#v; a moonless sky

[shiroi---kumo]

@lunaferrous || [[ X ]]

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ What words do ghosts have to say in the face of men? Dead men tell no tales and he would be no different. It was an off the cuff comment but with the way the night had been progressing, it simply came to mind and slips from his lips before he had a moment to pull it back into the cage that stored his secrets deep within his lungs.

Was he speaking for himself or for someone else and it's funny that she puts it that way because he almost doesn't know. The boy in the back of his mind was too naive to understand what was being done to him and the beasts that crawled from his corpse were only left to survive in his wake. A child would know when to run, she says.

A child would know when to run from pain, she claims but then he wonders if it is she this time that does not understand exactly what is being said. A child cannot know they are drinking poison if it is the most familiar taste on their tongue. It could become the same as the taste of sugar if one were taught to consume it enough.

There was a difference between experiencing pain and being taught it. What of the child that is raised believing that it is their very destiny to die? What of the child that is told that the reason they were born is to die for the sake others? What then?

They know no other path. The only path they know is pain. So how can one run if it is the sensation prickling the most often on their skin? To believe that one would know when to run even when they are unable to do is both naive and foolish. To base the truth of the world in only one's own experiences and not think of the others around them shows the height of the selfishness a life could reach but really who wouldn't want to be able to live in that kind of ignorance?

So he finds himself musing on her words in the prickling cold. The wind like a kiss against skin that is hardly phased by such a poor showing of the truth of winter's force. Misterican winters were many many degrees colder than this world could ever seem to reach.

The icy bite of the wind is no worse than the feeling of lashes against his back and the memory fills his mind for a moment as he lingers next to this woman like a ghost blending into the dark of the setting sun. How fitting that tonight would be a moonless one where the light has been laid to rest, the horizon in that moment turning into nothing more than a temporary grave.

He knew all about them. Temporary graves. Just like he knew what it felt like to drag his body up from within them in order to resume his existence even post-mortem. That's all he was now. Was there a single part of him that still lived? Sometimes he thinks that even the sound of his own heart beating is a cruel trick that is just a result of his ever slipping sanity.

So his head tips to the side as he lets her words roll around in his mind, jade eyes looking just to his side as lightless as the night's sky above their heads.

"I think you are giving the child too much credit. It is not the child's job to run. It's the adult's job to have never harmed them in the first place. If the first thing one tastes is poison they will never know the infection has taken root from the start."

#v; a moonless sky #lunaferrous #tw; long post #tw; death #tw; abuse #tw; ghost mentality

[discovering-myself-here]

Just want to be with someone who'll make me feel secure in the moonless night

#idky but moonless nights are v scary #but i really just want to walk freely in the moonless night without getting scared #i feel like the night sky will eat me whole #ik it may sound funny but it isn't #prsnl #a

[acourtofswiftiesandshadowdaddies]

Listen- I had an idea. I was thinking about a Lucien Vanserra and the reader feeking the bond snap? But Lucien feeling like he's not worthy of her but she tells him how pretty his eyes are? Even with the scar? I was thinking of adding the prompt 32 angst and 12 fluff maybe.

Scars and All

Lucien x Archeron!reader, Helion x reader (father, daughter dynamic)

Warnings: angst, swearing, fluff

Prompts: Fluff- “I wish you could see the way I see you,” Angst- “You… why did it have to be you?”

Summary: The youngest Archeron sister has always been ignored and rejected by everyone. When she finally finds her mate in the Day Court who thought her heart could’ve broken more at the rejection of someone who was made to love her?

a/n i legit could not find any good headers for this so i downloaded 6 billion of them from pinterest, my sister had made this dress for herself and i had direct access to it thats why the description is so long 😭 im trying a new thing with describing facial features and stuff like that more lmk if u like it or not. ✨ not edited ✨

There was a ball in Day Court, almost all high fae were invited, and as the sister in law to the High Lord of Night Court it was compulsory for all of us to be there.

The dress I'm wearing is a masterpiece of intricacy and elegance, designed to captivate and command attention. Crafted from the finest materials, it combines delicate silk and ethereal lace, creating a harmonious blend of softness and sensuality. The color chosen is a rich midnight blue, reminiscent of the starry night sky that blankets the Night Court.

The bodice of the dress is a work of art, adorned with intricate silver and sapphire beadwork that accentuates the curves of the wearer. It plunges low, revealing a hint of the wearer's décolletage, while thin, delicate straps grace the shoulders, adding a touch of allure. The back of the dress dips in a graceful V, teasing a glimpse of smooth, exposed skin.

From the waist, the dress cascades into a flowing skirt, made of layers of diaphanous silk that sways with every step. The fabric is sheer and airy, allowing a tantalizing view of the wearer's legs as she moves, creating an alluring dance between modesty and seduction. The hemline is asymmetrical, with delicate lace trim that adds a touch of whimsy and femininity.

As I move, the dress catches the light, shimmering and sparkling like a constellation in the moonlit sky. It exudes an air of confidence and sophistication, empowering the woman who wears it to embrace her inner strength and beauty.

The dress wasn't my first choice though. My first choice was an indigo dress with a sweetheart neckline, that showed just enough of my cleavage to not be named as slutty. It had a slit that showed my whole right leg, but Elain had liked that dress after she saw it in my wardrobe, so I gave it to her.

She always got what she wanted.

I wasn't a type of feminine beauty like my sisters. They all had graceful features and beautiful dainty blonde hair. Nesta and I were the most similar with our sharp features.

But that's where the similarities ended.

My hair was a lustrous cascade of ebony strands, shimmered like a moonless night sky, reflecting an ethereal sheen with every subtle movement. Its glossy surface captured the light, revealing depths of darkness that held an irresistible allure.

Once I had slipped my heels on, I headed down the stairs where everyone else was waiting for me. My lips curved into a sly smile when everyone's attention was on me, glancing over the room, my eyes stopped at Elain. Her dress (my dress) was falling at all the wrong places.

She wasn't as curvy as me, Nesta and Feyre. I don't get why she would want the dress, it's obviously not fitting her properly. Ignoring Elain's incessant huffing, I head to Nesta and Cassian.

“You look absolutely breathtaking tonight, sister,” I compliment, giggling.

“I love this dress on you,” she gushes.

Nesta was my best friend, my confidant, the sister who cared for me.

“But I would’ve loved to have seen the other dress on you,” she continues. “You shouldn’t have given it to Elain,”.

“Oh it’s fine, look at the absolute beauty I have found instead,” I reassure.

“Elain are you sure you don’t want to change your dress,” Feyre asks.

Nesta and I snicker behind our hands, Elain turns around towards us and I watch in glee as her faces turns into a scowl.

“I’m fine can we leave already” she snaps.

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.

Cassian winnows Nesta, Rhysand and Feyre, Azriel and Elain, while Mor winnows me.

Landing outside the day court palace, I mentally take in the beauty of the place. The sandy blocks making the palace and the beautiful candles hung at every corner. There truly is no darkness.

I look down at my dress, skepticism glazes over my face. I shouldn’t have worn such an eye catching dress.

How was I meant to know that there would be lights everywhere?

Cauldron fucking boil me.

After some mindless chatter with Feyre about how excited she is to show me her paintings. We’re escorted inside to see the High Lord of the Day Court lounging on his throne, looking like the childish playboy he is. Even though he was centuries old.

His beauty was otherworldly, the way his onyx locks cascaded down his back like they were paid to do so. Piercing amber orbs stared down at everyone. Clad in only a white fabric that was draped over him, he had an easy going presence to him. The sharp points of his golden crown glinting under the bright lights.

But the vision next to him put the Night Court stars to a shame. He was the sun personified. Tan skin, lighter than his father’s but darker than mine. Auburn red hair, similar to his father’s in length, rested along his back. A scar ran from just above his eyebrow to his jaw. His eyes met mine, maroon and golden. His features picked apart weren’t attractive but somehow together on him, he looked like a god.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes blurred in and out of focus. Once they went back to normal I saw a single golden thread tugging. My eyes followed the thread back to Lucien.

I ran outside. Mother’s tits, I found my mate.

I gave an experimental tug on the bond revelling in the feeling of being complete. Tugging on it again, I let him know I wanted to see him.

Sitting there on the roof, I waited for five minutes, then ten, soon twenty and as quickly as my hope had been born it had faded away. But still remnants of it remained, maybe he couldn’t get away so soon, after all he was the heir to the Day Court.

Holy shit, he was the heir to the Day Court, what if he wanted nothing to do with me?

My thoughts spiralled one after the other.

A throat cleared behind me. Turning around to look at Lucien, I beckon him over.

“I’m Y/N, I already know who you are so introductions won’t be necessary” My attempt at a joke fails.

Finally taking a closer look at his face, I take in the pained expression. “Are you all right?” concern laces my voice, I stand up and whisper, “Have you had enough to eat you look like you’re about to pass out,”.

I’m about to leave and grab him some food, when he speaks, “You… why did it have to be you?”.

I freeze in place, I don’t dare to turn around. My mind flashes with memories of Feyre not wanting to teach me archery because she was busy, or how the boys at Rita’s never even looked at me, or how Elain took it upon herself to make me hate everything about me, or how everyone had their other half and I had just found mine. But not even a full hour of knowing me he hated me.

And somehow after all those years of rejection, self hatred and jealousy my heart broke one last time.

I assume he could feel it through the bond, as I wasn’t all that used to blocking people out of my mind yet.

I run down the stairs to get off the roof, to get as far away from him as possible.

Finally, finding an unoccupied balcony on the opposite side of the palace, I settled there, sobbing my broken heart out. The kohl from my eyes streaming down my face. My fingers red from rubbing my stinging eyes.

I looked around at the material of the dress pillowing around me. Such a waste of such a breathtaking dress.

Soft crying filled the room, my ears were ringing as I hadn’t heard the High Lord of Day Court enter.

“My dear, may I ask what’s wrong?” He asked, worry evident in his voice.

Gasping I stood up and did a sorry excuse of a curtesy, “High Lord” I bowed my head.

“Helion is fine,”

He sat down right next to the place where I was sitting. His muscled arm gently tapped the spot beside him as an invitation.

I sit down, smoothing my skirts out.

As if he can sense the awkwardness he clears his throat and says “We can stay quiet or we can talk about my son or your mate?”.

My eyes widen in shock. “How do you know me?” I mutter out.

“Sunshine I’m the High Lord of Day Court and unbeknownst to you, Rhysand talks a lot about you during meetings so most of the high lords consider you a little sister, but for me you’re like the daughter I never had,” he confesses.

A man I had not met before today, considered me his daughter, and six other high lords think of me as a little sister. My eyes well up in tears, my father had been one of the only people other than Nesta to ever truely care about me. And I had cried for months when he died.

To have someone think of me as their daughter again brought out a fresh wave of tears.

As if reflex, my head rests against Helion’s shoulder, we gaze into the night sky, in a comfortable silence. A strong hand reaches out and softly taps my head in a soothing rhythm.

“It’s ok sunshine.” he whispers.

After a while my tears stain my cheeks, Helion speaks up “I think you should give your mate another chance, I think you’ve mistaken his intentions,”.

Taking in his advice, I wordlessly stand up and hug the high lord. “Thank you” I breathe out.

Pulling away, I walk through corridors in search of Lucien.

A hand grabs mine and pulls me into a dark corner, while another hand muffles my screams.

I’m about to put the training Cassian gave me into use when I see a familiar pair of mismatched eyes.

“You can’t scream, I just wanted to talk to you,” he pleaded. Once his hand reluctantly leaves my mouth, I nod as a signal for him to keep going.

“When I said what I said before, I didn’t mean it as if you weren’t good enough for me,” he started. “I meant it as I didn’t think I was good enough for you.” My eyes soften at his words. “I mean yes I am devastatingly handsome,” I roll my eyes at his smug words, unable to hide my own smile when his lips twitch upwards.

“But I don’t think I could ever be good enough for you, a thousand lifetimes over,” he whispers, impossibly close to me but at the same time painfully far away.

“I wish you could see yourself the way I see you, Lucien,” I mumble cupping his cheek. “Please have me,” he murmurs.

I grab his face gently and fuse our lips together.

“I’m yours, if you’re mine,”

a/n i’m sorry girl dad!helion is just too good to resist and like imagine being like a little sister to all the high lords (instead of heron it’d be eris), hope you like it anon 🫶🏻

#acotar #a court of silver flames #acourtofswiftiesandshadowdaddies #acotar series #a court of thorns and roses #book #azriel shadowsinger #helion spell cleaver #helion acotar #high lord helion #helion x reader #cassian #rhysand #10/10 with everyone #lucien x y/n #lucien acotar #lucien vanserra #autumn court #day court #night court #dad!helion #nesta archeron #nesta acotar #pro nesta #nesta acosf #cassian acotar #nesta x reader #x reader #reader insert #female reader

[yeowangies]

Blood Stains

CHAPTER V: Since the moment I saw you

❧

PAIRING: Raditz/Reader RATING: Mature CONTENTS: Canon Divergence AU, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut, Enemies to Lovers. WARNINGS: Implied sexual content. WORDCOUNT: 2536

Summary:

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

His honesty visibly startles you, and Raditz’s smirk grows wider. You don’t even have to consider whether or not you’re going to let him in because you have already decided that you will.

Notes:

I'm sorry in advance lmao

You can check the tag #*bs if you wanna see the previous chapters.

Raditz stares at the sky from the middle of the highlands where he’s spending most of his time. This planet is pleasantly calm. He hates it sometimes. There are moments when he feels like getting the fuck out of there; he’s not used to peace and quiet. Most of his life has been chaos and fighting and blood and destruction. He craves it again. Sometimes. 

Other times, he finds this lifestyle surprisingly easy. He just does what he wants when he wants to do it, and it’s simple. He doesn’t have to explain himself to anyone. 

He encountered a human woman days before he went to see you at Capsule Corp. It was a peculiar woman; she was looking for an ‘adventure’ or something, and she was fascinated by his tail, said she didn’t believe it was real. 

Raditz had smirked at the moment. He wanted to get laid and the opportunity had presented itself all on its own. That woman wasn’t bad looking either, she was more on the muscular side. It was easier to seduce her than he thought; she was already hung up on him because of his tail anyway. 

The sex had been fine. More than satisfactory even. She did things that women and men rarely do on other planets, like oral sex. And when he penetrated her, he realized he did actually need to get laid. It felt good to be inside a tight wet warmth after all that time, and he came sooner than he anticipated, though the woman didn’t seem to mind. 

Raditz left her where he found her soon afterwards, ignoring her when she asked if he had a phone number she could call him too. It had felt good and all, but he didn’t want to spend anymore time around her. Or anyone. 

That had been the worst part. He realized he needed to get laid, but that didn’t solve the underlying issue he had been dealing with. Even after days went by, he still thought about you way too often. He still wanted you. If anything he wanted you even more now that his dick wasn’t so desperate to get wet. 

Raditz wasn’t expecting to find you at Capsule Corp. when he went there. He just wanted to find the radar for the Dragon Balls he assumed existed. And from what he heard from you, your friend must have it. It had been pointless, because he destroyed her lab and found nothing that might resemble a radar. His old scouter had caught his attention when he saw it, but he didn’t need it anymore so he left it there. 

But that makeout session had made everything worth it. Kissing, just kissing, had never actually felt so right and so good. He could have spent the entire night kissing you, and he was reconsidering even leaving your balcony to look for that radar until you left. He would have stayed there all night, and that was making alarm bells ring in his head. 

What kind of power did you have over him that just made him lose his head so easily? 

As he looks at the night sky, moonless and full of stars, Raditz can’t stop thinking about how soft your lips were, and how smooth your touch felt when you wrapped your arms around his shoulders. He’s getting hard imagining how all of that would feel in other parts of his body, like your fingers tracing his torso, and your lips kissing his abdomen and trailing even lower. 

He’s picturing a lot more raunchy scenarios in his head when he grips his cock some time later, coming all over his hand with forceful tugs. He knows he’s doomed, he can’t stop thinking about you no matter what he does. The image he first had of you in your swimsuit was long gone by now, he just pictures you in whatever clothes he saw you last, but it doesn’t matter because all he wants is to take them off anyway. 

Why does he even want those Dragon Balls? Raditz just wants you. 

He’s still furious about what Vegeta said about him. Immortality would make it easier for Raditz if Vegeta wants to beat him to death or something, wouldn’t be the first time the man does that to him. He knows he’s stronger after that near death experience, he feels it in his muscles and the way he can gather his energy in one hand so fast and just better than before; but at best, he’s at Nappa’s level of strength, not Vegeta’s. 

But he really doesn’t know what to do when those two get here. 

There’s no way Kakarot can win that fight. It doesn't matter how much he’s training or whatever, he’s no match for Nappa or Vegeta. He wasn’t even a match for Raditz himself. And even his nephew, who was stronger than Raditz then, wouldn’t stand a chance, he was a kid with zero experience in real life combat after all.

Maybe actually nothing has changed. He’s still a Saiyan, working with the remaining of his species under Frieza, hoping to one day overthrow him. And this is just a break in his routine. 

It doesn’t feel right to think that way, but this is a situation without any kind of resolve. This is just a break. Nappa and Vegeta will get here, and he’s going to have to leave with them somehow, even when he doesn’t know how because his pod is not even operable. 

That’s the scenario most likely to happen, and as days go by, Raditz accepts that idea more and more. Immortality sounds like a good idea too, however. For his own good, at least.

*

Bulma is furious with you, though she hasn’t explicitly said it like the last time you argued, but you could feel it whenever you were around because she glares at you. As if you had anything to do with Raditz practically destroying her entire lab.

You want to know why he did it, but it’s been a month since that and you have no idea where the hell Raditz is. It’s getting a little annoying to see him come and go so easily, but you have no right to be upset about it either.

That kiss lingered on your mind since then, though. It was too much, yet not enough. But now that the attraction on both sides was more than obvious, you’re starting to feel a little guilty about it since Raditz is still technically your enemy. You don’t know what he’s planning to do once the other two Saiyans get here, and if you have to take a guess… He’s not going to want to stay on this planet. You never expected that to begin with, but you feel a little bad the more you dwell on it.

Before that, your expectations were practically non-existent. You like Raditz, he’s handsome and hot and you could look at him for hours, but that was it. You craved him, and even more so now after that kiss, and he obviously wants you too. Is sleeping with the enemy a good idea, though?

You’re back in your apartment by then, thinking about it as you put on the shirt and shorts you use as pajamas to rest for the night. It has already been around seven months since Goku died. You have no idea how long his training will take, but you hope he’s back soon, you miss him, you didn’t really get to spend time with him the last time you saw him, since he died that same day. You wonder how Gohan is doing, and you worry how much is Piccolo changing him; he’s just a child after all. 

You wrap your hair in a messy bun after blow drying it, putting away the dirty laundry for tomorrow before you climb on the bed, practically collapsing once you’re on top of it. It has been some rough days, but it has been like that since that day Raditz came to Earth. Sometimes you’d panic thinking about how vast the universe must be now that you know there are a lot of species and habitable planets out there. And Goku is one of those species from far away. It doesn’t feel real. 

When you hear a loud knock at your balcony door, you practically fall off the bed. You’re on the tenth floor…

Oh.

Letting your hair down and running your fingers through it to look somehow presentable, you jump off the bed and peek through the curtains. There is Raditz, smirking when he notices you. You open the door of the balcony, and look at him curiously.

“I’m gonna teach you how to use the door.”

“This is much more fun, though.” He grins. 

You don’t make a move to let him in, and he doesn’t move to walk inside either.

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

His honesty visibly startles you, and Raditz’s smirk grows wider. You don’t even have to consider whether or not you’re going to let him in because you have already decided that you will. You open the door wider after a moment and move to the side, and he walks in.

“You stink…” You say, holding your nose as you close the door. Raditz only chuckles. “I’ll get the bathroom ready for you to shower…”

“Like I said, there aren’t any showers where I’m staying.” He says casually.

“So you come here once a month to use my shower?”

“No, I try to clean myself as best as I can by the river.”

You hum in acknowledgement as you get the clothes he has left there last time he was in your apartment, now clean and fresh. When you’re done setting everything, he doesn’t wait for you to say anything before he walks into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. You roll your eyes to yourself, amused that he feels so at home at your place. 

So, he’s staying near a river; you remember he mentioned he was staying in the wild, so apparently he hasn’t been going to too many places. Still doesn’t answer what he’s been doing.

When Raditz walks out of the bathroom, you glance at him, taking in the sight of his body wearing sweatpants and shirt, and his tail tightly wrapped around his waist, as per usual. You saw him with those clothes before, but it’s different now; he’s in your apartment, at night, a month after you two kissed. 

“Did you eat?” You ask. 

He only grunts as a yes, walking into your room to look around. You walk behind him, looking around as well to see if you hadn’t left anything weird on the floor or by the dresser. 

“Bulma is mad that you destroyed her lab, you know?” You comment as you watch him snoop around. 

“No kidding.” He replies flatly. 

“Why did you do it?”

Raditz turns to look at you, but he doesn’t reply right away. He stares for a long time until you start fidgeting, feeling a little awkward.

“The Dragon Balls, you have them, don't you?” 

You can’t help but gape at him momentarily, enough to make him smirk when he notices your panicked look.

“Why do you want them?” 

“I assume if you had to look for them, like you said,” Raditz goes on, ignoring your question. “There must be something to help you with that, like a radar. I know you won’t tell me where the Dragon Balls are, so I went there looking for that radar instead.”

He could have turned Bulma’s lab upside down and he wouldn’t have found it. She keeps the radar in her bedroom. 

“Why do you want them?” You repeat the same question, but Raditz only huffs, choosing not to reply. “You won’t tell me, huh?”

“Just like you won’t tell me where they are.”

“We want to bring Goku back to life, I can’t give them to you.”

“I’ll make my wish and then you all are free to wish my brother back.” He smirks, taking a couple of steps closer to you. “It’s not like that’s going to help you much anyway.”

“I can’t! The Dragon Balls can only grant you one wish before they remain useless for a year-” You gasp, covering your mouth with your hand when you realize you haven’t told him about this particular piece of information. Until now. “Fuck.”

Raditz looks at with brows furrowed, confused, as he registers what you just said.

“So you have been hiding more information from me. I should have known.”

“I didn’t know what you were going to do, I couldn’t tell you everything!”

“And you’re still not telling me everything, are you? I suppose we are still enemies after all.” 

“Maybe, but I had never treated you like one.” When he raises an eyebrow, you roll your eyes and clarify. “Except for all this. Or are you gonna tell me that you kiss all your enemies?”

“No, I do not kiss any of my enemies.”

“So I think we’re past being either friends or enemies, don’t you think?”

Raditz looks at you with an unreadable expression. Luckily you have never been afraid of him, because not knowing why he’s looking at you like that is making you uneasy. You bite your lip, averting your eyes elsewhere so you wouldn’t have to look at him. Having him so close is making heat rise up to your face, and you hope it’s not noticeable. 

“When you went to Capsule Corp. did you kiss me to distract me or something?” You ask him with a side glance. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I didn’t need to distract you from anything. In any case, you were trying to distract me.” He huffs with an amused grin now, making you chuckle. “I had no idea you were there.”

“Well, you surprised me too.”

“Did I?”

With that smug smile still on his lips, Raditz leans down impossibly closer, his nose almost touching yours. You can’t hide your blush then, but you don’t pull back, expecting to see what he does next, even though you know it before he even does it. 

It still surprises you how soft he can be when he kisses you, lips pressed against yours before he darts out his tongue to explore your mouth. You hum, exhilarated, as you slide your hands up his shoulders, gripping his shirt when his hands land on your waist. 

“I won’t help you.” It’s the first thing you say once you’ve caught your breath, as Raditz leans his forehead against yours.

“I’m not expecting you to.” His hand slides across your cheek softly before settling on your neck, and even that simple gesture thrills you. “You said we were past being friends or enemies. This is something we can do without being either.”

What he’s doing is obvious, you don’t really need any convincing to go into this. You love seeing his attempts, though.

“I know you want me too.” Raditz finally adds with a smirk.

“‘Too’?” You quirk an eyebrow. 

“I want you. Since the moment I saw you, I’ve wanted to have you.”

#dbz imagine #dbz fics #dbz fanfiction #raditz x you #raditz x reader #raditz #dragon ball z #dbz #my writing #*bs

[bookclub4m]

31 Recent Horror Books by BIPOC Authors

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here. You can also listen to our episode on Horror fiction.

This list features horror fiction by BIPOC authors published within the last 3 years.

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

The Spite House by Johnny Compton

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez, translated by Megan McDowell

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Morena-Garcia 

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror edited by Jordan Peele

Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn

Manmade Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea

Chlorine by Jade Song

Midnight Storm Moonless Sky: Indigenous Horror Stories by Alex Soop

There's No Way I'd Die First by Lisa Springer

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

Tell Me Pleasant Things about Immortality: Stories by Lindsay Wong

White Horse by Erika T. Wurth

#horror #fiction #booklists

[boardthatsinkingship]

11. Sand

✨ V A L T O B E R ✨

His cape flapped behind him in a whirl of fabric, in a black arc like feathers. His long hair danced across armored shoulders. Each strand twirled through the sandy wind.

(excerpt from this fanfic: swallowed whole by a moonless sky)

special thanks to my friend who doesn't have tumblr for posing as the reference!

#this is another perfect prompt for Valter. #he dies in the chapter SCORCHED SAND #I meanehfywhefiuhwekfhkwefkjwhef #really #valtober 2023 #jenstober23 #drawtober #fire emblem sacred stones #fe8 #day 11: sand

[calidore]

where do we hide when we want the Universe to forget about us?

under the omniscient eye of the universe

sins can no longer be done in solitude

i. in the clouds, where soulmates spend eternities together ii. on the moon, where angels are dropped on their way to hell iii. deep down in the ocean, where the void is not welcomed iv. deep inside the woods, where the first man creates sinful feelings v. in a poet’s room, where he dissects his heart vi. between a lover’s ribs, close enough to the heart without breaking it vii. at the edge of the universe, where you can find your other self viii. under the moonless sky, in plain sight

~calidore

#dark academia #dark aesthetic #dark nature #poetry #writer #poet #wip #moon #Goodnight stories for insomniacs and other night creatures

[doctober-baby-poetry]

some days the moon will rise, but the clouds won't let you see and make it look like a moonless sky, that's as dark as it could be. ~V

#new account #writers #poets #posts #writing prompts

[minamxrray]

@mourniings || Little Bride

Fingers trace the smooth leather of the book that had been bestowed as Mina’s most recent gift. It was a fine book: tall golden letters stretched across the front, crisp white pages of the highest quality paper, even beautiful illustrations no doubt created by a great artist decorated the book. It sat atop the pile the Count had brought to her, bound tightly with an elegant red ribbon to ensure each book of his gift remained together. He had listened to her the prior night evidently, the gifts she’d been brought today were far more to her tastes than the countless diamonds and dresses of the weeks past.  Clutching the gift close to her chest, mind replayed the past few moments bitterly. She had been polite, expressed gratitude for the present. Gratitude that was rewarded with the elder vampire pulling her into his arms to bestow a kiss to her forehead. A tender act, tenderness that still did not fail to send discomfort through her very soul. He then spent time playing the act of doting husband, stroking and cooing over his little bride in a manner that made her feel more pet than wife before departing from her chambers with a slightly smug smile.  The sound of the iron latch lifting turned doe eyes from her gifts, gaze lingering expectantly for the ominous figure of Dracula to darken her doorway once more. Soft features quickly falling to a mask of fear as Mina noted who had opted to haunt her chambers.  “Hello, Marishka.”

#mourniings #v: beneath a moonless sky { Van Helsing } #//this got longer than intended haha

[christinebloodwrittings]

Greetings my mutual 💟 May I request a story with Loki and a Female reader where y/n is a werewolf and she hides it from Loki because she worried he'd find it wierd or off-putting.

You ask I write, thank you so much 💖💖

Honestly this is amazing💚💚

*My requests are open*

Pairing: Loki x Fem! Werewolf Reader

Summary: Your family has always been special, but that would be an understatement. Your recent "changes" started to cause you troubles with everyone, that's why the one you love can never know.

Warnings: Blood, torture, a bit of angst. (No it's not bestiality :v)

Loki taglist: @lokisprettygirl22 @lucky-foxface @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore @high-functioning-lokipath @thereadinggeek @el-zef @apine7 @beakami @lokiprompts

Beneath a moonless sky

The pain arise once again, like a pulsating vein filling with fire, slowly turning black your skin, white turns into black, the dark consumed you, looking like a big ferocious beast, hungry, waiting, yearning for a vessel.

It looked right at you, with those sparkling turquoise eyes, and you knew the time had come, that thing your mother warned you so much about when you were younger.

Your great- great-grandfather was a proud bearer of the wolf's spirit of protection, a gift given to your family some millennia ago, those songs that told stories of war and death that spilled from the jaws of the wolf made you fall in love with the concept, everything it harked back to the Slavic myths of the western sides of what is now Europe, when the fight for territories was barely blossoming in the heart of man.

The wolf protected your family and made sure to pass that blessing on to every member of his offspring, until the end of time.

As the wolf had not already manifested itself in four generations of sons and daughters of your family, the blessing had been considered lost. The older ones even began to consider that perhaps they had done something wrong, perhaps they had offended the spirit in some way, so they tried everything, rituals, atonement exercises, but still there was no sighting of the wolf.

Until you met him.

During your years as a complete disappointment for your family you made the decision of desert from them completely, make a life of your own. So you became an agent, determined to be as strong as the Hulk. You worked out and train for countless weeks, until you were given the opportunity to prove yourself.

The mission wasn’t necessarily hard, it was just the amount of obstacles and mercenaries around your objective the thing that made it so difficult, nonetheless, you took the operatives down with ease and entered the base.

If it hadn't been for him, maybe how would you have been awarded? Your mission was to recover the Tesseract, which had been stolen by an enemy organization, a mission which was frustrated by the idiot Loki.

That's how you met him. He made you so mad that after that you started to have feelings for him, because it was impossible to stay mad.

That stupid smile of his, the charm of his voice, his beauty so masculine and at the same time so delicate, the way his features tense with worry every time you return from missions, he is also the first to ask you if are you okay. His touch was always soft, it made you sleepy, your anxiety dissipated into thin air, there was just him and you.

When you realized you liked him, the pain started.

The wolf woke up wanting to protect him, and cried knowing that it would be an unrequited love once he knew what you are. The change hurt a lot, your body had to grow three times the size of an average wolf to be in its full might, your bones had to rearrange themselves, your nails became thicker and sharper, your mouth grew and felt stronger.

Suddenly the lights were off, your grandfather used to say that the first change was the most dangerous one, because with your body adjusting to the instincts that came with it, anyone that could represent a threat to the wolf, innocent or not, will end up hurt.

“This morning there were nine victims of what was a bloody attack by what the victims claim to have been a monster in the form of a wolf. Although there were no deaths, one of the victims was severely injured and mutilated in one arm. The doctors confirmed that it had the dental marks of an animal, so the local police have armed themselves to locate and take down whatever monster that caused this” you heard the lady in the news speak with a stern voice, like she wanted you dead.

Your mother called you that same afternoon, she congratulated you for waking up the wolf, she even asked if you were okay, if the change had hurt you a lot, you had never heard her worry so much about your well-being. "Don't worry honey, let your family take care of the media, you did very well, you are not to blame for this because your instincts acted to protect you, you did not do it on purpose" she reassured you, it felt like a hug.

You still felt guilty, what would Loki thing of it? Will he like it? Will he try to kill you? Overthinking got you crying and locking yourself inside your room for three days, barely going out for food or air.

“Y/n?” you heard a knock and Loki’s voice on the other side, “May I come in?” since you didn’t exactly said no he walked inside your messy room, “Romanoff asked me to bring you this, since you haven’t eaten anything at all” he placed the plate with three sliced of pizza on your nightstand, rather awkwardly, “Uhm, are you alright?” it was pure delight to hear his voice, “Yes, no! It’s just women stuff” you tried to make him leave, but he inquired again “Anything I can help you with?” he was dangerously close, and as he was about to remove the covers from your half wolf self, “GET OUT LOKI!!” you lashed out at him.

Loki did what you wanted, he left, leaving you almost drowning in your own tears and the body ache of suppressing the wolf inside you, the one that only wanted to get out to keep Loki protected. He won't understand, he'll have you handed over to the police, or worse, the Avengers, who had recently been involved in the investigation.

The only one who knew was Banner, you couldn't bear the secret another day, and knowing that he had been through a similar situation, you felt that he would help you. And so he did, he promised you that he would help you keep it in check, so you gave him all the information you could, even transformed in front of him, all to find a way to make it more bearable.

"Haven't you thought maybe it would be better to remove it completely?" he asked from his own experience, "This is my family's pride, if I lost this blessing... I don't know what they would do to me" no, getting rid of the wolf wasn't in the options.

Not much progress had been made, however Banner had managed to set up a device that could tranquilize the beast and let it out at your will. Although it was just a possibility, just an algorithm. You soon realized that using the Avengers facility for this investigation was a huge mistake.

Your mental health was in danger, the pain became intense, Loki was walking down the hall when he heard your howls of pain and the constant sound of unknown tears and animal growls. The door was locked from the inside, "Y/N! Let me in!" panic made him kick the door open, the beast had just woken, its movements were lousy and tired, almost as it was injured, it whined and sounded in pain.

When it saw Loki, the beast wanted to go towards him, thinking he would feel the same adoration it felt. Instead Loki manifested restraints that trapped the beast and kept it in place roughly, “You monster” he snarled, angry, disgusted, thinking the wolf had devoured you.

He called his brother, then most of the Avengers were there to grab you and take you to a cell Tony had tinkered for the beast, but it resisted, its will was stronger and determined to put you to safety first, but a tranquilizer and the constant stinging of Loki’s seiðr made it lose conscious.

You woke up in said cell, still in the skin of the beast, but this time it wasn’t controlling the body, you were. You felt the sting of your wounds, how heavy your body felt as you tried to move, also how tight the cuffs clanged to your paws and your neck. The room was dimly lighted, but you could see through the dark, the room was big, still you were in no mood to move.

“You don’t understand! That’s not mere wolf!” Banner tried to explain the situation without giving you away, “And how do you know that?” Rogers asked, “He means this?” Tony made the hologram of his algorithm appear for everyone to see, “This could neutralize the beast?” Natasha implied, “NO! It’s Y/N, and she’s been trying to suppress it, don’t you see? She’s like me!” Banner spilled it all when he saw they were going to attempt to kill you.

As soon as they realized and connected all the dots Thor was the one that grew pale, “Loki is on his way down, he thinks the wolf killed Lady Y/n! He doesn’t know!!” he ran, his steps thundering as he went to stop his brother from doing something he would regret.

The cell door creaked open, with your new and improved hearing you recognized the footsteps immediately, your heart still ached from the expression Loki had when he saw the wolf, but now that it was you maybe you could explain the situation to yourself.

"You, you took her from me" his hands shone, they held a kind of green sphere in her palms, which he threw towards your body. The pain made you jump, the chains did not allow you to run, "She was everything to me, and you... Damn monster!!" you cried and yelled for him to stop, you wanted to tell him that the wolf was you, that you were okay, but all he heard was the beast cry and whine in pain.

“Now you’re cowering?!” he yelled seeing that you tried to run from the blasts towards the corner, keeping your face from him, only receiving the burns and hits on your back. “LOKI!” Thor came through the door, dragged Loki out the cell and pinned him to the wall, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Loki tried to force his way out of Thor’s strong grip, “The wolf is Y/n!” Loki froze, “What the fuck are you talking about you idiot, that thing killed Y/n!” then Thor played a video that J.A.R.V.I.S took from the lab, where you were transforming painfully into the wolf.

“No…No, it can’t be, that means I…I just…” Loki looked past his brother, to the shivering form of the animal cowering in the corner, afraid of more pain. His heart hurt, he was numb all of a sudden, “I’ll tell the others to come and tend to her, you need to get out of here” Thor carried Loki back to his room, his breathing was slow and he looked, hurt, confused, sad even.

“Will you be alright?” Thor asked, “Yes, uhm, yes…let me know if she changes back” the door closed and he stood there, pondering, numb and broken, until it was time for dinner. He didn’t sat with them, he instead spoke up “I want to bring her food”, he thought he needed an excuse to see you for them to let him go down to your cell, but Natasha just handed him a plate and a large bowl of water and wished him good luck.

He was ready to see you, but perhaps it was too soon for you, will you hate him for hurting you? Of course you will, he attacked you! He thought of begging you for your forgiveness, of crying his heart out.

“Y/n?” your ears perked up as he entered, his eyes full of shame found yours, you seemed clam yet angry, your body sat against the wall, but slowly rise up to walk to the same corner of earlier, “NO!” he made you stop, “I didn’t came…I’m…I brought you dinner” he sounded apologetic enough, so you laid back down.

He placed the plate near you, it smelled alright to you, but although it urged you to eat, you didn’t wanted to do it in front of him, so you just rested your head over your paws and didn’t looked at him. “Y/n?” he saw you reject the food, “Please, your body is bigger now, you need to eat” you growled, “I’m not leaving until you eat” he warned, his piercing blue eyes and determination made your ears flop down.

You reluctantly ate. He watched you from a good distance so as not to disturb you, keeping an eye on how soft your fur looked, the heavy sound your paws made at the slightest movement, you were so amazing to see. He thought you must be fluffy to hug, warm to hold.

You growled at him for staring, making him shift his eyes away from you, “I’m sorry, I thought…I thought I lost you, that the beast had killed you…I didn’t know” he was right, he didn’t, but a sorry won’t be enough, not in the state you were at least.

After that conversation you changed back, all with Banner and Tony’s help, they fixed you up with a bracelet that would allow you to change back and into the wolf whenever you wanted.

“Y/n?” Loki knocked on your door, he has been quite…attentive with you lately, partly because guilt weighted him down like five feet with each step, and also because he wanted to.

“Come in” you were getting ready for a party, Thor’s birthday, he already disliked the date a bit, but you were literally wearing a red dress! His eyes glowed green for a second, but he managed to stay calm.

“Can you help me with the zipper?” it took all of the restraint in his soul to not tear that dress to shreds, as a gentleman and prince he helped you. In another situation he would grace your skin with his knuckles by “accident” while zipping you up, but all he could see was the marks his blasts left on your skin.

“You look amazing” ‘BUT IN THE WRONG COLOR!!’ he was dying internally, “Thank you” you turned to see him, the front of the dress was not that revealing, but it still made you look like a goddess, “Listen, Y/n, I’m truly-” you cut him off with your index on his lips, “You didn’t knew, it’s fine…We’re cool?” he took your fingers off his mouth, taking the back of your hand to his lips, “It’s not, you are amazingly strong, kind, gentle, and…well, you have me absolutely bewitched, even before the change” that fucking smile again, he got you weak in the knees.

“Now, now, don’t get cheesy on me, mischief” you caressed his cheek, lightly giving it a squeeze, “We’re going to be late to the party” as you walked away, he felt as if he got rejected, “Loki…” he watched you slightly lift the slit of the dress to show off a bit of your leg, “You can change the color of my dress now, you wouldn’t have your brother to have the wrong idea, right?” you winked, making him blush.

“Gladly I will darling!” he was relieved when your body was hugged by a beautiful green forest color, but still was hunted by a question, “Uhm, by the way, is this how my punishment begins?” you laughed, allowing him to put his arm around your waist, “A little, is it working?” he realized adding all the golden dazzling was a huge mistake, “Yes” he admitted, “I’ll let you know when it’s over…my love” you growled the last words, your turquoise shine reflecting on his eyes, “Yes ma’am” he was so lost in you now.

“By the way, why wouldn't you tell me you could do all this before?" he took your hand, lacing your fingers with his, "I thought you'd find it weird, and you did" he shook his head, turned your head to kiss your cheek, "I think it's...outstanding, darling, I would never think less of you...never" you returned his kindness with a torturously small peck on his lips before entering the party, hand in hand.

#loki of jotunheim #loki x y/n #loki of asgard #loki series #loki x reader smut #loki fanfic #loki fluff #loki smut #loki laufeyson #mcu loki #loki x female reader #loki odinson #loki reader insert #jotun loki x reader #marvel #loki marvel #loki #loki x reader #loki fanfiction #loki x you #loki god of mischief #loki one shot #loki oneshot #loki god of lies #loki boyfriend #loki sex #loki fic #loki x ofc #imagine #mcu

[alcinadimitrescuwu]

Master List of Lady D Fics

Ficlets/One Shots

Lady D x Reader

Dinner for Two

Welcome to the Family, Boy

A Modest Proposal

Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave

May I Have this Dance?

Tension

Homecoming

Snow Day

The Portrait

You Make Me Feel So Young

Ariadne's Thread

Cheek to Cheek

Little Thief (NSFW)

Teach Me (NSFW)

The Night Before (NSFW)

You Sent for Me, My Lady? (NSFW)

A Lovely Distraction (NSFW)

A Chance Encounter (NSFW)

Beneath a Moonless Sky (NSFW)

The Little Night Visitors (Halloween Special!)

Lady D x Mother Miranda

Creating the Perfect Vessel (NSFW)

Lady D and Family

You'll Be In My Heart

Anon Requests

A Moment's Reprieve

Never a Bother

Has Anyone Ever Held You?

A Bumpy Ride (NSFW)

Don't Be Gentle (NSFW)

Let Me Show You How Special Are (NSFW)

Mommy's Special Girl (NSFW)

Caught Up In You (NSFW)

Series

This Woman's Work

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

Part VIII

Part IX

Crossovers

Strictly Professional (Alcina x Lilith Ritter)

#alcina dimitrescu #lady alcina dimitrescu #lady dimitrescu x reader #alcina x maiden #alcina x reader #lady dimitrescu x female reader #re8 fanfiction #re8 fanfic #bela dimitrescu #cassandra dimitrescu #daniela dimitrescu #alcina dimitrescu x reader #karl heisenberg #re8 village #mother miranda #salvatore moreau #alcina x mother miranda #lady dimitrescu x mother miranda #lady dimitrescu x maiden #alcina x female reader #alcina x non binary reader

[corpsebasil]

Easily Replaced | part 3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

Kaz Rietveld didn't need a reason.

You knew this, of course, as you always had, but it was most clear the day you, Jordie, and Kaz stepped foot into Ketterdam. The two brothers were, as long as you’d known them, ambitious. Ketterdam would fuel that ambition.

"For you, Sankta." Jordie Rietveld laughed, and covered your eyes with his hands.

He was thirteen—much too old for you, as you were only eight, and though you were teased back in southern Kerch for hanging around with him so much Jordie was something like a brother to you. Your own parents were gone—your mother a woman who died too young and your father a mystery.

"I thought you were getting me food." Kaz scoffed, plucking the wrapped omelette out of your hands before you even had a moment to see it.

"Kaz!" You shrieked as you tore out of Jordie's grasp, lunging for the food, but Kaz simply laughed in return, looping his arm around your shoulders and tugging you along, sharing the omelette between them.

The omelette stands in Ketterdam were Kaz and your favorites.

"(Y/N), wait." Jordie called and you paused, turning to glance over at him. His expression was wide and happy—the happiest he'd been in a long time, since he and Kaz's father had died. "Welcome home." He said, and you smiled.

"WAIT!" You yelped, lurching into sitting position so fast your head spun.

He was there, you thought, still blinking away the image of Jordie from behind your eyes.

Your heart raced and your eyes stung as you stood, scanning the streets several stories below you. You’d fallen asleep on the window pane after sneaking into your room at the Slat—if Kaz wanted you gone that night, you’d be gone by morning just to spite him. If only so you had more time to snoop around.

You weren’t expecting the dreams again.

You wiped your hands over your face and sighed, blinking away the remnants of sleep and forcing Jordie to the back of your mind. Jordie Rietveld would always stay in the very back of your mind, in the dregs; you’d think about him only during your last breath, and wouldn't let yourself do it one moment before then.

You crept out of your room and glanced around its interior once more, hefting your satchel over your shoulder. You’d miss this place—you’d miss Ketterdam, but if leaving helped keep certain memories at bay and kept a certain someone from bashing your head in it was worth the risk.

Your feet were silent when you finally dropped to the streets outside and ran, taking back-ally's and fire-escapes and rooftops as you traveled across Ketterdam on a route few knew. Your mask was pulled up and your hood rippled behind you, your shape merely a black speck against the moonless sky.

When you reached the Crow Club you ducked the guards and snuck through a window at the top. If there was anything to be known about the heist for one million kruge the Dregs had been murmuring about, Kaz would know about it. And if you were anything you were vengeful, and you’d get that prize to earn your freedom or you’d die trying.

"The Orchid isn't Dime Lions turf." Kaz's rock salt voice reached you and you paused, one foot sinking into the plush carpet of your old friend's office.

"Well, it's a new acquisition." Another voice purred, and your blood ran cold.

You knew that voice.

That voice had haunted you for years.

"You heard it here first." The voice continued, and you dropped into a crouch, tugging your hood over your head as you crept towards the office.

Your heart dropped into your stomach.

Kaz was being held on his knees by a nondescript man with a sneer on his face while Pekka, Pekka Rollins, clutched Kaz's cane like he owned it. Your stomach rolled as you took in Pekka's face and you barely stopped yourself from gagging.

It was him.

It was the man who killed Jordie.

"Now, I know you saw Dreesen," Pekka continued, oblivious to the assassin hardly ten feet away who was contemplating his inevitable death. "You got the jump on whatever job he has. I don't know the details...obviously, just that you have a little travel hazard ahead of you. So. Here's the deal: you can do nothing—walk away from it. I'll tell Dreesen I'm taking over for you." He paused, a cruel smile on his face. "Then we're even."

"Not even close—" Kaz began, and you tensed. You knew the man holding him, touching him, was causing him agony.

You had to stop it. You had decided long ago that Pekka Rollins' death would be slow. You could make it last for hours—could make blades sing until he was nothing left but a scrap on a table, but something fast might have to do.

"The other option is..." Pekka began, leaning forward to press the beak of Kaz's cane against his jugular, and you lunged. "I'll cave your head in with your own—"

"Let go of him." You snarled and, quick as an asp, had one of your many blades nestled dangerously against Pekka's throat.

Kaz let out a sharp breath and tensed as the man holding him pulled out a gun, pressing it to his temple to balance the odds.

"Sankta Riipka," Pekka mused, seemingly unaffected by the knife against his neck. "it's nice to finally make your aqu—"

"Shut up, pig." You spat and dug the blade in deeper, your eyes snapping up to the man next to Kaz. You felt steel against your head and froze—

—you’d forgotten about the other member of Pekka's trio.

"By the time you kill me," Pekka began, oozing calm that made to your blood boil, "my friend here will shoot your friend. And then you." He made to twist in his chair and you tightened your grip, stilling him. You knew you were drawing blood. "You ought to make the wise decision here, Riipka."

"Let him go." You repeated, heart pounding violently, refusing to look at Kaz even as you felt the gun against the back of your head push harder. "Let him go or I swear on all Saints I'll slit your throat right here."

The room was quiet for several beats before the man holding Kaz shoved him, knocking your friend—was he your friend?—to the floor. You made no move to remove the knife—your chest was tight and your breathing uneven. Jordie's face was flashing behind your eyes and this moment, this moment, killing Pekka, was what you had been waiting for.

You could do it.

Why couldn't you do it?

You could—

"Stop." Kaz breathed and you froze, meeting his stare. His face was serious but his eyes—they were filled with pain. "Just stop."

"You should listen to Mr. Brekker." Pekka crooned and your gritted your teeth, biting back a snarl as you removed the knife and swung, knocking the gun out of the man behind you’s hands.

     He threw his arms up and froze but Pekka simply laughed, eyeing you like you were a monkey at a circus. You felt small and, for the first time in a long time, like you were eight years old again, sweating with a burning illness and being sheltered by a widow who had no kids of her own.

     You felt like you were eight years old, managing to survive the plague and stumbling down to the docks, half-drunk with a barely broken fever and finding Kaz laying drenched in sea-water on a dock, screaming at you in agony.

It was Pekka's fault.

It was all his—

"No one has to die today, Riipka," Pekka smirked at whatever he saw in your eyes and brushed past, chuckling to his accomplices as they left the office and slammed the door behind them.

The room was silent for several moments before you turned, watching Kaz as he stared at the floor, making no move to stand.

"Let me help you—" you began, reaching out to offer a gloved hand but he jolted, deer-in-headlight-eyes flashing to yours.

"Don't touch me." He snapped, face flushing, and the knot in your throat threatened to burst.

     He pushed himself awkwardly to his feet and scrambled for his cane, one hand absently on his leg as he winced. It was terrible to watch—he was strong all the time, and so serious but this...

...this was him broken. And you weren’t sure if you could handle seeing it.

"I should've killed him," you started over, hands trembling as you resisted the urge to reach out to him. You didn't know if you wanted to help or if you just wanted, needed, his touch. "I should've—"

"You should've been gone by now." He swallowed roughly as his cane hit the floor with a thud, eyes snapping back to yours. "I had it handled. We all could've died tonight because of—"

"Don't you dare blame me for—"

"Well if you had just left when I asked—"

"I'm not leaving you!" You shrieked, yanking off your mask and hood so that you could breathe better. "You can boss me around and yell at me and treat me like Jordie was my fault all you want but—"

"I don't think that," he interrupted, his face stricken as he stared at you. "Saints, (Y/N)." You were silent for a moment, both breathing heavily, before he shook his head and turned away. "If you're not going to leave me alone, at least leave the Club. I can't—" he paused, sighing exasperatedly. "I can't deal with this tonight."

     Without waiting for a reply he strode out the door and shut it, locking it behind him so you’d have to leave out the window. You waited for several moments until you were sure he was gone, strode over to the spare couch around the corner and screamed into the pillow until your throat hurt.

@iamnoobmaster69 @emil7y @balmasedas @euphoniumpets @subjecta13-thefangirl @itisroe @thefandomplace @ambrosia-v-black @i-padfoot-things @kaitlyn2907

hiii sorry I know this one was kinda angsty but it’s gonna spice up soon HA

#kaz brekker #kaz brekker x reader #wattpad #shadow and bone #six of crows #angst #Ketterdam #kanej #inej ghafa #jesper fahey #freddy carter #Jordie Rietveld

[afoolandathief]

All the first lines tag

Tagged by @author-a-holmes, thank you Ari!

How to Play: Share the first line from each chapter of your current Work In Progress.

Something Wicked spoilers below the cut (although some of these sections will be cut in my latest draft)

Open tag on this one!

CHAPTER I

It was a quarter to eight when Jade heard a rapping on her screen door.

CHAPTER II

The worst thing about an unattended death in a sweltering city had to be the smell, Kenneth Brooks thought to himself.

CHAPTER III

In his six-hundred-and-seventeenth year of being on this earth, Casimir Jozef Mraz had come to a realization.

CHAPTER IV

Jade had always been good with numbers.

CHAPTER V

Caz was having the most wonderful of dreams.

CHAPTER VI

Jade had gotten herself lost in a thought, again.

CHAPTER VII

421. 425. Unconscious female. Either late teens or early twenties. Callers are reporting a head injury.

CHAPTER VIII

John. Lincoln. King. Seven. One. Six.

CHAPTER IX

“Well, isn’t this grand?”

[This is where you can tell rewrites stop]

VAMPIRE FOR HIRE

Caz flew over the garishly lit skyline, taking in the technicolor view for a moment.

THEORIS MYRINA

By day, the Apothecarie, located in North Las Vegas, offered a variety of crystals, herbal pulstices, and “genuine love potions” that would let a visitor return home saying they did something a bit different than the usual Vegas scene.

THE CASINO

Jade had been kicked out of several casinos over the last few years.

ROAD TRIP

Jade tried to focus on the star pattern laid out before her, willing a vision to come to her. The only thing that appeared was one all too familiar. A burst of light, and heat, all-encompassing heat.

THE CLERK’S OFFICE

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

THE ROCK GIANTS

Jade pulled up outside Caz’s condo to see him exiting with a suitcase and a cooler.

MIRAGES AND MEMORIES

Caz crashed as soon as he got home, sleeping in until almost 10 p.m. After a late breakfast he stepped onto his balcony. A popping noise echoed through the night and a small bat appeared in his place, flitting into the dark sky.

GOOD OL’ BOYS

Sydney Arravich was waiting for the shitty hospital food as he flipped through channels on the minuscule television in the corner.

HENBANE AND ROSE PETALS

Jade pulled up to the ranch house. A metal windmill and green barn sat in the background. A strikingly all-black rooster with iridescent plumage strolled through the yard.

THE NIGHT CLUB

Jade parked her car on the street and walked awkwardly up to the club. Caz was waiting out front in his usual ensemble.

THE STAKEOUT

Lila and Caz waited underneath the canopy at the camp. It was fortunately a moonless night, with the only light coming from Lila’s phone as she skipped through songs on a playlist.

VICES

Caz practically crawled his way home, budging his way through the French doors on his balcony and passing out on the coach.

THE HEALER MIX

Jade tossed the dice. A three and a four.

THE ARALEZ

The Apothecarie drew its fair share of tourists. While not the usual appeal of Vegas, the city offered the alternative types their tarot cards, crystals and various herbs and incense. Ember was always glad when he could flip the sign to close and get back to his book.

RETURN OF THE PRINCE

Jade was crossing the campus on her way to TA a class when she stopped suddenly, staring at a palm tree.

THE HAG AND THE BLOODSUCKER

Kobalos Katsaros had seen quite a few horrifying things in coming to discover who his father was. But even he knew to avoid the tunnels under Sandhill.

THE FIRES OF MOUNT PYROSIS

Jade tapped her hands on the booth’s table.

CAZ AND BROOKS

Brooks parked at the playground near a grove of trees and a wastebasket overflowing with cigarette butts and beer cans.

THANKSGIVING

Jade was still at the poker table when Ruby came up to her. She barely glanced up.

BLACK FRIDAY

While he had gone to bed satisfied, Caz woke up in the middle of the afternoon to some discomfort. The vomiting had left him dehydrated and the pint of blood hadn’t been enough. Stretching and smacking his cottony mouth, he threw on his robe and headed to the kitchen.

FATHER’S DAUGHTER

Brooks sat down at the bar and ordered a drink when he saw a dark-haired woman approach him.

THE RESCUE

Caz grimaced as he attempted to pull out another bullet from his foot. The packaging for the set of tweezers he had bought up front sat nearby on the bench.

THE AFTERMATH

Violet leaned back against the worn seat cover as the truck’s motions gently rocked her.

#tw: death #tw: gore #tw: vomit mention #tw: gambling #tag game #author a holmes #my wip #something wicked #scheduled

[kozumekenza]

omg, i am so sorry for the extended hiatus. these past few weeks have been crazy with school and family stuff. i swear i will start updating saudade regularly again soon (hopefully an update or two this week!!)

also, i’ve started working on a “in another life” inspired sakuatsu au, because i like to suffer (haha). it’s going to be v angsty and i’m really happy with the ideas i have for it so far. here’s a sneak peek, if anyone’s interested!

———

Kiyoomi Sakusa looks to the moonless sky, to the stars, and wonders.

He wonders which god he must have displeased in a past life to end up here. 

He wonders if this is a grand punishment for his sins.

(he isn’t quite sure why his minor sins would require a response of this caliber.)

He wonders if maybe this is a curse, bestowed upon him from the old generations.

He wonders if this is the worst thing that could ever possibly happen.

(he believes it is, but is also sure that everything could be much, much, worse.)

Kiyoomi Sakusa looks to the bright sky, to the sun, and wonders.

He wonders why such a bright life was cut so short.

He wonders if he felt pain, if he suffered.

(he hopes not, and can’t hear the voice calling out to him, reassuring him.)

He wonders what it’s like, if it was peaceful or terrifying.

He wonders if there is somewhere to go after.

(he doesn’t know, and the voice calls, “Yes, Omi-Omi! Everything’s fine!”)

Kiyoomi Sakusa looks to the night sky, to the moon, and wonders.

He wonders when things will get better, or if they even will.

He wonders if he deserves this, deserves to be unhappy.

(his answer is yes, while the universe gives a resounding no, although he is unaware).

He wonders what the next step is.

He wonders what will happen to him now.

(he has no clue, and the voice calls again, telling him to keep going.)

(sadly, the astral planes don’t allow verbal links between the living and the dead.)

———

i hope you like it! let me know your thoughts!

(also, i’m looking for beta readers for this and another sakuatsu fic i’m writing, so send me a message if you would be interested!!)

#devildeclares #sakusa kiyoomi #sakusa fic #sakusa x atsumu #msby sakusa #hq sakusa #sakuatsu #haikyuu sakusa #haikyuu kiyoomi #hq kiyoomi #Miya Atsumu #hq atsumu #haikyuu atsumu #atsumu angst #msby atsumu #atsumu #miya twins #hq angst #in another life #haikyuu!! #haikyuu #haikyū!! #haikyu #kenza #kenzawrites #hq #hq anime #hq sakuatsu #anime

[boardthatsinkingship]

28. Wolf

✨ V A L T O B E R ✨

Out of the blackness, a figure appeared. The man's form dropped to all fours and suddenly it was a wolf. Sharp fangs glinted white in the mutt's maw, shadowed by the curl of its snarl.

(excerpt from this fanfic: swallowed whole by a moonless sky)

#valtober 2023 #jenstober23 #drawtober #fe8 #valter #fire emblem sacred stones #day 28: wolf

[troop-scoop]

Mistakes & Regrets V

Summary: When a trip to your Dad’s hometown of Hawkins goes wrong, you end up in the year 1983, and have to learn how to cope with being stuck in the past.

Pairing: Steve Harrington / Future!Reader (like, a really slow burn)

A/n: Italics are memories!

•••

You were scared, and alone.

The star and moonless sky sent chills up your spine, and the cold made you feel like it was winter. But this place didn’t have any seasons. It was just cold, and empty. And slimy.

It always felt like your feet were slipping whenever you tried to sneak around whatever those things were around you. They were terrifying, growling, and faceless.

And you made a big mistake, you’d ran away, you broke the rule of never going into the woods alone. This was on you. And you wanted nothing more for your phone to work. To be able to call your dad, either one of them. You wanted to apologize for being an idiot, for not being responsible.

You were hiding, holding your keys. They were too loud. All the keychains you had on it were jingling drawing attention. You were trying to take them off of the ring as quietly as you could, the first one to go was your Millennium Falcon keychain, quietly slipping it into your backpocket. The second was the Avatar keychain, that one being slipped into your hoodie pocket. You needed to seperate them, keep it so the jingle was no longer there. So you could get by them easier.

The last one you hesitated on. The rose quartz crystal keychain your brother had bought you from the dollar section in Target for your birthday. You didn’t really have an opinion of crystals, you thought they were pretty, so you kept it on your keyring.

You hesitated, before deciding against it, holding your pepper spray as if it would do anything, the pale pink can being gripped in your hand, fingers wrapped tightly around it, your nail polish a dark shade of purple, contrasting the pink, even in the dark.

“Could you find a way to let me down slowly.” You sang as quietly as possible, holding the keychain in your hand, trying to calm your down as much as possible. They’d seen you once. You didn’t want to risk it again. You’d lost your skateboard along the way, having dropped it the moment you saw one of those. . . things.

“A little sympathy I hope you can show me.” Tears were close to going down your cheeks as you grabbed your bag, holding it to your chest as tightly as you could. Your phone died a day before. And you’d been here a total of two. Evading the creature’s, never really getting a good look at them. Just knowing that they towered over you and looked emaciated, and their hands were huge, if you could even call them hands. They looked more like claws. And reminded you of the Windigo from that one video game whose name kept slipping your mind. And that’s what you called them, because that’s what they looked like, even if they weren’t because you knew these things had to be a different species, not a cannibal turned monster from Native American lore.

“If you wanna go then I’ll be so lonely.” Your low voice cracked a bit as your grip on the

sketchbook inside of your bag tightened. Your knees meeting your chest as you held the red material of the Jansport bag.

“If you’re leaving, baby, let me down slowly.” A loud noise came from down the street. Away from where you were hiding. Looking from the tree branches to the dark uninhabited houses you saw one of them moving. But you moved quicker. Hopping down from the tree and carrying your bag while you ran

•••

You didn’t know where you were going, you were pretty sure you were just running. Maybe there was something behind it. Some reason you were going towards the center of town, like a gut instinct telling you that you needed to go, run away from the motel you’d been living in for the past months.

The second the bowl had shattered and Linda snapped you out of it, you’d ran, going for your room again, and packing a few things you thought were necessary, and you went running down the street, it’d been 15 minutes now.

And at the end of those 15 minutes, you turned a corner, and almost ran straight into an older woman, who looked upset, and frazzled. An unreadable look on her face. But you knew it wasn’t a happy one. Maybe one of being deep in thought? Contemplation maybe.

It took everything in you not to call her what you knew her as, but you also knew that would get a strange look before she left. But as she steadied your by grabbing onto your shoulders, you grabbed her arms.

“Mrs. Byers! I was just looking for you.” Realization struck, your instincts telling you to run into town, where Joyce would be at the coroner's office, to tell her that Will couldn’t possibly be dead, because you were still there, you hadn’t disappeared like in all of those movies where something bad happens and someone was never born.

Or this could be like in Avengers, where something caused another timeline to happen. But then what would that mean for you? For the rest of your family here? For Will? Would he really be dead?

You refused to believe that. It didn’t feel right.

“I’m sorry? Do I know you?” Joyce looked more confused than she could have ever been in the entirety of her life.

“No, you don’t.” You spoke sadly, looking down to the ground, blinking away quick tears before looking back up to Joyce. “I’m new to Hawkins, just please listen, this is about your son-”

“If Jonathan told you anything-”

“There’s no way he’s dead!” You interrupted, grip on her sleeves growing tighter before she slowly pulled her hands away from your shoulders, eyeing you cautiously, almost as if you’d found out a secret.

“Wh-what?”

“You’re going to think I’m crazy, like, psych ward level crazy, like needing to be so heavily medicated that I wouldn’t be able to function normally-”

“Sweetheart, I’ve been the crazy one in town the past few days. I’ve seen it. . . What’s going on?”

You felt your heart swell a bit when she called you ‘sweetheart’ because that was what she’d always called you. Dad called you ‘baby’ and she always called you ‘sweetheart’. You blinked away more tears as you tried to muster up the courage to speak, but you couldn’t.

Carefully, and almost hesitantly, you pulled off your bag, and opened it. Taking out the large notebook and closing the backpack again, flipping to the page you were looking for, the image you and your dad had drawn together. You handed over the  sketchbook, and you saw her eyes widen a little as she looked down at the carefully drawn image.

“This is- this is Will’s Dungeons and Dragons character-”  

“Will the Wise, Right? A Cleric, a healer, he’s clever and smart, and he helps people! And that’s my character that he helped me make when I was nine, she’s a half-elf rogue, I named her after Elizabeth the first!” You explained.

Growing up, you played D&D with your Dad and uncles whenever they came to visit or you went to visit them. They weren’t actually related to you, but rather the kind of uncles that everyone else had, the uncles that were your parent’s best friends. They all helped you make your favorite character.

“When you were nine? Will’s only been playing with his friends for a year and a half? Right after he turned 11, he asked for the set for his birthday, there’s no way, and he doesn’t know you. He has three friends.”

“Check the date. Upper right hand corner.” You told her, watching as he eyes darted to the date on the paper, and you watched as her face fell before she looked back up at you.

“January 21st 2019? That’s. . . like 40 years from now-”

“36, actually.” You corrected quietly, a small shrug given when her face now turned into a scowl at how you corrected her.

“What are you saying?” She asked cautiously, flipping through the sketchbook. “I know I have no right to say someone else is crazy, I mean- I’m talking to Will through my christmas lights, you being from ‘2019’ sounds more believable.”

“There’s no way that Will’s dead, because I’m his daughter.” You admitted to her.

“Tell me something about him then. Only someone who knew him would know.” She demanded, closing the sketchbook and handing it back to you.

“He has a birthmark on his right arm, I had the exact same one, but then I burned myself on a pan, and it went away. . . Um- His favorite song, it’s ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’ from The Clash. Uncle Jonathan introduced him to it. Dad introduced it to me.”

Joyce’s face was once again, unreadable as she stared at you, eyes tracking over your face carefully, catching every detail, and everything that was asymmetrical. Everything that made you look like a Byers.

“Oh my God. You’re not lying.”

•••

“So, I’m your grandmother.”

You nodded as you grabbed the boombox, setting it down on the table, examining the christmas lights she’d put up around the house. It looked like something a crazy person would do. Put up this amount of christmas lights. And paint the alphabet on the wall.

“And you have two dads?”

You turned your head to her, giving her a look. You’d explained everything to her, how your dads had met, how you’d been conceived and born, how you’d grown up, and who your brother was. How close you were to your Uncle Jonthan, and that your favorite non-related uncle was Uncle Lucas, which sold her even more into the fact that you were really from the future, and were really her son’s daughter.

“Yes, I have two dads. But I’m biologically Will’s.” You explained once again.

“Okay.” She said quietly, taking the tape out of the boombox, rewinding it with a pencil. “Alright, one more question.” Joyce started again, making you sigh. “How’d you get here?”

You paused, looking down at your dirtied and almost ripped converse. You didn’t quite remember. All you could remember was running into the woods after getting away from Enzo’s, trying to take a short cut to the motel, and then you fell through the ground, into something cold, and gooey. What you imagined it would feel like to stick your hand into a dead body for an autopsy. But you didn’t remember anything after that. Just waking up, in dirty clothes laying on the ground in the woods, backpack on, skateboard gone. And you had gotten up, legs feeling weak, and wobbly, before you’d found yourself back in town, but it had all been different. You hadn’t realized that it had been a different century until you’d gone into Melvad’s and saw something with the expiration date of ‘November 28th 1983.’

“I don’t remember. But I remember I made a mistake, and I ran off. And I regret it. If I could take it back I would.” Looking back up you noticed she was looking up at you, sympathy written on her face, and you knew what she was thinking. And you knew that one day her sympathy or your situation would turn to empathy for your Dad. Who would be going through what she was now.

You reached down and pressed ‘play’ before standing up straight again, giving her a soft smile as you looked up at the lights. This was not the house you’d assume belonged to a perfectly sane woman. And yet, it did.

“Come on Will!” You yelled “Do your weird magic bullshit!” Joyce started a bit before standing up.

Banging came from the wall, and you turned your head to look over. Joyce stopped the music and went to the spot on the wall where the banging continued, with you following shortly after.

“Mom?”

Joyce gasped. “Will?”

“Holy shit.” You murmured

“Mom?” The boy asked again, banging on the walls continuously as if trying to get through. Something told you that it wasn’t as easy as Joyce thought it was by running outside while you placed a firm hand on the wall, nails digging into the wallpaper and peeling it away.

“Will?” You questioned.

“Where’s my Mom?”

“Will!” Joyce yelled, running back inside seeing that the wallpaper in her living room was ripped off and you were staring at what looked like a thin layer of skin. Maybe a membrane. You didn’t like it, and that feeling came back, of being on a roller coaster drop, but the drop never ending. It was a bit sheer, and you could see the outline of the small boy banging against the membrane.

“Mom!”

“Will! I’m here! I’m here!” Joyce yelled back.

“Hello? Mom?”

But when she put her hand over the membrane you froze up, standing and watching in terror, because all of a sudden, you knew how you got here, and the growling of something getting closer to Will made a shiver run through your entire body, goosebumps showing up on your skin.

“Mom, it’s coming!”

The image of what ‘it’ was was fuzzy, but you saw it, like a memory. Almost ten feet tall, and so skinny their bones protrude, and almost sickly pale, white skin stretched out over the body. And the claws. You could almost feel the scratch of one of them against the back of your neck.

Reaching a hand up to your neck you could feel a skinny and elongated bump in your skin

that had never been there. But it felt like a scab. Like a scab over a healing scar.

“Tell me where you are! How do I get to you?” Joyce cried, her hand over Will’s.

“It’s like home, but it’s so dark. . .It’s so dark and empty. And it’s cold! Mom? Mom!”

You couldn’t even attempt to hold back the tears that were burning at your eyes and making

your vision blurry as you could hear the echoes of your own voice, calling out for an older version of him, the version that knew you the entire time you’d been alone. You’d been scared, and freezing in just a t-shirt and pair of ripped jeans. Holding a broken skateboard that you’d landed on in your fall.

It came to you briefly, running into the woods after Pa had yelled at you at Enzo’s. But then the rain had gotten worse, turning into the thunder, and loud noises never really scared you, it was the lighting that was a little too close to you that had you running, searching for any way out, yelling and screaming for both of your fathers, for anyone.

And then you took one wrong step, in the wrong direction. And you fell into the ground, instantly feeling cold, and as if the temperature was going to kill you. It felt like falling through cold slime before you’d landed on your skateboard, breaking it in half.

Everything there had echoed, and it felt like the entirety of the town had been placed inside of an infinitely large and inescapable cave. You’d cried out even louder for your Dad, getting no response. You’d begged and pleaded for the nightmare to go away, but it never did. You remembered screaming out “Dad! Dad please, I’m sorry!” And then you remembered waking up in the woods, sun shining down on you, a real sky in view.

•••

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#steve harrington #steve x reader #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #stranger things x you #stranger things x reader #stranger things slow burn #Steve Harrington slow burn