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Louis de Clairvoile's avatar

There’s a kind of honesty in this chapter that I rarely see written so quietly—two men meeting after the storm, no performance left, only presence.

It reminded me of those late hours after ritual, when everything has already been done, and what remains is the simple work of holding the silence together.

You captured that space between strength and care so beautifully—the moment where dominance becomes stewardship, and surrender turns into trust.

Reading Harold and Dan, I recognized the quiet responsibility that has followed me through my own life—the need to lead without taking, to carry what’s offered with both hands.

A beautiful piece, Demetria.

—Louis

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El heaven eight's avatar

Ahhh at last I can Read you more.

I need that kind of Space to really appreciate.

I love the characters dévelopement and dialogue....i dentify with all characters, 🙏🌺💓so good.

Thank you...what a pleasure...

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Demetria Balfour's avatar

Thank you so much!

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AsukaHotaru's avatar

Ohhh this chapter felt like a quiet exhale after a storm. I love how soft it moves… all the sharp edges from the ritual still humming underneath, but now wrapped in this warm, lived-in friendship energy. Dan honestly steals the scene every time he opens his mouth — the way he’s half-chaos, half-counsellor, fully feral big brother? I adore it.

And Harold… the way he carries that mix of exhaustion, awe, and tiny-secret-hope after a good scene? So real. It reads like someone still feeling the ghost-touch of the night before, trying not to smile too much in the low light.

My favourite part is how gentle this whole chapter is without losing the tension from the ritual. It’s like watching someone peel off the armor and sit in their own skin again — soft but still dangerous around the edges. Honestly? Beautifully paced, beautifully warm, and it leaves this little ache of “oh, something is shifting here.”

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