#the starless mermaid

[myloversthesunrise]

the starless mermaid [i]

FAR out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could fathom it: many church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ground beneath to the surface of the water above. There dwell the Sea King and his subjects.

AO3

Author's Note: helloo this is my attempt of rewriting ACOTAR with my OC insert, and this is set before the ACOTAR book. if you read my previous series, this is a rewritten version of it and the past version will be discontinued. i hope you'll enjoy it and thank you for sticking by me!

trigger warnings: kidnapping, death by decapitation

Mothers are always right, they say.

Lin supposed it extended to grandmothers and other maternal roles too, though she would rather choke on a Mala soup than admit it out loud to her grandmother.

It was ridiculous how Lin was proven to be wrong during the first and only time she stood up to her grandmother’s words.

Everyone in the village hadn’t called her Scaredy Lin for no reason. Her friends had always rolled their eyes every time Lin meekly denied their invitations to stay out late or sneak away while every parent and elderly gushed at her obedience.

But deep down inside, Lin wished she would have more time with her friends. Sometimes she could hear their laughter as they passed by her cottage and stalked deep into the woods that lie nearby. She knew Ah Ma noticed her longing stares, but her grandmother did nothing but nudge her softly to remind her of the current task at hand.

“The woods aren’t safe after dark,” she chided gently. “You’ll understand one day.”

Her small village was deep in the mountain and surrounded by forests. Some say faeries still remain within the woods, some say ancient magic lurks in there, a trouble waiting to be discovered. Lin had preferred the more rational reasonings of wild animals that roam freely in the woods.

But her friends had never been in any danger. The next day, she would see them in perfect condition—not a single hair missing from their head nor even a scratch on their skin.

So why was she not allowed to go?

The wagon—she had assumed she was on one—rode over a large rock and shook violently, causing her to bounce and hit her head against the chest she was locked in.

It must’ve been hours, she winced internally.

How far is she going?

The darkness and the constant swaying of the wagon had brought motion sickness upon her stomach, and as more minutes passed by, Lin could feel herself getting more and more nauseous. Her hands began to clam up and her body began to sweat profusely. She had to do everything in her power not to throw up inside the damn chest and lie upon her own puke.

Lin clenched her hands into fists and dug her nails deep into her palm. Her mind traveled back into her memory where she had left off before the damn rock interrupted her.

That afternoon, Ah Ma gave her a break from helping at the clinic and Lin didn’t waste the rare chance she had to spend some time with her friends.

Charlotte—daughter of their village headman—had invited Lin to a small gathering she would be having in the forest. Lin had a feeling the invitation would not be extended to her had she wasn’t there to have lunch with them. All the invitations and solicitation for her had died out after they realized it would be easier to fight a bear barehanded rather than have Ruo Lan allow Lin to go out after dark.

Lin’s shoulders fell in disappointment and she tried to mask her sadness with a grin—although she was sure it came out more as a grimace. “I’ll try to ask my grandmother later.”

Lin appreciated how everybody nodded and played along even though they already knew the answer.

A warm hand placed itself upon hers, and Lin’s dark brown eyes met Akane’s.

Akane. Beautiful, graceful, Akane. A few years older than her. Skin as lustrous as a pearl. Soft brown hair that stopped below her ears. A smile that could melt anyone into her will.

They both have dark brown eyes, yet Akane’s eyes always shone with warmth like sunshine on a winter afternoon, unlike Lin’s dark brown eyes which were a few shades too dark and always made people feel like she had been glaring at them.

If people in the village adored Lin as a daughter, they had adored Akane as a beauty.

“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” Akane gently reminded her. “But we would greatly appreciate having you there.”

Her stunning brown eyes stared into Lin’s dark ones and she immediately lost her words.

“Plus,” she continued with a mischiveous grin. “It’d be more fun to have you there.”

Akane’s pretty brown eyes twinkled with mischief—like she knew something Lin didn’t—and her smile was so pretty that Lin held back her breath.

That was all that it took for Lin to agree.

She did not bother to ask Ah Ma for a permission—she had already known the answer.

After her grandmother went inside her room, Lin waited for an hour and a half until she no longer heard any movement inside. She snuck out through their back door—right by the kitchen—and walked down a small path that leads into the woods.

The old, rickety cottage was the furthest one from their village, so it did not take her long to finally enter the woods, only accompanied by a small kerosene lantern that she had hidden behind their cottage beforehand.

There was a well by the forest, only a few meters into it. It had been here before the village was built yet villagers have never used it.

Faerie-made, they said. Nothing good comes out of it.

She did not think how strange it was for Akane not to be there even though Lin was late into their meeting. Lin had not paid attention how quiet the forest was that night, no crickets nor any other animals made their sound. All the thoughts inside her head was filled with “What ifs” and the nerves of her body was filled with the excitement of sneaking out of her curfew for the first time in her life.

The young woman heard was a snap of a twig before her head was hit by a blunt force and darkness clouded her vision.

And then she woke up tied inside an empty chest.

Waking up without being able to see anything and tied up with her body tucked into a fetal position had sent Lin into a crying, sobbing, hysterical fit. Only after choking on her own saliva, Lin had realized that it would be better for her health and respiratory system to stay calm and distract herself.

Lin tried to think of things that would calm her down, and her mind instantly drifted to her grandmother.

Of all the times in my life to get kidnapped, Lin cursed in her head. It just had to be for the first time I snuck out.

She would never hear the end of this from Ah Ma.

Ruo Lan was a stern woman. She was strict with her rules and cheap with her praises. Despite never raising a hand towards Lin, she had always obeyed her words and sought her approval and kind words so desperately.

Her grandmother had always done all the heavy lifting in their cottage and only let Lin start helping her when she was thirteen, yet Lin couldn’t help but worry for her grandmother who would sleep by the fireside when the night gets a bit colder and winced every time she stood up after sitting down for a long time.

Will she be alright? Lin’s train of thought continued as she bit her lip in worry. Who will help her and grab things from upstairs if she needed them? Who would help Ah Ma prepare for dinner?

Lin had worked herself up into another panic and quickly felt her stomach churn. She dug her nails deeper into her palm and chewed the inside of her bottom lip until she could taste a tang of blood inside her mouth, hoping the pain would stop her from throwing up.

Where are they taking her? What was her captor like? Would she be able to fight them off?

Lin had planned on what would happen. The wagon stops, her captor let her out and Lin kicks them in their crotch before running away.

Assuming that she could aim with her blindfold on.

But despite all of her thoughts and attempts to distract herself, there was one question that won’t stop running inside her head.

Why would someone kidnap a nobody like her? And who would do such a thing?

Her village was one of the smalles ones in the kingdom. To fastest road to Lin’s village from the nearby town is to pass through the forest that surrounds the entire village, filled with urban legends of monsters, ancient magic, and faerie horror. The journey alone takes three days through the unpaved road, and if they survive the mythical dangers of the forest, there was still the matter of wild animals and bandits.

The gears inside her head were working hard to the point Lin did not realize the wagon had already stopped until a few minutes later.

Fear and panic shot right through her. Lin tensed up her entire body and memorized her initial plan (kick them in the crotch then run) and waited for further movement.

The chest she was in was quite thick and well-proofed, Lin could barely hear anything but whispering and mumblings from outside. Not a moment later, a low creaking sound was heard, and Lin could feel people walking around the wagon and beginning to lift the weights inside it—judging by the swaying of it.

It went on for at least thirty minutes before the movements stopped and someone jumped off the wagon. The creaking sound went back—a sign that whoever it was had locked the wagon and climbed up the coachman seat before Lin could feel a hard jolt as the carriage began to move once more.

With her tied fists, Lin began to loudly hit on the chest she was trapped in. Her mouth was gagged but it didn’t stop her from attempting to scream or let out any noise to be heard. Using her tied legs, she stomped and kicked as hard as she could while regretting how she had frozen earlier when someone was on the wagon.

A few minutes later, the wagon stopped and Lin went still for a moment before she began to kick harder and scream louder through her gag. Her heart beat faster than a running stallion and she could’ve sworn it would jump out any moment from now.

She felt the wagon shift and realized that the coachman had left the carriage. The young woman stilled and strained her ears, and just as she had predicted, she could hear slow murmurs of a conversation.

Lin tried harder to listen to what they were saying, but before she could catch any words, the familiar creak had been heard once more and the wagon shifted.

A click-clack sound was heard from inside the chest, and Lin knew her captor was unlocking her chest.

She didn’t know that her heart could beat faster than it already did, but it could. Her palms were sweaty and she could feel it trembling in anxiety.

The chest opened with a loud creak, and fresh cold air brushed Lin in her face.

Before she could kick any crotches, her captor lifted her up by her upper arm and dragged her down the cart. Her eyes darted around in panic as she tried to take in her views the best she could.

Trees. Mountain air. No settlements or cabins or houses in sight at all.

She’s deep in the forest. But which forest?

Right at the edge of the wagon, her captor threw her onto the ground and Lin winced behind her gag.

Not wanting to lose momentum, she quickly got up on her knees and took a good look at her kidnapper.

Well.

Kidnappers.

Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of them both, her ‘captor’ was busy tidying up the cart while the ‘accomplice’—she assumed—was studying her intensely.

The moonlight broke through the tree canopies, shining its glow upon them. Not bright enough to allow Lin to see their faces clearly, but enough to see a pig’s tail growing out of one of their butt.

Lin could’ve sworn she forgot to breathe as her captor turned around and showed off his flat, pig snout to her.

Her head snapped to the accomplice that was still staring at her with his dark eyes, and her eyes finally adjusted enough to the dim lighting to see two pointy ears underneath his curls.

Faeries, she realized in horror. Worse. High Fae.

With wide eyes, she had scrambled back and away using her butt and her tied ankles, completely forgetting her original plans of crotch-kicking and opted to run away.

“Shut up ye’ wench,” a gruff voice snorted.

Lin hadn’t even realized she was screeching in terror until the Piggy Fae snapped at her. Her eyes met his and she began to wiggle away even faster.

“Ge’ back ‘ere!” the piglet cursed at her while pointing his finger as if scolding a naughty puppy.

Her face was wet, and without realizing it, Lin was crying.

What were they going to do to her? Torture her? Eat her? Or… worse?

His accomplice finally straightened up from where he casually stood against a tree with his arms folded on his chest—and began walking towards her.

Her silent cries had turned into loud sobbing and whimpering as he eventually grew closer and grabbed Lin by her upper arm—like her captor had done—and dragged her back to the clearing where they were from.

“Well, she’s in one piece, jus’ as promised.” The piglet explained while gesturing his hands towards Lin. “Wan’ tha’ other half of the paym’n nau.”

So the Piggy faerie was the accomplice and the High Fae is the captor?

Once the High Fae finished dragging Lin back to where they were, he turned his back from Lin.

“Of course,” he answered. His voice was smooth and clear, said with complete certainty. His back covered Lin’s peripheral vision of their interaction.

Lin saw him pulling out a sword and slashed the air with a disgusting schnick.

There was a short moment of silence, before a loud thud was heard.

Her dark eyes darted to the space between the High Faerie’s leg—where she saw the piglet’s head rolling around the ground like a dice on a gambling table before stopping right by his feet.

His eyes were wide open—and they were staring at Lin.

If Lin did not scream earlier, she definitely screamed now.

Her breath was shaking and her entire body was trembling from fear but unlike earlier, the young woman had frozen in place. It was like the sight of a headless body had taken away all of her will to fight.

Lin knew how pathetic she looked right there. Tears were running down her eyes and snot ran down her nose. She whimpering and sobbing like a child—but she couldn’t find herself to stop. Her heart was ready to jump out of her chest any time then and Lin was expecting herself to pass out from the unreleased adrenaline running through her—if that’s even possible.

The High Faerie put back his sword to his sheath and turned around to face Lin with an exasperated sigh.

“Please do not make my job any harder than it already is,” he complained as he walked past Lin to the tree where he had stood by earlier.

Lin silently watched as he grabbed a shovel that was leaning on the tree and began to walk around while stomping his feet. Once he deemed the ground was good enough for a grave, he started digging wordlessly.

The repeated and continuous movement he was doing somehow calmed her down, and her sobbing had stopped. Her breathing went back to normal and her head had cleared up.

If Lin’s change from sobbing into utter silence surprised him, the High Fae did not show it.

He didn’t even acknowledge her existence other his earlier remark.

Lin sat as still as a rock. She calmed her breathing and wiped away her snot and tears with her sleeves.

Slowly and steadily, her hands reached down to the binding that tied her ankles together.

Her eyes were trained on the High Fae, not daring to look away from him just for one moment. A part of her said that it was to keep her eyes on the enemy, but she knew that she couldn’t trust herself to not glance at the decapitated head and start having another fit.

He continued digging the grave—gods knew how many hours he would have to do so—with his back facing her.

The High Fae was wearing an armor, she noticed. Black. Nothing bulky, slim yet sturdy. A guard on duty, perhaps? Or an assassin?

Chill ran through Lin’s bone at the thought and she made a harder attempt of unknotting the ties, but it was hard to do so while keeping her eyes on the enemy.

No. Not an assassin, Lin thought.

An assassin would’ve killed her without bothering to kidnap her first.

The fae in front of her thrusted his shovel to the ground and straightened his back for a moment—causing Lin to froze from his sudden change of movement. She held her breath, hoping that he wouldn’t even remember her existence.

He took a deep, exhausted sigh before wiping the swear off his eyebrows. Without any moment longer, the High Fae grabbed his shovel back from where it stood and continued his job.

Lin waited for a few moments—to make sure that he was truly immersed by his duty—before taking her eyes off him for a second to glance at the knot on her ankles and finish unraveling it.

But that second was all it took.

By the time Lin had looked up, the half-dug grave in front of her was empty.

Her heart had dropped to her stomach, and before she could look around, a blunt force hit the back of her head and knocked her unconscious.

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The young woman was peacefully knocked out and curled up by her fireplace.

Her long black hair lied unraveled around her, reminding the faerie of a fair maiden in fairytales. Her cheeks were plump and her lips were small—but not thin—giving her a doll-like appearance.

Unlike her own, her ears were rounded. A human one.

The red-headed faerie noticed a small beauty mark above the right side of her lips.

The same one that Clythia had.

Amarantha jerked back from her niece, where she had knelt by the fireside and studied her niece like a bug under the magnifying glass.

The rumors were true, it seemed. Clythia’s daughter was indeed alive.

At first, Amarantha paid no attention to it. She had heard stories of survivors from Clythia’s entourage, but she had passed it off as lower servants and lesser Faeries. Until a new whisper began to flew from the Mortal Lands, of a black-haired girl with an uncanny resemblance to her late sister.

Still, the Lady Under the Mountain paid no attention to it, even though it nagged at the back of her mind. She had a court to run after all.

Yet, the whisper grew stronger and the story had spread. The young girl lived with her grandmother, a healer with mutilated ears and a scar across her right eye.

That was the moment her blood turned to ice and her fear took over her mind.

Amarantha immediately commanded her right hand to fetch the girl to her. Initially, she wanted to command Rhysand to make it a quick and swift mission, but if it were true that she was Clythia’s daughter…

No. She couldn’t risk her safety nor let Rhysand have a leverage over her. Clythia had died for her baby and Amarantha would not let everything Clythia had fought so hard for to waste.

It took them a week to fetch her—would’ve took Rhysand three days but beggars can’t be choosers, she supposed—and now the young woman was currently sleeping through Amarantha’s crisis.

Her curiosity took over and the High Faerie leaned forward once more to study her niece.

Amarantha noticed her round cheeks—flecked with old acne scars—and her smooth palm. The young girl’s chest rose up and down in steady beats. Her lips were slightly agape and her beauty mark above her lips had reminded her of her sister once more.

But this girl was not her sister.

Her sister would’ve realized she was being watched. She was strong and fierce and none of the softness her ‘daughter’ was.

The sight of her niece’s calm breathing and obliviousness towards what was happening around her angered redheaded faerie.

Her manicured hand grabbed the wine glass by the table and splashed it to the young woman’s face, causing her to wake up with a gasp.

“Wake up, you fool.” Amarantha sneered in anger.

No. She was not Clythia. Clythia would never sleep so easily in front of the enemy, nor would be so unprepared.

The young woman sat up. Her breathing was heavy and uneven and Amarantha could distinctly hear the soft groan that escaped her lips.

Clythia would never do that, she thought to herself. She’d bare her teeth and fought back without any hesitation. A small burst of hope began to grew inside Amarantha.

Perhaps it was all a rumor. A ghost story. And she could kill this girl in front of her, be done with it, and have a restful evening.

The young woman finally looked up to see a High Faerie glaring at her and immediately crawled back with fear shining in her eyes. Her shoulders were hunched in an attempt trying to make herself as small as possible and Amarantha sneered at the cowardice notion.

Their eyes met, and all hope that Amarantha had inside her had vanished into smoke.

Her eyes were dark, almost black. Too dark to be called brown.

But Amarantha knew those dark eyes would glitter like the night sky if she smiled. She knew the beauty mark above her right lip would wink at whoever was lucky enough to see it every time she laughed.

Just like hers.

She had seen them all. In her sister.

Amarantha had desperately wished that she might’ve been wrong.

Yet now that she was awake, there was no mistaking it.

She was Clythia’s daughter. Their curse. The one who unraveled their relationship, their hard work, their entire life, and even ended Clythia’s life.

Amarantha’s breathing grew even heavier. Her head spun and she could feel herself spiraling if she did not take control of herself soon.

The Lady Under the Mountain bared her teeth at her niece. “Do you know who I am?” She snarled. Her nails dug even deeper into her palm, causing a pain that she knew could focus on and stop herself from hyperventilating.

Lin did not trust her voice to be firm and steady, and she could only shook her head. She had thought she would cry and sob again like she had earlier, but it seemed that her tears have dried up and left her with dread and uneasiness and discomfort of being in a new environment instead of the terror that had filled her earlier.

A part of her suspected the decapitated head and seeing it happen right before her very eyes had something to do with it.

Lin carefully raised her eyes to study the faerie in front of her.

Unlike the earlier High Fae, this one was a woman. Her hair was red-gold and her eyes were pitch-black. She was beautiful and terrifying all the same.

The red-headed High Fae glowered at her wordless answer. Her eyebrows were furrowed in frustration as she glared at the ground and despite the dim-lighting by the fireplace, Lin noticed how she bit her bottom lip in concentration. She dragged her hands through her hair and Lin’s eyes followed after it, spotting the golden crown sat atop of her head.

A royalty? Lin’s heart skipped a beat and the gears in head began to turn. She pursed her lips in concentration.

Is she from the Autumn Court? But Lin remembered that the Autumn Court was a highly patriarchal court, and she highly doubted that they would let a woman wear a crown.

Amarantha cursed her recklessness. As soon as she heard the story, she demanded for the young woman to be brought in front of her. But now that she was actually here, Amarantha was at loss of what to do.

What was I expecting? She cursed herself.

Was she expecting her niece to stood up and raise her chin? Was she expecting her niece to be as dangerous as an unsharpened blade like her sister would? Was she expecting her niece to have the same sharp glint in her eyes as her sister had?

A voice inside her answered all those questions.

Yes. Yes. YES.

She wanted to see her sister, or at least a shadow or a reflection or a glint of it. She would’ve claimed her as her own, and raised her the way her sister would have raised her. She would’ve been her successor and the one to continue their glory after Amarantha was long gone.

But what she had was a poor imitation of her sister, and now the red-headed faerie’s plan—or lack of it—was ruined.

Amarantha could always throw her in jail, but the memory of her sister tugged her heartstrings and prevented her to do so. Making her niece into her ward was not an option either. She already had cracks inside her little empire—and having a half-mortal ward would not help her at all.

The Lady Under the Mountain plopped down on the settee and turned to stare at the young woman. Her hand were pinching her chin while being propped up by the armrest. Her dark eyes studied Lin like she was a puzzle she cannot solve.

Lin squirmed uncomfortably under her stare and tried to figure out where to keep her eyes on.

Her gaze darted around the room and studied it the best she could despite the settee in front of her covering the view.

They were sitting by a grand fire place. The settee in front of her was black decorated with gold swirls around it, companied by two other settees with the same coloring on its left and right side of it, creating a U-shape in front of the fire place.

Behind the settee and high up on the wall, Lin could see a black canopy hung against the wall and she guessed that there might be a bed underneath it.

To the right was a hallway, and to the left of where she was sitting—right across the hallway—was a the balcony. The glass door was nearly as tall as the ceiling of the room and was wide opened. Gentle breeze blew in, blowing the curtains in process and bringing in a scent of pine woods and the cold evening air.

The red-headed faerie snapped her fingers and Lin jumped as her head snapped towards her captor.

“Where is the bracelet?” She snapped.

Lin could’ve sworn she saw a slight tremble of the faerie’s hands, but she played it off as a trick of light from the burning fire place.

She licked her dry lips before answering. “What bracelet?” she replied with a hoarse voice.

She rolled her dark eyes at Lin. “The emerald one,” she emphasized on the word ‘emerald’ as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Silver cuff, with small diamonds around it and an emerald in the center.”

Amarantha caught the recognition that flashed through the young woman’s eyes.

That bracelet was all-too-familiar with Lin. She had tried it multiple times when she was a mere child, playing princesses and pretending she was at a ball as she danced around her small cottage.

Until Ah Ma had sold it when Lin was eight years old and struck with high fever to buy her medicines.

Little Lin whom had not understand the situation had cried all night long at the loss of her favorite bracelet.

“My—my grandmother had sold it,” she stuttered in anxiety. “A long time ago, when I was eight.”

Lin turned her head to look at the High Fae, and saw her posture visibly relaxed as she leaned back against her chair.

“Then find it.”

Unlike early frantic she had, the High Fae was calm as she demanded Lin to find her bracelet. She did not yell at her the way Ah Ma’s patient had done when the wanted to be the first one to get treated—she merely stated it and ordered her to do it as if Lin was fetching water from the well beside her house.

“But—but how?” Lin gaped at her. “It was twelve years ago!”

Her victorious stare was replaced by a cold, scathing one.

“Either you find it,” she threatened as her pitch-black eyes glinted with malice, “Or your grandmother will pay for it with her life.”

Lin flinched under her remark.

Under the moonlight, the High Fae sat upon the settee like a queen on her throne. Her chin was raised high as she sat back in the settee and looked down upon her. Dark eyes pierced through Lin and her red-gold hair stumbled down from her shoulders and the moonlight shone against her crown.

She barely lifted a finger nor raised her voice, yet Lin felt like The High Fae was holding a knife against her throat.

Lin opened her mouth to argue—and closed it tight when she could not find herself any strong defense against the High Fae’s demands.

Amarantha sneered. She leaned forward and her graceful hands grabbed Lin by her jaw, gripping roughly.

“Let me tell you a story, child.” She growled while throwing Lin unto the floor—slamming her cheek against the floor in the process—and leaned forward to pour more wine inside her glass.

Lin tried her best to wince quietly before sitting up to her initial kneeling position.

The red-headed faerie rolled her eyes at her wincing and leaned back to her seat. She took a sip out of her wine, and spoke.

“Your grandmother is one of us.”

Her words felt like a punch to her gut, and Lin did not know where she got the strength to speak up, but somehow she choked up her words.

“No she’s not!” Lin protested and hoped she did not sound like a child. “My grandmother is human.”

Amarantha rolled her eyes. “Haven’t you wondered how she got those scars on her ears? Have you seen her age the way your people do?”

Lin’s heart dropped to her stomach.

When she was younger, Lin had asked about her grandmother’s scar once. It ran through her eye, blinding her permanently in her right eye and terrifying enough to scare anyone from bothering two women who lived alone. She answered that she had gotten it from a battle. She was a healer stationed to help injured soldiers and a raid had happened when she was there.

But when Lin asked about her ears, Ah Ma did not reply. In fact, she did not speak to Lin for the next few days until Lin cried out of guilt and apologized.

Afterward, Lin never mentioned Ah Ma’s ears to her again. But sometimes when Ah Ma wasn’t looking, Lin would accidentally study it.

It was rounded—yet jagged—like someone had cut through it. Rough scars ran through the top of it which confirmed Lin’s theory even further. Lin wondered what kind of battle Ah Ma went to that would have her ears mutilated so horribly.

Lin ignored the ache in her gut of realizing that the High Fae had a possibility to speak the truth and watched as the red-headed faerie took a sip from her wine before continuing her story.

“Ruo Lan was my servant, once.” Lin’s heart skipped a beat when the High Fae mentioned her grandmother’s name. “And she stole a lot more than that—not just the one bracelet I asked you about earlier.”

“After The Great Mortal War,” the faerie continued and piqued Lin’s interest. “Your grandmother grew restless, saying something about how she wanted to settle down and live out the rest of her life in peace.”

“I ignored her, assuming that it was a mere phase of hers and it’d pass soon.” Amarantha waved her hand to emphasize. “But one night, your grandmother ran away from me with a chest of my treasures.”

“Rumors had it that she took a newborn babe from a couple of mortals and ran off to have a secret little family, but I didn’t believe it until I saw it myself.”

Her grandmother had told Lin that her parents had died in the Great Mortal War.

“I could care less what she chose to do with her life,” she scowled. “What she did was an act of betrayal. She abandoned her master and ran away to chase her hopes and dreams.” The High Faerie rolled her eyes in annoyance. “I could’ve punished her for it, sentenced her to death.”

She turned her obsidian black eyes to stare at Lin’s dark ones.

“But she was a good servant, so I ignored her betrayal and opted to leave her alone with her fantasies of having a happy ending.”

“However,” She glared at Lin while the latter flinched under her stare and tried her best to stand her ground. “I would like my treasures back.”

Lin’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Growing up, Lin knew her grandmother did not have many jewels. One is the emerald bracelet the High Fae had demanded earlier, and the other one is a jade pendant. They had never lived lavishly either, barely earning enough to save up. If her grandmother had the luxury of selling those jewels, she had never shown it.

“But if my grandmother was the one who stole it,” Lin asked ever so softly and politely—as if not wanting to upset the High Faerie that could very much kill her with a swipe of her arm. “Then why did you take me instead of her?”

Lin saw a ghost smile on the faerie’s lips. She lifted up her wine glass as if raising a toast.

“A treasure for a treasure,” the faerie gloated with a triumphant glint in her eyes. “She took my treasure, and I took her treasure.”

Lin frowned and opened her lips to argue but before she could speak, the High Fae tutted at her while waving her index finger from side to side, as if scolding a naughty child.

“It’s either you stay here with me,” the faerie chided. “Or I take your grandmother’s life as a payment.”

Once again, Lin thought she would cry as soon as the faerie said those words, but all that was left was a terrible stomachache that happens when she was under a lot of pressure and chest pain coming from the stress.

She took in a long, shaky breath before speaking.

“If I stay here,” Lin asked with a trembling voice—as if she was one nudge away from tears. “Will you leave my grandmother alone?”

Her dark eyes met the faerie’s pitch-black ones. If Lin was going to give her life away, then she wanted to make sure that it would not be in vain. She did not care if the High Faerie was right and Ah Ma had lied to her during her entire life. Lin knew her grandmother loved her, and that was all that mattered. She wanted her grandmother to live out the rest of her life in peace.

Amarantha held her gaze and swore, “I promise.”

Lin’s gaze slowly faltered under her shark-like stare and she quietly nodded before bowing her head.

“I’ll stay.”

Her voice was only slightly louder than a whisper, but Amarantha had heard it nonetheless and curled her lips into a triumphant smirk.

“Swear it,” she demanded. “Bargain with me.”

The red-headed faerie held out her arm and Lin stared at it like a snake that was about to strike.

“Say it out loud after me,” the faerie commanded.

“In the place of my grandmother’s life, I am bargaining my own to forever be with my master until death separates us.”

Lin tried not to cringe at how the High Faerie addressed herself as her ‘master’.

But she had no choice.

So Lin raised her own hand to meet the snake’s bite and grasped it tight to mask her trembling hand.

“In the place of my grandmother’s life,” Lin denounced loudly to stop her voice from shaking. “I am bargaining my own to forever be with my master.”

Lin shook her hand with the High Fae’s.

“Until death separates us,” she swore.

When their hands shook, Lin had expected something to shift. Perhaps she would bear a mark of their bargain or something would feel different in the air.

Something.. magical.

But it felt like nothing, other than the fact she had sold her soul to a monster. It was a normal handshake with the price of her life.

She was almost disappointed. Almost.

“Aspen!” the red-headed faerie suddenly called out, causing Lin to jump.

Lin heard the sound of a door being opened and closed, proceeded by the sounds of footsteps.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

Lin’s head snapped towards the source of the sound and saw her first captor standing merely a few steps away by the fireside. His hands were folded behind his back a

Her first thought was beheading.

Her second thought was how she was going to be the next person to be beheaded.

Her third thought was if it was possible to run past two High Faes to jump off from the balcony and straight to her death.

Fortunately for Lin, it was all unnecessary.

‘Her Majesty’ nodded her chin towards Lin.

“Take her to the dungeon,” she commanded. “And make sure no one else knows of her existence.”

‘Aspen’ nodded, and walked towards Lin to grab her by the arm. Lin turned her head to protest to the red-headed High Fae, but before she could speak, the world around her shifted and twisted along with her stomach and she had to grip her hands in fist to hold in the content of her stomach.

But when her feet finally touched the ground (when did they start flying?), Lin knelt over and threw up.

Her throat ached, her stomach was in pain, her body was dripping in cold sweat, and she had never felt as disgusting as she did in that moment.

Lin didn’t have to look to know that her captor (the pig decapitator) was standing five feet away with a wince plastered on his face. “Why couldn’t you throw up in the bucket?” he complained.

Once she was sure she had nothing else to be let out, Lin wiped her mouth with her sleeves and took a few steps back from her puddle of puke.

Lin’s eyes hazily darted around and sure enough, there was a bucket siting one inch away from her mess.

“Here,” Aspen snapped and shoved a glass of water towards her and splashing the top of her dress in progress.

Lin did not care. She grabbed it and gargled a gulp of water inside her mouth to rinse the disgusting taste of her puke. Keeping it inside her mouth, she jumped over her puddle and grabbed the bucket before throwing it up inside it. Lin gulped, gargled, and threw it up and repeated the process until she was sure that her mouth had tasted back to normal.

“Thanks,” she mumbled while handing back her glass.

Aspen grunted and threw the glass back into where it took it from.

Usually, Lin’s nosiness would’ve made her look but she was too sick to care. Her hands gripped on the bar and breathed heavily, trying to collect herself.

Wait. Bar?

Lin opened her eyes and turned to look to where she was leaning on.

Sure enough, there was a bar. Bars, to be exact. As tall as the ceiling and completely covering the room behind it.

Aspen opened the door, grabbed her arm, and threw her inside one of the cells. Lin did not even have the energy to protest nor fight back.

Her bum fell on the floor and she watched helplessly as the faerie locked her jail cell with keys before pocketing it.

Not magic? She frowned in daze.

For so-called monsters born with magic running through their blood, they seemed awfully… human.

To her surprise, Aspen flicked his finger towards her puddle of vomit. Then, Lin watched as it slowly moved to the drain until there was nothing left of her mess.

But it didn’t stop there.

A closet opened itself and a mop accompanied with a bucket walked out. A few seconds later, a bottle of what she assumed to be a floor cleaner followed suit.

The bucket stopped under a faucet. Aspen flicked his fingers once more and it opened itself, pouring water inside the bucket followed by the floor cleaner, leaving a distinct smell of apple. The faucet turned itself off, the mop dipped into the bucket and began to clean the floor, especially the spot where she had vomited earlier. It squeezed the filthy water out by the drain, and floated towards the faucet where it was magically turned on again and began to rinse itself.

Not long, the mop floated back to the bucket and sneaked inside the cell adjacent to hers and began mopping it clean.

So they do have magic.

From the corner of her eyes, Aspen straightened up and Lin snapped her head towards his.

“Wait!” She cried out.

Aspen surprisingly turned and waited for her to have her words.

“I—” she stuttered. “How long will I be here?”

He shrugged. “Until the High Lady says the otherwise.”

High Lady?

“Will you remind her of my existence?” Lin carefully asked.

“If she’s in a good mood.”

Lin nodded. She supposed it was the best bargain she could get in this situation. Her eyes met his and she thanked him quietly. “For cleaning the floor,” she elaborated.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Aspen said matter-of-factly. “I hate winnowing in to the smell of puke and shit.”

If Lin was sober enough, she’d ask what he meant by ‘winnowing’, but her lingering nausea shut her up and rendered her weak.

The young woman sighed dejectedly before finding a corner of her cell and curling up against it.

Aspen took one long glance around the room before meeting Lin’s gaze once more.

“Try not to die before the High Lady visits you,” he asked.

Lin could’ve sworn she heard something about the “High Lady” blaming Aspen if it ever happened, but all the stress and shock finally came down upon her and she passed out cold before she could hear the rest of his sentence.

[singing-not-sleeping-beauty]

I want to start a book club, but instead of it being one of those white women book clubs where it's just a bunch of moms drinking wine without having read the book it's a group of friends who meet up at a cabin once or twice a year and we read, and make food & crafts based off our favorite books, and watch movie/tv show adaptations of those books

y'know?

[musicfranchisetournament]

— music franchise tournament brackets !!

all matchups in plain text under the cut !! feel free to send in more propaganda via asks ^–^

polls will run for a week, once they end i'll reblog the poll with results and then update the bracket. i'll be altering through each bracket's polls every week ( ex. week one will be side a polls 1-8 and then week two will be side b polls 1-8, etc. )

tournament status - side c voting live !

side a :

round 1 - revue starlight VS. lolirock round 2 - d4dj VS. tsukipro round 3 - trolls VS confession executive committee round 4 - alien stage VS. hypnosis mic round 5 - evillious chronicles VS. b-project round 6 - obey me VS. project sekai round 7 - world dai star VS. tsukiuta round 8 - centaurworld VS. uma musume pretty derby

side b :

round 1 - bang dream VS. idolm@ster round 2 - ensemble stars VS. milgram round 3 - paradox live VS. charisma house round 4 - 18trip VS. bratz round 5 - a3 VS. royal scandal round 6 - kagerou project VS. steven universe round 7 - uta no prince-sama VS. love live round 8 - idolish7 VS. pitch perfect

side c :

round 1 - ensemble girls VS. jem and the holograms round 2 - aoppella VS. show by rock round 3 - actors songs connection VS. julie and the phantoms round 4 - mamma mia trilogy VS. mermaid melody pichi pichi pitch round 5 - blackstar theater starless VS. lemon squash score round 6 - break my case VS. hanadoll round 7 - heavenly helly VS. vs ambivalenz round 8 - wind boys VS. uniteup

side d :

round 1 - handead anthem VS. bakamatsu rock round 2 - dance with devils VS. tokyo 7th sisters round 3 - fabulous night VS. fragaria memories round 4 - dig rock VS. carnelian blood round 5 - dear vocalist VS. gray sheep round 6 - i*chu VS. purple hyacinth round 7 - jazz-on VS. visual prison round 8 - guitar hero VS. starmyu

[peanutapplesauce]

Ocean view

| Gojo x Y/N Comfort prose?

Author's Note: I wrote this because i felt really overwhelmed with life. hope this piece brings you some warmth :) lmk any thoughts, feedback, etc!!!

Based on Se So Neon's song, Nan Chun.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ocean was calling her again, its rhythm whispering sweet nothings in her dreams to get up and leave the windowsill. To be underneath the pitch black sky with the waves embracing her softly, caressing every inch of her flesh and gently dissolving all her fears before breathing solace to mend her soul.

And under the same starless sky, the waves nipped away at every exposed flesh of his — thrashing around for any semblance of his grievances. Satoru, the strongest, would brace his soul and fight the push and pull of the salty sea for glimpses of her. His fingers frantically grasped and grappled at her flesh, desperately holding on until she was ready to float back ashore, away from the ocean that sung her promises of immortality and bliss. Because Satoru knew the ocean was a liar, that the promises were broken and the muffled cries of the mermaids were proof of this. But she was too far gone, too drowned.

And he grabbed her hand, hugged it close to his chest, waiting with bated breath to feel her pulse glow with life once more. Even prayed to his deity for her spirit to fight against those thoughts of hers once more. Counted to ten for any sign, then repeat from zero until something gave.

And something would give, just before the waves could sing its final chorus. He’d witness the flutters of hope return to her eyes, and she’d be met with his unwavering gaze full of light and tender patience. Once more, she would wish there was another way to repay him in full but her grateful soul was the only thing she could offer with open palms.

Then, wordlessly, gently, his hands would guide her away from the windowsill - away from the roaring ocean outside just like he always did when she found herself drowning. A quiet muttering of, “Come here, hug me.”

And once again, they’d live through the night and into the sunrise.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh my dear don’t fall apart // don’t get cold on the windy windowsill

Come here and hug me tight // live through today and let’s go to tomorrow

[attenaeus]

⫾ 📌 INTRODUCTION

—○ Hello to writeblr! After taking some time off from writing after graduating from high school, I've found myself getting back into writing and wanting a place to post it. So, here we are!

○ I'm Atlas, or Atte if you like. I'm 19, he/they/it pronouns and am from Australia. I've lived in Singapore and travelled a fair bit, but home will always be Aus.

⫾ ABOUT

○ I am a second year archaeology student! My main interests are in Egyptian, Greek, and Australian archaeology.

○ I am autistic, have tourette's syndrome, and a dissociative disorder. A lot of my writing is about externalising my experiences with them.

○ Absolutely love to game, dogshit at gaming. Prefer casual games overall, but favourites include Pokemon (all of them.), Celeste, Monster Camp, Spiritfarer, the Sims, and Stardew Valley.

○ I am a gay trans man, currently pre-transition but aiming to start medically transitioning by the end of the year.

—○ Writing wise; ○ Really into classic lit, especially classic gothic literature. Aim to borrow elements of classic gothic lit into my own work ○ Big fan of short stories and "poem like" writing, really like just babbling into a document and then going from there. ○ Epic fantasy reader, one day want to write an epic fantasy series (I just really love world building) ○ Writing often draws from personal experiences with disability. Aiming to write inclusive works that provide accurate and good representation. —○ Favourite books; ○ The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern ○ The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern ○ Chorus of Dragons Series by Jenn Lyons ○ Dracula by Bram Stoker ○ Riordanverse [Childhood favourite, will never get old]

writing and wips below! ⇣

⫾ WIPS

—○ Unnamed Gothic Fantasy 🌊

This one is very early stages, more will be added once there is more to be said. It will be a gothic inspired fantasy with a focus on world building, currently playing with sirens and mermaids.

—○ Burning Spine [Working Title] ○ #ATNTS

Short story about my experiences with Tourette's Syndrome. First draft is nearly complete!

[blackstarmylove]

The Little MerQu (Word Game)

Fandom: Blackstar Theater Starless

Pairing: Qu x gn!Reader

Warning: None

Requested by: @choconanime

Prompt: Hello!💕 Thank you for your hard work may i request Qu with Gen!Mc. mermaid. Hairstyle. Love.

A/N: Hi! 🥰 I couldn't stop myself from using that title. 😂🙈

Word Count: 772

———————————————

This time you were going to catch the person red-handed. Though their intention wasn't bad, the thought of someone doing something to you while you slept disturbed you. Sitting on your favorite beach blanket, you scanned the small area for signs of motion. 

Who could it be? As far as you knew, this area was off-limits to the public, and not many knew about it, which made it the perfect place to take an afternoon nap. Lying on the blanket, you stared at the clear blue skies. 'What a perfect day.' You fought to keep your eyes open, but eventually, you dozed off.  

"They are here again." 

'Is someone nearby?' You slowly opened your eyes but quickly shut them to shield them from the bright sky. 'What is that sound? Is someone dragging their body across the sand? Are they touching my hair? They...are touching-'

Your eyes shot open, and you sat up with a jolt before turning your head. "SO IT'S Y-" 

His warm honey-colored eyes stared back at you in shock. His tan skin contrasted perfectly with his silver strands. His features were soft and refined, giving him an air of delicacy and elegance. His well-toned physique contrasted with his feminine features. The more your eyes traveled down his body, the more you thought you were dreaming.

'A merman?' 

The purple scales on his betta fish tail shimmered in the sunlight; the thin layer of water coating the scale added an iridescent glow, drawing you in. With a shaking hand, you reached for his tail and gently grazed your fingertips across it. The merman curiously watched, his heart racing out of control the more you touched him. 

"You are not afraid." His voice was like a melodic whisper, yet it was alluring. 

He was right; you were afraid, but why? Mermaids were creatures of myth - they weren't supposed to exist, yet there was a merman in front of you, a handsome one too. 

"I am sorry for waking you." 

Without moving your gaze from his tail, you gently touched your hair. Once again, he decorated your hair with what you assumed to be sea shells, starfishes, and pearls. "Why?" 

"Why...am I making your hair?" He asked. "Do you not like it?" 

"Um...it's beautiful, but..." You didn't have the heart to tell him his actions could be considered creepy. His intentions were such, or at least you hoped. "Could you please tell me why you make my hair when I am asleep?" 

"I assumed you would be afraid if I showed myself to you," he chuckled. 

You shifted your eyes from his tail to his face and nodded, "That answers why you waited until I was asleep, but why make my hair?" 

He averted his gaze, his cheeks turning crimson. "My answer may not make you happy..." 

"I still want to hear it." 

"Very well. I saw you here a few months back and felt drawn to you. I wished I could speak to you, but I didn't want to frighten you. Then one day, I overheard what you said..." 

Tears escaped your eyes and fell into the water, disrupting your reflection. "Why can't I be like them? It's so unfair. No matter how much makeup I wear...no matter how many different hairstyles I try...no matter what diet I go on...I never feel pretty. I hate my appearance. I hate myself.' 

"I couldn't understand why you said those words. I wanted to tell you that you are beautiful. Since I couldn't appear in front of you, I waited until you were asleep and made your hair. I thought maybe you would like one of the hairstyles and feel pretty," he gave a small smile. "But it seems like I failed." 

Your lips parted as your shoulders tensed. You had to ask if you heard him correctly. "You think...I'm beautiful?" 

"I do," he smiled. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?" 

Your bit the corner of your bottom lip and lowered your eyes to your lap. "(Y/n). W-What is your name?" 

"Qu," he softly said. 

"Qu..." 

"Yes?" He playfully smiled. 

"Thank you." 

"My pleasure," the merman touched his fingers to his lips and chuckled, his heart doing flips in his chest. He wanted to tell you many things but wasn't sure if it was appropriate to do so in the first meeting, like how he was fond of you and had been since the first time he saw you; or how his fondness had slowly developed into love; most of all, in the world of merfolks, mermen were only permitted to touch the hair of their significant other. 

———————————————

➣ BlackStar Theater Starless Masterlists [1][2][3][4]

➣ Main Masterlist

➣ Buy me a Ko-fi? ➣ Commission: Open  ➣ HC/Scenario Requests: Closed || Quick Ask Requests: Open || GIF Requests: Open

[my2phetaliaheadcanons]

I'm a little late for mermay, can you do mermaid or pirate Nordics falling in love with an Octomer darling that they've seen occasionally above water ( the darling prefers not to be seen around the surface to much, they prefer to be in deep waters. ). You can decide if you want them yandere or not.

Happy Mermay to one and all. Let the warm ocean waves carry you away to the lagoons full of colors and fun.

It’s never too late!! As I write this almost a year later… I also mixed the ideas of pirates and mermaids around. Same with Yandere and non, I hope you don’t mind.

            The smell of salt and subtle sulfur accompanied the ocean’s crashing waves like the scent of fresh popcorn at a busy theater. The grey stones were warm and smooth as (Y/N) basked upon them.

            Stretching and curling her inky tentacles, she shifted more fully onto the tiny, sea stack. Cozy in nature’s embrace, the great Cecelia of the North Sea allowed her eyes to flutter shut to the sea’s lullaby.

Blissfully unaware of the eyes.

Eyes that were full of a painful longing that burned like the dying remains of an oil fire on a starless ocean night. Maybe… He thought they could be together. Maybe, their worlds could be one.

Yandere

            Denmark: The cacophony of loud howls and jeers shocked (Y/N) awake. Scrambling with contracting leucophores turning her body whiter than seafoam to escape the quickly approaching wooden whaler.

Instead of diving off the rocks into the cool sea, the Cecelia smashed into the thick, coarse, rope net. As the fibers tightened around her flexible body (Y/N) screamed and flailed.

Her sharp claws did nothing against the harsh strands as she was lifted away from the depths.

Louder the cheers became as she swung above the rowdy crew. Their hands reached to pull at (Y/N)’s form, in return, she gnashed her sharp teeth at them. Clawing for any flesh to destroy in hopes that creating fear would cause them to return her to the sea.

Each strike was like a failed hunt as each swipe became more sluggish. She thought the torture would never end when a loud voice called for the men to stop.

Silently, all eyes turned to the wheelhouse. She shivered as the blond man stepped down the wooden steps, walking closer. His men moved aside like fish before a shark. Though, she was the only prey in his violet-blue gaze.

Frozen she watched as he slowly reached out his scarred hand. The callous palm rested on her cold, moist tentacle seeming to savor her. 

(Y/N) hissed and lunged causing the net to sway. Grinning as her claws dripped red from catching the captain's hand.

His men somehow became stiller than a sea before a hurricane, and the Great Cecelia paid them no mind. Focused on her small win.

The captain looked at his injured hand before chuckling. Loudly it rang through the silence before the crew joined like terrified seagulls. 

“Thank min havkanin for the mark, but” He turned to the men behind him. “I think you need time to calm down. Don't you lot agree?!"

The chorus was louder than any whale song as the men affirmed their captain. 

"Then to the tank!" He yelled, before licking the blood off his hand.

Smiling as he made eye contact with (Y/N). 

            Sweden: As the sun passed its peak, (Y/N) awoke to the feeling of her tightened skin as it dried. Stretching should have been relaxing, but the state of her skin was more akin to a fresh sunburn after a nap in the summer.

Sluggishly she slunk back to the depths, shivering as the cold enveloped her. Quickly, her body readjusted to its primary environment, swirling in a graceful twirl as she sank to the seafloor.

The sand puffed like a smoke cloud as she rested, observing the blue world as a rumble came from her stomach.

A familiar scent bloomed like an anemone across the current. Blood, fresh and fishy.

Eyes dilated, (Y/N) followed the scent. Wondering if the injured being would be simple prey, or if would it lead her to a feeding frenzy that should be avoided.

Around the stones and across the sand, she glided. Stopping when the source was in sight.

A small, silver herring speared on what appeared to be a string of crystal struggled in front of a dark tube.

(Y/N) stalked closer, her curiosity pushing aside any fear as she reached for the fish. Her hand was a breath away when the fish was snagged back.

She blinked. Stunned, but that nagging of wanting, pushed her on. Forcing her way into the dark tube.

The fish glinted in the low light. Slowly, she again reached forward. Fingertips grazed the smooth scales when a loud bang turned her world black.

Gasping, (Y/N) turned and pushed against the now-closed entrance. Whimpers and cries hurting her throat from overuse. Deafening her from the subtle scrapping.

A sudden jostle banged her against the end of the trap as she was again exposed to the light.

Her hands pressed against the now clear sides to stabilize against the rocking movement. Her eyes froze on the whitetip shark man that was carrying her away.

His sharp smile offered no comfort as his muffled voice spoke to her.

“Ready to go home sjöstjärna?”

            Norway: Those thoughts of oneness rang through his mind like a belled buoy during a storm. Creating visions of a happy future that were as vivid as lighting.

Lidolf swam closer, timing his strokes with the tide. Hoping the foam hid his black-and-white form.

 As the cetacean was stilled by the pile of stone, he monitored his future mate for movement.  Slowly he lifted his hands over the rocks, dropping drops of seawater onto them. Hovering over her hips.

  There was no hesitation as Lidolf clamped down. Digging his claws into her soft flesh as he ripped her away from the world above.

The blond orca laughed as his manet began her panicked struggle. Her teeth and claws only left scratches in his blubbery hide.

He forced her head close as he nuzzled her neck, rapidly swimming off. Taking her away far from the warmth above while speaking promises of their new home.

Hours passed as the water chilled and large ice floats appeared, and (Y/N) began to weaken from the struggle. Her voice felt hoarse from screaming curses and insults at her captor. The Cecealia’s tentacles and arms hung limply with bruised tips.

With heavy eyes, (Y/N) noted how the never-quiet Lidolf had silenced himself. His face was stoic with focus as he gazed at different floats.

Suddenly, he popped up with a “That’s it!” and rushed between two colliding bergs. Turning sharply to the left before swimming into a large iceberg, that was protected by thick floats.

Once deep within the icy wall, (Y/N) felt Lidolf finally release his titanium grip. She seized the opportunity, pushing his arms aside. Putting distance between her and the orca male.

Eye to eye, they remained in a standoff. (Y/N) tensed as Lidolf spread his arms, welcoming her to their icy home.

“As I told you hours ago, I’m not your MATE!”

Dashing, (Y/N) used her tentacles to propel herself forward and around the crazed merman reaching for her again.

The chase felt one-sided as (Y/N) twisted and turned looking for the exit, and waiting for the orca to pull her back. Bite her with a claim and drag her deeper in. 

Looking back, that would have been a daydream compared to the nightmare he used. 

She had reached the exit, ready to bolt into the dark sea when his voice bounced off the ice in a language unknown to modern sea life. As quickly as it rumbled, it faded. Leaving (Y/N) frozen in silence.

When nothing happened, (Y/N) cautiously shuffled. She placed one tentacle out into the unknown, allowing it to curl against the uneven surface. The moment it settled, she screamed.

 Burning, red sigils ran up her form like fire racing over oil causing her to collapse against the berg. 

Panting, shaking (Y/N) was vulnerable to the gentle arms that scooped her. Tightly she was cradled against Lidolf, as he placed kisses along her hairline. Murmuring Norwegian comforts.

“What have you done to me?”

Clicking, Lidolf nuzzled her once more. “Making sure min manet stays home.”

            Iceland: (Y/N) scrunched her face as a small, warm current of air blew across her face. It didn’t last long before it disappeared, but that peace also didn’t last as another blew across her face. The Cecelia groaned and swatted the air hoping that the breeze came from a stubborn bug or stupid gull.

As her arm came down again, a deep giggle erupted like metal being dropped on a tile.

She snapped to attention like a spooked alligator. Nose to nose, she was with a charcoal-haired merman that had the brightest yellow eyes that she had ever seen.

“Who are you!?”

“Me?!” Cocked the cetacean male while putting his hand on his thin chest. “I’m Erlingr, sjókindin mín.”

Umming, (Y/N) opened her mouth to question the strange name forced upon her when Erlingr leaned forward. Their noses almost touched again.

“Do you wanna play a game?”

His request sounded innocent, but something in the tone wasn’t. Like a stranger holding candy doesn’t appear harmful, there is something about him that causes the skin to prickle.

“No,” (Y/N) shook as she slowly sunk back into the sea. “I’ve got to go.”

Her endeavor for distance was halted when Erlingr popped up in a flurry of bubbles.

He questioned why not, there is no harm in having fun.

Again, (Y/N) pushed back. Claiming she had to go hunt and reset her cove.

With each excuse (Y/N) could see how his fists tightened and he drew ever closer. Forcing her against the stone and blocking all exits.

There was no space left for breathing and she snapped at the skinny dolphin. Demanding he let her go with a futile push.

Erlingr leaned back and smiled showing his sharp teeth. “If you win my game, I will. But…”

“But?”

“If you fail, you come home with me.”

            Finland: The sea’s movement may have rocked the dingy, but the man within paid it no mind. Instead, his mind was occupied by his merienkelini on the stone. Her sleeping form would make his work so much easier.

Carefully, the Finnish pirate lifted the modified musket from the wooden floor. Adjusted the weapon for perfect alignment despite the constant motion of the ocean.

Click, boom!

The dart flew and hit (Y/N). The dart scraping only woke her a moment before the medication within knocked her back into dreamland.

Within minutes Niilo had rowed his boat to the sea stack. Tying it to the rock as he moved his prize onto the wet floor.

He smiled at her unconscious form before reaching for the small flare under his seat.

 Another series of clicks and boom turned the sky a flash red.

His crew would be here soon, and hopefully, his merienkelini will enjoy her tank.

Regular

            Denmark: Underneath the waves circled a blunt-nosed six-gill merman. His pale and tan countershading blended him in well with the sand as he stared at the being above the waves. Paying no mind to the mackerel that struggled in his right hand.

Breathing deeply, he floated to the surface, dragging the panicking fish with him. A look of determination in his violet-blue eyes as he closed in on Cecelia.

Using his hands, Markell lifted himself to be level with the stone top. Eye to eye he was with the now awoken mermaid.

For a moment he stared, savoring the way her head cocked to the side with droopy eyes made her look like a newborn seal pup.

“Umm… Can I help you?”

Blinking, Markell nodded before slamming the mackerel on the stone. Dazing the large fish.

“Care to share a meal, havkanin?”

            Sweden: Before slumber can fully pull (Y/N) under its spell, a gentle hum rose above the crashing wave. At first, she tried ignoring it thinking it was nothing more than a passing cruise celebrating some odd human milestone. But as the singing grew louder she twitched.

Once, then twice as the serenade continued its crescendo.

The great Cecelia slowly lifted herself on to her arms. Cautiously, glancing around the ocean surface for the owner of the voice.

To her surprise, it was not from a great yacht, but a small dingy that bounced against the gentle waves. Inside sat a man dressed in a blue captain’s coat with a peacock feather in his black tricorne. He smiled as his voice carried tales of pirates and their adventures.

Seemingly unnoticed, (Y/N) swam closer, quietly propelled by her tentacles. As the wooden side became eye level, she reached out and held to the smooth side.

Her grip bumped the boat, causing (Y/N) to wince as the soothing siren stopped.

A dark shadow overhead caused her to look up.

The man’s face was under the sea looking directly into her (E/C) eyes. His black-framed glasses almost floated away from his own gun-steel eyes.

“Hello, sjöstjärna!” He bubbled.

            Norway: Explosions rang loud like thunder and threw up water in the form of splashes like a reverse rainstorm. The aftershocks caused the sea stack to sway before it crumbled, throwing (Y/N) back into the freezing depths.

She gasped, watching as the marine life fled before the sinking balls of iron. Hastily resurfacing, (Y/N) turned in multiple circles, looking for the cause of the chaos.

Before she could locate anything, a screaming whistle forced her back into the water. The splash from above allowed for an easy dodge of the sinking cannonball.

As more iron rained from above, (Y/N) dove deep, hiding within the remains of the stack.

It felt like hours as she hid from the surface violence.

Eventually, the fury above slowed to a drizzle of metal before stopping altogether with darkness.

 Biting her lip (Y/N) slowly placed a tentacle in the exposed sand. Resting it for a second before quickly pulling it back. Hesitantly she repeated the process with more of her body until she was able to gaze up.

Above was the bottom of a large vessel. Its dark wood appeared well sealed but covered in barnacles like the great whales.

In an almost crawl, she swam to the side of the boat and surfaced. To be greeted once more by a splash.

Her attempt to bolt back to the newly formed cave was spoiled by warm flesh.

Thrashing, (Y/N) realized that one of the humans had grabbed her. Holding her in a grip that rivaled her own.

Teeth gnashing, (Y/N) arched backward. Ready to soak those ivory points red when she froze like stunned prey.

Scars.

All over they covered him like stripes on a sand tiger. (Y/N) expected someone like this to be ready to kill her, drag her from the sea, and skewer her like pork on a spit. Yet, he smiled and gazed at her like a lost treasure finally found.

The strange man took advantage of the confusion, bringing her back to the surface. He took a deep breath to restore what he lost while under the waves.

Her confusion deepened like an abyss when with no introduction, he made a request.

“Are you willing to join me on a quest, Manet?”

            Iceland: (Y/N) choked on the air as a sudden splash awoke her from the world of dreams. Her (h/c) hair clung to her like a second skin as she coughed up the coarse irritation that had taken residency in her throat.

A simple sweep of her hand not only corrected her dripping hair but also allowed her to take in the odd sight before her.

It was a skinny, young man, barely in years of adulthood. His bright, magma-yellow eyes looked like they should have popped, but instead, they were sunk in from starvation. Dark hair that must have once rivaled pure ebony looked more like an off-grey from days of grime.

Yet, despite the obvious suffering he smiled at her with Labrador energy.

“Hi!” he greeted as he reached for her arms. Missing as (Y/N) drew them closer to herself. “My name's Erlingr but call me Eri!”

(Y/N) continued to curl in on herself as she gave the young man a bombastic side-eye. “H-h-how did you get here?”

Erlingr’s smile somehow got bigger as he told the tale of his older brother, Lidolf leaving him behind. Claiming that his senior had ordered him to guard their treasure until his return. Which he believed would be any day now.

“Are you sure? It sounds like he stranded you to die?”

The stranded pirate sputtered in offense. “Of course not! Lidolf loves me, and even if he tried our brothers would have stopped him!”

(Y/N) couldn’t help but raise a brow at the lone man. “Ookay then… But why engage with me then?”

“Because I’m alone, and I see that you’re always alone. And I thought someone as pretty as you, sjókindin, shouldn’t be alone.”

Now, it was (Y/N)’s turn to feel offended as she felt heat flush under her skin. “WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I’M ALONE!”

“Well…” Erlingr started. “For the last month I’ve been here, I’ve never seen you talk to or interact with anything.”

(Y/N) attempted to argue that was only on the surface. Under the sea, there was plenty of social activity for the cecealia.

But, he rebutted by mentioning how in a twenty-four-hour period, she was either above the surface or near it for at least eighteen hours. Which meant she was sleeping in a den the rest of the time.

Dumbfounded, the mer could only stare in confused silence. How was she supposed to respond to him?

“So, you wanna be friends?”

            Finland: (Y/N) felt something rough against her tentacles that rested in the tide. Startled and wide awake she glanced around the surface, looking for suspicious shadows.

There was nothing. Not a wave off beat, splash uncounted, and floating object unnoticed.

Still, the prickling feeling lingered as her chest tightened. She felt like she was gazing into the face of her executioner as she leaned closer to the sea. Hoping a closer view would expel her fears.

(Y/N) gasped as her hearts raced when a shark silhouette erupted from the darkness. Its large, serrated teeth sawing into her tentacles as momentum breached the fish from the ocean.

Together cecealia and shark flew in an arch before crashing back into the water below. An array of bubbles, ink, and blood blinded (Y/N) as she thrashed. The shark chomped and shook (Y/N) like a treat filled chew toy.

She tried to claw at the dead eyes while screeching like a banshee, but it was futile against the shark’s shakes.

As the water transformed from a dark purple to a cloudy ruby, (Y/N)’s vision was overtaken by black spots. She could feel the knife-like teeth cleave deeper into her flesh, about to sever it.

WHAM!

The red cloud split as she sank, free from death’s jaws.

Her numbing mind attempted to process the lone, long figure fighting off her predator. His claws gliding through the shark skin like it was soggy paper, leaving red tides in the wake.

The vision spots had changed to a growing dark edge. Gradually it took over, leaving her alone with the final sound she heard was a haunting howl.

The darkness remained for (Y/N) as she contemplated whether the pain she felt was meant as a punishment in death or that she had survived the fearsome beast. If it was the latter, how many hours had it been, and how did she?

“I know you’re awake merienkelini.”

(Y/N)’s (E/C) eye cracked open revealing a simple cave. Its grey walls had been craved from centuries of tiny movements, but that wasn’t what held her interest.

 The long, Harbour Porpoise merman that watched her with crossed arms did. As she stared at the annoyed man, faded scars became obvious. They littered his pale human half and speckled down to the grey and white tail.

“Um… How did I get here?”

The merman rolled his red eyes as he scoffed. “Did the shark tango really take that much out of you?”

“Yes.” She murmured, looking down at her seaweed-bandaged body. Wincing at the loss of three tentacles.

The sound of a disgruntled sigh and shuffle of movement brought her attention back to him.

“Names Niilo and…” He sighed again with a small blush. “I guess you can stay with me until you’ve recovered.”

[heart-songs]

Love Me in My Current State after L.R. Sterling

The songbird soul, greeting each day with a silent scream and a belly full of worms.

Love me when I shelter in bed past noon and lapse into blue spells that can only be broken by the feral rub of a kiss. Harder, when I am so overrun with feeling that my insides show on the outside.

Love me on starless nights when I lose myself to the dark bloom of an oleander intellect.

Love me as an island girl marooned in yesterday’s lace. As the wet of a rainstorm, exhaustive, bone deep. The mirage of a midriff on a Sunday afternoon. The descendant of mermaids, a study in salty pink lips and knockout waves. Love me as a sweet peach dangling from a loose limb.

That is to say, love me in my current state, clinging to what’s left of summer.

- Cora Finch

[49-ibr]

The sky was as dark as ink, speckled with the starlight and moonlight that could never truly penetrate the blackness of the sea.

In the dead of night, when just below the waves, it was so black that it was as if you were in an empty sky. Starless. Moonless.

But if one swam deeper and deeper...

It was as if the stars returned.

The mermaid's tail pushed her deeper, and the sea-lights and glow-fish grew brighter and brighter. They hung from caverns in lanterns made of broken glass, swaying in the faint sea-breeze.

The chatter of her neighbours surrounded her. Bubbles of laughter burst from several pretty sea-beast lips. Children dragged fishes with leashes of seaweed.

But the caverns she looked for would be far less cheery.

(This is based on the magic of Water in my series, 49! Book 01 is out on Amazon now! 49: VOLUME 01 by Isabelle Bisson-Routhier!)

(UK & US & more!)

[thelittleredheadedmusician]

I didn’t keep a running tally so I don’t have any clue about physical books except the few I can remember but thanks to Libby I’ve got a list of what I read this past year (there were quite a few that were too awful to finish too).

Audio:

Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase

Lockwood & Co: The Whispering Skull

Lockwood & Co: The Hollow Boy

Lockwood & Co: The Creeping Shadow

Lockwood & Co: The Empty Grave

I’m Glad My Mom Died

Dracula (Daily full cast podcast)

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (& up to phase 4 of the original audiodrama)

Good Omens (reread, full cast)

Shakespeare for Squirrels

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street

The Mermaid

The Kingdoms

The Starless Sea

Book of Night

Stars, Hide Your Fires

Husband Material

I Kissed Shara Wheeler

One Last Stop

Enter the Body

Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites Fluff & Fangs Edition

The Dark is Rising (full cast podcast)

The Thief

The Queen of Attolia

The King of Attolia

A Conspiracy of Kings

Return of the Thief

Moira’s Pen

Print:

Thick as Thieves

The Woman in Me

Witches Abroad

Small Gods

Lords and Ladies

The Wicked & The Divine (10 book series reread)

Red, White and Royal Blue (reread)

[musicfranchisetournament]

current submissions + number of propaganda they have !!

i'll be updating this list daily !

dear vocalist ( 1 )

18trip ( 2 )

kagerou project ( 3 )

revue starlight ( 1 )

show by rock ( 1 )

ensemble stars ( 4 )

a3 ( 2 )

charisma house ( 5 )

idolish7 ( 2 )

project sekai ( 3 )

the idolm@ster ( 2 )

blackstar theater starless ( 1 )

fragaria memories ( 1 )

tokyo 7th sisters ( 1 )

paradox live ( 2 )

alien stage ( 1 )

love live ( 1 )

fabulous night ( 1 )

aoppella ( 1 )

world dai star ( 1 )

lolirock ( 1 )

vs ambivalenz ( 1 )

hypnosis mic ( 3 )

steven universe ( 0 )

centaurworld ( 0 )

trolls ( 0 )

julie and the phantoms ( 1 )

hanadoll ( 2 )

milgram ( 4 )

royal scandal ( 2 )

visual prison ( 2 )

purple hyacinth ( 1 )

d4dj ( 2 )

uta no prince-sama ( 1 )

tsukiuta ( 0 )

bang dream ( 1 )

confession executive committee ( 1 )

ensemble girls ( 1 )

obey me ( 1 )

dance with devils ( 1 )

starmyu ( 1 )

i*chu ( 0 )

evillious chronicles ( 1 )

bakamatsu rock ( 0 )

actors song connection ( 0 )

break my case ( 1 )

jem and the holograms ( 1 )

bratz ( 0 )

pitch perfect ( 0 )

mamma mia trilogy ( 1 )

mermaid melody pichi pichi pitch ( 1 )

uma musume pretty derby ( 1 )

guitar hero ( 1 )

[akinosenoragami]

Guess who started writing again!

Summary:

Somewhere In a deep dark forest, there lies a clearing to be found. A sacred place of peace and rest and that's why it's so sought after. There are 5 tribes that coexist with one another. The mermaids of the riverside, the Demonoids of the fire mountains, the Avians of the after day, the fairies of the purple mist and the shadow wolves of the deep woods.

Each year the moon god would hold a ritual to decide who gets to claim the clearing as their territory, but one year the ritual goes wrong and the moon god becomes a hostile entity. In order to appease the God a humanoid killing machine was sent in order to eradicate all of the 5 tribes. 

The story takes place 25 years after the tragedy of the clearing, the survivors of the tribes remain few and far between.

[bitchfitch]

After finding out the truth of this world and the mermaids that inhabited it, a nagging question took root in Nereida's mind. Was this what she had been looking for? Was this ocean paradise what his mother had sought out so desperately in those last few years? It made sense. A magical other world hidden beneath the waves if you can just dive deep enough to surface on the other side.

Her O2 tank hadn't been empty when she washed up. Her lungs had filled with water because she took off her mask down there. Nitrous narcosis is what the coroner said, all sorts of weird ideas can get into your head when you're drunk, suffocating, and surrounded by nothing but black.

If she had been like Jish, able to turn from human to mermaid, then maybe she hadn't taken her mask off for no reason. Maybe down there, alone in the dark, she'd pried her mask from her face to force her body to change and return her to this place which was free of all the griefs of the human world.

It made sense. Nereida would have done the same, but still he wanted to believe she knew nothing of this world. That there had been some other Thing hidden in that bay. That she had really just succumbed to something as mundanely cruel as nitrous narcosis.

That she hadn't abandoned her 14 year old and hidden all of this from him on purpose.

He wished she'd waited a year longer for the institute to announce that it's probes to that other dimension had returned with images of vast sea monsters, or a year more to hear the announcement that a ship would be built to carry researchers there, that a base was to be set up to study these creatures who acted like people.

Would that news have saved her? Would she have waited to find a place on those crews? Would he have come here with her as colleagues instead of as a now adult orphan scrambling to find meaning behind his mother's death?

Josh had brought him back to the small grotto they used as a shelter from the storms. Nereida's position as a researcher for the institute making him unwelcome in the actual mermaid settlements. He understood why, and didn't begrudge them for not wanting someone who might spill every secret about them, near their homes. But he wanted answers he suspected would only be found there.

He wanted to know if anyone knew his mother. A part of him that dared to hope in some bitter way wanted to know if maybe the mystery man that fathered him and who she never wanted to talk about might be there. He'd know Nereida's mother better than he did probably. Considering she apparently kept far more from him than he had ever considered she would.

Jish heaved himself back onto the black rock from out of the water. Once again in his immense and monsterous looking mermaid form. He crawled along on his hands, his gargantuan and graceful form being made unwieldy by being on land. He pulled himself along, ducking his head and chirring a greeting Nereida didn't return.

He'd been so excited to show Nereida the truth. To make it clear that they could have whatever life Nereida wanted for them. That Nereida could leave the human world behind to become a creature of the depths like Jish was, or that Jish could leave his home to become human like Nereida. Jish loved him, and wanted whatever life with him Nereida would let him have. He hadn't expected Nereida to panic and reject his advances and sob in his arms under a sky made starless by light pollution.

Jish came to lay beside where he sat with his arms wrapped around his knees. Careful to not bump him but still seeking quiet closeness in the dim glow of what Jish called their home.

Nereida tensed when Jish laid a hand on his back. He didn't know if he wanted to rebuke the gentle touch or accept the invitation to go curl up against Jish once more. A sob he couldn't stop from boiling back up wracked him and the decision was made for him but the same beast who seemed to be making all his decisions lately.

Jish pulled him close, guided him to lay tucked up against the cold damp of Jish's chest, held close and caged in by Jish's arms. Nereida sobbed and Jish chirred that soft trill that was meant to be comforting.

Nereida had once believed the similarity of that sound and the one his mother used when he was very little and fussing was nothing more than a coincidence, not a mark of a language she apparently never wanted him to fully know.

He cried. He hadn't cried about her since the first Mother's Day that passed after her death. She'd been dead for almost a decade, but it felt new again. Like he'd briefly glimpsed a part of her he never knew only to have it wash up dead in the middle of summer.

Jish didn't know what he was crying about. He'd never even told him he had no family. He must look hysterical, snot nosed and choking back wails of grief and regret and a hundred would-ofs and could-ofs and wishes for it all to have just gone that little bit different. For him or her to have made a shared lifetime of different choices.

Jish still held him through it. Still tried to lend comfort until the last sniffles gave way to numbness.

"Love you." he murmured, his thumb rubbing at Nereida's back where he held him.

He had said it so, so many times. Nereida had never said it in return. That's what this mess was about. Nereida had admitted he was scared that loving Jish would only hurt them both because they were from different worlds, and Jish had shown him that line was more blurred than Nereida had thought. That they could love. That there was a future for them no matter what happened.

Nereida regretted nothing more than the fact he couldn't remember if he'd told his mother he loved her when he said goodnight that evening.

They could have a future, neither of them knew what that meant. But Nereida wanted nothing less than to carry a twin of that regret with him should the worst come to pass.

"I love you too."

[myimaginedcorner]

A TUMBLR STORY: TORN PAGE (p.14)

PREVIOUS RESULT: Near the big lake.

Laefen was who chose the place. He said water always is a good resource to have, that lakes are peaceful havens where all the beasts gather in harmony. No wolf attacks a deer that’s drinking at a lake; no pixie will play tricks on travellers thirsty and tired. It’s one of those rare laws that Nature has imposed on all her children, with few exceptions being outcasts to her rightful rule. Mermaids, monsters, ghosts – those are an evil Nature cannot control, born from hatred and from tragedy.

Those were his words, and with Hibiscus backing them, you trusted. You rode past the solitary wall, away from the majestic sanctuary that had given you abode and hearth for many years, long and fruitful. You bestowed but a quick glance to the solitary mountains to your right, where creatures of wide wings circled the peaks, their species hidden by the distance. You moved around the gloomy forest; to your left, you felt Hibiscus’ quiet pain, phantom tears washing her heart in sight of woods so sad, so twisted.

“It will grow back,” you pointed out, in sympathy to her grief for a creation failed and broken. You knew the feeling from your younger days, that itching ache when your achievements crumble. “Deeper into its thicket, there’s a new settlement being built, a research town for elven biologists. In time, this place will become even bigger than before.”

The satyr heard you; you made sure to speak loud enough for her to listen. Preceded by a silence full of self-reflection, there was a silent ‘thank you’. You smiled, faintly. Building up a courteous relationship with your fellow teammates was a gratifying task.

You stopped once blue swallowed the landscape up to the horizon, and your mount’s hooves got washed by waves that spilled onto the shore. Saddles off, and runes placed to create a temporary barrier, you left the loyal animals to have a deserved rest, taking care of your own tents and fire.

“Strange.”

The roof of what would be your dwelling for tonight raised up to mimic heavy crowns of foliage; your gaze, freed of the tiresome burden that’s setting up under the last rays of sun, moved to the man that swore to be your sword and shield, now crouched next to the threshold of the realms of water.

“What is it?” you asked him. To you, this place was adverse and alien; to him, it was his second home.

“It’s the water.”

Another voice answered, not elven. Turning around, you saw M walk to where you stood, hands behind their back, their deep, trapping gaze resembling honey ready to capture naïve flies. Reciprocating your inquisitive inspection, they smiled.  

“Lakes should not have waves so prominent.”

Their statement came in simple phrasing, indifferent to the uniqueness of their observation. You felt alone while struck by realisation, and solitary curiosity is what imbued you as you looked at Laefen once again. Indeed, no waves should be there, but there were. And yet, instead of awe, you saw insouciance, worry, and exhaustion.

“Better to keep watch tonight,” was the conclusion reached by the rogue when he re-joined you back where the bonfire danced in a valse of flames.

“Something wrong, Laefen?” finishing her ration, Amani watched the elf give her a little shrug.

“Just a hunch. Better to be safe than sorry.”

You started to suspect this was his most used expression.

Sunset was gone, and with it, the need to stay awake. Biding farewell to everyone, you approached your tent, refusing, nonetheless, to enter before you saw Ashna in front of theirs. You were close by, a fact that made you happy. You knew they would be by your side if something was to go wrong.

Your gazes met. You found yourself in deep stupefaction, admiring every single sparkle that roamed within their intense stare. Like a celestial mantle, stars lived within their eyes, their own, soft light illuminating in your starless heart a new path to follow, one you ignored for long enough. Those guiding stars, they invited you to sail through endless waters into an ocean to drown, dragged to the depths of your emotions. Dangerous, that’s how you described them every single time. Dangerous in how beautiful they were.

“Sleep well,” they whispered you, and you confused their whisper with a quiet purr; at least, that’s what your ears wanted it to be.

“You too,” you answered, feeling how the string that kept you standing there gets pulled off your hands. You could have made the conversation slightly longer – there’s always something wise to say and to discuss with someone on whose knowledge there’s no doubt. You failed to find the words, however; again, you failed to say out loud the thoughts you had in mind.

They noticed your embarrassing confusion. They realised the shyness that struck your heart, that pathetic feeling that has great paralysing power over one’s physical body. A fascinating, yet humiliating sight…

However, they didn’t mock you, of course not; to them, things like emotions were oddly gripping, perhaps, in link to their love for the exploration of the mind. Or perhaps, it was you, who had them captivated; your heart skipped a beat at the thought of that.

Their hands took yours, and, before you had the time to answer, a soft, brief kiss caressed your cheek with its burning touch. You felt fire burst through your lungs, its heat immediately getting veins to rage in passionate blazes. Your eyes had sparkles dancing in their pupils.

Such a reaction made them laugh.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” they said, this time, definitely purring. Then, they quickly left your side, and their figure disappeared behind thick cloth before you saw how their ears started shivering in excitement.

You couldn’t sleep, that night. That night, all what was on your mind was Ashna, and that sweet, soft kiss. A futile, cyclical idea without an end or goal, that was forbidding you from having your deserved recovery after a tiring day. Your health was at stake, and yet, all what you thought of was still them, and that small kiss. That silly, ephemeral kiss. How happy had it made you.

[talesofsorrowandofruin]

For the WIP titles game! Yes, I know I'm late on it!

I would love to know a little about The Unfortunate Moth and Like Snow on Hungry Graves. I love the seemingly randomness about Unfortunate Moth and the vibes for Snow on Hungry Graves are just killer

Thanks! :D

Both titles are quotes (because I'm terrible at thinking of titles, so almost all my WIP titles are quotes 😅):

"When the unfortunate moth in his semi-blindness whisks himself and his wings within the flame of the candle, and finds himself mutilated and tortured, he even then will not take the lesson, but returns again and again till he is destroyed." — Anthony Trollope, The Small House at Allington

"You are now nothing but a memory. Drift on out into the cheerless ache of lonesome and lost. Cling to your passing resurrections like a moribund mist. You will not be fully revived. You were not made to feel the warmth of their skin. Nor to listen to the lullabies of beating hearts. You were meant to twist in the long winds, a dying passage to starless nights. And fall, fall like embers from the limbs of life. Fall like snow upon hungry graves." — Helaena C. Moon

The Unfortunate Moth started out as a standalone murder mystery. Now it's become the first in a trilogy, The Case-files of Seo Yo-han. (I really, really hope it doesn't become a four-book series...) Technically it's set in an alternate universe version of 1915, but really its setting is best described as "history is a vague suggestion".

Like Snow on Hungry Graves is best described as The Little Mermaid meets Goodbye My Princess, with a dash of The Untouchables. The main characters are: merman who did not sign up for this, dragon pretending to be human and working as a detective, undead mob boss who's in debt to the dragon and thinks a marriage of convenience is the best way to repay him, and mob boss's long-suffering sister who's the only person with a working brain cell. Also featuring: sea monster who wants to destroy the world, and an ordinary human who's more monstrous than everyone else put together.

[kiriel123]

Fic recs MDZS/The Untamed

Walk, Walk, Passion, Baby by westiec

Modern with Magic Model AU dragon!lwj phoenix!wwx everyone is wearing gorgeous outfits during a modeling show and later lwj is stripping wwx out of his gorgeous outfit for the wrecking of a lifetime

feel it so strong (we don’t even have to say goodbye) by curiositea

Modern AU fake husbands for a nanosecond but lwj is going to turn that nanosecond into real husbands forever given the chance. Wen Chao hits on wwx and won’t take no for an answer, so wwx ropes a handsome stranger (lwj) into playing pretend

I'm Talking Skin on Skin by julomaiboulomai

Modern Author AU wwx has been getting himself off to audio books of his fave erotica series, not realizing that his bff lwj is both the narrator and author of said series. Jiang Cheng did not sign up to know any of this

splash;; by defractum (nyargles)

WLW Mermaid AU! Lwj saves mermaid!wwx and as a good human host shows her all the ways she can touch herself and others. I don’t know what other info you need than adorable mermaid/human girlfriends

all I find is you by daltoneering

Post canon wwx is trying to find shelter on a cold, rainy night but the inn has sold out all rooms – to lwj and the juniors! Lwj takes such good care of wwx, offers to share his room and bed, and they both snap and go feral for each other. 10000/10

underneath a starless sky, the wind blows towards the future by ilip13

Urban Fantasy AU lwj goes to broker a deal with the yllz to keep the Lan greenhouses from dying. The intersection of magic and technology in this was amazing, and the writing really made the city come alive

A Sure Thing by vesna (mrsronweasley)

Modern AU wwx is looking for a sugar daddy and lwj is right there to provide. Wwx is doing just fine thanks until he catches feelings. So hot, so good, a true masterpiece

come away, o human child by merelydovely

Lans are Dragons AU wwx unknowingly makes a dragon fall in love with him and then is invited to the Dragon Court where lwj steadily escalates his courtship before claiming wwx. Multiple times. Everyone is having a sexy time at Dragon Court

Morning, keep the streets empty for me by feyburner

Modern Cultivation AU lwj is assigned to babysit wwx as his partner and finds wwx so much more than the rumors paint him. This fic is only 5k and had me by the throat the ENTIRE time. Utterly gorgeous and haunting

blue-ribbon bunny by cicer

Modern shapeshifter AU Tired bunji gets stuck in bunny form and rescued by good Samaritan wwx. Wwx wanted a pet, but like any good gift with purchase, got a boyfriend too! Bunny licks make everything better

Night of the Living History (an edutainment special!) by Aerlalaith

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30449220

Modern Cultivation AU wwx plays the yllz and lwj plays hgj at the Lanling Cultivation Museum. The museum is, of course, haunted. Everyone gets VERY into their roles. Also A-Yuan wanders around in little robes giving little bows like the cutest little cultivator ever