#I remember rooting so hard for tell me something I don’t know to surpass it in kudos

[marimbles]

at the risk of sounding like really entitled….

does anyone else have a fic that is their most popular, but you don’t want it to be, because you don’t think it deserves it, and you have better stuff, and while ofc you are grateful that people like something you wrote, it’s almost annoying that for some reason That one is the most popular. lmao

[gobblewanker]

Well. Guess who had some late night Emotions™ and wrote another drabble on that "Sherman adopts Stan and Ford when they're eight because Filbrick is the worst" story?

The room at Sherman's apartment was smaller than the one at their parents place had been. It was cramped, the singular window was poorly insulated, and the wallpaper was flaking. Almost everything in it was second hand - deeply cherished childhood toys picked up from garage sales piled in a corner, a banged up desk Sherman's college was going to throw out anyways nestled under the drafty window, an old space heater Ford had to repair nearly every winter puttering away snugly next to the drawer with it's missing handle. Everything was old and worn, but in a good, reassuring, way. Like a pair of well used shoes, slowly adjusted to it's wearer's feet and fitting far more comfortably than a new pair ever could. As far as Ford was concerned, it was infinitely more a home than the pawnshop had ever been.

Maybe that made sense though. He'd soon spent half his life there. The latter part. The better one. The one spent living in a shoddy apartment which's walls nonetheless practically oozed with love and family. The one without dad looming large like some invisible but always precent danger. The one with memories permeated by safety and stability.

Ford knew much of that stability was a carefully crafted façade, propped up on his big brother's shoulders. He'd caught on to it long before Stan, but in retrospect it was obvious. The way Sherman would skip meals so they never had to, the way he always seemed to be working overtime, all of it. It wasn't a stable situation at all. But he'd made it feel that was. Always made it seem like there was nothing to worry about. Ford and Stan had tried to help out wherever they could, doing chores when there were any and otherwise just being good and staying out of the way. It had taken a long time for the permanence of the situation to sink in. For the realization to hit that they wouldn't get sent back. That no matter what they did, Shermie wouldn't get fed up with them and cart them back to Pa.

But what if it wouldn't be up to him?

"Hey, Stan?" Ford whispered into the quiet of the dark. From the bunk under him, he heard a low grunt of affirmation.

"Yeah?" There was no trace of drowsiness in Stan's voice.

"I can't sleep."

"Tell me about it."

Ford dropped his arm over the side of the bed, letting it dangle. It didn't take more than a few seconds for Stan's hand to find it. Five fingers intertwining with six. An old gesture of reassurance. Quiet and secret, Pa wasn't big on sentimentality. That stuff was for women and crybabies. The secrecy wasn't a necessity anymore, Sherman didn't mind, but the gesture had carried them through long enough to become ingrained.

"I'm scared." Ford said. The confession came with ease. Just one of the millions that had been dispersed into the darkened bedroom over the years. Half a childhood spent.

"Me too." Stan's voice answered, drifting up from below. "Ya thinking about the war?"

Ford nodded into his pillow, before remembering Stan couldn't see him. "Yeah."

Silence descended on the room like a blanket again. Soft, but very palpable and almost suffocating.

It had been a perfectly normal day at first. When they woke up that morning, everything had been just fine. Perfectly average. You never really appreciate 'avrage' until it's threatened.

There'd been recruiters at their school, talking to the older students about war and enlistment and other things Ford wanted nothing to do with. It was something he was going to ignore. It didn't concern him. He and Stan were both too young. He'd felt a strange sense of almost invulnerability at that. So he'd just kept walking. He'd gotten caught up in an interesting discussion with his physics teacher at the end of the lesson, and was far more concerned with the fact that he was running late to meet up with Stan for lunch. But then it'd hit him with the same speed and ferocity as an oncoming freight train that while he and Stan might be in the clear, that same certainty was in no way extended to Sherman.

The closest thing to a parent they had, and an uncaring universe had just added his name to some nebulous lottery where being picked would spell tragedy.

Sherman was security, and now he might be ripped away.

Suffice to say, they hadn't gone to get food after that. Instead, the entire lunch period had been spent locked up in a bathroom stall, Stan trying his best to talk Ford down from the ensuing panic attack without becoming overwrought himself.

"What do we do, Stan?" Ford's voice was low and miserable. He'd managed to pull himself together for the entire evening, not wanting to worry Sherman. But problems always seemed much bigger in the dark, and this one was insurmountable enough in daylight.

"I donno." Stan said. "Do ya wanna go talk with 'im?"

"I don't know."

Ford went quiet again, just listening to the rumbling heater and the odd car passing by outside. If there was one thing he missed about their old room, it was the sound of the ocean. A busy road was no substitute for calming waves.

Did he want to go talk to Sherman? Yes. The sense of comfort he usually got - both of them usually got - from doing that was so deep rooted it was only surpassed by the comfort they could find in eachother. But this was about Sherman, so venting their fears with him might help. He never got upset at them for doing so, not for being 'sissies' or for keeping him up when he had work in the morning or for bothering him. The fact that they could go wake him up if they needed it was another one of those truths that had taken a long time to sink in. But after a bad bout of the flu had almost escalated to hospitalisation for both of them because they wouldn't tell Sherman they weren't feeling well they'd sat down and had a very long chat about the importance of communication. It still felt like night and day compared to Pa.

"I guess I want to go talk to him. But it feels stupid."

"You know he wouldn't see it like that." Stan's hand squeezed Ford's comfortingly.

"I know. But..."

But what? Ford wasn't sure how to articulate the issue. Not even to himself really. He wanted to go and ask for reassurance, he wanted that familiar comfort. The one that made him think of sitting up late at night being hugged and reassured through childhood stomach aches and emotional breakdowns over bullies. That strange paradoxical feeling of a miserable situation made almost... Cozy? None of those situations were ever good. The things that facilitated them hurt. But that hurt facilitated closeness and safety, and those emotions were always the ones that remained. They were good memories tinged with something bad. Or maybe bad memories overwhelmed by something good?

So yes. He wanted that. He wanted to make a good memory out of this hurt.

But that felt selfish.

The situation was horrible. Horrible to the point where trying to make something good, however miniscule, come out of it almost felt like it'd be disrespectful. Making light of something that should stay dark. That should hurt, and only hurt.

"Ford? Ya still awake?"

Ford breathed shakily through his nose. Trying to stop his voice from wavering the way he just knew it would.

"I want to go talk to him. But it feels wrong."

"Why?"

"I don't know how to- I don't-" Ford paused, focusing on breathing again. Intellectually, he knew he didn't have the keep the emotions tapped down. Another lesson Sherman had worked hard to drill into them. It was okay to cry and dad was an asshole for demanding they don't. But he still didn't want to. It still felt somehow weak. Shameful. "I want to go, I want to make it feel better, but I also don't want to make it feel better because it hurts and it should. It should hurt. It's awful."

Stan remained quiet for another few seconds. Usually he had no qualms about blurting out whatever came to his mind, but maybe this situation required more thought.

"Let me get this straight... The reason you don't want to go and talk to Shermie is because ya want to be upset?"

Ford didn't know if that was it or not. He couldn't make heads or tails of his own emotions. They felt huge and overwhelming, too big to fit inside him but also too big to unravel and understand. Like a nest of gigantic snakes all tangled up in eachother, chaotic and confused, hissing and biting itself.

"It's bad. It's so bad that trying to make it good feels wrong." He didn't know if that was it either.

Stan let go of his hand, and Ford instantly mourned the loss of contact. Comfort? Wasn't comfort what he didn't want? He was so confused, he just wanted everything to make sense. He lifted the corner of his t-shirt to wipe at his stinging eyes as Stan's face appeared over the side of the bed.

"Ford... Look, it's okay to let things hurt, but it's also okay to make them hurt less." Stan looked at him intensely. Ford felt himself becoming even more choked up at the scrutiny. "No, seriously. It's like... Like breaking a leg, right? Remember that time in fourth grade when you did that?"

Ford nodded, slightly unsure what this had to do with anything.

"It hurt, and it's okay that it hurt. It made sense that it hurt, and you don't pretend like it doesn't. But just because it makes sense that it hurts doesn't mean it was bad that you got painkillers and a cast. Without that junk it wouldn't have healed right."

That... He supposed that might be a valid analogy. Maybe Stan had a point.

"So... You think we should go?"

"Are you going to feel any better if we don't?"

Ford considered for a moment, still warring with the conflicting emotions twisting his stomach all up in knots. But he thought maybe it was slightly less. Shaking his head, he excavated himself from the nest of blankets and clambered down the ladder. Moving through the darkened apartment and arriving to knock at their brother's door as they'd done so many times before.

In the end, it did help. Sitting huddled together on the bed in the dark until the sun began to rise and the fear crept away with the shadows. Until it felt safe enough to fall asleep, secure in the knowledge that everyone would still be there come morning. The situation was large and looming and firmly out of their control. That much didn't change. They couldn't decide how things would end, but they could decide how they would cope. And they would cope.

Together.

[the-darklings]

—𝐭𝐢𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞;

⤫ pairing: johnny silverhand x corp!v(ermillion)

⤫ summary: Usually, they’re a calamity together—destructive and volatile as each other. But right now, just for a second, there is only music and them.

⤫ word count: 2.3k+

⤫ warnings: spoilers for act i & side mission the ballad of buck ravers, third person but can be read as RI ig, swearing, written in one sitting so who knows what the final result is - certainly not me. 

⤫ notes: let me leave my clown shoes outside.

It starts out the way it always does. 

One ring leads to another and she suddenly finds herself running or driving around the Night City with little to no rest, pulling one job after another. The more jobs she closes the more she seems to be in demand.

Good for business. Good for making a name for herself, too, but not so good on her overall being. 

She’s been running. Like a fucking coward. Filing her days with meaningless shit while trying desperately not to think about her ticking clock. About Jackie. 

Guilt gnaws on her bones daily. She should have done more, been better, more careful. Jackie never should have died. It was stupid and blind ambition that drove them both to try and pull this near impossible heist in the first place. Her own reckless drive has blinded her, and now the person closest to her in this fucking city is nothing more than a cold corpse. 

Fuck.

She should have sent him to his family instead. She only wanted to spare them from the grief of having to see Jackie in the state he was in but now Araska has his body and god knows what those assholes might be doing with it. 

And now…

Well she has nothing to lose, does she? She’s already dying, already hunted, her only close friend is dead. She promised to make him proud. Make it to the big leagues or make a league all on her own if that’s what it takes. Bleed this city dry if that’s the price to pay for what she wants. 

Back when she worked for Arasaka she wanted knowledge which led to power. Then she wanted guns and money and a roof over her head. 

Now she wants something more. After coming face to face with her own fragile morality, she has begun to realise how meaningless things like money and power are. Now she wants to surpass that. To become something immortal—something that will outlive her body. Maybe even outlive this city.  

Jackie should have been one of such people. 

“You look like you’re about to shit yourself,” a voice drawls from beside her, a crackle filling the air as a too familiar silhouette of a man appears in her sight. “Or cry.”

“Fuck off.”

V turns away from one Johnny Silverhand because it’s hard to look at him and not be reminded of the fact that she’s slowly dying and the construct only she can see and hear is the one doing the deed.

“This self-pitying bullshit needs to stop,” he says, ignoring her vicious words. “We share a brain, remember? I feel what you feel. It’s downright depressing in your head right now.”   

Her jaw clicks at the reminder. Everyday she wakes up and feels like they’re linked by a bridge—he stands on one side, and she on another. When they come closer, she can feel it—feel him. The overlap is near dizzying, overwhelming, even a little addictive. But it’s always followed by agony because she fights back, tries to shove him away. If not, he will consume her, but she will get him out of her head before that ever happens. 

You share a brain now, Vik had told her only days prior, his eyebrows knitted tight and—albeit subdued—but clear worry in his low voice, senses and memories, even perception. Eventually it will become impossible to tell whose who anymore. 

The worst thing is the fact that he’s right. 

She can feel Silverhand rooted inside her; a constant, a presence that is persistent to a point she knows she’s not alone even if she wishes to be. 

An echo of a being deep inside her.

“Then get the hell out,” she bites back, fighting to keep her temper leashed so she doesn’t burst out at him like she did at the diner. She can still remember the wary stares she received from the diners when she started shouting verbally at a figment only she could perceive in the first place. “I didn’t ask for a parasite to make himself home in my brain.”

Johnny scoffs under his breath, raising a cigarette to his mouth, and she’s nearly overcome with need to remind him that he’s fucking dead, and can’t smoke. That, and the fact that she would prefer him to leave her the fuck alone. 

“You did the job, didn’t ya? You sure you didn’t have this comin’?”

Flipping him off, she storms past him, her jaw clenched to appoint it aches and eyes narrowed. Just her luck not only to get stuck with a human tumour but for the said tumour to be a bastard to boot.  

So much for being buddies. 

Sun has set over Westbrook hours ago yet Chinatown is as busting with life as always. Overflowing with conversations all spoken in different languages, smells, distant gunshots, and people from all walks of life just trying to survive. Even during her years with the Arasaka, she never quite got used to the vastness of the Night City—not even when she was sure she was at the top. The way this city seems to breathe and fester day in and out; a living beast full of dangers and potential is unique. 

Lost in the crowd, it’s almost easy to forget who she is aside from another face in the said crowd. She’s not a merc, not an ex-corp working counterintelligence—she’s not anything. 

Her optics catch sight of several Tiger Claws lingering around the market, and she makes sure to give them a wide berth, especially when she notes the impressive list of their stats. She’s not stupid enough to attack outright when they outclass her—for now—and there are several of them around. With the market this busy the only outcome to that fight would be a bloodbath with police on her ass when that’s the last thing she needs right now. 

Despite that logical part inside her steering her well clear of the gang members the need to blow off some steam bubbles under her skin. An ache starts to form against her temple soon after, making her focus blur around the edges as she wanders from vendor to vendor aimlessly. 

“Hey, V,” a rumble of a voice cuts through her thoughts—and she hates how she can’t quite ignore his voice unlike everyone else—and turns her head in the direction of the call. She had foolishly assumed he was going to give her some peace of mind for tonight at least. “Check this guy out.”

Walking up a dimly lit staircase, she had barely noticed a man sitting on a rickety chair and playing a guitar. Much like her, others walk right past him, ignoring the man altogether. 

Johnny glimmers into sight, squatting in place and oddly intent on observing the old man while he plays.   

She entertains the idea of walking away simply to piss him off. If something is of interest to him, then she wants to ignore it so hard it gets under his nonexistent skin. Petty, perhaps, but ever so satisfying. 

Hearing no reply or receiving much reaction at all, Johnny slants his head her way, nodding once towards the man, “What do you think?”

Squinting, she drags her gaze towards the guitarist, crossing her arms over her chest while she listens. She’s not even sure why she’s bothering but…

The melody is slow, near drowned out by the bustling sounds of the nearby market and chatter of people walking past. 

“He’s...fine?” she offers lamely. “I mean he’s pretty good.”

A slight smirk crosses over Johnny’s mouth—gone in a blink but the focus he places on the man who seems to be unaware of her or the silent second spectator surprises her. 

“Loses tempo more than he keeps it,” he comments, almost absently, and she feels her eyebrows arch in another show of bewilderment. A quiet spells falls over their little nook, and Johnny listens more, thoughts rolling inside his head if his body language is any sign. “Sloppy on the technique but he has feeling in the way he plays. Can’t teach that.”

“If only you didn’t die,” she sighs softly, closing her eyes in mock sympathy. “This could have been you.”

He surprises her again by laughing at that. It’s a deep rumble of a sound, and she can almost feel it echo between them and their mental bridge. “You’re kinda of a bitch. Has anyone told you that before?”

Her teeth flash in the dim orange glow of the neon lights. “And you’re sort of a dick. Anyone tell you that before?” she wonders with a charming, practiced smile. 

He flickers out of sight and she’s about to call it a mental victory but a tickle of electricity kisses across the bare curve of her shoulder and neck, and she shivers when he appears beside her. His arms are crossed as well, and he glances her way briefly.

“Seems to me like we’re two peas in a fuckin’ pot, then,” he points out easily, and shakes his head, seemingly amused by his own words. “I might have tried to kill you a few weeks ago but look at us being chummy, Ver.”

Her throat closes up at that, expression tightening. He notices of course. Or maybe it’s the unease that slices through her mind at the casual way he uses her nickname. 

“What? Am I not allowed to call you that or somethin’?” he wonders curiously, seemingly entertained by her reaction. Asshole. 

“Only my friends call me Ver.”

Jackie was the first. 

That thought makes her swallow painfully, a dull ache clawing against her heart. One would think that years being a corpo would have wiped whatever humanity still lived in her but Jackie’s death had been a stark reminder that she couldn’t be further from the truth if she tried.  

“Why?”

She gives him a flat look. “Because my full name is Vermillion, but people tend to find it a mouthful so…”

“Vermillion,” he repeats, his intonation dry, and she shoots him a quick glare, daring him to make an issue of it. Naturally, his next words don’t surprise her, “That’s a stupid fuckin’ name.”

“Oh, because Johnny Silverhand is so much better.”

She expects him to say something snarky in return, argue maybe, but he only snorts. His metal hand lifts, pushing his aviators down slightly as he glances at her over them.

“You got me there.” 

Usually, they’re a calamity together—destructive and volatile as each other. But right now, just for a second, there is only music and them. Shadows and life of the Night City holding them both suspended in this moment. No arguments or biting comments. No guilt, either. 

A slight smile tugs across her mouth as she continues listening to the man play his downbeat little tune. Her shoulders loosen, drooping slightly and she lets herself breathe for a moment. Just the one. 

“Used to be just like him,” Johnny speaks up suddenly, his voice more subdued, lower, and taps his fingers against the cigarette he’s holding. “But better. Used to play everywhere we could. Garages, bars. Anywhere that would have us, and we always had an audience.”

She hums, offering him a brief glance. “You mean you were actually good?”

She can’t see his eyes in the darkness of the street or through his tinted shades. But despite that, she can still feel his glare and the mental bite of chagrin/irritation/why is she so annoying? and deeper than that a spark of amusement/little shit thinks she’s funny. 

“What’s this?” he muses, his words sarcastic. “A corpo rat that actually has a sense of humour? Colour me surprised.”

“No can do,” she shoots back promptly, fighting back a wider grin. “You’re too dead for that.”

He tsks, throwing his cigarette to the ground and she almost rolls her eyes. “Can’t wait to be out of your damn head, princess.” 

“Can’t wait to be rid of you, either, so the feeling is mutual.”

Their words might be stringent but she can almost taste the faint amusement trickling between them and under that bridge that connects them. 

“There might still be some bootlegs of those old days,” he muses thoughtfully. “People used to record everything back in my day.”

She drags her gaze his way, lips thinning into a firm line, “I’m not becoming a fan, if that’s what you’re hoping for.”

“Afraid you’ll hear real music and won’t be able to go back to this modern garbage I hear everywhere?”

There is challenge in his words and she bristles. Maybe this is what she needs. She may not be able to put holes in some Tiger Claws with her sniper rifle but she sure as hell can go on a scavenger hunt and see what she finds. 

Besides, it might help her to understand the man nested inside her mind a little better.

So when an hour later the old, wrinkly vendor asks her why he should give her his oldest, most precious Samurai vinyl, she tells him the truth. 

A twisted truth. 

But truth all the same.

“He’s with me every step I take, every move I make,” she confesses softly, something deep down breathing awake at that admittance. “Johnny’s like my conscience. My eternal, infernal moral compass.”  

She doesn’t miss how the man in question doesn’t appear, doesn’t say anything even after hearing that. She would have figured he would be the first in line to offer her some mocking, snarky comment but there is only silence. 

In fact, she can barely feel him at all. The tether between them is still and quiet. 

And his silence says a lot more than he probably realises. 

.

an: hello. guess whose not dead and kinda back to writing. dunno how much of cp77 you should expect because coa is still my priority but maybe occasional fic for these dumbos is on the cards. oh, and takemura because cdpr are cowards for not giving us that enemies to friends/partners to lovers romance. also I know this isn’t strictly RI and I honestly considered writing it as such but saw...no point? since the premise still would have been the same, so something a little different today ig. 

[vs-redemption]

I originally gave this idea to someone else awhile ago but I can’t find it anywhere anymore but I do remember it was a nice idea lmao and bc I love your writing I’ll give it to you as well!

Bacon bits Dabi x Polar opposite reader. And I mean this in literally every way possible. Like he’s all black leather, rough and tough and she’s all pink glitter, soft and sweet.

I love you!! - 🐱💕

From Cindy: Hello 🐱anon!!! Thanks for requesting this fun idea. At first I thought this was going to turn out to be kind of goofy, but then it ended up being kind of... sweet? I don’t know. Let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy it!

Opposites Attract (Dabi x Polar Opposite! Fem!Reader)

⚠️This story contains some spoilers about Dabi’s past ⚠️

Nobody was more confused about how Dabi had ended up dating someone like you, who was so completely opposite to his personality in every way, than Dabi himself. He knew very well that it made no sense, and logically, everything about you should have grated on his nerves. Somehow though, it didn’t. Somehow, you two worked.

If you were to ask anyone else in the League of Villains, they’d snicker behind their hand before telling you that Dabi had mommy issues. The way you doted on your boyfriend so sweetly would have been nauseating to all of them if it weren’t for the fact that you were just as kind to the rest of them too. You were always quick to rush to their aid whenever you saw one of them looking hurt or upset, while Dabi preferred to make fun of them or just ignore them altogether.

“Are you sure you should even be with Dabi?” Spinner would ask while you checked the bump he’d gotten on his head from driving like a maniac during one of their missions. “You could do so much better.”

Dabi hated whenever they tried to put ideas of leaving him in your head, and sometimes he worried there was truth behind their teasing. He wouldn’t go as far as to say he had “mommy issues,” but your soft and gentle nature did remind him of some of the less terrible times he’d had during his childhood with his sister and mother. That was as far as the similarities went though, and he knew none of the people in his biological family would ever go out wearing hot pink or carry a bedazzled phone case. The one thing he did agree with completely was that you could do better than him, but he was too selfish to ever bring that up.

“Look at this one, Dabi!” you smile while tilting your phone toward him, the light from the screen reflecting off his staples. “It’s so cute.”

Normally, Dabi wouldn’t be caught dead cuddling up in bed while scrolling through Instagram pictures of baby animals and cute latte art, but hearing your excited gasps and giggles calmed him down and kept his mind from drowning itself in the bitter hatred he felt toward the rest of the world. Honestly, Dabi envied your ability to find joy and happiness in such simple things. He hardly cared about anything anymore aside from the burning need to ruin Endeavor and all of hero society in general, so forcing him to spend time doing anything frivolous like that actually helped to keep him grounded in the present.

When you had first started dating Dabi, you’d tried to get him to expand his clothing style a bit to include more colors, but that didn’t work out very well. He’d gotten extremely annoyed when you started showing him some outfits you’d bookmarked on your phone that you wanted him to try, and he had rejected every single one. To get revenge for irritating him, he’d snatched up your phone and started looking up some outfits he’d like to see you try on. Of course they were all black and a couple of them even made you blush in embarrassment, causing him to smirk victoriously.

Even though changing his clothing style ended up being a bust, you had still somehow found ways to spend time together doing something fun you could both enjoy. One of Dabi’s favorite things to do together was dye each other’s hair. He’d been a little nervous at first, letting you in on the secret that his hair wasn’t naturally black, but now he really enjoyed letting you take care of hiding the bright white strands of his roots while he closed his eyes and relaxed under your touch. He returned the favor of course, and made sure to give you a heavenly scalp massage while working the color into your hair.

Another thing Dabi actually liked doing was painting your nails. It had surprised you because he was the one to suggest it first after hearing you make a comment about how difficult it was to paint with your non dominant hand, and how you always messed up the wet paint on the hand you’d already finished. Dabi didn’t mind helping you because it was another thing you could do together that also served as a soothing task that kept his inner demons under control.

“Does it always have to be pink?” he’d ask with a huff every single time.

“Yep!” You’d tell him cheerfully, “but I’ll let you pick the decals this time!”

Usually you made him choose from different types of glitter or rhinestones, but every once in a while you’d let him decorate your nails with little skulls or, when he was feeling especially sassy, blue flame stickers that you’d special ordered online to surprise him.

When Dabi really allowed himself to think about it, he knew exactly why he was dating someone so different from himself. It was because you were the first person to ever keep him around because you wanted him there, not because you needed him. The whole reason he’d even been born was to fulfill his father’s sick fantasy of surpassing All Might, and there was no way the League of Villains would put up with his dark, reclusive behavior if it weren’t for his powerful quirk and dedication to the cause.

At the end of the day, dating Dabi didn’t benefit you in any way. He was mean and grumpy, plus he was a villain which made it hard for him to support you the way a partner should. The only explanation he could think of for you keeping him around was that you truly wanted him to be there, and having someone who could validate his existence like that was something he’d craved since before he’d even been old enough to understand that concept. So, he would endure the snide remarks from other people and sit through as many ridiculous Korean boy band music videos as you wanted if it meant keeping you in his life.

[masterthespianduchovny]

Some people gon be mad at me, but I gotta say it...

Some Scully fans don't understand Scully or her relationship/feelings with/for Mulder.

Scully's relationship with Mulder is this utterly pure thing that is grounded by how much she genuinely cares, respects, and supports him as a person. When you understand Scully's perception of Mulder in this view, seeing her as some long suffering woman doesn't make any sense.

Most of the time Scully sacrifices or choosing Mulder isn't based on romantic feelings, it's based in moral and ethical values and what she holds important. The show sets this up early.

In Squeeze, Tom asks "who's side are you on" and Scully says, "the victim."

This coincides with the side Mulder is on.

Tom was obstructing the case due to his on bias and hatred of Mulder. Despite Mulder's pettiness, Scully understands that Mulder will always prioritize the victim. She chose justice (Mulder) over pettiness (Tom).

When Scully declines a second date with the single father, she's choosing knowledge and curiosity over romance and her personal life.

Interestingly enough, Mulder never asked her to choose him. He's always asked her to be honest about the truth, but he never put her in that situation to prioritize him over her own professional goals or personal life. In fact, he would've understood if she did and said as much.

So when I say some Scully fans don't understand Scully, I'm not being insulting or intentionally rude, I'm saying they're overlooking small character moments that inform her characterization throughout the series.

Scully was not only a workaholic, she LOVED her work. And there wasn't just an obligation to Mulder, it was to the victims as well. I often think about how in this universe, if Mulder and Scully hadn't investigated these cases, either no one would've or it would've never been solved. It must've been something Scully also thought about as well.

Scully mentioned a few times that she joined the FBI to make a difference. Not for prestige or make a name for herself, but to make a difference. She didn't throw away her career for Mulder, she was exactly where she wanted to be. Those other cases handled by mainstream agents were always going to be investigated and solved (if possible), but x file cases?

There's a reason Mulder was called from bumfuck, Kansas or backwoods, West Virginia. There was no one else. Her and Mulder were the only two who took these things seriously.

But also, Scully genuinely genuinely cared for Mulder. Not because she wanted to fuck him, thought he was hot, or really wanted to date him. She enjoyed him as a person. Like truly. After working with him, understanding this beliefs, and meeting many victims, the x files became her passion project too. She attached herself to Mulder because there was no one alive she respected more than him. Someone who stood by their convictions regardless of what others thought to the betterment of people besides him.

He had his flaws, but the great parts of Mulder truly outshined the worst parts of him.

People often overlook how much the x files and her experience changed Scully. The deadpan, straight to the point Scully we know and love came to fruition in season 5. Believe me, I checked. Remember, Scully used to be goofy, open, and free. Then she was abducted, given cancer, kidnapped, sister killed over mistaken identity, etc. That changes a person.

But none of this is Mulder's fault. Mulder changed her in the best way possible. He opened her mind up and challenged her--it was intellectual. Those other things I mentioned made Scully pull within herself and close off. It made her guarded. So suffered so much emotional and mental and literal physical trauma.

As a result, her social interactions changed.

As a reminder, she became a workaholic because of her passion for the x files and she enjoyed it. Then to add on to that, her work was wild as hell, hard to explain, and some of it classified. Scully lived such a unique experience that regularly interacting with others would've been frustrating, exhausting, and her having a sense of feeling misunderstood. And dating would've been a minefield.

Thing is: Scully didn't mind this change to her life. This isn't to say that Scully didn't want or have any friends, it's to say that she didn't strive to have a booming social life nor did she care. Again, she VOLUNTARILY became a workaholic and threw away a normal life for paranormal shit. Someone who does that isn't trying to meet friends for happy hour on Friday or planning to have serious relationships any time soon.

Not only that, some people live lives like this right now and have incredibly fulfilling lives. Some people just work and have one or two friends and they're living their best lives. The idea that just because Scully doesn't have an active dating life and a circle of friends she regularly talks to means that her life is dour is so flawed.

Scully's eventual dissatisfaction with her life was rooted in her believing she should want things that she didn't want. Scully could've walked away. She could've said enough, instead she kept finding reasons to stay because she wanted to be on the x files. And it's quite clear that you can't work on the x files and have a normal life. She didn't want both, she wanted the life that she chose.

At that time, Scully was unable to articulate just how much she wanted to be with Mulder, which is why she positions, "Don't you want to get out of the car?"

She wanted moments of normalcy with him.

And it isn't just because Mulder gets that life because he lives it, its because Scully is actually in love with Mulder for who he is. She's seen Mulder at his best and at his worst and loves every part of him.

Whatever feelings Scully had for Mulder in the past that she pushed away, she couldn't do it anymore. She loved Mulder in a way she couldn't put into words. It was the truest feeling she ever felt, the most sincere thing and she hadn't realized it yet. Then, when she does, it takes them time to get there because Mulder is literally the most important person in her life.

Which seeds were planted back in season 2. In "Little Green Men" (I think), the thought of not working with Mulder saddened Scully because it meant she wouldn't get to see and talk to him. Mulder made a huge impression on her and became important to her very quickly.

So imagine 5-7 years down the road...embracing this feeling and the thought of losing Mulder if things went south would've been devastating for Scully. She wouldn't lose just a partner, she'd lose a best friend too.

Because she genuinely cared for him and he's her literal best friend.

The love Scully feels for Mulder surpasses known definitions of romantic love because her feelings aren't centered in that. She loves him on levels that most people can't imagine. Scully cares for Mulder so much and she shows that by listening to him and protecting him even if Mulder doesn't think he needs protection. She validates him and doesn't trivialize his beliefs even when she doesn't agree with them. It doesn't matter who the person is, Scully will always go to bat for Mulder because he only ever had himself and he needs to someone to say "hey, you're not alone and you're taken seriously."

I bring this up to say, the idea that Mulder doesn't deserve Scully when Scully clearly wants him is flawed. The idea that Mulder should be lucky that Scully "puts up" with him is flawed. The idea that Scully would ever tell Mulder as such or anything resembling (and stressing how she could've been happy with this perfect other man) is flawed. Those first two things are categorically wrong and the last is something Scully would never do because she loves Mulder and that is harmful. Scully would never tell Mulder something that would harm him or that she believed could.

All Things is so pivotal because Scully stops concerning herself with what she believe she should want and embracing what she actually wants: investigating x files and living an unconventional life with Mulder.

Scully wants that.

Not dating around, girls night, or frequent intimate get togethers with her family. She wants to investigate haunted houses on Christmas Eve and discover invisible bodies and help victims find justice.

After her and Mulder get together, she's committed to him. She waited so long to be with him that even while he was in hiding, she never considered dating anyone else. Emotionally and spiritually, she'd been married to him. Now that they'd been together, she didn't want anyone else but him.

Like there's so many layers to this, which hasn't even taken the "like a switch" speech. Or her reaction to Diana, which had multiple levels--romantic, platonic, and professional.

Lastly, the idea that Scully was waiting around for Mulder (to ask her out) is such a basic take. Scully wasn't waiting on Mulder, she prioritized their working relationship over romance AND she knew Mulder had his own stuff going on with himself. Even if she had wanted to date then, she didn't fault Mulder for not asking her out. All the shit he'd been through and was going through, Scully was more concerned about his emotional well-being opposed to upset that he hadn't pursued her.

Although I do get the criticism and the desire for Scully to date, have on screen friends, and shit, it just doesn't track with what we've seen and know of Scully.

Like, this woman almost went on the run with Mulder after knowing him for 2-3 years. They only reason they didn't was because she wanted to see her sister who'd been shot. The reason she almost went on the run was due to moral and ethical reasons and not romance, however, my point is that Scully's convictions and priorities is why her life was the way it was and that's the way she wanted it to be. She then went on the run with him when she didn't have to, but we know she would because 1. his sentence was an injustice (we know how Scully feels about justice) 2. she was madly in love with him and refused to continue living her life without him.

Once again, Scully is discarding any notion of normalcy because she didn't want it and hadn't wanted it since getting assigned to the x files.

And that's on that.

(And it's why I object to the characterization of their relationship in IWTB and seasons 10 and 11. Although it's fine and makes sense for their relationship to have issues at times, the writers handled it so cavalierly and without thought. You cannot have the backbone of the show in a romantic falling out and not address it--not really. They don't try to genuinely deal with such a situation because it's melodrama, but my question is: why introduce it in the first place. If it isn't worth being addressed, it's not worth being introduced. Mulder and Scully had a chat or two, but it was so superficial and lacked teeth. It's not that I wanted the show to focus on them romantically, I just want the show to not bullshit or half ass shit they're introducing and bringing up is all.)

[furblrwurblr]

I suppose this is an improvement...

Douxie x reader, fluff with a side of that good kush crack

Sequel to Patience, Love and a part three on the way!

Warnings: Mild swears, a bit of an innuendo

You and Douxie had been talking the past couple of weeks, and he’d slowly broken your lingering wall of embarrassment from that little incident at the coffee shop. He was indescribably sweet and silly, sending you pictures of items from GDT Arcane books with silly captions. You’d long since met the one responsible for the pawprint signature, and absolutely fallen in love with him. The feeling seemed to be mutual, but you weren’t sure until Douxie brought up his magic to you, allowing Archie to speak with you. It was a loaded conversation for him, his only courage coming from the fact that your thoughts curled around his shoulders every morning and night, and that you knew how much time he spent when he woke up turning this way and that to read your thoughts through his blasted tattoos. He’d been surprised when you very calmly dissolved the ring on your finger, reforming it and twirling it in the air, its consistency like liquid. When he asked why he hadn’t sensed it in your aura, all you really knew was that it was one of the Old Magicks, before Light Conjurers like himself had become the predominant class. After that, he spoke with you far more, wanting to learn about your magic and excited his soulmate was like him. 

༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓

Warped Tour had seemed ages away then, but now it was the day of. You’d just picked up your phone when the intercom buzzed, alerting you that he was here. Hm, scarily punctual, you’d just watched the clock on your lock screen flash 7:00. You buzzed him in and waited by the door, his fast footsteps quickly being surpassed in speed by your heartbeat. 

He quickly rapped a knuckle on the door, a nervous smile spreading across his face as you opened the door a little too enthusiastically. He brought his hands from behind his back to reveal… a trollish artifact?

“It’s an Antramonstrum shell to protect your flat. I don’t like the idea of anything taking advantage of your limited offensive magic,” he explained, looking from it to you, trying to discern your reaction.

You were in shock. This man comes to your door promising a nice dinner before he whisks you across the country on a traveling band tour, and he brings you a gift? You’d been expecting flowers or a book but this… it was beautiful. Screw whatever protective capabilities it had, the thing was gorgeous. A beautiful dark base of textured, volcanic rock and ethereal spires of glowing, purple crystal. You gently took it from him, turning it in your hands.

“Where would be best to put it?” you finally asked, remembering its intended purpose.

Douxie unsuredly looked to you, the door, then into the flat causing you to remember something else: he’d been standing in the doorway this entire time. Outside. In the hall. Apologies poured out of you as you threw open the door the rest of the way and ushered him inside. He laughed before taking a quick look around the main area before settling on you. That laugh, every time you heard it was like the first, making your heart blossom. Hah, there’s that word again. First. 

You shook your head and pulled yourself out of the clouds to give him a quick tour. He placed the shell on the dresser in the front area and turned to you, hands fiddling against his pockets.

“You ready to go? Our reservation’s in half an hour, we’ve got time to walk before we head off. We can drop your bag off at the bookstore.”

You nodded and grabbed your hiking pack. He’d said you’d be camping together, just for the fun of it, so you packed everything. He chuckled when he saw you, the pack weighing you down almost comically. He tapped it as you passed, a flash of blue light instantly reducing the load.

Walking and talking for the next half hour came naturally, both of you playing off one another’s excitement. Animated conversation followed you both on the near-empty streets of Arcadia.

༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓

The dinner was pleasant, nothing extravagant but certainly among the nicer establishments of the area. He tried to tip the waiter after paying for it all, but you’d slapped his hand away and left $15, really the largest you could afford to.

༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓

After picking up both of your bags and saying farewell to Archie, who wasn’t a fan of any concert Douxie wasn’t a part of, he led you to the woods. Ominous, sure, but he assured you it was worth it. Finally, you two reached a clearing and he plopped his bag down, rummaging through it. He revealed a ball that barely fit comfortably in his hand, raised it, and smashed it against a root. You yelped, covering your face to prevent getting hit with any shards of glass, but there were none. Instead, there now stood a majestic gold and eggshell white boat before you, with a swirling mess of rings and green magic at the back. You stared, mouth agape as Douxie turned to you, hands on his hips and a smirk on his face.

“Let’s close that,” he said, gently placing two fingers under your chin and closing your mouth. He leaned in close, breath fanning over your ear. “Wouldn’t want to catch any flies,” he teased, before dancing backward and slinging his pack over his shoulder. He lifted yours in a sustained flash of blue, its contents rattling in protest when it landed in the boat. You followed him up the now-extended wing of the boat, feeling the metal and magic meld below your feet.

“I’ve got a couple questions,” you stated as he rummaged through a long compartment in the boat’s side.

“Go for it,” he responded, eyes lighting up in triumph as he pulled out a long, golden rod. 

“First off, how come you lifted my pack and not yours?”

“Magic isn’t a permissible shortcut to hard work,” he recited. It sounded practiced, so he must hear it often. “For you though, there’s a bit of wiggle room.” He sat across from you on the bench, rod laid in his lap.

Oh, so he got flirty as the night deepened. Good to know. You were curious where his little mantra came from, but you brushed it aside and stuck with the questions you already had. “Alright then, you tease, what’s the green thing in the back?”

His chest puffed a bit with pride. “One of my Master’s creations, he calls it a small Heart of Avalon. Runs on time.”

“It runs on time?”

“It runs on time,” he confirmed with a glint in his eye.

If you weren’t impressed before, you sure were now. “That’s all I’ve got for now,” you said, still processing the magical artifact meant to power this boat.

Douxie stood, twirling the rod in his hand. With his other, he summoned a microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves! What you’re about to witness is a magical feat like no other!” He tossed it, mic disappearing in a puff of bright blue smoke. He twirled the rod in the air a few times and slammed the end into the circular port between the benches. The lazy rings roared to life, spinning impossible fast. You looked at him, delighted. He winked at you and braced himself against the rod while you stumbled, the boat moving beneath you.

“You could have warned me!” you chided.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he laughed.

The boat soared into the sky, the forest already small. He pushed the rod into a tilt, the boat surging forward. The air tousled his hair, long sides whipping against his face. You two were euphoric, happy to be with one another. 

He shifted the rod a bit to stay in its current position before sitting next to you on the bench. You two were quiet for a moment until Douxie spoke up. You couldn’t see him properly, but you could tell he was fighting a smile. He lifted up his sleeve, your thoughts about his demeanor after-hours just beginning to fade. “I’m impressed you were able to wait until after dinner this time, little minx,” he said evenly, a snicker escaping him afterward. 

You nudged his arm with an indignant half-scoff, face burning at the nickname’s return.

Some time passed, conversation flowing gently. Douxie’s phone began vibrating, ringtone muffled. He pulled it out, the tune now all too clear, his lip between his teeth trying to suppress a shit-eating grin. Zoe’s smiling face mocked you from the screen to that wretched tune. 

“Saw this boy at the mall last week, got the kind of look to make me freak…”  the rest faded as you contemplated leaping off the side of the boat to become one with nature.

“Douxie! Why!” you scolded through a fit of giggles.

“Hey, Zo,” he laughed into the mic, putting her on speaker.

“Yes!!! She heard it! That was such a good decision, extraordinarily sexy of me for the suggestion. You guys getting close yet?”

“We’re about a quarter of the way, we’ll be there fairly soon.”

A quarter? It hadn’t been that long, just how fast were you going? The wind had died down, your hair no longer swirling violently. You looked over the side to try and glean any understanding of your speed to no avail.

You returned to Douxie’s side as he was finishing up on the phone. He handed it to you after saying his goodbyes, saying Zoe wanted to speak to you briefly. He’d taken it off speaker, so you held it to your ear.

“Hey, sweets. How you holdin’ up?”

You beamed at the term of endearment. “I’m doing alright, he hasn’t killed me yet.”

“I’m more worried about him after how you two met. Don’t jump his bones on the first night, love you, bye!” she snickered.

You barely stammered a farewell through your embarrassed smile before the line went dead. Douxie smirked at you, knowing exactly what was said despite not being able to hear it.

He stood and walked past you to tend to the steering mechanism, not before pausing, placing a hand on your shoulder and speaking into your ear again. His breath tickled your ear, his voice low.

“Patience, love.”

[nicka-nell]

What they give you for the anniversary 🖤

Pairing: Sakusa x reader, Kuroo x reader, Oikawa x reader, Sugawara x reader Warning: none, just fluff

Sakusa and you haven’t been together very long, so he had a hard time coming up with something for your anniversary. He found it exhausting the last two years to think of something but he can’t offer you just another massage. Already several days before, he had sat down at the laptop and looked for romantic ideas for the anniversary.

But he quickly realized that these ideas were only written by strange people. A hike at night… What if he stumbles over a root and sprains his ankle, most of the time you have no net in the forest and he would probably die. Or a romantic movie… Far too many people in such a small room, on dirty benches covered with fabric, where probably a sweaty, not showered person sat on it before. No, these ideas are just terrible.

He didn’t think of anything until your anniversary, and now he only has a few hours until you come home. “Maybe I should take a ba-” He wants to say ‘bath’ when the great idea comes into his mind. “A romantic bath….” he’s mumbling to himself.

Quickly Sakusa goes into your garden and cuts off a few rose petals from your rose bush. You wouldn’t notice a few roses missing anyway. At least he hopes so…

The water of your tap in the kitchen still runs into the sink, while Sakusa is in the process of plucking the rose petals from the flowers and then placing them in the water and cleaning them. He thoroughly cleans them before he tears a few cloths from a roll and puts the rose petals on them and dabs them dry with another cloth.

He leaves the petals for a while on the cloths and in the meantime prepares two glasses with sparkling wine. With a wooden plate on which he has put a few rose petals on it and has now also placed the sparkling wine and a bowl of grapes, he goes into the bathroom and lets the water in.

He now distributes the remaining rose petals on the floor and lights a few more candles. Thoughtful, he searches on his mobile phone for romantic background music and also quickly finds it. While a calm melody comes from his cell phone, Sakusa supports his hands on his hip. If he should undress first? After all, you should be there in a few minutes. He thinks briefly and sharpens his mouth, but then decides to undress and put on his black silk coat. And at exactly the right time, because just as he’s making the bow on his silk coat, he hears your key in the door lock.

“Hello my pretty princess.” he greets you with a slightly sweaty smile and slowly walks towards you. Lovingly he hugs you and gives you a kiss on the forehead. “Come on princess, I have a surprise for you.” He adds quickly and does not leave you the time to answer him. Quite surprised and stunned you just follow him and are speechless when you come into your bathroom.

“Yoomi, this is really beautiful.” you’re still whispering overwhelmed. “As beautiful as you. Happy anniversary, my princess.” He whispers into your ear from behind and puts his hands around your body. The silk coat that adorned his body until now is no longer on him as you feel his warm body on your back. “Let me help you take your clothes off and then get in the bathtub together.” He breathes to you, while his hands open the first buttons of your blouse and his mouth gently kisses your neck.

Kuroo has been coming up with a new anniversary gift for over five years. And also this year he is looking forward to surpassing the glow from your face from last year. He has done a lot of work with your present this year and he has to admit that he is also really proud of his imaginative idea.

He pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and makes sure what time it is. You’d have to be home in an hour, enough time to get on his way now and place everything where it needs to be. With a mischievous but also proud smirk, he puts the stick bread dough in a can and sets off.

“Happy anniversary, you old cat.” You call joyfully into your apartment, but there is no answer from Kuroo. “Tetsu? Are you home?” you ask, but again no answer comes. Pouting, you go into the living room and just want to sit on the couch and get your phone out when you find a note on the table. 

As a cat you sometimes climb up high when the birds are chirping.

Completely confused, you look at this piece of paper for several minutes, and try to guess what Kuroo was thinking while writing this. But then you remember that a few years ago you freed Kenma’s cat from a tree, because she wanted to climb up to a bird’s nest, but didn’t come down by herself. Maybe you should go there now?

You get up with a shrug, because since Kuroo is not at home and you actually wanted to spend time with him, you have nothing else to do. The zipper of your jacket is a bit jammed when you put it on and close the door behind you.

When you reach the tree, you look up at the top of the tree. “You gotta be kidding me Kuroo… I’m not supposed to climb up that tree, you idiot…” You sigh with your hands in your pocket. 

Annoyed, you make a step towards the tree when you notice a relatively large stone on the tree root. Sceptically you examine it and lift it up. Relieved you tear off a small piece of paper that was glued under the stone.

You thought you didn’t have to climb? Sorry kitten but the compass and the next hint are up in the bird nest.

“Kurro you asshole.” you curse annoyed as you climb up the tree and take out a compass as well as another note from the little empty bird nest.

You have to go east and cross fields. When you see the light shine, you have reached your goal.

“When I see the light shining?” Questioning you look into the sky, where the stars are already clearly shining. “Kuroo you idiot, you have probably forgotten that it is night and here nothing shines anymore.” Meanwhile, you don’t feel like going on this scavenger hunt anymore, but look at the compass to head east.

After ten minutes, in which you also walked over fields, you now stand in front of a small hill, on which you see a small light on the top. It could be fire… The light is the target… You accelerate your steps and walk towards the hill, where you already see Kuroo standing with his hands in his pockets in front of the fire. He doesn’t seem to have noticed you.

However, not only do you see Kuroo, no, next to him are two sticks stuck in the ground, on which something like stick bread is on it. A small fire illuminates the square around Kuroo and to the right of the fire you see a mattress and two blankets as well as a few pillows and water. 

“Tetsu?” You ask surprised and with a smile on your face. His features relax as he sees you, and comes up to you with a smirk. “Took you a long time, kitten.” He just says and hugs you. “Come here and have a bite, I made some stick bread.” He greets you and gives you several short kisses on your cheeks, nose, hairline and mouth.

Together you eat the bread and cuddle up in the blankets while looking at the starry sky. “Do you know the meaning of those stars, kitten?” He asks you while he still holds you tight in his arms and leans his head against yours. “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.” You laugh up and look aside to look him in the eye. Lovingly he looks down at you. “They mean I love you.” With love he kisses you and pushes you even closer to himself. “Happy Anniversary, kitten.”

You’ve been with Oikawa for over seven years, and every anniversary, he was grateful to Iwaizumi for every time he saved him from a stupid gift idea. This time it’s the same. “Hey Shittikawa, what do you want to give y/n this time for the anniversary?” Ask him Iwaizumi, who is just biting off his bun. “Let me guess, a pillow with your face on it.” He laughs up and notices how Oikawas, until an earlier still cheerful face, looks sultry at him.

“Oikawa don’t fuck with me. This is really the worst idea you’ve had so far.” He sighs and lets his head hang down. “Iwa-chan! Don’t be so mean to me! The idea is not so bad, after all, she should always remember me when I am abroad.” he sulks. 

“Instead of always giving her some kitsch, you can also evoke a beautiful memory.”, “Oh yes? And how should that work? Should I just make a time machine and jump through time and take her with me?” With his eyebrows folded together, he rests his cheek on his hand.

“Hey the idea is not so bad Shittykawa. Maybe you don’t need a time machine, but you could re-enact your first date, for example. You know like… you put on what you were wearing on your first date, somehow get her to wear what she was wearing on your first date, go to the place you had your first date, and just so on?” Thoughtfully he looks over to his friend and waits for his reaction.

“Iwa-chaaan! This is really great! Okay, I have to go, I have to get things ready.” with a narrow smile he says goodbye to his friend and sets off with his hands in his pockets on the way home. After he has finished all the preparations, he just writes you a message and closes the door behind him.

You come home a little stressed out, and still annoyed by Oikawa. He had written to you that his parents want to meet you on the beach in the fish restaurant and that you should wear the outfit that he likes most on you.

Your anger is still on your face as you stomp to the beach. The sun is just about to set and all the time you have been writing with Oikawa. He didn’t congratulate you on your anniversary. Has he forgotten your anniversary? Yes, definitely.

But when you get to the restaurant, you don’t see Oikawa. Also his parents are not to be seen. Is this man kidding you? Your anger rises to the immeasurable and angry you stomp out of the restaurant, to the beach. You take a deep breath and close your eyes as a hard object hit your head.

“Hey you asshole watch where you throw!” You roar with a fist in the air. But when you open your eyes and see Oikawa approaching you with an apologetic look, his sight awakens a wonderful memory in you. 

“Oikawa… What? What’s going on? Why do you look like you did on our first date and do exactly the things you did on our first date?” You ask irritated and then look down at yourself. “Why do I look like I did on our first date and why do I do exactly what I did on our first date?” You add and look again at Oikawa questioningly.

 “Hi I’m Oikawa, I’m really sorry I threw the ball at your head. Actually, I’m a pretty good player, you know.” Oikawa laughs embarrassed and scratches the back of his head. “I think someone threw a ball at the back of your head. What’s going on Oikawa?” You ask again, but again he doesn’t answer you. 

“Can I buy you dinner, please? There’s a really delicious fish restaurant over there, and I really want to apologize. I’m really very sorry, and I very much hope that I haven’t done much damage to your incredibly beautiful face.” With a loving smile he looks at you and takes your hands in his. You just feel like time has been set back and you’re meeting Oikawa for the first time.

He doesn’t seem to have forgotten your anniversary and you can’t help but smile. “Hey, don’t laugh at me! Y/n-chan!” he pouts and crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Oikawa I-” You’re about to say, but he interrupts you again. “I wanted you to feel like you did on our first date. First angry and then completely in love with many butterflies in the stomach. I wanted to remind you of our first date, and I even put on this ridiculous and ugly shirt. So don’t laugh at me, I liked the idea.” He looks a little sad to the side, but you take his cheeks in your hands and make him look at you.

“This idea is wonderful, but I must say that the butterflies have not come back…” His eyes widen and with a frightened look he takes a step backwards. He looks at you with a sad look, as if he wanted to tell you, please don’t leave me and now you’re the one apologizing.

“I’m sorry, that might have come out wrong. The butterflies were never gone. They’re there every time I see you, the best setter in the world.” You smile with love and give him a kiss on the nose. Still sad, now full of pride, he straightens up and looks at you grinning, almost arrogant. “Come on. Come to the best setter in the world. Happy anniversary, my beautiful butterfly.” he whispers to you and takes you firmly in his arm.

Over ten years ago, Sugawara asked you to be his girlfriend. You couldn’t resist that angelic smile, and you just can’t resist him either. He’s loving, funny, quiet, and you just love him from the hairline to the little toe.

It’s Sunday and outside the sun is already shining through your window and tickling your skin. But it’s not the only thing that touches your skin, even Sugawara’s lips touch your skin lovingly. Somewhat sleepy but with a narrow smile on your face you look to the side where you still see Sugawara lying with no shirt.

“Good morning, my beautiful bird.” With his words he bends forward and gives you a kiss at the hairline. “Good morning Suga, happy anniversary.” You mumble to yourself and get up in bed to hug him. “Thank you, my love. I got something for you.” He answers you and bends forward to bring out a small box under your bed. “Suga, I thought you agreed when we said we weren’t giving each other anything for the anniversary.” You sigh and feel bad about not having a present for him.

“It’s just a little something.”  He smiles again and hands you the box. Skeptically you look down from Sugawara to the box and open it slowly. When you see the content, you almost cry. “Just a little something? Sugawara, it’s hard to put into words how amazing it is.” you sniff with joy and start to look at the content more closely. 

There’s zoo tickets in here from your first date. A parking ticket that Sugawara had forgotten to extend and you still got a ticket at the end and had to pay a lot. Movie tickets... the horror movie that’s been bothering you for days. Again and again Sugawara had to look under your bed if there really were no monsters under it. And again and again his lips formed the words ‘I told you.’

Here is even a shoelace attached to a concert ticket. That was at your concert together, where you lost your shoe and Sugawara gave you his shoes, even though they were too big. He had the shoes tied so tightly that you can’t fall out of them and then went home with wet socks on the stony path. He spent two weeks in bed with a cold. 

There are also a lot of photos in the box. Photos of you two making funny faces. Photos of game nights together with your friends. Pictures of Sugawara or you, where both of you secretly take pictures of each other. While sleeping, eating or whatever stupid stuff.

And there is also a small black case in the box. Only, you can’t assign it to any event. “Sugawara, what’s in the box here?”  you ask him with a thoughtful look. “I don’t know, open it.” he smiles cheerfully as he continues to watch you lovingly.

Hesitantly you open the box and notice how your heart begins to beat wildly. Your mouth opens and your eyes become large and glassy. “Suga…” it comes out of you in tears. A smile, angelic and loving, shows his face as he lovingly takes your hands into his and caresses their back with his thumb.

“Y/N L/n you are the most wonderful woman in the world. And I want to spend more wonderful moments with you, more anniversaries without gifts and watch you sleep peacefully every morning. I want to spend every day and night with you. But I would like to spend the time with you as Y/n Sugawara. Will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?” 

Hastily you nod your head and put the box aside to take him in your arm. “Yes! Yes Sugawara! This is really the best not anniversary gift ever.” You still sniff, but a smile accompanies it and you both start laughing, and let you fall back on the bed together.

[x0401x]

Jeweler Richard Fanbook Q&A

Simple Questions for Seigi-kun (Parts 1 and 2)

Thank you very much for these questions from several people. We had Seigi-kun take a look at everyone’s questions right away and answer as many as he could! Not all of them can be published, but please enjoy Seigi-kun’s answers!

Q.: Seigi-kun looks good with black short hair, but is there any hairstyle that he looks up to? It does not seem to have changed much from when he was a child, but there is this impression that people often do college debuts, so here goes this simple question. The photo on the cover of volume 6 was wonderful. His set-back hair looked very good on him. (Black Short Hair-san)

A.: Hello! I guess it’s the first time I was told that my hair style looks good on me aside from Nakata-san and Richard; thank you very much! As for an image I look up to, huuum, there wasn’t any in particular when I was little, but nowadays, I look up to the two I just mentioned. They’re of different vectors and just really cool! Ah… this is embarrassing, so please keep it a secret. I have the feeling that they already know, though.

Q.: Any words you want to send to your past self from before meeting Richard? (Inu-san)

A.: “Nakata Seigi, you might be reckless, but you technically haven’t done anything wrong! Probably! Hum, you’re mostly thoughtless! But you’re not mistaken! If you see someone being attacked in a park, don’t hesitate to shout and go help him! Also, you might be compensated for doing your best at cooking. Good on you.”

Eh? There’s something from Richard too? “Seigi-kun, you are already passionate enough, but make sure to take a better look at your surroundings. Make sure to cherish yourself. Also, if you get invited to work at a TV station in Shibuya, make sure to just accept it.” Ah, yeah, yeah! I’m also counting on myself for that last one.

Q.: I am a college student just like Seigi-kun. When I have free time, I play video games, read books and talk about fun things with my friends. Seigi-kun, what do you do? Do you read books about gemstones and study after all? (Anzu-san)

A.: Hello! Indeed, during my free time when I didn’t have classes, there were times when I’d do self-study and learn about stones, but when I got together with my friends in the cafeteria or lounge, we’d get roused up over trivial talk. Everyone had a rough idea of the timing they should focus on their studies, so when I think about it nowadays, that might’ve been a “let’s make racket while we can” kind of mood. Looking back on it now, it was fun.

Q.: I am bound to fail every time I make sweets. If there is any trick to making sweets, please tell me. (Satou-san from the Heavens)

A.: Aah… I feel like someone’s already asked me a similar question. Ahem. T-That’s right! First things first, let’s try to stop treating “sweets” like they’re special! I guess this is the trick I can think of. They’re simply like an arithmetic test or a chemistry experiment; it just so happens that, if you mix up the set ingredients, a chemical reaction occurs and you reach the same results. If you lead it to the decided answer, you’ll manage to make something tasty, is all. Try to stick strictly to the recipe, and if it still doesn’t turn out right, I think it’s good to do a reflection on where you might’ve gotten it wrong. Eh…? If it doesn’t go well even then…? Aah… I’m gonna leave my phone number here, so if you have anything you want to eat… Eh? Richard, you want me to knock it off? That’s right. It’s not like I always have time. I almost did something irresponsible. Sorry. I’m cheering for you! See ya!

Q.: Where do you start washing your body from? (Yukinekoya-san)

A.: I’ve never thought about that~! It’s from the hair, but that’s with shampoo and doesn’t count as my body, so… *moves his body as if scrubbing it* I start washing from the neck and ears! But what’re you gonna do by asking that?

Q.: What’s your favorite meat? (Reihenbach-san)

A.: If its for Japanese curry, pork! If it’s for Sri Lanka’s curry, fish or chicken! If it’s for sukiyaki, cattle! I love all kinds of meat! But what flashes in my mind regarding “my favorite meat” is the meat and potato stew that Hiromi used to make, so I guess it’s gotta be beef. There wasn’t much meat in it, so I was able to taste it rather well.

Q.: I am a middle school teacher; Seigi-kun, who was the teacher that left the biggest impression on you? Please leave out Richard-sensei! (Kikuchi-san)

A.: Ah, that question is relatively easy to answer. It’s someone named Yamazaki-sensei, who was my class teacher in high school. He’s a graduate from the faculty of economics at Kasaba University, and he’d compliment me at random. Like, “You sure are working hard” or, “You’re so smart”. So I got cheeky, admired him, and when I told him I wanted to be like him, he said, “Then, how about you aim for my alma mater?” and I replied with, “Yes!”… Since Kasaba is a private institution, it was just a suggestion where I was getting ahead with my feelings, but though Hiromi made a bitter face, she wasn’t against it. Maybe she thought it was better than having her son say that he wanted to start working after graduating from middle school. Sensei was transferred when I was in my first year in university, but I hope he’s doing well.

Q.: Seigi-kun, if you were to compare Richard to an animal, which do you think it would be? (Himawari-san)

A.: If Richard were an animal… I wonder which. Richard feels a bit like an animal even now, so it’s hard, but I’d say human…? No, Richard is a human being. My bad, my bad. An animal with whooshy golden hair and blue eyes… I once had the feeling that the air about him is a bit like a creature named miacis, which I saw before in some illustrated reference book. It’s an ancient animal and seems to be the ancestor of dogs, cats and the like, and its exact appearance isn’t known anymore, but when I think of it as the origin of the beauty of all the animals I like, I wonder if he wouldn’t be something along those lines… Richard, Richard? Why won’t you look at me in the eye?

Q.: Is there any time you laughed the most when you were with Richard-san? Alternatively, if there was any time where you ended up laughing without thinking, please tell me! I am rooting for you! (Heartbreak Akira-san)

A.: Eeh…? Is it okay for me to talk about this…? Ah, I’ve received permission, so I’ll say it. Erm, this is a story from when I was studying French; I suddenly felt like doing a prank when I couldn’t make any progress at all, so I asked Richard-sensei something nonsensical, like, “If you don’t mind, please say ‘steamed bun’ in a really French-like way; I think it’ll definitely sound French to me”. And then the answer that came at me was a perfectly French-styled “steamed bun”… I died of laughter. Sorry for being too descriptive with the details. If you have a French friend close to you, I think you should try to make the same request. I think it won’t sound like Japanese to you. It’s already a bit amusing just remembering it. Hey, Richard. You didn’t find it all that funny? Ah, it was funny when I rolled over laughing? Then I guess we can call it even.

Q.: What are the dishes and desserts that you want to try challenging yourself to make? (Tsugiumi-san)

A.: I get interested in the stuff that I think looks delicious, but they’re a little different from the things I decide to try my hand at making. Richard, is there anything you wanna eat? I’ve noticed this recently: I don’t have much will to make stuff only I want to eat, but if it’s something that someone important to me feels like eating, I suddenly get motivated. That’s why, if there’s… Ah, ah, why’re you punching the cushion?

Q.: Looking at Richard-san and Jeffrey-san, are there any moments or points in which you feel that they are similar? (Yoshimura-san)

A.: Yoshimura-san, hello. There are; from my perspective, there are many. There sure are, but… from the face that the person next to me is making, it seems better not to say too much about it. Let me put this one on hold.

Q.: What was your favorite school lunch menu? For lunch boxes, what were your favorite contents? (Nanatsuji-san)

A.: Hello! I used to like all the school lunch dishes, but as expected, curry was what made me happiest. As for lunch boxes, I’d mostly get an allowance to buy the sandwiches and lunch boxes I liked, and whenever I got more than 500 yen, I’d get to buy a large serving of hayashi rice and would be happy over it. After all, the servings have to be big for a school boy, if nothing else.

Q.: If you switched bodies with Richard upon waking up, what is the first thing you would do? (Sango-san)

A.: Eh...? How? Would it be magic or something? I’d probably think, “Is this a dream?” and go back to sleep. But why would I be in Richard’s body...? I wonder if my head would malfuction from talking too much about how beautiful he is and things would turn out like that. If I got cocky and tried to imitate Richard, I feel like he’d give me one hell of a cold look with those elegant eyes of his, so hum, I wouldn’t do anything, just sleep until the magic wore off. I also think that Richard would be happier when I have the face of Nakata Seigi rather than his own.

Q.: When did you get your growth spurt? (Middle Schooler-san)

A.: Does that mean the time when I got taller? I think it was either in my third year of middle school or first year of high school. It was neither too late nor early among my friends, so while not minding it much, I ended up surpassing Hiromi’s height.

Q.: Seigi-kun, hello.  ♪  Seigi-kun, what kind of fashion do you like? Where do you normally buy clothes? Also, have you changed your style or been influenced after meeting Richard? If you can, please tell us. (*^^*) (Yuriko-san)

A.: Hello! Fashion, huuh... To be honest, before I started working in Étranger, I used to feel like I only needed to keep my clothes as clean as necessary and that they were okay as long as they didn’t look sloppy, but as expected, once you enter a jewelry shop, the number of clothes with high collars increases. Then, I met Richard, and ever since I started working for him, my opportunities to wear a suit increased, but what he often tells me is, “Wear what you like however you like the most you can within the limits”, and speaking of which, I kinda seem to look up to suits with a large silhouette and felt hats, like the ones people used to wear in prewar days. I think this is probably the influence of an actor my Grandma liked. In the past, there was a black-and-white photo of him decorating the apartment where Grandma lived. It would’ve been great if I could’ve showed myself wearing a suit to Grandma.

Q.: Seigi-kun, hello! A question for you. Seigi-kun’s “senpai”, Vincent-san, is a user of Jeet Kune Do, but you are also a black belt at Karate, so I am very curious about what would happen if the two of you actually fought. Since you both master your own matrial arts, so I feel that I would be able to see a cool fight between you. Also, this is just my ponderings, but Seigi-kun, I want you to tell me, from your point of view, how strong you think Vincent-san is and what changes you have of winning. (Monaka-san)

A.: Hello! Erm, when you say “fight”, is it okay to interpret it as a head-on brawl? I think you probably do not practice any martial arts, Monaka-san, so I am going to answer based on that: martial arts abilities and fight abilities are completely different. See, the rules of each martial art are pre-determined, and if you fight within them, you won’t suffer serious injuries and you can decide who wins or loses, but there’s none of that in a brawl, so... Also, I believe both parties know that, if a person who did martial arts to some extent hits someone in earnest, it’ll result in something that can’t be undone, so I think they can’t bring themselves to throw fists with each other. But on the other hand, since we can tell to some degree that we both seem to have have this awereness, I think it’s okay if I so much as throw a paper ball at the back of his head. Vince-san might hit me back, and then I guess I’d fling a straw bag at him next. We might get along a bit better if we both let it out. Sorry that it’d be the light type! I hope this served as an answer.

Q.: A question for Nakata Seigi-kun! To be precise: is there anything that makes you go, “This is the one thing I want to tell Richard-shi!!”~? Even if it is something that is normally hard to say, you might be able to say it here. (*^^*) (Sui-san)

A.: “I’m happy when you eat my pudding; thanks! But I’m begging, for health reasons, that you’re at least careful not to eat too much...! I wanna be with you for a long time. Please. And... also... thanks for always. I’m so grateful to you that I can’t say it enough. It’d be great if I could.” This is it! Aah, that was embarrassing. Eh? “You’re always telling me that much”, you say? Is that so?

Q.: What is your favorite sweet? (Tanaka Milk Tea-san)

A.: That’s a difficult theme... I don’t seem to have any that I’m obsessed with, but anything looks delicious to me if it’s a sweet that Richard eats with relish, so I grow to like it. But when Richard doesn’t eat all of a sweet and leaves some of it, I go, “Could it be he left it for me because he thought I’d like it?” and they also turn out to be so, so tasty. Basically, I like everything. Unless I buy and eat it by myself.

Q.: Nice to meet you; as Seigi-kun faces people very straightforward and honestly, I read every volume while confirming over and over that I also want to live on facing people like that. Is there anything that the aforementioned Seigi-kun always puts in his bag? (Sumiyaki Yuuma-san)

A.: Sumiyaki-san, hello! Being told that I face people honestly is flattering. I do think it’d be great if I actually manage that, but the “honesty” I’m thinking about is my own concept of it, so it’s not like this honesty is something only comfortable for the other person. That’s why being told so makes me all the happier. Thank you. This is from after meeting Richard, but what I always have in my bag is candy. Royal-milk-tea-flavored ones. When I don’t have them, I pack in some other sweet, and just from thinking, “I’d give him this if he were here”, it kinda feels like having a fragment of him with me even when he’s not by my side, and it’s reassuring. It helps me out. Other than that, my phone. Thanks for the question!

[jaxsteamblog]

Avatar Thuy

Click here to read the full fic on AO3

“Spirits, I should never have asked you.” Thuy muttered as she rounded another corner.

“It’s not my fault you can’t follow directions.” His tone was so irritating, Thuy had to stop, squeeze her eyes shut, and count to ten.

“Kuruk. You haven’t been GIVING me directions!” Thuy hissed.

“I told you to take a left after the scholar’s hall.” Kuruk snapped in reply.

“It was just another empty room. They’re all empty rooms!” Thuy shouted in exasperation. With a sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose.

“It’s really not that hard.” Kuruk said sullenly.

“I’ve never been to the North Pole before.” Thuy said.

“No. Because you were born in a swamp.” Kuruk snorted and Thuy felt her shoulders fall as her anger left her in a rush.

“A swamp. The most powerful Waterbender since me is born in a disgusting-”

“You mean since Master Katara.” Thuy interrupted, now continuing down the hall.

“Excuse me?” Kuruk asked, his voice dripping with disdain. Thuy smiled to herself.

“Master Katara surpassed you when she was my age, and you were the Avatar.” She said.

“That girl-”

“-is twice the Bender you were, yes.” Thuy finished for him. “It’s a good thing you were the Avatar because you certainly weren’t going to make a name for yourself as a Waterbender.”

“Why you-”

“Goodbye Kuruk.” Thuy said sharply before severing her connection.

It had been nice as a child when she talked to Aang. He had been a grandfather and was very easy to talk to. Thuy wasn’t overly fond of Roku, but that was mostly because he was a bit stiff. Kyoshi was fantastic, which made it all the worse when Kuruk turned out to be so. Bad.

Still feeling smug, Thuy meandered for a bit longer in the halls. It was a long standing habit that when it got a little too people-y, she’d disappear. But this wasn’t the Swamp, where she could never get lost. The North Pole palace was just a series of buildings erupting from the ice around the important open spaces, like the dining hall. All she needed was a quiet space to process things, but so far every room she found was too big.

And she really didn’t want to be found before she was ready.

It had been her choice to come forward, and she told her parents she was fine leaving the Swamp for this debut, but nothing had been fine. Being so far from her roots made her feel raw and exposed. Plus, finally meeting her heroes in the flesh did not go as well as she had hoped.

Sadness drowned out her smug pride as Thuy recalled Katara’s stony look when they were introduced. Zuko had been much kinder, but in a polite, political sort of way. And Katara had been the one Thuy wanted to meet the most; seeing her so cold was like grabbing the blade of a knife.

“Avatar Thuy?” A voice called out in stunned surprise.

With a jump, Thuy turned around. It was one of the Kyoshi Warriors.

“Oh, um, Suki?” Thuy asked, trying to remember her name. The smile told her she was right.

“Were you looking for something?” Suki asked as she got closer.

“No.” Thuy said, shaking her head. “I just needed to take a break.”

Suki examined her for a second and then gave her a softer smile.

“Well, we’re close to my room. Come on.” She said.

Thuy looked at her in alarm. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. I’m a Kyoshi Warrior after all, so how could I offer anything else?” Suki replied lightly.

Thuy looked down, tugging on her parka.

“I’m not…” She said quietly, her voice fading into nothing.

“But you are.” Suki said firmly, putting her hand on Thuy’s shoulder. As Thuy looked up, Suki gestured with a tilt of her head.

“Come on.” She said. Leading the way, Suki guided Thuy further down the hall and into a room. It was small, as most of the common sleeping quarters were, but it was still well decorated. When they walked in, a vent somewhere in the ceiling clicked on and Thuy felt a cloud of warm air fall down the back of her neck.

“I don’t know how it all stays frozen.” Thuy said.

Suki paused, looking around, and shrugged.

“It must be sea ice. I can’t imagine fresh water holding up this way.” She said.

Thuy stared at one wall, tapping her lip.

“Don’t lick the wall.” Suki said suddenly and Thuy turned quickly.

“I wasn’t!” She blurted and Suki chuckled.

“That’s just the first thing I’d expect Sokka to do.” She replied.

Suki moved around the room and Thuy stood still, watching her. The Kyoshi Warrior was not a very big woman; Thuy was only thirteen and already as tall.

“You know that doesn’t matter.” Kyoshi’s voice rippled up in Thuy’s mind, and she blushed.

“You’re engaged to Sokka, right?” Thuy asked. Suki, stopping at a large wardrobe, nodded.

“Yeah.” She said, sounding wistful, and a smile curled up the corners of her mouth.

“So, do you know Master Katara?” Thuy questioned.

Suki pulled open the doors of the wardrobe and looked over at her.

“Of course. We spent a lot of time together in the war.” She answered. As she leaned into the wardrobe, Thuy looked down, tugging on her parka again.

“Does she hate me?” Thuy asked.

Suki didn’t reply, but Thuy kept her eyes down. She heard the wardrobe shut and felt the air sway as Suki walked back over.

“She doesn’t hate you.” Suki said.

Thuy looked up and saw Suki holding a bunch of green fabric.

“What’s that?” Thuy asked, scrutinizing the fabric.

“They’re your robes.” Suki said, shaking her arms out to get Thuy to take them.

“My robes?” Thuy, stunned, took the robes automatically. They were heavy and Thuy took in a sharp breath.

“There was supposed to be a whole thing.” Suki said, waving a hand dismissively. “But that’s not how we do things.”

“But I haven’t trained!” Thuy said in a panicked rush.

“You are Avatar Kyoshi, so they’re yours by right. If you want to train, I would be happy to make you, Thuy, a Kyoshi Warrior.” Suki replied.

“But I’m.” Thuy choked on her words, gripping the robes tightly. It was too much, and she started to cry.

Suki looked sad as she sighed.

“I know I’m going to say the wrong thing because I’ve never, you know, dealt with something like this before.” She started as Thuy sat down, burying her face in the robes.

Crouching down, Suki put her hand on Thuy’s back, lightly rubbing the space between her shuddering shoulders.

“The Warriors are traditionally a sisterhood, yes, but anybody can wear the robes and wield the fans.” Suki said.

Thuy’s heart broke in her chest and she cried harder. Still, as Suki sat down and gathered Thuy in her arms, she leaned into the embrace.

“But that’s not what I’m trying to say. The point is, the robes don’t care about the shape of the body. You are a woman. You belong in the sisterhood exactly as you are.” Suki continued.

Thuy’s crying lessened, but she remained curled against Suki’s side.

“Is that why you think Katara hates you?” Suki inquired gently.

Thuy shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she slowed her shuddering lungs and pulled away. Unfurling herself, Thuy laid out the robes across her legs before pressing her chilled hands against her hot, puffy face.

“Not a lot of people know that I’m…” Thuy fought against the tightness in her throat. “Trans.”

“I only figured it out because of your animal companion.” Suki said.

Confused, Thuy only looked at Suki, who shrugged before leaning back on her hands.

“Avatar Aang’s companion was a male Sky Bison. Roku’s dragon was male. Kyoshi’s was female. Kuruk’s was male. Yangchen’s was female. Yadda yadda.” Suki said, looking up at the ice ceiling.

“Not a lot of people know that Mister Whiskers is a girl.” Thuy said.

“The girls are smaller and have an even number of spine ridges.”

“How do you know that?”

“I took a single zoology class at a community college once.”

Thuy laughed as Suki rolled her head over to look at her.

“Let’s get you dressed and you can tell me why you think why Katara hates you.” She said.

Thuy looked up in alarm as Suki stood.

“Now?”

“Why not? You’ve got time to kill before your next event.”

Suki helped Thuy disrobe; she simply wasn’t used to all the layers and buttons of the arctic clothing. Seemingly more at ease with it, Suki made quick work of it all. As the cold air hit her skin, Thuy went silent, but Suki didn’t even flinch with curiosity. She only spun out the wide fabric before wrapping Thuy in the heavy expanse of emerald green.

“When you’re all done growing, you might actually fit in Kyoshi’s robes.” Suki remarked as she tied everything up.

“Is that even allowed?” Thuy asked.

“Sure. It’s just cloth. It’s going to rot away at some point anyway, might as well get the Avatar to wear it again.”

“Did Aang not?”

Suki shook her head, focusing on a smaller tie.

“I don’t think he ever wore anything other than his robes.” She answered.

Thuy went quiet as she thought. This was the first time she had actually spoken with the captain of the Kyoshi Warriors and she had already started crying. But then again, it felt like she had known the Warriors all of her life.

“Kyoshi thinks you’re a good leader.” Thuy said.

The robe slackened as Suki lost her hold on the fabric and Thuy winced.

“You talk to her?” Suki asked, her voice muted.

“I can talk to all of them, but it’s easier to speak with Aang since he was right before me.” Thuy said.

“Well. That certainly isn’t daunting.” Suki said with a laugh, finishing her ties.

“A lot of them are nice. Except Kuruk.” Thuy added with a growl in her tone.

“Really? I would have thought-”

“He’s an asshole.” Thuy interrupted.

Suki snorted and moved to the wardrobe.

“Not surprising. I mean, have you talked to some of the people around here?” She asked.

“Sokka and Master Katara are different.” Thuy said.

“Well, they’re from the South Pole.” Suki replied.

“Can you tell me about them?” Thuy questioned.

Suki turned, holding a wooden box, and smiled.

“I’ll be doing your makeup so you won’t be able to talk. I guess I can keep you entertained.” She replied and walked back.

Thuy noticed how Suki moved and was struck by it. For how small and physically feminine Suki was, she still moved with strong, sure steps. She walked like a man that had been trained to move delicately.

Kyoshi had spoken of course about her training. How her mother’s fans had ended up in a man’s hands. How her large feet had traced their own steps through her mother’s faded footprints. There was masculine and feminine in everything a Kyoshi Warrior did. Life was a woman’s gift, and death was a man’s burden, but a Kyoshi Warrior stood as a protector and a fighter. They wore robes like a scholar with their faces painted like the finest courtly dancers that had brushed her father's face. They were never just one thing, because a Warrior had to become one made of many.

Suki gestured for Thuy to kneel on one of the floor cushions and she did so while Suki unpacked the wooden box on a low table.

“I’ll tell you the story of how we first met.” She said, bringing over ancient clay pots and brushes.

~

Suki held her basket low at her hip as she casually looked over the meager items at the stall. From the corner of her eye she marked three other Warriors taking their positions at other stalls. They had been watching this dock for weeks, waiting for the right moment to take one of the ships, but nothing had come in.

The colony here was established purely to support the blockade. It dealt in fuel and rations, not bothering to create anything more human for the inhabitants. A single bar and pavilion served as cultural entertainment, but they were mostly utilized to numb the sailors and broadcast imperial propaganda.

Then they got word that a ship was pulling in to transport prisoners. Two blockade runners, nothing new. A few of those trickled in every season, or so the colonists said.

Hopefully the banality meant that it was a lightly armed ship that was mooring.

But as the figures descended the gangplank, Suki froze.

Water Tribe, their parkas reminding her painfully of home. A young man and woman, close to her own age. Both of them beautiful in their absolute rage.

“Aw, poor things. Probably starving and trying to find some food.” The woman behind the stall remarked.

“The rats should be used to the ice.” A man said, making Suki frown. “They should know better than to mess with the imperial ships.”

“Hush! They’re probably orphans.” The woman remarked sharply.

“And? I heard they leave their babes on the ice to hunt like animals.” The man replied.

“Just this today.” Suki said, taking the woman’s attention as she handed over a couple of coins.

“Thank you dearie.” The woman replied and Suki waved before walking off.

She had to get on that ship.

There was not a lot of cover for the Warriors to hide in around the town. Fire Nation policy was to raze the surrounding area and fortify it, leaving nothing to chance. Outside of the rusting metal walls were the sparse grazing grounds and rocky farms. She and a small clutch of Warriors were sleeping in a barn while the others were further away from the guarded perimeter.

This port was sloppy, which is why Suki had picked it, but it was sloppy because it was difficult to move unseen.

“The captain is staying in town for a few days. He expects summons from the governor.” Ji-won said as Suki sat back in a hay pile.

“And why does he think that?” She asked.

“One of the prisoners he brought in is a Waterbender.” Ji-won said. The other women stilled, their surprise registering quietly in their minds.

Suki frowned.

“The Avatar?” She asked.

“He’s saying so.” Ji-won answered.

“Probably why they’re still alive.” Song interjected.

“Suki, we can’t let them take the Avatar.” Ji-won pressed.

Suki frowned harder but didn’t reply.

“Suki.” Ji-won said and Suki glared at her.

“I know.” She snapped. Then, with a sigh, she rubbed her eyes. “We just don’t have the fans for a full assault.”

“But the Avatar can help us.” Ji-won said, her voice breathy with anticipation.

“We don’t know if the Bender is the Avatar. They could just be a Waterbender.” Suki said, looking pointedly at every woman there.

“But there’s a chance.” Song said softly.

“Avatar Aang died only a few years ago. The Avatar would only be a child, and even the girl looked at least my age.” Suki pointed out.

“If that was Avatar Aang.” Ji-won started and Suki leaned forward, pointing at her.

“Don’t start with that conspiracy. That’s gotten a lot of people killed.” Suki said sharply.

Ji-won looked away and Suki sighed again.

“More importantly, we can’t let another Waterbender die. It’s our job to keep the balance when the Avatar isn’t around.” She went on.

It was an oath they all took. By taking on Kyoshi’s name, by becoming her when they wore the uniform, they swore to uphold her responsibilities as the Avatar. Even lacking any bending ability, they worked to protect the balance as Kyoshi.

“So we rescue them?” Song asked.

“Yes. And we have to move tonight. We don’t know what they’re going to do to them.” Suki said.

“I’ll send a message to the others.” Ji-won said.

“Alright ladies, finish eating then suit up.” Suki said, looking around. “We have a ship to take.”

Knowing that they weren’t going to be leaving through the gate, the Kyoshi Warriors didn’t need to deal much with stealth. The moon was shrouded in clouds and only their white faces barely caught in flood lights lining the wall. The guardhouse on the northern side was lightly manned, so Suki went in and dispatched the few men sleeping inside.

Weeks of observation told her what she needed. What keycards could open doors and which locks could be cut with a fan. The reliance on technology only went so far when the intruders were ready for a fight. Alarms were tripped, but military protocol would be followed. The Fire Nation was nothing if not thorough.

Heading south, the Kyoshi Warriors darted through residential lanes and alleys. A curfew meant they didn’t need to hide from a crowd, but it did mean that the streets were monitored.

Still, it was a cloudy night and this was a sloppy port.

The actual jail was a bit trickier. Suki didn’t have a layout of the building, having made it a point not to get arrested.

But all she had to do was get in.

All of the windows of the low building were barred and there were only two doors. The back was sealed off; the only latch being on the interior side.

Taking their positions across the street, hiding in the padded shadows, Suki examined the front door. The one small window at the front was illuminated with bright fluorescent light. There was nothing to signal that anyone knew about the dead guards in the north, or that they were leaving to attend to it.

“I need a bucket of water.” Suki said. A Warrior disappeared without a word and the others waited.

“We push our way in and get the water as far back as possible. There should only be holding cells, and if we get the water to the Bender, we might be able to do this.” Suki explained.

“Wouldn’t there be the plumbing?” A Warrior asked.

“We should assume they’ve turned off the water.” Suki replied.

The sound of sloshing water came up to her side and Suki took a deep breath.

“Go.” She said.

And they went.

Front door was a bottleneck and Suki went first. Fans blocked the first assault of fire but the guns were certainly next. One fan left her hand and caught a guard in his neck. Disarming was not an option tonight.

The others broke in behind her, sweeping out to encompass the few in the lobby. A klaxon went off and the lights snapped off, with the low emergency floor lights coming on shortly after. The noise became a metronome and the Warriors pushed forward. The water bucket was tossed like a ball, playing keep away from the armed guards. Suki was able to retrieve her stained fan and she sliced open the lock to the back room.

It was a small building and they quickly filled the space. Three holding cells were simple spaces walled with bars.

And the water bucket when tumbling end over end toward them.

Immediately, Suki watched as the young woman gathered the water in her arms like so much washing. A thick whip lashed out at the bars and pieces slid slowly before clattering to the floor.

Ice made quick work of the fight, but then the pair disappeared through the backdoor.

“Don’t lose them!” Suki called out and the Warriors darted out the back door after them.

Marking the wounded, Suki sent them out toward the ship, to watch it and keep it from leaving. Then she went after the Water Tribals.

“Katara, you don’t know where you’re going!” The young man called out in the darkness.

Suki seized on that, running faster to close the distance.

“Please! Let us help!” She yelled recklessly into the darkness.

“Katara, stop!” The young man demanded.

The Waterbender stopped, turning sharply and pulling up a wall of ice spikes, pointed directly at the pursuing Kyoshi Warriors.

“We’re on your side!” Suki said as she pulled up short, skidding on the broken concrete alley.

“Why did you help us?” The young woman, Katara, asked.

“We’re the Kyoshi Warriors, that’s what we’re supposed to do.” Suki said.

“I don’t know what that is.” Katara retorted. “How do I know you’re not one of them?”

“Suki, there’s activity at the harbor.” Ji-won said. “We have to go.”

“Come with us.” Suki pleaded. “We’re taking a ship to fight.”

Katara looked at her companion and he nodded.

“Fine.” Katara said, melting the ice back into water and pulling it around her hands. “Let’s go.”

Having a Waterbender at a harbor proved useful and they took the ship easily. They only had to sail it up a short way to gather the rest of the Warriors before heading into the open sea. As soon as the port left their vision, Katara collapsed on the deck. The young man, who turned out to be her brother, laid her head in his lap.

“Is she?” Suki started cautiously.

“She’s exhausted.” The brother said and then looked up. “I’m Sokka.”

“Suki.”

“Thanks for rescuing us Suki.” Sokka said, turning back to Katara and brushing her hair out of her face. The gesture warmed Suki’s heart and she turned away.

“Of course.” Suki replied curtly.

“Katara is thankful too. She’ll be better in the morning.” Sokka said.

“It must’ve been hard.” Suki commented.

“You have no idea.” Sokka murmured. Something in his tone kept Suki from replying and she only watched them for a moment. Turning away, she went to find the captain’s quarters.

~

“We traveled with them for a few weeks and then separated when we went to go join the Earth Kingdom army.” Suki concluded.

“When did you fall in love with Sokka?” Thuy asked. Suki chuckled as she packed up the box.

“Aren’t you a romantic?” She quipped and Thuy smiled sheepishly.

“Let’s see, I knew I was in love when we were in the Fire Nation. Katara was so different after the North Pole and she hated the Fire Nation, but Sokka was trying to find something human in it all. None of us were happy when he went off with Piandao for training, especially Katara, but it made me realize that there was going to be a life after the war. And I wanted my life to be with him.” Suki explained.

“So will Katara like me eventually?” Thuy asked.

“I think she’ll like you a lot sooner than eventually.” Suki turned and examined her handiwork, nodding with a proud smile.

“I’m going to grab a camera, hold on.” She said and, before Thuy could reply, bolted out of the room.

Thuy sputtered as the door shut and she was alone. Now she really regretted leaving Mister Whiskers back in the heated nest.

“How does it feel?” Kyoshi asked so suddenly that Thuy jumped.

“Heavy.” Thuy remarked and Kyoshi laughed.

“The new recruits often said the same thing.” She said.

“I like Suki.” Thuy said, changing subjects.

“As do I. And she picked a strong partner.” Kyoshi added.

“They all went through a lot.”

“All who serve in war must give everything.”

“And Suki said that the Warriors act in the Avatar’s stead.”

“They do.”

“So what do they need me for?”

“You’re the Avatar.” Kyoshi said matter of factly.

“But what does that even mean anymore? Aang told me about the White Lotus, they don’t even need me for Spirit stuff and I wasn’t needed to end this war!” Thuy balked.

“There will be challenges only the Avatar can face.” Kyoshi stated.

“Or they just get eaten by Spirits.” Thuy muttered.

Kyoshi was silent and Thuy winced.

“Sorry.” She said.

“Yun was a good man, and didn’t deserve Jianzhu’s treachery. Nor did Kuruk deserve his fate.” Kyoshi said evenly.

“He mocked the Spirits!” Thuy retorted.

“If you believe someone can ever do something to deserve ill treatment, does that mean you deserve yours?” Kyoshi asked.

“What?”

“When you begin to believe that all people deserve to be treated well, you will have to face that that includes you.”

“I-” Thuy started but was interrupted as the door opened again.

“Hey Suki.” Sokka greeted as he stepped into the room, pushing the door shut with his foot.

“Actually-” Thuy started, trying to rise but catching herself on the robes.

Sokka’s eyes widened briefly before he threw himself down on the floor cushions next to her.

“Oh sorry, I didn’t realize anybody had to be in uniform for this.” He said.

“Er.” Thuy stammered, sitting back down and looking away.

“Song?” Sokka asked.

Thuy faced him, confused.

“Shoot. I know you all do your makeup differently, but your’s looks just like Suki’s.” Sokka propped his head up as he laid on his side, tilting his head to examine her face. “But like, a reflection or something.”

“She…” Thuy looked down and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Did my makeup.”

“Oh you’re one of the new warriors!” Sokka pushed himself up quickly.

“I’m not-” Thuy held up her hands in alarm but Sokka made a dismissive sound and waved her away.

“Sorry about barging in here. I was just looking for Suki; do you know where she is?” He asked.

“She went to get a camera.” Thuy said softly.

“Oh wow! Is this your first time all done up?” Sokka asked and clapped as Thuy nodded.

“Congratulations!” He said enthusiastically and Thuy felt her cheeks burn.

“Are you excited about meeting the Avatar?” He asked.

“I really wanted to meet Master Katara.” Thuy said.

“Her? Why?” Sokka asked incredulously.

Thuy held her hands together and leaned forward excitedly.

“Master Katara is the most amazing Waterbender in our history! She saved the world. Well,” Thuy caught herself and sat back. “So did you.”

“Are you a Water Tribal?” Sokka asked curiously. Thuy shook her head vigorously.

“I’m from the Swamp.” She said.

“Oh, so you probably already know the Avatar.”

“We’re, acquainted.”

“Well my sister is pretty great, but she’s also a massive grump.”

“No!” Thuy said sharply and Sokka’s eyes widened. “Master Katara is an amazing warrior and I’m sure she’s just very serious.”

“Serious?” Sokka laughed and Thuy frowned in confusion.

“Katara can’t let herself enjoy anything or else she would implode.” Sokka stated. As Thuy deflated, Sokka sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I don’t want to tarnish your idea of her or anything, but Katara despises hero worship. Neither of us wanted to be heroes.” Sokka explained, holding the back of his neck and looking off in some distant memory.

“She’s really kind, though. When we lost our mother, I thought she’d never be happy again.” He went on.

“If the Avatar had shown up earlier-” Thuy stopped as Sokka scoffed. He reclined again, idly scratching his leg.

“And what? We toss a toddler at the Fire Lord? You seem to be around the same age as the Avatar and I still wouldn’t let you get within sight of that creep.” He said and finished quickly. “No offense.”

Thuy remembered her meeting with the Fire Lord and shuddered. She did not like him, or his daughter. But at least Zuko was polite.

“See?” Sokka said. “Katara wants to blame the Avatar because it’s easy. She doesn’t want to meet her because she knows when she does, the Avatar will be real and she’ll know it wasn’t her fault.”

“Maybe she’s right.” Thuy said.

“Come on know, aren’t you two kin? That’s no way to talk about the Avatar. I think she’s a nice girl.” Sokka said and Thuy lowered her head.

“So will Master Katara meet with,” Thuy cut off her words. “With the Avatar?”

“We’ve got dinner tonight don’t we?” Sokka asked and Thuy looked up.

“Katara doesn’t have it in her to hate good people. Especially not other Waterbenders. I think once they start talking, it’ll be fine.” He said.

“What would Master Katara even talk about?” Thuy asked nervously.

Sokka shrugged. “Probably Zuko.”

“They do go off together a lot.” Thuy remarked.

“That’s what girls do with their boyfriends.” Sokka said.

“What do girls do with their boyfriends?” Suki asked and Thuy leaned back.

“Disappear for some diplomatic briefing.” Sokka answered.

“Oh, are we talking about your sister and Zuko?” Suki questioned, sounding giddy as she sat down next to Thuy.

“Who else?” Sokka quipped.

“Who knew the Avatar was a gossip?” Suki elbowed Thuy and she felt a jolt of fear. Sokka only smiled, winking casually at her.

“Avatar Thuy was trying to argue that Katara wasn’t a grump.” He said. Thuy relaxed and felt tears sprout in her eyes.

“Oh she totally is. That’s why she and Zuko work so well.” Suki said.

“Zuko is not a grump, he’s refined.” Sokka countered.

“Zuko is a little bitch.” Another voice said from the door and Thuy shrank. Seeing Rohan, she tried to calm down.

“Hey, that’s the Avatar’s great-grandson or something.” Sokka said and Rohan rolled their eyes.

Roku, from somewhere deep in Thuy’s mind, grumbled.

“Is there something you need Rohan?” Suki asked.

“I wanted to see if Thuy was up for some ice shenanigans.” Rohan asked.

“Let me take a picture really quick.” Suki said, holding up a fancy camera.

“Allow me.” Rohan said, swirling their hand. The camera lifted and Suki shook her head, but still smiled.

“Okay, everyone get together.” Rohan said. Sokka and Suki got up and pushed themselves over to flank Thuy. Rohan set up the camera and then left it floating in the air.

Darting forward, the Airbender laid across all of their laps and the shutter snapped audibly as Thuy burst out laughing.

“Rohan! The camera!” Suki called.

“I got it.” Rohan said, rolling off and holding out their hands. As they and Suki examined the picture, Sokka nudged Thuy with his shoulder.

“Just be happy Thuy.” He whispered. “It’s what we fought for.”

Thuy nodded, smiling.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

[ranvwoop]

Mcc thoughts please :)

(I love to hear for u about this stuff!!!)

!! cryptid!!! friend!!! hello!!! thank you for asking!! Often I am no thoughts head empty about like, actual skill things, but I do have some thoughts for you :DD! (Also nice new pfp by the way !!). I also got very distracted while writing this. It's late. Oopsie.

Under the cut as usual Cause I Talk A Lot.

The first thing to say about it is ?? it was just a Very Nice Time. Everyone pretty much unanimously agrees that the vibes of mcc14 were Very Off, and I also came away with. eek. awkward. people are sad and unhappy and that is bad. mccp was also super good (and for a good cause!!) but I felt this one even surpassed it in Good Atmosphere. I watched Pink from Ranboo's pov live, and then watched Green from Phil's pov in the evening (/morning cause I fell asleep watching it lol), and I'm even debating watching Red from Quackity's pov despite it being an almost four hour VOD and I do not have the time for that, it was just. Such a nice time!! I can't actually speak for other than Pink and Green but. I understand completely why it is adored.

To preface, I don't know anything about being good at video games. Much less Minecraft. I spiritually relate to mister Pants in this position. I am tossing stones in this glass tumblr blog. I don't look at the Reddit, either.

For Pink, I have to say I Am So Proud of Ranboo. I am so proud of him. That's my parasocial relationship! He's come so far and he says he's not good at the game but h e i s. I'm very glad that they got parkour tag first, specifically because Ranboo did really well and he deserved to have a good start. Something something morale and surprising people, but also I just think he personally deserved it. I hope he comes back for more tournaments, it's no secret that i adore he but like... great attitude..... generally very versatile... he's not the best best pvper in the world but pvp but shut.... I'm so excited to see him come back and do even better. I hope he'll be a regular, and tbh since he's so happy and excited about it and also happy to be paired with anyone I think he will be. My streamer is so cool.

Wilbur and Tubbo also did extremely well!! Top ten?? My streamers?? My streamers constantly underestimated because the reddit is mean to them for some reason??? Admittedly I don't know much abt Tubbo in MCC because this is my first time watching his team, but, give him more credit he knows what he's doing D:. And Wilbur, I have been watching him in the past two MCCs and I know he's been trying so hard and constantly being just cut short. He just wants to do well and be a good support for his teammates,,, mister Soot... holding gently.

I am not too familiar with TapL, other than he's usually at the front of races, but second individual is Super Super Good. I am proud of him too. I've also not watched him because I'm not very into speedrunning (see above where I. I don't know a thing about Minecraft lol) but he's so cool I may have to. The universe is telling me watch Tapl. But he's very cool. Not a lot for me to say abt him since I knew him as a really good player and he ended up being a really good player!

Pink's overall communication and chemistry was So Good. It was so good that I didn't even think about it being a factor until I watched another point of view, and Green sort of fell apart a bit and I was like, huh, wow, okay. No offence to them, but they had a sort of rough start with Battlebox. It was a tiny bit secondhand embarassing because it's just nooO listen to eachother,, listen,,,,

They also had a rough entirety with Connor. Poor Connor. I say this with absolute affection, I think Connor's really cool and I like watching his streams and also it was funny, but CoNNOR,

He had to be taught how to play the game During the game. I don't think he'd used an Elytra before the tsf map?? Or at least it had been so long he forgot?? Nobody told him about 1.9 combat changes until chat told him during the game. Phil had said on stream that he was trying and failing to round people up to practice, but, they should've at least ran through the game mechanics with the man. Tell him the event started an hour before it should've or something and play on a realm and refresh stuff he Will Need. And then Sands of Time, where his game was bugged, everyone assumed he was just incompetent, and then he sounded very calm so nobody realized the gravity of How Much Sand.

I'm not saying he's not just bad at the game, (well. he's probably average at the game, honestly, but in comparison to people who have spent their career in The Craft), but I think with a little more support in some areas he wouldn't have done as poorly. This is also totally not salty or anything, it was Very Fun to watch the poor man trying to navigate Minecraft, and everyone had fun so!! Good. Rights.

(It was also very funny when Phil and Fundy both tried to compliment him and Discord cut it off. MAN CAN'T CATCH A BREAK!)

To speak more positively, they really managed well in sky battle and survival games. Tommy is always an excellent leader for those sorts of things and managed to even keep Connor alive until the end of SG, and I think they did very well in sky battle too?? I can't completely remember. Phil trying to coach Connor through TSF was also nice to see, even if the time ran out before he could actually manage to do it.

I don't know why I've based my metric of teamwork on Connor. It's important to uplift the weak link, I guess! Like I said, I am not upset about it or salty or think that they're secretly Bad Team Players or Bad People, it's just an observation. They're all individually great members of a team, and I've seen them all work well in the past!

Fundy was also there. Fundy did good. I didn't talk about Fundy here at all. I can't remember much about what he did.

I would also like to take a moment to talk about Purple Pandas, because they were at the root of Pink Parrot's failures and I think that is hilarious. Wool'd em in Battlebox. Killed them early in Sky Battle. And then, finally, killed Ranboo in SG. I just thought it was really funny.

[cllovegood0617]

Verdant

A project I had to do for school but ended up liking enough for posting on here. I hope you like it too 💙

A fairy tale is something that children grasp on for something that is different from harsh and rough reality. Fairy tales give children a new world to live in for a temporary time while reading and includes magic and imaginary beings or lands. Some may star a beautiful princess that goes through a turbulent of identity finding events for this said princess. Then she runs into a handsome prince that sweeps her away into his arms, dances away in the night, ends it with a kiss and they both live “Happily Ever After”. I once was a girl that was missing my two front teeth but yet still imagining my handsome prince finding me. However, I did end up living my own, and it is my secret but I am willing to share it with you. But, it wasn’t exactly plotted like how the Grimms Brothers or Hans Chrisitian Andersen had written their fairy tales. In fact, mine doesn’t include a prince at all. Mine is about a girl that grasped something that is different from harsh and rough reality. 

I can argue with anyone that Zendaux is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I live in a secluded area where it is surrounded by grass fields as far as the eye can see except for the litter of forestation that is near my house.  My house was crafted by my grandfather in 1954 and was designed to be exactly how my grandmother wanted it. It has a burgundy tiled roof and a glorious wrap-around porch that I’ve always found so lovely. He named it Willow Avenue since my grandma is named Willow and they met on Locust Avenue. They had a tradition before they both passed away to visit Locust Avenue at least once a year together. My grandpa even brought my grandma’s urn with him on his last trip before he joined her in heaven. Then my dad would bring both of their urns to Locust Avenue, I went on these trips with him too before… he died. My mom was going to sell the house once my dad died, and I was so devastated at that news so I knew I had to do something. So I bought it instead. The air this early in the morning filled my nose with the freshness of the morning dew that is sprinkled over the shamrock green soft grass. In my childhood I would roll down the hills that are lining the horizon and run to jump into my dad’s outstretched arms. He’d place his hard calloused hands on my soft small arms as I was trying to wriggle out with all my might to run back up the hill. Then he’d laugh after me like he always did and say “Goodbye my Lightning Bug!” As I was fully enveloped in my nostalgia, suddenly I heard an earsplitting sound that resembled a deer that perhaps has eaten too much sugar. Then I gasped in amazement as the tallest tree to reach the skies began falling eastward. The hoarse cracks of ancient tree bark snapping at the roots, and then the thud the tree made once it reached the ground made a deep sound that proved to me that trees don’t make much of a sound once they fall. 

Suddenly a large swish erupted in the air and that roaring sound from earlier broke through the silence that once was. I felt my defense kick in as I jumped in surprise from the sound, then I fell into a large grin. Other than a different squirrel that appears on the porch, you don’t normally see mysterious events happen at Willow Avenue. I stood up from the porch swing and began searching the trees that I could see from my position frantically. Then out of nowhere I saw a large juniper wing that resembled the canopy of a tree that soared over and surpassed the height of the other trees. Then became hidden back into the forestation as quickly as it was exposed. I know what that is; I wouldn’t be able to forget all of the bedtime stories that my dad would tell me. I have a dragon living in my woodlands.“Okay, okay.” I said breathily “I have a dragon in my front yard. Oh when you say it like that Whitney you sound crazy.” Then I realized that there is literally no other way to state what is happening. I sighed “I have a dragon in my front yard. Okay. Let’s think, what would Dad do?” He’d probably walk calmly up to the forest and greet the dragon like an old friend that has been a recluse for years. He was a strong believer in that everyone and everything has something beneficial to the world. I began pacing back and forth on my porch, and I flung open the front door to Willow Avenue possibly too hard, and bolted up the stairs like I would when I was younger once I would feel like something scary was chasing me. I knew the layout to this house like I knew the back of my hand, so I took the familiar route to the room that stored all of my Dad’s research papers. I used to never be able to touch these, for even my dad said that what was in them I should not know at that moment. He said I wasn’t ready. “Sorry Dad. I need to read these. You’d say this is a vital moment for your notes.” I knew exactly which book I needed since I have been eyeing and desiring to know the contents of it since I came in here for the first time when I was 7 years old. I grabbed a large dusty book that had 7 capital letters on the front that spelt DRAGONS and Austin Woodruff lining the bottom of the book. Austin is my dad, and I know that he meant for me to read this when I would need it because in the inside of the book where typically the author’s note would be; I read a letter that appeared to be written for me. “Whitney, there are secrets about the world that I should and could never tell you. Although I know that you will need this information to stay safe. I hope that you find what you are looking for in here. I love you to Jupiter and back. Love, your father.” I suddenly noticed that a tear of mine dripped onto the page. “Dang it.” I whispered as I dabbed where I wet the page. “I love you to Jupiter and back too Dad.” I repeated like I did when I was younger going to bed. With new determination, I began the search for what specifically I am dealing with in my own front yard that has now become a fantastical forest. Slowly, I flipped the first page and began to read what my own father had discovered about dragons-a creature that I thought could not exist in my universe. The first page covered what a dragon is and what one may look like, the third page explained how to groom one properly, and the seventeenth page was directions to where I could sell their talons. I was getting emerged in the information this book was providing that I have been imagining reading for decades, but then I heard that screech again. Quickly, I scrambled up on my feet and rushed to the window where I could spot the whole forest. However, somehow I still could not fully see the dragon, only the same two wings. “Come on, I need to hurry up and find what I can do.” I flicked quicker through the pages and I stopped abruptly when I saw exactly what I was looking for. There was a dragon drawn on this page and it resembled the wings exactly to the one that is living in my forest. “Ahah!” I yelled in success. Swiftly, I sped read the section about the “Greenland Hornshakle Dragon” and I read out loud the paragraph I needed. “These are hostile creatures. Do not approach them. Your life is at risk if you do so. No way to tame them.” as I was reading I suddenly felt scared, I thought I hadn’t found anything I could use to protect myself and Willow Avenue. Fortunately, my dad provided that solution for me. He wrote that I need to use his Willow wood Staff that has been passed down from generation to generation in his family and I would’ve been the rightful heir to it if he hadn’t died before having the chance to tell me himself. For the second time since I’ve been in this room, I heard the ear splitting screech once again from my dragon. I slammed my book and Also, I heard sirens arriving in the forest from the police station. They must’ve been alarmed, and I watched as the police troops began chasing impulsively towards the yells. This time I saw both of the dark green wings flash above the highest canopy of the trees. I need to hurry up and figure out what to do. Instantaneously, I remembered that my dad was the master of fantastic fantasy events.Taking a deep breath I began sprinting towards the woods that I have lived next to my whole life. Once I stepped past the first tree, I felt that eerie silence that fills these woods all of the time, but now it doesn’t scare me. I run further and deeper into the woods continuously now feeling the bouldering yell of the dragon on the soles of my feet as if the yell is pushing me to where the dragon is. I desperately was trying to search the floor and sky for the dragon, and then I swallowed a breath as I saw it. It was a colossal verdant dragon that nearly towered over the tallest sequoia trees that have been growing here before all civilization has. I paused abruptly and almost tumbled down onto the muddy floor as I was able to make eye contact with its amber eyes. The police troops already got here before I did, for they were already gathering strategy on how to push the dragon out of the forest.

My staggering and uneven gasps of air must’ve alarmed the dragon because it moved with a start. I had to duck into a bush because the dragon swiped its tail panicky into the nearest sequoia making a booming sound that we all covered our ears for. The dragon groggily tried to stand up, but as soon as it stood on it’s left foot it staggered back onto the ground. I looked quizzically at this dragon that I thought would be disastrous and a nightmare, but instead it was timid, scared, and more like a mouse than a dragon. I relaxed my shoulders and began walking slowly to the shrinking dragon, and I noticed that the dragon was a girl because once she scooted over I saw one baby dragon that was as tall as a full grown giraffe. “Hey hey! Stop! This dragon is a mom!” The police lowered their limitless weapons and opened their eyes in clarity. Compared to the giant mom dragon and the ginormous sequoias surrounding this family, the police, and I; it made the baby dragon seem just like another dust fragment in this universe like all of us humans are. I compared the two dragons and noticed that the mom has a longer snout while the baby has more of a robust snout, so I assumed the dragon was a baby boy. The baby dragon hid behind his mother’s leg and the mother dragon put her wing over him as a warmth method. I hadn’t realized it until now, but I have goosebumps wrapping around my arms and my knees have been shivering. I wrap my arms around myself, and let out a shuddering breath from the cold. Then, Mom dragon scooted a little closer to me and lifted up a tremendous wing as an invitation to enter. Carefully, I entered the warmth that a dragon can give to something apparently.

“Whitney! Are you okay?” I heard the chief of police yell at me “Yes. I am okay. You guys are fine to go. Thanks for your service.” I said as a response, but freezing at this point and the forest is a lot more frigid since the canopies cover the sunlight from entering. “No we cannot leave her here sir! That dragon is a menace! It will try eating her as soon as we leave!” I heard a new voice command to the chief. “No we leave now, that’s an order.” I watched as all of the police began following the chief except for that man that didn’t think it was right. “Graham! We leave now.” Graham did not want to be moved. He stood staring at the mom dragon, but then he did begin to turn around and walk away. However, as soon as the chief turned around Graham cocked his gun and you only heard pop once. I have always been impulsive and ambitious, but sensible people would’ve said I went a bit too far. But I knew I had to do this, I had to do something above myself. I jumped out from under the wing and instantly felt a pang in my chest. I felt my chest hotten as if I pressed a hot ready iron onto it. I heaved forward and realized that I couldn’t quite grasp for air. I could only hear and see at this point. I heard the mom dragon screech and she brought her head down to me as all the police were watching and the chief rushed to my side. “Whitney! Whitney! Say something!” I think that’s the chief yelling. “Go. Fly…” I whispered to the mom dragon, and she must’ve understood because I couldn’t see or hear her or the baby boy anymore. My chest began hurting even worse than before and suddenly I couldn’t hear anything anymore except for four words that I’ve been waiting 12 years to hear, “Hello my Lightning Bug.”.

[captain-azoren]

The Spirit Forged: A New Breed

Since I’m going to be kind of busy for the foreseeable future, I don’t know how much time I’ll have to actually write fanfiction. So for now, I’m going to post outlines for the stories I do have in mind.

This right here is a prequel story to my current Spirit Forged fic, detailing how my OC Raiga came to be. If you have the time, read it and leave me a comment. I might actually write it out in full.

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·         The story opens with a group of loggers in a forest at night; the trees are massive as they walk between them lit by lanterns. Deer-ox haul something massive on a cart, hidden by a tarp.

o   All the men are nervous as they hear a growl in the darkness. They scream as a large animal pounces on one. The carriage bolts as the rest of the men, wielding spears and earthbending, fight the creature, but are nearly defenseless in the dark.

o   The last man standing runs in terror as the creature watches him flee, eyes glowing sapphire in the dark.

·         Aang and Katara visit the Eastern EK for a vacation, one of the few places they had left to see.

o   They are there to see the Immortal Forest, one of the oldest and nearly unchanged wilderness areas in the world.

o   Toph is busy with the metal bending academy.

o   Zuko is busy being Fire Lord, with the Kyoshi Warriors still acting as body guards.

o   Sokka is spending time with Suki for his vacation.

·         Aang and Katara overhear a logger arguing with a businessman over how dangerous the forest is. The logger quits and the businessman, Shung, yells back that he’s replaceable like everyone else.

·         Aang and Katara learn about mysterious attacks happening in the forests outside a developing city and decide to investigate.

o   The attacks have either been on lumberjacks or on travelers who strayed too far from the main paths into the forests.

·         Some people claim it’s a spirit, others claim it to be bandits, some dismiss it as wild predators.

·         They go investigate and meet the Zhang tribe in the forest.

·         The Zhang claim it isn’t them behind the attacks, but there have been territory disputes between them and the city folk over a specific spot in the forest.

·         The Immortal Forest is rich with giant trees extremely suitable for lumber, but it is considered sacred. The Zhang believe only they are allowed in there, as this is their homeland. Anyone else who enters will be hunted down by Bao Hu Shou, the King of Beasts, unless they are brought in by a member of the tribe.

o   Bao Hu Shou is a lion-tiger spirit, one of the oldest and strongest, only surpassed by the likes of Raava and Vaatu.

o   Bao Hu Shou was the guardian deity of the Zhang in ancient times. It was said he protected the tribe from other spirits in the era before the Avatar and before bending.

o   Some legends say that Bao Hu Shou would grant his power to a worthy champion, called a Spirit Forged, who would aid in protecting the people and the lands from threats.

·         The Zhang debate allowing the Avatar into the forest.

o   One of the Zhang objects, a burly man in his mid-20s named Grola, but another one, Raiga, argues to let the Avatar help clear their names.

o   Raiga has light brown hair styled into a mohawk, hazel eyes, dresses in brown hog monkey skins and wields twin daggers. He also carries gear for climbing trees. He is in his late teens and has many scars.

o   Grola shouts at and belittles Raiga, but the Zhang elder agrees with Raiga.

o   They perform a ritual to bless them.

·         Raiga eagerly volunteers to be their guide. He is scrappy and hotheaded, but means well.

·         They journey with Raiga through the forest and learn a bit about him.

o   Raiga’s father was an outsider, possibly a Water Tribe warrior who left the South Pole to fight the Fire Nation, and his mother was a sickly member of the Zhang. For most of his childhood he was scrawny and weak, called a runt by the others, but he has persisted and grew into a nimble scout and hunter.

o   Raiga was there at the Great Divide, but none of the gang remember him.

o   He has so many scars because he keeps throwing himself into danger, even though he’s not a great warrior. He is a good climber and decent hunter though.

o   Raiga proves to be somewhat annoying and overbearing, trying way too hard to become friends with Aang and Katara, though he seems to mean well. This makes it very hard for Aang and Katara to have any alone time.

·         As night begins to fall, the group has an encounter with Bao Hu Shou. It knows they mean no harm, but tells them to leave anyway. It does not want any more humans in the forest.

o   Bao Hu recognizes Aang as the Avatar, and voices its disappointment; this is not the first time an Avatar has come to intervene. Humans have tried to exploit the forest for centuries, and Bao Hu has fought them off. Avatars in the past promised to keep humans out, but sooner or later humans would break the promise.

o   Bao Hu takes note of Raiga, who shows the spirit the utmost respect. Bao Hu allows them to pass through the forest for this.

o   Bao Hu is very old, and time has taken its toll on him. The shrinking of the forest and the loss of followers has caused him to lose much of his strength and power. Aang pleads to let him handle things, but Bao Hu ignores him and departs with one last warning to not linger too long.

·         The group sets up camp for the night. In the middle of their sleep, they are ambushed by bandits. There is a fight and Raiga discovers the bandits are other Zhang tribe members, the ones who bullied him and are led by Grola. They have abandoned their traditions in order to turn a profit;

o   The Zhang bandits have made a deal with Shung to act as guides and security through the sacred forest so that they can brings heavy logging machinery in and chop down the trees for lumber.

o   One logging machine is a large mecha tank on treads with a massive chainsaw.

o   They offer Raiga a chance to join in on their scheme, but he refuses and fights back, but to no avail.

o   Grola pushes Raiga down the side of a cliff, providing a distraction as they flee from Aang and Katara who go searching for him.

·         Raiga is fatally injured from the fall, but is found by Bao Hu Shou. Impressed by his audacity and determination, Bao Hu Shou offers to save Raiga’s life by merging with him.

o   Bao Hu knows that he has little time left on earth as the forests continue to shrink, but by merging, they can save both their lives and have the power to take back the forests.

o   With little else to lose, Raiga agrees, and Bao Hu Shou merges with Raiga, transforming him into a beast man with claws and fangs and a tail. Raiga’s body is healed, most of his scars vanishing, and he soon finds he’s been gifted with incredible strength, agility, and heightened senses.

·         As Aang and Katara search for Raiga, they stumble upon the logging camp. They try to confront the loggers, but a fight ensues.

o   The Zhang fight like Jet, able to nimbly navigate the trees to fight. Others use logging machines to fight, like chains and saws and axes. Some are Earthbenders, who use their bending to uproot the stumps left behind.

o   The trees hamper Aang and Katara’s ability to fight back; they don’t want to destroy any trees, but the trees get in the way of their bending.

o   Katara has little water to work with, the roots prevent any major earthbending without knocking the trees over. Firebending is out of the question, as it could easily start a forest fire. Aang’s airbending skills are effective, but they’re outnumbered and they can do little to stop the logging mech, which is piloted by Shung.

o   Eventually, both Aang and Katara are bound by chains and rope. Aang laments not learning metalbending, and he wonders if he needs to go into the Avatar state.

·         The tide of battle turns when Raiga appears in his new form, to the shock of everyone.

o   Raiga begins to tear apart the loggers and the Zhang bandits, easily able to catch the ones in the trees and take them out one by one.

o   He breaks the chains holding Aang and Katara with sheer brute strength.

o   The last opponent standing is the logging mech. It tries to grapple Raiga with its claw arm, but Raiga is able to overpower it.

o   Raiga rips the mech to pieces, but leaves the trembling businessman when he sets his sights on Grola who tries to get away.

·         High off the adrenaline and his new power, Raiga mercilessly attacks Grola, mauling him out of anger and vengeance for all the years of bullying he suffered.

·         Aang and Katara are able to pull Raiga away before he can kill the leader, but Raiga has gone berserk, the spirit of Bao Hu Shou beginning to overwhelm his mind.

·         Aang tries to calm Raiga down, but Raiga realizes what a monster he’s become and runs off into the forest, his roars echoing through the trees.

·         Aang and Katara clean up what’s left of the camp, and Aang declares that the sacred forest is completely off limits to all except the Zhang tribe, who promise to more vigilantly protect it.

·         The tribe asks about Raiga, and Aang explains what happened with him and Bao Hu Shou. They say that Raiga has become Spirit Forged, but at a price; he has lost a piece of his humanity.

·         Aang decides to try and find a technique to calm spirits. He will look to the past Avatars and learn of the toll Kuruk suffered from fighting spirits directly.

·         We see Raiga standing on top of a cliff looking at the stars. He lets out a roar before vanishing into the night. This is not the last they’ve seen of him.

-------

There you have it. I did consider having Sokka in this, but then I thought the fewer characters to juggle the better.

I might consider having more stories with Raiga set during Aang’s time as the Avatar. He’s basically immortal so he can show up at any time. Something eventually happens to him to make him go into the feral state he’s in by Korra’s time.

[illuma-can-you-not-i]

Every time Sojiro Sakura was the entire Phantom Thieves' Dad: Ryuji

It was a slow development, but it was just as awakening as well whenever all of the teenagers started calling Sojiro 'Dad' every now and then. He couldn't lie and say that he didn't enjoy it. He just didn't enjoy the fact that these kids had such hard lives that they relied on him for their emotional support and comfort. But they trusted Sakura enough to look for it from him.  And he was grateful for that.

And today looks like it'll have one of those moments.

A Sakamoto entered LeBlanc, gaze fixated on the ground. Tear streaks were visible against the cold air of the late night. "...Hey Dad.", he muttered softly, holding his right hand tenderly as he continued to stare at the wooden floor, only occasionally glancing up. Sojiro knew that posture by now: he was ashamed of something. "What happened?", the man asked, already reaching for the first aid kit. "...I...messed up. I messed up bad.", was all he said before holding out his hand, which had blood coating the knuckles.

Sojiro guided him to a booth, where the teen took a seat while Sakura cleaned and bandaged the hand. It was scraped decently enough to continue bleeding and bruised pretty good. The room grew in silence as he worked. Ryuji avoided eye contact, wiping away his tear streaks with his other hand. "All done.", Sojiro announced, only getting a nod from Sakamoto in response. "So, I guess you should tell me what happened?", the man prompted, taking the boy's chin so that they would finally make eye contact.

Sojiro had never seen a teenaged boy look so broken.

The blonde jerked his head away, before finally speaking up. "He came back.", he muttered. Sojiro's eyes widened significantly, clearly displaying his sympathy before his expression morphed into one of disgust. Ryuji's biological father was a man he despised despite having never met him.

"He showed up at our doorstep, right at dinnertime, practically begging Mom to take him back. Despite the fact that, well, y'know, he was the one who left us. But he still was making all these empty promises about staying true and clean and sober and...hahaha.", the teen chuckled without humor. "We knew he was lying. It was plain as day that every word that he spoke was as much shit as he is. But the benefit of the doubt was still there. So Mom gave him a chance: she invited him to join us for dinner." Ryuji inhaled a shaky breath before drawing out a long sigh.

"He lasted an hour before demanding sake. And started shouting... unsavory things at Mom after she informed him that we've had a dry home since he moved out. He was about to hit her when I stood up for her.", the teen continued, looking off into the distance. "He got a hit on me before I punched him in the jaw." "And that's where your hand got hurt." Ryuji just nodded in conformation. "I pretty much pushed him out and locked the door. Didn't head towards here until I was pretty sure he had left."

Sojiro nodded in understanding, barely picking up Sakamoto muttering an "I'm sorry." The man tilted his head in confusion. "What for?"

The teen exhaled, hanging his head in shame. "I know I'm supposed to try to keep myself in check just like we talked about, use my head before my fists, I just--" Recalling the recent lesson that was taught after Ryuji had gotten into a fistfight because someone was dragging his friends into the dirt, Sojiro remembered what was taught and sighed, using it as an interruption. "Kid, you did the right thing. If I were in your shoes, I probably would have done worse to him."

The blonde teen's head perked up in surprise. "The right thing? But what about--" Sojiro stopped the train of thought with another interruption. "I know what I said. Let me take this moment to revise that lesson: some people aren't going to listen to advice or think about you being merciful before they come after you. Sometimes, you just need to be tough and show that you aren't going to take any shit from them. But the important thing is to maintain your control. You did the right thing by only hitting the poor excuse of a man once to pacify him before kicking him out instead of continuing to beat him until you were satisfied."

Ryuji took a moment to process the words before finally understanding the lesson they carried. "Ok, I think I get that makes sense.", he responded, spirit brightening up a little. Sojiro smiled fondly, running a hand through the boy's hair. Sakamoto seemed to melt into the affection, just as Sojiro knew he would. The poor boy was so touch starved, Sojiro recalled him nearly crying after their first hug. "Your dye's starting to wash out.", the man thought aloud as he noted the sight of black-haired roots underneath the blond hair. "Oh yeah. I haven't dyed it since last year. May leave it this time.", the teen muttered, eyes shut while enjoying the comfort.

Minutes passed before the two finally conceded to the fact that Ryuji was going to have to go back. "What if he's there? What if he's waiting for me? He'll be...pissed...", Ryuji thought aloud, working himself up with nerves. "He won't do anything if there's a witness.", Sakura suggested with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "W-what? Oh no, I couldn't possibly ask you to--you've done more than enough...I don't want to cause you any more trouble.", Ryuji stammered as he got up. "And I don't want to send you off with the danger of getting yourself more hurt because of a good-for-nothing not getting what he wants. I'm not asking. Let's go."

Sure enough, their walk and subway ride was fortunate enough to be greeted by a drunk, middle-aged man who was very near screaming at the entrance to be let in.

"Hey. Kusoyaro.", Ryuji called towards the very drunk man in the entryway. "Well, well, look who it is.", the man sneered, clearly looking for a fight. Ryuji just dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. "Listen, it's been a long night, and I'm not known for patience, so I'm only gonna say this once."

Ryuji straightened up his posture for what looked like the first time, and his full height surpassed his father's by a near head. The teen straightened his shoulders, looking down on the man. "You get the FUCK off our property, you stay the HELL away from me and my mother, and if I catch you so much as glancing towards me, my friends, and my family, I will not be afraid to fight for them. Cause I know you can't go to the police, you lazy, tax-evading, sex offending, alcoholic money leech." The threat, which was made with an attitude Sojiro could only assume was the 'Skull' in him, was followed by the teen spitting on the shoe of the adult who had given him so much grief. "Get the fuck out of here.", Ryuji threatened in a dark tone, nodding his head towards the road.

After the man whimpered off, Ryuji huffed an exhale, returning to his familiar posture. The teen turned and smiled towards the Sojiro, before gently knocking on the door. "Mom?", he called out. The door couldn't have opened any faster.

Ryuji's mother, a tall, curved woman who wore her black straight hair in a ponytail, wrapped her son in the tightest hug possible. It was only after they pulled apart that she realized they weren't alone. "Oh! You must be Mr. Sakura.", she greeted. She carried an aura of kindness that seemed to radiate out of the house. Sojiro returned the smile and tipped his fedora towards her. "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Sakamoto."

"Oh, pleasure's all mine. Can I offer you a cup of coffee?", the rather beautiful mother offered, stepping aside to let the man in. Sojiro shook his head. "No thanks, I was just dropping him off." Ryuji glanced in between the conversating adults, before electing to go to his room.  His mother's gaze followed her son until he shut his door. "I really appreciate what you're doing for him. This is the happiest I've seen him in years." Sojiro shrugged off the credit. "Well, it's not just me. His friends have likely helped more than I ever could."

"Well, how could I possibly repay you?", Ms. Sakamoto inquired, tapping her chin in thought. "Really, it's no trouble.", Sojiro responded with a slight shake of his head. "Oh, nonsense. Surely there must be something.", she insisted lightheartedly. "Really, just helping that boy out is more than enough.", the man tried to excuse, knowing full well at this point that it wouldn't work. She took the hint though, shrugging in resignation. "Ah well, I'll pay you back one day. Mark my words.", the mother remarked, making the two chuckle. "You have a nice one.", Sojiro called as he started to turn for his journey back. "You too!", she called back, waiting until he left the entryway before shutting the house door.

From his room, Ryuji eavesdropped on the entire conversation, before concluding that maybe his mom was hitting on Sojiro. But, out of all the prospects of a stepfather, Ryuji certainly wouldn't mind Sakura. Plus, he'd get a sister out of this. Even if that sister was Futaba. Maybe Futaba wouldn't mind having a stepmom.

Ryuji: Yo guys I just had the best idea.

[drjackandmissjo]

firewhisky on ice, sunset and vine

you’ve ruined my life by not being mine

Chapter 2 --- previous chapter --- next chapter

Harry Potter fic Masterlist

Set in the course of his Sixth Year, this story follows Slytherin’s finest, Blaise Zabini, as he navigates classes and friendships and Death Eaters and a certain idiot plant-head Gryffindor.

'Dittany is a powerful healing herb and restorative and may be eaten raw to cure shallow wounds.'

Blaise had read that same sentence for the 24th time. Had counted each time his eyes went up on the page towards the words that were now permanently marked in his memory, yet so far out of his grasp. It wasn't that 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' was a boring book. To someone truly passionate about the subject it might actually be quite enjoyable, but it was a textbook and textbooks are not supposed to be entertaining. Unless you were a freak as Granger, but her distorted mentality was not his to judge.

Sighing, he rested his head on the table he was studying on, careful not to make too much noise. Madam Pince and her fine hearing were simply awful to anyone who merely breathed too loudly in the library. "One more time and if I can't do it then I'll try again later after dinner" he told himself, on the verge of despair.

He simply couldn't understand. Charms came easy to him, even Potions with Snape wasn't that hard to follow, even if he was a mess at teaching it: brilliant man and head of the house, but all over the place and really, really terrible at sharing knowledge. Even in his current new position as Defence Against the Dark Arts, he wasn't that great, and that was the job he had lusted after, for years.

But flowers and herbs, those were is Achilles's heel. The worst part was that it seemed to come naturally to Bloody Longbottom.

Perfect asshole with his neat notes at the margins of his books and his terrible grasp of changing shit from their original form, but despite all that was better than a few of his housemates and studied hard to maintain his acceptable level in Transfiguration. Bloody moron who simply could understand what Professor Sprout meant to say even before she said it, who had the best grades in Herbology, who laughed tilting his head backwards whenever Saint Potter or one of his friends made a joke that was particularly funny, who seemed to be everywhere since their first Transfiguration lecture together.

Blaise was so screwed.

He had now begun to have a hard time concentrating during the class he seated with the Gryffindor, his mind wandering to the bloody fingers tapping lightly over the desk as he scrunched his nose up in concentration.

He was so bloody screwed.

'Rule number eight, if you can't get someone out of your head, make sure you're stuck in theirs also.'

But it wasn't that easy, was it? For one, despite being 100% positive of his sexuality, he hadn't told anyone but his mother, who was really supportive and immediately shared all her rules for landing a hot and rich husband. At that time he had laughed, almost uncomfortable, but now he was sure her set of rules was going to be a lifesaver, and not only when boys were concerned.

Second, he did not know whether or not Longbottom shared his likings and had absolutely no way of figuring it out. Sure, he had gone to the Yule Ball two years prior with the Female Weasley and hang out now with Loony Lovegood and the rest of the moronic Gryffindors, but there was nothing that betrayed his heart's true desires. He had no one in their circle to ask to, and was pretty sure that cute, shy, jacked, nervous and downright hot Longbottom, "damn Salazar why even his surname had to have such a sexual innuendo?", wasn't out or anything. Maybe he was still figuring it all out?

Groaning, he rose up to his feet, unable to concentrate on fucking dittany without losing his mind for one second more. Bloody Longbottom with his very nice ass made his way into his mind and suddenly Blaise's pants felt way too tight for his own comfort and he had to adjust his robe. He closed roughly his book, placing it in his bag alongside his notebook and pens and highlighters, avoiding Madam Pince's burning glare at the unwanted noise.

He began to quickly make his way towards the Great Hall, wondering what would be there for dinner and completely lost in thought. In the back of his mind, he could feel his mother's voice telling him 'Rule number twelve, always be conscious of your surroundings', but his brain couldn't stop wandering, his body relying only on muscle memory to not walk into walls.

Unfortunately, muscle memory wasn't that reliable when taking into account other moving people and objects. Which was why he had ended on the floor, landing on his ass and soundly cursing whoever was the bloody "pezzo di merda di doxy" that still hadn't learnt how to walk.

His mother was always controlled and poised and he had never heard a bad word coming from her red painted lips, but his paternal grandparents were a different kind of people. His grandfather’s favourite word was, alongside of other Italian curses, a very pointed minchia. He used it almost on each sentence, changing the intonation to accommodate a different meaning. Most of the time he added to the equation a variety of gestures that, given the situation, assumed a rather crude sense.

His Nonna was slightly more PG, preferred not to use certain words, especially in front of Blaise, but she still told her husband to fuck himself in whichever language she was thinking at the moment and taught him her fair share of Ethiopian hexes.

"You came onto me, genius" the idiot that had clearly gone into him said, rather angrily sounding.  "Ma porca di quella puttana" Blaise thought, of course his rotten luck would make him crash into the long legged Gryffindor he was just daydreaming of.

Remembering who he was and finally stopping acting like a ridiculous hormonal dork, he rose from the floor, trying to look menacing despite being the shorter one in this debate. "No, good sir, you appeared out of nowhere" he said, sounding sturdier and surer than he'd thought. He was rather proud of his impeccable composure, until the other boy spoke with a sly smirk on his lips, "Haven't taken my apparition exam yet so can't just do that."

Blaise's brain stopped working immediately. Deep down he knew that anyone, even someone as dull and bland as a Gryffindor, could surprise him, and so far the dumb dork had surpassed all his expectations, excluding the ones on Transfiguration. But he simply couldn't picture sweet, shy, formerly chubby, Schlongbottom as someone who knew how to talk back, especially with such an authoritative tone. The mere thought did funny things to his body.

Questions began to swim all around his mind: Was this real or a hallucination caused by his very recent fall? Since when did this bloody plant-head even know sarcasm? How was it possible for someone to become even more attractive?

Did Blaise mention that he was so fucking screwed?

"What, cat got your tongue?" Longbottom asked smugly, visibly pleased with himself.

In that moment Blaise swore off any possible feeling that wasn't related to hatred or anger towards the idiot in front of him. "I don't reply to morons such as yourself" he said, mustering a casual and bored tone he didn't know he had. "Bloody superb" he thought proudly as he watched the Gryffindor's gaze harden.

He suddenly didn't enjoy the turn their conversation had taken.

Longbottom then briskly shoved his forgotten Herbology textbook, "when did he even picked it up?", and stormed off to the other side of the empty corridor, towards the glasshouse, without uttering a single word.

"Great Hall's on the other side, idiota" he yelled at his slowly stepping away back, "You're gonna be late for dinner." Blaise couldn't care less, of course, but the impulsive part of his brain wanted to get the Gryffindor's attention for a little bit longer.

Longbottom stopped dead on his track, turning sideways to look back at Blaise and giving him the perfect side view of his backside, as well as of his front. "Ammazza oh." was the only thought that filled his mind before registering that the other boy was speaking: “Not that's any concern of yours, but I gotta get some Baneberry for my toad."

He was speechless. It was explicitly forbidden to take even the most innocuous weed from the glasshouses and classes, even during lectures to study them afterwards, yet this bloody Gryffindor marched towards the door as if he owned the place. He knew Longbottom had the best grades and was clearly their Professor's favourite since he fainted in excitement on their second year at their first class, but damn.

Astonished, he couldn't stop himself from blunting possibly the dumbest sentence ever: “But Professor Sprouts doesn't let us take any of her plants outside our designated scheduled time!"

The other boy had the audacity to grin, viciously and borderline dangerously and porca miseria it was getting hotter under his robe by the second. "Maybe to the rest of this school" Longbottom said, his shoulders squared and posture tense, "But I'm her assistant and have her blessings to do whatever the hell I want in any of the greenhouses, however dangerous it might be. So taking an innocuous plant for my toad isn't gonna get me expelled before I can say 'Quidditch'"

Blaise did definitely misread the look the Gryffindor gave him, thinking it hinted something while it was only meant as a superiority glance, and he was definitely thinking with his dick now.

Longbottom merely turned around, unbothered by his silence, and walked forward towards the glasshouse for the 2nd year, unaware that Blaise was still rooted on his spot, trying to regain his footing and willing his body to direct the blood back into his legs, failing miserably.

He was in such deep shit it would almost be laughable.

BONUS

When Neville turns around all he can think is either "Shitshitshitshit" and "Damn he's hot but I’m Str8. I think, but damn I'd tap that."

Glossary:

"Pezzo di merda di doxy" means 'piece of doxy shit' "Minchia" is a commonly used curse word, especially in southern Italy; it literally can mean both penis or vagina, depending on where you're from, but most commonly is referred to the female genital; it is typically used in the same way as the English 'fuck' to curse "Nonna" is Grandmother "Ma porca di quella puttana" again, another curse; literally is 'that fucking bitch' or something along those lines, but here it is used as an expression of disbelief, like 'you gotta be kidding me' "Idiota" is idiot "Ammazza oh", literally "Kill it oh", is the equal of a long whistle, mostly of approval "Porca miseria" is "that rotten luck", and is used to express discomfort or as the English 'holy shit'

I'm sorry for all those curse words! I deeply apologize!

Bonus: When Neville turns around all he can think is either "Shitshitshitshit" and "Damn he's hot but I’m Str8. I think, but damn I'd tap that."

[darkpoisonouslove]

TV Show Tag Game

I was tagged by @theonceoverthinker. Thanks, this looks fun (from what I saw in the rules XD).

rules: pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions. don’t cheat. tag 10 (or however many) people.

1. Winx Club

2. Lucifer

3. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

4. Gravity Falls

5. Once Upon a Time

what’s your favourite character from 1?

Griffin. I love all the little details that the show tells us about her in the 20 minutes of screen time she gets for 8 seasons. And her backstory is really interesting (at least the way I have imagined it to fill the gigantic hole that is only barely outlined by canon to separate it from the vast void of space.)

who’s your least favourite character in 2?

Eh... Cain? I did feel for him at some points but then he had to go and be like that! Sorry, but that’s just not something that can keep me rooting for ya.

what’s your favourite episode of 4?

Northwest Manor Mystery. Fun fact, along with the shapeshifter episode, this is the scariest episode in the series for me at least... Me, the person who doesn’t watch horror. Me, the person who doesn’t watch horror yet always ends up with the scariest episodes as her favorites. But yes, I love this episode. The Dipcifica storyline is incredibly strong and I love it. And the supernatural stuff is A++. Just a super neat episode.

what is your favorite season of 5?

I am struggling here between season 3 and season 7. But I was so obsessed with season 7 ever since it came out so I guess it did manage to root season 3 out of the favorite spot.

what’s your favorite couple of 3?

Philinda, no question about it. I was shipping this since way back in the beginning of season 1. And then it was finally canon... for 5 seconds. But still.

what’s your favorite couple in 2?

So this is kinda weird because it is totally Deckerstar but I somehow don’t exactly like putting it in here because for a long time I wasn’t certain if I even wanted them to go romantic. Like, they just needed to be together in whatever way and I guess that is exactly what the best couples have but idk... I just feel like focusing exclusively on the romance takes away from the couple because there is so much more there than just romantic love. It’s like, they have literally every kind of love and shoving them just in the romantic context feels like it doesn’t do their relationship justice if you get what I mean.

what’s your favorite episode in 1?

Okay, so hard tie between 2x18 (“The Heart of Cloud Tower”) and 3x10 whatever the hell that was called (I think I’ve seen at least three different names for this one in the different dubs so I didn’t bother remembering them).

what’s your favorite episode in 5?

Back to my roots on tumblr... That would be 4x20 “Mother”. Nothing has managed to surpass this episode for me even if the season isn’t the best by a far cry.

what’s your favorite season in 2?

Ah, damn. I really don’t know. All of the show is a big blur to me and I barely remember what happened at all not to mention in which season. I will be rewatching this but I want the last season to come out before I get to that so that I don’t run around the timeline in a disorderly fashion. But I think season 3... or season 2. i can’t really decide. I can think of things that majorly pissed me off in both... But, hmm, season 3 had one of the best deaths I’ve ever seen so I’ll go with that.

how long have you been watching 1?

Since my childhood. I can’t remember how old exactly I was when I first started watching it but probably around 7-8.

how did you get into 3?

Let’s just say it was random because the details are a bit problematic.

favorite actor in 4?

I have zero idea who the voice actors are tbh so I don’t really have one. I think they’re all good, though.

which do you prefer? 1, 2 or 5?

Currently 2. And 1. But 2 is definitely much better. I’m into 1 mostly for a few characters in particular and whatever cool thing I catch in between.

which show have you seen more of, 1 or 3?

Eh, I am not sure, actually. I haven’t watched 1.5/8 seasons from Winx and 1/6 seasons from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Idk which would constitute as more when they have a different length of the episodes.

if you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

I guess being Bill Cipher could be kinda cool. I don’t want to be anyone else but myself tbh.

would a crossover of 3 and 4 work?

Yes. They had their fears seeping into our dimension through a rift in space in 3 (and also kinda the same in 4, actually) so I guess they could get sucked into an animated show as well. That wouldn’t be too weird considering everything else that has happened. And then they could investigate Gravity Falls. That would totes work out.

pair two characters in 1 who would make an unlikely but strangely okay couple?

I’m gonna say Stella and Layla. Don’t @ me because I am already developing an AU set of headcanons that I simply haven’t found the time and desire to write out yet. But just you wait!

overall, which show has the better storyline, 3 or 5?

Yeah, like you can pick between those two kinds of craziness. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D feels better written tbh, especially when you compare the quality of the later seasons, but my god, the angst levels. That is too much, stop it!

which has better theme music, 2 or 4?

Lol, I’m not even sorry for this but... Lucifer. The music in this show just rocks so hard, damn!

Tagging: @her-majesty-wears-jeans, @trashcankitty12, @darcyinstilettoes, @intothewickedwood if you want to kill some time and have fun with this! XD Also, if anyone else wants to do it, do it! It’s a lot of fun!

[nctinfo]

[TRANS] Yuta’s solo interview with Men’s Nono!

“K-pop” which keeps on surpassing Asia, winning fans all over the world. Men’s nonno invited NCT 127 which consists of multinational members including a Japanese, whose songs, fashion, and overwhelming performance stands out. Following last summer’s article, YUTA’s first single interview has finally happened! Immediately after his performance in his hometown, Osaka, he talked with us thoroughly.

My childhood in Osaka and my encounter with K-POP

What made you want to travel to South Korea and take part in the KPOP world? I always wanted to play soccer in my hometown Osaka. I was the active type when I was a child, always running around with my friends from morning till night. I was playing soccer for my dear life, but during middle school, I started to wonder about my future. During that time, I saw TVXQ on TV, “they’re so cool” I was amazed. Anyhow, their performance was so amazing. I thought I also wanted to become someone like them. I was 14 years old. My mum was a fan so she had their DVD, rather than being advised to do this it was something that flowed naturally.

Were you more interested in KPOP rather than soccer?  Since my older and younger sisters were taking dance classes, music was something really familiar to me. It was something I listened to every day so I feel like I may have already had a base.

What kind of things did you do before jumping into the KPOP world? When I got to Korea I was 16 years old. I passed the audition for SM entertainment, where I belong now, held in Japan and got to go to South Korea as a trainee. I was in a situation where I didn’t understand Korean at all so before I moved there I studied hard, even sticking Korean words in our bathroom walls. 

At what time did you discuss it with your family? Ah, I, auditioned in secret. I told my parents when I passed though, “I want to go to Korea”. My mom was really surprised... then, I saw my dad cry for the first time. I may have been a little lonely because I was going to live away. But I was so focused that I don’t remember much about it. I also didn’t tell my sisters. I was a teenager so I was kind of embarrassed. (laugh) I used to check for auditions in magazines alone. 

So that ability to take action by yourself has finally shown results.  Yes. I think is important to take action by ourselves if there’s something I want to do. But it wasn’t like I was that confident, for the time being, I was trying to challenge myself. Since there was an audition from the company of the group I liked I decided to take it. I was really nervous, actually, I get nervous even now when thinking about it (laugh). It was the start of everything after all. 

The frantic days when I aimed for debut

It is a tough world where not all trainees can debut, right?  Thinking back, I thought “I really want to debut” so singing, dancing, I did my best every day. I was, in many aspects, thinking only about myself. But, after I debuted and experienced this first tour, I realized that we are here thanks to our fans, so I want to show our best performance. Now compared to my trainee days, my way of thinking is completely different. 

Did you take your lessons and learn Korean at the same time? I feel like I learned it naturally during the lessons. At first, I used to talk using a translator app on my phone. Sometimes it was a really weird or screwed up translation, hahahaha. 

It seems that even though you were struggling you maintained a positive attitude.   I’m doing something I like so, of course, there are some bad things but I have fun. Also, I didn’t get homesick at all. I didn’t think about thing like wanting to go home. For, that I’m really grateful.  

Things Yuta has Faced as He's Debuted 

What did you especially work hard on? What I really thought about is was how to express my own thoughts and feelings to others. There are of course many modes of communication but how can I communicate my own feelings while also making sure to respect the opinions of others so that we can work together. It's not about the difference in languages necessarily but how you express or communicate your thoughts and feelings. I think, whether your thoughts come across clearly isn't an issue of whether you can speak a language or not. For music and concerts, I speak with a lot of different and various people while working on the process. You have to make sure that what you want to do is clearly communicated and comes across, but at the same time you have to make sure that you are taking in others' opinions as well. It's a collaborative process, so it's essential that the channels of communication are clear. Did you have to put in a lot of effort outside dance and vocal lessons? Improving my dancing and singing is of course important, but beyond that, learning how to interact with people is very important. Did you also experiment on how to show and express yourself more? I think the most important thing when expressing yourself is that you can't unless you know yourself really well. I think it's the same with fashion as well. When I have the opportunity to work with really impressive creators and artists,  I notice that when I talk to them that they know who they are. If you can't analyze yourself, then you can't show who you are, so it's important initially to think about "how you want to be seen by others and how you are seen by others." I've only just started thinking that way though. After I debuted I would sometimes look at myself objectively and thought "something's a little off, I really want to be seen more in this way but why isn't it coming across like that." I think those experiences are important as well. What do you think is your strength that you've found through this experience? My singing and dancing still have much farther to go, but I want to challenge myself more, and in that sense I think I have "confidence" in those abilities now. I think you gain confidence while building up experience, and if I have confidence, then all that's left is to work hard so that I can show everyone what I can do. Please wait for me with anticipation, is the current feeling I have. What do you find the most rewarding about debuting? I'm still thinking…but I think it's probably getting to perform at concerts. This January we had our first solo concert in Seoul and there was something I really felt. By doing the concert it felt like returning to my roots, and I was able to remember when I first debuted. I think it's been the biggest turning point for us. 

Yuta on NCT 127’s Charms

NCT 127 has been steadily growing their area of activities and their fan base. Our strength is that we constantly challenge are ourselves. On music and fashion, we are opened minded. Our members being multinational is also big. We do talk about wanting to try all the genres and wanting to become a team that can bring about trends. It’s why every time we release a new song, we change our concept completely each time. We never have an instance where we say no to a concept because it doesn’t suit us. Your music continually takes in the latest sounds and it seems almost like you have an antenna to pick things up. That’s also because we are multinational. As we are based in Korea, we pay attention to their music trends and for what’s popular in western music, we ask our American and Canadian members. Various members have different expertise like R&B and hip-hop is Mark while general pop music is Johnny. I can ask about any genre! (😂) I sometimes tell my members about what’s trendy in Japan. It’s such a rewarding environment to be in, that in addition to our great teamwork, it’s so open. The Japanese debut “Chain” is a song that symbolizes that, with the message of “transcending borders to connect”? in the lyrics. That’s true, I performed with the feelings of connecting from Seoul to Tokyo, and to continue that connection beyond to the world. I would love for MEN'S NON-NO readers to listen and also to look at the choreography. While we’re on the topic, what music do you listen to? I listen to a lot of different genres. Rather than considering it work, I just love music. Kanye West, Sam Smith, Bruno Mars....I also listen to Japanese music, I love back number   For Japanese rappers, BAD HOP is my favorite and I recently recommended them to Taeyong, who is in charge of rap. As a group, what is important in terms of finalizing your performances? Teamwork. For instance, if a member is singing at the center and someone on the edge does a flashy move, it can be distracting. We try to be cognizant of not just our own performances, but also the other members’ highlights. We know each other’s high points well and it’s fun because we all have different specialties. What do the other members compliment about you? This is embarrassing haha. I’m told I have a bright personality. They tell me my performance skills are good but they are all kind so......I do get criticized at times though. Our leader Taeyong has great stage presence and will tell me “Yuta, this move should be more like this” or “Maybe try this expression” and I find that helpful. These interactions continue even after finishing a performance and we are constantly fixing things. In my case, I always change the small gestures I do. They are different each and every time. 

Worldwide activities of NCT 127

NCT 127 has made a  lot of buzz with your North American debut, being on the Jimmy Kimmel live show, and an exclusive invitation to the Mickey Mouse's 90th-anniversary celebration concert in Asia. You were the first Asian artist to be featured on Apple Music Up Next, and at the American Music Awards, various celebrities posted pictures with you on social media. It's been a really exciting experience. To think that I would go from Japan to Korea, only to perform in America….I would have never imagined. It was great to see that our music has been accepted in various places, and I also got to study the differences in culture. But, the fans' feelings are the same no matter what country we are in. Even if the way they bop to music can be slightly different. Oh, and English is difficult. Even if I learn the phrases, pronunciation is a struggle. Before recording, I go to the members who speak English to learn from them. I'll tell them "say it super slowly!" and record them as a voice memo on my phone so I can listen to it multiple times (haha). Japanese is the easiest to put my feelings into singing, but I'm enjoying the experience of singing in different languages. In the future, I would love to have activities in even more different countries. For your first Japan tour, what is something you want people to pay attention to? I'd love for people to pay attention to everything (haha), but the slightly acrobatic performances. We practiced really hard for those! Oh and our music generally has a strong dance performance image, but this time we have songs from medium tempo to straight ballads. We changed our style for the different songs so please enjoy that. 

Expressing Yourself through Fashion

Since it is a MENS NON-NO interview, let’s move on to fashion. Here it comes~ (haha). I often wear a bucket hat in my casual attire. I wear them when I’m dancing as well and they’ve become a bit of a trademark for me. On my style, either I’ll be dancing or in front of the mirror and striking a pose, before deciding if an outfit works on me. No matter how cool or stylish an outfit is, if I’m moving and I feel like “this isn’t me” then it doesn’t feel right. I’m sure you have opportunities to wear luxury brand items, but have you found favorites? Lately, it has been neon colors! My sneakers today are neon, but I want to challenge myself more. They stand out onstage, and I think I look good in them (haha). What do you want to wear heading towards the spring season? An over-size coat. I'd like to wear one that's a bit large. I turn 24 this year so I'm thinking of going with a more relaxed mature style with a wet hairstyle. Oh, I'll read Mens Nonno for this (haha) What are the differences between performances and fashion jobs like today's shoot? I think they're pretty connected. When I look at people who are really stylish or fashionable and I think "wow~ that's an artist."  Building a performance and coordinating a style is quite similar in my opinion. Both express your sense of style and emotions, which makes them personal. In a fashion shoot, that moment when you pull off a perfect pose or facial expression is really similar to dancing. Is there anything that you would like to ask the MEN'S NON-NO audience? I'd like to ask what everyone does for the when they coordinate their outfits. For me, I had a moment of inspiration today where I thought "ah I should  wear a ring with this." I started wondering how people come to such conclusions, and I found the idea very interesting, since it depends on each and every person I'm sure.

Your future goals and dreams

Now that you’re making your dreams come true, what are your future goals? I want to do concerts in bigger venues, even tour all 47 prefectures! I want to give back more to the people who’ve been waiting for us. I sometimes struggle with not being able to articulate what I want to say at the moment. I’ll think later “ah why couldn’t I just say this?” I want to lessen those instances while traveling from Hokkaido to Okinawa.   Lastly, what would you say to your 16 yr old self who’d made the decision to go to Korea from Japan? Worry your heart out, it’ll help you grow.

Translation: Eri, Leda @ FY! NCT (NCTINFO) | Source: Men’s Nonno — Do not repost or take out without our permission!