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wangxianficfinder · 1 year

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Modern Cultivation / Modern with magic

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living in my memory/living in my mouth by tardigradeschool (T, 32k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, reincarnation, college/university au, hurt/comfort, sharing a bed, light angst, nightmares, epistolary, pining, friends to lovers)

I feel like I win when I lose by so_shhy (T, 25k, WangXian, Modern AU, Sports, basically written as the ATP tennis finals, but with extra swords, Getting Together, [Podfic] I feel like I win when I lose by sisi_rambles)

💖 sudden nature series by everbrighter (M, 97k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, 5+1, family feels, parenthood, teenage rebellion, past character death, resurrection, pining, domestic fluff, angst, happy ending)

My chain hits my chest/When I'm bangin' on the radio by x_los (T, 2k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, case fic, competence kink, YLLZ WWX)

this river runs to you by sundiscus (T, 53k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Mutual Pining, Dragons, Literal Sleeping Together, Tender wound tending)

in the blossom season (in the pouring rain) by varnes (M, 13k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, [Podfic of] in the blossom season (in the pouring rain) by exmanhater)

bring you home by Alasse_Irena (T, 27k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, selkies, pre-slash)

💖 in the water grass, in the green by nerdzeword & twigofwillow (G, 25k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, river spirit LWJ, witch WWX, illness, gardening, tea)

结局难更改 (the ending is hard to change) Series by PorcupineGirl (G, 50k, WangXian, Time Travel, Modern with Magic, Modern Cultivators AU, Canon Divergence, Time Traveler Wei Wuxian, Reincarnation)

💖 Thirty-three Lashes by Winglesss (E, 56k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, canon temporary character death, immorality, reincarnation, case fic, angst w/ happy ending, hurt/comfort, nightmares, ghosts, curses, pining, slow burn, guilt, self-hatred, major character injury)

a garden in your ribcage by puddingcatbeans (G, 13k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, soft witches au, developing relationship)

❤️ start getting real by azurewaxwing (T, 21k, wangxian, Modern with Magic, Reality TV, POV Outsider, Golden Core Reveal, (sort of), Appropriate Use of Gūsū Lán Silencing Spell, Getting Together)

the heart of a bear by sasamelons (T, 17k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, friends to lovers, accidental marriage, time travel, fluff & angst, happy ending, getting together, pining, emotional baggage, case fic)

A Curse of a Different Color by nickel710 (G, 35k, WangXian, XiChengQing, Modern Cultivation, Curses, Curse Breaking, Asexual polyamory, Repressed LWJ, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Drunk LWJ, Falling In Love, WWX Being an Idiot, Bunnies, Non-explicit vomit, Anxiety)

The Jade Chamber by raitala (E, 18k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, case fic, pining, angst w/ happy ending, hurt/comfort, getting together, trapped together, there’s only one bed, light bondage, masturbation, oral sex, emotional baggage, ghosts)

swinger of birches by astronicht (M, 23k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, Practical Magic au, grief/mourning, canonical character death, angst w/ happy ending, witches, necromancy)

This Tornado Loves You by FeelsForBreakfast (M, 8k, WangXian, Horror, modern cultivation au, Pizza Hut, Humor, Mistaken Identity, Modern with Magic)

you by sami (T, 6k, WangXian, Background Relationships, Shapeshifters, But Not Everyone, Accidental Baby Acquisition, very little plot just vibes, Modern with Magic)

your petals that bloom in the snow by lulu_kitty (T, 10k, wangxian, modern cultivation, cloud recesses study arc, skaterboy WWX, everyone lives au)

everybody’s bones are just hollow branches by bee_knife (DisasterBiAlert) (E, 6k, wangxian, modern cultivation, empathy, ghosts, hurt/comfort, smut, happy ending)

another world behind the tide by northofallmusic (tofsla) (E, 8k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, both real and metaphorical oceans, sex in a cave, minor injuries, curses)

those who walk there by yukla (T, 2k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, angst w/ happy ending, spirit WWX)

lemon morning in a wash of rain by curiositea (E, 26k, wangxian, WWX & LSZ & LWJ, modern cultivation, major character death, angst w/ happy ending, grief/mourning, anxiety, depression, canonical temporary character death, dub con, slice of life, explicit sexual content, dom/sub undertones)

the soft animal of your body by sysrae (T, 15k, WangXian, modern cultivation, Golden Core Reveal, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Animal Transformation, Shapeshifting, Sort Of, Getting Together, Confessions)

Wish I could forget the taste of your skin and the feel of your hands pinning me down by KizuKatana (E, 63k, WangXian, weapons-grade thirst, Getting Back Together, BAMF WWX, BAMF LWJ, Canon Divergence, modern cultivator au, Case Fic, LWJ's canonically big dick, Mutual Pining)

🧡 The World We Made by updatebug (T, 80k, WangXian, The Old Guard fusion, Immortals, Immortal LWJ, Angst with a Happy Ending, NMJ Lives, Reincarnation, Modern AU, The Old Guard AU, Team Unbury Your Gays, LITERALLY, Temporary Character Death)

leading tone by silencemostofall (G, 32k, WangXian, Modern AU, Soulmates, with a lil twist, Eventual Happy Ending, lesbian wq right Music, Orchestra, platonic and romantic pining, [Podfic] Leading Tone by silencemostofall by Beria1021)

pastel by antebunny (G, 6k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Soulmates, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Self-Esteem Issues, Misunderstandings, Angst with a Happy Ending, Unrequited Love, but not actually, no courtesy names)

and so my heart beats wildly Series by lily_winterwood (E, 127k, WangXian, Modern AU, Modern with Magic, Competition-Set Fic, Multimedia, Miscommunication, frenemies to lovers, Rivals to Lovers, Slow Burn, Seemingly One-sided But Actually Mutual Pining, Oblivious WWX, Competitive Cultivation, Angst with a Happy Ending, Olympics, Inappropriate use of an Olympic gold medal, Breathplay, Rough Sex, Food Porn, Switching, Bottom LWJ, Social Media, Worldbuilding Bonuses)

see you yesterday by glyphic (M, 138k, WIP, WangXian, Modern AU, Modern with Magic, Ghost Hunters, Time Loop, Case Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Memory Loss, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn)

one good thing by Yuu_chi (T, 26k, WangXian, Modern AU, Ghost WWX, Angst and Humor, Angst with a Happy Ending, [Podfic] One Good Thing by jellyfishfire)

🧡 CSI: Gusu Edition Series by Stratisphyre (M, 39k, WangXian, WWX & LQR, Modern with Magic AU, College AU, Golden Core Reveal, Single parent WWX, Good Uncle LQR, Hospitalization, Allusions to violence and murder)

the journey is far from over Series by thelastdboy (M/E, 164k, WangXian, Modern AU, Canon Divergence, Madam Lán Lives, JYL Lives, WQ Lives, Post-Sunshot Campaign, Slow Burn, YLLZ WWX, Hurt/Comfort, Kink Negotiation, Kink Exploration, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, WWX Lives, Mental Health Issues, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Burial Mounds Ensemble as Family, Single Parent WWX, Selectively Mute LWJ, Eventual Smut, Light Dom/sub, LWJ & MM Friendship, Modern AU but not too modern™, mlm/wlw solidarity, Wēn Remnants Live, LWJ saves the Wēn Remnants, LWJ's Punishment, Neurodivergent LWJ, Stimming)

leave sooner, drive slower, live longer. Series by thelastdboy (M, 26k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, POV LWJ, Character Study, Coming of Age, Past Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Neurodiversity, Autism Spectrum, Situational Mutism, modern cultivation au, Hurt No Comfort, YLLZ WWX, Aftermath of a Natural Disaster, Cultivation World Politics, Slow Burn, Miscommunication, Taxi Driver WWX, Getting Together, Sentient Burial Mounds, Mistaken Identity, No Major Character Death, Names are Magic, Horror Elements, Angst with a Happy Ending, Soft WangXian, WWX Has ADHD, Case Fic)

Tired of the Sunset by julomaiboulomai (M, 55k, WangXian, Modern AU, Superheroes/Superpowers, Identity Porn, Secret Identity, Grief/Mourning, Canonical Character Death, Unreliable Narrator, superhero fights, Major Character Injury, Major Character Undeath, Slow Burn, But also somehow, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, JC-LWJ Mutual Hate Society, Domestic Fluff, Co-Parenting, Making Out, Fade to Black, Brief mentions of suicide, Angst with a Happy Ending, Art Embedded)

Future Cultivation AU Series by Aki_no_hikari (G, 23k, WangXian, Modern AU, Canon Divergence, College/University, Modern with Magic, Reincarnation, Angst with a Happy Ending)

Always Knew You Were Magical by jeyhawk (E, 25k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Curse Breaking, Case Fic, Sharing a Bed, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Pining, Resolved Sexual Tension, Masturbation, First Time, Blow Jobs, curse fic, College/University, True Love's Kiss, Attempted self harm under the influence of a curse)

artificial nocturne by idrilka (E, 10k, WangXian, Modern with Cultivation, First Meetings, Sex Demons, Misunderstandings, First Time, Getting Together, Rimming)

Care and Feeding by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 16k, WangXian, Modern with Cultivation, Sex Demons, slight dubcon, Hurt/Comfort)

silt, or scurvy series by astronicht (M, 11k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, chronic illness, podfic by raitala)

medium blues by darkterrible (E, 193k, WangXian, Horror, Spooky, Opposites Attract, Fluff and Angst, Gore, Ghosts, Necromancy, Mojo’s post with her review and the author’s original summary—this beloved fic has had a here-again-gone-again history)

🧡 A Study in Fluff by WeaverOfTheNight (T, 29k, WangXian, Modern AU, Ghost bunnies, Vet LWJ, Architect WWX, Kid LSZ, Domestic fluff, Modern with Magic)

Hear a song this deeply by so_shhy (T, 87k, wangxian, modern cultivation, academia au, music, kid fic, action/adventure, canon-typical violence, canon-typical JGY behavior, slow burn, fluff & angst, happy ending)

Something at the Door by Pip (Moirail) (E, 50k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Modern Cultivation, background 3zun, Background Yi City trio, Intrusive Thoughts, Horror, Suicidal Thoughts, Temporary Character Death, Blood, Explicit Sexual Content, Mutual Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Mystery, Urban Fantasy)

long have you been alone by martyrsdaughter (E, 56k, wangxian, modern cultivation, amnesia, curses, hanahaki disease, secrets, not actually unrequited love, banter, workplace relationship, light angst, sexual content)

Red Is Just Black Remembering by Zizzani (E, 41k, wangxian, angst w/ happy ending, ghosts, modern)

Moonlight as My Guide by BromeliadDreams (M, 32k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, academia au, case fic, horror, canon-typical desecration of the dead, grey-ace WWX)

with you, I am home by tellthemstories (M, 47k, wangxian, modern cultivation, fake dating, meeting the family, there was only one bed, casual domesticity, oblivious WWX)

when I look over my shoulder by cafecliche (T, 10k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, exorcist LWJ, medium WWX, vague The Conjuring au, horror elements, pre-relationship, pining, hurt/comfort)

a ghost is just a memory you haven't met yet by ThirtySixSaveFiles (T, 5k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, libraries, curses, fire, brief horror)

please forgive my most passionate disruptions by pumpkinpaix (E, 65k, wanxian, modern w/ magic, stripper/exotic dancers au, strip clubs, stripper WWX, graduate school au, internalized homophobia, repressed LWJ)

most times a wish by impossibletruths (T, 16k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, case fic, roommates, getting together, ghosts, pining, curses)

Crossed Wires by stardust_and_sunlight (T, 20k, wangxian, modern cultivation, college/university au, meet-cute)

What We Grew in this Forsaken Place by Admiranda (T, 27k, wangxian, modern cultivation, shapeshifter LWJ, WWX has a fear of dogs, bunny crimes, genius WWX, unexpected pet owner WWX)

Detective, please. by Pitycup_hearts (T, 124k, WangXian, XueXiao, Paranormal, Detectives, paranormal unit, csi, Crime Fighting, Ghosts, Fluff, Angst and Humor, Modern AU, Thrille, rWY doesn't die this time, OOC, plot heavy)

Grandmaster of Demonic Party Games by Trickster_Angel (M, 50k, WangXian, Modern AU, College AU, Crack, Light Angst, Humor, Paranormal, horror, Slow Burn)

Hanlong by micratus (E, 15k, wangxian, modern cultivation, case fic, cloud recesses study arc, slow burn, oblivious WWX, drunken shenanigans, canon-typicak violence, action & romance, eventual smut, reincarnation au, humor, WIP, translation of Ханьлун by Alexandra Kreuz (in russian))

🧡 Truth Will Out (when caught on video) - End_OTW_Racism! by KizuKatana (E, 100k, WIP, wangxian, WN & WWX & WQ, graphic depictions of violence, modern cultivation, canon divergence, YZY abuses WWX, caught on camera, partial core removal, WWX kicked out of Jiang sect, livestreamer WWX, meet ugly, dual cultivation, smut, no war)

Anonymous Hero by NeverEnoughWangxian (T, 5k, WangXian, Modern AU, Modern Cultivators, Inventor WWX, POV LSZ, Inadvertently Reuniting Your Boss With His Old Crush/Best Friend, Reunions, Handwavy Detective Work, Handwavy Talismans)

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#Wangxian Fic Rec #The Untamed #wangxian #MDZS #wangxianficfinder compilation post #long post #modern setting #modern with cultivation #modern with magic #modern cultivation #modern cultivation au #modern cultivation au compilation #modern with magic compilation #modern with cultivation compilation

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pikapeppa · 10 months

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Alright, why wouldn't Hekarro wanna use Carja glyphs as the Tenakth writing system? The Phincian alphabet is the basis for most of the writing systems in Western Europe - if you got a writing system that works, why not adapt it?

I'M FINALLY ANSWERING THIS ASK TWO MONTHS LATER 😂

For anyone who's curious, the context for this was a post I made a while back in response to an ask regarding whether the Quen might be able to read Chinese, since the Focuses they would have found in the Great Delta would plausibly have been formatted in Chinese. In the tags on the post, I remarked that I had a rant about Hekarro wanting to borrow the Carja writing system. Everbright has asked me to elaborate, and now I'll finally be writing the essay that's been sitting at the back of my mind for like a year LOL.

My thesis here is as follows: it's not the idea of the Tenakth borrowing the Carja writing system that bothers me, necessarily. I take umbrage with the fact that Hekarro seems to think the Tenakth are inferior to the Carja because they aren't a literate society.

This post is going to get long, so I will put the rest behind a cut to give anyone a break who wants to scroll on past LOL. Also, please note: trigger/content warning for mentions of residential schools in Canada.

First things first: I'm writing this as a non-indigenous Canadian, so I may be writing with biases of my own that I will apologize for in advance. If any members of the cultural groups I'm going to mention should read this and take issue with anything I've said, please do feel free to write me a message here on Tumblr!

Okay, let me set the context here. When Aloy first meets Hekarro, a piece of their conversation is as follows, with the transcript to follow:

Aloy: I’m sorry about Fashav. He seemed like a good man. Hekarro: More than a man. A bridge between Tenakth and Carja. No outlander ever earned our respect as he did. I had hoped he would be my voice in Meridian. That peace with the Carja might become something more. A: An alliance? H: An exchange. The Carja have much we lack. Our deeds are written in ink upon our bodies. Our memories die with our flesh. But the Carja never forget. Their deeds are written in book and scroll. A: You wanted to learn from them? H: As I learned from Fashav. He will be missed.

This conversational exchange has always bothered me, because inherent in this exchange is the idea that Hekarro views the Tenakth as being lacking compared to the Carja -- that the Carja are superior to the Tenakth because of the fact that they're able to read and write, rather than tattooing their history on their skin. This statement reflects a bias that feels very 'colonizer' to me in an icky way. Being a literate society does not inherently make you superior to a society that doesn't use writing, but that exact idea has been used tons of times in history to argue that the indigenous cultures of a place are less advanced/less intelligent/less valuable than the people who are coming in and trying to force their ideals, including literacy, on the indigenous group(s). In the context of Canada, for instance, Kirmayer et al. (2009) wrote that "aboriginal peoples were viewed as incapable of understanding and participating in democratic government, thereby motivating efforts to 'civilize' and assimilate them into mainstream Canadian society," with that mainstreaming process including residential schools: institutions that took indigenous children from their families and communities and placed them into segregated spaces where they were forbidden from speaking their native languages, practicing their traditional customs, and from contacting their families at all.

This is especially irksome to me because the Tenakth tradition of tattooing (or "ink", as they call it in-game), is based on tattooing traditions IRL with an extremely rich historical and cultural background. The most obvious similarity is to Polynesian tattoo (or "tatau") practices, which I'll focus on here, but similar methods with equally rich histories exist in the Philippines and in Japan.

One of the most striking things about Polynesian tatau practices is that it's not just the act of striking ink into the skin that matters; it's the meaning behind the act of getting a tattoo, and the embracing of community and identity inherent in the practice. As one Samoan tatau artist said, "it's important to know the meaning behind the symbols of our traditional tatau so you have a deeper understanding of the significance of what you're wearing. Each 'maman' or each pattern has its own meaning and story behind it." Polynesian artists also highlight the fact that these traditions are passed through the generations for thousands of years, and that those who wear tatau are "wearing the maps of our ancestors." As another artist said, Polynesian tatau is "a reconnection to all my ancestors and everybody behind me, because I'm not only speaking for me, but a whole generation of kids that are like me, that are getting Polynesian tattoos to reconnect."

Tenakth tattoos, like Polynesian tattoos, are a way of recording history and lore -- not only one's own stories and victories, but those of the people that are important to a warrior, as evidenced by Kotallo stating that he plans to ink Varl's deeds on his own skin in tribute. I also personally think that it's culturally fitting for the Tenakth to record important history on their bodies, since the Tenakth place such emphasis on physical strength. It makes logical sense that they would record their proudest deeds on the thing that they view with such pride, i.e. their physical bodies. Hekarro's statement that the Tenakth are "lacking" because they don't record their history "in book and scroll" feels like a devaluation of the Tenakth's culturally-specific method of recording history, much in the way that colonizing societies have devalued the oral traditions of North American indigenous groups. Oral traditions are an extremely important aspect of many indigenous cultures; a group that provides indigenous culture training has stated that "certain stories are never written down, which preserves the tradition of sharing knowledge, culture, and history orally. These stories are the fabric of the community’s history, knowledge and culture, and some are thousands of years old. In some cultures, if a story is written down it is degraded." By ignoring this rich tradition and imposing written records of those stories, they would be degraded and rendered less than what they're meant to be.

Now, some of you might be asking whether it was an oversight/mistake on the part of the Guerrilla Game writers that Hekarro made this accidentally-denigrating comment toward his own tribe. Honestly, I do think it was an oversight, and one that I find disturbing, because it seems to stem from a blind spot that GG isn't aware of. This isn't the only time that content coming from the Horizon world seems to follow this 'colonizer'-like idea of certain societies being more advanced and superior to others. In the concept art book for Horizon Zero Dawn, for instance, there's a description of the Carja as follows (p. 47), transcript below:

[Transcript: Among all the tribes of Horizon Zero Dawn, the Carja Sundom boasts the most advanced culture. Using the advantages of their geographical position, the Carja have developed agriculture and trade while other tribes still rely on hunting and gathering. The Carja's impregnable capital, Meridian, provides security for a civilized population. Artisans and traders flourish here, serving sophisticated, well-to-do citizens. Carja civilization towers over the other tribes, just as the Sun of their religion rises above the horizon of their mesa valley.]

Even worse, there’s this passage from p. 48, where the non-Carja tribes are called “primitive”.Transcript below:

[Transcript: Through ages of perfecting the techniques of machine plate-working, the Carja have developed the most sophisticated way: to apply the materials of mechanical fauna. While more primitive tribes would roughly affix more or less useful machine parts on their garments, Meridian artisans interweave fine fitted machine elements into comfortable and functional pieces.]

Quotes like this make me worry that there are people at GG who aren't recognizing their own bias inherent in the description of the Carja compared to other tribes. There seems to be a lack of awareness here about the dangerous underpinnings of seeing one culture as more "advanced" than another just because it is more dominant or mainstream. As Shaw (2001) states, "in not according recognition, let alone respect, to the distinctive linguistic and cultural identities that have shaped First Nations peoples, the majority culture continues to exert a significantly negative influence on identity, on self-esteem, on pride in one's cultural heritage, and on one's sense of self and of place in the broader society."

To summarize to some degree: I don't have a problem per se with the Tenakth borrowing the Carja writing system. My qualms come from the idea that the idea of the Carja being superior will come along with that borrowing, thereby devaluing the rich tradition of Tenakth tattoos. As Hale (1992) states, "while it is good and commendable to record and document fading traditions, and in some cases this is absolutely necessary to avert total loss of cultural wealth, the greater goal must be that of safeguarding diversity in the world of people. For that is the circumstance in which diverse and interesting intellectual traditions can grow."

TLDR: Tenakth tattoos are just as valid and important a method of recording lore and history as Carja writing, and the Tenakth are not inferior or primitive for not having a tradition of reading/writing. I think Hekarro's comment about the Tenakth being "lacking" is reflective of a blind spot at GG that I hope will be addressed in future games.

If you came this far, THANK YOU FOR READING and accept this cookie as thanks for staying with me! 🍪😂 A friendly final note: do be warned that any replies or comments to the effect of "but literate societies ARE inherently better than illiterate ones" will be removed and the writers of such comments may be blocked, depending on their intentions as I read them. 🥰

-- love from your friendly neighbourhood Pika xoxo

#i'm sorry my references are quite old #i dug up my notes and references from a class I took almost 10 years ago #horizon forbidden west #hfw #hekarro #chief hekarro #tenakth #carja #tw: residential schools #i'm sorry so many of my references are old #i dug them out my notes from a class I took almost 10 years ago #I KNEW THAT HOARDING MY STUFF WOULD COME IN HANDY SOMEDAY 😂😂😂#horizon critical #hfw critical

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solarisgod · 7 days

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　◜ 𝑰 . ◞　The first time when Micah met Ahri in the dream where there's only kindness in shining stars ⅋ blooming flowers between them , deep within their exchange , xe could sense her gaze lingering over xyr body : Bare appearing , all bearing scars ⅋ unhealed bruises ⅋ deep burnt tales ▬▬▬

　　　　　　( You are used to diverse reactions that you'd get seeing your damaged body , unloved by the world . At five years old , you viciously refused to bathe for the first time at your new home , not wanting your new wounds to be seen , still uncared for . You expected responses of anger , wild burning through you , but there was a woman who didn't do anything to you . She only sat in the tub , her clothes soaked . The bathroom door was open . She wasn't trapping you as you had a choice to leave . Eventually , you stayed with her . You stayed with your pain hidden , ⅋ when she saw it one day ▬ everything ▬ she still stayed with you . The man she loved , he didn't get to see until few months later , yet , he also stayed with you . Your parents never saw you as a tragedy . You have always been their beloved star child . )

　　　　　　Ahri didn't say anything about Micah's scars in the end . Instead , while it seemed like she understand xyr state most painfully , as a tender whisper : ❝ ⅋ I wish I could tell you that the aching was a beautiful rebirth of some magnificent kind , but there is no beauty to be found in this kind of survival . ❞

　　　　　　Micah breathed with the burning stars above , even through the long ⅋ deep felt aches , the brightest could think ▬ say : I am still here , I am still here , I am still here ▬ ( ⅋ isn't that terrifyingly beautiful enough ? ) ❝ As long as I am still alive , trying to love the universe as much as myself , I think that will be always beautiful enough to me . ❞ This God eating hope , it is beautiful / horrifying / everything at once .

　　　　　　Xe smiled ⅋ held Ahri's clawed hand , like the moon holding the sun .

　◜ 𝑰𝑰 . ◞　Micah gave Ahri a bracelet on the second occasion where xe met her in person a near month after meeting her in the dream . When xe finally found her outside the dream realm that gave xem a map to Ahri's residence , the kindness that xe held for her despite knowing in a short time was infinite . This created trails of flowers xyr footsteps left behind until xe reached to the forest that welcomed xem home .

　　　　　　❝ I wanted to gift you a flower, but . . . please , have my garden . ❞ / ❝ Oh precious star , I do not need a gift , not when you have come to me . ❞

　　　　　　Rosy blushes formed in Micah's warm cheeks at the recall , though , how xe kept shining more as xe gently took Ahri's hand so she could slip into the bracelet . ❝ I love making arts so much , especially for those I care about . ❞ The people who I love . Micah softly smiles . The bracelet Ahri wears is a silver chain with lavender crystal spheres , carrying the pendant shaped as a fox , sculpted by the kind hands of the everbright constellation .

　　　　　　In great care , xyr hands guided the bracelet to Ahri's wrist , ⅋ , from watching closely , she could see black spots on certain areas of xyr left , skin parts void of blood / life . Yet , even though these cut scars across them existed , all agony bearing , xyr gentle hands felt like coming home . ( What possessed such unbearable light , light , light ▬ ) Ahri's gaze lifted as Micah raised her hand .

　　　　　　Xe kissed her wrist that carried the bracelet , this endless love .

　◜ 𝑰𝑰𝑰 . ◞　Micah have stayed over at Ahri's home for one night . They shared a tender evening that soon formed a rainy weather , ⅋ Ahri insisted xem to stay or xe could get sick from the rainfall . The weather continued at past midnight when Micah was finally going to bed , xyr body once restless from xyr insomnia . Sensitive to clothing materials , Micah removed xyr shirt for better chance of quickly falling asleep ⅋ lied down on the cool sheet , softly wishing Ahri goodnight .

　　　　　　Several minutes passed before Ahri noticed , as much as Micah tried xyr best to appear as otherwise so xe wouldn't disturb her rest , that xe was still awake from hearing the occasional shuffles , seemingly in an uncomfortable position .

　　　　　　Concerned , Ahri planned to ask what's wrong before Micah whispered ,

　　　　　　❝ Ahri , can you sleep next to me , please ? ❞

　　　　　　She learnt xe usually couldn't sleep without having something to hold , like a soft blanket or plushie . Micah sought comfort in her presence , a hunger shaped as vixen teeth ⅋ claws , sweet sanguine ⅋ deadly lavender wild nature . In Ahri , through man massacres born from animalistic instincts , xe saw a friend .

　　　　　　Ahri carefully held xem , watching the stars slowly dim in her embrace . Micah kept giggling , xyr eyes squinted . Sleepy giddiness built in xem from hugging Ahri's arm , nuzzling her shoulder . From this position , she could see finer details of xyr scars ⅋ tattoos across xyr body . Beauty ⅋ horror stared back at her .

　　　　　　She didn't touch them . She couldn't .

　　　　　　Micah soon fell silent ⅋ still .

　　　　　　Ahri held xem closely to her chest , protecting her stars .

　◜ 𝑽𝑰 . ◞　On the full moon , Micah ⅋ Ahri were bathing in the lunar light together , the stars shining upon their existences with the motherly moon . Rested against the open field on their backs , they exchanged personal facts ⅋ stories , finding joys in the smallest details of each other .

　　　　　　Ahri's gaze softened at the sight of Micah , xyr facial expression lax while xyr body radiates silver serenity . She sensed waves of tenderness rolling over from xem . Micah made a happy squeak ⅋ leaned closer , xyr face pressed into the warm curve of Ahri's neck .

　　　　　　Between them , only love lived freely .

　　　　　　Upon midnight , Ahri saw faint light ⅋ glanced down , seeing Micah's scars glow gently with the moon ⅋ stars . Xe didn't seem to notice , xyr focus had been on Ahri's hands that xe's playing with , finger lightly tracing along the palm lines . ( Maybe Micah already knew , but didn't want to bring so much attention to them . )

　　　　　　Her fingers hovered over the glowing scars . She still didn't touch them . She wanted to know who could hurt xem like this . Who would desire to inflict Micah while xe had brought kindness to this world . Who did she have to kill ▬

　　　　　　❝ You can touch them , ❞ Micah's whisper broke the silence , xyr soft gaze on Ahri's palms not once breaking . Xe held her hands to xyr chest , xyr open heart , ❝ I trust you , Ahri , ❞ I love you .

　　　　　　Ahri's hands slowly lifted to hold xyr cheeks , her thumbs brushing skin .

　　　　　　Her lips met Micah's scar on the bridge of xyr nose .

　　　　　　Between the cerulean sky ⅋ sanguine wilderness , love still stayed .

　◜ 𝑽 . ◞　Ahri stared at the new slow healing wounds ⅋ scars that Micah's body held , the most prominent being a deep line around xyr neck . It had been a while since she last saw xem ⅋ finding Micah once more in a wounded state , the sight hurt Ahri . This pain have worsened when Micah greeted her like nothing happened to xem . Micah kept shining , even in the abyss . The world didn't love xem enough as it seemed since a very long time , yet , Micah only kept loving it .

　　　　　　The world should be horrified by xyr impossible endurance .

　　　　　　Ahri found a warm smile on Micah's face , xyr eyes bright as always , before she was embraced in xyr arms ▬ what felt like home , home , home ▬ Ahri returned xem the gesture , but didn't let go of xem .

　　　　　　She held Micah close with all of the stars in xem ⅋ these scars on xem .

　　　　　　❝ Thank you , ❞ Micah softly said to Ahri , xyr gaze meeting hers ⅋ everything in her shattered at the gleams across the eyes , tears bearing . Xyr grasp around her tightened . ❝ Thank you for being kind to me , Ahri . ❞

　　　　　　Her heart ached deeply at the gratitude that xe didn't need to give , not when xe had only ever been kind to all . She wanted to ask what happened so she could tear everyone who laid a finger on Micah , DEVOUR / DEVOUR / DEVOUR ▬

　　　　　　A feeble cry left Micah shaking terribly , broken apart into stardust .

　　　　　　Ahri found it was not violence or vengance that xe needed . Xyr body shook ⅋ she saw it was begging to be held , to be loved still even after everything .

　　　　　　She kept holding xem , reminding Micah that xe was still loved ▬

　　　　　　She loved xem .

　◜ ⁺𝑰𝑽 . ◞　Micah stares at Ahri , their presences pressed against each other at her abode . Much time was taken for Micah to find xemself back to reality , to Ahri , ⅋ found calmness . Micah's hand held Ahri's , loved hand in loving hand .

　　　　　　❝ Most of what we have , the older ones , they came from our childhood , ❞ Micah quietly shares to her . Ahri didn't say anything , but the way she has been looking at xem , her gaze of sorrow asked xem everything . When Micah said , we , xe meant the Starwake System . She may not understand human health conditions that are as complex as Dissociative Identity Disorder , but even as sharp ⅋ stealthy Ahri is , a fear to man , xe trusted her more than enough to disclose xyr DID ▬ I am not one / I am one of the many / We exist so none of us could ever be all alone ever again ▬

　　　　　　Micah doesn't say more . The word , childhood , said painfully enough . Xe gently guides Ahri's hand to touch xyr arm , most skin being burnt . Xe feels nothing when she touches this part , but the memories burn all deeply through xem . ❝ I did this to us when I was five years old , after I killed my latest foster family who did really bad things to us . . . ❞ Micah grimaces , but xe still lets Ahri hold xyr burnt arm . ❝ I can't remember why I did it . ❞ Maybe I did it because I wanted to know if this was all real ▬ if I was real enough , even in all of these white noises . Mama , I lived , raised by the ghosts in my head .

　　　　　　❝ There is no beauty found in this kind of survival , ❞ Micah echoes the words Ahri said to xem when they first met in that ethereal dream , xyr voice gentle . ❝ But we are still here , I am still here . I still love . ❞ ⅋ that has to mean more than shattered selves ⅋ faint shadows ⅋ dead dreams . Tears roll over Micah's cheeks , but xe doesn't stop speaking from the bottom of xyr celestial heart . Micah never stops trying to love . ❝ I want that to be good enough . ❞ I am trying everything in me to make my constant existence mean good enough .

　　　　　　Micah softly smiles at @vulpesse ▬ despite , despite , DESPITE ▬ ❝ I am forever most grateful that I still exist so I could meet you . ❞ Xe leans further against her , head on shoulder . ❝ I love you , Ahri . ❞ This is a promise made by the endless brightest stars , gently given to the she - fox with sharp claws ⅋ wild eyes ⅋ sanguine teeth . This endless love of Micah's for Ahri , it does not flinch at the thousand raging suns in her wild heart .

　　　　　　Her clawed hand in xyr burnt hand , love stayed , becoming home .

#VULPESSE #ASK TO TAG CW #CHILD ABUSE CW #MURDER CW #SCARS CW #SELF HARM CW #𓁹 ༑ ࿐ྂ ⩇⩇ : ⩇⩇ ⚠︎ [ 𝙴𝚇𝙸(𝚂)𝚃 : 𝙶𝙾𝙳 ] * ‹ IC . ›#𓁹 ༑ ࿐ྂ ⩇⩇ : ⩇⩇ ⚠︎ [ 𝙴𝚇𝙸(𝚂)𝚃 : 𝙶𝙾𝙳 ] * ‹ ANSWERS . ›#𓁹 ༑ ࿐ྂ ⩇⩇ : ⩇⩇ ⚠︎ [ 𝙴𝚇𝙸(𝚂)𝚃 : 𝙶𝙾𝙳 ] * ‹ DRABBLES . ›#𓁹 ༑ ࿐ྂ ⩇⩇ : ⩇⩇ ⚠︎ [ 𝙴𝚇𝙸(𝚂)𝚃 : 𝙶𝙾𝙳 ] * ‹ MICAH . ›#[ starrtsi fuckgn cyrign and scremsign and sobibngn andsdgskm ]#[ OKAY OKA YOKAY O KAYAO I AM ]#[ WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS BUNSTAR IM SONBSDJNSNK]#[

7 notes · View notes