#folktale week 2022

[maxyvert]

Folktale week!! Rebels - with witches !!! Costume - which is actually based on my village’s folk clothing. Sadly there weren’t much resources about it. That was all for me this year. Hopefully next time I’ll be able to properly plan ahead :’)  Tree and Star 

[scottkeenanillustration]

Folktale Week Day 7 - Victory

Cinderella gets her Happily Ever After!

Scott Keenan, 2023

[nataliecstrange]

#FolktaleWeek - REBEL

When I saw the prompt rebel I instantly thought of Boggarts, unlike elves from a certain magical series, Brownies who are slighted or unappreciated turn into Boggarts and cause mayhem.

[savannah-storm-illustration]

stonegate devil for folktale week, the prompt was ‘fool’.

The stonegate devil is a little carved statue on Stonegate in York, which was well known for print shops. The demon was blamed for messing with the type & causing spelling mistakes!

Following on from last year’s Yorkshire folktales theme, I’ve got ideas for all the prompts but won’t have time to complete them all this week 😅

[ppaniniart]

[w0lp3rtinger]

Like You Imagined (When You Were Young)

SHADAMY WEEK 2022 IS HERE! The second prompt was Folktales/Fairytales. So far as I can tell, the oldest written version of Beauty and the Beast is a story called Hans the Hedgehog. I combined aspects of it with various different bits of later iterations more closely aligned with the Beauty and the Beast story we know today, as well as some little personal flairs of things I wish I had found more of in stories I read as a child. If you don't want to read this on Tumblr, you can find it on my Deviantart. I'd link it, but then, it wouldn't show up in search so uh... you can get to my Deviant account by following the link in my pinned post. Sorry XD

Once again, I am challenging myself to try and do these prompts within the day. I overthink and over-edit a LOT and it really hampers my ability to just… have fun and make art. So yeah, that’s my little personal challenge for this week💜I did ask @lambpaca to look this over for generic grammar and spelling mistakes, so to them, I give thanks. (I also listened to a LOT of 'When You Were Young' by the Killers, hence the title XD I find it to be a VERY good song for Amy and her love life. Furthermore, if you can't tell, I really love bi/pan Amy, so that is absolutely in this. I wanted to sort of build up and express, as best as possible, what she has been (in my opinion) looking for in a romantic companion. So...yeah XD)

-----

Hans the Hedgehog would always be Amy’s favorite story.

It was an easy plot to follow, one with a steadfast hero and a king for a villain and a fearless princess: a simple fairy tale she could tell herself when she was little. 

And when times became difficult, she clung to it like a lifeline.

“Once upon a time, a wealthy merchant who lived alone desperately wanted a son,” she had whispered to herself, over and over in her dark cell on Little Planet as tears dried upon her face, “and one day, a fairy granted him his wish.” 

She had sat curled into a little ball, knees up to her chin as she stared into the dark. Amy would take a deep breath, holding it until the urge to cry had passed, and then she would continue.

“From a cut sapling sprung a hedgehog boy, fully formed, able to talk and walk and sing and dance. He had quills darker than the bark of the tree he came from and stood no taller than its stump. The farmer, no hedgehog himself but still thrilled at the prospect of a child, took in the boy and named him Hans.”  

After Sonic had saved her, the first time of many, Amy would imagine Hans to look like him. When she started to tell the story to Cream, it would be here that she would pause, sighing as she petted Cream’s hair, imagining a little hedgehog boy with wild eyes and crooked smile running circles around the old merchant. 

“Hans would grow older and wiser through the years, though never taller. He loved to spend his time alone in the woods looking after his plants and animals. There, after all his chores were done, it would be easy to find him running through the trees with his woodland friends, or sitting atop a stump, wreathed in the green of the wilderness.” 

Sonic’s eyes were beautiful, but something about the way Tekno looked up at her through her bangs would make Amy’s heart jump into her throat. There was something perpetually calculating and mischievous in her gaze. They subtly changed the way Hans appeared in Amy’s daydreams as she sat watching guard over a dying fire while the others slept, mumbling to herself to stay awake. 

“Then, one day, a king stumbled into the woods. He was lost and afraid, though loath to admit it, and when he saw Hans in his little clearing tending to his garden, he demanded the hedgehog stop what he was doing and help him get home. However, Hans was a clever hedgehog, and he decided to make a deal.” 

Amy loved to watch Blaze work. There was something in the way she held herself, something in the way she wove diplomatic strategy out of thin air with just a word and a gesture, that was mesmerizing. Cream would giggle, giving her a knowing look, and Amy would feel her face grow hot as she turned away. Still, she would find herself staring at the ceiling of the guest room in Vanilla’s house, tracing patterns in the stucco that curved like Blaze’s hands. 

“Hans made the king put into writing that he would hand over him whatever greeted them in the king’s kingdom upon first entering through the castle gate. Doing this, he thought maybe he could win a bounty that would make his father proud.” 

When she cornered Shadow and begged him to reconsider destroying the planet, a small part of her feared they had already lost. Still, she had to try. When he turned to her in that moment, she didn’t see the fearsome monster everyone said he was. Instead, she found a boy, not much older than she was. She found a boy who was hurt, and angry, and afraid, and doing the best he could to do the right thing. 

When Shadow sacrificed himself, the same part of her that had doubted, the same part of her that she hated, told her it was her fault he had died. She would wake from nightmares where she would see his eyes and weep. 

“The king, thinking Hans stupid, agreed to the promise and shook hands with the hedgehog. Hans then threw a saddle atop his favorite cockerel and rode out of the woods, the king trailing behind. The journey was smooth and swift. Hands knew these woods, after all. Upon reaching the castle gates, the king’s daughter, Rose, ran to greet them. However, the king called out to his guard to defend him, and they rushed the poor hedgehog with weapons drawn.”

Amy remembers staring at the television as the Black Arms invaded, horrified, unable to look away. She remembers the sky opening like a festering blister, the wail of sirens and people as they ran for their lives, the way skyscrapers crumbled as they tumbled down. When the newscaster focused on Shadow emerging from behind an overturned bus, for a moment, she gasped. He was still alive. After everything, after the Ark and even after Metal Overlord, he was still alive. Then a shout had gone out amongst the GUN soldiers, and Amy screamed as they turned their weapons upon him.

“Hans slaughtered every man who charged him. In the end, the only ones who survived were the soldiers who fled the fight and the king, sitting in bloody ruins. The king begged for mercy, offering him riches, offering him anything, so long as Hans didn’t kill him. Hans, horrified at what he had done in order to survive, fled, leaving the king where he sat. That was a mistake. By the time he had arrived back home to his father’s house within the woods, he found his father, his only family, killed by the king as retribution. Hans wept, and vowed never to leave the woods again.” 

It would be a while before anyone saw Shadow again. He had joined GUN after the invasion was thwarted. Maybe it was to atone for his crimes, maybe it was some sort of deal to keep him from being frozen again. Whatever the case was, Amy had been furious. How dare they keep him like a dumb animal on a leash. He wasn’t a threat- he was their friend. Rouge had tried to tell her that sometimes, things don't end up the way you thought they would, but that Shadow was going to be alright. Amy hadn’t believed her. The next time she saw him, Amy knew she had been right. There was a hollowness to Shadow’s voice that hadn’t been there before. He didn’t look anyone in the eye anymore either. Still, one time, when she caught his gaze, she filled with hope at the sight of the fire still in his eyes. Despite everything, he was still himself, Shadow.  

“Upon learning of the promise the king had broken, the princess was horrified. In a rage, Rose fled the castle. No servant, no guard, no wizard could catch her as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her. The princess screeched in fury from the highest hill that she would not return until she had righted the wrongs of her father. With that, she vanished into the woods.” 

Amy did nothing gently. It wasn’t in her nature. She loved with all the might of a swinging hammer and peppered kindness with the same precision as a boxer’s jab. As such, she made sure to become a nuisance to GUN whenever Team Dark needed an extra hand. Amy never exactly stated why she was doing this. When asked, she would just shrug and say she enjoyed their company and considered them good allies. However, on more than one occasion when she met Shadow’s eyes and caught the fire within them, she would remember the ARK and wonder if he did too. 

“After days of running through the woods, Rose found herself exhausted. She blindly stumbled through the woods and found a clearing in which sat a house. With it’s shutters drawn and it’s door firmly shut, she assumed nobody was home. All around it lay an overgrown garden in which she found fruits and vegetables and more flowers than she had ever known existed. Wandering through the little dirt pathways, she found herself drawn to a beautiful rose bush tucked into a mass of raspberries and lilies and lavender. Rose reached out and plucked a bloom from the bush. As she did so however, she heard a battle cry from the house and turned to find Hans charging straight for her.” 

“What did he do?” 

Amy blinked, then huffed, crossing her arms as she turned away from Shadow. “Don’t you know it’s rude to interrupt?” 

“Sorry,” he mumbled, but she could hear the smile in his voice even as he bent back down to tend to his own rose bush, “Go on.” 

Amy chewed her lip. Looking around, she swore she could feel someone’s eyes on her. Probably Rouge, if she had to take a bet. The agent had begun to use her talents to spy on the two of them anytime they hung out, though Amy was at a loss as to why. She let her arms fall to her sides with a grumble. “You threw me off my rhythm. I don’t know if I can get back into the moment.”  

Shadow paused at that, looking up with a furrowed brow. “Oh…”

He seemed to stall in the quiet. Amy could see his jaw working under his cheeks as if he was chewing over what he was going to say next. Suddenly, she felt very silly about just standing there next to him, rambling on about a kids fairytale. Though she couldn’t stop the blush from creeping up her neck, she did look away, waving her hands as she did so. 

“It’s- it’s no big deal. I can still tell you what happened! I just- I might not do the voices. Or the moves. Or, um-.” 

“That’s fine,” Shadow said, burying his face back into his work, “I don’t mind.” 

“But you still want to hear how it ends?” 

He nodded. Amy played with the fingertips of her gloves for a moment, trying to find a way to get the words to come out of her mouth. Funny, she didn’t usually have that problem.

“Well… well Hans didn’t really want to hurt her, he just wanted to scare her off. It almost worked, but then Rose recognized him as the hedgehog that her father had tried to murder. She told him who she was and that she wanted to try and fix the damage that her father had done.” 

Shadow nodded, but then, of course he would. He usually agreed with that sort of logic. Amy couldn’t help but crack a smile. 

“Hans is nervous at first. He doesn’t think he can trust her. Still, he takes her in, lets her get washed up and he feeds her, and they talk. They find they get along well- like, really well- and by the next day, they’ve made a pact. They’re going to take down her father. Then, Rose can have the throne and give Hans a real reward and everyone wins since her evil old dad isn’t in charge anymore.” 

“That’s all it takes for him to trust her?” 

“She is very kind and awesome and-and- why wouldn’t he want to fall in love with her?”

Shadow looked up again, incredulous, “He falls in love with her? In a night?” 

“It’s a kid’s story, okay?” Amy threw her hands into the air, “And I’m leaving out some of the finer details!” 

“But-”

Amy snatched the rose trimmers out of Shadows hands, holding them aloft, “No! You asked me about traditional fairy tales and here I am telling you my favorite one out of all of them and you’re just- you’re just being rude!”  

She can see Shadow’s shoulders shake as he tries to hold back a laugh. He let himself sit back on the grass with a sigh and gestured for Amy to continue. That only made her more irate. 

“No! You don’t get to sit there and just-” she mimicked him, making a silly face as she did so, “- after interrupting me twice! Not once, twice! The mood has been lost! Storytime is over!” 

Shadow did chuckle at that. Getting to his feet, he brushed off his knees. “Fine, let me guess then. They work together, storm the castle, dethrone her father, get married, and live happily every after. Did I get it right?”  

“You-! Ugh!” Amy shoved the clippers towards Shadow and tried to ignore how it felt when his hand wrapped around hers for the moment it took him to take them back. “Honestly, why do I even bother?” 

She watched as Shadow fought a smile.One hand drifted through brilliant blooms until fingers gently closed around one half flowering bud, it’s soft petals still in the act of opening to greet the world. He clipped it free with the trimmers and handed it to her. Amy froze, looking between it and him until he met her gaze out of the corner of his eye. Deep within them, the fire burned bright.

“I don’t know why,” Shadow said, voice soft, “but I appreciate it all the same.” 

Thunderstruck, Amy took the rose without a word. 

They didn’t speak the rest of the time in the garden. They didn’t need to. 

[buckets-and-trees]

haunting thoughts on Silent Screams

read it here: SILENT SCREAMS IN WILDEST DREAMS

Fandom: MCU Characters/Pairings: Bucky x Reader, side of Steve Word Count: 8k Content Warnings: dark dark DARK tale, smut, main character death, rough sex, fingering, oral (f receiving), unprotected p in v sex, creampie, talk of wounds, slight dub/con, elements of somnophilia

RECAP: A dark tale with an unhappy ending. Just when you’ve married the man of your dreams, only just closed the chapter of your honeymoon, happily ever after is wrenched away, and you’re met with a nightmare you never could have imagined.

I published this in late November 2022, but I worked on it on and off between other projects for about six weeks from concept to research to writing. I wrote it for @darkficsyouneveraskedfor's Hallo-Cream Extravaganza, which was a cool challenge because there was a collection of numbered images you could choose from, and then when my image was confirmed, there was a prompt to go along with it.

It was also my first time participating in a challenge since getting back into writing fanfic. When I thought I was getting the sun alone, I was thinking vampires, but when I got the phrase along with the image, it halted the vampire idea I thought I would go with, and since I was already going to re-evaluate, it got my mind going even more. At the time I was also redefining a lot of pieces in my life and I had signed up to go solo on this 5-day retreat to a cabin in the woods... I ended up talking about some of the research and concept ideas for this fic on the six-hour drive to and from that cabin with a girl I carpooled with (we talked about so many things as you do with a stranger you just met when you're both going to the same retreat and want to save on gas). But I'll put the rest under a cut so as not to spoil for those who haven't read it.

When I realized it wasn't going to be vampires, I really wanted to then get totally outside of the box of things we see all the time. I decided I wanted to look up Scandinavian folklore as I was also trying to throw off some of the USAmerican culture I'd just been sitting in my whole life and explore some of my ancestral heritage. I figured there had to be a ton of stuff I'd just never learned about or heard of before and of course there was. One of the ideas I have buried for another day is to do kind of a Grimm or Phillip Pullman thing and do an anthology retelling of some of Scandinavian folktales because they were fascinating, and there were elements I was familiar with alongside very new pieces. It was so cool to begin to uncover the stories there...

But I was looking for a story that would also fit my prompt and lend itself to Bucky x Reader application.

I found the Gengångare. The lore is that they're a revenant/walker, and particularly in the Swedish tradition they're a corporeal form of a spirit that comes back after death. The spirit would have been murdered or killed and came back for mixes of revenge or unfinished business. That I could give Bucky - going on a mission, being killed, and having both revenge he could seek (against still living HYDRA folks who tormented and used him) and unfinished business in a promise that he makes to you, his reader newlywed bride, to come back to you.

And so the story begins with what I was hoping to be this blissful newlywed haze - the first morning after your honeymoon. Bucky is leaving for a mission - he'd said they were leaving later than he's actually going to leave because he didn't want you to get up hours before you needed to in order to send him off, but he does wake you up to share some kisses and say goodbye, it gets a little more heated, but there's no time for smut since he has to go, but he promises to pick up where you to left off when he returns, and there we have the tie he makes to come back to you.

I listen to music heavily throughout the day, but I wrote this fic with some very specific music through different sections. And for the opening, I was listening to This Love by Taylor Swift because its very romantically evocative for me, but some of the lyrics I knew could also be ripped into the horrific elements of this story, and so I truly loved it for that even more! - this love is good/this love is bad/this love is alive back from the dead

Then there are some other deep musical cues that when I was writing the rest of the fic, I was literally listening to these songs on repeat - a track from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, two tracks from Netflix's The Empress series, etc - and so I actually embedded the Spotify players for them at particular parts for the particular songs. That's the only fic where I've so heavily "scored" it.

I put into the narrative that they didn't recover a body from Bucky for what I never specifically defined but figure was an explosion or an accident of some sort where not finding a body would be believable - but it's the Gengångare Bucky escaping. His undead soul seeks some revenge first, then he's pulled back to your door, but I wanted/tried to imply that he moves by these motivations and doesn't really remember much until he encounters something. So he shows up back on your doorstep, and it's as he interacts with you that he remembers more and more pieces of himself that are added back into the primal gengångare motivations.

The sex after he returns is frequently more rough and desperate, but since you're just as desperate for him, you don't question that it's the fact that his nature has changed - no longer human, but a creature that needs to leech the energy of another living thing to survive. He doesn't realize it at first either. But the first night he returns, his body is very cold, and he gets warmer the longer he's with you.

His bruises haven't healed, and you notice that, but he brushes it off. There's an inadvertent pinching on your back that's the beginning of the marks he can't help consuming you. He's truly insatiable, but since you were so consumed with grief and so deeply and desperately in love, you don't question it. When you finally do bring up having Bruce examine him or bringing Steve into things, he doesn't want that and presents good reasons - not wanting to be a body poked and prodded, and not wanting to worry Steve until he has more of his memory cleared up.

There's only a little bit of Alpine in this fic, but Alpine can tell that something is wrong with Bucky and so she is not around when he is at all after he comes back. The sex is exhausting, but it's because it's with this creature form of Bucky taking more and more of your life.

And then the spill of the story/the reveal. And it's all discovered when you're basically doomed by your love. And he literally makes love and fucks you to death, and is still so in love with you while doing it. Very sad. And his goodbye is the same goodbye he said to you in the first scenes of the story.

This was the darkest thing I'd written up to this point, and I really just wanted it to feel gothic and doomed, but twisted up in this all-consuming love. As I knew where the story was headed, I sort of just took deep breaths and steadied myself to dive into letting it have its dark ending. And I loved taking it there even though it was kind of scary for my first time. It was very haunting to write and I really tried to convey that feeling and have it bleed through.

↠ Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest

read more from the Dark Forest Fest

[mask131]

Given people tend to have a short-lived memory on the Internet, let's recall together one of the ridiculous moments of Putin's Russia's propaganda against Europe. It is something that happened very recently, and for once it is not an ideological or social conflict or propaganda. No, it is a meteorological one - a story that might seem laughable and absurd, just a good joke on its own, but a story that shows us how deeply buried in lies and falseness and a complete detachment from reality the Russian propaganda is. This highlights the sad truth of how Russian media became a mass-fake-news machine and is ready to twist and turn every little fact of life to serve their own "Russia is the greatest, the rest of the world is Hell" view.

This happened in the winter of 2022-2023. If you are not in Europe maybe you didn't hear about this, but it was all over here. If you do not recall, this winter was actually colder than the one of previous years - which notably caused a certain problem because there was an economic crisis going on thanks to the Ukrainian war. There is this big price inflation all across Europe, coupled with the fact we don't get the Russian oil and gaz anymore - and this slightly colder weather mixed with the more costly every day life and the lack of heating fuels were all used by Russian propagandist to announce that Europe was going to face its harshest and coldest winter yet, and that thanks to the Ukrainian war, they would all freeze to death. If you listened to the words of Russian information channels, it was as if ASOIAF's "Winter is coming" was happening in real life.

Putin notably used a sentence referring a very popular Russian fairytale (though it is actually a folktale also heavily present in Europe, especially in France where it is part of the Roman de Renart) - "The wolf's tail will freeze". For Putin, Europe was the wicked and greedy wolf, and this harsh icey winter would weaken Europe the same way the wolf who was tricked into fishing with his tail got trapped in the lake of ice...

Let's begin with a "little lie", well a big one, but still lesser compared to the others that follow in this post. Mid-March, Olga Skabeyeva (one of the famous propagandist news anchors of Russia) claimed that due to the rise of prices, a third of the inhabitants of France was forced to give up on hygiene and beauty products. According to her, a third of French people didn't use shampoo or deodorants anymore, a third of French people didn't clean their teeth anymore - they even had to abandon toilet paper due to it costing too much! And of course, Skabeyeva concluded that this was all because France gave too much money to Ukraine, leaving its own people "poor and dirty"... Note that this actually plays on a widespread stereotype French have among foreigners: the reputation of French being dirty for only taking a bath once a week or so. I don't know where this stereotype of the French that doesn't take care of their personal hygiene comes from, but it exists.

If you are from Britain, you probably heard about Olga Skabeyeva's famous comments about the poor state the harsh winter and economic crisis of England had left people into. Mid-January she affirmed on Russian television that the common British folks were forced to eat dog food and cat food because human food was too costly, and that now English households cooked on their radiators, since they could only afford one heater for the whole house. This was backed up in early March by her claims that British restaurants, due to a lack of animal meat, were forced to serve squirrels to their clients, and that they would go on to trap other animals found in parks. Many British people argued back that yes, there was a big and harsh crisis, but no it wasn't as bad as the propagandist claimed and no, nobody ate squirrels in restaurants. [I unfortunately cannot find back the source but I recall seeing around the time this made the news, that the propagandist actually took one true info - something about indeed people killing squirrels somewhere in England for health and ecological reasons, or maybe some public figure joking about possibly eating squirrels - and then twisted it into "all British restaurants serve squirrels now". That's typical of propagandists - take one grain of truth, make it a whole beach of lies.]

And then we reach Germany. This time I have sources to back up, exact sources I will bring to you. In fact, if you want to know more about the crazy world of Russian propaganda, I can't advise you enough to check out this very informative and eye-opening series: Arte's Fake News. Arte is a Franco-German binational channel that brought this program - originally a web-series, that also aired on television. "Fake News", of its full title, "Fake News: Russian propaganda for beginners", is a series created and hosted by Marsha Borzunova, the representative of a group of anti-Putin Russian journalists that exiled themselves. Now, from the town of Riga, she and her crew created these videos that study, debunk and explain the various aspects of Russia's propaganda.

And one of her videos covered the topic of "European winter as seen by Russia". She talked of Putin's "wolf's tail" comment, she talked of how Russian television channels claimed that Czech figureheads publically said that to survive winter they will burn "everything they get their hands on", and even burn Ukraine down... And she also brought up the "Berlin problem". During the last months of the year 2022, Russian newspaper multiplied reports that due to the lack of oil/gaz and the extreme temperatures of winter, Berliners were cutting down almost all of the trees in their public parks. Which of course, is something that never happened. But these newspapers listed an American article from Bloomberg as their sources - and when you go look at the article, you realize how heavily the propagandists twisted the original words. The Bloomberg article was about the energy crisis in Germany, indeed, and how wood-fueled heating systems were now preferred and demanded over gaz-fueled heating systems, but that was it. The article did mention public park trees being cut down as an example... as an HISTORICAL example. The article speaks of the cutting of the Tiergarten trees in WORLD WAR II!!!

To add salt to the wound, there is the existence of a television show in Russia called "Antifake", designed to debunk fake news and denounce propaganda. Not Russian one though - the point of this show is to destroy the "lies of the West" and reveal the "truth" about Europe. Which is, as you can guess, a pile of absurd and shameless lies in favor of Russia. Antifake most notably fed into the whole "Europeans are freezing to death" thing by having their reporter living in Germany, a woman called Yulia, do a live interview from her apartment in Munich - and she appeared in this interview wrapped into a big, heavy winter coat, fur-lined hood over her head, despite being inside. Because, as she explained, the furnace had been cut for the night and in the morning, and so she was waiting for noon to have the sun heat her apartment into a more bearable temperature. An interview that becomes absolutely ridiculous when you know that at the same time, in Munich (Yulia's town), it was mid-october, it was a sunny week with 18 degrees outside (I'll let you do the conversion if you are American). Nobody in their right mind was wearing a coat inside their house, and nobody wore heavy coats outside either, and there was no furnace cuts. Even more hilarious is the fact that the emission showed background videos recorded of European heavly clothed, sharing food at some charity stand in a freezing morning... Except that when you look at the signs in this supposedly "German sight", you see everything is written in cyrillic, and that's because these images were recorded in the town of Opotchka, in the Pskov region, not "near Berlin" as they wanted the audience to think. Speaking of Yulia - you might have heard of her outside of the "Antifake" show, because she made herself quite famous in Germany, even viral. She went viral because she posted a video of herself smiling and dancing with a Russian flag... In front of a group of Ukrainian refugees in Salzburg. She became known as the "Russian harasser of Ukrainians fleeing the war" in Germany.

Borzunova also mentions the cyber-war of fake news to conclude her look at Russian's fantasies about a winter of misery in Europe: on Twitter, there was a trend that spread, a hastag #AgainstSanctions. This hashtag was shared and posted by many Europeans of various countries, complaining that the sanctions taken against Russia were ruining their life. The trend was simple: post a picture of an empty plate, with a message written on a piece of paper onto the plate, directly demanding to your local politician to stop the anti-Russia sanctions.

Here's the thing however: this "trend" was reported by Russian institutions and medias. And while the posts of this hashtag do exist, when you look just a little bit deeper you realize how fake it all is. All the accounts that started this trend only have one post in total: the AntiSanctions post. All these accounts were created on the same day. AND their profile pictures are those of public figures - ranging from CNN news anchors to Bollywood actresses.

Anyway, if you want to check the video about all of this, you can go look at it on Youtube. I personally watched the French subtitled version, even though there is a German-subtitled one (thanks to Arte being Franco-German), and Borzunova speaks in English, so you can still listen to her comments and understand her explanations without reading French or German:

If the video above doesn't appear, here is the link.

[textsfromthefifthbasement]

Fanfiction Masterlist

Les Miserables/Phantom of the Opera Crossover--Gen

Hope

An older Cosette lives through yet another revolution in Paris. One night at the beginning of the semaine sanglante, she has a mysterious visitor. Written for POTO Commune Week 2022. G, 709 words.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (Falcon and the Winter Soldier)--Sam/Bucky

Night Terror

Falcon and the Winter Soldier fanfic. Bucky wakes up after having a nightmare about his time as the Winter Soldier. Written for Lovetober 2022. Pairing: Sam/Bucky. G, 253 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Gen

Angel of Death

Madeleine and Erik had to flee Boscherville. Now in Paris, Madeleine has decided to do to other unwanted children what she should have done to Erik years ago... Written for POTO Dark Week 2023. Pairing: Gen. T, 983 words, Chose Not to Warn.

The Bridge Is Crossed

The ambush during Don Juan Triumphant goes terribly wrong. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on Prompt #19, Because I Am Dying. Pairing: Gen. T, 679 words, Major Character Death Warning.

Grace in Your Heart and Flowers in Your Hair

Christine and her father have a picnic together. Written for POTO Fluff Week 2022. G, 230 words.

I Found It, All on My Own

Christine was prepared to spend Christmas alone, but her friends had other plans. Written for POTO Fluff Week 2022. G, 1432 words.

Les Flambettes

As children, Raoul and Christine roamed the village of Perros together, listening to various folktales. As an adult, Raoul decides to pursue Christine through the mirror when the Voice takes her. Written for paperandsong's Légendes Rustiques event. T, 1215 words, Major Character Death warning.

Never to Keep

Erik dreams that Christine returns to him. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on prompt #23, In a Moment of Sadness. G, 245 words.

Preparation for Mortality

Christine wasn't sure what to expect after Erik took her down to his lair beneath the opera house. But this was most definitely not it. Written for POTO Crack Week 2022. G, 768 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Carlotta/Christine

When Will the Blood Begin to Race

Carlotta has had enough of Christine Daae trying to take her place as prima donna. She follows her up to the rooftop. Written for POTO Queer Week 2022. T, 806 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Erik/Christine

All the Things Yet to Come

For the past four years, Christine has struggled to live in Paris amidst a deadly, society-upending plague. One night, an encounter completely rattles her world. T, 34/34 chapters, 25k words.

Open Your Eyes

Encanto meets POTO. The de Cordova family has looked after the valley using their magical gifts for decades now. After an accident, they adopted Cristina, and she is expected to marry Raul de Cordova. However, in the days after his youngest cousin's gift ceremony, everything begins to fall apart...literally. Will she be able to save the magic? And what about the man in the walls? T, In progress.

Offer Up Your Daughters

When Christine arrived at Silas University, she was prepared to be focused on getting her degree in vocal performance. However, she is soon thrown into a world of mystery while dealing with possibly the world's worst roommate. Based off the Carmilla Webseries, genderbent Raoul and Erik. T, 45k words.

No Spell for you to Right This

After saving Silas University from the dean and her cult of vampires, Christine and Erika want nothing more than to take time to explore their new relationship with each other. But then, when murders begin to happen and new threats appear, they have to deal with enemies both within and without. Based off the Carmilla Webseries, genderbent Erik. M, In Progress.

All Hallow’s Eve

Christine sings for her father on All Hallow's Eve and has an unexpected audience. Originally written for POTOber 2021, reposted for Lovetober 2022. G, 666 words.

And All the Things You Thought That I Should Be

Erik receives a phone call letting him know that his mother is dead. To plan her funeral, he returns back to his hometown. Written for POTO Queer Week 2023. T, 1180 words.

Begin Again

Christine waits for her blind date at a coffee shop. Written for Lovetober 2022. G, 359 words.

Blind Date

When Meg set Christine up on a blind date with a guy she worked with, Christine didn't know what to expect. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on prompt #6, to say goodnight. G, 1244 words.

Dance the Night Away

Erik takes Christine to the masquerade ball at the Palais Garnier. Sequel to Unspoken Secrets. G, 2623 words.

Dark Stories of the North

Christine tries to share a part of her childhood with Erik. Written for POTO Fluff Week 2022. G, 333 words.

Decided

Erik's thoughts before leading Christine through the mirror. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based off prompt #24, To Say Hello. G, 247 words.

A Gift

Christine returns to Erik’s home under the lake bearing a special gift for him. Written for Kinktober 2022. E, 988 words.

Healing

Christine and Erik have a short conversation at night. Written for POTO Queer Week 2022. G, 379 words.

Hellfire

Christine is going through a stressful senior year of high school. When she fails to make it on the school's orchestra, that stress comes to a head and she decides to do something about it. Written for POTO Fluff Week 2022. T, 2107 words.

Help Me Say Goodbye

Christine's thoughts during the Final Lair. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on prompt #25, to say goodbye. G, 503 words.

In the Morning

The morning after Christine and Erik sleep together goes very differently. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on prompt #2, With Relief. G, 597 words.

In Your Skin and Bone and Blood

Ten years after the events in the final lair, Christine is a single mother working as a violinist when people from her past begin to enter her life again. Written for POTO Fluff Week 2022. G, 1359 words.

Mending

Christine finds Erik after the Final Lair. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on prompt #5, With an Apology. G, 783 words.

Merry Crimes

While waiting on a flight back home for Christmas, Christine joins Sorelli, Meg, and Erika in town. But then, an unfortunate incident with the mayor leads them to take shelter in a mysterious bakery. Takes place between the final chapter and the epilogue of Offer Up Your Daughters. Genderbent Erik. T, 1951 words.

Night Terrors

Gustave wakes up after having a nightmare. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Written for prompt #16, After a Nightmare. G, 319 words.

The Ones She Had Lost and the Ones She Had Found

Ten years after the incident at the opera house, Christine returns for a performance. Written for Lovetober 2022. G, 1355 words.

Red Rope

Erik and Christine experiment with his red rope and shibari. E, 654 words.

The Saints Can’t Help Me Now

For years, no performance was held in the Palais Garner on a full moon. When the new managers change that policy, disaster strikes. The Werewolf AU probably no one was asking for but here it is. Written for Lovetober 2022. T, 1816 words, Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings.

Stray

Christine comes down with the flu and comes up with an idea of how to bond with Ayesha. Originally submitted to @a-partofthenarrative's 13 Nights of Halloween event on tumblr. G, 709 words.

Sweet Music’s Throne

Christine ties Erik to his throne and has her way with him. E, 613 words.

Unspoken Secrets

While staying at Erik's house by the underground lake, Christine stumbles across some of Erik's sketches. G, 1435 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Erik/Christine/Raoul

All This Devotion

After Christine kisses him, Erik spares Raoul. But now the boy is sick, and neither he nor Christine can go anywhere. Written for Whumptober 2022. G, 1218 words.

A New Life

The final lair takes an unexpected turn. Written for POTO Queer Week 2022. G, 453 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Erik/Christine/Meg

Fine As We Are but We Want More

When Christine comes to New York, Meg wishes to tell her that she loves her, but is afraid to do so and believes it's too late when she sees Christine kiss Erik. Written for POTO Queer Week 2023 and Multiamory March 2023. G, 1053 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Erik/Meg

Before We Get Too Old

A year after Christine left Coney Island with her husband and son, Meg and Erik are both left still picking up the pieces after her return. T, 1045 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Erik/Raoul

Fear Can Turn to Love

After the final lair, Raoul returns to settle things. Pairing: E/R. Written for POTO Queer Week 2022. E, 746 words.

Can’t Let Go

After Erik lets Raoul and Christine go, Raoul can't get him out of his mind. Written for POTO Queer Week 2023. G, 100 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Meg/Christine

Quiet Hours

Christine and Meg snuggle in bed. Written for POTO Queer Week 2022. G, 145 words.

The Truth You Can’t Hide

A heat wave is rolling through Paris. Meg and Christine go buy ice cream to keep cool. Written for POTO Fluff Week 2022. G, 615 words.

New Ballet Shoes

Meg's feet are sore after getting new en point shoes. Christine tries to help. Written for POTO Queer Week 2023. G, 100 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Pharoga

Best Laid Plans

Erik and Nadir's escape from Persia goes horribly wrong. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on prompt #18, Because You Are Dying. T, 741 words.

I Don’t Care if You’re Lying

At night, Erik and Nadir spend time together in Nadir's bedroom in Persia. Written for POTO Queer Week 2023. E, 503 words.

Loneliness

Nadir cares for Erik after he is injured in Persia. Written for POTO Queer Week 2022. G, 211 words.

No Way Out

Nadir is summoned to see the Little Sultana. Written for Whumptober 2022. T, 565 words.

Old Friends

After ten years, Nadir reunites with Erik in the midst of the chaos of the semaine sanglante. Refreshed date to 05/21/2022 for the Paris Commune Week. Written for POTO Queer Week 2022. G, 808 words.

Setting Fire to Our Insides for Fun

Several weeks after Erik lets Christine go, Nadir gets worried and goes to check on Erik. Written for POTO Queer Week 2023. T, 592 words.

Phantom of the Opera--Raoul/Christine

The Child

After the incident at the Palais Garnier, Christine and Raoul disappeared into the forests of the North. But they did not live happily ever after. For POTO Dark Week 2021. T, 899 words, Major Character Death warning.

The Morning After

Christine's thoughts the morning after the final lair. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on prompt #14, On a Bruise. G, 311 words.

A New Day

After the chandelier crash, Christine and Raoul get away from the opera house for the evening. Was a submission for Day 4 of Raoulstine Week. G, 410 words.

A Secret Engagement

Several months after the chandelier crash, Christine spends Christmas with the de Chagny family and must come to terms with her emotions towards both Raoul and Erik. Written for Timebird84's 2021 Advent Calendar. G, 773 words.

To the Rooftop

Raoul's thoughts as he follows Christine to the rooftop. Originally written in 2021 as part of the Touch Prompts on tumblr. Based on prompt #8, To Protect. G, 308 words.

Star Wars--Gen

Breaking Out

Star Wars fanfic. After Luke is captured, he has an unexpected rescuer. Written for Whumptober 2022. G, 680 words.

Hiding

Star Wars fanfic. After escaping Zygerria, Anakin starts thinking about what has happened to him. Written for Whumptober 2022. T, 311 words.

Star Wars--Anidala

Stargazing

Star Wars fanfic. Anakin and Padme watch the stars on Naboo. Written for Lovetober 2022. G, 228 words.

Star Wars--Obikin

The Third Option

Star Wars fanfic. Obi-Wan's confrontation of Vader in the season finale goes a bit differently. Written for Whumptober 2022. G, 384 words.

Stranger Things--Eddissy

Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight

Stranger Things fanfic. Chrissy doesn’t want to go home tonight. Instead, she meets Eddie at his trailer. Written for Lovetober 2022. G, 1137 words.

The Witcher--Gen

Undo this Storm

Witcher fanfic. Geralt comforts Ciri after what happen at Kaer Morhen. Written for Lovetober 2022. G, 180 words.

[dianaokuma]

Ilustraciones para el reto de ilustración Folktale Week 2022, organizado por @folktaleweek y @children_illustrations a través de redes sociales.

[perrinetilly-illustration]

Folktale Week 2022

[maxyvert]

Folktale week!!! As I mentioned sadly no tales were used now, but I hope it’s fine. Tried to keep them magical ✨ Rebels and Costume

✨ Also, new people joined my art journey! Welcome! ✨

[scottkeenanillustration]

Folktale Week 2022 - Rebel

Bluebeard’s wife is about to discover a dark secret about her husband! This tale has always been creepy and I thought the rebelliousness of the main character suited today’s prompt.

Scott Keenan, 2022

[shsuschoollibraryprogramming]

Library Event:  Reading Across Genres

Planning: This is a year long event. The purpose is to expose all students to various types of genres across 3rd grade through 5th grade. 

Preparations:

The librarian will meet with teachers and administrators during grade level meetings in order to present the event. Input will be encouraged in order to get all students invested in this event. 

A flyer will be printed on a small and large scale. The small scale printouts will be sent with students with event information. Large scale flyer will be spread out throughout the school so it is highly visible to students, staff and parent visitors. 

The librarian will present information to grade levels during team meetings. Input will be encouraged to make changes or corrections. 

Procedures:

The librarian will select a variety of books that reflect different genres to read to students. (mystery, nonfiction, fiction, folktales, fairy tales, biography, autobiography, etc). 

The librarian will do library lessons in order to create interest in these genres with students. 

Students will receive a bookmark to keep track of the different genres they read throughout the first school semester. Homeroom teachers will get extra bookmarks in case students misplace them. 

Students will also receive a reading log from the library to keep track of the books with the title, author and reading quiz (if applicable). 

Weekly library visits will help to keep students interested in this year long event as well as recognition per six weeks grading period. 

Promotion:  The large scale flyer of the event will be displayed throughout the school in various sections. This will serve as a promotion of the reading genre challenge. A small scale flyer will be sent home with students for parent notification as well. 

Payoff: Students will get exposure to a variety of genres throughout the year. This is not a prize motivated event. This is an intrinsic event to promote reading across genres and give students the opportunity to select a variety of books. This is especially important in the upper grades where students are having to do reading STAAR tests. This will help with reading fluency, comprehension and stamina. 

References: 

Kecia. (2022). Punch Card Bookmarks [Photograph]. Mama Refreshed. https://mamarefreshed.com/punch-card-bookmarks/

[tracichee]

Happy launch day, little book! 🌙👹 You arrive at a painful and tumultuous time in the world and in my personal life, and sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the incongruity of celebrating in the midst of such uncertainty, such tragedy, such sudden and paralyzing loss. But then I remember that this is by design. I wrote you as a response to the uncertainty, the pain, and the tragedy that have marked all of our lives these past few years, because I needed a different kind of story, a more lighthearted story and a more hopeful one, a story, in the words of the Storyteller at the end of The Reader Trilogy, “with less suffering and more joy.”

That’s you, little book. You are the book I needed, and I hope, as you find your way into the world today, you find the readers who need you too. So go, little book. ❤️ Here’s to a little more silliness, here’s to a little more laughter, here’s to indefatigable joy. ❤️

So much gratitude to my agent Barbara Poelle, my editors Cat Onder and Emilia Rhodes, and my whole pub team at Clarion and HarperCollins, who have shown such enthusiasm and support for this strange little patriarchy-smashing folktale since the beginning. And to my friends and family, who have never stopped believing in me, and let me know it every single day. My endless thanks to you all for supporting me through the writing of this book and especially this difficult week. Finally, thank you to my readers, old and new, for finding and loving these stories again and again and again. May we all share a little joy with each other this week. ❤️

Pre-order campaign ends at MIDNIGHT tonight, so get your receipts in to claim your gifts! I’m offering two sticker sheets (six stickers total!) with illustrations by the talented @yutaan. Buy links & details below:

Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

With your proof of purchase (or proof of library request) for A Thousand Steps, you can get:

two sheets of custom chibi stickers illustrated by Yutaan

This offer is open internationally until March 1, 2022 at 11:59pm PST or while supplies last. To enter, submit the following to chee.preorders @ gmail . com (without the spaces):

your proof of purchase OR proof of library request

your name & mailing address exactly as they should appear on the envelope

​You can order from any retailer, like Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon. For signed copies, contact your local independent bookseller to see if they have signed copies available! (Don't know your local indie? Find yours here.)

[dreamyinception-world]

Flowers Without Home ~ Part I

Pairing: Choi San + Park Seonghwa

Minor Characters: Choi Yena (ex-IZ*ONE/soloist), Choi Sungyoon (GC), Choi Jongho, Genderless storyteller

Genre: Alternate Universe/Neolithic Era, Fantasy, Lost Love, Fluff, Smut, Angst, Storytelling, Folktale

W//C: 4.2k

Summary: An unidentified author tells her young children an old folktale about two men, a poor farmer’s son and a mute fae that gave birth to their town’s most precious flora.

~writer’s note~: hi everyone! it took me a while to get around to writing this story due to being busy preparing for my new job! the updates to this story may be sporadic, but i wanted to start having the story out there because it was something i had been planning on since a few weeks back. the idea of this story came from the traditional way of folktales mixed with a bit of fantasy, since all of them seem to mention that aspect. i hope you all enjoy it!

~Next Part~

©dreamyinception-world/deepnesta 2022 || please do not repost or use any of my work without my permission. Thank you ♡

Context definitions:

* = A beautiful golden flower that blossoms in Korea during the months of July and September, representing immortality; commonly used for medicine.

** = The Korean word for planet, Mars.

~ ✩ ~

“I loved him more than I could understand. That’s the thing that kept us together, even when the world continued to push us away.”

~ ✩ ~

I remember when I was younger, around your ages actually, Grandma used to tell me this story. Whenever I was sad, scared, or I just couldn’t sleep.

“Is it about Grandma and Grandpa?”

No no, it’s a magical story. I think you guys will be interested to know as it involves the beautiful flowers that we grow outside.

“The *산수우 [san-su-yu]?” The littlest one said from one side of the bed.

Yes baby, that’s right. If you listen close and sit still, I’ll tell you the story of how the flower came to be.

The kids came in close, sitting by the edge of your feet. Their big eyes were full of wonder and stars, wiggling slowly for the storytelling to start. You brushed your fingers through their short hair with an endearing smile, pulling them closer while looking out the window.

There used to be a small village, right where we are now. Years ago it only spread out as far as the second boulder that's 40 ft away from our house. The people couldn’t afford to expand the village, lacking the resources and money…

~ ✩ ~

Within the village lay an unspoken hierarchy. Many of the families were poor with few things to contribute to the overall while the “rich family”, only called that by their cattle and furs they owned, were seen as the people with the most power. Everyone followed them in order to survive. Going against them was seen as a death sentence. Not one person would dare follow the others in revolution against them.

Through their silent cooperation, they held the most lavish and lush agriculture stretching out at least 15 miles from all angles. They were seen as almost untouchable.

One day, there was a horrible storm that poured its way through the village and those surrounding it. It ripped through the branches and soaked the trunks to their core, the ground became so plush that the crops were bound to be ruined for the rest of the month. Amongst the heavy rain, unseen to the human eye, a single pink drop of rain fell. Blossoming into the ground, a small golden ring emerged and exploded from the sheer power of the single drop, forming a hole in its place. Out of the crevasse, a hand came out, shivering and cold.

He only had rags on his body, eyes a golden amber color with dusty orange cheeks with dots of freckles all over. He looked around with slight curiosity but mostly fear. What is this..colorless place? He thought to himself, feeling a bit of disgust with the way the ground felt under his feet. Moving himself to the corner of the building he was “born” next to, he brought his knees to his chest.

There was no sign of any of his family, not even a single face or building he recognized from his peaceful and beautiful life he had lived before. Had they casted him out? But for what reason? He had never done anything to displease those above or below him. In fact, he had been the perfect example of what being a fae meant, everything they were set to do and accomplish. He set himself up to be the candidate of representation- those that ones would use to train and teach themselves. His father said so himself.

So then why..why was he here?

His eyes began to water, putting his head into his knees. Father, why was I brought here? Please come save me..

The day after the storm passed, as everyone was cleaning up outside, villagers came from time to time and tried to talk to the scared boy. He didn’t appear super young to them, maybe within his 20s. However, his appearance had them taken aback. They wondered if he was sick and caught some sort of illness from the weather. Maybe his parents had left him outside and he had no food or water for days so his skin began to whiten like paper. So many questions filled their heads, but the boy could give them no answers.

He remained silent as they spoke at him, only being able to express with his eyes and facial muscles to their questions. They repeated their questions again, asking for a verbal response and grew frustrated when he could not give them one. After trying for a day or so, people chose to ignore him, assuming that he had no interest in talking.

In reality, the pink haired boy could not move his lips. He tried to speak to every person who approached him, but his lips wouldn’t open. It was as if they were glued together, forced completely shut to others that did not look like him. They only opened when he needed water or food. He was permanently mute and no amount of hand waving, gesturing, or physical expressions would get anyone to understand him. As time passed, he slowly lost the urge and energy to try to communicate, lowering his head whenever anyone spotted him, scooting away and waiting for them to leave him alone.

He began to think it was better for him to be alone than to stress others out trying to understand him.

Was this a part of his punishment? He can only speak to those that appear to be from the same place he is from? But this place looked nothing like his home, or even close to those that neighbored his own. How would he find a person like him? Would they be in plain sight, hair, color and skin as bright as his own? Or would they be hidden and he had to seek them out?

His hope for discovery of this person began to decrease as the days went by. His food supply began to fall scarce and the colors on his body began to fade. Finding comfort only in his corner, he curled into himself more, allowing the torn fabric of his now oversized cloak to cover his whole body.

~ ✩ ~

A few months had passed since the boy appeared from seemingly nowhere. It was the busiest time of year for farmers and selling produce. All season long, the women had prepared the crops and the men would pick the best ones out of the bunch to sell before sending their eldest sons to the large market. The marketplace would remain open for the entire week, keeping tabs on all the different goods that were being sold from each family and how high of demand they were becoming with every passing day.

It was safe to say that everyone looked forward to this time, as it left the potential for families to rise in agricultural power for their special and limited crops.

For the Choi family, this was their last chance to rise above everyone, something they haven’t been able to do for the past five years. Their crops had been seemingly damned the past couple of seasons- the weather could not seem to cooperate and would leave their produce overgrown and foul tasting or dried up and dead. They had tried moving their crop lines over, believing maybe the ground itself was poisoned by something, even having the fellow pastor come and bless their crops. Every year has led to a bust, except for this year. This one was seemingly different and they were not going to let it leave them without some sort of compensation.

San, their second eldest, was put in charge of sending their most precious lettuce and carrots to the market to be sold to the Kang family- much to his dismay.

“Why can’t Sungyoon hyung do it? He’s done it every year, what’s so different about this year?” He complained, sitting on the floor with his chin tucked into his palm. The raven-haired boy watched his mother strip the carrots of their dirty outer skin. The action and smell made San cringe. God..he hated carrots.

“You already know the reason, San-ah.” His mother’s voice sounded exasperated. “Your brother has been busy with sealing his romance with the young girl next door so that we can merge our families and wealth together. You know how much these things matter to our family with our current holding in the village.” She didn’t even bother to spare a glance at her son.

“I still don’t understand what that has to do with me..” San mumbled under his breath only to let out a small yelp when a piece of corn hit him in his ear. Knowing where it came from, he glared over his shoulder.

“You’re the only person who can do it. You need to take the responsibility, like an adult should, and take care of this family. Otherwise, how can you expect any woman to want to marry you?” His half twin sister, Yena stared back with her face hard as a rock. She gripped each kernel of corn like a vice, ripping and throwing them into the basket. What did she have to be so angry about, San couldn’t ever pinpoint. All he knew was that she hated him more than any of her other brothers, they never seemed to get along or connect in any way.

“Yeah so no pressure, unless you fuck everything up hyungie.” came from San’s left, followed by a swift flick to the head. San grabbed the youngest son, Jongho, by his ankle and nearly knocked him down had it not been for his mom smacking his foot with the end of her peeler.

“Enough.” She let out a soft sigh, the droopy skin under her eyes making her reflect annoyance and exhaustion. Her face was similar to Yena’s, making San and Jongho straighten and avert their eyes from meeting hers.

“You are going to bring all this produce down and sell every last bit of it to anyone who is willing to take it. Don’t come back until it is all gone.”

Those were the last words that echoed through San’s ears as he stalked through the entrance of the market. All the village boys were already there, making their rounds to each of the tables that had the eldest woman of their respective households behind it. San could tell that they had begun “marketing” themselves long before he arrived there. Most were taking their chances at flirting/swooning the ladies, hoping that they would give them a lot of money for what they have and would promote their product to everyone. If they’re especially lucky, maybe they will have beautiful daughters to marry off to them as well.

San’s face couldn’t help but deadpan. So that’s why they send us out here. So we can bring them wealth and offspring.. His walking slowed down a bit, simply watching everyone around him. They all knew the game that was being played, even when they acted like they didn’t. It was always the same with this community. Everything left unspoken but people followed it as if it were law or fact to do so. That was just the way life had been programmed to be, so he just had to follow the flow like everyone else did.

His sister was right, he would never be able to be married in these conditions. Not when his wife already knew the life they were going to live together without knowing anything about him first.

San’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud sound coming from a nearby alleyway that cut between two family homes. It didn’t disturb the rush of the market, the raven-haired boy seemingly being the only person that heard the commotion. Peering down, San saw a figure shuffle from a trash bag that was a few feet away. There’s no way it could be some sort of animal, the time of year wasn’t right for trash-loving creatures to be around and digging through their garbage piles. San’s footsteps creeped down, gripping the corner of his food basket. What the hell was he thinking venturing down a dark alley like this?

The figure shuffled again, as if recognizing it had been noticed and scrambled back to the farthest corner that separated them. San heard the faintest whimper coming from the area.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you. I don’t have anything bad on me okay?” His voice was soft and gentle, not wanting to scare the being more than he probably already had. As San stepped close enough for the bit of light from the market to shine down from behind him, he realized the figure was a boy. His legs and feet were covered in dirt and grime, skinny and slightly bony looking from far away. Only lying a few feet in front of him, San crouched down at eye level with the shaking boy. “Are you okay?”

A few seconds had passed before the boy in question lifted his dusty and slightly dirty pink head. San’s eyes widened, seeing the vibrant color of the boy’s hair and amber eyes compared to the paleness of his skin. It confused him but, for a reason he couldn’t find to explain, it entranced him at the same time. The two held eye contact.

The pink haired boy didn’t mean to suddenly have such a mean face, glaring so hard merely out of confusion rather than anger at San. Why hasn’t he walked away yet? Why..is he staying here? The boy thought to himself, head tilting while gripping the corner of his tattered sleeve. San didn’t flinch or look away.

“Why is your hair like that? Nobody else’s looks like..” his voice trailed off, reaching to touch the cotton candy clouds on the boy’s head. He snatched his hand back when the boy swatted at him, hugging his knees tighter and immediately pouting after.

I’m not an animal or something..What makes you think you have the right to touch another being you don’t even know. The pink haired boy looked off to the side. San’s face became sympathetic.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you..” San’s eyes fell a little, scratching the back of his head as he rested the basket of food on the ground behind him. The boy’s face softened, chancing a look at San when he no longer felt eyes on him. “I’m not very good at befriending others..let alone talking to anyone other than my family.”

Something in the demeanor of San made the mysterious boy feel that he was no longer a threat to him. He felt his body relax only to frown soon after from the younger boy’s statement, nudging his leg with his clothed arm as if to say “Don’t be so mean to yourself like that”. San looked up and met those amber eyes peering at him once more.

“Why do you stare at me like that?”

The boy shied away from the question, cheeks becoming more orange than they were previously that San couldn’t help but chuckle. He was very shy and overall quiet, certainly different from anyone else here besides his obviously blaring physical appearance. He certainly had a way of expressing his emotions, San couldn’t deny that.

There was a moment of silence between them cutely interrupted by the pink haired boy’s stomach growling. He forgot about the food that he had grabbed from earlier, having crushed it in his grasp after being discovered by San. He pulled out the small clump of what was left of the garbage, going to eat it before San’s hand stopped him.

“You shouldn’t eat that. People who put these things in the bag, they throw it away because it’s no good anymore.” The pink haired boy tilted his head in confusion at San’s statement.

Food is food right? He thought to himself.

“It can make you sick.” San said more sternly, taking the garbage from him and throwing it away. The boy frowned, eyebrows pulled together. It’s not like he could get good food anywhere else..he lives in an alley. “Good food” only comes to those who have access to it.

“Here.” San handed the boy a lettuce wrap that his mother made from his pocket. The meat, bits of corn and honey were tucked sweetly inside of the two small rounds of lettuce. A common meal from the Choi household that they were hoping to sell once the market week ended, if they were able to achieve success with their produce that is.

The boy made a face before San pushed it to his lips. “You really don’t have room to be picky right now so I suggest you just eat it.”

With reluctance, the pink haired boy took the wrap. He eyed it some more, sniffing it again. The smell was completely foreign to him, something he had never had the chance of smelling before. It was nothing like the food he knew and it surely didn’t look like it. This lettuce that San called it, had barely any color to it, being that of a pale green. Do all of their dishes look this unappetizing? He thought to himself. It looked no different to him than what he pulled out of the garbage a few minutes ago. He supposed that if the boy said it was dangerous to eat it that he should simply stick with the wrap instead.

He put it between his lips and bit down. In an instant his eyes widened, the hues of amber brightening and sparkling. The meat juices flooded into his mouth with an umami flavor, the saltiness of the grade dancing laps on his taste buds softened by the sweetness of the corn and honey. The combination of ingredients together left the corners of his mouth pricking with saliva, desperate for more of the goodness that resided in this wrap. He ate every last bite, fingers a little sticky from the residue before he pouted, realizing it was all gone. San chuckled lightly.

“See? You made that face for nothing. Nobody can resist my mom’s food in our family.” The pink haired boy looked up at San, bottom lip jutting out harder. He resembled that of a lost kitten or puppy. Cupping his two pale hands together, he held them out in front of San.

“Hm?” San tilted his head at the action before smiling sadly. “Ah, I’m sorry. I only had two. I ate the other one earlier so you just had the last one.” The boy sunk into himself, moving his hands back and hugging his knees again. That was the first time, in what felt like years, that he had gotten such a meal filled with love and passion. Now he was going to have to go back through the garbage and hope that the food wouldn’t kill him.

“Maybe you can come with me? You want more food?” San tried to hold his words with a sensitive tone. The pink haired boy perked up, nodding quickly. He moved to stand up, knees wobbling like a baby deer. San noticed and helped him up with ease while gripping the side of the basket. Looking quickly towards the market and then back to the boy, a conflicted look fell upon San’s face.

If he brought the boy out there, it would bring a lot of attention towards him. People might crowd him, curious about where he’s from and why his clothing was like that, or worse, the ladies would try to separate the two of them and send the pink haired boy off to see one of their daughters. On the other hand, people could simply ignore him. Even though all of them were on the poorer side, anyone who looked worse than them was often overlooked and not spared a second glance. San was sincerely hoping for the latter, not wanting to see the boy become terrified by all the attention.

“We’re going to have to pass through here. I have to sell this stuff before I can take you back to my home okay?” The pink haired boy nodded, grabbing the corner of San’s long sleeve thick undershirt. San was stunned slightly by the action, looking back into the amber eyes of the taller male. “Can I know your name before we go? People may ask and it would be awkward if I didn’t know..”

The boy’s eyebrows pulled together, seemingly confused by the question. He..he couldn’t remember. Of all the memories from his life, living high about the cotton clouds in the sky in a world that nobody could begin to understand, the simplest one was vacant from his brain. His shoulders slumped, trying a little harder to remember before he let out a small sigh through his nose. San let out a small hum before he smiled, bringing the boy’s eyes back to him.

“Your eyes and hair remind me of **화성[hwaseong]” San pointed up to the sky with a small chuckle. Although it couldn’t be seen from here, the red planet had always been a topic of wonder to the people who claimed to have seen it at night when there were no other stars in the sky. “People talk about it all the time and I’m sure they would compare you to it. So let’s have that be your name for now until you can tell me what your actual name is, yeah?”

The pink haired boy pouted. The name sounded weird to him.

“Do you not like that name?” San questioned, humming when the boy shook his head in response. He thought for a moment before smiling. “What about Seonghwa then? It’s like Hwaseong but backwards. Does that sound better?” The boy perked at the name, eyes glittering for a second.

Looking at San made a memory come to him. There was a boy in his area with long silky brown hair, it almost touched his butt. He always wore it in a high ponytail with stray pieces hanging in his face. His hanbok, too big for his small body, would flow in the wind behind him. The shades of ruby red, navy blue, and white with gold trim would glitter in the sunlight, reflecting back onto any surface it caught on to. Giggling, he would run around a white willow tree, trying to catch all of the baby blue buds that would fall on the ground. Looking back in his view with heterochromatic eyes, he would smile and wave him over.

“...Hwa? Seonghwa?” San moved into Seonghwa’s line of view, causing the boy to blink and look at him with slight confusion and wonder. “Is that name okay?”

Compelled by the vision that appeared before him, Seonghwa took San’s hand. A small smile formed on his face, half of which was hidden by the shadow of the alley. If this was supposed to be a sign for him of some sort, some way that he would be able to make it back home, Seonghwa was going to take it.

~ ✩ ~

“What happens next?”

“Yeah what happens after they leave the alleyway?” The sparkling globes of the children’s eyes glittered.

If you want to know more, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow night.

The kids began to whine and complain, swinging their little fists around as you maneuvered them into their respective beds. Each of them had tried to bargain with you to hear just a little bit more of the exciting story, only for it to fall onto deaf ears and your sweet smile.

I promise I will tell you more tomorrow. It would be no fun if I told you all in one day now would it?

They both pouted, not saying a word as the blankets were tucked into their sides and the edge of it was put comfortably and cutely over their pouty lips. With a flick of the lights, the room bathed in a soft teal glow from the pond that was outside. Humming a soft melody, the complaints of the children fell quiet, the sounds of the snores giving the smallest bit of sound to the room.

You smiled at their peaceful faces, placing a soft kiss to each of their heads. Leaving the room, you slowly trailed down the hallway, stopping at a picture frame on the wall.

~ ✩ ~

“You can love people so much…But you can never love people as much as you miss them” - John Green

~ ✩ ~

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