I am all smiles right now. All smiles. You did this world so much justice.
First off, the hotness. Because WOW YES PLS. I love that you only hint at the visual of their reunion by referencing the clothes strewn about and Natasha's wonderful use of understatement. You just know that they barely made it inside the door, let alone to her bedroom (and yes, I'm still tempted to write a 5+1 of their reunions in this verse b/c of that image alone.)
Second, the dynamic is so effortlessly woven in. I'm sqeeing all kind of squees at the reference to her longer hair, at how she gives him pretty much unfettered acess to her body (and you know he's the only one on earth who has ever had that privilege and don't think for a second that he doesn't know that too), the way she tells him the story because it's something he needs-- because it anchors him, because it smoothes out the edges and quiets the voices and makes the red fade just a bit. They never sy the words (like not ever, not in my head, they just don't do that) but their confessions of love are always around--they crop up in every one of their little rituals: the storytelling, a kiss on her the wrist, tracing his scars, worshipping her body, give and take, push and pull.
Also the duality. THE METAPHORS. I do love me a good metaphor, and this tale is perfect. It's dark and complex and wonderfully ambiguous (remind you of anyone?), and there is a prince who wants to SAVE HER and a demon king who TAKES WHAT HE WANTS and in the end she CHOOSES BOTH OF THEM.
Watch out--I'm about to meta all over you.
First off, the hotness. Because WOW YES PLS. I love that you only hint at the visual of their reunion by referencing the clothes strewn about and Natasha's wonderful use of understatement. You just know that they barely made it inside the door, let alone to her bedroom (and yes, I'm still tempted to write a 5+1 of their reunions in this verse b/c of that image alone.)
Second, the dynamic is so effortlessly woven in. I'm sqeeing all kind of squees at the reference to her longer hair, at how she gives him pretty much unfettered acess to her body (and you know he's the only one on earth who has ever had that privilege and don't think for a second that he doesn't know that too), the way she tells him the story because it's something he needs-- because it anchors him, because it smoothes out the edges and quiets the voices and makes the red fade just a bit. They never sy the words (like not ever, not in my head, they just don't do that) but their confessions of love are always around--they crop up in every one of their little rituals: the storytelling, a kiss on her the wrist, tracing his scars, worshipping her body, give and take, push and pull.
Also the duality. THE METAPHORS. I do love me a good metaphor, and this tale is perfect. It's dark and complex and wonderfully ambiguous (remind you of anyone?), and there is a prince who wants to SAVE HER and a demon king who TAKES WHAT HE WANTS and in the end she CHOOSES BOTH OF THEM.
Sorry. I need to go drown in my feels right now.
Such an amazing job, my friend.
**brbdying**