Hello, everyone! We are pleased to announce that beginning January 1, 2024, we will be running a writing-based Malevolent fandom event called Malevolent Monthly. On the first day of each month, we will release a new writing prompt. Writers will then have the entire month to write a fic based on the prompt. Fics can be posted anytime after the prompts go live. Participants can send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr.
This event is based on the âdraw this in your styleâ (DTIYS) events that are common in the visual art community. The motivation behind this event is to encourage writers to write something that may have a similar plot as somebody elseâs but that differs in style, execution, and other things that make writers unique. In other words, âwrite this in your styleâ!
For more details about the event, please see our FAQ page. Additionally, if you have any ideas for prompts that you would like to see included as part of the event, our ask box is open! What Malevolent-related prompt would you like to see people write?
Happy writing!
- Mod Jay (@bluejayblueskies)
- Mod Jack (@organchordsandlightning)
- Mod Rowan (@splitting-infinities)
This is just a notice to let everyone know that the Malevolent Monthly event has ended as of January 1st, 2025! Thank you to everyone who submitted and/or fulfilled prompts. We hope that they were useful to you in stoking your creative embers!
The AO3 collection will remain open if you are still working on your WIPs, so feel free to post it to the collection. Regardless, we wish everyone a very creatively fulfilling 2025, and happy writing!
December 2024 Prompts (and the end of Malevolent Monthly!)
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âDecember 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, "Christmas Carolâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, "Larson and Yellow read A Christmas Carol Together.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, "Coparenting" underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âDue to an unfortunately worded deal regarding his firstborn child when he was younger, Arthur now has to coparent Faroe with John. John doesn't quite understand how human infants work, but he's trying his best." /End ID]
Welcome to month 12 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs festive heart-warming prompts are:
Christmas Carol: Larson and Yellow read A Christmas Carol together.
Coparenting: Due to an unfortunately worded deal regarding his firstborn child when he was younger, Arthur now has to coparent Faroe with John. John doesn't quite understand how human infants work, but he's trying his best.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
On another note, this is our last set of prompts for Malevolent Monthly, as we have decided to end it at the end of 2024. A sincere thank you to everyone who has participated or enjoyed our prompts, and we hope they worked to stoke your creative embers. The AO3 will remain up if you finish fics and would like to add them on, but otherwise - as we gather around the roaring fire - happy writing!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âNovember 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, "Red Riding Hood AUâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, Red Riding Hood AU: for example, John as The Wolf and Arthur as (not so Little) Red Riding Hood in a dark and sinister wood.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, "Memory Loss" underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âAfter John and Arthur separate, they meet each other again - but neither remembers the other." /End ID]
Welcome to month 11 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs super spooky prompts are:
Red Riding Hood AU: for example, John as The Wolf and Arthur as (not so Little) Red Riding Hood in a dark and sinister wood.
Memory Loss: After John and Arthur separate, they meet each other again - but neither remembers the other.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âOctober 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, "Corpse Bride AUâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, "A Corpse Bride AU: for example, John as Emily (the Corpse Bride), Arthur as Victor, and Bella as Victoria.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, "Monster Mash" underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âJohn and Arthur encounter something eldritch that can talk to John directly." /End ID]
Welcome to month 10 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs super spooky prompts are:
Corpse Bride AU: A Corpse Bride AU: for example, John as Emily (the Corpse Bride), Arthur as Victor, and Bella as Victoria.
Monster Mash: John and Arthur encounter something eldritch that can talk to John directly.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âSeptember 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, "John with Childrenâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, "In a post-canon AU where John has a human body, Arthur learns that his friend is, surprisingly, good with children. This awakens in him some conflicting emotions.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, "Faerie AU" underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âFantasy AU, in which Arthur accidentally wanders into a faerie circle." /End ID]
Welcome to month 9 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
John with Children: In a post-canon AU where John has a human body, Arthur learns that his friend is, surprisingly, good with children. This awakens in him some conflicting emotions.
Faerie AU: Fantasy AU, in which Arthur accidentally wanders into a faerie circle.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âSeptember 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, "John with Childrenâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, "In a post-canon AU where John has a human body, Arthur learns that his friend is, surprisingly, good with children. This awakens in him some conflicting emotions.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, "Faerie AU" underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âFantasy AU, in which Arthur accidentally wanders into a faerie circle." /End ID]
Welcome to month 9 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
John with Children: In a post-canon AU where John has a human body, Arthur learns that his friend is, surprisingly, good with children. This awakens in him some conflicting emotions.
Faerie AU: Fantasy AU, in which Arthur accidentally wanders into a faerie circle.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âAugust 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, "Injured Handâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, "John's hand gets injured and Arthur has to care for him while it heals.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, "Soulmate Dreams" underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âCharacter A is able to witness Character B's dream, but is shocked by what they see." /End ID]
Welcome to month 8 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
Injured Hand: John's hand gets injured and Arthur has to care for him while it heals.
Soulmate Dreams: Character A is able to witness Character B's dream, but is shocked by what they see.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âJuly 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, âParkthur Meetingâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, "Why did Parker care so much about this sad man drinking himself into a stupor? What drew him to Arthur?â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, "Hand Decoration" underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âJohn decides that he wants to decorate/adorn his hand in some way (eg jewelry, tattoo, glove, nail painting, etc.) Arthur helps." /End ID]
Welcome to month 7 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
Parkthur Meeting: Why did Parker care so much about this sad man drinking himself into a stupor? What drew him to Arthur?
Hand Decoration: John decides that he wants to decorate/adorn his hand in some way (eg jewelry, tattoo, glove, nail painting, etc.) Arthur helps.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âJune 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, âMonster Johnâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, "Arthur and John finally separate. Instead of a human body, John chooses a non-human one. How do the people in John's life react to that choice?â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, "Beach Episode" underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âThe character(s) of your choosing go to a beach and find something unexpected.â /End ID]
Welcome to month 6 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
Monster John: Arthur and John finally separate. Instead of a human body, John chooses a non-human one. How do the people in John's life react to that choice?
Beach Episode: The character(s) of your choosing go to a beach and find something unexpected.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
For the @malevolent-monthly May prompt "First Dream: John has his first dream or nightmare"!! First time posting in this, hope I did it correctly on ao3 <3
Summary:
For a moment he didn't know what was happening. His whole world shrunk to this one moment in time, this one-track minded fear of unclear origin, and he thought he was dying.
He had never been dying before.
---
Or, John has a nightmare, followed by an existential crisis over the inevitability of death.
To say John was familiar with death would be a grave understatement. As the King in Yellow he remembered watching lives end, sometimes having a hand in it as well, for time untold; the Dark World in itself was a clear picture in his mind when thinking of the topic. He knew death too intimately for comfort - even Arthur in his frail form had teetered on the edge of it far too many times for John's liking.
But he was never afraid of death. Of the Dark World â absolutely; there had been nothing more frightening to him than that wretched place of shadow and suffering. And perhaps in his previous form, he would not have been able to tell the difference.
It was the second night after they had performed the ritual that granted John his own human body, that he woke up startled and in cold sweat. His heart beat too fast in his chest, his breath shallow, coming in small gasps and never providing enough oxygen. Shakily, he sat up, pulling himself up to lean his back against the headboard, trying to gain back control of his limbs. For a moment he didn't know what was happening. His whole world shrunk to this one moment in time, this one-track minded fear of unclear origin, and he thought he was dying.
He had never been dying before.
Arthur stirred beside him, and John froze, unwilling to wake him up when his body was performing something so inane and out of his control. He had seen Arthur wake up from his nightmares enough times to recognize the similarities to what was happening; he wasn't actually dying for some mysterious, unknown reason - he would be fine if he could just calm the fuck downâ
"John?" Arthur's bleary voice made it to his ears from between the pillows, and the man turned to him with a sleepy grunt.
John wanted to say something like 'Go back to sleep', or 'Everything is fine', but he found his voice trapped in the tightness of his throat. His muscles only tensed against the trembling, and the fear surged in his chest.
"John," Arthur whispered more insistently, not having received a response, and grabbed John's arm. "What's wrong?"
His eyebrows drew inward in worry and his voice had that slight tremble of freshly sprouting fear.
"It's fine," John growled, much harsher than he'd intended. He did not move though, and Arthur's hand only gripped him tighter.
âAre we alone? Is everythingââ
"Yes, we're alone," John replied in much the same tone. "Why wouldn't we be?"
"I don't know, John," Arthur hissed, now fully awake. "It wouldn't be the first time you woke me up to something wanting to kill us."
John unwittingly drew a breath, that fear surging again despite the somewhat calming familiarity of arguing with Arthur. If something were to kill them...
"What's going on?" Arthur sat up next to him, not taking his hand away. "You're shaking."
But it was stupid, wasn't it? That unknown fear without a cause, without anything that would allow him to control it. He could handle fearing the Dark World, he could handle fearing creatures, and monsters, and people acting like them. This, though? This vague shadow that clung to his every thought, permeating skin, and bone, electrifying every nerve in his body�
"John, I'm getting worried," Arthur said. "We thought the ritual went well, but if there's something we missedâ"
"N-No, it's..." John swallowed tightly. "It's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"I..." He took a breath. "I dreamed."
"Oh..." Arthur blinked in realization, rubbing the skin of John's arm with the thumb. "Not pleasant, I take it?"
John gritted his teeth. Flashes of images that passed through his mind in the night appeared before him; not enough to fully distinguish their content, just vague impressions of dread and pain, leaving him trembling anew with thoughts that all but forced their way into his head. What if Arthur died? What if he died? How would it feel to die? He'd never died before â not really. Even the memory of the split from the King in Yellow that landed him in the Dark World and trapped him in the book had been tainted by this human anatomy and how it processed the world. Even though he knew that the Dark World was what probably awaited them (him and Arthur) after death â and even if not, he knew of other worlds that could potentially be a destination as well â that perspective was clouded, veiled by this massive, roiling fog of fear.
"John, it's alright," Arthur repeated quietly, and John realized he had been talking for some time. "It's alright. Just breathe, okay?"
The sensations came in gradually â first the heaving breath, gasping like a man drowning, then the racing heart that threatened to rip his chest open right there. His muscles trembling, his legs pulled up, body curling in on itself as if that would protect him from the looming prospect. And Arthur's warm arm around his shoulders, his body close, whispering gentle assurances of their safety.
But they were never safe, were they? Humans were so fragile, dying everyday of so many feeble causes. Even now, he could have a heart attack and die. Arthur could trip on his way out of bed and hit his head. How many undetected illnesses had he seen take humans' lives? And that is not even to say what could be after them specifically â Yellow, Kayne, Lilith, whoever else found the idea of killing them amusing.
"John. John, look at me."
Arthur's hands were on his face, gently guiding his head in his direction. He wiped the tears that John couldnât remember appearing from his cheeks.
"IâI..."
"Talk to me, John," Arthur whispered. "I want to help."
"I don't... I'm... Afraid," John said almost soundlessly, the words somehow sprouting bitter shame in his gut. As if fear wasn't enough.
"You had a nightmare," Arthur said. "Yes?"
John nodded slightly, enough for Arthur to feel it under his hands. His thumb travelled upward, and he tucked John's hair behind his ear â possibly more as a comforting gesture rather than from the need to get the hair out of his face.
"But I don't really... remember it," he spoke. "Not exactly. Just... feelings."
Arthur hummed sympathetically with a nod.
"Do you want to talk about them?" He asked.
"I..." He faltered. "I've never..."
He let out a breath and hang his head forward, closing his eyes. Arthur took that as a cue to wrap his arms around him again.
"It's okay."
"Humans are... afraid of death," John stated in a hushed tone. Arthur blinked in confusion for a second, then he smiled slightly.
"Yes, very much so," he said. "It's probably the one most primal fear, of all animals I think."
"Are you?"
Arthur raised his eyebrows in thought. "Of course. I mean, I probably have some more... deadly experiences on my account than most people would have in a lifetime, but... Yes, John." He tilted his head slightly. "And you?"
"As the King in Yellow I was... immortal," he said. "The concept of dying was something mortals did, something... low. Below me."
Arthur let out a small chuckle.
"Even when I was trapped in your head, I didn't fully comprehend it. I feared returning to the Dark World, I feared... I knew that you could die. But I was never scared for myself. OfâOf my own death."
"Oh, John..."
"And it's... frustrating," John continued, the words unstoppable once allowed to flow freely. "Because I've witnessed countless deaths throughout millennia, I know it's unstoppable and uncontrollable, andâand I had no reason to fear it before. Not like this."
"I can imagine why that would be frustrating," Arthur nodded. "But that fear... I'd say it's one of the most human experiences you can have. Knowing your demise is inevitable and that there is nothing you can do about it."
John looked down at him in slight bewilderment. "How do you... deal with it?"
Arthur let out a laugh. "Everyone has their own ways, I suppose. Religion for one â some people find... solace in the idea of a god waiting for them on the other side. Some people just look for distractions, you know, things that keep their attention in the material world â wealth, power."
"A sense of control."
"I suppose so, yes. Then, you have art."
"Art?"
"Poetry, music, paintings, all sorts of creative endeavours," Arthur said.
"How does that help?" John frowned.
"Well, you don't push those feelings away," Arthur explained intently. "Instead you engage them, you analyse them, and make them... beautiful. But at the same time, familiar."
"And it goes away?"
Arthur laughed again, not unkindly. "I wish, my friend. But no. It never fully goes away. But it can fade."
John grumbled under his breath. He still felt jittery, the cold feeling still cloying at the insides of his chest, but he felt himself relax ever so slightly. Arthur's presence was familiar, and his voice was a gentle music to his ears.
"I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground," Arthur begun reciting. "So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind. Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned with lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned."
John laid his head on Arthur's shoulder, taking a deep, calming breath. He closed his eyes and listened to Arthur's heart beating in time with his words.
"Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust. A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, a formula, a phrase remains, âbut the best is lost."
His own heart slowed, the trembling subsiding under Arthur's touch. He felt the tendrils of sleep seeking entrance into his mind - the exhaustion of the panic catching up to him - and he relished the haziness that came with it, following Arthur's steady voice.
"The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, âThey are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve."
Arthur's voice gained a more intent edge at the last sentence, spoken with a warm breath into John's hair.
"More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave."
Arthur sniffled. "I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned."
---
The poem is called "Dirge Without Music" by Edna St. Vincent Millay for anyone interested đ„°
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
For the @malevolent-monthly May prompt "First Dream: John has his first dream or nightmare"!! First time posting in this, hope I did it correctly on ao3 <3
Summary:
For a moment he didn't know what was happening. His whole world shrunk to this one moment in time, this one-track minded fear of unclear origin, and he thought he was dying.
He had never been dying before.
---
Or, John has a nightmare, followed by an existential crisis over the inevitability of death.
To say John was familiar with death would be a grave understatement. As the King in Yellow he remembered watching lives end, sometimes having a hand in it as well, for time untold; the Dark World in itself was a clear picture in his mind when thinking of the topic. He knew death too intimately for comfort - even Arthur in his frail form had teetered on the edge of it far too many times for John's liking.
But he was never afraid of death. Of the Dark World â absolutely; there had been nothing more frightening to him than that wretched place of shadow and suffering. And perhaps in his previous form, he would not have been able to tell the difference.
It was the second night after they had performed the ritual that granted John his own human body, that he woke up startled and in cold sweat. His heart beat too fast in his chest, his breath shallow, coming in small gasps and never providing enough oxygen. Shakily, he sat up, pulling himself up to lean his back against the headboard, trying to gain back control of his limbs. For a moment he didn't know what was happening. His whole world shrunk to this one moment in time, this one-track minded fear of unclear origin, and he thought he was dying.
He had never been dying before.
Arthur stirred beside him, and John froze, unwilling to wake him up when his body was performing something so inane and out of his control. He had seen Arthur wake up from his nightmares enough times to recognize the similarities to what was happening; he wasn't actually dying for some mysterious, unknown reason - he would be fine if he could just calm the fuck downâ
"John?" Arthur's bleary voice made it to his ears from between the pillows, and the man turned to him with a sleepy grunt.
John wanted to say something like 'Go back to sleep', or 'Everything is fine', but he found his voice trapped in the tightness of his throat. His muscles only tensed against the trembling, and the fear surged in his chest.
"John," Arthur whispered more insistently, not having received a response, and grabbed John's arm. "What's wrong?"
His eyebrows drew inward in worry and his voice had that slight tremble of freshly sprouting fear.
"It's fine," John growled, much harsher than he'd intended. He did not move though, and Arthur's hand only gripped him tighter.
âAre we alone? Is everythingââ
"Yes, we're alone," John replied in much the same tone. "Why wouldn't we be?"
"I don't know, John," Arthur hissed, now fully awake. "It wouldn't be the first time you woke me up to something wanting to kill us."
John unwittingly drew a breath, that fear surging again despite the somewhat calming familiarity of arguing with Arthur. If something were to kill them...
"What's going on?" Arthur sat up next to him, not taking his hand away. "You're shaking."
But it was stupid, wasn't it? That unknown fear without a cause, without anything that would allow him to control it. He could handle fearing the Dark World, he could handle fearing creatures, and monsters, and people acting like them. This, though? This vague shadow that clung to his every thought, permeating skin, and bone, electrifying every nerve in his body�
"John, I'm getting worried," Arthur said. "We thought the ritual went well, but if there's something we missedâ"
"N-No, it's..." John swallowed tightly. "It's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"I..." He took a breath. "I dreamed."
"Oh..." Arthur blinked in realization, rubbing the skin of John's arm with the thumb. "Not pleasant, I take it?"
John gritted his teeth. Flashes of images that passed through his mind in the night appeared before him; not enough to fully distinguish their content, just vague impressions of dread and pain, leaving him trembling anew with thoughts that all but forced their way into his head. What if Arthur died? What if he died? How would it feel to die? He'd never died before â not really. Even the memory of the split from the King in Yellow that landed him in the Dark World and trapped him in the book had been tainted by this human anatomy and how it processed the world. Even though he knew that the Dark World was what probably awaited them (him and Arthur) after death â and even if not, he knew of other worlds that could potentially be a destination as well â that perspective was clouded, veiled by this massive, roiling fog of fear.
"John, it's alright," Arthur repeated quietly, and John realized he had been talking for some time. "It's alright. Just breathe, okay?"
The sensations came in gradually â first the heaving breath, gasping like a man drowning, then the racing heart that threatened to rip his chest open right there. His muscles trembling, his legs pulled up, body curling in on itself as if that would protect him from the looming prospect. And Arthur's warm arm around his shoulders, his body close, whispering gentle assurances of their safety.
But they were never safe, were they? Humans were so fragile, dying everyday of so many feeble causes. Even now, he could have a heart attack and die. Arthur could trip on his way out of bed and hit his head. How many undetected illnesses had he seen take humans' lives? And that is not even to say what could be after them specifically â Yellow, Kayne, Lilith, whoever else found the idea of killing them amusing.
"John. John, look at me."
Arthur's hands were on his face, gently guiding his head in his direction. He wiped the tears that John couldnât remember appearing from his cheeks.
"IâI..."
"Talk to me, John," Arthur whispered. "I want to help."
"I don't... I'm... Afraid," John said almost soundlessly, the words somehow sprouting bitter shame in his gut. As if fear wasn't enough.
"You had a nightmare," Arthur said. "Yes?"
John nodded slightly, enough for Arthur to feel it under his hands. His thumb travelled upward, and he tucked John's hair behind his ear â possibly more as a comforting gesture rather than from the need to get the hair out of his face.
"But I don't really... remember it," he spoke. "Not exactly. Just... feelings."
Arthur hummed sympathetically with a nod.
"Do you want to talk about them?" He asked.
"I..." He faltered. "I've never..."
He let out a breath and hang his head forward, closing his eyes. Arthur took that as a cue to wrap his arms around him again.
"It's okay."
"Humans are... afraid of death," John stated in a hushed tone. Arthur blinked in confusion for a second, then he smiled slightly.
"Yes, very much so," he said. "It's probably the one most primal fear, of all animals I think."
"Are you?"
Arthur raised his eyebrows in thought. "Of course. I mean, I probably have some more... deadly experiences on my account than most people would have in a lifetime, but... Yes, John." He tilted his head slightly. "And you?"
"As the King in Yellow I was... immortal," he said. "The concept of dying was something mortals did, something... low. Below me."
Arthur let out a small chuckle.
"Even when I was trapped in your head, I didn't fully comprehend it. I feared returning to the Dark World, I feared... I knew that you could die. But I was never scared for myself. OfâOf my own death."
"Oh, John..."
"And it's... frustrating," John continued, the words unstoppable once allowed to flow freely. "Because I've witnessed countless deaths throughout millennia, I know it's unstoppable and uncontrollable, andâand I had no reason to fear it before. Not like this."
"I can imagine why that would be frustrating," Arthur nodded. "But that fear... I'd say it's one of the most human experiences you can have. Knowing your demise is inevitable and that there is nothing you can do about it."
John looked down at him in slight bewilderment. "How do you... deal with it?"
Arthur let out a laugh. "Everyone has their own ways, I suppose. Religion for one â some people find... solace in the idea of a god waiting for them on the other side. Some people just look for distractions, you know, things that keep their attention in the material world â wealth, power."
"A sense of control."
"I suppose so, yes. Then, you have art."
"Art?"
"Poetry, music, paintings, all sorts of creative endeavours," Arthur said.
"How does that help?" John frowned.
"Well, you don't push those feelings away," Arthur explained intently. "Instead you engage them, you analyse them, and make them... beautiful. But at the same time, familiar."
"And it goes away?"
Arthur laughed again, not unkindly. "I wish, my friend. But no. It never fully goes away. But it can fade."
John grumbled under his breath. He still felt jittery, the cold feeling still cloying at the insides of his chest, but he felt himself relax ever so slightly. Arthur's presence was familiar, and his voice was a gentle music to his ears.
"I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground," Arthur begun reciting. "So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind. Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned with lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned."
John laid his head on Arthur's shoulder, taking a deep, calming breath. He closed his eyes and listened to Arthur's heart beating in time with his words.
"Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust. A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, a formula, a phrase remains, âbut the best is lost."
His own heart slowed, the trembling subsiding under Arthur's touch. He felt the tendrils of sleep seeking entrance into his mind - the exhaustion of the panic catching up to him - and he relished the haziness that came with it, following Arthur's steady voice.
"The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, âThey are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve."
Arthur's voice gained a more intent edge at the last sentence, spoken with a warm breath into John's hair.
"More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave."
Arthur sniffled. "I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned."
---
The poem is called "Dirge Without Music" by Edna St. Vincent Millay for anyone interested đ„°
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âMay 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, âFirst Dreamâ underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, "John has his first dream or nightmare.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, âPre-Canon Stakeout,â underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âParker and Arthur have a stakeout and play Two Truths, One Lie.â /End ID]
Welcome to month 5 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
First Dream: John has his first dream or nightmare.
Parker and Arthur: Parker and Arthur have a stakeout and play Two Truths, One Lie.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âApril 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, âFirst Case,â underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âJohn and Arthur have their first case after separating into their own bodies, investigating Miskatonic's anthropology department, where something strange and otherworldly lurks in the wings.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, âYellow Study,â underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âYellow muses on the differences between Arthur and Larson, and he may even find himself missing Arthur just a bit.â /End ID]
Welcome to month 4 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
First Case: John and Arthur have their first case after separating into their own bodies, investigating Miskatonic's anthropology department, where something strange and otherworldly lurks in the wings.
Yellow Study: Yellow muses on the differences between Arthur and Larson, and he may even find himself missing Arthur just a bit.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
Don't forget to post your fics for this month's prompts! See above for how to tag us and add it to the AO3 collection. We'll announce the May prompts shortly!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
-shows up to a fandom event 3 months late with a starbucks-
@malevolent-monthly organised a monthly prompt, and its still open for claims. So better late than never! This was a fill for the prompt "Instead of Arthur's foot, John gains control of his mouth".
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âApril 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, âFirst Case,â underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âJohn and Arthur have their first case after separating into their own bodies, investigating Miskatonic's anthropology department, where something strange and otherworldly lurks in the wings.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, âYellow Study,â underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âYellow muses on the differences between Arthur and Larson, and he may even find himself missing Arthur just a bit.â /End ID]
Welcome to month 4 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
First Case: John and Arthur have their first case after separating into their own bodies, investigating Miskatonic's anthropology department, where something strange and otherworldly lurks in the wings.
Yellow Study: Yellow muses on the differences between Arthur and Larson, and he may even find himself missing Arthur just a bit.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
[ID: A graphic with a long yellow rectangle on top and two white boxes beneath it. The yellow rectangle has the words âMarch 2024â in it. The leftmost white box has the first prompt title, âSuperhero AU,â underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âA superhero AU in which John is a superhero/supervillain who is discovered/unmasked by Arthur.â The rightmost white box has the second prompt title, âStitching Up Wound,â underlined in yellow, along with the prompt text, âJohn gets wounded and Arthur has to stitch him up.â /End ID]
Welcome to month 3 of the Malevolent Monthly event! This monthâs prompts are:
Superhero AU: A superhero AU in which John is a superhero/supervillain who is discovered/unmasked by Arthur.
Stitching Up Wound: John gets wounded and Arthur has to stitch him up.
As a reminder, you will have the entire month to write a fic based on this prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count. Fics responding to these prompts can be posted anytime. If youâre posting to AO3, donât forget to add your fic to our AO3 collection!
Participants can also send asks or submissions with snippets from their fic, and we will preview them on our Tumblr and/or Pillowfort.
For more information about the event, please visit our FAQ page or send us an ask!
As the end of March approaches, itâs that time again! If youâve written for either of the March Malevolent Monthly prompts, donât forget to post your work and tag us so we can share it on our Tumblr.
And, if you post on AO3, donât forget to add it to our AO3 collection. For details on how to do this, check out our FAQ.
We will announce the April prompts in a few days, so watch this space! Happy writing :)
