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lieslab · 9 months

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Stupid Bird

Summary: Hyunjin plans an outdoor spring date for the two of you.

Pairing: Hynunjin X gn reader

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 1.7K

_ _ _

“What are you doing?” You raised an eyebrow as you glanced over the top of your phone.

You had been laying on the couch scrolling through your social media accounts when Hyunjin came through the front door. Earlier he had disappeared outside and told you to stay put. You had questions, but Hyunjin was Hyunjin, so you stayed silent. You hadn’t left your spot on the couch.

He pushed his face closer to yours. You slowly pulled your phone down, so you could see him better. His warm brown eyes were sparkling with excitement. “Do you remember how I told you that I wanted to have a date with you outside? I never knew what I wanted to do, but I wanted it to be outside.”

Ever since the winter months had started to warm up, Hyunjin had wanted to be outside more. The frost had disappeared and the snow had melted away. Dreary gray skies had been replaced with baby blue hues and white cotton clouds.

The Earth had finally begun to reawaken from its slumber. Bare tree limbs had sprouted with new leaves. South Korea’s cherry blossom trees had finally started to bloom. The soft pink flowers filled the air with their sweet scent.

The natural wildlife had started prowling around again. The warm morning sunshine was filled with birds chirping. Every morning, without a doubt, you were greeted by their natural alarms. Butterflies flapped their wings and fluttered gracefully. The bright green grass was soft and spongy beneath your feet, finally warmed after spending months frozen solid.

Hyunjin seemed to be able to romanticize every season, but in the spring, he bloomed. Sometimes in the colder months, he had days where he felt a little more down than usual. You always had to find a way to help him out of his dreary fog. In the spring, it didn’t happen as much.

When it did, you tugged him with you outside and his mood would change. Maybe it was the slight breeze in his face or the sight of a wild rabbit. The squirrels shoving food into their cheek pockets with tiny hands which reminded him of Han. The bright sunshine that warmed his face. He always seemed to feel a lot lighter in the spring.

“I do remember that,” you dropped your phone on your chest. “What about it? Did you plan something?”

“I didn’t just plan it, I set something up. Come on!” He grabbed your hand and pulled you up.

You let him jerk your body off the couch and followed him outside. The two of you had moved into your own apartment a few months ago. You were only about a fifteen minute drive from his company.

Outside, you were hit with the smell of fresh cut grass. Whoever your landlord hired to mow it had just finished mowing earlier this morning. You let Hyunjin pull you along until he dropped your hand. He had led you to a small table with a plastic back table cloth covering it.

Two folding chairs were placed on either side of the table. Two wooden birdhouses sat on each end. A spread of different sized paint brushes and paint tubes sat in the middle of the table. Off to one side, a small circular charcuterie board had been set up.

Different meats and cheese cubes accompanied crackers and a few fruits. You looked at the table with wide eyes. “When did you make this?”

“I made it back at the dorms and had Changbin drive it over earlier. I made it last night before I came home. What do you think? Do you like it?”

“Like it? I love it!”

His mouth curled up in a smile. He moved a chair out and gestured for you to sit down. You quickly sat down and he hurried to sit across from you.

“I was thinking that we could paint these birdhouses and nibble on some snacks. I know we’re not always a huge fan of the birds every morning, but they do live around here.”

One of your neighbors had her front yard decorated with a wide variety of birdhouses and a bird bath. Birds were always in the area, but since she regularly fed and watered them, there were a lot more birds in the area.

“Maybe if we’re lucky, one of them will use one and lay eggs. Maybe we’ll get our very own little bird family. We can name the kids and we can feed them every morning.”

“Are we going to buy worms for them?”

Hyunjin’s face scrunched up in disgust, “I meant bird seed!”

You let out a laugh and pulled the bird house closer to you. “What color are you going to paint yours?”

“I don’t know yet. I was thinking of something bright and colorful. The apartment is white and it’s a little drab on the outside. What are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure yet.” Your eyes scanned the paint before you finally picked up your favorite color. You picked out a black handled brush.

“I forgot the water and palettes!” Hyunjin got up and quickly hurried inside. A few moments later, he came back with two disposable cups and two small wooden paint palettes.

He placed one in front of you and set the cup down beside you before returning to his own seat. The two of you laughed and nibbled on the food he prepped beneath the warm sun. You kept getting distracted by the conversation. You’d paint a few strokes before you’d pull your head up and speak. The mild weather was nice enough that the two of you could relax in your t-shirts and jeans.

Two hours later, you had finally finished the first coat of the house. You glanced over to eye Hyunjin’s and your mouth opened in shock. Not only had he painted his birdhouse, but he made it look like an actual house. He had painted small multi-colored flowers around the sides. Shingles had been added to the roof. He was in the process of creating a painted window on the side.

Your lips sat out in a pout, “this isn’t fair. You’re one-upping me! The birds are going to think your house is so much better than mine.”

“Sweetheart, it’s not my fault that you decided to date an artist. You knew what you were signing up for when you agreed to date me. It’s not my fault that my artistic ability tops yours.”

“Hey!” You called out playfully. You knew that he was just joking and meant no harm. The two of you were used to bickering back and forth. You crossed your arms over your chest and let out a dramatic huff.

Maybe you had learned a thing or two about theatrics while dating him. Even the most minor inconveniences caused you to put on a show. It had been a running joke that Hyunjin had corrupted you. You didn’t do it all the time, but when you did, you were sure to make it as dramatic as possible.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Hyunjin cooed.

He finished his window and put down his brush. He pushed himself out of his chair and towards you. He wrapped his arms around you tightly.

“There, there, don’t worry. I’m sure the birds will appreciate your house, but they’ll just appreciate mine a little more.” He planted a wet sloppy kiss on the side of your cheek. You squealed and squirmed in his grip as he laughed.

“You got your germs on me!”

“I’m so sorry, let me fix it.”

He released you from his grip and pulled you to your feet. You thought he was going to wipe off his saliva, but he cupped your face between his hands. Your eyes widened in shock as his lips came back into contact with your face.

Over and over again, he pressed kisses to your face. Loud smooches filled the air. He didn’t care if the neighbors were watching. Your giggles caused his heart to flutter in his chest.

“Hyunjin, get off of me!

He placed a final kiss on the tip of your nose before he pulled away grinning. You frantically wiped at your face. He shook his head, “it’s too late. My kisses have already soaked into your skin. You’ve got my cooties now.”

“Ew.”

The sound of his laughter caused you to start laughing again. You stopped as something flew by the corner of your eye. The laughing ceased and the two of you glanced over at the table. You watched in silence while a bird landed in the middle of it.

“He’s going to pick my house,” Hyunjin whispered.

“No he’s not!” You whispered back. “He’s going to explore mine.”

The two of you held your breaths as the white and brown bird tipped its head to explore the surroundings. You bite down on the inside of your cheek eager to prove that your house was better even if it was a basic color.

Without a word, the bird hopped over to the charcuterie board. It tipped its head and surveyed the food. Black beady eyes scanned slowly before it bent down. Taking their time, they picked up a blueberry before flying off.

The two of you watched it fly over to your neighbors house. It landed on top of one of her birdhouses before it stuck its head into the opening and shimmied inside. You and Hyunjin glanced at each other for a moment.

“Well…I guess he already has a home.”

You glanced over at Hyunjin. A smile slowly spread across your face. “Maybe our birdhouses should dry. That’s probably why he didn’t pick one. The smell of paint was too strong.”

Hyunjin nodded, “I guess that explains it perfectly. He would have picked mine.”

“No he wouldn’t have!”

“Yes he would!”

“No he would not!”

The two of you kept bickering back and forth for a while until Hyunjin grabbed your face again. He pressed his lips against yours to get you to shut up. Your lips moved in sync with his as you kissed him back. After a while, he pulled away and left you dizzy and breathless.

“Maybe we both have good birdhouses and the bird just has a bad opinion.”

You nodded in agreement with bright eyes, flushed cheeks, and swollen lips. “Yeah, yeah; that’s exactly what happened.”

“Stupid bird?”

“Stupid bird.”

#stray kids #stray kids fanfic #stray kids drabbles #stray kids fluff #stay #hwang hyunjin #hyunjin fanfic #hyunjin fic #hyunjin fluff #hyunjin #hyunjin stray kids #kpop fanfic #fanfic writing #hyunjin x reader #hyunjin x gn reader

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vox-ex · 8 months

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seasons + stars

supercorptober 2023

“Sometimes when I look at you, I feel I'm gazing at a distant star." ― Haruki Murakami

or Kara deals with the impermanence of herself and the permanence of her love

----

Kara comes to Earth in the Spring.

On the backs of stars she will never see again she carries their dust with her, lays it down in soil tasked with bearing witness to ghosts that are not its own.

The stars that are a part of her become a part of it.

She spends days in the forest, the bright blue sky above her, Sol at her back, Rao in her chest, through the vibrant green trees, across flowers that bloom in hues of yellows and oranges.

She lays out at night on the roof, tries to trace the inky black as far into the distance as she can. Far enough she might still see a light that hasn't been replaced by darkness yet.

The stars will soon become a part of her — she will eventually become a part of them too.

Summer comes with long days and short nights and she misses the stars.

Autumn rushes in with skies that almost feel familiar.

Winter nights are long and cold. She stays out late with the stars again. Speaks to the scattered bits of light — the scattered bits of herself.

Year after year, she is dismantled and reassembled by the seasons that come and go. Until all the bits of stardust she had carried with her from Krypton are all gone. Until she is made of new stars and new dust and new atoms. And what is gone? What is gone is put back into the space to begin again somewhere else.

But then what of her?

Is Kara Zor El somewhere in space?

Is she buried in the soil on Earth?

Is she shoved inside the chest of this other her?

Will she always be two versions different of herself at once?

Kara leaves Earth in the Spring.

Sol at her back, and nothing but darkness ahead.

She doesn't choose to leave, but she is gone all the same.

She meets ghosts she thought were all gone. Buried somewhere between Krypton and Earth — lost with the parts of herself that she too had been buried.

Her own ghost is there.

Haunts her with the parts of herself she wants to hold onto but can't.

Taunts her with the parts of herself she begs to replace but can't.

Kara comes back to Earth in the Summer.

"August of another summer, and once again I am drinking the sun"

She isn't sure what she is made of now.

Isn't sure how long it will take to shed it from her skin.

Isn't sure who she will be when it's gone.

She is just tired, she thinks, of this struggle of atoms, of time, of feeling broken apart.

But she looks up at the sky that night. Find stars again instead of darkness.

Thinks of how they are each a part of Earth, or Krypton, of her.

She is tired, she thinks, but she is also thankful.

It's Autumn when the world almost ends.

The world almost ends, and she realizes she wants more time — needs more time.

It's Autumn when it starts again.

Not in the way one thinks of worlds beginning — in the way of galaxies and of universes — big bangs expanding all at once.

But in the way we do. Slowly. Little by Little.

It begins again with green eyes and dark hair.

It settles into gentle touches and quiet words.

Kara stands at the edge of a field, her feet sinking slightly into the damp forest floor. Leaves scatter across the ground with with freshly fallen pine needles. It smells like cold, like the winter that is coming.

Lena's hand slips into hers, fingers threading together with practiced ease.

Slow.

Gentle.

She feels a droplet of water cling to her skin, just cold enough that she can feel it, can tell it a part from the warmth of Lena's hand in hers.

"I can't believe it's so dark already?"

Kara follows her gaze up to the first stars just peeking through the gaps in the trees.

Meeting Lena first came at the end of a Summer.

Meeting Lena came, and the world softened just a little — just enough.

Slowly.

Little by little.

In all the months between, all the years, all the seasons. They have both been taken apart and put back together, over and over and over.

Sometimes by the universe.

Sometimes by each other.

But amidst the endless dance of stars and the perpetual renewal of atoms, the part of them that loved the other, had always been left whole, over and over and over.

And there are still days where she is not sure who she is — who she is supposed to be with this patchwork collection of particles stuffed into herself.

But then Lena will take her hand and thread their fingers together just like this, and it will feel like each one of them has found it's place and a purpose all over again.

-----

read and follow along on Ao3 too

#supercorp #supercorptober #supergirl #supercorptober2023 #sg prompts #you know I couldn't get out of this month without writing a paradox inspired fic #ship of theseus #Also it turns out there are some atoms that are with us for our entire life #they are buried in the DNA of our heart and our brain #but also our teeth? haha #character study time #but there's love at the end I promise #there's also science #so sorry #softness disguised as heaviness #there's always room for hope at the end #love and paradoxes #science and poetry #sneak the Mary Oliver quote too

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vela-pulsars · 1 year

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Cliffside Retreat

A hideaway for a few forlorn deserters

Fanseason of Passage/Cycles inspired by the celts that I decided to stop working on for now, it was going to be about war deserters in the Golden Wasteland, hiding near the waning peaks of the Valley of Triumph. It would be set near a mountain lake that’s at first muddy and polluted, but as quests are completed, arches would emerge from the gradually clearing waters as the landscapes slightly change to reflect each season of the year. More under the cut !

The questgiver would have been a warrior at the head of a troop who decided to desert the battlefield to save their and their people's life, they got bear themes since they were seen as rulers of the forest in some mythos, and the link to the Ursa minor/major constellations as guides was really cool. They feel like a failure and a coward though, and the fact they they all ended up getting got by darkness anyway doesn't help, so what's left of their troop will try to cheer them up during the season.

Each spirit is inspired by a realm we cross before the Wasteland (with the questgiver themselves being GW) to symbolize how much one has lived through before making it to the middle of their life. So, pretty much, this is a season about reminding yourself of how many cycles you passed through before that kind of hardship, reminding you that you got all the experience you gained so far to do so. I also like to think there could be parallels between deserters feeling guilt because they made a complicated choice, and being into adulthood realizing a lot of complex things also have higher stakes and feeling like you're betraying yourself and what you stand for.

The first few quests have you gathering items to build the hideaway back; The first one has you look for scraps with the Wayfinder, summoning the first arch (spring) and making grass and a few cold-colored flowers appear in the desert. For the second quest, you help the Laborer carry and assemble shelters, after which the second arch of summer emerges and the landscape becomes even more verdant with longer grass and warm-colored flowers blooming alongside the ones from the previous quest. As for the third quest, the Blacksmith asks you to deliver items they crafted to the other spirits, making the third arch of autumn come out of the water as harmless rain falls in the area and all the plant life that grew so far turns various shades of yellow, orange, red and brown.

The last two quests are special: Fourth quest starts off normally with you helping the Performer play a song to cheer everyone up, which works... until the fourth arch of winter emerges. A clap of thunder not unlike Eden's is heard, and it becomes split in two (mirroring the twin elders). Snow falls upon the Cliffside Retreat and covers the grass and flowers as the winds become more violent, making flight more difficult... Finally, the questgiver themselves ask you for help for the last quest: a storm is sending all the work done so far flying, and you have to catch it mid-air. At the end, the guide plays their carnyx (an instrument ultimate gift), summoning an elder bird and its flock to guide the winds into being less chaotic. The clouds part, and underneath starlit skies, you see an aurora borealis. The spirits fix what they can, and after looking over life blooming in the area even more colorful than it was before, they feel at peace and ascend to the stars.

#sky: children of the light #thatskygame #fanseason #sky fanseason #beta spoilers on the name and one cosmetic for the next season but ----->#I worked on this since before the season of Passage was announced... so seeing the name and the ult mask is a bit bittersweet #I'm happy but also a bit frustrated my idea actually wasn't new but oh well #at least I know someone at TGC got based tastes in animals and season names

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bluestar22x · 6 days

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Nightmare

Summary: During a thunderstorm on Nevarro, Din and Grogu comfort each other (post Season 3)

Characters: Din Djarin and Grogu

Rating: Same as the show

Word Count: 800(ish)

Warnings: A little bit of angst, but it's mostly family fluff and comfort. Also, I barely know anything about the Star Wars universe, even though I've watched most of the movies, so if I got Nevarro's weather wrong, forgive me.

Author’s Note: I've been meaning to write this for a while and I thought it would be perfect to release it around Father's Day.

xxx

Nevarro, being a volcanic planet, was usually very dry and sunny, a desert in many ways, and just like most desert environments that sustained life, it still rained occasionally.

When it did rain, it was like the planet was making up for lack, the water pouring down from the skies so hard it flooded the land and washed out everything in its path that wasn't made by any humanoid species.

Often times the storms were intense, lightning and thunder usually accompanying the torrential rain.

Din Djarin and Grogu were a couple weeks into living in their new house on the planet when they experienced their first thunderstorm on it.

It started well into the night, but a particularly loud boom startled Din from his slumber, just in time for him to witness lightning strike the top of a dead tree yards away from the house through his bedroom window, with another loud bang following immediately after it.

It was a miracle the tree didn't catch fire, and the fact it hadn't was a testimony to how drenched everything outside was after what had probably only been the first ten minutes of the storm.

Din was grateful for that, not wanting to add fire fighting to his long list of work experience. At least not after just returning from an exhausting hunt for a bounty who'd been more clever than she was worth. He hadn't even taken off his armor chest plate before collapsing onto his bed.

Din pushed his helmet off his head and swiped at his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. Normally he wouldn't risk it when his door was unlocked and window open, but it was pitch black in his room and Grogu was asleep in the next room. He'd allow himself just this moment of respite from the intense heat of the summer. The humidity caused by the current weather.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. He hated storms that were this wild. The loud noises, the shaking of the house, it reminded him too much of battle, of the day his parents had lost their lives.

Another boom that made everything quake and he flinched, lips pursing in surprise like it hadn't happened thirty seconds before too.

He heard Grogu screech in panic from the room next door and knew the storm had woken him up with a start too. Grogu had never experienced this kind of thunderstorm before, at least not in his time with him. Din wondered if he'd ever experienced it at all. And if it made him, The Mandalorian nervous, how scared was the child? His son had seen plenty of battle himself and had loss people he cared about too.

With no hesitance Din pulled the helmet back onto his head and pushed himself out of bed, quickly scrambling into the next room to see his tiny green adopted son sitting up in his comparably massive bed with his mouth agape and big dark eyes impossibly wide.

When he noticed Din entering he reached out towards him with both hands in a silent plea and Din's heart ached with sympathy for him. Though Grogu could've thrown himself at him like he had when they'd reunited on Tatooine, it seemed that he wanted Din to approach him instead, or maybe he was just too tired to tap into the force.

Whatever the reason was, it did not matter. Din compulsively moved forward in an instant to sit on the edge of the bed and swiftly scooped up his son for a comforting hug. "It's okay kid; it's just a storm."

The assuring words weren't necessarily just for Grogu. Neither was the hug. Even through his armor, Din could swear he could feel the warmth radiating off the tiny body clinging to his.

Grogu cooed in relief, grateful for his presence as his father patted his back, eventually making soothing circles on it with his gloved palms.

"Do you want me to stay in here tonight?" he offered him eventually, leaning away from him to study his expressive face.

Grogu nodded fervently and underneath his helmet Din smiled a little, his heart warming at the sight. "Alright, buddy, just like old times. Just for tonight."

His son would eventually need to learn to face the storms alone, but that was a lesson for another night.

Din tucked Grogu back into bed and rolled over onto the empty side of it, resting his head on a pillow he could not feel underneath his covered head.

He was uncomfortably hot again, but seeing Grogu falling back asleep beside him, seeing the peace settle on his face, and hearing his gentle, rhythmic breaths filtering out his mouth soon lulled Din back into dreamland anyway.

Neither of them woke up until close to noon the next day.

xxx

Tagged: @harriedandharassed @solanumofthestars

xxx

Main Masterlist

xxx

#The Mandalorian #Din Djarin #Grogu #Mandalorian Fanfic #Din Djarin Fanfic #Grogu Fanfic #Mandalorian Fanfic (Mine)#Fanfiction #Mine

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lmkwritings · 3 months

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Hi, um... I was wondering if your requests were open. So, I have a slight idea, so in season three when Nezha chases after Wukong to retrieve the map to the Samahi(?) fire. Kaiju/size shifter reader comes after them both because they are Nezha's husband, concerned for Nezha and angry at Wukong because they were supposed to be leaving for their honeymoon. Sorry if it isn't well thought out of too difficult, I thought it would be cute. Have a good day or night

“Samadhi”, and i just found a solid idea for this one.

this Motherfu-

you growl low in your throat, your large maw opening up wide to crunch and tear through glaciers of ice.

wukong had to need the map. he just HAD to take it and subsequently your husbands attention.

an ear piercing roar tears through the skies and the heavens themselves, the clouds and waters parting for the kaiju that marched on towards the samadhi fires mountain.

your kaiju form was that of a snapping turtle- a large spiked tail, a humongous spiked shell lay on your back. four searing red eyes glowered out at the horizon.

and your maw- the natural shape of a turtles mouth, but giants whisps and licks of Red and Black seeped out, lashing and curling at the open air.

your legs sunk into the sea up to your knees, clawed hands pulled up, eyes narrowed.

you were going to flay that simian.

teeth bared, it only took you a few strides to reach the mainland, and subsequently, megaopolis.

it was frozen- you should probably ask why, but your more concerned with unfreezing it. to get your husband back.

and his attention.

your eyes landed on the massive mech standing at the edge of the city, just into the desert, twin swords drawn and a blazing black flame encasing it like a second skin.

you recognized that warmth- those flames. you helped create that blessing- it was but a fragment of your own.

fully baring your teeth, a boil built in your chest, burning hot and acidic. that feeling crawled through your throat, letting molten stars drip from your maw and stain the sands below with the fury of the universe, living and beautiful and Furious.

a low whine built, the heat growing, sand becoming glass and skies growing black with smoke, eyes glowing, bones and spines pulsing with the heat, a ball of the very concept of Hate built in the back of your throat, growing in size and shape.

it took only a second, but you watched the flames grow green, acid in color and full of Pride and Passion- and knew those flames were of your heart no more, knew they had become the soul of someone more than your hatred.

a viscous grin tore across your face, and you took a step forward, planting your feet, dipping down and angled your head just right.

a massive monkey like mecha formed from the light of the heavens, it was frantic in nature as it scooped up a handful of tiny creatures- mortals, most likely. unimportant.

a deep breath, and that whine burst into a deep and guttural Roar.

the beam of bloodlust and molten stars and blooming galaxies tore through the air, the mecha throwing itself to the side as the frozen beast was struck through its core, the very concept of the damned thing incinerated, the metal reduced to lakes of molten ore, the heat from the blast having turned the surrounding desert into massive towers and glaciers of glass.

the metal behemoth was gone, reduced to nothing but the memory of it.

the mecha’s head was turned toward what once was, and then whipped towards you-

oh.

you lit up.

“Xiaotian!” you called, your projection lighting up as it stood tall, and then started making its way across the thawing city. carefully picking your way across the melting streets, you beam as your feet sink into the desert sands.

ambling your way over, you angle your head down to make eye contact.

“where’s your mentor?”

“…i really don’t want to answer that.” he squeaked.

your frown was very telling in the way the protege flinched.

“Liánhuā!” you lit up again, projection dropping, and your small body falling for not even a second before you were held tight in your husbands arms.

“Liánhuā, what are you doing here? i thought i asked you to remain in heaven!” he cried, gripping you close, regardless of how you nuzzled into him.

smiling you let everything wash over you, keeping yourself pressed close to your husband, arms looped around his neck and hands clasped.

“is she alright?-“

you would’ve thrown yourself at wukong if it wasn’t for nezha’s grip on you tightening.

“wukong, you disrupted our honeymoon with this. i feel it best if you distance yourself from her.” nezha’s voice had a little growl to it, his body warming with his frustration. you nuzzled further into his neck.

while your anger with wukong was.. immense, you sighed softly, happy to have your husband close to you again.

#lmk #lego monkie kid #monkie kid #lmk drabbles #lmk y/n #lmk nezha x reader #lmk nezha #lmk sun wukong #wukong bashing #i am an mk and nezha apologist #you can fight me on this

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bangtanloverboys · 8 months

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four seasons, for love // kth

summary - the monks had taught taehyung to detach himself from the world so his spirit could be free. he would keep no worldly possessions, only what he truly needed, and never form any true romantic attachment. he was a monk after all. yet as taehyung made his way across the world once again, he found you in his path

pairing - air nomad!taehyung x earth kingdom male!reader

genre - fluff, minor minor angst; avatar the last airbender au

word count - 5.4k

warnings - pov swaps, minor injuries, BALD TAEHYUNG RIGHTS GODDAMMIT, some inaccurate air nomad culture i did the best i could, sky bison!yeontan, they don’t say they’re in love but they are, kissing, kinda bitter sweet ending but its cute, this takes place i wanna say end of kyoshi era-beginning of roku

author’s note - DEADASS TOOK ME TWO YEARS TO WRITE THIS. I REWATCHED ATLA MANY TIMES, SCOURED THE ATLA WIKI PAGES, AND MANY MANY YOUTUBE VIDEO ESSAYS ONTHIS SHOW AND ITS RESEARCH. was it all necessary? no. am i autistic? yes

collection masterlist

Traveling was one of Taehyung's favorite and least favorite things to do. He found the wind blowing in his face and whistling past his ears as he flew through the air was a wonderful way to calm his nerves. But he hated traveling alone though, despite having his bison Yeontan with him as company, he did miss other people. Which granted he would soon see again within a few days.

He was returning from a visit to the Eastern Air Temple and was on his way back to the Northern Air Temple. While Air Nomads were, as the name suggested, nomadic; Taehyung always felt a strong pull to the Northern Temple. It was where he grew up, it was where he went though most of his training, it was where he even earned his mastery tattoos, all in all, the Northern Temple was home to him. It was a sentiment he would never say aloud though. Air Nomads were supposed to let go of their ties to the world, freeing their spirit. Taehyung wouldn’t be a monk if he called a place his home. Yet something deep in his soul told him that that’s what he wanted, to have an attachment.

Having just flown over the great city of Ba Sing Se, Taehyung figured there were only a few days left in his journey back. Over the wind, he could hear - and feel - Yeontan groan, signaling to Taehyung that he was tired after traveling for so long. “Okay buddy, we’ll land soon.” He said as he patted the head of his companion. If he recalled correctly, there was a river not far from where they flew in the skies, so Taehyung started flying in that general direction.

As he got closer and closer to the river, he noticed a few figures making their way towards the river. Once Yeontan got close enough to the ground, he noticed the figures were Earth Kingdom soldiers and they were chasing after you. He debated quickly as to whether or not to jump in and separate the fight, but upon watching further, he saw you jump into the river and began to swim frantically away. The soldiers halted as you struggled to swim across the wide river, maybe you weren’t gonna make it?

All hopes of you making it seemed to be dashed when a soldier pulled out a bola, and started swinging it in the direction of you. “No-” Taehyung started to call out to try and stop them but it was too late, the soldier swung the weights and with the lucky shot the bola wrapped around your leg, slowly but surely you were sinking.

“Yeontan, get closer to the river!” He called out to his bison as he jumped from his spot on his head to dive into the water. As he got closer to you, he saw as you struggled to stay afloat.

“Help!” You gargled out before you sank beneath the water. Behind Taehyung, he could hear the soldiers yelling at him, telling him to mind his business but he paid no mind to them. Taehyung submerged himself beneath the waves and looked around until he could see your figure a few feet behind him still struggling.

Quickly, Taehyung swam closer to you and watched as you slowly stopped struggling. He needed to work fast, he wrapped his arms around your torso and started kicking towards the surface again. Once he broke the surface of the river, he looked around and spotted Yeontan, who was floating not far from where he and you were.

Although it took a bit of struggling, Taehyung managed to pull your dead weight over to the tail of his bison. Once the two of you were on, he called for Yeontan to lift his tail, to which he followed and he was able to pull you on to the saddle. “Yip yip!” Taehyung belted out and his bison started to rise from the water and back towards the skies. All while the soldiers were yelling at them to come back.

Once they were up in the air, Taehyung focused his attention on you, currently laying unconscious in the saddle. He brought his head to your chest and could hear your heartbeat, as well as feel your chest rise and fall. You were still alive, to which that was a relief. He then saw your left leg, which was still entangled with the bola. Carefully as he could, he undid the tangle, but he could see there was still a lot of damage done to the limb. While he wasn’t very skilled in healing, he knew the basics to help. Now if only he could remember what Monk Ruen taught him. . .

A dull aching pain seared from your left leg woke you. You tried your best to ignore it as every other muscle in your body begged to continue sleeping, but the pain only grew and grew until you were groaning loudly. Within an instant, a cool hand was placed over your forehead in an attempt to soothe you. You tried to push away from the stranger’s grasp, but they held you down. “Hey hey hey, it’s alright. You nearly drowned, you’re gonna be okay.” A deep voice echoed in your mind, consoling you.

“My leg-” You cried out as you opened your eyes to see the stranger. Your vision was blurry, either from sleep or the tears you were holding back, but there was no mistaking who your savior was. Above you was the figure of an air nomad, the signature blue arrow rested over his forehead and ran over the top of his clean shaven head. You blinked up at him, your vision clearing up and you could see his grey eyes were laced with concern as you squirmed in pain.

“Your leg was injured by a bola. A healer will be able to help more, but I did the best I could.” The monk chuckled nervously as he gestured to your splinted shin.

Following his hand, you took notice of your poorly splinted leg. Judging from spots of blood that was seeping through the cloth, the wound was still fresh and open. You let out a huff as you let your head fall back to the soft ground. . . impossibly soft ground. The pain of your leg distracted you from realizing that you were not even on the dirt. Instead you were splayed out on a large saddle of sorts. Even above you, the skyline and the trees looked different from the village you once called home. Where were you?

“We’re several miles away from the river, those soldiers won’t be able to find you here.” The nomad explained. “I’m Taehyung, by the way.”

“Y/N.” You slowly lifted yourself to a sitting position, trying your best not to move your leg too much.

Taehyung was silent for a few seconds, eying you carefully. You felt unnerved under his grey eyed stare, like he was looking into your very soul. “If you don’t mind me asking, why were those soldiers after you?”

Suddenly you remembered how you got into this situation. You were caught stealing food from some soldiers. But only because you had too! You had no money and the food looked so good. . . food you didn’t even have any more considering you dropped it somewhere in between the village and the river. You avoided eye contact with the nomad for a split second, should you lie? Was it morally okay to lie to an air nomad? You remembered hearing something about how the air nomads were good fortune. . . Not willing to risk it, you huffed out your confession.

“I was caught stealing food.” Gnawing on your lip nervously as you gaged his reaction. “I wasn’t just stealing it because I could! The mayor has this massive tax, we don’t have any money and I was starving!” You didn’t realize you were shouting at him until your words echoed into the forest. Gulping, you kept your eyes trained on the nomad before you, praying to whatever spirits could hear that he would spare a spit of kindness your way.

His eyes softened. Taehyung placed his hand on your shoulder. “Are you still hungry?”

Opening your mouth to respond, but your stomach growled loudly, answering for you.

With a chuckle, he pulled himself away from you digging into his bag that was secured off to the edge of the giant saddle. With his back turned to you, you shifted in your place. “Thank you, for saving me by the way.”

Turning back with some circular yellow cookies, handing them to you.“Nonsense! I couldn’t stand back and watch you drown!” Taehyung looked at you, as if the concept of not helping you was outrageous. “All life is precious, that includes yours. It was the right thing to do.” You felt your cheeks burn at his statement; you’ve heard that air nomads did hold that philosophy but coming from Taehyung, it had butterflies stirring in your stomach. “Now eat and get some more rest. It’s getting late. There’s a town nearby with a healer I know of. I’ll fly us over-”

“I’m sorry, fly?” You cut him off as Taehyung stood up in the saddle, a big boxy grin on his face.

“Watch this!” In the blink of an eye, he jumped up, propelling himself into the air. You watched in awe as he landed not too far from where you sat, his bald head only peeking out from the end of the saddle. “Yeontan, yip yip!” He shouted and suddenly the entire saddle groaned and rumbled. Then with a loud thump coming from behind, slowly you noticed how you were getting higher and higher, until you broke through the branches of the tree tops and into the open air of the sky. You were flying!

“Woah!” You exclaimed as you looked over the ends of the saddle and noticed you were on the back of a sky bison! How could you have forgotten that airbenders almost always travel with a bison? You heard Taehyung laugh at you over the wind as you watched with wide eyes over the height you were growing to.

“Rest! The town’s not too far from here! We’ll be there soon!” The air nomad called out to you. You were exhausted, you’re unsure if you’re going to be able to sleep completely. You lean back against the end of the saddle again and keep your eyes trained to the sky, watching the clouds as they float alongside you.

He doesn’t know how long it was since he started flying, but the next time Taehyung looked over his shoulder, he saw you resting peacefully. He smiled to himself, happy that you were at least safe and he was taking you away from a bad situation. He knew the town nearby was good and if you accepted his help, maybe he could help you get a job? He was unsure though, he just wanted to make sure you were more or less okay before continuing his journey back home, to which his fellow monks would definitely be concerned with how late he’d return, but he supposes they’re used to some people going off track and being late by now.

Taehyung hummed to himself as he kept his eyes trained on the horizon, watching as the sun started to dip below it. It wasn’t too long before he saw the smoke trail of the village appear in his line of sight. Turning his head over his shoulder, he called out to you, “Y/N! Wake up! We’re here!”

He heard the low groan of your voice as you began to wake up. “Hmm wha- what the monkey feathers!” Taehyung heard you shout, getting a good chuckle out of him as you became more lucid.

“We’re about to land in Naizong Village,” he explained as he heard you shuffle closer to look over the side of the saddle. “It’s an easy landing, but I do suggest you hold on!” He smiled at you over his shoulder, only to see you enthralled with the sight of the world coming closer and closer. As Yeontan neared the ground, Taehyung saw a handful of people gathering just outside the village. “Gently, Tannie!” He instructed his bison as he landed on the dirt.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite nomad!” A voice shouted from the small crowd. Squinting his eyes, he managed to spot the owner of the familiar voice.

“Leni!” Taehyung beamed as he hopped off Yeontan’s head. Leni was the Naizong healer and a friend of his guardian, thus making her his friend too. He grew up visiting her often whenever they made their way back towards the Northern Air Temple. “It’s so good to see you!” He wrapped his arms around the elderly woman.

“It’s good to see you too, Tae! How’s my boy doing? And how’s Ruen?” She questioned as she raised a hand to his face, pinching one of his cheeks.

He opened his mouth to answer, but before he got a word out, your voice from above called out. “Sorry to interrupt, but a little help here?”

“Oh, sorry!” Taehyung pushed himself up into the air, landing softly next to you in the saddle. Ever so carefully, he got you standing before wrapping an arm around your waist. You in return placed your arm over his shoulder. Gently, he propelled the two of you up in the air. Your grip on him tightened as you began to hover midair, eliciting a small smile from him, “I got you,” he said as he started the descent back to solid ground. “There you go,” he kept his arm loose around your waist, letting you use him as a crutch.

“Oh, child! What happened to you?” Leni questioned as Taehyung continued to keep you upright.

“This is Y/N, I rescued him from uh. . .” turning his head to you, he saw a flash of fear in your eyes. He knew then he couldn’t tell Leni the outright truth, as thief was a brand worn forever, no matter what they were stealing. Not wanting to ruin your chances of a second chance, he made up an excuse for your injury. “From a platypus bear trap. Pesky things. I tried to fix him up as best I could, but I’m no healer.” He laughed nervously to himself as Leni looked at you with a sorrowful face.

“I’m sorry dear, let's get you fixed up.” She gestured over to her home over her shoulder and started to head in that direction.

“No, I don’t want to intrude-” You began to protest before Leni shushed you.

“It’s no problem, at all. Any friend of Taehyung is a friend of mine. I can fix up your leg and get you some supper. Come on now.” She assured you as she led the both of your towards her cottage. “Taehyung, Yeontan can help himself to the barn.”

He chuckled at her comment, “She must’ve restocked on hay. Normally she tells him to stay away from the barn.” He remarked to you as you hobbled along next to him. Taehyung stopped walking, moving his arms to pick you up. “Here let me-”

“I’m fine,” you insisted as you attempted to stop him from lifting you up.

“Leni’s house is a bit of a walk and dare I say it, she’s getting ahead.” He chortled at you. “Let me, it’s no problem really.”

Silently, you agreed, moving your hands to wrap around his neck as his arm went beneath your legs. Taehyung was able to catch up fairly quickly to Leni. He was able to catch a few glances down at you while you all made the walk to Leni’s house. Taehyung was quick to notice how you kept your eyes away from his face, focused on the trees or other passing villagers. There was a light blush across your cheeks whenever you seemed to catch him looking at you, but you never said anything.

Upon arriving at Leni’s place, he placed you down seated at the table while your hostess went to fetch her first aid kit. The two of you sat in an awkward silence as you waited for her to return.

“Thank you, by the way.” You said as Taehyung sat himself next to you, he gave you a puzzled look before you continued. “For not telling her about. . . you know.”

“It’s no problem at all,” he replied, scratching the back of his neck. “Do you uh, think this is a good place for you? To start over?” He questioned, curious as to your thoughts and getting away from your old village.

“I think it’ll work just fine,” you smiled at him, “it’s a good place for a fresh start.”

Taehyung moved to speak again when Leni returned with her kit, “Now, let’s see how badly Tae-Tae messed up your leg.”

The air nomad stepped back, standing in the doorway as he watched Leni carefully re-wrapped your leg, which looked a lot better than his poor attempt at it. All set in place, Leni told you to sit tight as she went to grab you some food to eat. Despite your protests of being fine, it wasn’t hard to hear your stomach grumbling, leaving you no choice but to sit and wait until the elderly woman returned.

“She’s nice,” you muttered, giving him a small smile.

“Yeah, she’s really sweet.” He agreed, nodding. A silence fell over you both yet again, unsure of what to say. “Leni can help you get everything in order for you, I uh, I should get going-“

“Taehyung, you will do no such thing.” Leni scolded as she returned to the table, a few bowls of soup in hand. “It’s late, have supper. You can leave at first light.”

“You’re leaving?” He couldn’t help but detect a sense of hurt in your voice.

“It’s just- I mean- I said I’d arrive at the Northern Air Temple in a few days time, I’m so close.” He mumbled, feeling torn between his word and the sense of responsibility he harbored for you.

“Well I’m sure Ruen will understand if you arrive a day late.” Leni said, pushing the bowl towards him. “Now eat. You’re so scrawny.”

Not wanting to argue anymore, he reached for the chopsticks, ready to eat. The meal was eaten in a comfortable silence. When the three of you had finished, bellies full, Taehyung stood up, ready to help Leni clear the table, but the old woman slapped his hand away.

“I can handle the dishes, Taehyung. You can help our guest towards the guest room.” And without saying another word, took the bowls and headed away, leaving Taehyung with no choice other than to help you. Taehyung looked at you sheepishly as you covered your mouth, stifling a laugh.

“Come on, best we listen to her,” he sighed playfully as he stood up. Extending an arm out to you, he helped you rise to your feet, once again offering himself as a crutch. Graciously, you accepted this time, allowing him to lead you further into the house and towards one of the spare rooms.

“Who is Ruen? Is he like your father or something” You asked offhandedly.

Taehyung winced at the question, “Uh, no, he’s my guardian.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?” You furrowed your brows

“No, air nomads aren’t raised by those who gave birth to them,” Taehyung responded cordially as he approached a door, pushing it open.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Your face fell as he helped you into the room.

“Whatever do you mean?”

“I mean, I know what it feels like to not know your parents,” you said, your voice lowering to a softer tone.

Taehyung frowned as he got you seated down on the bed. “I knew who my parents were, they just weren’t who raised me.” Granted, he rarely ever saw the people who conceived him, all Taehyung ever truly knew was Monk Ruen. He taught him everything he knew; how to cook, clean, and play pai sho. If that was what a father would teach his son, then Ruen would be the closest to that.

Your eyes grew wide in embarrassment. “I-I okay- rats, I’m-”

Taehyung stopped you before you could start to tumble over your words even further. “It’s okay.” With that assurance, your shoulders dropped in relief. An agreed upon silence falling over the two of you. With you under Leni’s roof, he knew you were set for a fresh start. You were going to be okay. Unsure what else to say, Taehyung backed away from the bed. “I’ll let you rest now. Good night.”

“See you in the morning?” You asked out.

Taehyung knew he shouldn’t leave any later than sunrise, but perhaps he could stay a bit longer. He sees Ruen more often than Leni, and now there’s you as well. He should say goodbye to his new friend. “See you in the morning.”

True to his word, Taehyung did see you in the morning to say goodbye, albeit it was only for a few moments, he did have to reach the Northern Air Temple before the end of the day. Your hair was tousled from sleep, and your eyes were bleary. He felt oddly endeared by the sight as you, with the help of Leni, tiredly made your way over toward Yeontan.

“Good morning!” He smiled at the pair of you. Leni was obviously more awake than you, as you grumbled out a response.

“Good morning, Taehyung,” the elderly woman responded. “I have something for you and Ruen,” she said, a ceramic pot in a netted bag. Taehyung didn’t even have to open it to know what was inside, egg custard tart. Bowing in thanks, he carefully took the bag, securing it amongst his other things.

Leni helped set you down near a hay bale beside the sky bison, leaving you to watch as Taehyung finished making sure everything was secured and ready for take off (as well as watch Yeontan nibble on some hay that was set aside for him). Once he had finished, he hopped down to Lenoi, hugging her goodbye.

“Take care of yourself,” she said as she pulled away from him. “And give my love to Ruen.”

“I will, Leni.” Free of Leni’s grasp, he turned to you. You’d risen from your spot on the hay bale, carefully keeping your weight off of your bad foot. “It was wonderful to meet you, Y/N.”

“Likewise,” you smiled, standing there awkwardly.

Taehyung hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether or not to hug you, before ultimately deciding he would. He wrapped his arms around your shoulders, pulling you into him. You stiffened for a moment, but relaxed into his touch, returning the hug. After a few moments, it was you that broke away from the embrace.

“You should probably go. I’ve already made you late enough,” you said, chuckling nervously.

With a small laugh, Taehyung propelled himself up into the air, gently landing on Yeontan’s head. “Take care!” Grabbing the reins in his hands, he gave them a soft snap, “Yeontan, yip-yip!” With that, his sky bison flew off into the air. Looking over, Taehyung watched as you and Leni shrunk down into the size of ants, before completely disappearing from his sight. Yeontan groaned beneath him. “I know, buddy, I like him too.”

After returning to the Northern Air Temple, Taehyung’s mind could not be rid of you. Despite your quick meeting, you had left quite an impact. He thought of you as he cooked fruit pies, between matches of air ball, he couldn’t even meditate as all his mind would center on was of you. Your reactions to his jokes, his food, what you might even think of the temple (although it was forbidden to bring outsiders). If any of the other air nomads had noticed his sudden attachment, they said nothing, and he could only hope they wouldn’t find out.

As the seasons changed; summer into fall, and fall into winter, Taehyung found himself once again, ready to leave the temple for the next. However, he was certain he was going to make a stop to see you again.

After Taehyung’s departure, Leni gave you ample time to heal. But your ankle was permanently damaged, the thick wire of the bola dug deep into your muscle, leaving you with a slight limp. Leni had given you a staff to assist you with walking, helping you adjust.

She’d even let you stay with her, so long as you helped her with her herbalist shop in town. You’d learned a great deal from helping her, with all the sick and injured villagers that would come to her, seeking remedies.

Every morning before breakfast, you’d wake up just around sunrise. You’d make your way out of the house, and sit beside the barn, eyes facing the north. It was obvious that you were anxious to see Taehyung again, yet with each passing day, you grew less and less hopeful to see the sky bison flying in the horizon. He never did say if or when he’d return, but you’d hoped it would’ve been sooner rather than later.

“He won’t be back for a while, you know that right?” Leni’s voice pulled you from deep thought, having followed you out one morning. “I’ve been friends with Ruen since we were both young, and I've only seen him no more than ten times in my life. The air nomads are detached from the world, so a friendship with them is a great honor and blessing. But they never come more than once every few years.” You deflated upon hearing that, but it didn’t stop you from waiting. Something in you knew that Taehyung would return.

However, Leni had begun to tell stories of her time with Ruen and Taehyung: how she’d first met him, some of the many pranks they pulled together as kids, and when Ruen became Taheyung’s appointed guardian. With that came special stories about the air nomad you’d found yourself fond of; hearing tales of him as a child, his own troublemaker years. What was especially heart warming was apparently after Taehyung had earned his mastery tattoos, he’d made a beeline for the Naizong Village, wanting Leni to be the first person he told as he made his rounds across the world again. You could only hope that he would hold you in the same regard one day.

The days grew colder and nights grew longer, signaling the changing of the seasons. You’d grown up in an arid town, close to the Serpent's Pass, miles away from the walls of Ba Sing Se. Being farther north than you’d ever lived before, you were in awe of the thin layer of snow that had covered the village. You’d begun to slightly stand out amongst the other villagers now, bundling up in layers, unused to the cold. While the others weren’t wearing as many layers as you, perhaps only wearing longer sleeves instead.

Per your routine, you woke up at sunrise, making yourself a pot of tea to keep you warm as you stared off into the northern skies. The brisk morning air nipped at your cheeks, slowly waking you more as you sipped on your tea. You blew out a puff of air, your hot breath visible in the chilly morning air. You’d found yourself doing that a lot lately, imagining yourself an airbender, how far your breath would go if you could send it farther than possible. Taehyung had also come to mind, would he find your musing entertaining?

Taking another sip of your tea, a loud yet familiar roar was heard in the distance. Your head shot up, sloshing the tea over your fingers. You hissed, but pushed away the pain, focusing on the fact that a sky bison was heading your way! The beast landed near the barn, and its owner jumped up from their place. While it had been months since you’d last seen his face, you recognized him instantly. Taehyung had returned!

“You’re here! You’re actually here!” You shouted happily as you practically ran over to the nomad, throwing your arms over his shoulders.

“Woah, did you miss me or something?” He laughed as he returned your hug, wrapping his arms around your torso. He was still wearing the same robes from when you’d met him, with no additional covering to keep out the cold. But despite coming down from great heights, his body was warm to the touch, you almost didn’t want to let him go.

“Somewhat,” you muttered. With the sound of the door opening, you’d finally released him, allowing for Leni to make her move to hug him.

“Two visits in one year? Well, I must be dreaming.”

“You aren’t, Leni.” Your heart softened at the sight of them. Even though you’d seen them reunite before, knowing what you know now of them, made your heart squeeze.

With Taehyung back, and unsure how long he was going to stay, you attached yourself to his side. In the back of your mind, you feared he would push you away, wanting his space. But he didn’t, in fact, he welcomed your presence. Every morning, he’d brew you a cup of tea for you to drink whilst he fed Yeontan. During the day, with nothing growing in the cold it left you and Taehyung free to roam the woods. He’d show you some airbending moves, which would knock down the snow that was gathering on the branches. One time the snow landed on you, falling down the back of your shirt, ice cold wetness sliding down your spine. You yelped, but all Taehyung could do was laugh at you.

But the most favorite thing the two of you would do was as just before sunset, Taehyung would help you up onto Yeontan, and he’d take you for a ride. You were asleep that first time you rode the sky bison, not able to fully enjoy the experience that was flying over the world. With the sun slowly falling below the horizon, it turned the sky a magnificent orange. Painting the clouds in red, yellows, and purples. It was a sight to behold, and one you certainly never wanted to forget.

Above the clouds, it was as if it was only you two in the entire world (well, the two of you plus Yeontan). Taehyung sat so close to you, and suddenly the cold winter air no longer disturbed you. Tentatively, you rested your head on his shoulder. You felt him stiffen, and you almost pulled your head back up to apologize, but he relaxed, feeling his chin rest on the top of your head.

“I really like you, Tae,” you whispered, your voice barely audible over the winds. But Taehyung had heard you, his hand finding yours and lacing his fingers with yours.

“I really like you too.”

Gnawing on your bottom lip, you lifted your head up to look at him, eyes occasionally flickering down to his lips. His brows furrowed at your sudden decision to stare, but before he could question you, you pressed your mouth to his. Taehyung made a small noise of surprise, but he melted into the kiss, hand still tightly grasped in yours. Meanwhile, your free hand crawled up to the nape of his neck. The skin of your palm was met by the smallest of fuzz, barely even grown in.

You pulled away momentarily, his breath fanned across your face, the sensation similar to a fresh spring breeze. “You need to shave,” you murmured against his lips.

“What if. . . what if I didn’t?” His words left you frowning. “I’ve never felt this way before, but I know I shouldn’t. Ijust. . . I can’t be without you.”

“You’re. . . suggesting you leave the Air Nomads?” The words had your heart fluttering and your stomach drop. The realization of the consequences had you reeling. “No, those are your people-”

“I love my people,” Tae cut you off. “But I know that forming an attachment like this? They wouldn’t- I would be exiled either way. This is my choice.” His other hand came up to grapes your chin, forcing you to meet his gaze, waves of comfort and reassurance flowed through him.

Smiling at him, your hand that has rested on his neck moved, dragging over the tattooed skin of his head. Barely you saw him shiver at the sensation. “You’d look nice with long hair.”

#btsghostie #kim taehyung x reader #taehyung x reader #kim taehyung x male reader #taehyung x male reader #bts x reader #bts x male reader #bald kim taehyung #bts fluff #kim taehyung fluff #bts x avatar the last airbender #bts atla au #air bender!taehyung

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s10127470 · 8 months

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The Wasted Potential of Tyler

"Alright campers! It's time to talk about Total....Drama...."

I've been hooked on Total Drama ever since it first premiered here in the United States on Cartoon Network, and it ended up becoming one of my favorite shows growing up.

I'd remember always looking out for the new seasons and I watched pretty much every season during its original broadcast here in America.

Even the seasons I would come to hate!

But out of the three generations of contestants, the most iconic is (of course) the first generation that stuck with us for the first three seasons and All-Star.

Part of that was because they were the most developed of the three generations (in addition to the aforementioned being the one that was the most seen).

Not to mention they possess some of the franchise's most popular and beloved characters.

The second generation (with the exception of Staci), while good, didn't quite reach the heights of the first one.

And with the exception of Shawn and Jasmine, literally no one gives a shit about the third generation.

But the character I want to focus on today is the clumsy jock himself, Tyler!

Although he was introduced in Total Drama Island, he was among the portion of the OG cast who didn't leave much of an impression on the audience (at first).

This was because he was only around for 7 episodes, and only spoke in about 4 of them.

After Island, he didn't return for the second season Total Drama Action.

He only appeared as a guest on the aftermath specials, where he didn't talk at all.

However, he would eventually make his grand return to the Total Drama game for the third season, Total Drama World Tour.

This was where Tyler started to come into his own as a character.

He was very funny and had a decent chunk of comedic lines, mainly stemming for his somewhat dimwitted nature.

But his best comedy came from the physical pain he often found himself in.

Funnily enough, this constant stream of pain was actually an expansion of his character.

Although he didn't have a whole lot going for him in the first season, one of the few defining characteristics Tyler had was his clumsy nature.

Although not shown to often due to his minor role, there were a few moments in Island that highlighted his clumsy nature.

In Dodgebrawl, he constantly kept missing the Screaming Gophers when throwing the balls.

In Not Quite Famous, he accidentally tied himself up with his yo-yo trick.

Hell, this is even shown when he first appears in the very first episode!

When we're first introduced to Tyler, we see him water skiing from the back of a yacht, somehow trips on the water, starts barreling across the water, hits the dock and is sent flying right into a pile of luggage

In World Tour, he's a full-on pain magnet.

From falling down a pyramid, to jumping out of piranha-infested waters, to getting shocked by electric eel.

Tyler pretty much got hurt in nearly every episode he was around in World Tour.

But it wasn't just his comedy that made him enduring.

Tyler was also depicted as good-hearted, patient and surprisingly loyal.

This was especially shown with his relationship with Lindsay, which holds the title of being one of the most wholesome romances in the entire series.

That fact that Tyler stayed loyal to Lindsay despite her forgetting who he was for about a year is nothing short of impressive.

Plus, he was the only one to call out Duncan's infidelity rather than blaming Gwen like damn near everyone else, which automatically makes him Best Boy.

However, there is one thing to note about Tyler in World Tour. He made it a bit further than he initially did in Island, making at least TWO episodes before the merge.

Because of this, Tyler has not only gone down as a fan-favorite, but also one of the most wasted characters in the show's history.

He's one of five of the original contestants that never made it to the teams merging, along with Noah, Katie and Sadie, and of course, Ezekiel.

Not to mention he never made it far into the game despite other underdog-like characters such as Beth, Harold and Cody making it to at least the final five.

And despite the potential he had for the last season he would compete in, it ended up getting thrown away in order to obviously make room for a fan-favorite (aka Duncan)

So today I wanted to take the time to discuss how I think Tyler could've been better implement in the Total Drama series overall.

Total Drama Island:

Season 1 is pretty interesting, since it's blankest canvas on what to do with Tyler.

Since they're 22 contestants and lot of them fade into the background due to their limited screentime, the doors are wide open for what Tyler could do.

While he wouldn't play a super big role in this season, he would have a little more to do.

Tyler would be sticking around a little longer than he did originally, but he would still get eliminated before the merge.

Since he would be around a little longer, some things I want to see from him would be more interactions with Lindsay and even standing-up for Harold, the latter serving as build-up to something that would be explored a little later.

In terms of elimination order, Tyler is a pretty easy fix. Just have his original elimination order taken by Sadie.

Sadie was just a filler character who faded into the background due to her limited amount of dialogue.

The same applies for Katie as well.

Not to mention that both of them would only be reduced to minor characters after this season and never compete again.

But in a Uno-Reverse fashion, Tyler would be taking Sadie's original elimination order, which would make sense give that the challenge is focused on trust, and his clumsy and overconfident nature would put him at a major disadvantage.

So yeah....that's about it for Tyler for Total Drama Island.

I don't really have anything on how he could be implemented into Total Drama Action, but luckily, I do have notes for he could implemented in.....

Total Drama World Tour:

This was the season where Tyler's potential started to be tapped.

One thing to note for this rewrite is that the teams will be a little different....

Team Victory: Ezekiel, DJ, Katie and Sadie, Leshawna, Lindsay, Bridgette and Trent.

Team Amazon: Heather, Gwen, Courtney, Sierra and Cody.

Team Chris is Really, Really, Really, Really Hot: Owen, Alejandro, Duncan, Noah, Izzy, Tyler and Harold.

Yep! Harold is on Team Chris now! That's because he and Tyler will actually be forming a pretty close friendship this season, similar to what Owen and Noah did.

I've always felt like these two really had the potential for a genuinely engaging friendship.

Hell, this was even shown in the original World Tour, when they were geeking out over Japanese game shows.

This would also led to Alejandro forming an alliance with Tyler and Harold, as he would see them as useful allies in some way.

Tyler for his loyalty and athleticism, and Harold for his loyalty, mad skills and vast knowledge of various topics.

(Plus the fact that he made it to the final five last season doesn't hurt either).

The alliance itself would actually be quite reminiscent of the one between Heather, Lindsay and Beth from Season 1.

Even Heather herself would point this out and be undoubtedly pissed about it.

As for why I decided to put Katie and Sadie and Trent in this season.

For the first two, just to fill out that team a bit more.

As for Trent, why wasn't he?

He's the most musically-gifted of the main cast, and despite this season being heavily focused on musical numbers, he didn't compete at all.

Hell, he only sings once in the entire season.....

And that was only for backup vocals!

As for the elimination order for this season.

Ezekiel and Duncan (until he returns) would still be the ones to be eliminated first in Walk Like an Egyptian.

DJ would be the one to go home instead of Harold in Super Happy Crazy Fun Time Japan.

His reason for elimination would the Animal Curse....well sort of.

Throughout the episode, DJ would find himself either getting attack by or accidentally hurting animals.

And aftering hearing about him accidentally destroying the mummified dog back in Egypt, Alejandro decides to make up the tale of the Animal Curse, knowing that it would throw DJ off his game.

In the end, Team Victory decided to send DJ home, feeling like it was the best for him.

And despite how short his stay on my World Tour was, at least it was a more dignified way to go when compared to the original World Tour.

Sadie would be the one to go in Anything Yukon Do, I Can Do Better, having suffered the exact same faith Bridgette did.

The next eliminations are pretty much the same as they were in the original World Tour (that being Leshawna and Lindsay).

In Jamaica Me Sweat, Katie would the one to go home.

Her reason for going home: Sadie.

Essentially, after Sadie was eliminated, as you expect, Katie didn't take it particularly well....

But thanks to the encouragement of her teammates, she was able to get over it and even became a bit of a team leader in her own right.

I thought it would be a little interesting to see one of the duo function without the other.

Since remember, in this version of Total Drama, they pretty much get eliminated back-to-back!

But since Alejandro saw her as a possible opponent, he threw Katie off her game by constantly reminding her of Sadie.

And eventually, she breaks down.

So yeah, in this version, Team Victory is still around after the Jamaica episode, with Bridgette and Trent being the last two standing.

I've always thought that the three team element was really interesting, but was heavily wasted in the original World Tour.

I mean for God's sake, one of the teams didn't even make it at least halfway through the season!

(Also by the way, Izzy doesn't go home in this episode).

The next two episodes are pretty much the same in terms of elimination, with Noah getting booted off in I See London....., and no one’s going home in Greece's Pieces.

Finally we come to The EX-Files, the episode that Tyler was eliminated in.

Taking his place instead would be Izzy since, let's be real, it would make sense for her to be eliminated in this episode.

In Picnic at Hanging Dork, there would be a double elimination.

And the ones going home would be Gwen and Trent.

Team Amazon still lose the same way they did the original season.

But as for why Trent got booted as well.....

Through this season, there would be awkward tension between Gwen and Trent, given everything that happened between them during Action.

And it unfortunately didn't get much better after Tyler spills the beans on Duncan and Gwen kissing.

Trent practically shut down after hearing that his worst fear pretty much came true.

And because of this, Bridgette had to do most of the heavy lifting to ensure they didn't lose.

But in the end, Chris decides to boot Trent off....

Not because he shut down. Oh no! Chris couldn't care less about that and would've gladly kept him in the game just to see Bridgette struggle.

Because he's a sadist.

He decided to boot Trent off because he knew about the awkward tension between him and Gwen, and just wanted him to go with Gwen just to rub salt in the wound that was her elimination and eucalyptus allergies.

Once again, because he's a sadist.

Next is Sweden Sour, and unlike the original, someone actually does go home.

And that person is unfortunately Harold.

The reason why....

Ever since Greece's Pieces, Duncan has been bullying Tyler because of him knowing about the kiss.

And it only got even worse when he eventually spilled the beans.

Harold, being Tyler's close friend, is not particularly keen on seeing this.

He already had to endure a season and a half of Duncan’s bullying, the last thing he wants is Duncan bullying someone else close to him.

This would eventually lead to Harold unleashing a can of whoop-ass on Duncan after taking the bullying too far, similar to what Leshawna did to Heather back in Germany.

As a result of this, Harold is booted off. But luckily, he does get the last laugh in the end.

Finally, we come to Niagara Brawls….

Our boy Tyler has made it to the merge! Along with Bridgette!

As for the pairings for the challenge, they’re more or less the same with two exceptions though.

Since Tyler and Bridgette are still around, they would be paired up for the challenge.

I could honestly see there being a running gag of them being somewhat uncomfortable with this, mainly because they fear their respective significant others would get jealous about this.

And other exception would be Owen and Noah.

Yep! The sassy king himself would be the one to return to game rather than Blainley!

Yeah I'm pretty much going off Schaffrillas' World Tour headcanon from his Noah video since let's be real, Noah coming back to the game would make much more sense than having a character who wasn't all that engaging to begin with and only made four appearances prior coming on, only to get booted off just the episode after her seasonal debut.

But just like in the original World Tour, Owen's the one to go home.

For the next two episodes, there'll be a double elimination.

For Chinese Fake-Out, Courtney and Bridgette are the ones to get the boot.

Bridgette because she was the first one out for the eating challenge, due to her vegetarian ways.

As for African Lying Safari, it'll be Duncan and Noah.

Noah because he's not the most physically capable around, which put him at a major disadvantage for the challenge.

Finally we come Rapa Phooey, and sadly, this would be the episode where Tyler gets eliminated.

The reason: He would be badly injured by the giant condor mom. Not to mention he tried and failed the most times out of the other contestants to return the eggs.

So yeah, that was Tyler's tenure on Total Drama. Although he didn't really do too much in Island, he really came into his own during World Tour, and made it pretty far at 5th place!

I think this would be the perfect usage of Tyler for this series. He wouldn't over-stay his welcome like some characters, but would still be utilized when he was around.

Let me know what you guys think about this post I made.

Also, I know someone's gonna bring this up, but yes, I can see Tyler and Leshawna competing together for the Ridonculous Race.

However, I'm not quite sure how far they would make it.

#total drama #tyler td #total drama headcanons #harold td #lindsay td #lyler #rewrite #total drama island #total drama world tour #td alejandro #we're gonna bring the dinner to the table and then we're gonna eat it!

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elbiotipo · 2 months

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Hello! I love your blog and your big brains so I'm here to pick them.

I have a world that is a bowl world. A big alien creature smashed into the planet and destroyed it, and then the planet formed as a bowl. The bowl is lined inside with a sea and some land masses but there are a lot of floating islands formed from the debris. On the outside/underside of the bowl it is a radiated wasteland. Big alien is basically the new god of the world, a parasite that creates new life to colonise the world and farm all its resources, and she feeds off their energy and poops magic. Big alien also psychically projects onto a figurehead who is God Empress of Bowl World. Millions of years later, bowl world is a thriving fantasy world about to have their industrial revolution, but god empress doesn't want these guys to invent machines to do their work cuz she can't feed off their machines only life energy through hard work. So she decides to start devouring the world by draining its energy from the rim inwards. The capital city is in the middle inside of the bowl, and it's where her palace is.

ANYWAY

Bowl World is mostly fantasy hand waved, but I was wondering about seasons, weather, satellites and sun. Since Bowl World is kind of like Flat World +, I just wanted to hear your opinions.

YES, thank you so much for sharing this, this is an awesome setting! I love the idea of a magical ecosystem like this, with gods and their worshippers in a symbiotic/parasitic relationship (the lines often blur)

First of all, much of the stuff I'm gonna talk about is covered in my post about worldbuilding in flat worlds, so linking to it for reference:

But let me talk about a bit more. In a bowl-shaped world, much like in flat worlds, gravity will start to point "perpendicularily", pulling you towards the center. This also means that water and air will flow to the center, especially if your world is bowl-shaped, forming a "bulge" of water and air in the middle. Now, what does this mean? I'm no climatologist, but from what I've looked into it, it would generate a high-pressure area (THE high pressure area actually) which usually, on Earth, means clear skies and stable weather. Winds will inevitably flow towards this high-pressure area, possibly causing storms in a "ring" shaped area about it, and wind and rain erosion on their path. This ring shaped area will probably not be perfectly ring shaped but rather shift around because of geography and "seasons" (more on that below), I'm imagining it a bit like a huge jet stream; again, I'm no climatologist, so I'm not sure on the exact details, but this is a good starting point to consider these effects. However, if your world rotates on its axis, I do believe the effect would be a giant typhoon spining around the center instead. In general lines, you would have a wet, stormy center and a dry, perhaps even airless rim (I'm imagining something like the Andes here), assuming non-magical weather of course. This also might affect the, we could say "routes" of your floating islands and their climate, if they flow with weather patterns.

I'm also sure you already have plans for the central palace or city of your world, but do consider a giant spire rising above a sea that unaturally (in fact quite naturally) rises up like a mountain, inside the eye of an eternal typhoon. Quite the striking image.

Now, about the seasons and sun. Of course in a spherical world like Earth, seasons are caused by the axial tilt as it "wobbles" on its translation around the sun. Flat worlds do not have temperature changes based on latitude as they don't have latitude as we understand it, obviously, but they can also have this tilt. A bowl shaped world brings a question I hadn't considered, however. Depending on how tall your rims are, they will project a shadow as you tilt them. You can actually try this yourself by taking a bowl plate and holding it against a lamp (I actually tried this myself, don't ever say I don't do practical worldbuilding!). This is not an unknown phenomenon, places surrounded by mountains do experience shorter days because of their shadow (this is called "umbría" in Spanish but I can't find the English translation) and of course, this also happens with the long nights in the poles. It's a thing to consider. The rims in this case would have very harsh winters and summers compared to the rest of the bowl world.

Of course, this is assuming your world orbits a star like Earth. If you go the fantasy route of the "sun" (clearly not a real star) orbiting your world, you can play with more stuff. The orbits here are inherently unstable and this is a place where you can handwave it with magic, with your god setting the luminaries in place. This "sun" might get closer or farther in a rather elliptic orbit, giving you seasons without axial tilt, or spin "above" the plane of your bowl, in which case I think the bowl rims would recieve much more light than the center, which might make them even drier. This all depends on what kind of orbit you give your sun, in my flat worlds post I got a bit more in detail about it, but it's really an area where you can handwave a lot with magic if you go this route.

Funny enough, I think a natural satellite might work pretty much like our own Moon. Perhaps the weird shape of a flat or bowl world will mean a different center of gravity and a slightly more elliptical orbit, that might make the moon look closer and farther at regular intervals (good for calendars!) but nothing, I think, fundamentally strange. However, if it's a big moon like ours it will have effect on the tides, and given that there could be a big central sea, this might be more dramatic that it sounds. It might be that the shores of this sea, depending on the effect of the moon, are gigantic intertidal zones exposed to such forces. And in this case I really, REALLY recommend reading about intertidal zones since they are so interesting. I don't really have a way to calculate the effect of tides right now, but I can look into it if you want.

I hope this helped you and do not hesitate at all on asking more stuff! Oh, and this is not required at all, but since this is my personal hobby, here's my ko-fi, if you found this useful and want to give me a tip!

#worldbuilding

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alpsfiction · 10 months

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〈〈 ᕁᕁ . . 🏔 顳顴䤐䵳 ¡!

━ ─── ━

The History of the Great Alps, Part I.

‹ 䵳䵴ࣹࣽ麓圞⟩

1.1; — 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

❝Dawns, Eclipses, Moons. All seasons. Perfect sunsets and sunrises, The Great Alps are a wonder of nature seen by few people, achieved by very few. Crusts of ice are seen on the horizon in winter, great green lawns illuminated by a fascinating yellow light in summer. In spring, you can see different color palettes shimmering like wildflowers, as well as the reddish dead leaves that come down to the village in autumn. The Grand Alps are the home of true love. ❞

〈〈 ᕁᕁ . . 🏔 顳顴䤐䵳 ¡!

‹ 䵳䵴ࣹࣽ麓圞⟩

1. 2; — 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬.

❝It was a place far away from the rest of the world, - fascinating - the great Alps close to the skies. There was a large village below them, with human wonders, cottages, small stalls of local commerce. There were wonders of nature; beautiful gardens that accompanied the beauty of each season. People gathered in the center of that small place to manifest the different cultures of the places where they came from. The paths to the village were few, as few knew or revealed its location. There was a train station, some arrived by water when it wasn't freezing season, even fewer made it by air. No one was born there, that was the new world, a place reserved for the luckiest for a fresh start. They told stories, the stories of the seasons, the stories of the great glass house at the top of the mountains, even farther away in unimaginable ways. The wonderful house that harbored love and warmth inside even in the harshest of winters located on a winding path between the great Alps, the rarefied air that mysteriously sheltered 4 well-defined seasons had a secret; the story of the passion that surpassed all seasons was born there.❞

ㅤㅤ๑ tales of spring.ㅤㅤ’ ’ ’

⦅ September; alpsfiction.tumblr.com 䶫䪛醴 ⦆ – ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌

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qierxing · 1 year

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War Cry

Commissioned by the lovely Veritaventis Yan! Kaeya Alberich x OC

“Khaenri'ah, huh? You sure know a lot! The legacy of Khaenri'ah is long gone. The sinners are all that's left, and they're not worth mentioning.”

i. “Sacrifices must be made.”

Briony would like to say she’s lived to see many things.

Her life has long made its way through the wheel of fortune; and with each high and low she has always endured. Unfortunate deaths, nasty slander, betrayals from those she thought she could trust. What’s a little apocalypse on top of it all?

Where is her wheel pointing now?

She’s studied Khaenri’ah. Built by humans, for humans–she thought reading through all the old texts and inscriptions would have prepared her for–for something. A sign. A prophecy of some sorts. Anything that could have prepared her for fire, screaming, and terrible monsters heard only in stories. What good does being the leading expert on the topic do if it doesn’t help you?

It was like the gates to hell had opened: hilichurls, abyss mages, heralds, dark shadow knights, and all manners of monsters flooded the stone streets. The skies turned dark, ominous purple clouds shutting out the sun. The ground trembled as they marched amidst the screams of frightened citizens. They did not falter or stop, even as people ran this way and that.

She’s one of the luckier ones, she knows. At least she had a Vision. The abyss forces did not hold back their intimidation, whether that meant setting fire to innocent families’ houses or cutting down those who happened to be in their path. It was all she could do to pull people out of the way of monsters.

Last she was able to remember during the chaos, Razor and Fischl were trying to hold back abyss mages from the elder Adventure Guild members while Bennett was doing his best to evacuate them to safety. That was all she was able to catch before she was lifted away screaming and pounding on Kaeya’s back. That bastard. She thought nothing could phase her anymore after her adopted brother attempted to sabotage her career in the name of family. Evidently, she was proven wrong.

She sucks in a deep breath, knuckles taut around the kitchen counter. Focus. The ingredients sit in front of her tauntingly. Apples, beef, carrots…she’s made this stew too many times to count. At this point, she’s sure she could make the dish blind.

First, the vegetables and beef. The knife in her hands feels heavy as she chops the carrots and dice the apples. Did the soldiers who came through the gates feel the same with their blades? Even as people cried out, they did not blink as they slashed through flesh as they marched on. Those abyss heralds–how could they have been humans if they could so easily cut down their own?

Focus! She shakes her head violently. The meat and vegetables are done, so now it’s time to start caramelizing them along with the aromatics. The hiss of the butter and garlic clears her mind if only for a moment. Her hands drop in the carrots and onions automatically, moving the spoon to evenly distribute them across the bottom.

Bennet, Fischl, and Razor, were they okay? They were still so young–even if they were seasoned adventurers and fighters, they cannot take on a full legion of hilichurls and abyss mages by themselves. Archons, what if they–no, they wouldn’t do that. They wouldn’t sink so low to harm mere children…would they?

Venti, where was he in the chaos? The steak sizzles as the air is filled with a hearty aroma as she makes sure to sear each side. The apples and potatoes follow after. Briony knows that Venti is more than the weak bard he presents himself as, but she worries nonetheless. Poetic ballads do not halt the hearts of tyrants and monsters.

Almost done. She pours in water, adding seasoning and herbs, before putting on the lid. Jean. Was she okay? She once again finds herself clutching the counter, staring off into nothing. If the mere townspeople were nothing more than cannon fodder to the troops that stormed through, then she can only imagine what has happened to the Knights of Favonius order, the protectors of Mondstadt.

“Smells good~” Warm air puffs into her ear and her world screeches to a stop.

The knife in her hands finds its way upon a defined jugular.

If there’s anything she knows, it’s that Kaeya loves his games. She swears it’s some way to stimulate the constantly active brain that he has. (If she had to make it into a thesis report, she bet she could write it in a day) So she knows that she shouldn’t give him the reactions he wants. But somehow, he just always knows how to get under her skin. Is it his inherent ability to be annoying? Or an acquired talent? Either way, it’s infuriating.

Kaeya grins, despite the blade pin pricking his skin and letting out beads of ruby red blood.

“Whoa there, honey. This is quite a greeting for you.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t be sneaking up on people in the first place.” She bites back.

“What can I say? You just make the cutest faces when you’re surprised.”

She scrunches her face in disgust, and he laughs heartily, as if he weren’t close to having his throat slit.

“What’s for dinner?” Kaeya tilts his head as she continues to glare. He opts to lean around to check the pot, and turns to her with a cat-like grin on his face.

“Let me guess. Northern Apple stew?”

She wants to smack that smug look off his face. As if he had any right to talk about how she turned to her comfort food to destress. She could write essays upon essays on Kaeya’s inordinate love of wine and all things alcoholic and how cause and effect from personality and trauma played into it.

“If you keep acting like that, I’m not letting you have any.” She brusquely replies, removing the pot from the stove and putting out the fire. Kaeya follows her to the quaint dining table as she sets down the pot.

He hums. “Why, you break my heart. You know I love your cooking more than anything.”

Not enough to keep your loyalty to Mondstadt, but she keeps her mouth shut. She’s so drained, she’s not sure she can play tonight’s round of psychological warfare. Instead, she watches as Kaeya sets out the cutlery and plates, waving at her to sit down.

Dinner is strangely quiet, however. She expects some kind of stupid quip as they cut into the beef and spear a fork through the potatoes. Or an exaggerated re-telling of his day of work; maybe even just a fantastical story of pirates and mermaids. But there’s none, and she finds the dead silence more unsettling than Kaeya’s smooth timber.

“You must hate me, huh?”

She pauses, fork halfway to her mouth. Putting it down, she ruminates on what she should say.

Yes, is the first thing that comes to her mind. No, is what follows after–because even after everything he’s done, he’s one of the few to see her for her without any rose filters or expectations. She can breathe around him, talk to him without fearing the weight of her words. After spending years in stifling academic seminars and upright noble balls, Kaeya was a person she could trust to be impartial and free.

“It’d be hard for me to say that I don’t hate you right now.” She manages evenly.

Kaeya observes her face then closes his eyes, no doubt thinking about her statement.

“I won’t ask you to forgive me,” he begins, “Just know that I had my own reasons. And this is the best outcome.”

Something in her snaps. From nerves, from anxiety, or just from being tired of having to deal with Kaeya for so long, she’s not sure.

“The best outcome is Mondstadt being burned down?” She slams her hands on the table, standing up. “Innocent people have been assaulted, ‘all for the best outcome’? Are you hearing yourself right now?”

Kaeya’s starry eye reflects her visage angry and out of breath, sending shudders down her spine.

“The townspeople have been mostly unharmed.” Her eyes widened at the casual statement. Then, the kids, they were okay? And even the Adventure Guild elders? Oh, thank the Seven–

“And the Knights have peacefully surrendered to cooperate with Khareni’ah.” Her heart drops to her stomach. Did Jean realize the price she had to pay when those monsters stormed in? Or was her hand forced against her will?

“Peacefully, huh?” She envisions the beef she’s stabbing is Kaeya’s flesh; if only for a bitter, violent moment.

“Would you rather have them forced into submission?”

Her blood runs cold at the empty expression Kaeya’s face adorns. There’s a glint in his eyes that she’s never seen before, not even when she saw him facing enemies. Her eyes narrow into dagger points.

Is this his true face?

–

ii. “Now cut me loose: I’ll show you the meaning of sacrifice.”

Kaeya knew the consequences of taking Khaenri’ah's hand.

"This is your chance. You are our last hope."

He could’ve forgotten his father’s words when his hands clasped around his shoulders that fateful night. Turned over a new leaf when Crepus found him soaked to the bone near the vineyard, hurrying him inside before he could die of hypothermia. When Varka knighted him, he could’ve moved on from the past and broken free from his father’s heavy expectations upon him.

And yet, even after Crepus died, he could not stop but think about how even the mighty fell.

So he resolves turning his back on Diluc's betrayed face, not just once, but twice. He puts aside what Jean had taught him in protecting Mondstadt, if only to crush the guilt that came with facing her as she is surrounded by abyss heralds. He knows Lisa would’ve wiped him off the map if they tried to do anything to Jean. And Amber, the young clever outrider who has always pointed at him anytime something suspicious happened. Now, she will no longer be wrong.

But he could not turn back now.

Khaenri’ah was his home. They were humans, just like the other nations. Even if the Heavenly Principles gave judgment upon his country, they are, and still, people at their core. And when his countrymen fell, what did the other Archons do?

They turned away and closed their eyes.

Still, even if Briony had tried, he knew she could not do the same. Not when she was forced to face him and his eyes. That is the one thing he always found endearing about her. It was hard to find someone like her who is able to care, and so fiercely and genuinely at that. Even as rumors swirled around him, she still smiled and invited him in for tea on a sunny afternoon.

But if he had to be honest, maybe what he enjoyed most, is when she gets mad.

The fire in her eyes burns brighter than even Diluc’s flames that scorched his right eye that fateful rainy night. Like the explosive burn of Death After Noon, Briony’s sharp rebuttals leave no one standing. Her words are no longer shrouded and censored by an internal review, but instead carry the blunt force of the knowledge she carries. He’s beginning to realize he’s developed quite the titillating taste for the finer things in life.

He waits for her heavy breaths to slow and regulate.

“The townspeople have been mostly unharmed.” He watches as Briony perks up at his sentence. He knows that her pride won’t allow her to ask him directly about the people she cares about. “And the Knights have peacefully surrendered to cooperate with Khaenri’ah.”

A flurry of emotions flit by on her face. Relief for a couple moments, then worry, and finally, anger, once again.

“Peacefully, huh?” She scoffs as she forcefully spears a fork into a piece of beef.

“Would you rather have them forced into submission?”

“Don’t be morbid.”

“I’m just saying,” he hums, amused at her pointed glare, “it could’ve turned out a lot worse than what the current situation is.”

Her knife makes a ugly screech as she pointedly drags it across the ceramic while cutting into the beef. “And there are situations where it shouldn’t be happening at all.”

He twirls the knife in his hands as he meets her eyes. “Riddle me this, O’ leading expert on Khaenri’ah. What do you think these forces are hoping to achieve from all this?”

It’s clear that she’s taken aback at his sudden question. Her face flickers between confusion and distrust, unsure of his intentions behind the words. There’s something captivating in the way her dark eyebrows and viridian eyes scrunch in deep thought, clever mind already turning wheels upon his question.

“The forces have been ruthless, but if you are to be trusted on your word, and if the townspeople and the Knights have been spared…” Ah, there it is. That lovely expression of realization dawning upon her mien. “Don’t tell me…”

He smiles and leans forward in a conspiratory manner. “Khaenri’ah is a country for the people, by the people. My countrymen may resent the people who love the Seven, but we know better to misdirect our anger.”

She’s left frozen, staring down at her plate in muted horror.

“We’re only asking for the Archons to help clean up the mess that they stood by on the sidelines for.” He leans back and shrugs. “Again, I’m not asking for your forgiveness. But I don’t want you to get hurt trying to do something foolish out there.”

That seems to melt her frozen stature. “Do something foolish? Like trying to make sure no one gets hurt?”

“There have been no casualties, despite the mayhem that happened.” He stands, picking up his cleared plate. “That, I will not lie to you about.”

She’s silent as he also takes her plate. As he turns around to head to the kitchen sink, a broken sigh has him stopping in place.

“Was everything we went through a lie?” Briony hunches over with a wobbly whisper. “Was it amusing, leading me around like some kind of ignorant dog?”

Diluc said something similar that cold rainy night. Just like Briony had her trembling hands clasped together, his adopted brother had to take his claymore with both hands instead of his usual one hand technique, due to them shaking so much. With anger or sorrow, he doesn’t know.

He’s silent for a moment. It would be all too easy to lie and smile it off, but he knows that would silently close another door that could never be opened again. And he could not have her cut him off, not when he has fallen in love so deeply and ardently. He doesn’t want to be left alone on that cold, dirt road anymore.

“If I said yes, would that make you feel better?” He places the dishes into the sink, the hollow clinks filling the void.

He only gets silence in response, and when he looks over, he flinches. Briony’s tears flow down her cheeks and drip onto the pine wood table. He purses his lips in hesitation before he kneels down to eye level with her.

Lifting her head gently, he stares into her glistening eyes as he wipes away the tears oh so gently with his thumbs. Foreheads pressed together, they both stare into each other's eyes.

“I love you.” The bold declaration opens his heart for only a moment. Glacial ice thawing under her pleading gaze. “And nothing will change that, sweetheart.”

If he could drink up all the despair and sorrow reflecting in those deep forest hues, he would be a staggering drunk outside Cat’s Tail. Is it cruel of him to think that Briony looks her most beautiful now? Broken down and hanging off his every word, she looks like a painting; gleaming tears like shining pearls upon her tawny complexion, dark mossy hair like swirling tree branches framing her face, all for his viewing.

“But I don’t love you.” His heart freezes over at the genuine response.

He smirks.

“It’s a good thing, then, that you don’t have a choice in that matter.” His voice carries no hostility as he abruptly removes his hands from her face, causing her to almost fall forward into air. She splutters as she looks up in dazed confusion.

“Prisoners of war don’t usually get to have a say in how their jail cell or warden is.” He cheekily adds, shrugging on his fur cloak. As he approaches the door, he takes a final look back at Briony sprawled haphazardly while gazing at him with an expression that he prays to be desperation. He closes his eyes and turns away. He’s losing his touch. Not many could get under his skin or the careful facade he wrapped around himself. And yet, she manages to do so without even batting an eye.

“And as your prison warden, you won’t be going anywhere.” He swings open the door with grim determination. Remember why you’re doing this. He had long steeled himself for this when he decided to knock upon Diluc’s door and confess his dark secrets of a mission that could not be heard by unknowing ears.

His Vision sends frigid air frothing around his shoulder and for a moment, he lets the cold envelope him once more.

The click of the door closing behind him syncs with the gongs of the bells in the Favonius Cathedral. How ironic, that the chimes that once brought hope into the hearts of others, Kaeya thinks, now strike fear of those in line for execution.

#yandere genshin #yandere genshin impact #yandere kaeya alberich #my works

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