#my idea was you fall in love when he's a mermaid and then he becomes a human

[meownotgood]

NOT to be horny but have we considered mermaid aki with the common trope that mermaid characters have two dicks......or........I'll see myself out

I'm....... anon........ okay listen. I was trying not to be horny, but now you have me thinking about it and extensively pondering the logistics

I think mermaids have like... hidden dicks.... like how dolphins do? if that makes sense...? but like... if you were still a human... you can't breathe underwater, so how would you...?

AND I'VE NEVER HEARD OF MERMAIDS HAVING TWO DICKS BEFORE BUT NOW YOU'VE PEAKED MY INTEREST. CONSIDER MY INTEREST TO BE VERY PEAKED.

[profoundbondfanfic]

Any destiel amnesia au fic recs to soothe my gentle heart, I read one au called two worlds apart and as much fun it was I'm also heartbroken 😭 and I want to fix it with another amnesia au where they are both are very much alive in the end, also maybe with a dash of fluff and tension?

Here are a few recs with fluff and a happy ending!

Basic Lessons in First Aid, Magical or Otherwise by stuffy_j (Explicit, 54k words)

Most people probably wouldn’t take the naked, heavily wounded man they found in an alley home with them. Most people probably wouldn’t also offer that man a place to stay and become his best friend after realizing he’s suffering from an intense case of post-traumatic retrograde amnesia. Most people probably wouldn’t then risk almost everything they know to save said man, and maybe save the world in the process. But then again, Dean Winchester, RN (with a specialty in supernatural care), has never been like most people. He may not have a magical bone in his body, unlike his brother Sam, but he’ll do whatever it takes to help. Even if Castiel has questionable opinions about Star Trek.

Here We May Be Free by FriendofCarlotta (Explicit, 39k words)

When Dean was eleven, he saw something in the ocean: a boy with blue eyes and iridescent scales. Almost twenty years later, a spontaneous detour after a hunt brings Dean and Sam back to the town where that encounter took place. And Dean can’t shake the feeling that Castiel, the owner of the local Mermaid Museum, looks familiar…

Memories Bring Back Memories (Bring Back You) by sobsicles (Explicit, 66k words)

When he wakes, he has no idea who he is. Not his name, what he looks like, or why he’s flat on his back, staring up at the stars littering the night sky. The first thing he learns about himself is that he has shitty instincts, especially if his first one is to protect the blue-eyed man currently stabbing someone in the face. Or, the story where two strangers can’t agree on much and know even less, but they’re both fairly certain that they’re in love.

Paper Moon by robotsnchicks (Explicit, 43k words)

By the time he hits thirty-three, Dean's given up on the apple pie life, accepting that a serious relationship isn't in the cards for him. But when he meets Cas everything falls into place. Now he’s happily married, hopelessly in love, and they’re about to buy their first home together. It almost feels too good to be true. It turns out it is. His world comes crashing down when he wakes to find that he’s been a subject in a virtual reality simulation gone wrong. All the years he thought he spent with Cas were actually experienced in less than a week. And when he gets out, Cas is nowhere to be found and nobody has heard of him. Ignoring the possibility that Cas may not be real, Dean sets out to find him and convince him that it’s worth giving Dean — and their relationship — a shot in the real world.

The Same Mistake, Again by zaphodsgirl (Mature, 43k words)

One night, after watching Dean pick up yet another girl while they're out at a bar, Cas heads to the local diner. Over the years his feelings of attraction have only deepened into something more, and he wishes desperately to go back to the time before he was in love with his best friend. His wish is granted in an unexpected way: he wakes up in the hospital the next morning with broken limbs - an arm and a leg- and a fractured memory with the last four years missing.

The Stars Will Remember by casblackfeathers (Explicit, 60k words)

Being a hunter was all Dean knew ever since his mother had been killed by a demon when he was four. Hunting, offing monsters, and then jumping to the next case was his life. Then he met the most alluring and breathtaking omega he had ever seen and spent the next five years loving the hell out of Cas, their life together filled with the domestic lovey-dovey stuff Dean had never thought he would dig so much. When a simple salt-and-burn goes sideways, it ends up with Cas’ memories stolen from him. Dean is left to pick up the pieces of the life they built together, his ‘make it up as he goes’ strategy to prove to his mate that Dean’s still worth a damn, his only chance at getting Cas back. He’s done a shitty-ass job at keeping Cas safe before, but he will pull out all the stops now to woo his mate again and stir the memories Dean knows are still there buried deep inside Cas’ mind.

The Story of You and Me by the_diggler (Explicit, 54k words)

Dean wakes up in bed next to a very human Castiel, and a journal in his own handwriting that tells him it’s two years in the future. The house looks a lot like Bobby’s, and Sam lives there too… He just can’t remember how they got from angels falling in the sky – to comfortable domesticity. While there is much in the journal Dean doesn’t remember, there is much of their story he’s always known. And as he settles into the routine of his new life and relationship with Castiel, it quickly becomes something he doesn’t know how to live without.

Unveil the Splendours of Your Heart by thefandomsinhalor (Mature, 68k words)

When a reporter asks Dean, a homeless man with a mysterious past, why he exclusively keeps close to the billboards and posters of a specific male model—the one Dean likes to refer to as the angel with spectacular blue eyes—in a moment of weakness, thinking it won’t change anything about his situation, Dean tells him the truth: it’s how he finds comfort and solace. Something that is difficult to come by. That is until the story reaches the ears of Castiel Novak, the model in question.

Whiskey & November by dothraki_shieldmaiden, FriendofCarlotta (Explicit, 188k words)

There is a place in L.A. where the richest of the rich can make their dreams come true. For an outrageous sum, they can hire an “angel” who is programmed to be exactly what they need: a stripper, a scientist, a temporary boyfriend. Most people don’t choose to question who the angels are, or where they came from. Sam Winchester is not most people. His brother Dean went missing in L.A. two years ago, and Sam has spent all that time trying to track him down. The trail leads him to a shadowy organization known as “Heaven” that coerces people into giving up their identities and personalities so they can be reprogrammed for Heaven’s purposes. Inside Heaven, trouble is brewing: two of the angels, Whiskey and November, are beginning to break through their programming. As they fall for each other and fight to remember who they are, they discover that they have an ally already working to bring down Heaven from within.

Not really amnesia, but they think they have it:

Found Family by Dizzybunny (Explicit, 55k words)

When Alpha Captain Castiel Novak returns to the US after being rescued from three years of captivity, he is amazed to find a family he doesn’t remember living in his house. Not just any family - his omega husband and pups. Dean had been told Castiel was MIA, and probably dead. Living in Castiel’s old house, raising his own and Castiel’s pups as a single father had been difficult, but he managed. Now Castiel is back. Can he fit into the life Dean has made? Can Dean adjust to having an alpha? Does Castiel want a husband he can’t remember?

White Lies & Winter Blues by PaperAnn (Explicit, 37k words)

When Castiel drives by a car wreck, he should’ve heeded the warning, ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions.’ He’s a nurse, it’s a record-breaking, cruel winter, and upon seeing the driver hypothermic and near-death—his instincts kick in. Cas doesn't think, he jumps into action to save the omega. Once the ambulance arrives, Castiel joins the ride. Then in the hospital room, he keeps a watchful eye over the omega's treatment and care. All under the guise of being ‘his alpha.’ Castiel’s plan was innocent, wishing for a quick recovery, followed by quicker exit. Except, he misses his shot. The omega awakes and the nurse beats Cas to the punch, with the declaration, “You’re lucky your mate found you in time!” causing all hell to break loose. There are no questions. A starry-eyed and love-struck Dean Winchester automatically believes the accident caused amnesia, that Cas is his mate. This wasn’t supposed to happen! Now entangled in his own lies—still reeling from the unexpected discovery they’re true mates—Cas feels helpless. He doesn’t know what the fuck to do! Besides...playing along. Paving his road to hell, one good intention at a time.

[gustavsbrainneuron]

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The only time I can be normal.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎2008 Zombie Bill Kaulitz × female reader.

Warnings: silly & "scary" fic, zombie stuff??...basically Bill becoming friends with reader.

Author's note: I WAS WAITING OCTOBWR TO COME SO I COULD.POST THIS. I. LOVE HALLOWEEN. :3 English is not my first language so i'm sorry if there are any mistakes.

The leaves crunched with every step you took back, this boy wasn't normal.

It all started at the beginning of the 31st. You woke up with the arrival of the triumphant day that celebrated the; Halloween. October was your favorite time, perhaps because of the air of mystery that this month gave? To the leaves changing color and falling to the ground, houses decorated with scary things, people arguing about what costume to wear, summer leaving and finally giving way for winter to arrive...all of this was very good for you.

You honestly didn't know what costume to wear for Halloween. Vampires? Classic, who wouldn't want to be a vampire? Sometimes, you even wondered if vampires really existed and on Halloween, perhaps it was the only day they could mingle with humans. Ghost? No. Evil mermaid who probably seduces men and takes them to the sea and kills them? No. A bride who killed her husband and wears a necklace with a reddish stone where his soul is trapped inside for eternity? No. Everything seemed very classic, very normal. But you didn't want to go trick-or-treating without a costume. But who said you hated classic costumes? Without any idea, you dressed up as a witch. Pointed hat, elegant dress with lots of details, a black cape long enough to give a mysterious air, slightly heavy makeup, with black eyelids, very reddish lips. Everything was perfect for Halloween.

As night arrived, people started to leave their homes, your neighborhood starting to be full of children and teenagers going here and there to ask for sweets. That was your favorite part, getting free candy! Obviously you went to ask for sweets with friends, after all you always had a ritual on Halloween night; separate sweets equally for all your friends.

"How long will you take?? Me and the girls still want to do trick or treat!!" One of your friends yelled, while you were in your room, facing a mirror, fixing your makeup. "Just be patient, okay? I'm sure there's still plenty of candy out there!" You replied back, finishing applying your reddish lipstick, running downstairs, grabbing your pumpkin-shaped basket to go ask for sweets. "I'm ready!!" You said, opening the front door of your house, seeing your friends dressed up, each one more creative than the other. "Woooow, you killed it this year!" One of your friends commented, approaching you to gently run her hand over the black cape you wore, adjusting the fabric. The other friends nodded, observing your costume. "Thanks. You guys don't look too bad either."

And so the night began. Your friends and you walked almost all over the city, looking for sweets. You filled your basket with sweets and so did they! When everyone's basket was full, you decided it was better to stop taking sweets and get to the best part; separate and devour all these sweets!

Your friends and you walked back to your house and sat on the sidewalk, ready to sort out the sweets and talk, whether it was about some school gossip or songs they were liking at the moment, it was pretty random. Once you shared the sweets equally, you started eating while talking. This time it wasn't about some school gossip or current hit songs. It was something scarier.

"You know, I saw someone talking about seeing a zombie." A friend commented while chewing a chocolate, looking at the asphalt while the wind carried the leaves away. "Zombies? They don't exist. It must just be someone dressed as a zombie." You replied, giving a skeptical laugh, not believing what your friend said. "Yeah, probably." Another friend commented, opening a bag of jelly beans. "No. One of the kids at school said it was true. He said he saw a zombie walking around. A real zombie." Another friend spoke up, believing the rumor. "It's not like this zombie is here to eat specifically our brains. We just shouldn't stay here until it gets late." The friend who wasn't buying into this zombie thing said, a little ironically. "This sounds like a story to make children scared. I don't think there is such a thing as a zombie." You replied, stopping eating sweets, thoughtful about the possibility that perhaps there is an undead among humans. It made you curious, but it was probably a lie.

As the night approached, your friends left and only you were out there, sitting on the sidewalk, eating sweets. Until a sound caught your attention, a cat's meow. A very loud meow. Cats were you weak point! You got up from the sidewalk, following the meow sound, walking until you stopped in front of a forest. Okay, either you were a dumb horror movie character or you were smart enough not to go into the woods at night. Fuck it - you thought, entering the forest and trying to find where the cat were, finding a white kitten with black spots, which walked up to you and began meowing loudly. Gently, you crouched down to stroke the kitten's head, hearing the cat purr and put its head forward against your hand, responding to your gesture of affection.

Until a sound of footsteps caught your attention, the footsteps came from behind, the dry autumn leaves betraying whoever was walking towards you. Could it be a human or an animal? Hesitantly, you slowly turned your head back and the moonlight illuminated the face of a boy with black, spiky hair, his lower lip area rotten; showing a bit of his dental arch. Scared, you got up and took the kitten in your lap, looking at the boy who was looking back at you. He was about eight steps away from you and even so, he was scary, simply because he didn't say anything. He tried to take a slow step forward, grunting softly almost as if he wanted to say something.

In fear, you took steps back holding the kitten in your hands as you focused your gaze on that boy. The leaves crunched with every step you took back, that boy wasn't normal. It was then that he took longer steps, approaching you faster; which made you run away without looking back, your body feeling cold from the fear coursing through your veins.

Trying to lose the boy, you ran faster. The kitten meowed loudly, wanting to jump out of your arms, but you held him, wanting to keep him safe. What a stupid idea - you thought, mentally cursing yourself for having entered a forest where you didn't know the way out. You glanced over your shoulder and the boy was still there, running limply, wanting to get closer for some reason you had no idea and didn't want to stop to find out. "W-wait!" The boy grunted in a tired voice, making you unable to understand much of the words that came out of his mouth.

All your despair was interrupted when you tripped, falling to the ground and feeling pain in one of your knees, the kitten ran away from you, while the boy approached you. You were feeling too tired from running and in pain to get up, but you still tried to drag your own body, but that was unsuccessful.

"Are you okay?" The boy's voice asked hoarsely, showing concern, slowly approaching you, making you hear his footsteps getting closer and closer to you. "Please don't eat my brain!" You exclaimed in a desperate voice, trying to get up again; without success.

"Eat your brain?" He repeated his words almost as if he felt offended. "Why do you think that?" He snapped, crossing his arms as he watched your failed attempts to get up. "You literally ran after me like a maniac with that... scary appearance!" You defended yourself, turning your body so that you were on your back, looking in his direction. "Maniac? Spare me. You're a cat thief." He defended himself too. Looking down, you saw the kitten sitting next to him, watching you too. How could someone stop in a situation like that? It was something so awkward that it even made you look away from the cat, looking to the side. "Aha. I know that guilty look." He replied, shaking his head negatively and giving a low laugh, approaching with slow steps again. "It's okay. Let me help you up." He stated, walking over and grabbing your arm. You used the only strength you had to stand up and put your arm around his shoulders. "I'm sorry. It's just that I was scared. You don't look normal." You commented, soon regretting your choice of words. "Not that you're any different! It's just that you know? There are scary stories in this time of the month...and I didn't know anyone would be out there at this time of night."

"Scary stories? More like gossip. I know people in this town are talking about me." He said, having the strength to keep me leaning against him despite the rotten appearance. "But I don't want to hurt anyone." He stated, walking with me in a direction of the forest and I only let him because he seemed to know what he was doing. "Have you been around here?" You questioned, wanting to make small talk. "Enough to know where we are and how to get out." He quickly responded, letting out a very low growl. "So you've actually been around here a lot."

An awkward silence stretched between you two and was it really an weird situation, a zombie helping a girl who got hurt trying to escape from him? That was so silly. It looked like something from a romantic, forbidden movie, you know? Embarrassing and funny at the same time. "Name?" He questioned suddenly, walking through the forest where you could already see where the two of you were before you started running. "Y/n. And yours?" You questioned back, letting out a low whimper in pain, maybe you had scraped your knee or something, one of your legs hurt a lot and you were taking crooked steps. "Bill."

Bill guided you to a square, where the two of you sat on a bench. He looked at your scraped knee and just made a pained expression in response, not knowing exactly how to help. The square was pleasant, especially now that it was empty and everyone was inside their homes, it seemed like only you were there, along with a zombie, really a unique experience.

"Sooo..how did you turn into..this?" You questioned out of nowhere, looking at Bill, talking about his rotten appearance. "A zombie?" He responded with a question, his face showing slight confusion. You just nodded, curious to know where he came from and how he became undead. "I don't know exactly. One day you're dead and the next day you're just alive again." He responded, looking down, speaking in a low voice, almost as if he was embarrassed to talk about it. "I'm not at my best though, well...better than nothing, right?" He spoke rhetorically, giving a weak, sarcastic laugh. "I don't think you're ugly." You replied, looking at him. Okay, you literally ran away from him minutes ago but now, listening to him talking so normally, gave you the feeling that he was a normal, alive boy, despite his rotten appearance. "The first thing you did when you saw me was run." He said, making you quickly respond to him. "It's not every day I encounter a zombie, okay? And I've already apologized."

. . . . . .

"Do you eat brains? Just like in the horror movies?" You questioned, wanting to make the atmosphere less awkward between the two of you. Bill looked at you, his eyebrows furrowing. "It's hard. Sometimes yes and sometimes no. And anyway, I don't look for my food in humans, if that's what you want to know." He responded calmly, wanting to make you more comfortable around him. "Maybe you were cursed by a witch and now you have to be a zombie forever." You commented ironically, giggling and changing the subject as well. "The witch must have been you." He replied, laughing lowly, pointing to your witch costume. You sighed dramatically, placing your hand on your chest gently. "Me?? I wouldn't be that mean. I would do the opposite. I would create a spell to detransform you." He laughed at your dramatic pretense, rolling his blurry white eyes. "Mhm, sure."

You and Bill ended up talking there in the square, sitting on the bench and, in fact, he was a really nice and interesting boy. The interests you had he had too and it was nice to have someone to talk to about certain topics, even though that person was quite peculiar.

"You know, I'm not that different from you." You said as you looked at the ground, seeing the autumn leaves there, stuck to the slightly damp ground from dawn. "No?" He responded ironically, smiling sideways. "No. My transformation is already beginning." You stated, pointing to your scraped knee, the raw flesh trying to heal. Your response got a laugh out of Bill and his laugh rubbed off on you, making the two of you look like two lunatics laughing in the middle of the square at night - but hey, a zombie friend doesn't seem so bad, right?

[thefandomdirtymind]

How about opla!sanji being completely in love with the reader the moment he sees them?

It just hits him, bam, love at first sight. He plans to marry them kinda moment. Maybe they are in need of rescue or part of a rival crew.

A/N IMPORTANT:  Hi Anon ! Thank you for your request. I had so much fun writing it and playing with the idea of Sanji just planning his own wedding cake at the first of the reader. I assume by your use of Them that you wanted it gender neutral so I did my best and I hope you will like !

I though I knew love

OPLA - Vinsmoke Sanji x Reader Gender neutral (Them)

Sanji series : SFW Shiny Offering - NSFW The Small Favor - SFW The Mermaid Dream - SFW The Magic of a Kiss  - NSFW Casual

* English is not my first language, I tried really hard to correct myself but, I hope you will excuse me if some mistakes are still there.

---

Love is a strange thing. Leading you to have affection for a thing, a pet, a person, multiple people at once, maybe, one more that another or felt head over heels for somebody at first sight. 

Not that you could tell yourself. Your love life hadn’t nothing to be told if not the term “boring” was the best to describe it. You had ,of course, a certain attraction and affection for your previous partners, but in your experience, the big true love was only things existing in books and short stories. 

However,the last thing you wanted to think about right now was love. The chain retraining your wrist was starting to get itchy, the little drop of water falling from the ceiling every ten seconds slowly gave you headaches and you could smell it in the air. The crew of Marines had become a little bit more nervous since they brought you a new cell companion, an unconscientious pretty orange haired girl. Maybe she would become your key to escape that rat hole of a ship. 

As if your thought had summoned it, you suddenly heard the blast of cannon and the scream of an eminent battle. Your brain working at full speed, you immediately start to search for a way out of that damn cell. Never you will allow yourself to be caught again, neither by the marine ,who’s without no doubt will execute you, nor by those pirates. You didn’t escape the circus or Buggy to come back in this nightmare. You prefer to drown. 

Kicking the door as hard as you can, targeting the rusty corner of the keyhole you abruptly stop when you hear heavy footsteps in the stairs and a face you had hoped never see again. 

“ They finally caught you hm ? “ Zoro nagged you, taking a look at Nami who slowly was regaining consciousness. “ Welcome back, I'll get you out in a minute. I have to decide what we do with your little roommate here. ” 

“ I suggest you let me go and forget my existence. I did what I did because I was in debt with Buggy, go hunt him down instead “ You replied,already knowing that the pirate hunter wasn’t the kind to let you go so easily.

“ I could, or you could win your freedom. Fight me and I'll let you go “ He offered, opening the door, but still blocking you the way. 

—-

Sanji was right behind Zoro, clearing his part of the deck, kicking with all he had. Somewhere between a missing punch from a Marine and a successful attack of this part against a kneecap. He had nodded when his green hair crew member had informed him that he will go downstairs to help Nami. But, he hadn’t come back since and Sanji didn’t like it at all. How many times he will have to save the life of that ungrateful mosshead.

Getting down the stairs, the blond chef never passes the last step. What was in front of him was simply unreal.  

Sanji, though he knew love, had felt love before. But, as you succeed to push Zoro in a full blast, he realizes that he, in fact, never felt it that way. Seeing you still enchained, but still so beautifully strong, trying to defend  yourself as furiously as a tiger, with the only help of the loose chain of your restraints bracelet. Makes him feel as if he receives himself a punch in the guts. From somewhere he could hear the wedding bell and almost see the magnificent cake he will bake for the event.

Maybe a Lemon quatre-quart or a simple sponge vanilla cake with pieces of strawberry in it. Are roses will be too classic or a cascade of fresh tiger lily accros the cake would make it look to bold.

He sadly couldn’t finish his delicious pastry though. When, as in an attempt of escaping what could be a mortal blast, you enter in full collision with his body.  

As you try to get up, your eyes finally meet his. In the most stressful moment of your life, you feel yourself caught in the bluest gaze you've ever seen. And just like that, the idea of love at first sight didn’t seem to you like some literature mirage.   

“ Hello there “ Sanji smiled, laying under you, his head gently resting against a step, letting you free to decide your next move. Sure if you decided to step on him to break free, it would probably permanently break his heart, but if it would save your life, he will accept it gladly. 

“Hi…” You nervously replied, trying, and failing pathetically to not smile with him. 

“ Hey waiter, stay out of that ! The fight isn’t over come back here Y/N “ Zoro groan. 

“ In fact I think we should all get out of here “ Nami declared, as a boom and a big crash came from upstairs.

Finally untangle yourself from the blond man, still on your guard in front of Zoro, but unable to snatch your gaze of Sanji. You nod of the head and proceed to get up the stairs. 

The whole ship was a mess, every Marines on the deck was unconscious, the mainmast was down and as you can see, the only person still standing was a way too joyful young man wearing a straw hat.

“ Hey ! Did you find another crew member !? “ He asked, like if you aren’t still unchained and clearly under the dark gaze of Zoro. 

“ More like a lot of Berries in warrant “ The young swordsman replied. 

“ We can’t collect a warrant while being yourself a pirate Zoro and you had to admit it was a great fight you had. “ Nami contributed, offering you a smile. “ I was mostly unconscious but I heard you had escaped from Buggy, we are different, we could need your help in our crew.”  

“ I will gladly welcome them in the crew if they want to join, “ Sanji answered, smiling at you, a tenderness you hadn’t fully understood in his eyes. “ I can’t wait to cook you your favorite meal.”   

“ Well, I...if Zoro will not kill me in my sleep I guess that I will stick with you for a while. “ You answered, curious to discover the meaning of this strange feeling you felt earlier with the tall blond. And the woman, Nami, seems right. Even in the clown crew, you hadn’t seen nothing like their good chemistry.  

“ Whatever “ The ex-pirate hunter mumbled, clearly not happy but ready to follow ,what you surprisingly guess, is his captain.  

“ Yahoo !  I’m Monkey D. Luffy, we are the straw hat crew and I will be King of the Pirate ! Let’s get back to the ship, those handcuffs would be really uncomfortable ! “

—

Later that night, free of your chain and well fed for the first time in a while, you stay a little longer in the kitchen. 

Sitting at the table, the soft noise of Sanji cooking and the waves crashing against the hull . You absently dried the table knife you were previously cleaning. 

“ Y/N can you try those and tell me which you prefer ?” Sanji gently asked you, putting in front of you two slices of cake. 

A lemon quatre -quart and a vanilla sponge cake with strawberry pieces. 

At first surprise, you gave them a try, not sure of the last time you had cake. 

“ I can’t choose…They are both delicious ! “ You answered, finishing both slices. “ What is it for ?” 

“ Oh it’s for an event I plan for the future…” He simply replied, taking away the empty plates. “When we will be ready”

You didn’t know exactly why, maybe it was his soft smile when he was talking about that mysterious future plan or the gaze he was laying on you. But you couldn’t help yourself to feel your cheeks warming up a little, excited to discover more about that plan and which role you will play in it.

[intrepidacious]

masterlist – b. barnes

KEY: ♡ personal favourite | ✧ new additions

please note that my blog is rated 18+, minors dni or you will be blocked <3

✩ series

time after time [ongoing] ♡ ✧ ↳ time loops ; post tfatws ; angst with a happy ending | 60k+

After what starts out as a fairly normal mission, you find yourself stuck in a time loop. Which would already be bad enough in itself if it didn’t also mean having to watch Bucky die over and over again.

✩ one shots

insomnia ↳ fluff ; sharing a bed | 1.5k

It’s 5am, and for some reason, you just can’t fall asleep.

first date, last night ♡ ↳ 40s!bucky ; neighbors ; mutual pining | 5.5k

You were supposed to go on a date tonight, but Bucky just had to interfere. It doesn't make any sense, either. It's not like there's anything going on between the two of you.

baby, it's bad out there ↳ set during hawkeye | 9.8k

Your best friend Kate has always been good at attracting trouble and this time, it’s starting to become your problem, too. Then again, what’s Christmas in New York City without meet-cutes and gunfire?

not even a little ↳ modern au ; roommates | 5.7k

The problem of living with Bucky is that he makes it impossible not to fall in love with him. Even though you could list several hundred reasons why it's a bad idea. And you have.

heal me, baby ↳ nurse!reader ; hurt/comfort | 2.6k

Your friendship starts with you cleaning up his wounds and Bucky paying to get the blood stains out of your couch. Something else starts, too.

set me free ♡ ↳ 40s! bucky ; little mermaid retelling | 6.4k

Once upon a time, a soldier fell from a train. Thankfully, this time, he is found by gentle hands, and a beautiful voice keeps him safe from the cold.

↳ sequel headcanon: being understood

blind roads ↳ bonnie and clyde au ; implied smut ; fluff and angst | 4.4k

"I'm James Bucky Barnes. This is my charming fiancée. We rob banks." (or, the Bonnie and Clyde AU literally no one asked for.)

↳ bonus drabble: no plan b

every dream gone ↳ pure unadulterated angst ; canon-compliant | 3.2k

After the events of Winter Soldier, Bucky slowly realizes just how much he lost after his fall.

↳ bonus drabble: homecoming

almost believing ↳ friends to lovers ; fake dating for a mission | 5.4k

You and Bucky aren't exactly on speaking terms at the moment. That doesn't mean you're getting out of having to pretend to be married for a mission.

a million summers ↳ college au ; childhood friends to lovers | 3k

Something shifts between you and Bucky when he comes back home from college.

about that night (the bugs and the dirt) ↳ witch!reader ; gothic vibes | 1.2k

You never talk about that night, and Bucky never asks. Even though he can’t help but suspect something is wrong.

✩ drabbles, blurbs and more

seven sentence drabbles (masterlist)

headcanons (masterlist)

moodboards (masterlist)

✩ return to main masterlist ✩

[thicctails]

I absolutely LOVE your Mythology Falls AU designs, but I’m curious on why you chose the ones that you did.

I'm so happy you like it! Let's go down the list, shall we?

Dipper: I love the Sphinx!Dipper from Nightrizer's take on Monster Falls, but I didn't want to go that route since these are supposed to be an original take on idea of everyone becoming creatures of myth and legend. The first reason I chose a Gryphon for our beloved Pine Tree because they represent traits like bravery, wisdom, and power. Obviously, Dipper isn't the strongest character in Gravity Falls, but when the chips are down, he isn't afraid to start beating the hell out of whatever is terrorizing him, no matter how much stronger they may be.

The second reason is because I wanted to do something with owls and cheetahs for Dipper. I chose the barn owl because their feathers actually do kinda resemble the colours I chose for Dipper's feathers, and also because they're my favourite species of owl. Both owls and cheetahs are nervous creatures with high pitched calls, which I think fits Dipper very well haha.

Mabel: While I like the idea of Mabel being some kind of water creature, I think her being a mermaid would cause quite a few issues with mobility. I went with a selkie because not only are baby seals fricken adorable (especially harp seals, which is what her coat is based on), but it also allows her to keep her iconic sweater look! Now she can be fashionable on land, and utterly adorable in the water. There's also the added risk of someone trying to take her coat, but when one of your Grunkle's is a dragon, and the other is a kelpie, most people get the hint not to try anything.

Grunkle Stan:

Haha, come on, you see it, right?

Really, though, while Stan may love money, and everyone assumes that he would be hoarding crisp dollar bills, his real horde is actually his house and all those within it. He loves his family more than life itself, and anyone who brings them harm is going to be getting a face full of flames. He's big, grumpy, and looks like he'd be nothing more than a dumb brute, but in reality he's a big softie who could outsmart most anyone who crossed him.

Ford: Kelpies look beautiful, friendly, and enticing, promising fun and adventure, if you only would come closer and climb atop their back. However, this is only a farce, and now you're being dragged down into the dark depths of a lake or river. While Ford wasn't drowning anyone as a human, he certainly dragged McGucket down a dark path, often bringing him into dangerous situations, and he almost did the same to Dipper, although not intentionally. However, they are not always bad, and if you can slip a bridle over a Kelpie's head and tame it for a time, they'll tirelessly help you with whatever you need.

They were also said to be shapeshifters, often taking the form of a man. Whether or not Ford will figure this out remains to be seen (hopefully no one sticks him in a cage and threatens to freeze him!)

Soos: The world's most perfect man deserves a nobel and revered creature. Qilins are gentle, benevolent protectors, and unlike unicorns, they really can see into someone's heart! I wanted Soos to have an overwhelmingly friendly and loved mythological form, so a Qilin seemed like a natural fit.

Wendy & McGucket: two North American cryptids, neither one having much to go on. I chose a Splintercat for Wendy, both because its a lumberjack legend, and because this lynx-like beast topples whole trees with ease by smashing into them which reminded me of Manly Dan, who is also a Splinter Cat.

As for poor old Fiddleford, I made him into a Glawackus because 1. tell me that name isn't something he'd say.

and 2. Glawackuses are said to have the ability to erase the memories of anyone who looks into their eyes. I made it so that the eye that is covered by his green eyeglass is safe to look into, while the other will cause memory loss.

[blues824]

Imagen the menece mc Watching the Disney film with the dorm leaders.

🦐Asking Vil if he can also become a ugly hag and Leona replying he already is the ugly hag.

🦐 Saying to Kalim that he is like the jolly old sultan and jamil jafar and him happyly agreeing(poor jamil having to listen to Kalim sing those songs hundreds of times ) .

🦐Asking Malleus to put her 100 years to sleep so she doesn't have to deal with anything anymore.

🦐Telling Azul to be more confident about his Weight and that ursala looks good and doesn't care about her body that she rocks it.

🦐Telling Leona to nog get any ideas of becoming the king like scar did (he won't he loves his family to much. )

🦐Telling Ida to become a comedy genius like hades and grow his confidence more.

🦐How would they react to the heroes winning in our world story and that nobody almost likes them.

🦐If they have to deal with the bs from the intire school and those overbolts they desided to be a mence to them.

(Mc getting ready to start another day in twisted wonderland)

Female reader.

Riddle Rosehearts

It took a lot of convincing to get him to ditch his studies just to watch a movie with you, but you got him when you mentioned that the Queen of Hearts would be in it. So here you are, cuddling under a blanket in his room as you played the movie.

However, throughout the whole movie, you were commenting on how he acted exactly like the Queen of Hearts. Wasn’t that obvious already? Then you said that you were exactly like Alice because you found yourself in a strange world. And that’s how you got your nickname, my Alice.

Also, he can see why Trey, Ace, Deuce, and Cater could be seen as the card knights, as they are serving under Riddle’s rule. The whole dynamic with you being Alice fits well because you didn’t know any of the rules but Riddle kept accusing you of breaking them unfairly. He does apologize after, because this movie has made him see the error of his ways.

Leona Kingscholar

It did not take a lot of convincing when you said that you would be willing to cuddle him as long as he watched a movie with you. So, you grabbed some snacks and you got situated on Leona’s bed and you started playing the Lion King.

This man let a tear fall when Mufasa died, because it reminded him of his older brother, but he did like Scar’s line of Long Live the King. However, this soft moment with Leona was interrupted by you blowing into a tissue and telling him to never make his nephew leave or else you would leave him. 

But, he will admit that Ruggie did remind him of the hyenas in the movie. He laughed all the freaking time, he was willing to be at his beck and call, Leona legit would not be able to tell the difference. Plus, he was a hyena. However, it left him wondering about Jack. Where would he fit into this complicated equation?

Azul Ashengrotto

He had to be pulled away from work, so you said why not watch the Little Mermaid? So, you both went to his room and watched the movie there. If he was being honest, this was a great way for him to wind down. You were leaning onto his shoulder as you watched, and the moment was peaceful.

That was, until the Poor Unfortunate Souls scene came on. You turned down the volume and faced him, and told him that Ursula was beautiful and confident as she was, and you wanted to follow the wise words of SZA and get a big boy. Poor boy didn’t understand what you were saying, but he was happy to know that you loved him no matter what he looked like.

Flotsam and Jetsam definitely reminded him of Floyd and Jade. However, they were a tad creepier than the tweels, which was saying a lot. Ursula became his new idol, as she was almost powerful enough to overthrow King Triton. Unfortunately, she was defeated before that could happen.

Kalim Al-Asim

He was down to watch a movie right when you asked, however it was Jamil who you really needed to convince. So, you decided to just play it in the Lounge. You and Kalim were laying down in each other’s arms, while Jamil was playing as the third wheel.

When the Sultan and Jafar were introduced, you pointed to the screen and shouted that they were them. Your sudden exclamation surprised both of them, but Kalim could see the resemblance. Somehow, the same could not be said about the Vice Housewarden (he did see the correlation, but he did not want to acknowledge it).

Your boyfriend here absolutely loved the movie, and thought that the love story was quite adorable. A really flustering thought popped into his head when Jasmine and Aladdin got engaged because he would love to marry you one day. But, that day is far ahead.

Vil Schoenheit

Surprisingly, he was for the idea of finally unwinding from his stress as both a student, a Housewarden, and a movie star. So, he took off his makeup and you both were having a spa day as you put on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

But, he regretted saying yes when you pointed at the Evil Queen’s old hag form and asked him if he could transform into that. This man was hit with horrible PTSD, but I will not say anything more so I don’t spoil it too horribly. It keeps him lying awake at night, which is definitely not good for his beauty sleep.

Rook acts like the opposite of the hunter, and Vil refuses to think that Neige is like Snow White. In his story, his rival is the bad guy, and he won’t think about it any other way. However, he knows that he himself is not Snow White, but rather the Evil Queen. You don’t make it seem like that, though.

Idia Shroud

You both went on the Twisted Wonderland equivalent of Discord and agreed to watch a movie that you had somehow procured from your world. He was intrigued, so it was a virtual date. The movie started off great, and you both were sending DM’s that commented about it.

However, when Hades came into the scene, you messaged him and said you should be confident and funny like him. That sent his thoughts spiraling, and he was wondering if he had to change himself so that you would like him more. You caught onto this, though, and stated that you wouldn’t mind being his Persephone.

Hades made him laugh and snicker a few times, but he really did not like how he treated Pain and Panic. Most of all, he didn’t like how he treated Meg. Actually, she reminded him of you because you were often very sarcastic and sassy but also gorgeous. When he looked at you, he got the same feelings that Hercules had.

Malleus Draconia

You inviting him to something was definitely the highlight of his day, but he wasn’t familiar with movies. So, you agreed that you would meet up at night at your dorm so that you both could have some privacy. You propped up a school-supplied laptop onto the foot of the bed as you and Malleus sat against the headboard, and you played Sleeping Beauty.

When the curse that Maleficent placed on Aurora went into effect, you whispered to the dragon fae beside you and asked if he could place a sleeping curse on you because you don’t want to be awake to suffer through everyone’s bullshit. To be honest, he has thought about it because he hates how you’re constantly surrounded by multiple different men. Plus, the thought of being your true love and being the one to kiss you awake was very enticing.

The night ended with you both falling asleep within your bed, and Grim had to sleep on the couch. However, Malleus did wake up early so that he could get back to Diasomnia in time to not cause Sebek or Silver to panic. He had to deal with the painful feeling in his chest as he left you alone in your bed, but he placed a kiss on your forehead before departing.

[ofmermaidstories]

you saying you’d write an au for stardew is the equivalent of getting a rabbits foot and multiple prismatic shards in one day omg. even if u don’t do it the idea popping in ur head is already fantastic! i’m so happy you love the game i think it’s the perfect distraction for life !!! if only we could all just pack our things and move to our inherited farms and become the richest in town… it’s nepotism at work lol

please tae, i literally daydream about someone giving me a deed to a farm or a plot of land somewhere. 😭 and the thing is!!! like!!! farming’s not an easy job, it’s so dependant on the earth/weather, and even before climate change was a tangible threat it was a hard, hard living. 🥺 i get stressed out with my video game, lmao, 10pm and im still out in the fields hoeing or planting seeds, like. 💀 imagining doing that for like, 40+ plus to make a living……. you’d have to have a good team around you. 😩 farmhands, or family. a good spouse LOL. even a little hobby farm would be stressful………. and yet i still want that life. 😔 an orchard by the sea. 🥹 still stressful, but maybe slightly more manageable lmao.

i am trying so, so hard not to give into the temptation (not yet) to fulfil this wish via a fic LMAO. 🥹🙏🏽 i’m trying to feed it by doing like, small things: naming it (from the valley), making a playlist for it. god, i’ve gotten to the stage where i actively pause the game to write down little notes (things in our backpack: pink cake. a orange poppy flower. goat’s cheese. four cups of banana pudding. a totem with a weathered, deeply carved face. the pock-marked head of a mushroom). i am fighting for my life!!! the only thing that’s actually, properly stopping me from the follow through is that i don’t have a romantic end-game in mind. because in my head i’ve already given Reader three potential boyfies: izuku, katsuki, and maybe shouto (maybe shinsou instead). like, i can picture how friendships/relationships would form among them (izuku the kind, helpful guy. katsuki in the background, wary. shouto the son of the man who founded the company we worked for, back in the city; our work husband, who we joked to about following us out to the valley and who does). the one thing i’d want to do is have Reader find their way to Skull Caverns, and realise that all the magic they thought was whispering to just them has been whispering to other people, too—Izuku, sword in hand, staring at us in horror when he finds us cradling a large, spotted egg. Katsuki, rounding the corner after him, swearing black and blue about ghosts—sdhjfgklsdjflsfgkjsflkgj. i wanna write it so badly, just to get to that moment, LMAO. the mutual horror when all three of you are face-to-face in this giant, deadly, underground maze. the boys making you swear to secrecy; Izuku tearing into you for being so stupid, how did you even find this place, how did you know, do you understand what could’ve happened? you should’ve told them, you should’ve told him. your relief in finally having someone to talk to about all the weird shit you keep stumbling across. the way this would give Izuku an excuse to drop in to you, on the farm. Katsuki turning up to help with the tilling or seasonal planting, the harvest. i want to write about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! all of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! being on the dock in the middle of winter as the snow is falling, all those festive, jewel-like boats bobbing gently before you, waiting with their… winter star trees, or their paintings. the sea salt and the charred warmth of coffee beans. the mermaid show with all it’s tawdry secrecy…… the worn carpet under your feet, the mismatched planks that hold steady despite the creaking. i just think!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it would be neat to do. 🥹 i just!! it’s such a good world to play in LMAO. and if i could come up with a ending for it—a true, stops-me-in-my-tracks kind of ending—not even my attempts at nail-digging self-discipline would stop me from writing it.

for now tho it’s just my yapping, lmao. my yapping and my threats. 🥹

[crowandmousewritingco]

Summer Days of Dorne

Pairing: Oberyn Martell x gn!reader (Ellaria is mentioned to be involved.)

Words: 963

Rating G (It Oberyn come on. There's a little sexy flirty happening.)

Warnings: Oberyn being Oberyn, but this one is pretty chill.

Summary: Dorne is known for its hot summers so you take comfort in a nice cool pool. Though you catch the attention of a certain Prince.

Author: Mod Mouse

Note: Heres my first fanfiction in awhile and the first work on Crow and Mouse Writing Co. I hope you all enjoy 😋

Summer has always been your favorite season. It was a welcomed relief after the dark and cold winters of your hometown. And now that you lived in Dorne, the kingdom rarely left the summer season. Although on days like today you wished for cooler temperatures. The heat had become unbearable making the castle too muggy for your afternoon reading sessions. That’s when you decided that a dip in the pool would solve all of your heat related problems which was where you found yourself now. 

You dipped your toes into the cool pool with a sigh. The perfect weather was amazing but when the sun beat down a little too long then you started to wish for the cooler summers of your hometown. You let your face lean back on your hands taking in the rays of the sun. Lazy days like this were few and far between since you became the prince of Dorne. Of course Oberyn was more than happy to help you relax, but nothing felt better than cool water on a hot day. Even if something was bothering you, Oberyn would be there to give you some quick loving. And honestly you couldn’t be more happy about it. 

After sunning yourself for a couple more minutes, you stood up and finally let the see through robe fall onto the stones behind you. You slowly slipped into the pool, sighing as the cool water took away the summer heat. The water doing nothing to cover your nudity although you didn’t really mind. If it wasn’t for Oberyn showing you that it was okay to show off your body, you would have been stuck in the historic ways of your hometown. You let yourself lazily glide through the water before deciding that floating on your back sounded like the best idea. You stayed on your back for a moment staring up at the beautiful sky. The clouds slowly drifted across your vision creating and disappearing in a moment's notice. Taking a couple of deep breaths, you held one and sank under the surface. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile Oberyn had just left a meeting he wasn’t entirely thrilled about being called to. Doran needed him to witness some important trade agreements, but Oberyn didn’t think that way. Meetings meant time away from his partners and that was something he wasn’t too keen on. Now that he was free from his responsibility he began his search for you. Oberyn started with the normal spots– the bedroom, library and the garden– but no sign of you. He was ready to go upstairs when he spotted you swimming in the pool. His hungry eyes took in your moving body watching as your muscles moved. His eyes glinted with a spark of mischievousness and he hurried to join you by the pool. After the day he had had, he was ready to have his hands on you. 

You hadn’t noticed that he had approached the pool until you heard him say, “Well I didn’t know we had mermaids in our pool,” Oberyn chuckled as he squatted at the edge of the pool. Turning towards the voice, you opened your eyes and smiled at the sight of your husband. 

“A pool is no place for a mermaid. We must swim free in the salty waves of the ocean,” you playfully replied before swimming over to him. 

Oberyn smirked in return, “I think the best place for a mermaid is in my bed.” 

“Wouldn’t that make your bed too wet?” You teased titling your head to the side. 

“Oh I think my bed gets wet enough with you and Ellaria in it.” Oberyn teased flirtatiously knowing what the two of you were like during last night's activities. 

You couldn’t help but blush at his words. Damn he always knew how to make you shiver. How with just a few words he could make you weak in knees and ready to do whatever he asked. Oberyn had that power over you, and so did Ellaria, but even Ellaria wasn’t immune to Oberyn’s antics. 

“I don’t doubt your abilities but why wait when you can take your mermaid in their own domain.” You replied with an edge of invitation to it. Nothing would please more than for your husband to take you where anyone could walk in and see you.

Oberyn raised his eyebrows as if he was about to question you, but quickly he smiled at the idea. Oberyn’s golden robes were quickly discarded, and your eyes couldn’t help but roam his fit body. All the scars from his past battles were on display for your eyes, and all you wanted to do was to kiss every single one of them. He sat down on the edge and quickly slipped in beside you. Wasting no time putting his hands on you to pull you in for a long kiss. You smiled and kissed him, letting your hands rest on his chest

You broke the kiss and spoke just loud enough for him to hear you, “Someone missed me,” You teased. 

“I always miss you when you aren’t in my arms,” Oberyn purred and nuzzled his face into your neck. “Maybe I should ask the Maesters if there’s a way to keep you attached to me.” 

You chuckled and kissed his cheek before dragging your lips up his cheek, stopping just before his ear. A smirk found its way across your face, opening your mouth, just slightly you dragged your teeth across his ear lobe and whispered, “Well I can think of one way that you can stay attached to me.” 

Oberyn let out a soft moan and pushed you up against the pool wall, kissing you with the heat of the sun itself. What a wonderful summer this was going to be. 

[crosshairstooth-pick]

A aesthetic I made from pure boredom with small motivation to attempt writing again…feel free to use this idea and picture for Fanfic purposes!

A small summary: Reader is a half human half siren (she/Her pronouns but can be changed if someone else does decide to write this story) who saves Jack kinda like how Ariel saved Eric in the little mermaid. The reader uses her enchanted singing to trick sailors into giving her their gold and other trinkets on their ships making her “Wanted” by a certain group of siren poachers or something (Idk 💀) Jack and reader fall in love and Jack keeps coming to readers small isolated island like home and one day he sells reader to the poachers because he’s afraid of committing himself to a relationship or whatever. Tho I would have it where reader frees themselves from the poachers and becomes a pirate themselves and there’s some hidden highly desirable treasure that is guarded heavily by the vicious sirens only reader can get past and reader and Jack team up and their old flame sparks back up or something with a happy ending (:

—•🌕•—

“Jack!” You cried out, Watching his pace slow until he came to a stop. His back turned to you as he awaits for your next words.

“Don’t go…Don’t let them take me!” Your voice trembles with emotions as you try and wiggle from the brutes grasps.

But jack doesn’t move, His words failing him for once as he looks ahead of him at his precious ship, The sea glows in the orange hue the sun casts over it.

You feel your heart being torn apart with very second that passes as Jack remains uncharacteristically silent. “I trusted you…I brought you to my home—I—I love you…” you whispered the last part but the wind carried your words, Jack looking over his shoulder at you as he finally speaks up.

“I have only one love…darling” The enduring pet name no longer bringing the butterflies to your heart like it once did. “And that be the sea…” He states, Brown eyes flickering to your sad eyes for a brief moment, You thought you seen a slither of regret, Perhaps even remorse….But he then walks to the small boat he rowed to your home and doesn’t spare you another glance.

You watch him walk away as you no longer fight against the men that hold you, Eyes wide with tears pooling in them as you watch Jack row away from the island.

It was foolish to fall in love with the pirate, But no matter how hard you tried…You couldn’t stop yourself. As if it were written in the stars. You heart had yearned for him the moment you seen him, The sea swallowing him slowly as it threatened to take him for her own. Yet you had saved him, Arms tightly holding him as you breathed air back into his lungs.

And when his soft brown eyes opened, They hadn’t looked at you in fear nor disgust as if you were a horrid monster, They looked at you as if you were one of many stars in the sky, A ordinary gaze at first, But soon becoming his favorite Star to gaze upon.

Or so you had believed, Perhaps it was wishful thinking when you thought he had loved you the way you do him. Perhaps selling you to the poachers was his plan from the very start…

You fall to your knees and watch him leave, The tears falling just as heavy as the storm had when it brought him to you that fateful night…

[twinsunstars]

Wherever Your World Is - Chapter 1

Fanfic Summary: A young mermaid filled with hope discovers secrets about her past and seeks to reunite with her family at many costs, getting her chance to be with the land dwellers she had grown so fascinated of. The mermaid strikes a deal with dark magic and begins her mission of becoming a human again. (A Bad Batch + Little Mermaid AU)

Chapter 1 Summary: A group of brothers remember the little sister they had lost, a sprinkle of hope igniting during a ritual of loss.

Notes: Hey friends! Back in early May, many of you had liked my idea of a Little Mermaid AU with the Bad Batch, and it is finally beginning! I can't promise weekly chapters or anything like that, so chapters will come out whenever I finish them! Thank you to @kurlyfrii for being my mutual partner throughout this project and for other mutuals always patiently listening to my ideas! I hope you all enjoy the ride this fic is in for! Read Chapter 1 below either on here or on AO3! Reblog to share!! divider by @stars-n-spice !

taglist: @kurlyfrii @orion-tyche @magicandmundane @biancadiangelosghost @sntofbirbs @half-truths-and-hyperbole-louk @fritoley @omegafett99 @bossboudicca @amalthiaph @ahsokashawarma1138 (let me know if you want to be tagged for future chapters!)

Oceans hold many secrets. The waves crashed against each other while sea creatures swam freely, playing their part to survive among the actions of land dwellers. The depths of the sea were dark, hiding away all those secrets. 

Tales often sprung from those oceanic secrets that became rumors and myths on land. Krakens, sea killers, aquabeasts, the sea leviathan, and even mermaids. The stories of mermaids became the most loved tale, land dwellers either visualizing them as the most beautiful kind of creatures or the most dangerous. No one knew the true pain a mermaid could suffer under the sea. Their lives were stripped away from living freely on the surface of land. If they were to shed tears, each drop would simply just carry on with the waves.

Many sea creatures able to reach the ocean’s surface happily relished the soft ocean breeze. They squealed and chirped at each other, enjoying their travels. 

A large sea ship painted in the dark colors of black and red moved swiftly across the waves. A large red skull was painted on the ship’s body, the signature emblem of the royal family. Sea creatures quickly swam away from the ship’s path, watching it pass by under the water. 

Sailors reigned the sails high into the air. The mast could be visible to any who would be coming nearby. The wind passed through strongly, matching the cloudy weather of the day. 

“My princes.” A tall middle-aged man approached four young men positioned in the center of the ship together. “We are approaching the ritual site.” 

“Thank you, Shep.” Shep Hazard bowed his head, giving the men room to prepare. 

One of the men, who had a tattoo matching the view of a sniper located over his right eye, glanced over at a man standing over the ship’s edge, looking out at the horizon. “Hunter.”

Hunter looked over at his brother. “I know. I’m coming.” His brother gave him a small nod, following his other brothers towards Shep. 

Hunter held his red bandana in his hand, allowing the wind to make his dark brown hair fly. He watched the waves move violently, a few small sea creatures hopping up to the surface before falling back into the water. Hunter’s mind remembered how the waves acted the first time his brothers escaped to Pabu, making a new life for themselves. 

His family fought as soldiers, a batch of enhanced clones proving themselves useful in the fight. Escaping the war was a hard decision, especially when they were bred specifically to fight one. But things were taking a dark turn. Many clones were disappearing, worlds were becoming more corrupt, and trust was starting to become something nonexistent around others. The enemy was advancing much rapidly and many more lives were being lost every day. 

When Hunter and his brothers found out that there was a little clone created for the purpose of destruction, it got them thinking. The clone would be raised and used as a vital weapon for the enemy’s needs once the clone had grown old enough. It was something that could not happen. 

After many debates, the clones made the decision to steal the young clone away from their creators to prevent the enemy from getting their hands on the clone. Finding out the clone was a female instead of a regular male was another shock. She was genetically engineered differently and was never going to be a simple soldier thrown into a war. She was meant for much more, and the Batch was not going to let the enemy take advantage of something that could make them win. 

The little unnamed female was only a year old, frail to the touch while tubes and injection needles treated her like an object. Hunter remembered holding the clone in his arms gently while they made their escape. 

A female clone. Their young sister. 

She was safe with them where they were heading, but that didn’t last for long. Someone had taken her away from them, and she was unable to be found for the next thirteen years. The brothers looked as hard as they could with help from others, but there was no sight of their little sister.

Today was the day she had gone missing. The little youngling was ripped away from the family’s hands one dark night on their new home island, her cries echoing in the night until they dropped dead silent. Hunter remembered crying out for his sister, but he couldn’t remember what words came out of his mouth.

A bark broke Hunter’s trance. He tied his bandana around his head, fixing his hair. A large border collie looked up at him, and she appeared to be smiling up at one of her owners. Hunter knelt to give Batcher a scratch behind her ear. 

Batcher was rescued by the family when she was found to be one of many creatures being experimented on for her strength and capabilities. Batcher had helped the brothers protect themselves while escaping with their sister, and the young dog had taken a liking to one of his brothers. She always went wherever her family moved, following along and being there whenever she was needed.

Hunter looked over at his younger brothers, who were gathered near Shep. He walked to his brothers, while Batcher followed behind. Shep smiled at Hunter, handing him an exotic golden flower. His brothers also held the same flower carefully in their hands.

To remember their young sister every year on this day, the Batch performed a traditional Pabuan memorial ritual which was commonly used to remember loved ones who were lost. It was a way of blessing their loved one’s soul and honoring their life, as the flower was a symbol of protection and said to be the flowers blooming in the afterlife. The ritual was mostly done in silence to allow those who grieved loss comfort, along with some Pabuan words said to initiate the ritual. 

Hunter’s tallest brother, Wrecker, looked down at his flower with a pout. He could remember their sister’s tiny laughs she would make whenever Wrecker tickled her small tummy or Batcher licked her cheek. Hunter put a hand on Wrecker’s shoulder, managing to light a small smile to comfort his brother. Wrecker smiled back. They both missed their sister dearly.

Shep began reciting words in Pabuan almost like a song, beginning the ritual. One sailor kept the ship steady while the ritual began, saying a prayer to themselves. Batcher sat on the ship’s floor, listening to Shep and watching the ritual. 

This part of the ocean was said to be the most sacred near the island according to Pabu’s legends. It was often used as a spot for rituals and other traditions for generations. Today it would be used once again to remember a loved one. 

The brothers walked over to the ship’s right side where Hunter stood earlier, holding the flowers carefully in their hands.  The Batch had become fluent in Pabu’s native language over the years with the help of Tech’s studious nature. They waited for Shep to pause, listening to every word being spoken. Wrecker stood next to his older brother, Echo stood in the middle while holding his flower in his one hand, and Tech and Crosshair stayed with each other.

Hear us, oh dear soul

May our prayers reach you

We remember your memories

Let us call to you 

Watch over us with all the love we give you 

Listen to our blessings 

Shep came to a stop, holding his hands together and closing his eyes in prayer. The Batch began the next step of the ritual, reaching out their hands that held the flower. They closed their eyes, mentally saying a prayer for their sister’s soul. They wished for her to be safe and full of hope, wherever she may be. 

Shep and a few other sailors muttered a few words in the native Pabu language as the Batch lowered their heads, finishing their prayers. They allowed their hands to become loose, the golden flowers falling out of their hands. The flowers landed on the ocean’s surface, floating away as the waves carried them. The Batch opened their eyes, watching the flowers leave their ship. They spent an extra minute in silence after the ritual was complete. 

“Should we head back to land?” Shep asked. He noticed Hunter growing more drowsy. “I think you all need some rest.”

Tech adjusted his glasses, turning to Shep. “Yes, that would be adequate.”

Shep instructed the sailors to return to the island. Wrecker wiped some tears away, deeply missing their sister. She was so small and innocent. They failed to protect her. Batcher pranced over to her family, giving them some needed comfort. 

The ship turned around slowly to head back to land. Hunter remained standing, resting his arms on the ship’s side. The flowers disappeared from view, heading to wherever they were meant to go. 

He felt a hand touch his shoulder, looking over to meet eyes with his youngest brother, Crosshair. Hunter could see the concern in Crosshair’s eyes. Crosshair knew how painful it was for Hunter when they had lost their sister. They both didn’t utter a word, but Hunter took in the sympathy he was getting from his brother. 

Crosshair let go of Hunter’s shoulders, standing next to him and leaning on Hunter’s shoulder. He used his tongue to move the toothpick in his mouth to his left side, still staying silent. He felt like using words to comfort his older brother, though he also felt it was better to remain in silence in terms of the ritual. 

Hunter didn’t move. Crosshair had always performed this act of silent consolation whenever he saw Hunter needed it the most. Crosshair knew he wasn’t the best at trying to make people feel better, but he did whatever he could. 

Hunter exhaled. Thirteen long years. Years spent safely away from the war. Years with his brothers. Years without his little sister.

He couldn’t help but feel that their little sister had to be out there somewhere. Alive. He didn’t even want to think about the possibility that she may be dead. Hunter and his brothers spent years searching as hard as they could, and Hunter never stopped trying while they had the chances. 

It would likely take a miracle and the Force to bring back their little sister to them. Hunter spent nights secretly praying to himself and sometimes with his brothers. Wherever she may be, she would find her way home to her world.

End Notes: I know I began the fic on an emotional note, but next chapter will be more enjoyable! I hope you all like it so far, please share with others if you want, comment your thoughts, and also check it out on AO3! You all may have a lot of questions but answers will be revealed as the fic carries on and more characters come in! This is just a prologue! Can't wait to see you all next time!

[schafpudel]

Swan Maidens, Swan Princes

So Duck is the ugly duckling and Tutu is Odette but in her entirety she's the little mermaid. A water-creature falls in love with a prince and would do anything to be with him as a human girl (but also there's the implication that her reasons are deeper than infatuation - the mermaid looks sadly at her fish's tail and is interested in humanity long before meeting the prince; the duck complains about her looks and voice, and you can imagine a human cradling a throat the wrong shape) and makes a faustian deal with a witch or sorcerer. Her fate is said to be to dissolve into sea-foam/turn into a speck of light and vanish, leaving neither soul nor body behind.

(Hans Christian Andersen was in love with a man. "I languish for you as for a pretty Calabrian wench… my sentiments for you are those of a woman. The femininity of my nature and our friendship must remain a mystery." He mailed a copy of The Little Mermaid to the man. The man was engaged to a woman. The love was doomed.)

Tutu is also a swan maiden. The typical narrative for the swan maiden is this: there is a woman who is also a swan. Naked, she is human, but when she puts on her cloak or shirt of feathers, she is a swan, and she prefers to live as a swan, taking off the garment mainly to bathe. A man finds her human form beautiful, steals her skin, and coerces her into a heterosexual marriage and a human life. She may even be forced to bear his children. Eventually, though, she finds her swan skin stashed away, and makes her escape, never to be seen again.

(I imagine many people can sympathise with the swan.)

But there are exceptions to this narrative, that lend themselves to different subtext. One intriguing one is found in the Dolopathos. In this version, the swan-woman's naked form is that of a swan, and she turns into a human by the means of a golden chain-necklace. Her marriage to the human man is consensual. Their children, explicitly, inherit the swan-maiden nature: they are born as human babies, but with gold chain-necklaces like their mother. The schemes of a wicked stepmother lead to the boy children immediately having their gold chains revoked, forcing them into their swan forms. The sister (whose chain was never stolen, and thus grew up human while still being able to join her brothers on the lake), later, manages to steal back her brothers' gold chains, and they take human form for the first time since birth.

Except one swan-boy continues to be denied his human form, for his gold chain is damages. He goes on to be the animal companion of Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan, pulling the knight's boat-chariot through water with his golden chain.

In both the typical "human into swan via clothing" narrative and Dolpathos' "swan into human via a necklace" narrative, the naked form is not the shapeshifters preferred form. Being denied that which allows their transformation, whether into swan or man, is an act of coercion and violence, a denial of identity and bodily autonomy.

The heart shard necklace is what lets the duck become a girl and a swan-maiden ballerina. When returned to the prince, Mythos gains magical powers - and some of these, such as the summoning of flurries of pink petals, are exactly the same as Tutu's.

And yet duck is able to invoke Tutu's form and power, if only briefly, without the pendant. Duck is also written a lot less animalistically than other animal characters, and the obvious Doylist reason is that the show frames animalistic behavior as weird/creepy and Duck is supposed to be relatable to the human audience by contrast, but. She was literally conceptualized as human girl before Itoh developed the idea to make her a duck, and she is no more strange or inhuman than any other clumsy, ditzy, goodhearted mahou-shoujo heroine. She's just a quacking girl.

Yet the show says, "you were born in a duck's body. Back to a duck you must go."

Mytho is returned to his full princehood, but is still bound into a marriage by obligation. Intriguingly, for such an amatonormative show, Princess Tutu suggest to the audience that Mytho's obsession with Tutu was something other than (romantic) "love" all along; rather, the "feeling that burned in my breast when i thought of tutu" was Hope. It was simply construed as romantic by everyone around him.

(There's a brief shot of a younger Siegfried, presumably pre-heart-shattering, being told about Princess Tutu by an old man, within the pages of The Prince and The Raven. Siegfried expresses the desire to marry the fairy-creature. I wonder if that could be read as a displaced, misunderstood emotion as well, articulated as heterosexual love because a fairy tale character has no other way to understand a boy being mesmerized by a girl.)

Anyways it's literally not in the text but if you pointed at Mytho and told me he's actually the same kind of being as Princess Tutu - some sort of swan maiden fairy being - but was just raised as a human boy I'd like, buy it. It's a headcanon I can accept. If some birds want to be girls then some boys can long to be birds? hashtag gender envy

Also Fakir can't understand Duck's gender b/c hes the only tutu character who unambigiously isnt a bird in any way. Itoh and Sato put princess tutu in the public domain so the transgender furries can poop and twist it up. what was that. goodnight

[odyssean-flower]

so some people asked for a continuation of mermaid neuvillette fic. I still have no intention of turning it into an ongoing fic but I do have some ideas about the aftermath. I'll post the first half here and finish it tomorrow

tw: dark thoughts, controlling behavior

The wavering light overhead was dim and faint, more a memory than anything substantial. And yet you were craning your head towards it with all your might, like a sunflower seeking the sun.

Your arm, despite knowing full well how futile it was, reached up and tried to grasp it in your hands. Of course, nothing except for water slipped through your fingers.

Water–you’ve become so sick of that substance.

You closed your eyes and tried your best to imagine you were somewhere else. Anywhere else. A place where you were surrounded by weightless air. Your small, bare, but familiar apartment. The dull, sterile atmosphere of your job. The cozy and warm house where you met your friends in person for the first time–

That last memory sent a bolt of pain through your head, and you shook your head to get rid of it. Thinking about those people would make you fall into another spiral of depression that you might not ever be able to get out of. 

The flickering light above you seemed to dart away, as though it was scared off by the sudden change in your mood. You tried to chase after it, but you couldn’t move from your spot. For a split second, you wondered if there was something weighing down your legs, and then you remembered.

You tried not to look down at the red, glittering appendage that now consisted your entire lower body.

The waters shifted behind you. You knew who was there even before turning around. 

“My love, have I not told you over and over again that you must not look up at the surface? You would only strain your neck.”

The deep, smooth voice of Neuvillette, your mate–just thinking about that word made you feel ill– no longer sounded in your head, but reverberated straight into your ears. In some ways, that was a good thing. You didn’t know what you would do if he still spoke into your head.

You ignored his endearment of “my love.” You were in no mood to argue with him today, not to mention how sore your throat still was from your last yelling match with him. Well, it was more like you yelled at him while he simply stared at you blankly with his violet eyes, like it was just another tantrum you were having.

“Don’t you mean that you don’t like it when I do it?” you muttered. You let the unspoken reason hang between the two of you. Because you don’t like me clinging to my past life and rejecting you.

Neuvillette either didn’t hear your mutter or let it pass. His hand circled around your arm. “Come, my love. Let us return. I’ve prepared a wonderful surprise for you.”

You let him lead you by the arm. You were still unused to swimming with a tail and kept lagging behind, but he never hurried you. He only gave you gentle encouragements like “Yes, my dear, keep moving your tail like that” and “You’ve become so much better at swimming in such a short time” and helped you along.

He had been like this during your earliest days as a mermaid as well, when he was teaching you how to swim. Endlessly patient, endlessly understanding. You hated it. You hated the fond look in his eyes as he watched you struggle with the most basic skills that even a mermaid infant could grasp easily. You hated the firm grip of his hands on your shoulders and waist (although you quickly learned to put up with it, compared to the humiliation of crawling in the sand). And you especially hated his warm breath in your ear as he murmured instructions to you. 

All of it was a reminder of the fact that you were utterly dependent on him now.

Sometimes, you wished he would just give up on you and leave you drifting in the depths alone. At least that was something you were used to for all your life: depending on yourself because there was no other choice. You wondered why he didn’t. Surely even someone like him couldn’t endure constant rejection and hatred from someone he supposedly loved. 

You never asked him that question. You didn’t think he would understand anyway.

His long hair billowed out and tickled your back as the two of you swam back to your abode.

[zoozvie]

8,9,11 for the writers ask ☺️💗

Thank you!

8. ♻️A scrapped idea for your current WIP

So funny thing is, I don't have very thorough outlines before I start writing🤭🫣 At least with the things I've currently completed. So I don't have to scrap a ton! But, something that I anticipate I'll scrap is probably the intro setting to the Mermaid! Levi/Pirate! Reader I touch on a bit in this ask. If I can get it right, I may be able to keep it in, but if it takes too long, I might just scrap it and rework something similar later in the story.

9. 🤔What's a story idea you'd love to write but haven't even started yet?

I have to honorably mention the Royal Au, as always, because as excited as some people are for it to be written--So am I! ((someone pls, write it for me)) To keep it Levi-centric, I'll say this: blind! Levi hires a cleaner to assist with deep cleaning his home biweekly as he struggles with his new disability. I'm thinking Modern Au Levi becomes blind and lives on his own in a flat. Hange is his best friend, but they can't come over so often anymore because they need to get back to their job. Levi ends up with a cat to keep him company, and she's a sweetheart, but he's having a tough time keeping up with taking care of her and himself without falling into depressive episodes. Enter the house cleaner, Reader, who acts the most normal about Levi's disability, and they become good friends (maybe more) through life's ups and downs. There are a few holes in this, but idk. Maybe I'll figure it out.

11. 🛠️Is there a scene or anything in the WIP you are struggling with right now?

In general, I struggle with pacing and focus too much on "the camera lens," so I end up writing too wordy and unimportant stuff. I also would love to write more for Demon Slayer but I don't know why I just cannot be creative when it comes to those wips.

Send me a question about my wips with this list!

[wedreamedlove]

To Live In A World - Light & Night Group Essay

Light and Night has an 18+ rating in China but, in my opinion, it's not for sexually suggestive scenes, it's for the topics they bring up that only individuals with solid worldviews can appreciate and discuss. One topic that comes up again and again is how an individual lives in the world: what makes someone choose to leave and what makes someone keep going?

Out of the 5 male leads in Light and Night, Sariel, Evan, and Osborn have tried to kill themselves. Charlie cannot even conceive of the idea of suicide, but he also discusses this topic and has his own coping methods to deal with suffering. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Jesse has the standard response that he can't give up on everything because of his responsibilities, his attachments, and his loved ones [SSR Prairie Fire DATE].

Trigger warning for discussions about suicide. Spoilers up to Chapter 19 and Charlie's 2023 birthday.

[SSR Escaping Into Dusk DATE]

Evan: "Do you know how to meet a mermaid?" His tone sounded like he was asking someone a question, but also like he was simply telling the opening of a story. Evan: "You have to swim to the bottom of the ocean—there it will turn pitch-black and blue skies will become a memory." Evan: "When you lie down in that silence and decide to become a part of it, mermaids will appear." Evan: "If your love is sincere and pure enough, they will accept you and take you away forever."

This story comes from The Big Blue and, in the context of Evan's date, refers to committing suicide. I think it's only fitting to start this essay with this haunting metaphor, and this also happens to be one of the times Evan tried to commit suicide during the period of his life when he enjoyed freediving.

TO LIVE IS TO SUFFER—

Since Evan opened this essay, we'll continue to talk about him. First, to understand what could drive someone to commit suicide, I will summarize Evan's background. He was born into a caring nuclear family that quickly disintegrated and so, at the tender age of 5, he lost the love and protection of both parents. Right after that, he was forced to go through the brutal training all Blood Clan members go through, such as survival training in the woods and the indoctrination of their superiority.

[SSR Secrets in the Shade DATE]

Evan: Yes, it was when I was a child and driven into the woods for the first time. Evan: I witnessed wild beasts hunting and escaped from the mouth of a snake. I felt that the forest was full of dangers and only wished to get out of there quickly. Evan: And, just when I was hungry and exhausted, I saw a bamboo mushroom. Evan: At the time, I didn't know what it was and whether or not it was poisonous. I looked at it and thought hopelessly that I might as well pluck it and eat it, and resign myself to my fate.

[SSR Illusionary Light - 14 Years Ago Fall TRAJECTORY]

I felt my pulse beating, ba-dump, ba-dump—and so I aimed the screwdriver at it and stabbed down hard. The second the blood spurted out I heard the sound of my soul drilling out too. It cheered and sang for the freedom and sunlight it waited for so long. I was a bit happy, because I discovered that my heavy body was gradually turning light. That feeling of being able to fly even without wings was addictive. The smell of blood was a strong fragrance and when it dripped onto the mud it even blossomed as a vivid flower. [...] This time no one would be able to stop my footsteps. When the blood ran out, I would be free.

[SSR Against One's Heart - 11 Years Ago Spring TRAJECTORY]

Whenever my body was spread open to be seasoned, I always prayed in my heart for rot to come. I think I would greet it with extraordinary calm and even a small smile. Of course, I would allow myself to retain a bit of sadness and this would be my last reverence and friendliness to life. I held this thought until the first spot of mold appeared on my body—I meant the fresh and still bleeding bowl-sized wound in my chest, large enough that my heart could almost fall out. There was no moment closer to death than now, however a long-lost fear suddenly grew crazily in my body until, in the end, I was defeated. I watched myself stuff cotton balls into my body, along with all my obsessions and wickedness, and the blood stuck them together, forming a new piece of flesh of its own. If death happened to arrive at this moment, he would surely laugh at my hypocrisy and cowardice. Fortunately, the dense night outside the window stretched in front of me like train tracks and I could even hear his departing footsteps that were too lazy to step over those tracks.

The Blood Clan ground away his individuality, his sentimentality, and his attachments. In his 1st birthday [SSR Enticing Feast DATE], Evan explains that all members of the Blood Clan are brought up to have no affections for anything but family. He couldn't be picky about his food, he could only read books that were approved, and his pet rabbit was killed. To make matters worse, Evan is also the black sheep of the Blood Clan. He cannot bring himself to be like them with their cruelty, arrogance, and depravity. He shares their instincts but he instinctively rebels against it and questions all of the Blood Clan values.

Can someone even be considered to be "living" in this existence? It's no wonder Evan doesn't think there's anything to keep him in this world, because he grew up without even knowing who "he" is as a person.

Despite all this though, Evan did manage to find a way to reconcile his self-destructive impulses. However, this answer is going to be left for the next section and, instead, we are going to move onto our next male lead who suffered, Osborn.

Much like Evan, Osborn was also born to a loving family that disintegrated, starting with his father leaving and ending with his mother's multiple attempts to abandon him before she finally succeeded. Once that happened, Osborn had no more attachments to this world and thought about how easy it would be for him to disappear without anyone noticing or caring. He grew up with this fear of being abandoned again and so was afraid to get close to anyone. This self-isolation was only exacerbated by the prejudice of people around him, who saw him as a juvenile offender, and made no attempts to understand him.

[SSR The 400 Blows TRAJECTORY - 14 Years Ago Early Spring]

I look forward, beyond anything else, to the moment I kill myself. At least this proves that, at the very end, before the world abandons me, I severed my relationship with it first.

[SSR The 400 Blows TRAJECTORY - 8 Years Ago Early Summer]

After waking up, he climbed to the edge of the rooftop and looked at the rusty red marks on the concrete floor that couldn't be washed away, like they were a silent accusation. So long as he jumped, he could escape everything. Will anyone grieve for me? Will anyone care about my death? Osborn blankly thought.

[SSR Free Fall TRAJECTORY - 6 Years Ago Early Winter]

He suddenly raised his hand and slashed at his own neck hard. However, the biting pain didn't bring a sense of relief. Instead, it hurt more.

[SSR Free Fall TRAJECTORY - 4 Years Ago Early Winter]

All my classmates had jumped and kept hurrying me. The waves grew larger and larger and I realized I really would die if I didn't jump. But there was an instant where I seriously had the idea of giving up. I thought about leaving things like this, because to me this had never been an act to survive but instead a punishment.

Freedom is a double-edged sword. In protecting himself by keeping others at a distance and not getting attached, Osborn had also walled himself off from the world. It was all too easy for him to be indifferent and flippant with his own life because he cherished nothing and believed that no one cherished him.

However, as we all know, people (and animals) did get under Osborn's defenses and became family members he took under his wing and who ended up binding him to this world. He also discovered his own way of reconciling with the world, which we will talk about in the next section.

The last suicidal man was Sariel. Unlike the others (except for Jesse), Sariel was born to a loving family and there were no tragedies in his childhood. Instead, it was the trauma of war in his early adulthood that brought him to despair. On the battlefield, he saw the cycle of hatred and revenge, what humans do at the extremes of desperation (cannibalism), massacred a village, and ultimately ended the life of someone he loved with his own hands. Everyone he knew and loved passed away, either due to circumstances or the long passage of time, and after fulfilling all of their leftover wishes he himself was left with nothing of his own but crushing survivor's guilt.

[SSR Meeting Spring FILM REEL - Undead Nightmare]

Sariel lay on the shore of the lake and it was unclear whether it was lake water or tears on his face. Sariel: Yet another failure. After that, Sariel tried countless times more. Since his talent would save him, then he would try even more drastic methods. However, his talent followed him relentlessly like a curse. Cut veins would heal, torn off limbs would be restored, and even his heart could recover its function after being pierced by a long blade.

Not mentioned above is how, for his first attempt, Sariel jumped off a cliff and his body was practically pulverized or how, in the scene prior to the translation, he tied himself to a rock and sank into the bottom of a lake to drown. Unlike the other men, Sariel would have truly ended his life on multiple occasions if it weren't for his talent, but since he couldn't die he became an empty husk that wandered the world instead, attempting to drown out his pain in vices like gambling and wine.

So now, after seeing how some of the men in Light and Night hit absolute rock bottom in their lives, how did they pick themselves up and walk all the way to the present to stand before us?

—TO SURVIVE IS TO FIND MEANING IN THE SUFFERING (GORDON W. ALLPORT)

As I have been mentioning, all the men in Light and Night were able to come to terms with living in this world, although it's arguable how "healthy" their coping methods are. In this section, I will not be listing the men in the order I introduced them, but rather by my opinion on the worst-to-best coping methods the men demonstrate. Naturally, this is an incredibly personal opinion and you do not have to agree with me at all. In fact, discussion would be happily welcomed!

First, we have Evan.

[SSR Escaping Into Dusk DATE]

Evan: Actually, it can't be called liking it. It's just that I was once a little addicted to the feeling of freediving. Evan: In a turbid world without sound, color, or light. Evan: You toss aside every tool and means and rely only on the limits of what the human body can do... Evan: It's true the pain brought on by this method is inevitable, but the freedom of the soul gained from this is very captivating. Evan: You will genuinely experience and truly reach your inherent limitations as a human being. Evan: And, in this process, you can also expand the limit of your boundaries bit by bit as much as possible. MC: It sounds like it's nearly walking on the edge of death. Evan: More or less. But it's certainly attractive, isn't it?

[SSR Secrets in the Shade DATE]

MC: When you're feeling down or that things are difficult, just fantasize about the wonderful life you'll have after achieving your goals. [...] Evan: After I achieve my goals? Evan: At that time, perhaps nothing will be important anymore.

There are two parts to Evan's reconciliation with the world. First, as I brought up in my essay "The Depth of his Feelings", I believe the way Evan flirts with death is a homage to traditional vampire literature and their attraction to their own death, but I also think this is a natural act of those who are suicidal and lost as a person. Owing to the Blood Clan, Evan questioned himself and his perception of the world, but nothing is quicker at grounding someone to this world than the undeniable physical sensation of their body's primal instinct to survive.

Second, Evan ended up becoming indifferent to death. Even though I'm mentioning Evan first for "unhealthy" coping methods, it's mostly directed at his near-death outlets, and I actually appreciate his acceptance of death. On that note, there isn't a contradiction here because, even if his body emotionally wants to survive, he has intellectually made peace with death.

Evan's view on death reminds me a lot of the Stoic ideal of the good death. The Stoics do not believe that death is anything to fear because everything comes to an end and, in fact, they believe that suicide is a choice and amoral. The door is always open to you if you choose to leave; the only caveat is that you must consider your circumstances seriously and make your decision logically and not on a rash and impulsive decision. For Evan, he calmly accepts death after he achieves his goal (of wiping out the Blood Clan) because, to him, his life would be complete and there would be nothing more for him in this world. It would be a good death. Evan's acceptance of his own death can also be seen in his 2nd anniversary card [SSR Yesterday's Elegy TRAJECTORY].

Alright, we've seen how Evan reconciled with the world, so now we're going to move onto Charlie.

[SSR To the Oracle DATE]

Charlie: Fiancée, freedom exists. Charlie: It's pain and sacrifice that let him feel the value of existence. [...] Because that person who treats pain as feeling the world and touches the weight of freedom is Charlie too. [...] Charlie: But they can't stop themselves from interacting with others. MC: Why do they have to be so persistent... Charlie: Because they still have hope for this world.

[SSR Solar Flare DATE]

Charlie: I cried terribly when I learned that he would never come back. Charlie: But when I grew up I gradually understood that maybe he had already decided to say goodbye to this world. Charlie: So long as people live they will get hurt. No one knows how much pain the seemingly optimistic and cheery people around them have endured alone. Charlie: Time couldn't heal his wounds and so he gave up on saving himself. I could hear the conflict in his heart. He was someone who clearly valued life a lot and always spared no effort in saving every single person. How many similar things had he gone through, how many helpless moments had he experienced, and how had he carried all of this to this day to stand in front of me... I had no way of imagining it. I could only hold his hand tightly to let him know that I was trying to understand how he felt. Charlie: The look in Myron's eyes before he was lifted into the ambulance made me feel that everything I had done just now might have been meaningless. Charlie: But I will still choose to save them. I can't explain why, maybe it's an instinct.

Like I mentioned, Charlie cannot even conceive of the idea of committing suicide but, ironically, he experiences the world through suffering. As a phoenix, he innately loves the world and its people, and that's why the injustices and despair in the world hurt him so much. So, how does he find an outlet for this pain?

[SSR Perpetual Journey Home TRAJECTORY - New Era 44 Late Autumn]

Charlie clenched his fist, making the tense veins in his arms and wrists bulge out before they submerged into his palm. His flat nails nearly dug hard enough into his skin to bleed. Only then did I suddenly notice that his broad palm was covered with crescent-shaped scars that curved in the same direction. The protruding white marks were old, but it was obvious they were quickly covered with new purple marks before they faded. MC: ... Don't hurt yourself. I placed my fingers on the tips of his fingers and tried to pry them away. But Charlie didn't loosen his hand. He bent his knuckles so hard that it seemed as if he was biting the skin of his palm painfully. And that pain actually entered my body through this touch. MC: Charlie, let go! I heard my own urgent voice, as well as the imaginary quiet sound of flesh being separated. His fingernails dug into his palm, which slowly began to turn red. MC: Charlie, I don't understand... I shook my head, tears staining my cheeks. I didn't understand why he had to torture himself like this. Or— I did understand, but I could only use this common logic to persuade him to stop harming himself. The glaring redness of his palm filled my mind like the shallows of a sea. I smiled bitterly. Wasn't pain just another way of breathing?

[SSR Under the Stigmata DATE]

He walked to my side and sat down, watching quietly as the boy turned back to plucking his black feathers, as if he had seen this done countless times. In a daze, I saw Charlie sitting there in a firefighter's uniform, his face covered with smoke and dust. And every time the boy plucked a feather, his expression that was on the verge of a breakdown softened a little, as if that action could relieve his pain. I also saw Charlie, wearing a white coat and looking exhausted. He sat there blankly, his hands still shaking slightly. I recognized this action, it meant that he had just completed a long operation. They all had the same contentment of pain on their faces. It dawned on me that this place, this house, might have been built by his father originally, and Charlie had also once destroyed it. But in the present, Charlie had built all of this by himself, brick by brick. Here, he overlooked the pain of his past, again and again, gaining the power to rebuild himself from it. I thought about how he found a way to use this pain, but this didn't mean that this pain no longer existed and I didn't want to see any Charlie trapped in it.

This is how Charlie reconciles with the world and his powerlessness. It reminds me of these tweets about trashed bathrooms and how, when people have no control over their life or environment, they will want to assert control over the small part of their environment that they still have the power to affect. In this case, what can you always affect? Yourself. In a way, this is somewhat similar to how Evan paces on the border of life and death, because not only does it make him feel alive but it also gives him control.

For Charlie, there are so many things that he cannot control in the world, especially other people's decision to take their own lives. He also lives under the extraordinary pressure and control of his father, who has been trying to mould Charlie into his perfect heir (and a god to rule this world?). By hurting himself, Charlie can be assured that he is still in control of his own life and his own decisions and this gives him the strength to pick himself up again and again, among all this suffering, to try and help more people.

You can probably see why I don't rate Charlie's method that highly either, because I don't advocate self-harm, haha. Next, after having seen Charlie's method, we move onto Sariel.

[SSR Seeing the Spring FILM REEL - The Mayfly]

Sariel (Phantom): Everything has a conclusion that you have no choice but to accept, regardless of whether it goes against your heart or not, or whether it hurts you or not. Sariel (Phantom): When this pain is too heavy, it's better to forget it than to confront it bruised and bloody. Sariel (Phantom): Living on relies not on redemption or reconciliation, but on forgetting. Sariel: Did you survive to that time just by forgetting? Sariel (Phantom): Yes. Sariel (Phantom): Rather than letting regret and pain erode your heart into an empty husk, it's better to forget everything. Sariel (Phantom): Live on, Sariel. Someone is waiting for you in the future.

As we saw earlier, Sariel would have succeeded in committing suicide if it weren't for his talent. This is why his coping method is to forget the weight of his pain before it drives him mad and turns him into something else. In this dialogue between himself, Sariel does question whether forgetting is just another way of escaping his pain, much like drinking; but, in my opinion, it's a valid choice to set aside the pain when you cannot handle it in the moment. Sariel sealed his power and memories away but, now that he has you to support him, he's unsealed his power and memories and has the strength to look back on his past and come to terms with everything with a less despairing outlook.

Lastly, we come to Osborn who, in my personal opinion, has the healthiest mindset.

[SSR Free Fall TRAJECTORY - 1 Year Ago Midsummer]

To be honest, I was disappointed in that moment. It was no different from any other rainbow that appeared somewhere after the rain. It was very beautiful, and very ordinary. The end of the rainbow was in fact just the end of the rainbow, and it was only my imagination of it that idealized it. But I still stared at it for a long time, until I found that the disappointment wasn't that terrible either. Because the world didn't care at all whether or not I was disappointed. Even if I never set foot on the road again because of this, the world wouldn't use anything I longed for to urge me to stay. After understanding this, I suddenly no longer gritted my teeth and fumed about disappointment. Because I discovered I had other things that could transcend disappointment: people who were willing to take risks with me when I took risks, and people who could understand my emotions that weren't understood.

The world being indifferent is supposed to be comforting, because it means that setbacks and disappointments aren't targeting you in particular. Successes are because of your own efforts and failures are because there were more uncontrollable elements than there were things you could affect.

Osborn internalizes this message and I believe it explains why he's such an active person. He has no expectations for the world and thus cannot be harmed by it any longer. He no longer needs to feel like he did in his childhood, about abandoning the world before it abandons him first. He managed to turn his independence from the world, which used to make him feel isolated, into one of his greatest strengths and it's also because he now has personal connections that bind him to the world by choice.

For my headings, I used a quote by Gordon Allport but, to be honest, I prefer the old Buddhist saying that "pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional" and, in my opinion, it reflects Osborn's perspective and why I, personally, think he has the healthiest relationship with the world. It's inevitable that there will be times when things don't go smoothly in your life and that you'll experience (physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual) pain, but it's your choice on whether to suffer during this period or not. Suffering is optional means you should realize the impermanence of this pain and if you can accept when things are out of your control, manage your expectations, and understand that whatever the world does externally to you does not affect your core as a person, then you will realize there are actually a lot of things you can overcome and that you need not dwell on them.

In the end, Light and Night is a game about hope and all the characters are growing, hopefully including the players who are following all of these characters in their journey. I also really like how the game doesn't affix one theme to one character, but instead approaches a theme from multiple angles through all the characters because, in this case, there is no right or wrong answer on how to live a life in this world. But, hopefully, seeing how hard these characters struggle to keep living can also provide some courage to those who are struggling and searching for their own path.

[princesssarisa]

Some questions about Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" (not Disney's)

I'd like to ask other people these questons:

In Hans Christian Andersen's original story of The Little Mermaid, how do you feel about the Prince? And how do you think we're supposed to feel about him?

Reading various comments about The Little Mermaid online or in non-fiction books, it's clear that it's popular to hate the Prince. People talk about what a "jerk" he turns out to be, and how he "betrays" the Little Mermaid.

Some adaptations also make him more blatantly selfish and unlikable he is in the original. For example, by having him become the Mermaid's lover, only to betray her with another woman, or to reveal that he's already betrothed and never planned to marry her. Disney of course makes Eric fully sympathetic, but does have him fall in love with Ariel and only stray from her because Ursula hypnotizes him. And a few versions have him realize too late that the Mermaid was his true love whom he should have chosen to marry, which never happens in Andersen's version.

Part of the hate Andersen's Prince gets is obviously irrational. At the very least, in the original story, he never betrays the Mermaid because they're never a couple.

But each time I reread the story, I don't know what to make of him. Are we meant to like him or dislike him?

The first detail in his favor is that his subjects seem to love him. The Mermaid overhears fishermen praising him in their boats. When a character is in a position of power, it's always important to notice how the people under his power talk about him.

But speaking of people under his power... his family has slaves. Now, from what I've read, Andersen was anti-slavery. But in the context of this fairy tale, I'm not sure if he meant for the presence of slaves to paint the royal family negatively, or if they're just a part of the implied "exotic" setting, like the presence of citrus and palm trees.

Now let's move on to the heart of the issue: the Prince's treatment of the Little Mermaid in her mute human form.

Obviously, we can't blame him for not realizing that she saved his life, or for crediting the Princess who found him unconscious on the beach with saving him. He has no way of knowing that it wasn't just the waves that swept him to shore.

And it's hard to fault his basic treatment of the Mermaid. He finds a mysterious mute girl on the beach, and despite having no idea of her family, her background, or where she comes from, he brings her to live in the palace, has her richly dressed, and makes her his constant, dearest companion. His affection for her is clear and strong throughout their time together and she loves him more every day.

Yet instead of giving her a proper bed, he has her sleep on a velvet cushion by the door of his room. Like a pet.

He never treats her as an equal, but loves her "as he would love a little child," despite being only a year older than she is. Just because she's mute, and because she's socially beneath him (or so it seems, since he doesn't know she's a princess), he infantilizes her.

Yet sometimes, he shifts away from treating her like a little sister or a pet, and does seem to treat her as a potential romantic partner. He tells her that she reminds him of the girl he loves, whom he thinks he'll never see again – it's implied that much of his fondness for her stems from her resemblance to the Princess. He also tells her "you have almost driven her image out of my mind" (what does that bode for his future with the Princess, if he can freely talk about almost forgetting her in favor of another girl?), and that if he has to marry but can't have his beloved, then he would rather marry his "little foundling" than anyone else.

He freely takes her in his arms too, kisses her forehead and mouth, plays with her hair, and rests his head on her chest. By 19th century standards, would this have been "seemly" or not?

What are we supposed to make of all this? Is the Prince just a kind, affectionate friend who takes comfort in his "little foundling's" presence after losing his beloved, and who values her enough that if he can't marry for love, a platonic marriage to her would be the next best thing? Or should we see him as toying with her and using her as a substitute for a romantic partner, yet because of her disability and lack of status, never humanizing her enough to go all the way?

Then, when he reunites with his Princess, he fails to see the Mermaid's pain, but expects her to "rejoice at my happiness." Is this innocent on his part, or unforgivably self-absorbed?

Part of the problem is the fact that this story is from 1837. The cultures of friendship, romance, male-female interactions, class relations, and disability were obviously all different back then, and hard to fully understand from a modern perspective. I'm not sure if the original readers would have viewed the Prince with more sympathy or less than modern readers tend to.

When his treatment of his "little mute foundling" seems ableist by today's standards, did Andersen mean for it to be ableist? Or would he have seen it as "only natural" to treat a mute girl that way? Was Andersen critiquing ableism, or being ableist himself? And in an era when social class was more rigid than it is today, would it have seemed "only natural" for a prince to treat a homeless girl of unknown origins like a child or a pet instead of an equal, and to never consider marrying her even when romantic potential was clearly there? Still, you'd think that even by 1830s standards, her sleeping on a cushion by his door would be seen as dehumanizing.

Of course it doesn't need to be either "the Prince does nothing wrong" or "the Prince is a self-absorbed jerk." It could also be that he's a good, warm-hearted person, but unfortunately has grown up in a classist, ableist, slave-owning environment that hasn't taught him to treat people like "the little mute foundling" as equals. Andersen might have meant to criticize class divides and ableism without meaning for us to dislike the Prince as a person.

This issue is complicated even further by the generally agreed-upon fact that the Mermaid is Andersen's gender-bent self-insert, and that the story is based (a) on his struggles to fit into upper class society despite his lowly birth, and (b) on his closet bisexuality and unrequited love for his friend Edvard Collin, the son of his patron. He's known to have sent Collin a copy of the story, though it seems that commentators disagree about whether it was meant as a "rebuke" or a "love letter."

I tend to like versions of the story where the the Prince is sympathetic and a true friend to the Little Mermaid, just not in love with her. Maybe that was Andersen's intent; after all, he and Edvard Collin stayed close friends throughout their lives, long after The Little Mermaid was published, and were even buried together.

But maybe he didn't mean it so kindly. Maybe at the time when he wrote the story, Andersen did feel dehumanized and toyed with by Collin, and by the upper class in general. Maybe we are supposed to blame the Prince for the tragedy, and maybe to portray him too sympathetically robs the story of its power.

I'm sorry for rambling on and on. But the Prince is a difficult character and it's no wonder that he's so divisive, or that adaptations tend to change his character drastically in some way or other.

How are we supposed to feel about him?