#i want to die to the sound of my wind chimes

[a-god-in-ruins-rises]

in bed. listening to my wind chimes. it's a beautiful night. life is good.

[koyagifs]

𝓶𝔂 𝔀𝓪𝔂

pairing: pirate!yunho x fairy!reader au: pirate au | genre: fluff?? word count: 3.6k synopsis: yunho had begged his captain for a vacation - who knew he would be coming back with a fairy companion. warning(s): cursing, yunho being the biggest goof ball, a/n: yuna - wooyoungs gf | sumin - seonghwa gf | Luna - yeosang gf

" hyung, can we just - take a mini vacation? I think im going to be seasick. " yunho whined.

Hongjoong chuckled, looking up at Wooyoung who was in the crow's nest. " wooyoung, any land near by?!" He called out

Wooyoung shielded his eyes from the sun with one hand, squinting at the horizon as the wind tousled his hair. "Land?!" he shouted back, his voice carrying easily over the creaking ship and the sound of the waves. "Not unless you count the cloud that kinda looks like a mountain!"

Hongjoong rolled his eyes, a grin tugging at his lips. "I meant actual land, Wooyoung, not your imagination!"

"Then no!" Wooyoung called down, leaning casually against the railing of the crow's nest. "Just water, water, and... oh, look, more water!"

Yunho groaned loudly, dramatically throwing his arms in the air. "I knew it. We’re doomed. This is how I die. Adrift forever with no escape!"

Mingi snickered, giving Yunho a shove. "If you’re dying, do it quietly. Some of us are trying to enjoy this."

Yuna, Luna, and Sumin burst into laughter at Yunho's dramatic display, their giggles blending with the sound of the waves.

"Yunho, you're such a baby," Yuna teased, leaning on the ship's railing as she tried to catch her breath. "It’s not even that bad!"

"Yeah," Luna chimed in, grinning mischievously. "You’re acting like we’re in the middle of a hurricane or something."

Sumin smirked, crossing her arms. "You’re lucky you’ve got us here to witness your 'bravery.' This is definitely a story to tell later."

Yunho groaned, flopping dramatically onto the deck and covering his face with his arm. "You’re all so heartless. I’m suffering, and instead of helping, you’re laughing!"

"We are helping," Yuna countered, nudging him with her foot. "We’re keeping your spirits up with laughter."

"By mocking me," Yunho shot back, sitting up with a pout.

"Exactly," Luna replied with a wink. "What are friends for?"

From above, Wooyoung joined in with a laugh of his own. "You should see the view from up here, Yunho! Everyone looks way cooler than you do right now."

Hongjoong smirked, shaking his head at the antics. "Well, at least the crew morale is high."

Yunho turned to Hongjoong with wide, incredulous eyes. "My morale is not high!" he protested, throwing his hands up. "I’m suffering here, and everyone thinks it’s a comedy show!"

Hongjoong stifled a laugh, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, Yunho. What would boost your morale, huh? Want me to make the ocean disappear?"

"Yes!" Yunho exclaimed, pointing dramatically. "Get rid of it! Or at least find some land so I can stop feeling like my insides are doing cartwheels!"

Yuna leaned against Luna, laughing so hard she could barely stand. "You’re so dramatic, Yunho. I love it."

Luna snickered, patting Yunho’s shoulder. "If morale really matters, maybe we should give him a hug or something."

Sumin grinned. "Or a bucket."

Wooyoung’s voice chimed in from the crow’s nest, unhelpfully cheerful. "Hey, Yunho! If you throw up, aim for the port side! I’m working on my aim too!"

"Wooyoung!" Yunho cried, flailing his arms in exasperation. "You’re not helping!"

Hongjoong chuckled, clapping Yunho on the back. "Hang in there, sailor. We’ll find land soon enough. Until then, you’ve got the best crew in the world to keep you entertained."

"Entertained?!" Yunho groaned. "This is my villain origin story!"

~

The rowboat hit the shore with a gentle scrape of wood against sand, and before anyone could even gather their things, Yunho was already up and over the edge, landing on the beach with an exaggerated gasp of relief.

"Land!" he cried dramatically, throwing his arms wide. "Sweet, solid, unmoving land! I’ll never take you for granted again!"

Yuna doubled over with laughter as she climbed out of the boat, nearly losing her balance. "You look like you just got rescued from a deserted island."

Wooyoung hopped off the boat with a dramatic flourish, throwing an arm over Yunho’s shoulder. "Our brave, fearless leader!" he teased, ruffling Yunho’s hair. "How’d you survive such peril?"

"I hate all of you," Yunho muttered, though his grin betrayed him as he pushed Wooyoung off.

Hongjoong, carrying their gear, chuckled as he joined them on the sand. "Alright, enough teasing. We’ve got a lot to do before sunset. Yunho, since you’re so energized from touching land first, you can help set up the camp."

Yunho groaned but didn’t argue, trudging ahead as the rest of the group followed, laughter still echoing behind them.

Yunho paused mid-step as he entered the dense woods, the laughter of the group fading behind him. The air felt different here—cooler, heavier, as if the trees were holding their breath. He glanced around, the shadows playing tricks on his tired mind.

A flicker of light caught his eye, delicate and fleeting, like tiny sparkles dancing between the trees. He blinked hard, rubbing his eyes. "Probably just fatigue," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Or sunlight reflecting off something."

But the feeling didn’t leave him. The sense of being watched lingered, prickling at the back of his neck. He turned his head slowly, scanning the woods. Nothing. Just trees, thick and tall, their branches stretching toward the sky.

“Yunho!” Wooyoung’s voice called from the beach, startling him.

He jumped slightly, letting out a nervous chuckle at his reaction. "Get it together," he whispered under his breath, forcing his legs to move again.

Still, as he walked deeper into the forest to gather firewood, he couldn’t shake the feeling. And those sparkles—if they were even real—stayed in the corner of his vision, just out of reach.

Yn stifled her giggles as she hovered above the forest floor, watching Yunho mutter to himself while awkwardly balancing an armful of firewood. Just as her toes were about to brush the ground, a sharp tug yanked her back into the air.

She spun around to find Vidia glaring at her, arms crossed and wings fluttering in agitation.

"Yn, what are you thinking?" Vidia hissed, her tone sharp and disapproving.

Yn shrugged innocently, her wings giving a soft flutter. "I was just watching him. He’s funny when he’s clueless."

"Funny or not, you’re not supposed to be seen!" Vidia snapped, her voice low but firm. "Do you want to break every rule in the book? What happens if he notices you?"

Yn pouted, crossing her arms. "He won’t. He’s too busy complaining about the firewood and pretending he’s not scared of the forest."

"That’s not the point!" Vidia shot back, her wings buzzing with frustration. "If he even catches a glimpse, it could ruin everything! Do you want to be responsible for that?"

Yn sighed, her gaze drifting back toward Yunho, who was now squinting suspiciously at something in the trees. She ducked instinctively, her sparkles dimming.

"Fine," she mumbled. "I’ll stay out of sight. But you have to admit—he’s kind of adorable when he’s scared."

Vidia groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "You’re impossible. Just stay hidden, Yn. Please."

With a reluctant nod, Yn floated higher into the canopy, her eyes lingering on Yunho one last time before she disappeared into the trees.

~

Yn flew with delight, her wings shimmering in the soft sunlight as she followed the group toward the nearby waterfall. The sound of their chatter drifted up to her, a pleasant melody of laughter and conversation that made her heart feel light.

Hongjoong led the group confidently, his machete slicing through the overgrowth with ease. With each swing, the dense leaves parted to reveal more of the forest's lush greenery. The sound of rushing water grew louder, a tantalizing promise just ahead.

“Almost there,” Hongjoong said over his shoulder, his tone steady but tinged with excitement.

The group followed closely, their chatter fading into anticipation. As Hongjoong cleared the last leafy barrier, he stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. “Here we are,” he breathed.

The others stumbled to a halt behind him, and a collective gasp escaped them as they took in the view. Before them was a breathtaking waterfall, its crystalline waters cascading down jagged rocks into a clear, sparkling pool below. The air was cool and refreshing, mist from the falls lightly dusting their faces.

“Whoa,” Wooyoung muttered, stepping forward in awe.

“It’s beautiful,” Seonghwa said softly, his gaze fixed on the waterfall as if it were a painting brought to life.

" well boys, here's to that vacation!" Hongjoong cheered. Mingi and Yeosang didn’t need any more encouragement; they bolted toward the water, discarding their boots as they went. Jongho shook his head, muttering something about how reckless they were, but the smile tugging at his lips betrayed his own eagerness.

Yn’s wings hummed softly, the gentle sound blending with the rush of the waterfall as she glided closer. Her eyes wandered, taking in the lively scene, but inevitably, they settled on Yunho. He sat on a smooth rock near the edge of the water, his long legs stretched out as he leaned back on his hands. The sunlight caught in his hair, making it shine like burnished gold.

Beside him, Sumin and Yuna were deep in conversation, Yuna animatedly recounting tales of her life beneath the waves. Her hands moved expressively, mimicking the flow of currents and the playful dance of sea creatures. Sumin listened intently, occasionally laughing or gasping in awe, her attention fully captured by Yuna's vivid storytelling.

Yunho, however, seemed only half-engaged. Though he nodded along and smiled faintly at their words, his gaze would occasionally drift away, lost in thought. There was a certain quietness about him, a stark contrast to the vibrant energy of the others.

Yn’s chest tightened as she watched him. There was something magnetic about the way he sat there, so effortlessly a part of the group yet somehow apart from it. The way the sunlight painted him in golden hues made him look almost ethereal, and Yn felt her wings falter for a moment, her rhythm stuttering as her heart raced.

She quickly caught herself, shaking her head and fluttering down to a higher perch in the trees, hidden from view but still close enough to hear their laughter and conversation. Yn bit her lip, trying to focus on anything other than the fluttering in her chest that always seemed to stir whenever her eyes found Yunho.

From her vantage point, she could hear Yuna’s voice rise with enthusiasm as she described a particularly daring escape from a hungry shark. Sumin gasped dramatically, clapping her hands together. Yunho chuckled softly at their antics, and the sound of his laughter sent a warm, almost dizzying feeling through Yn’s whole being.

As Yunho leaned back on the sand, letting the cool grains shift beneath him, something caught his attention. From the corner of his eye, he swore he saw a flicker of light—a glimmer of gold and silver, like sunlight dancing on water.

Frowning slightly, he sat up straighter, his gaze scanning the surrounding area. The laughter and chatter of the group faded into the background as his focus narrowed. His eyes widened in surprise when they settled on a figure hovering near the trees.

A fairy.

For a moment, Yunho thought he must be imagining it. The creature’s delicate wings shimmered with an iridescent glow, reflecting the sunlight in dazzling patterns. Her form was small and graceful, almost otherworldly, and she seemed to be watching them from a distance.

His heart raced, both from the shock of seeing something so impossible and the undeniable curiosity that followed. He blinked, half-expecting the vision to disappear, but she remained there, perched lightly on a branch. The way the sunlight framed her made her look almost like a dream.

Yunho's lips parted, but no words came out. Was this real? Was he losing his mind after days at sea?

"Yunho? You okay?" Sumin's voice pulled him back, but his eyes didn’t leave the fairy.

"I... uh..." he stammered, trying to process what he was seeing. “There’s... someone up there.”

Sumin followed his gaze, squinting into the trees, but her expression quickly turned skeptical. “I don’t see anything. Maybe the sun’s messing with you.”

Yuna, hearing their exchange, glanced up as well, her eyes narrowing in thought before quickly schooling her expression. “You’ve probably just been out here too long, Yunho,” she said with a knowing smile.

But Yunho couldn’t look away. The fairy—she was real. He was certain of it. And for some reason, he felt like she was watching him in particular.

~

Yunho lay on the makeshift bed, the cool night air brushing against his skin as he stared up at the expanse of stars above. The sounds of the waterfall in the distance blended with the soft murmurs of his crewmates settling in for the night. His mind wandered as the constellations twinkled faintly, his eyelids growing heavy.

Just as he was about to drift off, a soft, shimmering glow pierced through his half-closed eyes. Startled, he blinked, and his breath caught in his throat.

You stood above him, your wings softly humming, casting faint sparkles that danced in the air around you. The glow of the moonlight enhanced the iridescence of your wings, making you appear almost otherworldly. A wide smile graced your face, one that was both mischievous and warm, and it sent Yunho’s heart into a frantic rhythm.

His eyes widened, disbelief and awe written across his face as he propped himself up slightly on his elbows. “You’re... you’re real,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the gentle rustling of the trees.

Your smile grew, a light laugh escaping your lips as you tilted your head playfully. "Of course, I’m real. Did you think you were imagining me?"

Yunho blinked, his gaze fixated on you, as if afraid that you might vanish if he so much as looked away. “Honestly?” he murmured, his tone laced with wonder, “I wasn’t sure. Fairies aren’t supposed to be real.”

You chuckled, the sound like the tinkling of tiny bells, and leaned closer, your shimmering wings fluttering behind you. “Well, now you know better, don’t you?”

Yunho chuckled, his laugh low and almost disbelieving as he pushed his hair back, still staring at you. “Holy shit, you’re real…” he muttered, shaking his head as if trying to convince himself this wasn’t some bizarre dream.

You nodded, your smile widening as you hovered a little closer, your wings shimmering faintly in the moonlight. “I am. And I know who you are,” you said softly, tilting your head slightly. “You’re Yunho, correct?”

He blinked at you, his mouth opening and closing like he was searching for the right words. “Yeah, that’s me,” he finally managed, his voice tinged with awe. “Wait... how do you know my name?”

Your laughter was light and melodic, filling the quiet night air. “I’ve heard your friends say it plenty of times,” you explained, a hint of playfulness in your tone. “Plus... I’ve been watching you for a while.”

“Watching me?” Yunho asked, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “That’s not creepy at all,” he teased, though his grin betrayed his amusement.

You shrugged, unbothered by his comment. “I couldn’t help it,” you admitted, your gaze softening as you studied him. “There’s something about you... something that’s hard to ignore.”

Yunho’s grin faltered slightly as your words sank in, his cheeks tinging with the faintest blush. “Well, I guess I should feel flattered,” he said, his voice quieter now, a touch more sincere.

“You should,” you replied with a giggle, your wings fluttering slightly as you hovered just above him. “Not every pirate catches the attention of a fairy, you know.”

Yunho chuckled softly, bowing his head with a dramatic flair. “It’s an honor then,” he said, his voice warm and teasing, though his sincerity was unmistakable.

You laughed, the sound like soft chimes in the night air. “You’re quite charming, aren’t you?” you teased, tilting your head as you studied him. “Is that how you win over all the mermaids too?”

Yunho smirked, leaning back slightly on his hands. “Oh, definitely,” he said with a playful glint in his eye. “I’m pretty much irresistible.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “Careful, pirate. Too much confidence might sink your ship.”

Yunho laughed at that, shaking his head. “Touché, fairy. But seriously... I can’t believe you’re real. This whole time, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me.”

“Maybe it was,” you said lightly, your smile turning mysterious as your wings shimmered faintly in the moonlight.

Yunho smiled back, his exhaustion finally catching up with him despite the strange and magical encounter. “Well, Miss Yn,” he said, his tone teasing yet warm, “I’ve got to catch some good sleep. Vacation ends tomorrow.”

You tilted your head, the glow around you dimming slightly as you fluttered just a little higher. “Ah, the fleeting nature of a pirate’s adventures,” you said with a soft laugh. “I suppose I should let you rest, then.”

Yunho nodded, though there was a flicker of reluctance in his expression. “You’ll still be here tomorrow, right?” he asked, the question slipping out before he could stop himself.

You paused, your smile softening as you looked at him. “Maybe,” you replied, your voice gentle, almost wistful. “If the stars allow it.”

He chuckled quietly, lying back down and folding his arms beneath his head. “Guess I’ll have to leave it to the stars, then,” he murmured, closing his eyes.

As Yunho drifted off, you hovered for a moment longer, watching him with a quiet fondness before vanishing into the night, the soft hum of your wings fading into the stillness.

~ “No.”

“Captain, please! She’s a fairy, for crying out loud!” Yunho begged, dropping to his knees dramatically in front of Hongjoong, his hands clasped together in desperation.

Hongjoong groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as if that might somehow make the situation more manageable. “Yunho, this is ridiculous,” he muttered, clearly torn between his exasperation and disbelief.

“Please, Captain,” Yn said sweetly, her wings fluttering softly as she hovered closer. “I promise I won’t be any trouble.”

Hongjoong let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Trouble is what I seem to be running into lately,” he muttered, casting a pointed glance toward Seonghwa and Wooyoung.

The two culprits, standing a few feet away, immediately looked anywhere but at their captain. Seonghwa crossed his arms and turned to inspect a particularly interesting cloud, while Wooyoung whistled innocently, kicking at an invisible pebble on the deck.

“I just want to help. I’ve been watching your crew, and you all seem... interesting. I thought maybe I could be useful.”

“Useful,” Hongjoong repeated flatly, narrowing his eyes at Yunho. “You brought a fairy onto my ship because you think she might be useful?”

Yunho nodded vigorously, pointing toward Yn. “Exactly! Look at her wings—they practically light up! We could use that for night navigation!”

Yn raised a hand, adding earnestly, “I can also carry messages quickly! And I know this area better than anyone!”

Yunho leaned in, whispering under his breath with a teasing grin, “We have a mermaid, Yn.”

Yn shot him a look, her wings fluttering slightly as she responded with a smirk, “Well, I know the skies better than anyone!”

Hongjoong sighed deeply, glancing over his shoulder at the rest of the crew, who were clearly eavesdropping.

“First the mermaid, now a fairy. What’s next? A dragon?”

“Dragons aren’t real,” Yunho chimed in confidently, still on his knees.

Yn leaned toward him with a mischievous smile. “They actually are.”

“Not helping!” Hongjoong snapped, making Yunho flinch and Yn giggle.

Hongjoong let out another long sigh, his eyes drifting toward Yn. Despite his frustration, he couldn’t deny there was something endearing about the little fairy’s determination—and those puppy eyes weren’t doing him any favors either.

“Fine,” he said at last, his voice heavy with resignation. “But if you so much as sparkle in the wrong direction, I’ll—”

“I’ll behave! I swear!” Yn interrupted, nodding fervently.

Yunho grinned triumphantly as if he’d just won the greatest battle of his life. “You won’t regret this, Captain!”

“I already do,” Hongjoong grumbled, walking off as Seonghwa and Wooyoung tried (and failed) to suppress their laughter behind him. Jongho, who had been standing off to the side, held his hand out towards Mingi. With a grumble, Mingi reluctantly handed over a handful of coins, clearly not thrilled about whatever the bet was. Jongho nodded with a satisfied smirk, slipping the coins into his pocket before glancing over to where Yunho was.

Yn smiled widely at Yunho as he eagerly dragged her towards the girls, her wings fluttering with excitement. She had a mischievous glint in her eye, clearly enjoying the attention, especially knowing how the others would tease Yunho.

As they reached the group, Sumin, Yuna, and Luna immediately looked up, a knowing grin spreading across their faces. They exchanged a glance, clearly ready to have some fun with their friend.

“So, Yunho,” Yuna said, her voice teasing as she raised an eyebrow. “What’s this I hear about a fairy joining the crew?”

Luna giggled softly, leaning toward Yuna. “Seems like someone’s got a new friend, huh?”

Sumin couldn’t help but smirk, crossing her arms as she eyed Yunho. “I bet you didn’t waste any time bringing her along.”

Yunho, now looking slightly flustered, rubbed the back of his neck, his usual confidence momentarily shaken. As he was about to speak up in his defense, Mingi suddenly appeared, dragging Yunho away with a firm grip.

The girls burst into laughter, the sound echoing around them as they watched Yunho attempt to pull himself free, but Mingi was having none of it. Yn smiled as Yunho caught her eyes, and he knew. He knew he had fallen for a fairy he barely knew.

[unluckywisher]

Here we go. My "favorite" (note the quotation marks) parts of Beyond Cloudfall - Sylus' Dragon Myth, voice lines at the end.

Oh boy okay. I have a lot of scenes to go through so strap in.

Spoilers for Sylus' myth under the cut!!!!

Normally I would do the whole 'posting screenshots and commenting on them' thing, but since Tumblr is annoying with how many images you can put on a post, I'll just transcribe them. I've grouped them in categories, so just know that they're not necessarily in chronological order <3

Fun moments - I have to start with this or I will have a break down.

[They're both looking at a mural depicting a man slaying Sylus] MC: ...Of course, that's just the artist's take. You're much more handsome and imposing in real life.

MC, narrating: That night, the dragon places me with all the treasures he gathered. It's as if I'm one of them.

- MC PLEASE YOU JUST MET HIM AND YOU BOTH WANT TO KILL EACH OTHER WHY ARE YOU FLIRTING?????

Sylus: I'm also curious to see where a "sorceress" who consorts with a fiend thinks she can go.

- Let's be real here. Sleeping on top of a bunch of coins is not exactly comfy bro. LMAO

MC: Hey, do you have a name? Sylus (at this point, the story had been simply referring to him with the name 'Dragon'): Does it matter? MC: [...] What should I call you? Demon? Dragon? Or maybe... Drago? The Fiend gives me a cold stare. Sensing his boredom, I shut my mouth, but then I hear two faint syllables rumble from his throat. MC: "...Stayrus?" Or are you telling me to stay clear? Sylus: It's an ancient Philosian word [...]. MC: How about I call you by a name that sounds similar? Is Sylus alright with you? Sylus: Call me whatever you want. But don't expect me to respond.

- 'CONSORTS' LMAOOOOO they use this word a lot in the myth and every time it makes me laugh

I hold up a mirror from a stall. It reflects the face of the dragon. MC: Can you guess what I see when I look at you? He lowers the mirror as if he heard a childish joke. He leans closer. Sylus: At the very least, I'm a lot more handsome than I was depicted in that Fiend-Slaying God mural.

- ARE YOU KIDDING ME??????? HIS ACTUAL NAME IS SOMETHING LIKE 'STAYRUS'??????? MC WHY DID YOU BOTCH IT LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO toysrus

Sylus: You wouldn't use them if I gave them to you. Why are you interested in cheap things? MC: You actually measure worth based on monetary value? Sylus: There's another way?

- hfkdgfdhfjd MC I'm still in awe that you said that first with so much ease

Merchant: One piece of information or thirty gold coins for the bracelet. MC: For this bone bracelet? At best, it's worth- I'm about to start haggling, but when I look up, the dragon is already opening his pouch. A cascade of gold coins spills from his hand onto the counter.

- FHDUYSFGHJDFSJKHDASJKBDHSJD

MC: These, these, and these... Don't they all suit you perfectly? I quickly pick up a few, intricately designed accessories and shove them into the dragon's arms. Then, I stand on my tiptoes to hang a bone wind chime on his horn. Sylus: You-

- Old habits die hard, I see

MC: I fell asleep while waiting for you these past few nights. Why didn't you wake me up? [...] A gentle smile graces his lips. Sylus: Someone was dreaming and continued to say my name- MC: Hey...!

- HELP???????? MC LMAO ON HIS HORN, TOO???? XD

[MC is being judged] Sacred Judicator: First crime: worshipping evil and desire, showing no repentance, letting your heart fall to corruption... Second crime: Consorting with a Fiend and bearing its mark, tainting your very body with corruption... Third crime: Plundering wealth and embracing insatiable greed, actions steeped in corruption...

- HAHAHAHA EMBARRASSINGGGGG GIRL

Cute moments...

- god forbid women do anything smh

MC: (Besides... If he's going to treat me like a pet cat, he shouldn't be surprised if he gets scratched.) [Later, in another scene...] The dragon knows about my escape plan. Sometimes he even sits on the pile of gold, resting his head in his hands as he watches - He neither helps nor stops me. It takes me a while to realize he isn't just watching - he's studying me out of sheer boredom. Just like I used to watch a cat in the Sanctuary that kept trying to jump over a wall it could never clear. [And later, again...] When he's caught off-guard, I arch my back like a cat and pounce.

I sit in the dragon's lair and receive shiny trinkets every day. One night, a small mountain cat came in to play with me. It wasn't until later that I realized - there's no way a mountain cat could just wander into a dragon's lair on its own. ...Could the dragon be comforting me?

- So... Origin of MC being treated like a kitten, I see.

MC: [...] How did it feel when you grew your horns? Sylus: It was nothing special. The dragon sits back down, avoiding my gaze. Sylus: It hurt just a bit.

- Awwww???????

I cup his face in my hands and make him meet my gaze. MC: I just realized something these days. You don't understand a song's melody, can't see the beauty in patterns, and can't even taste the flavors of food. Is that right? Sylus: Dragons don't need those things to survive. He escapes from my hands, yet I detect a hint of awkwardness in his words. MC: You act mature, but you were sealed away for so long... Sylus, you're still a young dragon, aren't you? Sylus: ? MC: You only just learned how to hide your wings... I gently stroke the top of his head. Then, my hand glides down his prominent spine and reaches his tail. MC: But you can't hide your horns and tail. Are you an adult? Don't tell me you're just acting mature because you're worried about ruining your "fiendish" image. The dragon stays silent and flicks his tail away from me. He loops it around us, and it touches the small of my back. Sylus: Are you trying to say you've uncovered my secret? A defiant force gently pulls me toward the dragon's chest. Sylus: All right, let's assume there is a young dragon before you. What will you do? Eat it? MC: ... I'd tell it that we're doing something humans call "hugging". Sylus: Then do humans still hug each other even when they want to kill each other? Like us?

- I'm gonna be honest this scene should be with the rest of the angsty ones further down but by itself it's really cute

MC: Sylus, those gems and weapons are boring. If you want to cultivate my desire, you need to give me something rarer. This time, I want... I can't stand being the only one who's troubled by this thought. So, I demand something from him he can never own and will never offer. [Here, the game lets you pick between saying 'Your soul' or 'Your love'] MC: Your love. As expected, he looks surprised and then laughs. Sylus: A fiend's love? What are you going to do with something that doesn't exist? MC: If it doesn't exist, then it's even more precious. Sylus: Speak. What does it mean to truly love a person? Have you ever loved anyone before? MC: ...No, but I know exactly what to do. [MC kisses his forehead]

- THAT'S? SO CUTE? HE'S A SMOL DRAGON? HUG???

The body next to me is warm. I wrap the dragon's tail around myself and move closer. Resting my head on his shoulder, I drift in and out of sleep.

- MC is insanely proactive in this myth. She does NOT hesitate dude.

- I just thought this was a cute moment <3

AGAIN, CASE IN POINT, LOOK. SHE JUST GOES FOR IT. AND THEY MAKE YOU CLICK SO YOU FEEL EMBARRASSED:

Yooo!! The test to take the brooch might have been to try and jog MC's memory???

[After leaving a bitemark on MC's neck] Sylus: This will be the mark for the first time. Until this mark disappears, you will have two more chances to take my life. Prove to me that you can be stronger.

THE SONG!!!!!!!!!!

- Like...????? And the fact that in Midnight Stealth he pins her down, too............

Sylus: What's that sound? [...] As I sing the final note, I close my mouth and continue gazing at the distant lights in Tarus City. MC: A requiem for the departed. Sylus: Sing it again. MC: Haven't you heard someone sing before? Sylus: I've never heard you sing.

Sylus: Sing that song again. MC: It's boring without music. It sounds better with an organ accompaniment. Can you get one for me? Sylus: It's a simple matter. Consider it done.

- so originally it was sung, not just played...

[They found an organ and MC began to play the song] My performance ends, and the Sanctuary falls silent. Sylus: Why did you stop? MC: A requiem is meant to soothe the dead, but the souls in this place don't deserve it. They were sanctimonious enough when they were alive - I have no intention of praising their ugly souls.

- aaaand then that's that...

INTENSE moments (oof)

- And that's why Sylus never got to hear it in full.

One by one, red flames ignite as far as the eye can see. My surroundings are illuminated by their shimmering light. Before me is... An endless array of treasures and luxurious garments. MC: ... Sylus: You are not interested? MC: ...You'd give these to me? Sylus: Why not? You're also mine now.

Sylus: If you want something, just reach out and take it. In the flickering firelight, our shadows intertwine on the dimly lit wall. Sylus: Just. Like. This. Let your greed and desire burn a little brighter... His tail glides up my calf. Smiling, the Fiend leans in to whisper into my ear. Sylus: This is how you'll become worthy enough to be my meal.

- STOPPPPP YOU JUST METTTT I CANNOT STRESS IT ENOUGH WHAT IS THISSSSSSSSS

I hook my arm around the dragon's neck, stand on my tiptoes, and whisper in his ear. MC: Isn't that the place where you tried to eat me for the first time? Sylus: Do you wish to return for the sake of nostalgia?

- I think I'm beyond saving guys...

I press a silver knife against his neck. MC: Be honest with me. What do you gain from indulging my desires like this? I pin him down against a cushion. The knife and bleeding wound dissipate into crimson light particles as he chuckles. Sylus looks up at me. We can feel each other's breaths. As he raises his head, his nose gently brushes against mine. Sylus: What about you? What's in it for you to attempt an assassination with such a weak hand? Before the curtains, our eyes meet. The afterglow is reflected in his eyes which emit a surreal warmth. A strange flutter brushes against my heart, and a soft laugh escapes my lips. I return to my original spot before peeling a savoring a pomegranate. MC: You don't need to tell me. The greedier the soul, the more delicious it is. Am I mistaken? In any case let's hope it doesn't backfire on you. Sylus laughs. As I take out another pomegranate seed, he leans in and snatches it with his teeth. Sylus: Likewise.

- WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IT LIKE THAT WHISPERING AND STUFF HELLO????

MC: What I desire is... My fingers brush over the renowned painting adorning the wall. I turn, lift the hem of my dress, and sit on the sacred throne positioned at the top of the stairs. I point my toes, and in silence, I hook my leg around the dragon's as he reaches the last step. Just as he leans forward, I tug him closer. MC: To live freely and die without regrets. Our breath's mingle, and our heartbeats sync. Light ripples in his eyes, and his lips slowly curl into a smile. With a flick of his tail, he catches me off guard, wrapping it around my waist and pulling me in. Sylus: Are you aware of your soul's scent? He meets my gaze, leaning in provocatively. His breath teasingly caresses the pulse in my neck. Sylus: It's akin to a strong liquor topped off with salt... Forever boiling and never satisfied.

- THIS WHOLE SCENE HAD ME SCREAMINGG??

An inexplicable raging inferno surges within me. Indignant, I laugh. I open my mouth and sink my teeth into his hand. Sylus: Ugh...! MC: I don't believe in this destined archnemesis nonsense! Moonlight boils in his eyes. Sylus cackles. He lowers his head and bites my shoulder like a predator. MC: You! Pain spreads like fire. Then, Sylus extends his tongue, slowly licking the wound on my shoulder. It's as if he's claiming and soothing me. Sylus: If you want to push me away, now's the time. His tongue alternates between licking and biting, sending a strange, tingling sensation through my body despite the lingering pain. He slowly licks over my throbbing wound.

- I don't even know what to say anymore....

- THEY'RE BOTH? SO KINKY? HELLO? YEAH NO, FORGET WE WERE AT DEATH'S DOOR JUST THEN- TIME TO GET FREAKY

And now... Yeah... It had to happen... Angst...

Sylus: People are far more interesting alive than dead. If you truly want revenge, the best way is to keep them alive. Or would you say this world is the closest thing to hell itself? You can only feel pain when you're alive.

Figures surround them. He could fly her back to the dragon's lair. But tonight, he wants to walk a bit longer with her. Sylus: In the beginning, the dragon lived in a valley with other dragons. Amongst his kin, he was the only one with a human appearance. He mistakenly believed he was a normal person. But as he grew older, horns sprouted from his head and a tail from his back. He had never seen anything like this on someone before. He was scared, so he picked up a blade because he wanted to remove them. But the horns and scales would grow back, dripping with blood. It didn't matter how many times he cut them. After a long time, he finally came to terms with being a monster with horns... But then, the love of his life appeared. She showed him human love and companionship, making him think he could live like a human too. And slowly, without realizing it, he began to forget he was a dragon.

- When I first read this scene I was like 'YEAHHHH REVENGEEEE' but after finishing the myth.......... bro....

Sylus: Save me? Are you aware of the cost? Once we hold hands now, our lives will be bound together, along with our deaths. We must offer half of our soul to the other. They'll be merged... To forge an unbreakable bond. To share your life with a fiend - it might be a punishment worse than having your soul devoured. Will you truly not regret it? MC: I said I'll live, didn't I? No matter the cost. If following our hearts is a sin, then you and I must be the last of our kind in this world.

- Can you hear my heart shattering?

MC: Let's make a pinky promise. Sylus: Hmm? MC: To never betray each other. Sylus: Our souls are bound. We will never betray each other even if Doomsday arrives outside this Sanctuary. Even if the world crumbles. MC: This promise can't be broken. Sylus: This promise will never be broken.

- SYLUSSSS WAAAAAAA DON'T BE LIKE THAT T_T

His body lies quietly among the flowers. In his garnet-like eyes is my reflection. MC: Look at me... You're not allowed to close your eyes! My tears fall onto him as I lower my head. I allow him to place a kiss on my forehead. The dark-red glow in his eyes dims. Obsidian-like crystals crawl over the dragon's scales, slowly covering his entire body. My dragon is gone.

- ...let it sink in

- Listen... At least we can take some comfort in knowing... MC didn't kill him on purpose. He drove the sword to his chest himself, grabbing MC's hands. She didn't want to. That's a relief. Still fucked, but...

My beloved was born into apocalyptic terror. People cursed his existence, fabricated his sins, and celebrated his death. Only one person ever gazed into his jewel-like eyes, embraced his burning soul, and sang to him in the night wind. He had already etched the traces of his existence deep into my life... Yet his retaliation against fate pierces my chest like a sword. MC: Sylus... I curse your soul... He says the best way to punish someone is to let them live forever. MC: I curse your soul... To never fade away... You'll always be tied to me. Forever. This is my curse... Only I can... Grant you true death. [...] I feel something sprouting from my head like tender branches. Sharp pain pierces my spine as a dragon's tails replaces my tailbone.

- So... That's how he is alive in the present, and it's also the explanation for the Evol Linkage, I believe? It's really cool that she actually turned into a dragon, as sad as the scene is.

And of course, as always, my favorite voicelines:

[karasukarei]

Wind Breaker Drama CD vol. 2 - Oedo-style Fuurin Tale (Part 1)

(t/n: I originally translated this is "Oedo-style Fuurin Story", but I think "Tale" sounds more cool)

Translation masterpost here!

Do note that the audio track for this currently isn't publicly available online. This is also longer than the first drama CD, so I might need a bit more time to finish this (and probably a few more parts...)

Note: As with the beach story, I took some liberties with translations this time to make it read more smoothly. As always, if there’s any mistakes, feel free to let me know!

Special thanks to @orewing!

Shorthand because some names are really long:

Sakura – Sakura

Nirei – Nirei

Suo – Suo

Sugishita – Sugi

Kiryuu – Kiryuu

Tsugeura – Tsuge

Hiiragi – Hiiragi

Umemiya – Ume

Scene 0 – 0:06~0:27

Nirei the narrator: It is the Bakumatsu period. In a town in Edo. At the entrance to this town, there’s a noticeboard. It’s a noticeboard erected by the strong. This is the beginning of the story of the samurai who took on the role of protecting this town in Edo. (t/n: For reference, the Bakumatsu is the time period when the Shinsengumi were active. Edo was the old name for Tokyo during the Bakumatsu)

Scene 1 – 0:28~1:49

*insert sound of wind chimes prettily sounding as the wind blows*

Sakura: Is this the town that the Fuurin-gumi is said to be in…? It does seem peaceful. I guess oden will do… (t/n: couldn’t really catch this last phrase) *stomach rumbles sadly* I’m so hungry…

Sakura: *sniffs air like a dog* This smell… Is it from that dango shop?! *swallows hungrily* The yakidango looks really tasty… *counts coins* It’s not enough… *stomach growls sadly*

Umemiya 💙: Hey! You over there! (t/n: OMG IT’S UMEMIYAAAAAAA)

Sakura: *sighs very sadly*

Umemiya: Heeey! The guy with half white hair!

Sakura: Huh? Me? (t/n: he sounds like a lost kitten here lmao)

Umemiya: Yes you! Do you wanna eat dango together? (t/n: I’LL EAT WITH YOU)

Sakura: Huh?

Umemiya: You’re hungry aren’t you? Hehe, your stomach was rumbling so loudly I could hear it from here.

Sakura: *blushing very loudly* Hrnghk-!!! I-It’s none of your business!

Umemiya: What’s with that? It’ll be my treat!

Sakura: *blushing even more loudly* *chokes on his words* There’s no reason to give me a treat out of nowhere!

Umemiya: If you want a reason, there is one. Rather than eating dango alone, it’s much more delicious if you eat it with someone else!

Sakura: What’s with that reason? Just leave me alone-

Umemiya: Huuh? But then-

 *Sakura’s stomach demands not to be left alone*

Umemiya: Nah? (t/n: with the same energy as “gotcha”)

Sakura: Kuuu- *blushes so hard he’s about to catch on fire*

Scene 2 – 1:50~2:55

Sakura: Mmm delicious!!! 

Umemiya: Right?? The dango here is one of my favourites. And Sakura, is it? You said you came from out of town? What did you come to this town for?

Sakura: Since you’re from this town you should at least know their name right? The notorious samurai group Fuurin-gumi. The group is filled with ruffians, but I came here to become the top of the Fuurin-gumi. (t/n: you’re gonna regret saying this Sakura)

Umemiya: Ohhh… You sure do have confidence in your strength.

Sakura: Till now, I’ve been storming dojos across various towns to hone my fist. *eats hungrily* (t/n: He’s referring to dojoyaburi / dojo breaking, when you go pick a fight with another dojo to show who’s superior. The losing dojo often loses both prestige and standing, and its students often leave for the winning school.)

Umemiya: You…

Sakura: *with a mouth full of dango* At any rate, you too-

Umemiya: Isn’t that great?! The top!

Sakura: Eh?

Umemiya: I see, the top, haha! *smacks Sakura very happily on the back* Yes, I see!

Sakura: That hurts! And don’t hit me when I’m eating dango, that’s dangerous. (t/n: people literally die every year from choking on dango)

Umemiya: Hahahaha, my bad my bad. 

Sakura: What a weirdo…

Scene 3 – 2:56~5:16

*insert sound of wind chimes prettily sounding as the wind blows*

Sakura: Yosh. *getting ready to leave*

Umemiya: What. you’re already leaving?

Sakura: Yup, I’ve already eaten the dango. *takes a few steps and walks*

Umemiya: Hm? What is it?

Sakura: *blushing enough to be heard through the speaker* I don’t think we’ll meet again, but… thanks for the food.

Umemiya: Uoh! It was fun eating dango with you too! Till we meet again!

Sakura: *grumbling under his breath as he walks away* I already said we likely won’t meet again, why’d he still say “till we meet again”... And anyway, what kind of person buys dango for a person they don’t even know?! And why am I so mad about it?! (t/n: he sounds like a really grumpy old man here www) *sighs* Someone like him… is probably from a different kind of world from me…

*Sakura walks some more*

Sakura: I heard that the barracks for Fuurin-gumi is supposed to be around here… is it that?

Nirei: E-excuse me, is this the barracks for Fuurin-gumi…?

Sugi: *grunts*

Nirei: It is right, it’s obvious! It’s nicely written here right?

Sugi: *more grunting*

Nirei: U-um, could you perhaps be from Sugishita-san from Tamonshuu’s First Squad?

Sugi: *gasps of suspicion* You, could you be-!?

Nirei: Heeeeeee!!! I’m sorry I swear I’m not a suspicious figure!! I am Nirei, and I’d like to join-

Sugi: Coming to join Fuurin-gumi, you sure have some guts! *draws sword*

Nirei: A-ah, I’m begging you please don’t cut me down!!

Sakura: Oi! Stop it!

Nirei: Eh?

Sugi: Huh?

Sakura: If you can draw your sword at a guy like him, then Fuurin-gumi really is as the rumours say- it’s where all the messed up people gather. Oi, you.

Nirei: Y-Yes!

Sakura: You stand down. I’ll be this guy’s opponent. *gets ready to draw sword*

Sugi: Are you this guy’s friend?

Nirei: You… Why are you saving me?

Sakura: Friend? Save? Don’t get me wrong. I’m just interested in strong people. *draws sword*

Nirei: Wh-what do I do?!

Tsuge: Oiii Sugishita-kun, it’s time to switch shifts! What’re you doing?

Nirei: Uwah! Fuurin-gumi member!

Tsuge: I don’t know what’s going on, but you guys look real macho. (t/n: unfortunately Tsuge speaks with some sort of dialect and I cannot figure out the last part of this sentence. If you know what he’s saying, do feel free to let me know!

[jasmines-library]

Hello?

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WHUMPTOBER DAY NINETEEN: prompt: Blood Trail/abandoned cabin.

Summary: on a lone hunt, you end up injured and seeking emergency help. The only problem is, there’s no one around.

Warnings; blood.

MASTERLIST WHUMPTOBER 2024

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You stumbled through the woods, your hand clutching your side as you tried not to trip on the up turned roots. You clung close to the trees using them as support as you tried to make it to the cabin. It was just ahead of you now. Fractions from touching distance. You just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other and you would make it. You were sure you would make it. You were-

Blood dripped from between your fingers. You had tried to staunch it with you hand, but as your hand began to grow slack; your blood stained the now below you a deep crimson. Keep going. Almost there.

With a heavy shove, you managed to get the door open. The hinges creaked and groaned heavily as you managed to haul the door open before slamming it shut again to keep out the cold.

Practically as soon as you were inside your legs decided to give out. Your knees bucked as you fell to the floor in a heap. Soon to be a pool of your own blood as it continued to ooze from your body. You fumbled for your phone. It was somewhere in your pocket, but your fingers refused to co-operate and it took you a clumsy minute to find it. But once it was out your muscle memory worked to dial that oh so familiar number, just hoping that the person on the other end would pick up. You weren’t sure what the signal was like around here.

Dean answered the phone on the fourth ring. “…..hello?” He mumbled groggily, clearly having just been woken up by your call.

“………Dean…?”

You could hear him straighten up on the other end of the line at the sound of your voice. “Y/n?”

“……yeah.” You coughed.

“What’s going on? Are you alright?” Dean asked. His voice was laced thick with worry.

“…need some help:” you got out.

“Where are you? What happened to the hunt?” Dean was moving, pulling on a shirt before racing to his car. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m in Oklahoma……my location is on…….”

“Okay.” Deans voice was muffled by sound of an engine. “Are you hurt?” He asked again.

You mumbled a yes in response. “More of them than I thought….”

Dean cursed loudly. “I’m not too far out from you, okay? You just stay awake and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Okay….” You blinked slowly gazing up at the ceiling. A few minutes passed with Dean taking to you on the other end of the line to try and get you to respond to him and stay awake: but then your phone chimed. The battery was going to die. You told Dean this and he cursed once again.

“Shit. No no no. Okay. I need you to give me the directions to where you are, okay? I won’t be able to follow the location on your phone if it’s dead,”

You began to describe it, but very quickly your phone shut off plunging you it into darkness and leaving you all alone with no idea as to if Dean would be able to find you in the middle of the woods.

~

You were startled awake when the door was shoved open and a gale of wind whistled though the room. You shivered. You had been falling asleep without Dean to talk to you. Dean. He hovered over you now, falling to your side.

“De?” You asked, looking up at him as he rummaged for a first aid kit.

“It’s me. It’s me. You’re okay:” he tried to reassure you as he began to try and stop the bleeding.

“…….how’d you find me….?” You asked, confused.

Dean was quiet for a moment. He had followed the trail of blood that you had left in the snow, but he didn’t want to tell you that. “It doesn’t matter, sweetheart. But I’m here now.” He said, beginning to wrap a bandage. Just relax, kid. I got you, you’re gonna be okay.”

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

This was SO sucky I’m sorry! But I wrote it in like half an hour so I could get it out to you tonight 😭

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

<- DAY EIGHTEEN DAY TWENTY ->

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

Tags:

@hearts4robs @kingshitonly @alicedawitchbish @hell-o-kittys @azure-drag0ness @harleycao @thewhispersofthewaves @batfamsstuff @xxrougefangxx @rosecentury @noisymutantherelol @killxz @rhiodes @inlovewhithafairytale @that-wannabe-vangoghgurl @canthavetoomuchchaos

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[nicothedingus]

spud headcanons because i'm bored

a lot of ya'll liked my wallmark headcanons so here's some spud headcanons <3 there might be some Sarah ones in here too. idk

gentle giant who cares about wildlife. has helped a chick that has fallen out of its nest at least once

lives in the woods near the camp, usually sleeping in a cave or in trees. sometimes visits Sarah and sleeps outside her cabin/on the floor inside

viewed as a cryptid of sorts by people who don't know of the gnarpian attack. there's probably ominous photos of him circulating online at this point

Sarah has set up wind chimes around the camp because 1. Spud likes the sound 2. it helps him remember where the camp is

probably purrs. loudly. if he can make bubble noises i think he can purr and chirp and make other noises okay

learned methods of nonverbal communication so he can still communicate with Sarah when he's overwhelmed :)

tries to socialise but regrets it afterwards

eats out of the trash near the camps mess hall i think. that or he steals the marshmallows. fiend

certified silly straw enjoyer. Sarah has a few because he probably can't drink from cups otherwise. they will have hot chocolate together

has a kandi bracelet with Sarah's name on it. so he doesn't forget it. yeah i know canonically he doesn't remember her very well but i'll always see them as besties still <:)

whenever he gets hurt Sarah gives him cute bandages i think. she covers him in stickers in general

sometimes when he explodes he just. disassembles. he doesn't die his arms just fall off. Sarah has to stitch him them back on afterwards (inspired by this adorable post)

scars. lots of them. has a big vertical one on his torso

went bald after ripping all of his hair out due to the stress of what happened to him, but it's been regrowing well!

wobbles a bit whenever he moves

HOLY SHIT THAT'S A LOT if you guys want more headcanons ummm please do say so my brain is rotting!!!

[saintvainglorious]

Fics I Enjoyed in January - DC Comics Fic Rec List Part 2

I am still neck-deep in DC fandom this month and the fics have been so so good. Unlike last time, I am too tired to write mini summaries/reviews, so I'm going to feature my favorite quote from each fic instead.

My first DC Comics fic rec list is here!

Floor Plans by @oh-mother-of-darkness (Teen & Up, 1k, 2016) “I really didn’t want to die,” he finished. “I was kind of hoping if I laid here long enough, I would remember what that felt like.”

Losing two brothers in six months takes an emotional toll.

almost right by @bitimdrake (Teen & Up, 3k, 2020) He desperately wishes that he didn’t know what Dick’s cheekbone feels like under a gauntleted fist.

Bruce sucks in a breath, hand raising to fix the cowl. Dick flinches back.

but more with love by @danishsweethearts (Teen & Up, 3k, 2022) Dick wakes up one morning, groggy from a dream that he thinks might’ve been about the circus and also about his favourite car and also about how lonely he is, and realizes that he can’t remember what his mother’s voice sounds like anymore.

O Robin, Robin, wherefore art thou Robin?

The Mechanics of a Hug by @sohotthateveryonedied (General Audiences, 4k, 2017) “You know… that crushing sense of depression? Like,” Dick chews his lip. “It’s. A physical weight. Makes it hard to breathe?” “Yeah,” Tim says, soft. He smiles, wryly. “I sort of hoped you didn’t, though.”

“So,” Tim ventures. “It's… what, a cuddle pollen?” Bruce just shrugs. “Something like that.”

No Pain, All Gain by @sohotthateveryonedied (General Audiences, 1k, 2020) Tim’s eyes go even wider. “You stole my organs?” “Technically,” Jason chimes in, “the doctors stole your organs. We just gave them permission.”

Bruce checks Tim’s IV. “Are you in any pain? Do you need more morphine?” Tim’s pupils are so wide that only the faintest ring of blue can be seen. He watches Bruce the way a five-year-old watches cartoons. “I’m all good, B-dog. All Gucci, like we cool teens say." His words are slurred almost beyond recognition, but Tim doesn’t seem to notice or care. "I could fight Superman right now.”

The Wind Sits in the Shoulder of Your Sail by @birdchildsnest (Teen & Up, 7k, 2020) “Oh my god. Bruce. I can’t even tell if you’re serious. When everybody finally eats the rich—they’re going to eat you first.”

At least, back then, Tim had barely been a teenager. He could almost forgive his own volatility. And he’d been smart enough (scared enough?) not to tell Jack that he didn’t need him. What was his excuse now? Bruce was his dad (at least, in the legal sense), but (surprise, surprise) it turned out that Tim wasn’t any better at being a son. Or Tim and Bruce still have some things to sort through after the adoption.

I Left My Conscience On Your Front Doorstep by @dustorange (Teen & Up, 21k, 2022) He doesn’t want to be loved if being loved is like this.

"I think I'm leaving," Dick whispers. "I think I'm not coming back."

bad boys bad boys (whatcha gonna do) ♫ by @drakefeathers (Teen & Up, 20k, 2014) "They live their lives thinking they can charge through the city with the right to hurt and kill and destroy as many lives as they want. And they do it all without a shred of remorse." “But—” Damian begins, brow furrowed in confusion. “Isn’t that like you?”

a Jason and Damian as Batman and Robin AU!! featuring a bunch of graffiti, a rival dynamic duo, and Cat Jason (a cat named Jason).

The Biggest Mistake by @oh-mother-of-darkness (General Audiences, 1k, 2016) “I could ground him anyway, if it would make you feel better.” “He only said it because I called him ‘a garbage can so ineffective it actually became garbage.’”

"You know what really needs to be addressed? Bruce's truly terrible treatment of Damian." -Me, on a daily basis

been a number and a name by @wynterstars (Teen & Up, 35k, 2023) “Turns out if you just say ‘spacetime’ until people’s eyes glaze over they don’t really question anything you say. Also, somehow nobody expects me to be able to actually do enough math to explain it.”

On a field trip, Robin has a close encounter with the newest super in Metropolis, only to discover the hard way that Superboy secretly works for Lex Luthor. They agree to work together on a plan to free Superboy from Luthor’s hold, but Robin isn’t sure how far he can trust him—and his developing feelings only make things more complicated.

clean it like you mean it by @wynterstars (Teen & Up, 70k, 2024) "Wait, ugh, you're not my dead dad, right? If I'm getting a dying vision of my dead dad I want a do-over because he suuuuucked."

When Gotham's crooks have to scrub down their lairs, who do they call? Jason Todd, Gotham's first and only underworld crime scene cleaning specialist. He's spent his life dodging the Bat, but after a chance encounter he saves Robin's life. Tim Drake finds himself drawn to the conflicted rogue, and soon Jason becomes Robin's street informant. But they can only stay on opposite sides of the law for so long before something breaks.

3:16 by @wufflesvetinari (Teen & Up, 70k (WIP), 2023) “Try to decouple one thing from the other. I’m proud of you, but ice cream isn’t my grand statement about whether you’ve been good or bad today. Good things are good. Happiness is precious. Sometimes you just want caramel chocolate chip.”

The knife pushes thin along Dick’s carotid artery, cupping the indent between neck and jawline—forcing him to angle his chin. The metal is warm, pulled with execution speed from under Damian’s pillow. “Okay,” Dick says quietly, tracking the intricacies of his own heartbeat—counting the space between breaths. “Guess I did need a shave.” (With faltering steps, Dick and Damian become Batman and Robin.)

wolf-king of rome by @mysterycitrus (Not Rated, 25k, 2024) “You go after Joker, but you don’t kill him, because it’s not about the Joker dying, it’s about Bruce breaking his code for you. It’s about Bruce loving you enough to change himself for the worse. It’s about your idea of grieving.”

Jason doesn’t fear Dick Grayson. Fear itself has changed shape for him, since his return from the Pit - it tastes of dirt in his mouth, of drowning, of fire and blood and laughter, more than a tangible face. Still, he’d be stupid not to be cautious. Dick liked playing on an uneven field, and would do anything to keep him off balance, so he just had to stay focused. That’s the nature of the armistice, both waiting for the other to make a move. It’s like balancing on the head of a pin.

Declensions by @dustorange (Teen & Up, 13k, 2018) “Do not tell them your name. Do as I did to survive. I lied. I have always lied. Make one up. Do not let them have you. Say your name is…is…is…Richard Grayson. Or something. They are going to steal you; do not give them anything to steal.”

“My father,” Dick says, “worked the rope. It cut him. His hands were never clean.”

Passiontide by @bigdvmnhero (Teen & Up, 5k, 2025) Despite its faults, the day had tried to be good. He felt young, like someone's son.

On the 96th day Bruce didn't call, Dick remembered their old game. Three things he knew: 1) In three months, it would be Dick's death anniversary; 2) Bruce was still missing his check-ins; 3) Here Dick was, persisting. Imagine the things I'd survive, Dick thought distantly, if I loved Bruce less. Or: Agent 37 and his various crises of faith, on Day 277 at Spyral, Day 150, and Day -0.

the time you won your town the race by @silverwhittlingknife (Teen & Up, 4k (WIP), 2022) Tim. Tim is Dick’s. Death sharpens, clarifies these things. Who will receive the body, decide on the funeral, receive condolences, make all the decisions that matter. No one has questioned it, not even Tim’s friends. There’s a terrible clarity about death. If Dick said, let’s burn everything he owned, Alfred would do it.

He doesn’t know exactly what Tim would say. But he knows what Tim would do. Tim dies. Dick doesn’t take death for an answer. A Red Robin 12 AU.

door, opening by @cowboysorceror (Mature, 70k (WIP), 2024) Dick, with the keys to every locked door Jason has ever tried to open, tucked inside the cradle of his skull; all of that, snuffed out like a candle.

It’s barely audible, but he knows what he heard. A short, four-note whistle, chirping down – E, C#, then jumping up to A, F#, a little trill on the finish. He waits a moment, head turned slightly towards the dim shapes of storage containers between him and the ramp, eyes straining against the blackness. Long, stretching seconds. There it is again. His gloved hand, prickling with cold, closes into a fist. It’s a wood thrush. A small North American songbird that doesn’t sing at night, doesn’t live in the city. He knows what it means. It means hold, steady, not yet. It means wait for me, I’m behind you.

[miss-vanta-likes-to-write]

Loyalties chapter 9 (The pink letter)

Loyalties Masterlist

CW: check the main masterlist for warnings

A/N: this is the letter Bambi received in ch.3 and the one she's reading in the next chapter.

My dearest Kitz,

It has been thirty months or more exactly nine hundred and fifteen days since I last saw you face to face. I dream of you and your sweet smile. Your sweet scent haunts me at every waking turn. A lesser man would have crumbled by now, wasted away from the starvation you have inflicted. It is a good thing I am no lesser man.

You wound me when you refuse my existence, on all of your cute little socials you see the pink hearts. I know you see them. I know that you still preen at the sight of a small pink heart. The tattoo that you insisted I not get of your name is finished. It is a shrine upon my chest, it sits right above my heart. Well my dearest Kitz, it is not my heart anymore, since the day I laid eyes on you, my heart became yours. The brand of your name, is encased by a soft pink heart, with a white lace border and under your name a sleeping fawn. The artist had joked and said that I must be possessed. He asked if your pussy was poison as it was rare for an alpha to let himself be marked in any fashion of ownership. 

I broke his nose and he no longer has use of five of his front teeth. 

Even though you are angry with me, pushing me away, I will always defend your honor. The very idea of another male, no matter their designation in life, speaking of you in a foul manner will always enrage me. It is my duty to protect your virtue and dignity.

Mein dearest Kitz, mein Schatz, Liebe meines Lebens, I will be with you soon and have already counted the days until we are together. I want to try again at winning your heart, your love, your adoration, your soul, and if you give it to me your submission. I want you to claim me as I have always belonged to you.

I understand it now. You were scared of being caged, locked away to your fate too soon. I should not have pushed you, screamed at you, forced your hand and made you demand that I be kept away from you. 

I didn't mean to frighten you. That will always be my biggest regret.

I fully intended to let Xavier put a bullet between my eyes that day, if only for the pain of rejection to finally end. In all of your mercies, that I rightfully did not deserve then, you rescinded your kill order. You decided that the love and devotion I hold for you was enough to spare me. You spared me a cowardly death, and that was the right thing to do. You forced me into exile so that I may learn what it is like to be deprived of you. That deprivation served as a lesson for me to learn how to love you and how to appreciate you. I have been without and if I have to go without again and again, until you deem my lesson learned then so be it. 

These last nine hundred and fifteen days have been long and tedious without you. I have missed your wit, your sweet but harsh words that you swear are just teasing, the way your laughter sounds like chimes tinkling on the wind. I have missed your delicate touch, the light scratch of your baby pink nails against my skin, and the sweet kisses that you have gifted me. I have dreamt of kneeling at your feet, allowing you to take your pleasure from me, allowing me to even taste the sweetness that is you. I have dreamt of being allowed back home, between your thighs, in your embrace, in your orbit of life that has always moved too fast.

Do you still think of me on June mornings and nights? Is there a want in your being that calls out for me too? You are but a beacon that draws everything to you and I am selfishly wanting to be the only person you let close enough to feel your warmth. You are everything that is good in life.

Du bist die Liebe meines Lebens. Mein Grund zum Atmen. Wenn wir uns wiedersehen, wenn ich dich in meinen Armen trage, werde ich dich nicht mehr loslassen.

König

Translations in the order they appear

Kitz: a loose translation for fawn. And I mean very loose

Mein dearest Kitz, mein Schatz, Liebe meines Lebens: My dearest kitz, my darling, love of my life

Du bist die Liebe meines Lebens. Mein Grund zum Atmen. Wenn wir uns wiedersehen, wenn ich dich in meinen Armen trage, werde ich dich nicht mehr loslassen.:

You are the love of my life. My reason for breathing. When we meet again, when I hold you in my arms, I will never let you go.

[rosesradio]

omg for the Christmas drabble I was literally just thinking of a future jercy fic where it's Christmas or new year's eve and the boys are just reflecting how Jason never thought he'd get something normal like holidays with loved ones and Percy never thought he'd live long enough to have a husband and holidays in their own home. if you can make a drabble out of that it would make my day

“I wasn’t going to say anything…”

Jason and Percy were resting on the plush couch in their living room, warm from hot chocolate as they watched the fireplace. Jason’s voice was soft—too soft, the kind of tone that suggested he was at his most fragile. The layers of physical and emotional armor had come undone, taken off piece by piece. It meant that he could be free of the weight of it for a moment, though it also meant that anyone or anything could deliver a killing blow.

“What is it, love?” Percy asked. The words—pet names—had sounded foreign and embarrassing in Percy’s mouth for the longest time. Eventually, though, they started to feel normal. He thought them, and they lost the weight.

“I never thought I’d have this,” Jason murmured. “Life in…in New Rome was…spoken of briefly, dangled in front of me like a treat for a dog, but…” his voice hardened, cracked, then softened again. “I knew they wouldn’t let a praetor, a son of Jupiter, go so easily. There would be something else, and something else, and something else, but…now there’s not. I’m with you, and my entire life is in front of me…”

It had been six years, and still Jason spoke as if he expected to be taken from Percy, taken in as some sort of slave to Camp Jupiter. No. Jason had done his time and then some. Percy would die before he let any more harm come to his husband.

“I’m sorry if I’m bumming you out,” Jason mumbled, nuzzling into the crook of Percy’s neck. His fingers traced the soft, fuzzy neck of Percy’s sweater.

“You could never,” Percy replied. He wanted to add ‘you don’t talk about it nearly enough’, though he knew that would really draw attention to it. He had to speak up in these moments when they happened.

“To tell you the truth,” Percy said, hugging Jason close, his grip gentle but firm. “I never thought I’d live to see this…we were always told most demigods didn’t make it to adulthood. I never thought I’d get to get married, get a house, have holidays…but now I have it all and more. All thanks to you. You think that I was some gods-send, that I saved you, but…you don’t know the half of it. You saved me, Jace. And times like this remind me of that more than ever…”

“Perce,” Jason wouldn’t look at him, his voice muffled in Percy’s sweater. Percy was sure his eyes were watering, only because his own were stinging and they tended to bring it out of each other.

“I know, sweetheart,” Percy squeezed Jason’s shoulder comfortably. “You’re thinking, ‘wow, Percy’s so wise and sweet and sexy…the only thing that would make this better is if we had a little one to celebrate the holidays with!’ Am I right?”

Jason’s laughter was like the song of a wind chime. “You’re ridiculous, Percy Jackson…but yeah, I was kind of thinking about that…”

“Maybe this time next year, then,” Percy settled.

Percy held Jason close as he rested his head on his shoulder, and the pair watched the flickering flames in much deserved peace.

[dayurno]

could you share more about the maids wip? the "its literally not what you expect" makes me so curious

YEAHG sorry this ask (and so many otherssorry forever) has been sitting in my inbox for a while but really when it comes to maids au i had to have some time to sit down and think about the best way to explain it because its kinda silly and indulgent and out there as a concept...... so i ask you to take mine and ao3 kevjean's hands and open your heart

it's basically what you think it is except it isn't. kevjean are Ghosts and they are also maids. Walk with me here take my hand. they were actual real life indentured servants about a century or so before the canon of maids au begins, riko's personal maids specifically, and they die when the master of the house dies in their early 20s. the mansion they worked at, now a total crime scene, is inherited by two generations of moriyamas before it gets sold off and lightly renovated. something horrible happened in this place - the family and their workers alike all died tragically - and no one in their sane mind would want to buy it, much less live in it. one would have to be extremely rich and extremely clueless to consider this mansion

So a century after the tragedy jeremy buys it. LOL. he isn't Aware of the history of the house and he has just freshly returned from a failed attempt at Finding Himself at 27, so now he has to work for his stepfather and settle back down in his hometown. his first contact with the ghost maids when moving in makes him question his sanity, but they have lived a life of servitude; they don't pose him any threat, and they continue their work of taking care of the mansion. they don't Haunt it, really! they're Maids, and in their minds they work there still, and jeremy is simply the new master of the house they have to abide by. they cook and clean and look after him, which makes perfect sense to them, while jeremy grows more and more certain he lost his mind and is now hallucinating men in frilly dresses working at his house. it's really fun and they're really cute

some ghost maid factoids: they don't speak (at least at first) but they mimic twinkling sounds to communicate, which means they sound more or less like wind chimes and tinker bell. they don't cook well and jean puts salt on jeremy's coffee on purpose. they're married (in their heads). they can't clean the whole mansion by themselves but they try. they think jeremy is handsome but lacks all of the pomp of an actual master of the house. they don't know how technology works. And they love you

[blizzardfluffykpop]

Blizzards

Summary: It’s never too cold for ice cream, or at least that’s what Chanhee thinks no matter how much Changmin disagrees. And the more he talks about ice cream even with the wind howling, the more enticing it sounds to you. 

Oneshot 

Fluff, Best Friends to Lovers au

Word Count: 1,352

Requested by anon

Changmin (Q) X Reader

[Features: Best Friend! Chanhee]

Prompt: 11. “I don’t want to get ice cream, it's freezing out! We’re going to get frostbite!” “I think it’d be fun.” “Yes, I agree, let’s do it.” (Loosely based off of Monster House line “...I don’t wanna go inside a monster and I don’t wanna die.” “I say it’s worth a shot.” “Yes, I agree, let’s do it.”). 

[A/n: Every other second, I was debating on making this a poly au, so there will be undertones- no matter how much I tried to erase them. But since this was requested as Changmin- I’ll stay true to it. Also- the dual meaning of blizzards in the title is the same as my username hehe]

------

Chanhee had told you weeks before that Changmin liked you back, hoping you’d make your move. But you’ve never had concrete evidence, and as much as you trusted Chanhee, you weren’t about to ruin your friendship with Changmin on a chance like that. So, that’s how you find yourself today, sitting in Changmin’s room leaning against the wall, playing on your phone when the two of them start bickering. It wasn’t unusual for them to bicker between each other, but you always found it amusing, considering how they were at ends over the littlest of things. You figure out they’re arguing about whether or not to get ice cream, and with the wind howling like it is, you can’t help but shiver. Maybe ice cream wouldn’t be too good right now, no matter how enticing it sounded. The more he talks about all the flavors, the three of you could get… You’re starting to get hungry for it. But considering the winds and how you felt about Changmin, maybe you should agree with the points he's making about the soon-to-be blizzarding conditions. Why the hell should you three go out in a possible snowstorm? But Chanhee’s points of your favorite flavor keep ringing in your head. 

Chanhee makes another point about them having hot cocoa at the ice cream place he wants to go to, and Changmin scoffs, “We could have hot chocolate here.” You hum to that one. You definitely could have that here. But ice cream? You know those two didn’t have any of it in their refrigerator. Changmin’s eyes flicker over to you, and he gives you a little smile. That’s when you remember your role. You’re their tiebreaker, and you just made Changmin hopeful. Uh-oh. Chanhee juts his bottom lip out as he looks at him, “But… I thought that would make the ice cream place sound good to you.” You knew if you disagreed with him, he’d go out and get it anyway. That’s just how Chanhee is. But you couldn’t help but want some (f/f) ice cream as well. So, when Changmin huffs, “I don’t want to get ice cream, it’s freezing out!” You chime in, “I think it’d be fun.” He doesn’t miss a beat, “Yes, I agree, let’s do it.” You raise your eyebrow at him and hide your laugh. Maybe Chanhee was right after all… Chanhee gives him a ‘seriously’ look before shrugging, and the three of you get your winter gear on before happily walking to the ice cream parlor. 

You can hear Changmin’s little regrets as he mumbles to himself about going when the snow is high enough that you can make snow cones out of it. You giggle at him, “You didn’t have to go if you didn’t really want ice cream.” And his mitten-covered hands make a little ‘eh’ motion with a shrug before he shoves back into his pockets. You shake your head at him with a smile. You enter the parlor excited to get your favorite flavor. You each order one at a time and pay for them before heading to the booths to talk. You sit in the corner beside Chanhee and across from Changmin as you happily eat your ice cream and watch the snowfall from inside. Changmin sighs as he digs his spoon into his cup, “We’re going to be so cold when we walk home.” You both laugh, and Chanhee tells him, “You should have disagreed! Kate and I would have gone by ourselves and enjoyed our ice cream.” Changmin rolls his eyes, and you hum, “As long as we walk quickly, it’ll be okay.” Changmin’s eyes look like they’re full of stars as he looks at you before shrugging, “I guess you’re right.”

He takes another bite, and Chanhee gives you a pointed look before he mouths, ‘I told you so’. You press your lips together as you try to hold back your smile at the thought of Changmin liking you back, even though the signs seem pretty obvious. Chanhee cackles at you, pointing his spoon at you, and Changmin’s head snaps up, looking between the two of you, confused. You both shrug, and you can’t help but see Chanhee’s smirk in the corner of your eye as you continue eating your ice cream. 

You scrape at your cup, getting the last bits of ice cream out, when Chanhee says, “I’ll be right back. I’m going to the restroom.” You hum, “Don’t get lost.” And Changmin chimes, “You need a map?” Chanhee scoffs at you two before he leaves, disposing of his empty ice cream cup in the trash as he goes. You hear Changmin clear his throat, and you look up at him. “Yeah?” He plays with his collar, “Um, I uh… About earlier.” His ears are red, and he looks down as he tries to explain, “I don’t know what got into me and-” You interrupt with a grin, “I like you too.” He blinks at you, “You what?” You drop your spoon in your cup and tell him, “I like you too.” His eyes are wide as he looks at you like you just said all the gold in the world belonged to him. And he asks, “Really?” “Yeah.” He breaks out into a grin, “So, you didn’t think it was silly that I went back on my argument?” You reach over and put your hand over his, “No, I thought it was cute. Plus, you agreed with me.” He grins and leans, “What do you say we ditch Chanhee and go out for a late dinner?”

You laugh, and before you can give him an answer, someone clears their throat as they sit down beside you. You look over, and Chanhee goes, “Ditch me? As if. Not in these blizzard-like conditions.” And Changmin scoffs, “So, you do agree it was a blizzard out!” Chanhee smirks, “Yeah, but I knew if I could get (N/n) to agree, you’d go for it.” You watch Changmin’s face fall. And you give Chanhee a look as it clicks, “You didn’t even pay for our ice cream adventure even though it was your idea!” He shrugs, and you roll your eyes and look at Changmin, “What do you say to dinner and a movie?” He grins, “I’d like that. Let’s do it.” You push Chanhee out of the booth as he guffaws at both of you. You both already had your jackets on and were out the door before Chanhee even had his on. You bump your hand into Changmin’s, and he grins as he takes your hand into his mitten-covered one, keeping your hand warm.

When you hear someone quickly approaching you two, stomping through the snow. And you both giggle at him, and Chanhee complains, “I don’t even get to third wheel like I usually have to?!” You tilt your head, “You do?” He rolls his eyes, “You two are always making goo-goo eyes at each other. It’s a little gross.” You scoff, and Changmin swings your hands happily between you two and sings-songs, “You’re just jealous~” Which causes him to roll his eyes again, “At least I’m not the one who waited three whole years to confess.” You look at Changmin, “Three years?” He tries to square his shoulders to hide himself more with the jacket as he nods. “Damn… that means we could have gotten ice cream by ourselves instead today.” Chanhee scoffs at that. “My ice cream idea brought you two together, and here you are, dissing on it!” Changmin shakes his head, “No... We’re dissing on going with you.” Chanhee scoffs as he opens the door, “I’m never talking to you two again.” You laugh at their antics as you take off your coats and tell him, “You will. See you later~” He scoffs again, “Whatever. Can I still have dinner?” You shrug and ask Changmin, “What do you say, baby?” You blush as you realize you already called him baby, and you can see his red ears. “Yeah, sure, doll. But no movie.” Chanhee shakes his head, “We’re already starting the pet names… Gross… But deal.” 

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I’m a little in denial about everything with Lilia but I gotta ask: Do you think Malleus OB can “fix” Lilia in a certain way? Like how sometimes hibernation gives second wind to animals (or how humans feel better after naps.

I am very well aware I’m grasping at straws. I just don’t want my tied for favorite boy to die.

I… don’t think that’s possible, no matter how much we may want it to be.

When Vil greets Lilia at the farewell party, he asks Lilia point-blank if there “really is no other way”. Vil recalls his own predicament returning from Styx HQ as a withered old man and how Malleus was able to restore him to his youth. He asks if Malleus can do the same for Lilia so he can retain his magic and stay enrolled at NRC. To this, Lilia explicitly states that is isn’t possible. “Malleus said it himself: he cannot turn back time.” The only reason Malleus could help Vil was because some external factor robbed Vil of his time; the same is not true of Lilia, who is losing his fight with time (something everyone will naturally succumb to eventually).

Things in the world of Twisted Wonderland are destined to move forward and change, in spite of how much one may wish to remain in their current blissful, carefree school days. All Malleus is doing now in his OB state is prolonging the inevitable because he cannot accept, nor reverse, that change. The whole point of these events and the buildup to it is that “no matter how much power or magic Malleus has, he cannot do anything to change his circumstances”.

Now, I don’t know if that necessarily means TWST will actually permakill Lilia (because he is an integral part of the main cast and marketing) 💦 If time loop or dream theory turns out to be real, then it’s possible some external forces or other deux ex machina could save Lilia…? But at the same time, saving Lilia would kind of detract from what Malleus would have to learn about mortality, friendships, and change. I have no idea what direction the story is planning to go with him from hereon out or how dark the devs will be allowed to go. We’re waiting with baited breath for what’s next 🥲

Side note, I wanted to share something I noticed while thinking about how to respond to this question. So… the wording of the ask is very telling and reflective of the current state of the TWST fandom. “I’m a little in denial about everything […]”, and, “I am very well aware I’m grasping at straws. I just don’t want […]” Don’t we realize it???? We sound exactly like Malleus. We’re in denial about what’s happening and we don’t want things to change.

I wonder if this was planned out from the very beginning. The devs getting us invested in the world of TWST and its characters, only to threaten to take it all away at the very end. This relates exactly with lines Malleus drops about his beloved virtual pet: “Gao-Gao Dragon-kun is fictitious, he more or less exists in a fairy tale. If that is the case, then I don’t see a reason to put a (30 day limit) on his lifespan.” Lilia chimes in, agreeing that it is like a “never ending fantasy”, but then points out that it is because you need to eventually say goodbye that you will cherish the time spent together all the more. Notice their phrasing, all the references to desiring a fairy tale which never ends. That is what we, the players AND Malleus, want. We want to stay like this, forever and ever, locked in one place. We don’t want Lilia to go, we don’t want the third years to leave on their internships, we don’t want the students to graduate and leave us.

This is what fiction like TWST provides for us, an escape from reality, where magical things happen and we’re surrounded by fun people who always stay with you no matter how much you change in the real world—and now TWST is challenging that notion. Is it really right to want to live in an eternal dream like this, at the cost of fabricating your happiness?? Or is it better to wake up and face reality, no matter how harsh it may be?? Even if our loved ones will leave, even if Lilia will die? This is both what Malleus and we, the players, need to come to terms with, rather than continue to delude and convince ourselves to stay in “the dream” with a false sense of security.

[live-the-fangirl-life]

Trust Me, it'll be Fun

Aelin Galathynius x Rowan Whitethorn

“It’s just a spooky clock chiming at the incorrect time while all the lights are off and strange footsteps are creeping up the stairs, in a house that won’t let us leave.”

Masterlist | Read on Ao3 | Halloween Collection

Halloween Prompts

2053 words

*****

Whoever had the brilliant idea of sneaking into the decrepit, supposedly haunted house the weekend before Halloween needed some serious help. Aelin. 

Whoever forgot to give out snack instructions that resulted in no one bringing any food or drinks with them needed to get it together. Rowan

Whoever raided the cabinets and found an old bottle of Crème de Menthe and thought it would be a good idea to pass it around needed to find something better to do with their time than cause chaos. Fenrys. 

Whoever complained the entire time that they needed new friends needed to suck it. Lorcan.

And somehow, that was how they ended up separated – Aedion and Lysandra off to the kitchen, Fenrys gods-know-where, and Elide and Lorcan finally joining Aelin and Rowan in the foyer, arguing about leaving or staying. The front door was open and she could see the steps leading down to the path outside.

“Fireheart, c’mon, can we just call it a night?” Rowan sighed, crossing his arms. “We’ve been here for hours now, it's just an old house. There’s nothing spooky about it other than the fact that it's falling apart.”

“Rowan, we said we would spend the night here.” She argued half-heartedly.

He huffed, rolling his eyes. “How are we supposed to stay here all night with no food or water?”

Laughing, Aelin stepped closer and rested her hands on his crossed arms. “You say that like we're stranded on some desert island.”

“At least on an island, we wouldn’t have to hear your cousin and Lysandra making out in the next room.”

“My cousin,” she scoffed, “your friend is only ‘my cousin’ he annoys you.”

The sounds from the next room came again and she winced as Rowan’s brows shot up in vindication.  

“I’m with Rowan,” Elide spoke up, walking toward the couple with her fiancé a step behind her. “Let’s just go.”

“Really?” Aelin spun towards her friend who shrugged. “You too?”

“I didn’t even really want to come.”

“What? Why did you then?” the blonde asked curiously.

“Because you’re my friend,” Elide laughed and bumped her shoulder with Aelin’s. “And I thought you might die otherwise and I needed to see you in your last moments to give you a passable eulogy.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet,” Aelin smiled, ignoring the sound of Lorcan scoffing. “Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I did.” Elide snorted. “And you said trust me, it’ll be fun!”

“Famous last words,” Rowan muttered, rolling his eyes and leaning against the wall next to Lorcan.

“I’m sorry El,” she really did look it. “I get ramped up with Halloween.”

“I know, babes,” her friend patted her arm with a small smile, “I know.”

“Are we leaving or not?” Lorcan cut it, earning a glare form Aelin and an eyeroll for Elide.

“Fine,” Aelin huffed. “But I’m doing this for Elide, not for you Salvaterre.”

“Goody,” he deadpanned.

She went to walk out the door but paused at the top of the stairs. There was something that she couldn’t put her finger on…

“Something’s blocking the porch,” Aelin said.

Elide stared at her. “What do you mean something’s blocking the porch?”

A gust of wind blew the door shut behind her and Aelin whipped around at the sound, backing up until her back hit Rowan’s chest.  

“I mean,” she explained, wrapping her arms around herself and glancing warily around the old house. “I tried to walk down the porch steps and I couldn’t.”

“What? You suddenly forgot how to walk down stairs, Galathynius?” Lorcan laughed and rolled his eyes, leaning back against the wall and letting his head hit the wood.

“No, you little shit—” she whirled on him, pointing a finger.

Rowan stepped in between them before they could get any closer to each other. Aelin shook off her boyfriend’s exasperated stare and tried explaining again.

“What I mean is that I tried to leave this house, and something stopped me,” she looked around at her friends and stressed, “like I physically couldn’t get to the bottom of the stairs.”

Elide forced out a weak laugh. “Ha ha, okay, very funny. You got me. Now can we cut it out and leave?” She stepped closer to Lorcan.

Aelin met her gaze and repeated, “I’m not kidding.”

“I may be a wimp when it comes to Halloween, but I’m not an idiot.” The smaller girl huffed. “You’re really playing up the whole haunted house thing, and you know what? Props to you. You did good.” She began a slow clap that brought a smirk to Lorcan’s face. “Now drop it.”

Rowan walked past them straight for the door and pulled on the door handle. The wood creaked against the effort.

“Cut it out, Whitethorn,” Lorcan griped when the door didn’t budge.

“Uh…” Rowan tried again, this time visibly straining as he pulled on the old door. “It’s not me.”

“Fucking hell.” Lorcan gritted out, slotting Elide next to Aelin as he took Rowan’s place and pulled. And pulled. And pulled. He gripped the handle and used his entire body weight, but it didn’t move.

“What the fuck?”

*****

“’Let’s go to a haunted house’ they said, ‘It's Halloween’ they said,” Aelin began pacing around the hall. “’It’ll be fun’, they said.”

“Don’t you dare pretend like you weren’t the one saying those things,” Aedion barked at her. He and Lysandra found their way back to the front hall when they heard their friends’ yelling.

“Oh, shut up,” she waved off her cousin and tried to think.

“Has anyone tried any of the other doors?” Lysandra asked. “Or windows, or whatever?”

“Okay,” Aelin perked up. “Lys and Aedion take the second floor, Rowan and I will search this floor, and Ellie, you and your guard dog take the attic.”

“Oh fuck no!” Elide protested. “You take the creepy attic, Lorcan and I will take the ground floor.”

“Not gonna correct the guard dog thing?” Rowan smirked at his friend. All he got back was a deadpan glare.

“Fine!” Aelin threw her hands up. “You two take this floor; Rowan and I have the attic.”

“Why are we looking in the attic at all?” Rowan asked, crossing his arms. “Even if there is a window, and even if we can get it open, it would still be three stories up and way too dangerous to escape from.”

Everyone stared at him, blinking, while he tried to find someone to see his point. Finally, Aelin huffed, “This is no time for common sense, Ro.”

He scrubbed a hand down his face and grumbled, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Okay!” Elide chirped, looking a little manic. “We each take a floor, look for anything that can help, and we meet back here in twenty minutes, yeah?”

A chorus of yeahs and okays and I’m going to kill you when we get out of here, Galathynius echoed throughout the group.

“And for the love of god,” Rowan pleaded, “somebody fucking find Moonbeam.”

They all split up, taking a different section of the house. Aelin and Rowan took their time walking up the stairs to the attic, each shift in the wood sending nerves rocketing through them. When they got to the top, they shared a look before Aelin pressed her hand to the door and pushed, letting in swing in and immediately outlining the silhouette of a figure staring right at them.

Three different screams echoed in the small hallway, each higher pitched than the last.

“Stop hitting me!” Fenrys shrieked under the barrage of Aelin’s fists. At the sound of his voice, Aelin pulled back, heart racing and chest heaving, finally shining the flashlight they’d grabbed in her friend’s face.

“Fenrys?!” she hissed, “You almost gave me a heart attack! What are you doing up here?”

She could feel Rowan’s erratic heart beating from where her back met his chest, as Fenrys stared at the pair like they were the crazy ones.

“Looking for these,” he lifted his hands and she saw the two bottles he was holding. “I knew a place like this would have more booze hidden around.”

“And you thought they’d be in the attic?” Rowan asked incredulously.

“Obviously,” Fenrys rolled his eyes. “And they were, so,” he shrugged.

“Gods, whatever,” Aelin pushed passed the blond and walked further into the dark and dusty room. A single swinging light bulb illuminated the space as the three of them looked around.

“What are you two doing up here?” Fenrys shot back.

“Looking for a way out,” Rowan didn’t elaborate.

Snorting, Fenrys mimicked, “And you thought you’d find it in the attic?”

Before either of them could reply, a loud chime sounded from the dilapidated grandfather clock that was pushed against a far wall. They whirled around. Aelin ended up in front of both guys, her fists raised while Rowan reached for the closest weapon he could find and Fenrys cradled the bottle of whiskey to his chest.

They had barely had a chance to wonder how a broken clock was chiming when they heard the stairs begin to creak.

“What are you gonna do, Whitethorn?” Fenrys hissed, “Sweep a ghost to death?”

Risking a glance behind her, Aelin saw Rowan clutching a broom between his hands and gripping it like a baseball bat. She elbowed Fenrys and hissed, “A ghost is already dead, dumbass.”

“Hey,” he hissed back. “Don’t call me a dumbass what it was your dumb ass that got all of our dumb asses here in the first place, dumbass.”

“Will you please stop saying dumbass?” Rowan hissed.

Aelin shot a triumphant look at Fenrys. “Yeah, dumbass.”

“For fucks sake…”

The lone lightbulb began flickering, immediately shutting all of them up. They could still hear the stairs creaking, the sound getting closer and closer every second.

“We’re going to die,” Fenrys breathed.

“It’s fine,” Aelin’s voice came out tinny and shaking.

“The fuck you mean it's fine?!”

“It’s fine,” she said again in that same choked squeak. “It’s just a spooky clock chiming at the incorrect time while all the lights are off and strange footsteps are creeping up the stairs, in a house that won’t let us leave.”

She felt both sets of eyes land on her and knew that if she looked at either man they would be looking at her as if she had lost her mind.

“How. Are. You. So. Calm?”

She forced a laugh, but it sounded more like a strained grunt. “Oh, because, none of this is real.”

“Uh,” Rowan’s voice came from her right, “It’s very real.”

“No,” she repeated, clearing her through and drawing in a breath. “You see, if it were real then you would see a Me-shaped hole in that door. But we can’t leave this house, which means I can’t escape, which means that it isn’t real.”

There was a beat of silence before Fenrys said, “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, and I’ve been listening to myself speak for twenty-five years.”

Rowan breathed, “Your denial both impresses and astounds me.”

“Thank you,” she breathed just as quietly. Glancing quickly between them, she asked, “Run?”

“Run.” Rowan nodded.

Another best passed and the three of them raced down the steps, screaming at whoever was coming towards them. They made it to the main floor before realizing they hadn’t run into anyone on their way down.

*****

The twenty-four-hour diner’s fluorescent lights lit up the group of seven friends who were huddled together in a booth, silently replaying the night's events in their heads.

“So,” Elide’s voice cracked, and she cleared her throat before continuing, her soft voice sounding almost obscenely loud in the near-empty diner, “What did we learn tonight?”

Groans echoed around the table.

Aedion spoke up first, “Run if you ever hear Aelin say, ‘Trust me, it’ll be fun.’”

A quiet fuck you followed but was drowned out by Lysandra who added, trailing a finger down the side of her water glass following a drop of condensation as it hit the table. “Crème de Menthe and Absinthe look way too similar. Way. Too. Similar.”

“When a door won’t open it's probably a Push, and not being supernaturally barricaded by ghosts,” Rowan groaned.

“That next time we do this, we better have snacks,” Aelin mumbled, staring a hole into the table.

“Next time?!”

*******

@acourtofsnakes @a-frog-with-a-laptop @astra-ad-mare @autumnbabylon @backtobl4ck @bankerfrog @becarefuloflove @camerooonchiu @captain-swan-is-endgame @charlizeed @cookiemonsterwholovesbooks @doubt-less @earthtolinds @elentiyawhitethorn @feyretales @goddess-aelin @highqueenofelfhame @jorjy-jo @julemmaes @leiawritesstories @lemonade-coolattas @llyncooljones @mariamuses @moodymelanist @morganofthewildfire @nerdperson524 @rhysiedarling @rowaelinismyotp @rowaelinrambling @rowanaelinn @shyvioletcat @stardelia @superspiritfestival @sv0430 @swankii-art-teacher @thegreyj @the-lonelybarricade @the-regal-warrior @tomtenadia @westofmoon @whimsicallyreading

[familybusiness1979]

Hide And Seek ~ Sam Winchester

Sam X Fem reader

The reader calls Sam for help after she starts having strange dreams, and a man with yellow eyes starts to follow her, Sam going through the same thing is bound and determined to stop it.

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

Sam's pov

It was late the rain came down hard, and the wind blew even harder I tossed and turned in my motel room trying to block out the sound of the thunder, but despite my desperate attempts, it was no use.

At about three o'clock my phone rang, and an unknown number appeared,

"Hello?" "Sam? Sam Winchester?" a woman's voice comes on the other end,

"Who is this?" I asked, "Sam, it's me Y/n."

Y/n I haven't heard from her since the breakup, which was about a year before Jessica. "Y/n hey umm it's been a while," I said still in shock "I know, I'm sorry I'm calling so late but I need your help."

"What's wrong are you in trouble?"

"umm I don't know exactly, I saw you In town and that's why I figured I should call, can we meet up tomorrow?".

"yeah of course, where?" "There's a little dinner called Aunties, it's one North Main Ave."

"yeah I know it, I'll meet you for breakfast?"

"Yeah the would be awesome say 8:00?"

"sounds good."

We hung up, I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night millions of thoughts raced through me what could be so bad for her to pick up and call after all this time and why me?

The next morning Dean and I went to the little café and waited, about fifteen minutes later she walked through the door with a stroller.

She slightly smiled at me but didn't make much eye contact at first. "Hey," I said "Sam." we stood there awkwardly at first until my brother cleared his throat.

"Oh umm, this is my brother Dean." she nodded to him "Please have a seat," I said, I sat down next to my brother so we would both be able to face her while we talked.

"So you're a mom?" it came more like a question than a statement, "Yeah this is William," she said she looked at me as if the name was supposed to mean something.

"well nice to meet you, William." I cooed,

"So why are we here?" Dean piped in,

"Right I umm don't wanna sound crazy I just didn't know who else to go to and I thought this topic may be more your area." she took a deep breath why was she so nervous, she wasn't the kind to beat around the bush.

"so a couple of months ago I started getting these headaches, and then more recently I've started.ro have these dreams."

"What kind of dreams?"

"Well it started with just seeing this figure and then I started watching people die," she said in a whisper

"For instance, the guy in the paper was stabbed to death in an alleyway I saw that happen a week before in my dream to the same guy!"

"I know I sound crazy..."

"No, you don't, it's been happening to me too."

"Have you seen him?" she asked

"The man with the yellow eyes?" I questioned

"Wait you have seen him too!"

"I only see him when I have visions."

"Mines deeper than that, I've seen him in Williams nursery."

"doing what?" Dean asked

"He just stares at him, sometimes when I'm walking home from work late I see him following me as well."

"Dean..." I start and he cuts me off "I know." was all he said we were all silent for what seemed like forever, Dean was the first to speak.

"When was the last time you saw this thing?"

"I see him almost every night, he just keeps repeating 'I have a plan' ."

"Alright here's what we are going to do, I want you to come to our motel room tonight, in the meantime Sam and I will do some digging and see if there's anything we can do to get rid of this thing, once and for all."

"Don't you think Dad would have done it already?" I chimed in "We have to try for both of you." after we finished breakfast y/n took little William home to pack overnight bags for them.

Dean and I went back and spent the rest of the day in the motel room trying to figure out what this thing was, what it wanted, and how we could get rid of it.

_______________________________________________

So I stopped here just because I wanna see if anyone would read it as a series and to hear any thoughts on it!!

[kny-agere]

This one wasn’t a request,,, I just think these two would get along and wanted to write something about them :D

Cg!Mitsuri & Little!Zenitsu

★彡☆彡★彡

Zenitsu felt terrified without Tanjiro by his side. He felt terrified even with him most times. The only exception was when Zenitsu was regressed which was the exact problem now. He tried to stop himself from slipping but each scared thought only pushed him down further which inspired another flurry of panic.

The boy was quick to barricade himself in his room, alongside tucking himself under the blankets. He resisted the urge to put his thumb in his mouth. If he could just sleep this off everything would be fine. Tanjiro would be back in a few days and they could play then.

But that promise wasn’t enough. Zenitsu wanted to play now, or at least cuddle. And while he clutched his pillow it wasn’t the same. It took barely two seconds for tears to build up in his eyes. Maybe he’d be able to sleep after a good cry. That wasn’t any comfort now.

Zenitsu tried to keep his tears quiet. Shinobu was somewhere in the building and while she knew about his regression (in fact she taught him most things about it) Zenitsu didn’t like bothering her. The boy also feared he’d receive a lecture rather than any hugs and soft words. So he resorted to choked off sobs and whimpering into his hands. It wasn’t a very good strategy but nothing would stop his tears.

“Are you ok?” A voice from the doorway started Zenitsu into jerking sharply. He still didn’t uncover his eyes, hoping instead the owner of the voice would simply disappear.

Even through loud sobs the blonde could hear someone approaching him. His ears tuned into the soft noises, trying to warn him.

“You poor thing! How come you’re here all alone.” A warm hand lands on Zenitsu’s shoulder. It’s light enough that he isn’t too startled.

It takes a little while but eventually he calms enough to turn around. His eyes are puffy and red. Without clear vision the boy was still disoriented but with a few quick blinks he could vaguely see the figure beside him.

“My names Mitsuri! Do you think we can talk a little?” She’s the most beautiful woman Zenitsu has ever seen (second to Nezuko of course). Normally he’d be quick to declare him love or launch himself at her but now all he can do is whimper and freeze in place.

The woman keeps talking (“I like your hair! It’s so colorful.”) but everything is hard to process. The young slayer is still trying to decide if he should cry more or let the newcomer stay. He holds his breath and listens to her sound.

There’s a twinkling noise, like wind-chimes. Underneath the soft sounds of flutes and guitar rise and fall. When he bothers to focus on the song it’s very soothing.

Mitsuri sits softly at the edge of the bed. She extends a hand like she’s trying to lure a stray cat. Eventually it lures him in. Zenitsu, still crying, shuffles close enough that his hair barely brushes against her fingers.

Immediately the woman buries her hand in his golden locks. She draws patterns against his scalp. It’s enough to get his tears to die down to the soft occasional grumble.

Once he’s softened the hashira pulls him up. With her strength it’s easy to hold him against her chest. “Hi again baby. Are we doing better now?” She lightly bounces him.

“I miss Tanjiro,” he finally mumbles. He thinks the two might know each other. Tanjiro knows about half the corps by name.

“Does he usually take care of you?”

“Yea.”

“Well is it ok if I watch you while he’s gone?”

Zenitsu considers the offer for a moment. It’s strange to have a girl actually want to be around him. Mitsuri has been nothing but kind which almost makes him more hesitant. “Just until he gets back,” he eventually concedes.

“Yay! Let’s go get you cleaned up.” She brushes some hair out of his eyes. Mitsuri easily balances the boy on her hip. Her sleeve wipes away some of the snot and tears covering Zenitsu’s face but the woman carries him to the bathroom and promises some proper care.

[omegaremix]

Favorites For The 10′s.

Artists:

Cold Cave

Happy Meals / Free Love

Self Defense Family

Black Marble

Miss Red

Uniform

Death Grips

Russell Haswell

Omar Souleyman

Oldbill$

Water From Your Eyes / Thanks For Coming

Parquet Courts

Aurat

Releases:

Function & Vatican Shadow Games Have Rules

York Factory Complaint Lost In The Spectacle

Kedr Livanskiy January Sun

John Carpenter Lost Themes Remixed

Raveonettes, The Pe’ahi

Tearist Living: 2009-Present

Dame Charm School

Ron Morelli Disappearer

Happy Meals / Free Love Luxury Hits

Cold Cave Cherish The Light Years

Black Marble A Different Arrangement

Black Boot s/t

Post Trash Volumes 1-4

America Fuck Fertility Clown

Diat Positive Energy

Tropic Of Cancer Stop Suffering e.p.

My Bloody Valentine MBV

Primitive Weapons Surrender Yourself

Algiers s/t

Happy Meals / Free Love Apero

Daughters You Won’t Get What You Want

Water From Your Eyes All A Dance

JK Flesh Rise Above

New Dreams Ltd. Initiation Tape: Isle Of Avalon Edition

Alan Vega It

Unsane Wreck

XXYYXX s/t

Refreshers How Bout U

Ninos Du Brasil Vida Eterna

Azar Swan Cut Hands & Vatican Shadow Variations

Rixe Coups Et Blessures e.p.

Songs:

Nine Inch Nails “Over And Out”

Cold Cave & Black Rain & Genesis Breyer P-Orridge “Comprehension”

Boy Harsher “Pain”

Glass Candy “Warm In The Winter”

IO Echo “Carnation”

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti “Fright Night (Nevermore)”

Tropic Of Cancer “I Woke Up And The Storm Was Over”

Tame Impala “New Person Same Old Mistakes”

Clams Casino “I’m Drawn” (Crim3s RMX)

Preoccupations “Disarray”

GXFR “Ajax”

Mono/Poly “Alpha & Omega”

Prayers “Shaking Hands With Razor Blades”

Washed Out “Feel It All Around”

Planit Hank f. Buckshot & Jeru The Damaja & AZ “Life In Crooklyn”

Holydrug Couple, The “I’ll Only Say This”

LNDN DRGS “Dope Sick”

Phil Western “Bleak Night”

Death Of Pop, The “Sun In My Eyes”

Model/Actriz “Matador”

NGLY “Speechless Tape”

Nick Klein “American Stomach”

Evidence “Throw It All Away”

Westerbur & Rowe “Side C”

York Factory Complaint “Loved”

Rong “Cup”

Xray Eyeballs “X”

Burial “Come Down To Us”

Khruangbin “August 10″

Sleaford Mods “My Jampandy”

Atari Teenage Riot “Black Flags”

Bug, The f. Miss Red “Diss Mi Army”

Godspeed You Black Emperor! “Piss Crowns Are Trebled”

Happy Meals “Crystal Salutations”

Polysick “Barry Talks”

Ta-Ra “L’il Bit”

Crystal Castles “Pap Smear”

Clear Soul Forces “Get No Better”

Molly Nilsson “I Hope You Die”

Consumer Electronics “Knives Cut”

JK Flesh “External Transmission Stage”

Bethlehem Steel “Guts”

Current Affairs “Eyes”

Lost Under Heaven “Black Sun Rising”

MssingNo “Quick Shake Off”

Weeping Icon “Teeth (& A Handbag)”

Purling Hiss “Don’t Even Try It”

Silent Servant “The Strange Attractor”

IKO 93 “Mutt” / “Drag”

Ghxst “Ride”

Uniform & The Body “In My Skin”

Taiwan Housing Project “Buy Buy Buy”

Pastel Ghost “Clouds”

Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement “Watery Grave”

Rezzett “Zootie”

Lower Dens “Ondine”

Azar Swan “Jungle Law”

Pharmakon “Xia Xinfeng”

Impalers “High Wired”

Uniform “The Lost”

Akitsa “Prophétie Héritique”

Self Defense Family “Indoor Wind Chimes”

clipping. “Wriggle”

Antwon “Helicopter”

Ice Cream “Plastic”

Bug, The f. SpaceApe “At War With Time”

Hot Flash Heat Wave “Glo Ride”

Priests “Jesus’ Son”

Gong Gong Gong “Down Quantity Road”

Brian Eno & Kevin Shields “Only Once Away My Son”

All These Fingers “Puerta Vallarta”

White Mystery “White Mystery”

Boards Of Canada “Nothing Is Real”

Underworld & Iggy Pop “Bells And Circles”

HTRK “Summer Rain”

Joan Shelley “Over And Even”

Surfbort “Slushie”

Vatican Shadow “Weapons Inspection”

Nick Klein “Anxiety Plae”

Copper Sounds & Franco Franco “Accelerazione Generale”

Trouble Knows Me “Celebrity Vision”

BADBADNOTGOOD “In Your Eyes” (f. Charlotte Day Wilson)

Found Discoveries (non-’10′s):

Keiji Haino “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean”

Isolated Showers “Death Through Open Eyes”

Steve Khan “The Blue Man”

Body Without Organs “Osiris Rises”

Spizzenergi “Soldier Soldier”

Joanna Brouk “The Space Between”

Bereket Mengistaab “Lebay (My Heart Or My Emotions)”

Bathory (s/t)

Suicide (s/t)

Subtle Turnhips “F* The People F* The Power F* The People To The Power”

Mayhem De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

Thomas Leer & Robert Rental The Bridge

Negril (s/t)

SPK “Serenace”

Gigi Masin “Tears Of A Clown”

Cabaret Voltaire Extended Play

Kegcharge s/t

Charles Manson Lie

Sandro Brugnolini & Stefano Torossi “Effetto Notte”

Captain Sensible & The Softies “Jet Boy Jet Girl”

Jah Wobble & The Edge & Holger Czukay “Hold On To Your Dreams”

Prurient Cocaine Death

Les Rallizes DeNudes Heavier Than A Death In The Family

Desire “Mirror Mirror”

Anti-Nowhere League “For You”

World Renown The LP

Most Precious Blood Our Lady Annihilation

Council Estate Electronics “Hall Hayes”

Eric Gale “Morning Glory”

Killing Joke “Mass”

Ata Kak s/t

You Love Her Coz She’s Dead

Joy Division “Interzone”

Tunnel Canary “Jihad”

Death Spiritual / Mental / Physical

Hirut Bekele “ልሽከም ፍቅር”

Labels:

Awesome Tapes From Africa

Wharf Cat

Katorga Works

Detriti

Sacred Bones

Hospital Productions

Italians Do It Better

RRRecords

Label Compilations:

Monorail Trespassing Project Housing

Italians Do It Better After Dark

L.I.E.S. Music For Shut-Ins

Avon Terror Corps No Sleep ‘Till Avon

Fuzzoscope Earwax Shelf Life

Total Disappointments:

Tim Lambesis attempted murder for hire

Endless Kanye West coverage

Bhad Bhabie.

2016.

deaths and suicides of various legends (all genres)

Ten Walls’ career suicide

PWR BTTM

Ethan Kath

Orwells, The

Whirr Twitter controversy

Ian Watkins

Blood On The Dance Floor

Tekashi6ix9ine

We’ve only been six years strong (seven with Omega WUSB), but we’ve always had our pulse on what’s going on before then. Ω+ has mapped out where we’ve been, where we’re at, and where we’re going; while our radio show reflects our best finds and habits when we play for keeps. It’s a real-time game with real-time results. With everyone supporting what we do, we feel like winners. It’s inevitable that every end of the year or decade calls for a best-of list and we’re not immune. It’d be a huge undertaking doing a best-of-the-decade for our radio show, and with so much out there, it’s not even possible. So, it’s better if we showed you our entire hand here.

The rules? All songs and albums had to be released in the wild from 2010 to 2019. Artists and labels have had to make their impact visible during this decade as well. All selections are culled from about 75 different music outlets, several Long Island record stores, label mail orders, our radio show Omega WUSB, and our personal site Ω+. We also had a lot of generous help from our own friends and allies of Omega, WUSB, and Bandcamp. There’s even a special section of “classic” discoveries we found during the decade still worth checking out. That’s our “as it happens, when it happens, anything goes” policy of Ω+. Every color, belief system, denomination, and utility is found there. One total exception to all this, though: no pop. We’re no industry authority, just only one person. It’s only opinion. However, some people confuse that with fact, therefore we waive all responsibility for hurt feelings, lost bets, hate mail, mysterious packages, or damaged property, so take it as you will at your own risk.

First, our favorite artists of the decade starting with two very important and personal game-changers. Everyone following Ω+ knows that Cold Cave started the domino effect of turning my life around. It was the first hint of many that showed me that something better was out there to focus on in a post-economic crash era. The other? Parquet Courts. As mentioned a few days ago, our former program director Ari warmed me up to them and opened the door to our current fever of post-punk and d.i.y. It’s been a pretty alluring aesthetic to hear and observe.

Artists such as Self Defense Family, Russell Haswell, and Death Grips not only sound really good at everything they’ve released, but when you take a closer look at them, you’ll realize that they do have great ideas. We champion Self-Defense because of their non-traditional ideas you’ll never see in punk music. Interviews with porno actresses on their albums, their islander series of 7”, naming songs after obscure people, or having their production personnel also become part of the band that tours and makes records at the same time, all on top of Patrick Kinlon’s sense of humor and down-to-earth takes on the human condition. In our eyes, Russell Haswell has embraced technology for his own needs and intentionally uses his experimentation to thwart and throw-off electronic music, rhythms, and dance clubs as one. Who else but Death Grips not only announces splits-ups and cancelled tours but follows up with new records as if nothing ever happened? An instrumental album out of pace with silent interviews? Secret messages, albums produced by Shrek director Andrew Adamson, and rockets-red-glare taking off on No Love Deep Web while MC Ride screams in your ears while Zach Hill and Andy Morin create some of the most mind-destroying sounds leaving forensic cleaners wondering what to do with themselves? Yeah.

Want someone totally unique and not like the others? It’s Israeli dancehall artist Miss Red and Syrian defect-turned-peacemaker Omar Souleyman. You could also add Pakistani dark-wave outfit Aurat as well. Then you have artists we feel do no wrong with everything they do. Black Marble was introduced to us by Alice of WUSB’s Nightmare Aquarium while Happy Meals (now Free Love) was found in the wild. These two gave us a certain specific feel we get hearing their output that is way too good. They also signified new eras moving into new addresses during the decade. At the same time we found Free Love, we also found Uniform. We never heard of them until we showed up at Output (✞) when they shared a bill with Pharmakon, Prurient, Aaron Dilloway, Genesis P. Orridge, and Merzbow. Since then, we loved the prolificness and psychotic insanity of Michael Berdan’s various projects (York Factory Complaint, Drunkdriver, Believer/Law) and Ben Greenberg (Coca Leaf), who also produces and runs one of our favorite labels in Sacred Bones. Hip-hop producer Oldbills, with his cloud- / dream- rap style and technique, got me into the beat-tape world, so say hello to Fuzzoscope, SEENMR, Beat Detectives and All These Fingers when you see them. A late entry? Rachel Brown, half of Water From Your Eyes. We really loved “That’s The Girl” and “We’re Set Up” from All A Danceand then took ourselves to Brown’ssad-girl solo project Thanks For Coming for that New York City d.i.y. feel. Again, blame WUSB’s d.i.y. boy wonder Conor.

The above-mentioned weren’t the only ones who made a huge impression on us. Many albums and songs did the same in other ways. Not only did these albums have our attention the most, but some of them set the tone for personal specific events. I can tell you that Kedr Livanskiy’s January Sun andWater From Your Eyes’ All A Dance  (again)made for some essential and memorable soundtracks to hot Summer days and cold Autumn nights in New York City. New Dreams Ltd.’sInitiation Tape: Isle Of Avalon Edition wasour first discovery into vaporwave, perfectly replicating an early 90’s zeitgeist that was all too shockingly familiar to me. Refreshers’ How Bout U did the exact same thing but for the later half. Tearist’s Living: 2009-Present made us feel like we were in a totally different space we’d never been before and likely will never visit in real life. One glaring entry is Post Trash, the only non-artist / publication on the list whose annual compilations provide lots of what makes Omega WUSB’s post-punk and d.i.y shows. Dame’s Charm School and Black Boot’s 2013 demo not only captured the spirit of Bandcamp’s deep underground and undiscovered artists, but also gave Omega WUSB something else to play with.

But sirens be damned if we didn’t mention the other albums we rated highly. None more serious than Function & Vatican Shadow’s Games Have Rules, a sensory overloadexuding futurism, searing lights, and ambience in a world of darkness. That’s only one amazing techno record Hospital Productions introduced to us. Ninos Du Brasil was another. Nodoubt Vida Eterna supplied us with some very exciting and harrowing moments we’d oblige to experience again. We found The Raveonettes’ Pe’ahi and we’re open to be blown away again with their noisy red-levels of overloaded garage and surf sounds. While we could be turned off by the name and title of America Fuck’s Fertility Clown, facing their gigantic industrial / electronic anti-capitalist and pro-socialist manifesto is a dramatic undertaking gladly attempted. Though Tool’s Fear Innoculum was their first record in 14 years, their fans didn’t have it as bad as My Bloody Valentine’s. Try a 21-year wait for MBV which ironically dropped in total unexpected fashion and to the surprise of many. MBV had one of our listeners take notice and became responsible for Omega WUSB’s entry into shoegaze.

Obviously, we can’t forget all the many individual finds released this decade listed here. It’s a more precise and accurate list representing Omega on a more personal scale and these are the ones we come back to the most. Each and every one found here has that something special you can’t simply put your finger on, and they all tell a different story. Tracks like LNDN DRGS “Dope Sick” and GXFR’s “Ajax” are some of the most chilling hip-hop cuts we’ve ever experienced. No doubt Boy Harsher’s “Pain” and Azar Swan’s “Jungle Law” epitomize some of our most pulsating moments. Want to feel lost, hopeless, and isolated? There’s Nine Inch Nails’ “Over And Out”, Clams Casino’s “I’m Drawn” (Crim3s RMX) and Phil Western’s “Bleak Night”. Finds in Nick Klein’s “American Stomach” and Copper Sounds & Franco Franco’s “Accelerazione Generale” were so what-the-fuck and left-field that we were scrambling in tongues to figure out exactly where their ideas came from. Khruangbin’s “August 10″ really took us by surprise. We thought it was a usual lost Seventies vinyl find. Wrong. They’re a Houston trio whose brand of funk can replicate that mellow resonant groove to a tee.

Then our return favorites: Molly Nilsson’s “I Hope You Die”, Cold Cave & Black Rain & Genesis Breyer P-Orridge’s “Comprehension”, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti’s “Fright Night (Nevermore)”, Lost Under Heaven’s “Black Sun Rising”, Uniform & The Body’s “In My Skin”, Lower Dens’ “Ondine”, and Boards Of Canada’s “Nothing Is Real”. And, if we had to pick our one absolute favorite that is worth everything to us? Preoccupations’ “Disarray”. It’s the most unforgettable song. Period.

That’s not all. There’s discoveries not of this decade we’ve found, too. That’s natural. Again, they supply a special time, place, and story for us. And just like this decade’s list, they have something special about them that makes them keepers. Just like how Cold Cave’s Cherish The Light Years became a turning point for me, Prurient’s Cocaine Death came along as an added plus. The sonic and historical origins of Suicide’s self-titled debut, Tunnel Canary’s “Jihad”, SPK’s “Serenace”, and Body Without Organs’ “Osiris Rises” totally defy any explanation and none rather needed or asked for. Some of them simply sound great. Primitive Weapon’s Surrender Yourself and Most Precious Blood’s Our Lady Annihilation makes the list based on sheer power and fire. Bathory’s self-titled debut is arguably one of the best black metal albums that still stands to this day, and don’t forget Mayhem’s either. Only a pinch of classic jazz / fusion finds in Steve Khan, Eric Gale, Negril, and Death are here; essentially a portal to a world which no longer exists. In fact, that genre gets a whole list to itself. Glass Candy’s “Warm In The Winter” laid the foundation for Omega WUSB’s re-entry to the schedule with thanks to our ally Christine of Mix Tape Radio, followed by another Italians Do It Better favorite: Desire’s “Mirror Mirror”. See any unfamiliar names? Bereket Mengistaab, Ata Kak, and Hirut Bekele mark the milestone in Ω+’s exposure to African musicks and we’re currently considering doing a special of it.

We didn’t forget about labels. It’s no surprise that five of the eight labels listed are from New York City. We’re not sorry at all for defending that flag. Thank Brian Shimkovitz’s label-blog Awesome Tapes From Africa for those aforementioned finds and doing what we’ve been doing after him. Wharf Cat and Katorga Works, two bastions of Brooklyn-based post-punk, noise rock, and d.i.y., have given us an immense amount of artists and aesthetic to gloss over. For all things darkness, we’re going with Sacred Bones and Hospital Productions all the way. The former introduced us to Pharmakon, Uniform, Cheena, and John Carpenter’s Lost Themes Remixed, one of our most favorite movie soundtrack projects. The latter lead us to Wes Eisold / Heartworm, Ron Morelli / L.I.E.S., a unique aesthetic which made us think strategically, and a legendary 20th anniversary showcase in Greenpoint we will never forget.

While around before the decade, Los Angeles’ Italians Do It Better has released some great stuff in Desire, Farah, Mike Simonetti, Chromatics, and more. A huge hat-tip to Johnny Jewel for all the free vinyl giveaways he’s sent us and the ones we ordered from him. A late entry we find intriguing is the UK’s Detriti, Their method of mostly monochromatic record covers, generic design, and easy-to-approach synthpop, darkness, and minimal electronics have us curious of them. As of now, Galatee, Filmmaker, In A Dramatic Gesture, and Parole E Azioni are considered for future airplay. Note that four of those listed had their own showcases on Omega WUSB. Honorable mention? Our correspondence with the always kind Emil Beaulieu and his RRRecords. We’ve missed purchasing from him during peak hipster (mid-Oughts), so we did it again this decade not once but twice to round up some noise titles truly deserving of our money. We’re relieved to say that we’re very proud to have those noise titles in our collection.

Label compilations? Why not. Going back to Jewel’s Italians- label, both of their After Dark volumes provided Omega WUSB with some great selections over the years. Hospital Productions was responsible for giving us Ron Morelli. His L.I.E.S. label compilation Music For Shut-Ins gave us some great marquee moments from Svengalisghost, Samantha Vacation, and Legowelt as we moved addresses. Fuzzoscope’s Earwax beat-tapes made us appreciate that lo-fi cassette feel even more. One dilapidated corner of noise, grind, and punk we didn’t know existed or could be felt was discovered via Monorail Trespassing’s Project Housing cassette, and from there lead us to Jewish Uprising, Cell Block, and Total Abuse. Monorail’s compilation was nothing like we experienced. So much that we even had dreams about it. Another last-minute entry that made it to the finish line is Avon Terror Corps, proudly given to us by our ally Joshua JF, better known as Fellony to all of you. If Copper Sounds & Franco Franco’s“Accelerazione Generale” (again) is any indication of some quite innovative electronic sounds, then we only have more of Avon Terror to look forward to.

Last and intentionally least: total disappointments. I really don’t need to explain to you how the lowest eight made the list (and we really do stress "lowest”), who’ll have their very own special front-row seat in Hell when they get there. The other entries also deserve no explanation. It’s best to just forget about them. Seriously.

Sure, there’s a lot to digest. That’s the nature of all things Omega. A decade allows us to cover a lot of ground from everywhere imaginable because this writer (VMFX) makes it all possible. 90% of our finds come from numerous music media outlets while 10% comes from streams. It’s imperative that we reach out to these said outlets to maintain both Omega WUSB’s “new, relevant, and current” ethos and Ω+‘s survival through new, classic, and personal finds. Both serve the same purpose to reach out to our listeners, followers, and supporters and we’re curious to see how it goes. We do many unique things and pull surprises other fellow blogs here don’t, which makes this list a curious but fun draw.

So who knows what the future will bring, and who knows if any of us will still be here to care (on a site that censors nudity like Communism, we have to mention). We can’t wait to see what the new Twenties will bring us, and maybe we’ll place our bets heavily as we just did. Thanks for playing.

(Originally published at the end of 2019.)