo Tenn: That’s a relief. Gaku and Ryuu have been itching to tell you ever since this trip has been decided.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Y-You think so!?

Yaotome Gaku: No I didn’t!?

Kujo Tenn: Yes you did. In fact, you kept saying “Atami” so much that you started having nonsensical conversations, like whether or not a hot sea even exists. Well it probably depends on the temperature outside.

Yaotome Gaku: Because the thought of you watching the awesome Atami fireworks made me so happy!

Anesagi Kaoru: Fireworks?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: That’s right! Anesagi-san, the other day you mentioned that you wanted to go to a fireworks festival after hearing them in the distance on your way home, right?

Kujo Tenn: The moment we heard about the fireworks setting off over the sea, we knew we definitely wanted to show that sight to you.

Anesagi Kaoru: That was just a random passing comment I made… But you guys actually remembered.

Yaotome Gaku: Of course! We’re talking about our precious manager here after all.

Kujo Tenn: We want to see your smiling face as well, Anesagi-san.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: You always put us first, so please let us fulfill your wish!

Anesagi Kaoru: You silly boys. It’s not about putting you first or not. It’s my pleasure to support you!

Anesagi Kaoru: …But, thank you. I’m gonna enjoy my trip to Atami to the fullest!

(Cut to Okazaki Agency)

Momo: Dan-dan-dada-dun-dan♪

Yuki: Dadadadadandan-dan♪

Okazaki Rintaro: What’s up with your singing? You’re in a good mood today.

Okazaki Rinto: Isn’t that the song they play at award ceremonies? And is Momo-kun holding what looks like a piece of paper…?

Okazaki Rintaro: So that’s what it is! A ceremony to honor my great achievements, huh? You can be cute sometimes.

Okazaki Rintaro: Well then, what kind of award will you give me? “Hottest president”? “Most amazing president”?

Yuki: There sure are some randos in this sacred award ceremony.

Okazaki Rintaro: Don’t call your president a rando.

Momo: Sorry Prez, it’s Okarin’s award ceremony this time!

Momo: Ta-da! Thanks for your hard work, Okarin! We’re giving you the “World’s best Manager Award”!

Yuki: And your prize for winning this award is a one day tour to Atami. Here’s your guide book.

Okazaki Rinto: Huh!? What award and what kind of prize is this!?

Momo: Haha, you look surprised! Well to summarize, you’re the best for always supporting us! And in return we are gifting you a trip to Atami to show our gratitude!

Yuki: Okarin, thank you for everything.

Momo: Please give us an acceptance speech!

Okazaki Rinto: A-An acceptance speech!? 

Okazaki Rinto: Uhhh… Well, I’m very honored to receive such an award. Thank you very much. I will continue to support Re:vale from here on!!

Yuki: Woo! Okarin!

Momo: Look this way!

Okazaki Rinto: Oh, thank you, thank you… Wait a sec, what do you mean by a trip!? And this adorable travel guide…!

Yuki: IDOLiSH7 is planning a trip for Ban’s birthday this year as well, and they suggested making it a tradition for all the managers to go on a vacation trip.

Yuki: Momo and I also helped make the travel guide book.

Momo: Yuki and I put together a list of food that’s easy on the stomach!

Yuki: We already asked Rintaro to make sure you have the day off.

Okazaki Rinto: The president knew about this!?

Okazaki Rintaro: Well yeah. These two really insisted on it. I can’t say no to Re:vale can I?

Yuki: We casually mentioned it on rabbitchat that’s all.

Momo: Okarin, have a blast in Atami!

Yuki: Don’t think about work that day.

Okazaki Rinto: T-thank you so much…! I’ll bring back lots of souvenirs from Atami!

(ŹOOĻ Waiting Room)

Inumaru Touma: Utsugi-san said he’s gonna be a little late since there’s something he needs to confirm with the director.

Natsume Minami, Isumi Haruka & Mido Torao: …Sigh…

Inumaru Touma: Huh. Why the long faces!?

Inumaru Touma: Aren’t you gonna tell Utsugi-san about the Atami trip? Look, the travel guide we just finished is right here!

Isumi Haruka: I thought it’d be great to make the managers' trip a regular thing…

Isumi Haruka: But when you really think about it, isn't it a bit questionable for us to decide their vacations without asking?

Mido Torao: Like they might have other plans...

Natsume Minami: Or they might prefer mountain food over seafood…

Inumaru Touma: Well, I get what you mean. Why don’t we tell him the gist of it first and ask if he’s interested in going?

Natsume Minami: But it could make it hard for him to refuse if we ask.

Isumi Haruka: And we wanna surprise Utsugi-san if possible anyways.

Mido Torao: I think he’d appreciate it more if we surprised him.

Inumaru Touma: Make up your minds already!

(Door opens)

Utsugi Shiro: Sorry for the wait. The meeting’s over.

Utsugi Shiro: ...Erm, why do you all look so serious? Did you not like the snacks I bought for you?!

Natsume Minami: No, the dorayaki was delectable.

Mido Torao: The sweetness of the red bean paste was just right.

Utsugi Shiro: Then what’s going on…

Isumi Haruka: L-Listen. The thing is, IDOLiSH7 is planning a trip to Atami to celebrate MEZZO”’s manager’s birthday…

Natsume Minami: And so, they suggested combining it with a trip for all the managers as well.

Mido Torao: Last year’s trip looked like it was a great way for you to refresh, so we wanted you to go this time too.

Inumaru Touma: Here’s the travel guide! We helped make it too.

Utsugi Shiro: Atami!? A travel guide…!? Wait a second, you want me to go on this trip?

Isumi Haruka: Ah… was this too sudden and unpleasant after all?

Utsugi Shiro: Not at all…! On the contrary! I’m so happy that you all prepared such a wonderful surprise for me!

Inumaru Touma: Hehe. That’s great guys! Just now everyone was worried about whether or not you’d like it.

Mido Torao: Well, I knew you’d be happy with it.

Natsume Minami: And seafood is delicious.

Isumi Haruka: And the seaside suits Utsugi-san.

Utsugi Shiro: Thank you, I’m so happy! Which part of the travel guide did you guys work on?

Mido Torao: This part. We recommended the best spots to view the fireworks and food stalls.

Natsume Minami: We put a lot of effort into it, so please take your time reading through it later.

Isumi Haruka: Make sure to share lots of photos in the rabbitchat!

Inumaru Touma: We’re looking forward to hearing your stories!

Utsugi Shiro: Yes…! I’ll enjoy Atami while following the guide!

(End of Episode 1)

Iori originally says “羽を伸ばしてきてください”  (stretch one’s wings), which is a polite metaphor to suggest someone relaxes and takes a break. I have no idea if it’s intentional, but I think if it is then it’s a pretty clever reference to Silver Sky (the Re:vale song named after Banri’s character color that has bird imagery in both its cover and lyrics). (that or im just insane)(sorry)

[pettypuppy-jonghyun]

Little Old Library|Seungmin

Summary: bf!Seungmin takes you on a walk to see one the biggest historical libraries

Notes: I'm sorry if the information is a little off, I've never been to Dublin before😅

Warnings: I've literally never written a full Seungmin fic before I am so sorry

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Take a walk with me."

You look up at the sound of your lover's voice, head cocking to the side ever so slightly. "A walk?" You bemused.

Seungmin nods, hand reaching out to yours to lift you off the couch. He could understand your hesitancy, as you had done plenty of walking the days prior. You declared just yesterday evening that you were officially done walking the area, tired and sore from not packing the right shoes. Now, he offers to go again, unprompted.

He grabbed his long brown coat, draping it carefully over his shoulders before doing the same to yours. Satisfied, he took your hand and led you down the black spiral stairs and out of the motel. The once-foreign town was becoming familiar with each passing day of your vacation. Every tourist attraction was nearby and accessible by foot. The long rows and rows of apartments and businesses in brown buildings was what made the walk worth it. Eventually, you came across a bus that led you to the needed destination.

Seungmin walked hand in hand with you, adjusting the black bag on his shoulders after exiting the bus. "We are here!"

You look around for signs, a little bewildered at the large building before you. "Where are we?"

Although this location wasn't on your list of to-dos, Seungmin's encouragement to check it out was hard to ignore. He tugs you along silently, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. He paused his movements upon getting closer to the large tower before him.

"Wow, this is beautiful!" Your eyes couldn't help but wander around, not recognizing anything. The old tower with a dome-shape top bore a gilded cross and articulate designs all over. The design was meant for a bell tower, now an arch many people were underneath to cross sections of the land.

"This is the Campanile," your boyfriend explains softly, watching you with light eyes as you look around. "A bell tower made in 1853. It's part of the Trinity College; the buildings are just on the other side."

Impressed with the sudden overflow of knowledge, you send a smirk his way. "Look who decided to do research beforehand," you teased, patting the lips of his jacket against his chest.

Seungmin rolled his eyes with a tsk. "If I didn't tell you any of this, you'd wonder why we're here."

Surprised to know there was more to anticipate, you followed closely behind him as he began to move forward again. You couldn't help but be in awe of your surroundings, the historical buildings designed so intricately you could see it from far away. There was many others stopping to snap photos, probably none knowing nearly the same amount of information your boyfriend did of the landmark.

Finally, after small stops to sightsee different rooms, he took you into the place he truly wanted you to see. He warned you ahead, hoping to prepare your heart, that pictures could never describe the feeling of it in person. And while he didn't mind taking photos with you before, he wanted you to enjoy the sight you were about to see.

"You're so dramatic," you laugh at him, rolling your eyes. "What could possibly be so amazing-oh my God."

Your words stopped in your mouth upon the sight of the large room. Rows and rows, shelves upon shelves, all stacked with neatly placed books. The hallway lined with signs to signafy where to go in case one got lost in the maze-like building. A library so large, a bookworm would never leave.

Seungmin happily watched the sparkle glow in your eyes. "This is only part of it," he informs you with a smile. "But it's the largest. 'The Long Room in the Old Library'."

"How did you find something so amazing?" You gasped in excitement, unsure where you land your eyes first. The overwhelming feeling of the large arches towering over you, hallway after hallway filled to the brim with books, had you near tears of joy.

He followed behind you as you went to the left side first, softly gazing at you with pride. Min was proud to make you so thrilled to see the library, feeling as if he accomplished something huge. Although aware you weren't willing to do anything on the last day of your vacation, he just knew he'd regret it if he didn't drag you there. Seeing you smile so brightly, calling him over to your side to see the books together, his heart warmed.

"These books must be a million years old!" You gasped.

"Something like that," he agrees. "They have copies of all works published in Ireland. Dating back to like, 1801."

Your eyes widened. "That's insane." After a moment to sink in the information, you glanced at your lover from the corner of your eye. "Is this why you stayed up so late last night?"

A sudden sheepish look skimmed across his features. "No," he lies, tearing his gaze from yours. He clears his throat, attempting to move to a new section of books to change your attention.

After a moment, the two of you began to hold hands again to stroll down the hallway with interest. Seungmin played with your fingers occasionally, finding it soothing to have you right there beside him at all times. The pride that bubbled in his chest didn't go away, even during that evening when you both lied in bed and settled down for the next day. It stayed there, simmering alongside the content your smile made his heart.