u/MissInfer

"What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, more unashamed conversation." - Glenn Close

Love is a powerful force; our partners can play an important role in how we heal, learn and grow. How have you and your partner improved each others' mental well-being?

Have they raised more awareness, or broken some stigma about mental health (whether it's understanding your own needs, supporting theirs and/or showing greater empathy towards other people)?

What's one valuable perspective or habit they brought into your life?

As a bonus, the horns can be used as a literal support for my keychains pfft.

Do you and your beloved have any comfort films, shows, documentaries or even YouTube videos you like to (re)watch when needing to unwind and take your minds off things for a while?

Something that makes you laugh, a media with a message that lifts you up, or perhaps just something you like to have in the background while you snuggle?

Do you and your beloved have any comfort films, shows, documentaries or even YouTube videos you like to (re)watch when needing to unwind and take your minds off things for a while?

Something that makes you laugh, a media with a message that lifts you up, or perhaps just something you like to have in the background while you snuggle?

Got us some vermicelles with whipped cream and Swiss meringue, a traditional dessert from my country that's perfect for the arrival of autumn. 🍂

Something I wrote a few days ago, as a form of mindfulness and mantra for when I struggle with my maladaptive daydreaming/intrusive thoughts about death and my existential OCD. A reminder not just for Kalin and for me - the Reaper and the Nephilim -, but for all you out there as well. I hope you enjoy. 🖤

_____________________________

Remember death, but do not dwell on it.

Remember the darkness, but do not make it your home.

Remember the ghosts, and let them rest.

...then turn towards the living. Turn towards the light, even if it hurts your eyes, even if it blinds you at first. Turn towards the person who has seen every terrible thing inside you, and stayed.

Remember the warmth of a hand that refuses to let go.

Remember the sound of laughter after years of sorrow.

Remember that every heartbeat is temporary, and therefore precious.

Remember that you were not born to become your suffering.

Remember that you are more than the things that tried to destroy you.

Remember to honour the fallen, but do not follow them yet.

There is still a life to live. Stories to tell and songs to sing. 

Let the Reaper remember that his hands were made for more than taking. Let him protect the living.

Let the Nephilim remember that her voice was made for more than mourning. Let her guide the dead.

Let them dance together amongst the graves without becoming spectres themselves, but as people who finally remembered to live... to love.

Memento amare.

Let's switch the roles and have *them* create a playlist for/about *you*. 🖤

What is a song your partner would associate with you and/or your self -insert? Would it be within the genres they usually listen to? Something in your native language? Lyrics that reminds them of a certain feature or quirk you have? Or perhaps a song that generally conveys their feelings and your dynamic, and that suits you?

Finally polished the origin story of how the date for the handfasting was chosen, I hope you enjoy.🖤

CW: some angst in the beginning, mention of his canon death (prior to the beginning of 5D's and to his canon resurrection)

_____

For the first eighteen years of his life, time had been an hollow, abstract concept to Kalin Kessler.

Having lost his parents during the Zero Reverse disaster at the tender age of two, he, like countless other orphans in the slums, aimlessly grew up in the suffocating dust of Satellite. He had no birth certificate, no childhood photos, no family heirlooms and no one who had cared enough to tell him when he had entered the world. He had been just another ghost drifting through a system built to forget him.

When the truth finally caught up with him, it had been reduced to a single line on an intake form he was forced to sign following his arrest, before facing trial in the Facility. His hands trembled when he saw it, his mind still reeling from betrayal. His future had been sealed; he was destined to rot in a cell, burdened by the belief that he had been sold out by his friends. Abandoned by his brethren.

The bundle of papers had been flung at his feet in the holding cell. And there, printed in indifferent black letters, lay the date:

November 1st.

For years afterwards, the date was stained by the bitter memories of cold concrete walls, the slow disintegration of his sanity, the abuse at the hands of the prison guards, the crushing loneliness from his solitary confinement, the maddening hunger… His premature death when he had taken his own life. And then...

...the infernal fire. The sensation of being torn apart and dragged back into existence as something that was no longer truly human. An undead entity fueled by vengeance and hatred: a Dark Signer.

For a long time, November 1st had meant only one thing: the day that marked the beginning of his wretched, unwanted life.

Yet, despite everything, here he was. Kalin sat upon the stone ledge overlooking Satisfaction Town, gazing down at his hands. They were no longer cold or trembling beneath the phantom weight of a Dark Signer’s power. They felt simply... warm. Steady. Alive.

Just moments ago, he had taken a leap toward a future he had scarcely thought he deserved a year prior. He had proposed. And 'his beloved Nephilim’ had said yes.

Loreley sat beside him, their hands still intertwined. Her answer had been enthusiastic, heartfelt, almost breathless; there had been no hesitation in her voice, no fear nor uncertainty. Just a resounding yes. The fresh memory alone made something warm bloom behind his ribs.

After the initial wave of relief and unfiltered joy settled between them, their conversation naturally drifted towards the details of the ceremony. Neither of them had ever been particularly fond of conventions, so their wedding would be no different. Loreley suggested a handfasting: a Celtic tradition in which a couple's joined hands were bound together with a ceremonial cord, symbolising their union.

Kalin was instantly enchanted by the imagery. It suited them. Two people who had spent so much of their lives bound to circumstances they never chose could finally choose what they wished to bind themselves to. And when Loreley mentioned an autumn ceremony, he immediately agreed. The dark colours, the falling leaves, the chill in the air... it was an aesthetic that perfectly reflected them.

But then, somewhere amidst their discussion, a quietness had settled over him. Loreley noticed immediately. She always did. Her fingers tightened gently around his.

"Kalin? What’s on your mind?"

He glanced towards her. Her gunmetal blue eyes searched his face, catching the faint tension in his jaw. Kalin looked back to the town, silent for a moment, then he drew a slow breath. He had spent enough years allowing the past to dictate what he was allowed to feel. If he was going to marry Loreley - if he was truly stepping into this new life - then perhaps it was time to bury one last ghost.

"I... actually had an idea for the date." His voice wavered slightly with uncharacteristic self-consciousness. Loreley waited. Kalin turned towards her, his chartreuse eyes betraying a vulnerability she rarely witnessed. "November 1st."

Her eyes widened but before she could say anything, he raised a hand and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I know, I know." A nervous laugh escaped him. "Part of me feels selfish bringing it up. It's supposed to be our day, not just about me reclaiming something from my past. And it's unconventional. Maybe even a little crazy, considering what that day used to mean, but..."

"Kalin." She interrupted him softly, causing him to stop. Her expression softened, and then she smiled. Not the mischievous grin she often wore when teasing him, nor the crooked smirk of the girl he first met back in Satellite, who had once stolen scraps from junkyards and dared the world to catch her. It was something warmer, radiant. "It's beautiful."

Kalin blinked. "It is?"

"It's more than beautiful." She shifted closer, intertwining their fingers more firmly. "It's perfect."

A small laugh escaped him, almost in disbelief. Loreley continued. "A handfasting on November 1st even coincides with Samhain. In the old Gaelic lore, it's the time when the veil between life and death, past and future, is at its’ thinnest." Her thumb brushed across his knuckles. "It's an occasion for honouring where you've been, letting old ghosts rest… and welcoming rebirth."

She looked towards the distant horizon. "Two specters who literally and metaphorically died, were reborn, and walked through Hell to find each other again? Tying the knot on Samhain, on your birthday, transforms a date once steeped in grief into the ultimate symbol of a new life."

Kalin stared at her, momentarily speechless. For once, he had no sarcastic retort ready. Loreley gave a soft chuckle, then her expression turned nostalgic. "Remember what I painted on the cabin wall back on the Styx?"

Kalin smiled, of course he remembered. He could still picture the graffiti in her hideout; a personal mantra written by a girl who had once believed that survival itself was victory. "Though born in the shadows, we're destined to outshine the stars."

Loreley nodded, squeezing his hands. "Choosing that date proves we finally did."

Kalin felt something tighten in his chest, something dangerously close to happiness. He looked down at their joined hands.

For eighteen years, November 1st had been a symbol of everything he had lost: his freedom, his sanity, his life, his innocence, his old self.

But perhaps dates were not uncompromising, untouchable things. Perhaps they were only empty spaces until someone gave them meaning. And he had finally found someone worth giving his to.

Then Loreley grew quiet. Kalin glanced at her, noticing a rare flicker of hesitancy etched on her face. "If anything..." she began, "I'm the one feeling a bit nervous now." He raised an eyebrow as she averted her gaze. "What if I mess something up? What if I fail to make the day as perfect as you deserve it to be after everything you've-"

Kalin didn't let her finish and cupped her face between his hands. Loreley's startled expression barely formed before he pulled her into a warm, lingering kiss. When he finally drew back, her breath caught softly between them. Kalin's eyes sparkled; there was no trace of a broken man in his expression now, only a man who had been granted another chance at life, determined to cherish every second of it. A genuine grin spread across his pale face.

"You make me the happiest man alive just by standing next to me, Lola. You couldn't ruin this day if you tried." His grin softened as his thumbs gently brushed her cheeks. "I couldn't dream of a better gift than marrying you on that day… even if I was terrified I was being an egotistical idiot for suggesting it."

A quiet laugh escaped him and Loreley's eyes glimmered. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into another embrace as she let out a giggle.

"Oh, you're an idiot, alright."

Kalin chuckled.

"But not for that." She pressed her cheek lightly against his. "I'm entirely on board. From the bottom of my heart, I wouldn't even mind going to Hell and back a second time if it meant I got to see you smile like this."

"Well, good. Because I love you to Hell and back, Lola…" He laughed, low and warm, and leaned forwards to press his lips against her temple. "...and then some."

Loreley pulled back just enough to look at him. A mischievous glint returned to her eyes as she winked. "Good to know, my beloved Reaper. Besides…" Her fingers slipped between his. "Since when have either of us ever cared about rules or conventions anyway?"

He smiled again. And for the first time in his life, November 1st no longer felt like the day the world had condemned him to death. It was becoming something entirely new...

...a promise. A beginning. A date between worlds. The day the Reaper would marry his Nephilim and, together, they would outshine the stars.

I finally went through my notebook's drafts to polish my story, and tried writing a proper introductory chapter on how Kalin and my S/I first met in Satellite. I hope you enjoy! 🖤

_____

The summer air in the Satellite slums felt thick with the smell of rust, salt... and a little bit of desperation. Loreley made her way through piles of scrap in the junkyard, navigating through jagged heaps that could easily shred anyone if they dropped their guard. She wasn't just interested in Duel Runner parts nor cards to patch up her deck with today. Nope, today she was on the prowl for something different as well, something no one else in Satellite would probably dream of; she was on the lookout for pieces to build an electric hurdy-gurdy with.

Living in the slums was a relentless grind, with entertainment often strictly limited to duels, turf wars and playing cat-and-mouse with Sector Security. But music could be hers; a way to unwind, to drown out the noise at the end of a long day.

She was so wrapped up in prying a stubborn copper coil out of a busted alternator that she almost missed the shuffling steps behind her. Keyword: almost.

Survival in Satellite was built on instinct. Loreley didn't hesitate, she spun around fast and kicked out, straight towards the intruder's chest.

Thud!

He blocked her steel-toe boot just in time with his forearms. She made him stumble back a step, but he stayed upright. Clearly, he knew a thing or two about street fights.

Loreley crouched into a fighting stance, her blue eyes assessing the potential threat as she swept her silver-and-black bang aside. The newcomer was a young man... brown sleeveless leather vest, purple bandana, light blue hair framing an angular face. And chartreuse eyes smoldering with something fierce.

Kalin Kessler. Leader of the Enforcers. Everyone in Satellite heard the stories about the notorious gang.

He brushed off his vest, looking her up and down and taking in the black captain's coat he knew belonged to the head of the Kerosene Keres. Kalin raised his hands as if trying to calm down a wild animal, showing he wasn't going to harm her.

"Hey, easy. I'm not here to jump you", Kalin said, a half-smirk spreading across his face. "This junkyard isn't Enforcers' turf... yet."

He reached towards his hip, resting his fingers on his deck box. "Though I'd be a fool to run into the Kerosene Keres' captain and not demand a duel. Hell, there were times I started wondering if the 'Wraith from the Wharf' was just some story to keep rookie duelists and intruders out of the shipyard... like you were a ghost scaring them straight. But you look real enough to me."

Loreley straightened and let her long coat sweep the dirt as she stood, glancing at him as she reached for her own deck.

"'The Wraith from the Wharf'? Wow. Really rolls off the tongue."

Kalin snorted, he couldn't tell if he was more annoyed or entertained by her attitude. Most duelists in Satellite were visibly intimidated when face-to-face with the leader of the Enforcers, yet here she was, regaining her composure in a split second with her snarky response. Still, satisfied that she wasn't backing down, he lifted his left arm and activated his Duel Disk. "Let's see if your dueling skills are as sharp as your mouth then, Wraith."

The game was on: his Fiends versus her Zombies. But barely a few turns into their opening play, a small red LED light flashed frantically on Loreley's customised Duel Disk.

Not wasting any time, Loreley tucked her cards back into her leather deck box. "Gotta go," she muttered, crouching down to stuff her salvaged copper coils and components into her cross-bag. "Sector Security's on the prowl... no doubt looking to round up a few 'bargain hunters'. Better scram before I foolishly get hauled in for spare parts theft."

Kalin stood there, dumbfounded by her abrupt retreat. He looked around the silent, empty junkyard and shrugged. "Sector Security? I don't hear a damn thing- Hey! Are you seriously bailing mid-duel?!"

He moved to grab her arm but before he could reach her, the distant whine of Duel Runners echoed through Satellite's empty streets. Kalin froze; now he heard it. He shot a glance back at Loreley, who simply jerked her head in a 'follow me if you wanna stay out of trouble' motion before darting into the labyrinth of scrap. Not about to be caught by the cops, Kalin swore under his breath and took off after her.

After a few minutes of navigating the slums and eastern docks, she led him towards the edge of the shipyard where they reached an abandoned, towering ship. Kalin wasn't as knowledgeable as his friend Yusei when it came to vehicles - let alone a naval expert -, but the large crane on deck led him to assume it was some old platform supply vessel. Across the hull, graffitied gothic letters were spelling out the name 'The Styx'.

Doesn't look nearly as spooky as the rumours make it out to be... Kalin thought, watching the sunset's red glow reflect over the quiet water. ...though I guess it's a different story after dark.

On deck, she pulled open the cabin door for him, gesturing with theatrical politeness for him to step inside first. Kalin rolled his eyes, silently praying that he wasn't walking into some ambush.... wondering why in the hell he had followed a total stranger instead of booking it back to his own hideout in the first place, his curiosity would get the better of him someday. But he couldn't hide the amused grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

The cabin inside was surprisingly personalised: a small workbench covered in wires and dismantled electronics, an old worn sofa and walls plastered in pages ripped from Duel Runner magazines. A graffiti scrawled in black paint above the sofa caught his attention : "Though born in the shadows, we're destined to outshine the stars."

Loreley flopped onto the couch with a heavy sigh. Noticing Kalin now staring intensely at her, she raised her forearm, giving him a better look at her modified Duel Disk.

"This," she said, "is my latest project. And a total lifesaver. As you probably figured out, it's a tracking device that picks up Sector Security's patrol signals." She let out a weary huff, her eyes landing on the other works-in-progress strewn across her makeshift workbench. "Well... at least when it comes to the officers patroling the nearby area, whose Duel Runners I've managed to bug. It's got a limited range."

The Enforcer followed her gaze, taking a closer look at the unfinished projects scattered across the desk. "But for what it's worth, it's done its' job and has kept us safe so far", she added. "We Keres know when to bolt. Makes life here a lot less, uh… deadly."

Kalin leaned against the work table with his arms crossed over his chest and the smallest hint of respect glinting in his eyes. "A street tech who hacks Sector Security's own rigs to keep her crew safe? Alright, Wraith. Maybe there's more to you than a ghost story after all."

Loreley scoffed again at the nickname, but it was more playful now. She stood up and joined him at the workbench, where she added her newest findings to her other salvaged parts. "...the name's Loreley, but my friends call me Lola. Sorry about ducking out earlier. I'm always down for a rematch."

"Lola..." Kalin lowly repeated to himself, as the young woman fetched a hand-drawn blueprint. He had a vague idea of what it was. "So, what are you working on? Breaking into Sector Security's mainframe?"

Loreley chuckled, but it was clear from her small smile that she had absolutely dreamt of it. "Don't be ridiculous. Though I wish... Right now, I'm trying to rig up a signal booster. The people in the slums need to hear the news. Be informed, organised and united. We can't always rely on rumors to stay safe from our common oppressors."

Kalin nodded, admiration prevailing over his usual swagger for once. "Smart. This is a bit beyond my… more forceful persuasion skills. Definitely not my speciality." He gestured to the complex wiring.

"That's why you should leave it to the professionals, Enforcer.", she teased, but her tone lacked its' earlier bite.

"...maybe.", Kalin grinned. "Or maybe... we join forces. Your expertise, my… connections."

Loreley turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Us Enforcers have a guy," Kalin explained. "Yusei. He's got the know-how with that line of work. I'm sure the gearhead's brains could be of use here. He'll help if I ask him."

"...you guys would work with us?" Loreley's surprise was evident. The Enforcers were notoriously self-reliant.

Kalin shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant as he fidgeted with some busted radio. "It's for the good of the Satellite." He paused, then met her gaze, his eyes suddenly intense. "Besides, maybe... I want to see what you can do, Lola."

Loreley looked out the porthole for a moment as she thought through the proposal. She turned back to him as he handed her back the device, her voice softer as she reached out her hand to take it. "Okay, Kalin. Let's work together." 

Their fingers brushed and in that moment, the spark wasn't just from faulty wiring.

"Carved in Stone" by Canadian painter Rob Gonsalves