#ang talks to the void

[astrainferis]

a sincere apology to like my 3 followers for being so inactive i forgot this account existed.........

[cosmiclily]

.ᐟ chapter six: can you figure me out?

wc: 2.1k

cw: swearing, talk about sex (?)

I was in a terrible, horrible mood. I’d just had the shittiest day of the year—everything that could go wrong, did. And now, to top it all off, I couldn’t even sleep because my stupid fucking roommate was having the loudest sex of her life. It felt like they were doing it in my room.

The girl’s moans were clear as day, cutting through the walls as if they weren’t even there. I shoved a pillow over my head, trying to drown out the noise, but it didn’t help. The frustration boiling in my chest was so intense that, for once, the fact that Vi was having sex didn’t even bother me—not in the way it usually did, anyway. No, I was too mad about my lack of sleep to feel anything else.

Who the fuck does she think she is? I fumed silently, clutching the pillow tighter. Does she think she owns the apartment? That the rest of us don’t need a little thing called peace and quiet?

I stared up at the ceiling, my fists clenched under the blankets. Today had been a disaster—work was hell, the coffee machine broke before i had any coffee, and I’d managed to embarrass myself in front of my boss. All I wanted was to come home, collapse into bed, and sleep off the day. But no. Apparently, Vi and her flavor of the week had other plans.

It wasn’t just the noise—it was the audacity. The complete disregard for anyone else in the apartment. For me. I could practically feel the anger coursing through my veins, making my already pounding headache even worse.

I shot a glance at the clock on my nightstand: 2:37 a.m. Are you kidding me?

Another high-pitched moan echoed through the wall, and something in me snapped. I sat up, the blankets pooling around me, and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I didn’t know what I was going to do—march over there and bang on her door? Scream into the void? Move out and leave her a passive-aggressive note about apartment etiquette? All three options sounded equally tempting.

But instead, I just sat there, breathing heavily, my hands clenched into fists. My mind raced with anger, frustration, and the exhaustion of a day that had been far too long.

And yet, under all of that rage, there was something else. A flicker of something I didn’t want to acknowledge. Something that had nothing to do with sleep or noise or the shitty day I’d had. Something that had everything to do with the fact that Vi was in there with someone else.

I shoved that thought down as quickly as it surfaced, burying it under my frustration. No. Not tonight. Tonight, I was just mad. Just tired. That’s all.

But as another burst of laughter and muffled voices spilled through the wall, I felt my anger boil over. Before I could even have a coherent thought, I was already out of my room, banging on Vi’s door like a lunatic.

“Hello!” I shouted, not caring if I sounded unhinged. “There are other people in this apartment who need SLEEP!” And for a moment, there was blessed silence. The noises stopped—no laughter, no moans—just dead, suffocating quiet.

I could hear heavy footsteps moving towards the door, each one more threatening than the last. When the door swung open, it wasn’t the random girl who greeted me—it was Vi. And she looked pissed.

“Oh, so now I’m worth your time?” she snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm and anger as she glared at me from the doorway. She was standing there in an old t-shirt, hair messy, her usual confidence dialed up to ten as she leaned against the frame, arms crossed like she was ready for a fight.

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Excuse me? I’m trying to sleep, and you’re—”

“No, excuse me,” she interrupted, stepping forward slightly, her eyes burning into mine. “For the past two weeks, you’ve been avoiding me for no fucking reason. Blowing me off, dodging my texts, acting like I don’t even exist. But now, suddenly, you’re banging on my door at two in the morning? Spare me.”

Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit, but I was too angry to back down. “Yeah, because you and your latest fuck-toy are treating this apartment like a damn nightclub! Some of us have responsibilities, Violet. Some of us have actual shit to deal with in the morning!”

Her jaw clenched, and for a second, I thought she might yell back. But instead, she let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “Right. Got it. I’m just the irresponsible roommate who’s ruining your life.”

“That’s not what I—” I started, but she cut me off again.

“No, it’s fine. You’ve made it pretty clear where we stand, haven’t you? You can’t even look at me anymore, let alone talk to me. So, you know what? Go back to avoiding me, Y/N. I’ll make sure I’m quiet so I don’t disturb your precious little bubble.” Her voice dripped with venom, but behind it, there was something else—something that sounded a lot like hurt.

I opened my mouth to respond, to defend myself, to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. She stared at me for another moment, her chest rising and falling like she was trying to keep her anger in check. Then, without waiting for a reply, she slammed the door in my face.

I stood there in the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving behind a mix of guilt, frustration, and something heavier that I couldn’t quite name.

Was she right? Had I been avoiding her so much that I hadn’t even noticed what I was doing to her?

As I trudged back to my room, the apartment felt colder, emptier somehow. The silence that I’d wanted so badly felt suffocating now, and I couldn’t shake the look in her eyes before she shut the door. It wasn’t just anger. It was pain.

I flopped onto my bed, staring at the ceiling, and let out a long, shaky breath. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. None of it was. But now, I had no idea how to fix it—or if I even could.

──────────────────────

jinx💙

we need to talk

you

?? why are you being so serious

what did i do

jinx 💙

you know what you did, meet me at the campus coffee shop @6pm

you

ok

As I made my way to the coffee shop, my mind kept racing, stuck on Jinx’s cryptic text. She rarely *ever* asked to meet up like this, especially not with such an oddly serious tone. Normally, her texts were chaotic, full of emojis, but this one was straightforward, almost... ominous.

I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and I had no doubt it was about my so-called *brilliant plan.* Of course, Jinx had been skeptical from the start. She made her feelings about my avoidance strategy abundantly clear—loudly and with a side of judgment. But why now? Why was she suddenly being so serious about it?

I replayed the last conversation we’d had in my head, the one where she called me out for acting like a complete idiot. She’d said things like, “This is only going to blow up in your face,” and “You’re miserable, just TALK to her already!” At the time, I’d brushed it off, unwilling to admit that she might be right. But now, with this sudden meeting hanging over my head, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew something I didn’t.

When I finally reached the coffee shop, I spotted her immediately. She was sitting at our usual table near the window, sipping on what looked like a hot chocolate, her knee bouncing anxiously under the table. Her blue hair was pulled into two messy buns, and her expression was uncharacteristically serious as she stared out the window.

The moment I walked in, her eyes snapped to mine, and she waved me over. “Finally!” she exclaimed as I approached. “I was starting to think you bailed.”

“Yeah, well, your text kind of freaked me out,” I admitted, sliding into the seat across from her. “What’s this about, Jinx? You’re being... weird.”

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, and fixed me with a look that was both annoyed and concerned. “Okay, I’m just gonna cut to the chase,” she said, her voice lower than usual. “Your plan? The whole ‘avoid Vi until your feelings magically disappear’ thing? It’s bullshit.”

I blinked, caught off guard by her bluntness. “Wow, thanks for the insight, Captain Obvious,” I muttered, leaning back in my chair. “What else is new?”

“No, you don’t get it,” she pressed, her tone sharp. “It’s not working. Like, on a catastrophic level.”

I frowned, sitting up straighter. “What are you talking about?”

Jinx sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Vi’s been asking me about you,” she said finally. “A lot. It’s annoying, actually. She thinks you’re mad at her or that she did something wrong, but she doesn’t know what it is. And honestly? She’s hurt, Y/N. She’s really fucking hurt.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

“She told me she misses you,” Jinx continued, her eyes searching mine. “Like, *really* misses you. And she doesn’t understand why you’re pulling away. She’s convinced it’s her fault.”

Guilt twisted in my stomach, and I looked down at the table, unable to meet her gaze. “I didn’t mean for her to think that,” I mumbled.

“Well, congratulations, because that’s exactly what she thinks,” Jinx said, leaning back in her chair with a huff. “Look, I get that you’re trying to protect yourself or whatever, but this whole avoidance thing? It’s not just hurting you. It’s hurting her too.”

“So what do I do?” I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jinx gave me a small, almost sad smile. “You talk to her,” she said simply. “You tell her the truth. About everything. I know you’re scared—scared of losing her or ruining your friendship—but at the pace things are going, there won’t be a friendship left to save.”

Her words were sharp, cutting through the layers of excuses I’d been hiding behind. I opened my mouth to argue, to come up with some kind of defense, but she held up a hand, stopping me.

“Look,” she continued, her voice softening, “I know my sister. She likes to plaster on that tough look, act like nothing gets to her, like she doesn’t care about anything. But trust me, she cares. And right now? I’m worried about her. She’s not herself, Y/N.”

I frowned, leaning forward slightly. “What do you mean?”

Jinx sighed, running a hand through her hair. “She’s... distracted. Off her game. You know how Vi usually is—confident, quick to brush things off? Lately, she���s been... different. Quieter. Like she’s overthinking everything. And I know it’s because of you.”

“Me?” I said, my voice cracking slightly.

“Yes, you!” Jinx said, exasperated. “You’re one of the most important people in her life, and she feels like she’s losing you. Do you have any idea how much that’s messing with her?”

I sat back in my chair, her words hitting me like a ton of bricks. Vi was *hurting* because of me. All this time, I thought I was the only one struggling, that I was the only one dealing with the fallout of my feelings. But I hadn’t considered how my actions—my distance, my avoidance—might be affecting her.

“I didn’t mean to make her feel like that,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I know you didn’t,” Jinx said gently. “But intentions don’t matter if the outcome still hurts, you know?” She leaned forward, her blue eyes locking onto mine. “You’ve gotta fix this, Y/N. And not with some half-baked apology or vague excuse. You need to be honest—with her and with yourself.”

The thought of laying everything bare, of telling Vi the truth about my feelings, sent a wave of panic crashing over me. But Jinx was right. If I didn’t do something soon, I was going to lose her anyway.

“Okay,” I said finally, my voice shaky but resolute. “I’ll talk to her.”

Jinx’s expression softened into a small smile. “Good. And Y/N? Don’t wait too long, okay? Vi might be tough, but even she has her limits.”

I nodded, my stomach twisting with nerves. This was it. No more running, no more hiding. It was time to face the truth, no matter how terrifying it was.

──────────────────────

chapters

notes: oohh the girls are fighting, will y/n finally confess?

i feel like jinx in this au is the typical younger sibling that chased vi with a knife but won’t let anyone else hurt her

[liberty-barnes]

if there was no end

Arthur Leclerc x Female!Reader

Summary: Grieving someone who is not yet death was a special kind of suffering. One that Arthur wouldn't have wished on anyone, but especially not her.

Warnings: heavy heavy angst, mentions of dementia and the future death of a family member, mentions of Hervé's death, grief-induced mental breakdown, hurt/comfort

Word Count: 2k words

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

A/N: fun fact this is actually a true story that is currently happening to me but the difference is that mid mental breakdown I just thought "oh wait this would be an awesome fic" and then this was born. coping through writing iktr (i'm fine promise, therapy's great y'all), anyways hope you enjoy

in happier news, i have officially started writing part 2 to you will not always want to shatter so keep an eye out for that everyone!

Masterlists | Formula One RI Masterlist | Taglist

None of it would be so sweet Or so important If there was no end. (Liam Xavier, Welcome to Hell and Other Poems About Adulthood)

Arthur opened the door to their flat and immediately knew something was wrong.

Her keys were in the shell-shaped bowl by the entryway, her shoes neatly lined up on the rack, and her coat hung in its rightful place. So she was home.

But the flat was silent.

No singing along to whatever songs she had on repeat, no voices from a movie or show she’d decided to watch, not even the sound of the shower running.

Just silence.

He toed off his shoes, hung up his coat, and made his way through the apartment. The living room was silent, as were the kitchen and the terrace. The spare room, converted half into her personal library and half into Arthur’s practice room for the piano, showed no signs of life. It was worse than he thought, then. The only time you could find (Y/n) silent in their bedroom in the middle of the day was when she was sick, or…

“Mon ange?”

He knocked on the half-open door, coming in slowly. She hummed absent-mindedly, eyes fixated on a card in her hands, dried tear tracks staining her cheeks. She was sat in the middle of the bed, face so void of emotion, you’d wonder if she’d ever even had any.

“Hey, baby…”

She hummed again, but he could tell she wasn’t really present. He slowly sat down on the bed next to her, legs crossed just like hers until his right knee and arm were touching her left ones.

“What’s wrong?”

She kept looking at the card in her hand. It had a little Christmas tree on it. There were dozens of others spread out on the bed, all with various designs and motifs.

“Did you know I was the first grandchild to be born on my dad’s side?”

Her voice was scratchy, but it never wavered.

“My grandmother and her older sister lived in houses next to each other. I never made the distinction between the two. It wasn’t Grandma’s house and Aunt Grace’s house. It was Grandma and Auntie’s house. For ten years, I was the only grandchild. And Aunt Grace always treated me like I was a blessing.”

He could see her eyes were starting to get red, and he sighed internally. This was going to be a bad one. Because it just hit for her.

Six months ago, her Aunt Grace had been diagnosed with dementia. Arthur was there when she learned the news. He was prepared for screaming, and crying, and having to hold her broken pieces together with his bare arms.

But all she did was smile and say, “it’s alright, no one lives forever, this was bound to happen at some point”.

Arthur had been waiting for the fallout ever since.

“After we moved to Monaco, she’d send me cards every year. For my birthday, Christmas, Easter, International Children’s Day… I was a kid but I knew I wanted to keep them all. And I did.”

He looked at the cards spread out in front of her.

“I called Grandma today to see if I could say hi to Auntie… See how she’s doing. I guess I must have caught her during a bad day cause… It took almost half an hour of us talking for her to remember me. I get it, you know? I’m far away, she doesn’t see me very often, her health’s deteriorating… of course it’s gonna get harder and harder to remember me but… It’s only ever taken a few minutes. It never took this long.”

She fiddled with the card in her hands, eyes full of tears.

“So, I thought… Since I was missing her, I could re-read the cards she sent me over the years. I mean sure, the last one she sent me was when I was fifteen and that was seven years ago, but… Still.”

She sniffed, voice starting to crack now.

“So I read them and… I forgot how she used to sign them… Every time, without fail…”

She opened the card and at the bottom were the nine words that made Arthur draw in a sharp breath.

“Love from your Aunt Grace, who never forgets you. I forgot she used to do this. It started off as a joke cause I was a five-year-old kid who was worried my aunt would forget to wish me happy birthday cause I was moving to a new country. But she kept doing it. Kept reminding me that no matter the distance, she’d always be there for me. Love from your Aunt Grace, who never forgets you.”

Her breath hitched as the first tear started to fall.

“What kind of— fucking sick and twisted— awful, awful shit— some kind of cosmic joke?”

She hiccuped her way through half-formed sentences, trying and failing to voice out what was in her head, and he just pulled her to him. He tucked her head into his chest, arms coming around her shoulder, one hand still firmly in the back of her hair.

“It’s alright, mon coeur, just let it all out.”

He’d heard her cry before, of course. (Y/n) was an emotional person, she cried at everything: movies, songs, those cheesy Christmas commercials. He was used to seeing her cry, to comforting her through it.

Never like this, though. Never these full-body sobs, or hiccuping, half-choked-off screams. Never felt her clutch at him with the full force of her body, like she was worried he’d disappear, knuckles turning white and nails digging into his flesh. Never felt her cry for ten, twenty, thirty minutes, until her body exhausted itself and she just fell asleep.

She was limp in his arms now, breaths still coming out unevenly, tears leaking out of her eyes for minutes more, still.

Arthur didn’t know what to do. What do you say to a person going through something like that? What can you say? 

“Her suffering will end soon”? “At least she lived a full life”? “She doesn’t have to remember you to love you”? 

What bullshit.

He didn’t know what to say. He was pretty sure (Y/n) didn’t even know what she wanted to hear. All he could do was hold her as she slept, wipe away her tears, and make sure she knew how much he loved her.

He laid her down on the bed, covered her up so she wouldn’t be cold, and put the letters on her nightstand.

He might not know what to say, but he could at least make her some soup for when she woke up.

—

“Thur?” 

It was well past sunset when she came into the kitchen, dressed in his favourite hoodie and wearing her comfortable fuzzy pants. Her face was still puffy from all the crying, and her eyes had that vacant look in them, but she was there.

“Hey, mon ange, how are you feeling?”

She shrugged, staring at the pot he was stirring.

“What are you making?”

He turned off the hob and took out two bowls.

“Chicken noodle soup. Figured we could eat this while watching a Barbie movie, something to make you feel better.”

She nodded.

“Wanna get settled on the couch and put on the movie?”

She nodded again, still a bit absent, and he took the toasted garlic bread slices out of the oven. He put everything on the tray along with some chilled water, and made his way to the living room, where Barbie of Swan Lake was just beginning.

It took her the entirety of the movie to finish her food, but Arthur was just glad she did. She didn’t like to eat when she was sad, said it made her feel weird, so this was quite the accomplishment.

Neither of them moved, even as the end credits ran. He just sat there, holding her, as she stared blankly at the screen.

“Do you want me to get you a flight home?”

She straightened up.

“What?”

“To see your aunt, spend some time with her.”

She shook her head.

“No, no… I have uni, and my job, I can’t just leave.”

He kept his eyes on her.

“No one would fault you for taking a semester off. And I have more than enough money that your job shouldn’t be a concern, not when it’s about something like this.”

She sighed, coming back down to lay in his arms. He held her tightly, running his fingers through her hair.

“There’s a part of me that wants to, you know. But she’s only getting worse. Grandma said she spends most of her time just looking outside or completely zoned out, with only a few hours where she acts more or less normally. It’s like she’s there but at the same time…not. 

“As much as I want to spend all my time with her, I don’t want to remember her as a barely functioning human. I want to keep the good memories. And I know she’d never forgive me if she knew I was neglecting my studies because of her.”

She paused, but he didn’t speak, knowing more was coming.

“I feel like a horrible person, though. And selfish. Like, she’s dying and I’m pissed at her for forgetting me. And my whole family’s pitching in to keep her company but I don’t wanna see her outside of facetimes on her good hours cause I don’t want that image of her to overtake the good memories. She’s always been such a beacon of light and happiness, and now I can’t bring myself to be around her when she’s weak. I’m a horrible person.”

He shook his head and tightened his hold on her.

“No, you’re not.”

“I am, though. I’m supposed to be helping her. To call every day, regardless of her mood so I can still see her.”

He sighed.

“Baby… Look, I know you feel guilty, but you can’t sacrifice your own mental health for anyone. Not even her.”

He felt her tears start to dampen her shirt, and simply held her tighter.

“I just… I don’t know how to deal with this. I knew she’d be gone eventually but I never thought she’d go so soon, let alone like this…”

Arthur couldn’t help but think back to his father. He never wanted anyone else to have to go through what he did, mourning someone who wasn’t yet gone, let alone her.

“Have you thought about therapy? Or, well, grief counselling?”

She didn’t answer.

“I went to it about three months into Papa’s diagnosis. Kept going for a few years after. I still have Dr Claire’s number.”

There was a long pause in which he didn’t dare speak. He just stared at the pendulum wall clock (Y/n) found at a flea market when they first moved in, watching the brass circle go back and forth.

“Did it help?”

She sounded hesitant, quiet. So unlike herself.

“It did. She’s great, honestly, helped me understand a bunch of things and deal with the pain of losing my father, the drawn-out mourning of someone who wasn’t even gone yet. The weekly sessions were a big help.”

She was silent for a little while longer.

“Okay…” 

—

She was staring at the pale yellow house like it would eat her alive. The whole drive there, she hadn’t stopped fidgeting.

“Hey, bébé…”

He squeezed her hand to get her attention, and she turned her frightened eyes back to him.

“I’m proud of you. It’s hard to ask for help, and I’m so so proud you did. I’ll be waiting for you right here, and we can go get ice cream right after the session, okay?”

She bit her lips nervously.

“Promise?”

“Promise. Je t’aime.”

She leaned in for a kiss and he felt her relax the longer it went on.

“I love you too.”

And as he saw her enter Dr Claire’s office, he could only hope the pain would become more manageable. But either way, he’d be there for her. No matter what.

before i sign off, i just wanted to say that if you're going through something like this, or if you're in a bad spot and you just wanna talk, my asks and dms are always open for you guys. anyway that's enough feelings out of me for today.

don't forget to comment and reblog, and keep your eye out for more stuff coming soon!

-Love, Miah <3

Formula One RI Taglist

@aykxz98

[starlight-bread-blog]

Three Books, Two Characters, One Story

An essay on Zuko and Katara's characters and character arcs

——————

Zuko and Katara, fire and water, red and blue, one rises with the sun, the other rises with the moon. And yet, they are similar, tied together and grew closer than they could have imagined. In this essay I will discuss Zuko and Katara's characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender. I intend to touch on their shared traits and backgrounds, on their development and on their points of convergence in their over overarching story. Now, without further ado, let's begin.

——————

The Common Ground

Zuko and Katara share their core traits and core events in their respective lives. Firstly, their loss of their mothers. Zuko lost his mother, Ursa; and Katara lost her mother, Kya. But if you ask me, it goes deeper than that. For Zuko, the loss was a loss of shelter from the cruelty of his father and the bliss of being a child. In Zuko Alone, we see how Ursa took care of Zuko, played with him, and gave him a proper childhood.

With that gone, he remained almost completely unprotected. But more importantly, he lost his childhood. (It is true that he still had Iroh, but Iroh can help to an extent. He can’t be at the dinner table when Ozai tells Zuko he was lucky to be born).

Similarly, when Katara’s mother died, something in her internalized it. As Sokka says in The Runaway:

We see Katara help fill the void many times in A:TLA. Namely in The Desert, where she takes care of the Gaang in ways ranging from giving her bending water to endangering herself to pull A\ang out of the Avatar State. Katara doesn’t like to be viewed as someone who lost her childhood, as her reaction to Sokka’s speech was to join Toph and go scamming. However, Kya’s death is an integral part of who she became. She wants to cling to her childhood, and she partly succeeds,but that speech was made for a reason. A part of it was gone with Kya.

Another parallel between their similar grief is sacrifice. Zuko’s mother left to save his life from Fire Lord Azulon’s ruthless order. Katara’s mother died when pretending to be the last waterbender of the South Pole when a Fire Nation raid came looking for her. Both of their mothers left because they protected them, saving their lives from the cruelty of the Fire Nation. In these parallel narratives, the themes of sacrifice against them are intertwined.

But beyond their grief, I believe that at their center, they are very similar. Zuko and Katara are filled with righteous anger and empathy even towards strangers. Although clearly everyone in the Gaang is a good person, doing their part in ending the war, it’s not a defining trait as it is for Zuko and Katara. In The Painted Lady, Katara insists on helping a Fire Nation village while Sokka pressures that they’ll leave to make it to the invasion, while Toph and A\ang remain natural. Her compassion clashes with the Gaang. When Sokka scolds her for being impulsive with her attempts to aid the village, Katara angrily responds with this:

Similarly, the thing that kicked off Zuko’s arc was this righteous anger. In The Storm, we learn that Zuko’s scar came from him standing up to a general who suggested sacrificing a division of rookies for an operation.

You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?

It is their shared compassion and anger at the injustices around them that makes them and the way they interact with the world so similar. Iroh described Zuko as “an idealist with a pure heart with unquestionable honor”. How well does this describe Katara?

Moreover, it is not only their anger. They are both incredibly strong willed with how they act on their anger. In The Waterbending Master, when Katara found out master Pakku won’t teach her because she’s a girl, she didn’t give up. She challenged him, a master, to a fight to prove that she can do everything a boy can do. And Zuko’s strong will is almost over talked about. When A\ang escaped his ship, he jumped on his airbender staff. In Zuko Alone, Ursa said to him “That’s who you are, Zuko. Someone who keeps fighting even though it’s hard”.

To sum up, Zuko and Katara’s foundational events and personality traits are parallels to one another. They both lost their mother when they sacrificed themselves for them, and it marked the end of an era for them. They are both driven by compassion and righteous anger and have a strong willed personality. They are guided by their morals first and foremost. They are parallels to one another.

The Development

Zuko and Katara’s character arcs serve as parallels to each other, and bring them closer together. Zuko’s redemption arc is, to put it simply, about unlearning Fire Nation propaganda and coming to realize the horror his country inflicted on the world. In book 2 Zuko sees the harm they caused first hand, and in The Day of Black Sun he fully rejects the Fire Nation.

Zuko: Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, the War was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was.

He rejects the lie that the Fire Nation is somehow helping the world - that it’s inherently good. His arc was about unlearning Fire Nation supremacy.

Katara’s arc is not as easy to pin down, but it’s nevertheless there. Her arc is about idealism, hope and a change in perspective. Katara started her journey as an idealist, the literal voice of hope in the opening, and with a black and white view of the world - the Fire Nation is evil, and everyone else is good. Throughout the show, Katara encounters both good people from the Fire Nation, and bad people from around the world of Avatar, such as Long Feng, Jet and Hama. In The Puppetmaster in particular she learns that waterbending can be just as destructive as firebending, if not more so. Her arc is about unlearning naivety and Fire Nation inferiority.

The symmetry comes from them learning to lean on the other’s view across the seasons. In book 1, they are rigid in their view. Zuko is still working a full time job tracking the Avatar, while Katara still clings to her black and white view of the world, such as when she had a conversation with a Firebender who told her firebending is inherently destructive. In book 2, Zuko becomes a fugitive and sees the Fire Nation’s horrors for himself, while Katara sees that the one safe haven from the Fire Nation can be evil too. In book 3, Zuko goes back to the Fire Nation to see that it’s not what he’d imagined at all, while Katara goes to the Fire Nation to find people just like her.

Not only are their arcs symmetrical, but they are what allows their bond to flourish. Katara can only forgive Zuko after she’d let go of her ideals, and Zuko can only seek to redeem himself in her eyes after he’d let go of his idealization of the Fire Nation. Their bond is a true testament to their arcs.

The Encounters

Zuko and Katara’s relationship carries a lot of narrative weight. Their journeys are intertwined on many occasions. For Katara, it’s significant that after Katara masters waterbending, it is Zuko whom she has to defend herself to. It’s significant that she sees humanity in Zuko, despite him being the face of the Fire Nation. It’s meaningful that she goes to find her mother’s killer with Zuko, and even bloodbends before him. And finally, it’s meaningful that she spends the 4 part finale with him.

For Zuko, it’s significant that when he truly connects with someone other than his uncle, it’s with Katara. It’s significant that he learns through Katara that revenge doesn’t always help. It’s significant that Katara is the last member he has to earn forgiveness from. And it’s meaningful that jumping in front of a lightning bolt to save Katara is his last act of redemption.

While Sokka and Zuko for instance never interact in book 1 besides some one liners, Katara and Zuko had a subplot around Katara’s necklace. Although their stories do diverge, such as most of book 2, they always return to spend the season’s finales together. They don’t drive each other’s characters forward as much as they represent milestones in each other’s stories. You cannot remove their scenes together and have the rest of the show make sense.

——————

In conclusion, Zuko and Katara’s characters follow a story of mutual suffering, personal development, and deep friendship. They have a common experience of sacrifice, sorrow, and unflinching compassion. These experiences have narrative weight because they act as development, redemption, and forgiveness catalysts, creating a connection that ultimately serves as a reminder of how far they’ve come.

[guoduxass]

Oscar Piastri 🧡

Warnings: Erm angs I think....

Y/N stood by the window, staring out at the city lights. The apartment felt emptier than usual, echoing with the silence that had become all too familiar lately. Oscar Piastri, her boyfriend and a rising star in the racing world, had been increasingly distant.

She took a deep breath, gathering the courage to address the growing divide between them. "Oscar, we need to talk," Y/N finally spoke, turning to face him. His eyes, usually filled with determination, now seemed distant and preoccupied.

"What's there to talk about?" Oscar replied, not bothering to look up from his laptop. The glow of the simulator reflected on his face, emphasizing the growing distance.

"I miss you," Y/N confessed, her voice tinged with frustration. "You're always on the simulator or at the paddock. I feel like I'm alone in this relationship."

Oscar sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This is what it takes, Y/N. I'm working towards something big, and it requires dedication."

"I get that, Oscar. But we used to be a team. Now, it feels like you're living in a different world, and I'm just an afterthought," Y/N's voice wavered with a mixture of hurt and longing.

The conversation escalated into a heated argument. Y/N poured out her feelings, expressing the loneliness that had slowly crept into their relationship. Oscar, in his pursuit of success, struggled to see the toll it was taking on the person he cared about the most.

In the heat of the moment, Oscar uttered words he would later regret. "Maybe you just can't handle the reality of dating a racer. If you can't keep up, maybe you should find someone else."

Those words hung in the air, heavy with pain. Y/N's eyes welled up with tears as the weight of his dismissal sank in. Without saying a word, she grabbed her coat and left the apartment, leaving behind an air of anguish.

Two days passed, and Oscar's world crumbled. The silence of the apartment became deafening. Sleep eluded him, and the constant hum of the simulator mocked his solitude. The realization of what he had said hit him like a ton of bricks.

He replayed the argument in his mind, each harsh word cutting deeper. The emptiness around him echoed the void Y/N had left. Oscar, the rising star, felt like a falling comet, crashing into the harsh reality of his actions.

It was then, in the midst of loneliness, that Oscar understood the gravity of his mistake. The trophies and accolades seemed meaningless without the person who had been his anchor. Racing, once a source of passion, now felt hollow without Y/N by his side.

Determined to make amends, Oscar set out to find Y/N. He discovered she had sought refuge at a friend's place, seeking solace away from the harsh words that had shattered her. As he stood at the door, the weight of his remorse heavy on his shoulders, he knocked, hoping for forgiveness.

When the door opened, Y/N's eyes were red from tears, and the pain of the past few days etched on her face. Oscar took a deep breath, his words sincere and apologetic. "I messed up, Y/N. I shouldn't have said what I did. I can't imagine my life without you. I'm sorry, and I want to make things right."

Y/N studied his eyes, searching for sincerity. The silence hung between them before she finally nodded, her heart softening. "I need you to understand that I can't be an afterthought in your life, Oscar. We need to find a balance."

Oscar nodded, a weight lifting off his chest as Y/N allowed him back into her world. In that moment, they both realized that love, like racing, required balance and teamwork. As they embraced, the city lights outside seemed to glow with a promise of a renewed journey, one where they would navigate the twists and turns together.

[vancilocs]

Pre for mintaka and zhenya and general for void and mend? :3c

weeee

How did they first meet?

At the library, after Zhenya had recovered enough to be Angharad's bodyguard again and Mintaka had recovered enough to be the librarian. She and Angharad had met before, this time he just tagged along, Ang introduced them and they did a curtsy and bow.

What was their first impression of each other?

Both got a very polite and professional image of each other, their meeting was very brief so that's quite it. Mintaka was slightly intimidated by the height and weaponry and everything and Zhenya wasn't quite sure where to look as her eye wasn't visible.

Who felt romantic feelings first?

Mintaka, it took years but eventually she started getting butterflies when Zhenya visited the library for whatever reason (be it with Angharad or by himself)

Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

Zhenya didn't really acknowledge his since he was still somewhat heartbroken over his last relationship and, since he was told that it ended because he's a ghoul, figured nobody would ever want him as he is. Also he was dealing with the fact that he had a kid and didn't want to mix a new relationship into that

What would their lives be like if they had never met?

They'd both be lonelier, but Zhenya more. They both are more or less undead and permanently scarred and marred from their deaths, so it's nice to have someone who understands and doesn't judge

What was their "flirting stage" like?

Mostly Zhenya going to the library on his own time (yes technically the library was closed, but oh well, maybe she could make an exception for the knight, he works long hours, sooooo come on in the door's still open even late at night. But don't tell anyone), asking her for book recommendations and about things she had recently read, very long late-night discussions that could become very deep, such as about their death experiences etc., helping her shelve books at the end of the day...

How do their friends and family feel about them as a couple?

Angharad is absolutely delighted, she was furious when Zhenya's ex left him so she's happy that he found someone who likes him as he is. Ira is also pleased, she likes Zhenya and is glad he's happy. Mintaka's friends raised a couple of eyebrows but quickly stopped thinking anything about it, they're happy and that's what matters. Zhenya's ex would be happy he found someone eventually, and his son Tristan is more occupied with finding his dad than minding his partner, though he ends up liking her too.

--

Who initiated the relationship, and how did they go about it?

Mend pursue predated Void, laid it on thin at first but then laid it on thicker until Void had to do something about it, either reject or accept

Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

Void wanted to talk it out and Mend went oh okay so it's a date. She went with the intention of telling him she was too old and whatnot, he went and arranged a moonlight picnic and wanted her as dessert

What was their first kiss like?

Very reserved, considering the tension going on. The restraint didn't last for any longer than that first kiss though

Were they each other's first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

Not at all, but Mend was more experienced

What is their height difference? Age difference? Do either matter to them?

Void is a little over 60 and a little over 150 cm, Mend is in his 30's and about 175 cm. Height has never been an issue, but Void was very hesitant being pursued by someone half her age at first

How do their personalities complement each other? How do they clash?

They're both very quiet and prefer to listen and think about things before acting. However Mend has much more charisma and bedside manner, he's a polite boy while Void is sterner and doesn't like wasting time with pleasantries, she's a woman of action while others are trying to find a compromise

What is their relationship with each other's families like?

Mend has no family. Void's closest person is Ira, who was plenty surprised when she found out that the young hot guy is actually auntie's boyfriend. But, well, if you're happy...

Who takes the lead in social situations? How are they around each other's friends?

Void practically shoves Mend ahead of herself when it's time to be social and charm someone or get information. They do visit Angharad and Ira in court at times for festivities and such but tend to stay quiet and just observe unless spoken to, Mend gets more attention but hunters in general aren't that popular

Who gets jealous easier?

Void understands that Mend gets attention and is fine with it, and Mend doesn't really give her reason to be jealous. It's only if someone starts getting really touchy she'll click her teeth and that's a sign for Mend to shoot the flirter down

What are their parallels, whether in their personalities or their histories?

Both are outsiders and loners, one foot in the natural world and the other in the supernatural, neither has ever felt wanted or accepted by general society and found their belonging in the hunters.

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other's ear in public?

Mend on occasion, but rarely. When he's in a bastardous mood

Do they hide anything from each other, big or small?

Not really, and it's difficult to hide things when living so tightly with each other and their small bunch of hunters.

Which one thinks they aren't good enough for the other, if at all?

Void still thinks that on the daily, she hasn't figured out why exactly Mend likes her so much but oh well. She's stopped trying to drive him away at least

What is their most common argument about?

They very rarely argue, usually they're a common front against Creep. Otherwise it's about leaving stuff laying around or stealing a blanket or eating the last apple

[littlestar3737]

Olímpicos

Chapter 2

Twins

several years have gone up by.

Color and flash were skating around the ant-void "Yoohoo!" screamed flash "do a backflip!" yelled color

Color and flash were always together ever since birth.

Than a voice from the distance yelp "helloooo!" color and flash, both turn their backs to the voice then someone from the distance was hurling at them

"Heyyy color an flash mama wants you both now!" said the girl,

immediately color and flash recognize their little sister voice "purple" she was only a few years younger than them but yet very bossy just like pink and blue, color and flash weren’t the biggest fan of their little sister

"What does mom want now?" responded flash with a attitude "she always wants something from us" said color with a attitude too "well I'm sorry only if your children didn’t start another war in one of the main Multiverse" responded purple with pure disappointment at color

"A another one?" questioned color "yes!" responded purple "it's always Ange and Astra they are always starting something" yelled purple absolutely sick of it "oh my star I really need to talk to those two about fighting" said color with shame "you haven’t talked to your children in a month and for them it’s 100 years" applied flash "your right brother" agreeing with flash."just let Ange handled it she got this" said color without a care "no" said a voice from the distance everyone looked up and it was pink and blue "we are tired about the wars between your children color" said blue "you talking to your children will solve the wars and not leave chaos in the city" replied pink.

"So bossy" color was annoyed at this point being bossed around like a child isn’t the best thing "no matter what I do they always fight"

"they only started fighting when you left them all those years" at this point, pink was just yelling at color "ok ok! I'm trying my best ok being a mother of 5 isn’t easy okay" yelled color "then why did you have so many" blurted purple

"it’s none of your business purple" both color and flash left the ant-void to the omega verse where their mother and kingdom where it was

"it’s not like my fault they’re fighting" color complaining to flash "they’re siblings they always fight" said the flash "we never fought when we were young" responded flash

"You're right but I don't know" color agreeing with flash but felt unsatisfied

both made it to the omega verse and they stood pink and blue, guarding the gold gates and in the far gold Hill, they saw their mother now organize as the creator and to others a God, she’s just referred to be called "Asereth"

Color and flash both walked up the gold stairs while pink and blue eyeing them,

Flash was little scared about his mother only because color used to fight with their mother and was sent to the void for 1 hour and hearing color complaining for the whole day.

Went color and flash made it up the hundred gold stairs, Asereth was napping in her gold throne, color tried to wake her up until Asereth screamed

and startled everyone

"Oh my star I'm so sorry my children" panted Asereth trying to catch her breath meanwhile, pink, blue and purple flew up the hill to their mother

"Are you okay mother?" ask pink concerned "yes oh yes I'm alright" said Asereth "mother I'm truly sorry for frowning you" said color regretting her decisions

"i’m fine, please but we need to talk" said Asereth seriously with a tone of disappointment, color and flash already knew what will happen.

"lately I’ve been hearing a lot of complaints from the villagers and I think you know why"

directed Asereth to color "yeah yeah i know I don’t know why they always fight" said color never really caring

"This is their 50th war and there may likely be more, every time they have a discussion they break out and fight and it’s tiring they even broke one of my universes that I worked so hard on" said Asereth furious

"But mooom you know I can't stop them mostly Astra that boy never listens to me" said color not really caring for the situation

until Asereth Pulls color by her collar and says "if you don't stop them I will and you need my power, so go talk to them or else"

Color quickly tries to get out of their mothers grip and she's successful and goes behind flash.

They both discuss about the future of both children and decided to leave it to Ange to decide the situation.

[myangevn]

Noah the little scrunkle!! He is so cute he reminds me of a Groves' dwarf lemur with his dark void eyes! I'd just have the urge to take him anywhere with me bc he is my emotional support cryptid boy. I feel like he would like the Junji Ito series...And it would be fun to discuss it with him! I also think the Ange doll is very cute and plush and huggable even though it could be one of those voodoo blood dolls...

Thank you so much for liking Noah and his doll!✨ And yes he will enjoy reading the Junji Ito series and will absolutely love hearing you talk about it

[bloodstainedbible]

𝔅𝔢𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔯:

this blog, like a weathered chapel in a forgotten swamp, is a place for dark stories, haunted by themes of southern gothic and twisted religion. the sin and salvation found here are not for the faint of heart. these rules serve as the stained-glass commandments, meant to preserve the sanctity of this space. heed them well, or beware the shadows lurking just beyond the light.

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔰:

1. this blog is my creation. like ancient scripture, my characters and stories are sacred and born from my mind. stealing them is sacrilege. if you take my ideas, you will be called out for your sins. don’t invite divine retribution.

2. exclusivity is a rare covenant, but not forbidden. i don’t require exclusivity with every partner, but if we agree to be exclusive, it means i will only write with your interpretation of a character, and i expect the same in return. approach me if we’ve built enough trust to form such a pact.

3. respect the sanctity of my characters. forced ships, god-modding, metagaming, hate, and ooc drama are all heresies here. cross those lines, and you’ll be cast into the wilderness.

4. plagiarism is blasphemy. whether it’s stealing my headcanons, aesthetics, tags, or words—know this: i will find out. it won’t end well for you. so spare yourself the trouble and be original.

5. my writing style is iconless, occasionally marked by small gifs. expect smaller text and prose that reflects the bleak, shadowed world we’re creating together.

6. prompts are always welcome from both mutuals and non-mutuals, but i am selective. mutuals can turn asks into threads—just don’t reblog the ask directly. craft a new post and let the story breathe.

7. don’t undermine my muse. to belittle my characters in your prose is to strip away the layers of sin, suffering, and strength they’ve been built upon. i won’t continue a thread if you drain the life from my muse like this.

8. starter calls will be posted on occasion, and while i’m open to interaction with non-mutuals, i reserve the right to choose who i respond to. patience is a virtue—one that’s rewarded in these hallowed grounds.

9. dark themes will bleed into this blog. this includes, but is not limited to: blood, gore, mutilation, torture, violence, drugs, cursing, and various taboo topics. if this discomforts you, i suggest seeking solace elsewhere. my tags follow a different liturgy: nsfw or ( trigger // ). if you don’t take care to blacklist your own triggers, the burden is yours, not mine.

10. smut will be written openly with those 21+ and will not be tagged or hidden under cuts. if you are not of age, don’t even try to enter this dark temple. lying about your age is not just dangerous—it’s damning.

11. chemistry matters in shipping. i don’t force ships, and neither should you. my muses are complex, hard to pin down, and require deep connection. let’s talk ooc before we consider any potential ships.

12. i follow selectively and will unfollow if your blog becomes uncomfortable for me, involves ooc drama, or starts to feel like a constant twitter feed. if you’ve been inactive for two weeks without notice, i may assume you’ve left this realm.

13. if you want to interact with me, send me a message. i might not follow back right away, but reaching out can help bridge the gap. just don’t spam me with memes or unwanted starters. it’s not the way to gain favor here.

14. memes are for interaction. if i reblog a meme, don’t just take it and run. if you do, it’s discouraging and disrespectful. i’m here to write with people, not just watch my content float into the void.

15. this blog is bilingual, and you’ll see both english and spanish. translations will always be provided, so don’t worry if the tongues of angels and demons get mixed.

16. i write at my own pace. like the slow crawl of molasses, my replies might take time. i work a full-time job and burnout is real. patience is appreciated, especially when navigating dark waters.

𝔅𝔢𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔳𝔢:

sin, salvation, blood, and darkness all mingle here. if you’re ready to walk these twisted paths with me, then i welcome you. if not, there’s still time to turn back.

[astrainferis]

lrb just inspired me to make my own mcr posters now

[xoxocece]

you’re both the poison and the antidote of my heart. when we started talking again, you were sending signals i no longer able to read. we’re both friends and ex-lovers. our teasing was not appropriate for friends that was lovers then. i was hoping, and at the same time, i had a clear vision that we will not work. that we are friends, you were so clear and boundaries were very obvious. para ngang pinamumukha mo sa’kin na friends lang talaga tayo, eh. so, i stopped talking to you. i stopped hoping. i told myself that it was a normal conversation for you and all the teasing was just for fun. that “baby” were so consistent in bothering me even before you came, so when i stopped talking to you, i entertained her. that’s why when you confessed, i told you that you were late, but you told me right on my face that nothing will happen after that. that humbled me, lmao. i continue talking to her. she was interesting, but she was crystal clear that she’s not ready yet. i still gave it a try, but i realized that it was draining, and that it will leave me destroyed. and when i talked to you about it, and you told me to open up to her, she was so clear about not imagining herself being happy with someone. then, we continued talking. imagine my surprise when you told me that you like me and you would like me to have feelings for you. that’s a poison right there. but darling, you’re the poison i would like to digest. madali akong ma-attach, madali akong mahulog, madali akong magmahal. at ikaw? sinong hindi mahuhulog sayo? nahulog na ako noon sayo, aliah. at kahit bali-baliktarin natin ang mundo, at kahit denial is a river in egypt, mahuhulog ako sayo. sayo na rin mismo galing, iniwan kita dahil natakot ako. hindi kita iniwan dahil hindi na kita mahal. at itong pakikipag-usap ko sayo ngayon? hindi ko na ‘to mapipigilan. i understand that you're healing and you still like to explore, then heal and explore. if you want that, then sasamahan kita, dahil kailangan ko rin ‘yan sa buhay ko.

hayaan mo lang ako sa likuran mo. lumago tayo nang magkalayo noon, kaya hayaan mo naman ngayon na sabay tayong lumago.

aliah, you’re the poison of my heart. but you’re also the antidote, ikaw lang ang tanging taong nakakapagpaligaya sa’kin. sa tuwing kausap kita, lumulutang ako sa ere, ramdam ko ang hangin na parang yinayakap ako, at hindi ko maipaliwanag ang halo-halong emosyong dala-dala ng dibdib ko. maraming kulang sa buhay ko, pero hindi kita kailangan para punan ‘yon dahil hindi mo trabaho ‘yon— trabaho ko ‘yon para sa sarili ko at alam kong alam mo ‘yon.

but aliah, life is more manageable when i’m with you. not because i can’t handle it well when i’m alone, not because i need you to fill the void, but because i want you in my life.

[explorewithchai]

Pahilumin mga sugat. Di ikaw ang iyong nakaraan

Heal wounds You are not your past.

Typing this while listening to Ben&Ben x Munimuni's song "Sugat." My comfort song when whenever I feel bruised, lost, failed, and on the verge of giving up.

I'm not feeling well today. I don't have any words to describe the uncertainty that I'm feeling. A lot had happened but still, this void and uncertainty found a way to get through me. I've been on a roller coaster ride with my relationship with God. I feel like I only talk to Him when I need Him the most then forget Him when things are easy and convenient.

I don't experience anything bad or sad today but just feel empty. I feel nothing. I refused to go to church because I was lazy. But before my Japan trip, I'd been praying for things to go smoothly, went to church to increase the chance of it, and been praying a lot then. But after my prayer was answered, I forgot (or chose not to?!) to thank God. WHAT A PRIORITY.

I am aware that I'm not okay because all I want to do all day is sleep. I even don't have an appetite and just eat anything I can see in the fridge even if it's not healthy (Eating chocolates for breakfast?!!) I drank 2 coffee and soft drinks but was still sleepy Huhu On times like this, I tried to challenge myself to do differently. On the earliest morning of December 11, 2023, I decided to talk to God. The perfect quietness I need to be with Him alone. I prayed for Him to talk to me by randomly opening a page in my 14-year-old Bible. And this were the page landed that I imagined Him saying to me:

It's like God is saying to me to trust Him entirely. It's like He wants me to know that if I trust Him and follow His will, it will refresh my soul, it will give joy to my heart, and give light to what I'm feeling. What a verse. His words have really struck my heart. He comforted me that there's more to having faith in Him. It's not about following Him, it's about what my being will be if trust Him and His will.

Ever since adulting hit me, I have had this perception that I always need to decide for myself. I always need to be in control. Even if I know I have no control, I'll exhaust myself to find a way to control the uncontrollable. Making me feel that I'm losing myself because I only believe in what I can do and when I can't do it anymore, there's this void. There's this uncertainty about who I am if I cannot do everything or if I cannot find the answer to anything. It's different when you have someone to rely on that you know will be consistent, who is stronger than any being on this earth, and who truly wants you to feel safe and secure. It's different when you are introduced to God.

Lord, thank You for speaking to me today. Thank You for reminding me who You are and what You can do for me as long as I am obedient and faithful to You. I really needed to know this. As I read the continuation of verses, in Psalm 19:11-13: "By your teachings, Lord, I am warned; by obeying them I am greatly rewarded. None of us know our faults. Forgive me when I sin without knowing it. Don't let me do wrong on purpose, Lord, or let sin have control over my life."

[headinthestaticsky]

The Phenomenon of the Immortal Sun: Jasper Hale x Fleur Swan, Chapter 1

Summary: It was time for Fleur Swan to become Fleur Hale/Whitlock. She has started to adjust to the lifestyle of a vegetarian vampire as well as her powers, which she seems to develop a new one once in a while. But what happens when something happens that none of the Cullens are prepared for.

"Nature will get her way Though you took her for a fool Walking on the lake Frozen under you."

Run Cried the Crawling by, Anges Obel

When Bella got home from Vegas with Edward at her side it was the most pissed off my dad had ever been at her. He knew she would throw out the "I'll move away." Card on him but he wasn't fazed by it anymore. She was married, and a adult... he couldn't stop her. It was satisfying to see dad finally stand up to her, letting go of the fear of losing her. Bella eventually developed a guilty look on her face while Edward tensed by her side. She decided that she would have her honeymoon after Jasper and I got married, since dad would know we would both be out of the house. It confused me since she would have to wait 5 months just to go on her honeymoon, it also delayed her changing into a vampire. Since they both agreed to do it on there honeymoon.

Regarding me however my eyes are still a dark red rose color, which completely puzzled the Cullens. It confused me as well...knowing that after a year of transformation my eyes should be golden by now. I had never drunken an once of human blood but, my eyes were just as red as they were when I first turned. My blood lust got a lot better and I was beginning to gain control of my powers. It turns out I am also a shape shifter in a sense... I can transform myself into anyone I wanted to be. Things seemed to have calmed down it was nice to have a moment of serenity.

I stood in my room which was now void of my items being out on display. They were instead all in boxes stacked up on top of each other. Dad helped me out earlier in the day, it was nice to spend so one-on-one time with him while I still lived here. Bella was packing up too, excited to finally leave the house and become a vampire. She wouldn't let dad help her out however and spent her time locked up in her room. Probably waiting for Edward to enter and talk with her. I just sat down on my bed looking at my surroundings when I heard Jasper enter through my window.

"I was waiting for you to show up." I said grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pulling him in for a kiss.

"Mmm, hello to you too." Jasper said.

"You're not going to believe who accepted my RVSP'd to the wedding..."

"Who is it?"

"My mom, her new husband is coming with her too."

"I hope they won't cause any trouble." Jasper grumbled.

"Well... the last thing I said to her was when I moved back down here when I was 15...I told her that next time I see her would be at my wedding. I then told her that she would enjoy the the open bar and her speech for me would be her barfing all over the place. So umm... be prepared for that to happen." I explained trying to hold in a laugh at the face Jasper made.

"Damn love...you're brutal sometimes."

"Thank you... that is so sweet to say!"

"You better get down to our place... Alice and Rosalie are waiting for you so they can throw you a Bachelorette party."

"Yeah... they'll probably break the house trying to get to me." I said and then began to laugh.

"Have fun darlin." Jasper said softly.

"You too, if Emmett, Edward, and Dean got you a stripper I will murder all of them."

"Don't worry about that darlin, we're merely going out to the woods to hunt bears... maybe a few mountain lions. Besides Edward won't be there anyway"

"Oh fun...wait, Edward won't be there?"

"Yeah... it seems he still holds a grudge after I called him a boy before the battle."

"Only a boy would be offended by that." I said

"I better go love you." Jasper replied and pecked my cheek.

"Love you too." I did the same thing, pecking his cheek. He left a few seconds afterward leaving me alone. I pulled on pair of boots and ran downstairs.

"I'll see you later dad, Rose and Alice are throwing me a little party."

"Alright Petal, love you."

"Love you too!"

I arrived at the Cullen's house in record time, my tracking ability had improved greatly. I zoomed up to the door and before I could open it Rosalie, Esme, Bree, and Alice stood there with excited smiles on their faces.

"The party has arrived." I said jokingly.

They all laughed and ushered me into the lounge room.

Bree had been living with us ever since the end of the battle, she struggled to conform to the diet after living off of human blood so long and she couldn't leave the house much since she was presumed dead. But Jasper has been helping her out a lot.

"I can't wait to see what you did with the venue outside... can I take a look?"

"No, you may not, Rosalie and I all agreed that you shouldn't see it until tomorrow. It'll be great with the pictures."

"Okay okay... is the dress finished?"

"Yes, now that you can see." Rosalie said, dragging me down to her room. A large vanity was set up with hundreds of makeup products. I turned around and saw my dress... it was beautiful.

(I know the dresses aren't exactly the same but just pretend the one showing off the back of the dress has sleeves haha.)

a"Oh my gosh Rose, you know my style so well."

"You're going to look beautiful tomorrow." Esme said, her gracious smile still on her face.

"Thank you guys so much... for everything."

"No problem Fleur, I can't wait for you to officially be a part of the family." Alice replied.

"So, how is everything back at home?" Rosalie said, already playing with my hair.

"It's tense...dad's pissed at Bella, Bella is pissed at dad. I still can't believe she actually eloped."

"Doesn't surprise me any... Bella's priorities have certainly changed." Alice grumbled.

"Yeah... not gonna lie though Alice they've always been like that, she just hid it from you guys pretty well."

"Yeah... I guess so." Alice said disappointment was on her face.

"Let's talk about something else...Fleur, did Jasper tell you where you two were going for your honeymoon?"

"No... he wants it to be a surprise, I can't wait to see where we're going."

"I'm sure it's going to be fun." Alice said, nudging me playfully.

"If I could blush right now, I would." I said.

Timeskip: The next day.

"Rosalie this is like we rehearsed it... smile and don't kill my mother." I reminded her.

"I'll try my best... Why does Bella have to be a bridesmaid again?" She said, brushing back my long black hair.

"Because I don't need my mother talking my ear off saying how selfish I am."

I saw Alice shake her head before going back to steaming my dress in the background.

"Fleur, Rosalie? Where are you guys?" I heard my dad call out.

"In here dad!" I called back.

"Renee get your butt up here your daughter is getting married. Get over this stupid grudge." I heard dad yell. Rosalie, Alice, and I all laughed.

"Aww, you look beautiful Petal." Dad said, smiling at me. I said Renee in the background she had a shocked look on her face.

"Thanks, Dad, you can thank Rosalie and Alice for all of this. Mom? You gonna come over? I'm not infected with anything you know."

She scoffed and walked up to me, we both gave each other fake smiles.

"Did you get plastic surgery? Your face looks... I don't know more sculpted." She said.

"No mother I just aged... the last time you saw me I was 15, I'm 20 now." I lied, everyone knew most vampires' facial features perfected when fully changed. But I couldn't exactly tell her that.

"Okay..." She said in a skeptical voice. I heard Rosalie growl behind me.

"Renee knock it off." Dad said he had a curt look on his face.

"Well since it's your wedding day we thought you needed something blue." Renee started, her face didn't look too happy.

"And something old, besides your mother." Dad joked, Rosalie and Alice let out a chuckle.

"Nice Charlie," Renee said rolling her eyes.

Dad then opened a jewelry box that had a hairpiece in it. I knew it was grandma swans.

"It was Grandma Swans, I added the Sapphires though, I thought it matched your ring pretty well. When the time comes around you can give it to your daughter." Dad said he handed it to Rosalie so she could put it in my hair.

"Aww thank you so much dad." I said I was lucky I didn't have my dress on yet so I could hug him.

"Should've saved this for Bella." Renee grumbled quitely.

"Oh no I forgot her veil, Rose could you come with me?" Alice asked.

Rosalie hesitated before answering.

"Sure..." They walked out a few seconds later.

"So... you stuck true to your guns. I didn't see you until your wedding day." Dad just looked at the two of us and walked out.

"Yep."

"How many men did you date before you got engaged to this one. I know how bored you can get." Renee said, implying I sleep around a lot.

"He's the first and only man I've dated." Renee's reflection was shocked in the mirror.

"Well... I knew my Bella would do that but... not, you." She said in a condescending voice.

"You have no idea what Bella has done."

"So who is he?" Renee said, ignoring my previous statement.

"His name is Jasper and he's an amazing, kind human being." I answered back, pride-filled my voice. I could suddenly feel Bella's presence behind the wall in the other room listening in on us.

"Sure... we all know women like you say that when the men have slept with you."

"You're childish insults do not bother me anymore mother."

"What childish insults? I'm stating facts." Renee said, acting innocent.

"Yeah, facts you convinced yourself are true."

"All I know is if my Bella wouldn't gotten married so young. So let's cut to the chase how far along are you?"

'I'm not pregnant Renee, I need to go help Rose and Alice find that veil." I got up to walk away when I got an idea.

"Oh by the way, Bella got married at nineteen in Vegas."

Renee just stood there in shock. I smiled in satisfaction.

"Enjoy the open bar!"

[starlight-bread-blog]

It's Zutara Month 2024 So I'm Gonna Discuss (See: Fangirl) Them and Emotional Labor

Katara cooks, sews, but most of all: she gives unconditional emotional support for her brother, and later the rest of the Gaang.

Illustrated after Appa was stolen, the Gaang got stuck in a desert without much water, food or any means of transportation besides their legs. Katara gave everyone her bending water, without drinking any herself, responded to everyone with compassion, and by the end she helped bring Aang back to himself while he was out of control in the Avatar State.

Even after the episode is over, next episode and she helps delivering a baby, and still makes sure to look after Aang.

Sokka too testified that Katara did a lot of labor for him:

Sokka: Actually, in a way, I rely on [Katara's bossiness].

Toph: I don't understand.

Sokka: When our mom died, that was the hardest time in my life. Our family was a mess, but Katara, she had so much strength. She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helpwd fill the void that was left by our mom.

Toph: I guess I never thought about that.

And appropriately, Katara is the one doing the vast majority of the emotional labor in her relationships. She takes care everyone, comfrots them, and protects them. Take "The Deserter" as an example: Aang was being extremely careless with his new found fire bending ability, to the point where he accidently burns Katara's hands.

Katara herself never express her anger at him, she ends up healing her own wounds. Sokka does the scolding. A\ang felt incredibly guilty, but still – by the end, Katara is the one comfroting Aang when he wants to give up on fire bending.

Katara takes care of everyone in the Gaang, making sure they're well, helping them heal their scars. Moreover, Katara often brings up her own grief to empthize with other people's loss. It's a pattern of sorts:

1) A character talks about their past with the Fire Nation

Haru: Yeah. Problem is ... [Close-up, earthbends two stones in a circle above his hand.] the only way I can feel close to my father now is when I practice my bending. He taught me everything I know.

Jet: The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever.

Hama: I'm sorry. It's too painful to talk about anymore.

2) Katara brings up her own grief, sympathizing with their loss

Katara (to Haru): See this necklace? My mother gave it to me.

Katara (to Jet): Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation.

Katara (to Hama): We completely understand. We lost our mother in a raid.

A\ang is a bit of an exception, given that she brought up her grief to prepare him for the loss of his people. (Ad they all respond sympathetically). Still, she brings it up to sympathize and help. There is nothing wrong with that, of course. but here is how it went with Zuko:

1) A character talks about their past with the Fire Nation

Katara: You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally! The Fire Nation took my mother away from me.

2) Katara brings up her own grief, sympathizing with their loss

Zuko: I'm sorry. That's something we have in common.

It's Zuko who responds to her grief this time. It's him empathizing with her. It's him doing the emotional labor for her. And it's this sympathy is their first real civil conversation, establishing that in their relationship, Zuko will do some of the labor needed of him.

In The Southern Raiders, Katara opens up to Zuko, compleyely unprompted, while she is yet to forgive him, about the precise events that led to her mother's death.

A thing she has never done with anyone, and is doing now with someone she considers untrust worthy. Zuko responds with "your mother was a brave women". She, once again, is on the reciving end of the emotional labor – and in a way that is deeper than any other intance of her in the show.

In rest of the episode, Zuko is the one thinking of her and taking care of her.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

Katara takes care of everyone, but it is with Zuko that she recives the help she deserves.

She put herself in danger to help A\ang, she helpped him after he'd burnt her, and she stepped up when her mother died. But with Zuko, he is the one reaching out. He's the one taking care of her needs.

[katelcorn]

i guess what i learned nung early months ng pandemic is to never doubt God's plans for me.

there was this time kasi when i prayed to God and asked Him to remove people that aren't good for me tapos kinabukasan may answer kagad sya. kinabukasan wala kagad yung tao na i was praying for.

good thing hindi ako madali ma-attach so i was like, ehh. okay lang. then i kept praying to God asking Him if yun talaga yung will Niya, kinulit ko pa si Lord nun na kahit hindi sya, let me talk to him for a few more days pa kasi that time feeling ko may void na naman akong fini-fill. and i needed a distraction. ginawa naman ni Lord. ganon Siya ka-faithful. i won't go into details pero i should've listened nalang the first time He said no to my prayer at hindi ko na sana finorce yung gusto ko na clearly hindi gusto ni Lord for me pero ang kulit ko kasi kaya in the end puro disappointment natanggap ko haha

sabi siguro ni Lord saken, "disurbbbb!!"

choz. grateful ako na binigyan naman ako ni Lord ng warning signs, malinaw na malinaw at paulit ulit, ako lang yung stubborn na ipipilit yung gusto ko even after asking God kung tama ba mga desisyon ko sa buhay haha. now i know better! kapag sinabi mo Lord na hindi, i know you're not rejecting me but redirecting me to something better.

[crystalline-q]

No one particularly asked but I'd like to talk to the void right now! Here's a personal story that kind of chills me to the bone but I also find rather interesting. Plus, it's Filipino-American history month so I figured I could share a few things I've learned from my relatives, hehe

TW: Descriptions of the Supernatural, Forest Spirits, Anting-Anting

So, as I mentioned before on this blog, my family seems to be somewhat akin to the supernatural. You can read more about it on [this post] and [this post]. My dad's side, for example, has had their fair share of possession and hauntings. My mom's side, on the other hand, are more in touch with communicating with them. My great grandfather was a practitioner of what we call "Anting-Anting," which is essentially a spiritual practice in the Philippines that utilizes talismans and amulets, typically referred to as "Agimat," for spiritual protection. In particular, he lived in the province of Isabela, if you're familiar with that area. He was known in the province to have these strange but mystical powers, and he was highly respected because of such. For example, according to oral history, he was able to grab hold of electrical lines without getting electrocuted. And yes, although I do agree it seems like a tall tale, never have I seen so many people vouch for it. He wasn't a shaman, per se, and certinaly not a witch doctor or anything. He was just a very spiritual person, I suppose.

There was once a time where he and my grandmother (his daughter) went on a drive on their way home from school. See, a lot of spirits in the Philippines aren't malignant, so to say, not saying they can't be, but some of them are more on the mischievous side. My great grandfather famously communicated and was even friends with some of the spirits in Isabel (think Trese but less dark lmao). Of this were the forest spirits, I can't remember their name specifically, but I believe they are referred to as Anito in some provinces, or even Taotao or Diwata, of course, it depends on region. But that particular day, I guess they decided to play around with my great grandfather. Because he'd drive for a straight line for miles, but they wouldn't exit the forest, and it got to a point where my grandmother eventually said something along the lines of (and forgive me my tagalog is far from perfect) "Tatay, sa palagay ko naipasa na namin ang punong ito. Pupunta kami sa isang bilog?" which roughly translates to: "Dad, I think we've passed this tree a few times already. Are we going in a circle?" So, finally, my grandfather stepped out of his car and spoke to the spirits, essentially saying "you've had your fun, but now my daughter is scared. Please let us go home" and then, viola, a path straight out of the forest opened and my grandfather drove out of there to take my grandmother home.

Another thing I've learned from him is that he had something of a golden marble in his mouth. There's a lot of spiritual story to unpack with that one, but TL;DR it's the source of his strong spiritual energy. And it was so strong that it kept him alive. Long after he was supposed to be pronounced dead, he remained alive, but barely, even the doctors were confused. But when they told my grand-uncle about the marble they found, he quickly told them to leave it and not to touch it at all. According to old wives' tales, should anyone who the owner of the marble doesn't want to take it, well, takes it, they will face a life filled with immense bad luck. Thus, the siblings arrived to discuss who should take it. According to my great-grandfather's will, he wanted a certain one of his sons to take it. Said son, however, was too scared to do so, from what I heard he rejected the spirituality of that family. Thus, the eldest son decided to take it himself against the will of his father, but he only had the best intentions, he just wanted his father to finally rest. Needless to say, that oldest son lived a horrifically unlucky rest of his life. The marble, I believe, remains in the Philippines now under the care of one of my grandmother's cousins, but regardless it's an interesting story for those who are akin to the spiritual.

Either way, sometimes I wonder if I should look into my family history more, I've been meaning to look into the mythologies and the beliefs of the pre-colonial Filipinos, hell, even post-colonial Filipinos have some interesting beliefs. I can go on about the Encantos that the Spaniards encountered, some friendly and some not so much, and I can tell you stories about the encounters my own family had. But, that's a story for another day.