#Livres 2024

[ellea-et-la-magie-des-histoires]

Just 17 – Emma Green

Connaissez-vous ce livre ? L'avez-vous lu, ou peut-être prévoyez-vous de le faire ? N'hésitez pas à venir en parler sur mon blog, et à laisser un 🩷 !

Titre : Just 17 Auteure : Emma Green Edition : Addictives * Date de Parution : 15 Octobre 2020 Public : Adult

[as-is-yours]

happy 2024 summer olympics!

some tog watching the olympics hcs for the soul because i love the olympics and i decided they do too:

andy competed in the ORIGINAL greek olympics. yes she did

with the guard being as competitive as they are, the olympics are a BIG deal in the safe house - it’s like the football world cup but all day every day for three weeks straight

it’s obviously too dangerous for the guard to attend the olympics these days with all of the cameras and media, so they hunker down in a safehouse and watch as much as they can on TV

they used to go most years though, nicky even told nile that he considered competing in olympic shooting back in the mid 1900s but it was too high profile to risk it

quynh was in the ocean when they brought back the olympic games as we know them today. her first olympics year back with the guard she asks andy why everyone is clothed and where the victors wreaths are

nile LOVES the olympics so she fits right into the dynamic when the first olympics of her time with the guard roll around

she was a little nervous about coming on too strong that first year, but when she saw how hard they roast each other and how much they goaded her into being just as competitive and aggressive as they were, she settled in easily

they would later regret unlocking that part of her once they realize how painful watching the olympics with an american is

nile keeps a scoreboard on the wall next to the TV where she updates the medal counts daily and reminds everyone who’s winning (the usa)

joe, quynh, and booker prefer the summer olympics while nile and andy prefer the winter olympics. nicky is just happy to make some money off of booker when france loses, no matter the season

“andy im getting us a peacock account to watch the olympics, they’re starting next week” “peacock account? what the hell is peacock? like the bird??”

there’s ALWAYS a bet going on. for the full duration of the olympic games there is never not a bet going on

nile will be doing joe’s dishes for a month after kaylia nemour beat suni lee in the uneven bars final

booker owes nicky €300 after italy advanced out of the first round of the women’s doubles tennis tournament (france did not) and another €1000 for italy winning the gold medal

andy stays out of the betting for the most part, or just picks the best athlete rather than one representing her home nation

“andy, that’s cheating—” “the scythians were nomadic. i don’t even remember where i was born so i’ll pick whichever athlete i damn well please, and you—” “okay, fine! we get it!”

andy found quynh wandering in a desert, quynh doesn’t really remember where she’s from either so she picks her favorite athletes based on vibe and which countries were her favorites to travel around with andy

there aren’t nearly as many north african athletes as there are italian, french, and american so joe starts adopting the athletes with the most heartwarming comeback/underdog stories as his faves

i feel like nile LOVES usa gymnastics having been a teen watching gabby douglas and simone biles!

that girl was SAT for every gymnastics event cheering on team usa like it was her job

andy has broken her neck attempting to pull off the stunts she sees in olympic snowboarding, gymnastics, skateboarding, figure skating, etc…. but sometimes she nails them. and it’s sick as fuck

nile is from the midwest i know she’s an ice hockey enjoyer. she pregames the winter olympics by making the guard watch miracle (2004) (nicky cries)

booker makes a drinking game for watching the games. he prints out the rules and pins them up next to nile’s medal count. take a sip when an announcer starts yelling, a shot when a random celebrity is shown on the broadcast, and finish your drink when a medalist cries

whenever great britan places below one of the guard’s countries, copley receives a very vulgar and unsportsmanlike text from them

no, quynh does not watch swimming events. thank you for asking

the couch is NOT a safe space. anything goes during the olympics. anyone who gets too mean (or whose athlete loses) can and will be pushed off the couch and exiled to the armchair

i will surely update this as the olympics continue and my friends and i get up to more hijinks. stay tuned and enjoy the greatest sporting event ever conceived

[vhscorp]

L’apparence, c’est un peu comme un livre : ce n’est pas parce que la couverture est séduisante que l’histoire est forcément intéressante…

V. H. SCORP

[ryuryuryuyurboat]

les lois d'amour: deuxième acte.

synopsis: alors qu'une légère pluie tombe sans raison.

genre: fluff, slight angst at the end

characters: neuvillette x mermaid! reader

warnings: fem! reader, usage of 'mademoiselle' to refer to reader, reader referred to in 2nd person

a/n: hehe @i23kazu submission for ebg!! likes, reblogs and comments highly appreciated!!

©2024 ryuryuryuyurboat. do not repost, translate, plagiarise, or modify in any way, shape or form.

masterlist

it had been weeks since nevillette last met you behind the opera epiclese, weeks since you wormed your way into his mind, and he still had absolutely no idea what your name was. were you well? did you face any troubles? were you adjusting well to life on land? 

he stood, sighing as he neatly arranged the stacks of paper on his desk. at this rate, he would never get any work done– perhaps a good lunch at hotel debord could help him get his emotions in order. 

it seemed as though the divine had been listening to his thoughts, for he heard a familiar voice sweetly call out to him.

“bonjour, monsieur neuvillette!”

you were surrounded by a group of children who were clamouring for you to tell them more tales from under the sea, the glow of happiness on your face just as radiant as he remembered. 

“bonjour,” he politely returned the smile, “it’s been a while. how have you been?” 

“very well, miss navia has been nothing but kind and welcoming!” you cheered. “everyone’s super nice too, can you believe the elders said humans were not to be trusted?” 

one of the children gave a loud gasp before neuvillette can reply. “no way! could it be…”

another cut him off. “jeez, antoine, how long did it take you?” 

“not everyone’s a genius like you, chloé!” antoine glared, giving chloé a light shove before turning to you. “so, mademoiselle y/n (neuvillette makes a mental note of your name), is it true?”

“hm?” you tilted your head.

“are you and monsieur neuvillette together?”

“EHH?”

“ah, actually–” he began, but a chorus of voices cut him off.

“y/n and neuvillette sitting in a tree! k-i-s-s-i-n-g!” the children chanted over and over, linking hands and skipping to form a circle around you both. 

you smile sheepishly up at him. “sorry, they’re… quite the zealous bunch.” 

“haha, evidently.”

somewhere in the distance, a bell chimed.

“alright! run along, now, kids, or your parents will come hunting for my tail.” you clapped your hands. “i’m also getting hungry–” your eyes softened at their whines, “hey, it’s not as if you’ll never see me again!”

neuvillette cleared his throat as the crowd of little ones dispersed. “you said you were hungry? would you like to go for lunch together?”

he allowed you to lead him by the arm, listening as you chattered about how excited you were to taste more fontainian cuisine– well, with the exception of seafood, of course, and he felt a strange warmth bloom in his chest. 

oh. and an odd sense of foreboding, almost as if it was taunting him: how long will this serenity last, monsieur chief justice?

over the court of fontaine, light rain began to fall without reason.

taglist: @lynyluvr @kazemiya @meidnightrain @https-furina @dailypenpen (send ask to be added to taglist!)

if you liked this, do consider dropping me a follow for more :>

[stellar-skyy]

♡ - candace headcanons pt. 3: modern au !

cws & notes: no warnings applicable. candace x gn!reader. assorted headcanons. fluff. 300+ words. @xianyoon <3

⤷ in a university au, i think candace would study law. she has a strong sense for what is right and believes in allowing everyone a fair trial, so she makes an excellent lawyer. she is also very persuasive, and can calmly and rationally tear apart her opposition's argument within seconds.

⤷ candace is a very serious texter, because she has a habit of being a bit too formal when she types her messages. (ex. Hello, my dear. Would you like to join me for lunch?) she also almost never uses emojis or abbreviations; she wants to make sure she gets her point across without misunderstanding.

⤷ candace does not like going out for dinner. she prefers to make her partner a home-cooked meal, or stop by a food stand to get something to eat, but sitting in a crowded restaurant feels too stuffy for her.

⤷ candace despises long-distance relationships. she will grit her teeth and bear it if it is necessary, but you can bet she will be calling her partner daily. the idea of being away from each other for so long they grow apart makes her stomach churn, so the moment they reunite she is there with a bouquet of flowers, ready to sweep them into a hug.

⤷ valentine's day isn't too important for her—every day with her partner is filled with love, why would she need a day to prove it?—but she will buy chocolates and flowers, even if she thinks it's a cheap holiday when she does. and if her partner feels the same, then they'll skip the holiday all together.

⤷ movie nights are very special to candace. her and her lover take turns picking out a movie they think the other will like, and the two spend the night curled up together with a big bowl of popcorn. somehow, she always falls asleep first—something about being in their arms makes her feel incredibly safe.

[prev.] [next.]

[rown-cheese]

Mes lectures de 2024! ✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧

Quelque chose que j'ai très fort envie de faire pour la nouvelle année, c'est répertorier toutes mes lectures que je ferai cette année (romans, BDs, etc...)! Rien qu'aujourd'hui, j'ai pu lire deux petites BDs et finir un tout petit roman (je n'aurai pas tout le temps ce rythme) mais il est tard, ahah, alors je pense que j'en parlerai demain, parce que ça me permettra de faire tout ça correctement, eheh

Je ne sais pas trop comment parler de mes lectures pour l'année à venir alors si vous avez un conseil, je prends, mais je vais au moins faire mes présentations comme ceci:

Nom du livre et de l'auteurice

Photo du livre

Résumé du livre avec mes mots à moi

Prévention sur les CW/TW potentiels qui m'ont marqué, et si le livre prend la peine de nous prévenir pour ça

Commentaire personnel sur le livre et à quel point je l'ai aimé ou non, et si je le recommande ou non

Aussi! Je me suis mis pour objectif de lire 35 livres cette année, donc un rythme de 2-3 livres par mois alors voyons si j'y arrive!

Et puis, si vous voulez me conseiller un livre, faites donc mais je ne confirme en rien de si/quand je vais l'acheter et de quand je le lirai, ahah :'))

J'espère que je pourrai réussir à vous intéresser avec ma future liste, et peut-être même que je vous donnerai envie de découvrir certains d'entre eux!

(je ne crois pas avoir le savoir infini, bien sûr, et ce n'est pas parce que j'ai un avis sur un livre qu'il est universel, vous pouvez ne pas être d'accord, bien sûr)

[heiayen]

two witches walk into a prison cell... - lyney&gn!reader

summary: after a series of unfortunate accidents, including you and lyney, you get accused of... being witches and thrown into jail. there has to be a way of getting out, right?

tags: can be read both as romantic and platonic for the relationship between [name] and lyney, depending on how you choose to read this! it's crack, comedy, whatever you want. unspecified medieval au? headcanons, not proof read. there is a mention

notes: passes out. im still on a tumblr break but hello!! this is my entry for @ecrin-de-litterature prison escape event yippeee sorry lyney for throwing you into jail... happens. this is so silly save me

How… unfortunate. The townspeople have decided, with pitchforks and burning torches, rocks breaking the windows– you and Lyney, your dearest companion of years, are… witches. Dabbling in witchcraft, causing mischief and apparently hurting chickens that your very grumpy neighbor raises in her garden. You wouldn’t even get near her fence, let alone her godsdamn chickens! And while… the chickens were in fact getting sick more often than supposed, you were sure it was because of your neighbor’s poor animal raising skills, not because of whatever you and Lyney did.

You were a role citizen, one could say. Never caused too many problems for the royal guards and other folk living here, you had a nice, little shop with medical herbs, all hand-picked with the utmost care, always the best quality– because who would you be, if you didn’t care about selling your clients only the best goods? Lyney, on the other hand, was the town’s bard, often performing on the streets with his dear sister and he was quite good at it, you had to admit. Charming people with his performances and charisma, all the girls in town swooning over him… Sometimes you wondered if it was only a matter of time until the king himself took interest in Lyney’s and his sister’s shows. Or until something else happened…

That something happened now. The elders of the town decided that everything bad happening to the town was your fault and that you deserved to be burne– oh, well, arrested. Locked in a cell, awaiting what next people would decide with your hands tied. Metaphorically and literally sadly, because the folks believed you’d pose a danger with your hands free. In a way they were right, you really wanted to punch that guard standing next to the cell–

Right. That guard was guarding you and Lyney all the time. As much as you… well, understood that prisoners should be guarded to not escape, especially those accused of witchcraft, it still pissed you off greatly. You really wished you could throw a rat at him or something. Maybe a bucket of stinky water, the one you used to clean the floors with. You had many ideas of potential revenge but alas, you couldn’t do anything.

Or so you thought. Lyney didn’t share your pessimist thinking (and neither the many revenge plots you shared with him) and soon, the man got into the action of freeing you from this terrible, cold, and smelly cell. He called the guard and you only looked at him with raised eyebrows. In no way the guard would let you out! He surely had a family to raise and feed and the guardian pay was small already, how would he manage if it was cut for letting the prisoners go? 

It turned out that Lyney… had a plan. A plan you thought wouldn’t succeed because, oh, surely that guard was smarter than that! And yet how wrong you were. When the guard entered the cell, the key to it hanging from his belt on his hip, you threw away your pride for a moment and simply begged the guard to let you two go. Lyney had a sister and a brother after all, and to deprive them of a loving, older brother over some dumb rumors would… truly be tragic. A heartbreaking tale of a family broken down by a vengeful crowd, over things they didn’t even commit. And if he couldn’t let both of you go, then he should at least let Lyney go. He deserved that, to meet with his siblings for the last time until he would be forced to run away.

And so go on. You pulled out your best pleading eyes, even tears– all while Lyney was working from behind. You almost broke your act seeing him untie his hands, as if he couldn’t do so already! You would cover him, he would untie his hands and yours too and… well, while it wouldn’t help you run away, it surely would make the planning more comfortable! But with his hands free, Lyney quietly, stealthy, behind that guard’s back, took the hanging keys from his belt. For his luck, the keys were more on guard’s back than his front, because in no way he would succeed otherwise…

But that left another problem, didn’t it? Although Lyney had the key, the guard was still here, throwing literal daggers with his gaze at you, completely unmoved by your pleading. You needed him out of the room. Or maybe not, you needed him locked in here for ages, so that he could atone for his mistakes of locking you here– Well. Grand revenge could wait.

Suddenly, in the middle of your pleading, you widened your eyes and looked somewhere behind him, gasped as if you saw your ancestor’s ghosts and yelled. That provided enough distraction for the guard to turn around, scared what was that you saw only to be greet with a smiling and waving Lyney… and a hard kick into the back of his knee, of course by yours truly. He hit the floor and before he could ever get up from it, you and Lyney already stood outside the now locked again cell, you smiling brightly at the annoyed guard. And before he could really realize what happened, you two already started running away.

Running away from other guards was a surprisingly easy task, simply having to hide and quietly walk right under their noses– which with Lyney leading wasn’t hard and… oh, you two were out of jail! Finally breathing the fresh air, seeing the beautiful sky after exactly one day of being jailed, it all caused warmth to bloom in your chest. You were happy and free.

…for now at least because you and Lyney knew that the townsfolk would not leave it like that. Frankly, you really didn’t want to see pitchforks outside your house again, no. But, oh well, it was bound to happen again and it really was a matter of time.

Well. What happened has happened, and there was no turning time back and now you, Lyney and, by extension, his siblings, had to create a plan of dealing with the entire village wanting to hunt you down. But that was a different story…

(And a different story was the fact that the village was, in fact, right about you and Lyney but… oh! A little bit of witchcraft never hurt anyone! Okay, maybe these herbs you gave your lovely chicken-raising neighbor were meant to give her the worst headaches known to mankind for whole three days because she pissed you off so badly, but… she was a special case. And this was the only thing you ever did to her despite having many urges to show her real powers of witchcraft! You’d never hurt poor chickens. You really had to get back at her one day…) 

[sobmeuolhar]

ESCRITO PARA AGOSTO

— Aprendi com você agosto, a ser mais forte, afinal, a vida não pega leve com quem se vitimiza. Sei exatamente de onde vim, onde estive e como sai de lá.

Desde então, trabalho com dedicação em todas as áreas da minha vida, e é o que me motiva a superar os desafios e enfrentar todas as dificuldades que venham a surgir no meu caminho.

Acordo às seis da manhã, vou para um quarto vazio, saio de um sofá que me destrói e tenho o carinho da minha cachorrinha Doroth, tudo isso ás seis da manhã.

Todos os dias são de trabalho duro, preciso do básico, preciso de uma cama, preciso de um instrumento de trabalho e preciso de forças. Se eu parar, outras mulheres param. Se eu parar, esqueço o motivo de ter iniciado. Se eu parar, “se”;

Eu não desisto de mim.

Eu não desisto de mim.

Eu sei quem sou.

Meu caráter não é negociável.

Eu consigo. Não está comigo. Está em mim.

Podem me tirar o que com trabalho conquistei. Eu reconquisto tudo duas vezes melhor outra vez. Porque não está comigo. Está em mim.

Está em mim. E está.

Entre uma reza e outra peço a Deus, e toda a espiritualidade para que forje meu caráter. Que me mantenha mais próxima dos meus valores. E assim é. Silêncio. Reforma íntima. Recordar o que não sou, e reafirmar o que me torno. É necessário sair da ilha para enxergar a ilha com maturidade, responsabilidade e respeito.

O que é vencer? Se para não passar fome eu fiz acontecer. — foi um dos meus versos musicais, em meticulosa. E quem, além de mim, para me espelhar? Eu comia goiaba no sinal, dormia na rua, e me virei. Fiz de uma vela um fogão. Fiz do mercado um banquete. Fiz. E se tem uma coisa que revérbero é: — Não duvide da minha capacidade de saber me virar com o que tenho.

Nada e nem ninguem manchará meu nome, minha trajetória e a minha caminhada. Eu estive lá. Eu sei de tudo.

Me jogue aos lobos que voltarei LIDERANDO a alcateia.

Não está comigo. Está em mim.

@sobmeuolhar

[the-white-void]

The Wind Carries out Our Memories.

Synopsis: Making little things with our hands, crafting short yet cherished memories with each other. Listening to these voices the wind carries to the future.

Note: A little tribute to my baby Venti. @i23kazu

Both fingers intertwine as you spin and twist the wires to form a frame of each other's lanterns. Each ben and turn you thought of made you yearn for what he sees in your work.

sweat drips from your forehead as you follow the plan you had in mind eventually getting lost as you made a short mishap along the way. Your face shows your stress from a minor incident.

"Hmph."

Hearing your angered tone, Venti turns to see your face and sees your brows furrowed. "Love? What's wrong?" his tone filled with worry and care as he caressed his hand over your shoulder.

You turn to him and see his puppy-like eyes as he asks you what's wrong. You relieve your brows into a relaxed state with a heavy sigh. "It's nothing. Just messed up a little." you sighed as you frustratingly gazed over your work.

He relieved his lantern's frame of his other hand and carried it over to your waist; with his other leaving your shoulder and over your head patting it. He began humming a calming tune, easing your mind as his patting came rhythmically similar to his humming. "No need for your mind to spin for something trivial my windblume. We made this just for fun right?"

You look at him with a calm smile, remembering why you fell for this man. Your smile is reflected by the sun rays lying on your skin with his tune lingering around you.

The night came as the sun was right on the verge of the horizon. You both see the lanterns you both made, filled with beautiful flaws that reflected each other as it soars through the sky.

[ellea-et-la-magie-des-histoires]

Love Crescendo - Tillie Cole

Avez-vous déjà lu ce livre ? Si oui, qu'en avez-vous pensé ? Et dans le cas contraire, cette lecture vous intéresse-t-elle ? N'hésitez pas à venir en parler (ou laisser un 🩷) !

[simplement-moi-a]

✒️ Eva Arkady - Dépendance affective

[vhscorp]

On sait qu’on vient de lire un grand livre quand, lorsqu’on le referme, on se sent pris d’une intense émotion et que l’on comprend soudain que quelque chose en nous vient définitivement de changer…

V. H. SCORP

[ryuryuryuyurboat]

les lois d'amour: lumière de ma vie

synopsis: at last i see the light, and it's like the sky is new. all at once, everything looks different, now that i see you.

genre: fluff

characters: neuvillette x mermaid! reader

warnings: fem! reader

a/n: hehe hii @i23kazu!! submission for ebg challenge 1 :) likes, reblogs and comments highly appreciated!!

©2024 ryuryuryuyurboat. do not repost, translate, plagiarise, or modify in any way, shape or form.

masterlist

“say, have you ever seen lanterns before?” such was the question posed to you by none other than fontaine’s chief justice, on a fine evening.

you hummed in thought. “only from under the sea— the elders always said they were traps intricately designed by humans to lure us merfolk to our deaths, so naturally we stayed away— though now that i think about it, they really were just pretty lights. why?”

neuvillette stood up from his seat, rounding the table to the couch upon which you were resting. “in that case, would you like to see them up close?”

“ah, seriously? what’s the occasion?” you took the hand he offered, an incredulous look in your eyes.

“it’s a lesser-known fontainian tradition for people to send out flying lanterns to convey their wishes for a new year, as well as to pray for any wishes to be answered. if you so incline, we could make one, instead of buying them. i believe beaumont workshop is offering such a service at this time.”

your eyes widen in excitement. “well, then, no time to waste! allons-y!”

spoiler: it did indeed prove to be a difficult feat. by the time you were done making a singular lantern, the sun had long dipped beneath the horizon.

the boat swayed gently as it sailed further from land, and the glitter canopy of stars above twinkled down at you.

“so… all we have to do is let go of it?”

“that is correct. be sure to convey your heartfelt wishes, or they won’t come true.” he watched as you seemed to hesitate, “what’s wrong?”

“nothing! nothing, um, well, we only had time to make one, and i don’t think it’d be very fair if i were the only one to let it go especially since you helped to make most of it, so-” you paused to catch your breath, “would you like to release the lantern with me, monsieur neuvillette?”

you were glad that your surroundings were dark, for the proximity between the two of you quite nearly made your poor heart stop.

you could almost feel his breath fanning your face as he stared at you with some unknown emotion on his visage. what’ll it be, monsieur chief justice? your heart wondered.

finally, after what felt like an eternity, his lips curved up in a small smile. “it would be a great honour, y/n. thank you for allowing me to share this moment with you.”

you could barely contain your excitement as you marvelled at all the lanterns floating into the night sky, pure wonder shining in your eyes as you took in the sights— neuvillette, meanwhile, couldn’t take his eyes off you.

“it’s all so beautiful!”

“yes, it is indeed quite the sight to behold.”

bonus:

“hey, hey, do the lanterns themselves symbolise anything?”

“but of course, they were made to symbolise love and care for someone important.”

“ah…”

“…y/n?”

seems like your poor heart couldn’t handle it, after all!

taglist: @lynyluvr @kazemiya @meidnightrain @https-furina @dailypenpen (send ask to be added to taglist!)

if you liked this, do consider dropping me a follow for more :>

[stellar-skyy]

♡ - candace headcanons pt. 4: friendship edition !

cws & notes: no warnings applicable. platonic candace & gn!reader. headcanons. fluff. 350+ words. @xianyoon!

⤷ candace is a very caring person, so much that people tend to just flock towards her. she's the kind of person who can befriend almost everyone, and is often the one her friends confide in or come to for advice.

⤷ if her friend is ever sad, candace will be there to listen to them with a shoulder to cry on and a cup of freshly brewed tea to calm them down. she is just the right amount of comforting, and gives great advice. even if they're not looking for advice, and simply want to vent, she is more than happy to do that for them too.

⤷ does her friend like shopping? well they better, because you can bet candace will be dragging them on shopping trips with her and dehya! she'll pick out little trinkets that remind her of them, clothes that she thinks would suit them, etc. afterwards, she'll buy the three of them lunch as a thank you for such a pleasant day.

⤷ jewellery is a love language of hers. she will buy her friend rings, necklaces, anything shiny that she thinks would look nice on them. if they want to borrow some of her personal jewellery, they don't even have to ask, she would be more than happy to let them borrow it! she loves seeing them wear the gifts she buys them, it makes her very happy.

⤷ candace is fiercely protective, especially over her friends. is someone harrassing them? well, not for long, because she has a spear and shield and is ready to fight at a moment's notice. their partner or some of their other friends not treating them right? then they better learn to how to, because if they don't get their act together she will make them.

⤷ candace is amazing at hugs. phenomenal, even. she knows just the right way to hold them tightly without feeling stifling, the right words to murmur as she rubs circles into her back. if her friend needs one, they only need to ask and she will be opening her arms ready for them.

[prev.]

[ghostlylivresbooks]

💀 I dunno about you, but this Tuesday feels a lot like a Monday.

.

.

💀 I'm going to take some time to read this evening and sip a drink from my favorite cauldron mug. Maybe stare into the mirror of my new bookshelf decoration and see what i see; you know, the usual. May you all find a bit of cozy magic today! 🖤

[dxy-drxxm]

SYNOPSIS: Ghost hunting is a term she'd never find herself using again. Not after she's seen what she shouldn't have.

CW/s: tragedy levels of horror (slightly exaggerated), implied gore, animosity, unresolved conflict (that gets on hold) and character death(s? yeah). Please, please dni, this fic is purely sfw but it will go through the darker topics for a bit.

NOTE: inspired by the song "the dentist's swamp" (both survivor and hunter side), recent entry for @i23kazu's ebg. Its honestly an excuse to write smth horrific (IDV AU)

Entering White Sand Street Asylum, the match begins like how they are used to, and especially with where the embalmer found herself in.

Or, well, what should be something that she's used to. After all, she didn't realize that things could change way, way too swiftly.

Avoiding the blade sent by the queen, Furina, the ferrylady kept sprinting from the beheaded ruler in all of her glory. 2 ciphers had been decoded, but they needed to do 3 more, and they lost a member in the cruel game of 'hide and seek'.

It was a shame, really. They were sure that Emilie, the perfumer, would've been able to avoid her should they have relied less on her perfumes and more of her surroundings.

"I thought that an embalmer like you wouldn't have given her the chance of rebirth," the queen seem to call out, their chase continuing as she tried to hinder her with the mirror and fail. "What made you change, hm? Did something happened?"

"Like Hell will I tell you," the embalmer retorted, vaulting a window and slipping inside the next room over the hall. "After all, you'd use what I say against me and everyone else."

The hunter laughed as she narrowly avoided a big glass shard after her, lowering her body before she scrambled up and away. She could vaguely hear the sound of fabric hitting wood as she left the church, her shoes slamming on the ground as her heart raced a million miles an hour.

There was something to be said about getting chased by something that can, in simpler terms, drive one mad. And surely, she would've learned how bad it is to catch a hunter's attention by now... But she didn't.

If anything, it was almost like she was compelled to do it again. Maybe it was something that she couldn't deny, as she has yet to learn her lesson on how to deal with the residents.

Or to even pay attention to where she's heading.

In the midst of it all, she found herself panting, heaving as she tried to get the lady in red away from her. But when she felt that hope was too far from her reach, she felt a hand yank her wrist and pull her over.

She was about to flinch and pull them away, but she fell short when she saw who it was that was trying to save her.

Placing a finger on their lips, they kept crouching behind the abandoned furniture as they heard the soft humming of the hunter. Their heartbeats were beating rapidly, but it didn't took long until the hunter has left the vicinity. At least, for now.

"... There," the novelist whispered, letting go of the embalmer with a sigh. "We should be safe from Madame Red. She's not the brightest like the Photographer, but we should stay cautious. Who knows when she's coming back?"

... Ah. I forgot, she thought somberly. When it comes to matches, they're not the type to joke around... How careless of me.

"... Of course. Although, with the pace we're going I think she will find a difficult time finding a new survivor to go after," the woman explained, standing up to pull the latter as well, facing the once wiggling cipher. "After all, that man is not one to kid around in a match."

Ah, the 'Prisoner'. I have never known what his story is, but to think that someone would have the utter audacity to demote a Warden from his position...

"Mm, but that's besides the point," the novelist muttered, seeing the injuries she retained. "And especially when you were kiting Madame Red, too. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," she replied, albeit her tone did sound a bit cold. "I hadn't been hit hard enough to be impaled, thankfully. She's not good with a mirror shard than a sword."

At the corner of her eye, the novelist's mouth seem to open... But it closed, though she did catch the sight of a small frown.

Ah.

"You worry too much, Navina," the embalmer added, reaching over to pat their head. Still, she saw that the frown remained.

It seems she's done it now... How unfortunate.

"I know, I'm just... I suppose being concerned over someone is a little unnecessary," they added, grabbing her hand to pull it away. They turned their head to the cipher, beginning to work on it once more.

"Anyway, let's focus on the match first. I don't want to delay any second we have over something you don't want me worried about."

Charon's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. Walking over to their side, she began to turn the cogs, making sure that the machine worked as it should be.

...

The silence is oddly deafening. It was almost hard to ascertain how they're feeling, especially when she's aware that her words led them to be so quiet. Even if they are friends, there were bound for disagreements to arise between each other.

Such is the way of life, especially in a manor that's hellbent on setting itself up for manslaughter with everyone's grim experiences.

The only sounds that surround them were the laughter echoing from outside, the slams of pallets and groans, and even the eerie clangs of the bell when the hunter regained more of her power.

Charon and the others were familiar to the sound. It was haunting as it was enchanting, and even she couldn't deny, she gets scared the more she hears it.

Maybe it reminded her of those church bells that were too big for one to deal with and use, or even those in Eversleeping Town, wherein the 'ringing' you'd hear was the tram's arrival. Whether it's goal was to simply cause a freak accident or for a hunter to be sent off flying for being too careless, she didn't knew.

In those moments of her lack of self-awareness, she could vaguely hear someone calling out to her. It sounded familiar, and yet she continued to ignore it, like she wasn't planning to see who could be bothering her.

"...ey..."

Just what goes on in the manor's walls, anyway? Was there something that no one understood?

"... H..."

Were the others here for a different reason, perhaps? Was she here for someone else to use her like a puppet?

"...ro...!"

Just... what's going on? And who even is she? What even are they?

"Look out!"

The piercing sound of shattered glass caught her attention, and the feeling of time slowed down as she watched the scene unfold in her very eyes.

Death was not uncommon in the world they live in. In a way, death felt akin to the sweet release that they can get from each of their matches. But to the embalmer, it felt like a harsh slap to the face.

Blood seem to pour out right in front of her as the novelist took the hit. The mirror shard had went through to their body, but from the look in their eye, they seemed far too relieved to care of their current predicament than anything else.

"Oh, good... You're finally aware," she heard them say, but it was short lived when the object was yanked from their chest, letting them stumble and fall on top of the embalmer.

No.

Catching them, blood began to pour on her attire out of panic. She could see the queen wipe off her bloodied shard, which didn't give her enough time to process everything.

Hoisting the severely injured novelist, the survivor dashed off, hearing the laughter from the hunter as their hearts began to beat as wildly as it can. Although theirs stuttered as they lost blood at each step, this only pushed her to go faster.

She needed to go someplace safe, someplace where she can safely embalm them, even if the process is as painful as it gets.

"Breathe for me, okay?" the embalmer told them, hoisting them up so their head would rest on her shoulder. "Come on, I need you to breathe. You'll be okay. I won't let you die."

"You won't...?"

"Not if I have a say in it," she hissed, vaulting another window and pallet. The sight of the walls around them seem to deteriorate the longer she carried the injured survivor, causing her to grimace.

She never liked the memories associated with White Sand Street Asylum. They're as unpleasant as they come, and the two were able to attest to it.

After all, the first few times they came to the asylum, it was due to a somewhat foolish quest.

Klee, the youngest survivor, had asked her and a few others if they could explore back then. She has heard of multiple rumors of the asylum being filled with ghosts, and unfortunately for the child, she hasn't been told of the horror stories with them.

And just like any other child who's yet to experience the scare of a lifetime, she asked her, Albedo, and Navina to investigate with her and see if the ghosts were really lurking from down below.

Safe to say, though, the embalmer knew too well of the outcome and made sure that she didn't get to see the things that they had to.

She couldn't forget how it felt to step foot in the halls of the abandoned asylum the first time. She couldn't forget how it felt as though time ceased to move when she caught sight of the bodies laid in some of the rooms, some of them covered with a stained gray cloth, but the stench being putrid like no other.

Klee wanted to see what it was at first, but catching whiff of it had made her stop asking. Even Albedo made sure that the other two can walk through it, his hold on the younger child firm.

It was only when they reached room 13 that she saw an unsightly view of one of the newest patients in the vicinity.

It was too difficult for Charon to explain what she found, but every time she found herself recalling, it was almost like she wanted to hurl. And as bad as it sounds, she knew that it was the safest place they can go.

No man or monster would come a step near that room, and that was their only option for a refuge.

Skidding down the halls, she slipped for a moment before running to her right, making a slight turn to dash towards room 13. The door was open, so it didn't took long for her to slam it open with her right side, barreling in.

Side stepping, Charon pushed herself back and closed her eyes, pushing all of her bodyweight and theirs to close the door shut.

Ca-chunk!

...

The strench was stronger than last time, she notes. But it was the price she had to pay, as its for the sake of their safety.

And it would seem that it paid off, considering their heart beat stopped thundering when the hunter got near. She did screamed in disgust at the smell permeating from the room they're in, making her chuckle.

Ah... It was worth the effort.

Looking down at Navina's body, she laid them down. She needed to ignore the monstrosity of the patient's body that used to reside in the room, since the novelist had passed out.

Turning to the door, the embalmer opened it up enough to let light pass, this time turning to see the damage on the other survivor's body to see what happened.

... Sheesh.

Pulling the handle of the case off of her arm, she opened it and grabbed the items she needed.

No time.

She raised the syringe she retrieved, and the scalpel she had always thought of carrying for an emergency extraction.

It's time to operate on a patient.

@.dxy-drxxm | do not republish, repost, or copy my works anywhere | 2024