#and I understand we can't and shouldn't be joyful all the time

[mytardisisparked]

Joy is muscle memory. It shouldn't be, since it's an emotion we know from birth, but eventually, other people will make you feel silly for embracing it. The world will try to take your joy away. Your misery is an exploitable commodity, your hate is socially rewardable. You have to relearn joy. You have to start grasping at every opportunity for joy like a baby grabbing an adult's finger. You have to white-knuckle grip your love and passion until your joints lock in place and the joy can't slip away. You have to build the muscles that know how to be joyful and let the muscles that care what others think about your joy atrophy. Joy is muscle memory.

[misstrashchan]

So... Please tell me I'm not the only who has Thoughts. About Hayward's plan to recruit Shrue and specifically Carpenter's involvement in it because. Adjudicator Shrue has been working to legalise the Trawler-Man's people and was working with Mason and the current Katabasions. Before that they were trying to eradicate them, being the one to hire and send out Mercer and Gage with their own platoon of soldiers.

Which brings us to Faulkner and his murder of Mason and Thurrocks, his opposition to the Katabasions plans to legalise them and let the Withermark and their people be used as a weapon of war, and the story he spins pinning the murders on Carpenter, painting her as a traitor who was working with the legal authorities (aka Shrue) and undermining them:

FAULKNER:

I could never have imagined that the Legislatures could have won her over to their cause.

It was Sister Carpenter who alerted the government’s forces to the location of the Paraclete’s Gulch. 

(With a weary finality)

But they had, and of course her return was no coincidence at all.

It was Sister Carpenter who attempted to undermine our defences from within.

And after their attack failed, thanks to the combined strength of our disciples…it was Sister Carpenter who waited for a moment when the entire Gulch was gathered below in joyful celebration, and she assassinated Katabasian Mason and poor Sister Thurrocks.

(3x01 Something Dreadful Shall Arise)

And we know how strongly Carpenter feels about the idea that she would ever work with the government legislatures against the people who were once her family, how angry she is that Faulkner has written a story that has made that lie true:

CARPENTER:

You think I’d ever make peace with the people who did it? You think I’d work with them against my own family? 

Against my brother, my parents, my grandmother?

You think I wouldn’t have put a bullet in my own skull already if I had that weight pulling me down?

And I think it's important to point out that Carpenter has no idea why Faulkner killed Mason and Thurrocks. She doesn't know anything about Mason and the other Katabasisons plans to legalise their god by proving themselves useful as a tool in the war. But we do know that in the past, when the idea of legalising the Trawler-Man was brought up before in S1 by Paige as a more peaceful way forward, she loathed the idea as much as Faulkner:

PAIGE:

But this is what's absurd, isn't it? We're talking about ancient history. Laws from 50 years back, long dead legislatures.

They're accepting new faiths back into the canon all the time now. You just need to get your god's name on a petition and-

CARPENTER:

Listen to her, Faulkner. "Our god's name, on a petition". Well. Why shouldn't we be reasonable about all this? Now that the Peninsula is ready to hear our case?

Why shouldn't we go through the proper channels? Why shouldn't they be allowed to get away with it?

FAULKNER:

Carpenter, let's keep this quiet...

CARPENTER:

My parents were dragged in shackles to the Saints hydroelectric dam, a year after I was born. They were dragged there, they were sentenced, and they were tossed off the side into the churning waters.

And the last words that they ever heard were that they were to be devoured by something that they did not understand. Because the dam was new, and on unconsecrated, and because a god must feed, and because these false faith renegades from deep in the fens made for the easiest sacrifices.

I will not hear that the world is a better place than it was because there is process. I won't and I can't.

(1x12 And To Fight Is Just to Choke)

And now Carpenter is with Hayward, and are headed towards Adjudicator Shrue to try and work with them so they can help the Woundtree seem more sympathetic and have someone who can better tell their story, as it were.

Carpenter is still being hunted by Faulkner's schism, only being given a break by being in a no man's land, only now she won't be, as she's heading into Glottage.

CARPENTER:

(Staring out of the window)

If we stayed on this road heading south, we’d make it down to Marcel’s Crossing by nightfall.

Another day’s driving, and we’d be at the Paraclete’s Gulch.

(3x06 The Wise Man Knows the Taste of Rot)

So the next time Faulkner hears about Carpenter, it's going to be about how gosh, you were right all along Katabasion Faulkner, that devious Carpenter is working with the same government official who tried to eradicate us and who is now trying to legalize us to use as a tool in their war! (that's not even mentioning she'll be seen with Hayward as well, who as far as Faulkner is aware is the cop who was hunting them down back in S1) And Faulkner is just gonna be like

Wondering if he told his lie about Carpenter working with the legal authorities undermine the Parish of Tide and Flesh so convicingly that he made it into the truth and what's that? IT'S THE FOILING TO VAL AND THE LAST WORD WITH A STEEL CHAIR READY TO BEAT ME SENSELESS-

[lheautontimoroumenos]

gonna try to keep this quick (sorry i did my best but it's still pretty long), but i feel like people are not aware enough, even in France.

so last week, a 17y old boy was killed in Nanterre (what we call the "banlieue", so in periphery of Paris) by a cop. they made him stop on the side of the road and threatened him violently asking him to open the door. on the video, we can see the cop duo at the driver side window. one of them has his gun drawn to the boy's head. the other one says "shoote le" (shoot him) and the cop with his gun drawn says "jvais te mettre une balle dans la tête" (im gonna put a bullet in your head). the boy whose name is Nahel is logically scared so he speeds away. the cop shoots him in the car, bullet in the thorax and the car hits a wall. Nahel is dead and the video is quickly relayed on twitter to mass outrage.

most left leaning people condemn this and ask for justice, but the media keeps asking them to ask for calm and order (which some do, looking at Roussel) but some don't, which alienates them in the political landscape (the favorite word of the right rn is islamogauchiste aka islamiclefty).

but the right, god the right. first they said Nahel deserved it because he was driving without a license. then it was saying he was a criminal that had already been convicted (the cops leaked a fake criminal record). so not a criminal, but he was an Arab so he would've become one, right? and he should've just obeyed the cops and he would have been ok, that's the behavior of a criminal. I think you get the gist, fascist and fascist adjacent justifications for a cop murdering a boy.

since then, there have been riots in Nanterre and all around France, and the State, Macron (President) and Darmanin (Interior Minister) have sent cops galore. Now, the last time something like this happened was in 2005, when we had less social media and the only pictures and videos we had were from the media (opposed to the riots). Today with Snapchat and Twitter, we can see the pov of the rioters and people are realizing that amidst the anger people feel, they find joy in community, and the vibes in the riots are good and joyful at times (a guy asking another guy to go take a yop for him in the market they're breaking and stealing from comes to mind). They can't say just as easily that they're angry and irrational animal because they see the humanity in the riots (they shouldn't need it but well).

now there is a debate amongst both the rioters and the left who stays mostly outside of it. Are they being useful? breaking and burning the right things? should they go to Paris and take the risk of fighting against cops in streets that they don't know as well as their own? factually, they are mostly burning cars, trash and big companies' shops. But people are choosing to only see the rare schools and libraries being burned downed (who were, for a lot of them already falling down because the State doesn't give money to the periphery). Now, it seems logical to say that burning down your middle school is not going to help against police violence. But it feels like the same people who praise the revolution any chance they get refuse to understand that it comes at a price, with violence and at least a bit of destruction. And the right is using this to discredit the whole movement.

back to fascists. First, the cop "unions" Alliance and UNSA Police published a press release calling the rioters (so mostly Arab and Black people, but also poor white people living in the periphery) "nuisibles" (pest, the word used for animals harming the ecosystem). They wrote that the cops will resist, that they are at war, that they will bring order back. In short they want to kill POC. And they have help. Fascists groups have taken advantage of the situation to walk around blocks during the day and beating up people with bats and at night to illegally arrest rioters before tying them down with zip ties and giving them over to cops. and these people arrested who are sometimes barely older than 18 end up with 18 months of jail for burning trashcans and 10 months for stealing a can of Monster (and those are not suspended sentences).

and while these people end up in jail (thus making it more likely that they will end up with shitty jobs and shitty pensions), Jean Messiha (far-right guy) created a gofundme for the cop and his family that has already gathered more than 1.5 million euros. A cop kills a child and wins the million.

so is it violent? yes of course it couldn't be otherwise. but violence is sometimes necessary, especially when you have to fight back against cops, their fascist friends and the State that allows them to keep existing. The rioters deserve full support, even if the criticism of some of their actions should exist. The danger is for this criticism to overcome our support. It shouldn't. Because if they are alone like they were in 2005, the right and the far-right will take advantage of the situation. Last time Sarkozy was elected and the risk is greater this time, with Les Républicains (the republicans) being basically dead and leaving their spot to Marine Le Pen's fascist party Rassemblement National (national gathering).

so if you're french, don't let the people around you talk shit about the situation. and if you're not, be careful still, fascism is rising and they're not as scared as they were 20 years ago.

[ohkate]

Weekly Tag Wednesday

Thank you for the tag, @energievie, @juliakayyyyy, @jrooc, and @such-a-barbarian for the tag love.

-----

name: I grew up in a time where you weren't supposed to give out your real name online, so Kate Jones became my alias based on the show 'Alias' and I've used it since.

zodiac sign: Libra

fuzzy socks or fuzzy blankets? blanket because I don't like socks. I don't like being too hot. I walk around barefoot almost all the time.

do you enjoy winter? I would enjoy it more if I didn't have to fear dying because I have to go to work. For my job, I don't understand why we can't stay home on snow days. I have a job where I can work entirely from home but, no, can't have that.

what’s your comfort book or movie? John Wick is a big one. I also love any mystery/suspense movies.

what’s your favorite way to wind down after a long day? I love marathoning tv shows. I like having a new episode waiting for me when I get home. I also love hellishly hot showers.

tell me something you like about yourself: I have no 'embarassing' gene, lol. I'm on the autism spectrum, and I'm super direct. It's not always a good thing, but I think it is for me because I don't let things fester. But there's no topic too taboo and there's nothing I won't talk about in public or with strangers.

I've learned to pick up on some queues from people so I try not to be rude, but I have no problem with people oversharing with me and vice-versa. Someone, somewhere decided we shouldn't talk about things out of some sense of decorum that some uptight dude in a suit probably came up with to control his wife, so I like that I'm not ashamed of things.

There's never an elephant in any room I'm in because I want to pet it, so I point it out right away! favorite artist? Flavio Zaark is my favorite sculpture artist. I couldn't choose a musician. I like movie scores. Hans Zimmer, Carter Burwell, Thomas Newman, Max Richter, M83, Zach Hemsey… I could go on for days. how do you practice self-care? A few years ago, I stopped arguing with stupid people. I just don't want to spend the energy on it. The earth is flat? Sure, fine. No problem. Good luck to ya. what’s a song that makes you feel joyful? The Nothing Song by Sigur Ros.

a book you want to read this year: I'm sticking with fanfic. I've read such a plethora of dramatic Ian/Mickey fics this year that I think I'd like to have some well-written, fun or funny fics that just make you smile at the end.

what advice would you give your younger self? Put every penny toward buying a house because, even though you may not ever want one, you will prefer it over what you are dealing with. You'll be stuck paying 2500 bucks a month for an apartment where you are living with crackheads and rapists and you get almost no sleep because of neverending music.

and finally, you’re given a plane ticket to anywhere in the world, no strings attached. where are you going? A food tour of all the Top Chef contestant/judge restaurants with someone who just wants to eat their way around the world and gain twenty pounds.

tagging @callivich, @tsuga-of-mars, @gillyp, @gallawitchxx

[dervaaas]

Childhood friends to lovers w jeanne?? ;)

(They dynamic is like Simba and nalas relationship)

Childhood friends relationship with Jeanne + Simba and Nala dynamics.

F!reader

Damn, I just recently remembered that I have attachments. Sorry for taking so long..

And in truth, when you were children, you could say that your relationship is similar to them.

It's just that you are very active, who cling to each other. You can do something that you shouldn't have done. You're doing some shit, despite the fact that one of you once balked at it.

Despite the fact that you didn't know each other well enough, let's say the same situation as getting to know Chloe, then it won't be difficult for her to just pull you out somewhere and play with you.

I am more than sure that while Jeanne was still a joyful child in life, she dragged you into some kind of scrapes many times. But I think she was happy about it.

Eventually, she cut the connection. Because she was told so and she must obey. She was going to numb her senses, just like they told her. And she just can't resist this.

What they say to her is very scary things. Just what can happen to you if she does not do as she is told, because you will suffer from her hands.

But if we talk about her feelings, she didn't understand them at all. Rather, she treated them in a friendly way. Well, seriously, who won't be scared when they literally threaten?

She was very worried. Sometimes you may have been brought to her, but it wasn't enough. It was even worse that you were becoming less and less in her life.

Eventually you don't come to her anymore. They tell her that you were attacked by a crazed vampire. We need to deal with him. So it became one of the incentives to become an executioner.

If your meeting happens, it will be very unexpected for her, even more so. But it's more than likely that she'll cry her eyes out.

She will most likely try to find time for you and spend it with you. With all her hyperactivity, she will definitely drag through some places.

Most likely it is recognized unconsciously. Maybe some quiet evening, or maybe even in the most absurd situation.

She can promise a lot of things and in fact fulfill most of her words. Only because the others were still inaccessible to her.

Jeanne is actually a tactile person. Does not particularly favor the PDA. Maybe if it's someone she knows, she can show it, but not much. It is possible to just take your hand.

It is not enough for her to be told about her importance, and not as a "Killer of her own kind." If she is told that she has a place in your heart, I'm afraid she will stop functioning.

She's also jealous. Although he denies it. Just try and prove it to her, she'll start denying it.

[pinkbubblr]

Letter to you

December

I will sin for you, but I am not enough for you to risk it.

I feel so guilty. I shouldn't feel this type of love towards you. Your heart is set. Why can't I set my heart the same? Just when I think I recovered from you, I fall again. Deeper and more painful. I've been through this before, but this one seems the most hurtful. Maybe because I have grown over the past few years. Maybe because I finally understand what is right and wrong. And yet... why do I keep repeating?

Something about you. How can someone not fall in love with the way you laugh. How your eyes sparkle in excitement. How God placed a cute mole on your right cheek. How your lips turn into a shy smile when I say you're pretty out of nowhere. How you have a passion for becoming a better person. You have a beautiful soul. Anyone is lucky to be able to call you theirs.

I wish I was a boy. To get a chance to hold your hands against the cold. Give my jacket to you. Even as a friend, someone always beats me to it. I want to kiss your cheeks. I want to bring you on dates. I want to buy you flowers. Write you love letters. I could write to you daily if you want me to. I want to love you without guilt. I think I am sick. I'm not right.

January

I am not really hiding it anymore. You can say I am wrong as much as you want. I already know. I have known ever since I was a kid. It was my choice to love you. I want to risk it for you. Call me a fool. Stupid. Lonely. Desperate. All are true.

I beg for your attention. I need you. You make my heart pound. I have never felt so flustered before, where my butterflies are so joyful. I want you by my side. I want to give you everything you want. But that is where I am limited. I am not a man. I can't give you kids. I can't give you respect from others.

We would be a secret, but I crave that. I don't care how much hurt I'd get in the end. Give me a chance as a woman. Let me love you as a girl.

God, I am so sorry I dropped so low. Sorry, I became angry. Please don't take her away from me.

I feel like I've failed. I never feel like I am wasting my time when I am with you. I can sit in silence, but not you. I know you itch to leave. Sorry, I failed to provide that sense of peace.

I want to be with you during your worst days. I notice when you're nervous. When you silently beg. I can read you. I am a fool for you. Every little thing about you, I pick it up. I will help you no matter what. You could tell already. You always say it's fine, that I don't have to. It makes me blush in embarrassment. That you knew I wanted to help without me saying it. I don't like it when you're unhappy. I don't like it when you talk bad about yourself. If only you could see yourself in my lens. I hear music when I am with you in silence. You can't handle it. It's cute though, I always let you play whatever song you want.

Sounds like I have no backbone, but trust me I do. I am very confident. But around you, I am suddenly a little more soft and vulnerable. Maybe that's why it hurts so much more. A heartbreak. A love that will never be returned. A love that will never be heard. A love that will break me. A love that's a sin. One-sided. I made that choice, and I will do it over and over again for you.

[strdstd-m]

REFLECT—Zhongli, regarding fight with Azhdaha or Guizhong’s death

Send REFLECT for me to explain a traumatic event in my muse’s past and talk about their perception of events ★ @underxworlder ★ Accepting

{OH BOY HERE WE GO...

Gonna go with Guizhong bc it's what I'm most familiar with/feel like I'd be able to articulate my/his thoughts on it better.

Never in his long, long life would Morax ever think he'd formulate such a bond with anyone. He was a war god, intent on slaughter and conquering, not on alliances and relations. That is, until one day amongst a field of Glaze Lillies, did he meet a fellow god. Guizhong. Someone his complete opposite in her benevolence and eagerness to learn about the humans. The very god who helped him formulate his beloved Liyue into the prosperous nation it was today. And perhaps most importantly, the woman who managed to wear down his heart of stone. Teaching him little by little how valuable humans and their emotions were, how not everything is won by bloodshed and violence, and just how important kindness itself was.

Him feeling a strange twinge in his soul upon witnessing how joyful she became hearing him gain more understanding of humans. How surprisingly entertaining it was, watching her work on her latest invention, how he actually smiled when around her.

At first, he tried to ignore it, thinking of it as a weakness. A god such as himself shouldn't get this attached to someone. Much less a war god. How he was allowing her to mold him into a gradually kinder being, it was something he should have resisted much strongly than he had. Yet... why did he protect her so fiercely, why did he allow himself to teach her combat, why did he feel this warmth in his chest whenever he saw her? A solace, she easily became, from all the fighting he took part in.

Then, the Archon War struck. And with it, came chaos and bloodshed.

He couldn't find her. The almighty Morax feeling fear seep into his being and cage him in a vice. Impossible. Gods shouldn't, can't, won't feel any form of fear. But this was Guizhong he couldn't find. It was then, then of all times, he realized. What he felt for her went beyond simple alliances, beyond even friendship. The desperate calling of her name as he searched told that well enough.

He found her. In a field of Glaze Lillies. The resemblance to their first meeting was agonizing.

Anger, was his first emotion. The gnawing desire to rip apart whomever gave her any wounds or pain. They deserved it-

It was her weakly saying his name that snapped him out of it. Like it always did before. Returning him to reality as he used the very hands the wielded a spear with beastly aggression to gently gather her into his arms.

Forget? No! Forgetting the dumbbell could equate to him forgetting her. Never could or would he do that. He'd have to deny her, just this once.

The unflinching, brutish, unfeeling Morax broke. Like carving a stone in half, he wailed and begged her. "Don't leave, Liyue still needs you- I still need you!" The earth was covered in dust regardless of the Geo god's pleas. The Glaze Lillies wilting alongside her.

Grief gave way to outright fury. Fissures, boulders, spear strikes. That was how Morax showed his grief masked by violence. Tears cascading as he fought his way through. Falling onto his knees once it all was done, only his spear supporting him where she once did.}

[boogiewuu]

Fortune's drop

This is a part of the backstory of one of my obey me oc, Desdemona, an angel with cursed eyes who soon will completely change her life.

Tw: mentioning of blood, gore, dead people

Please, remember that this is an Original Character's backstory, nothing here is canon.

I'm sorry for the grammar errors you might find but English isn't my first language.

You can find the complete cover post drawing here if you want to check out some drawings about it

«remember this...»

Why there are so many voices? What's happening out there?... I can feel the floor trembling under my feet... the cold wind crashing on me behind my back like an upcoming storm, this the first time I could feel this here in the Celestial Realms.

«...for any reason...»

My lungs are taking less oxygen by the time... Why my hands are shaking so much? The pressure on my body is pushing me down.

«...you must tell...»

Am I sick? Am I about to die? Is this the moment when your life is taken away from your own body?

«...that you're blind.»

.

.

.

For all my life, I was forced to wear a mask, or a "crown of vision" like my father said to me the first time I had to put it on. No light could go through the thin and metallic layer of that angelic artefact. Why do I wear this? Father said so... And he explicitly said I can't take it off, under any circumstances, my eyes must be hidden from the world. I don't know why... Back then, I was too little to understand the horrible faith my life was twisted on. I don't even know how I look, or how my family look because for it. I just know I have a very long hair because Mother loves to comb them for me, probably she even made me some strange yet angelic hairstyle multiple times without even got the chance to see that.

I hate this.

I hate all of this.

For all this lie, I can't have many friends. I met some angels who were kind to me and tried to make me more comfortable with my condition... but I always felt horrible, useless... I wasn't complete. How can I have friends if I can't even know how they look like? I can't see, so I can't fly like all the angels do or swim... How frustrating is it. I could hear their wings flapping in the sky while playing... And I was there on the ground, in silence. I was living a loop... From the minute I was awake to the moment I was asleep, because all the angels had one particular job... But what job could have a blind angel of fortune when there is another one who was actually able to see? When I tried to talk about it to Mother and Father, they said I shouldn't care about it... They could be my friends... I had already my twin who I can play with.

I'm feeling like another bird on a cage.

One day, something different happened, a break in the loop. There was too many strange sounds in the distance, so I tried to reach the source of it but, out of nowhere, an hand grab mine firmly and pull me on the opposite of my direction. «Follow me!! I got you!! Don't take off your mask!!» the person kept yelling... It was my brother's voice. I couldn't stand behind his steps... We both started to running but he should be my eyes for see the safer path, but he was just... Scared... So his priority was survive, running as fast as possible...but I kept falling on the ground. I could sense the angelic aura of my brother growing... He's been trying to use the magic to protect us but seems like both my fortune and his aren't helping like it should be...

Interesting.

I didn't knew emotions like this could ever exist... The nerves running down your spine... The drops of sweat mixing with the dust painting your hot face... And the new sounds were something else too. I kept heard many times breaking sounds of all the type you could even imagine... I believe there were even the cuts of visceral material too. I could smell something burning like meat and wood. I could heard screams but they weren't joyful and the heavy breathing of many people... The splitting sound of some liquid crashing on some surfaces and the finals drops. Something surely was happening. All of this was new to me...

And my curiosity kept me hunger for new sensations.

But my brother doesn't want me to go where the sounds come from... I wonder why?

Aren't these sounds amazing? Why my brother wanted me to cover my ears and pretend I didn't heard a thing? They are so different from the usual stuff...

...why my brother was acting like Father? Why I can't see? And why I'm the only one who has the eyes covered? That's not fair at all!!

My head was spinning... I think I was still running, but all these questions about the forbidden stuff was taking control over my thoughts...my lungs were killing me and I could hear my heartbeat speeding up, I could feel it in my chest. I hit something with my feet and I felt faceplate on the ground... I searched the warm hand of Madoc, calling him back... But there was no response. I didn't have enough strength for get myself up, so I stand there like I was sleeping. My skin could feel the soft leaves landing on the floor and the wind come back running through my hair.

I was outside? I could hear them, the angels screaming and the clicking of the metallic weapons... And I was there, landing on the grass, with a weak body, vulnerable.

After some time, I took back my stamina and managed to stand up on my bare feet, waving my arms around to feel the nearest obstacles but I was in an empty zone... But where? I felt a warm liquid falling on my face, wetting my skin. What is it? I touched the tear with the index and put it under the nose... It doesn't have a smell. I tried to put it on the top of the tongue... It tasted sweet yet nothing came up to my knowledge. I tried to follow the trace with the fingers and there it is. A burning pain on the skin on my forehead but my fingers where full of that sweet liquid. My finger was barely touching a cut who seems incredibly huge... My face was half covered with it...

Blood.

Oh dear Lord... My tongue tasted my own blood? Angels shouldn't even touch or see the blood, and look at what I did!! Oh, if Father would've see me, I was easily grounded for the rest of my immortal life!!

Wait... My Father isn't here, no one is here except me. I was lost and alone, if everyone was running then there's must be a danger near us... I need to run...

I need to see.

My hands shakily took the corner of the metallic mask... My heart pounding on and on. My first time see the world where I lived until now...

I have to... Or I won't be able to survive

The mask went slowly separated from the bandages over my eyes and drop it on the ground making a little jingle with the pebbles behind the leaves. I'll finally be able to see everybody...

I started to unwrapped the many layers of the dirty bandages, full of dust, blood and sweat.

That's it. Now, the only thing between the world and my eyes were the eyelids. Nothing more, nothing less.

.

.

.

The bright light of the sun blinded me for a second. My eyes were never need exposed my the light like this... I had a hard time to make them get used to, but was worth it. The world was beautiful... All the colours I only could learn weren't just words!! Ohhh I'm dreaming!! The sky was full of dark clouds, making less light going through, white feathers were falling like snow and cover all the ground around me. I looked at my hands with my own blood stained on, painting my caramel skin with a dark red.

So this is the world I've been living on for thousands of years!! Why everybody tried to hide this from me??

I heard again that melodic screams on the distance... I ended up searching with my eyes. Look up. In that gray sky there were other angels with their golden bright armor and their weapon on their hands.

They were covered with red, their armor, their weapon, their skins... Even those beautiful white feathers on the wings had blood stinks.

Angels don't attack or hurt other creatures... But that blood surely wasn't their.

I was petrified... The world was always like this? That would explain why Father and my brother tried to keep me away though.

The Angels were up to me, they took a big opening of the wings and then down, targeting me with a surreal velocity, I couldn't move... My eyes were locked on them.

They seems so determined...

I'm about to die, aren't I?

The world become soundless. The spears of the two angels were one feet close to me, yet the world seems so slow... I wonder why.

The Angels were looking at me, directly in my eyes... They had an peculiar expression, a mix of surprise and pain, yet they were looking be enchanted by the meeting of our eyes.

My lungs were running off oxygen, it was hard to breathe, blood were running down their nose, then their mouth... but that gaze weren't going away. I could feel a shock down my spine, my hands shaking again and my facial muscles reacts, I couldn't help but softly smiles and that view. They were petrified like statues, their pupils disappeared, trembling under the layer of tears. I could heard the crackling sound of their jaws opened willing to screaming until their vocal cords would be tore apart.

That twisted expression... I never knew a creature could have such an expressive face. The time looked frozen but I knew this was just my perspective... Their body hardly avoided me, crashing on the floor with enough force to destroy the splendid grass near us. They painted the ground with a scarlet red and that wet breaking sounds again... But in a combo. They turned red and purple... But I couldn't help but notice the broken bones coming out the skin like spines...weird. They looked in pain... But right now, their body was twisted like an origami.

They're no longer alive, that's for sure.

The noises, the screams... That chaos never stopped in the distance. They were full of rage and fear, I could feel the fear in those... But they were full of life and colours too,and that was new.

A twisted way to show everybody that they were alive, and God only knows they will fight for that life with teeth and claws.

Those voices, oh I recognize those voices... My friends were living this moment against everybody else. They were fighting not only to survive... But to live too. To be free. Free like me.

I wasn't alone to feel this way, huh?i my gray sky... I couldn't fly so I had to help on the other half... but the curiosity and the fun was taking me over. Those angels understand my will... They'll having so much fun

I must join... I will join.

.

.

.

I kept repeating me those words... I was covered in all the shades or red the blood could take, I wasn't trained for battle so of course I couldn't survive without having several cuts. My spear was severely damaged by all the angels' bones I destroyed, my clothes were all ruined too, if I knew angelic clothes were this uncomfortable for fighting, I would change it many years ago. Angels couldn't recognize me, but one look and I'll found them dead on the ground like they've been in overdose.

So, the curse on my eyes was really this bad? A common folk you would stare at them for too long, they died in a pot of blood?

I was taking deep breaths, while my hand was covering a bloody cut on my shoulder, I was controlling around me and then I saw that scene...

Two angels, flying towards themselves... The bigger angel had ginger and short hair while the smallest had blue hair with some white hair on the bottom of them. The ginger one was flying holding the blue one, but the other angels was standing an hand on the back of the big one. When I looked on the same direction on the angel's hand, I noticed something else. It was a girl, flying near them... But the second I was watching, that same girl was hitting in the back, falling on the void like a dead bird.

And I was there... Watching in silence that scene.

She wasn't even fighting... And yet, she was hit by this war, and that same girl was falling into the void like she deserves it. How many angels had the same faith of that girl?

I couldn't move a single muscle... What a bad timing to stay there and think.

An enemy took me from behind, I woke up form the shocked and we ended up fighting. He had a Dagger and I had my cursed eyes. I got stabbed many times, but I managed to block his head with my hands and forced it to watch my eyes. Soon enough, he was screaming and vomit blood, but loosing the balance was a fatal act.

His body pressed me down, until we both fall from the edge of the clouds. My face turned pale as we were falling... I took off of me that body and tried to use my wings to reach the surface, but nothing was worth it. More we were going down, more speed we acquired... It was an endless fall, the air was burning my lungs. I couldn't breathe, the pressure was crashing me... My wings couldn't take this. An excruciating pain was hitting my back!! My wings!! I could feel them unravelling my skin... I couldn't hear anything, not even my screams and my cries. I could feel my skin burning, my halo were melting on my face.

All of this couldn't happen If I didn't took off my mask... I shouldn't been fight with those angels, it wasn't non of my business. My friends... Are they dead? I didn't hear them anymore... And I'm going to do the same.

Did I deserve it?

.

.

.

I lost consciousness for who knows how much days or years, I was rotting in the deepest seabed. I didn't know how I was alive or where am I... But something was telling me "someone had other plans for me." Something grabbed my arm and pulled me up, reaching the surface. When I was feeling the ground again, I put my face on the ground, starting to coughing, let the water free my lungs. «where am I?» the only thing I could say. An unfamiliar voices started to talk to me «you're in the Devildom, the reign of demons. You're lucky to be alive.» says the voice. It was a deep male voice, one of that voices you can hear trembling inside you, and I doubt it was an angel...

«Are you... going to kill me?» I asked, trembling, making the demon laughed «I can... but why should I do that?» he asked, but I couldn't reply «what's your name, fallen angel» «...I have no longer a name...» I reply, I know my name... But why should I keep using that name? «...then, how the others angel used to call you?» «The Fortune's pearl... I used to bring good luck» I whispered with a low profile «looks like your luck didn't make it... you looks more of a misfortune demon» commented the demon, I felt a touch on the back «what happened to your wings and your eyes?» asked in a low voice, I let out a single gasp «I... lost my wings during the fall. And for your safety, I need to cover my eyes.» the demon didn't reply, but I felt a strip of cloth on my face, that startle me for a moment, but as soon as I felt my eyes been covered, I slowly high my head towards the demon and thank him «...You're a demon now, you're under my responsibility. Come with me so we can heal you from your wounds» says the demon «for now on, you'll be Desdemona... the misfortune's pearl.» a little giggle escaped from my mouth, a little tear goes on my cheeks, I'm finally worth it for a job

«seems like you really have plans for me...»

[imzsuzsis-blog]

I've been home for quite a while, terrified of what he's saying. One, we broke up with Ollie, two, I'm pregnant by him and I'm pissed off that he'll cut me off if I tell him this, three, Max is in Miami and all he could say was fucking brave, dude, you know, like on the track last time when you came third and you weren't afraid. So I bought deep air instead and decided to hide it in the envelope. I'll tell you the truth about the test.

"Hey, I don't even know how to say this properly, but it's over, we broke up with Ollie" I saw that she was shocked and I started to cry. "Don't worry, don't worry, a breakup is just like that." "Fuck, I know, but even if we had sex." ,,So what?" "That shouldn't be your problem, you're boys." "I'm pregnant, fuck me, Flo is only a few weeks old, leave me alone!!!" I stormed out of the family villa alone, angry and sad, and the glass door broke behind me, I took the first car far away, I had nowhere to go, but I certainly won't tell them everything after this.

I had to park somewhere and take deep breaths, believe me, I'm pregnant, I took out the test again with tears in my eyes, I could only look at it. "I don't think some fucking embryo or something is developing inside of me right now" I tilted my neck back and joyful snorts and screams came out of nowhere. Mom called but I didn't pick up, I still had the fucking loneliness to eat it all up before I remembered I fell asleep again and only woke up to someone knocking on the glass. "Sorry, sir, I overslept for some reason, I'm not sleeping well, I'm really sorry." "No problem, it's a public parking lot open 24 hours a day, only my son noticed and then left, he didn't want to bother me either." "Oh, I understand, thank you, bye." ,,Bye bye"

At first, the guy seemed cute when he stood in line at the gas station for some chocolates and chips, and suddenly he didn't even know what planet he was on and suddenly poured his water on me. "I'm sorry, the family will have the chocolate and the chips, I'm hungry" "It's okay, where do you live?" Before you forget that too." "Now I'm staying with my family in the Bristol area and in Monaco." "I understand that you are English, but you live abroad. How old? I take it your child is careful?” "I'm twenty-four and I'm not in F1, either good or bad." "What is your name or are you called?" Because I rarely date, I don't know how to ask a boy or a girl out." "Lando, I don't know, it's just a conversation. I don't even know who you are, or who are you? seriously, you can't ask a boy out on a date like that, especially if he's a complete stranger, there's the risk of being robbed, which is not small this evening. Pay attention, this base is the name." "I'm good Loki and not of this world... And here I think I cut myself off, you seem human, unfortunately I'm not, no matter how I imagine." "Bakker, it doesn't sound stupid, but I believe in such things. My friends and family think I'm a gay gullible idiot because of it." I saw him giggling at this and showing the pictures on his mobile phone. In fact, his background image was a mythological creature and he had several of these apps on his mobile phone. "Yes, my number is, let's go on a date at some point, but let's be friends."

When I got out, my brain and eyes could only see colors, I got back in the car and I knew, "Fuck Lando, his wild stranger can even kidnap me!" but I just licked my mouth and waited for that one week to ring, not him. "Fuck me!" And I put it down, Flo was the one to go home and tell me, I don't really feel like it after all this, especially since the style seems so nice and normal at first. "Flo, no, I won't tell you, I just met a normal guy!!!" I pulled out the Speakerphone and pressed the horn with muscle so that half the people around me could hear it. "Well, the angry skoripo came home, my son, what the hell happened??? Huh??? Break up with Ollie and meet a forty three year old guy???? Where has your remaining common sense gone???? "We're not going to go on a date anywhere, our interests are to hell with it!!!! Maybe next year I won't spend the fucking Easter here with my child, mother!!!" ,,You're pregnant???" "Yes, so what?" I ran up to my room, slammed the door behind me, leaned back against him and started sobbing.

"If anyone says anything, don't come out here, they will give birth to the baby, leave the little one alone!!!!!!" I screamed, sobbing from the bottom of my throat and my head was between the pillows, not only tears but also snot were flowing from my face, when Cisc came in I cut one of the pillows to her. "Lando, hey, hey, calm down, you've turned into a drama queen again. Fuck you, even if I had a boyfriend, I wouldn't tell him your secret." "Stop it, after Ollie and I broke up and he left me pregnant alone, I don't even know how to get an abortion, I just want to have an abortion in case of emergency... adoption... Mother!!!!!!" I had to get up and run down the stairs, "Yes?" "I know, but you wouldn't get a divorce, but I would raise the little one, but here is the eternal matter of adoption... Well?" ,,Lando comes with a little bit of resignation, would you be able to give up things because of him? But yes, the other language on the scale is adoption, but it is painful, which one?” "Yes, I can do it. And I can say things. And I can grow up, so I raise the little one.”

[bibookmerm]

Okay yesterday I posted my fears with my parents but not how it went.

Yeah, so. They honestly are just scared. My dad didn't say a word and then left the table as soon as he could make an excuse to, which is pretty typical for him. My mom objected a bit, saying surgery is scary and dangerous and I shouldn't get any "unnecessary" surgeries.

She asked me "Why? Why? I don't understand."

I just said, because I know this is something I want.

Then we all sat in numb silence. She said she needs time to process this. And like. Okay. Sure. I said that's reasonable.

What I'm afraid of is they may not take any time to process this with anyone and keep just shoving their feelings down like they have been for years. I can't hold space for their grief myself in what is a joyful time for me, but I wish they would reach out to a friend, or my aunt, or even a counselor and be honest about how they feel so they could release some of their fear and sadness.

.

Silence is better than yelling. A bit easier. But it isn't acceptance.

My little brother told me he's happy for me which is such a relief. That was what I needed. I needed to know someone who's known me my whole life is happy for me. My other brother wasn't there and said he hopes it goes well + he'll support me no matter what. I am glad they support me. And I'm glad my cousin S was there. She tried to mediate and she wouldn't let my mom use her own mom, auntie L who's had two surgeries for breast cancer, as a scare tactic.

.

"What are we supposed to say?" my mom asked. And, like. Idk. Maybe, "I love you"? "This is hard for me, but I'll always love you." would have felt really good. They did eventually both say they love me and hugged me for a long time. These conversations have honestly never ended in a hug before so that's something, I guess.

I know surgery is a big deal. That's not my issue. My issue is they also got real quiet and uncomfortable and stared at their hands when I mentioned pronouns. When I asked them to please call me my chosen name. I can understand the gravity of a medical procedure, but they acted like this when I asked them to change one little word. I have been out as trans to them for 5 years. And my mom still "doesn't understand" that I am trans. I wish they would have googled trans 101 or attended one PFLAG meeting in all that time. It's not too late for them to do that.

I just felt tired and wanted to sleep after that. I sincerely hope they realize one day that I'm not going to take it all back and they need to try to meet me halfway as I am now. That's all I want.

[fortunatelychaoticphantom]

More thoughts about the first 300 pages:

1. Fantasy always requires the suspension of disbelief. It is a necessary and valuable practice that enhances the experience and enjoyment of the reader. That said, the fact the Bella AND Charlie live in the rainiest town in the entire USA without a single umbrella in sight is simply beyond my ability to suspend any sort of disbelief. For a girl who hates being wet so much, she is incapable of even pulling a damn hoodie over her head.

2. Why didn't Alice see the Laurent incident? I don't remember if Edward told her not to keep track of Bella or something, I'll find out soon, but I mean, she saw Bella jumping off the cliff, so she was following her, right? Alice should have seen it the moment Laurent decided to kill Bella. Right? It's weird is what I'm saying... Also Victoria, now that I'm thinking about it. She's the one killing those hikers around town, right? She's hunting Bella, so that should have registered with Alice, shouldn't it have? And even if we say that the werewolves were obscuring her visions about Victoria, I still think she should have seen Laurent before they came and killed him, right? Like how she saw Bella jumped but not being rescued because that involved Jacob. I don't know...

3. I forgot how much I love Jacob. Not as a love interest, but just as a character. How kind and joyful he was... it's really rare to see this sort of character, especially in fantasy. While it's completely understandable that his transformation was traumatic and unbelievably hard, and it's valuable that his pain is given the proper room to be explored, it's still a shame that we never get to see the original happy Jacob again (if I remember correctly... We'll see).

4. The whole Victoria hunting Bella thing reminded me just how much I don't really like Meyer's vampires. I mean, she did innovate a bit with them, no doubt (like the whole not breathing and sense of smell stuff that others have talked about here), but their existence has always struck me as kind of static and boring? Like, they're perfect. Literally perfect. Nothing can kill them besides other vampires (that we knew at the time). For Bella at that moment, knowing Victoria or Laurent are coming to kill her, not yet knowing about the werewolves, it's just so depressing. There's nothing she can do but wait for her death. She can't stall them, she can't stop them, she can't kill them, and she has to go through all that completely alone, having no one to talk to about it (again - unbelievably horrific, and Meyer actually acknowled that when Jacob tells Bella that it was hard keeping a secret from her for two weeks, so what she's been through must have been hell, which it was). The point is that I'm not a huge fan of perfect-no-flaws-or-weaknesses kind of fantastic characters, because it makes them really boring in my opinion.

(There's also a lot to say about why exactly do vampires hide in this world? They are literally indestructible. I need to finish the full series again to be sure if it was addressed or not, but I have a faint memory that it was not, and that they sort gave Michael Sheen that one line in New Moon exactly about it to, I don't know, maybe try to explain it? Something about modern weapons being an actual threat to them? But I don't remember it ever being mentioned in the books and like, is it actually a fact or just his fears? Has any vampire ever been killed by humans? And yet, there's still, you know, ALL of human history predating modern warfare in which the vampires could have just taken over the world... It doesn't really make sense to me. Anyway, yeah, I don't love this version of vampires...)

5. That said, it only reminded me just how fucking much I adore the Quileute werewolves (yeah yeah, shape-shifters, I know)!! We haven't yet reached the full lore, which I am eager to, but I just. Ahhhhh. They're so awesome!! I just love how Meyer saw the perfect vampires she created, those who can't be harmed by sunlight, stakes, crucifix or any other classical anti-vampire weapon, and said "but what if there was a specie, who's sole purpose for existing was to kill vampires?". And I just love it. I love the almost evolutionary vibe to it, like nature itslef said "nahh those vampires are way too much we need to balance this shit out" and then took one random tribe and gave them the ultimate and greatest powers ever to exist to specifically counter vampires and protect humans. I don't know folks, I just love it.

After rereading Twilight last year (1, 2), I decided to reread New Moon. Three notes about the first 100 pages:

1. It's fascinating to see Bella's low self esteem in comparison to how absolutely fucking horny she is with Edward. I remembered it as a third book thing that was more about her wanting to have human experiences before becoming a vampire, but like... girl is mad horny from the beginning. I respect that.

2. It's really interesting that throughout the leaving scene what actually broke her, the moment it truly sank in and devastated her, was when she realized Alice wasn't coming back. That was the last thing he said before saying goodbye. I think it ties to her already established depression from the first book and how she just doesn't have any close friends beside Alice, and the fact that it's the finishing blow of the scene really shows in my opinion just how important that relationship on its own was to her. I don't know if the fact that it's like the final slap is meaningful, but there's something beautiful about her losing a friendships being given just as much space and emotional impact (if not maybe more in that moment...) as a romantic relationship.

3. I... am having doubts about the way we've always treated Edward as this unhealthy toxic boyfriend. I don't really know how to express this yet, not even sure I will in the future, but there is such a strong caring vibe coming from him, trying extremely hard to treat her well, within the boundaries and complexity of a fantasy relationship, and it looks like most of the more toxic aspects of the relationship are actually coming from Bella herself instead, specifically centered around her low self-esteem.

[ijustwant2write]

Too Trusting-Thor Odinson x Reader

(GIF credit to @slice-of-thunder)

MASTERLIST

Summary: (Y/N) starts to sense a pattern whenever Thor tells stories of his brother, and she can't help but point it out to him.

Characters: Thor Odinson x Reader

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

Warnings: Arguing, fluff

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As Thor told me yet another tale about Loki, I had to stop myself making faces or rolling my eyes, because I knew what was coming next as he spoke. Although he was telling the story in a joyful way, I knew that he had gone through a lot of hurt due to his brother. This was how the anecdote would go: Thor was the hero, he needed help, bargains with Loki, everything goes smoothly until Loki betrays him and/or fakes his death. The day would still be saved but Thor was still upset over his brother.

"My love, did you hear what I said?" Thor asked.

"Yes, I did." I didn't mean to snap.

"What is wrong? Did something happened today? I'm sorry, I never asked, I just started rambling."

"No, nothing happened today. It's just..." I didn't know how to go about this without hurting his feelings.

"Yes?"

"Thor, these stories are all the same."

"Oh, I do not believe they are, I've been on many adventures and quests, none are the same as the other."

"Not the stories per say. It seems that every time Loki is involved he...he uses you."

He scoffed with a smile."What?"

"He always either betrays you or lies to you about dying. I just thought after all these times, maybe you would clock onto it."

"Are you saying I'm stupid?" he stood from the bed where we had been lying opposite each other.

I sat up."No, of course not! It's more like, you're too trusting."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Sometimes it is."

"You don't know Loki, you've never met him."

"I know, but what else am I supposed to think when all the stories you tell me portray him as the cunning one?"

"That's what he is though, the God of Mischief, it's in his nature."

"I understand that Thor, but I thought mischief might mean playing tricks on people. Not invading Earth."

"I told you about that time he turned into snake and bit me, right?"

I sighed, it either wasn't getting through to him or he was too stubborn to admit I was right.

"You don't know my brother. He's...misunderstood. He did not receive the love father gave me as we grew up."

"Well, that's very unfortunate but what did you ever do to him?"

I could see he was getting angry now. I really didn't want this to turn into an argument, maybe I shouldn't have said anything. But if I couldn't tell him, who could?

"Thor, please can you just sit down? I really didn't mean to upset you."

"Well I can't stop thinking about it now. Who else sees me as an idiot? Was I a fool in front of all of my family and friends, my friends from work?"

He was pacing now, slowly, but it was clear to see he was trying to keep calm. When he was angry it wasn't pretty. He had never directed it at me, and I know he wouldn't now, however this had hit a nerve.

"No one sees you that way." I crawled to the egde of the bed, now sat on top of my knees."I only brought it up because I don't like thinking of you in those situations. I just...it sounded like you didn't realise what was happening in those moments."

"I would like to see you battling monsters and evil men, I don't think you would come out of it lightly." he spat.

My mouth dropped open. Now I was angry too. I stood on the bed, only just coming to eye level with him.

"This isn't about me winning any battles! I know I wouldn't last a second out there. Why aren't you acknowledging this?"

"Because no matter how many times I gave him a chance he let me down!"

A sudden crack of thunder made me jump, I faltered on the bed, almost falling. Thor moved to steady me until he saw that I quickly regained myself. But it was weet to see him still caring even though we were bickering.

I let a few seconds pass by, a small trickle of rain gently hit against the windows. OK, it wasn't a huge storm, that was a good thing.

"Thor," I gently said, stepping down to the floor,"I'm sorry for confronting you about this. I thought maybe you were in denial. And I understand why you would be. You love Loki, you want to give him second chances because you're a good person, you see the good in everyone. But you can't let yourself be in harms way when things like that happen. What if the next time he betrayed you-"

"There may not be a next time!" he then looked like he was thinking."Oh, I'm beginning to see what you mean."

I calmly continued."What if next time he betrays you, you get seriously hurt, or killed even! And even if Loki quickly regretted his decision, it could be too late to save you."

Thor lowered his head. He hated being wrong, just like I did. I watched as he turned his back to me, sitting on the end of the bed. I had learned that although Thor liked to be alone with his thoughts, he did need a calmer person to talk things through, make him see this all from a different perspective.

"I didn't meant to make you sad." I mumbled, looking out at the rain."I hope you know I said all this because I love you. It would crush me to see Loki go behind your back again."

He didn't say anything, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Slowly I approached him, kneeling on the bed again but behind him. I rested my whole body on his back, wrapping my arms around his torso as much as I could.

"Please talk to me."

"I know you are right. But I don't want you to be."

Oh, he sounded so sad.

"Neither do I. You now I didn't say it out of spite against you or Loki. It's just hard to paint a pretty picture of him."

"I know."

I kissed the back of his shoulder."Do you want to be alone?"

"No." he placed a hand over mine."But, please can we not talk about this anymore?"

"Of course."

"I wish you could meet him. Or have met him before he turned into what he is now."

"Me too."

"I hate disloyalty and dishonesty. I am sorry I got angry but it is a difficult subject for me to talk about."

"I know. Shall we just go back to lying down together?"

"Yes."

[kalims]

AYO I LOVE THE MOTHER READER W/ AETHER AND LUMINE OF ITS ALRIGHT WILL YOU DO MORE ??? MAYBE MOTHER READER TRAVELLIN WITH THEM? maybe them goin to mondstadt this time- (pls i just love it dont mind me)

fluff, platonic relationships.

the bright lights of the sun peaked through the fluffy white clouds upon the light blue sky filled with wonder. If you looked closely, a rainbow shall be seen standing tall and proud in it's beautiful glory. Tevyat had been seemingly went back to normal, the people that shared home's in it were all able to go out of their safe house's ever since the twins had confronted each other thus they finally reunited.

There was no more abyss, no more organization that wrecked chaos and struck fear amongst the seven respective nations. There was no more princess to lead the group of the monsters brimming with evil, they'd finally been freed from the curse they've had for hundreds--thousands of years. Their soul can finally rest in the heavens in peace, shall they watch over the current generation.

All thanks to the two wonderful twins, that had saved them from their demise. Alas the so called monsters had finally found their eternal paradise.

Her yellow pools flashed in guilt, yet her heart warmed, knowing that she'd guided them to their happiness. Just the sight of the familiar block of metal and wires brought back both many unpleasant memories and joyful one's.

A hand planted itself on the smooth skin of her shoulders, gently squeezing it affectionately. lumine glanced back. Her eyes trailing across the hand that sat atop her shoulder before her orbs locked with yours. You sent her a reassuring smile, eyes shining with understanding.

"Don't worry, they're all in a better place now." You spoke slowly, making sure to choose your words carefully to ensure that the blonde female wouldn't feel an ounce of guilt nor break down in sniffles and tears.

Your daughter laid her eyes on the ground, however her blonde locks bounced as she nodded her head. "I know..." She whispered under her breath, her lips thinned. You frowned lightly, it wasn't like her to feel and look so depressed. It can't be helped you supposed.

But still, the fact that you weren't there for the twins, your twins while they were experiencing events that teens shouldn't even go through. It hurt you a lot, especially knowing that they've been damaged both mentally and physically. It made your thoughts race with guilt.

"Hey! What's the hold-up! Paimon's hungry for some sticky honey roast, and we aren't gonna get in mondstadt if you two just stand around!" Paimon whined, rubbing her stomach area to emphasize how hungry she was truly feeling, you spared lumine a glance, giving her one last squeeze on the shoulder before turning to the small floating child.

"Now, Now... We'll get going then!" To this, the girl cheered loudly, she gripped aether's arm before she yanked it as strong as she could. The said boy who was previously napping with his back against the tree woke up, startled.

"H-Huh.. Oh, it's you paimon." Aether deadpanned, watching as the girl panted. Paimon wiped a stray droplet of sweat that threatened to fall down her temple with an exhausted huff. "You're really heavy, y'know that?!"

Aether raised a brow. "That's probably because you're really small." He smirked lazily as her face twisted into one of defeat and irritation.

Your hands raised into a loud clap, the sound echoing around the small forest and effectively gaining the (family's) group's attention. "That's enough chatter everyone, let's get moving before night falls!" None of them really wanted to sleep in the middle of the night, especially if a few of them thinks that there are monsters amidst the darkness.

The group ventured into the city of freedom in a rather fast pace, even after their reuniting the beautiful wings had yet to return, along with their powers. You, of course still have your very own wings since 'the unknown god' never sealed them in the first place.

"Oh wow... Is that it?" You mumbled in awe, your eyes skimming over the large gray walls of the city. It was absolutely beautiful, the walls were inspired by a castle of some sorts, you can already see the large statue of the anemo god above. It was just that large.

"Yeah."

Aether nodded, smiling at your expression. Lumine stood by her side with a wide grin, she'd never personally been in the city itself. To say she was excited to explore the depths of the city was an understatement.

"Ah! Traveler, you've returned! :D" a rather high pitched voice spoke, you all turned to the right. A boy, looking more younger than you. However you know not to judge appearances, a strange thing a certain golden eyed man told you.

The boy's green eyes shifted onto yours. He wore a cheery smile, his carefree demeanour defined shone through. "Oh, and with new company too! I am venti the bard!" He introduced, the arm that held a wooden lyre laid in his side while the other was on his hip.

"I'm lumine.🙂"

"You can call me, (Y/N)! 😊"

"you already know paimon! 😋"

"You didn't need to introduce yourself, he already knows you paimon."

"Shut up Aether. 😐"

Venti chuckled at the now bickering group, to be more specific. You and lumine watched as aether and the small child argued back and forth. Aether with reason and paimon with stubbornness.

"What a lively group!" :D

[callemreine]

Brave face, talk so lightly(hide the truth)

'All my life, I've just wanted to make things easier for them.'

Au August

Day/Prompt: Day 26 - Soulmate

Ship: Prinxiety, brief logicality, creativitwins

Word count: 3k (I'm so sorry I got carried away)

Cw: swearing / brief murder mention / implied death / crying / nightmares(?) / anxiety mention / caps / claustrophobia(?)

A/N: the prompt is your dreams are your soulmate's memories. The title is from the song "Sick of losing soulmates" by dodie. I wrote the first 1/4 of this a few days ago and the rest in one sitting and I couldn't care less about proofreading it so Im so sorry if there are any mistakes ;-;

@tsshipmonth2020

I see a girl in the distance. She has her back turned. Long chocolate-colored hair tied in a low messy bun. My hand is reaching out to her. I feel this sudden longing to be held by this woman. Craving her caring and loving words. Telling me that everything is going to be alright.

Wait. Why is she getting farther away?

She looks back at me with a sad smile. Everything gets dark. I let my eyes stray from her to look around. When was I in a hospital corridor?

"I'm sorry, Pumpkin. You're gonna have to continue our adventure without me. But, fear not, Little one. I'll always be there by you. You just gotta learn to know where I am,"

She caresses my cheek, giving me the warmest smile I have ever received.

She's gone, suddenly. I touch my cheek, still feeling the ghost of her warm touch. Along with… something wet? Am- Am I crying?

"Roman!"

I don't move. I feel stuck. But, also free, somehow. Just unsure of what to do, I guess?

"Roman! Wake up. You idiot!

"Roman!

"Oh, thank all things unholy! I thought someone was in our room, trying to murder us! You were crying, and- and whispering stuff! And it's creeping me the fuck out! And I'm not easily creeped out, you know that" Remus exclaimed as he sat on Roman's chest, grabbing his twin’s shoulders.

"Man, you're soulmate must have some twisted memories," He continued, getting off of Roman and returning to his own bed across the room.

'Yeah. Twisted…' Roman thought.

~*~*~

"You okay there, Sweetie?" Roman heard from where his head was buried on the kitchen counter. "Yeah... Just thinking about my soulmate again," he admitted.

"Another bad dream?" His mom inquired as she sat next to Roman, patting his back. "It's not just that. It's about the move. Like, we're never really sure which of our memories they see, right? But, they've seen all my memories from this place. Like, they know where I've been my entire life…" he trailed off.

"I'm just not sure how they would feel seeing a whole new different place… They don't seem to be in a place to experience a big change right now. All my life, I've just wanted to make things easier for them. And, yeah, my dreams don't really change that much. But, I make an effort, y'know?" Roman looked up at his mom to seek at least some kind of reassurance.

"I understand what you mean, and I think that what you're doing is great. And I know that you're gonna be the bestest thing that's ever gonna happen to them. But, I'm really sorry. We don't really have any choice with this move. I know your soulmate is in a dark place right now, but you can't always do everything for them. You're also your own person," His mom hugged him.

Roman felt like he was hopeless in this situation. And, he was always hoping for the best. For his soulmate or otherwise. Maybe his mom was right about putting himself first sometimes.

~*~*~

Virgil was in his first period when someone he didn't expect to walk into his classroom… walks into his classroom… They were wearing an army green shirt, a denim jacket with neon green highlights and spikes at the bottom, ripped jeans, and platform boots with more spikes and vulgar words written on them. To say that this man was familiar was an understatement. He KNEW this man's entire life THROUGH his dreams.

Virgil felt like he was trespassing someone's life. Like, he wasn't supposed to know the man. And that, they shouldn't be in any way related. Especially to their sibling.

He wasn't really ecstatic about meeting his soulmate. IN SCHOOL NO LESS. It wasn't really an ideal 'meet-your-soulmate' place for someone like Virgil.

"Alright, students, I'm sure you've all noticed that we have a new student right here. Now, why don't you go and introduce yourself, Mister," their teacher said to the denim jacket guy.

"Umm. Sup? I'm Remus Duke Kingsley. Nice to meet you all. And, if you see a guy that looks like me but without the mustache and wears red all the time, he’s always loud, you can’t miss him. That's my twin brother, Roman. The boring one," Remus says, yawning by the end of his introduction.

'HOLY FUCK, TWINS?!' Virgil thought. Fortunately(or unfortunately, depending on which part of Virgil's brain you're asking), Remus already gave him a vague description of who to look out for.

~*~*~

Virgil continues his day and falls into his daily routine, which mostly includes attempting to avoid being perceived by anyone. It usually succeeds if you exclude his friend, Patton, from ‘anyone.’ He only hopes that his soulmate also sees Patton in their dreams cuz, to be honest, Patton is the ray of sunshine everyone needs. Yeah, he was also friends with Logan, but he’s more like a moon if you ask him.

Virgil goes into the cafeteria and sits at their usual table, his back facing the entire cafeteria. He takes out a paper bag from his bag and grabs the sandwich he bought earlier, not waiting for his friends.

A few moments pass before Logan and Patton reach his table. “Hey, kiddo! You alright?” Patton says as he sits down. Virgil just gives them a nod and continues to eat. “I heard this morning that there were new students,” Logan inquires before Patton interrupts “Oh yeah! They’re twins! I have first period with one of them. He’s really nice. Oh! Hey! Roman! Over here!” Patton shouts and waves his arm toward a student that just entered the cafeteria. “Hope you guys don’t mind that I invited him over to sit with us,” He continues and flashes both Virgil and Logan a smile no one could say no to.

“Hey, Patton.” The guy says to Patton. “Hope you guys don’t mind me crashing your table. I’m Roman by the way,” Roman says to the other two. “Pleasure to meet you, Roman. I’m Logan. And, no, we wouldn’t mind at all,” Logan answered him back. Roman looked over to Virgil who just nodded and said his name. Roman then proceeded to sit next to Virgil but not paying him any mind.

And, though Virgil seemed to be calm about the situation, his mind is currently in flames having his anxiety and his gay panic fight over each other. Virgil is currently waiting for who would win, that's why he seems so calm on the outside. After finishing his sandwich, he was trying to think of something he could do to keep himself from leaving and be noticed. He looked over to Logan, attentively listening to Patton talking about the dog he saw this morning. Roman was silently eating his lunch, also listening to Patton, but looking around the cafeteria every once in a while.

It seems that Virgil’s anxiety won the fight because he decided that he doesn’t want to stick around with his friends and his apparent soulmate without doing anything. So, he stands up and excuses himself from the group. "Hey! Wait!" Roman calls after him. Virgil stops a few feet from the table to look back at Roman who was already jogging towards him.

"Virgil, right?" He assures.

Virgil nods. "Ok, there’s just something I wanna ask you. Are those two soulmates?" Roman throws his thumb back, pointing at the two left at the table. "Cuz, as much as how adorable they look together, I kinda don't want to be stuck as a third wheel," he continues.

"Oh. Yeah, those two are soulmates. Sometimes, I wonder if they ever do notice me every time I leave the table," Virgil elaborates, looking back at his friends with a slight smile.

"Umm. Class doesn't start for a few more minutes. I was wondering if I could join you for a while? Wherever you were going…" Roman trailed off, realizing he didn't know where the shorter male was headed.

"Uhh. Yeah, sure. I was just headed to the courtyard to pass the time,"

'Shit. Virgil, why are you doing this?! Why did you agree?! You have anxiety!' Virgil mentally scolded himself.

"Ok. Cool. I'll just go get my stuff," Roman flashed Virgil a smile before heading back to the table.

'Fuck. I am so screwed,' Virgil thought.

~*~*~

"So, what's the deal with those two? I mean, how did they deal with the soulmates thing?" Roman finally spoke a few moments after they found a bench to settle on. "Uhh, well. Logan is my childhood friend and the first day we started high school here, they both had a dream of roll call the other had that day, I guess? They both heard each other's name and boom. You got your glasses gays," Virgil discussed, reminiscing the events that happened that day.

Roman let out a chuckle at Virgil's last words, causing the other's heart to skip a beat. They remain silent for a while, watching the other students passing by.

"What about you?" Roman spoke up.

"What about me?" Virgil glances back.

"I mean, what about you? Have you met your soulmate? Do you know who they are? You just seem like an interesting individual to me, having to stick around knowing you're third-wheeling all the time yet valuing your time with them and your time with yourself all the same. Well, either that or I'm just embarrassed that I think you're uncomfortable with me here…" Roman rambled, rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed.

Virgil chuckled, "Nah. I just get anxious when meeting new people. Plus, I think you're a pretty nice guy." They smiled at each other, Virgil feeling his face heat up, and looks away immediately. "And, about the soulmate thing. I think I have a clue of who they might be, I just…" he trailed off.

"What's holding you back?" Roman muttered, lowering his head, attempting to catch the other's eye. "I… I just think that my memories aren't that… for them. They're just this amazing and joyful person… I just don't think they deserve to see my bland memories every night,"

The pair fell silent, Roman feeling sympathy for the other. Virgil felt Roman shift in his seat before speaking up, "I don't think anyone's memories are ever bland."

Virgil looks up at Roman who has a far-off look with a slight smile on his lips. "I think that our dreams are what shows us what we're missing in life. What our soulmate has that we need and what we have that they need. You know, what makes you both feel complete when you're with each other," Roman smiled.

Virgil pondered on the other's statement for a while. "Is that... Is that how you feel when you're with your soulmate?" He said, being careful with his words. Roman sighed but remained smiling, "I haven't met them yet. But, what you said earlier reminded me of them. I always think they're a little different. My moms said that dreams are supposed to show my soulmate's memories. But, no one is ever sure which ones we see. Well, my dreams always have one thing in common… There's darkness every time…" Roman trailed off, looking more sad as he continued.

"Sometimes, they walk out of their house and, suddenly, everything goes dark and I see pairs of eyes staring at me as I walk. Or sometimes, they lie in bed and, suddenly, it's dark again and I'm stuck inside a box too small for me. But, there’s always this one dream that always repeats itself. Though, I'm not sure my soulmate's gonna be comfortable with me sharing," Roman finally snaps out of his trance and looks up at Virgil, looking embarrassed.

At this point, Virgil is now entirely sure that the person in front of him is his soulmate. He feels tears cloud his eyes so he looks away to play off wiping them away before looking back at Roman with pity in his expression. This is exactly what Virgil was afraid of, having his soulmate also experience the darkness that clouds him every day he wakes up.

"Wow… They- I- I don't know what to say… What are you gonna do when you meet them?" Virgil glances at Roman, pity still in his eyes. Roman let out a sigh but smiled, "I'm gonna give them the biggest hug they've ever received and reassure them that I'm always gonna be with them and that they'll never have to feel alone all the time ever again." Roman looked at Virgil with a smile. But, before he could notice the tear that fell from the other's eye, a loud shrill of their school bell rang throughout the courtyard, signaling the start of their next class.

"Talk about first impressions," Roman said with a chuckle, standing up. "Well, see you around, Virgil. I got a few more 'Hi, I'm Roman' to do," he continued, leaving Virgil on the bench.

~*~*~

I hear my converse squeak as I walk through the hallway. There are people around me, but they're all just silhouettes of the same familiar darkness. I'm walking to what seems to be the cafeteria. I sit down and grab my lunch from my bag. A few minutes pass, two figures sit in front of me. There's something familiar about them despite being two black silhouettes.

"Hey, kiddo! You alright?"

Patton?

"I heard there were new students," Logan?

Wait. Am I…

"Oh yeah! They're twins!"

Oh.

"I have first period with one of them. He's really nice. Oh! Hey! Roman! Over here!"

Before I could look over to… me…

Darkness. Again.

I hear muffled voices. Too muffled to be recognized.

I stay in darkness for what felt like hours before I get surrounded by light.

Too bright.

There's a silhouette in front of me. It doesn't have any facial features but I can feel it stare at me. Slowly, the light around me doesn't feel too bright anymore. It feels… warm and comforting. Similar to the feeling I have in my chest, along with a squeezing feeling. I feel tears cloud my eyes, but I feel happy, somehow?

I feel someone embrace me. I look up to see the silhouette. Its arms around me, like it's protecting me. I feel secure. I feel loved.

I hug back, breaking down in its arms.

"You don't have to be alone anymore"

I hear my own voice. I break down sobbing, seeking more of the silhouette's warmth.

I stopped sobbing after a while but remained in the silhouette's arms for what felt like hours.

"You gotta wake him up!" I heard a distant voice say in a hushed tone.

"No, he hasn't slept like this since who knows when… Something must've happened yesterday..."

I feel myself slowly drifting from where I was standing.

"We can just tell the school he's sick"

"On the second day?"

I feel someone caress my cheek.

"You can stay too if you want"

"Hey, sweetie," Roman opens his eyes to his mom in front of him.

"What's going on? Why are you all in our room?" Roman asks as he sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He eyes Remus standing in front of their mama. Their mom is sitting on the edge of Roman's bed, facing him.

"Well, sweetie. You see, you just had a full night's sleep," their mom explained.

"You looked so peaceful too," their mama added with a smile. Roman stopped to let the events of his dream last night come back to him.

"Roman, is everything ok?" Their mama walked over to him, tucking a few strands of his hair behind his ear. "Yeah… Yeah, I'm okay!" He flashed a smile to his moms, meaning what he said.

~*~*~

Roman hadn't been able to sit still ever since he got to school. 'Late', he should add. Apparently, he overslept while Remus and their moms decide whether to wake him up or not.

When they got to school in the middle of first period, they were excused because their moms were there to explain. With a slightly bent truth, of course.

Roman had to wait three(and a half) classes to talk to Virgil. They didn't have any classes together, to which Roman was bummed to find out. When the bell rang, signaling their lunch break, Roman hurriedly headed to the cafeteria. When he got there, he spotted Virgil just about to sit down at their usual table.

"Uhh. Virgil? Can I talk to you for a sec?" Roman felt awkward, to say the least.

"Uhm. Sure," Virgil replied, standing up. Roman led them under a tree in the courtyard, away from other students. They stayed silent for a while before Virgil spoke up, "So… what'd you wanted to talk about?"

Roman just stared at Virgil for a few moments, examining him, before enveloping him in a tight hug. Virgil stood frozen for a while, surprised at the gesture. He slowly placed his hands on Roman's back, still confused at the sudden affection.

"You're not alone anymore, Pumpkin," Roman said in a gentle voice, cradling the other's head. Virgil froze when he heard the nickname. His expression then softens and hugs Roman tighter, burying his face on the taller male’s shoulder.

"How did you find out?" Roman heard, slightly muffled by his jacket. "Had a dream about yesterday," Roman simply stated, not elaborating more. "What about you? You said you had a clue. Oh! That rhymed,"

They both laughed.

"I have first period with Remus and I recognized him right away," Virgil replied, his face still buried on Roman's shoulder. "Oh, I'm so sorry you have to deal with him," Roman chuckled.

"No, I'm sorry you had to deal with him your entire life,"

"Well, we're not alone anymore now, are we? Roman asked with a serious tone. Virgil parted a few inches from Roman, still holding on to him. He smiled as he looked up at Roman, "No, we're not."

This might be the last one I'll do for AU august but I'm also deciding if I should go back to the prompts I missed when I was sick hmm

I wish I included Remus more in this but it was already 3k words and thats the longest I've ever written so maybe its for the best XD

[randomanimeandmangablog]

How much is past!Lucio to blame for Petronilla's death?

So this is kind of hard to debate because there simply isn't much information. The manwha isn't complete, while the web novel is. While these are almost identical, there are scenes that are different in one version than in the other and scenes that are included in one version but not the other.

What's more, the web novel version I found doesn't seem to be well-edited. I'm not saying that as criticism, since I know it's likely that fans translated it into English for free. However, it does make some things difficult to analyze. Nevertheless, here it goes:

Evidence from what we've seen in the manhwa:

Petronilla begging her husband to believe her, while he coldly says that she asks for such impossible things.

Rosamund engineering things to make Lucio associate Petronilla with Queen Alisa.

Petronilla being unable to understand Lucio's trauma.

Evidence from what we've seen in the web novel:

We don't have the same flashbacks as in the manhwa, so things are somewhat more ambiguous. Petronilla does reflect that she had changed, becoming "wicked." However, this might be a mistranslation since we don't see her do anything wicked. Maybe she was depressed or bitter. I'm not sure.

In the side story that's meant to show what happened in that version after the Grochester's were executed, Lucio pulls away from Rosamund shortly after the execution. He still crowns her as queen, but their relationship is strained. He has nightmares of Petronilla blaming him for her and her family's deaths.

When the truth comes out, he's upset with her, but he still sleeps with her one last time. He seems broken by her lies and betrayal.

Patrizia doesn't seem to hold him to blame to the degree she does Rosamund. She believes he was tricked.

A big part in establishing how much Lucio was to blame is how much he knew.

I don't think Lucio knew before the execution that Rosamund had framed Petronilla. Killing his mother haunted him, and I don't think Lucio would have knowingly killed four innocent people. Even if he cared nothing for Petronilla, I don't think his fragile psyche could have taken it. Being an asshole to his wife? That he could do. Killing her for a crime she didn't commit? No.

Plus there's that scene where Petronilla is begging him to believe her, and he is absolutely cruel in his refusal. At the time of the execution, I don't think Lucio had any doubt that Petronilla was guilty.

But I also don't think he tried hard to give her the benefit of the doubt. Rosamund had tricked Petronilla into giving him flowers to trigger flashbacks. Petronilla hadn't understood what he needed during his breakdowns. And Petronilla had changed, whether to someone who was truly wicked or someone who was bitter and depressed. At this point, Lucio saw Petronilla only in a negative light, so when she was accused, I don't think he tried hard to prove her innocence. I think he trusted entirely in Rosamund and any fabricated evidence.

Regardless, it's telling that Lucio pulled away from Rosamund before she even became queen. I think that he sensed something either at the execution or afterward. Maybe she was too joyful or let her sadism show, but he guessed that she wasn't who he had thought she was. Also, in his nightmares, Petronilla upbraids him. He seems to feel guilty, even though she was executed for allegedly trying to kill him. This indicates to me that he knew Rosamund wasn't the saint he once thought she was. Maybe he guessed or worked out what had happened, but he didn't want to admit it. At that point, he had no one else, so he kept on pretending Rosamund was innocent until forced to admit otherwise.

So, I think Rosamund is mostly to blame, but Lucio can't be exonerated because he was tricked. As the emperor and Petronilla's husband, he should have been kinder to Petronilla. He shouldn't have given his mistress such power that she could easily frame his wife for attempted murder. Most of all, he should not have been so quick to believe her guilt.

[the-coffee-story]

Rise of the Forest God

Chapter 2 - The Forest God

When Agatha came over to visit the next day, she found herself baffled when Alice opened the door with a wide smile.

"Agatha, you won't believe what happened!" She was giddy. "Oh, it's so wonderful!"

Agatha furrowed her brows and tried to peer her head past her shoulders and into the space between the doorway. "What is it?"

"He's back!"

"Who?"

"Eustace!"

"What?!"

"Come and see for yourself!" Alice excitedly jumped up and down and took her by the hand. "He's still weak, and he won't speak, but he's here!!!"

"Alice, that's-"

"Come with me!" She dragged her along to the living room, excitedly murmuring the whole way.

Agatha froze in the doorway, mouth slightly agape.

It was him, undoubtedly, but even as he raised his head and turned it to them, he didn't look like he was still among the living. His skin was white and mottled, and he was sitting so still he looked like a corpse at first. His face was empty of any expression or life, as if his soul had been left behind somewhere far away. "Eustace, look, Agatha's here!" Alice was beaming, skipping over to the still figure.

Agatha felt the blood draining from her face.

Whatever was going on, this was not natural. And yet Alice was as joyful as she hadn't been in months. Agatha was torn. Should she tell her to leave him? What had happened to him? Or should she let it be?

"I-"

"Yes, I know, he looks exhausted." Alice's voice was soft as she sat down next to her silent husband. She softly stroked the back of his hand. "But he's going to be fine again, aren't you, Eustace?"

His chapped, white-blue lips moved, only slightly, but no sound came out. His face was as expressionless as that of a deadman.

Agatha shivered, and took a stray step back. She couldn't bear to be within his presence any longer. "Well, I... I wish you two the best of luck with th-that then... I just remembered I still need to fix my husband's coat, he ripped a hole in it again, he's so clumsy..." She laughed nervously. "I'll see you then... goodbye!"

With that she rushed out.

***

"Zombie." The child grinned.

"Don't interrupt me." The mother gently booped her child's nose.

***

Months had passed. At first Eustace's miraculous return was nothing but a rumour, but then Alice began bringing him outside, and soon everyone knew that something had happened. By the time it was summer, despite whispers of witchcraft and unholy entities, the majority of townsfolk had simply accepted the strange pair. There wasn't much else to do.

It was a warm summer afternoon. The sun was drowning the world in a deep golden glow and the birch trees were softly swaying in the wind like it was singing them to sleep. Alice and Eustace were sitting in the garden and she was making a flower crown for him. He still hadn't said a word since his return, but it didn't stop her from trying. She loved him. She loved him so much.

She put the crown on his head and adjusted it a little. "There. Isn't it lovely?"

He turned his head a little, then reached out a bony hand to feel the soft petals between his fingers. The ghost of a smile was barely visible on his pale lips. Alice smiled and snuggled up to him, wrapping an arm around his thin frame and gently placing her hand on his. She closed her eyes. "I love you."

She heard someone call her name and looked up. Agatha was standing by the old wooden fence and waving. "Alice, can you come over for a minute?"

"I'll be right back, dearest," she told Eustace. Then she got up, brushed the grass off her dress and ran over to the fence. "I'm coming!"

Agatha's face was serious. "Alice, I wanted to warn you."

"What is it? If you're talking about the apple tree don't worry, I already cut the branch before it could break off and hurt someo-"

"The shepherd was found dead in the forest."

Alice paled. "My God. What happened?"

"Something tore him up. Nobody knows what it could have been."

"A wolf? A bear?"

"Something worse." Agatha's brown eyes were narrow, and stared into the garden just in front of her.. "Where was Eustace last night?"

"Well, he went outside to catch some air at around midnight..." Alice's heterochromatic eyes widened. "Good God, he could've gotten himself killed! I'll make sure to tell him not to do that!"

"Alice, don't you think-"

"My God, thank you for the warning Agatha, he could've come to harm..."

"Alice!", Agatha suddenly snapped, grabbing her arm before she could turn and run back. "Come back to your senses! Whatever that...that thing is, it's not your husband!"

"He just needs some time!", she pleaded, flinching her arm away. "He's going to be alright! He just needs a bit of patience and care, and then it's all going to be alright!"

"Alice, he is literally a rotting corpse, it's time to just let it go!"

"He needs me!!"

They both glanced over at the young man sitting, alone, in the thick grass. He was still wearing the flower crown and softly swaying back and forth with the dancing trees. There was even some kind of tiny smile still plastered to his pale lips.

"Alice, this is madness," Agatha muttered, more to herself, if anything.

"Give me some time," the younger woman pleaded, voice cracking softly. "I swear, he's going to make it."

"This feels like something that shouldn't be messed with, Alice-"

"He'll be fine."

"Are you saying that because you believe it, or because you want to believe it?"

Alice hesitated. "Because I love him."

Agatha sighed, and paused. It felt wrong. Everything felt so wrong. Agatha knew, somewhere deep down, she needed to help the grieving woman. This... thing wasn't her husband. No, she was going to help her, no matter if it shattered her healing heart back In two. But right now... She just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Alright... be careful, dear," was all she could mutter. She kissed her on the cheek and pulled her into a hug, not daring to let her go. "Eustace!" He clumsily raised his head. "You better damn well appreciate what Alice is doing for you!"

He nodded, but his pale face was still empty of any expression. He looked like an empty shell, someone that once held such life and humanity, but now something different masqueraded inside.

A few days had passed. The shepherd was buried and mourned for. But, one day soon after there was another crowd carrying something from the woods.

"What's going on?", Alice asked a little boy as the procession passed by. "What happened?"

"Oh, they found the milkman dead in the woods." He shrugged. "Intestines all over the place."

Agatha quickly appeared by Alice's side, fury in her face. "It happened again! Something is going on here and I'm sure your husband has something to do with it!"

"Agatha, please...!" Alice bit her lip, looking at her battered shoes. "He's not hurting anyone."

"Enough is enough!"

Suddenly a weak sound escaped Eustace's mouth. He bit his lip and tried again.

"Agatha.... please.... don't shout....at Alice."

Despite it all, Alice's face lit up and she threw her arms around him, trying anything to pull her mind away from the gathering crowd passing them. "You're speaking again!"

"Not...her fault....."

Agatha clenched he fist and took a firm step forward, glaring at the pair. "Eustace, you're hiding something."

"Agatha, please...", Alice pleaded, drawing her arms from around Eustace's thin waist.

But the older woman just turned and walked away.

On that evening while Alice was preparing dinner Eustace went out into the garden to catch some air. He returned when the sun had just sunk behind the net of emerald trees, the red sky reflecting on his white hair and giving him an ethereal appearance. He looked otherworldly.

Alice hugged him in the doorway and buried her face in his jacket. "I love you. My darling."

But suddenly she heard a woman screaming down the street.

"Something must have happened," Alice whispered, pulling him inside. "Let's close the door."

Darkness had quickly cast it's shadow over the village. But outside people gathered, with torches and pitchforks, a demonic mob, hoarsely screaming obscenities at the top of their lungs. Then someone knocked hard on the door.

"He killed my husband!", Agatha screamed from outside the house. "That evil creature killed my husband, let me in, Alice!"

"No!", Alice screamed. "It wasn't him...it can't have been him!"

"We'll break the damn door if we have to!"

"I won't let you hurt him!" Alice was sobbing. She ran back to the table and hugged Eustace, her long dark hair falling over his shoulder like a waterfall. She cradled him in her arms. "I won't let them hurt you, my darling. Just you wait. You'll be fine again. I promise."

Eustace raised his head a little and his ashen lips moved. She came closer and he whispered something, barely understandable and raspy.

"I love you...run..."

She hugged him and cried. "I love you... I won't run anywhere, I'll stay with you... I love you...!"

"Please...run..."

"I love you...!"

Suddenly he froze. Then his slender hand reached for his blindfold and pulled it away. And when he opened his eyes and glanced up, Alice was met with the full force of his golden gaze, like the sun on a summer evening in the forest.

The door broke down with a sickening crunch, and the mob flooded inside.

Eustace was sitting on the floor, Alice's head resting in his lap. Her beige dress was soaked in vermilion blood, and her beautiful dark hair surrounded her pale face like a halo of shadows. Her eyes were wide open in wonder and an expression of love was frozen on her face. She was dead.

Eustace was wearing his blindfold again. When he raised his head his lips moved. "Run... please..."

***

"And what then??"

The woman smiled. "They captured him. They decided to make sure he wouldn't ever return from the grave again, so they built him a coffin of iron, with locks and chains around it, and buried him deep in the woods, praying that no one would ever release him." She gently booped the child's nose. "Now good night, Miss Walther."