#guard instructors decided that for my first year i will not do anything cool because i'm not able to learn in about 2 seconds flat | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

pradaksj · 3 years

Text

the swimming lessons

↳do not repost, translate, or claim as your own.

❧ pairing⟶ jungkook/reader

❧ genre⟶ swimminginstructor!jungkook , fluff, a bit of comedy? head canon/bullet points

❧ rating⟶ e for everyone??? none??? idk how ratings work lol i just know that m = the dirty, which this story has none of

❧ word count ⟶ 5,000

❧ summary ⟶ accidental swimming lessons with jungkook were definitely worth the money

❧ a/n ⟶ i literally dreamt something similar to this in like january and told myself i'd write about it when i had the time so hear i am :)) this goes out to all my folks who can’t swim !! i'm on the same boat with you , get it? cause we can’t swim ... ok anyways ... enjoy ! (note: i have not proofread this yet so sorry for any mistakes!! ill get to it soon !! )

“hello, welcome to lucky duck swim school, how can i help you?” the receptionist, who was loudly chewing her gum, sounded more like an automated voice message than a person...

see today was your first official swimming lesson

yay!!

how fun!! ...

://

totally not embarrassing for someone your age !!!

honestly, it wasn't your fault you didn’t have any family members or friends with a big pool you could learn in growing up

and by the time you did, you were too much of in an awkward phase to be properly taught

aka your body absolutely refusing to float on its own anymore

but after several trips to the beach with friends and attending different pool parties, you were tired of being made fun of !!

no longer would you remain at 5 feet and under !!! not on your watch !

and so here you were, ready to start your journey into the world of swimming :))

“hi i um have a swimming lesson at 3 with um ... i believer her name was um—”

hmmm what was her name ??? jennie??? no, maybe it was aaliyah ??? no that wasn’t it....

the receptionist taps on her keyboard buttons, her long nails making a noise

pop, her bubblegum goes

“jungkook”

“yeah jungkook” you mindlessly say.

wait

WAIIITT

jungkook????

ummmmm

that was not the game given to you by the last receptionist

jungkook is a boy’s name !!!

you didn’t want a boy instructor !!!

not with the way you were looking

“i um—i had asked for a girl instructor—” you awkwardly mention

she rolls her eyes

um RUDE

she continues clacking with her keyboard, looking for god knows what

she sighs

“there’s no slots with female instructors available for today, nor for the rest of the month, the earliest i can probably squeeze you in by is july.” she bluntly states.

JULY???

july was when you needed to already know how to swim !!

that’s the peak of summer !

there was no point in knowing during winter or any other season besides summer for that matter

and you were not going to get made of by your friends this year

no no NO

“soo do i reschedule you or.....”

you sigh

“no ill take it” you pout, resembling a child.

“it it makes you feel any better, jungkook’s our best instructor, most popular too”

wink

oh yeah that makes you feel so much better

>:(

you were going to make a complete fool out of yourself in front of the so called “best instructor”

“well go get yourself washed up, get into the pool, and jungkook will be with you shortly” she smiles, her attitude now changing now that (what looked to be a supervisor) was passing by.

what a bi—

flip flop. flip flop. flip flop.

your sandles press onto the water on the floor of the girls locker room, a grouchy look now on your face

this wasn't fair

you made an appointment with a female instructor!!

you didn’t care if he was the best instructor or the most popular ...

squeeaaakkk , you twist the rusty shower handle

...because now you were you were going to be judged for your lack of skills

not that you had any to begin with, but still!

god, you sounded like such a karen ...

it’s just ...

a guy instructor ???

really???

you understood that this wasn’t elementary school anymore and boys certainly didn’t have cooties anymore but like ://

no no, you had to give this jungkook guy the benefit of the doubt

if he was one of the best, it was clearly because he was professional and good at what he does

putting your worries to rest, you turn off the shower

this was going to be fine

just fine

clearly your worries were not put to rest

just a temporary halt

pat. pat. pat.

okay let’s get it !

making your way out to the pool, you dip your foot in

ooooo

cold

VERY cold indeed

1 ...2...

you dip your whole leg in, quickly using the momentum to place your whole body in

“5 feet and below ... you’re my bitch !!” you think to yourself

your hand still clearly gripping onto the ledge, still afraid of accidentally reaching 6ft

.... now to wait

“megan seems to have fractured her leg last weekend on a rollerskating day gone bad, so you’ll be taking up her appointments for the next month of two until she’s cleared for work”

huh ???

“but—”

“also she, well now you i guess, have a lesson to teach at..”

jungkook’s supervisor looks down at his watch

“oh i guess in 30 minutes, could’ve sworn it was at 4..” he mumbles that last part to himself

30 minutes?!

“don’t worry i’ll up your pay for the remaining time that she gets better”

he winks ;) making a clicking noise with his mouth before leaving the staff room

jungkook sighs

today was supposed to be an easy day :/

a simple cleaning of the pool along with a couple of measly hours of being the lifeguard and that would’ve been it but noooo

he just had to be the highest rated swimming instructor on the company website

he couldn’t complain though, sometimes it was fun reading the reviews past students left, even if sometimes they were a little too...

whats the word...

provocative?

it often made him wonder if he was in fact an actual good swimming instructor or if the high highly rated reviews were for other reasons....

honestly it’d be dumb of him not to acknowledge the amount of googly eyes he’d get ranging from the mother’s of his younger students to his actual adult students (female and male)

he just liked to think that didn’t come into play when they wrote their reviews

hehe

changing into his black fitted rash guard, he glanced at megan’s schedule

name : y/n

age: 23 grown

swimming level: beginner aka noob.

he chuckles to himself

well won’t this be fun

he couldn’t lie beginner adult swimmers were always a spectacle to watch

they almost reminded him of baby ducks learning how to swim

only that they’d verbally curse their frustrations here and there

quickly showering, he begins to make his way to the pool

hmm, he wonders..

what should he eat after today’s lesson?

a bacon cheese burger sounded really good

maybe even grab himself some birria tacos from that new restaurant that just opened near his apartment

hmm no he had to start spending less on takeout

sigh

looks like it’d be rame—

woah

as corny as it sounded, he could’ve sworn he felt his heart skip a beat

because whoever it was in that pool was pretty, like really pretty

hOly ?????

wowzers

you couldn’t be y/n ... could you?!?!?!

you were the only person who looked 23 years of age in the pool ...

ermmmmmm

mayday mayday

jungkook.exe has STOPPED WORKING

whoever this jungkook person was, sure was taking their time

deciding to have some fun before your lesson, you begin to gently play with the water

swish. swoosh , the water goes

soon you’d be well on your way to becoming the next michael phelps

hehe

maybe with time you’d even be able to a somersault in the water like your friend always—

“y/n?” a voice from behind says your name

ah finally

taking in a deep breath, you turn your attention to the so called “best swimming instructor”

OH.

MY .

GOD.

WHAT ??????

this man looked like he came straight out of GQ magazine !!!!

this HAD to be some mistake , there was just no way ...

your cheeks feel as if they were burning up

probably because they quite literally were

there was no way you’d be able to come here every saturday for the next month, not without fawning for this dude every single minute

“u-um”

of course you were a stuttering mess

of FuCkiNg course

“that’s me”

cue the awkward smile

“be professional” jungkook tells himself

at the end of the day, you were his student

any crush on you would just have to wait until of course ... you were no longer his student

for now the only goal was : teach you how to swim

the next one down the list being : to take you out on a date !

he offers you a handshake

wow he had a strong grip

“i’m jungkook, i’ll be your swimming instructor for the next month”

he flashes you his all too famous smile

there was just no way this man was real

just nO wAy

“um..”

crap, you were still holding his hand!

idiot, idiot, idiot !

“sorry” you awkwardly laugh

ha ha ha

so funny

god did you just want to hide to disappear

“it’s fine” he laughs

even his laugh was attractive :(

ugh

“so y/n, before we begin with anything, i think it’s important to review about what kind of things you already know and what you don’t”

oh right ...

for a moment you had COMPLETELY forgotten you were here for swimming lessons

how embarrassing

“oh um..”

um, um , um.

IS THAT ALL YOU KNEW HOW TO SAY????

“so like floating, holding your breath underwater, pushing, gliding, arm movement, that kind of stuff,” he explains

you knew a cool trick to make it look like you were water bending :D

of course you weren’t going to admit that here

silently you nod your head no

he gives you a reassuring smile, sensing your timidness

“that’s fine, only more for us—” he corrects himself, “for you to learn,” he laughs

hey you weren’t complaining

;)

“so i personally always like to start off with teaching my students how to float. as long as we get that down then you’ll have no problem learning the rest”

gosh his smile was so infectious

shaking your head, you reminded yourself that this was your teacher

+ you paid 300 bucks for these classes, so you couldn’t afford to be giving him the googly eyes all day

you were so cute :(

jungkook couldn’t help but find you so endearing

the color of your swimming goggles even matched your swim suit :((

so cute !

“okay so the first thing i want you to practice is going underwater for a couple of seconds, just so you get used it,” he instructs, “i’ll demonstrate”

taking in a deep breath, he goes down under

1...2...3

he’s back up

pausing for about another three seconds, he takes in another deep breath of air before going back under

1...2....3...4....5

he repeats the same thing over and over, until the max count becomes 20.

“use my finger as your reference of when to go up, but come up for air whenever you feel like you need to. it’s important to go at your own pace, so don’t feel pressured to get it the first try”

no pressure at all

okay

“you ready?”

you nod your head

“okay, deep breath in”

you sink your head underwater, mentally counting the three seconds before going back up

“good job,” he gives you a high five, and you almost feel like a schoolgirl, “now let’s try to five seconds”

woo!!! 5 seconds here you come !!

taking in a deep breath you go down under again

1....2.....3....4...5

easy peasy ... LEMON SQUEEZY

“okay now to ten”

1.....2......3......4.....5......6....7

umm

now why were these seconds going by slow all of a sudden?

sucking it up you manage to make it to 10, but not without being out of breath

“you okay?” he’s quick to ask

yup, totally fine !

you definitely didn’t see the gates of heaven for a quick moment :D

nodding your head, you enthusiastically say, “let’s go for 15″

he smiles at your enthusiasm

ahh so cute

“1....2.....3......4......5.......6......7......8......9.....10.....11.....12....13...

nope nope nope

you were not going to make it to 15

immediately you make your way back to the surface, trying to catch your breath

“hey you did amazing,” he immediately reassures you, “remember as long your going your own pace then you’re doing just fine”

well doesn’t that make you feel better

you wonder if he’s this kind to all his students

besides the most obvious reason, there was no question as to why he was the “most popular” instructor

and to think you had been complaining earlier !!

and soon you’re back underwater, going at your own pace until finallyyyy you’re able to make the 20 second count

“nice !!” he genuinely celebrates with you, making you feel completely proud for yourself

“okay now that we have that done, we can move onto learning how to float facing both front and back”

ohhhhh

he was just thinking ahead

cool :o

“so what i want you do is first relax,” he laughs, gently pushing your stiff shoulders down

as if your blush couldn’t get any deeper

“now my personal belief is that all humans can naturally float, just that for others, it takes a bit of a push to get them at that state,” he begins to explain

others meaning people like um you

“the key to floating is to relax”

oh you’ve heard that before

many MANY times and each time you’ve tried to so called “relax” you just end up sinking

“the moment you fight or stress for even a tiny bit, you will sink. now i know what you’re thinking, ive heard that before”

damn

he was good

“but sadly it’s true, until you learn to relax then you’ll be able to swim”

you sigh

this was where it became hard

you were the queen of stress

you and stress went hand in hand almost like a married couple

it was just that deep water was scary !! very very scary !!

the amount of horror stories you’d seen on tiktok was enough for you to know, ocean = scary

“so here’s what i need you to do, i need you to place your arms on top of the water like as if you’re going to fly”

you follow his commands

he separates your arms, which had been too close together, giving them a small rub

“remember you need to relax y/n,” he chuckles, feeling the tension in your arms

“relax, i need to relax,” you repeat

“okay now right now when i tell you, you’re gonna take a deep breath in and look down, from there you’re gonna let you body move forward. so remember you’re not gonna jump, you’re just gonna let your body glide forward and float. almost as if you’re flying to me,” he explains

mm it was easier said than done

“you ready?”

“okay deep breath in”

you inhale a deep breath in

“look down”

you do that as well

“and let go”

slowly your body begins to rise on its own

oh my god !!!!!

you were about to float!!!!!

the day has come !!!

no more staying at 5 feet and under

you were ready to hang with the big kids :D

but as quick as the momentum came, the faster it left because soon you felt yourself sinking, the breathing exercise jungkook had made you do now coming in handy

no!!!!

you almost had it :(

it was right in your grasp, only to have it snatched away

not wanting to offend you, jungkook keeps his giggles to himself

“hey at least you almost had it,” he comforts you, “let’s just try again”

you sigh, now letting your doubts creep in

because of this, this time your body almost immediately sank this time

he frowns

you were losing confidence :/

“come on i’ll help you”

grabbing your hands, he signals for you to follow his breathing pattern

“deep breath in”

“deep breath out”

god, was his voice soothing

“i need you to relax y/n, let everything go”

a soft feeling of relaxation washes over you, similar to that feeling you’d get when you were on the verge of sleeping

“i’m gonna let you go at the count of three, and then you’re going to float, okay?”

silently you nod, knowing that speaking would only cause you to tense up again

“1...2....”

he lets go, and soon you’re floating, just like he said you would

you hold your breathe for a good while before standing back up, a huge smile on your face

“holy shit! i did it!!”

he gives you high five with both of his hands, for a second holding them before letting go

“now let’s try floating on your back”

he notices that there’s now a fire in your eyes that wasn’t there before

clearly you were now more determined to learn, excited too

preparing yourself to float once more, you realize you were missing something....

“jungkook...”

he tilts his head, confused by the faint blush on your cheeks

“do you think you can um—”

now it was his turn to blush

“o-oh yeah”

what was his problem???

you were a student asking for help

that was all ...

point blank.

he helps you get on your back, his hand placed under your back as a way to keep you up

“1....2....”

you float easily again!!

“nice!!” he smiles

summer, here you come !!

“okay so we’re gonna keep practicing that for the remaining time that we have and next week i’ll start teaching you about stroke techniques and which ones are easiest to do”

nodding your head, you practice your floating by the end of the hour having it practically mastered

the two of you get out of the pool, now drying off

“you’re a really fast learner y/n,” he compliments you

hehe

you mean, you didn’t wanna brag butttt

you were a fast learner indeed

“thank you,” you say in return, “but that’s only because you’re a great teacher”

woah

did you really say that :o

aren’t you feeling a little bold today y/n

his blush returns for the second time today

well technically you weren’t in class anymore ...

a little flirting wouldn’t hurt right?

if only he knew what to say ....

hmmmm

“well at least you won't ever drown!”

HUH???????

jungkook, you idiot !!!!!

someone needed to smack him straight in the face for that !

at least you won’t drown????

no fucking shit

well there goes his chances with you now going down the drain

but to his surprise, you laugh

“you’re right, i won’t,” you say in return, “well i’ll see you next weekend jungkook”

you flash him a smile, and he was certain he felt butterflies in his stomach

walking into the girl’s locker room, you let out a sigh of relief

wheeeeew !

faking confidence was hard !

very VERY hard

“so today you’re going to learn how to stroke so you can officially be called someone who knows how to swim, next week you’ll learn to tread water and continue perfecting your swimming, and then the final week i’ll teach you some fun extra things”

“sounds good,” you say, definitely excited to learn more.

“okay so now that you know how to float, right now when you float facing downward, you’re going to pull against the current with your arms, alternating each one. now the tricky part is that while you do that, you also have to paddle your legs a little and come up for air when you need to, and when you’re back in the water you should slowly be exhaling bubbles of air rather than holding your breath”

well that sounded hard :/

“let me give you a demonstration,” jungkook says

he’s quick to float facing downward, showing you the maneuver he wanted you to learn while coming up for air every five seconds

thought it was a little childish, he somehow still looked good doing it

he truly was blessed with the looks of a god

he comes out the water

“okay now your turn”

you nod your head, that determined look you had on your face last week now returning

following his example, you begin your attempt at paddling and stroking your arms at the same time

SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!

immediately you begin to panic and water begins to splash everywhere, including on jungkook

noticing your panicked state, jungkook is quick to grab you and place you back on your feet

“hey hey, i got you,” he comforts you, not wanting you to feel discouraged

you sigh

well that was embarrassing

“remember y/n you have to learn to coordinate everything, so think of it this way. your legs have to always be paddling, it’s the arm and coming up for air that switch roles. when you come up for air, it’s only your legs paddling, while when you’re head is back underwater it’s both your legs and arms paddling. once you get that pattern, the bubbling will come naturally”

you make an ohhhhh face

you could do that !

“remember what i told you last weekend y/n, you need to relax and be comfortable so you can build confidence. there’s no need to panic because i’m here,” he smiles at you

gosh this just wasn't fair >:(

cute and charming ????

this boy really had it all

not wanting to disappoint, you try one more time, failing once again

now you were frustrated :/

“damn it,” you mumble to yourself, a sadness to your voice

jungkook feels his heart swell

he didn’t like seeing you sad :(

but doggy paddling was the most basic technique he could teach you so he couldn’t really cheer you up by offering a different technique

you needed to learn to doggy paddle before you could move on to the more bigger strokes

damn it ://

“hey don’t feel bad about not getting right away,” he gives you a small smile, “i remember when i first started learning it took me forever to even learn how float, so the fact that you’re already at this point is enough of an accomplishment”

well that makes you feel little better ...

“but you were probably a kid, im ...”

old , is what you want to say

figuring what you were gonna say, he only laughs

“who said i was a kid? i was probably like 19″

whaaaaaattttt!

assuming he was your age (which he was), you do the quick maths in your head

that was like .... 4 years ago !

how the hell did he get so good in such little time???? enough to be teaching courses ???

“not knowing how to swim is nothing to be embarrassed about y/n, if anything it takes a lot of courage to even sign up for a class so don’t beat yourself up too much for not getting it right away”

he ruffles your wet hair, a small affectionate gesture

you didn’t know how it was possible but you were falling for this man and QUICKLY at that

he was just so ??$%@^!

UGHHHH

“so let’s try one more time, and if you still can’t get it then we’ll push it to next week, a free extra lesson on me”

eeeeek

though the temptation to purposely fails was very intriguing indeed, you still had to try for the sake of it

if you got it, you got it, and if you didn't well ....

an extra week with jungkook it was :D

“you ready?”

you nod your head

“1...2...”

you float and begin to paddle, this time actually getting the hang of it !!!

you hear jungkook’s muffled voice from above the surface, “there you go!!”

holy shit !

you officially knew how to swim !!!

at least enough to save your own life if push came to shove

once you were out of breath, you stand back up, a grin on both of your faces

for jungkook it was hard not to tackle you in excitement so instead he settled for a very enthusiastic high five

“you did it!” he cheers

“ahhh!” you giggle like a child

“from here on out, the rest is a piece of cake!”

yay yay yay !!!

“now let’s start working on deeper strokes, maybe we’ll even have time to throw in backstrokes!”

:////

noticing your changed expression, he awkwardly laughs while scratching his neck

“or maybe not”

this week was the final week of swimming lesson with jungkook

:((

last week’s lesson of treading water and perfecting your swim seemed to had gone by in literally the blink of an eye !

and so today was possible the last time you’d see jungkook unless you managed to grow the balls and ask him out once that clock hit 4, once you were no longer his “student"

by now you were 100% sure you liked the dude... like a lot

and he was definitely someone you wanted to get to know outside of this pool

you just weren’t sure if he liked you the same way

you mean yeah there were definitely times that had you raising an eyebrow here and there, but you always excused it as him simply being a kind hearted person by nature

because clearly his five star rating on the company’s website had to come from somewhere

not that you checked or anything....

who were you kidding

yes you did

your favorite review was the one that went..

“wow!! this dude is amazing !! came here for beginner lessons and even i found myself fawning for the dude , and i don’t even play for that side of the team !! not only were his lessons thorough, but he’s a very charming person ! 10/10 recommend!”

and so you were stuck

did he liked you or was he just treating you like he treated everyone??

“ahh y/n,” jungkook’s voice suddenly brings you back to reality

“today’s our final lesson!” he announces, not sounding too sad

in fact he sounded excited

damn :/

he playfully jumps into the pool, today being his so called “fun day”

“so since today’s your last lesson i thought i could teach you how to do a.....”

he pauses for dramatic purposes

“SOmERSAuLT!!”

immediately your eyes light up

ahhhhhHHHH!!!!

you always wanted to learn how to do a somersault in water, remembering the number of times you’d look at your friend in jealousy whenever she did one

“you ready??”

eagerly you nod your head yes

“okay so the steps to doing a summersault is first of course, you need to take a deep breath”

okayyyy

“from there you tuck your chin to your chest, next you do the moment of the somersault by swinging your chest forward and gently kicking out your legs, so basically forming a ball and then kicking out. naturally, if you have enough momentum, you’ll spin, but if you don’t just use your arms to complete it”

“think you can give me a demonstration?” you innocently ask

he winks at you, “of course i can”

taking in a deep breath, he follows his own instructions, and you watch he perfectly executes his somersault

“woahhh, that was so cool!” you say, even now finding the trick to be amazing

“now i dont expect you to get it right away, so right now that you try i’m going tog hide you thought the movement so you get the gist of it”

sounds fair enough

you weren’t trying to drown on your last day either

“okay, you ready?”

“yes”

“let’s get it!”

taking a deep breath in, you feel jungkook’s hand get placed on your back, ready to push you so you could do the somersault

“1...2...”

and slowly you feel yourself spin with the help of jungkook, a smile already forming on your face

“ahhh!” you smile big and wide, causing Jungkook to smile along with you

“you think you’re ready to try it on your own???”

“yes sir”

“okay 1....2....”

mustering up as much as force you possible could, you push yourself into ball and successfully do the somersault

YUPPPPP

WHOSE DOING IT LIKE YOU???!$%@$!

feeling an immediate rush of adrenaline, you begin to splash water all over once you come back up for air, declaring an all out water fight with jungkook

soon the two of you are chasing one another, you now using your new swimming abilities to get away

hehe

you’re a swimmer

the sound of jungkook’s infectious laughter fill the air and soon you feel him grab your waist at an attempt to stop you

“gotcha” he says, and he turns you around to face him

slowly each other’s heavy breathing becomes relaxed, and it’s as if you’ve felt a shift occur in what you considered your new “friendship”

“so....” he awkwardly says, hands still wrapped around your waist

his was was RED

like cherry tomatoes red

this only makes you giggle

if you had doubts before, you DEFINITELY didn’t have em anymore

he liked you :))))

and you liked him :))))

and in ten minutes you were officially no longer his student so......

“there’s this new restaurant that opened near my place....” you say

immediately his eyes light up

“cancun eats?”

you nod your head and he gives you a toothy grin

“i was wondering if you’d want to go out some time...” you muster up the courage to ask him out

%^@%!@&!@^&@%! = jungkook’s brain

holy crap !!!

you liked him!!!

he wasn’t just delusional !!!

“hello?? jungkook??” you laugh, waving a hand in front of his face for jungkook.exe had truly stopped working this time

nodding his head yes like a child, the two of you being to lean closer to another, the clear goal in mind being each other’s lips

because honestly you’d come this far now, might as well give him a ....

“wait!” he suddenly interrupts he glances at the digital clock on the wall, remembering your final lesson officially ends at 4

because no way in hell was he going to get fired for kissing a student on the clock

3:59

.....

4:00

“okay now,” he smiles, and you only roll your eyes, happy to have taken up on those swimming lessons.

a/n : i was gonna make this longer but this was always meant to be a small little head canon so :))) pls give this a like, comment, or a reblog if you enjoyed it !! (if u can of course) and my ask box is always open for whatever !! :)) see yall next time 💞

271 notes · View notes

lunarliza · 4 years

Text

Dirty Little Secret | Chapter One: Blankets

fuckbuddy!JJ x Kook!Reader

You and JJ are fuck buddies- strictly physical. But what happens when you find yourself falling more and more for everyone’s favorite golden boy even though all he can see you as is a spoiled rich girl?

You stared at the ticking clock among the sea of giggling preppy girls. Time had to be running in reverse. There was no way you still had an hour left.

“Alright ladies, let’s now form a single-file line and practice our curtsies,” the cotillion instructor, Linda, ordered. The over-privileged girls hurried to the end of the ballroom, one carelessly stepping over your foot. “Ouch!”

You glared at their backs and non-existent asses as they scurried, being the last one to sulk to your place behind a tall girl named Caroline. The leggy blonde snickered and leaned back slightly once everyone got into formation.

“You look like a beat up mule,” she joked.

You snorted and got on your tip-toes, muttering into her ear. “If I hear the words ‘prim and proper’ one more time, I might actually vomit on the spot.”

You both peered over to Linda who was busy adjusting some of the girls in the front with her annoying pointer stick. It was only a matter of time before she would eventually get to you and criticize, well, everything. Your posture, clothes, hair, attitude.

“If you do,” Caroline added, “make sure to get it all on Delilah in the front left. She totally swiped me for runner-up Miss Teen North Carolina last year.”

You chuckled and shook your head.

Caroline was probably the only thing getting you through these treacherous debutante lessons. She was your typical tall, thin socialite with a Benz and Prada collection to match. Ironically, you guys had more in common than one would think- hating just about every single girl in the room. It may be for different reasons, but the principle was there. Caroline was as competitive as they come and always had to be the center of attention, not that it was hard given her model height.

You, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about becoming a high woman in society- evident in your ability to show up 20 minutes late to each lesson and royally screw up the dance number each chance you got. Caroline admired your talent of not giving a fuck and took a liking to you after you posed non-threatening to her spotlight.

You faked yawned and checked the clock once more.

“Alright I’ve had enough.” You held out your hand to Linda, causing the pageant girl in front of you to wrinkle her perfectly threaded brows. “Linda, I need to use the restroom,” you announced nonchalantly as everyone’s beetle eyes punctured you.

“Very well y/n,” the monotonous instructor answered with her thin-framed glasses hanging on her beak nose.

“See ya next week,” you sneakily whispered to Caroline. You proceeded to hop out of line, snatch your canvas bag at the entrance, and whisk out the door and into the busy street before anyone could see.

It was 3 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon. Your ferry left in an hour, and til then, you were ready to wander around the streets of Chapel Hill.

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

“How were lessons today?” your mother asked, taking a sip of her 1999 Vineyard Merlot before setting the glass on the black marble table.

“Fine,” you answered, picking at the halibut on your plate.

Her glasses were perched at the bridge of her nose as she scrolled through items on an iPad. You silently glanced over to your little sister, Macy, who slid her green beans onto your plate and threw you a thankful grin.

“What did you go over?” your stepdad, Ted, asked half-heartedly as he scrolled through his phone.

“Uh, we did some curtsies and practiced the dance,” was all you cared to mention as you munched on your sister’s veggies.

“That’s funny,” your mother lifted her eyes from the screen, “because Linda called and said you went to the restroom and mysteriously disappeared. And you were late.” Her tone was much more adamant at the second part, but your face stayed cool as you took another bite of the awful fish.

“There was backup when I left the ferry,” you lied and your mother rolled her eyes, tossing the iPad onto the table.

“Y/n, you need to take this seriously. Ted spent weeks trying to get you into those debutante lessons and we’re paying a fortune for Linda alone!”

“It’s not my fault she has a stick up her ass just like everyone else there,” you countered. Your mom was seconds away from fuming, so you decided to add a little extra fuel. “Also someone stepped on my foot with their heel so I had to rest it or else I wouldn’t be able to properly do the dance.”

“Enough of this, y/n,” your mother snapped at your terrible sarcasm. Macy and Ted stopped eating and watched you both with hints of concern. You didn’t understand why it was so startling to them. It was just any other Thursday evening with your mom if you were being honest.

“If I get another call from Linda, we’re taking away your keys.”

“Take them,” you said, stepping up from your chair and towards the kitchen. You tossed the half-eaten food into the trash and stuffed the plate into the dishwasher. “Not like I have anywhere better to be on this God-awful island.”

You rushed to your room upstairs and kicked the door shut behind you. You sank into your bed, face first, and let out the longest, dreadful groan into the comforter.

This was your life now. After almost a year, you would think that you’d adjust to this pretentious Kook life, but it only made you feel more stranded than ever. It started when your real parents announced their divorce a few years back. Both yours and Macy’s hearts shattered at the news. Your family lived perfectly in a tiny home until you turned thirteen. Your dad- the one who taught you how to ride a bike, swim, fish, and play poker- got a new job where he would go overseas for months on end. You hated not being able to see him and your mom hated it even more- enough to leave him. Your mom ended up taking full custody of you and Macy. Soon after, she met money-bags Ted, and, before you knew it, your bags were sealed packed as you sailed away to a fancy new home along Figure Eight complete with housekeepers, a pool, and etiquette lessons. It was supposed to be this “better lifestyle” your mother tried to paint into your head- but you saw right through it. No matter how green the grass or white the fence, you still felt like you were being locked up on an island you had no interest in exploring.

Making new friends was also a hassle- first coming in as a high school sophomore, and then not knowing how to engage in Kook-speak with the others. It’s not your fault you weren’t well-versed in luxury cars and handbags. You had one or two friends, but spent most of your days alone. It was well past midnight when you caught yourself drowning in your own self-loathing thoughts. A sudden tap on your window startled you as you turned to find a familiar blonde boy struggling to lift the glass. You watched, unimpressed, as he finally got it open enough to slide his lean body in and land straight onto your window seat.

“You’re late again, JJ,” you said, getting up to lock your door.

“Phone died and there’s a guard on duty, so I had to come in through the long way,” JJ stated, plopping himself comfortably on your bed.

He wore his usual fit- dark cargo shorts and a navy button-up with hardly anything buttoned. He reeked of weed and seawater, wearing a sleazy grin on his face. You wanted to swipe it off. Cocky bastard.

“For the last time,” you retorted, kicking his feet off your white blankets, “no shoes on my fucking bed.”

“I love when you talk dirty to me,” JJ snarkily replied as he slipped off his boots.

This was JJ: your fuck buddy. You couldn’t pinpoint exactly why you were involved with this delinquent of a boy, but he was enough piss off your mom and Ted- not that you would ever tell them. You didn’t know what it was about him, but causally sleeping with JJ made you feel more in control of your life. So, once or twice a week, you two would meet up, do the deed, and go your separate ways without a word. No strings, no feelings, hell, not even a friendship. And not a single soul knew. You both understood the terms of your agreement and will stand by it until the day you both die. “Are you just gonna stand there and stare or are we gonna get to clapping cheeks? I don’t have all night dude,” JJ nagged, interrupting you from your thoughts.

You flipped him off. “If someone showed up during their regularly scheduled time, I would have had a lot more energy.” You peeled off your cropped tee to reveal a lacy black bralette and climbed into his lap. His hands cupped the globes of your ass before sliding them into your shorts, mouth connecting with your neck.

“Let’s make this quick,” he added between short breaths, “I have to meet some friends in an hour.”

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

chapter two

786 notes · View notes

jaxsteamblog · 3 years

Text

Ice Queen

Click here to read the full fic on AO3!

After the borders were tacked down, and things returned slowly back to normal, the mundane aspects of life started to bubble back up. Thuy was off with her group, still working on the brand new world that opened in seemingly random points around the world. The Earth Empire was restructuring, a delightful task full of awkward meetings and forgotten names on Katara’s end, and so they were all expecting new ambassadors.

Zuko had to return to the palace for that. They had discussed for days what to do about Izumi, wondering what the best course of action was. Katara decided to meet her appointment in the new central palace in Republic City, figuring that Izumi could more easily spend time with her father should the need arise.

Not that they could figure out what was going on with their five-year-old since the news broke.

“Auntie!” Kya bellowed as she ran through the wide entry hall. Her small voice bounced off the cool marble and echoed in the empty space. Sokka and Suki followed; Sokka’s arm was thrown nervously over Suki’s shoulders.

“Hello dear one.” Katara murmured as Kya ran into her, putting her small arms around Katara’s hips. Her niece was the spitting image of Sokka, with only the faint reddish hue in her hair linking her to Suki. It made her heart ache sometimes, seeing the South Pole face and saying her mother’s name.

It was in these moments that she was relieved Kya had been born first, securing Sokka’s claim to the name.

“Can we practice now?” Kya asked excitedly.

“Don’t you want to see Izumi?” Katara asked curiously, too quick to think.

Kya’s face smoothed and she stepped back.

“Oh. Right. Sure.” She said and darted past Katara into the palace.

“She’s been really excited about this trip.” Suki said, looking after her daughter’s retreating form.

“Should we really be doing all this formal stuff so soon?” Sokka interjected and Suki sighed heavily.

“She’s a Waterbender. Everyone knows it and they’re asking questions.” Katara answered.

“I seem to recall someone being extremely pissed off about forced expectations and public announcements.” Sokka countered.

Katara gave him a stern look but he didn’t budge.

“I’m not taking her away or anything. She’ll just have to come for training sometimes, which of course means you both will be staying.” Katara glanced over at Suki, who smiled. “And if she chooses not to be my heir later on, then we figure something else out. It’s up to her.”

“How is Izumi taking it?” Suki asked.

Katara looked back over her shoulder, as if her daughter would appear.

“Zuko thinks she’s a late bloomer, but I know. I don’t know if that makes things worse or not.” She said and then sighed, turning back. “She’s not really talking about it.”

“And Lu Ten?” Suki inquired.

“He’s definitely a Firebender, but no fire yet. Which is a blessing I think.” Katara shook her head and shrugged.

“We’re doing the best we can.” She added.

“You think this would be easy, since we saved the world twice.” Sokka muttered.

“It is what it is.” Katara said, waving her hand in an attempt to dispel the lingering mood. “I’ve got some tea waiting.”

Kya, having forgotten her earlier disappointment, ran screaming through the halls with Izumi, two Swamp Tribe children, and a North Pole boy. Katara kept her amusement to herself as she watched the flinching security guards as something crashed in their earpieces. With the carnage, she assumed the younger brother of the Swamp Tribe matriarch was babysitting this time.

“So I assume I’m keeping my appointment?” Sokka asked as he plucked a red bean bun from the platter. Now deeply in their thirties, Katara had hoped he would stop eating like a child but half of the bun was shoved unceremoniously into his mouth.

“Nepotism at its finest.” Katara said as an answer. “No one else really wanted to go, seeing how Zuko spends most of his time here and the Prime Minister is kind of…”

“Dull.” Suki finished for her and Katara pointed back at her.

“I really liked that other guy.” Sokka said, taking a drink from his mug.

“Sato? Very nice man. His son Hiroshi always played so well with Izumi. Maybe next time.” Katara said and sat back. The banality relaxed her, and she wished her work would go no further than this. “I’ve finalized my schedule with Dong-Lee and dad, and nothing has really changed.” Katara continued.

“Still ignoring him?” Sokka asked.

“I’m not ignoring him.” Katara snapped. “I just think he needs to spend a little more time at the South Pole. With the people he actually represents.”

“Malina really isn't all that bad.” Sokka said and Katara glared at him. He responded by shoving the other half of the bun into his mouth.

“Look, the point is, the Earth Empire has finally selected their ambassador and he’s arriving tomorrow. There’s going to be a big, fancy dinner and I’ll introduce Kya as my heir.” Katara said.

“So where’s dad?” Sokka asked, his mouth still mostly full.

Katara slammed a hand on the table. “This isn’t about dad!”

“He’s on the triumvirate.” Suki said gently.

“And I am the head.” Katara retorted. Shaking her head, she deflated. “He’s flying up this evening. I figured he would’ve told you.”

“We haven’t caught up in a bit. Did you see what’s happening in the news right now?” Sokka replied and Katara snorted. For weeks there had been almost nothing talked about that wasn’t related to the spirits.

A knock at the door made them all turn.

“Come in.” Katara called. The door opened and a guard poked her head in.

“Excuse me, your Majesty, but Prince Lu Ten has woken up from his nap.” She said.

Sokka jumped up, shoving the back of Suki’s chair as he moved.

“Hey!” Suki exclaimed with a laugh. “You can’t monopolize all of the baby time!”

“Those freaky twins aren’t here, so I’m taking what I can get.” Sokka yelled back, sliding past the flustered guard to run into the hall.

After everyone was unpacked, and had a proper lunch, Sokka and Suki took Izumi and Lu Ten out into the gardens for a walk. Katara and Kya then made their way down to the practice grounds. The talk of her dad and growing stress of the next few days weighed on Katara and she hoped that this moment with her niece would cheer her.

The sun was shining, and it was a crisp day that she cherished in the early spring. The sea was a few miles away from the palace, but the building was situated atop a bending made hill so Katara could see ripples of blue-gray between the skyscrapers. A particularly strong breeze would occasionally bring the scent of salt water to her doorstep.

Kya held Katara’s hand as they walked over the small footbridge to the flat square. The training ground was covered in soft gravel and bordered by channels of water. It was a place they could all practice together, though more recently it was used to smooth out Toph’s plans for her new sport.

“Auntie?” Kya asked as they walked onto the gravel.

“Yes dear?”

“Is Uncle going to teach Izumi firebending?”

Anxiety plucked at a tendon in the back of Katara’s neck.

“Izumi isn’t a Firebender, sweetie.”

“Uncle says you don’t know yet.”

“Well…” Katara drifted, letting go of Kya’s hand and looking off into the empty air. “Your uncle didn’t have a strong spark at Izumi’s age, but he still had one. Izumi doesn’t, and that’s okay.”

“But how do you know? Is it because you’re a Waterbender?”

“I think so.”

“Will you teach me?”

“In time.”

“Auntie?”

“Yes dear?”

“Who taught you waterbending?”

Katara’s entire neck spasmed and her shoulders shot up to her ears. Muttering nonsense under her breath, she called some of the water from the channels and smoothed out the knots in her muscles.

Kya, her mother, had been there when Katara found her first instructor. It was Kya’s blood that Katara used in her final test with Hama.

“An elder taught me.” Katara said, using a truth to blur the unsaid horror. “She lives in a village somewhere in the South Pole now.”

It went against everything she had ever been taught to even consider killing Hama. Revenge took more than it gave, and Hama was not only an elder, but the only other South Pole Waterbender alive. She had returned Hama to the South Pole under heavy guard and with charms a Kyoshi Warrior had picked up from a guru in the Earth Kingdom. Hama had promised no further violence, being overcome with the promise of going home. She did not return to her village, to Katara’s village, but she was taken back home.

Kya had been buried at the prison, with hopes that she would be returned as well.

They were still waiting.

“Auntie?” Kya asked cautiously.

“I’m sorry, sweetie.” Katara said brightly. “Did you say something?”

“Were you thinking about the war?” Kya asked and Katara flinched.

“Why do you say that?” She questioned.

“Papa looks like that too sometimes.” Kya answered.

“I’m fine sweetie.” Katara forced a smile and juggled three balls made of water. “Ready to practice?”

They practiced for a couple of hours before Kya inevitably got tired and asked to get a drink. By then, Sokka and Suki returned and Katara had to finish business of her own. Dong-Lee, the Swamp Tribe matriarch, was waiting for her with a dense looking folder.

The afternoon wound down that way, with Sokka making a call to Zuko about their next meeting. Suki took charge of all the children currently in the palace, telling stories and generally keeping the chaos relegated to one room. By dinner, most of them had calmed. Just in time for Hakoda to arrive.

Although completely expected, Katara still grumbled as Malina stepped into the main hall.

“Gran-Gran!” Kya and Izumi both yelled and Malina knelt down to hug them both.

“You’re going to pull something Tara.” Sokka said, keeping his voice low, and patting her upper back firmly.

“Shut up.” Katara grumbled, idly twisting the anchor bead of one hair loop.

“Oh look-” Sokka started just as Katara registered the third figure coming into view.

“Bato!” Katara said, her voice amplified by surprise.

Bato dropped his shoulder bag and strode forward, his arms open. Katara met him and they embraced each other tightly.

“What are you doing here?” Katara asked as they stepped apart.

“Can I not come pay homage to my queen?” Bato said with feigned shock. Katara laughed and swatted at him.

“If your father insists on sending me all over the frozen blue yonder doing his dirty work, I deserve the perk of visiting the High Queen in her fancy new palace in Republic City.” He explained.

“Good to see you Bato.” Sokka said and the two men hugged with the same type of loving force.

“Young man, fatherhood looks good on you.” Bato said, holding the back of Sokka’s head and pressing their foreheads together.

Sokka smiled, his eyes squeezing shut and a pin prick of water poked out the corner.

“Is Zuko not here?” Hakoda asked from behind them.

“His court is in session to approve the new Earth Empire ambassador.” Sokka said, moving off to the side. He stood between Katara and Malina, but that still put her in Hakoda’s line of sight.

“Daddy is going to bring me a present when he comes back.” Izumi interjected and Hakoda chuckled as he bent down.

“Oh is he now? I guess I better give you my present first!” He huffed as he stood up, swinging Izumi into the air.

“How are you Katara?” Malina asked softly. Katara watched her father carry Izumi, with Kya hopping at his side.

“I’m fine.” She said tersely and started walking. “Dinner is nearly ready.”

“That was ice cold.” Sokka said, jogging up to walk with her. Katara snapped sharply, sending sparks of frost into the air.

“Don’t you forget it.” She retorted.

“It’s okay that she’s not mom.” Sokka said.

“No Sokka, it’s not.” Katara replied, her words clipped short.

Despite their political positions, they took their dinner in the private family room, away from the other tribal members. Even with the separation, politics still dominated the table conversation.

“Who is the Fire Nation sending out?” Bato asked. Katara settled in her chair with Lu Ten wriggling in her lap. He had begun refusing the high chair, but was still too small for a booster. So Katara had to feed him while her own food cooled just out of reach.

“Zuko has made his appointments but the ministers have to approve them as well. I like the lady he sent to Ba Sing Se though, so I don’t see that changing.” She replied.

“Ugh, remember the ambassador last year? What a piece of work.” Sokka grunted, reaching over to cut Kya’s food. She fussed, insisting that she could do it herself, while Izumi smiled demurely with her chopsticks in hand. The mixed menu was always a struggle, and Izumi was leaning more toward Fire Nation fare while Kya was used to the knives and spoons of the South Pole.

“Who is going from us to Ba Sing Se?” Malina asked, of no one in particular.

“I have always wanted to do some proper travelling.” Bato said. “More than just the horrible marching in the war.”

“That might be pushing it.” Katara said. “Dong-Lee’s sister is going to Ba Sing Se, and I’m sending Hahn to Omashu.”

“HAHN?” Sokka cut hard and the knife in his hand went skidding across the plate. With a huff, Kya pulled her plate back and started sawing the meat with her own knife.

“Two ambassadors?” Suki asked.

“Omashu is the largest seat of power in the south, and it makes sense to have people in both places. Kuei won’t let the Fire Nation send more than one though.” Katara said.

“But why Hahn?” Sokka demanded.

“He’s grown up a lot, Sokka.” Katara said, sounding tired. “And no one could accuse me of favoritism since you hate his guts.”

“Fine.” Sokka said forcefully. Suki leaned over and rubbed his upper back.

“Paw-Paw, look what Auntie taught me!” Kya said suddenly. Everyone looked just as Kya levitated the tea from her cup, pushing it high above her head.

“Careful!” Katara warned.

“Mo-om! Kya shouldn’t play with her food!” Izumi said.

“I’m not playing, it’s waterbending.” Kya stated.

“That’s very nice Kya.” Hakoda said carefully. “But let’s make sure not to drop it.”

“I won’t!” Kya fussed.

“Even if I do-” Sokka took a finger and moved it toward Kya. “This?”

Cold tea fell on Kya’s head, causing her to burst into tears and Izumi started pummeling Sokka’s arm.

“Izumi! We don’t hit!” Katara jostled Lu Ten, who was still eating peacefully, as she tried to get up.

“Don’t be mean to Kya!” Izumi yelled while Sokka chuckled. Suki bit her trembling lip as she used her napkin to mop up as much tea as she could.

“That’s enough!” Katara said, keeping one hand on Lu Ten - who was starting to fuss - and using the other to bend away the tea.

“Izumi, go to your room!” Katara said.

“Katara, it’s fine.” Sokka said.

“Don’t tell me how to parent!” She snapped.

Sokka leaned back, holding up his hand.

Izumi, sniffling, stomped out of the room.

“I didn’t mean to get her in trouble.” Kya murmured.

“You didn’t.” Katara sighed.

“Kat, how about I take Lu Ten so you can eat?” Hakoda, suddenly at her side, asked.

Katara whirled around, grabbing hold of Lu Ten with both hands.

“I certainly don’t need your help.” She said sharply.

Hakoda’s eyes went hard but he didn’t move.

“I raised two children, Katara, I know what I’m doing.” He said.

“When? When mom was still alive and Gran-Gran lived with us? Or after you went off to fight, taking mom with you and leaving us behind? Or was it after mom died and you decided to stay in the North Pole to court a new woman?” Katara shot back. “Because it certainly seems like Gran-Gran raised two more children after you abandoned yours.”

“And where’s your husband then? He’s not here to raise them himself.” Hakoda said darkly.

“Zuko is the Fire Lord! And, if you really want to get technical about it, dad, he’s a five hour flight from here to the middle of the spirits be-damned palace!” Katara shouted. “Now sit down before I decide to make Bato the new chief of the South Pole and kick you out of my home.”

Turning on her heel, Katara shifted Lu Ten onto her hip and walked out the dining room. Ice crunched under her feet, grinding into her soles like diamonds. Goosebumps rippled on Lu Ten’s arms and Katara let out a worried breath as she moved down the hall to the bedrooms.

“I’m sorry baby-boo.” She whispered, kissing Lu Ten’s chubby cheek. “Let’s go call daddy.”

Katara grabbed a phone and went into Izumi’s room, letting her talk to Zuko first. Izumi immediately related what had happened at dinner, telling him all about Katara’s unfairness and tyrannical rule. Then, letting Izumi go back to dinner, Katara stayed in her daughter’s bedroom, letting Lu Ten play on the floor beside her while she talked.

“So what else happened?” Zuko asked.

“I got into a fight with my dad.” Katara answered.

“I know all about that.” Zuko said and she snorted.

“I just don’t get him.” Katara said with a sigh.

“Well of course. You lived with him for the first six of years of your life, while only being conscious of it for two, three years tops. Then he went off to fight when he was younger than you are now. He came back to his children being adults, and one of them bonded to the ocean spirit.” Zuko replied. Katara patted Lu Ten’s diapered backside while she listened. They were nearly done potty training, but it was a busy time and accidents happen. Lu Ten grumbled at the attention, pushing himself up to rummage through Izumi’s things.

“So you’re saying I should just forgive him?” Katara asked.

“I am the last person to ask about forgiving fathers.” Zuko quipped. “But more I’m just trying to break through your stubborn insistence to be mad at him.”

“I want to be mad at him?”

“Yes.”

“Zuko!”

“Katara, you know this. We’ve talked about it in therapy. If you feel like you’re justified in being mad at someone, it means you can get away with being mean to them.” Zuko replied calmly.

“I do have a right to be mad!” Katara countered.

“I agree. But do you think Dr. Matsuzawa would think you’re handling this in a healthy and loving manner?” He questioned.

“Mmmmm.” Katara rolled her discontent in the back of her throat. Lu Ten repeated the noise, bouncing up and down as he did.

“Let’s talk about Izumi.” Zuko said, his tone shifting.

“What do you mean?” Katara asked.

“You don’t normally blow up at the kids.” He clarified.

“Yeah.” The pit of her stomach twisted, shooting sour bile into her throat.

Zuko kept quiet, giving her space to process her words.

“I’m just worried about her.” Katara said.

“Why?”

“Why?” She repeated, incredulous.

“Yeah, why are you worried about her? Has she said anything?” Zuko asked.

“Well, no. Not yet.” Katara admitted.

“Izumi and Kya adore each other. I don’t think she’s jealous.” Zuko said.

“I don’t know.” Katara said.

“Are you jealous?” Zuko questioned gently.

Katara sat up, her stomach wrenching horribly.

“What?” She asked.

Zuko didn’t reply right away, but sighed.

“I’ve been trying to find a way to talk to you about this, and now probably isn’t the best time to bring it up.” He said.

“Well you brought it up!” Katara said sharply.

“Katara.”

“You think I’m jealous that Sokka had a Waterbender and I didn’t?”

“I don’t know. Maybe? You’re weird about Kya.”

“How am I weird about her?”

“You nearly never say her name!” Zuko stated. “Maybe you’re not jealous but maybe you want Izumi to be, so you can have an excuse.”

“How can you say that?” Katara gasped.

“Katara, this isn’t an accusation. I think you’re hurting, a lot. The spirit world thing got us away from it all, but now we’re back. And there’s a little girl named after your mom, needing to learn waterbending, when you don’t really have the best experiences in your own instruction.” Zuko explained carefully. “I went through something similar with my firebending.”

“Zuko…” Katara whispered. Her throat tightened as her nose went numb and started to run.

“I’m coming home.” Zuko said softly.

“No, Zuko, you have things to do.” Katara said.

“I’ve already approved the ambassador, the ministers can handle the next part.” Zuko said dismissively.

“You can’t keep running from the palace. It’s pissing a lot of people off.” Katara said, sniffing and rubbing her weeping eyes with the heel of her hand.

“So what? What are they gonna do, depose me? None of these governors want to go up against me, my father is rattling around in a prison, Azula is quite happy in rehab, and Iroh is convalescent. Unless they want to go on a search for Ursa on their own, they’ve got no one to replace me.” Zuko scoffed. “Plus, Thuy likes me.”

“Having the Avatar in your pocket sure is handy.” Katara murmured.

“Thuy?” Lu Ten chirped, tottling back with his arms full of Izumi’s dolls. He held out one hand, dropping most of the dolls, and reached for the phone.

“Thuy?” He repeated and Katara laughed.

“It’s daddy.” She said.

“Daddy!” Lu Ten said excitedly, dropping all the dolls, and starting to bounce again.

“May I talk to my beloved youngest child?” Zuko asked. Katara laughed again and handed the phone over. Lu Ten took it with both hands, pressing it to the side of his face. A couple of the buttons beeped.

“Daddy coming home?” Lu Ten asked. Pushing herself back to lean against Izumi’s bed, Katara watched as Lu Ten babbled into the phone.

She wasn’t looking forward to their time apart.

With the call done, Katara gave Lu Ten a bath and put him to bed. Assigning a guard to act as a baby monitor, she then went in search of Izumi.

The residential wing of the palace was small compared to the rooms she kept in the North Pole and in the Fire Nation, but it was still much bigger than what she had grown up with. Being back in Republic City, Katara almost wondered if she was expecting her old college dorm. She hadn’t even returned to the campus, though they were certainly bothering her about it, but her mind kept returning to the uniform, beige buildings, relics of the war.

This palace was made with snow white marble, iron colored lumber from the Fire Nation, and miles of Omashu crystal to remind her of ice. The rooms were a mix of styles, some with low furniture and some with the more modern style of ornate desks and heavy pieces meant to be dusted, not moved.

Going through the rooms on the main floor, Katara found them all empty.

Not wanting to try the other bedrooms, she descended into the basement. This was the space Sokka had designed, and sure enough, it was where everyone important was hiding.

Sokka had built a pillow fort in the theater, a trail of popcorn leading to the draped blankets. An animated movie Katara vaguely remembered played on the large screen and she could hear both Izumi and Kya giggling. Deciding to leave them to it, Katara retreated.

With Zuko’s flight still hours away, Katara puttered around. She made more tea, put on a hoodie, and meandered out to the main courtyard to look at the stars. The sky was different here than the North Pole, and neither was at all like the sky in the South Pole.

Pulling her legs up higher on the lounge chair, Katara reached underneath for a folded blanket. She often spent nights out here and the staff was good about leaving cushions and blankets about for her. Folding herself over the arm was difficult with her tea in her other hand and Katara strained to reach.

“Let me.” A man’s voice said and the mug left her grip.

“Thanks.” She muttered, leaning further over and finally grabbing the blanket. As her hand folded over the fabric, the voice registered, and Katara looked down while she spread the blanket over her legs.

“Here you go.” Bato said, handing back her mug. Katara took it, holding it in her lap with both hands wrapped around it.

“Did you come to scold me?” Katara asked.

“You’re a grown woman.” Bato said with a grunt, sitting down in the grass beside her. “I want to make sure you still know your stars.”

Tilting her head back, Katara gazed at the stars.

“I’d rather you scold me.” She groaned.

“Really?”

“No.”

“I’ve already yelled at Hakoda.”

Katara rolled her head to the side to look at Bato, but he was still looking up at the sky himself.

“At dad?” She asked.

“You weren’t totally wrong Katara. He wasn’t around, even if he hated being away from you and Sokka, it doesn’t change the truth. Trying to pretend that he was still a dad is his way of telling you that he didn’t want to leave in the first place.” Bato explained. “But it doesn’t fix anything.”

“But I shouldn’t have said what I said.” Katara admitted.

“Sure, but where do you think you got your temper? It wasn’t your mother.” Bato scoffed.

“I never asked you about her.” Katara said softly, rolling onto her side to look at him better.

“Sokka did, but I wasn’t sure you would.” He replied.

“Will you tell me?” Katara asked.

“Of course.”

Banging rattled the thin door frame and Bato jolted upright, still tangled in his blankets and furs. As the banging continued, he clawed his way to freedom and shoved his arms back into the longjohns he was wearing. Moving from his bedroom in the back, he paused for a moment to put his feet into his unlaced boots before heading to the front door.

He yanked the shuttering door open, swearing in the bright summer sun.

“May you and your namesakes drown for a thousand cycles.” Bato growled.

“Oh come on Bato, too much sleep is bad for your health!” Hakoda said briskly.

“Did Kanna kick you out again?” Bato asked. He moved sleepily back to his bedroom, letting Hakoda close the door and follow. Kicking off his shoes, Bato began picking through the pile next to his bed while Hakoda leaned in the open door frame.

“She was up late for a birth.” Hakoda said, avoiding the truth. Bato found his pants, pulled them on, and then searched for his parka. When he found it, he shook it out sharply.

“Is Kya up yet?” Bato inquired, pulling the parka over his head.

“That’s why I’m getting you. You know her father hates me.” Hakoda said.

Bato straightened his parka and avoided his friend’s gaze.

He couldn’t put into words what his life was like at the time. His parents had died last winter when there was another outbreak of tuberculosis. There were relatives he could have stayed with, or even gone to live with Hakoda and Kanna. Instead he chose to stay in his family’s house. They weren’t adults yet, but life on the ice and a blockade cutting them off from the rest of the world, it wasn’t like there was enough room for a childhood.

Hakoda was trying, and so was Kya. They had grown up together; all of the children in the village had grown up together, but it was different for the three of them. Bato had known they all loved each other, but two summers ago, he found out that Hakoda loved Kya differently, and it made him feel strange.

But it was difficult not to love Kya, in one form or another.

Bato punished Hakoda by forcing him to wait as he got ready. Bato dressed properly, shaved, and put together a meager breakfast. Ever the spoiled one, Hakoda bemoaned the bland food, which got Bato in for whatever Kanna had bubbling away on her stove that day.

Being back at Kanna’s wasted another hour and finally, finally, they were out on their own.

Bato was sent to get Kya and he grinned weakly under her father’s glare. Whatever he had against Hakoda, Bato was sure it was both misunderstood and completely deserved.

“Ah Bato, I wish we were children again.” Kya said, hanging off of his shoulder. “I miss penguin sledding.”

“You know, I think there’s an old canoe out back of my house. My dad and I were supposed to mend it this summer.” Bato said.

“We can’t go fishing in a broken canoe.” Hakoda stated.

“But we might be able to go sledding.” Bato countered.

The sledding worked, but somehow Hakoda decided that what they really ought to do was hitch a polar bear dog to the sled and really get going. Figuring they wouldn’t even get close to a den, Bato agreed.

This resulted in them running full-tilt through the snow away from a pack of polar bear pups with their milk teeth still in.

Wanting to hide their injuries, Hakoda then decided it would be a good idea to sift through Kanna’s unguents while she was sleeping.

That turned into Hakoda and Bato being temporarily blinded and Kya laughing so hard she fell into a slush pit at the coast line.

From there, they all piled into Bato’s bathroom, sectioning off the shower stall for Kya while he and Hakoda squeezed into the tub.

The room was covered in clean, but cracked, white tile squares. Steam filled the space, making their vision foggy even after clearing away the odd unguents.

This was the pair he had done his ice dodging with. All of their parents had been alive and watched proudly as they completed the ritual. Hakoda was the brave, Kya was the wise, and he was the trusted. It felt like their fate had been sealed then, and Bato relaxed into the grip of it. When Hakoda’s father died in a fishing accident, he went right back into the sea to make sure he was taking care of his mother. Kya always knew how to draw Bato out when he was pulling away. It was how they would always be.

“What do you think will happen in the future?” Bato asked, watching the steam curl within itself.

“How far are we talking?” Hakoda asked in reply.

“Ten years.” Bato answered.

“Hopefully this war will be over.” Kya remarked. The sound of the water hitting her skin sounded different than the tile. It was a sound Bato hadn’t heard in his house for many months.

“I hope to have children.” Hakoda said.

“Oh?” Kya intoned, turning off the faucets. She stayed behind her curtain, and Bato heard the splash of water as she wrung out her hair.

Hakoda looked away and Bato chuckled.

“What if the war is still going on?” Bato asked.

“Well, we’ll have to fight in it I suppose.” Kya said dreamily.

“How do you figure?” Hakoda asked sharply, sitting up so quickly the water sloshed over the side.

“If you want to have children, you’re okay raising them in a world like this? Where we can’t even trade up north anymore for fresh food?” Kya asked. “No one’s buying our fish, the Waterbenders have already gone off to fight and none of them have come back, and we don’t even have a local hospital.”

“But there’s so much to lose if we enlist. There’s no guarantee it’ll turn out in our favor.” Hakoda said.

“And here I thought you earned the mark of the brave.” Kya chided.

“So are you not having children until the war is done?” Bato asked.

“I think if I married the right man, I’d have to win a war for my children.” She answered.

Hakoda, sinking back into the tub, sighed happily with a smile.

Katara looked at the cold remains of her tea as Bato’s words swirled in her head. She didn’t see any of her mother in Malina, and she couldn’t work out if that made her happy or not. Perhaps Malina was the type of woman Kya would have picked out for Hakoda herself, someone to comfort him, not challenge him.

“Losing Kya is different for your father and me. We all got separated, so I keep thinking Kya’s just waiting in an Earth Kingdom city somewhere, waiting for us to find her.” Bato added.

“I know where she is.” Katara murmured.

“I know. And it kills me that you do.” Bato said. “Your mother didn’t deserve any of this. She deserved to see her children grow up and to meet her grandchildren. She shouldn’t have a namesake yet.”

“So what about dad?” Katara asked.

“Hakoda deserves peace. If you hadn’t gone through what you did, I would say he deserves to reunite with his children and live comfortably to grow old and fat. But you also deserve a father not blunted by years of imprisonment.” Bato shook his head, now looking at the ground. “You both deserve better but there is no substitution.”

Briefly, Katara thought about Noriko, but banished the seed before it could plant itself in her mind.

“What do I do then?” She questioned.

“My advice? Start over. Your father is a good man, and he loves you very much. We went away because we really thought we were going to protect you, to save you. He never wants to be far from you.” Bato said.

“Then why does he only ever stay with Malina? He was barely in the South Pole until I ordered him to go back.” Katara said sharply, her anger returning faster than she expected.

“You were supposed to be in the North Pole more than you were, remember? But someone decided they were better off traveling with the Avatar, or hiding out in the Fire Nation. Places your father couldn’t easily get to.” Bato said. “And how often did you want to see Malina when you were home?”

“Mmmm.” Katara grumbled, assenting to his point.

“Zuko is coming, correct?” Bato asked.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be glad to see him again. I haven’t had the chance to really talk to him.” Bato stood and stretched his back. Katara could hear the succession of pops from his joints.

“I think you’ll like him.” Katara said.

“Really? The son of the man who slaughtered my people? Who kept medicine from our village and killed my parents? You think I’ll like the Fire Lord, hmm?” Bato asked casually. Katara sat up, alarmed, and tried to see Bato’s face in the dark.

“Most of all, Katara, I think you need to understand just how much Hakoda is willing to deal with because of how much he loves you.” Bato said. “I hear that your husband is a good man, and I trust that you wouldn’t marry an evil person. But we have suffered differently, you and I. And I don’t have love to help me forgive as easily.”

Without another word, Bato turned and walked back to the palace, leaving Katara alone in the dark. Revenge was not sought in their tribe. Harming another person meant weakening the community. But there was still the matter of justice. Bato would not hold Zuko accountable for the sins of his father, but politics changed things. Katara understood that, and she understood Bato knew the difference as well. His hostility toward the Fire Lord was not the neutral friendliness he used to talk about her husband.

Hakoda had only ever fought with her about politics when he learned of her relationship with Zuko.

Heading back inside herself, Katara went straight to her private rooms. She showered and took extra care with her routine, wasting more of her time before Zuko arrived. Brushing out her hair, Katara’s shoulders sank seeing the wide swaths of black in her normal brown. The past two years had been exhausting beyond a physical way and had tapped into her spiritual reserves. So much had changed, but there was still that feeling of loss over what had been left behind or broken.

Very similar to how she felt at the end of the war.

While smoothing lotion into her arms and legs, Katara took a moment to examine the scars. She remembered Zuko’s fingers tracing them years ago, his pale skin somehow paler than the raised lines on her body.

Standing in the mirror, Katara saw the other scars that sank into her body. The stretch marks that rippled over her stomach and down her thighs. Ebony threads were like embroidery over her dark skin making no pattern but beautiful still.

Pulling on a robe, Katara tied the belt and walked silently to the bed. Purple sheets, made of silk to protect her hair and cool to the touch. There were places in the midlands of the Earth Empire that considered purple dye to belong to the royals. Apparently King Bumi was fond of it, mixing it with the typical green attire of Earth Kingdom citizens.

Katara just loved the blend of red and blue.

Sliding into bed, she shivered as her damp and lotioned legs brushed against the sheets. Tucking herself in, Katara shuddered deeply once and then relaxed. She thought for a moment that she was jealous, but not about Sokka or Kya specifically. Katara had hated everything she and Zuko had to go through in order to even have this place. She hated the schedule and the weeks away from her children and husband, or missing just Zuko.

If the world hadn’t been placed in peril yet again, they may never have won this small victory in the first place.

So in a way, Katara was bitter that she hadn’t earned any sort of simple ending. Her father, Sokka, even Thuy were uncomplicated by their relationships. Either no one was high enough or, as it was for Thuy, the Avatar was someone who could simply do whatever they wished.

A life where she graduated from medical school, became a doctor, and lived with her little family back in the South Pole would never happen. Instead, she had to worry about her daughter’s inheritance, take on her niece as her heir, and run three different nations while also sitting as the lady of another ruler.

And Thuy. Of course, she always had a duty to her Avatar.

Picking up her phone, Katara scrolled through the messages to see if there was any update from Zuko. The flight app showed his plane still in the air, but near enough to Republic City. With almost a decade of ruling as a monarch, her social media was limited, but it was still nice to see what her friends were up to.

Jinora’s daughter Bumi was in elementary school and had bonded with her Sky Bison. Ikki had adopted another flying lemur, bringing her total up to four. Meelo, while not specifically posting about it, was still living near the rehab center where Azula was staying. He was actually incredibly helpful, despite the strange stories Rohan had told her. Meelo seemed to care a lot about Azula and brought his trained, monastic calmness with him when he visited her.

Rohan was on radio silence, again, as they were doing something mysterious out at the Eastern Air Temple.

Thuy’s new account for “the family” was called The Dream Tweem, tweaking the pronunciation of Thuy’s name for the pun. It made Katara snort every time she saw it.

The Dream Tweem was heading to a remote village tucked somewhere in the Xishaan mountains. Jae-hwan, despite his numerous trips with Thuy, was still not a fan of the cold and there were plenty of pictures of him dealing with snow.

Just as Katara was flicking through the album, she got a video call.

“Good evening Auntie!” Thuy said cheerfully.

“Is that Lady Katara?” Suzu’s voice came from behind Thuy and Katara watched her push her shoulder back.

“The kids are in bed!” Thuy said sharply.

“You’re lying!” Suzu retorted and shoved Thuy’s face aside. Katara laughed as she watched the excitement drain from Sula’s face.

“Hello Fire Lady.” Suzu said sadly.

“I’m sorry Suzu, had I known Thuy was going to call, I’d have collected the children.”

“It’s fine.” Suzu replied, dragging the last word out on a sigh while she slunk of view.

“Have you met the ambassador yet?” Thuy asked, her face returning to the screen.

“He comes in tomorrow.” Katara said, shaking her head.

“Oh, Zuko got his then right?”

“Blazes, how can you just call him that?” Zula asked.

“Because my parents weren’t crazy Fire Nation royalists?” Thuy asked, annoyed and confused.

“Are you talking to Auntie?” Jae-hwan came from over Thuy, pushing down on her head.

“Auntie, it’s cold!” He whined.

“I’m not you’re Auntie.” Katara said. “And your mother would lose her mind if she heard you whine like that.”

“Don’t tell mom.” Jae-hwan said quickly.

“I have Toph on speed dial.” Katara warned.

Thuy shoved Jae-hwan off her and sat up, looking at him offscreen.

“You know, sifu says you can’t be cold if you’re practicing.” She said and then laughed as Jae-hwan made an unseen gesture.

“Am I going to hear from Aktuk or Tashi?” Katara asked.

“They’ve gone on ahead to scout since they can handle the cold better.” Thuy said.

“Excuse me?” Zula interjected and Thuy rolled her eyes.

“My apologies madam inner fire.” She said sarcastically.

“Did you call for a reason Thuy?” Katara asked.

“Oh, right. I was wondering if you’ve done any more research on the energybending thing. Tashi and I were talking about it, after that spirit debacle, but we don’t know if we should try again.” Thuy said.

Katara was silent for a moment and Thuy was also still, looking perfectly innocent.

“Where in the mountains are you going Thuy?” She asked.

“A village.”

“What village?”

“A…. mountainous one?”

“Thuy, are you looking for the guardians?”

“Okay so, remember, you can’t really tell me what to do anymore now that I’m a fully awakened Avatar!”

“Thuy! We were all going to go once Iroh recovered!”

“I am so close Auntie! Tashi and I feel really good about this one.” Thuy began but stopped as Katara sat up.

“We don’t know anything about the lion turtles. It could be dangerous!” Katara said.

“Mister Whiskers isn’t even freaking out a little.” Thuy said, trying to calm her down.

“That’s probably because she’s brumating, let’s be real.” Jae-hwan muttered.

“Oh, big word from the street urchin.” Suzu said with what passed for friendly mocking between them.

“I am a Beifong you horrendous little bit-” Jae-hwan’s voice was cut off as Thuy stepped away.

“Are any of you taking this seriously?” Katara asked.

“Auntie, we just came off a world saving mission. We know the stakes. I don’t think anyone else expects to find anything, so they’re doing, whatever. But Tashi and I can feel something out here.” Thuy said.

“Well, don’t poke around there for too long. We’ll go to Ember Island this summer. You and I already know something is out there and we can go as a family.” Katara urged gently.

Thuy smiled and nodded.

“You know, my parents are getting kind of jealous.” She said.

Katara’s breath slowed from the coincidence.

“Oh?” She asked.

“It’s not a big deal, considering how we view family in the Swamp. But it is weird for them to have me be so distant.” Thuy said.

“Comes with being the Avatar I suppose.” Katara agreed.

“We all have things to deal with. Good thing they had other kids.” Thuy said jokingly.

Remembering what Bato said about substitutions, Katara stayed quiet.

“We won’t stay long. I promise.” Thuy said, taking her silence as a reproach.

“Be safe.” Katara said.

“We will Auntie. I love you.” Thuy said.

“I love you. Give the others my love as well.” Katara said.

“Of course Auntie. Good night!” Thuy said.

Before she ended the call, Katara could hear the chorus of other voices wishing her goodnight.

Laying back, Katara held her phone to her chest.

Thuy called her Auntie, but she had become more like a little sister. Thuy had picked her from the very beginning and nothing over the years could change her mind. From every bad mood to times of no communication, Thuy never wavered in her loyalty to Katara.

Her family was such a complex thing.

Katara found a video channel about an unseen man who made knives from all sorts of materials. Hours in, and in the middle of a video about making a knife from smoke, her bedroom door opened slowly.

“Katara?” Zuko called out softly.

Half-asleep, Katara roused and sat up. Her body was warmer now and her robe slipped off one shoulder from her movement. Zuko paused as he stepped in, light burning in his palm.

“Well.” He said with enough interest that Katara felt her pulse quicken. She laughed and straightened out her robe.

“Oh don’t go through the trouble on my account.” Zuko said, walking to the bed.

“Did you just get in?” Katara asked.

Zuko extinguished his flame as he put a knee on the bed, propelling himself into her arms.

“Yes. I went to check on the children first.” He said, his voice muffled as he pressed his face into the dip of her shoulder.

“Are they asleep?” She asked. She felt him begin to untie the belt and she chuckled.

“They were when I left.” Zuko said, sitting back now to properly attend the knot.

“I thought we were going to have a big talk.” Katara said as Zuko loosened the knot and undid the belt. He slid his hands through the small gap of the robe and around to her waist.

“You distracted me.” He said.

“By sitting here?” Katara asked and giggled as Zuko pulled her closer.

“Exactly. You know how beautiful you are, how dare you be visible when we have serious things to discuss?”

“You’re impossible.” There was laughter in her voice and Katara knew Zuko was smiling in the dark.

“I’m not sitting here flaunting such allure as if it weren’t enough to declare war.”

“War, sir?”

“War, my lady, and while I shall put up an earnest fight,” Zuko moved her, laying her back down as he straddled her and began unbuttoning his shirt. “I do believe you will best me yet again.”

“Oh but darling,” Katara said demurely, her fingers plucking at his belt buckle. “You may certainly try.”

And while she wished for light to see him, there had been enough years between them that she knew his body by heart.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74

#zutara #fanfiction #jax writes #modern au #the fic that prompts built #i wrote 24 pages and none of it works for the prompt

29 notes · View notes

silveryinkystar · 4 years

Text

Some deleted scenes from my latest atla fic!

#1: In which Zuko adopts a dragon, and Mai really should be used to this by now

Just when she thinks he can’t surprise her anymore, Zuko goes and does something that proves her wrong. Like bringing home a baby dragon.

“I’m going to call you Druk,” he coos at the little coiled lump in his hands. “You’re lucky I’m here, otherwise Sokka might have called you something like Firebreather or Noodle.”

Mai has been introduced to Zuko’s turtleducks both before and after his banishment. Sokka’s not the only one who would be tempted to name a dragon Noodle.

“When Ty Lee said you wanted some time away,” Mai says conversationally, “I don’t think this is what she meant.”

He starts badly at her voice, but when he spins around to face her, he’s beaming widely. Spirits, he could light up the entire Fire Nation with that smile. “Mai! I thought you were coming back next week.”

“I got bored,” she repeats, smirking. “I missed Ty Lee, and gave my parents the slip when they said they were taking a detour. Seems like I wasn’t the only one who ran away. You’ve been up to a lot, hm?”

He chuckles. “Kind of,” he admits, and his expression turns serious. “The palace was getting to me, so I needed a break. I wasn’t intending on bringing Druk back, but I don’t mind.”

“Do the turtleducks like him?” she asks dryly.

“They love him. It’s weird, they’ve never actually seen a dragon before.”

“And you have? Before… Druk, I mean.”

He flushes, opens his mouth to speak, and closes it again.

“Zuko, that’s a yes or no question.”

“It’s… confidential?” he squeaks, flicking his gaze to the tiny hatchling winding around his hand, weaving around the limb before lying across Zuko’s shoulders like a very short scarf. It’s adorable.

She exhales. “When it stops being confidential,” she allows, “let me know before the others? And by that I mean the Fire Nation officials. I’m going ahead and assuming the Avatar and your other friends know.”

“Aang knows, but the others don’t,” Zuko corrects. “Of course I’ll tell you the whole story first.”

“Good.” She walks up to her best friend and embraces him tightly. He stiffens momentarily but hugs her back, careful not to dislodge Druk. “I didn’t just miss Ty Lee, you know.”

She can feel his smile against her shoulder. “I know. I missed you too, Mai.” He pulls away and holds her at an arm’s length. There’s a wicked smile on his face that’s somehow also completely devoid of malice. Not that she could ever see malice on him. “But you mostly missed Ty Lee.”

“One more word and you’ll find a knife on your royal person,” she warns.

#2: In which Sokka takes Zuko into the towns outside the Caldera to show him how much the place has changed

“You know what I think?”

Zuko hums and looks over from a scroll to his friend, who’s lounging on the bed with a map held above his head.

“I think the council members are jealous,” Sokka says.

Zuko raises his eyebrow. “What of?”

“Huh?”

“What would they be jealous of?”

“Oh,” Sokka exclaims, blinking in surprise. “They only have a few supporters among the nobility. Mostly in Caldera City. The people love you and your reforms, and your latest repeal of Sozin’s marriage laws won you even more favours among them.”

“There were more dissenters,” Zuko says with a frown. “I thought it was massively unpopular, even if it was the right thing to do.”

Sokka turns over and waves a hand vaguely at him, grinning like a fool. “See, that’s what I mean. You don’t care about popularity. You saw the marriage laws and knew that you couldn’t put boundaries on love, so you changed the rules. You found out why the war was wrong, and you ended it. Not without help, of course, but you did it all. You care about your people, and they know it.”

Zuko doesn’t know what to say to this, so he resorts to throwing a cushion at his friends face for having him confront feelings. His indignant yelp is a sound that leaves him chuckling for a good minute, so he lets it slide.

But the matter isn’t done yet, at least according to Sokka. On the last day of his visit, Zuko finds that there are no meetings scheduled for the day. He thinks he’ll spend some time in the gardens with his friend, like old times, but Sokka seems to have other plans.

“You guys have fun,” Suki says with a kiss to Sokka’s cheek and a clap on Zuko’s shoulder. “I’ll catch you later.”

Sokka pulls Suki into a proper kiss on the lips before he calls out a quick goodbye and drags Zuko out of the palace.

“Have you been to the towns and villages before?” Sokka asks as they make their way down the slope of the inactive volcano housing the capital city.

“Not nearly as much as I’d like,” Zuko admits. “I’ve been around the capital and Ember Island, but there wasn’t any reason for me to go down to the rest of the Fire Nation.” By reasons, he trusts Sokka understands that he means Ozai had strict rules to stay within the city limits.

“Huh. That’s not great.”

“I went to one of the towns once with my cousin, though,” he adds, expecting the familiar pang in his heart at the mention of Lu Ten before it hits him.

“He’s one of the good ones?” Sokka guesses.

Zuko smiles sadly. “He was like an older brother to me. You know, he was the one to tell Mom and Uncle that I was good with swords?”

“No way.”

“Ozai knew that I was leaving for a change in instructors,” Zuko continues, “but he never really cared either way at the time. He only really became a problem when Uncle and Lu Ten left to fight.”

“Ah.” Sokka rests a hand on his shoulder and squeezes lightly, and Zuko knows to draw comfort from the gesture. He misses Lu Ten dearly, but the sting of loss is numbed, now. He can think of his antics with his cousin during his early childhood without the accompanying sorrow threatening to overwhelm him.

They’re at the base of the volcano now, so Zuko slips up his hood. His hair is free of its topknot and falls over his scar so that he can blend with the crowd unremarkably. There’s no sign that he might be discovered, though, and no repercussions even if he is (except perhaps from his guards, but Ming won’t really mind once she understands why).

The first thing he notices are the sounds. There’s laughter, chatter, and the occasional yelling interspersed with off-key music. He’s already taken aback by how different it is from when Lu Ten helped him sneak out one night when his parents were away with Azula.

“I…”

Sokka smiles and loops an arm around his shoulders. “You haven’t seen anything yet, buddy. You’re going to love this.”

The wind blowing around them is cool enough to be uncomfortable, so Zuko tugs up his collar and raises his internal temperature to compensate. Sokka seems to be unaffected by the chill, which is only to be expected considering his friend spent most of his life in harsh southern winters. They stop every few paces to look at what the roadside stalls were selling, and more than once Sokka actively considers the merits and demerits of buying something they sell before deciding against them, moving forward, and darting back only to walk away again.

The fifth time this happens, Zuko finds a permanent solution in the fire-dancers performing in the streets. It’s his turn now to haul his friend over to them, and Sokka is all too willing to oblige as Zuko watches the performers exaggerate their movements with graceful bending.

“You know, this was pretty cool in the Fire Days Festival too – spirits, are you okay?”

From how distressed Sokka suddenly looks upon seeing his face, he automatically reaches up to touch the scar only to find his cheeks wet. He hadn’t even realised he was crying, but he scrambled for an explanation to keep the other boy from panicking.

“I used to watch the fire-dancers with my mother every year when we went to Ember Island,” he says, swiping at his eyes. “I always wanted to learn their bending style, it’s much more flowy than any other form of firebending. And… it’s been a while since the Fire Nation was this happy outside of festivals. And, well, Ember Island.”

Sokka nods slowly, but he doesn’t look any more placated.

“I guess it never really felt real to me,” Zuko mumbles, ducking his head as his eyes start to burn and glaze over once more. “I’m always stuck at meetings or fighting the council to pass a reform that would help my people, but…”

There’s a lump in his throat that stops him from speaking further, but Sokka leads him away from the crowd gently and finishes it for him.

“You never saw how your decisions impacted your people.”

Zuko manages a strangled chuckle. “They’re happy,” he whispers.

Sokka holds him an arm’s length away, hands firm on his shoulders. “That’s what I wanted to show you,” he says. “They’re healing, and they’re happy. I know most of the people you see are the ones who benefitted from the war, but when we were making our way to the capital before the eclipse, we noticed that it had left its mark on the Fire Nation too.”

Zuko nods, thinking about how he’d received news of an important weapons factory suddenly stopping production because of some problem with the river it was located on. He’d investigated it further and had declined to deliver that information to Ozai once he heard how badly the nearby town had fared.

“We’re the ones who instigated the war,” Zuko says, slumping against the wall of some building. “There were so few people who didn’t suffer for it.”

Sokka slides down next to him wordlessly. It’s not self-deprecating for him to say this – it’s the truth, and Zuko’s doing his best to make up for his ancestors’ terrible choices. They weren’t mistakes, not when each tragedy piled up on top of each other with the sickening, deliberate motive painting them red with blood.

He’s going to help the world heal, and if that starts by healing the Fire Nation? Well, that’s all for the better.

#atla #sil's stories #extras #fire lord of redemption arcs #MAI #boomerang and ideas guy #atla fic

54 notes · View notes

shortstories123 · 3 years

Text

THE SOUL CONTRACTS

Manasvi was a simple girl. Simple yet blessed. She was blessed with everything, a girl of her age would ever desire. A beautiful family with understanding in-laws, a lover of a husband, Anshuman, who would guide and protect her in times of need. Everything seemed to be pretty amazing in both of their lives until, a new wave of happiness knocked at their door. Yes, she found out that the pregnancy test kit in her hand was showing a doble tick mark, which clearly meant the beginning of a new life inside her.

She was beyond happy, no doubt, with all those tears glistening on her pretty face but at the same time, the practical side of her was exhaustively jittery, assuming and analyzing Anshuman’s reaction to this entire volcano of a news. Will he be as happy as her? Will he welcome this pregnancy news with open arms? He was always found in his comfort zone around children but will he be ready for this huge responsibility? Manasvi has never felt so nervous in her entire life like the way she was feeling currently. To her, Anshuman was her abode, her love, her life, her everything! She feared the circumstances, if Anshuman will not be willing to accept this blessing in their lives.

Taking its course of sweet time, the day went by and Anshuman was back home. Fulfilling his daily routine, he instantly got freshen up and was ready to discuss the entire day’s events with her. But on the other hand, Manasvi looked pale and lost. Anshuman was now worried, he simply asked her about the thing that has been troubling her. He was already aware of her morning sickness and dehydration since last few days, but what left him off guard was her nonstop weeping, when asked about the problem. He very gently, took a hold of her face and said, “You can tell me anything Manasvi, we are not two individuals living together, rather we are a part of our soul contract as one! Now tell me, what has been bothering my beautiful wife?”

“I AM PREGNANT!”, came the straight, to the point and firm reply. Anshuman was stunned to the core. His face showed the hint of no emotion. All the doubts, that has been troubling Manasvi, came true. She assumed, how fool of a person she is. Anshuman was hardly 27 years old and it is very conveniently, no desired age to be a parent and moreover, she herself was just 25. A lot has to be achieved before they can even think of raising their children. All these thoughts were running at the maximum pace in her mind, when Anshuman, all of a sudden hugged her. He hugged her like his life depended on this hug. She can clearly make out his tears at her back. He very slowly loosened up and asked, “Why the hell are you worried about such a great news? Oh, I can’t even express my gratitude Manasvi, I am beyond thrilled to know that you’re pregnant and we will soon be having a part of both us in our hands. Do you even realize, how happy and blessed you have made me feel?”

Manasvi didn’t know what to predicate out of all of this. The entire day she has been making plans to make Anshuman understand the gravity of the situation but, here the opposite of it was happening. He was making her believe about the reality of this blessing. This time, she hugged him and thanked him for this beautiful phase of their life which was about to begin.

……………..

Next day, they got an appointment from a wellknown gynecologist and Manasvi was undergone all the necessary tests and was now advised with full new eating plan for the upcoming nine months. Both of them were really excited and were very consciously listening to each and every detail prescribed by the doctor. Everything was done smoothly and both of them retired back to their sweet home. Though, now the new tension has taken a home in both of their heads, whether or not the reports will turn out to be normal or not, as the way Manasvi’s body has been responding to this new found pregnancy was anything but normal. She, for the last one week has feeling really unwell and perturbed. They had anyway decided to consult a doctor with her degrading condition.

Two days later, Anshuman received a call from Dr Bakshi and was asked to visit her with Manasvi for the reports. Unfortunately, their biggest nightmare turned out to be true and Manasvi’s reports came out with a significant set of complications and troubles for the mother to be. It was a crucial situation for both of them and unfortunately, this very time they had no clue how to deal with it. Dr Bakshi, on the other hand advised the couple to think about all the pros and cons of this pregnancy and if in case they are still willing to go for it, it shall take every ounce of faith and determination from both of their sides to endure this period of 9 months, which also meant accepting all the risks involved with the baby’s birth.

Sitting on a bench, just outside the doctor’s cabin, both of them were in deep thoughts. On one side, Anshuman was worried about Manasvi and her health and he knew that nothing in this life is more important to him more her love, her Manasvi. Whereas, Manasvi on the other side, was worried about the baby, the new life which she was carrying inside her womb. Nothing mattered to her more, than their child! She was set clear, that she will be bringing their baby to life, even if it meant to sacrifice her own. Very clearly, she told Anshuman what she wanted and promised him that nothing bad is going to happen to the three of them because it was her firm belief that God has tied this the three of them in this serene soul contract and till the time the almighty is protecting them, nothing worse is going to make them apart in this lifetime.

Anshuman had no other option that to agree with her and also, he had always been the support system for her, whenever needed. So, how can he let her down, at this particular phase of time, when she needed him the most. The period of her first trimester began and both of them took every possible precaution and prescription given by the doctor. Anshuman even organized a private yoga instructor for Manasvi, which was a great move according to Dr Bakshi. It helped Manasvi, to keep her body flexible and the baby in proper motion. Both of them left no alternative to be foreseen for the betterment of Manasvi and the baby. Manasvi even followed the strict and to the point diet chart advised to her, inspite of being a brat when it comes to healthy eating and indulgence of green veggies.

Soon the times past by and it was her 8th month in going. With the passing of each day, Manasvi’s jitteriness started to take an increment proportionally. Due to Manasvi’s complicated case, Dr Bakshi has already revealed the couple about the pre-term birth of the baby, which meant Manasvi will have to encounter the birth pangs latest by the end of 8th month or even before. It was a lovely sunny morning of May 11th, Manasvi after following her regular chores was reading a book on ‘Good Parenting’ by Afboz Cleopha. Anshuman, on the other side was getting ready to leave for office. Suddenly, the day took its turn and Manasvi’s water broke! She just couldn’t fathom the pain that she was experiencing currently. Anshuman too lost his cool and just called for the ambulance, without a second thought. Soon Manasvi was admitted in the hospital and Dr Bakshi took her charge with her team. Taking her complications into consideration, Manasvi was taken to the operation theatre and it was decided to go for a cesarean delivery, in her case. Ever single minute felt like a demise to Anshuman. He called his parents and Manasvi’s parents and informed them about Manasvi’s sudden labor. Everyone in the family was now in constant prayers for the mother and the baby. It took every ounce of strength in Anshuman, not to break down and believe in God for the safety of her Manasvi and the life breathing inside her.

Finally, after three hours Dr Bakshi and her team came out of the OT. Her expressions gave a hope to Anshuman, who was nearly shattered in the past three hours. She chuckled and said, “Congratulations, It’s a daughter! Both, the mother and the baby are pretty safe and fine.” Anshuman couldn’t believe what he heard, his happiness knew no bounds and the tears flowing down his cheeks and the neverending smile on his face clearly gave justice to his current state. He without a pause ran towards the OT. The scene before him nearly made him skip a heartbeat the love of her life, her wife was lying unconscious, but safe with their bundle of joy, their very own blood. The nurse gently took the baby from the cot and handled it to Anshuman. He, with trembling hands took the baby in his secured embrace. Their daughter was an exact replication of his Manasvi. She was just like a tiny little blip, safely and securely wrapped under a white cotton sheet. After a few moments, Manasvi too came into consciousness. She was unable to set her emotions correctly seeing Anshuman holding their daughter. The tears of happiness emerged in both of their eyes and it was nothing but a gratitude shown after have been fighting the biggest battle of their lives and eventually coming out of it with a blissful new feeling of being parents to their baby daughter.

As Manasvi mentioned, it was the Almighty’s fabricated plan to enforce their ‘Soul Contracts’ and bring it into action in 3D for this particular lifetime.

************************

#oneshot #long reads

2 notes · View notes

the-little-crime-writer · 5 years

Text

This is Chapter 3 from a book called Whoever fights Monsters by Robert K. Ressler and Tom Shachtman. This is Roberts encounter with Ed Kemper.

I was nearing the end of my third interview with Edmund Kemper, an enormous man, six feet nine inches in height and weighing nearly three hundred pounds, a man of extremely high intelligence who in his youth had killed his grandparents, spent four years in youth facilities, then had emerged, only to kill seven more people, including his mother. Kemper was serving seven consecutive life terms. Twice before, I had ventured into the Vacaville prison in California to see and talk with him, the first time accompanied by John Conway, the second time by Conway and by my Quantico associate John Douglas, whom I was breaking in. During those sessions, we had gone quite deeply into his past, his motivations for murder, and the fantasies that were intertwined with those crimes. This was a man of great intellectual complexity, whose murders had included the beheading and dismembering of his victims. No one had ever succeeded in talking to him in the ways and at the depths we had achieved. I was so pleased at the rapport I had reached with Kemper that I was emboldened to attempt a third session with him alone. It took place in a cell just off death row, the sort of place used for giving a last benediction to a man about to die in the gas chamber. Although Kemper was in the general population, rather than isolated from it, this was the place that the prison authorities had chosen for our interview. After conversing with Kemper in this claustrophobic locked cell for four hours, dealing with matters that entail behaviour at the extreme edge of depravity, I felt that we had reached the end of what there was to discuss, and I pushed the buzzer to summon the guard to come and let me out of the cell. No guard immediately appeared, so I continued with the conversation. Most serial murders are pretty much loners; even so, they look forward to anything that eases the boredom of their confinement, and that includes visits such as mine. They have a lot on their minds and, properly approached, they are inclined to talk. Conversations with them are rather readily prolonged. Kemper and I had now talked ourselves out, though. After another few minutes had passed, I pressed the buzzer for a second time, but still got no response. Fifteen minutes after my first call, I made a third buzz, yet no guard came. A look of apprehension must have come over my face despite my attempts to keep calm and cool, and Kemper, keenly sensitive to other people’s psyches (as most killers are), picked up on this. “Relax. They’re changing the shift, feeding the guys in the secure areas.” He smiled and got up from his chair, making more apparent of his huge size. “Might be fifteen, twenty minutes before they come and get you,” He said to me. Though I felt I was maintaining a cool and collected posture, I’m sure I reacted to this information with somewhat more overt indications of panic, and Kemper responded to these. “If I went apeshit in here, you’d be in a lot of trouble, wouldn’t you? I could screw your head off and place it on the table to greet the guard.” My mind raced. I envisioned him reaching for me with his large arms, pinning me to a wall in a stranglehold, and then jerking my head around until my neck was broken. It wouldn’t take long, and the size different between us would certainly ensure that I wouldn’t be able to fight him off very long before succumbing. He was correct: He could kill me before I or anyone else could stop him. So, I told Kemper that if he messed with me, he’d be in trouble himself. “What would they do? Cut off my TV privileges?” He scoffed. I retorted that he would certainly end up “in the hole” solitary confinement for an extremely long period of time. Both he and I knew that many inmates put in the hole are forced by such isolation into at least temporary insanity. Kemper shrugged this off by telling me that he was an old hand at being in prisons, that he could withstand the pain of solitary and that it wouldn’t last forever. Eventually, he would be returned to a more normal confinement status, and his “trouble” would be pale before the prestige he would have gained among the prisoners by “offering” and FBI agent. My pulse did the hundred-yard dash as I tried to think of something to say or do to prevent Kemper from killing me. I was fairly sure that he wouldn’t do it. But I couldn’t be completely certain, for this was an extremely violent and dangerous man with, as he implied, very little left to lose. How had I been dumb enough to come in here alone? Suddenly, I knew how I had embroiled myself in such a situation. Of all people who should have known better, I had succumbed to what students of hostage-taking events know as “Stockholm syndrome” I had identified with my captor and transferred my trust to him. Although I had been the chief instructor in hostage negotiation techniques for the FBI, I had forgotten this essential fact! Next time, I wouldn’t be so arrogant about the rapport I believed I had achieved with a murderer. Next time. “Ed,” I said. “surely you don’t think I’d come here without some method of defending myself, do you?” “Don’t shit me, Ressler. They wouldn’t let you in here with any weapons on you.” Kemper’s observation, of course, was quite true, because inside a prison, visitors are not allowed to carry weapons, lest these be seized by inmates and used to threaten guards or otherwise aid an escape. I nevertheless indicated that FBI agents were accorded special privileges that ordinary guards, police or other people who entered a prison did not share. “What’ve you got, then?” “I’m not going to give away what I might have or where I might have it on me.” “Come on, come on; what is it? A poisoned pen?” “Maybe. But those aren’t the only weapons one could have.” “Martial arts, then,” Kemper mused. “Karate? Got your black belt? Think you can take me?” With this, I felt that the tide had shifted a bit, if not turned. There was a hint of kidding in his voice, I hoped. But I wasn’t sure, and he understood that I wasn’t sure, and he decided he’d continue to try and rattle me. By this time, however, I had regained some composure, and thought back to my hostage negotiation techniques, the most fundamental of which is to keep talking and talking and talking, because stalling always seems to defuse the situation. We discussed martial arts, which many inmates studied as a way to defend themselves in the very tough place that is prison, until, at last a guard appeared and unlocked the door. The procedure is for the interviewer to remain in the room while the guard takes the inmate back to his own cell. As Kemper got ready to walk off down the hall with the guard, he put his hand on my shoulder. “You know I was just kidding, don’t you?” “sure,” I said, and let out a deep breath. I resolved never to put myself or any other FBI interviewer in a similar position again. From then on, it became our policy never to interview a convicted killer or rapist or child molester alone; we’d do that in pairs.

93 notes · View notes

jaeminlore · 6 years

Text

Catch a Wave | Jeno

summary: baby go catch some rays on the sunny surf, and when you catch a wave you'll be sittin on top of the world words: 2.3k category: fluff, surfer!jeno, this is rlly soft i'll warn you now a/n: i had to look up celsius degrees for this story

Of all the ways you can think of spending your summer, it certainly isn't chauffeuring your younger cousin around Salos while she visits. Of course, her parents are paying you a decent sum for doing it — after all, you are giving up a month of your summer — but you can't tell if listening to her chatter twenty-four seven is really worth it.

Liv, at fourteen years old, is certainly the more outgoing of you two. She's already found a few locals her age to hang out with. Unfortunately, you still have to be there, chaperoning lamely while three girls chat about how hot the resort's lifeguard — Na Jaemin, your former classmate — is.

You've decided awhile ago not to tell them that you've seen the same lifeguard passing secret kisses to someone under the pier. It was better to let them run their boy-crazy fantasies.

Besides, Jaemin was certainly not the only boy whose charm the girls have fallen for. They'd already gushed about Jisung, the cute and awkward biker that hangs out at the lemonade shop. Or Mark, the handsome yet completely awkward skater who always seems to be at the boardwalk.

But most importantly, they like Jeno, who offers surfing lessons at the university's private beach. They gush about him the most: the way his dark hair looks soft despite it's constant exposure to the salt water, the way his skin darkens under the hot sun, the way he speaks gently to everyone he had lessons with, encouraging them to do their best.

"Not to mention," Liv had interrupted one day, "he has abs. I mean, it's like a whole four-pack."

"Really?" you replied, turning a page of your mystery novel. "That's interesting."

"Apparently he's had, like, seven girlfriends this summer. He's like the island's bad boy."

You don't want to invalidate her most likely well-researched conclusions, but Lee Jeno as a bad boy? The boy who feeds stray cats on his way to school and gets flustered when people bring up his talent for surfing? The boy who attends shark rallies to fight against the stigma that all sharks are harmful? The boy who cuts plastic drink holders so dolphins won't get their snouts stuck? The boy who cleans the beach in his spare time? The boy who won't eat or drink from anything unless it can be recycled?

Mr. Reduce Reuse and Recycle as the island's bad boy?

"Oh?" you muse, holding in a giggle. You put your book down, because somehow the small girl in front of you is much more interesting than a murder house mystery. "Are you going to be his eighth girlfriend?"

Liv sticks her nose in the air. "I'm going to try."

"How are you going to do that? Follow him around the island?"

"No, I've convinced Dad to get me weekday surfing lessons, as long as you'll lend me your board."

Part of you laments yet another part of your day spent as a babysitter. The other part, however, thinks this is a show you certainly wouldn't want to miss.

☼

Liv's first lesson is the following morning, and she dresses in her matching bikini and rash guard, which looks quite adorable on her. She gets you to braid her hair, then somehow charms you into buying her an iced coffee.

Your only conclusion as to why she'd bring an iced coffee to a surfing lesson is that she thinks it'll make her look cool. Though, you're positive that the only way Jeno would only think coffee was cool is if it were in a biodegradable cup.

When you reach the small section of the beach where the lessons are, you spot a few other kids and teenagers trying their hand at the sport. Some are still practicing their wading ashore, while others are already riding waves.

You wish you were out there. The water looks especially welcoming today, and not to mention the sun is beating down at a sweltering thirty-nine degrees Celsius. Even just sticking your toes in the water would perhaps cure your desire to swim.

You don't want to complain. After all, Jeno does these lessons daily, and probably doesn't get to surf as much as he'd like. At least you'll get two months of summer to yourself when Liv is gone. Jeno is in this never ending loop of kids who watched Teen Beach Movie and think they're the next Tanner Danger.

Speaking of Jeno, he's a few yards away, eyes trained on a young boy who seems to be struggling to catch a wave. He looks deep in concentration, so much so that you pull Liv back from disrupting him.

This gives you a chance to study Jeno. Though you've seen him around school, this was quite possibly the first time you've truly noticed him.

He's wearing a black wetsuit, but it's unzipped halfway, so that the torso part hangs off his waist. His bare skin is paler than Liv described, almost as if it didn't quite know how to absorb the rays. Your eyes catch on his soft smile that grows inch by inch as the boy in the ocean finally manages to catch a wave. Jeno is suddenly whooping with joy, his toned arms rise high above his head as he shouts praises towards the boy.

Soon the boy is back on shore, surfboard tucked under his arm and a triumphant smile on his face. "I didn't eat sand this time!"

"You didn't!" Jeno shouts, wrapping an arm around the boy's neck and ruffling his hair affectionately. "I'm proud of you!"

The moment seems raw to you, and with heat creeping up your neck, you glance away. Sometimes there are exchanges you feel like you aren't meant to see, where people are far too vulnerable to be watched. This feels like one of these moments.

Trust Liv to not give a rip.

She grabs your wrist and pulls you down the beach until you're right in front of Jeno, staring at his surprised expression with a baffled one of your own.

"Y/n?" His voice is soft and baritone, and there's a surprised lilt in the back of his throat that makes you curious.

Your eyes drift to his beaded necklace, one you remember from his "save the sea turtles" campaign he started at school. The small turtle charm wetted from wood was a good thing to focus on when Jeno's eyes felt too intense. "Hi, Jeno. This is my cousin, Liv. She's here for surfing lessons."

"Oh!" Jeno brightens. He turns to Liv and greets her with an exciting smile. "Have your parents signed the consent forms?"

"Yeah," Liv bats her eyelashes at him and hands him the form. She makes sure to brush her fingers against his, which is a power move you're sure you would never have the courage to do.

Jeno reads over the form and gets Liv on a surfboard in no time, leaving you to mess around on your phone for an hour.

☼

"Wouldn't you like to surf with us?" It's Liv's fourteenth lesson, but she isn't the one inviting you. Instead, it's Jeno, with wet hair that curls over his eyes and a smile that could rival the sun.

Your eyes drift from his face to the ocean, where Liv is with another surfing instructor. Jeno's on his break, and he's taken to sitting with you during lunch. A half-eaten apple rests in his palm, turning brown from the oxygen. He takes lazy bites as he waits for your answer.

"Liv has my surfboard," you say. You turn off your phone and set it on your thigh, turning your full attention to the handsome boy beside you.

"How long have you surfed?"

You hum, "A few years. More for recreation than anything."

"Me too. I love it, but it's not my end goal." He turns to you with a shy smile, "I want to be a conservationist."

"Aren't you already?" You think of all the times he's advocated for the ocean and what lives in it. All the parties he passed up because he had to go clean up the beach.

Hues of pink spread across his shoulders and neck. "Ah," he rubs the back of his neck, "Thank you, but there's always ways to improve. I want to work on protecting sea turtles, and figure out ways to lessen pollution."

There's a certain feeling of pride one gets by listening to someone voice their passions. Like a wave — no pun intended — of love and hope that soars over your head and settles somewhere in the depths of your heart. That's what it feels like listening to him. That's what makes you fall in love.

Your revelation is stilted by Liv's loud cheers. She's finally caught a wave, and you're sure she's going to talk your ear off as soon as her feet hit the sand.

"You're off tomorrow, right?" you ask Jeno on impulse.

The sun makes the crown of his head seem to glow as he peeks up at you, palm over his brows to shield him from the sun. "Yeah, why?"

You feel nervous all of a sudden. "Maybe we could surf tomorrow morning? I heard the waves will be really good. Or if you're tired of surfing, we could get shaved ice. Or if you don't want to hang out with me at all—"

"Y/n," Jeno says, and the way he says it is gentle; kind. "I would love to hang out with you tomorrow. Meet me here at eight?"

"Yeah," you breathe, "okay."

"Good. It's a date."

☼

It's midday, and both you and Jeno are sitting astride your surfboards.

Jeno's board is covered with a strip of azure blue in the middle, and stenciled sea turtles patterned with white hibiscus flowers. It's beautiful, much like the boy who owns it.

You can't help but think Jeno deserves the most beautiful board on the island. And with the way the afternoon sun casts beams of light onto his face, spotlighting his straight nose and relaxed smile. When he cranes his neck and basks in the direct warmth, you feel as if you've caught yourself an angel.

Not that he is yours in any way, but just the fact that he's chosen to spend the day with you makes your mind churn with the possibility of something more.

As if he hears your thoughts, he turns to you with a curious gaze. "Would you like to get some shaved ice with me? My friend can get us a discount and I could walk you home while we dry off..?"

The more he talks, the redder your complexion becomes. Your heartbeat quickens, and you nearly forget to agree before you lay on your stomach and began paddling for shore. "Last one to the beach has to pay!"

"No fair! You got a head start!"

Despite his protests, Jeno makes it to the beach first. He pushes his bangs off of his face and holds his hand out for you to take.

His hand feels warm in yours. His palm is slightly calloused, but the way his thumb automatically brushes across your knuckles distracts you before you can mention it.

There's a small wooden cart parked on the beach, close to one of the boardwalk entrances. White paint peels off of the weather-ridden wood, but it's hardly noticeable when there's a giant rainbow umbrella over the entire thing. In chipped red paint, the cart reads "Rainbow Ice", and the fact that you can see the colored syrup bottles form a rainbow makes you think someone couldn't work here and ever be unhappy.

And you are right, because Chenle is perhaps the cheeriest boy you've ever met in your life. He doesn't just give you and Jeno a discount, he gives you free cones and pumps extra syrup onto each. You both get cherry, but Jeno mixes his with lemon syrup.

Then Jeno is walking you home, not holding your hand anymore since he needs both of his to eat his ice. But you're bumping shoulders with him every few steps, and neither of you seem to be complaining about the small shock of joy that runs through you every time your skin meets his.

Then you're both rounding the corner to your house, cones of ice forgotten and left in your neighbor's trash can.

Jeno stops, and so do you. "Y/n, I like you." He blurts it out, most ungracefully and very nearly comedic, like choking on a chunk of ice.

"Do you now?" You're giggling, and from humor or joy you aren't sure, but all you can do is laugh.

Jeno's bottom lip is tucked between his teeth. "Just let me know whether you like me back or not," he whines.

Your fingers are still sticky with cherry syrup, but neither you or Jeno seem to care very much as you cup his jaw and bring your lips up to meet him. His lips are soft, sweet and sour and oh so addicting, and you can't help but feel a small itch near your stomach when he lets out a deep sigh.

He walks back to the beach, mostly to collect both your surfboards from where he made Chenle hold them. You'd get yours in just a bit, after you changed and ate a proper lunch.

Liv stares at you as soon as you walk into the house, shivering from the influx of cold air. "What?"

"Was that Jeno? Did he come to see me?" she squeals, ignoring your denial to text her friends.

You bound up the stairs with a smile painted over your cherry-stained lips.

If only she knew.

#surfer!jeno #sounds of the summer au #jeno fluff #jeno au #jeno scenarios #nct fluff #nct au #nct scenarios #destwrites

1K notes · View notes

dargonwriter · 5 years

Text

A Winter’s Ball

Read on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16614212

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning

Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Category:

F/M

Fandom:

The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)

Relationship:

Harrow/Sarai (The Dragon Prince)

Characters:

Harrow (The Dragon Prince)

Sarai (The Dragon Prince)

Amaya (The Dragon Prince)

Viren (The Dragon Prince)

Language:English

Summary:

The winters ball was a well known event all throughout the human kingdoms. The start of winter often brought much gloom but the winter's ball, held on the first night od winter, was often something to look forward to. If one got a hold of an invitation, they had a chance of meeting the royal family themselves, along with other members of the royal court. Sarai had never gone, and Amaya had been invited as a plus one one year but Sarai had always wanted to go, even if it was in rags.

Grounded??? In all the seventeen and a half years in his life, he had gotten grounded a lot. But this time felt personal. The Winters Ball was tonight and Harrow always attended. It was a thing for him to hit on any girl that would let him, if he didn't do it, then did he really exist?

Or:

How king Harrow and Queen Sarai met.

Sarai watched each day for the weeks leading up to the winter's ball for some messenger to stop by. Of course, no one ever stopped unless it was from their grandmother or one of the letters the instructor at the academy sent Amaya about her being a soldier despite her deafness. Nothing to Sarai.

The ball was in two days, but of course nothing of invitations for commoners reached her ears. Of course. Commoners never had a reason to visit the castle.

With a loud sigh, Sarai looked past the road, up to the not-so distant castle on the horizon. "I'm going to that party, even if the elves themselves try to stop me." She said with a determined nod.

"Come on, Viren!" Harrow shouted, looking over the balcony with a bright smile. Next to him rested a bowl of punch, on his shoulder sat his young bird pip, and behind him stood his oldest friend who looked deathly afraid of something. Probably Harrow's father.

"We're going to get in trouble." The nineteen-year-old mage apprentice responded, crossing his arms and looking at the door to the balcony with a fearful scowl.

Harrow only shrugged. "So? What's my father going to do? Send us to the scaffold? Death by firing squad? Or he'll send us to the border and have the elves do it for him." He snorted when Viren's already pale skin went even paler. "Stop worrying, Viren. You're practically invincible when you're with me."

He heard Viren sigh and come closer to the ledge, until he looked at the ground below. His brown hair almost looked blond in the light of the sun. "You're very confident of this, but just remember the word practically. It's the same as if. which means that if your father decided he has had enough of me being involved in your antics in some way, he very well can do whatever the hell wants. And while he may not kill either of us, I do plan to go to the winter's ball for once in my life!"

"Once again, Viren, stop worrying." Harrow repeated in a sing sing voice. Viren drew in a breath, like he was going to respond, but then their target came into view. The high mage himself, Lord Arion. Harrow smirked and got ready to push, but Viren stopped him quickly with a panicked wave.

"No, no way! When you said we'd be pouring juice on someone important, I didn't think-"

"Chill out, Vir. It isn't like he's your actual dad or anything." Harrow chuckled, keeping an eye on the high mage as he got closer to the drop point, followed by two guards. This would be good.

"He's like my father! He'll skin me alive if he finds out I was involved." Harrow was only half listening because Viren's master was only a few steps away...

Harrow laughed as soon as the mage was in place, then shouted "Then I guess you better not be seen!" Before dropping the bowl on top of the three men below.

Except, at the last moment, Viren shouted "Wait!" and tried to reach down and grab the already falling bowl. In his panic, he slipped and fell over the very short stone railing of the balcony.

"VIREN!" Harrow shouted. Pip jumped off his shoulder and tried to dive for Viren but of course Pip could do nothing even if he was full grown. It all seemed to slow down as Viren screamed and fell to the concrete. He stopped midair, though, and Harrow gasped. Viren's screaming halted once he realized that he was no longer falling. Harrow looked past Viren at the men now covered in fruit punch, but specifically at the Lord Arion, who was chanting something with a snarl on his almost gray face, eyes black as night. He gripped something in his hand but Harrow had no clue what it could be. When he stopped chanting, Viren fell safely into a guards arms.

Harrow released a breath he didn't know he had been holding and just took a moment to try to calm his beating heart, but it stopped once again when his eyes locked onto the pitch black ones of the high mage. He was in so much trouble.

Sarai stormed into the room with a loud shout, then walked to her bed and sat down with a pout.

'What happened?' Amaya signed, pausing from the sword she was polishing in an entirely non-threatening way.

'Mom's a fucking asshole.' Sarai huffed, signing back.

Amaya gave her a questioning look before asking 'You got the invitation but mother said no?'

'WE NEVER GOT THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE!'

Amaya gave her a quizzical look before asking 'How is that mom's fault?'

"It just is." Sarai muttered allowed, crossing her arms. Amaya gave a smile, then shook her head. It was obvious, she was ticked off because once again she couldn't go. And she worked so hard to surpass even Amaya in their swordplay class so she could get noticed...

The ball was tonight...

'How is it you're almost eighteen yet your maturity level is akin to a 10 year old?'

Sarai rolled her eyes and gave her sister the middle finger as her response. She began laughing, though, when Amaya gave a dramatic horrified look, then reached for the sword and held it up at Sarai threateningly.

Sarai smiled, but the glint of the sword gave her an idea. She smirked. 'What if we didn't need an invitation?' She asked, already devising a plan.

"Grounded????" Harrow asked. In all the seventeen and a half years in his life, he had gotten grounded a lot. But this time felt personal. The Winters Ball was tonight and Harrow always attended. It was a thing for him to hit on any girl that would let him, if he didn't do it, then did he really exist?

"I warned you," Viren sighed, throwing a ball at the wall and catching it as it bounced back. While Harrow sat in the chair in front of his bed, looking depressed, Viren laid on Harrow's bed, playing around with some magic goo or something on a ball and throwing it while Pip tried to chase it. If Harrow weren't so mad, he would probably want to play with it too because it did seem pretty cool. "You're lucky your father is still allowing us to hang out in here tonight, instead of telling us to separate and 'think about what we've done.' like he used to say when we were younger."

Harrow rolled his eyes and got up, then walked out to the balcony. Viren shouted behind him because, yeah, it was freezing outside, but Harrow ignored him. He looked out at the bridge connecting the cliffs. Already the torches leading from the village closest to the castle were lit, and already people were beginning to climb the mountain in their carrages and on their horses. Harrow groaned and sat on the edge of the balcony, the same spot Viren had fallen from but been stopped by magic.

Magic...

"Hey, Viren, what was that spell the high mage did?" He asked, trying to sound curious.

Viren finally sighed and came outside to answer. "It's a simple levitation spell. You need the feather of a Xadian macaw to do it and you have to know the words, but that's it."

"Isn't Pip a Xadian macaw?"

Viren slowly nodded, clearly beoming suspicious. "... Yes..."

"You know how to do it?" Harrow asked. It was becoming difficult to hide the smile forming because Viren would never agree to do this unless he was already doing it in the first place, but this was his one way ticket to going to the ball.

"As I said, it's relatively simple." Viren shrugged.

Harrow smiled and walked over to where Pip landed, on the perch next to his cage. He smiled and took one of the fallen feathers Pip sometimes dropped, then handed it to Viren, who just stared. "Let's try it."

"What? No!" Viren's attitude changed immediately to a snarl and he shook his head. "No way! Lord Arion grounded me from doing magic!"

"Then what's with the ball?" He took the heavy, stone ball and bounced it, looking at viren pointedly.

"That's... different. Not the same magic."

Harrow sighed, then caught the ball. After a minute, he smirked and accidentally bounced it off the roof and onto the stone walkway below. "Whoops."

"HARROW!" viren shouted. "That was, like, my only thing I could do!"

"Just do the thing with the feather to put me down there and I'll toss the ball back up to you, deal?" Harrow offered his hand to shake with a smirk.

Viren huffed, then looked away, then at the balcony, then at Harrow's outstretched hand. He did this every time he was making a decision. Which meant, Harrow may be in luck. finally, Viren's shoulder's dropped and he sighed. "Okay, but I was not involved in whatever you're planning to do. You climbed off yourself using your own bedsheets and I couldn't stop you." He shook Harrow's hand, meeting the younger man's eyes.

"You got it. now do the thing." Harrow said, climbing onto the edge of the balcony.

Viren sighed, then snapped and lit a fire on his fingers. He set the feather on fire and closed his fist around it, then began chanting quietly. "hsa srehtaef a sa eltneg. won llaf... Jump, Harrow."

And, though Harrow was nervous, Harrow trusted Viren and fell backwards. He felt the wind rush onto his back and blow his dreaded hair as he fell but he was caught only moments after being in the air. It felt like he had hit a tree or something, like an invisible, hard stone slab caught him, and it lowered him to the ground. He touched the ground with his feet first once he was close enough, then stood and smiled up at Viren.

"The ball?" Viren called, holding out a hand. Harrow rolled his eyes, then searched for the ball and bounced it up to the other. Viren looked like he struggled to catch it but did catch it. "I was never involved." Viren reminded before disappearing from Harrow's sight.

Harrow smirked and ran off, not even caring if he was in his normal clothes. He looked good enough.

'this is one of your worst idea.' Amaya signed, gesturing to the blue, kind-of-poofy-but-not-really dress she wore underneath the guard armor she stole from dad.

Sarai smiled and asked 'Worse than pranking Sir Stevenson?'

'Sarai, he was already getting receiving orders from the general.' Amaya pointed out, giving her a look.

'Then why was he still there?' Sarai narrowed her eyes and smiled playfully, challenging Amaya to the same argument they had each time this was brought up.

Amaya didn't take the bait, though, and just stood from where they watched outside the gates where guards were checking for invitations 'My point is, I don't know if this plan will work.'

'of course this plan will work!' Sarai said, sure that it will. She adjusted the helmet of their mother's armor, it was a little too but but it was that or dad's and, well, even Amaya was struggling to keep the overly large armor on, even with their dressed underneath. 'I'll go first, you follow.' She reminded before standing up and turning the corner.

"Hunt!" She shouted to the two guards at the gate, startling them. She had heard the other one say the name so it could make her look friendlier if she sad it too. She jogged up, despite the difficulty because the leggings of the armor over the skirt of the slim dress she chose was constricting.

"My... name isn't Hunt..." One said, looking at an invitation before nodding and letting the carriage pass. "But it is Hunter."

"Whatever. They, they need both of you to help out with, um..." Fuck, she just thought of it. It was at the tip of her tongue... "What was it..." She snapped when she came up with it again. "Right, checking the carriages. Making sure no one brought any weapons. We were sent to take over for you until you got back."

"Really?" The other one asked suspiciously, then looked at Amaya, who smiled and nodded, holding her hands behind her back. "Where's the paper asking for us? With the captain's signature." He asked, holding out a hand.

But Sarai, at least, had planned for this part and she scowled, putting on an annoyed act. "Are you really asking for a paper so your sorry asses can obey an order? Do you know how expensive paper is getting these days?" She crossed her arms. "The captain isn't going to waste a slip just because you two are needed. Now go!" She walked forward and pushed them out of position, towards the way in which she and Amaya just came from.

It seemed her tone had sparked something because both grumbled but left, muttering "Weird recruits..."

"See? Easy." She smiled at Amaya, who rolled her eyes and walked ahead of Sarai.

'Let's just go before they realize the trick.'

Both girls ran into the hall that would lead to the ballroom and courtyard, Amaya leading the way.

Harrow snuck into the ball room, spotting his dad and Lord Arion immediately and decided, also immediately, to avoid them both. If he was caught, he would be in so much trouble. But while one side of his brain figured Hey, I should go back to my room and stay out of trouble the other screamed was YOU AINT IN TROUBLE N'LESS YOU GET CAUGHT and it was obvious which side he listened to the most.

So Harrow stayed on the other side of the ballroom. The music was lovely, dad had selected a new band this year who had an amazing violin player, the drinks amazing, and the ladies were beautiful in their dresses and skirts. Pinks, blues, greens. He only saw a few red dresses scattered through the crowd, though not really any other colors. No one was ever original. All the noblewomen acted polite and often way too modest for Harrow's liking, but it was fun to joke with them and watch them squirm when he mentioned a controversial topic, instead of just complementing them or talking about the weather.

He had been in an interesting conversation with a bright young women who was a little more than drunk though. Maybe fifteen? Apparently she had one too many drinks but she was definitely brighter than the other ladies, even of she was stumbling with each step and slurring every other word.

Because of his fascination with this bright young lady, he didn't keep an eye on his father so imagine his panic when he realized neither the high mage, nor the king were in the same spot as before. He stared wide eyes, then began searching around desperately for either.

"Ssssmethin wrng?" The girl asked, lifting her head because he had been in the middle of dipping her.

"I... gotta go." He said, bringing her to her feet and running.

'Amaya, no.' Sarai laughed, barely being able to sign correctly. Amaya was far too focused more on the man in front of her anyway. Sarai had tried to cool her sister's anger, but Amaya was dead set on showing this guy up. Well, it did serve him right, for saying women should just be respectable and quiet. Specifically in response to Sarai getting in a debate with another man about the best way to kill an elf. Not that either had actually done it. But Sarai won the conversation. Definitely.

Amaya signed to Sarai, expecting the sister to translate. As always "Don't doubt what a lady can do." Sarai said aloud, adding as much of a snarl in her voice as Amaya had currently. It was actually kinda hard considering the circumstances because while she agreed wholeheartedly with her sister, Amaya starting a fight at a royal ball they weren't even supposed to be at was just so Amaya.

"Can she not speak for herself?" One man demanded, but Amaya signed and Sarai just shrugged,

"Her sword can speak for her."

After that, one man challenged Amaya and then a fight started. And for a girl who had never even worn a dress since she was like seven, Amaya did surprisingly well fighting in one. Someone gave them each a sword, actual swords, and she and the first guy went to down. Amaya didn't make the first move, her opponent did, but she met it and dispelled it, then moved out of the way and took a shot at him, which he barely blocked. Then he stepped back and she shot forward, going in for another attack with the ferocity of a Sunfire elf and the speed of a Moonshadow elf.

The fight ended abruptly though when a line was cut from one side of the ballroom to their position and the king and the high mage themselves were approaching. "Enough." The king said in a commanding tone. Amaya, of course, didn't hear him but when she saw her opponent stand down immediately and look behind her with a surprised expression n his face, she turned quickly and she, too, set down her sword.

When Harrow caught sight of his father, he gave a sigh of relief and tired to mosy on past but curse his curiosity, he glanced past his dad to see what te commotion was about but what he saw instead was a beautiful girl with dark, medium length hair and beautiful brown eyes. She was smiling, though she was clearly trying to hide it and it was amazing. She wore an amazing black dress, fitting her form tightly.

Harrow kept walking as he passed the opening. Then her eyes met his and locked and he almost froze. Until he fell over nothing. literally. he had reached the stairs leading down and out of the ballroom. He tumbled over the steps with a shout, rolling until he stopped halfway down.

Sarai stared at the stairs where this absolute idiot fell, surprised. She looked at the king, who had come closer and was speaking to Amaya and the 'gentleman' she had fought with, then with a smirk waved goodbye to her sister and slipped out between the onlookers. She rushed to the stairs and upon locating him came down and asked "Are you okay?" She offered him her hand, and the look he gave her was pure awe and she loved it.

"If say no, will you stay?" He asked slowly, breaking his stunned silence. Sarai couldn't help but giggle a little in response, because he was kinda cute. Something about him, maybe the light stubble on his chin? He grabbed her hand and she smiled.

"C'mon, get up." She said, then pulled him up.

"THAT'S HER!" Someone shouted on the steps below. Sarai followed the sound with wide eyes, freezing when she saw the hunter guy from earlier. "SHE TRICKED US!"

FUCK. "Welp, gotta go!" She said to him, but he didn't let her go, even when she tugged.

"Oh no, this is not a Cinderella story." He said, then got up as guards began climbing the stairs quickly. "Follow me."

Then he dragged her back up the stairs and through the ballroom. from there she lost track but they went through like three corridors before they finally lost the guards.

Harrow was going to be in so much trouble!

He didn't know why he was leading this random girl through the castle and helping her escape when the guards wanted her but he was doing it. And it was working.

After the final clinks of metal armor faded into the distance, Harrow smiled and led her into the courtyard, then to the main gate and let her go. "There you go. You should probably leave before they come back."

"What about you?" She looked confused.

"Can't," Harrow shrugged.

She gave him this look, like she was annoyed but also like over it emotionally an it made Harrow's heart melt. "And why not? Whatever, come on." Now she was the one who took his hand and led him out of the gates and Harrow probably should'v stayed but hey, when a pretty girl takes your hand and says 'Come on' you'd better listen. It's like following a rainbow to reach a pot of gold.

The next morning, Harrow returned to the castle reluctantly when he finally told the mystery girl, named Sarai, who he was ad she told him she would never speak to him again if . He found Viren standing at the gate looking less than amused. "The delinquent prince returns." Viren mumbled, looking way too tired of this crap. He probably was.

"Morning Viren." Harrow greeted brightly, but Viren just rolled his eyes.

"You are in so much trouble. Was it worth it?" He asked

"I don't regret a thing."

"And that's why everyone's invited to the winter's ball each year." King harrow told young Callum and even younger Ezran with a hum. Sarai watched with a smile from the other side of the room, reading her book.

"You left out the part of what happened when we got to my place." She told him, laughing when Callum shouted "MOM!"

"Calm down," Harrow chuckled "She showed me her book collection and I ended up passing out on her bed."

"So when do I come into the picture?" Callum asked, but Sarai cleared her throat and stood up.

"That's a long story, and one for another time."

#tdp harrow #tdp sarai #harrai #harrow x sarai #mod madi writes #the dragon prince

2 notes · View notes

5hfanfiction · 6 years

Text

this isn't allowed

Wattpad @ longerr_hours check out my stuff !!!

So i was writing something else, but i never really write from lauren’s pov, and like… kinda wanna go back to what im good at? Lmk whats up w this please im insecure and need compliments to survive :))))))

“Camz…” Lauren says softly, hands still tangled in brown hair, softer than she imagined it would be, lips swollen and eyes shut. Her forehead is barely leaning against Camila’s but she can feel her there and it’s enough to disable her ability to move away.

“I know… just… give me a second,” Camila replies, breath warm and soft on Lauren’s mouth.

She doesn’t know who leans in first but they’re kissing again, and it’s rough, and harsh, and Camila is maneuvering so that Lauren’s back is against the door now and- Camila’s hand is locking it, good that’s why she dragged her over, - and fuck, fuck, how did they get here? How did this happen? One minute she was joking about a crush and the next she was -

“Fuck, Camz,” Lauren moans out lowly when strong, sure hands find her waist under her shirt and a body pushes harder into her own.

Fucked. She was fucked.

Lauren always knew who Camila was. Everyone had always known who Camila was but like, Lauren liked to think she paid extra close attention to her in a way that wasn’t necessarily creepy, just curious.

She was beautiful. She’d been transferred to the school during Lauren’s sophomore year and she saw what all the other horny teenage boys saw, a goddess.

Warm, welcoming eyes, a kind smile, a body to die for, Lauren knew crushes on strangers weren’t a thing of rarity, but hell it was like love at first sight.

She never really interacted with Camila and that was the problem. She’d never had any excuse, and reason to see the girl and it kind of sucked, but for the most part she as able to keep her mind occupied with people who were an actual possibility.

Eventually it happens though.

This is how it happens. Lauren used to work in a volunteer program at the Museum of Fine Arts in the city. She’s 18 now and done participating in the docent program, but she’s 18 now so the instructor needs volunteers to chaperone the trips.

That’s how it happens.

“So you can do it?” Mrs. Levine asks, eyes staring into Lauren’s with a desperate plea that the black haired girl couldn’t refuse.

She keeps her on edge still though, hoping she’ll offer something to repay her but realizing, hey, why the fuck would she do that, and deciding to just nod.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she all but squeals, running to her desk to grab the forms needed. “Camila is going to be so excited, she was worried she would be all alone with the twenty-”

“Wait what? I thought you were going?” Lauren interrupts, eyes widening and trying not to get too excited at the possibility that what she’s just heard is true.

“No, no sorry but I can’t because of testing this week,” Mrs. Levine replies with a shrug and a look of nerves, hoping Lauren won’t change her mind now. “Mrs. Cabello will be the other chaperone, I hope that’s okay?”

Lauren doesn’t hesitate to nod this time, and can’t wipe the smile off her face as she makes her way to the parking lot.

“Okay we have half an hour, everybody can go grab coffees but meet at the station by 8:15, okay?” Ms. Cabello announced as the group of sophomores got up and ready to head out.

“Actually I think some girls are in the bathroom?” Lauren points out quietly to the young teacher, not wanting to sound like she’s calling her out but worried about accidentally leaving her little sister behind. “They went like a while ago, I can go see if they’re still there if you’d like?”

“Oh,” Camila sighs out in surprise, turning her head towards the bathrooms, where, sure enough three girls are filing out and jogging to catch up to the group that looks to be departing on Camila’s command. “Shit I didn’t even- shoot! Shoot I’m sorry I don’t think I’m suppose to swear with you,” Camila says looking anxious and talking a little too loudly in a way that Lauren thinks is adorable.

“It’s fine, I am 18 after all that’s why I’m here,” Lauren reassures and Camila lets out a sigh at that.

“You’re right, yeah, sorry again still,” she replies, looking to be sure that the girls caught up before grabbing her umbrella. “Thanks for catching that, I’ve never like, chaperoned myself and I guess I’m kinda nervous for this,” she explains and Lauren almost coos at her nervous eyes and soft smile.

She’s glad she’s never had Camila as a teacher, she thinks she’d be head over heels by now if that were the case.

“It’s cool, I only noticed cause it’s my sister and her friends,” Lauren explains, “and hey you did the attendance pretty well, seemed like a natural to me,” she says with a grin, half kidding but half trying to really reassure Camila who looked too nervous for her liking. It works when Camila lets out a laugh.

“Well you caught onto those girls so I guess I’m lucky you were sent to help or I’d already be down three,” Camila replies.

She’s sweet.

She’s always heard Mrs. Cabello is the most amazing, caring teacher in the school but she’s like, she’s really sweet. They walk to the train stop together, stopping for coffee on the way and they talk the whole time. Lauren’s never had conversation flow this easily before, especially with someone so pretty but it does and it’s amazing.

Camila tells her about her favorite movie is Gone Girl even though Ben Affleck is a huge douche, and how she claims her favorite book is Les Mis but she never actually finished since it’s too long and that answer just makes her seem educated, about how she loves Taylor Swift despite the bandwagon hate and she listens to Lauren tell her about herself too.

It’s just small talk, Lauren knows this but it feels like they get along too nice.

They bond over the art too. Lauren has been to the Museum of Fine Arts so often that she stopped appreciating how beautiful everything was, but Camila brings a new light to it in the way she sees things. Not to mention she’s the most damn fine art this place has seen in years and Lauren doesn’t want to seem like a nerd but she has to make that joke and Camila laughs so hard it’s totally worth it if it seemed inappropriate.

It’s a good day an when it’s finally coming to an end Lauren can’t help but be upset. BUt the way Camila says goodbye makes her think this isn’t over yet.

It’s little interactions that build Lauren’s crush into something more. She didn’t know if Camila would ever again give her a second glance, but she does. She notices her in crowds and makes sure to pay her some attention.

Run in’s on the stairs, smiles in the halls, unnecessary greetings from Camila whenever she walks past her class (which is adorable, right? That Camila stops in the middle of teaching to yell a “hello” to Lauren as she strolls by [especially since the only reason Lauren ever walks by her class is when she’s looking for her attention, she doesn’t even have a class in that wing]).

Lauren sees her a lot and it’s like, sometimes she forgets about Camila, but after a tuesday where she happens to see Camila like six times, Lauren can’t seem to get the older girl off her mind.

She knows Camila is a teacher, and like 26 and like, way out of her league (Keana said she’s not but Lauren is convinced), but she can’t help but feel like they clicked in a way that could lead to more.

She doesn’t have any hard evidence though so for about a month she sticks to the small moments that she gets.

Something happens in May.

It’s small, but it’s bigger than anything else and it gives Lauren all the hope she needs.

“Hey you,” a voice greets Lauren from behind as she glances into the window of an empty classroom. “What’s up?”

(It’s Camila, and she just said “hey you,” that’s the first thing that Lauren thinks is like, hella gay.)

“Oh, hey, not a lot, yourself?” Lauren gives like her rehearsed response to that questions because Camila catches her off guard and Camila is so cute and wow.

“Not a lot,” Camila shrugs back, leaning on the wall next to Lauren. “Are you going next week?” she asks and Lauren takes a second to think before remembering the field trips.

(something in Camila’s eyes looks excited at the thought of Lauren going maybe, but she supposes that isn’t hard evidence.)

“I can not,” she replies and she has to hold in a smile at how saddened Camila is by that. Lauren isn’t worthy. “Senior sign out day? Remember? As much as I’d love to go to the museum with y’all again I can’t really skip my last day of high school,” Lauren teases earning a laugh from Camila who looks less sad than a second ago.

“Right,” Camila responds with a nod. “We have to go some other time then,” she continues.

(that.)

“Anyways, what, if I may ask, are you doing outside this classroom?” Camila continues leaving Lauren to linger on the invite for plans?

“Oh, well you see, no paper towels in the bathroom so I was gonna try to steal some,” Lauren explains, shrugging and, Camila grabs her hand, gently, not interlocking fingers or anything like, gay like that but like, she’s holding it, and

“Mr. Gold should have some,” she explains half heartedly as she pulls Lauren towards the mans classroom right down the hall.

(Lauren would just now like to point out that a. She knows where Mr. Gold’s room is, why is this lady guiding her, and b. This lady is guiding her !!!! by her hand !!!! she’s !! holding !! her !! hand !!!)

She pulled her in and it was empty and she pointed to the paper towels and let Lauren go.

Lauren grabbed some, still shocked by the contact but Camila’s eyes raking up hr body when she turned back around were a thing she wasn’t expecting. Sure, her ass looks nice in these jeans but like, it’s so obvious.

Camila blushes a darker shade of red than she’s ever seen before when she realizes she’s been caught but Lauren doesn’t say anything, she levels her with eye contact and, there’s a moment. It’s something, Lauren doesn’t know what it is but it’s something.

She thinks Camila might like her too. Maybe.

Camila’s boyfriend died a year ago. It’s May 11th and it’s the anniversary and Lauren didn’t know that until earlier that day, but she thinks that’s why she ended up sneaking by Camila’s class all day hoping to get a glimpse. She finally doe in the end.

She was in her pajamas, something Lauren had noticed her doing lately and something that maybe makes sense now. She was in her pajamas and it was the end of the day so students weren’t there, but the lights were off and Camila was just, she was just sitting.

Lauren doesn’t know why she feels like she’s welcome to help but she thinks Camila looks like she needs a hug and she thinks she could be the person to hug her.

“Camila?” Lauren says quietly once she’s somehow found herself in the entrance of the classroom.

(They’d started first name basis a few days after the paper towel incident, Camila had told her she felt too old and that they were friends,not teacher and student since technically Lauren never had her).

She hadn’t meant to see Camila at all and she doesn’t know what she’s doing but when Camila looks up and there are tear streaks on her face and a look of need in her eyes, Lauren doesn’t hesitate to make her way over and envelope the lady in a hug.

She doesn’t say anything. She lets Camila fall apart in her arms and maybe part of her wants to get Mr. Mendes, she knows the two are close friends and she knows he might be able to help. But the other part of her knows she can’t let go of Camila right now, knows that she can’t be left for even a second, sos eh just holds her and lets her cry.

“He killed himself,” Camila finally says after a long while of crying into Lauren’s shoulder in silence. “Everybody knows it happened, nobody really knows how but… he killed himself,” Camila explains and, Lauren has never really been good with words. “Don’t say anything, you don’t need to… thank you for being here right now,” and Lauren thinks it’s amazing that Camila finds a way to reassure her while she’s the one in need of comforting.

It’s emotional and sad and Lauren is crying too by the end of it, but they sit and hold each other for what feels like hours.

They get closer. Obviously after something like that happens, the people involved get coser. So Lauren finds her crush turning into something thousands of times stronger and she’s terrified.

Camila doesn’t let her stay scared for long.

“Hey,” Lauren greets, it’s her last day of classes and while all the other seniors are out partying, celebrating the end, Lauren is sitting in Camila’s classroom, waiting for her to get back from the field trip. “How was it?”

“Ugh, don’t get me started,” Camila exaggerates as she struts into the room and plops down on her chair. “Cynthia chaperoned instead of you and she drove me fuckin’ insane.”

“Sorry to have abandoned you,” Lauren starts as she makes her way over to perch on the edge of Camila’s desk next to where she’s sitting. “Next time, I swear I got you next time.”

“Can we not bring the kids next time either? It’d be fun just to go us,” Camila suggest and Lauren smiles ten times harder thn she should.

“I guess it’s a date,” she replies and wait she shouldn’t have, they flirt kind of but like its more indirect and she shouldn’t have, “wait I didn’t-”

And she’s cut off by soft lips hitting hers. So much easier than she ever could have imagined.

It’s sweet and gentle and Camila is firm but so so soft and she’s loving and caring and she tastes like vanilla and Lauren is in heaven as her lips push against hers.

They kiss for a long moment, the best moment Lauren’s mind has recorded thus far in life and, it’s nice. She almost forgets that breathing is mandatory until Camila leans back to suck in a deep breath, almost immediately wrapping her hands around Lauren’s waist to pull her down and closer to her.

“I know… just… give me a second,” Camila replies, breath warm and soft on Lauren’s mouth.

“Fuck, Camz,” Lauren moans out lowly when strong, sure hands find her waist under her shirt and a body pushes harder into her own.

She likes kissing Camila. She can’t believe she’s doing it, she’s wanted to for a while, a very very long while but she can’t believe she’s doing this.

“I don’t think I should be doing this,” Camila breaks away for a breath to say but her words lose their meaning when her hands find residence on Lauren’s ass and her lips fall to her neck, sucking deep and hard and in all the right ways.

“Don’t stop,” Lauren replies to the statement because she feels like she should but Camila wasn’t planning to and- this could get messy.

“Wait, wait, Camila,” Lauren interrupts, pulling away from a pouting Camila when a certain thought enters her head. “I don’t… I know you’re still upset over everything that happened with.. I mean,” Lauren hesitates, not knowing how to broach that topic. “I don’t want to take advantage of that at all.”

“Lauren,” Camila starts, moving away slightly and grasping the younger girls hand. “I’m over him in the way that I need to be, it’s just.. It’s sad to lose anybody you love, even if you don’t still love them in the same ways. I’ve liked you since you called me out on missing those girls in the bathroom, sure I’ve been emotional lately but, this has been my goal since I saw you, the deep stuff? That all needs to wait, I’ve waited this long to kiss you please, please let me do it again,” Camila pleads and Lauren has never lunger for something more quickly in her life.

They kiss until Lauren is sure her lips are going to be swollen for years and her neck is going to be so bruised that all the make-up in the world won’t make a difference. It feels good. Kissing Caila feels better than anything she’s ever done so she can’t stop.

She thinks she wants to do it more.

“I’m never going to get enough of you,” Camila is the one to say it as she’s leading Lauren over to her desk and jesus christ the girl agrees wholeheartedly.

So this is how it starts. Lauren can’t wait for it to continue.

#UPDATE #AU #camren #submission #this isnt allowed

48 notes · View notes

collecting-stories · 6 years

Text

Magnolia III | Modern!Hvitserk

You and Hvitserk finally realize you’re neighbours and he spends New Year’s Day with you.

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

Christmas Eve passed with Hvitserk finding the best tasting batches of cookies he’d ever tasted sitting outside his doorstep as he was leaving to go to the airport. He noted that two of the other three flats in the four-story building had the same small brown package sitting outside them. The notecard taped to the front had his name written the same way it was on his mailbox, H. Ragnarsson, and the sender was listed as ‘Your neighbour downstairs’. Through his sleuthing he determined that it was the flat just below him who’d left the package. He checked the mailbox but only a last name was listed and he was on his way to the airport so he had no real time to check.

The week of Christmas Eve to New Years was spent in Sweden with his family and, though he was happy to be home he found himself missing London and seeing you in the mornings. It would be an exaggeration to say that he was dreaming of the cupcakes that you’d made for him (well not just for him but he felt like they were) but he did mention them an awful lot to his family over the Christmas holiday.

He was home by New Years Eve but he didn’t do more than throw his bags in his flat and change into his work clothes. The celebration night meant the restaurant he worked for was crowded. He had barely been home and he was already pulling a double shift, staying passed closing to clean dishes because they were short on staff. By the time Hvitserk got home 2017 was well over and he didn’t bother with any sort of celebration of his own, instead falling asleep on the couch. He was already looking forward to waking up in the morning and going for his usual run, and to stop in and see you. It’d been a little more than a week since he’d stopped in.

Except when Hvitserk dropped by the small bakery there was a closed sign on the door. He almost missed the amendment beneath the sign, a piece of paper with clean hand-printing on it, and his phone was out in a minute when he read it.

“Magnolia Bakery, can I help you?” Your voice came through the speaker on his phone and Hvitserk couldn’t help the dumb smile that broke out on his face at the sound.

“Hi, I uh,” he glanced back at the amended sign. He didn’t have a special order to pick up today, he just really wanted to come inside…maybe just for a leftover cupcake or something. He’d take a day-old cookie if he had to. “I ordered something yesterday?” He tried, hoping you’d buy the lie.

“Give me a moment, I’ll let you in.” You replied and the line went dead. Hvitserk stashed his phone back in his running shorts and waited anxiously at the front door.

You appeared out of the back room and Hvitserk bit down on his bottom lip to stop the groan in the back of his throat at the sight of you in yoga tights. He’d thought the skinny jeans you liked looked amazing but this was definitely even better. Your sweatshirt had obviously ridden up over your hips as you were working cause you took a second to lift it a bit further and adjust the waistband of your pants before pulling it over your stomach. Hvitserk was thankful he’d worn long-johns under his shorts cause you in that outfit was definitely a turn on.

When you reached the front door and smiled when you realized who it was. You unlocked the door and pulled it open, “I definitely know you did not order anything.” You teased.

“I just really wanted a cupcake.” He shrugged.

“Well come in, I’m sure I’ve got something.” You ushered him inside and closed the door behind you.

You locked the door and then headed back to the back room. Hvitserk stood for a moment, watching the way your hips moved and your ponytail bobbed as you walked. When you realized he wasn’t following you turned, quick enough to catch him looking and his eyes snapped up to yours, his whole face turning red.

“You can come in the back.” You offered, glancing passed him in embarrassment. There were definitely plenty of times that he’d been in when you’d taken a couple seconds to appreciate his body but you didn’t think that went both ways. You hadn’t gone on a date since you were in school and boys back then were stupid.

“Okay.” He nodded.

You turned and started walking again, leading him into the back work room and grabbing a stool for him to sit on. There were boxed orders ready to be picked up and other orders you were just in the middle of.

“You weren’t in for a week I thought maybe you’d found a new bakery.” You joked as you got back to work.

Hvitserk sat down on the stool beside the work table, watching you pipe macaron mix onto trays. He’d tried to make them himself once when he was in uni but it’d been an absolute disaster and he’d set the oven on fire. It was right around that time that his instructor decided he was rubbish at desserts.

“I went home for Christmas.” He replied. “Wish I could’ve taken you with me…I mean, your cupcakes. They’re amazing.”

You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye, a smile to rival Julia Roberts on your face, “where’s home?” You asked. You wouldn’t have minded taking him home for Christmas either…maybe next year?

“Sweden.” He said, “I moved here for a job opportunity.”

“Oh wow, I’ve never been outside the UK.” You admitted. “No, once I went to Disney World but I was two and honestly don’t remember any of it.”

“I’ve never been to Disney World.” Hvitserk watched you transfer the tray of uncooked macaroons into the confectioners oven and take out a cooked batch. “Can I have one?”

“Maybe…these are for an order.” You explained, moving to get a box out. “I have a batch of pignoli cookies you can have, I forgot the almond extract.”

Hvitserk reached for the plate of cookies you handed him, holding one up to inspect it. “What’re these?”

“Pine nuts. You’re not allergic to nuts are you?”

“No.” He shook his head as he shoved a whole cookie in his mouth. Martha and you had both decided that his 'tasting face’ was adorable. He always looked like he was contemplating something incredibly important when he tried new food. “This is delicious!” He finally concluded, “I’ve only ever used pine nuts for pesto.”

“You cook?”

“I’m head chef at Il Granaio.” He replied, happy to brag.

“They have amazing food. Actually, we have reservations there next Saturday.” You stated. You’d started to assemble the cooled macaroons and missed the frown on Hvitserk’s face.

“We?”

“It’s my mom and dad’s wedding anniversary so like, the whole family.” You replied.

“Thought maybe you had a date.” Despite the cookie in his mouth you still understood what he said and let out a laugh.

“Not likely, I’m practically a hermit.” You joked. “No one wants to go on a date with the most boring person in the world.”

“I’d go on a date with you.” He blurted it out unintentionally but when you stopped piping icing and turned to look at him he nodded as if he was sure of himself. “I would.”

You wanted to make some sort of joke to laugh it off but you felt like your voice was caught in your throat.

“Do you wanna go out sometime?” Hvitserk asked, breaking the cookie in his hands in half out of nervousness.

“Yeah…yeah I’d like to.” You nodded. And then you did laugh, “I don’t know your name.”

“Hvitserk.”

You looked at him, biting your lip. “One more time.”

“Hvitserk Ragnarsson.” He said it slower, wiping the crumbs off his hand and offering it to you to shake. You did, a lightbulb suddenly going off in your head as you realized why his last name sounded familiar to you.

“You live above me!” You exclaimed, relaying your own first and last name to him.

He hopped off the stool excitedly, “I knew those cookies tasted familiar!”

“Did you like them? I always give my neighbours cookies at Christmas.” You said.

“I ate them on the way to the airport, they were amazing!” He leaned over and swiped a macaroon off the tray, popping it into his mouth before you could get it back from him.

“Hvitserk!” You shouted and he grabbed another, holding his arm up so you couldn’t get it back. “Those are for a customer!” You protested, trying to reach for the macaroon in his hand.

He gripped the edge of the work table as you leaned into him, body pressed against his as you tried to reach the macaroon. You had the cutest smile on your face and he honestly couldn’t help himself when he leaned down and kissed you, catching you off guard for a second. But only a second because then you were kissing him back, weeks of watching each other, hoping for something like this coming out in the kiss. He let go of the table to hold your waist as your arms went around his neck, making your sweatshirt ride up enough that he could slip his hand beneath it to feel your skin on his.

He was distracted that he didn’t feel you take the macaroon out of his now lowered hand and once you had it you pulled away, a smile on your face.

“Ha!”

He could only laugh as he watched you get back to work.

kudos to the reader for having the sheer willpower to go back to work and not just fuck Hvitserk right there. I mean…

#hvitserk x reader #hvitserk ragnarsson x reader #hvitserk ragnarsson imagine #hvitserk imagine #hvitserk lothbrok x reader #hvitserk lothbrok imagine #magnolia series #collecting stories imagine #vikings imagine

224 notes · View notes

johnnydora · 6 years

Text

i wish it was easy like it sounds

the kind of sort of parent trap peraltiago au that literally nobody asked for

it begins in jake’s early thirties. he's just transferred to a great new precinct in brooklyn when he meets sophia, his perfect match in every way, even if she does defend his bad guys for a living. they have an extremely whirlwind romance and get married after less than a year, with a child already on the way. jake thinks this is it for him, the perfect life. then sophia walks away from him and their newborn daughter with shiny divorce papers in her wake.

it’s been less than a year, and he’s still figuring out how to be a single father on a police detective’s income. he decides to work his way up to sergeant more out of necessity than anything, because he needs the bump in his paycheck. the nypd has a few classes for studying for the exam, and he tries to fight one into his schedule. he ends up having to take his daughter, sadie, with him.

enter amy santiago. she doesn’t need to take these classes in the slightest, but she can’t resist the extra push. so when the instructor kicks out the flustered detective with the fussy baby (both close to tears) she follows him out the door. she stops him from fleeing in the hall, cooing at the baby to help calm her down while trying to work out the detective’s story (it must be intriguing, after all). when he tells her how hard it is to fit studying for the sergeant’s exam in his schedule with the baby, she volunteers to help him.

they meet in parks for the most part, places where a screaming baby is mostly acceptable. sometimes they’ll push sadie back and forth in the toddler swing, her quizzing him on every other push. sometimes they’ll just talk about themselves. sometimes they’ll just joke around. amy comes over to jake’s house once they’re closer, laying out her sergeant binder on his coffee table for him to inspect while she discreetly cleans up his living room.

they both pass the sergeant’s exam. jake takes them out to dinner to celebrate, leaving sadie with his mom (she says she’s always there to help out, but jake hates burdening her). somehow, their dinner starts turning into a date, and they’ve grown more into their silly bantering over the weeks, but now amy’s leaning into him more and his cheeks are flushed. she orders one dessert for the both of them and asks if he wants to come over to her place (she doesn’t want the night to end).

they’re dating before jake’s really sure what’s happening. he wonders, sometimes, when amy starts spending more nights at his place than not. then she meets him for lunch at his precinct (”jakey, who’s this? you didn’t tell us about a girl!” “i’m his girlfriend.”) that’s that, really.

amy moves in after 8 months. after a year, sadie starts calling her “mommy”. after two years, she tries to bring up marriage, and jake has to gently shut her down. he can’t rush into that again, not after sophia, not when there’s his daughter to think about.

after two and a half years, amy’s sitting on the bathroom sink with a pregnancy test in her hand. she wants to think about it by herself first, but she’s quickly spiraling. when sadie knocks on the door calling for her, she breaks into sobs loud enough that jake hears from the bedroom. he tries to ask her what’s wrong and calm her down through the door, but it’s not working, so he unlocks it. sadie crawls over to amy (now on the floor) and puts her arms around her neck. jake’s frozen in the doorway, looking at the positive pregnancy test.

amy makes three entire binders but decides to keep the baby in the end. jake’s not looking to climb the ranks any farther, and he assures her that he can support her while she continues aiming for captain. everything’s finally looking up. for the first time, jake is the one with all the knowledge, and he’s proud at how well he flies through all of amy’s lamaze classes (it is his second time after all).

it’s happy for a while after that. their baby, isabella, is nearing on three months old when jake secretly gets together the paperwork for amy to formally adopt sadie. he’s planning on giving it to her on her upcoming birthday. however, in the week before, amy has some papers of her own. it’s a letter, offering her a lieutenant position in major crimes in chicago.

she’s going, she knows that. there isn’t anything jake can do to persuade her to stay, and he knows that. she asks him to come with her, start a life together, and he wants to (so, so badly). but sadie’s already been accepted to the nearby magnet school, and he can’t uproot her life. not again. they don’t want to say goodbye, so they get it over with like ripping off a band aid. they won’t stay in touch. they need to move on. so on her birthday, jake and sadie watch amy carry bella and two suitcases out of their apartment and out of their lives.

they move after a couple of years, jake needing both a place that reminds him less of amy and also a bit farther from the city where it’s safer for sadie. they stay in range of her school, but in a safer area, and in a smaller house. after all those years, it’s this that finally feels like a real home.

jake and sadie are fine on their own, really. it takes a while (perhaps longer than necessary because he’ll break down every time sadie asks for mommy) but they find their way. sadie is just as smart as her mother was, and jake tries to keep up with her. (he sometimes thinks about how amy would be much better equipped for daily homework help than he is.) after a while, sadie forgets amy was ever a presence in their lives. it’s just her and her dad, and the occasional girlfriend or boyfriend that comes by for a few months at a time. (once, she tries to push her dad more out there, but he tells her she’s the only one he needs.)

when she’s 8, she begs her dad to send her off to a girls’ science camp in upstate new york for the summer. he moans about her leaving him alone for two months, but happily sends her off with a kiss and a new teddy bear to keep her safe.

she’s 16, having spent every summer since at the same camp, when she becomes a counselor. she’s in charge of a group of 11-12 year olds, which she’s been raving about ever since the end of last year, boasting about her new responsibility all around the apartment (her father’s so proud of her.) so when one of her charges seems to be hanging back from the rest of the group, sadie focuses on her and bringing a smile to her face. the girls bond quickly, sitting a bit back from the less attentive activities like tag and canoeing. at the end of camp, they promise to keep in touch.

they remain penpals for the next couple of months. sadie’s got the mail route memorized, already waiting for him by their p.o. box when the mailman arrives. jake’s content; since starting high school sadie hasn’t had a very solid friend group, so it’s nice seeing her bonding again. (and he’s passed the point of feeling nauseous every time he sees sadie lick closed the envelope with “bella” printed on its front.)

its nearly christmas when sadie asks if she can see bella again. jake’s fine with it, he knows bella lives in manhattan and it’s not a bad trip, and he trusts his daughter to work out the details. he just makes her promise to let him drive her there instead of taking the subway. (they end up deciding on a trip to the met after school lets out. turns out they’re both members.)

bella is already waiting in front when they arrive (half an hour late). sadie runs up to hug her, and they’re already laughing together when jake makes his way over. (bella smiles shyly at him. “my mom’s getting us today’s program.”) she’s already watching them, though, having dropped the programs long before jake saw her. bella sees him looking back, and tries to wave her mom over. (”this is sadie’s dad!”) of course, she already knows him. jake is pale as a sheet, finally breaking his stare at amy to look back at bella. his daughter.

jake waves away sadie’s concern, and tells the girls to go inside and text if they need anything (play it cool play it cool play it cool). jake and amy spend a while just looking at each other, not really saying anything. then, at the same time “you look good” “wanna get something to drink?”. they laugh. and look down at the ground. and meet each other’s eyes again and smile.

they go to a coffee shop across the street, and jake’s a bit guarded, but somehow it’s like 12 years haven’t passed. after a few minutes of awkward small talk, they fall right back in sync. telling jokes and laughing and catching up on - everything. amy tells jake about bella (she has his smile and his eyes, his ability to always crack a joke) and he tells her about sadie (she’s so smart and it scares him). they talk about exes and raising children alone and work. (”you’re a captain now! congrats.”) it doesn’t seem like any time has passed when sadie’s texting him that the museums closing and they’re on their way out.

the girls haven’t even parted when bella’s already asking if they can hang out again. jake’s still staring at her like she’s a ghost when amy asks if they want to get dinner now? (if it’s not too late?) sadie’s looking up at him with her big eyes, and jake concedes (jokingly, playing it cool) that it’s better than fighting the evening traffic. amy tucks her hair behind her ears.

dinner is amazing, of course, even if jake wants to cry every time bella speaks. he tries to get away with asking her as many questions as he can, without seeming too over the top (playitcool). amy’s hand brushes his thigh under the table, and she smiles softly at him when he glances over. they share a dessert.

sadie texts amy’s phone during the day, talking to bella (she’s not allowed to have her own cellphone until she’s 13). jake texts amy’s phone at night, talking to amy. she’s trying to figure out the details of their new situation, how they should tell the girls they’re sisters (and it’s a when, not an if, because jake’s gone long enough without bella in his life and there’s no reason he can’t be let back in now). jake’s trying to figure out the meaning behind the surging in his chest every time he gets a new text.

they’re invited over for bella’s birthday. it’s a friday afternoon, and bella’s having a whole party the next day, but this night is for family (and best friends, as far as the girls are aware). they have dinner, followed by cake and presents. amy gives her a phone and a new flute. sadie gives her a friendship bracelet and a mug she painted with grandma. jake takes a deep breath and hands over a photo album.

as she flips through the first few pages (photos of her mom and a little sadie and sadie’s dad and a baby?), bella’s confused. sadie puts the pieces together first with a gasp, her memory offering up old snapshots of a mom and a baby sister. (”are you..?” “yeah.” sadie gets up and throws herself into amy’s arms.) bella turns to jake, only more confusion in her eyes. he leans across the table and taps the baby in the photos. “that’s you.” she taps his picture in return. “that’s you.”

it’s a long night. jake and amy answer all of the questions the girls have, but after an hour bella gets overwhelmed and retreats to her room. sadie stays with amy a while longer, going through the photos and trying to pull up new memories. eventually she goes to check on bella, leaving jake and amy to clean up the plates. “we did the right thing, right?” “yeah, definitely.” amy stops soaping down the dish in her hands, turning to fully face jake. “what now?” he sets down the cup he was drying, facing her too. she’s standing closer than he thought, and she’s looking up at him with those eyes, wide and trusting, and he can’t help but press a soft kiss to her lips. she smiles and kisses him, too.

they spend the next two years together. when sadie heads off to college, jake packs up and moves in with amy and bella. the apartment isn’t quite big enough for them, especially when sadie comes to visit during the holidays, but they make it work. bella’s warmed up to jake, but is first and foremost protective of her mom. late night conversations are normal for the two of them, learning more about one another. eventually, when jake’s ready, he goes to bella first about proposing. she’s thrilled, and they get to work on planning the perfect proposal.

jake proposes in the park, the one they studied in nearly two decades ago. he plays it like an innocent picnic, and as he begins a speech about how much he loves her, unusual for him but not out of character enough for amy to suspect anything is up, bella and sadie sneak up behind her, holding up the signs they made spelling out MARRY ME. their giggling causes amy to turn around prematurely, and jake starts laughing when they do, missing his cue to get on one knee when amy’s back is turned. he’s trying to catch his breath as he reaches into the picnic basket for a ring, but he’s laughing too hard to actually propose, just getting out a breathless “marry me?” she says yes, of course.

their wedding is small, just their precincts and close family, with sadie and bella as the only members of the wedding party (sadie stands faithfully by her dad’s side, holding the ring.) they have two dances, one with each other, then another when their daughters join them for one big, messy four partner dance. it might be about twenty years late, but they’ve never been happier.

#HI THIS IS 2.5K WORDS #WHAT HAVE I D O N E #peraltiago #my fic #i guess

260 notes · View notes

chestshot · 3 years

Text

Creature in the dark love to scare the little children. The grownups say a prayer, and the demons are forced to return to the shadow realm. Never get caught in a blackout. Some never find their way home. Come in as soon as the streetlights illuminate the path of the righteous. The beetles and moths have gathered in a procession, to welcome the night. “Where were you?” “I don’t know” was never the right answer. It is never going to be the right answer. “Stop crying. I’ll give you something to cry about.”

In this house, the belt and extension cords keep the disobedient in line. Sticks leave bruises. No Bueno. Back straight. “This is going to hurt me more than you.” I never understood that logic. “So why can’t I do it to you, like you did it to me?” “Porque yo soy la puta que te pario (because I am the bitch that birthed you). I’m doing this because I love you. Your soul is in danger.” We used to kneel on the bare floor covered in rice. We were made to carry these bags above our head for twenty minute and think about how we were not supposed to fight. She went easy on us this time. “Now kiss your sister and tell her you love her and you’re sorry.”

What is obedience, and what happens when it is forced? Believe in unity. Value brotherhood. Seize any opportunity to join hands. Even as the big hands crush the small hands, like a fist full of lavender flowers. Don’t think so hard. The guardians have done all the thinking for us. Some things do not need an explanation. Guardians discourage the children from scrutinizing every detail. All we need is to believe. Can’t we all just come together as one? If I wanted to find everlasting life, why did I have to lay it down to begin with?

The Knights of Columbus hosted Sunday breakfast every month. It was a fundraiser. As if the crusades did not provide enough funding. As if the parish had not given enough during the second collection. My mother would always hand me a folded dollar bill when the collection basket came by. It was a little secret between our Father and I (Mathew 6:1-4). I was planting a seed for his kingdom, and if we did not fork over the dough, let’s just say there was hell to pay.

I went to Sunday school. I had to. Otherwise I could not get baptized or have my first communion. The instructor told us that Jesus loved us, so he died on the cross for us. If we loved Jesus, too, we had to love each other. We colored the nativity scene and learned a few prayers. We were taught a theology approved by the Roman Catholic Church, and classes were $25 per child. At the baptism, donations were formally encouraged. Those must have been some expensive ass crayons. I was a good boy, but never good enough to be an altar boy.

I had refused to help in the family garden in the front yard one time. The bathroom floor was cold on my cheek. The sweat and tears running down my neck fell on the yellow linoleum. Now a grip on the arm, bent around my back. Too tight on the wrists. Cheeks got so hot that the salt water started to dry up and irritate my skin. Was it worth it? I know it was fucking hot outside, but couldn’t I have just done a shitty job or at least bullshit? Close the door. The neighbors can hear. Plus, the ac is on. I’ve been getting ass beatings since I was alive. If not from the guardians, then from bad decisions. I want to make them happen, but I always keep getting in my own way. Sometimes the floor can become comfortable. Just waiting for the blackouts to swallow me whole.

God helps those that help themselves…. Wait.. That’s not in the bible!

The Sunday breakfast consisted of yellow “just add water” scrambled eggs. I was too young to get hooked on coffee. Pass me the milk. I ate next to a church girl with an intellectual disability. Did God make her like that? I did not know. All I knew was that we were all equally as hungry after service. I felt like all the dark holes in the floor were so much smaller back then. If I stepped on a crack, I could always find my balance, or the guardian would help me till I recuperated.

“Hey guys. Where’s Jesus’s cloths. This is not funny. Oh… you guys hung him like this? Why? He was giving everyone free healthcare and food and shit. He doesn’t deserve this shit! Bring him down! Now!”

Societies fascination for making atonement. Drink and drive? Dui. Tax evasion? Prison time (unless its some shit like a white collar crime). $50 dollar fines for parking in front of a fire hydrant, that one time I moved out of my parents’ house and rented a room from some asshole named Evander. I was not a child anymore. I was learning from experience. If I only learned to come home on time. They say “Nothing good happens after 2 a.m.” I could have only imagined why, but the dark holes were still manageable. No claws yet. No transformation. The delinquencies of adolescence were not yet ripe. There was not enough blood.

I helped myself to a glass of orange juice. High pulp. Tart. Almost as refreshing as the forgiveness of sins. Dixie paper cups. An old couple. They must have both been in their eighties. With not much time to live, they both enjoyed the pancakes with light butter. No syrup though. Diabetes, you know. He pulled the chair out for her. He took off her sweater and placed it behind the chair. He wiped his head with a towel, then his mouth. He regained his balance. and shuffled to his own seat. He led the prayer and they both sat down to share (maybe their last) Breakfast. Listened to your guardians and maybe you can live as long as them.

One time, Father Manuel unofficially sponsored Mission Tortillas. “Como Dios Manda” literally means “How God Orders” or more precisely “What God Demands of us”. He was calling out the young women who decided club wear for a Sunday mass was appropriate. Father Manuel roasted them. “Esta bien que sea Qinceniera. (it would be cool if this was a Quincenera) Pero esta es la casa de Dios (but this is the house of God).” We were all sinners, but some of us did a better job at hiding it. We were all trying to avoid the transformation. We all needed to love. We just needed time to patch things up.

Mother Theresa believed that suffering was how you got closer to God. She refused to let some children receive treatment, so naturally, they would die. Their souls belonged with the Lord. For a while, I started to believe that I was suffering, and therefore, there was no God. I think we suffer because we think we must, like it’s all part of the greater picture. I also think we suffer because we all have things we conveniently forget about. We should know better.

It’s not normal to stay up all night. It’s not normal to operate a vehicle under the influence of anything. It’s not normal to lie to the person you are with. It’s not normal to wake up at 3 pm every fucking day. It’s not normal to put things up your nose. It’s not normal to get in the car with a complete stranger. It’s not normal to think that you can live with people for free. It’s not normal to pass out at the bar. It’s not normal to constantly burn bridges. It’s not normal to forget what you did the night before. The blackouts swallowed me alive, over and over and over. I couldn’t see the streetlights. There was no one left to pay for my sins.

August 15thth, 2020, 2:30 A.M.-ish

I said I was going to work on it las week, and then the week before. I had checked into the catacomb of wasted ambitions. The creatures of the dark had left. I looked in the mirror and could not accept what I had become. What big claws and teeth.

I had a dream I was filling up one cup with another cup, like an endless water mill. I’m not sure why I always felt this way. An endless repetition that never ends, like new ideas filling old ones, but never quite arriving at a solution, or like fish eating fish eating fish… Like a two gallon hourglass, constantly being flipped on it’s other end, ass up, face down, full of itself. The air bubbles, trying to escape. The lump in the throat of my life, always sinking into my stomach. The transformation was complete. I was living in a blackout.

The beta, or Siamese fighting fish, is native to Thailand and Cambodia. You can pick them up at your local swap meet. I used to love going to the Broadacre swap meet after Sunday mass. I got my hands on everything an eight-year-old should never get their hands on: laser pointers, chained wallets, pocket knifes, fart bombs, shock pens, pet’s I wasn’t able to take care of. I’m not sure what the fish were so angry about. Probably from being confined to a tiny ass sandwich bag.

I got my ass kicked in a bar fight once, in 2018. Three against one. I do not remember. I was asking for something that was not on the menu. I was being annoying. Swings broke out like a Florida coastline and faster than you can say Tallahassee’s televised turnout tremendously terrified pterodactyls. Too small. Smack. Too slow. Smack. I fell to the floor, head between my knees. My jeans ripped. All I could see was stars at that point. I raised a barstool over my head and threw it against the bar, not sure if it landed on anyone. Always bust out the bar stool when you know you are going to get rocked. I ran out through the front entrance and I called 911. I left my bicycle behind. The cops were nice enough to drive it down to me. They told me that the security guard told them I was trying to buy drugs. I told them it was a hate crime. They told me to go home. I told them I would never go back to that bar again.

Pigs in a blanket. I think there was bacon. Bacon or sausage. No. I think there were both. I woke up at 6am to eat this at 10am. 10:15 if you consider waiting in line. Why couldn’t everyone break bread the way we did? People always have to start a fight during a meal, or beer, if you’re a man of culture who would prefer to drink their meals. The indigestion was the worst. I could not eat breakfast too early because my stomach lining was still sensitive from the binge the night before. This did not stop me from killing a whole order of carne asada fries at night. I felt the weight of a bowling ball in my diaphragm when I woke up the next morning. Drinking water felt like swallowing marbles. This wasn’t normal. I’m not going to lie.

Well that’s great news, kind sir, because I can not condone dishonesty. Now please leave the patrons alone or get out of the bar.

My older sister became an usher at church. She showed everyone to their seats. She wore a sash that said “Orden” or literally “Order”. She asked people if they could scoot over. She made room where people were resting their purses or when someone decided that they needed to sit with their legs wide open. Me and my younger sister always got pinches during service if we were joking around or being distracting. How did the people really bring their kids to church like that? We were so rambunctious!

The endless cycle of Life: that our guardians had to beat the shit out of us. So that maybe we could learn. Or so we would avoid the transformation. In the end, we resent their efforts and only make it worse for ourselves. I try to push myself up, but my left arm is too mangled to lift any weight. The dark holes just seem like the better option sometimes. If the blackout won’t take me now, then maybe tomorrow.

The holes are patched up today. I found my way through the dark. My guardians were there all along. I just needed some space. My mind is clear. I can focus again. I can have breakfast again. The nights can be long and dark, but I know the demons have left. My house is in order. My mind is clear. I finally have a clean conscience. I want to go back to the time when I was a child. Back to a time of trusting that the streetlights were guiding me all along. When I could hear my mother’s voice and know in my heart that the night was near, but only to visit.

Drink some water. Jesus fishes. Say a prayer. Missing pieces. Dying wish is - God’s my witness – you just know** * the nighttime* ** only** came to** visit**.

#author #beat #person of color #litterature #publishing #violence #recovery

0 notes

space-australia-stories · 7 years

Text

submitted by: alien-rabbit

Dr. Skirtl van Igengurm was propped up on his desk while having his ‘breakfast’. It wasn’t much, it was just a regular ‘pancake’ and a cup of steaming hot ‘coffee’. He was perusing through the pages of his manuscripts while listening to the early evening news. He was mostly active at night, contrary to popular belief that the Ralkoxen were diurnal and that they were weak at nightfall. He was searching for possible holes in his manuscript when the news segment caught his attention.

“The 405th Galactic Bastion research team finally found the home world, ‘Earth’.”

‘Damn it! I certainly remember telling the minister not to publicize the info but-‘

“Fuck this.” Skirtl swore.

The actions of the minister didn’t really surprised him. Their dynasty was losing the public’s confidence and would soon be deposed if they don’t do anything. They need to continue; this was not for greed, yes, if given the chance, they would be more than happy to hand the throne to somebody else. It’s just that… they just have to continue.

“At exactly 42:15 today, the minister of information and communication released the most startling news in all of xenoarcheology. After spending almost 700 kohans, one of the research teams finally found the home world of ‘humanity’. That’s right folks, ‘Earth’ has be-”

“Please turn it off and call my brother.”

To an ignorant outsider, Skirtl would look like he was mad and was talking to thin air but this was not the case. He wasn’t addressing some imaginary friend nor was he talking to a ghost or a poltergeist or any non-material being. He gave the command to his AI program which was his butler of sorts. It operated all of the electronic devices in his house and was also the main security that guarded his sanctuary for a couple of years now. The ‘TV’ was immediately turned off and became as lifeless as a rock. Skirtl then heard a ringing sound in his ear. Seconds later, he heard a beeping sound. He hanged up at this point and tried to manually contact his brother.

“Hello, this is the Ministry of Information and Communication. In what manner would we be of assistance?”

Skirtl heard a monotonous voice respond.

‘That’s weird, usually his secretary answers the calls. Who was that? Oh well, it was probably an AI,’ the Ralkoxen thought.

“Is Minister Ardsath van Igengrum occupied at the moment? If not, please tell him the head of the Kohath Sveglio Yandish wants to have a word with him as soon as possible.”

He put down his mini-pad on the table and finished his ‘breakfast’. Moments later, he received a voicemail from his older brother. He groaned and clicked his mandibles in frustration as their talk went on. By the end of the call, his right foot was now stumping in an annoyed and mildly violent manner. After the call, he scratched the back of his head while gently massaging his four eyelids. He slammed all four of his fists to express his anger and annoyance. He was really frustrated at the fact that the Ministry released all of the research team’s preliminary findings. He turned on the ‘TV’ to watch the special documentary one of the media companies conjured from the raw evidence and the somewhat obscure findings of their team. The ancient race of humans were such a mystery, even the top scientists of the time can’t wrap their heads around the subject.

‘The look on their faces would be priceless once we finished figuring out ‘humanity’. How frustrated would they get once we started debunking the myths they spread through mass media?’

He clicked his mandibles in sadistic joy, knowing that these bumbling idiots would be humiliated soon. For all the gossips and false accusations the pressmen made against the royal family, his family, he would pay them back three-fold.

“As we all know, the ancient species known as ‘humans’ have had a great impact on the development and progress of our race. During the dawn of our civilization, some 66 million kohans ago, an unmanned drone containing a fraction of the wisdom of ‘humans’ landed on Athar-bavel, our home. Though obscure, throughout the history, some of the greatest of our people extracted wisdom and knowledge from this thing and used it to guide and teach their fellow, us. One then wonders, ‘how old was the human race must have been if they were even older than our first civilization?’ Let’s interview some experts and ask them about their thoughts.

‘As much as I’m fascinated with the science they brought, I can’t deny the fact that I’m curious about the culture of the human pioneers. I mean, we have confirmed that the universe is indeed 264 million kohans old but we don’t even have a speck of knowledge on the culture and beliefs of the pioneers. They have been great instructors sure but I can’t really say that they make good role models’ -Dr Sanming Juzefywn; sociologist, Kohath Sveglio Yandish

‘Their drone came 66 million kohans ago, for all we know they might have been extinct by now. There’re even rumours in the central facility about the so called ‘Last Will of Humanity’. ’ -Dr Hervolt Arjaq du Ammetash; archaeologist, Kohath Sveglio Yandish”

Skirtl’s body tensed. How could they have possibly known of the Will? Did his brother really released all of the info on humans? How dare he? He essentially betrayed his kin. His train of thought was disrupted by the unintelligible yet familiar garbling. It was a human’s ‘voice’.

“Hi there folks. Whoever is listening to this message right now, I assume you are not human. Sorry, I mean, you are not a member of my species. Now, before my main message, I would like to thank you for listening to my rants and ramblings later on. This vessel I have created contains the valuable jewels of knowledge of the human race. This very vessel is in essence, the crystallization of all of humanity’s blood, sweat and tears in the pursuit of wisdom. I only ask that you may use the knowledge we will impart to improve the lives of your planetary and intergalactic neighbour/s should you ever find one. If you did, then you’re very lucky. In all of our five billion years of existence, we never found intelligent life outside our home planet, not even one. We desperately searched, even developed technologies that allows us to warp all 11 dimensions of reality but it was of no use. We didn’t find even a hunter-gatherer civilization. All we found were microbes. Perhaps the universe was too young, perhaps the conditions weren’t just right but in any case, we got tired of waiting for life like ours to develop. After our home planet was half swallowed by the star in our home system, we suddenly started getting weird ideas. We realized that maybe, we aren’t suited for you. Maybe, because we are warriors and barbarians through and through, we will just wipe out every sapient race. This got us thinking, ‘what if we are the ones hindering the formation of sapient life? What if our presence was hindering the universe?’ it was a bit scary if you think that way, yes, but when you are alone, things like this would surely pop up. To sum it up, all of us humans, all 758 nonillion of us, decided to die. It wasn’t weird for us, the youngest member of our race was at least 32 million years old. All of us lived our lives to the fullest and our only regret was that we haven’t met any sapient race. We lived long enough and was now tired of our own existence. And so we pass our hopes to you. We hope that whatever species may get hold of this drone, they will be compassionate and understanding, cool-headed yet full of empathy, calculating yet self-less, always willing to help and also open to assistance. We hope that you will carry the will of humanity. Our will to make the galaxy, and possibly the universe, more pleasant and habitable to all species. We just hope that you are not alone. We don’t want you to suffer from loneliness like us. ”

————– 1 kohan -> 76 Earth years

Kohath Sveglio Yandish -> Finding Our Teachers Project

#submission #wow this is really interesting #space australia #humans and aliens #aliens #extinction #this gave me an idea for something else to write #thank you #also sorry #i had to add a read more bc it was a little long

320 notes · View notes

camille-marshall-blog · 6 years

Text

Challenge #3

Alternately Titled: Focusing on the Present (and other gifts)

a/n: Heyoooo, happy holidays everyone! Dropping this little fic for Challenge 3! Hope you’re having fun during your winter breaks!! By some Christmas miracle, I actually had time to chill and write this soooo yay! Hope you enjoy this one!! Thank you so much to @jace-bennett for the RP!! The shopping was fun! Anyways, again enjoy and I’ll see you guys around! (4,394 words)

I thought that I would get used to this whole being Selected stuff, I mean… I’ve been here for nearly 2 months- but everyday I still wake up with a heavy feeling in my chest and a guilt that I was somehow not meant to be here. Was I meant to be here? I know there have been moments that made me feel like I had a place here, moments of neon lights and forgotten bowling shoes, the times that reminded me how to laugh between pages of a library book, instances of rubber soles crunching against the ground, and whispers lighter than a feather during shared meals. I was beginning to feel connected to the people I was meeting in this palace, but not without a price.

Despite this guilt, I still continue on with this Selection and try to perform everything to the best of my abilities. I think I’ve been making progress with the people here, actually having the courage to stay in the women’s room to mingle sometimes. It was just hard to get close with other people when you’re so used to moving around- no relationship was permanent.

But against my instincts, I’ve been lately taking choices that made me feel more comfortable around these people. Just a few days ago I agreed to join a Secret Santa, and that reminded me of another thing that helped make me feel better.

There’s magic in the air when the calendars shift from November 30 to December 1. It’s like when everything in the world tends to get a little better because the holidays were fast approaching. As the song really went, it was always the most wonderful time of the year, and the holiday season has never failed to lift my spirits up.

I’m not going to deny it: Christmas is and always will be one of my favorite holidays EVER, and one of my favorite activities definitely had to be Christmas shopping.It was more on seeing the sheer joy in the eyes of the people I gave gifts to, and the way my heart leaps when I know that I made my friends happy.

This year, I was not planning on missing out on one of my favorite holiday activities, so I informed my guard friends that I was going to go out of the palace to go Christmas shopping yesterday, and I luckily got the approval to head out on my own.

I walk into the garage, wearing my own civilian attire. I needed a breath of fresh air from the palace. This morning, I wasn’t feeling like my best self again, so maybe a little reminder of Christmas was going to help me feel better.

Just as I was looking for a set of keys in the garage, a voice from behind startles me.

"Umm are you looking for something?”

At the sound of the voice, I jump and put my fists up- almost out of instinct, just in case of an attacker, but I immediately relax at the sight of a confused looking Jace Bennett standing right in front of me.

“Oh whoa, it's just you Bennett.” I comment, relaxing myself and standing upright again.

“What are you doing?” he asks me, reaching up for his own car keys. Wait… was he going out?

“I need a ride to the city... and I was told that I could borrow one of the cars here.” I answer, putting my hands again in my pockets.

He raises his eyebrows at me, “Yeah sure, I'm leaving I can take you if you want.”

I didn’t even ask him for a ride, but it was definitely decent that he was offering me one. “Huh, thanks. I’d appreciate it.”

“Where exactly do you want to go?” Jace opens his car’s door, ready to leave.

“Eh, depends on where you're going…” I open my own door, “You aren't by any chance passing by South Coast Plaza, are you?”

“It's a little out of the way but I can take you. Are you just in the mood to go shopping?” he asks me as I get into his car.

“Kinda, more like Christmas shopping.. we've got a secret santa among us Selected girls going on right now. Thanks a lot though… Are you sure I'm not bothering you?”

“What are you planning to get?” Jace nods as he starts the car, “No not at all, I was just going home because there was nothing else for me to do here. This is actually giving me something to do.”

“Thanks a lot.” I say as I put my seatbelt on (who knew how safe of a driver he was), “I'm getting A book for the person I got, and a couple more stuff for friends.”

“The secret santa thing sounds fun. So I'm guessing you girls are getting along well?” Jace asks me as he pulls out to the driveway.

“You guess right, I think everyone's becoming really close with each other... at least.. that's what I hear is going on in the women's room.”

“Are you not becoming close with them?”

“Oh I am, I have friends here.” I shake my head, trying to prove to him that I wasn’t as anti-social as most people thought, “I just don't visit the women's room a lot.” I explain to him.

“Ooooh got it. what else do you guys do? Like how do you spend a whole day at the palace?”

“Well, there are lessons for half the day with your mom, we talk about all those etiquette and royal protocols one of us would be using in the future. She's definitely... enthusiastic about etiquette.” I snort, remembering the morning lessons with Jace’s mother, and how much she reminded me of one of my old drill sergeants.

Jace laughs as he drives, “That's just the way she is. At least the ones who won't become one of the royals will know how to eat a meal properly.”

“I think table etiquette's kinda common in this day and age, I mean... even I learned some twisted form of it way back in military school.” I add to him, feeling a little defensive. God forbid that the few of us not born into fame and royalty didn’t know how to differentiate the fish fork from the salad fork.

“And now you are getting the full blown version of it.”

“Definitely a full blown version,” I laugh a little under my breath, “with an instructor who's just as fierce as any drill sergeant. So, what do you do? Like on a normal day, whether it's in or away from the palace, what do you do?”

Jace Benett was more like an anomally in the palace- a figure you hear about from others’ experiences. I always wondered what he usually did in the palace other than hang out with the prince. From what he’s told me himself, Nate was busy a lot, so my curiousity got the best of me when I ask Jace that.

“Hang out here mostly,” Jace shrugs, “There is something always going on which always keeps me busy. But at home I don’t do very much, like I have other friends other than Nate which I hang out with but most of the time I’m just chilling in my room or when I can convince my mother to let me go on a trip than I do that.” he shrugs again, “I don’t have that exciting of a life.”

“Jace Bennett, not having an exciting life? I find that difficult to believe.” I raise my eyebrows at his admission, “Sounds like you have a lot of fun though.” I contradict, looking at the boy in front of me- he didn’t seem like the type to describe his life as anything but exciting.

“Yeah I get to do whatever I want whenever I want to do it.” he agrees.

I decide to go back to answering his first question, “That's cool... so continuing that answer to your first question, the Selected usually get half the day off so I kinda do anything that makes me a little more productive. The guards have a small training center underground where I can practice my marksmanship... I go over old war stories in the library... anything that makes me feel like... I'm doing something.”

“Marksmanship? What’s that?” Jace asks me.

“Umm.. uh... shooting guns... Can't get rusty while I'm here in the palace.” I shrug. Call me a workaholic or whatever, I just don’t like doing things without having a purpose, there always needed to be an end goal. Exploring the subterrainian levels of the palace had helped me discover some of the guards’ training centers. All I knew was that I stood an 18 to 1 chance of getting deployed after this Selection.

Jace nods, “Makes sense, are you good at the whole shooting guns thing?”

“I think I am, I mean.. it's all about practice and aim, and learning how to work with different kinds of guns... the ones in the palace are the same as the ones in my old base, so it's really just for polishing on old skills.” I explain to Jace, before realizing how weirdly specific I was getting with him.

I shake my head with a laugh. “Wow, I must sound like some psycho to you right now.”

Wouldn’t want my possible husband’s (okay not really my possible husband- we went on one date) best friend to think that I’m crazy.

“No you aren’t it’s your job, as long as you aren’t a serial killer than you’re good.” I was technically trained to kill for the military, did that count? I hope it didn’t.

“I can confirm that I am definitely not a serial killer.” I shrug, “So Bennett, where do you like to take trips to? You seem like the traveling type.”

“Really anywhere. I have gone all over the world, I like water and deserts the most. I have joined Nate and Mr. Schreave on business trips a couple of time but those are boring.” Jace shares with me.

My eyes widen in surprise and I’m trying to hold back a laugh, “Mr. Schreave? You call the king... Mr. Schreave?”

Oh wow, yeah- call the commander-in-chief Mr. Schreave- that sure sounds right to me.

“Well... yeah... I can’t just go calling him Spencer. When I was little I wouldn’t go up to him and be like ‘Hello your highness may you give me a piggy back ride please?’ Mr. Schreave is more on my level.” Jace laughs, explaining to me.

“You have a good point, but now,” I burst out laughing, “I can't get the mental image of the king giving piggy back ride to a little Jace out of my head.”

“He did it more than you’d think,” he laughs along, “He’s the best, he always puts his family first.”

“I could tell, it rubs off a lot on Nate too.” I reply, realizing they both had the same magnanimous aura.

“Nate is like the perfect person.” Jace says rolling his eyes, and that catches my attention.

I’ve heard so many describe his perfection, maids, guards, staff, other Selected… and now his best friend. A part of me wanted to believe all of their praise but the other part reminded me that no person could honestly be that perfect.

“He's sweeter than most guys I've known, that's for sure.” I comment about Nate, mentioning the aspect that I liked about him the most. There was compassion in that soul.

“He’s okay.” Jace remarks, and I laugh again in response- typical boy reactions. Of course they share some form of self-deprecation for their friends.

“Okay seems like an understatement for him,” I shrug almost defensively, “Then again you're his best friend.”

“It’s how best friends are, how about you what’s yours like?” Jace remarks before turning the conversation back to me.

“I've technically got 5 best friends, to be quite honest. You see, all of us belong to the same junior air squad and have been working together for the past two years. There's Lip Gloss, Wolf, Drone, Ears, and Crab.” I smile as I mention them, I missed them a lot. “I'm closest with Lip Gloss though.”

Jace laughs and raises his eyebrows, “Lip gloss?”

“Cassandra, that's her real name, nicknamed her that when she cried on the first day of military school when our instructor confiscated her lip gloss. We went to the same military school together, so we've been friends for a long time. She... was the one who was pretty excited over this whole Selection thing.” I missed Cass a lot, still do.

“She seems like... quite the person.” He comments, “The person I know who would cry over lip gloss is Mallory.”

“Mallory, wow, I've heard stories of her from the other girls- a lot are terrified of meeting her.”

“Just follow these rules don’t talk to her from 9-7, don’t be wearing the color white, make sure you have taken a shower within 3 hours and don’t offend her and she’s the kindest person you have ever met.” Jace jokes and laughs hysterically.

I can’t help but laugh as much as he was, “Oh my god, that is so specific.” I wheeze, “Is she that terrible?”

“She’s not that bad, just don’t get on her bad side and you’d probably be good.”

“Or you know... avoid her so I don't get to see either side” I shrug laughing, “Actually, I really haven't seen her around save for meals in the dining hall.”

“She think she likes to stay in her room, I’m not sure. I’ve never been close to her.” Jace remarks.

“But I do know you're close with Nate's other sister, right?” Now this was definitely a loaded question. I remember one of the Selected girls wondering if Jace and Quinn were dating… and well- curiousity got the cat right now.

“Yeah I guess you could say that.” He says nonchalantly.

“I haven't met her either, but I've heard good things about her.” That was the truth, everyone has said that Quinn was quite gracious. ((GET IT CAUSE… GRACE IS RP-ING HER?? HAHAHAHAHAH))

“She’s a good and kind person.” He’s practically turning red right now.

“I bet she is,” I smirk, I always enjoyed teasing people with their better halfs so I added another loaded question. “So have you gotten your girlfriend a Christmas gift yet?”

“Not yet, I’m not sure what sh...” Jace says before realizing what he was saying to me then giving me a death stare. HA! There it was, he just admitted they were dating.

“Gotcha” I wink at him, faking discretion, “You can go shopping with me if you want. South Coast Plaza is pretty big.” I tell him, maybe wanting to use his free time to go shopping too.

“Sure, you should help me decide what I should get her.” I’m surprised at how easily he trusts me, and a part of me is internally laughing. Wow, even in the Selection I still manage to wingwoman.

“Great,” I clasp my hands with a nod, “I definitely could.”

“What do girls even like?” Jace curiously asks me.

“That... kinda depends on what she's like... honestly. It's always good to base it off her hobbies, but you can also find something a little more personalized and stuff.” I explain to Jace. Getting presents for girls was just the same as any present for anybody else. It had to be personal- plus it didn’t help that I didn’t know Quinn personally.

“She is really into drawing so maybe pencils?” Jace asks me, and I nod.

“Drawing... yeah, pencils seem like a good idea- the collectible kind seems like a great idea, along with a sketch book.. or something.” I affirm adding a few suggestions. The thing with relationships and Christmaswas that… it doesn’t matter what kind of gift is given… it was more on letting the person know you care and as much as this made me sound like a Hallmark card… it’s the thought that counts.

My personal dilemma was that I wasn’t sure if I’d overstep any boundaries if I was going to get Nate a gift- because I had no idea what I was doing. I’d have to think about it, now I was here to shop for my Secret Santa and friends.

Jace nods, “Okay,” he says as he parks the car and quickly jumps out of the car, “so where do you need to go?”

“So I have to get my secret santa a book at Barnes and Noble... and I'm getting matching pajamas for all of my friends sooo that's probably going to be at PJs'r'Us” I elaborate to Jace. I was planning on getting a nice book set along with a couple of matching pajamas for my friends in the Selection… and five more matching pajamas for my friends in South Korea.

“I suppose, we'd come across a craft store somewhere here for Quinn's stuff.” I tell Jace.

“Let’s go to your stores first because you wanted to come here.”

“Alrighty,” I say as we begin walking around the mall. “So... do you go Christmas shopping every year?”

“Nothing too big and special.”

“But it's Christmas! It's the most wonderful time of the year, shopping is one of the best parts.” I feel like I personally should defend Christmas.

“We’re not really big gift giving people, like we can get whatever we want whenever we want it, so why have someone gift it to you.” Jace explains to me, and I understand where he’s coming from.

“Ahhh, right... yeah, I guess that's kind of the life of the rich and famous.” I shrug, “Everything's just at your disposal.”

If only all of us were born into a life like that.

“You seem like you are very much a gift giving person.” Jace comments to me.

“I give when I can,” I laugh non-chalantly, “Christmas shopping is basically the only real shopping that I'm interested in honestly.”

“Yeah you don’t seem like the stereotypical white girl, like shopping is everything. Like you fire guns because you can” Jace adds, and I laugh.

“Not like a Stereotypical white girl, huh? I'll take that as a compliment. You're not so stereotypical yourself.”

“And how so?” he turns to me.

“You're nicer than what I expected, I mean, you offered me a lift here, and all that. I was kinda expecting a pretentious rich kid.” I reply to him, honestly telling him my impression of him at first. I was kinda expecting a fuck boy, but I found a much more decent personality in him. No wonder he was best friends with Nate.

“Thanks...? I’m pretty sure you aren’t allowed to take palace cars anyway but no problem if you ever need a ride let me know.” Jace gives me a wink, and I nod with a laugh.

“Well, who needs Uber when you have Jace Bennett, right?” I definitely could save a couple dollars of with my new chauffeur.

“It’s free and won’t be 100% awkward.” A very convincing sales pitch, that was.

“Oh definitely, best ride ever.” I chuckle in response before I see a Barnes and Noble ahead. “Oh hey, I see a Barnes and Noble!”

The rest of the day Jace and I spent going through the mall and buying what we were going to give other people. I bought a nice Jane Austen book set for my Secret Santa, a shit ton of pajamas for all of my friends, while I was able to help Jace pick out the coolest set of chrome painted coloring pencils for Quinn and a sketch book with 500 leaves. What I found remarkable was how easy it was for me to get along with him.

“Thanks again for going with me, Bennett.” I tell him as we walk out of the mall, carrying our Christmas haul.

“No problem, I’m just going to drop you off then head, just so you know.”

“You don't need to, you know. I mean, you've done more than enough.” I shake my head with a laugh, “You can go ahead, I'll just grab a taxi or an uber or something.”

“No no it’s fine, it’s not that long of a ride. It’s really no problem, I could always run back in there and see... Nate”

“Sure... Nate.” I laugh, way to be reaaaal subtle, Bennett. “Your one and only best friend.”

“The one and only.” he laughs.

The mention of Nate reminds me again of my dilemma. Throughout our entire shopping trip, I had been debating on whether or not I was going to give Nate a gift and in my head were dozens of possibilities of what I was going to get him, but…

I’m not quite sure if giving a gift gave the right message… for the reason that we weren’t exactly that close, and it may just seem like overstepping some kind of personal boundary for both of us… or worse, looking like I’m assuming something between us that may not exist for him.

It was only just one date- but I still held a lot of confusion in this continuous limbo of single and not single, and dating and not dating. This was why I hated dating- the uncertainty, the internal mind games, the war fare that only I could only see. I felt like we were pretty okay… but also not okay? He may think that the gesture was meant to win his affection, but honestly, I don’t think I could care any less if I won his affection now- okay maybe I should because I think I kinda like him- BUT THERE WERE 18 OTHER GIRLS TOO.

Feeling like an option sucked, but what the hell, I’ve got nothing to lose.

“Speaking of him...Do you know what he'd like for Christmas?”

He flashes me a surprised look before he starts the car, “Not really, maybe he’d want some guitar picks, don’t you need those to play guitar?”

“Guitar picks, right, I think I can find them next time I go out…” I nod my head wondering if I could order something online just on time for Christmas. I remember, he loved to play guitar and all that music stuff. It was just going to be a little something for someone who’s shown me nothing but kindness. That’s it.

“It’s something small but I think he’d really appreciate it.” Jace tells me, and I nod my in reply still caught in another mental debate with myself.

For the rest of the short drive we stay silent, listening to the back to back Christmas songs playing on the radio. When we both arrive back to the palace, he helps me unload some of my bags from his car.

“Thanks again,” I smile, “for everything.” I take the bags from the back.

“No problem, again if you need a ride let me know.” Jace tells me as we walk towards the door to the palace connected to the garage.

“I will... OH by the way, in case I forget.” Or you know get eliminated before Christmas, I separate one of the gift bags I got and hand it to Jace.

“Merry Christmas, Bennett.” I managed to sneak an extra pair of christmas themed pajamas for Jace while I was shopping for Ears, Drone, and Crab (and my brothers too, because even those assholes deserved Christmas gifts).

“Merry Christmas Marsh.” He replies as he holds the bag.

“So, I'll see you around, thanks again!” I wave my hand before I walk straight for the door and run to my room to hide all of the gifts in my closet. The holidays have just begun.

#ch marshall #selectionoc #selection oc #Marshall fics #writing #jace tag #challenges #challenge #challenge 3 #photo edits

7 notes · View notes