Sleeps In Sunbeams's manga / #Drama(403)

So beautiful... Looking back on a life well lived This was not a tragedy, but my tears were just as bad.

Poor guy, to be so horribly abused. At least he found a sweet and caring guy who loved him but I still wish those rapists had been arrested.

One of Yamato Nase's older stories but still new for me. I found Mike to be rather difficult to like at times. He could be violent and cruel. But, finding out he had been targeted by a pedophile when he was young and vulnerable explained a lot. It doesn't matter if that sexual predator genuinely cared for Mike, he put his own sexual gratification above the needs of a child, leaving them forever changed and traumatised. Its sweet that Ham persisted in befriending his pretty seme, he was good for him, and I loved how they would be each others firsts.

I would give the first story of Someya and Takada 5 stars if it was in a solo book. It was a beautifully drawn story with sweet characters I loved. I wasn't interested in the second story and totally avoided the third since I don't read for tragic experiences but to escape them.

Half brothers Yuki and Hayato have an awful childhood background of parental neglect and abandonment. Living on their own, they only have each other to rely on and each puts all that love and desperate need to be loved in the other. That is, until Yuki scares himself with new sexual feelings for his younger brother. Afraid of his siblings reaction and hating himself, Yuki abruptly distaances himself from his brother, leaving the young Hayato confused, hurt and desperate; abandoned once again. This background sets the scene for a twisted psychopathic relationship between the brothers. Yuki becomes hyper sexual, even going so far as to sleep with older men for money. Hayato commences a relentless campaign of ownership over his older brother, ranging from restraining his brother to blackmailing and intimidating every one of his ex lovers to forced sexual submission. Reading this story, despite Hayato showing sociopathic tendencies, I couldn't help but feel sorry for this vulnerable boy desperately trying to cling to the only person he has left. Abandonment has lefft deep scars on the boy and he was a difficult to like seme. This was an uncomfortable read, but I appreciated the complexity of the characters.

These two very different men are lovely together. Tokumaru and Kazuma may be polar opposites (Tokumaru is hard working, cool and calm, faints in the heat and doesn't like fighting; Kazuma is wild and free, turbulent and chaotic, loves summer and sports and teaches karate), but they both are sweet, kind and caring, especially towards each other. Ths story spends some time in their world as they decide their futures and work through the problems their romance creates. There are great supporting characters like their sisters, karate students, friends and mentors. Reading about allof them in the senior year setting was very immersive.

It’s not even that these guys are brothers, it’s that neither are very likeable. I can empathise that there are abandonment issues and scars left from the domestic violence they grew up with, it’s more how toxic they are to their lovers and each other that made it impossible to cheer and be happy for them.

Absolutely loving this, and being set in the 60’s makes this even more fascinating. As usual, this author is never predictable with uke/seme roles and creates hot, uncensored scenes that instantly add appeal.

Not a lot of happy themes in this group of oneshots. Ok to read, but I won’t reread.Best was the alternate reality one.

Loved it!