#the “underneath the moon” ... haha

[firestorm09890]

THIRTEEN COMMON LANGUAGES LEFT IN THE CITY. THIRTEEN SINNERS, EACH WITH A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE (and, uh, british english vs american english and swiss german vs standard german counting as different languages, I guess). TWELVE, PROBABLY THIRTEEN ASSOCIATIONS, ONE FOR EACH OF THOSE LANGUAGES.

WHAT THE FUCK IS PROJECT MOON COOKING

(credit to @staria65 for pointing this one out to me)

[cottonbopp]

Jashtober Day 27 - Night "We ought to leave a light on / Leave a light on / Underneath the moon..."

[nini-dirthara-lothlenanas]

Thank you for stopping by! ♥ @sundered-souls @hamrammr @/rogier(not on tumblr) @kyrie-silverwings @tallbluelady @heart-of-corundum

[motorsportbarbie13]

The Yapping Hour Is Upon Us - Part 3

In which you and Max spend the next six months just being obsessed with each other.

Warnings: A little angst, but not 'break up with you' angst, just 'i really fucking miss you' angst so it's okay. And fluff. Tooth achingly sweet fluff. Pairing: Max Verstappen x Podcaster!Reader Word Count: 4.4k plus a shit ton of social media posts. - The Yapping Hour is Upon Us - The Yapping Hour is Upon Us - Part 2 - Master List

(a/n before we begin: Probably one more part to this. Thinking of doing an 'after Max gets you back to the hotel post-race' part to wrap things up nicely if anyone wants to see that.)

Monaco May 2024

F1GossipOfficial posted

34,028 likes F1GossipOfficial Seems as if our favorite Red Bull driver and sunny little podcaster are getting closer! The pair was spotted around Monaco this week ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. The pair have been seen publicly a handful of times since Max made an appearance on her podcast The Yapping Hour in late April, most notably at the Miami Grand Prix at the beginning of the month and then the week later in New York City where she is based. Everyone who sent in photos said the pair were super cozy and seemed lost in their own world. user0299 she's only with him for the clout and money. Her little podcast was dying out and she latched onto Max like a leech. >>>user5572 go touch some grass my man. Her podcast is consistently the number 1 listened to show on all platforms all the fucking time. user9938 they are so cute, i can't handle it user4530 I saw them at dinner the other night and oh my GOD. They sat on the same side of the table even though it was just the two of them. He held her hand underneath the table all through dinner and I don't think either of them stopped smiling or looked anywhere else but at each other the entire night. >>>user39948 they are so fucking perfect oml

Canada June 2024 yourpersonalinsta posted

493,928 likes liked by maxverstappen1, landonorris, totowolff, and others yourpersonalinsta Over the moon to have been able to be with you for this win in Canada, Maxie. user299 MAXIE?! I have no one to talk to about this redbullracing our good luck charm strikes again! >>>user456 Red Bull calling her theirs??? Love this for her. maxverstsppen1 thank you for always being in my corner liefje ❤️ >>>user394 how am i supposed to be normal after reading this??? user8827 Not Toto in the likes trying to get on her good side so Max signs with Merc in 2026 >>>user778 HAHA can you imagine??

Amalfi Coast August 2024

maxverstappen1 posted

987,409 likes liked by yourpersonalinsta, redbullracing, yourdad and others maxverstappen1 summer break with this gorgeous girl user458 they are my royal couple yourpersonalinsta wishing we were back on that boat rn instead of on different continents :( >>>maxverstappen1 just a few more weeks until Singapore, schatje. >>>user4938 this is my roman empire >>>user024 mom and dad are sad so i am sad too

October 2024 Austin, Texas

You hadn't seen Max in over three weeks. Three very, very, very long weeks. And not to be dramatic or anything but you felt like you might actually pass away if the Uber that was currently picking it's way through very heavy Austin traffic drove any slower.

While the sleek Mercedes SUV waited at a red light, your gaze drifted away from the navigation system showing the the heavy traffic all around you towards the busy city streets around you. Whoever had decided to schedule an Eminem concert, a huge college rivalry football game, and a Formula 1 race all in the same city on the same weekend should have their head examined.

Fixated on the crowd on the sidewalk outside, you mull over the last six months of your life. It has certainly been a whirlwind, that was for sure. If someone had told you back in the beginning of May that you'd be on your way to your sixth Grand Prix of the year to watch your boyfriend race in Formula 1, you would have laughed in their faces. Because really, when you sat back and considered it, the fact that you had gone from being a fan of the sport and interviewing Max on a professional level to dating him in under six months was absolutely wild.

While you attended races whenever you could, you found yourself more often than not called to the other side of the world to attend to your flourishing career. In the last six months you had ping ponged around the globe, bouncing between weekends with Max and over scheduled weeks filled with work, interviews, and meetings. Some days you just wished that things were simpler and you could just dedicate yourself to following Max around from city to city but you knew that Susan B Anthony would roll over in her grave if you gave up everything for a man so quickly, even a man as amazing as Max Verstappen.

You brush aside the thought of leaving your work because in the end, all that is is a simple fantasy brought on by you missing the man that has become the center of your universe lately.

After attending the Singapore GP with Max, you had spent a few extra days with him in Asia before needing to fly home. While Max did have nearly an entire month break from racing, he couldn't follow you to New York like he had intended. After coming back from the summer break, Max's luck had started to slip and the car had deteriorated. He hadn't won a race in months, the car was an absolute tractor, and Lando was gaining on him in the Championship. He had needed to spend every extra moment he had in the sims and with the engineering team trying to salvage the season.

While Max had been in Europe, you had been in the US recording episodes with Heidi Klum, Wayne Gretzky, and finally Kylie Kelce. Heidi had been in LA, Wayne in Florida, and Kylie in Philly so you had spent most of the last three weeks on the road. As the SUV inched closer to the COTA track, you realized you couldn't remember the last time you'd set foot in your apartment.

Exhaustion seeps into your bones as the realization washes over you. You loved the life you lived, wouldn't trade it for the world but sometimes, in these quiet moments you wished for a break, a chance to go home, wherever that even was now, and just rest.

Your phone buzzing beside you pulls you back to the present. Ysou struggle to shake off the mind numbing melancholy that's settled over you like a thick woolen blanket before answering the call. "Hi baby." You sigh, knowing who it is without even looking at the caller ID.

"What's wrong?" Max's voice is sharp on the other end, effortlessly reading your tone.

You shake your head, chest tightening with anxiety. "Just..." You search for the right words. "tired is all. I just realized I can't even remember the last time I spent a night in my own bed."

"Oh, schatje." Max sighs, knowing how grueling this schedule is as he lives it as well. "Do you want me to have the jet take you home? It's at the airfield still."

Tears collect in your eyes as your chest squeezes painfully. "No, I just want to see you." You whisper, afraid if you raise your voice you'll start to cry.

"How far are you from the track?"

You pop your head around the SUV's headrest to check the nav system. "Not long. Five minutes. I can see the giant observation tower from here."

"Have the Uber bring you right to the paddock gates. I have a car here and a few hours before any media duties. I'll take you back to the hotel myself and we can take a nap together, okay?"

Your entire body sags with relief at his words. If there was one thing that Max was good at, it was taking care of you. He didn't hem and haw or waver on a plan of action. He saw what you needed and made sure that you were taken care of. The way the burden of everything that you had silently carried for years shifted towards Max the moment you landed in Miami all those months ago was something that would shock you for years to come.

"Okay." You whisper, swiping at a single tear that managed to escape.

You have a few moments to collect yourself before the Uber stops at the entrance to the paddock. From your seat in the back, you spot a familiar blonde head that belonged to your Dutch boyfriend waiting for you. You're suddenly simultaneously bursting with excitement and beside yourself with grief as the anxiety that has gnawed at you over the last 24 hours fully consumes you at the mere sight of Max.

Max has you out of the car and into his arms before you can barely catch your breath. The moment you inhale that uniquely Max scent something inside you shifts and becomes crystal clear. You didn't need Max to have his jet take you home because you already were home. It sounded cliche in your head and it probably was, but you knew there was some truth to it: somewhere over the last six months your home had shifted away from your apartment in New York to wherever Max was.

Max tightens his grip around your waist, settling his chin on your head while you stay buried deep in his neck, you realize that home isn't a place any longer. Home is a person now and Max is that person. You don't have to go home to New York to rest, you just have to be in Max's presence. With him, you are utterly and completely safe and secure. For someone who spends 99% of her time 'on' and performing, being able to come home to Max and just switch it all off, allowing him to lead and take over, is the most powerful form of rest you could have ever dreamt of.

Max nods at the driver as he unloads your luggage, arms still locked tight around you. He can feel you melt into him, like you've been waiting for this moment since the last time you saw him. He knows that for him at least, this is true. Everything else in his life is completley falling apart. The car sucks, they had to ditch the special livery for this weekend becuase the fucking paint had the potential to make the car too heavy and slow. Lando has been on a tear lately, that McLaren a complete rocket ship and the only reason Lando hasn't overtaken him in the championship is thanks to some spectacularly shitty calls from the McLaren pit wall.

The only bright spot in Max's day is you. Your voice, your touch, your face. Any bit of you he gets on a daily basis is what keeps him going right now. As he had stood on the curb just moments before, desperately and not so patiently waiting while watching the black Mercedes SUV creep down the street towards him, it had felt like cruel and unusual punishment after being apart from you for so long.

And now? Now you were back in his arms and he drew in the longest breath he could, taking in the scent of your perfume and laundry soap that he had missed so keenly while he'd been working, and he simply couldn't get enough.

Max pulls away slightly, so he can see your pretty face but what he sees in your eyes nearly breaks him. Pain and longing hang heavy in your eyes and there is nothing Max wouldn't do to make all of that go away for you. Fingers tip your chin up towards him so he can finally get his lips on yours, a soft sigh escaping your mouth when he makes that first contact.

You swear it's like a cool drink of water in the middle of a humid heatwave in July, the way Max kisses you with such relief and passion and affection. Like he's trying to tell you through his kiss how much he adores you, how much he's missed you, how much he craves you.

"I love you." Are the first words he says to you and your breath catches in your throat. It isn't the first time he's said those words, Max had said them first all those months back when he brought you home to Monaco. It had been quick, probably too quick by the world's standards, but it just clicked between the two of you and the words had tumbled out of Max like it was the most natural thing in the world. The reason the words had your breath catching in your chest was because of the ferocity behind them, like he could tell how bone tired you were from all the travel over the last few months and he was desperate to remind you why you were doing all of this. Why the two of you were doing all of this together and apart. It was for moments like this, moments where you were attached to each other in the middle of the busy paddock parking lot like no one else existed.

"I love you too, Max." You whisper, dusting your lips over the stubble that was scattered over his jaw. "Can we go take a nap now? I'm so tired."

yourpersonalinsta posted

348,209 likes liked by kyliekelce, maxverstappen1, assistantshannon, and others yourpersonalinsta home is wherever you are (tagged: maxverstappen1) user098 mad max is no more, there is only soft cuddly boyfie max user0399 this is the cutest thing i've ever seen user000 god i am so single maxverstappen1 love you baby >>>danielricciardo SIMP >>>maxverstappen1 absolutely >>>user9938 it kills me that he is loves her so boldly and loudly. girl hit the mfing jackpot. (liked by author)

It's not your alarm that fully wakes you up on Friday morning. It isn't Max's either. But as you try to untangle your limbs from Max's and search for the source of the ringing, you can't help but curse whoever is interrupting the slow sleepy cuddles that had been progressing into something more heated for the past 20 minutes.

You nearly spit you're so mad when you see the caller ID.

"John." You growl, sitting up in bed as Max settles himself back against the mountain of pillows beside you. "It is 8 in the morning on a Friday the day after I saw my boyfriend for the first time in over three weeks. I swear on all things good and holy, this had better be good."

John, to his credit, didn't even scoff at the threat. He'd been your business manager for going on four years now and was used to your early morning attitudes.

"She said yes."

You sit up, back going ramrod straight as the three words clang through you. "What?" You hiss.

Beside you, Max struggles to sit up too, alarm coursing through him at the panic in your voice.

"Tree just called me five minutes ago. Said that Kylie had sent her the episode and wouldn't stop gushing about how amazing you were and how you were the perfect person to do this interview on the end of the tour and everything. Tree said Taylor watched your episode with Michelle and Queen Maxima too, said they were the best interviews she's ever seen. Everything is a go."

Your entire world tilts as what John is telling you fully sinks in. "Taylor Swift's agreed to come on the show?" You voice is weak, heavy under the weight of the news John is telling you. Your hands tremble at the thought of what this means for you. For your career.

Beside you, Max sucks in a breath at your sentence, fully aware of how big of a moment this is for you. Pride soars through him as he watches literal sunshine dance across your face, your smile as bright as the Texas morning light. "Schatje." He whispers, pulling your free hand towards his lips. Your eyes dart over to him and you grin at him, kicking your feet a little, completely unable to hide your excitement.

"She also said yes to your suggestion of a behind the scenes vlog on your channel ahead of the release of the episode. Thought the idea was marketing gold. You've got full access to everything for the entire week."

Before you had landed Kylie Kelce on the show, you and John had made a silly, pie in the sky request to Tree Paine not even thinking that it would go anywhere. When Kylie had agreed to do an episode, a request that had actually been made to her people months before John had contacted Tree, the idea of maybe, just maybe you might be able to land Taylor after had grown a bit. You hadn't told anyone of the request, not even Max, because you didn't want to be embarrassed if it didn't work out.

"There's only one problem." Your heart stops and you grip at Max's hand for support. You knew there had to be a catch. "They want you in Toronto by Sunday."

"Wh-what?" Your stomach plummets through the floor. You had just gotten to Austin last night and now you were going to have to leave again? You were supposed to spend the entire triple header with Max. Three weeks of solid time with him had been the only thing getting you through the previous three week separation. You two had even planned to go visit your parents in Michigan between Austin and Mexico later next week.

"The first concert is Monday and Tree wants you to get as much content as you can and has asked you be there at 9am Monday morning."

You head spins. "Oh-okay." There's a giant Max shaped hole in your heart at what you have to agree to, simply exhausted by the fact that you're going to have to pick up and leave again so soon. "Okay. We'll figure it out."

"Do you want me to have Shannon make flight arrangements?"

You glance over at Max, who senses your apprehension. "Let me talk through it with Max and see what we can figure out. I'll call you in a few hours, okay?"

"Sounds good. Congratulations, kiddo. This is huge."

You smile despite yourself, excitement and anxiety winding their way through your chest making it a little hard to breathe. "Bye John."

You gently place your phone back on the bedside table before turning to Max, bracing yourself for the good and bad news you have to deliver.

"The beginning of that call looked phenomenal but now you look like you're going to be sick." Max observes, pulling you into his lap.

You shudder against when his lips graze your neck, dropping a kiss to his forehead. "Taylor Swift agreed to come on the show and to let me do a weeks worth of behind the scenes of her Toronto shows."

"Baby, that is amazing. This is going to be huge for you and the show!"

You nod, a bit dazed by all of this information you have to process. "But they want me there by Sunday night so I can start first thing Monday." Sadness edges into your voice, the dread of having to leave Max again begins to sink in fully.

"When should Greg have the jet ready to take off then? You'll probably want to leave before the end of the race to beat traffic, yeah? Although I suppose we could find you a helicopter to take you from the track to the airport."

You stare at Max like he's grown three heads. His voice is so nonchalant despite him suggesting he rent you a helicopter that all you can do is blink at him for a few moments. "Just...just like that? You're on board with it? You're not upset?"

Max scoffs, pulling you closer so he can rest his head on your shoulder. His arms go tighter around your waist as he gives you a kiss on the cheek. "Why would I be upset? I'll do anything I can to help you live out this dream, schatje. You know that. This is the biggest thing to happen to your career since you had F1 racing legend Max Verstappen as a guest."

The giggle that tumbles out of you has the tension in the room popping like a soap bubble. "You're ridiculous."

"And yet, you're still here." Max finds your lips then, the kiss full of reassurance and confidence. Of course he was disappointed you were going to be leaving in 2 days and he wasn't sure when you'd be back with him but this opportunity was too good to miss. "I'd never forgive myself if you missed spending a week doing what you love with one of your favorite artists because of me. Of course I'll miss you but you need to do this. So tell me, when should I have the jet ready to get you to Toronto?"

yourpersonalinsta story post

story replies: user8882 ARE YOU THERE FOR ERAS TOUR??? user029 what are you up to ma'am??? user837 wait. first kylie's on the show and now you're in Toronto the same week as Taylor. ARE WE GETTING A TAYLOR EPISODE OH MY GOD.

TheYappingHour posted

876,029 likes liked by maxverstappen1, taylorswift, alexandrasaintmleux, and others theyappinghour Toronto, you were stunning! Can anyone guess who our next guest on the show is going to be??? Behind the scenes vlog dropping next week ahead of a very very special two part episode set to drop later this month. user928 oh my god, everyone stay calm, it's happening. user020 IS THIS FOR REAL??? I will never recover maxverstappen1 so proud of you my love >>>yourpersonalinsta couldn't do it without you, maxie >>>user928 if there's one thing Max is going to be, it's the first one in the likes and comments on anything his girl does. (liked by yourpersonalinsta) >>>user0298 may this kind of love find me one day

Excerpt from Episode 59 of The Yapping Hour featuring Taylor Swift:

You: Speaking of what you do in your down time, can we talk about how supportive you are of your boyfriend and show up for him despite the Brad's and Chad's hating every second of it?

Taylor: It's so silly to me, how much everyone hates it. When I show up at the game, I'm just like every other significant other. I'm not there to take the spotlight away from anyone, I just want to watch my man play!

You: Oh my God, I totally get it. It's so strange to me the way some fans can't handle someone like you who has a whole other identity outside of who you're dating, showing up to support the person you love.

Taylor: It's like, relax! I'm just here to watch my boyfriend catch a ball!

You: Right? Just let me enjoy watching 20 cars drive around in circles in peace please!

Taylor: You two are so cute though. Trav was watching the race in Monaco a few months back, right after he invested in Alpine, and there was that one shot of you and Max after the end of the race in his garage and you were giving him a hug. I love how loudly you love him and how public he is about you. It's refreshing.

You: Oh gosh, thank you. Yes, he is so supportive of everything I do, just like Travis is. It's such a comfort, isn't it? *Taylor nods* He actually stayed in Austin an extra day so I could use his jet to come up here.

Taylor: Trav was supposed to go to that race but got caught up in training stuff. It looked like so much fun.

You: Have you ever been to a race? Either of you?

Taylor: I haven't but Travis went to the Las Vegas race last year. Said it was the one of the biggest parties he'd ever been to.

You: You'll have to come this year then! It's in a few weeks!

Taylor: I'll talk to Trav and see if we can make it happen.

TheYappingHour posted

1,039,928 likes liked by maxverstappen1, taylorswift, kikagomes, and others theyappinghour What an absolute whirlwind of a week and a half. Spending time with your favorite artist, seeing her in her element, and then spending a few hours talking about everything from what it's like to live such a public life to how important it is to have a supportive significant other. I simply can't wait to share the behind the scenes vlog dropping at the end of this week and then the episode later this month. Taylor, you are a dream of a human being and we are so happy to have had this opportunity. Can't wait to see you and Travis at a race! taylorswift You are such a sweetheart! So glad we got to spend time together this past week! Can't wait to hear the episode my love! kikagomes how does it feel to live my dreammmm bestie??? >>>yourpersonalinsta kiks omg i will never recover from this!! maxverstappen1 Proud of you, as always lifeje. >>>yourpersonalinsta can't wait to see you so so so soon baby

"And he doesn't expect a thing?" You glance up at the ticket counter where the airline employee has begun to call first class. You stand, phone still pressed to your ear, pulling your carry on behind you.

"Nope!" On the other end, Max's PR manager Sophie giggles conspiratorially. "He was just complaining to GP ten minutes ago how he couldn't believe they didn't have more flights from Sao Paulo to Paris. He said he was considering upgrading his jet to one with longer range so he could fly private next time."

You roll your eyes but chuckle. If you were a drama queen, your boyfriend could be the drama king to match sometimes. Although you didn't blame him to be quite honest. After leaving Austin mid way through the race, you had missed the Mexico race entirely. The plan had been for you to fly down to Brazil for the Sao Paulo race but editing and press had taken much longer than you had anticipated so now it was Saturday night and you were boarding a 9 hour flight from New York to the South American country.

Only, Max didn't know that. Max thought you were getting on a flight to Nice via Paris before driving to Monaco where he'd meet you sometime late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. Joke was on him though, you had finished everything up and had called Sophie for help to get you down to Brazil just in time for Sunday's race.

"He's such a baby." You murmur as the flight attendant leads you to your seat.

"He is beside himself missing you." Sophie says and you can hear the smile in her voice. "Just make sure I'm around when he sees you for the firs time, okay? He's going to lose it."

Laughing, you hoist your suitcase into the overhead bin before settling down in the luxurious lie flat seat that will be your bed for the next nine hours. If everything goes right, you'll land in Brazil just as the postponed qualifying is finishing up and will be able to watch the entire race in person.

"Thank you for helping coordinate this, Soph. I really appreciate it."

"Anything to get Max out of this slump he's in!" She replies brightly.

A few minutes later, you hang up the phone and type out a quick text letting Max know you're boarding the flight. Luckily, the flight from New York to Paris is roughly the same time as the flight to Sao Paulo so he doesn't bat an eye when you tell him you'll be unreachable, only telling you that the doorman to his building is expecting you and to make yourself at home in his apartment in Monaco when you get there before he does.

************************************************************************

It is absolutely raining cats and dogs when the car Sophie hired pulls into the track after what feels like a lifetime of travel. Right after they served dinner on your flight, you took a sleeping pill and passed out for the duration of the flight, only waking up once the pilot turned on the overhead lights, signaling your arrival.

A quick text to Sophie alerts her to your arrival and she says she'll come and meet you outside the paddock with an extra umbrella. The driver that picked you up from the airport will take your luggage to the hotel where Max and the team are staying. When the car stops in front of the paddock gates, you spot Sophie immediately.

"Soph!!" You shout the moment you stumble out of the car, limbs a little stiff from the long car ride. Sao Paulo traffic is a beast in the best of weather but in a downpour like this? Nightmarish.

Sophie opens her arms to embrace you, "Oh I am so glad you're here. He is an absolute nightmare right now."

You grimace, knowing exactly why. He'd be starting P17 in a few hours. Between the team having got caught behind a red flag during Q2 and his 5 place grid penalty, it was a nightmare scenario for Max. All of this was compounded by Lando's win in the sprint yesterday and the fact that he was starting on pole today.

"Alright then, lets go. Maybe I can talk him down off a ledge before the race starts."

Sophie grins because she knows you'll be able to do just that. If there was anyone who could calm Mad Max down and bring him back to earth after the kind of morning the team had had today, it was you.

As you weave your way through the crowded paddock, the heavy rain simply not a deterrent to anyone at the track today, Max is in the garage considering the merits of scratching his eyeballs out so that he doesn't have to run this fucking race today. Everything is wrong. The car is terrible. Still. The FIA seemed to have a hard on for fucking up his weekend. Lando was on poll. And worst of all, he really fucking missed you. There was still several days between him and being reunited with you but if he could have just walked right out of the paddock and onto a plane to get to wherever you were in that moment, he would have. The only thing that seemed to settle him during these times lately was your steady presence in the garage. He didn't even need you to say anything, just knowing that you were around, within arms length if he needed you, did something to calm him like nothing else could.

He's talking to GP, actually, he's grumbling at GP when a familiar flash of hair and bright smile catches his eyes. Perfect, he thinks miserably, now I'm imagining her in the garage. I've gone full unhinged obsessed boyfriend, haven't I?

Imagine his shock when he actually hears your voice. "Max." You call out softly, hands clasped in front of you as you wait at the edge of the garage beside Sophie.

Max simply blinks a few times, as if he's trying to figure out if he's hallucinating or if you're really standing in front of him. His heart hammers in his chest when everything finally clicks into place. GP doesn't even bat an eye when Max walks away from him, mid sentence, before crossing the garage in a few short strides.

Max isn't usually one for intense public displays of affection, especailly in the garage and neither are you. There's a level of professionalism he likes to maintain while racing and you have always respected that but when Max sees you standing in front of him, practically drowning in one of his sweatshirts, hair wet and messy from walking through the paddock in the rain, he can't stop himself from scooping you up in his arms. Burying his head in your neck, he inhales deeply. So deeply that his lungs pinch with pain from the way he's trying to commit the way you smell to memory.

"You're here." He murmurs, voice thick and heavy with emotion. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to meet me in Monaco?"

Max sets you down, not really wanting you out of his arms but wanting to move you to a quieter part of the garage. Behind you, Sophie, GP and the rest of the team discreetly shuffle away to give you two a bit of privacy.

"I knew how hard the last two races were for you and I just..." Pausing, you have to wait for a moment for your hands to stop shaking. You've been running on sheer adrenaline and caffeine for what feels like the last three weeks now and the emotion of the moment catches up to you. "I just wanted to be here for you."

Max lowers his lips to yours, covering them in a kiss that is all longing and white hot heat. He keeps the kiss just this side of tame enough for the garage, not wanting to draw the ire of Christian but he had needed to taste you then. His hand comes up to cup your face while the other slips around your waist, pulling you in closer to his body. He's slightly damp from how wet it's been this morning but none of that matters now that you're back in his arms.

"I missed you so much." He murmurs, blue eyes practially sparkling down at you, he's so happy. It's been weeks since he's felt like this. Settled. Like he can take on the world. For the first time in what feels like forever, Max has a sense of determination that wraps itself around him. Like the championship isn't all but lost to Lando. Like the car isn't going to be terrible today, even though he might not even finish in the points. Like everything he's gone through the past few months on the track is all about to end because you're finally here and if anyone can bring the team luck, it's you.

"I love you." You whisper into his chest. "Now, let's go show the world why you're about to become a 4 time world champion, yeah?"

And that's exactly what he does.

yourpersonalinsta posted

938,398 likes liked by redbullracing, taylorswift, yourdad and others yourpersonalinsta we are SO back, baby!!! What started out as a nightmare of a day turned into a generational drive for the history books. P17 to P1 and I cannot believe I was there to witness it. Max, I am proud of you beyond words. You and the entire team deserve this win today. I love you to the moon and back, Maxie. (tagged: maxverstappen1) taylorswift what a race! Trav and I caught most of it before the game today. Congratulations!!! >>>yourpersonalinsta hope to see you in Vegas in a couple of weeks! >>>user928 oh my god, new bestie duo unlocked!? maxverstappen1 words fail to describe how much I love you baby. Thank you for always being in my corner and never giving up on me, even when I want to give up on myself. Love you to the ends of time, schatje >>>user928 i am SOBBING. Boyfriend Max is my favorite Max.

Tags: @shelbyteller @formulaal @martygraciesversion381 @longhairkoo @samantha-chicago @stelena-klayley @dark-night-sky-99

[11cupids-tarot11]

A Letter From Your Future Spouse

➽───────────────❥

1 -> 4

Cupid's Services Cupid's Master List Socials

Tips appreciated!

C@sh app and P@ypal only!

$minnieplant3

@janellec03

LOVE U

- Cupid 𖥔 ࣪ ᥫ᭡ꗃ⋆࣪.

︻デ═一 ✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

Pile 1- Four of Wands, The Fool, Page of Swords, Nine of Cups, Page of Wands, The Wheel of Fortune.

"Hi you! I've been sleeping a lot, can't seem to do anything else lately because of how tired I've been. Finally. I can sleep as much as I want to now because of a situation that just so happened to end recently. Death.

What now? See, I've been wondering the same thing. But let's not even worry about it, let's just sleep as much as we want to because we finally can, even if it's only a little nap time out of your day do it because I gotta see you one last time later, I've got a message for you in your dreams. Spirit will tell you, don't worry about missing it or when <3

Resting so much so when I do have to work, you know, find that balance again between work and fun, I can focus on what's so important to me a lot better, I mean really give it my all... You know? Lol

Sorry, I dream a lot, you might notice my head is always in the clouds. I have very air energy like a Gemini.

Things are finally clearing up for me! I feel at peace, maybe we mirror each other and things are also getting better for you too? You have to let me know, okay? I feel like I can finally breathe again, be optimistic without being scared the rug is going to get snatched from underneath.

I've been working so so hard on my craft, putting in so much love and effort into my work and I feel really hopeful that all of my productivity will pay off soon, consistency is key, right?

I really like the color yellow, 😄 talk again soon!"

Hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to do the poll below 👇🏾 ✨

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Pile 2- Knight of Wands, I forgot to write down the rest of the cards I'm so sorry 😞

"I have no problem with putting in hard work for anything I want, even you, you know? If you don't want me the moment we catch eyes I'll make you ;)

The moment I catch you I'm going to make sure I never stop loving you, I'll make sure every day is beautiful, even on our bad days we'll kiss each other good night before bed still. I love you!

Why do you keep worrying yourself? All of that doubt in that pretty little head of yours isn't good, you should lay it all to rest before you make yourself sick baby. Sleep more, practice some self care before you run yourself crazy, okay?

I'm so proud of you, you know, for whatever amazing things you've accomplished lately. I believe in you, I'll always be your #1 cheerleader!

You should go out and celebrate! Enjoy the sun, you deserve it my angel! Promise me you won't let this go by like it's just not that big and you'll go out and do something? Pinky promise?

Stay focused! You're on the right path, you're doing amazing! I promise you, all of this will be worth it, it's worth our future 💓 keep going, I know you can do it! 🎉"

Hope you enjoy!!☺️ Don't forget to do the poll below!!

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Pile 3- Queen of Cups, Justice, Four of Cups, The Moon, Three of Swords, The Star.

" Hi my love, you know I don't talk a lot haha, so I'll make this quick as usual and get out of your hair so you can go on.

I just want to remind you, you're my queen, my favorite, my whole world ❤️ I think red looks really pretty on you btw but anyway, I love and miss you like crazy at times like these.

I am going through something right now, a legal situation, a situation I wish would come to an end right now because it's so heavy on me, it's hurting me but I know at the same time it's happening to me because it's part of my karma, something that's forcing me to look so closely at myself, at every shadow because I think it leads me to you. My everything. We're going to get married, I'm so sure of it.

I'm keeping hope alive, I'm hanging on to every thread of it I've got. I'm working on everything right now, I'll catch up with you soon sweetheart 💋 I'm going to kiss you when I do, you won't be able to get rid of me. ;) "

Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to do the poll below!!

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Pile 4- Ace of Cups, The Hanged Man, King of Wands, Nine of Cups, Knight of Cups, Nine of Wands.

"I want to come to you with amazing news but I can't, I'm sorry to say, I've taken a turn for the worst right now. Don't worry, it's temporary.

I am slowly building myself back up, that's what I'm doing right now if you're wondering what I've been doing all this time. I'm healing day by day and I hope you are too sweetheart. I might be a bit stuck and tangled up right now, but I'm clearing through it!

I'm the kind of guy who will pursue you with nothing but kindness until I make you fall for me with your charm, I'm cute, I know I am, you'll love me, I have curly light hair, and a really cute smile. You'll think I'm so adorable.

I want to offer my heart to you, fully, 100%. You have me, all of me as long as you give me you in return, I hope you do, I can't be without you once I know you.

Take care my love ❤️."

Hope you enjoyed ❤️ Don't forget to do the poll below!!

[sluglore]

Thank you so much for this blog it makes me so happy. I do have a question! How 'smart' do you think slugcats are? I've always debated this for a while but I can't settle on an answer.

I'm glad!! It makes me very happy to know people are interested haha

As for how smart I think slugcats are, I personally abide by what the original Videocult Devlog had to say about them- being that they are "somewhere on the edge between animal and human thinking," and "slightly below human intelligence". Basically, smart enough to understand that there is meaning to the symbols and structures of the world, but not smart enough to understand what that meaning behind them is.

I also think this perfectly falls in line with how we, as the players, experience the game for the first time, and that this is especially clear the very first time we meet Moon. Regardless of how you went about it your first time, about half of new players always end up eating her neurons, but not out of any kind of malicious intent, but genuine, pure misunderstanding. We know there is meaning to the interaction, yet we can't understand what it is! But what we are able to understand, is that we still need more food in order to hibernate :)

In a way, Rain World perfectly manipulates traditional "gamer brain" mentality to expose our own sort of "animalistic nature". It also highlights the narrative significance of the mark of communication, and the massive difference it makes. The slugcat finally gains the ability to understand the meaning behind everything, and with that, you no longer fit into the carnal ecosystem from which you came from. Where you once searched for food and survival, you now search for answers to your own existence, the underlying secrets of the universe. The void is already calling you.

I attached a few more interesting screenshots from the Devlog talking about slugcat intelligence underneath the cut-off, if anyone wants to read a bit more :)

[leftoverpages]

Underneath the Steel

Pairing 𓅪 Benjicot "Davos" Blackwood × Targaryen!reader

Tags 𓅪 angst, brief character death mention, sleep paralysis, fluff at the end, reader uses she/her but no physical description, romance if you squint really hard

Notes: request by @ithilwen-aranel !

I need a fic where reader is a Targ princess and dragon rider and a known fierce warrior, like Visenya reincarnated level warrior but nobody knows that she has sleep paralysis. So she's marching with House Blackwood to Harrenhal and it's nighttime so they're in tents and her and Benji's tents happen to be next to each other. So that night she gets an attack/episode and he hears her muffled cries and sobs and he helps her get out of it and he finally sees the girl inside the warrior and he comforts her by showing that he has vulnerable sides too and stuff. (sorry if it's messy and chaotic haha but l WANT MORE FLUFF)

Wordcount 𓅪 1.4k

likes, comments, reblogs are much appreciated!

The cold wind swept through the camp as the soldiers of House Blackwood settled for the night. Tents dotted the landscape, bathed in the pale light of a crescent moon. Among them was a tent marked with the sigil of House Targaryen, on it, a dragon standing tall.

Inside, the Targaryen princess sharpened her blade, her mind a battlefield of its own. Known to many as a fierce warrior, she was often compared to Visenya Targaryen, a legend reborn. She had led her dragon into countless battles, her swordsmanship and ferocity unmatched.

But, as night fell and the camp quieted, a darker struggle loomed. Under her strong exterior, she had a secret as old as her lineage, a shadow that haunted her dreams-sleep paralysis. She had fought countless ennemies on the battlefield, but none of them were as terrifying as the darkness that gripped her in the night.

Benjicot Blackwood, the young lord of House Blackwood, laid restless in his tent. The march to Harrenhal stayed heavily on his mind. His thoughts drifted to the princess, their tents stood side by side. Her reputation preceded her, but Benjicot had seen glimpses of something beyond the warrior facade—a quiet sadness in her eyes.

As he drifted to sleep, muffled cries were heard in the night. Benjicot sat up, his senses sharp. The sounds were coming from the Targaryen tent. Frowning, he woke, moving silently.

Inside her tent, the princess was trapped. Her body laid motionless, her eyes open, her breath uneven. Shadows stood at the corner of her eyes, mocking her. She struggled, her heart pounding in her chest. The nightmare always started the same: she was in a big and empty field. Her dragon was nowhere to be seen. Panic rose up inside her as she realized she was alone.

Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet began to tremble. Shadowy figures emerged, their forms indistinct, as if they were made of smoke.

"You're weak," they hissed, with their chilling voices. "You will fail them all."

She tried to take her sword, but her body refused to move. Her limbs were turned to stone. She was desperate as the figures approached her, their cold fingers brushing against her skin, leaving trails of ice behind.

Her breath became faster. She could feel her heart pounding. The shadows wrapped around her, tightening their grip, almost suffocating her. She wanted to scream, to fight back, but she was unable to move, a silent plea for help left her lips.

As the nightmare continued, the shadows began to transform into faces she knew - friends, comrades, and family members, with twisted expressions.

"Why didn't you save us?" they cried, their voices full with anger. "You are supposed to be our protector!"

The guilt crashed over her as she could feel herself slipping, the line between reality and nightmare blurring. The faces closer, their features more distinct, their voices louder.

"Help," she managed to whisper, the word barely audible.

Benjicot pushed aside the tent flap. He saw her, tears streaming down her face.

Instinctively, he knelt beside her, his voice soft yet urgent.

"Princess, can you hear me?"

She did not respond, her eyes locked in a terror. Benjicot hesitated, then gently touched her shoulder. "Princess? You need to wake up."

The warmth of his touch broke through her. Slowly, she regained control, her body shaking as the paralysis faded. Her sobs flowing freely now.

She looked at Benjicot, her fierce demeanor shattered. "You saw..." He nodded, his eyes filled with understanding.

"Aye, I saw. And I see you, the real you. It's all right."

She wiped her tears, frustrated. "I hate this. I'm supposed to be strong."

Benjicot sat beside her. "Strength isn't just about physical strength or riding a dragon. It's about facing your fears." She looked at him.

"Do you ever feel like you're drowning in expectations?"

A bitter smile touched his lips. "Every day. The burden of leadership, the pressure to protect my people... it's overwhelming."

He reached out, encircling her in a gentle embrace. He held her close, offering his presence. "But in moments like these, you have to remember that we are not alone. We have allies who will stand by us, who will fight beside us."

She let herself breathe deeply, the tension slowly fading away. A reminder that vulnerability did not equate to weakness.

Their eyes met, a silent understanding between them. In that moment, they were no longer just a Targaryen and a Blackwood. They were two souls, each bearing their own scars. She took a deep breath as she sat there.

"I've fought battles, slain men twice my size, and ridden my dragon through storms of arrows. But this... this is different."

Benjicot nodded, his gaze steady. "It's the battles we fight within ourselves that are often the hardest. But you don't have to fight them alone."

She hesitated, vulnerability warring with her warrior's pride. "It's... it's been like this since I was a child. The shadows, the paralysis. I've learned to mask it, to be strong. But some nights..."

"Some nights, it's too much," Benjicot finished for her, his voice gentle. She nodded, grateful for his understanding.

"Yes. I fear that one day it might break me."

He squeezed her gently, his embrace a shield against her fears. He reached out, his hand covering hers.

"It won't. Because you're stronger than you know. And because you have allies who will stand by you, even in the darkest of nights."

She squeezed his hand, finding solace in his words. "Thank you, Benjicot."

"Always," he replied, his smile reassuring. "And if you ever need someone to sit with you through the night, you know where to find me."

"Thank you," she whispered.

He smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. She looked up at him, a silent plea in her eyes.

"Will you... stay with me?" Benjicot nodded without hesitation.

"Of course."

He settled beside her, his presence a calming presence. She lied closer to him, finding comfort in the rhythm of his breathing. In the safety of his arms, she finally allowed herself to drift into slumber, the weight of her fears lifted for the night.

As the first rays of sunlight broke over the camp, the princess took a deep breath, the remnants of her nightmare dissipating with the morning mist. Benjicot remained by her side, his presence a steady anchor.

As the camp stirred awake with the dawn, they lay intertwined. They were warriors, yes, but in each other's embrace, they found a refuge from the shadows that haunted them both.

As they walked under the dawn's embrace, they stood united, ready to conquer both the battles ahead and the shadows within.

[exile-of-dathomir]

[He's dead to the world, curled up in his blankets and dreaming, when a happy little chime sounds off.]

ping ping prrring ping ping prrring!

[Feral jackknives up, sending the datapad he was cuddling with flying. He rolls off the side of the bed, pulling the blade from under his pillow, and lands in a crouch before he's even vaguely conscious.]

[Adrenaline solves the problem of awareness in a matter of seconds. Hearts hammering and muscles tense, he looks and feels outwards for the threat...

... and his eyes land on the merrily chiming datapad, laying on the floor half way across the studio. He stares at it, uncomprehending, for a solid fifteen seconds.]

"... oh son of a witch, really?"

[Feral's stance slackens as he sets his face in a palm, embarrassed with himself. With a groan, he tosses the knife onto the bedside table, and goes to pick the datapad up. It cheerfully informs him that he's got an incoming holocall request from Quinn.]

"Mnnggggghhh."

[He grabs a blanket off the bed to bundle himself in so he's not exposed, and plops down in the rickety chair by his little table. A bit of muddled poking at the program as his hearts slow back down to normal rhythm and he figures out how to actually answer the call.]

[The holoprojector on the floor goes online, briefly scanning him before beginning to project an image in the air above.]

// @exile-of-dathomir

Quinn hadn't cared to venture outside their house much, let alone leave their damn planet, but as one could imagine, the Cabin Fever got to them eventually. So, when Quinn's roommate Sanji offered to take them along as she does an off-world commission, they agreed.

Sanji, being a little too cautious about the situation, gave them a blaster, and a comlink, along with credits to protect themselves in the lower levels of Coruscant. The blaster was a little silly, as if their dangerous mutations weren't already enough...

The place had been rather unnerving to navigate. New patterns, new places, new people, were always at least a little upsetting, despite the curiosity. Thankfully, though, Quinn had finally found a decent spot to take a break. A Cafe. From the windows, it looked warm and inviting.

A little hesitantly, they enter, wearing long, large-heeled black boots reaching their knees, black shorts, and a dark blue, oversized men's shirt with the sleeves rolled up and top buttons undone. Long, black gloves cover their arms to their elbows. An outfit designed a little more for practicality, but with the personal touch of three, layered necklaces, each holding their own type of stone. One holds one that is pointed, polished, and purple. The second is raw and red, wrapped in gold wire. The third is a polished, pink, female body also wrapped in gold wire as if being held in Shibari.

Their tail drags behind them to a degree, despite being curled into a spiral to be smaller, and the wing boning on their back, whilst flat as it can be, are still clearly visible as they poke through hand-stitched holes in the back of their shirt.

Quinn hopes they aren't the strangest customer the Cafe has had. Lots of unnecessary attention is something they don't have much energy for.

[punksocks]

Placements For Romantic Archetypes Pt.1: Accidental Playboy (18+ Only)

*Adults only! Minors dni

*just based on my experiences, only takes what resonates

Someone whose usually monogamous that has dated/hooked up with a lot of their friends and stays friends with their exes. They just have a lot of attachments and a lot of love to give ! This may be a phase for most of them (if they’re developed) and they tend to settle down with one person whenever they find their twin flame.

***

-Cancer Venus: just a lot of affection for the people they hang out with, if you’re in their circle they can feel a lot for you and depending on their other placements this can turn into hooking up with their friends. They also don’t really let go of relationships, this placement is most likely to stay friends with their exes as well imo. They also tend to do anything to make their friends/significant others happy which is very sweet …but can lead to some awkwardness on occasion. (Like I knew someone that had a ex turned friend and she would like show him her lewds before she sent them to guys she was asking out and he was like yeah we’re just friends! He stopped that in a relationship, but then she said that they would’ve ended up together when she broke up with someone she was seeing and he was like oblivious and just said haha no, that was only the tip of the iceberg, I was like dude get a boundary.)

-Venus in 11th: A tendency to only get intimately involved with people after they’ve become good friends anyway. Also a tendency to hold onto all their friendships if they can. Can create a like web of attachments, of friends and old flames.

-Cancer Mars & Earth/Air Moon: Needing to be emotionally drawn to someone in order to find them s*xy and hookup… but also this like detachment underneath that. Like a deep amount of emotional investment and fixation but also like being pretty emotionally removed behind it all. So a tendency to pursue like friendships with objects of desire but not too much behind that (not that there’s anything wrong with that, it can just quickly turn into a string of affairs)

-Virgo Mars: This placement usually acts in their relationships through acts of service to express their commitment and affection. Due to Virgo being mutable, I’ve found that they’ll often have a more flexible approach to how they handle their relationships. Like I’ve just seen a lot of Virgo mars natives that would perform acts of service for current and ex partners because of how helpful they want to be to everyone. (Not necessarily a bad thing but a little messy if you’re in a relationship and doing favors for your exes). Lots of checking up in on people and trying to help manage them that can turn into them hooking up in order to be “helpful” (especially after they’re emotionally involved)

-Sagittarius Venus/Mars: just a placement with a lot of abundance, so they tend to date around and explore with many options. Depends on the other placements with how they handle this, (I find fire signs to be more up front about it, but they catch feelings like water signs) but they tend to want to move through relationships on as best of terms as they can.

-Libra Sun: kind of a stereotype due to Libra’s indecisive nature and how because they’re viewed as typically being attractive and charming, due to Venus they tend to draw people into them. I also believe that Libras don’t like to be on anyone’s sh*t list, so like they may hookup and date around and try to do a lot of work on the back end to make sure their past relationships still view them in a positive way… and sometimes they may reopen that door to see if they can reconnect to an old flame. (When they find their other half they won’t really do this anymore, but they charm everyone into thinking they’re the one so it can be hard to tell when they really feel this way imo, the moon sign would help with this)

-Leo Sun: This may not be true for every Leo out there, but they usually have a phase of really basking in all of the attention they pull in. (Leo in the big 6 tends to show someone who goes through a period of being ignored or not receiving enough attention before they become a sort of magnet for other people’s attention) That tends to set up Leos for a period when they’re indulging in that attention in all their relationships. Like they’re getting a bit of ego validation by how much all their friends are into them and they go with it and sort of ignore any emotional consequences until they can’t.

-Neptune hard aspects (esp square/opposition) to Moon/Mars: they tend to have a deep fantasy life that affects how they move in the world. They build up their fantasies of the people they’re into being their perfect hook up and they can get “confused” about their feelings about someone. Like they get closer to a friend and hook up and may entertain the idea of dating and a future together but they just don’t actually feel that way about them. Or they break up with someone and still see them in a certain way so they work to please them to some degree in entertaining the idea of getting together again. It’s like future faking but lowkey the native is doing this the most to themselves and trying to figure out what they actually want long term. Sometimes they only understand what they want after an option has been cut off from them.

-Mars hard aspects (esp square/opposition) to Moon: their heart and their d*ck want different things. No but for real though if they have insane s*xual chemistry with someone they’re probably overwhelmed and overthinking it. If they have a deep emotional connection with someone, they may be torn because they lack chemistry with the person. It’s a lot of internal strife of like wanting people to fit together with the perfect traits in the perfect way but the native has to actually figure out what that means for them before they’re able to settle down.

-How do you know if you’re the one? I hate to be blunt about this, but you connection with this guy will take top priority over the others. But dear god you will have to communicate so much to like work through this. You’ll probably have to be a bit patient as you guys get past all of this messiness. The good thing is, that if he’s a good guy he’ll make you feel like you’re in a rom com in a good way, like you’re really loved and cared for, despite all of this. If he’s underdeveloped? Don’t do it girl, he’ll never know what he wants and he’ll stress you tf out (i mean do whatever you want, you’ve just got to figure out if it’s worth the headache and possible heartbreak for you).

(I hope you all liked this! If you did I have a few more types I have in mind to post about ;0)

[loveforneteyam]

❝your mighty warrior❞ ( I. )

golden eyes

summary: you never thought you'd see your lover's golden eyes again. and when you did, he didn't recognize a single part of you. pairing: neteyam x omaticaya!reader wordcount: 2.8k contains: angst, major spoilers for atwow, mentions of character death, blood, memory loss, sad guilty lo'ak, lo’ak x reader is platonic! notes: the first part, here we go! if i get things with the timeline messed up just ignore it haha. my heart breaks for lo'ak in this, but i hope you all enjoy!

paskalin : term of endearment oeyä tìyawn : my love tanhí : small, bioluminescent freckles

masterlist | series

The water is still in the night. Its chaos—violent waves that crash and collide—disappears once the darkness blankets over the sky. The surface of the water reflects the stars, small freckles of light in the face of the ocean. Although gentle tides push and pull, the vast sea is silent as it sleeps.

There is a beat to be heard; a pulse from under the water, under the ocean floor, from the very core of Pandora. A strong, mighty rhythm that shakes the ground. But this heartbeat does not come from the Great Mother.

In the quiet of the night, the reflection of the sky in the ocean is disrupted. Calloused fingers break through the barrier, reaching past the thin veil. He grasps the air like a rope. The crown of his head splits the sea in half. The moon pulls him to her; his body, strong and powerful, ascends.

──

It was his mother who pressed his eyes closed when they were void of life. The blank face of your lover glared into your soul. The grip he had on your hand--desperately clinging onto you like it would heal the hole in his heart--vanished, and you were left to imagine his fingers were still intertwined with yours.

You remember the wave of realization on his father's face, how his ears slightly dropped and his bottom lip quivered when he noticed that the bullet had gone straight through his eldest son's chest. Crimson collected in his shaking palms. You knew then that there was nothing to be done. Nothing except to sit next to Neteyam, your prince, as his soul moved onto the Great Mother.

His funeral was inevitable. After the war was over, it was time for the Suli's to say goodbye. You stayed with his brother, Lo'ak's hands placed in yours, as Neteyam slowly sank deeper towards the ocean floor. His frame became smaller and smaller, until he was completely engulfed by luminescent tendrils. Your lover was no more.

The family struggled to carry on without him. You remained close with his siblings, thankfully. Kiri mourned by your side. For a time, it had been just her and Neteyam. He was born less than a month before her and she considered him to be her twin. Tuk was young, but old enough to understand, “He is with Eywa”.

Lo'ak, however, was almost never to be seen. If you managed to catch a glimpse of him, he was silent and reclusive. He even ignored Tsireya, who asked you multiple times if he was alright; you never had an answer.

Despite your great loss, the village of Awa'atlu continued on. Every morning, the fishermen and farmers rose early, the healers prepared their supplies, and the hunters readied their ilus to dive through the sea.

Life continued on as if Neteyam's soul had never been ripped out of your blood-soaked hands, as if his eyes had never looked their last to you. It broke your heart.

──

Although Jake Suli had finally recognized his youngest son for his true potential, it was too late. Lo'ak put the blame for Neteyam's death on himself. He accepted that he would forever carry that weight with him, no matter where he ran to or hid.

You knew that when he was nowhere to be found, he was somewhere far off in the sea on Payakan's fin. He stayed out late and missed ceremonies and Suli family meetings; it was Neteyam who always pushed Lo'ak to participate. But even when he laid underneath the stars on the back of Payakan, the ocean water gently lapping at his skin, the guilt still sat in his chest like the bullet in Neteyam's heart.

Without his older brother, Lo'ak ceased to exist. He refused to meet his eyes or even speak to his mother. He made himself an outcast before his family could. You recognized that the void in Lo'ak's life was the same one tearing you apart, so you felt that it was your responsibility to look after him.

"We must be strong," Neteyam had told you the night you left your home in the forest. You said goodbye to your family to be with him. He'd placed his palm over your heart. "In here."

It was eerie how you could still feel his touch as if he were right in front of you. Neteyam would've wanted you to stay strong for Lo'ak, and you would do anything to honor your mighty warrior.

Unfortunately, looking after Lo'ak wasn't easy when you could never find him. Two days had passed and you hadn't seen him once. You knew not to worry--Kiri noticed your concern and said she'd seen him with his tulkun just outside of the reef. "He didn't seem like he wanted to come back."

By that night, you'd given up. After a great feast held for the birth of Tonowari and Ronal's child, you separated yourself from the others and sat alone on a far-off shore. The ocean life illuminated the darkness around you, small specks of teal and gold light scattered in the water. Your feet had sunk into the wet sand as the calm waves kissed your ankles.

While the ocean held many wonders that continued to fascinate you, it left a bitter image burned into your memory.

There was fire off in the distance, gunshots and explosions, but they were all the least of your concern. You shook as you held his body in your arms. The water had turned violent, as if the Great Mother knew of the war taking place. Sharp, chaotic waves crashed against a rocky landing. Crimson pooled in the grooves of the rock, running down the sides to where it diluted in the vast sea.

You never allowed yourself to remember anything past that. The ocean had not redeemed itself just yet. You pulled your knees to your chest so your feet were out of the water. The silence of the night would never be peaceful; if it was quiet enough, you could still hear his voice in your ear.

Fortunately, the silence broke. Soft footsteps in the sand were trailing towards you, and wide, golden eyes met your small frame. Lo'ak had not expected you so far away from the village, alone, at night. "(y/n)," he froze. "What're you doing here?"

"Lo'ak," you let out a breath of relief that you'd been holding for the past few days. You stood and brushed the sand off of your legs. "I've- We've been looking for you. Your mother and father have been so worried."

He frowned at the mention of his family--of his father. He refused to even imagine what they could possibly think of him. "I was just out," Lo'ak tried to dismiss the topic and swiftly walked past you, his shoulder barely brushing yours. "I'm fine."

The remnants of your heart cracked once again. Even when a hand reached out for him, grasping onto his fingertips, he'd pull away. The fear of rejection--the thought of placing his trust in someone with only betrayal in return--was too great. Lo'ak would abandon others before they could abandon him.

"Lo'ak, please." your hand gently grabbed his shoulder to turn him back to you. He stood a few inches over you and refused to look down to meet your eyes.

There was a soft spark in his chest, and you could see the flame beginning to grow. "What do you want, (y/n)?" He retorted with a sigh.

"You know what it is, Lo'ak." You brushed your hand down his arm to meet his palm. You placed his own hand on top of his heart. He sighed, breath laced with heavy regret and guilt. Lo'ak knew that whatever he'd been hiding for the past few months would be coming up right there in front of you.

He practically collapsed onto the sand, feet set in the water and arms wrapped around his legs, but he quickly pulled himself away from the shore, just like you had earlier, once the memories began to feel too real. You sat right by his side and looked off to the dark horizon. The two of you stared with broken hearts. "Have you gone to see him?"

There was silence, apart from the gentle lapping of the waves and the village in the distance. "No," he regretfully looked down at his lap. "Have you?"

You shook your head, "No." Your response wasn't much better.

For as much as the two of you missed him, neither of you had gone to the Spirit Tree like the rest of the Suli family. The only images of Neteyam that you had left were the memories still burned into your vision. “I’m afraid to forget him,” Lo’ak admitted. He bit the inside of his cheek. “But I’m too scared to see him again.”

You looked to him with sympathetic eyes. For the first time since his brother’s death, Lo’ak broke. Three tears left a trail down his face to where they dropped off his skin and onto the sand. “I don’t know much about spirits,” you began. You set a firm, reassuring hand on Lo’ak’s shoulder. “But Neteyam loved us with all his heart. Even as he rests with the Great Mother, he loves us.”

He tried to nod along to your words as if he would better believe them. Lo’ak gently gasped before a quiet, broken sob left his throat, “I know it’s my fault.” His shoulders heaved. “If I hadn’t made him go back for Spider or- or if I stayed behind instead of him..”

“Oh, Lo’ak,” you cooed, turning towards him and engulfing him in a hug. He leaned his forehead down onto your shoulder. This was the first comfort he’d felt in months. “We can’t tell ourselves those things.”

His tears collected on your skin. “My brother,” he whimpered, “is gone.”

Your fingers gently caressed the back of his head, tracing over his braids. You shushed him, “There’s nothing we can do.” How could you affirm this to Lo’ak when you couldn’t even accept it yourself? You pulled away so you could look him in the eyes.

“I miss him too much.” Lo’ak wept.

Holding his face between your gentle hands, you nodded. Together, your tears soaked the sand beneath you; the two of you could’ve created an entire ocean. “I miss him, too, paskalin.” Your thumb soothed cheek and wiped away the tears from his eyes. “But we must stay strong for him.

“All we can do is remember. One day, we’ll be strong enough to see him, I know it. But for now, we must be strong,” You put your hand over his heart. The beat of his soul turned steady; you remembered how Neteyam’s slowed to a stop, and for the first time since his death, you pushed the memory away without a single tear. “In here.”

Lo’ak closed his eyes and calmed his breath, allowing the feeling of your palm on his skin to soothe him. He’d opened himself and poured out his heart. Now, he could heal.

The night continued on, and you stayed with Lo’ak throughout the dark reign. He could take however long he needed. You would comfort him through whatever war he created in his mind. The tide came in, brushing water against your knees, but the two of you remained.

Finally, he opened his eyes. “We should return to the village.” Before, Lo’ak spoke bluntly with a dismissive mask to cover how broken he truly was. Now, his voice was firm and strong.

“Are you sure?” You warned. He stood and you cautiously rode with him.

His hands, which had been balled in tense fists, released themselves. Lo’ak nodded, “I’ve been too focused on my brother that I’ve forgotten the rest of my family. Do you think they’ll forgive me?”

With a sweet, proud smile, you offered, "They already have."

──

The path back to the village was peaceful given that you and Lo'ak had come to terms with your grief. He had warned you that his parents would most likely be angry when you returned since it'd been hours since they'd last seen you and days since they'd seen him. You'd consoled him, "We'll get through it together."

It was strange that in Neteyam's absence, you and Lo'ak were able to replace the void with each other. Although he was only a year younger, you'd always felt a sisterly love for him, the same way that you felt for Kiri or Tuk. Now that your connection with Lo'ak had healed, maybe you could too.

Life ahead was beginning to look a little brighter in that moment as you walked on the shore.

But your peace was short-lived.

The village was close enough that you could see the pods, docks, and several Metkayina men with glowing lanterns that noticed you and Lo'ak approaching. They called out and, together, the two of you rushed to them.

"What is wrong?" Lo'ak prodded, trying to look past their broad shoulders at the commotion that was collecting in the village.

You tried as well but they were too tall compared to you. "You must come with us," one of the men said. The flames in the lanterns gently flickered but you could well enough see Kiri running in the distance. Her eyes were wide with fear like she'd seen a ghost.

"Kiri!" You exclaimed.

She pushed past the men and, out of breath, embraced Lo'ak. "Brother!" There were tears falling from her eyes, only you had expected her to happily cry at the sight of Lo'ak. Instead, she wept. "You must come. Come, (y/n)."

Kiri led you both back to the village, the men following after you to provide light. Almost every person in Awa'atlu--man, woman, young, and old--crowded near the shore. They yelled and gasped, cursing and praying. The three of you struggled to push past everyone, accidentally stepping on tails and toes and bumping elbows and shoulders.

Everyone seemed to look at you and Lo'ak with sympathy. Lo'ak sensed it as well, and looked just as confused as you were.

The crowd was like a hurricane, and in the center, the eye was calm. Jake and Neytiri kneeled on the ground, Tuk crying into her father's arm. Tonowari, Ao'nung, and a collection of soldiers held the people back. Ronal sat across from Neytiri, muttering a prayer with her eyes shut. Kiri ran to her mother's side. Tsireya rushed to Lo'ak as he collapsed.

Your heart stopped.

On the ground, where the ocean met the sand, a figure laid. He had strong legs and arms, a strapping abdomen, and calloused palms and fingers. There was a scar on the outside of his right thigh. Tanhì scattered across his body like the constellations reflected on the ocean.

Your prince. His ghost would forever haunt you. What had you done wrong? What had you done for the Great Mother to curse you like this? Just as you could feel your wounds beginning to heal, your heart crumbled again.

You fell to your knees, placing your hand over your mouth to cover the ear-splitting wail you released. You could fully see your Neteyam now. Just as you had remembered it, but his eyes were gently shut. Neytiri cried alongside you, and your heart almost broke even further until you heard her whisper, "Thank you, Great Mother. Thank you."

What was she grateful for? Jake noticed your confusion, and with a hopeful smile, he took your hand and placed it on Neteyam's heart. Underneath the weight of your palm, you felt a gentle pulse. A steady, soft rhythm that rocked your core. Your tears stopped, a cry stuck in your throat.

You looked down to his body and gasped. "Oeyä tìyawn," you whispered out to him, hoping he would hear it. Through just two words, your voice called out to him.

Golden eyes, that you thought you would never see again, opened.

His father gasped; his mother laughed; his sisters cheered, and his brother bowed with his forehead touching the ground. Neteyam's mighty heartbeat reached across Pandora.

"Ma 'Teyam," you smiled. You could taste your own tears as they reached the corners of your mouth. For the first time in months, you weren't crying from a split in your heart--you cried at the feeling of it healing. You were foolish to think the Great Mother would curse you. "Thank you, Great Mother."

Only two minutes had passed until you noticed the laughter and cheers of others had disappeared. The night had become silent again. Your smile fell when you recognized that Neteyam had not yet embraced you. In fact, he stayed frozen on the ground.

His eyes were still open, but they were wide and full of fear. Tuk reached for his hand, and he quickly pulled away with a scared gasp. He flinched when his own mother caressed his cheek. "Neteyam," she pleaded. Finally, his eyes met yours. You looked to him with desperate affection, practically shooting beams of love towards him. Your stomach dropped when you noticed it.

Your prince did not know who you were.

taglist: @m4nd0l0r @slythermania @angrypomeranianwifey @afro-hispwriter @neteyamsgirll @sopiasleeps @sassy-persona @islamovice17 @danyxthirstae01 @argentnoble @ilovehotd @freyabear @vxncxntt @loquatious-josephi-krakousky @virginslutsstuff @brooklynscherry-z @elvyshiarieko @sharni07 @sillyfreakfanparty @23victoria @froglogblog @neteyamoa @lilprettypetite @littlecurlyhairedbabe @theflowerofpandora @howcl @hlhl99 @dreamergirljen @tejas-kris @osumarusjade

[hatkuu]

Thoughts on Kylar with a S/O that doesn't care about his obsessive tendencies? like, he'll be following them home and pc will turn around to face him like "omg hi Kylar!!!"

oooh. you're in for it. he definitely takes it as an A okay to increase his obsessive behaviour ten fold. he just wants to make you happy!!

Kylar starts following you home so much more - to the point where he's spending all of his time with you - even if you don't notice he's there. You'll just be cutely going about your day, oblivious to the hunched, heaving breathing figure two steps behind you. Kylar thinks he's being so sneaky - that you don't notice the stale scent of his breath fanning against your nape - as you continue to roam Danube Street alone. But you eventually notice, given that no one else has a distinct undertone of garlic in their scent besides Kylar.

"Oh! Hi Kylar!"

Your words elicit a flinch from Kylar. His whole body freezes up, reboots, then flicks back on in a span of ten awkward seconds. You don't comment on it, instead, you smile, cooing at Kylar as you fix his matted, greasy hair hidden underneath his hood. Your fingers tussle through the tangled strands, hushing Kylar while he freezes up in panic amidst your coddling.

(more below the cut!!)

"Aw, you can't wear your hoodie all the time! Look at what it does to your hair!"

Kylar shyly smiles while you continue untangling and combing through his hair. Blood rushes to the vessels in Kylar's face as his smile grows wider and wider. You absent-mindedly smile back at him, oblivious to the obessessive, sick feelings blossoming in Kylar's heart.

He eats up all the attention you give him - mostly because no one else even looks at him with a smidge of the adoration that you do - all of your smiles, cooed out affirmations, fleeting touches... They make Kylar feel alive.

You don't think Kylar means any harm - because, well, why would he? He's just... your ...protector? You're not sure if you actually want to give him that title because he might take it just a little too literally and start stabbing at anyone who enters your personal space unannounced.

Kylar's reactions to you ignoring his obsessive behaviour solely depends on how you manage it. Like, if you're all sweet and loving despite openly seeing Kylar threaten a love interest; he takes that as your signature on your shared marriage certificate. But, if you're more oblivious (like himbo or bimbo s/o) Kylar is over the moon - this means he can do whatever he wants and you won't notice!

(Then his thoughts start shifting towards if he's the only person you're so nice to... He doesn't think he can live with himself if you're sharing your love with so many other people... cue hysterical Kylar shenanigans due to overthinking haha...)

[nini-dirthara-lothlenanas]

Dawntrail Benchmark

Niqesse Hyur Ver.

[m3-kk]

Sharing my TCF notes because sharing is caring 😬 ⬇️. (All of them… so far)

Ch. 086- sad time for Raon :(. REVENGE HAHAHA LETSGOOOO

Ch. 335- Eruhaben protect Roan & Cale from ugly WS 😆

Ch. 352- Cale’s greatest fear…😭

Ch. 378- Choi’s uncle (DS) left info book written in KOREAN?!?! 😵

Ch. 394- Letter from Death & shiz show😬

Ch. 395- CALE IS AFRAID?!?! 😱

Ch. 401- “Plavin was laughing on the outside but crying on the inside.”😌

Ch. 404- “And Miss Cage, please cuss out the God of Death for me.” -Cale 😇

Ch. 411- They were talking about the Lion King (person) and I thought they were talking about the movie 😭

Ch. 414- Choi Han woke up crying “Kim Rook Soo” 😰

Ch. 415- “What am I supposed to call the friend of my nephew once removed?” -Choi Han 😳

Ch. 423- “Oh, by the way, the original owner of your body is living well too. He said he is happy.” -Lee Soo Hyuk ☺️

Ch. 423- CALE CRIES! BABY NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! 😰

“It's a new record! You were unconscious for 20 days, 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 19 seconds!”- Roan Miru🤠

Ch. 431-

“You son of a bitch!” -Bear King

"Why am I your son? Such an idiot.”

-Whale Archie🫡

Ch. 434- Which Henituse sibling wants to become what?🥱👑⚔️

Ch. 435- Sworn brothers 🤞

Ch. 455- Ron says he has a cute young master (Cale) who he doesn’t want to disappoint.🥹

Also that Roan is cuter than Cale 😂

Ch. 457- “This is nice.” Beacrox commented before swinging his greatsword horizontally.🙂

Ch. 461- Cale’s merchant name is Bob XD

Ch. 465- The Sound of the Wind was a top underneath a boulder surrounded by whirlpools.

The Indestructible Shield was a pit under the tree.

The Scary Giant Cobblestone was a stone in the Super Rock villa.

The Fire of Destruction was a sculpture at the center of the magma.

The Vitality of the Heart was a stone pillar at the center of a whirlwind.

The Sky Eating Water was a chained spear.

Ch. 476- More Dragon Family Drama wtf

Ch. 481- To the Fake World Tree

Ch. 501- Illusion of Other World..RAMEN!

Ch. 504- Stick from World Tree (Cale’s blood is special?!)

Ch. 515- Vampire Duke Fredo (seems nice)

Ch. 516- Demonic Race, Rosalyn, White Star after cookie prince?! NOOO

Ch. 520- WEAKLING. Alberu is a mage swordsman badass dark elf

Ch. 526- These brothers are so cute OMEGALUL

Ch.555- Sealed god test, wtf this is so sad I’m crying I’ve never been so genuinely sad

Ch. 559- CHOI HAN OUR LOVE THANKS🙏

Ch. 581- AWW BESTIEEE

Ch. 584- Cale saying he could beat 3 strong peeps

Ch. 589- Alberu goes to Blood Boulder

Ch. 601- AHH CALE BDAY AHHH

Ch. 612- THEY GAVE ALBERU A GUN!!

Ch. 618- Cale explains to LeeSooHyuk the truth

Ch. 622- HOMEEEEEEEE AYYAYAAY

Ch. 627- @Capital w/ Dad y Alberu YAY

Ch. 628- BUBBLEGUM PINK DRAGON

Ch. 629- We are a big family!

Ch. 631- 5 FUCKIN DRAGONS AHHH-

[THE AUTHOR STARTS SAYING SHIT LIKE “IN THE FUTURE.. “ LIKE F U MAKIN ME ALL SAPPY N STUFF WTH UGHHH!!!]

Ch. 640- 2 Cats are Molan house’s future 🥹.. They can’t go berserk?..

Ch. 645- Roan & Cale Solo Fight letsgo!!

Ch. 646- Cale uses ‘instant’ to destroy 2 unranked monsters.. I’m crying actually..

Ch. 647- wtf I’m crying, goosebumps fr

Ch. 649- Roan has grown so much 🥹

Ch. 652- COM. WITH EARTH 2 AHHHH—

Ch. 655- Cale is healing❤️ OG Cale!KRS

Ch. 656- SOO much info from OG Cale!!

Ch. 658- CALE IS AWAKEEE YAYA

Ch. 662- OMG Cale’s BioMom was cooking

Ch. 663- WE KNOW HOW TO KILL HIM HA

Ch. 670- World Tree-nim

Ch. 677- Explaining ALOT lore dump!!

CB. 681- WOW the end of that chap tho

Ch. 682- I stan Cale’s hatred for the White Star. We love the PJs! Alberu is moon that’s so *legs in air kicking*

Ch. 683- So are we gonna kill WS or whatt?

Ch. 684- HAHAH OMG CALE’S BDR POWER IS SO SCARY EVERYONE THINKS ITS THE WS!! HAHAH ITS CALE’S THOOO

Ch. 685- omg.. DANGGG!! Our Cale is truly terrifying! New Pokémon acquired! White star!! 😏 wait we have a tiny WS in our pocket how cute! 🥰

Ch. 686- HAHA BOOM BOOM 💥

Ch. 688- Rashell says he wouldn’t be able to sleep if many humans died 🥰

Ch. 689- ROCK SHEILD LETSGOOO

Ch. 694- DEAFEATED! Alberu faints and thinks he’s like Cale now 😭

Ch. 695- NAHH WE LOVEEE

Ch. 699- ENTERED THE TEMPLE! We can’t leave…? CALE IS GHOST AND WATCHING OTHERS TESTS HUHHH?!! (DespairTest2)

Ch. 700- This chapter is just amazing, these people are so smart ughhh I’m screaming! In a happy way tho

Ch. 701- OK we have Choi Han, Clopeh, Rosalyn and Cale so far.. MARYYY

Ch. 702- +1(Roan) Cale can use the cintamani to contact other world. PEOPLE CAN SEE HIM YAY!

Ch. 705- Talking with Cale & others through the Cintamani :>

Ch. 706- Tonka! And Dark elf Tasha&Alberu

Ch. 707- My heart, Alberu was so sad and lonely back then…

Ch. 709- Eruhaben! WS is badddd

Ch. 710- Whyyyy I’m actually feeling despair it’s so complicated ugh and no ones receiving correct info ughhhhh

Ch. 713- Mary is #GIRLBOSS for not being tricked! ❤️❤️

Ch. 717- So glad that was settled 😮‍💨

Ch. 718- So the test Cale was in wasn’t the original one so now we are doing the actual sadness test ok 👍

Ch. 719- WOW NOT CALE ALREADY FINISHING BLUE TEST.. also someone else?

Ch. 721- Toonka left the test, Cale met Choi Jung Gun, I’m I’m scared 😶

Ch. 722- Rosalyn finally put the tests goals into words! She’s so smart. I love herrr

Ch. 726- Cale confronts CJG and he’s being used as bait bc a hunter is here oh no. Cale is going to cause chaos ialrk

Ch. 727- WOWW Cale was about to be isekaied lol. Good thing we have ancient powers! 2 Hunters?! 🫣

Ch. 730- Cale actually skipped a level bfr

Ch. 731- Cale has to observe past Roan (during the night) and Alberu (during the day)

Ch. 732- FLIPPING OVER THE FIRST PRINCES PALACE HAHAHAHAGA

Ch. 735- Freeing Roan! Again Again?

Ch. 739- Still loving how Choi’s test is taking care of tiny KRS. Alberu test completed!!

Ch. 740- I’m loving Clopeh during this test so far. He knows his goals and he sticks to them. He’s crazy!

Ch. 744- Damn Dodam Miru. I think DM’s world is not an illusion. Cale “tricking” the Wrath test is crazy I love that sly bastard!

Ch. 745- Cale hates when the children hate their side dishes ahah! The Wrath test is actually really difficult it surprised me frfr! Clopeh & Cale are angy

Ch. 749- How dare this low-life Dorph ever consider sacrificing the great and mighty Roan Miru. I pour all of my hatred and anger toward him. He needs to die. 😡

Ch. 750- Finally! Flipping every over heh!

[brisquad-unit-4402]

being gorgeous

HAHA SORRY I'M A LITTLE LATE TO THE 2.0 REVEAL THIRST PARTY i passed out while writing this yesterday and it shows. and then i've done nothing else today except for write, eat a donut, write, reheat some pork chops, write, join an online meeting, and write. it's 8:23 am. bonus points if you can pinpoint the exact moment i dropped my phone and fell asleep last night. and also the point where it turned morning here and i started getting goofy. literally no matter what happens all roads lead to Oh My God Why Is Shu So Beautiful

funny story while i was writing this: i wrote p much all of this on my pc and i have all of the noctyx puppets around my desk area but taichou is the only one that's actually on the desk and when i was starting out for the day i couldn't concentrate because he was just staring at me like ._. so i turned him around to face the wall and somehow that was what kicked off 3631 words???

shoutout to 🍰 anon for making soooo many of my neurons activate. we have a mutualistic symbiotic relationship and i think i'm going to go insane. i've spent the better part of the last 24 hours just writing this and nothing else i think i've actually lost it.

tags: established relationship, suggestive content, making out, 2.0 outfit, praise kink, humiliation kink, hurt/comfort, self-image positivity ig?, soft dom reader, gender neutral reader, sex references under the read more but there's no actual sex lol

⚠ suggestive/sexual content, praise kink, and humiliation kink under read more. content under read more is not intended for minors

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

All that muscle, and still Shu finds himself between a wall and a hard place. He wanted to try on something new, and naturally you were the first to check him out.

And, God, you checked him out. He wore a loose black robe covered in the skeletons and bones you were so used to seeing on a daily basis. The robe nearly grazed the floor of the changing room, and as he shuffled his feet, the fabric wrapped around the outline of Shu’s strong calves before returning to rest. A plume of fur adorned one shoulder while the other bore a moon pauldron that only drew your eye to the broad shoulders underneath. He tied his long hair up into a ponytail, the dark interrupted by streaks of pink and blond by his bangs, and purple hair fell down his back and caught the gleam of his bright eyes.

Though those bright eyes were cloudier with the shyness of being the center of your attention. He resolved himself to confront it. He cleared his throat and met your gaze, and asked, “Do you like it?”

“Shu, look at yourself.” You grasped him by the shoulders and turned him around to face the mirror. “Of course I do. You’re beautiful.”

He tried to keep a straight face, but there was no way he’d be able to hide his red ears with his hair tied up. “How do you just say things like that so easily?”

“Because it’s true,” you said. You rested your chin on his shoulder, right next to the armor, and watched the mirror as his face turned to roses the same shade as the marking on his forehead.

You get comfortable. “You’ve always been so handsome no matter what you do.” Your hands hold him by his waist, but it doesn’t take you long before one roams upwards. His waistline slopes out to his chest, and you feel Shu’s body shift as your hand slides under the fabric and cups one side of his chest. The mirror serves as a reminder that you were practically on top of him. “But honestly, Shu, you look so hot I can’t believe it.”

“I- I do?”

You mutter in agreement before you kiss his neck, languid and low where it meets his collarbone.

Shu gasps in surprise as it turns passionate, traces of your teeth along skin usually hidden by his hair. He softens into you as you fondle him, and when you circle his nipple he knows he’s doomed.

Teeth sink into his skin, and his breath hitches at the sudden pain. It quiets as your tongue soothes the mark, and goes blinding as you flick his nipple in time with a long lick. Shu can’t help but moan at that. His shoulder rises as nervous energy drips down his body from where your lips cling to his neck, and he knows you can feel him tremble as you toy with his nipple.

The kisses rise higher on his neck, a line of desperation even though you know you have all the time in the world. It’s more like you need to make him know he’s cherished. You weren’t kidding when you complimented him earlier; he’s always been good-looking, and you’ve never been shy about that. But trying a different look made him just as tense as he was excited, so you’re here to shoo all those insecurities away. After all, you’d be lying if you said his new look didn’t turn you on.

You take a glance at the mirror's reflection. Shu's eyes are shut. His long lashes flutter between his makeup, and his lips are parted as he takes all the sensations in. Meanwhile, you look sly and calculated as you cast a sideways glance to your reflection. A bit of your tongue pokes out of your mouth and along your latest attack.

Using the mirror, you take Shu's head in your hands as your lips run over his ear. His eyes snap open into lovely crystal, stunned and sparkling.

“I don’t think I can resist you,” you whisper. "Look at yourself."

He averts his eyes. "I mean, I'm not all that."

"Oh, you are." You turn him to the mirror as your fingers glaze along his chin. Your nails lightly scratch at his jawline, and he can't help but stare at the movement in the mirror.

Out of the corner of his vision, he catches his expression and nearly kicks himself. Was he really that out of control? His horrors are realized when he notices the bead of saliva at the corner of his mouth. He swats the back of his gloved hand over it.

But you catch Shu's hand before he can even wipe it away. "Don't."

"But..."

"Stay still."

Following your command wasn't so hard. He was frozen in place anyways.

It takes everything he has to not react as you drag your tongue up his jawline between the fingernail scrapes. His heart hammers as your lick curls perfectly around his lip to catch the saliva before sliding it back into place inside his mouth.

He follows what feels natural, and when his tongue meets yours, fire runs in your blood. Outside it, too. Sorcerous flames kick alive around his head, then fade just as quickly as they appeared. He's a light show even in his invisible unconscious, and sparks course in your open-mouthed kiss in jolts of hot heaviness.

The hand that caught his earlier leads him as he takes a step back, then another, and his third ends flush against the wall. Shu's ponytail swirls around from the movement, and brushes along your body as you pin him to the wall of the changing room.

There's a loud smack as you end the kiss, breathless and heated. Shu's lashes blur over his enchanted purple eyes, and a few strands of black and gold-blond hair get in the way of his face.

"So handsome," you say, and move his head back to the mirror. "You can still see yourself?"

He barely rustles out a yes, but you feel his head nod slowly between the nails on his jaw and tangled in his hair.

"Good. I'm glad you get to see how handsome you really are." Your grasp crawls up to his cheek. "Watch yourself, and don't dare to look away. I want you to see yourself become a beautiful mess. Can you do that for me?"

Another nod, slower this time.

"Say it."

Shu swallows, and struggles to put the words together. He didn't think he was ugly per se, but he always thought of himself as just plain average. One of the many so-so faces out there in the world. All your praise breaks through those thoughts like an arrow smack-dab in the center of a target, however, and he's abashed at how easily you can say something he's never considered himself as.

It's unfamiliar. A new feeling, really, and likely the one he was dreading when he decided to wear something new for a change. Shu doesn't consider himself a head-turner—that's usually reserved for one of his friends, and he's used to watching them in the limelight from his own comfortable corner of darkness—so now that he's the one against the wall with eyes on him and nowhere to run, hot shame tempers his blush. The mirror only intensifies the feeling.

He looks back at himself. His hair's already messed up from the hand against his scalp, and one side of his neck peppered with the indentation of fangs along the soft skin. Not to mention his decidedly uncute face, with hands far prettier than his own around his jawline, murky eyes crinkled from his perverted pleasure, and yet another string of saliva down from his swollen-red lips. It was probably left over from the kiss. He thinks he should call it disgusting.

Your face rests along his in the mirror, and he can feel your breath on his cheek as you massage his flustered face. You're way more attractive than he is, and he has to wonder: does such an average-looking guy like him really deserve to have such a beautiful person dote over him like this?

"It's okay to indulge yourself, you know," you suggest. Your voice is golden caramel and rich chocolate. "You really are gorgeous. Even if you don't believe it."

Gorgeous. The word bounces around his head. He's never been called gorgeous before, and he nearly turns away on instinct.

The new feeling, he decides, is being gorgeous.

You smooth over one of the long locks of hair along his chest, where you teased him earlier. It feels like silk through your fingers, and as you reach higher Shu's eyes widen just a little more. Then you see the glassiness between the color, and you realize there's more going on in his head than you thought.

"I'll take care of you, if you want me to." You put your agenda on hold just to make sure you aren't about to overwhelm Shu. "Do you want me to?"

"Reader, do you really think..." Shu lowers his head as he fights to form the sentence. "You really think I'm... that?"

"I do."

"And you're not just saying that?"

"You are, I swear. Here, let's take a break real fast." You step away and give Shu some space, but he keeps his back against the wall. He exhales, and the color drains from his face. “Stop me if you need me to. But when we met, I thought you were really pretty. I really liked your sense of style, and the colors in your hair, and I liked to sneak looks at your biceps." You laugh a little at that. "I love your eyes a lot. They're really bright, and whenever you smile, they always squint a little.

"That's one of the other things I really love about you, whenever you smile. You like to laugh. So you smile often, and it's always because they're something to be happy about, and that makes me happy too. Sometimes because it affects me too, and sometimes, just because I love whenever my partner gets to enjoy himself."

You scratch the back of your head. "And, um, I came off a little strong when I saw you, so I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to do that at all. It's just that I got used to seeing your usual outfit, so now that you're trying something new..." You laugh again, but this time it's a gentle giggle, and without lust fueling you, you feel a bit embarrassed. "I mean, I really did think you were beautiful before, especially once we got closer, and I got to explore you more. But this is a whole other level. You've really outdone yourself. Like, I couldn't even hold back when I saw you, I was just so attracted to you that I didn’t even think. I really should have, though. I didn’t mean to cross a boundary.”

Shu’s eyebrows raise. “What? You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just that…”

He trails off. He slumps over and slides down the wall with a sigh as he sits. His ponytail rests along the floor and along one of his sleeves. "I know you compliment me often, but I never thought you seriously meant it. No one's ever said things like that to me before."

"Really?" You sit next to him. "Should I stop?"

"No! No, you're fine. I mean. I think... It's not like I didn't like it." Shu buries his face into his hands and groans. "I really liked it, actually. I think it was just too new, and it's second nature for me to deny how good it feels, and—" He cuts himself off to muster up his courage. He lowers his hands just enough to peek out, but his fingers thread through each other and hide his face. "I've never been called gorgeous before."

"Was that okay?"

"It was perfect," he admits. His eyebrows relax, and his eyes squint. You don't need to see the rest of his face to know his lips curved up. But he dilutes his swoon with another sigh, and you can tell he's disappointed in himself as he drops his hands to his side. "I wish I wasn't in my head when you said it. Sorry for ruining a good moment."

"You didn't ruin anything, Shu, what are you talking about?" You reach to hold his hand, but hesitate, unsure if he wants to be touched. But he turns his palm over to met yours, and you connect. "I'm glad we're talking about it, and I'm hoping that it's helping you work through it, too. I'd hate to do or say anything to you that you couldn't handle."

"Thank you. That's really sweet of you." You take in how he wraps his fingers around yours and squeezes. "I'm going to calm down for a moment."

You sit together for a moment. His face is a slideshow between thoughts, and you rub circles along his hand with your thumb as he recomposes himself. You trust him.

You send comfort through your fingertips on the changing room floor, and his deep breathing turns to silence as a minute passes by. Then Shu turns to you, and lifts your hand in his. "Do you want to try again?"

"You're up for it?"

He nods, and this time it's with all his energy. "I was really looking forward to it. Can we?"

"Of course, Shu, anything for you." Already you're starting to feel warm. You get up to your feet, and bring Shu with you.

You're not so sure if Shu is aware of this, but even in his weakest moments, he moves elegantly. Not so much that it looks practiced, but he rises nimble like the shadows he channels his sorcery through. His long hair rests on his sleeves, then slips behind his back airily as the leathery wing along his torso flares with the motion.

He doesn't let go of your hand, even as he steps back and rests against the wall.

"You're okay with this?" You ask.

"It felt nice."

Your hand lets go of his, but it doesn't break away from his glassy-clear skin, and instead takes in the shape of his arm. His inner wrist is so soft, but the skin gets pleasantly rougher as you continue upwards into the plush of his forearm, and by the time you reach the peak of his biggest muscles, the plush turns firm.

The other holds him by his hips right under the sash of his robes. You can wrap yourself so easily around his waistline, and the urge to snatch him up is stifling.

But you're on a mission, and Shu's straight nose is dusted with pink, and when your hands both squeeze his body, a short gleam of fire spirals out behind him, and yet, his vivid, royal eyes are what captivate you the most.

You're so lost in his long lashes and the flecks of galaxy that you feel helpless, even with him pinned underneath you. "Shu, can I kiss—"

You get your answer before you even finish the question.

It's like you never paused in the first place. He enters your mouth first, and you match his movements, crossing along his tongue as if it was your lifeblood. It probably is. Shu has a tendency to unlock hunger like you've never known it before.

His arms unconsciously flex at the contact. Aroused, you drive forward and force him further against the wall, and when you hear the rumble of a moan between your connected lips, your fingers clutch harder at his waist.

Your bodies are flush against one another, and as you lean forward, you feel the telltale silkiness of his hair. You don't dare to open your eyes as you fumble around for a tuft to tangle your hands in. Shu pulses in your mouth as you take hold, and parts just enough to aim for your bottom lip as he returns the favor and bites. You hear a lewd, liquidy smack as he hurriedly glosses over the nip, then back to your parted lips. Every time there's even the slightest tension between his hair and your fingers, you notice, he rushes to kiss you harder.

So when he goes in for another round, you move your mouth away. His eyes flutter open in confusion, then shocks into surprise as you drag him in front of you. The mirror reflects his surprise right back at him.

Your head perches on Shu's shoulder. "You up for this, baby? You want to see?"

The heat returns. His reflection is another reminder of how he's totally at your mercy, and all the shame that comes with being so whipped that he already looks this ruined.

But you called him beautiful earlier. Gorgeous.

He kind of likes the shame.

"Yeah," Shu says, breathless. "Y-yeah, I do."

"Good boy," you coo, and that washes a whole new set of feelings over him that he files away for later. He tucks his chin away, embarrassed at the name, but he's still focused on the reflection as your reach to the top of his head and the beginnings of his ponytail.

Shu grew his hair out long, and you comb through the ponytail as it loosens down his back. "Pretty boy," you say. Your voice is tempting so close to his ear, especially as you gather his hair together. "Pretty boy with pretty hair. You take good care of it."

He lets out a hum deep in his throat as you smooth through it, only for it to turn into a startled choke as you grab at the base of his head. He chides himself for not seeing through your plan, but not enough to stifle how the choke turns into a moan as you pull. His neck jerks back. Then your lips make contact with his nape like a vampire to prey, and the moan turns into an even more humiliating yelp. The mirror proudly displays his neediness, but the high pitch is yours alone to keep.

"Didn't mark this side earlier." You mutter as you blow cool air over your latest kiss, and bask in how he shivers storms. "You like that?"

"Mmm, feels good," he says, voice wavering.

"Sounded like it, too. I liked hearing it. Gives me a chance to keep playing around with you."

His common sense tells him to protest, but he's too enthralled by the rough kisses and pulls. You tug on his hair to move him instead of asking him, and the way that you can command him without even using words both impresses and mortifies him.

It's the bites that send him over the edge, though. His nape is your territory. The first hickeys have already darkened on the other side, and when he sees you ravenous over his elongated neck, it's dirty and starved and lovely.

You press a kiss under Shu's ear and he jolts at the pleasure. When you suck, he inhales shakily, and lolls his head to the side. He had no idea that he just put himself in the perfect position. "Just like that, stay still. That's perfect." You weave your fingers through an open seam in his outfit, and when you leave your next mark, it's with your hands over his chest underneath the fabric. You grope his cleavage. "Perfect, perfect, perfect."

"H-how did you even— nngh, ah!"

His nipples were already hard enough, but then you just had to go and twist the damn thing like it wouldn't send him so far down to hell that he'd come back up in heaven.

"Just like that, Shu, baby, you're doing so well!" A flick on the bud here, a pull on his ponytail there, your words barely able to ring out as you frenzy between the kisses and the licks.

Whatever noise hangs in the air, it's downright pornographic, and it's only when Shu sees his open mouth in the mirror that he realizes that's his voice. It wobbles between a cry and a huff. Pink and purple dances around his hazy reflection, but as aroused as he is, he recognizes them as his harmless fire. He didn't even know he did that.

The fire trails behind his head as everything goes hot. He can barely think straight, but the only thing coursing through his mind is that he's never been able to feel delight like this before.

Where you stand behind him, Shu rolls his hips, his neck still held back against your body. You've been doing such a good job of keeping yourself together, but the slow coursing is a death sentence. You welcome it wholeheartedly.

"Mm, Shu...!" That elegance is seriously biting you in the ass right now. Even when he's horny, he's graceful, but you ache for more.

And even when he's submissive, he's strong. You tend to forget that those biceps aren't just for show.

Shu practically plucks you out of the embrace and to his side. His voice is husky but whiny. "Mirror or not, I'm not about to go down on you standing up."

"Let's get you a bed," you negotiate. The sooner you can get all you love out of your system, the better. "Lead the way, gorgeous."

He doesn't waste any time at all. He holds his arm out along the small of your back and rests his hand against where your hips connect with your thighs, and as you shuffle out of the changing room he keeps you close to his, brushing up against you all the while. You'd almost think he was preening.

"Gorgeous," you utter. Hopefully he learns how one day.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

[twstmemories]

I dont know if you watched frozen fever, but if you do, can I request the first years with a fem s/o who has ice magic/powers and she has a fever/cold, and whenever she sneezes, cute little snowmans appear. Like what do they do or how do they react.

-- ! how to make an appropriate title 101 with naru. while i haven't watched frozen fever, i do get the gist of what it was about and what you want me to do with this request! apologies for the late response, but i hope you like it! // the sole reason why this was kept from my inbox purge was because i was already done with ace and deuce's part.

✧ first years with a s/o who summons tiny snowmen when having a fever

✧ gn!reader

✧ this is an old request, but upon re-reading the entire thing after i was done writing i realized i didn't use a singular pronoun throughout. so we sticking with the gender neutral reader here too HAHA. also not beta-read we die like how i let this blog die for a whole ass year.

✧ Shrieks a tiny bit the first time you sneeze and his head is suddenly freezing cold before seeing a tiny snowman topple down from his head - real confused for a good few minutes after, to the point he actually forgets you're the one that conjured that tiny being up.

✧ Stares at it for a couple of seconds, owlishly blinking at the sentient tiny snowman running around in circles before directing his gaze towards you: "You didn't tell me that your ice magic could also summons snowmen upon you sneezing," he remarks, sounding oddly offended about not knowing that detail.

✧ "N-No," you sniffle, "It usually doesn't happen unless I'm getting a high fever," you wheeze, another sneeze resulting in double the amount of snowmen appearing and Ace just stares trying to figure out what the hell is happening.

✧ He's worried for 0.5 seconds before his more mischievous side comes forward: "Oh, so those come out whenever you sneeze?" he asks, just to clarify his theory - to which you who is just a bit too delirious to notice any hidden motif he has, nod without thinking twice.

✧ Like, he sees that you're fine! You may be running a bit of a high fever soon, but you're still fine! You're going on about your days with tons of tiny snowmen following your trail whenever you sneeze, but other than that you're perfectly fine! He'll do his part as a good boyfriend after he's had a bit of fun seeing this unusual side effect from your magic.

✧ Tries every trick in the book to make you sneeze more often when he finally has you tucked underneath some sheets inside your room. Accidentally claps two books together that have accumulated just a bit too much dust your way? More tiny snowmen. Tingles your noise a tiny bit with a feather out of affection? Even more snowmen, and you want to be mad at him, but he's having this dorky smile on his face with a slight blush as he picks up another snowman. "Sorry, sorry! They're just so cute!"

✧ Deuce is rather ashamed to admit this, but the moment he set his eyes on those little snowmen appearing out of thin air when you first sneezed - the fact that you were running a high fever was forgotten. Completely gone from his mind, every worrying thought about your condition had suddenly vanished from his head.

✧ Over the moon seeing those tiny beings trail behind you. Ecstatic when he picks one up and the others just jump on top of his body like this is the happiest he is at the moment, nothing can make his day sour now that these little guys are around him.

✧ "Is this the reason why you try not to get sick so often?" Deuce asks, arms cradles full of the tiny snowmen that you conjure up whenever you sneeze and you can only give a defeated nod in return: "They disappear after a while, but if I'm sneezing left and right it's almost an unending snowman army."

✧ Becomes oddly attatched to every tiny snowmen you conjure up. You don't know why, he doesn't know why either. All you two know is that whenever one poofs away after a while, he gets sad and now you're the one consoling him even when you have a fever.

✧ Sadness is only there for a moment though before he picks himself back up and starts to take care of you: "Sorry, they were just so tiny that I couldn't help it. Come on, let's get you back to your room so you can rest properly."

✧ When he finds out the tiny snowmen try their best to help you too he's just so damn elated. Tries to give them small tasks and just smiles at them fondly when they try their best. You find it nice that Deuce isn't overly worried about you and causing a ruckus to the point you omit the tiny detail that every thing that the tiny snowman deliver to you, arrives freezing cold.

✧ Oh you're cradled up in his arms and off to his room the moment he even sees your red nose and shivering self. No he does not care if it's in the middle of the day and you both have class, you're not taking another step or standing up for another second.

✧ Literally halts in his tracks the moment he sees the first snowman appear when you sneeze. Eyes wide and blinking numerous time as he tries to process what the hell just happened, "I- That, is this normal?" No, Jack. It certainly is not normal.

✧ Vaguely listens to your explanation as he hurries towards the mirror hall and towards Savanaclaw, but every time you sneeze he stops to pick up any stray snowman that doesn't land on either you or him - What if you eventually need them to be absorbed back to get more of your magic back? "That's now how it works," "How would you be 100% sure? You rarely get sick as is."

✧ Keeps a mental note on the amount of snowmen that appears whenever you sneeze and where they scurry off to after they've toppled to the floor while taking care of you.

✧ Besides from the mental counting of snowmen he doesn't really try to touch the little creatures, they're made out of snow after all. Sure they can take quite a long fall to the floor or bounce on the bed whenever you sneeze, but they're so... small? He feels like if he just grabs their body they'll just evaporate from the warmth of his palm alone.

✧ You only laugh at Jack's hesitant face once the snowmen he has tried so hard to avoid touching just start to crowd around him, trying to jump on top of him to climb further up his torso. It's a nice pace of change, seeing your lover who usually runs around from dawn and lifting weights try to be so gentle with magic snowmen.

✧ The first snowman that's summoned from thin air and onto your head is in the middle of potion making class. Epel quite literally shrieks when he notices the snowman roll off your head and topple into the cauldron and drops everything he's currently holding to catch it.

✧ Which was the two beakers with other components for the current potion you were making, the shattering noise immediately alerting Crewel. However before he could even start to reprimand, it only took one mere glance at your wobbling self before he directed his gaze towards Epel who instinctively hid the snowman behind him, "Take them to the infirmary, puppy. They're one minute from falling all over the floor."

✧ And it is with that remark that Epel snaps his head towards you, stepping over and pressing the palm of his hand over your forehead, "Yeah, ya burn' up." he mutters, quickly excusing himself before pulling your weak self out the door. The snowman left behind scurries after the two of you when faced with Crewel who only raised an eyebrow up at it.

✧ He's not having a good time. While he tries his best to drag the barely consicous you to the infirmary, he also have to get a hold on every snowman you summon with each sneeze before they scurry away and wreck havoc. So safe to say, Epel has seen better days.

✧ Has half a mind to gather them and chuck them into a basket and zip it shut and another half to just observe them and see what they do. The former won the moment the two of you entered the infirmary and you let out a number of sneezes, which prompted more snowmen to appear and almost destroy the entire room.

✧ Does feel bad when he comes back to the infirmary after going back to the dorm to grab a few snacks to see a few more snowman appear and just try to pull the string open. Nonetheless, you awaken to Epel peeling off an apple, with a few of the snowmen sitting inside a bowl with a few unpeeled apples, "It took some time, but I eventually figured that they just wanted to help, so now they're just keeping the apples cold for me. Here, have a bite." he ignores the look of utter confusion on your face at the snowman on top of his head.

✧ Utterly appalled. Absolutetly flabbergasted. Disappointed that you, his lover, can not take care of themselves like he can. Barges into your room to see your sniffling self on the bed with a look of utter disappointment.

✧ "And here I thought you were one step above your other brethren the others with you rarely getting sick! And where do I find you right after thinking that? In bed! With a fever! How typical!" He huffs, pulling the sheets away from you despite your weak protests. He is utterly shocked the moment he sees the amount of snowmen jump away from your bed and out through your bedroom door the moment he pulled the sheets away from you, staring at the small creatures scurrying down the hallway of Diasomnia.

✧ "And to make matters worse, you hide tiny snowmen in your bed?! I cannot understand how you humans think!" You do not have the energy to correct him. But before you can get up and try to get those snowmen back into your room, Sebek is already pushing you back down to bed with a scoff, "You are not moving a single muscle until I allow it! Now, I know the young master is strong enough to handle some weak human magic, but I still need to ensure his safety, so wait here!"

✧ And he's off to worry about Malleus after lecturing you. After fuzzing about Malleus for a good half hour, the fae dismisses him with the loud thought of: "Wasn't [Name] feeling a bit sick this morning?" to remind your lover about your condition.

✧ Hence he barges back into your room and interrupts your short nap with a tray that's filled with warm tea and some soup. He scowls at the numerous of snowmen that's running around your room, setting the tray down on your bedside table before he gathers them all up and throws them inside a basket you had lying around in displeasure. They've made enough of a ruckus for a day.

✧ "As weak as you humans are, I would've believed you would still be able to take care of yourself sufficiently enough to not get a fever," he huffs, handing you the warm tea for you take a sip of. "I suppose I can give you some credit for trying to not get sick often, because these?" he starts, raising an eyebrow at another sneeze from you, and before the snowman can even topple down onto the bed, he's already grabbing it and throwing it onto the basket with the other snowmen, "Are quite frankly annoying to deal with." he huffs, picking up the spoon and taking the bowl in his hands, "Now hurry up and drink this soup so you can lay down while I prepare some wet towels."

[fuedalreesespieces]

inukag week - day 1: yearning

nan chun

read on ao3!

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Inuyasha waited for his mother to light the lanterns. It was a nightly tradition of theirs, unspoken but consistent throughout the long, tedious days of isolation. Though the luminous glow of stars flooded their home, Izayoi insisted on lighting the four lanterns christening each corner of the house – for warmth, she said simply, her sticks of incense trailing their smoky tresses through the buffeting winds. 

The orange flames made grand, admirable leaps past their wilting wicks, and Inuyasha watched them as they flickered desperately over the clay diyas. They bathed his mother in soft golden hues as she did away with the day’s cumbersome adornments, sheet after sheet of silk layers from her jūnihitoe. She tied up her heavy hair best as she could, then came to sit behind him, their chins tilted towards the moon’s silver face. 

The wooden teeth of her comb gently began to part Inuyasha’s hair. “Haha-ue,” he said, “tell me a story.” 

She hummed in consideration. “Shall we continue last night’s tale of the bridge oni?” 

He refused to admit that that story had been so vivid it practically roosted by his ear like an owl, reminding him to check underneath the low stone bridges cusping the estate each time he crossed them. “No,” he said with feigned disinterest. “Something new.” 

“I’ll tell you...” her voice trailed off, “...the story of the youthful bakeneko.” 

Bakeneko?” 

“If she were to stretch her torso, it would span the length of this lake,” Izayoi said. “But she kept her form to that of a young village girl. She would offer to brush the hair of the other little girls – see, her brush was lacquered gold, and nobody could believe it was hers and hers alone. It was so shiny, the others could glimpse their reflection in its metal from afar. And so naturally they all wished to be pampered by the bakeneko, in the hopes that they might get a look. 

The girls came each day to get their hair combed. The bakeneko told them stories and gave them fresh persimmons, and she kept them so distracted that they hardly ever looked to her face.” Izayoi’s fingers pulled away at stray, tangled locks, tilting her son’s head to the right. The lake surface skewed in his vision like a spinning metal disk. “When they left, their hair shined with an silky veneer, but their skin was wrinkled and tight.” 

“What’d she do to them?” Inuyasha asked, wrenching his head out of his mother’s hands to face her.  

 “So impatient,” she teased, her grin endearing. “The youkai’s golden brush was the culprit. The comb’s teeth were magic, and with each stroke they tore the youth from one’s scalp, like a bat siphoning blood. In this way, the bakeneko could stay young forever.” 

Izayoi’s fingers traversed Inuyasha’s spine, slow as a spider’s crawl. “Eventually she was chased out of the village...but there were always other villages, and there would always be youth to steal.” Her fingers rested at his upper torso, and when he was sure she would say something, she attacked with a barrage of tickles. He shrieked with laughter, running out of her reach and tumbling onto their sole futon.  

“Not fair!” he shouted. 

Izayoi’s eyes glittered with mirth. “I’m afraid you walked right into the bakeneko’s trap, my dear son. Look how you crumble like an autumn leaf. You’ve grown old already!” 

He quickly returned to her lap, his stubby hands finding the ticklish spot on her neck, and she joined him in laughter, making no move to push him away. There were few moments where he was able to make her laugh so boisterously, and he suspected that years in the main estate had made her bottle up the sound, like a sweet fragrance stifled in a clay jar. 

But there was no one here on this wooden island, so she laughed until her chest hurt. For warmth , she repeated, snuggling close.  

“Haha-ue,” he asked sleepily, as they lay curled up on the futon, “why did the bakaneko want to live forever?” 

“Who can say?” she told him. “Perhaps there was something she wished to do. Perhaps she wanted to extend her life to figure out what.” 

Inuyasha thought about it for a moment, his mind muddled by encroaching sleep. He understood that part, at least. He’d never thought about how being half-youkai would effect his lifespan, but if it meant he could keep these nights with his mother, and every day after that, then...then he supposed he wouldn’t mind living forever. As long as she was at his back, her warm robes enveloping him and the sound of waves lapping at the edge of his consciousness, for as long as he was given. 

. . .

The first thing Inuyasha noticed was that his wife was not in the house. 

He knew she wouldn’t be. Her miko duties required that she rise early, and she could often be found in the shed assessing her medicine stock at this hour, or attending to the village herb garden. 

 Her side of the futon was neatly made, and he did his best to match her efforts as he rose for the day. The blankets smelt of the lavender soap she lathered herself with each day to remove the aroma of herbs from her skin, a mild yet soothing scent. He found himself holding them longer than necessary, savoring the comfort they brought. 

There was a cup of tea by the fire, the same kind she always made before departing. He decided to take it with him as he strode out, the ceramic warm in his wrinkled hands. He stood outside for a moment, watching the villagers slowly awaken – men heading out to the fields with their eldest sons in tow, women gathering together to cook the evening meal as they gossiped, their children playing beneath the shadow of their connected cutting boards. 

 A fine, powdery snow sprinkled the stones above their huts. Below, flowers began to push through the wet soil, flanked by dewy grass.  

“Dad?” a familiar voice cut through his inspection of the flourishing plant life. “Staring into space again, huh?” 

Moroha ascended the hill, a basket of apples at her hip. He smiled at the sight of her – it seemed her wife had finally convinced her to wear a cloak, much to Moroha’s chagrin, and it hung snugly at her shoulders. She reached into her basket and offered him a piece of fruit. 

Inuyasha slipped it into his suikan, ignoring her previous jab. “Is Kagome still at the shed?” 

“She just left the hot springs. Why?” 

“Nothin’. You know where we’ll be if ya need us.” 

“Dad...” she trailed off. “I dunno if you should go alone. The path there is still pretty icy. I heard ojisan fell on his way up to the temple.” 

“Sure is helpful that I ain’t Miroku.” 

“Yeah, but you’re also only three years younger than him and tripped over a root yesterday, so there isn’t that big a difference.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “At least let me get you the cane Aki made for you-” 

“Keh!” he bellowed. “To hell with that. I’ll be walkin’ with my own two feet.” 

“You’d be doing that regardless,” she said dryly.  

“I don’t need that scrap of wood. Tell Akira she can keep it.” 

“Dad!” she admonished. Her gaze sharpened, the way it did when they hunted together and she’d spotted their prey before him. “Fine. If you’re going to be like that...” 

Moroha dropped the basket of apples and lifted him off the ground, sprinting downhill. He sputtered – a combination of expletives Kagome would have whacked him on the head for saying, despite the fact that Moroha was well in her thirties and had exhausted cursing to its limit. Kagome herself was guilty of profanity too, the worst in the family by far, for she always cursed at the most inopportune times and immediately denied doing such a thing afterward. 

Mikos don’t curse, she once declared jokingly. So whatever you just heard come out of my mouth is the sign of a whimsical imagination.   

Just the reminder of that outlandish statement made him laugh, and Moroha peered down questioningly, though she didn’t say anything. He suspected she was starting to rationalize all his behavior with ‘he’s old’, which was a little insulting but granted him a sizeable amount of leeway. And though his younger self would rather have cut his tongue out than admit it, being carried was a nice gesture. She cradled him gently against his chest, just as he had done with her for the earliest years of her life. The thought made him yearn to raise her all over again.  

“Put me down here,” he told her, before he grew too emotional. It was much harder to hide things like this from her than ever before, and it was a conversation he wasn’t prepared to have so early in the morning.  

She obliged, eyebrows drawing forward in concern. “Are you sure? There’s still a ways to go.” 

“Not too far. I wanted to walk some of the path anyway.”  

Moroha squeezed his shoulder. “Alright. Stay safe.” She lightly kissed his cheek. “Don’t trip on any tree roots. I won’t be there to pick ya up.” 

He snorted at her cheeky grin, but allowed her the last word as she departed. The path ahead was a meager distance. Beneath his feat, the ice cracked and bit into his toes. It was cold enough that his breath steamed in the air, but warm enough for little blossoms to begin emerging from the dull earth.  

The goshinboku remained as unchanged as it had always been. Its thick trunk was dusted with the final shavings of winter’s snow and rose higher than its companions. Boughs stretched out to meet the sun, heavy with new, budding leaves. Kagome sat at its feet, her bright red hakama easy to spot among the pale foliage. She held one of her arrows, caressing the pointed tips with a fixed, droll gaze. 

At the sound of his footsteps, her eyes brightened. “You’re early.” 

“Moroha brought me,” he admitted, coming to sit beside her. “Said the path was too slippery for an old man.” 

Kagome laughed. No matter how many years passed, that sound was eternal, beautiful and never-changing. He found himself more desperate to hear it each day. “Whomever could she have been referring to?” 

“You’re laughin’ now, but it’ll be you next that she’s coddlin’.” 

“You shouldn’t say anything about coddling, Inu-ya-sha. You carried me everywhere.” 

“’Cause you were slow.” Their fingers coiled together like braided twine. The wrinkles in his skin are little compared to the ones in her own, but they share the same calluses. “And ‘cause I wanted to be close to you.” 

She smiled. “Maybe that’s how Moroha feels, then.” 

A silence descended between them. It happened often as they grew older and less words were needed, only the comfort of the other. A fox scampered past, kicking up snow. “Do you think she’s worried? ‘Bout us, I mean.” 

“It’s natural for her to worry,” Kagome said. “Sometimes I overhear her talking with Gyukuto. Miroku’s been sick lately, and his fall hasn’t helped. After Sango passed, I think it’s on all their minds.” 

Sango’s passing had been, thankfully, a peaceful one. She had succumbed to the long lasting injuries from Kohaku’s sickle. They had revealed themselves slowly after the birth of her final child: a consistently aching back, stiff muscles, and in a year, she couldn’t move above her hip. Confined, her children kept her entertained in their hut. Despite the confounding nature of their mother’s condition, in Sango’s final months, their home had been a merry one. 

Kohaku had shown up briefly for the funeral, and no one had seen him since, but Sango’s grave was always clean when Miroku and Kin’u came to pray. Moroha had been inconsolable for weeks, and eventually she began looking at her parents differently, realizing that they, too, could leave at any moment.

“Did ya ever think about it?” 

“Mm?” she hummed. 

“During the journey, when we were hunting the shards...” It felt like such a long time ago. “Did you ever wonder about dyin’?”

Kagome was silent for a moment. “A few times,” she admitted. “But it was always dreams about you, or Sango, or Miroku’s deaths. Naraku kept pulling the rug out from under our feet, and I always wondered when we would hit our limit on how much power we could consolidate. Naraku always had something up his sleeve, but there were only so many things we could do...”  

She leaned her head against his shoulder, her silver hair plastered against the tree. “In the end, he was mortal like us, and it didn’t matter how many tricks he had.” 

Inuyasha nestled closer. “‘M glad.” 

Kagome rose one incredulous eyebrow. “Glad I was thinking about death?” 

He gave her a deadpan look, and she laughed again, clear as melted springwater. “Very funny.”  

“I try.” 

He pressed a kiss against her forehead, savoring the dregs of her laughter. “What I meant was...’M glad we have this. Enough peace that we can sit and think about a natural death.” Inuyasha sighed. “Sometimes I just think I’m dreamin’. I never thought about bein’ old. Now my daughter’s offerin’ to carry me to my wife. My daughter. My wife.” He made a sound of incredulity.  

“It’s not so crazy. You’re very handsome,” she teased, snuggling close. “What were you thinking of when you were younger, then?” 

“Survival, mostly. What I was gonna eat that night.” His claws brushed against her knuckles. “When I was livin’ with my mother...I dreamed about stayin’ forever with her.” 

“Immortality?” 

“Nah. I wanted to live as long as she did. That was the only way to be with her forever, ‘cause if I lived longer than a normal human, she would die before me. And after she died, it was food. Shelter.” He peered up at the branches, where light filtered through. “Strength. That’s when I started searchin’ for the jewel. I wanted a lotta things. And then I wanted you. You know...you made me start wishin’ for things I didn’t think I gave a damn about.” 

It was always his most candid statements that made Kagome blush like she was in junior high again. “Oh?” she squeaked. 

"Oh?” he echoed. “Soundin’ real mousy there, Kagome-” 

“Shut it, you,” she hissed, a grin on her lips. “You don’t get to romance me and make fun of me after.” 

“I thought that was our routine by now?” 

Her grin widened. A flock of birds settled in the goshinboku’s branches, shaking snow onto their heads. Inuyasha remembered the apple he had stashed away and broke it in two, offering one half to his wife. The ate in silence, the sounds of the village greeting them from below. They had sat here season through season, but the comforting presence of the tree never waned. It stood steady and reassuring, even as their backs bent from age. 

Inuyasha shifted gently, opening his mouth to tell Kagome they should get going, but she had fallen asleep. Her eyes were fluttered shut, and she made no movement as he swept her hair across her brow. He could hear her heartbeat and the soft cycle of breathing, in and out. The blood-red apple laid listless in her hand. With how pale her skin had gotten in the cold, she resembled a body awaiting embalming. 

He draped his suikan over her and kissed her forehead. It could be his last, but strangely enough, there was no fear in the thought.