#dig a grave to dig out a ghost translation

[translations-by-aiimee]

Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 54

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is the product of my limited knowledge of Chinese characters as I attempt to learn the language. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

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Chapter 54

Lin Yan was still in a daze, with his fingers resting between his eyebrows. What happened just now? It was as if he had fallen into another world just then. His fingers still retained the cold touch of the ghost's skin. How could he be so bold as to leave behind the self-respect that he was dying to maintain? He couldn't help but clench his teeth and move a little further away from Xiao Yu.

The weather wasn't very clear when he went out in the morning. The cool wind suddenly picked up, and the smell of earth rushed toward his face as if it was going to rain. The buildings in the distance were like mirages existing in the void, faintly approaching, chasing him. The "memories" forgotten a hundred years ago were secretly dormant in the cracks of every blue brick in this ancient courtyard, waiting for him to approach.

A lot of people had gathered at the prize draw stand. The host was dressed like a scholar and wore a robe and a square scarf, carefully adjusting the microphone.

There are a few small shops by the roadside. The staff set up stalls at the entrance to sell various folk items, and there was also a place to change clothes. Rows of improved Hanfu and flags were hung on the shelves. Visitors can rent them to take pictures or simply wear them around the garden tour. The ancient meaning was abundant.

Lin Yan walked over to ask the price, and the peddler spoke in his local accent, stretched out two fingers, and said seriously, "Twenty taels of silver for the day!"

Even the young master, who had always prided himself on his composure, didn't hold back his laughter. Lin Yan rummaged through the clothes racks, picked out five outfits that were not too badly butchered by ancient costume dramas, and handed them out one by one: "Wear these for fun. It suits the scene."

The straight train was only worn with a long belt, and half an arm could be added at most. Their jeans will be exposed when they moved too much. The tourists were very happy to dress up and are busy taking pictures. Xiao Yu was fiddling with ghost masks and paper lanterns. Lin Yan was putting on his belt, and the ghost turned his head and said softly: "I remember these. They're for the Lantern Festival."

"Lanterns are lit from the eighth day to the eighteenth day. The first day is for test lanterns. The fourteenth day of the first lunar month is for divine lanterns, which are dedicated to offering sacrifices to ancestors. The fifteenth day is for human lanterns, to eliminate insects and ward off evil spirits. The last day is for ghost lanterns, which are placed on the grave. Wandering souls can use them to get out of the ghost world."

Lin Yan chose a lotus lantern and handed it to Xiao Yu: "Now they all rely on these gimmicks to make money. If they have the chance, they'll throw everything they can out there, calling it the revival of Chinese culture, and it's all a mess in the end."

Teasingly, he took two masks, the blue-faced evil spirit with fangs and an evil ghost, and gave him one: "Here, you look like this."

Yin Zhou squeezed out from the crowd to urge them: "Hurry up, both of you, it's about to start."

The host had adjusted the microphone, joking on stage, and lifted the red curtain with a swipe. The poster showed the prize listing. The runner-up prize was a commemorative coin with a picture of the whole ancient city printed on it. The fourth-level prize was a 50 yuan voucher. The third-level prize was a mobile phone. The second-level prize was a notebook, and the first-level prize was blank. A square box on the table in the center of the stage was wrapped in red silk and satin, deliberately leading tourists to guess what it was.

"Now, please look at the number in the lower right corner of your ticket. Mr. X, an investor in Jinyang Ancient City, will do the draw for us." The host was enthusiastic.

The runner-up and the fourth-level prize were announced in turn. Someone in the crowd shouted, "Yeah, it's me," from time to time. They won their prizes and went to the stage to accept the award with a smile. There were a lot of winners in these two categories, and it took a long time to announce the third-level prize. At that time, Lin Yan was already impatient and pushed Yin Zhou: "Let's go, let's go, there's nothing to see here."

Yin Zhou is confident: "Maybe I'll win something. It'll only take a moment."

"Come on, we've never won anything more expensive than a washbasin since we were young in draws and lottery tickets." Lin Yan muttered.

Soon the third and second-level prizes were over, and the audience focused on the red cloth box. The host made a point of making a story: "This time, we have carefully prepared the first-level prize. It's highly collectible and valuable." As he spoke, he took the note from the investor's hand and read out: "No. 141."

The audience looked down at their tickets. No one came up to claim it. Yin Zhou nudged Lin Yan with his elbow: "Hey, what number are you?"

Lin Yan glanced at it and exclaimed, "It's me!"

"Go quickly, see what it is." Satisfied, Yin Zhou rushed to the stage and waved his hand. While Lin Yan was on stage, he secretly flicked A-Che's forehead, "Alright."

The little fox shook his head: "Look, we foxes have the most powerful spells."

Lin Yan climbed up to the stage, shook hands with the investor first, and then uncovered the red silk under the expectant eyes of the crowd, revealing the exquisite brocade box underneath.

The box was slowly opened. Lin Yan's eyes widened all of a sudden, and he took out. . . a chicken that hadn't shed its feathers completely, its head hanging limply. Its blood hadn't been drained entirely, and some was dripping down its neck.

"A chicken?!" The audience was silent, and then the whispers turned into roars of laughter. The investor and the host blushed, looking for where their real prize went.

When Lin Yan walked off the stage with the chicken in a daze, Yin Zhou was smacking A-Che: "What's the matter with you? What are you doing with a chicken? Where's the original thing!?"

A-Che muttered aggrievedly: "The original thing wasn't good. Lin Yan definitely wouldn't like it, so I changed it!" After staring at the chicken and licking his lips, his eyes glowed, "There's nothing more delicious in this world than chicken. Let's eat this for lunch, okay?"

Yin Zhou was so angry that smoke could've been coming out of his nose. Lin Yan stared suspiciously at the chicken in his hand, then at Yin Zhou and the fox, who was making a fuss, and finally understood what had happened.

"Okay, okay, the chicken is also very good. Let's find a place to stew it." Lin Yan shoved the featherless chicken to the fox, "There are some variety meats and aged tofu over there. You guys wait and I'll buy some. I'm really hungry."

Several big pots were on the roadside stalls, and the pot lids were lifting with steam. Plastic bowls were filled with local delicacies which were convenient for tourists to satisfy their cravings while walking. Lin Yan ordered four servings and was waiting for the mutton to be cooked when the sky suddenly darkened. A commotion brewed in the crowd and bean-sized raindrops started crackling down. The tourists ran in all directions. People ran in front of it and the rain chased after them. The July day was just like a child's face; it changed at the drop of a hat. Lin Yan used his sleeve to block the rain. When he hurried back, everyone had already disappeared.

The stone brick road was covered with moss making it wet and slippery. The crowd headed towards the ancient city to avoid the rain. Lin Yan followed suit. He took out his phone to make a call but found that there was no signal at all.

The sound of bells in the distance echoed in the misty rain. The rain was very rapid and raging. After a while, his whole body was soaked, and his clothes were dripping wet. Many tourists used masks to block the rain, leaving only a pair of eyes to find their way through the mess. All kinds of ghosts and monsters passed by on the street, including tiger heads, snake demons, white-faced dolls, and earth immortals, all wearing similar straight trains and walking in a hurry so he couldn't recognize anyone.

Where did Yin Zhou and the others go?

As he drew closer to the dim ancient city, Lin Yan walked through the pagoda with five arches and stepped into it. Surrounded by rain and fog, the window papers of each house lit up a pale yellow light, like a city built in the void. He sighed in relief. There was a sudden thunder, and it rumbled above him. Lin Yan suddenly panicked. The fox's spell would be broken by the thunder. Where is the ghost he lost now?

After turning around a corner, then another corner, there was another pagoda in front of him. After stepping on it, he didn't walk very far before he noticed the people on the street gradually thinning out. Occasionally, a few women walked past him as if their feet were bound, staggering, striking lively poses, and holding up oil-paper umbrellas. Under their masks were faces from hundreds of years ago, ghost faces.

A thought came up for no reason, was this city a ghost town?

Paper lanterns lit up for no reason, and the light was dim. A peddler hurriedly closed his stall and carried his stretcher. Seeing Lin Yan stumbling around, he hurriedly greeted him: "Brother, don't wander around. Do you know where this place is?"

Lin Yan pulled him over and asked, "Have you seen four people, oh no, three people? One of them was a seven or eight-year-old boy who was busy taking shelter from the rain just now. We got separated."

"Or do you know where there's a tourist service center that can put out a broadcast?"

The peddler chuckled: "'People'? Who in this city is a 'person'? You must be joking, sit."

Two merchants with horses passed on the side of the road while walking and chatting, and Lin Yan overheard a few sentences: "This year, for some reason, the city was full of noise all day long. Some strange people came in early this morning, disturbing people's peace and quiet."

Lin Yan suddenly froze in place. He had supernatural eyes. He can see ghosts! Immediately closing his eyes, he saw silhouettes of beings walking in front of him. They were all greenish-black, and when they walked around, there was a long trail of green smoke behind them. A hundred years had passed, but this ancient city restored on the original site had never died. It survived in another space and another form and would live forever; the sound of a hunter's hawk, a new customer entering a teashop with a silent lute, a lady going up to the embroidery building and leaving a story of talented men behind.

"I went to the wrong place and came here by mistake. How can I get out?"

The peddler rolled his eyes and left carrying his load. A green-bearded Daoist came to meet him, holding a half-immortal yellow flag. He looked at Lin Yan carefully and said in surprise, "Young master, within seven days you will be part of a bloodbath. Return home quickly, and don’t go any further.”

"Good will be rewarded with good, and evil will be rewarded with evil. It's not that there is no retribution. The time has simply not come. Go away, sir, and put aside all the injustices of your previous life. This is the way to resolve it."

Lin Yan pushed him away, twisted the water from the hem of his garment, and hurriedly looked for the way out. He suddenly came to his senses when he heard about his previous life. Where was Xiao Yu? They were also separated like this before, in the distant time and realm of life and death. They thought they would never see each other again, but unexpectedly he found him after he walked alone on the lonely road to the underworld. . . What was so good about Lin Yan in that life that he was worthy of his undying love?

Who said that love is not the cause and effect of past lives. Whether it was love at first sight, childhood sweethearts, or long-term love, in the vast sea of people, why did he meet that one, why did he choose him?

The moss makes people's feet slippery, and the dark street scene and bleak rain and fog seem to float on the other side of the world. In the 23rd year of Chenghua, the scene at that time chased him, reminding him of his "previous life" he had forgotten in the void*.

*(T/N: 成化, the Chenghua era under the ninth Emperor Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty)

"Lin Yan!" Someone shouted suddenly. Xiao Yu held up a lantern and stood not far from the ancient street.

This scene was very familiar, and he suddenly recalled the day he ran away from home, and he frantically looked for him in front of the door of the strange movie theatre on the North Fourth Ring Road. The ghost stood there in such a panic, waiting for him.

Lin Yan rushed over in a hurry, still in shock: "There's something wrong here. I saw people from ancient times. They talked to me. . ."

Xiao Yu pulled him to the side of the road and said in a deep voice: "You went the wrong way. This ancient city is divided into two worlds, the human and the ghost world. The thunder probably drew the entrance out. Follow me."

     Turning into a spacious courtyard, the first thing he saw when he entered the door was an old screen wall engraved with Zhu Xi's family motto: "It is good to make preparations before it rains; don't wait for thirst before you dig a well.

*(T/N: Song Dynasty scholar who helped influence Neo-Confucianism)

Be frugal in your comforts for yourself; when a guest, do not prolong your stay.

If utensils are of good quality and clean, then pottery is better than gold or jade.

Drink and food should be simple, and well-prepared garden vegetables are better than precious delicacies."

Passing through a courtyard full of weeds, eight carved doors were wide open, showing a screen with gold letters on a black background, and complex golden peonies seemed to be thrown on people's faces. The two of them held hands and crossed the atrium. The four-sided courtyard wall encloses the courtyard like a well. When he looked up, he can see a square piece of sky with fine raindrops floating down. After passing through the paradise world, the sandalwood rafters were covered with murals, which had turned yellow due to day after day of sunlight.

Pushing open a double wooden door to the study, the ghost led them in, as if entering a land without people.

"Be careful of the threshold." Xiao Yu held his hand. Under his feet was an elm wooden threshold, nearly one foot high, which had been kicked and trampled many times, so it was damaged.

"Where are Yin Zhou and the others?" Lin Yan asked.

"They're all in the human world. You're the only one missing. We'll take shelter from the rain first, and then I'll take you out when the sky clears."

Lin Yan nodded, chose a black-painted chair against the wall, and sat down. He vigorously twisted the water from the hems of his clothes, raised his head to look around, and wondered: "Why did you enter a private house? Is the ghost owner of this household not here?"

"They're here." Xiao Yu said. Seeing that Lin Yan still didn't understand, he smiled bitterly, "They just don't remember. Don't worry about it."

The study room was spacious, with two black lacquered chairs placed against the wall at the entrance, a rosewood square table with celadon vases in the middle, and a large case facing the door. At the back was a pair of red sandalwood shelves displaying jade carvings and antiques from the previous dynasty. The four treasures of the writing room were all there. They had not been used for a long time, the ink dry in the ink slab. Rows of bookshelves behind were filled with precious and smoky yellow thread-bound books. The top row was "Four Books of Notes to Sentences," "Collected Commentaries on Elegies of Chu State," and "The Works," written by Zhu Xi, Feudal Ethics And Asceticism. Later, there was "The Analects," "Book of Poetry," and "Mencius."

The two vermilion window lattices of the study room were faded by the sun in the west, and because of the rain, they were dim, with a thin ray of skylight giving off a sense of desolation.

Lin Yan suddenly felt that the room looked familiar, so he walked over to check everything. His fingers ran across the surface of the porcelain, the coloured decorative bowls with blue and white flowers and dotted ink; blue like the sky after rain, pink like a butterfly flying through flowers. Going to the bookshelf again, he moved a few volumes away and found there was another compartment inside. He reached in and took out a volume of "In Search of the Supernatural." He fumbled inside and found a "The Peony Pavilion" volume covered in dust*. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He cried out in panic, "Xiao Yu, I've seen this before!"

*(T/N: In Search of the Supernatural [搜神记] compilation of legends about spirits, ghosts and other supernatural phenomena, written and compiled by Gan Bao in the Jin dynasty; The Peony Pavilion [牡丹亭] play by Tang Xianzu in the Ming Dynasty)

Looking back, he met a pair of burning eyes. The volume fell to the ground, and it turned to one page in particular. Liu Mengmei picked up a portrait of Du Liniang in the garden. Fascinated by the beautiful woman to the point of exhuming her body, Du Liniang came back from the dead in her tomb. An inscription said: "Just as Du Liniang, they can be called lovers. Love does not arise, but love is deep. The living can die, and the dead can live. Those who live but cannot die, and those who die but cannot live are not the result of love."

"I knew you a long time ago. . ." He broke off, raising his arms around Xiao Yu's neck, gazing into his eyes, his throat burning with thirst. A thread of a departed soul faintly attached to the pages of the ancient book penetrated his heart and lungs. Xiao Yu pushed him away and said lightly: "You don't know me. You're Lin Yan. I only want you to be Lin Yan in this life."

"I know who I am." Lin Yan wrapped himself around his body, suddenly breathing heavily, unable to control himself, and faintly uttered a sentence: "Xiao Lang. . ."

The ghost's face was shocked, and he let his kisses fall on his neck and slide to his chest. There was no one around, only two ancient souls, dressed in bright clothes that were evolved into foreign shapes by TV dramas, mingled together in an era of extinction of human desires. Love and hatred were kept secret and turned into a volume of evil books hidden deep in the bookshelf. By concealing it, it became more inflated. Lin Yan suddenly pushed Xiao Yu to the ground as if in revenge and knelt down on him between his legs, hugging him fiercely as though he intended to crush bones.

Before meeting him, the love he encountered was calm and indifferent. He just wanted to find a suitable person to live out his whole life with. When he fell in love with him, his life was full of twists and turns, turbulent waves, and a lot of people might die if they weren't careful.

Who said love has nothing to do with the long-standing sins of previous lives?

It's fine to be sincere for a minute, but why are his eyes always looking at something other than him? Inexplicable hatred and jealousy, hatred right to the bone, is it bad for him? If he wants to love, he will accompany him in love; if he wants to leave, he can't even say a word to keep him. He travelled thousands of miles to find a lover from his previous life and even fulfill the marriage contract together. How could the ghost have put him in a position, treating him like this?

"You want me." He stared at Xiao Yu angrily, "Don't you want to?"

"I can't." Xiao Yu turned his face away.

"You don't dare?"

The ghost was suddenly touched in a sore spot. He ruthlessly yanked open his skirt, took off the straight skirt embroidered with straight lapels. He lifted the hem of Lin Yan's T-shirt and kissed his ab muscles, moving upwards. He sucked hard, and kissed his lips all of a sudden. His lust was like a karmic fire that burned both of them to ashes. Neither of them was rational. They tossed and turned in the room full of thread-bound ancient books. They were too eager, knocking down a wall of books, the pages fluttering down in all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

Their audience was full of the words of the saints, and the onlookers found it unbearable to watch them.

"Does it hurt?" Just an inch deep, seeing Lin Yan biting his lip, Xiao Yu stopped and kissed him gently.

"Do it." Lin Yan wrapped his legs around his waist, sweating from the pain, and hugged him stubbornly, "Harder."

"Are you stupid? Do you want to die?"

"You the one who's fucking stupid. Why do you think about someone who has been dead for so many years?" Lin Yan endured the discomfort of his body being stretched inch by inch and asked him through gritted teeth: "Who am I? Who do you think I am? "

The ghost kissed his forehead, wet with cold sweat: "Lin Yan, my Lin Yan."

The hard object moved up and down in his body. Lin Yan uncontrollably swallowed the groan in his throat with his fist and greedily looked at Xiao Yu's emotional expression. His two long brows knit into a knot every time he sank into his depths, his heavy breathing uncontrollable.

The more pleasure he felt, the more eager and restless he became. He pulled Xiao Yu to make him lie on his body, hungrily thirsting for his saliva. He hooked the soft tongue into his mouth, trying not to make it painful, and untied his hair with one hand, letting it down his bare back, stroking it with the palm of his hand.

In this strange ancient city and strange room, he and his past suddenly overlapped, like he had been given a hallucinogenic drug. He didn't know why and he wouldn't ask. The lust was overwhelming, reality and falsehood collided, the ancient and the modern intertwined, and he felt at ease to bear what should belong to him. More debauched than anyone else, more depraved than anyone else, what's not to like? Xiao Yu owes him!

He was leaving and never coming back. What he was looking for was the skeleton of a dead lover. The anger of a thousand suns, unwillingness and jealousy have all turned into a forbidden love, just like the perverted and paranoid love they had when they first met. He bit Xiao Yu's shoulder as if punishing him and twisted his hip slightly: "I want more. It's not enough, not enough. . ."

The violent impact and friction almost made him pass out. His throat was so hoarse that he couldn't scream. He lay on the floor, tilting his head to catch his breath, the yellowed pages brushing his cheeks, the black letters in the vertical layout touching his eyes: "Love does not arise, but love is deep. The living can die, and the dead can live. Those who live but cannot die, and those who die but cannot live are not the result of love."

[pashminalamb]

𝕐𝕆𝕌ℝ 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝔻𝕊, 𝕄𝕐 ℍ𝕌ℝ𝕋

𝔼𝔻𝕀𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝟙

Edition 2 : link

ଘ Synopsis : Their words hurt you

ଘ Starring : isagi yoichi, itoshi rin and kunigami rensuke. (They’re 23 and professional players)

ଘ A/N : This is a part of a multicharacter series that I'm currently writing for. Will there be more parts? yes. Will there be comfort? Yes

Likes, comments and reblogs are welcomed and appreciated <3

ଘ Currently : no taglists.

ଘ Limit : 3 characters

ଘ Wc : 2.6k

ଘ Warnings : foul language, mentions of injury for Kunigami's part.

ଘ Pairings : Isagi Yoichi x reader, Itoshi rin x reader, Kunigami Rensuke x reader

ଘ Do not copy, repost, translate or edit any of my works.

Link 2, Link 3

♤ Isagi Yoichi : Shut the fuck up. What do you even know about football? 

It had been another quiet night in the apartment. Despite returning from Germany, you rarely got to see your lover; the only reminders being the left dumbbells that were left on the floor along with discarded clothes that gave away the silent message of him not returning home for the night, instead choosing to go out to the field to train until early hours of the morning. 

Sighing, you bent on the floor picking up his discarded sweaty clothes and threw them into the washer, walking to the kitchen to prepare a meal for him and keep it in the microwave in case he was still hungry, leaving a note on top of the lid. 

‘For Yo. Eat well :)” 

Days had turned into a week and there were signs of Yoichi in the house but it felt as if there were a ghost of him, considering the pairs of studs that would be left at the doorstep, the empty dish of the previous night left to dry near the sink or the missing watch that told you he had a press conference or the billboards that were in the city with his face featured for a new product in the market. 

It wasn’t until one night where you had grown frustrated that you had decided to leave at an ungodly hour in the night, driving to the stadium where you knew he would be, practicing.

Walking around the bleachers, on the field, you watched as Yoichi dribbled the ball past his feet and made it past his opponents, the last one before the goal giving him a critical shoulder push as he fell to the ground. 

“Yo!” you gasped, running towards him as the referee held up a yellow card to the opposing team player. Leaning down you watched as he grit his teeth, a feral expression displaying his animosity taking over his face. 

“Are you alright?” you asked. 

“I’m fine. Just… leave. Go home, I’ll be there in two hours.” he said, shoving your hand from his bruised shoulder. “Just come home, Yoichi. You can play tomorrow. You need sleep.” you said, eyes settling on the bags under his gaze. “Tomorrow?” he asked in a grave voice, giving you a glare from the side of his face. “And then what? When I get a broken nose and bleed, you’ll tell me to play next month?” he contested, his voice gaining a higher tone with every passing word. 

“I-” 

“Shut. the. Fuck. up. What do you even know about football?” he asked, a humorless chuckle coming out of him. “I’ve earned my place in this field. I don’t need to hear what I need to and don’t need to do when I’m the best here. And if I had to, you would be the last person I would ever come to.” 

You watched as he walked away from you, giving his injured shoulder a few turns before eventually going to the referee, saying that he was ready to play, while the rest of the players stood there awkwardly, looking at each other on what they should do. You could feel tears pooling in the corner of your eyes from the sheer humiliation you had felt before them, with the thing that hurt you the most being how small isagi had made you feel. Gritting your teeth, you clenched your fists onto the metal of the car keys, the smooth yet jagged edges digging into the skin of your palm. Taking a slow turn you walked out of the stadium into the car, settling into the driver’s seat with your face staring up at the hood of it, trying to stop the tears from falling down your face. 

After driving around in circles of the city you had made it home, throwing your keys onto the table, and settling on the sofa haphazardly. Maybe you couldn’t give him what he needed…just gave him what you could and what you thought was best.

Not daring to step into your shared room, you decided to pack a bag and not be there for the night; it was a bad idea to stay in the same place that reminded you of the one you wanted to get away from, leaving a gel pack that you had picked up from the konbini in the freezer as one last gesture before you turned in for the night.

Dropping on the soft mattress of the hotel bed and too tired to think from all the tears you cried, you decided to do the best thing and sleep, unaware of the lit up screen of Yoichi and you with a silent ring. 

♤ Itoshi Rin : You’re so insecure, it's actually pathetic. Makes me think why I’m even with you. 

It had been a good six months when you and Rin had become a pair… unofficially. There had been speculated rumors of the football star seeing someone, with the paper printing his image with a random model that he might have met at an event or collaborated with. 

You knew you shouldn’t be envious, as it was Rin who would come to your apartment at time of the night during weekdays or spend the night at your home during the weekend, yet you couldn’t rid off the green feeling that made your insides churn in sadness. 

It was another night in your apartment when you heard the sound of a doorbell. Opening the door, you revealed the figure before you to be none other than the man you had been seeing. Handing you the package of food you had ordered prior, he moved into your apartment, stepping out of his shoes, going into the living room, removing his coat. Taking his spot on the couch, he placed his phone on the table, eyes staring into yours, asking you to join him. Placing the package on the table, you moved to sit close to him, a good space between the two of you. Lifting a finger he beckoned you to come close to him. 

Sighing, you came close until your knee touched his, his hand reaching to yours, entwining your fingers with his. It wasn’t like Rin to talk, choosing his actions to speak louder for him. 

“I saw you on the cover of the magazine today. Didn’t know you were the new model for Issey Miyake…” you said with a small playful smile, remembering the navy blue sweater that Rin wore on the said photoshoot. 

“They’re hosting an event in two days.” Rin said, his thumb brushing over the expanse of your hand. “Social events disgust me.” 

“Hm… but you do have to build your image as a footballer right? Might as well watch models on the runway and clap while you’re at it…” you teased, nudging him. 

Grunting, he placed his head on your shoulder, the soft tresses of his hair brushing against your collarbone causing the corner of your lip to perk up. 

This was nice. 

You felt your hands shake as you held the phone closer to your face, eyes squinting at the image. 

‘Football star Itoshi Rin and Kimimura Ayano at Shibuya : a blossoming love?’ 

Blinking sleepily at the bright light from the morning sleep, you let your gaze adjust until you got a better look at the picture of what seemed to be Rin and the Japanese girl group idol who had been on the steady rise ; his hand brushing the strands of hair away from her face. Your heart dropped.

If he wanted to bring a plus one, why wasn’t it me? 

It was a pattern for a few days where you wouldn’t answer Rin’s texts, answering them with one or two words. Rin knew you had been acting strange, the screen of his phone blank rather than seeing the plethora of messages he usually got from you ranging from owl facts (that were very much welcomed) to what you had decided to buy or go or treat yourself with on that day. It was eerily silent. 

Deciding it was better to see you in person, Rin decided to drive over to your apartment. 

On the sound of the bell, you walked to the door, body too tired to lift itself. Opening the door with a heavy hand, you watched as Rin brushed past you walking to the couch with a quick pace. Walking slow footsteps, each weighing with the sleep you desperately needed, you sat a good foot away from him. 

“What’s gotten into you?” he asked, eyes fixed on the wall in front of him. 

“It's… nothing.” you said, hand resting under your chin while the other gripped your phone tightly. 

“You know better than to challenge someone who knows you’re a terrible liar.” “You want to start off with lies, Rin?” you asked, irritation getting the better of you from the lack of sleep and stress. “Why don’t you tell me what this was then?” you asked, unlocking your phone and shoving it in his face. 

Blinking at the picture before him, he grabbed your phone and zoomed in on the pixels. “Where did you find this?” 

“Doesn’t matter.” you spat, snatching your phone away from him. 

“A picture. That’s all it took? Thought your self control was better than that.” his voice touching a grim note, getting up from the couch to sneer down at you. 

“An invite to a person that you’re not dating when you are actually seeing me? Thought your self preservation was better than that.” you retorted, getting up from the couch, until your torso was inches away from his. 

Flaring his nostrils and clenching his jaw, you watched as the warmth in Rin’s eyes now dulled. 

“You’re so insecure, it's actually pathetic. Makes me think why I’m even with you.” 

“And I deserve someone who would not make me second guess my place in their life.” you said, walking towards the door, pressing down the handle to open it. 

“If your conversation is done here, you can go. Don’t want to hold you any longer, Itoshi san.” 

You watched as he clenched his jaw out of anger, fists clenched as he slipped into his shoes and left with heavy footsteps, not turning to bat an eye at you. Closing the door behind him you felt your knees buckle to the floor, as you wept. 

Maybe this was for the best. 

♤ Kunigami Rensuke : You’re an eyesore. So do me a favor and stay out of my way. Get the fuck out of my sight. 

It had been another long evening at the gym, as Rensuke pushed himself on his routine. 

Run…Run hard. Run fast. Run light. Breathe. Repeat. 

Little did he know that the late nights spent at the gym was a way for his subconscious to escape from the nightmares that he faced in the wild card, even if it had been years since he had left the blue lock facility. Closing the door behind him to the apartment he made his way to the kitchen, the sight of a bento flooding into his vision. 

“Out with friends. Eat this in case you get hungry!” 

Deciding to turn in for the night, Rensuke left the box untouched, his muscles screaming for him to get into bed. Stepping out of his clothes until he was in nothing but clad boxers, he pulled the sheets over himself, falling into a deep slumber oblivious to the door opening at midnight. 

Waking up from bed he was greeted with the sight of you setting pieces of toast on the table, the sizzling of food on the pan filling the air with a delicious smell. 

“Good morning Rensuke! Did you sleep well?” you asked with a smile. Grunting as he scratched his bedhead, he walked towards the fridge, grabbing the cold carton of milk and chugging it down. 

“Rensuke! That will just ruin your appetite! You need to eat!” you exclaimed, walking over to him to grab the now half empty milk carton. “If you wanted milk, I would’ve poured it out in a glass for you…” 

“Leaving for practice.” he said simply, footsteps on the wooden floor moving in the opposite direction. 

“When will you be back?” you asked. 

“Dunno.” was all the said, throwing on a shirt and a pair of joggers with his duffel bag as he headed towards the door. You sigh upon hearing the click of the door with Rensuke gone. 

It has been like this for a while now. Spending time together was a rare opportunity and even if you did it was different from how close you were to him. Conversations had merely turned into sounds of approval or discontent rather than talking. 

Silence was all there was. Not to mention the fact that he was not taking care of himself, overworking himself at the gym and not having the appetite that a regular footballer should have. Getting up from the couch you decided to follow him to practice one day, watching him from the bleachers. 

“Kunigami! Pass!” his teammate waved as Rensuke spun the ball on his left foot to tackle the opponent, only to be thrown on the ground in surprise as he felt an ache and a trickle of blood down his foot from the movement of the opponent. Lifting his head he was surprised to see a puncture on his skin, the red liquid flowing and a reddened area that would no doubt swell as time passed. 

Medics rushed to the scene, bandaging his leg while the coach wore a grim expression but tried to maintain his calmness. “Give it time kiddo. You’ll be good in four days.” he said, giving him a pat on the back. “Hit the showers.” 

Kunigami sat on the bench of the locker room, staring at the ground interrupted by the sound of the opening of the door, hands holding the large brown package. 

“Rensuke…” you called out, watching his bare back while the towel covered him and another was draped over his shoulders. Turning around to face you with a clenched jaw, his eyes seemed feral and dangerous. 

“What are you doing here?” 

“I…” words failed you as you held the large package in front of you. 

“Did you… How long have you been there?” he asked, getting up from the bench and walking towards you with a limp. “Doesn’t matter… get dressed and I’ll drop you home.” you said with a nervous smile as his intimidating figure stood inches away from you. Peering into the bag he saw an assortment of tablets, protein pellets, a gel pack, other medical and vitamin supplements. 

“You looking down on me?” he snarled. 

“Huh…?” 

“You think I’m pathetic?” 

“What? Rensuke… What are you…?” you asked, as he grabbed the bag out of your hands. 

“Protein supplements.” he said, throwing the box out of the package onto the floor. “Gauze.” 

“Disinfectant.” 

“Bandaids.” 

“More pre workout.” 

“Gel pack.” he said as he kept throwing out the items in the bag onto the floor. 

“Do I seem that pathetic to you?” he asked, ripping the brown cover into shreds as they fell to the floor. Trying to hold in your tears, you swallowed with a deep breath. 

“I am just trying to help you, Suke… You haven’t been taking care of yourself lately. The only thing you do is dash out of the house and I’m worried about you. You look like you haven’t slept in days and I’m concerned about you.” you answered, fingers reaching towards his face only to have it smacked away in anger.

“Are we playing fucking house?” he retorted, laughing a humorless laugh. “I don’t need someone to tell me that I'm not doing fine. You know what you are?” he asked, face coming close to yours. “You’re an eyesore. So… do me a favor and stay out of my way. Get the fuck out of my sight.” he said, walking away from you towards the lockers. Letting your tears fall to the ground you felt your legs shake as you bit your lip. 

“If that’s what makes you happy.” you said, opening the doors to leave, not daring to look back.

[nico-is-typing]

"Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation", a guide

Notes:

The chapter summaries were written by the author and translated by the staff at the Mo Dao Zu Shi Wiki. This "guide" serves as a simplified overview.

To make it easier to access the information, this is divided into novel volumes. Aside from the list of chapters, and respective summaries, at the end you can find ALL FLASHBACKS (for people who, like myself, dislike flashbacks and need a previous warning).

Volume 1

Prologue

Wei Wuxian has died!

1. Reincarnation

Wei Wuxian is reincarnated into someone else's body.

2. The Intractable

Part 1: Wei Wuxian makes a scene in front of Gusu Lan disciples. Part 2: Evil spirit comes Part 3: Battle corpses

3. The Prideful

Part 1: I have a little donkey that I never ride Part 2: Wangji's long-awaited arrival Part 3: After washing my face, found out I was actually pretty handsome Part 4: Soul-eating woman Part 5: I am taking this person back to the Lan Clan

4. The Elegant Flirt

Part 1: Overbearing Hanguang-jun's crazy little escaping wife??? Part 2: Inviting death by crawling into his bed Part 3: First meeting as schoolmates Part 4: I hate you Part 5: Inviting death by provoking him Part 6: Teasing this Goody-two-shoes Part 7: Water spirit, loquat, muahh! Part 8: Rabbit, taking a beating, bye-bye!

5. The Sunny Pair

Part 1: Leaving the mountain to elope!!! Part 2: The husband duo leaves the mountain Part 3: Caressing your hand, huzzah! Let's go to a darker place together...╭(′▽`)╭(= =)╯ Part 4: Man-Eating Ridge

6. The Malevolent

Part 1: Rotten luck Part 2: Coming out alive Part 3: Nonchalantly shedding fake identity + princess carry Part 4: Unveiling the secret of the Man-Eating Ridge of Qinghe Part 5: Aaaahhhhh! What else is buried in the walls?!

7. The Morning Dew

Part 1: Come~~ be happy~~ let's drink wine~~ Part 2: "Sir, what's your last name?" "It's... Lan" Part 3: The extermination of the Chang clan, gravedigger, summoning Wen Ning again Part 4: Lan Zhan... is drunk......... Part 5: "You were so wild last night, Hanguang-jun"

Volume 2

8. The Stalk of Grass

Part 1: Foggy ghost city Part 2: Paper effigies Part 3: Paper effigy shop and sticky rice porridge Part 4: Who's outside the door? Bamboo pole clacks Part 5: Who are you, and who are you? Who the f**k are you guys really? Part 6: Secrets start unveiling Part 7: Yi City's story Part 8: Frost Blood Parts 9: Trash Yang incites the wrath of heaven and people Part 10: The husband duo decapitates Trash Yang, Xing-Lan-Qing gets sorted out, Yi City Arc complete

9. The Allure

Part 1: Wangji drunkenly hits Wen Ning, Xiao-Wanjun binds Wei Ying at night Part 2: Special program: "Drunk" by Lan Wangji, "Interrogation" by Wei Wuxian, "Kiss" joint performance Part 3: Take off my headband, you become mine!!!

10. The Beguiling Boy

Part 1: Headless man Part 2: Secret room, head Part 3: The Venerated Triad Part 4: A mutual fan-turned-anti story Part 5: A mutual fan-turned-anti story, complete

Volume 3

11. Supreme Courage

Part 1: Previous life Part 2: The beast at the end of the deep cavern Part 3: Wicked beast and biting Wan-jun, piggyback leads to heart aflutter Part 4: Tease. Flirt. Escape. Bite. Yell. Wail~ Part 5: Kill after finishing teasing, tease after finishing killing.

12. Sandu: The Three Poisons

Part 1: A storm is brewing Part 2: All hell breaks loose. A great slap Part 3: Upheaval at home Part 4: Wen Ning Part 5: Dead end

13. Ill Winds

Part 1: Rise of the evil and charming wickification Part 2: Continuing that rise of evil and charming wickification

14. Soft

Part 1: Inseparably in love Part 2: Sinister melody Part 3: Set out Part 4: Pouncing into a grass pile is a type of romance Part 5: Dig graves and eat melon Part 6: Crusade against

15. Peony for the Soon Departed

Part 1: Everyone, I like flashbacks Part 2: Shadow Part 3: Tossing flower from the balcony

Volume 4

16. The Unruly

Part 1: Crashing a feast Part 2: Defect

17. Distance

Part 1: Two people taking care of a little one together Part 2: Goodbye my love

18. Night Flight

Part 1: Wei Wuxian, lifelong anti-fan of Jin Zixuan, says "I won't troll Jin Zixuan for a year" Part 2: Wickification maxed Part 3: Die with her, everyone!

19. Core of the Truehearted

Part 1: Flashback ends, back to the present Part 2: Unmask Part 3: The crowd of corpses at Burial Mounds Part 4: Battle against the fierce corpses Part 5: A-Yuan, A-Yuan Part 6: Blinding the children by showing off Part 7: Spilling secret Part 8: Don't you know? Once you have a boyfriend, you must take him to see where you grew up Part 9: Pay respect towards heaven, saving mutual salute between couples for later Part 10: The truth behind the golden core Part 11: Jiang Cheng is shook

20. Day and Night

Part 1: Stealing lotus pods Part 2: One inn, one room Part 3: One is handsome, one is charming, therefore they should do something Part 4: Drunken Ji Part 5: Stealing jujube and chicken Part 6: Love bathing Part 7: Overthink Part 8: Now Wei Wuxian can't leave Lan Wangji

Volume 5

21. Hensheng: To Hate Life

Part 1: Time to beat Yao-meimei Part 2: Discipline whip scars Part 3: Confession Part 4: Rescue failed Part 5: I'm sorry. I broke my word. Part 6: But, those are all things in the past Part 7: It is all you guys' fault Part 8: Boss's dignity Part 9: All gathered in one hall

22. Hidden Edge

Part 1: Everyone fights older Nie together Part 2: Nie Mingjue f**k you #%@&#*&@ Part 3: Seal the coffin Part 4: Everyone has their own path

23. Wangxian: Forgetting Envy

Part 1: Every day is every day Part 2: Sweet Part 3: The ballad of Wangxian was as long as the journey here, now the song has ended but the couple are together at last

Extras

Family Banquet

Part 1: Honeymoon, going back to check up on Hubby's family (○｀3′○） Part 2: Honeymoon, day-to-day accounts Part 3: Daily lives of the lovey-dovey husband duo

The Incense Burner

Part 1: Let's gather around and watch Er-gege's () dream Part 2: Yiling Patriarch Xian vs Young Wangji, KO

Villainous Friends

The daily lives of the evil duo, committing crimes and wiping evidence

Gate Crasher

Part 1: A small night-hunt after Wangxian goes into seclusion Part 2: Catching creatures with Sizhui Part 3: You're a virgin? :P

The Iron Hook

Part 1: Patriarch's night-hunt course Part 2: Second night-hunt notes

Lotus Seeds

Summertime of youth

Yunmeng

A dream among clouds, a dream come true

From Dawn till Dusk

Cuddling and grading papers

Flashbacks

Vol. 1

From "The Elegant Flirt, Part 3" to "The Elegant Flirt, Part 8"

Flashback to the beginning of the Cloud Recesses' Arc. Includes: Wei Wuxian and Lan Wanji's first meeting at around fifteen years old.

Between "The Morning Dew, Part 2" and "The Morning Dew, Part 3"

Lan Wangji (re)tells the story of Xiao Xingchen and the massacre of the Yueyang Chang Clan.

Vol. 2

From "The Stalk of Grass, Part 6" to "The Stalk of Grass, Part 9"

Past memories, from performing Empathy on A-Qing (ghost) Includes: The expanded story of Xiao Xingchen, A-Qing, Xue Yang, and Song Lan; What is really happening in Yi City.

In "The Allure, Part 3"

Minor flashback to the archery contest, at the Qishan Wen Clan's Discussion Conference. Includes: One of the first forehead-ribbon incidents

From "The Beguiling Boy, Part 3" to "The Beguiling Boy, Part 5"

Past memories, from Nie Mingjue (non-consensual Empathy) Includes: Meng Yao's back story; A look into sworn-brotherhood; What really happened to Nie Mingjue?

Vol. 3

From "Supreme Courage, Part 1" to "III Winds, Part 2"

Flashback to Wei Wuxian's first life. Includes: Nightless City Arc (Wen Clan of Qishan); Burial Mounds, the first appearance; The demise of Wen Chao; Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji realizing Wei WuxIan has changed.

From "Peony for the Soon Departed, Part 1" to "Peony for the Soon Departed, Part 3"

Flashback to Wei Wuxian's first life. Includes: Archery competition, the full story; A sneaky kiss; Jin Zixun being the worst.

Vol. 4

From "The Unruly, Part 1" to "The Unruly, Part 3"

Flashback to the "The Downfall of Wei Wuxian". Includes: Crashing the Jin banquet; Qiongqi Path (freeing the remnants of Qishan Wen Clan); Turning the Burial Mounds into a home; Cultivation World leaders start scheming; Jiang Cheng wants to fight.

From "Distance, Part 1" to "Distance, Part 2"

Flashback to the "The Downfall of Wei Wuxian" continues. Includes: Lan Wangi visiting the Burial Mounds; Accidentally adopting a child together; "Rich-gege"; Jiang Yanli is a bride now.

From "Night Flight, Part 1" to "Night Flight, Part 3"

Flashback to the "The Downfall of Wei Wuxian" continues. Includes: Wei Wuxian tries to be a good uncle; Ambush at Qiongqi Path; R.I.P Jin Zixuan and good-riddance Jin Zixun; The Wen siblings surrender; Wei Wuxian says goodbye to his remaining sanity (Yanli deserved better); Bloodbath of Nightless City ensues.

There's no actual flashbacks in Vol. 5. Still, some of the Extras take place in the past.

[entertext]

HGSN 20-1

Chapter (Japanese)

(Please hit the green thumbs up at the end of the chapter to show support)

Rough translation by me

P1

Rie: I'm so sorry...

Rie: Iori

P2

Rie: Mommy was wrong... Are you hurt?

Iori: Uu...

Rie: It's all Mommy's fault

Rie: (I knew)

Rie: (I knew, and yet...)

P3

--

P4

(sfx: suddenly comes to)

(sfx: tick tock tick tock)

(sfx: tick tock tick tock)

P5

Rie: Is that boy...the one you talked about?

Rie: Whew...Well.

Rie: Sure don't listen even when you warn them, do they? Boys...

Yoshiki: ...I'm sorry.

P6

Rie: No...I also...wouldn't have thought it'd be such a normal boy.

(dish: wrappers read "Shiitake Manjuu")

Rie: ....

Yoshiki: Umm... Thank you for what happened earlier

Rie: You're welcome, it's lucky I just happened to be around.

Rie: But why would something like that...

P7

Yoshiki: Um, uh, that thing...w-what was that?

Rie: The thing from earlier was, well, something like...a curse, made using a very old, very strong "impurity"

Rie: I guess someone made it by digging up an old grave or something

(sfx: pour)

Rie: Luckily, I was able to drive it away...although it might be closer to say it retreated

Yoshiki: (...he's talked about "impurity" before...)

Yoshiki: When you say "impurity"...

P8

Rie: To put it simply...

Rie: It's something like a "ghost" or a "presence".

Rie: This world and that world sit very close together, separated by a thin membrane

Rie: The souls and emotions of the dead pass through that membrane...

Rie: But when there's a distortion, the membrane gets torn, and they come out

Rie: ...and the god of that world allows them to be reborn again in this world

Rie: All I can do is put the ones that come out back in and close some small holes

P9

(sfx: BANG)

Rie: As for destroying them... I'm no god so it's impossible for me.

Yoshiki: Um...I don't really get it, but

Yoshiki: I guess I understand

Rie: As for him over there, ...

Rie: He seems to really attract those "impurities". Although it's true of you, too.

Rie: Like, what's it called, that...

Rie: That needle thing on the roof of a tall building?

Yoshiki: A lightning rod?

Rie: Yes, yes

P10

Rie: It's exactly like that

Rie: When it was on the mountain, it must have drawn all the impurities to it like a lightning rod, so the villages and town were spared

Rie: Now it's accident this incident that... it's a mess.

Yoshiki: So it's not 'Hikaru' himself, ...but the impurities that're the reason for these accidents and all...is that right?

Rie: Yes...but it's honestly unusual for there to be this many impurities.

Rie: Impurities shouldn't all be evil things

Rie: But when there are this many, it's no good.

P11

Rie: Was that huge presence I sensed from the mountain...

Rie: Really only coming from him...?

(sfx: whumph)

Hikaru: ....

Hikaru: Huh?...Where am I? Yoshiki?

Yoshiki: 'Hikaru'

==

Next chapter: 2023/08/15

Twitter Extra (link):

Yoshiki: (so heavy so heavy so heavy so heavy so heavy)

Rie: Are you alright!? My car's over here!

==

T/N: I've used the word "corruption" for translating ケガレ (kegare) in places before but I'm using "(spiritual) impurity" now to be more consistent, and better fit the meaning of the term and the way its used in this manga. I've revised the older chapters I've done to be consistent as well. Hope it's not too confusing.

Here is a English wiki page on what the term means for Shinto by the way.

[ultrablackwidower]

Cairo Skies

Marc Spector Fic Reader x Marc Spector Warnings: Angst

The sun was going down and they hadn’t spoken a single word. She didn’t know how many days had passed without so much as a ‘goodnight’, and she found herself staring at his sleeping face. His hair was as wavy as a sea, as dark as the mud left on his boots. His lips were hills she wouldn’t mind dying on.

Marc had been so quiet lately. It started slowly— so slowly that she didn’t notice. But then it hit her. One day, he woke up and didn’t look at her once. Got up, got dressed, and disappeared out the front door without as much as saying goodbye. He didn’t come back for days, which was normal for Marc. He was an avatar, after all. But then when he finally came home to her, he didn’t say hello.

Whenever she tried to hold his hand, he pulled away.

Whenever she tried to ask how he was, he was silent.

Whenever she tried to kiss him, he turned his head.

She was desperate to understand him. But had she fooled herself in thinking there could be any understanding of Marc Spector? Was she lying here next to him in bed, wondering how to connect with him, and only wasting her time?

Night was the only time she got to get close to him. These were the only moments she got to feel his skin against hers anymore, when she reached slowly across the sheets to hold his hand. Or to stroke his cheek. Or to kiss his temple.

And yet, she still felt so alone. So disconnected from the man she loved, and whom she thought loved her, too. She didn’t know where she had gone wrong, or what she had done to deserve this. A part of her had an inkling that he was going through something— but wasn’t that why she was here? To be his partner. To take half of the burden so he wasn’t crushed by the weight of it.

Their relationship had been made up of isolation, anxiety, fear, love, loss and turmoil sprinkled with moments of beauty. Finding motivation to tail along with his lifestyle in this emotional landscape had been a very heavy thing. Love was made. Tears were shed. And still she couldn’t imagine a future without him being a part of it.

She would stay here in this bed with him until a hill grew over her, with a river by its side, a selfish view and no memory of anything else. If he was the river, she’d be the sky, or something more solid, to pin this memory to hers. This was all she had left. Her hand resting against his cheek as she anchored herself.

Marc loved like sand, remembered like water, drifted through her unexplored with indifference now. He felt like a ghost in their home; but she believed in him. Here, lying next to his sleeping silhouette, she listened to the steadiness of his breathing as she tried to travel his thoughts. She wanted him to translate her into his language. To learn her by heart as a song learned its singer.

If she stayed, she knew she’d feel erased.

If she fell asleep, she knew Marc would appear in her dreams. He would say ‘I’m not happy anymore’. His cologne would be somewhere in the distance and she’d weep, because it would remind her of a thought that all he wanted was to watch the world burn, and right now she had the audacity to place a fire extinguisher in his hands and hope for the best.

She didn’t want to wake up and remember that loneliness was making a burnt cathedral of them both, that his hands played arsonist on everything they touched of hers. That sometimes people stopped doing things because their arms were tired from digging graves under the banner of cold Gods, and that flames came from coals that she felt she was now carrying.

Even forest fires had a season.

And as the sun came up through the bedroom window, she wondered if this was theirs.

[visualheresy]

Ten Songs, Ten People

Thank you for the tag @frozen-fountain!

Rules: Put a wip/character/etc playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that come up. Describe how they relate to your WIPs or worldbuilding.

My current WIP focuses on Ada Wong so I’ll be using this playlist of mine.

Cheap Ring by Miserable

I adore Kristina Esfandiari’s vocals--that guttural scrape does things to my soul. Anyway! I love this song for its cynicism and the sliver of vulnerability running through it: Dull men, long nights, or a peculiar fire I wouldn’t know how to extinguish.

I wonder about that peculiar fire, what or who it used to signify for this speaker, but maybe it’s just the promise of casual sex they’re looking to fill in for the loss. I think it speaks to the way Ada sees romance, particularly as a tool or a weapon.

2. The Culling by Chelsea Wolfe

Ahh. The Culling. It is the quintessential Ada song for me. Volatile, vengeful, hurt, a ghost clawing hand over hand to haunt the living. I listen to this whenever I need to access that darker current of Ada’s psyche, which has been shaped by a life steeped in violence.

Died too young, the culling then, it was obscene I am depleted by love

3. Heir by Public Memory

The clanging bell chimes make this feel like a dream. It’s nostalgic and hazy, the lyrics impressionistic and too cryptic to parse. It’s a sound I associate with Ada now, the far-off tolling of bells, and a breeze running soft through the wind-chimes.

4. Arms I Know So Well by Emma Ruth Rundle

Please deliver me from all the evil I did to myself And deliver me to arms so open, arms I know so well

This is Ada with her heart gashed open. Underneath the posturing and indifference, a role she has perfected over a lifetime, here is what she can’t bear to feel.

5. 忘記他 by Teresa Teng

There’s a line in my WIP that references this song, after a fraught encounter between Ada and Leon. When she sings from here to eternity, I can't. I'm in shambles.

6. Never Land (A Fragment) by Sisters of Mercy

In the Ada-centric film that does not exist, this plays during a scene of transit, or some liminal space (hotel room? elevator? low-lit corridor?), as she prepares herself for another deadly mission.

7. Marching Song by Esben and the Witch

(cw for the video: blood)

The mounting dread in this song evokes a scorched bloodied battleground. It’s a memory, among others, that Ada tries hard to suppress.

8. Needed Me by Rihanna

Fuck your white horse and a carriage. I know on the surface this is a song about refusing the burdens of romance. But I hear the vengeance in it too. There's a little subplot in my WIP that explores the dynamic between Ada and Wesker. In one of her field reports from RE4, translated from Japanese, Ada writes: "Both he and I are swimming and being swept along by each other. There is still time to enjoy it."

9. Movie Screen by Chelsea Wolfe

This is the only song on my Ada playlist that could apply to Leon as well. It’s a memory they share. The lyrics read in full:

Don't you ever cross that bridge in your mind again It's like a movie screen

I always have this on repeat as I’m writing Ada's POV. It helps me focus during the surreal dreamlike parts of her narrative, where the unspeakable trauma she’s endured threatens to break through the boundary of the real world. If you listen closely, you can hear the bridge folding in on itself before it collapses.

10. Cosey Mo by Subrosa

THE VIOLINS my god. I will lay my life down for this song. It’s devastating in how it captures all parts of Ada, her grief and fierce love and terror and longing. Her rage. I listen to this and there’s the image of her rising out of the flames in Resident Evil 6.

I promise you that I will find you I'll dig up every unmarked grave

This makes me think of us Aeon or Ada writers. Every story we write about her is an act of love, in a way. At least for me it’s a way of trying to understand her (despite Capcom’s narrative attempts to bury or shunt her to the side) and uncovering new things, each time, that I’ve missed.

[league-of-sam]

Catching A Ghost | Simon 'GHOST' Riley

Ghost x Reader

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Simon 'GHOST' Riley x AFAB!Reader!OC 18+ MINORS DNI! t.w // angst, mental health, language, violence, death, sexual themes/SMUT, military inaccuracies, language inaccuracies (google translate).

Catching A Ghost: Masterlist

You didn't wait.

You should have, but you didn't.

Swiping a knife from your holster, you burst into the room as soon as the doors were blown.

You spotted Graves straight away, running like the coward he was across the balcony and through the doors.

With all the force you could muster, you launched the knife, smirking when it caught the back of his leg. His scream of pain is all you needed to hear to know you'd got him good.

"Got him. He's on the run." you said, before starting after him.

"Reaper don't- Fuck! Go go go!" Ghost commanded, desperate to get after you before you got yourself hurt.

You were already on the second deck by the time the others were in the room, taking out the Shadows as you moved across swiftly.

"He's fucking getting away!" you yelled as you ducked down behind a pillar to avoid shots.

"He won't go far...he'll dig in somewhere." Ghost said.

"Head for the control room, there's an exit out back." Rudy said.

You stood, moving out of your hiding place, "Moving in on the back room-"

"Reaper watch out!" 

You were cut off as a Shadow laying on the floor stood, shooting his gun at you.

Leaping up, you hung onto the pillar, swinging your legs around to thump into his chest, pushing him over the railing and down to the ground below. He landed with a sickening thud, but not before pressing down on the trigger to leave a trail of bullets in his wake.

As you landed, one hit you point blank. 

Your lungs imploded as the breath was knocked from you, and you fell to the ground.

"No!" Ghost yelled, running up the stairs to you.

"What? What's goin' on?" Price's voice came through, panicked.

Soap followed Ghost, just as worried, "Reaper was hit!"

The ringing in your ears drowned out the rest of the voices as you struggled to push yourself up. A blurry figure knelt down beside you, pulling your body across their lap.

"Ya good?" the voice said, muffled, "C'mon (Y/N) focus for me, that's it right here."

Your eyes darted around as you tried to scramble up, pushing on the person holding you.

"V-vest." you puffed out, breath shallow.

"What?"

You regained your focus, the ache in your chest searing, but you weren't dead.

Not yet.

"The vest, he hit my vest."

"Fuckin' hell, Reaper, don't do that to me." Ghost said, helping you to your feet.

Soap tapped your back, and you nodded to him, signalling you were fine.

"Bastard shot me! M'sorry, I'm good, I'm sorry."

You reeled off breathless apologies as Ghost looked you over, checking to see if you were okay to go on.

"(Y/N) do you copy? I swear to God-"

"John, I'm good, I'm fine. He hit the vest, and now he's the one not breathing."

"Atta girl, we saw Graves run out back, finish him."

You and Ghost looked at each other.

He pled with you in his gaze. He didn't want you to go after him, not after he'd just watched you go down thinking you'd been shot.

Thinking he'd lost you.

You offered him a silent apology before taking off, running outside.

He swore, but followed suit, Soap and Rudy hot on his tail.

"RPG! Shit!"

You watched, unable to do anything as the helo that Price was in burst into flame, barrelling towards the ground.

"John? John?! I'm coming!" you yelled, starting to walk towards the site of the crash.

"Don't! We're good, get after 'im, that's an order, Reaper."

"But Captain-"

"No, go! Fuckin' end this, (Y/N)."

Rudy tugged on your arm, pulling you toward the wall. He and Soap boosted up, sitting on the top as they held their hands out.

"Ghost, you coming?" Soap asked, holding his hand out.

"No, Price and the pilot need help. You lot finish this." he replied.

You thanked him, and he nodded, hands locking on your hips to lift you up, where Soap pulled you the rest of the way.

You dropped down, squatting behind a barricade while you waited for the others.

Ghost watched you disappear, his heart still hammering in his chest from seeing you go down.

You had completely and utterly wormed your way into his cold heart, heating him from the inside, and he would do anything to make sure you stayed right where he wanted you.

Where he needed you.

"Keep 'er alive, Johnny." Ghost said to Soap once he was sure you weren't listening. "Don't let her do anythin' she'll regret."

"Affirmative, L.T." 

The rumble of heavy artillery and crumbling cement brought the others down to join you, as rolling quickly around the buildings was a tank, driven by Graves.

"This motherfucker!" you said, reloading your gun, "only he would bring a tank to a gun fight, fuckin' prick."

"Looks like the hunters are getting hunted now, huh?" Graves' voice invaded your comms, making you grimace. "Ain't that a kick in the ass?"

"Everyone look around for anything we can use to blow up that tank!" Rudy yelled.

You and Soap took off, clearing the battered buildings of the stray Shadow soldiers as you went. 

"You and your Mexican friends fucked with the wrong hombre, MacTavish."

"Come on out and let's talk about it." Soap bit back.

"You think this is a fuckin' game out here? You wanna play war? Let's play some fuckin' war, chicos!"

"Go fuck yourself, Graves." you said, shooting down another soldier.

"There's my girl, come to get me huh? Finish the job you failed to do just now? I told you that you weren't good enough, and missing me with your knife just proved it."

"I am fucking good enough."

"Yeah? Prove it. Come get me."

You growled, rummaging through old containers until you came across a bundle of C4.

"That'll fucking do it." you said to yourself.

Linking up with Soap again, you tossed him the bomb, knowing he'd know exactly what to do with it.

"Should'a gone home when you had the chance Soap- you and that asshole with the mask, hiding behind that uniform."

"You wore that uniform."

You shook your head in disgust, shooting bullets at the tank from your position, "You had to make your own little army because you couldn't hack it in the real one."

"Ha, that's almost funny, coming from you. Too bad you're gonna die for it."

At that moment, Graves shot at you, the building you were in crumbling around you.

Covering your head, you dived down as debris spat, dusting your head and clothes.

"You mother fucker."

"Where's your Ghost now, baby? Not here to save you, that's for sure."

"I don't need saving."

"Could'a fooled me. You know, I was willing to forgive you back at the prison. But now, well now I'm just gonna have to kill you too. Which is a damn shame. You'd have made such a nice little wife for me."

"I'd have never been the wife you wanted, and you know it. That's why you fucked around, getting your dick wet in anything that moved."

"Is that so?"

"You wanted me to be a perfect little wife, waiting for you to get home, cook your meals. Well that isn't me, Phillip. It never has been."

"We could have been happy, if only your team had stayed out of my business."

Tears blurred your vision.

You couldn't help it.

Everything in your life seemed so good, so perfect, despite the job.

Now, you're fighting for your life, trying to kill a man you were about to marry.

Fucked up.

"Don't listen to him, lieutenant. Don't let him in your head." Soap's voice called to you.

"Oh, Johnny...don't you get it yet? I'll always be in her head, because she knows she belongs to me."

You snarled, pushing yourself up from your spot, walking toward the tank while Soap snuck around back, planting the last bit of C4 on back of the tank.

"Ah, there you are, gorgeous."

"If I belong to you, then come and claim me." you said, tossing your guns to the floor and holding your hands up.

"That's more fuckin' like it."

You flicked out your comms, silencing the yells of your team, all of which had heard the exchange. Soap caught your eye, looking absolutely terrified. With two fingers, you crossed them, signalling to trust you.

Graves hopped out of the tank, climbing down the side and landing in front with a thud.

"I've missed you, baby girl. I knew you'd come back to me."

"I will, if you let my team go."

"Done and done."

As he stepped forward to approach you, you nodded, and Soap blew the bomb.

The tank erupted into flame, and you had to drop to the floor, shielding yourself from the ball of heat that flew in your direction.

Graves let out a yell, being propelled forward.

As he tried to shuffle up, you tossed a knife, hitting him in the groin.

Got him.

With Soap coming up behind, you grabbed Graves, dragging him into one of the buildings and binding him to a post.

"Now who belongs to who?" you said.

The look in your eye sent Graves' heart beating, and his fear skyrocket. He'd only seen that look one other time.

Soap, Rudy, and everyone else on the team had only seen that look one other time.

The Reaper had arrived.

And she wasn't leaving any survivors.

[leatherbookmark]

夜狩はもともと魏無羨の得意分野だが、ここ数日の旅の途中でいくつかの墓地を掘り放しても、捕られたのは弱い悪霊ばかりだった。手下として働かせる悪霊が足りないと思っていたところだったので、先ほど聞いた「大飯山」とやらに行って運式しをしてみようと決意した。

Night-hunting was originally wwx’s field of expertise, but all he could find in the cemeteries he’s dug through during those couple of days of travel were weak ghosts. There were too few of them to work as his minions, so he decided to check out this (Dafan mountain but wwx misunderstood the name) he’s heard about before and try his luck there.

starting from the end aka dafan mountain -- crying a little at how the joke doesn’t translate to japanese :( well. english as well but that one’s a given. everyone’s probably heard this like 100 times but the actual “dafan” is written like 大梵 (iirc either the subs or the official translation has it as the great buddha? brahma? mountain? something like that). but wwx, hearing it, thinks it’s 大飯 -- the pronunciation is the same -- which means “big meal” lol. in japanese, the actual name is pronounced “daibon” and the one wwx understood “daihan” which. doesn’t really work? but there’s no character that could work well as a replacement, really. :(

the most important thing though! we’re on the first page of the third chapter and the novel hits us in the face with a casual mention of wwx digging through graves! for no reason, other than Get Minions! why would he need them, and what for? who knows! amazing

as you can see above, in japanese it’s “he didn’t have enough of them to work as his lackeys”, but in the original novel it’s like... “he was only short of a ghost general who’d help him tyrannically abuse his authority”. despite the original saying 一只, the official eng translation has “a band of tyrannical ghost generals to do his bidding” -- so i guess it’s not that mxtx changed the phrasing during the revision, but that the japanese translator for some reason went “hmm. no” and i’m honestly laughing

oh huh, the official translation is different from the deepL one in that the gg is the tyrannical one. i don’t know chinese, but looking at the grammar it seems like it could be either or? but then from what i’m getting from online dictionaries, the 作威作福 idiom can be used when referring to politicians who abuse their influence for their own gains, or those who throw their weight around and lord their power over others. it doesn’t sound like “a powerful and aggressive fierce corpse”. idk though!

[mostly-a-name]

destiny oc

So, because I'm a tired queer neurodivergent college student, I'm working on some Destiny brainrot instead of translating the inscriptions on Soviet era postage stamps. In any case, meet my latest hyper fixation:

Brink (Human Guardian, Ghostless)

Brink is non-binary Guardian who is just. Too tired. for people's bullshit. They were first res'd in their original grave, having to dig themselves out while their Ghost could only encourage them from the surface. Unfortunately, because I am a Ho For Angst, right as Brink breaks through the ground, their Ghost is killed by the Hive who are engaged in a battle nearby with some local Fallen. Brink, who is a Brain Damaged Baby at this point, is very confused and very hurt. So they run for shelter, hiding out the battle until the dust settles, and they wander aimlessly before finding a Titan on patrol who brings them back to the Last City.

I haven't worked anything out in terms of like, plot plot. But there's a headcanon I read about Thanatostalkers, which are a group of Hunters that stealthily follow Thanatonauts and make sure they get back to the City safely none the wiser. Brink ends up joining them, despite not having a Ghost themself.

So yeah! Let me know if y'all are interested in hearing more about Brink, or would read actual chapters about them.

[sciencestyled]

A Rollercoaster Ride with the Reaper: Unveiling the Secrets of Near-Death Experiences

Hey there, Tumblr fam! Gather around because we've got the scoop of the century, and it's as spooky as it is scientifically scintillating! We're taking you on a wild ride with none other than the Grim Reaper himself. Yep, you heard it right - the big, bad skeleton in the cloak! But hold onto your hats, this isn't your average ghost story; it's a no-holds-barred plunge into the mysterious world of near-death experiences (NDEs).

So, what's the big deal about NDEs, you ask? Picture this: you're hanging by a thread between here and the hereafter, and who better to narrate this bone-chilling escapade than our hooded host of the afterlife? We're talking out-of-body experiences, lights brighter than a supernova, and emotions that make your average rollercoaster seem like a kiddie ride.

And get this – scientists are all over this like vultures on carrion. They've been poking and prodding into NDEs like it's the latest gossip in town. There's even a dude, Dr. Bruce Greyson, who made a whole scale to measure how deep into the great beyond you've dipped your toes. It's like a cosmic BuzzFeed quiz, but instead of finding out which avocado toast you are, you're figuring out how close you've flirted with the eternal void.

But wait, there's more! We're not just scratching the surface here; we're digging graves deep into the science behind why these eerie experiences happen. Is it your brain throwing a farewell party as the lights go out? Or a sneak peek into what lies beyond? We've got theories more tangled than your earphones in your pocket.

And the best part? We're translating all the science speak into plain English, with a dash of flair, of course. No need for a decoder ring; we're making it as clear as the bell that tolls for thee.

So, saddle up for a journey where we unravel mysteries, debunk myths, and maybe, just maybe, learn a thing or two about life, death, and everything in between. It's a tale that's got more twists than a skeleton's spine, and we promise, it's not just another dead-end story.

Remember, you heard it here first. And who knows, maybe after reading our take on the Grim Reaper’s guide to NDEs, you'll look at life (and death) a little differently. So, reblog, retweet, and share – let's get this ghostly gabfest going! And hey, if you ever bump into the Reaper, tell him we sent you – it might just save your soul.

[translations-by-aiimee]

Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 53

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is the product of my limited knowledge of Chinese characters as I attempt to learn the language. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

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Chapter 53

Merchants in Shanxi originated in the early Ming Dynasty and reached their peak in the Qing Dynasty. Taiyuan Province ruled five prefectures and 20 counties in the Ming Dynasty, including present-day Xinzhou, Shanxi, Yangquan and Luliang. There are still many compound remains, some of which are still in use. Lin Yan intended to bring Xiao Yu there. It was best to go where this may have all started. If not, at least he could find some impression of the old days in the deep courtyard of the brick and black tiles. Despite the 3,000 historical materials, they can only rely on the ghost's sporadic memories.

It was 8 o'clock in the evening when they arrived. The lights glowed in the summer night, the streets were full of traffic, and the food stalls next to the train station emitted the sound of roasting meat, which made these people, who had spent four days in the wilderness, unable to resist secretly salivating.

Finally, back in modern society, Lin Yan heaved a sigh of relief. Yin Zhou looked around the neon-flashing neighborhood in vain and sighed: "Buildings! Finally, we see a building with more than five floors! It's so foreign." He rushed up to pat Lin Yan's shoulder, "Tonight, we deserve to treat ourselves, I've thought about it. We stay at the Hilton and soak in the spa. You can treat us. Don't try and avoid it."

Lin Yan clutched his wallet and gritted his teeth.

When they were at the hotel's front desk, they ran into another difficulty. They hadn’t made a reservation in advance. When they arrived, the triple and single rooms were full, leaving only a standard room. Yin Zhou and A-Yan had already received their room cards and went up to their room to rest. A-Che insisted on staying with Xiao Yu. The lobby was glorious. The fox saw everything as new and fresh and ran to the fountain to fish for goldfish to play with. Lin Yan dared not look at Xiao Yu, and carefully said: "You take A-Che, and I'll get another room."

The front desk clerk checked the information on the computer and, from time to time, curiously looked at the two men with children out of the corner of his eye. His gaze moved across Xiao Yu's face, which made Lin Yan inexplicably upset, but he didn't dare to show it.

Xiao Yu was silent for a while and said let's stay together. I don't need to sleep at all. Besides, we're always together, I'm used to it. Lin Yan's palms were sweaty holding the signature pen. Hearing Xiao Yu's words, he breathed a sigh of relief.

There were two beds. A-Che spread his arms and legs to occupy one of them, and Lin Yan slept on the other. Xiao Yu stared at the street scene in a daze. There was no night in the city. Behind the heavy curtains was a little bit of neon all over the street. It was a nest of red and green stars. Every time Lin Yan woke up, he would see Xiao Yu standing by the window in the same posture. He would whisper at him to go to sleep and the ghost would lightly shake his head. He didn't know how many times he woke up but when he opened his eyes again, the sky was already pale.

Xiao Yu's face remained the same. He had turned into a ghost, and all the feelings of fatigue and hunger left him like a stone, a thing drifting without roots and ground. Mortal contentment and happiness were also irrelevant to him.

He wished he could kiss those thin lips again and coax him to smile, but the ghost's eyes were staring into the distant void, and he had no time for him.

The self-service breakfast for two hundred and eighty people was extremely rich, but when A-Che got involved, the rest became errand runners. They weren't able to eat well at all. The little fox was all over the place, eyes bolting around at everything. They couldn't deny him the cakes, snack meat, sausages, and eggs. He didn't dare order Xiao Yu around. He only commanded Lin Yan and the others to run around and get food for him. Yin Zhou finally took a leisurely sip of soup and said sadly and indignantly that foxes should only eat raw meat. But A-Che's ears were very sharp, and he rubbed his belly proudly: "Don't you know where all the tributes you leave at your ancestors' graves go?"

"When the people leave, they will all serve our fox family. Big pieces of pork meat, salted fish, sausage and ham, steamed buns stuffed with meat, all delicious." A-Che shook his head, revealing a pair of pointed ears, "I was bored when I was a child. Sometimes I would turn into a person and come down the mountain to wander around. Grandfather didn’t know. If he heard about it, he would definitely beat me.”

An old couple at the next table couldn't help laughing out loud when they heard an eight-year-old talking about his childhood.

Lin Yan took a stack of travel brochures from the hotel's front desk, wrote down each of the addresses of the merchants' compound, and organized the schedule while A-Che followed suit. He couldn't read, so he only sorted through the pictures and complained when he saw they were all dark courtyards. In spite of Lin Yan's objection, he grabbed it and flipped through it, suddenly pointing to one of the pages and getting excited: "I want to go here!"

He was referring to a colourful promotional photo of an amusement park.

"No." Lin Yan snatched the booklet, "We won't be staying here for a few days. We have to hurry up and get to business."

When the fox heard this, he pursed his mouth and was about to cry.

"Hey, my brother will take you to eat six different flavours of meat sauce and listen to folk music." Lin Yan coaxed him in a good voice, "Your brother Yu is leaving soon. He doesn't have much time to play with you."

The tears in A-Che's eyes grew bigger as if they were about to fall at any moment. All of them took turns comforting him. Xiao Yu patted A-Che's head. He read the booklet carefully and said to Lin Yan: "It's okay. Take him there. The ancient city of Shanxi behind here looks familiar."

It turned out to be the opening ceremony of the restored ancient city relics garden. The promotional slogan said that the ticket price was 50% off. Not only were there various Ming and Qing buildings, special snacks and a carnival were stationed there during the summer vacation for children to have fun. At that time, a stage was set up in the garden to perform shadow puppetry and Pursuit*. A few small photos showed a square and formidable, massive courtyard with umber-black and vermillion tiles. The courtyard walls were extremely high, and two smooth blue stone drums were at the door. The ground shone with the waning light and shadows of the passing clouds. The time chosen to take the pictures was excellent. The porcelain blue sky was permeated with light pink. The branches everywhere stretched out into the ice pattern of Ru ware. The eaves were the most mysterious place. Black-clothed assassins hid under the cracks of the tiles. That was the old China in distant memories.

*(T/N: 1972 Hong Kong film)

Suddenly touched, Lin Yan nodded and followed. The little fox was so happy that he was about to jump up and spilled the sweet corn soup all over Yin Zhou all at once.

"Little menace." Yin Zhou cursed.

There was a tourist bus at the entrance of the hotel to pick up and drop off tourists. When they arrived at 8:00 am, the sky was slightly cloudy. The air was cool and the weather was great for sightseeing.

The restoration of the ruins, along with the modern repairs, was very grand. Plenty of cars were parked outside of the garden. Groups of children were being led by adults, holding balloons. Once A-Che saw them, he wanted to buy one. He couldn't wait to drag Xiao Yu over to the booth, staring at the paper-mâché kites. The shadow puppets, masked figures and lantern almost made his mouth water. He grabbed a few of each. He also fell in love with the blue cotton candy that was bigger than his head. Lin Yan rushed over to save the day, stuffed a few red notes into Xiao Yu's pocket, and said: "A-Che likes you. You show him around. Do you even recognize this money?"

"Yeah." Xiao Yu took the change from the vendor. The ghost's gloomy expression cleared up a bit with a playful child beside him, and he smiled at Lin Yan, "You come too. I can't handle him by myself."

Lin Yan put his hands in his pockets, feeling a little lost.

"What?"

"It's nothing. I just miss you." Lin Yan lowered his head and said. The music around them was blaring, and his voice was very low, but the ghost still heard it, and his expression was slightly shaken.

A-Che didn't notice the embarrassment between the two of them, so he took Xiao Yu's finger and pointed at the Ferris wheel: "I want to go on that."

Xiao Yu turned back to gesture, but Lin Yan was taken aback. It was a small glass box in which couples in love sat for fun, staring at each other for hours, overlooking the city scenery. He was so embarrassed that he wanted nothing more than to escape the situation. He quickly diverted the fox's attention, casually pointing to the right: "That's no fun. Let's go over there to play."

Surprisingly, 'other there' turned out to be a haunted house. On the promotional poster, there was a pale woman with long hair covering her face. It was like a midnight murder special, everything looked like it was out of Sadako.

Before he had time to regret it, A-Che had already changed his mind, holding both their hands and pulling them towards it.

The fox demon brazenly said that he was never afraid of ghosts and rushed up the pitch-black steps. After walking a few steps, the door closed, and they were surrounded by endless darkness. There were vents on the floor near their feet, gusts of wind sending chills up their bodies if they stood there too long.

A white shadow floated past them from the corner. It was a staff member pretending to be a ghost. Lin Yan bit his lower lip and told himself that it was all fake. A cold hand reached out and swiped at his ankle. He had to cover his mouth quickly, almost screaming.

Someone behind him was patting him on the shoulder, and his body went numb. Looking at the joyful couples walking up ahead, Lin Yan wished he could chop off the hand that had pointed them to this place.

The thick darkness blocked his vision; all he could see was Xiao Yu's back in front of him. He was wearing modern clothes, and the T-shirt was slightly small and taut on his body. He could vaguely see the well-proportioned, strong muscle lines, wide shoulders and narrow hips. A section of blueish-white neck was exposed behind long, tied-up hair.

As he was in a trance, a faint blue light was cast on both sides of the walkway. A head of black hair hung down in front of them. Her white skirt was fluttering. Sadako appeared from nowhere. Her hair was blown by the wind from the floor grates, and it was blowing coldly on Lin Yan's face.

"Xiao-Xiao Yu." He leaped out and grabbed the ghost's arm. He said in shock, "Don't go too fast."

"Are you afraid of this?"

Lin Yan's face turned blue, and he stammered: "I was frightened by this movie when I was a child. If I had known it was Sadako. . . I-I wouldn't have come in."

Xiao Yu changed positions with him, let Lin Yan walk a little ahead of him and turned his shoulders sideways, carefully protecting him. When he got close, he made contact, and their fingers touched. Lin Yan's palms were cold and sweaty, not much warmer than the ghost's.

In this man-made strange environment, the gloomy and depressing walkway, the winding maze that seemed to be impossible to navigate, the darkness feeds the imagination, and the imagination breeds demons. His ears were filled with the ghostly sighs of female charm, and behind every narrow corner, were hidden female ghosts. They were even hanging upside down on the ceiling. Their dead faces were blue, green and blackened. He accidentally bumped into a cold white dress, hair reminiscent of something unclean, like a clump of black hair tangled in the sewer.

He couldn't wait for this torment to end.

He was suddenly unable to hold out anymore. He grabbed the ghost's hand in the dark. Xiao Yu froze for a moment. He cupped Lin Yan's hand in his palm and clasped it tightly. Lin Yan turned around and put his arms around his waist, and the two embraced.

Time seemed to stop in this safe space, in the arms of his beloved, where the wind and rain can't invade. Scholars who deal with darkness and corpses all day long also get short of breath. Tired of being a hero, he became a young child. Heroes are short of breath, children are full of love. He sought refuge in a real ghost in a room full of fake ghosts.

"I want you, I want you, Xiao Yu, I really. . ." He ruthlessly bit the ghost's shoulder with his teeth, "I beg you, please don't leave me. . ."

The second half of the sentence wasn't actually spoken. It couldn't be uttered.

Xiao Yu gently stroked his back: "It's okay. Listen, let's go."

The two people finally found the exit after half dragging, half hugging each other. The sky was pouring down, and the little fox had jumped to the exit to wait for them. Seeing both of their abnormal expressions, he clapped his hands happily and laughed.

"You two really suck. You're afraid of ghosts, so shameless."

Seeing the cuteness of the child, passers-by couldn't help but stop and laugh.

If Lin Yan hadn't rushed over with a gesture of beating him up, the little guy's fox tail would have been proudly exposed.

Xiao Yu caught up with Lin Yan and grabbed his wrist. Lin Yan turned his head and looked at the other, so nervous that neither could speak.

"Lin Yan, I. . ."

"Pretend I didn't say anything. I was frightened. It was nonsense." Lin Yan interrupted him, striding forward.

After spending a whole morning in the amusement park, A-Che had played long enough. He had yelled and walked enough and Xiao Yu was carrying him on his back to go get ice cream. Lin Yan followed him, holding a bunch of his prizes in his hand. They had played pinball machines and knocked off the monkey king's head to win. They ate half of a candy man, then popcorn, and they got some glazed beads in a bag that was close to overflowing.

The little guy soon yelled that he was hungry again and went straight through the amusement park to the back exit. A long and secluded ancient road led directly to the ruins of the ancient city. There was an old-fashioned teahouse on the side of the road, with an elm threshold, a carved screen wall, and a newly pasted couplet reading, "A grasp of mundane affairs is genuine knowledge; an understanding of worldly wisdom is true learning." The three ancient houses were connected, and at the end, there was a pavilion where A-Yan and Yin Zhou were sitting and drinking tea, waiting for them.

There was a small table next to the pavilion and an antique blue and white porcelain vase filled with scrolls. The flowers in the courtyard were in full bloom, and the lilacs and clove branches grew densely, giving off a faint fragrance of grass and trees. On the other side of the pavilion was an artificial lake. A small bridge was built over the surface of the water. The wind blew the green lotus leaves and collectively rolled out white waves. Daffodils and sweet peas grew on the shore, and willow tree branches hung straight over the water. A string of small silver-blue butterflies hung upside down from the trees.

The three of them sat down. The waiter in the shop was dressed up in ancient costumes and quickly brought three bowls of herbal tea, and also gave them some herbal jelly powder that was included with their admission tickets. They mixed in some honey and ate it to relieve the summer heat.

"I asked. Behind us are the ruins of the ancient city. You may not be able to finish your shopping this afternoon. A stage will be set up at two o'clock for a shadow play, so you guys can go straight there after lunch and wait."

"Us?" Seeing Yin Zhou and A-Yan standing up and about to leave, Lin Yan wondered, "Why are you two leaving?"

Yin Zhou pointed to the table: "We took on the great effort of sitting on these stools and waited for you for three hours. We've eaten everything we could. The shopkeeper thought we were holding the table and I don't know how many times he rolled his eyes. The backup troops have finally arrived, so we're going to stroll around and you can do whatever you want."

"That's right." Yin Zhou winked at A-Che, "Come here, and I'll tell you what's delicious."

The fox's eyes rolled: "No, I'm going to eat everything I can."

"Tsk, I've got something to ask you." Yin Zhou couldn't stop himself from picking him up, "Animals are animals, and they look good in the zoo. Take them out of the zoo, and they aren't very majestic anymore."

The waiter brought a pot of aged bamboo leaves in a blue-and-white porcelain bottle, which looked strangely familiar. A-Yan greeted: "Try this. It's a local specialty, but you can't drink too much. There's a strong aftertaste, and it's easy to get drunk. I-I got dizzy for a while. "

The three of them moved faster than rabbits. Xiao Yu and Lin Yan sat face to face, looking at the lotus pond under Langyuan, not knowing what to say*.

*(T/N: 阆苑, Langyuan paradise, home of the immortals in verse and legends)

In the distance, a faint mist revealed the roof of the old city, tile by tile. There was a row of bright red lanterns and the noise of tourists and the music of the amusement park seemed far away. Time had stagnated under the slanting corner of the pavilion. A hundred years of time, that wine, that person, the passage of time in a disciplined existence.

The fine porcelain cup filled a glass of wine, tilting its neck to pour it out. It was crisp and refreshing, with a lingering aftertaste.

"It's not bad. It's hot. Do you want to try it?" Lin Yan smiled, poured another cup, and handed it to Xiao Yu. The ghost didn't refuse. He brought the glass to his lips and sipped it. Counting that as a drink, he pushed the glass back on the table.

His heart beat suddenly and violently.

After drinking this half of the remnant wine, I intend to drink half of your remnant wine, but I don't know if my groom agrees with me. . .

In a half-conscious state, Lin Yan picked up the cup, sipped at the place where he had sipped, and raised his eyes. A fox's eyes were not as attractive as his, and he stared at Xiao Yu slantingly. This ancient pavilion and the warm wine seemed to be cursed, an ancient and mysterious contract slowly woke up under Langyuan and jade ornaments, walking towards the deep house compound and the tall and wide walls, hiding at the door, waiting for them.

No one can escape the natural disasters that add to human calamities. Love was that natural disaster that led to calamity.

He rolled up his snow-white cuffs, wide and big sleeves, embroidered a light pink spring peach, a bit of femininity concealed under his tough exterior, deliberately leaving it for him to see. He warmed the jug of wine carefully and held it for him.

"You're busy with family affairs. All the stores won't let anyone leave. I can't personally send this rich playboy to the capital for the test. I will bid farewell to you and wish you a beautiful return."

"Lin Yan?" Xiao Yu frowned, "What's wrong with you?"

He still didn't realize it. He was tipsy. He raised his hand to caress his face, eyebrows, the corners of his eyes, and chin. . . People around were already giving sideways glances, watching two young men flirting in public. Lin Yan only felt as if he had a nightmare, looking at his face with fascination: "This journey will take several months. I'll miss you every day. Don't forget to send letters."

Xiao Yu held down his hand, putting it forcibly on the table, and took the glass away: "Don't drink this."

"Leave me alone. I dare to say this when I'm drunk." He stared at Xiao Yu stubbornly with infinite resentment, "At least I'm better than you. You never dared to."

Xiao Yu was not in the same space as him. He suddenly opened his eyes wide in astonishment. Was the person in front of him Lin Yan?

The little fox, A-Che, bounced over, holding a string of strawberry candied gourds wrapped in transparent sugar shells in his hand. He stuck it out under Lin Yan's nose: "This is delicious."

He turned to look at Lin Yan, then at Xiao Yu, and asked in surprise, "What are you two talking about? Why are you sweating?"

It felt like his soul left his body in fright. His whole body turned cold. Lin Yan suddenly came back to his senses and stared blankly at his palm.

Yin Zhou and A-Yan also rushed back. They grabbed the untouched herbal tea in front of Lin Yan and drank it to quench their thirst. They pointed to a place where a crowd had gathered in front of them: "There's a draw happening based on your ticket number. Should we go take a look?"

Lin Yan was too lazy to move. Yin Zhou dragged him up: "Let's go. You can eat later."

"There are so many people in the garden. It's strange for a draw. However you look at it, it looks like the old women queuing up to buy eggs in the opposite supermarket."

Yin Zhou said disdainfully: "Even if it is a basket of eggs, we've earned it. Hurry up. Maybe you'll save a few cents later. Grandpa Mao said we must treasure the RMB notes!" He said as he pushed Lin Yan out. He looked behind him and secretly gave A-Che a hint: "Are you sure about this?"

A-Che nodded.

"Okay, I'll trust you once. Your elder brother Lin Yan is in a bad mood. Let's coax him. You have to act badly. So, hurry up and throw yourself in the toilet."

[boxofbonesfic]

Title: Prosperina

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Dark!Steve x Reader

Series Masterlist

Warnings: Horror, Ghost/Demonic Possession, Kidnapping, Manipulation, Dubcon, Noncon, Stalking, Stockholm Syndrome, Gaslighting

Chapter specific: body horror, gaslighting, paranoia, sleep paralysis

Summary: Humans have a terrible habit of naming things. Even the old things, the hungry, wanting things that never should have had names to call upon. The things that want to ride on our souls, to see through our eyes and taste life with our mouths. Green is life—but for you, it is death.

A/N: here we are, part two of Prosperina! i cannot even describe how touched i am at all of the positive responses to this fic, and i sincerely hope it continues to terrify and intrigue you all. feedback is always appreciated, please let me know what you think! this fic was beta’d by the wonderful @curbitkirby, who has been letting me yell at her about my ideas for an impressively long amount of time. 🥺

This is a work of FICTION, and it is Dark, so I assume once you’ve clicked through the link that you are comfortable with that. I do not give consent for my work to be copied, translated, or posted elsewhere, even if I am credited. This work is entirely mine, and unbeta’d, so read at your own risk! MINORS, DNI!!! 😘

🌸

Part two: Scratch

“You gonna sit?” Your mother is seated at the kitchen table, looking at you expectantly. Her poison of choice sits in front of her, and when she lifts the glass to her lips, the ice cubes clink noisily. “C’mon. Sit down.” 

You sit across from her, and she sighs. You’re trying to recall the last time you saw your mother, trying to recall where this memory is swimming up from—and then you realize. It’s not a memory, it’s a dream. 

“Y’know, I never wanted to be pregnant,” she says, cocking her head at you as she swirls the liquor in her glass. “And then when we had you… God, all I wanted was to run.” 

She drains the glass, and refills it again. None of this is new to you, you’ve heard her drunkenly wax on about the glory days, the days before you slowed her down. 

But you’ve never dreamed it before. 

“But there’s just some shit you can’t run from.” You don’t know why you didn’t see it before, but her eyes are burning black pools of tar, leaking down her cheeks when she blinks. “Some shit that just is, you know what I mean, toadie?”

 The nickname makes longing and fear twine together in your gut. 

Her skin is death’s head gray, cheeks sunken. Her nails, sharp like needles, scrape against the the table, and in their wake, flowers bloom from the cracked wood. 

Your mother—not your mother—blinks those tar black eyes at you, and tears leak down her cheeks like oil. Flowers burst from her flesh, pushing their way up through her skin, which tears like paper. 

“You can’t run from her.” There are flowers on her tongue and in her eyes, and black tar tears track down her cheeks as she upends the bottle into her mouth. Amber liquid runs out of the holes in her cheeks, and she gurgles as green sprouts burst from her throat. “It just is.” 

You scream, and she screams too, a rattling, dying sound. 

“IT JUST IS. IT JUST IS. IT JUST IS—”

You can finally move again, and you throw yourself away from the table, hiccoughing sobs escaping your throat. The doorway into the living room is dark but you enter anyway, only to sink your feet into soft earth as your mother’s screams continue behind you. 

You push forward, sinking your fingers into the earth as you dig through it desperately. It smells like rotten things, like death, and behind you, your mother is still screaming as you claw up through the grave dirt and—

SCRATCH. 

You sit straight up in bed, your chest heaving. The bright, sickly white fluorescent lighting above you stings your eyes as you open them, searching blearily for the source of the sound. Your mouth is dry, and tastes like dirt, and as you wipe cool sweat from your forehead, your fingers come away dark. You frown, wiping again—dirt. 

What the fuck?

You look down at yourself, and streaks of mud stain the bottom of the chiffon gown Steve gave you earlier. You’re not sure how much time has passed between then and now, there’s no clock, no way to mark the endless march of minutes in your concrete cell. Your feet are dirty too, clumps of earth stuck between your toes and trod under your toenails. 

Tap.

You move quickly toward the sink, your stomach tight with fear. You rinse the dirt from your face and hands as best you can before you tentatively try the door again—still locked. You’d been asleep until just now, you were sure of it. At the thought of sleep, cold dread settles in your stomach. 

I can’t sleep here. Terror clenches it’s fist tightly around you. You can’t remember what you dreamed, but you know that whatever it was, it makes you dread going back to sleep, like something is waiting for you in your dreams. 

The dirt under your fingernails refuses to come out under the water, and hysterically you slap your hands against the sink. Your breath comes in short pants. 

Steve said he would come tomorrow—but you don’t know when that is. Perhaps it’s already happened, perhaps it’s not going to. You look down at your hands and a sob wrenches. from your throat. You don’t want to be alone. 

Tap.

Tap. 

SCRATCH.

The sound is so loud you turn around, whipping your head from side to side. Maybe Steve’s already here. The tapping sounds again, and this time a long, slow scrape accompanies it. 

“S-Steve?” 

Silence. 

Tap. 

A whining shriek tears from your throat and you run to the door, banging on it with all of your strength. You’re barely breathing between your desperate cries. “Steve! Steve please, please let me out, please, Steve I’m scared!” you don’t care that you’re calling for your captor, anything is better than being alone in this fucking room—

Tap. 

It’s close, like it’s right behind you. You’re afraid to move to breathe, and you still, shuddering as you press your face to the door. Silent sobs shake your shoulders as the hair on the back of your neck stands up. You wish your earlier thought had been correct, but you’re not.

You’re not alone, and you never have been. 

“It just is.” the voice sounds just next to your ear, so soft and so close that you feel breath brush against your skin. You scream hoarsely, and pound on the door again and again hysterical cries wrenching from your raw throat—and it opens. 

You fall into Steve’s arms, sobbing and wailing, clutching him as you struggle to verbalize your terror. He emits a soft, oof, though he doesn’t budge as you craash into him. “Blossom? What’s wrong?” 

“S-someone’s in here w-w-with me,” you spoke through hiccoughing sobs. He looks down at you pityingly, his brows creased with concern. No. No, don’t look at me like that! You fist your hands in his shirt. “N-no, s-she spoke to me,” you’re blubbering, and Steve takes a few steps forward, pushing you back into the room and away from the door. He kicks it shut with a practiced motion, before setting down the bags he’s carrying. You’re fighting the urge to grab for him, to press yourself against him in your fear.

“Blossom, there’s no one here but us.” he says softly, gesturing around the empty room. The tapping and scratching has stopped, but the dread remains. “Look, I’ll show you.” he walks around the perimeter of the room slowly, and you hate that his voice isn’t patronizing, but kind and understanding. As if he genuinely wants to help you. 

And you hate most of all how your eyes track his every movement gratefully, how when he peers underneath the bed, you feel a childish relief. You feel safe with him there, and it disgusts you. He’s a stranger—more than that, he’s your captor. He walks around the room another time before he turns to you. 

“See? Nothing to be afraid of.” You look down at your hands—clean. A dream? You don’t think you were dreaming. But… you’ve been in this room for days, and even then you’re not really sure. He grins widely at you, before he begins to unpack the cloth grocery bags. More containers, more food, and again, no utensils. Steve forces you to let him feed you, the weight of his hand hot and suffocating on your thigh. 

Better this than alone. 

“You look beautiful in your dress,” he replies, picking up a perfectly cut square of fluffy Belgian waffle. It’s drenched in syrup, but he doesn’t seem to mind it dripping down his fingers as he offers the bite to you. “Do you like it, blossom?” He presses it to your lips, and you open reluctantly. He pushes the morsel into your mouth, and syrup drips down your chin. Steve’s thumb swipes at it, and he grips your chin with his other hand. “Open.” 

You swallow, slowly parting your lips as he shoves his thumb inside, resting it on your tongue. The command is written on his face, though he doesn’t speak it aloud. You curl your tongue around his thumb, the sweetness of it sour still on your tongue. “I asked you if you liked your dress.” He says gently, pulling away only to return with another bite of food. He looks at you expectantly, and the food in your mouth turns to glue. 

You’re terrified of him. Of this place. His grip tightens on your thigh. “I-I like it. I’m not… I’ve never really… dressed up much.” You sputter, watching him visibly relax. 

“We can get you whatever kind of things you like, blossom.” he strokes the curve of your cheek with the back of his hand. “When you remember.” That fucking phrase again. Remember. Remember. Remember what? “I know you’re not used to nice things,” he says, and he holds your face still while he leans in to drag his soft lips across your forehead. “But we’re going to take such good care of you.” 

“Who’s…we?” you asked, and his shoulders sag as though genuine weight rests on them. “Why did you bring me here?” He seems just as forthcoming with answers today as he was yesterday—which is not at all. 

“Because we want to give you everything,” he says passionately, grabbing for your hands. You try to pull away, but you’re not fast enough, and he holds them tightly as he strokes his thumbs over the backs of your hands. “How you were living before? Alone, no one to care for you, to love you. You don’t have to live like that anymore.” his bright smile seems almost plastic in the sickly fluorescent lighting. “You have us now.” 

You’re trembling as his eyes bore into you. How long has he been watching me?

Tap.

“I wasn’t alone.” you reply, and he frowns, scoffing. 

“No? When was the last time you heard from your parents? The last time they cared enough to call you? And your friends? Your phone hasn’t gone off once since I rescued you.” 

“You kidnapped me!” You can’t bear to play along anymore, and you peer up at him angrily. His expression goes cold, and strangely, so does his grip. Ice cold. 

“I saved you.” He lets go suddenly, as if you’ve burned him. “No one gave a damn about you, and I—” Steve stops speaking abruptly, cocking his head as though he’s listening. “Fine. You’re right. I… I kidnapped you. But it’s for the better, I promise you.”

“I want to go home.” How long has he been watching me? Your thoughts race, and you begin trying to figure out when you might have attracted his attention, where. It doesn’t matter, and yet it does. And the back and forth within yourself about whether it’s your fault or not, what you did to deserve it and the one outside you’re having with him—

You want to cry.

“This is your home now, blossom.” You can’t help but glance around the room, your chest tightening. He sees the look, and shakes his head. “Don’t be ungrateful, sweetheart.” Steve’s voice carries a hard edge that almost makes you wish he’d never come down, but your skin prickles at the alternative. You’re still not convinced you were dreaming, but… your hands are clean, and the delicate gown Steve had gifted you with the day before was in-tact. 

You decide to try a different angle. “Where are we?”

“Somewhere beautiful. You’re going to love it so much, blossom.” His voice turns almost dreamy. “I’m going to show you so much when…when you’re ready.” He sighs, and then claps his hands. “Let’s finish breakfast. I have some things for you.” 

Steve makes you finish the waffle, his attempts at soothing you only making you more agitated. Suddenly you weren’t sure what was worse, the overbearing sense that you weren’t alone where you were, or his presence. His hands move in eager circles on your back, and he leans over in his chair to speak gently about how happy he is to see you eating.

When you’ve managed to clear your plate, Steve takes it to the sink. “You know, this is my grandmother’s house,” he says, glancing over his shoulder. 

“O-oh?” It’s in your best interest to sound intrigued, and you are—maybe you can figure out how to get away. He wants to trust you, he’s said as much himself. “Are we?”

“Yes, this is her land. It’s been in the family for generations, but I’m the only one to try and do anything with it.” He finishes washing the dish, and sets it on the rack to dry. “You’ll love it out here. I know how badly you hate the city. All the noise, keeping you up at night.” The cold lead that had previously settled in your stomach at the knowledge of his surveillance gets even heavier. and for a moment you think you might vomit up the waffle Steve forced down. 

“Y-yes.” You’d always dreamed of moving out of the city, but not like this. And his description hadn’t helped at all—you could be anywhere. He shakes his hands to dry them, and grins at you.

“I brought you some things.” He reaches into the grocery bag, and pulls out a worn copy of Frankenstein, and puts it on the table. A deck of cards, a puzzle. You know he wants you to be grateful, but you can’t muster more than a weak smile and a nod. “I know it’s not everything you’re used to, but…you’ll earn those back.” 

Earn them back.

“Are you going to kill me?” the question slips out of you before you can stop it, and Steve looks positively stricken at your question. He rushes over to you, grabbing your shoulders. 

“I would never hurt you.” He stares hard into your eyes. “I promised you I was going to take care of you, you’re going to be so happy here with me, blossom.” 

“Happy.” You repeat the word in a hollow voice. 

Happy. 

🌸

Part three

———————————————————————————————————

Le taglist:

@basementwiveswritingchallenge

@dorothea-hwldr @archy3001 @syntheticavenger @river-soul @millennial-teenybopper @doozywoozy @dreamlessinparis @melancia @ladyacrasia @sweeterthanthis @stupendouslovegardener @violetmoon74 @holl2712 @nymariel @punemy-spotted

[cheri-translates]

Headcanon - Fairy Identity Card

This work, 仙女证, was originally written by  君兮耶君兮 on Weibo, and she has given me permission to translate it 🌸

Brief context: Girls in China sometimes tell their boyfriends that they’ve left their fairy identity card in heaven. Depending on how smooth their boyfriends are, they could give answers such as “Does this mean you can stay on earth with me forever?”

[ VICTOR ]

“Ah! Victor!”

Already accustomed to how you often make a big fuss out of nothing, Victor doesn’t even turn around. “What is it now? Is Pudding ignoring you, or did you come across another recipe?”

You plop yourself onto the sofa, stealing the notebook laptop away from his hands. With a stern expression, you speak. “There’s something very serious I need to talk to you about.”

Seeing this rare solemnness, Victor subconsciously straightens up. “Did something happen?”

“I left my fairy identity card in heaven!” Pretending to be troubled, you lower your head, secretly observing his reaction. 

“...”

After a moment of silence, he finally speaks. “You didn’t finish eating everything in heaven?”

“How could you say that?! Am I still the darling who rests at the tip of your heart?” You immediately climb onto him, sitting in his arms as you point a finger gun at his chest. “In that case, why haven’t I eaten you up yet?”

Ignoring the finger gun, he encases you in a tight hug. “I’m different from heaven. I have enough to take care of you.”

“Yes, Mr Investor. Remember to approve of my proposal~”

“...”

[ GAVIN ]

“Gavin, my memory is getting worse.” You sigh, lifting a pen and writing the day’s itinerary on a post-it note.

“What makes you say that?” Placing one hand on the back of your chair, he leans down to take a look at what you’re writing.

Your neat handwriting appears on the paper. Gavin reads the words aloud slowly. “Fairy identity card.”

Capping the pen, you rip the post-it note and paste it on Gavin’s chest. “Because I left my fairy identity card in heaven.”

The warmth from your fingertips seeps through the thin fabric of his shirt, spreading onto his skin. Gavin’s face turns red, and he grips your hand while offering a suggestion. “In that case, want me to bring you out flying tonight?”

You can’t help but chuckle, wrapping your arms around his back. “Gavin, you’re really very adorable~”

“Cough...” His cheeks flare, and it’s as though he’s about to combust. “Then, I’ll take you to see the stars, and retrieve your fairy identity card along the way?”

“Sounds good~” You nuzzle him. “I’ll have to trouble the Little Fairy Boy then~”

Little Fairy Boy Gavin: ???

[ LUCIEN ]

“Hey! Siri Lucien, what should I do if I lose an identity card?” You poke Professor Lucien as he reads a student’s research report on the bed.

“Hm? Did you lose your identity card in the office? If you need it urgently, shall I get it for you?” Lucien sets down the wad of paper in his hands, propping his spectacles upwards.

“Nope.” You roll to the side, leaning on him. “I left my fairy identity card in heaven.”

“I see.” Lucien pushes the reading lamp towards the balcony, preventing the harsh light from hurting your eyes. “I was wondering why my Little Lady was so  cute. It turns out that she’s a Little Fairy~”

What a flirt!

He follows through with your words, and you hide your face and embarrassment under the blanket.

He tugs the blanket downwards. “Don’t cover yourself - it’s stuffy.”

“Fairies don’t eat mortal food. Since you’re officially a fairy, does this mean I won’t have to make breakfast tomorrow?”

You shake your head. “This fairy doesn’t feel full simply from dew. I prefer to be a fairy who eats mortal food~” You look into his eyes, brimming with tenderness. “This little fairy belongs only to you.”

[ KIRO ]

“Kiro, what should I do? I left my fairy identity card in heaven!” You frantically search through the pockets of his pyjamas.

“Miss Chips, that’s ticklish!” While evading your attacks, he wraps you up with a blanket. Pretending to be serious, he gives you a poke on the forehead. “Why are you so forgetful? I’m the same too!”

The same?

You freeze for a few seconds, blurting out the first thing that comes to your mind. “Hm? You also left your fairy identity card in heaven?”

“I’m a guy - how could I be a fairy!?” Kiro shoots you an incredulous glance. “I’m referring to my hero identity card~ I left it at the deity’s office.

“What should we do? I can’t return to heaven without my fairy identity card!” You splay yourself onto the bed in dejection.

“No idea.” Kiro follows suit, plopping down beside you. “Miss Chips, would we get caught if we forged identity cards?”

You look at him in shock. Although you’re aware that Key has no issues breaking through firewalls and accessing certain websites, you didn’t expect that he’d be so bold! 

“Kiro, are you about to violate the law? In that case, I'll definitely report you, and use the monetary rewards to have hotpot and barbecue~”

“No I’m not!”

[ SHAW ]

“Shaw, let me ask you something. I’ve left my fairy identity card in heaven. What should I do?” You kick Shaw, who is lying next to you.

“What joke is this? A fairy? You? Want me to find your ghost identity card instead?” A string of questions successfully causes your hands to curl into fists.

“Hey, could you be a little more serious!?” You threaten, twisting his ears. “Otherwise, I’ll break your eggplant head!!”

Locking his phone, he tosses it onto the bedside table. Then, he picks up your cup and drinks the Cola in it. “What else do you want me to do? Send you to heaven to retrieve it?”

Rolling your eyes, you lay yourself flat on the bed. “Isn’t your side occupation forging identity cards? Make one for me.”

“...who told you that I do forging of identity cards?” He scoots over, attempting to push you off the bed.

You purposely provoke him.

“Isn’t your main occupation grave-digging and your side occupation forging identity cards?”

As expected, Shaw’s face darkens. “You should sleep early, and maybe you’ll become more clear-headed.”

-

More translated and original writings: here

-

[ Permission to translate ]

君兮耶君兮: You can - just note the source of the author

[hunxi-guilai]

Hello! I love your cql meta! I don't know if you've talked about this before but could you break down the scene from Cloud Recesses when wwx angers Lan Qiren to the point of throwing stuff? I think that was a cool foreshadowing about wwx's later cultivation but you know how tragic the translations are, I can barely understand what they are saying!

hi there! I’ve referenced this moment in a few metas, but I haven’t talked about it in particular!

it is absolutely foreshadowing for Wei Wuxian’s, ah, unique cultivation; this scene delivers a lot of worldbuilding at a breakneck pace in terms of what cultivation is for and how it works (I remember replaying this scene line by line the first time through just trying to read the Chinese subs fast enough). Lan Wangji’s recitation of liberation (release the spirit from the mortal realm by helping it fulfill its dying wish), suppression (containing the spirit), and elimination (destroying the spirit) gives us an idea of properly sanctioned ways cultivators usually utilize in order to deal with resentful ghosts and spirits, and lays the groundwork for why Wei Wuxian’s alternative cultivation is so reviled in later episodes. 

There are better posts circulating out there about exactly why Wei Wuxian’s demonic/monstrous/deceptive/heretical cultivation is so taboo, but the tl;dr of it is 1) resentful energy is a volatile substance, and can accelerate corruption of own’s humanity, 2) anything violating the sanctity and peaceful rest of the dead is like, mega yikes in the context of Han Chinese culture. So when Wei Wuxian suggests digging up the graves of the hundred victims of the executioner and collecting their skulls? It’s many levels of holy shit that’s not okay my dude, especially considering the social mores around intact bodies and filiality. The idea that you would disturb the rest of the dead to stir up resentment and channel their resentful energy for your convenience? Immoral, heretical, blasphemous, despicable -- it’s honestly not surprising that Lan Qiren chucks a scroll at him.

although I gotta say... just looking at Lan Qiren’s face in this moment, he is DEFINITELY having flashbacks to when Cangse-sanren was in school. like mother, like son indeed

That being said, Wei Wuxian makes an excellent argument for why it might be worth studying the possible use and utilization of resentful energy, which I talk about a bit more in this post. I’ve always been intrigued at his bold analogy of 大禹治水 Da Yu taming the floods -- Yu is one of the sage-emperors of pre-historic China, and often one of the names you might see in context with Yao, Shun, and other vaguely mythical figures of upright moral standing and supernatural accomplishment. Da Yu is the primary figure involved with ancient China’s counterpart of the flood myth; his father, Gun, tried and failed to solve the problem of flooding by damming up the waters (the 塞 se Wei Wuxian references in the line 塞为下策 seweixiace，疏为上策 shuweishangce / damming is the lesser strategy; dispersing the better strategy). Da Yu is credited, essentially, with inventing irrigation that helped mitigate the yearly damage caused by the regular flooding of the Yellow River.

For Wei Wuxian to call on Da Yu in his argument here showcases his ability to think critically outside the textbook, and this whole interaction handily foreshadows his single-handed innovation of his alternative cultivation path -- he borrows easily from past exemplars (Da Yu taming the floods, Gusu Lan’s musical cultivation) in training himself, and is quite willing to challenge authority (whether it’s Lan Qiren in the classroom, or the Jin Sect at the Hundred Flowers Banquet). Wei Wuxian, time and time again, declares that he’ll be the precedent, which is often taken as an announcement of arrogance, of overweening confidence, but in reality is just who Wei Wuxian is as a person -- someone who asks the questions that push against the boundaries of taboo, who braves the risks in the name of progress and discovery.

Which makes Lan Wangji’s role in this scene all the more interesting, because while this scene sets up Wei Wuxian’s character and foreshadows his arc, it’s also one of the earliest substantial scenes we see with Lan Wangji (and definitely his longest set of lines during Cloud Recesses summer school, if not his entire show). 

Lan Wangji is given the role as the voice of orthodoxy -- he delivers the textbook-perfect answer that Lan Qiren is looking for, and is duly praised for it. Lan Qiren then kind of 落井下石 goes after Wei Wuxian a little more than the moment is really calling for, and when Wei Wuxian brings up his doubts, questioning the effectiveness of ‘liberation,’ it’s not Lan Qiren who responds, but Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji, at this point in the scene, could have absolutely sat back down, opted out of further engagement, folded his hands neatly in his lap, and watched the scene play out, but no. Instead, Lan Wangji remains standing, such that the three major players in this scene are still Lan Qiren, Lan Wangji, and Wei Wuxian.

This three-way dynamic of power and approval, orthodoxy and acceptability, is one that will come to define Lan Wangji’s character development in the future.

But since this is early in the show, Lan Wangji sides with orthodoxy and Lan Qiren -- Lan Wangji sides so strongly, in fact, that he beats Lan Qiren, the presiding teacher, when it comes to speed in responding to Wei Wuxian (one gets the feeling that their moonlit sword fight is an unfinished argument Lan Wangji is willing to continue in an alternate medium).

I... can’t quite parse Lan Wangji’s emotions as he listens to the rest of the argument between Wei Wuxian and Lan Qiren unfold -- is he silent, genuinely considering the possible merits of Wei Wuxian’s unusual thoughts? Or is he shocked and appalled that anyone would dare to speak back to his uncle in this manner? Is he haughty and dismissive, looking down at this challenger for his usual position as the primary interlocutor for Lan Qiren? Is he quietly stunned, having never considered the possibility of questioning authority and tradition?

A little bit of all of them?

(listen. this entire scene. the way Lan Qiren calls upon Lan Wangji to answer and heaps lavish praise upon him and his character before the entire class. is giving me. a lot of feelings. about how lonely and isolated Lan Wangji must have been. if this is how Lan Qiren normally acts. you don’t make friends with other kids your age. if you’ve been elevated so far beyond their level. because the teacher is your uncle and favors you so blatantly. and it’s not Lan Wangji’s fault. that he isn’t given a chance. to be a human before being an image of perfection. okay I’m getting distracted)

Well, we know the story from here -- Lan Wangji goes to retrieve Wei Wuxian, who’s larked off to the waterfall on the back mountain instead of the library, where he’s supposed to be copying lines. They fight -- they argue -- they kiss and make up spend a lot of bonding time in the library, and innocent volumes of pornography are harmed in the making of this relationship -- but this scene is one of wangxian’s many beginnings. It functions as worldbuilding for cultivation, foreshadows for Wei Wuxian’s future path, and forms the starting point for Lan Wangji’s journey in questioning the rules and principles that have been carved into him from childhood, a journey that will eventually land him on his knees before his uncle, siding with the boy who spoke back that bygone summer afternoon instead of against him.

[chalkrevelations]

OK, wow, Episode 29 of Word of Honor, and that was A LOT. There is just A LOT going on, and all of it is A LOT.

(Spoilers. Scroll on past and come back later if you need to.)

Well, you know where this is going to start: Both A-Xiang and I are resolutely NOT crying. Yet. But you know who is? Cao Weining. We literally get a single crystalline tear drop, and oh god, I can’t take this, the mood swing from their adorable forest stroll and the way she noms up her corn family and the way he tries to blow away misfortune from the well of her palms and the way she looks up at him as she realizes how much he wants to take care of her and protect her forever – to this poor cinnamon roll and his eyes filling up with tears as he realizes the enormity of who A-Xiang is, the enormity of what he’s potentially done bringing her back to his sect and giving the Ghost Valley a way in, the way she’s hidden something so important from him. That she could have been stringing him along this whole time? That Wen Kexing, who he knows, who he knows as a good guy, is apparently the terrifying leader of the Ghost Valley? Nothing he knows is real, none of it makes sense, and it kills me, the wordless communication between him and A-Xiang, after she finally says it, finally lets him know who she is, and he just looks at her for confirmation, because he can’t believe it, and she gives that tiny little nod, placing all of this knowledge and her fate in his hands, the hands she’s held as he’s promised to stay with her and protect her always, to not fail her. OK. I take it back. A little bit, I’m tearing up. And then he doesn’t. He doesn’t fail her. His shixiong can’t figure out what Cao Weining and A-Xiang are apparently fighting about, because apparently Cao Weining hasn’t told anyone who she is!

Also, I have to yell excitedly about something here for a minute, because OMG THE MIRRORING they continue to maintain between Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu and Gu Xiang/Cao Weining. (!!!) I really want to point this one out, because it’s subtle but I think incredibly important, and you lose it if all you’re able to follow is the English subtitles. I have to give props to another Tumblr user (whose post I cannot for the life of me find again, and if anyone does, please let me know, so I can update this post), because I wouldn’t have caught it, with my Level 2 Duolingo Mandarin, if they hadn’t done a post a while back about the nuances of the use of “外人” (I think that’s correct) between ZZS and WKX in Ep 25 (and possibly Ep 26). In Ep 25 at 45:53, there’s a conversation about training Chengling – ZZS says something about getting WKX to do some of the training, WKX responds with something about letting “someone else” teach your disciple, per the English subtitles, and ZZS responds with “And you’re ‘someone else’?” Youku is using “someone else” here as a translation of 外人 (“wairen?” is maybe the transliteration of it?) which actually seems to mean “stranger” or more specifically “outsider” – someone who’s from “outside.” I presume in this context, specifically from outside your sect/family (which gives the whole conversation more layers, because by using this label for himself, Wen Kexing gives us another example of how he’s still resisting the idea of himself as a shidi of Four Seasons Manor, at that point, and is still unable to accept the full scope of his relationship with ZZS, even though he wants it so badly, because he is so terrified of getting it and then losing it). In Ep 26, 外人 comes up again, at 5:00, when ZZS finds WKX giving training advice to Chengling. SO, props to this currently unknown Tumblr user, because even though I kind of quickly scrolled past the post without fully reading it - because I hadn’t reached those eps yet, and I didn’t want to see too many spoilers -  the post did alert me to the word “outsider” as a meaning of 外人. And without that, I probably wouldn’t have twigged to A-Xiang’s use of “outsider” at the very end of this episode, when this shining, clever, fierce girl, who’s been taught to survive above all else, tells Cao Weining’s shixiong that he can’t just send her away for her own protection, that she’s going to stay and fight and die with the rest of them because he can’t take back his words about her being family and now treat her like an outsider. This time, the English subtitles actually use the word “outsider,” and yes, I checked the Mandarin subtitles, and she uses 外人 to claim her place as part of Cao Weining’s sect/family, the same word WKX uses – and ZZS challenges – to try to maintain his distance from ZZS’s sect/family. Ugh. My heart.

So, yeah, that’s a whole lot about A-Xiang in this ep, and it’s about 1/5 of everything that happened, so let me see if I can keep the rest of this from overwhelming anyone’s dash:

Han Ying. >: (  Show, gdi. It’s not like I haven’t said from the minute my dude gazed adoringly at ZZS, 20-something episodes ago, that he was a goner, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. This death and the scenes focused on it give us a LOT, though: Yikes on WKX’s desperation to save him, and flashback to the Four Sages of Anji – WKX knows he’s going to be out there digging another grave with a sword, and he really does not want that. Flashback to Eps 22 and 23 when Cao Weining told A-Xiang that he wanted her to be more careful because she would actually feel bad if she killed someone innocent, and ZZS told WKX he didn’t want him to have any more sins on his hands. Not to mention, literal flashback to the death of WKX’s parents, the most traumatic event of his life. Also, I noticed the difference here between WKX’s reaction to Han Ying the last time they met, which was pure vinegar, and his acceptance of him this time along with his desperation to save him, not even really for Han Ying, himself, so much as for ZZS.

Duan Pengju, omg, this asshole. Meanwhile, Chengling is getting to indulge his newfound bloodthirstiness, with the approval of his shifu. That’s right, Chengling, you should burn down his little battalion. Fucking superb, you funky little goldbean. Of course, then, we’re going to re-visit the most traumatic event of your life because everyone gets a little bit of PTSD triggering in this ep. As a treat. I … love? … that is maybe not the precisely correct word … how ZZS reassures Chengling that no, Tian Chuang will keep him alive - ZZS knows, like the rest of us, that creepster Prince Jin wants a piece of him. I do actually love how Chengling’s response is to try to wake up Wen Kexing, because he knows no one is laying a finger on ZZS if WKX is around to say anything about it. I also love the way ZZS sends Pengju scrambling backward just by stalking toward him. The minute he steps outside the Manor gate, ZZS is clearly the person in control of this faceoff, and the only reason he’s headed back to Jin in leg irons and a cage is because he’s allowing it to happen. I have a whole … thing about Zhang Zhehan’s physicality as an actor that I’m working on putting into words. Maybe next time. Also, just an aside, I cannot thank Zhang Zhehan enough for having his hair long during filming so that they’re able to integrate his hair into his wig and keep his natural hairline. It looks so much better than the typical wig sideburn look, and this scene is one of the places where it particularly strikes me, for some reason.

Last but not least, AAAHHHHHH. OH MY GOD. Stranger Danger in WKX’s dreams/memories was AWFUL YIFU. Zhao Jing, you really are THAT AWFUL.

[vivifrage]

3: Who Did This to You?

She caught him hiding in a dark, dead-end corner, behind a broken down vending machine. It was probably his breathing that did him in, loud and raspy. It burned all through his throat and in his lungs, and as much as he knew he was getting air in, it still felt so tight in his chest.

She stepped in front of him, staring down at the way he huddled on the floor, Glint held close. Ignoring the knife he’d pulled at the sound of approaching footsteps, she squeezed in beside him so he had the vending machine on one side, an armored Exo Titan on the other.

“Hey,” he said, breathlessly, choked. He put on a smile, but it didn’t fool her, not from the way she frowned at him, eyes locked on him in a knowing stare.

It softened after a moment, and she cupped his face in one hand. The frown remained, though. He didn’t need her Ghost around to translate that she was concerned.

“It’ll be fine,” he said, patting her hand. She took the cue to let go slowly, crossing her arms and tucking her hands against her sides. Still, she didn’t look convinced. Not even when he tried smiling again and told her, “I promise, Olympia.”

For a moment, he wondered if she could hear the way his heart beat, and could tell from the sound alone how uncomfortable it was, how it seemed ready to flee his ribcage. Or if each breath was really as hot as it felt, and the furnace inside was getting out.

And if she could tell, and she could find him, who else could?

The idea sent something horrible crawling up his spine. Something sick with dread.

“Oh,” he heard Glint saying, “We just… saw someone we’re, uh, not friends with. So we decided to stay here for a bit.”

Traitorous little bastard.

He placed his other hand over Glint, hiding the Ghost away except for the glow of his eye. Over his chirps of protest, Crow said, “It’s nothing, really. Again, it’ll be fine.”

But it was too late. She had that look in her eye, the one that spelled trouble for whoever crossed her path. She’d never so much as pushed him too hard, despite the whole Titan thing, but something about that look chilled him.

What was he supposed to do? Tell her? He had watched her throw herself at every problem she saw wholeheartedly, leaving a path of destruction in her wake. He couldn’t just let her loose on the Tower and watch the ensuing carnage. No, he could all too easily imagine the faces of those who did care, Zavala and Osiris and their sorts, when they saw what happened. He could feel their disappointment in him and Olympia, for letting such things get the better of them when they needed every Guardian they could spare, and for going with vengeance rather than proving to the world that he wasn’t who they thought he was.

Nor could he do that to her. He couldn’t burden her with his personal problems. She already had so much on her shoulders, he couldn’t let his trouble weigh her down. She knew too much as it was, that what was going on involved other people, and it wasn’t just a matter of him being introverted or something.

(He’d make such a horrible introvert. And there was nothing she could do to fix that feeling of so desperately wanting to join in the laughter, the chatter, and the festivities, to feel all the world so alive around him, but knowing even lurking on the outskirts was a grave risk.)

He leaned back, head against the wall, staring at the ceiling, feeling tears begin to pool. “I know it’s supposed to get better, so-”

She threw an arm around him and pulled him into a lung-deflating, rib-warping hug. Hard to feel the burning or the pounding in his chest when everything was being squeezed like a toothpaste tube, and Glint’s shell was digging into his skin.

The Ghost protested, and she loosened her grip, though she kept his head on her shoulder and her arms around him.

He sniffed, rubbed a suddenly damp eye. “Thanks, Olympia.”

She got it, didn’t she? That, as far as he could see, nothing was going to change.