girlsfest | Round 1: Quotes

Entry tags:

2023,
quotes

Round 1: Quotes

Each prompt should be centered around words that have already been said.

Possibilities include a quote of any kind:

Existing works (books, poetry, TV shows, movie scripts, video game scripts, song lyrics, articles)
Speech (celebrity, netizen, anonymous)
Anything else that fits!

Example:

Characters/Ship: ITZY Ryujin/Chaeryeong
Tags: alternate universe - fantasy, ryujin is marceline chaeryeong is pb!!
Prompt:

Marceline: I dreamed about you while I was in my poison coma. I was all old and withered, and you were still nice and pink.

Princess Bubblegum: You think I'm nice?

-- Adventure Time 7x12, "Stakes Part 7: Checkmate"

Click here to view the fest rules.

RULES

You are not required to have a Dreamwidth account to participate. There are no signups necessary. You may post anonymously if you want.
There will be 4 rounds of this fest and 1 round will be opened each week of the fest. Rounds will be left open for fills and comments, so there is no deadline for participating.
Prompts do not have to be claimed before you write them, and they can be filled by more than one person.
There is no minimum or maximum word count for fills. In the spirit of the fest, we encourage you to write shorter works!
Users are allowed to crosspost their fic on any other site, such as AO3. However, we ask that when possible, writers post the text of their fills as a reply to the prompt and include a link to an AO3 post if they choose to do so, instead of just linking to an AO3 post in their comment. This helps keep discussion in our community!
Feel free to subscribe and join the comm to keep track of updates and view them on your reading page.

CONTENT
Prompts and fills have to center around K-pop girl group member(s). This includes:

All active and former girl group members
Female soloists
Female members in co-ed groups
Any female idol or trainee affiliated with K-pop (e.g. GP999 contestants, AKB48 members who featured in Produce48)
Slash, gen, het, and trans works are all accepted as long as they involve at least one girl group member

PROMPTING

To prompt, reply to a round post and copy the following template in.

It will look like this when empty:

Characters/Ship:
Tags:
Prompt:

Fill out the form with your prompt. You can also write in "Any" to give the writer freedom to choose their own. For example:

Characters/Ship: Any
Tags: canon compliant, no major character death
Prompt:

Blow all my friendships
To sit in hell with you
But we're the greatest
They'll hang us in the Louvre

- Lorde, The Louvre

FILLING

To post a fill, post a comment reply to the prompt you wrote for and copy the following template in. Title your comment with [FILL] followed by the title of your ficlet.

It will look like this once filled out:

[FILL] still I fall

Characters/Ship: Aespa Winter/Karina
Tags: idolverse, predebut, shared trauma
Permission to Remix: Please ask
-

Content of fill here...

Please provide content warnings for Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, and Underage as well as NSFW/explicit content.

REMIXES

You are welcome to remix fics that the original author has approved for remixing. A remix is a work directly or indirectly inspired by another work.

To post a remix, post a comment reply to the comment you remixed and copy the following template in with your info. Title your comment with [REMIX] followed by the title of your remix.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Characters/Ship: Any
Tags: witch/princess or princess/princess or witch/witch
Prompt:

Wait for the signal, and I'll meet you after dark
Show me the places where the others gave you scars
— Willow, Taylor Swift

Characters/Ship: STAYC Isa/Sumin
Tags: witch/princess, mention of blood, secret relationship
Permission to Remix: Yes
-

In the heavy fall of snow, the window is left ajar. There is light inside, soft and yellow, shuddering as the wind pushes inside through the crack and catches into the candle. It’s left open for her.

The cat slips through it, snowflakes pilling on her black coat as she steps into the warmth of the palace. Sumin is already there, round eyes glued to the window, pearly whites flashing immediately, warmer than the cracking fire in the hearth.

“Chaeyoung,” she says, glee forced even though her smile rings true.

She doesn’t get out of bed. Sumin waits for her to come to her open arms, and Chaeyoung jumps on the bed instantly. In her cat form, everything is easier — slipping through the watchful eyes of the guards, parading around the palace under the moonlight with her midnight coat, accepting the easy love Sumin readily offers for her. Because the gentle fingertips scratching behind her ears, under her chin, caressing her back are all she anticipates, as she wanders on the outskirts of the palace, waiting for the signal of a cracked window. Days go by before another stolen moment is given to them, the harsh winter cold seeping into her bones as she waits, perched on the roof like a gargoyle.

If it was only Chaeyoung’s decision, she would stay between Sumin’s arms as a cat, basking in her love. But Sumin tugs lightly at one of her ears, impatient as she is greedy and Chaeyoung jumps out of her hold, burrowing herself under the blankets. The shift is quick, unpainful.

Except, the touches come less easily now. The burden of their lives crashes back as soon as Chaeyoung is not only just a stray.

It’s an unsaid pact, to keep everything within line. But Sumin likes to keep these lines blurry.

I missed you, hangs in the air unsaid.

Sumin’s eyes are warm brown as they glint back, I missed you too.

Some things don't need to be said aloud, otherwise they would break into sharp little pieces.

Because even if they falter, Sumin’s hands return to Chaeyoung, even more tenderly than before. Wrapped in the cocoon of Sumin’s childhood bedroom, strangely empty except for the looming presence of the royal family, gilded frame and textured oil paint hanging from the wall, it’s just them. Without titles dragging their names down, breathing comes effortlessly.

“Your brother,” Chaeyoung starts, swallowing the lump in her throat, chest heavy with the searing coal of truth. “He visited me.”

Sumin hums, fingers tangled in Chaeyoung’s long strands. Instead of answering, she pulls out her nightstand drawer, hand clutching around a pearl-embedded brush. Running it through Chaeyoung’s hair over and over again, she stretches the silence long enough to make it uncomfortable.

“Is that so?”

“You won’t even ask me why?”

“Do you think I need to ask?” Sumin peeks at her, a permanent smile perched on her lips.

Chaeyoung used to live in a small cottage in the forest. Wildflowers, berries, roots — she collected them, dried them, bottled them into small jars. For good crops, for better winds, for more luck were written on the jars with her scratchy handwriting and given to visitors in exchange for food and company. Until her cottage was burned to the ground.

One version of what happened: Chaeyoung is the witch who wanted to kill crown princess Sumin.

Another version: Sumin kissed Chaeyoung as she rubbed healing balm on the dagger wounds under her heart.

Neither of them is the whole truth. Because the dagger thrust through the supple flesh of Sumin came from a person a lot nearer to her than Chaeyoung, and Chaeyoung has no affinity to healing, whatsoever. Finding the bleeding crown princesses, her regular visitor, in her backyard, though, made her think quickly on her feet. Hands bloodied and Sumin pale as snow between her arms, the kiss still lingering on the corner of her mouth, was how the guards found them. That’s how killer was brandished on her, similar to the silver scar resting hidden on Sumin’s skin.

“What I gave him will put you in a death-like sleep for a few days. You will wake up before the royal mourning ends. You won’t be buried alive.”

Sumin nods. The prince paid for the vial by leaving her alive and breathing; the silver potion is not potent enough to actually kill Sumin despite the wishes of the prince. It will be tied back to her, though, another reason to raise the bounty on her head.

Chaeyoung knows her place. She still says, “You could leave.”

“You know I won’t.”

It’s infuriating how Sumin seems to have an answer to everything. Seems to weather each hairpin turn of her life with the same sunny smile, a lie of I’m fine resting on her tongue. The crown rests heavily on her head, even if it’s still just a possibility; yet, greed runs in the family. Sumin won’t give up on her title. Not for her usurper brother, not for her own life. Not for Chaeyoung.

“What’s your favorite flower?”

“Daisies. The yellow ones.” She chuckles like something is particularly funny. She stops brushing Chaeyoung's hair. Instead, she cups her face, gently turning her head to catch her gaze. “I won’t die, Chaeyoung. At least not now. You don’t have to bring flowers to my grave in the near future.”

Chaeyoung nods and pretends to believe her. Yet, the weight Sumin lost is visible even in her nightgown; the dullness of her clever eyes makes her question if it’s another lie to rest her concerns. Sumin begins braiding her hair with swift motions, kissing the tip when she finishes. Chaeyoung wonders how long she will have Sumin like this, until her sun swallows herself and burns out.

Daisies. She will keep that in mind.

One version of what happened: Chaeyoung is the witch who wanted to kill crown princess Sumin.

Another version: Sumin kissed Chaeyoung as she rubbed healing balm on the dagger wounds under her heart.

MY HEART i’m going insane over this fic… i love them + i love the vibes overall. i’m absolutely enchanted by how you wrote witch chaeyoung, she’s so dear to me

this was a wonderful and delightful read, there is truly nothing better than a witch and a princess in love. thank you for writing it! ^^

I liked this a lot! Thank you for sharing.

wah there's a whole world conjured up in my head this is so good T_T the atmosphere feels so dreary yet sumin feels so collected and tough the way you write her > The crown rests heavily on her head, even if it’s still just a possibility; yet, greed runs in the family. Sumin won’t give up on her title. Not for her usurper brother, not for her own life. Not for Chaeyoung. eats this whole fic. i enjoyed reading so much thank you for writing!!!

Characters/Ship: itzy chaeryeong/ryujin
Tags: sageuk au, korean shamanism, allusions to planned animal sacrifice, mention of blood sacrifice, many liberties taken with factual and historical accuracy, ambiguous relationship
Permission to Remix: Yes
-

ryujin tracks her down in the room of imperial records, checking between the stacks until she locates the source of the sniffling.

"your highness?" she crouches down and gently pulls chaeryeong into her arms, paying no mind to how it crinkles the heavy fabric of her ceremonial hanbok. chaeryeong doesn't say a word but clings to her all the same. just like she always has. "it's alright. your imperial father changed his mind and called off the rites today. your dogs are back in your rooms."

chaeryeong doesn't move. ryujin continues to coax and pat her back until the tension seeps away and she finally raises her head slowly, like a fern unfurling at dawn.

fear and grief linger in chaeryeong's eyes. this is a reprieve, not a pardon, though neither of them says it aloud.

"were they scared?" her voice comes out wobbly and makes ryujin chuckle even as she shakes her head gently.

"i think all the fuss and music excited them." ryujin pulls out a handkerchief and chaeryeong turns her face up obligingly so ryujin can dab at the streaks left by her tears. "they'll probably be asleep by the time you get back. can you stand? here, lean on me. i've got you."

ryujin can never have her. not the cherished second princess of the kingdom with her sweet smiles and sharp tongue, the princess already engaged to a prince from a neighboring kingdom. but as she helps chaeryeong to her feet, holding on tighter than she needs to in this moment, ryujin can pretend.

***

only the emperor and his imperial bloodline have heralds. chaeryeong doesn't need one to know when ryujin arrives in the garden to answer her summons - the heavy scent of ceremonial incense arrives on the wind long before ryujin appears in her sight.

"your highness," she greets with a bow. although ryujin isn't wearing her shaman robes today, chaeryeong's new maid is staring at her with what can only be called awed fascination. ryujin smiles at her when she catches her eye, and the girl's cheeks instantly turn pink.

"leave us," chaeryeong snaps, her good mood dissipating in an instant. her staff are banished with an impatient wave of her hand. and to ryujin: "walk with me."

ryujin follows behind her as befitting of her status. it has to be enough. if ryujin were a man, chaeryeong would never get to walk with her at dusk without a chaperone at all.

"have you recovered fully?" walking ahead, chaeryeong can't see if ryujin's steps still pain her. shamans of the imperial court serve at the emperor's mercy, long live his majesty. if a sword dance ceremony is what the spirits demand to ensure his longevity, then so be it. if the youngest of the shamans must submit to having her back sliced open with a sword to appease a malicious spirit, then so be it.

"i am well."

always the same soft answer. chaeryeong would still choose this over silence.

"walk with me." chaeryeong leads the way deeper into the gardens where the chirp of crickets hides her quickening breath, just as the long shadows conceal the color on her cheeks. later when night falls, she can claim fear of stumbling in the dark to explain why she holds ryujin's hand, just as the cold will give her reason to walk close side-by-side.

next month, she'll leave home to travel to the palace of her new husband in a procession with all the court to send her off. but tonight there are only the stars to bear witness to chaeryeong shyly curling her fingers around ryujin's hand. only the mugunghwa blossoms hear what ryujin says in return.

i love the mood of this!! the impending doom of heartbreak looming over them as they pretend and hide their feelings away while also making them known. sigh. i was sad to finish reading ;-;

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Round 1: Quotes

no subject

[FILL] the more you say (the less i know)

Re: [FILL] the more you say (the less i know)

Re: [FILL] the more you say (the less i know)

Re: [FILL] the more you say (the less i know)

[fill] until the moon can't be seen in the night sky (that's when i'll meet you)

Re: [fill] until the moon can't be seen in the night sky (that's when i'll meet you)