#velvetwrites

[velvet-glory]

I think a lot about how Boothill and Aventurine both suffered a similar fate, yet went down such different paths. How Aventurine wants to shield—how he shields his emotions—while Boothill channels his pain and love as his strength while wearing his own kind of mask. How that is reflected in their in-game path, too. Imaginary vs physical, the palpable. Preservation vs hunt.

Boothill chases his goals with a stubborn optimism while Aventurine is a lot more calculating about everything. They balance each other out; cover what the other lacks.

[rojomarxista]

　　　　　　　　　　『パラジクロロベンゼン』

 〉　¡Aн, pero ѕι él erα ιɴcαpαz de ordeɴαr α ɴαdιe, ɴo тeɴία eɴerɢίαѕ pαrα ѕer υɴ мαɴdóɴ! Preғιere opтαr por "ѕυɢereɴcιαѕ", o peqυeñoѕ "coɴѕejoѕ" pαrα qυe lαѕ coѕαѕ ѕαlιerαɴ α ѕυ ɢυѕтo. Pero clαro, eѕcυcнαвα opιɴιoɴeѕ ѕι ѕoɴαвαɴ coмo υɴα вυeɴα ιdeα, qυe нαy qυe ѕer ғleхιвle αl мeɴoѕ de vez eɴ cυαɴdo. 》　Eɴтιeɴdo, eɴтιeɴdo. Coмpreɴdo qυe ɴo ereѕ υɴ мedιocre, αѕί qυe coɴғιαré eɴ qυe нαrάѕ υɴ тrαвαjo вαѕтαɴтe вυeɴo. 〉　Qυιzάѕ υɴ NEET erα υɴ ѕer вάѕιcαмeɴтe deѕprecιαвle pαrα мυcнαѕ perѕoɴαѕ, pero eѕo ɴo ιмpedία qυe Aĸιrα нυвιeѕe αɢαrrαdo мαeѕтrία eɴ oтroѕ αѕυɴтoѕ coɴ ѕυ тιeмpo lιвre. Aѕί qυe, α ver qυé ѕαldrία de eѕe "eхperιмeɴтo". 》　Eѕo ѕιɢɴιғιcα qυe мe тeɴdrάѕ peɢαdo α тι de αнorα eɴ αdelαɴтe, нαѕтα coмpleтαrlo. ¡Serά υɴ plαcer тrαвαjαr coɴтιɢo! 〉　Revereɴcιó ѕolo υɴ poco, ¿тeɴdrία qυe αɢυαrdαr α qυe le dejαrα pαѕαr, o podrία volver lυeɢo?

「 @lost-zetsubou」

[notsalgic]

REBRANDING !! ♥︎

hey hey hellow!

used to be velvetwriting -> notsalgic

[kylieblanco73]

"And to think that my heart used to dance around when my name left your lips."

“And to think that my heart used to dance around when my name left your lips.” - when now you mean nothing to me @velvetwriting (via velvetwriting) http://ift.tt/2t63Oma

[pisceangeranium]

"Isn't it funny how five years ago I was proclaiming my "undying love" for you? And how two years ago I was hating your guts, wishing I had never met you? And how now I'm having doubts about wether or not I like you. Aren't we funny people?" - I still can't get you out of my heart @velvetwriting

[velvet-glory]

In one of Boothill's messages he mentions going to "Kata Desert," which still makes me think he means the desert on Sigonia-IV where the Katicans and Avgins were banished to.

We never got a name for that desert, at least as far as I know, but Kata and Katicans just sounds too similar to be a coincidence.

And the way Boothill describes the sky also feels very fitting. Plus, being there reminded him of his own home, which is said to have varied landscapes—including sandy wastelands.

It's something that hasn't left my mind in all these months, especially since Boothill’s ult shows us a desert. Before we even got his story I wondered if this was maybe his home, and this will continue to be my hc until hoyo confirms otherwise.

I hope we one day get confirmation if Kata Desert was Aventurine's home or not, or at least on Sigonia-IV. I also hope we learn more about Aeragan-Epharshel... Perhaps when Oswaldo becomes more relevant in the story, since he's responsible for what happened to both planets.

[velvet-glory]

Thank you undueodium for the template! It was a ton of fun to fill out 😊

Extensive thoughts below the cut! (Warning: very long...)

Necessary disclaimer that all of this is of course just my headcanons and how I perceive the characters. I'm not claiming I know the Ultimate Truth™, but these two guys have claimed basically 99% of my brain capacity in the past 7 months and mean the world to me. I thoroughly enjoy picking them apart and analyzing them both as individuals and a pair because they scratch an itch in my brain that I simply can't get enough of. But as with all things, we resonate with different things in fiction and in life. Anyways, enjoy!

Boothill being ace

This is something I always worried talking about in public, since talking about sexualities in fandom spaces feels like SUCH a risky topic I usually don't even want to open, but it's very important to me. Being ace myself, I personally see him as sex-neutral to favorable. I think it's an activity he didn't mind doing, and even saw as occasional fun, but it wasn't anything really special. He preferred building strong emotional bonds with his family and friends. Romantically I think he had one or two crushes, but never really anything serious. The life he lived didn't allow for it, and the (queer)platonic bonds he had were more than enough.

With the change of his body, the physical aspect fell away, so it’s purely a mental thing now, and he already had next to no desire for it before. When the opportunity arose, maybe he would take up the offer, but he was also just too busy wanting to hunt Oswaldo down to indulge in pleasures like those too often. He didn't see people in that light and didn't miss it. (I also think that there were some... more forceful people that were curious and really wanted to experience what his cyborg body was capable of, which only turned him away from sex even more. So now it became a conscious avoidance, too, on top of the lack of attraction and medium-to-low libido.)

Sex really only starts to feel special once he gets with Aventurine, as he sees it as a way to bond and feel loved. I think sex is a very integral part of their relationship (but if I got into that, this would get WAY too long). It starts to feel even more fun and Aventurine is mighty pretty—seeing him blush and gasp and moan is what's rewarding, not the physical aspect and involvement of his body (especially since I hc that he can't feel anything below the neck aside from maybe his groin thanks to emulators). It's also why I see him more as a service top—Aven's pleasure comes first. That's what makes him feel pleasure. That gets him that mental high.

Aventurine riding him feels good not because of the actual act and feeling, but what it stands for. The power Aventurine holds over him. The intimacy it embodies. Knowing that he is the one to reduce Aventurine into a sweaty, moaning mess. How they both lay everything bare for one another.

There's also the fun aspect to him realizing that sex actually does matter to him in the context with Aventurine. Where losing his genitals wasn't really something he cared about too much in regards to sex (this can also be seen through a gender lens, but I'll be focusing on it in a sexuality way), some insecurity may creep in. If it matters to the person he loves, of course it also matters to him. He just becomes very aware of... everything. About their differences, both in the short-term and long-term. How that will affect the... everything they have. Whatever they have. There's a lot to unpack here. I promise I'm trying to keep all of this as brief as I can but I'm failing.

Boothill and touch

For Boothill, it's not about the actual, physical sensation, but about the intention behind it. Getting kissed on the inside of his wrist, where a pulse would be, is special. Where his heart beats even more so. To have Aventurine treat his body with care and affection—treating it human, despite him not even seeing himself as alive anymore, nevermind human, even if he laughs about it—is what gets to him. It also makes his spine such an insanely vulnerable place to kiss and touch, since he has to expose his back for it. The places his body has been scratched/damaged, like on his lower abdomen, are also highlights.

Basically anything goes and is fine to touch, but the more vulnerable a place would be when made out of flesh, the more intense he feels about it being touched and kissed. And especially his neck and face, since those are still human.

To be accepted and appreciated for what he is now, and not like he is lacking anything, is what matters. And Aventurine does just that.

Aventurine being demi

Aventurine being demi feels kinda self-explanatory. Even if he may use sexuality and sensuality as a tool, I don't think he truly experiences that attraction until a strong bond has formed, which... has frankly not happened often, if ever. Nevermind romantically. That requires you to be vulnerable and allow others close to your heart. That's what made the bars a little difficult to fill out cause... there's so many walls he has put up, but he acts in certain ways. He acts flirty and sensual, but it's not genuine. It is and it isn't. He's a walking paradox and probably struggles to really understand himself, too.

But Boothill makes him feel safe, which makes him want the man carnally (lol). It lowers the walls around his heart. Nothing sexier than explicitly being asked for consent and being respected and loved by a sexy cyborg who wears his heart on his sleeve, I'm afraid. Plus, I think Boothill not actually having a human body massively helps him in overcoming the first hurdle regarding his trauma.

Aventurine's sensitive areas

Similar to Boothill, the more vulnerable an area, the more it means for it to be touched. Especially his chest, hips, inner thighs and neck are sensitive and feel the best. Boothill kissed his stomach once and he has been obsessed ever since. His lower back? Yes please. Especially if Boothill's mouth and hands are busy elsewhere. A kiss to the center of his palm speaks louder than any words and it makes his heart ache.

I think his arm pits are ticklish so they're a bit of a no, but it's a soft no. Because he trusts Boothill so much, I think he's really fine with anything, at least down the road. It does take a little while to build up to this, but fortunately Boothill is very patient and understanding in this regard ☺️

Kinks & Limits

Limits

This is actually a section I struggled a lot with. If it's a hard limit, I don't even go there, and don't even think of it. So I feel like there are likely some others that I didn't put down because well... I just don't think of them cause they're such a no lmao.

For soft limits, especially in regards to Aventurine, I think it's pretty complicated. He has some self-destructive tendencies. There's a lot of inner turmoil because of his trauma—he wants and he doesn't. He wants to be tossed around, challenges you to use him, because it's what he's used to, but he also doesn't. This would get way way too long if I went more in-depth on how I see Aventurine and his relationship to intimacy as a whole, but. It's just extremely complicated, and I feel like someone like Boothill is exactly what he needs to heal from all of that. Someone that allows him to let loose, to differentiate past trauma and future pleasure. Because he's safe. And eventually, he will overcome those fears that hold him back from truly letting go. Even if it will take time. (I'm speaking in general here and Aventurine's relationship to physical and emotional intimacy, and not about the specific limits I wrote down.)

They both definitely have their limits, but also... I dunno. It just heavily depends on the situation and how long they've been together. I think there's some kinks they would eventually explore in a safe way, especially in regards to bondage. Some mild power play, maybe—which would especially be a big step for Aventurine.

Kinks

Aventurine likes to receive, but also to see Boothill break, either in a submissive or dominant way. He likes to walk on the fine line, to see how much he can get away with. To push and prod until the tables are turned. Likes to see Boothill whimper but also have Boothill hold his hips a little tighter as he's pushed into the mattress or nearest surface. He likes the game, the risk. To gain and lose control.

And Boothill plays into it beautifully, because he aims to please first and foremost. He always has to hold back because he really could very easily seriously hurt Aventurine. His body is made to kill and that's a risk that Aventurine really loves.

As for Boothill's kinks... well! When most of your body is numb to pleasure, why wouldn't you want to practically short-circuit thanks to your very very pretty partner who also activates your lizard brain.

Dynamics

Boothill is very very attentive and fully focused on Aventurine—catches every little movement, every sign of discomfort—which is why I think he would be extremely good in bed, even if he has less overall experience. They are essentially tied in skill, though. (But also, you know. There's the fact that Boothill can get fun little upgrades for his privates, which Aventurine definitely enjoys ☺️)

I'm a switch and vers enthusiast, and while I do think they have a preference, in the end, it's about connection and about mixing things up. About having fun together and bonding.

When Aventurine submits, he does it to fully submit and be at Boothill's mercy because he knows he will be safe. Giving up the power, when he was always forced to be strong and stand alone, brings a sense of relief. But I do think that generally, he prefers to be in control, especially in the beginning. When topping, he tends to lean more towards service top as well, although a less dominant one. Boothill as a service top can be both dominant and submissive, though—whichever Aventurine wants in that moment, since he aims to please. When he bottoms, it really just depends on the mood, but I think generally he's less intense than Aventurine. He definitely teases Aventurine quite a bit like that, hehe...

Boothill has a cyborg body, so... he can do any speed and pace ☺️ Spiritually, Aventurine wishes he also had more stamina and endurance, but unfortunately he needs to catch his breath a little sooner.

I think Aventurine can be both loud and quiet (which Boothill especially loves to get him to that point), while Aventurine loves when he manages to get Boothill to be a little louder.

Miscellaneous thoughts

I would've basically have to fill this template out twice because honestly... How they are with others before meeting each other, how they are with one another at the start, after they get together, and how that changes them in general are all different. They constantly evolve and grow. There's so many facets to them, it was hard to pin it down to just a few dots. But I had already spent a good... I wanna say 11 or more hours on this, on top of the time it took to write all of this, so I didn't want to keep tweaking it even more :') So I’ll just be talking about a handful of things.

Who does what

This was a fun section to think about. Since I imagine that Aventurine fell first, I feel like he was both not subtle at all about his affections but also trying to play them off as just his usual behavior. Boothill, who is a little slower on catching on to his own feelings, really struggled with that. Although after he does realize his own feelings, and wonders if maybe it's reciprocated after all, he really doesn't wait around too much and goes for it.

I think Aventurine likes the idea of getting married, but the reality is just tricky with the lives they live. Commitment is also just scary to him, even if he does care deeply about Boothill (which is also very scary). Boothill also never considered to be settling down somewhere since he expected to lose his life on his quest for revenge, but Aventurine makes him wonder. But whether they live a domestic life somewhere quiet or enjoy traveling the stars together, one thing he knows for sure: he wants Aventurine at his side for it.

Boothill had a lot of siblings, both younger and older, so I think he has a massive soft spot for kids. Having a couple of rascals would be fun, but only if Aventurine was on-board as well. Similar to marriage, I think Aventurine likes the idea, but might doubt if he'd even be worthy or able of being a parent. Whether they do eventually adopt or not isn't as important as simply being together, though.

—

I think I'm gonna leave it here because this already got WAY longer than I intended for it to be... I just can't help but start yapping once these two are involved. Maybe I'll go back in the future and talk about a few more things, but if you actually got this far, then kudos to you 😭 Thank you for reading! I love avenhill a little bit if it wasn't obvious already...

[velvet-glory]

Aventurine who falls first but Boothill who falls harder

Aventurine who has a difficult time to accept his feelings—letting them simmer, letting them fester—whereas Boothill gets struck by the realization and goes well shit. This is my life now. If I don’t kiss him immediately I will die.

But Boothill still waits, and waits, because things have changed between them and they feel strangely delicate and he is not used to that at all. Doesn’t know what to do with these strange feelings. He has lost so much—he doesn’t want to lose this, too.

Aventurine who misunderstands how jumpy Boothill is and thinks he feels uncomfortable about how their distance shrunk; how their barriers began to lower. Or that perhaps Boothill caught on to how he feels. So Aventurine cups his feelings within his palms and accepts that this will be a weight for him to carry alone.

He smiles, and it should come easy—he has smiled through pain so often, has raised a mask to his face like a second skin more times than he can count, to the point of blurring—and yet his mouth feels too tight and chest too heavy.

Boothill can tell. He always sees through him.

Boothill who realizes that Aventurine will slip through his fingers if he isn’t careful so he grabs his hands. He’s fire and honesty as he lays it all bare. He stumbles over his words and they don’t come out right and he clicks his tongue in annoyance, but. Aventurine stares at him. Listens.

Boothill whose hands grow gentle, shaking no more, toying with Aventurine’s gloved fingers as he realizes what just happened and the things he said. Part of him wants to brush it off, the vulnerability feeling so wrong.

But Aventurine’s eyes… oh, his eyes.

Boothill places Aventurine’s hand against his chest to feel the subtle vibrations—a clear rumble, a heart beating within whirring machinery which tries to cool his systems. He throws himself further into the fire and the uncomfortable feeling of honesty.

Aventurine’s shoulders grow lax, anxiety melting away as Boothill’s lips tremble. He brings his hand upwards, cupping the back of Boothill’s neck, thumb brushing across a lower lip.

Boothill grows very, very still as he stares into mesmerizing eyes truly looking at him.

(Originally posted here.)

[velvet-glory]

Another small thing I love about avenhill is how Aventurine wears both of their colors on his back. The teal and gold for him, the black and red for Boothill... And when you invert the picture, the roulette wheel itself has both of their colors, while Boothill's red becomes Aventurine's teal.

[velvet-glory]

Avenhill kissing… Smiling into each other’s mouths as they lose themselves to the sensation, to the feeling of closeness and safety of being understood… Hands growing desperate as they tug the other closer, closer, any space between their bodies still feeling like too much… Their breaths becoming heated and tongues more eager… Power shifting back and forth, both of them dominant in their own rights… Clothes beginning to slip and fall as their dance of desire evolves…

[velvet-glory]

Avenhill watching the sunrise as they talk about anything and nothing. Perhaps they let the silence do the talking and bask in each other’s comforting presence. Perhaps Aventurine scurries just a little closer and Boothill has to bite back a grin. (He fails. Aventurine notices.)

[velvet-glory]

touchstarved

— avenhill, 391 words

Boothill who never really considers he may be touchstarved until Aventurine leans against his shoulder while reading something. Until the distance between their bodies crumbles and touch becomes common instead of a rarity; small caresses that start to linger.

He doesn’t really understand how touchstarved he is until Aventurine is in his arms and the difference of their bodies strikes him with crystal clarity. How he is mostly machine, now, and will never be able to experience Aventurine’s touch as he would have in the past.

Never once did he regret his choice—stepping into that doctor’s office and baring it all, trading it for this new existence for the sake of his revenge.

But now, in the silence of their room that rings so loud in his ears, he yearns for sensations he will never experience again.

It’s odd to know you’re being touched and held, yet not experience it with your own skin. A phantom sensation in limbs he has forsaken for his loved ones.

But even now it remains the smallest price to pay if it brings him closer to his goal.

Their goal, he reminds himself, a lone star no longer.

Boothill closes his eyes as he focuses on what he can still feel: Aventurine’s soft breath against his neck, the part that still remains human. The shallow rise and fall of Aventurine’s chest as he slumbers peacefully, a miracle in its own right.

He focuses on the feeling of Aventurine’s skin as he leaves a quiet kiss against his forehead. For as much as he has lost, at least this still remains. He can still brush their noses together, careful not to wake the man. He can still feel this without emulation.

The surge of regret passes as fast as it arrived, leaving like a sigh. Because while the past has been written and cannot be changed, he is still here. Alive. The past brought him here and it is proof that he lives in spite of everything—that the future is yet to be determined.

And Aventurine, ever generous and attentive, never even gives way for those thoughts to fester. Despite the metal, he kisses it as though it were fleshen and sensitive, bringing a sense of normalcy. It makes Boothill feel human even when he had given up on that a long time ago.

(Originally posted on twitter.)

[velvet-glory]

"whiskey & wine"

🥃 Aventurine/Boothill, Mature, 2858 words Actors AU, Character Study, Mutual Pining, Sexual Tension, Confession of Feelings, Making Out With art at the end!

— 🍷 —

"If I didn’t know any better…" Aventurine starts, a tremble lacing itself within his voice as his hand moves further, their knuckles brushing against one another, "I’d think you want to kiss me." "And if I did?"

— 🥃 —

It’s been a long day of forced smiles and maintaining a mask, both for personal and work affairs. So when Boothill and he retreat to a backstage room to unwind after a day of shooting, Aventurine suggests to celebrate with a drink.

“Y’know I’m not one to deny a free drink,” Boothill says, shrugging off a leather jacket and tossing it over the back of the red velvet couch. The white shirt he wears is simple, but when your body is as sculpted as his, you don’t need fancy clothes to look good.

Aventurine takes a deep breath, trying to not let his eyes linger even if the dimmed lights could easily cascade the act. “The usual, I presume?”

Continue reading on AO3

[velvet-glory]

Thinking about Aventurine pushing Boothill back, kissing the tips of his fingers; traveling up his arm, to his chest, to his heart. Letting his lips linger there, feeling the vibrations, listening keenly to a heart beating and fighting within machinery.

Boothill quietly cards his fingers through blond strands as his body is revered for the miracle it is. He may not truly feel Aventurine's lips against his body, but the sight makes his heart race all the same. The intent alone—to be treasured, to be loved, to be treated human—is enough. More than enough.

[velvet-glory]

fool

— avenhill, suggestive, 492 words biting and making out based on my vampire AU; originally posted here

Aventurine’s bites become more daring as their relationship develops. He lets his gaze travel up Boothill’s body instead of keeping it trained to the ground; lets their eyes meet as his fangs are buried deep; lets his hands wander, slowly—first a tentative touch on the knee, then up the thigh. The tips of his fingers trace along the seams of the pants until they come to a taunting rest at the peak of it.

Mouth still clasped around Boothill’s wrist, Aventurine leans forward until the hunter becomes the hunted and is pushed back against the wall. 

Blood drips down Aventurine’s lips as he lets go; Boothill’s arm falls limp and unceremoniously between their bodies. Fresh blood oozes out of the wound and taints the fabric of Boothill’s pants, pretty little shapes, warm to the touch. It goes ignored.

Sharp, dangerous fangs could so easily clamp around Boothill’s neck. The danger of it all hangs between them, two predators in their own right, swinging back and forth as the distance of their bodies narrows until it’s finally gone and Aventurine presses his lips against Boothill’s.

It’s wet and messy with saliva and blood, and Aventurine keens, drunk, a whine slipping past his tongue as he licks Boothill’s mouth open.

“Still hungry?” Boothill breathes, smug, his voice like gravel. A faint pink dusts his cheeks.

Aventurine doesn’t reply—merely climbs up on the lap that widens and welcomes him so eagerly. The blood dirties his own pants. Perhaps in another time he would’ve cared not to waste it, but not here, not now, not when Boothill looks up at him with desire clouding his eyes.

The beast of this undead body is sated, but not the soul that simmers within it. No, it craves. It craves and yearns and it’s dizzying in its ferocity. Boothill’s blood mingles and mixes with his own; Aventurine feels how it pumps through his veins, bringing a semblance of life back to this body. It sings in his ears in a rush that is addictive.

One heart beats the blood of two. It’s impossible to be closer.

Aventurine seeks it out regardless.

So he claims and tugs and licks and pulls, and Boothill complies like a good little thing. Submits so beautifully, with pretty little gasps and moans falling from his lips; with hands that grow more confident as they ride up his back beneath his shirt. Boothill’s nails scrape across his skin and Aventurine prays it scars, that he carries the mark and proof of this.

They need to stop. Aventurine feels his restraint slipping with every inch Boothill traces along his body, every kiss that is returned with the same fire and need. A shallow roll of his hips makes Aventurine snarl, dangerous, a threat not to Boothill but himself.

And yet, Boothill, the fool, merely grins up at him. Elated. He looks danger in the eye and pulls it closer.

Fool.

The both of them.

[velvet-glory]

liquid fire

— avenhill, mildly suggestive undertones, 475 words

Boothill is not so different from liquid fire.

Mesmerizing, every flicker telling a new story. Impossible to contain. Radiant and so full of energy it’s blinding to look for too long.

And yet, Aventurine can’t help but reach out, seeking the warmth, wondering what it’s like to trace the flames that feel so gentle against his skin.

Boothill always indulges him; leans into his touch with a smile.

It burns. Not his hand, but his heart, with how it aches at the notion so painfully tender. So openly affectionate. Boothill indulges his every whim with a toothy grin; a quirk of his brow; a laugh that rings like chimes in the wind and Aventurine can’t help but be swept away in their song.

And when Boothill turns his head—when he gently presses his lips against the center of his palm—Aventurine wonders if this is how a pebble feels as it watches magma approach.

There is no fear, simply awe. It spreads through Aventurine’s lungs as he holds his breath. His fingers twitch and yearn, and Boothill’s lips travel upwards to where his pulse beats fiercely at his wrist. There’s a faint glow within crosshaired eyes as they flicker open, the intensity of said gaze enough to send a tremor down Aventurine’s back.

It’s dizzying. Aventurine licks his lips as he allows himself to be engulfed—as Boothill moves closer not like a hunter, but like inevitability. A slow and steady approach leaving behind nothing but ash that coats his skin.

And like destiny, their lips finally meet, colliding like homecoming.

It’s only then that Aventurine finds he can finally breathe again. He gasps for it, struggling to fill his lungs as Boothill’s cold, metallic, hand comes to rest at the back of his neck, toying with the short strands of hair there. The change in temperature shoots through Aventurine’s body like a bolt, his hands grasping for anything to steady himself; to keep his knees from buckling.

But, even like this—as Boothill’s tongue brushes against his lower lip in quiet permission—Aventurine never fears falling.

There’s few certainties in life, but Boothill always being there to catch him is one of them.

Him always noticing every shudder and their meaning is another.

“Somethin’ on your mind, darlin’?” Boothill whispers against Aventurine’s lips.

“I’m… afraid you’ll have to be more specific.” Aventurine’s reply is breathless, unable to hide the desire that thrums within his veins and the affection that winds around his bones—even as he smiles around the presented challenge.

Boothill laughs. A loud, genuine bark of happiness that makes Aventurine forget himself.

There is no past, no future, only Boothill holding him like a treasure. Every caress another confession, every kiss another promise. Meeting him halfway, always. Understanding what lies beyond the charade and easily plucking him apart as an equal.

(Originally posted here.)