#anywho. tada

[syncrovoid-presents]

Chapter 15 - The Consequence of Imagination's Fear

Hello all! I have finally released the next chapter of The Consequence of Imagination's Fear. It's almost twice as long as some of the other chapters haha. Please enjoy!! @:D

[21consecutivebattles]

Little wip for something I’m working on. I thought this was a really funny bit but anywho tada!

[fiyaerrigan]

Re: this post

"Reply with an emoji and I'll dedicate a post to the corresponding fic! [...] Don't feel like typing in an emoji? Just type in what the emoji represents and I'll count that as the emoji! Searching for emojis can be a pain in the ass, so no worries if you'd rather not! <3"

❓️(Mystery/Surprise Fic! probably rated M) (more specifics to be revealed)

@dreaming-marchling

Have a little bit of Buck Having a Time™ in the hospital. It's not nearly whumpy enough to meet my "put blorbo in a jar and shake vigorously" sensibilities, but here you go!

(⚠CONTENT WARNING⚠ for medical setting, implied shitty behavior and referenced trauma)

Buck had gotten used to hospitals—both from time on the job and personal experience. He was accustomed to their weird sterile smells and rotating menageries of staff: from doctors who showed up once in a blue moon, to nurses who were way too comfortable in his personal space, to doctors and nurses and the occasional lab tech who were somehow relatable because they too were running on two hours’ sleep and fifteen hours’ wakefulness; Buck had seen everything E.R. chaos had to offer. Or at least he thought he had, until Doctor Fitzsimmons returned with somebody else. The sight of yet another lab coat piqued Buck’s interest—what could be going on that they needed to bring a whole new doctor in the mix? To someone else, the sight of two doctors striding in the room with absolutely no preamble might have been cause for concern. For Buck, though, it was different. He was practically a seasoned vet when it came to medical settings and scary experiences. He’d learned long ago—maybe somewhere between the first broken arm and the sixth hour spent waiting for his parents—to replace any fear he felt with curiosity, just for the sake of making it through his visit. So Buck was curious, then, that a new doctor had tagged along. He was curious when Fitzsimmons shared a glance with said doctor and scurried past her like he swallowed something bad and the computer was a trashcan from heaven. He was curious when he began clicking around at various windows and continued to look constipated, all without looking Buck’s way for even a second. Eddie coughed loudly. “You know, I wasn’t expecting company,” Buck said, trying for nonchalance. He shot his most winning grin in Fitzsimmons’ direction. “Lemme guess: you saw I brought my friend and got jealous. No worries, Doc.” Here, he laughed, hoping to come off easygoing as he leaned back on the hospital bed— “I totally understand.”

Anywho *throws confetti* ...tada?

If you aren't @dreaming-marchling that means I haven't relentlessly harassed messaged you about this fic and you only know the stuff I've mentioned in descriptions, but *puts on Oliver Stark hat* here's some more vagueness I can throw your way: this fic features one of BT fandom's post-8x06 fixations! (see tags)

I can't control what people choose to read on the internet, but it *WILL* also focus on several heavy topics that aren't suited for young readers, so 🤷 if that applies to you, please for the love of god don't read?

With that in mind, if that doesn't apply to you and you want to be put on a tag list for this fic, let me know by dropping a like! Always happy to hear any thoughts people might have, including constructive criticism! If you want to say anything at all, use the reply box to your heart's content <3

[lightofunova]

(@idolmelodies) Magpie approaches Reshi with a bright grin on her face, chirping out a mirthful greeting when she stops in front of her. Her hands are held behind her back and she rocks on her feet, barely giving any time for a greeting in return.

"Howdy! We met at the Gala, yes? Though I don't remember exchanging names-- sorry, I tend to forget to do that. You can call me Magpie!" she starts, "Anywho, I want to thank you for hosting this sleepover! It's been a very enjoyable experience so far. And I also want to give you this!"

Gently grabbing one of Reshi's hands to turn it palm up, Magpie drops a bracelet into it, the peice of jewelry landing with a satisfying clink.

"Tada!! It's a friendship bracelet! I made this one back at home, but hopefully that doesn't disappoint you!" She points to the pale circular beads, rolling one against Reshi's hand absent-mindedly. "I had gotten real pearl beads to craft yours and I didn't want to lose them before getting here."

She finally lets Reshi's hand go, bringing her own together neatly in front of her. "I hope you like it! I chose to use the sunflower charm because it reminded me of you! Fitting, no?"

She easily recognized the small meloetta, vividly reminiscing on their brief encounter at the gala. Reshi wiped her eyes, trying hard not to let her emotions spill over, a laugh escaping her in a clumsy fashion.

“Gosh, I-…I don’t know what to say…” She started once more, slipping the bracelet onto her hand. The pearls shimmered brightly in the moonlight. “You’re craftmanship knows no bounds…” Admiring the small minerals for a moment, a soft smile crept onto her face. She needed to return the favor.

A hot white flame burst in her palms, flittering away into sparks to reveal a gold etched bracelet with pastel porcelain adornments embedded within the metal. Placing the bracelet into Magpie’s hands, she gave her a warm grin.

“I might not have made this myself, however I do hope that it represents a new friendship between us.” She added.

[shalomniscient]

psst sev!!…..guess who *drumroll* TADA ITS 🕯️ ANON!

but fr tysm for being so quick with my asks/req sjahag and honestly you lowk inspired me to start writing again LMAO so ty for that <3 but dw you’ll be seeing more of me soon!

OMGGG HELLO !! HI !!! GREETINGS !!!! THE PRESIDENT OF DEREN NATION !!!!! im so honored u feel comfortable enough to come off anon AND that EYE inspired u to start writing again 🥺🥺🥺 like that’s SAUR crazy considering 75% of my work is deranged hornyposting LAHGDSKKSKSJD

anywho glad to have u here !! i’ll be looking forward to your works when they drop <333

[jestersdlc]

...I really need to figure out how to write stuff in the description for copyrights....idk how >_<

Anywho...

TADA

A silly lil StarBoy Au animatic!!!! Cause seemed fun :3

[revenantghost]

Tada kitties again! I wasn’t actually gonna go into the shelter today since I had a doctors appointment but they rescheduled it out from under me an hour before and didn’t tell me :/

Anywho Jasper was super in love with the sound of rain hitting the window he was in and posed for some very nice photos and I actually didn’t get the one at the bottoms name but she’s super cute and sweet!

BOOOOO I hate when doctors do that, how dar ):< But I am ALWAYS stoked to see kitties!!! OH MY GOODNESS WHAT BEAUTIFUL BABIES!!!!!! They look so lovely and softe... I want to touch

In return, I have a Jasper too!!! He is a weird little cuddly himbo with no brain cells and I love him; we mostly call him Jaz/Jazzy :3

[never-not-ever]

Yes I made an iced vanilla latte at 10:30pm 🤷🏻‍♀️ (it's now 11:30, but I started this post an hour ago 😅). But it’s some instant Maxwell coffee packet which I keep meaning to google to see if there's even any caffeine in these (about 60ish hmmm). I remember last year I was hooked on these when I was inpatient.

Also these are my current nails. Hard to tell in the photo but it's supposed to be a sparkly dark purple. On my other hand it's the opposite. So white on my index and middle finger. I just did these last Wednesday and normally I give them at least two weeks but I have this new Christmasy set I found at T.J. Maxx that I really want to put on...

The green looks a lot darker in person. I guess I'll make this a silly little useless ramble post about nails....

So I've been using nail strips, specifically Dashing Diva for about two years now and I'm still so obsessed. Even during my 10 months inpatient every couple weeks I'd do my nails. It was always a nice little self care.

I used to get acrylics done every 2 weeks with my ex best friend all the time. I'd always tell my nail lady that I had to get acrylics, that my nails were too thin and frail and to be honest they were. But she'd always tell me I hd to just give my natural nails a chance.

I eventually switched to gel and then to dip. When I moved out of my childhood home and had to start paying rent and bills like an Adult ™️ I figured I needed to start saving money and stopped getting my nails done and nails were in the worst shape. It was such a painful transition especially because I worked with my hands in the florist and they were constantly getting wet watering plants and such.

Anywho I'd occasionally get my nails done for weddings but that was it. Fast forward a couple years later, I went to a wedding and tried Color Street nail strips and they were great for the night but they peeled off and didn't last long. But I loved the quick application process and how nice they looked right away. So then I ventured out and tried Dashing Diva and I've been hooked ever since. It's been two years I think.

Like I said they last me about two weeks but I could probably stretch it to three. For anyone who doesn't know, they're a flimsy strip that sticks to your nail and you can file off the excess but over time I've found that using nail clippers works best. Which is why I like to wait at least two weeks cause then it works out that I'm like trimming my nails and cutting off the excess at the same time.

I've ordered from their site where it's priced from like $7-$10 depending on designs but T.J. Maxx and Marshall's always has them for like $5 which is such a steal! Target and Walmart have them too. They also have a nail strip that hardens with a UV lamp and they have press on nails too. I honestly love this brand so much.

They have about 30ish different sizes and it's supposed to be simple that you just find one that fits your nail bed and tada! But about a year ago I started becoming very picky and using nail scissors and trimming it to fit my nail even better. What started out as a quick 10-15 minute process can now take me over an hour lol.

When I was inpatient in the beginning I had to resort back to just matching it as best as I could but then over time I was able to sign out my nail scissors which to be quite honest I am SHOCKED they let me sign out, even during art because those things are sharp as fuck but I wasn't complaining lol.

Anywho maybe I can look back and find some old favorite sets of mine...

Ughhhh that was from 2 years ago and I've never been able to find that set again!! It was one of my favs... Fun little fact.. There's a silver sheet in between the layers of the nail strips and it makes a reflective shadow on the wall which is Jett's favorite thing in the world so whenever I'd do my nails he would join in on the fun....

That stained glass design was another 👌🏻

I'm not much of a mauve colored kind of gal these days but those two bottles at the bottom- I didn't use to use way back when I first started using these. So if anyone is reading this and considering giving it a try these two are a must. The Magic Off is to get the strips off. I used to just peel them off, and boy did that ruin my nails for a bit. That red cap bottle is just a base seal that you put under the strips before you put them on.

I can talk about these things forever. Clearly.... Let me see if I have anymore photos 😅

Using my cat as a backdrop lmao. But another photo of Jett joining me during Nail Time 😭

I swear I had more but oh well. Better to end this long post already. Maybe Sunday I'll redo them with the trees and presents which now that I think of it... kind of ironic since I hate the holidays and am very Grinch like 💚

[nochepsicodelica]

what r some of ur favourite toji fics (either on here or ao3) anyways i love u and your works sm!!

Hii! I really appreciate the love! Thank you so much! 🥰

So, lately i've been lacking a bit with the reading and have been more focused on writing, but there are some good works i've encountered. I'm not on ao3 so these will all be works from Tumblr blogs. I hope you don't mind that I won't be able to link the blogs or the works. My blog must be broken or something because I can't attach links to anything, it just keeps saying the url doesn't work, but anywho, I'll leave the titles and the blog names. These are just a few, most of them are little drabbles but I love them loads <3

Act of Service - @/levisjinchuriki

This fluffy wonder doesn't have a title but i'm gonna call it An Afternoon Nap - @/eclipseslayer

Sorry - @/thegoogoomuckkk

to you - @/colonelarr0w

Prison Boyfriend Toji Series - @/tojipie

Police Officer!Toji - @/nejiverse

a gift, for you - @/sleepymarimo

Soft - @/alexiroflife

Edit: My linking abilities are fixed (?) Tada! Enjoy these amazing works <3

[teruvashshennanigans]

Woohoo, pinned post!

This is just gonna be a simple blog where I share pictures of my Teru Vash :3 He wants to start his modeling career so I’m helping <3

Hehe, being serious though, I just wanted a place to put all my pictures of my Teru, sooo,, tada! Feel free to send in pictures of your own too via submissions hehe (it’ll be like a playdate for our little guys!) I’ll post whenever I can

Anywho, enjoy your stay <3

[fallmonds]

I made a South Park persona 🤡

Tada

I snuck her into the image below, see if you can find her

Anywho, that's all.

[speak-to-roger]

[Oohhhh my god rogersport fans, the moment you've all been waiting for!! For the mod of this blog to type out Roger literally just headbutting Jack and calling that a kiss while he secretly dies inside!! Uh,, anywho.]

[Roger kinda just presses the dial of his phone head against Jack's face. Tada, rogersport.]

pushes jack and roger together gacha life style

“WH- H- HEY!”

[Congratulations you fucks, Roger and Jack are now trapped in the rogersport crowd.]

// @sportsythetangerine THEY WON'T CALM DOWN,,

[hqxreader]

i’ve missed so much while at camp okay lets go

I switch between mobile and desktop tumblr, but I much prefer desktop, i can open a bunch of tumblr tabs at once and just keep checking back and forth and such- makes my life easier. Also icons seem to work fine with me?? Idk

I’m still Babiest Baby - I feel very special (and scared because i know I’m gonna get roasted with that) 

Ele pretty much turned into a ticking time bomb ⏱💣💥

I also just ruined the next chapter for myself because FOR SOME FUCKING REASON I hit ‘sure show me the post’ that had a haikyuu spoilers filter and I just.. Taylor why. now i’m gonna go sob because as i’m typing this i went back to my dashboard and there was ANOTHER spoiler that wasn’t tagged/filtered whatever the FUCK you wanna call it and now i’m just. ugh.

HONESTLY GUYS ITS FUCKING RUDE AND ILLEGAL. IT’S CALLED ILLEGAL FOR A FUCKING REASON. IF YOU’RE A GOOD PERSON WITH GOOD MORALS YOU SHOULDN’T FUCKING DO IT. 

AND IF YOU DO DECIDE TO BE A FUCKING JACKASS, AT LEAST TAG THEM WITH 

haikyuu spoilers, hq spoilers, haikyuu manga spoilers 

SOMETHING!! OR PUT IT IN THE TITLE, CHAPTER 402 SPOILERS SO WE CAN SKIP OVER THE POST REAL FAST

sigh. okay. 

Next!! I’ll say something about myself. Have I accidentally reblogged spoilers? Honestly yeah I have. But if I had the gut feeling that it was a spoiler then I tag them as so. I know recently I accidentally reblogged the one page with Atsumu doing the real cool set to Hinata (or bokuto..? idk right now) 

I have a shitty memory, and that scene, page, set, looked pretty similar to another one that Atsumu had done so I was like, oh cool lets reblog this, BUT I STILL PUT SPOILER TAGS because I had that gut feeling. And when I found out it was a spoiler for the next chapter I immediately deleted the post. And I’m not sure what’s going on with the whole magazine thing either. so i’m throwing my hands up in the air and saying i’m sorry. 

Anyway, I think that’s all. I’m tired from camp. One kid looked at my phone and might’ve learned what puta means but he listens to explicit music so at this point i’m like whatever, go him, he’ll go into spanish knowing some extra vocab. 

[fillthevoidwithwordsofgold]

A Warning

     I want you to listen closely to me. This is a world somewhat like your own, but altogether different in some trivial and some very dangerous ways. 

     Magic has settled here, and it affects many things in many ways. You may get to tame some of it, as I have, and learn to live with danger bubbling in your chest and swirling through your head and limbs. Be careful with it, if you do. A tamed tiger can bite just as well as a wild one, it simply knows not to bite it’s tamer.

     This is a warning of a different sort of danger though, and you are very lucky to receive it, as I know of all too many that came here only to stumble blindly into it. These dangers care not where you are from or what you know of this world, only that you are human. 

     Have caution.

     Look closely.

     Trust your instinct.

     All is not as it seems.

     Humans and their cities may cover the continents. Humans may count their kingdoms and civilizations as all encompassing. Human maps may show that everything is their territory and no one else’s. Humans may pretend that there is no land they cannot step foot on, no waters they cannot traverse.

     It’s the spaces between the towns and cities that are different. 

     It’s the places that lords and kings and emperors claim to be theirs but do not touch. 

     It’s the faces you see, if you are brave or foolish or curious or desperate enough to go, that keep those patches of land and sea, not humans, what humans fear, but will not admit they do.

     Some look very human, but something is off, strange. They seem too old, despite always looking young, too cold, despite the warm smiles on their faces. 

     You will see why, when they weave their magic and make you theirs, when you watch years and decades and centuries go by and stand by their timeless sides, when you watch their courts and judgements and games and those smiles become the look of someone who must have either never known emotion or long forgotten it. Stay long enough and prove yourself and they will let you do more and more in their courts, until you look back and realize, too busy with the power you hold and people you control for it to be anything more than a swiftly passing thought, that you have forgotten it too.

     Some look human from the waist up, and hide the rest of themselves under the waves. They are hurting and drowning and freezing, and yet seem to be as graceful and stunning as someone who has done this for years. 

     You will learn they have if they keep you, after you have gone to save them, and you feel scales instead of skin in a too late warning before you are suddenly all they were pretending to be. They will keep you alive, lungs burning with water and skin prickled with cold, only warming with the occasional kiss to keep you from death. If they keep kissing long enough your lungs will stop burning and your skin-scales will keep you from the cold. Then you will go up on your own and pretend you are still drowning and hurting and freezing and you will pull others down as you were pulled, for you will think life beneath the waves is glorious and humans are nothing but pretty things to decorate with until they become like you.

     Some hide in shadows, for they do not look human at all, with their gnarled limbs and twisted bodies with too many of some things and not enough of others and things you have only seen on animals and things you will only see on them. Or perhaps they do, but their tongues are sharp and their words golden, and they seem to know more than one can learn in a human lifespan. They will whisper to you of your deepest desires, of forbidden things that could be yours, for a price.

     You will find the price is much steeper than it seemed, and that the consequences always end with you under their power. Perhaps you will learn to sharpen your tongue and line your words with gold, for you recieve power as you tempt, to use against them yes, but also to keep. The more power you receive the more your body will ripple and change, and the less you will care about it. Perhaps you will simply prove yourself useful to your temptor turned master, and will live years beyond what you should, wandering among humans and doing as commanded. You will stop caring then too, for watching people grow and live and die and civilizations shift and change while living unchanging and solely to obey will wear anyone down after enough time. You will be just as dangerous either way, because whether you are one or serve one there is one involved, and that means caution should be as well.

     There are many others as well, the ones that look and act human but become beasts at times, the ones that are dead, and exist off of the lives of those who are what they once were, the ones that live in lakes and rivers and streams and drag those who swim in their domains to a watery death, the ones that live where humans cannot and eat any who dare try.

     I warn you again:

     Have caution.

     Look closely.

     Trust your instinct.

     All is not as it seems.

     You want to know how I know this? How I have learned of the creatures that trick and lure humans that fall into their power? You are not the first to ask, and as long as I will be around to warn I’m sure you won’t be the last. 

     I would tell you, but you should get on your way. The sun is low, and this land is not for humans when it is dark. The path is that way, turn left once you reach it and it will lead you to humans. Hurry along and do not leave the path and you should be safe. I will tell you my story if we meet again.

     Good luck.

[a-taco-lypse]

Red Mood Board

By: @a-taco-lypse

(all pics found on google, please don’t sue me)

[chickensoupleg]

Beachbeachbeachbeach.

Got a brainworm, and that one post about Childhood Friend Harringrove did NOT help kill it. Nurturing little seed-

Anywho.

----

Mom was in the condo. That’s where she usually hung out when she wasn’t up to playing on the beach with him, always just by the window to keep watch. She was a good mother, after all. The best.

Billy liked to wave and say hi to her when he remembered she was in reach. He knows she’ll come running if anything unscrupulous came for him. Billy liked to think he was the smartest and strongest 8 year old though, because no other 8 year old could ride the waves like he could.

Right now the ocean was sleeping, drifting and rocking gently. There’s no waves for Billy to ride, so he’s sitting in his blue swim shorts with a bucket between his legs. He’s sifting out the sand to get the soft sand, without all the small rocks interrupting it and making it funny. He loves the soft sand between his fingers, petting and squishing it like it was dough. Later, he’ll wander along and see if he can find any seashells for his mom. Once he found a really big one, and she told him if he put his ear up to it, he’d hear the ocean.

Billy’s mom was so smart for that, because he really could hear the ocean. But the ocean was always right there, always in reach. He loved it.

“ What are you doing?” A new voice says to his left. Billy looks up, past spotted tan legs and yellow swim shorts. A brown haired boy stares down at him, holding a bucket with a shovel shoved in it to his chest.

“ I’m making the sand soft. You wanna touch?” He holds up his bucket to the boy, who moves his equally as yellow bucket to one arm in order to put his hand inside the bucket. Doe eyes widen, a soft gasp coming from the other boy’s lips.

“ Woah, you’re right! That is soft! How’d you do that?” The boy sits down right by him, Billy grinning and grabbing the sifting tool by his side.

“ Watch!” He shoves the tool shaped like a crab into the sand. “ You have to dig in real deep and get allllll the sand in here. Then you have to be fast, because the sand starts spilling when you pick it up.” He heaves the sand filled sifter right over the bucket, the opening just big enough to let the crab sifter sit on top. “ Then, the fun part.” He grabs the bucket and the small claws, the boy besides him shrieking in laughter as Billy starts rocking the bucket vigorously. The sand falls through the holes quicker that way, until all that was left on top was rocks and other doohickeys. He dumps those into the small pile on the other side of him, showing the sand to the boy. “ Tada, soft sand!”

The boy sticks his hand back in, nodding as if he was inspecting some luxury item and giving it a seal of approval. “ You’re so right. You’re so smart for making it.”

“ Thanks!” Billy grins, then leans over a little to see into the other boy’s bucket. “ Your sand is wet.”

“ Mmhmm. I’m making a sand castle over there.” The boy points in the direction he came from, Billy turning his head. True to his word, there was a sand castle in the making, right next to a beach towel and lone beach umbrella. There was nobody else there, Billy looking back at the boy.

“ Where’s your mama and dad?”

“ Uh.” The boy blinks once, then twice with a shrug. “ I don’t know. They said to stay here and they’ll be right back. But they didn’t tell me where they’re going.”

“ Why not? My mama’s right in there, she’s always around!” He points to the beach house that isn’t that far from him, the boy following his finger.

“ You live there?”

“ Mmhmm, sometimes! It’s really cool, my bed has two beds.”

“ No way, really?”

Billy nods, bouncing in place. “ Yeah! It’s a bunk bed, but I don’t have any siblings so I just keep all my stuff on the bottom bed.”

“ That’s so cool. I don’t have any siblings either. My mom says she doesn’t wanna ruin her figure or something.”

Billy tilts his head, giggling. “ That’s silly to say.”

The other boy merely shrugs. “ That’s what she says though! So it’s just me.”

Billy giggles again, bumping against the boy with his forehead. “ Well, I’m here now, so you’re not by yourself anymore!”

“ Yeah?”

Billy nods, standing up and holding a hand out. The boy grabs it, Billy pointing to the sandcastle as he hauls him up. “ Can I help you make it?”

The boy nods, letting go if only to get a running start to it, Billy cackling and running after. They both skid to a stop in front of it, Billy setting his bucket down next to the striped beach towel as the boy sits down, patting the sand in his bucket with his toy shovel to smooth it out. Billy sits down on the other side as the yellow bucket is tipped over, the boy patting it firmly before slowly revealing the mound of damp sand. Billy claps for him, earning him a grin in his direction.

Billy thinks he has a really nice smile.

“ What’s your name? I’m William, but mama calls me Billy.”

“ I’m Steve. My mom calls me Steve.” Steve says, then sticks a finger into the side, narrating what he was doing. It was mostly just making windows and doors, Billy poking at it to help him. Once it was all decorated, Steve pushed the empty bucket between them, gesturing for him to pile in more sand. Billy was happy to oblige, the pair dumping it in until it was well and full.

Steve stands and grabs it by the handles, heaving it up with a grunt. Billy grabs at it and helps him lift it, Steve tilting his head to the ocean. “ Come on! It needs to be all wet to stick!” He starts shuffling as fast as his little legs could go, Billy right by his side. They set the bucket down as water laps at both of their ankles, Steve taking his shovel to dump water in. Billy, a shovelless boy, just uses his hands to transport the water until the sand was well saturated in saltwater. The trek back was harder, the sand heavier now, but they make it in one piece without dropping the bucket at all. They must be strong boys if they could pull that off.

Steve pats the sand before turning it over, then the process repeats over. “ I want a moat around this, for the alligators.”

“ Your castle has alligators?”

Steve nods, his hair bouncing with the motion. “ It has alligators and piranhas and sharks.”

“ Why?”

“ Because moats have alligators and piranhas and sharks.” Steve says it as if it were truth, so Billy takes it as truth. 

“ Oh.” He looks at the flat space around the sandcastle, then starts digging with his hands. Steve giggles and pushes his shovel into his hands.

“ It’s easier with the shovel, Billy.”

“ I knew that!” He didn’t, but he also kind of did. He just likes touching the sand directly, feeling it get underneath his fingernails. Billy still uses the shovel to dig out a sizeable moat around the castle as Steve decorates. He looks over at where Billy was earlier, then gets up and trots over. Billy looks up to watch him bend down and grab the rock pile, turning around and head back to him.

“ For decoration. No castle is complete without decorations!” Steve says as he drops the rocks besides him, sitting back down and picking up rocks to delicately place on the sides. There’s a bottlecap nestled in the pile as well, which Steve puts right above what he designated the door. Billy moves a few times to get a complete work around the moat, even digging underneath Steve’s arms without a word for excuse me. His mom would be a bit cross if he didn’t use his manners, but she wasn’t like dad.

She definitely wasn’t like dad.

“ All done!” Billy announces once the moat was complete. Steve grins and thanks him, sitting back to admire the castle. It was great, Billy thinks. The best sandcastle in the whole entire world.

“ It needs a flag.”

“ What?”

Steve points to the flat top of the sandcastle. “ A flag. Like they have in books?”

Billy looks at the top, blinking. He turns to Steve. “ We don’t have a flag.”

“ Aww. Well, uh.” Steve looks around him, then points to the ocean. “ Maybe if we find a cool shell, we can make that our flag.”

“ Oh! I know how to get the best shells. Follow me Steve!” He hops up, already rushing to the ocean. Footsteps pound softly behind him, the ocean greeting him once more as he knelt down, pushing his fingers through wet sand.

“ They’re usually buried, so we have to dig sometimes. It’s better when the tide goes, but I don’t mind this way either.” He starts crawling around, Steve giggling and getting down on his hands and knees as well.

“ The water’s so cold!”

“ Nuh uh!”

“ Is too!”

“ You’re lying, it’s not cold! Aha!” He straightens up until he was on his knees, water tickling his legs as he holds up a shell, a mini version of the ones with the ocean trapped inside. “ See?”

“ Wow, that ones so pretty, Billy!” Steve crawls up besides him, Billy handing it off. “ Yeah, this can be our flag! It can stand up if we do it straight up. Come on, you have to watch. It’s your castle too because you helped.”

Billy cocks his head in excitement, getting up to follow Steve back. Steve leans down, stabbing the shell easily into the sand. “ And there! It’s complete!” Steve stands up straight with his hands on his hips, beaming. “ Our castle, Billy!”

“ It’s so cool! Wait, hold on, I gotta… What’s the word mama uses. Christen it.” He walks over to his sand bucket, grabbing a handful in his hands. He walks back to the sandcastle, dropping the soft sand in sprinkles all over it. “ I, uh- I bless you, castle!”

“ Oh! Bless you castle!” Steve echos, then leans over to Billy, whispering. “ Did the castle sneeze?”

“ No, that’s just what the guy at church says.” Billy whispers back.

“ Oh! Okay.” Steve nods once, then leans away, yelling to nobody in particular. “ The castle of King Steve and Billy! Hurrah!”

Billy giggles, which breaks into real laughter, Steve laughing besides him.

“ Billy! Lunch!” Billy’s mom calls out, Billy perking up. He turns to Steve, bouncing on his feet.

“ Steve! Are you hungry?”

“ Hm? Uh… Yeah, I guess.”

“ You should come eat lunch with me and mama.”

“ Would you mom mind?”

Billy shakes his head. He’s sure his mom would make food for him too. Steve stares at him for a few more seconds and then up towards where Billy’s mom was waving towards them before nodding.

“ Okay, let’s go eat. I’ll race you!”

“ Oh, you’re on, Steve!”

Billy and Steve break into a run, laughing all the while on the beach.