#The melody of sand and waves and hope and schemes

[aldbooks]

A Strange Melody by ALDBooks for @sunshinebingo

Merry Christmas friend, from your Secret Santa! I hope you enjoy this one. It's not a Christmas story but I def tried to play into your love for the Little Mermaid 🧜🏻‍♀️

@acotargiftexchange

Read on AO3

Chapter 1

Gwyn perched on the algae covered rock in the mouth of the Dark Lagoon and stared at the rock in her hand. The onyx stone shot through with bursts of silver like stars, known as a Midnight Stone, served as the calling card for the mysterious entity known only as the Bargainer. At least, according to the rumors.

Many claimed to have met him, but every story about him varied so greatly it was hard to tell what, if any of it, was truth. The one detail that seemed to be consistent was the Midnight Stone. Made from bits of a rare element encased in hardened ash and created in the heart of the underwater volcanoes of the Northern Sea, one had to venture into the deadlands to seek the stones which- according to the rumors- were used to barter with the Bargainer.

Gwyn had ventured into those dangerous waters just that morning on a whim. A wildly stupid whim, but one that had paid off as evidenced by the stone now sitting in her palm, whose bits of silver star winked at her in the warm evening light. As she glanced up at the sun just disappearing over the horizon, Gwyn clutched the stone in her hand and wondered if this wasn’t the maddest idea she’d ever had before her mouth opened, and she spoke the words that would seal her fate.

“I’d like to make a bargain.”

The air around her seemed to still as the last of the sun’s rays vanished and an unnatural darkness filled the lagoon. Gwyn’s breath caught as a massive, dark winged figure appeared through the star flecked night mist, the handsome features of a man taking shape as the darkness coalesced and she found herself staring into a pair of eyes so blue, they almost appeared violet. 

The figure blinked, glancing around then down at where his boots stood in the sand, lazy waves lapping at his toes. His gaze caught on her tail, surprise flickering over his face as he slowly dragged his gaze back to hers. “Well,” he said, in a voice as velvet smooth as deep night. “This is new.”

The man tucked his hands into the pockets of his trousers, a lock of dark hair falling over his forehead as he cocked his head to the side, studying her intently. “Syren?” he asked.

“Oceanid,” she corrected. The sister species to her kind lived in much deeper waters than the reefs and lagoons that housed her people. Unlike the syrens, the oceanid nymphs were protectors of faekind, not their demise.

“Apologies,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “It has been centuries since I have met one of your kind. What is your name?”

Gwyn hesitated, still clutching the stone tightly in her palm. Power rolled off this man in waves making him seem inherently dangerous in a way that had her second guessing every second of the desperate scheme that had brought her to this moment. And yet, she found herself answering him, as though compelled. “Gwyneth.”

He smiled, a devastating smile that sent a fluttering sensation through her belly. “Gwyneth,” he repeated, his voice practically a purr. “A beautiful name for a beautiful lady. How can I help you, Gwyneth?”

“I- I want to make a bargain,” she stuttered.

His eyes glittered with amusement. “Yes, I know. You said as much when you called. What is it that you desire?”

Here Gwyn stumbled, unsure how to voice exactly what had been plaguing her dreams for weeks now. Ever since that fateful day. The day she’d seen- him.

Gwyn had always been happy with her life, content, if a bit lonely after the loss of her beloved sister. She had encountered many fae in her time, guided them through the treacherous waters of the North Sea’s many reefs and islands. None of them had ever piqued her interest enough to wish to leave the water that had been her home for nearly a century. Not until the day she’d seen him, soaring through the skies far above her. 

She didn’t know what about the man had captivated her so. She’d seen many of the flying race of fae before, but this one was- different. He moved through the sky with a grace she had never seen before, diving and swooping as naturally as a bird, a breathtaking smile on his face when he flew low enough for her to make out his features. He had been utterly beautiful and that smile had haunted her ever since, to the point that she had found herself coming to the surface every day, hoping to catch another glimpse of him.

“I see.” The amused voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “You’re in love.”

Gwyn flushed deeply. “I- hardly! I don’t even-” she blinked. “Wait, how did you-”

The man laughed, the sound deep and rich. It made her shiver. “Besides the utterly smitten expression?” he teased, tapping his temple. “Daemati. I suppose that’s one thing the rumors leave out about me for whatever reason.”

“You- read my mind?” She blushed anew, wondering just how much of her nightly musings he had seen. 

His smile turned wicked. “Oh yes. Don’t worry dear. Your secrets are safe with me.” His posture relaxed as he studied her anew. “So you wish to see the handsome Illyrian again? Is that all? Surely you do not need me for such a thing. Given time, he would have passed over your waters again. What is it you truly desire?”

Gwyn’s mouth opened, but she once again found herself at a loss. She hardly knew what she wanted herself. She hadn’t quite made it that far in her planning. All she knew was that she was desperate to relieve the aching longing that filled her every dream. Wanted to know why, exactly, she was so drawn to this man she had seen only briefly and knew nothing about. 

The man smiled. “Would you like an introduction?”

She blinked, “You know him?”

“I know many people,” he said vaguely. “I can facilitate such a thing. Even provide you an opportunity to spend time with him…”

Gwyn stilled, sensing the ‘but’ that was surely coming. 

“But- it will require you leaving your waters… As you can imagine, the Illyrians are not overly fond of water.”

Gwyn’s mouth dropped open as she gazed around her in dismay. Her kind were able to walk on land for short periods of time though few ever felt compelled to do so. The waters were their home. 

“If I’m not mistaken,” he continued. “The oceanid can walk on land for two days before they must return to the water, correct?”

She nodded slowly.

“Hmm… I might be able to extend that time briefly. Perhaps no longer than an extra day. That would give you three days with the man of your dreams. Of course, if things work out as you hope they might, perhaps you can visit him again after you return to the water for the necessary time. But, I can only guarantee you access to the palace for those three days. After that, it will be up to you to secure another invitation.”

“The palace?” she asked, glancing towards the mainland in the far distance where a large, dark palace stood at the sea’s edge. The King of the Night Court’s residence was rumored to be a place of unfathomable riches and beauty but presided over by a dark master that many of the fae feared. 

“Aye. It so happens the man you seek is the King’s Spymaster and part of his Inner Circle. I can get you inside the palace walls as a guest. The rest is up to you.”

Gwyn shivered as she imagined the sort of horrors she might encounter in such a place. Thinking again of the man’s carefree smile, she found it hard to reconcile with the reputation the King’s Spymaster had amassed over the centuries. Was this truly what she wanted? Was it worth it?

“What is your price?” she asked, returning her attention to the man. 

He smirked. “Do they not tell that part in the stories about me either? My price,” he said. “Is a favor. To be recalled at a later time of my choosing. I decide what the favor will be when it is called in and, should you refuse to honor it…” he trailed off, a clear and obvious threat in his tone.

Swallowing hard, Gwyn once again considered if she had gone mad. What might a man like this possibly ask of her? Was what she got out of this deal worth the price she might pay for it later? It was impossible to say, yet, even as she considered it, she could feel the tug of longing in her chest that compelled her to accept.

“Yes,” she breathed.

The man arched a brow. “You accept my terms?”

Taking a deep breath to still the trembling in her bones, she nodded. “Yes.”

Interest sparked in the man’s eyes before a truly wicked smile curved his lips and he held out his hand. “Then we have a bargain.”

As Gwyn’s fingers slipped into his hand, she felt magic wrap around her wrist, pulling a gasp from her. As she pulled her hand away from his, she looked down at her wrist to find a black spot marked on the inside, shot through with silver and realized the stone in her hand had vanished, now emblazoned on her skin to mark their deal.

Uneasiness churned through her as she looked back at the man. “When do the three days begin?”

“Now,” he said, as darkness engulfed her once more.

[noemitenshi]

Fluffbruary Day 3 - vibrant | animated | secret

Prompt February 3: vibrant | animated | secret (all three fit more or less :) )

Fandom: Fear the Walking Dead

Rating: G

Pairing: Troy Otto/Crazy Dog (Lee)

Summary: This takes place in an alternate universe where Taqa and Jeremiah are kings of neighbouring countries. As in the show they have a disagreement over land that is about to lead to war. Troy’s older brother, Prince Jake, negotiates a peace treaty with King Taqa which also includes a marriage between their families. To this end, Prince Troy has to assume the role of Princess, to marry the heir of Taqa’s kingdom, Prince Lee. Troy is less than amused by this.

Title: The new princess

---

The princess was not what Lee had expected – nor what he had feared. Neither dull and naive – a lifetime groomed for marriage – and with what Lee knew of King Jeremiah, he’d expected the princess to have no own thoughts. Nor was the princess reminding him of his wife – his late wife. Who’d been poised and gracious, well-educated, and sweet, so sweet. Oh, he missed her sweetness that had nothing to do with her position and everything with her as a person. As well as her biting kind of humor which she only let those close to her see.

Oh, how he missed her.

He imagined she’d have a lot to say about this whole situation – in the privacy of their rooms. She wouldn’t, out here, at the banquet of this foreign king that had been their enemy and was now supposed to become their ally. No, she’d smile and nod whenever appropriate while she’d offer him her hand under the table, a quiet show of support. Because she’d be able to see how much he hated this. Hated it from the second King Taqa had told him of this treaty and how he, Prince Lee, had to marry the Otto princess as a part of it. While his wife’s body wasn’t even cold yet.

Oh, he understood of course that he had to. That didn’t mean that he had to like it, though. Didn’t mean that he’d just stop mourning his wife – and his unborn child. And he was disappointed when the expected comforting squeezing of his hand failed to happen. Of course it failed to happen. His wife, Princess Sarah, was dead. And now, now he was expected to marry Princess Troy. Who, truth to be told, looked as excited as Lee felt at that prospect.

From the moment they’d been introduced – by King Jeremiah, who Lee hadn’t been quite able to tell if he was excited or irritated by the whole affair – from that moment Troy was sullen and just shy of offensive. Not by words, oh no, but by how he waited moments too long for it to be polite before he curtsied, how he didn’t establish any kind of eye contact, how he made the customary reply to being introduced, “my pleasure”, sound like anything but. Lee would’ve said he was wearing a sneer while uttering those words except – somehow Princess Troy managed to smile through it. A most mocking smile – that only deepened at the hissed “Troy!” of his older brother, Prince Jake. The one that had arranged the whole horrid marriage deal. Lee had no love lost for him. And Troy seemed to share that sentiment, at least for the moment. And that, more than anything else could’ve, endeared Troy to Lee. This shared distaste towards their situation. And where Lee wouldn’t show his contempt – as the guest of honor he was expected to be utmost gracious – Troy had no such compunctions.

And Lee understood that Troy wasn’t sullen at all but that there was a fire, fury in him and he was brimming with it. Had to unleash it in sharp jabs and contemptuous gestures and Lee found himself enjoying it – even those directed at himself. He enjoyed it the more desperate all of them – but especially Jake – grew.

And when Troy had the audacity to tell King Jeremiah that he was free to don skirts himself and marry Lee if he didn’t like how Troy was behaving, to lead by example, causing utter silence in the banquet hall, Lee had to use all his self-control not to burst out laughing.

Oh, Princess Troy was not at all what he had expected or feared. No, he was clever and rude and harsh. And oh, how he demanded attention, not even by his unruly behavior but by something deeper.

It was the way his gaze drew people in, insistent and challenging. The way he held himself. So sure of himself – not that he was being graceful per se, at least not in that short time Lee had come to know him. He took great care to slouch, to make it abundantly clear that he didn’t want to be here. And still, the way he took up space, the way his presence filled the room, even when he wasn’t trying to push and bump against common decency and politeness had something commanding.

He was not only brimming with fire and fury. He was full of life, so full it filled the air around him and made everyone take notice.

So yes, Troy wasn’t a dull little airhead, nor anything like Lee’s late wife. And Lee wasn’t surprised at how much that relieved him, how much easier that made it to be here, to go through with this wedding while he was still grieving. What had surprised him was how much he enjoyed Troy’s antics, the way he so clearly let everyone know, without saying it, what he thought of this whole debacle. The way he gave shape to Lee’s own dissatisfaction, without even knowing it.  

And even more surprising was that it turned out Troy had something in common with Lee’s late wife – this wicked sense of humor.

And Lee wasn’t bothered by this at all. In fact, he cherished finding this unexpected piece of her in Troy. As he cherished all other and unexpected parts of Troy in his silent way.

-The End-

---

@fluffbruary

[laequiem]

kiss you off my lips - folktober day 5

Jurdannet Folktober 2021- Day 05. She who pulls the strings @jurdannet @jurdannetrevels

Fandom: The Folk of the Air

Pairing: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar but seen through Nicasia/Cardan Greenbriar? lol

Rating: mature

Word count: 2,532

The Puppet King, my subjects call me. Allegedly, the Living Council pulls the strings, controlling me from behind the scenes. They think themselves subtle, but I hear their whispers. Their words, however, slide off my armor like rain. After all, I have heard them countless times, from other’s lips or from my own mind. I was my mother’s puppet, then Balekin, and now I am Jude’s.

read on ao3

Masterlist • She kills my self-control masterpost

The Puppet King, my subjects call me. Allegedly, the Living Council pulls the strings, controlling me from behind the scenes. They think themselves subtle, but I hear their whispers. Their words, however, slide off my armor like rain. After all, I have heard them countless times, from other’s lips or from my own mind. I was my mother’s puppet, then Balekin, and now I am Jude’s.

Most days—more than a King, more than a marionette—I feel like a courtesan. Dabbling in steamy displays with courtiers I am barely interested in, all to keep the façade of the immoral king. I pretend at power, desperate for a nod of approval from my seneschal, while she does all the work. Of course, she had never asked me to whore myself out.

Until today.

I do not know who started our tumbling. Maybe I did, my anger blinding me to the foolishness of what we were about to do, in that small room behind the dais. Forgetting that touching Jude again would remind me of everything I have tried to forget since that day she rode me in her rooms. When I kissed her, that anger melted away, replaced immediately with the desire I have been helplessly fighting against for years.

Or maybe this was Jude’s plan all along. She is more faerie than she seems, at least in the way she schemes and bargains. I will charm Nicasia and get her the info she wants. In exchange, she gave me what I want: her.

Her tart taste lingers in my mouth. I did not kneel for her this time, but licking her taste off my fingers made me regret not indulging that particular thirst.

I find Nicasia easily, splendid in a pearl white gown, talking to Randalin. The small sprite does not stand a chance against her. His goat eyes shift towards me, then he bows deeply. Nicasia turns to me, unable to hide her surprise and delight that I have come to her.

“Cardan,” she croons.

Randalin chokes on nothing, animal eyes going wide. I raise a brow at Nicasia and cross my arms.

“Your Majesty,” she corrects herself, a purplish tint blossoming on her cheeks. I will never tire of this.

“Princess Nicasia.” I take her hand and kiss her knuckles. “Would you accompany me on a walk? For old time’s sake.”

“It would be my pleasure,” she beams up at me.

We make boring small talk as we walk, her arm looped around my elbow. The path leads us away from the Palace, towards the beach separating the Shifting Isles. Jude seemed to think Nicasia still liked me, and I suppose I can see it. She looks up at me with clear interest, though the conversation is as weary as can be. I work my charm up even more. A small hibiscus shrub blossoms as we walk past and I pluck a flower, tucking it in her hair with a calculated graze of my knuckles against her cheek.

The sea does not rise to greet us as we set foot on the sand.

“The sea is unnaturally calm,” I say.

I chuck off my shoes and Nicasia’s eyes dart straight to my bare feet. I hope Jude does not ask me if she was right that Nicasia still holds feelings for me, I fear I would not be able to lie.

“It is,” she says, turning back towards the sea.

I slowly uncuff my shirt for the second time today. I chase away the memories of Jude’s curious fingers on me. The way she explored and grabbed at me like she needed to figure me out, to plan out how to efficiently unravel me next time.

Next time.

I hope there is a next time.

“I must admit I am surprised,” I tell her nonchalantly, "I thought the Undersea always made true on their threats.”

I will the nearest tree to stretch out a branch towards me. I unbutton my shirt and remove it, then hang it on the branch.

“What do you mean?” Nicasia asks.

She turns to me. The way she devours me with her eyes takes me back to a time of shared wickedness and complicity. A time when it was us against the world, a time when she chose me over my siblings.

Until she chose Locke over me.

Now do you believe me that she wants you? Jude had asked. I suppose I do.

At one point, this look on Nicasia’s face would have set all my nerves on fire. Now, I feel the same as when strangers ogle me.

“Cleave together lest you face the rising tide,” I singsong, reciting the words from Queen Orlagh’s minion at the Hunter’s Moon revel in the same melody they used. “Yet the sea stays quiet. I take it your kind has another plan.”

I reach for the lace holding together my breeches and pull at the knot. Nicasia looks down at her hands, suddenly captivated by her nails.

“Perhaps,” she says too quickly. “Or perhaps we hope you will come to your senses.”

“We all hope so.”

Including me. Just not about this particular issue. My issue is of the mortal kind, the kind who deals in secrets and knives.

I hang my pants next to my shirt. Nicasia is still fully dressed, standing with her back straight and her lips tightly shut. I stop in front of her and trail a finger up her arm before slipping it under one of the straps of her dress.

“Will you not join me, Princess?”

My tail brushes up her spine and she arches towards me. I don’t wait for her to answer, though. I run into the sea.

The water is cold, unwelcoming. Before becoming High King, the salt water would not have bothered me as much. With only minor magic, only ingesting salt would have hurt me. Now, it grates at my skin like sandpaper, as if eating away my skin to get to the magic within. My magic recoils from any part of me in contact with the water. It’s heinous. I would rather take a dip in the Lake of Masks.

On the shore, Nicasia strips off her dress, hose, heels, tiara, everything. Then, she runs towards the water in a wave of blue-tinged skin and blue hair. She dives under, agile and more in her element than I could ever be.

She resurfaces next to me, a smile on her painted lips.

“Like old times,” she says.

“Like old times, but so much more complicated.” I sigh, then cast my line. “It used to be so easy.”

She takes a step towards me, biting the bait. “What was?”

And I reel it in.

“Everything,” I say with a frown. I take a step towards her, and put my hand on her cheek. “Us.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” she says softly.

“It does.” I sigh again. “Do you realize how hard it is to please everyone? The Living Council is always on my case. And my seneschal—”

She groans. “Why do you even keep her around?”

Because she commands me. Because she is the true ruler of Elfhame. Because I love her.

“I have to.”

Nicasia puts her hand over mine. Her fingers are webbed now, I notice. No gills, however. I suppose she knows I have no desire to ever follow her under again. Now that I am High King, I don’t have to—unlike when I was no more than the lover of the Future Queen of the Undersea.

I wonder if Nicasia notices the way I look at Jude. I wonder if I used to look at her like that, or if it was something else. I did love Nicasia, once, but it was never as labyrinthine.

I try to emulate that look just now, I try to look at her like I used to. Nicasia is still the same beautiful creature she always was: a perfectly symmetrical face composed of sharp angles and large, deep eyes. She is beautiful in the way a painting is, a piece of art to be admired. Just like art, she can make you feel things—but it’s nothing as primordial as what I feel for Jude. Like she is the beating heart I am tethered to.

“There are things I can choose for myself.”

I stroke her cheek with my thumb. She leans into my touch, angling her head towards my hand.

“… things?” Nicasia asks.

“Lovers. Consorts.” I lean in towards her ear and whisper, “A Queen.”

The words sound so wrong, they claw at my throat as they come out. I am surprised I can even say them, but they are not lies. I simply have no desire to make Nicasia any of these things.

“Ca—Your Majesty,” she gasps.

“We’re in private. Cardan is fine.”

I kiss the soft spot under her ear, then pull at the lobe with my teeth. Her skin tastes salty. Like seawater, of course, not the salty tang of sweat drying on skin after an exhausting training session. The point of her ear is unsettling, sharp like a blade.

“Cardan.” She slides a hand behind my neck, toying with my hair the way she knows I like. “Why refuse me so often then?”

I pull back to look at her, my hands roaming down to settle on her small waist.

“My subjects think me… young. Foolish.” I look towards the Palace, the grassy hill looming over the trees. “They already say I am a puppet.”

“They are the fools,” she spits.

I shake my head. “I am a fool. Regardless, if I were to marry so early after being crowned, they would think you the mother of puppets. The one who pulls my strings.”

“Especially given my mother’s insistence,” she says and I nod.

I pull her to me, her hips pressing against mine. Bone against bone. Wildly different from the soft but strong body I was exploring hours earlier.

“Politics, you know.” I sigh. “Tedious.”

I think I am overdoing it on the sighs, but what can I say? I am quite dramatic, even when I am not acting.

“Still,” I lean in, barely a hair’s breadth away from her face, “I have a say in whom I woo.”

Our lips crash together like waves on rocks. Hers are cold, which is fitting seeing how unaffected I am by this. It’s the kind of lustful kiss I give my partners, no feelings other than desire. My body is not fooled, however—kissing Nicasia has about the same effect on me as listening to Fala’s ramblings. I tip her head backward and she complies, malleable and utterly bewitched. My other hand slides from her hip to her buttox. I squeeze a barely-there cheek and she giggles against my mouth.

One of her hands is tangled in my hair while the other one slips from my shoulder down my back. As she has always done, she avoids my scars like they are made of iron. When we were together, I thought it was for my own sake that she never acknowledged them. That she was being kind, in her own way. When I had fresh wounds and I refused to take off my clothes, she understood. But when I ended it and my mind stormed to figure out what went wrong and led her astray, it started to feel more intentional. Like she sees my scars as weakness and she fears that touching them would contaminate her.

“I miss us,” she whispers against my lips.

I only hum an agreement, pulling away to kiss at her throat. Her hand continues its careful trek down my back, until she gets at the base on my spine. A dreadful shiver goes up my spine as I anticipate what she is about to do. Sure enough, her fingers circle the base of my tail. She strokes it, letting it slip between her fingers for the whole length of it. I jerk away, take a step back. As if to spite me, the sea places a slimy rock right under my foot and I slip, falling backwards into the water with the grace of a drunken redcap.

I spit out no less than a gallon of water as I resurface, choking on the salt that is sure to take days to leave my system. Nicasia’s mouth is twisted up in remnants of a smile, her eyes glinting with amusement.

“What happened?” she asks as I stand.

“Something… touched me,” I grumble, a faerie truth if nothing else.

She reaches out, moving a wet strand of hair away from my face. “The High King is afraid of a little fishie?”

I scowl, then splash her with water. “I am not afraid.”

Nicasia chuckles. I shrug her off, starting towards the beach.

“Leaving already?” she teases.

“My guards will start looking for me soon enough, if my seneschal isn’t already on her way.”

Nicasia grunts, probably rolling her eyes dramatically as she follows behind me. “That mortal has too much power.”

I stop in front of the branch I left my clothes on. I still feel the salt on my skin, drying there as the water drips away. I grab my tail and wring water from the tuft at the end of it.

“Does she?” I ask, bored.

“Yes!” Nicasia steps around and puts herself between me and the branch. “What will our world become if mortals do not learn their place? As their power grows, we ought to unite. The Land. The Sea.”

“Nicasia—” I start, but she interrupts me.

“The sea is growing impatient, Cardan,” Nicasia continues, a hint of irritation hidden under the usually pleasant lilt of her voice. “My mother thinks the Land is weak, she might act any moment.”

I inspect my nails, picking a grain of salt from under one of them. “If the Crown is so weak, why try to unite with us at all?”

“I want us to be united,” she spreads her hands, palm up.

“And I want to bathe. Your regnal birthright is quite cold.”

I step around her and start dressing up. Behind me, I hear her stop, then the rustling of fabric.

“Do not jest,” she scolds. “What she’s planning—you should take it seriously.”

“I do. And I will think it over, once I am warmed up.” I finish cuffing my shirt, then hold my arm out for her. “Will you accompany me?”

Arm in arm, we return to the Palace. Even without their High King, the Folk still partake in their traditional merriment. Unheeding of my vague promises and empty words, Nicasia spends the rest of the night at my side. We trade kisses and caresses for everyone to see. Later, we move to the rooms assigned to her to do more of the same, to bathe and exchange soft whispers. When I leave Nicasia’s chambers, she hands me notes regarding her mother’s plans to attack during Taryn Duarte’s wedding.

As I collapse on my bed, finally alone, I curse Jude’s name for being right. Still, her name is the last thing on my mind as I drift asleep.

-

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[olympusnerd]

The Story of Aphrodite Part 1

The sketch was done with 4H and B7 pencils and a little color for her majesty’s eyes. 

This story is a snippet of a background I’ve written about Aphrodite the Goddess of Love regarding how she became the goddess of love. This piece is rated PG but installments will be rated R and will have additional warnings. Mostly writing this because it’s always bothered me how it seems like pop culture appreciates her because she’s hot and thinks she’s just a petty manipulator. I see a lot more of an icon and wanted to paint her in a different light. 

Word Count: 3377

For so many, the beginning was chaos, but for Aphrodite, that was more than a poetic truth. While the world would have one believe that the goddess of love, sex and beauty was put on this earth already ordained the most beautiful or the most sexual, it was a long and strenuous road for the goddess to become the icon mortals will remember her for all time. No, her entrance into the world was anything but beautiful. 

The sky cracked angrily with flashes of lightning jetting from one end of the world to the other as the ground quaked with Mother Earth. Gaia was shivering in stunned horror at the brutality of Uranos’s death. Though she had orchestrated the entire event, nothing could have prepared the celestial for seeing her husband slain like cattle, his severed genitals scattered across her lovely planet like seeds to tilled soil. 

It was from his blood that various creatures arose from Mother Earth's womb. The Furies: a rightfully dreadful group of female monsters with sharp teeth and claws made to rip apart oath breakers; the Giants: massive beasts of great strength and aggression; and the Meliai: a melancholy family of ash-tree nymphs. 

But there was one last piece of the Sky Father left unnamed, floating along the water in a white foam of divine seed. Gaia blew the breath of life into the water, then watched as the waves of the oceans lead the mass away from the grizzly scene of patricide towards the quiet white beach of Paphos Cyprus. Here, in the crystal clear waves, something extraordinary happened. 

From the foam emerged a shimmering pink clam that opened to reveal a head of thick wavy hair the color of blood, which rose as the being stood. With surefooted steps, a creature rose from the sea, a creature that didn’t resemble the Furies, the Giants, or even the Meliai. No, this creature was something else entirely. 

She somewhat resembled the Titans in shape, with smoothe, earth toned flesh and hair that reached past her hips, but there was something different about her face and body that set her apart from her half siblings. Nude, as all beings were after birth, every inch of her perfect form was on display. Long, strong arms, a shapely form, ample breasts and a round bottom. Her dark skin glistened in the remnants of sunlight, giving her the characteristic glow of what Gaia recognized immediately as that of a goddess.

Her face was lovely, with eyes that held curiosity as they scanned across the beach she found herself on and supple lips pursed in awe at her own spontaneous existence. 

“Hello?” she called out in a soft voice. “Is anyone there? Where am I? What is this place?” 

Gaia didn’t answer at first, instead she watched from a distance, as she usually did in these types of situations. Best see how things will play out in her own absence before interfering unnecessarily. 

Just then, the waves retreated from the shoreline, then rose up into what looked to be a wall that stood a great deal taller than the woman. Dropping down in a sudden downpour, two bodies were left in its wake. A man and woman dressed in thin, iridescent robes with bluish toned skin and black hair gave a shallow bow to the newly birthed woman. 

"Hello," the man spoke tenderly, "I am Oceanus, the lord of the ocean. And this is my wife Tethys." His wife gave a small smile and tilt of her head. 

The woman who had only lived for minutes inhaled sharply, then glanced around. 

"Don't be alarmed, I won't harm you. I saw you appear so suddenly and heard you call out. Do you have a name, my child?"

She shook her head.

"Then we should see to it that you find a fitting name. I'm sure you must be confused, we can help you. And perhaps Mother would be so kind as to come to your aid as well.” 

At the que, Gaia materialized in the sand, a grand creature shaped like any other woman save for the granules of rocks and mud used to give her large body form. Tendrils of the seaweed that had been floating along the shore were swept into the manifestation of Mother Earth and to anyone she appeared the epitome of a Primordial Deity in all her ancient glory. “If you knew I was here then I assume you’ve seen what Cronos has done.” 

“You mean what you’ve had him do,” Tethys gently corrected. Her large dark eyes fell upon the soft fleshed woman standing between them all, not shivering in the draft of wind sweeping across the land. “Yes, we’ve seen. Is it not what you wanted, Mother? Father dethroned?” 

“Not like that,” she answered honestly with a gentle shake of her head. “Your father wronged me and deserved to have his strength stripped of him, but not disrespected. Not disgraced. What Cronos did will forever taint my soils as the first ever blood crime.”

The three bowed their heads in silence as they contemplated what to do next. 

It was the newly birthed woman who would break their thoughts with a soft, melodious voice, “What is to become of me?” All eyes turned to Gaia, who tapped a finger on her chin while brooding. 

“You don’t strike me in the same way as the other creatures. And I can’t be sure that Cronos even noticed her being born, I myself would have missed it if I hadn’t seen the current pull away as it had.” 

“What is that supposed to mean, Mother?” Tethys asked. 

“Nothing. I’m simply making an observation. One never knows when such information can be useful.”

Tethys and Oceanus shared a glance at their mother’s scheming ways, but it was never a good idea to argue when Mother Earth was involved. 

This was, after all, entirely her domain that the Titans inhabited. She was, and always will be, the great force when angered. 

Uranous, the Sky Father, had learned this lesson the hard way. 

“Oceanus, Tethys. I would like you to look after this child for the time being. I know you’ve your own children you’re rearing but she doesn’t look to require much care. She should be strong enough to carry her own weight, have her work hard alongside your other daughters and raise her to be good and loving, but also strong.” Gaia reached out and lightly stroked a sandy finger across the unchildlike face with round dark violet eyes glossed over like a sparkling amethyst. “She was born of your seas, Oceanus. She belongs with you. Take care. I can sense great things will come from this one.” 

The woman’s eyes met with Tethys, who offered a sincere smile while taking her husband’s hand and offering her other towards her. “I have enough love to spare for one more. You are more than welcome to join us in our home.”

The woman looked between these three and, seeing no other alternative, took the light blue hand of Tethys and followed her and Oceanus into the salty water of the Mediteranian Sea. 

And so, the world was given the one born of foam, Aphrodite. 

Life with the gods of the world’s oceans was as good a life as any other Aphrodite could have hoped to have. The kingdom of Oceanus spread across the seabed, with a central, enormous palace in the deepest crevices of the seas, carved out of various corals blossoming in red, pink, and yellow reefs. The inhabitants of the kingdom ranged from the fish, whales and sharks that filled the waters to merfolk with tails in place of legs as well as those like Aphrodite with feet. The main difference between the foam goddess and other oceanic humanoids was her lack in ability to change shape at will like those truly born of water. In certain corners of the palace were air pockets that one could dry off and rest their weary limbs after a full day of swimming, which is where Aphrodite found herself most evenings stretched out on beds of seaweed and sponges.

Many years passed since that fateful day on the beach of Cyprus and the young goddess found herself happily living as a member of the Oceanus’ courts. He and Tethys raised thousands of children who would grow and leave to venture into the world, creating streams, rivers and ponds to preside over as their own domain. Many bore children, whose children had children, and so on and so forth. All while Aphrodite stayed the same, day in and day out. Her brothers and sisters tried for many years to try and find a suitable partner for their beloved, adoptive sister, but none caught her attention, though she caught many other’s eye. While she seemed to be, without question, the most beautiful creature yet to be born, she remained, for the most part, content with being single. The love of her family was all she needed, perhaps one day she would find a mate to settle down with but for now she reveled in her freedom of such responsibilities of being a wife and mother. Instead she worked on herself, studying the power of the sea in synchrony with Selene’s moon, helping to classify the many sea creatures she came across, to staying physically fit and maintaining strength. She was just as strong as any man in the sea and as fast as any fish. 

For the most part, the goddess had a leisurely life. On any given day, Aphrodite and the daughters and granddaughters of Oceanus swam from one end of the world to the other in races, searched the seafloor for rare shells and gems, or explored underwater caves for new signs of life. On rare occasions they would find themselves on the beaches playing with crabs and gulls, but for the most part they were warned against going above the water surface. 

“I rule all within this realm, but once you are under Helios’s sun, I cannot protect you. So take care, my daughters of the sea, to stay close and stay safe,” Oceanus told the women in all seriousness, though usually it would fall on deaf ears. The ladies had never known harm unto themselves or anyone else, truly this life was perfect without danger. 

But Oceanus knew all too well that the world above was not as peaceful as that within his home. Cronos, after the death of his father, had grown more cynical every year. While at first his reign was dubbed the Golden Age for all the food abundance and peace that came after the initial slaying of his father Uranos.

The peace, however, was not meant to last. Over time, Cronos became paranoid that his rule was tainted by the curse his father spouted in his dying breath, that he too would someday be dethroned. It was said to be empty words by his brothers and sisters, merely the final cries of a being desperate to have the last say in how the world he helped reign over would crumble without him. Cronos tried to hold onto that thought, tried desperately to quail the nagging suspicions he had playing in the back of his mind like a fly buzzing in the ear of a bull. Until the day the ruler of all the world found out something terrible: his wife Rhea was begotten with child. 

He tried to maintain his composure for the most part, but in the end, his own paranoia got the best of him. At the end of the infant’s gestation, Rhea gave birth to a beautiful, clay toned baby girl. While all of her sisters, who had helped with her delivery, were busy tending to the new mother, Cronos stood in the corner of the room holding the newly washed, freshly born child in his arms. She was small, incredibly so, compared to other children of titans. And she held a slight reddish glow around her fragile form. 

How strong would she be?

How powerful?

His eyes went over to Rhea, who gave a soft smile in return. “Darling?” she called out. 

But he didn’t move. Instead, Cronos looked back down at the infant. 

No. 

He couldn’t risk it. 

To the horror of everyone in the room, Cronos raised the child by her ankle, high above his head, and with a crack unhinged his jaw like a snake. 

He swallowed the child whole. 

Rhea was so stunned she passed out while her sisters stood in mortification as the king of all the world quietly left the room. 

Five more times did Cronus do this unspeakable act of consuming his children, each time sliding more and more into madness. 

Where once the world was bursting with life, now it had grown dark from clouds that offered only lightening and thunderous roars. In a few places his misery hadn’t tarnished the lands and those who could fled to escape his wrath. 

But those under Oceanus’ rule knew nothing of this pain and suffering, spending their days playing oceanic games and hosting grand feasts as their neighbors above starved. 

It was on a particularly normal day that Aphrodite was babysitting for her adoptive sister Doris. It was nothing new for the lovely foam goddess to be asked to keep children, as she didn’t have her own and typically didn’t have any worldly duties like her siblings. She hadn’t a river to attend or a kingdom to rule, and so she found herself with her niece Amphitrite and nephew Nerites playing hide and seek in a grotto off the coast of Megiste. As children of Doris, Amphitrite and Nerites could transform into tailed creatures to help them to move through underwater caverns, though that did little to keep Aphrodite from catching up to each of them. She had been swimming for immeasurable years before these two thought of being born and she had grown to be as fast as her aquatic brothers and sisters, despite being tailless.  Over and over, the children cried out in delight at their aunt’s ability to best them repeatedly at their own game, no matter how hard they tried or what animal they transformed into, she would catch them. 

They had gone nearly one hundred rounds when Aphrodite stopped just short of tapping Nerites’ arm at the sound of thunder. 

His high pitched voice echoed when he shrieked in surprise at the sound, making his sister laugh at his plight. 

“You’re such a guppy,” she giggled. 

“I am not, I was startled is all!” 

“The water seems to be getting worse,” Aphrodite cut in, looking outside as the water began to pour. Fortunately, underwater seldom changed from the surface weather problems, but it still would warrant a cautious swim home. 

“Did you see that?” she asked, her amethyst eyes rolling over the cavern walls. 

“See what, Auntie Ditey?” 

“I,” she narrowed her eyes, was that a shadow on the wall? No, it must have just been refracted light. No one ever came into the blue caves, she reassured herself. Most land dwellers were afraid of unknown waters. “It’s nothing. Who is ready to head back to see grandfather and grandmother?” 

“Oh, can’t we play one more time?” Amphitrite begged, her oversized eyes sparkling with the last of daylight echoing off the water. “Just once, please, Auntie Ditey?” 

Both children sported their largest eyed pleads they could muster before Aphrodite shrugged, “Now what kind of aunt would I be to say no to such sweet faces. Alright, darlings, we’ll play once more, then we have to hurry off.” 

“We can race home!” Nerites offered in a boast. “I’ll turn into a dolphin!” 

“Of course, and I’ll beat you like I always do,” Aphrodite teased. 

The children turned her towards the cave wall and she proceeded to wait for their collective, “I’m ready!” before she began her hunt. 

As they played their last match, somewhere just inside the mouth of the blue caves floated a wooden raft that had rolled inside to escape from the oncoming storm. A man quietly sat on his makeshift boat as he watched the woman and children playing until they swam away, mere feet away still unaware of him. In truth, he wasn’t paying them much mind until had a good view of the earth-toned woman's rise from the water to stand on the outer ridge of the cave’s wall before throwing herself back to make a splash. The children yelped in delight as the man’s jaw fell agape. She was lovely, in the most sincerest of forms, unlike any creature he had ever seen. Her dazzling eyes, her smooth skin, her flaming hair. It was nothing to him that she was nude as most creatures, particularly those of the water, chose to forgo such trivialities as hiding their bodies.

Yet here this man was, watching the woman with a rise within himself he had never imagined before. What was this yearning he felt? He didn’t speak up, in fear  

When the storm passed, he made his way out of the caves towards the beaches of what would later be dubbed Athens. There he made his way towards Mount Othrys, where his father and uncle eagerly awaited his return. All the while, images of the enchanting woman played over and over in his mind’s eye. 

 “Atlas!” his father Iapetus greeted from the dining table. He sat as always to the left of King Cronos, who was brooding over a meal a servant had just served like it had been burnt. Atlas never liked his uncle, but didn’t care enough about politics to press the matter, rather he explored the corners of the globe in search of adventure and unseen lands. “I was beginning to think you had been held up somewhere and we’d have to track you down.” 

“No, not at all, I got caught up in some weather just on the other side of the eastern islands. Nothing too concerning.” 

When he took his seat beside his mother Clymene, dinner commenced and the guests took up their light conversations as Atlas stared down at his plate deep in thought. Around the table, he could hear everyone carrying on, his uncles Coeus, Hyperion, and Crius, his aunts Queen Rhea, Theia, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, and Tethys, and a few cousins whom he never took the time to memorise their names unless he liked them. As they carried on as normal, he replayed the images of the intoxicating woman he had seen in the cave. 

Why hadn’t he spoken up?

Why hadn’t he asked her name?

“Dear, you’ve been out all day, surely you’re hungry?” his mother gently asked. 

He heaved a heavy sigh before his eyes landed on his mother, her glistening light blue skin reminding him of the children that played with the woman. That’s right, they would have been descendants of Oceanus. And that woman, she must have been someone from his court. Perhaps a nymph of some kind?

An idea popped like a bubble into Atlas’s head. 

“Actually, Mother, I was wondering. Tomorrow could we visit your father’s kingdom? I haven’t seen grandfather Oceanus in quite some time.” 

“Oh, well, I’m actually going to be busy tomorrow, but I’m sure your father-”

“I can accompany you.” 

The table’s idle chit-chat ceased as all eyes fell on Cronos, who rarely spoke at such events as trivial as family dinners. 

“Tha-that won’t be necessary, your highness,” Iapetus reassured, “I know you must be busy with more important things than traveling into the realm for a family visit.” 

“No, I’d like to visit our brother. I haven’t heard from him in quite some time, it would do some good to… catch up with one another.” 

Atlas noticed the tension in the room thicken. As far as he’d known, Oceanus was as dedicated to Cronos as any of his other brothers, but there was speculation that Oceanus had closed his doors to most of those above sea level because he didn’t agree with the way his younger brother ran in domain. 

But again, politics wasn’ t what interested Atlas. 

For now, it was finding out who that mysterious woman was who had ensnared his heart.

[chelleaslin]

Lukadrien June Day 17- Siren Au

@miraculouschallenges

Adrien followed the beautiful melody to the shoreline, it seemed to echo and bounce of the waves, floating around the entire beach, not emitting from one true location.

“Adrien?” A familiar voice called, “Are you okay?” A small warning voice in the back of his mind told him that he should respond, that he knew that voice but his brain was muddled and preoccupied at this moment. He ignored the person and took a slow step into the water, and another and another. Soon he was chest deep, the beautiful song that seemed to call his name in an unknown language hummed against his skin as the light waves sprinkled water onto his face.

“Adrien! What are you doing?” The voice called again, Adrien hummed as he realised that that was Nino, his best friend. Perhaps he should turn around and go back to shore? It didn’t seem safe coming out this far when he couldn’t swim. He turned around, ready to slowly make his way back to his friend when the singer suddenly boomed loudly, the noises sounding like it was directly in his head, pounding its way out. He gripped his head and screamed in pain, what was happening? Without realised it he had turned back out towards the ocean and had slowly started to walk deeper and deeper, with every step he took, the deeper he went and the more the pain lessen.

Eventually he went under, water filling his lungs instantly and burning his throat. He started to choke, yet his body didn’t react, he just keep going further and further. His brain started to lose focus and soon he didn’t even remember to move at all. He floated under the water, the edge of his vision darkening as he felt himself slowly loose consciousness.

Something swam into his field of vision, it was bigger than a fish, it’s sliver scales shimmering under the sunbeams that penetrated the water’s surface. If he was fully awake and in more control of his thoughts, perhaps he would have freaked out over the possibility of a shark, but at this point he was too far gone. He felt himself slip away as a concerned face enter his filled of vision.

Everything was black, he couldn’t see, he couldn’t feel, he couldn’t hear. He was trapped in some hellish void and he had started to panic.

“Calm down.” A unfamiliar voice boomed around him. It was useless though, how could one calm themselves when they were struggling to breath? He started to claw desperately at his throat as if that would somehow make it better. “Breath” The voice commanded, suddenly a rush of air hit him. He choked on once for before vomiting up sea water, his airways finally clear, he gasped in big, greedy breathes filling up his lungs and making up for his recent lack of oxygen.

Light started to peel in around him, bright whiteness evaporated the darkness. He blinked his green eyes trying desperately to rid them off the burn left behind by the suddenly light. With each blink the white light turned into baby blue, white smears stayed in his vision and it took him a second to realised they were clouds, he was looking at the sky. He gasped, sitting up and looking around. He was on the shoreline but he wasn’t anywhere near where his friends were, this side of the beach was deserted as far as he could tell.

He looked down at his body, counting his limbs and checking for any signs of harm. As far as he could tell he was fine, minus his drenched clothes. He furrowed his brow as he looked around, no one was in sight, not a single soul, so who had fetched him out? Did he just get carried to shore? Surely not. He would have sooner drowned. He closed his eyes as he tried to recall his memory, unfortunately everything was a bit hazy.

He sat on the sand and watched the waves crash against the shore, trying to understand what happed. It was like he was compelled by the beautiful singing he heard, it was drawing him to the ocean to the point he almost died, yet he didn’t want to stop himself, he wanted the source of that noise and nothing not even death was going to get in his way. He shivered in fear as he realised how messed up that was.

“Adrien?!” He heard voices scream and panicked as he realised his friends saw him go under but not come back up. He scrambled to his feet and quickly ran towards the voices, his legs felt like jelly beneath him but he powered through it.

“Yes! I’m here” he yelled back. “I’m alive! Guys!” He screamed as he ran around a massive rock and saw his friends in the far distance.

Laying low in the water was Luka, a beautiful silver and blue siren, he watched in sorrow as the Human called Adrien ran back towards the other humans. He could feel the fear washing away from Adrien’s body as relief filled his being. I did that too him, he sadly thought.

Their were legends among the merfolk, that only a Siren’s soulmate could hear their song, it something intimate that only two half of a whole soul could hear.

Luka spent day after day out on the shore, singing his heart out for all the humans that visited, only no one heard, no one appreciated his song, until today. The human, Adrien, he heard him! He answered his call and came to the ocean but it wasn’t to be.

The human couldn’t breath underwater the same way Luka could live on land, there was an impossible barrier between their love that couldn’t be persuaded.

Luka wrapped his arms around his torso, nothing had changed about his live drastically in the last few minutes. He was till in the ocean, his home, surrounded by his fish brethren, yet he had never felt so alone before.

He swam towards the humans that were celebrated his humans safe return. All of them were hugging and touching his human, he could feel the happiness and relief rolling of their group in strong waves. Despite the jealously that was burning inside of the sorrow that consumed his chest, he felt the tiniest spark of joy. He may never touch his soulmate, never hold him, never kiss him or even speak to him but he was relieved that at least this Adrien had other humans in his life. One that loved him immensely and cared for him, they would have to make up the love he, himself was unable to give.

“You really scared me!” A human said, he had an odd contraption on his face, his eyes hidden behind sea glass.

“I know, I’m sorry... I-“ Adrien cut himself off. “I don’t really understand what happen.” His voice was soft and vulnerable, all the other humans faces broke, they looked as sad as Luka felt. They all continued to comfort him for a few minutes as they all come to the reality that he almost died, Luka almost killed him. His own heart ached at the thought.

“Only, Adrien Agreste nearly drowns on our first day of vacation! What are you going to do for the rest of the summer?” The human with the sea glass covered eyes asked, laughing. Luka closed his eyes and opened his sense, although the human laughed, no joy or happiness were present in his emotions, just fear.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll still come. I might just stick to the shore.”

Lukas perked up at this, Adrien’s coming back? Everyday for the rest of the heated days? He felt his heart flutter in his chest, he may not be able to have direct contact with his love but he can at least admire him for afar.

“Come on, let’s head back to the hotel.” Another human asked, they had long hair that spread out around her like the water does to his hair, yet they were on the land, no water was affecting it. Her hair was a dark colour, yet the ends glowed like the morning su , Luka hadn’t seen a human with bright hair before, only merfolk, was she one of them?

“Alya’s right, lets go.” Sea glass agreed, nodding his head. The black sticks on his face slipped down on his nose, making Luka’s eyes widen, okay, so they weren’t attached to his face because he couldn’t feel any pain coming from him. The group of human all started to pack up their belongings and walk further up the beach, onto part of the land Luka couldn’t see. Adrien didn’t move an inch, he stared out into the water with an unreadable expression on his features. He turned his attention back towards Adrien, he felt a few new emotions rolling off of him, Confusion, hesitation and longing, what was that about?

“Adrien?” The last Human of their group, called. They had hair as dark as the depths of the ocean and eyes and blue as the small waves atop it.

“Sorry, I just-“ he hesitation grew. He sighed before tearing his eyes away from the water. “I swear I wasn’t alone out there, Marinette.” This, Marinette, looked at him in confusion.

“Do you mean to say, someone saved you?” They asked. Adrien nodded as he looked back out onto the ocean surface. Luka was hiding just behind a rock, he was sure Adrien couldn’t see him, his blue colour scheme a camouflage mechanisms. Still, he felt himself blush as the human’s green eyes flitted over said rock.

Luka’s smiled as he realised that he was the cause of Adrien’s hesitation. The human remembered him and wanted answers, perhaps it wasn’t too late for them? The other humans said they’ll be here for a while, maybe he could have a chance to talk to Adrien. His stomach flipped as he worked himself up with many fantasy’s in his mind, he knew it wasn’t wise to get ones hopes up but he had waited 208 years to meet his human.

“Let’s go, yeah? We can ask around tomorrow to find your rescuer, yeah?” They grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it, Luka glared at the gestured.

“Alright, let’s go.” They both turned away from the shore and started to walk towards where the others went. Luka swam out from behind his hiding spot and slowly swam as close to the shore as he dared. He felt love sweet up in his chest as he watch his human, begging tomorrow to come quick so they could be reunited. He opened his mouth and let out a beautiful note, one note turned to two and two turned to three, eventually he was singing a beautiful melody, one filled with all his love and adoration for his human.

Adrien stiffened on the land, whipping his head around to see Luka’s half exposed in the water. His eyes widen as he realised that the boy from his dream was real, someone rescued him. He wanted to run to the water and thank him was he was paralysed in place by the beautiful melody coming out of the boys mouth.

“Adrien!” Alya snapped, he jumped turning to his friend who were all giving him odd looks.

“What?”

“Let’s go take you to a Doctor? You’ve been acting strange and we’re worried, you could-“ Adrien turned her out, turning back towards the water eagerly, he was meet with disappointment as he realised the mysterious stranger was gone. He was about to admit defeat and finally head back to the hotel or hospital, wherever it was they were taking him, when something shiny caught his eye, it was a large silver tail, ducking into the water. It was shimmer in the afternoon sun and looked absolutely stunning and strikingly familiar, he shook his head and turned around, leaving the beach behind, perhaps he need rest? A small part of him though, a voice in the back of his mind was screaming for his attention, to turn around and run back to the water, that everything he just saw was more connected then he was willing to admit.

[dramioneasks]

HP FESTS: DramioneFanfictionWriters (Part 1)

Troping Thursdays 2018:

Making Sense by CourtingInsanity - E, one-shot - Hermione is brewing Amortentia for research...it doesn't smell exactly how she remembered it in Sixth Year. One-shot written for Troping Thursdays in Dramione Fanfiction Writers group on Facebook. Smut!

Strip by CourtingInsanity - M, one-shot - Hermione visits a strip show for Ginny's bachelorette party. While under the heavy influence of alcohol, she meets one of the entertainers...or should I say, becomes reacquainted with. Written for Troping Thursdays at Dramione Fanfiction Writers on Facebook!

By the Light of the Fire by CourtingInsanity - E, one-shot - Draco and Hermione are Head Boy and Head Girl, and decide it's time to take the next step in their relationship. Virgin!Hermione. Smut. Written for Troping Thursdays over at Dramione Fanfiction Writers on Facebook. Trope: virgin.

Promises by CourtingInsanity - T, one-shot - Marriage law one shot. Draco eagerly awaits his bride at the altar...but she isn't as happy as he is about the arrangement. Written for Dramione Fanfiction Writer's "Troping Thursdays" on Facebook.

The Lodinium by CourtingInsanity - M, one-shot - Draco and Hermione are on a mission to recover the elusive Lodinium, a special rock used to power weapons and spacecrafts. Sci-Fi AU! Drabble written for Troping Thursdays (19/04/18) in Dramione Fanfiction Writers on Facebook.

An Impossible Melody by CourtingInsanity - M, one-shot - Muggle AU! Draco has been in love with Hermione since the first time he met her; she's always looked down her nose at him. As adults, they work together at a law firm. Things are heating up during a screaming match in Hermione's office. One-shot, written for Dramione Fanfiction Writers' Troping Thursday on Facebook.

100 Days of Summer Comp 2018:

Coffee Kisses by Anonymous - M, one-shot - When Hermione’s forced to leave work for a month she ends up spending her time in France. Here she meets Draco, the new manager of her favourite coffee shop. Ever since their eyes locked, she can’t get the blonde out of her head.

Is It Hot in Here? by Anonymous - E, one-shot - It takes a heat wave in the middle of summer, a bet, and copious amounts of vodka for one of them to finally make a move.

Lucky by Anonymous - T, one-shot - Draco Malfoy was blinded by Voldemort during the last battle. He is unloved, unlucky, and spends his life alone. However, all of that changes with one stumble on a hot summer's day.Thank you to my beta 4vrSmoaked!!!This fic was written for the 100 days challenge. It was also written to bring awareness to the app that helps blind people called Be My Eyes! I did a lot of research with my friend (who is a trained specialist with the blind - as well as research with the app) to prep for this challenge and I'm really happy how it came out.

Sandcastles by Anonymous - T, one-shot - Draco lounges on the beach in the middle of paradise while Scorpius makes sandcastles. It's the perfect day—until his wife comes along and tells him they must leave their son behind. Dramione. Written for the 100 Days of Summer Comp.

The Mountains We Climb by Anonymous - M, one-shot - It's five years after the War, and Draco has all but left the Wizarding World to climb the tallest mountains in the world. Hermione Granger had left the Wizarding World too, taking off to the Rocky Mountains for University. When their two worlds collide, they must learn to navigate treacherous terrain, both on the mountain, and in their hearts.

Champagne Lace by Anonymous - M, one-shot - Hermione snatched her hand back, her brows lowering along with the corners of her lips. "Malfoy, have you even been listening?" "Yes, Granger, I have been. I know this tripe already. I know you're very knowledgeable and enjoy showing it off whenever you can. Now take my hand." "Why?" He pulled back, carding that hand through his fair locks as he muttered under his breath. She reached her own hand out, placed it on his arm, "Draco?" It wasn't often she called him by his Christian name. They'd used each other's surnames for so long they were merely ways to show their affection now, so it made him pause. Huffing out a sigh, he held his hand back out to her. "I'm trying to ask you to marry me, so take my damn hand."

My Song Knows by Anonymous - E, one-shot - School Reunion after 5 years. Destination: Salou. Music, food, sand and sea.  Much has changed, and this reunion brings two people together unplanned. But thoughts change and so do assumptions. What if this weekend is the beginning of something?Multiple pairings, focus on Dramione.Challenge by the Dramione FB Writers competition: 100 Days Of Summer.2 prompts: "As the unforgiving sun shone and the waves broke over her head stealing her last breath, he reached for her," and "He watched the droplet of sweat languidly ease its way between her enticing cleavage and licked his lips."

DFW Halloween Trope Fest 2018:

All Tears Taste of Salt by PartyLines - M, one-shot - Two sides of a blade meet at the tip to draw the same blood. Two lost souls can give back to the broken.

A Secret in the Glass Room by MykEsprit - E, one-shot - After placing a surveillance charm on the mirror in his study, Hermione watches Draco. He finds a scarf she left behind...and what he does next makes her squirm.

The Curse of Marriage by writerspassion18 - M, 3 chapters - Forced into a marriage by a law created long ago, Hermione gets more than she bargained for when she marries into a deadly family curse.

Hermione Got A Gun by xxcelientje - T, WIP - What happens when the two most wanted criminals take what Hermione and Draco love most? While they fight to get their little star back, Hermione thinks back to the time she met Draco.. A story of love, hate, family and cowboy hats.

Happy Ending by Felgia_Starr - M, 4 chapters - During a moment of desire, Hermione and Draco sneak out of Prosperfae University's annual Haunted Halloween Ball Party and go to the nearest deserted classroom, which just so happens to be a Potions classroom. Everything is going so smoothly—Hermione's top-half is bare, Draco is ready to take off his trousers, and they are having the most passionate of kisses—but then they hear something break. Written for DFW's Halloween Trope Fest.

On Hinges, On Haunches by zoomzoomzuppa - M one-shot - Draco is the alpha of his pack in a world forgotten by sleeping gods.

The Professor by chefke - not rated, 10 chapters - no summary

Five Times Ought to Do It by MrsRen - M, one-shot  Cast back in time to learn a lesson that neither of them understand, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy are about to uncover more about the other than they ever imagined. Plus, there's the pesky detail of getting back to 1998.

Lost and Found by crochetaway - M, one-shot - Hermione feels loss and lost. She and Harry are both plagued by flashbacks to a life they never lived. When she meets Draco he seems to be the answer to every question she never knew she needed to ask.

Deus Ex Machina by ravenclaw_sass - T, 6 chapters - It has long been predicted that technology would mark the downfall of man, but no one ever expected that a single A.I. could possibly claim that sole responsibility by merging the powers of technology with magic. Hermione is instructed to keep an eye on Malfoy with the hope that his inside knowledge holds the key to Voldemort's destruction.

Out For Blood by CourtingInsanity - T, one-shot - The past finally catches up with Draco Malfoy, but he never expected it to take the form of Hermione Granger. He has a dark secret, and she's the last person he would want to witness one of his most vulnerable moments...Written for the Dramione Fanfiction Writer's Halloween Trope Fest 2018!

Black Cat Intruder by EdanaK  - T, one-shot - The Malfoy Halloween Party was meant to be one of celebration. Instead, there's a Black Cat intruder and the soon to be Mrs Malfoy is missing.

An Indecent Proposal by LadyKenz347 - not rated, one-shot -  Draco Malfoy shows up with an envelope of pictures and a simple request.

Couplage by msmerlin - E, 7 chapters - When the Ministry decreed all persons with Veela heritage must make the pilgrimage back to Les Champs D'accouplement for a mandatory two week stay to their most sacred grounds, Draco was far from happy. Little did he know his connection to the Veela Queen and just how upside down his world would turn after his short stay. PWP. Non-War AU.

Voices by Kyonomiko  - M, 3 chapters - Hermione has long accepted she might not make it through the war alive, but after years on the battlefield, she never expected to end up at the mercy of Draco Malfoy. Not untouched by his own experiences, his manic behavior leaves her living in constant fear of the unknown, suffering both affections and afflictions at his hands.

Extreme Adventure Blind Dating by In_Dreams - T, one-shot - On the market for someone willing to look beyond his past and his family name, Draco signs up for a literal blind date. But his day doesn't exactly turn out as he expected.

Haunting a Coffee Shop by mhcalamas - T, one-shot - Hermione is stuck in a dream loop, involving a coffee shop and Draco Malfoy...or is it a dream after all?

Common Ground by tofadeawayagain - G, one-shot - It’s the second time in her life that she finds herself attending Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington’s Deathday Party. She’s listening to musical saws in an ice-cold dungeon and avoiding a table covered in rotting food while surrounded by the dead. At least she brought a peacoat and mittens this time, but its not much of a bright side.

Diamond Heart by artemisgirl - T, one-shot - When Hermione approaches Draco Malfoy proposing a fake relationship between the two of them as part of a scheme, he's eager enough to participate -- the potential benefits outweigh any costs on his time. But as it all progresses, Draco finds himself wondering what it would be like if what was 'fake' was real.

Triwizard Tournament Fest 2018:

The 13th Christmas by LittleSixx - T, one-shot - Hermione signs up for an anonymous dating service during eighth year, and when she asked her match for "twelve days of Christmas" something may have gotten lost in interpretation.

Twelve Days of Christmas War by Frumpologist, MykEsprit - T, one-shot - Pansy, Theo, and Blaise demand an end to Draco and Hermione’s incessant competition after they nearly ruin their monthly game night. When Hermione and Draco agree on one, final competition - winner takes all - the Twelve Days of Christmas War begins.

Unexpected Gifts, Plus More by RooOJoy, Rosella_Burgundy - T, one-shot - In attempt to make Hermione happy for Christmas, Draco follows Harry's advice to the letter and ends up surprising both Hermione and himself.

Felix Culpa by Felgia_Starr, nikknack - T, one-shot - Four times Draco ruins Christmas, and the one time he doesn't.

Gaining Her Favor by Disenchantedglow, msmerlin - T, one-shot - Eight years post war, Hermione finds herself surrounded by an unlikely group of friends after spending eight years in Healer training with Draco, Pansy and Theo. One night while at a pub, Hermione mentions that she wants to be given 'The 12 days of Christmas' like the famous muggle song. The two wizards take her request to heart and compete for her attention. Written for Dramione FanFiction Writer's Triwizard Tournament. Round #1.

Guess I'm Stuck With You by LittleSixx - T, one-shot - Draco and Hermione are stuck in a Ministry lift on New Year's Eve.

Clementia by RooOJoy, Rosella_Burgundy - T, one-shot - A cursed statue sends Hermione and Draco into an alternative reality where they have to work together in order to stay alive. A voyage through forgiveness and redemption.     

Something Bad by Disenchantedglow, msmerlin - E, one-shot - Auror Malfoy has been tracking a notorious drug lord know as Bală for over six months when intel leads him to a New Years party in an Italian Mansion. With only arresting the criminal in mind, imagine his shock when a familiar face peeks through the crowd.Hermione Granger is a hired hand, working to remove only the most wicked people from the world. When her next hit leads her on a chase to Italy, she never dared to hope she'd once again run into the man who's plagued her dreams since their weekend in Brazil so many months ago.Who will catch the Drug Lord first? Will sparks fly a second time between old foes? 

Belonging by Frumpologist, MykEsprit - T, one-shot - Draco is boarding the train to leave Hogwarts for the last time when a mysterious presence finds him alone in his compartment. It’s up to Hermione Granger to save his life — and, perhaps, his soul.

For Those Who Come To San Francisco by Felgia_Starr, frecklesandbroomsticks - M, one-shot - Hermione Granger is a gentle woman with plenty of flowers in her hair, wanting to change the world for the better. She hopes to find and befriend like-minded people. Draco Malfoy is a psychedelic artist who just wants to get away from his parents and see the beauty of the world for his own. He hopes to find peace and contentedness before he leaves for the war.What happens when they bump into each other one beautiful day in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco during the summer of love?

The Feast of Valentine by Frumpologist, MykEsprit - M, 3 chapters - The Feast of Valentine approaches, bringing with it a final opportunity to end High Priest Riddle’s reign of terror. Can Draco and Hermione stop him, or will Riddle and his cult rip their family apart?

A Year in Azkaban by LittleSixx - M, one-shot - Draco Malfoy has been sentenced to twenty years in Azkaban, and his only hope of survival is the shadowy figure in the corner of his cell.

Devil's Trill by Felgia_Starr, frecklesandbroomsticks - E, one-shot - When fate makes her plans, sometimes all you can do is buckle in and get ready for the ride.

Obsession by Disenchantedglow, msmerlin - M, one-shot - Months of love notes and gifts from a secret admirer have gone ignored until Draco is a no show for his valentine's dinner with Hermione.. When friends turn enemies, can Hermione find him before the night is done. Or will obsession win? #3 Entry for DFW's Triwizard Cup.

Finding The Light by RooOJoy, Rosella_Burgundy - M, one-shot - A journey through the years shows how Draco Malfoy pulled Hermione from the darkness that was drowning her. Hermione will have to overcome more than the self-loathing for her "condition". She will have to accept the guilt Draco buried.

This fest is ongoing.

[lichlover]

lighthouse

read the prequel here.

He goes to her in a delirium.

The rift nearly drowns him. It folds him in a haze of heat and light and he breaks free; pushes to the surface before it can drag him down. When he stumbles to his knees, the void is pooling in his lungs like water, filling him up from the inside and threatening to spill over. Centuries of delusion cling to him with all the resilience of a cold sweat.

Her presence envelops him and dissolves a few shards of panic as it settles. Even with his head bowed, he can make out the shifting strands of immortality in her shadow, threaded back through time and space to a force beyond any semblance of belief.

“My Lady,” he says, and the words nearly crumble in his mouth before they can form. “I—”

YOU WERE A FOOL? she says.

The panicked momentum building in his limbs folds and dissolves in a matter of seconds, if such a concrete thing were to exist in this plane. “Yes,” he says. It burns his tongue and scorches his throat and he almost can’t bear it to speak again. “I was wrong.”

I KNOW, MY CHILD.

He blinks. The haze lifts briefly from everything around him, and she is there, looking down at him with his own agony mirrored in her unknowable eyes. There will never be anything in the planes that prepares him to see her in pain, even when he is ready to collapse under the weight of it. “You know?”

She hums, and the air ripples and catches him up in a soothing tide. YES, I KNOW. I HAVE KNOWN FOR SOME TIME, AND SO HAVE YOU.

“No,” he says, and for once, cares nothing for defying a law of the universe. “No, I—if I had known, I never would have put him through anything like—like that. I wouldn’t cause him that kind of pain, ever. On my life.”

YOU LOVE HIM, she says.

“Yes,” he says. “Yes, I did.”

She gives him no response, but her presence keeps his head above the water, and he closes his eyes and breathes in for a moment. There is no air in the astral plane, but the familiar sensation of pressure rising and falling in his chest is enough to lift the fog in its entirety. He can think, for once, without fighting and raging against the truth seared into his skin like a brand. He can breathe in an airless void and it doesn’t hurt as much as it should.

There is his life, stretching into the mists of beyond, wherever that may be; and all the bright images that cut into the monochrome gradient of their surroundings. And he sees himself. He sees a quiet morning, and he’s standing back against the counter and conducting the strains of a grainy melody; he’s sitting at a table for two and laughing over an elaborate plating of risotto; he’s slipping in his socks over the kitchen floor and there are hands anchoring him, reminding him that havin’ a physical form ain’t all… you know, wink—you okay there, my man? and they’re vivid but they slip right through his fingers.

Immortality means a lot of things, but the worst thing it’s ever been to him is forgetting. And he can feel it start to eat away at the ache in his chest, because the images are blurring more with every passing breath. He doesn’t remember the magazines on the coffee table. He doesn’t remember the color of the drapes. He doesn’t remember the look of their wedding invitations.

“That was it,” he whispers. “That was my life and I didn’t even live it.”

She reaches out to skim her fingers over one of the memories. It shudders and tangles between her fingers, and she warps its dimensions into a scene that she can hold in the palm of her hand.

YOU DID, she says. PERHAPS NOT IN THE WAY ISTUS INTENDED, BUT YOU TRIED, MY SON.

In the shifting scape of her palm, two figures whisper to each other, curled under a silver moon and fitted to each other as if Fate herself intended it. She watches them with tenderness radiating from the folds of her cloak.

YOU TRIED, she repeats, softly.

His resolve snaps, and he sobs.

Or perhaps he doesn’t. What comes next is irrelevant when he already knows how it will end. He takes another breath and stabilizes the wavering edges of his soul, and he says, “I have to—”

I KNOW.

He nods.

YOU HAVE SERVED ME WELL, she says, and her shadow seems to envelop him with slightly more intensity, pressing around him with a familiar warmth. He knows it from something that falls just beneath consciousness; a soul-deep recognition. I COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER REAPER.

He’s already kneeling, but he drops his gaze and dips lower. “It’s been my honor, my Queen.”

She doesn’t speak. Her resonance is nowhere near as bold as he knows it to be, and when he lifts his head, she draws him into the closest thing to an embrace she can muster. Feathers shift and slide around him as she pulls him close. He doesn’t say anything because he can’t—because the point of eternity is that there is no such thing as goodbye.

Apparently, she knows that as well as he does, because she does not tell him as such.

MY SON, she says. YOU ARE SO PRECIOUS TO ME. YOU HAVE DONE SO WELL—YOU KNOW THIS, DO YOU NOT?

“Yes. Yes, I do.”

GOOD. She croons, soft and low, and steps away far too soon. I WILL MISS YOU.

He does try to say something just then, but the assurances and the gratitude all stick in his throat and he has to settle for a glossy-eyed nod. She gives him something that must be a smile, because he feels his soul cord twinge and tug gently at his heart as its pulse begins to slow one final time.

I RELEASE YOU, KRAVITZ, she says. BE WELL. FIND HIM.

Fate pulls a worn, long-loved thread from her tapestry.

A bright, beautiful soul lifts from Death’s grasp.

She watches it go until it vanishes into the mists, and then she, too, is no longer there.

The gods do not tell their own stories. That is the purpose of mythology; to commit legends to the eternities they deserve and pass them down through generations. They take on new facets, new shines; they look differently in a man’s twilight than they do in a girl’s youth. The line that distinguishes fantasy from reality is not a line at all, but an expanse without definition.

In the grand scheme of a god’s life, the closest thing they have to their own mythology is truth, and truth is a difficult thing.

There is, however, one story upon which all of them can agree.

It goes like this:

Two souls are parted by death. One passes on and the other is left floundering in the sands of time, forging for a foothold to weather the storm. Sometimes they find one. Sometimes they don’t, but regardless, eventually they, too, find their way to the Sea of Souls. There are lights above and under the water, there. There is a shore the lights can never touch.

When someone leaves your life, there is no guarantee you will find them again. There is no reason to think Fate will be kind, because you’ve never given her a reason to consider you. This, like so many other things, is a universal law: the Sea is not a place of reunion.

Until the lighthouse appears.

She calls them a lighthouse. She calls them many things; love, devotion, hope, because they have no name for themselves. What she knows is that they were two souls, once, and now they are one that hovers over the water and turns the waves around them to gold, and souls find each other in their light. Within that radiance, she knows, they are there in some form, and they are tangled up in each other and they are luminous with joy.

She tells her newly inducted reapers that they are not to be touched. They are Fate’s exception, she says; and the artfully woven ring sitting on her physical manifest’s finger glows warmly in response. They have all the time they need.

One soul will ask, inevitably, how long it’s been. She confesses she does not know. They have shone since the moment they found each other, she explains, skimming the dark gravel that covers the shoreline. They are always visible from the Eternal Stockade, and from a small house that sits on an island, and they are surrounded by constellations of lost souls that find each other and flare with all the brilliance of a newborn star.

They hold on, she says, and they don’t let go. And they don’t let go.

And they keep not letting go.

[melody-hall]

nothing left to say | closed | au

Melody searched around for her keys, she was getting ready to go out grocery shopping. Her diet couldn’t consist of alcohol, cigarettes and the occasional diner food, that wasn’t healthy, even she knew it and besides, since things were starting to fall into place with Barrel she wanted to treat him to a pumpkin pie. Her phone started to ring, she had been hoping for so long that it would make a sound that now that it did, she just stared at it in disbelief. She snapped out of her trance and picked it up. Dashy, the caller ID read. She pressed the screen to answer the call as fast as she could. “Mel?” he asked, he sounded concerned and reluctant at the same time. Her heart dropped, something must have happened “It’s me. Did- Did something happen?” she asked, feeling herself getting even more anxious by the second. “Yes” he answered “No” he quickly corrected himself. “Nothing bad happened. Jack´s great, he’s still sleeping” Melody let out a sigh of relief “I just haven’t been able to call you”. Melody hummed in agreement “Yeah… I noticed that. I just thought you were still mad at me. So, I thought it was best not to bother” she explained why she didn’t contact him either. “No, no” he rushed to say “Nothing like that. It’s that son of yours”. Melody frowned “What do you mean? Has he been giving you too much work?”. Dash let out a laugh “No he’s great! It’s just-” Dash laughed again. “What?” she asked confused. “It’s just that he switched all my contacts number around and I’ve been trying to find your number for days”. It took a while for Melody to understand what he meant “Wait…” as the pieces in her brain connected, she let out a laugh. “You’re telling me, Jack pranked you?” she laughed again. Melody could hear Dash laughing, not as loud as she was, “Yes, he really is your kid, no test required”. After she was done laughing, a smile continued plastered on her face. “He had my phone on the car ride here. I thought he was playing some games to entertain himself. But when I sent a text to the number that I thought it was yours, I realized how wrong I was” Dash explained her sons masterplan. Melody shook her head “What was the name that he put on my number?” she had to ask. If her son was anything like her, or him, he would put her number down as something completely unsuspicious. “Domino’s pizza” Dash answered. Bingo, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Melody laughed again, he was already following their footsteps.

“We’re planning on coming back tomorrow, is that okay?” Dash asked. Melody looked around the apartment, besides a tidying up, she was ready for them “Yeah. I miss you two so much”. Dash hummed in agreement “Good” a short pause “So how’s everything…” he trailed off, knowing Mel would understand him. She sighed “We’re working on it. We’re trying to…” she searched for the right words “… to figure everything out. It’s a lot. It’s ten years. Ten years and a kid” she said. Dash sighed “I know”. Melody rubbed her forehead with her free hand “But we’re trying, we talked, he spent the night the other day” if it was a thing, Mel could hear him raise his eyebrows “We’re trying not to rush things. Actions speak louder than words” she sighed. “And about Jack?” Dash asked, it was a fair question, but Mel didn’t have a sure answer for it. “I’m trying… baby steps” she scoffed at the irony of her words “I blurted everything out the first time and that was a mistake” Melody paced around the room. “Understatement of the year” Dash quipped. “Yeah. I know” she sighed “So, now I’m trying to take things slow. Not rush into thing. Seemed to have worked the first time” she muttered thinking how long it took for the both of them to finally admit they had feelings for each other and how long it took them to make their relationship official. Dash let out a small laugh “That’s good, Mel. Well, I’m going to take him fishing to day and he should be waking up soon, so I should get going”. Melody missed them so much she almost started crying, again “Yeah, thank you for helping me with him”.

“Anything for my godson”.

“He’s not-“ Mel stopped herself from correcting him. If everything had gone right, he would have been one of the godparents. Dash and Tink. She was sure about that. “Have a safe trip back. I need my two boys” she said finally grabbing her keys. “See you tomorrow, starfish” Dash said before ending the call.

Melody spent her time leading up to their arrival cleaning up and cooking to make sure that they’d feel welcomed. She was eager to see them, she missed them so much. And she did admit that it was a good decision to take Jack out of this environment as Mel figured everything out, she missed him terribly and being alone made her feel worst. Melody was watching tv, waiting for them when the apartment door opened, before she could even say a word, she caught sight of Dash carrying Jack. “He fell asleep on the car. Didn’t have the heart to wake him up” he whispered. Melody nodded, with a smile on her face. Very carefully, Dash tried to pull Jack from his arms and pass him to Melody. He was getting too big to be carried around, but he was still her baby and she knew she wouldn’t have much time left before he was a teenager full of angst who didn’t want to be smothered by his mother – like she once was. Jack stirred awake from being passed to Mel, he opened one eye, still struggling with sleep “Mom” he simply said before hugging her tightly and resting his head on her shoulder “I missed you, pumpkin” she whispered to him as she carried him to her bedroom, she felt him nodding in her shoulder as a way to say he missed her too. Melody sat there at the edge of the bed, stroking his curls as he drifted back to sleep again. After a while, of simply sitting there watching him sleep, she carefully slipped out of the room back to the living room where Dash was sitting, waiting for her with two mugs of hot chocolate. “Thanks, Dashy but-” he raised a hand to stop her “Non-negotiable” she slumped on the couch next to him. Dash turned his body towards her, he stayed silent for a moment as if deciding on what to say “You know… When’s he’s quiet and thoughtful, he’s him. 100%. No denying” Mel smiled gently at him “but when he sees something that isn’t right or starts talking about something he loves. He’s you, Mel.” Melody looked down at her lap, feeling a bit overwhelmed by what he was saying “He’s got your passion, fierceness and, unfortunately, your impulsiveness. Punch first, ask second. But there’s also something he has in common with you two” Melody frowned at him, curious about what he meant “He’s mischievous. Like you two. You can see a little sparkle in his eyes when he’s scheming something. And as we found out, he’s a good prankster” She couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh at that. She knew too well what he meant. Dash gave her a little pat on the knee “We’re watching The Princess Bride” Mel scrunched up her nose “Again?” she had endured many nights of the princess bride and recently, one failed attempt at watching it. Dash shrugged “I love happy endings”. I hope there’s one in this story, Mel thought. They sat in silence watching the movie, but Melody could see Dash glancing back at her occasionally. “What?” she asked him, taking a sip from her hot chocolate. “Maybe you two are like movie” he said, shrugging. Melody raised an eyebrow at him, not understanding his point. He turned to her “You see, it’s like this. You left, right?” Melody nodded at him, trying to follow his train of thought “So you’re like Westley”. She placed her now empty mug back on the table and turned to him “If I’m Westley, then Barrel would be Buttercup” she couldn’t help but giggle at the image in her head - Barrel instead of his curls with long blonde hair. “And which one are you?” Mel asked. Dash sat up straight, cleared his throat and looked at her “My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die” he performed the iconic line from the movie, striking a dramatic pose in the last sentence and mimicking the accent, like he had rehearsed this a thousand times, and this was his time to shine.

The day after they arrived, Mel had decided, she was going to sit Jack down and talk to him. Try her best to explain to him what was happening and she knew the best place to have this conversation. Melody caught him alone in the living room, watching cartoons. Mel sat next to him “Hey, what if we went to the beach?” His eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically “Good! Go put on your shoes and we’ll go right away, pumpkin” she didn’t even need to finish her sentence before he was darting off to her room to get ready. Melody grabbed all the items she needed, including some polaroid’s that she had kept aside to show him, when the time came, perhaps the time was today. He came back running “Ready!” he said before dutifully zipping up his jacket. Melody drove them to the beach, as soon as she parked her car Jack took off running not even closing the car door on his side “Ja-“ she tried to say but he was already too far away, she sighed walking over to the passenger side of the car and closing it. Jack went running straight to the sand, still with his shoes on, too eager to see the waves “Careful!” Melody yelled out, he looked back at her and for a moment it struck her how much they looked alike. She knew it, since the moment he was born but occasionally, she still felt like the wind knocked out of her by how truly similar they were. Mel picked a spot in the sand and sat there, keeping a close eye on him and trying to make sense her thoughts, about how she should address this to him. He came back to her after a few minutes, sitting beside her, Mel reached over and wrapped one arm around him, rubbing his arm, trying to keep him warm. “I wanted to talk to you about something” Mel finally said after a few moments in silence, he looked up at her with a frown “What?” he started fiddling with some seashells he picked up by the shore. “You remember what I always told you about your father?” Mel asked cautiously, he nodded “That you were far away when you found out about me” she nodded at his answer, confirming it. “Yeah. But I feel like its time for me to tell you a little bit about him. What do you think?” he shrugged, continuing to play around with the shells, trying to see which ones fit together. “Well, we met in school. It wasn’t a good school. It was a boarding school” he looked up at her, surprised, she had never told him this part “I was there because my mother sent me for bad behavior. But, anyway… We met there, started talking more and more until we realized we had feelings for each other” he scrunched his nose at her, Mel laughed at it “Okay, I get it. Anyway, we liked it each other, a lot. And, after a long time, we started dating-“

“Is this getting somewhere?” Jack interrupted. Mel nodded at him “Yeah, we dated for a long time. We loved each other every much. But we got into trouble. A big trouble. We got arrested. And it was my fault” he frowned at that “How?”

“Well…” she started, not sure how to explain that a silly feud with a former teacher made her commit a felony “We broke into a store to teach someone a lesson”. He looked so surprised at that statement that his eyebrows were so far up, that his curls covered them “So… I felt bad for dragging him into this that I decided to leave” Mel explained the best she could “And when I found out I was having you I was already too far away”. He nodded and stayed silent for a moment before looking up at her “Why are you telling me this now?”. Melody let out a deep breath “Well… he lives here. I used to live here. He still lives here. And well…” she searched for the words “We’re trying to work things out and…”. He suddenly got up “So you lied to me?” he accused her, Mel shook her head “No, no, no” she tried to say “You knew all this time! I had a dad and you kept him from me” she could only sit there and shake her head furiously. She could see in his face that he was angry at her “No! You did. I could’ve had a dad and you kept that from me!” Mel didn’t even get a chance to say a word before he was already running away towards the city “Fuck” she let out trying to get up as fast as possible before running up to catch up with him, Why did he get my running away tendencies, she thought. Melody ran after him, managing to catch up quickly enough before he disappeared into the streets. “No! Stop!” She managed to grab him by the arm, but he twisted his body to not look at her and that sight broke her heart, her own son refusing to even glance at her “I didn’t lie to you” Mel said to him. “You omitted it from me. It’s the same thing!” Even though he was with his face turned from her she knew he was crying. Mel’s heart dropped “I’m sorry pump-“ she couldn’t even finish the words before he interrupted her “No! No! Don’t call me that!” he yelled at her yanking his arm from her hold. He didn’t run away from her, but he continued with his back turned to her and she could see his shoulders shaking “Okay, let’s go home” she said, defeated. They spent the whole journey back silently, him looking out the window, not even glancing at her once. As soon as she parked in front of her building he got out, slamming the door shut with such strength that even made Mel flinch. Before she even left the car he had already rushed his way into the building. When Mel arrived at the apartment she was greeted with a bewildered looking Dash, she let out a sigh before breaking down in tears “I don’t know what to do” she sobbed covering her face with her hands, she felt Dash’s arms around her in an instant, gently rubbing her back. Melody sobbed into his shoulder, after a while Dash pulled away to look at her “What happened?” he asked softly. Mel rubbed the tears away with her palm “I tried to talk to him about Barrel and he…” another sob escaped her “… he said I lied to him. But I didn’t. I didn’t lie to him. I didn’t lie” Mel repeated more to herself, starting to doubt her own truth. “I didn’t lie to him, Dash” she said in between sobs, Dash hugged her again, gently stroking her hair.

After a few moments just hugging her, Dash pulled back slightly “You should talk to him” Mel opened her mouth to object, to say that he doesn’t want to talk to her, but Dash gave her a look that made her shut her mouth “I know I only spent a couple of days with him, and he’s your son. But I know you. And you should- you have to talk to him now” Melody nodded, rubbing the tears away and taking in a deep breath to prepare herself. “Oh! One more thing” Dash said, searching on the back pocket of his jeans, he pulled out her seashell locket that she threw in a fit of anger. He placed it on her palm, and she squeezed it tight, feeling the tear surfacing up again. Mel knocked on her bedroom door, creaking as she opened it. He was sitting in the ground, fiddling with the seashells and in that moment, she truly understood what Dash said about him being a mix of the two of them. She quietly sat beside him. “Talk to me. Say what’s on your mind. Anything” she pleaded softly, she wanted to understand his side, she knew it was also difficult for him to hear this news. “I could’ve had a father. And kids wouldn’t had made fun of me” he muttered, still refusing to look at her. Melody was taken aback “Wait. They made fun of you? Why didn’t you tell me?” he had never told her anything about that, the teachers never mentioned anything at the meetings, for her it wasn’t an issue, he had a good father figure in Roger even if it was for a short time “It doesn’t matter now” he muttered “Yes it does. I could’ve-“ Jack interrupted her “It doesn’t matter. You lied to me! I didn’t have to be the weird kid who doesn’t have a dad. The one that on Father’s Day has to write a card to his mom. But you kept that from me and you lied!” He finally looked back at her and she could see anger in his eyes but most importantly, sadness. Mel could only remember how Barrel looked at her that way too. “I didn’t…” she tried to say “Hiding something from someone is lying too!” his voice rose a little bit, he slouched. A few tears spilled and she rushed to dry them “You’re right” Mel simply said. She pulled him to her lap, he didn’t offer resistance, she just hugged him, resting her head on his hair “I’m sorry, baby” Melody placed a kiss in the top of his head, tightening her embrace “I’m so sorry”. They stayed in that position for a while “Do you want to ask me anything?” she offered. He stayed quiet for a while “Why did you leave?”

“I thought I was going the right thing”

“Were you?”

“No” she answered honestly. They continued silent for a while, until he pulled back slightly to look at her. She could see that he had been crying, she rubbed his tears away with her thumb “Why didn’t you come back until now?” he asked her. Melody sighed “I felt like it was too late” it was the truth, she should’ve come back sooner, but she felt like it was already too late and her friends didn’t want her around anymore. He nodded “Was it?” Jack asked her, trying to make sense of everything. “No” she replied, knowing how insane everything sounded, but that was her reality now. He nodded, she was unsure if he truly understood or if he was simply dropping the matter, but he fell back into her embrace and hugged her back. She knew that there was still a lot to discuss, and this matter wouldn’t be easily resolved but, in that moment, she just wanted to hug her son.

[33whynot77]

- [] Lullaby [] - Tim Drake

 A/N Yet again another one-shot/imagine thing based off of the previous headcanons I did involving music and the batboys. This one is for Tim Drake. Once again, Please keep in mind that these are my own opinions based on the limited knowledge I have of each of these characters. All criticism should be constructive, please. I’m still just trying this out and getting used to these characters and such. Please be nice to me, I’m trying. Now please read on and I hope you enjoy.

The song featured in this is Song of the Sea by Nolwenn Leroy.

Description: Based off of my batboy music headcanons found here and here 

Genre: Fluff and only fluff

Warnings: Absolutely none because it’s just fluff

Word Count: 2138

Tim was hunched over a computer his fingers typing wildly at keys searching and searching, he was desperate and hungry for the knowledge the last piece to yet another puzzle and mystery that had locked itself into his mind and therefore locked him into his room. Not literally, of course, you’d made that rule the second you started dating, if this was to work between the two of you, he was not allowed to lock you out, literally or figuratively. No, he hadn’t left the room in hours but the door to your shared bedroom in the apartment you’d bought for the two of you, well, mainly yourself, because crimefighting kept him away until late into the night, but you knew he needed somewhere else to escape sometimes and that was what you had offered to him when you handed him a key to your apartment, not that he ever uses the key, he prefers the bedroom window which you keep open until he comes home, no matter how many times he warns you that it’s not safe, not after what happened last time.

You followed his advice once and closed the window, but he’d decided to come over that night and promptly swung right into the window, you’d replaced the panes of glass with bulletproof glass that didn’t break under the pressure of his body flying into it, instead he collided harshly with the window sending him flying backward and reeling. That was the last time you’d closed the window before he came over.

Tonight though he had come home before the sun had set and had not left the computer to even go on patrol, whatever this new mystery was it was already holding onto the deepest parts of his brain. You would be lucky to see him go to bed tonight. This worried you as you recalled he had not slept for the past two nights already. He needed sleep, desperately, but nothing would pull him from his screen, he was lost to the blue illumination that brightened his features and strained his eyes. You sorrowed as you stared forward at the boy you loved. You couldn’t bear to watch him tear his life apart and shatter under the extensive stress and lack of sleep. No matter how much he said he didn’t need it, sleep was necessary for all. Even creatures of the night had to sleep sometime and he could not be nocturnal...

You sighed and leaned against the doorframe staring softly at the boy, but no longer were you watching him or sending harsh bolts of worry towards him with your eyes, instead you were plotting and scheming to yourself about what to do. You knew you could not just approach him and ask him to step away, you could not even try to drag him away, when he got like this he was pretty much glued to his seat and screen, and so you were at a loss over what to do. Until suddenly you weren’t. If there was one thing this boy loved other than coffee, and you, it was mysteries. If you gave him something else to wonder about, it could quite possibly pull him away from what he was doing and you had a perfect idea. 

You walked past him humming softly as you slid your hand on the back of his chair and then moved over to your dresser and pulled out a pair of pajamas, which was honestly just a pair of running shorts and one of his button up shirts that you’d stolen. Then you walked over to the bathroom to change and get ready for bed, you hummed every step of the way, except for when you were brushing your teeth, obviously. 

As you walked back past him for the third time, this time to get in your bed, you could faintly recognize that his concentration was split between what he was doing on the computer and trying to figure out what you were humming. You hummed a bit longer as you pulled up the blankets on the bed and laid down, grabbing a book from nearby and beginning to read a little, well, pretending too, really you were just staring at the book and humming the same melody over and over again. Every now and then you turned pages until you caught him glancing over at you. 

“Yes?” You questioned bringing your eyes to meet his and letting your book fall to your lap, guided gently by your hands. 

“What are you doing?” He questioned tilting his head to the side a little like a confused puppy. You had to fight back a giggle at the thought.

“Whatever do you mean?” You responded innocently, pretending to be unaware of what he was wondering over.

“You, my dear, are humming and aren’t actually reading, so either your really distracted, or you’re doing something.” He responded quickly figuring out at least part of the puzzle you’d offered him. 

“I’ve had a song stuck in my head for a while and can’t really focus on anything else.” You lied smoothly, the song often replayed in your head, but it wasn’t distracting enough to keep you from focus or you’d never get anything done. 

“What song is it?” He asked, successfully distracted because he was far too curious about the beautiful melody you’d just been humming. 

“You don’t know it?” You questioned feigning shock and hurt. He chuckled softly at your dramatics and you smiled softly in response, it was good to hear him laugh, he’d been dreadfully silent ever since he got home. It was nice to hear something more than the click of keys from him. “It’s an old lullaby, my parents sang it to me every night before bed.” 

“How does it go?” He questioned, he loved learning more about you, especially your childhood, you, and it, were full of mystery, but he knew he’d never learn everything about you, there would always be things he wouldn’t know, but still he would endeavor to learn all he could about you and what was important to you.

“Shut off the computer for the night and come to bed and I’ll sing it for you.” You responded, your plan finally drawing to its close. You saw a moment of pause and hesitation in his eyes and so you continued “It’s a lullaby Timmy, and don’t you know lullabies have a little bit of magic when sung, you can’t help but fall asleep when you hear one and I’d hate for you to fall asleep on your computer.” You said with a soft smile and when he smiled back at you, you knew you’d won. You watched him stand and get ready for bed, after minimizing the computer windows and sending it to sleep. Whatever curiosity he had about you and the song had won out over the mystery he’d been fighting relentlessly for since six this evening. You knew it was the knowledge that came from the search that intrigued and inspired him and drove him more than anything. He searched not for the search itself but for the answers it would yield and you had offered him an answer. 

It wasn’t long before he was in bed beside you laying gently against the propped up pillows. You beckoned him closer and then bid him lay down on the bed ready to sleep. Once he was ready and laying there you began to sing. 

“Hush now, my Storeen close your eyes and sleep waltzing the waves diving the deep stars are shining bright the wind is on the rise whispering words of long-lost lullabies.” You began singing ushering him softly into the realm of sleep. 

“Oh, won’t you come with me? Where the moon is made of gold and in the morning sun we’ll be sailing Oh, won’t you come with me? Where the ocean meets the sky and as the clouds roll by we’ll sing the song of the sea.” You continued singing and as you did he moved closer to you and gently laid his head on your chest, he was gradually slipping into sleep and was entirely enchanted with your voice.

Your fingers found his hair and began to softly play with it as you continued to sing “I had a dream last night and heard the sweetest sound I saw a great white light and dancers in the round castles in the sand cradles in the trees don’t cry I’ll see you by and by Oh, won’t you come with me? Where the moon is made of gold and in the morning sun we’ll be sailing Oh, won’t you come with me? Where the ocean meets the sky and as the clouds roll by we’ll sing the song of the sea. rolling, rolling rolling, rolling.” He started humming along softly, having heard the melody so many times already and catching the tune as you sang. It was a soft hum lagging with the drowsiness that was now encompassing him.

“You have the voice of an angel.” He murmured softly barely breaking through the grasp of sleep that was pulling him into its velvet darkness as you completed the song softly. You smiled as he succumbed to sleep and it wasn’t long before you joined him in the realm of sleep.

When you woke up the next morning he was still sleeping soundly, the both of you still wrapped gently in each other’s grasp. You smiled softly and kissed the top of his head. He rose from his own sleep only seconds later and rose to kiss you on the cheek. “Thank you, love.” He said softly as he pulled away.

“For what my dear?” You questioned looking over at him, sleep still clinging to his features but a gentle smile on his face nonetheless.

“For making me sleep and singing me to sleep too.” He answered and you smiled gently back towards him.

“Anytime my love, I’d hate to see you wither away from lack of sleep, even the great red robin needs to rest.” You responded softly. 

“I love you,” He muttered staring at you with complete adoration in his eyes. You found yourself floundering at the sudden and soft declaration. This was the first time he’d said I love you and though you’d known for a long time how much you loved him you were ever the coward and had not uttered the words, that carried so much weight, either. No matter how many times love had slipped into pet names between the two of you, neither of you had let these three words slip from your lips.

“I love you too,” You answered after a minute of searching helplessly after being sent reeling from his own declaration. He was smiling at you, chuckling softly at how three words had sent you spiraling.

“I know it’s a long time coming, we’ve kissed hundreds of times, I’ve pretty much moved in with you, but I wanted to make sure that when I said those words it really meant something and that I really meant them and now I know for sure.” He said softly and planted a soft kiss on your lips. You kissed back gently only breaking it when you couldn’t stop the smile from spreading on your face and the chuckle that soon followed it. “What?” He asked as he drew back from you.

“Well, I was just thinking if I’d known singing to you was all it was going to take I would have sung to you a lot sooner, plus you’re adorable, so I couldn’t help but smile.” You replied and he shook his head softly. “More than that though, I love you and it feels wonderful and hearing you say those words even just this one has made me so happy I couldn’t contain it.” You added finally letting out the truth over your smile and chuckle. “You, my dear, are my sunshine.” You said falling back into the bed softly and staring up at the ceiling a bright smile decorating your face. 

“Ooh, will you sing that for me too?” He questioned laying beside you.

“I’ll sing you anything you wish because I love you.” You answered turning your head to face him a wide grin still adorning your face.

“I love you too and I love your singing, because it’s you singing, and no music will ever sound as sweet again.” He said turning to face you as well a grin now adorning his face as well. He was not prepared for just how right that sentiment was...only a few nights later, only a few of those accompanied by your singing he no longer wanted to listen to other music, they just couldn’t compare to your voice as far as his ears were concerned.

[dailyofficereadings]

Daily Office Readings March 09, 2020

Psalm 56-58

Psalm 56

Trust in God under Persecution

To the leader: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. Of David. A Miktam, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for people trample on me; all day long foes oppress me; 2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many fight against me. O Most High, 3 when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I am not afraid; what can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they seek to injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They stir up strife, they lurk, they watch my steps. As they hoped to have my life, 7 so repay[a] them for their crime; in wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your record? 9 Then my enemies will retreat in the day when I call. This I know, that[b] God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 in God I trust; I am not afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me?

12 My vows to you I must perform, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling, so that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Psalm 57

Praise and Assurance under Persecution

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by. 2 I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. 3 He will send from heaven and save me, he will put to shame those who trample on me.Selah God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

4 I lie down among lions that greedily devour[c] human prey; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongues sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.

6 They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my path, but they have fallen into it themselves.Selah 7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody. 8 Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn. 9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. 10 For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 58

Prayer for Vengeance

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam.

1 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?[d] Do you judge people fairly? 2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.

3 The wicked go astray from the womb; they err from their birth, speaking lies. 4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear, 5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers or of the cunning enchanter.

6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! 7 Let them vanish like water that runs away; like grass let them be trodden down[e] and wither. 8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime; like the untimely birth that never sees the sun. 9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns, whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!

10 The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 People will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

Footnotes:

Psalm 56:7 Cn: Heb rescue

Psalm 56:9 Or because

Psalm 57:4 Cn: Heb are aflame for

Psalm 58:1 Or mighty lords

Psalm 58:7 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalm 64-65

Psalm 64

Prayer for Protection from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from the dread enemy. 2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the scheming of evildoers, 3 who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows, 4 shooting from ambush at the blameless; they shoot suddenly and without fear. 5 They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, “Who can see us?[a] 6 Who can search out our crimes?[b] We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.” For the human heart and mind are deep.

7 But God will shoot his arrow at them; they will be wounded suddenly. 8 Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin;[c] all who see them will shake with horror. 9 Then everyone will fear; they will tell what God has brought about, and ponder what he has done.

10 Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him. Let all the upright in heart glory.

Psalm 65

Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty

To the leader. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed, 2 O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come. 3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions. 4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.

5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. 6 By your[d] strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. 7 You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples. 8 Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

9 You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Footnotes:

Psalm 64:5 Syr: Heb them

Psalm 64:6 Cn: Heb They search out crimes

Psalm 64:8 Cn: Heb They will bring him to ruin, their tongue being against them

Psalm 65:6 Gk Jerome: Heb his

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Genesis 41:46-57

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly. 48 He gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plenty[a] in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it. 49 So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance—like the sand of the sea—that he stopped measuring it; it was beyond measure.

50 Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh,[b] “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” 52 The second he named Ephraim,[c] “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes.”

53 The seven years of plenty that prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end; 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.” 56 And since the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses,[d] and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine became severe throughout the world.

Footnotes:

Genesis 41:48 Sam Gk: MT the seven years that were

Genesis 41:51 That is Making to forget

Genesis 41:52 From a Hebrew word meaning to be fruitful

Genesis 41:56 Gk Vg Compare Syr: Heb opened all that was in (or, among) them

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

1 Corinthians 4:8-21

8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Quite apart from us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we might be kings with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. 10 We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, 12 and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.

Fatherly Admonition

14 I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 I appeal to you, then, be imitators of me. 17 For this reason I sent[a] you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 But some of you, thinking that I am not coming to you, have become arrogant. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power. 21 What would you prefer? Am I to come to you with a stick, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

Footnotes:

1 Corinthians 4:17 Or am sending

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Mark 3:7-19

A Multitude at the Seaside

7 Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; 8 hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. 9 He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; 10 for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. 11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles,[a] to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons. 16 So he appointed the twelve:[b] Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus and Beelzebul

Then he went home;

Footnotes:

Mark 3:14 Other ancient authorities lack whom he also named apostles

Mark 3:16 Other ancient authorities lack So he appointed the twelve

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[noemitenshi]

Fluffbruary Day 8 & 12 - Quiet & warm

Prompt February 8: quiet  AND February 12: warm (ok so this is a little unconventional but I combined two prompts since both fit very nicely)

Fandom: Fear the Walking Dead

Rating: T

Pairing: Troy Otto/Crazy Dog (Lee)

Summary: This takes place in an alternate universe where Taqa and Jeremiah are kings of neighbouring countries. As in the show they have a disagreement over land that is about to lead to war. Troy’s older brother, Prince Jake, negotiates a peace treaty with King Taqa which also includes a marriage between their families. To this end, Prince Troy has to assume the role of Princess, to marry the heir of Taqa’s kingdom, Prince Lee. Troy is less than amused by this.

Companion piece to the new princess, this time we see Troy’s impressions.

Title: The quiet prince

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At first, Troy didn’t even notice Prince Lee. Made an effort not to. Made an effort to ignore him from the moment he came to his father’s court. He didn’t know what he had expected – hadn’t really allowed such thoughts, shut them down at every opportunity. But for some reason Troy still had thought that Prince Lee would be similar to King Taqa. However the fuck that thought had crept in.

Taqa was not easy to ignore – which was probably a good thing for a king. And he had sharp words, and a commanding presence. He wasn’t exactly uncooperative but unyielding in a way. And he wasn’t loud per se (though he did have a booming voice if he wanted to) but he definitely wasn’t quiet.

And Prince Lee… was. Not rudely so, oh no, he knew how to give all the right replies, all the right gestures, all the right expressions. As expected of a Prince. Troy knew all of it, too. He just refused to participate in this sham. But Prince Lee did. With his quiet calmness. And Troy couldn’t guess how the prince actually felt about the whole situation. He seemed neither enthusiastic nor reluctant about the marriage. Just like a true prince. A vessel for his king’s will. A puppet dancing to whatever tune was the good of the country. Quietly obeying.

Troy thought how unfair that Prince Lee got to be a prince, an heir with such a compliant attitude. An attitude that was much better suited to the princess role. And he, himself, was stuck therein. He, who never in his life quietly obeyed anything. He was much too headstrong. Liked being himself too much to be able to stomach making himself small for someone else. Not king, not country. And now he was expected to do it for this lackluster prince.  Not that he would. Not that he did. To the regret of both Jeremiah and Jake.

But not to the regret of Prince Lee, it seemed. Which put a significant stump into Troy’s plan of being sufficiently rude and misbehaved so that the prince would call the wedding off. But… nothing. The prince never lost his slightly questioning expression, as if he couldn’t wait to hear what you had to say. As if all of it was so fucking fascinating – even if the topics couldn’t be more boring if you asked Troy. This polite curiosity never faded, not even when Troy was saying things just shy of offending the prince. Or well. Probably was very much offensive judging by Jake’s utterly horrified expression, which Troy savored.

In fact, Jake (and Jeremiah) taking Troy’s bait as easily as they did was the only thing stopping him from doing something truly stupid. Like making sure that quiet prince would stay quiet forever. But no. Even Troy knew not to do that. Even though he didn’t lack opportunity since part of the courting period did involve for the two intended to spend time together.

And even in this Prince Lee was unfailingly polite and at the same time quiet. Oh, not that he didn’t talk or ignored Troy. He did not – but nothing he was saying was of any consequence or meaning. Not that Troy wanted to have a meaningful conversation with him. Of course not! But it did make it difficult to find ways to annoy he prince. Though at this point even Troy had to admit defeat. There seemed to be nothing that could upset the prince.

So he listened moodily as Prince Lee prattled on about the differences in their royal gardens or cutlery or whatever else boring topic seemed to strike his fancy. And honestly! Who even cared?! But no matter what Troy replied, Prince Lee just seemed to take it as encouragement to explain further. It did not take long for Troy to stop engaging completely during these meetings.

And as there was no outlet for his anger – or well, none that got noticed as such – Troy actually started to relax in these meetings because his mind turned blessedly blank with Lee’s inconsequential words washing over him. Soon he found himself looking forward to this – and wasn’t that just ironic? But even Troy didn’t have the stamina to stay angry all the time. No matter how much circumstances called for it.

And still he hoped his silence would be interpreted as offense by Lee and not as what it was – one of the few moments that Troy could – paradoxically – stop thinking about his imminent future. A future forced on him. A future that made it impossible for him to follow his own dreams and goals.

These meetings did more than calm him, after a while. They awakened his curiosity about the prince – as a person. For so long he had only seen him as an object – an obstacle. Had refused to think about his humanity. But as more and more time passed Troy couldn’t help but grow curious. It was his greatest weakness, his curiosity. Troy knew. As he also knew that his family would disagree and didn’t that show how well they knew him!?

Curiosity meant he wanted to understand Prince Lee. His motives, his thought processes, what made him tick. What lay beneath this quietness. And that meant he’d have to get to know him – one way or another. And in knowledge of another human being, Troy knew, lay the seeds of compassion and love. And that was dangerous. Especially in his situation. But he couldn’t help himself, especially not when this simpering prince gave him solace – however unintended. Especially not when this simpering prince not only refused to take offense at Troy’s actions and words – no matter how hard Troy tried – but also refused to take part in humiliating Troy in front of the entire court when Jeremiah grew so fed up with Troy’s disrespectful behavior that he tried to involve the prince.

But in every case the prince just stated that he “hadn’t noticed anything amiss” or was sure he didn’t  “know what you are referring to, your highness” or any other number of evasive replies that never changed. No matter how much Jeremiah tried to explain his point of view.

Troy was as amused as frustrated by this and he could not figure out whether the prince actually meant what he was saying – in which case Troy wondered why they even bothered with the peace treaty. If they’d just waited until Prince Lee was crowned they’d have easy pickings.

Or if this quiet prince knew exactly what he was doing. But then – why? Why, why, why act as he did? Troy could make no sense of it. None at all. How could this prince just stand there, quiet and calm and let Troy disrespect him like that? So this prince had to be on the slow side, right? Right?!

And one sunny afternoon – when the prince and Troy were taking a stroll through the royal gardens – it burst out of Troy.

“You don’t actually not notice, right?!” Prince Lee stopped and turned to Troy, still that polite curious expression on his face.

“Notice what?” he asked in that quiet tone of his. Troy spluttered, unsure where to start explaining since evidently Lee did seem oblivious. And why did Troy suddenly not want to tell him?!

“Well,” Troy started, unbalanced, “Uh, at lunch, uhm, when you. When you told King Jeremiah—” Troy’s eyes had been restlessly jumping around while Troy was trying to come up with a way to tell Lee what he had been doing without sounding like a complete dick – and again, why did he care all of a sudden – when his eyes landed on Lee.

Lee, who was wearing a completely unfamiliar expression on his face, so much so that Troy lost his train of thought. Lee was grinning. Grinning in such a way that it lit up his whole face, made his eyes sparkle cleverly and oh!

“You did notice!” Troy shouted accusatorily and he just so managed not to point his finger. The grin only widened. How did it widen?! Troy was fascinated and he couldn’t even say whether it was because of the revelation that Lee was – in fact – not a total idiot or whether it was because of how Lee appeared so totally different with that expression. It almost seemed intimate.

“I did notice,” Lee said with laughter in his voice. Troy nodded stupidly. Of course he had. “How much of an idiot did you take me for?” Troy blinked and was trying very hard to come up with some kind of plausible reply. Lee just laughed again when he saw Troy’s face, a full belly laugh, rich and warm and Troy felt strangely enchanted by this.

Whereas normally he’d feel irritation at being played like this, there was nothing like it in him now. Probably because he didn’t feel played. Because whatever Lee had done, it hadn’t been done to fuck with him. Made the exchanges between Jeremiah and Lee even more hilarious though. And Troy started to laugh, too. Couldn’t not. And when they both calmed down they had their first real conversation. And Troy still thought that Lee was quiet – but he also saw now that there was strength in it. It didn’t at all mean that Lee had no will of his own, that he couldn’t or wouldn’t think for himself.

And quiet wasn’t the only thing Lee was. He was warm. Not only in the way he laughed but also in the way his eyes looked at Troy when Troy told him how he had to give up his dreams of being the general of his father’s army – a goal he had been working to since he was five. And also in the way Lee’s voice sounded when he explained how he actually enjoyed the show Troy put on, how that helped him bear having to be here, so soon after he had lost his wife. And also in the way his hand felt on Troy’s shoulder when he promised him he’d have his full support – in whatever way he could provide – to unmake this marriage (or make it bearable).

And Troy admired both, the quietness he knew of since he’d met Lee – and had so clearly misjudged – as well as Lee’s warmth that he just now had discovered and was already addicted to.

-The End-

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@fluffbruary @sherrrypie333

[noemitenshi]

Masterlist

Here you'll find all the things I create (all type of fics, gifs, metas), conveniently collected in one place. So far I'm obsessed with Cursed and Fear the Walking Dead (which has one common theme, Daniel Sharman). Enjoy 🧡

Fear the Walking Dead

Fanfiction

Troy Otto

Ghost 2,126 words, WIP, angst, sad, exploration of Troy's headspace immediately after the last scene we see him at the dam, what did surviving this do to him?

Troy Otto x Alicia Clark

s8 AU Troy Otto x Alicia Clark, no official wordcount, WIP, angst and fluff, What if Alicia were Troy's wife instead of Serena

[Series] Sick like you [01 - 02 - 03 - 04 - 05] Troy Otto x Alicia Clark, 9,850 words, finished, smut, so much smut, slight dub-con, D/s undertones, part one is canon compliant, Alicia is done being the good kid, but then she feels bad about it, cheating, enemies to lovers, unhealthy to healthy relationship

Troy Otto x Crazy Dog (Lee) || Troy Otto & Crazy Dog (Lee)

Addicted to mess Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 185,730 words, WIP, (lots and lots of) smut, fluff, angst, wholesome, enemies to enemies with benefits to lovers, watch them turn an unhealthy relationship into a healthy one , also have I said smut yet?

Fool me twice Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 33,449 words, finished, smut, dub con, unhealthy relationship, Troy Otto has a deathwish, Crazy Dog takes advantage

Just around the corner Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 4,185 words, WIP, fluff, AU - no zombies, In a world without zombies Troy finds a different purpose

Love, endless Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 1,029, finished (for now), unhealthy relationship, angst, dark, tragedy, COMIC

Moonlit Kisses Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 32,750 words, finished, fluff, wholesome, sweet, first kiss, first time, smut, canon divergent, teeny bit of angst, some whump

Paint your body in hues of red Troy Otto x Crazy Dog x OC, 1,933 words, finished, smut, fluff, established relationship, wax play, facesitting

Sex Worker AU Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, no official word count, no WIP and not finished but a secret third thing (idea I had I'll probably never write), AU - no zombies, Troy sells the ranch after his father dies and decides to have some fun, includes but not limited to hiring a sex worker (Lee), client to friend to lover, imagine

Soup Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 696 words, finished, fluff, Troy loves soup

Surprise Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 625 words, finished, fluff, Troy has a surprise for Crazy Dog

[Series] The easy part is always hardest to see [01 - 02 - 03 - 04 - 04 (alternative version) - 05 - 06] Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 42,204 words, finished, smut, teeny bit of dub-con, a lot of fluff, some angst, pining, whump, enemies to friends to lovers

[Series] The melody of sand and waves and hope and schemes Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 2,629 words, finished (for now?), AU - Royalty, arranged marriage, fluff, cute, pre-relationship, Princess Troy series

The monster that brought me here Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 28,323 words, WIP, dark, angst, hurt, little comfort, sad, Troy is dealing with the trauma of having been raped, Crazy Dog has his own trauma to work through, canon divergent, second part of a series, fallout from 'I'd do it all again'

The moon bathes your face in gentle light no official wordcount, finished (for now) Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, angst, fluff, Troy survives s8, saves Tracy and runs into a familiar face - the two former enemies bond over their similar grief

This insanity you give to me Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 29,551 words, finished, smut, fluff, teeny bit of angst, instead of avoiding Crazy Dog after their initial encounter in 'Addicted to mess' Troy seeks him out. After all, that asshole can't just do things like that to him and then leave, spin-off of 'Addicted to mess'

What's it gonna be, Troy? Troy Otto & Crazy Dog, 8,146 words, finished, oneshot, soulmate AU, angst, fluff, pre-relationship, enemies to friends (soulmates)

You're the sin that I've been waiting for, Troy Otto x Crazy Dog, 19,450 words, WIP, fool me twice... spinoff (fluffier version), angst, fluff, enemies to lovers, Troy and Crazy Dog have been playing a dangerous game with Troy's life. A game neither one is able to (or wants to) put an end to. But maybe they can change it… At least in this version

Troy Otto & Jake Otto

Cozy 353 words, finished, angst, some fluff, what was running through Troy's mind during the hug with Jake in s3ep9 (right before he was exiled)

Troy Otto & Madison Clark

Moral Compass no official word count, no WIP and not finished but a secret third thing (idea I had I'll probably never write), a stab at deepening Troy's and Madison's relationship (really just the beginning of it), a mututal madness

What should've been - Troy's revenge 1,242, finished, angst, hurt, some comfort I guess, fix-it I guess, how s8ep11 should've gone

When home becomes a strange place Troy Otto & Madison Clark, 3,370 words, finished, fix-it, hopeful ending, bittersweet, what would it take for Madison to actually start caring about Troy

Troy Otto x Nick Clark || Troy Otto & Nick Clark

I'd do it all again Troy Otto x Nick Clark, 10,185 words, finished, dark, angst, hurt no comfort, non-con (rape), suicide, not a happy story, what if things at the dam went a bit different - and how will they live with the consequences of their actions?

Sketch Troy Otto & Nick Clark, 337 words, finished, angst, hopeful?, fix-it?

That Crazy Bastard Troy Otto & Nick Clark, 728 words, finished, fluff, Troy had been vanishing for over a week now, refusing to tell Nick what he was up to. Until today

Troy Otto x Crazy Dog X OC

I can't stop imagining hurting you Troy Otto x Crazy Dog x OC, 9,424 words, finished, smutt, fluff, Troy gets introduced to the concept of spanking

Lost & Found Troy Otto x Crazy Dog x OC, 32,554 words, WIP, fluff, angst, Troy Otto being saved after the dam, finding his way back to himself, fast-burn, 'Addicted to mess' chapters 1 and 2 happened in this universe too, rest of s3 happened as in canon

No title Troy Otto x Crazy Dog x OC, no official word count, snippet, fluff, angst, abusive!serena backstory

Troy Otto x OC

Earn your keep 131,622 words, WIP, Troy gets a redemption arc, major character death (happens in the first chapter), Troy Otto centric, slow burn, grudging allies to friends to lovers, angst, fluff

Follow me (down the streams of sweat on your body) Troy Otto x unnamed female (could be reader, could be author, could be OC, could even be someone from canon), 5,612 words, finished, smut, slight D/s undertones, bondage, aftercare, fluff, praise kink

Kept 14,893 words, WIP, dub-con, past sexual abuse, AU - no Clarks, dark, angst, suicidal thoughts, bad BDSM etiquette, unhealthy relationship, slow burn to a better place, two broken people trying to figure things out between them, will get worse before it gets better

Unlovable no official wordcount, finished, more an imagine than a fic, angst and fluff, some smut, Troy's girlfriend finds a certain jacket in his closet. She proceeds to show him just how lovable he truly is

Troy Otto & his parents (Jeremiah Otto, Tracy Otto)

Childhood memories 2,084 words, WIP, angst, hurt, dark, child abuse, a study of Troy's childhood, his mother's complicated feelings, what happened with the rabbits

Troy Otto & Tracy Otto (daughter)

Reunion no official wordcount, Imagine, finished, angst, fluff, Troy survived s8 and rescues his daughter

Lark or And silently loom the shadows of my past Troy Otto & Tracy Otto, Troy Otto & Madison Clark, 2,148 words, finished, angst, hurt, some fluff, Troy's daughter loves to cause mischief - but this time she may have just gone too far

Gifs&Lyrics

I will do it again

Who are you to say that?

Asks & Metas

Jake Otto

Jake Otto as a Brother

even more

Troy Otto

...and Boundaries

...and the Horde some more thoughts on his headspace during that moment

...as a father

Favorite Troy scene(s) and why

'I don't drink'

'I'd do it all again'

...in a relationship

...in love

...being hit on

'It's the first time I've felt fear'

On killing Mike

Post s8 thoughts

Troy and Madison

Troy's feelings in his last moments (s3)

Troy's sexuality and more on his sexuality

Virgin Troy

Why Troy didn't get poisoned like the other Militia members

'You stayed at the ranch because you love me'

Cursed

Fanfiction

Empty ways can cloud your eyes The Weeping Monk x Reader, 20,268 words, WIP (though ch 11 is a good place to end things), redemption arc, crisis of faith, friends to lovers, fluff and angst, whump

Madness is a narrow bridge The Weeping Monk, finished, oneshot, angst, dark, no comfort, a heartbreaking glimpse into the weeping monk's mind while he hunts his own

Gifs&Lyrics

The Weeping Monk & Squirrel, AOV by Slipknot

The Weeping Monk & Gawain, Custer by Slipknot

The Weeping Monk & his faith (i guess), Broken Crown by Mumford and Sons

The Weeping Monk & his guilt, Lech by Slipknot

The Weeping Monk & his doubts, The burden by Slipknot

The Weeping Monk & Father Carden, The In-between by In This Moment

Daniel Sharman (rpf)

Fanfiction

You're not really my type~ Daniel Sharman x OC, no official wordcount, WIP, smut, fluff, angst, my kinktober contribution, daniel meets a woman who may be more than he bargained for, sub!daniel