#wattpad preview

[rosejigglypuff76]

Cookie Run Kimura AU - Chapter 7 (Preview)

Author's Note

My deepest apologies for being unable to write for a while. Due to me being busy with a lot of writing for my 2nd Term of my 1st Year of College I ended up getting a bad case of Writer's Block, due to my mind becoming mentally exhausted from various homework and projects. 😅🎀

Luckily the 2nd Term of my 1st Year recently finished a few days ago, and I'll be returning to my 1st Year's 3rd Term this coming May 8. But in the meantime, I'll try my best to complete Chapter 7 for my Cookie Run Kimura AU!

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Cookie Run Kimura AU 🪴 Episode 7 (Preview) - Full Experimental Alchemist 🧪

Grandmaster Hotel, Sparkling's Juice Bar Wednesday, 5:41pm  in the Afternoon

"Hehe!! I supposed that was one dance within the starlights!", Herb politely chuckled while watching the reel that Sparkling posted on his Instagraham Page (Cookie Instagram Page) that ended up getting a lot of views within the first few hours alone.

As promised, Vampire sent the video he recorded on his phone to Sparkling. With the blonde teen himself both posting it and also adding the red-haired teen as a collaborator of the aforementioned reel.

"Wow! And it's crazy that you and Rockstar chose to stop the crowd from betting on either of you!", Cherry Blossom pouted in disappointment, "You won that match yet…"

Sparkling served the usual drinks to the rest of his friends, ending with serving Cherry Blossom her usual Sakura Milkshake. He sighed before replying with, "Even if Rockstar won instead of me, we both had the same idea regardless of the outcome. That being that there shouldn't be any bets, and that in the end we chose to dance for fun and sincere enjoyment."

"That's one reasonable and truly humble answer, Sparkling. It's cruel to see that there's not many cookies who have just as logical of a mindset as you, Herb, Cream Puff, and most of the cookies here...", Cocoa Butter (Dark Choco) calmly joined in the conversation as he drew on his calligraphy sketchbook.

The dark-haired teen gave an oblivious Cherry Blossom one silent side eye, drawing a quick sketch of one cute blue bear jelly plushie. The one that Herb won for him earlier in the arcade, which is also sitting right in front of him on the table.

Mango showed one big warmhearted smile, giggling at the amount of fun his friends are having. At the moment he was writing down the remaining few things on his notes from his phone, listing down everything the Student Council needs to do for the Science Fair.

"That looks like a lot of work that you wrote down.", Cream Puff spoke, taking a small little peek on Mango's list and overall sets of notes, "Working hard as ever, I see! Hehe!"

The young Student Council President himself nodded, double checking if there's anything that he needs to add or remove. Smiling kindly with complete satisfaction and happiness, "Everything is written down, and assigned the required things for each of us to do. Each is given a couple of tasks that's best suited for the five of us, both as individuals and as a team!"

One thing led to more chain reactions within the Blooming Friend Group. Most of them involve Herb and Sparkling offering their help to Mango and Cream Puff. A couple of times would have Cocoa Butter give some ideas as well, and Cherry Blossom followed along every so often.

Vampire would join in at times, recommending what the Student Council can do to promote the event in the Lotte World Tower and even make the event more widespread but reasonably limited to those in Cookie Biscuit City for a less stressful but amazing day.

That's when another idea sparked up in Mango's mind, "Hey Vampire? You're the Leader of the Science Club right?"

"Of course, Mango!", Vampire kindly replied, "If you need more help for the Science Fair, you can come to me or any of the members."

"I actually was about to ask!", the upbeat blonde cheered at the easy-going redhead, "WellyouseeweareveryopentobothofferinghelpandalsoreceivinghelpfromeveryonebothcookiesandcreaturesalikesoifyouarefinewithisitokayifyouandtheScienceClubhelpusoutwiththeScienceFairnextweek?"

"Let's just say everyone has that "Chibi Awe Face", that originated from those iconic Cookie Run Kingdom Korean Videos!", Herb thought to himself (and you) the moment Mango spoke that fast.

It took at least a few or so seconds until everyone was able to process what Mango just said. Ironically he's still easy to understand despite talking in one breath at times due to excitement.

"Mango? Is it okay if you talk a little slower please?", Cream Puff asked, blushing in embarrassment for her fellow Student Council member and silly-sweet love.

Mango blushed in embarrassment as well, chuckling with the same embarrassed look but was reassuring nonetheless, "Heh heh! Sorry about that Cream Puff. I guess it was hard for you guys to understand when I spoke that fast."

Vampire shook his head with reassurance, "Well actually, we understood what you said Mango. But we also don't want you to say it all in one breath, for your safety."

"Ah!", Mango showed a "Chibi Awe Face" of his own, kindly understanding the situation and in full agreement, "I'll try my best to keep that in mind. Thanks for telling me, heh heh!"

Everyone had a nice fun laugh, simply enjoying the times they have with each other and just in general having a great amount of fun times.

Needless to say, the red-haired boy eventually responded to the slightly younger of the two blonde teens in the room, "From what you mentioned Mango, that sounds like a great idea! I'll make sure that-!"

*beep boop*

Vampire briefly jumped out of his seat the moment he felt a sudden buzzing sound in his pocket. Calming down almost in an instant though, before proceeding to pull his phone out. Getting a recent notification of someone sending him a text message.

He sat there for a couple of seconds reading the text he was sent, before giving one deep but calmly chill sigh, "Sorry guys. But my little sister wants me to help her with something urgent at home."

*SWOOSH!!!*

It was ironically followed by Vampire putting down his payment for his drink at the counter, before immediately dashing out of the Juice Bar like his life depended on it.

This raised a bunch of eyebrows for the rest of the Blooming Friend Group. Both confused and worried of what urgent thing Alchemist texted Vampire moments prior to him bolting out of the Juice Bar. Of course, Sparkling and Herb are the most concerned. But Cream Puff was even more concerned and even scared for Vampire, "Is it just me… Or did Vampire look like he was hiding how afraid he's currently feeling about that text message Alchemist sent to him…?"

[powerful-niya]

— (вεтωεεη υs.)

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚hαppч nαruhínα mσnth єvєrчσnє!

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟹𝟷: 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝙶𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜 + 𝙲𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙸𝚗 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗 - (𝙽𝙷𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚑𝟸𝟹)

Link To Oneshot Below ↴

Wattpad | AO3

Pairing˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚Naruhina

Synopsis˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡If you had to choose between doing what you love and being with who you love, could you make that choice?

Naruto and Hinata, the top figure skating duo from Japan, have effortlessly conquered every challenge they've encountered on the ice together. But now, they're up against a new challenge—one that's found in their hearts, rather than on the ice.

This challenge is a love unplanned—a love constrained by a strict contract, putting them both in a very difficult position.

Regular Tags˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Caught In The Rain • Competitive Skating • Competitive Sports • Contract • Contractual Obligations • Costumes • Drama • December 28 • December 31 • Figure Skating • Forbidden Love • Friends To Lovers • Heavy Angst • Hurt & Comfort• Ice Skating • Love Confessions • Modern AU • Mutual Pining • Partner Skaters • Pretending • Professional Skaters • Romance • Sports AU • Stolen Glances • Tryst • Unplanned Love • Work Partners to Lovers • 2023. 

NSFW Tags˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Body Worship • Bus Sex • Butt Groping • Celebrity Bus • Cock Worship • Couch Sex • Dirty Talk • Desperation • Desperation Sex • Fantasies & Fantasizing • Flexibility • Longing • Loss of control • Love Making (at first) • Marathon sex • Multiple Orgasms • Overstimulation • Praise Kink • Pussy Worship • Riding • Rough sex (soon after) • Sex in a crisis situation • Size Difference Kink • Spanking • Stripping • Striptease • Stockings • Unprotected Sex  • Vaginal Sex  • 2023. 

Overall Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚17.1K

Tumblr Post: Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚4.3K

Preview ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

Pretending can be a tricky game. 

For some people, it's a breeze—they can slip in and out of different personas as easily as flipping a switch, putting on a convincing act at the drop of a hat or a snap of their fingers. 

Some people actually have a closet full of masks for their pretending, ready to wear whichever one fits the moment perfectly to hide behind. They switch between these masks as easily as changing clothes, effortlessly adapting to any situation like it's second nature.

Like if it was nothing, nothing at all. 

For others, pretending is a struggle—a constant effort that takes a lot of trial and error before they finally get the hang of it.

But for Naruto, pretending wasn't just difficult. It wasn't a minor bump in the road he'd get over soon. It wasn't something he'd get used to or get good at with time or a bit more effort.

No. 

He didn't have the luxury of switching between masks or hiding behind them whenever he wanted, like some people. Pretending wasn't a game or something he did for fun—it was a draining, relentless battle that wore him down every single day.

Pretending was, without a doubt, the hardest thing Naruto had ever faced—the toughest challenge he'd ever had to endure.

And he'd faced plenty of challenges.

As one of the top Japanese male ice skaters in the world, he'd been put through the wringer more times than he could count.

Countless hours of grueling practice, intense competitions, and crushing expectations had pushed him to his limits time and time again, demanding that he give nothing less than his absolute best. 

Each session was a test of endurance for him, and every routine was a shot for him to outshine the competition.

After all, Naruto was a pretty driven man, always pushing himself past the limits set by others to prove himself and excel. And on top of the grueling physical demands, he also had to confront the doubts cast on him as a male skater—doubts that seemed to shadow every step he took.

It was tough. 

Really tough. 

Every time he laces up his skates and hits the ice, he's up against a challenge. But it's one he actually enjoys—the ice, the skating, the music, the cheers, the sweat, the exhaustion, and, most of all, proving everyone wrong.

He loves proving all the doubters wrong—naysayers who said he couldn't do it and the debbie downers who whined that ice skating was a women's sport. 

Naruto even gets a kick out of showing up the critics who claimed he was confused about his identity, out of touch with himself, and that ice skating made him less of a man.

Indeed, proving those people wrong by doing what he loved was fun.

Naruto has spent countless hours on the ice—skating was all he'd ever known, the rhythm of the blades, the chill of the rink, and the thrill of the performance were deeply ingrained in him. Every glide and spin had become second nature, an integral part of who he was.

But there was one thing that stood apart from all of that…

Or rather, one person.

Hinata Hyūga. 

His skating partner.

Naruto stood in the designated waiting area near the rink, his eyes fixed on her as she skated across the ice gracefully. He watched Hinata from the sidelines, waiting for his cue, the precise moment when the music would signal him to join Hinata on the rink.

But for now, it was just her. Just Hinata.

And Naruto watched her in awe. 

He was always in awe of her. 

The blonde skater watched almost in a trance as his partner performed with her opening solo for the prestigious "ISU Grand Prix Of Figure Skating" in Hollywood, LA, California. 

The intensity of the competition was palpable, and the stakes had never felt higher.

The entire arena was hushed, with only the soft scraping of her white skates on the ice, the sweeping classical music, and the occasional gasps and murmurs from the crowd breaking the silence. Every spectator, even the judges, held their breath, captivated by Hinata's mesmerizing performance, all eyes glued to the rink.

Naruto's included.

Hinata's costume dress was a breathtaking piece, its fabric fluttering around her like the delicate feathers of a swan gliding through a gentle breeze. The lights from the arena overhead danced off the glittering embellishments of her costume, causing her dress to shimmer and shine. 

Her costume was the perfect fit to the competition theme: Black Swan. 

Hinata's dress was a striking blend of black and white, split down the middle. The left side was a deep, velvety black, adorned with shimmering sequins that caught the arena's light with every move she made. 

The right side of her dress was a pristine, snowy white, contrasting beautifully with the dark side, adorned with tiny sparkles and swirls. 

Her long gloves followed the same theme, one black and one white, each decorated with delicate sparkles that extended from her hands up to her forearms, matching her dress perfectly. Her usually long, midnight blue hair was elegantly styled into a neat bun on the top of her head, completing her flawless look for the competition. 

Naruto wore a matching outfit to hers, of course. 

He wore a one-piece costume that began with a pristine white at the top, gradually transitioning into a deep black down his toned torso and legs, with white swirls accentuating the color shift.

His right sleeve was all white, while his left sleeve was solid black, creating a striking contrast similar to Hinata's costume.

His costume fit the theme, sure, and it matched his partner's costume, but it was nowhere near as spectacular as Hinata's.

No way.

Hinata seemed to nail the theme perfectly, gliding in sync with the music—a classic piece that everyone would surely recognize.

"Swan Lake" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. 

She surely embodied a swan, her every movement smooth and graceful, just like a swan gliding effortlessly across a lake. The way she floated across the ice, her costume shimmering with each turn, made it look as if she was dancing on air.

Naruto couldn't help but be completely mesmerized by how beautifully Hinata brought the theme to life. 

She was utterly breathtaking.

Graceful yet powerful—that's how Hinata always skated. 

Watching her was like peering straight into her soul with each performance.

She poured everything into her routine. 

She always did. 

From her delicate facial expressions to the emotions that flowed through her movements, and the graceful sweep of her arms as they reached out and then drew back—each performance was a stunning story told through her skating.

This time was no different.

As Hinata performed her solo tonight, she told a powerful story about the strength that comes from being vulnerable. Her movements to the music spoke of the courage it takes to expose one's true self, capturing the delicate balance between strength and authenticity.

It was truly extraordinary.

And on top of that, Hinata made the routine they'd been perfecting for months—through countless rehearsals, late nights, and early mornings—look so damn effortless. 

Hinata glided smoothly from one move to the next, transitioning seamlessly between spins and jumps, just as they had practiced together, just as she had come to memorize down to the finest detail.

Her spins were flawless. 

Naruto watched in awe as she effortlessly transitioned into a fast-paced layback spin, finishing with a graceful camel spin that left delicate circular marks on the ice. 

Her jumps were just as stunning, with perfect double axels and triple lutzes that had her soaring and spinning through the air, leaving the crowd breathless.

She landed on her blades with a satisfying clank each time, back on her feet like a true professional.

Hinata nailed every move flawlessly, putting on a jaw-dropping performance that would definitely set the bar high for the other skaters and likely earn them both some serious points with the judges.

But Naruto wasn't thinking about the competition at all. 

He wasn't thinking about their potential scores. He wasn't concerned about the judges' opinions or even his routine when it was his turn to join Hinata on the ice.

No, he wasn't thinking about any of that.

Naruto's focus was solely on her, the woman dazzling him from the ice, whose lavender eyes occasionally met his own. 

Once. 

Twice. 

Frequently, Hinata glanced at him as she danced across the rink, her lavender eyes seeking him out from the waiting area, hidden from the audience.

Each time their eyes locked—deep blue meeting soft lavender—it felt like the world around them melted further and further into a blur…

…until it was just the two of them. 

The audience's loud wows and awes, the judges' scrutinizing looks, the flashing cameras, the bright arena lights, the announcer's voices, and even the stadium itself—all of it just faded away.

It was only them—just them.

And soon enough, Hinata wasn't skating for the crowd but for…

…him.

It was always like this between them: fleeting, longing but secretive looks where their gazes created warm, private moments just for them. 

Every time they performed together, whenever their hands touched or their bodies brushed close, they were drawn into a private world of their own making. 

Those looks they exchanged, every second of every day, were a silent yearning for something they both desired but couldn't fully embrace—a longing that always seemed just out of reach.

Naruto couldn't ignore what he felt. He couldn't pretend. 

Sure, he could try. 

Sure, he could push his feelings aside. He could convince himself that what he felt was just a passing phase, and that he will just get over it soon. 

Sure, he could try to act like it didn't bother him and play along, but deep down, he knew he'd only be lying to himself.

The feelings he had been struggling with for so long were impossible to ignore now.

A mistake that's come to consume him. 

When Naruto first teamed up with Hinata, he signed a contract that was clear about one thing: no intimate relationships. 

As long as he pursued ice skating professionally with a partner, he wasn't allowed to fall in love or let emotions get in the way of his career.

He knew that.

They both did. 

Naruto always understood what he was signing up for, knew the strict rules, and was clear on what was expected of him.

Because of this, he knew he shouldn't be feeling this way and was fully aware of the risks of letting these emotions take over. He knew exactly how his coach would react if she found out—what she'd do if she discovered his secret.

Their secret. 

Naruto knew the stakes. 

If their secret were ever discovered, it would mean the end of their figure skating careers.

Everything they'd worked so hard for—the endless hours of practice, the sacrifices made, the competitions won, the fame they'd gained, and their very dreams—were at risk of being ruined.

All because love had somehow crept in and gotten in the way.

Suddenly, the music built to a crescendo, growing louder and louder all around, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts.

His cue to take the ice. 

"Damn it," He muttered, shaking his head to snap himself out of it. That was a mistake—a big one. 

He couldn't afford to space out. 

Not here. 

Not now.

He took a deep, steadying breath, pushing aside the swirling thoughts and annoying emotions that clung to him. 

Then he exhaled, letting it all go.

It's showtime. 

Naruto rubbed his hands together to shake off the tension, and took one more calming breath.

"Here goes." He whispered to himself, before finally, darting out onto the ice.

The icy chill of the arena hit Naruto instantly, chilling his face, body, and legs. The cold air blended with the crisp, slippery feel of the ice beneath his skates. 

Naruto could never grow tired of it—the ice. It was a feeling so familiar, as natural as breathing to him at this point. Every time he stepped onto it, it felt like reconnecting with an old friend he always looked forward to seeing again.

And it felt that way now. 

His taut calf muscles tightened with each powerful push he gave his legs, his black skates carving a swift, graceful path across the ice.

The ice hummed a satisfying, almost musical whisper under Naruto's skates, grounding him in the moment. He mentally rehearsed his routine, syncing with it as he joined Hinata on the rink.

Hinata was already in position, gliding effortlessly across the ice toward him. In that moment, Naruto could see nothing but her—her radiant smile, the rosy flush on her cheeks from the cold, and the sparkle in her lavender eyes. 

He met her in the center of the rink with a big grin, and they seamlessly slipped into a synchronized spin. They twirled around each other, close yet so far. 

They didn't touch—just gazed at each other, eyes locked the whole time. 

Blue meeting lavender, once again.

The sight of Naruto and Hinata finally skating together, their chemistry ignited instantly, sending fireworks of excitement across the entire arena. Their connection was evident even on the arena's TVs, causing the crowd to instantly erupt into a frenzy. 

Gasps and cheers merged into a collective roar that filled the entire space.

The announcers, just as thrilled, could barely contain their excitement over the intercom.

"And here he comes, folks—Naruto Uzumaki, joining his partner Hinata Hyūga after her stunning introductory solo!"

"The way they connect is absolutely breathtaking. Just so breathtaking. This is partner skating at its finest, and we are in for a treat tonight, folks!"

Now together, Naruto and Hinata instantly transitioned into their routine, as they'd done it a million times before.

Just for this moment. 

Hinata took the lead, maintaining their synchronized spin as she gracefully lifted one arm to the rhythm of the music, watching as Naruto mirrored her movements flawlessly. His arm swept down and up above his head in a sweeping arc, just like hers, as if she were looking into a mirror.

She moved her other arm the same way, and Naruto followed suit. 

Next, Hinata extended her hand toward him this time, her fingers forming a dramatic claw before slowly curling into a fist as she pulled away, and Naruto mirrored her.

But they never quite touched. 

Each time they reached, they always pulled back. 

Reach. Retreat. Reach. 

Closer and closer, but never quite touching. 

Like a cycle. 

A painful one.

This part of their routine always spoke to them. It shouldn't have—really. It shouldn't have had any impact on them, but..

…it did. 

It perfectly mirrored the feelings they had for each other, always managing to leave a poignant ache in their hearts—a longing for something they both wanted but couldn't have.

No matter how many times they repeated it. 

No matter how many times they practiced it.

The ache remains.

Naruto's eyes revealed such pain, such raw emotion as he watched Hinata glide backward from the center of the rink, moving away from him and further along the ice.

She kept her knees slightly bent, her legs extending and crossing each other like the delicate sway of a ballet's legs. Her skates traced elegant arcs on the ice as she spiraled backward, leaving a long trail behind. 

But even as Hinata drifted away from Naruto, her hand stretched out toward him, her eyes pleading for him to take it. 

Naruto followed her, reaching back.

His arm stretched out through the cold air, determined to bridge the gap between them.

They reached for each other, incorporating a few individual spins where they spun perfectly in sync, even landing together, before turning and reaching out again.

They drew out the moment for dramatic effect, with Hinata gliding smoothly backward and Naruto advancing just enough until their hands finally….

…met.

But when their hands finally touched, it seemed to ignite a powerful rush of warmth that pulsed through their gloves and into their palms like a heartbeat, spreading through their bodies in soothing waves.

The sensation felt incredible—better than anything they had experienced before. 

They had touched countless times, but this..

This was different.

The moment Naruto's large fingers slid between the gaps of Hinata's smaller ones, and curled around her hand, a deep, unparalleled warmth unfurled in both of their hearts. 

The surprising intensity of the warmth made them both gasp softly. Their fingers instinctively tightened around each other, the connection so strong and reassuring that they couldn't bear to let go. 

Not now.

Not so soon. 

Keeping her hand in his, Naruto guided Hinata's arm over her head and twisted her in a graceful spin perfectly in sync with the music. He skated himself over in a smooth glide, positioning himself directly behind her like her shadow. 

Close behind her, he began sliding his hands gently along her arms, and Hinata couldn't hold back the slight moan that escaped her lips. 

Naruto touched her now, and he took it slow.

Along her chest, his gloved fingers brushed the fabric of her costume, feeling the rise and fall of her breath. His hands moved down the gentle curve of her torso, tracing the contours of her muscles, and he felt her body react to his touch almost instantly, with soft shivers and quivers.

Finally, his hands reached her waist, holding her hips firmly yet gently.

Even in the cold of the stadium, with a chill all around them, Hinata felt warm beneath his fingertips.

She was savoring the moment, just as she always did, whenever she was in Naruto's arms.

His touch was always gentle, but now, to Hinata, it felt almost heightened. Every brush of his fingers felt like a trail of fire on her skin, each caress sending electric shivers down her spine.

It was like time slowed to a crawl, and all she could feel was Naruto.

His breath as it brushed against her ears and cheeks, warm and steady. The heat of his toned body as it pressed so close to hers, making her acutely aware of every inch of him...

And his touch...

Hinata always treasured the moments when Naruto touched her. 

Those fleeting instances when his hands met her skin always seem to send a delightful warmth coursing through her body, radiating like a beacon. Whether his strong yet gentle hands glided along her arms, gripped her hips, or lifted her into the air, a soothing, irresistible heat enveloped her whenever he made contact with…her body.

It shouldn't have felt this way, but it did—like a perfect antidote to her touch-starved dreams.

Hinata glanced back at him with a breathless look that made Naruto's heart skip a beat. Her lavender eyes drew him in every time, their expressiveness saying more than words ever could. 

And as he gazed into them now, they seemed to speak to him, whispering…

"Please touch me more, Naruto-kun. Touch me."

It was a gentle, unspoken plea, a tender whisper in her eyes as she looked over her shoulder at him, standing tall behind her.

Naruto bit his lip. 

Truly, he wished he could touch her more. 

Her body always responded so beautifully to his touch, expanding and contracting as if he were the air she breathed, always returning to him with a graceful, magnetic pull. It was intoxicating.

He craved more. He craved—

The blonde skater took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind. Again. 

Reluctant as he was, and how good it was to hold Hinata, he knew he had to put an end to it.

After all, this was a serious competition.

With that realization, Naruto broke away from their intimate moment, shaking off the titillating effect of touching Hinata, and his expression turned serious again. He refocused and shifted his attention to the next part of their routine. 

But when he did, it seemed as if time snapped back to its usual pace, flowing normally like it did for everyone else.

Naruto grasped her waist firmly, and as if on cue, Hinata bent her knees, poised and ready, just like he was. 

The split-second cue he had been waiting for.

With a smooth lift, he sent her soaring into the air in a high twist. Her dress billowed out around her in a perfect spiral, drawing gasps from the crowd as it fluttered like a blooming flower.

Naruto watched as she flew high into the air, spinning gracefully. And in that quick moment, he caught a glimpse of her smile. 

There was an unspoken trust in that smile, a deep trust in him. Because she knew that whenever she fell, he'd always be there to catch her.

Just like now. 

As Hinata began her descent, Naruto was ready. He lifted his arms high and, with practiced precision, caught her around the waist.

He felt that familiar rush of relief and joy, knowing Hinata was secure in his hands after her aerial stunt. Safe and sound. 

Naruto held her close for a moment, savoring the warmth of her body against his, before gently lowering her back to the ice.

As they continued skating together, the audience seemed to blur further and further away until it was only the two of them, as if no one else existed. 

They looked into each other's eyes and suddenly...

Time didn't matter.

The competition didn't matter.

The judges or their scores didn't matter.

It was just them.

Just like in all their performances, Naruto and Hinata stunned the crowd with their chemistry. They moved together on the ice with such closeness, showing raw emotion through their every move and expression that the audience could actually feel. 

It left everyone breathless. 

The music was captivating from start to finish, flowing through every part of their routine. Every spin, every lift, and every glide of their skates across the ice, the music was there, as if guiding them. 

Hinata's grace paired perfectly with Naruto's strength, like yin and yang. Their choreography, whether synchronized or solo, blended together on the ice, revealing not just their countless hours of practice but also the deep understanding they shared. 

Their love. 

It was evident, no matter how hard they tried to hide it.

Their synchronicity was almost magical, like they were of one mind, one body, one soul. 

When Hinata jumped, Naruto was right there to catch her. 

When she spun, he spun, matching her moves perfectly. 

Whenever she reached for him, he was always ready to clasp her hand and guide her.

There was no escaping what they felt. 

The longer their performance went on, that feeling between them seemed to intensify.

It was new and exhilarating, different from anything they had felt before in previous performances or practices, as if it began anew the moment they first touched tonight.

Every time their hands touched or their eyes locked, that feeling inside them just kept growing stronger.

But reality would ruin it for them each time, reminding them that no matter how strong their feelings were, they couldn't act on them.

They couldn't.

They shouldn't.

They…

Hinata couldn't take it anymore. 

As their routine continued, she began to feel the full weight of everything. 

The unspoken feelings she'd been holding in, the constant longing to be close to Naruto, and the pressure to maintain their perfect image—it was all starting to overwhelm her.

She'd managed to keep it together for so long, but even she had her limits.

Tonight, she reached her breaking point.

As they approached the end of their performance, instead of the usual thrill that would sweep over her, she was overwhelmed by a deep, profound sadness.

Naruto sensed it immediately. 

He knew her too well not to notice. 

As the music began to wind down and the final chords echoed through the arena, he drew her into a tight embrace at the center of the rink. Their bodies were pressed close, the warmth of their breath mingling with the chilly air. Their faces were so close he could feel her every breath on his skin, and their eyes met, saying everything words couldn't express.

They held their position, panting and sweating, mostly satisfied, until the last notes of the music faded into silence.

But as soon as the music ended, the applause from the crowd surged through the stadium, a thunderous wave of sound that echoed endlessly in their ears.

With that, Naruto and Hinata reluctantly pulled away, masking their true feelings behind the broad smiles they had perfected and displayed time and time again.

They waved to the audience and the flashing cameras, even taking a hand-in-hand bow to mark the end of their performance.

The announcers' voices boomed through the speaker in no time, hyping up their performance with excitement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what a show! Let's hear it for Japan's premier ice skating duo, Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyūga! 

"Give these two a big round of applause for another unforgettable performance!"

The announcers gave them one last shout-out, showering them with praise and cheers that would've made Hinata feel overjoyed on another day—grateful, accomplished even. 

But not now.

She didn't know what had came over her.

She didn't know why she had done it. 

Yet, she turned to Naruto, her face showing a sadness she couldn't keep hidden anymore. Her eyes, usually so bright and joyful, were now clouded with a deep sorrow that instantly wiped the smile from Naruto's face. 

And before he could even speak, to react even, she spoke to him, whispered to him. 

She whispered one word, and he heard it clearly. 

"Gomennasai."

Hinata let go of his hand and sped off across the ice, leaving him behind before he could say a single word. 

He gasped and reached out toward her retreating figure.

"H-Hinata-chan!" Naruto called out, but she didn't respond. She didn't turn back or slow down; she just kept skating, moving further and further away from him until she vanished through the designated gate leading backstage.

The blonde stood there, frozen, as the cheers of the crowd faded into the background. Yet, even now, he could still feel the warmth of Hinata's touch lingering in his outstretched palm.

Naruto frowned.

'Pretending is difficult for you too, isn't it, Hinata-chan?'

Continue Reading On Wattpad Or AO3.

— (⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆)

[cowboygenesis]

preview - gale x reader

hello friends! today i woke up to see over 200 (WOW) votes on the one-shot poll. i got over (or under?) eager and selected the 1 week duration-- which i think is excessive --so we're closing it prematurely.

40% of you wanted to see gale up next, so we're gonna go with that (a fact i'm VERY happy about considering i started writing this fic before the poll had even gone up...).

expect some of this: forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and heated arguments.

enjoy this lil preview, and see you soon!

masterlist.

[stolenslumber]

though the stars walk backward (sjy) (preview)

Your first encounter with Jake Sim ends with ketchup on your clothes and his burger in his friend's lap. The second encounter doesn't go so smoothly, either. He thinks he might have gotten the hang of it by the third time, but as the saying goes: there is no easy way from the earth to the stars.

PAIRING: sim jaeyun x female reader GENRE: college au, one-sided enemies-to-lovers (the e2l part is short-lived lol sry), friends-to-lovers, mutual pining, fluff, romance, jake as a star soccer player but also loser physics nerd WARNINGS: swearing, eventual kissing and suggestive content/sexual themes, familial angst/generational trauma (it's present and it's heavy but it's not suuuuuper heavy) WORD COUNT: ~2.5k (preview); final word count is, again, btwn me and god PUBLISH DATE: reallyyyyyyy hoping to get this out before my next semester starts but We'll See About That...

“Don’t freak out, but I think the girl you stare at in the library is staring back at you.”

Jake freezes with his burger halfway to his open mouth. “What? Where? And I don’t stare at her in the library—”

Jay nudges his friend’s jaw upwards. “I said don’t freak out.”

“At least he didn’t turn in her direction,” Sunghoon offers. But he says it while looking disdainfully at the ketchup dripping from Jake’s burger onto the dining hall table, so Jake isn’t all that comforted by it. 

Instead, he repeats “Where?” through gritted teeth. 

“At your four o’clock, but I wouldn’t get too excited about it.” Jay squints. “I’m pretty sure she’s glaring at you, honestly. Okay, seriously do not freak out, but she’s coming over here…”

Jake tries to figure out what to do with himself as you approach with alarming speed— should he fix his hair, or tuck his shirt in? Damn it, he doesn’t even remember if he’s wearing something clean today. Before he can fully comprehend it, you’re standing in front of him, looking as pretty as ever in a silky dress that floats down to your ankles. 

Your mouth opens to say something, and there’s a deep furrow between your brows that Jake longs to smooth out, but then his hands clamp down on his burger, and— “Oh shit, dude, I’m so sorry!” 

Bright red ketchup decorates the front of your pristine white dress.

Your jaw drops, as does your gaze, fixated on the ugly red splotch spreading over the fabric covering your stomach. Everything you’d been meaning to say to him flies out of your head, replaced by blood rushing in your ears as your anger grows at the foolish oaf in front of you. “This is dry clean only,” you hiss.

Jake drops his burger in Jay’s lap, ignoring his friend’s squawk of indignation. Hurriedly, he wipes his hands on some napkins and tries offering them to you before cowing under your withering glare. “I am so sorry,” he repeats. His arms flail at his sides before he picks up the cardigan lying next to him and hands it to you. “You have a library shift coming up, right? Please feel free to wear this until you can get home and change. I have class until two, but I can take your clothes to the dry cleaners afterwards. I’m really so sorry!”

Your mouth shapes around air a few times as you work out exactly how to respond to him, but then your phone buzzes to remind you of your library shift— it is coming up— and you decide that you’ll deal with this— and him— later. Unhappily, you grab the proffered cardigan. “Two o’clock. Don’t be late.” And then you twist on your heel and depart, leaving Jake to stare sadly at the swish of your hair against your back.

“Are you gonna take my clothes to the dry cleaners, too?” Jay intones dryly from beside him.

Jake groans and sinks back down into the booth, covering his face with his hands and shaking his head repeatedly. “I can’t believe that just happened. I have to walk into traffic now.” Before Jay can say anything else, Jake tacks on, “And yeah, give me your pants.”

“Damn, take me to dinner first. Oh, wait, I guess you did offer me food.” Jay plucks the burger out of his lap and deposits it onto Jake’s plate pointedly.

Sunghoon lets out a whistle between his teeth. “Wow, I’ve never seen anyone fumble so badly. Like, seriously, that should be studied in a lab.”

“I got nervous!” Jake exclaims. 

Sunghoon chortles. “Clearly. Cute girl comes over, and you not only call her dude, but you also squirt ketchup all over her.”

Jake kicks him in the shin, hard. “Can you not pile on?” 

“Sorry, sorry.” Sunghoon holds up his hands in mock surrender. “Was that the first time you interacted with her?”

Unhelpfully, Jay pipes up. “Unless you count staring at her in the library interacting, I’d say yes. Speaking of, how do you know her schedule, bro? You’re creepier than I thought.”

Jake jabs him with an elbow. “My class got canceled once and I saw her at the library then, okay? Some of us actually have homework, Socrates and Warren Buffet.” He rolls his eyes at Sunghoon (philosophy) and Jay (business) in turn. “And again, I don’t stare!”

A few hours later, Jake stares at the back of your head.

He’s not in his usual spot in the library, which is a round table near the windows on the mezzanine level— straight line of sight to one of the reference desks, but he did not pick that spot on purpose, no matter how much his friends like to joke that he did. He’s been sitting in that spot since the first day of his freshman year; he’d chosen it because he like being able to see out into the quad, and the noise level in that area is perfect for him (not too quiet, which would make him fall asleep, and not too loud, which would just make him want to join in on wherever the fun was). He couldn’t have known that you would show up halfway through last year, get a job as one of the students manning the reference desk, and then occupy the exact spot his eyes tend to rest on when he zones out.

And he really couldn’t have known that you would be so pretty.

It doesn’t help that you’re in practically all of his classes this year, and he’s had the opportunity to talk to you every day for the past two weeks if he wanted to. He’s not the most shameless person in the world (Sunghoon), but he’s also not scared of his own reflection (Heeseung), so why couldn’t he have just introduced himself like a normal person on the first day of classes and avoided this whole ketchup fiasco?

Someone comes up to the desk to ask a question, and your head tilts toward them as the afternoon sunlight frames your face just so; Jake gulps and thinks, Oh yeah, that’s why. So pretty. And dizzyingly smart, if the way he sees your pencil fly over quizzes is anything to go by.

As if sensing his eyes on you, you twist around fully to catch him staring after you’ve answered the question of the person in front of you. Jake blinks deer-in-headlights eyes at you; if this was a cartoon, there would be a ?! above his head.

Your own eyes narrow at him and you jerk your head in your own direction. Get over here.

Jake gulps and straightens up before shuffling over to you. He kind of feels like he’s walking to the gallows, but on a flower-lined path, because his cardigan on you softens you around the edges, and you look right at home in it. 

“Heeeeeeey.” He raises a hand and waves at you, even though he’s right in front of you. He winces before you can even raise a skeptical eyebrow at him, but then you do, so he grimaces. “Sorry, that was weird. Uh, hi.”

You nod curtly at him. “Hi. I’m done in two minutes. Thanks for being on time.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he mumbles to the floor. Luckily, you don’t catch it because you’re packing away the problem set you were doing in between answering student questions, which he chances a glance at because hey, he’d been having trouble with page 157.

Of course, you catch that. “What are you, twelve? Do your own work.”

“Wait, what? Hold on a second, I’m not trying to cheat off of you— hey, wait up!” He scrambles to catch up with you where you’re already halfway down the stairs. Panicked, he speeds past you and plants himself in your path, greeted by your look of supreme irritation for the second time that day. “I wasn’t trying to cheat off of you,” he says, more firmly this time. “I was just gonna ask you how you did with page 157, because I was having some trouble with it earlier.”

You scoff and slide to the left to go around him, only to be met by him mirroring you. “Are you serious right now? Get out of my way.”

“We’re going to the same place!”

“Yeah, and now I’ve remembered that I can pay for my own dry cleaning. Move.” You go right, and he follows.

“I’m still coming— I gotta take Jay’s pants there. I dropped my burger in his lap earlier when, well, you know.”

You go left again, and he follows once more. “Okay, for real? Let me go, asshole.”

Jake drops his backpack off his shoulders and hoists it onto his knee, rummaging around in it while still blocking your path. You think he’s officially lost it, but you’re also never one to miss an opportunity, so you feint to the right and then go left, but he’s faster and blocks you again with his head halfway buried in his backpack. Damn it, he’s good. You don’t realize you’ve said it out loud until he looks up at you and smiles sheepishly. “Soccer team,” he explains. Oh— that reminds you why you were approaching him at the dining hall in the first place, and real anger resurfaces in your blood. 

“Like I care,” you snap. You’re about to just shove him down the stairs and call it an easy day when you’re met with a crumpled piece of graph paper waved in front of your face. “What the hell is this?”

“Next week’s problem set! See, look, I finished everything except the problems on page 157, and I did get started, but I just wanted to check if I was on the right path, okay? I promise, I wasn’t trying to cheat off of you.” He frowns. “These aren’t even graded for quality. It’s just a submission for completion.”

Your eyebrows climb up your forehead. Though his handwriting is shit, you can see that he’s telling the truth. The fact that he’s doing the problem set for next week probably should have tipped you off in and of itself, but what surprises you is the simple elegance with which his calculations come out. “Hey, how’d you do that on number 89 on page 151—” You cut yourself off. “Never mind. Fine, I believe you. Can you move now? We’re blocking the entire stairway.”

Jake seems to finally notice the build-up of annoyed students in front of and behind you both. “Right, oops.” He zips up his backpack and slings it over one shoulder before descending the stairs with quick steps. He turns around and tilts his head quizzically at you when you don’t follow. 

Truthfully, you’re trying to decide if you should make a break for it and go up the stairs so you can take a different set of stairs down, but then you realize how childish that sounds. So, it’s with less dignity than you’d like that you meet him at the bottom of the staircase. But you don’t stop where he’s standing; instead, you breeze past him so smoothly that he finds himself staring at the back of your head for a few seconds before springing into motion after you. 

“Soooooo… dry cleaner’s?” He offers you a tentative smile once he’s fallen into step with you.

You seem to have made your mind up about something, because you turn to him with a dazzling smile that knocks the breath right out of his lungs. “Lead the way.”

“O-Okay.” He’s taken aback by your sudden about-face, but he’s not going to question it.

He tells you that he’s happy to drive there, and you’re perfectly agreeable about it. You even start talking about the problem set that had been the source of such strife just minutes earlier. At the dry cleaner, you give him the biggest surprise yet when you ask for his number. Obviously, he gives it to you, and he has to pretend like he isn’t perturbed by the cryptic, almost manic look in your eyes when you promise that you’ll be in touch.

But then you’re gone without so much as a goodbye, and it’s only when he gets back to his place that he realizes he doesn’t even know how you got home, and he can’t text you because he doesn’t have your number.

Still. A win is a win.

ball sports (derogatory) (heeseung, jay, jake, sunghoon) 

jake: this has been the strangest and possibly greatest day of my life

sunghoon: ur preaching to the choir ketchup boy

sunghoon: yizhuo told me i was hotter with blonde hair

sunghoon: so like hell yeah she thinks im hot but hell no now i have to dye my hair back

jake: ????? did i ask

jake: i’m talking about MY day

jay: she actually did not say you were hotter with blonde hair. in fact none of those words came out of her mouth 

jay: you asked if she liked your new hair and she said no

sunghoon: hop off my dick tf????

heeseung: so what happened jake

sunghoon: oh i can tell u this it’s old news

sunghoon: jake fumbled his first interaction w/ the girl he stares at in the library

jake: BUT she asked for my number and said she’d be in touch!!!!

sunghoon: right so u can pay for her dry cleaning bill

jake: OR maybe she wants to be friends

jake: to lovers<3

jay: idk she kinda looked like she wanted to take you out when she was coming over to us at lunch today

jake: LIKE ON A DATE?????

jay: no like

jay: lethally

women’s rights and wrongs (you, minjeong, aeri, somi)

you: so you know how i was gonna confront jake today

yizhuo: yeah i heard that went poorly

yizhuo: sunghoon said something about ketchup????

you: nvm all that. i have a Better Plan. i’m gonna ruin his life

minjeong: cool

somi: noooooo he’s hot

you: HE RUINED MY BROTHER’S LIFE

somi: girl u have to let that go

somi: ur brother is 10 and made it to the B team for club soccer

somi: i think he’ll be fine

you: BUT HE SHOULD’VE BEEN IN THE A TEAM. I SAW JAKE’S BEADY EYES SINGLING HIM OUT UNFAIRLY

somi: he actually has like insane puppy dog eyes

you: anyways i’m going to systematically but subtly make his life more and more difficult as soon as i start assistant managing his soccer team on monday. but he will never know it’s me bc i’m going to be so nice and normal to his face BUT ACTUALLY i’m gonna make him my bitch

yizhuo: “nice and normal to his face” u have the worst poker face i’ve ever seen

minjeong: technically speaking if ur an assistant manager aren’t u THEIR bitch

[xlostsoulsfound]

Sneak peak into the next story I’m writing :D

I really like how it’s going I have 1500 words wrote on it to so far :)

[zetsub0n0n4nsensu]

Otaku Despair Club Arc 0:

These Losers Can't Seriously Be My Party In The Fantasy Isekai!

After being transported to a land of magic and monsters, do these zeros have what it takes to make it to the first layer intact? Or will they be crushed by the weight of their collective indifference before the cycle even begins? Friends and foes, down the spiral they'll go! Mind the river and don't forget your map, episode 0 of 𝘐𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘊𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦 is gonna be an adventure!

𖦹°.*𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘴*.°𖦹

♡ ◇ Read On Wattpad ☆ ✿

[pens-and-gems]

Princess Hierarchy Preview

Hello everyone, this is a preview to one of my upcoming plays, Princess Hierarchy that I will be posting on my deviantART known as Muggle-Gem-Princess and my Wattpad known as LovePrincessGem. I really hope that this play will make you not only laugh, but you will enjoy it as well.

Princess Hierarchy

A Play by Princess Gem

Characters (in order of appearance):

Narrator (Either Gender)

Snow White "Snow"

Cinderella "Cindy"

Sleeping Beauty "Sleeps"

Miss. Royally Your Majesty

Rapunzel "Zels"

The Queen of Hearts

The Mad Hatter

Pinocchio

Prince James Charming (Charming #1)

Prince Damien Charming (Charming #2)

Prince Charles Charming (Charming #3)

The Sugar Plum Fairy

The Three Little Pigs

Thumbelina

The Evil Queen

Prince Arthur

Beauty

The Beast

Little Red Riding Hood

Goldilocks

Principal Her Royal Highness

ACT I takes place at the ASB Club and Rapunzel's Home

ACT II takes place at the ASB Club; the Math and Science Club; and the Garden Club

ACT III takes place at Snow White's Castle; during Gym Class; and then ASB Club

Time/Setting-Modern Day Fairy Tale/Modern Day High School

Act I, Scene I

(Scene I. A fairy tale book appears and it reveals itself as a pop up book. We are introduced to a castle-shaped school titled "Fairy Tale High." Then, THE NARRATOR starts speaking.)

The Narrator: Once upon a time, there were fairy tale stories that became popular throughout the years they were introduced. Whether they were used as bedtime stories to children or cinema successes for families, fairy tales became a popular genre for people everywhere around the world. Until one day, when all the famous fairy tale writers such as the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, and Hans Christian Andersen all found themselves wondering "What if, all of our fairy tales went to school together?" As in, "What if the children of tomorrow made their own spin on their stories?" Maybe, they could be superheroes or horror detectives, or maybe, they could go to school together! And thus, the iconic authors put their stories together as one big collection book, and whoever came across it, would make their own fairytale story! As time went by, public domain happened, and so our very own fairy tale characters became different people in different stories. And now, the trend contiunes with the one and only: Princess Hierarchy!

(The book then gets zoomed in as we now transfer to the play's setting: Fairy Tale High where various and iconic fairy tale characters such as Puss n Boots, The Big Bad Wolf, The Fairy Godmother, and others as teenagers adjusting to the new story they're in. We then zoom into the school's building where more characters were seen as they were chatting, being on their smartphones, having a coffee or two, among other teenage behavior they displayed. Finally, we reach our last location: Association Student Body or the ASB Club where SNOW WHITE, the club's president was writing down a few notes for today's meeting. Helping her was also some little blue and yellow birds.)

Snow White: Alright so, 12:30 PM is our Lunch Meeting to discuss Homecoming Week, Back to School Night, and Class Election. Friday at 3:00 PM is the Save the Dwarfs meeting, then Monday shall be New Students week to make up for pictures

(A blue bird gives her a latte in a bag)

Snow White: (takes it kindly) Aww, thank you so much Skylar. How sweet of you. (takes it out of the bag and sips it; only to spit it out immediately) Does this have soy in it?! How many times do I have to say that I'm allergic to soy?! (throws her cup down) Get out of here, (swats her hands at them) go! You disgust me!

(SNOW WHITE continues writing down her meeting notes. Then a knock is heard. From here on out, SNOW WHITE IS NOW REFERRED TO AS SNOW)

Voice: Snow?

Snow: Yes, yes, come in.

(Enter CINDERELLA and SLEEPING BEAUTY, SNOW's "friends" to say the least.)

Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty: (excitedly) Snow!

Snow: (squees) My girls! My queens! My princesses!

(All three run up to each other and greet each other by mimicing a kiss on the cheek.)

Cinderella: How was your summer?

Snow: I went to the Bahamas!

(They all squee again)

Cinderella: Any cute guys that you met?

Snow: Pfft, do I even need to ask?

(They all share a laugh)

Snow: What did you girls do?

Cinderella: (sadly) Prince Dean and I broke up.

Snow: Oh darling, I'm so sorry.

Cinderella: Yeah, but he was also such a creep. I mean, all he ever liked was my feet and my older step-sister.

Sleeping Beauty: I guess he likes ugly feet?

(SNOW and CINDERELLA gasp)

Snow: Sleeps, you are like so unprofessional! You're a princess, be better than that!

--

That's all I have for now. Hope you all enjoy it and you're always free to give me feedback.

P.S. If you guys believe that I should tag this as "mature" due to the feet joke, let me know.

UPDATE: 1/11/24

Made a few more edits and corrections with help from my Discord friend. Same one that helped me with my Bottom of my Asylum Heart and The Wish posts.

[zoramones]

[ FEBRUARY 6TH, 196O ]

After forty days of silence...

SMIT:  I don't know how to live with myself anymore, Bev. I-I've ... killed people. (...)  A lot of people.

BEVERLY: (MELANCHOLY)  I killed someone. D'you forget why we're here?

SMIT shoots her a glare of displeasure. Not funny. His expression conveys, but his eyebrow is quirked up as he takes a long drag of his cigarette. It's not usually in his wife's nature to make a joke like that. Something that crass seems to come out of his own mouth most of the time.

SMIT:  Yes, but—  (he scoffs) the guy you killed deserved it. Plus, (...)

He stares at the cigarette butt between his fingers after pulling it away from his lips. His gaze is hard and judging. Contemplative as he chuckles bitterly to himself.

GUILTY. Smit Eubank knows he's as guilty as sin can be.

SMIT:  Self-defence, remember?  (...)  Mine was never in self-defence.

NOW, HUSBAND AND WIFE SIT IN SILENCE. The gentle breeze soothes the fear of what they left behind ...

Their peace is only temporary...

BRITTLE BONES / STRANGER THINGS (2023)

Preview to the overture

[paradiecircus]

My latest update to one of my favorite TB fics 😎🤗 check it out on Wattpad, Ao3, or fanfiction.net

[endermen-impasta]

I got the preview chapter up and ready :D

Enjoy!

The AO3 servers are down and I can't create an account there so please be patient if you don't want to hop on wattpad to read this!

[the-baddest-of-batches]

Dar'Aliit: Chapter Nine - Bad Company (Sneak Peek)

13 BBY ???

The white grain spreads around me on all sides. I’m a child again, dressed in the familiar blue uniform of a cadet.

If I put out my hands, I can’t even touch the top of the grain, but it goes on forever. And the drums. The drums beat in the distance.

Where am I?

I keep walking. Ahead of me move shadows in the form of men. They wear a kit I recognize, right up to the helmets. They walk far ahead of me. I break out into a run, but no matter how far I go, I can’t reach them as they walk toward the horizon.

One by one, they’re gone. Ghosts.

I keep walking, hoping to catch sight of them again. But the terrain grows only rockier. I stumble. My foot catches the divot in the ground. I almost fall, but catch myself and briefly there it is, a deep snare drum sounding loudly. Gasping, I collect myself and walk on as more drums join the chorus. There’s voices amid them.

It’s a song I don’t know.

But the music is familiar. Something old and Mandalorian. Distracted by it, I stumble out onto a footpath and this time, I fall.

My knees hit the ground, jarring me. Before I can scramble up a pair of boots appear and stop before me. They’re black, except for the dust stuck to them. A cloak hangs to the ground. I lift my gaze and find armored legs, dented beaten armor and a thick shoulder pauldron segmented and strapped together with leather. Above it all rests a helmet carved from bone.

The T-visor is unmistakable, though. This is a man I’ve only read about. Mandalore the Ultimate.

The drums are thudding in my head now, threatening my ear drums. Then they are silent.

I pant, unsure why fear has turned my skin cold, but unable to break its hold. And my eyes flicker off to see another figure far off. I cannot make them out, but they are following my path exactly.

I strain to see them, but the Mandalore moves and his hand emerges from his cloak. He reaches down and offers his hand to me. I take it. He helps me up.

Again from within the cloak, he produces another hand, this time holding a helmet, black, dented, mangled almost. It looks like it’s been through hell.

Silent, he places it in my hands. I stare at the empty visor, reflecting my own childlike face. A face I haven’t seen in years. The face of a cadet.

When I look up, I stand alone. The drums beat louder and crescendo into a flourish. The last beat strikes, hitting a chord in my heart and suddenly I’m falling, starting, and jerking awake.

#

20 BBY Indol Mines

We were wrong. Looking over the edge of the pit that spirals downward into mines I note the ranks of thin necked B1’s completing their drills, marching back and forth under the watch of an orange painted Tank Commander. SBD are stationed around old mining tracks. In the center sits a decommission crane, at least I assume that’s what it once was given the placement, and the fact this was once a mine. All that remains is the scaffolded base, though. The rest has been converted into a fully functional surface to air ion cannon.

That’s what took down our ships. That thing killed Aftermath.

Crouching along the edge it’s clear I’m outnumbered. One clone and a small battalion of droids. No doubt more wait hidden in the mines. This is their base of operations and we never knew it.

Everything before this was a front to destroy us and pick us off so the Seps could steamroll the survivors. I don’t know what they want with this planet and it’s people, but I know they sure as hell aren’t getting it.

Each droid is a blip on my HUD. I creep behind another rock and sit with my back flat to it. I grip the stolen droid blaster. If I was suicidal maybe I’d go in guns blazing. Sadly even I’m not that brave.

But I’m no idiot either. I toggle my scanner, and while it’s rudimentary compared to a real planetary scan, I can see there are in fact more red blips inside. Probably whatever patrols are keeping out predators, and no doubt more droids racked and ready for deployment.

From this vantage point I can make out one clear weakness. The mines are old, which means everythings been dug out of them. All that remains are a few rock pillars holding up the structures and scaffolding left behind by miners. A couple well placed charges and the whole thing will come crumbling down.

Aftermath would approve.

The only problem is I don’t have the ordinance. But the droids do. Among the marching chunk-chunk-chunk of the parading SBD’s are smaller droids clanking along the tracks with carts of weapons. A quick zoom on my HUD and I can make out more than enough ordinance to take down a mine. There’s enough ordinance there to take down another whole city.

They didn’t just kill Aftermath. They killed them all.

I glance back at the horizon. I haven’t seen a trooper since I left. If they are looking for me, they’ll presume me dead eventually. No one else even knows about this place except that kid. If they Jedi can get him to talk and decipher what he meant, or triangulate this position, it’ll take them hours to get through all the decisions needed to mobilize even a few troops. Chain of Command exists for a reason, but sometimes, it only gets people killed.

Whether I succeed or fail here is entirely on me.

But if I do succeed, if I survive, where do I go after?

I remain perched at the edge staring at the pit of hell before me. Surviving is slim, but it seems to be the only thing I have done so far. Every mission, every squad, I’m the survivor. Returning to the 212th will just restart the cycle. More people will die, and I’ll still be here mourning every death. I’m a walking calamity. Maybe I’m death itself.

I shake my head and steel my nerves. I can’t go back. I won’t go back.

Deserting might not be the most honorable thing to do, but if it keeps someone alive then maybe it’s the right thing to do. I’ll stay here, let them think I’m dead and hide out, live among the locals and become a quiet farmer where no one will have to remember who I am, where I come from, or why I exist.

Farming was their dream. I’ll live it for them.

A tinny voice calls out an order. I look back. I can dream later. First I need to take revenge.

Part Two coming tomorrow!

[rosejigglypuff76]

I decided to spilt Full Experimental Alchemist into two parts for my Cookie Run Kimura AU! So Episode 7 will be the first half of the aforementioned two-parter! 🎀

It was a last minute decision, since there was a lot of scenes I have ideas for. But it felt best if said scenes were split into a two parts, mainly with a lot of scenes in mind.

There was also a lot of scenes that I either revisioned, scrapped, changed, etc. Alongside Writers Block with a few of these scenes.

But either way, I hope you enjoy Episode 7 of the Cookie Run Kimura AU! 🪴

[powerful-niya]

— (α lσvє rєвσrn.)

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚hαppч nαruhínα mσnth єvєrчσnє!

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟼: 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚢 + 𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 + 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜 - (𝙽𝙷𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚑𝟸𝟹)

Link to Oneshot below ↴

Pt 1: Wattpad | AO3

Pt. 2: Wattpad | AO3

Pt. 3: Wattpad | AO3

Pairing˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚Naruhina

Synopsis˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡Love was a risk, a risk that cost Naruto everything, leading to the loss of the life he always knew and an everlasting separation from his beloved: Hinata Hyūga. 

His forbidden love for her brought about a curse that condemned him to live as a monstrous beast, forever wandering alone in despair. 

Yet, in this new lifetime, with a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to his beloved now miraculously in reach, love could very well be the solution to his salvation.

Content Tags˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Alternate Universe - Medieval • Arranged Marriage • Beauty & The Beast • Destiny • December 2 • December 5 • December 26 • Emotional • Fairytale • Fairytale Curses • Fantasy • Falling In Love • Family Issues • Fate • Forbidden • Forbidden Love • Heavy Angst • Historical Eras • Hurt & Comfort • Knight AU • Love • Love Confessions • Monster • Mutual Pining • Mythical Beings And Creatures • NHmonth • NHmonth23 • Non-Human AU • Princess AU • Pining • Prophecy • Psychological Drama • Romance • Reincarnation • Reincarnated Lovers • Royal AU • Soulmates • Tooth-Rotting Fluff • Tragedy • Tragedy With Happy Ending • True Love • 1600s era • 1700s era • 2023

NSFW Tags: Body Worship • Cave Sex • Claiming • Coming Untouched • First Time • Fluff • Fluff And Smut • Hickeys • Love • Love Making • Magical • Outside Sex • Ownership • Praise Kink • Tail(s) • Scent Kink • Scratching • Sensation Play • Size Difference Kink • Unprotected Sex • Vaginal Sex • Virgin • 2023

Overall Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

Part #1: 12.5K

Part #2: 9.2K.

Part #3: 17.6K.

Tumblr Post: Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚1.8K

Preview ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

The Beginning 

17th century.

1600s.

---

Naruto Uzumaki 

Naruto wasn't supposed to love.

He had taken a solemn oath—never to love, never to wed, never to father children.

He wasn't meant to fall for anyone.

Certainly not Hinata Hyūga—the Princess of the Kingdom of Konoha, the delicacy of the land, the diamond of the ton. 

Not to mention, she was the daughter of Hiashi Hyūga himself. He was a king, a formidable ruler known throughout the land for his unwavering authority and strict governance—a man of principles, tradition, and nobility.

A man of steel. 

Having such a man as a father meant that Hinata's upbringing was meticulously planned down to the finest detail. From childhood to adulthood, she was taught to walk with poise, to speak with eloquence, and to conduct herself with the dignity befitting a princess. 

Her every move was scrutinized, and her every action was held to the highest standards. 

Her attire was always immaculate, her manners impeccable, and her education comprehensive. She was trained in the fine arts, fluent in several languages, and educated in the intricate politics of the court. She was even skilled in musical instruments, having mastered the piano, harp, and violin. 

Hinata was groomed to be flawless, and untouchable. 

Absolutely perfect. 

And that is what she became—a beacon of perfection in the eyes of society, more than suitable to one day marry, bear children, and assist the Hyūga lineage flourish and prosper. 

Hinata was the epitome of beauty and grace, off-limits to all except suitors with suitable titles—a precious gem that no commoner or knight could ever hope to touch.

Certainly not a knight like him—not Naruto.

He was her royal guard, a position of great honor. He was meant to safeguard her, to be by her side for all of her days, to protect her and remain loyal—not to love her.

She was supposed to be off-limits to him. Yet, he crossed those limits. 

He fell in love with her.

Naruto recalled the subtle moments when it all began—the fleeting smiles, the accidental touches, the stolen glances, not just from him, but from her too. 

Her gaze began to linger on him just a second longer than usual, and in those moments, he saw a spark of something more in Hinata's shy eyes—an unspoken connection, a shared understanding that he couldn't ignore.

At first, Naruto thought it was just him.

He figured he was just imagining things. But then he started to see that spark in Hinata's eyes more and more—a twinkle of longing, a yearning for the freedom she saw in him. 

Each interaction, each shared glance, built a bridge between them, one that was both exhilarating but terrifying. 

It felt so new. 

...so wrong.

Naruto wasn't sure how it all happened. 

The progression from duty to love was a blur. It was as if one day he was merely her protector, and the next, his heart was entirely hers. The line between his oath and his feelings had blurred, and he suddenly found himself drawn to Hinata in ways he could neither control nor comprehend.

It was the greatest victory of his life.

And the greatest mistake of his life.

Nights in the moonlit garden of Konoha palace were where they began to meet in secret. 

One night led to another, and another, and before long, they were meeting almost every night.

They would spend their evenings together under the starry night sky. They would sit on the soft grass, surrounded by the fragrant blooms, and talk for hours. They shared their days, struggles, dreams—anything and everything. It didn't matter to them, as long as they were together.

They would even have playful moments where they chased each other through the garden, past the flowers, and under the stars. 

Naruto recalls the sound of Hinata's laughter echoing through the night, her delicate hands clutching her dress as she ran, her face glowing with happiness.

And he would chase after her. Always.

"Catch me, Naruto-kun! Catch me!" She would cheer.

And indeed, he would catch her, their laughter mingling as they collapsed onto the soft grass, breathless and happy.

These moments became the only light in Naruto's world.

Hinata became the only light in his world.

The sweetness of her smile, the warmth of her embrace, her lavender eyes full of love, her silky midnight blue hair, her sweet scent, her heartfelt laugh, and her gentle spirit—all of it stayed with him.

Deep in his heart. 

Day after day, despite the risk, despite the danger, despite duty or even mere common sense, the two were drawn into an ever-going routine. 

Princess and knight by day.

And lovers by night.

Both were always eager for nightfall, when Hinata would slip out of her bed chamber, and Naruto would desert his post to meet in the garden of Konoha palace.

Some nights, when they met together, they would just lie on their backs, gaze at the stars and imagine a future where they could be together. 

During these times, Hinata often grew vulnerable with him. She shared her deepest fears and her greatest desires, opening up in a way she couldn't with anyone else.

Hinata even confided in him about her longing for freedom and the strict control her father exerted over her life. 

"He is determined to marry me off—my f-father," She told Naruto that night, nearly driven to tears, "Love was never supposed to be a consideration for me. That's what my father has always told me, that I need to marry. I need to choose my family. I need to choose duty. But I f-feel—" Hinata admitted, but then she stopped herself.

Naruto listened intently, as he always did, trying his best to lighten her heart and unburden her.

"You feel differently, don't you, Hinata-sama?" Naruto asked gently. 

"You've chosen love, haven't you, hime?" He added softly.

And the look that appeared in her eyes then touched his heart deeply.

Yes. I choose love. I choose you, her eyes had told him.

But there was more. 

Her eyes showed a plea for freedom, for something real and true, beyond the cold, heartless world she had always known.

Naruto's heart ached for her, it truly did. 

He found himself leaning close, taking her hands in his, and he made the mistake of promising to always protect her. He gave her hope that he could save her from such a horrid life, to be the source of freedom and love she so desperately sought.

"I'll figure something out. I'll save you, I promise," He had assured her.

Naruto remembered the joy that instantly appeared in Hinata's eyes, how she believed him wholeheartedly, placing all her trust in him.

That night, she actually kissed him for the very first time.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," She whispered against his lips.

But he should have known better than to make such a promise.

What they had was fragile yet unbreakable when they were together, a beautiful dream they lived each and every night.

But dreams were fleeting. 

Reality was cruel. 

And, forbidden love never lasts.

They were caught. 

Hinata and Naruto thought it would be another quiet, hidden night together in the garden, a sanctuary where they could steal moments away from prying eyes, just like all those times before. 

But they were wrong.

Naruto could still remember the rustling of leaves and the snap of a twig that alerted them too late.

Suddenly, they were ambushed. 

King Hiashi's guards emerged from the darkness, torches in hand, intent on seizing them both.

Naruto fought back fiercely, for Hinata, for both of them, but there were just too many. Their sheer numbers overwhelmed him, and despite his best efforts, they managed to subdue him. 

Subdue them both.

The guards then dragged them away, tearing them from their sanctuary.

And just like that, their secret was out. 

Naruto had no idea how they had been discovered that night, but it didn't matter. The truth was out, the damage done, and they were now at the mercy of the King—a furious Hiashi Hyūga.

And oh, was he furious.

Their punishment was as cruel as it was merciless.

Hinata's punishment was given first. For defying her father's orders, daring to love someone beneath her stature, and tarnishing her family's honor, she faced severe consequences.

She was forbidden to see Naruto ever again.

Her tear-streaked face and dull eyes were the last sight Naruto saw of her as the guards forcibly took her away to her chambers. Naruto had never seen her so broken. Her desperate cries and pleas echoed through the cold, stone halls, her voice screaming his name the entire time. 

He could still hear her cries.

His punishment, however, was far worse. 

He was beaten, humiliated, and dragged before the King, where he was forced to his knees and made to face Hiashi's wrath.

"You have betrayed your duty, dishonored my family, and defiled my daughter," The King declared, his voice cold and unforgiving.

"For that, you will pay the ultimate price."

Naruto had accepted his fate. 

He believed he deserved it for turning his back on his knight's oath and causing Hinata so much pain. He expected his punishment to be death, a swift end to his suffering. He braced himself for it, thinking it would be a merciful release compared to the agony of being separated from Hinata.

But fate had a crueler design.

Instead, Naruto was brought before a dark, malevolent witch, and he instantly knew what was in store for him. 

He would be cursed.

Indeed, the witch cast a spell upon him, a powerful one. She transformed him into a beast—a creature so hideous that Hinata would never again be able to love him. 

"You will live out your days as a beast," The witch declared, her voice dripping with malice, "Banished from this palace, condemned to wander the forest for all eternity. You will outlive her, always knowing she is beyond your reach."

Pain tore through Naruto as his body twisted and changed, the curse taking hold. His once strong hands became claws, his noble and formidable body transformed into something large and terrifying, his face a grotesque mask of the beast he had become. 

The guards then threw him out of the castle, casting him away from his home, away from people, and away from Hinata.

Discarded like trash. 

Now, Naruto roamed the vast, lonely forest that surrounded the palace he once sworn to protect, his heart aching for the love he had lost. 

The forest was his prison now, and loneliness was his constant companion. 

Each step he took reminded him of Hinata, of the tender moments they had shared and the future that had been stolen from them. 

His curse was relentless, ensuring he would never forget. He was cursed to remember, to feel the pain of their love that could never be, every single day.

The only way his curse could be broken was if he was loved again. True love. 

But how could that ever happen? 

He was now a beast, feared and shunned by all who saw him. The idea of someone seeing past his beast form to the man within, understanding his pain, and loving him, seemed utterly impossible.

It was all wishful thinking. An unattainable dream. 

A painful hope he no longer allowed himself to wish for.

Continue Reading On Wattpad Or AO3.

— (⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆)

[depths-of-misery]

[heartspin2023]

I was driving today and thought up this literally while going down the road. It's perfect way to start out the next update for Ascension.

"I wake to the pre Grey skies of early dawn, a habit built from instinct not necessity.

It is these moments, before the sun crests the horizen and before my alarm blares to life,  I feel most at peace. I feel the safest.

I experience the brief falshood that I yearn for: freedom"

May change it some, but that's what I got for now. ^_^ I'm excited for this story I love it so!

[pens-and-gems]

The Wish Chapter 1 Preview

Hey everyone, this post is a preview to my upcoming story titled The Wish. Kinda inspired by my own life, it's about a high schooler, stressed out with her family and school both, wishes that she never existed. Unfortuntately, the wish comes true and now, she must not only get her life back, but also learn to appreciate the small stuff.

Anyways, here's a preview for Chapter !~ Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Scheduling

Thursday, 7:00AM:

7:20AM-Have Breakfast with Family

7:30AM-Board School Bus

7:50AM-Chew Mint-Flavored Sugar Free Gum to Prevent Bad Breath

7:55AM-Get to First Period, Start School

8:00AM-2:50PM-Start School

3:00PM-Fencing Practice

4:00PM-Board Bus to Take Me Home

4:30-6:30PM-Study for AP Chemistry Test

6:35PM-Dinner at the Pretensions'

7:00PM-Get Wilbur to Bed

7:30PM-8:30PM-Finish Book Report on Fahrenheit 451

8:35PM-Get Ready for Bed

8:45PM-Watch Netflix until 9

9:00PM-Bed time!

Extra Notes:

*Pre-Calculus Test Tomorrow

*Spanish 3 Honors Project Due Next Friday

*History Oral Report on WWII Next Monday.

*Fencing Tournament Saturday at 1PM-4PM

"There, my schedule for tomorrow is complete." I said in relief as I sat in my desk in my room on  a Wednesday Night, waiting for the day to completely end, so I can finally start a new one. My school counselor suggested  to me that I should start scheduling my tasks, so I can balance both my school and home life since I tend to be really busy with classes, fencing, and babysitting. Basically, the typical responsibilities almost every seventeen-year-old would have when they're almost done with high school.The truth is, I didn't always like doing these tasks. In fact, I only do them so I can prove myself to them. Them as in my folks; also known as my parents.

You see, my parents are very busy when it comes to their jobs. My mother, Barbara works late as a nurse while my father, Jonathan is a graveyard worker at the hotel downtown. So my siblings and I don't tend to see them often; especially my younger ones: Harold, Bethany or "Betty" as she preferred, and Wilbur. Futhermore, my two older siblings, Wendy and Steven, who are college students, are usually the ones in charge; despite their busy hours of studying. I guess they got use to it so much that they even began to act like Mom and Dad themselves. My oldest sister, Wendy at twenty-three last week had me clean the kitchen from head to toe and whenever I missed a pot or did something wrong, she would snap at me and tell me to do it again. In fact, she would complain about how "that's not how Mom would want it done!" I can still hear her obnoxious shriek in my ears.

Just as I was about to shut off the light and hit the hay, a knock was heard. I groaned to myself and told them to come in.

"Hello baby sister," Wendy greeted me in the most fake loving tone ever.

"Even the deadliest of all killers could fake that." She ignored my sarcasm.

"I know you don't like being bothered, especially this late at night," she continuned.

"It's only two hours and fifty three minutes until midnight, but talk." Wendy rolled her eyes at my deadpan remark. "Anyways, there's been a state of emergency at the hospital tonight. Mom's gonna be busy for the next two nights, and Dad's most likely gonna sleep in. So be prepared, sis. You might have to set up to watch the little ones longer than expected."

"WHAT?!" I began to freak out and flip through my agenda. "But that totally messes up my schedule!" I tried to show her.

UPDATE: 1/11/24

Fixed and edited some mistakes that a friend from Discord helped me out with.