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purplekoop · 4 months

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So. This was supposed to be a 2023 games recap, but I remembered that one of my favorite games of all time got an incredible expanded remake at the start of the year. I then talked about it for. a while. So I pivoted it into...

Things I Love #3: Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe

Yeah it's not Ninja Turtles yet, sorry. I'm only on episode 2 of that rewatch, but even without playing this game for the better part of a year, I can still definitely rattle off my thoughts on it.

As usual, this is a spoiler-free rundown on the game, since the point of this post series (I think) is to explain why I love a thing in hopes of getting other people to check it out for themselves, which I do in fact recommend this game. That said, let's get to it!

The original version of this was the game that started the "Modern Kirby" formula that was inherited by the 3DS games and Star Allies, and while at least the 3DS games have always been pretty highly regarded, RtDl was kind of given the New Super Mario Bros effect of being shrugged off because it started a trend of similar-looking games. That's a massive undervaluing of this game though, since in my opinion it's still the best iteration of the standard 2D Kirby formula yet. It's hard to articulate exactly why, but for me Return to Dreamland just has that magic to it. Maybe I'm biased since it was also my first normal Kirby game, but this game's level design is just so pleasant and satisfying. Each level has its own subtle personality, to the point where after enough playthroughs (including challenge runs) I can remember the order of levels and even the minor details of each one pretty well. The puzzles are a personal high point, making use of the game's great roster of abilities exceptionally well, while also giving plenty of room for cheese and alternate solutions. And it's a personal favorite for multiplayer, once again I think being Kirby's best multiplayer outing. The game feels built to accommodate 4 players while holding up flawlessly as a single player adventure. It doesn't feel too arbitrary like Forgotten Land or as centralizing as Star Allies, it's just the right balance. Wrap it all up in a series standard pleasant visual presentation with a banger soundtrack, and you have one of my top 3, if not top 2 games of all time, both in general and for the Wii specifically.

And those praises apply to both versions, but it gets better. Of all the "Deluxe" games in the Switch's lineup, this is one of the best in terms of new stuff and improvements. Saving the new modes for a minute, the biggest change is the art style. It's different enough to where I can see some people not being a fan, but personally I think this game is gorgeous, especially if you just recently saw the Wii version. The sharp outlines and bright colors just make this game look even better than it does in my rose-tinted view of the original. The only truly major visual difference is Dedede's new design, based on his striking Forgotten Land appearance but with his normal outfit. Personally not my favorite Dededesign (that'd be Smash 4/Ultimate), but I gotta appreciate Mr. Clump Penguin, especially with some of his expressions. It also feels better when I remember he wasn't exactly a looker in the Wii version with his big head and tiny body, so I don't mind it much at all.

The main gameplay has some functional changes too. On the subtler side, some moves from newer games have been added to certain abilities, like the skyward strike from the 3DS games in Sword's moveset. The most notable examples are the 3 non-Kirby characters having their extra moves added in one of Star Allies's later updates, such as Meta Knight having a unique counter attack and Dedede having his iconic jump-and-slam and face plant moves. There's also other things of less substantial note added for gameplay, like the ability to dodge while guarding being added ala the 2D games between the original and DX versions, but those are largely minor. I do wish some of the original's somewhat limited abilities, like Needle and Hi-Jump, got maybe a new move or two, but that's such a niche complaint even by my standards.

The most notable new additions to the main mode are two brand new abilities: Mecha and Sand. The enemies and ability pedestals that grant these abilities have been retroactively added to existing levels, never replacing anything but if you're paying attention their placement is a little tacky. The Sand enemies are always placed on a newly added star block and I have no clue why but it bothers me irrationally. The abilities are also introduced as the same time as other new abilities were in the original, which does mildly hinder the otherwise fantastic pacing this game has when it comes to introducing new abilities, but again, that's such a petty gripe that's only coming from someone who knows this game far too intimately. As for the abilities themselves, they're both a delight to use. Admittedly Sand surprised me, it was the second of the two to be revealed and it was much less flashy and thematically exciting than Mecha, but it turned out to be just as fun. It fits right in with the other elemental abilities like Water, and has a set of utility and movement options that make it fun to keep around, but it's just a bit boring in combat. Mecha is the much more obviously exciting option, with an arsenal of very silly attacks that feel more like a Dream Friend than a normal ability, though with less damage output and utility than you might expect. It's also lacking in movement attacks for something that looks so much like Jet, but its midair controls feel so nice I don't mind too much. My main gripe with it is that unlike Sand, the game introduces it in a level much less suited to its talents, and right before the water levels where you can't even use it. The new ability challenge is fun, but otherwise there's not a great time to get a feel for how useful it is compared to the existing abilities and even Sand. Again, a nitpick, as just having the big unga bunga laser and cool flying and even just looking like that is enough to make this ability's inclusion appreciated.

Festival, the single-use screen nuke ability from Star Allies is also here. For some reason. Frankly I'm just mad they only added Festival as the one existing ability retroactively added to this game, something like Beetle would've been nice, but I can see why they went with basically the least obtrusive extra addition possible.

On the note of additions though, this deluxe package comes with not one, but two major new modes.

The first is Merry Magoland, a non-canon(?) side mode, unlocked after beating the second level of the main game, where Kirby and friends go to a theme park to play minigames new and old. And this minigame lineup is super neat, as there's a minigame representing just about one for every single game in the series to have them, with the exceptions of the 3DS games and Star Allies, which... yeah fair enough, those would be a little redundant in the context of the Switch's library. This leads to an interesting selection of minigames, as basic as one featured in Adventure all the way to one from Squeak Squad that's like that one weird Smash 3DS mode. It's a super interesting lens to see the history of the series, with each minigame being a super faithful 3D HD recreation of the original minigames, down to each minigame having an appropriate results screen, and menu music rearranged to match the respective game. There's also two entirely original minigames: Tome Trackers and Booming Blasters. Tome Trackers is a simple "find the thing quickly" minigame, but is unique in using the same movement controls as the main game, just with no attacking. It's okay I guess. Booming Blasters meanwhile is my favorite of the whole set of 10, being a top-down shooter deathmatch and the most mechanically complex of the set. It gets decently intense, and you can end up landing some oddly satisfying trick shots. Now, the glaring flaw of Merry Magoland and the game as a whole is one fatal sin: there's no Scope Shot. Only the significantly less cool Ninja Dojo minigame returns from the original, while my favorite of the two Wii version minigames is the only notable piece of content left behind. There's traces of it throughout the game, and admittedly I realize why it's not the best fit as a co-op style of game in the otherwise competitive party game mode, and the selection of other minigames covers the gap it leaves behind, but it just sucks that it keeps this otherwise massive improvement over the original from being truly perfect

Merry Magoland has a bit more to it, namely in terms of progression. It's not just a minigame compilation, as it has its own sort of completion metrics. First off, there's the Stamp Rally, a weird sort of self-contained... battle pass? You play minigames, and based on your time played and performance, you get more stamps filled in your card, and every page of the stamp card you get storable items usable in the main game, or dress up masks you can wear in either mode. It's honestly just a nice bonus that happens passively while playing the minigames. The bonus items are neat but by no means a necessity (if you're a normal person anyways), but the masks are a bit more interesting, letting you "dress up" as a wide array of characters from the history of the series. There's some cool deep cuts in this lineup too, but admittedly many of them look more goofy or creepy than cute or cool. Still, it's a fun way to add some extra personality and customization to your playthrough.

Meanwhile, the real completion metric of Merry Magoland is the damn challenges. Basically an achievement list, which ranges from "play this minigame with a mask of a character from the same game :D" to "KILL ALL FOES FLAWLESSLY TWICE IN A ROW." I do appreciate the incentive to play these minigames more thoroughly than just beating every difficulty, but these challenges get mean. That example was barely a joke, you seriously have to do that for a couple minigames' final achievements. The part that makes it a slog is that it's just so random compared to all the other 100% completion requirements, and yes, this mode is required to clear entirely for 100% completion. It's just a grind with some of these minigames, especially when they're not all gonna be everyone's favorite. I personally dread Samurai Kirby and Egg Catcher, but I had to master them in order to complete the mode. But the variable CPU performance means that sometimes you can cheese a challenge, or sometimes you don't. Most modes are forced to have 4 players, human or computer, which is annoying for multiplayer with 2 or 3 players but also makes challenge clearing more annoying. You can cheese some challenges by having 2 unmanned controllers taking the player 2 and 3 slots and just making it a 1v1 between you and the machine, but that's not exactly fun and still doesn't guarantee victory. Again, cool concept to have achievements, but it's so random and so grindy of an overall process for 100% completion, which is otherwise one of my favorite parts of a Kirby game. Aside from like. Keychain/Sticker/Puzzle Piece/Gacha grinding in the other recent games, but at least those are just grindy and don't take effort.

One last complaint: no online multiplayer, for the main game or Magoland. This is a bummer as someone with online friends halfway and all the way across the country, but thankfully I do at least still live with my sibling who's as much of a Kirby fan as I am, if not arguably more in some areas. There is one online minigame: Samurai Kirby 100. This being the very basic timing-based minigame, but instead of facing off against 1-3 other players or a single CPU, your reaction time is tested against that of 99 other players. My uh... least favorite minigame. Great. Also because the Kirbys you face are based on other players, including their masks, you can get spoiled on the 100% completion reward mask. Very cool. A kind of lame addition, but it's an addition so who cares that much.

Overall Magoland is a fun side mode with some issues. The minigame selection isn't gonna be for everyone, the challenges required for 100% are tedious, there's no online play, and most glaringly: no Scope Shot. But those are mostly petty gripes from an overly dedicated series fan, and the impact the mode has on the game overall is a net positive. I'm interested to see how this mode serves as a possible pit stop in a family game night or other party game scenario, so I might have to see if I can convince some folks to play it soon.

Now onto the other new mode: Magolor Epilogue, the postgame adventure advertised on the back of the boss that also spoils a 10 year old game's plot twist. Oops.

In all seriousness, the mode is great. You play as Magolor, who's now a pathetic soggy webkinz cat incarnate, starting with an extremely limited moveset based on his playable debut as a Dream Friend in Star Allies. He starts with only a basic energy ball attack, but over time unlocks an expansive suite of moves, once again largely (but not entirely) based on Star Allies. Most moves are unlocked via story progress, but others are unlocked by using the points you earn during levels to enhance Magolor's abilities in a special menu. These upgrades are pretty significant, turning what'd otherwise be pretty piddly attacks into playstyle-defining staples. It's not a skill tree per say, you just upgrade specific attacks or other attributes of your character, but there's a similar feel to it. And while upgrades aren't mandatory... they help a lot. I've seen a playthrough of the game without them, and it looks kinda miserable. Thankfully it's not super obtuse to use the upgrade menu, and I don't think the game lets you make any super regrettable choices with your investment since it gates upgrade tiers behind story progress.

As for the levels themselves, they're generally shorter and simpler than the main story levels, as to be expected. A key distinction though: there are no major collectibles required for completion. The only pickups are the energy points used for your upgrades, gained either from grabbing them like coins or from beating enemies. You get extra points for combos (for some reason), and getting a high combo and overall point total is the requisite for this mode's main optional completion metric. You get up to a platinum medal based on your score for a level, with combo being the greatest metric to help with that goal. You need only a gold medal on each level to unlock the final bonus level, and I believe simply beating that is the requisite for save file completion. While this is a struggle at first, it's no trouble at all simply going back and blazing through early levels with an endgame set of upgrades. There are also extra side levels, ala the treasure roads from Forgotten Land or the Break Time levels from Super Mario Wonder, dedicated to testing specific moves and other skills. These iirc don't have medals, and just require clearing at all for the sake of completion, but they do have pretty decent point payout, so they're worth doing. Plus these types of levels are just fun, I'm glad they're a new standard in platformers nowadays.

There are also the bosses, which are Mean. This mode overall shares a lot in common with Star Allies's DLC mode, Heroes in Another Dimension, mostly in terms of location and being an extra extra postgame mode taking place in Another Dimension where you get to play as Magolor for a nonzero amount of time, but while the puzzles are simpler, the bosses are nasty in a manner very reminiscent of that mode. These are some of the toughest bosses the series has to offer, with even the first one giving me a rough time initially. Even as your skillset increases, the bosses ramp up proportionally, with the finale being especially devious. I'll say no more besides the final boss being one of the series highlights, somehow standing up in wow factor even now that the series has finally hit full 3D.

Speaking of bosses, the music for those is predictably great, as is that for the rest of the mode. Most tracks are remixes of main game tracks, but rearranged to be far more eerie and alien-sounding. It's a super unnerving vibe, especially in tandem with the mode's overall tone. The soundtrack becomes more triumphant as you progress, as you build up your confidence along with Magolor's power, building up to an extremely satisfying conclusion. It's really good stuff, as to be expected, and this game's especially strong use of motifs is worth special praise. On another note of presentation, the mode takes place in the interdimensional void from Heroes in Another Dimension, but with extra environmental details to make it feel less like a bunch of boring space blocks, as was the issue with the prior mode. It works here honestly, though admittedly levels within the same area blend together a bit, at least not being nearly as distinct as the main game levels.

I think the sole "complaint" worth mentioning with this mode is that it requires beating the main story to play. It's something I've heard at least one person bring up as a deterrent from buying the game, saying "just let me play the new thing right away", but like... oh no, you have to play Kirby's Return to Dreamland in order to play the new content, what a travesty. To me this complaint is moot and insane in the same way as "dang, I wish I could just eat my favorite dessert ever without having to eat my favorite meal first", but I'm obviously much easier than other people to convince to play through the base game repeatedly. Even then, the base game isn't that long if you blitz through it just to get to the shiny new mode, which to note itself isn't super long. You can beat Magolor Epilogue in one sitting if you want, maybe two if you wanna pace yourself a bit. Either way, it's not a super long endeavor, but it's a great one for sure, and adds a great postgame mode to an already great game, on par with others of its ilk like the Meta Knightmares, Dededetour, and Heroes in Another Dimension itself, arguably being the best of the lot.

...Which is more than can be said for the existing postgame mode, Extra Mode. Returning near verbatim from the Wii version, this is simply a second playthrough of the main adventure, but with halved player health, rarer food items, some bigger and smaller enemies, and harder bosses. You also can't use the optional baby mode added into the base game, which doubles your health, and lets Magolor bring you healing items and save you from pits. It's unlocked at the same time as Magolor Epilogue, which... I mean. On the one hand, I appreciate that it's not removing "content" from the original besides Scope Shot, but on the other hand even I can admit it's a bit lame having to play the game again but only marginally harder, especially alongside the much more exciting postgame campaign. I could maybe argue they should've made Extra Mode more exciting, maybe shake up the levels more, but I think I much prefer that they put their effort into the entirely new mode, then left the original modes relatively untouched. The one sucky part is, once again, beating and 100% completing Extra Mode is required for true 100% on your save file. You can't just blitz through it even though the collectibles are nearly identical to obtain. Which again, sucks, but oh well, not a dealbreaker to anyone I imagine.

On the last note of modes, the series staple boss rush mode, The Arena also unlocks upon beating the main story. However, unlike the original, The True Arena requires completing both Extra Mode (like before) and Magolor Epilogue. This means the game's final main mode requires beating both of the postgames in order to unlock, and it's a massive gauntlet of both the harder Extra Mode bosses and the new Magolor Epilogue bosses. It's a hell of a challenge I only managed to clear using a certain cheesy ability I won't mention, but appreciated giving a climactic spotlight to an ability that normally doesn't get much praise.

Now with all modes new and old mentioned in riveting detail, that covers most of what I wanted to talk about with this game, barring anything that's a direct spoiler. So verdict?

In my heart, this game is the rare instance of improving perfection. It's already one of my longtime favorite games ever, from a series I only appreciate more and more each day for how purely it sparks joy. This is a game I never get tired of, one I've adored since childhood and have only loved more the more I've picked it apart with challenge runs and other repeat playthroughs. There's not much more I could've wanted from it, and yet, it was blessed with the best port out of a library stocked with plenty ranging from great to middling. It looks gorgeous, sounds and plays great as ever, and just has even more to do and play with. Even if not every addition is perfect, the entire package has such a fullness to it, and the game I've loved all along is there almost untouched. It feels like such a complete and delightful game that my nitpicks I've mentioned feel and should be read as a bit silly. Again, this is an undoubtedly biased review, if this game doesn't cure depression and save the world for you then don't blame me, but this is my post series of gushing for what I love.

This is my game of the year for 2023, and I don't say that too lightly, even if it is cheating a little since it's largely a remake. If you have the means, play it. It's a great introduction to a very fun beginner-friendly series that's also got plenty of harder challenges stored. It's a great solo time, but the entire game allows for multiplayer aside from the main game's challenge levels (Magolor Epilogue included, forgot to mention that detail, you just all play as different colored Magolors), and it's fun throughout, so I recommend it even more strongly if you get that chance. I seriously can't recommend this game enough, and I'm not sorry about it.

Anyways, possibly expect some (hopefully) less in-depth reviews of some other games I've played this past year coming in another post within the coming days. Next TIL might be TMNT 2012 but that's gonna be about 120 episodes before we get to that point, so I may end up finding something else to talk about faster. I may also be doing the seasonal recap/personal history format in the meantime, in part because it means I get to go more in-depth where I otherwise wouldn't. I like this post series for spoiler-free overviews, so I'd enjoy the chance to talk about spoilers for once while giving the proper warning. Expect that slightly sooner then. Until then though!

#things I love #koop's things I love #kirby #kirby rtdl #kirby rtd #kirby rtdl dx #kirby's return to dreamland #kirby's return to dreamland deluxe #kirby series

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indri-on-ao3 · 1 year

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When you get this you have to answer with 5 things you like about yourself, publicly. Then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool)❤️❤️❤️

This got long. TLDR: science, friends, helping, art, queer. I want to follow up with 5 things I don't like about myself, but that is against the spirit of the ask.

I’m a pretty good applied scientist. I have a reasonable grasp of the relative importance of things, but also an ability to focus on detail when it’s needed—the combination is a useful one. These days I’m more of a science facilitator. I talk with people who need science done, work out the critical and achievable questions, find researchers with the right skills and the funding bodies looking for projects, then persuade everyone to work together. It can take years of patience and frustration, but when it happens it’s fantastic. I love it.

I have a lot of friends, many of whom I’ve known a long time now, all of whom are superb people. This means a lot to me, as I had few friends at school. I was still wary when I started making friends at uni, uncertain as to whether they actually liked me or just found me useful or inoffensive. Eventually, the evidence that they liked me for myself became insurmountable and I had to accept it. What’s more, I keep making friends: there are many compatible and fascinating people out there and I keep finding them. But I’ve retained the core friends from my late teenage years; we’ve seen so much together and most of us are still close.

I’ve been able to help and mentor junior scientists since I became a bit more established. Sometimes I introduced them to a field they came to love. Other times, they faced serious—undeserved—difficulties and I could support them, like helping them find a new job. And once an excellent person had to leave science for the sake of her mental health, and all I could do was say that her life and happiness was worth more than whatever projects she was working on.

I’ve become a great supporter of amateur and semi-pro artists, especially local ones. I give substantial financial support to a studio for diverse visual artists. I regularly turn up and pay money at tiny cupboard venues to see comedians, musicians, cabaret artists, acrobats and drag queens. I go to art exhibition openings in cafés and the backs of sheds. I used to edit an amateur fiction magazine. Online, I give kudos to AO3 authors and reblog Tumblr commentary and art. All of these forms of self-expression are worthy and fascinating, if sometimes a little raw. Their value under capitalism is not an indicator of their artistic value. Wanting to make and share something is a fundamental human activity and I am here to be your audience, except when I’m busy making something myself.

I persevere in being queer. When I was a young adult, I was unable to find any support for bi+ people—my identity was invalid and my peers invisible (even when, as we later discovered, we had been standing right next to each other). Then I got into a long-term relationship with a lovely different-sex partner, and I thought my straight-passing privilege outweighed the heterosexism and biphobia. But it did not. I now know that bi+ people in straight-looking relationships have terrible statistics for mental health and life outcomes: we’re sometimes missing something vital. I found myself gravitating to hobbies and venues where the gender of my partner didn’t matter, for who wants to feel that their welcome is conditional? And now that times have changed a bit, I’m trying to be more visible and I’ve joined a committee to help others and I’m still working out what more to do. And yes, I joined Tumblr so I could obsessively reblog pictures of Loki and the Valkyrie and sometimes other bi+ pop culture characters because it comforts me somehow, I’m retroactively trying to tend the hapless teenager I once was. I always knew I was real, but it still shocks and shakes me when someone else acknowledges it. I scared but I’m still moving.

#i got an ask!

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headslikekites · 3 years

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basard skemtch

#doodles #I wanna start posting more pencil sketches #especially tiny ones like these #I love when my art looks tiny and non-detailed because then you don't feel like you have to look super hard for mistakes #no mistakes only sketch #also floofy hair good I should say but that's probably a given if you've seen any of my art at all #her hair in particular is especially fun though because I don't have many characters with longer hair #there's one that I love very much but I can't share because spoilers and it makes me sad #maybe one day #I need to make actual ref sheets for all my characters #I made a protagonist lineup awhile ago for my main story idea but it is outdated so I gotta redo it #anywho I think that's enough from me for now #I like rambling in the tags because people don't have to read them so I don't feel as annoying as I would otherwise #here's to hoping time passes us all gently by and things work out in the end #just yknow. in general

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tipsydipsydo · 3 years

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Der Geliebte

Pairing: Jungkook x artist! Reader

Gender of the Reader: female

Word Count: 6.4k

Rating: 16+

AU: non idol! Jungkook x artist! Reader AU!

Genre: strangers to lovers AU; friends to lovers AU! (idiots to lovers AU!); love at the first sight! AU; soulmate to lovers! AU (kinda?); unbelievable amount of fluff; a little angst (fluffy angst!!,); tiny amount of smut (one paragraph xD)

Warnings: tiny bit of smut/some sexual tension between both of them; Jungkook is a poor shy thing and is fucking nervous around the reader all the time; teeth rotting fluff; both are so in love with each other that they’re getting stupid to not realize it; both are insecure that they’re not meant for another... just fluff, fluff, fluff and painfully obvious pining over each other!

A/N: Hallelujah, I finally did it! After I made Sibi @borathae wait over three months for her Christmas + Birthday Fanfic I finished it two weeks to late for my sweetest Darlings Birthday! I am so incredibly sorry that I made you wait for such a long time and really, Sweetie, you have all the rights to be still mad at my stupid ass! Nevertheless... I love you so goddamn much and I hope the fic made at least a little bit up for it... Love you!!!! 💕 💕

Summary: You and Jungkook met right at the first day you opened your own atelier in Seoul after you had to leave your old home behind you. You love paint canvas with landscape motives, other people just roll with their eyes when they hear that you choose such usual, almost boring things to paint. Not so Jungkook, he seems to be different than most of visitors. It’s almost like he can read your feelings through your paintings...

Status: Edited (I am sorry for any still existing errors in here!)

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「© tipsydipsydo」

This following story is my intellectual property and belongs only to my blog tipsydipsydo.tumblr.com!

I’ll not accept any kind of reposting, stealing or using/editing my work!

That includes reposting my content on other social media platforms too, even when you link me as the original author.

Thank you.

* Jungkook’s POV *

"In what are you getting yourself into, Jungkook?"

I quietly ask myself as I get rid of my clothes behind the paravent and throw the dressing gown over his body which you laid out for me. My hands are sweaty, they tremble slightly and my heart beats wildly, as if it wants to jump right out of my chest. Excitement spreads throughout my body, leaving a faint feeling in my stomach and a certain blush rises in my cheeks. I still can't believe what I've gotten myself into . But... you looked at me so pleadingly with your dear and downright innocent eyes that I would have done anything for you with that look of yours. I want to make you happy, see that happy and contented smile on your lips, which always makes a whole horde of wild butterflies break out in my belly. 'Normally I was the shyness and silence in person and with you... with her, I feel for the first timesomething like peace and security. Especially when I consider how shy I usually am around women.', I ask myself and I don't really know the answer to that. But what can I do against my feelings? I don't really know, on the one hand they scare me, on the other hand they feel so exciting and new that I don't want to eliminate them at all.

I don't even know exactly when the whole thing started. In which moment my feelings for you grew, when I felt more than just fascination and admiration for you and your artwork. Six months ago, a small studio had opened in my district, your own studio. On the day of the opening I simply went to it of pure curiosity, I had always had such a weakness for art and photography.

I can still remember exactly how I stood in front of one of your works and was literally speechless and overwhelmed by this picture and all his small details. This painting represents a classic image of the countryside, which was often to be found everywhere. But this work was different. So full of small details and ornaments. It was so much more... As a viewer you can see a beautiful clearing, which is surrounded by trees and protected from too many curious eyes. The ground of this clearing is overgrown with dense and lush green grass, which from the incoming sunlight almost invites you to let yourself fall into the grass. It reminds me instantly of my carefree childhood, when I rolled in it without overthinking my actions too much and those times when I playfully wrestled with my best friends around until our clothes had grass stains all everywhere. I could almost smell the scent of wild, untamed nature. The longer I look at the picture, the greater the longing became. Maybe I could visit this beautiful place one day, together with my partner, my significant other. Playing around with each other, chasing your beloved one until you fall into the grass breathless laughing and cuddling. Maybe we could have a picnic there and feed each other with homemade sweets?

I didn’t know that such a "simple" landscape painting could touch and awaken so much more in me, in my soul. Suddenly, such a wanderlust came over me that I gasped for air and a heavy lump formed in my throat. My whole body was tingling and my heart was literally screaming to get away from this dreadfully grey and monotonous daily routine of my boring single life, for at least some weeks. I want to go to this place, where I could draw the warm and fresh, natural air could deep into my lungs and pamper myself with homemade delicacies. Just to let the soul dangle and don’t stuck with my closely clocked work life. Maybe sleep until 10 o'clock in the morning and then maybe have a nice nap later. Enjoy the warm nights and hear the crickets chirping. This longing was... irrepressible. This particular wanderlust for nature, just to be out of the city, this longing for exactly this abandoned and untouched forest clearing literally overwhelmed me. What was it for an artist who could trigger such feelings and emotions in me?

I had been so absorbed in the artwork that I had not even noticed that a person step next to me. "Do you like the work?", asked a soft melodic voice, which spoke perfect Korean, but was pervaded by a light accent, which I could not quite assign. I flinched a little, but this bright, happy laugh gave me a tingling goosebumps all over my body. What a beautiful laugh... I turned to the person who was the owner of this beautiful voice. I was startled when I realized that the artist and owner of this studio was standing in front of me personally. I recognized her again, as I had seen a small photo of her in the newspaper article that drew my attention to this beautiful studio in the first place. Already in this picture she had radiated something so strong, colorful, cheerful and lively, which caused an excited flutter in my stomach.

I admit, I already laid an eye on her just by her appearance. Unfortunately I always had a hard time getting to know people ever since, let alone to talk to women. And now having you, Y/N, personally standing right in front of me, made me feel fluffy and excited in my stomach. Nothing is left of this otherwise so sassy and self-confident man that I used to be. Only a nervous and stodgy twenty-three-year-old idiot, who did not know what to say or wanted to say, now stands in front of this stunningly pretty and intelligent woman.

Her eyes sparkles like jewels, full of joy, struck me with interest and a playful smile lays on her lips. "Did you not understand my question?", she asked kindly, but nobly reserved. Immediately a rosy puff settled on my cheeks and I stuttered nervously: "Y-Yes, excuse me! I... I was just somewhere else with my thoughts and was completely surprised that they were addressing me personally.... Your works are truly unique! They still show such ‘usual’ motifs and yet they are so special because of these finely elaborated details and this passion with which this work of art was painted. They really are... Unique artworks that you do not forget so quickly. Even for untrained eyes as my owns, I can see that a talented artist has worked on it. I am very impressed by your work, especially this work here!" You could hear the honest admiration from my voice and my heart leapt as she reacted bashful to all of my compliments.

"Thank you, really, thank you so much! I really appreciate to hear such nice words like yours, even if it is rare. I am often criticized for my ‘lack of creativity’, caused by my chosen motives. I just love the rough, almost untouched landscapes of my hometown, I try to depict the ‘normal’ as something beautiful, unique. I would like to ‘really see’ what we already take for granted again. As a wonderful creation, a work of art. Nature is a wonderful example of this, or the architecture of buildings as well. Architects are also artists, although unfortunately they are not seen as such. I just want to offer the obvious things a more meaningful space again.... People like you have become rare. I have observed how you have recognized the true meaning, this beauty and aesthetics in such a ‘usual-looking’ motif. And this pleases me so much that you can read 'between the brushstrokes'. Oh... Excuse me, I always talk way too much when someone shows an interest in art or music, my personal passions. Besides that, I have not introduced myself to you yet, I am Y/N! I was obviously so pleased to see your understanding, empathetic look at this work, if you understand what I mean... Anyway... I can guess that you knew my name already, don't you? What about you? May I know your name?", asked you, beautiful artist, with her really stunning smile.

I swallowed nervously, never before had a young lady mixed my emotions so much in me. Even the picture of her in the newspaper article, which I had read out of boredom in one of my lectures, got me so emotionallyconfused. I didn't want to say it in front of my teasing friends, but I had been really excited when I set off this Friday night. And now the creator of these works of art stood before me and seemed to want to have a longer conversation with me. My heart beats to my throat and I got sweaty hands from this nervousness in my poor body. Honestly, as soon as I wasn't surrounded by my clique of friends, I automatically turned into a nervous, slightly abashed blushing and stuttering guy who behave like an inexperienced teenager.

In private life, without my best mates by the side, I am not so confident and daredevil. After all, I always had someone who could cover my back when things get tough, while I am on my own without anyone I know. You could usually only believe and trust, not control. That's probably why I struggled with interpersonal relationships. I always overthink too much and have some struggles with my self-confidence.

And now this attractive young woman looked at me with such interest and joy, just me. I was actually the reason for her interest. A joyful and blissful tingling seized every pore, every fiber of my body. Yes, in fact it was just me! Not my best buddy Seokjin, whom I have known since childhood and always sought the attention of everyone. It was no exaggeration to say that he was perhaps a little narcissistic, but only to cover up his own insecurities. Never would I have thought that someone would manage to get this personification of self-love under control. I admired his wife for standing up to Seokjin and keeping him and his dad Jokes at bay. Believe it or not, she of all people had the pants on in the house and knew how to deal with my best friend.

My gaze glided over the figure of the person in front of me and once again I took a sharp breath. I was so nervous to face her personally, a person I already deeply admired and had quite a respect for. I simply did not want to do anything wrong, even if this charm of hers was almost tangible and paralyzed my entire brain with its function. I can already picture how my mind waved wildly goodbye to myself and went to the summer holiday in the Caribbean.

This carefree smile and these beautiful eyes harmonized wonderfully with your complexion. Your features were awake and alive, seemingly always a slight smile surrounded the corners of your mouth, which provoked almost paradoxical reactions in my body. Your smile awake countless butterflies to flutter around in my stomach, which made me quite nervous and at the same time you radiated such a sense of security and calm, as if there was no reason not to get a word out of shyness. My gaze, which I hope examined you unobtrusively enough, wandered to your hands. You had long fingers, I could really imagine how they elegantly held the handle of the paint brushes and worked on these small details extensively in such a calm behavior. Which satisfied and concentrated calmness you possibly radiated while doing that...

A small, noble clearing of your throat again tore me out of my fantasies and speculations. God, what was I today but inattentive! How rude I must have seemed to you...

"Oh, sorry... I... I have not been able to keep my thoughts together all day..." I lied to seem at least a little more credible. Nervously, I pulled on the knot of my tie to loosen it up a little before I have a circulatory collapse. Before I went here, I thought for a long time about what I should wear for this occasion. Jeans and T-shirt were out of the question, too casual and almost an insult for your atelier. A complete suit, however, seemed too overdressed to me and so I decided for a black dress pants and a dark blue dress shirt.Understanding, Y/N nodded and gave me a cheering smile, which made my body tingle again. This woman drove me half crazy alone with his friendly gestures. How could it be that this polite lady got me confused right away?!

And somehow, it gave me a frenzy to leave my secure, anonymous side as a visitor to her exhibition and irrevocably reveal my true identity to you.

"My name is Jeon Jungkook."I answered in a slightly trembling voice, hardly daring to look into her eyes and rubbing my neck unobtrusively.

* Jungkook’s POV *

If only I had guessed what would change in me, how you changed me. That so much more would develop from a pure interest and a simple formal business contact... that you want to make me one of your artworks.

I take another deep breath before I dare to step out from behind the dark red paravent. It is pleasantly warm in this room, I should not freeze, if I am already so freely clothed. My gaze wanders through the small room with the huge, floor-to-ceiling window, which floods the entire room with light. The walls of the room have been painted in a dark orange and red colors and dark wooden planks lay out on the floor. It looks so comfortable due to the warm, dark tones. The orange-yellow evening sun dipped everything into something so cozy... sensual. Somehow into even a little erotic?

Y/N wants to work a lot with the light of the evening sun in this painting, which could be a little complicated if it is not suitable or if it is cloud-covered. But if you have put something into your head, especially in relation to your art, then you do everything you can do to go through it! Also the changing forces of nature cannot stop you from trying to realize your idea. Sometimes, you’re someone who is quickly frustrated and dissatisfied with yourself as well, especially when something doesn't work as you wants it to. Nevertheless when it comes to your passion, drawing and painting, you don’t let your idea go away, if you want something, you’ll find a way to make it happen. These are qualities that I know all too well of myself and thus my fascination about you only grows even more. The more time we spent together and I get to know more and more sides of you, the more attracted I became to you.

Your art means a lot to you and you’re quite tough in this respect, can not be overcome by the reproaches and the crushing criticism. That’s exactly what I admire so much about you, having the courage to stand up for personal passion. When I get criticized, all too often I think about really giving up on it, so that I don't have to endure all this criticism anymore. And then I look at you. How focused you are in this moment and carefully prepare for your next project. How you adjusts you easel to the right height, let your self-stretched canvas snap into place, spreads brushes of all sizes and shapes on the small side table next to you and prepares youracrylic colours. I swallow again, as I watched this happen. I am about to become one of your next artworks.

A little uncertainly I walk towards Y/N, the thin dressing gown tightly drawn around my body... never before have I felt so naked and vulnerable. This here is something else. I feel something about it... I feel something for you. For this pretty lady, who sprays her cheerfulness around her and could conjure a smile on the lips of even the most grumpy person. This joy almost kills you, completely engrossed this person and gives you the feeling of floating. You will get the feeling of being welcome at Y/N. To be accepted, with all the flaws and weaknesses that one has. She just smiles at you so gently and lovingly and just says, it's okay. It's okay to be the way you are. Imperfect.

"It is precisely this imperfect, this contradictory and also unpredictable thing that makes us human. That makes us an individual and also interesting. If we were really all as we are expected to be, it would be boring and monotonous. The surprise is only a real gift. Each of us is a very individual gift to a very specific addressee, who is the only one who can truly appreciate this gift. Only then did the recipient find the right person as his gift... Well, if the recipient knows about his gift...", Y/N once said with such a certain look at me, when we went out to dinner together in a restaurant in the evening to clarify some details. I wanted to help her find good contacts in Seoul and help her sell her works.

I can still remember it exactly... it was a quite... extraordinary evening. I was of course once again incredibly nervous and excited. At that time, I did not want to fully realize how much I already like you. Secretly, I had observed my opposite. Your positive and friendly disposition had turned my head all around... and in addition, this beautiful body and her elegant fingers, which already haunt me in the most erotic way unintentionally in my dreams.

I could not prevent my dream pictures from shooting through my head, which is why my cheeks turned dark red in embarrassment. These fucking fantasies in my head! My eyes stare at the cutlery as if it were incredibly interesting because I didn't dare look up. There were scenes in my mind that made my ears turn red and I would’ve loved to hide behind the menu card. Your body, which made her look like a Greek goddess.

Naked, body covered in sweat, your body shook in lust, you sit up with a wonderful moan... You are on top of me, I could admire your beautiful, almost divine body as you sat on top of me... and rode me. This breathtakingly beautiful distorted face of yours, as if all this pleasure you feel is carved in marble... lids closed, your lips, swollen from all the kissing, are slightly opened which let your lustful whimpering escape. This grace and elegance, as you rose from me and then lowered yourself again... as your hands glide erratically over my stomach, searching for support... you suddenly threw your head back and clenched even more tightly around my length. The addicting sounds you’ve made... it’s like the most beautiful melody in my ears... squelching noises and even more of yourjuices gushing out of your sweet, so sweet pussy when you came...

An all-too-familiar laugh tore me out of my extremely indecent thoughts, which quite relieved me at first. Until I raised my head and not too far away I recognized no one but my best friend Kim Seokjin, who made very questionable hand signals in my direction. Oh my God, no! I knew that he had recently changed his job and got accepted for a position as a chef in a new restaurant... but not in this Restaurant! He will never let me life after he found out I was on a “Date” with a woman...

Even though Seokjin was on the other side of the restaurant, I could almost feel his smirk on my own skin. Fuck it, just pretend as if you do not know each other and hit him really hard tomorrow morning in the gym where we meet up for our work out. I quickly turned all my attention back to the person sitting opposite me and tried to ignore Seokjin as best I could.

It was only at the end of the evening, when I had said goodbye to Y/N, that I realized that this meeting had much more of a date than a "business dinner". How familiar we had talked with each other... how much I had thought about licking Y/N the drop from the chocolate sauce of her lava cake from her lips... how it would be... to kiss and touch you...

A noticeable blush has settled on my cheeks as I attended our first meeting together... or even Date in this Restaurant thought back. Four months had passed since then and I suffered from longing for you. You would never see me like I saw you. The reason you wanted to draw me was simply that she needed someone as a model. In addition to landscapes and cities, you want to devote herself gradually to more other motifs. And since I have been the first inquired. Your pleading eyes made me say yes. But I know that for me you have no more than the feelings for a casual friendship. It hurts to see how you flirt around so casually with all those other people. I would never be the gift for you as you are for me. If only the recipient would notice that there is a given heart laying in your hands...

"Ah, Jungkook! I’m glad that you're ready!", your cheerful and melodic voice cuts through the silence of the room and you’re walking towards me with excited shining eyes. "Come~," you say and lead me to the chaiselongue, which is placed in front of the large window. The soft, orange light of the evening sun falls on the wine-red fabric of the restored chaiselounge in baroque style. The upholstery has frames covered in gold and also the lion feet on which this historic furniture stands are gilded. Everything was decorated with so many Details, it looks so incredibly elegant and luxurious. On the left side there are some cushions in the same color and an elegant design is carved on the backrest, literally inviting to get used.

"Surely you know the movie 'Titanic', right? Do you remember the scene where Jack used charcoal pencils to draw an nude coal picture of Rose as she laid on the sofa? I would like to draw you in a similar position. I hope it's okay for you if I look at you more closely without a dressing gown... i want to get an overview of your body proportions.", you say, looking me straight in the eye. I notice that you’re very concerned about my privacy and does not want to overstep any of my personal boundaries without my consent. I nod slightly at first until I get a clear yes over my lips. She looks at me silently for a few seconds before reassuring me once again that we can always stop at any time if I feel uncomfortable. Especially your patience and mindfulness of my boundaries shows me how important it is for you as well and how I actually relax noticeably. Y/N smiles cheerfully at me and I slowly loosen the belt of the dressing gown and let the last garment slide to the ground. I feel her in-depth look at me... he is not uncomfortable... only... exciting... in a few different ways.

I swallow again and lie down on the chaiselongue as instructed. You correct my arm and leg position, also rearrange all of the cushions correctly. To my own relief, you put a red cloth over my crotch area. Not that I am ashamed of anything, I am more than comfortable with you already... I just have some worries that I will get a visible problem if I constantly feel your look on my bare skin.

"It should be able to guess something, but not be allowed to see everything right away...", she whispered with a smile, before her fingertips unintentionally glide tenderly through my happy trail. One of your last smiles are... not really to interpret. Then you return to your easel.

* The Reader’s POV *

Carefully you sit down on your old painting stool, already quite worn out on the edges and stained with the most different types and tones of colors. It had originally been dark brown. You smile dreamily when you think back that you’re used to dangle your legs around when you were a little kid because it was way too big for you back then. For eighteen years now you have exactly this stool and this easel. They had been a gift from your grandfather for your fifth birthday. He had awakened the passion of painting and drawing in you and passed his talent on to you. A certain melancholy seized you when I thought back to how you used to paint your first real picture on canvas with your new easel in the old music room in your grandfather's country house.

It had been the old, dusty grand piano, which must have been more than a hundred years old at that time. How the country house survived all these wars unscathed, you ask yourself to this day. Perhaps there had already been something magical about it at that time, which should remain untouched. Perhaps the small estate should remain an inconspicuous symbol of hope, the hope that at some point the sun and peace will return when the unbearable suffering and sorrow of this cruel time is over. When the wars were over and all those seeking protection who had fled to this country house were able to return to their own homes again. This house, this estate you can explain your childhood with a single word. Home.

You lift your thought-lost look from your empty, folded hands and look to Jungkook. He takes your breath away every time you see him. He is so special, such a wonderful and yet you firmly believe that he has not been chosen for you, such an ordinary woman as you are. He would belong to someone else with whom he would be happy, although he is the only one who was able to understand and read your works, the language in them. It... it had been such a beautiful moment when, six months ago, he stood in your newly opened studio, so absorbed by the painting of the forest of your childhood. All the other visitors had only looked at it briefly and smiled wearily at the fact that it was again only a landscape painting, but did not grasp what the story behind this work was. Why the artist chosed this very motif, to see, to feel what the creator wanted to communicate through the work.

But Jungkook had been different. He had given the work, your personal heart, a chance to unravel the true meaning behind it. He did it slowly, bit by bit with his eyes... grasped with his whole mind and heart and finally let himself be influenced as a whole. You could tell from his body reactions that he felt exactly what you had felt when you painted it last summer. Longing. Infinite Longing. Mixed together with melancholy, a little homesickness and sorrow to a unique emotional color. The day you painted it was the last time you saw the house in your official possession. Your grandfather had left it to you. But unfortunately you lacked money, you had to pay some debts and with the best will you could not earn the money in other ways. So you had to sell it with a heavy heart. Your beloved birth and childhood home and the associated lands, you had to sell your true home away. The picture is the only thing left of it. And Jungkook was the only person who understood what you wanted to express with the painting. Longing. My Homesickness.

When all these sensations came upon him, he involuntarily clenched his hands tightly, his chest lifted and lowered quickly, his Adam's apple hopped repeatedly. His eyes were glassy. He experienced your longing as directly as you did. He... is so special. So infinitely amiable. He... he is the only person who’s able to read your true feelings in your works. He is able to read between your brush strokes.

So today you will try him... to paint a confession of love with this act. Maybe he could read... what you feel for him. Even if you know that you will probably never see him again. Because you would not be the recipient of his love and affection. He's just too... too... gifted for a simple artist like you. He would never be your gifted person.

Your gaze glides tenderly and caressingly over his body. Trying to absorb every little detail of his body, his charisma and his character into you and let it flow into the painting. Every birthmark you want to put on the canvas and hold on. You want to show Jungkook how beautiful he is. How godlike he lies before you on this majestic chaiselongue, how masculine and muscular he is, as if he wanted to embody an Adonis. You want to paint every muscle, even the smallest visible muscle, on the canvas in a realistic manner, you want to capture the strength and security that he conveys to you over and over again and make it visible to him. And yet... his gaze often corresponds to that of an intimidated, insecure fawn, which does not dare to want to get up on his legs on his own. The fear of falling again is too big. Through this painting you want to show Jungkook what he really is, what he represents for you and what you feel for him. He is... so contradictory. He is strong, godlike, powerful... and at the same time, so infinitely uncertain, vulnerable... almost pure.

Silence enters your little studio, only the regular breathing of the other and the muffled noise of the busy world outside the door could be heard. Here... here, it feels like time is standing still for a moment for the two of you. Your shared eternity had begun.

To your happiness that it is summer right now and it stays bright for a long time. Today you take more time than usual to mix colors. You want to mix a shade that perfectly matches his skin tone. You want to get the exact color of his black hair down onto the canvas, and the perfect brown for his beautiful eyes. The evening sun and the leaves of the huge treetops in front of the large window conjure up the most beautiful patterns on his immaculate body. A game of light and shadow. It seems to you that Jungkook's body, every single pore of his body has a tiny diamond, so that he begins to sparkle in the sunlight like an infinitely precious jewel. The evening sun warms him, lays a thin layer of sweat over his body. Every detail you try to bring to the canvas, every feeling, every movement of my heart, everything you feel for him, you want to bring to this canvas. You want to make him a masterpiece. Because for you, he is the most beautiful specimen, the only true crown of the human creation.

Some black strands have come loose from his manbun and have fallen on his forehead. It looks stunning, to see him like that. I had never seen him with a messy or even completely open hair... but even now these strands loosened from the braid make his facial features look so much softer and more relaxed. In it, the adult and strong man united with a young, vulnerable, shy boy. The result is... infinitely beautiful. He possesses both sides, so he makes the seemingly inexhaustible divine human being.

His eyes, drawing his eyes with that expression in them, cost you a lot of nerves. Too often you misunderstood this infinite longing that you find in his dark, brown eyes. Again and again you have to restrain yourself, not just to get up, to go over to him... and to kiss him.

This longing look you misinterpret is as longing as you own... according to your closeness, your touch, your affection... according to your love. Because you love him. You love everything about him, his sheepish laugh, the way of rubbing his neck shyly, the way he speaks and explains his point of views about things, how he smells... just everything... every blemish he blames on himself, you think it’s like an artwork on him. He is so perfectly imperfect that you just fell in love with him.

The sun has already set and only the last pink and purple streaks could be seen in the sky, with which the past day says goodbye to the world. One last time you can hear the velvety stroke of the brush over the canvas before you finally put the brush aside. It is finished. You have given everything that is in your power, used all of your artistic abilities and knowledge to the utmost and you have incorporated everything that you feel and think about into this artwork. And what you see put a smile on your lips, but also makes your pulse rise. What will Jungkook say when he looks at it? He will see it... can he read what you feel for him in it?

With a trembling voice, you call Jungkook and look at him one last time. The last time the sight of this male beauty was granted to you. One last time.

After Jungkook has wrapped himself in the dressing gown again, he slowly comes towards you and your easel. Your heart is throbbing as if it really wants to fearfully flight and jump out of your chest. Your body gets hot and cold at the same time and suddenly your hands get sweaty, the dried color on your skin mixes with the sweat to a uncomfortable mess in your palms, which somehow makes you even more nervous. Then he stands next to you. Looking at the canvas for the first time himself. The last brushstroke is still drying.

Once again there is silence, which makes you incredibly nervous and with every second that passes, you want to follow your instinct to escape. Jungkook's pupils are dilated and blown out, whether with bewilderment or horror, you can not recognize. One of his hands shoots up his mouth, he trembles all over his body. Suddenly you hear a suppressed, throaty sobbing. Surprised and a little appalled, you look at Jungkook, who has shut his eyes tightly and presses the palm of his hand even harder on his mouth, as if he wants to muffle every sound. Tears escape the corners of his eyes. This is a reaction... which you would not have expected...

Gently, mindful of any kind of resistance, you wrap your arms around his neck and hold him. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't sob, he doesn't whimper. He just cries. Tenderly, consolingly you hold him, without wanting to distress him. He literally presses his face into the crook of your neck. Salty tears drench your blouse, but it doesn't bother you. The reason why he had such an emotional outburst, you just don't understand. But still... it's okay. It is valid.

As he slowly calms down and his breathes becomes regularly again, he carefully lifts his head out of the crook of your neck and wipes the last tears out of his eyes dry in slight embarrassment. He slowly releases himself from your embrace until you finally stand silently in front of each other.

"What title you’ll give this artwork?", he asks softly, in a rough, throaty voice. You swallow . "It shall be called 'Der Geliebte'. ...it is german and translated it means... ‘The beloved’ ", you say barely audibly and lower your head. After this confession, you can no longer look him in the eyes.

Jungkook takes a sharp breath in and you're actually just waiting for a devastating response from him that would be like a death threat. But nothing of this happened. Instead, your chin is suddenly raised by his fingertips and you look into Jungkook's beautiful eyes. He bites his lower lip a little uncertainly,his own gaze falls on your pretty shaped lips.

"Do you... do you allow me to kiss you?", he asks quietly... barely audible for you even though you’re standing so close to each other. He doesn't dare to look you into the eyes after such a question, he is too afraid that you deny his request. But you can hardly believe your luck, a high pitched ‘yes!’ flew over your lips and before you can control yourself, you press your own lips right onto his. They are incredibly soft and kiss you back in such a delightfully and endearing insecure and shy manner as no other could ever have done it.

Your heart beats full of joy and bliss and in your belly, the butterflies fly somersaults of all different kinds that your whole body began to tingle. Your mind cannot get a grasp of all this yet, but this... you don't need any more of it at this moment anyway.

The kiss is tender, shy and somewhat uncertain from both sides. Jungkook is very insecure and shy, but before he can escape like a frightened deer again, you put your arms around his neck and let your hands rest in the nape of his scalp. Again and again you detach yourselves from each other only for the fraction of a second to get a breath of air into your lungs in order to find each other lips again... until you stopped for a few seconds.

"I like you... I like you really, really much, Jungkook... I even dare to say that I fell on love with you.", you mutter softly against his lips. His shy, happy smile was too much for you, so you immediately kiss him again. Perhaps because of the sheer joy and maybe of the certainty that he feels the same for you, the next kiss turns into something more passionate than before...

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petiteyoon · 3 years

Text

Which type of interest would you be in a dating simulator?

⌨ tagged by ; @ddaechwita thank you baby💕

The stoic team leader (I don't remember the rest KSKSKSK)

You often feel like you need to take responsability for those around you and to protect them. You struggle to show your love through other means, so you take that task seriously. Your friends know they can always count on you no matter what. However that leads you to be mistrustful of others' actions before getting to know them, usually asuming the worst of them. On the exterior you might seem cold, calculating and distant. But those close to you know that's far from the truth, you just have a particular way of demostrating it. When it comes to love, you'll probably try to deny it at first, bury it before it grows more than it should. Mostly because you're so accustomed to being the strong one, that allowing yourself to be vulnerable for once scares you. But it's exhausting to constantly keep that guard up, sometimes you need to take a rest and allow yourself to be the one being taken care of. Don't forget that.

Okay haha why is this me🤡 for the last part mainly

Which BTS era are you?

⌨ Tagged by ; @ddaechwita 💕💕

Blood, Sweat and Tears

It's black swan but sexy! Light & Dark academia styles, you have the potentially toxic tendency to want to receive or give that selfless, consuming, obsessive love and devotion, I get it dw, loyalty is attractive, you're also the type of person to genuinely love to go to museums and daydream about the history behind each art piece or artifact and you like to look into the history of why certain things came to be, you also love theorizing and LOVE subliminal messages or imagery, and THAT'S sexy, attention to detail is sexy

OSNDKDKD WHY IS THIS SO ACCURATE. STOPPp

Playlist Tag

⌨ Tagged by ; @oftenderweapons-main, thank you honey!❤

Rules: make a Spotify playlist with the letters of your url

P = Playboy, EXO

E = Everybody wants to rule the world, Tears for Fears

T = Tiny Dancer, Elton John

I = In the night, The Weeknd

T = Tokyo, RM

E = Euphoria, BTS

Y = You're my best friend, Queen

O = One More Time, Daft Punk

O = OUTRO: Ego, BTS

N = Non è vero, The Kolors

Lmao for the first time I added an Italian song

OKK THAT'S IT

💌 Tagging ; @y00ngischains, @vantezza, @ddaechwita, @jungkooksbroski, @oftenderweapons-main and @imyourhobiii and whoever wants to do these! (Probably yall already done some of these ksnsks sorryy, I had to catch up!!)

#niki's games💌#those are a lot lmao #sorryy #luv you my babes

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funtimebunnyblog · 4 years

Text

Diamante d’Italia: Chapter 6

(Chapter 6: Fools fly where Angels fear to tread...)

Narancia rather liked solo missions.

Sure, a mission with Mista or with Fugo was always a wild time too, most espescially when they got to kick the shit out of someone, then laugh about it, before blasting the shit out of them if the target didn't cooperate.

Those missions were ALWAYS chaotic, VERY explosive, PACKED with action and punctuated by the voices of six shrieking bullets but most of all, they were the most memorable.

Missions with Bucciarati could be a treat, a little on the more rare side however as the man almost always paired himself with Abbacchio when not flying solo (he and the others swore those two were a thing but lacked any evidence to prove that just yet).

Just watching how many times the man could unzip someone to pieces and make unusual objects spill out of their mouth before they finally cracked was just always funny to Narancia. Not to mention, listening to Bruno talk and stir up a plan so easily on the spot was something akin to dazzling in the boys eyes.

It always made him feel like he was invincible and he could feel himself glowing from the inside out when the man praised him for doing a good job, Bucciarati was his hero afterall.

Sometimes he'd even get treated to some gelato afterwards.

Missions with Abbacchio could be fun, being also on the rare side and only sometimes chaotic. Watching Abba beat the absolute shit out of a dirtbag (whether it was their actual target or just some chump who made the mistake of telling the Mafioso that makeup was for Women) was always entertaining, but the mission itself really depended on the Goths mood and their target.

His favorite memories with the stone-faced man however would be when they drove down the highway, blasting some sort of loud and unholy music from a strange screaming punk-rock band Abbacchio liked while sipping on fizzy sodas, whether to or from said mission.

Yes, going on missions with his friends were fun and all.... but he absolutely loved going solo once in a while.

Aerosmith circled overhead, high above the buildings of the street and trailing behind Narancia like a tamed hawk would with its master. Narancia walked the streets casually, keeping his eyes out as he compared the man in the picture he had been given to the other bystanders on the street around him making their morning commute.

Today would be simple enough; find the asshole, get the info out of him where a recent traitor to the Boss was and if he refused to cooperate, use "gentle persuasion".

He hoped it wouldn't come to that of course, he didn't quite like to torture-... er.... "persuade" people himself and hopefully the idiot would be smart enough to know that if he fought and perhaps even got away he'd be hunted down by someone else much, much more powerful than Narancia or even Bucciarati for that matter and be given a more unmerciful and much crueler demise than just being shot by a small bombing plane.

There was an entire organization above their little team afterall. A big, BIG organization of thieves, thugs, hitmen, dealers and Mafiosi alike all working under one Man.

Narancia was quite literally just a snowflake resting on the very tip of an iceberg.

Still, being out on his own was always exciting. It always made him feel important when Bucciarati trusted him with these things.

He could go about things how he wanted it, put his own mind to the test and then proudly brag about his skills when reporting back.

Bucciarati always treated him very well after a successful solo mission of course.

He could hardly contain his excitement when he finally spotted the bastardo ducking into an alley off the street ahead, he couldn't have chose a better place to go in behind because it was right behind the spindly teens favorite Gelato spot.

The stronzo matched the picture alright; olive skin (check), strange yellowish hair thats texture sort of reminded him of rice (double check), scar on the cheek (checkaroo), wonky looking left eye (checkity-checkcheck).

"Bingo." He grinned, casually stuffing his hands in his pockets, tucking away the picture along with one, as he shuffled down the street. That intel was already as good as his.

The only thing he had to worry about now was what flavor Gelato he was in the mood for when this was all over.

☆☆☆

Once in his life Josuke believed that there was absolutely nothing better in this world than treating yourself to some Icecream on a warm sunny day.

Now however, he knew better.

Because if there was anything better than that, it was treating yourself to some Gelato on a warm sunny day in Italy.

Christ, he never knew how rich and smooth this frozen dairy treat could be.

All this time, he and Okuyasu had been scammed into being sold the now seemingly regular-old-not-at-all-exciting Icecream when he could've been tasting this absolute delicacy all along?!

He felt like he had been robbed, cheated even, dare he say betrayed, his whole life and didn't realize it until now!

The place he had stopped at wasn't quite like the shop he frequented back in Morioh before school on Monday either, not a cheep little stand on the sidewalk where you grabbed your cone and had no choice but to keep walking for fear of the guy running the place shoving you along with a broom for "loitering", this place was a store in itself and right out in the open too!

A sea of flavors and colours coating the entire counter, all scrumptious frozen dairy treats that absolutely dazzled the eye.

It was like finding an Oasis out in the scorching desert to someone who was dying for something sweet and cold on such a hot day like today.

They even had an area out front of the counter to sit and enjoy everything. The tasty treat, the sights and sounds and smells of the streets and all.

Italy just kept getting better and better by the second.

'Why on earth would someone ever leave here? Or even want to leave here?' The teenager couldn't help but wonder as he finished the last delectable lick of his Vanilla Gelato.

Tonio was always very vague on the topic of his move from Naples to Morioh and usually didn't say more than a simple "I wanted to fulfill my dream!" Or "I needed to see the world!" Before quickly changing the subject to his food and the art of his cooking.

None of them ever pressed the man for the details but now that he was experiencing this place and all its wonders himself, Josuke found himself wishing that he did know why Tonio left.

Maybe one day he'd be lucky enough, or perhaps close enough to the man at least, to find out....

A low hum rang in his ears, coming from right overhead.

His metaphorical thought-bubble was promptly popped with the sharpness of the noise and his attention was ripped away from his reminiscing of Home.

It sort of sounded like-

"A plane?" He muttered to himself, bringing a hand over his eyes and squinting to block out the bright golden sunshine of the late morning.

A tiny little red spot circled overhead, for something so small it puttered really loudly. No one else around seemed to notice it however.

It flew closer into his sights, it was a plane alright with wings a propeller and everything.

It swerved through the air, rolling over once as it sharply turned and disappeared behind the building suddenly with an almost obnoxious whirr.

Was it a toy? He had seen some pretty sweet remote control toy cars and helicopters much like that plane before when passing toy shops or flicking through store magazines that came with the loads of junkmail every week.

He glanced around, hoping to spot the kid who might be holding the remote control (he wouldn't admit aloud that he wanted a turn with it if you perhaps asked him).

'Not a toy.' Came a voice from the corner of his mind, he could feel the phantom of Crazy Diamond standing by his side, though not manifested. 'That was a stand, I could feel its energy.'

In an instant, Josuke was out of his seat, his eyes growing more and more huge by the second as he remembered Moody Blues and all their glory from yesterday.

Another stand? And a special one at that! Non-Humanoid stands were even cooler than the normal ones. And this one was a PLANE!

He looked around, no obvious signs of a user from what he could see, the streets held a few passerby's but nobody seemed focused on the stand like he was, so presumably the plane was following them into the alley?

"Oh wow!" Josuke whispered in excitement. "I gotta take a closer look!"

He would never forgive himself if he never saw the little plane again without finding the wielder of it. He started off down the street, turning into the alley, keeping his ears open and his eyes on the sky.

☆☆☆

"I'm tellin' ya kiddo, I don't know nothin'!" Osso Bucco, a much taller and more built man in size than Narancia, said putting his hands up with a helpless smile. "I don't even know what you're askin' about."

Narancia rolled his eyes, folding his arms as he glared down the man. They had been going back and forth for a few minutes and this was just getting tiring.

"Yeah sure, you don't dipshit." He snapped. "So I'm gonna help you jog your memory."

Osso was always a man of keeping himself in check, keeping your cool was a sure fire way to getting out of a mess like this.

He knew this spindly little shit was a stand user under that damned Passione but as long as he kept himself calm, he would be walking away without a worry and could get back to helping his new Boss organize some things.

Starting a rival Organization was tough under the threat of the one already in motion but as long as he stuck to the plan, his Boss assured him everything would work out in the end.

Osso liked to follow a stronger side afterall, it was just the way you survived out on these streets.

The beefy man barely even twitched when a deep puttering whirr came just inches about his head, clenching his hands into fists when a little plane hovered at Narancia's side, the teenager already had his radar out over his eye.

"I'm gonna ask you again, cazzone. What. Is. His. Name?" Narancia growled out, giving it his all to seem like a brooding threat (all his time watching Abbacchio being his bitter self really helped with that) as Aerosmiths gun turrets appeared, locking right onto its target.

It seemed like a neat trick, having a working plane at your own whim and all, but Osso knew he had an even better one up his sleeve.

Or rather... set in stone.

The corner of his lip twitched as the unmistakable vibrations of oncoming footsteps passed through the stone beneath his feet, someone was headed this way, a street rando was now at his disposal.

This was going to be easy for him to give the runt a slip. Chances were this little stronzo probably didn't even know shit about Earth Angel, the stand of his own possession.

His Boss ensured the discreet nature of all his workers, most especially their abilities.

"Y'know kid. You shouldn't be playin' with guns." The big man said as casually as he could, keeping his hands raised as he waited with all the patience in the world to feel the footsteps come within his range. "You could end up hurtin' someone."

Narancias brow twitched, he had him now.

Ossos lips curled up, it was time.

☆☆☆

Josuke had barely rounded the corner before suddenly, his foot caught on something.

Or rather... something caught his foot.

The teenager fell forward, right down into the hard stone pavement, skinning his hands in the process as he yelped.

For a split second he thought he had tripped over his own feet in his hurry (he knew he was clumsy afterall), but nothing could prepare him for when he rolled over to see a hand made of stone stretching out of the very ground, fingers wrapped tightly around his ankle.

He tried to scream but it barely came out, turning into more of a loud inarticulate grunt, and frantically tried to pull his leg from the hand in blind panic.

The fingers crackled as they tightened into even more of a vice-like grip, they were hard like any rock but undeniably humanoid and mobile.

The hand pulled and Josuke clawed at the ground in a momentary desperate attempt to fight back.

He realized that the pavement was swallowing him up suddenly, not like he was falling down a hole but akin to being dragged into water, the hand pulling him further and further down.

His final cry was drowned out as he was swallowed whole by the stone, along with the last bit of sunlight he could see.

His hand was the last thing in sight to the world around him before he vanished completely.

☆☆☆

Narancias head snapped in the direction of the sound of someones voice coming down from towards the end of the alley, leading out to the street.

Someone had screamed, almost as if crying out for help but it had cut off suddenly. Narancia blanched at the feeling of a shiver creeping up his spine, the deafening silence that followed was absolutely haunting.

His focus faltered for a moment, alarm bells ringing in his head as he realized someone was in danger.

His focus snapped onto place again as Osso began to laugh. Narancia opened his mouth to yell for his stand to fire at will before jumping back, the command dying in his throat as a figure shot straight up from the ground between them, effectively blocking Osso.

Two figures that was.

Josuke had no absolutely idea what in the Hell was happening once again. One second he was running, next he was on the ground, then he was underground and now he was here?!

He squirmed, the realization his arms were pinned tightly at his sides hitting him as he tried to scream again, only to have a hand made of stone clamp tightly over his mouth.

Narancia gaped, staring in shock at the squirming teenager trapped in the vice-like embrace of a tall Angelic statue.

Earth Angels expression was stoic, somehow bearing that sweet sadness feeling of nostalgia when looking upon a carved memory of an ancient one in the soft, yet chiseling, features of its stone face and body.

The way it moved was almost mesmerizing, so mobile and unstiff as if it were completely human but carried that hard and undeniable look of stone, the sound of rock grating and clicking as it moved.

"Now, ya'wouldn't want to be shootin' a kid now, would ya?" Osso grinned, peering around the neatly tucked concrete wings of his stand to take a look at the helpless Josuke, whose eyes were darting around frantically in wide sockets.

"You BASTARD!" Narancia roared, clenching his fist as his chest started to burn with rage.

He hated this cheep fucking move, it was nothing but cowardness to have to threaten the life of an innocent and unaffiliated person just to make a quick getaway.

It happened only a few times to him on a mission, but only when he had been with one or two of the others, and they barely succeeded each time.

Once there had been a VERY close call, where their target threatened to throw a lady he held hostage off a bridge. Thank goodness for zippers and the portals it opened that day.

But that was then and this was now.

And Narancia was all alone.

The young Mafioso tried to move, ready to pounce on the fucker himself so he could get out of that poor confused teenagers way and get a clear shot at his ugly mug, but stumbled slightly.

His violet eyes went wide as he looked down at his own legs.

They were becoming one with the ground, rooted to the very spot he stood but worst of all, turning to stone.

It was almost up to his knees now, his legs looking very much like he had gotten the great Michelangelo himself to carve him a set of ampute limbs.

He whimpered unconsciously as the stone started to creep higher, he could feel a horrible stiffness in his knees and thighbones already, worse than any arthritis he may ever experience in his later years.

That spindly boy, the weilder of the little plane, was in trouble. Josuke knew this and his heart screamed for him to do something, however Earth Angels grip was powerful and unrelenting.

The soft grating of stone clicked close to his ear as the statue turned its head to look at him with its pupiless half-lidded eyes, their soft carved expression never changing.

If he wasn't being attacked by it, he might've actually been comforted by the ethereal beauty perfectly captured in marble they radiated.

Josuke knew he had to stay calm and focused. Whoever this big guy controlling the statue was, he seemed like bad news.

He now fully knew how that poor lady being held hostage felt that time he and Okuyasu witnessed that convince store being robbed.

The plane started to circle by Narancias command, looking for a place to open fire on Osso.

However, the alley was very narrow and there was no open space for the stand to make a full circle, forcing Aerosmith to have to fly up one end and round back quickly.

Josuke almost screamed again as it came barreling back down the alley, gun turrets ready, before the statue moved (dragging Josuke along with it) to block the man from his exposed side once more.

If Narancia hadn't reacted half a second before he did, Josuke would've been packed full of bullets.

"Nice try, kiddo." Osso grinned. "You don't give up, but you ain't gonna win today."

The teenage Mafioso now started to scream as stone crept up his body more and more, faster by the second. It was up to his hips now and starting at the tips of his fingers as well.

Josuke watched in silent terror of it all, his heart wrenching a little as Narancia actually started to cry.

Josuke wracked his brain, trying to formulate a plan, readying to summon Crazy Diamond at his side. Maybe he could break the statue and then get a good shot at the asshole pulling the strings for torturing this other kid.

Narancia Ghirga was sure he was going to die and he didn't want to die, he really REALLY didn't! There was so much stuff he still wanted to do with Fugo and Mista and Abba and Bucciarati!

A thousand things flooded his head as he stared in utter terror down at his marble legs.

Mista still owed him a soda. He had tutoring with Fugo at 3:00 today. Abbacchio had promised him he'd teach him how to properly do make-up. He was going to show Bucciarati the Sailor Moon series this weekend.

He wished Bruno had paired him up with someone, he really did, because he couldn't do this on his own.

He needed help.

He desperately needed his Family!

And worst of all, this other kid was gonna die too! Narancia bit back a sob as the very thought of it came to mind.

"You're gonna be one hell of a statue kiddo." Osso laughed cruelly, indulging in Narancias loud reactions almost as much as he enjoyed watching him continue to try and shoot him. "Ya got no choice now, if you keep tryin' shit, it'll just go faster. Or worse, the freak with the mop gets it."

Josuke froze solid, the plan he had been trying to scrap up his head suddenly getting wiped clean from the slate.

The world around him seemed to slow and the sounds of the lean teenager crying out in fear deafened as his ears rang.

His heart started to pound, thumping so hard in his chest you could see it rattling his collarbone.

What did he just say?

What did that fucking piece of shit just say?

Josuke was unaware of his teeth grinding painfully in his mouth, his fists clenching so hard his knuckles shined white, his own face burning hot red like a knife that had been thrust into fire.

'He called your hair a mop.' Came the bitter answer, whispered in his head.

The soft grating of stone in his ear as Earth Angel turned its head to stare at him again wasn't heard to Josuke.

Osso had even stopped laughing, tilting his head to listen closely to the low growl the kid was emitting, that animalistic look in his unfocused blue eyes made him raise his eyebrows in question.

What the fuck was wrong with this weirdo?

Narancia had even stopped screaming, the dread he felt now forgotten as he watched with apprehension and interest.

Oh shit... he had definitely seen this before.

This guy was MAJORLY pissed off.

Far, FAR too many times had be been on the receiving end of this look with Fugo before to know what exactly was happening.

There was practically steam coming out of his ears, this stranger was going to blow! The sight of a bright fire emitting off the pompadour sporting teen almost didn't phase him because it fit how fucking pissed he looked.

'He called my hair a fucking mop...' came the only thought and it rang in his head over and over. 'HE CALLED MY HAIR A FUCKING MOP!!!'

Josuke didn't see. He didn't hear. He didn't think.

He didn't even feel it when his own fists tore through stone.

[To be continued ...》

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#Diamante d'Italia #josuke higashitaka

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