#I mean it’s Asami. A S A M I

[loklove48]

A day late, just another favorite Korrasami moment.

[stonedporcupine]

Past Due

💚 First Lin Beifong x reader fic y'all !!! 🧡

Slow burn! ❤️‍🔥

All reviews and comments are appreciated;

Will eventually add on Ao3;

Warnings: Violence, little blood.

Chapter 1 Ch 2 - p.1 Ch 2 - p.2 Ch 2 - p. 3 Ch 2 - Part 4 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Y/N´s PoV

Ahhh, Republic City, first time I moved in here about 1 year ago I had a blast. I felt it was about time I got myself away from that hell hole I was supposed to call home…but we don’t talk about that. “Bills are catching up to me…and I´ve got nowhere to run.” I mumble beneath my breath, as I hold a bunch of letters on my hand. The large, thick, red letters with a prominent “Past Due” and “Final Demand” written on each one of them. I feel the unpleasant weight on the pit of my stomach and swallow dryly, shoving the letters aside with a loud exhale. Who knew it cost so much to make it to detective?! I mean, sure hands down it’s the fucking capital city of the United Republic Nations AND one of the largest and most modern cities in the world but Tui and La…ease on the prices!

I look up at the old clock, on the small entry hall of my apartment. “Fuck fuck, shit shit shit!!” I gasp, I am so going to be late to practice. I grab my black jacket, with the fire nation insignia on its back, and my dark matte helmet as I run out the door, down the old elevator, towards the garage. The loud and stressful squeaking of the elevator only heightens my already high cortisol levels. I swear to Raava, one day this shit is going to break down and take the building down with it! Once the old, loud, rusty metal doors of the elevator open I barge right out heading for my perfectly parked satocycle on its assigned place. A gift from Asami and Mr Sato for my hard work for the company. Shoving the helmet in my head, part of my dark messy curled hair hangs out on the bottom. I speed out of the garage, the bike taking off the ground slightly as I go over the bump on the entrance of the parking space, joining the satomobiles on the road with a loud squeak from the wheels of the bike, as I drift to the right.

I can´t be late again! Officer Wang will kill me and probably pull me out of the program, which is a big ass no no. I haven’t come this far just to fuck things up all over again.

Chief Beifong´s PoV

“Officer Song, didn´t I JUST tell you to take the route to Northern Avenue?!” I grumble between gritted teeth at the officer who´s driving. Guess I know who´s driving next time. I mean how much of an imbecile do you have to be to not follow simple orders?! Orders I JUST GAVE!!?? I look at the terrified officer, gripping the wheel of the satomobile as he mumbles and gags on his words. “I- uh- Ch-Chief I just I- I´m sorry I wasn´t paying attention.” He swallows. I remain unimpressed with the attempt of a shitty excuse that was made. “Well focus and listen. You´re not getting paid to sit around, mouth agape listening to the spirits.” I groan loudly at him.

Fear in his eyes officer Song nods his head up and down quickly and practically yells “Yes Chief!”. Just as I was about to tell him to tone it down the loud screech of wheels catches me off guard. Just as I look to my side, a black satocycle with a few red highlights speeds right past us. What the flame-o was that?! Swiftly making its way past traffic the motorcycle speeds away. “Officer Song, catch up to that satocycle, now!!” I practically scream at the officer as he presses the clutch, changes to 4th and speeds up.

Y/N´s PoV

Did I just fucking see what my eyes saw. Did I just speed through a police patrol satomobile?! The loud sirens catching up behind me answer my fears. Well, that´s it. I´m officially fucked. I´m done for life. I´m left with two choices, obey, pull over, pray it´s not the fucking Chief of Police, flirt my way out of this and definitely arrive late for class…or drop it, speed off like a demon, hopefully not get caught or die on the way and…still arrive a little late to class. I groan as my head drops in defeat.

I´m so done with my life.

I signal to the right as I slow down, pulling over. The blaring sirens emitting a last Woop before silencing, as the satomobile pulls right behind me. I turn the motor of the bike off, getting off and standing up, as I hear the doors of the car shutting behind me before a deep female voice sends a shiver down my spine. No, it can´t be. You can´t be serious right now. My eyes wide in fear as I slowly turn around to be met with the most beautiful yet lethal jade eyes I´d ever seen my entire life. Damn, hearing her voice back in headquarters from far away was already…something, but seeing her up close?! Not even The Avatar ,wherever they're at, can save me from this one. It´s the first time I get to see the Chief of Police personally. Sure I´m in the Detective´s Program but we rarely stay in the headquarters where she seemingly lives at. I am snapped back from my thoughts when her striking voice booms through my eardrums. Wait, was she talking? Shit I didn’t hear anything…

“I am talking to you. Take off your helmet, now! I asked you a question, better start speaking.” she says. I didn’t even realise my helmet was still on. I carefully take it off, still in shock at seeing THE Chief Lin Beifong in front of me. My messy, dark hair falls to my shoulders. The, once bright, blood red highlights shining on the sun. “I- uh” I try to speak but nothing comes out. My mouth feels dry, as I lick my lips. I look at the other officer behind her, he seems to be putting a strong façade, but I can see the nervousness behind his eyes. “Don’t stare at my officer! I asked you a question.”

Chief Beifong´s PoV

Oh for fuck sake, she´s slow…is she go- why is her hair painted? It´s not exactly unlikable. I think I´ve seen her, but I can´t recall where from. Why am I staring? WHY IS SHE STARING? “Don’t stare at my officer! I asked you a question.” Her mouth agape, my already visible frown deepens. She has three seconds to answer. 1…2..- “I- uh I´m sorry ma´am- uh Chief. Sorry, could you repeat the question? The uh…helmet was- I don’t think I heard.” I groan rather loudly as I exhale. I clench my jaw, as I breath in. “I asked. Do. You. Know how fast you were going?” I speak slowly and clearly as I cross my arms.

Y/N´s PoV

Spirits…and I thought I was stressed, this woman is going to explode! “I asked. Do. You. Know how fast you were going?” I hear her say loud and clear. So that´s the Beifong scowl people talk about. It´s cute. A little unnerving for those who can´t handle it. “Uh…not fast enough clearly!” I joke to get some tension off the air, but as I look at the Officer behind her, I only see his eyes widen beyond possible. I look back at the Chief and if looks could kill… “Is this a joke to you?! Is endangering other citizens lives a hobby for your entertainment? Clearly you seem to be asking for your license to be revoked.” Her stern voice makes straighten my back. It´s not that I´m afraid of her, but if I want my way out of this I might as well show some class. I clear my throat as I say “I apologize Chief, that was never my intention. I am pretty secure on my driving skills, and I am fully aware of the dangerous action I was doing. In my defence I am in a huge hurry. I´m in the Detective´s Program and I´m just trying to not get kicked out of there, this is my last chance…” I mumble that last part as I rub the back of my neck. Fuck it´s weird to be so verbally polite. I look back up at her to see what kind of reaction I got off of her only to be met with the exact same Beifong scowl as before. Well, that was worth shit. Her gaze is penetrating mine, almost as if she´s analysing me.

Chief Beifong´s PoV

That´s where I know her from. She´s in the Detective´s Program and sometimes wonders in the headquarters, she must be the firebender that Officer Wang told me. What was her name? Just as I am about to ask her, I am interrupted by the blaring sound coming off my radio. “Chief, come in. Over.” I groan in annoyance. Spirits, when do I ever catch a break? “I´m busy, what is it?” my stern and strong voice talks back to the radio. “Chief, we´ve got a Triple Threat Triad attack going on, over at the Eastern Market. We need your assistance. Over.” I look back at the young cadet with a scowl as she smiles back at me. Ugh, why is she smiling?

Y/N´s PoV

I just might make it out of here. I look at the Chief with a smile on my face as she stares back at me, the same Beifong scowl on her face but this time thicker, more prominent. I hear her exhale. “I catch you driving that thing over the speed one more time and I revoke your license and you better not drive it on my watch if you ever make it to detective, which hopefully, you won´t!” I hear her yell at me. Before I can even say anything back, she turns back around heading for the police satomobile. Well, isn´t she charming? Hot…and charming. “Song, move it! I drive.” I hear her yell at the officer. Poor guy, spirits. Though he is lucky he gets to be by her side. Hm, maybe I´ll be lucky enough for that once I´m a detective, which I want more than anything now that she seemed so annoyed by it. I smirk to myself as I think how it would be like to be next to this very angry yet stunning woman all day. Pushing her buttons does seem fun.

I put my helmet back on as I drive away towards the officers’ training site. I do my best to keep the speed on limit but as I look at the time on the satocycle I almost pass out. I am already 10 minutes late. FUCK. I groan loudly as I check my surroundings for any secret police satomobiles as I speed away. The faster I get there, the faster this is all over.

.- Later during practice -.

Y/N´s PoV

Fuck, I´m beat. Wang sure is getting his revenge for my late arrival. We are not many in the Detective´s Training Program and we´ll be even less given there are only two spots available. The majority of the class is all earthbenders, me being the only firebender. Which should make me feel perhaps uneasy or maybe a little scared, but honestly it just makes me feel like a total badass. I mean, hear me out, the only firebender in the troop and I get one of the Detective spots?! How crazy would that be? I´m quickly pulled from my thoughts when I hear that annoying voice once again. “So, Y/L/N, seems like you can give up already and give me my position as Detective.” The man says with a pleased smug on his face. “Why don’t you go bother someone else, Kang?” I groan annoyed as I take a sip from my water. “I´m just saying, as the only firebender you should at least make an effort to arrive in time don’t you think?” He scoffs loudly. I ignore his little stunts as I smirk to myself. “And you should make an effort on brushing your teeth. You got a little something there.” I scoff as I point to my own teeth with a disgusted face. I can visibly see him get red as a smirk makes its way on my lips.

“What´s going on over here? Y/L/N, Kang break is over. Get over here you two.” I hear Officer Wang´s voice yell from the other side of the field. Over? Spirits, I didn’t even have time to piss! I groan as I look at Kang´s smug little face. “Quit your whining and come prove your worth, princess.” I hear him chuckle. Did this cunt just call me, princess?! Now he better pray to Raava I won´t kill him. My blood boiling at the nickname I groan angrily. I have nothing to prove to you, cunt.

“Alright cadets, Y/L/N and Kang you two seemed to be having a nice chat back there. Get sparring, the others watch.” Wang´s voice echoes through the dusty field as I walk towards the centre, Kang right in front of me with that smug still plastered on his face. I scoff to myself.

I am going to wipe the fucking floor with you.

Once I see Officer Wang´s hand signal us to begin Kang wastes no time and throws a large piece of boulder at me, I swiftly avoid it, turning my body sideways and leaning slightly backwards. Just as quick as that boulder came at me I 360º my body, lowering myself to the dusty floor my right leg pushes forwards as a small wave of fire strikes all the dust away and forces Kang backwards. Before he can react, I get back up and briskly uppercut him in the jaw getting a loud grunt from him. How ´ s that for a princess? I don’t let my guard down knowing this isn´t over until Officer Wang decides. My arms close to my ribs and fists closed tightly near my face I watch Kang´s movements attentively, guessing his next move as he cracks his neck and smugly says “That all you got?” I roll my eyes as I stare at him through my eyebrows. Kang´s right leg rises and hits the ground, making it shake in an attempt to shake me off my feet. I use my fire propulsion to elevate myself from the ground slightly to lower the impact, flying over him and landing on the ground behind him. Before he has even time to acknowledge where I went, I lower kick his leg, spinning my body after the hit to gain power and land a higher kick to his arm which was protecting his ribs. I hear him grunt and groan in discomfort and anger as he throws a punch to my face. I quickly dodge downwards, pulling the same first move by pushing my leg outwards and kicking Kang´s body to the ground. He hits the ground with a loud thud, dust setting in the air around us, I look over at Office Wang to know if it was over yet, but Kang takes my short distraction as a chance. His body still on the floor, he raises his arm and the piece of boulder I was standing on goes flying with me in it. Throwing me through the air and across the field as I land on the ground, rolling over due to the speed I was thrown, getting a few scratches and dirt all over me. I breath loudly as the dust covers my sight, relying on my hearing I hear the rumbling sound of the earth beneath me as I look ahead and see a wave coming from the ground. I barely have time to react, my eyes widening, as I dodge to the right but not fast enough. My left shoulder caught on the edge of the rock-wave as I stumble backwards. I don’t fall, my feet sliding backwards with the dust as I grip my shoulder and wince in pain. Fuck! This bastard almost dislocated my shoulder. I sway my arms in the air and push them outwards as a thin wave of flames pushes the dust away, finally allowing me to see Kang. Does he ever stop smirking? I run towards him as he sends two fat boulders my way, I lower myself, dragging my body through the ground as I avoid the boulders. I get back up quickly and jump, using my fire propulsion to help me gain height. I see Kang´s eyes widen as I stretch my leg down, my foot coming at high speed in contact with his face. He barely has time to register what happened before his body jerks downwards with the force of the hit. Faceplanting on the floor with a loud thud and grunt he stays there, the dust on the ground escaping sideways from us. “Who´s the princess now Kang?” I whisper smugly on his ear as I stand up and hear Officer Wang´s annoyed voice “Alright that´s enough of it. Get here you two.” Is he mad that Kang didn’t beat my ass? Why is it that nobody wants me to succeed?! “You fucking bitch…” I hear Kang grunt between gritted teeth as he gets up. I smirk proudly to myself, “What´s wrong? Hurts much?”. I hear Kang scoff loudly, “Barely feel it.”, pfff yeah right.

We walk backwards towards Officer Wang and the rest of the trainees. “Alright, as you know our program is coming to an end. We have two detective positions open and there are ten of you. Being Detective is no easy job, that is why there is a final exam in five days. Me and Chief Beifong will be deciding on who gets the job positions and who goes out.” No. Fucking. Way. Now I know for sure I won´t make it to Detective! Beifong and I were already off to a bad start this morning! She said it herself; she doesn’t want me to make it to Detective! “…Final Exam will be set in two parts. In the morning you will have the written exam, to make sure you actually listened to what was taught these past few months, and, in the afternoon, it will be a competitive sparring. Just like Kang and Y/L/N did, except the first one to fall is automatically disqualified.” Written exam? What is this, fucking high school?! Ugh, I better not be paired with Kang. “That´s it for today cadets, see you tomorrow at 9am sharp.” Officer Wang glances at me sideways as I mouth a ´sorry` silently. “Y/L/N, hit the showers in the headquarters, your shoulder is bleeding.” Officer Wang says with a hint of despise on his tone. Spirits, sorry I´m not made of fucking metal. I didn’t even notice I was bleeding. I look at my shoulder and notice the few reddened scratches and a small trickle of blood coming out. I hear Kang snicker next to me. The fuck are you smirking about? “Your nose also looks like shit Kang, but I guess a shower can´t fix that for you.” I smirk as I grab my towel, shoving it over my shoulder and heading back inside the headquarters before he can say anything.

My body is covered in dust and sweat; my defined muscular arms filled with small little scratches from rolling on the ground. My once black tank top also covered in a light brownish dusty substance. Gosh do I need a shower…My body is killing me. I pass through the Officer I saw with the Chief in the morning. Shit, she´s probably close by. I rush my way to the showers as to avoid her. It´s not that I don’t want to see her. Spirits know how much I´d pay to see those penetrating jade eyes of hers. But I don’t want her to see me while I look like shit…and probably smell like one too.

Chief Beifong´s PoV

As I am filing down some more reports and going over them, I hear grunts and noises from outside. Annoyed at the disturbance I get up from my chair with a sigh as I look over the window. Must be Wang training the cadets. Seeing the training field, I stare at one of the male cadets throwing boulders and another one dodging them out. Trying to figure who the other one is, I squint my eyes. The amount of dust surrounding them makes it hard, but the worn-out red highlights and the distinctive fire coming from the body allows me to figure out who it is already. It´s that speeding satocycle cadet I caught this morning. I observe them as I see the male cadet shake the ground, a wave heading towards her. But there´s too much dust for her to see anything at all. Fuck even I am struggling to keep up with what is going on. She dodges it but seemingly not totally. “That’s a nasty hit…” I mumble to myself. But she does seem to handle it…quite nicely I must say. Spirits, I´m staring again. I shake my head and groan in annoyance but am quickly distracted by the fire coming off her feet. Fire propulsion, that’s useful. I stare as she lands a powerful hit on the male cadets’ face. That´s going to leave a mark. I guess…she´s not that…bad. Whatever. If she´s to make it to Detective she´s supposed to be, at least, useful. I turn away and decide to head downstairs to check how Song is getting along with the other files. He´s not in the Detective´s Program, but he has some…potential, I cannot deny that.

“Officer Song, how are those files coming along?” I see him tremble underneath his armour. “Uh- well, Chief. It seems that the Triple Threat Triads crimes are lowering in amount…” I scoff. Sure, but they are not getting any easier to deal with. Song continues talking but I barely catch what he is saying as I look over his shoulder and notice the firebender cadet. She´s all dirty. Bunch of scratches in her shoulder too…bummer. She can deal with it. I think to myself, but yet, I can´t seem to find an explanation as to why I feel so drawn towards her. I shake these thoughts away and refocus on Officer Song. “…So, I guess that is pretty good right, Chief?” What´s pretty good? Shit, I didn’t hear. “Uhm yes, yes, it is. Now, get back to work Officer.” I clear my throat as I make my way back to my office. Sitting down on my chair I exhale, looking up at the pile of files and papers to read and fill in. Spirits I´m exhausted. I get started against my will. It´s going to be a long night, I might as well get it over with. After some time of insufferable writing, scribbling, and scratching I hear a knock on the door. I look up from the papers as I catch a glimpse of the clock and then stare at the door. It´s 10pm who the fuck is still in here?

“Uh, Chief, can I come in?" Is that- What is she doing here?

[cookiesncreamlover17]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕧𝕒𝕥𝕒𝕣? 𝔸 𝕍𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟?

Yandere!Korra x Yandere!Mako x Yandere!Bolin x Yandere!Asami

⚠️Warning(s)⚠️: Kidnapping, Drug Usage, Cursing, Fire, Burns, Scars, Abuse & Manipulation.

🇺🇸Word Count🇺🇸: 8,586

👾Characters👾: 47,765

M/T = Movie Type

F/S = Favorite Sport

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Panic welled up inside you, making it even harder to catch your breath. Tears streamed down your face as you tried to calm yourself, but the emotional turmoil threatened to consume you. You couldn’t remember why you were running. You couldn’t remember while you were upset. You were running.

You neared a brick wall and went to rest on it. You heaved as you clutched your fists so hard they became white. You were so scared. You didn’t know what you were doing and why you were out in the middle of the forest. A voice called about from in front of you, “Are you okay?”.

You looked up into the darkness and screamed loudly as you jumped back. Your screaming caused the figure to scream as well.

“Who are you? And why the fuck are you out here at one in the morning”, you say clutching your heart still freaked out by the presence of someone near you in the middle of the woods.

Apologies filled the persons voice as they recognized they had startled you. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you. I was just passing by and noticed you leaning against the wall. Are you alright?”.

“I’m fine”, you said with scrunched eyebrows as you walked past this stranger to leave.

You brushed past the person, unable to explain the complicated mess of emotions swirling within you. As you left the figure behind, a large wrist grasped your arm and gently tugged you backwards. The semi deep voice and large wrist must have meant that this was a man with you.

“Wait! It’s pretty late out if you ask me. Why don’t I walk you home”, he suggests.

“I’m fine”, you encourage. You weren’t necessarily fond of the idea of having a stranger walk with you in the middle of the woods at one in morning. But he wasn’t quite ready to stop taking to you, “Well, I’m Bolin. Do you live around here?”

You nodded your head and pulled your wrist from his grip and began walking faster.

Bolin fell into step beside you, respecting your pace. "So, um, how far away do you live from here?" he asked, trying to make conversation. He seemed determined to help, despite your introverted demeanor.

“A few miles. I wouldn’t want to bother yo-“, he cut you off.

“Well since it’s late out maybe you should come to my house instead. I wouldn’t want you walking out here all alone”.

You stopped in your tracks and turned to face him. “I really do appreciate that you’re willing to accompany me on this short walk but I really should be going. You should too”. You began walking once again and you refused to look back.

Bolin blinked in surprise, taken aback by your response. He hadn't expected such a direct dismissal. "Alright, I understand”.

Before you could hear anything else you felt a large body ram into your side knocking you into the floor. A rock smashed into your temple and you fell unconscious.

Bolin crouched down next to you, his expression twisted with guilt. "I'm sorry," he whispered, cradling your limp form in his arms. "I couldn't let you walk away, not like this. Not after all this."

The last thing you heard before you passed out was him calling someone, “Korra, get the car!”

He gently lifted you, cradling you against his chest as he bounced his knee up and down and rubbing your back. He needed something to fidget with to keep himself from thinking of the fact that he had just knocked his true love out.

Korra grind from the front seat, “Did you really have to knock her out?”

Bolin rolled his eyes, keeping you secure in his arms. "She wouldn't listen, Korra," he replied, irritation edging his voice. "And we can't risk her running or causing a scene."

Korra nodded her head, “I’m surprise Mako didn’t do something”, you grinned again nudging him in the shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You had soon woken up to a furnished room. You groaned and hopped out of bed so fast you fell on the floor with a loud bang. You suddenly recalled the events of last night and rushed toward the door, but not before someone came in. It was the stranger you had met last night.

“Are you okay?”, he asked panicked. He practically man handled you up with one arm and brought you to the bed. He gently touched your face and began inspecting it, “You took quite the tumble there, didn’t you?”.

Reluctantly, you allowed him to examine your face, feeling embarrassed and vulnerable. His concern seemed genuine, which only added to your confusion. "Do you need ice or something?" he asked, searching for a solution. "We should clean you up, at least."

You stared at him with blown shot eyes, “Why am I here”.

His hands paused in mid-air, sensing the shift in your demeanor. "I... I'm not sure I can explain it all”.

“What do you mean you can’t explain it all?! You kidnap me and you can’t even give me a reason”. You attempted to stand again but his arms prevented you from moving forward towards the door.

As if on que, a girl suddenly walked in. She looked…….familiar…. The Avatar. The Avatar! The Avatar has kidnapped you.

“Do you want me to take over, Bolin”, she questions leaning on the side of the door

“Why are you doing this?!”, you screamed attempting to shove him back but he didn’t budge. He only looked at you with sad eyes.

She gave you a sad smile turning to Bolin, “Why don’t I handle precious here, calm her down, and you and Mako can make breakfeast”, she offered Bolin

Bolin hesitated, glancing between you and Korra. With a sigh, he agreed, "Alright, Korra. Just promise you'll be gentle." He took a step towards you, his expression softening. "Please, sit down”.

As he left the room with a sad look on his face Korra closed and locked the door behind her, “Hi”, she said sheepishly

You eyed her warily, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Why am I here?" you repeated, your voice trembling. "What do you want from me?" Korra sat across from you, folding her legs. "I know this seems scary, but it reasonable. Though, it might not sound reasonable to you”, she hesitated before speaking again, “Bolin knew there was something wrong with you. We didn’t want to second guess his thoughts. If you can prove to us that you’re okay you can leave. I’m the Avatar, it is my job to make sure that people are okay”, she said touching your face but you moved away. She quickly narrowed her eyes. “We can’t let you leave”, she said touching your leg and gently rubbing it.

You didn’t think twice before you rushed towards the door. She was too quick though and tackled you to the ground. You quickly tried to scramble away but she grabbed your arm and painfully twisted it behind your back, pinning you to the ground.

“I thought we were at a mutual understanding”, she grunted

Frustration flashed across your face, but you stopped struggling. You couldn't escape Korra's grip, not without causing yourself greater harm. "Fuck you!”, you scream out with tears brimming your eyes

“Don’t get it wrong. I won’t hesitate to put you in your place if you misbehave. Your two loving boyfriends are out there making breakfeast. You can either go out there and eat it like a nice girl or you can stay in here, tied up. Don’t think of me as some saint like Bolin”

Humiliation flooded you.

She grabbed your arm hoisting you up as she opened the door. Standing there, was who you assumed was Bolin and someone else, stood there in aprons. Korra brought you over to a chair, “sit”, she demanded releasing you and sitting down next to you, man spread.

Feeling defeated, you slid into the chair, your cheeks burning red with embarrassment. Bolin and the other stranger exchanged nervous glances, offering you plates of food. You stared at the meal, unable to meet their eyes. Their attempt at a normal situation seemed forced, and you couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped.

Once all of them were sitting at the table they all began to eat, especially Korra and Bolin. They began to swallow those pancakes. Korra turned to you though, “Why aren’t you eating?”, she question coldly.

Defiance filled you, but you knew it was futile. With a sigh, you picked up a forkful of food. Chewing slowly, you tried to swallow the lump in your throat. "I'm eating," you replied, trying to mask your discomfort. You hoped your silence spoke volumes about your displeasure.

Bolin began to chat everyone up at the table, trying to minimize as much discomfort.

Bolin's efforts went mostly unnoticed, as tension hung heavily over the table. The stranger, in particular, seemed uncomfortable, glancing at you frequently. Despite his attempts to engage in light conversation, the atmosphere remained strained.

Bolin began to ask you some questions of your personal life.

“So…..do you have any siblings”, he questioned continuing to eat, “Me and Mako are adopted siblings, if you didn’t know”, he shrugged.

You shook your head. Like you were going to tell him shit

Bolin nodded, accepting your reticence. He shifted uneasily in his seat, trying to fill the void with small talk. "That's cool. So, what do you like to do in your free time? Any hobbies?"

“(F/S)”, you mumbled still not looking at him

Bolin smiled weakly, grateful for the information. "Cool, I've always thought that was a fascinating sport. You must be very disciplined." He tried to change the subject, glancing at Mako and Korra. "Hey, guys, have you seen that new movie everyone is talking about?"

Korra raised an eyebrow. "Which one?" She responded, seeming eager to shift focus away from you. Mako nodded in agreement, clearly relieved. The conversation veered off onto other topics, but you couldn't shake the feeling of being the elephant in the room.

“So! What movies do you watch? And I don’t think I asked for your name yet”, he asked trying to get you involved.

“(M/T). My names…….”, you sighed. Lying wasn’t going to get you anywhere, “(Y/N)”, you mumble still looking at the empty plate

Bolin winced, likely recalling the night you had been kidnapped. "Ah, I see. Well, there's a good horror series on TV these days. Maybe we can watch it together sometime.," he suggested, attempting to lighten the mood. Korra and Mako exchanged a knowing glance, acknowledging, “Lovely name, too”, he grinned in some sort of love sick smile.

“I have to use the bathroom”, you say standing up quickly, and nearly falling over, but Korra grabs your arm

"Easy, easy," Korra murmured, steadying you. "Just be careful." She led you to the bathroom but refused to close the door.

You glared at her, “I need to go”, you say

Korra sighed, reluctantly stepping aside. "Alright, just hurry up," she muttered, crossing her arms.

Once the door was locked you slowly bended the sink water as you stood in the corner. Maybe you could hold them out for some time and possibly find a way to escape.

You concentrated on the water, feeling its flow respond to your commands. Time stretched on, but the others showed no signs of leaving. Anxiety built within you as minutes turned into hours.

Korra began to bang on the door after two minutes, “Open the door, (Y/N). If you do you won’t be punished”, she demanded

“Leave me the fuck alone”, you sneered still standing in the corner

“Dont think for a fucking second I won’t break this door down!”, she demands

Soon enough the door does break down but you whip at her with water as you attempt to sprint past her. She grabs your ankle and pulls you down as she puts pressure on you keeping you down, “Mako!”, she calls, “Grab me the rope”.

Mako appeared, handing her the rope. Korra quickly wrapped it around you, restraining you further. "This isn't getting you anywhere," she growled, her expression set. "You're not going anywhere until we agree."

You winced as she pulled it against your wrists tightly, “I warned you, didn’t I?”, she said working on the knots, “But you didn’t listen”, she sneered

You glared at her, resentment bubbling inside you. "Fuck you", you spat, tears pricking your eyes. Korra merely rolled her eyes, tightening the knot. "We'll work this out, (Y/N). But you need to cooperate."

Once she finished she grabbed you by your tied arm and threw you on the bed. She grabbed a blanket and threw it over you, “Sleep until you’ve realized why you’re being punished”. She slammed the door behind her and locked it.

Lying on the bed, rage and humiliation simmered within you. The blankets felt suffocating, reminding you of your helplessness. As your anger gradually subsided, exhaustion crept in. You closed your eyes, praying for sleep to wash over you, even if it was just a temporary reprieve.

A gentle click woke you from your ‘daydream’. Someone opened the door, “I’m sorry about her”, someone whispered. It was Bolin. “She’s just upset because you could’ve hurt yourself”, he said gently rubbing your arm where the rope wasn’t

You tensed at his touch, pulling away reflexively. "I don't want your apologies," you hissed, your voice raw with emotion. "You all kidnapped me. How can I trust anything you say?" Bolin winced, his expression regretful. "I understand your anger, but please, hear me out. Korra loves you. She doesn't know how to express it well, but she cares for you deeply."

You shake your head with tears brimming your eyes, “I want to go home”, you cry out

Bolin's heart sank at the sight of your tears. "I wish I could make it easier," he whispered, reaching out to cup your cheeks and wipe away the tears he hated seeing.

You quickly shook your head, “No, don’t touch me!” You shout out, trying to cover your face from him.

He gently turned your over so your head wasn’t facing his. He gently began to work on untying the knots. Once they were finished he began to slowly rub your wrists with you tensing a little each time he hit a sore spot.

Bolin froze, stopping his ministrations. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted to help." He waited patiently for you to decide what to do next. Your emotions were palpable, and he didn't want to push you further away.

You gently turned around and hugged him. You were sobbing your eyes out, but….hugging him none the less.

Taken aback, Bolin wrapped his arms around you, holding you close. "It's alright," he murmured, stroking your hair. "Let it out, (Y/N). I'm here." Your sobs echoed through the room, mixing with the sounds of his quiet reassurances. Despite everything, he couldn't deny the warmth of your embrace.

Sure enough you eventually fell asleep in a nap. He laid you down as he crawled out of bed and made his way to the living room, “You really freaked her out, Korra. You have to be more considerate”. She gently turned from where she was making out on the couch with Mako, “She’ll be fine”, she says rolling her eyes as Mako stopped what he’s doing.

Mako looked guilty, casting a glance at Bolin. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, sitting up. "I didn't mean for it to escalate like that." Korra huffed, crossing her arms. "We'll figure this out. For now, let's just give her some space." The three of them sat in awkward silence, each lost in thought.

Bolin was the first to speak up, “How do you think Lin and Asami are going to react?”

Korra furrowed her brows, considering the question. "They'll be shocked, definitely. But I trust they'll understand our intentions, even if they don't agree with our methods." Mako nodded, his expression thoughtful.

Bolin gasped and stood up as he began to jump around, “I-I’ve got an idea!”, he shouted in joy.

Korra and Mako exchanged curious glances, watching Bolin's excitement. "What is it?" Korra asked, her skepticism clear. "We'll try anything at this point," Mako added quietly.

“What if she meets Tenzin’s kids?! Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo!!!!”, he shouts, “She’ll probably be a lot more comfortable if kids are around her!”

Korra considered the idea, a hint of hope flickering in her eyes. "That could work. I'll call them and see if they can come over."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You had woken up to someone pinching your cheeks. You groaned as you turned to see what looked like a nine year old peering at you with confused eyes, “I’d thought you’d have shorter hair”, she said judgmentally

You squinted at the young girl, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. "Uh, hi," you mumbled, disoriented. Her blunt observation caught you off guard, but you managed a weak smile. "Thanks? I guess."

She smiled back at you, “I’m Ikki and the one on top of you is my brother, Meelo”, you suddenly noticed the small boy on top of you picking his nose. You screamed as you jumped out of the covers and landed on the floor with a clunk

"Oh, sorry!" Meelo apologized, blushing profusely. Ikki giggled, covering her mouth. "He doesn't mean any harm. He's just a little... enthusiastic sometimes." You couldn't help but feel amused by their innocence, despite your initial discomfort.

Ikki glanced at Meelo, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Um, well, we're here because our dad thought it would be good for you to spend time with us. He said you might need some company." She fidgeted, her eyes darting around nervously. "Do you... wanna play, maybe?"

You blinked, processing the information. "Your dad... you mean Tenzin?" You couldn't help but feel a twinge of relief. If someone was here they could help you! “I need you to get me your dad!”

Ikki's eyes widened at your urgency. "Okay, okay," she said, hopping off the bed. "I'll go find him right now. Meelo, stay here with (Y/N), okay?" She gave her brother a stern look, then disappeared out the door.

Ill arrived back in about a minutes. Who you assumed was Tenzin followed closely behind her, his expression serious yet sort of kind. "(Y/N)," he greeted, his tone measured. "I trust Ikki and Meelo told you why you're here. We wanted to offer you a safe place to stay while you sort out your life." He paused, his gaze searching your face. "I know this might be hard, but I hope you'll give us a chance to help you."

”Y-You have to help me! T-There going to kill me soon!”, you held his collar in place as you shouted in his face.

Tenzin's eyes widened at your revelation, his face paling before contorting back to a straight face, “They are doing what’s best for you”.

“N-No you don’t understand!”, you said with jittering hands and a shaky voice. You gripped his collar and pulled him close to your face, “T-They kidnapped me! The avatar! Bolin! Mako! You have to help me!”, you pleaded. Why want he listening to what you were saying?!

“Y-Your one of them….”, you said pulling back from him, “D-Do your kids know this?”

His lips curved into a sad smile. "Yes, they do," he admitted, his voice low. "I've explained the situation to them. They may not fully understand the gravity of it all, but they're willing to help you feel more comfortable while you're here." He glanced at the door, where Meelo was still hovering. "In fact, he's been dying to show you something." Tenzin gestured towards the door. "Shall we?"

“Why can’t you listen to me?! I’ve been kidnapped! You have to help me!”

Tenzin held up his hands, stepping back to avoid any further confrontation. "I'm not trying to dismiss your concerns, (Y/N)," he said calmly. "But my priority is the safety and well-being of my family. I'll do everything I can to help you, but you'll have to trust me." His gaze was steady, unyielding. "Will you allow my children to show you around the house? Maybe it'll help you feel more at ease?"

“No!”, you screamed pushing him, “You have to help me!”, you cried out again.

Tenzin flinched at your vehemence, but he didn't back down. "I understand your frustration," he said softly, his voice firm. "But you're safe here. Please, just give us a chance to help you." He held out a hand, a silent invitation to trust him. "My children won't bite, I promise."

“I don’t need to look around this stupid fucking house! I need to get out of here!”

Tenzin stood over you, his expression stony. "I've done everything I can to help you, but I won't tolerate any more outbursts." He held out a hand once more, this time with a sternness etched in his features. "You have to prove that you're willing to cooperate. Otherwise, you'll remain here until you can control your emotions better." Your defiance met with his resolve, leaving you feeling trapped and helpless.

You shoved his hand away from you as you made an attempt to bolt for the door. Tenzin quickly grabbed you and threw you backwards making you land on the floor with a loud thump. It suddenly dawned on you that they of course wouldn’t bring someone willing to help you in the house. “It appears they havent quite straightened you out yet. Don’t worry, the time will soon come”, he smiled at you.

He sighed as he walked to the door beckoning for his children to follow. “Don’t think that they wont be notified of the tantrum you just threw”, he said walking out the door, locking it behind him.

Alone in the room, you leaned against the wall, your chest heaving with each ragged breath. Defeated, you stared at the locked door, feeling more isolated and alone than ever. You knew you couldn't stay cooped up in this house forever, but for now, you were at the mercy of the people who claimed to care for you. A bitter taste settled in your mouth as you accepted your current reality. It seemed like you were destined to be a prisoner, even if it was in a plush cell.

A door opened, with a tense Korra waking in, “Tenzin told me what happened”.

Korra's expression was somber as she approached you, her eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and sympathy. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice raw with emotion. "I never meant for this to happen. I just..." She trailed off, looking down, unable to meet your gaze. "I love you, (Y/N). And I'll do whatever it takes to make this right." She reached out, hesitantly touching your arm, her fingers gentle against your skin. "Can we talk? Please?"

"I know it's not easy," you shot back, your own anger surfacing. "But I don't want to be here, locked up like an animal! I just want to go home!" Your heart raced with adrenaline, the intensity of the moment fueling your defiance. "And I don't want your pity or your apologies. All I want is to leave!"

“Mako wants you to be punished. But I think that maybe if you have a little more time with us we can-“, you cut her off before she could finish, “I don’t want to be here! I want to go home!”. She furrowed her eyebrows before she snapped at you, “You think its easy to have to put up with your constant rebelling?!”

“This isn’t always about what you want!”. You suddenly realized that anger was slowly taking over her as she began shouting at you more

"Then what is this about?!”, your anger matched hers, “This isn't fair! You can't just kidnap me and think everything will be okay!" You paced the room, frustration coursing through you. "I don't belong here. I want to go home!" Tears streamed down your face, your voice breaking with emotion. "Please, just let me go!"

Korra's grip on your arm tightened, her features set in determination. "Fine," she snarled, her voice icy. "If that's what it takes." She dragged you down the hall, her steps purposeful. The severity of her expression told you that she meant business, and you couldn't help but tremble in fear and anger. You struggled against her grip, but her strength was unmatched. Your protests were silenced by the fear of what awaited you, and all you could do was brace for impact.

Korra led you to a dimly lit room, the air thick with tension. The walls were bare, save for a single wooden bench in the center. Your heart pounded in your chest as she released your arm, stepping back. Her expression was grim, her eyes boring into yours. "This is your punishment," she stated, her voice devoid of compassion. She grabbed a bucket of freezing cold water and threw it on you. Your clothes dripped with water as you began shaking. She lit a small fire with her hands, “Come here”, she demanded.

You glared at her with soaking wet clothing. You refused to move.

“I thought that if we introduced you to more people you would be fine but you’re not! A punishment is what you really need!”, she shouted grabbing your arm and dragging you with her. You screamed as she dragged you along. You desperately tried to wiggle out of her grip but she was too strong.

You were able to loosen her grip and little and you fell backwards landing on the cold, wooden hard floor. That was definitely going to leave a bruise later.

Korra watched you crawl backward, her expression hardening. "You choose this path," she said, her voice cold. She stepped closer, the fire casting eerie shadows on her face. "But I promise you, this won't be the end." With a swift motion, she tossed the fire at you. The flames grazed your arm. You screamed as you desperately tried to air it out. She grabbed your arm and heated her arm making it burn onto yours. You screamed as you tried to move around

As the fire engulfed your arm, pain like nothing you'd ever experienced coursed through your body. Your screams echoed through the room, your mind consumed by agony. The fire burned deep into your flesh, searing your skin and muscle alike. Your arm became a charred, twisted mess, the scent of burnt flesh permeating the air. Your world narrowed to just the pain, each passing second stretching into an eternity. You were left broken, both physically and emotionally, your defiance extinguished by the merciless cruelty of the Avatar. The punishment was meant to humble you, to force your submission, and it succeeded beyond Korra's wildest dreams. You lay on the floor, your body trembling not only from the cold, but from the overwhelming despair that threatened to consume you. It was defiantly going to leave a scar.

You curled up into a ball, your body shaking not only from the cold but from the overwhelming despair that threatened to consume you. Your arm throbbed with pain, the searing agony of the fire still fresh in your mind. Every breath was a struggle, your chest tightening with each inhale. The darkness of the room seemed to close in around you, the solitude amplifying your misery. In that moment, you felt completely and utterly alone, abandoned by the very people you thought cared for you.

Korra soon left after seeing your pain. And than, after what seemed like years, the door slowly opened once again

The door creaked open, the faintest hint of light spilling into the room. Bolin stepped cautiously inside, his eyes widening at the sight of you curled up on the floor. "Oh, (Y/N)," he breathed, his voice filled with sorrow. He approached you slowly, as if afraid of startling you. "I'm so sorry. I never thought..." He trailed off, his words catching in his throat. His gaze lingered on your burnt arm, his expression grim. "I'll get you patched up," he promised, his voice firm. He extended a hand, hesitantly, unsure of how you'd react. "Can you... come with me?"

“It hurts”, you whimpered.

Bolin's heart ached at the sound of your pain. "I know," he whispered, his voice soft. "I'll be as gentle as I can. Just... trust me?" He waited, his hand still extended. You hesitated, your eyes filling with uncertainty. But finally, with a small nod, you placed your hand on your uninjured arm in his, allowing him to help you up. Every movement was agonizing, your body screaming in protest. But you bore the pain, your resolve strengthened by your determination to relive the pain. With Bolin's support, you took slow, halting steps towards the bathroom.

He carefully scooped your legs up as he walked out of the room. You slowly closed your eyes as you leaned into him. You more or so leaned into his warmth than him himself. “You’ve gotta stay awake for me love”, he whispered nudging his face against yours

With each step, Bolin's warmth seeped into your frozen form, providing some semblance of comfort in the midst of your pain. His whispers caressed your ear, a gentle lullaby to soothe your tormented soul. Your eyes fluttered open, your gaze meeting his concerned ones. "I'll try," you whispered back, your voice hoarse from your screams. The vulnerability of your words hung in the air, a testament to the trust you were placing in him. He soon enough reached the bathroom.

Bolin gently lowered you into the bathtub, the warm water enveloping your battered body. He tested the temperature, adjusting it until it was just right. "I'm going to be as gentle as I can," he promised, his voice soothing. "Just relax, okay? Let the water help take away some of the pain." He started to lather soap in his hands, ready to tend to your wounds. His movements were deliberate, his focus unwavering. "I'm here," he whispered, his voice a balm to your troubled spirit. "I won't let you go through this alone." With tender care, he began to clean the burns, his touch feather-light. Each stroke was a testament to his dedication to helping you heal, both physically and emotionally. Time stretched on, each moment a delicate dance of pain and solace.

“Can I take anything? Just….. no pills or needles”.

Bolin stopped, his hands hovering over the medicinal ointment. "Of course," he replied, his expression soft. "I'll use natural remedies. I promise." He set the ointment aside, instead reaching for a bag he had brought with him. From it, he retrieved a handful of herbs, their fragrant aroma filling the air. "These will help with the pain and inflammation," he explained, crushing the herbs between his palms. He scattered the powder into the water, the vibrant colors swirling and dissolved.

“Why did you let her do it?”, you whispered with tears filling your eyes.

Bolin's gaze softened as he met your eyes, his own shimmering with unshed tears. "I didn't want it to go this far," he admitted, his voice low. "But I believed that she truly cared for you, that she had your best interest at heart. I thought giving her the benefit of the doubt was the right thing to do." His fingers gently brushed a stray tear from your cheek, his touch tender. "I'm so sorry, (Y/N). I never wanted this to happen. I promise, I'll do everything in my power to make things right." He held your hand, his grip firm yet comforting. "We'll get through this together, okay? I won't let you down."

“Can we go to bed?”, you mumbled. His heart warmed when you said “we”. He smiled back and nodded gently rapping you in a towel.

Bolin carried you gently to the bedroom, his heart swelling with hope at your words. He laid you down on the bed, covering you with a soft blanket. "Sleep, (Y/N)," he whispered, his voice full of warmth. "I'll be right here, watching over you." His gaze never left your face until you both drifted off into sleep together. The night stretched on, the two of you cocooned in the quiet of the room. In that moment, nestled in the comfort of Bolin's presence, you found a fleeting respite from the storm that raged within you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your eyes fluttered opening, the warmth of someones hands soothing your stomach aching from the burns. You gazed up at the person, confusion clouding your features. "Mako?" you murmured, your voice hoarse. His eyes met yours, a mix of sadness and determination in their depths. "I'm here," he said softly, his voice gentle as his hands continued to massage your belly. "I wanted to see for myself how you were doing." You searched his face, looking for any sign of the anger and resentment you knew he harbored. But what you saw was concern, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. That didn’t mean you forgave him though.

Where’s Bolin?”, you questioned pulling away from his hands and getting out of bed.

Mako hesitated for a moment before answering. "He went to fetch some supplies. He thought it might help with your recovery." His gaze lingered on your bandaged arm, his expression grave. "I hope you know we have a lot to discuss, (Y/N)”.

“Yeah we do”, you muttered not making eye contact with him.

Mako watched you turn away, his heart heavy with the tension between you. "(Y/N)," he called softly, his voice laced with regret. "I understand that things have been difficult, but we need to talk. I want to make things right between us." He hesitated, his gaze searching your face. "I know I haven't been there for you, but I promise I'm trying to change that." Your silence was deafening, the weight of your pain and distrust heavier than he'd ever imagined. "Please," he implored, his voice barely above a whisper. "Give me a chance to make this right."

Tears welled up in your eyes, your voice breaking with emotion as you spoke. "You're the reason she burned me," you whispered, your words laden with hurt and betrayal. Mako's face paled at your words, his expression morphing from concern to anguish. "(Y/N), I never meant for any of this to happen," he pled, his voice raw. "I know I haven't been there for you, but I swear on my life I'm here now. Please, don't push me away." He reached out, tentatively touching your shoulder, his grip gentle. "I'll do anything to make this right. Anything." The weight of his words hung in the air, a plea for forgiveness and understanding. But in that moment, all you could do was cry, the depth of your pain too great to be contained.

You shook your head as tears started to form in your eyes “Your the reason she burned me”.

"Let me go home," your voice tremulous. "Please, Mako. I just want to go back to my life." Mako's expression softened, his eyes filling with remorse. "You know I can’t do that”.

“Of course you can’t! You’re all too over your own heads to understand that all of this is wrong!”

"(Y/N)," Mako said, his voice low, "I know what happened was terrible. I wish I could take it back, but I can't. But I swear to you, I'll do everything I can to make sure it never happens again." He reached out, his hand lingering just above your uninjured arm. "Please, trust me. I'm here for you." His eyes pleaded with you, the sincerity of his words resonating in the heavy silence. "You're important to us. More than you know." The weight of his words hung in the air, his commitment to making things right weighing heavily between you.

“I have and that ended with me being burned to the point of scars!”

Before either one of you could say anything more Korra bursted through the door. “This clearly isn’t working!”, she shouted.

"Guess the secrets out”, Mako retorted crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"Your sick”, you sneered

“You didn’t seriously think we were in the wrong here, did you?”, Mako said standing up and walking next to Korra with a smirk. They shared the same grin, “You brought this upon yourself when you defied Tenzin”.

"Where is Bolin?!”, you heaved.

Korra shrugged, her grin never wavering. "He's out getting more supplies. He's been a bit... distracted since you woke up." Mako let out a snort, his expression mocking. "Yeah, Bolin's been dying to get his hands on some more herbal remedies. He's been trying to make up for his failure to stop me from burning you." His tone dripped with sarcasm, his eyes gleaming with malice. "But don't worry, I'm sure he'll be back soon. With more 'natural remedies' to help with your recovery." He sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "After all, we wouldn't want you to suffer too much." Korra chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Yeah, poor Bolin. He's been taking it pretty hard. But don't worry, he'll get over it." Her gaze turned cold, her voice turning menacing. "Now, are you going to continue being a problem, or are you going to behave?"

They both glanced at each other with a grin, “If you want to keep up with that attitude I could do worse things than burn you”, Korra said.

You averted their gazes, “I’ll stop”. You’d find a way to leave but fighting against them would make them even more suspicious of you.

"Good," Korra said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "I'm glad we understand each other." She turned to Mako, and they shared a look of triumph. "Let's get her cleaned up and back to her room. We don't want any more... incidents." Mako nodded, and together they turned to you, their expressions cold and unforgiving. "Come on, (Y/N). Let's get you taken care of.”

You flinches back from their reach, “I-I’ll do it myself!”, you replied quickly

Korra raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Oh, brave one. Very well, you can take care of yourself. But don't expect any help from us if you need it." Mako snorted, his expression mocking. "Yeah, because you've done so well on your own so far." The two of them turned to leave, Korra casting a glance back at you over her shoulder. "Remember, (Y/N), you're on your own now. Enjoy your independence." With that, they walked out of the room, leaving you alone once again. You were left to ponder the implications of their words, the weight of your isolation settling around you like a shroud.

You sat on the floor for a few moments. The tears slowly flooded out onto your cheeks. You could feel the salty flavor as you tasted it on your tongue, but you didn’t dare make a noise out of fear of them coming back in here to see you crying.

You sat there for a while, the silence deafening. Your thoughts were a jumbled mess, your emotions a tangled web of pain and despair. You felt like you were drowning in a sea of hopelessness, with no lifeline to grab onto. Every breath was a struggle, every heartbeat a reminder of the life you once knew, now lost forever. You stared blankly at the wall, your eyes dry and empty, your soul numb. The silence was oppressive, a heavy blanket that suffocated you. You longed for someone to speak, to comfort you, to tell you that everything would be okay. But you knew that was a futile hope. You were truly alone, abandoned by the people who were supposed to care for you. And as the minutes ticked by, you felt your heart growing colder, harder, more resigned to your fate. You were a prisoner, and you knew it. And the only way to survive was to become as unfeeling as the walls that surrounded you.

You crawled towards the bed and clung onto the bars to help pull yourself up. You wobbled your way to bathroom as you sat down on the toilet seat, sulking silently.

You soon enough turned on the bath water and you sank into the warm water, letting out a soft sigh as your body relaxed. The bath felt soothing, and you closed your eyes, letting the warmth seep into your muscles. Your mind wandered back to the events that had led you to this moment, and you felt a pang of sadness. You missed the life you once knew, the freedom to make your own choices, to live your own life. Even if you couldn’t remember much about your life you were positive you atleast had freedom. But those days were behind you now, and you had to find a way to move forward. You took a deep breath, letting the water envelop you, and slowly began to wash away the dirt and grime of the past few days. As you rinsed off, you felt a sense of calm wash over you, and you knew that you would make it through this. You would find a way to survive, to thrive, in this new reality. And with that thought, you climbed out of the tub, dried off, and wrapped yourself in a warm towel.

You put on some new clothing and climbed into bed. Despite it being mid afternoon you just wanted to sleep and forget about this stupid little world.

You curled up in bed, wrapping the blankets around you like a cocoon. The softness of the mattress enveloped you, and you let out a contented sigh. You felt your eyes growing heavy, and you knew that sleep was calling. You didn't want to think about the world outside your bedroom, with its pain and its struggles. You just wanted to escape, to retreat into a world of dreams where everything was peaceful and easy. You closed your eyes, and let the darkness take you, carrying you away to a place where you could forget, even if it was only for a little while.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You woke up to someone shaking you, “(Y/N)! (Y/N)! (Y/N)!”, someone said shaking you. You turned your head to see Ikki. She was smiling as she rambled on about a family dinner.

You groggily opened your eyes, rubbing your face to try and wake yourself up. Ikki's energetic chatter was like a ray of sunshine, piercing through the darkness that had enveloped you. You slowly sat up, trying to shake off the remnants of your sleep. "Ikki?" you mumbled, your voice still hoarse. "What's going on?" Ikki's smile faltered for a moment, and she looked at you with concern. "You've been sleeping for a really long time," she said, her voice softening. "We were starting to get worried about you. But don't worry, we're here for you. We're having a family dinner, and we want you to join us." She reached out and took your hand, her grip warm and comforting. "Please, (Y/N). Come with us. It'll be fun, I promise." You looked at her and realized you had no say in whether you would accompany them or not. You nodded slowly, and Ikki's face lit up with joy. "Really? You'll come?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

You nodded once again as you stood to let her guide you.

Ikki beamed at you, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She took your hand and led you out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and into the dining room. The table was set with plates, utensils, and a delicious-looking spread of food. Tenzin, Korra, and Bolin were already seated, their faces turned towards you with warm smiles. Ikki pulled out a chair for you, and you sat down.

You knew it was childish, but you didn’t want to sit near Korra or Mako or Tenzin. You opted to sit next to Ikki and Meelo.

Ikki looked at you with understanding, and she nodded slightly. Being near Ikki and Meelo felt safe, and you knew you could rely on them to be kind and supportive even if they were just kids. Ikki squeezed your hand, and Meelo grinned at you, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

Despite being eight, she really knew how to comfort you. “(Y/N)”, Tenzin cleared his throat.

You turned to face Tenzin, feeling a sense of wariness. You didn't know what to expect from him, but you were prepared for anything. His expression was serious, and he looked at you with a mix of concern and determination. He place his hand on the shoulder of your uninjured arm as he spoke, “(Y/N), we've been talking about what happened, and we want to make things right," he said. "We know we haven't been the best role models, and for that, we're truly sorry. We want to work on rebuilding our relationship with you, and we're willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen." He paused, his eyes locking onto yours. "But we need you to be willing to work with us. Can you do that?"

You tensed at the feeling of his hand on your arm, but you didn’t dare move it away. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. If I cooperate I manage to screw up somehow and if I dont cooperate you punish me”.

Tenzin's expression darkened, and he removed his hand from your arm. "That's not fair, (Y/N)," he said, his voice stern. "We're trying to make things right, and you're just going to assume the worst?" He looked around the table, and the others nodded in agreement. "We know we've made mistakes, but we're trying to learn from them. And we need your help to do that." He leaned forward, his eyes locked onto yours. "If you don't cooperate, then yes, there may be consequences. But if you do cooperate, we promise to work with you to find a solution that works for everyone." He paused, his expression softening. "Please, (Y/N). Give us a chance to prove ourselves”.

You ignored Korra's reprimand, your anger and frustration boiling over. "Fair?!" you yelled, your voice echoing off the walls. "How can you even say that? You've taken everything from me! My freedom, my choices, my life! And you call this fair?" You slammed your fists on the table again, wincing as your bad arm throbbed in pain. "You're not my parents! You're not even my friends! You're just a bunch of people who think they can control me because they're stronger than me!" You glared at them, your eyes blazing with fury. As your eyebrows slowly began contouring to the normal position the realization of what you had said set in. You had spoken out of turn.

“(Y/N)!”, Korra scolded

You felt a chill run down your spine as you met Mako's harsh gaze. His eyes seemed to bore into your soul, filled with a depth of anger and resentment that made you want to shrink away. Korra's clenched fists and gritted teeth told you that she was barely containing her own fury. You knew that you had pushed them too far, and that you were taking a huge risk by speaking out against them. But you couldn't help it. The anger and frustration had built up inside you, and it had finally boiled over. You took a deep breath, steeling yourself for the consequences of your actions. You knew that they would punish you, but you also hoped that somehow, someway, your words would make a difference. Even if it was just a small one. You looked around the table, seeing the varied reactions of the others. Bolin's nervousness, Tenzin's disappointment, Meelo's obliviousness, Ikki's blankness, Jinora's surprise, and Mako and Korra's anger.

You looked at Bolin who looked like a nervous reck chewing his nails. Tenzin’s surprised face quickly turned into a scrunched one. Meelo was still quickly eating his food while Ikki stared at you with a blank face. Jinora glanced up from her book in surprise. Mako and Korra were the ones to really scare you. Mako was glaring at you with harsh brown eyes while Korra clutched her fists grinding her teeth

The silence was oppressive, the weight of your transgression hanging heavy in the air. You could feel the eyes of the others on you, their gazes piercing and unforgiving. You refused to look up, afraid of what you might see in their faces. The only sound was the soft clinking of cutlery against plates, and the occasional muffled sigh from someone. It was as if the very atmosphere in the room had chilled, the semi warmth and camaraderie that had once filled it now replaced with a cold, hard silence. You knew that you had crossed a line, and that the consequences would be severe.

You sighed taking a seat and staring down at the wooden table again while trying to maintain your breathing into a regulating pattern. No words were exchanged for a bit.

“Is someone going to say something or are we just going to sit in silence like one big happy ‘family’?”, you questioned sarcastically.

Tenzin's voice was firm and authoritative as he spoke up. "(Y/N), we're not going to engage in a shouting match or a fight. We're a family, and families work together, even when things are difficult." He paused, his expression serious. "But we also need to address the issues that are causing tension. And right now, that's your behavior. It's unacceptable, and it's not going to be tolerated." He looked around the table, his eyes meeting those of the others. "We're going to work together to find a solution, but it's going to require effort and cooperation from everyone involved." He turned his attention back to you, his gaze stern. "So, let's start by acknowledging that your behavior was unacceptable. Can you do that for us?”

“I’m not a child. I understand my feelings and their perfectly acceptable in a position like this”.

Tenzin's expression turned stern, his voice firm. "(Y/N), you may not be a child, but you're still our responsibility. And as such, we have a duty to ensure your well-being and safety. Your feelings are valid, but they're not always acceptable. Especially when they put you or others at risk." He paused, his eyes meeting yours. "We understand that you're scared and upset. But we're here to help you through this. We're not going to abandon you, no matter what." He looked around the table, his gaze meeting those of the others. "We're a family, and we stick together. Even when it's hard." He turned his attention back to you, his voice softer. "So, let's work together to find a way to make you feel safe and supported. Can you do that for us?"

Jinora chimed in before anyone else could accept or deny that thought, “Maybe a walk could help accumulate some proper oxygen. The tension is quite tense and I think we all need some fresh air”, she said standing up.

“That is a very good idea, Jinora”, Tenzin smiled. You all walked to the door when you felt someone place something over you. You turned to see Bolin placing a jacket over your shoulders, “Can’t have you freezing to death”, he awkwardly smiled. You gave him another smile as you walked on the far side of the group that way you only were walking next to him.

Bolin's awkward smile made you feel a pang of guilt for snapping at him earlier. You appreciated his gesture, and his willingness to help keep you warm. You walked alongside him, the others chatting and laughing as they went. The fresh air was invigorating, and you felt your tension begin to ease. Bolin glanced over at you, a curious expression on his face. "So, what do you think about taking a break from all this drama and just hanging out for a bit?" he asked, his voice hopeful. "We could play some games, watch a movie, or even go on a adventure. Just the two of us, if you want." He looked at you with a sincere smile, his eyes shining with excitement. "I promise, no arguing or fighting. Just some good old-fashioned fun." You considered his offer for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. On one hand, it might be nice to take a break from the drama and just enjoy some company. On the other hand, you weren't sure if you could truly trust Bolin, or if this was just a ploy to get you to let your guard down. But then again, maybe it was worth taking a chance. Maybe, just maybe, Bolin.

You gently took his hand into yours, “Where would we go?”

He smiled broadly at your gesture, his cheeks flushing a light pink. "Well, we could try Ba Sing Se and try out some different foods." He looked at you, his eyes shining with hope. "Either way, it'll be an adventure, and I promise to protect you along the way." You squeezed his hand gently, feeling a sense of warmth spreading through your chest. "All right," you agreed with a small smile. "Let's go on an adventure. Just you and me." Bolin's smile widened, and he let out a happy chuckle. "Sounds like a plan. Let's talk to the others about setting it up.”

“Do the others really have to be involved in deciding whether or not we should go? Shouldn’t it be just us?”

Bolin's smile faltered slightly, and he looked at you with concern. "Well, they're part of the family too, (Y/N). We'll need to make sure they're okay with it, and maybe they'd like to come along," he explained. "But we can definitely make it a special trip just for you and me. We'll make sure to spend plenty of time alone, just us two." He offered you a reassuring smile, and you nodded, understanding his reasoning. "Alright," you agreed, feeling a sense of compromise. "Let's talk to them and figure out the details." Bolin let out a relieved breath, his smile returning. "Great. Now, let's get back to the others before they start to wonder where we've gone." He linked his arm with yours, leading you back towards the others.

Bolin's arm around yours felt comforting, and you found yourself drifting off into a peaceful state of mind. The walk back to the others was uneventful, punctuated by Bolin's cheerful voice as he shared his excitement about the upcoming adventure. Once you caught up with the group, the walk continued, and everyone seemed to be in slightly better spirits. At least until the topic of a vacation came up.

Bolin's enthusiasm for the adventure seemed to catch on with the rest of the group initially. Tenzin, Korra, Mako, Ikki, and Meelo all listened attentively as he described the possibilities. However, when the topic of just the two of you going on the trip came up, their expressions grew concerned. "It's not a good idea to split up the group," Korra said firmly. "What if something happens to you out there?" Her tone was sharp, and it was clear that she wasn't convinced. Tenzin nodded in agreement. "She's right. It's important for us to stick together. We'll plan an adventure for the whole family." Mako and Ikki chimed in, echoing Korra and Tenzin's concerns. Meelo just looked confused, his brow furrowed. Bolin looked dejected, his earlier excitement fading away. He turned to you, his face a picture of regret. "I'm sorry, (Y/N). Maybe another time," he said softly, squeezing your hand before letting it go. You tried to hide your disappointment, but you could feel a knot forming in your stomach.

You let out a sigh as you slumped onto the couch, crossing your arms over your chest. You felt a wave of frustration wash over you. Part of you understood the others' concerns, but another part couldn't help but feel resentful. It seemed like every time you tried to do something, it was shot down. You felt a pang of sadness, realizing that your hopes for a little alone time with Bolin had been dashed.

Bolin gently squeezed your thigh and looked at you with a sad smile, “I think (Y/N)’s tired”, Bolin cuts everyone off, “I’ll take her to bed”, he says standing up and guiding you away.

"Thanks, Bolin," you whispered, allowing him to guide you away from the group. The tension of the day began to dissipate as you walked towards your room, the weight of the day's events starting to feel a little lighter. You leaned on Bolin slightly, grateful for his support both physically and emotionally. "I appreciate this, Bolin. It's nice to have someone look out for me," you said, your voice soft. He smiled at you, his expression warm and genuine. "Of course, (Y/N). We're all looking out for you. Don't forget that." You returned his smile, feeling a sense of hope as you entered your room. Tonight, you would rest. And tomorrow, you would figure out your next steps.

As you two laid down in bed you whispered to him, “You wanna know what the worst part about being here is?”

Bolin hesitated for a moment before lying down next to you, propping himself up on his elbow to face you. "What's that, Olivia?" he asked softly, his expression curious and attentive. You looked into his eyes, seeing a kindness there that made you feel a little more at ease. "I miss the old friends I used to hang out with. I miss my mom and my siblings”

Bolin's heart ached as you shared your feelings. He reached out to gently brush a stray hair off your forehead, his touch gentle and caring. "I'm sorry, (Y/N). Losing the people you love and those connections must be really hard," he said, his voice filled with empathy. "But maybe, here, you'll find new connections and friendships. And who knows, maybe one day, you'll be able to reunite with your family." He smiled reassuringly at you, hoping to bring some comfort to your heart. "I'll do my best to make sure you feel welcome and part of this family." You looked into his eyes, seeing sincerity and understanding.

You suddenly bursted out crying and clutching onto the blankets as you placed your face in your knees. “Y-You don’t understand”, you sobbed, “You’ve been the only kind one to me since I’ve gotten here. W-When you left me with Korra and Mako they burned me. When they did that I didn’t think I’d ever be able to see my family or my friends or you again , I thought you were going to come and see me dead, rotting in a cell. I’ve only felt like that once and I swore I’d never feel it again, but Korra, she-she brought back memories. That’s why I can’t stand to be near her”, you sobbed even harder.

Bolin's heart wrenched at the sound of your sobs and the revelation of your past trauma. He pulled you into his arms, wrapping them around you tightly to offer comfort and support. "I'm so sorry, (Y/N). I had no idea. I promise I'll do everything I can to help you through this," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "And I won't let anything happen to you. I'll protect you, just like I promised." He held you close, rubbing your back gently in an attempt to soothe your distress. "You're not alone, (Y/N). We're here for you, no matter what."

“But it’s only been you. I’ve seen the looks they give me. They don’t care if I live or die. If you leave me again they could kill me this time”, you sobbed burying your head into chest as your hands tightened on the back of his shirt.

“I won’t ever leave you again. I promise”, he stuck out his pinky and you hooked it with yours.

You let out a laugh cry, “You’re too good for me, Bolin”.

Bolin's heart ached at your words. "No, (Y/N). I'm not. I'm not too good for you. We all have our own struggles, and we're here to help each other through them. Together, we'll make it through this. Trust me." He gently cupped your face in his hands, his expression gentle and soothing. "You're worth it, (Y/N). You have value, and you deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. I'll make sure of it." He leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead before pulling away, his arms still wrapped around you. "Now, try to rest. We'll figure out a way to make things better for you, starting tomorrow." You let out a shaky breath, nodding as you snuggled against him, finally feeling some semblance of peace. Bolin, in turn, closed his eyes, his arm tight around your waist as he held you close, a shield against the world's harshness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You had soon woken up again to the shake to someone shaking your arm and rambling about something. It had to be Ikki.

You groggily opened your eyes to see Ikki standing over you, her face a mix of excitement and urgency. "(Y/N)! (Y/N)! (Y/N)! You and Bolin and Korra and Mako are going to Asami’s mansion and you’re gonna live there forever and ever and ever!”

“What?”, you mumbled rubbing your eyes. Tenzin suddenly barged into your room, “Ikki!” Noticing you were awake, he brushed his hands on his outfit, calming himself, “You weren’t suppose to say anything Ikki”, he quickly turned his attention to you, “You are going to stay at Korra’s friends house for a while. There was an….incident last night and it isn’t safe for you here. The bag next to you is for packing what you wish to move with you”, he declared stepping out of the room motioning for Ikki to follow him.

You nodded, feeling a mix of relief and confusion. It was true that you were uneasy around Korra and Mako, but an incident? You hoped it wasn't something you'd caused. Regardless, a change in environment could be a good thing. You slid out of bed, groggily making your way to the bag Tenzin had indicated. As you began to pack your belongings, you couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. A new place, new people, and a chance to start anew. You glanced at the door, wondering if Korra would come to explain what had happened, but for now, you focused on gathering your things, eager to see where this unexpected turn would lead.

Once you finished packing, you stepped out of your room to find everyone else already gathered outside, their bags by their sides. Their expressions were a mix of concern and determination. You approached the group, feeling a bit out of place. Korra caught your eye and walked over to you, her steps purposeful. "Amon attacked the arena underneath us last night. It’s completely wrecked. We’re going to be staying at a friend of ours place for a while” Korra said gathering your bags

Mako grabbed a hoodie and placed it on you covering your head with the top of it. “Stay undercover. Don’t look up or say anything until I tell you to”

Mako's voice was firm, and you nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. You pulled the hood up, the fabric obscuring your vision and providing an aura of anonymity. You followed the others, feeling a sense of unease, but grateful for the protection they were offering. The streets were devoid of life, the silence heavy in the air. The darkness of the night, coupled with the aftermath of the attack, created an eerie atmosphere.

As you all made your way through the city, you couldn't help but wonder about the state of the world. Amon's influence seemed to grow stronger. The name sounded so familiar yet you didn’t have any recollection of knowing anything about him.

You two slowly made way to a car. It was enough to fit you, Mako, Bolin, and Korra. It also had tainted windows. So much for trying to signal someone out the window. Tenzin, Ikki, and Meelo all waved goodbye to you through the window as the car began moving to its destination.

The car's engine roared to life, and it began to move, leaving the others behind. You watched them in the rearview mirror, their small figures waving until they vanished from your sight. The ride to the house was filled with silence, broken only by the hum of the engine and the occasional shuffle from the group.

As the car pulled into the driveway of Asami's mansion, you couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and trepidation. The grand entrance, the sprawling property, and the opulence of the estate were a stark contrast to the cramped, rough living conditions you had grown accustomed to. You stepped out of the car, following the others as they made their way to the front door, your mind abuzz with questions and uncertainty.

A butler appeared to open the door and he lead you all inside. Sitting on the couch was a girl around your age with black hair and green eyes. She smiled brightly and went up to kiss Mako’s cheek. She noticed you staring at her and she flashed you a smile, “I’m Asami. I’ve heard a lot about you, (Y/N). I look forward to meeting you”, she said shaking your hand.

You pulled your hand away and gave her a disgusted look. “She’s just a little shy”, Korra butted in with a nervous laugh and smile

Asami seemed odd. You couldn’t quite put it into words but you had a bad feeling about her.

Korra's attempt at covering up your discomfort with an explanation fell flat. You crossed your arms defensively, your expression guarded. The tension in the room was palpable, the dissonance between Asami's friendly demeanor and your obvious disdain for her hanging thick in the air. You remained silent, unwilling to further engage with the girl.

Asami sighed and placed her head on Mako’s chest. “Poor girl must have been through a lot. She’s becoming mistrusting of her own family”, she said emotionally and clutching onto Mako’s shirt as she let out a few cries

Asami's actions, her words, and her clinging to Mako, felt like a slap in your face. Your discomfort grew, your chest tightening. You gritted your teeth, unable to suppress your irritation. Mako looked you even more irritated, “Look what you did, (Y/N)! You made Asami cry!”

You frowned at his words. It wasn’t your fault she cried

You glared at Mako, your face a picture of outrage. "It's not my fault she's emotionally clingy to you, Mako. You need to set boundaries," you snapped, unable to keep the anger from your words. "I didn't do anything to her." Bolin stepped in, his expression concerned, "Let's try to keep the peace, okay? We're all in a new situation here, and we need to work together." Korra nodded in agreement, sensing the tension in the room. "He's right, (Y/N). Let's give each other a chance to get to know one another." You huffed feeling a sense of frustration.

Asami suddenly stopped crying and brought back that sudden smile again and clapped her hands together, “I’ll show you to your rooms”, she said motioning for you to follow.

You followed Asami, your steps lead by the girl you had already taken an aversion to. You kept your distance, your arms still crossed, and your gaze fixed ahead. You were determined to remain cautious and vigilant around her.

Everyone was following behind you. Asami suddenly turned to Mako, “Why don’t I and (Y/N) have some tea together. Maybe we can bond that way”, she said with a smile adorning her face.

Asami's sudden offer to bond over tea caught you off guard. You glanced at her, then at Mako, raising an eyebrow. Mako quickly agreed before anyone could say anything, “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Asami. I, Bolin, and Korra will go for a while you guys talk he said guiding the others a different direction.

You turned to face Asami, your expression incredulous. "I don't know about this," you muttered under your breath. "We barely know each other." Asami smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, (Y/N). Sometimes talking over a cup of tea can help remove barriers and allow us to get to know each other better." You hesitated, but Asami was already leading you to a cozy-looking sitting room, filled with plush chairs and cushions. You followed her, begrudgingly accepting the situation. As the door closed behind you, you continue to stand as Asami sat.

“Go on, sit. I don’t bite, I promise”, she said smiling. A new butler came up to her, “I’d like some Jazmine tea”.

You eyed Asami for a moment, then reluctantly made your way to a chair. You perched on the edge, your body language indicating your wariness. As the butler left to fetch the tea, the room fell silent once more. You could feel Asami's gaze on you, and you met her eyes, your own expression challenging. The air around you felt thick with unspoken words, the tension palpable. “What tea would you like, (Y/N)?”

“I’ve never had tea before”

Asami's eyebrows rose in surprise, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Well, then. You're in for a treat. Let's try something light, like chamomile. It's calming and soothing," she suggested. You nodded, your expression still guarded. "Okay." The butler returned with a tray, setting it between the two of you, the porcelain cups steaming gently. Asami poured the tea for both of you, offering you the cup. You took it gingerly, the warmth enveloping your hand. You eyed the tea for a bit before hesitantly taking a sip, “So tell me a little bit about yourself, (Y/N)”.

“What do you want to know?”

Asami's eyes met yours, her tone earnest. "Anything that you'd like to share. Your past, your family, your interests. I want to know the person I'll be sharing a home with."

You sighed, “I don’t want to share anything with you. I want you to help me get out of here”

Asami's smile faltered slightly at your response, but she maintained her composure. "I see. Well, perhaps as we get to know each other, you'll feel more comfortable sharing. As for helping you leave, I'm not sure what I can do. This is my home, and I'm afraid I can't have guests coming and going as they please. I can, however, ensure your safety and make sure you're treated fairly." You stared into your tea, your hands wrapped around the warm cup, contemplating her words. Of course she was one of them. She wasn’t going to help you, only belittle you.

You slowly turned your head away from your reflection in the tea and closed your eyes, “How can you not see what their doing is wrong?”

Asami's expression was somber, her voice softening. "It's complicated. The world is in a state of chaos. The Equalists are a dangerous force, and Amon's powers are beyond anything we've seen before. We're trying to protect people, to restore order and justice." She paused, considering her words. "I understand that you might not agree, but it's not that simple. And for now, we're your best defense against Amon and the Equalists." You looked at her, your gaze unwavering. "You're so willing to blindly follow them. Aren't you afraid of what they'll do to others? You're just as guilty as them." Asami sighed, her eyes sad. "I know it's hard for you to understand, but we're doing what we believe is right. We all have our burdens, (Y/N). I just wish that you'd give us a chance to show you that things can work out."

You huffed, “Shouldn’t I get a choice?”

Asami's eyes met yours, her expression earnest. "Of course, you should. And I hope that as we continue to talk and get to know each other, you'll feel more comfortable and secure in your choices. I want you to be happy, (Y/N)." The silence stretched between you once more, the teacups clinking softly against the saucers. You stared back at her, your face a mask of disbelief and disdain. The conversation seemed to have reached an impasse, both of you unwilling to concede your respective positions. With a sigh, you set the cup down. "I'm done talking to you," you said, rising from your seat. Asami nodded, her expression understanding, "Very well. We'll talk again another time, (Y/N)." You turned on your heel, leaving Asami alone. To your surprise she didn’t follow you.

You stood out in the hallway alone. Alone. Alone! There was no one around! You could get out! You began sprinting down the stairs attempting to not make any noise

The silence of the mansion enveloped you, each step echoing ominously in the emptiness. Your mind raced, the freedom within your grasp. The front door was your goal, the way to escape. The cool air of the night enveloped you as you burst through the door, your chest heaving as you caught your breath. You stood there, your heart pounding, the city stretching out before you. A sense of exhilaration and panic battled within you. You were free, but now what? The fear of the unknown washed over you, your eyes darting around, scanning for familiar faces. You needed to speak to someone before the avatar and her friends found you!

You began sprinting as fast as you could. The hoodie you were still wearing did nothing to protect the harsh snow that fell on you and the freezing air nipping at you. You began sprinting towards lights. The lights quickly shaped into a car. You started screaming and waving your hands getting the attention of anyone inside.

The car screeched to a halt as you approached, the door swinging open. "Are you okay?”, the voice called out. You started running even more to the car, “You-You have to help me! I was kidnapped! Please, take me to the Chief of Police”.

As you reached the car, the person inside frowned at your desperate plea. "Kidnapped? Alright, get in. We'll get you to safety and the Chief of Police, I promise," they said, helping you into the car. Once you were seated, the car took off, speeding through the night. You clutched the edge of the seat, your mind racing with the turn of events.

Once you arrived at the tallest building you’d ever seen you stepped out of the car. You thanked the woman whom had driven you and made your way inside to the front desk. “Excuse me”, you said to the lady at the front desk, “I need to speak with an officer or-or something”. The woman was clearly shocked by your situation. You were shaking with frizzy hair and bags under yours eyes. “I’ll call The Chief of Police”, the woman said.

The front desk officer seemed alarmed by your appearance, the disheveled state of your hair and the bags under your eyes a stark contrast to the calm and orderly environment. You stood there, your hands shaking, waiting for the Chief. The tension was palpable, the silence suffocating as you waited for the outcome of your actions. The fact that you had to seek help from the police, after all this time, a testament to the desperation that had fueled your escape. The doors to the Chief's office opened, and a tall, imposing figure stepped out, her gaze fixed on you. You braced yourself, your heart pounding, as she approached, the air around you taut with the weight of the situation. "Miss, I'm Chief Beifong. Please, come inside and tell me what's happened." You followed her, hope and fear intermingling within you.

You sat down at a table with her. She stayed quiet for a few moments. “Can I get you some tea?

You shook your head, determined to get to the point. "No, thank you. I need your help. I was kidnapped by the Avatar”.

She chuckled before standing, “I’ll grab you some tea”, she said standing and completely ignoring your previous response. Of course she wouldn’t believe you. It was an absurd accusation. A few seconds later she returned with a hot tea in her hands. She placed it on the table in front of you waiting for you to drink it. “Go ahead. Try it”, she encouraged. You stared at her with confusion “Did you hear nothing I said? I was kidnapped! I need hel-“

The Chief cut you off, her voice firm and unyielding. "You need to calm down before we can proceed. Drink the tea." You hesitated before taking a sip, the warmth soothing your throat. The Chief waited patiently.

“I’m calm n….”, you trailed off as your eyes became blurry. You began to wobble as you tried to stand up. She quickly went to you and caught you before you could fall. “Tenzin’s not going to like much”, she muttered before you were able to say anything else.

You were vaguely aware of the Chief's words, your mind starting to feel heavy as you slumped into her arms. The tea, you realized, must have been drugged. Your eyes closed, and you felt yourself being carried, the world around you growing hazy. You slipped into unconsciousness, leaving the fate of your situation in the hands of the Chief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You had soon woken up to a feeling of covers on top of you. You groaned as you realized what had happened. You suddenly jolted upwards and began moving towards the door. You opened it quickly to see Korra arguing with Asami. Mako, Tenzin, Bolin, Cheif Beifong, Ikki, Meelo, and Jinora all sitting there. They suddenly whipped their heads around to face you.

Korra suddenly noticed your presence. “What the hell were you thinking?!”, you screamed marching over to you and sticking her finger in your face. “Korra, please calm yourself”, Tenzin pleaded with the young avatar, but she didn’t listen.

You flinched at Korra's sudden outburst, her anger palpable as she approached you. "You can’t kidnap me and expect me not to try and leave!”

“That isn’t the point! Something could have happened to you! If you hadn’t gone to Lin we could have lost you! And you!”, she shouted pointing in Asami’s face, “How could you have let this happen! You didn’t even attempt to follow her!”

Asami flinched under Korra's accusation, her expression guilty. "I didn't think she'd actually run away." Korra scoffed, her anger still raging. "Well, you were wrong, weren't you? Next time, think about the consequences before you act!" She turned back to you, her expression becoming more angry, “Your coming with me!”, she demanded harshly grabbing your arm. She threw you into a tight closet space. “After dinner, you’re going to get the beating of a life time!”. She closed the door in your face leaving you there all alone. It than occurred to you. This wasn’t your fault. And you needed to go to someone. Someone who was against the avatar. A villain so bad that Korra would never think you would associate yourself with them. Amon.

Written: Friday, May 17, 2024

Authors Note - Hi everyone! I was debating doing a story for DC but ultimately decided not to. I just finished the avatar series so now I’m on legend of Korra. I’m working on a draft for ATLA and DC. And I wanted to not have to make a part two for this but I feel cruel leaving you guys on a cliff hanger so I’ll probably make a part two next time we hit 200 questions. Today is actually my birthday! Turning the big 2 4. I couldn’t thank you guys enough for all the love and support I’ve received. I do have one question though ⬇️

[kikikiwi27498]

Katie's Fic Rec Master List

I wanted to make a master list of all my favorite fics in the hopes of introducing others to the fics I love and showing my appreciation for all the work authors do. I’ve also done like four fic rec lists in the past (you can find them here), and it’s time I organized everything into one list that I can update as I go. I will also make this a page on my blog so you don't have to scroll through this massive post.

UPDATE 1/25/2024: Hello! So it turns out Tumblr has link and character limits on posts now, which means I can't make this rec list as long as I'd like, and I don't want to make multiple lists. So I took a page out of Lou (@impossibleknots)'s book and made a spreadsheet! You can find it here, and I'll be updating that rather than this list.

I aimed for a mix of what I call “classic” fics and some lesser-known fics to give something for everyone. I have a lot of fandoms and I’ve been reading fics for a long time, so this is a pretty extensive list.

Updated: November 29, 2022 (minor edits made 11/22/2023)

Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra

God Bless the Child by slacktension (T, 9,391 words, complete)  Missing scenes from Legend of Korra 01x08: Mako, Bolin, and Asami are stuck in jail after the raid on the Dragon Flats District. I really liked how this fic touched on Mako and Bolin’s childhood working for the Triple Threat Triad.  Warnings: references to past violence, swearing  Ships: Mako/Asami 

Keraunopathy by celluloid (@miikkasakari) (NR, 15,000+ words, incomplete)  Mako’s relationship with lightning has changed a lot. He first learns of lighting bending when he reads a book of Iroh quotes. After a fire bender kills his parents, Mako’s relationship with lightning changes, even after he learns to generates it himself. I really liked how Ari made lighting bending a big deal again—in ATLA it was a huge deal, then in LOK it became much more common and less dangerous. Mako and others being able to lightning bend with ease is glossed over, and I enjoyed Ari’s take on Mako learning to generate lightning.  Warnings: mentions of abuse and violence, character death  Ships: None 

No Church in the Wild by slacktension (M, 4,000+ words, incomplete) Mako and Bolin’s childhood, from before their parents die to living on the streets to meeting Korra. I really liked how slacktension explores how Mako and Bolin’s relationship changes once their parents are killed and they are forced to live on the street. Slacktension really dives into how Mako became Bolin’s caretaker and parent, doing his best to keep himself and his brother alive on the streets and with the Triad.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of abuse, descriptions of violence, character death, discussions of death, drug and alcohol use, smoking, swearing  Ships: None

Big Time Rush 

Where I’ll Be Found by kasuchi (@kasuchi) (T, 6,104 words, complete) After Jo leaves for New Zealand, Kendall has a hard time coping and starts to crash and burn. Luckily he has his family and ‘90s music to help him. I loved how kasuchi used '90s song titles for each section (I forgot about Kendall's long-lost '90s music addiction!) and tried to stick with artists that would probably exist in the BTR universe. I liked how they dealt with his breakup with Jo in the show, but I liked how kasuchi took it an extra step and really made Kendall crash and burn. The best part of BTR is the friendship/family element—the boys and Katie and Mrs. Knight (and even Kelly and Gustavo) are really a family, and kasuchi did a great job of showing that. I also liked how kasuchi did the "turn real things into fake things" that Nick always does.  Warnings: underage drinking, swearing  Ships: Kendall/Jo, Kendall/OFC 

Chronicles of Narnia

A Call Rattling in Her Bones by dirgewithoutmusic (@ink-splotch) (G, 3,145 words, complete) Susan Pevensie returns from Narnia changed. She is a woman pretending to be a child, a queen without her kingdom. She has lived and lost and loved in ways her classmates will never know or understand. In England, the trees are only trees, the water only water and nothing more. So she adapts: she joins the newspaper, throws herself into her studies, and makes a new life for herself. Then her own horn calls her back to Narnia and a Lion tells her she can never return. So Susan decides to live, to build herself a new life in England. Her life will no longer be anything but her own. I feel like a lot of people hate on Susan for choosing to live and move on rather than dwelling on Narnia, and it’s nice to see a take on post-Narnia Susan that doesn't do that. Susan is a fascinating character, and as usual Inky really does her justice here. Warnings: major character death  Ships: None

A Power in Every Breath by PanBoleyn (G, 3,288 words, complete)  After the lies of Shift the Ape, religion in Narnia starts to change. The Great Lion hasn’t been seen in generations, so Narnians begin to turn to new gods: the Seven Friends of Narnia. I really loved this exploration of a Narnian world that didn’t end in The Last Battle but instead got to grow and change. I loved the exploration of the religion and mythology of Narnia, and especially how each of the Friends of Narnia came to be associated with specific animals, virtues, and symbols. Religion isn’t always one-size-fits-all, and I loved how this story dives into that.  Warnings: None Ships: None

A Sea of Golden Sand by Andi Horton (K+, 121,897 words, complete) The Horse and His Boy from the Pevensies’ point of view. Prince Rabadash comes to Cair Paravel to ask for Susan’s hand in marriage. All seems well, and Susan decides to make a visit to Calormen. Upon arriving in Calormen, however, it becomes clear that things are not as they seem and Rabadash is not the charming prince he claims to be. Andi Horton captures C.S. Lewis’s writing style perfectly, this reads almost exactly like one of the Chronicles of Narnia books.  Warnings: references to violence   Ships: None

Counted Among the Traitors by WillowDryad (T, 73,916 words, complete) Ten years into the Golden Age, evil forces are at work in Narnia, causing High King Peter to lose faith and trust in his brother. Edmund must work to clear his name and save his brother before it’s too late. This was one of the very first fics I read and fell in love with way back in 2012. Each chapter had me enthralled and waiting for more. WillowDryad does a great job of developing the Pevensies and writing them as adults who have reigned for ten years. I have been endlessly inspired by WillowDryad, and I highly suggest checking out the rest of their work.  Warnings: graphicdescriptions of violence, illness, discussions of death   Ships: None

Into the West by elecktrum (T, 89,879 words, complete)  A year after The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, a curse Jadis put on Edmund is awoken. Peter and Philip must adventure to the Garden in the West to retrieve the only means of saving Edmund's life and breaking the curse. If you like tales of adventures and family and heroes saving the day, this is the fic for you. This is the fic for me and I have reread it a bunch of times. Every character, from the Pevensies to Aslan to the smallest OC, has a unique personality and brings something to the story. The Pevensies have such a wonderful dynamic with each other and the other residents of Cair Paravel (especially Peter and Edmund and Oreius), and I just want to jump into this world and live in it.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, discussions of death  Ships: None

Nighttime Demons by Sentimental-Star (T, 45,000+ words, incomplete) After Colin Pevensie returns from the war, he notices that his children are not as he left them: Peter is more grown-up, Edmund is no longer beastly, and Susan and Lucy are no longer the little girls he remembers. Told from the point of view of Colin, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, this is a wonderful story exploring the effect Narnia had on the four Pevensie children and how Aslan can affect even those who have never met Him. I like how Sentimental-Star touches on why Susan decides to stop believing in Narnia and examines the relationships between each of the Pevensies and their parents.  Warnings: descriptions of violence, discussions of death, panic attacks    Ships: None

No Greater Love by WickedForGood13 (K+, 14,311 words, complete)  The aftermath of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Peter and Edmund have a lot to talk about following their return from Narnia, and hopefully they can heal some of the rift between them in the process. I love a fic that explores the impact Narnia and returning to England had on the Pevensies, and WickedForGood13 does a great job at it. This fic focuses on Peter and Edmund, but Susan and Lucy also make appearances.   Warnings: references to past violence, dissuasions of death   Ships: None

Only Children by Thalion King’s Daughter (K, 74,110 words, complete) A Golden Age tale following the adventures of Jaer and Jaerin Peridanson, sons of Lord Peridan, as they come to live at Cair Paravel with their family. What they hope will be a peaceful move takes a turn when Peter is captured by Ettin Giants. This story follows Thole and A Blessing of Rain by elecktrum as Jaer and the others race to rescue Peter from the Ettin Giants. I love Jaer and Jaerin, they have such a lovely dynamic with each other and the Pevensies. Jaer, Jaerin, and their family fit perfectly into the world of Cair Paravel, and I love how Thalion King’s Daughter gives Lord Peridan a backstory and more depth than he got in The Horse and His Boy.  Warnings: implied/referenced violence, discussions of death   Ships: None

Return and Pushback by summer_days (@squirrel-princess)(T, 13,000+ words, incomplete) A year after they left, the four Pevensies return to Narnia and start to push back against what they find there. This Narnia is wild and dangerous, but she cares for her people and will do anything to protect them. I am obsessed with sentient Narnia and I adore the Pevensies with subtle Great Cat traits. A Narnia that is sentient and takes care of her people brings so much more depth and heartbreak to the Telmarines’ invasion and the Pevensies’ return to Narnia. I loved how Summer explores the Pevenies’ connection to Narnia, especially Peter’s, and delves into the magical aspects of Narnia.  Warnings: descriptions of violence  Ships: Past Peter/OFC

The Lion and the Fox by Rayven49 (T, 125,579 words, complete) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as told by Peter and Edmund. Here is the story of how Edmund changes from a bratty little boy to Just King and repairs his relationship with his brother. I love how Rayven49 explores Peter and Edmund’s relationship and how it grows and changes throughout LWW. There’s angst and heartbreak but there’s also joy and heartwarming moments. I really loved reading Edmund’s transformation—he becomes a full, three-dimensional character and gets to fully grow and change. The lion and fox metaphor is frequently used in the fandom, but I think Rayven49 uses it in a way that's not forced or cliché.  Warnings: descriptions of violence  Ships: None

To the Radiant Southern Sun by Wordsintothevoid (T, 6,000+ words, incomplete)  “An exploration of love, grief, and finding faith again.” After the train accident, Susan is left alone to mourn her family. Eventually, she resolves to forget about Narnia, not let her grief consume her, and live her life the way she wants to. I loved Wordsintothevoid’s characterization of Susan, she really did Susan justice here. This whole story broke my heart, especially the scenes of Susan packing away her siblings’ belongings and writing down her stories of Narnia. Susan gets to be angry at the injustice of being left alone, and she’s given space and time to feel everything and process all her emotions. I loved how Wordsintothevoid played into Susan's supposed love for nylons and lipstick as a sort of coping mechanism, both for being essentially banished from Narnia and for her family's deaths. Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence, suicidal thoughts, grief Ships: None

Descendants 

Beautiful Scars on Critical Veins by aletterinthenameofsanity (M, 3,398 words, complete)  Auradon trapped the VKs on the Isle for twenty years, leaving them to rot and starve and die. Mal knows the pain of starvation, the pain of death and abuse and doing anything and everything to protect your gang, your family. Nothing changes once she gets to Auradon, except now her magic is free. Mal is Fae and she is a Dragon, and Auradon will learn that Mal and the others are not the villains of this story—they are the heroes. My favorite kind of Descendants story is one that isn’t Disney-fied and truly shows the horrors of the Isle. I love the concept of using Mal’s full potential for fae magic, and aletterinthenameofsanity delivers. Mal is protective and ruthless and badass, and this story showcases that perfectly. Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, character death, mentions of abuse and violence, swearing  Ships: Mal/Evie

I Don’t Know if You’re Looking for Romance by hara_leah (@thesunoneyelashes) (T, 2,372 words, complete) Everyone has a mark: the place where they first touch their soulmate, black until they make contact with their soulmate. Evie, Mal, Jay, and Carlos aren’t all soulmates, but you can choose your soulmate, right? I love a soulmate AU, and I especially love Harley’s take on it. It’s not dark like many other soulmate AUs, and I think it’s a very interesting take on the differences between Auradon and the Isle.  Warnings: descriptions of violence, descriptions of abuse, swearing Ships: Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos, Jay/Carlos, Jay/Mal 

In Loco Parentis by RottenKidNextDoor (Portal of Worlds) (@unapologeticallyjaylos) (M, 81,699 words, complete) Jay and Mal are two runaways with a knack for illegal activities and adventures. They are perfectly happy with just the two of them—they might be broke and struggling, but at least they have each other and the grand adventure of being runaways. But when a car crash unexpectedly brings Carlos and Evie into their lives, Mal and Jay’s little family gets a little bigger—and a little more complicated. I really liked the Core Four’s dynamic in this one: a reluctant family, but a family nonetheless. They have a lot of demons to face, but they face them together. I really liked how Mal especially is given the space to face and then move on from her all-encompassing need for revenge and do what’s best for her and her friends. This is a very heavy story, please be careful and heed the warnings and tags.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of abuse (including sexual abuse), discussions of rape, references to child pornography, abusive relationship, brief nudity, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, crime, violence, alcohol use, homophobia, swearing  Ships: Jay/Carlos, Mal/Evie 

Mistaken for a Miracle by RottenKidNextDoor (Portal of Worlds) (T, 112,000+ words, incomplete) What does love mean to two boys from the Isle who have never experienced it before? Do they even deserve love after everything they’ve been through? These are the questions Carlos must wrestle with as he finds himself falling for Jay. I really liked how RottenKidNextDoor (Portal of Worlds) showed Carlos and Jay’s growth and gave them room to process their traumas and didn’t rush them into a relationship. This is tagged underage, but that’s only because Carlos and Jay are 16-17.   Warnings: descriptions of violence, descriptions of abuse, implied/referenced sexual content, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, swearing  Ships: Jay/Carlos

This is Not for Us to Ponder (This Was Preordained) by ElixirBB (E, 15,427 words, complete) Ben decides to let Isle kids come to Auradon Prep, but his kind action has unexpected consequences. Aurardon learns the hard way to never underestimate kids who have revenge on their minds and nothing to lose but each other. I don’t normally go for Jay/Mal fics, and I generally don’t recommend E-rated fics, but this one is so good: the romance (for lack of a better word, this is certainly not a romance story) doesn’t overshadow the other relationships, and the more explicit scenes are tasteful and add a lot to the story. I really enjoyed ElixirBB’s exploration of the relationships between the VKs and the people of Auradon. This is not the Disney version of Descendants and has some very dark themes—please heed the warnings and tags.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence and torture, graphic descriptions of abuse, explicit sexual content, character death, underage drinking, imprisonment, swearing Ships: Jay/Mal, background Mal/Evie, background Jay/Carlos, background Mal/Evie/Jay/Carlos 

WAR by hara_leah (@thesunoneyelashes) (T, 1,951 words, complete) Soulmates feel each other’s pain, carry each other's cuts and bruises and scars. In Auradon, soulmates are celebrated, and discovering yours is akin to marriage. On the Isle, soulmates are a sign of weakness, a burden to never speak about. When Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos learn that they are soulmates, they are determined to love freely. So the Isle kids band together to take Auradon and stand up to the adults that banished them. I love Harley’s soulmate AUs because she uses soulmates to showcase the differences between Auradon and the Isle while not being too dark.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, graphic descriptions of abuse, major character death, mentions of past prostitution, swearing    Ships: Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos, Audrey/Ben, Gil/Harry/Uma  

We Gotta Be Free by siriuslyrose (@siriuslyrose) (G, 14,139 words, complete) Opening the barrier was supposed to make the VKs safe from their parents and from the Isle. It was supposed to give every Isle kid a chance at a better life. It was supposed to make everything better. So why didn’t it? Delving into the logistics and emotions of the barrier coming down, this fic explores the friendships between the Isle kids and the Auradon kids. I really liked how Mel made the Descendants 3 ending make sense and really showed how opening the barrier would impact the Isle kids. Warnings: references to abuse, references to violence, swearing Ships: Ben/Mal

We Talk Just Like Lions (But We Sacrifice Like Lambs) by Chill_with_Penguins (T, 9,951 words, complete) After the events of Descendants 2, Mal tries to put the Isle out of her mind but realizes she can’t. After all, you can’t bleach and princess away sixteen years of pain. A queen has to look out for her people, no matter what the cost. So Mal and the Isle kids come together to finally take back what’s theirs. I have read a lot of Descendants fix-its because canon stinks sometimes, and this is one of my favorites. What I liked most about this story was how, instead of bringing the Isle kids to Auradon, the VKs return to the Isle and make it better. This is the Descendants 3 movie I wanted to see. Chill_with_Penguins’s version of Mal is everything: badass, powerful, ruthless, and magical, but still wanting to do right by her people. This fic hurt, but in the best way. Warnings: descriptions of violence, references to abuse, PTSD, swearing Ships: Ben/Mal, Mal/Evie  

Glee

Promises Broken by GleekMom (M, 93,061 words, complete)  Blaine is removed from his home after CPS finds out that his parents have been abusing him. Blaine goes into foster care and then to Sydney House, a group home for LGBTQ+ youth. While he’s there, he learns that sometimes family can be found in unexpected places. I really liked how Kurt and Blaine’s relationship and Blaine’s relationship with New Directions is portrayed in this: they struggle and make mistakes because they’re teenagers dealing with very serious matters, but they right their wrongs and make it through in the end. I also really liked how Chess the musical was integrated into the story. This story deals with some very heavy topics; please heed the warnings and please be careful.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of abuse and domestic violence, discussions of past underage prostitution, implied sexual content, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, drug and alcohol use, homophobia, divorce Ships: Kurt/Blaine, Burt/Carole, background Finchel 

Straight Campby foraworldundeserving (T, 138,520 words, complete) Nick and Jeff (the Warblers) and Blaine are sent to Wildwood Springs Health Camp for the summer. Will they make it out, or will this experience destroy them forever? Sarah does an amazing job of fleshing out Nick and Jeff, developing their relationship, and balancing very heavy angst with friendship and even some romance. I also really love the OCs Scott and James, they are some of the best-developed OCs I’ve read. This is an incredibly sad story, though it does have a happy ending. This story is set at a conversion therapy camp and deals with very heavy themes, so please be careful. Warnings: graphic descriptions of abuse and domestic violence, graphic descriptions of self-harm, graphic descriptions of attempted suicide, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, descriptions of drug addiction and past underage drug use, homophobia, bullying, conversion therapy Ships: Nick/Jeff, OMC / OMC

We’ve Got Tonight by katjandante (T, 23,895 words, complete) “Kurt tries to measure Finn’s life in love, but it’s so much harder than he remembers it being.” Kurt, Blaine, New Directions, and the Hudmels come together to remember Finn and mourn his death. I know there are a lot of fics about Finn’s death out there, but for me this one was different. It gave me closure in a way that many other fics didn’t, and it was so easy to connect with the characters’ struggles. This fic is emotional and raw and it feels very real. I shed many tears while reading this.  Warnings: major character death, sexual content, underage drinking, homophobia Ships: Kurt/Blaine, Burt/Carole 

Harry Potter 

He Will Have Powers the Dark Lord Knows Not by dirgewithoutmusic (@ink-splotch) (NR, 11,809 words, complete) What if Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, had been born a Squib? Harry Potter cannot do magic, but you don’t need magic or powers to teach or play Quidditch or make friends. In this world, Harry is still friends with Ron and Hermione, and he still plays Quidditch and sneaks around school under an Invisibility Cloak and saves the day year after year. There are many things in this magical world that don’t require magic at all. But Harry also befriends Anthony Goldstein, whose big sister is a Squib, and instead of using magic he uses theory and books. Harry learns you don’t have to have magic or powers to be a hero, even if you are the Chosen One. I love Inky’s exploration of the nature of magic and how it can be both inherent and earned through hard work and studying. I especially love how Harry’s relationships with Filch and Mrs. Figg change when they and Harry have more in common.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, mentions of abuse, bullying   Ships: Ron/Hermione  

Look Beyond What You See by hachoo (K+, 59,561 words, complete) Deathly Hallows from the point of view of Fred and George. After the Battle of Little Whinging, it becomes clear that there is more to George’s ear injury than meets the eye. Fred and George have to learn how to cope with the side effects of George’s missing ear and the realities of war. I love how hachoo portrays Fred and George’s relationship and keeps their sense of humor without forgetting that they’re nineteen-year-olds who voluntarily join a war. Fred and George are given a lot of depth that I think they were missing in the books, and it was really nice to read them as well-rounded characters. I cry every time I read this, even though I know exactly what’s going to happen.  Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, descriptions of blood and injuries Ships: None  

Stay Ahead and Stay Alive by aletterinthenameofsanity (T, 16,737 words, complete)  Ron Weasley, a sixth son of a seventh son, grows up in his brothers’ shadows: Bill is a curse breaker; Charlie a Quidditch star and dragon tamer; Percy Prefect and Head Boy and Ministry official; Fred and George are businessmen and inventors. No matter how hard he tries, Ron always falls short of living up to his brothers. When he comes to Hogwarts, he finally has the chance to change his fate and do something for himself: Ron Weasley becomes the first Weasley in three generations to be Sorted into anything but Gryffindor. This is a fantastic take on Slytherin Ron: he gets to exist and find himself outside of his family and Harry and the war, and I feel like he truly lives up to his potential instead of being side-lined. Aletterinthenameofsanity writes Slytherins so well, giving them personalities and traditions and development beyond being evil blood-supremacists.  Warnings: None  Ships: Ron/Viktor Krum, Ron/Blaise Zabini, background Draco/Harry, background Percy/Marcus Flint, background Tracey Davis/OFC

The Heir of Something or Other by dirgewithoutmusic (NR,  14,305words, complete) When Harry Potter is under the Sorting Hat, he doesn’t whisper “Not, Slytherin, not Slytherin.” Instead of Gryffindor, the Boy Who Lived is Sorted into Slytherin. Harry’s path is not easy, and at times he considers running back to Privet Drive. This world is much like the one where Harry Potter wears red and gold on his robes: Snape still hates him, and Draco Malfoy is still a bully, and Harry still saves the day year after year. However, when Harry overhears that there’s a girl crying in the bathroom when there’s a troll on the loose, he isn’t the only one who hesitates: Millicent Bullstrode hesitates, too. In this world, Slytherins fight side-by-side with Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs, and old grudges are finally put aside. I really love this take on Slytherin Harry, and I really like the parallels between Dumbledore’s relationship with Tom Riddle and Dumbledore’s relationship with Harry. Harry as a Slytherin gives more depth to his relationship with Tom Riddle and Dumbledore, and it feels like Dumbledore is seeing Harry as Tom Riddle and thus makes the same mistakes.  Warnings: major character death, mentions of abuse, bullying   Ships: None

The Life and Times by Jewels5 (M, 613,762 words, complete) The tale of James and Lily’s sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts, how they joined the Order of the Phoenix, and how they went from enemies to friends to lovers. I really liked how Jewels wrote James and Lily and the Marauders’ dynamic: true to the little we know about them from the books, but fleshed out into full characters. Jewels gives all the characters personalities and backstories, even more minor characters like Lily’s parents. Jewels’s OCs are also extremely well-written and developed into full characters with their own plots and personalities (I especially loved Donna Shacklebolt).  Warnings: canon-typical violence, graphic descriptions of attempted suicide, implied sexual content, minor character death Ships: James/Lily, Frank/Alice, James/OFC, Lily/OMC 

The Marauders Get Sorted by byebyebluejay (G, 4,356 words, complete) Remus Lupin has never had a friend before, and he’s the first werewolf to ever attend Hogwarts. Needless to say, he’s pretty anxious. After a terrible train ride, Remus is Sorted into Gryffindor, the House for the brave at heart, and meets Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter. I loved this glimpse into the origin of the Marauders.  Warnings: descriptions of panic attacks  Ships: pre-Remus/Sirius

How to Get Away With Murder 

The Art of Holding On by IronicAppreciation (NR, 5,143 words, complete)  Somehow, between the murders and the law school competition and her father’s drama, Laurel found something she didn’t expect: a family. She’s not sure when Micaela, Oliver, Connor, and Asher became more than classmates and coworkers, but here they are, sitting in their decrepit house at four in the morning, falling asleep on the couch because they can’t be bothered to go upstairs. The found-family dynamic we all deserved from season 5.  Warnings: mentions of past violence, swearing  Ships: Connor/Oliver, Laurel/Frank, past Laurel/Wes 

Safety Net by a_good_soldier (T, 1,281 words, complete) After Murder Night 2.0 at the Hapstall mansion, Connor and Michaela show up at Connor and Oliver’s apartment, scared out of their minds and barely holding it together. Even though he has no idea what’s going on, Oliver tries his best to take care of Connor and Michaela. I liked how Frank filled in some of the missing scenes from 02x09 and dove into the effects Annalise and Sinclair’s murder had on Connor and Michaela.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, panic attacks, ableist language (crazy, insane, etc)  Ships: Connor/Oliver  

Julie and the Phantoms 

Are You for Me or Against Me (Hold Yourself Against Me) by siriuslyrose (@siriuslyrose) (G, 14,094 words, complete) Modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU in which Caleb adopted Willie. Five times Alex thought Caleb hated him, and one time he was proven wrong. I love Mel’s writing, and this does not disappoint. Mel does a great job of integrating Carrie and Bobby into the group and creating the character of good dad Caleb. Also I love Willie’s dog. Warnings: descriptions of panic attacks, homophobia, swearing  Ships: Alex/Willie, Flynn/Carrie, Bobby/Reggie, Julie/Luke

Far Away From Hurt Is Where Healing Occurs by chickwiththepurpleguitar (@chickwiththepurpleguitar) (G, 12,299 words, complete) After the Orpheum, Julie has to explain to Ray that there are three sort-of-ghosts living in their studio. Luckily, Ray is the best dad ever, but when caring for the boys means forgiving Bobby/Trevor Wilson, Ray finds it a little harder than he expected. Sometimes time really does heal all wounds. I love how Lilly explores the relationship between Bobby/Trevor, Ray, and Rose, as well as the relationships between Luke, Alex, and Reggie and their parents. Warnings: homophobia  Ships: Julie/Luke, Alex/Willie 

First Things First by Irratia (@on-irratia) (NR, 8,670 words, complete) Modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU. Three firsts in Alex and Willie’s relationship: meeting the parents, sharing clothes, and sharing a bed. This is a lot of fluff and it’s so sweet. I love supportive Molinas/found family, and this fic delivers. Warnings: panic attacks, homophobia  Ships: Alex/Willie

Gave Me No Compasses, Gave Me No Signs by weneedglitter (@weneedglitter) (G, 5,611 words, complete) After the Orpheum, Julie discovers her powers go beyond magic hugs, and the bond she has with Alex, Reggie, and Luke is stronger than she thought. This is pretty similar to Know That It’s Probably Magic by thessalonike (starblessed) (it was inspired by that fic), but the premise is just different enough to make it special. I really loved Morgan’s take on the Orpheum and how Julie was able to pull the boys to her. Warnings: None Ships: pre-Julie/Luke, pre-Alex/Willie 

Give Me Something to Hold On To by sunsetcurbed (@sunsetcurbed) (T, 47,148 words, complete) Modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU. As Kay puts it, “Alex and Willie meet young, fall in love young, and fall apart young. But some things have a way of making sure they’re meant to be in the end.” I was hesitant on this one at first, because I don’t usually go for breakup stories, but Kay’s writing won me over. This story is so well thought-out and beautifully written, and Kay captures the emotions of a breakup perfectly. As you might expect, this is a sad story, but I promise the end is happy. Warnings: alcohol use  Ships: Alex/Willie, Julie/Luke, Wille/OMC

Heaven Has Got Nothing On Us by spiral_the_pretzel (T, 5,072 words, complete) After he dies, Willie realizes he can’t see color. For five years his world is black and white: until he meets Caleb Covington. Willie joins the Hollywood Ghost Club with the promise of getting color back, but soon realizes it’s not at all what he thought it would be. Rainy gives a very interesting take on how and why Willie joined the Hollywood Ghost Club. This is a fascinating take on the relationship between Willie and Caleb Covington. Warnings: character death, discussions of death Ships: Alex/Willie

How Long Till My Soul Gets It Right by partyghost (Arokel) (G, 1,351 words, complete) Willie spends his life looking at the stars, knowing he’s destined to uncover the secrets of the universe and maybe even get a constellation named after him. But he dies before he ever gets the chance. This is probably my very favorite Willie fic ever. This story gave me Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe vibes (that’s a compliment, I love that book). Warnings: character death, car accident  Ships: Alex/Willie

I’d Fall Anywhere With You by novaquill (NR, 59,297 words, complete) Everyone has a soulmate, except for Alex…or at least that’s what he thinks. The boys of Sunset Curve learn that soulmates can be found in unexpected places, and sometimes the soulmates that really matter are the ones you choose yourself. It’s not until after he dies that Alex realizes a mark has finally appeared on his skin. I love a good soulmate AU, and this did not disappoint. I loved this fic because it explores the boys of Sunset Curve’s friendship and how best friends can be your soulmates. Warnings: major character death, discussions of death, implied/referenced abuse, homophobia  Ships: Julie/Luke, Alex/Willie 

Know That It’s Probably Magic by thessalonike (starblessed) (@julies-butterflies) (T, 4,652 words, complete) “A study in grief, loneliness, and the nature of haunting.” Julie thought Alex, Luke, and Reggie were haunting her house, but Flynn might be onto something when she says the boys are haunting Julie. This realization brings Julie’s world crashing down. They can’t be haunting her, right? This fic is beautiful and deep and perfectly written to be emotional without being over the top. There are amazing Double Trouble moments, and Flynn especially is very well-written. Warnings: discussions of death  Ships: None

Lie a Little Better by @willexxmercer (NR, SMAU on Tumblr, complete) Modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU. Alex needs a getaway from the hectic Hollywood life, so he goes to a resort in Canada. While there, he falls for Willie Covington, nephew of Caleb Covington and the one person Julie and the Phantoms swore to stay away from. When Caleb finds out about Alex and Willie, well, you can imagine what happens. I love this SMAU because it’s sweet but also suspenseful and keeps you wanting more. Kit is masterful at the cliffhanger and makes you really, really hate Caleb Covington. Warnings: manipulation  Ships: Alex/Willie

My Safest Place to Hide by @willexxmercer (NR, SMAU on Tumblr, complete) A Willex modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU. When Alex gets sick on their honeymoon, Willie must put his worries about Caleb and the gossip columns aside to take care of him. With Caleb threatening to make Willie’s life worse, Willie learns to lean on his husband and friends and accept their help for once. Kit does a great job of world-building using only texts and social media, and each chapter leaves you wanting more. Lots of sweet Willex moments and hating Caleb Covington moments. I also love Kit’s OCs. Warnings: implied/referenced abuse   Ships: Alex/Willie, Julie/Luke, Bobby/Reggie, Flynn/Carrie/OFC

Raw Nerves Can’t Kill Me (But God Do They Want To) by HearJessRoar (@hearjessroar) (G, 1,083 words, complete) Julie has a bad day, and it’s up to Flynn and the boys to cheer her up. I love Jess’s portrayal of the friendship between Julie and Flynn and the boys, it’s so sweet and the boys just want to help. Warnings: None Ships: pre-Julie/Luke

Spider, Beetle, Bee by by WhatsYourNameMan (@wr0temyway0ut) (T, 8,970 words, complete) Alex and Bobby—though they aren’t Alex and Bobby yet—meet for the first time on the playground in kindergarten. From there, they become each other’s best friend and favorite person. They’re inseparable, and not even death can tear them apart. I saw Jamie (@bright-patterson)’s art on Tumblr and knew this would hurt going in, and yet I still cried the entire time I read it. I really love Rio’s handling of Bobby/Trevor: acknowledging what he did (and giving a reason that’s not “he’s a terrible person”), allowing the boys to forgive him, and making him a part of the family again. Bobby is depicted as just as valued and important to Sunset Curve as Alex, Luke, and Reggie. I promise it’s not all sad: there are so many moments of joy and friendship to balance the heartbreak. It’s Not Sunset Cis Either is essentially canon in my mind and Netflix can’t tell me otherwise. (You will need an A03 account to read this) Warnings: major character death, implied/referenced abuse, transphobia, homophobia, dysphoria, some misgendering and dead naming, drug and alcohol use, grief, swearing  Ships: Alex/Luke, Alex/Willie 

The Spotlight’s Your Hiding Place by WhatsYourNameMan (NR, SMAU on Tumblr, complete) Enemies-to-lovers modern AU. Nick, Willie, and Bobby are in Julie and the Phantoms’ rival band. After discovering that Caleb Covington has been abusing Nick, Willie, and Bobby, JATP comes together to help their rivals escape Caleb’s control. Full of drama and angst, but also the fluffy moments Rio does so well. Each chapter left me on the edge of my seat and wanting more.  Warnings: descriptions of abuse  Ships: Alex/Willie, Bobby/Reggie, Flynn/Carrie, Julie/Luke

Lab Rats/Lab Rats: Elite Force (Disney XD)

Because Family Matters by scribbler123 (T, 150,514 words, complete) A series of one-shots exploring Chase’s relationship with his wacky, wonderful, loud, bionic family. I really liked how scribbler123 looks at the relationship between Chase and Spike and makes Spike his own character rather than just a glitch in Chase’s bionics.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, bullying  Ships: None 

Cacophony by Duck_Life (T, 26,209 words, complete)  During “Taken,” Bree is captured by Krane and turned into one of his bionic  soldiers. Nine months later, Krane is defeated and the Triton App is disabled. Bree must reconnect with her family while reconstructing the past nine months and making peace with what she did. I really like how Bree’s character is written and how Duck_Life explores the relationships between Bree and the rest of the Davenport-Dooley family. Bree’s struggles aren’t watered-down, she faces real problems and has to confront and process the trauma of the nine months she was under Krane’s control. Warnings: canon-typical violence, character death, PTSD  Ships: pre-Leo/Taylor

‘Cause It Feels so Frightening (Hits Me Like a Bolt of Lightning) by aletterinthenameofsanity (M, 5,407 words, complete) They’re heroes, they’re saviors of the President and princes and the world itself. They’re the best humanity—and Caldera—has to offer. But they’re also survivors, lovers, children, and they’ll do what it takes to protect those they love. When Chase and Kaz are captured by shapeshifters and a death rattles the Elite Force, the world learns what its heroes are truly capable of. I love Tasha's protectiveness and how this fic touches on the Lab Rats' relationship with Donald. Honestly he's not the best father, and I liked how this fic acknowledges that and the darker side of the show. Sometimes the show and the fandom forget that a lot of the characters are essentially child soldiers, especially the Academy students who were never given a choice but to be Krane's soldiers or Donald's heroes. Arguably, Adam, Bree, and Chase were never given a choice either—they could have (and did) walk away, but they're guilted into coming back. I love Chase and Kaz's relationship and Bree and S-1’s relationship—neither are ships I was ever really into, but I am now sold on them. I suggest reading part two of the Dares to Claim the Sky series first. (You will need an AO3 account to read this)  Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence, graphic descriptions of abuse, descriptions of torture, implied sexual content Ships: Bree/S-1, Chase/Kaz, past Chase/Sebastian, past Kaz/OMC,

Rat in a Cage by Duck_Life (T, 5,016 words, complete) Adam, Bree, and Chase are taken by the government in “You Posted What.” Bree tries to stay hopeful that the government agents will see that they’re on the same team, but it’s hard to believe when every day brings new struggles and horrors. Meanwhile, with the Lab Rats in a detention facility and Donald in jail, it’s up to Leo to convince the public that his family should be let go. I really like this take on the Lab Rats being taken by the government. Discovery was the biggest threat on the show before Krane, but if the Lab Rats had been taken it would have been “Disney-fied.” I like how Duck_Life’s take is realistic without going over the top or being gory.  Warnings: descriptions of torture, imprisonment Ships: None

Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus/Trials of Apollo

A Flashback and a Film Reel by ybeecharmer (@yrbeecharmer) (M, 62,000+ words, incomplete)  Ten years after the Second Giant War and seven years after Nico broke Will’s heart, Nico goes on a mission to the Ancient Lands with Percy. Only to turn up, injured and fading, on Will’s doorstep. Will and Nico learned long ago to expect the unexpected, but this was not part of either of their plans. Apparently the Fates or the gods or someone had other ideas. I liked how Will and Nico get to process both their relationship and break-up as well as all their trauma from life as demigods. Katherine gave a really good, in-character reason for Nico breaking up with Will, and I also liked their reasons for having Will be where he is in his life as well (no spoilers!).  Warnings: graphic descriptions of self-harm, alcohol and drug use, implied/referenced sexual content, PTSD, depression, swearing  Ships: Nico/Will, past Will/OFC, past Will/OMC, past Will/Connor Stoll, past Nico/OMC

Altri Cinque Minuti (Five More Minutes) by AthenaFire (T, 17,646 words, complete)  Mortal/real world AU. Will, Nico, and the others attend Chase-Dare University together. Each winter, they make a trip to Rachel’s house in New York. They call the trip Saturnalia, after their old camp director Mr. Brunner’s obsession with Greek mythology. This is mostly fluff and friendship, but there is some angst too. I really liked the friendship and Solangelo moments in this (also Nico with Estelle is the cutest thing). Warnings: discussions of death, swearing Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will, Frank/Hazel, Leo/Calypso, Sally/Paul    

As the Ichor Flows by Phrophetsam (@phrophetsam) (T, 32,000+ words, incomplete)  After they return from Tartarus and win the Second Giant War, Percy and Annabeth are not the same. They are angrier, darker, and more powerful than ever. Told by friends and enemies and family, this is how two of Olympus’s greatest heroes destroy the very beings they were meant to protect. I love dark Percabeth, and boy does Phrophetsam deliver. I am 100% of the opinion that if Percy really wanted to, he could bring the gods down by himself (and if Luke had managed to sway him the Titans would have won the war, but I digress). Percy only becomes more deadly when he’s fighting with or for Annabeth. I especially liked Phrophetsam’s interpretation of the Olympians and their views on Percabeth turning against them. Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence,  implied sexual content Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will, Frank/Hazel  

Bloodlines by peachsocks (@peachhsocks) (T, 61,512 words, complete)  After the Second Giant War, Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood after avoiding his friends (and everything demigod) for a year. Exhausted and traumatized from the past six years, Percy thought this month at Camp would be a time to reconnect and take a break from quests. Joke’s on him for thinking the gods would ever change. When he, Nico, and Thalia have the same dream about a group of young demigods, Percy is forced to deal with everything he’s been through and stop pushing his family away. I love how peachsocks gives Percy (and the others, especially Annabeth and Nico) a more realistic reaction to everything that happened during Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus. Warnings: canon-typical violence, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, minor character death Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will, pre-Piper/Thalia

Gods at the Dawning of the World by FractalBeliefs (M, 34,587 words, complete)  A Solangelo AU based on The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. After the Second Giant War, the demigods of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter find themselves at war with each other. Nico tries to stop the war, but can he keep history from repeating himself? After all, war is what demigods seem to do best. I’d read The Iliad and The Song of Achilles before I read this. I knew exactly what was going to happen. I still cried for half of this story. The parallels between the stories of Achilles and Patroclus and Nico and Will are very well done: subtle but not so subtle that they go right over the reader's head, but also not forced or obvious.  Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence, implied sexual content, discussions of anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, and Nazis Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will

How Icarus Fell From the Sun by fictionbyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet (T, 57,942 words, complete)  “Nico felt like Icarus. Fly too close to the sun, and your wings will melt. Fly too close to the sea, your wings will grow heavy.” Nico swore he wouldn’t let anyone in—the last time he had done that was with Bianca, and she had joined the Hunters and died and left him alone with a broken heart. He tried to let Percy in, only to fly too close to the sea and drown. Then he met Will, and, against his better judgment, Nico decided to fly too close to the sun. I loved how fictionbyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet gave Nico and Will's relationship a realistic (and very in-character) progression and depth that the books kind of skipped over. I also really enjoyed how they incorporated Icarus and Plato's soulmates into Nico's story. I feel like Nico's trauma and everything he went through went unaddressed and under-appreciated in the books for the most part, and it was nice to see it acknowledged and how it has impacted every facet of Nico's life and character. Warnings: canon-typical violence, homophobia, outing of a gay character, character death Ships: Nico/Will 

Of Gods and Men by plottingalong (@plottingalong) (T, 39,687 words, complete)  The old order is changing: the rules are different, old gods are awakening. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, must come to terms with his own mortality…or lack of it. Plottingalong does an amazing job of showing how Percy’s relationships with his family, his friends, the Olympians, and even Camp Half-Blood itself change as he does. This is the best take on Percy becoming a god I have ever read. Plottingalong explores the nature of immortality within the PJO universe and really brings a different view of Percy’s godhood. Percy the god is different from—but still, in so many ways, the same as—Percy the hero, and I love how Plottingalong explores that. The story is grounded in the mythology of the PJO universe, but also ties up some loose ends in the universe really well. Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, discussions of death Ships: Percy/Annabeth, background Nico/Will, background Frank/Hazel, background Sally/Paul 

Percy Jackson, Son of Aphrodite by wysteriaxx (NR, 34,000+ words, incomplete) “A half-blood of the eldest gods/Shall reach 16 against all odds/And see the world in endless sleep/The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap/A single choice shall end his days/Olympus to preserve or raze.” Everyone knows this prophecy. Everyone assumes it means a child of the Big Three—but there is one Olympian who is just as old: Aphrodite. I really liked this different take both on the Great Prophecy and on children of Aphrodite. Aside from Piper (and maybe Selina and Drew), Aphrodite’s children are generally pretty shallow in the Percy Jackson universe. This fic goes beyond cabin stereotypes and allows the children of Aphrodite to be more than just gossipers.  Warnings: canon-typical violence Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will, Jason/Piper, Selina/Beckendorf, Sally Jackson/Poseidon  

Slowly Dying by Valkyrie_Kain (NR, 66,000+ words, incomplete)  Pain and suffering have always been Nico’s best teachers. After the Giant War and his stay in the infirmary, Nico takes what little parts of him still remain and waits for his inevitable death. Unfortunately for him, Will Solace, Clarisse La Rue, and Salem, daughter of Dionysus, are more stubborn than he thought. Though not even all of Will and Salem’s magic can fix everything. My favorite thing about this fic is that Nico is given the chance to process his trauma on his own and with support—a lot of fics I’ve read kind of rush his healing process or make Will the cure-all for Nico’s trauma. Nico comes to want to work though his trauma rather than have it forced upon him. I also loved how Clarisse gets to shine: the books paint her as a bully and little else, and I liked seeing a different side of her. The two main OFCs, a daughter of Dionysus and a daughter of Aphrodite, are amazing. Aphrodite’s children are often one-dimensional and shallow, and Dionysus’s kids get barely a footnote. I especially liked Valkyrie_Kain's exploration of the “madness” aspect of Dionysus.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, graphic descriptions of self-harm, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, PTSD, eating disorders, discussions of death, underage drinking, discussions of sex  Ships: Nico/Will, OFC / OFC

The Great Techno-Pop Debate of 2011 by cali-chant (girls_are_weird) (@girls-are-weird) (T, 5,500 words, complete)  When Will, Kayla, and Austin learn that Nico’s favorite genre of music is techno-pop, to say they’re shocked is an understatement. Who would have guessed that Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades who dresses exclusively in black, doesn’t have eau du MCR running through his veins? So they take it upon themselves to introduce Nico to emo music. There’s a little bit of angst, but this is pure fluff for the most part. I liked Cali’s use of Austin’s POV and the way they had Nico explain how he relates to “Welcome to the Black Parade” but doesn’t really like emo music.  Warnings: discussions of death, mentions of fascism  Ships: Nico/Will 

The Logistics of Falling in Love by Fl_utterby (T, 72,000 words, complete)  College/mortal AU. If asked, Nico would say he isn’t a romantic. Will would say the same about himself (except they both totally are). If asked again, Nico would say Will is definitely not in love with him, no way. Will would say the same about Nico (except they’re both very wrong). This is the story of how they fell in love, told through books, music, and steady employment. I really liked Nico’s progression from someone who is kind of a jerk and won’t let people in to someone who is proud of himself and working to let people in again. The character and relationship development Nico and Will go through is so well-done. Warnings: None  Ships: Nico/Will, Percy/Annabeth, Frank/Hazel, Jason/Piper, Piper/OFC 

Too Much Too Soon (And Now You’re Coming Unglued) by buoyanysaturn (@buoyantsaturn) (T, 22,342 words, complete)  College/mortal AU. When Will meets Nico freshman year, he thinks Nico is the love of his life. Then things go bad and Will can’t be around Nico without crying or fighting with him, and Will has to change his entire life. Three years later, it’s Will and Nico’s final semester of college and Will is finally forced to take that dreaded math class—only Nico’s in the class too, and worse the two end up being project partners. Feelings get in the way, and before they know it Will and Nico are secretly dating again. I love CJ’s writing so much, and they do a really good job of showing Will’s more overbearing side and demonstrating how that impacts his relationship with Nico. Will and Nico’s relationship is far from perfect, and I like how CJ gives them time apart to come to terms with what happened and grow as people.  Warnings: implied/referenced sexual content, mentions of internalized homophobia, mentions of outing of a gay character Ships: Nico/Will 

What if Percy Did Become a God? by The Secret Life of a Fangirl (K+, 1,322 words, complete) More character study than plot, this explores what might have happened if Percy had taken Zeus up on his offer at the end of TheLast Olympian.  Warnings: None  Ships: Percy/Annabeth 

Would You Wait for Me as I Long for You by buoyanysaturn (T, 48,938 words, complete)  After the events of The Tower of Nero, Hades gives Nico a task—and an ultimatum—that takes him away from Camp Half-Blood for three years. Now that Nico has returned to camp, he needs to face what he’s done and the rest of Camp Half-Blood—not to mention a very angry and hurt Will Solace. I really like how CJ writes Nico: the same person we all know and love, but beaten down by everything he’s been through and just wanting to do right by the people he loves. I also really like Drew in this fic: she’s more than the bully Lost Hero makes her out to be, and she really helps Nico. CJ has officially started my obsession with the “Nico disappears for a long time and comes back miraculously out of the blue” trope. Warnings: graphic descriptions of self-harm, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, character death, canon-typical violence  Ships: Nico/Will 

Supernatural 

Ex Nunc by orphan_account (NR, 10,038 words, complete)  Death is the beginning and the end. Neutrality. He’s been around as long as God, though neither of them can remember who was created first. Death is lonely, doomed to carry the weight of all the souls he takes. The other Horsemen can take some of the burden, but sometimes even they aren’t enough. Or Team Free Will (and Crowley) as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I really like how this fic incorporates canon relationships into the AU (I especially like how Dean and Benny’s relationship is portrayed).  Warnings: canon-typical violence, character death, grief   Ships: Dean/Castiel, Sam/Jess, Dean/Benny

Free Falling by malagenabolakaful (T, 5,731 words, complete) Episodes 15x18-15x20 from Sam’s point of view. First Sam lost Cas, then Jack, and now Dean. His entire family gone, Sam spirals out of control—and never stops. He tries to live a normal life like Dean wanted, but it’s harder than it was when he left for Stanford or even that year with Amy. This is the best finale fic I’ve read and captures my feelings about episodes 15x18-15x20 perfectly. Malagenabolakaful gives Sam his voice back and explains why he chose a wife and kid and “normal” while still keeping in line with canon. This is a very, very sad story. Not a fix-it or AU.  Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, graphic descriptions of panic attacks Ships: Sam/Eileen, mentions of Dean/Castiel, Sam/Mystery Wife 

Frostbite by abcdefuk-off (@abcedfuk-off) (T, 111,000+ words, incomplete)  When Sam was fourteen, he got severe frostbite that resulted in permanent nerve damage in his hands. This makes hunting difficult and sends Dean’s protective instincts into overdrive. Set in season one with pre-series flashbacks, this story is full of brotherly bonding and action as Sam and Dean work a case. I love all of Sam’s works, especially their episode tags.  Warnings: canon-typical violence Ships: None

Hello My Old Heart by AndSoIWrite (T, 42,000+ words, incomplete)  The story of how Bobby met Sam and Dean, and how they wormed their way into the old hunter’s heart. I love how Bobby is pretty clueless when it comes to kids (Sam’s five and Dean’s nine in this story), but he really tries his best to do right by Sam and Dean. Warnings: references to abuse and neglect Ships: None

Measure My Life in Coffee Cups by KCS (T, 27,195 words, complete)  Ten significant cups of coffee in Sam’s life, from hunting with John and Dean to leaving for Stanford to reuniting with his brother and everything that comes after. KCS takes a creative approach to showing Sam and Dean over the years—the coffee theme ties everything together so well, and the snapshots are extremely well-written. The final deleted scene (post-series end) is so good and arguably better than the ending we got (this fic was written after S10 aired, for context).  Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence Ships: Sam/Jessica

The Winchester Three by insearchofcheez (T, 166,934 words, complete) Six months after Sam leaves Stanford, Sam and Dean get a call: their sister Laney is in trouble. They race off to help her, only to find things aren’t exactly as they left them. Turns out Laney has abilities of her own—abilities which might get her killed. I love Laney as a character, and I love how she and the boys interact. Insearchofcheez does a great job of incorporating Laney’s story and abilities into canon. Warnings: major character death, implied/referenced rape, canon-typical violence, underage drug use, hospitals Ships: None

Trialculosis Sam by fogsrollingin (@fogsrollingin) (T, 115,000+ words, incomplete) The long, drawn-out, AU version of Sam taking on the Trials. Set after the second Trial, this story follows Sam and Dean (and later Kevin) as they struggle to come to terms with Sam’s impending death and try to alleviate the effects of the Trials. I enjoyed this different take on the Trials and how Alexandria upped the stakes. I also liked how Alexandria changed the third Trial to make it more exciting and dangerous.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, illness Ships: None

The Maze Runner

Tommy by Marcellebell (@marcellebell) (T, 39,000+ words, incomplete)  Twelve-year-old Thomas must face the realities of the Glade while dealing with the fact that someone—or many someones—wants him dead. I love how the relationship between Thomas and Newt and Minho is portrayed in this fic. I also really liked how Marcie changed the story so Thomas and Teresa are brother and sister instead of love interests.  Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, descriptions of abuse, descriptions of panic attacks, mentions of suicide Ships: None 

The Mortal Instruments/Shadowhunters (TV) 

A Shared Life (The Male Drabble Alphabet) by RadientWings (@radientwings) (T, 35,798 words, complete) Getting together hadn’t been easy, so why would it be any different once their relationship is out in the open? Well, turns out staying in a relationship is both harder—and more enjoyable—than getting in one. An A to Z series of snapshots about Magnus and Alec’s relationship and life together. I love Magnus and Alec’s relationship so much, and RadientWings does a great job of bringing them to life.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, implied/referenced sexual content Ships: Alec/Magnus, background Clary/Jace

Forever and Always by ninwrites (@ninwrites) (G, 10,048 words, complete) Alec loves Magnus and wants to spend the rest of his life with him. Of course, in true Alec fashion, he doubts whether Magnus wants that too. Luckily, Alec has Jace and Izzy to talk him out of thinking Magnus wants anything less than to spend the rest of Alec’s life with him. I love a good proposal story, and I love Malec and everything they stand for. I love supportive parabatai, and Nin writes Jace and Alec’s dynamic so well. This story is so sweet and I smiled the entire time I read it.  Warnings: None  Ships: Alec/Magnus, mentioned Isabell/Simon, mentioned Clary/Jace 

I Was Born to Tell You I Love You by Ayanfe (@lacascabel) (T, 2,611 words, complete)  “Isabelle has just turned sixteen when she asks Alec a question that breaks his heart. Isabelle is nineteen when Alec tells her something she didn't know she needed to hear.” Alec never thought of Izzy as insecure: she wore makeup like armor and she always had control and confidence. Turns out, she’s more insecure than he thought. Good thing Alec, Jace, and Clary are there to remind her she’s loved. I really liked how Ayanfe writes Alec and Izzy’s dynamic and gives Izzy some more depth as a character. She’s always portrayed as very confident and self- assured (and she is), and I liked seeing this different side of her.  Warnings: None  Ships: Isabell/Simon

The Umbrella Academy (TV)

I’ll Never Ask for More by lunalou (@lunal0u) (G, 7,142 words, complete) Klaus has been gone for three days, supposedly doing “extra training” with Dad. None of them have ever gone on extra training this long, and Diego and the others start to worry. Diego never does find out exactly what happened to Klaus, but maybe he and Ben can keep Klaus from falling apart when he returns. I really liked the exploration of the relationship between Diego, Klaus, and Ben—they’re kind of the odd ones out (Allison and Luther have each other, as a child Viktor supposedly has no powers, and Five thinks he doesn’t need anyone), and the three of them have a unique relationship because of that.  Warnings: underage drug use, character death, mentions of abuse, Ships: None 

No Rest for the Wicked by InvitingNonsenseWorld (T, 30,054 words, complete)  After stopping the apocalypse, Klaus is totally fine. Being sober doesn’t suck, he’ll get to talk to Dave again, and he can handle the nightmares. No need to get the others involved, not when they have Viktor to focus on. Klaus is getting by fine on his own…until he isn’t. I really like how InvitingNonsenseWorld showcases the relationships between Klaus and the rest of the Hargreeves and gives them the time and space to confront their problems.  Warnings: implied/referenced abuse, alcohol and drug use, smoking, blood and injuries, discussions of death, Ships: Klaus/Dave

Say It One More Time (That the Universe Was Made for My Eyes) by CursedWonders (@cursedwonders) (T, 3,038 words, complete)  Before Ben died, he taught Klaus the constellations from the Academy rooftop. They would listen to music and gaze at the stars and pretend the ghosts that always followed Klaus didn’t exist. Then Ben dies and Klaus doesn’t know how to cope. Good thing he’s really good at pretending. Klaus and Ben have such a unique relationship, and I liked how this fic explores that. I love the song “Saturn” by Sleeping at Last (which is where the title comes from), it’s such a beautiful song and it fits this fic so well. Warnings: major character death, underage drug use Ships: None

Tell My Father (This is My Life) by aletterinthenameofsanity (M, 38,682 words, complete)  Ben pushes Klaus to convince Luther to let Viktor out of the cage in the basement. This changes everything: the apocalypse doesn’t happen, Klaus stays sober, and the Hargreeves siblings can finally begin to heal. I really loved how aletterinthenameofsanity explores each of the Hargreeves’ pasts and their powers, especially Allison and Five, whose sections were my favorites. Allison’s in particular gave the character so much depth and made her more relatable—her powers allow her to alter reality, and it was interesting to see how that would impact her throughout her life. I loved reading these characters exist and live and thrive without an apocalypse. Note: this was written before S3 came out, so Viktor is still Vanya.  Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence, implied/referenced child abuse, self harm, body horror Ships: Klaus/Dave, Diego/Patch, Viktor/OFC, Five/Delores

The Dead Aren’t Good Company by PosyPages (@thesevenumbrellas) (G, 14,763 words, complete)  They’d stopped the apocalypse and Five successfully transported them back in time to the Academy. Less than a month later, Reginald locks Klaus in the mausoleum again. This time, however, Klaus’s siblings are determined to do the right thing. This is the season 2 I wanted (though I loved the one we got).  Warnings: implied/referenced abuse,PTSD, discussions of death, drug use, descriptions of blood and gore Ships: None

The 100 (TV)

I’m Not What I Have Done (I’m What I’ve Overcome) by OsleyKomWonKru (T, 4,293 words, complete) What if Octavia took the Test instead of Clarke? How would the Last War end? I love Octavia, and I wish she had gotten redemption sooner in the series. I’m glad she got it, but I wish Spacekru and Clarke had tried to better understand what she went through in the bunker. This fic felt like a redemption and closure for her as a character, especially with Bellamy’s death.  Warnings: discussions of grief and death Ships: Octavia/Lincoln 

Young Royals 

And That’s How You Make History, Baby by waybeforeyourtime (T, 60,000+ words, incomplete) The story of Wilhelm and Simon: how they met young, fell in love young, and fell apart young, only to learn that some things were always meant to be and love is the most important thing. This is a story in three parts: Wilhelm, Simon, and Wilhelm and Simon. This is not one of those stories where they are apart for 99% of the story and then get together at the very end—them being together is part of the story, but it takes a while to get there. I loved this fic because Wille and Simon are given the time and space to grow and figure themselves out after the video and everything that came after. I also really loved Wille’s friendship with Maddison and Felice.  Warnings: implied sexual content, mentions of suicide, panic attacks, drug and alcohol use, mentions of racism Ships: Wilhelm/Simon, Wilhelm/OMC, Simon/OMC

Screwed by fandom_commitment_issues (@zee-has-commitment-issues) (T, 173,813 words, complete)  Erik lives, but the video of Wille and Simon still goes viral, August is still August, and everything is still a mess. Zee developed Simon and Wille’s relationship so well, and I loved how Wille has a real support system beyond just Simon and Felice. Erik is also developed into a real character with an excellent side-plot rather than just a plot device. Zee balances angst, humor, fluff, and romance so well throughout this fic. I laughed and cried but also yelled “f*ck August/Kristina” at my phone several times. I think it can be easy to forget that Wille and Simon are teenage boys caught in an impossible situation, but Zee captures that perfectly. Warnings: implied sexual content, implied/referenced alcoholism, implied/referenced abuse, descriptions of panic attacks, outing of a queer character, alcohol and drug use, mentions of restrictive eating Ships: Wilhelm/Simon, Erik/OFC 

Crossover:

Chronicles of Narnia x Harry Potter 

Noble Heart Such as Yoursby aletterinthenameofsanity (NR, 21,398 words, incomplete)  Harry Potter and Dean Thomas meet as kids, well before Hogwarts, and become best friends. One of Dean’s moms, Susan Pevensie, tells the boys stories about Narnia. Susan warns the boys not to put their faith and trust in gods and old men who claim to be good and wise. In this world, Harry has green on his robes instead of red and a family that loves him (and one that doesn’t). The kids have adults they can rely on, and cunning and ambition are celebrated instead of scorned. I never read crossovers or Drarry, but I gave this a shot because I love aletterinthenameofsanity’s writing. It did not disappoint. They meshed the worlds of Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia perfectly (and the mention of Hufflepuff Peter Pevensie!). I especially loved how they handled Susan Pevensie. She has a very special place in my heart, and I love to read stories where she gets to live and love and thrive post-Narnia. Comparing Harry and Edmund was brilliant (Slytherin Harry is my favorite Harry, and don’t even get me started on Edmund). The Slytherins get to grow and change and prove they aren’t their parents, and I applaud that. The main story is complete, the additional chapters are companion pieces. Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, references to abuse, mentions of racism, use of racist slurs, discussions of death Ships: Draco/Harry, Ron/Hermione, Seamus/Dean, Susan Pevensie/OMC/ OFC, Tonks/OFC

[newcaptainofsquad9]

To Be Loved And Deserved~Myoui Mina x black! fem! reader

Pairing: Mina x reader

Genre: Fluff, Romance, angst, smut, hurt and comfort

Summary: With the distance you created due to your anxiety and self doubt, Mina sought to lessen it and show you how much she cares about you.

Word Count: 1, 962

Author’s note: A continuation/sequel to this fic. Smut ahead, so there’s your warning, 18 plus from this point. Also, sorry if it’s trash I’m having a hard time focusing and finishing things so I finally got something done! Hope ya’ll enjoy!

Cosplay is always fun for you, especially when your girlfriend, Mina joined in the fun. At first, she loved to only gush about you and your presence and flair with the craft (her words), but with enough pleas and kisses, she gave it a try. The first cosplay the both you did together was Korra and Asami from The Legend of Korra, and the first you both shared on tiktok. It wasn’t the last as the both of you delved into some of your favorite pairings/partnerships, or ships in general from media: Renji and Rukia from Bleach, Jon Snow and Daenarys Targaryen, and various Marvel characters (Mina insisted of course).

There was one that people criticized you the most for and that was your cosplay of Princess Bubblegum, in all her pink and pretty glory, yet many commenters didn’t feel the same way about you. Like how they thrashed you of your sailor moon and other anime cosplay, they stressed over how Bubblegum wasn’t black and how you weren’t built for cosplay as much as Mina was. It hurt, damaged you as much that you began to distance yourself from your girlfriend. You only told her you need space, of course being Mina she didn’t question until it became weeks--your phone blew up with texts from a worried Mina which escalated to calls, tik tok and Instagram messages. You cut yourself off from her and the comments, only leaving your room when necessary. The calls soon stopped. 

Instead, a knock echoed throughout your home, jerking you from your burrito like position wrapped around your comforter. You knew she’d come over eventually, but the conversation isn’t something you’re looking forward to. Did Mina want to break up with you? You didn’t, you loved her so much that it hurt but she wouldn’t understand how much you felt. People only praised her when she tried, not calling her ugly or telling her a cosplay isn’t right because of her race. 

You got up from your bed, sighing at the cold that fit your tummy and toes once your comforter fell. It took a few shuffles but you found the front door as more knocks continued. Your heart pumped with each thud before you gathered enough courage to open it. 

Mina’s fist was still raised as she ceased knocking.

“Y/N,” she said.

“Mina I--”

You were cut off by Mina throwing her arms around you.  

“Thank God,” she whispered against the skin of your cheek. “You’re OK, you’re actually OK.”

Your arms wrapped around her back instantly as the emotion that bubbled up inside you came crashing down through a heat of tears that rushed. 

“S-So, does that mean you don’t want to break up with me?” you asked.

Mina pulled back immediately. 

“What? Did I do something wrong?” she said. “Y/N please just--”

You cut her off with a deep sob, no longer holding on without her. Mina’s arms wrapped around your waist, cooing softly as she cupped your cheeks. She stepping with you, slow and steady as the both of you moved as one towards your room. 

Once you reached it, she lay back against the bed next to you with enough space between you both.

Your eyes dart to the covers beneath you as silence fell. Mina opened her mouth to speak, yet closed it as you began to speak as well.

Mina’s hands flew back to your face as her face flushed with a bit of red.

“You should go first,”she said. 

You nodded, it’s the least you could do since you kept her in the dark for awhile.

“You did nothing wrong Mina,” you started. “I-I had a bad time on Tik-Tok, my anxiety got out of hand and--”

The sound of Mina’s gasp cut you off, her face serious yet again. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she said. “I always check in with you when things are hard for me.”

You nodded; the sadness Mina expressed breaking your heart more and more. 

“I know, and I wanted to talk to you, believe me I did but,” you paused. Mina tilted her head.

“But?” she asked before silently telling you to go on.

“My problems, are completely different from yours, you get so much praise from our cosplays,” you said. “I scrolled through thousands of them all commenting on how accurate your cosplay is, even if it wasn’t completely all there--no one called you names or sought to stereotypes to discredit you.”

Mina’s lips parted, looking to speak but she only nodded and rubbed your back. 

“A-And I’m not blaming you, it has nothing to do with you,” you declared. “But seeing how they brought you up, just to yank me down made me resent you--just for a moment! That’s why I needed space.”

Mina blinked away tears, forcing your own to build up as she wrapped her arms around you. 

“I’m sorry Mina,” you whispered against her chest. 

“You don’t need to apologize,” she said. “You let me back in, even if we have different problems, I’m always here to listen and support. OK?”

Her hands traveled up and down your sides, making the shirt you wore ride up a bit to bare soft skin. You nodded, then a shudder rippled through at Mina’s contact; your girlfriend noticed and narrowed her eyes. 

“I missed you,” she whispered. “Every part of you.”

Her words followed with a few pecks to your lips, across your jawline then down to your neck. 

“I-I missed you too.”

Mina smiled. It was her toothy smile with her adorable gums and the shininess of her eyes. 

“Yeah? I hope you didn’t just miss me and lay here all day,” she said with a hint of teasing. 

“No,” you said, heat flushing to your cheeks. “I-I watched a lot of Netflix, thought about things and ate some cookies.”

Mina giggled.

“Oh? What kind of cookies?” she asked while her hands still lingered at your sides softly. 

Her touch almost made you lose your train of thought. You shifted around the bed, flopping to the other side before reaching over to the dresser to grab the pack of cookies. 

“Strawberry cream ones,” you said in between a few bites. “Want some?”

Mina smiled as you chewed, then eventually swallowing.  

“No, but I’d much rather enjoy lovely strawberry kisses,” she whispered. 

You nearly choked on the rest of your cookie as Mina giggled and caressed your face, gently while you finished the few cookies you decided to eat. 

“Is it OK, if I kiss you?” she asked, leaning in to touch your forehead with her own. “And show you how much you are loved?”

Her words were tender, you barely reacted as her lips ghosted across your throat, jaw then cheek. A sigh escaped you; Mina’s kisses got harder, most likely leaving bruises and marks but you didn’t care. All you cared about was the warm feeling your girlfriend spurred within you. Mina noticed your silence and pulled back with soft eyes. 

“Y/N? Are you OK?”

You nodded. 

“Yes,” you said before initiating the kiss this time.

Mina moved fervently against your lips, hands moving down your sides to lift your shirt just enough to caress more skin and soft noises from. 

“Mina,” you moaned. 

“What would you like me to do, baby girl?” she whispered. “Anything you want, just let me love you.” 

Your hands tangled themselves in her curly hair while she trailed kisses down your neck and parts of your chest exposed to her thanks to your v neck. 

“I just want to get lost in you,” you said. “Make me feel good. Make love to me, Mina.”

Mina’s kisses ceased once you told her, eyes sparkling with as much love and passion that you almost cry again. She kisses you once more. It’s softer now while her hands gently pull up your shirt; you help by taking it off completely. A knowing smile spread while her eyes wondered down and your bra-less chest. 

“Y-You, I-I,” she paused as she tried to get her words together. “S-Stunning.”

You pulled her back to be flushed against you. Hands and fingers moved everywhere and all at once: Mina’s tracing each curve and stretch mark she could find; you tried to chase and follow her movements by unbuttoning her own shirt and tossing it on the floor. 

The both of you ended up panting on the bed. Mina straddled you with you lain on the bed in a heap of breathless giggles. She continued marking you to the quick moves of her hips, making you gasp at her clothed heat.  

“M-Mina-”

You were cut off by her getting off of you for a moment to pull you to the edge of the bed where she sat on her knees. The pajama bottoms you wore slipped off by Mina carefully, underwear following as she slipped them off in a matter of seconds. Her lips traced your legs, up thighs and lingered near the place you needed her the most.

“I need to gear you up, baby,” Mina whispered against the softness of your skin. 

Her fingers swiped slowly at your folds. The sensation had moans slipping from your mouth; Mina smiled and coaxed you through are her movements as she slipped a finger inside you. 

“Please, Mina--”

She finally followed your request, leaning up to climb over you, pulling her jeans down and kissing you fiercely. Her tongue slipped through, both of you not fighting for dominance over one another but the lust that was pent up for weeks. Your hands traveled down to Mina’s forearms, gripping tight as she sunk down: both of your soaking cores meeting. Her thrusts started up again with each kiss from your lips, jaw, chest then neck. The sensation wasn’t enough for you to handle. Mina smirked at the mess you were already with the moans building from you. When your eyes met, your heart-rate spiked up and the breath you barely had left; her eyes were shiny, careful and too pretty to look at. So much so, you couldn’t help but get teary eyed--you wanted to blame yourself again but Mina’s movements grew softer as her thrusts lessened.

“I love you so much,” you said, choking on the sobs that rocked your body. 

Mina bit her lip at the slowed movements, both of you so close to climax while being lost in each others feelings and emotions. 

“I love you too,” she panted. “Every part, do you understand? You’re beautiful OK?”

You nodded, adverted your eyes. Mina shook her head before gripping your chin.

“Say it, babygirl,” she purred. “Tell me, look at me. Tell me you’re beautiful.”

The deep, huskiness of her voice sent you over the edge, climax taking over while the words spilled from your lips.

“I-I’m beautiful!” you cried. 

Mina beamed down at you with a sense of passion mixed in with enough cockiness to force you to climax yet again. 

“I’m not the one you have to say that to,” she said. “But it is sexy seeing how I could make you do that and come.”

You rolled your eyes, then tried to roll over only for Mina to hold you by the arms while slipping from between you and onto the soft sheets beneath. 

“Are you still thinking about what happened with those disrespectful people on Tik-Tok?” she asked while playing with rubbing her fingers softly down your arms.

“No, not when my girlfriend is here cheering me up and telling me how loved I am,” you said. “And you’re right, I need to start learning how to love myself better.”

Mina pressed a hard kiss to your forehead before burying her face into your neck.

“I’ll be with you every step of the way baby. 

[lemons3ason]

How the Germa 66 Boys React to You Wanting To Leave the Kingdom

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ichiji Vinsmoke

Saying his heart sank when he saw the flames and smoke coming out of the main Germa Ship where you and Asami were held was an understatement, this man was hysterical. He had just returned from a mission and just wanted to hold you and Asami in his arms but he wasn’t expecting to see the castle on fire, with his raid suit still activated he quickly flew towards the castle flying into the heart of the fire to save you if need be but it was his (Y/n) who started the fire. You were fighting Judge, holding onto your infant daughter for dear life with a look of terror in your eyes.

“(Y/n)!”, Ichiji screamed snapping you out of your power driven trance.

Your Phoenix fire quickly died out as he rushed to your side holding you tightly in his arms. Asami smiled and babbled up at her father who quickly smiled and pressed a soft pet to her head before turning his attention back to you.

“(Y/n), my love, what happened? What’s wrong?”, he asked calmly brushing your hair out of your face so you could look at him.

“I-I...he...he was going to experiment on Asami. I-I couldn’t let that happen I just...I just couldn’t! I’m sorry, s-so sorry.”, you stuttered out clinging to his shirt for dear life.

Ichiji softly hushed you and held you close before glaring up at his father who now loomed over him, “How dare you attempt to hurt my daughter.”

“The runt isn’t going to be of any use if she’s normal.”, Judge spat.

Ichiji scoffed at his father and picked you up in his arms carrying you away from the scorched laboratory. He tried to calm your nerves but his words barely reached you, he sat you on the bed once you had all reached the bedroom and called your name. You gasped quietly and took in his worried expression, you nervously pressed a kiss to his lips to try and hide your fear but he knew that something was bothering you.

“(Y/n) talk to me. I know there’s something else on your mind, what is it?”, he asked pressing his forehead against your shoulder.

A sigh of defeat pushed past your lips, you put Asami down and pulled out a letter from under your pillow and showed it to him. The symbol of your family crest detailed over the envelope, “My parents want me to go back home for my coronation and take over the kingdom.”, you explained quietly. Ichiji didn’t see anything wrong with that, at least until he pieced one and one together.

“But that means leaving Germa forever.”, he finished your thought and you simply nodded.

You were so afraid of what he’d say, what if he told you no? You didn’t want to separate from him over this, you didn’t want him to leave you or Asami!

“Then I’ll go with you.”, he admitted much to your shock.

You tried to stutter out a rebuttal for his decision but he quickly shut you up with a kiss, “You aren’t happy here. I don’t feel safe leaving you here anymore knowing that my father wants to take away Asami’s humanity, it’s okay. Let’s leave, I’m tired of this shit anyways, I just want to live out my life with you and Asami. We’re safer with your kingdom so let’s just leave Germa behind.”

“Are you sure? Ichiji you’re the first born son of Germa, you’re supposed to take over the kingdom.”, you sighed feeling like you were going to start a war between the two families.

“My first priority will always be my wife and my daughter, if you’re not happy here then let’s leave Germa.”, Ichiji smiled at your softly kissing your lips to reassure of your decision. You smiled and kissed him back as you both planned the preparations to leave the kingdom. Within four days you had arrived at your kingdom with family and your coronation would be held just days later. Reiju was the one to inform Judge of Ichiji’s decision and she couldn’t be happier.

“Father from this day forward I will the heir to the throne and when I become Queen of Germa I will tear down everything you worked so hard to build and make this a kingdom my mother would’ve been proud of. Ichiji is never coming back and I’d advise you to leave him alone unless you actually want to lose to (Y/n).”, the pink haired woman grinned as she returned to her quarters.

You were happier now, especially Ichiji, he no longer had to play the monster. Now he could just be happy ruling your kingdom by your side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Niji Vinsmoke

Niji had married you, much to his father’s irritation, you were now a Vinsmoke by marriage. You were happy of course now you were bonded to him for life but while you were treated more like royalty amongst the guards Judge’s cruelty was now moved onto Cosette. You hated it, she was your only friend on this ship but still they treated her like trash so you decided to do something about it. One night in her chambers you went to speak with her and asked her to run away with you, you weren’t running from Niji you just wanted to get her away from Germa so she could live a happier life. She sobbed in your arms agreeing almost instantly, at night you’d run away on one of the life boats that Germa had hidden under the main ship. Cosette tried to be as quiet as she could as you both snuck past the heavily guarded halls of the ship. You were able to get her there safely but just as you were about to release the ship you felt a familiar tingle run up your spine.

“(Y/n) what the hell are you doing?”

You finished unhooking the ship and let it go allowing Cosette to escape into the water as you turned towards your angry husband. You sighed unsure of what to say since this whole situation made you look guilty.

“What the hell were you doing?”, Niji asked again.

“I was going to let Cosette run away to my family island. She’s not happy here, neither am I but unlike me Cosette doesn’t have anybody to live for. I’m tired of seeing her constantly abused or degraded because that’s how it was for me before you and I fell in love with each other. I wasn’t running away from you I-I just don’t want to be part of Germa anymore.”, you admitted hanging your head in shame.

“Oh really?”, he growled.

You expected to get scolded, you really did, but when you felt Niji wrap his arms around you and leaning forward towards the water you realized that your husband felt the same as you.

“If you wanted to leave then you should’ve just said something you idiot. I don’t want to be anywhere you aren’t.”, Niji admitted in your ear making your heart skip a beat.

He transformed into his raid suit mid fall and landed back on the small ship where Cosette was waiting. She quietly cheered hugging you tight, Niji began to steer the small ship and readjust the sails so the winds would guide you all home faster.

“N-Niji-sama, w-why are you helping us?”, Cosette dared to ask.

Niji didn’t bother turning towards you two but you could tell he was sincere with his words, “I gave up on Germa when they took (Y/n) away from me. If she’s unhappy there then I’ll gladly run away with her, and...and nobody’s food would be as good as yours if you were to leave so I guess I don’t really have a choice but to get you two dorks there safely.”, he mumbled the last part since he started getting shy but you heard what he said.

You stood up and walked to his side pressing a huge kiss against his cheek until your lip gloss stained his cheek. He tried to complain but you noticed his face turning red, “I really am lucky to have such a wonderful loving husband.”, you giggled turning his head towards you to kiss his lips.

Life would be better now, your grandfather would be waiting for your arrival and you don’t think he’d mind a few extra guests. At least one of them would be a great addition to his restaurant back home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yonji Vinsmoke

Terror, was that the word that would describe your mood right now? No, petrified maybe? Regardless of what word described how you felt you knew this one stupid test in your hands would change your whole life. Yonji had noticed you had suddenly gotten morning sickness, and although he was a childish idiot he knew what he had done with you one more then one occasion so he suggested that you’d take the pregnancy test but now...now that the result was positive you were shaking.

“(Y/n), honeybun, are you okay in there?”, he called from the other side of the door turning the knob to see if he could get in.

You quickly unlocked the door and let him in collapsing against his chest due to the stress of the situation, what would you do? Judge would take your baby and make it a monster soldier just like Yonji and the others you couldn’t let that happen.

“(Y/n) what’s wrong?”

“Y-Yonji...please...please don’t let Judge take my baby. Please. I-I don’t want them to take m-my baby please.”, you broke down clinging to his ruffled shirt desperately as your fear coursed through your blood.

Yonji realized that his speculation was correct, you were pregnant with his baby. Although you were worried he knew what he had to do, “Baby, hush, listen to me. Pack all of your things, we’re gonna run away from this place.”

You stopped panicking and tuned in to what Yonji was saying, runaway from Germa?

“We’re gonna run away. I have more then enough funds to have us live off of for the next 200 years, let’s start a family and a whole new life away from Germa.”, Yonji smiled the more he explained his idea.

He wiped away your tears and kissed your lips sweetly, “I’m so happy right now, I couldn’t think of a better reason to leave this stupid place. You’re gonna have our baby, I hope they come out with your beautiful eyes and your cute smile.”, he chuckled. You smiled at him and nodded, you were unsure of how far along you were but if Yonji was willing to throw away everything he was for you then who were you to turn down such a delicious offer. As you packed a certain pink haired sibling entered the room to see you both clearing out both of your belongings she became curious immediately but the simple fact that she would be an aunt soon was enough to keep her quiet and join in the plan. Yonji contacted a landowner in the East Blue for his own property, this way he could stay as far away from Germa and stay with you peacefully. Everything was set at nightfall you’d leave this terrifying family behind to start your own.

“They’re running late I hope they’re okay.”, you sighed unconsciously rubbing your stomach.

You heard your name and quickly turned to your green haired lover who scooped you up and kissed you passionately.

“Get on the ship love. It’s time to leave this shit hole forever.”, he chuckled grinning like a fool. It was time. Reiju was running away with you and both siblings had left a little surprise for their father. Once the sun rose over the Germa Fleet Judge awoke to see two cans sitting on his desk, a red ‘X’ drawn over the numbers of the child that once owned them. He growled under his breath and crushed both cans in his hands completely destroying the suits, if that’s how it would be then fine he didn’t need weak fools in his army.

These two fools were now happy, in just a few months they would get to greet their first addition to the family and they couldn’t wait. You were happy throughout your whole pregnancy because not only were you free from Germa’s experimentation but you’d soon get to birth a normal healthy baby.

[uwuwriting]

So I've seen this future kids prompt pop up everywhere and I love it. Maybe Shouto, Shinsou, Iida and Dabi with their future kids ????

Ooooh I’ve read them as well! They’re so wholesome. I’m happy to oblige dear anon. Love ya. 💖💖💖

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Todoroki Shouto

-He was on patrol with his father when someone bumped into him.

-When he looked down he saw a little girl with snow white hair, laying on the pavement.

-The little girl was crying, her hiccups echoing in his ears.

-His father had stopped a few paces in front of them, watching the scene unfold.

-Shouto knelt down, gently grabbing the girl by her elbows, steadying her as he looked at her.

-She looked...oddly familiar.

- “Are you okay?” he asked.

-At the sound of his voice the little girl snapped her head up, her dual-colored eyes meeting his own and she shot herself onto him, wrapping her little arms around his neck while continuing to whimper.

-Shouto was taken aback by the action, but what had him almost shaking was her eye colors.

-One grey and one e/c.

- “W-we n-need to f-f-find h-her!” she said between sobs. “S-she wasn’t w-w-with m-me when I-I-I woke up!!”

-Shouto wrapped his own arms around her small frame, trying to calm her down.

-Once she stopped sobbing, he untangled her from him.

- “Where are your parents, snowflake?” he couldn’t recognize his own voice due to the softness.

- “W-what do you mean, daddy??” long awkward pause. “And w-why are do you look so y-young?”

-This boy malfunctioned at the word ‘daddy’.

-What does she mean daddy? He’s a virgin for crying out loud!

-And above that he couldn’t bring himself to talk to his crush, aka you, without messing something up!

-How could he have a kid!?

-The little girl was looking at him with wide eyes, his eyes, like she was waiting for him to remember her.

- “What in the world are you talking about, girl?”

-Oh he had forgotten about his father being here.

-Without a word, Shouto scooped her up in his arms and told his father that he was going to take her somewhere safe.

-He was going to take her to you.

-An awkward silence enveloped them as the girl clutched his hero costume in her little fists.

- “So what’s your name?”

- “Ren...”

- “That’s a nice name.... And how old are you Ren?”

-”I’m four.”

-And so Shouto asked her question after question.

-Apparently, a kid at her school got his quirk and it went haywire, sending both her and her twin sister Rei here.

-Ren explained to him that she woke up without her twin which send her into a panic because they had never been apart before. 

-Shouto asked who her parents were and if she had any siblings. 

-He already had an idea about who her parents were, but he needed to be sure.

-Ren told him that you were her mother and that they had recently welcomed another mini Todoroki to the family, a little girl named Ru.

-Shouto was ecstatic but of course he didn’t show it.

-Once at the school, he went on a mad hunt searching for you.

-He may not have an explanation and he may not have told you about his feeling but you need to see her.

-See the future.

-He was getting desperate until he heard your laughter coming from somewhere behind him.

-Just as he turned his head, he was tackled to the floor by a ball of vibrant red hair.

-The girl in his arms started to giggle and both of the little humans on top of him were bouncing up and down from excitement. 

- “Todoroki there you are!! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

-You crouched down next to him, pulling the two little girls off of him and placing the on the floor beside you.

-You gave him an apologetic smile before turning back to the girls.

- “I’m assuming that you are Ren?”

-The little girls both nodded in response, too busy hugging each other to really care. 

-The rest of the day was spent with the four of you watching Disney movies and having some quality family time.

-When they disappeared at midnight, you both were exhausted beyond belief. 

- “Why did we name the red head Rei?”

-You laughed at his question, admitting that you had the same question when you first saw the little girl. 

-Rei thankfully had explained that once they got their quirks, their hair colors changed/switched, so now the white haired one was Ren while she was Rei.

- “So I’m guessing that this is a good time to ask you on a date.”

Shinsou Hitoshi

-When Shinsou saw the five year old girl sitting on his bed when he returned to his dorm after training, he knew something was up.

-The little girl had her head bowed as she sat on his bed, her lilac locks framing her little face but he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks.

-She wouldn’t look at him and he could tell she was terrified by the slight tremble of her shoulders. 

-Moving to stand in front of her, Hitoshi knelt down and moved some stray locks from her eyes, revealing the purple orbs. 

-Okay now he definitely knew that something wonky was going on here.

-She was a perfect mix of you and him and it made his heart flatter.

-He was positive that you were the love of his life and having it confirmed had him WILDIN.

-He couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that he married you and you had a kid!

-Best day of his life so far!

-A sniffle coming from the little girl in front of him snapped him out of his daze.

-Stretching his arms out towards her, he motioned for her to come closer and she leaped at him.

-Her small fists balled up his shirt as she buried her little head in his chest, her cries becoming full on sobs at this point. 

-Without a second thought he scooped her up and walked back and forth in his room, holding her close to his chest and stroking her hair. 

- “I-I don’t know what h-h-happened d-daddy! I was just p-petting the k-k-kitty when this m-m-man came up to m-me!”

-He shushed her, telling her that everything was going to be alright and that no one would hurt her as long as he’s here. 

-After calming her down (which was pretty quickly), he took her to the kitchen for a quick snack.

-He watched as the little chipmunk, his little chipmunk, chomped down on the sandwich he had made her, a comfortable silence enveloping them.

- “What’s your name kitty?” 

-On their way to the kitchen he had explained to her what he believed happened and how important it was that she didn’t call you mom.

- “Kei. Kei Shinsou.” she beamed at him. 

-Kei and him talked about the future, Hitoshi wanting to know everything he could about her family life.

-As it turns out Kei was five and a half ,and not five as she clarified quite angrily when he called her a five your old and she was expecting a baby brother soon.  

-Hitoshi was shookth!!

-TWO KIDS? WITH YOU?

-Was he dead?

-At that moment you walked into the kitchen, you earbuds in your ears while the YouTube video you were watching was being blasted through them.

-You hadn’t noticed them until you bumped into Kei’s chair.

-Your reaction to the whole scene was a “I’m too high for this” as you proceeded to pour yourself a glass of water and walk back out the kitchen.

- “Oooh mommy was doing magic grass!!! That’s bad...” 

-Shinsou made a note to stop smoking weed from now on. 

-They both returned to his dorm room and magically fell asleep. 

-Having her small frame snuggle up to him, did wonders to his insomnia and he was out like a light.

-The next morning he was faced with an empty bed and a very confused you.

-He had to explain everything now...

-Oh boy. 

Iida Tenya

-Iida had the biggest crush on you that was visible to everyone BUT you.

-You were absolutely oblivious but he like the pinning so he didn’t really mind.

-What he did mind however was the little girl clinging to him at the moment going on and on about how someone used their quirk on her and she woke up in the alley.

-Tenya was losing his shit over the whole ordeal and most importantly over the fact that the little girl was a carbon cope of you, with his hair and eye color.

- “Where are your parents?”

- “How did you get into UA?”

- “Why are you calling me daddy?”

-The moment she saw him starting to panic and go into an air chopping frenzy, she climbed on a nearby ledge and grabbed his cheeks, squishing them in between her own small chubby hands.

- “Stop hitting the air! You’ll hurt it!”

-That... wasn’t what he expected but okay.

-After a small interrogation, he found out that her name was Asami and that you were her mother.

-Plus she might have mentioned a baby brother but because of her rapid talking Tenya didn’t get a chance to ask her about him.

 -After she stopped rambling, he decided to take her to Recovery Girl.

-The only reasonable thinker of the four boys tbh.

-On their way to her office they ran into you.

-And when I say ran I mean Asami ramming into you with a loud squeal. 

- “Mommy mommy we found you!!!”

-Tenya was positive that you passed out.  

-You mumbled something before standing up, taking the little girl into your arms.

-Tenya made to explain but you caught him off.

- “After she’s been ... dealt with?”

-For the rest of the way you and Asami conversed about every little thing while Tenya was burning this image in his brain.

-You looked so happy holding her and the little girl in your arms had the largest smile on her face that was identical to yours.

-He always wanted a family and he had pictured starting one with you.

-That is if he ever found the courage to ask you out.

 -Once at Recovery Girl you let little Asami skip into her office for her check up and you two fell into an awkward silence. 

- “So...... we made.... her..”

-You chuckled at his words, not believing them yourself.

- “Yeah, she’s really pretty.”

- “I’d say she gets that from her mother.”

-You both agreed to go on a date after Asami left.

-When she finally did you felt kinda hollow.

-Guess you’ll have to get to work to bring her back then wink wonk.

Dabi

-He had no idea why this kid was following him but it was starting to get on his nerves. 

-It was like he was a mother goose. 

-He took a sharp turn into an alleyway and waited for the kid to turn as well.

-Once he saw the mess of unruly red hair with some scattered h/c strands, he kinda froze. 

-Snapping out of his initial shock he tapped the kids shoulder. 

-Turquoise eyes looked back at him and he lost it.

- Enter internal screaming affect here.

- “Why are you following me kid?”

-The little boy froze at his words and bowed his head, not meeting Dabi’s gaze.

- “I-I woke up here a-and saw you s-so I followed you.” sniffle “I-I assumed y-you would lead m-me to m-m-mom....” 

-Dabi continued to analyse the kid trying to find more similarities between himself and this kid and he came to the conclusion....

-That he had come face to face with a mini version of himself.

-He heard more sniffles coming from the boy, who was trying to hold back his tears and pull of a brave face.

-He was failing but kudos to him for trying.

-Kneeling down with a sigh Dabi looked at him dead in the eyes, his eyes.

- “What’s you name kid?”

- “Kyro a-and don’t call me kid.”

- “Why so...kid?”

- “Because I am not a kid!!”

-As Kyro balled his fists, Dabi noticed a small blue flame emitting from one of his fists and he lost it...again.

-But this cocky bastard is stubborn.

- “Since you’re not a kid you can find your own way home then.”

-He stood up and went to leave when he felt a tug at his coat. 

- “No dad don’t leave, I-I don’t know w-what to do.”

-Dabi.exe has stopped working.

-There was a long ass pause before Dabi grabbed Kyro’s small hand and led him out the alley. 

- “I’m taking you to someone who might help then...then you are going to tell me who your mom is so I can drop you off.”

-And you can guess who he asked for help.

-Shirakumo Kurogiri the dad villain.

-Once at the hideout, Kyro explained everything to Kurogiri and that he didn’t know how to get back.

-To be honest both father and son were slightly panicking with the whole situation but their damn pride wouldn’t let them express their concerns. 

-And then you walked into the bar.

-Two really loud voices called out to you, one frantic Y/n and one panicked Mommy.

-You had your hands full after that.

-As much as Dabi likes to pretend that he doesn’t give a shit about anything, he really loved you and the fact that in the future you two had a son together got him going all dad mode on both you and Kyro.

-For the remainder of the day you were stuck babysitting an adult Dabi and a four year old version of Dabi. 

-Both father and son knew that you had reached your limit when you called Dabi Touya so they backed off a little bit. 

-Everything came to a halt the moment your heads touched the pillows.

-Kyro and you were out like a light while Dabi managed to stay awake for about five minutes drinking in the image of you holding the little boy tightly close to your chest and interlacing your fingers with his. 

-He could get used to this.

-Kyro didn't seem to hate him so he must be doing a good job.

-As sleep was clouding his mind he wandered when you two actually have him.

-Is it in five years?

-In two?

-Now?

-Guess he’ll have to wait and see.

[hesther-mcg]

blue dragons, part two + chapter fifteen

➥ pairing: eventual asami sato x f!oc 

➥ summary: the one where ursa is preparing for a big day, and katara offers some sound advice

➥ rating: slightly angsty + fluff 

➥ a/n: wassup been awhile i hit 300 followers if u haven’t seen it u should check out the post 

p2, chap 14  p2, chap 15  blue dragons m. list

➥ part one

“So, how are you settling in, Ursa?” Katara questioned from across the dinner table. 

The Princess smiled at her great grandmother and placed her bowl down. “I’d say I’m settled now; you and Aunt Kya have been wonderful. Thank you again for letting me stay with you, Gran Gran.”

“Of course, sweetie, it’s no problem,” the woman wholesomely assured. “I love having you around, I’d always wished I could have seen you more when you were younger.” One thing Ursa had learned in the week that she’d been in the Southern Water Tribe, was that Katara was warm. Her touch, her smile, her eyes, her hugs, her spirit; all of her was warm and nice and made Ursa feel so good. Yes, she was away from home, and yes, she missed everyone so much; but the late night stories over tea and the early morning walks with linked arms was a luxury she had grown to treasure. 

“Are you excited to start training Korra tomorrow?” 

Excited? Yes. Nervous? Also yes. Why was she nervous? Korra’s her best friend-

That was precisely it. What if she didn’t like the way Ursa taught? What if they fought every day, and then stopped being friends-

“Of course!” Was what came out of the girl’s mouth, slightly forced and very obviously a lie. Katara was one of the only people that seemed to tamper with her ability to lie, to smoothly brush through a situation, and she was beginning to curse that fact. 

“Are you nervous because of how… stubborn Korra can be?” The waterbender asked when she picked up on her granddaughter's hesitation and anxiety. She’d struggled slightly to find the right word to describe the young Avatar, and stubborn was what she settled on—which was putting it lightly. 

Ursa gave a breathy laugh and shook her head slightly. “Am I that easy to read? I might need to work on that.” Katara chuckled with her but remained silent, which let the firebender know that she was to actually answer the question. “I-I guess I am nervous, Korra’s my best friend in the whole world, so I know I shouldn’t be. But, you know how she is… what if she doesn’t like my teaching? What if we fight, like, every day and she doesn’t want to be my friend anymore?” 

“Oh, Ursa,” Katara soothed. “That would never happen. Korra loves you, you’re all she’s talked about since she mastered earthbending. If she was having problems with your teaching, she’d let you know but I don’t think she’d try to be mean about it, because she respects you as a person and a master firebender. I don’t think you have anything to worry about, you know how to stay cool and collected in a pinch, and that’s one of the first things you’ll have to learn as a teacher. What was it Azula said to you before you left?” 

“Experience needs to be your teacher now…” she mumbled in response, moving the food in her bowl around with her chopsticks before taking a bite. 

“Exactly, and how else are you going to get that experience if you don’t train somebody? When I first became a master, I started working with Aang immediately. We were a good fit, and it worked. I know this will work too, trust me.” The older woman smiled at her and went back to her dinner, and Ursa pondered her words as she did the same. 

Maybe she was overreacting, Korra wouldn’t say anything to hurt her feelings or insult her. She knew that. She also knew that her friend could already firebend pretty well, and that went to her head. The girl had a lot to learn, and a lot of training ahead of her, but she knew she’d be able to guide her friend through it. Ursa only wanted the best for Korra, she loved her like the sister she never had. (The crush she had had on the Water Tribe native had long since gone away, and she now classified it as her Awakening.) And because she only wanted the best for her, she promised she would do everything in her power to ensure she did this right. To be the teacher that the Avatar needed. 

And by the end of the night, she wasn’t as scared of the first day of training. She went to sleep, satisfied to soon hear Sifu Ursa from her peers. And sure enough, when the sun arose and Ursa with it, and she walked to the training hall where she would change into her uniform and begin training with her friend, she wasn’t nervous at all. She was actually quite excited. 

This was going to be an adventure unlike any she’d had, and she knew if she claimed that it was her destiny to train the Avatar she’d sound like a certain someone, but she didn’t care. Because it was true, she was meant to be the Avatar’s teacher, and she knew it in her heart, and in her spirit.

➥ tag list: @talas-starlight​  @sokkas-honour​  @appa-gaangnam-style​  @strawberisapphic​  @avatarsnips​  @graciefullygracie​  @appaair​  @shellyseashell​  @ewanssdjarins​  @biqherosix​  @briellebean​ 

[avatar-state-kate]

Workaholic: A Coffee Shop AU

Inspired by reading @mako-being-bi’s prompt before my shift....at a coffee shop. Here is a one-shot I day dreamed at work

“- and Huan is going to the LCBO for Opal and he said he would pick me up whatever I want so that’s just another reason why you should come tonight.” Bolin finished matter of factly. He had been trying to convince Mako to go with him to this party all week.

Mako tolled his eyes as he wiped the steam wand with the sani cloth. “I already told you Bo, after I finish here I have to work on my History paper.” He really shouldn’t have left it so long, but he’d been picking up as many extra shifts as he could, once he turned 18 Mako could become Bolin’s legal guardian and get them out of foster care and he intended to, but they’d need money for an apartment to do that. Bolin reached over the counter to take his finished drink, “hey!”

Bolin knew he shouldn’t do that; he’d dealt with enough of his own annoying costumers. Bolin just waved Mako’s admonition off, “you could have been working on that today and partying tonight if you hadn’t picked up this extra shift.”

Mako was about to retort when Korra and Asami ran into the store from the mall hallway. “You guys will never guess who Asami and I saw at H&M!” Korra gasped, nearly having run her and Asami who she had been dragging behind her, into the counter. “It was the guy Mako saved last week!”

“And why did none of you tell me about this before today!” Asami chimes in, “you can all remember every complicated modification a Karen makes to a drink but you can’t remember Mako saving a guys life?”

Mako tears the next drink order sticker and places it onto a Grande cup. “I didn’t save-“

“Yeah he totally did!” Bolin interrupts, “so this guy orders a pink drink right, but I guess he didn’t know what was in it, or that he was allergic to strawberries, because he starts having an allergic reaction in the store-“

Mako cuts Bolin off to announce the finished order. “I administered an epiden.” Mako looks down at the next sticker “Korra did you seriously just mobile order.”

“What, I came here to see you, not whoever that guy at cash is.” Korra said, putting her phone back into her pocket. “And fine, the guy you administered an epipen to works at H&M, and he goes to school with Asami so he’ll probably be at the Beifong’s party tonight.” Korra finishes with a smirk. “So you should go in case he’s in dire need of medical assistance.”

Mako rolls his eyes, could everyone just stop with this party already, “I already told you I’m not going.”

Korra and Bolin continue talking about the upcoming party while Mako makes the drinks Korra ordered for her and Asami.

“You should think about coming Mako,” Asami says as she grabs her and Korra’s finished drinks. “I love seeing you at work, but it would be nice to see you outside of it.”

The three leave soon after that. Bolin told Opal he would help her hide all of the breakables to prepare for the party tonight and Asami needs to return some shoes and Korra goes with her.

Mako’s shift is going by pretty slowly, the mall isn’t as busy as his drive-thru store and people mostly just get water. The general lack of commotion means he sees him the moment he comes in. He still has his H&M name tag on.

“Hey Hasook, how are you buddy?” Mako remembers him being overly friendly, he wasn’t a regular at Mako’s usual store but he’d gone to the trouble of actually reading the barista’s name tags.

“Hey Wu, let me guess, you want a ‘surprise me’” Hasook rolls his eyes good naturedly, punching in a surprise order.

“There is just so much you can get; I don’t know how anybody chooses!”

Wu continues to chat with Hasook as he pays, Mako waits for the sticker to print before tossing it out and making him an iced white mocha, with cold foam instead of whip- it’s more annoying to make that way but it’s better. Wu’s still talking to Hasook when Mako calls out his drink.

“You need to tell them your allergies when you order a surprise me drink.”

“Huh?” Wu doesn’t look at Mako as he unwraps a straw and sticks it through the sip hole of the strapless lid.

“He wanted to give you a strawberry acia refresher” Wu just looks at him confused. “You know, strawberries...which you’re allergic to.”

That seemed to jog Wu’s memory as recognition flashed in his eyes. “Oh hey! You’re the guy- Hasook did you know,” Wu stops to read his name tag, “Mako here saved my life,” Wu stops again to look at his drink. “Twice now actually.”

“Yeah well you should be more careful.” Mako admonishes.

“Ugh I know I know, I just always forget that I’m allergic to strawberries. I get it confused with bee stings.” Wu says, taking his first sip happily.

A mobile order comes in and Mako moves tog tab the sticker. “How do you get those two mixed up?”

“Do you have any allergies?”

“Um, no”

“Then you wouldn’t understand.” Wu says, taking another sip of his drink. “I really am lucky you were there though, and that you remembered it was strawberries. What are you doing here though, don’t you work at the one downtown?”

“Oh um, yeah I do, but you can pick up shifts at other stores.” This conversation has already gone on a lot longer then any other costumer connection Mako had attempted to make. Making small talk wasn’t exactly his strong suit.

“Wow, so a hero and a hard worker,” Wu raises his brows, “I’m impressed. Let me guess you’re an animal lover too.” Wu grins.

“Oh no, that’d be my brother.” Wu laughs because of course he was teasing and Mako wishes he could hide in the back, “and I’m not a hero either.”

“Well, you definitely fooled me when you kinda saved my life, like a hero would.”

Mako is about to retort when Hasook interrupts from cash“Mako stop flirting with costumers, are you good up here by yourself if I go do the count?”

Mako can feel his face heating up. “I’m not, yeah I’ll be fine.” With a nod Hasook disappears into the back leaving Mako and Wu alone.

A phone alarm goes off, “Shit my break can’t already be over.” Wu pulled his phone from his pocket to stop the alarm.

“Oh well, uh, have fun at work.” Mako winces, he can’t even say see you later like a normal person.

“Yeah you too...” Wu turns to leave before turning right back to face Mako. “… I know this might be kind of, out of nowhere, but umm, your friends with Asami Sato right? Just because she talks about a Mako who works with her girlfriend Korra at Starbucks and, well that seems like a bit of a coincidence if you’re not actually the same person doesn’t it?” Wu speaks faster the longer he rambles, so by the end of it Mako is a little lost.

“Yeah, uh, I am, friends with Asami.”

“Great! So, you’re going to the Beifong’s party then. I would be worried if you weren’t, might die of anaphylactic shock.”

“Oh I’m-“ Mako was about to tell Wu he wasn’t actually going but, well he can always write his paper on Sunday. “yeah, I guess it is a good thing.”

Wu grins. “Great, so I’ll see you tonight then!” And with that he’s off back to work.

Mako wonders if there is still time to have Bolin have Huan get him something- nothing with strawberries though.

[itstittycitybaby]

Flirty (Lin Beifong x Reader) Part 4

a/n: episode 6 but Lin gets the love and comfort she deserves. also lin’s room has a balcony bc i say so :))).

The pounding in your head felt like someone was driving a drill through it relentlessly. You groaned, eyes slowly opening. The light made your head burn and the migraine you had worse. “She’s awake!” The voice was muddled and faded. “Bolin! Grab the water!” Squinting, the blurred forms in front of you finally cleared. Team avatar stood at the end your bed. Your parakeets were going wild in their cages. Their wings flapped rapidly as their shrill screeching sliced into your brain. “Azure! Ruby,” you croaked, glaring at the parakeets. “Quiet!” Their cries died down but they still hooted softly. “H-here,” Bolin sputtered, handing you a glass of water.

You almost kissed him right then and there. The water was cold as you gulped it down. Your throat was still parched but it didn’t feel like you were dying anymore. “What happened,” you grumbled, rubbing your head. Your fingertips touched a bandage at your temple. The slight sting made your teeth grit together and a softly hiss as the sting worsened. Korra looked apologetic. “You passed out during Lin and Suyin’s fight. Or after.” Lin. Your eyes darted around the room, but there was no sign of her. “Where is she,” you asked, shooting up from your bed. You wiggled out of the sheets and stood on your feet. The world around you felt dizzy. “Woah woah woah,” they all said, reaching out to you. Korra grabbed your arm gently to keep you from falling on your face. “You still need rest!” You waved them off, slowly regaining your balance. Korra let go of you and watched you grab your boots from the floor. “’m fine,” you muttered as you balanced on one foot to slid on your combat boots.

The room around you shifted slightly. You brushed it off as you finished putting on your boots. You needed to find Lin. Finding her was your priority right now. “How long have I been out for,” you asked, swinging your bag over your shoulder. “T-ten hours,” Korra stammered. Team avatar watched you, unsure of what to do. “Wait!” Bolin exclaimed, as you were opening the bird cage. The parakeets settled onto your shoulder. Azure chirped at Asami and Ruby watched the group cautiously. She seemed cranky and pecked at your shoulder softly. You couldn’t blame her; you’d be upset too if someone disturbed your master’s peace. “What is it now? I’m going and you can’t stop me.” “I don’t think we could even if we tried,” Mako muttered. You shot him a glare and he raised his hands up in defense.  “I wanted to ask you something,” Bolin continued, “How did you do that thing?” He pressed his fingers down on his palms.

Your brows furrowed in confusion. Bolin kept repeating the move and making a bubble move with his hands. The lightbulb in your brain dinged. “It’s a force field. Something I invented,” you answered quickly, stumbling your way to your door. “I really don’t think you should be leaving,” Korra called out as you were halfway through the door. “Well,” Mako grumbled, “We tried.”

****

It was silent. Your ear started to ache from pressing it up harshly against the door. “Probably resting,” you sighed. She pushed herself too hard. Your chest tightened from the memories of the fight. She could barely hold herself up from Suyin’s attacks but still pressed on. Suyin. Your lips pulled up into a sneer. Why would she use your actions against Lin? Why would she fight her sister? Lin was weak enough as it is. “She did start it,” you muttered, “but Lin must’ve had a reason.”

“Whatcha doing?” You jumped ten feet into the air. Azure and Ruby squwaked in protest. You swear your soul left your body from Opal sneaking up behind you. “Sorry,” she giggled, “I didn’t mean to scare you so bad.” You rolled your eyes, “Didn’t scare me.” The smile on your face told Opal you weren’t actually annoyed. Her eyes followed yours, staring a hole into Lin’s door. “Are you trying to visit Aunt Lin?”

You nodded, “Yea, but I’ve knocked and no answer. Door ‘s locked too.” “She’s probably still asleep then,” Opal answered. Or doesn’t want to be disturbed. “Really? Fight must’ve taken her out bad.” She didn’t say anything but traveled her eyes to the brightly coloured birds on your shoulder.  Her brows furrowed as she watched Ruby preen at her feathers. “She seems to...like you.” You tilted your head, “What do you mean?” Opal shrugged, green eyes flickering from Ruby to the pavement under her. She followed the cracks and patterns in the cement, seeming to trace them with her eyes. Her voice sounded lost and... sad. “She..seems to enjoy your company more...than anyone else’s. She seems...happier.”

The memory of Opal running out of Lin’s door and crying last flashed in your brain. “Oh Opal,” you sighed, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. There were tears in her eyes. Her eyes remained at the ground. “Look at me,” you commanded softly. Opal’s emerald green eyes snapped up to yours. They shimmered with tears and her eyes were a bit red. Squeezing her shoulder for comfort you said, “Lin is...complicated. Trust me I dated her.” You let out a sad chuckle. Your eyes wandered to her door again but you were really focusing on the memories of the past. It was all you were good for now. Being filled with regret and never being able to forgive yourself for what you had done. “It doesn’t excuse her actions though,” you reassured her softly, “You did nothing wrong. You’re a sweet girl Opal.”

“Thank you,” She murmured. You smiled, but it didn’t seem to reach your eyes. You pat her shoulder gently before dropping it to your side. “Can I ask you something?” You nodded. “Do you know what happened? Between her and my mother?” Your eyes glanced at Lin’s door again. The dark wood felt ominous and sad as you kept staring at it. “No..I don’t. I’ve been asking myself that ever since I’ve got here. But I know something bad happened.” Silence stretched between the two of you. Opal watched you stare into Lin’s door with yearning.

“It hurts you doesn’t it,” Opal asked quietly. “Seeing the two of them tear each other apart. Her be angry with you and pushing you away.” “Bright girl,” you chuckled bitterly. “I can see it y’know,” she said quietly, “I can see the pain and the hurt haunting her as well.”

You didn’t reply; there was no need to. The both of you stood in silence on the front steps to Lin’s room, waiting.

*****

The flute’s notes carried a merry melody. It was one of your favorites, something you used to hum to your brother after he had another nightmare. Lin had been asleep for about sixteen hours. The cement steps dug into your ass as you waited like a dog hoping its master would come home soon. The sun’s rays kissed your skin as you sat there, playing your flute. Azure and Ruby fluttered about, chasing each other on the ground in front of you. You chuckled watching them tweet and fly around each other. It made you think of Bo and Bao. You smiled sadly at the thought of them. The two of them were incredible birds. They were the only family you had after being alone for so many years.

“Is she still asleep?” You looked away from Ruby And Azure, meeting Korra’s eyes. You shrugged in reply, carrying on with your flute playing. You’ll always be a bitter and lonely old woman. Your teeth gritted as her words rung in your head. She still needed to apologize. Mako and Bolin talked amongst themselves.  Weird, you thought, where’s Asami? They paid you no mind as they argued about who should poke the sleeping bear.

“You should do it you’re the avatar!” You stifled a laugh. Korra grumbled,“Fine fine, I’ll do it.” She huffed, swinging her feet over the brick steps. Her fist begrudgingly knocked on the grumpy bear’s door. “Lin? You okay? You’ve been asleep for sixteen hours now.” No answer. Korra sighed defeated. She walked down the steps about to leave. The sound of the door opening made the four of you perk up. Oh my fucking god, you thought.

Lin stood in her doorway, green earth bender robes adorning her. The silver necklace around her neck glimmered in the sun. Gold is more her colour, you couldn’t help but think as the the avatar and her friends gawked. It was unusual seeing her without her armor but damn did she look good. There was a smile on her face as she bid them a good morning. Team avatar’s eyes bulged out of their skulls. “G-good morning,” the three of them sputtered.

Lin’s eyes wandered over to you. You sent her a quick wave. “Those robes look great on you Beifong.” She snorted, but there was a soft smile on her face. Her eyes wandered to the bandages on your temple. Your nose was still a bit swollen but it seemed to have gone down overtime. The sight made her smile falter and eyes flickering with guilt. You sent Lin a reassuring smile. There wasn’t any anger in your heart. You couldn’t bring yourself to be upset with her. You could never be upset with the woman you loved.

Lin’s posture seemed to relax more but the guilt still laid underneath her eyes, rumbling like a beast. Lin bowed her head and left.

****

“I’m sorry Lin. For everything. I was a crazy kid back then, I admit that.” Lin didn’t say anything. Her sister stared at her expectantly but kept her mouth shut. Suyin had tore their relationship apart. Her mother quit because she couldn’t take the shame of having a criminal as a daughter. Because of her, Lin had a scar she had to look at everyday in the mirror. For thirty years, Lin couldn’t let it go. The idea of letting go of the anger and pain she had been so accustomed to was terrifying. How could she let that all go? The anger she left after all these years was the only thing that warmed her.  It comforted her as time moved on. If she let go, there’d be nothing left.

Lin and Suyin stared at the metal sculpture in front of them.  “Thank you,” she spoke after a while. Suyin turned her gaze to her sister. “I accept your apology.”

She smiled, a genuine smile. “We need a new dance coach. How about you stay here Lin? We can be a family again.” Lin snorted, “I think I can start not destroying your grounds for now.” Suyin laughed, “Deal.” The two of them talked for a bit. While Suyin carried on about nothing Lin couldn’t help but feel that she had made the wrong decision.

****

“How did you do that?” “Hm?” You and Bolin sat on a bench together in one of Su’s courtyards. You didn’t want to risk aggravating the already grumpy bear by waiting outside Lin’s door all day. “The shield! Whatever that was.” You laughed at the childlike enthusiasm Bolin expressed. It was adorable and sweet. His excitement made you feel young and free again. Bolin reminded you of Bumi and Dee. “It’s a force field. I made it,” you stated proudly. “How did you make it?!” You laughed, “There’s a lot that goes into it. Metal, energy, and some other stuff.” Bolin tilted his head and asked, “I thought you weren’t a bender. Aren’t you just an architect?” “Sadly, I’m not a bender. But I am an architect, you were right about that. I’m also an inventor.”

“A damn good one at that.” The two of you looked up at the intrusion. Lin stood there with her arms crossed, peering at the two of you. After apologizing to Opal she went back to her place to talk to you. However, you were gone. She wandered around until she heard your voice. Lin flickered between the two of you. She swallowed the jealousy the striked through her. Bolin gulped nervously at Lin’s light glare. He glanced towards you. You didn’t even seem fazed at the death stare Lin was sending. “I’m..just gonna go,” he said awkwardly, “Opal and I have plans.” “Sounds great,” you smiled, sending him a wave. “I’d be happy to show you the shield later.” He smiled nervously and murmured something about finding you tomorrow.

Once Bolin left Lin turned to you. “Busy?” “Not anymore” you snorted, “Someone got jealous and scared Bolin away.” Lin’s teeth gritted together and her jaw tightened. “I’m not jealous,” she grumbled, eyes narrowing to slits. You raised a brow and crossed your arms. “Glaring at someone hard enough to burn a hole through their head? Yea, that seems normal.” “Just forget it,” Lin grunted, turning to walk away. “I’m just teasing,” you called out, jumping up from the bench. “What did you have in mind?” Lin stopped and turned to you. “Whiskey.” You grinned, “You sure know a way to a person’s heart Lin!” She snorted. “Are you coming or not?” “Yea,” you chirped, “I gotta get a couple things from my room real quick. Meet you at yours in ten?” Lin nodded. “Great!” She watched you leave, chuckling at the hop in your step. Azure and Ruby flew around you, chirping. Lin smiled softly at the excitement in your pace and the happy aura that surrounded you.

****

The whiskey went down smoothly. Lin had always been a fan of it from the burn that welcomed her. Silence stretched between the two of you. Her stomach prickled at the nerves in her veins. Apologies were hard for Lin but if she didn’t apologize she’d be just as bad as Suyin. You fiddled your glass in your hands, cradling it on the railing. Azure and Ruby flittered about on the metal. Their brightly coloured feathers contrasted with the back metal railing.

“Yknow,” you said, breaking the silence, “I didn’t think this city would be so pretty.” Lin arched a brow, setting her empty glass on a side table near her. “What? The metal?” She gestured to the metal shield that protected the area around the two of you. You snorted, “Yea definitely. Just look at the bolts. They look so strong. Would be great for a project I’m planning.” Lin chuckled. She wouldn’t admit it, but she missed this. The late nights when the two of you chatted about nothing and everything. The dry jokes the two of you shared as you embraced each other in bed. It tugged at her heart in such a way where she didn’t know what to feel. Sad?Angry? Happy? Lin guessed it was all of them.

Her eyes fell to the white bandage that faced her. It covered your right temple and barely rested above your cheekbone. The shame flashed hotly in her chest. The guilt felt heavy and..gross. Lin’s apology she had practiced on the way here died on her tongue. She couldn’t utter the words she repeated in her head. Maybe she was just as bad as Suyin.

“It doesn’t hurt that much,” you muttered softly into the air. Lin’s heavy gaze made your neck prickle. You knew she felt awful. Her strong eyes always seemed to waver whenever she looked at it. Whenever she looked at you.

“I know.” You turned to her, brows drawn in confusion. “You do?” Lin sighed, “No I don’t..I just..I wanted to apologize.” You didn’t say anything. Your curious stare made Lin feel small. It made her feel like a kid and Toph caught her misbehaving. She felt like shrinking into the tile of the balcony and disappearing. She watched you pull out a blunt and a lighter. The soft orange flecks lit up and you took a drag. Blowing it out, you handed it to her. Lin accepted it gladly.

“It’s alright Lin,” you said, shooting her a smile. “I’m not mad.” “You’re not?” Shaking your head, you took the blunt once she handed it back to you. Another hit, and then you passed it again. It was a pattern. “I could never be angry with you. Nothing could ever make me hate you.”

“Why did you do that,” Lin asked, eyes focusing on the railing. Lin wanted to run. She would always be a coward. She would always run like her life depended on it. In a sense, it felt like it did. “To Protect you.” Lin’s eyes flickered to your lips. They wrapped around the blunt. They looked so soft and warm. Lin wondered if you still used the fruity chapstick you loved all those years ago. You caught her eye and sent her a wink. She looked away, cheeks slightly flushing.

“It’s all I know,” you whispered. “I care about you...I... if I seeing you getting hurt or the idea of,” your voice wavered. You swallowed thickly. “I’d rather get hurt than see you in danger.” Lin didn’t say anything but you knew she hung on to every word you said. “What Su did...Suyin,” you corrected yourself. Suyin wasn’t a friend to you anymore. She had cut off that friendship now. “You didn’t deserve that Lin. And I’m so so sorry.”

Lin swallowed. She was deathly quiet. For so long she had been angry. Bitter, lonely, sad. She directed it at people who didn’t deserve it and in turn the people she loved left. Lin had a hard time facing her feelings and accepting them for what they were. She felt so lost at hearing your words. The words she had been daydreaming about from you were now reality. I care about you. It felt weird and wrong coming from your lips. And yet, they felt like home.

“It wasn’t true? That I pushed you away?,” Lin’s breath wavered. The lump in her throat felt heavier. “Y-you left (Y/N), you left me here alone. I...I had no one. And then you come back out of no where and pretend everything’s fine.”

You took another hit and exhaled. Lin watched the smoke wisp away. The slight buzz in her system and the haziness in her veins was ironic. It almost made her laugh at the irony of its difference from what she actually felt.

“I know,” you replied, voice choking. “And I regret every second of my life because of that. If I could take it all back, I would. I-I didn’t know what else to do. I just saw you and...it all came crashing back again.” Lin’s eyes watered. Damnit, she wouldn’t cry over this. Over something so small and trivial. It had been thirty years. Thirty fucking years since the last time she saw you. And you waltzed back into her life like nothing had happened. What was she supposed to make of that?

“I’m sorry Lin,” you whispered softly. She watched a tear fall from your eye. Then another. This all felt like some cliche movie film. This couldn’t be real, you weren’t real. Lin was dreaming again and soon she’d wake up. She would trudge through the morning to get to work along with the dreams from the night before. They were faded but still left a bitter taste in her mouth. But she knew this wasn’t a dream as much as she wished it were. Every second of this was real. Your voice was real and you, in front of her, were real.

“Do you love me?” Lin hated that her voice shook. She swallowed the tears away. The pit in her throat rolled like a stone. She felt she was choking on air from trying to keep it together. Lin tried so hard to maintain the perfect image. The one she created to make Toph proud, the image she created to finally be at peace with herself. But as always, you saw right through her.

“I never stopped,” you whispered, voice cracking. Your eyes red from the weed and your tears. You sniffled lightly, wiping your nose. You flinched slightly from the pain. Lin took a long hit. Her vision blurred and her heart ached longingly. You were here; after thirty fucking years you came back to her.

Every time she saw you it all came rushing back. Bao and Bo singing along to “Dancing Queen” as it played while the two of you danced. Whenever you first joined the force and Lin couldn’t focus around you. How the two of you would sneak off in the middle of the day and make out in the janitor’s closet. Two young dumb kids in love. Things hadn’t changed. Now, the two of you were old, dumb, and in love.

“I-I understand if you don’t want anything right now.” Lin snapped out of her thoughts. “But I want you to know that I do really care about you. I still want you in my life...but I understand if you want me gone. I-I’ll leave as soon as I can and stay gone for good.” She swallowed thickly. She choked on air and breathed heavily. “No.”

You looked at her, shocked. Lin passed the blunt to you and you took another hit. Patiently, you waited. You’ve waited for thirty years to see Lin again one day. You’d wait for her again in a heart beat.

“I finally have you in my grasp. I don’t want to loose you again.” You looked over to her. Lin stared out into the distance. Gently, you placed your hand on hers. Her eyes shifted at hers and yours hands, then your face. You smiled, lips quivering.

Lin turned to watch Azure and Ruby. They preened each other with their beaks. Azure seemed softer with Ruby as he ran his beak gently through her feathers. “Did Bao and Bo...?” Lin couldn’t finish her sentence. You chuckled sadly, “Yea.” “I’m sorry.” She pulled her hand from yours and gently removed your hand off the railing. Her hand was soft and warm as she grasped yours firmly. You looked at her confused and she sent you a smile in return. Lin’s hand didn’t let go of yours as she hung it by her side. She squeezed it gently.

“Bo died from a robbery,” you whispered.

Lin was surprised. Birds weren’t fighters. ‘Well’, she thought smiling at the memory of Bo trying to fight her reflection in Lin’s police uniform. “How,” Lin asked softly.  “I was asleep. Two men came in my hut that night. Bo screeched loud enough to wake me. She flew around them rapidly.” You wiped the tears from your eyes before continuing. “They flung her against the wall. She died pretty soon after. That’s where I got this scar.” You pointed to the one on your brow. Lin’s heart sank. “What happened to the men?”

“I killed them.” Lin didn’t say anything, but stroked your hand with her thumb. You pulled your lips into a quivering smile. “They were just bandits out in the middle of nowhere trying to rob a poor fool. Hurt like a bitch. Left me a scar to tell the tale.” “I’m so sorry (Y/N),” Lin whispered. She turned her hand to trace your palm with her fingers. It tickled a bit.

“What happened to Bao?” “Died seven years later.” “How?” “Heartbreak. Was never the same without Bo.” Lin turned towards you. Her green eyes were incredibly soft. “I’m glad..that you’re here again.” “Heh,” you laughed, choking slightly. “I am too.”

Lin looked at Azure and Ruby again. They chirped softly and hopped on the tile floor. Azure strutted about, observing the place while Ruby watched carefully. “Where’d you get them?” Your eyes fell downwards and smiled fondly at your precious parakeets. “Dee gave them to me,” you said. “We went to a pet store in the city he lives. It had been a while since I’ve seen him and it was our mom’s birthday. We always try and meet up to be there for each other. Found these two sleeping soundly and the rest is history.”

“They’re beautiful,” Lin murmured. You nodded, agreeing. Silence fell between the two of you. It didn’t feel sad and lonely this time. There wasn’t regret or bitterness. For the first time in thirty years, you felt like you could breathe again. “Thanks for the drink,” you said, dropping Lin’s hand. The blunt was almost out but there was still some of it left. You’d finish it on your way to your rooms. Azure and Ruby flew to your shoulder from hearing your footsteps. Azure squwaked at Lin, demanding pets. Lin laughed and went to stroke his head. “Of course,” Lin said, hand dropping to her side again. “Thanks for the smoke.”

You smiled, a genuine one this time. Yet there was some sadness still swirling in your eyes. Lin felt her heart ache. Before she could think better of it, Lin leaned down and kissed your cheek. Your eyes went wide. You hadn’t expected that at all. “Kissing me so soon?” “I’ll take it back,” Lin grunted. “Can’t,” you argued, sending her a wink. “See you tomorrow?” “See you tomorrow,” Lin confirmed with a soft smile. Giving her one last wave and a chirp from Azure and Ruby, you left the balcony. A real smile was on your face for the first time in a while.

[rwbyconversations]

The Scarlet Letter: Let’s talk about RWBY’s male LGBT rep

I have been sitting on this post for nearly four weeks waiting until the 15th due to the Before the Dawn spoiler rules.

So let's start with a blunt statement: RWBY's male LGBT representation has not been good. If the series' handling of female LGBT rep is good (which... well there's worse shows) and the general standard for how you write LGBT characters in a show like this, its handling of male rep has been... how not to. And Before the Dawn kinda solidified the idea in my head that the show's handling of its male LGBT cast just isn't good enough, either by the standards of when RWBY began in 2013, or today in 2020 when compatively massive steps have been taken over the past decade to show a more diverse list of characters... or at least a more diverse list of female characters.

I don't wanna make this a pissing match over how over-or-under-represented male or female LGBT characters are, but I feel like it's safe to say that the majority of the trend-setters for modern romances, especially in western animation, have been between women. Korra and Asami from Korra, Chloe and Max from Life is Strange, Marceline and Bubblegum in Adventure Time, (insert the relevant Steven Universe characters here, never watched it), and more recently, Adora and Catra in She-Ra and Luz in Owl House.

Compatively, while studies have shown that in general male LGBT characters get more appearances on a purely numerical level, in general they're more one-off characters there to pad a roster, or played more for comedy (see Josh Gad in the Beauty and the Beast remake or the gay guy in Avengers Endgame that was more notable for how hard China and Russia snapped him out of existance). The only big male-LGBT focused media I can think of from the last decade would be Yuri On Ice, Moonlight, IDW's Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye (Chromedome/Rewind best pairing fuck you Roberts for issue 16) Love Simon, and the anime adaptation of Banana Fish.

So it's no surprise that RWBY basically follows these ideas. It's big romance is (unless the writers are very stupid) going to be between Blake and Yang, their first out character was Ilia, Coco got sent to the Book Dimension where she confirmed "I use my sunglasses to perv on women without their knowledge" which uh... yeah you can definitely tell RWBY is written by men... and Volume 6 had Saph and Terra being a good example of an LGBT couple without any real drama. In the last three years alone, the show has drastically increased its lesbian and bisexual characters, alongside even including its first out trans character in May Marigold (albeit only revealed on Twitter). In general, these depictions of sexuality have been pretty OK. Would have liked it if Ilia wasn't immediately written out of the show after Volume 5 as it made her feel a bit more disposable than intended but whatever, subject for another day.

RWBY's male rep though is a bit spottier. There's the plant bois in Volume 5's premiere, we nearly had Pilot Boi until some last-minute revisions, and... Scarlet.

Why Scarlet's a bad launchpad for male LGBT rep

I don't like Scarlet or how his sexuality has been handled. Scarlet's homosexuality wasn't revealed in the show, or by the writers, or even in anything that's actually canon. He's confirmed gay in his sole of dialogue in a non-canon fan anthology, where the manga's Twitter team had to say that Miles suggested the idea and approved of it.

In short, Scarlet is Dumbledore'd, where his sexuality is revealed in out-of-show material and in a way that doesn't make it supremely obvious (Miles himself never commented to confirm this so this news was limited in how far it could spread. I'm genuinely curious how many people still don't know Scarlet's gay), and Scarlet himself is a nothing character who was written out of the show after Volume 3 and only reappeared in Before The Dawn, half a decade after he vanished. Compared to Ilia, as this came out after Ilia's entire arc in Volume 5, it's not a great starting point for mlm rep. But things would have been forgiven if it had gotten better, if the show did have more male LGBT characters introduced, even just on the Saphron/Terra level of just being around for a few episodes before leaving. Then it would have been a misfire but then we could all say "Things got better."

It... didn't. Which is why when Before the Dawn released in 2020, a full two years after Scarlet was first confirmed gay, while the franchise had more than doubled its wlw rep, Scarlet remained the one male character in the entire franchise who had a name and liked men. I remember vividly a fake leak for After The Fall which claimed Yatsuhashi would come out to Velvet and admit to having a crush on Fox. And I remember as well how many people were disappointed when it was said to be false, because it would have been nice for Yatsuhashi's character, especially after the fleshing out he gets in the CFVY books. If Yatsu had come out as gay in the books I'd like his writing enough to say he's a good case for rep, albeit with the caveat of "This is all in side material." But in reality, the leak was fake and Coco was confirmed gay instead.

Unfortunately, Before the Dawn proceeded to ruin Scarlet and made me at times feel genuinely uncomfortable as a queer man! Let's talk about that.

Before The Dawn is crap and Scarlet's writing is borderline offensive

I hate Before the Dawn. It's... bad. I read it while on a vacation and the only solace I had about the entire thing was that I'd bought an M&M chocolate bar. The bar was finished before the book. That bummed me out. It's not a very well written book, the prose is very Early 2010s YA Writer, none of the characters are memorable and there's various Fun Incidents like "NGDO using children as bait for Grimm," and "Neptune's hydrophpobia being used as a threat to torture him and the scene is played for comedy."

Theo was cool. I can't wait to see him as written by good writers, he should be a highlight of the Vacuo arc.

I had two hopes for Before the Dawn- "Don't be bad," and "Let Scarlet and Sage be well written." I'd liked how After The Fall had handled some of its characters (barring, y'know, Coco perving on women), especially Fox and Yatsu who were surprising in how much I liked them. I was looking forward to seeing Myers give Sage and Scarlet similar treatment- two relatively nothing characters meant he'd have a blank slate to write them however he wanted, he could give them unique personalties and if nothing else it could be cool to see their Semblances.

And then I read the book. (Sage fans I am so sorry for you, you got baited harder than Johnlock fans)

Scarlet's a giant dickhead in the book. It's his sole character trait and his inner monologues go on, and on, and on about how much he hates Sun, how he revels in mocking him. Most of his dialogue is sarcastic put-downs about Sun and how lame he is, and Sun is never properly allowed to defend himself or point out how going with Blake meant he was able to help save Haven Academy.

(hey remember when Sun in Volume 6 expressly says to Blake "I was a bad leader for ditching Neptune and the others, and I need to work on that" only for Before the Dawn to have him staunchly refuse to accept that he let the team down? I don't think Myers did but I do)

Scarlet being a ratty bitch would be one thing if, again, the franchise had done more rep. He'd still be a badly written character, but it wouldn't sting as much. But because Scarlet is still the only expressly confirmed male LGBT character in canon (the book teases that Nolan is gay but there's never confirmation either way beyond him smiling at Scarlet), it means that he has to represent that entire ideal. So when the one gay man in Remnant is being an asshole and a snide loser, that means that by extension, this is how the franchise sees gay men. And that fucking sucks! I wanted to come out of Before The Dawn singing its praises, I wanted to like the book, but it was a massive letdown, especially coming off of the other big 2020 RWBY controversy involving gay characters.

Yeah. We're doing this.

Clover and Fair Game: Technically not queerbaiting. BUT:

Let's pre-empt this: Clover wasn't queerbaiting, and Fair Game, while cool and I dig it, kudos to them for becoming one of the top 5 RWBY pairings on AO3 in one year that's fucking impressive (I say with mild malice as an IronQrow main), never had a chance. The writing never seriously boosted it barring one interaction which was flirty (them talking in the lobby of the Schnee Manor), and everything else was out of show boosting through the social media teams and CRWBY hyping it themselves by saying they liked it. If you wanna blame people, blame the animators who went off-script with stuff like Kim Newman adding the wink as a deliberate nod to the Volume 4 waitress, or the social media team deliberately using the same policies for Fair Game as they do for Renora and Bumblebee.

It wasn't Eddy's fault that things escalated, and he himself has said that in retrospect, he should have warned people that this never had a shot.

But I can't blame the Fair Game fanbase. Because Fair Game took off like wildfire. It came right as the fanbase began seriously asking for more male rep, Qrow's pretty hot, and the Clover wink came right after the Great IronQrow Reawakening of November 9th, 2019. The rocket was primed, and they rode it to the moon. Finally, to these people, after seven years RWBY seemed to be doing something with mlm rep in show. People started getting into RWBY just for Clover and Qrow's interactions. And if heroes were boring, Watts and Tyrian also had a fantastic dynamic that made Nuts and Volts one of the more popular villain ships overnight. Things seemed to be turning around! RWBY was remembering that gay men existed! You could hear the choir sing!

... And for those people, that meant that episode 12 hit like Truck-Kun.

People got pissed. People were horrified. And it didn't help that some members of CRWBY had said in the build-up that episode 12 would have some shots that made them nauseous (probably the Tyrian thumb thing) Out of context, it looked to these fans like CRWBY were basically laughing at their suffering, like they were saying "Lol, you thought you had a chance, get fucked, I hope your vomit burns on the way up."

Yeah, Fair Game was never gonna be canon, and I think some people ran too far with it. But in the wider context of how desperate RWBY's mlm community had gotten for basic crumbs of content? I can see why they'd run with what they had. The writers aren't at fault for what happened, but CRWBY didn't help matters. And that desperate mix of what felt like official backing from the crew, jokes about how cute the ship was, and the hope that finally the show would have onscreen rep? I can see why people ran with it.

So why is the show more lackluster in depicting mlm characters?

Money. Let's be honest, most RWBY fans don't care if the show doesn't have good male rep. I'm willing to bet some of you reading this won't care and just dismiss it as not being that big a problem. I don't think the writers care if the show doesn't have good mlm rep because they're not poaching that market. They're after what they see as a bigger, more lucrative market, which in this case is female LGBT rep. That gets people buying games, watching shows, raising awareness and boosting awareness of your property, which means you make more money. In short: Two women kissing hits more markets and generates more attention than two men.

Am I saying that Miles, Monty and Kerry deliberately sat down seven years ago and said "We're not doing gay men because it won't generate enough ad revenue and traffic to be worth the loss in revenue from homophobes?" No, that's silly. But I'm saying that it's less important for them, and it shows in the things that are small and add up. Things like Miles not verifying Scarlet's sexuality or retweeting the manga account's confirmation to spread the message (compared to how he enthusiastically confirmed Ilia being a lesbian himself during the Reddit AMA). It shows in how Pilot Boi would have been the first mlm character only to die in his second full episode until M&K were told about the Bury Your Gays trope. It shows in how Shannon believes that Ozma is "megaqueer" and Miles jokingly laughs it off instead of confirming it, leaving it to just be Shannon's headcanon. It shows in how actor shipping is compared between the mlm and wlw ships, where Arryn and Barbara's frequent pushes for Bumblebee are seen as "official confirmation that it's endgame" while Michael and Kerry saying they enjoy Seamonkeys is treated as "well it would be cute if they did it, but they're never going to."

I'm not gonna say anything like "CRWBY are gonna have Qrow end up with a woman like Robyn out of spite against the bad apples of the Fair Game crowd." I'm not gonna say that I don't think CRWBY cares about male representation in the series. It is, however, definitely a low priority for them, and because that leads to gaffes like Scarlet's writing in Before The Dawn being offensive in his depiction, it only makes the contrast between the sexes all the more painfully apparent.

I'm kinda tired of waiting for Rooster Teeth to show that they do care about mlm. I'm kinda tired of RWBY's male rep being written like it came from a 1993 time capsule where I have to enhance the screen to see a guy holding a sign of Sun's abs or be content with the only onscreen rep still being the plant bois in Volume 5. I'm tired of how often the crew dances around answering basic questions about sexuality (and age, and birthdays, and heights, and so on) by treating it as a spoiler question, as if just wanting to know what way people swing would ever be a spoiler. I'm just... tired of all this. When the best mlm rep in Rooster Teeth's history remains the two dads in Camp Camp who show up in a few episodes, that should say something really bad about your company and your biases (To say nothing of the recent Red vs Blue seasons and their blatant queerbaiting for Grif and Simmons and the whole can of worms that is Donut).

I'd like to not feel like I'm borderline unwelcome because I'd like to see two men in this show kiss, and that the sole thing that represents people like me in this show is some British twat who complains about sand.

I'd just like to feel like my sexuality isn't a joke to Rooster Teeth (or at the very least, be like Donut and have it be a funny one). But at this point after the last few years? I feel like a very uncomfortable punchline to them. And it just sucks.

[totally-halal]

YOURE HITTING ME WITH THAT GAY PANIC RN WITH KORRA ANNND ASAMI

YES OH MY GOD I MEAN

A S A M I

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

[vanquishedvaliant]

hey, whats your fave pairing from virgins empire?

Ooh, this is a great question, since I just read through it the other day (thus the spam.)

I think my go to obvious favourite is probably just A-chan and Chie... Maybe it’s a boring answer, but I just like how honest and real their relationship is. They’re both absolutely adorable dorks and they genuinely like each other without any beating around the bush, so we get a lot of time to watch their relationship really develop.

Close second is Yuu and Mari. Their S/M dynamic is just... incredible, and Mari is actually such a sweetie. I love when she manages to turn things around on Yuu’s more easily embarrassed side. You just get a really good dose of the feeling that they both really enjoy what they do and love each other, even if Yuu is reluctant to break her facade and admit it openly.

Honorable mention is Mio and Asami, because in some weird (unflattering, frankly) ways, I can really understand where Mio’s coming from as a very energetic anxious girl, diving headfirst into her first relationship and just being so full of all that means; the joys and the pains and the nerves, not knowing if her partner’s as into it as she is, and kind of being proven right for a moment. But despite her confused emotions and missteps with her ex, I like to believe that Asami actually does care for Mio and values what they have, and it seems like their relationship is finally on the right course after a rocky start.

Of course, there’s no ships that I don’t like, I honestly think they’re all great, for given levels of screentime and development speed. It’s a great series that has a lot of sweet and wholesome moments to it for something that billed itself as an ecchi manga. Thanks for the ask!

[bri-notthecheese]

Tagged by @connerluthorkent​ ! Thank you so much my dear!! <3 <3 

Pick 10 ships without reading the questions.

1) Nygmobblepot (Edward Nygma x Oswald Cobblepot - Gotham)

2) Mergana (Merlin x Morgana - BBC’s Merlin)

3) Handers (M!Hawke x Anders - Dragon Age 2)

4) Korrasami (Korra x Asami - Legend of Korra)

5) Chlodine (Chloe Frazer x Nadine Ross- Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

6) Midna x Link (Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

7) Solas x Lavellan (Dragon Age: Inquisition)

8) Hannigram (Hannibal Lector x Will Graham - Hannibal)

9) Cassarric (Cassandra Pentaghast x Varric Tethras - Dragon Age)

10)  MakoHaru (Makoto Tachibana x Haruka Nanase - Free! Iwatobi Swim Club)

1. Do you remember the episode/scene/chapter that you first started shipping 6?

Oh man...that was soooooo long ago.  I played Twilight Princess for the first time when I was about 12 I think, so Midna x Link is the oldest ship on here. But I think I started shipping it after the first third of the game when Midna tries to protect you and nearly sacrifices her life because of it. You get this section where you have to sprint back for help as a wolf with her on your back in the rain as she’s dying and “Midna’s Lament” plays in the back and it was the first time I really felt myself get so worried for a video game character. And after that, she’s a lot more caring towards Link and you can see them grow closer and closer as the game progresses.

2. Have you ever read a FanFiction about 2?

Merlin x Morgana was the reason I started writing fanfiction actually <3 And I have read quite a lot! 

3. Has a picture of 4 ever been your screen saver/profile picture/tumblr?

They have not actually!

4. If 7 were to suddenly break-up today, what would your reaction be?

OUCH™. This question came for my life a lil bit. Ow :(

*SPOILERS* But Solas does fucking break up with you in the game regardless of what you do and we’re basically doomed to face our lover and try to stop him before he destroys the world in the next game. That route/relationship is known as Solavellan Hell. Worst/best? part is that he still loves you and you him. But as for my reaction? Despite knowing it was going to happen somehow, I still sobbed and felt like I’d gotten broken up with in real life. BioWare really knows how to hurt us.

5. Why is 1 so important?

Strap in. I’ve only been into Nygmobblepot for almost exactly a year at this point and I can’t remember being *this* attached to a ship like this for a long time. Part of why it lingers in my mind is because there’s still that slight feeling of disappointment that they were so close to being explicitly canon on screen but homophobia got in the way, and yet they really are still canon in all but sharing a kiss and explicitly stating their mutual romantic intent. These two have checked off almost every box in regards to tropes because they went from strangers to friends to almost lovers to enemies to tentative allies back to friends with their mutual feelings being pretty transparent under the surface. There’s so much to play with in regards to story because you can have your pick of dynamics depending what season it’s set in and the creators in this fandom are next-level. They’re two people that are continuously ostracized from everyone around them and they consider each other their best friend, something neither of which has had before. They’re weird and pretty nasty people, but somehow are canonly so Soft™ when they’re around each other (unless they’re enemies and then helloooooo sexual tension). Both have said in so many words ‘I love you’ to the other and have been beaten, tortured, and thrown their lives on the line to protect the other. They’re stylish evil villains in love with an adorable height difference and their incredible chemistry really makes it impossible not to root for them.

6. Is 9 a funny ship or a serious ship?

Funny! They do have serious moments, but since they are both companions (and don’t have an *actual* side romance) they’re mostly there for humorous banter when you have them both around.

7. Out of all of the ships listed, which ship has the most chemistry?

That is really hard. I feel like it might be a tie between both sets of Murder Husbands: Nygmobblepot and Hannigram.

8. Out of all of your ships listed, which ship has the strongest bond?

Again, I think I might say Nygmobblepot and Hannigram.

9. How many times have you read/watched 8’s fandom?

Twice! I watched the show as it aired and then I rewatched it when my best friend was getting into it!

10. Which ship has lasted the longest?

MakoHaru! They’ve been best friends since childhood <3

11. How many times, if ever, has 2 broken up? 

Damn all the painful questions keep coming for the doomed ships. So, Merlin and Morgana have never officially been together EVEN THOUGH THE WRITERS GAVE US THIS WHOLE THING ABOUT HOW THEY WERE EACH OTHER’S *DESTINY* AND DOOM and yadda yada. But while Merthur is the most popular ship in this fandom, I’ll always have a special place for Mergana because they  could have been something really special had the writers not made stupid decisions and had him not tell her about his magic. (this show in general makes me so bitter lmao) But they were really great friends in the beginning and him poisoning her would probably uhhh be the breakup and then it just got worse from there :(

12. If the world was suddenly thrust into a zombie apocalypse, which ship would make it out alive, 2 or 8?

Definitely 2 because they both have incredibly powerful magic. 

13. Did 5 ever have to hide their relationship for any reason?

They are in the early stages of their partnership ;) The game takes place over the course of 24 hours so they aren’t quite there yet, but I doubt they’d hide it once they did get together. 

14. Is 4 still together?

Yes they are!!! And I have all their graphic novels thus far to keep getting all of that good Korrasami content <3 

15. Is 3 canon?

Yes it is, in my world state at least. They broke up for about half a year after the events of the second game but have been together ever since and Hawke gets to talk about his bae when you meet him in the third game ^_^ 

16. If all 10 ships were put into a couple’s Hunger Games, which couple would win?

Uhhhhhhh there’s like 3 people in this list that are ‘the most powerful magical being in their universe’ so. It’d be down to Merlin/Morgana, Korra/Asami, and Lavellan/Solas. I feel like due to the fact that neither favor underhanded means typically, Korra/Asami would be out. But Merlin, Morgana, and Solas are real bastards so it might be down to raw power mixed with what sabotage is laid out. 

17. Has anybody ever tried to sabotage 10’s ship?

Not really, everyone in universe kinda knows they’re a thing. 

18. Which ship would you defend to the death and beyond?

This is like my fourth tie but it’s gonna be between Nygmobblepot and Mergana. Nygmobs because they’re meant for each and have said so. And I’m currently obsessed. Mergana because it was one of my very first ships and even if it still ended tragically, I’ll always mourn the boatloads of potential they had for some really intriguing stuff between the two of them and never touched any of it.

19. Do you spend hours a day going through 1’s tumblr page?

Thankfully I’ve calmed from when I first got into it but I generally have a daily check on here and AO3 <3 

20. If an evil witch descended from the sky and told you that you had to pick one of the ten ships to break up forever or else she´d break them all forever, which ship would you sink?

Well since Mergana is DEFINITELY broken up forever, I’ll pick that one. 

This was SO FUN!!! Thank you so much again for tagging me!!! <3 <3 <3 Tagging @midnightanddiamonds​, @bisexualmoron​ @wicked-eyes-and-wicked-hearts​ @kessilover​ @jesscoot​ if you’d like to do it and anyone else who’d like to try!

[firecracker-youtube]

As someone who ships Bumbleby but is sympathetic towards BS shippers (I think us BB shippers have realized that BS shippers as a whole aren’t toxic at all, it’s just general antis/homophobes in the fandom who advocate for BS just so BB won’t be canon) I want to give my opinion on Blac/ksun. Some of this stuff has been said already, but here is my two cents.

“Blake and Sun clearly liked each other! They had lots of romantically coded moments! The writers made it seem they were going to be in relationship!”

There are some BS fans who use this as a cover for their blatant homophobia, but I think most BS shippers are genuinely surprised and hurt to see that the romantically coded moments between Blake and Sun haven’t led to them being a couple. Until Volume 3, I too expected Blake and Sun to eventually be in a relationship. There was the classic slow motion meeting, them going to the dance together, Blake blushing, etc. I can understand why some BS shippers are upset.

However, I want to voice why I am relieved that Blake and Sun are not a couple. It is not just because I ship Bumbleby. In order to explain, I have to go back and talk about another ship with similar complaints: Ma/korra.

The first season of The Legend of Korra finally airs and my younger, avatar-fangirl self excitedly turns on the tv to watch. From the first episode Mako and Korra meet, it’s obvious they’re going to be in a romantic relationship. Even when Asami comes in and the three get stuck in an awful love triangle, it is obvious. Korra is the main character, and Mak/orra received more romantically coded moments than Mas/ami as the season went on. By the end of the season, I was pleased, but not surprised, to see Korra and Mako confess their love and kiss.

“Wohoo! They’re gonna be boyfriend and girlfriend now!” I thought, and since I believed there would only be one season of TLOK, I assumed they would get married when they got older and even have kids.  I mean, it’s inevitable. They are clearly attracted to each other, they confessed their love, and they’re together now!

I have to say that straight people are so lucky, because we are so rarely denied our straight ships, that as soon as a male and female show signs of attraction to each other we assume they’re endgame. And usually they are. Though I hope you understand that is not how real life works.

Well this isn’t real life! This is just a story, and I want to see my OTP get together!

I understand that, and I am not saying that a story has to reflect real life. I am worried about how media’s portrayal of the “inevitability” of romance blossoming between any male and female pairing is impacting our perception of not just fictional relationships, but romance in general.

From an lgbt pov, this perception distorts how a lot of people see m/m and f/f relationships, where an exchange between a man and woman will scream romance, but the same exchange between two men or two women is seen as them being good friends. With m/f relationships, romance is inevitable, but with m/m or f/f relationships, romance is impossible. Many straight people would either completely miss or vehemently deny that there is even an attraction between them.

Media’s portrayal of m/f pairings also effects how we view m/f romance both fictional and in real life too, but that could be a whole essay in and of itself. Someday I will write it.

I’m sorry to break it to any BS shippers reading this, but you simply assumed that because Blake and Sun showed an initial attraction, they were destined to be together. And with how media portrays m/f relationships, I don’t blame you. But just because you did not recognize the increasing romantically coded moments between Blake and Yang, does not mean their canonicity is the writers’ or BB shippers faults. If Bumbleby becomes truly canon in V7 and Blake and Sun remain as friends, I understand why you would be disappointed, but the truth is the lgbt community experiences even more disappointment from almost every show that is out there. You ultimately have an infinite amount of other m/f couples to turn to. The lgbt community does not. Please let them have this.

I am not saying that anyone should stop shipping Blac/ksun. I am trying to explain that just because Blake and Sun were initially attracted to each other, it does not mean they were always meant to be endgame. Not to talk down to BS, but to once again defend BB shippers who are being blamed for Blac/ksun not being a canon. And to hopefully clear some people’s heterosexual lenses.

That is all for now. This was partially inspired by @revisitedgrunt ‘s posts, so go check them out. If you managed to read all of this, thank you. If anyone would like to add to this, feel free.

EDIT: I forgot to specifically say why I am relieved that Blake and Sun remain as friends. It’s because it breaks the trend of how all media portrays m/f relationships. It shows that a man and woman who were initially attracted to each other can still be happy as friends. I love straight romantic relationships, but Blake and Sun are a breath of fresh air. 

[storyofauke]

How serious should we take the extras? I mean i thought Sensei draws them for fun. something cute and funny so we won’t get bored with only guns to long. but then there are those details like Asami’s Pic with a teddy on Aki’ phone which appears in the main story . That means this extra should be canon.??

This is a good question and one I don’t have a definitive answer for. Short answer: Some are canon, some are not and I don’t think sensei thinks about it nearly as carefully and obsessively as we do. Some are obviously so, like the ones tied into the storyline (Hong Kong extra, Temporary Paradise, etc.) Some obviously not (the businessman extras, which could be interpreted as Aki’s dreams or fantasies, since one of them turns out to be just that.) Same with the silly ones like the vampire bunny and the bear and tiger extra.

Longer answer, IMO:

Love Surprise (New Year extra) - canon

Labor Cameraman Takaba’s Wonderful Day (drinking extra) - canonTakaba Akihito’s Asami Ryuichi Report (from the character book) - canonTemporary Paradise obviously - canonBloody Mary obviously - canonSecretary’s Duty (K caring for sick Asami) - canon (why not?)Hardworking Photographer Takaba Akihito’s Fulfilling Life as Housewife (this one ties directly into story and even includes critical plot information) - canonRomantic Life of Service of Hardworking Photographer etc (onsen/three-way extra) - we now know this is NOT canonFei Long and Tao extra - I’m leaning towards not canon on this one, even though it’s just a dream, mainly because sensei talked about the genesis of this extra and how it was her editor’s fantasy about what kind of seme Tao would make. So maybe this one was just editor service.Takaba Akihito’s Graceful Summer Holiday (beach resort extra) - canonHardworking Photographer Takaba Akihito’s Summer Story (fireworks) - canonHead of Department Takaba Akihito’s Rose Colored Accomplishments (S&M extra) - canon on this one because it turns from one of the businessman dreams to “real life.” But you could argue me out of it if you wanted to, but why would you want to?The Day Asami Ryuichi’s Little Monster Arrived - canon--important canon because it’s a rare glimpse into Asami’s POVOnslaught of Love of Diligent Photographer Takaba Akihito (drug extra) - canon, no arguments accepted on this one, both endings includedMy Fair Prince - canon, but set after the manga, in a future where they’re having their happy-ever-afterAsami Ryuichi’s Little Monster Plus 1 - canon, ties into existing canon and doesn’t contradict anything, gives nice insights into both of them and their desire NOT to have children. I would also place this one after the events of the main story, in their happy-ever-after.The Boss’s Secret Life with Furball - canon, another one that starts as fantasy and is revealed to be a dream, another nice glimpse into Asami’s psyche. Happy-ever-after on this one, too.The Demon of the Guardian Forest Shrine - .....caaaannnnon....? I guess? I mean, it’s a huge coincidence and my novelist heart is wary of too many coincidences, but nothing else really argues against it.Animate Anniversary Extra (Aki working in manga shop) - silly but no other reason for it not to be canonTakaba Akihito’s Finder Warriors - same as aboveAsami Ryuichi’s Halloween Night in Viewfinder - this one, too, dream-to-reality. Happy every afters on these three.Koisuru Finder no Hyouteki - not technically an extra but I think we have to throw this one in, too, as canon because Mizuno and Hiyama’s dads appear in Finder (I forget which chapter--they’re in the background at Sion, I think.) So these stories are doubly tied together.I skipped all the obviously non-canon ones like the businessman ones that don’t tie into the story or the bear and tiger forest story. Ones not marked as happy ever after I believe fall into the gaps of the main story, mostly between volumes two and three and between volumes six and seven, because they have a feeling of a still-developing, somewhat awkward relationship, where the Happy Every After ones feel like a more stable relationship where they are comfortable with each other.

Did I miss any? I feel like I missed one.