Heromari Week 2024
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“I think I’ll feel the same way. You know, when I catch up to you, you old geezer.”
“Mari,” Hero whines.
Mari giggles. “But you know, it’s not all that bad. I mean… We had a really good run, didn’t we?” Her thumb brushes along the back of Hero’s, smoothing down the fine hairs and resting, warm, against his knuckle. “Looking back, I really can’t say I have any regrets.”
That’s a good point. Not that being a teenager was easy—there was turbulence as you’d expect from growing up, arguments and losses and time spent chasing after things Hero didn’t really want in the first place—and sometimes he still wakes up in a cold sweat remembering how Mari had looked at the bottom of the stairs, spine twisted in the wrong direction, limbs splayed and hair fanned beneath her head… If Hero hadn’t been there, Mari probably would have died. Or her injuries could’ve worsened to the point that she lost mobility in more than just her legs. The possibilities haunt him sometimes.
But they’re here, now. Growing up together. And Mari is smiling at him.
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Hero sneaks out after midnight at a new year's party and Mari finds him on the balcony.
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Heromari Week day one: Birthday/Anniversary
Series
- Part 1 of Heromari Week 2024
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Summary
When Mari is situated, she glances up at Hero, still twirling the spoon between her fingers. He has an odd look on his face now, lips parted like he’d been about to speak and eyes unfocused, but he hasn’t said anything yet. Mari puts her spoon down and lifts her hand to twine her fingers with his, squeezing gently to grab his attention.
Blinking, Hero seems to come back to her in real time, a caught-off-guard smile on his face. “Oh, sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Mari rubs her thumb over his knuckles. “What’s eating at you, gorgeous?”
Hero’s ears are faintly pink as he responds. “Nothing, really. I’m happy.” His eyes crinkle gently at the edges, and he leans his face back against Mari’s. She can feel him sigh against her skin. “I mean… I’m nervous to do this, but… Still, I’m happy.”
He doesn’t have to overstate it, especially not with Sunny and Kel sitting across from them.
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Mari and Hero have Kel and Sunny over for lunch and talk about the upcoming addition to their family.
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Heromari Week day two: Friends/Family
Series
- Part 2 of Heromari Week 2024
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Summary
Mari is a perfectionist to a fault. It can almost be difficult at times to watch her when she’s like this, but nothing about her has ever made Hero feel nervous. He raps lightly against the doorframe, waiting for Mari to turn and notice him before he comes in.
“Oh, Hero!” Mari lights up, a smile coming onto her face. It’s a pretty smile, but the tiredness in her is evident from the bags under her eyes, the slight messiness of her hair like she’s been running her hands through it. Hero nudges the door closed behind him with the heel of his slipper and makes his way in, stopping by Mari’s bench and presenting his plate.
“Hi. Um, I made cookies. Do you wanna take a break? I’ve heard you playing all morning.”
Mari’s lip snags between her teeth as she glances back at the piano.
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Hero notices Mari working herself really hard with the recital approaching and urges her to take a break with some cookies and a walk in the park.
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Heromari Week day three: Seasons/Flowers
Series
- Part 3 of Heromari Week 2024
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Summary
Mari smiles down at him, her black hair falling into her eyes. Hero reaches up to brush it out of the way, but Mari catches and intertwines their fingers, kissing his knuckles. Hero is so relaxed that the sensation feels muted and distant, like he could drift asleep at any moment. He doesn’t want to do that though—doesn’t want to miss out on even a second of this—so he blinks his eyes open and allows Mari to guide his head to rest in her lap. Her legs are soft, just as comfortable to lay against as the grass, and warm like the way your pillow gets after you’ve been lying down for a while.
“Comfortable?” Mari murmurs. Her smile sneaks into her voice, so gentle. Hero closes his eyes and exhales, feeling Mari’s thin, cold fingers sweep through his hair.
“Yeah,” Hero admits easily. His voice feels more solid in his own ears. The wind really isn’t particularly strong today, just a nice summer tickle, but it still carries Mari’s away from her somewhat, like a faded echo. “I never want this moment to end.”
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Staying the night at Sunny's house, Hero dreams.
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Heromari Week days four and five: Picnic/Love Language & Dream/Nightmare
Series
- Part 4 of Heromari Week 2024
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Summary
If Hero ends up getting picked, even if it’s someone he really doesn’t want to kiss, he’ll probably end up feeling pressured to do it. The other players are already starting to set a precedent of kissing each other on the lips, either quick little pecks or lingering, borderline uncomfortable to witness kisses, and Mari thinks that maybe she should suggest to Hero after this that they don’t go to any college parties anymore. A benign suggestion. Any sane person would say the same thing, Mari is sure. For Hero’s sake.
The bottle spins, glass whirring against tile. It stops pointing roughly at the empty space between Hero and the girl next to him, and the girl quickly turns the bottle so that it’s firmly on Hero’s side, pushing his shoulder playfully. Hero’s responding laugh is good-natured, but Mari watches his expression change as his gaze settles on the person who spun it. Her name is Sandra. Mari knows her from her early morning chemistry class. She’s never seen Sandra smiling so shyly before.
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A game of spin-the-bottle results in Hero being put on the spot. Mari is surprised by how he responds.
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Heromari Week day six: Double Date/College
Series
- Part 5 of Heromari Week 2024
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Summary
At the sound, Hero shifts, and Mari watches his eyes dance beneath still-shut eyelids. His lips draw together, then part with a yawn, and Mari is delighted to hear him sneeze afterwards, eyes opening with a dazed, confused look. Understanding lights up those gentle browns the moment they make eye contact, and then Hero is smiling at her, sweet as honey, truly and properly leaning into her hand now and turning his face to kiss her pulse point.
Even his lips are soft. Mari continues tracing her thumb under his eye while Hero wakes himself up, kissing up to her palm and lingering their with his lips, eyelids fluttering. He’s so pretty. He’s so incredibly pretty that Mari half wants to grab his nose and twig it, or dig her fingers into his sides—something to hear him laughing and whining at her, smiling in that breathless, toothy way he does when nobody else is around. When Mari has gotten to him. It’s early and they’re alone and Hero is endlessly patient with her and Mari knows that she could, but for now she doesn’t, instead waiting for him to pull back from her hand with his usual lopsided grin.
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Mari and Hero and lazy mornings.
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Heromari Week day seven: Free Space
Series
- Part 6 of Heromari Week 2024