#fountains of decay

[the-dyke-of-handsomeness]

listening to foundations to cope

[certified-scoundrel]

"wow, what a normal thursday. Hope nothing crazy happens"

*mcr drops a new song out of no where and i remember im going to see them live in september*

[hijasdecain]

[alex-w0ke]

Actual Gaming Log (May 14-20)

May 14 Arknights. Farmed red certs. Forgive My Sins & Desires, Father. Goddamn this game really did reawaken something in me. Entropic Float: This World Will Decay And Disappear. Looks like a massive production. I can’t believe this thing is free. Can’t play it much due to limited time. May 15 Arknights. Anni day. May 16 Arknights. Farmed rectangle chips. May 17 Bought some stuff from…

[glasratz]

This garden has seen better days.

[punisheddonjuan]

In honour of his passing, posting Steve Albini's legendary polemic against the music industry.

Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about four feet wide and five feet deep, maybe sixty yards long, filled with runny, decaying shit. I imagine these people, some of them good friends, some of them barely acquaintances, at one end of this trench. I also imagine a faceless industry lackey at the other end, holding a fountain pen and a contract waiting to be signed. Nobody can see what’s printed on the contract. It’s too far away, and besides, the shit stench is making everybody’s eyes water. The lackey shouts to everybody that the first one to swim the trench gets to sign the contract. Everybody dives in the trench and they struggle furiously to get to the other end. Two people arrive simultaneously and begin wrestling furiously, clawing each other and dunking each other under the shit. Eventually, one of them capitulates, and there’s only one contestant left. He reaches for the pen, but the Lackey says, “Actually, I think you need a little more development. Swim it again, please. Backstroke.” And he does, of course.

[...]

THE BALANCE SHEET This is how much each player got paid at the end of the game. Record company: $710,000 Producer: $90,000 Manager: $51,000 Studio: $52,500 Previous label: $50,000 Agent: $7,500 Lawyer: $12,000 Band member net income each: $4,031.25 The band is now 1/4 of the way through its contract, has made the music industry more than 3 million dollars richer, but is in the hole $14,000 on royalties. The band members have each earned about 1/3 as much as they would working at a 7-11, but they got to ride in a tour bus for a month. The next album will be about the same, except that the record company will insist they spend more time and money on it. Since the previous one never “recouped,” the band will have no leverage, and will oblige. The next tour will be about the same, except the merchandising advance will have already been paid, and the band, strangely enough, won’t have earned any royalties from their t-shirts yet. Maybe the t-shirt guys have figured out how to count money like record company guys. Some of your friends are probably already this fucked.

The worst thing is, as bad as it was back in 1993, it's a thousand times worse for musicians in 2024. 1993 was before "Pay-to-Play" venues were as ubiquitous, and before some venues started taking a cut of the merchandise sales. 1993 was before CD sales collapsed, before file sharing, before Spotify ruined things further with its dismal royalty payments, its algorithmically driven discovery mechanism which is biased against the experimental, the daring, and the difficult (and women for that matter), and its proliferation of fake artists. It is not a good time to be a musician.

[fillthybilly]

emo overload

THE NEW MY CHEM SONG GOT ME DROOLING

its sooooo good auguguhuhuguhughuufdgsdkjafnucfkasrchsafrch21ibrcy23r

playing on repeat rn

[empirearchives]

Napoleon and Water

Excerpt from the book Aaron Burr in Exile: A Pariah in Paris, 1810-1811, by Jane Merrill and John Endicott

Aaron Burr lived in Paris for 15 months, and this book goes into detail about those years living under Napoleon’s rule. This part focuses on Napoleon’s water related reforms.

———

Napoleon’s fountains gave drinking water to the population, that is, children drank water, not beer. The water was free, not purchased. And the apartment would have had a separate water closet equipped with squat toilets (adopted from the Turks) and a bucket to wash it after use. Some restaurants and cafes had W.C.s, even one for ladies and one for gents. These were hooked into the sewer system that branched under each important street.

Napoleon merits points for delivering fresh water to Paris. If serving Paris with water from the d'Ourcq River by canals was not be a consummate success, Paris gained 40 new fountains, and the emperor commanded that fountains run all day (instead of a few limited hours) and that the water be free of charge.

Perhaps the most laudable of Napoleon’s policies were utilitarian city works, especially bringing clean water and sanitation to Paris. The improvements to infrastructure included new quays to prevent floods, new gutters and pavement, new aqueducts and fountains, and relocating cemeteries and slaughterhouses to the outskirts of the city. This was also a way of keeping up employment. An Austrian aristocrat in town during Napoleon’s wedding to Marie-Louise wrote his mother, in Vienna: “Nothing can give an idea of the immense projects undertaken simultaneously in Paris. The incoherence of it is incredible; one cannot imagine that the life of a single man would be enough to finish them.”

It was a tall order. Previous rulers had been aware of the problems and one big engineering initiative, a failed marvel, had been the waterworks at Marly, located on the banks of the Seine about seven miles from Paris. Louis XIV had it constructed to pump water from the river to his chateaux of Versailles and Marly. This was the machine marvel of its age, with 250 pumps that forced river water up a 500-foot rise to an aqueduct, and it was a sight Burr mentions going to see. By 1817 the “Marly machine” had deteriorated because it was made of wood, and the waterworks were abandoned.

Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve, the prominent 19th century literary critic, wrote that there had been “ten years of anarchy, sedition and laxity, during which no useful work had been undertaken, not a street had been cleaned, not a residence repaired nothing improved or cleansed.” Postrevolutionary Paris was at a nadir in terms of both the inadequate, disease-ridden water supply and the filthy streets, which were basically open sewers, deep with black mud and refuse.

“Napoleon,” writes Alistair Horne, “was obsessed by the water of Paris, and everything to do with it.”

Parisians had mostly been getting their water directly from the Seine or lining up at the scant pay fountains. In 1806, nineteen new wells for fountains were dug that flowed day and night and were free. Napoleon had a canal built 60 miles from the River Ourcq, ordering 500 men to dig it, while still a consul in 1801. It brought water to the Bassin de la Villette, opening in 1808. Some doubted the wisdom of having such an abundance of water—an oriental luxury that might incur moral decay. Now the supply of water for firefighting was also much improved. The canal had light boats, as Napoleon tried to make back some of the huge expenditure by licensing navigation, and a circular aqueduct from which underground conduits went to the central city. In 1810, there were still many water porters wheeling barrels through the city.

Now Napoleon attacked the problem of the Seine as a catchall for pollution. Parisians were so used to it that men swam naked in the river and a contemporary guidebook advised merely that the water of the Seine had no ill effects on foreigners so long as they drank it mixed with wine or a drop of vinegar. Thus houses on bridges were demolished and an immense push began to clean and modernize the city sewers.

As this book is about Aaron Burr, here is section about Burr taking inspiration by a new water related invention during his time in Paris:

Remarkably for someone who was very aware of his health, he never complained of the water. He did, however, take an interest in an invention to make it easier to dig a well. When the inventor of a process to make vinegar from the sap of any tree was not in his shop, Burr and a friend, “Crede”, went to see another invention: “We went then to see Mons. Cagniard, and his new invention of raising water and performing any mechanical operation. His apparatus is a screw of Archimedes turned the reverse, air, water, and quick silver. Cagniard was abroad; but we saw a model, and worked it, and got the report of a committee of the Institute on the subject. If the thing performs what is said I will apply it to give water to Charleston.”

[Bold italics for quotations by me]

[taeyongdoyoung]

summary: a vampire and a werewolf want to put an end to the war between their families. in their dangerous attempt to achieve peace, they find love where they least expected... pairing: werewolf!mingyu x vampire!wonwoo x witch!reader genre: adventure, fantasy, a lil romance warnings: mentions of blood, burns, cutting, death, killing, suicide & other supernatural themes author's note: the title is inspired by taylor swift's bad blood, while the plot is vaguely influenced by romeo & juliet with the lore loosely based on twilight & the vampire diaries; some song references in italics hehe word count: 6.2k

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Seoul, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where bad blood makes good hands unclean.

The werewolf Kim clan and the vampire Jeon clan had been enemies for as long as Mingyu could remember. He didn't recall a time when the two families didn't fight over something. There was an unwritten rule that the werewolves shouldn't go into the vampires' territory and vice versa. And for the most part, the agreement was followed. But occasionally, there were casualties. Occasionally, Mingyu lost a distant cousin or an uncle to the feud between the Kims and the Jeons. He was so tired of it. He wanted peace so desperately. Little did he know, he was not the only one who felt this strange longing.

Wonwoo was exhausted of this war going on between his family and the Kim one. He no longer wanted to participate in the pointless fights. He no longer wished to see another vampire fallen victim to the vicious werewolves. He had no idea how it had all started so it seemed completely devoid of meaning to him. Wonwoo wished he could find a way to put an end to it. Once and for all. And just then, as if some magic force had heard his plea, a piece of paper fell into his hand. From the sky. Right there on a balcony in summer air. He was stunned but nevertheless, he read the words written on it, which said:

What you seek you shall receive Go to the golden mountain If you wish your heart to grow Be prepared a sacrifice to give Drink from the magical fountain May all bad blood cease to flow

At the same time but in a different place, a twin paper landed in Mingyu's tent. It was cryptic as hell and it might as well have been a trap. It might be something that the Jeons, those smartasses came up with to cause more damage to the Kims. And yet, he was in such need for peace that he wanted to try whatever it took to find a solution that would ensure a tranquil future for him and his family. He put a couple of snacks in a bag, a few bottles of water and went out into the night.

Wonwoo did a similar thing, gathered a bunch of essentials, only he was caught by his younger brother and sister.

"Where are you going, hyung?" Jungkook asked.

"Yeah, you're acting suspicious!" Somi exclaimed.

"I'm going on an adventure," Wonwoo said simply.

"Take us with you, oppa!" Somi pleaded.

"I have to do this alone. It's too dangerous," Wonwoo was firm in his decision.

"Promise you'll come back!" Jungkook insisted.

Wonwoo knew he shouldn't make promises he wasn't sure he could keep. But he owed it to his precious siblings to reassure them that everything will be okay.

"Promise," he said and walked out of the door.

A couple of hours later, Mingyu found himself in the golden mountain. He could immediately sense something was wrong. It smelled like…death and decay. He sniffed aggressively into the air and seconds later he found himself pressed against a tree. By a stinky vampire!

"What are you doing here, Kim?" Wonwoo asked him.

"I could ask you the same thing, Jeon!" Mingyu growled. He tried to transform himself into his werewolf form and yet there must have been some sort of magic inside the golden mountain that prevented him from doing so. His suspicions were proven to be correct when he managed to escape from the vampire's grasp. Aha! He was slower than usual. Which meant he couldn't use his vampire speed around here.

"How…" Wonwoo was shocked by how quickly the werewolf had fled. "Why are you running?"

"Because you wanna drink my blood!" Mingyu screamed as he kept going.

"No, wait…I just wanna talk!"

"Yeah, right, and fish can fly!"

"Some can actually!" Wonwoo pointed out.

"Nerd!" Mingyu cried out and then he saw a big light in the air that said the exact same words in the paper! What even?! Something compelled him to stop running and moments later, Wonwoo hit his nose into the back of Mingyu's neck.

"Ow," he complained, taken aback by the fact that Mingyu was no longer trying to escape. "No way!" he had a similar reaction to Mingyu's upon seeing the mysterious words.

"Wait a second…" Mingyu started connecting the dots. "Don't tell me you received one of those as well."

He was probably taking a huge leap of faith but something was telling him that if the vampire wanted him dead, he would be dead already. Mingyu took out the crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and showed it to Wonwoo.

Wonwoo's eyes widened in shock and he pulled out an identical-looking paper from his own clothes.

"What are the odds?" Wonwoo laughed bitterly.

"So…if we both want peace between our families, then I suppose we should work together," Mingyu offered sweetly.

"We might not have another choice," Wonwoo nodded reluctantly. "I'm Wonwoo, by the way."

"Mingyu. I would say nice to meet you but I'm not fond of lying," he tried to joke.

Wonwoo shook his head, amused by this encounter.

Seconds later, the sign in the air disappeared. In its stead was a golden door. Seemingly leading nowhere. Right in the middle of the mountain. How strange.

"Shall we?" Wonwoo suggested.

"Vampires first," Mingyu gallantly waved his hand.

Wonwoo didn't want to waste energy in arguing and opened the door. Mingyu followed him and the two were immediately greeted by the most beautiful creature they'd ever seen.

"Welcome!" you said. "If you've come this far, it means you've already taken the first step towards peace."

"Who are you?" Wonwoo asked.

"My name is Y/N. I'm a witch and it is my purpose to guide you through the seven challenges you must face if you wish to bring peace to your families."

"What kinds of challenges?" Mingyu inquired, suspicious of this whole situation.

"Well, it wouldn't be fun if I told you now, would it?" you chuckled mysteriously.

"How do we know we just won't get killed or something?" Wonwoo insisted.

"You don't. Guess you'll just have to believe that the possibility for a better future is strong enough to get you through these challenges," you explained patiently.

"Did you come up with these challenges?" Wonwoo wanted to know.

"So many questions," you laughed once again. "No, my ancestors did, I'm just a carrier of their will. Here's what I'll tell you. If you work together, you have a very good chance at succeeding."

"Not very reassuring," Mingyu complained.

"Still better than no chance," Wonwoo sighed.

"And if you complete the first six challenges successfully," you continued. "I will help you with the seventh one."

"I'm assuming the seventh one is the hardest," Wonwoo muttered.

"Clever boy," you smirked. "Are you ready?"

"Not really," Mingyu shrugged. "But let's do this."

"Well, good luck, guys. I'll give you a hint for the first challenge. If I eat I live yet if I drink I die. What am I?"

"Huh?" Mingyu looked at Wonwoo in a confused manner. "Any idea what this means?"

"No, but I don't like the sound of it."

You disappeared and in front of the two men, a wall of fire appeared. Great, so the hint was fire.

"So we just have to jump above it. It's not very tall," Mingyu observed.

"No, Mingyu, you don't get it," Wonwoo responded. "I will literally turn into ash if the fire touches me. I'm a vampire, remember?"

"Right," Mingyu nodded. "Well, then, hop on my back and I'll jump. I'm tall enough and I'll make sure the fire doesn't touch you."

Wonwoo shook his head hesitantly.

"I don't know…"

"Do you trust me?"

"Not particularly, no."

"Smart answer," Mingyu grinned. "But do you want peace or not?"

"More than anything," Wonwoo replied.

"Then, hop on."

Wonwoo did as Mingyu suggested and closed his eyes. In no time, the werewolf jumped and the fire was behind the two. Wonwoo opened his eyes and got off Mingyu's strong back. You had returned.

"Congratulations, you have completed the first challenge!" you greeted them cheerfully. "Keep up the good work and peace shall be yours soon."

"Well, that was easy enough," Mingyu smiled confidently.

"Easy for you to say," Wonwoo shuddered at the thought of fire.

"Do you guys want a hint for the second challenge?"

"Yes, please," Mingyu asked, guessing that since the first one was something dangerous for Wonwoo, then the second one would, logically, be something lethal for Mingyu.

"This is a type of color But it’s not yellow or blue You’ll need this type of bullet If a werewolf’s after you," you recited dutifully.

The answer was glaringly obvious. Silver.

"No," Mingyu groaned in fear as you vanished once again. The two somehow ended up in a room. There was only one way out and forward - a door at the end of the room. And in front of the door was a machine designed to shoot silver arrows. How fun. "What are we going to do?"

"Let me think," Wonwoo tried to analyze the situation in a way that would ensure Mingyu's safety. "If I run on zig-zag with you glued behind me, we might be fast enough to go behind the machine and open the door."

"But the arrows could shoot you?" Mingyu gasped in horror.

"I think they won't. The first challenge was designed to scare me and the second challenge is designed for you."

"It's very risky."

"Well, we can't let that stop us."

"Let's do this."

The two began running and surprisingly, the machine started shooting arrows their way. However, it was only capable of doing so in a straight direction, so it didn't manage to hit them once. With some great luck, Wonwoo and Mingyu squeezed themselves behind the machine. Yet, Mingyu was too impatient to grab the door handle, which, was, of course, made of silver. It burned his hand pretty badly but it wasn't lethal like arrows or even worse, bullets, would have been. Wonwoo immediately opened the door and pulled Mingyu with him to the other side.

"Are you okay?" Wonwoo asked, overwhelmed by a sudden concern for his werewolf companion.

"It hurts but I'll be fine," Mingyu tried to convince himself as well as Wonwoo.

Wonwoo quickly bit his own finger until a small streak of blood appeared.

"Drink this, it will help you heal faster."

Mingyu looked at Wonwoo doubtfully but went ahead. In no time, the burns disappeared and his hand no longer hurt.

"Wow, thanks a lot!"

"Thank me when we've completed all challenges," Wonwoo puts his hand on Mingyu's shoulder in a friendly manner.

You once again surprised them with your sudden arrival.

"Two in a row! You're really something else," you cheered them on loudly. "I was about to offer some healing herbs but the vampire beat me to it."

Wonwoo bowed dramatically, making Mingyu and you laugh.

"I won't ask whether you need a hint, because I'm feeling generous. I’m often running, yet I have no legs. You need me, but I don’t need you. What am I?"

"Ugh, another riddle," Mingyu was so done with them.

In front of the two men appeared a table. On the table, there were two cups filled with some kind of liquid. Next to the cups was a note:

"One may kill a vampire. Another may kill a werewolf. Drink all to move forward. Drink none to stay behind."

"I'm guessing one has vervain and the other wolfsbane. We drink the wrong cup, we both die. We drink the right one, we go to the next challenge," Mingyu started thinking out loud.

"What if I drink both cups?" Wonwoo suggested boldly. "That way I can ensure that you will move forward."

"Are you crazy?" Mingyu exclaimed. "First of all, there is no guarantee the witch will allow me to do the rest of the challenges by myself. Second of all, there is no guarantee I will succeed without you. Third of all…I don't wanna do this alone."

Mingyu sounded so vulnerable and like a lost puppy in that moment that Wonwoo felt so bad he cursed himself for offering something so dark in the first place.

"You're right, sorry I mentioned it. Do you have any better ideas?"

"Let's think about the riddle instead of rushing to poison ourselves," Mingyu replied. "I'm often running, yet I have no legs. You need me, but I don't need you…"

"But of course!" Wonwoo shouted triumphantly. "Water! It's just a trick, Mingyu. There is nothing but water in both cups!"

Mingyu eyed the two cups suspiciously.

"They don't smell like anything," he pointed out.

"Do you trust me?" Wonwoo repeated Mingyu's question from earlier.

"Not even a little bit," Mingyu teased. Even though a part of him was beginning to…

"Great. Drink up."

"Oh, what the hell." Mingyu and Wonwoo both grabbed a cup at random and downed them in one go. Nothing. No burn. No pain. No death. Just plain old water.

They both let out a sigh of relief and started laughing.

"We did it! We passed the third challenge!" they grabbed each other's hands happily and started jumping in circles.

You appeared yet again to congratulate them.

"You two are so smart, I'm genuinely impressed!"

Wonwoo and Mingyu let go of one another's hands, as if embarrassed that the witch witnessed a vampire and a werewolf behaving like this.

"How about a little break?" you offered.

"Not another challenge?

"Nope. Just a small something to reward you for getting so far."

Mingyu and Wonwoo exchanged a look.

"How do you plan to reward us?" Wonwoo raised an eyebrow.

"What would you like?" you smiled mischievously.

"Something more useful than those riddles," Mingyu asked.

"Okay, okay, no more riddles. Wonwoo?"

"Help us in the sixth challenge, as well. Not just the seventh one."

"Ambitious. I like that. Alright, then. Make sure you pass the fourth and fifth and I will give you a real advantage in the grand finale. Now, how about a snack to gather your strength?" you said and handed Mingyu a couple of big, juicy hamburgers. The werewolf gulped the first one hungrily.

"I'm a vampire, this is like plastic to me," Wonwoo complained.

"I know, silly," you chuckled and offered your wrist. "Come on, help yourself."

"How do I know it's not a trick?"

"Why would it be a trick?" you blinked at him innocently. "Mingyu already ate his burger and he's still safe."

"It's just a burger. I don't think the blood of a witch has the same value."

"Aw, I'm touched," you cooed. "Fine, suit yourself, then. Starve if you want."

Wonwoo shook his head, determined to reject the temptation.

"I'm not hungry."

Your smile suddenly transformed into a quite sinister one.

"Good. You just passed the fourth challenge."

"W-what?" Mingyu, who'd just swallowed the last bite of the third burger, asked in shock. "But…we didn't do anything, did we?"

"Wonwoo did," you explained. "The virtue of restraint is incredibly rare among vampires nowadays. Him rejecting my blood so easily shows that he is truly determined to achieve peace."

"But…me eating the burgers is okay, right?" Mingyu kept worrying.

"It's okay, Mingyu, don't worry," you laughed. "Still, previous participants never made it this far."

"Wait…we're not the first ones?" Wonwoo was shocked. "Others from our clans have tried these challenges before?"

"Of course. They all failed, though. These challenges are held once every seven years. Since…since the feud between your two families began."

"But…why?" Mingyu asked.

"I'll tell you if you make it to the end."

"Is the fifth challenge a hidden one like the fourth? I mean…you said we were having a short break, I didn't even know it was a test," Wonwoo complained.

"You asked for no more riddles. You didn't say anything about tricks," you pouted, the picture of blamelessness.

"Witches, man," Mingyu murmured, causing Wonwoo to smile. You didn't look offended by these words, considering the circumstances. Still, you were just doing your job, so you refused to feel bad for it. Besides, you genuinely believed that your actions would help them succeed. You wanted peace just as badly. For your own reasons.

Suddenly, the full moon shone brightly in the sky.

"Oh, come on," Mingyu groaned, as he felt overpowered by his transformation into his wolf form. It was more painful than usual and he experienced such intense anger towards everyone and everything. He wanted to ravage the vampire and the witch. Consequences be damned.

"Control it, Mingyu," Wonwoo tried to calm him down as he saw the werewolf approaching him and you like a predator stalking his prey. "It's just another trick. You have to show restraint, like I did. We're so close to success, don't give up now."

"You know what they say. A wolf can change his coat but not his character," you laughed maniacally.

"Stop goading him!" Wonwoo reprimanded you. "Mingyu. Remember why we're here. Remember what we both want. Peace."

It was like that one short magical word unlocked something inside the werewolf. His eyes that were full of rage seconds ago became full of warmth, kindness and hope. And in no time, Mingyu was back in his human form.

"Peace," he repeated, shivering, as the poor guy was naked after returning to his humanity.

You snapped your fingers and by magic, his clothes were back on him.

"Astonishing. I've never witnessed anything like this before," you were truly amazed by their willpower.

"I take it the fifth challenge was a success?" Mingyu wanted to make sure.

"Not only a success. It was your golden ticket to the grand finale," you beamed with excitement.

"So, what is the sixth challenge?" Wonwoo inquired.

"You'll have to fight each other. The winner gets to move forward to the seventh challenge."

"Excuse me?" Mingyu cried out indignantly. "We didn't go this far only to end up hurting one another, we're supposed to go through these challenges together!"

"You promised you'll help us!" Wonwoo was also flabbergasted by the turn of events.

"And I will, relax. I'll give you a hint. The challenge requires you to fight. That's all it says. Nothing about killing," you winked and once again disappeared.

"Damn, she's got to stop doing that," Mingyu complained. "So cryptic."

Wonwoo laughed quietly.

"I don't wanna wolf out on you," Mingyu confessed.

"And I don't wanna suck you dry," Wonwoo responded.

"So what now? How do we fight each other without harm? How do we decide on a winner to go to the final challenge?" Mingyu was panicking as he couldn't seem to find a solution.

"Look, there's the table from the cups of water challenge!" Wonwoo observed, surprised by its return.

"But of course!" Mingyu exclaimed. "We can arm wrestle. A fight without killing."

"You're a genius! Just don't break my arm, alright?" Wonwoo smiled.

"No promises," Mingyu teased and the two knelt on two sides of the table. Mingyu easily defeated Wonwoo and then they were confused that nothing was happening. No seventh challenge.

"Maybe we're both meant to win to move forward?" Wonwoo suggested. "Like you said, these challenges ought to be done together for true peace to be achieved."

"Oh! Right!" Mingyu took hold of Wonwoo's hand once again, not putting any strength into his grasp this time. "Go easy on me, night kitten."

"Right back at you, moon puppy," Wonwoo teased back and as Mingyu allowed himself to be defeated, a large sign lit up the sky, announcing the beginning of the seventh challenge.

"Grand finale, here we come," Mingyu declared in amazement that they'd gotten this far.

You greeted them as enthusiastically as ever:

"It truly is a wonder you made it to the seventh challenge, I can't believe the peace between your families is so close."

"It's too early to celebrate," Wonwoo, ever the realist, observed. "The final one is the hardest, no?"

"Yes, but I intend to keep my promise and give you a strong advantage. As it was hinted at in the piece of paper you received, you have to be prepared for a sacrifice. Only that will put an end to the bad blood between the Kims and the Jeons."

"What kind of sacrifice?" Mingyu asked, already anticipating the worst.

"A blood one," you stated grimly.

"You've got to be kidding me," Wonwoo rolled his eyes.

"We don't want to kill each other, I thought it was clear we came here looking for peace!" Mingyu cried out.

"I know you grew attached to one another throughout the course of these challenges," you nodded morosely. "However, the prophecy doesn't specify who has to be sacrificed. You…you can kill me, instead."

You gently placed two daggers in their hands.

Wonwoo and Mingyu were beyond appalled by your suggestion.

"But…you're just doing your job," Wonwoo murmured. "Why would we kill you when you helped us get this far?"

"Yeah, I'm with Wonwoo," Mingyu was adamant. "You didn't do anything wrong to us. There has to be another way."

"It's the only way," you announced, your eyes tearing up. "If you don't do this, you'll fail the seventh challenge and you'll be automatically turned into ash like all the previous participants were when they couldn't pass one of the challenges. Don't you want peace more than anything? I'm not important, just one life that could potentially save the lives of many vampires and werewolves. Is this not why you came here?"

Mingyu and Wonwoo looked at each other, weighing out the pros and cons. The witch's point was a solid one. But was it really worth it? They would have to endure the rest of their lives haunted by what they'd done…Was it really peace if it was marred with innocent blood?

"I'm not doing it," Wonwoo decided and dropped the dagger.

"Yeah, me neither," Mingyu agreed and let go of the weapon.

"Even if you die instead by the design of these challenges?" you were amazed by their willingness to sacrifice themselves, to abandon their cause just to save her - a witch they'd just met.

"Even so," Wonwoo confirmed his previous decision.

"How much time do we have?" Mingyu wanted to know.

"I don't know. Like I said, no one's ever gotten this far," you admitted.

"Can't we try something else? These challenges were full of loopholes and tricks and whatnot. Maybe another kind of sacrifice?" Wonwoo kept trying to think of a way out.

"I've got some snacks in my bag? And water?" Mingyu suggested.

"I'm pretty sure my ancestors would not be satisfied with snacks," you chuckled bitterly.

"Be prepared a sacrifice to give Drink from the magical fountain May all bad blood cease to flow…" Wonwoo repeated the last lines of the prophecy.

"We did drink from cups of water but there was no magical fountain so far," Mingyu mused out loud.

"That's true," you replied. "And there's the sacrifice and blood part…maybe I'm reading this all wrong."

"What do you mean?" Wonwoo was desperate to hold onto any piece of hope.

You grabbed one of the daggers from the ground.

"Give me your hands," you urged them.

"Erm…" Mingyu eyed you with suspicion.

"Quick, I'm not sure how much time we have left," your eyes were telling them that you genuinely wanted to help.

Wonwoo took a leap of faith and gave you his hand. You pressed the blade into his skin until blood started pouring out and soaked the earth beneath you. Mingyu figured he had nothing left to lose as he might be dead very soon and also offered his hand. You did the same thing with him. And finally, you cut your own skin. As the blood of a vampire, a werewolf and a witch started drenching the soil in the golden mountain, the three creatures witnessed something they hadn't expected. The blood started turning into water and soon enough a small fountain emerged in front of their eyes.

"The magical fountain!" Wonwoo exclaimed.

"Hurry, we have to drink from it!" you rushed them, the prophecy finally being fulfilled.

The three beings took turns taking sips of water and their bloodied hands were healed in no time.

"Does this mean we succeeded? We passed the seventh challenge and peace will reign between our families?" Mingyu was curious to know.

"I guess there's only one way to find out," you shrugged mysteriously. "Go back home and see for yourselves."

"You promised us something," Wonwoo reminded you. "You said you'd tell us why the feud began in the first place if we make it to the end. Here we are."

"Clever boy," you once again said the words from your very first encounter. "It's a long story, though. You sure you don't wanna check up on your families first?"

"Don't try to weasel your way out of this," Mingyu warned. "We want answers. We've spent long enough living in the dark."

"Nicely put," you laughed. "Very well, then. But first, let us sit down."

The three creatures sat in the grass and so, you began telling the story of how the Kims and the Jeons had started resenting each other.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful witch named Yunchae. She was not only as elegant as a flower but was also smart and kind and her whole family adored her. Tales of her beauty reached the vampire and werewolf families. Haneul the vampire and Kwang the werewolf fell madly in love with her. Yunchae, being so sweet, began spending time with both of them separately. She was unaware of dangers such as jealousy and genuinely considered both of them her lifelong companions. One thing led to another and friendship blossomed into love. One dark night, when there was a full moon, Kwang the werewolf wanted to surprise Yunchae so he came into her chambers earlier than the appointed hour. When he saw her embracing Haneul the vampire, Kwang, affected by the curse of the moon, was overwhelmed with wild rage and possessiveness. In his anger, he ended up tearing Haneul apart. The vampire had been caught unprepared and could not defend himself. Yunchae, in her grief, stabbed herself to death. Kwang, upon seeing his beloved lying cold and shaken by the consequences of his actions, could not accept the reality and threw himself off the tower where Yunchae lived. Upon hearing about the tragic turn of events, Haneul's family and Kwang's family began blaming each other. Yunchae's family was so distraught by the loss of their precious flower that they cursed the Jeons and the Kims to be in constant war unless representatives of the two families desired peace so strongly they were ready to risk their own lives. And here we are."

Wonwoo and Mingyu were silent for a while, trying to think of what to say. The story was so tragic but Mingyu wanted to lighten the mood.

"They were so stupid. Why couldn't they just have a threesome and call it a day?"

"Mingyu!" Wonwoo scolded the werewolf for his slightly inappropriate joke.

You cleared your throat, suddenly feeling awkward.

"Anyhow, this is all in the past. The curse should be lifted by now. I wish you all a peaceful life."

And with that, you vanished into thin air.

"Seriously, when will she stop doing that?" Mingyu groaned.

"She just did. Do you think we'll see her again?" Wonwoo was doubtful but had to voice his concerns.

"Who knows? Maybe we were all meant to find each other."

Mingyu and Wonwoo returned to their homes and they were relieved to find how things have changed. As if by magic. The werewolf Taehyung was freely chatting with the vampire Jungkook. The vampire Somi was holding hands with the werewolf Dahyun. Peace truly reigned between the Kims and the Jeons. Whenever Wonwoo or Mingyu brought up the issue of the past, everyone reacted with surprise. As if there was never any feud. It turned out only the two winners of the seven challenges and the witch who'd helped them get this far remembered the truth about the history of the three families.

Time passed and Mingyu found himself wanting to see you and Wonwoo again. Though dangerous, that one night he spent in the golden mountain was the most magical memory he had and he couldn't stop replaying it in his head. He wondered if Wonwoo felt the same way. Now that peace was established between the Kims and the Jeons, Mingyu could easily go to the castle where Wonwoo lived and ask him to hang out and maybe accompany him to the golden mountain in the hopes that they would find you somehow. Since the challenges were over, he had no idea whether you would still be there or whether you lived somewhere else, but it couldn't hurt to try.

"Hey! Psst!" Mingyu started throwing little rocks at Wonwoo's window in the middle of the night. He could smell him from a mile away.

"What the heck, Mingyu?" Wonwoo exclaimed in surprise as he came out on the balcony. "It's 1am!"

"I thought vampires didn't sleep!" Mingyu pointed out.

"We don't but I lost a very important game because of you," Wonwoo complained.

"Oh, boo-hoo. What I came here for is much more important," Mingyu insisted.

"What is it? Don't tell me there are problems between our families again…" Wonwoo whispered, worried that something bad had happened.

"What? No, everything is fine. I just wanted to see you…" Mingyu confessed nervously. "And ask if you wanted to find Y/N again. Go on another adventure in the golden mountain."

"Huh? But why? We passed all the challenges. Why would we go back there?"

"Because…I can't stop thinking about that one night. If it's just me, I'll leave you alone and go by myself. But if a part of you, even a small one, feels the same…then, please, come with me, night kitten," Mingyu begged, his eyes wide and moist with unshed tears.

Wonwoo didn't want to admit it but he knew exactly what Mingyu was talking about. His no longer beating heart was warm all of a sudden and he couldn't bear the thought of rejecting Mingyu's tempting offer. Still, he tried to play it cool.

"Whatever, moon puppy. Wait for me down there," Wonwoo said and hurried out.

When he faced the werewolf outside, Mingyu attacked him with a tight hug.

"I knew it, I knew it!" Mingyu squealed happily. "I knew you'd come! We're gonna have so much fun!"

"Gee, alright, relax," Wonwoo muttered but deep down, he was overjoyed to receive so much affection from his…what were they? Once enemies but during the challenges, they had become allies, something like companions. But now that there was peace, what label could he put on their strange…was it friendship? Before he could come up with an answer, Mingyu grabbed his hand and led the way towards the golden mountain. Wonwoo couldn't bring himself to push him away. He wondered why…

As they arrived at their destination, they started calling your name but to no avail. With the challenges over, it was logical to assume that you went somewhere else. They should have asked you where witches lived before you'd vanished in that typical but super frustrating way of yours.

"What do we do?" Mingyu asked. "Should we summon her somehow?"

"She's not a demon," Wonwoo chuckled. "Do you know any other witches?"

"Nope. You?"

"No. How can we possibly find her?" Wonwoo sat down and touched the ground with his hand. Mingyu mirrored his movements. And as if the earth beneath them recognized them, flowers started growing and glowing in the dark!

"Wow!" Mingyu was in a state of disbelief.

"Incredible," Wonwoo stated and as the picture before them transformed into an image out of their wildest dreams, they finally heard a familiar voice.

"Looking for me, fellas?" you asked.

"Y/N!" Mingyu grinned happily and rushed into your arms. Wonwoo was more reserved…for now.

"Hello there, big puppy," you laughed affectionately. "What brings you here? Don't tell me there's trouble in paradise."

"No, actually, we just wanted to see you," Mingyu admitted.

"Why didn't you show up rightaway when we called your name?" Wonwoo inquired bitterly.

"Hello to you, too, Wonwoo," you shook your head, scolding his manners. "How have you been? Very well, thank you. And you?"

"Hi," Wonwoo corrected himself curtly. "Now tell me."

"I couldn't hear you, so to speak. However, most witches are linked to the earth and your touch sent a signal to me. Does that answer your question?"

Wonwoo nodded but didn't press the matter further.

"Where do you live? How can we find you more easily next time? What do you do now that the challenges are over?" Mingyu started bombarding you with more questions.

"Whoa, there, relax, Gyu. Let's just say I know a place that can give you answers."

"Lead the way!" Mingyu replied enthusiastically as you took hold of his hand.

Wonwoo stood there for a couple of moments, thinking.

"You coming?" you wanted to find out.

Wonwoo followed you wordlessly. Something was off about him and you intended to find out what pretty soon.

You showed them where you lived - in a small cottage near a beautiful lake. You told them that they could come visit whenever they felt like it and Mingyu offered that you also come to the werewolves' camp sometime. Now that the challenges were completed, you spent your days creating spells and gathering herbs. It was peaceful and you couldn't ask for more. Or so you thought. As the three of you explored the golden mountain, you felt closer to the werewolf and the vampire than during the challenges and enjoyed the time spent together more than anything. You could tell that Mingyu felt the same way as he was very cuddly and clingy. Wonwoo, however, was more difficult to read. As morning was nearing and you were all exhausted from your late-night adventures, the three of you ended up sitting in the grass. You and Mingyu ate some sandwiches, while poor Wonwoo starved. You offered him your blood (no tricks this time), but he refused. In your defense, he said he wasn't hungry. Mingyu fell asleep with his head in your lap, so you took this opportunity to ask Wonwoo what was up with him.

"Why are you so cold?" you confronted him directly.

"I'm a vampire?" Wonwoo reminded you needlessly.

"Not literally, you dumbass. During the challenges, you were different. What changed?"

"I know the whole truth now."

"What are you referring to?"

"I'm scared, okay?" Wonwoo admitted. "What if…history repeats itself? What if both Mingyu and I fall in love with you and we all end up hurting each other? What if this peace we fought so hard for is fragile and gets destroyed quickly?"

"It won't, I promised you," you reached out and held Wonwoo's hand gently.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because…we're here now and we're happier than ever. And besides, if we fall in love, we can do like Mingyu suggested our ancestors should have done," you joked.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Wonwoo rolles his eyes.

"I'm serious, though. Would you kill Mingyu if he fell for me?" you asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, he's my...friend," Wonwoo confessed, surprising himself.

"Do you think Mingyu would kill you if you…if you felt the same?" you kept up with the hypothetical questions, even though it all seemed very real.

"He managed to control himself pretty well during the full moon challenge, so, no, I don't think he would."

"Would I kill you? If you two fell in love with each other?" you teased.

"I don't know. Would you?"

"Of course not, my sweet vampire friend," you chuckled.

"Good. Then, I guess my fears were unjustified," Wonwoo felt more at ease.

"Yay! So, threesome?" Mingyu suddenly joined the conversation.

"Mingyu!" you exclaimed.

"Hey! I thought you were sleeping!" Wonwoo was taken aback.

"I was, but I kept having dreams about you two. Must have been because you were talking about me, weren't you?"

"Are we so transparent?" you groaned.

"Nah, it's just that I'm irresistible. Witches and vampires alike can't stop thinking about my puppy charms," Mingyu kept talking.

You leaned down to kiss him to shut him up. Then, you reached out to Wonwoo and gave him a kiss, as well. The werewolf, no longer in the mood to sleep, also embraced the vampire and touched his lips with his own.

"The sun will rise soon," Wonwoo observed sadly. "I have to go unless I want to turn into ash."

"The rules don't apply in the golden mountain. You're safe here," you explained. "You can stay as long you wish and leave when it's dark."

"How about the moon?" Mingyu was curious. "Why did it affect me if the rules don't apply?"

"It was just an illusion designed by my ancestors as part of the challenges. If you were here in the golden mountain during a full moon, you wouldn't have to transform anymore."

"Pretty convenient way to get us to stay, don't you think?" Wonwoo eyed you suspiciously.

"Mm, but don't take advantage of my hospitality. I'm totally coming over to check out your castle next time!"

"How did you know I live in a castle?!" Wonwoo was shocked.

"A witch never kisses and tells," you winked and disappeared.

"Man, not again!" Mingyu complained loudly.

"Just kidding," you came back and rushed into their arms.

The End

[the-atlas-sister]

Iᖴ OᑎᒪY ᖴOᖇ YOᑌ (ᗩᗪᑌᒪT!ᗰEGᑌᗰI ᙭ ᗩᖴᗩᗷ!ᖇEᗩᗪEᖇ)

Warnings!: Rotten, rotten fluff, slight suggestive themes, poverty ig?

***

"Excuse me?"

Your eyes go wide as you stare at your employer. Well... previous employer.

"I'm sorry Y/n, but we can't afford to keep you on anymore," she said, giving you that stupid, pathetic, pitiful smile. "You know how much you've done for our company but we need more experienced employees.

"More experienced?" you asked softly, still in shock from the words.

"Older," the woman corrected, straightening out a stack of papers on her desk. "You're just too young and we can't afford to keep you on our team Y/n."

"I don't understand," you mumbled, shaking your head lightly. "I've been a part of your business since I graduated, that's two years. I've worked diligently, never asked for a raise in pay and the families love me."

"I'm sorry, we just can't afford you," she repeated.

Your eyes went wide. That was it? They couldn't afford you?

"I'll need your desk packed up by the hour," she stated, standing from her desk and walking around you. "You understand, don't you?"

You stared blankly at your hands, the small ring on your finger shining almost mockingly.

The woman looked over your shoulder at the ring. "You just got engaged right? We'll send you a gift, almost like a thank you for all your work."

***

You stared blankly at the cement sidewalk as you walked, your previous employer's words echoing in your head.

You just got engaged right? We'll send you a gift, almost like a thank you for all your work.

They can afford to send you a gift, but not to employ you. Bullshit. You sighed softly, approaching the dingy apartment building you and your fiance lived in. You slowly made your way up the stairs until you reached your apartment. You fished for the keys in your purse, fumbling with them.

"Fuck," you swore as your keys fell to the floor. You groaned, putting down your box full of things from your office and grabbing your keys once more. You unlocked the door and kicked it open, dragging the box in behind you.

"Megumi!" you called, kicking the box into the corner and throwing the keys on the table. "I have some bad news..."

You looked up from the table, furrowing your brows at the lack of response from your fiance. "Megs?" you asked, wandering into your shared bedroom. You looked around, confused about where he could have been.

You notice a small sticky note at the edge of the neatly made bed. You slowly approached the bed, picking the note up.

Meet me at **** **St ****

-Megumi

"Hm," you hummed, flipping the note over. That was it, an address and nothing else. "Weird," you mumbled.

***

"Are you serious?" you mumbled to yourself as you approached a large old house. It had yellow chipping paint and a crumbling roof. Despite the crumbling appearance and obvious decay, it was beautiful. The overgrown greenery and small fountains and bridge leading to the front door only added to the romance of it.

You carefully walked across the small stone bridge to the open front door. You walked in quietly, looking around the building. The entrance room was large and the noise of dripping water filled your ears. Fairy lights hung from the rafters and a few small candles lined the large flight of stairs in the middle of the room.

"Oh my god," you whispered, approaching the staircase.

"You like it?"

You turned around to find Megumi standing in the doorway with a small but shy smile on his face. You let out a small sigh, making his eyes go wide.

"Just hear me out, okay?" he said quickly, approaching you and holding your hands. "Just imagine pictures all through the halls, and- and a big chandelier, right there." He guided you to the middle of the main room, pointing at a large hole in the ceiling. "And- and we could add a library or your very own office." You looked around the house with an awestruck expression. You felt him wrap his arms around your waist and his hands gripping your hips. "Imagine it, just me and you make our mark on every inch of this house," his voice low and suggestive in your ear.

"Did you buy this house?" you whispered, gazing at Megumi with wide eyes.

"I did," Megumi said shyly. "I figured we needed somewhere new to start our new life together." He gripped your hands softly, looking down at you with a smile.

You felt tears well in your eyes, guilt building in the pit of your stomach at the way he gazed lovingly down at you. "I got fired," you whispered, tears beginning to spill down your cheeks. "I'm sorry Megs." You sniffed and wiped the tears from your eyes.

"Don't apologize," Megumi cooed, cupping your cheeks and gently wiping away your tears. "It's okay, it's okay." He pressed his forehead against your own softly. "You'll get another job, I'll get a second job, we'll... ask Gojo for money if we need to." He grimaced at the idea of asking his guardian for money.

You couldn't help but laugh softly at his disgusted face. "You hate asking Gojo for things," you chuckled.

Megumi smiled softly at your laugh. "I do, yes, but if that's what we need to do to make our dream come true, I'll do it," he said gently. "I'd do anything to make them come true."

"I love you," you whispered, leaning forward and kissing his lips.

"I love you more," he whispered back against your lips.

Tags: elementalbear angrysmolbean kissmartinazz riaki star-toruu takashisbride baaka-asta neme-mimi my-loved-figure-skates baekinola crescentworld vivizsantiegoni10061999 whoskari furrydamm icedemon1314 mostusernamefr itsbabysposts fushigurosdevinedogs cottoncr3 crestoa wonderbat385 mikas-souls firstplaidpeachnickel

[recklessfiction]

A hired killer is turned into a statue by an evil wizard in the midst of a bitter duel. The spell is kept in an amulet around the wizard's neck and she is left in the gardens of the palace, the wizard knowing that no one will think anything of another statue standing by a fountain or amongst the flowers. Life goes on for decades and the palace is taken by a warrior king and his queen. A deal is struck and the wizard offers his services to them, which they accept. Days go by and the King and Queen explore the palace and its grounds, coming, eventually, upon the garden.

They find the stone killer, in it's place amongst the roses, and together they fall in love, for in the moment the spell was cast, it had caught in the killer an expression of resignation. An expression which, through eyes charmed and intrigued, could be seen as peaceful and pleasant.

And so, like the foolish Pygmalion, the King and Queen think on the statue in the garden, spending many nights in the throes of passionate fantasies, dreaming of the pretty statue below them in the gardens. Nothing but fanciful daydreaming, they know, but all the same, it makes their blood run hot.

So it is that one day, the wizard, now old and decaying, is overtaken on the road, his amulets and orbs destroyed. He is saved by his king but in the palace gardens, a curse has been broken. The killer is released from stone into pouring rain, her breaths sharp and painful, her legs barely able to carry her weight. Her rage at the wizard is all that drives her as she flees.

Upon their return, the King and Queen discover the disappearance of their statue. Mournful over its loss, they convince themselves that it is foolish to feel so melancholy over something like a garden ornament going missing. Still, they find themselves staring out the window of their bedroom, down into the garden, eyes awash with longing. Discretely, they charge their guards to search for the statue but it cannot be found.

Elsewhere, the killer has been plotting. She returns to the palace disguised as a servant, ready to kill the wizard. One night, as a great feast is held in the hall, she plays at serving guests while her eyes flicker and shift uneasily, catching on every face that enters. She is distracted and moves automatically, pouring wine into goblets and moving on. Finally, the doors are open and the wizard hobbles through, flanked by his guards, and sits amongst the gentry. Now is her moment, and her lips curl into a tight snarl. If she's going to do it, she has to do it-

A hand wraps tightly around her wrist, breaking her out of her reverie. Her head snaps to the side; when had she moved to the head table? But the wide, shocked eyes of the king meet hers and trap her. She loses her breath and tries to pull away but his grip is unyielding. At her side, the Queen looks over to her husband, only to find a familiar face, once serene and frozen, now panicked, caught beside her.

The statue, for indeed there was nothing else she could be, now flesh and blood and staring at them with an expression practically hunted. The Queen's breath hitched as a dagger was produced from the statue's belt and the sudden cry of Guards! Guards!

They watched, the two together, as the work of art that had charmed and entranced them so, now shrieked and snarled and bled in the arms of the palace guards. What magic was this? What miracle? What god had granted them such a gift?

Their blood ran hot.

[aheathen-conceivably]

🎶 Love is Complicated 🎶

Zelda left New Orleans one brisk morning in the final days of 1928. Antoine accompanied her to the docks where her steamer boarded and no further. They had barely spoken since the day she received the call that her mother was dying and he refused to accompany her to England. At first, she had merely been swept away in preparations; but as Antoine grew more guilty and withdrawn, their initial fight settled into a gaping divide filled with nothing but silence.

Zelda had tried to compensate for his lack of support with her own quiet reserve; avoiding his spiraling morbidity in the face of her own despair, hoping that he would realize that she was the one who actually needed his strength. Yet the day she boarded the ship he avoided her eyes, keeping his hands near his side until Violette came to tell him goodbye; then he held her until the whistle blew and watched them walk away without a word.

Their passage over the Atlantic was only six days, most of which Zelda spent confined to her cabin. Violette had been incessantly seasick, only coming out of her stupor to ask Zelda where her father was. At home. Zelda would tell her. He’s at home. Then her bleary eyes would close again, seemingly disappointed that only her mother was there to comfort her.

But suspended above the sea, surrounded by nothing but open water, Zelda thought that perhaps she was sailing home, that England was where she was always meant to be. It was where her family and her history were; and in an increasingly fearful thought, where she and her daughter’s futures were as well.

As she looked down at her sleeping daughter Zelda couldn't help but think of how much easier Violette’s life would be in England. The stares in the streets of New Orleans had grown no less frequent; and they were only worse any time the three of them tried to go in public together.

Of course she knew Violette would face prejudice wherever she went, but at least in Henford she would have Wally and her older cousins, who had all gone through life in similar circumstances. There, Violette would be free of the stigma of her unwed parents or the decision every minute of every day as to where she should sit on the bus or which water fountain to drink from.

When Zelda truly tried to picture her life in England, one thought continued to haunt her mind: Antoine. She knew that she couldn’t leave him there, alone in the club without his daughter, just as she knew he would never go with her.

But as the boat sailed further out to sea, she only became more aware of how distant he had become. For years she had tried to deny it, but Zelda knew that he had been lying to her: lying about the state of the club and where his money was coming from. He was unwilling to plan for the future or even acknowledge the slow decay of their home all around them.

Then in the moment when she needed him most, he had turned inward and offered only his own guilt and trauma. Zelda knew that it was in part who he was, to remain seemingly unbreakable in the face of so much; but she felt like less and less of his partner, and more and more vulnerable to the ever changing tides of the world without his honesty or support.

Yet as England drew closer, the prospect of a life there seemed even more hollow, the way it had after her father and sister died. It had been impossible not to think of Rosella on this voyage, to wonder if she perhaps sailed over where her body rested. It kept her awake at night, picturing the shards of fine China and wrought iron at the bottom of the sea, slowly breaking into ever smaller pieces as the salt and waves claimed them as their own.

But what Zelda was truly the most afraid of was what she knew she would find in England: her sister’s room, her father’s grave, and most unavoidably of all, her mother on her deathbed. She sailed to England to face the same pain that she had left to avoid, and she didn’t know if she could handle it, or if she would run again.

(As a little note for all you lovelies, when you see a 🎶 at the beginning of a post, it means that you can click on it for musical ~vibes~ to accompany the story. My many, many thanks to the marvelous @theplottdump for inspiring this idea. Anne’s legacy is all the vibes and I cannot recommend it enough).

[pwlanier]

Ancient and amazing forged iron fountain mask.

Representation of a Satyr, work of beautiful workmanship quite difficult to date, but 18th century or before.

Perfectly presented on a heavy base and oak upright made to measure in our workshops.

Beautiful state of conservation for a piece of this type, slightly decayed and protected by a veil of linseed oil.

Old School Bazaar

[the-kr8tor]

After the Fall

Tags: No use of Y/N, No specific physical description of the reader, set after 'The Fall'. The aftermath of either endings you chose. TW blood, TW gore, TW Death, TW animal injury, CW implied violence, CW body horror. Fae au lore

A/N: Surprise! Have a lil something that's been eating at me since TF ended. The series is a must read for you to understand this one 🫶

Navigation

The Fall Masterlist

The large doors dance in the freezing blizzard. It's sound clunking and banging against the ancient walls of Mudwood Manor. Miguel wades through the ankle deep snow, the ice freezing him to the bone, the snowflakes pricking his skin instead of the gentle kiss it usually brings.

The fog obscures the Manor, but before he even steps inside, he knows there's something wrong, from how the wind howls right in his ears, whispering death and blood. After living in the cursed place since birth he just knows. It's just like that morning again. He dreads going inside his own home.

Something horrific lies inside.

The smell hits him first, the rot and decay of flesh and bones. His boots thump loudly in the dead quiet, he doesn't want to disturb whatever awaits him inside or it might just wake up.

He walks on something soft, the squelch sending shivers down his spine.

His eyes stay ahead of him like an army man, his hand shakes as Miguel finally sees the once pristine Manor.

There's dried blood on the walls, painting the oak in a morbid artwork. The sharp pieces of his mother's old vase lie across the floor, dotting it like sharp edged stars.

There's a hand, a kneecap, and a head turned home for the maggots right next to his father's armchair.

His heart pounds against its confines. Palms sweating on the leather straps of his bag. Even the strong stomached would empty out their dinner after seeing all the gore laid out in front of him.

Miguel's eyes search for you, the picture from your resume serves as his reminder of what you look like. Carefully moving along the bloodied mess, he looks under a mauled body for you.

Nothing.

On the couch there's only a severed arm on the expensive leather. He hopes that you still live, that you're still hiding somewhere, thinking that these people were still after you.

He sees a gun on the ground crawling with black spiders.

Miguel knows you're not here anymore.

But he still hopes, prays that you're hidden beneath the floorboards or inside the wardrobe. So he yells your name, his voice bouncing off the gut filled walls.

Nothing.

He screams again, his tonsils hurt but he continues to yell again. There's scattered teeth near his boots. Again. There's a fountain pen covered in dried blood, the finger prints still dirtying the silver. Again. There's bloodied fur on the ground next to the gun. Nellie

He changes course. “Nellie!”

Nothing.

“Fuck! Come on old girl, where are you?!” Miguel hears metal clinking upstairs.

He jogs up to the stairs, avoiding coagulated blood on the narra. There's dog footprints on it, hope blossoms in his chest.

Your bedroom doors are open, burst at the hinges. The smell is much worse in the smaller space. A splattering of blood decorates your floors. A body lies cold, the face completely gone, unrecognizable.

Miguel hears a whine from your bed, he turns around to see Nellie curled around herself, eyes big and watery, her snout covered in gore.

“Nellie” He says softly, walking over the corpse to get to her.

She whines sadly, huffing yet her tail is straight and alert.

“You're alright now, girl. Nothing’s gonna happen” Miguel sits on your bed carefully so he doesn't disturb the sheets you've left.

Nellie whines again, nuzzling the sheets that still smell like you.

“It was her again, huh?” He pets Nellie behind her ear, Miguel feels the matted fur. “You alright?”

It's not his first time encountering death in the manor, he'll bury the dead and scrub the floors and walls clean but he'll still know that blood was spilled in his family home, crimson once flowed between the gaps in the floorboards like a river. He'd know that you once lived here, and that he was too stupid to ignore the signs. Miguel's mind races with what ifs but he could only cling to Nellie who's been here before him, and who will be here after he leaves this life.

Nellie closes her eyes painfully. She's still hurting. She feels you in the trees, she still smells your scent that's slowly fading away but she can't feel you anymore. She can't feel your soul anymore.

She failed. Again.

She should've tried harder this time, warned you, hell, even bit you just so you could stay away. But her aging mind prevents her from doing that. Centuries of sorrow and blood have fogged up her mind, her vision wasn't what it once was. Her claws are not as sharp as before. But she had hope this time, hoped that you'd stay away from the woods, hope that you won't fall for him once again.

But hope is a fickle thing, she shouldn't have relied on it.

As if Miguel knows what she's thinking, he whispers. “Not your fault, it was destined. But I'm still sorry. I don't know what happened here or what has become of her but…you can rest now, I'm here and when you wake up we'll wait, then you can try again”

She nuzzles against Miguel's hand. Remembering the day she first met you, all kind eyes and soft touches, you had heart and she's willing to protect that no matter how long it takes. Whether you've finally decided to break the cycle or you chose to continue once again like the hundred versions of you have done before you. She'd shield you, help you in finally ending the rotten fate that has befallen you.

Until you fall again, she'll be there.

A/N: to all the lovelies who read TF, thank you! This one is for you 🫶

[abalonetea]

Age is catching up to Abby faster than she wanted.

As she nears the end of her career as a lead diver, Abby Marsh is determined to make this one count. She and her team have been called out to make a final plunge to La Fosse Dionne, a fountain in Tonnerre, France, with a bottom that has yet to be discovered. The funding for the job comes in the form of Dr. Mark Golus, a strange man with too much money to spend and an odd obsession with the fountain.

From the start, there's something strange about the job. Too little information given, too high of a grant being offered, and a strange distaste towards the dive crew from all of the locals. But Abby is content to ignore the warning bells if it means getting her name on the front page one last time. She's less content to ignore them once the dive itself starts, and they realize that there's something else in the fountain with them. Between dead bodies that should have long since decayed, ravenous creatures that shouldn't exist, and glints of gold floating on the bottom of the cavern floor...Abby and her crew are in for the dive of a lifetime. It's one that they might not survive.

This old-fashioned creature feature brings readers to a small town in France, where a thrilling underwater cave adventure awaits.

AVAILABLE HERE

[swanimagines]

Hey can you do a imagines with Morpheus seeing her wife and her kid after a century? something romantic and fluff

Fandom: The Sandman

A/N: I wrote this and then realised you wrote "her wife and her kid" and I don't know if there's a woman version of him but I wrote this with The Sandman version as he's the only Morpheus I write for, I'm sorry if he wasn't the one you meant.

Word count: 571

When Morpheus returned to The Dreaming and saw his castle decaying, his biggest concern wasn't his servants or his Kingdom - naturally, it was you. It had always been you: the girl he had fallen for a long ago, who he had been married to, and who he had had a daughter with just a few years before he was imprisoned. It had been a hundred years without you - time went differently in The Dreaming, you probably hadn't changed, but he already knew his daughter had grown into a young woman by now. Another reason why he had thirsted for vengeance, because he had lost his daughter's childhood. He wasn't even sure if she would remember him anymore.

Lucienne had led him to a little cottage you resided with your daughter, she told Morpheus that you had moved there after the palace started to fall apart. He saw you in the garden, your daughter sitting by the little fountain. You looked happy enough, smiling at your daughter as you talked about something and then your daughter noticed you. Morpheus saw her frown, and the next moment you had noticed him too. Looking just as beautiful as you did when he last saw you, your eyes filled with tears as you ran to him and threw yourself into a hug, sobbing uncontrollably. He pulled you close, taking in your scent from your neck and hair; it reminded him of everything good in life, what he had before his imprisoning. You whispered against his chest, asking where you had been all this time and why didn't he come back?

"I was imprisoned," said Morpheus, kissing your forehead tenderly. "But I am free now."

You pulled away slightly and frowned again. Your expression softened, and you touched his face. He wiped your tears away with his thumbs, holding your gaze intently as he did so. There were questions in your eyes. So many questions that he could tell you wanted answers, but they weren't important right now. All that mattered was you and him together.

"Is it really you? Are you here?" you muttered and he couldn't help but smile slightly.

"I am here, my love. I am here with you now," he said, kissing one of your tearstained cheeks lightly before pulling you closer against his chest once more. His fingers brushed along your hair as he gently pushed some strands aside before he saw his daughter standing little farther away. "How is she?" he asked quietly.

You glanced at your daughter, extending your arm to her. "She has last seen you as a little child, she's probably just a little shy right now." Your daughter nervously looked between you and Morpheus, before she slowly approached towards him and timidly grazed his coat with her hand, swallowing.

"Dad?" she whispered.

He nodded, smiling at her gently and suddenly your daughter's eyes lit up as a distant memory of her father intensified, and she lunged in for a hug too. You joined the hug again and you stood there for a long time, just hugging, not really talking, letting everything else go for this moment.

"I am home now." Morpheus muttered against your hair, pressing a kiss on top of your head.

And you knew it was true. You always knew he wasn't away by choice, and you knew he would do his everything to get back to you one day.

And now he had.

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The Sandman taglist: ask to be added! (I don't do character specific taglists but I'm pretty positive these will mostly be Morpheus as he's by far the most popular, and also note that I require interaction beyond likes if you wish to be added to any of my taglists)