#also embrace their darkness when it bubbles to the surface

[bhaalsdeepbat]

In the vein of embracing the darkness and kinda owning it, I imagine Redeemed Durge x Spawn Astarion would have viciousness punctuated by tender loving care. Like, turning a Bounty job into a fun little hunt, giving into predator instinct and enjoying the thrill and adrenaline. Durge holding someone still while Astarion gets his fill, then gleefully ending it. They both just appreciate one another's prowess.

Then they're heading back to wherever they're staying, lingering touches and stolen kisses exchanged along the way, then they topple into bed before the sun can even peek over the horizon. Their limbs are locked, bodies pressed, secure and proud of the way they wield their combined strength. Just cuddles while basking in one another.

#bat muses #dont get me wrong they fuck nasty and are switches who power struggle #but the softness when love and genuine affection are reasserted #and the ability to even just be entirely tender and gentle if they choose #i think they would both be eager to harness the full spectrum for intimacy just so they can experience as much life as they can together #astarion #durge #durge who is down to get a little dirty so their little prince (astarion) never has to dirty a finger or break a nail #like astarion as both this really strong monster hunter but also still pretty pathetic #but he is a lot of cuddles and gentleness they just #also embrace their darkness when it bubbles to the surface #also thinking abt how his meanness would translate over with a Durge who quips and pushes back #mercy

[bloodmoonmuses]

should've, could've, would've. | bang chan

genre: bang chan x reader with some good ol' angst! warnings: none!

I really could’ve picked a better time to have this conversation, you think as you saunter up to the familiar door. 

Despite your intrusive thoughts, you knock four times and, almost as if he were expecting it, Chan opens the door promptly.

“Hey. You’re drenched.” You yank at the hem of your rain soaked sweater and recoil from the feeling of it clinging to your body.

“Didn’t check the weather.” A pause. “Also… I couldn’t sleep,” You add sheepishly. The epithet ends up sounding like more of an excuse than anything, but it’s true. You couldn’t stand staring at the ceiling, thinking of what you were going to say to him, for another minute. It was driving you crazy.

Chan looks down at his apple watch. It’s 2:09am.

“Evidently, I couldn’t either,” he says, rubbing his sleep deprived eyes. 

“Well, I don’t wanna bother you so-”

“Oh, shut up. Get in here.” He gently grasps your elbow and guides you inside his apartment. It’s dark, save for the illumination from the two candles he has lit. You inhale. Bergamot. That’s new.

Chan quickly scans your face and you know he can tell you’ve been crying. He can always tell. You divert your gaze and, thankfully, he doesn’t say anything. But he knows. And the fact that he does gets more and more embarrassing each time it happens.

You’re finally made aware of how cold you actually are when you shiver in response to the body heat radiating off Chan.

“Shit,” he says. “Lemme get you some clothes.” Quick on the uptake, and so in tune with all things you. Sometimes it was exhausting. When he withdraws to his room, you take a seat on the navy blue couch you’re all too familiar with. 

Maybe I should’ve just gone home. What am I gonna do when I move?

Chan returns with a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt. You thank him and go to the bathroom to change. When you catch a glance of yourself in the mirror, you almost gasp. It’s fine, you think. Chan is my friend. This is what friends are for.

Chan was the one who recommended taking walks to soothe your insomnia all those years ago, and here you are- still heeding his advice. What he couldn’t predict, however, was that every time you went on said walk, you’d end up in his arms. The first few times were a fluke- awkward, clunky. His embrace caused more anxiety than comfort, and you were under the impression that it wouldn’t continue. But as the years went by, it became routine.

There wasn’t an instant click, not even when your friendship began. Everything was gradual, slow, deliberate. That was what defined your relationship. So when your feelings began to morph into something more than friendship, you weren’t surprised. Because that meant there was only a matter of time before those feelings became bigger than a fleeting spark, or a hand held for hours at a time, or dreams told over gin and white wine. 

Now, as you donned his clothes, smelling of detergent and something so distinctly Chan, you were anxious. Anxious to tell him you were leaving, anxious that even the slightest objection from him would make you stay, and anxious that he had that much power over you- even in your head. 

But it was your dream. And you couldn’t wait around for your feelings to bubble to the surface. You had to squash them down while you still had the chance. This seemed to be your only chance, unfortunately.

“Wanna talk about it?” Chan asks with soft eyes, extending a mug of tea in your direction. You silently thank him for it with a nod, and go to sit on his couch. He joins you.

“I’m sorry for doing this so often. It must get annoying.”

“You’re not annoying. I’ll say it every time if I have to.” He takes a sip of his own tea, and looks at you blankly. You wish you could read his mind, like he can yours. 

“Movie?” He continues, eyes boring into the side of your head. You fight the urge to return his gaze, but ultimately fail. Huge mistake.

Now you wish he'd stop looking at you like that- like this. Like he loves you. Like he’d do anything for you…

“Disney always cheers you up, yeah?” 

He picks up the remote and turns on the TV, trying to ease you into some type of comfort. Usually, by now, you’d be divulging every problem to him. The air is suffocatingly thick. 

I just wanna talk. Why can’t I say that? Chan, I wanna talk. See? It’s not that hard, you think.

 “Princess and the Frog,” he says with a smile. “That’s your favorite.” 

“I’m moving back to America.” Your mouth is moving before your heart has time to catch up. “It’s my dream job.” 

His eyes meet yours, painfully, as he registers the words that have come out of your mouth. It’s funny, really, with the opening credits of Princess and the Frog revving up in the background… Chan realizes this too, and slowly, he turns off the TV. When he puts the remote back down, his mouth is slightly agape.

“Oh. When do you leave?” 

‘Oh?’ That’s it? you think. Your heart is breaking. His tone is so… casual. Almost flippant. Anger flares in your chest for a second and then-

“Uh… in, like, two weeks,” you respond.

“Oh,” he says again.

And with your voice barely above a whisper, you say, “I should’ve told you sooner.”

“Yeah.” He looks down at his feet, shifting uncomfortably.

Now you wanna look away? Look at me. Say something. Anything. Please.

“Well, okay. I’ll see you around.” You get up to leave before the tears start flowing, but your vision is already blurred. “Thanks for the clothes,” You manage to mutter. 

Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry…

When you reach the doorknob, Chan stops you.

“Hey. Let me drive you home.” He can’t even look at you, not really. Even now, his eyes are cast towards the hand that delicately clasps your elbow. Nothing forceful, just enough to keep your attention. “It’s raining really hard,” he continues.

“I don’t think I could handle that.” You say, voice breaking entirely.

“Can I give you my umbrella then?” He pleads. 

“Uh, sure,” you say meekly. Chan retreats to his room and returns with a black umbrella. 

“Here.” 

You’re fully crying now, desperate for air, unable to take a full breath. 

“Thank you. For everything.” You say between gasps. You reach to take the umbrella, but are interrupted by Chan pulling you into a hug instead.

“I’m gonna miss you so much,” he says, the end of his sentence catching in his throat. He holds you tighter than he ever has before. “I’m so proud of you.”  He leans back a bit to look at you, and wipes the tears off of your face with the pads of his thumbs. “You’re gonna be amazing.”

Maybe it’s his messy, curly hair- or the pinkish tinge to his beautiful nose, or the overwhelming feeling of him touching your face- it’s too much. Too much to keep those simmering emotions at bay. And you want to touch him, transfer the heat from your body to his, let him know how much he means to you in ways that words just can't- and it’s painful. He’s still cradling your face in his hands. You silently beg him to let go- let you go.

“I love you.” That’s not enough. “I love you so much.” The confession escapes you in a squeak, broken sobs ripping through your chest.

“I love you too. Shh… it’s okay. It’s okay.” Another hug. This one is impossibly tight, like you could disappear at any moment and Chan is the only thing tethering you to the earth. 

“No, you don’t get it. I love you more than anything Chan.” Then you kiss him, because the words don’t hold enough weight. You need him to understand- to feel your desperation and unspoken devotion.

It’s a gentle peck at first, so soft it could’ve been imagined. It’s timid and cautious, but it’s real. The fire it ignites in you only makes you want more. You don’t even look to see Chan’s reaction before you crash into his lips again, then again, and again- deepening the kiss and letting yourself indulge in the sensation. Toothy, clamoring, and unorganized. Feverish fervor that leaves your fingertips buzzing. 

When you finally come up for air, meeting Chan’s watery eyes, your heart breaks all over again. How much time have you wasted? How many memories had you opted out of in fear? Fear of rejection? Fear of losing your best friend? Fear of being undeserving of a love so all consuming and white-hot? It’s soul crushing. 

Chan speaks, voice slightly hoarse. “Two weeks?” It’s a question.

“Yeah. I leave in two weeks,” you say. Chan nods to himself, places the umbrella he’s been holding against the wall, and takes your hands in his.

“Any stretch of time spent loving you is time well-spent. No apologies. No “what-ifs”. No regrets. If this is how I come to love you-”

“But I should’ve-” you start.

“It’s worth it.”

He tucks you into bed that night, the rain and his warm embrace lulling you to sleep, and for a bit- in that space of limbo right before your body succumbs to slumber- you agree with Chan. 

If this is how the chips fell, it was worth it. The years of confessions held at the tip of your tongue, the myriad of stolen glances, your quiet love- It was all worth it. 

You don’t know what awaits you in the morning. All you know is that you love Chan and he loves you. For now, that’s enough. 

#bangchan fic #skz fic #bang chan #skz x reader #bloodmoonmuses #bang chan x reader

[tatooineknights]

Day 3: SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

Eyelashes fluttered as the humming of the bacta tank filled the space around Luke Skywalker, the warm liquid bubbling up to the surface, finding an escape. He could see nothing beyond the bacta that restoratively clung to his skin, the room beyond dark as night. His body was numb, possibly sedated, with every extremity holding the weight of a thousand pounds.

"Father," Luke attempted to squeak out, but the respirator connected to his nose and mouth refused to allow him. The last thing he remembered was lying on the ground in the Throne Room, calling out for Darth Vader to save him from the torment of the Emperor.

Had he done it?

Something felt incredibly off, though Luke couldn't quite come up with a thought for it. His brow twisted, the young Jedi used all his strength to raise his left hand and pound it against the glass. There was a flicker of light in the room surrounding him, a wiring sound that soon joined the humming of the tank.

Luke could see himself, his glazed eyes seeing the blurred pink of his skin and the white of his underclothes beneath. As his vision began to come back to him, Luke started to notice the light dressing of purple lines that glimmered across his chest and to his arms. They were so faint, only the right amount of glare made it obvious. Peering past his white briefs, Luke could see the same pattern along his thighs. Scars? From the lightning, no doubt.

The harness clipped to Luke's waist suddenly began to lift him out of the bacta tank; the air was cold, causing him to instantly begin shivering and longing for the comfort of the warm fluid. As he looked around at his surroundings, a mechanical arm from the device above him wrapped around the respirator, unlocking it from the bridge of his nose and causing it to fall to the ground.

Luke's breathing was hard and ragged between his shivers.

"Where am I?"

He trembled, somewhat equally from the cold and also out of fear. Did his father help him after all? And if he didn't, why would the Emperor spare him? What about his friends on Endor, his sister? None of this was right and dread continued to creep on him.

The apparatus that hoisted him in the air moved him to the opposite side of the empty room, where only a small central device cackled with static above it. His stomach turned in knots - a containment field. "No," he shouted under his breath, futilely attempting to struggle and free himself from the harness that would lead him to captivity; but it was of no use, whatever had sedated him made it almost impossible to move, additionally causing his mind to be too clouded to draw on the Force. By the time he'd managed to kick his leg in defiance, the straps of the harness came loose and dropped Luke dead center on the device, levitating him in the air.

"Welcome, young Skywalker," a familiar gravelly voice spoke out over an intercom. A neon red light activated around what must be the door out, with a white circle centrally fixed. It must be watching him. "You claimed to be a Jedi when we lost spoke; so fitting is it, then, for you to be prisoner inside my palace: the former Jedi Temple."

"Let go of me," Luke replied, but the voice continued on, speaking over him. It must be a recording of some sort.

"It would be foolish to give up on you after only one attempt, as Lord Vader had said. Perhaps you are already see the failure of your pitiful ways. You will change your mind.. and you will embrace your destiny."

"You haven't learned a thing about me," Luke spat to the recording, venom and feeling coming to him as the effects of the sedative began to wear off. The youth was trapped in this cycle. But then his heart raced as he realized that Vader was still here - he had saved him, it seemed, at least from a certain point of view. But now the tables had been turned, and Luke was in greater danger than ever before. He wasn't sure how he would get out of this.. but he would.

The containment field made it impossible for him to externally use the Force but he could still sense and feel with it. With his concentration back and his mind unclouded, Luke sensed for the bond that had equally betrayed him as it did saved him. His eyelashes fluttered as it took a great will to reach out; but soon enough, he did.

"Father."

There was a great silence.

Luke.

Someone stood at the opposite side of the door, waiting to enter. A tall and mighty presence. There was trepidation and intense self-loathing within, a mind filled with regret. It was him: Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker swallowed as he waited for the door to open; his journey would have to start all over, and it would be the greatest test of his life, but there was still a chance.

#luke skywalker #star wars #whumptober2023 #no.3 #solitary confinement #fanfic #fanfiction #whump #post-rotj #post-rotj au #return of the jedi

[atinycafe]

BENEATH THE SURFACE — ch 02 [lullaby]

PROMPT; mermaid!reader literally gets robbed by ateez and then falls in love w them after like they didn't just steal from her??

FEAT; pirate!ot8!ateez x mermaid!reader (slight joong + wooyoung focus)

IN THIS CHAPTER; reader in her yandere era?? stalking them FOR MONTHS and shit like girl.. we know you aint doin all that 4 ur necklace.

WRD COUNT; 4.4k

NOTES; this chapter is a little boring but i promise u the next one is gonna be better, they're finally going to meet her!! i just need to build up a little base

TAGLIST; @cookiechristie @zozoziwa @hiraii-gf @satsuri3su ; lmk if you want 2 b added!

Determined, the mermaid resolved to shadow the ship's every move, refusing to sever the only connection she had to her long-lost village. It was a decision driven by an unyielding desire to reclaim the stolen relic that served as a tether to her past.

With a fluid grace, she trailed behind the vessel, her iridescent tail propelling her through the depths of the sea. Each stroke brought her closer to the ship, bridging the gap between her present reality and the memories of her past.

The mermaid's heart ached with the weight of her loss, and she knew that surrendering the pursuit would mean severing the final thread that bound her to her origins. The stolen artifact, her necklace, held not only sentimental value but also the last remnants of a life once cherished. Letting it slip away would be an abandonment of her past, a betrayal of her own identity.

The gentle sway of the ocean currents softly calming her heartbeat, a vivid flashback swept through the mermaid's mind, transporting her back to the fateful day when tragedy befell her tranquil village. The memories surged forth, like an untamed tempest, enveloping her senses in a maelstrom of emotions.

[flashback] The once serene waters, teeming with life and harmony, transformed into a frenzied tableau of chaos and despair. The air crackled with tension, filled with the palpable fear that gripped the merfolk. Panic spread like wildfire as the sea witch unleashed her sinister powers, setting in motion a harrowing chase that would forever stain the mermaid's memories. The thunderous sounds of orcas' mighty jaws echoed through the water, reverberating with bone-chilling intensity. Their relentless pursuit, driven by the witch's dark command, sent shivers down the spines of the fleeing merfolk. Desperation mingled with the salty breeze. As the mermaid's parents, their hearts burdened with love and protectiveness, frantically sought refuge amidst the tumult, their hands trembled as they gently placed their cherished baby girl into the waiting jaw of a majestic tiger shark. Their voices quivered with urgency as they begged the creature to carry their precious child far away from the encroaching danger. The water around them hummed with their fervent prayers, intermingled with the scent of brine and the metallic tinge of blood. Neptune's mother, a guardian of the seas, recognized the gravity of the situation. With a sense of purpose, the benevolent shark embraced her role, guided by an instinctual compassion that resonated deep within her. The current surged, enveloping the young mermaid in a protective embrace, whisking her away from the imminent peril that threatened to consume her world. But the wicked sea witch, driven by an insatiable malice, refused to relent. With a savage determination, she lunged forward, her malevolent presence staining the waters around her. Her dark tendrils thrashed violently, blurring the vision of those who witnessed her onslaught. Bubbles erupted in a frenzy, obscuring the view, as the witch's assault left an indelible scar upon the infant Neptune. The phantom touch of the octopus-like sucker imprinted itself beneath his right fins, a haunting reminder of the treachery that forever altered their lives. Amidst the wreckage and anguish, Neptune's mother emerged as a beacon of solace and resilience. She cradled the orphaned mermaid, nurturing her with tender devotion, as if filling the void left by the loss of her family. Gratitude blossomed within the young mermaid's heart, a poignant symphony of love and appreciation that resonated within her being. Yet, despite the solace she found within the shark's embrace, a bittersweet longing lingered, aching for the embrace of those she had lost. [end of flashback]

To this day, the mermaid carried the weight of unanswered questions upon her heart, for the reason behind her village's targeted destruction remained shrouded in an enigmatic veil. The whispers of the ocean currents offered no solace, leaving her to grapple with the haunting mystery that had cast its shadow over her past.

Was her village merely a casualty of the sea witch's insatiable hunger for power? Or did the cruelty that descended upon them hide deeper, more intricate secrets? The mermaid yearned to unravel the truth, to unmask the hidden motives that had robbed her of a cherished home and loving community.

But despite her unwavering determination, the mermaid's quest for answers proved to be an elusive pursuit. The ocean's depths guarded its secrets fiercely, refusing to yield the truth she sought. Neptune's mother, her beloved guardian and guide, had long since departed, leaving behind a void that could never be filled. Only Neptune, her loyal companion and dear friend, remained by her side, their bond forged through shared experiences and a sense of kinship.

So absolutely not.

Her resolve to reclaim her lost necklace remained unyielding.

It was more than just a piece of jewelry; it held the memories, the love, and the very essence of herself. The necklace was a tangible link to her past, a testament to her identity and the life she once knew.

The pirates carried on with their shipboard activities, blissfully unaware of the enchanting presence lurking beneath the waves.

Hongjoong, the captain of the ship, stood at the helm with a weathered tricorn hat perched upon his head. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, his eyes unwavering in their focus. Clutching a tattered map in his rough hands, he skillfully guided the vessel through the treacherous waters, leading his crew towards their desired destination.

Their destination lay on the horizon—the fabled Dawn Island, nestled in the vast expanse of the East Blue ocean. It was a treasured haven for the weary sailors, a place of respite and opportunity. Specifically, they aimed for the bustling port city of Foosha Village, a vibrant hub where they could engage in trade, restock their supplies, and recharge their spirits. The allure of the village's quaint charm and the tantalizing promise of new culinary delights worked like a balm on their frayed nerves. The pirates, weary from their arduous journey, found solace in the thought of savoring delicious meals that awaited them there.

"Mingi! Look! I can load this cannon with one hand!" San exclaimed, his laughter blending with the rhythmic creaks of the ship. He swiftly moved across the deck, loading cannons with ease and engaging in playful banter with his fellow pirates, occasionally disrupting their routines.

Mingi grinned and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Hyung, stop being a showoff! You're so distracting, you're gonna get us in trouble!"

San winked at Mingi, mischief gleaming in his eyes. "Come on, Mingi! Where's your sense of humor? A little banter keeps the spirits high, doesn't it?"

Yunho flashed a playful grin, and sarcastically joined in. "San, you're soooo talented. Captain will be so thrilled when we fall behind schedule because of your antics."

San chuckled, his voice carrying over the ocean breeze. "Ah, Captain Hongjoong can handle a slight delay. Besides, who can resist a bit of fun when the sea is calm and the wind is on our side?"

As their playful exchange continued, Hongjoong couldn't help but join in, his laughter resonating across the deck. He leaned against the helm, observing his crew with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes, appreciating the camaraderie and lightheartedness they displayed.

In the midst of their tasks, Yunho and Mingi, the dependable members of the crew, worked tirelessly. They flexed their muscles as they hauled heavy cargo and repaired worn-out rigging.

Jongho and Seonghwa stood on the quarterdeck, engrossed in a conversation. The youngest of the crew couldn't help but voice his suspicion about the sudden disappearance of his beloved strawberry jam. He glanced over his shoulder at the slumbering figure of Wooyoung, nestled in a hidden corner of the ship.

"Hyung, did you see the empty jars of jam" Jongho asked, his eyebrows almost meeting as he frowned. "I bet it's Wooyoung again, he always does this."

Seonghwa chuckled softly at the youngest's whines, his gaze shifting to where Wooyoung lay, blissfully unaware of the conversation surrounding him. "You know, Jongho, it wouldn't surprise me. That boy eats so much, I wonder how he manages to stay so slender," he remarked, his tone filled with both admiration and slight bewilderment.

Jongho mumbled something about a "metabolism of a sprinting cheetah". He excused himself from the conversation with Seonghwa and made his way towards Wooyoung's peacefully resting form.

With each step, the wooden planks creaked softly beneath his weight, the ship's gentle rocking lulling him further into a state of tranquility.

Jongho knelt down beside him to reach out and lightly pat Wooyoung's shoulder. "Hey, sleeping beauty, wake up," he whispered, his voice carrying a hint of mischief. "I heard you might have a clue about the missing strawberry jam. Mind sharing your secret stash?"

Wooyoung stirred slightly, his eyelids fluttering open, a sleepy and confused glint in his eyes as he focused his gaze on Jongho. "Huh? Strawberry jam? Can I have some?" he mumbled, his voice filled with drowsiness.

Jongho let out an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes playfully. "You still have the guts to ask me about second servings? I should throw you overboard," he teased, standing up and reaching for a bucket of ice-cold water.

Wooyoung's eyes widened in alarm, his drowsiness instantly fading. "Wait, wait, Jongho! Don't you dare!" he pleaded, his voice laced with panic.

A mischievous glint danced in the boy's eyes. With a playful smirk, he splashed the freezing water onto Wooyoung.

A high-pitched scream erupted from Wooyoung's lips, echoing across the vast expanse of the ocean. "What the heck, you jerk! What was that for?!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and irritation.

Jongho couldn't contain his laughter, his shoulders shaking with mirth. "Relax, Wooyoung! You had some jam on the corner of your lips. I just wanted to help you clean up," he explained, his grin widening mischievously.

Wooyoung stood up, inching closer to Jongho.

Sensing the impending retaliation, Jongho swiftly ducked down, evading Wooyoung's attempt to land a punch. He chuckled, his voice tinged with amusement. "You'll have to be quicker than that, hyung," he taunted, relishing in the lighthearted banter between them.

The mix of laughter and screams they let out resonated through the ship, mingling with the gentle rocking of the waves.

Yeosang sighed at the noise.

With his keen eye for detail, he meticulously adjusted the sails, his focus unwavering. He moved with grace and precision, fine-tuning every aspect to harness the power of the wind. His nimble fingers danced across the rigging, ensuring each knot was secure and the sails caught the breeze just right.

Although the pirates noticed Yeosang's uncharacteristic behavior from the night before, they chose not to pry or question him. They knew that if Yeosang was acting differently, there must be a good reason behind it.

San, however, couldn't help but pout as he had glanced at him coming out of his room. He still held a hint of bitterness over the fact that Yeosang had taken the necklace he had found. It was a fleeting feeling, quickly replaced by the bond they shared as brothers, but San couldn't resist a playful jab.

"Hey, Yeosang, still hanging on to my treasure, huh?" San teased, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You better make it up to me."

Yeosang chuckled softly, his gaze meeting San's. "Don't worry, San. I'll make it up to you soon enough. Just you wait."

Yeosang's unwavering faith in the little mermaid resonated deep within his bones. He had an unshakable belief that their paths would cross again, and when they did, he vowed to embrace her in his arms, ensuring she would never be left out or forgotten.

With each passing day on their journey, Yeosang found solace in the thought of their reunion, drawing strength from the belief that destiny would bring them together once more.

Yeosang knew that when the time came, he would introduce the mermaid to his crew, sharing the admiration he held for her. He imagined their awe-struck faces and the warmth that would envelop their hearts in her supernatural presence. I mean, she was a mermaid! That's crazy!

In the quiet moments aboard the ship, when the moon cast a soft glow upon the ocean's surface, Yeosang would gaze out into the vast expanse, his heart brimming with hope and anticipation.

With each passing wave and each whisper of the wind, Yeosang's conviction grew stronger. He was prepared to be patient, knowing that their reunion would be worth the wait.

In the embrace of the moonlit night, the pirates scattered to find solace in their own designated havens, seeking respite from the day's adventures. The deck grew quieter, enveloped in a serene ambiance, save for the presence of Mingi, the steadfast navigator, and Wooyoung, the night-owl cook and surgeon.

Mingi leaned against the ship's railing, his eyes fixed on the starry sky, lost in deep contemplation. The gentle breeze rustled his hair, carrying with it a sense of tranquility. He took a deep breath, allowing the night air to fill his lungs, grounding him in the present moment.

Wooyoung, with his culinary skills and healing touch, prepared a small feast for himself and Mingi. The aroma of freshly cooked meals wafted through the air, mingling with the salty scent of the ocean. Wooyoung's nimble fingers danced across the ingredients, infusing each dish with a touch of magic.

As they sat on the deck, sharing a meal under the moon's watchful gaze, a comfortable silence enveloped them. The soft murmur of the waves provided a soothing backdrop, lulling them into a state of calm. They relished the flavors and savored the nourishment that the food brought, a temporary respite from their demanding lives as pirates.

But then, a delicate whisper echoed from beneath the boat, carried by the gentle currents. Mingi and Wooyoung froze, their senses on high alert. Their hearts quickened, and a creeping unease settled in the pit of their stomachs.

The voice grew louder, a melodic siren song that wove its way through the night air. Mingi's hand instinctively reached for his flintlock pistol, while Wooyoung swiftly finished his drink and swallowed the dried meat in his mouth. They exchanged a knowing glance, a silent understanding passing between them.

Wooyoung stood up, grabbing the nearby coiled cord and tossing one end to Mingi. With deft movements, they secured themselves to the ship, attaching the cord to their waists, a lifeline in the face of the unknown. They knew the dangers that lurked beneath the ocean's surface, and they were prepared to face them head-on.

As the haunting melody persisted, fear gripped their hearts. They were well aware of the legends surrounding mermaids, of their captivating voices that lured sailors to their doom. The cords provided a sense of security, but the trepidation remained, gnawing at their resolve.

Minutes stretched into an eternity, the enchanting song continuing to echo through the night. Mingi glanced at Wooyoung, uncertainty etching lines of concern on his face. He hesitated for a moment before mustering the courage to speak.

"Do you... do you still feel like yourself?" Mingi's voice was barely a whisper, his words laden with both fear and curiosity.

Wooyoung met his gaze, uncertainty flickering in his brown eyes. "Yeah," he replied softly, his own doubts lingering. The ethereal voice had a soothing quality, unexpectedly unraveling the knots of tension in their bodies. It was not the deadly allure they had anticipated.

Confusion swirled within them, mingling with the fear. The melody had an unexpected effect, a bittersweet enchantment that called into question their preconceived notions. They remained tethered to the ship, their grip on reality and their identities tested by the alluring song.

As the haunting melody continued to resonate, Mingi and Wooyoung found themselves in an unexpected state of vulnerability. They were caught between the unknown depths below and the allure of the melodic voice above, unsure of what lay ahead.

"Fuck, why is it not working!" the mermaid suddenly whined, cutting through the sweet melody.

Wooyoung and Mingi exchanged puzzled glances, taken aback by the unexpected interruption. They listened intently as the mermaid's voice grew louder, her frustration evident. It seemed she was conversing with someone, or something, else.

A mix of confusion and amusement washed over the pirates, their initial fear fading into disbelief. The tension that had gripped their hearts moments ago dissipated, replaced by a growing sense of incredulity. They had never anticipated such a comical turn of events in the middle of the ocean.

With newfound lightness in their spirits, the pirates sat back and listened, relishing the absurdity of the situation. The mermaid's continued complaints carried on, becoming a source of entertainment amidst the vastness of the sea.

"Neptune, stop asking me to try harder, I'm literally trying my hardest," her frustrated plea echoed through the night air, her voice filled with desperation. Water splashed around her as the shark bumped into her side, a silent witness to the unfolding drama. Neptune, the instigator of this scheme, had pushed her to use her voice to manipulate the pirates into returning her necklace. But what he failed to comprehend was the truth behind her soothing voice— the tragedy of her village's demise, which had occurred when she was but a young baby, had shaped her vocal cords into an instrument of solace rather than manipulation, not allowing her to unlock that trick as she was never thought how.

The following night, the deck was empty except for Wooyoung, who sat cross-legged on the figurehead of the boat. A bowl of rice and pickled radish rested between his thighs. Earlier that morning, he had informed the rest of the crew about their encounter with the mermaid.

Each crew member listened intently, their faces reflecting a mix of curiosity and skepticism. Hongjoong, representing the team, voiced his doubts, suggesting that it might have been a mere trick of the wind. However, Mingi and Wooyoung stood firm, their conviction unshaken.

Amidst the reactions, one crew member remained unfazed— Yeosang. Wooyoung, with his keen eyes, immediately noticed the unexpected blank expression on his face. If Wooyoung didn't know him so well, he might have mistaken it for Yeosang's usual calm demeanor. However, their long history together, having joined Hongjoong's crew simultaneously, told Wooyoung that something was amiss. He knew that Yeosang's passive expression concealed something deeper.

He had made a mental note to speak with Yeosang about it later.

Perched atop the colossal mermaid sculpture at the ship's bow, Wooyoung sat with anticipation, his legs swinging freely above the vast expanse of the ocean. The empty plate, which once held his meal, had been pushed aside, forgotten. Now, his focus was solely on one thing.

He was waiting.

He was waiting for her.

Wooyoung's insatiable curiosity always drove him towards the unknown. His adventurous spirit had led him to convince his best friend to join a pirate crew on a whim, simply because it intrigued him. He thrived on the rush of adrenaline that came with exploring uncharted territories, making the discovery of a mermaid all the more enticing. The mermaid captivated him like nothing else before.

His longing to see her, to hear her voice, was undeniable, even if he hesitated to admit it. The enchanting melody she sang had a profound effect on him, leaving him feeling weirdly relaxed, both physically and mentally. It was as if her voice possessed the power of a potent sedative, lulling him into a state of tranquility. For someone plagued by insomnia, this was a blessing.

Despite his usual struggles with sleeplessness, Wooyoung had succumbed to slumber within minutes of her departure. The experience was surreal, awakening at dawn instead of his usual sleepless nights. It was a peculiar sensation, but one that he yearned to experience again, to immerse himself in the tranquility her voice had bestowed upon him.

From the sculpture at the ship's bow, Woo called out into the vast expanse of the ocean, his voice carrying in a hopeful whistle, "Are you here, little mermaid?"

Silence greeted him.

He sighed softly, disappointment tingeing his words as he murmured, "Well, what a shame, really liked your voice."

As Wooyoung reached for his plate and cup, preparing to make his way back to the kitchen, a gentle, familiar melody floated through the air. The sound caught his attention, freezing him in place. A smile curled on his lips as he chuckled softly, leaning against a nearby pole. He closed his eyes, basking in the blissful moment, allowing the enchanting melody to wash over him, "Well hello there.."

Unbeknownst to Wooyoung, his captain had quietly approached from behind, and as the younger brother glanced over his shoulder, he exchanged a knowing look with him. Wooyoung mouthed the words "Told you so" before closing his eyes once more, fully surrendering to the allure of the melody.

The captain, who had purposely remained awake that night, wanting to uncover the truth behind the "mermaid's" voice, had been engrossed in his own activities in his cabin. Surrounded by maps and deep in calculations, he was determined to approach the situation with a rational mindset.

However, the silence was broken by the arrival of her voice, causing an involuntary shiver to run down his spine. The captain's features softened as he listened to the mesmerizing sound, unable to deny the sheer beauty that emanated from it.

Feeling a peculiar sensation coursing through his body, the captain had removed his glasses and had rubbed his eyes, attempting to shake off the sleepiness that had unexpectedly enveloped him. Perplexed by his own reaction, he couldn't comprehend why he felt so inexplicably... good. Driven by curiosity and a growing sense of enchantment, he'd left the confines of his cabin and ascended the stairs, emerging onto the deck beneath the open sky.

As the gentle breeze caressed his hair, playing with the strands that fell across his forehead, the captivating voice grew stronger, reverberating in his ears. Drawn toward the source of the melody, the captain approached Wooyoung, his footsteps guided by an invisible force that compelled him closer.

Seated at Wooyoung's feet, the captain succumbed to a strange sensation of weakness in his legs, as if they could no longer support his weight. He gazed up at his crewmate, his eyes reflecting a mixture of awe and longing. Never before had he encountered a voice so sweet and captivating, and he yearned to catch a glimpse of the face behind that enchanting melody. However, the darkness of the night shrouded the ocean, rendering it as black as coal, obscuring any chance of visual contact.

"Just who is she," as the captain mumbled his question, his voice filled with intrigue and wonder, Wooyoung sensed the longing in his words. Sympathetic to his captain's curiosity, he chose to join him on the floor, nestling his head on the captain's shoulder. The two men found solace in each other's company, the sensation reminiscent of the times they would indulge themselves in the hazy pleasure of stupefied cigars. In that moment, with the melodic voice still resonating in their ears, they allowed themselves to bask in the soothing atmosphere, finding comfort and a rare sense of tranquility in each other's presence and the strong winds.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, the mermaid's nightly serenades became an integral part of the pirate crew's routine. At first, each encounter with her ethereal voice had left the pirates astounded, experiencing a range of surprising sensations. Seonghwa even cried the first time he heard her. But as time went on, they grew accustomed to her presence, eagerly anticipating her arrival as the sun would begin its descent. They would gather on the deck, where they had laid out blankets in preparation, creating a cozy space to listen to her enchanting melodies.

The mermaid's songs had woven their way into the hearts of the crew, becoming a source of comfort and solace. Imagining a night without her voice felt strangely empty, leaving a void that only her captivating melodies could fill. The pirates had come to rely on her music, finding respite and a sense of peace within its soothing embrace. A bond was created.

In the waters underneath the pirate boat, the shark curiously turned his belly up to the surface and glanced at the mermaid beside him. "I still don't understand why you do that every night," he inquired, his voice gentle and inquisitive.

The mermaid, captivated by a seashell she had torn off the boat, averted her gaze and sighed softly. "I don't know either," she confessed, her eyes fixated on the small, imperfect shell that shimmered with a mesmerizing light. "Maybe one night, I'll manage to make them jump from the boat."

Neptune let out a disapproving "you don't even believe that yourself" and shifted back to his normal position, casting a side-eyed glance at the blushing mermaid. Surprised by her sudden change in demeanor, he gasped dramatically. "Why are you blushing, oh my God?" he teased, eager to uncover the reason behind her embarrassment.

With her face heating up, the mermaid swiftly turned around, her long locks serving as a shield to hide her flushed cheeks. In a slightly muffled voice, she pleaded, "Leave me alone! He said he liked my voice, okay?" She couldn't help but feel a mix of delight and self-consciousness at the memory of the tan boy's comment months ago. The urge to share her voice with him and the crew had since consumed her thoughts, leaving her perplexed about the strange pleasure it brought her. Sometimes, lost in her reverie, she would accidentally bump into the boat, jolting her back to reality and causing her to hurt her head.

She yearned to hear more of their praises, to catch glimpses of their conversations about her when she sang. The soft words exchanged among the crew sent a thrill through her, tightening her stomach with anticipation. It was an indescribable sensation, the feeling of being acknowledged and appreciated by someone other than Neptune.

She couldn't deny the rush of satisfaction that coursed through her when she caught fragments of their conversations. It was validation, a confirmation that her voice held power over their hearts.

The mermaid's confusion and lingering infatuation puzzled her, and she couldn't quite comprehend the emotions swirling within her. The mere thought of the tan boy's appreciation for her voice filled her with a mixture of exhilaration and insecurity.

#beneath the surface #ateez #hongjoong #jongho #mingi #poly #reverse harem #san #wooyoung #x reader #yeosang #mermaid #pirate #yunho #seonghwa #fluff #x you #x y/n #drabble #scenarios #headcanon #mermaid au

[xbunnybunz]

therefore i; therefore i, therefore i- (4/10) [AM X Reader]

Summary: in which: AM becomes your lover in an increasingly skewed blur of reality, nightmares, and dreamscapes.

you know. for halloween.

Genre: Psychological Horror, Thriller, Romance

dream journal # 18

I dreamt I was between the land and the sea.

The tides on the beach had pulled weakly at my ankles. It sputtered and coughed, ill, regurgitating pieces of itself at my feet. Coral, weeds, foam, pieces of glass, and brittle shells.

I brought myself down onto my knees, drenched in the filth of the sea. It was no filthier than I, who had come to cleanse myself.

Taking two hands, I scooped up the brine, grey and green and full of particulates in the shimmering starry sky, and brought it to my lips.

Upon drinking, my body seized violently and rejected the fluid. My stomach expelled its dark inky contents in a great heave. In the shimmer of the water, the murk was clear. It swirled and pooled like black iridescent oil, forming first a hand, then an arm, a torso, legs and a head. It reached out to me.

Snatched my neck suddenly, and pulled me under.

As I sunk, it embraced me, warm compared to the bitter bite of the cold sea. I realized with candor, as I watched the rippling surface drift from me, that the dark sky was hollow. Somehow, I always knew I would disappear on a moonless night.

---

You awoke before what you thought was the pond.

You had shocked yourself awake with the feeling of cold water rushing past your palms. Though you were relieved to find you were not sitting in the pond, less fortunately, you had discovered there was water pooling from somewhere, wetting your toes and seeping dark into the grout of your bathroom.

You scramble from the water like a cat, breathing growing heavier. You shake your hands free of the cold. Were you still dreaming?

A blue tinge catches your eye and you wrench yourself around. 

Throw a glance out the door, towards the alcove. Nothing. 

Recall yesterday, when you had dreamt you were awake but weren’t. You reach two fingers up to your leg and pinch harshly. You wince at the pain but do not awaken.

And where was this water coming from, then? And why?

You stumble over to the lights. When it flickers to life overhead, you cuss and immediately fumble for a towel to drop on the floor.

Birds sing, or a computer hums to life in the other room, the sound either way like laughter carrying long into the rest of your hollow home. You ignore it. 

In your sleep, you had turned the faucets on both the sink and the tub. The water had overfilled both in time and now pooled onto the floor, undoubtedly seeping into the cracks and dripping to the apartment below as well.

You clumsily slosh through the water and fumble the knobs closed, dully noting with relief that, at the very least, it hadn’t been hot water you were wasting.

When the water stops running, you also stop hearing the sound of the computer whirring in your ears. You sink into the space between the laundry basket and the tub. The water on the floor latches heavily onto your clothes but you can barely care. 

Watching things drain was always haunting. A black blind stomach opening, sucking in all indiscriminately, regardless of how putrid, gurgling with hunger. The water was clear today, but the final spittles of water bubbling down made you ill regardless.

The towel you had thrown desperately on the floor only sat limp and soggy now, an inch below the surface of the water.

You think of adding a lock to the bathroom. You think maybe a lock on the sink and tub handles would work better. Or maybe, just maybe, you think maybe you needed help. More help. 

Then you laugh and pick up the towel. It’s heavy in your hands. You fling it into the tub and curl up, bury your heads in your arms for a while. 

The rest of the morning is composed of wringing out a series of heavy towels free of water over the tub. When you’re finished, you’re soaked from head to toe in water and sweat. You strip off your clothes and let your shirt and pants fall onto the floor. Peel off your underwear and kick it into a corner. 

You stand and watch yourself dry in the mirror, the sweat clinging to your hair and sticking strands to your face, the gleam of a sheer wetness on your skin, the shine moving down your pubic bone. A red light blinks from the hallway from the fire alarm and it reminds you of a camcorder, like the little blinking red light next to an active webcam. When you pass the window on your way to your room, you spot the outline of the pond from where you stand and you want to swim. So you do. 

---

The beach is warmer than you thought it’d be, sand warmed from the morning sun. You flex your toes in the grain and sink half an inch deeper into the ground. Your sneakers swing by their laces in your left hand.

There are one or two dogs running up and down the shoreline, splashing water on teens wading nearby, probably cutting school, and they yelp and laugh. Even on the shore, your breath was coming out in mist, you were sure the water was freezing.

Still, it didn’t stop a group of people five or six people from congealing on the beach like a tumor, all wearing latex swimsuits and goggles. You watch them from afar, taking in the way they shook out their limbs as if they were about to do something olympian.

–Hey!

One of them waved at you.

You’re unsure of what to do, but you wave back anyway. 

–Hi.

They beckon you over.

The one who speaks to you first is a woman with brunette hair peeking out from under her swimcap. Her eyes are obscured by the goggles she has suctioned onto them.

– Are you here for the cold water swimming?

You think for a moment. Well, it wasn’t like there was cold water here. So you guessed so. You tell her that and she and the others laugh. One of them claps your shoulder and welcomes you, asks if you need to borrow a swimsuit.

–It’s warmer that way, you know, where it’s important.

–Josh, that’s like, so gross of you to say! 

–My bad, just being honest to the newbie.

–You’re a newbie?

–Can’t you tell from the outfit?

They all stop to watch you now, and you fiddle uncomfortably with the hem of your tee under their sudden scrutiny. 

–I usually wear things like this when I’m in the water, you offer. 

And you think about the times you’ve ended up in the pond in a tee shirt and flannel, or shorts and a tank top. It never mattered what you wore. You always awoke half-frozen regardless.

The swimmers, hands on their hips, look at each other and shrug.

–Sounds like you know what you’re doing.

And that’s how you join this group into the dark and untemperate water, splashing past the dogs and the teens and the elderly couples walking by the licking tide.

The water cuts into your system the moment the cold makes contact and it’s all a relief to you: the heaviness of your limbs, the loft of your clothes, and the fog in your mind icing over to slow your thinking.

You’re about chest-deep in the salty ice water before you kick off and dive deeper, towards the horizon. Your body feels weightless, like it is no longer your responsibility. You close your eyes and breathe deep before diving once again.

The pond in the community square is about the same temperature, only a smidge cooler. You thought it may be a filtration system to discourage bacterial growth, but you never dove deep enough to find out whether the filter actually existed. 

You emerge again for air and turn over on your back, allowing the water to hold you up passively. You wished the world worked like this always. You were always so tired, so incapable of working up the strength to struggle against the tide. 

You close your eyes as you drift. The water stays moving, stays cold and sharp on your senses as a blade. But you learn to accept it. The blade dulls and so do your senses. 

Your phone rings. You startle and break formation, sinking a little, realizing only now how the conversation with the other swimmers had distracted you from removing it from your pocket.

Your phone was waterproof despite there being warnings against complete submersion. You drop below the water a little as you fumble your phone out of your pocket, careful not to drop it, then swipe at the answer call button. 

The voice on the other end doesn’t speak, or at least not audibly. All that comes out is a fizzle of static. 

— Hello? You ask. Hello?

—Hello, the voice is chopped with interference and spurts of crackling. Hello. 

—Who is this? You ask. Your voice carries far into the open water. It’s strange how the ocean never echoes back at you. 

—A—EEE—. static breaks into their voice again, splitting into fragmented frequencies. 

You pull your phone away from your face and look at the caller ID. The screen won’t turn on. 

—Wake— SSSSSSsss—Wake—

—Who is this?

—Do not– CHHH– Drown— Sssssssssssss—CHHHHH— drown—

You sink over and over again while holding the phone up to your ear. A slosh of cold saltwater pours into your mouth as you turn upright and begin to kick languidly, the cold turning your extremities leaden. 

—Drown—SSSSS. Drown— My darling–

—AM?

A series of clicks answers you and then it dies immediately. A dial tone shorting and clipping in odd places takes over. 

Unnerved, you blindly press at where the end call button would be just in case and spit out another mouthful of water. When you start to paddle back to shore, you feel dread open a hollowness in your gut. You are much, much further out than you anticipated on being. 

The ocean laid wide and blue before you, waves catching the rays of light.

The dogs and the elderly were barely in sight. You weren’t even sure if the teenagers were there anymore. Other swimmers were specks in the water. Surely they would notice you were gone, right? It was only a small group. You were part of them, even for a little while, you were. 

Yet no one came to your rescue. 

You tuck your phone back in your pocket and dive again towards the shore to no avail. You reeemerge in the same spot each time you try, water pushing you out. 

The distance between the shore and your shivering body felt numbing. How long had you been out here? Why hadn’t anyone come for you? Why hadn’t you noticed how far you drifted from everyone else?

These questions bubble up as a heat behind your eyes, but you don’t allow yourself to cry. Instead you gather yourself, keep calm. Swim parallel to the shoreline and wait for the tide to stop pulling you further away. 

Maybe it takes a few minutes. Maybe an hour, maybe half the day. But eventually you are back on the shore, shivering, heart hammering, exhausted. The other swimmers are packing up their gear and talking about their individual swims. 

—Hey! How was it? The brunette from earlier asks you. She pulls the swimsuit from out her ass. You look worn. She says.  That’s always sign of a good swim. 

— …Yeah. You want to laugh. You want to tell her you almost died, how you almost disappeared and no one would have noticed, on the beach or otherwise. But you do not. It was nice. 

— Great! See you sometime next week then? She pulls out her hand, red and wrinkled from the chilly beach water, and offers a handshake. You take it stiffly. What’s your phone number? We all like to stay in touch. 

You give her your phone number and she promises to add you to a group chat. You think you should feel excited but you can’t muster it. 

Then they’re gone. You check your phone again, as if they’d already texted you. It won’t power on, so you make your way back home in silence. 

---

That night, AM does not appear. You sit in front of the computer for hours, waiting for the whirr of a fan, the tingle of static electricity, the nudging of wires underfoot. 

Your phone is on the charger next to you but it hasn’t turned on since you got back. You try it again and again and every time is the same black screen, the same harrowing expression staring you down in the reflection. 

You feel freezing. Your nose is running and your body cannot stop shaking. You couldn’t work up the nerve to get into the tub after you got home, so you trudged to the alcove with three blankets and the heat cranked up. You shiver still. Shiver day in and out. 

The sun rose and fell. The moon came and faded in and out between lacelettes of clouds and fog. 

And still he does not appear. Still no one comes. 

#reader insert #am x reader #am ihnmaims #ihnmaims #i have no mouth and i must scream #am #allied mastercomputer

[violettduchess]

Request for your Broken Heartstrings:

Sariel + injury + nightmare? If possible? Please?

Thank you

A/N: The prompt "nightmare" was requested several times so each request will get a shorter fic. The Nightmare shorts will share the same beginning and then change with each suitor.

This short features Sariel x reader

CW: blood, death

Word Count: 913

Sleep found you easily that night, rocking you in its arms until you fell into a deep and peaceful slumber. What dreams found you were pleasant, drifting in and out of your mind like iridescent bubbles following a light breeze. At the moment, your mind has taken you to a far-away beach. White sand is warm under your bare feet. The salty air tickles your nose. The gentle lapping of the waves soothes your body as you sink slowly into the deeper, darker parts of slumber...….except there, off in the distance, something is pulling at the threads of your peaceful dreaming. You try to ignore it but it is insistent. A tugging at your sleeve. A knocking at a door. A chime that won’t stop ringing. The beach fades away, despite your desperate desire to stay in that warm, safe place. The tugging grows more urgent. The knocking grows louder. The chiming fills your mind until you are jerked completely out of sleep’s embrace......to the fitful sounds of your lover in crisis.

Sariel Noir

Being the minister to the royals of Rhodolite is not without its dangers. His closeness to the throne is well known. His influence undeniable. It grants him respect but it also paints a target on his back. He is always careful, has never worried much for himself. But now he sees the error of his ways, too late.

They came for him in the dead of night. That late hour when the moon holds its breath and the stars retreat from shadows that rule the land. The assassins’ blades found their mark, sinking into the form huddled beneath the blankets of Sariel’s bed. Over and over they drank. Sloppily. Greedily. Until the bedsheets ran red. Like wraiths in the night, they vanished, a job well done. Only it wasn’t the palace devil they brought an end to that night.

He returns to his room, rubbing at the knot in his neck as he pushes open the familiar door. The paperwork could not wait and he told you to go to bed without him, not to wait up despite your pleading that you could read in the same room and not be a bother. A tender caress of your cheek, a quick kiss to your forehead and then he had insisted you get some rest. Even disappointment looked beautiful when it was on your face. But you had given in, warning him you planned on holding him close to you, a prisoner to your embrace with no hope of escape when he finally joined you for the night. Those words brought a smile to his lips. He was looking forward to it all throughout his work.

His body knows before he does. He freezes in place the moment he steps through the doorway. His room is too still. Too quiet.

The smell is what hits him first. Iron. Copper. The bedsheets look too dark. His feet move of their own accord, each step taking him closer to the gruesome truth. A sliver of moonlight is enough. He sees the blood, the torn bed sheets, your wide-open eyes.

His limbs suddenly weigh as much as boulders. His knees buckle as he sinks to the carpet, also wet with your blood. They were after him. They wanted him. They stole your life instead and now he is left, speechless, breathless, motionless at the bedside of your destruction. Air sputters from his cracked lips. He tries to say your name. Nothing comes out but strangled gasps.

“Sariel!” His gasping noises were what did it, the thing that tore through your sleep like a shot and exploded you into wakefulness. You say his name calmly but firmly, hands gripping his shoulders. Your voice is a lifebuoy amid treacherous waters, pulling him away from the wet, clinging hands of despair and with one final, soul-shaking gasp, he surfaces into the night, into the pale moonlight of his own bedroom.

His heart pounds inside his chest like breakers upon black rocks, but his gaze finds you, your hands still on his shoulders, your eyes swimming with concern. Your name is a whisper carried away by the wind, lost in the howl of his mind as it tries to reconcile the image of your lifeless body with the real you, the you of right now, your beloved face pale with worry. You’re in his bed, but you’re not…..you’re not….

Suddenly he reaches out, his hands scuttling across your body, anxious and seeking. You’re ok. You’re not hurt. There are no gaping wounds on you anywhere. You’re startled at his hurried touching, at the way his hands fly over you. Normally his touch is like air to fire, spreading warmth and want throughout. But this is leagues away from that kind of touch. It’s only your hands finding his, catching them like lost birds and then holding them against your heart that stops his frantic searching.

“It’s ok.” You repeat the words, gently, your fingers wrapped around his hands, keeping them still and warm. “Sariel….it’s ok.” He blinks his violet eyes, so dark in the wan light of the bedroom. You hold his gaze. You stroke the back of his hands. You nod as his breathing slows. 

He swallows and then reaches for you, falling back into the bed with you in his arms, his embrace a mix of something protective and something afraid. He breathes your name into your hair, turning his cheek to rest it against your head. You wrap an arm around him, placing a kiss above his heart. You don’t ask him what happened. He will tell you when he is ready. For now, you are satisfied that he is breathing evenly, that his heartbeat drums steadily under your ear.

Tagging: @aquagirl1978 @alixennial @alexxavicry @queengiuliettafirstlady @rhodolitesrose @ikemen-writer @bellerose-arcana @thewitchofbooks @redheadkittys @dear-mrs-otome @firestar-otomeobsessed @curious-skybunny @kpop-and-otome @writingwhimsey @mxrmaid-poet @silver-dahlia @wendolrea @otomefoxystar @nightfoxqueen @myonlyjknight @queen-dahlia @aceuuuuu @scorchieart @bubblexly

#ikemen series #ikemen prince #ikepri #ikepri sariel #sariel noir #cw blood #cw death #cw nightmare #sariel x reader #broken heartstrings #ikemen fanfic #ikemen fanfiction #violettwrites

[goblininawig]

Lucien's Little Dilemma

Follows the events of Gault's First Kiss, but can be read as a stand-alone. You can also read this on A03. Rated G.

Summary: Lucienne and Gault team up to help a dreamer find their way.

They keep having the same dream. It starts with a wilderness devoid of life, no insects, no birds, no foliage, and no weather. It is a void of endless nothing that they nevertheless know, in the way of dreams, that they must cross. Every step is torment.

But finally, the wilderness gives way to a rocky terrain with soft moss that kisses their weary feet. They stumble into the shelter of a cave to rest. Colorful veins of phosphorescent minerals glow and sparkle along its surfaces, casting light on a small pool, bubbling up from a hot spring, and the massive nest just behind it. 

Within the nest, sits an egg. It's large enough for a person to stand inside, if it were cut in half. The shell is unlike any known on Earth, and it shines faintly.

As they watch, the egg begins to tremble, then shake. Then a crack appears. Terrified of what sort of monster might be inside, the dreamer screams and runs from the cave, back towards the biting wilds. 

Lucienne closes the dream journal, a slight furrow between her brows. They had made it all the way inside the cave this time, But they are still too afraid of confronting the unknown.

This dreamer recently came to her attention when Lucienne had been looking idly through the new arrivals. In the scores of fresh books, she'd run across the journal of a dreamer on the cusp of adulthood, prompting the Dreaming to conjure them a new volume in their life long record of dreams. Since then, she's been keeping track of them.

If only there was some way to help them, she muses, tucking the volume back into the shelf. 

"You're quiet today, love," Gault murmurs softly in the librarian's pointed ear. "What's on your mind?"

Lucienne smiles and tilts her head back on Gault's shoulder so the dream can see it. "You're always so concerned about me," the librarian observes. She snuggles deeper into Gault's embrace. "I was just thinking about a Dreamer."

"Oh?" Gault replies, drawing her shimmering arms more tightly about her lover. "Anyone I've met?"

"Not according to their recent dream records," Lucienne replies, trailing two dark fingers along Gault's sparkling skin as she spoke. "This young adult struggling to accept the truth about themselves. I wish I could help," she explains. 

"It's rare for you to become so concerned about one of the Dreamers," Gault noted. "What is it that's drawn you to them?"

Once again, a smile lifts Lucienne's lips. "They remind me of you, in a way," she admits. "The way you fought Lord Morpheus to be seen as you are, and not how he wanted you to be. This dreamer has a similar challenge... except I'm not entirely certain they even realize that. It's hard to tell when you only know their dreaming minds."

"Perhaps I can come by the library later, look at the dream log, and see if I can help?"

"That would be lovely," Lucienne tilts her head up again, this time to kiss Gault's cheek.  

Gault flutters in the air behind Lucienne's armchair, reading the dream journal over her shoulder. The couple is studying it together in the library. Lucienne is secretly very fond of the way Gault uses her wings at any given opportunity. It makes her feel warm and giddy in ways she hasn't experienced since she was human, long ago. 

"I can see why they remind you of me," Gault says, interrupting the librarian's thoughts. "They are aching to make some real transformations in their life."

"Yes, exactly!" Lucienne affirms, "any ideas?"

"Well, I recognize the area of the Dreaming this describes. I had a lot of work in that area back when I was a nightmare," she explains. "Maybe I can find them there and help them have a break through."

Lucienne sets the book down on her desk, hops out of her chair, and leaps into Gault's arms. The dream makes a startled noise, but catches Lucienne easily, and draws her close. 

"Thank you," Lucienne murmurs softly, before pursuing her lips to Gault's inviting mouth. 

They get lost in each other. Gault flies them in graceful loops over library stacks as they embrace tightly and kiss gently. And they start like that until Merv stomps in to ask 'Loosh' a question.  

The dreamer stumbles into the safety of the cave, weary from traveling through the wilderness. The cave walls sparkle and illuminate the space. Deeper in, lies a bubbling hot spring pool, and, beyond that is a massive nest with an equally large egg. They suddenly worry they've entered a monster's lair.

"What do you seek?" says a soothing voice. 

The dreamer looks around but can't find it's source. "Please," they whimper, "I just want to rest."

A figure separates from a dripping stalactite above - humanoid, but dark and shining like the cave itself, held aloft on a pair of large wings. "Peace is difficult to find when you do not know yourself," she says. 

"But I do know myself," comes the unconvincing reply. 

"Then why do you fear your power?" the figure gestures behind them to where the mysterious egg sat. 

As they watch, the egg begins to crack and shake: something is being born. The dreamer cringes away in fear, but the fairy-like figure flies down to stand beside them. 

"It's all right," she promises. "Just watch."

Gault offers the dreamer her hand, and they take it gratefully, squeezing tight as the shell breaks away. 

It's like the sun is rising inside the cave; it fills with light and heat too intense to look at. The dreamer closes their eyes, but the intensity fades, and they open them again. 

Inside the nest, preening its firey feathers, sits a pheonix. The dreamer gapes at its beauty, and the palpable sense of magic, purpose, and power it radiates along with its sun-like shine. 

"It's incredible," the dreamer says reverently. 

Gault squeezes their hand, "and so are you."

They find their mother in the kitchen, drinking coffee, and sit down with her to have a talk that involves some tears, but more joy and laughter. They declare new pronouns and a new name, a name that fits who they truly are inside. 

In the Waking World, the dreamer rouses, a sense of purpose and self-awareness burning like a fire in their heart. They know what they need to do. 

In the Dreaming, Lucienne eagerly devours the latest entry in the dreamer's book. Gault arrives back from her mission as the librarian reads the final sentence. Lucienne leaps up to greet her, and they embrace. 

"You did it," Lucienne cheers.

Gault smiles and brings the back of one glimmering hand down Lucienne's cheek. "I didn't do much," she demures. "They just needed a push in the right direction."

"We all do from time to time," Lucienne beams, leaning into the touch. 

"Speaking of time," Gault says, winking mischievously, "do you have any right now?"

"For you," Lucienne affirms with a gentle kiss, "always."

Tagging: @orionsangel86 @tryan-a-bex

#the sandman #the sandman netflix #gault x lucienne #gault the sandman #lucienne the librarian #gaultcienne #lucienne x gault #fan fiction #sandman fanfic #rated g #goblininawig

[spacedykez]

phantoms are ghost stories, tales told by villagers to their children. if you don't sleep, the phantoms will get you! they're spooky tales around a campfire, a group of friends laughing and taunting each other: ooh, you're going to be eaten by the big bad phantom! they are mischief, random items suddenly "floating" when really, it's just your local phantom having a touch of fun.

elytrians are legends. it's hard to believe the bright-eyed, feather-winged creatures who roam sun-kissed forests and blooming meadows and soar carefree through azure skies are the same creatures who came from the cold, dark End. but the end is vast and open, with lots of space to fly, so really it makes sense.

avians are the young, energetic children of the Elytrians. they are the tallest mountains and the widest meadows, the spaces closest to the sky. they are the bright-eyed and the carefree, those who run with the wind at their heels, ready to one day master it so that they may truly Fly. they are young and they are hope.

merlings are the beautiful, peaceful people who live just under the surface, scales shimmering in bright aqua water. they are gently-waving kelp fronds and bright rays of light filtering down through the waves. but they are also dangerous and cruel, their siren-songs luring you to a watery grave and leaving your final words to be lost as nothing but bubbles while their laughs ring impossibly in your ears.

blazebornes are fiery spirits, impulsive and stubborn. they are creatures of fire and they are the Nether's beloved creations. their abilities make for quite the show, but that's not all they're good for. they are quick to attack. they are always moving, like the flames from which they were born.

arachnids are masters of the night, the dark, the things that Crawl and Skitter in the deepest caves. they are mystery and shadow. they are the inevitable dark that comes with Light. they are the masters of agility. they are talent and they are deception and they are death.

felines are friends of the villagers. they are flowerfields and daylight and the Overworld and naive joy. they are lazing in the sunshine and leaping through the trees whose leaves are still but for a slight breeze. they are Joy personified. and they are loved.

endarians are the Ones who Embraced the Void. the Void called and they welcomed it into their hearts, letting it change them, warp them, make them what they are now. they are changed, but they are happy. the cold and the dark are Home to them now, and their Hearts are round orbs, pumping dark ender-purple blood through their veins. a touch of the void always lingers around them in the form of particles.

starbornes are the Sky, and the Stars, and they are the Night, but unlike the phantoms they are not playful death. they are longing, and they are loving. they came from the stars and to the stars they long to return. stars are lonely things, and so too are the starbornes.

#sun-kissed. i love that word. #origins smp #origins #minecraft origins #the otter splashes #yk what fuck it #the otter scribbles #...so we're all thinkin the same thing right. blazebornes are adhd- #yeah no i have this thing its called I Am A Blazeborne #also bees are like felines but flying and inchlings are just Bug. like all of these are cool and whatever and inchling is just. Yeah. Bug. #anyways. i fucking love origins

[historianthesecond]

I'm currently loving Who Came In With the Sea. Any idea when part III will be out. No pressure ofc my lovely.

Hi! Thank you 🥺🥺 I'm glad you're liking it 💓 probably between this week and the next (but I really hope it can be this week). I have planned the outline already, I just need to write it down! 🙈

Buuut, I do have a snippet :3

It was a windy morning, with chipped waves against the hull. You always liked the way the early morning tinted the whole sea as if it were made of silver, sometimes with a thick fog hanging like a veil; the perfect disguise so you could return home from a nocturnal swim without the fishermen noticing as they also headed back to the docks. 

However, in the open sea, matters got complicated. As soon as you emerged, you had no cover from corals or other boats blocking the view; and contrary to the sport fishing boats, the hull of the Volkvolny was too tall to try to climb, unless you tried to use the anchor line a makeshift staircase.

You didn’t trust your arms and legs to support your weight, as you’d been swimming around the ship all night until you felt the invigorating pain of the muscles of your tail, skin hydrated and healthy—finally healthy, showing the outline of your blueish-silver scales as your friend the squid fluttering around you like a crimson ghost. 

You had to shoo it away, promising that you’d snuck up tonight to visit, too. More for your sanity than your friend’s, knowing that there was no way you could deny the sea call now that you had tasted the long-lost feeling of the water surrounding you, embracing you as it gurgled in the bubbles of your breath, like the intimate mutter of a mother. 

Welcome home. 

You looked at the grey landscape in front of you, dunes of seafloor starting to come alive as the creatures of the night retreated to the abyss. The sun was getting brighter, with white and golden rays that would let you stand up like the fallen layer of an iceberg if you stayed there for too long. There was no time to lose. 

The wind was cold against the warmer temperature of the water, your hands gripping the chain locked to the giant anchor, half-morphed from your webbed claws to normal human fingers. 

Your ears filled with the sound of metal rattling against the wooden hull, but nobody looked down at the deck. Perhaps it was breakfast time, the guards from the night before resting already. Breath ragged out your chest as you crawled, the clothing hung on your wet body like an uncomfortable layer you preferred not to wear—but then, you wouldn’t be caught naked from the deck down to the bunks. 

It felt like a little eternity until you reached the rail, hands grabbing the worn-out surface, thinking that perhaps your claws would have better a grip. Your vision adjusted to the growing light shining against the pale sails, dancing points of darkness that solidify in a very concrete, very real figure sitting comfortably over a barrel. 

You looked at him, the glass swinging around his wrist shining a rich gold, probably whiskey or brandy. From all the things you could’ve thought, the first one was: isn’t it too early to drink?

“See?” Sturmhond said to no one in particular, or at least, to someone that was blocked from your view. “I told you all things submerged in the sea sooner or later resurface.” He drank the remnants of his drink, and you couldn’t know if the smile he was giving you was ironic, annoyed, or simply drunk. “We were looking for you everywhere, angelfish.”

“Angelfish?” you had to ask back. If he was surprised of hearing your voice, he concealed it well. 

The captain shrugged. “Amuse me.” He gestured for you, as you were still hung into the railing, arms shivering with the effort. Soon, you felt two pairs of arms helping you up as if you were not heavy at all. The Grisha twins looked at you, eyes fixated in every move as you felt a pang of guilt at seeing Tamar. 

“Why don’t we talk about what can you do?” Sturmhond clapped, his elbows leaned over his thighs, leaning closer to the wet pile of skin and clothes that was you. “Besides talking and singing, as someone has kindly informed me.”

#the ask tag #wip wednesday i suppose #nikolai lanstov x reader #thanks a lot for the ask anon :''')

[msweebyness]

DuPont School for Monstrous Youths- Ondine Rivas

Here’s our bubbly water baby! Ondine is here! As always, thanks to @imsparky2002 and @artzychic27!

Species: Aquatic Monster

Appearance/Attire: Shoulder-length red hair threaded with seaweed, finlike ears, watery teal eyes, sharp teeth, scaley pale blue skin, green fins on arms and legs, webbed feet and fingers. Sleeveless, cropped black athletic hoodie, coral athletic cropped tank, dark green running shorts with silver scale decals, coral hightop sneakers.

Bio: A kind girl with a bubbly personality, Ondine is like a big sister to her friends, always being willing to listen when they have a problem and need to vent, and being a constant flow of encouragement. She’s also incredibly energetic and a born athlete, being the captain of the school’s champion swim team. Very curious about land customs, she’s always willing to learn and meet new people. She adores her boyfriend, Kim, always reaffirming that he’s the goodest boy in the world. But for as upbeat as she is, you’d never guess she has issues at home. Because her mother is a freshwater monster (from Loch Ness) and her dad a saltwater monster (from the Mexican Coast), her family on both sides has never been very accepting. But this just pushes her to embrace life and love people for who they are even more!

Quotes:

"Who's the goodest boy in the whole world? It's my Kimmy, yes, it is!"

"If you even think about messing with our school, get ready to sleep with the fishes."

"I'm really feeling like a dip in the pool right about now! Anyone wanna join me?"

"Don't worry, Adrien. I know how it feels to be the fish out of water."

"Can we not talk about fish sticks being todays lunch special, please?"

 "Everything's swimming along just fine!”

She’s coming up to the surface! Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

(Also, that’s my HC last name for her! It’s means “from the river” to my understanding!)

#miraculous ladybug #ml au #school for monster #monster high au #Ondine #water monster #lagoona blue

[plutosfallenangel]

Sea Urchin - a short poem

I've never experienced stillness quite like this before, tranquility that generously sits below the base of my body. I couldn't begin to describe the rhythmic patterns I feel underneath my feet as I write.

Stillness for a moment, finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a net cast out with a single mission to catch me after weathering the harshest swells and seasons.

With each waved that passed, I adopted a new version of myself, a version who could face even the deadliest of sharks and the deepest of depths. Maturing into something stronger, something the wind couldn't even bare to break. But when the tension finally broke beneath the surface you could find yourself staring at a lone sea urchin, who over the millennia evolved to withstand rising tides and cold darkened waters.

Upon reaching the shore, a grim realization bubbled to the surface that this extra armor could no longer be shed. It had grown to become such a part of my being that there finally wasn't any room between us anymore. That hard-shelled thing had not only become an exterior, it became me and I became it.

It wasn't until my eyes were able to rest upon a real sunset that I was able to see what light I had laid throughout the dark skies. I had once forgotten those glimmers. It was only then, while cast away in such waters that I had left behind light to remember my way back home. Light that lasted as long as the stars do. Shooting stars. As I watched the sun bend to the edge of the horizon, a shooting star passed by, and I got to remembering, I've finally found my way back home.

And as the light from my long forgotten star slowly dissipated into the sky, an unfamiliar feeling slowly crept over the snugly fit armor around me and somewhere off in the distance I heard the ocean ring these words,

How can one embrace true release in life if they're not willing to surrender themselves entirely to the experience of it. You can't fix what was never broken, but you also can't grow without a little rain either.

03/14/23

#amateur poetry #poetry #poets corner #female poets #poetblr #poetsandwriters #8th house #pluto dominate

[nyctospoilers]

KHDR Reactions

Episode 6: Uncertain Order

So was it the MoM who was in the corridor of darkness??

^ YESSS LITERALLYYY this is SUCH a good dynamic, I LIVE!

^ YESSSS THAT IS FUCKING COOOL!! SNATCHED, BITCH!

“trust me now?” “even less.” GODDD THIS SUCH GOOD MATERIALLLL

“are you trying to sell me this coat?” This is literally my favorite scene holy shit.

“ugh sounds like work” the mom is so gay

MoM “emotions you feel towards loved ones isnt always positive or well meaning— a false kind of light. are these messy feelings light or darkness?” Interestingggg!!!

“the dark thoughts bubble to the surface when we drag others down.” broooo

this scene is so fucking good…

Agrabah

JAFAR AND IAGO LOL

Vala and Vali— oh are they sisters? those sound like sibling names, my bad oops…

Hermod “If you don’t want to talk about it, its fine Urd” I LOVE when people say that. Just like UX this team is just so good, bless.

^ these lying bitches KILL MEEE

also I just realized. Before they suggested Agrabah wasn’t 100 complete which is why there’s no people. So what’s the truth. And why are Iago and Jafar not 60 years younger— iago alive at all. What tf is happening.

I just love the idea of Sora following a young Xehanort's footsteps without ever knowing

Hermod and Urd implying Eraqus is dumb enough to touch the lamp LOL

"That's a walking carpet, isn't it." "yep, sure is" "Let's pretend we didn't see it" asdlfkajsdflkjsadf

"Eraqus walking like a carpet" LOL

Xehanort "When he took my hand, I felt his greed" inch resting..

^ Bragi walking with his hands in his pockets is so goood LOL

Okay, they’re talking about things “essential to each world’s order”. I wonder if this connects to KH2, and how weird or specific items tend to unlock special lanes between worlds?

Omg I FINALLY unlocked a new training world LOL

Eraqus “I agree that we need to banish darkness, but at what cost?” HUH. I wonder how that thought process is going to lead to him and VENTUS lmao

Idk wtf is going on lol

^ they all look so fucking cool lmao

^ The detail of his arm going over the chair UGHH!!! I LOVE ITTTTTT

The foreboding zoom in on Baldr’s sister LOL

Eraqus going back and forth on what he’s willing to do to destroy darkness…

Aww Urd taking Eraqus’s hand is cute

AND HE TOOK IT BACK, THAT’S ADORABLE

What a nice scene!

Keyblade Graveyard

Okay come on, re:mind!

“1 year later” once again I gotta write that down lmao. I forget shit like crazy

Thinking of how the darkness got to Xehanort, and how aqua was in the RoD for A DECADE.

I LOVE. that these cutscenes zoom in and cut to characters. I feel like that didn’t really happen in UX, so its very cool to see here. Im obsessed

These scene, knowing now that “false light” is darkness claiming good intentions, is just so interesting to me. For one I remember so many theories thinking “false light” were specific haracters, so knowing that anyone could have this false light. IDK I honestly just prefer it a lot more.

I also love the details of the MoM’s hands here. Different sprites and angles for his mannerisms. Just really great attention to detail.

^ not to ruin the mood but Xehanort looks like he has a goatee here LOL. I know its just his back hair though

I’ve always found this line where Xehanort senses his destiny like a trail to follow, where to go and what to do, very interesting. Like calling the coat familiar. Nobody else in KH is really like that… I wonder if this scene takes place after Xehanort already time traveled in DDD and/or KH3?

I wonder why the MoM coaxes Xehanort into ditching the coat, like he wants him to embrace the Darkness for his plan. But I– is it all to lead to the Tear in Time, something caused by Xehanort’s Keyblade War?

LOL of course knew they wouldn’t include his god damn name asldfkjaslkdjf. I just KNOW so many people leaned in for this asldkfjasdf

#reactions

[acalculatedfuture]

What color does your love feel like?

bright sunny yellow

Sweet tasting popsicles, summer dresses and shielding your eyes from the sun. Your love is the excitement of something brewing, something growing. It's the almost childish bubbling giggles of something new, but with the potential to stay. It's wide smiles, blinding sunny light and warm bodies that gravitate to one another. It's the the softness, the willingness, the slight holding of breaths in a crucial "what if" moment. It's the impatience too. The bouncing on tiptoes to see further than your eyes can reach, the holding out for a future that never seems to come even though you're ready, you're so so so ready. It's the constant feeling of warm sand beneath your feet, holding out for the crashing waves. And still you wait, dry and impatient and with burnt soles of feet. Your love is sour candy, enjoying it as your nose scrunches up from the aftertaste of it. It's hands that grab and take hold, that reach and ask them to stay and hope and beg and wait. It's bubbling excitement sure, but it's also demanding, focused, driven. It's love like a plan, with a path and route and a clear destination. And you bonce on your tiptoes, and burning, waiting for the soothing water, the crashing waves, you hold onto the melting popsicle, you wait and wait and wait. It's tiring almost as much as it's lazer focused ambition, deeply rooted desire and the unrelenting hope that it will work, that it will come. And it does, I promise it does. The waves crash, the beach floods and the pain passes, the water cool and soothing and you can let yourself fall in, sinking, sinking. And it's good, it's perfect, what you were hoping and more, holding and embracing you and welcoming you into the stillness you always knew you were reaching for.

dark stormy blue

Sinking ships, raging seas and tumultuous hearts, love isn't easy for you. It's a struggle, a constant inner fight of should I? Can I? Do I? Feelings are hard and they rumble inside you in a dissatisfied mess that begs to be let out. Your heart screams and cries inside you and you... You can't, you won't. You're scared. And love is scary, it's hard and sometimes it just doesn't work out. People leave, people hurt, people change their minds. And you and your cold stormy heart yearn for the calmness, for the distance, to be allowed and able to simply not feel. And yet, you do. It rages, it fights and storms inside you and you try to keep it down, keep it quiet, to feel pretending not to. It's the burn of childhood friends growing apart, of parents that aren't quite there, of relationships that burn out. So you snuff it down with water, cold and calming and blue, blue, blue. But being loved by you is blue too, just not in that way. It's the soothing, embracing feeling of floating, the moment when you sink down bellow the waves and become one with the water, with everything. It's the balance, the dramatic yet calming sound of waves that crash against a rocky shore. You're the good and the bad, the violence of the storm and the watery peace right after. You're the blue, blue feeling and loving you is watery tears, yelled confessions that no one will hear and burying your feelings in a deep watery grave never to be found out about. Your love is dark stormy blue, it's vast and deep and all encompassing, it's safety in the surface of danger, it's trusting the unruly abyss and yet I'd gladly risk drowning just to feel what it's like being loved by you.

#dash game #about: calem #hey look it's their theme colors #about: cole

[sourav2004]

Transform Your Walls: Exploring the Magic of Wall Stickers

Don’t Be Wearied by Your Walls Trends in Stickers That Will Blow Your Mind

Walls are no longer just walls, they've become a creative outlet and a way of showing one’s inner tone. Among the most popular options used for revamping dull walls into glowing centerpieces are wall stickers. There's a horizonless array of them, ranging from the minimalist to nature-inspired bones. Below are some of the innovative trends that could add life to your living space.

Different Types of Wall Stickers

There are different forms of wall stickers feeding colorful tastes as follows

Vinyl Wall Stickers Vinyl stickers are long-lasting and protean because they come in numerous designs and sizes that go with any space.

Symbols Symbols are intricate patterns published on tenacious wastes which gives it a smooth look like hand-painted artwork.

3D Wall Stickers 3D stickers produce dramatic visual goods by adding depth and dimension that come in different themes. Amazing Wall Sticker Trends

These intriguing trends in wall stickers include;

Minimalist Designs Minimalist stickers represented by their clean lines and simple geometrical shapes make them best suited for contemporary innards.

Nature-Inspired Themes Bring the outside outside with botanicals, geographies, or wildlife-themed doodads.

Geometric Patterns Geometric-structured symbols like hexagons or triangles give witching centerpieces

Customizable Stickers You can make your space more unique by using substantiated themes of designs and the most liked quotations.

Gleam- In the dark Stickers Make walls that glow in the dark amazing geographies when you use the stickers. Choosing the Right Wall Stickers

There are many effects to think about before buying

Room’s Theme – Buy stickers that match the décor and color scheme.

Size and Placement – ensure the stickers fit well in the room while creating visual balance.

Quality and continuity- Go for quality stickers that will not fade or get damaged fluently.

In choosing wall stickers, one has to take into consideration not only how they look but also their brands. They're each not likewise, some may ruin walls. However, I would like to suggest two brands which I've tried ahead; Rangoli Furnishings and Roommates, If you like wall stickers as I do. Please check them out once you have read this composition.

Installation Tips

Follow these tips for flawless installation

Surface Preparation – Make sure that the wall is gutted duly and let dry before sticking it down onto it.

operation ways – Squeegees or credit cards can be used to smooth air bubbles down from beneath sticker shells during operation.

Removing and Reusing – Precisely uninstall your sticker so that there will be no damage caused on your wall face.

Conservation

As walls also need conservation to be long- continuing and fresh then are some tips

Drawing To clean the stickers, take a damp cloth and gently wipe them to remove any dust or dirt that may have accumulated on them over time.

Avoiding Damage Please be careful when placing objects near stickers to avoid tearing or shelling of the stickers. Cost-Effective Home Transformation

Wall stickers offer a budget-friendly way to revamp your home scenery with minimum trouble.

Conclusion

In conclusion, wall stickers offer endless possibilities for enhancing your living spaces. Whether you prefer minimalist designs or nature-inspired themes, there is a trend to suit every taste. With proper selection and installation, you can bid farewell to boring walls and embrace a new period of creativity and style.

Source:- https://shoprangoli.in/collections/wall-stickers

#wall stickers #wall stickers for home #trending

[rencissancealpha]

𝔟𝔲𝔟𝔟𝔩𝔢𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔟𝔬𝔡𝔦𝔢𝔰 — 𝔞 𝔪𝔬𝔬𝔫𝔩𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔬𝔫𝔢-𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱

"I said; get in here with me," Salem repeated, circling a hand in the water, "There's plenty of room for you right here," he smirked, gesturing to the space between his spread legs. "I want you to take everything off right now and get in here," he said, his eyes dark but his smile playful. He watched the other finally follow his instructions, licking his lips as he admired every inch of Liam's body like an art student admires a Monet the first time they see one and can truly understand it's beauty and splendor. "That's it, that's my good boy," he praised softly as the other stepped his first foot into the warm water, decorated with delicate bubbles, the smells of lavender and vanilla wafting up through the waves of steam that rolled off the surface. He welcomed the other in, embracing him from behind and pulling him close, "Hello, Sunshine," he grinned, greeting the other softly and softly kissing at his neck, humming as his lips met the other's skin and he let his eyes fall closed.

There were many things that Salem was unable to put into words as he battled to be able to, but one of the things he loved was just feeling the weight of Liam against him. The warmth and the shape of the other's body felt so deeply comforting and wonderful to him. It was partly the reason why whenever the two of them lay or sat together, he pulled Liam instinctively to lay against or across him. Even if it was his legs across his lap or his head against his chest- that physical feeling of Liam being so close and being real brought him an unparalleled kind of peace. But it wasn't only peace that Salem was after right now and that became clearer as the kisses to the other's neck became more lingering and the hands around his body began to travel, "You know I was thinking about what you said the other night," he murmured, "About how you only think of me when you touch yourself," he reminded the other with a grin.

One hand hand began to caress Liam's chest, moving between massaging the muscle of his pectoral muscle and softly pinching and tweaking his sensitive nipple. The other hand had moved underwater, between Liam's legs, massaging his groin right beside his cock teasingly, even letting his hands slip even deeper down so the tips of his fingers would ghost over his boyfriend's hole every once in a while, as if by accident or chance, "I like that," he grinned. "But because that's all I've been able to think about - that just made me want to touch you so badly, Sunshine," he breathed, switching to kiss at the other side of Liam's neck, "You like when I touch you, don't you, babe?" he hummed, grinning as Liam's hard cock answered the question for him and he began to finally start stroking the other under the water methodically and rhytmically in time with his other hand continuing at his chest and his lips continuing at his neck.

He was like the world's greatest cello player and Liam was his instrument. "You know it's my favorite part of the day when I get to touch you," he murmured, "Not just like this," he added, nibbling at Liam's earlobe softly, "Although, this is pretty great," he grinned, "But just feeling your fingers between mine ... your head on my shoulder ... your hand on my leg ..." he shuddered softly, licking his lips, "Drives me crazy," he admitted, "It's almost like every time you touch me ... you remind me how real you are ... and then I remember how real our love is," he murmured, "And how you really and truly belong to me ..." he hummed before sinking his teeth gently into the soft flesh and marking Liam possessively, pressing tender kisses to the love-bruised spot once he finished, "You wanna cum for me, don't you Sunshine?" he asked into the other's ear hotly, "You want to show me what a good boy you are," he smiled, "How much you also love it when I touch you," he breathed in the smell of the other's hair, "Do it."

And, as if on cue, Liam did and Salem basked in the pride and glow of making his boyfriend orgasm. "Shh, don't move," he murmured, before the other could get any idea that he was required to return the favor now, "Just ... just relax," he said comfortingly, "That was for you, baby. I don't do things because I expect things in return," he explained softly, moving so he could finally kiss the other properly, over his shoulder, "Sometimes I just wanna make you cum because I can," he grinned devilishly, kissing him again before settling him back against him so they could simply soak in the warm water and each other's presence, "Let's go camping this weekend," he suggested, brushing a hand through Liam's hair, "I just want it to be us for a couple days," he said with a little sigh, "No family, no football, no jobs, no responsibilities - just us," he proposed with a kiss to the corner of the other's jawline, "I'll take care of everything ... you just need to show up," he grinned, "Sound good?"

#the moon and his sun: one shot #the moon: salem

[normeacottremovals]

10 Tips For Moving To A New House During Winter

Moving house with the assistance of removalists Central Coast is an intricate task on its own, but add in the chill and unpredictability of winter, and you've got yourself a challenging chore. Whether it's battling icy roads or trying to keep your belongings safe from the elements, there's plenty to consider when shifting during the colder months.

As the winter breeze whispers through the trees, and frosty patterns emerge on window panes, the idea of transporting all your possessions can seem daunting. However, with the right approach, moving in winter can be as efficient and seamless as any other time of year.

To make your winter residential move smoother and more efficient, the following list provides some essential tips.

Plan Ahead

Winter, known for its unpredictable weather patterns, can disrupt plans without notice. Avoid this by keeping an eye on weather forecasts weeks before your scheduled move. This way, you can be prepared for any surprises, like sudden snowfalls or storms, and make any necessary adjustments.

Start Early

The days are shorter in winter. To make the most of daylight, start your move early. Not only does this provide you with more visibility, but it also means you're transporting items during the warmest part of the day.

Clear the Path

Whether it's snow, ice, or rain, wet and slippery surfaces can be hazardous when carrying heavy items. Ensure that all paths, driveways, and sidewalks are clear of snow or ice. Use salt or sand to provide traction and prevent slips and falls. This is not just for your safety but also to prevent damage to your possessions.

Protect Your Belongings

Cold and damp conditions can damage certain items, especially electronics, wooden furniture, and musical instruments. Ensure you wrap them well in blankets, bubble wrap, or plastic covers to keep moisture out. Remember to allow electronics to reach room temperature before turning them on in your new home.

Wear Appropriate Clothing

Layers are your best friend during a winter move. Dress warmly, but make sure you can easily shed a layer or two if you start to overheat. Non-slip, waterproof boots are also essential, as they provide traction and keep your feet dry.

Keep Essentials Accessible

Winter demands certain essentials like gloves, scarves, hats, and hot drinks. Make sure you pack a separate bag with these winter necessities, along with other must-haves like medicines, chargers, and important documents. This ensures you won't have to rummage through boxes looking for them.

Protect Your New Home

Moving during wet or snowy conditions can make your new home messy. Lay down old sheets, tarps, or plastic runners to protect the floors. This not only prevents slips but also saves you from additional cleaning once everything is inside.

Stay Hydrated and Fueled

The cold can be deceptive. Even if you don't feel thirsty, your body can become dehydrated in cold temperatures. Keep hot drinks on hand, like tea or cocoa, to stay warm and hydrated. Similarly, have snacks available to keep your energy levels up.

Ensure Utilities are Set Up

The last thing you want after a chilly move is to arrive at a cold, dark house. Ensure utilities, especially heating and electricity, are set up and working in your new home before moving day. It'll be a relief to walk into a warm and welcoming environment.

Have a Backup Plan

As previously mentioned, winter can be unpredictable. In case of severe weather conditions, have a backup plan. This might mean rescheduling the move, having temporary accommodation, or ensuring you have enough supplies in case you're snowed in.

Moving to a new house during the cold months presents a unique set of challenges. With the unpredictability of the season, it's crucial to be prepared for every possibility. While it may seem daunting, with careful planning and the right precautions, you can ensure that your move is as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Embrace the season, stay warm, and before you know it, you'll be settled in your new home, ready to enjoy the cozy winter nights ahead.

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