super mario world 2 yoshi's island for the super nintendo entertainment system

>you were never big into “retro games” as a monolith
>there’s fun old games, sure, but the space as a whole never gripped you - you never felt that spark
>asriel loves them to death
>mostly platformers, he’s apparently got a decent super mario world speedrun
>but other stuff too
>he’s got this modded GBA with a backlight, which you have to admit is neat
>he’s sitting by your side on a bench, that nice spot right by the pond, playing mario superstar saga
>he played a lot of mario as a kid, it’s not an interest you’d expect at first glance
>but he’s passionate about it - he knows a lot about cut content and little bugs
>a lot of it seems to go in one of your ears and out the other, but you do your best to retain bits and pieces
>a little sparkle lights up in his eyes when you remember something, it’s definitely worth it
>the park is kind of busy today, it’s a sunny weekend so you tug on his shirt and hop to your feet
>as nice as that bench is, there’s a nicer spot not too far off
>it’s a little clearing in the middle of a circle of bushes, you could maybe fit a small tent in it
>but it tends to be dry, and the grass is comfy enough to sit on
>it’s secluded, not too many bugs and beetles, shade from a tree
>it’s a perfect little spot
>you’re about to sit down when asriel beats you to it, tackling you to the ground
>his hands at either side of your head, his face right above yours
>sunny, but not too warm, and there’s a cool breeze
>so you feel his warm breath on your face
>”We’ve... both been busy this week. It’d be nice to take some stress off, right?”
>in, the park
>it’s... it’s secluded, if you’re quiet not many people come along the nearby path anyway, but
>you don’t have time to voice (or fully form) any complaints, because he presses his snout to your lips and your head turns to mush
>you rocket your hands up to cradle his head, pull him further in by the horns, stroke him and scritch him
>his travel down to your chest, slipping under to tickle your ribs, down into your pants
>yeah, alright, fuck it
>you can feel his hands shaking, brushing over your waist, he gets like that - another reminder of an artificial soul, overwhelm
>it’s a little contagious, really
>you end up shivering almost as much half the time
>you had been worried the first time, that you’d hurt him somehow, that something was wrong
>he was adamant it was fine, but it was still a little disconcerting
>now, it’s just how he is - it’s adorable
>you wouldn’t change it for the world, wouldn’t change him for the world
>your love, your joy
>tattered to hell and back and keeping himself together with grace and kindness
>god you love this goat
>so so so so much
>...
>...
>...?
>you reach one hand from his head over to your phone, which fell to the ground next to you mid-tackle
>...it’s been like 20 minutes and neither of you have even done anything
>well, “done anything”, maybe that’s a misnomer
>this is lovely, his weight and heat and feeling against you, kneading into each other
>...maybe you were jumping to conclusions, back there
>maybe “relieving stress” didn’t mean sex as much as it did just
>de-stressing, sharing this moment, and the next
>letting out little huffs and nnnns, losing yourselves in each other
>he breaks the kiss off, gasping for air, which you suppose he must have done a few times by now and you were just too smitten to register
>”Hhhh, fuck... We should do this more often.”
>his breathing slowly steadies, deeper and longer,
>you really should
>you cuddle plenty, you have sex, but this is just
>nice
>it’s more intimate than the standard cuddle, but there’s no expectation of more
>well, you’re diamonds, and you’re pretty sure he is too but
>you’re not doing anything with it
>it’s just nice
>he’s nice
>you’re staring into his eyes now
>he’s staring back
>this is nice
>there’s a pigeon flittering around above your heads, trying to pluck a berry off of a bush
>it succeeds, and then decides to land on asriel’s head
>he doesn’t even seem to register it
>you’re not sure you do
>it seems like such a whimsical detail, maybe you’re just imagining it
>seeing the beauty dripping off of him in waves, letting it manifest
>it starts pecking his horn and he blinks a little, and then jolts as he realises it’s there
>it flies off after that, and you share a moment’s silence, then a moment’s laughter
>he buries his face into your neck, you can feel his smile
>everything’s going to be just fine
>what a wonderful world to be born into