#so valid for calling this little freak a sweet creature

[loustyleshtommo]

I think we all know why Louis rarely shows up clean-shaven. He doesn’t age. The beard keeps his vampirism under the radar.

[rcdiostcrs]

carpenter bros reunion.

triggers: child abandonment, asph being a dick about sheamus being adopted (one line, but still)

Sheamus had been living in New Rome for about a year. Being surrounded by creatures his father told stories about and children of literal gods hadn’t even been the hard part of the year. Nor was the hard part being asked who his godly relation was only to explain that he was painfully human. The hard part was clinging to hope that Asph would one day cross the Little Tiber like so many other demigods who enter the city for the first time.

What would a fourteen-year-old version of his baby brother even look like? Would he still be swamped by fabric? Would he have grown lanky? Would he look like their mother or would he be unrecognizable? So much time had passed it was hard to even recall the seven-year-old’s face.

He was mid-conversation with his ex-guide and current best friend, Kira, when a commotion was heard outside.

“Someone new crossed. And it made a big splash,” she chugged the rest of her sparkling water (“You drink TV static?” Sheamus asked when she first ordered it. / “You don’t?” Kira responded, downing the glass in one go.) “Let’s go see, Mr. Hopeful.”

“I hate it when you call me that.” The mortal rolled his eyes before slamming back the last of his own drink—a much more sensible Coca-Cola—and following her.

By the time the pair had made it to the Little Tiber, the newbie had already crossed, receiving the cleansing. They collapsed, sending a pang through Sheamus. Curse his bleeding heart. When once he couldn’t care less about children, now there was a soft spot for them. A need to protect them from the horrors of the world. Too many had been through too much. Especially the demigods.

His eyes caught hair that was just-shy of a light brown. The pang worsened. That was his brother’s hair color. When the kid shook the water off, his eyes landed on a scar peaking out from their ear. While not one he remembered his brother having, there was the near-miss in the ER. (“This ID isn't valid, I can’t let you in.” / “Don’t tell anyone, I could lose my job, but he’s doing quite well for someone who took a lawn mower to the side of his head. Now leave.”)

“Hey, they look about the right age.” Kira’s voice was drowned out by the waves of regret. Sheamus had only been a teenager, unable to do anything, but he still felt that he had abandoned his sweet baby brother all those years ago. Was now the time to make it right?

~~

Asph had finally settled into the barracks when his new centurion joined him. “You are requested in the Fifth’s Meeting Hall.”

“The… where?”

They grabbed his wrist and marched out the door, dragging him with. They only let go upon arriving at said meeting hall. “Newbie’s here,” they shouted into the door as they shoved him in.

He regained his balance and stood straight up, hands behind his back. “I was told you needed to speak with me?”

“Damn, you look so much like him for not being blood,” a woman said. She was flicking a coin back and forth.

Instead of speaking, Asph tilted his head. What was she on about?

“Kira, you’re going to freak him out.” A man in his early twenties spoke up from right next to her.

Wait. Dressed only in blacks. Triangular head. Brown eyes. He was older than last seen, but it was clearly “Sheamus?”

“Seven years. Two of which I was stuck at home. Four of which I spent searching. The final one, I spent here. Waiting. Hoping.”

Asph’s confusion grew. “Why would you do that? It wasn’t like we were friends or anything. We aren’t even really related.”

Sheamus stepped back. “I may not have been the best at first, but you disappearing was the worst thing to ever happen to me.” He had wallowed for years, changed schools, leaving D.C. as soon as he could.

“You were such a sweet kid. What happened?”

“I was abandoned!” he exclaimed. “Without any explanation! That’s what happened.” Asph stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

[books-and-catears]

Just to be funny, let’s have the Brothers react to an MC who makes valid points or says really out of pocket things when they annoy or demean them. Literally the minute they comprehend what happened in the student council, they would go:

“So you randomly picked my basic ass for a program in the Devildom to mend the three realms without my knowledge or consent, while I’m around demons that could kill and eat me; yet your resolve is to have me stay with stronger demons that could still kill and eat me? 😐”

When Belphie’s on his whole “I hate humans, bleh bleh” bullshit. MC would say with a blank face:

“Bitch, I hate humans too. I know we suck but humans didn’t make Lilith fall for her dying lover and break the celestial rules to try and heal him. That’s on her and you need to sit down. 😑”

Everyone’s like: “MC can fix the brothers”

MC: Do I look like Bob the Builder? I can barely fix myself 🗿

Literally there’s so many things that need to be said unfiltered 😭

First of all I freaking love this so much. Like just reading your request has me wheezing. Thank you so much for this hope I can do this justice cause this is hilarious 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ah might contain spoilers from chapters 12 to 20.

Lucifer: *crushing their fingers* I swear MC if you do anything to hurt my family, I will not spare you.

MC: Lucifer with all due respect, I cannot even stop you from breaking my fragile human fingers. Do I look like someone who has the power or productivity to make some elaborate plan and go after seven most powerful demons of hell?

Lucifer: ...well I suppose that's fair.

_____________________________________

Mammon: Oi stupid human! Be more careful cause I can't be around to take care of you always!

MC: That's rich coming from a guy who has made so many bad decisions that he seems to be either in debt or be hung from the ceiling all the damn time. *Walks away*

Mammon: ....

Mammon: Oi, you didn't need to call me out like that!

__________________________________

Levi: MC I won't allow this! How dare you know more about TSL than me?!

MC: How can you possibly complain about being a LONELY otaku when you're clearly trying to kill the only person who understands your love for anime in this house?

Levi: ....uh oh.

___________________________________

Satan: How dare you refuse to make a pact with me? What are you even good for?

MC: Well certainly good enough for a powerful demon desperate enough to threaten me into making a pact with him?

Satan: ....listen here you sassy little shit-

___________________________________

Asmo: MC, your hair looks hideous! Did you not brush it at all?!

MC: Asmo I'm too busy trying to live in LITERAL hell crawling with ACTUAL DEMONS. Unless you have magic brush that gives me automatic defences, I doubt my visual appeal can be enough to save me.

Asmo: I disagree with what you said but I think your backtalk is sexy.

___________________________________

Beel: How could you eat my cream puff MC?! That was mine! Now I'll eat you up!

MC: First of all, I will most definitely taste DISGUSTING cause I have too many health issues my insurance didn't cover. Second of all, this isn't the bloody apocalypse - you can just buy another one from the bakery. *Tosses him another pastry*

Beel: ....Sorry MC.

___________________________________

Belphie: Humans are the most disgusting and selfish creatures. They all should die. If they never existed Lilith would still be here.

MC: Weren't you the one who got her interested in the human world in the first place? And things only went bad cause the human was dying. And while I do agree with the general distaste against humans - they didn't create themselves to be mortal, God did. So don't go pinning your daddy issues and misplaced anger issues on me. I was not even close to exisisting when all that happened.

Belphie: ..... I'm going back to sleep.

____________________________________

Diavolo: MC I've never met a human as capable as you. Only you can fix this chaotic household.

MC: Diavolo, you've been nothing but sweet to me, but do you seriously think I'm a bloody demon therapist?! Bro, I have years worth of trauma and issues of mine I'm yet to deal with and you think I'm capable of solving the domestic squabbles of seven immortal demons who have been around for literal millennias?

Diavolo: Uh...yes?

MC: Barbatos take me to your room I want to go back to the previous timeline.

[zarcake-writes]

Berries and Cinnamon

I like Karl Heisenberg. And I was in the mood for something sweet, loving, and slightly sad. Enjoy!

The village is quiet as a bitter wind whistle past the rickety homes and down the muddy little side streets. Most of the houses are dark; only smoke rising from chimneys to show proof of inhabitance. The outline of Castle Dimitrescu is barely visible against the gloomy night sky.

Karl Heisenberg is alone on the muddy streets. The farm animals that usually roam the village during the day have retreated to the safety of their homes. While the cold weather keeps the villagers inside.

He curls his lip when he passes one of the houses. The smell of animals and wet hay is a scent he cannot grow accustomed to. Most of the village reeks; the stench of decaying wet wood and shit is so oppressive it clings to his coat. Personally, Karl finds the entire place to be an affront to his senses.

But worst is the people. Pious fools who consistently grovel and pray at the feet of Mother Miranda; yet cower in fear at the sight of the Lords.

Alcina revels in the fear. It feeds her massive fucking ego. Donna refuses to interact with any except for the few who work in her house. And Moreau is a disgusting freak whose only concern is the occasional validation that Mother Miranda may give. Karl, though, is not sure if he wants to be feared or validated.

A harsh wind blows past him, shaking the trees and nearly taking the hat off his head.

Snow is in the air. And with it, the promise of a harsh winter.

The human villagers have been in a panic about having enough food and supplies for the coming season. Karl has heard plenty of prayers, seen the offerings to Mother Miranda and the Lords in the tiny church. A few brave villagers even approached his factory at one point, asking for metal scrap.

Reluctantly, he gave them a few sheets of metal.

The humans of the village may fear the coming winter. In an attempt to survive, they give offerings to a Mother Miranda, a fake god. Their stoves are stacked with logs, and they cower under moth-bitten blankets hoping to see next spring. Karl does not share their fear.

He revels in the sensation of the cold slicing through his coat. Cold so sharp it reminds Karl of rust-coated metal. The frost-cold ground seeps through his mud-drenched boots. And as chilled wind bites his cheeks, Karl feels almost human.

Almost.

As Karl comes to the edge of the village that borders up to the forest, he stops. The woods are dark, and the path is barely visible through the overgrown brush and ever reaching trees. There are no lamps or torches to light the way. There is not even a sign. Yet, a trail of smoke rising above the trees comes from deeper within the forest.

He enters the dark forest. Immediately, his eyes adjust to the gloom. Similar to the village, the woods are quiet and cold. The trees creak in the wind as an owl screeches, causing every small creature to scuttle into the brush for safety.

Karl dislikes the forest almost as much as the village. There is not enough metal that sings for his touch. Not enough metal that is eager to bend beneath his command. The trees do not listen to him, roots do not break, and every fucking stone gets caught under the toe of his boot. The only good thing is the smell. But even then, the forest smells too pure. He feels like a trespasser.

The path ends in a small clearing with a small cabin in the center. It is surrounded by the remains of a wooden fence that fell to ruin long ago. A chicken coop is behind the house. Karl cannot stop himself from sneering at the smell of chicken shit. A small raised garden in the front of the house.

The cabin looks abandoned, but the black smoke climbing out of the chimney says otherwise.

Karl’s heart speeds up as he approaches the cabin. The stone pathway beneath his feet is new.

The metal lock on the door sings out to Karl. It would be easy for him to unlock the door using his powers, but he promised to stop doing that. The key in his pocket will do just fine.

Inside, the cabin is warm. The slow-burning fire in the fireplace casts the room in a golden light as shadows dance on the wall. The scent of mashed berries and cinnamon lingers in the air.

All the irritation and anger that was bubbling beneath Karl’s skin melts away. A single word comes to his mind: home.

The cabin is small but decorated by someone who loves their home. Pictures of people Karl does not know to hang on the walls. The faces are familiar, and he has heard their stories, but he cannot remember their names. Knick knacks and precious items linger in every part of the room.

On the opposite side of the room is a small makeshift kitchen area that is too small for one person. The stove is old and partially broken, but the sink and cabinets are new. A vase of flowers sits on the dining table. Next to the table are two chairs; one is partially pulled out, while the other is tucked away. A pang shoots through Karl when he notices the jacket and items piled on the unused chair.

A small couch sits in front of the fireplace. A blanket is lazily thrown over the back.

To his right is a partially opened bedroom door.

Karl shrugs off his coat and hangs it on the coat rack near the door. A familiar jacket is the only other coat hanging. His hat goes up next. And his boots are placed next to a pair of feminine boots.

The floorboards creak beneath Karl’s weight.

“Fuck, shut up,” he whispers.

The floorboards do not listen.

As Karl pushes open the bedroom door, the hinges squeak. He freezes, expecting the room’s occupant to wake up. But the room is quiet. And the form in the bed does not move. Behind him, the fire crackles.

The bedroom is small. The bed, which can barely fit two people, takes up most of the space. A pile of clothes lay on the floor near the foot of the bed. Paintings of the ocean and a field of flowers dot the walls. Karl has spent countless hours memorizing every swirl and color of the paintings.

Tucked into the bed is a woman. She’s buried beneath several layers of blankets. Karl can smell the lingering dust on them.

The mere glimpse of her makes his heart speed up, and his hands grow clammy.

For the longest time, Karl hated that she made him feel like a young man who has never been near a pretty girl. He hated the sweaty palms and word vomit he spluttered. He felt so weak that he decided to avoid her. But he couldn’t stay away for long, and he could not imagine chasing her off.

She shifts in bed but does not wake up.

Karl pulls off his shirt, tossing it into the pile near her bed. He winces at the noise his necklaces around his neck make. Even when set onto the bedside table, they still make a jingling noise. Even his belt clinks as he undoes it.

But still, the noises he seems to constantly make do not wake her. Karl is grateful.

Karl pulls the blanket back. She’s curled up on her side wearing a thread-worn nightgown. Carefully, Karl climbs into bed with her. He gets as close as he dares. The sweetness that clings to her skin is dizzying. He can't stop himself from reaching out and placing his arm on her waist.��

She jolts at his touch and begins to move away. Karl hears her heartbeat speed up. He can smell the panic and fear already rising.

“Just me,” he rumbles in her ear.

She relaxes and leans into him. He feels the relief in her body.

“Karl,” she whispers.

He hums at the way she says his name. For the longest time, he detested his name. Karl. What the fuck is a Karl? Everyone else must agree that the name is terrible because no one calls him that, not even the family that Mother Miranda formed. Miranda herself hasn’t called him Karl since he was a child. For so long, he has been Lord Heisenberg.

But she calls him Karl. Karl. Karl. Karl. Karl. Whether she’s yelling at him, laughing with him, whispering to him in the darkness, or moaning his name with a reverence that should be saved for a church service, he loves how she says his name. He’s even begged her to never call him Lord Heisenberg, call him Karl. Only Karl. Karl. Karl.

“Karl?”

“Hm?”

“Did you hear me?”

“No.”

She rolls over in his arm to face him.

The orange glow of the fireplace slips through the cracked bedroom door, casting the faintest hint of light in the room. The curves and dips of her face are darkened, accentuating her features. The tip of her nose is highlighted, as is the plumpness of her cheeks. Her lips stand out the most. Karl has the urge to taste them, to taste her. But she can see the soft exhaustion in her eyes.

“I asked how your day was.”

It was shit, he thinks.

“Oh. It was fine,” he says.

Her eyes narrow. “Karl.”

He can’t keep her gaze. She knows him too well. Knows that when his jaw clenches, and he blinks twice that he is lying or avoiding the question.

But Karl can’t stop himself from lying to her about his day. He spent most of it with Mother Miranda and the other three Lords, so of course, it was a shit day. But he can’t tell her the truth because she will no doubt want to know why his day was shit. How can he tell her the religious leader of their village is a fucking cruel bitch? How would she react if he screamed about the other Lords? Moreau is fucking disgusting. And Angie is an annoying fucking freak. Not to mention the dick-cutting mega-bitch that is Alcina.

And worst is he can't explain to her that his shit interactions with the Lords and Mother Miranda were because of her. 

All the Lords and most of the village know that Karl Heisenberg has a sweetheart he's trying to keep a secret. Angie asks irritating questions. Alcina gets this unhinged look in her eyes. While Mother Miranda is silent on the topic, but Heisenberg knows she is plotting something. He could see it with the slightest tilt of her head. The only one who doesn’t bother Karl is Moreau.

The sinister glint in Alcina’s eyes combined with Mother Miranda’s silence made Karl’s skin crawl. He knows they can hurt her, kill her, or experiment on her. Karl knows he needs to make some kind of claim on the woman in his arms before those two bitches can act.  

Her hand cups his face, bringing Karl’s racing thoughts to a stop. He refuses to look at her. His face will reveal too much. She whispers his name, so soft and sweet, and he cannot refuse her anymore.

He meets her gaze, and she sees it all. The anger, hate, pain, and fear burned in him. But she does not push him away, only smiles and runs her thumb along his cheekbone. Her hands are gentle but worn from working in her garden behind the house.

“I will not pry for details, Karl. But you can be honest with me. I won’t judge you for having a bad day. We all have them.”

“I haven’t just had a bad day, sweetheart.” He clasps her hand that is still holding his cheek. “I’ve had a bad life.”

His voice cracks at the end. Body growing hot with embarrassment and fear of her judging him for the emotion that screams for release in his chest, Karl looks away. He cannot bear to see the rejection in her eyes. 

But her silence is loud. Karl's ears begin to ring as his body grows hotter and hotter. He wants to scream for her to say something, anything. He wants her to push him away now for being a weak, broken man.

She does none of that. She sits up in bed, making sure to keep a hand on Karl, and readjusts her pillows. When she lays back down, she is sitting up. She smiles and opens her arms, welcoming him home.

Karl curls around her body, nuzzling his face into her chest. The tears in his eyes bleed onto her nightgown. If she feels the dampness grow on her chest or feel his trembling against her, she says nothing. She is silent as fingers moving gently against his skin. And slowly, the overwhelming emotion that nearly consumed Karl fizzles out until it is all gone.

“Your tits are soft,” he mumbles eventually.

She snorts. “Kind of like your gut.”

“Your tits aren’t hairy like my gut though.”

“And my tits are probably quieter. No grumbling from digestion.”

He hums in agreement. The only sound from her chest is the gentle beating of her heart.

“Go to sleep,” she whispers.

He opens his mouth to reply, but her fingers begin to move up and down his bareback. Nails that she keeps short and blunt leave soft trails along his back, taking care to ghost over the numerous scars. He can’t form a response, only hum at the sensation.

“Go to sleep, Karl,” she whispers again.

Her hands move up towards his head. She gently pulls at his hair, starting from the ends before pulling at the base of the strands. And with gentle fingers, she brushes through the knots in his hair, careful to not yank or hurt him.

Being in her arms is the closest thing Karl has ever been to having a home. Mother Miranda was no mother. And the other Lords are not his siblings. They are no family, just pawns that Mother Miranda will use as she pleases.

And used him she did. She took everything from him, turned him into a monster by making him perform terrible experiments. He’s numb to the monstrous things he has done and continues to do, that Karl does not feel human. Fuck, he hasn’t been human in so long.

But in this tiny cabin, in the arms of the woman he loves, Karl has a home and a family. And he feels human.

[lunasilvermorny]

So let’s talk about Luna and Liz...

@nikyiscreepy​​ sent me an ask following this post and I thought it’s a good opportunity to finally post about what happened between Luna and Liz.

(Also, thank you for enjoying Luna x Rath content. It’s one of my favorite ships and I love that people feel the same way!)

Anyway, don’t worry, the whole Liz situation has plenty of angst in it too.

So I wrote some dialogues a while back and it sums everything up pretty well.

But before we go there, I want to point something out.

Luna was “the bad guy” in this situation, but she wasn’t malicious. Remember that at the time she was only 14 and still trying to figure out how to handle her polyamorous nature. Writing about a 14 y.o. that has everything figured out is unrealistic, especially when she has so little life experience regarding her love-life at this point.

So... don’t hate Luna for this, that’s the bottom line. Yes, she’s an arse, but she got better.

Anyway, it’s a really long one, so prepare yourself:

------------------------------------------------------------

Year 4.

*Liz caught Luna staring*

Luna: I'm sorry, I swear I'm not a creep. I'm just… I'm sorry.

Liz: You're Penny's friend, right? The one that likes Bowtruckles.

Luna: To be fair, Billywigs were a close second.

Liz: *laughed* Wait, aren't you also-?

Luna: The cursed-vaults girl? Yes.

Liz: -the one that calls Professor Kettleburn "Papa"?

Luna: That's me.

Liz: Why Papa?

Luna: Because he is, that's just an indisputable law of nature.

Liz: *laughed again*

Luna: You have a really cute laugh.

Liz: *blushing* Um, okay. Thanks?

Luna: You don’t really like compliments, do you?

Liz: I'm just not used to it.

Luna: Are you hungry by any chance?

Liz: I was actually planning to go to the library first.

Luna: Come on, I'll go there with you after we grab something to eat.

--

Luna: So what do you do for fun?

Liz: *shrugged* Scare people away by talking about magical creatures all the time?

Luna: Girl, don't toy with me. I can literally – and yes, I mean literally – talk about creatures for hours.

Liz: Even you'd get bored eventually.

Luna: Seriously, just ask Charlie.

Liz: Oh, I've talked to him earlier. I love his dragons facts.

Luna: We once stayed up all night talking about dragons.

Liz: Really? Hmm... let’s see. What do you think about the mistreatment of fairies?

Luna: Oh, Lizard. You better clear your entire schedule for today, because this is going to take a while.

--

*A few months later*

Luna: Jeez, you're so damn cute, I can’t take my eyes off of you.

*Liz blushed, frozen in her seat*

Luna: I'm sorry, I did it again, didn’t I? It just slipped.

Liz: No, no. *she cleared her throat* It's fine.

Luna: I don't have a filter when it comes to people I like, yet.

*Liz froze again*

Luna: Just like now. Wow, I'm sorry. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me.

Liz: It's not that…

Luna: Are you sure? Because your face radiates heat more than a burning cooker.

Liz: *cleared her throat again* I'm just…

Luna: Let's just drop it, then. Do you think Papa would be impressed if I prepared an essay about Chimaeras?

Liz: …

Luna: I mean, I already made one about Bowtruckles, so I’m trying to up my game.

Liz: …

Luna: Look, you don’t have to worry. I know we're just friends. I'd never cross the line, I promise.

Liz: *with cracked voice* Maybe… a quiet place…

Luna: Okay. Let's go.

*In the artifact room*

Luna: What's wrong?

Liz: It's just… I never told anyone…

Luna: Oh my god, you were the Chimaera all along!

*This caught Liz off guard and she burst out laughing*

Luna: I know, I'm hilarious.

*Luna stopped smiling when she saw tears coming out of Liz's eyes*

Luna: Hey, hey *she wrapped her arms around her* Liz, what's wrong?

*It took Liz a few minutes to calm down*

Liz: I don't know how to say it.

Luna: Whatever it is, you can tell me.

Liz: I- I know.

Luna: Whenever you're ready. Although, I will resort to stupid jokes in case of a long awkward silence.

*Liz let out a faint laugh and crossed her arms, avoiding Luna's gaze*

Liz: I'm gay.

Luna: …

Liz: I… I'm already weird enough-

Luna: What are you talking about? You're the coolest girl I know. After me, of course.

Liz: I’m serious-

Luna: Me too.

Liz: *looked a bit irritated* Well, not everyone shares your view of me.

Luna: Then they’re morons.

Liz: *shook her head* You don’t know what it’s like.

Luna: I mean… I am bi and I’ve experienced-

Liz: It’s not the same.

Luna: It doesn’t have to be the exact same experience for me to relate.

Liz: You're that cute bi-girl that will probably end up with a guy anyway…

Luna: Rude!

Liz: And even if you don’t, you’re popular enough that people wouldn’t mind. I’m not like that. I’m a freak.

Luna: You’re just feeling a bit self conscious-

Liz: Luna, stop.

Luna: But I don’t care-

Liz: Luna.

Luna: …

Liz: I like you, a lot.

Luna: *smiled* That’s a good thing, Lizard.

*Liz shook her head*

Luna: You know how I feel, why are you acting like it’s a bad thing?

Liz: Because it won’t last. For you, I'm just that nerdy girl that is an easy conquest-

Luna: Lizard!

Liz: That you’d get bored of once you find the right guy-

Luna: LIZARD!

*Liz fell silence*

*Luna looked at her angrily*

Luna: First of all, I'm not just bi for fun. I know exactly how it is to be confused and out of place. At least people will see your sexuality as something valid.

Liz: I didn't mean to offend-

Luna: Second, I don't know if you think I'm that shallow or you're just extremely insecure, but you're not a bloody conquest.

Liz: …

Luna: *in a calmer tone* I get that you’re afraid, but I genuinely like you for who you are.

Liz: I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to attack you. You just wouldn’t understand. I’m getting bullied enough as it is, if people knew I’m gay-

Luna: Then I’d have to curse anyone who gives you a hard time.

Liz: I’m being serious.

Luna: So am I.

Liz: Thanks you, but… for now, it’s enough for me that you’re the only one who knows.

Luna: Fine by me, Lizard.

---

Luna: You know, nothing’s changed.

Liz: Even after everything I’ve said?

Luna: Come on, I can't stay mad at you.

*Luna got closer and stopped only a few cm away from Liz's face*

Luna: I really like you.

*Liz swallowed loudly*

*Luna kissed her softly and after a few seconds, Liz kissed her back*

Barnaby: Luna?

*Liz pulled away in panic*

Barnaby: Liz?

Luna: Puppy, what are you doing here?

Barnaby: We were supposed to study in the library.

Luna: Oh shit, I totally forgot.

Barnaby: Were you two-?

Liz: No!

Luna: Puppy, let's talk outside. *she turned to Liz* I'll be right back.

*Barnaby and Luna left the room*

Barnaby: I thought-

Luna: Puppy, you can't tell anyone, okay? I’m serious. She's still in the closet.

Barnaby: Really? I was sure I saw her sitting on the desk.

Luna: …

Luna: I meant, no one knows she's… you know.

Barnaby: So you were kissing.

Luna: Well, yeah.

*He looked hurt*

Barnaby: Oh.

Luna: What's wrong, Angel?

Barnaby: I was hoping that we…

Luna: Oh, Puppy, it doesn't change anything.

Barnaby: What do you mean?

Luna: I still like you.

Barnaby: But you like Liz too.

Luna: I can like more than one person.

Barnaby: Really? Because I don't like anyone else.

Luna: Come on, girls hit on you all the time.

Barnaby: Yes, but they're not you.

Luna: *sighed* I thought we were on the same page.

Barnaby: I'm not sure, I left my books in the library.

Luna: Look, can we talk about it later? Meet me in Jacob's room after dinner.

Barnaby: Okay.

*They hugged and then he left. When Luna turned to go back to the empty classroom, she saw Liz looking at her*

Liz: I'm sorry, I couldn’t resist... I've heard what you said.

Luna: Sorry about that, everything happened so fast, I didn't have the time to let him know.

Liz: So that's why you're meeting him later?

Luna: Yes, of course. He deserves an explanation.

*Liz looked relieved*

*They kissed again*

Liz: I'm so glad you said that, I thought for a second that you'll choose him over me.

Luna: What?

Liz: I know, I know. My insecurities.

Luna: Why would I choose either of you over the other?

Liz: *her smile faded away* Because we're… I thought…

Luna: What?

Liz: *taking a few steps back* Call me naive, but I thought you kissed me because you wanted to be my girlfriend.

Luna: Oh. Lizard, I thought you knew. I thought everyone knows by now. I'm not interested in a relationship.

Liz: So why did you… why always tell me how much you like me and…?

Luna: Because I do like you.

Liz: But not enough to be my girlfriend.

Luna: No, no. You got it all wrong. It doesn't change the way I feel about you, I just… really like Barnaby too. I was sure that piece of gossip reached everyone by now.

Liz: I'm not really into gossip.

Luna: Damn, I'm sorry. I feel like a total arsehole.

Liz: I knew it… How is this not a conquest?!

Luna: I have real feelings for you.

Liz: I don't think you do.

Luna: Look, I get it, my bad. I should have told you about Barnaby. Lesson learned. Can we just talk about it?

Liz: I think we talked enough.

Luna: Liz, come on.

Liz: Leave me alone. *she ran away*

Luna: Liz! Dammit, Lizard!

--------------------------------------

Okay, there’s a whole lot more to it, but this post is already very long, so if you want to keep going, it’ll be after the “read more” bar.

If you had enough - hope you enjoyed the angst. And remember, Luna got better.

----------------------------------------

Luna: Is it just me or are people giving me weirder looks than usual?

Penny: …

Luna: Hello?

Penny: …

Luna: Who am I talking to, myself?

Penny: You know, I'm not that close with Liz, but everyone can agree she's a very sweet girl.

Luna: I agree.

Penny: That’s why people thought it was weird when she came back to her dorms last night, sobbing.

Luna: Oh, no.

Penny: Oh, yes. Luna Katerina Silver, what did you do?

Luna: That not how you pronounce- never mind.

Penny: Well?

Luna: Well what?

Penny: What did you do?

Luna: I didn't think… I wasn't… How is she now?

Penny: She's fine.

Luna: …

Penny: So?

Luna: I'm not going to tell you, you'll tell it to everyone in the castle.

Penny: Maybe you should tell me, because there are a lot of rumors floating around. Some of them are really nasty.

Luna: I wonder who started them.

Penny: I would never do that to Liz.

Luna: Oh, please.

Penny: Trust me, you want me to spread the truth as fast as possible.

Luna: I can't!

Penny: Why not?

Luna: Because it's not my secret to share!

Penny: You mean that she's gay?

Luna: How did you-?

Penny: You know how.

Luna: But I'm the only one she's told!

Penny: People think you-

Luna: What? Did what? We just kissed! Is that a crime?

Penny: What?! You kissed?!

Luna: Yeah, obviously. That’s why people were being nasty about it, because we’re both girls… Right?

Penny: Who said anything about that?

Luna: It was implied!

Penny: No, people just assumed you made her uncomfortable with your flirting.

Luna: Jesus Christ, Penny. That was a freaking trap!

Penny: I mean, I know she's gay, but most people don't. So you two really kissed?

Luna: You're such a snake!

Penny: Yeah, yeah. So if it was just an innocent kiss, how come it ended up in tears?

Luna: Because… because she might have got the impression that.. we are a couple.

Penny: Oh my god, Luna.

Luna: And then Barnaby walked in and one thing led to another and I told her that I'm interested in both of them.

Penny: Seriously, how can you be so smart yet so dumb at the same time?

Luna: Who doesn't know by now that Barnaby and I are a thing?

Penny: A loner, maybe?

Luna: Jesus, I feel so guilty.

Penny: You should.

Luna: Wow, I must have really screwed up, if you're acting all high and mighty.

Penny: It's bad, Luna. You really hurt her.

Luna: Thank you for reminding me.

Penny: I know you're still figuring it out, but it's not okay to just play with other people's emotions-

Luna: I heard you! Can you stop lecturing me? I told you already that I feel bad!

Penny: Well, you deserve it.

Luna: …

Penny: Maybe this would teach you a lesson.

Luna: Who the fuck are you to talk? You basically did the same thing to me a year ago.

Penny: It was completely different. I wanted a fake kiss, I didn't pretend I'm interested in a relationship with you.

Luna: I wasn't pretending! I really like her!

Penny: Also, you’re emotionally crippled. You must know she deserves better than you.

Luna: I'm not-!

Penny: You are.

Luna: Fuck off.

Penny: Yeah, yeah.

--

Luna: I mean, it's not my fault, right?

Charlie: …

Luna: Right?

Charlie: I don't think you hurt her on purpose.

Luna: Oh god, not you too.

Charlie: It's Liz, Luna. How could you do this to her?

Luna: Everyone knows about my thing with Barnaby! How was I supposed to know she had no idea?

Charlie: You should have mentioned it, at least.

Luna: Fine, you're right. But why does everyone act like I'm a monster? I wasn't trying to mess this up.

Charlie: Like I've said, I don't think you hurt her on purpose.

Luna: But you think I'm still the arsehole in this situation.

Charlie: You words, not mine… but yes.

--

Luna: Well? You're not going to say anything? I know you want to.

Rowan: What are you talking about?

Luna: The Liz situation.

Rowan: What Liz situation?

Luna: Really, that's how you want to play it? Fine then, there's nothing to say.

Rowan: Exactly.

Luna: Good.

Rowan: Although-

Luna: Here we go.

Rowan: *sighed* What were you thinking, Luna?

Luna: Thanks for having my back.

Rowan: You made her cry.

Luna: It wasn't intentional!

Rowan: Are you sure?

Luna: What the hell are you implying?

Rowan: I mean, you dumped Bill-

Luna: Because of you, you prick!

Rowan: I never asked you to.

Luna: …

Rowan: Then you string Barnaby along.

Luna: I'm not-!

Rowan: Then you kiss Liz behind Barnaby's back?

Luna: What do you mean behind his back? We're not together!

Rowan: I'm just saying, you're acting like the victim, but you’re the one who created these situations to begin with.

Luna: How can you say that?

Rowan: Just look at the facts.

Luna: Your facts are wrong!

Rowan: My facts are-

Luna: Your facts are wrong!

Rowan: -not wrong. They are not. I always rely on logic-

Luna: You're full of shit.

Rowan: -and reason. Look, you can get mad at me all you want, but you wouldn't have been this emotional if you didn’t think I, at the very least, have a point.

Luna: …

Luna: God, I feel so guilty.

Rowan: See? I'm right.

Luna: What can I do to fix it?

Rowan: Just leave her alone for now.

Luna: But-

Rowan: Seriously, Luna. Leave her alone.

--

Bill: Hey, what's wrong?

Luna: Haven't you heard the news? Apparently, I'm Satan.

Bill: …

Luna: I'm evil.

Bill: Why?

Luna: You really haven’t heard about what happened with Liz?

Bill: I might have heard something, but I prefer not to listen to rumors.

Luna: Well, you're the only one.

Bill: At least you feel remorse, that means you can’t be that bad.

Luna: Oh, Jesus… Thank you, mate. I really needed to hear that-

Bill: Even if you're not coming off as the best person, either.

Luna: I thought you don't listen to rumors.

Bill: I don’t.

Luna: Fine, let's just change to subject.

--

*About a week later*

Liz: Hi…

Luna: *surprised* Hi! How are you?

Liz: I'm fine… Mind if I sit here?

Luna: Please!

*Liz sat next to her*

Liz: I know you had a pretty rough week.

Luna: Don't worry about it.

Liz: I didn't say anything, I swear.

Luna: Lizard, seriously. You have nothing to apologize for.

Liz: So I guess my secret is out.

Luna: Fuck, I'm so sorry.

Liz: It's okay. Weirdly enough, people weren't that horrible about it.

Luna: …

Liz: Some girls were mean, but the general approach was surprisingly accepting.

Luna: Who? Was it Merula? Do you want me to punch her?

Liz: *laughed* No, no. She was weirdly supportive. Well, maybe supportive is an exaggeration, but she hasn't made fun of me about it even once and I'm her favorite punching bag.

Luna: Who, then?

Liz: It doesn't matter.

Luna: …

Liz: We're okay. I don't hold anything against you.

Luna: You should. Liz, I feel like such a prick. I should've told you about Barnaby from the start.

Liz: Well… yes.

Luna: So, are we still friends?

Liz: It was starting to get a bit boring in CoMC.

Luna: Right? Even Papa noticed!

Liz: He and I actually had a really good talk.

Luna: Did you, now?

Liz: Don't be jealous.

Luna: Me, jealous? Don’t be ridiculous… But did he mention me or..?

Liz: *laughed* I just wanted to tell you that we're cool. You don't have to hide from me anymore.

Luna: Are you sure?

Liz: Yep. We’re better off as friends, anyway.

Luna: Fair enough.

--------------------------------------------

And now you know.

But their friendship healed and they because very good friends afterward, so at least it ended well.

[theonetheycallhannah]

A Mage’s Beginning-Part One

Summary: Anathema of Velena is sent by the Brotherhood of Sorcerers to a kingdom already decimated by a mighty beast when she happens upon another. One who saves her life…as she saves his.

Pairing: Geralt/OFC (Anathema of Velena)

Word Count: 5k

Rating/Warnings: M for language, discussion of mature themes and situations, alcohol consumption, violence, and reflection on a particularly shitty childhood that could be triggering. Body image triggers. No smut for now. Also, warning that it’s stupid long and only half done! Wow! I’m super sorry! Anathema is kind of a long winded little witch.

Inspiration: Netflix’s The Witcher, that sweet, sweet Cavill bod, and the chocolatey crunch of his “Geralt voice!” (idk why, but that’s the imagery for me. Lol!) Also, Ana inspired by the badassness of Anya Chalotra as Yen, the powerful vulnerability of Anna Shaffer as Triss, and the poise and grace of MyAnna Brunning as Tissaia…I honestly can’t believe that the name Anathema is a total coincidence now. Especially considering that my name…is Hannah, a version of all of these. It just came to me as a cool name.

Author’s Note: Like most of my OFCs (and honestly, even EFCs), Anathema is loosely based on myself. She reacts how I feel I would (or sometimes hope I would) in her situation. For those of you who read “Shape of Her” you’ll know that I’m chubby. Anathema was, as well, before her transformation, and she talks about what it was like for her as a child and adolescent growing up. For me, this was a deeply personal thing to write about. I don’t usually talk about the effect my weight has always had and continues to have on my mental health. I’m very fortunate that, unlike Anathema, I have loving parents that have never treated me this way. But in an odd way, their “help” and concern for my physical health has created this sort of villainous aspect of them in my mind, and I suppose that comes out in Ana’s mother here. At any rate, I should probably go back to a counselor about it, but that’s tough during a pandemic and with my work hours. So I write about it, and I guess there ends up being a bit of validation for her/me when Geralt shows interest (and maybe takes that further in part two...no spoilers here!). Not that any of it’s completely healthy, but at least it’s kinda cathartic and fun in the moment if you don’t think too hard about it. I hope the monologue doesn’t bog you down and make you lose interest. If it does, just skip it. It won’t hurt my feelings.

Also, I’m sure my spells are total baloney compared to what’s in the books and deffo to what’s in the show. I just wanted to write something down to sort of show the power being expelled by Ana. These are probably way more Hogwarts than Aretuza! Lol!

Tag List: @sunflowersstan @mylittlepartofthegalaxy @mstgsmy @lareinedususpense @geekycanuck and @littlefreya (omg it let me tag you this time, Freya!) I didn’t tag some of you that I tagged before in Shape of Her, just because I didn’t know if that was something you wanted. (basically, if I didn’t get a concrete response one way or the other, or I wasn’t fairly sure you’d want a tag, I didn’t tag you. I still love all of you!) Please let me know if you want to be tagged or if you want me not to tag you in things! I will not be offended! Also, this is not smutty. It’s pre-smut. lol!

Anathema of Velena was a mage of little renown. Powerful enough, but nothing compared to someone such as Yennefer of Vengerberg. She had worked so hard at Aretuza and all Rectoress Tissaia de Vries could manage to tell her most days was “You could not organize a pair of gloves, Ana. How do you expect to be able to control chaos? I’m not even convinced you have any chaos in you.” She turned away, calling the five other girls out of the lightning tower, some of whom had ampules filled with crackling white light. The rest were in various states of injury from singes to limps. Anathema…well, she had nothing. The lightning didn’t come near her. She left the tower without a prize, but filled with shame, uninjured from the typical failed attempt. She didn’t know why it was worse, but it very much was.

It took her years to finally get over that day.

Her first assignment the brotherhood sent her on was, well, it hardly mattered now, because the city, the whole kingdom was now rent by some foul beast. She’d been sent to help. But had arrived too late. She heaved one of her deeper sighs. “Fuck.” She let out audibly. She’d have to make camp. For the third night. At least. Maybe it was the fifth. She wasn’t certain. But it seemed like too long. She dismounted her chestnut mare, Clove, and started to get her supplies down for her modest tent. Modest, meaning that it appeared modest to the casual observer.

Inside, however, when she’d cast her enchantments, it was almost like home, complete with a full bed, soaking tub, fireplace, table, chairs, and a lovely lounge with a settee and chaise. One of her favorite things about Magic was being able to pack heavy while still traveling light. She was even able to bring a small book collection.

She’d just finished setting everything up and was casting the necessary protective enchantments to the perimeter of her site when she heard a rustle in the bushes about twenty yards away. She attempted to remain calm, but was terrified. She carried only a small silver dagger and a steel short sword that she rubbed with a silver infused oil which she made when she came across good silver and decent tallow. It wore off, but the silver oiled blade was a good compromise when you couldn’t carry both silver and steel. What was she, a fucking Witcher? Anyway, she drew her dagger, but conjured a revelatory wall around her so she could see who or what was out there hunting her. She prayed it wasn’t a kikimore. Anything but a kikimore, she thought. Those shits gave her the creeps. Give her an iron toothed wyvern, or the king of dragons, himself. She could conjure in battle against the best of beasts born of magic, but those insects…no.

There came a keening howl unlike anything she’d ever heard. A drowning scream that almost sounded like it was coming from under the water. Then too many pairs of glowing green eyes started appearing from said bushes. They were horrifying lizard-fish people. And they were walking toward her camp. It would be all too soon that they would walk through the invisibility shield as she hadn’t been able to cast any deflective measures yet. They’d breach her camp in minutes if she didn’t act. She prepared to cast a fire spell on them, hoping that would work, when she heard a deep male voice behind her growl an order.

“Get down! Hide!” Pardon me? She thought. This guy didn’t know who he was dealing with.

It appeared though that she didn’t, either.

The voice had come from a very tall and amply muscled horseman. He wore no armor, only a dark linen tunic tucked into leather breeks, and tall black boots. All was weathered and smelled heavily of horse, ale, and sweat. He quickly dismounted in that way that some men do in which they swing their leg over the horse’s head instead of around the rear. This was the way that, even in her terror, made her feel an unfamiliar but pleasant stirring in the pit of her stomach.

His hair, which she had presumed blonde at first, she noted now to be silvery grey, and well past his shoulders. Maybe longer than her own. He grabbed a sword from the large sheath on his saddle and stalked toward the oncoming rabble of sodden predators.  

She thought…she might have been mistaken but she was fairly sure he’d grabbed a steel sword. Steel would not be very effective on these monsters, if she had sized them up right. She looked to his saddle, seeing the hilt of another blade there. She stepped toward it and slid it out to reveal that this was precisely what had happened. He’d grabbed the wrong weapon in his haste. Well. He was dead. She grabbed the silver sword, sheathing her dagger, and marching toward the scrum around the well-meaning muscle head.

“Selectum ignitus!” She chanted as she wrought her hand in the corresponding motion. This spell burned only victims she chose, leaving others unharmed. It had only stunned these creatures, but it was enough time to allow her would-be hero to catch a small break from his blunder. His thick neck was still in the spindly clutches of one of the largest fish men, apparently less susceptible to fire than the others. Ana stepped up behind him, and with the silver sword, sliced his head clean off at the neck.

“Here.” She said as she tossed him the weapon, the steel sword somewhere on the forest floor to be found later. “They’re waking back up.”

“Mmm.” He mumbled. Right. He was welcome. All this gratitude was just making her blush.

They fought well together, surprisingly. She with her magic and dagger, and he with his signs and sword. She could feel it when he cast them. She noticed him using Aard, so she started casting more similar spells herself. The skirmish was over in minutes. All of the beasts had fallen and she looked at her newfound comrade, both of them covered in blood and muck.

“That was…fun!” She said, in earnest.

“Hmm.” He responded. As if to say, sure, whatever, freak. And began hovering over the corpses, rummaging in his satchel.

“So…these handsome fellows. I’ve never come across them.” She waited a beat, hoping he’d just answer her, knowing that’s what she meant for him to do. Oh, okay. This wasn’t the kind of guy he was. Fair. “What are they?”

“Drowners. Bigger ones are called drowned dead. They come out of the nearby bodies of water.”

How nice. Surely she wouldn’t have any nightmares about that. She'd heard of drowners, as a coastal dweller, but had been fortunate enough to never see one. Until tonight.

“And…not that it’s my business, but…you’re doing what exactly?”

He sighed. “These remains have a lot of useful potion ingredients. I never waste a kill if I can help it. Ginatz’s Acid doesn’t grow on trees, does it?”

“No tree I’ve ever seen, no.” She laughed. He didn’t. Well. This guy would just be a barrel of fun, it seemed. But he did just try to save her life. She should attempt to repay him that kindness. Even if he failed a bit at first, she didn’t know what she would have done if he hadn’t been there.

“Hey, I have a few more spells to do before my camp is fortified for the night, but then I was going to have some dinner in my tent. I have plenty, if you’d like to join. As a thank you for helping me tonight.”

“Camp?”

“Tempora Portia.” She swept her arm down to create a window in the cloaking spell so he could see her camp in the clearing.

He saw the small tent, that looked as though barely two people could lie down in it, much less sit for a meal.

He eyed her warily. “I think you’ll be lucky enough to eat in there by yourself with just a bowl and a spoon.”

“Ever heard of not judging a book by its cover?” She asked. “Trust me. I have a plump pheasant, some really delicious herbs I got on the way here from Aretuza, and some lovely wine! I’ve been saving it until I got here to share with the court, but…” she looked sheepishly at the ruined city on the hillside. “You’re clearly the only surviving citizen, Sir….”

“Geralt. Just Geralt. I’m not a citizen. I was commissioned to come here, just as you were. Only I was sent by…the neighbors…to eliminate the threat before it reached them, too.”

“Right. Geralt. I’m Anathema of Velena. Nice to meet you, and thank you for saving my life tonight.”

“Anathema, thanks for saving mine. And I guess, I’ll take you up on dinner.”

~~~~~~

She told him to finish his scavenging, and cast a charm onto him and his horse, Roach, to allow them to enter through her custom enchantments.

When she was finished securing her campsite, she went inside her tent to clean up. She conjured lots of warm fragrant water into her copper tub. It would have been more relaxing had she not been covered in the muck of battle. The drowner guts were slimy like fish entrails on her skin and in her hair. She was fairly certain that she also had blood from both her own wounds and Geralt’s spattered across what skin had been exposed during the fight.

She reached for her sponge and a bar of soap that smelled of lilac, one of her favorites, and scrubbed until all of the muck, mud, and blood was gone from her skin and hair.

She felt a telltale shudder come from the perimeter of her camp, indicating that her would-be rescuer and his steed had stepped through them. She had put up sheer modesty curtains somewhat arbitrarily, but today she was glad for them. She had just stepped out of the tub and was fully naked when Geralt entered.

“Erm.” He cleared his throat simultaneously announcing his presence and asking if he could come in. She must applaud him for his excellent communication skills.

“Come on in, I’ll be right there.”

She donned a simple, modest wrap dress that went well beyond the duty of a bath robe and looked infinitely more chic, and piled her damp, dark hair into a messy coil high on her head.

“So glad you could join me. Did you get everything you wanted from the creatures?”

“Everything they could give me. Yes.”

“Good. Well, I’ve not started dinner yet, but it won’t be very long. Why don’t you have a bath? You look like you’ve been riding for weeks with no sleep and you’re caked in the muck of a dozen battles like the one we were just in. I’ll clean and mend your clothes, too.”

“I’m fine thank you.��

“Oh, please? You’ll enjoy dinner so much more if you’re not concerned with how you smell…plus my table isn’t so big that…I couldn’t smell you too.” She giggled. “So as a courtesy to your cook and table mate?”

She looked at him with her doe eyes. Maybe that would work. She loved helping people and making them feel better. She thought he was restraining a smirk. He complied with a grunt and a nod.

“Splendid. I’ll get you some wine, too. I love wine with a bath! Don’t you!?”

“That and silence.” Point taken. She’d let him relax.

He stood in the corner of the bathing alcove as she conjured bath water for him.

“Agua fragra fieretta.” she spoke, and the tub filled with steamy water that smelled like spearmint, cedar, and a hint of lavender. Her own had smelled so different. She hadn’t realized it seemed to change depending on who you were drawing the bath for, never having done so for anyone but herself.

She dug around for a sandalwood soap and a new sponge and set them out for him on the small side table.

“Here you are. I’ll be right back with your penis! I mean, woah. Sorry.” She had turned around at the wrong moment. She knew he’d been taking off his shirt when she was rummaging. But she assumed modesty would mandate that he wait for her to leave before removing his trousers. She had been mistaken. He stood there as naked as the day the midwife pulled him from his mother, hands on his hips just like it was the most blasé thing to ever happen.

“It’s fine. I don’t really think about being shy anymore. Sorry. My clothes are on that stool if you want them. Thanks.”

“Right, great. I’ll be right back with a towel and wine. That’s what I was going to say before. And yeah, then I’ll see what I can do for those clothes.”

She left, procured the wine and a towel, and hurried back, placing the cup audibly on the table so she didn’t have to speak to him. She was so embarrassed. She grabbed his clothes and sat them on the settee for later. She was somehow both glad and disappointed that he did not acknowledge her.

Now, she needed to work on dinner. She’d gotten a lovely pheasant this afternoon with her bow. She’d been gathering fragrant herbs of all kinds along her journey and had traded some of them at market for potatoes, carrots, garlic and pearl onions. She prepped the pheasant, stuffing it with the vegetables, herbs, and some salt and pepper, and rubbed it down on the outside with some olive oil and seasoning. She placed it in her camp oven to cook in the infused oil and its own juices, basting it every so often.

She magically cleaned and mended Geralt’s clothes and tried unsuccessfully not to think about the body that they covered. His arms were as thick as the average man’s legs and his legs were not unlike tree trunks, albeit much more shapely. His chest was monolithic with two great pecs and six well-defined abs. He was also perfectly hairy. No one would confuse him with a bear, but this was definitely no boy. No boy, at all. And Mother Melitele herself would weep at the sight of the cock on this man. Long. At least halfway down his thigh. She didn’t get that good a look, but she thought it was veiny. And it was definitely thick…although she couldn’t compare it to much. To anything, really. Not even the instruments used on her the day she ascended to her current state of perfection. She'd been given powerful herbs to sedate her until the transformation was complete.

She’d arrived at Aretuza a sluggish and overweight wallflower with tiny breasts. When she went over her desires for her new form with the “miracle worker” as she liked to call him, she asked him to upgrade her in every way he could, but to keep her eyes the same shade of green they’d always been. She’d felt that the eyes were too directly attached to the soul and to change them was going too far. The rest, however, was fair game.

And this was her first assignment since her ascension, so she hadn’t been anywhere but her home, which was an unforgiving place, and Aretuza. Little opportunity for romance had presented itself. And she wasn’t even sure how romance would go for her at this point. Were mages adored for their power? Beauty? Or who they were as people independent of those attributes? Was that all she was now? A beautiful magician? She suddenly felt a small pang of regret.

Her eyes shifted involuntarily now to the bath partition. Must have been the movement she caught out of the corner of her eye. Geralt was taking a drink of wine, a very long drink, and when he set the goblet back down, he leaned his head back with a contented sigh. She took the clothes back to the stool when she’d finished, smiled at the scarred, and incredibly heroic man before her, and popped away to finish dinner.

~~~~~~~

She busied herself setting the table with modest candles, and conjuring an extra setting for Geralt. She filled a pitcher with an “agua potum” spell and put her wine vessel out. As she was tabling the pheasant, her eye caught movement again in the “bath room.” Geralt had gotten out of the tub and was drying off. His back was no less impressive than his front and his ass was like a fresh, crisp apple. She’d always loved apples. In her dreamy haze, she'd come too close to the hot camp oven and burned her hand. She let out a whispered but audible “fuck” and brought her hand quickly to her mouth to cool the fire with saliva.

It helped a little, but not much. She continued to prepare as Geralt got dressed and he was out right as dinner was on, wine goblet in hand.

“Smells nice.” He complemented. She was shocked, but still in a lot of pain from the burn.

“It better be the best fucking thing I’ve eaten in ages to make it worth searing the skin off my finger here!” She put her hand to her mouth again, and brought it out, shaking it.

He sat his goblet on the table and went outside, all without a word. She was confused. Wondering how she could have offended him, but honestly, not really caring. She’d tried. She sat down. Exhausted. He came back in with the satchel he’d been wearing and packing with solutions from those corpses.

He walked around the table to kneel in front of her, held out his hand, and raised his eyebrow expectantly. She gave him her injured hand, extending her index finger to indicate the affected area.

“You know, I’ve seen men lose half their faces to fire. This isn’t so bad.” He rifled through the bag for a vial of clear oil with bits of purple floating in it.

“Did they live?” She asked, amused.

“A few.” He smirked, dabbing a small amount of the oil onto his index finger and applying it to hers.

Her relief was instant and evident on her face.

“Wow, that feels so much better. Thank you! What is that?”

“A simple infusion. Oil of lavender. Here.” He gave her the vial.

“Oh I couldn’t.”

“Take it. I make more all the time. It’s damn near free. I’ll show you how, too, so you're prepared for next time. It’s essential for a healer’s kit. Many uses.” These were more words than she’d heard him speak all together since they’d met. She decided not to remark upon it.

“Well thank you. I hope you’re hungry! I think the pheasant is ready to be torn!”

They filled their plates with juicy, savory sections of the bird and large chunks of the vegetables that had become pleasantly tender inside it. Thyme and rosemary, onion and garlic danced off the tongue, complimented by the salt and a dash of ground peppercorn for zest. For once, a meal tasted even better than it had smelled and she had forgotten the terror of the fight with the drowners, the pain of her burn, even the startling sight of the naked man in her tent, and relaxed into the pleasure of a delicious meal.

This is one of the reasons I was fat before, she told herself. And made sure she stopped eating before she'd filled herself to gluttony.

She noticed that her companion was eating…enthusiastically. She was on the verge of saying ravenously, but there was an element of refinement to it that forbade her from using the more savage descriptor. He seldom drank, and most rarely from his water cup.  He liked the wine, then. She liked this fellow. Quite a lot. He stabbed large portions onto his fork and put them easily into his wide mouth. But even though he took larger bites, he did take his time in chewing, savoring the succulent food. She appreciated this from him.

"You're going to have to finish the poor bird off. I'm stuffed." she patted her tummy, demure now, as it had never been in her recent memory.

"Hmm." he grunted in protest. This one she couldn't quite translate past general disagreement.

"What?" she prodded.

"We both know you didn't need any help taking down this bird alone. Even with the vegetables. It's all incredible, by the way. Best meal I've had in ages."

"First of all, thank you, I quite liked it too, and secondly, it's called restraint. Ever heard of it?" she sassed him back.

"I've heard of it, yes. Can't say we've ever crossed paths, though." he held her gaze as he drank deeply from his goblet. Was it suddenly warmer in the tent?

"Well, it might be a good idea to seek it out here and there." she said, hiding well the feathers he'd just ruffled. "Food and I have a volatile history. I have to show restraint or all of this is gone." she indicated her physical form. She hadn't truly intended to make him look at her, but he was. He was holding her in his gaze in a way that was utterly alien to her.

"Mmm." he grunted, as if to express his understanding.

"But enough about me. What about you? It's not every day I meet a witcher!"

His amber eyes met hers, inscrutable, but not pleased.

"You knew."

"Of course I knew. I have eyes and ears, and all kinds of senses working. And all of them caught wind of what you were the moment you dismounted your horse."

"And yet you helped me. Fought with me. Saved me."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Most people don't want a witcher around. They'd prefer the monsters we kill. Even when we're summoned to communities, invited, we're a pariah until the job is done. We're seen as the…lesser evil."

"Tell me Geralt. Did you make the choice to become a witcher?"

"No."

"Do you think I made the choice to be a conduit?" This question, he didn't answer. She thought he may not know. She decided then to tell him her story. How she came to be a mage, and the hell she went through to get where she was.

"Do you know what my nickname was as a child? It wasn't anything cute, like a vegetable or fruit or a baked good, or even a cuddly little creature, no. No term of endearment would suit me. I was called 'Rat.' Because you see, as I mentioned, I have a complicated past where food is concerned, and this comes from my youth. When I would sneak into the pantries and steal food. My mother and the staff thought at first there was a large rat, or even a raccoon behind the lost inventory, for at first, I left behind traces and made a mess of things. But after a while, I got good. Covered my tracks. Then mother started blaming the staff. Beating them, then firing most of them. No one seemed to notice how fat I was getting. Me being the middle of five girls. Eldest two sisters already married off to wealthy business men from town and bringing the bratty little grandchildren around, the younger girls learning dance and music, and generally being full of charm. I was in the background. Until one night, mother found me. She was searching the pantry for a tonic for indigestion when she saw me burrowing, trying to hide between sacks of potatoes. She hauled me out and dove for a long wooden spoon on the worktop in the kitchen. She beat me bloody with that spoon. I couldn't sit and could hardly walk for days."

She took a drink from her goblet, fortifying her. She didn't tell this story often. In fact, she hadn’t told anyone but her best friend Codrick, the blacksmith's apprentice. And that had taken many years.

"She started giving me smaller portions at dinner. Insisting that I wouldn't find a husband in my current state and threatening to sell me to a brothel if I didn't marry in good time. I was nearly starving, but still not getting thin fast enough to satisfy her. She made me run around the perimeter of our grounds. If I wasn't back in time, she'd set our wild bull out after me. There were a few times I was nearly gored. But I kept sneaking into the cupboards late at night. They were locked now, but once I told Codrick what was happening, he helped me by forging me a spare key. She kept calling me 'Rat' which was interesting. As if the sneaking and stealing was the more deplorable side of me than my actual size. She never called me 'Pig.' Perhaps because at least pigs had a use. Pigs could be sold or slaughtered for food. Rats were just a nuisance. The last time she caught me, she hauled me into the kitchen and reached for her wooden spoon again. But this time, when she reared back to strike at me, the spoon had turned into a vicious raven. It squalled and flailed and she let go of it, shooing it away. But it didn't relent. It clawed and pecked at her head and face until her hair was patchy and ragged and her face was a bloody mess. One eye was completely gone, the other, likely to be lost. But she could see well enough to tell where the raven landed after it had left her alone. Right beside me, as if it was trying to calm my still quivering form."

"So that was your conduit moment?" Geralt asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes. Lady de Vries showed up at our door not a moment too soon. The Madame from the local brothel had just agreed to my mother's price. There was a rather tense moment where the money had already changed hands and Tissaia had to threaten both women with rather unpleasant repercussions. She was having me and there would be no arguments. Actually, though, the whole experience of being fought over gave me the confidence I needed to confess my true feelings to Codrick and kiss him before we left the town. I'd fancied him for years but never had the guts to tell him."

"I'm sure you have a point to telling me this life story of yours." Geralt said, patiently, but clearly ready for her to wrap it up.

"Right. Sorry. My point is, most of us that are born or imbued with magic have some story like this. I'm certain you're no different. I could go on with horrors at Aretuza, too, just like I'm sure you could with stories of…where was it you were trained? Kaer Morhen?"

He looked at her skeptically.

"Wolf amulet around your neck. School of the Wolf. I thought that was Kaer Morhen."

"Mmhmm." oh, a two syllable grunt. His vocabulary was proving vast.

"Why shun you over a life you didn't choose? And if I have a fucked up past too, and I'm still dealing with that trauma, what right would I have to dismiss you or consider you an unworthy brother in arms? Or dinner companion? Or maybe even travel companion? After all, we fought well together and we don't know what's out there laying waste to the countryside."

"Suppose you're right."

"About which part?" this always happened to her as someone who never shut up. She never knew whether "you're right" was a blanket statement covering an entire monologue, or just certain parts that someone wanted to subscribe to.

"The first part. I'm still not sure about traveling companions. Or mages, if I'm honest. No offense."

"None taken. If it makes you feel better, I'm still very new to being a mage. I don't have any bad mage habits. I'm not even that good of a mage. I had to hand assemble this tent before I spelled it."

"Well, you did a fine job." he chuckled. "It looked…sturdy, from the outside."

"That's what I was going for. And why don't you just…try me for this expedition. I'll sign a contract saying that it's not your fault if I die. Not that anyone would care. Plus, we'll live in luxury every night, and I can make anything taste delicious with bare minimum ingredients."

"Tempting, but won't it be a little…cozy with both of us in here?"

She looked at him, incredulous.

"Remember the part where I'm a mage?" she walked over to the sitting area and contorted her hands toward the wall. "Addendum Sanctorum."

She beckoned him through a new flap in the canvas to a modest, but still accommodating room with a large, plush bed, a few sturdy, simple chairs, a small table, and a bathing area of its own, complete with a stash of sponges, soaps, and towels.

"See? It may not be all of the comforts of home, but it's hardly roughing it compared to the alternative, am I wrong?" She turned to look at him, but he was much closer than she'd expected him to be. She looked directly up into that piercing amber gaze that was unlike any she'd seen before. And he looked so…dangerous. And yet she wasn't afraid. At least not primarily. What she was mostly feeling was desire. She wanted those strong, skilled hands to touch her. She wanted to be held. She hadn't been held since she was a child. And a very young one, at that. She could feel something mutual coursing between them. And that was the thing that terrified her. The thought that he might be hungry for her in that way. He ran his hand along the slope of her temple and cheek down to her chin.

"I don't recall saying I'd mind sharing a cozy space with you, Ana."

TBC in Part Two

[grither55]

The Princess and the Peasant - (An Azula Epic) - Chapter 91 - Revelations

Mai and Ty Lee sat on the floor of the room once more while Zoe stood with her back against the wall.

Downstairs the others were concluding the cleanup.

While Azula sat in a chair with Elle faithfully seated at her boots once more.

And the old sage sat in a chair before her damaged but still intact wood stove while they waited for her to clarify matters to them.

"We're inside now old woman. I demand that you give us the explanations that you said you would." Azula remarked in a cold voice with her callous eyes staring back at the crone's hunched over back.

"Yes, wise sage. Please tell me the meaning of all that I saw." Elle requested in a polite voice as she sat with the back of her head resting against Azula's leg.

While the three noblewomen glanced back at the old woman expecting her to snap a reply at the unsocial princess.

Only for all but Azula to sweatdrop when the sound of the sage snoring flowed into their ears.

The princess's merciless eyes twitched as she glared back at the old woman's sleeping face.

Just before a devious thought came to mind while a ball of blue fire formed in her palm.

All the while as her two childhood friends turned to her with their eyes narrowing in reproach.

And even her captain frowned as she shook her head.

Only for all of them to sigh when the fireball exploded in the stove while a large flame now flared to life before the awoken crone's yelling face.

"Azula!" Ty Lee exclaimed with her brown-gray eyes staring at the smirking woman in disapproval when Mava was almost burned by the roaring fire.

"No good brat! And you wonder why no one likes you!" Mava shouted as she waved an indignant hand in the air while Azula smiled smugly back at her.

While the others just shook their heads musing that the old woman had a valid point.

"It isn't time for your nap…grandma. Now wake up and answer my questions or I will burn this tree down from the inside out!" The princess commanded with her finger pointing back at the sage's glowering face.

Only for her golden eyes to glare down at her feet when she felt a dainty hand shake her sleeve.

"Don't do that Azula-sama! Think of all of the forest creatures that must call this tree home!" The blonde-haired girl advised in a sweet voice while the princess rolled her eyes down at her as the acrobat smiled back at them.

"Go ahead and burn it down. Then you can resume where you left off with Silah." The sage retorted with a wrinkled finger pointing back into the princess's once more wrathful golden eyes while the captain clenched her fist.

And the two other noblewomen shuddered as they gazed ahead with fear in their eyes.

"By Agni don't. I have had enough of that freak to last me a lifetime." Mai stated in a disgusted voice while Ty Lee nodded beside her.

"Y-yeah. Please don't Azula." The brown-haired woman agreed as the princess let out a loud scoff as she glared back at them.

"Speak for yourself House Lin. I am not done with her." Zoe muttered with her hazel eyes glaring down at the floor while her fellow nobles shivered in silence.

"I…still don't understand what happened while I was out." Elle stated in a confused voice as she bit her lip while her companions remained eerily silent.

"My sentiments precisely. The next time I see her she will be screaming for mercy." Azula sneered with a burning fist clenched before her face while Elle still peered about in puzzlement.

"We just…met a passionate admirer of the princess. That's all really." The captain stated with a hand over her mouth as her two fellow noblewomen now glared back at her when the teenager's eyes grew wide in panic.

While Azula now glared golden daggers back at the other woman's mildly amused face.

"A-another admirer of Azula-sama?" The blonde-haired girl questioned in a mortified voice.

"Indeed child. You have a love rival now." Mava teased with a smirk on her old lips as Azula turned red in humiliation in her seat while Elle's eyes were now aghast with horror.

And then the young girl looked as if the very life had begun to fade from her body.

"I-I have a l-love rival? Is that t-true Azula-sama?" Elle stammered in a distraught voice as she gazed up at Azula's scowling face.

"Being the goddess that I am I do have thousands of suitors. Everywhere I go men and women alike practically clamber for the chance just to kiss my feet." The princess spoke in a conceited voice as she studied her fingernails as she smiled while her pet clung to her thigh in despair.

And all but poor Elle rolled their eyes over the obvious lie.

"That's a lie and you know it Azula!" Ty Lee huffed as she tapped a boot on the floor while Azula just smiled back at her.

"Yeah. Don't worry kid. Azula's all yours. No one else has the patience to put up with her insanity." The markswoman snorted as the acrobat sweatdropped while the princess turned to cast an icy stare her way.

Only for the two of them to sigh fondly when Elle failed to even hear those words.

"T-thousands?" The blonde-haired girl inquired with her amber eyes wide in worry as she held onto her princess's thigh while the older girl sighed above her.

"Of course. You're still my favorite." Azula grumbled with her arms stubbornly crossed over her armored breasts as she glared off at the nearest wall with a tiny blush on her regal cheeks.

While the others observed the strange couple's interactions in amusement.

"I am?" Elle pondered in a more hopeful voice with her amber eyes taking on a happier gleam while she gazed up at Azula's beautifully proud face.

"Foolish tiger monkey. Take note that I am rolling my eyes." The princess scoffed as she rolled her eyes while gazing down at her young girlfriend's brightening face.

"Yay! I am still Her Highness's favorite!" The blonde-haired girl cried out with a fist pumping in the air while her princess coldly rolled her eyes once more.

While Mai and Ty Lee found themselves unable to resist cracking a smile over the girl's returned cheer.

Only for the others to turn to Elle in surprise when she collapsed with a moan upon Azula's leg while the princess now gazed down at her in hidden concern.

"Oh, my belly hurts…" Elle moaned as she held onto her stomach as she lay with her chin propped up on her girlfriend's thigh while her cheeks began to turn green.

Just as Azula's golden eyes widened in alarm while the three highborn women and the sage watched in entertainment as she flailed about in her seat.

"Elle! Don't you dare even think of puking on my leg!" Azula shouted as she squirmed in her seat with the young girl still latched onto her leg while her lips pursed into a regal glower.

"The potion that you drank tends to have that effect. But it will wear off shortly. And in time you will be glad that you drank it." Mava assured in a gruff voice as she held onto her staff while Azula glared at her through the corner of her.

"If you say so wise sage…" The blonde-haired girl trailed off as she pouted when her princess pushed her off her leg.

"Well! Little sister. I am relieved to see that you are in better spirits." The brown-haired woman chimed as she smiled back at the younger girl from where she sat beside her.

"Oh! That's because I know that Azula-sama is here to support me." Elle answered with a grateful smile as she gazed up over her shoulder at Azula's cold countenance while the acrobat smiled at the scowling princess.

"Which brings me to my latest announcement. I have decided for the duration of this meeting that I will take on a more…forceful role." The princess announced with her palms clasped in her lap while her childhood friends gazed at her in incredulously.

And the old sage just cast an equally hateful stare her way.

"But Azula, you have already been dictating the course of the entire meeting." Ty Lee remarked as Mai just sighed from where she sat beside her.

"Elle has confided to me that she is uncomfortable with the last hour that she spent outside of my rule. And she has requested that I take on a more domineering role. And so…out of the kindness of my heart. I have decided to oblige her." Azula purred with her lips pulling into a haughty smile while the three highborn women face palmed in unison.

"Arigatou gozaimasu Azula-sama!" The blonde-haired girl chirped as she smiled over her shoulder up at her princess's smirking face.

"Kid. Why would you ever tell Azula that?" Mai groaned with her hand in her hair while Elle sat naively at the princess's boots.

"Oh Elle…" The brown-haired woman sighed in a fond voice while the teenager still gazed dreamily up at the princess's smiling countenance.

"Life gets so scary when Azula-sama isn't in charge of me. That's why it's for the best that she maintains control. I trust her to make the right decision for me." Elle quipped in a naïve voice as she peered up at Azula while the older girl smiled smugly down at her.

"Bah. Whatever. Anything to be rid of you for good." The sage snapped as she waved her staff in the princess's direction while callous golden eyes glared back at her.

"Tell me everything that you know about Silah. And I mean everything." The princess demanded in a frigid voice with her imposing eyes staring hard back at the old woman's wrinkled face.

"Silah has most likely gone to retreat to her citadel." Mava stated as she gazed into the azure fire burning inside of her wood stove while the group gazed on with intrigued looks in their eyes.

"She has a citadel?" Zoe questioned in a taken aback voice with her hazel eyes narrowing once more.

"Where?" Azula hissed with her fists balled up on the arms of her chair while Elle listened in suspense at her booted feet.

"I don't know. Could be in the Fire Nation. Or perhaps the Earth Kingdom. I would wager somewhere in between." The sage answered with a shrug while the highborn women exchanged a frustrated glance with one another.

"That's it? You can't give me anything more descriptive than that?" The princess snapped with her golden eyes agape in annoyance while she exhaled fire from her lips.

"You should be grateful that you are even getting that much!" Mava hollered back while Azula glared at her with frigid golden eyes.

"I'll find it. And when I do, I'll dispatch a fleet of airships to raze it to the ground." Azula snarled as she sunk back in her seat with her hardened eyes staring coldly ahead.

"Even if you could go there you would be a fool to do so. You and your people just barely escaped with your lives. And now you want to go back for more?" The sage scoffed as she sat over the burning blue fire while the princess and the captain stared ahead with vengeful looks in their eyes.

"She has a point Azula." Ty Lee spoke in a fearful voice while Azula turned to scowl at her through the corner of her eye.

"I wouldn't go with you even if you could." The markswoman stated in a repulsed voice with unnatural fear in her tawny eyes while the princess sat staring furiously back at them.

"You said that she and you were friends once." The captain commented with her arms folded over her chest while she stared back at the old woman's flame lit face.

It was a question that they had all been pondering for quite some time.

"We were in a time long ago…back before she developed her morbid obsession with puppetry. Back…when we were young." Mava confessed in a reflective voice with her glazed eyes staring ahead while the group sat in a speechless silence.

"Young? You mean that she's as old as you?" The brown-haired woman breathed in disbelief while the princess stared on in incredulousness beside her.

"Old like me? Yes." The sage responded without delay while the team gazed on in indescribable shock.

"How? How is that possible?" The princess inquired with her golden eyes wide in both intrigue and humiliation.

"You mean to tell me that we got our asses beat by an old woman? No offense." Mai asked in a stunned voice while the acrobat sat in a floored silence beside her.

While both the princess and the captain bristled with embarrassment in their eyes at the implication that they were almost killed by an old woman.

"My time in this world is nearing its end. But I can't say the same for Silah…it would seem that she has discovered some form of immortality." Mava stated in a thoughtful voice while the group stared on with their eyes widening in alarm.

And now all of the sudden all of the puppeteer's remarks about being eternal made sense.

"She's immortal? That's incredible." The blonde-haired girl spoke in a voice of childlike wonder with her big sister's shuddering beside her.

"Immortal…" Zoe trailed off in a soft voice with her hazel eyes gazing ahead in fascination.

And yet she despite that she had taken meticulous steps to conceal her identity.

Which was something that she wouldn't have done if she was truly immortal.

"We'll see how immortal she is when I incinerate her in my flames." Azula growled in a vengeful voice with her fists clenched upon the sides of her chair.

The markswoman could only shudder with an even greater desire in her eyes to never encounter the artist again.

And the acrobat swallowed apprehensively in silent agreement.

Any previous thoughts that Silah couldn't get more terrifying just went right out the metaphorical window.

"Silah has been doing this since long before you were born. Compared to her…you may as well be a child. A child with overwhelming power but a child all the same. Behave impetuously and you will seal your fate as her doll." The sage cautioned in a scratchy voice as she sat with her hunched back turned to the princess's enraged golden gaze.

And the two noblewomen once more found themselves failing to suppress a shudder.

Only for their young friend's innocent voice to tear them from their reverie.

"Huh? She wants an Azula-sama doll? Like my princess plushie?" Elle pondered in a sweet voice while Azula's golden eyes now glared down at her back.

While all but the princess sweatdropped in amusement.

"That's one way of putting it kid." Mai stated with a slight smirk returning to her lips while Azula's imposing eyes glared her direction.

"Wait. You have a plushie of the princess?" The captain questioned in a comically curious voice while the princess turned to glower her way.

"Mhm! I do. Ty Lee bought it for me from a gift shop in the Capital." The blonde-haired girl chirped with excitement in her voice while her princess balled up her fists in anger.

While Ty Lee grinned over in the direction of her adopted sister.

"You don't say? I'll have to purchase one when we return." Zoe spoke with a smirk while Azula's golden eyes grew wide in rage.

"Shut up Zoe!" The princess barked with blue flames flaring to life behind her while all but her servant chortled behind their palms.

"Perhaps if we get Silah a plushie of her own that will resolve matters peaceably." Elle remarked in a naïve voice while all but Azula sweatdropped once again.

Only to find herself jumping in a trained panic when a boot stomped on the floor behind her.

"Be silent peasant or I will destroy your wretched doll in the wake of my flames." Azula snarled with blue fire exuding from her beautiful lips while her domineering eyes took great delight in how the girl frantically recoiled in horror.

"P-please don't burn my plushie. I love my Azula-sama plushie…" The blonde-haired girl mumbled in a still sensitive voice while her princess rolled her eyes over her.

"Enough about the spoiled princess and her plushies." Mava called out in a taunt while Azula turned to cast a piercing stare in her direction.

"Princess. I have an idea as to how we can track Silah down." The captain commented in a serious voice once more while her ruler turned to gaze her way.

"How?" The princess replied in a still aggravated voice while the captain held a hand under her chin.

"The bounty hunter June…is said to be able to trace any target." Zoe responded in a contemplative voice while Azula's cold gaze flickered in approval.

"Wise sage? I have much that I want to ask you…" Elle trailed off with returning nervousness as she held her hands in her lap while Azula once more scowled in disapproval of her sorrow.

"Then speak child." The sage replied in a graveled voice while the teenager bit her lip in contemplation.

"M-my…my mother had visions of me before she died. What…what does that mean?" The blonde-haired girl questioned as she audibly swallowed while her highborn friends fell silent in sympathy once more.

"When the Component transfers from a holder to a direct descendant…the fading holder obtains a glimpse into the identity of the child that receives the inheritance." Mava explained in an enlightened voice as Elle gazed on with her saddened amber eyes wide in awe.

While Team Azula listened with a look of marvelment in their eyes.

"S-so she knew that it would go to me? And she knew about Azula-sama as well?" Elle inquired in a voice of wonderment with her eyes wide in emotion while Azula sat in a speechless silence behind her.

"Yes. She did." The sage stated in an aged voice while the group gazed on with astounded looks in their eyes.

"Before Mother died…s-she tried to deliver a message to a woman over the radio…and she recorded a note on a piece of paper. What…was she going to say? And what did her note say?" The blonde-haired girl muttered with her head hanging low over her knees while her friends exchanged concerns looks.

"Don't worry Elle. I'm sure that Azula will be able to figure that out for you." Ty Lee assured as she reached over to touch the smaller girl's back while she gazed imploringly at Azula's sighing face.

"I suppose I will just have to lend you my brilliance once more." Azula purred as she lowered her palm into her girlfriend's hair while Elle peered up at her with brightening amber eyes.

"A-arigatou gozaimasu Azula-sama." Elle spoke in a tender voice with Azula's hand resting on her head while the older girl reclined over her.

"Fear not dear. I'll show you how to wage war." The princess remarked in honeyed voice with a charismatic smile on her lips while her young girlfriend gazed up at her with adoration in her innocent eyes.

While she allowed the teenager to lean her head into her thigh once more while her palm remained in the smaller girl's plush hair.

All the while as both of her childhood friends shivered in renewed worry for their little sister's purity.

"Tell me child. Now that you are aware of your inheritance. What do you intend to do with it?" The sage queried in a weathered voice as she gazed back with glazed golden eyes at the teenager's confuddled face.

The three noblewomen remained silence while the young girl gazed ahead with confounded amber eyes.

Just before she turned to peer up at Azula's domineering face while the royal woman smiled with her fingers petting her scalp.

And not even a second later Elle began to melt like butter underneath Azula's hand while the princess's lips pulled into a controlling smirk.

All the while as the other three women let out another sigh over their monarch's overbearing behavior.

"As usual. It falls on me to make the decisions in this relationship." Azula spoke in a smug voice with a conceited smile on her lips while Mai gazed at her in annoyance through the corner of her eye.

"W-whatever Azula-sama orders." The blonde-haired girl stammered in a mousy voice with her princess smiling over her shoulder while her big sisters sweatdropped.

"That is not an acceptable answer! I asked what you intend to do. Not what the spoiled princess intends to do." Mava lectured with a finger pointing back at Elle's overwhelmed face while Azula's callous eyes stared back at her once more.

"Um…" Elle trailed off in an overcome voice with a hand falling over her face while Azula's lips creased into a scowl.

Only for the princess to be cut off before she could say a word.

"Just let Elle answer Azula." The markswoman stated with a frown on her lips while the princess turned to glare a hole through her forehead.

And then the teenager ran her fingers through her hair while she set her other hand on her knee.

"I…am going to do what…my mother did." The blonde-haired girl answered at long last while her friends and the sage gazed at her curiously.

While the princess sunk her posterior back in her seat as she sighed with her hand remaining planted in the girl's hair.

"Explain." The sage urged with something similar to approval in her voice as she held onto her staff.

"My mother… dedicated her life to the path to peace. She believed in helping others in whatever way she could no matter how small. It…was her belief that by doing so…we would come together as one and overcome the damage done by the wars of the past." Elle explained as she raised her emotional eyes upward while her audience listened in a speechless silence.

The acrobat and the markswoman sat in an emotional quiet while the captain leaned on the wall with her hazel eyes expressing a rare sense of moved emotion.

While sat with her callous eyes glaring ahead with suppressed aggravation in her stony gaze.

'Foolish girl! And what did your peace get your community but ashes and despair!' The princess thought with indescribable frustration in her hardened golden eyes

"No living being has the right to take the life of another. Those…those are the words that she lived by. And those…are the words that I believe." The blonde-haired girl declared with her hand falling from her face while her princess rolled her eyes over her shoulder.

"I see. What else does your path entail?" Mava asked as she leaned on the arm of her chair as blue fire crackled in the wood stove while the group listened in a bated quiet.

"Well, I can't answer that without involving Azula-sama because my path will always involve her. I am her sworn servant after all and I will continue to serve her for as long as I live…for all of my days." Elle explained in a devoted voice with a smile returning to her lips as she gazed over her shoulder into Azula's taken aback golden eyes.

While the three noblewomen listened to their young friend in a moved silence.

'Azula…I am so glad that you found Elle.' The brown-haired woman thought with her brown-gray eyes shimmering in affected emotion.

While the powerful princess gazed down at her loyal servant with her crimson lips agape in uncharacteristic appreciation.

'My Elle is loyal to her master…. I couldn't ask for a better servant.' Azula thought with the aggravation in her callous eyes giving way to a pleased gleam.

And her lips even twitched into the slightest hint of a smile.

"Are the princess's ways of war and conquest your path as well?" The sage pressed in a searching voice while all eyes turned to the teenager's adorably thoughtful face.

While the princess's lips curled into a smug smile once more as she sat over her servant with her palms clasped in her lap.

Only her golden eyes to flicker with bewilderment when the teenager shook her head.

"No. My path is love and peace." The blonde-haired girl announced with a returning smile while the princess now groaned behind her.

Ty Lee soon found herself smiling brightly once more.

And Mai just gazed at the girl with utter bafflement in her tawny eyes.

While Zoe found a small smile working its way onto her lips.

"Kid. Azula and love and peace don't mix." Mai informed in a deadpan voice with a fond shake of her head.

"Love and peace?" Mava repeated in a gruff voice while Azula rolled her eyes yet again.

"I don't profess to be able to change the world. Nor do I believe in forcing the whole world to do as I believe like the Avatar. But I will live as my mother lived. Helping out however I can." Elle stated in a passionate voice with a tear brewing in the back of her eye while her companions listened in a moved silence.

"You don't believe that you can create world peace?" The sage inquired in an inquisitive voice as the four highborn women gazed at their young friend in bewilderment.

Suffice to say that Elle was without doubt a strange one.

Yet they were fond of her all the same.

"I…I am just one girl that has spent most of her life lost never knowing who to run to or what to do. I could never be so arrogant as to think that I could bring peace to the entire world." The blonde-haired girl replied in a quiet voice with her amber eyes taking on a deeply thoughtful expression while her friends listened in a perplexed quiet.

"Elle…" Ty Lee whispered in a sentimental voice as she placed a hand on the teenager's shoulder while Elle gazed up with a smile still adorning her lips.

"But I will do what I can. Even if I can only help out one person. And even if it is only in the smallest of ways. If that's all I can do…then that's the way I'll flow." Elle concluded with a bright smile adorning her lips while she resolutely nodded her head.

The highborn women could only gaze on with baffled looks in their eyes while the sage seemed to almost smile in approval.

And now they began to see the difference between the Avatar and their young friend.

The Avatar believed himself to be the only one that could bring balance and peace to the world.

While Elle intended to touch people's lives on the micro scale, assisting others however she can. Even if her actions didn't bring about world peace.

If it brightened even one person's day, she would do it.

"Soft hearted peasant." The princess snorted in a pompous voice with roll of her eyes while she gazed down at her loyal servant's innocent face.

"That's so Azula-sama." The blonde-haired girl responded in a soft-spoken voice as she gazed up over her shoulder at her master's icy face.

While the princess's frigid golden eyes gazed down with the faintest sliver of emotion in her cold stare.

'So, this is Lana Turner's peace…' Azula thought with her regal lips pursing into a thin line while a flawless fingertip slid down her cheek.

A woman that believed in peace so strongly that she didn't waver in her beliefs even in the face of her own death.

A mother…who insisted that her son wasn't a monster.

Unlike…. her own mother.

'She was right though…. but…it still hurt.' The princess thought with a scowl on her beautiful lips before she scoffed under her breath.

And it was laughably apparent that Lana was wrong about Felix.

If it was any other peasant, she would call the woman a fool.

And yet…

For some inexplicable reason she has found that it was difficult to do so.

 I am glad…that you will find friends to be there for you…and even happier that you will even find someone to love you. I just wish that I could be there to see it…I wish I could have met her.

'Elle's mother accepted me.' Azula thought with her lips shaking in a strange emotion while she clenched a fist before her face.

And then she crushed her palm together with blue fire blazing from her fist while her eyes narrowed dangerously.

'I am going to kill that man…Strados.' The princess thought with fire snorting from her nostrils as she glared ahead with wrathful golden eyes.

"Well, that's a start at least. It would seem that you are on the road to developing some independent thought after all." Mava remarked in a sage voice with a nod of her head as the others sweatdropped while Elle's eyes brightened after hearing those words.

While Azula sunk back in her seat with her golden eyes burning in disapproval over those words as she glared back at the old sage.

"Wise sage…I have another question. Until today…I didn't remember witnessing my mother awaken her power. Why…why is that?" Elle asked with her palms folding together in uncertainty while her companions listened in equal curiosity.

"I presume that you blocked it out. You were too young. Your mind simply could not process what had happened. You simply weren't ready to face it…so you purged it from your mind." The sage explained with a knowledgeable undertone to her voice while the teenager's youthful eyes grew wide in realization.

"So…that's why I couldn't remember." The blonde-haired girl murmured as she grasped at her sleeves in contemplation.

"That would explain why Elle didn't remember awakening her power when she was a small child." The captain commented with her hazel eyes staring back at the girl in concern.

While the princess stared on with cold golden eyes as she exchanged a momentary look with her close friends.

"That is correct. And even though she is older now. She is still young. She needed an emotional trigger to awaken her dormant power. And it would seem that in her case…her trigger is the princess." Mava stated as she gestured to Azula's pleased countenance while the three noblewomen turned to their leader.

"Azula is Elle's trigger?" The brown-haired woman questioned in a curious voice while a smile returned to the princess's lips.

"As I have said before. This one is truly in tuned with her master's needs." Azula boasted in a haughty voice with her palm patting Elle's head once more while her serving girl's eyes cheered up once more.

And her two lifelong friends let out another heavy sigh.

"Hm. More specifically when the spoiled princess is injured or placed in harm's way…" The sage trailed off in a suggestive voice as the young girl sat with her mouth agape in wonderment while the princess cold eyes flashed with a tiny sliver of emotion.

"When Azula-sama…is harmed…" Elle mumbled in a loyal voice with Azula's palm in her hair while her master stared down at her in approval.

And the three noblewomen listened in astonishment.

"Indeed. Elle's power is at its strongest when she feels that the princess's life is in danger." Mava remarked with her wrinkled hand clutching her staff while Elle's emotive amber eyes turned to peer up at Azula's stony face.

While the princess's beautiful lips parted in an expression of surprise while she gazed down into her loyal servant's innocent amber gaze.

"So…Elle reacts when Azula's life is on the line." The markswoman commented in a fascinated voice with her tawny eyes gazing at her little sister in astonishment.

The girl had to be the only person on the face of this entire planet that would have such a reaction to Azula facing a near death situation.

"Well, I can't say that surprises me. Elle is my most loyal servant after all. She serves her master well." The princess spoke in a voice of boundless approval as she patted her handmaiden's head while she smiled as the girl fell into her thigh.

"P-princess." The blonde-haired girl stammered in a lovesick voice with long fingers trailing through her hair while her princess patted her head.

"Aww. Now that's pink Azula." Ty Lee cooed in a gushing voice while Azula rolled her eyes with her hand still resting upon Elle's swooning head.

All the while as Mai let out another sigh beside her.

Only for everyone to turn to the captain when she pushed her back off the wall with a smirk forming upon her lips.

"So, if I brutalize the Crown Princess it will spur young Elle to master her power?" Zoe inquired with her lips curving into a smirk as she crackled her knuckles while Azula's imposing eyes glared her way.

And both Mai and Ty Lee both watched in amusement while Elle's eyes grew wide in adorable horror.

"There's only one way to find out." The sage teased while the princess glared daggers through her skull.

"Well then. Sit still princess. I am going to break your bones and knock out all of your teeth but don't fight back. It's for the good of the Fire Nation." The captain declared as she pounded her fists together as she took one step forward while her ruler glowered back at her.

Only for Mai and Ty Lee to sweatdrop when Elle cried out in lovable concern as she protectively held out her arms to shield the taken aback princess.

"N-no! Don't hurt Azula-sama Zoe! She's too beautiful to lose her teeth!" Elle cried out in a devoted voice while Azula smiled down at her in recognition.

"Oh Elle…" The brown-haired woman sighed in a fond voice as she smiled over the young girl's adorable love for her selfish friend.

"Calm yourself Elle. I was only jesting." Zoe assured with a placating wave of her hand while Elle still frantically sat with her little body protecting the smirking Azula.

"Well done servant. Your devotion to serve pleases me." Azula purred with her palms folded regally in her lap as she reclined like a true queen over her emotional servant.

While she gazed down dominantly into her young girlfriend's beyond worshipful amber eyes only for her smile to grow when the girl bowed her head in reverence.

"I…am proud to serve you Azula-sama. Now and forevermore." The blonde-haired girl answered with her head bent in respect while her princess's lips pulled into a wide smile.

"Do you see that Ty Lee? I approve of this one." The princess spoke in a gratified voice with her crimson lips forming a charming smile while the acrobat nodded her head.

"I see it Azula." Ty Lee replied with a still present smile while she observed the strange couple's interactions.

Elle sat on the floor with her head bent in a profound show of deference while Azula surveyed her with cold golden eyes.

"There is nothing that I would not do for you my queen." Elle murmured in a sweet voice with her hands in her lap while Azula stared down at her with stern yet protective golden eyes.

Before the princess casually waved a well-manicured hand to signal that she could rise.

"Your queen recognizes your loyalty. Now rise." Azula ordered with her arms resting on the sides of her seat while Elle sprang up on command.

And then she found herself unable to resist allowing her lips to pull into a fond smirk when her young servant sat back down at her booted feet.

"As my queen commands!" The blonde-haired girl chirped in a lovable voice as she sat with her head resting against her princess's leg once more while the older girl smirked in approval.

"See old woman. Component or not she serves me. And I expect you to tell me everything that pertains to my servant's power. Should you do otherwise…you will find yourself wishing you hadn't." The princess declared in a voice of absolute control with her imposing eyes staring imperiously ahead while her handmaiden smiled up at her.

While Ty Lee and Mai just gazed at their friend in exasperation over her continued rudeness to the old sage.

"Have it your way. I will tell you everything. But only because I can see that it is a lost cause trying to separate the young Component from your side." Mava responded in an exhausted voice with the wood stove still crackling with a bright blue flame.

And Azula sunk back in her seat with a pleased smirk gracing her beautiful lips while Elle still gazed up at her in endless admiration.

"It's good to know that we could have saved ourselves this miserable trek and just dangled Azula over the water for a few days instead." Mai stated with a small smirk on her lips as Azula turned to glare venomously her way while Elle gazed on in aghast horror.

While both Ty Lee and Zoe just smiled in amusement over Azula's ire.

However, the monarch chose to let the jab slide in favor of focusing on the matter at hand.

"You called the Avatar an unnatural blight upon this world. Tell me more about why you feel that way." Azula spoke in a sophisticated voice with her piqued golden eyes staring back at the elderly woman's fire-lit countenance.

While Elle sat at her feet with her amber eyes gazing on with a youthful eagerness to learn all that she could.

All the while as the three noblewomen also gazed at the sage in interest to know more.

"Because the world has become far too dependent on the Avatar for its own good. People make no effort to try to help themselves because they feel that the Avatar is going to save them." The sage stated in a bitter voice while the group gazed back in a fascinated silence.

"In order words you think the Avatar produces overall weakness?" The captain pondered in a contemplative voice with a hand under her chin while the princess gazed on in mutual perplexity.

"That is precisely what I am saying. It may not be an opinion that many agree with but I stand by it all the same." Mava grumbled in a tired voice while Azula gazed on with a scheming gleam in her cold golden eyes.

"In other words, the Avatar is your enemy?" The princess purred as she glanced up from her well-trimmed fingernails while her childhood friends listened warily.

"The Avatar is no friend of mine." The sage stated in a hoarse voice while the princess's callous hawklike eyes now flickered with a controlling stare.

'How delightfully advantageous. I possess Elle…and her Component. And now I have the old sage at my full disposal. All of her secrets…everything that she knows. Now belong to me. And to top it all off…we have an enemy in common in the Avatar.' Azula thought with her icy golden eyes taking on a manipulative look while her palm fell back into her lap.

While her cold gaze glanced back down at her handmaiden's obedient back before she turned her imposing stare back to the old woman herself.

All that remains to be done is to deal with the unpredictable variables.

Those being that wretch Silah and that young girl Naoki. Not to mention any other invaders from her girlfriend's homeland.

"Don't think that I don't know what you're thinking brat! You're thinking about how you are going to use me for your own gain! I have been around far longer than you and I know how you greedy royals think! So, don't even think for a moment that you can pull a fast one on me!" Mava snapped in a rasping voice while Azula's ruthless golden eyes flashed with a moment of surprise.

Only to find herself recovering not even seconds afterward as she narrowed her gaze into a fearsome death glare.

While the princess's eyes shook in even further fury when she heard her captain chuckling in amusement from the other side of the room.

All the while as her two childhood friends watched from the sidelines in entertainment.

"It would seem that she has you pegged princess." Zoe quipped with her arms crossed over her breasts while Azula turned to scowl in her direction.

"Dirty peasant! By the time I am through with you I promise that you will learn to speak to your monarch with respect!" The princess bellowed with fire exuding from her mighty lips while her two lifelong friends sighed once more.

Only for her cold golden eyes to glance down at her boots when she felt a dainty hand tug on her pantleg while she now glared down into her servant's emotional amber eyes.

"Please don't fight Azula-sama." Elle pleaded in a soft voice with her hands grasping her master's leggings while Azula glowered down at her.

All the while as Ty Lee hid her grin as she watched the two from where she sat on the sidelines.

"It's not for you to give me orders servant!" Azula scoffed with a prideful snort of blue fire as she angrily folded her arms over her armored breasts while her handmaid still held onto her knee.

While the three noblewomen observed them in amusement.

"But lucky for you…I have use for you as well." The sage stated in a grumble while the princess's cold eyes narrowed as she stared back at her.

"I demand that you elaborate further on your opposition to the Avatar." The princess commanded in a supremely authoritative voice with her palms regally folding in her lap once more.

While she gazed on with hard golden eyes while she inwardly took great enjoyment in how her young girlfriend held onto her leg.

"Many people are capable of achieving more than they know. But they will never find out. Because they are complacent fools." Mava ranted as she sat over the blazing fire while Azula's golden eyes flickered with fascination.

All the while as her four companions listened in an equally intrigued silence.

"The Avatar…makes people complacent?" The blonde-haired girl asked in an attentive voice while the old hermit nodded her head.

"That is right child. For instance. You would be surprised to find out that there are ways that even those who are born as nonbenders can learn to bend and weaponize their own chi.” The sage remarked with a deeply sagacious undertone to her throaty voice while the entire group now gazed back in disbelief.

Mai and Ty Lee sat with their mouths agape in shock while both Azula and Zoe gazed on with stunned eyes.

"How?" The brown-haired woman asked with sudden curiosity in her voice while her fellow noble stared on with equal interest in her eyes.

"As of right now I will not divulge that information. You serve a selfish despot. You'll have to figure that out for yourselves." Mava informed with a wave of her wrinkled hand while both noblewomen deflated as they turned to glare back at Azula's once more seething face.

"Thanks, Azula." The markswoman scoffed in a monotone voice with her tawny eyes staring back at the princess's callous face in aggravation.

Although she couldn't blame the old sage.

Azula has disrespected the hermit from the moment that they first met.

'Even though she won't tell us now…if she speaks the truth. Then that means that there is a way for me to get stronger.' Mai thought with a determined expression in her eyes while she clenched a fist at her robed hip.

And then she could even the playing field with Zoe.

But more important than that.

'I can better protect my little sister.' The markswoman mused as she turned to gaze at the teenager's sweet face with a resolute look in her eyes.

"You have no right to complain. Just weeks ago, you betrayed me for Zuko. You should consider yourself fortunate that you even draw breath." Azula hissed with fire snorting from her nostrils while Mai recoiled in returning shame under her intimidating glare.

Only for the mighty princess's eyes to glare down once more when she felt her servant pull on her wrist.

"Azula-sama…" Elle murmured in a gentle voice with her soft hands holding Azula's palm while the older woman let out a prideful growl.

And yet despite that she didn't push her away.

"But even though most of humanity has become complacent under the Avatar Cycle. There are still select talented benders who are able to rise above their limits." The sage commented with her wrinkled face staring into the fire while the group listened in amazement once more.

And both Azula and Zoe found themselves gazing on with unbridled curiosity in their eyes.

"I order you to tell me about this power." The princess demanded with insatiable inquisitiveness in her cold eyes while her serving girl listened in wonder at her feet.

"These benders are called ascendants." Mava announced in an enrapturing voice while the team stared on in awe.

"Ascendants?" The captain repeated in a captivated voice with her hazel eyes growing wide in hunger.

"Indeed. And I sense that the two of you are on the verge of reaching ascendancy." The sage remarked in an unbelievably perceptive voice while the two firebenders gazed on in an utterly enthralled silence.

The princess and the captain could only stare on with uncontrolled desire in their eyes.

While they simultaneously swelled in pride over their unrivaled their bending like never before.

And the two noblewomen could only shudder as they gazed at the two from the sidelines.

'Joy. That's the last thing we needed. Now Azula's ego is going to soar even higher.' Mai thought with annoyance in her eyes while Azula's lips were already creasing into a proud smile.

Just before the two women sighed when the princess pounded a powerful fist on the arm of her chair while she smiled even more arrogantly than ever before.

"As it should be. This is even more proof of my divine right to rule. Very soon I shall conquer this world as an ascendant and dominate the Earth!" Azula exclaimed in a supremely hubristic voice with a domineering smile gracing her lips while her fists now burned in blue fire.

All the while as she sat on her simple wooden chair as if it was an extravagant throne with a devilish smirk adorning her beautiful lips.

While the three noblewomen gazed on in an awkward silence.

And the sage rolled her eyes.

Only for the sound of enthusiastic clapping to soon resonate into the air while the tyrannical princess seemed to swell even further under her girlfriend's praise.

While she now gazed down at her young servant with smug golden eyes that greatly delighted in the teenager's limitless worship.

"You go Azula-sama! You can do it! I believe in you!" The blonde-haired girl cried out with a lovable look of adoration in her eyes while her big sisters shook their heads.

"And you peasant. You will bow at the foot of my throne." The princess sighed as she sunk back in her seat with her fists relaxing on the arms of her chair while her loyal follower hurriedly nodded in agreement.

"M-my Fire Queen." Elle stammered as she gazed up at Azula like a lovesick puppy while the older girl smiled down at her.

Only for their moment to be swiftly interrupted by the sound of the old hermit scoffing.

"Don't get too full of yourself. You're not there yet. And you should both know that Silah is already an ascendant." Mava scoffed in a rasping voice as the team now fell into a horrified silence.

And just like that the princess and the captain were staring on with a look of renewed frustration towards the demented puppeteer.

"I command you to tell me how I achieve this state." Azula snarled in a forceful voice only for her golden eyes to boil in fury when the old woman scoffed once more.

"That I will also not disclose." The sage answered in a taunt while the princess's glacial eyes burned in great anger.

Only for her captain to speak before she could get the chance.

"I take it…that you won't tell us any of this information unless we can do something to appease you." Zoe stated in a calmer voice with her arms folded over her chest while Azula's golden eyes bubbled in ire once more.

"You deduce correctly. You need me more than I need any of you. It makes no difference to me either way. But that is not the case for you." Mava spoke in a fearless voice with her glazed eyes staring ahead while the team listened in a taken aback silence.

"You dare to threaten me?" The princess questioned in a wrathful voice as she clenched her fists at her sides.

Yet as much as it infuriated her to admit it.

The old hermit was right.

"You're certainly a shrewd one. But now I believe I understand what you were trying to say about the Avatar Cycle holding humanity back." The captain spoke in a reflective voice while the others turned to gaze at her in curiosity.

And Azula rose a brow as she gazed at her warrior through the corner of her golden eye.

"Do you?" The sage asked in turn while the captain stoically nodded her head.

"You told all four of us that we could break past our limits and achieve strength previously thought impossible. What you are saying is that benders and nonbenders alike will become exponentially stronger if they forgo their reliance upon the Avatar. And therefore, strengthening humanity as a whole." Zoe declared with her hazel eyes gazing back at the hermit's impressed countenance while her companions listened in a taken aback silence.

"Impressive deduction. At least one of you can talk without spewing insults." Mava hummed in an approving voice with her hand grasping her staff while Zoe turned to cast a victorious smile in Azula's glaring direction.

And suffice to say both Mai and Ty Lee were awed by the old woman's beliefs.

Despite the harm that the Fire Nation was undoubtedly causing.

The sage believed that people would be strong as a whole if they were no longer reliant on a savior.

"And that's not all is it? You're telling us this so we can become stronger to face something other than the Avatar. Isn't that right?" The captain pondered as she straightened while her ruler turned to the sage with her elegant brows rising in growing interest.

"You perceive correctly Zoe Song." The sage responded in a graver voice than before while the team gazed on in fascination.

"D-does this have to do with what I saw in my vision?" The blonde-haired girl asked in a fearful undertone once more while her princess sat protectively above her.

"Everything and more." Mava answered in a deathly serious voice as Elle trembled once more with her amber eyes staring on in unhidden fright.

While all four highborn women gazed on in growing concern for their young friend's wellbeing.

"What is the name of this force that threatens my servant's life?" Azula demanded in a frigid voice with her callous eyes staring imperiously ahead while her lips pursed into a regal scowl.

Only to find herself gazing down with narrowed golden eyes when she took note that her young girlfriend was trembling like a leaf.

Elle's amber eyes grew as wide as can be as she recalled the sensation of terror that flowed throughout her body when she gazed at the inhuman eye.

And then just like that the teenager felt as if a presence was almost sweeping over her.

"It's…it's about the e-entity that I felt in my vision isn't it?" Elle inquired in a shaken voice with Azula staring down at her with bewildered golden eyes.

"Entity?" Ty Lee questioned with her brown-gray eyes agape in worry for her little sister while she reached out to place a calming hand on the younger girl's shoulder

While Mai frowned from where she sat beside them.

And Zoe stared on with an intently focused hazel gaze once more.

All the while as Azula gazed on with her domineering golden eyes taking on a ruthlessly defensive countenance.

As the old hermit gazed back with eerily glazed over golden eyes that somehow rendered all of them into a speechless silence.

"Yes, Elle. I speak of the being called the Primordial One." The sage announced in an ominous voice while the young girl sat with her amber eyes agape in fright.

And the four highborn women were struck into a baffled state of quiet beside her.

Not a single one of them understand what the old sage spoke of.

But one detail was clear.

They had dangerous enemies upon their horizon that were beyond their understanding.

[paintingraves]

Fic writers week

Day #1 : Words of Validation. 

I’m participating in this sweet thing, so there we go : 

Fic Readers, take some time to leave new comments / Fic Writers, share some of the comments that stuck with you the most.

This is lit because it means I get to re-read every single comment ever left on my fics and it’s going to make me pumped for the rest of the day, god bless it. 

Starting with a particular enormous THANK YOU to @qed221b who is an angel among humans. I’ve looked forward to her comments more times than I can count. They’re everything you could hope for as a creator - long, rich, detailed, giving us what she felt when reading, analizing the characters and their actions, speculating for further chapters about what could happen and generally highlighting all the good in your fic and it’s just. So fucking rewarding. Such comments take a long time to write but oh my god, do they make a writer’s week. Month, even. Qed, I can never thank you enough. 

I’m gonna go back in time, list some fics and why this or that comment mattered a lot to me : 

Don’t Stop 

Summary : In which Tina catches Graves and President Picquery in a rather compromising position after hours. 

Back when I first posted this and was nervous as hell, @kamikazesoundsociety gave me the following comment :  

That was such a wonderfully written oral scene, really hot but also really rich soon descriptors and in emotion which is rare :)

Which made me utterly flip out because for anyone who’s read Kami’s writing, it’s on another level of excellence, so to have her not only read but also comment positively on this baby fic was just mindblowing to me and it certainly did encourage me to write more smut. Thank you, Kami :D 

Continuing under the read more because I feel this will be long. 

Painting Greys

S : In which Newt meets a stranger at the park.

This fic was extremely personal to me and I 100% used writing as a coping mechanism there. I received the following comment : 

I feel like this should be an original work, rather than a fanfic. I also thought that Percy sounded vaguely like Colin Farell (on drugs), and that he has no connection to the character Graves. I enjoyed it, though, mainly because I could really feel that it was inspired by real life. To be honest, I was not surprised by the ending. I mean, Percy obviously has problems and why the hell would newt call him? I felt uncomfortable during the whole scene, but I could really understand both characters and why they were doing this, if that makes sense? I think you created a very interesting and well-written story that should be an original work, with no specific characters in mind. While we don't get a lot information about newt or percy, you still characterise them so well.

Which says everything. It made me realize that yes - this could be an original story, and it offered me the possibility to write original stories without fear and I started to consider writing as a more serious avenue for me. Comments matter. 

Love’s the only thing that’s free 

S : Newt isn’t sure how it happens. One moment he is sitting in his favorite coffee shop next to the window, reading a book about magical creatures, and the next the most handsome man Newt has ever seen takes Newt’s hands in his and says, “Please be my boyfriend.”

This one gets a special mention because it was like, the ultimate reward as a writer ?? I posted this one-shot at 2 in the morning and when I woke up the next day I have like ten comments gushing about it in my inbox and it just made me feel so happy?? It’s the writer’s dream come true. I’m glad people still read it and comment on it too - it’s my most successful one-shot :) 

Guilty 

S : A modern AU. Newt cheats on Graves.

Oh boy. So for anyone who’s followed the Guilty saga, you know I was nervous as hell and also proud as fuck of this work. Posting it was very nerve inducing, but all the feedback made it worth it. The comments on this were really interesting and helped me shed a new light on my own writing - in terms of characterization, world building, etc. Definitely helped me improve lots. 

Again, @qed221b gets a special mention because my anxious self was all nervously checking my mails after posting the first chapter multiple times, and then she went and wrote me an extremely long, detailed comment that honestly made every single hour of work pouring over this fic worth it. I can’t exactly express with words how good it felt to have such validation. 

Now, I have a few fics I’m really proud of, but which don’t get a lot of feedback. 

Deliverance 

S : In which Percival Graves wants to live.

I am very proud of this one. It was, in fact, translated into Chinese not so long ago, much to my delight. This is the kind of fic which I will post nervously hoping for feedback and then get depressed when it is almost non-existant, because contrary to some other fics this one mattered to me more  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

@coffeesugarcream, however, left an absolutely rewarding comment on it. 

But no one is there to save him, no one but Percival himself. And he fights. A lot. And he hurts. A lot. But in the end, he does it - he saves himself, out of sheer will, and courage, and the hope that let him down so many times but he just can't let go of. I adored that passage, you know? Percival's relationship with hope: because in the way you put it it seems like it's the same hope that made him an Auror, and damn good at it - that made him power through all his life in a trail of burning glory.

Which makes me power through writing more fics in the future. Thank you so much :) 

Toxic 

S : Gellert observed him, as he came and went from the dirty speakeasies of New York, late into the night. Graves’ eyes lingered on some men, and it wasn't hard to see a pattern in his interests.

It is simple, then, to walk forward and wave a hand down his own body, altering his features to suit the man’s tastes. The speakeasy is bathed in low lights, and no one pays attention to him. No one, except Percival Graves himself.

Yet as the night unfolds, Grindelwald finds his control slipping. The man he meets in bed is nothing like the man he observed in control of MACUSA, and what should have been a simple plan quickly turns to something else - something that has Grindelwald's resolve wavering.

Toxic is one such fic as well. 

Here I was to give special thanks to @convenientalias, who has been so kind as to read and comment on a few of my fics in the past few days, including this one. It’s just so very heartwarming to know someone not only like one of your fics, but is also taking the time to read through others of your works and comment on every one of them. I just. Thank you so much ;v; 

Surrender 

S : It is not unusual for Percival to stay late at the MACUSA to work. He breaks for coffee, and ends up meeting a new employee - a sweet, charming young man, responsive to his advances.

But for Graves, what started out as harmless fun quickly turns into a nightmare.

THIS ONE has been a trial to write and i’m not done promoting it despite it’s subject because I know I did a good job on it, alright. 

Once again, a special mention to @qed221b for her incredibly kind and long comment that makes it all worth it ;v; and also to this user : 

Oh my goodness you would not believe how excited i was to get an alert that you had a new story. Made my day! I did like it. The whole "Graves flirting with late night workers" bit is wonderful. I also really like how you managed to capture Percival's confusion at his own magic being overpowered.

The bold sentence. The bold sentence is so freaking kind i’m just going to. go sob in a corner now. thanks. that is so nice to know ;v; 

And I’m going to end this with A little Death  co-written with @mercurial-tenacity because it has also been hugely rewarding, in the sense that we both posted it with low expectations and have just ?? been pleasantly surprised at the amount of positive feedback we got ?? To know that so many people enjoy it is greatly motivating us to write more. Thank you, readers :D 

All in all I am incredibly thankful for all these people, who wouldn’t make writing possible if they didn’t take time out of their days to tell me just how much they liked my work. Getting comments is just so heartwarming and nice and it feels so good. 

Thank you. 

[vesperlionheart]

Pompeii 27

@thefreckledone Days later and Sakura was still reeling from the generosity of her friends. Gifts were one thing, but it was hard to shake the feeling that there was something more to her first birthday in Pompeii based on how they blessed her. There were flowers for her almost daily when she came down for work. Every other day someone came in during her lunch break to bring her food and sit and eat with her. Days before she had felt a lacking in the town as more and more people went ‘off’ on business she didn’t understand, but suspected to be tied to Orochimaru’s recent activity. She had mentioned it once and now it seemed all her friends in Pompeii were attempting to compensate for the few weeks she wasn’t bathed in affection.  

Sakura loved her friends, and loved the validation from their gifts and visits…but…

“It’s too much.”

Shizune nodded in agreement. “Well, the Senju dropped off flowers yesterday. It’s no surprise the Uchiha would want to outshine their good neighbors.”

Sakura grimaced at the gaudy floral display left on her desk. It was even more lush with flora than the one yesterday, left by sweet Kawarama Senju on behalf of him and his brothers. Sakura had forgotten the blackbirds who saw and heard everything when she took the flowers from the youngest Senju, and gushed to him about how happy she was and how much she loved them.

“The smell is overpowering,” Shizune admitted with a shy shrug. “But it’s still lovely.”

“Yeah, it’s gorgeous,” Sakura agreed, looking over the swelling display of a dozen different flowers artfully arranged. “It’s just too much. Even for a birthday present, I’ve never been so…spoiled. Is this normal? I mean, it’s been over a week already.”

“Yes, but it’s your first birthday here. Sometimes special celebrations can continue on for weeks. Weddings typically last a whole month when they happen here. It all depends on how important or valued that person is to the community. You have a lot of people in Pompeii who see you as a member who is treasured.” Shizune nodded, eyes rolling towards the window. “Plus, people would much rather celebrate you than the spring equinox celebration that’s coming.”

“What? Why is that not a good thing? I thought the spring celebration was for like…rebirth and new life.”

“Oh it is, but this is just the quadrennial spring celebration. Every four years the spring celebration is a little different and people just don’t like the traditions as much as the others.”

“Is there a reason for that?” Sakura asked.

“It’s important to preserve our history and remember the mistakes we and our ancestors made in the past. So, instead of every year we decided that every four years we would add an additional ritual of appeasement into our spring celebration. It’s no terrible thing and we enjoy ourselves well enough because it is a celebration, but it’s not as fun compared to celebrating the life of a person important to you. We would much rather just celebrate you, Sakura.”

“What’s the ritual of appeasement for?” Sakura asked, noticing how the crows outside her windows were gone and the room felt much larger than it should. The windows were far away and the doors even farther. If someone had been listening in on them there would be nothing for them to hear.  This was Shizune’s doing.

“It’s better you not know that much,” Shizune whispered sweetly, something sad in her eyes. She reached out and pat Sakura’s cheek fondly. “There’s no need for you to share in our penance. Forget I said all that I did.”

Sakura wanted to ask what the penance was for and what she would do if she didn’t have to share in it, but another part of her wanted to ask about the woods and if what happened to her last autumn was tied to the spring celebrations. She had been back to the woods only once since that last incident, but there had been no more stairs to nowhere or evil fires stalking her through the night.

But that had been before…

“Shizune, we don’t have anyone else for the next hour, I want to check on something in my room real quick. Holler for me if we get a walk in?” Sakura asked.

“Of course.”

With a grateful wave Sakura skipped back and doubled up the stairs to her room on the second floor. Inside, the book had been left on her bed and that’s where she found it once more.

“Heeeey, old friend,” Sakura chuckled, picking it up nervously. Sometimes it didn’t want to talk to her and sometimes it did. She hoped she could get something out of it today.

“What is it now?” the book groused, sounding tired.

“It’s not about Orochimaru this time, I have a different sort of question for you. Do you know what happened to me last fall in the woods? Do you know what that was?”

The book warmed in her hands, she knew it was awake, but it didn’t reply. Sakura held her breath and waited, knowing it could be temperamental with her if it wanted to be. She could feel it still awake, it hadn’t gone to sleep on her, she could tell that much by now. Finally, it shifted in her hands.

“I know what it was.” The book then went silent.

“What was it?” Sakura asked.

The next silence was even longer and Sakura grew afraid that was all she would get out of the book before it shifted and turned open it’s pages. Sakura saw one bleed with a sloppy hand of ink. The ink ran into words and Sakura mutely read.

‘The truth is in the forest. The trees know!’

“The trees know what?” Sakura asked, feeling the book grow cooler under her fingers.

“You’ll have to ask them that yourself, won't you?” the book chirped before turning on itself and falling out of her hands onto her bed, closed once more.

When Sakura reached for it she could feel how cold it was and knew it was sleeping. There would be nothing more to glean from it after this. This time the book hadn’t answered her on its own, but showed her the answer someone else had discovered.  

“I have to go back into the woods again to find the answer,” Sakura said out loud. “Why does that sound like a bad idea?”

It was too convenient that the next morning was her day off and the weather was impossibly perfect for an early hike. She had wanted an excuse to stay back, but there were only reasons to go out, so she donned her hiking boots, knapsack, and packed plenty of water.

“I really don’t have a death wish, really,” Sakura said to her empty room before locking it behind her.

But before she could regret it, Sakura was already out and at the edge of the woods, inhaling the sharp smells of Douglas fir trees and evergreen needles. It was wonderful and fresh and clean and it made her heart hurt in longing. It was so nice to be outdoors. There were a scattering of pine cones on the floor that crunched underfoot and the sound made tingles at the base of her brain stem.

She remembered why she loved the outdoors so much. She was spoiled with all this compared to the dirty life in the city she had left behind.  

It was a perfect day with warm sunlight and brilliant clear skies dotted with just enough clouds to make things shady when they needed to be. Everything was picturesque. It almost made her want to sing.

Sakura hummed softly to herself, content with the world around her. She felt the bark, rough under her fingertips, as she dragged her hands over the tree’s exteriors. Everything felt perfect. How had she ever been afraid of this wonderful place?

“Who is that?”

Sakura stopped humming at the voice and turned, looking around. She couldn’t see anyone between the trees and spun once more, startling when suddenly there was a person standing right in front of her that hadn’t been there mere moments before. She made a noise high pitched and quick before stumbling backwards and grabbing her heart.

“Oh my-Sasori, what are you doing there? You just showed up and freaked me out.” Sakura let out a shaky breath and then gulped when she saw the ax at his side. “What…are you doing here?”

Sasori glared down at her but heaved the ax back up onto his shoulder and Sakura saw that it had a leather cap over the end of the blade to keep it from cutting anything accidentally. When he spoke his voice was dry and baleful.

“What do you think a woodworker would be doing up in the woods with an ax?”

“I mean…specifically, is there something you are doing out here. Do you have a project you’re working on?” Sakura easily recovered, smiling up at the red head before skipping to draw up parallel with him.

Today he was wearing a shirt, but it was loose with shirt sleeves that showed off the ball joints at his elbows and wrists. She could see the joints under his chin and at his neck too, now that she looked for them. They were hard to see if you didn’t know they were there.

“Meh, wood for the spring celebration. Any more details aren’t meant for you to hear,” he groused, mood sullen as he turned his back to her and began to walk away.

“Are you leaving?” Sakura asked, keeping pace with him.

“Are you following me?” he countered.

“For now.” Sakura shrugged when he glared over at her. “Is that such a bad thing?”

“I’m sure there are plenty of other people in the woods for you to entertain, but I have work to do.”

He started to walk away and Sakura stopped, letting him create distance between them. He wasn’t far when she called out to him next.

“I loved the box.”

He stopped and looked back at her, partially over his shoulder.

“I keep it on my dresser and it holds many of my treasures. The detail and skill you put into the decorations is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I…sometimes I’ll look at it and notice something new I hadn’t seen before, even days later. Thank you, I know that could have come from only you, even if there was no tag.”

Sasori stared back at her, but there was no glare in his look anymore. He was a creature assembled, put together and made like a doll with joints and add ons. It was hard to see some of his expressions sometimes, but she could see he wasn’t glaring at her anymore. There was something else on his face now.

Sakura went on. “Also, I could tell it took a lot of time and effort to craft, but it was perfect for me. The Sakura blossoms were a nice touch.”

“M-mn…” he hummed, dipping his head a fraction. “It was meant as a-an…anniversary present for your first year in Pompeii.” His words came out slow and his eyes didn’t meet hers. “It wasn’t finished as neatly as I would have liked, but I am glad you appreciate it.”

He rested his ax against a tree and reached down to untie the arms of his black and red flannel and pull it on. Sakura watched him button up the front and then grab his ax again. Now his elbow joints were hidden and the ones around his neck were harder to see. The ones on his fingers were masked with magic, so it seemed as if Sasori was as human or normal as one could be.

“How long did you work on it?” Sakura asked, walking up next to him, hands behind her back.

“Long enough.” He looked away and then hiked his shoulders before glancing back at her. “Not long,” he finally amended.   

“How long is not long for someone like you?” Sakura asked, suspecting that all the details he had put into her box must have been more than a few days labor. Some of the details were so tiny they must have been etched out with a pin she though. There were people happy under the Sakura trees and sometimes she thought she recognized them as people from Pompeii, like Ino, Gaara, and Naruto.

Sasori shrugged. “I couldn’t put a number on it. I worked…on and off…I had other things to do in between and thought I would have more time to finish it. I didn’t know it was your birthday so close to the spring equinox.”

“I didn’t know it was going to be such a big deal. I thought birthdays were like just another thing. Some people I’ve met are hundred of years old and don’t even remember the actual number. I think it would get mundane after a while.”

“You’re different,” Sasori said easily, and Sakura felt a pang of panic for a split second. She didn’t want to be different, she didn’t want to be ‘outside’ or apart from the others in Pompeii, even though she knew she was still something of an outside that couldn’t share in their penance and history.

Sensing her tension Sasori quickly corrected himself. “Special. You’re special. To Pompeii and everyone here. A doctor is special anyways, but you’re one of the far kinder and more treasured ones to come through. Plus, you’re still young, aren’t you? The kids cling to you so easily.”

“Kids? You mean Naruto and Ino and Gaara?” Sakura remembered the carvings on her box and realized that most of them were of the younger generation that Ino hung out with. There were a few older people like Shizune on the box, but almost exclusively the collection of Sakura observers carved into the wood were of the youngest in Pompeii.

Sakura felt her face flush. “Is that what I seem like to you?” she whined, cheeks burning. “I have a degree and a job!”

Sasori looked almost as if he were panicking when he heard her tone and saw her flush. She saw his mouth hang open on a gap then quickly shut. “No-not like that. You’re an adult, you’re old enough to be an adult, you’re not a kid, but you’re less than a century, right?”

“Does that make me a child?” Sakura whined, feeling even more embarrassed. No one else had told her this. Was a century the turning point out of adolescence?

“Obviously not. I don’t see you as a child, Sakura,” Sasori spoke quickly. “You’re a wom-wo-woman.” His voice caught towards the end and if he could Sakura was sure he would have blushed with how pained his eyes seemed as he looked down at her. His mouth was open and gaping again.

Sakura reached up and rubbed her face with her hands, stretching out the skin under her eyes. “It’s okay, I get it. I’m not the oldest one here and I guess I’m just sensitive because I’m used to being dismissed and treated differently in my work profession. I-I graduated early from NYU and was one of the youngest in my field with a degree. I had people doubting me constantly because of my age and my sex. I’m more sensitive to it than I admit, but I’m fine now, really.”

“You didn’t deserve that,” Sasori said. “You do an amazing job, better than anyone that came before you.”

Sakura forced herself to laugh. “Thank you, Sasori. I’m…I’m also sorry for making you uncomfortable. I hadn’t meant to put you in such an awkward situation.”

“You didn’t.”

Sakura looked up at him and smiled slyly until he stuttered again.

“N-not really. Don’t apologize for it.”

“All the same, I bet I was more annoying than you expected. I even kept you from finishing your work. It was important work too, wasn’t it?”

He was watching her, hardly half a head taller than her, he stared down at her from his spot alongside her. “It’s nothing that couldn’t have waited another hour or day.”

“Oh good, because I didn’t want to say it before, but I’m really glad I ran into you. I was a little afraid to come out here on my own.” She smiled so easily as they began to start walking off in a new direction together.

“Why?”

“Oh, you know, um last autumn I had a few missteps in the forests and ended up going weird places for hours even though it felt like minutes. It freaked me out and the Senju couldn’t even tell me what it was that was happening. I haven’t been back here since, but I thought if I wanted to better understand what happened I should…put in a little more effort. Does that make sense?”

“You came here on you own?” She nodded. “Knowing that the last time you did so resulted in unpleasant events?”

“Oh well, they were actually a little worse than unpleasant, but you know it was so long ago.”

“You didn’t ask anyone to come with you?” he asked again, still walking.

“I didn’t want to bother anyone, and it was sort of last minute. Plus, a lot of people have been busy. I don’t know what it is, but like, when I went to visit Pein at his diner he wasn’t there and the Uchiha leave gifts with their birds, but they’re also out and about with the Senju more than usual. Everyone is working hard in their own way. It would have been selfish of me to bother them.”

“Are you an idiot?” he asked, voice dry. “That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said.”

Sakura missed a step and staggered. “Excuse me?”

“You think you would be selfish to ‘bother’ them by asking them to go on a hike with you. The matter of your safety aside, who do you think wouldn’t want to go on a hike with you if you asked them.”

“Everyone here is really nice and I knew most would say yes if I asked, but I didn’t…want to be a bother.” Sakura paused to make a face up at the redhead. “You make it sound like I’m being the conceited one here, but I don’t think I was stupid.”

“Maybe, but it’s fine to be stupid from time to time. Regardless, it worked out with me.”

“Oh yes, thank you for that, my knight in shining armor,” Sakura gushed in exaggeration. “Where ever would I have been without you to cross my path?”

“Humming to yourself like a loon in the middle of the woods,” he breathed out with an almost smile on his face.

“Excuse you,” Sakura gasped. “Rude!”

Sasori looked at her face and there was something like ice breaking in her heart as she saw his expression shift. His lips stretched and the smile was matched in his eyes as he laughed down at her. It was a full, honest, sort of laugh he hadn’t thought about or meant to let slip. Sakura felt her heart catch and pinch painfully for a split second before it warmed and she laughed along with him, unable to fight it. Sasori was laughing and it made her want to laugh too.

The pair of them went on walking a little further. Eventually Sasori explained to her that he was looking for the Genesis tree, a tree that sometimes springs up during the ritual performed on Founder’s Day. When Sakura and the other boys from the Mizu gang went into that trance things had happened on the outside and one of those things was a tree springing up in the middle of Pompeii somewhere.

“How will you be able to tell which one it is?” Sakura asked, momentarily marveled by the vast amount of trees she had already seen.

“It’s one that wasn’t there before. Only the experts of the wood even attempt to go out looking for it. Aside from that, there is some residual magic in it that others can track. It’s…every four years a tree has to be cut and presented as tribute during the Spring  Celebration, and if there is a genesis tree it has to be that one.”

“What happens if you can’t find that tree in time?” Sakura asked.

Sasori shrugged. “That’s not happened before, but I guess it would be bad. Maybe. It’s a break in tradition, but there’s not any real danger.”  

Sakura hummed along, following him down the path. “Do you get the tree for the ceremony every four years?”

“Yeah, usually. I mean, it depends on who finds it and sometimes that’s one of the Senju brats because they’re all over this forest, but I’ve found it several times in recent years. Regardless, I always go out looking.”

“Is it the same type of special tree, or is it sometimes different?”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“I’m curious! That’s how people learn. Besides, I feel like no one talks to me that much about Pompeii’s history apart from Shizune, but even she has things she won’t tell me.”

Sasori nodded, pushing away a tree branch and walking around it. “There are some things about Pompeii you are better off not knowing about.”

Sakura watched him for an expression as they walked. “Like Orochimaru?”

Sasori didn’t miss a step, but she saw his lips thin. “Among others, yes. Learning about them might draw their gaze to you, so it is best if you knew less.”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve already pissed that guy off when I helped Haku out a curse. Chiyo helped with that, so you might have heard.” When he nodded grimly Sakura went on. “So, it doesn’t matter much more than this. I’m better off knowing.”

“There are things far more dangerous than Orochimaru to worry about,” Sasori sighed, stopping and squinting into the tree line ahead of them.  

He picked up his ax off his shoulder and popped the button around the leather head covering, letting it fall to the floor as the blade’s edge gleamed in the early morning light. “Sakura, get behind me.”

Sakura recognized the tone and rushed to do as she said, situating herself behind him. Above them the sky had turned  gray and was thicker with clouds than before. A moment later one cracked and a strike of lightning hit the ground close to where Sakura had just been standing. It cleared in a burst of smoke and there, standing at the stroke point, was a nonchalant looking Pein.

“Oh, you.” Sasori’s tone and expression were bland as he straightened, but didn’t put down the ax. He still held onto it and kept his arms wide enough to shield Sakura.

“Me,” Pein said, brushing smoke off his shoulders. “But it’s not you I was here to see.”

Sakura touched Sasori’s arm and peeked out from behind him. “Pein? You’re back.”

The nonchalant edges and disinterested expression were wiped off Pein’s person as he straightened at the sound of her voice. His eyes went to her instantly and everything about him was different.

“Sakura,” he breathed, voice as soft as his eyes as he looked down at her. “You weren’t at work and someone mentioned you went into the woods. I was worried. Are you well?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just went on a walk. Wait, when did you get back? You’ve been gone.”

There was a real sort of hurt in his eyes as he nodded to her. “I’m sorry. Yes, I was gone but I heard you came looking for me? I can’t apologize enough. I even missed your birthday.”

Sakura waved it off. “There will be others. It’s not a big deal.”

Pein swallowed, looking from her to the redhead who stood immediately next to her, ax still raised. “What are you wearing, Sasori?” he asked, a single brow raised in scrutiny. Are you trying to hide your imperfections?”

Sasori didn’t react, but lowered his ax and reached for the leather head covering, avoiding eye contact. Wordlessly he started to cover up the blade with the leather.

“There are none.” 

Both males looked over at Sakura as she spoke. Sakura blinked at the attention but didn’t hesitate.

 “Sasori doesn’t have any imperfections.”

Sasori’s head turned away and he looked down, buttoning the clasp to his ax head covering while Pein readjusted himself and then coughed into his hand.

“Of course. Nothing ill meant in it. I’ll apologize for the slip of the tongue just now. Regardless, Sakura…” he waved a hand and there was a ripple of magic around them. He reached for her and offered her his hand. “I have something I wanted to show you. To make up for my absence please let me take you to your birthday present.”

Sakura looked back over at Sasori who hadn’t turned back to face her. Something about the lines in his back made it hard to approach him.

“Sasori,” she called out to him but he didn’t turn around or react. “Thank you for spending time with me and staying with me. I enjoyed our time out. Let’s do it again sometime soon. I’ll help you look for your tree.”

She took Pein’s hand and with a snap the pair were gone.

Without Sakura there Sasori could feel the wave of Pompeii’s magic clustered not far off. He swallowed, trying to move past the feeling he still wrestled with from Sakura’s words. Where his heart should have been hurt. He’d have to look at that later and check to make sure there was nothing wrong.

He followed a less tread path deeper until he came upon it. Wide and stretching with a solid trunk wide enough to be buried in, the buds were starting to come in varying shades of pale pink. Any day now the Sakura buds would bloom and fall.

Sasori dropped his ax to his side and sighed, lacking the motivation to move. Just this once he wanted to pretend he never found the genesis tree. Maybe this could be the year they broke with tradition.

Meanwhile, with Pein and Sakura

“No,” Sakura whispered, eyes wide.

“Happy birthday.”

“Pein…”

“Yes, dearest?” he purred, head close to hers.

“That’s a car.”

“Mmmhum,” he hummed into the side of her head, nuzzling her hair before pulling back. “ It’s a 1957 chevy convertible. I thought you might like it.”

[marshmallow-the-vampire-slayer]

MTVS Epic Rewatch #169

VM 3x08 Lord of the Pi’s

Stray thoughts

1)   If you ever wondered what crossover fanfiction would look like if actually made a reality, this is it. This episode is basically Rob Thomas’ dream of making the universe of VM collide with The Big Lebowski’s. Fanwank doesn’t usually result in masterpieces, and this is no exception. The episode is lackluster at best, and after you’ve found all TBL references you end up realizing it lacks substance. The best parts of it are the LoVe scenes, and not in the good kind of way but in the why-does-this-hurt-so-much-I-want-to-die kind of way. 

Now, this isn’t to say that I wouldn’t love to see some sort of creation in any media where The Dude and Veronica meet and work a case together (because, let’s face it, among other things, TBL is a mystery and The Dude is a reluctant detective but a detective nonetheless.)

2)    I present thee the reason this episode is Kristen Bell’s favorite…

Yes, you’ve read it right. Kristen loves this episode because she finds the fact Chip was sexually assaulted freaking hilarious. I guess she doesn’t think it’s abuse if you get an egg shoved up your anus. Or if you’re a man. You make what you will of this information.

3)   So… after nearly getting raped and being rescued but Logan, Veronica is still dodging his calls? Of course, she is, she’s Veronica. Never mind.

4)   And then “the talk”...

LOGAN: We need to have a talk, a serious one. VERONICA: Yeah, I got that from your messages. That-it's why I haven't called. I haven't had time to have a talk. LOGAN: Well, then I'll make it quick. I want you to stay away from the rape case. Okay? Just let it go. And it's clear the rapist knows who you are. VERONICA: He doesn't know about the hair, just about the getting dosed part. LOGAN: Well, maybe he should be in the loop on this one. VERONICA: Don't you dare. LOGAN: Fine. Just stop digging around. Okay? No more looking into the serial rapes. No more putting your nose where it doesn't belong. VERONICA: My nose kind of belongs wherever I decide to put it. LOGAN: I'm worried about you. Okay? I want you to stop now. I'm not kidding. VERONICA: Kind of a one-eighty, isn't it? Can we rewind a week? Cue it up to the part where you were asking me to exonerate your Mexican vacation buddy, Mercer. LOGAN: That was before you were attacked. Why can't you for once just leave things alone? VERONICA: Okay, now you're starting to piss me off. LOGAN: Frankly, Veronica, so what?! You're not invincible, and you're not always right! KEITH: Hey! You might want to stop yelling at my daughter. LOGAN: Yeah? You might want to start.

A lot happens in this very short scene, and first of all, let me say that I’m on Logan’s side. He may have gone about it all wrong, but his heart was in the right place. And see, communication wasn’t his forte, but he was trying. He kept calling Veronica to talk about what had happened, and she wasn’t answering his calls. Let’s put this in perspective, shall we? Just a couple of days ago (I can’t imagine more time than that had gone by because there’s no way Veronica could’ve have avoided him for more than a few days...) Veronica wasn’t answering his calls, and he had found her drugged and passed out with her hair shaved. And now, she wasn’t pickin up AGAIN. So I get why the guy was a little jumpy and on edge, okay? Even if she wasn’t ready to have a conversation, she could have at least told him she was okay. 

I don’t get how Keith wouldn’t know about the hair? So, Logan found Veronica at the garage and either took her home or to the ER room - more likely the latter. There, Veronica must have been examined and Logan questioned about how he found her, isn’t that the regular procedure? He must’ve told the doctors about the hair. And even if he didn’t, they probably noticed. And then the doctors probably informed Keith? Wouldn’t they? And even if they didn’t, and even if Logan kept his mouth shut for reasons (he didn’t want to worry Keith any further?), Keith took care of Veronica while she was getting better, so like, how is it possible that he didn’t know about/see her hair? 

Anywho, that’s just something that kind of bugs me. What’s more important, though, is the fact that Logan quite wisely points out that Keith should be in the loop about his daughter being targeted by the serial rapist. Damn straight he should. Of course, Veronica then not-so-subtly threatens Logan and he acquiesces on the condition that she stops investigating the case that put her in danger.

As a general rule, I agree with Veronica’s statement that her nose belongs wherever she decides to put it. Except in this case, Veronica is acting like a spoiled child. She’s choosing to rebel against someone telling her what to do for her own safety instead of choosing, you know, her own safety! That is monumentally stupid if you ask me. Choose your battles, my sweet child. Be your own person as long as it doesn’t put you in danger, you know? 

Logan’s cry of worry was valid and, more importantly, well-founded. Of course, he wasn’t about to win an argument against Veronica, even if he was kind of right. Veronica is using the fact that he had asked her to help Mercer against him, but she’s wrong. Even if it seems she’s making a good point, it’s troll logic. You see, she’s asking him: “oh you wanted to get involved in the case when your buddy was in a jam but now you’re worried?” Well, of course he is! Before she was targeted, there really wasn’t any reason for any of them to be worried about Veronica’s safety. And it wasn’t as if she wasn’t in the case before he asked her to clear Mercer. Now he has a pretty good reason to be worried about her. And she should be worried, too. 

And even though I’m not a fan of yelling and shouting your arguments (I believe that if you shout, your good points get lost amidst the shouting. Even if you’re right, you won’t get your message across because people will only hear your yelling instead of your arguments.) I do applaud Logan for finally dumping a truth bomb: Veronica is not invincible, and SHE IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT. She likes to think she is always right, but that’s hardly the case. And more often than not, she lets her instincts guide her actions before finding out if she is actually right, and ends up hurting people.  

Like I explained above, all Keith hears is Logan yelling and not the actual words he was saying. 

5)   

VERONICA: Dad, please, it's okay. He's just worried about me. KEITH: Does he have a reason to be? VERONICA: The Hearst rapist has everyone on edge. KEITH: Well, you take care of yourself. I'm always a phone call away. VERONICA: I know you are. Ciao, Papa.

 YES, HE DOES HAVE A REASON TO BE WORRIED! WHY DO YOU THINK HE WAS YELLING AT YOUR DAUGHTER? FOR FUN? 

And listen, I love Keith to death and I truly think he’s the best father in television history. He always put Veronica’s wants and needs first - almost to a fault. He valued Veronica’s opinion and he respected her decisions, but the thing is, she was still a kid, and she wasn’t always right. And yet, she had him wrapped around her finger, and she knew it. Veronica truly knew how to play her father. I’m not saying she did it on purpose, I think she wasn’t aware she was manipulating him most of the times, but that doesn’t change the fact that she did, in fact, manipulate him A LOT. Take this scene for example. Logan was literally begging Veronica to stop investigating the case because she got in danger and he was yelling about how she wasn’t invincible. Instead of becoming worried, Keith asks Veronica if he should be. That was his first mistake. And then, Veronica doesn’t really answer his question (I could go on a long rant about conversational implicatures but that’s neither here nor there.) She doesn’t say “No, dad, you shouldn’t be.” She offers him a sort of explanation for Logan’s behavior and lets him fill in the blanks about whether he should be worried or not. Don’t you know your daughter, Keith? Can’t you infer the reason she was drugged was because she was walking into the lion’s den by investigating the serial rapist case? Like, what did Keith think had happened? What was the reason he thought Veronica was drugged? Why is he so chill about this?

6)   The first time I watched this episode I had no idea who the actress who played Selma Hearst Rose was and why it was relevant that she was playing that character. In case you’re still in the dark, as I was back then, I’ll break it down for you. 

This billionaire heiress became famous in 1974 when the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped her in Berkeley, California. She eventually joined her captors in a series of bank robberies and, after being captured, claimed she was brainwashed and/or intimidated into committing the robberies. Nevertheless, she was jailed for almost two years until being released and later receiving a Presidential pardon for her role in the crimes. Patty Hearst, who now acts for fun and not to save her life, plays Selma Hearst Rose, a rich heiress whose mysterious disappearance suggests a kidnapping. The similarities are eerie. And deliberate, according to Veronica Marscreator Rob Thomas. (marsinvestigations.net)

7)   It’s nice to see Lamb has preconceptions about people from all walks of life. He’s an equal-opportunity bigot if it means it will get him out of actually doing his job.

LAMB: Foul play. You think? What makes you say so? DEAN O'DELL: An extremely wealthy woman disappears in the middle of a reception held in her honour. Don't you find that, I don't know, odd? LAMB: Well, I mean, there's "odd" and there's "foul play." Rich ladies aren't the most reliable creatures. DEAN O'DELL: Of course, she must have remembered her tennis lesson. How silly of her to forget. I don't suppose there's someone I can speak with who would take this seriously. LAMB: Dollars to doughnuts, you'll find her sobbing into a mojito at the club because she lost an earring. DEAN O'DELL: Well, you'd be the doughnut expert. Excuse me.

 8)   They were really trying to make the campus extra creepy. 

 No lighting? Mist? Desolation? Why would ANY girl, let alone Veronica of all people, walk alone at night there?

9) BUFFY REFERENCE!!!

VERONICA: Hey, Fern. What up, girl? FERN: What do you want, Buffy...Tiffany...whatever your name is?

10) And how awesome is it that Veronica impersonates Martina Vázquez and makes Lamb look like the incompetent asshole that he is? And that she doesn’t even pretend not to be making a fool out of him when Keith blows up her cover… 

VERONICA: Well, thank you, Sheriff, I'm glad you enjoyed it. We've learned that Selma Rose received a phone call before she went missing. Have you learned who the call was from yet? LAMB: Actually, Martina, we checked that out, and it was false information. There was no record of an incoming call that night. VERONICA: You are sure? LAMB: Yeah, if you'd like, I can keep you in the loop with this sort of stuff. KEITH: Hello? VERONICA: Dad, I'm on the phone. KEITH: Oh, sorry, honey! Let me know when you're off. VERONICA: Sheriff...you were saying you'd be able to keep me in the loop?

Lamb knows Veronica has outsmarted him yet again… 

11) Listening to Veronica making assault jokes at the expense of the assault victim is really disheartening, okay? I can’t ever get behind this writing choice.

12) This shit was scary, though.

13) This scene was super fun.

Can you blame Veronica, though? She was so excited she got to do some old-fashioned sleuthing/breaking-and-entering with her dad a.k.a. her hero.

14) 

KEITH: This is my daughter, Veronica. She works with me...occasionally. VERONICA: Ryan. Tatum. When he gets in a jam, I make with the cute.

15) 

SELMA: Have you ever been a walking punch line, Mr. Mars? I mean, on a national scale?

16) This scene, though! Such a rollercoaster and it all happens in what? A minute?

17) 

MOUNTAIN MAN: It's okay, Veronica. It's okay. I'm here to help. VERONICA: What the hell is going on?! MOUNTAIN MAN: Just calm down, all right? Mr. Echolls has been concerned about your safety. I've been hired to keep an eye on you.

(mountain man lol!) Questionable decision? Yes. But I guess desperate times call for desperate measures. And it’s not like he was wrong. Mountain Man had to rescue Veronica from a dangerous situation. But more on this in a bit.

18) 

VERONICA: I have spent the last few days being terrified that I had some whacked-out rapist following me!

AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ANYONE! YOU’RE SCARED AND JUMPY AND WORRIED AND YOU HAVE REASON TO BE YET YOU REFUSE TO DROP THE CASE AND YOU HIDE ALL OF THIS FROM YOUR FATHER AND YOU GET MAD AT YOUR BOYFRIEND BECAUSE HE’S WORRIED ABOUT YOU AND IS TRYING TO PROTECT YOU!

(if Keith won’t yell at Veronica, then I will hahaha!)

19) 

VERONICA: So you pay someone to tail me? LOGAN: No, so I asked you to stop putting yourself in danger, and you told me to piss off. Then I hired someone to protect you. VERONICA: You had no right to do that. LOGAN: Look, that's probably true...okay? It's just I don't care. VERONICA: You don't care? LOGAN: Look, I don't give a rat's ass if it's right or fair. I don't care if you're angry. I care that you're safe. VERONICA: That's all sweet and great, but it doesn't really work that way. It's not like this is all some new facet of my personality. You know who I am! You know what I do. LOGAN: And? VERONICA: And...it isn't gonna change. And if you can't accept that, this isn't gonna work. LOGAN: You know who I am. And you're constantly expecting me to change.

LOGAN: And even right now, as you're thinking, "crap, he's got a point," you still think you're ultimately right. I love you, Veronica. I love you.But, do you love me?

VERONICA: Yeah. LOGAN: Well then, can we try to go a little easier on each other? VERONICA: Yeah, I think that's a good idea. LOGAN: So, are we okay? VERONICA: Yeah...we're okay.

Like I said before, Logan’s decision to hire a bodyguard (is that what Mountain Man was?) to protect her was questionable at best. He is aware of it, but he doesn’t care. But it wasn’t his first call. Unlike Veronica (who would put tags on him without giving it as much as a second thought, and who actually followed him like four episodes ago.) It was more of a “if you won’t take care of yourself, then I’ll take care of you however I have to” kind of decision. And also, I get it, I get him. So what if she got upset? So what if she found out about it and broke up with him because of it? At least she’d be safe. (I think there’s an interesting parallel to be made between Logan and the girl who only cared about his missing boyfriend being safe.) 

But then we get to the meat of the matter, which is, in a nutshell, Veronica is a hypocrite. Veronica is always quick to judge others but the girl kind of sucks at introspection. She truly believes she’s always right. For once, though, she’s rendered speechless. She has no retort because she knows Logan’s right. Of course, she won’t admit it, not out loud. And it won’t change the fact that she will continue to expect him to change while remaining reluctant to change herself. 

The problem is, this wasn’t an either/or situation. Okay, so Veronica didn’t want to drop the case because going after the truth was what made her tick. I get that. I support that. I wouldn’t love her as much as I do if that wasn’t who she is. But she could still continue investigating the rape without being reckless by accepting Logan’s help and protection and opening up to Keith about it. But Veronica never knew any other way than her own way. 

And then, the “I love you”. Twice. And Veronica’s response, “yeah.” It never really bothered me that Veronica never said it back because I didn’t need Veronica to say it to know that she felt it. She truly loved Logan, I think we all know that. But it made sense for her as a character to have that inability to completely give herself to someone, especially to someone who she thought could totally destroy her. For Veronica, loving was being vulnerable, and she had been taken advantage of one to many times to let herself be in that kind of position. She wasn’t ready yet. And she wouldn’t be for a very long time.

Logan, on the other hand, was always wearing his heart on his sleeve. He was always the one doing the grand romantic gestures and giving the epic romantic speeches. So it makes total sense that he would say it twice and that she wouldn’t say it at all.

20) Ugh ugh ugh! And how much do you hate Veronica for implying this after almost getting raped herself?! 

VERONICA: Oh, I believe you. And I think it's horrible. I also think it's powerful motivation for someone to take desperate action. Fake a rape, right? Possibly a series of rapes. How many of them were real? I mean, other than Chip Diller's. There hasn't been any forensic evidence; no semen, no hair found on any of the victims. NISH: The Greeks would be gone if you hadn't gotten them off. Are you proud of that fact? VERONICA: The moral superiority would fit better if there wasn't already one fake rape on your résumé.

I’ve talked about this before when Veronica found that Clare’s rape claim was fake. But all of this was completely unnecessary. I get it. It's noir. Everyone’s corrupted. But this whole plot just proves that the writers were using rape ONLY as a plot device and they never really cared about bringing light to the real issues underlying rape culture. By reinforcing the idea that women fake rapes (a series of rapes, for god’s sake!) and by having a rape victim of all people actually endorse this idea, they’re contributing to the rape apologists’ agenda. Rob Thomas, I beg of you, don’t ever write another rape storyline. EVER. 

21) This breaks my heart, every time.

You know what the saddest part is? You know what makes this scene so utterly heartbreaking? The moments leading to it. Because you see, I don’t think this was a setup, I don’t think Logan was trying to test Veronica or something. Logan was never that kind of guy. You know what kind of guy he was? The one who would be walking around the cafeteria and spot his girlfriend, and who would then decide to call her and say hello, pretending to engage in casual conversation. He would compliment her on her outfit, mentioning something very specific, and probably make some witty remark about her choice of food - a few hints here and there that would make her suspect he was closer by than he originally let her in on. And then he would tell her something like: “I hope you’re not ogling that handsome guy standing by the door...” And she’d say: “what guy...?” and look in that direction and find him standing there. And he would smirk and wave, and she would smile and he would make his way to her, and she’d tell him, still on the phone, “I hate to break it to you, honey, but you know I have a sweet spot for poor little rich boys...” And finally, he’d reach her, and kiss the devious grin off her face. And it’d all be okay.

Except... none of that really happened. And instead, he got the sobering realization that they were really not okay, at all. 

*cries self into oblivion*

[yorulun]

The Braid That Ties Us Together

So I saw the post about Shipping with Stiles Week on @shippingwithstiles and felt moved to post some of the fic I had made. Though I am not much of a good writer since English is not my first language, nor is it my second. My grammar is totally down the gutter too.

This would be a mix of the 6th and 8th day but I had wrote and posted this months before.

Pairing : Stiles Stilinski/James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers

Prompts :  “Ssh. Stop fussing. I’m just braiding your hair.”

“Stiles.”

The name was hissed through gritted teeth but the owner of the name just ignored it like he did not hear the murder in the voice of the person who had hissed his name.

Deft fingers moved through the silky strands of luscious brown locks and it twisted around as the strands began to take a more definite shape. An exasperated huff slipped pass full lips when the person between his legs would not stop moving around in the pass ten minutes he had started this.

“Ssh. Stop fussing. I’m just braiding your hair.”

Stiles said to the brunette man he had between his legs and could not help the hapless chuckle that escaped him moments later because never in a million year would anyone ever use the sentence in conjunction with the phantom assassin he now has sitting on the floor between his spread legs.

No one would have believed him if he told them that he was braiding the hair of the Winter Soldier.

“Why are you even doing it in the first place?”

Bucky grounded out, sounding very much disgruntled that Stiles’ mind immediately popped up the image of the grumpy cat that he had shown off to the rest of the Avengers after realizing just how similar it had looked to their resident phantom assassin.

Bucky the Grumpy Cat.

It has a nice ring to it and Steve had agreed with him too, so that makes it all the more valid because Captain America agrees with him. Even if Stiles has the niggling suspicion that the blonde man only agreed with him just to save his ass from sleeping on the couch.

“Just because. Loki and Thor taught me how to do the Asgardian’s battle braid and I thought you would look good with it. Now shush, I’m gonna prove my theory right.”

“You had been spending too much time with that Trickster.”

Stiles did not miss the underlying current of hostility in the older man’s voice and also the hints of jealousy that tinged his voice. Stiles knew he had been spending so much time with the two Asgardian brothers but it is not like he could help it.

Those two are the freaking fountain of knowledge when it comes to the supernatural aspects of life, especially Loki because between the two siblings, Loki is obviously the brain and Stiles had spent the past years picking on his brain to fill out the empty spaces in the beastiary that he had compiled together.

Besides, it did not hurt that Loki shares his brand of humor and intellect. He could spend hours trading fast paced cutting wits with the God of Trickery. It had become one of his favorite pastime in the years he had started living in the tour.

“Don’t tell me you’re jealous. You know Loki is very much head over heel for Tony and I love both you and Steve too much to even look at anyone else. Loki and I are too much similar to get on like that. If anything, he is more like the long-lost twin brother that I never knew existed. Or mother if I were to believe the myth.”

A sardonic smirk curled on his lips because he knew some of the myths about Loki were true, both Thor and Loki himself had confirmed it for him. Besides, Loki’s children are awesome and Fenrir is fun to have around, especially when he gets in the mood to terrorize the local werewolf pack. Who knew being the One and True Alpha gives you the perk of influencing the other werewolves that descended from him.

Hel is the most awesome female to ever exist and Stiles shuddered at the thought of Lydia and her meeting each other. The queen of the dead and the creature that is the messenger of death, those two are bound to be the power duo if fate ever decided to cross their path together.

Jormugandr is a sassy as fuck guy and Stiles is pretty sure he could out scowl Derek because the serpent has the habit of not blinking, which is something Stiles is still trying to get used to. It is unnerving to have the stilted green eyes of the Midgard Serpent be on you for hours unblinkingly.

But Sleipnir is, hands down, his most favorite amongst Loki’s children. The guy is just so sweet that Stiles always turned into a putty under the imploring brown eyes of the stallion. He is the most level headed of Loki’s children and Stiles love spoiling him rotten with any apple desserts.

And yeah, each of Loki’s children has the ability to change into human form because it is not surprising that he had inherited Loki’s ability to shapeshift into other form since they are really his children. Stiles is still bitching about their good look because it is just so not fair to be that hot and beautiful and not prefer to be in human form.

Curse the Aesir’s good gene.

“Not jealous.”

Bucky mumbled under his breath like a petulant child and Stiles only felt fond endearment toward this overgrown supersoldier of a child.

“I call bullshit.”

Stiles interjected with a tender smile curving his lips. He tipped Bucky’s head back and leaned down to plant a chaste kiss on the older man’s lips, an easy feat because he was seated on the couch and Bucky on the floor.

“Nothing’s wrong with being jealous and you know how much I love it when both you and Steve gets all possessive on me.”

He peppered the assassin’s face with many upside-down kisses, all the while caressing the short scruff on the handsome face of his lover using the hand he had tipped Bucky’s head back with.

“Cheeky brat.”

The words were said against his lips and Stiles did not complain when Bucky twisted around to pull him into a more sound kiss, even if it caused for his hard work at braiding Bucky’s hair be undone. Any kisses from either of his lovers are very much welcomed and at any time. God, he loves this man so much and if only Steve is here with them. Everything would have been so perfect if he is here with them instead of being halfway across the world for an Avenger mission.

“You love my cheekiness. It balanced out yours and Steve’s little shit tendency.”

Bucky snorted, blue eyes dark with unholy intent that made Stiles feels hot under the collar. Stiles shivered when the contrasting temperature of warm skin and cold metal touched the warmed skin of his sides and leaned down to meet the chapped lips of his lover.

The kiss was light and gentle despite the smoldering heat in Bucky’s eyes and the greedy grasp of Bucky’s hands under his shirt. Their lips glided together with a fervent passion that Stiles only ever felt for the two men whom he was gifted by fate as his Soulmates and Stiles loves every moment of it.

His fingers tangled in the silky strands that he had spent the pass half an hour braiding and used it to reel his mate in so that their chests are pressing close together. Having the solid weight of his Soulmate’s body on top of him always made him feels safe and at ease and the unnatural temperature that the supersoldier’s body run on is always a welcomed addition, especially during the cold day that made his bones tremble.

They broke off when the need for air become too much for Stiles and Bucky continued to pepper Stiles’ face with kisses as the younger man tried to catch his breath.

“As fun as it is to kiss you, I really would like to go back to braiding your hair. I want to see how you would look like in it.”

Stiles said, effectively shattering the intense moment between the two of them but it managed to make Bucky laugh, which he counted as a win even if the older man choose to muffle it against his shoulder.

“Punk.”

“Your punk. Now off. I will braid your hair even if it kills me.”

“Drama Llama.”

“I will still make a cute llama.”

“That, you would.”

If Steve got more handsy when he saw Bucky’s hair in braids after he got back from the mission, well Stiles think that would be a fun kink to get to know because he still has the long haired wigs that Tony had given to him as a gag gift.