#icarus interlude

[boydykedevo]

Shame!! The man who runs a blog dedicated to taz ethersea had to double check what arc episode 14 is part of before tagging a reblog!! Could this be a sign he’s a poser??

[random-user-guy]

Observers in Tartarus (prologue)

*flashback

Stranger: Do you want to go somewhere interesting?

Darien: .... Who are you?

Stranger: Someone who can help stave off your boredom.

....

*end of flashback

Aaaand that's how I find myself here. In the darkest depths of Hades's domain.

In Tartarus. A place where only the cruelest of punishers and the most wicked of sinners reside. Where the heaviest punishments are carried out and a symphony of melodious screams can be heard.

Not to mention that it's so damn COLD!

Darien: What are we doing here anyway? I thought we were going to see something interesting, but this place is giving me the creeps!

Stranger: Be patient. In a few moments what we came here to observe will appear.

Darien frowning: What waiting?! We've only been for a few moments here and I'm freezing! Do you think my body can handle-

Stranger: Shhhh! They are here.

Darien: What-

I turn to look at an unusual and tired-looking pair of humans. A young man with burned-feathered wings and a young woman dragging their feet towards a... bench?

[apollos-boyfriend]

gonna be going through and making some minor edits to captains of the sky 👍 largely revising crumb and ranboo's pronouns, but also just some character details i forgot to add

[pevensiechase]

"The thing about pain...it demands to be felt"

“But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”

"if there’s one thing the gods love, it’s tragedy. with wings that burn and boys who fall."

war is a slippery slope.   what would you do? becomes what will you do? becomes my god, what have you done?

"I sat with my anger long enough until she told me her real name was grief." - C.S. Lewis

John Green, The Fault in Our Stars // Wayne Family Adventures: Episode 45 - Strong Enough (1/2) & Bastille, The Weight of Living Pt. I & II // Aldous Huxley, Brave New World // @obsidianstrawberrymilk & Richard Kelly // @cywscross (via @ibuzoo) // Taylor Swift, "You're On Your Own Kid" & X Ambassadors, "Unsteady (Erich Lee Gravity Remix)" & Andy Grammer, "Sinner" & The Oh Hellos, "Second Child, Reckless Child" & Bastille, "Icarus" & Bastille, "Daniel In The Den" // @kelsiers (via @jaysroyss-deactivated20181228 // James Blunt, "Monsters" & AG, "How Soon Is Now? (feat. Dresage)" & Franz Kafka, letters to his father & Paramore, "Interlude: I'm Not Angry Anymore" & Bastille, "Flaws" & John Ney Rieber, "Captain America: The New Deal" // Twenty One Pilots, "The Judge" // Pinterest & Bastille, "Lethargy" // C.S. Lewis, on grief

Thanks to everyone who helped me find the post on Jason Todd being a Shakespearian tragedy. This is kinda messy, but oh well. There are just so many songs that relate to Jason.

[russellius]

GR : confidence, contrasts, hope and other big words 

sources below the cut:

Square Mile: George Russell: "I'm ready to fight." // Russell admits he's not wasy to work with // // Ready for Takeoff with George Russell // The Telegraph: Why George Russell believes he is ready to win the world title // F1: George Russell is destined for the top - just ask Alonso //The Telegraph // Oh Ana by Mother Mother // Alex Albon appraises George Russell's Mercedes move after replacing him at Williams // The next Hamilton? Autocar meets F1 prodigy George Russell // Hadestown, Come Home with Me // The Race // Criminal by Britney Spears // Roland Barthes: A Lover's Discourse: Fragments // Audre Lorde, “From the House of Yemanjá”, The Collected Poems of Audre Lorde // --- // High Performance Podcast //--- // Hilary Mantel: Wolf Hall // Primadonna by Marina and the Diamonds // Icarus Interlude by Zayn // --- // Try by P!nk // C.S. Lewis // --- // --- // Rainer Maria Rilke tr. by Anita Barrows from The Book of Hours // man I don't fking know anymore, it's from an article after Jeddah 23

[jjmartspot]

If Icarus Had Iron Wings (update: Interlude I - Lone Wolf)

Here's another one!

Summary:

Over the summer break, Wednesday has a vision of herself sharing a heated kiss with Enid. So of course, it’s only logical that she do everything in her power to stop that from happening.

Or: Wednesday is her own worst enemy and Enid struggles with the war raging inside herself with her wolf and her family.

[captainmullin]

The Journal of Captain Mullin - Chapter O. - The Fool.

Summary: A retelling of Captain Mullin's story, a young mercenary who took up the mantle of The Grancypher crew - following in their father's footsteps. A story of grief, tragedy, and how to sail into the future.

[First Chapter] [Next Chapter]

[O. 1. 2. 3. 4. Interlude 1. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Interlude 2. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Interlude 3. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. Interlude 4. 20. 21. 22. Epilogue.]

Chapter Wordcount: 4,473

Song Inspo: Icarus by Bastille; Is There Anybody Here? by The Dear Hunter; Dawn in the Adan by Ichiko Aoba

Notes: It's here! I will be trying my best to update this weekly, but it might be closer to every 2 weeks at most. I sincerely hope you enjoy my danchousona's story, and I'm eager to tell you more of it!! This is probably my biggest writing project to date. Please enjoy!

Divider Credit: @.craftkitsune (tufted banner design 03)

Wind.

That’s all I could feel. 

It rushed past my ears like a thundering waterfall; a cacophony of silent sound that made my eardrums burn. I wanted to speak, but no words could come out. The pressure on my chest felt crushing; utterly and entirely compromising. I couldn't move to do anything about the pain - to just accept whatever fate had befallen me.

What have I done?

Flashes of memories crossed my mind. My family, friends, and the world around me. Companions of old and new. I knew so little, and yet I know nothing. Death seemed so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. What had my life surmounted to? Was I a good person? Did I live a life worthy of being saved? 

What have I done?

I had a feeling that this wasn’t the first time this had happened. In the midst of the air, all I could see was red. A crimson sky; unchanging and unholy. It made my stomach churn with regret. Tears welled at the corners of my eyes as they slowly closed - I surrendered myself to the wind. 

What have I done?

There was a lingering feeling of regret, somewhere deep in my soul. I wasn’t sure if it was for myself, or for leaving so many people behind. I didn’t deserve to feel that guilt, that sadness - it was all my own doing. I knew that; it was something so deeply ingrained in my heart that I didn’t know anything else. I was always running, always turning away from those that mattered the most, and now I can’t say goodbye. Maybe I didn’t earn it. A shooting star, burning itself out. Doomed to eternally fall towards its own death. 

What have I done?

Oh.

I remember now.

Chapter O. - The Fool.

The Fool takes a leap of faith from the ledge they are perched at. Stepping and falling into the unknown are one and the same. What lies below the cliff's edge?

I awoke with a start, my instincts kicking in and causing me to jolt - resulting in hitting my head on the wooden supports above me. My room onboard the Starseeker was small, cramped, and entirely too compact for me to ever feel comfortable in it. Despite the many times I’ve taken this journey, the room always felt… off. Unsettling. Maybe it was the fact that I was returning home after being away for so long - that guilt that churned in my stomach remained even after my nightmare had passed. I tried to shake off the bile that had risen in my throat. The nightmare had passed, so why did it bother me so much?

I squinted at the window on the opposite end of me, it’s dawning sky peering back at me. It was a burning red; similar to the one in my dream. Stars still dotted the morning horizon. There was knocking at the door, its rhythm frantic - meeting the pounding of my heart. I groaned, rubbing the fresh injury on my head. It is way too early for any of this. What time is it, anyway?

"Hey, Mullin!" A voice called from the other side of the door: “Your stop is almost here!” 

"Oh, damn- thanks, Henryk." I replied, sitting up in bed. "I'll be out soon!"

Henryk was one of the three Erune siblings that were onboard The Starseeker - the small passenger ship Mullin occupied now. The Starseeker was run by an older couple; a young man as the helmsman and his Harvin wife as the captain that had aged alongside Mullin as they frequented distant islands. The Starseeker was one of the few ships that made out the long journey to Zinkenstill, leading the young mercenary to know them intimately over the past years. 

Henryk was the oldest of the siblings at 16, but still had boundless energy like he was 12. He was always running around the airship, constantly repairing it under the helmsman's watch. I feel like I've always been by their side, ever since I became a full-fledged mercenary. I hope I can see everyone again before I go.  

"You got it!" Henryk's footsteps faded away as he ran off in the opposite direction. I sighed, stretching out my arms and preparing myself to face the crew and the awning new day. Pink and yellow rays outside my window indicated that dawn was approaching… and I've always loved sunrises on Zinkenstill. 

What greeted me on The Starseeker's deck was the morning sun - and Osta, the second of the three siblings. She was mopping the deck - not always a morning person, but wanting to get her job done before the hot afternoon hit. Her constant black clothes were a reminder of how I used to be when I was her age; 14 and ready to fight anyone at a moment's notice. 

Breaking my gaze from her, I blinked away the remnants of sleep and made my way over to the edge of the deck. Clouds passed by in puffy white bundles; the sunrise giving way to a clear blue morning. I leaned over the railing - just enough to see Zinkenstill not far below. The green hills and dark trees were fuzzy in the distance, but I could still make out little houses down below. Farmland had made its change from the deep greens of summer into the beige colors of fall. One of them has to be Gran and Djeeta, right? Hopefully they're safe, with the Erste Empire collapsing I haven't had time to contact them… 

I reached out over the railing edge, my gloved hand grasping for the clouds that hung there in the air. Zinkenstill was so close, yet still felt so impossibly far away. The wind blew through my fingers as if it were beckoning me onwards. I could almost touch it, just a bit further- 

"Hey, watch it. I'm not catching you when you fall." Osta's monotone voice cut into my thoughts, the blood rushing back towards my head as I caught myself before I fell over the ship's edge.  Oh, that was a close one. 

"Sorry, Osta." I mumbled to no one. Maybe I've been too high-strung lately. Everything's been put on a wire-thin tightrope around here, me included. I shouldn't get distracted. They say absence makes the heart fonder, but… I looked down at the island again, and sighed. I just want to get home at this point. I need to pack. 

Turning around and waving to Osta, I headed back towards my cabin, eager to find coffee in the common room. Behind me, the white clouds formed a large shadow across the island of Zinkenstill, casting darkness over everything the clouds touched. A new day approaches and the cliff's edge remains ever-closer. 

An unfamiliar ship was docked on the port - that was the first thing Mullin noticed as they unboarded The Starseeker. It was a much larger vessel than the one the mercenary had just departed from; large sails and an impressive silhouette on the skyline. Adorned on her front was the carving of a large dragon head; her wooden eyes seeming to peer directly into Mullin's soul. They shuddered and turned away - not afraid, mind you, just… unsettled. The remnants of this morning's dream hadn't entirely faded away. 

Taking a deep breath in, Mullin hoisted one of their canvas bags over their shoulder and carried the other in their opposite hand. The coffee from earlier had carried out its duties - a jolt of energy throughout Mullin's system as they took their first step forward towards the path that led to town. Where their family was waiting. Another pang of guilt, but it was too quick to fully comprehend. They exhaled. 

And took another step. 

I felt an uneasiness in the air as I approached my home at the top of the hill; nervousness causing me to stumble on the rocky pathway. I hadn't felt this way returning home in a very long time, so why now? Something felt off - Gran usually greeted me as soon as I stepped foot on the island. I sat my bags down on the front porch and placed one of my hands on the pistol that was holstered around my belt. Shifting my weight, I knocked on the door. 

A beat passed. Then two. I shifted my weight again, and brought my hand up to knock again -

"MULLIN!" There was a shriek of delight from inside the house as the door swung wide open to reveal Djeeta; face flushed from running down the steps. Before I could react, she threw herself onto me and knocked me flat on my back in a hug. My bags tumbled back down the hill - and another headache began to form on the back of my head. In the back of my mind, I vaguely noticed that Djeeta was wearing… armor of some sort, and a weighty sword equipped to her side.

"Djeeta, what's-?" I began, patting her on the back and trying to regain my vision from my dizzying descent onto grass.

"You're home! Oh, there's so much we have to tell you!" Djeeta began rambling, offering a hand to help me stand back up. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the migrain beginning to form. She then started going on about something about an adventure and we died and there's this really cute girl and-

"You DIED?" I opened my eyes and whipped around to face my sister completely now, watching as the excitement on her face quickly morphed into one of abashedness and only the tiniest bit of shame. Djeeta laughed and rubbed the back of her neck. 

"Well- um- it was only for a little bit-"

"'Only for a little bit'? Djeeta, what in the skies did you do while I was gone? Six months!" I said, "Six months and you've gone and up and died? Do you know how worried I was? The Erste Empire has gone through an entire revolution and I've had to work my ass off to make sure you both got money for food and-"

"It's okay, Mullin." This time, Gran's soft voice greeted me at the doorstep of our home. My brother was always the more rational one, but my apprehension didn't disappear.  He wore an expression matching Djeeta's - also rubbing the back of his neck. "Come inside. We should… talk. There's a lot you've missed."

My bags were still at the bottom of the hill.

Inside, the uneasiness I felt had somehow tripled in feeling. In front of me sat complete strangers - they were in my living room, my kitchen - and they all were equally as tense as I was. The first thing to catch my eye was a young girl, no more than 13, with vibrant blue hair. She wore a white dress, and an expression of concern as I was shuffled inside by Gran and Djeeta.

"Um… this is Mullin, right?" She said, her voice meek. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other - not nervous, but she's… curious? I thought to myself as I brushed grass off of my hair and clothes. I nodded. 

"...Yeah. I'm Mullin." I replied, feeling a bit lame in my response. I was never very good at first impressions, and no doubt that today would be full of them. I looked around the living room, and made a mental note of who was there. A man with a full beard was sharpening a knife while looking out the window - a woman with long black hair sat across from him. They both were occupied with their thoughts, it seemed. I could also hear movement and voices from the kitchen, but they were faint. 

I felt eyes on the back of my neck and turned to meet the gaze of a woman with brunette hair. She was dressed as a knight; her armor glistened and the sword at her belt told me she was far more experienced than I with it. Realizing I had taken too long to say something more than my name, I continued.

"...I'm their sibling. Older by a few years. I've been out on a job for the past few months. Have they…" I glanced over to my siblings. "...not said anything about me?" 

A pang of hurt went through me. I know I haven't been the most present lately, but surely they would have mentioned me? I've continually tried to send letters, but I haven't had many responses… 

"It's not like that!" Gran said, waving his hands in defense. I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at him, and he continued: "We've been traveling. We couldn't get any of your letters - we only saw the pile at our door this morning," he admitted. 

"-So we'll be going through them today with you!" Djeeta finished. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. The knight to my side also sighed. She took her hand off of the hilt of her sword and held out her hand.

"...They never mentioned you had purple hair. Or how…" She gave me a once-over. "...Protective you might be. My name is Katalina Aryze. I'm a former Erste Empire lieutenant." 

I took her hand and shook it. It was a firm handshake; warm. The girl with the blue hair tapped me on the shoulder and also held out her hand: "I'm Lyria!"

Just Lyria? Nothing else? I also shook her hand, and was pleasantly surprised by how strong of a grip she had. Katalina smiled softly at her, and I could feel the warmth radiate from her expression. I guess these people aren't so bad. It still doesn't explain why they're here, though…

I looked back over at Gran and Djeeta, who were whispering conspiratorially to each other to one side of the room. Before I could say anything, the voices from the kitchen got louder and a large crash erupted from the room. I swiveled on my foot and began to move towards the noise, but Gran held out an arm before I could move. He gave me a silent shake of his head, as if to tell me everything would be okay. 

"Geez, old man, can't you do anything right?" A young girl's voice rang with more clarity now. Emerging from the room, the girl twirled a staff that looked about the same size as her and pointed it at the other man that came out. She huffed and puffed at him while he just groaned and rolled his eyes. He had brown hair swept over to one side of his face, and some facial hair - not nearly as intense as the other man's. He looked… tired. We locked eyes for a moment, a brief second of acknowledgement, before I glanced away. 

"I'm not an old man. Sheeh, it ain't my fault you dropped the cooking pot." He said, then leaned down to ruffle the girl's hair, only for Djeeta to clear her throat. 

"Ah-hem! Now that we're all here, I'll make some introductions!" She placed her hands on her hips in a pose exuding confidence - not that she needed any effort to be any louder. "Mullin, this is the Grandcypher crew. We're skyfarers now!" 

"I- what? What did you do in the six months I was gone…" I mumbled to myself, watching as she pointed out each individual member of their crew. Wait, what was the name…?

"That's Eugen in the corner. He's from Auguste, and he knows a lot about being an adventurer!" The aforementioned skyfarer nodded at me and I nodded back. He looked away from his knife for a moment and stared me down. Under his gaze, I shrunk back - only to be greeted by a warm, hearty laugh from Eugen.

"Hah! Good to meet ya. Gran and Djeeta are good kids - I can see you're the same." He smiled proudly and returned to his work. The woman next to him spoke next.

"My name is Rosetta. I used to travel with your father when we were younger." Rosetta had a ghost of a smile on her lips before she inclined her head towards my siblings: "They are much like him. It's good to meet you." 

Djeeta nodded, as if the introductions were to her satisfaction, then turned to the girl and the man who had come out of the kitchen - I should probably clean up whatever mess they made before getting my bags - and the girl spoke first.

"I'm Io! I'm a mage from the Valtz Duchy. Good to meet you!" She bowed her head and gestured with her staff to the man: "That's Rackam. He's the guy who pilots our airship. Y'know, that big one that's on the dock right now?"

The dragon's wooden eyes flashed through my memory. I said nothing, but waved my hand for Io to continue - but not before Rackam made a noise of discontent and cut her off: "'s not just any airship. That's my Grandcypher! You don't get the importance of it, do ya…" 

"Wait, The Grandcypher? Isn't that-?" I paused, frowning. That's the name? No. The crew that took down the Erste Empire was called the Grand-something. It can't be the same crew, can it? That would mean-

I locked eyes with Gran and Djeeta. My realization had caught onto them, and they wore matching expressions of hesitation and relief at the same time. They're the ones that toppled the Empire? With this crew? What? I felt sick to my stomach - and lightheaded. Why were they doing something so dangerous? What happened? How could they have done such a thing? Why? 

"Woah, they don't look so good!" Io said, making her way over to the front door. I hadn't moved a muscle. I couldn't say anything - no noises came out, let alone a word or a full sentence. My vision started to blur, and eventually it all went black.

Gran leaning over me was the last thing I saw before I promptly passed out. 

Mullin awoke in their bedroom, a hazy memory of dragons and the wind blowing past their ears joining them as they woke. Their head pounded against their skull; a dull migraine only growing worse by the second. Everything was too much for their senses - the shuffling of clothes and the bright light from their window indicated that the sun was still up, and that it hadn't been very long since they had fainted. 

A groan escaped their throat as they felt a cold cloth being pushed against their forehead. Soft voices faded in and out as their consciousness slowly came back to the mercenary; gentle hands helping them sit upright in bed. 

"Do you think we scared 'em that bad?" 

"I… I don't know. They tend to get worried pretty easily. Maybe it's that?"

"Aw, c'mon guys, it'll be okay! We have a ton to catch up on, I'm sure they aren't too upset?" 

Mullin blinked slowly, opening their eyes carefully so as to not let the rays of the setting sun hit them too hard. Squinting, the mercenary could make out three figures sitting at their bedside. Gran and Djeeta to their right, with Vyrn to their left. As their eyes adjusted more, they could make out that they were in their old bed; covers and blankets just as they were on the day they left. Their siblings wore matching expressions of worry, while the little red and orange dragon on the opposite side was much more hopeful. 

“See, they’re awake!” Vyrn chirped, resting his little paw on Mullin’s hand. “Knew you would wake up, buddy.”

“Mh- ugh… Vyrn…?” They mumbled, holding one of their hands up to their forehead. The rag was still there; cool and warm at the same time. It provided some relief for Mullin's aching head - but not much. "What happened..?"

"You fainted. Are you… okay?" Djeeta asked, shifting her weight between her feet. "I'm sorry. We didn't mean to shock you." 

Now fully sitting up, Mullin shook their head: "I- I'm fine. I was worried about you more than anything. What were you two thinking, running off into danger like that?" They winced, their headache still pounding. 

"It just sort of happened!" Gran replied. "Here, um, I brought some medicine. We should talk." 

Mullin nodded, and as the sun set over Zinkenstill, Gran and Djeeta explained how they ended up in the situation they were in now. Lyria - the girl with the blue hair - and Katalina, the knight, had crash landed on the island as they were running away from the Erste Empire. They also explained how they both managed to take part of the blow from a primal beast - leading to Gran, Djeeta, and Lyria's souls being bonded with one another.

So Lyria saved my siblings. I guess I owe her a 'thank you.' Mullin thought to themself as they listened to their story; from meeting Rackam in Port Breeze and Io in the Valtz Duchy, to Eugen and Rosetta - then to how they met Sturm and Drang, a famous mercenary duo that had worked with the Erste Empire for a time. 

"Oh, that's news to me," Mullin interrupted. "I was traveling with Sturm and Drang for a bit on a couple of excursions. I wonder if they were working for the Empire during that time too."

Vyrn just shrugged: "Maybe. But we won't really know until we ask 'em, yeah?" 

"Mm." Mullin nodded, and continued to listen. As the story wore on, the young mercenary began to nod off into slumber. The day had clearly taken its toll on Mullin; their headache was more like the vibrations of a beating drum against their skull. The story had seemed to end with Gran, Djeeta, and Vyrn all whispering their goodnights and sleep wells, before the door to Mullin's room was closed with a gentle click.

I awoke early the next day, still groggy but not nearly as confused nor frazzled as usual. I had no unusual dreams that night, which I think was a blessing in itself - I don't know how I would've reacted if I saw that dragon and her wooden, unfeeling eyes in my sleep. I shuddered, then began my trial of managing to rouse myself out of bed. 

I wasn't leaving for a while anyway, so there was no sense of urgency as I unpacked - I think Djeeta retrieved my bags as an apology for knocking me over - and found my journal. The worn notebook was one of many, its leather covers and unassuming nature was a piece of comfort and home in my travels. I approached my desk, digging out an old quill and finding my ink bottle. In the rising sun, I began to write.

I don't remember when I first started doing it. It began with Azazel teaching me how to write better - then again, my handwriting could never outpace his - the large Draph and the small human being an unlikely pair to many. We took field notes together, marking down locations on maps and different herbs for medicine. 

Then, it changed. I began to write to Gran and Djeeta on my travels, then started noting them down for my own sake. As a preservation of memory? In hopes that someone would read it when I had been long gone? A memoir? As my thoughts drifted, the ink on my quill began to leak onto the pages. I quickly began to clean up the mess; this was how most of my days began…

"Who wants pancakes?" A shout came from downstairs. "C'mon, we're leaving soon!"

Leaving soon? But didn't they just get back yesterday, like I did? My curiosity getting the best of me, I hurridly changed clothes and joined the others downstairs for breakfast. 

What greeted me that morning was Io and Lyria in the kitchen, making pancakes from scratch as Katalina was ushered outside to help Eugen with weapon maintenance - I guess they didn't want her in the kitchen? - before turning to find Rosetta in the living room, sipping tea. I guess my disappointment was apparent on my face, because as I approached her, she sat down the cup with a small smile.

"I'm guessing this was your tea, then?" A giggle escaped her lips: "I didn't know you were such an aficionado." 

"I'm… not," I mumbled, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed: "I like that blend. I don't mind if you have some. I mainly drink it since coffee is too bitter."

"And…" Rosetta took another sip from her cup. "'Earl Grey and Bourbon' isn't?"

"Well- it's- the bourbon adds a smoky quality to the blend that you don't get with coffee, and-"

"Mullin, are you rambling about your tea stuff again?" I heard Gran from outside call in. He was sitting by the living room window, the front porch now overtaken by chairs and tables. "Eat breakfast with us out here, we need to ask you something."

"I'm not rambling- ugh, okay, I'll be there." I waved him off and leaned closer to Rosetta, almost conspiratorially: "If it's too sweet, there's sugar cubes in the top right cabinet above the stove."

Making my way outside, I grabbed a glass of water before sitting down with my family. Djeeta had already made me a spot, the steam of the pancakes coming off in waves in the cool Autumn air. However, as I sat down, it felt as tense as it did yesterday when I walked into the house. 

"Is everything okay?" I asked, cutting into one of my pancakes. Gran and Djeeta exchanged a look. Oh no. What is it?

"Mullin, um, we've been thinking…" Gran began, this time to look more nervous than usual. "And- and you have every right to say no, and it's absolutely okay if you do-"

"Gran. " I interrupted him: "Just tell me what it is, then I can say yes or no. Okay?"

"Okay, well…" Djeeta continued, eyes glancing off to the sides. "Do you want to say it together, Gran?"

An affirmative nod from Gran. Djeeta exhaled, as if she was holding in a breath. Then, my siblings looked at me head-on: 

"We want you to be the captain of the Grandcypher crew."

Wait.

What?

Icarus is flying too close to the sun

and Icarus's life, it has only just begun

this is how it feels to take a fall

Icarus is flying towards an early grave

[bea-story]

Chapter/ Song and "Era" Titles

Idiot Teenagers + ...And So It Begins Eps.

Sticky Notes Written By Wizard Late Nights on the Bus Skydiving off of Skyscrapers --------------------------------- Heartbreak or Homicide () Spring break of Senior Year

Scrapes & Scars

Bloody Nose Don't Call Me Sweetheart The Floor (a.n. still iffy on this title) I (might) Like A Boy Not Another Icarus Sunset Eyes Runaways The Definition of Blasphemy Scrapes & Scars Liar, Liar

Lavender Ghost

House of The Devil Graveyard Purgatory Bubble Shadows Third Wheel Interlude: Birthdays Were Never Any Fun How The Angels Sing Lavender Ghost Red Roots Welcome To The Wedding Until The End of Everything Wake Up Alive Bonus: Hiraeth

Chemical Emotions

New Distractions Sucker Punch Loverboy Neon Lights Paper Crowns Scar Tissue (Lucas) Weddings & Funerals Never Again Feral Cats Cut Loose Extravagant Disasters Chemicals Emotions Bonus: Don't Believe a Single Thing Bonus: What If...?

Album #4 (a.n. this is intentional)

It was supposed to be "Circus Freak" "Greatest hits for a mediocre band"

Secrets Die With The Songbird Ep. (a.n. i haven't come up with the titles yet. this was a new addition to connect the next album and tie it in)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Made for Consumption

It's Not A Promise, It's A Premonition Family Fame / Vultures Ratking Spotlight Lover Emergency Contact 6) … Apologies Meant Nothing Anyways Silent Songbird Butterfly Haunted By The Living (or) Funeral For The Very Much Alive

these titles belong to me and this story, relation to real songs or media is largely coincidental. and, i know i don't 'own' them, but please don't 'steal' these titles

[taevbears]

Magic Shop Series

☆ all written works © taevebears. do not steal or copy! ☆ this series is 18+ and overall contains dark themes, minors do not interact ☆ note that most titles/summaries are not final until posted and will likely change

Main Masterlist | AO3 

I. The Mystical and Wonderful

⏤ 01 The Harrowing & the Familiar | Yoongi’s Intro | posted ♡

Your magical journey begins with a fateful encounter and a beloved companion.

Posted: Sept 27 2022

⏤ 02 The Lament of Icarus | Namjoon’s Intro | posted ♡

You were the top student of your class until he gets transferred in.

Posted: Oct 16 2022

⏤ 03 Collision of Stars | Hoseok’s Intro | posted ♡

You and Hoseok are friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Right?

Posted: Nov 04 2022

⏤ 04 Knight in Shining Armor | Seokjin’s Intro | posted ♡

Magic is the root of all evil. Or so he believed. Then, one day, he met you.

Posted: Nov 13 2022

⏤ 05 Interlude : Lost & Found | posted ♡

Something wicked haunts the halls of Blackstone Castle.

Posted: Dec 18 2022

⏤ 06 Pretty Things | Taehyung’s Intro | posted ♡

He waited a long time to see you again.

Posted: Dec 30 2022

⏤ 07 Frog Prince | Jungkook’s Intro | posted ♡

There’s only one sure way to break a curse like this.

Posted: Jan 22 2023

⏤ 08 Lavender Blue | Jimin’s Intro | posted ♡

The new neighbors across the flower shop are quite strange.

Posted: Mar 19 2023

II. The Witching Hour

⏤ 09 Prologue : 3:00AM | posted ♡

The most dangerous time of night. The witching hour.

Posted: Aug 18 2023

⏤ 10 Mortal Among Mages | Seokjin Pt. 1 | posted ♡

As the only non-magical being in a shop full of mages and familiars, Seokjin is starting to feel left out.

Posted: Sept 23 2023

⏤ 11 The Oathkeepers | Seokjin Pt. 2 | posted ♡

You find out what Seokjin calls you behind your back.

Posted: Oct 23 2023

⏤ 12 Call For Help | Namjoon Pt. 1 | posted ♡

A plea for help brings Namjoon back to the place he never thought he’d see again: his hometown.

Posted: Apr 20 2024

⏤ 13 Peril of the Night | Namjoon Pt. 2 | posted ♡

Certain magic is forbidden for a reason.

Posted: May 18 2024

⏤ 14 Smeraldo | Jimin Pt. 1

There’s a secret Jimin has been keeping from you.

⏤ 15 The Hunters | Jimin Pt. 2

Cupid can be so cruel.

⏤ 16 Fate Reader | Taehyung Pt. 1

When the future of his found family becomes murky, Taehyung seeks advice from an old lover.

⏤ 17 Love Potion | Taehyung Pt. 2

One drop is all it takes to make things right again.

⏤ 18 Mirror of the Seer | Hoseok Pt. 1

While cleaning around the shop, Hoseok finds a strange mirror. Gazing upon its reflection shows his heart’s most desired: you.

⏤ 19 Silver Lining | Hoseok Pt. 2

“You know, we could’ve been lovers.” “I thought we already were.”

⏤ 20 Wicked Witch | Jungkook Pt. 1

A curse falls upon the boys that turns them into ... cute animals?

⏤ 21 True Love’s Kiss | Jungkook Pt. 2

Happily ever after was never easy.

⏤ 22 Lazy Afternoons | Yoongi Pt. 1

Yoongi is still your favorite familiar ... right?

⏤ 23 Devil’s Mark | Yoongi Pt. 2

Contracts come and go, but a mark seared into your skin is irreversible. And so are the consequences that come with it.

[the-dead-sea-trilogy]

Chapter Update: Icarus and the Blistering Sun

Chapter 13

2.26.24

“Look,” Colress said, opening the monitor and pointing it at him. “I know how to use it, and I can show it to you. Do you want to do this thing or not?”

Maxie looked down the priceless invention in his hands, and to the suspicious invisibility contraption Colress had laid on the floor. He had his reservations, but success was beginning to feel like a matter of sinking or swimming—a raw matter of survival—and as it stood currently, Colress continued to be the only chance at life he had.

The gang travels further into Mt. Pyre while Colress demonstrates the first of many experiments that may go horribly awry.

What will happen when they reach the peak?

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49362811/chapters/136937833

My Links: AO3 | Ko-Fi Tip Jar

The Mt. Pyre section I have had done in a while and culminates in what I consider a very fun and exciting interlude so I’m really hoping to get some more chapters out soon. Climb that mountain boys!! I’m sure nothing bad happens at the top!!

[qpr-competition]

Introduction: Achilles and Patroclus from Aristos The Musical

Quotes from submissions:

«i'm on the production team for this musical adaptation of the iliad and the author/producer is aroace himself and specifically wrote achilles/patroclus to be qpr-coded in this version. a lot of our fanbase is aro &/or ace and we've had a lot of discussions in our discord server about what this specific depiction of a/p means to a lot of us as a result.»

«They're intentionally written to be queerplatonic! As youth, they are joyful and carefree, and Young Achilles sings, "Where you go, I will go with you" ("Where You Go"). As adults, their story is one of grief and loss ("O Icarus"), but also leaving pork roast on the table for the other ("Interlude II") and heartbreakingly beautiful lyricism, like "We'll have our forever" / "Or whatever is left" ("Who Is This Boy") and "I wish I had a secret/I wish I had a thousand/And just so I could tell him every single one" ("Memory").»

«They're from a popular new Iliad adaptation written and produced by aroace artists! Their qpr isn't spelled out since it's Ancient Greece, but the writers have confirmed that qp was their intent»

[bdafic]

Goeth Before Destruction // A Solas playlist

Arranged chronologically, over the rise and fall of two narrative arcs.

[ Full playlist - Spotify version  //  Full playlist - YouTube version ]

Arc One Rebellion, rise:

Dear God - Lawless, Sydney Wayser But all the people that you made in your image See them starving on their feet Cause they don't get enough to eat from God(s) I can't believe in you

Murky - Saint Mesa Dizzy us, manipulate Feel the power, start to fall Kill my brother, curse my name Murky water covers all

Which Witch - Florence + The Machine Who's a heretic now? Am I making sense? How can you make it stick? Now that I’m on trial? Waiting 'til the beat comes out Who's a heretic, child?

Throne - Saint Mesa Believe there's freedom, took my soul I'll burn your shit alive and take the throne

Rebellion, fall:

World on Fire - Klergy If you close your eyes and you pick a side Will you find yourself broken and heartless? In a world on fire, in a world on fire

Land of All - Woodkid I took a chance to build a world of mine A one way ticket for another life On a petrol stained sailboat

Achilles Come Down – Gang of Youths Loathe the way they light candles in Rome But love the sweet air of the votives Hurt and grieve but don't suffer alone Engage with the pain as a motive

(Interlude - “Now you must endure”)

My Body is a Cage - Peter Gabriel I'm living in an age Whose name I don't know Though the fear keeps me moving Still my heart beats so slow My body is a cage

Flesh and Bone - Black Math I walk alone, beside myself Nowhere to go This bleeding heart Is in my hands, I fell apart

Iron - Woodkid A million miles from home I’m walking ahead I’m frozen to the bones A soldier on my own I don’t know the way

Dear Fellow Traveller - Sea Wolf You spoke my language and touched my limbs It wasn't difficult to pull me from myself again And in our travels, we found our roads You held it like a mirror, showing me the life I chose

Arc Two Love, rise:

Falling, Catching - Agnes Obel 🎶

Dancing After Death (Stripped) - Matt Maeson If I don't get better than this man in my skin If I let go, would you hold on, would we fly? Is it safer if we just say that we tried? Are we laughing at the danger? Are we dancing after death, you and I?

Sunlight - Hozier Each day, you'd rise with me Know that I would gladly be The Icarus to your certainty Oh, my sunlight, sunlight, sunlight Strap the wing to me Death trap clad happily With wax melted, I'd meet the sea Under sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

Power - Isak Danielson I was lost until I found me in you I saw a side of me that I was scared to But now I hear my name and I'm running your way

Technicolour Beat - Oh Wonder And I feel life for the very first time Love in my arms and the sun in my eyes I feel safe in the 5am light You carry my fears as the heavens set fire

Love, fall:

Alive - Amarante I wanna touch your skin I wanna know you again I wanna feel your light I hope we last the night

Run Baby Run - The Rigs Look, can you see behind these eyes Can you see what isn't there The truth dressed up in lies Oh, daylight' dying Run, baby, run, baby run

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons But it was not your fault but mine And it was your heart on the line I really fucked it up this time Didn't I, my dear?

The Hearse (Stripped) - Matt Maeson I am the man we both couldn’t stand, I can’t wash off the dirt from my hands, What was it like to feel in love? What was it like to feel in love?

Image credits : Bioware Facebook [ x ] Nick Thornborrow [ x ] “King of a Dead World”, Nipuni [ x ]

Other playlists : [ Ellana Lavellan // Roses Where Thorns Grow, Part I: Graft ] [ Ellana Lavellan // Roses Where Thorns Grow, Part II: Roots ] [ Coda/Prologue ]

[syrupsyche]

Ten first lines game

Rules: Share the first line of ten of your most recent fanfics and then tag ten people. Don't have ten? Not to worry, just share what you have.

Thank you for the tag @pumpkinspice-prouvaire <3 Waited to publish one more fic so that I could have a grand total of 6 (six) fics to work with :P Starting from my oldest:

1. Icarus and the Underworld

— Hades (Video Game), Incomplete, 4,070 words

No one ever told him that death hurts.

2. Calaïs

— Hadestown, Complete, 5,347 words

The wind was getting stronger, Eurydice noted idly as she wiped down the last of the tables nearest to the door. The crack that Orpheus had left open – honestly, how many times can one man leave a door ajar? – allowed the occasional gust of air to enter the empty bar, tinkling the glasses by the bar and making some of the wood creak with old age.

3. In Which We Learn Of the Affair(s) Of Enjolras

— Les Misérables, Complete, 11,172 words

In Feuilly’s own defence, it wasn’t exactly a woman he had spotted. And even if it was, it would not have been any of his business to intrude upon the mysterious woman's identity.

4. A Gift for You (And You) (And You)

— Les Misérables, Complete, 4,953 words

Bossuet was in a dilemma.

5. How Marius (Painstakingly) Won the Hand of Mlle. Fauchelevent

— Les Misérables, Complete, 18,814 words

With a special sort of luck that only Marius seemed to have, he had unwittingly become a connoisseur on all things regarding the Fauchelevent family.

6. Interlude; Or, An Intervention for Enjolras

— Les Misérables, Complete, 2,820 words

“Enjolras, may I have a word with you?”

Tagging @sadeyedlady-writes @kcrabb88 bc I'd love to hear more abt ur fics...🎤

[serenanymph]

characters out of context tag

thanks for the tag, @scribbling-stardust! gonna go ahead and gently tag @lyssa-ink, @reneesbooks, @macabremoons, @space-writes and @squarebracket-trick for this one! (+ open tag for anyone who wants to hop in)

Rules: Include one character quote of your choosing ⁠from each chapter of your WIP (or as many chapters as you'd like). Give absolutely no context, save for what's between two parts of an interrupted sentence, should that occur. You may mention who said it.

Welp this is going to be a long one. I literally have soooo many chapters so I'm just gonna do 10.

(Under the cut for length)

Prologue - Taya

“Goddess,” she complains, “go get a room, you two.”

1 - Icarus

“Wait, you’re a kid? What are you doing out here?”

2 - Rhyme

“Crys and Ink, no last names. From Aure. Heading through what might as well be the most dangerous part of mountains in Kosei to Riel, which mainly works in the mining industry, to study woodworking. Got chased by a Witchrisen along the way for no apparent reason.” A pause. “The two of you are really fucking weird, do you know this?”

3 - Rhyme

“Do you – do you even have eyes? That is literally the sketchiest, shadiest looking place on this whole damn street.”

4 - Mateo

“Ah,” Mateo says, nudging him in the side, brown eyes twinkling with a hint of mirth. “You’re not in trouble, are you?”

Interlude 1 - Madge

“There was a big boom of magic,” she insists. “Felt it. Who was it?”

Interlude 2 - Random Soldier

“Listen, kid. We can do this the easy way, or we can sit here for a day and a half until you finally cave. Your pride isn’t going to help you any in a place like this. It’ll just get you killed.”

5 - Beatriz

"I need answers. And I’m not leaving until I get them."

6 - Iri

“We aren’t like, trained pets or whatever, you know? We can’t exactly poop on command. Can you poop on command?”

7 - Crys

“The two in the front. Who are they?”

beast taglist (lmk if you want to be +/-): @sapphos-scientist, @allianaavelinjackson, @arctic-oceans, @space-writes, @reneesbooks

[ms-oswald]

thank you for the tag @itbmojojoejo 💕

Shuffle your ON REPEAT playlist and list the first 10 songs

Maybe We Do - Zach Seabaugh

The Same - Mehro

Wicked Game - Ursine Vulpine

Butchered Tongue - Hozier

Interlude - Hollow Coves

Icarus & Apollo - Ripto

Feeling You - Harrison Storm

Love Kills - Mehro

If I Had a Heart - Fever Ray

Wicked Game - Daisy Gray

List your top 15 tv shows because it reflects your personality

Charmed (1998)

Friends

One Tree Hill

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Gilmore Girls

The Last Kingdom

Vikings

Vikings: Valhalla

HOTD

The Golden Girls

Bones

The Originals/TVD/Legacies

Doctor Who

Wandavision

The Musketeers

Ted Lasso

The Nanny

Derry Girls

Brooklyn 99

Call the Midwife

Ok. I'll stop-

tagging @arcielee @gemini-mama @persephones-journey 💕

[silverjirachi]

For the ao3 wrapped, how about 17 and 29? =D

omg thank you for asking!! i really need some human interaction rn

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

I keep saying this and will keep saying it again but Colress is my favorite character to write, period. He's only just now started to make appearances in Icarus, but I have written like 80-90% of a fic exclusively about him and Concordia, Ophelia and the King's Madness, which I have a WIP/doc dump post of on AO3. I have already written other scenes of his in Mother Earth, and I have many more planned that haven't happened yet, especially in the upcoming short stories comp because I have a feeling that's where the bulk of he and Maxie's relationship will manifest.

He is so fucking unpredictable and nuanced and it intrigues me. I love watching him ruin things. I love giving him the tools to ruin them. It's like when you're a kid and you spend countless hours meticulously setting up all these little cards or lego pieces and then just go WHOOSH BAM and it all falls apart all in one go. That's how I feel writing him. And I love it. He is my opportunity to knock down my own little sandcastles and stew chaos in my own realms at every opportunity. This isn't even getting into the shit I have planned for him and Looker in Mother Earth. My god. I just love me some cold ress.

I used to struggle writing Archie, but I've slowly grown a new appreciation and understanding of his character, especially looking into where Mother Earth is going. So I'm just gonna give him a shoutout here too.

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

I'm torn between the preview I released of the sequel of my hardenshipping fic, Mother Earth and Her Infinite Sky or the one I released for the prequel to Exile//Vilify, Trouble Will Find Me. I had been equally sitting on both of them for a while, and am equally hyped for/proud of both of them. Trouble Will Find Me is a little more niche because it's basically JUST about the Order of the Seers, and little to nothing to do with Astor or the rest of Hyrule, but yet, that's what I kind of like about it. It's basically original fiction, though I'm going to explore some of the lore/worldbuilding aspects of pre-botw's Hyrule, if that makes sense?

If I had to pick just one passage from my Pokemon series, it would be Interlude, II - Lifeline from Icarus and the Blistering Sun. Not only does it mention Colress and really begin to vague at/establish Maxie's troubled past, especially in regards to him, it echoes so many other things in the series and Icarus itself if you read it closely. There's lots to really pull apart there, if you really wanted to. "What sacrifices are you willing to make in order to be successful?" "Near tearing lip to meet the iron in his flesh." I could go on.

There's also another interlude scene in Icarus coming up in a few chapters that I'm very excited about and in the process of writing right now. It's in regards to how Maxie and Archie ended up obtaining the Red and Blue Orbs.

Thank you for asking!!

Fic Asks - AO3 Wrapped