#flash fiction challenge 19

[hashioki7]

When they fight together again

Travis Hackett stared at the figure sitting with hands clasped between their eyes. Well, to be precise, he glared. In the quiet sheriff's office, where even the rustle of clothes seemed audible, the blonde figure before him was clearly an unwelcome guest.

"If you have something to say, spit it out. I'm busy," Travis said, his voice dismissive, chilling the already frigid temperature of the office. He inwardly felt a slight pang realizing his words sounded colder than intended. Of course, he didn't want to be here with her and hoped she'd leave soon. But considering what he had done to her in the past, he thought it best to at least outwardly be as courteous as possible.

Laura looked up at him with visibly discontented eyes but said nothing. Travis, curious, observed her again with those dark eyes—eyes his mother always found unsettling—licking over him like a flame.

Given her usual demeanor, it was odd she wasn't retorting. Something was up, something quite troublesome, judging by her behavior.

Laura fidgeted with her shirt sleeve, her shoulders tense, indicating considerable nervousness. But her expression—though tense—seemed more like she was searching for the right words rather than just being nervous.

Travis had seen such expressions before. Criminals with something to hide, seeking some kind of reward by divulging information just before confession, often wore such faces.

This was going to be even more troublesome. Travis sighed inwardly, making sure not to show it on his face.

Laura's profile, bowed to avoid his gaze, suddenly flushed red. When she looked straight at him, her eyes were resolute.

"I need your help."

"…Regarding what?"

"Ryan… You remember him, right? The camp leader from that incident. He's gone missing."

"What does that have to do with me?"

Laura furrowed her brows, briefly silenced, searching for words again. Her cheeks regained their color.

"…There seems to be something supernatural involved. I don't know if it's a werewolf, but… no, probably not. But what I can say for sure is that it's not human."

"Why would you think that?"

"Ryan, you see, got into Bizarre Yet Bonafide podcast… As part of an internship, he started working for that show. Then, he went to this town rumored to have supernatural occurrences and we lost contact with him. And that town is about 20 km from here."

"Are you kidding me? After all the havoc that incident caused, after ruining people's families and homes, you still haven't learned your lesson? What are you thinking!"

Travis slammed his fist on the desk without thinking. But seeing Laura flinch, he immediately composed himself.

"No… That wasn't meant for you to hear. I apologize."

"Yeah… Well, it's natural for you to think that, given your position."

"And then? What exactly can I do? Even if the enemy is a werewolf, we don't even know its identity, right? I'm just a sheriff, not a ghost hunter."

"But you have more knowledge and experience dealing with supernatural phenomena than we do, right?"

Travis chuckled under his breath.

"Is this the first time in six months since that incident that you've come to ask for help? You're still as cheeky and presumptuous as ever."

"But you involved me in that incident, didn't you? Especially about Silas…"

The last words stabbed at Travis's heart like a knife. It seemed Laura hadn't intended to voice that. Her flushed face turned porcelain-pale, and she bit her lower lip, looking down.

An awkward silence fell between them.

"If you won't cooperate, we have other options," Laura said, her voice quiet yet determined.

"We've gathered quite a bit of evidence from that incident, us camp leaders. We'll take it all to the police and spill everything."

"Hmm… Wouldn't that trouble you more? I lost everything—my family, my home—in that incident. I have nothing left to lose. When that incident becomes public, it's your futures that will be scarred."

"Of course, we'll make sure only the parts that inconvenience us don't get out. With multiple testimonies aligned… who do you think everyone will believe?" Laura retorted.

"…Is this blackmail?"

"No… Please," Laura pleaded.

Well, it had certainly become troublesome. This time, Travis sighed deeply without trying to conceal it.

"Give me some time to think… I know time is short. I'll contact you by tonight. Where are you staying?"

"Harbinger Motel." Was it just his imagination, or did Laura's words carry a faint hint of laughter as she replied?

"Thanks, Travis." As he watched her walk away from the sheriff's office, Travis realized that deep down, he had no intention of refusing her request.

"Shit"

He frowned, clicked his tongue, and exhaled deeply, not knowing how many times he had sighed today.

[fanovember]

Fanovember 2024 prompt list

(Written list below the line)

We decided to go through literary genres this time, although you can fit the prompt however you please (by using the literal word in your piece, a small reference, or writing in the style of that prompt!)

→We'll be posting some ideas every day to spark creativity if any prompt in particular doesn't work well for you. Although you don't have to complete the challenge 100% (I won't, more on that later)

→There's no limit on extension at all, whatever you need will be fine. (At least 200 words was the initial idea, but I, for instance, sometimes need less)

→You can write in any language you want, we'll repost anyway. It's also valid if you mix languages! (I'll use Spanish since the media I've chosen is originally in that language)

→Arists are welcome too, of course!

→Some people suggested creating an Ao3 Collection for this challenge and we have listened carefully (also had some help from @prettysophist, tysm again!) So here it is! Fanovember 2024 Ao3 Collection is now available for all of you. Remember to tag and categorize your works correctly so people can find what they'r looking for/avoid anything they don't want to read. Be nice!

→Remember to mention this blog @fanovember and use any (or all) of these tags both here and on Ao3:

#fanovember

#fanovember 2024

#fanovember 24

→Needless to say, this event does NOT allow AI generated content of any kind. We want to see the most human of arts and writings

Personally, I don't think I'm completing the full list, as I'm absolutely surpassed by daily responsibilities. But since Softober went well, I'll choose 12 or 13 of the prompts that appeal to me the most and write those throughout the month. You can do whatever works best for you too, we don't want you to feel pressured by any means.

Choose your fandom (or fandoms) and start creating! Let's have some fun!!

Fanovember 2024

01. Romance

02. Short story

03. Terror

04. Adventure

05. Art

06. Retelling

07. Historical

08. Journal

09. Theatre

10. Witchcraft

11. Religion

12. Fantasy

13. Astrology

14. Mithology

15. Poetics

16. Reality show

17. Press

18. Urban fantasy

19. Film/Movie

20. Family

21. Music

22. Epistolary

23. Sci-fi

24. Autobiography

25. Cuisine

26. Dance

27. Board games

28. Classic

29. Triller

30. Flash-fiction

[wackus-bonkus-maximus]

⭐️

fuckinnn go I am ecstatic

send in a ⭐star⭐ to have the author select a section they’ve been dying to talk about!

hi wiggly! ty for the ask ❤️

today i will tell you about my favorite lines from my fic, one does not love breathing! to keep it short i will give you my top five (in no particular order bc i can't decide 😂).

"Adrien had lost a minute of his life. His Rolex ticked away on the bone of his wrist, unaware it was precisely sixty seconds behind the time on his phone." (chapter 4)

i was so proud of this one when i wrote it! it's a fun bit of personification i got to use to show something magical has transpired. something otherworldly and freaky just went down and this rich rolex-wearing guy has been affected by it. how do you react when you lose a minute of your life? hopefully as well as adrien (fun characterization too!)

"Shadows flickered on the adjacent roof—a man’s silhouette in lightning, cutting across her path like a blade, and Ladybug chased both as she tore through wind and water, following the darkest part of the sky up the side of Montparnasse Tower." (chapter 24)

i love this one bc it was a challenge for me to write anything but "it was a dark and stormy night." trying to see in a storm at night is crazy and freaky, and yet lb did it with laser focus. i remember writing this and being like "oh yeah, that imagery is perfect." cn is in the middle of so much darkness, yet he's the darkest thing within it too.

"the darkness collapsed like pyroclast" (chapter 44)

this MIGHT be stolen from my original fiction wip. if you ever come across a book that uses this, you'll know it's me :))

"It had almost taken Adrien from him. It would have taken the air from the world with him, too. It ached in his lungs now, as though knowing how close it had come to escape. And every new breath he took felt like a tear in his seams." (chapter 34)

i really really wanted to title drop in this line but i couldn't find a way to make it work! still, it turned out great, i think. gabriel's love for adrien is the air he breathes, and without his son whose happiness and well-being he arrogantly took for granted, there is no point in living. or breathing.

"He flashed a smile with all the wicked beauty of a sharpened blade." (chapter 19)

hehe this is the first time felix gave kagami a real smile. she liked it because he looked dangerous, like he was going to take her down. and he DID. she thought that was really hot.

from the fanfic writer: director's cut ask game.

[writingdotcoffee]

Writing Challenge: 3 Flash Fiction Pieces by 19 Feb

I want to feature a writing challenge from jshawng. He's writing three flash pieces for a competition run by Fractured.

The submission deadline is 19 February 2023. You can include two stories up to 1,000 words each per submission. Each submission is subject to a $20 reading fee. The winner gets $250 and the story will be included in their anthology.

In jshawng's words:

I like to use contests to help me finish short pieces of work, both flash fiction and short stories. For anyone interested, there is a flash fiction contest at https://fracturedlit.com. Click on current prize to see the contest ending 19-Feb. Pieces are 1,000 words or less. Use this challenge to write three flash fiction pieces between now and Feb 19th and if you so choose, submit your favourite before the contest submission deadline. Note - I am not affiliated with the group at all.

This is really smart. Using the contest to set a hard deadline for yourself is a great way to focus your mind and finish the story. You can easily write a flash piece in a day and move on.

I also like the approach of writing three stories and submitting the better two of them. This is awesome. It's not something you can do with a novel, but it makes so much sense when writing shorts.

When you're working on any story, your judgement is a little skewed. You will judge yourself way too harshly. Having to pick the best story out of a few will switch your brain into a different gear. You'll have to think like an editor for a bit. Comparing the stories against each other will make you a little more objective.

Join jshawng's challenge and write three flash pieces too! I'm planning to join myself.

Here's the link:

https://app.writinganalytics.co/challenge/63d9d5c7c88356cdb34338bb

[julieduffy]

7 Ways To Write Flash Fiction with Windy Lynn Harris

  In this revist of my interview with writer Windy Lynn Harris, we talk about Seven Ways to Write Flash Fiction, a skill that is extremely handy during the upcoming StoryADay challenge Sign up for the challenge at StoryADay.org

CHAPTERS: 1:16 Flash art comes organically when being open.

6:58 Flash fiction: creative, short, under 500 words.

12:28 Be specific in short flash fiction writing.

13:05 Editing is essential for shorter pieces.

17:37 Essential aspect of storytelling, representing a moment.

19:32 Woman faces fear, mystery, and self-discovery.

23:27 Enjoy working on soliloquies and rants in writing.

26:56 Background, training influence the form of writing.

29:13 Accessing your authentic voice is essential.

33:08 Writers adapting to shorter work during pandemic.

36:51 Creativity can flourish without lofty goals.

41:05 Distraction in the world, set timer, create.

43:12 First book on writing short stories.

46:12 Strategic shorts can boost writing career prospects.

49:43 Writing needs community for support, progress, success.

54:27 Exciting prompts for daily creative writing in May.

The StoryADay Podcast

[randombouquet]

Hello,

So this page is to try and experiment and grow creatively, finding ways to integrate AI to assist me in that (shout out to my fav collaborator Chat GPT). Taking daily time to try and flex and train those muscles with only myself to be accountable and disappoint.

We're starting off with a 30 day creativity challenge with small tasks and some big to keep me motivated and undettered.

Here's the outline:

30-Day Creativity Challenge for Your Blog

Day 1: Micro-Story MagicWrite a 100-word story based on the first object you see today.

Day 2: Snap & CaptionTake a photo of your morning routine and write a captivating caption.

Day 3: Mood PlaylistCreate and share a playlist that reflects your current mood, along with a brief description of your song choices.

Day 4: One-Sentence JournalSum up your day in one powerful sentence.

Day 5: Color Palette ChallengeCapture photos of objects in your surroundings that create a compelling color palette when put together.

Day 6: Character CreationWrite a brief introduction to a character you've just thought up, complete with quirks, likes, and dislikes.

Day 7: Photo RecreationRecreate a famous artwork or photograph in your style.

Day 8: Flash FictionWrite a 300-word flash fiction piece inspired by the word "Discovery".

Day 9: Virtual TourCreate a photo or video tour of your favorite spot in your home or city and describe why it's special to you.

Day 10: Quote InterpretationShare a quote that resonates with you and create a visual interpretation (drawing, photo, digital art).

Day 11: Review in HaikuWrite a haiku review of the last book, movie, or TV show you enjoyed.

Day 12: Shadow PlayTake a series of photos focusing on interesting shadows during different times of the day.

Day 13: The Sound of EmotionsRecord and share ambient sounds that represent your current mood, with a brief explanation.

Day 14: Dialogue ChallengeWrite an intriguing dialogue between two people who just met in an unusual circumstance.

Day 15: Creative CollageCreate a digital or physical collage that represents your week.

Day 16: Life in MonochromeCapture your day in black and white photos.

Day 17: Dreamy DescriptionsDescribe the most recent dream you remember with vivid details.

Day 18: Silhouette StoryPhotograph silhouettes during the golden hour and weave a short story around them.

Day 19: Letter to YourselfWrite a letter to your future or past self and seal it in an envelope (to be opened later).

Day 20: Nostalgia TripShare a childhood photo and narrate the memory associated with it.

Day 21: Recipe RemixInvent and photograph a new dish by remixing ingredients from two of your favorite meals.

Day 22: Urban SafariCapture the wildlife of your city (birds, insects, pets) through your lens.

Day 23: Minimalist ChallengeCompose and photograph a minimalist scene that conveys a strong emotion or story.

Day 24: Echo PoemWrite a poem where each line is a response or reflection to the previous one.

Day 25: Time-Lapse ArtCreate a time-lapse video of you drawing, painting, or crafting.

Day 26: Perspective PhotographyTake a photo that plays with perspective in an unusual way (e.g., forced perspective photography).

Day 27: Found PoetryCreate a piece of found poetry using headlines from old newspapers or magazines.

Day 28: Themed PhotoshootPlan and execute a themed photoshoot, detailing the process and inspiration.

Day 29: DIY DecorCreate and showcase a DIY decor project for your home or workspace.

Day 30: Reflection and ProjectionReflect on the 30-day creativity challenge with a blog post summarizing the experience, your favorite entries, and what you've learned about your creativity.

[rosecreer]

25 Years of Childhood, Kids Show Arthur Finally Ends.

'Arthur is based on the children’s books written and illustrated by Marc Brown. It is set in the fictional city of Elwood City. Each episode teaches children about development, friendships and valuable life lessons.'

Many adults who grew up watching Arthur praised the show for diversity and the lessons they learnt from this group of children growing up and making memories. But how did the show Arthur succeed in creating so many episodes?

Often, educational programmes before Arthur aired in 1996 were mostly live action entertainment until the entirely animated tv show The Magic School Bus in 1994. Arthur was accessible on most televisions, and carefully balanced entertainment with educational lessons.

'Arthur created a space where kids’ opinions, feelings, and experiences mattered. The storylines and dialogue never belittled nor condescended to its audience, but instead honoured the high emotional stakes of its characters’ circumstances. The plot was viewed from an authentic child lens, while still offering the wisdom of an adult through its conclusive life lessons.'

Writer Marc Brown believed that 'children are owed the truth' about life and experiences, not flashed in pretty colours and presented through rose tinted glasses. Different children lead different lives and they all deserve to be understood and represented, each child is an individual and should 'believe in yourself' as the intro theme repeats before every episode. Some experience extreme trauma, some have an unforgettable embarrassing moment but the most important part is that this is normalised.

Arthur never strayed away from discussing how to deal with the topics of the time, an episode was released following the events of September 11th teaching children how to deal with tragedy and loss, whereas episodes released during the Covid-19 pandemic discussed the importance of handwashing and wearing a mask.

Sometimes children need to develop their emotional intelligence and empathy, and watching a show where their favourite characters experience difficulties, challenges or even have happy moments teaches children important lessons on how everyone copes differently to life. Emotional intelligence is better taught through examples rather than being told by the book, and this is what the show provided for many years and many episodes.

Fitzpatrick, F. (2022). How Arthur became the longest-running animated children’s show ever. [online] The A.V. Club. Available at: https://www.avclub.com/how-arthur-became-the-longest-running-animated-children-1848652529.

[limejuicer1862]

#TheWildness. Day 24. Imagine you could communicate with one animal species. Which species would you choose and what would you ask them? Please join Jane Dougherty and me in celebrating wildness all this month. I tried to get permission from the Wildlife Trust to use their #3ODaysWild as prompts but it was not forthcoming, so here are my own prompts with a little help from chatgbt. I will feature your draft published/unpublished poetry/short prose/artworks using the following prompts. Please include a short third person bio. Numbers refer to dates in June: Day 1. Describe the sounds you hear when you step outside your home. How does nature contribute to this musical work? 2. Write a letter to a tree or plant that you encounter on your daily walk. What would you say to it? 3. Imagine you could transform into any animal for a day. Which animal would you choose and why? 4. Write a short story about a magical encounter with a wild animal in your backyard. 5. Describe a peaceful moment spent observing a body of water. What emotions does it evoke in you? 6. Write a poem inspired by the vibrant colours and patterns of a butterfly's wings. 7. Imagine you are a wildlife photographer. Describe the most breathtaking picture you have taken during your challenge. 8. Write about a favourite childhood memory spent in nature. How did it shape your connection with the natural world? 9. Create a dialogue between two different species of birds perched on a branch. What would they talk about? 10. Describe the texture and scent of wildflowers you encounter on your nature walks. How do they make you feel? 11. Write a persuasive essay on the importance of conserving and protecting local wildlife habitats. 12. Imagine you are a nature guide. Describe a walk you would take visitors on to showcase the beauty and diversity of your local environment. 13. Write a poem about the changing seasons and how they affect the behaviour of wildlife. 14. Imagine you are a detective investigating the disappearance of a rare animal. Describe your search for clues in the natural world. 15. Write a poem/flash fiction about a mischievous squirrel that causes chaos in your garden. 16. Describe a special moment when you felt truly connected to nature. What did it teach you about yourself and the world around you? 17. Write a letter to future generations, urging them to protect and cherish the natural world. 18. Create a detailed observation log of a specific species of bird that you have been monitoring throughout the challenge. 19. Write a poem inspired by the soothing sounds of a flowing stream or river. 20. Imagine you are a nature-inspired artist. Describe the masterpiece you would create using materials found in the great outdoors. 21. Write a short story about a group of friends who embark on an unforgettable camping trip in the wilderness. 22. Describe the most fascinating insect you have encountered during your challenge. What makes it unique? 23. Write a diary entry from the perspective of a tree, chronicling its experiences and the changes it witnesses over the course of a year. 24. Imagine you could communicate with one animal species. Which species would you choose and what would you ask them? 25. Describe a magical sunrise or sunset you have witnessed during your journey. How did it make you feel? 26. Write a letter to a future self, reflecting on the impact of the challenge on your relationship with nature. 27. Imagine you are a character in a wildlife-themed adventure novel. Describe the perilous situation you find yourself in and how you escape. 28. Write a poem celebrating the diversity and resilience of nature, even in the face of human challenges. 29. Describe the feeling of walking barefoot on cool, damp grass. How does it connect you to the Earth? 30. Write a short story about a hidden, enchanted forest where magical creatures dwell. What adventures await those who discover it? Feel free to adapt these prompts to suit your writing style or preferences.

Old Moor Bird photo by Paul Brookes Wolf, where are you? I know you’re there, lying low. Not in these quiet meadows and wooded slopes perhaps, but along Garonne’s broad reaches harried by flood waters, where farm buildings sink beneath the weight of ivy, wooden planking falls like flakes of slate. Wolf, where are you? Down there amid the forest-tangle, the woodland left untended, plantations…

[fanovember]

IT'S FINALLY HERE, PEOPLE, OUR PROMPT LIST FOR THIS YEAR'S FANOVEMBER!!! (Written list below the line)

We decided to go through literary genres this time, although you can fit the prompt however you please (by using the literal word in your piece, a small reference, or writing in the style of that prompt!)

→We'll be posting some ideas every day to spark creativity if any prompt in particular doesn't work well for you. Although you don't have to complete the challenge 100% (I won't, more on that later)

→There's no limit on extension at all, whatever you need will be fine. (At least 200 words was the initial idea, but I, for instance, sometimes need less)

→You can write in any language you want, we'll repost anyway. It's also valid if you mix languages! (I'll use Spanish since the media I've chosen is originally in that language)

→Arists are welcome too, of course!

→Remember to mention this blog @fanovember or use any (or all) of these tags:

#fanovember

#fanovember 2024

#fanovember 24

Personally, I don't think I'm completing the full list, as I'm absolutely surpassed by daily responsibilities. But since Softober went well, I'll choose 12 or 13 of the prompts that appeal to me the most and write those throughout the month. You can do whatever works best for you too, we don't want you to feel pressured by any means.

Choose your fandom (or fandoms) and start creating! Let's have some fun!!

Fanovember 2024

01. Romance

02. Short story

03. Terror

04. Adventure

05. Art

06. Retelling

07. Historical

08. Journal

09. Theatre

10. Witchcraft

11. Religion

12. Fantasy

13. Astrology

14. Mithology

15. Poetics

16. Reality show

17. Press

18. Urban fantasy

19. Film/Movie

20. Family

21. Music

22. Epistolary

23. Sci-fi

24. Autobiography

25. Cuisine

26. Dance

27. Board games

28. Classic

29. Triller

30. Flash-fiction

[diracsea]

năm hai mươi tuổi, mỗi lần nhìn lên khán đài sân cẩm phả, hai long vẫn thường nghĩ đến màu trời.

nó nhận ra sự tương đồng đó vào cái lần ghi bàn thắng đầu tiên cho than quảng ninh. trận đấu thứ năm nó được điền tên vào đội hình chính thức thay cho anh hải huy đang chấn thương, và nó đã bình tĩnh dẫn bóng qua bốn cầu thủ của quảng nam trước khi sút tung lưới đội bạn. khoảnh khắc chạy về phía khán đài nơi có những lá cờ xanh đang tung bay, bỗng dưng nó cảm thấy như đang lao vào giữa một vùng trời trong vắt và bồng bềnh mây trắng. và, hoàn toàn vô thức, nó dang hai cánh tay ra, tưởng tượng mình như một chú chim tung cánh giữa không trung cao rộng.

nhưng những lá cờ ấy vẫn ở đó chờ đợi hai long, ngay cả khi đôi cánh của nó chẳng thể đưa nó bay lên, khi đôi chân nó nặng trĩu vì đất bùn, vì mỏi mệt hay vì thất bại. những ngày như thế, nó thích đi bộ thật chậm trên đường piste, chạm tay mình lên những lớp vải, những logo, những dòng chữ và khẩu hiệu in trên đó, lắng nghe lời động viên từ những con người - chẳng phải máu mủ ruột rà gì - vẫn luôn sẵn sàng theo chân nó, yêu thương nó. trước khi vào trong đường hầm, nó luôn dành thời gian nhìn ngắm cái khán đài xanh biếc ấy lần cuối, nhắm mắt và hít thở một hơi thật sâu, thấy lòng mình dịu lại, thấy mọi lo lắng bỗng tan thành gió mây, thấy bầu trời lại mở ra trước mắt.

năm hai mươi hai tuổi, mỗi lần đứng trên đất hà nội và nhìn lên bầu trời xanh mây trắng, hai long lại nghĩ về khán đài sân cẩm phả của những năm tháng dĩ vãng. khi tương lai còn ở phía trước, khi nó cảm thấy rằng với điểm tựa quê hương nó có thể nâng cả thế giới bằng đôi tay mình.

mặc dù trên khán đài sân cẩm phả những ngày này, chẳng màu xanh nào còn tung bay.

flash fiction challenge, entry 19: màu trời. đã đăng trong moment capsule.

[i-found-you-justine-time]

Varian’s Tangled Trials

A “Varian and the Seven Kingdoms” fan fiction.

Chapter 19. Sigrevet. 9802 Words.

The gang arrives in Ingvarr in time for the celebration of Sigrevet! Hugo is offered a choice.

Previous Chapters: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

Varian finished rigging Prometheus to the wagon as Yong pushed a box of supplies into the back. 

“Guess, that’s it then,” Varian muttered. “Ready for what’s next.” He turned and found the end of a sword pointed right between his eyes. “Aahh!” He yelled, startled.

Hector, the person at the other end of the sword, gave Varian a dark smile. “Sure you don’t wish to stay with us, Nephew? You’d only stand to benefit from our training. You’d have a much easier time with these challenges,” he asked.

Varian carefully pushed the blade away. “Oh, you know, that sounds really great and all but we’re kind of on a time crunch so we’ll have to make do the way we are… maybe next time?”

“Just be sure to be careful out there,” said Adira, walking up to the two of them, Ruddiger riding her shoulder. “Demantitus’s Eternal Library holds great power. There will be others who will seek out such power and try to use it for their own nefarious desires.” Hector nodded in agreement as he sheathed his sword.

Varian laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Funny you should say that,” he said. “I think… well my mom’s old partner, Donella, might still be after the Library… and we might have upset her a bit… So yeah. There’s that.”

Adira’s eyes flashed but she quickly calmed herself and just gave a nod. “The grumpy one, yes. It wasn’t smart of you to cross her. She’s grown very powerful since we met her. She has great influence in Ingvarr.”

Yong walked over behind Varian. “Ingvarr… Varian, isn’t that where we’re going next?”

Varian’s eyes were on the ground. “Well? Yeah. But we have no choice. The Iron Trial is in the capital of Ingvarr.”

“No!” Shouted Hector. “You will not put yourself in danger like that! Forget this stupid errand and stay here where we can protect you!”

Varian looked up at Hector, his face dark and his eyes narrowed in anger. “Stupid errand?” “Varian?” said Yong softly, face full of concern and his hand reaching out for him hesitantly.

“Stupid errand?” Varian repeated, louder this time. 

“Really, Varian,” said Adira. “There’s no need to be upset. Hector didn’t mean it that way. We’re just worried for your safety.”

“Safety,” spat Varian. “This is my mother’s life’s work! I thought you understood! But you’re sounding just like dad! The Library is important. It could help save Nuru’s Kingdom. It could help you rebuild yours! It could have solutions for hunger and disease. Isn’t that worth the risk?” He looked at Hector pleadingly, needing affirmation. 

Hector looked back, face dark and serious as he considered Varian. After a moment he sighed and put a hand on Varian’s shoulder. “You show true bravery, Nephew. And just because I don’t understand it doesn’t mean it’s not worth fighting for. Just be sure to watch your back.”

Varian smiled, placated by Hector’s words.

“Goggles?” 

Hugo came running over. Hector dropped his hand from Varian’s shoulder and stepped back as Hugo rushed up and gently put his own hand on Varian’s shoulder. “I heard shouting,” he said, face anxious. “Is everything alright?”

Varian blushed and looked back over at Hector and Adira. “Yeah, it’s fine. Just got a little carried away there.”

“Passion is good when it’s properly directed,” said Adira. “Beanpole, Hairfluff, be sure to watch over Varian as you continue your journey. Make sure he’s safe.”

Hugo relaxed, his whole demeanor changing on a dime as he turned to Adira. He smirked and put his elbow on Varian’s shoulder, using him as an armrest. “Oh, no need to worry about this guy here. He can be scary when he wants to be. He can definitely take care of himself.”

Varian, while annoyed by Hugo leaning on him, looked surprised and touched by Hugo’s defense of him.

“Though, of course, having such a smart and talented alchemist like myself is very helpful,” added Hugo. Varian rolled his eyes and pushed Hugo off of him.

Just then, King Edmund and Nuru walked up, engaging in conversation. She handed him a letter as they approached the others.

“If you send this directly to the palace in Koto you’ll be able to start negotiating an alliance. I’ve explained everything and I’m sure my sister Zuri will be happy to help you once our own Kingdom is safe.”

“It is good to know that such kindness still exists in the world,” said King Edmund. “Thank you, Princess, for helping me put my pride aside.”

Nuru smiled at him. “Everyone needs help sometimes.”

“A wise observation.” King Edmund turned to all of them. “And we appreciate the help you all gave us. Please be sure to travel safely. And Varian, when you reach Corona do tell that son of mine that he needs to come visit me soon.”

Varian laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll let him know,” he agreed.

“Varian,” said Adira, stepping forward again. “I have one more thing for you. Here” She pulled a stack of papers from her pocket and passed it to Varian. Once in his hands, he could see that it was letters bundled with a thin length of twine. “Letters from your father. Everything he wrote to me since going to live with your mother. You wanted to know more about them and about yourself so I figured these might help.” Varian’s face brightened. “Thanks! This is wonderful!” He threw his arms around Adira. She froze in surprise at the affection but soon patted Varian’s back. Hector rolled his eyes and came over and joined the hug as well. Then King Edmund put an arm around all of them giving a strong squeeze that crushed Varian a bit. Varian laughed and pulled back happily. 

Ruddiger, still on Adira’s shoulder, gave her an affectionate nuzzle then hopped onto Varian’s back. Varian absentmindedly scratched behind Ruddiger’s ear as he looked up at the three adults. “Thanks,” he repeated. “It’s good to know I have a family on my side all the way out here in the Dark Kingdom.”

Everyone else had already gathered on the wagon and Varian climbed up into the seat next to Nuru. They set off down the road, waving until they were out of sight.

Adira, Hector, and King Edmund watched a moment longer. When the group was well on their way Adira and Hector shared a look. 

“He will hate us if we try to interfere,” she said warningly.

Hector grimaced. “Better an angry nephew than a dead one. Besides, he doesn’t need to know if I keep my distance.”

“What’s this then?” asked King Edmund, confused. 

Hector turned and bowed. “Permission to ensure the safety of Varian’s mission, Your Majesty.”

King Edmund thought it over. “We have made a lot of progress on our rebuilding efforts thanks to him and his friends. You being away for a few months shouldn’t hurt. Very well. You may have this mission. But take Hammuel with you so you can report back to me. And be sure to only interfere if it’s a matter of life or death.” Hammuel, who had been resting on the King’s shoulder, cawed and hopped over perch on Hector instead. He accidentally bumped into him and fell, but Hector scooped him out of the hair and placed him on his shoulder. 

“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you,” He whistled, and with a loud rumble a large intimidating rhinoceros already fitted with a saddle and bags ran to Hector’s side. He swung up onto the creature’s back. “Farewell, sister.” “Good luck, Hector,” said Adira, then herdace darkened. “If you meet the grumpy one, be sure to send my regards.”

Hector nodded and then urged the rhino forward. They set off into the woods, picking a slightly more northerly direction than the wagon just went. Read the rest of the chapter here!

[minruko]

(Hi! I'd like a match up from one piece, bnha and black clover! If I can't choose more then 1 tell me please! Also I apologize if I don't make any sense! my English isn't always the best)

ok first Im autistic and I have ADHD Im sensitive I have trouble with focusing and staying still I talk to myself a lot and in my mind I just live in a different world! I Get loud and interrupt others a lot without realizing it but I always apologize and feel bad Sometimes when I hear anything loud or smell something strong (can be normal sounds/smells to others) it irritates me a lot so I cover my nose/ears when that happens ☹️ also I get shy and quiet around new people or to people I'm not close to and when I sit down I move my leg/hands and figit lot and stand around just daydreaming unaware of my surroundings

pros

understanding/kind/energetic/creative/confident/ambitious/positive/forgiving/funny/intelligent/curious/protective/nerdy/thoughtful/imaginative/empathetic/friendly/spiritual

cons

Hyper sensitive/rushes a lot/hyper excited/lazy/ I don't always appreciate my self/I over explain a lot/impatient/challenging/blunt/mercilessly when loved ones are hurt/lose things easily/I forget dates and to take my medication/can be manipulative

Features: almond shaped dark brown eyes/black short curly hair/thick bushy brows/middle eastern Arab/short/curvy/big titties/hip dips/ beauty mark on my cheek and hands/high cheek bones/scars on stomach and thighs/small slit on my right eyebrow/strech marks on my shoulders and hips/sharp fangs/nose n ear piercings/I always change my fashion so I'm a mix of hippie/princess/nerd/witch/fairy/punk/goth/diva/baddie/alt

Pronouns: she/her gender preference: men

Zodiac: cancer I'm 21 so nobody under 19 pls!

Hobbies: drawing/painting/designing/writing/reading/shopping/watching animation/daydream/sleeping/Playing video games/yoga/meditations

likes: animals/art of any kind/fashion/science/history/fantasy/gemstones/coffee/fiction/marvel or DC/anime/cartoons/nature/moon/tarot cards/magic/aesthetics

Dislikes: anyone who's racist/sexist and more will get jumped by me oh and pickles

and I choose water

Pls let me know if there's something wrong and take your time! let me know when you get my request thanks!

match up below the cut! thanks for participating!!

i’ll do all of the fandoms bc i never really listed to pick only one, sorry for the inconvenience!!

彡ONE PIECE-

i match you with luffy! he loves your curiosity more than anything! when the crew docks on a new island you’re the first person he takes with him, keeping the noise and scent irritation in mind he places his hat on your head when he sees it’s about to happen and flashes you a wide grin telling you that it’s gonna be fine. he loves merciless you can be too he thinks it’s cool how this switch flips in your mind and you start kicking ass!

“hey let’s go on another adventure! nami says that there’s an island ahead let’s explore it together and don’t worry i’ll keep you safe!”

彡BLACK CLOVER-

i match you with yami! he’s well used to your random out bursts and even encourages them at the hide out say “hey my girlfriends got spunk!” when you say a random thought that’s on your mind. he teases you for not liking pickles eats them around you purposely as a joke so his kisses taste like pickles! he stopped after a day or two though he started to miss your kisses big time. he also enjoys taking naps with you after a long day snuggling with you in his bed is his favorite place to be.

“okay okay i’m sorry no more pickles i promise cross my heart and hope to die.”

彡MHA-

i match you with fatgum! he loves curvy women and loves your hip dips, even more, he says they’re special slots where he can place his hands. he is there to listen to any random thought you have even your outbursts which he find’s adorable. the two of you are the sweetest couple the hero world has ever seen. if he ever catches you saying something bad about yourself he just hits you with a compliment along with a soft kiss, there will be no lack of self-appreciation on his watch!

“wow honey that’s an interesting thought you have there, hey what was the thing you were talking about the other day something about comics?”

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, February 19th

WESLEY: (urging) You could go anywhere, you could leave. ILLYRIA: That's not possible. WESLEY: Of course it's possible. Are you telling me the great Illyria, idol of millions, was limited to one small dimension? ILLYRIA: I traveled all of them as I pleased. I walked worlds of smoke and half-truths, intangible. Worlds of torment and of unnamable beauty. Opaline towers as high as small moons. Glaciers that rippled with insensate lust. And one world with nothing but shrimp. I tired of that one quickly.

~~Underneath~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Hero (Andrew, Harry Potter crossover, G) by Alittleauthor

Correction (Faith/Dawn, G) by cmk418

Thankful (Buffy/Spike, M) by Blackmysteria

Once in the library (Buffy/Giles, G) by Darkness_133

A Place to Call Home (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by all_choseny

She Speaks Snake (Buffy, Harry Potter crossover, FR7) by Buffyworldbuilder

[Chaptered Fiction]

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Shadowed Suspicion, Chapter 332 (Ensemble, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure crossover, T) by madimpossibledreamer

The path to redemption, Chapter 104 (Scoobies, T) by Aragorn_II_Elessar

The Sun Also Rises Chapter 57 (Buffy, Dawn, Silmarillion crossover, T) by Grundy

Deeper than Blood, Chapter 14 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Blackmysteria

Its Just Like Catnip, But for Wolves, Chapter 11 (Willow, Teen Wolf crossover, E) by NiklausScratchIII

All But One, Chapter 15 (Buffy/Spike, E) by JWS1993

A new Quest, a new Fellowship, Chapter 17 (Ensemble, Lord of the Rings crossover, T) by Aragorn_II_Elessar

The Apocalypse is Here, Chapter 14 (Ensemble, Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover, T) by Aragorn_II_Elessar

Flavor of the Week, Chapter 3 (Kendra, Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter crossover, G) by Alittleauthor

Alternating Skies and, of course, the Hellmouth, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Popsy

A Witch and a Spider in New York, Chapter 5 (Willow, Spiderman crossover, T) by Aragorn_II_Elessar

Merry's Joy, Chapter 2 (Xander, Merry Gentry - Laurell K Hamilton crossover, T) by calikocat

Fall to Pieces, Chapter 3 (Spike/Drusilla, M) by LittleTayy

What Goes Around, Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Nine_reeds

Next Year's Girl, Chapter 1 (Xander, M) by Kylia

Her Happy Day, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Kanita

Come Back to Me, Chapter 19 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by honeygirl51885

The Fairytale, Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Dusty

Milkshakes & Motorcycles, Chapters 7-8 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Grief Counseling

So That You Will Hear Me, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by cawthraven

Out of Time: 1942, Chapter 23 (Buffy, Harry Potter crossover, FR18) by Jonayla

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Cordelia/Willow (worksafe) by frankierose

Gifset: Inspired by Twin Peaks // Season 1 Episode 4 // Rest in Pain (Buffy, worksafe) by buffysource

Fanvid: Buffy and Angel, The First Touch by SeleneandMichael

Fanvid: Angel (The Series) Tribute by Scarlet Speedster

Fanvid: Willow Rosenberg | Kiss The Go Goat [TW: Flashing] by Menial Fiend

Fanvid: Spike - A Grave Mistake by T

Fanvid: Angel and Spike | Superfruit by Guy.exe by Bangel_Boreanaz100

Fanvid: Willow Rosenberg & Tara Maclay by Elisabete Frade

Fanvid: Buffy and Angel | Pink In The Night by Buffyfandom

Video: Thesulac Demon's (from Ats: Are You Know or Have You Ever Been) by Nerd .World

Artwork: The Royals (Buffy/Spike, worksafe) by NMCIL

[Reviews & Recaps]

2x17 Passion by doctorbeverlycrusher

2x19 I Only Have Eyes For You by doctorbeverlycrusher

ReWatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 3, Ep 2: Dead Man’s Party by kimannebb

[Fandom Discussions]

Nothing to me is as telling to Angel’s character as when Xander does that gentle bullying to him by bleedingastigmatism

[Xander as Buffy’s heart and being in Dracula’s thrall] by chasingfictions

[Blood Ties: Spike & Dawn slumber party] by disco-tea

30 Days of Buffy Challenge, Day 16, Saddest Scene: Buffy, Forever by ex-vengeancedemon

Maybe we could get some Bangelus and Spuffy flirting [in new book “Big Bad”] by oveliagirlhaditright

I honestly wouldn’t mind a show about Fray by oveliagirlhaditright

Angel is an albino crow by purlplebat

[How did Willow get into Tara’s room in Superstar?] by starsandmoongay

[The comparison between Tara and Giles in the Under Your Spell/Standing reprise] by theglassphantom

Buffy and the trope of “not like other girls” by writing-quietly

Thoughts on Jenny Calendar by Stoney

[AtS] Season four by dabzandjabz

Buffy’s boyfriends by Crimedramagirl

How did Adam get in and out of room 314 without being detected by AintNothinbutaGFring

What is a vampires soul? by rdh_3000

When She Was Bad by dabzandjabz

Just rip it out [Spike's chip] by TheEpicSpire

Did the episode 'As You Were' redeem Riley in your eyes? by PFTETOwerewolves

The timeline of the end of Season One makes no sense by NotAnotherEmpire

S5E19, Tough Love. How do you feel about Buffy disciplining Dawn after The Scoobies were having fun tutoring her? by InfiniteMehdiLove

Rude lines or moments in Buffy or Angel you didn't get as a youngster by Hot-Orange-2958

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[emachinescat]

By Night My Mind

A Tales of Arcadia: Wizards Fan-Fiction

by @emachinescat ​

@febuwhump​ day 19 - sleep deprivation 

Summary: Sequel to “Dying Is Easy.”  In the aftermath of the final battle against the Arcane Order, Douxie is plagued by guilt and nightmares about his part in Merlin’s death, and decides that he’s better off staying awake, which his battered and weary body does not take well.  Written for Febuwhump on Tumblr. Day 19: sleep deprivation

Characters: Douxie, Archie, Jim, Claire

Words: 4,719

TW: None

Notes: Sequel to “Dying Is Easy, Living (Without You) Is Harder,” and set in the same universe as “That I Could Fear a Door” and “Lest Back that Awful Door Should Spring.”  In this version of events, Douxie doesn’t have to leave with Nari, and is trying to adjust back to life in Arcadia after the events of “Dying Is Easy.”

Keep reading here, or on AO3!

If you enjoy, please consider liking, commenting, or re-blogging, and you can follow me for more content like this! :)

- From “Sonnet 27” by William Shakespeare

Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,

The dear repose for limbs with travel tired;

But then begins a journey in my head

To work my mind, when body’s work’s expired…

Lo! thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,

For thee, and for myself, no quiet find.

The night after his battle with the Arcane Order, Douxie slept more soundly than he could ever remember.  His near-death experience had left him with a litany of aches, pains, cuts, bruises, a couple of fractured ribs and a lot of unanswered questions - it should have been impossible for him to survive a fall from that height; every bone in his body should have been broken, and no one knew how he was still alive - but still he slept, his final meeting with Merlin and the restored Morgana fresh on his mind and a soothing balm through the night.

The trouble came the day after, when he nodded off while curled up on his couch with The Sword in the Stone distracting him from some unpleasant thoughts and a nagging guilt that had begun to crop up, slowly but steadily, over the course of his day.  No one knew that the hokey, mostly plotless Disney movie was his favorite, and he preferred to keep it that way.  It had always amused him, Merlin as a bit of a crackpot and Arthur a poor young boy running around after a magical master who only halfway knew what he was doing at any given time - it reminded him of himself, and of home.

But he was exhausted from the muscle relaxer he’d been prescribed when Jim and Claire had practically kidnapped him and forced him to let Jim’s mom, a doctor, examine him, and he fell asleep right when Mad Madam Mim issued her challenge to Merlin and for a few wonderful moments, there was nothing, and he could rest.

He woke with a yell only minutes later (Merlin was now turning into a germ to outwit the atrocious purple dragon), fighting desperately against the effects of the muscle relaxers that were already trying to pull him under again.  He couldn’t even remember what it was that woke him, what he’d seen in his dreams, but it didn’t matter.  Whatever it was - and he had a good idea - it left him trembling, short of breath, on the verge of tears.

“Douxie?”

Archie padded into the room and hopped up on the couch beside his friend, eyes full of concern behind his glasses.

“I’m fine, Archie.  Just a nightmare.”

“I miss him, too,” the cat said solemnly, reflective gaze compassionate and sad as he observed his human friend.  “Perhaps we should talk--”

“Talking won’t bring him back,” Douxie snapped, and Archie flinched back the tiniest amount and fell silent, looking more like a chastised pet than Douxie had ever seen him.  The wizard sighed.  “I’m sorry, Archie.  I just don’t want to talk, that's all.”  He rubbed the furry head with distracted affection, then moved from the couch and pulled up a hard-backed kitchen chair, and sat in that.  

He didn’t feel like sleeping so much anymore, even if the burning of his eyes told him otherwise.  He turned off the movie - it suddenly held no appeal.  The Disney+ main screen took its place, and he clicked on something at random.  He was so caught up in his bleak mood and dark thoughts that he didn’t even realize for a solid ten minutes that he was watching Hannah Montana. 

***

Dr. Lake called him at five and asked how the muscle relaxers were treating him - “Are they keeping the pain and back spasms at bay? Are you taking them with food? Have you been able to rest?” Douxie placated her with lies on all accounts, but the truth was that he was sore even with the medicine, he hadn't taken it with food because he couldn't bring himself to eat, and every time he closed his eyes he felt the unfathomable pain of being run through all over again, or, worse, he saw Merlin kneeling over him, sacrificing his life for Douxie’s stupid mistake, and that wasn’t worth any benefits rest gave him.

***

He did finally fall asleep that night around eleven, not by choice - he’d been forced to take another muscle relaxer when the pain in his ribs and back crescendoed to nearly unbearable levels, and the drug worked quickly despite his best efforts to stay awake.

The dream was, at the beginning, not good, but not nightmare material, either.  He found he was reliving his final conversation with Merlin, in that Nowhere between life and death where his mentor had waited patiently for him to arrive before moving on at last, after 900 long years.  

At first the conversation was much the same as it had been, and Douxie found a thread of comfort in Merlin’s reassurances - I told you, my boy, I chose to die for you.  I want no part of a world without you in it.  And I am happy, reunited with my dear friend and first apprentice, ready to step into the next chapter.  

But this time, right before Merlin stepped through the door into the light, he turned and contemplated his grieving apprentice with a cold look.  “Although,” he said, accusation seeping from every word, “it is true that I wouldn’t have had to give my life for you if you hadn’t bungled things up so much in the first place.”

Douxie felt his heart stutter to a stop and he stammered, “W-what?”

“Couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?” Merlin hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously.  “It was my fight.  And if you were going to interfere, why not cast some other spell that kept us both out of harm’s way?”

Floundering for any purchase on solid ground, Douxie finally managed, “I didn’t know how - the magic, it just responded -”

“You were always good at making excuses, Hisirdoux,” the wizard snarled.  “The faith I thought I had in your abilities was obviously misplaced.”  A terrible, eternal beat of silence.  Then - “Perhaps I should have let you die after all.  It’s no more than you deserve.”

“But Master -”

“I’m done with you.”  With a dismissive wave of his arm, Merlin stomped into the waiting light of the unknown, muttering, “Might as well enjoy your life since you ended mine to save it.”

And Douxie was left alone in the between-space, and the tower crumbled around him in time with his soul, and he let it bury him, book after book crashing on his head, and he hoped that this time, he wouldn’t wake up at all….

It’s all my fault.

He woke up crying, not screaming, and shortly after he flushed the muscle relaxers while Archie wasn’t looking (the wise familiar would most certainly have not approved), splashed his face with icy water, and grabbed his well-read copy of The Catcher in the Rye and forced his eyes across the familiar words in a vain attempt to distract him from the loathing and pain and guilt that screamed through his aching head and pounded out a tattoo of shame that persisted through the lonely, sleepless night.

***

Two days later, he returned to work, and his manager stared openly at his disheveled appearance.  Douxie had slept a grand total of four hours since he’d tossed the pills, and those had been intermittent catnaps that his body had forced him to take.  Eventually, though the thought of using his magic made his skin crawl now after what it had done to Merlin, he conjured a simple alarm clock that sensed when he fell asleep and screeched metal core at him every time it happened.

He knew he looked bad - he’d seen a glimpse of himself in the mirror before he left.  His face was thinner than usual, pinched in pain that tylenol just wasn’t cutting through - but anything else would make him fall asleep.  Although all of the bruising was centralized around his back and chest and invisible beneath his rumpled t-shirt, it looked like he’d been punched in both eyes, with the dark, puffy circles accenting each one.  He’d been too out of it to properly bother with styling his hair, or brushing it, if he were honest, and he was pretty sure he was wearing two different combat boots.  They were both black, though, so maybe no one would notice.  He didn’t have the energy to care if they did.

“Damn,” said his manager, Jeff.  “I think you came back from sick leave a little too soon, man.  You look awful.”

Douxie shrugged, not trusting himself to speak.  He’d been screaming from one emotion to the next with no warning ever since he woke up, and even though he felt rather empty at the moment, he knew it was distinctly possible that if he opened his mouth he might start crying against his will.

“I think you should go back home.  Have you seen a doctor?”

Douxie grunted in affirmation.  

“Go home until you’re feeling better, Douxie.  Seriously, man, you have to take care of yourself.”

The hollowness inside of him filled with irritation at the dismissal.  “I’m fine,” he growled sullenly.  

His manager blinked, surprised at the tone.  Douxie had always been a model employee, respectful and fun to be around.  

“You’re going to scare customers away,” Jeff insisted.  “You can’t wait tables like this - people will be afraid you’ll give them whatever plague you’ve come down with.”

With a snarl, Douxie spat, “Why can’t things just go back to normal?”  He stormed out before his bewildered manager could answer.

***

The next afternoon, someone knocked at his door.  He cast a suspicious side-eye at Archie, who sat innocently on the table, tail tucked contritely around his carefully arranged paws as he studied Merlin’s magic book, the one Douxie had refused to touch since returning home.  Archie had disappeared for a short time earlier, flapping out of the window in dragon form and saying that he was just going for a short flight to clear his head.  Now Douxie wondered if the dragon had actually gone out and told someone of his worries about his wizard familiar.  After all, Archie had been on his case constantly over the past few days, practically begging his friend to sleep, to eat, to talk, and Douxie always ignored him and had even yelled at him on a couple of occasions.  

Douxie was picking at a bowl of dragon-popped popcorn listlessly, the small desire for food that he’d felt earlier having been immediately usurped by a fresh waves of undulating guilt and devastating emptiness.  A smattering of empty cans - soda and energy drinks - lay crumpled on the coffee table around Archie, and the dregs of his latest cup of coffee were still warm.  He seriously considered just ignoring the knocking until whoever it was went away - they’d promised to give him some time to recover, after all - but then they started ringing the doorbell and his head already hurt so badly it made his stomach curdle, so he made the tremendous journey to his feet.  He swayed, his limbs like pool noodles, head swimming with dizziness at the effort to stay upright.

Each step toward the door - that incessant, too-loud doorbell was going to drive him mad! - was a hard-fought battle, and by the time his hand reached for the doorknob, he felt like he was going to be sick, and his vision was blurred, and he was having trouble remembering why he had gotten up in the first place.

Then the doorbell rang again, and a muffled voice called his name from the other side of the door, and he remembered.

It was Claire and Jim.  The moment they laid eyes on him, their expressions went from concerned to relieved to something Douxie couldn’t quite identify but that might have been a kind of shock, or even horror.

“Douxie!” Claire half-shouted, and Douxie fought the urge to cover his ears as her voice, normally pleasant and soothing, tried its hardest to split his head in two.  “What happened?”

Douxie squinted at her in confusion.  Shouldn’t she know what happened?  She had been there, for parts of it, at least.  She’d heard about the rest.  He could barely stand up straight anymore, and his eyes started closing of their own accord.  This had happened so many times before, but as soon as sleep started to stake its claim, the memories and nightmares and things that might have been memories followed, mixing up into a blur that he couldn’t navigate, and then his magic alarm clock would blare, and he would wake up, and drink another Mountain Dew or Monster or cup of coffee, and try to do something to take his mind off of sleep and pain and Merlin.  Then the whole process would start over again.

This time, it didn’t look like he would make it back to the couch before he passed out - the arduous trek to the front door had drained him, made him breathless and dizzy - and he was toppling forward, trying to force himself to wake up, battling sleep and the panic of sleep, or worse, hitting his head and being knocked out and forced to sleep.

“Whoa!”  He startled awake to a hazy reality as Jim caught his stumbling form and propped him up the best that he could given how much taller Douxie was than him.  Distantly, Douxie heard, “Claire, help me get him inside.”

And then Claire slung his other arm over her shoulder and they half-supported, half-dragged him back into his house, and though his eyes were on his couch, he realized that they were taking him past it, further into the house, in the direction of his bedroom, and he began to struggle against them.

“No, not there,” he gasped, knowing that if he had a mattress under his body and a soft pillow under his bed, there would be no way he could resist the siren call of sleep.  He’d been avoiding his bed for days now.

But they didn’t listen, and soon they helped ease him onto his bed, perpetually unmade, and he scrambled up clumsily into a facsimile of a sitting position and shook his head to clear it of the gummy cobwebs that infested it.  Archie, having followed the trio closely, literally hovering right over their shoulders, perched on Douxie’s desk and kept his lamp-lit eyes on his human, watchful and protective.  

As soon as their charge was no longer in any immediate danger of hurting himself, Jim pulled out his cell phone.  “I’m calling my mom.”

“No, no,” Douxie said, forcing his burning eyes open as far as he could and making a feeble swipe at the phone in his friend’s hand.  Jim hesitated, his thumb hovering over the send button.  

“You are obviously not feeling well,” he said.  “And you look sick.  You need to see a doctor before --”

“I’m not sick,” Douxie explained, trying to project an air of wellness that he couldn’t even muster within himself.  At their doubtful looks, he clarified, “Just a little tired.”

“You don’t look like you’ve slept in a month!” Claire exclaimed worriedly.  “We promised to give you a few days to yourself to heal and rest, not turn into one of the living dead!”

“It’s only been a few days,” Douxie assured her.  “I just need to sort some things out in my head, that’s all.  Then I’ll sleep.”  It was a lie, but he needed them to believe it, needed them to go home and go on with their lives and not sit here worrying about him - or worse, try to make him sleep.  He appreciated their concern, and was touched that he had friends who cared so much about his well-being, but they had more important things to deal with - Jim’s transition from being half-troll to enslaved hulk troll to fully human and the loss of his amulet, for starters.  And he had made this mess on his own, this was his fault, so if his punishment was to never sleep again, it should be his to bear alone.  He didn’t deserve to be worried about, he suddenly realized - that was the crux of why he wanted to be left alone so badly.

“A few days without sleep will wreck you, man,” Jim said seriously, his blue eyes offering nothing but concern.  He did pocket his phone again, though, for which Douxie heaved a sigh of relief.  “Trust me, I know.”

Douxie didn’t know the details, but he had heard stories from Claire and Toby about how Jim had, over a year ago, willingly gone into the Darklands, a hellish nightmare-scape beneath the skin of this world, and Claire had told, her own eyes haunted, of how he had come back not himself, traumatized, and how he’d barely slept nor ate and had become a shell of his former self.  

So he asked, voice far more unsure than he felt comfortable with, “How did you move on?  How did you get back to normal?”

He hated himself for sounding so weak.  He’d lived 701 years.  He’d lost people he cared about so regularly that he’d eventually tried to avoid personal connections.  Such was the curse of being a wizard, and being functionally immortal.  The world around him would turn, but he would not age - or rather, he would age slowly, at the pace of his own choosing - and people would die, wars would rise up and die down, and still he would live, watching it all, alone.  That wasn’t true.  Even if Merlin had been entombed for much of that time, he hadn’t been dead, not really.  The knowledge that he would see his mentor again had kept Douxie going during the loneliest of times, during the most devastating losses.  

And, of course, he’d had Archie, a constant companion who even now had done everything he could to help his friend, and when that hadn’t worked, when Douxie had been too stubborn to listen, he’d taken it upon himself to gather more of Douxie’s friends and staged an intervention.  If Douxie hadn’t been so exhausted and his mind hadn’t been so muddy, he might have been grateful or touched by the gesture and loyalty, but right now, he just felt irritated, like his privacy had been infringed upon.

Jim blinked.  “Well, uh,” he stammered, glancing at Claire before continuing, “it took time, first of all.  But, honestly, it was my friends.  But it took talking to someone who had gone through the same thing as me, who understood what I was going through, to first start the healing.”

Douxie shook his head.  “Everybody loses people,” he said slowly.  “But this feels different.”

“Just because everyone deals with loss doesn’t make your experiences any less important, Douxie,” Archie said sagely.  He was the only one in the room who had a true scope of all the heartbreaks Douxie had accumulated over his centuries of life in a world of short-lived mortals.

“It’s not that.” Douxie was desperate now for them to understand the truth. Then maybe they would stop being so kind to him.  Dream-Merlin had been right.  He didn’t deserve it.  “Don’t you see?  It’s my fault Merlin’s dead.  I killed him.”

Jim froze at his words, looking like he’d just been struck across the face.  For a moment, Douxie wondered why he reacted the way he did, but then remembered that Jim had been the one to hold Douxie down when Morgana was going to kill him.  He hadn’t been in his right mind, had been enslaved by the Arcane Order, but still, he had, in a small way, been the reason that Douxie had been forced into doing the switching magic that he had.  Still, Douxie could find no ill will in him against the Trollhunter.  He’d not been in control of his own mind.  Douxie had.

“I am so sorry,” Jim started, but Douxie immediately cut him off.

“It’s not your fault.  You weren’t you.  But me…”

“You have to see the truth,” Jim insisted urgently, now moving to take a seat on the bed next to his older friend.  Sure, they hadn’t known each other all that long, but going through the things they had and saving the world together tended to bring people closer together rather more quickly than usual, in his experience.  “It wasn’t your fault.  You did everything you could to save Merlin.  You took a sword in the gut for him.”  Douxie flinched internally at the reminder of the agony, the feeling of dying, the cold and the dark.  

“Yeah, Douxie,” Claire chimed in.  “You’re a hero.  You saved him.”

“If I’d had more control over that magic, if I’d channeled it a different way or done a different spell, then we might both be alive.”  He was so tired, but the conversation held him in its grip, and he couldn’t sleep anyway, he’d go back to the sword and Merlin’s death and the wizard’s tower where Merlin would tell him again that he’d failed.

“Douxie, you’re the one who’s been teaching me more magic!” Claire reminded him.  “One of the things I learned from my Shadow Staff - and that you’ve continued to show me - is that magic is emotion.  You can’t always control what magic is going to do when you are in a moment of fear or anger or desperation.  Magic reacts to your emotions.  And Jim’s right.  What you did was very brave and selfless.”

“That’s why Merlin gave his life to save you in return,” Archie added.  “That, and because he loved you, very much.”

Douxie felt the sting of hot tears carving pathways down his face and didn’t bother to wipe them off.  He felt like having a full-on temper tantrum, flopping onto his stomach and screaming and sobbing and slamming his fists into the ground and letting his magic explode out of him with all the force of the emotions and exhaustion that had built up inside.  He knew if he did that, though, he would just end up hurting someone else.

So he asked a question he was ashamed to ask, because it made it sound like he blamed Merlin instead of himself, “If he loved me, why did he leave?  Why didn’t he let me make my sacrifice?  It was like what I did didn’t matter.  I saved him because I don’t want to live without him, but that’s just what he forced me to do.”

Archie flapped off the desk and landed on the bed on the other side of his friend.  Placing a paw on Douxie’s leg, he spoke gently, as if to a lost child, “Merlin was a great wizard” -- Douxie sobbed -- “but he was also very selfish sometimes.  That comes with great power and an ego left unchecked paired with a very long life.  Merlin saved you because he couldn’t bear to think of a world without you in it.  Nor,” said the dragon, nuzzling Douxie’s elbow affectionately, “can I, for that matter.”

“But if I --”

“No buts,” said Archie.  “This was not your fault.  And I know Merlin told you the same.”

“He did,” Douxie admitted.  “But then he didn’t.  Every time I sleep, I see him, and he tells me… he tells me that I f-failed, that he’s d-dead because of me, and that I don’t deserve to live.”

“Oh, Douxie,” Claire breathed softly, sinking down into his desk chair.

“That’s not Merlin telling you that,” Jim spoke up.  Something raw lingered in his eyes.  “It’s the lies you are telling yourself.  I know because for weeks after the Darklands, I…” He cast his gaze briefly at Claire, and even in his semi-conscious state, Douxie got the feeling that he hadn’t even told his girlfriend this before.  “I had dreams every night of Claire, Toby, Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, everyone telling me I should have stayed in the Darklands.  Should have died there, because I wasn’t strong or brave enough, and I went in alone and betrayed them, and that they were better off and happier without me.  For a while, I believed them.”

Claire was crying quietly now, her hands pressed against her lips.

“But then,” Jim continued, “the more time I spent with my friends, and talked to them, I began to be able to separate their truth from my own lies.  Like I said earlier, you really need to talk to someone who gets it, you know.  And even though we’ve experienced a lot of the same things, it’s not me.”  He looked pointedly at the small black dragon who was currently in the same place he’d always been - at Douxie’s side.  

“I miss him too.”  Archie repeated his words from a few days ago.  “And I am here for you, Douxie.”  He must have seen the doubt festering in Douxie’s eyes and he reassured, “I do not blame you for what happened.  No one does.  The Merlin in your dreams is not real.  He is spitting your own self-doubts and guilt right back into your face, but deep down, you know the truth.  The real Merlin told you.  Jim and Claire told you.  And I am promising you - Merlin died because he chose to in order to save you because after all he had seen and done and all the years he’d lived, the one thing he was terrified of was having to light your funeral pyre.  And Merlin never did anything he didn’t want to do.  No one could have stopped him from making that choice.”

The words struck something deep inside of Douxie, and he felt the tiniest fraction of weight shift in his chest.  “M’be,” he slurred, so tired that his friends were all now blobs of blue, black, and purple.  A giant bruise.  He chuckled, a bit madly.  

“Okay, Douxie,” came Claire’s voice, distant and very close at the same time.  “I think you really need to lie down now.  You’ve been awake for too long.”

She and Jim helped him lie down.  Weakly, he protested, “I cn’t sleep.”

“You can,” said Jim.  “Take Archie’s words with you if you end up facing that dream-Merlin again.  Remember that we’re here for you.  None of us will leave you while you sleep, okay?”

“Yeah, we’ll be right here when you wake up, and if you have nightmares, we’ll remind you of the truth,” Claire promised.

“And I will guard you,” Archie vowed, retaking his cat form and curling up protectively over his closest friend’s heart.  “You are safe here.”

Douxie could resist the call of sleep no longer.  He closed his eyes and let it take him, and he felt the warm weight of Archie on his chest and the presence of his friends around him and the slightest of smiles curved his lips as he drifted off.

***

Thirty seconds after Douxie grew still upon the bed, his three friends let out a collective sigh of relief.  

Thirty seconds after that, Jim and Claire let out a collective yell of shock and Archie leapt to his paws, hissing and arching his back, as a giant, misty alarm clock appeared out of thin air and started screeching a terrible cacophony of wailing guitars and screaming vocals at top volume.

“What the--?” Claire shouted over the racket, slamming her hands over her ears.

“I forgot,” Archie called back, “he cast this spell to wake him up when he fell asleep.”

And yet, this time, Douxie still slept.

“Can you turn it off?” Jim yelled.

“No, only Douxie can undo the spell.”

Jim considered this for a moment and shook his head.  “Let him sleep.  He needs it.”  

And despite the loud, jarring music, he, Claire, and Archie kept their promise and stayed faithfully at their friend’s side until, four hours later, he woke up long enough to blessedly vanish the clock.

Then, like a little boy with a teddy bear, the already fading Douxie pulled a startled Archie into his arms and held him tight, curling up on his side with his furry prize.  Although uncomfortable in his new position and robbed of his draconian dignity, Archie snuggled in and purred, content to listen to the steady breathing of his deeply sleeping familiar.

[latveriansnailmail]

Favorite Movies as of 2021

Subject to updating because surely I’ve missed a few. This is not supposed to be a list of meritorious films but rather just a list of movies I genuinely enjoy. It runs from Shakespeare to Bill & Ted with heavy doses of 80s fantasy, superhero schlock, and pretty much anything with Kurt Russell in it. Enjoy.

1- Harvey No contest, my favorite of all time.

2- Big Trouble in Little China It’s always a great joy to introduce a new viewer to this film.

3- Flash Gordon (1980) In which they totally lean into the camp and low budget.

4- The Thing I watch this annually upon the first major snowfall.

5- Titus (Taymor) One winter break Titus would be on one of the movie channels each day when I woke up, so I watched it daily for a month and it didn’t get old.

6- Death to Smoochy “Are you alright?” “I’m a little fucked up in general so it’s hard to gauge.”

7- Blade Runner (The Final Cut) So there’s this dude Deckard and he hunts robots but it turns out HE’S a robot, oh so very clever, little film

8- Tombstone I recently learned that Kurt Russell directed this film in all but name.

9- The Dark Crystal Immersive fantasy, though I’m sure it appears plain, drab, and simple now after the Netflix prequel.

10- Somewhere in Time I’m a romantic, I guess. Thus all the John Carpenter movies.

11- Grosse Pointe Blank So good, I used to think I liked John Cusack.

12- The Producers (musical) You heard me. Wilder and Mostel were great but the musical version had decades to mill over and expand the premise.

13- To Be or Not To Be (Brooks) Surprisingly suspenseful.

14- The 13th Warrior Saw it again recently and it holds up. Horror, only it happens to viking warriors who would rather chop the horror down than run.

15- The Mighty Thor I mean, Black Panther is objectively the best of the lot but subjectively this is my personal favorite superhero flick. I must have seen it a half a dozen times at least.

16- Lost Boys A billion Chinese can’t be wrong.

17- Die Hard A Christmas tradition. As a postman, it’s cathartic for me to watch Christmas get blown up a little before all the hugging and sentiment.

18- The Blues Brothers Deadpan hilarity cut with performances by legends of blues and soul.

19- The Sting The best heist film. It keeps you guessing until the very end and no twist feels arbitrary or leaves a hole.

20- Interview with the Vampire Fun fact, I looked like Pitt’s Louis when I was a young man in the goth scene.

21- Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure “Be excellent to each other!” “Party on, dudes!” *air guitar*

22- The Seventh Seal See? This list has its high points.

23- Revolutionary Girl Utena Note: Read the entire manga, watch the entire anime series, and read Adolescence of Utena BEFORE watching this or you’ll be left confused. Dazzled but confused.

24- The Nightmare Before Christmas So good I got the tarot deck.

25- The Last Unicorn It’s still a damn shame they never made that live action remake. Christopher Lee was set to reprise King Haggard.

26- Chasing Amy Honestly changed my life.

27- Excalibur It’s weird though how they’re always in armor. Wedding? Armor. Dinner? Armor. Deathbed? Armor.

28- Ginger Snaps A cut above any other werewolf movie I’ve seen.

29- Top Secret! My sense of humor distilled.

30- Clash of the Titans (Harryhousen) Yeah it’s dry but then there’s the monsters.

31- Monty Python’s the Meaning of Life People are not wearing enough hats.

32- Shadow of the Vampire Nosferatu nearly made this list but it’s hard to pinpoint a definitive cut. Try instead this film about the making of Nosferatu with an actual vampire as the vampire.

33- Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Look, we as a culture had the unfortunate experience of Twilight. This is the same premise but actually good.

34- The Last Supper This film challenged and changed me as a young man more so than any other work of art.

35- The Princess Bride The perfect film, but I’ve seen it so much it’s down at 35 now.

36- Blazing Saddles What can I as a white guy say? Just watch the movie.

37- Streets of Fire Always suspicious to me how Final Fight premiered within a year of this movie.

38- Gremlins More Christmas havok. Yum?

39- The Beastmaster Forgotten and underappreciated.

40- Ladyhawke A thing of beauty.

41- Willow C’mon. It’s Willow. I have nothing to justify here.

42- Speed Racer I know you heard it’s bad but hear me out: it is the strongest narrative I’ve ever seen on film and it’s exactly the way you played with your toy cars when you were little.

43- Angelheart You’re supposed to know that de Niro is Lucifer. The rest is mystery and the final reveal set up a trope that’s been done into the ground nowadays.

44- The Hunger More atmosphere than plot, but hey, vampire Bowie!

45- Zoolander My partner’s favorite.

46- Faust (Murnau) You will be shocked to see what was possible to achieve in film in 1926.

47- A Muppet Christmas Carol but a cut that includes the fiance’s song This finishes out my traditional Christmas films.

48- Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Y’know, I’ve got two Branagh films on here and neither are what you would expect given his catalog. The other one’s Thor for crying out loud.

49- Highlander I noticed in recent editions of Vampire: the Masquerade that it’s still possible in that game to hide a katana in a trenchcoat. This movie is why.

50- The Name of the Rose One of only a few instances where I prefer the film to the book. That book loooooong.

51- Robocop (1987) Of all the damn science fiction, why must we be in Robocop?

52- The Prophecy Now we’re getting into films I demoted since the last time I updated this list. This film’s a slow burn unless you get turned up for angels and Christopher Walken like I do.

53- The Warriors Would be higher if the opening wasn’t so slow.

54- Legend Tim Curry kills it as Darkness.

55- Black Panther Objectively the best superhero movie and the Academy backs me on that one.

56- Wonder Woman I do wish they’d trot out Vandal Savage as a Wonder Woman villain.

57- Captain America: The Winter Soldier Just rewatched this one earlier! It is heavily marked by the height of the War on Terror.

58- Blade The ancestor of all modern superhero movies and a solid vampire flick to boot.

59- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nostalgic for me? Maybe, but I hold that this is the first comic film worth a damn because they stuck with the comics when they wrote it.

60- Captain America: the First Avenger This movie is a real test of character. If someone doesn’t like Cap it’s because they think goodness is unrealistic.

61- Four Rooms Really just rooms 3 and 4.

62- Reservoir Dogs Hey, two Tim Roth films in a row!

63- Event Horizon Do you see?

64- What Dreams May Come Kind of an emotional ringer, especially after William’s death.

65- Monty Python and the Holy Grail Have I watched it into the ground? Yes. Is it still hilarious? Yes, and it gets funnier the more you study Arthurian myth.

66- Pulp Fiction I’m kinda over this now.

67- The Crow People who liked the comic passionately disagree with me but I still like this one.

68- Akira Still.

69- Ghost in the Shell Still, though the farther you get from 13 the less titties you need in your art.

70- Beetlejuice Why not? Let's just tack this on there.

Honorable Mentions:

Fight Club A suburb film but one I grew out of, as should everyone. If you meet a man who’s passionate about Fight Club, run!

American Psycho Ditto. I grew out of this but it’s still excellent.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape A horrible caricature of my brother’s life. I don’t get along with my brother any more.

Rocky Horror Picture Show Not actually a good film if you watch it straight with no commentary. Still, it’s a cornerstone of queer culture.

Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 Of all the superhero films, this is the one that resonated with me the most. I was in a weird place at the time. It still resonates with me now because I’m a foster dad.

[hesesols]

The Devil's Advocate

Day 19 and 21 of Ichiruki month 2020

Summary: Demons are a pain in the neck. Exhibit A: The pint-sized she-demon Ichigo’s stuck with until further notice.

Rating: T

FF/ao3

.

.

His mouth is bone dry.

Summer heat renders the humidity inside the tiny studio apartment stifling. Heat and sweat cling onto him like a second skin and the stupid electric fan does nothing to ease it.

It's barely three in the morning when he trudges over to his fridge and parks himself in front of the open doors. The blast of cold air hits his heated body nicely. He almost moans.

Instinctively, he grabs the bottle of orange juice from the side and takes a swig from it- only… it's empty?

He growls, "Rukia, what did we say about leaving the empty OJ in the fridge?"

The culprit spares him a lazy smirk from her end of the couch, violet cat-eyes gleaming from the faint glow of the TV. She tilts her head just so as she sticks her tongue out at him.

"Oops!"

Ichigo wearily sighs and slams the door shut, mumbling something about free-loading she-demons. His life is hardly picture perfect to begin with anyway with his job at the Metropolitan Police as a homicide detective. Work hours are long, and his mornings usually start off with unsolicited gruesome crime scene photos and a diluted concoction of coffee-water that is nowhere nearly as strong as he needs it to be.

Since Rukia moved in though, things seem to have gone from bad to worse.

His neighbours think she's his live-in girlfriend- sweet, albeit a little strange at times. Ichigo snorts. They don't know half of it.

The midget isn't even human.

Underneath a heavy layer of glamour, are two spiral-shaped horns- the colour of it blending near seamless with her nest of glossy black hair and of course, a very noticeable fork-tipped tail, flicking from side to side as she giggles at his obvious annoyance at the OJ-less situation.

Filling his cup with lukewarm tap water instead, he trudges over and nudges at her to move. Wordlessly settling next to her, he then proceeds to ignore her indignant yelp as he splays his long legs on the couch, taking up much of her space.

She huffs and glares at him, which earns her a careless roll of his eyes.

"What are you watching?"

Squinting slightly from the brightness, he scoffs as he realizes that she's watching a Spanish telenovela. Though watching may be an understatement in this case, Rukia is obsessed with them to the point where she becomes a little too invested in the torrid love affairs of the fictional characters on screen. By virtue of her otherworldly origins, she understands every language known to man and speaks in tongues; Ichigo doesn't and thinks it's a feat that he catches the names of the characters in passing.

He grabs the remote control, surprised when she viciously slaps his hand away and hisses, "Change the channel and I guarantee you won't live long enough to see the next dawn."

"I'd like to see you try."

Ichigo snorts and does it anyway. It's hard to take her seriously even with the whole glowing eyes business when she is so tiny that she barely comes to his shoulder.

As a demon, Rukia is surprisingly low maintenance- the most outrageous of her demands since she has gotten herself suspended in limbo in their plane of existence was for him to take her to a bunny café. That being said, she does however take her soaps and TV shows very seriously which explains her aggressiveness as she launches herself at him, her touch burning hot on naked skin as she grapples for the device.

"Give it back!"

Ichigo stretches, holding it in one hand just shy of her reach, taunting her.

"Why don't you make me, midget?"

Growling, she takes him up on his challenge. Violet eyes ablaze as she clambers over him on all four, chewing at her lower lip from the effort. It shouldn't even be possible Ichigo thinks, for demons to be this cute- ahem-fixated with earthly distractions but the press of her lithe body feels warm against him, deluding him into thinking for a second, that Rukia isn't some supernatural being from the nether realms powerful enough to send him flying with a snap of her fingers.

Sometimes, he feels she almost forgets about her inhuman advantages- on purpose. The puff of warm exhale from her makes his hair stand, the sight of her face so close to his jerks his thoughts away from his nonsensical musings. Her shirt hikes up and the collar that is way too loose on her easily falls off her shoulder, showing skin.

He bites the inside of his cheek. She needs to stop prancing around in his shirts.

She has her own clothes to wear. He bought her a full array of sundresses, pants, shirts and skirts. Ichigo thinks it's compulsion that makes her raid his closet and steal his clothes. It wouldn't have been quite so ridiculous if she wasn't so petite, making his worn-in T-shirts look more like dresses with the hem cut conspicuously shorter than normal on her thighs.

Ichigo looks away and takes a quick gulp of water. The heat is doing things to him.

He's not checking her out.

He swears. Honest to God.

He's not suicidal. He wouldn't put it above Rukia to claw his eyes out or alternatively damn him to the deepest pits of purgatories if she found out about him sneaking glances at her.

"Here!"

Ichigo throws the remote back at her, standing up abruptly without sparing her another glance. His skin feels warm- much warmer than it has any business of being under a demon's touch and his mouth dry. No touch of water will ever begin to quench this thirst and tame his racing heart but he is human enough to still try to run from the implications.

It's too hot to think. He grabs his keys and wallet.

"I'm heading out."

Rukia's voice rings up from the couch- cool, unaffected as always. Ichigo hates her a little for it, almost.

"This time of the day? Where are you going?"

"To get some OJ from the corner shop since someone finished it and couldn't even be bothered enough to replace it."

Her grin is impish, not a shred of remorse from her as she sighs and kicks back, reclaiming her sovereignty over the couch.

"Oh, could you grab some ice-cream while you're at it? I think we're all out too."

He grimaces, halts his process of shrugging on a shirt to yell back, "They're full of sugary crap. Too much of it and you're going to rot your teeth!"

Just before he sets foot outside though, he grumbles.

"What flavour do you want?"

The grin she flashes at him is annoying and indolent with her spread out on the couch, like a cat in the sun, pleased with her unchallenged access to her favourite soap and him running errands on her behalf.

The satisfaction practically purrs from her as she smirks and says, "Strawberries and cream."

His cheeks burn and he tells himself that he's too nice for his own good, staunchly refusing to even consider the possibility that she's got him wrapped around her pretty little fingers.

.

.

.

The streets of his neighbourhood are mostly deserted in the wee hours before dawn and the scarcity of people makes the air somewhat bearable despite the heat. He walks home in the dark, his groceries in a plastic bag hanging limply by his side.

Ichigo sighs. It's a horrible thing to be distracted by thoughts and downright disgraceful that it has taken him this long to realize that he's being followed.

He turns the next corner sharply and as expected, the heavy footsteps, the crunch against the gravel of the pavement follows. He hides behind the decrepit wall, bidding his time until the sound creeps close enough for him to make out the shadow of a hunkering man.

Now!

He leaps out from the shadow, swinging the heavily-laden bag like a weapon at his attacker.

The stranger decked from head to toe in black falters from the surprise attack. He is forced to take another step back as the weight hits him dead centre- quickly followed by a punch from Ichigo, letting out a pained groan as his world spins.

"Who sent y- the fuck!—"

The hood of his attacker slips off and Ichigo is more than a little shocked by the ghastly appearance of the creature underneath it. Whatever this thing is- it's not human. Yellow teeth- drool dripping from the corners of the gaping mouth and sunken cheeks make up the most sinister-looking skull-face he has ever seen. The thing's unfocused milky white eyes sharpened at him.

The creature throws itself at him, snarling with claws drawn out and aimed at his jugular.

Forced on the defensive, Ichigo doesn't hesitate. Instincts and years of experience have him throwing the bag of grocery at the ghoul as a distraction to buy him time. He takes off down the street in the opposite direction without looking back.

The bag rips, predictably; the contents of it spilling into the empty streets but it barely slows the creature down.

Outrunning him by a good minute, the creature lunges at him from his blind spot which he clumsily dodges. His back meets the wall of the alleyway, chipping off old paint and the uneven edges bite into his skin through his flimsy cotton shirt, drawing blood. He hisses in pain but there's barely even time to register it as the ghoul lunges again.

The strong jaw of the creature crushes the pieces of garbage Ichigo throws at it, rendering them into splinters. Its movements and attacks unrelenting and aimed to kill.

Weaponless as opposed to the creature's deadly bite and claws, Ichigo has neither the speed nor the agility to fully dodge the frenzied attacks. The odds are stacked against him and with every swipe and snarl; Ichigo feels his chances of survival dwindling.

He is crawling backwards on all four, back against the wall when his hand closes on a steel bar. He thanks the stars and whatever higher power there may be but knows that he is not out of the woods yet.

Grim determination sets in as his eyes harden.

He only gets one chance- one chance to get this right or he's dead and done for.

.

The ghoul rears up for its attack and Ichigo readies himself.

Mid-launch, the steel bar spears through the creature's twisted body. It gives a strangled cry, black blood oozing and dripping onto the pavement, over Ichigo's battered and bruised body. But Ichigo refuses to let go. He pushes it in deeper until he can hear the snap of muscles and soft tissues, and sees the metal protruding from the other side of the dead monster.

The ghoul flops over dead. Its weight settles on top of Ichigo and he eagerly hoists it off, eager to put some distance between them. The damn thing smells worse than the open sewage and rotten corpses.

Above him, there is an ominous roll of thunder and flashes of lightning that streak through the dark skies. Ichigo picks himself up wearily. He has no intention of being caught in the downpour.

Sharp pain shoots from his side as he hobbles. His hand comes up red and in disbelief, his eyes flit to the wound on his side, cut deep and the shred of cotton or what remains of his tattered shirt is soaked in the bloom of scarlet. The drip—drop of blood follows the pull of gravity, pattering onto the hot pavement.

He's been stabbed, he realizes belatedly and curses, that was his favourite shirt too.

.

Adrenaline fades and his legs give way from the blood loss.

A drop of something cool slides down his cheek before the torrent of rain follows, drenching him as he lays helpless on the deserted street, too weak to even yell for help.

He heaves a shaky breath, trying to make himself comfortable. The ache of the pain somehow dulling as the rain blurs his vision.

Cliché but he swears he sees his life flashing before him. And at the forefront of his strange musings and equally bizarre life cut short before his time, he remembers his first meeting with Rukia.

.

.

There's nothing quite like satanic cults and human sacrifices to brighten up the prospects of the day.

Ichigo grimaced, looking at the crime scene photos with a deep frown as he sipped at his coffee. He should have never taken up Ishida on his offer.

This case had all the makings of a ritual killing. Missing child, dead parent cut open with palms splayed, gruesome markings etched- he scowled; it reminded him too much of his own loss.

A tip-off from Anonymous led him to an abandoned warehouse not too far away from the Docks, the scene of the first murder.

"Don't do anything stupid," Ishida had cautioned him against it, "It's just another prank call. I sent a team out to canvas that area hours ago. There's nothing in that warehouse."

But Ichigo wasn't convinced. Gut instincts screamed at him to take a closer look at it but he also wasn't about to pick a fight when they should be focusing the bulk of their resources and time into finding the missing girl. The first 48 hours are crucial.

He's tough and packing. That made the second part of his decision a no-brainer as he slinked in past the locked gates and rusted metal fences— alone.

What he found inside the warehouse though was enough to make him balk.

"Nothing to report, my ass," he mumbled, carefully avoiding the pile of animal bones strewn along the doorway. He thought he heard the scurrying of rats and other critters as he made his way in deeper, unable to shake off the feeling of being watched.

There's something else in here. He could feel it in his bones.

He drew his weapon as he wandered into a room with what seemed to be a laid altar with offerings of dead flowers and questionable animal remains.

Heavy clouds of sulphur and incense filled the air, making his eyes water. In the centre of the room, was a circle, curious glyphs and runes drawn in red that he strongly suspected to be blood, candles with half-burnt ends flickering.

There's a pull at him towards the circle. He didn't resist it. The minute he crossed the threshold though, the candles were snuffed out and a blinding white light enveloped him. A strange ringing echoed through the room.

When his vision cleared, there was a girl with two horns and a tail standing in front of him, violet eyes searing into his as she bowed somewhat mockingly.

"Took you long enough. I was beginning to think that I'll waste away here for another week before someone shows up."

He stared, slack-jawed at her nudity or rather her lack of shame at her own state of undress.

She was unimpressed. Tapping her foot impatiently, she looked at him and said, "Well don't just stand there and gape. State the terms of your contract and we'll see if something can be arranged."

.

.

"Ichigo!"

The memory fades. The same pair of violet eyes are now boring deep into his.

"Rukia," he breathes. Talking is hard but he tries anyway. If it's to be his dying words, let them at least have meaning. Rukia- her existence and the events leading to her presence in his life are the only things that have ever made sense in a world said to have been created by an all-loving God and yet so full of injustice and hate.

"Stop talking! Damn it!"

He thinks she's smarter than that. He's lost too much blood now to ever come back whole. He is beyond saving at this point.

There's a light somewhere guiding him on. Maybe he'll see his mom after this; will she be proud of him- of what he's done with his life?

"I won't let you die."

There's a strange shimmering in the air. The shaft of light shining down on him is suddenly blotted out and he is falling-

Falling-

Falling-

.

He slams back into his body and chokes.

The pain is a hundred times sharper and a million times more jarring than he remembers. Brown eyes snap open just in time to see Rukia's kneeling body enshrouded in a silver ashy glow of light; her hand plunged deep into his chest.

The rain plasters her hair to her face; her eyes an unholy combination of black sclera and violet irises. She growls from the effort as her fingers tirelessly trace rune after rune across his broken body. The burnished ring of gold on his chest glows and hums with each and every character added.

Ichigo can only watch on in stunned silence as a cascade of something iridescent is siphoned from her and pulled into him. He thinks he hears singing, sweeter than the song of a nightingale and so beautiful that he thinks he just might cry from it.

She grits her teeth.

"Do you trust me?"

He nods.

She presses her lips to his. He surges forward to meet her and tastes the saltiness of her tears, mingled with that of the rain. There's a cut on her lip from where she had been biting too hard and the taste of it- like honey, decadent and syrupy, lingers on his palate.

The pain- or rather the absence of it grows and he feels something being anchored into place.

His heart.

Her heart.

There's something between them that is beyond words and whatever she's done, Ichigo knows it's life-changing for the both of them. He knows somehow, staring at the identical marks of a glowing glyph on the back of their palm.

They're bonded.

But even the very word seems inadequate to express this shimmer between them. There's a sliver of her- something inhuman— nay, a dark voice whispers, better than human— within him and it makes the world incomprehensibly sharper in his eyes, the taste of the summer air sweet on his tongue and the warmth of her skin so achingly perfect against his own as he holds her.

Pink flesh peeks through his tattered shirt. He is once again healed, whole, rendered into something new in her presence.

"So," he licks his dry lips, "did Hector ever managed to tell Maria that he loves her?"

"You idiot!"

She is shaking her head, calling him names for his recklessness. At length, she stops, and heaving a sigh of deep relief, grins at him, canines showing.

"Welcome back to the world of living, Master."

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.

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FF/ao3

The 'I-accidentally-summoned-a-cute-demon-and-now-I-think-I'm-in-too-deep-to-let-her-go' AU

Also detective! Ichigo who solves crime with some help from the occult world- courtesy of his soulmate/familiar/contract partner demon! Rukia.

As always, review, like, reblog, comment or send me an ask to share random thoughts.