Ashes of Orange and Red

Description

He never had the courage to talk to him but in his dreams, Jongdae keeps dreaming of the lively barkeeper downstairs. And the barkeeper has a message for him - and a silver lighter.

Foreword

"You know what to do."

 

 


 



Hello~
I don't have a lot to say except that I've been feeling not well recently, especially not as a writer. So I pushed aside all the deadlines, just for a few hours, to write something and try to calm down and clear my head.

This is probably confusing and abstract, but I'd love to hear your interpretations.
Of course, you can also ask me anything, as usual!

warnings: depression & dub-con, if you squint

Love,
Sugar-and-Salt

P.S.: This cover was made by the great omona mark at their experimental Anything Goes store! Check it out if you're interested in an unconventional store c:

Comments

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Missanion
#1
Chapter 1: I didn't understand. So...he wasn't dreaming at all or Chanyeol himself appeared in his dreams ? Is Chanyeol a supernatural being?
Isabel05x2
#2
Chapter 1: Wow
cornstarch
#3
Chapter 1: I didn't find this cryptic at all but i think that's just me being lazy so lets try to break it down and analyze it even futher, yeah?
First thing I noticed: a silver lighter
I assume you didn't mean the silver as more than a descriptor but either way I like that the lighter itself isn't one of those ty plastic lighters that come yellow and orange and green or purple or whatever. It's a clean reflective silver, no fuss, inconspicuous enough for jongdae
2nd thing: I really really like this story for how relevant it is. My aunt told me the other day that if she was even just 10 years younger she would quit her job, but since she only has a handful of years left before retiring she decided not to
3rd thing: I'm glad the two of them stayed together because even though they're basically strangers they mean new beginnings to the other, and you can't just have one new beginning in life. There will be other burdens and ty jobs or friends and they'll have to stick together to cleanse each other
^also when you remember something, you're practicing remembering that thing. So in sticking together they're practicing getting rid of burdens together
4th thing: you know that latin saying "I am human, so nothing human is foreign to me"? Chenhun are like that. Whether they're humans or flames or phoenixes they're evidently the same thing so they understand each other so well even if their only interactions are dreamt
5Th: iiii know youuuu; I walked with you once upon a dreaam
(not going into id ego and superego but just know I'm thinking that of Jongdae and yeol's conscious and sleeping selves)

All in all I love this because it's so clear? Like even without knowing bout any of the stuff above in a few hundred words you've managed to craft a clear and complete story and I like that it's a little like that one rick and morty episode that you said was clear and had a neat clean cut storyline and characters and

Also I've been clinically analyzing this piece but it really does paint this living picture in my head of fire and freedom and I have no idea how you made something this mundane (quitting your job) sound so epic like the world is at stake
But you did
And its amazing
And even though I don't think I expressed my awe at this story very well just believe that I really really like this (almost more than some of your recent fest stories) (like your fest stories are nice but they aren't as passionate and heartfelt as these short personal things yanno?)
D_earhistory
#4
Chapter 1: Just wanted to say that I am your first comment, upvote and subscriber and it's on my first chenyeol I'm reading from you. WHAT'S GOOD.
Okay. Now let's go back to this holyitssogood story. I've read this last night and I'm so much in love with it. Also. I just really love how your titles have that echo with your story. (I mean, I can't title) AND. I just? Idk? I didn't know I would like that kind of chenyeol dynamic. I've always read fluff things about them. Always. And in a way, I kinda feel it too, but to another level. How they just rely on each other. Or how Chanyeol has this impact on Jongdae. It's mindblowing. It's just the kind of stuff I like, that sounds right and good to me.
This Chanyeol is different from the ones before (at least he seems different haha) but I can still get the same halo around his characterization. How it weighs down on Jongdae, how it hurts but how he finds solace in him and this silver lighter. How even in this "madness" (or more of a cathartic feeling) of burning everything down he only has the possibility to build a new self again. You start anew and this time you make up for the past mistakes. I just like this idea of not giving up, not disappearing and fighting for it. How the silver is what breaks the orange/yellowish fire burning inside them, around them, and just throughout the whole fic. I wish I could just erase everything sometimes and restart. But hey? That's why we have fanfics right? We get to do it there.
Thanks for this amazing read, I always get surprised, aaand it's massively needed to please me haha. Just kidding.
Thank you again <3