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crackspinewornpages · 2 months

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Superman: Miracle Monday 27/27 -Elliot S. Maggin

“It was over. He was horribly embarrassed. He was mortified. A big part of him, the mortal part, was killed.”p.153 There were species on Earth whose heartbreak would cause death, now Superman felt he was going to die. News traveled the world before it really hit him, now, as he flew through the sky, he was totally alone. Now, in his Fortress, was the only privacy he had left and listened to it all, all across the world. “Superman was part of the song. He had an instrument in the orchestra of the Earth. He was not, in the overall scheme of things, an outsider.”p.156 He listened to everything work together to make Earth, maybe he bounced to the rhythm too when he came as a baby. He listened to the Oder of Life, wondered what the sound of the Universe would be if he could hear in a vacuum. Somewhere the devil possessed a girl and destroyed what made him feel like a part of the world, but now he realized he had become a part of the world and Order and the demon was disrupting it, so he dove to meet the agent of Hell.

By this time CW Saturn had already brought about chaos Superman was starting to clean up the mess. In the upside down PanAm Building (so these are Mxyzsptlk shenanigans) the people sat on light fixtures as Superman made ramps to evacuate them before flipping the building right side up. (he has a soft spot for American pop culture) He wondered what CW Saturn was up to as Kristin was in a park surrounded by fire and a crowd and told Superman to come make him unscary before disappearing in a smoke puff. Superman went to see Lena, but seeing him the sensitive woman shrieked and fainted. (well you were completely useless) When he went to Max Mavin he was expected and was told he doesn’t know much, they can’t exercise CW Saturn, he’s an arch demon. He has to defeat CW Saturn somehow, impossible but heroes thrive on that. If he loses all order is gone starting with Earth and expanding to the Universe until all four dimensions break and revert to before the Creation, it won’t be pleasant for living things. (no shit) Chaos continued for weeks and in it Superman left for Skvrsky.

It was another week before he could go back to Clark’s apartment and saw Lois collecting papers into a briefcase, people had already stripped it down to the wall phone. (they even took the elevator button) With Superman busy and seeming uninterested, (he’s wasn’t uninterested he had a crisis and priorities) Lois become his executor but all that was left was old papers, but she still looked for important things. He calls out to her but she’s cold to him for not telling her. “You’re a stranger. Do you realize that? In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve been a stranger. How do you think that makes me feel?”p.166 He apologizes, he would have told her. Where has he been, saving the Earth, not coming to his friends when he’s in a crisis or even leaving a note to the one he loves. (lady he just lost his safety net and do you not see the shit going on in the world)

Lois asks if she was a part of his disguise to help him act normal. “Was I just somebody to have tagging along on your arm in Time magazine so we puny mortals could think of you as a living, breathing Earthman who just happened to be an immigrant?”p.167 (you knew both personalities do you really think that little of him) Her last boyfriend was a psychologist who always talked about issues and broke up with her saying she had too many. (well he’s not wrong but I also think he was just being douchey) Superman says her ex couldn't handle a strong-willed woman, she tells him to read more psychological journals as she cleans up the mess of her life. He holds her as she cries, she asks if he’s not using some hormones to make her love him, (I’m sure there’s a Superman’s Girl Friend Lois Lane comic with that plot) he wouldn't do that. That’s the point, for years he’s hid this and she can’t trust him anymore, he could have been laughing at her the whole time. (you really don’t know him if you think that okay feel betrayed but don’t accuse him of being a super dick)

There are a lot of discussions between those that are insecure in their love, the purpose is to resolve the issues. Superman wanted to tell her he was unsure he could have her without Clark to live on an equal footing. Lois would say a woman with Superman would have been uninterested in a normal man, on her footing she was born to love Superman, (honey no) if he died as an infant there would be no Lois Lane because there’d be no place for her. (you seemed to be doing well before he got hired at the Planet) They were both afraid of being alone, but unfortunately none of it was said as then the sky lit up in an emergency as CW Saturn rode a carpet of pollution over Metropolis. (so he’s Captain Pollution)

Perry (it says White looks like an older Bruce Jenner and I don’t know if this aged like milk or wine because of the irony) says everyone's comparing Kristin to Mxyzsptlk, (I called it) he has magic powers, pulling similar stunts. The current big news was Clark and the demon that possessed Kristin. Perry had trouble believing that, but Jimmy felt ready to explode and feeling the need to do something, he took Lois to a show. (well that’s something I guess) He thought if he stuck around, Perry, who spoke detached about Kristin, he’d do something even more foolish, disagree with him in public. Perry goes on that whatever it is Superman is vulnerable to it and unlike Mxyzsptlk, the girl’s intention isn't fun, (if you could describe what Mxyzsptlk does funny) she tore away his tie to humanity and kept him busy with her antics. Two reasons he hasn't stopped her yet, he wants to know her intentions or he might not know how besides killing her. Jimmy points out she hasn't killed anyone, Clark wasn't an actual murder. (take note of that)

He’s happy he’s Superman, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, (Jimmy they usually say that because they wanted the bad thing to have happened to the person) he doesn't know why he won't stop by for lunch anymore. He’d call him Superman as they’d have coffee and that’s the problem, if Superman is Clark, he’s among Earthmen, if they knew he’s Superman, he becomes a dangerous personality. (again you guys act like you know nothing about him) If Kristin’s plan is to discredit Superman and push him to insanity who’s to say, when asked if he’s seen him Lois ran out of the office. Perry then speculates if it is really a demon and Kristin is gone one must assume that Superman has no alternative than to destroy the body.

The day before the third Monday in May, a cold front was moving in, Metropolis had no power and food was running low. This would be WGBS’s last broadcast to seventy-eight televisions and Superman was watching one. Four minutes after it Jimmy hated Perry for suggesting the murder of Kristin, hated the logical argument, but Jimmy was the only one that didn't perceive his sorrow. Jimmy hated him until he went into the men’s room and heard Perry throw up in the next stall.

A generation still young that grew up in the States and Soviet Union were constantly reminded of the apocalypse that rode along with civilization. “The more intricate and refined life become in the twentieth century, the close rode violence and the specter of mass death.”p.177 The nightmare came then Monday May morning as the generation always knew it would, but instead of a human it was the hand of the devil. Superman was flying for days, dreaming for minutes, (so he can dolphin sleep) the Kents, Krypton, his infant self, wanting to introduce both sets of parents as they shared dinner. Kristin woke him up that she set the holocaust, below was flames and Superman would go with it. Kristin’s distorted laugh followed him as nuclear warheads came alive, CW Saturn's goals were for Superman to allow the world to end, he could just explode every atom, but this was more dramatic.

After CW Saturn set off the bombs Superman went to Pakistan where one of the Oppenheimer nightmares lay, no one knew how to disarm it and no one but Superman knew the reaction began. He crashed through the floors as it began to glow red, he fused the hairline cracks, and lifted it on his back as he flew it out. Forty kilometers above it went off, most of it went into space (well what about the rest of it) then Superman went to his next targets. The psychics faculty at Yale built one under false pretenses and fortunately Superman knew and flew under the campus following the trail of burning nitrogen. He picked up the football sized bomb and thrust it into the mantle. (wouldn’t that cause some seismic trouble) At Cambridge, a professor followed a dream and built a device set off by DNA, it would wipe out all life and could create new at the site of ground zero. The chemical trigger was already farming, not alive by any definition, but the bomb was when Superman threw it at Polaris, the explosion contained within his cape. He disarmed thousands more in order of how close were the targets, within an hour and forty-two minutes. Then he flew to Metropolis and met Kristin on top of the Galaxy Building.

Since CW Saturn possessed Kristin, she’s been forced to commit acts of destruction, mayhem pushing the planet near nuclear war and stealing Clark Kent. CW Saturn could not be exorcised and could not rip him from her and yet some still said there’s only one way. “There were those who claimed that the death of this pawn, this innocent child without family or past, was the only way to save the world.”p.184 Superman thought of any other alternatives, so far she has done nothing he couldn't reverse, (hmm) CW Saturn wasn't interested in destroying life but innocence. (hmm) “And if Superman killed Kristin Wells in order to stop her reign of terror, then it was Superman, along with all he stood for, that was destroyed.”p.185 (there it is) He won't kill her, he’ll do what he does to all criminals, follow her to the ends of Creation, couldn't be a nobler mission. Then Kristin’s eyes glowed red and an inhuman voice called out to Superman that he’ll answer to him now.

Two days before that Monday there was little news as broadcasting wasn't coming out of Metropolis, mass transit was impossible and people stayed home. Skvrsky walked in the abandoned subway and took off his disguise and Luthor made sure he had the hair in his coat when he entered the abandoned WWII bomb shelter. Luthor met The Shadow in there and gives him the hair for his end of the bargain, he believes he is what he says he is, just satisfied he is bound by contract. He wants to know his game though, what just stops him from destroying the city, Luthor is a powerful soul in this world, but does he remember the one he phased through, just the pain. He was in pain too, but here his power is limited, he doesn't even know where the gateway is. Luthor laughs he has the hair now, so he owes him.

Luthor is given a book on the psychics of alternate universes, Luthor asks what he intends to do with the hair. The Shadow proposes an exchange in information, he’ll answer that question for the location of the gateway, Luthor’s not that interested just curios. Luthor is among the most curios creatures in Creation, he wants to know more, Luthor confesses it’s in New England. The Shadow says he doesn't know what he’ll do with the hair and disappears. Luthor screamed in frustration as Superman flew him back to prison, it was all an elaborate trick, (the book was a rebound copy of Catch 22) now that Superman knew the location he could close it. “Heroes, above all, are people who succeed, they sometimes fail in their immediate goals-staying alive, for example-in order to succeed in their ultimate goals-”-”Ultimately they succeed, and generally this is because they set out on purpose to succeed. They keep control.”p.190 Control of their surroundings and knew what happens next, this trick by Superman was on Saturday and explained what happened on Monday.

The demon called out that he won as Superman flew along the rising black pillar. The pillar stopped rising and the Universe stopped heading towards entropy, time froze. With the blackness CW Saturn took his original form, (you know the classic devil) Superman figured his plan was to get him to kill Kristin, but he’s in charge now. CW Saturn says when the conversation ends Kristin will die, her mortal form was overextended. Superman backhands him but he won't waste his power on anger, he tells CW Saturn to undo the damage and why was it Kristin. She was an element most susceptible because she didn't belong. In this instant Superman could do or say no wrong and he wants to know how to save Kristin, it’s at the Center of Short-Lived Phenomena in Skvrsky’s desk. Superman wants Clark Kent back, it would upset the balance to do so, so substitute the memory for Kristin. He owes CW Saturn nothing, so he wants nothing more to do with him, so leave this realm and deal with his master. Four in the afternoon on Monday there was a pause and the shriek of CW Saturn leaving Kristin’s body died in the air. (her body fell to the roof)

“Shortly before four in the afternoon on the third Monday in the month of May, the people of the city of Metropolis learned the meaning of joy.”p.195 They had no explanation and there were gaps in their knowledge of the day like they just woke up after a long time. The first thing they saw was Superman flying across the sky, he became a symbol of their joy and felt an unexplainable miracle. The superintendent looked over Kristin’s empty apartment, inexplicably unrented for a year. The superintendent would find a renter tomorrow, right now he felt like throwing a party.

Morgan Edge yelled for Clark who just seemed to hang up on him, but his anger was performative, to his dismay he felt mellow and centered. He found Don Reed at Clark’s desk; he didn't know why he was there either. Outside the window (Clark insisted his office have a window) they could hear people in the streets celebrating, instead of going over the evening news Edge takes Reed out for a martini. As Superman flew overhead the feeling spread in the air communicating one thing, “This day, though, the souls who had subjugated the surfaces of the small planet needed no artificial aides, the newspapers, the radios, televisions, even word of mouth, to know it was a good day.”p.197 The next time Clark would be over the air waves it would be Tuesday, this Monday the entire world population of the city took the day off. “A great miracle had happened here.”p.197

Superman warded of the feeling until his job was done, at the Center of Short-Lived Phenomena and found the notebook in the desk. He collected the chemicals and herbs and flew to the Galaxy Building roof where he made the serum and where the girl no one remembered was. The serum was what Luthor used to cure his heart disease, now it worked on Kristin growing new and stronger tissue. (the FDA rules it unacceptable because it causes mumps and rhesus monkeys but you know I think people will deal with a vaccine for mumps and herpes if it means they no longer have cancer) Awake, Kristin answers his questions, she’s a history student of Columbia in the year 2055, she’ll get a doctorate in 59, (and become a professor) and tells him Happy Miracle Monday. This is the first one people will celebrate, she came to find out why and she remembers everything, at least this historical moment has a happy ending. (so it really is something to celebrate)

There were historians everywhere (hiding in the bushes) to find out but now only she knows, CW Saturn picked her because she was there first a year ago, she’ll at least get some stories for her dissertation. Superman laughed having finally felt the feeling, he tells her what happened with CW Saturn and she teases the future. Jimmy will forget her, for the best, his grandson will marry her great whatever grandmother. (oh good she avoided an I’m my own grandpa situation) Lois won't be something as mundane as the president, (no that would be Luthor) but he already knows that, doesn't he, but they’re always the last to know. He told Kristin how he tricked Luthor (pretty much just his powers and smoke and mirrors) and gives her the lock of his hair, he asks if they’ll ever be friends again, someday. Before Kristin leaves, she thanks him for the wonderful time. (she does regret not meeting John Chancellor)

Kristin’s final journal entry, the lock of hair belongs to the university at display in the Superman Museum. The tests reveal it’s not human hair and has the genetic structure Superman is supposed to have, though it is a laboratory reproduction. Her story was believed and it is believed Superman thought it was his, it is not and that's the mystery, no one at the time but Luthor could produce it. Kristin has her own theory and will tell it after she’s reorientated with her period of speech. (the disco slang has to die) She’s writing the entry on her new antique typewriter, with no more discos she took it up as a hobby, who knows where she’ll get more carbon ribbons. (thought to cause cancer in secretaries but that sounds more like correlation not causation) She believes Luthor made the switch thinking the devil needed an artifact to possess Superman’s soul. Why, she cites Hamlet who let Claudius live so he wouldn't enter Heaven. Luthor discovered an afterlife and didn't want to send Superman to Hell. “Superman was then correct in assuming that even where he could not see it, there was good in all life, a good that made it important to treasure that life.”p.205

FIRST

#superman #superman miracle monday #elliot s maggin #books #book summaries #science fiction #fantasy

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casspurrjoybell-22 · 5 months

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Dream Eater - Chapter 8 - Part 1

*Warning Adult Content*

"Alex?"

Damien is watching me intently, with the cautious look of someone approaching a skittish animal that might attack or flee at any moment.

"Are you alright?"

"He's wrong," I say, as firmly as I can. "He must be."

The mingled calls of countless birds sift and echo through the surrounding trees, filling our silence with their song.

"Tiago is never wrong," Damien says at last. "If he says you carry a part of Sakariel's soul, then it's true. Besides," he adds thoughtfully. "It makes sense."

"How?" I challenge, incredulous. "How does it possibly make sense?"

"The timing lines up. You were born around 1919, right? And Sakariel..."

He glances away.

"What you saw in the dream happened in 1912, Earth reckoning. It's not surprising it would take that long for a... a fragment of him to find a suitable home. Plus, if your soul was already a composite of human and Celestial, it would have been more easily damaged by the experience of your mortal death."

I shake my head.

"Damien... it's impossible. I don't understand how these things work but the chances..." His voice turns harsh.

"Fuck the chances."

He grips my arms below the shoulders and gives me a hard shake.

"Listen to me. Chance has nothing to do with it. It's fate and choice, damn it. For whatever reason, Sakariel's soul chose you."

I feel sorry for him but I have to make him understand. I shove him away and break free of his grasp.

"Look... You don't know anything about me. If you did, you'd understand that I'm the last guy a Celestial would want to join souls with. I'm nothing... worse than nothing. I'm not a good person."

"Why? By whose measure?" he challenges.

He asked for it.

"You know all the shit that's happened on Earth since I became a dream-eater? I was twenty years old when I died in 1939. It had been twenty years of hell... or so I thought... and all I wanted from death was an end but instead I was given a new life, as a demon."

I can't look at him anymore and turn away.

A flock of brightly colored birds take flight and vanish again, like living gems hidden among the trees.

"You know what I did with that life? You think I stood up and fought in all the wars or joined in all the struggles for freedom? Well I didn't. I slunk around in the shadows like a coward, selling myself in more ways than you know and clinging to the world's underbelly like a parasite. I'm... disgusting... I'm not your 'creature of light.' I'm not Sakariel. Please just let me go home and then forget about me. Please."

I don't know when I start to cry but by the end of my little soliloquy I taste tears in the corners of my mouth and can barely see past the drops clinging to my lashes.

Scrubbing a hand across my eyes, I prepare myself to face his reaction but when I turn to look, Damien's expression isn't what I expect.

It's worse... I expect revulsion but what I see is heartbreak.

He swallows hard and looks away and his voice is hoarse when he speaks.

"You're wrong," he says. "It's you who doesn't understand."

He walks off in the same direction as Tiago.

After a moment, I follow him, confused and angry but not quite stupid enough to get left behind in the middle of a Brazilian rainforest.

I follow Damien through the dense undergrowth to a village by the side of a river the color of mud.

He speaks in Portuguese to a man who seems to be the village leader and they come to some agreement.

We're shown to a communal space around a fire and offered food and drink.

I'm not hungry but I'm worried it might be rude to refuse, so I accept a plate of fruit, nuts and what looks like stewed root vegetables.

I don't recognize any of it but the flavors are pleasant.

"We'll stay here until tomorrow morning," Damien tells me. "Teleporting is rough on the physical body and it's best not to jump twice in one day."

I nod but say nothing.

"Alex... I..." he sighs. "I have some things I need to take care of, some people I need to speak with. I'm going back to the dead zone but I want you to stay here for now. I'll be back later."

He rises and leaves me on my own.

A few of the villagers speak a little English, like Tiago and I offer whatever help I can give in exchange for their hospitality.

They seem like good people and though they laugh at my clumsy attempts at fishing and net-weaving, they're kind.

Eventually, I'm sent off to help prepare food, which I gather is considered 'women's work' but I don't mind.

Damien returns around nightfall.

I ask him to offer my services to the villagers and he explains to them in Portuguese that I'm a kind of 'dream-healer' and can help anyone suffering from nightmares.

More than a few brighten at this news and I'm a little depressed to see how many of them are children.

I spend the night living out a range of dark dreams, from the simple fears of the young to the remembered horrors of the aged.

By the time dawn arrives, my physical body longs for the true rest of dreamless sleep but my demon energy is sated.

I'm sitting by the fire when Damien joins me.

My eyes are sliding shut with weariness and he put his arm around me and invites me to lean against him.

I'm too tired to resist.

"Alex," he says. "About what you said before. You're wrong. Sakariel wouldn't have despised you and you're not bad or disgusting. You're selfless and beautiful and you bring peace to others in whatever way you can. That is the definition of Grace."

"Damien..." I'm so tired I can't fight any more.

I don't even want to.

"What do you want? I mean, let's say I am Sakariel. What the hell does that mean?"

He regards me somberly and I get the feeling he's about to tell me something I don't want to hear.

"Sakariel was not an ordinary Celestial. He was a heavenly Key," he says. "His soul carried the ability to open doors to higher realms, beyond the reach of any but the most exalted. There lay powers of which even the most powerful among the Fallen could only dream."

He shifts and I force myself to sit up and look at him.

"That was why he chose to lead a rebellion, to challenge Ashtoreth for the Throne. He was the only one who could, the only one who stood any chance of succeeding. He knew it wasn't much of a chance, even so and that it meant his death if he should fail. In fact, he expected to."

I look up in surprise, and he gives me a grim smile.

"Did you imagine he didn't know? That I didn't know I would lose him? We both knew. We knew there was no coming back from what we sought but he had to try... to tempt fate and because I was bound to him first by duty and then by love... I had no choice but to go along. I would have thrown myself on my sword for him... if he had asked."

His voice grows quiet and he turns his face away so I can't see his expression.

"I was sworn to protect the Key at any cost, to keep it from the wrong hands. I wasn't supposed to fall in love with the one who carried it. But I did and because of that, I failed."

He turns back and meets my eyes.

His own are hard and bright beneath his dark brows and the fire-light plays over the hard angles of his face.

"Alex, if you are Sakariel, it doesn't make me happy. It makes me afraid. He always carried my fate in his hands. He was always the one who gave and was ready to die but I was the one who bore the pain of that selflessness. If you are him... if you now carry the Key... I swear that I will protect you and I will do almost anything you ask. If you ask me to die for you, I'll die but don't ask me to love you because that is the one thing I cannot do."

I don't know how to respond or even where to start.

"I don't want you to love me," I say. "I want you to leave me alone."

A smile quirks his lips.

"It seems I lied. That is another thing I cannot do."

He stands.

"Come. We should be on our way. I can't take you home... wherever that may be... or leave you alone but I can take you somewhere safe."

He sets off towards the jungle and the path back to the dead zone.

Wearily, I rise and follow.

I don't really have a choice.

Being left stranded in the Amazon Jungle is not my idea of fun, no matter how cool those survival shows make it look.

"Where are we going?" I ask when we reach the clearing and hold out my hand with resignation. He grasps it firmly in his.

"Another plane of existence. If you carry part of Sakariel's soul, you should be able to adapt to the change in Realm without much trouble."

"And if not?" I ask, alarmed.

I try to pull my hand away but he holds fast.

"What if Tiago's wrong?"

"He's not wrong," Damien says and the world dissolves.

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lavendersartistry · 6 months

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Polaris

I’d give all the stars in my eyes

To watch over you from the skies

Open wide the doors

Won’t you pull me into yours

Sun. Venus. Moon. Two shine brightly within the night sky as stars the Moon is visible, with or without the clouds hiding its face. Beyond the mortal ideals, lay three demigods.

Son of the Dawn.

Daughter of the Illusions.

Son of the Moonlight.

People, they say

They say you run away

From what you really love

I should be afraid of you

I should run away from you

I know in my head

That we won’t get away

Loving won’t end well

But I put that to rest

I’ll turn from the best

I’d rather put me through your hell

Venus's daughter had always been afraid of love. She was scared, afraid of the heartbreak and the pain from it, the torment of fights and deaths that came with something so magical.

But something about the Sun's son and the Moonlight's son brings comfort to her fears. They bring a smile to her face, a sense of peace that kills her worries.

She often asks them: "If not gods, would we stay together as mortals?" And they kindly laugh, thinking it is inevitable to change their stories. But it is never too late to blend in with the crowds.

Running away from the duties of the godly word to be free as "normal".

I’d give all the stars in my eyes

To watch over you from the skies

Open wide the doors

Won’t you pull me into yours

Moonlight's son had never seen someone like her, someone as radiant as her. Watching from the shadows, with his hand to his heart. So many Selene Showers festivals pass by, and not one time had he successfully confessed.

He was jealous once, of how the Sun's son was able to approach her with confidence and without the fear clawing at his back like a punishment.

His "god" is like a father to him, and advises him well. Use what he has to his advantage to woo her away and pull her into his arms.

He only stays behind, to entertain her through the quiet nights.

One day, he'll tell her.

When night comes to day

I wish you would say

You showed up ‘cause you needed me

I hope that you’ll take

Me with you, away

‘Cause I’ve waited so eagerly

The light from the Sun's son is blinding, like his smile. He loves her like a lover already, despite never confessing. He is her protector, her savior.

Yet in times of rough, the roles reverse. She comes to his aid like an angel from the heavens. He can't bear but to fall for her. Like him, her light shines like the stars in the heavenly skies and it's blinding.

He waits patiently for the day to tell her, for the time to say how much of an angel she is.

I hear you in trees that can’t speak

But they voice you and suddenly I run right in

I’d rip out the stars from the sky

Just to see you, you shine in the light that they give

The realm the Moonlight's son made for her tricks him constantly, making him hallucinate her figure that rests under the trees. He calls for her, only to be replied with silence as the hallucination fades away from his arms like death.

He carries his glaive in the silent red mist, the clear night guiding his lonely soul to her presence only feet away.

He would bring the moon down for her, just to see the moonlight shine down to reveal her radiance.

I’d give all the stars in my eyes

To watch over you from the skies

Open wide the doors

Won’t you pull me into yours

Immortality grants them forever to live happily. They rest on Earth, adventures with old and new friends, feeling free as one.

Hand in hand, three become one. A couple shines.

I’d give all the stars in my eyes

To watch over you from the skies

Open wide the doors

Won’t you pull me into yours

#Spotify #pineapple drink | writing #savior | angels and gods au #smiling critters au #smiling critters #dogday #catnap #eve ewe #THIS SONG AAAAAAAA #LITERALLY THESE THREE #these two boys like her but catnap going through conflict about it all #catnap = aphelios in this song #support marcus skeen singing these awesome aphelios songs

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denimbex1986 · 8 months

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'There are moments when it’s great to get lost within the haze of All of Us Strangers. One of the best scenes is where the two leads are dancing and making out with a night of partying, drinking, and sex. When realizing this is a story of surprises in perceptions and dwelling on the spirits of the past, one might question whether this scene is genuine or not, asking if this is all in the main character’s head. The answer is that it doesn’t matter. At that moment, the only thing that matters is the presence of two people feeling good about themselves.

That moment comes much appreciated for the lonely screenwriter Adam (Andrew Scott), living a quiet life in his London flat. Breaking this sadness is the charming neighbor, Harry (Paul Mescal), who is eager to find someone to drink with. Maybe even fuck them if he gets to know them long enough. This development makes Harry mildly excited to tell his parents (Jamie Bell, Claire Foy). It would seem like the only issue is that he hasn’t come out as gay to them. As it turns out, his parents are not even alive anymore, and Adam carries on conversations with their spirits during his hometown visits.

As the romance between Adam and Harry progresses, so does the level of acceptance between Adam and mortality. There’s an equal balance of sweetly passionate nights of sexual comfort as there are meaningful conversations about coming to terms with death. The way that Adam progresses through this internal journey is compelling, not merely for evoking the sadness of trauma and heartbreak but for how hard he strives to find something worth living for. By the film’s end, this somber level of comfort touches on a certain realization that life is fleeting and to enjoy the moment and spirit rather than lament its past.

For posing what is essentially a gay ghost story, it’s fascinating how this film manages to touch into something deeply spiritual in its catharsis for the gay experience. There’s a tender nature of cerebral staging, where everything from Adam’s coming-out talk with his parents to his naked embraces with Harry always carries this fragile air of not wanting to let go. This aspect makes it all the more understandable why Adam would want to regress to being a kid again. or have a mildly awkward conversation with his parents that he felt he missed out on. There are certain experiences we want to cherish, and we always feel we’re missing out on them or that they were robbed from us somehow. It makes the retreat into ghost conversations less of a coping mechanism and more of a necessary series of realizations about the finite nature of life and the infinite presence of love.

Something beautifully warm and comforting bubbles under the sad surface of All of Us Strangers. A release of earnest emotions and admittance to grief paints this picture with such a soothing level of bittersweet honesty. Combine this with the nuanced performances of Scott and Mescal; this is one of those films that will stay etched in the mind for the longest time. I still think about that final scene with Adam and Harry embracing each other in bed while Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “The Power of Love” plays them out. It doesn’t matter if that song is too on the nose; it gets the point across beautifully and earns a heartfelt finale that is the perfect cocktail of melancholy and transcendence.'

#All of Us Strangers #Andrew Scott #Paul Mescal #Claire Foy #Jamie Bell #The Power of Love #Frankie Goes to Hollywood

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s-o-n-de-r · 2 years

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JAWNY tackles love from beginning to end in debut LP

Review by Travis Boyer

It’s no great mystery that love is a complex experience. No one ever warns you about the in-between, the gray areas of doubt and the lingering curse of when it's gone. In his full-length debut, It’s Never Fair, Always True, indie artist JAWNY traverses the stages of being in love from beginning to, especially, the end.

It’s only fitting that the record begins on the starry-eyed note of being hopelessly smitten. “strawberry chainsaw” is a disarming, walk in the park, indie rock jam that is madly in love to the point of agreeing to put up with someone’s prickly side. Carrying a head in the clouds, no one can bring me down type of vibe, JAWNY shifts that blind devotion into the scintillating style of “wide eyed.” Whether it is interjecting some funky horns or delivering doses of deep bass and drums, the visceral intensity of “wide eyed” amplifies the feeling of being hopelessly awestruck.

Sandwiched between the aforementioned tracks is the daydreaming, alt-pop cut, “lalala.” It’s a reverie fueled by the dopamine of love at first sight. It wants to jump to the end of the story before page one is ever written. However, once the natural high wears off, there’s no happily ever after, only the figment of having fallen “in love with an idea.”

Eventually, everything must come to an end, even if you don’t want it to. For example, the dream poppy, alt-rock cruise, “adios,” is about the time stopping, heart dropping moment when you’re on the precipice of being dumped. On its heels, the straight up grungy, thrashing banger, “Take It Back (Feat. Beck),” is the ultimate, resentful answer to being kicked to the curb.

However, “true” and ��fall in love” both come to grips with the realities of heartbreak. Ushered in by wiry acoustics, “true” features JAWNY’s sinewy vocals as he sits and ponders his post-breakup identity. Eventually, it converts over to a low-key joyous beat designed to take a bit of the sting out of still holding a torch for someone. “fall in love” is a sweet symphonic ballad that’s in a continuous, post-breakup stupor. With thoughts spinning around his head “like a merry-go-round,” this piano-led track embodies the forlorn carousel of regret that JAWNY spins.

As if love wasn’t a heavy enough concept, JAWNY goes a step further with mortality on “death is a dj.” Here, he tangos with the grim reaper, but doesn’t fear the looming specter. For the most part, it is a frenzied, pulse pounding theme song for living for the here and now. From the get go, it vaults into the deep end of a panic attack that makes you want to flee for the nearest exit. But, the point of it all is that you’re still alive and kicking to enjoy what life has to offer.

“selfish hate” sews up all of the threads of the album into one final, exploratory epic. Other than being the root of the album’s title, “it’s never fair, it’s always true. I hate that I’m in love” is the defining message of the record. To JAWNY, love can be as kind as it can be cruel. For a finale, he’s alone with his thoughts, drifting back into one last lovesick mode.

On It’s Never Fair, Always True, JAWNY embodies the multiplex of love: the joy, the pain and the loss. Whether he is delivering an infectious melody or a more poignant tune, he precisely sets the emotional temperature of each track. Uber creative, JAWNY hooks you in a variety of ways, forming a compelling showcase of his unyielding level of talent.

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#by travis #reviews #jawny #bands #band blog

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eponymous-rose · 3 years

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Please don’t reblog, thanks!

[cw: parental death, cancer, grief - nothing new or concerning about me, just working through some stuff!]

I still don’t really feel equal to reflecting on Mom’s death, to the point where I regret that I haven’t been able to offer support to the truly heartbreaking number of friends who went through the same thing in the year and a half since it happened to me.

But I was thinking today about how my dad mentioned in passing that his and Mom’s song was “My Romance”, which is an old standard. I don’t even know the origin of the song, or the context in which it was first performed, but the general gist is that the singer progresses through a list of elaborate and/or expensive things that their romance does not need: “My romance doesn’t need a castle rising in Spain/Nor a dance to a constantly surprising refrain”. In fact, the signer continues, the only thing their romance needs “is you”.

But one line in particular keeps getting stuck in my head lately, the climax of the song: “Wide awake, I can make my most fantastic dreams come true.”

Mom and Dad were realists in their relationship - it was both of their second marriages after disastrous first marriages, both were in their late thirties, and both were going in with eyes open. My mom in particular was aggressively practical - when she was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in February of 2020, she privately told Dad that she’d read the statistics and knew that one in five husbands left their wives after that kind of diagnosis, and she didn’t want to cause him the kind of suffering sticking around would involve. She told me later that Dad very earnestly told her that it would be the greatest honor of his life to stand by her side to see this through. I don’t think any of us knew how horribly fast things would progress - in five months, she was gone - but in that time there wasn’t a day he wasn’t at her side, and she said her goodbyes to everyone the day before she died so that last morning would belong to the two of them alone. It wasn’t just a great love, it was a deep and abiding friendship underneath the passion. Respect and a joyful sense of responsibility to each other.

And I think I truly appreciate now what a terrible, wonderful honor it is to be the recipient of that kind of unconditional love. Everything that I am comes with that beautiful gift, and I can only hope to be brave enough to recognize it and continue to express it to everyone I care about.

I’d experienced a few different flavors of grief before this one - my very close grandparents, a good friend, childhood pets, a difficult aunt. But this was all-consuming, and it took me a while to work out why. We all become slightly different (or very different!) people around others in our lives - the you of the workplace isn’t the you of childhood friends, that kind of thing. And who I was with Mom was a reflection of her in so many ways, and that version of me was someone I liked very, very much, and that version of me was instantly annihilated.

So was a complex grieving process for all sorts of different things in my life - not only was I grieving my mom, I was grieving the version of myself I could only be around her. I could parcel off little pieces and bring them to light in my other relationships, but the whole was irrevocably shattered. And I was grieving the loss of a kind of innocence with regard to mortality, grappling with the realization that, in a very real way that has nothing to do with fate or destiny and everything to do with cold biology, some of us already have it written in our blood and our organs and our bones how and when we’re going to die.

I was deeply, unfathomably fortunate in that my relationship with my mom was uncomplicated, with no dark secrets, and that nothing was left unsaid in our last perfect goodbye. And also that my brother and my dad and I are just as close as before, but also capable of separating to give each other space to heal and work out who we’re going to be now that such a large piece has been torn from each of us.

So I rode out the darker moments with the help of dear friends, I supported others where I could, and I still walk every single night through dreams where it’s my family without Mom, or it’s my family with Mom, or my Mom isn’t dead but dying. And every one of those dreams, inexplicably, brings peace. When I have sleep paralysis episodes (very rarely these days!) it’s not a demon but a laughing figure in the doorway, teasing me for sleeping in.

And slowly, inexorably, I’ve started feeling good again. I can’t be who I was to her, but I can be the person she saw in the ways that really matter. She used to tell me she lived vicariously through my adventures, and I’ve had so many adventures: standing on the grass at Cape Canaveral during a space shuttle launch, watching a temple sink underwater with fireflies all around, stepping into a ballroom 300 meters under the earth where the chandeliers are made of salt crystals, moving to new city after new city after new city and reinventing myself along the way. And this new job, this absurd new job, is just going to get bigger and stranger and more and more exciting. There will be no shortage of adventures, big and small, not as something to fruitlessly, frustratingly pursue, but as giddy, wonderful side-effects of the act of living.

Wide awake, I can make my most fantastic dreams come true.

#eponymous family tag #grief cw #parent death cw #cancer cw

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mingkii · 3 years

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LOVE AGAIN ─✎ 송.민기

❖❳；Pairing; Song Mingi x Fem!Reader (ft. P1h's keeho, itzy's ryujin, and wooyoung)

❖❳；Genre; Greek mythology au, angst, reincarnation au.

❖❳；Words ; 6.2k

❖❳；Warnings; Mentions of death.

❖❳；Synopsis; A mission to find your lover who was reborn in the mortal world became a mission for heartbreak as you watched him fall in love with someone else.

❖❳；A/n; I honestly don't know what happened near the end, very disappointing but oh well. Not very proud of this so im sorry and don't get your hopes up.

❖❳； Note; My entry for @/sleepylixie and @/delicatewerewolfsoul 's hamartia collab. This might contain inaccurate representations of greek gods but for the sake of the story, just go with it. Slightly modernized as well.

The sun rises on the horizon, casting light all over Olympus, waking the gods in slumber, reminding them of the work they need to do. However, you wanted to fight the sun for rising so early. The rays piercing through the depths of the ocean, just enough to peek through the windows of your room.

You stir under the covers, not wanting to get up. The light blinding your closed eyes, preventing you from going back to sleep. You were honestly hoping you won't wake up the next day. You didn't want to wake up in agony knowing there's nothing to wake up to. You still picture his crescent eyes when he smiles, his laugh that echoes in your ears as if he is there with you. His hands that felt soft and warm left a mark on your skin, reminding you of how he held you in his arms.

Every night you see him in your dreams— for a while at least. Your heart was hurt, it wanted to remind you of all the things you could've done, but it knew that if you kept dreaming about him, you would have died grieving years ago.

A loud knock on your door suddenly erupted, a groan escaped your lips. You rolled to the other side trying to bury your head under the covers to drown out the sound. Then, your door busted open, making you sit up in surprise.

"What the fuck," you furrowed your brows, watching your father fix the dislocated door hinge.

"Don't use such language on me, young lady," he leans his trident beside the door. "You have a very important schedule to meet your suitors today."

Your eyes widen, "Suitors?!" You shrieked, your father's face contorts.

“Father, I think this has gone long enough for you to know that I am not interested.” he let out a sigh. He’s well aware of that.

"Look, I understand, but I will not have you sulk for the rest of your life just because that good-for-nothing son of Athena died," your blood boiled at his words.

"No father, I don’t think you do understand," You said with resentment.

You tried to bury the tears back down, not wanting to cry in front of your father. The pent up anger made you want to lash out like what he said was the last straw but your pride was much stronger.

"It's rude to keep them in line, they've travelled far just to get here, so I suggest you make yourself presentable and be there as soon as possible," his last words before shutting your door closed behind him.

The knick-knacks on your shelf shook as your father slammed the door shut. He wasn't mad, he was just….strict, as your father and god of the sea, you are under his territory thus, giving you no choice but to follow him.

You laid back on your bed, pulling the covers, letting out a muffled scream into the blanket. Only kids get treated like this, he acts like you aren't already a hundred years old.

You didn't want to meet another batch of mermen with plastic smiles and fake personalities. They were only after you because of your title, daughter of Poseidon, god of the sea, with a legacy that soon passes unto you. You had sisters and brothers, you didn't understand why it had to be you, but Poseidon himself already had it all planned.

You swam near the big stadium-like structure, with large pillars that were carved so intricately in quartz. The end of the stadium planted Poseidon's throne where he sat so elegantly. You hid behind the pillars, spotting the men that were seated to the side, waiting for your arrival, but you already decided you weren't going to attend. Not this time.

You took the longest route to Olympus, making sure no one spots you, escaping the suffocating vast seas that used to be called home.

"You know one day I could get killed by your dad," Wooyoung set the teacups filled with hot liquid on the dining table where you sat.

It's been a while since you set foot on land, you didn't miss it, the painful after-effects of walking for too long did make you wonder how land dwellers live.

"He won't since I made him promise it," your cheeky smile made him roll his eyes.

"But won't he easily find you here?"

"He will but he couldn't be bothered to travel all the way here," you took a sip from the cup, hot liquid running down your throat.

"I'll be home by sundown, can't have him wash Olympus just to find me," you force out a laugh, wooyoung giving you a sympathetic look.

He knows you are still mourning. Deep inside you are still in pain, but you try to keep it hidden.

"You know, it's been years and he is still bringing me these men I barely even know and he wants me to pick one to marry?" You planted your forehead on the table, hiding your face in frustration. "It's getting annoying." After those annoying years of having to pretend you are ok and just sitting pretty in front of dozens of merpeople, making yourself look like a prize in a glass box waiting for a winner to take you home.

But of course, it's still your choice and you chose to be with none of them.

"Were any of them attractive at least?" You hear the familiar charming voice. You look up to see Wooyoung's mother— aphrodite— adorned in her usual attire, laced with gold sequences, a headpiece in gold, and jewellery that complimented her skin.

You shook your head as you gave her a soft smile, "They always have this forced appearance to look strong and the wide creepy smiles that they think will help attract me to them," she listens to your rant, pouting slightly, "What a shame, you know your father's taste was never that good," she winked. You knew she was talking about your mother, whom you didn't know that well since she is always focusing on your brothers.

"I thought you went out early," Wooyoung questioned. Aphrodite cupped her son's cheeks, kissing the top of his nose.

"I just forgot something dear," you giggled at her ways of babying her son. Fixing his hair and touching up the light makeup he puts on every day. You can't deny how attractive Wooyoung is, you could see the features that he inherited from his mother.

"Poseidon won't stop what he is doing though, I suggest you do as his wishes y/n, or you'll face his consequences," strips of memory to that day cross your mind again. It was truly painful to recall, it made your heart clenched and you wanted to scream your head off.

"Look, whatever it is you want to do, just make sure it isn't something stupid," Wooyoung held your hand in his, rubbing your skin with his thumb. You remembered the last stupid thing you did.

You were grateful to have met someone like Wooyoung, he has always been there for you. Even though your father had been skeptical of him for so long, he still let you be around him.

But you can't promise him this time because another stupid idea just popped up in your head.

"Are you kidding y/n? Didn't we just talk about this?" Wooyoung follows you from behind as you walk through the forest. The last time you were here was the day your world fell apart.

You swore to not cross paths where it reminded you of him but right now, it is important.

"Look, demigods are bound to be reincarnated, there's a chance I could see him again," you explained, stepping on sticks and pebbles, slashing through vines and large leaves with your bronze dagger. Mingi wasn't like you or wooyoung who had both parents that are gods. Like Athena, he was created by her from her mind. He wasn't born….normal.

"And then what? What will you do if you see him?"

In all honesty, you didn't plan that far, all you thought of was to meet mingi in the mortal world. Wooyoung's concern for you just became worse when the silence answers his question. You have no plan, you just wanted to see mingi again.

You ignored Wooyoung's continuous nagging until you reached your destination. The tree that grew sweet magical berries that can only be found deep in the forests of Olympus. The berry that could help the gods enter the mortal realm.

"Y/n…." Worry settles in, Wooyoung knows the side effects of these berries. You weren't as powerful as your parents who were able to visit the mortal realm on your own, you needed help and you were certainly not gonna ask your father.

"I'll be fine," you picked a few handfuls of berries and stuffed them in your bag, "Atlantis won't be that far, If I need to, I’ll just come back." You smiled at Wooyoung.

"I leave tomorrow."

"What about your dad? Won't he get mad?" You two made your way back out of the forest, taking the path of where you came from.

"I just told him I'm sleeping at your place for a while," Wooyoung freezes in place. As expected of his role as your best friend, he's responsible for covering you up.

"You owe me big time."

Arriving at the mortal realm, alone and slightly scared. But the sight of what seemed to be the city made you giddy all of the sudden.

You walked around exploring the beautiful structures of the city. Tall buildings surrounding the area, billboards, and giant screens with lights and flashing colours. You were overwhelmed at first but it was quite interesting. It was nothing like you have seen before.

There were tons of people who wore casual attire, some wore suits as they travelled to work. Big buses and cars drove by in the streets— you almost got run over by one, not knowing the purpose of the blinking traffic light; the horrendous sound of the car horn almost did make your ears bleed.

Settling down on one of the park benches, you took a break from walking. The sandals you brought weren't doing any justice for your feet.

Your surroundings were peaceful, pink flowers scattered across the concrete, different coloured leaves decorating the trees, getting ready for the fall season. Suddenly, you felt a gust of wind. The eerie grey smoke rising in front of you. Chills running up your spine, your mind having a clear idea of where it's coming from.

A cold mischievous laugh emitted from within, your initial reaction was to pull out the dagger from your side, clutching the handle tight until your knuckles turned white.

"Relax, it's me," the same annoying voice you dreaded hearing.

"Ryujin, what are you doing here?" You scowled. She was bad news— the spirit of mischief lives within her, wherever she goes, chaos follows.

"Hmm, are you not happy to see me?" Her Cheshire cat-like smile plastered onto her face as she took a seat beside you, crossing her leg on top of the other. Her hair was shorter than the last time you saw her, eyes still full of mischief.

"I was hoping to not see you again after the incident 20 years ago," you spat, hatred lacing your words.

"Right, the poor boy, died so soon," her face turned into a sad look before smiling once again.

Ryujin was the main cause of his death. Your father just made it happen. Leading Mingi to that place in the forest where she knew your father was there, he hated Athena's children, he wouldn't hesitate to kill one in sight.

You wished there was a way to go back in time to stop Ryujin from leading Mingi to his inevitable death. But as expected, she felt no shame or guilt whatsoever.

"What is it that you plan anyway, there is a reason for you to come here, right?"

You kept your mouth closed, not wanting to possibly give your plan away for the spirit of mischief to take its course. And so, you kept quiet. Ryujin clicked her tongue in annoyance. She wished she could read minds, but that's her brother's power.

"Fine, keep it to yourself," she stood up, grumbling something under her breath, "Just so you know, I am not leaving without having a bit of fun," another gust of wind blowing in your direction leaves swirling in a circle on the concrete just below her feet, the puff of smoke covering her figure as she disappeared.

Your mind was in shambles. Usually, she would try and pressure you into answering but she brushed it off so soon.

You let out the breath you didn't know you were holding, the weight suddenly leaving your chest. Sometimes the presence of Ryujin gives you this uneasy feeling, but it was better than getting a visit from her brother. He is ten times worse.

You finally adapted to the mortal world, got a place to stay all by yourself. There were obstacles on the way but you got over them easily.

You lay quietly on the bed, and to be honest, it was a bit uncomfortable. The covers are placed over you up to your neck. You stared at the ceiling, counting rams in hopes of helping you fall asleep. And on your 1117th ram, your eyes finally grew heavy.

But to your dismay, your throat decides that it was parched. You sat up from your bed, wearing your slippers, and made your way to the kitchen. Grabbing a glass and filling it up with water, but before you could take a sip, you saw a figure on your couch.

You dropped the glass, shattering across the floor. The figure whipped his head around and you couldn't believe your eyes. Is this a dream? You must be dreaming… You might have even gone mad.

"Mingi?" You stuttered. You haven't called out that name in so long.

"Y/n, be careful you'll hurt yourself," he stood from the couch, making his way to you. You took a few steps back. Mingi's face shows a look of confusion.

He stepped on the glass unfazed by it. Did he not feel that? Of course, this is a dream, he's not real.

"What's wrong?" His arms out to reach for you.

"N-no, I'm dreaming, this can't be—" you shook your head, tears pricking your eyes. You felt warm hands cup your face, it was so real, your knees so close to giving out.

"What do you mean?" His eyes were the same shade of brown. His hair is styled the same way he always has it in.

"You're real?" Your voice croaked, mingi chuckled. The same smile you saw years ago, but as expected, his face started to fade. This is definitely a dream. It was impossible to have mingi physically there, you saw him….die, right in front of your eyes.

"Of course I'm real," his voice was soft, comforting even. You were really hearing his voice, this is his voice. He pressed his forehead against you, kissing the top of your nose promptly.

At this point, you couldn't stop the tears from falling. You sobbed making mingi pull away and look at you with worry in his eyes.

"Please don't leave me again," you pleaded. You wished it was real, your chest grew even tighter. What kind of cruel punishment is this?

"Why would I leave?" He wiped the tear on your cheek. "I'll always be here," he said in reassurance as he pulled you in his embrace. You missed it so much—you missed him so much. The same warmth was still there, but it eventually started to feel cold. Like Hades was paying a visit to take him back to the underworld.

You finally got to see him again, even if it was only a dream, it really felt like he was there, body and soul present. You didn't want to let him go, there's no way you are losing him again.

His image starts to fade, you start to feel the emptiness again. His hold on your body began to feel like nothing, it was cold like ice. You tried to grip his shirt, keeping him from disappearing. You spewed out pleas, begging him to stay. At Least for a little longer.

But then you woke up, hot liquid running down your face.

You were crying, something you haven't done in a long while. Slapping your cheeks, making sure you were really awake.

"Come one y/n, it was just a dream," you said to yourself out loud.

20 years and you thought you were over him. But those agonizing years were torturous. Everything seemed to remind you of him. Wooyoung almost didn't see you for 18 years until you finally decided to visit him. You wouldn't know what to do if wooyoung was never in your life, you might as well have been asleep for the rest of your life.

The clamshell that sat on your bedside table glowed. It was a magic shell that sends messages back and forth in writing. You gave one to Wooyoung so you could communicate from a distance.

"Did you find him?" The letters glowed as they appeared.

"Not yet." you wrote back, watching the writings disappear indicating that he is reading it.

"Time is ticking y/n." Anxiety washes over you again. Soon the berries won't be enough to hold you there and you'll be needing to come back home.

"Y/n, you there?" A voice startled you, making you almost drop the shell. It would be bad if you did, it was a fragile thing, you could risk shattering it and won't have anything else to communicate with.

"In here!" You called out, quickly hiding the shell in the dresser.

"I brought lunch," mina smiled, holding up a paper bag filled with takeout.

The day you moved in, still exploring the apartment that you rented, you heard a knock on your door.

You peeked through the peephole. A woman stood in front of the door patiently, short brown hair— half of it tied into a ponytail— dressed in a leather jacket and denim pants. She looked about 20, maybe 21 but she doesn't look older than 25.

You almost pulled out your dagger but resisted, remembering that they are mortals and you could get in trouble. You slowly twisted the doorknob open, opening it slightly so your body is visible but not the room.

"Hi, I'm mina!" She said in a bubbly tone. Her energy made you slightly overwhelmed. "I'm your neighbour, just next door." She pointed to the apartment beside yours.

You nodded, not knowing what to reply. "Have you finished unpacking?" You tilted your head in confusion. "Do you need help with boxes or anything?"

You looked back in your apartment, body moving aside just enough for Mina to have a clear view.

"Did you not bring any stuff?" You shook your head.

"I only brought a satchel," you gripped the strap that hung across your body. She gazes at the small bag attached to your body.

"Well, it looks like you need help settling in, why don't I cook dinner for you? You don't seem to have any pots or pans or food either." Your stomach grumbled at the mere mention of food.

Mina giggled, making you heat up in embarrassment. "I'll take that as a yes."

Since then Mina has been your source of food and company. She's been a great companion for the past few days. You told Wooyoung all about her and he just replied coldly. The thought of your best friend getting jealous of your new mortal friend made you laugh.

"So, I just started my 3rd year of college, and honestly, I am tired of it— I've been thinking of dropping out but then my mom might whoop my ass…" Mina rants while you sit there, zoned out watching the floor like it's the most interesting thing in the world.

"Earth to y/n," mina waves her hand in front of you, snapping you out of your daze.

"Oh sorry, What were you saying?" The girl pouts, eventually brushing it off to discuss other things.

"Oh right, so I met this guy on campus and he is like, really cute. He is super tall and like, maybe a bit built..." You listened to her attentively but still in the back of your mind you couldn't help but discuss your plans on how to find mingi to yourself.

"Should I ask him out?" You blinked— you weren't paying attention again.

"I'm sorry?"

"The guy I met on campus on my first day, should I ask for his number?"

"Oh totally, you should," you said plainly, you feel really bad for not paying attention but you couldn’t help it when your mind is being occupied with something else. Mina just brushed it off, not noticing your spaced-out expression. She continued rambling while your mind wandered.

Time was running out, you needed a plan.

"Remind me why I am on your college campus again?" You said, mina dragging you by the arm. She woke you up at an ungodly hour just to travel early to her college campus. Few students were walking around campus, on their way to their scheduled class.

"Look, I barely have friends, also do you go to college? You look to be around my age," your eyes widen. Atlantis doesn't have schools, you had to travel to Olympus just to make it to class, but you only had to go until you turned 18. And you are immortal, you haven't been to school for a hundred years.

"I graduated," you just said. Hoping she won't ask further questions.

"Oh so you're older than me then," you nodded. She stopped to sit by a tree in the campus garden, patting the grass beside you. You sat beside her, leaning on the tree.

"I don't have class 'till after lunch, we can grab something to eat before you can go back to your apartment," she took out her textbook and paper to finish what she didn't the day before.

"Sorry for dragging you, You are always locked up in your apartment so I thought why not take you here with me," you were planning on exploring more of the city, just to take note of the possible routes to get around.

"Won't I get in trouble? I don't go here."

"You are fine, besides, it's an open college, anyone can visit here," she explains as she gets back to her work.

Your eyes wandered off somewhere else, spotting the students who were early, sitting on the grass as they got some sleep under the trees. Some were reading books and some were having their breakfast.

It makes you sleepy after a while, deciding to lean your head against the tree, closing your eyes for a brief moment.

A pair of shoes tapping against the grass, crunching the leaves on the way. You didn't bother to open your eyes so you just stayed and listened. Must be one of mina's friends as you hear her voice ushering for them to sit.

They sat on the other side of the tree beside mina, talking about classes and homework but something about that voice tingles your brain. The familiar deep husky voice made your heart ache. You were confused as to why you were reacting that way.

Soon the person left and you were forced to open your eyes when mina shook your shoulder abruptly.

"Guess who just gave me their number," she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Who?"

"The hot campus boy," she squealed, waving the paper in her hand. "His name is mingi and it's kinda cute and his voice was deep, not that deep, but like...deep."

Your eyes widen, "mingi?" She nodded. You felt like your world stopped spinning. Your mind is in shambles, processing the information. Your ears deafened the sounds around you, muffling mina's continuous babblings.

You thanked the gods that he's here, but then reality hit. He doesn't know you for he is only a reincarnation of the mingi you knew. He is no longer the son of Athena, he is just human.

"Are you sure it's the mingi?" Wooyoung's message appears from the clamshell. You lay on your bed, a book on your lap as you were reading just a while ago.

"Yes, Mina's description fits so perfectly," you bit your lip, anxiously fidgeting with your necklace. What if it wasn't him? You can't confirm that it really is him, he has no memory of his past life.

"Ok, so what are you gonna do now? You found him, what's the next step?" You mentally slapped yourself for being unprepared. You wanted to see him again, that was your main goal, and now that you know he's here, you have no reason to stay.

You want to be with him but it's impossible, you are immortal, he'll age while you stay young. Well, nothing much was changed when he was a demigod, but he had the opportunity to become immortal. It's not like there is some way a mortal can become immortal.

…..or is there.

"I'm coming back," the writing disappeared letter by letter as wooyoung's message appeared right after.

"Really? So that's it?"

You shook your head as if he could see you. "I have a plan"

"Oh no," wooyoung thought. Letting out a deep sigh. "She's gonna get into more trouble isn't she?" Wooyoung wished that somehow something would knock some sense into you.

"Y/n!"

"Mina, hey," she threw herself at you, engulfing you in a tight hug.

"I'm gonna miss you," she squeezed around your neck, restricting your airflow.

"Mina," you patted her back, making her apologize with a sheepish grin, "I'll be back soon though, you don't have to miss me too much."

"I know— wait, are you free right now? I was wondering if you wanna go eat before you leave," you thought for a second. Though it isn't difficult to travel back to Olympus, you're unfortunately on your last berry.

"Sure," you hoped it'll last you for another few hours.

Arriving at a restaurant with mina, ordering food as soon as you sat down. Your eyes wandered around. The restaurant was busy, waiters quickly passing around, trying to get to the customer's table as soon as possible.

"Finally," Mina says, standing up on her seat. You turned your head to the person she was referring to.

"Sorry I'm late, I got stuck in traffic."

"I invited mingi, I hope you don't mind y/n," Mina says with a sorry smile.

"I don't mind at all." That unsettling feeling soon washes over you, seeing mingi stand in front of you, face to face. You find it weird to see him like this like he didn't die. He looks like the same mingi years ago, it just felt….different.

You took your seats again, Mina helping mingi order his food. The three of you waited for your orders, chatting about anything that comes to mind. Mina talking about classes and homework that is due and mingi asking if any of you were free to a party this weekend.

Of course, you can't go.

"So, Where are you from y/n?" He asks you. His voice sounded so natural to you but at the same time, it felt foreign, like you just heard of it now. Technically you did but, the way demigod reincarnations work is they get reborn the same. Meaning they'll look the same, speak the same, and their personalities are most likely the same. Nothing will change once they get reborn— except, they won't remember anything from their past life.

"Atlantis," you blurted out, panic rushing through you. You can see the confusion in their faces.

"Like, the lost city of Atlantis?" Mortals, what are they teaching them?

"I mean Atlanta," you corrected yourself, body stiff as stone.

"America? That's far, do you have a flight?" Mina intervened. You didn't even know where that was, you just so happened to remember that book you read before coming here and the main character lived in a place called Atlanta.

"Uh yeah, sure," you felt cold sweat trickling down the back of your neck. You just hope they won't ask any more questions.

You let out a sigh of relief as the two of them get back to chatting with each other.

Finally, the food arrived and the sooner you finished the sooner you got to go home. And with your last berry, you popped it in your mouth after the meal.

Leaving the restaurant with mina and mingi you were finally able to go back to Olympus.

As you are ready to part ways, Mina engulfs you in a tight hug, cutting off your airflow. "Mina, you're squishing me," you said in a choked out voice. "Be quick ok," she gives you a final hug before walking in the other direction.

You waited until the coast was clear and hid somewhere secluded.

You arrived safely and with just a minute to spare. You were gonna go to wooyoung's place first before going back to Atlantis when you saw a lightning strike. A gust of moist air blows your way, a growling thunder piercing through your ears. Your mind immediately assumed that it was Zeus but when the clouds cleared you saw your father, sitting on a cloud with his trident on his lap.

"Father," you said, greeting him with a bow. Though he didn't look pleased with seeing you at the gates of Olympus, he still gave your hair a ruffle.

"You have me worried sick y/n, where were you?"

You expected yelling, hearing these words and this kind of tone shocked you. Especially even after telling him that you were staying at wooyoung's but still found you at the gates

"Look, I know I may have gone too far— with...you know, the marriage," he admits. Avoiding eye contact with you as much as possible. Not that it wasn't sincere, he just wasn't used to admitting he was wrong. But he loves you dearly and he'd do anything for you.

"It's ok, I actually forgot those happened." there was an awkward silence. Then, Poseidon left, after informing you of what time dinner was gonna be.

You finally arrived at your best friend's house and instead of a worried wooyoung, you were met with a furious wooyoung.

"I knew this was a bad idea, your father almost killed me!" He said. You rolled your eyes at the exaggeration.

"Relax wooyoung, nothing happened," you placed your bag onto his bed, taking out the souvenirs you got.

"Did he say anything to you? You are still alive so I'm guessing you haven't met yet?"

"I met him at the gates and he said he was worried." Thinking back to that moment made you shiver, it's like someone replaced your dad with someone completely different.

"Huh, well ok then— Ooh what are these," he was quick to change the topic as his curiosity fills in. Wooyoung takes the bag of candies you brought, ripping it open to take one of the wrappers with the sugary treats inside. You chuckled, watching wooyoung chew on the candy.

He notices your gaze stuck on the floor while you get lost in your own thoughts.

"Hey, did something else happen there?"

You snap back into reality, taking a while to process what wooyoung just said. You shook your head in response.

"Actually, is there a way to stay there without the berries?"

He stares at you for a moment, he honestly thought you were done and you weren't going back there. It's dangerous for you since you are not as strong as your father. Even with something more efficient than a magical fruit, you are bound to get in trouble.

"My mom has a necklace," wooyoung says, he didn't want to say it but he knew how important this is to you. Eventually you'll stop, knowing mortals and gods cannot stay together forever.

"She used to make me wear it when she let me go to the mortal world with her."

"Can I borrow it?"

"Y/n!" Mina ran to you with open arms, "I missed you so much," you giggled at your friend.

"I've only been gone for a week."

"A week too long," she pouted.

She takes your hand in hers, pulling you to whatever direction. You arrived at the airport, making it look like you got here by plane. Passing security check out and exiting the building.

"You still remember mingi right?" She asks.

"Of course, I left for a week, it doesn't mean I forgot anything that's here," she grinned.

"Why, what happened?" You asked, hiding the hint of fear in your voice.

"Oh nothing," she sing-song, trying to stop her lips from smiling too much.

You both stopped at the front of the main entrance, waiting for you-don't-know-who. Until a car stops in front of you. Mingi came to pick you two up, giving you a ride to your apartment.

"So, what's it like in your hometown," she asks, taking a bite of her food.

"Uh, It's….you know —uh…. there's trees and buildings."

Mina nodded slowly as she continued eating her food.

After you two finished eating, Mina left to finish her college work— probably with mingi.

You didn't want to think the worst but considering mina's behavior around mingi, you couldn't stop the thoughts running around your mind.

You gripped the pendant that was tied around your neck. It's pearly white color glowing due to the light reflecting on it. Its sharp edges indicate that it was shattered into parts.

The other half is with mingi.

Atleast, when he was still with you. It symbolizes your promise to always be together and be there for each other.

But fate just wasn't on your side. And it still isn't.

As you walked out of your apartment to get some fresh air, you spotted the two by the parking lot. Their faces are inches away from each other.

You didn't know why but you felt your heart sink. Tears welling in your eyes. You reminded yourself that this mingi isn't the same mingi that promised to be with you. He wasn't the same mingi that helped you run away from home whenever your parents were arguing again.

That gave you a reality check, you can't be with him anymore. You have to let him go.

Your gaze still stuck on the two, not noticing the sudden appearance of another spirit.

This time, it made you feel chills.

"Keeho," you said in a whisper. You didn't bother to look in his direction.

"Oh, I'm glad you recognize me," he said, a mischievous smile growing on his lips.

"Ryujin would have loved to see this, after all, this was her plan." You curled your fist into a ball, tight enough until your nails dug into your skin.

"Why?" You managed to let out. You didn't want this to affect you but it does. After everything you did, it all didn't matter in the end.

"I don't know, ask ryujin. I'm just here to relay a message."

Keeho pushed himself off the wall that he was leaning on and came over to you.

"Don't try to bring back something that was meant to be taken away, it'll come back to bite you in the ass," he whispered against your ear, sending chills down your spine.

Then he left, disappearing into the mist again.

Even though you just came back, you were already itching to leave. Packing your bag and locking the apartment. Giving the keys to the landlord.

Mina notices you in a hurry to leave, running after you to catch you.

"Y/n! Where are you going?" She grabs your wrist making you stop. You didn't turn around, you stayed rooted to the ground. Swallowing the thick lump in your throat before speaking.

"I'm sorry Mina," you pulled your wrist away from her and left. You felt guilty, she was your only friend and she felt betrayed. You left without an explanation.

"Y/n? You're here, did something happen?" Wooyoung read your expression.

You shook your head, clearing your thoughts as you replaced the sad look with a small smile.

"I'm great, I just didn't like the whole vibe there," you lied.

You removed the ruby crystal around your neck giving it to wooyoung, muttering a thanks. Alongside you removed the pendant that was tucked under your shirt. Wooyoung was shocked as you never took it off and you swore you never would.

You tucked the necklace into your pocket, taking a mental note to put it away when you get home.

Although you didn't accomplish your original mission, you did realize that it's always good to let go of something. Never let anything or anyone tie you down. You are still heartbroken, but you are sure you could get over it soon.

Of course, the siblings that stared at you through the window, mischievous smiles on their faces, will not let you live just yet.

#8makes1teamnet #ficscafe #destinyversenet #fkp-net #knet-bakery #: ̗̀🌺; collab fic entry #❪ 🐿️ ❫ ─ oneshots #ateez #ateez mingi #song mingi #ateez angst #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #mingi scenarios #mingi imagines

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hd-wireless · 3 years

Text

📻🎶 H/D Wireless 2021 - Weekly Wrap-up #3

The third week of posting has come to an end! Enjoy catching up with this week's selection of wonderful works, including amongst others a bit of clubbing, some escapes, a Horcrux, dragon encounters and a good share of heartbreak. There's a work for everyone (and if you haven't found what you're looking for yet, we're far from done with posting).

As always you can listen to the prompted songs for the works we post on two playlists:

Click here for Spotify (many thanks to @evaeleanor for helping us out there)

And here for YouTube

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic and Art 🎶

📻 The Crane Lord of Gringotts

🎵 Summary: Harry is fine. Being an Auror is fine. Living with Ginny is fine. It's all fine. But it used to be a lot better.

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic 🎶

📻 Mortal Frame

🎵 Summary: Draco’s on a mission, and this time it's personal. But it's not easy to track down something that no one wants to talk about, especially when Harry Potter keeps popping up everywhere Draco goes. Though at least he’s on Draco’s side this time, and if he happens to be useful, and kind, and great in bed—well, Draco’s not exactly complaining. The story of three pubs, one Horcrux, four overpriced sandwiches, and two damaged men just trying to make sure that Bellatrix Lestrange stays dead.

📻 Prologue

🎵 Summary: Ten years after the war, Harry stumbles across Malfoy in a Muggle club. What could have been an awkward encounter might just be a new beginning.

📻 A Care To Fill The Vessel Of Your Heart

🎵 Summary: Draco doesn’t care for atonement. Why should he? Forgetting is easier than forgiving. Or it would be, if fate just left him to his own devices. Fate, as per usual, has its own plans.

📻 Like a Dream I Can Reach (but not quite hold)

🎵 Summary: Harry spends his life waiting for something he isn’t entirely sure he wants, and looking for something he doesn’t know exists. Everything feels ill-fitting until Draco Malfoy enters his life and shows Harry he doesn’t have to want the expected things, and Harry learns happiness doesn't have to look a certain way.

📻 Sun and Rain

🎵 Summary: Draco Malfoy thinks that being in a relationship with Harry Potter is anything but easy, but then again, what's the sun without the rain?

📻 In Pursuit of Lost Marbles

🎵 Summary: Every night after work, Healer Malfoy follows the same routine, beginning with a familiar flight of stairs that leads to the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungo's. With an air of professionalism, he introduces himself to Harry, his husband of seven years, when a memory curse makes Harry look at him like a stranger. He tries not to flinch when Harry calls him sir, but he smiles when bits of the old Harry emerge. Eventually, Draco leads Harry to the Pensieve where he shows him pieces of the life they've built together, what Harry will come home to, one day, when this is all over. Then, Draco waits. He waits, and he hopes.

📻 Requiem

🎵 Summary: Requiem — A song of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person.

📻 Changes With The Moon

🎵 Summary: Draco takes a stroll to try to settle his turbulent thoughts, plagued by who he was, who he is and who he could be. A friend offers him a whole new world and Draco struggles with the idea, for there is too much at stake, it isn't worth it. Or—is it?

📻 Chasing Dragons

🎵 Summary: Draco can think of only one way to outclass his pleat-front-khaki-wearing politician ex, and that’s by making headlines with an obvious upgrade. And who better to upstage the cheating bastard than the Saviour of the World, Harry Potter himself? Sure, Potter is a little rough around the edges in ripped jeans, a rumpled tartan shirt, and a permanent scowl. Draco reckons a haircut and a shave wouldn’t hurt, either. But Potter is also in need of a Healer willing to keep his secrets, and Draco is just the man for the job. It’s a perfectly reasonable exchange. They need only attend a couple parties arm-in-arm, smile nicely for the paparazzi, and tolerate each other long enough to convince everyone they’re smitten. In return, Draco will keep Potter alive and in one piece. But it isn’t long before Draco realises he might be in over his head, because Potter is ten tonnes of trouble packed into a leather jacket, and seems keen on hurtling himself towards death on the back of a flying motorbike. And that says nothing of Potter’s penchant for fire-breathing beasts and things that bite. Ah well, at least they’ll have some fun while it lasts. After all, Draco always did like a bit of danger.

📻 Drive, Draco

🎵 Summary: got my driver’s license today, but you're not around to see. Can't drive past the places we used to go to 'Cause I still fuckin' love you, babe

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic Collab🎶

📻 'Til Your World Burns

🎵 Summary: Draco Malfoy is raped and watches as his world falls apart. Harry Potter is the quiet, unassuming wizard who finally listens to him.

🎶 H/D Wireless Podfic 🎶

📻 [Podfic] How Can I Live Without You?

🎵 Summary: ununquadius’ original summary: After Draco's death, Harry wonders how can he live without the one he loves when he's so far away.

#hd wireless 2021 #HD Wireless #drarry fest #drarry #weekly wrap up no 3 #drarry fic #drarry fic and art #drarry collab #drarry podfic

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falcor-thee-luck-dragon · 4 years

Text

Of Monsters and Men

Chapter 4- Four Marks

Summary: Your travels have taken you to a tavern where you meet the most unlikely of individuals. Then as per usual, trouble ensues.

Warnings: getting manhandled by some elves

Masterlist

Laughing into your mug, you catch the annoyed gaze of your silver haired lover who sits quietly to the right of you on this wooden bench, your backs resting against the stone wall. Its been a couple long weeks since either of you have had moment like this to just sit around and drink with each others company. Geralt may not particularly enjoy the surrounding company of the other tavern goers who fill the hall with their loud speaking voices and obnoxious laughter. But he knows just how much you love the easy entertainment of the civilians living their lives as they have a merry go of it.

"Did I not tell you my seductive powers would work wonders with that idiot from Bruna?"

"You did." Mutters Geralt humorously as he side eyes you.

"Ha, exactly. He had not a chance, try and steal Roach again and you will sorely regret it." You boast happily before taking a swig of your drink, "Hmm, this tastes not half bad either. I've had better of course, but this, not a terribly shit drink in all honesty."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it then."

You smile brightly at your stoic Witcher, he appears rather unenthusiastic but you know what emotions lay behind those two golden eyes of his. He's greatly content having you sit next to him and ramble on about your cleverness in the face of mortal men. He'd have no one else in the entire Continent do such a thing but you, and that's why you love him.

"Right? Great mead, anyways I am a force to be reckoned with, and you know he might have even pissed himself once I gave him a fright. It's what I like to do, lure them in with coy beauty and.." You scrunch your nose while making a fist, "...I got them in my clutches. They never even saw it coming."

"Not once." Agrees Geralt as you lean an elbow against the table to lazily look up at his handsome face.

"You know what?" You ask slyly, scarlet irises trailing all around his face.

"Hmm?"

"You actually look very nice in this lighting, the way you just look around at everyone like you hate the world. It's very sexy." He raises a brow as you smile, "Aside from the stench of horse, sweat, and blood that seems to ever linger on your skin..there's just something about your particular scent that I cannot quite put my finger on."

"You tell me this monthly."

"Do I?"

"Yes. Maybe it has to do with my blood?"

"No. Witcher blood tastes like old mule piss." You add before caching yourself, "Which I wouldn't have the slightest idea personally why. However I know a vampire or two who have divulged in that luxury and have lived to tell me....Not that it's a luxury as in a positive sort of mind, more so, an experience of indulgent sumptuousness for my kin." You're really trying to make this sound less horrendous.

"Drinking Witcher blood?"

You shrug half defensively through a sheepish grin, "What? I never said they killed these Witchers. Okay, okay, that also sounds bad. I promise you though, if they would have killed one of your brethren they would have boasted about the bloodshed. It's what vampires do. So no worries, your friends at Kaer Morhen are most certainly still breathing." Geralt simply holds back a grin as he shakes his head at you and your rambling.

He doesn't care if you know what Witcher blood tastes like, he wouldn't even care if you personally have tasted Witcher blood against your own tongue. He just doesn't want you to stop speaking, it distracts him from the sounds of the tavern goers and that bard. Geralt hums, "Y/N that could have happened three hundred years ago for all I know."

You pause a moment to think, eyes glancing from the window to him as you give a casual shrug, "It might have."

Soon the not terribly horrendous sounds of a bards singing fills your ears with the sweet tunes of an old lute giving what it can to the world as other tavern goers throw bread at the singing man. Oh right there's a bard here. You keep your witty comments to yourself as Geralt keeps his tense stare down with the wooden table while he tries not to grab anyone's unwanted attention, when you glance over to the bard again he's notably walking your way, drink in hand. What now?

Bringing your drink to your lips, you eye up the brightly colored bard as he saunters over, a peculiar smile playing at his features while he leans against a wooden pillar, "I love the way you two just...sit in the corner and brood, minus you my dear lady, what an odd place for such an exquisite creature to..."

"We're here to drink alone." Interrupts Geralt gruffly, you set your drink on the table, a smile playing at the corner of your lips.

The bard nods, looking down for a second before his blue eyes scan over you and Geralt once again, "Good. Yeah, good. No one else hesitated to comment on the quality of my performance, except.." The curious bard walks around the oaken pillar before sitting down across from you and Geralt, "for you two. Come on. You don't want to keep a man with...bread..in his pants waiting. You must have some review for me. Three words or less." Inquires the cheerful bard, a smile upon his bright visage as he waits patiently for an answer. You pull your legs up onto the bench, leaning your right side into Geralt's strong body as you relax a bit more, amused by this bards bold questioning.

"They don't exist." You finally answer, tucking your hands under your arms as you attempt to get a little bit more comfortable. The bards give you a quizzical look, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"What...doesn't exist?" Ponders the bard as he raises a dark eyebrow at you.

"The creatures in your song." Retorts Geralt bluntly.

"And how would you two know?" Vouches the bard with a smile, excitement upon his face at this little guessing game he's just thrust upon himself, "Oh, fun. White hair...two very scary looking swords.." He quietly proclaims turning his attention now to you, "Hmm marvelous, irises the color of roses...dagger at your hip..." Geralt suddenly begins to get up, done with the bards never ending questions. You stand up yourself, the bard just continues to look at you two like you're the most interesting beings in the whole world, "I know who you two are." He confidently rules out while happily watching you both from his chair.

Geralt walks past him as you follow at his side, the two of you heading for the door as the bard jumps up to trail along, "You're the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia....and you're the dhampir princess, Y/N of Alkatraz. Called it!" Concludes the bard enthusiastically, much too loudly for your liking. You ignore the turning faces of the other tavern goers before a curly haired young man rises to his feet before you can reach the door to freedom.

"A job I've got for ya's. I beg you." He pleads almost nervously, you halt your movement as Geralt does the same, the two of you abruptly turning to face the man, "A devil...he's been stealing all our grain. In advance, I'll pay you. A hundred ducat." His eyes nervously shifting from you to Geralt.

"One fifty." Chides Geralt, the man immediately pulls out a small sack of coin previously hidden within his coat, a hopeful smile upon his pimply face.

He flashes you a warm grin as his gaze shifts from you to Geralt once again, "I've no doubt either of you'll come through. You take no prisoners, so I hear." He gives Geralt the sack of coins, the bard watching intently in the foreground, time to kill a devil then.

——

You were able to walk bard free all the way to the gates of the small mountainous tavern and twelve feet into the gravely dirt road before the bard had tracked you two down. Now here you are, a good distance onto the road as you head for the hills where this devil hides, Geralt leading Roach as you walk in front of them, the bard trying to converse with Geralt to his immediate left.

"Ah. You guys need a hand? I've got two. One for each of the, uh, devil's horns." Confirms the bard breathlessly, trying to keep up with yours and Geralt's quick pace up the hill.

"Go away." Grumbles your annoyed Witcher.

You snicker, just imagining what Geralt's face looks like right now as the bard continues to pester him, "I won't be but silent back-up." The bard cheerfully exclaims, throwing his hands in the air for emphasis, you turn to look at him with an amused grin upon your face.

"Yeah I bet you really know how to muzzle that continuous yapper of yours." He smiles back at you, turning his attention back to Geralt.

"I heard your note, and, yes, you're right, maybe real adventures would make better stories..."

"That's if you survive them." You interrupt with a smirk, glancing back around, catching the animated face of the bard.

He smiles to himself as he holds onto the strap of his old lute, "Yes well, you two, smell chock full of them...amongst other things. I mean, what is that? Is that onion?" You turn your head to give him a questioning look, he gives you a quick nervous smile before continuing, "It doesn't matter. Whatever it is, you smell of death and destiny. Heroics and heartbreak, not for you two of course it's just a meaning..."

"It's onion." Mutters Geralt.

"Blood." You add.

"Right, Yeah. Yeah. Ooh, I could be your barker, spreading the tales of Geralt of Rivia and his dangerous lady Y/N of Alkatraz...the-the Butchers of Blaviken!" Bellows the dreaming bard, throwing his hands into the air, Geralt suddenly stops moving, turning to face the smiling idiot.

In one quick motion he punches the bard in his stomach, sending him staggering back onto the dusty road in a coughing and sputtering mess. Geralt turns back to you with a nod before he and Roach continue on past you, you give the bard a diverted look as he slowly picks himself up.

"You've been punched by a Witcher, how's that for your first taste of adventure?" You muse, raising an eyebrow at him.

Clearing his throat of dust he grins at you, "Better then I had hoped." He replies while letting out a small chuckle as he follows you up the road.

——

"Geralt of Rivia, the-the White Wolf or-or something. Mind if I hop up? I'm not really wearing the right footwear." Suggests the bard as he attempts to reach out for Roach's rider-less backside. You sit upon the mare in front of your man, Geralt kindly letting you lean into his leather armor clad torso as he holds her reigns.

"Don't touch Roach." Warns Geralt, the bard immediately pulling away.

"Yeah, right, yeah." He disappointingly replies as you lightly chuckle at the two of them. Soon you and Geralt reach a small tree, where Geralt jumps down to tie off Roach, you sliding off to take a sharp look at your rocky surroundings. The bard watches intently at what your plans are next, deciding to deliver some historical information about the landscape as he tells you how elves called this place Dol Blathanna before they gave it up to the humans. You let him ramble on, unaware you already are educated on the history of this part of the continent, you are almost five hundred years old after all.

You raise your head to find an opening in the large rock formation where the trail appears to lead. Geralt walks past you, sharing an annoyed look as you both listen to the bard rambling on about something you're not listening to. Geralt lets out a huff before turning around and walking down the dusty trail, you trailing after him as the bard lingers in the background.

Your crimson eyes trail over the nearby clusters of tall grasses as the bards loud voice fills your ears, "Geralt? Y/N? Wh-where are you two going? Guys, don't leave me. Helloooo? What are we lookin for again?" Inquires the bard noisily from behind the two of you while you walk past straggly protruding rocks and tall green grasses on either side.

"Blessed silence." Mutters Geralt.

"Yeah, I don't really go in for that. Have you two ever hunted a devil before?" He wonders as both you and Geralt stalk silently towards wherever this devil lays hiding in the brush.

"They don't exist." You add, pulling out your large silver dagger as you listen intently for any unusual sounds.

The bard continues to ramble on while you catch the sight of something tall hidden in the grass, you can hear the rapid heartbeat of this nervous creature. A second later a tiny stone shoots from out of nowhere, slicing Geralt on the forehead as the bard cheers excitedly about how "act two" of his adventure has begun. You watch as his eyes go wide once they spot the devil rising from out of the greenery, you turn to squint at the creature, unsure of what it truly is from here.

"Oh fuck." You whisper before it launches another stone right at you, with supernatural speed you shift to the side where the stone flies past your head, this time knocking out the chatty bard in the process. You and Geralt share a confused glance as you turn to search for this horned fucker before he ends up bloodying you next time. With the beast lost from your vision, you zero in on his thudding heartbeat, not even fifteen seconds later does the devil burst forth from the tall grass. Launching Geralt a good couple yards back as you watch in bewilderment, to taken aback to help him with his unexpected assault.

Within seconds your Witcher is on the hooved half-man, pinning him to the ground as they exchange clever insults with one another. You catching the creatures name to be Torque the Sylvan as it yells at Geralt before he punches the Sylvan in the face to daze him.

Suddenly you can hear the irritated thumping heartbeat of an unfamiliar being when something cracks you across the side of your head from seemingly out of nowhere, sending you staggering to your knees as a small trail of blood trickles down the side of your temple. Your hands catch yourself on the rough gravely dirt as your knees jab into some rocks while you land. When you look up again a large shadowed person is standing above you before they violently bash you in the face with their boot, then darkness.

——

When you wake up again your hands are chained to the wall and a steel collar has been tightly locked around your neck. Your eyes slowly look up to find an unconscious Geralt tied to an equally unconscious bard. The small stony cave prison smells of recent activity in the tell tale scent only an elf could have, shaking your head in agitation you listen to the quiet clinking of your chains. This is not how you intended for today to go.

When you try to pull at your restraints for the first time, you're welcomed with an intense burning sensation flaming the flesh of your left wrist. It appears whoever has taken you prisoner has coated this specific constraint with silver, so whenever you move it just right the metal makes contact with your exposed wrist, fantastic.

After waiting another ten minutes and listening to the bard complain once he finally awoken, Geralt at long last stirs, his eyes going wide as he desperately tries to look around the small stone room. Clearly in a panic and unsure how he got here in the first place.

Letting out an irked sigh you kick his foot to gather his distracted attention, "Oh good you're finally conscious, I thought I was gonna have to kick you awake." You quip at Geralt as the bard chuckles from behind him.

"Now, this is the part where we escape."

"This is the part where they kill us." Grumbles Geralt.

"Who's they?" Asks the bard before an elven woman races into the room, she smells almost sickly and looks even more furious as she kicks them in the head, quickly shutting them up as they grunt in pain.

"Beast." She fumes in Eldar, kicking Geralt once again as you hiss at her, gaining a satisfied smirk upon her elven features, you'd rather enjoy smacking that off her face. A dark curly haired one walks into the room, immediately his eyes catch the bards old lute laying on the floor next to your dagger and Geralt's sword.

You can't see as the bards eyes go wide in fear, "Oi, that's my lute, give it back!" Whines the bard as Geralt gives the she-elf a furious glare, "Quick Y/N, do your scary vampirey thing!" He quickly urges, you'd love nothing more then to shift into a half bat creature and scare the flesh right off this she-elf's bones, but a little problem called silver is preventing you from doing so.

"Shut up." Grumbles Geralt as the she-elf first kicks you in the legs and then Geralt, you're more pissed off then in actual pain from her brief assault.

"You shut up!" She barks in Eldar.

"My Eldar speech is rough. I only got part of that." Replies the bard as you roll your eyes.

"She said shut up." You implore before getting kicked again, the burn of the single silver handcuff sending fire into your wrist as you bite back the pain. The bard then replying to you in broken Eldar as you tell him to "fuck off" back in the same language, Geralt flashing you a confused grimace, unaware that you're fluent in Eldar.

"Do you wanna die right now?" She sasses, staring them down.

"As opposed to later?" Growls back Geralt as she kicks him harshly in the stomach, doing the same to the bard as he cries out for his now broken lute.

"Leave off!" Barks Geralt as she walks around to fiercely punch him in the face.

Your eyes shimmering blood red as anger flashes through them, "I'll slit your fucking throat you elven cunt!" You hiss as she whips around to thrust a boot into your side, the silver chain sizzling your broken flesh at the jarring impact sending you into a flurry of muffled curses, Geralt's eyes softening as he watches you grimace in pain, wishing he could do something about it.

Weakened with this one silver coated cuff, you're not even strong enough to break out of here. Damn silver.

The she-elf scoffs as she glares at the three of you tied up, "You don't deserve the air you breath!" Smack, directly into your Witcher's cheek, "Everything you touch, you destroy!" Another blow straight onto his face in the same moment that the curly haired elf breaks the bards lute in two. Well there goes that.

"You hide in your golden palaces. You beat a bound man, too scared to even look him in the eye!" Screams the bard angrily as you lift your head up higher so your steel collar can't completely suffocate your windpipe, the sting in your wrist keeping you alert and ready to fight.

She sneers at him, "Do you like my palace? Hmm?" She grins maliciously, crouching down to take Geralt's fuming bloody face in her hand, "Does it live up to the tales you humans tell?" She challenges quietly before you pull on your chains, striking her roughly in the nose with your boot, the burning of the silver worth her pained gasps as she stumbles backwards. Falling onto the sandy floor of the stone cave as she sputters and coughs, spiting out a glob of blood while the bard laughs.

"Yeah, take that, pointy!" He cheers as she coughs and wheezes some more from her pathetic spot on the ground, the bard suddenly looking concerned, "Wait, what's-what's wrong with her?" He wonders, trying to twist his head around to find you and Geralt. Suddenly a blonde haired elf and the Sylvan enter into your small stony prison.

"She's sick." He simply states, reaching down to kindly tend to his fallen companion from the ground.

Giving him a bewildered look you lean against the stony wall, "And who the fuck is this?" You snap, lightly pulling on your chains in frustration.

"He's Filavandrel, King of the Elves." Quickly answers the Sylvan as he rushes to the fallen elleths other side.

"Not a king by choice." Affirms the elven king Filavandrel as he glances over the three of you.

Geralt's brows furrow in thought, "You were stealing for them." He concludes with a sneer, blood still present on his lips, the Sylvan turning to answer him.

"I felt for them. They were forced out of Dol Blathanna."

"Forced out? No, they chose..." Starts Geralt.

The elven king snaps his attention over to Geralt, "Do you know anyone that would choose to leave their home? To starve? To have a Sylvan steal for them?" Angrily interrupts Filavandrel before turning his attention back to the she-elf, "Toruviel, no one was supposed to get hurt."

"What's three humans in the ground when countless elves have died?" She sneers, a messy trail of blood dripping down from her nostrils.

"One human. And you can let him go." Protests Geralt with a nod in the bards direction.

"Then Posada will learn that we've been stealing. The humans will attack. Many will die...on both sides." Insists Filavandrel as he stands, walking over to look down at Geralt and you.

"The lesser evil." Replies Geralt as he raises his head to look at the elf king in the eyes, "No matter what you choose, you'll come out bloody and hating yourself. Trust me." The elven king crouches down, almost at eye level with your fuming Witcher, he's in a perfect position to crack across the back of his scull, but smartly you think otherwise.

"That's the problem. I can't. This is necessary." Implores the elven king.

"I understand. As long as you understand...that it won't be long before you follow me in death." Replies Geralt dramatically.

The elven king scoffs, "Yes, because they pushed us from viable soil. Even chaos is polluted. Synthetically enhanced so humans can make magic."

"Chaos is the same as it's always been." You finally add, he turns to look down at you, "Humans just adapted better."

"You say adapt, I say destroy." Corrects Filavandrel, anger lacing his every word.

"You are choosing to starve. You're cutting off your ear to spite your face." You vouch back, his face morphing into one of great resentment and irritation.

"You think this is about pride?" He yells, "My elders worked with humans and got robbed of all they had. And when they fought back, they were slaughtered. "The Great Cleansing," humans called it. I called it digging a mass grave for everyone I loved. And now the humans proudly watch these very fields grow...our babies fertilizer for their grain. I don't wish to bury anyone else....I was once Filavandrel of the Silver Towers. Now I'm Filavendrel of the Edge of the World. If I bring my people down from these mountains, it would mean bowing down to human sovereignty....They'll make slaves of us. Pariahs of half-blood children." Explains the elven king, sadness and hatred coating his very words, you truly do feel for him and all his kind have endured at the greedy hands of humans.

"Then go somewhere else. Rebuild. Get strong again. Show the humans that you are more then what they fear you to be." Argues Geralt, trying to help these elves see the light.

"Like you, Witcher?" Whispers Filavandrel.

"I have learned to live with them." His golden eyes suddenly finding yours before he looks back up at the elven king, "We both have, so that we may live." The she-elf, Toruviel jumps to her feet.

"Please my king. There are others. A new generation. Evellien who wish to fight! Let's take back what's ours. Starting now." She insists confidently, Filavandrel pulls his dagger from its sheath and your breath catches in your throat at what he may do next.

"Don't fucking touch him!" You growl, pulling at your tightly restrictive chains, the clink and slink of the metal sounding throughout the stony room, right as the Sylvan races to the kings side. "Wait!"

"Torque, stand aside!" Shouts Filavandrel sharply.

"The Witcher could've killed me. But he didn't. He's different. Like us." Swears Torque the Sylvan, Filavandrel simply pushes him aside as you pull on your steel chains, it almost feels like you can't breath with how tight the collar is around your throat, the fiery burning of your wrist oozing red hot blood from beneath the silver cuff and onto the dusty floor.

Your Witcher simply watches Filavendrel's every move, a defiant look his his golden eyes, "If you must kill me...I am ready." Pledges Geralt softly, staring down the elven king the whole time, no this cannot be the end, not now.

Pulling even harder on your iron chains, you growl at the king, "If you end his life I will coat the walls of your golden palace in the blood of every living creature that crosses my path!" You scream furiously, tears welling up in the corners of your scarlet eyes as you violently yank on your chains, more blood seeping out from your silver cuffed wrist.

Geralt sadly glances to you before looking back up at the elven king holding his dagger, "But the Sylvan's right. Don't call me human." Continues Geralt as Filavandrel moves to his side for a better angle to slit his throat. To your absolute horror Geralt locks eyes with you before tilting his head up, opening up his neck for a clean shot of his jugular.

Your face falls before turning into a wolf-like snarl, "I cannot promise you a clean death. But by god, I will let you watch your people suffer!" You cry desperately as the elven king raises his silver dagger, wet salty tears unknowingly begin streaming down the sides of your cheeks as your eyes go wide in hopeless dread. Filavandrel gives you one last look before thrusting his dagger upon your lover.

——

You sit silently upon the back of Roach as she's guided by Geralt who keeps one hand on the leather reins and the other hand across your waist. Your fingers hold onto his muscular arm tightly as a white bloodied cloth covers your left wrist where the silver cuff burned and tore at your flesh. It still stings and most definitely wont heal for awhile, but your pain doesn't matter, all that's of your concern is the fact that Geralt's alive and so are you.

"Credit where credit is due." Starts the bard as he walks beside Roach and the two of you, "That whole reverse-psychology thing you did on them was brilliant, by the way." Says the bard before comically imitating Geralt's gruff voice, "Kill me. I'm ready." Geralt glares down at him before the bard continues, "Oh and you Y/N, with those incredibly convincing bloody threats, genius, they looked terrified.." He boasts for you, "That's the conclusion. They just let us go, and you give all of Nettly's coin to the elves."

"Filavendrel's lute not a charming enough gift for you?" You wonder, the bard swaggers with each step, a bright smile upon his dirty face.

"Yeah, she is a bit sexy, isn't she? I do have respect for Filavandrel. He survived the Great Cleansing once. Who knows? Maybe he can do it again? Be reborn." Suddenly the bard begins to sing, "Will the elf king heed, What the Witcher entreaty? Is history a wheel. Doomed to repeat? No that's...that's shit." Surmises the bard, squinting his eyes as the sun beams down brightly upon the three of you on the dusty dirt path.

"This is where we part ways, bard, for good." Remarks Geralt as you lean into his body, turning your head towards the bard.

"I promised to change the public's tune about you two. At least allow me to try." He politely insists as he whips his lute around to gently strum her cords, "When a humble bard. Graced a ride along. With Geralt of Rivia..." Sings the bard, happily strumming away at his new lute as he makes it up on the go, "And so cried the Witcher. He can't be bleat..."

"That's now how it happened." Grumbles Geralt as he quickly halts Roach, "Where's your newfound respect?" Wonders Geralt as the bard turns to look at him, an unbothered smile creeping onto his face.

Shaking his head he looks up at Geralt, "Respect doesn't make history." He corrects before turning around once again, "Toss a coin to your Witcher. O Valley of Plenty. O Valley of Plenty, oh-oh-oh. Toss a coin to your Witcher. O Valley of Plentyyyyy." He sings loudly, continuing to delightfully strum at his prized lute while taking the lead down the dirt path, out of earshot from your whispering.

Hugging Geralt's strong arm that's lazily casted over your abdomen, do you lightly laugh at the bards antics and Geralt's moodiness, "It's a bit catchy isn't it?" You muse while craning your neck to catch his annoyed golden irises, "Why not keep him around...until he gets sick of us or...maybe eaten by a werewolf, who knows."

Geralt raises a single eyebrow to you, "Our nights under the stars are about to get uncomfortable." He simply replies, hugging you pleasantly closer as he clicks his tongue for Roach to walk again. You chuckle at his adorably concerned remark, glad that today didn't end in sorrow and death for once.

Tagged: @notahappytree @ashleyforeverareject @sokkasdarling @kmuir1@haleypearce @diegos-butt (@auds24 sorry idk why ur name won’t work)

#the witcher #the witcher x y/n #the witcher x you #the witcher x reader #geralt of rivia x reader #geralt of rivia x you #Geralt of Rivia #geralt of rivia #Geralt #falcor the luck dragons stories #of Monsters and Men fic

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