#The Lunar New Year cold rain

[kazifatagar]

22°C Weather This 2023 Chinese New Year in Singapore

Singapore will experience a cooler weather this Chinese New Year says report that adds it will be as hot as 22°C. The Singapore MET says people should in fact, expect Wet and cool conditions during the 2023 Lunar New Year period. The Northeast Monsoon conditions are forecast to persist into the second half of January 2023, with low-level winds blowing from the northwest or northeast and a…

[madarasgirl]

A Night for Hunting Ch.16 -Just Another Day in Paradise

T/W: Alucard (Ultimate) x F!Reader, soft yandere, pure sugary fluff, romance, slice-of-life, Valentine’s Day @alastorhazbin On AO3 Words: 4673

Happy Lunar New Year! It’s the Year of the Dragon, aka Dracula’s year. 

This was meant to be Ch 17, but I swapped the order between the two chapters because I thought this made more chronologic sense. This chapter also fits the theme of Valentine's Day better! We’re mostly just catching up with what has happened since the Reader moved in before they go on a little date.

There is a lot of narration because I don't have the ability to write that much slice-of-life for Alucard since his in-canon states are usually sulking, violence, anger, emotional breakdown, and cockiness (to hide the emotional turmoil). He's a romantic, but the joys of normal living don't come to him that easily. Same goes for me trying to write it.

A number of months have passed and you were settling into your life at Hellsing, strange as it had become. You continued to work, but were also required to report for training three times a week, where you would proceed to get your butt kicked. Despite the muscle ache and fatigue, it felt good to feel your body getting stronger, even if it sucked to have Alucard see you getting pummelled by the old man Ferguson whenever the vampire happened to drop by and watch. Last week, you finally began firearms training after Captain Ferguson decided your self-defence will suffice for now at your beginner's level.

Alucard was not always at Hellsing. Sometimes he was sent away to other cities for ‘assignments’ for days at a time. When he was not called upon for his services, he would have ample free time, where he mostly stayed in his dungeon staring off into space while sipping his precious wine. It appeared these days, other favourite pastimes were for him to scheme up ways to spook you around the manor and chasing you around the courtyard for sport as you returned from work.

You were quickly learning to check your surroundings for his presence, such as the funny shadows in the corner and misplaced eyes peeking from under tables. You knew to brace for him suddenly coming at you through the walls. But the vampire never terrorized you down in the basement. Whenever you went to see him at night, he never came with the intention of frightening you. It seemed his lair was meant to be a refuge and he reinforced your visits by not scaring you off with negative associations with the place. As if you were Pavlov’s dog in training…

The jerk! He thought he had you in his back pocket already, didn't he?! 

Still, you didn't venture into his dungeon nightly, even if wall lamps had been installed. It was just too uncomfortably eerie underground. The creeping darkness did not relinquish its clutches and every time you descended into the deep cold, it was difficult to shake the fear of the unseen despite knowing that Alucard would be at the end. 

Absent from the dungeon was the sun, which you were mildly surprised to discover you needed, and experiencing it from your balcony was wonderful on the odd days when it wasn’t raining and the sky wasn’t grey with clouds. When you basked in the early morning rays of late winter, Alucard would wait patiently inside your room for you to leave the warm light behind and return to him. He would frequent your chamber when you didn't reciprocate his visits, so eventually you had blackout curtains installed in your windows such that he wouldn’t have to deal with the light.

Your internal clock now operated on its own timeline. Sometimes you were up during the day for errands or the odd morning shift, where Alucard would come watch you getting ready and then see you off. You could also be training late into the night or spending the witching hours with him. There was so little time to be idle. 

With your sleep schedule all over the place, your circadian rhythm was likewise out of whack. When you nodded off in exhaustion in his arms or woke up in one of your beds, Alucard would hum to you occasionally when you were between consciousness and sleep, the enchanting baritone of his voice ushering you off into the safe realm of dreams or guiding you back into the world of wakefulness. He told you it was a lullaby Wallachian mothers used to sing to their babies to lull them to sleep. 

Nightmares were a distant memory. In fact, you never even experienced anything resembling an unsettling dream since moving into Hellsing. You suspected it had something to do with Alucard guarding your dreams, though he did not affirm this. You never expected your lover to do this for you and you thought it very sweet of him. Under the watchful eyes and gentle caresses of the vampire king, you slept more soundly than ever whenever you were at last given the opportunity.

Your most cherished moments were when you read together at night, when you’d sit just close enough to touch, but both be occupied with your own material. Too many times in the past, he came to watch you read. As it became too unnerving, you finally offered to lend him the first books of the series you were reading if he was interested. It was a cosmic injustice that the undead cat was capable of devouring literature nonstop night and day until he reached the end of a book. No eating or resting or even moving from his seat, except the times when he'd pause to fold you in half and–

You had precious little free time, but there were perks to living at an estate like Hellsing. Delicious meals were prepared and laundry services were provided when you didn’t want to do these chores yourself. When you wanted to cook your own food for Alucard and yourself, a smaller, fully equipped kitchen was available so you could be his home chef. What a quality of life improvement! 

You sighed, smiling to yourself as you stretched out in bed and recalled the whirlwind of the past months. At long last, you had a day off to yourself. Alucard was somewhere and you were excited to leave the premises to venture out into the city. Not only would you temporarily escape the polite small-talk and gossip of the serving staff, you could finally also get some fresh air away from the stringent rules of this military compound.

Alucard shadowing you was now a familiar comfort so you knew you were not alone, but there was a purpose to your trip today and with him absent, it was the perfect chance to go.

There was a bounce to your step as you made your way through one of countless identical hallways with freedom on your mind. One painting after another passed by. You halted, your hair standing on end at once when your eyes skimmed over a detail on the wall by chance. Crimson glowed from the irises in a noble’s portrait. Letting out a breath, you put a hand over your chest and scowled at Alucard. 

The eyes curled with laughter. “You are becoming quite adept at seeking out my presence.” The shadows peeled from the painting and the towering vampire stepped out to stare down at you. “You cannot escape from me. I will always find you wherever you go.” He announced with a self-assured expression.

“I wasn’t even running this time,” you replied with an indignant shrug and tugged the straps to your bag higher over your shoulders. “I already have plans today. Find something else to do with yourself that doesn't involve bothering me.” There was a glint in his eyes as that smirk grew wider.

Your brows twitched. “I don’t need an armed escort!”

He was following you down the hall, so you ignored him as you kept walking towards the foyer, now used to the way his smooth gait made him appear as if he was almost floating. When the infuriating vampire remained at your heel several paces later, you spun, bristling as you tried to shoo him off like a pest. “Must you follow me? I’ll be back soon and it’s daytime!” You asked him.

He caught your hands with a light touch and brought his face close to yours, softly rubbing circles on your palms with his thumbs.

“You are my responsibility,” he whispered. 

It was Sir Integra’s command. Vermillion pinned you to the spot and you glared back, pressing your lips together until you broke eye contact first and stared at the carpeted floor. You were his.

Alucard had already decided to join his human on the day’s adventures despite your protests. And so you ended up going shopping with an ancient peacock who didn’t know how not to attract attention.

--------------------

Colourful displays lined both sides of the boulevard and people were queuing outside several of the most popular boutiques. The atmosphere was electric with the air buzzing with life and excited chatter. You would have shared in the high spirits of the strangers around you, if it weren’t for your flashy companion souring the mood.

You were an idiot. You spent so much time researching which specialty stores you wanted to visit, you made no alternate plans in case anyone from Hellsing decided to keep tabs on you. Worst of all, it had to be Alucard. There would actually be no issue if it was anyone but him. All you wanted to do was to buy him a gift! How could anyone so old be this clueless?! 

The flamboyant vampire towered more than a foot over nearly every person around him and people were giving him space. The bright red of his fedora and trench coat screamed, but who were you trying to fool? Alucard would still stand out wearing anything else in each of his forms. It was in his nature for the curtains to be drawn for him on stage. 

The problem was you didn’t appreciate the attention as people gawked at Alucard, even if you couldn’t deny that it was convenient to have the crowd part to make way for the pair of you coming through. You stewed as you tried to think up a way to get him to give you a few minutes alone, but every swoosh of his duster only exacerbated your ire. With his telepathy, he should know what you were up to, so any element of surprise was already ruined.

“I can scent your frustration,” he stated with his signature grin plastered to his face.

“Why yes. Ever since I became incarcerated at Hellsing, it’s been ‘go go go’ all day, everyday. And now on my only full day off in quite a while, I’m stuck with you. Can’t a lady get some privacy?” You railed to air your grievances.

“You are not a prisoner,” he murmured with a frown while gazing down at you. Unreadable golden pools swirled lazily behind tinted lenses.

You rolled your eyes and was about to remind him of all your lost privileges.

“You are not a prisoner,” he repeated with his eyes narrowed, “You are mine.”

You jolted, eyes widening before your mouth clamped shut. The vampire was so casual with throwing the assertion around, especially in public. Of course you knew it already. He told you multiple times before and frequently referred to you as ‘his human,’ ‘his Darling,’ or something to that effect. 

Alucard’s gloved hand remained on the small of your back as he guided you through the throngs, feeling strangely comforted by the claim of possession. It was the same way as he would through the manor, particularly on nights you were feeling intensely uncertain about your place at Hellsing, he would proudly let the world know you were with him.

You wanted to melt into the ground at the thought that being Alucard’s was merely a euphemism for being his prisoner.

Lifting your eyes as you noted the cross-section and stalled, the background noise of the crowd disappeared as you became the only two people in the world. The people flowed around you. You fidgeted from foot to foot as you looked back up at your vampire.

“We’re here,” you mumbled.

Alucard’s gaze snapped from you to the storefront. A chocolate store?

“It was meant to be a surprise.” You muttered with a deflated pout. It really wasn’t that big of a deal for Alucard to accompany your outing, but you wanted to keep the small components under wraps until you were ready to present them together.

When you looked back up, your view was obscured by a huge white palm. Alucard’s hand landed on your head and he ruffled your hair. His expression was warm. “I will wait here,” he said.

--------------------

You made relatively quick work of shopping inside, though you had a blast conversing with the owner and choosing the chocolates for your……boyfriend…

Your choices were loaded with coffee and alcohol-infused truffles. Alucard seemed the sort to enjoy the various champagne, whiskey, and espresso flavours. 

Making your way through the patterned glass exit with the fancy bag filled with premium confections, waves of irritation washed over you upon seeing several young women making eyes at Alucard from a short distance. Luckily for them, they weren’t daring enough to approach the strange man. You pushed the feeling down and went up to him, whose gaze was already fixed on you before you opened the door.

“Little one, shall we depart to your next destination? The sun is rather fatiguing.” He greeted you with a grin as you took his arm.

“I apologize for keeping you past your bedtime. I told you to stay home,” you scoffed while rolling your eyes. “Why don’t you act more like a vampire and stay out of the sun like Seras?”

The original vampire lifted a brow at you. “The police girl refuses to drink and as such, she has not yet become a true vampire.” 

You peered up and let out an exasperated sigh, “Stop calling her that. It’s not nice! She has a name and you’re always too harsh with her.”

“I’m not nice.”

You snorted at the amused vampire as a teen on a hoverboard charged closer at speed until his eyes popped at the sight of the crimson giant ahead, swerving to avoid Alucard and nearly crashing to the side. Expletives were hurled his way by other pedestrians as you and your vampire left the scene without a second glance.

“Little human, you referred to Hellsing as ‘home.’”

“I did…” You tilted your head with puzzlement, not even noticing when the word slipped as you were conversing. When did you start thinking of that place as such when the lifestyle there remained so foreign? You glanced up to study your lover’s face.

Alucard purred softly, the image of satisfaction. Up against him, only you would feel the vibrations of the rumble. "If you were my fledgling, I would not hesitate to feed you. We would have an eternity for me to teach you the ways of our kind."

There was heat in his eyes and you quickly looked away, so flustered your eyes darted everywhere except back at him. You weren’t prepared for ruminating such prospects nor this discussion again. Your companion chuckled at your reaction as he led you through a quieter street.

People meandered leisurely, stopping to point at the latest statement releases of the season. You ambled along awkwardly, caught up in the reveries of your own life for some distance until something in a display caught your eyes. Oh! Your interest had been piqued for months; you even spent hours on researching the specs and other alternatives to this product. You turned your head to stare at it as you passed.

Alucard stopped.

You barely noticed him as your eyes watered at the price until he was slipping away and heading to the entrance.

“Wait! No!” Grabbing onto his wrists, you tried to yank him away from behind. “It’s way too expensive for what it is!”

He took another step forward, dragging you with him, so you raced around to his front to block his approach. 

“If you desire this item, I shall purchase it for you.”

“Alucard, stop! I really don’t need it!” Money was no object to the eldritch terror, but you put your hands to his chest and applied pressure to try nudging him away, to no avail. Several couples who were close slowed to observe the spectacle. A young woman tittered at what she undoubtedly thought was a cute exchange between a dark, dashing stranger and his romantic interest.  

“Sweet, you should seize the things you desire, but if you are unwilling, I shall, as my offerings to you.”

Seize–

Your eyes bugged and you giggled sheepishly at the Medieval man in front of you. You pushed at his chest to try steering him away again with a big smile. Alucard’s brows furrowed.

“Something is amusing?”

You bursted out laughing, but attempted to maintain some decorum, not wanting to cause any more of a scene than you already were.

You whispered so only he heard you. “Alucard, you’re so silly! Sometimes people browse stuff only because the idea of those material goods bring them some joy, not because we actually want or need them. Have you forgotten what it is like to be human? It seems you have a lot to remember about human emotions.” Still snickering lightly, you tugged the large vampire down to lay a peck to his forehead.

You beamed at Alucard before running ahead to the next store, leaving him behind with a stunned expression.

--------------------

You had the wine and the chocolate. And Alucard suggested a much better destination to enjoy them together than your original idea of having them in his dungeon with just the two of you, though you had to make a detour to pick up plastic wine cups.

The rambling hills of Hampstead Heath rolled in tumbling waves over hundreds of acres that embraced ponds and woodlands. You passed the drive leading to the historic grounds of the Kenwood Estate. As beautiful as the building was, the idea was to escape from British mansions for the day.

Dense reeds swayed in coordination with the wind, thick and with the likeness of a woman batting her lashes at a lover. Waterfowl were returning to the ponds and the occasional nature photographer stopped to capture these winged marvels. Alucard took you through trails down the east end of the enormous park, sticking close to the ponds until you reached a clearing, and suddenly, the tranquil stroll through nature exploded with life. 

It had been years since you last sat at this lovely hilltop viewpoint overlooking London’s skyline. Couples abounded in every direction. It seemed romance was in the air this mild, sunny day. Some younger pairs frolicked in a merry gambol while others sat together head on shoulder to enjoy the spectacular view. It was so warm there were even families picnicking.  

Yes, this was superior to that dingy basement. 

Nostalgia hit you hard as you took in the views of home. You used to live in that neighbourhood roughly over there. Day in and day out, you’d make your commute between work and home. And Alucard used to chase you around that area, though most of it was hidden from this vantagepoint. Turning to your lover, you found him lost in thought as well as he gazed into the distance, recalling a past brimming with events unknown to you.

The midnight essence of his locks billowed gently with the breeze. He was so pale. Despite his conviction about hating the sun, once again, the light casted his arresting features with a divine glow. Like a fallen angel, or something even holier. 

From out of the blue, the hilarious image of Alucard as Cupid bubbled up. He was a lanky deity draped in loose robes, wielding a bow and shooting arrows at random pairs of people for his entertainment. That they would fall in love was merely an accidental by-product of his fun. You squashed the ridiculous idea hopefully before Alucard saw it too, but let out a chortle. God of Love? Him? Who were you kidding? Your vampire’s gaze slid sideways to you with a slight fanged smile before he turned his attention back to the cityscape.

The mellow warmth of the unseasonal weather gave you comfort. You came to the realization your previous qualms about the obstacles of being with Alucard were fading. Like leftover winter sludge melting away with the balminess of spring, replaced by your gentle, simmering affection for the vampire. Spring will arrive early, and the barren trees will likely come into bud soon as the season of new beginnings comes into being.

As always, Alucard grounded you too. Watching him stand alone, all of your doubt suddenly went away somehow. You were getting used to the late nights, early mornings, and the smarting bruises from physical training. It wasn’t awful at Hellsing as long as you had him. 

You opted to forego Alucard’s old-fashioned way of taking his offered arm and laced your fingers with his instead. Putting your other hand over the back of Alucard’s, you exhaled. “You probably already knew of all my plans since you spoiled the surprise yourself by poking around in my head.”

You chose a grassy spot where the hill swelled higher to sit and your vampire joined you, throwing his spidery legs straight out as he leaned back on his hands.

“I know of the saint.” He glanced over. “Such an inane occasion.” To need the excuse of some saint’s legacy from over a millennium ago in order to celebrate one’s lover was indeed absurd.

The corners of your lips lifted. “Have you never celebrated Valentine’s before, Alucard?”

“Time spent with you is already the greatest gift.”

His stare was intense and your expression softened, your chest tightening at the sincerity of your lover’s statement, no longer feeling like being a brat. Time was indeed your limiting factor. You met halfway and kissed him with an extended, delicate touch to show him you felt the same way and he nuzzled you, as he usually did.

Yours.

“Feed me,” he murmured as you parted with a soft, dreamy look. This again. You rolled your eyes at his demand, but complied. 

After letting the vampire open his gift himself, you went with a champagne truffle to start –to commemorate the occasion, but also everything that transpired between you. How far you’d come from where you began.

You sucked in a breath as the cold muscle of Alucard’s tongue slipped around your finger after he took the treat. He licked the melting chocolate off your fingertips with a deep rumble. 

“We’re in public!” You gasped and ripped your hand away as he lapped at his lips with a satisfied grin. He sniffed the air.

“Scotch next,” he said.

“Only if you’ll stop being a creep!”

The vampire chuckled as he helped open the red wine. He turned the bottle over to read the label before decanting into the plastic cups. “Ah –an excellent choice.” He eyed the box as you referred to the legend to find his choice of scotch truffle. Not everyone could simply sniff out what was what from several feet away. 

You offered the next piece and he bit into it while holding your gaze. Not bothered by his antics this time, you tossed the other half in your own mouth and savoured the flavours melting into your tongue. Swirling your glass, you took a sip of wine when the chocolate passed, pleased to find the flavours went well together.

Beside you, Alucard sampled his own glass and let out a contented moan. You shimmied closer to rest your head on his shoulder in imitation of the other couples around you and peeked up at him again with a tiny smile. It really was pleasant to see him this relaxed and carefree.

He fed you a strawberry truffle, leaving his index finger on your lips while you chewed, only to stroke your bottom lip after you swallowed. You broke physical contact first, sure the two of you were the subjects of greater scrutiny to whoever watched you long enough. 

“This is why I can’t be in public with you!”

Your companion’s face broke into a wicked smirk. “Still heeding what others may think?”

“If you’d be normal, I wouldn’t have this issue. Not everyone enjoys being at the centre of attention.”

Alucard’s eyes narrowed into slits, though the smile now split his face in half. He was up to something and you were worried to find out what.

He stood abruptly and extended a hand to you, which you hesitantly took with a suspicious side-eye as he lifted you to your feet and you dusted off imaginary dirt from your bottom.

“Would my lady care for a dance?” The hypnotic timbre to his voice distracted you from the question.

Your mouth fell open when it dawned after a moment. You just told him! Centre of attention!

A busker was playing the cello in the park, the sweet melody carrying far into the distance. You knew all the lyrics to this song’s instrumental version.

The vampire guided your left hand to his outer arm to form a closed hold, a playful glint in his scarlet gaze. “H-here? I can’t–” you protested.

He was already moving. It was as if he pushed you along for the first few steps and you faltered, still reeling from the turn of events, but the vampire held you steady. Stand up straight, support your own weight, maintain muscle tone. Keep your weight at the front of your feet. The ballroom teachings from a lifetime ago whispered from memory.

Alucard was an experienced dancer. He led you expertly with fluid motions, drawing you in and nudging you away with clear signals that made it easy to follow. You felt the connection between your bodies. You twirled when he lifted your arm in an arc, spun into his arm backwards when he willed it. You stepped in time to the same rhythm as the background faded.

One step closer.

The chords sang out harmonious and clear. He was speeding up. Gradually, you danced faster and faster, waltzing to the beat in Alucard’s mind, a whirlwind of feet and swirling trench coats under the afternoon sun. You stepped backwards quickly as he rushed forward boldly, all your attention given to him for you to keep up. As was his attention dedicated to you. 

Never once did he step on you, one of his feet was offset precisely between yours whenever he brought you flush with him. Never once did he look away from you or let you lose your balance. Who would have expected this wild beauty to be able to take his battle finesse and flow like water transformed by music? 

Only you and him existed in the world, the colours and promises of a future together swelling your chest with joy that was at last blooming from a once dormant seed, one that only began to sprout in recent times. Despite his annoying quirks, you could envision a lifetime with this man. The idyllic routine of late was not so bad.

The song was nearing its end. The vampire picked you off the ground by the legs, the other hand around your back and spun with you cradled in his arms effortlessly. Your shit-eating grin matched your lover’s.

You finished your dance with one last spin and you curtsied to the audience that gathered. Your heart beat fast as you laughed and jumped at Alucard, throwing your arms around his neck and pulling him in for another kiss.

Please don’t let this end. You lost your reservations with the exhilaration, pressing your lips harder against the cool flesh and taking the time to breathe him in as the surroundings returned. 

Looking around, you heard cheers, whooping, and clapping for your performance as you caught your breath. That was so surreal, but it was actually a lot of fun.

The music of your laughter chimed in Alucard’s ears and mind, clear as a ringing bell and pure and indulgent. It was your jubilation in his chest, the innocent joy at being with him. There was a warm fuzzy feeling that flared as you caught his gaze again. Cupping the back of your head, his gaze grew tender and he leaned over to make doling out your affection on him easier on you. Your excitement wafted off your skin. His bangs formed a veil as he pressed your foreheads together and committed this moment to memory.

You were simply too precious for this world.

~To Be Continued~

Next Chapter- True Bravery

Notes:

The material goods Alucard uses are all luxury when it comes to weaponry, costing millions of pounds and a sizable dent in Integra’s budget. But Alucard can also be a minimalist and existed in less than Spartan conditions in the Hellsing basement before Reader. When it comes to his Reader, I think all Alucard would want is her time, touch, and her attention. He doesn’t need expensive gifts from her and would be displeased if she went out of her way to get something exorbitant for him. I actually wanted her to take Alucard to see a Broadway musical for a date, but writing a chapter following a live show’s plot and their interactions was too large of a task.

Reader is finally understanding Alucard's point whenever he declares that she is his and how it’s not a bad thing. It’s not merely a statement of possession, but also a promise.

Please read: Is anyone interested in reading some Vladcard bondage smut? I was staring at a pic of him and then BOOM! Horny! A potential Interlude 3 is brewing. Let me know either in the comments or on my poll to vote anonymously for a few more days. If this isn’t sexy, I’ll just keep my fantasy to myself, let it run wild, and continue with the storyline.

The above fanart is among my favourite images of Alucard that exists. It was created by the incredibly talented ケースワベ【K-SUWABE】 on Twitter (X). Thought it was perfect for the contents of this chapter.

[flaggermuser]

Something That's Mine

Homelander x Luna (Supe OC)

Prompt: Thunderstorm/Peace offering/Unexpected gifts

1,903 words || Thunderstorms, Enemies to Cordial, References to Child Exploitation and Financial Child Abuse, Self-Hatred ||

This takes place in the year between S2 & 3. Luna is a moon-powered supe whose powers are tied to the lunar cycle.

Special thanks to @devilander for being my beta

Divider by Firefly-Graphics

“BECAUSE I’M A FUCKING PRODUCT!”

The words echo through her penthouse as Luna stands there, her body rigid, angry tears welling up in her eyes. He just couldn’t leave her alone, could he? No, Homelander just had to keep pushing and pushing until she eventually snapped.

Screaming at Homelander is probably the worst idea in the entire world, but right now Luna fears nothing.

“The ONLY reason I was chosen is because my powers are ‘unique’ enough to draw attention away from the fucking disaster that was Stormfront.”

Her heart is hammering away in her chest, every single fibre of her being is telling her to stop but her mouth is open and the words are spilling out.

“I’m a supe whose powers are tied to the fucking moon and Vought turned that into a fucking gimmick, more so than it was before. So here I fucking am, advertising fucking diva cups and reading fucking horoscopes like that means anything other than pure bullshit.”

Her fists are clenched tight. Without her gloves, her nails are biting into the skin of her palms hard enough to draw blood that drips through her glowing fingers and onto the floor.

She knows full well he can kill her, part of her wants to bait him into doing so, to end her miserable existence.

“And people have the gall to call this a gift.” She clenches her teeth, letting out a laugh that proves she’s at her limit, almost ready to fall over the edge. “It’s a fucking curse.”

“My ENTIRE life I have been nothing but an object to be used for monetary gain. Little Moonflower, Moonbeam, even Luna, the name I chose for myself, has been corrupted by greed. I have never had anything, not one little fucking thing actually belongs to me. So I’m sorry if I seem ungrateful, but I DON’T WANT TO FUCKING BE HERE!”

The last words are screamed loud enough for the whole of Vought Tower to hear, not that Luna cares. She’s never cared.

“So fuck you. Fuck Ashley. Fuck Stan fucking Edgar. Fuck Vought and FUCK COMPOUND V!”

Homelander’s face is emotionless, he’s just standing there, staring at her. So she waits for the retaliation, for this to turn from words into violence, for him to smear her remains on every surface of the penthouse. But instead, he turns and walks away without a word.

Eventually, the adrenaline runs out and she falls to the floor, wailing while the tears fall from her tired eyes. After all these years she’s finally told someone how she feels. At last, a weight has been lifted from her shoulders only for the unending loneliness and emptiness to seep in like an infection.

She exhausts herself, falling asleep on the cold floor, curled up in the foetal position like she’s done so many times before.

Always a product, never a person.

There’s a thunderstorm over New York.

Luna sits on her designated seat at the conference table in the Seven boardroom, the rain lashing the windows while the lightning illuminates the room, bathing it in a bright white light. Even when she was a little girl, there was something about thunderstorms that always soothed her and, after the meeting she just had, she needed it more than ever.

Last night’s words didn’t go unheard.

She’d been called into an emergency meeting where she was, once again, berated by Stan Edgar for her behaviour and general attitude, warning her that if she doesn’t start to play nice with others, he’ll be forced to teach her.

Numbness seeps into her fingers and toes, flowing into her limbs, helping her to disassociate and disappear into the pit inside her mind. She can barely feel the tears that continuously cascade down her cheeks. It’s all become just a bit too much.

“I hope I’m not disturbing anything. I heard you had a meeting with Stan Edgar. He always has a habit of not telling me when he’s having important meetings with my teammates. Do you want to tell me what it was about?”

She doesn’t answer — she hates how vulnerable she is right now and in front of the last person in the world she’d never want to see her this way. She chews the inside of her cheek, visibly shaking, trying to calm herself down enough so that Homelander will go away and leave her alone.

“You know, I discovered something interesting today.”

The familiar clink of glass against the table draws her attention. She swallows hard as she stares at the label of the wax-lidded jar. It’s the same label she’s seen for years, the one with the young white-haired girl no older than six, a forced smile on her lips. 

Little Moonflower’s Moonshine.

The lavender-flavoured battery acid that her parents make, the one that bears the immortal image of her as a young child, the very first of many items that would be peddled. If he has this, not only does it prove that he’d been in her apartment, but there is a very high chance that he has read something in the very fine print.

Homelander perches on the edge of the table next to her, taking her hand and removing her glove, placing it down on top of his, toying with her fingers. His touch is gentle, his hand rubbing up and down her arm yet she keeps her eyes low. He turns her hand over, tracing patterns on her palm, mimicking how she communicates with Black Noir when she doesn’t want to talk out loud. 

“There’s an address on this label, it’s very small, but it’s there. Refers to an address near Zumbrota, Goodhue County. Have you ever heard of it?”

She swallows hard, breathing heavily through her nose. She knows exactly where he’s been — a warning she had buried at the back of her mind slowly coming to the front, one from Queen Maeve and Starlight about Homelander, how unstable he is and what being involved with him could mean for her and her family, even though they are estranged.

“Found this dilapidated old farmhouse, the remains of a still to create that poison.” He vaguely gestures to the jar. “It seems as if the occupants left, not sure if it’s in a hurry or maybe, they just received a large sum of money to move.”

She doesn’t react, almost as if she already knew her childhood home had been abandoned. It would only be a matter of time, after all, Luna being brought into the Seven no doubt earned her family a substantial amount.

“I asked around and found a forwarding address, some fancy house on Oak Meadow Lane in Rochester. So I decided to visit, and I met this great couple and their son, Phoenix. They even invited me in for apple pie and ice cream. Then they started talking about their little miracle daughter, the one saved by Compound V.”

Her jaw tightens and she rips her hand away from him, getting up from her seat and walking towards the window. The story of how she came to be injected with Compound V is painful, one retold to her constantly as she was growing up, one that shaped her understanding of what she truly was — a product.

“It's funny, they've made all this money on their daughter's image yet they don't seem to understand copyright laws.”

She hugs herself, fingers digging into her arms as she continues to stare out of the window. She watches the reflection as he stands, slowly moving closer with his hands behind his back. He stops only a few feet away.

“So I took the liberty of talking to the legal department and, would you believe it, they're going to sue this family. But not only that, they're going to make them repay every last cent to their daughter.”

A weird feeling washes over her, somewhere between relief and shock. There's only one question she wants to ask but at the same time, she doesn't want to know the answer. She knows what she's supposed to say, she just can't bring herself to say it, not to him.

“You know, if you'd come to me sooner, this would have happened a lot earlier. After all, you're on my team and I protect my teammates. But I can't help if I don't know what's going on so maybe, next time something happens, you come and see me first.”

The words stick in her throat so she chooses to remain silent, watching as he walks away. She knows that he didn’t do this out of the kindness of his heart, that this will come with a price.

A Full Moon.

Luna sits in the chair in the make-up room, vacantly staring at her reflection. The full moon means that not only she is at her most powerful, but she's also due to do the same Vought-mandated bullshit she has to do every time.

After the events of yesterday, she has no option but to follow through, despite how desperately she wants to tell Ashley to go fuck herself. So instead, she stares at her reflection in the mirror, mentally preparing herself to sit on that couch with a fake smile on her lips.

She's halfway through a daydream when the make-up room is suddenly deserted, a black box appearing in front of her face, held by a familiar red gloved hand.

“What’s that?”

Homelander shakes the box a little, trying to make it more enticing; however, after his little visit to her family, she’s half expecting to find a finger. When she doesn't reach for the box, he decides to do the honours, lifting its lid slowly. Her eyes widen with surprise as she looks at the contents.

Lying on a bed of satin is a crescent moon pendant, delicately carved from moonstone, attached to a twenty-carat white gold chain.

“The Romans revered moonstone,” he explains, obviously very pleased with himself. “They believed that it originated from solidified rays of moonlight. They attributed it to their deity, a divine incarnation of the moon, the goddess Luna. Because that’s what you are, a goddess.”

It’s by far the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen, and the most expensive gift she’s ever received. He removes the pendant, allowing the box to fall to the floor and fiddles with the intricate clasp as he puts it around her neck, the pendant lying flat against her chest.

Once the clasp is secure, his hands stroke down the back of her neck and rest on her shoulders, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

“For the one who's as enchanting as the moon, it’s only right that you have a necklace to match your celestial beauty. It looks beautiful on you, just like I knew it would.”

Her fingers tentatively run over the smooth precious stone, tracing the crescent moon as her eyes dart between it and his face in the reflection of the mirror. There’s so many things she wants to say, so many unanswered questions that need to be asked but she finds herself almost tongue-tied.

“Thank you,” she chokes out the words, almost unsure of herself.

He squeezes her shoulders before turning her around in her chair, taking a step back and offering his hand. “Now, I believe the woman of the hour is needed in the studio for her monthly bullshit.”

[blitzarthespaceidiot]

Kauhara - Meet The Kingdoms

Azartsik Kingdom

Part 1 - Basic Information

Flag & Map

Their People

The Azartsik Kingdom is home of the Azartsik race, dragons and drakes known for their mostly crepuscular to nocturnal lifestyle, their developed sense of sight which allows them to see without issue in the dark and (for their dragons only) their speed and mobility during flight, being by far the best on aerial movement out of the other races in Kauhara.

The Azartsik are usually around 9'8"ft tall for the males and 9'2" for the females. Coloration-wise they tend to have slightly dark-toned scales, colors like blue, red and magenta (all in dark tones) are common. It is to note that rarely will these scales lack hue and be completely black or some shade of dark gray. Their horns are black and will always be pointing straight away without any curving.

The Azartsik are omnivores leaning towards meat. While they like their meats and other animal products and tend to favor them, they wouldn't mind sharing their plate with a few greens if they'd like to.

Weather, Climate and Biomes

If you visit the Azartsik Kingdom, you will be greeted with generally cold climate, you are in the mountains after all. Snowfall is more than likely to fall during the colder months of the year.

If you are south near the Azartsik-Sukkan border, you will find more bearable weather, do note however that storms can be quite common here, rain tends to occur frequently in the intermission months between the colder and warmer months of the year. Land is at its best for growing around these times.

The Azartsik's mountain range is covered in its majority with montane coniferous forests. Further south at the Sukkan border you will find more even terrain with a few grasslands and shrublands, these eventually transition into the arid barrens at the Sukki Plateau.

Their Culture and Society

The Azartsik's culture tends to revolve around the stars above, since the days of their kingdom's dawn they have not taken an eye off of them. Dedicated festivities to these exist, usually taking place around the dates where these signal the arrival of growing seasons, where the land and weather allows for the vest conditions to cultivate their foods.

Additional, non-scheduled celebrations include those taking place after certain natural astronomical events like the passing of a great comet, an eclipse taking place (wether its a solar or lunar eclipse does not matter) or a conjuction between between various celestial bodies. The magnitude of these celebrations vary depending on the event that took place.

In recent years, the Azartsik Kingdom was met with a large influx of foreigners setting down in their land. While initially these foreigners were not welcomed by their people due to past historical matters with other kingdoms, they quickly began to grow used to these arrivals and let them stay, allowing the Azartsik kingdom to become a central hub of sorts for Kauhara.

Their Economy

The Azartsik's economy is among the strongest in Kauhara. This is product of a treaty between them, the neighbouring Sukkan Kingdom and the nearby Realm of Azukaiya. This treaty is of economic nature, however it does also include a few defense agreements.

Additionally, as mentioned before, Azartsik's influx of foreign dragons and drakes from different kingdoms turned the Azartsik Kingdom into a central hub. One of the benefits that came to Azartsik with this event is the increase in trading as well as the exchange of cultures between the Azartsik and other kingdoms, allowing for new trade routes to be implemented between kingdoms and boosting the Azartsik's economy significantly. This time period is known as the Azartsik Golden Age.

They have strong mining industry comparable with the Berhazan Kingdom and Sukkan Kingdom's. In addition to that, they have a good agricultural sector, focusing majorily on crops like roots and livestock like goats and cattle.

[galacticnikki]

A Baby Witch's First Grimoire

Grimoire Entry 3 - Water & How it's Used in Witchcraft!

Types of Water

When performing witchcraft, you'll often notice the use of different types of water in various spells. This can range from Sun Water to Moon Water and everything in between. Throughout my journey as a witch, I've discovered several kinds of water that I plan to incorporate into my practice soon. Some categories of water even have their own subclasses. Water, being a powerful element, can be imbued with different energies and intentions, making it a versatile tool in spell work. It serves as a symbol of purification and renewal. Understanding and utilizing these different types of water can enhance the effectiveness of your rituals and deepen your connection with the natural world.

Sun Water

Sun water is water charged by the sun, radiating warmth and comfort, increasing energy, and manifesting positivity. Whenever I think of sun water, I think of energy, positivity, relaxation, happiness, and divination with the gods. Sun water also has a special subclass known as eclipse water, which is charged during an eclipse and carries a powerful, transformative energy. To me, eclipse water brings a deep sense of relaxation and introspection.

Using sun water in your practice can enhance spells and rituals for personal growth, joy, and connection with your god. To create sun water, place a jar of water in direct sunlight for several hours to absorb the sun's energy. You can use this water in many ways, such as in cleansing baths, anointing tools, or watering plants to give them positive energy. Eclipse water is made by leaving water outside during an eclipse, capturing the special energy of this event. Both sun water and eclipse water can add a powerful boost to your magical practice, bringing new energy and depth to your spiritual journey.

Moon Water

Moon water is water charged by the moon, bringing tranquility and peace. When I think of moon water, I think of tranquility, relaxation, cleansing, clairvoyance, divination with the goddesses, scrying, purity, and magical energy. Moon water comes in many different forms. One subclass of moon water is based on the moon's phases. This includes full moon water, new moon water, waxing and waning crescent moon waters, waxing and waning gibbous moon waters, and quarter moon waters. Personally, I only use full moon and new moon water in my magical practices, but you can use any of these as you see fit.

Another subclass of moon water is based on the different full moons that occur throughout the year. These include storm moon, snow moon, crow moon, pink moon, milk moon, hay moon, red moon, harvest moon, blood moon, oak moon, cold moon, blue moon, and black moon water. Each type of moon water has its unique energy and can be used for specific intentions in your magical practice. Using moon water in your rituals and spells can enhance your connection with lunar energies and bring a deeper sense of peace and clarity to your spiritual journey. Whether you are using it for cleansing, divination, or simply to bring a sense of calm, moon water is a versatile and powerful tool in your magical arsenal.

Rain Water

Rain water is water collected from the environment during rainfall, making it a versatile type of water for spells. Whenever I think of rain water, I envision a variety of uses: cleansing, prosperity, clarity of mind, clairvoyance, relaxation, wealth, creativity, and much more. Rain water also has several subclasses. One subclass is environmental waters, which includes river water, spring water, lake water, marsh water, pond water, waterfall water, and even mud. Each type of water brings its own unique intention and energy. Another subclass is weather waters, such as storm water and hail water.

Using rain water in your magical practice can enhance spells and rituals by connecting you to the natural world and its powerful energies. Collecting and using different types of environmental and weather waters allows you to tailor your magical workings to specific needs and intentions. Whether you are seeking to cleanse your space, attract prosperity, gain clarity, or boost creativity, rain water and its subclasses can be a valuable addition to your spiritual toolkit.

Feel free to check out my master post for more information!

[w3ath3r-0f-sw34t3rz]

lyrics that only a tortured poet could write

(pt 2)

i am someone who until recent events you shared your secrets with // and your location, you forgot to turn it off // and so i watch as you walk

old habits die screaming

i move through the world with a heart broken // my longing state unspoken // and i may never open up the way i did for you

you said i needed a brave man // then proceeded to play him // until i believed it too

was it hazing for a cruel fraternity? // i pledged and i still mean it

now i wanna sell my house and set fire to all my clothes // and hire a priest to come and exorcise my demons // even if i die screaming // and i hope you hear it

i hear the whispers in your eyes // i'll make you wanna think twice // you'll find that you were never not mine

pick your poison, babe, i'm poison either way

even if it's handcuffed, i'm leavin' here with you

wise men once said // "wild winds are death to the candle"

cross your thoughtless heart // only liquor anoints you // she's the albatross // she is here to destroy you

wise men once said // "one bad seed kills the garden" // "one less temptress, one less dagger to sharpen" // locked me up in towers // but i'd visit in your dreams

and when that sky rains fire on you // and you're persona non grata // i'll tell you how i've been there too // and that none of it matters

wise men once read fake news // and they believed it

spread my wings like a parachute // i'm the albatross // i swept in at the rescue

if you wanna break my cold, cold heart // just say, "i loved you the way that you were"

i changed into goddesses, villains and fools // changed plans and lovers and outfits and rules

down that passage in time back to the moment // i crashed into you, like so many wrecks do // too impaired by my youth to know what to do

could it be enough to just float in your orbit? // can we watch our phantoms like watching wild horses?

we hereby conduct this post-mortem

and so a touch that was my birthright became foreign

come one, come all // it's happening again

we learn the right steps to different dances

lost the game of chance, what are the chances?

guess who we ran into at the shops? walking in circles like she was lost // didn't you hear? they called it all off // one gasp and then: how did it end?

say it once again with feeling // how the death rattle breathing // silenced as the soul was leaving // the deflation of our dreaming // leaving me bereft and reeling // my beloved ghost and me // sitting in a tree // D-Y-I-N-G

i can't pretend like i understand ... i still don't know // how did it end?

i feel so high school every time i look at you // i wanna find you in a crowd just to hide from you

i'll drink what you think and I'm high // from smokin' your jokes all damn night // the brink of a wrinkle in time // bittersweet sixteen suddenly

are you gonna marry, kiss or kill me? // it's just a game, but really // i'm bettin' on all three for us two

i hate it here so i will go to secret gardens in my mind // people need a key to get to, the only one is mine // i read about it in a book when i was a precocious child // no mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears // i'm there most of the year 'cause i hate it here

i hate it here so i will go to lunar valleys in my mind // when they found a better planet, only the gentle survived // i dreamed about it in the dark, the night I felt like i might die

i'm lonely, but i'm good // i'm bitter, but i swear i'm fine // i'll save all my romanticism for my inner life and i'll get lost on purpose // this place made me feel worthless // lucid dreams like electricity, the current flies through me // and in my fantasies, i rise above it

everyone knows that my mother is a saintly woman // but she used to say she wished that you were dead

i wrote a thousand songs that you find uncool // i built a legacy that you can't undo // but when i count the scars, there's a moment of truth // that there wouldn't be this if there hadn't been you

and maybe you've reframed it // and in your mind, you never beat my spirit black and blue // i don't think you've changed much

a feather taken by the wind blowing // i'm afflicted by the not knowing

i look in people's windows // transfixed by rose golden glows

does it feel alright to not know me? // i'm addicted to the "if only"

i guess a lesser woman would've lost hope // a greater woman wouldn't beg // but i looked to the sky and said please

cards on thе table // mine play out like fools in a fable // oh, it was sinking in // slow is the quicksand // poison blood from the wound of the pricked hand

and i sound like an infant // feeling like the very last drops of an ink pen // a greater woman stays cool // but i howl like a wolf at the moon // and i look unstable // gathered with a coven 'round a sorceress' table // a greater woman has faith // but even statues crumble if they're made to wait // i'm so afraid i sealed my fate // no sign of soulmates // i'm just a paperweight in shades of greige // spending my last coin so someone will tell me it'll be okay

when the first stone's thrown, there's screamin' // in the streets, there's a raging riot // when it's "burn the bitch," they're shrieking // when the truth comes out, it's quiet

i was in my tower weaving nightmares // twisting all my smiles into snarls // they say, "what doesn't kill you makes you aware" // what happens if it becomes who you are?

they knew, they knew, they knew the whole time // that i was onto somethin' // the family, the pure greed, the Christian chorus line // they all said nothin' // blood's thick, but nothin' like a payroll // bet they never spared a prayer for my soul // you can mark my words that i said it first // in a mourning warning, no one heard

said you were gonna grow up // then you were gonna come find me // words from the mouths of babes // promises oceans deep// but never to keep

are you still a mind reader? // a natural scene stealer? // i've heard great things, Peter // but life was always easier on you than it was on me

we both did the best we could do // underneath the same moon // in different galaxies

and i won't confess that i waited, but i let the lamp burn

love's never lost when perspective is earned

forgive me, Peter, please know that i tried // to hold onto the days when you were mine // but the woman who sits by the window has turned out the light

and i can confirm she made // a curious child, ever reviled // by everyone except her own father // with a quite bewitching face // splendidly selfish, charmingly helpless // excellent fun 'til you get to know her

but as she was leaving it felt like breathing ... as she was leaving it felt like freedom

all her fuckin' lives flashed before her eyes // it feels like the time she fell through the ice then came out alive

and at first blush, this is fate // when it's all roses, portrait pose // Central Park Lake in tiny rowboats // what a charming Saturday // that's when she sees the littlest leaks down in the floorboards // and she just knows she must bolt

buried down deep // and out of your reach // the secret we all vowed // to keep it from you in sweetness

you got the dragonflies above your bed // you have a favorite spot on the swing set // you have no room in your dreams for regrets // (you have no idea) // the time will arrive for the cruel and the mean // you'll learn to bounce back just like your trampoline // but now we'll curtail your curiosity

i'm not a donor but i'd give you my heart if you needed it

and the years passed like scenes of a show // the professor said to write what you know // lookin' backwards might be the only way to move forward // then the actors were hitting their marks // and the slow dance was alight with the sparks // and the tears fell // in synchronicity with the score // and at last // she knew what the agony had been for

now and then i reread the manuscript // but the story isn't mine anymore

[accio-victuuri]

xiao zhan weibo update

At the end of the story, you said: "I really miss when we were young, when we were all skating in Shichahai together." Coincidentally, the first scene of the filming was the scene of everyone skating in Shichahai. Looking back now, it seems that everything has moved forward, and everything seems to have never changed.

On February 4 last year, the day of Lichun, I remember everyone was reading around, I stared at the lines on the script, little by little, trying to touch the appearance of Chunsheng. On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, Menghai was turned on, and the air was cold and refreshing in the vast Shichahai Ice Rink. A group of people looked at each other's unfamiliar and familiar appearance with freshness, exhaled hot air, slid and made noises, under the blue sky that could not see the edge, on the solid ice, everyone Behind them, it seems that they all carry the blood and youthful strength that can travel through an era.

Chunsheng is tenacious, loyal, persistent, and unchanged. He values ​​friendship and will not admit defeat, just like beating children. Fast forward a few decades, the times have changed, the people around him have changed, and everything is changing. Chunsheng sticks to the people and things he recognizes in his heart, and they remain the same.

You said to me: "Life is more than this Shichahai, there is a wider world waiting for us outside!"

I want to say to you: "As long as a person knows where he is going, the whole world will give him concessions."

In the end, you see, whether it is the ice and snow in the cold winter or the wind and rain in the hot summer, they still remember it, how good it is!

[antiresolution]

trigger warning: This au is based off the godzilla universe (specifically minus one). I focus on the aftermath of graphic disaster scenarios, so I suggest to skip if you're not in the mood!

He stumbles in the second act. 

Prisms of light scatter in Wenhan’s peripherals as he stares down at the stage floor. Red and gold pom poms and strings of glass beads hit against rouged cheeks, gouging out small trails the way careless brushes of fingertips do. The sweat curtaining his skin becomes seamless pearls blending into white face paint. 

The orchestra continues on, drowning out murmurs in the audience. They’re trained to recover from falls and mistakes like any other performer. Punishment from directors and sponsors is always more severe than a split second of humiliation. He could be up and into the next sequence within a heartbeat.

But he’d caught himself on stinging hands and knees. Motionless until the throb of the fall is a numb pulse and his tongue curls dry to the roof of his mouth. Frozen in place as ribbon dancers and masked figures in loose hanfu move around him. The slightest tremor caresses his open palms.

A guttural screech from a violin in the pit raises Wenhan’s head. Stage lights flood his eyes as he searches blindly in the audience. Dancers to his left hit the floor as the stage sways with a thundering crack and shrieks puncture the air from all sides. A layer of white dust rains down against a fleeing crowd, blanketing colorful costumes in splintered fragments. The ceiling above the audience collapses first, throwing up toxic clouds. Wenhan stumbles to his feet as his lungs shudder to breathe, pressing a sleeve to his mouth and nose as he shoves hesitant crew to the emergency exit backstage. 

Wenhan watches as a beam of overhead lights crashes down onto fleeing bodies. Snapped metal groans above from the weight of the collapsed ceiling. Shattered glass pops under his feet as he stumbles back to escape the gush of water from gutted pipes in the walls and stripped live wire. The low whine of twisted metal above ends with a sudden snap. The debris in his throat chokes him more than the pain of his legs pinned beneath steel beams. 

 He stares up at the open sky now painted in smoke and filled with the clamor of emergency sirens. A shaking hand grasps weakly at his shoulder, and he doesn’t recognize the face smeared in blood and dust to his left. A body smashed beneath slates of plaster and metal.

Wenhan stares up at the sky, holding that hand in his until fingers no longer tremble and everything is still. 

-

February 23, 2008

The WPC (West Pacific Coalition) was formally established after an unprecedented attack killed thousands in Shanghai during lunar new year celebrations. This international security effort is recognized by the governing bodies of China, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Curated teams of military personnel and emergency responders are deployed based on high risk scenarios regardless of nationality to prevent further loss of human life and destabilization of global society. 

–

Tiles bleed cold underneath knees tucked in front of an empty hole in the wall meant to house a cross. Two weeks ago, the wood had been needed to repair the roof due to a small quake’s aftershocks. Now, no one wanted to make time to properly dress the space for anyone to pray, or mourn, or curse. Rebuilding Busan’s port communities took every willing pair of military hands. Any spare unwilling ones were busy burying the dead or clinging to a warm body, leaving no room to beg God for favors. 

Yet, it’s a quiet space, even if mostly abandoned. Away from shuffling bodies of overworked soldiers and unfamiliar faces.

Taeil stares down at the spray of grey and white now dusting his army fatigues. 

“Does that work?”

The man perched over him reminds Taeil of a bird. Every feature of his is sharp. The way each angle meets the next throws shadows under dark lashes and glaring cheekbones. Simultaneously jarring and soft. The way you wouldn’t expect a row of feathers next to talons. Even the accented Korean on the other man’s tongue feels pointed. Calculated. Almost too precise to be comfortable.

“What…” Before Taeil realizes his reply is more of an exhale than an answer. “--does what work?” 

The other man pauses, but the amused twitch of his lips lingers. He mirrors Taeil’s kneel, leaning a little awkwardly to the left instead of straight. His right leg isn’t fully tucked under his thigh. The way he presses his hands together is enunciated, as if he’s trying to overcompensate for his role in a silent film. He crosses himself, gesturing wordlessly to the sky. 

Stunned silence is the weight on Taeil’s bottom lip as his mouth opens, before the gnashing of teeth beheads words dying to form. His eyes fall on the burning end of the other’s cigarette, as if he’s watching the dying ember of his own annoyance. Taeil exhales through his nose and nods his head at the smoke. “--does that work for you?”

“Only when I don’t have anything better to put in my mouth.”

“Asshole.”

“Close, but it wouldn't be my first choice.”

Taeil starts to stand, tempted to shoulder check the stranger on his way up. Rationality was never his first choice. He was always chastised for emotionally charged decisions during training. Prolonging this conversation would likely end with his fists bruised and both of them bloody. It was the first week in this base. A reputation built on nothing couldn’t be used as leverage, no matter how good he thinks that sharp nose would look broken.

“It was an honest question. Do you ever get what you ask for?”

Curled fists open and close at his sides before he turns towards the door without answering. A much larger figure fills the frame, blocking Taeil’s exit. Dark eyes glance over a familiar wrinkled face. Taeil’s posture goes rigid. He bows his head to the senior officer. 

“Ah, I see you two met.” There’s the threat of a reprimanding edge, though it seems directed at the soldier behind Taeil. “Private Yoo, this is Private Li, a pilot from Shanghai.”

Private Li was now standing as if the casual collapse of limbs on the floor had been snapped upward by a pulled string. He still leans into his left side, as if he can’t wait to drop the salute once no one’s watching. Both men meet eyes, but this time neither of them are smiling. 

“Your new partner.”

–

Wenhan tears away flyers from the front door of the barracks. The images are grainy pixels enlarged sloppily to fit its new frame of cheap computer paper. But the painted features of the subject are clear enough even from a distance. 

“What a waste. You look so pretty, ge–”

Wenhan tosses shreds of paper at the face crinkled with laughter to his left. The mandarin that rolls off his tongue is an effortless shift. 

“Then you can tape it together and jack off later.”

“Shit, hey– hey, hey,” Hong shields his face and steps out of the way of an elbow aimed at his gut. “It wasn’t me. You know who thinks pulling this shit is funny.”

Even if the construction of this military camp had been congested to a rural corner in the city, their barracks only had four bunks. Compared to other soldiers forced to sweat and curse during the summer in a room with 18 other men. 

Wenhan’s busy emptying a shelf of one of his roommates, tossing the best snack wrappers a guaranteed death payroll could buy onto the empty bunk next to it. 

“You met him, right? Did you ask why he was transferred here? What's he like?”

What comes to mind first is the silhouette of a stranger’s back. One man on his knees in an empty room already abandoned by the hands that built it. 

Wenhan blinks. A dimple forms between his brows. He smooths a thumb over his forehead as if it would iron out the mental crease. 

“Ask him yourself.”

Wenhan gains the uncomfortable weight of Hong’s arm across his shoulders and leans away from the warm breath on the back of his ear. Hong doesn’t even whisper, confident in the disguise of their native language. 

“I heard he volunteered for a suicide mission.” 

Wenhan pauses. Considering superiors kept information to themselves until mistakes rose the death toll. It wasn’t so unbelievable they would consider going on the offensive before signs of an attack in the east sea. But Hong was overzealous, often inflating the truth with his desire for grandeur. 

“I also heard he killed someone, so it was either that, or prison time.”

The mandarin comes from neither of the men, but from behind. Fluent as if it flowed from the memory of a native. He shoves his shoulder into Hong, watching the other dramatically collapse as if he’d sniped him. Taeil stands in the open doorway, wearing neither a smile or a frown. Hong still carries enough shame to apologize, while Wenhan feels the corners of his lips curve up. 

Taeil doesn’t seem offended enough to start a fight as he walks further in, prompting Hong to throw an arm around his shoulders and continue rattling off in Mandarin.

“It’s always a suicide mission. Even if it’s true– just makes you stupid like the rest of us.”

Wenhan starts to roll up one hem of his pants as Hong interrogates the other soldier. He presses fingertips into skin, where his kneecap meets the solid metal of his calf, massaging tiny circles into the joint. 

Taeil’s attention lingers on the flash of silver jutting out where one would expect to see flesh. Wenhan could recognize pity in anyone's face. But the look Taeil casts at his prosthetic is devoid of surprise or even embarrassment for having been caught staring. Maybe more like a stranger in a museum. One who could only be voyeur to a past they could never live inside of or understand. Every glance strangely intense despite the impossible distance. 

But without pity.

“Pretty sexy, isn’t it.” Wenhan kicks his heel against the solid concrete floor. “My eyes are up here.”

“I was looking at your third eye.” 

Taeil catches the extra set of blankets Wenhan throws without missing a beat.

–

No one enjoys the nightwatch at Taejongdae. 

Wenhan prefers the weight of briny air on his tongue to the suffocating anticipation of everyone at the military base. He’s empty handed for his shift, with nothing but the weight of a buzzing comm system strapped to his side and the soft glow of the lighthouse glancing over dark waters below. Weapons wouldn’t save anyone on the ground. Time was all they ever had as a counter strike. 

He walks the length of the highest cliff’s paved trail, roped in by steel fences peppered with rust. Other soldiers stationed on the southern tip of the city are wandering shadows in the night. There’s no one close enough to hear him as he hums the beginning of a melancholic note. No one around to complain as his voice rises in volume, competing against the claw of the ocean’s wind and lick of waves against carved rocks. 

Then he’s twisting on his heel, grasping the butterfly knife hidden at his side. Golden light from the silent carousel of the lighthouse spills over Taeil’s face, lighting curious dark eyes and outlining the soft slopes of his cheeks. His open palms face outward to Wenhan in surrender.

“Are you a fucking idiot?”

Taeil steps closer, dropping his hands as he falls into Wenhan’s retreating pace. The only reply is the soft tone of Taeil’s singing, off key and unsure as he repeats the last line of the song Wenhan hadn’t finished. 

“If you can sing like that, why are you out here?”

Wenhan carries on in silence. The lighthouse careens over black sea water. 

“I wasn’t asking god for something.”

He turns back to Taeil. The abrupt stop has them breaths apart. He can see the dark circles pressed under both the man’s eyes. Chapped lips sealed thin. A small mole marks the corner of a tense mouth. 

“I was cursing him, actually. For giving me the grim reaper as a partner.”

The tense curl of Taeil’s mouth softens. The coil of anticipation is gone, as if a switch had been flipped. The entire man’s body relaxes. On the cusp of revealing something more, but pulling back. He sighs like a tired old dog and raises his hands to the heavens. 

It’s not the first time other soldiers warned new recruits about Wenhan’s reputation as an indirect death sentence. Some would even request to transfer before he’d meet them face to face. No one wanted to disprove potential mythology. 

“Idiot.” He barely speaks above the sound of the ocean. But Taeil hears him, kicking up rocks and dust at Wenhan’s heels as they continue up the slope. He sings in broken Mandarin at Wenhan's back.

But his eyes are trained on glints of silver and white bobbing in the black churn. The glow of the lighthouse sculpts the distant shapes into what looks like overturned buoys. He stands still, staring into the sea as if he could will away the sight of dead fish rising to the surface. Taeil calls his name, but the roar of white noise drowns out any thought or instinct. 

His comm device revives with a series of orders in Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog. Sighting along Taejongdae. Prepare for immediate impact. 

Wenhan’s collar digs into his neck as Taeil forces him into a run. White dead bellies of fish are swallowed by a rising dark form. The lighthouse fights to glow around the massive shadow, illuminating pulsing coils of scarred flesh. An aching roar ruptures the air before the tower collapses into a wave of dust and shattered stone. The ground becomes sand beneath their steps seconds after warning alarms fill the air. 

Taeil shoves Wenhan forward with desperate violence as the cliff beneath their steps crumbles. He turns back once his feet meet the solid safety of grass and arms of trees, lunging to grasp at Taeil falling into empty air. Fingers lock around Taeil’s wrist. Wenhan bites into his tongue, tasting the rush of blood and feeling the hot burn of torn muscle as he fights against the other man’s dead weight hanging over the cliff. 

Taeil’s fingernails carve bloody trails down wenhan’s arm as he struggles for a strong grip. His body drags against the ground, slowly inching over the edge.

Not again. 

His arms are shaking, tips of fingers pulsing numb. 

Not again.

[talesofedo]

Edo period egoyomi (picture calendar) for Kyowa 2 (1802) picturing the monthly and seasonal needs for a small mountain village.

...

More Information on Japanese Calendars and Timekeeping

See the previous post here.

...

Japanese Years

Today, most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582, to track years of the common era. That calendar's era is based on years since the perceived birth of Jesus: 2023 CE (current era) or AD (anno domini, year of the lord) 2023.

Edo period Japan obviously did not use the Gregorian calendar as its own calendar-keeping was influenced by China, not the west. In fact, Japan did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1873 but continues to use era names into the present day.

Japan's system of era names (nengo) originates from China and was permanently adopted in 701 under Emperor Monmu. It has been continuously in use since.

Until the end of the Edo period, era names were decided by court officials and could change frequently. A new era name was usually proclaimed after the ascension of a new emperor, but could also be changed due to some auspicious event or even due to natural disasters.

Since the adoption of era names, most have been in use for fewer than 10 years, sometimes for as short a period as 2 years, and only a handful have been used for periods of more than 30 years.

This website is extremely helpful in converting Gregorian years into Japanese eras, just enter the year!

...

Japanese Months

During the Edo period, the Japanese year was broken down into 12 lunar months of either 29 days (small months) or 30 days (large months) each.

Additionally, a special intercalary month (uru-zuki) had to be added every few years to keep the calendar in sync with the actual change of seasons.

In the modern Japanese calendar, the months are numbered rather than named: ichi-gatsu (first month, January), ni-gatsu (second month, February), and so on, but during the Edo period, monthly names, which date back to the Heian era, were in common use.

(Today, you might still find these old monthly names in poetry.)

Here they are with their western calendar equivalent:

January - mutsuki 睦月 February - kisaragi 如月 March -yayoi 弥生 April - uzuki 卯月 May - satsuki 皐月 June - minazuki 水無月 July - fumizuki 文月 August - hazuki 葉月 September - nagatsuki 長月 October - kannazuki 神無月 November - shimotsuki 霜月 December - shiwasu 師走

...

Japanese Weeks

The western concept of breaking individual months down into 7-day weeks did not exist in Edo period Japan. However, there is a rough equivalent that corresponds to the general concept of weeks: nijushi-sekki, 24 seasonal divisions that break the year down into "weeks" of 15 days each.

They are:

Shokan (small chill) – around January 6 Daikan (big chill) – around January 20 Risshun (start of spring) – around February 4 Usui (rain water) – around February 18 Keichitsu (going-out of worms) – around March 6 Shunbun (spring equinox) – around March 21 Seimei (clear and bright) – 15 days after the spring equinox Koku-u (rain for harvests) – around April 21 Rikka (start of summer) – around May 6 Shoman (half bloom) – around May 21 Boshu (seeds of cereals) – around June 5 Geshi (reaching summer) – summer solstice – around June 21 Shohsho (small heat) – around July 7 Taisho (big heat) – hottest time of the year – around July 23 Risshu (start of autumn) – around August 8 Shosho (keeping out of the heat) – around August 23 Hakuro (white dew) – around September 7 Shubun (the autumnal equinox) – around September 23 Kanro (cold dew) – around October 8 Soko (frosting) – around October 23 Ritto (start of winter) – around November 8 Shosetsu (small snow) – around November 23 Taisetsu (big snow) – around December 8 Toji (reaching winter) – around December 22

More in-depth information about these, along with explanations of why they're called what they're called, can be found here.

...

Japanese Days

Individual named days, such as Monday and Tuesday, as we know them on the western calendar, also did not exist in Edo period Japan.

You wouldn't say "We meet on Wednesday." Instead, you would have used the date, "We meet on the fifteenth day," or perhaps even the phase of the moon, "We meet on the new moon."

Individual Japanese days are also not broken down into 24 equal hours of 60 minutes each.

Instead, people in the Edo period split their days into 12 hours (toki): 6 daytime hours, which were counted from sunrise to sunset, and 6 night-time hours, which were counted from sunset to sunrise.

Naturally, the length of these hours varied not only by time of year (winter daytime hours being obviously shorter than winter nighttime hours) but also by geographical location.

Daytime hours were broken down as follows:

Hour of the Rabbit (begins at sunrise) Hour of the Dragon Hour of the Snake Hour of the Horse (noon) Hour of the Goat Hour of the Monkey

Nighttime hours were broken down as follows:

Hour of the Rooster (begins at sunset) Hour of the Dog Hour of the Pig Hour of the Rat (midnight) Hour of the Ox Hour of the Tiger

From the Seiko Museum.

[steppingonyourshadow]

At the very end of the story, you said: "I really miss those times we would all go skating together at Shichahai, when we were young".

By a funny coincidence the first scene we shot was everyone skating at Shichahai. When I look back on it now, it's as if everything has moved on, and yet nothing has changed.

Last year on 4 February, at the very beginning of spring, we were at the table-read. I stared at the dialogue on the page and tried little by little to get to know what Chunsheng was like.

On the seventh day of the [Lunar] New Year, Where Dreams Begin started filming at the vast Shichahai rink, in the cold and crisp air. A group of people all peering curiously at each other, these faces both strange and familiar, puffing out hot breaths of air, gliding and frolicking. Under a sketch of endless blue sky, on that unyielding sheet of ice, behind every person there seemed to be enough youthful passion to carve out a new age.

Chunsheng: stubborn, honourable, persistent, unchanging. He prioritised his friends above all and refused to admit defeat, ever since he was a child. As the years passed in the blink of an eye and times changed, those around him changed; even as it all changed, Chunsheng continued to guard in his heart his people, his values, refusing to change.

You said to me: "our lives aren't confined just to this stretch of Shichahai, there's a whole wide world out there waiting for us!"

I want to say to you: "so long as a person knows where they're going, the entire world will give way before them."

In the end, look, whether it's the snow and ice of the deep winter, or the wind and rain of high summer, they all still remember, isn't that great?

[p-h03n1-x]

Xiao Zhan Weibo update 6.18.2023 with this farewell post for Xiao Chunsheng.

At the end of the story, you said: "I really miss when we were young, when we all skated together in Shichahai."

Coincidentally, the first scene when the film was turned on was everyone skating in Shichahai. Looking back now, it seems that everything has moved forward, and everything seems to have never changed.

On February 4 last year, the day of spring, I remember everyone was reading around, I stared at the lines on the script, little by little, trying to touch the appearance of Chunsheng. On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, the air was cold and refreshing in the vast Shichahai Ice Rink. A group of people looked at each other's unfamiliar and familiar appearance with freshness, exhaled hot air, slid and made noises, under the blue sky that could not see the edge, on the solid ice, everyone Behind them, it seems that they all carry the blood and youthful strength that can travel through an era.

Chunsheng is tenacious, loyal, persistent, and unchanged. He values ​​friendship and will not admit defeat, just like beating children. Fast forward a few decades, the times have changed, the people around him have changed, and everything is changing. Chunsheng sticks to the people and things he recognizes in his heart, and they remain the same.

You said to me: "Life is more than this piece of Shichahai, there is a wider world waiting for us outside!"

I want to say to you: "As long as a person knows where he is going, the whole world will give him concessions."

In the end, you see, whether it is the ice and snow in the cold winter or the wind and rain in the hot summer, they still remember it, how good it is!

[gwarp]

Xiao Zhan - Where Dreams Begin

At the end of the story, you said: "I really miss when we were young, when we were all skating in Shichahai together."

Coincidentally, the first scene of the filming was the scene of everyone skating in Shichahai. Looking back now, it seems that everything has moved forward, and everything seems to have never changed.

On February 4th last year, at the reading, I stared at the lines on the script, trying to understand Chunsheng little by little. On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, at the cold and refreshing of the vast of Shichahai ice rink, a group of people looked at each other's strange yet familiar appearance with freshness, exhaled hot breath, skated and made noises under the endless blue sky as well as solid ice. It felt like that we all carried the blood and youthful strength that can travel through an era.

Chunsheng is tenacious, loyal, persistent, and unchanged. He values ​​friendship and will not admit defeat, just like beating children. Fast forward a few decades, the times have changed, the people around him have changed, and everything is changing. But he sticks to the people and things he recognizes in his heart, and they remain the same.

You said to me: "Life is more than this Shichahai, there is a wider world waiting for us outside!"

I want to say to you: "As long as a person knows where he is going, the whole world will give him concessions."

In the end, you see, whether it is the ice and snow in the cold winter or the wind and rain in the hot summer, they still remember it, how good it is!

© Xiao Zhan weibo

[jiannguo]

Xiao Zhan Weibo Update 230618

At the end of the story, you said: "I really miss when we were young, when we were all skating in Shichahai together."

Coincidentally, the first scene of the filming was the scene of everyone skating in Shichahai. Looking back now, it seems that everything has moved forward, and everything seems to have never changed.

On February 4 last year, the day of Lichun, I remember everyone was reading around, I stared at the lines on the script, little by little, trying to touch the appearance of Chunsheng. On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, Menghai was turned on, and the air was cold and refreshing in the vast Shichahai Ice Rink. A group of people looked at each other's unfamiliar and familiar appearance with freshness, exhaled hot air, slid and made noises, under the blue sky that could not see the edge, on the solid ice, everyone Behind them, it seems that they all carry the blood and youthful strength that can travel through an era.

Chunsheng is tenacious, loyal, persistent, and unchanged. He values ​​friendship and will not admit defeat, just like beating children. Fast forward a few decades, the times have changed, the people around him have changed, and everything is changing. Chunsheng sticks to the people and things he recognizes in his heart, and they remain the same.

You said to me: "Life is more than this Shichahai, there is a wider world waiting for us outside!"

I want to say to you: "As long as a person knows where he is going, the whole world will give him concessions."

In the end, you see, whether it is the ice and snow in the cold winter or the wind and rain in the hot summer, they still remember it, how good it is!

[littlecarnet]

I have my family over! We're busy cooking andcatching up, then plan on going on a walk in the evening because it just rained and everything smells so fresh. I'm half tempted to take them through the creepy tunnel to the village. Lol but the payoff is a convenience store with a vending machine that sells local stuff. Walnut yogurt drinks, peach milk soda, barley and cassia tea, and my mom's favorite, a sweet tomato-milk drink. It sounds weird, but it honestly tastes like a cold tomato bisque soup. It's just very salty though. I prefer the cold cucumber soup.

We already hear fireworks down the mountain near the reservation. The towns below are starting early and I'm so glad I bought all the food we needed a few nights ago, because we avoid down the mountain for the next two days. The traffic and other hazards are a nightmare to navigate, especially in Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, and Santa fe. And the majority of village via the tunnel will be closed on the 4th, with exception to the gas station and medical clinic. Also it's very easy to accidentally hit a wild animal on the road because they're fleeing the noise and activity. So we sit tight til everything cools off.

We don't celebrate the 4th like what a typical American family will do. There is no big party, alcohol (none of my family drinks), loud music, a ton of people over, or the TV blaring. We don't even watch football, none of us have ever cared for it. Yeah, I know, that's blasphemous in American culture, but it's the truth. I just don't care.

Our holiday celebrations are not really focused on the holiday itself. In reality, it's just an excuse to get together. Well even use holidays we dont even believe in to get that day off. We'd visit each other more if we lived close by, but my duties keep me here and my mother has obligations down south. So we use any holiday as a kind of family reunion. It usually consists of cooking food and catching up, and the environment is very chill, so much so we sometimes take a little stroll to the creek or a drive up the mountain.

What my family does celebrate more seriously is the seasons. We pay attention to the changes around us. The first green of spring, the rains, the sound of cicadas, the seasonal crops, the turning of the leaves. We observe a lot of the solstices and equinoxes, as well as celestial events. A solar eclipse is a big thing to my mom, and a lunar one is special to me. My brother loves astronomy and keeps us updated on all things space related. We plan whole get togethers based on meteors showers and super moons throughout the year.

Celebrating this way is less hectic as well, because everything is gradual. My seasonal decor isn't just a one week or one day thing. My decor changes slowly with the seasonal flowers and animals I'll see in my area. So there's no hassle of taking down things once the holiday week ends. Also, less consumerism. I've reused my decor for years and add one or two new things every few years. I love my little wooden forest animal set, because I can dress them up for any season. They can stay up year round this way. Candles can be used year round, only their scents getting rotated. Tea and incense get rotated by season too. There is a personal ritual to it that I enjoy and it's not centered on one particular day, but based on the subtle cues of seasonal changes. So I never get stressed out by a deadline for a particular holiday. I have weeks to celebrate a particular season.

To give an example of what seasonal celebration is in my household, here's some of examples:

Spring is watching the world wake up, dirt on my hands planting seeds indoors, the sweet cold smell of thawing frost in the early morning on the pines, the burning of resin incense, a calm thankful spirit, the sound of a kettle, sweet grass burning, feeding birds. Fresh pickles and drying slices of orange and lemon in garlands.

Summer means the sound of wind chimes, iced sun tea, finding tiny golden shells in the streams, the sound of frogs, bug catching at night, and whispering scary stories during heavy rain with candles. It's hot spicy foods, eating outside, watching the moon, the smell of henna on my hands and feet after my mother decorated me with symbols of protection because she loves me.

Autumn is the smell of a bonfire, burning leaves, roasting sweet potatoes in the embers, drying meat for jerky, and the drying of seasonal fruits of elderberry and persimmon. Canning the harvest, dipping candles, mulching my garden, hanging herbs all over my room and kitchen. Long walks under the shimmering aspens.

Winter is filled with sounds of a crackling fire, the sound of wind, lighting lanterns with the community, the smell of dried herbs on my hands as I restock my inventory, a hot mug of tea, the sweet scent of beeswax candles burning, the taste of orange and fig cider, and getting up at 2am to watch the last brilliant meteor shower of the year.

[daisynik7]

✨WIFEY✨ I’M BACK (again) and much has changed, i’ve done a 180 of my schedule so waiting to see if that sticks, but i’m feeling better (if you exclude the period cramps 🤡) but February has been pretty good so far, i should clarify i wasn’t the one hospitalized but a family member who isn’t the most comfortable with English so i stayed with them to be translator, but all is well like i said discharge was a few days ago and they’re feeling much better! 

thank you for your well wishes and sweetness, i’m still taking you up on all your kind offerings regardless, i need them 🥲 i am sending you just as much!

hope this year brings you more small and big meaningful moments that you can always cherish and look at with a good feeling, get-togethers with friends, and i hope you’re weekend with your boyfriend went well!

how was your weekend? well spent at the very least, even if you did nothing:) anything special going on this week? as always so proud of you! 🫶🏼 i’m prepping for a Lunar New Year spread given that i’ve taken off the last few years, i'm a bit rusty so we’ll see how that goes.

i don’t how much the weather has shifted since you wrote me, hoping it’s just getting warmer for you but i still hope you’re keeping warm<3 the weather has been kinda wack here, warm days and cold days, forecast says it’s going to rain, which it does, but then it snows all night which i had no knowledge of but ok😅

i missed you so very much, you’re love was very much felt and as always the storm has passed so i just look at the past and take what lessons i’ve learned and move on and i hope you’re able to do the same with any mishaps in your life, especially those that you can’t always control :) i love YOU my darling daisy i hope today and this week goes amazing for you, thank you for being you there isn’t much more i’d know how to articulate how much you mean to me 🥹  

loooooong overdue: but i come with bouquets of flowers for the prettiest snookums in the whole universe!<3 💐💐💐

SNOOKUMS! I'm so happy to hear from you! While I've missed you immensely, I'm happy to hear that you're doing well and being very productive! I hope you're taking enough breaks though and not burning yourself out too much. also, so sorry for the misunderstanding! Very glad to hear your family member is doing better now. ❤️

Thank you for your well wishes and positive vibes as always! I'm learning to cherish all the little moments I'm so lucky to experience in life. I know at times, I can take these small moments for granted, so I'm trying to be better at appreciating them more!

Happy February! And an early Happy Valentine's to my most special Valentine! And Happy Lunar New Year! What's the spread looking like so far? I can't wait to hear about all the delicious dishes you'll be preparing in celebration!

The biggest news from me is that my brother just got engaged! Him and his girlfriend (now fiancée) have been traveling all over Asia the past month and he proposed to her in Japan. It was very sweet and romantic. They are coming back home in a few days and we will celebrate with dinner somewhere!

We had a pretty bad storm last night, but I think we're in the clear now. Still pretty cold during the mornings and nights, but nothing too drastic! Hope you're staying warm and cozy during those snowy nights!

Sending you all my love as usual, all my kisses, all my snuggles, and only the best, most positive vibes for my wifey. Thank you for always making me feel so loved, I appreciate and love you more than these silly words of mine can articulate. Take care of yourself! ❤️ love you so much thea

[lunarcovehq]

Elif Karadaş is a werewolf that currently resides in Echo Acres and has been a Lunar Cove resident for a month.

ITS THE END OF THE WORLD

GENDER/PRONOUNS: Cis Woman, She/Her

DATE OF BIRTH: December 15, 1990

OCCUPATION: Owner of Tatlı 

FACECLAIM: Hande Erçel

AS WE KNOW IT, AND I FEEL FINE

SPECIES: Werewolf

WOLF CLASSIFICATION: Beta (Born Wolf)

PACK AFFILIATION: Member

WELCOME TO LUNAR COVE, ELIF KARADAŞ

Trigger Warnings: Murder, Death, Hanging, Violence, Blood, Sexual Assault, Abuse of Power, Drugs, Manipulation, Blackmail, Weapons, Guns

She would never forget the smell. The gut wrenching mix of iron and petrichor hung in the air like a noose around her neck as she tried to no avail to still her breath. Her frail hands were shaking as she clasped them over her mouth and squeezed her amber eyes shut. Her tears stained her cheeks as a percussion of thunder and rain drowned out the sounds of her parents screams. Mere minutes before, Elif had been running down the halls. Melodic laughter filling the air as she darted into her parents bedroom and pulled herself up into her mother's armoire. She could hear her father counting to ten in the other room as they played what should have been a simple game of hide and seek. A distraction on a stormy night in at their seaside house. But as her mother approached the dresser's wooden doors, the brilliant light that was her Annem's smile waned. Concern creased across the woman's forehead as her eyes snapped away from little Elif's to that of the hall.

"Burada bekle, yavrum-" Wait here, my little one and, whatever you do, don't come out until I come get you, her mother warned her. Only, there would be no coming back. The new outlets would later be littered with details of the attack on the Karadaş family and how the only survivor in that house was their hunched over six-year old girl who watched in horror as her parents were slaughtered before her very own eyes. Her parents deaths would be declared a tragedy. The mysterious murder of a loving couple who had seemingly no enemies and, while the details of why they were killed and why she survived remained a mystery, life went on.

Elif could never stand the sound of thunder after that. Not that she ever dared to speak of what happened either. The next few years, Elif kept relatively to herself. The quiet and clearly traumatized kid moved to Istanbul to live with her Uncle, the famous Plastic Surgeon, and her cousins. But, while Elif grew up in a rather packed house, her Uncle tended to run a tight ship. Her father's brother meant well, but he was a cold man who was rather strict, demanding perfection out of his own children and ward. Perfection that Elif rarely met. She had never been particularly good at school and, ever since the incident, she struggled to sit still. So, while her cousins excelled, she found herself dodging crude rumors about her in the halls and kicking around a football by herself on the playground. And no matter how much she tried to tweak bits and pieces of herself to fit in, she couldn't seem to escape the tragedy that had befallen upon her until college, that is, when she left Turkey to study overseas.

In the States, Elif had the opportunity to re-invent herself. The athletic girl started taking soccer more seriously and, although her grades were still subpar, she found herself shedding the 'weird kid' label that had followed her throughout her upbringing. No longer defined by the worst moment of her life, Elif came out of her shell, quickly becoming known as being bubbly and charming, albeit clumsy. She may or may not have accidentally stabbed her partner during their first biology experiment Freshman year, but rather than the other kids being weary of her, her classmates laughed the matter off while her TA offered to have extra one on one sessions with her. He was a senior who had ace'd the class back when he was a freshman and, at the time, Elif thought nothing of the extra attention.

That was until she came early to one of their study sessions and just so happened to walk in on him with one of her teammates. His hands were all over the other girl, but one look into Taylor's eyes and she knew that his feelings were far from reciprocated. Elif didn't think. She just tore his arms away from the other and, when he started to get physical with her, she pushed back. Hard. She watched with wide eyes as her TA fell back. His head slamming against the side of the desk and the next thing she knew his body went limp. He was dead.

Elif knew she should have been horrified. She had killed someone and yet as she stood there in shock, her feet glued to its spot, she found herself feeling relieved and, for once in her life, strong. The night her parents died, she had been so petrified that she hadn't been able to do anything, but watch. But, now? She had protected her teammate from god knows what. The blood on her hands was out of self defense and she wouldn't have thought anything more of it if it wasn't for the horrified look on her teammate's face now directed at her.

Fuck. She was screwed. She had just killed a man and her teammate she had been trying to protect was now making a beeline for the door in a desperate attempt to get away from her. The fear in Taylor's eyes evident as she rushed out into the nearly empty hall, stumbling forwards as she crashed into another student's shoulder before darting off. Only what may have been out a sheer form of luck or Elif's misfortune striking again, the man Taylor crashed into on her way out of the room just so happened to be a man, named Damien Blake, who would forever flip Elif's life on its head.

He didn't say much at the time and, even if he had, Elif likely wouldn't have registered it, but he stayed with her as the police appeared on the scene and before they could question her, she watched as he covered for her. He lied without so much as blinking, weaving some false story about how they had both been out in the hall when they heard a crash and rushed in to find their TA unconscious lying beside their desk. There was no mention of Taylor in his tale and Taylor never came forward to correct him on it. Her teammate avoided Elif like the plague after what had all gone down, but one conversation with Damien later and it was as if what Elif had done had been erased from history. He had protected her and Elif wasn't sure why until a few weeks later when she blacked out and seemingly did it again.

Waking up covered in someone else's blood was traumatizing enough, let alone finding yourself stark naked in some shady back alley a few blocks from Campus. The full moon looming overhead as she made eye contact with the body of a Criminal from the News and from the many Campus Alerts that had warned her and the rest of her classmates to be careful wandering around alone at night. A body that for some unspeakable reason had been torn to shreds and with some... bite marks scattered along their skin, might she add? A situation that Elif convinced herself had to be a bad hallucination. She didn't stumble upon any dead guy or wake up in any alleys. She had simply had a brownie gone wrong... and it wasn't as if anyone had seen her there, so what were the chances it had actually happened... again? She had been ready to buy any story her mind could come up with that didn't end with her having to accept that she was losing her mind and potentially becoming a serial killer. Only before she could lie to herself further, Damien was there once more.

I know what you did. He confronted her a few days later. Elif tried to the best of her ability to play it off, pretending that she had no idea what he was taking about. She even went so far as to try and lie and say the attacker had been her dog and not her, to which Damien reminded her that she didn't have a dog. But, amongst Damien's accusations came the truth. He knew, just as well as Elif did in her gut, that Elif had been the one to take out the criminal whose body she woke up next to just as he knew she had been the one to take out their TA, because like Elif, Damien had done the same himself in the past. She wasn't loosing her mind. She had simply triggered the werewolf gene inside of her, like him, which meant that one of her parents had been a wolf like her too. And given how he Uncle had never clued her in on the fact that she would grow a tail and start howling at the moon if she ever happened to kill someone, it didn't take Elif long to figure out that she had taken after her mom. The murder of her parents hadn't been an accident, but the act of a hunter who wanted to eradicate their kind. Her dad was simply collateral damage along the way and if she hadn't been hiding in the wardrobe that day, chances were she would have faced a similar fate.

Elif didn't know how to cope with the news let alone what she was now. But, with the impending full moon she didn't really have a choice but to lean on Damien for guidance and figure it out. With every full moon, the shift got a little bit easier and, as sophomore year rolled around, she changed her major from PreMed to Psych. She would have made a shitty Plastic Surgeon anyhow. Her Uncle's footsteps were far too large for her to even attempt to step into. While psychology happened to be one of the few studies that actually peaked her interest. Her new major and career path being one that helped her rationalize the immense changes in her life or at least help her to pretend that everything was fine. And with Damien, things were. At least for a while.

For the rest of college, it was her and him against the world. They became known around Campus as a package deal. Damien covered for her with the death of their TA and no one else ever learned of the incident in the alleyway. But, while Elif, with her aversion to authority, found solace in being a lone wolf, Damien sought to be in control. He wanted to make his own pack. One that didn't hide away, hulled up in some Safe Haven, but thrived out in the rest of the world. Damien was determined to make his lofty dream into a reality with Elif as his righthand, even going so far as to propose to her the night after graduation in an attempt to lure her fully over to his way of handling things. Only when his ploy didn't work, did Damien do what he did best. He attempted to blackmail Elif the same way he had blackmailed Taylor into keeping her mouth shut way back when. He had proof of not one, but two deaths she was responsible for and, if she wanted it to stay quiet, she'd be a good little wolf and help him search for more wolves out there like them that he could sweet talk or bribe to joining his ranks. So, she told him she would. She looked him in the eyes and told him a lie that rivaled one of his very own, before packing up her things and taking off into the night with any leads he had for finding other supernaturals along with her. Elif tricked him and ran.

The young wolf was twenty-two when she wound up in Lunar Cove. Damien had spoken with distain of the Safe Haven enough times that it hadn't been too hard for Elif to find and, while she thought the quaint town was cute, Saskia Alders pack, with its strict demands, reminded Elif why she had walked out on Damien. She wasn't about to go back to having someone try to tell her what to do, no questions asked. It was only by some twist of fate that she ended up befriending the Alpha's son.

Nico was the kindred soul Elif didn’t know she needed. He was a breath of fresh air and had never seemed to care that she always managed to wind up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Rather, the moment she went tearing off with some dumb idea in mind, he was right there, charging along side of her. He quickly managed to become her favorite part about Lunar Cove which was exactly when she didn’t feel like she could burden him with her past the moment it started to tear its ugly head again.

A friend tipped Elif off that Damien knew she was in Lunar Cove. The wolf had apparently managed to do it, despite her setting him back a few months- he had formed a rival pack outside of Lunar Cove and was hellbent on teaching her a lesson for leaving him when she did. The quaint town she had started to lay down roots in didn't feel safe anymore and she knew she likely couldn't afford to stick around any longer. So, she packed up her things and, against her better judgement, she swiped the Alders' protected stash of silver weapons and aconite. It was out self preservation. If she was leaving the Safe Haven that was Lunar Cove, she'd need some sort of weapon to protect herself. She hadn't meant any harm by it. But, Nico caught her midway through trying to nab the weapons.

Elif was sure he would turn on her the way Taylor had. She figured he'd shut her down without even bothering to hear her out, but Nico was different. Rather than looking at her with eyes filled with betrayal, he genuinely offered to help. He even stood up for her when his mom found out and, after a bitter argument with the Alpha, he chose to leave town with Elif rather than stay. For the first time in forever, Elif felt she had a family again, even if it was only a family of two. Nico and her traveled around, stopping in New York, before traveling north and then west. They were as close to a two-person pack as you could get, moving every couple of months to avoid the suspicion of hunters and Damien, and always having each other's backs. They likely would have stayed like that too if Nico hadn't gotten a message in the spring of last year that his mother had been murdered. Now they both orphans and when Nico told her that he needed to go back home for a little bit, Elif could only nod and tell him to go. It was her fault he hadn't been there to begin with. It was only right that she'd support him on this.

They were supposed to meet back up in a few weeks. But, plans change and a few weeks became a month. A month became two and before she knew it, it was Valentine's Day of 2023. She narrowly managed to escape a hunter tailing her and, as much as she knew the smart thing to do would be to go straight back to Lunar Cove, the stubborn wolf in her decided to hack it. She had heard through Nico about the Lunar Cove attack and she hardly believed the small town was any safer than the rest of the world. If she could just ride it out a couple more months, then maybe she could prove to her best friend that Lunar Cove had it wrong. They were far safer in hiding out in the world than they were huddled in one place like sitting ducks. And what were a couple of hunters anyways? She was practically a superhero with her werewolf abilities and strength. She could take them.

Only a silver bullet in her arm later had her realizing that she couldn't. So, the little wolf found herself heading back to Lunar Cove after all this time with her tail between her legs. Now, Elif has been living in town for about a month or so. If you ask her what brought her back in town, she'd say that she just couldn't live without her best friend. Just pay no attention to the scar on her arm and the uneasy look in her gaze at the mention of hunters or a rival pack that she isn't sure is still out there.