#Frozen--The Mystery--Book 1

[darklordofthesimp]

Anything VIII (König x Reader)

The 8th instalment in the Anything-Verse

Main Masterlist

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7

Like the characters? Read their fics below!

Sunshine Masterlist || Saint Masterlist

Series Summary:  A lack of information from the chain of command results in König mistaking you for an enemy sniper.

A/N: No one make any sudden movements. I have returned. Excuse how rusty my writing is.

Category: Angst || Hurt/Comfort || Unrequited Pining || Tension

Warning: Graphic Language

What a sight you must behold. 

Sleepless, stressed and on the verge of your breaking point… again. 

It was no wonder that Saint watched you with deep concern, no wonder that they held their pen like it was a lifeline rather than just stationary. You wanted them to just understand, you needed them to know that you weren’t insane- everything was so elaborately planned and you were just on the verge of unravelling it. 

“Saint,” you rasped, “there are people in on this…. The brass. I think König too. It’s a fuck-fight.” 

The doctor leaned back into their chair, eyes never leaving your jittering figure. The sigh that fell from their lips released none of the tension balled tightly in their shoulders. 

“Birdy…” 

You stood to your feet. You didn’t want to hear it. 

You were sick of hearing people say your name in that tone: placatingly, diminishing your thoughts and dismissing you as if you were the local crazy. 

Maybe you were the local crazy. 

Is that how everybody saw you? Did everybody truly think that you were so off-kilter that you’d hallucinate a coup? You were a victim of assault- not insanity. 

“Stop,” Saint put their pen down firmly on the table, drawing your attention back to the situation at hand. “I’m listening. I’m just a little…  hesitant. It’s a very serious accusation, Birdy, but I’m not doubting the source.” 

You shot the medical officer a knowing glare. “Oh,” you drawled sarcastically, “because everybody takes me seriously at this unit with my history, right?” 

“I don’t give a fuck about whether anybody else takes you seriously,” Saint’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “I take you seriously, Birdy.” 

The room was doused in tension. Your fingers curled to form tight fists, skin stretching over your knuckles until they turned white. You don’t know why you were angry at their declaration, angry at their loyalty. 

Maybe it was because you knew it was misplaced. 

Maybe it was because you knew you’d disappoint. “Yeah,” you sighed softly, relaxing your hands as you turned for the door. “That makes one of us.” 

_______

The walk to training always held some anxiety but this time it was as if you were drowning in it. Each step felt like a death knell and sudden dryness in your mouth made you want to turn back and run to the safety of your room.

You thought that you were well and truly past this. 

Apparently, you couldn’t get past anything. 

As you approached the door you were surprised to hear voices. No one ever wanted to interact with König, let alone at 7 a.m. on a Saturday. The room was always booked for the two of you at this time, interruptions were specifically warned against by Price. 

It’s just a conversation. You took in a deep breath. Not everything required a downward spiral, not all mysteries needed investigation. 

Literally just a fucking conversation. Get a grip. 

You straightened your shoulders as you approached the door and the dialogue became clearer. 

“Birdy will be here soon.” König’s voice was as familiar as your own. “You need to leave.” 

You pulled up short just before the entrance, frozen like a deer in the headlights. There was a short silence before a soft thud echoed throughout the room. It sounded like a hand being clapped over the shoulder but you weren’t sure. Could have been a punch, could have been a really intense kiss, who fucking knew? 

All you knew was that they weren’t meant to be there. Maybe it was Sunshine. 

Although you hated the arrogant fucker, it would relieve you to know it was them. They were inconsequential and, although they were annoying, they wouldn’t be behind your assassination attempt. 

Sunshine would have made sure you were in the ground, no matter the cost. Sunshine would have succeeded. 

Instead, the voice that rattled in your ears wasn’t your fellow coworker. 

“Just be careful. Wouldn’t want to jump the gun, would we?” 

Your blood turned to ice.  

Graves. 

You could almost hear that snake-like grin in his words, you could almost see the look in his eyes that was nothing but predatory. Phillip was charming when he wanted to be, but there was something terrifying about him.

Like a trap lying in wait. 

Like a traitor waiting to strike. 

The sound of sure and steady footsteps snapped you out of your thoughts. Panic flooded your system, kicking your adrenaline into gear. There was nowhere to hide, not even a small nook in this god-forsaken hallway.

As Graves drew closer to discovering your presence, you bounced back a few steps from where you’d been frozen. Throwing your arms above your head as if you were stretching and squinting your eyes with an outrageous yawn was all you could pull together. 

Phillip rounded the corner with a cocky sway that made your heart race. You watched him scan your slowly approaching body, seemingly tired and unaware. You acted surprised to see him, carefully schooling your face to return to the usual lifelessness that it held. 

“Birdy!” Graves said, slowing his pace. With a flash of teeth, the corner of his mouth pulled upward into a knowing smirk. “Good to see you.”

“I bet,” you said monotonously, adding a dismissive nod at the end like a punctuation mark. 

Phillip’s smirk turned into a smile. 

“Enjoy your session,” the man said slowly. As he drew closer you could feel your chest tightening. He smelt fresh like he had just gotten out of a long, hot shower. You hated that he was close enough to smell the fucking body wash on his skin. 

His shoulder brushed yours as he passed by, setting your body alight with fear. You didn’t dare look over your shoulder as you trekked towards the gym door, eyes firm on that handle. His footsteps still echoed along the hallway by the time that you’d reached the entrance. 

“You’re late.” 

König’s voice startled you despite making direct eye contact with him. 

The man looked disgruntled, to say the least. His hair looked like he’d been running his fingers through it over and over, and your guess was confirmed when he roughly raked it over once more. König’s eyes were looking anywhere but yours. 

“I’m not.” You’d meant for those words to have some bite to them but you couldn’t muster up the venom. Not when he looked like that. 

“You are,” he insisted with a snarl. 

You raised your hands up in surrender, eyes narrowing at his hostility. The urge to leave grew tenfold and so did your distrust for the man before you. There were too many things that pointed towards his guilt in planning your assassination. 

The way he’d tried to blow off your concerns, the vehement way he’d shouted for you to drop it, and now, his interaction with Graves. You thought back to your time in the kitchen when Phillip had first encountered you both. 

“Now, who’d have thought that you’d both be so… close.” He had said.

The Shadow had watched with intrigue as König stepped in front of you as if protecting you from him. If you really thought about it, most of his smarminess was aimed at the man beside you, rather than yourself. 

You swallowed and choked on your own spit. It was a distant reminder of when it had been your own blood that you’d coughed on. 

König’s sigh tore you from your spiralling conspiracies. 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. His tone was quiet but his eyes were genuine. 

“Yeah,” you cleared your throat. “No, it’s fine. I get shitty when I deal with Graves, too.” 

But why was he with Phillip in the first place? 

You wanted to ask him, everything in you pleaded to seek out the truth. You needed to investigate-, you needed to know. Your mouth opened to get the answers you so desperately desired, but a thought made you stop in your tracks. 

What if you let on that you were suspicious of him? 

It was clear that you were no match against König. Your entire life had become interwoven with his and it felt like he was there in your every waking moment. If he knew that you suspected him, it would only put you in danger again. He’d busted through your bedroom door once and that was enough to tell you that you wouldn’t be safe from him anywhere you went. 

You distantly realized that König was watching you carefully from where he stood, jade eyes analyzing every quirk of your lips and every twitch of your brows. 

“What?” You said, feigning self-consciousness. “Admiring your handiwork?” 

The man shot you a glare and you prayed that was enough to shift his attention. 

“I hate it when you say things like that,” he hissed, pulling his jacket down his arms and throwing it aside. “Seriously.” 

“Yeah, well I hate having a chopping block for a face.” You tilted your head to shoot him a deadpan look over your shoulder. “Seriously.” 

“I cannot deal with you sometimes, Birdy.” König hissed. 

“I can tell,” you jerked your thumb towards your marred features. 

You knew that you were playing with fire. The way the man stood straight, his gaze narrowing and any sense of banter dissipating from his features, made it very clear that it was time for you to stop pushing that particular button. 

“Your attempt at deflecting is not as effective as you may think,” König said, his words slow and deliberate. Jade eyes bore into yours and your breath stuttered in your chest. 

You could lie to him, you could play dumb. He was dangerous and if you tipped him off you would be dead by morning.

You couldn’t make sense of that logic, though. If he wanted you dead, you’d well and truly have been dead by now. Your cheeks stung at the thought… you suppose that there wasn’t a lack of trying. Maybe it really had just been a failed attempt. 

“Birdy,” the soldier said, shooting a glance at the door. “I know what you are thinking and you need to put a stop to it.” 

Those contesting thoughts came to a staggering halt. 

“I don’t even know what I’m thinking,” you snapped. “What would you know?” 

König raised a brow at your tone, opening his mouth to deliver what you would assume to be an infuriating response. The words choked and fell from his tongue, though. There was a huff as he turned on his heel, stalking towards the exit and closing the door. 

You swallowed thickly. 

When he swivelled to look at you it was with a burning gaze that pinned you to where you stood.

“You bring attention to us in ways that will get us killed,” König whispered harshly, his accent was sharp and heavy with each enunciation. “You need to stop.” 

“Stop what?” You waved your hands at him. “You’re so fucking vague.” 

He flinched forward, pushing his finger onto your lips. You smacked his hand away like a cat pawing at something irritating. 

“Would you be quiet?” He snarled through gritted teeth. König took in a deep breath, casting another look at the exit. He was watching the light beneath the door, making sure there were no shadows tipping off an eavesdropper. Why was he suddenly the paranoid one? 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” You lowered your tone but the urgency behind it was still present. 

“You need to stop chasing this lead,” König shook his head, gaze imploring. “You need to stop trying to find who planned the accident.” 

Your mouth went dry. 

“Is that a threat?” The words were a true whisper this time. Barely falling from your lips and only as audible as a soft gasp. 

König’s eyes widened. “What?” 

“Are you in on it?” You asked, taking a step backward. 

Bile roiled in your stomach as if mimicking a stormy sea. There was a distinct buzzing in your ears, numbing you to anything but the situation at hand.

“What?” König repeated. “What? No. That is not what I meant by that.” 

You shook your head, “the other day- the way you reacted says otherwise.” 

He reached out for your arm and you wonder if it was to comfort you or to detain you. You finched away from him but this time the man before you didn’t yield. He did not back down and he did not allow you the illusion of control. 

Instead, König held you firmly by your biceps. 

“I need you to listen to me, Birdy. We don’t have time for this back and forth thing that we do every time.” 

Rage tore through your chest at his dismissal and you would have told him as much had he not looked so desperate. Instead, you kept your mouth shut as the man watched you pleadingly. You would let him speak because maybe he had the answers you were searching for, maybe König would be the evidence to prove that these suspicions weren’t delusions. 

The man cast another glance towards the doorway before letting go of your arms. You straightened cautiously, being mindful to not rub at the skin he’d had contact with. 

“Well?” You whispered impatiently, waving a hand at him to continue. “You wanna manhandle me or do you want to talk?” 

“It’s not safe for us to talk here,” König’s words were barely audible. “You need to stop with your head-hunting. Stop asking questions.” 

His eyes were fierce, warning you not to challenge his demands but you couldn’t care less. He, of all people, had no right to be telling you when to chase answers.

He raised a hand before you could speak. “You are going to get us both killed because you gather intel like a child-” 

“What does that even mean?” You interrupted harshly.

“It means you have alerted everyone, Birdy!” König snapped, his voice harsh and his eyes flashing. “Whoever did this knows that you’re onto them. They know that we know.” 

You blinked dumbly, stunned. 

The man glared at you for a long moment, his chest heaving with laden breaths. The silence that eneveloped you both was anything but empty. There was a buzzing in your ears and you weren’t sure if you were relieved or horrified that he’d confirmed your suspicions. Blind rage filled your lungs as if you were drowning. 

“You mother fucker!” You hissed between gritted teeth, shoving at his chest with as much force as you could muster. “You fucking knew?” 

“Of course I knew!” König bit back as he stumbled for his footing. “I’ve been trying to find them and you have been hindering me every fucking step of the way, Birdy.”

You wanted to scream at the top of your lungs, you wanted to bash this man over and over just like he’d done to you. You weren’t insane but he was more than happy to intimidate you into thinking that you were. 

“How could you keep this from me?” Your fingers dug into the skin of his arms as you grabbed him. You wanted to shake the truth from the giant before you, rattle the honesty right from his mouth. “After everything that’s happened!” 

König didn’t so much as wince at your nails in his skin, fury simmered in his eyes like molten jade. “I was your main suspect and you outright told me about your suspicions while you were locked in a room with me, Birdy. What would have happened if I was actually everything you make me out to be?” 

You swallowed thickly, your fingers loosening their grip. 

“I could have killed you right there,” König continued softly, “at this rate you’ll die before you find them.” 

“You said I already tipped everyone off,” you rasped, almost meek in tone. “How have they not come for me yet?” 

The man rolled his shoulders, shooting another paranoid glance at the door. He continued talking as he scanned the room, searching for telltale signs of a third party.

“Everyone thinks you are disabled, Birdy, no one is taking your concerns seriously.” König straightened, levelling you with an evaluative glare. “But I knew better.” 

You drew in a deep breath, holding it in for a few moments before releasing just like Saint had taught you. Your heart squeezed in your chest at the thought of your therapist. You told them everything- König was right. You’d mouthed off your suspicions knowing that Saint and Price were close. What if Saint had told Price? Then Price would have told Shephard and Simon and then- God. 

You’re so fucking stupid. 

Of course everyone knew, you’d practically blasted it across the unit’s P.A system. 

“What now?” You managed to croak. “What do we do now?” 

König frowned at you, his body falling still. “We?” 

“You’re not leaving me out of this,” you ground out. 

“We are not doing anything together,” he said, eyes roaming over your features quizzically. Your heart lurched desperately, there was no way you’d let him do this without you. You deserved to be a part of this, you deserved to get your justice and whoever did this deserved to die.

“You owe it to me!” You nearly raised your voice, fear trickling down the expanse of your spine. Not a fear of the man before you, but this time it was a fear of being left behind. Left to paranoia, left alone with your thoughts and suspicions and no one to hear them. 

König shook his head, “we cannot work together.” 

“We have to!” 

“We can’t!” 

Your eyes were wide and your chest was heaving as the man before you gripped your shoulders. He lowered down to a knee, drawing close enough that you were only a breath apart. You opened your mouth to offer a shaky response but the way his gaze ran over your features stole the words straight from your tongue. 

“I will not risk your safety again, Birdy.” König’s words brushed against your lips, warm but sorrowful. “That is what I owe to you.” 

#konig x reader #könig cod #könig x reader #könig call of duty #König #konig modern warfare #konig mw2 #konig call of duty #konig cod #modern warfare 2 #mw2 x reader #cod mw2 x reader #cod mw2 #cod x reader #call of duty x reader #call of duty

[holybibly]

Divine Rosa  ❢ot8xreader❣ 

❣ Pairing: yandere!otx8 x reader

❣ Genre: Dark Romance, vampire au, angst, horror, yandere au, smut

❣ Word Count: 10.1k

❣ Summary: The moth always pours itself into the flame; what a pity that in the end it burns out. After the tragic death of her sister, MС tries to find answers to the questions she left behind. This leads her to a gated cottage town known for its luxurious rose gardens. In addition, there are also these mysterious men who manage all the affairs in the city. Too sweet, too helpful, too intrusive, and too in love.

❣ WARNING: only!18+ Themes of death, suicide, severe depression, stalking, blood, yandere behavior.

❣ Disclaimer: I don't support yandere behavior, stalking, or religious imposition. Themes include violence, obsession, possessiveness, and emotional or psychological manipulation. This book is intended solely for entertainment purposes.

❣ Chapter 1: Memento Mori ❣

Have you ever thought about death?

How many times have you asked yourself, “What will happen to us next?” “Is there something on the other side?” “Will we see the shining light at the end of the tunnel and the white-winged angels, or is it just darkness waiting for us?”

We constantly reflect on this, sitting in the noisy company of friends, frozen for a moment in cold numbness; late at night, when there is no sleep and gloomy thoughts creep into your head; on the subway, bus, or taxi returning home from work or school, desperately understanding the desperation of their situation; recurring days in endless solitude.

We should stop doing that. When the time comes, we will ask ourselves other, more important questions.

Nevertheless, we tirelessly continue to be interested in it. Again and again, until our clock stops.

Sometimes I think all we have after we die are flowers and regrets. In our soul, heart, and mind, every second, there are many events that do not obey any rules of formal logic. All that we lose at death. There is no longer the privilege of choice that we had in life; now we have to settle for small, choking on despair and memories, staring into our own reflection on a silver epitaph.

“Our love will stay with her forever.” It would sound like a dream if it weren’t such a dirty lie.

I don’t think love exists. It’s like a sweetener: we feel sweetness, but the brain realizes it's fake, sending out red signals warning of deception. But we still desperately crave this feeling, however painful it may be.

And yet, after death, our lives go on, and in some special cases, we find ourselves more alive than ever before.

It's our time to watch as the new story unfolds, and the usual roles are played by other actors. New names appear on the waiting list, and celebratory ribbons are given to the new queens. See how fake diamonds sparkle in their luxurious crowns. Despite that, you’re the star of this show. Your name is in the news, in the bold headlines on the front pages of newspapers, and every casual passer-by claims to have known you personally while you still existed in a small, closed time period called life.

So what does it feel like to be the only spectator in the front row? The main subject of general regret.

In our cooled consciousness, a sharp conviction of our own uselessness is born and settles. Friends we used to call the best put your stuff in boxes with ribbons of tape. A family that tears the remnants of your life apart, erasing your name from the family register with a sickeningly straight line of black ink. Acquaintances and colleagues, always smiling with an astringent sweetness that glues their teeth, easily remove your number from the contact list and open their palms in a welcoming gesture to those who came to take your place.

All of them, all these people close to us, express their false regrets about your untimely departure, putting a tick in front of the memorized phrase: “Ah, we are so sorry. She was young and beautiful.” Is that what they usually say?

That’s all; our race for popularity is over. The rules of good manners and standards of appearance no longer matter. Your thoughts, actions, and preferences belong only to you, and at this very moment, we feel freedom. Short time, but still freedom.

It is only a short moment until the lid of the coffin closes completely over us. And here we are, face to face with our past, alone.

As hard as it may be for us to admit it, it's true. All that remains for us after death is regret.

Each of us has our own. Someone feels regret for the love that he could not protect and the loved ones that he has lost forever. We regret the things we’ve done and the words we haven’t said, but most of all, we regret the time we’ll never get back.

The dead mourn more than the living.

Besides regrets, we’re taking flowers with us. Yes, these beautiful creatures are leaving with us to one day wrap around our bones, sever the grayish subtlety of our skin, and grow again above the ground, eating us like a parasite. 

The flowers also symbolize the grand finale of our celebration. When the music dies down and the curtain falls, they will be the only ones who will stay side by side while the guests leave the lavishly decorated hall one by one.

Have you noticed how many bouquets are brought to cemeteries?

I like to think of it as a peculiar payment for our rest. Maybe death is as in love with these deliciously fragile things as we are, and that’s why they’re leaving with us. Silent companions who hold our hand as we go into the darkness.

The path to the origins of the great Sanzu River is paved with bloody lycoris and mournful lilies. Truly a magnificent sight. Ugly and beautiful are two sides of the same coin.

When I was little, Mina told me many different stories. Some warmed my cheeks and stretched my lips in a happy smile; others were gray, like days with incessant downpours. I wrapped myself in blankets and warmed my palms with warm cups of herbal tea, but there were other stories that I didn't want to remember until now.

They were sinister, like a spider hovering on a web waiting to be sacrificed. The words were sharp; they pierced the skin, leaving long, stinging wounds. Meaning has always been terrible; like a blade in the tongue, it could not be swallowed and understood. I was afraid. I was scared to death. I could not sleep in the light of a bright day or in the mist of a starry night; in the coziness of the blankets, there was no warmth or protection, and the mocking laughter of Mina made it worse.

My grandmother scolded her and assured me that all this was nonsense, empty words, and legends formed from idleness, but I knew better. There was truth in Mina's stories, and the realization of this only made them scarier.

The most terrible of them was the story of a young man in black silk robes. Beneath the black veil was a sensual smile, and the fox's heterochromic eyes were alluring and sparkling like stars.

Was he a nine-tailed kumiho? A black reaper holding death itself on a leash? He may have been a vampire, desperate and thirsty, but personally, I was sure he was a ghost. A past woven into a single canvas, thread by thread, stitch by stitch. I think I saw him once, during the Lunar Festival. He was the center of my little universe, the otherworldly and inexplicable, his long black clothes flowing to the ground like a waterfall, and the diffused light of the treacherous moon embraced his silhouette like a caring mother’s embrace.

I thought the world was dancing around him. The children were running around laughing and circling like butterflies in the round dance; the couple were whispering nicely, their palms intertwined tightly, as if it would save them from the inevitable parting; and the others were simply enjoying the festival time, waiting for the sheaves of colorful fireworks to explode in the sky.

His eyes pierced my figure so greedily and sharply. I saw hunger in them. A thirst. A goal. 

And then I screamed. So loud and disgusting in a childish way. With a shrill screech, I rushed into the crowd, hoping to find Mina. The colorful ribbons in my hair rushed into the air, and the wind bore me the echoes of his sweet laughter.

He was mocking me. I could have run, but he could have caught me in a second if he wanted to. For a moment, I looked back to make sure that he was still standing there, covered with moonlight and a myriad of stars, but the long, flowing silk of his black robes melted like a mist in the night without leaving a trace.

Mina laughed mockingly as I clung to the lush skirts of her violaceous hanbok, sobbing, choking with tears, and pointing my finger in the direction where I saw the young man with the fox’s eyes.

After that incident, I didn’t sleep for days, couldn’t eat, and was afraid of every noise.

From that night on, I began to believe in ghosts. They are among us. We can see them, reach them, and hear their whispering voices. Science cannot explain them; they are not subject to it. They are mistakenly called fictions, twisted forms of memories that acquire real outlines and are indistinguishable from the real world.

Science calls it imagination; I call it another form of life. Ghosts exist. They’re always there.

The line between the dead and the living is thin and fragile. If you push it a little harder, it’ll shatter.

It’s true—life after death exists.

I was told once that death is like being submerged in water. First, the lungs start to burn from a lack of oxygen; the body gets heavier; the eyes are baking, but we’re still conscious; and the brain continues to function. Then comes the next step. Our body desperately clings to life, continuing to contract the heart muscle. Bam, bam, bam. Deaf blows on the rib. If you start acting now, there is little hope of salvation. No more than a minute. And then, after that, there’s the final stage. Clinical death. Smooth stripe on the monitor.

Our sinking is over. We have reached the bottom. We have met eternity in the muddy depths, blended with the muddy sand and pearls.

That may be true, but for me, death is no more than a moment—until the last flowers on the grave fade.

I never thought about dying. Until it happens to Mina.

The first time I met death, it was with my first breath. I was born with silence—too small, too fragile, and painfully quiet.

Then there were the piercing sounds of medical devices and the screams of doctors and assistants. I was taken away instantly and carried far into the sterile, transparent box. Death retreated, but it didn’t go away.

I was only three when my parents died. Mina was squeezing my hands and talking about a long journey. Grandma took us to her old country house, where secrets were hidden and hyacinths blossomed. At the time, the very concept of grief was not clear and tangible to me; rather, the feeling was like frostbite, when the skin was already dead, but the pain was absent.

So I knew death before I even knew it.

My grandmother died suddenly. Her life was cut short in an instant, like a thread brought to the flame. I knew it; it seemed long before it happened. That summer, I was going to be at a ballet camp, and Mina was the star of the school, and she was planning on spending time with her cheerleading friends. Just one call changed all our plans. Short skirts and ballet points replaced chrysanthemums and black ribbons. Mina was grieving, taking condolences, while I watched from the sidelines. Grandma's leaving seemed like a dull pain from an old injury rather than a sharp cut, and it was easier to deal with than I thought.

This was the third time I'd known death.

And then Mina happened.

The passionate, bloody, grandiose Mina's death. By closing my eyes, I could see her face again. White, sun-drenched, and blood roses, her long fluttering eyelashes, and scattered carmine strands of hair.

She was not at all afraid to die, as if this scenario had been memorized by her. Isn't it an innate instinct, a fear of the unknown, of death? We are frightened by monsters under the bed and horrors lurking in dark corners. We must be afraid of death. We are obliged to do this from the very moment we are born.

Mina was not afraid. She was never afraid of anything, unlike me.

Spiders, darkness, roses…

The list goes on.

When she died, I realized two things: one, nothing lasts forever, and two, I wanted to know what happened to my sister and what became her trigger. Big red button. At my request, an autopsy was conducted to rule out a drug-induced hypothesis that could have caused mental and emotional distress. Forensics found nothing in her lungs except rose petals. Mina literally breathed flowers. It sounded almost fantastical to me. Even her death was beautiful. Forever the first violin in the orchestra. 

The case of her mysterious disappearance was closed. There was no point in looking for someone who was already dead. I asked the detectives to continue the investigation, but despite my desperate pleas, the police were adamant. My sister’s once-radiant life was packaged in a pair of cardboard boxes with a large-scale signature in black marker. “An Mina, case 117”. With each passing day, everything about Mina sank into darkness, but the mysteries and secrets around her only grew larger.

Once upon a time, I could call Mina an open book. It was easy to read—all the emotions, character traits, and habits—everything in it was exaggerated; there was no middle. Her love was never a simple hobby; it was always sharp, risky, and passionate.

Perhaps that is why she so easily fell into an obsession with roses; her feelings took a dangerous path.

I wanted to know who gave her these fabulous roses, who sent her candy and little sweet notes. There was something wrong with all of this, and not just the fact that the lush pink buds didn’t fade. No. It was a feeling, something very ominous, like a calm before a hurricane. A frightening, unnatural silence when all is silent and the air is gathering in front of the thunder's stunning storms.

There’s a long, unrequited tranquility on the other side of the phone line.

In the Japanese language, there is the expression “koi no yokan,” which literally means the feeling of inevitable love for the person you first met. This is not love at first sight, but a premonition of future love. So it was with these roses; they were not evil as such, but they were the inevitable omen of his coming.

True evil does not come in the form of a little red man with sharp horns and a long tail. Evil is beautiful—almost religiously magnificent. His appearance is divine and seductive, attracting the sweetness of the forbidden. Of course, the Devil himself was once an angel. And not just anyone; he was God’s favorite.

So are these flowers. I’ve never heard of people falling in love with soft petals and spiny stems. No one ever sings strange prayers for roses and dedicates his life to them without a trace. Those roses were bigger than they looked.

I think that Mina’s death was not accidental; it wasn’t suicide. Something broke her, violated her mind, and eventually destroyed her. Whether they were roses or people who gave them, that was my question. It was a secret hidden in the white folds of her lace dress, the dreamy smiles, and the names she spoke with such awe.

During Mina's funeral, I was approached by one of the lawyers who handled her legal affairs. I had to sort out the property rights and the lots of pages with numbers, dates, and places. Mina left me not only secrets but also a great legacy. As it turned out, in addition to our common apartment, she had several other assets in her possession, including her grandmother's mansion, which at one time she received as a sole inheritance, shares in various companies, and investments abroad.

I am now the sole owner of all this.

I had no idea where to start looking for answers or where to find the keys to the secret locks. Maybe I can find something in her files between the lines and the capital letters, or maybe it’s all dry formalities. So, going to the lawyer sounded like a good start to me.

How many can hide from those who command our last will?

Even so, I didn't want to be alone with Mina's secrets if I could find something in her belongings. I decided to call Soomin, who was once Mina’s best friend, the closest, to be exact. She was always there, having fun and crying with Mina, supporting and comforting when needed. Soomin was an integral part of her life. My life.

After the incident with the roses, they split up, not on the best of terms. Their conversation completely ended, but I still continued to spend time with her, and we often went to brunch at various gourmet cafés that Soomin loved so much. She was an elite restaurateur and had great taste, not only in the interior but also in food.

In a way, she completely replaced my sister. Soomin always told me, “No orgasm can ever match a stunningly cooked fondant au chocolat”. Yeah, I could totally agree with her on that.

After dialing her number, I waited for an answer. The wait was not too long, and after the second tone, I heard the melodic voice of Soomin on the other side. “Hello” “Soomin, I'm sorry to distract you from work; can you give me a few minutes?

“Sarang? I can’t believe you finally called me. How are you feeling, honey? I’ve been really worried about you, you haven’t spoken to any of us all this time.” In her voice, there was a sincere concern that resembled a mother's. 

Soo has always been so caring and gentle. In her was the same fascinating brightness that Mina possessed, which brought them very close and became the strong foundation of their friendship, but unlike Mina, who resembled a raging forest fire, Soomin was a comforting flame of home. One was ready to destroy everything around her; the other collected ashes in beautiful vases and kept them as precious memories.

After Mina died, she was there for me when I especially needed support.

“Sorry, Soomin, I’m still trying to get over it." I sounded exhausted, even to myself. The days spent in voluntary isolation completely drained me emotionally and physically. I was the alarm of danger light for my friends. “You know, when she went missing, it was hard for me, but I was still hoping she’d come back. I convinced myself that Mina was fine and that she was enjoying life surrounded by her favorite roses.” It was the first time I had spoken openly about my feelings since Mina’s death. “I never imagined that my sister would slit her throat in front of me. I still have nightmares, Soomin, but I’m calling you for another reason, I have a little favor to ask you.”

“Sarang, you should feel like this; it’s okay. What happened to Mina traumatized you; damn it, it would have traumatized anyone if they were you. We agreed to give you time to get over it at your own pace, but when you didn’t answer our messages and calls, we started to worry. Eun Jung even offered to come to you several times; you know how she is.” She was anxious, and I understood why. “I’ll help with everything I need; just tell me how I can do it.”

“You agree too quickly, Soo.”

“Sarang, please stop. The only thing I can offer you now is my help. I can’t imagine how you’re handling all this, and if you need my help, I’ll be there for you. So stop denying me and tell me what you wanted to ask.”

“Do you remember Mina’s lawyer who approached me at the funeral? I think it’s time I met him. It’s all about inheritance and property, but there’s something else.” I started off insecure. “I want to find out who sent her those stupid roses.”

“Why?” in her voice sounded like sincere surprise. “If you were me, would you want to know how it all started?”

“Probably, but aren't you afraid? Judging by how it turned out for Mina,” she stammered for a second. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.”

“No, you’re right. Absolutely. I’m scared, and if things weren’t so messed up, maybe I would have done something different, but listen, Soomin, I have a strong feeling that I’m always missing something, and it’s bothering me.” “People don't change so dramatically, and certainly not because of the roses. You've been friends with her for so long, so you know her as well as I do, and we both understand that it's crazy to give up everything in your life for roses like that. Especially for Mina.” When I spoke my thoughts out loud, I was even more convinced that I needed answers. It really was crazy. “ She left so many secrets that I want to find a clue. I haven't told anyone, but the roses are still being sent. I received a call from the cemetery administration saying that her grave was littered with flowers, and they needed to figure out what to do with them. Not only that, but I also received several bouquets.” There was no point in hiding it anymore. If I want Soomin to help me, she needs to know about those roses that were sent to me.

“My God, Sarang, you should have told me right away. Did you talk to JiHo? This is an abnormal situation. What if you’re being chased, Sarang? I don’t know, it’s all so scary.”

“You have no idea, but I don’t think we should talk about stalking.”

“Why? Maybe it’s a stalker or serial killer; you should be careful. Please tell me JiHo is living with you now.” “First, I don’t think anyone in their right mind is going to come after me, and second, JiHo and I took a pause.”

“Did you break up?” she asked with an incredulous echo.

“I'm not sure if you can call it a breakup.”

“God, the bastard left you. I always told you he was a rare asshole and would run away at the first opportunity.”

“Soomin, let’s not talk about it, but if you want to hear it, yeah, you were right about him.” The memories of our conversation with my ex were still fresh and festering in my mind like a ball of worms.

It’s very convenient to hide behind phrases like “let’s take a break,” “you need time to figure things out,” “emotional vacation,” etcetera. No one wants to be a part of your grief. At this party, the cake belongs entirely to you.

“Okay, let’s close the JiHo thing. Tell me, do you know anything about who sent the roses? Any ideas?”

“Absolutely nothing; I’m stuck. There’s nothing that can help. No address, no sender’s name, Maybe we can find something in her files or stuff; I don’t know.”

“Yes, it’s possible. When do you want to go to a lawyer?”

“This Friday, if you’re free?”

“Give me a minute,” the papers rustled on the other side, Soomin clearly trying to find the day she needed in her diary. Knowing the nature of Soo, it was difficult to make out anything there; her records were always chaotic, and careful planning was not her forte. In this, too, she was similar to Mina.

“I’m totally free. How about going to brunch first and then to the lawyer?

You could use some fun, and I’ve always wanted to go to this new trending place. I hear they serve incredible fondant au chocolate, and the owner looks like God cut him out. How does that sound? “First, tell me, are we going there for the fondant or the owner?”

“You can’t judge me; everyone’s talking about how attractive this man is; I just want to see.” Soo softly dissipated.

“Have you betrayed your love of chocolate for a man? Kim Soomin is something new. Anyway, everything sounds great. Let’s go and see if those rumors are true, but if I were going there solely for the chocolate,” I smiled at that thought. I’ve really been lacking in communication lately. We should start coming back to the real world. “Do you know the address?” “Sure, I’ll pick you up at 11:00. Please wear something prettier than a black dress.” “It’s a classic, and thank you again, Soo.”

“You have nothing to thank me for, Sarang. Finally, I can call you like that, you know, Rosa, it doesn’t suit you. I’ll see you Friday, baby.”

“I think so, too. Until Friday.” I put the phone aside, taking a deep breath. The long stems of white roses had folded in half in the cramped bin. A luxurious wrapping in a rare shade of Solferino and embroidered topaz ribbons lay next to the bulky pile, and a small note was shrunk into a perfect ball that was also lying in the trash.

Whoever sent those flowers should have stopped doing that. I’m not Mina. I don’t like roses.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

How quickly does the waiting time pass? We count the days, the hours, and the minutes until the exciting event we’re expecting, circled by a thick red line in the calendar, but is it really worth our time, which life has measured for us?

It's so strange; the days are like bottles of sand thrown by a restless ocean onto a flickering glass bank. I remember this one, crystal blue—it smells like strawberry cheesecake and summer heat. And this one, made of gloss and pearls, is full to the brim with grave earth and chrysanthemum petals. I like the one that sparkles with diamonds from the royal frosted glass; it smells like a lover’s pillow, and there are memories of the first love. There is another, very ordinary, and therefore the most precious—empty and at the same time full. If you open it, you can hear the gentle wind whispering your name.

My life is all about memories now. I’m just trying to keep what’s left.

The rest of the week passed unnoticed by me. Time, like the rapid trains at the station, rushed by, and I kept waiting to see the stop I needed in this incessant turmoil.

Existing in space is very simple when it belongs only to you. I did actions that were memorized to the finest detail, simple mechanisms that gradually brought me back to my normal state. Feed the neighbor’s cat. Do the cleaning. Go for a walk. Check the mail. Cook dinner. Ordinary things to take your mind off the colorful bottles on the shelves of consciousness and the endless cycle of nightmares.

And I also noticed that at night, time flows more slowly. Second by second, replace the glowing dial until dawn. And so on until the ruthless rays of the sun insidiously penetrate between the tightly woven threads of heavy boudoir curtains, and the golden shadow spills over the pampered skin like boiling water.

I think I'm allergic to the sun and, therefore, to the stars.

Maybe the whole world.

Today I woke up earlier than usual. Somewhere below the horizon, the sun splashed in the golden ichor of the predawn twilight. Yoru stretched out at the foot of the bed, warmed by tiny drops of warm light that seeped into the room through the window. Last night, she refused to leave, stubbornly ignoring my presence and my tender pleas to return home to her mistress.

Yoru was my neighbor’s cat, perfectly embodying all its best features: a slightly aggressive, capricious, and having a little bit of arrogance. Despite this, she had a strange affection for me and often stayed at my house if she was in the mood.

Other tenants avoided Yoru, considering her a bad omen, and it was not only the polished glossiness of her black fur; she always appeared where death later came. I didn't care; I've always loved cats, and having one of them in my house was a bit of comfort. I wasn't alone.

Sensing my awakening, her almond-shaped eyes flashed with the sharp color of precious stones in the slits of the eyelids—a thick amber glow, not yet warmed by curiosity or playfulness. Yoru tossed and turned, clearly unhappy that someone had disturbed her sleep, arched her back and closed her eyes again.

We could lie like this all day long, in silence and some strange harmonization. I’m sure she’ll get close to me a little bit later, calculating her every move, until he presses on his heart with a peaceful, relaxed purr. Unfortunately, today was not the day I could afford it. Soomin will soon be here, and I need to get a little tidy.

Shower. Food. Simple things. Jars of creams and neatly arranged lipsticks Are there certain rules of appearance when you go to a lawyer? What dress should I wear—a deep neckline or open legs? How decent?

Should I still look mournful? Should I wear a veil? Two months have passed; are other colors acceptable? What will he think of me?

So many questions were spinning in my head while I was going, and it seems to me that whatever I choose, it will still be inappropriate. The story of Mina was not a passing affair; probably everyone in the city had fleetingly heard about her death. One of my friends told me she was called “Queen of Roses” because of the flowers in her hair, and I saw the headlines of the “exquisite death” articles.

The black color dripped venomously to the floor with the long hems of the dresses in my wardrobe; the gray, like a mist, settled in the loops of cardigans and oversized sweaters; and the ghostly white terrified me with thin transparent lace and ruffles, just like on Mina's dress. The choice was not too large.

A jacket dress on a naked body made of thick matte silk, a little pearl, and a high choker collar with long falling threads, It was one of the old jewels I bought in a small antique shop. Vintage trinket in the style of Queen Marie-Antoinette. I had a whole collection of such chokers—some studded with precious stones made of expensive jewelry metals, others woven with the finest threads, like a skillfully woven web. Hard made of steel and leather, and soft, like angelic kisses, made of organza and velour. JiHo once said I had a choke kink if I liked things like that; maybe I did, but my ex was too “vanilla” to close his hands around my neck.

After getting dressed and styling my hair, I sat down on the couch and waited for Soomin to arrive. What should I do now? I was lost. Turn on the TV or read a book? Look at the news feed on Instagram; be sure to look at JiHo's profile to see his new photo. Does he miss me or not? Is someone else warming up his bed now that I'm not around? Is JiHo still wearing the same perfume as before, or has he found something different?

Anyway, I never liked his perfume; it was salty like tears and distant ocean breezes and rancid like decaying wood in the dense Amazon. He called them gourmet; I could only agree if they were worn by someone else, say someone more dominant and powerful. Maybe I would even find this strange, gloomy mixture of aromas attractive, inhaling it from someone else's hot skin and feeling with the touch of my lips a steadily beating pulse in the swollen veins on a strong neck.

How long does love last? Three years or more? For me, it's a moment; for others, it's an eternity. I loved him. It's true. Very strong and very long ago. My love did not resemble the indomitable elements or the explosions of colored fireworks; rather, it was the fragrant bloom of wildflowers and the scattering of stars in the sky. She was comforting, not passionate, and I wanted to see someone like me, someone who could comfort my heart and give me tenderness.

Tenderness and comfort alone were enough for me, but deep inside, I wanted something dangerous, something forbidden. I was devout, one of those people who are called “good girls,” but was it really me or the role that Mina gave me?

Maybe in the far corners of my mind, my thoughts weren’t as good and right as they should be. I didn’t even want to admit it to myself, but sometimes when I woke up from another nightmare, I was glad she was dead. Dark, reckless emotions made their way through my cracks; they were moments of despair as my anger lifted its ugly head and oozed poison and blood. My cruelty and hatred had the color of roses and smelled like chocolate. She had fox eyes and a seductive smile; desire flowed in her veins, and strangled thirst was heard in her voice.

In my nightmares, I saw not only Mina and bloody roses; sometimes there was a young man in long silk robes and a veil hiding his face. He's just a ghost; I met mine years ago, but somehow he seems more real to me night by night when he comes into my dreams without permission. He crept into them like a serpent-tempter into the Garden of Eden, slipping away at dawn like the shadow of two moons, hiding behind a door I could never open.

Unreal in my reality.

I felt the arrival of Soomin even before her long nails methodically began to knock on my door. It was as if the spell had been removed and all the sounds of the world had rained down on me in an instant. Yoru shook off her sleep and whirled around at the front door, waiting for an unknown guest. The clatter of high heels echoed in my apartment, slipping through the cracks of the door locks, and the thick smell of ambergris and blooming jasmine at night walked ahead of her, warning every one of her approaches. If I didn’t know better, I could easily have mistaken her for Mina. That was my sister once.

The whole world was just a part of her life; she was not part of the world. To be ordinary—what a bad form!

“Sarang! Sarang, open up. I’m here.” and in fact, her long nails caught on the dark wood of my front door, causing Yoru to bristle and hiss.

I was absolutely sure they wouldn’t get along.

“Are you awfully loud? Someone told you this, Soo?” I opened the front door wide, smiling softly. “I missed you, Soomin.”

“Don’t tell me about it; I missed that pretty face.” She hugged me, which made Yoru hiss again, attracting Soo’s attention. “When did you get a cat?”

“That’s not my, Yoru cat, my neighbor from apartment 1366, that door.” I waved my hand to the far end of the corridor, where Mrs. Lee’s apartment was located. “I like her; I don’t mind having the baby stay with me sometimes.”

“I see.” There was an awkward pause between us until Soo broke it. “You want to talk about… you know what.” She was worried about this topic; I could see it from the way she shifted from foot to foot, or was it from high heels? In the light of the electric lamps, the steel studs glittered like sharpened spindles from the tale of The Sleeping Beauty.

“Not now. Better tell me about this restaurant we’re going to.” Soomin was easily distracted if you changed the topic of conversation in the direction of a subject of interest to her.

I walked out of the house, taking one last look at Yoru. The cat didn't even think about leaving my space; he was already ensconced in a pile of pillows on the sofa in the living room. If she wasn't going to leave, I wouldn't force her.

“Don’t you need to return the cat to the mistress? She looks expensive.” asked Soo

“She’s a purebred Persian cat, and no, Mrs. Lee won’t worry about it; Yoru can stay with me for weeks before she comes home. This has happened before.”

“All right, if you say so.”

I shut the front door and turned the key, permanently cutting off my escape routes. Today. I have to do this today or my resolve will wear thin, and I will once again voluntarily isolate myself in the comfort of blankets and tightly closed curtains.

"And so, the restaurant..." This was the beginning of a long story that interested no more than random passersby in a faceless crowd.

“You’re going to love this place, I promise. Everything I’ve seen on their Instagram profile is so fascinating, but you know what makes this place really attractive? It’s the owner. Eun Jung was there last week, and she couldn’t shut up about…”

For the next 30 minutes, I heard about this trending establishment. “ Angels' Share” is the most requested boutique café in the last 3 months on all search engines. A luxurious café with exquisite dishes and a magnificent concept.

But most importantly, it is, of course, divine, and Soomin, the owner, was absolutely sure of this. Hundreds of girls lined up in endless lines from dawn to dusk, hoping to see him, at least for a moment.

On your first visit, the owner of “Angels' Share” personally serves you throughout your interruption there. Your name is inscribed in the book of exclusive customers in gold ink. Their main specialty is gourmet desserts, and if you are not seduced by the angelic face of the magnificent man who runs this place, then the sweets melting on your lips will do it instantly.

Full berries of scarlet strawberries in white Belgian chocolate. Mille-feuille with fresh wild berries. The devil's food is the most chocolate of all chocolate cakes, and, of course, the angel cake has the most delicate silk cream of exotic fruits.

As Soomin told me about it, she was clearly having an emotional orgasm. Her arousal was obvious, but I could not understand what she craved more: exquisite desserts or the sweet kiss of the owner.

“I think he's a real angel,” Soo finished her rant after giving a fiery speech about the unique beauty of a man she had never met in her life.

“I'm not sure if it's all true, Soomin, but you'll be able to see for yourself when we get there. You should not trust everything they say. You're too impressionable and trusting.”

We spent the rest of the journey in peaceful silence. This is the type of silence when there are a lot of questions in the air, but each side is not sure when to start asking them. I know she wanted to ask me a lot of things, and in response, I wanted to finally share my experiences and feelings that I had been desperately hiding for the past two months. Nevertheless, each of us remained silent, as if afraid to destroy fragile comfort with uncomfortable words.

When the car stopped, Soomin smiled approvingly at me, as if to say, “Go ahead, my girl!” She was good at it because she was also a cheerleader like Mina.

“Angels' Share” was impressive at first sight, and not only because of the long line of girls lined up in a perfect line and dressed in intricate clothes like collectible dolls on the shelf.

A myriad of flowers, lace, and feathers, pastel shades, and delicate ruffles—all of them looked like animated sugar fantasies. Their cheeks were dusted with pink blush, and their inflated lips were accentuated by a thick layer of transparent sticky gloss with a fine sprinkle of glitter.

Perfectly well-groomed hair is arranged in children’s cute curls or intricate hairstyles with hundreds of sparkling hairpins and velvet bows. The variety of their images was amazing, as was the height of their heels. This place was definitely something special if the girls were willing to sacrifice their comfort for a couple of desserts.

Or it wasn’t about desserts.

At such moments, I especially understood how much we needed someone else's approval. The list of items seems endless: he likes cute girls, girls with an athletic figure, pale skin, and big eyes; she should not be boring; my friends like her; she has long legs and a thin waist; and she is a certain height. I wonder if he'll use a ruler to measure me. Big boobs or a nice ass—which turns him on more? What will our first date be like? That's right; should I call him Oppa or not? Tell me what you want, and I will fulfill whatever you want. I will fulfill every one of your fantasies. Tell me about your desires.

Seduce me. Surprise me. Love me!

I don’t want to live like this. I want to be who I really am, with all my flaws and imperfections. I want to be sharp and rude; I want to be cruel and honest; I want to look as I want, without colorful tinsel and layers of makeup, with cellulite, stretch marks, and a little overweight. That may be so, but it will be me. Just me. 

The voice of Soomin ripped me out of my mind.

“I told you so,” said Soo smugly, purposefully heading for the entrance, circumventing a string of discharged girls. She was a lioness on a hunt, while they were stranded in colorful piles like scared rabbits.

If you do not pay attention to the girls, the exterior is fascinating. Gold, flowers, and crystal resembled the frame of a precious box. “Angels' Share” was positioned in such a way that the sun flooded it from all sides, creating around it a mysterious golden haze of sunlight and a dazzling iridescent play of crystals.

Everything was so beautiful, I won't deny it, but didn't the gingerbread house beckon the children deep into the dark forest where the wicked witch lived? Everything beautiful always has a downside, and someone knows how to mask it better than others.

While I was looking at the details, Soomin dragged me inside and was already talking to the host girl, who was checking the records for a long list of names. She also, like the girls on the street, looked like a doll. Her hair was long and shiny, tucked away from her face with an embroidered rim with Swarovski crystals, and her eyelashes were so lush that they touched her cheeks when she blinked. I would call her beautiful; she licked to perfection, which made it almost unnatural. She had a sweet, high-pitched voice and an overly friendly smile. Annoyingly friendly. 

“Please follow me; I'll show you your table. Since you have visited us for the first time, Mr. Yoon will personally take care of you today. Please enjoy your stay at “Angels' Share.”

YooA—that was the name of this girl—led us up the spiral staircase to the second floor. It seemed that everything around was carved from pale golden marble, with the addition of luxurious interior items and thousands of flowers—or, to be more precise, thousands of roses. Snow-white, cream, pastel pink, and soft peach—the whole space breathed rose buds that stood in tall transparent vases.

The sight took my breath away, and I was inwardly tense. It's okay; it's just a café, not Mina's apartment. You need to relax and not start panicking; it will not benefit anyone.

As if sensing my growing panic, Soomin squeezed my palm.

“Are you all right? You look pale.”

“Yes, it’s all right; there are too many roses for my taste; you know, it brings back memories.” I smiled tortuously in response to her words. I didn’t want to ruin her day; she was so excited and happy when we came here.

“We can leave if you are not comfortable, Sarang.” Soo still held my hand, gently walking her thumb over my palm in a comforting circular motion. “If you want to go somewhere else, this is fine. I can always come back here later.”

“No!” came out too loud. “No, I’m fine. I can’t wait to try their chocolate fondant. You know I’m here only for chocolate.” She said the last part with me in one voice.

YooA showed us our table, although it was more like a small loggia separated by airy chiffon tulle and pearl threads from the common room. I could easily fall in love with this place if not for the languid, enveloping smell of roses and the beauty of their lush, perfect buds.

“Do you think the rumors are true, and we'll see an angel appearance today?” Soomin leaned across the table to talk about the owner, not so obviously?

“I think you'll find out about it now, anyway.” I couldn't finish my thoughts, interrupted by Soo's enthusiastic sigh. It was a sound of undisguised admiration that she couldn't hold back, even if she tried.

The reason for her excitement was right behind me, and I had to look back a little to see what it could have been.

Of course, all the sounds of delight belonged to none other than Mr. Yoon. In part, I could understand why he was called angel-like. His beauty was painfully perfect, to the point where it became almost terrible. His face was beautiful—almost obsessively beautiful, like the face of a stone goddess on a grave. Surreal. The skin seemed to glow from the inside, like molten silver flowing through the veins. He had long hair—ashes, platinum, mother-of-pearl—everything mixed on a diamond cloth. One silvery strand fell delicately over his face.

Are the melodies of an angelic choir in the air, or does it just seem that way to me?

The more I looked at him, the more his appearance disgusted me.

I felt flawed and unsuitable, like a puzzle that did not fit the picture; my heart did not beat faster with excitement or sweet agony; I did not burn and did not desire it as it should. Between us, it was possible to draw thousands of parallels in a myriad of universes, and none of them ever intersected. Beauty is deceptive, like a serpent promising forgiveness. It’s the pain of a bittersweet injection entering our nervous tissue.

What do we know about them—angels? White-winged light bearers, without flaws and ignorant of evil and vicious desires, are submissive and faithful to their ideals and purposes. Silent watchers who look after our virtue. But there are those who are chained and silken, whose wings are torn out with bloody flesh, for they are sinners.

Their name is the fallen. Unforgiven. 

He was not an angel. He was one of them who traded the vaults of heaven for the flames and steel of the nine circles.

His presence was heavy, stifling, and sharp. Goosebumps ran through my skin as an omen of the imminent end.

I could have sworn that the second our eyes met in his eyes, the color of dark bitter chocolate, anger, and disgust thickened. So everything that is perfect collapses, falls, beats, and crumbles like the great walls of Babylon, kissing the transcendental peak of heaven. Like a Venus flytrap, his appearance was a clever disguise of vice and rot in a velvet cage of flesh, and this place is the very gingerbread house that beckons to certain death.

 “Welcome to “Angels' Share”. My name is Yoon Sung Hoon; I own this place, and today I will make sure your stay here is unforgettable.” The voice flowed like honey smoothly and gently, I could melt at this tone.

“I am Soomin, and this is Sarang; we have heard a lot about this place.” Soo’s cheeks were pink from a shy blush, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say she was embarrassed. This man was clearly something special, if he could make Soomin behave like a schoolgirl in love with just his presence.

His eyes rested on my figure for a second, and I wanted to shrink into a ball under this appraising gaze, as if he was trying to probe me and understand how dangerous I could be. It was only a moment, and then a smile shone again on his angelic face.

“I hope you’ve only heard nice things about us. What do you want today?” I wonder what he is used to hearing in response. I want you and your love, and I will accept everything you would not give me. Will you be my boyfriend? My husband? Will you give me eternal love? Judging by the expression on Soomin's face, this is exactly what she wanted to ask him, but she pulled herself up in time.

“I want to taste your best dessert.” As they say, kill them with your sweetness. Where has my self-sufficiency and t.” As they say, “kill them with your sweetness.” Where has my self-sufficient and confident self gone? Soo, this blushing mess was nothing like hers.

“Of course, only the best is for you. And what do you want?” All his attention was now drawn to me, and I had no pleasure. Yoon Sung Hoon is clearly not used to girls not falling at his feet like moths hitting the glass. Our dislike was mutual. Our dislike was mutual. “What do you want, Sarang? I would recommend one of our most special desserts: a white chocolate soufflé with candied scarlet roses.” Sung Hoon was smiling, but not at all benevolent; there was something mocking in the exquisite curve of his lips, as if he were challenging me: “Come on, try me.”

Roses. Those damn roses again. It always came down to these flowers. Were they my path leading away from the dark forest, or would they lead me straight to the crystal coffin in the tallest tower of the castle?

Instead of politely refusing, as a true lady should, I have given a crude, hoarse, and utterly evil speech:

“I hate roses.”

For me, flowers are as beautiful as the pain of a broken heart. You can call me a heartbreaker. What will your heart taste like? I'm so eager to try it. 

“My apologies.” Sung Hoon bowed his head, hiding his gaze in the lace of fluttering eyelashes and platinum bangs. With this simple action, Soomin once again made a barely audible, enthusiastic sound. “In this case, I offer you our signature chocolate fondant with raspberry jam and glass caramel glaze. Our clients say that he has a heavenly taste, so celestial that he can be sinful.”

Sung Hoon—there was something about him that disgusted me. His way of speaking, his appearance, his behavior—in general, every detail of it The most beautiful apple on the branch will always be wormy. I couldn't understand how he could charm girls in a split second, without any effort, as if it were in his blood—to cause desire and awe.

During our short conversation, Soo did not look at me once, inseparably studying every detail of the angelic man. If I make an incision in his skin, will the gold pour as befits angels, or will it be the viscous and black acid that Pandora once shed from her eyes?

I didn’t like it here. I didn’t like Yoon Sung Hoon, and he probably didn’t like me. How was I in his eyes—insignificant, puny, ordinary? Our dislike was mutual but totally unfounded; I just knew I didn’t want to be in the same space with him. I can’t breathe.

Guests always leave after dessert. I didn't want to linger, so I agreed to fondant. “Okay, I'll take fondant and cappuccino.” I looked at Soomin again; her thoughts were clearly elsewhere, judging by the bitten lower lip and flushed cheeks. “And matcha latte, please.”

“Of course, ladies…” With this phrase, he finally left us, and I sighed deeply.

“I think I'm in love, Sarang.” Apparently, with his passing, Soo’s brain has resumed active activity. “He absolutely justifies all the rumors about him.”

“Yeah, I can agree with that; he’s definitely something very special.”

After Sung Hoon served desserts and another 10 minutes of heated discussion of his appearance, our conversation took its normal course. It’s like ping-pong; the rules are very simple: move from one question to another, follow the theme, and don’t miss your turn. “How's the work?” “Everything is fine.” “How’s your boyfriend?” “You remember I told you we broke up?” “What have you been doing lately?” “Too much to do; I can’t remember, but recently I came back from Japan”, “Did you like it there?” “Great seats and great cuisine.” “How do you feel, Sarang?” Say it again; I didn’t hear you.

“How do you feel, Sarang?” Once again, you speak unclearly.

“How do you feel, Sarang?” It's so loud here, I can't hear you.

“Sarang?!” Can I skip my turn? I’m tired of this game.

I took a deep, slow breath.

“What do you want me to say, Soo? Something that will calm you down or something that should comfort me? ”

“Truth, Sarang. I want to hear the truth from you.” Soomin looked at me so carefully that it seemed as though she was looking straight into my soul.

My mind moved from one thought to another, not knowing what it would focus on. Truth. What is it like, this truth? She is like a beautiful, spiritually disheveled monster with a lesbian couple of black widows in an aquarium; she exists in an endless eternity of joyful decadence and an ecstatic nightmare.

It’s no big deal to tell someone the truth, but are you ready to see your own reflection in someone else’s eyes? They say alcohol is a liquid truth, but I think it's nothing more than a road strewn with bread crumbs, straight into a dense, dark forest. The more you drink, the deeper you go. Sometimes, through the intricately woven stems of condemnation and bitterness, subtle rays of understanding break through, like the light shed by the dual face of the moon. But this happens so rarely that the eyes themselves become accustomed to the surrounding darkness.

I’m still afraid of the dark and, therefore, of the truth. Now I’m sure I’m allergic to the world.

When I looked at the café, I noticed that there were many more people. Bunny girls with colorful barrettes occupied small transparent tables filled with all sorts of desserts; others, similar to porcelain dolls, put their palms to their cheeks, flushed with embarrassment, and laughed loudly, sitting in the same loggias as ours. The sounds of clicks from selfies and aesthetic Instagram photos did not subside for a second, as did the high play of voices merging with soft background music.

This probably wasn’t the best place for such a serious conversation, but was it ever the perfect place to have a heart-to-heart?

“Honestly, I don't know. Really?” I began, stirring the thick, fragrant foam from the cappuccino. It tasted like a first kiss—a little bitter, a little sweet—something that I would like to repeat again and again. “Secrets, secrets, and more secrets—everywhere I look, no matter what I ask, they only get bigger. Everything is as usual: Mina died, and the world is still spinning around her. Remember, I told you that they still send roses? I can say that soon the cemetery will start selling bouquets because there is simply nowhere to put them. Every day there are fresh flowers on the grave.” Maybe I sounded a little petty and annoyed, but I didn't care. “I may not seem like the best person on this planet, but sometimes I feel absolutely happy that I finally managed to bury her in the ground.”  Yes, this is exactly the right moment; you are not mistaken. That was my truth, like salt and pepper, like ashes, like burned dreams.

Soomin shook her head negatively.

“You shouldn't talk about yourself like that, Sarang; you're not a bad person, and we both know it; everyone around you knows it; and even that bastard JiHo knows it. You have gone through a lot, and if I were you, I would have gone crazy long ago, but look at yourself: you are here with me, in the noise of the metropolis, and you have your whole life ahead of you.” She put her hand on top of mine, and the warmth of her body penetrated mine. “Mina was who she was, and neither you nor me nor anyone else could change her. So don't let her ghost poison your life. I'm not a fan of this entire Nancy Drew thing, but I won't dissuade you. If you want my help, I'm on board.”

I laughed bitterly, taking a sip of the coffee that had already cooled. There was something special about it—sweet, ice-cold coffee, like long-cooled love.

“Yeah, you’re right; she was who she was, but I guess we were wrong about that because those flowers broke her in half. In fact, that’s the whole point of the question: where did the roses come from? She was interested in nothing but flowers and some strange prayers. She frightened me. You know, at first it looked like another love of hers; everything was as usual—she talked incessantly about flowers and admired them, but the more roses they sent us, the less she was interested in the rest of the world. Mina withered and languished while the roses bloomed. I've never seen anyone come to our house or meet someone. Nothing, just roses—hundreds of roses. You just can't imagine how many there were.”

“You know, I don’t really want to imagine it. Okay, let’s say you find something in her files. What’s next? You really need this? Maybe we should just let go, you know, scatter the ashes to the wind.” Breaking off a slice of angel cake, Soo mooed in satisfaction as the dessert was in her mouth. “Mmm, I love sweets. Who handled her legal affairs? If this is one of the free lawyers, we should hurry; the queues in these cantors are worse than here.”

“No, no, we're not going to a free advocacy team. Wait a minute.” I pulled out of my purse a small card from a thick black cardboard and handed it to Soomin. Transparent gloss on a soft matt surface looked refined and very expensive, just like the business card itself. “Silver & Black LTD” was the name of the law firm that handled Mina’s affairs.

“You’re kidding me!” She exclaimed, almost burying her face in her business card. “That’s “Silver and Black.” How did she manage to work with them? They’re one of the most elite law practitioners in all of Seoul, and I’d say across Asia. Their lawyers are real sharks in their cases; for the existence of their practice, they have not lost a single case, and the bills for their services are simply cosmic. How does she have so much money? Sarang, did you inherit her sugar daddy too? If that's the case, ask for more; you're much more expensive than a cheerleader, and nerds are always sexier and more desirable.”

“Stop saying that like I’m a whore. I don’t know where she got the money, but are their services so expensive?” My surprise was obvious. Our family was not poor, but we were not rich; we occupied that golden layer in the class hierarchy where we could just live without any worries about tomorrow. Mina and I were well provided for, but judging by Soomin’s reaction, “Silver and Black” could afford only filthy rich and influential people.

“If I were to be offered the opportunity to trade my virginity for cooperation with them, I would have done it without hesitation. Are you sure we have an appointment with them?”

“Soomin!” Frankness was always such a simple thing for her that I felt awkward at such moments. “Of course, I called them yesterday to confirm the details.”

“What? The cult of virginity is overrated anyway, but now I'm much more interested in it.”

“Let me think, more amazing men?” “How did you guess?” Soo smiled sweetly, shoving another piece of dessert into her mouth. I snorted; I couldn’t help it. "Hey, don’t laugh! You should also consider new options, since you and JiHo have broken up. Listen to me, little Sarang, nothing will warm your bed better than a hot big boy."

"Ew, Soomin." She just laughed back.

#ateez smut #ateez yandere #ateez x reader #kpop smut #ateez fanfic #yandere ateez #hongjoong x reader #seonghwa x reader #yunho x reader #yeosang x reader #san x reader #mingi x reader #wooyoung x reader #jongho x reader #ateez #hongjoong #seonghwa #yunho #yeosang #san #mingi #wooyoung #jongho #ateez ot8 #ateez imagines

[reveriedraffs]

ִ ࣪𖤐Ideas for waiting room part 4ִ ࣪𖤐

This is going to be the last part so i hope you all like it. After this i am going to post about something else.

So here is the last list:

1. Polynesian Tiki Lounge:

the room as a Polynesian tiki lounge with bamboo furniture, tiki torches, and tropical island vibes, providing a laid-back and exotic experience.

2. Nordic Ice Palace:

Recreate the majesty of a Nordic ice palace with crystal-like sculptures, ice-inspired decor, and the illusion of a frozen realm.

3. Enchanted Fairy Forest:

Recreate an enchanted fairy forest with whimsical foliage, glowing mushrooms, and hidden fairy doors, invoking a magical woodland setting.

4. Moroccan Riad:

It's one of the most pretty places. You can make this kind of waiting room.

5. Egyptian Bazaar:

My most favourite place Egyptian Bazaar. I have always wondered what it looks going to ancient and old time bazaar in Egypt and since you have actual opportunity to make a waiting room there so why not?

6. Bohemian Caravan:

Many people might not know this but this place is actually really colourful with different kind of fabric and it can give you new experience.

7. Wild West Saloon:

If you love cowboy and some Mystery movies then you you might love this place being the those vintage but retro cowboy type of place

Here the list is over so if you want more or if you have any requests please comment it or message me.

⊹ ࣪ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ๋࣭ ⭑

PART 1𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

PART 2𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

PART 3𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

ཐིཋྀ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ The book for detailed about shifting realities 𐦍༘⋆

(\ (\

(˶ᵔ ᵔ˶  )

─ꐑ─ꐑ──────────────             🍓

#reality shifting #waiting room #desire reality #current reality #manifestation #shifting realities #void success #affirmations #void state #shifting #shifting community #shifting consciousness #shifting motivation #DR #WR #CR #OR #scripting #shifting script #shifting scenarios

[gettinshiggywithit]

!Celebrating your birthday with the BSD boys!

(this is part 1)(pt2{tmrw})(pt3{Wednesday})

scenario:- its your birthday and you're celebrating with the bsd bois!

pairings:- dazai x gn!reader,kunikida x gn!reader, ranpo x gn!reader

Genre:- fluff

Type:- headcannons

↪️Dazai Osamu

I feel like dazai would open with “HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOURE NOW ONE YEAR CLOSER TO DYING A NATURAL DEATH”

*proceeds to throw around double suicide ideas*

But jokes aside,if you’re not that thrilled at the prospect of aging (and honestly valid) he’ll definitely hype you up.

Like this man CANNOT take a compliment to save his life

But DAM can he dish em out

Probably has a full day of fun activities planned

But if you’re more an introverted and indoor person hed organise a full fun day for just the two of you at his place,movies,presents,couple-y stuff;The Whole SheBang!

Thered definitely be some dangerous activities in there

But hey! Its dazai, he probably knows what hes doin rightt???(spoiler:he doesnt)

The day ends with fireworks (whether by like using actual ones or junichiros light snow ability,we may never know)

And he tells you that theres no one else he’d rather go out as beautifully as the fireworks with~

↪️Kunikida Doppo

Has a DETAILED schedule for your day

Ofc it consist of stuff that he KNOWS you’ll love

If you’re kinda down abt the fact you’re gettin older he’ll just tell you that it’s inevitable and that it is nothing to be worried about

If be sees that that didnt help,(buddy come on) he says that time seems to have frozen for you and that you look as beautiful as the day you met

(WAN tachihara voice:WHATS THIS???? A COMPLIMENT FROM KUNIKIDA??????)

Also when you guys cut a cake at the agency,he gives you a book-shaped package and asks you to open it in private

It was a book of poems, he’d been writing them since the day you first met.and lemme tell you,theyre sweeter and sappier than anyone would ever think him capable of writing

When you thank him for it he just kinda shrugs it off but you can CLEARLY see the blush creeping up his face and can hear the lil crack in his voice

Also uses doppo poet to make you a smol bouquet of your fave flowers

Could he have bought em from a shop? Yes. But did he wanna woo you? Also yes.

What can i say,he’s surprisingly romantic

(Ps:- DO NOTT LET DAZAI GET HIS HANDS ON THAT BOOK OF POEMS!!)

↪️Edogawa Ranpo

Showers you with snacks

Like

Literally AND figuratively

Also allows you to eat some of his(its your special day after all)

Gets you the most insightful and heartfelt gift but also something that you’ve wanted for a while

When you ask him how he knew youd wanted it,he launches into a huge explanation of how he used his special ability to analyse your body language and-yadayadayada

Please tell him ur impressed cos he loves hearin ur praises

Asks poe to write a birthday themed mystery and yall solve it together

(Ofc he doesnt out right asks,he just kinda dares poe that he cant write it...ranpo be ranpo-ing mann)

(But when poe finds out its for you he does it with even more determination than before!!{howww is that eveb possible???})

Karl also gives you a gift cos poe really likes you(you’re nice to him and say his stories are great) (future angst piece???)

Your day will end with a huge ass movie marathon

SOO MANY SNACKS

like u thought he gave u a lot in the beginning

But DAM boi is STOCKED

will feed you throughout the movie and cuddles you close

He just loves spendin this much time with you tbh🥺

please dont repost my work here as your own on any platform all rights belong to me except that of the characters used,their right belong to their respective owners.but these stories? mine.

feedback,likes,reblogs and comments are so very appreciated tbh :’)i hope you enjoyed and ill catch ya next time!

Comments & Reblogs w/ tags >>>>>>>>>>>likes please

Taglist open for anyone who wants!

#bungou stray dogs comfort headcanons #bungo stray dogs x reader #bungou stray dogs dazai #bsd x gender neutral reader #dazai x reader fluff #dazai x reader #dazai headcanons #dazai fluff #bsd kunikida #kunikida x reader #bungou stray dogs kunikida #kunikida headcanons #ranpo bungou stray dogs #ranpo edogawa #ranpo edogawa fluff #edogawa ranpo x reader #ranpo x reader #ranpo fluff #📚jaya’s tales #ranpo headcanons #bsd x reader #bsd fluff #bsd headcanons #bsd hcs #dazai x y/n #kunikida x y/n #ranpo x y/n #dazai x fem reader #ranpo x you #kunikida x you

[ericmicael]

10 CURIOSITIES ABOUT FROZEN 2

1 - The Northuldra Tribe and the plot of the dam was inspired by real life

In 1979 the Norwegian government decided to build a hydroelectric plant on the Alta River, but this would completely harm the salmon fishing and reindeer grazing that are the livelihood of the Sámi Tribe. They tried to oppose the construction, but were ignored and in the end the dam was built. But the protests they held were a major turning point for the tribe's relationship with the Norwegian government, which began to look more closely at the tribe even though it continues to commit various negligence towards it. In "Frozen 2" things were more drastic with King Runeard, Anna and Elsa's grandfather, creating the dam with the sole purpose of weakening the tribe and then managing to exterminate them because he considered them a risk to his throne due to their proximity with the spirits of nature and magic.

2 - Kristoff is technically a Northuldra before Anna and Elsa

It is no coincidence that Kristoff got along so well with the Northuldras and that people started to theorize that he is part of them since Kristoff is a Sámi or at least he was in the script "Frozen 1". In the film's script he and all the ice harvesters are called Sámi, which as I said at the beginning is the Northuldra Tribe from F2. As far as I know there is no confirmation in the franchise that brings the sides together (ice harversters and Northuldra), but considering that the Sámi Tribe is known for being a combination of different types of tribe, even having more than one language wouldn't be too wrong, and actually not unheard of since Anna and Elsa's mother's original tribe is different from the one she is shown participating in in F2 since her original tribe and family were completely wiped out when Iduna was 5 years old.

3 - Bruni or Sally

In the novelization of "Frozen 2" Olaf is in doubt about what name to give to the fire salamander, the options being Bruni and Sally. In the end he doesn't choose any of them and the book itself starts calling the salamander with the name Bruni. This is not the debut of the name Sally, in the Christmas short called "Olaf's Frozen Adventure" the stocking that Olaf hangs on the fireplace has the name Sally on it. And also about Bruni's name in the book "Dangerous Secret's: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr" which is a book that tells the past of Anna and Elsa's parents, Iduna calls the fire salamander with the name Bruni decades before Olaf choose this name for the Fire Spirit.

4 - Halima and Ryder have names inspired by real people

Halima, who is Mattias' love interest, shares her name with her voice actress Halima Hudson, and Ryder, who is Honeymaren's brother, shares his name with Ryder Buck, who is the deceased son of director Chris Buck.

5 - Santino Fontana and the redemption of Hans

Santino, who is the voice actor for the villain in "Frozen 1", even gave an interview saying that someone from Disney, who he obviously can't say who he is, told him that his character would return and I will have a redemption arc… Considering that the character since "Freezing Fever" has become the franchise's most recurring joke, appearing only to be humiliated as in the special "Once Upon a Studio" and in "Frozen 2" Elsa refers to him with the phrase "unreedemable monster" I have my doubts as to whether the person who said that to Santino really was someone from Disney or was playing a joke on him or was from a version of the script so early that perhaps the Northuldra Tribe didn't even exist yet.

6 - Lady Halverson and Woodsman

Speaking of the initial script we have these two figures, the first apparently was Mattias' initial love interest who, instead of being Halima, was a soldier in his battalion and the second is the mysterious being who transforms into a reindeer. We don't have any information about the two characters other than the video that can be found by typing: "Frozen 2 (2019) _ Queen Iduna _ Deleted Scene _ Exclusive Clip (HD)" and some art, and nothing else. "Woodsman" is just a nickname.

7 - Some of the deleted scenes were discovered or not

The production of "Frozen 2" was so chaotic that it generated a documentary where it is revealed that there were several moments deleted from the film, to this day there is not much about it, but we have some books like "The Enchanted Forest". "The Enchanted Forest" is an adaptation of the film, but it is not a very faithful adaptation so much so that there are several differences… Could it be that some of these differences are deleted scenes? There is the origin of the wagon that the group goes to the Enchanted Forest and even new lines between Elsa and Honeymaren, and this was one of the moments that is mentioned as being cut in the documentary. I'm not going to make a guarantee, but perhaps some of these books that portray "Frozen 2" in a slightly different way are actually earlier versions of the script before the cuts? Theories.

8 - Elsa's romantic life in "Frozen 2" and Kristen Bell

Although the theories and campaigns to give Elsa a girlfriend we have nothing official in the second film about Elsa's sexual orientation with Jennifer Lee herself, director, saying that the Snow Queen had a lot on her mind and wasn't ready. But going back to the deleted scenes, there are theories that Elsa would initially have romantic moments with Honeymaren, but they were deleted (in "The Enchanted Forest" the moments between them are new and just new dialogues) but there are some conceptual arts left like these two where Elsa presents intimately magic for the other woman in two stages of the film's development. But there is still this art where she does the same to Ryder which makes Kristen Bell, Anna's voice actress, enter this story, in an interview given to "SiriusXM" again the topic was "Elsa's girlfriend" with Honeymaren being mentioned, but Kristen Bell will mention the theme and ends up saying at the end that Elsa is free to choose and even has more than one option in the Enchanted Forest with her mentioning Ryder. Out of curiosity, the brothers Honeymaren and Ryder have already competed for Elsa in the mobile game called "Disney Magic Kingdoms" where they both try to take the Snow Queen for a walk through the forest, but Honeymaen arrives first, frustrating Ryder who still has to put up with the game itself. mocking him since the name of the mission was "barking up the wrong tree". Later, a festival takes place in Arendelle in this mobile game where Honeymaren offers herself as a saleswoman, wanting to do this just to please Elsa, and Ryder, upon realizing her feelings for the Snow Queen, decides to help… from rival to cupid.

9 - Anna would ask Kristoff to marry her

In one of the deleted songs Kristoff would talk about his feelings, but in the end it would be her who would ask him to marry her. The song is "Get This Right" and the entire scene, still in progress, can be found on YouTube.

10 - Elsa's death

There is a rumor that in the film's original script Elsa would not thaw and would end the film frozen dead, giving a hint that she could return in the future. The main clue would be this concept art where Elsa appears unconscious, thawed with Nokk and if you paid attention to what I said, the main proof that the film would end with her frozen is an art of her thawed. There are still those who use the fact that she couldn't stop the wave as proof since the castle was originally going to be rebuilt, but I honestly don't believe it.

#frozen 2 #northuldra #elsamaren #elsa #honeymaren #queen anna #kristoff #prince hans #bruni #ryder nattura #deleted scene #give elsa a girlfriend #halima

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Lily of the Valley

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason Todd dies and comes back to life. As the League takes him in, he navigates his morality and family values over the years.

Chapters: 1/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul, Ra's al Ghul, Damian Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Immortal Jason Todd, League of Assassins Jason Todd, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Protective Talia al Ghul, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Jason Todd Needs a Hug, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Hurt/Comfort, Adopted Children, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Claustrophobia, Child Death, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Resurrected Jason Todd

Chapter One: Snowdrops

Jason sat in the library drinking cocoa to stay warm. He spent most of his time curled up under the vent by the encyclopedias. It was the second warmest spot in the library, but it was only a temporary solution to his seasonal heating problem. The library would be closed for the holidays, and the blizzard would be far worse. Not to mention that he'd have to leave once the morning librarian went out to lunch. She was the only person who would let him sit for that long. He finished his cocoa, and he picked out a book. "Hey, I know the rule is one cup per kid, but it's freezing out there, and it's a slow day," she smiled.

"Thanks. Hey, um, do you know if you're getting any new mystery or horror books soon?" Jason asked as he threw away his empty cup.

"Putting the labels for the new arrivals on as we speak. Once I put them in the system, you can have the first crack at them. Do you wanna wait here?" the morning librarian questioned. Jason nodded and stood on the tips of his toes.

The morning librarian always treated him with respect when he'd come in. "Do you know how long the library-. Barbara? Miss Barbara-."

"Just Barbara," Barbara replied.

"Just Barbara... Can I check out a few more books over the holidays?" Jason asked. It wasn't what he wanted to ask, but he didn't want to hear her answer to his actual question. Barbara nodded.

"You can take the whole stack if you wanna," Barbara replied. Jason smiled at her as she placed the stack on the counter. Jason picked through the newer books and stacked together the ones he wanted. Barbara checked them out and gave him a bag to keep his books in. "Try to stay warm, okay?"

"Thanks, Barbara," Jason whispered. She clicked her tongue as she gave him a thumb's up.

Jason hesitated on his way out the door, and as the cold wind and snow hit his face, he shuddered. He walked down the Gotham streets, shaking as the snow hit him and cars passed. The cocoa kept him warm for most of the walk, but the cups were small, and he finished it far too fast.

Jason almost made it home before a speeding truck splashed him with a puddle. After a moment of panic, he ensured the books weren't damaged, then he shivered and plodded on. The water soaked through his thin winter jacket and through his thinly-soled shoes.

The people downstairs complained about him coming in soaking wet. "Jason, you know better," the superintendent chastised him. Jason nodded and apologized despite it not being his fault.

"It w-w-won't hhhhappen again," Jason apologized as he walked toward the elevator. It was out of order, so he took a deep breath and climbed the stairs. One of the boards lifted up, and Jason nearly lost his footing, but he continued on until he got to his apartment.

Jason stripped off his cold, wet clothes and tried the stove, hoping it'd come on. He put in a service order for the superintendent to come to check the oven, but it was just one complaint to the hundreds of others in the building. Jason stood in his kitchen trying the stovetop before giving up and turning on the sink, but the pipes were frozen. He swallowed hard and changed into dry pajamas as he tried desperately to hold back his tears. "Nothing's working," Jason mumbled as he stumbled to bed and put his face in his hands. "Nothing's working..."

He wrapped himself in the blankets, and tears slid down his cheeks as he pulled a book from his pile and started to read. After nearly an hour, his fingers grew too stiff to turn the pages, so he lay down on his side and watched the window. He could hear the sound of the window cracking from where he lay. "I don't know what to do, Mom... It's all falling apart," Jason whimpered.

Shivering violently, he covered most of his face and tried to stop crying. The room seemed to get colder and colder until Jason no longer felt a chill at all. He sat up drowsily and pulled at his pajama shirt, trying to loosen the buttons. He tried to get up, but he couldn't stand. "Help," Jason mumbled over again for what felt like hours. He didn't hear the glass shatter, and he didn't hear the superintendent banging on the door. He shut his eyes and let the cold take his breath away.

The superintendent entered the apartment and picked Jason up in a panic, carrying him down to the boiler room. "Come on, kid. Wake up. I really can't have the police here, please-." He tried shaking Jason, but it only caused Jason to awaken for a few minutes. "Stay with me-."

"Hurts," Jason mumbled as he weakly tapped his chest. The superintendent rubbed Jason's back and tried to force him to stay awake. Jason's heart succumbed to the cold and unnecessary movement, and his superintendent wrapped him up in an old rug from storage and dumped his body a few blocks away in an alley. Because of the blizzard, no one found him until nightfall. A woman called it in while she threw out her trash and noticed his feet sticking out of the snow-covered rug.

The coroners came to collect Jason, and the police looked at the scene. "Damn... The kid can't be any older than ten. What do you think?" asked the first detective to their partner.

"Kid freezes to death in his bed, and the parents panic and dump the body. Let's canvas the building and see-."

"Nobody's going anywhere anytime soon. Not in this blizzard. What's the rush?" the second detective whispered.

"Don't be a dick. Let's figure this out," she whispered. They entered the apartment building together and started asking questions, but no one had answers. Both detectives realized that Jason -their Johnny Doe- would be quickly forgotten. They chalked it up to another victim of child neglect and Gotham winters.

#fic #lily of the valley fic #batfam #Jason Todd #Talia al Ghul #Ra's al Ghul #Damian Wayne #Barbara Gordon #Dick Grayson #Bruce Wayne #Sheila Haywood #Immortal Jason Todd #League of Assassins Jason Todd #Protective Talia al Ghul #Good Parent Talia al Ghul #Jason Todd Needs a Hug #Good Sibling Jason Todd #Hurt/Comfort #Adopted Children #Emotional/Psychological Abuse #Emotional Manipulation #Claustrophobia #Resurrected Jason Todd #Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

[marauders-peace]

Lunar eclipse

Summary: After the confrontation and the kiss, reader is reminded of an old memory. She goes out of remus way and is scared to get false expectations and hope.

Warnings: self hatred, self doubt, bad to no communication, flashback, dumb reader??

Everytime I see someone like openly communicate with their s/o I'm like :ooo. We do that now?? How can they talk so openly about their feelings? Couldn't be me and my fears :p

Masterlist part 1 part 2. Part 3 part 4 part 6

Get down from there right now! Now!" the governess yelled at me. All I wanted to do was look at the candles on the chandelier.

"But from below I can't see how it's standing in the air!" I yelled back and continued to climb up the ladder.

But suddenly something grabbed me and I was floating in the air. Slowly I moved into the arms of the woman without doing anything.

"You see? Magic. And now you stay down!" she said and waved her wand once more. The ladder disappeared and the chandelier remained out of reach.

She set me down and I remained sitting on the floor, pouting. As if everything special could be explained by magic! This power had to come from somewhere. How can we control it with simple sticks?

It must be visible somehow?

I quickly got bored again and let my eyes wander. Little children were running around and playing catch. I didn't feel like it right now.

Then my eyes fell on an inconspicuous boy. He had worn clothes and light brown hair. Through his face stretched a scar that seemed quite new.

He was reading. HE WAS READING?? What? How could he read already? I wasn't going to elementary school until next year and he seemed to be my age. SO HOW??

The letters on the cover of the book remained a mystery to me, no matter how long I stared at them.

So I walked over to him.

"What are you reading?" I asked, although my real question was, how?

He looked up and gazed into my eyes. At that moment, I was frozen. They were so kind. How could someone radiate such warmth?

"The sun and the moon."

I waited for him to elaborate further, but he remained silent.

But now that I was curious, I persisted. I wanted to stay.

"Can you teach me to read?"

He looked at me in surprise. He hesitated before answering, but finally said :" It's not so easy."

I tried not to let my disappointment show, but I didn't seem to succeed, as he quickly complemented.

" But I can try."

I flashed him a smile and answered him excitedly.

"oh thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Can I sit here?"

"Sure. So the most important thing to read is…"

And suddenly I understood. What I felt was not visible and yet there. It just had to come from magic.

~~~

"Hey, wake up we're almost there." i heard a soft voice. Lily's. That voice snapped me out of my kindergarten memories. Of my first encounter with him.

My eyes were sticky and were the aftermath of the tears I had shed because of him.

Oh Remus… Why can't you just let me get over you?

Even my dreams reminded me of him.

"Thank you. I'm going to get ready." i said to lily and mary who was standing behind lily looking at me with a worried expression.

We were silent until we got off.

When we got off, the large group was separated. The first graders were taken to Hogwarts in the boats while we rode in the carriages.

I was about to get in when a boy my age opened the door in front of me.

"It's for you, madam." he grinned at me with a mischievous smile.

Without saying anything, I got in.

"Well, I would have expected a thank you." he teased me and one eyebrow rose slightly in a curved shape.

"Thanks."

"Luis."

"What? "

He grinned wider at me.

"My name. 'Thank you, Luis.' would have come, actually, had you known."

"(y/n)"

He just nodded and walked over to a group of Ravenclaws. It was only then that I noticed his Ravenclaw uniform. His black hair and brown eyes only then stayed in my mind.

I sat down next to Mary who smiled at me.

"Luis, huh? Well he looked good if you ask me."

I saw her look and immediately felt uncomfortable.

"Yeah, maybe."

She seemed disappointed with the answer.

"Oh come on! I mean after the scene before the train, he comes up to you and obviously tries to cheer you up and flirt with you. That's saying something!"

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. Of course. The kiss. Everyone saw him. And also how I ran away.

Shit.

SHIT.

Everyone saw me having an emotional outburst. I embarrassed myself again.

I put my head in my hands, exhausted, and sighed.

"Hey, it's not that bad. I'm sure Remus just saw that."

I lifted my head and looked at her, stunned.

"What good is it that he saw a boy I don't know hold the door open for me out of pity?"

Mary rolled her eyes.

"That he was getting jealous, hello?"

A sickening feeling rose up inside me. Hope. False hope.

"Mary he's not jealous. He has nothing to be jealous about."

Mary fell silent in response. Lily looked around between us and then looked at me hesitantly.

"You know, maybe he really loves you? That on the platform looked a lot like it, anyway."

I winced.

"He doesn't love me Lily. He just kissed me because I don't give him the attention I used to. Maybe he thinks he loves me, but he doesn't. He loves, the idea of my love for him. Of my affection for him. But he does not feel the same. "

I did not know where these words came from. But it felt good to hide behind him.

Lily tilted her head. "Do you really believe that? "

~~~~

The castle was as big as ever. We made our way to the great hall in silence when we heard a voice behind us. James.

"Hey, wait a minute! Can we come with you? With you guys, then?"

Instead of turning around, Lily walked on with definite steps.

"What's wrong, I thought you guys were good by now?" i asked, remembering the hogsmead trip.

"He did it again." she whispered and it was just barely audible, but it was enough to explain.

He had exposed snape again.

Without saying anything in response, we both walked into the hall, though it felt more like we were running away.

~~~

After the ceremony, we were sent to our rooms. Lily Mary and I shared a room as we do every year.

We unpacked our things and laughed at Dumbledore and his beard, which seemed to grow longer and longer.

It was refreshing.

The sun was hiding behind the earth, while the moon was not even visible.

Taglist : @juleshadalittlelamb @fluffybunnyu @tendous-pretty-hair @helloitsmeeeeeee @valencia-rou @woohoney

#marauders era #marauders #remus lupin #the marauders #dead gay wizards #harry potter #remus lupin x reader #remus lupin angst #remus lupin x you #Spotify

[frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers]

Frozen: Forces of Nature Podcast

Everything we know so far:

So as we all know and have been talking about for the past few days, there's a newly announced podcast called 'Frozen: Forces of Nature'. The podcast will tell a cannon story set after Frozen 2 and before Frozen 3. The podcast is going to be a 12 part series, 15 - 20 minutes each episode and this will be season 1. The story will feature two new characters; Queen Disa of Sankerhus and Wolfgang is the Duke of Weselton's nephew. It is set to release in October ahead of the 10th anniversary of the franchise (and the first movie). The plot goes as follows:

'The series follows Queen Anna, who has a lot on her plate – there are visitors in her Kingdom, a friend in need, and even the Duke of Weselton’s nephew skulking around – so when the Spirits of Nature start acting up, she knows she has to solve the problem – and fast – before things get more out of control. But when Anna and Elsa travel to the Enchanted Forest, they find mysterious copper machines that are disrupting the natural order of things. Who made these machines and what are they doing in the forest? And more importantly, how do Anna and Elsa stop them?'

In other official sources, they've given a little more detail about the events going on:

'Queen Anna has a lot on her plate. She has welcomed Disa, the Queen of the small neighboring nation and her people to Arendelle when their kingdom is flooded. Disa is eager to learn about the scientific nature of magic.

Also in Arendelle is Lord Wolfgang, the Duke of Weselton’s nephew, on an apology tour for his uncle’s behavior. He very much wants to secure Queen Anna’s forgiveness and hopes to convince the people of Arendelle of the merits of trade with Weselton.

When a mysterious fire happens at the castle and the Spirits of Nature start acting up Elsa, Anna, and Disa travel to the Enchanted Forest to uncover the cause, where they discover mysterious steam-powered copper machines: automatons.

Where do the automatons come from and what are they doing? Who is directing them? Most importantly, how do Elsa, Anna, and Disa stop them from upsetting the natural balance of the Enchanted Forest and Arendelle?'

So let's point out the key things here and other information in other official sources too:

- Anna is feeling the pressure of being Queen so far, which for me is no surprise given she wasn't prepared to be Queen so soon.

- The Duke of Weselton's nephew, Wolfgang is visiting Arendelle to apologize to Elsa and Anna on behalf of his uncle for the things he did in Frozen and restore the trading relationship of Weselton with Arendelle

- Queen Disa's Kingdom, Sankerhus, is flooded (most likely due to chaos in the forest) and hence she and her people temporarily move to Arendelle

- Sankerhus is one of the neighbouring Kingdoms of Arendelle, like the Southern Isles

- Queen Disa is intrigued by the "scientific nature of magic"

- A mysterious fire occurs in Arendelle castle which causes the spirits to go wild causing Elsa, Anna and Disa to travel to the Enchanted Forest where they discover steam - powered, copper machines called automatons

- The person who created these machines will most likely be revealed in the podcast

Some of you may be wondering why a podcast? Why not an official novel/ book? Why not a short? I was wondering the same thing when this was first announced. I had mixed feelings on this too. But the more I read posts and the more I thought about it the more I started seeing why the story was chosen to be in this format. I think with books and movies it's typical that that's how stories would be told to us. But I think Disney is trying a new way of telling stories without animation involved with audio steaming as a first of its franchises. It is said that it's also for parents to help kids reduce screen time and I also so that they save money for future animation projects especially for Frozen 3, which is a sensible thing to do honestly speaking. Perhaps they didn't make it a Short because the story was more detailed than just a simple one like Frozen Fever and Olaf's Frozen Adventure and the story would not fit in a short but a long enough to be a movie.

But you still might be unsure about the story of the podcast being with the whole nature Vs machine thing. But to be fair we don't know much about these machines or what their purpose is so we can't really say anything about it yet. All we know is that they are "steam powered, copper machines" and when I searched them up on Google I found images like these:

They sound (by the name of it) and look very appropriate for the time period Frozen is set in. But let's not panic if you're still unsure with the machines taking the focus. Frozen is about magic - in each and every movie, long or short, they've explored some kind of magic. So it's given they're not gonna go all out with this science Vs magic theme. The characters and their intentions in the story are the focus of the story. When the sisters find out about these machines they will stop them because it disturbs the enchanted forest. That's the point - to get rid of these machines. Obviously what this person is doing is wrong and has to stop and that's what the sisters will be doing in the first season of the podcast. Besides the podcast cast multiple seasons so this will be the plot for season 1 only.

And no this isn't going to be the plot of Frozen 3 or anything similar because why would they make it the plot of the podcast and not of Frozen 3? Frozen 3 will be entirely different from this podcast. We still have a couple more years til Frozen 3 is out with a rough estimate. They might drop some Frozen 3 plot hints in these podcasts and some of the characters might make an appearance in the upcoming movie but the plot will be different. but highly doubt they would make Frozen all industrial machinery. If the person behind these machines has a good intention they might use their machinery to help advance Arendelle just a little more (I'm guessing). But they won't play a role in it. Frozen is about the characters - some of which have magic! Elsa and Anna have no links to machinery or anything so let's not jump to conclusions and judge the story without, let alone listening to it, but it even being out yet.

I don't think the podcast will be crucial to the story in Frozen 3 so if some of you don't want to watch it by all means don't but Frozen 3 is something different altogether. I think they're just trying to expand the franchise and keep the fandom alive and talking and theorising in the run up to the movie because it's fine Frozen fandom would die done because Frozen 2 was originally going to be the last movie of the movie series, but now that's it not they want to make sure we're all back in the game again.

We only have theories of our own. Nothing is confirmed regarding Frozen 3 other than the fact that the main Original cast will be returning (voices of Elsa, Ann, Olaf and Kristoff (plus Sven!)) and that it will be run with a new director instead of Jennifer Lee. Who else will be returning or will be joining new, we have to wait and see.

New changes to something old we love is hard but we have to give it a try in order to see if the change was good or not.

But in conclusion to this post, that's all we know so far about the podcast. Hope some of you found this useful if you didn't know something about the podcast.

#disney frozen #frozen #frozen 2 #frozen 3 #elsa #anna #elsa and anna #olaf #Kristoff #sven #disney #podcast #frozen podcast #frozen: forces of nature #frozen forces of nature #forces of nature #the spirits of nature

[ervona]

Day 1: Arcane / Beast for @tes-summer-fest

The city of Winterhold coasted on its illustrious history as capital, though it had shared that honor with quite a few cities in the province. Still, it held a charm that set it apart from the rest in the eyes of a courier who had just finished her delivery to the far-flung shrine of Azura. The mountainside view was one to behold, enjoyed by many from afar who'd come to join the work on that lofty statue. To her, the sight of moonlit stone walls called for a night out.

A gleaming eye caught her own, atop the most distinguished, towering structure in the city. Home to many a mage, such as her friend who on this day was waiting for her at the city gates rather than on College grounds. He was but a prentice, and even though he’d started learning a bit late by a naysayer’s estimate, he was bound to become a great mage someday. One could only hope. 

Though not officially enrolled there, she was a scholar of sorts, as well as a courier and self-appointed investigator. Her pursuit of mystery was greater than the sum of its parts. She arranged to borrow a book on occasion in return for running the archivist’s errands, but the path to knowledge ofttimes lay elsewhere.

“Just so you know, that hermit up in the mountain told me you absolutely need levitation!" The volume of her voice sank into the surrounding snow. Only slightly dusted by it, like a sweetcake, he threw his head back in unbridled laughter.

That was how they met each time, continuing their last discussion regardless of how long it had been. Or at least, that’s how she commanded awe with her excellent memory. Usually.

“I missed you too!” His feet dangled in the air when she hugged him, repeatedly hitting her ankle. “And ah- sorry- can’t say I didn’t expect that. I haven't been neglecting my studies, either.”

“She also offered to share arcane secrets, if I-”

“Do some errands for her?” he drawled, mimicking the archivist, who'd come across as the unwitting jester of the faculty.

“No, if I leave her alone for a while. She seemed cross with me.”

Chattering friends beat chattering teeth, and they’d discussed their latest findings all the way down the path that sloped down to arguably a beach. Ancient bones distorted as in a dream were stuck in the glacial gullet of Hsaarik; less ancient ones lay half-buried in the snowdrift.

Deep below the lights of the city, falling prey to something sharp was far too easy, but the fog of breath held no fear. She took the hand offered to her aglow in purpureal light and her step became lighter still, they could skip across the water like stones.

He’d practiced his spellwork on these shores for days on end with only her in audience, a mouthful of dried fish and socks full of water. The days had been longer then, and one could get away with being sodden before a biting chill came upon them. Fortunately he had picked up a flame spell, more for need of himself than her, who braved the Old Holds with naught but skis and high spirits. 

“Now, behold something a bit different.” he said when they’d stepped on frozen ground.

“You’ve finally come around to ice swimming?”

“I wish! No, no, just look.”

The spell looked similar enough to her eye, but the motion to cast it was different. Soon enough the circular shape mimicking his hands elevated his feet ever so slightly from the ground. She clapped, perhaps emboldening him too much to take a less than careful step, after which the next one sent him plummeting into waist-deep water with a wail.

Trying not to chuckle, she stepped close enough to wet her boots. She would be undressing soon anyway, thus without a care. “Could have been worse. What if I were to jump in too?” 

“That’s unneeded. But thank you.” He wrung out what he could with a sigh, and she would have asked him about learning a dry warming spell if he didn't have enough on his plate already.

Once again they joined hands, in a more sodden saunter towards the next islet, a larger one they’d frequented. There lay wood ash and fishbone, remains of their last fire that the wild waves hadn’t claimed yet. Starting a new one with no delay, they sat for a while in silence, broken only by the seabirds’ cry.

The days had grown shorter, giving way to night. Masser, the roseate eye in the tapestry of stars, had seized her beating heart and now looked upon her in anticipation. She strode on the lookout for fish, drinking in the horizon that would at some point give way to the nascent sun. 

In that direction, a once mighty craft cracked in twain on long since melted ice, since then picked clean by beasts and priests. They’d searched it up and down already, finding what they sought and the years had gone by until it was of little interest but a grim omen. 

Strewn across sea-nooks were many such wooden carcasses, cast away at the mercy of the eponymous ghosts that only grew in number. But she couldn’t let that dishearten her. Rather she counted every golden drake, pressed until they were warm, for passage to faraway shores. Though her friend had not complained once, it was her that made their journey troublesome to plan for.

Breathing in the night air, her heart began to play the moon’s tune. Blood rushing to and fro, crawling deep into herself. Her fur was already growing in. It was crucial to disrobe and fold all her clothes into a now empty knapsack, before her shape was truly unmade and remade. She left it to her friend’s safekeeping, who also provided the perfect cover, a novice of transfiguration with a proclivity for accidents in spellcasting. It wasn’t far from the truth, and was of course her idea.

With newfound power and little care for the cold she leapt into the sea, making a grand entrance. Some fish fled, others were fearless, but her teeth snapped around them all the same, not unlike the traps that sought to capture her kind. Each time she surfaced to deposit fish on the rocks, he would look up from his little spell-circle and line them up all orderly. So began their night, with a feast.

Just a step beyond the locals’ taste, the two companions shared a liking of raw fish. It was always nice to spend time with someone who’d never cast a glance of judgment. Not even the subtle ones brimming with dignified superiority, for he didn’t have that streak in him, but she often feared the day that could change. 

At the moment, she feared nothing. In her many years of life, her greatest fears as a youth had reformed into her great solace. It was no longer too much to bear. She felt only the need to delve further into the water, as the call of the forest was much the same on land and sea. Down in the brush of kelp, one could find all manner of things, even sunken treasure. The hunt raged on through the night. 

When she came to, Magnus and Azura had embraced in the sky, and the treasures she’d scattered around were truly nothing to write home about. Fish scraps were stuck in her hair, not her fur, but the hair that hung over her neck now, heavy with water. Trying to balance on the ice, she was growing shaky by the moment. Ever since she’d known of herself, she would regain her merish form with the dawn.

Cold, cold, that sudden cold, was surely the worst part of these trips, fun as they were. And it wasn’t too long until she spotted a familiar figure, ever nearer as he hopped along the drift ice, brandishing her cloak like a banner. She snagged it and made quick work of her knapsack, robes and all, but in pursuit of warmth almost slipped quite a few times before she got her boots on. 

To divert from such a graceless moment, she grabbed one of her sunken trinkets, a worn, blackened chip that may have once been silver and put on her best impression of the Nord merchants at the city market. “Might you be interested in an ancient Atmoran coin?”  

“Just what I’m looking for!” He laughed, rolling it around in his hand. The sun at his back was but a trifle when he beamed. “I don’t mean to brag, but I may be getting the knack of this. Levitation. I’ve been practicing all night.”

“Will you whisk me away to the city, then?”

“Um, not yet. But one day, I hope!”

That she looked forward to, but another sea-walk was certainly more than adequate.

#tesfest23 #skyrim #tes #the elder scrolls #brand-shei #merris tag #oc tag #scrawling tag #need to change that but 'fic tag' isn't doing it for me #alternate time going on here and if you're able to piece it all together without prior context then i've done something right #and you too! thanks for reading and happy tesfest

[claireelizabeth85]

Come Home to Me - Chapter 3

John Egan x OC Female!Reader

Summary: We learn a bit more about what is going on with Lizzy. For those not entirely sure where this is going - think Evie from The Mummy 2 and Claire from Outlander.

Warnings: Implications of death, heartbreak, sorrow.

AN: Many thanks to those of you who have read Chapters 1 and 2. If you have questions or want to share your thoughts/ideas of where this could be going, shoot me a message - I would love to hear your thoughts.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The atmosphere inside the White Stag was warm and cosy, a stark contrast to the chill of the evening outside. Lizzy and Sarah found themselves surrounded by a few elderly locals, including James Thatcher, who had revealed his connection to Lizzy. They exchanged pleasantries as James introduced the other patrons as some of the children Lizzy remembered from her time in the village. Each conversation she had seemed to deepen the mystery of her past, as more people claimed to have known her "back then." Despite Sarah's scepticism, Lizzy couldn't ignore the feeling of familiarity and belonging she felt among these strangers.

Suddenly, James leaned in and whispered something to his grandson, who hurried off to retrieve something from the back of the pub. Lizzy's heart raced with anticipation as she watched the young man return with a dusty trunk, its wooden exterior weathered with age.

"This," James said solemnly, "is yours."

Lizzy's hands trembled as they ghosted over the lid, her rank and name etched into the surface were now dull with age. As she reached out to touch the trunk, her mind was racing with questions and emotions. With a deep breath, she slowly lifted the lid revealing a treasure trove of memories carefully preserved within.  Her civilian clothes, dress uniform and a spare flight suit were all neatly folded and smelling faintly of lavender. Photographs of familiar faces smiled up at her, frozen in time. Books she hadn't seen in years nestled among the keepsakes. 

But it was the sight of a red checked blanket that brought tears to Lizzy's eyes. She smiled at memories of lazy afternoons spent with John and she felt her cheeks flush with emotion. Something she had never expected to see lay tucked safely beneath the blanket. A letter, yellowed with age but bearing John's unmistakable handwriting waited for her. 

Excusing herself, she took her drink and the letter outside. As she delicately unfolded it with shaking hands, every word seemed to carve deeper into her already wounded heart.  John's opening words, "My darling Lizzy," echoed with a tenderness that both soothed and exacerbated her pain. Tears blurred the lines of his familiar handwriting as if mimicking the haze that clouded her mind.

The absence of any prior communication gnawed at her, emphasising the significance of this final missive. It was as if fate had handed her the last fragment of their connection, a cruel reminder of what once was and could never be again.  John's words painted a picture of longing and despair, his agony palpable with each sentence. “The very thought of you waiting for me kept me going in that hell - but I knew the moment that I saw Buck, the look on his face told me you were gone��. The weight of his absence bore down on her, a burden too heavy for her fragile heart to bear alone.

In his lament, he bared the depths of his sorrow, mourning the life they should have shared. Their unspoken vows, the promise they had whispered in the secrecy of tangled bed sheets under a burning London night sky now lay shattered amidst the ruins of their dreams.

With each passing sentence, the weight of John's absence grew heavier and heavier.  Each one a jagged shard piercing her already wounded soul, the pain that poured from the paper, the magnitude of his love for her was too overwhelming to comprehend. She remembered this feeling, of having her heart shattered into a thousand pieces. But this time, there were no screams of grief that burned her lungs, no physical pain to match the agony of the hollow emptiness that she felt within, made ever more real by solitary, battered fortress that sat on the airfield reminding her that it had not brought him home.

As she finished reading, Lizzy held the letter close, the weight of her grief enveloping her.  Surrounded by the lingering shadows of her past, the pain of her loss surged within her, too potent to suppress. Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked, a torrent of emotion unleashed by the overwhelming sorrow that consumed her.

She longed for them all: John, Gale, Crosby, Biddick, Pappy, Benny, Crank—their camaraderie, their laughter, their unwavering support. Memories flooded her mind, scenes of shared moments and inside jokes, each one a bittersweet reminder of what she had lost.

She missed the way they would tease the new recruits, the protective arm John would wrap around her, the astonished whispers as she took her place in the cockpit and the forever furrowed brow of Chick Harding, sceptical of her relentless quest for missions.

Amid her grief, Lizzy found solace in John's words, a testament to a love that endured. Though separated by time and tragedy, she would love him as deeply now as she did then. 

#masters of the air #mota fanfiction #john egan x fem!reader #john egan fanfic #gale cleven #curtis biddick #comehometome #john egan x reader #john egan x oc #John x Lizzy Waterfield #mota fanfic #John Egan

[xienst]

MASTERPOST: enstars! summary project

THE ENTIRE ENSTARS! EVENT LORE SUMMARISED: for those who want to speedrun enstars! lore

here is a timeline of all the events in enstars!

this project will aim to summarise as many enstars! stories as possible so u can get the gist of the event stories without having to read through 100 eichi monologues

credits: timeline is copied from wiki

will be updated with links after every story summary!

[PRESENT DAY: year = !]

** events will be referred to by "<season> + <index>

春 SPRING: (C)

Shiny First Years

The Flag's Honor ✻ Crowned Flower Festival

Revival Festival☆Easter Night

Palace of the Ocean

Marching Band

Spring Storm! Dancing Petals, Sakura Festival!

Gang

Sweets Patisserie

Pyjamas

Mail Delivery -> spring section 1 summary

Devil's Mansion

Spring Breeze＊Iconic Book Fair

Lift the Curtains! Yumenosaki Circus

Sacrifice◆Resurrection Sunday of the Undying

Falling Cherry Blossoms＊Wisteria Purple of May

Toy Box

Angel's Wings

Card Battler

Runway

Dream Coloured Prince -> spring section 2 summary

In the Rose Garden

Fresh Green Martial Arts

Yell✳︎Sprawling Happy Spring

Evening Banquet ♪ Band Ensemble

Performance! The Tragicomedy of Romeo and Juliet

Secret Labyrinth

At Your Service! UNDEAD Cafe

Leap! Principal of the Lake's Surface

Play Your Part! Cinderella's Grand Stage

Terror! Tamayori's Haunted Dollhouse

School Festival★The Scramble of a Startup Hero

Billiards -> spring section 3 summary

夏 SUMMER: (X)

Ukiyo Air Ride

Merc Storia

Hero Show

Biblio

The Rainy Season's Blossoms

Breakthrough! The Revolutionary Live Which Heralds the Dawn

Chinatown

Nuclear Ignition ☆ A Sparkling Quintuple-Color Supernova -> summer section 1 summary

Victoria

Amusement☆The Live Party of Cats and Rabbits

Gondola

Judge! Black and White Duel

Round Game

Devotion! Brocade of Driving Away the Rainy Season

Gunmen of the Wilderness

Bridal -> summer section 2 summary

Symphony＊Magnolia of Blessings

Seven-Colored＊Sunshower Festa

Saga＊Rushing Up Rainbow Stage

Pool Opening

Comic World

Shot☆Splash Pool!

Challenge! Tanabata Festival Wishes

Dance Performance! Thoughts That Bridge the Milky Way

Facing One Another! The Celestial Globe of the Night the Stars Meet

Dance Floor -> summer section 3 summary

Dogfight

Ghost Stories

The Seven Faces of the Shapeshifting Youkai

Little Kings

Frozen Ice

Summer of Clear Skies! Summer Camp

Concerto

Set Sail! Pirates at Sea Festival -> summer section 4 summary

Kiseki☆The Preliminary Match of the Summer Live

Radiant! Sunflower Live of Smiles

Scorching Hot! The Scenery of Southern Lands and Summer Vacation

Surfing Ocean

Stars★Glitter of the Prism

Summer Flowers

Late Summer Lesson -> summer section 5 summary

Luminescence＊Summer Night Festival

Yumenosaki Restaurant

Remember! A Midsummer Night's Dream

Best Shot

Holiday

Scorching Heat ☆ A Seaside Beach Match

Buddy -> summer section 6 summary

Farewell! Festival of Memories and Quarrels

Launch! The Night Sky of the Shooting Star Festival

Carmen of Passion

Lost Star＊Wavering Light, Pleiades Night

Deep Sea Mystery

Drop＊The Far Sea and the Aquarium

Summer Sky＊Galloping Cheval Live -> summer section 7 summary

Onibi

Burning Up! Yumenosaki Academy Sports Festival

Fight! Yumenosaki Academy Sports Festival 2

Competition! Yumenosaki Academy Sports Festival 3

Cinema Theater

1001 Nights -> summer section 8 summary

Blue Filament

Cooking

Brilliant Star Air Force

Police Man -> summer section 9 summary

秋 AUTUMN (Q)

Kung Fu

Night of the Full Moon ＊ Hopping Moonlight Luna

The Coloured Flower Cards

Special Training! Mismatched Pair Lessons

Doctor

Rebellion! The King's Horseback Ride

Kiseki★Blitzkrieg Autumn Live

Robin Hood -> autumn section 1 summary

Science

Fruits Parlour

Happening◆Music Festa of Reversals

Secret Acts! The Moonlight Scroll of the Elements

Festival＊Graceful Fleur De Lis

Toryumon

Rosicrucian Story

Showtime

Howl★The Rockin' Star of the Night Sky -> autumn section 2 summary

Afternoon

Boutique

Raising Curtains! Dark Night Halloween

React★Magical Halloween

Lots of Monsters☆Sweet Halloween

Cacophony◆Whirling Horror Night Halloween -> autumn section 3 summary

Enjoyment♪ Autumn School Trip

Invitation★Black Blood Banquet

The Golden Wind＊Wishing Live of Encouragement

Teddy Bear

Colourful Autumn

Meikyoushisui

Hot-Blooded Tough Guy

BADBOYS -> autumn section 4 summary

Scramble ＊ Toyland in a Dream

The Songbird’s Song＊Soirée in the Canary Hall

Underdoctor

Autumn Forest

Discovery! Steampunk Museum -> autumn section 5 summary

冬 winter (D)

The Wolf and Red Riding Hood

Greek Legends

Philosopher's Guidance

SnowboardDream of the Butterfly

Rail◆The Cat in the Snowy Winter and the Camellia Train -> winter section 1 summary

Nocturne

Snow Globe

Agents

Snowflake❄Street Performance Of The Falling Stars

Shine! A Sparkling Starry Night Festival!

Winter Santa -> winter section 2 summary

Brilliance★Knights' Starlight Festival

Noel＊The Angels' Starlight Festival

Carol＊White Snow and the Christmas Eve Starlight Festival

Radiant☆Hot Holiday Party

Throwing! A Snowy Silver-White Snowfight

Eccentric -> winter section 3 summary

Kiseki☆Winter Live Showdown

Winter's New Year Shrine Visit

First Dream Tales (Part One)

First Dream Tales (Part Two) -> winter section 4 summary

Zodiac (Part One)

Amusement Park Show

Zodiac (Part Two)

Daikagura! Celebratory New Years Live

Showdown! Magnificent Phantom Thief VS Detective Brigade

Transparency and Masks -> winter section 5 summary

Clash of Arms! Opera of Moonlight Romance

Dance on Ice

Depart☆Blue Skies Dream Travel

Opening★The Fortune Banquet Live

Saga＊Clashing Rebirth Live

Revival☆Dream Diner Live

Shoufuku＊The Ogres and Brothers' Setsubun Festival -> winter section 6 summary

Last Period

Jewel Candy

Poison À La Mode

Tea Party

The Four Beasts of Fistfighting

Salon de Thé -> winter section 7 summary

Sincerely! Bitter Chocolat Festival

Melty❤Sweetly Unraveling Chocolat Festival

Decorate♥Crimson Chocolat Festival

Marble ♥ Heartfelt Chocolat Festival

Home Party

Onigashima -> winter section 8 summary

Yumenosaki Youth Radio♪

Military

Cunning ◆ Wonder Game

Beauties of Nature

Flutter! Chick and Emperor's Triumphant Return -> winter section 9 summary

[NEXT YEAR: year = !+1]

!+1 spring i think? (context: third years in ! are graduating)

Beasts

Memorial◆Class Live We Make Together

Noble Game

Chuunibyou Trouble

Bouquet of Desire

Chorus★Operetta of Beginnings -> !! spring section 1 summary

Every Pitch With All One’s Heart! Youthful Play Ball

Clash! Recollect--A Festival of Giving Back

Baton Pass! Repayment Festival of Tears and Bonds

Moment＊The Repayment Festival of Moving Forward Toward the Future

Requiem＊Sword of Oaths and the Repayment Festival

Link♪The Symphony that Starts from Here -> !! spring section 2 summary

!+1 post-graduation stories

Photoshoot! Warm Athletics

Puppy Mischief Picnic

Bounce! Hearts and Flowers Bloom--Mall Live

Strawberry Picking -> post-graduation summary

[BACKSTORIES: read with caution *** recommended reading is from year = enstars!]

(year: !-12)

(1) Rainbow (2) Revival - 20

(year: !-several)

(3) Gang: Midnight Gangster

(year: !-2)

(4) Zodiac (5) Meteor Impact (6) Jingle Bells

(year: !-1)

(7) Reminiscence＊The Crossroads of Each One (8) Reminiscence＊Monochrome Checkmate (9) Reminiscence＊Spring Cherry Blossoms and a Night's Encounter (10) Reminiscence＊Ryusei Bonfire (11) Reminiscence ＊ End of the Marionette's Strings (12) Reminiscence＊Gathering of the Three Magicians

-> all backstories summary

AND... THAT'S IT! THATS THE ENTIRE ENSTARS! SUMMARISED

a few things to note:

main story not included -- because it should be read before everything

CN/TW exclusive not included

timeline is definitely shaky but overall flow of stories should still be okay

-project start date: 17 Oct 2022- -last updated: 22 Mar 2023-

#enstars #ensemble stars #enstars textpost #will add the summaries as we read through the stories #completion will probably be biased towards knights and fine #will this projected ever be completed? who knows #entire enstars! summary

[marietheran]

LotR reread - book 2, chapter 1 - Many Meetings

That awakening scene and Gandalf's grumbling are iconic.

"You have talked long in your sleep, Frodo, and it has not been hard for me to read your mind and memory" - more potential mind-reading. Yes, Frodo was talking, but the phrasing implies more than that.

Honestly Frodo is rather unperturbed for someone who keeps getting told "oh, and by the way, I read your mind"

Frodo's disbelief that Gandalf could ever be held captive :))

Frodo having thought all the "Big People" stupid before meeting Aragorn. He doesn't seem to have considered Gandalf as one of them, though.

"Fortune or fate have helped you" - something for the Mysterious Allusions Counter?? Let's leave it at 3.5.

That the Shire could withstand Sauron until all else might be conquered, almost as much as Rivendell, according to Gandalf!

"To what he will come in the end not even Elrond can foretell." - Proof that Elrond has foresight? Or just referring to his knowledge of healing?

"He may become like a glass filled with a clear light for eyes to see that can" - beautiful phrasing; what does it mean?

Some of the elves are "as merry as children"! -> me @ Peter Jackson

"We are sitting in a fortress. Outside it is getting dark." "Gandalf has been saying many cheerful things like that."

"On his brow sat wisdom, and in his hand was strength"

Elrond is "ageless, neither old nor young"... "venerable he seemed as a king crowned with many winters [Elros! 🥲💔], and yet hale as a tried warrior in the fullness of his strength." Hmm, half-elven heritage seems to show.

His hair "dark as the shadows of twilight" - compare: Lúthien ("dark as shadow was her hair"); Arwen being both a carbon copy of her illustrious foremother and like her father in female form.

"Mighty among both Elves and Men"

Arwen also has this "young and not" quality. Both she and her father are said to have the light of stars in their eyes.

Hmmm... Grey rainment with no ornament save a silver girdle + headdress. Not Noldorin fashion, I believe.

Bilbo definitely knows about Arwen and seems to tease Aragorn. Not sure if it counts as an allusion, being semi-overt... counter at 1.5

When I was 13 I decided to learn the Eärendil poem by heart and got halfway through - later I learned the rest of it through music settings.

Hmm... I doubt Bilbo should be taken as an expert on Eärendil's journey, but it does seem the Mariner almost crashed himself on the Helcaraxë (From gnashing of the Narrow Ice) where shadow lies on frozen hills.../He turned in haste, and roving still, etc.). And then there's the mysterious "Night of Naught"; I'm not sure if it was mentioned in the Silm.

O'er leagues unlit and foundered shores/ that drowned before the Days began *:･ﾟ✧*

He came into the timeless halls/ where shining fall the countless years ✧*:･ ...Brings to mind elements of Galadriel's song later on...

The Silmaril as lantern light/ and banner bright with living flame/ to gleam thereon by Elbereth/ herself was set, who thither came (!!)

And over Middle-earth he passed/ and heard at last the weeping sore/ of women and of elven-maids/ in Elder Days, in years of yore... haunting...

But, yes, Bilbo dies have cheek in reciting that in the house of Elrond

Aragorn very overtly talking to Arwen, cleaned-up and all. The scene is specifically drawn attention to; I hesitate to add this to my AragornxArwen allusion counter because it's not even an allusion! Mmm... 1.75

"I'll take a walk, I think, and look at the stars of Elbereth in the garden" -- oh, Bilbo, you're getting very Elvish

#lotr reread #lotr #the professor's mythopoeia #original post

[xxsksxxx]

Shadows and Light

Summary:

Mulder and Scully arrive in a small rural town to look into a ghost sighting.

Their journey takes them to an eerie, abandoned cabin in the middle of the forest.

As they delve deeper into the mysteries of the cabin and the strange noises they hear, they find themselves confronting their own beliefs and fears.

Notes:

As a long-time reader of X-Files fanfic, I have always greatly enjoyed the captivating stories that the many, many talented writers in this fandom have written about our favorite agents.

Writing fanfic is a journey I never thought I’d take. I’m both excited and scared. But here goes nothing, so here’s my very first fanfic.

I hope reading it will give you at least a fraction of the joy I had writing it.

AO3 | @today-in-fic

Chapter 1: The Abandoned Cabin

The sun hangs low in the late afternoon sky, casting long shadows through the dense canopy of trees. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves, sending a shiver down Mulder's spine. He tightens the collar of his coat, glancing at Scully, who stands beside him, her expression focused and determined.

The abandoned cabin looms before them, its weathered walls and broken windows giving it an ominous appearance.

They'd arrived in the rural town earlier in the day after receiving reports of a ghost sighting from a hiker. He'd been walking cross-country and spent the night close to an old cabin in the woods. And that's where he met the ghost, scaring him so much, he'd packed up and gone running back to town. The local people hadn’t been happy to see the FBI arriving in town, asking questions about ghosts. After Mulder had to pointedly show his badge a few times, a woman at the local diner had finally tipped them off that there had been rumors about a ghost in the woods for as long as she could remember. She had given them directions to the old abandoned cabin in the woods and sent them off.

“Do you think there's anything to this ghost story, Mulder?” Scully asks, her voice steady.

Mulder tilts his head, considering her question. “It's hard to say, Scully. People's beliefs and fears can often manifest into something they can't explain. But we won't know for sure until we investigate.”

Scully nods. The prospect of confronting a ghost adds another layer of intrigue to their already interesting case history. She fleetingly thinks about how Skinner will react to their case report later.

As they approach the cabin, the breaking of little branches on the old path beneath their feet echoes in the stillness of the late afternoon. The air is crisp and carries the scent of damp wood and earth. The cabin seems to stand frozen in time, a relic of a past waiting to reveal its secrets.

A sense of mystery and anticipation grips them both as they exchange glances. Mulder's eyes gleam with the excitement of the unknown, while Scully's analytical mind is already processing the details of their surroundings.

They step closer to the cabin, their flashlights cutting through the fading daylight. The beam of light reveals a broken down wooden door of a long forgotten, abandoned place.

“Mulder, be careful. This place looks like it's ready to collapse at any moment,” Scully warns.

Mulder smirks, giving her a playful wink. “Don't worry, Scully. And if any aberrations want to grace us with their existence, I'll make sure to not ask any dangerous questions.”

Scully rolls her eyes, but the hint of a smile lies on her lips. She knows about Mulder's habit to lighten the mood with humor.

Chapter 2: Echoes of the Past

As they step into the dimly lit cabin, Scully's heart skips a beat. An eerie hush envelops the place, and she can't help but shiver despite the layers she's wearing. Mulder, always curious, strides forward, his eyes scanning the barren space with an intensity that matches the determination in his voice earlier.

They're surrounded by the remnants of a life left behind—a broken chair, an old rug, and dust-covered books strewn across the floor. Scully carefully scans the room, her keen eye looking for any evidence that might shed light on their case. The surrounding silence seems to intensify, as if the cabin itself is holding its breath, waiting to reveal its long-buried secrets in the waning light of the late afternoon.

“Looks like someone's been here recently,” Mulder remarks, his eyes fixated on the old mattress lying in one corner. Scully follows his gaze and nods thoughtfully.

“It seems like they sought refuge here,” Scully observes, her voice loud in the silent room. The blanket draped over the mattress is faded and worn, but someone had taken shelter under it, seeking solace from what she can only imagine.

Mulder's gaze falls upon the flashlight resting on a dusty shelf. His fingers graze over its surface, and he raises an eyebrow as he examines it closely. “This flashlight looks newer than everything else in here,” he points out, a hint of intrigue coloring his words.

Scully slowly walks around, the old floorboards creaking beneath her feet. Her eyes dart around the cabin, taking in the sparse belongings and the book on mythical creatures lying open on a small table. It's a curious mix of objects.

They continue their search, their movements cautious yet purposeful. As they search through the dusty shelves and worn objects, a faint sound resonates through the air, like the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. Scully's senses go on immediate alert, and she exchanges a puzzled glance with Mulder. It's a strange noise, one that isn't immediately explainable.

“Do you hear that?” Scully asks, her voice hushed, as if afraid the sound might vanish if she speaks too loudly.

Mulder's brow furrows in concentration as he listens intently. “Yeah, I do,” he replies, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

The cabin's walls seem to absorb the sound, making it challenging to pinpoint. They both take cautious steps, trying to follow the faint echo, only for it to disappear and reappear as if it's teasing their senses. Mulder's brow furrows, and he reaches for his flashlight, hoping to shed some light on the mysterious noise.

“Mulder, this is strange. Let's go back to town and try to find out who is spending the nights here,” Scully suggests, her eyes never leaving his face. As she speaks, Mulder shines the flashlight around the cabin, revealing nothing but dusty corners and forgotten furniture.

He nods in agreement while taking a final look around. Reluctantly, they decide to abandon their search for the mysterious noise and head back to town.

Leaving the cabin, they find themselves bathed in the cool evening light. The distant calls of birds and rustling leaves fill the air, lending an almost surreal atmosphere to the surrounding woods. As they walk back to their car, curiosity gnaws at Scully, and she wonders if the locals hold any information that could unravel the mystery.

Chapter 3: Ghosts

As they stand outside the cabin, their breaths visible in the chilly air, Scully feels a tinge of apprehension. The silence hangs heavy around them. The mysterious noise has disappeared.

While Mulder pulls out the car keys to their rental and gets behind the wheel, Scully takes another look around. Her attention is drawn back to the present when she hears the car only giving a few labored sounds before falling silent again. Mulder twists the car key repeatedly, frustration evident on his face as the engine refuses to start.

Scully takes out her cell phone and checks for a signal, taking a few steps around. But the “No Service” message remains unyielding, leaving them stranded in the middle of the woods.

With a frustrated growl, Mulder gets out of the car and steps back next to Scully. The encroaching darkness wraps around them like an oppressive shroud, and Scully shivers, seeking warmth and comfort by wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

“We should probably go back inside,” Mulder suggests, guiding her towards the cabin's entrance with a hand at the small of her back.

Inside, the air is musty, and Scully wonders about the person who sought refuge here before them. Who’d spend a night out deep in the woods in an abandoned cabin with nothing but an old blanket and a book on mythical creators? Well, aside from them, that is. She throws Mulder a fond sideways glance. Only he would find an outrageous tale about ghosts worth investigating.

“Do you think we're alone here?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mulder pauses, his eyes meeting hers. “I don't know, Scully. There's something strange about this place. Maybe our mysterious visitor with the fascination for mythical creatures will come back.”

Outside, the night deepens, and the woods come alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures. Scully can hear the distant hoot of an owl, and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Reluctantly, she sits down on the old, worn mattress and tries to get comfortable. She can feel weariness settling in, watching Mulder's flashlight cast long shadows on the walls while he searches through the old shelves.

With a triumphant shout, he holds up a big pack of long matches and walks over to the fireplace. Within a few minutes, he’s built a small fire, its crackling warmth bringing comfort to the cabin. They sit close to the flames, their shoulders touching, and for a moment, Scully forgets about the strange cabin and their predicament.

“You know, Scully,” Mulder begins, his voice soft and reflective, “sometimes I wonder if we're meant to find all the answers we seek.”

She looks at him, captivated by the contemplative look on his face. “What do you mean?” she asks, genuinely curious.

Mulder gazes at the dancing flames. “Maybe it's not about the answers themselves, but about the journey we take to find them. The people we meet, the experiences we share—maybe that’s the real truth.”

Scully takes a moment to process his words. Their shared experiences have certainly been a revelation, even if they didn’t get them all the answers. Yet, she corrects herself.

As the fire crackles before her, Scully's mind wanders back to only a few months before. Surviving cancer had been a deeply transformative experience, one that had forced her to confront her own mortality and reassess her priorities. It had also strengthened her bond with Mulder, bringing them closer together in ways she could have never imagined.

Her gaze flickers to Mulder, his profile illuminated by the flickering flames. He'd been her rock through the toughest times, never wavering in his support and belief in her.

“What do you mean,” she questions.

“Scully, I can't help but feel that we're chasing shadows, quite literally,” Mulder confesses.

“Shadows?”

“Sometimes it feels like we're running in circles. And now, with everything that happened in the past year…” His voice trails off, the memories of her battle with cancer haunting him as well.

“I just can’t help but wonder if this is really the right path anymore. There's been so much evidence that it's all been a lie, you know. Maybe it’s all really about making people believe, so they don’t question anything anymore,” Mulder continues.

“And at what price. It was just too close. If you had died…,” he trails off, looking away.

Scully carefully takes Mulder’s hand, entangling her fingers with his, and squeezes. “Then you would’ve kept looking. And you would’ve found a way to help other women who they experimented on.”

Mulder stays silent, his hand solid and warm in hers. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know if I would have. I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

Scully turns back to look into the flames, both sitting in silence.

Chapter 4: Journeys

With no option but to wait for daylight, Mulder tries to lighten the mood with a joke. “You know, Scully, if this turns out to be a ghost, we'll have to rethink all our theories about the afterlife.”

Scully can't help but smile, grateful for his attempt to ease the tension. “I'll leave the ghost theories to you, Mulder. I'm more interested in finding a logical explanation for all of this.”

He chuckles, the sound soothing to her ears. “Ah, but where's the fun in that? Sometimes, we have to embrace the unknown and let go of our need for certainty.”

Scully gives him a playful nudge. “Easy for you to say, Mulder. You thrive on uncertainty.”

He grins, his eyes sparkling with affection. “And you keep me grounded, Scully. We balance each other out.”

They smile at each other, the warmth of the fire and their shared history creating a sense of intimacy.

“You know, Mulder, I never imagined my life would turn out this way,” she admits, her voice soft and introspective.

“What do you mean?” he asks, genuinely curious.

“I mean, I always wanted to be a scientist, to follow the path of reason and logic. I became a medical doctor to help people and a pathologist to get them the justice they deserve. And then I met you, and everything changed. And it's been a rollercoaster ever since,” she explains.

Mulder smiles, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames. “I'm glad you’re on board, Scully. Do you ever regret it?”

Scully looks at him, her face earnest. “Never, Mulder. You've challenged me, pushed me to question my beliefs, and showed me things I couldn’t even imagine. I can't imagine my life without it.”

He turns his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers once more.

“Even when it costs you so much, Scully?” Mulder replies softly, his thumb caressing the back of her hand. “Is it really worth it for you?”

Scully nods, her gaze lingering on their intertwined fingers. “I wish it didn’t cost Missy her life. That’s my biggest regret. And I wish I’d never been abducted. It caused mom so much pain….” Mulder flinches and grips her hand tightly.

“No! Mulder, I don’t blame you for any of that. The only people responsible for that are still out there. And we will find them,” Scully continues. She ducks her head, trying to see his eyes.

“But sometimes, I can't help but wonder if we're chasing the wrong answers. It feels like we're always on the edge, searching for answers that may never come,” Mulder replies.

Scully's gaze softens as she listens to Mulder. She takes a moment to absorb his words. She's faced her own share of skepticism along the way, questioning if their pursuit of the truth will ever get them the answers to their questions. Especially in the last year, when she’d been fighting for her life. The moments of doubt had been outweighed by the profound impact they'd had on each other. Their shared journey had become more than just chasing answers; it had become a testament to the special bond they share.

“You're right, Mulder,” she responds gently, “It can be frustrating, but it's also what keeps us going. The pursuit of the truth, no matter how elusive, is what drives us.”

Scully gives Mulder’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “We may not always find the answers we seek, Mulder, but the journey itself will get us closer. It's what keeps me going, knowing that we're in this together, no matter how challenging it gets.”

Mulder smiles, his eyes warm with appreciation. Their hands remain intertwined, the fire's warmth and their unwavering connection providing comfort in the midst of uncertainty.

Scully leans her head against his shoulder, finding comfort in his presence. “I’ve been thinking a lot since last year. The things I want to do, now that I know I’ll have the chance, the things I never pursued because I thought there was so much time and all the things I still want to prove to myself.”

He wraps an arm around her, pulling her closer. “I understand, Scully.”

She lets out a sigh, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease. “I realized, I want to live up to everyone's expectations, including my own. There's so much pressure. I want to be strong for you, for our work, for my family, but sometimes it feels like I'm failing at everything. It can be exhausting, Mulder.”

He kisses the top of her head, his lips brushing against her hair. “You don't have to be perfect, Scully. We're human, and we're allowed to have doubts and fears. That doesn't make you any less capable or strong. You're not alone in this.”

Scully turns her head and gives Mulder a pointed look. He can’t help but laugh. “I know, I should listen to myself, huh?”

She just turns her head back and puts her head back on his shoulder, his warmth seeping through his coat, warming her cheek.

Their conversation lingers in the air, the weight of Mulder's words resonating in Scully's mind as her eyes start to droop. They settle into their makeshift sleeping arrangements. The crackling of the fire provides a soothing backdrop to their thoughts, and the warmth of their connection lingers even in the silence between them.

Mulder puts the blanket over them both as fully as possible. It’s not much, but with their added body warmth and the small fire it’ll get them through the night.

Just before closing her eyes, Scully glances at Mulder once more, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

In the warmth of the fire's glow, Scully feels a glimmer of hope for the future—now that she has one again. There may not be a ghost or an answer to what that hiker really saw and the world may still be full of questions and secrets, but she knows that she's not alone. She has Mulder by her side, a constant presence in their ever-shifting lives.

Chapter 5: Encounters

As the night wears on, Scully finds herself drifting closer to sleep, lulled by the flickering flames and Mulder's steady presence beside her. But just as she's about to succumb to slumber, a strange noise jolts them awake, their senses instantly on high alert.

“What was that?” Scully whispers, her heart pounding in her chest. The sudden interruption shatters the tranquility of the moment, and the tension returns, reminding them of the mystery they are here for.

Mulder's grip on the flashlight tightens as he sits up, scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. “I don't know,” he replies in a hushed tone. “Maybe it's a rat.” Mulder silently gets to his feet, with Scully right behind him. Both agents pull their guns.

They slowly start exploring the cabin again, their flashlights casting long, wavering shadows into the dark corners. Scully's instincts are on high alert, and every creak of the floorboards and rustle of the wind outside makes the hairs on her arms stand up.

“Mulder, do you think we're alone here?” she whispers, glancing over her shoulder as if expecting someone—or something—to be lurking in the shadows.

Mulder's eyes scan the dimly lit interior of the cabin. “I'm not sure, Scully. It's possible that whoever sought refuge here before may be back again.”

Just then, a strange noise echoes through the cabin, causing both of them to freeze. It's the soft, almost ethereal sound again they heard a few hours ago. Like the whisper of a ghostly presence. Scully's heart pounds in her chest as she grips her flashlight tighter.

“What is that?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mulder raises an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “I'm not sure, but let's find out.”

With caution, they move toward the source of the sound, their flashlights sweeping over every corner of the cabin. And that's when they see him—a complete stranger, standing in the shadows near the far corner of the room.

He's an old man, hunched over with age, dressed in tattered clothes that seem to blend with the surrounding darkness. His hair is a wild mass of curly hair, and his eyes hold a depth of wisdom that seems to pierce through Mulder and Scully's souls.

Neither of them speaks, unsure of what to make of this unexpected visitor, their guns trained on their strange late night guest. How has he managed to find them in the middle of the woods, in the dead of night? And how did he get into the cabin without them noticing?

Mulder takes a step forward, his voice steady but cautious. “Who are you? Are you okay? How did you get here?”

The old man remains silent for a moment, his gaze shifting between Mulder and Scully as if assessing them. Then, finally, he speaks, his voice soft and weathered. “I apologize for intruding. I sought shelter and thought this cabin was empty. My name is Peter.”

Scully and Mulder exchange glances, uncertain about how to proceed. Peter's presence seems almost ethereal, and the circumstances are strange, but he appears to be unarmed and doesn’t really pose any danger.

“And why are you out in the middle of the night?” Scully asks suspiciously, her gun never wavering.

“I’m searching for something and the darkness surprised me,” he explains.

Peter slowly moves closer to where they have set up their blanket. Scully raises her gun and takes a step back. The old man stops immediately and holds his hands up.

“Do you mind if I sit down for a bit? It should get light out in only a few more hours, and then I'm on my way,” he asks Scully.

Scully hesitates, but then lowers her gun and Mulder follows suit.

“Yes, have a seat, Peter. I’m afraid we only have one blanket and this old mattress, but it should be better than having to stay out in the woods,” Mulder explains.

“What are you doing here anyway? This is not exactly a place for city folks like you,” Peter mumbles. He slowly lowers himself to the mattress and sighs when his knees pop.

“We’re with the FBI, and we’re here to investigate the sighting of a ghost. We’re waiting for morning as well to get back into town,” Mulder continues, watching the visitor carefully. “Did you ever hear anything about that?”

Peter chuckles. “A ghost? Well. There are many old stories about ghosts being told around here. You know, those dark woods are made for scary tales.”

Scully snorts before sitting back down on their blanket and giving Mulder a pointed look.

Mulder gives her a chagrined smile and sits down as well.

“Can’t argue with that, I guess.”

Chapter 6: Shadows

The old man moves his hands closer to the warmth of the flames but stays well away from the fire.

“So, a ghost is what you're looking for. Pretty unusual activity for the FBI, I’d say,” he gives them a sideways glance. “Well, since you like ghost stories, let me share a mesmerizing tale I once heard, of a man who was also searching,” Peter begins. “It might even relate to your ghost—and your search.

“A long while ago, not far away from this cabin and in these woods, lived a man who was burdened with the weight of life's struggles. You see, he'd been an outcast all his life, and all he wanted was to find the purpose of his life.

“He figured, if he found the meaning of life, his life would become wonderful. He'd finally have the answers to all his questions, he'd know what to do, and everything would have a purpose. So he set out one day to find this elusive purpose of his life. He met many people along the way, some of them happy, and some bogged down by their own existence. One day, fate had a peculiar twist in store for him, leading him to a mysterious encounter that would prove to change the course of his life forever.

“Amid the busy streets and bustling crowds of a big city, a figure draped in a mysterious gray cloak appeared before him. This enigmatic stranger, whom the man knew nothing about, offered him a tempting deal—one that would grant him great wisdom and answers to all the questions he'd been seeking. It was beyond his imagination.

“All he would need to do was one little thing. He'd have to sell the cloaked man his shadow. The man thought for a bit, but then decided there was no real use for a shadow anyway. And if it would get him all the answers, he'd been looking for, his quest would finally be complete. It seemed too good to be true.

“He agreed to the tempting proposition, unknowingly sealing his fate. The man in the gray coat smiled, and before the man could think any further about what he'd agreed to, the stranger was gone. And all of a sudden, everything seemed clear to him. Every question he'd been wondering about immediately had an answer in his mind as soon as he thought about it. And suddenly it all made sense. With newfound wisdom at his disposal, he decided to finally return home, hoping to escape his past hardships and live a perfect life from now on.

“But, as we often find in life, every choice has consequences. His decision led to an unforeseen circumstance—instead of being welcomed with open arms, people still avoided him. He now might have all the answers, but time and people had moved on. And no one really cared about his answers anymore. Even his own family just wanted to forget about all the old questions and hard times of the past. Some had even already passed on, and he hadn't been able to say goodbye.

“Instead of the wonderful life he’d hoped for, he became an outcast for a different reason than before. He didn't have a shadow, and people quickly avoided him and considered him an object of fear and curiosity. And he lacked any purpose. Everything seemed unimportant and trivial now, and he spent all his days walking around the town and the woods to find something that could return the purpose to his life, his quest for answers had been.

“The emptiness of his existence weighed heavily on him as he tried to find a place to belong. And he realized that all the answers could never give him the closure he'd really been looking for. Instead, they'd turned him into even more of an outcast.

“In his desperate need to understand, he set out to undo his plight, and so the man embarked on a new journey to locate the elusive figure who had changed his life forever. And once again, he encountered people who both hindered and helped him on his new quest.

“One day, he came face to face with the enigmatic stranger once more. At that moment, as he sought redemption, he discovered the true value of his own identity and the significance of embracing oneself. He'd sold himself for his quest for answers. And so the man found that nothing could replace the essence of who he was. In the end, it's all hollow. His quest for purpose and finding answers was all nothing when he had to pay with his own shadow.”

The old man pauses and stares into the dying flames of their little fire from his spot at the far edge of the old mattress. Mulder and Scully watch him silently, Mulder fascinated, Scully thoughtful and a bit skeptical.

“You may wonder why I'm telling you all this. Well, we're in this man's old cabin right now. This is where he used to live many, many years ago. Deep in the woods, seeking his purpose and later, after his return until the day he died,” Peter continues.

Scully raises an eyebrow. “And he didn’t have a shadow.”

Peter smiles and the skin around his eyes crinkles as he looks at Scully. “That’s how it’s told, yes. It’s said that he’s appeared to several people over the years, that have been lost, looking for their purpose in life.”

The cabin is eerily silent. Suddenly, the last flames flicker and die, plunging them into complete darkness except for the still-glowing ash.

“Well, as exciting as that was, I think we're out of light and shadows now as well,” Mulder jokes uneasily. “Let's try to get some sleep, and we can discuss this some more in the morning.”

*** A/N:

The story Peter tells Mulder and Scully is based on the 1814 novella "Peter Schlemihl's Miraculous Story" by Adelbert von Chamisso. I've adapted it slightly to make it fit better with Mulder and Scully‘s experience.

Chapter 7: Light

As dawn breaks, Scully and Mulder awake to find Peter gone. The soft rays of sunlight filter through the trees, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor.

“I can't believe he disappeared like that,” Scully says, her voice tinged with a mix of bewilderment and curiosity.

Mulder nods, his gaze distant as he contemplates the possibilities. “It's like he was never really here. But I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than meets the eye.”

“Maybe he left early and didn’t want to wake us,” Scully says, and Mulder nods slowly.

“Please don’t tell me you think he was your ghost!” She exclaims.

Mulder keeps looking at the trees, trying to find any trace of their midnight visitor. “What did you think about that story he told us? About the man who sold his shadow?”

“I think it’s an old ghost story people tend to make up when it’s cold and dark outside and there’s not much to do except entertain each other,” Scully answers while turning around, eyeing her cellphone in disapproval.

“Still no signal,” she sighs. Mulder checks his phone as well and nods. “Mine neither.”

They gather their sparse belongings and prepare to leave the cabin. The air is cool and crisp, hinting at the approaching autumn. The leaves rustle softly in the breeze, creating a soothing background to nature's sounds.

“Let’s try the car one more time. Maybe it’ll start now,” Mulder suggests. He pulls the keys out of his pocket and gets in the driver seat.

The car starts without any issues.

Mulder stares at Scully through the windshield, his implications clear. Scully raises an eyebrow, her scientific mind seeking a logical explanation. She gets into the passenger seat, more than ready to leave this strange place behind.

As they’re slowly making their way back, Mulder's mind races with theories, and he can't resist sharing his thoughts with Scully. “You know, I've been thinking. Peter never stepped into the light last night. I don’t remember seeing his shadow either.”

Scully snorts and crosses her arms. “Mulder, there’s no such thing as an object without shadow when there’s light around them. It’s simply not possible.”

He hesitates, his eyes searching hers for understanding. “I know it sounds far-fetched, but think about it. We never saw his shadow, and now he's gone without a trace. It's like he was never really here.”

Scully considers his theory but remains skeptical. “Mulder, there has to be a rational explanation for this. That man was there last night. And since there are no such things as ghosts, he most certainly also had a shadow.”

Mulder stays silent, contemplating the events of last night. He can't shake the feeling that Peter's presence has something to do with their conversation earlier. About the purpose of his quest and the meaning of life.

Scully is just as silent, staring out of the window, deep in thought. She squints her eyes against the morning sun. The encounter has stirred something deep inside both of them, leaving them once again with more questions than answers. But this time the questions may be answers as well. Only to different questions.

As they get closer to town, Mulder turns to Scully and grins. “Hey, Scully, why do ghosts make good cheerleaders? Because they have a lot of spirit!”

She rolls her eyes, but can't help a small smile. “Only you would make a joke like that, Mulder.”

“Well, you know me, always trying to keep things entertaining,” he replies, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Entertaining is one way to put it,” she retorts playfully.

“Ah, come on, Scully, where's your sense of adventure? You've got to admit, life with me is never boring,” he says with a grin.

“That's true,” she admits, her smile growing more genuine. “You certainly have a way of keeping things interesting.”

Mulder winks at her. “And you have a way of getting me back down to earth. We make a great team, don't we?”

“We do,” Scully agrees, smiling at their familiar banter. “Even when you lead us into some of the most bizarre situations.”

“Hey, it's all in the name of the truth!”

They smile at each other, both comfortable in their car in the middle of nowhere, as they continue their journey. The cabin with its open questions fades slowly behind, but they’ll keep finding comfort in the journey itself, even if the destination remains ambiguous.

The End ***

Thank you so much for reading. You can also find this fic on AO3.

#xfiles #xf fanfic #mulder and scully #season 5 #post-cancer #dana scully #fox mulder #ghosts #case fic #i wrote this #Shadows and Light

[redgoldsparks]

July Reading and Reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon. Reviews below the cut.

How Far The Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

This collection of 10 essays weaves together memories and experiences of the author's real life with the rich and varied lives of sea creatures, from octopi, Chinese sturgeon, whales, sand strikers and immortal jellyfish to yeti crabs and more. My favorite part was learning about some deep sea creatures I had never heard of before, the kinds of beings that live in oases around thermal vents on the ocean floor and survive by chemo-synthesis. I loved a story about encountering a bloom of clear, gelatinous creatures known as salps flooding the water of Riis Beach, a historically queer hangout spot in New York. This book wrestles with heavy content- one essay deals with eating disorders and parental pressure to diet, another with sexual assault and blackout drinking. It's hard for me to judge the quality of these essays when my life has not been touched by these topics, but I appreciated the author's honesty and the thoughtful maritime metaphors.

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M Valente read by Karis Campbell

I listened to this 2 hour novella all in one afternoon. It's another spooky little fairy tale from a master of the genre, but if I tell you which one it's a remix of that would spoil the surprise. This wasn't deep or as original as some of Valente's work, but her writing is so vivid with flavors, sensations, smells, colors, I was thoroughly engaged the whole time.

Cry Wolf by Charlie Adhara read by Erik Bloomquist 

Human Cooper Dayton and his werewolf boyfriend Oliver Park are engaged and beginning to plan their wedding, which is stressing Cooper out- not least because his family, who he didn't talk to much for a couple years, are being very supportive and it's weirding him out. Also, the chaotic scientist who threatened to expose the werewolf community and then turned herself in to werewolf government asking for a deal is making vague threats about enemies Cooper doesn't even know about. Then a body is discovered at the DC zoo, a werewolf killed and frozen in a half transformed state- nothing that the werewolves have ever seen before. I am still very entertained by this series as a whole and glad I listened to all of them, but I did want a little more than this book delivered on mysterious enemy front. There was a conspiracy, but it wasn't as far reaching as I was lead to believe by the cliffhanger ending of book 4. However, if you are reading these books more for the spicy scenes and romantic plot line, you won't be disappointed.

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman 

What an ambitious and satisfying follow up to Seraphina! This book is much longer than the first one, and adds a ton of new elements and so many twists and turns. It opens with Seraphina, court musician of Goredd, setting out on a journey to find and recruit her fellow half-dragons to the war effort. The dragon society is being torn part by civil war, and some of the dragons will be coming to south to attack human settlements soon. Seraphina finds many new friends, but also encounters her oldest enemy- a half dragon who invaded her mind and attempted to control her as a girl. I really loved the way this book expanded the world and the various societies who live in it. It did a wonderful job of maintaining the pace and rising stakes over more than 600 pages; it also has a hinted at queer/poly relationship in the ending that really delighted me. I will definitely be reading more!

Eniale & Dewiela vol 1 by Kamome Shirahama

This series was pitched to me as "Good Omens with lesbians" but sadly I wouldn't say it lives up to that claim. It's by the same author as "Witch Hat Atelier" and it is just a beautifully drawn, but it's missing an emotional core to really hold the plot together. Each chapter is essentially a standalone story about a demon and angel who have been in petty conflict for millennia; the theft of a tube of lipstick or pair of earring will set of a battle that destroys half a city. One fun element is that the leads can both magically change their outfits, as well as grow and shrink their wings, at will; the looks are all so fun.

Eniale & Dewiela vol 2 by Kamome Shirahama

This comic is more visually beautiful than it is actually interesting to read. Eniale and Dewiela fight with each other over the soul of a child with a sick mother, then over a priest who feel in love with a criminal. One chapter is set in Japan and shows a conflict in which Japanese gods and spirits prove more powerful than Christian ones. I don't really have any emotional investment in any character or any story line but I'll probably read the last book in the series anyway.

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa read by Vico Ortiz 

Mar is transmasc nonbinary, a pirate, and a magic user who can control fire and ice. On their 16th birthday, disaster strikes the ship they live and work on with their father and a crew as close as family-a storm takes the crew, and El Diablo comes for Mar's father's soul. Somehow, Mar is spared and wakes up on a different ship, also crewed by pirates who steal from the Spanish and give food, weapons, and other supplies to those in the Caribbean islands fighting Spanish control. Mar strikes up a somewhat reluctant friendship with a boy their age on the ship, and refuses to the negotiate with a demonio who says they can help Mar free their father's soul. This story has a lot of fun elements, and the audiobook is expertly read by Vico Ortiz. But I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to. I found the first half quite slow, and overall felt like not quite enough happened to justify the length. I loved the nonbinary rep and the Spanish phrases in the dialogue, but wanted faster pacing and quicker reveals, especially of the demonio's motivations.

The Joy Luck Club (abridged) written and read by Amy Tan

I listened to the abridged version of the audiobook, which is read by the author, and only runs for 2.5 hours (the full book is 9 hours). This turns the full length novel into a much more concise novella of interlocking short stories, each one quite poetic and moving. I love reading books set in and around San Francisco, as are the scenes from this book which aren't set in China. The stories focus on four women, friends and mahjong partners, who met after immigrating to the Bay Area, and their daughters. The daughters are mostly in their mid-30s, at various stages of their careers and marriages, and at varying levels of close with their families and Chinese heritage. The mothers recount stories from their childhoods and their flight from war in the 1940s. I know I watched part of the movie adaption once, and maybe also read part of the full length novel in high school, because a few scenes felt so familiar while others sounded unfamiliar and new. I would like to pick up the full novel at some point, but I also really enjoyed hearing the dialogue in the author's own voice.

#reading #books #book reviews #comics #audiobooks

[letsquestjess]

Weekly Writing Prompts #38

1. With no warning, a war that had raged for three-hundred years suddenly ceases, leaving the entire population puzzled as to what had brought about its abrupt conclusion. Future historians engage in a heated debate over the truth, but one among them uncovers the answer and guards the secret with their life.

2. A time-traveller ventures into the past and unknowingly changes the future, finding themselves transported back to a world unrecognizable from the one they knew when they arrive home.

3. Everyone becomes completely enthralled by a brand new TV show, but when questioned, no one can recall any specific details.

4. While venturing through a deep cave, a group of explorers stumbles upon a hidden city where the people are frozen in time.

5. Strange notes start appearing in the books borrowed by an avid reader. After months of receiving the mysterious notes, they go to return their latest stockpile, but to their surprise, the library has disappeared without a trace.

#writing prompt #writing prompts #writing ideas #writblr #writing #creative writing #creative prompts #creative prompt #story prompt #prompt list #prompts #writers on tumblr #writing community