#law's emotional support polar bear. that's it!!!!

[introspectivememories]

least favorite thing in fanfics that revolve around law is when shachi and peng are written to be lower tier friends than bepo. like tell me you dont understand his character without telling me you dont understand his character. peng and shachi have been there just as long a bepo. those four are the core hearts!!!! those are his day ones!!! his ogs!!!! what are yall talking about when yall write "oh he loves bepo the most"???? peng and shachi did Not put up with trafalgar "75 mental illness in trenchcoat" law going through puberty for yall to dismiss them like that

[fandomfablesunleashed]

Reclaiming Hope

Law x she/her reader (one use of y/n)

In the aftermath of a crushing defeat by Blackbeard, Trafalgar Law grapples with overwhelming guilt and self-doubt, haunted by the fear that his crew might be lost forever. With the Strawhats’ help, Law’s crew is rescued, and he takes comfort in knowing that she is alive.

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

Trafalgar Law felt a sharp pang of shame as memories of his crew's defeat at Blackbeard's hands flooded his mind. He knew he should be grateful for Bepo's timely intervention, but all he could focus on was his overwhelming sense of failure. The nagging thought that, had he been stronger, his crew would still be safe clung to him relentlessly.

“Damn it” he muttered, barely above a whisper. “I should’ve done more…I should’ve been stronger”.

Despite the weight of his self-doubt, Law knew he couldn’t afford to sink into despair. Every second wasted could mean his crew drifting further, unreachable—if they were even still alive. The uncertainty gnawed at him, sharp and relentless, like a ravenous beast.

The only thing Law could be certain of was that Bepo was still by his side. The loyal polar bear mink remained a steadfast source of emotional support, but despite this, Law couldn't help but feel like a burden.

He glanced at Bepo, whose usual cheerful expression was now overshadowed by concern. Guilt tightened in Law’s chest—Bepo had gone through so much to save him, yet here he was, drowning in self-pity.

“Bepo” Law began, his voice betraying his inner turmoil. “I know I’ve been a wreck since we lost to Blackbeard. I just… I can't shake this feeling of helplessness. Not knowing if my crew survived is tearing me apart”.

Bepo’s eyes softened as he placed a comforting paw on Law’s shoulder. “Captain, I get it” he said gently. “But you can’t let this guilt consume you. We have to believe the crew is still alive. We’ll find them together”.

Law exhaled heavily, knowing Bepo was right. “I know… but it’s hard to hold on to hope when we don’t even know where to start looking” he muttered, running a hand through his dark hair in frustration.

After days of aimless wandering, Trafalgar Law stumbled upon an unexpected sight—the Jolly Roger of the Strawhat pirates fluttering in the wind. It was a twist of fate he hadn't anticipated, but Law knew he couldn’t afford to let the opportunity slip away.

Standing before the Strawhat crew, his usual confident demeanor carried a faint trace of desperation. With a steadying breath, he began recounting everything that had happened since his crew's fateful clash with Blackbeard, leaving no detail untold.

The Strawhats listened in silence, their expressions growing increasingly serious as they absorbed the weight of Law’s words. When he finally finished, a tense stillness hung in the air.

Luffy broke it with a resolute slam of his fist into his palm, a determined glint in his eyes. “We can’t let Blackbeard get away with this. Your crew fought bravely—they don’t deserve this” he declared, his voice firm with conviction.

With the unexpected support of the Strawhat pirates, Law and Bepo set sail alongside them, their mission clear: confront Blackbeard and rescue Law's crew from captivity. Though the road ahead was fraught with uncertainty, Law felt a glimmer of hope. With the Strawhats by his side, they just might have a chance against the ruthless Blackbeard.

As they neared their destination, Blackbeard, and his crew awaited them, a mocking smile curling on the pirate captain's lips as he spotted their approach. “Well, well, if it isn't Trafalgar Law and Strawhats, I wondered when you'd show up” Blackbeard sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance.

The Strawhat pirates bristled at the provocation, but Law remained resolute, his eyes locked on Blackbeard. This fight was inevitable. “We've come for my crew” he growled.

Blackbeard let out a low, chilling laugh, the sound sending a shiver down Law’s spine. “Your crew? They're safe with me. But if you want them back, you'll have to earn it” he taunted.

Luffy, never one to shy away from a challenge, stepped forward with fists clenched and a fierce gleam in his eyes. “We're not leaving without them” he declared, signaling the start of the battle.

The air crackled with tension as the two crews collided, the clanging of weapons and grunts of effort filling the battlefield.

Law found himself in the thick of the fight, his strikes driven by a volatile mix of desperation and rage. Each blow landed on Blackbeard's crew felt like a small victory, but Blackbeard himself seemed maddeningly untouchable, dodging and countering with ease.

Despite the overwhelming odds, the Strawhat pirates fought with unwavering resolve. As the battle raged on, their attacks grew more coordinated, and their rhythm was unshakable. Law couldn’t help but feel a flicker of respect for Luffy and his crew— their fierce determination mirrored his own.

After what felt like an eternity of fierce battling, the tide began to turn in their favor. Law watched as, one by one, Blackbeard's crew members fell, their bodies sprawled battered and defeated across the deck.

Amid the chaos, Law noticed something that sent a wave of relief through him—his crew, now free from their captor, had arrived on the scene. Their grateful eyes were locked on him, and he realized that one of the Strawhat pirates had freed them during the heat of battle.

Seeing his crew, bruised but alive, filled Law with immense relief and gratitude. The familiar faces, though injured, were determined, and their presence felt like a heavy weight being lifted off his shoulders.

As the last of Blackbeard's crew collapsed, the Strawhat pirates and Law's crew gathered, their victory reflected in the weary yet satisfied smiles they exchanged. Law turned to Luffy, his respect for the Strawhat captain growing with each passing moment.

“Thank you” Law said simply, his voice sincere. He hoped those two words could convey the depth of his gratitude. “For helping me save my crew”.

With the chaos of battle finally behind them, Law turned his attention to his crew. He moved through the group, checking on each member to ensure they were relatively unharmed. Law couldn't suppress a small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth, a flicker of pride and relief in his eyes. They had made it. Although they were bruised and battered, they were alive and, at last, safe. 

As Law examined his crew, a pang of anxiety struck him—someone was missing. He scanned the faces of his crew, searching for the familiar face.

The realization hit him hard. Where was she?

“Hey” Law's voice cut through the post-battle celebration. “Where’s y/n?”

A hush fell over the group. His question hung in the air like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over their victory. The crew exchanged worried glances, but no one had an answer.

Then, a quiet voice answered from a short-distance away. She stood there, her expression unreadable, her body a canvas of cuts and bruises.

“Here” she said, her voice softer than usual.

Law’s eyes widened as he took in her battered appearance, a mix of anger and concern bubbling within him. He approached her quickly, his eyes scanning her injuries as he tried to gauge the extent of the damage.

With each step Law took toward her, a profound wave of relief surged through him, momentarily washing away the tension and fatigue that had weighed him down throughout the battle. Despite the numerous cuts and bruises that marred her skin, each a testament to the fierce struggle she had endured, one fact stood out starkly against the chaos—she was alive.

He moved closer, his gaze fixed on her injuries, and gently touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?” he said, his voice a blend of relief and concern.

She chose to ignore his question about her well-being, instead offering a small, strained smile. “I’m just happy to see you” she murmured softly, her voice carrying an undertone of warmth despite her apparent pain.

Though her words seemed casual, Law wasn’t fooled. He noticed the subtle tension in her eyes and the way they betrayed the exhaustion she was trying to hide behind her brave exterior. Her attempt to mask her discomfort was clear to him, and he could see through the façade she was putting on.

“You don’t have to be tough” he said, his voice gentle yet firm. “You’re hurt. Let me take care of your wounds”.

Despite her reluctance, Law remained steadfast in his determination. With a gentle but insistent manner, he guided her forward. “Come on” he said, his tone firm yet reassuring. “I’m not taking no for an answer. You need to be examined properly. You must get checked out to make sure there’s nothing more serious going on”. His voice carried a blend of concern and authority, making it clear that he wasn’t going to let her dismiss her injuries.

Upon entering the infirmary, Law gently helped her onto one of the beds. He then set about gathering supplies—antiseptics, bandages, and other essentials needed to clean and dress her wounds.

As he tended to her injuries, Law’s hands moved with practiced precision, each motion deliberate and careful. His fingers deftly applied antiseptic and wrapped bandages with a steady, experienced touch. Even with his focused attention on the task at hand, he couldn’t help but frequently steal glances at her face.

Each time he looked up, he was met with the sight of her trying to stay still, yet her expression betrayed the strain she was under. The tension in her features was palpable, manifesting as subtle furrows in her brow and the occasional tightening of her lips. Every muscle in her face seemed to be working hard to maintain a semblance of composure, but Law could clearly see the underlying discomfort and fatigue she was battling.

While tending to her injuries, a torrent of emotions surged within him. The overwhelming relief of having her safe and alive, despite her injuries, was almost too much to bear. Each time his fingers brushed against her skin, he was reminded of the stakes he had fought so hard to protect.

His usually stoic demeanor betrayed the depth of his feelings. Though he was fixated on the task, there was an undeniable tenderness in his touch.

She, on the other hand, found herself unable to resist occasionally looking over at him. She observed his concentrated expression, the way his hands moved with efficiency, and the subtle relief in his eyes. Each time their gazes met, a comforting sense of reassurance washed over her. Despite the pain from her wounds, his presence and care brought a gentle smile to her lips.

Once Law had finished attending to the last of her cuts, a tranquil silence settled over the room, punctuated only by the faint sounds of their breathing. It was in this stillness that her voice broke through “I didn’t get the chance to tell you something”.

Law looked up from the medical supplies he had been meticulously arranging and met her gaze. “What is it?” he asked, setting aside the bandages and ointments to give her his undivided attention.

She offered him a playful smile, her eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. She knew he might have been expecting a heartfelt confession, but instead, she decided to catch him off guard. “You made a hot woman” she said, referring to the brief, odd moment before their battle with Blackbeard when he had temporarily transformed into a woman.

Law’s eyes widened in shock at her unexpected remark. He had almost forgotten about that peculiar incident, a fleeting transformation that had occurred in the midst of their preparations. A mixture of surprise and amusement flitted across his face as he processed her comment.

“Seriously?” he responded after a moment, his usually gruff voice softened by a tone of incredulous affection. “You’re bringing that up now, of all times?”

Despite the gravity of the situation, Law couldn't help but let a smile break through his usually stern demeanor. It was entirely typical of her to catch him off guard, even in moments fraught with tension and seriousness. “You’re ridiculous” he said, trying to sound exasperated, but his voice betrayed a soft tenderness that he could not fully mask.

Though he tried to sound annoyed, the truth was that her playful comment was a welcome distraction. It offered him a brief and much-needed respite from the heavy burden of their circumstances. The contrast between her light-hearted remark and the seriousness of their recent ordeal created a moment of levity that he secretly cherished.

She met his gaze with a broad grin, her eyes twinkling with warmth. “I know I’m ridiculous” she said, her voice carrying a genuine, tender undertone. “But you still missed me”.

Her words cut through his defenses, revealing how well she understood him. He felt his resolve soften, and the walls he had built around his emotions began to crumble. The familiarity and warmth in her eyes made it impossible for him to maintain his usual composure. “Yeah, well” he muttered, his voice softer and tinged with a rare vulnerability. “Maybe I did”.

He looked at her with an uncharacteristic fondness, his gaze filled with a deep, unspoken devotion. The sincerity in his eyes reflected the truth of his feelings, a stark contrast to his typically guarded nature. At that moment, the weight of their situation seemed to lift, replaced by a simple yet profound connection that spoke volumes about their bond.

[opheartzine]

💛FULL INTEREST CHECK RESULTS THREAD💙

As a famous polar bear would say, sorry !

The Headmod is a little late sharing those, but the wait was worth for the pretty graphics from our mod Kai !

You'll find below all the IC results and what it means for the zine !

👇👇👇

Starting off with the interest for the project ; out of 244 votes, you've been 77,9% to rate a 5/5 and 18,9% to rate a 4/5 ! Wow !!

Regarding the content, most of the interested is for illustrations, comics, physical merch and fanfictions. Digital merch & cosplay are less popular.

Regarding the content, most of the interest is for illustrations, comics, physical merch and fanfictions. Digital merch & cosplay are however less popular.

At the time of the IC, 169 of you were interested in buying the zine, 157 were planning to apply as a contributor, and 19 were here to spread the word about the project !

Unfortunately, with only 7 potential cosplayers contributors and few interest for this kind of content as seen previously, we decided to not include cosplays in the zine.

Regarding the merch ;

Top 10 physical merch :

1- Stickers and sticker sheets 2- Prints (A4 / A5 / Postcards) 3- Acrylic charm 4- Keychain 5- Enamel pin 6- Polaroid prints 7- Totebag 8- Button badge 9- Memo pad/sticky notes 10- Washi tape.

Top 5 digital : 1- Wallpapers (phone/pc) 2- Icons 3- Calendar 4- Emotes 5- Coloring pages.

Most of you are looking for the zine to be 60 - 80 pages long for a full bundle in-between $60- 80.

Good news, we will be sticking to this price range, but the zine will be featuring more than 100 pages of content !!

For the profit/charity question, 25,2% of you were more interested about the zine being 50/50 while 58,8% had no preference so we decided that the zine will be half profit/half charity !

We're considering all the suggestions, and the chosen charity will be announced in February.

Be assured, all of the members will be featured in the zine nonetheless ! The most popular ones will however have more spotlight.

Regarding the AUs questions, most of you were okay with the canon divergent suggestions, but you were many to specify being more interested by modern/non canon AUs.

The zine will remain canon/canon divergent only, BUT ! We will also be featuring a digital modern AU add on ! This digital-only will be an optional paid addition to the main zine, and will be featuring only content of modern AUs Heart Pirates (hospital au, highscool au, coffeeshop au...). We are also aiming for 100+ pages for this add on !

Last but not least, all of the listed prompts were appreciated by the majority ! We also noted many interesting suggestions from you that we've included in our guidelines !

35% haven't read the Law Novel yet, so we will still be featuring content from it but as a small part of the zine (some of you who haven't read it also specified still being okay with pieces inspired by it).

And that concludes our Interest Check results !

If you have any question regarding the results or what have been said, please feel free to ask in private message or through our Retrospring ! Thank you for your support ! ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ💛💙

[dankusner]

Exclusive: Austin police officials drafted letter advocating for Daniel Perry's pardon

Days before Gov. Greg Abbott pardoned Daniel Perry for killing a Black Lives Matter protester, the Austin Police Department drafted a two-page letter to state officials advocating that Perry be freed.

The document, on departmental letterhead, echoes the belief of the lead investigator in the case that the prosecution of Perry in the shooting death of Garrett Foster was based on “conjecture,” “innuendo” and a “character assassination” of Perry, who wrote racist and threatening social media posts.

The draft, obtained by the American-Statesman and KVUE-TV on Tuesday, bears the signatory of interim police chief Robin Henderson.

The letter rejects the guilty verdict of a Travis County jury a year earlier and reiterates the department’s finding that the shooting was justified, adding “Mr. Perry should have never been charged.”

The department was poised to send the document to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles a day before Gov. Greg Abbott granted clemency to Perry last week.

But Henderson said in a statement Tuesday to the Statesman that "ultimately the drafted letter was not submitted. After discussions with city leadership, as is standard in certain situations, I decided not to submit the letter."

More: Gov. Greg Abbott announces he will push to pardon Daniel Perry after murder conviction

Still, the draft letter represents a highly unusual move by the department in a case marked by extraordinary developments.

It offers a deeper insight, extending beyond that of the lead investigator in the case, into how the department more broadly views evidence in the shooting, which polarized much of the community and further splintered the relationship between police and prosecutors.

It adds that although retired Detective David Fugitt, who has vigorously fought on Perry’s behalf, determined that the June 2020 shooting was justified, the department as an organization supports that finding as well.

Daniel Perry, center, walks to the courtroom last March in Austin where Perry was convicted for fatally shooting Garrett Foster during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. (Credit: Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman/File)

“As law enforcement officers, we are bestowed the honorable duty to investigate, collect and provide complete and honest unbiased facts to the citizens of this state,” the letter stated. “This unbiased collection and presentation of evidence must be conducted separate from political and emotional influence.

“This duty is not taken lightly and is essential for justice to occur in order for the public to maintain trust in a system that is designed to protect the innocent while at the same time holding those who violate the law accountable,” the document stated.

The letter concluded by saying that the department’s homicide unit, including its supervisors, and Henderson believe that the shooting, which Perry contends happened when Foster raised an assault rifle at him, was a “justifiable homicide.”

“We collectively feel that for justice to be served, a full pardon and restoration of his firearm rights should be granted to Mr. Perry,” the letter concluded.

Draft letter sparks reaction

In a statement, Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said that during Perry's trial, a jury heard evidence that Perry's attack was "deliberate and premeditated."

He added that Austin police did not investigate the certain facts of the case -- although his statement did not elaborate -- and he added that Henderson did not attend the trial.

"Had she been at the trial, she would have known that Mr. Perry had a full and fair opportunity to argue the killing was in self-defense and that after deliberate consideration, the jury did not find that it was in self-defense," Garza said.

He added: "I am grateful for the service of the jury members, and unlike the interim chief of police, I believe that jury service is a foundation of our criminal justice system, and their verdict should not be disturbed."

A case outside the norm

The department began drafting the letter last week after receiving an inquiry from the pardons and parole board into whether it wished to provide input on Perry’s proposed clemency.

It is not clear who in the department authored the letter.

The department typically does not advocate during a pending parole or pardon review. It is not unusual, however, for individual detectives to write letters concerning an inmate's possibility for parole, and generally, to argue against release.

But Perry’s case has tested norms in the law enforcement and criminal justice community from its earliest days.

The shooting happened downtown after Perry, who was stationed at Fort Cavazos as an Army sergeant but was in Austin to drive for a ride-share company, turned his car into a street crowded with protesters.

Foster, who was armed with an AK-47, saw himself as a protector of fellow protesters.

The case centered on whether Perry shot in self-defense, a claim the jury rejected, or whether he provoked the shooting.

The Austin police letter noted that the departmental investigation found that Perry had the right to be on a public roadway and did not provoke the “armed encounter.”

In the months before trial, Perry’s attorneys tried unsuccessfully to have the case dismissed, citing statements from Fugitt that prosecutors edited his presentation to a grand jury to exclude evidence supporting Perry’s self-defense claims.

By law, prosecutors do not have an obligation to present favorable evidence to a grand jury, state district Judge Cliff Brown ruled.

Dismissing an indictment would require "egregious conduct," and Brown said he did not see.

A day after the April 2023 verdict, following calls from far-right conservatives, Abbott said on social media that he would pardon Perry after receiving a legally required recommendation from the seven-member board he appoints.

That week, Brown ordered a trove of social media posts that were excluded during trial to be unsealed.

Those posts include messages that Perry “might go to Dallas and shoot looters” and “it is official that I am racist because I do not believe in people acting like monkeys.”

The messages also show that he had on-line conversations with a 16-year-old girl in which he told her not to send nude photographs of herself until she was “of age” and to “come up with a reason why I should be your boyfriend.”

The Austin Police Department’s letter does not address Perry’s social media posts.

The Statesman reported in February that the board had begun a more extensive review of the case and had received a presentation from Fugitt.

The department’s letter said that it consulted heavily with Fugitt, who it said is an expert in homicide investigations and has participated in hundreds of cases during his career, in writing the letter.

“In all fairness, the district attorney’s office and the judge and the Travis County sheriff’s office were all afforded the opportunity to write a letter, and it was my stance that APD should provide one as well,” Fugitt, who now works in the prosecutor assistance unit handling capital murder cases for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, told the Statesman.

Neither Brown nor the sheriff’s office wrote a letter.

The day after the department decided not to send the letter, the pardons board recommended Perry’s clemency for Perry and a restoration of his gun rights. In a two-hour span, Abbott granted the pardon, and Perry was released from a prison near Houston.

Perry’s attorney, Doug O’Connell, said in a statement that “Daniel is optimistic about his future. He wishes that this tragic event never happened.”

[sunfloworcs]

i know little to nothing about law

just that he's a punk, a nerd, like big time nerd,, he looks mildly threatened by an extrovert, has an emotional support crew,/polar bear, is very competitive with two other stubborn men and he needs either a big hug or a big nap

[cyborg-franky]

Husband I just want to cuddle platonically with Bepo pls give me emotional support bepo

Platonic Bepo and GN Reader word count: 397 SFW AN: Sorta AU kinda based between Dressrosa and Whole Cake arc, probably.

You’d been against the alliance from the get-go, you disliked Trafalgar Law since the moment you laid eyes on his skinny ass. He didn’t fit well with your found family and there had been many times you and the other straw hats had voiced your displeasure on having to spend anytime with the disgraced warlord.

Every time the man started to talk you found yourself zoning out, you couldn’t go against your own captain but it didn’t mean you had to like the ordeal. Meeting back up with his crew had been an experience, they all seemed such a drastic change from Law himself, everyone actually friendly.

The alliance had brought you in closer contact with the heart pirates and that included a very fluffy soft looking bear. You had been aware of minks but had never met any until now. You were so tired, the party was going on late, the journey from Dressrosa had zapped all your energy and the large polar bear was just sat there by the fire, eating and enjoying the atmosphere.

You let yourself fall to the floor next to him, legs crossed and scooted closer to the heart pirate, he blinked and noticed you, how tired you looked. “You ok there?” He seemed concerned when you drooped forward. “Just so tired… I hope you don’t mind but… can I just..” you didn’t really finish your sentence nor wait for a response as you snuggled against his side, you were right, he was soft.

Bepo blinked at you, slowly eating more of his food, a little confused but this wasn’t the first or last time someone would use him as a personal pillow. He lifted you into his lap and just let you curl against him. He didn’t mind, he was just grateful your crew had kept his beloved captain alive through a difficult time in his life.

You felt the soft warm mink let you cuddle into him and found yourself feeling safe and cozy, it didn’t take long for sleep to find you. “What are you doing?” Law asked seeing his crew mate with a straw hat nuzzled fast asleep against him. “Shhhh their sleeping captain” Bepo whispered lifting a fluffy digit to his lips to gesture for the tall man to keep it down.

Law narrowed his eyes at you, silently pissed you’d stolen his own comfort person.

[tsunderedoctor]

Bepo Being Jealous

I thought about this idea for a while and talked to some friends on it. When first introduced to Bepo, he tells Jean Bart he’s under him and should listen, telling the other not to boss him around. The second time we see his closeness with Law and even further down the line we see they are extremely close, with Bepo relying on Law for emotional support. We also know that Law saved Bepo’s life from Penguin and Shachi as kids, so not only is he an emotional support, he’s also his hero. 

If Law had a significant other, I think Bepo would be the one to struggle the most with this change. His emotional support and hero is now being taken from him by someone who is not only a crew member, but someone who he can’t compare himself too. This is a new feeling not only for Law, but for Bepo too. 

I hate to say it like this, but think of Bepo as a very attached dog, who doesn’t like anyone but their owner. Sure they look friendly, but they prefer you to keep your distance. The owner who usually has a few friends over, now is bringing over someone who they are physically interested in, the dog is confused and feels left out (not like that-). 

I expect Bepo to have a lot of emotional behaviors and might reject Law and his significant other, until he’s for certain Law isn’t trying to replace him or not viewing him as his beloved polar bear. The significant other can try to by including Bepo in activities they do and making the mink feel safe in his position rather than compete with him. Once that trust is built, will Bepo finally accept Law has one more important person in his life and it’s okay.

[peechbea]

@yukiteruakari said: Ooooh I wanna know more about your headcanons :>>

idk if you meant abt the fic or Leon in general but i’m using this opportunity to ramble anyway, rip-

right off the bat, i hc that Leon’s mother died during childbirth and his father was devastated about it, but in order to support himself and Leon, he moved in with his brother and sister-in-law. since Leon grew up in the same house as Kanon, that's why he views her as more of a sister than a cousin

this is one i’ve already talked about here BUT, i hc Leon’s real name to be Kazuo Kuwata, but that’s also his father’s name, so before he changed his name, people called his father by his name and then they called Leon “Kazzy” or “Kaz”

( hearing people call Kazuichi “Kaz” still throws him for a loop )

he doesn’t like violence actually!! he’s temperamental and snarky sometimes, but he’ll avoid violence whenever he can, unless he has to, yknow,,,defend himself, just in case that would ever happen lol-

to add onto the above, i also like to think he stays far away from violence because he didn’t as a kid and it landed him in juvie ( which i also like to think is where he met Mondo briefly, but neither of them really remember each other )

and to add onto THAT, while he will avoid throwing a punch if he can, he will absolutely intervene if other people are getting hurt. even at the risk of his own safety, he’ll be the diversion so the original victim can escape bc, unlike the victim, he actually CAN defend himself if he needs to

in the game, it’s quickly brushed over but they mention breakfast meetings and after Toko says she’s never had breakfast with anyone before, Leon also joins in and says that it’s “been a while for him too”, so i like to think he USED to have breakfast with his family a lot as a kid, but then when tensions grew between him and his dad, he eventually stopped showing up altogether

the hair stylist he talks about in his FTE is actually an ultimate and a good friend of his and her name is Kaori, but they only really talked in the time Leon attended Hope’s Peak so he forgot her name by the time the KG rolled around

his hair is actually brown and surprisingly wavy, he just slathers it in hair gel to keep it upright

to add onto the above, Kazuo has blonde hair and green eyes while Leon has brown hair and blue eyes, which are both traits of his mother. the fact that he looks so much like her yet keeps changing his appearance is another thing that pisses his dad off, mans never coped with her death properly

this one may get a little long, but bear with me: when he and Kanon were kids, his dad was incredibly closed off emotionally, his uncle was VERY busy, and his aunt always felt like she was trying to be his mom and he didn’t really like that, i like to believe there wasn’t really anyone for he or Kanon to go to if there was a problem. so, in order to be the big brother figure he believed Kanon wanted him to be, he shoved his own emotions and problems way down and focused on helping her instead. since he was really the only person who ever cared for her or tried to support her, that’s why she got way too attached to him. he just didn’t realize how bad it was until they got older, and he feels bad about possibly cutting her off because there’s no one else for her to go to.

thanks to how he grew up, he is INCREDIBLY closed off and doesn’t like showing his emotions to anyone because helping people is HIS job, he can’t have people help him if they see him break, that’s not how it works 

AND ANOTHER THING, since he often felt alone as a kid, he sought out attention from other people, so he thrived on the approval that baseball gave him. eventually, he kind of got addicted to that attention and would seek it out in any way he could. he quickly found out that bad attention often kept people talking about him more often than good attention did, so he built up a reputation as a player even though he was never really interested in girls to begin with

( speaking of, i do think he is homoromantic/pansexual, if that clears up any confusion there might’ve been rip )

he's also just, really good at masking how he feels?? like, i could look at his behavior in chapter 1 as just something to make the game run smoothly, but i wanna look at it like this: Leon is panicking, he's stressed because he committed a murder that he JUST found out he's going to have to try and get away with, and yet his behavior doesn't even change. he wears his usual mask, makes his usual comments, still has the balls to be kind of an ass to Toko, and all this while he's probably crumbling inside. he has had so long to cover his feelings, man-

also?? he will always introduce himself as “Leon Kuwata”, but when he’s alone and talks to himself out loud, he still refers to himself as Kazuo

despite being an extrovert, he's still incredibly anxious, and that extends to public outings!! because of this, he's developed a kind of code for his friends so they know what he needs since words don't always work. a tug to someone's sleeve means "i need a second to calm down", two tugs means "i'm uncomfortable" or "i don't like this conversation/what's happening", and three means "my social battery is out" or "i need to leave ASAP"

the clip on his jacket and all those rings + his necklace??? they're there for show, mans has ADHD he needs stuff to fidget with

sometimes his brain is on autopilot and his thoughts mix with that autopilot, which sucks when he has to sign autographs. there’s been times where he’s signed things as “Kazuo Kuwata” and just prayed no one mentioned it

he doesn't trust easily!! not because he doubts people's intentions, but because he can't be sure they won't try to 1) use his fame to propel themselves upwards or 2) help him with his problems, which circles back to an earlier point. he loves to be seen but god forbid anyone understand him

his wikipedia page? nearly empty. it has his feats and public information on it, but stuff like his birthday or his real name aren't correct. the part where it would mention his life story & background is completely blank. he's also edited his height to say 6'0" ( ~182 cm ), this is not true, his shoes just give him a little extra height

 this one is just self indulgent but i like to think he’s drawn to Byakuya because he has his entire life planned out for him and has for a long time, meanwhile Leon has no idea what he wants to settle on for sure and is anxious/stressed but Byakuya never seems to be like that. he always seems cool and collected, and as Leon’s polar opposite, it’s only natural that he’s drawn to him

[kazooyacraft]

Introducing side characters into the Bleach AU!

So Bleach has the 13 divisions within the Gotei 13, but it doesn’t exactly explain the specialties of each division. So! I’ve taken canon as inspiration and given each division it’s own thing they’re in charge of.

What each division is in charge of/focus on: 1. Captain-Commander aka leader, decision making 2. Assassination & Prison 3. Communication & Intelligence gathering 4. Healing 5. Kido focus aka spells 6. Law enforcement aka police 7. Internal affairs 8. Art & culture & history 9. Security force aka base guards 10. Human city/world connection #1 - Hollow patrol 11. Sword fighting only gang aka grunts 12. Research & Development (Builds) 13. Human city/world connection #2 - Plus (good spirit) patrol

Now that we have all the divisions explained, here’s where each character fits (so far):

-

(future) 3rd division member: Ranboo - not a good memory but takes extensive notes, baby of the squad, possibly a security issue but the squad loves him

4th division captain: Technoblade

4th division vice captain: Steve - emotional support polar bear, not a good guard dog but does scare the 11th division, don't question it

4th division member: Edward - tall and silent type, actual vice captain

(future) 5th division member: Tubbo - Schlatt's baby cousin he took in, uses kido for pranks, causes many explosions despite how good he is at the spells

8th division captain: Wilbur

8th division vice captain: Schlatt - long suffering, gets paperwork done, gunning for promotion to captaincy

(future) 10th division member: Tommy - thinks fighting Hollows is the coolest part of being a shinigami, has 3 dads, still hides in their offices after pranking others

11th division member: Quackity - onesided rivalry with Techno from before they joined the Gotei, mocks Techno for his 4th division allegiance but gets beat in the dirt and then threatened in medical, average fighter but training to get better, constantly challenges too strong opponents to his own detriment

12th division captain: Philza

12th division vice captain: Charlie - sociable and focuses on other parts of the division, looks up to Philza, encourages Wilbur fucking around 

12th division member: Foolish - skilled architect, adorable himbo 

12th division member: Pete - close to Phil and Techno, finds the coolest/weirdest shit 

[foryouthegays]

Egg [Dream SMP] summary and kinda liveblog but im tired so its not much

Sellout pog: 30:40, 1:41:00

Techno starts his stream in his house. He tells chat that he’ll be missing donations, and then he goes to Ranboo’s house and joins his voice chat. They talk, and Techno mentions that he might make a second house. Ranboo shows Techno his magic trick, making two beds out of one bed, and they talk about the laws of physics.

12:00 Techno and Ranboo go into Techno’s house and listen to a noteblock left by someone. They joke about Techno’s thumbnail, and eventually, they make their way over to their mailbox, which has new mail from Tommy. The book is an invitation for the grand opening of his hotel. While reading, Techno spots BBH staring at him, but he continues to read the book.

19:00 they go to the house, and wait for BBH to find them. BBH opens the door, and they stand awkwardly as they wait for him to join the VC. They talk, and BBH asks about any notes Techno’s gotten. He shows him the noteblock, and they spam it for a few seconds. BBH mentions that The Egg would love to know about the block, and Techno asks what that is. Without answering, BBH asks if Techno would like to go on a roadtrip with him. Techno asks if he can take Steve, his emotional support polar bear, with him, and BBH reluctantly agrees. They boat to The Egg and Techno sees Ranboo hiding behind a pumpkin. BBH asks if they’re being followed, and Techno denies it. BBH brings him closer to The Egg, and asks Techno to be open minded about it. Techno crafts an iron hoe. While walking around, Techno breaks some of the vines. BBH keeps insisting that someone, or something, is following them.

47:00. Once Techno and BBH reach The Egg, Techno hears a strange whistling noise coming from The Egg. He hears a echoed and distorted voice coming from it, and BBH asks if they’re being watched. Techno sees someone in the cavern, but turns around to give The Egg a piece of steak.

50:00 After The Egg responds in its strange voice, Puffy walks in and interrupts them. Puffy insists she has to talk to Techno, and they argue. Puffy asks what The Egg said to Techno, and he says that it’s hard to distinguish all the voices, and that Chat is spamming ‘egg bad’ and other such things. Puffy agrees, and demands Bad explains the Eggpire. Techno and Puffy agree that it sounds very government-y, and Puffy suggests they turn The Egg into an omelette. Techno asks what will hatch out of The Egg, but BBH doesn’t answer. He continues to insist that someone is watching him, and Puffy tells him to stop fantasizing about Skeppy and to talk to them.

When BBH realizes bribing Techno won’t work, he threatens him, which is honestly less effective. Puffy questions his methods, asking why BBH would ever threaten Technoblade, and he says that it isn’t a threat, it’s just a message. BBH leaves, and catches the person who’d been spying on them. While he catches the intruder, Techno runs, but goes back to continue the story. BBH takes Techno to Ranboo, who’d been watching them, and BBH takes him to The Egg. Bad and Techno argue about Ranboo should do, and BBH eventually decides that Ranboo doesn’t have to step on The Egg. They go to a picnic table and eat lunch together. Bad tells Techno that he’s the most powerful person on the server, and Techno asks if The Egg is scientology.

1:16:00 Bad offers to take care of the people who Techno doesn’t like, and Techno declines, because he can take care of things himself.

BBH threatens Ranboo, and they start planning to kill BBH. Techno mentions that the voices are saying ‘Blood for the Blood God,’ and Bad doesn’t seem happy about it.

Bad asks Techno to leave, and starts killing Puffy and Ranboo. Techno runs back, and they try to kill him, but he ender pearls away. During the chaos, Ranboo is shoved down a long tunnel with water at the bottom, and has no way up. Techno throws his trident down, and he starts stuttering, freaking out, and Techno starts giving him instructions, and gives him a pearl. Ranboo manages to escape, and Techno asks if he’s ok. He says he is, but is a lot quieter than he was before. Techno asks Puffy what’s going on, and he explains that Bad wants to take over the server, and that she doesn’t know what The Egg is for.

Techno decides to be pro-omlette, and Techno walks back to the house with Ranboo. While walking back, Steve almost dies, and Ranboo has to run to the house

Ranboo asks Techno about his voices, and Techno says that he can’t get attached to them, and that they’re saying ‘fire resistance.’

Ranboo says that he hears one voice, Dreams.

He talks about the enderwalk, where he isn’t in control of himself and the Dream voice tells him what he does.

They walk to the portal with Steve, and walk to the house. They end the stream after hitting the channel member bell a few times.

‘Does anyone love THEIR fans as much as technoblade’ enbyblade,,,,,

Techno explaining redstone at 7 mins is so funny like pls techno learn how to redstone

8:35 TECHNOSNEEZE

‘Why hello, bad boy halo, what brings you around here?’ Billiam voice billiam voice 20:40

26:30 whos a good boyyyy whos a good boy :D!!!! Im gonna cry i need fanart of steve n techno now

30:00 what kind of things are egg shaped? Eggs…

34:10 he just called the prison a middle school im-

49:00 egg morman

1:14:00 egg scientology

AWWWW 1:15:10 ‘techno, you dont really like people, right?’ ‘I mean, i kinda like ranboo’ IM GONNA CRY (and he mentions phil ofc gjfhksdl)

Is techno pro life? Is that what were getting out of this stream? 1:25:10ish hsdfjkghds

I cant believe they never continued to talk abt ranboos voice like cmon techno thats so rude

[longgae]

Feeling like debating with relatives/other weird people? Here is a list of controversial topics to discuss (and what to say) :)

Made because I am very tired andddd I had coffee today.

Gun Control - Gun violence has been a heated debate topic in the U.S. for years. Mass shootings and other acts of gun violence kill nearly 40,000 people every year in the U.S. The gun control debate largely hinges on interpretations of the Second Amendment. It reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Advocates for gun rights argue the "right of the people to keep and bear arms" means that the government cannot control the possession of firearms. Thus, they oppose any laws that impact their ability to buy, carry, or accessorize guns. By contrast, gun control advocates focus on the part of the Second Amendment that says gun rights are meant to be "well regulated" by local, state, and federal legislative bodies. They push for stricter gun control laws, including more extensive background checks, regulations on assault weapons, and banning high-capacity magazines. Today, the debate has escalated due to the high rate of gun violence and the rising frequency of mass shootings. In 2019, there were 417 mass shootings in the U.S., according to data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive (GVA). The increasing prevalence of mass shootings has sparked fierce debates about the sale of assault rifles, background checks for gun buyers, and the connection between gun violence and mental illness.

Abortion - The pro-life perspective argues that life begins at the moment of conception, and therefore abortion is equivalent to murder. It is seen as an act of violence that can have physical, emotional, and psychological repercussions, even if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest. Pro-life supporters believe that government intervention to prevent abortions is justified. On the other side, pro-choice argues that people have the right to choose to have an abortion because they have bodily autonomy — complete control over their own bodies. They believe that it is immoral for the government to make medical decisions on behalf of pregnant people. Thus, the pro-choice perspective opposes federal, state, or local laws that restrict access, impede funding, or create legal obstacles for getting an abortion.

Religious Freedom - Religious freedom is considered a fundamental human right for every American. The First Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Yet, religious liberty continues to be controversial in its execution. Discussions about religion and politics are often polarizing because they dig deep into how people view the world. As the adage says, "don't mix religion and politics." The First Amendment compels the government not to show preference to a specific religion or take away an individual's ability to exercise faith. It also ensures that neither the state nor the church has the power to rule over each other. Under the First Amendment, Americans have the right to practice any faith or to have no faith. Legally, they can do so without fear of government coercion, even in public. In practice, the fiery disagreements over how freedom of religion can and should be expressed have led to clashes over God's mention in the Pledge of Allegiance, displaying the Ten Commandments in public spaces, and businesses denying service based on religious belief. The issue is particularly prevalent around Christianity, which appears in many aspects of public life in the United States, despite not being the official religion. Many people with pro-religious views argue that religious freedom means they have a right to make choices about who they serve or employ and what they display or do based on their religious values. Others argue that religious freedom means not having to follow the trappings of a specific religion in public spaces or required pledges, and also not being denied access to goods, services, or jobs based on their religious beliefs.

Vaccines - Vaccines have revolutionized global health with life-saving immunity from certain diseases. Polio, smallpox, tetanus, and other infectious diseases are no longer deadly because of innovative vaccines. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccines prevent thousands of Americans from getting infected by diseases each year. Immunization is the best protection against these diseases, especially for children with weak immune systems. They may also help bring the COVID-19 pandemic to a speedier end. But there has been some opposition to vaccines in recent years. The push back against vaccines comes for different reasons, including fear, misconceptions, and mistrust of science. Anti-vaccine activists are often referred to as anti-vaxxers. Some of the most persistent arguments against vaccines include a widespread fear that vaccines cause autism, that natural immunity is better than being inoculated, and that vaccines contain harmful chemicals. Over the years, public health officials, physicians, and medical experts have debunked these claims. Despite that, anti-vaxxers still argue that vaccines can be dangerous and contain hazardous or poorly-researched substances, creating risks that outweigh the benefits. Meanwhile, vaccine supporters believe all parents have a responsibility to comply with medical advice on vaccine administration, protecting their children and strengthening herd immunity for society as a whole.

Marriage Equality - In 2015, the Marriage Equality Act made same-sex marriage legal everywhere in the United States and was later upheld by the Supreme Court. Even so, the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) [YASSS QUEENS] individuals to marry still lead to heated debates, especially within religious communities. Those who support marriage equality believe gender and sexual orientation should not affect access to rights under the law, including marriage rights. They believe all couples deserve access to the same recognition, legal rights, and tax benefits. Opponents of marriage equality argue that marriage is defined as being between a man and a woman, and allowing any other type of union undermines the institution of marriage and should thus be sanctioned by law. Most opponents of marriage equality have a faith-based viewpoint, arguing that non-heterosexual romantic relationships contradict teachings in the Bible, making them sinful in the eyes of God. They believe the government is obligated to prevent these marriages, triggering further debate about the separation of church and state. While marriage equality is the law in the United States, the debate over LGBTQ+ access to equal treatment continues.

The Trump "Presidency" - Donald Trump's presidency has been a constant source of controversy. His abrasive leadership style, tone, and methods in office are dramatically different from his predecessors, drawing an unprecedented level of ire from citizens who oppose him. He was impeached in 2019 after he pressured Ukraine to smear then-Democratic-presidential-hopeful Joe Biden. As of July 2020, President Trump had made more than 20,000 false or misleading claims. This included falsehoods about the coronavirus pandemic, fringe conspiracy theories, his impeachment trial, and protests over the death of George Floyd. He's also clashed with world leaders, openly supported white supremacists, and ignored evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Those who support President Trump claim the media misrepresents him — despite evidence to the contrary — or deny his past statements. Trump supporters embrace his policies, which include more substantial immigration restrictions, protections for the Second Amendment, and nationalist identity politics. They also view the president as a political outsider whose unconventional style and behavior are a needed disruption of traditional politics. Trump's opponents have fiercely criticized him for mishandling the coronavirus pandemic, race relations, and constitutional law. His opponents also view his presidency as a dangerous deviation from normative American values about executive authority, democratic rule, and general political civility. Trump's opponents advocate for progressive policies that clash with his conservative viewpoints, including humane immigration reform, enhanced environmental protections, and stricter gun control laws.

Transgender Rights - Transgender rights aim to protect individuals who identify as a gender that is different from the one assigned to them at birth. They argue that human rights should apply equally to all people, including those who are transgender, cisgender, non-binary, gender fluid, or intersex. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), transgender people face discrimination in education, housing, military service, credit access, and healthcare based on their gender identity or gender expression. There are 1.4 million trans adults who live in the U.S. Nearly half the United States does not have legal protections for LGBTQ+ employees. In June 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that it is illegal for employers to fire or discriminate against an employee because they are LGBTQ+. The 6-to-3 decision was a landmark victory for transgender rights. Transgender advocates work to strengthen and expand legal protections in schools, healthcare, the workplace, and common law. Opponents of transgender rights push back against the idea that people should have the right to identify as a gender other than their assigned birth gender. Religion is often a major source of anti-transgender sentiment. According to the Pew Research Center, 63% of U.S. Christians (ew) disagree that someone can be a gender different from the sex assigned to them at birth.

[I'm Christian, don't attack me for saying ew ✌️]

White Supremacy - White supremacy is a belief that white people are a superior race with the right to dominate society at the expense of other racial and ethnic groups. White supremacy has morphed into a political ideology that affects socioeconomic and legal structures within the United States. In recent years, white nationalism has gained political traction in the United States — even in the White House. "President" Donald Trump is widely condemned for promoting racism, bigotry, and hate speech through anti-Black, anti-immigrant, and anti-Muslim sentiments. White supremacists often clash with people of African ancestry, indigenous peoples, Muslims, and Jewish people. This racial violence has led to numerous acts of right-wing terrorism. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), right-ring extremists killed 38 people in 2019 — 76% of all extremist-related murders that year. These perpetrators typically self-identify with ideologies that include neo-Nazis, neo-fascists, and neo-Confederates. White supremacists heavily coalesced around the removal of Confederate monuments amidst the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. The monuments have long drawn ire for honoring the institution of slavery. Opponents of the white nationalist movement typically advocate for stricter hate crime laws, open immigration reform, and protection against racial or religious discrimination. They also push for greater access to economic power for marginalized racial groups and for reparations for slave-descended Americans. There is also an ongoing debate over how to classify white nationalist violence and activities, with opponents of the white nationalist movement calling for such actions to be classified as domestic terrorism.

Aaaaand, last but CERTAINLY not least ...

BLM (Black Lives Matter) - The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is a political movement to resist police brutality against Black people. BLM began in response to repeated instances of law enforcement facing little to no legal repercussions for use-of-force incidents that resulted in a Black person's death. BLM has grown into one of the most massive movements in U.S. history. Recent polls found that between 15 to 26 million Americans participated in BLM demonstrations in 2020 over the deaths of George Floyd, Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor, Emmett Till, and other victims of police brutality. Supporters of the movement consider police brutality to be a form of oppression against Black people, arguing that it is one symptom of inequalities in legal, judicial, and socioeconomic status. Advocates also believe that failure to prosecute officers for using excessive force demonstrates that Black lives are less valued than white lives. BLM has proposed defunding police, reforming law enforcement, investing in underserved communities, and holding officers accountable for racial bias and brutality. Critics believe that BLM is an unfair condemnation of law enforcement. They argue that defunding police or changing their tactics would undermine their ability to uphold the law under dangerous circumstances. Others point to Black-on-Black crime as justification for anti-Black attitudes, while dismissing or ignoring acts of violence by white people that specifically target Black people. The Blue Lives Matter (BlueLM) and All Lives Matters (ALM) slogans were adopted to reflect this pro-police stance.

Hopefully this helps someone! Remember, always have a cool head when debating ignorant others :)

I believe in you!

[mystic-kitten-writer]

Limerence [M] ︳32

Pairing: Zuko x OC

Genre: Romance, mainly fluff with future smut, and if you squint hard enough - you’ll find some angst.

Rating: SFW

Words: 14300+

Notes: It’s here! Get ready for the flood of emotions, sorry not sorry. But it's also crazy to see how far the story has gotten now. Did you know that I passed my one-year anniversary for this story (silently cries by myself in the corner). I'm so emotionally attached to this story it's stupid. But I hope you enjoy the story, and thank you for the awesome love and support!

Please stay healthy and safe, take care~!

Masterlist ︳Bonus pt. 2 [M] ︳ 33

❤ Buy me a coffee? ❤

Limerence: (English/n.) the state of being infatuated with another person.

The moment their eyes locked they knew - the flames within him twisted while the water within her turned. It was a connection, a connection that would lead to love, adventure, and drama.

Tacenda

(Latin/n.) Things better left unsaid; not to be mentioned to the public.

~ Ying Yue Jiang ~

            “You know…you have beautiful eyes, Princess.”

            “Awe, thanks, Sokka.”

            “Too bad your face is ugly.”

            “I swear-”

            The immature hoots that erupted from Sokka were loud and clear. His belly rumbled in amusement, entertained at my exasperated expression as I rested over his stomach.

            We were lounging in Zuko’s and I bedroom, munching on cookies on our bed, despite it being early in the morning. Zuko already rose and went for a morning jog – and I would be lying if I said I didn’t use the excuse of me being under the weather to avoid that run.

            It was as Zuko was leaving that Sokka busted through the grand doors, still in his polar bear pyjamas, with a plate of cookies in hand – “I wanted to check up on Princess, see how she’s feeling.”

            And that leads us to where we were now.

            I grumbled under my breath, stuffing another fresh-baked chocolate-chip cookie into my mouth as Sokka beamed down at me. Despite the pointless banter and teasing, Sokka and I were venting to each other; I was beyond happy. I never realized how much I missed spending time with him – he was my partner in crime, the person who helped me learn to laugh again.

            And while Sokka has been by my side from the beginning – we never got a chance to hang out as much as I would’ve wanted. Appreciate the presence of each other, even though ‘sibling time’ means tons of teasing and humiliation.

            A hand rested behind his head as he leaned against the bedframe, stuffing another cookie in his mouth. His hair has grown so much already.

            Usually, it was up in a messy top knot, but today, he let his hair down. Zuko still had the lengthiest hair out of the guys, but Sokka was starting to prove himself to be a worthy competitor. I was always jealous of how attractive Katara’s and Sokka’s brown hair was. There were natural blond highlights, and it complimented their baby blue eyes.

            “Hey…did Aang bring Momo?” I pondered out loud; brows pinched as I tried to recall the last time I saw that mischievous creature. He was already so infuriatingly elusive, but now that we were in the Kingdom, it was like he vanished.

            “Yeah, but you know how Momo is…” Sokka mumbled under his breath, more focused on chewing the cookie stuffed in his mouth than answering my question.

            “I haven’t seen him once!” I exclaimed, and Sokka snorted, “Join the club. I asked Aang the other day, told me Momo is hiding out in the kitchen.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes hearing that – of course, Momo is there. Appa would’ve joined Momo if he were here and could fit.

            “Explains why the kitchen staff is panicking. They keep complaining that the food keeps disappearing – scared it could be a ghost.”

            “You know what would be really funny…” Sokka considered, and based off the tone alone – I knew he was thinking of something evil. My mouth opened and closed, fighting the temptation to ask because I knew better. There was a reason why Sokka and I got along; we were the definition of dumb and dumber.

            My lips puckered, and the next thing I knew, I turned on my side, facing Sokka eagerly –“What’s your plan?” Sokka grinned, sitting upright. I yelped, body rolling onto his lap, and in a bold move – he put down the plate of sweets on the bed. He means business.

            “What if we covered Momo in flour – make him look like a ghost? The kitchen staff would lose their minds.”

            “Sokka~! I can already imagine the mess.”

            “And I can already imagine the looks on their faces when they see a ghost.” I huffed, crossing my arms. “No, Zuko will kill me if he finds out it was us.”

            “Keyword, if.”

            “Where is Katara when you need her?!” I groaned to myself. If Katara were here, she would’ve shut down this plan before Sokka could even think of it. She was the mother of the group for a reason – she kept us all in check.

            I grabbed a cookie from the plate that Sokka set aside, shoving it against Sokka’s lips. “Lie back down and eat a cookie.” I pestered, the only way I knew how to distract him. Sokka laughed against the cookie I practically stuffed, trying to chew the whole thing in one go.

            “Aren’t you excited? She’s arriving tonight.” He mumbled between chomps. An enormous smile appeared on my lips, brushing my bedhead hair away from my face. “I can’t wait!” I gushed, body sprawling across the bed as I hugged my teddy bear close to my chest.

            My gaze shifted upwards, staring at the wooden lined ceiling above us, with a silly look. It’s been how long since I’ve last seen Katara? It felt like forever, but I knew it was only a few months. Woah…me and Zuko haven’t been dating for that long, have we?

            It felt like Zuko, and I have been together for years – but not in a bad way. I just felt so comfortable with him. Our routines, how open we are with each other, it was surprising to think that we haven’t been together for that long. But also look at everything that happened, everything we have gone through together…

            It’s no surprise we’re as close as we are. We practically went through everything a couple may experience over their lifetime in a span of a few months. Add in the fact that he’s the ruler of a nation – things get a bit complicated.

            “She’s going to freak out when she hears everything that is going on.

            I pouted, snapping my head towards Sokka, “She doesn’t know?” Sokka grimaced, his silliness gone and face stern, “No. We didn’t want to give too much information via messenger bird or attached to Appa. It could get intercepted. It’s not worth the risk.”

            A blue silence fell between us; my gaze returned to the ceiling, lost in my thoughts. Despite all the smiles, the giggles, the sweet moments of bliss – that didn’t change the current chaos around us. Mai is a traitor, Azula is back, and Yakone-

            It was like someone punched me.

            The mere mention of Yakone had a shiver running up my spine, the hairs on my arms rising in terror. Zuko didn’t mention his name once around me, and I wonder if it was because he knew how shaken up I was after the incident. The worst part of it all was I still had the handkerchief Yakone gave me that night when he comforted me, hidden away in my vanity. Gosh, I should’ve thrown it out, burnt it –anything, but keeping it.

            I didn’t know why I even kept the stupid thing. Maybe it was to remind me that Yakone wasn’t that evil as a man? That there was still a little bit of good left in him. Yakone knew my family’s crane story.

            Dumb luck?

            He’s also a Bloodbender.

            But Aang told me that-

            “Princess…how is your ‘Fire Nation Politics’ lessons going?” Sokka asked, his voice cutting my thoughts in half. I couldn’t help but jump slightly in surprise, and Sokka’s hand fell over my forehead, a soothing gesture spotting my uneasiness.

            “Hmm? S-sorry, I didn’t hear properly.” I mumbled quickly, looking up at Sokka. He rolled his eyes at my aloofness, flicking my head before speaking again, “You’re lessons involving politics. Zuko told me you’ve been learning a few things.”

            I groaned loudly.

            Gosh, bloody Fire Nation politics.

            The moment I accepted that stupid Imperial Consort seal, I’ve had to brush up on my Fire Nation knowledge. From previous Fire Lords, customs, family trees, and laws – I wanted to cry. It wasn’t that it wasn’t interesting, it was just so much information thrown at me at once.

            My hands fell over my face as I internally sobbed.

            “It’s so difficult. I understand the basics, but the system here seems so backwards at times.” I whined into my hands, venting all the annoyance I had bottled up. There were so many things going on; at this point, I felt like I was memorizing words rather than understanding.

            But knowing the rules did help out and gave me the chance to fire that meanie of a councilmember…Maybe I did understand more than I was giving myself credit for. But with everything else going on at the moment, my head hurt tons.

            “Why don’t you ask Zuko to help you out, Princess? He is kind of like, the Fire Lord.” My hands dropped from my face, opting to throw my arms into the air in defeat. “I don’t want to bother Zuko. He has so much on his plate. I want to do this on my own.”

            “But Princess, this is his job. He’ll help if you ask– he wants to help.”

            I huffed to myself, biting my lips in frustration, “I know, but...I-uhh-I don’t know. I don’t want to. Have you seen the book I had to read for this week?”

            Sokka shook his head, and I grumbled to myself, “On my nightstand. See that ridiculously thick book? Yeah, try reading a page and not fall asleep.” Sokka laughed at the evident disgust in my voice, grinning madly as he reached to his side. Just thinking about the book had me shivering in fear.

            But I was trying.

            Watching the way Zuko worked on a daily, it made me want to work just as hard. I wanted the prove everyone wrong – that I wasn’t some arm candy for Zuko. That I knew what I was doing… Sometimes, it felt like Zuko was the only one who believed in me in this kingdom. I won the people’s hearts – now I had to prove to the council that I can do this.

            I closed my eyes, letting my arm rest over my eyes, the migraine that I’ve had still dully throbbing.

            It was strange, for the past five or so days, I kept fluctuating from feeling better to isolating myself in bed. My body was hurting; my head felt like a hot mix of heavy and aching. Was having a cold always this annoying? I usually had Katara heal me; I haven’t experienced a full-blown illness in years.

            “I’m gonna read where you have your bookmark,” Sokka spoke, and I merely nodded.

            Although…I don’t remember leaving a bookmark in my book…I didn’t make it far enough to bother putting one. I could hear Sokka snort as if he was trying to sniffle in a laugh-

            “Yesterday, Zuko used the lounging area after our bath, and I couldn’t be happier! He looked sooooo cute sitting there, reading. He almost fell asleep-”

            “OH MY GOSH SOKKA STOP!” I screamed. This asshole was reading my bloody journal!

            Sokka jumped out of bed, the fastest I’ve ever seen him move. I don’t even think he’s moved this fast or much during his times in battles. His bare feet hit the ground with a loud thud, laughing obnoxiously loud as he watched my expression of pure humiliation.

            My eyes were bulging, cheeks a flaming hot red as I jumped in the bed, frantically trying to grab the notebook from his grasp.

            “I love how when Zuko thinks he pouts like a child and-”

            “Sokka STOP – give it back!” I moaned loudly, embarrassment about to eat me alive and be my cause of death. But my cries fell upon deaf ears, Sokka smiling like the cat that got the cream and sliding away from me. I huffed stridently, flying off the bed and flailing my arms stupidly.

            Toph and I were the same height, which meant that everyone was outlandishly taller than us by two heads, minimum. I hopped up and down, trying my hardest to get Sokka to shut up – oh my gosh, I’m going to strangle him. But he just rose his arms high above him, reading the damn diary loud and proud. Please don’t read more, or else he’s going to-

            “It’s crazy to think that it’s those same pouty lips that left these hickies- OH NO. I’m GOING TO KILL HIM!” Sokka raged, his face matching my red face.

            I lunged forward, digging my shoulder into Sokka’s stomach.

            Both of us went tumbling down on the floor, sounding like thunder during a rainstorm. One would have thought we were doing some training exercise at the amount of effort and roughhousing we were currently engaging in. Who needs a morning run when you have a dumbass older brother reading your diary?

            “Give it back to me!”

            “NEVER. I swear, what else has that asshole done? I’m bringing you back home after we figure this stuff out!”

            “OH shut up, Sokka. I’m staying here!”

            “No, you aren’t! HOLY SHIT – you guys did WHAT in his office!?”

            “Sokka, stop reading!” I shrieked, trying to rip the damn book from his hands. I was puffing brashly, Sokka swinging his arms above him, despite me sitting on his chest, trying to catch his hands.

            “No! I do work on that damn desk sometimes. I’ve drunken TEA on top of there!” Oh, screw this, “I swear Sokka, I’ll choke you out if you don’t give me my diary!”

            “You wouldn’t dare.” He hissed under his breath; blue eyes narrowed – the glare of a warrior. I shot back the same look he gave me – I could be just as scary as him if I tried really-really hard. Sorry, Suki – find yourself a new man-

            “Should I even ask?”

            Sokka and I froze, heads snapping upwards, hearing the gruff voice echoing above us.

            Zuko stood at the end of the bed, his arms across his broad chest, as he watched us with a mixture of confusion and amusement. His face was rosy from running, a few beads of sweat running down his temple and neck. I could see the way his chest rose with every breath, still winded from his workout.

            My cheeks flushed at the sight of Zuko’s sweaty body, and at how silly Sokka and I looked. But Sokka seemed just as startled as me. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I snatched the notebook away from his hands, “HA~!”

            Sokka’s eyes widen, stunned at how fast I stole the book, sticking my tongue at him.

            It was like Zuko never entered the room.

            Sokka and I bickered back and forth like toddlers unable to share a damn toy. Our faces were pink, not taking the time to breathe between words, let alone sentences.

            “For fucks sakes, it’s way too early in the morning to deal with this,” Zuko grumbled under his breath, and I turned my gaze back to my handsome man.

            He strolled over to the closet, patting down his face with the towel dangling over his shoulders. I fought the urge to drool over the sight – let’s not check out Zuko with Sokka in the room. Just as fast as Zuko entered the closet, he walked out, grabbing a set of clothing– those are some extravagant clothing he picked.

            Every piece of clothing Zuko owned was stunning, made of the most delicate fabrics. But as he threw a new outfit onto the bed indolently, I saw the golden shimmers that illuminated under the morning sun and the beautifully sewed dragons.

            Sokka opened his mouth to argue, and I just slapped his head with my notebook, muffling his cries. “Zuko, why are you dressing up? Is there a meeting?” I asked, raising my voice so Zuko could hear me over Sokka’s squeals. He perked up, shooting me a look of disbelief.

            “Wow, won’t you look at that. Now my Imperial Consort acknowledges my existence.” He sarcastically spoke. I rolled my eyes at Zuko, bouncing off Sokka’s chest. Ignoring Sokka and his angry rant, I skipped towards Zuko, “You know I love you, Zuko~.”

            “Mhmm – it seems you love me the most during the night when you need a heater.”

            “…I’m not going to deny that.” I giggled, and right away, Zuko shot me a glare. A harmless glare, because I saw the grin that fought to emerge.

            “I advise you, and Sokka, change soon. I don’t think you want to be dressed in your nightclothes when she arrives.”

            Huh? She?

            “You’re talking about Katara? Isn’t she arriving tonight-” Sokka budded in, and I noticed he had the plate of leftover cookies in hand, chewing away. Zuko nodded his head, his amber eyes settling over me, “I got word they’re at Ember Island at the moment, taking a little break. They should arrive in the next hour or two.”

            My face flushed, clapping excitedly.

            “She’s almost here!” I gushed, turning on my heel to face Sokka. For the moment, the fact that he was reading my diary, and was about to kill Zuko was lost to the wind – both us animated at the thought of seeing Katara again.

            “Sokka, get out so I can change! I need to take a bath.”

            “I know you do, you stink.”

            “I swear Sokka-” I hissed under my breath, and just as quick as Sokka was to tease, he stepped forward, his playful grin shifting to a tender smile. His fingers brushed through the tangled strands of hair that fell over my face, combing them out of the way. My body relaxed and a lax smile of my own emerging at the gentle gesture.

            “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Princess.” He whispered under his breath, and I couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “Thanks for checking up on me, and the cookies…I missed you…even if you annoy me.”

            Sokka grinned, flicking my forehead, “I’m always here, Princess...and…I’m taking the cookies with me.” He turned on his heel, shouting his goodbyes to Zuko before I could fight for my right to indulge in those tempting sweets. The pace at which he bee-lined for the exit, the door shutting behind him in one fluid motion, was unmatchable – leaving Zuko and me alone.

            My shoulders dropped, a content sigh escaping me – I’m happy.

            “Love?”

            My eyes widen, turning to see Zuko with those enticing eyes. He titled his head to the side, nudging towards the bathroom. An innocent giggle escaped me, already knowing what my dear Zuko was asking.

            “Give me a minute to grab some clothes-”

            “Already picked a dress for you.” I couldn’t hide my surprised expression even if I tried. “You did? I didn’t see you grab anything-”

            “I will after our bath. Although naked sounds like a tempting option, I must say.” Zuko sheepishly spoke, laughing under his breath as he waltzed towards me. His arms wrapped around my waist, gazing down at me with a broad smile. My hands fell over his chest, feeling his pulse under my touch.

            “Sokka says I stink…clearly; he didn’t smell you.” I teased, and Zuko leaned in, playfully biting my nose. His teeth grazed my skin, and I giggled at his childish behaviour. It will repeatedly take me off guard how utterly spiritedly Zuko could be – a trait that didn’t seem to pop up often, even with the others.

            “Mmm, stinky and stinky.” He muttered under his breath, “We make a good pair.”

            “Soon, we’ll be clean and clean.” I bantered back, enjoying the dimpled smile that shined brightly on Zuko’s face.

            “What were you and Sokka fighting about?” Zuko asked, his lips pecking my forehead, still holding me close to his body – making no move to head to the bathroom. I groaned to myself, letting my head plop onto his chest with a thud, recalling what had happened.

            “That bum read my diary! It was so embarrassing!” I blew.

            “You know…” Zuko spoke, and I heard the dip in his voice.

            My head snapped upwards, and I wasn’t astounded to see that shit-eating smirk flicker upon those sinful lips. The way my heart pounded, expression naïve hearing and seeing the way Zuko licked his lips mischievously, leaning too close for comfort.

            “I must say – my favourite part is when you write about how much you adore my voice.” Zuko mused, and at that moment – my cheeks turned a red that not even Zuko’s flames could match.

            My mouth dropped, babbling nonsense as I slapped Zuko’s chest hard – as if I could slap the awkwardness out of me. But Zuko didn’t seem the slightest bit flustered; instead, he looked down at me with a glowing grin. I can’t believe this asshole-

            “Does NO ONE understand the concept of PRIVACY!?” I squealed, puffing as I grumbled under my breath. “I can’t believe you read my diary! You’re just as annoying as Sokka!”

            “Who said I read your diary, love?” I frowned, staring at Zuko with confusion, “You-you just said that you knew-” Zuko grinned mischievously, the tips of his fingers tickling my jaw, shutting me up.

            “Oh, my sweet love. I didn’t read your diary. Just a lucky guess.”

            “You were bluffing-”

            “Nice to know what you think of my voice, although-” Zuko smirked, planting a deceitfully sweet kiss on my nose, “I can’t say that I am surprised.” I stood there, rattled, cheeks a flaming red - Zuko always seemed to know.

            That prideful smirk of his didn’t vanish, his delicate fingers leaving my face, arm no longer hugging me close. His welcomed warmth left my body, smugly stepping back, taking in my flustered appearance to the fullest.

            “Shall we get into our bath, love?” he spoke calmly, it was maddening.

            “I’m going to drown you,” I complained under my breath, watching the way Zuko confidently strolled towards the bathroom. But being the oh-so-famous man he was, Zuko shrugged off the threat with ease.

            His long fingers untied his loose bun, looking over his shoulder with a playful grin, “I can think of ten other things I would rather do in that tub than drown.”

            “Zuko~!”

            “And that’s exactly what I indeed to hear from those pretty lips of yours, baby.”

            “Everything is set for Katara’s arrival, Fire Lord Zuko.”

            “Including the extra guard?”

            “Yes, Fire Lord. They are at their post.”

            Zuko huffed under his breath, nodding at the servants' words, although I couldn’t help but notice how empty his tone sounded. My eyes shifted from the chaos before me, feeling the way Zuko was moving his arm, which I tightly hugged. The moment I tilted my head upwards, an amused smile painted my lips. What a manchild-

            The golden stings that decorated Zuko’s sleeves seemed to have unravelled.

            I watched as he puckered, failing miserably at tying the adornment with one hand. The fabric slipped from between his fingers, and it may have been the first time, I dare say, that Zuko was unelegant. For a man with such a soft touch and long delicate fingers – you would have thought he had tree stumps as digits at the way he wriggled.

            “Fire Lord Zuko – let me.” I hummed.

            I grasped his arm, tugging him closer to myself as I tied the flimsy strings together. No wonder he was struggling – it was silk. A small huff, and a tongue biting moment later – I quickly began tying.

            Our pace of walking slowed without me realizing, and I couldn’t help but smile pridefully at how adorable my little knot was. While cute was not synonymous with Zuko for the majority of the population – it was in my books. What was there not to label cute about Zuko?

            “Mmm, what would I do without my lovely Imperial Consort?” Zuko droned into my ear, a deep huskiness causing my cheeks to flush. I could hear the teasing tone with every word, but that didn’t change the touch of truth in his statement. The guards and servants around us giggled softly, overhearing the teasing banter, causing my cheeks to deepen in colour.

            I looked upwards, not expecting to see Zuko as close as he was. It reminded me of the events that happened just a few days ago, us laughing like children down the hallway, close and snuggled. That’s right, Izumi was the name we settled on…

            The way his eyes smiled at me, inspecting the way my touch left his sleeves, opting to embrace his arm close to my body. For a moment in time, I found myself speechless. Zuko looked handsome today, breathtaking. Was that unusual? Not at all – but Zuko made my skin tingle, butterflies fluttering, and breath gone.

            “You would be lost – that’s what you would be.” I chirped back, biting my lips with a tone to match his. The way Zuko’s eyes lit up, surprised that I decided to amuse him. His lips began to move, ready to spit out some witty retort, but the sound of a servant clearing his throat beat him to it.

            “Fire Lord Zuko, you have a lunch date planned today with your mother, in the gardens. I assume you wish to cancel?”

            A lunch date? How sweet! It’s been a while since Zuko and Ursa have spent some time together. But rather than lighting up the way Zuko usually does at the mere mention of Ursa, he pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. I pouted, observing his evident annoyance, not seeming as content to hear of such a plan like me.

            “She’s going to kill me for canceling again- Yes, please cancel-” Zuko hissed under his breath. He can’t be serious-

            “Zuko.” I huffed, tugging on his arm without thinking. In a flash, everyone turned their attention to me – and I mentally slapped myself for doing such an act in public. But I pushed aside the regret, focusing on the matter at hand.

            “You aren’t really going to cancel your afternoon plans with Ursa, are you?” I whisper shouted, looking at Zuko with wide eyes. His lips puckered at my words, shooting me a look that screamed, ‘what else am I suppose to do?’

            I swear- this man really is lost without me at times.

            “We arrived here almost a week ago, and you’ve haven’t seen your family once. They’re worried.” I reasoned, and Zuko sighed, gazing around us in frustration. The guards got the hint. They awkwardly turned their looks away, walking briskly in front of us, giving us plenty of space to talk without anyone overhearing.

            “I know that Yue, but when Katara lands, we need to discuss-” Zuko hissed under his breath, lips pressed as he tried to hush his tone. “Zuko.” I pleaded, shaking my head, tightening my hold.

            The large doors that lead outside, where we landed with Appa, was coming into view. I spotted a dash of green running through the doors, most likely Suki. That means everyone is already there, waiting for Katara’s arrival.

            “I’ve been here for how long, and I only got to share one moment with you in those gardens. One walk – don’t do the same thing with your mom. She misses you.” I begged, and right away, Zuko’s stern look shifted to that of genuine regret. His cheeks flushed, stripping his gaze away from mine, his lips twisted to a frown.

            “You know how to make a man feel guilty,” Zuko grumbled under his breath as he strode forward, but I tugged on his arm harshly. He’s trying to run away from his feelings. We abruptly stopped dead in our tracks, turning on his heel to look down at me with narrowed eyes. Zuko wasn’t upset with me – he just sucks at expressing himself.

            Zuko was more of a family man than he let on. He would do anything for them, but it was like he was afraid to admit how much he cared. How much he thought about them and enjoyed their presence. I wasn’t a fool; I caught the sweet stares he sent to his mom or Uncle Iroh, enjoying their company, even if it was just for a few seconds.   

            “What I’m trying to say is this-” I muttered softly, upset that I caused that frown to rise. “We’ve survived this long without someone attacking us. I think the gang would understand and can wait a few more hours before our meeting. Katara is probably exhausted as well; she could use some rest…” I hummed.

            Out of the corner of my eyes, I could spot the servants studying us, curious as to why we halted. I let my hands rest over Zuko’s forearms, squeezing as I smiled up at him, “You’re a man of work, Zuko. And I love that, but don’t forget that you have a family too...”

            “I knew it was a bad idea to let Uncle Iroh and mom keep you company…they taught you their ways of getting to my mind.” Zuko mumbled under his breath, but I spotted that gentle smile of his starting to shine through – my sun.

            “When are you going to learn that I’m always the one in control?” I teased, and in a flash, Zuko gripped my hands tightly. My heart pounded loudly, blood pumping as I watched as Zuko brought my hands to his lips, placing sweet pecks all over my palms.

            “Mmm, I don’t deny such a truth, I pride myself in it.” he snickered, before stealing one last caress. “Let’s go, baby. Based on the ruckus outside, and dirt flying everywhere, it seems like Katara has arrived.”

            “I’m so excited, Zuko. I missed her-”

            “Oh, I’m very much aware of how excited you are. All night you were squirming around in your sleep. It felt like I was cuddling a worm.” Zuko laughed, and I blushed. This tease- I pulled my grip away, playfully punching his chest, not at all caring that we were not in the private confines of our bedroom.

            “Watch yourself, love – you wouldn’t want to get arrested now.” Zuko grinned, and I scoffed.

            “We both know that the guards love me more than you. So if you, Sir, don’t want to get put into cuffs, I advise you be careful.” I smugly retorted, and it was then and there I knew I was treading in dangerous waters.

            The large gap between us felt far too small, watching the way Zuko’s lips twisted to a naughty smirk that had my stomach in knots.

            He leaned forward, his lips grazing my jaw, his hot breath tickling the skin at the base of my neck. That alone had my breath hitching, and the incontrollable response had Zuko clicking his tongue in amusement. His alluring scent had my head spinning, knees on the verge of buckling at his mere presence. But it was Zuko’s damn voice that had me teetering on edge. Fuck him-

            “Mhmm, we both know that you would look delicious in a pair of cuffs, baby. And while I would never think of using such means, ‘cause you’re such a good girl, I’m not against the idea.”

            “Zuko-” I gulped, my hands bunching the fabric of my dress in my hands. I could feel my palms getting sweaty, realizing I’ve been holding my breath the whole time. And at the mere sound of my voice, Zuko let out a low groan in my ear, tilting his head back as he licked his lips. The way his eyes fluttered closed for a moment, rolling back – was it because of me?

            “There you go again, love. Saying my name in that needy tone of yours – it drives me mad.” He purred, and my eyes widened. Does no one see this, hear this? I anxiously shifted my gaze around us, scared that someone would see what was happening. I can’t continue breaking royal rules. I need just one day. One day where I go without breaking a damn rule.

            But my resolved cracked.

            The guards and servants were far more interested in watching the arrival of Appa through the windows, talking amongst themselves than what was going on between us. They have no clue; they’re completely oblivious-

            “Come on, baby, let me hear the sweet voice of yours again.” Zuko toyed, catching my attention. His lips brushed against my jaw once again, a hand falling on the dip of my back. I couldn’t help it – his lips are so close to mine, and no one is watching.

            One kiss. One kiss is all I want-

            “THANK THE FUCKING GODS I AIN’T THE ONLY ONE LATE.”

            If Zuko wasn’t holding on my waist the way he was now, I would’ve fallen on my face.

            We pushed off each other, the looks of two people who got caught painted on our faces. But just like that, Zuko collected himself. His touch left me, crossing his arms with a scowl on his face as he watched Sokka dash towards us in a mad sprint.

            Why is Sokka-

            Sokka’s thick brown hair reflected off the sunlight, droplets of water flying as he ran like a sprinkler. His hands were desperately working on the white buttons that decorated his navy blue top, flaunting his exposed torso to us. Are his shoes on the opposite feet?

            “Sokka? Why are you-” I whispered, but Zuko blew loudly, finishing off my train of thought. “A bloody mess? Come on, man, you’re leaving a fucking trail of water, and you aren’t even a Waterbender.” I stifled in a laugh because Zuko was totally right. There was a damn pond now in the kingdom, courtesy of Sokka.

            But Sokka grinned largely, not at all bothered by Zuko’s expression of disappointment. Aang and Sokka, I think the only two people who are immune to Zuko’s glares. Even I would cower away from such a stare.

            “I had to shower, and Suki had to shower too, and one thing led to another-”

            My cheeks flushed, and before I knew it, my hands fell over my ears, shutting my eyes and trying to push the mental image away. “Too much details Sokka!” I shouted, twisting on my heels, and Sokka let out a petty laugh.

            “HA. Oh yeah, cause that diary didn’t have too much information, Princess.” I frowned, hands falling on my hips as Sokka came to a halt beside us, closing the last button of his top. Oh, I swear, I’m going to kill Sokka-

            “You didn’t have to read my diary, dummy!” I shouted, and I could hear Zuko sigh beside us.“Why is my best friend, a fucking idiot?” Zuko mumbled, his arm snaking around my waist.

            “AWW MAN, I’m you’re best friend?” Sokka spoke, beaming like a child towards Zuko, and I found my jaw-dropping. Out of everything Zuko said, all he got was ‘friend’?

            “You’re an idiot,” Zuko spoke, a touch of genuine fear in his voice. I couldn’t help but snort, shaking my head as I brushed my hair behind my ears, looking forward. But it still doesn’t explain why Sokka is late.

            “We just saw Suki a few moments ago, Sokka,” I spoke, observing him. He had an elastic between his teeth, his hands frantically brushing his hair to a messy bun.

            “Yeah, well, as I said, we had to shower. I was just getting in, and she was just finishing.” Sokka mumbled between clenched teeth. With a free hand, he grabbed the hair tie, wrapping his hair in a somewhat presentable hair-do. “I still think I have shampoo in my hair…” Sokka grumbled under his breath.

            Who needs a damn child when you can have Sokka? I rolled my eyes, reaching forward as I watched the way Sokka struggled to put on the coat that he had swung over his shoulder. I’m surprised it didn’t fall off during his mad sprint towards us. I reached forward, fingers grazing the rough material, only for an animated shout to catch our attention.

            “Come on, slow-pokes! She’s here!”

            My eyes widen, looking in front of us. Suki’s head was popping through the grand doors. She was free of her Kyoshi warrior outfit, opting for a natural look. Her eyes matched the sweet smile of hers, her green dress flowing in the light breeze outside. Her brown hair bobbed back and forth as she eagerly bounced in her spot in excitement.

            “Some siblings you are – both of you guys are late.” She laughed before shutting the door behind her. Katara is here! In a flash, I gazed up to Zuko with doe eyes, ready to babble in anticipation, but I found myself stopping. The smile on Zuko’s face – it didn’t reach his eyes.

            I’m an idiot.

            “Come on; Katara’s going to give us a damn lecture if she doesn’t see us in the next ten seconds.” Sokka huffed, striding ahead of us. Zuko merely nodded, the arm wrapped around my waist thrusting me forward to match Sokka’s pace.

            Zuko didn’t utter a word; he just kept his gaze forward as we walked towards the doors. His lips were pressed tight despite the smile on his face. It was those fake smiles of his, I’ve seen them before whenever he was tired, or annoyed but had to show face in the name of politics.

            Zuko and Katara.

            I never did ask, but did they ever talk about what happened in the Southern Water Tribe? Things just happened so fast, and as reasonable as Zuko was, he was as stubborn as Katara could be petty.

            Did they make-up, did Katara apologize to Zuko? Zuko flat out admitted he wanted Katara to help heal me, but was it because he trusted her, or because he was desperate to see me better?

            The servants in front of us quickly opened the door for us, and for a split moment, I saw the slight scowl on Zuko’s face.

            Zuko…

            Awkward was a word I would have never used to describe Katara’s and my relationship.

            We were many things – but above all, we were sisters despite not sharing the same blood. It was funny; she was born in November, me in July, the same year, but she was more of a big sister to me than I was to her. She just had this motherly aura about her, even making Zuko seem like a child to us all.

            A silence fell over us as we stood side by side.

            My fingers twirled around each other as we walked along the hallway, me admiring the view of the gardens before us. It was a beautiful day, the sunlight shining, the flowers seemingly reaching their peak in beauty. I could only imagine the sweet scents the flowers were producing should we have been walking outside instead.

            Awkward.

            The others were busy working on their tasks, Aang with his new Nation, Sokka, Toph, and Suki regarding a battle plan. And Zuko- I smiled. I could see him and Ursa, sitting under the large cherry blossom tree that towered above all. The pink blossoms created a blanket-like cover for Zuko and Ursa to sit on, something straight out of a fairytale.

            Even from here, I could see the contentment on Ursa’s face as Zuko poured her some tea. But the same emotion was evident on his, and while I couldn’t prove it, I was certain that those heart-throbbing dimples of his were most likely present on his face.

            Katara carefully brushed a brown braid behind her ear, her fingers playing with the flimsy envelope in her arms. I figured she would’ve used the time Zuko is spending with his mother to rest, but instead, she said she wanted to spend some time with me. I was beyond delighted to hear her say that, but now that she was here-

            Awkward.

            Why were things so awkward between us right now?

            The sound of Zuko’s laughter caught my attention, a tinge of pink dusting my cheeks. His smile was wide as he shook his head in amusement, his mother nodding eagerly as she spoke. The way Zuko studied his mom, listening to her every word like it was gold. He loved his mother to the moon and back; there wasn’t a doubt about it.

            “You and Zuko…you two seem happy.” Katara hummed softly, the first one to speak in the awkward silence that somehow managed to fall between us. I froze, unable to move my feet as I sharply turned to stare at Katara.

            Her blue eyes were round and filled with admiration, a genuine smile on her face. “Suki was right; you do stare at him a lot.” My mouth dropped, cheeks flaring up as I found myself speechless. Katara’s smile soon turned to an almighty grin, laughing at the reaction she got out of me, “Has Sokka declared himself as the ‘almighty cockblock’ yet?”

            I snorted, “The first week.”

            “He’s so overprotective.”

            “Tell me about it, that dummy read my diary today!”

            “He did not.” Katara huffed, her cheeks matching my red ones once I told her the news. But as the words left her mouth, I noticed how close we had gotten. Both of our bodies were leaned towards each other, eagerly talking as if the awkward silence that was consuming us never happened.

            The awkwardness…

            “Yue…?”

            “Katara…”

            “I missed you.”

            At her final words, I found my arms quickly flying over her shoulders, a happy smile painting my face. “I missed you, too, Katara,” I whispered, not at all caring that I was wrinkling the important paper pressed against her chest. Katara let out a giggle as she snuggled her head into my neck, cuddling me back to the best of her abilities without dropping the letter.

            The awkwardness was not because of some ill feelings, but because we didn’t know where to start.

            I’ve never been away from Katara and Sokka before; it was usually them leaving me for work. But now…it was different. This wasn’t a matter or us leaving for a few weeks or months and coming back. I lived here now, forever, this was my new home.

            My new life with Zuko.

            “It’s been so long; I don’t even know where to start.” I gushed as we pulled away. Having her in my arms briefly, I noticed that not much had changed between us despite the time. The only reason difference is that while she wore blue, I wore red.

            But she’s still my exasperating sister.

            “Well, you can start with, you know.” Katara laughed, wiggling her eyebrows towards the window. I blushed, looking over my shoulder, and at that moment, Zuko’s eyes locked with mine.

            It didn’t matter that we were a distance away from each other. The fire that ignited in me the moment Zuko’s gaze settled over mine was undeniable. He shot me a devilish smile as he tilted his head cockily. The way his ember eyes studied me, it was like he was looking into my soul – leaving me gasping and knees shaky. And just like that, he turned back to his mom, resuming his conversation.

            Oh, this man, the definition of sin itself.

            “Where do I even start?” I breathed, hands falling over my chest to get my heartbeat under wraps. But despite the flustered state, Zuko seemed always to leave me in; I couldn’t pull my eyes away. Gosh, Yue. You’re literally creeping him through the damn window.

            Have you really stooped that low? Yes, yes, I have, and I have no regrets.

            The confidence that seemed to ooze from him without a single effort, how did Ursa manage to give birth to such a fine specimen like him? Those pouty lips, long fingers, his hot breath along my neck-

            “Yue, do you love Zuko?” Katara blurted, cutting my thoughts in half.

            I jumped in my spot, my whole body heating up in embarrassment. Not only did Katara just catch me gawking at Zuko within minutes of her arriving here, but she also didn’t know. Everything that has happened between us; the kisses, sweet confessions, she didn’t know a single thing.

            “The way you’re staring at Zuko, the way he looks at you…it’s just like Aang and me; it’s …love.”

            “I-”

            “Do you-do you love him, Yue?” Katara sternly spoke, stepping forward. Her hands fell over my shoulders, her fingers digging into my dress with a serious expression. I nervously bit my lip, trying to understand her sudden outburst, but the expression she wore was serious. I swallowed hard, nodding my head.

            “I love him, Katara. More than anything in the world.”

             “I can’t believe it…” She whispered under her breath.

            I pouted, tilting my head to try to comprehend her words. Was she…was she mad? But Katara just snickered, her shoulders slumping in ease as she shook her head. “Zuko didn’t need someone to break down his walls; he needed someone to help him rebuild.” She muttered to herself. What is she talking about-

            “I’m so happy, Yue; I’m so happy you found each other.” She exclaimed. “Dad has been worried sick about you; I can’t wait till I tell him how happy you are.”

            Hakoda-

            “How is dad, Katara?” I questioned, and Katara shot me a sad smile. It was something that ate away at me. I still remember the look on his face when I told him I was leaving with Zuko. He tried to play it off cool, saying how he was happy that I was leaving the nest, spreading my wings again. But I could still remember the small sniffle that I heard the moment I shut the door behind me to leave.

            “He’s good, but sad…he misses you. Keeps on saying how his daughters are being swept off their feet.” Katara spoke as I let my gaze wander back to the window. Ursa was standing tall, dusting off her dress with a happy smile that reached her eyes. But Zuko was nowhere in sight.

            “But, he has you at home, at least,” I replied.

            “About that…” I frowned at her tone, pulling my gaze away from the gardens and back to Katara. She let out a heavy sigh, shuffling back and forth between her feet. “Dad has been acting weird lately,”

            Dad was always weird; that was a fact, but for Katara to say it spoke plenty. He was a serious man, for the most part, but Sokka got his playfulness from someone. And it didn’t take long to learn from who it was.

            “Dad has been pushing at the thought of Aang and me finding a home for ourselves.”

            “He’s thinking about your future.” I tried to reason, but Katara shook her head. “That’s what I thought, but since you left, he’s been insistent. Keeps saying that I’m an adult now, that I have to think of the bigger picture. And…”

            “And?” I pushed, and I spotted the way Katara’s cheeks flushed.

            Katara was blushing.

            She hugged her body, eyes darting side to side before she finally found her voice. Katara and Aang have been together for years – it took a lot to make Katara blush. This is going to be good.

            “A few months ago, I saw Aang talking to Dad in his office. But whenever I bring it up, Aang says he wasn’t there – when I saw him. I even confronted Dad about it, but he denies everything.” I rose a brow, trying to piece together what Katara was telling me.

            Why Would Dad lie about that, better yet – Aang doesn’t lie. Aang is the definition of purity, never uttering a lie or harming a soul. For Aang to lie to Katara…

            “I think…I think Aang may propose to me, Yue.”

            “Oh my gosh, Katara-”

            “And I wanna say yes!” She blurted, her hands falling over her mouth at her honest confession. I couldn’t stop the squeals, jumping in my spot at the thought of Katara and Aang tying the knot. The first marriage in the gang!

            “Katara, I’m so HAPPY!” I chirped, clapping like a fool at the thought, and that just seemed to worsen Katara’s blush. “I love him, Yue. We won’t have kids for a few years, we agreed on that, we’re both too busy with our jobs. But we’ve always wanted to be married. But maybe I’m overthinking things?”

            “Overthinking? KATARA. He went to Dad, and now Dad is trying to find a house for you~! He’s going to propose!”

            “Have you heard anything funny from Sokka, or maybe Zuko? Maybe Zuko would know what Aang is thinking. Aang always says how Zuko is his best friend; he would know something, right?” Katara insisted, and I thought.

            She had a point.

            Just like how I spilled my guts to Suki or Kima, the guys would do the same with each other. But I never heard anything from Zuko…but he’s good at keeping secrets, Yue. I huffed, that’s right. Which means…if I want to find something I have to do a little bit of snooping.

            I grinned, “Leave it to me. Sokka doesn’t call me a curious cat for nothing!” Katara frowned, shaking her finger at me, “Don’t go doing anything stupid, Yue. I don’t want you to get in trouble with Zuko because of me.”

            I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms, “Zuko wouldn’t dare, I have him wrapped around my finger.”

            “I can’t believe it, Yue. You really tamed the untamable.” Katara spoke in amazement, shaking her head as she watched over me. I smiled proudly, shifting my attention back outside. Ursa was calmly sitting under the tree again, a book in her lap as her eyes scanned back and forth. Smart woman, enjoying the warmth to the fullest.

            But Zuko still wasn’t there. Where did he go? He was just there a moment ago-

            “Looking for someone, love?”

            I jumped, a pair of arms snaking their way around my body. The heat emitted from his touch had me purring, snuggling against the hard torso pressed against my back. Zuko nuzzled his face into my neck, his hands firmly planting themselves on my waist as he hummed pleasantly in my ear. “Mm, how is my baby?” he droned, his lips nibbling my skin before stopping abruptly.

            His body tensed, and I saw the way Katara’s eyes widen in surprise. Zuko pulled his face away from me, standing tall, fingers digging into my skin.

            “Katara.” He spoke bluntly, but I could feel the coldness in his tone. I’m right. He was upset with her still, and Katara seemed to notice it too. Katara’s lips pressed tight, taking a deep breath as she nodded her head, “Zuko.”

            Awkward – this was what real awkwardness feels like.

            The tension in the room was thick, Katara’s blue eyes locked with Zuko’s golden ones. “How was your lunch with Ursa, Zuko?” I blurted, trying to ease the tension, it was unbearable.

            “Great.” He hissed, and I stiffened. This is bad, really bad.

            Do something, Yue.

            Do something-

            “I forgot to give these papers to you earlier, Zuko. These are from the Earth Nation.” Katara spoke, and Zuko’s eyes narrowed.

            “How did you receive it?” He asked, and Katara cleared her throat before answering. “Ember Island. The Earth King sent this there, thinking you were still residing in your vacation home. But I was told it was urgent and they sent it with me. Faster with Appa. It’s to be opened as soon as possible.”

            Zuko merely nodded, not saying anything else. Zuko not speaking was scarier than him yelling. Katara outstretched her arm, Zuko meeting halfway as he touched the envelope. The flimsy document looked small in Zuko’s hands, but as his fingers curled, ready to take it, Katara's voice stopped him.

            “Actually, I thought Yue could take it to your study.”

            “Why? I can do it myself; we’re on our way there now-”

            “I-I want to talk, just us, for a minute, Zuko,” Katara exclaimed, and I noticed the way her voice wavered. Her eyes met mine, almost pleading with me to go along, and I nodded. Before Zuko would say anything else, I reached forward, taking the paper from their grasps. I looked upwards, shooting Zuko a sweet smile, “I’ll meet you at the study with the gang. Be quick!”

            I could hear Zuko click his tongue, and like water, I slipped from his grasp.

            Temptation ate away at me, swiftly gazing over my shoulder at the two, and they were exactly where I left them seconds ago. They stood across each other, a large frown on Zuko’s face as Katara took a deep breath. And as I turned the corner, I found myself stopping for a moment.

            “What do you want, Katara? We have stuff we need to discuss-” Zuko grumbled under his breath, undoubtedly pinching the bridge of his nose.

            I knew it was wrong.

            I knew I shouldn’t listen, eavesdrop. But it was like no matter how hard I tried; I couldn’t move. I wanted to know what Katara wanted to talk so desperately to Zuko about. I wanted to know what Katara wanted with Zuko. Was she going to ask Zuko about the marriage thing? But the words that flew from Katara’s mouth had me holding my breath.

            “I want to say I’m sorry.”  

            Silence.

            I bolted as fast as I could, a goofy smile on my face.

            Katara had guts.

            And while Katara was undoubtedly hard-headed like Zuko, the friendship between Zuko and her was far more important than her ego. Thank you Katara, Zuko really needed to hear that.     

            “What’s taking them so loooonnngggggg~.” Toph complained under her breath, lounging on the rug that covered the floor of Zuko’s office. Her hands were comfortably tucked behind her head; legs crossed over each other as she impatiently blew. Should she have been a Firebender, I was certain there would have been flickers of fire leaving her lips, much like Zuko.

            I giggled, shrugging my shoulders as I happily sat in Zuko’s grand chair. It was super comfy, might I add. The padding was making it feel like I was sitting on a cloud. No wonder Zuko didn’t mind doing paperwork, I would to if it meant sitting on a comfy chair like this.

            My curious eyes wandered about, scanning the array of documents that decorated his study. There were so many projects happening under Zuko’s care, notes filled with his scribbles containing details. But as interesting as everything was, I was more fascinated by the green document that I brought here.

            While it was light, the envelope was thick; the Earth Nation seal prettily stamped in the center with ivory coloured wax. A letter from the Earth King…I wonder what it is about? As if the emerald green hypnotized me, I found my mind wandering.

            I wonder how Kayto was?

             No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wipe the image of the happy smile on his face as he walked away from me. The cherry blossoms falling around him in the sweet breeze, how clear his eyes seemed that day. Even his steps seemed lighter than air, practically hovering along the ground.

            It was like he was a changed man…but despite the delighted smile on his face, my heart swelled with sorrow. There was something about that moment that had my eyes teary, something that made my stomach rise to my throat.

            “I gotta say, Princess. You look good, sitting there. You look like a real Queen.” Sokka mused. I blushed at his words, pushing myself back in the chair. My gaze snapped forward, watching the way Sokka lounged in a chair that was placed in front of the desk we were currently huddled around.

            “You really do, for someone as cute as you – you can look pretty scary when you focus.” Suki giggled in Sokka’s lap. I whined under my breath, shyly combing my hair in front of my chest, twirling the strands around. Me ruling a whole Nation? I could feel my whole body shaking.

            The thought alone was beyond terrifying. How does Zuko do it? Thousands and thousands of people looking up to you for guidance. You’re the face of the Nation. The person people praise or curse. Overnight you can be the publics' favourite person, their beacon of hope, or their worst enemy.

            “Sorry we’re late.”

            Zuko busted through the door hastily, and I couldn’t help but smile. The tension in his shoulders was gone, his feet light as he beelined towards his study. He looked like a man on a mission – ready to get down to business. Katara coolly walked towards Aang, but even I could tell she seemed more at peace, her breathing calm.

            They’re okay; they talked it out.

            “FINALLY. Can we get this done and over with already?” Toph groused, sitting upright in a flash as she crossed her arms. Zuko rolled his eyes at Toph, merely walking where I sat. He placed a small peck on my forehead, earning a bashful smile from myself, before spotting the green document on his desk.

            “Where do we even start?” I pondered under my breath as I watched Zuko. He leaned against his study, a hand combing through my locks as if to soothe himself, as he swore under his breath. The letter from the Earth King was dense – he’s going to have a fun read.

            “Maybe with Kayto and the Earth King?” Suki proposed, but Toph gave her two cents. “Further. The waterfall. That’s where Yue first saw Azula and Yakone.”

            “Azula? Yakone?” Katara gasped, Aang nodding his head as he ran his hands up and down her, comforting. “You’re all wrong,” I announced before realizing what I had said. Right away, Zuko’s attention shifted to me, eyes narrowed as the grip he had on the paper tightened.

            “What do you mean that we’re wrong? You said you saw Azula at the waterfall.” Zuko spoke, a certain edge in his voice. I puffed, “You’re right, but that’s not the first time I saw her.”

            “You lied? Why would you lie about that-”

            I frowned at Zuko, realizing that he thought I was hiding information. “Yeah, Princess. Why would not tell Zuko you saw Azula?” Sokka butted, leaning forward, nearly pushing Suki off him. Her hands fell against the study, catching herself, shooting Sokka a glare.

            “Because I didn’t know it was her!” I puffed, throwing my arms up in the air frustratingly. As much as I was part of the gang now, they seemed to forget that I wasn’t friends with them as long as they have been. “I didn’t know it was her! You don’t think if I knew, I would’ve said something? She disguised herself as a maid. I didn’t know better.”

            “Did you not tell Yue about Azula, Zuko?” Aang asked gently, and I saw the flustered look on Zuko’s face. His gaze shifted back to the fancy writing of Earth King, grumbling under his breath. “N-no.”

            “It’s not Zuko’s fault; he doesn’t have to tell me about that.” I started, but Zuko slammed the paper on the desk. I was startled, not at all expecting the outburst of anger. His forehead was scrunched together, a scowl on his face as he stared the crimpled paper.

            “It is my fault; I should’ve been smarter; I let my guard down. I figured Azula was no longer an issue – stupid wishful thinking.” Zuko hissed under his breath.

            “Zuko…” I hummed softly. My hand fell over his forearm, giving him a gentle squeeze. “I should’ve told you about the maid. I was stupid…I didn’t want to worry you.”

            “But I already worry.” He ranted.

            “Oh, for fucks sakes, talk about your damn feelings another time!” Toph swore loudly, standing upright as she stomped her feet on the ground. She swiftly shifted her posture, her head in the direction of Katara.

            “Look here, Sugar Queen, this is what is going to happen. I’m going to tell the damn details, and everyone can keep their mouths shut till the end. Got it?”

            I found myself zipping my mouth shut, Sokka nodding his head frantically, hearing Toph’s stern voice. Aang straightened up his posture, Zuko shooting Toph an amused look, seeing her take charge. “Please go on, Toph. Saves my breath.” Zuko muttered, before raising the documents back to view.

            And boy, did Toph tell the story, alright.

            It was an experience I didn’t know I needed to experience until today. I figured Toph would gloss over everything, cutting corners due to her unsurprisingly impatient nature, but I was pleasantly surprised.

            Despite her blunt and quick to the point, attitude, she hit the nail in every aspect. She didn’t leave behind a single detail, Katara’s eyes growing wider and wider by the second. In fact, even though most of us were there to experience the whole ordeal, we found ourselves silent. Who knew Toph could be a fantastic public speaker when she wanted to be? She would make an amazing investigator.

            Zuko’s hand went back to petting my hair, reading the documents sent from the Earth King, as Toph ranted. But his attention wavered when Katara spoke up.

            “Azula burnt Aang?” Katara repeated, her hand softly caressing Aang’s arms. Aang shot her a caring smile, catching her hand with his, “Don’t worry about it, Sweetheart. I’m all healed.” I could tell Aang was trying his best to ease any concern of Katara, but I couldn’t blame her.

            She was thrown into a pit of lions. Everything that happened, we’ve gotten to process one way or another over time, but Katara was learning about everything now. It was a shock, but Katara just huffed furiously at Aang, shaking her head in annoyance.

            “And you- are you crazy?” She shouted; a slender finger pointed towards me. My jaw dropped, face going white as I saw the way her eyes narrowed heatedly. It reminded me of the times she would lecture Sokka and me whenever we got into trouble. “You fought Azula like in that state, you fought Yakone. You could’ve died Yue; your chi is all messed up. This is dangerous!” Katara lectured.

            “I had to save them-”

            “Aang could have gone in the Avatar state.” Katara retorted.

            “He was tired.” I fought back, pushing myself off the chair. I knew Katara had a point. It was stupid of me, and this ‘flu’ I had, which was evidently something else, was worrying. It was dangerous for me to bend, but the thought of any of them getting hurt was scarier. “I had to save them. Yakone was going to kill them.”

            “And this is why Bloodbenders are disgusting.” Katara spat, running a hand angrily through her locks. The outright hatred in her voice had my breathing hitching, not at all expecting those words to leave her mouth. But the way she spoke, it came naturally, like the fact that Bloodbenders were some vial creatures was a truth, not an opinion. Disgusting-

            “Those are some strong words, Katara,” Aang said speedily, and Katara pursed her lips.

            “You know how dangerous Bloodbending is. You can control someone without their consent. Kill them from the inside out.”

            “That’s not true, Katara.” I blurted without much thought. Aang’s eyes widen at my comment, shooting me a warning glance, but Sokka spoke up before Katara could. “No offence, Princess, but as much as you are a lover, you have to admit. Bloodbending, that’s some next-level human shit right there.”

            “If you can even call them human,” Katara grumbled under her breath. Sokka frowned at her comment, but regardless, he nodded his head in agreeance to her words.

            “Honestly, they’re more like monsters to me. Manipulating blood? That’s disgusting and dark.” Suki added, shaking her head as she looked at Sokka. Suki was a warrior, but even I noticed the way her voice wavered at the thought of Bloodbending.

            “Well, once we get rid of Yakone, no more Bloodbenders to worry about. Problem solved.” Toph grumbled, falling back onto the floor with a thud. She crossed her legs, resting her chin on her elbow as she listened to everyone trash talk.

            “We shouldn’t speak ill about Bloodbending; we don’t know much about it…maybe it can be used for some good?” I reasoned, trying to add some positivity to the conversation, but Katara snuffed. “What good could Bloodbending possibility have?”

            “M-maybe you can heal? Right, Yue? Maybe you can do some more powerful healing, better than regular Waterbending?” Aang proposed eagerly. His eyes were light, scanning the room desperately, wishing for someone to work with him. But Sokka shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know Aang. When you have that much power…it's tempting to do more evil than good, in my opinion.”

            “But Aang is strong; he isn’t evil!” I retorted, hands falling on the study before me harder than I intended. Everyone jumped slightly at the sudden noise, but the beating of my heart in my chest was louder. “That’s like- that’s like saying that everyone with power is evil. That’s not true; there are plenty of good people with power.” I panicked, desperately trying to defuse the situation.

            “Why do you care so much, Princess? Why are you trying to defend Bloodbenders? It’s like you feel bad for Yakone or something.” Toph huffed.

            “That’s not what I’m trying to say.” I whimpered under my breath. What was I trying to say? It did sound like I was trying to defend Yakone. But that wasn’t it – hearing the way they disregarded a whole sub-bending skill because of a bad-bunch? What about all the good that came from Bloodbending during-

            “The next thing you know, Princess over here is going to go give a hug to Yakone, maybe offer him some cookies.” Toph mocked under her breath. My lips puckered, eyes wide hearing the taunting tone in Toph’s voice.

            “Watch it.”

            For the first time, I heard Zuko speak. His voice was low, a deadly tone laced with his simple warning as his hand fell over my shoulder. I could feel the heat radiating from his palms. Zuko didn’t say a damn word during the whole conversation. Did he think Bloodbenders were monsters too? Despicable and less than human?

            “It was a joke, Zuko. Relax.” Toph huffed, her bangs flying upwards for a moment before falling back over her eyes. “This isn’t a time for jokes. We have two wanted criminals, and damn spy inside the kingdom.” Zuko lectured, and Katara stepped forward.

            “We’re just talking about Bloodbenders-”

            “But why? Whether or not Bloodbenders are evil is beside the fucking point. We need to focus on the important things. Healing Yue, so her chi doesn’t kill her, and capturing Yakone to ensure the prosperity of the United Nations.”

            “Zuko is right; we’re falling off track here,” Aang spoke, his voice sounding calmer. Zuko ran his hands through his bun, causing hairs to fall and frame his face. “We can pick up the rest tomorrow; we’re getting nowhere for today,” Zuko muttered under his breath.

            Suki let out a sigh, standing off Sokka and outstretching a hand. He grabbed it, letting her pull his body upwards before wrapping an arm around her shoulders, “Fine. Let’s call it a day then. We can pick everything back up tomorrow in the morning.”

            “Fine with me…” Toph grumbled before abruptly standing up. She kicked the air underneath her before storming out of the room without another word. Aang nodded meekly, bowing quickly towards Zuko and I. I saw the way he smiled at me sympathetically before linking arms with Katara. Pity.

            The sound of their soft voices and feet pattering against the room was the last sound heard before the door shut behind them, leaving Zuko and me alone. The room suddenly felt far too large and lonely, missing the company of everyone, despite them being the cause of anxiousness.

            I let out a shaky breath, hands rubbing my face roughly. Why did I have to say anything? I should have just agreed; I should have kept my mouth shut. They’re right-

            Bloodbenders are monsters.

            Disgusting creatures – less than humans.

            I’m a mon-

            “Love?” Zuko hummed softly, squeezing my shoulder and catching my attention. I jumped, hands falling onto my lap as I looked up at Zuko. I felt so jumpy today, uneasy, even around Zuko. But why? It was like darkness was looming over my head.

            “S-sorry. I’ll go now so you can work. See you for dinner-”

            “Wait.” Zuko breathed, and I noticed how soft his amber eyes appeared. The furious leader that called off the meeting was gone; only Zuko was here, no Fire Lord. “Let’s get out of here, love,” Zuko spoke tenderly, brushing my hair behind my ears as his fingers carefully traced my jaw. His touch had my body easing, breathing relaxing as I weakened under his touch.

            “But your work-”

            “Mother told me some interesting advice today during lunch.”

            I bite my lips. That was random, even for my standards. But the look on Zuko’s face, he was serious. I opened my mouth before shutting it, unsure how to respond to his unexpected statement. “What…did she say” I clumsily questioned.

            The way Zuko leaned into me, I could see my reflection in his eyes. He had such long eyelashes; I never did notice. I figured that the burn would’ve prevented much growth, much like his eyebrow, but that didn’t seem to be the case. His eyes were like endless pools of gold, flickers of sparks scattered randomly. The longer we stared into each other eyes, the larger his pupils dilated.

            His thumb traced my bottom lip, Zuko biting his lips, “She told me to be selfish more often.”

            I rose a brow at his words. “Selfish?”

            “Mhmm…and I think…today I’m going to listen.”

            “Which means…?” I pushed, and Zuko chuckled. “So impatient, curious.”

            A flush coated my cheeks, but I couldn’t pull away from his grasp. Hypothesized by the intense stare, the way he rolled his bottom lip under his teeth as he cheekily studied me up and down. “I’m spoiling you rotten today. Care to go on a date with me? Ice cream for dinner?”

            “Really? You aren’t playing around with me, are you?” I wisely asked, not trusting Zuko completely. He was not only a tease but a high-key sadist. Zuko sniggered, pinching my nose before planting a sweet kiss on my lips, “Of course, beautiful.”

            Beautiful.

            Zuko felt the way my body tensed at the word, and he pulled away. A painful frown suddenly emerged on his face, eyes watching over me, “What’s wrong, love?”

            “Can a monster be beautiful?”

            Zuko’s snorted, rolling his eyes at my unexpected remark. “You think I’m attractive, and I was called a monster my whole life…so I guess so. A monster can be beautiful.”

            But Zuko was handsome – whoever called him a monster, they were wrong. He was a product of misfortune, who rebuilt themself, became something better. Zuko eyed my expression as I absentmindedly nodded at his words, but I wasn’t satisfied. Because that wasn’t the question, I really wanted to ask.

            “Ask it, love. You’re itching to ask.” Zuko mused, seeing right through my act. And I did just that, asked him the question I wanted so desperately to know his answer for.

            “Can you love a monster?”

            “…the better question is, do you think a monster is worthy of love?”

            Is it selfish for me to say yes?

            Waking up to the beautiful smile of Zuko’s was the best way to start the day.

            Our limbs were messily intertwined with each other; Zuko’s arms were hugging me close to his body. My face was flush against his chest; his hands combed through my locks. He was always so careful, not wanting to yank at a tangle, relishing the way the silky strands slid between his fingers.

            “Mm, good morning, love,” Zuko whispered between hushed lips, pressing the top of my head with chaste kisses.

            There was a certain raspiness in his voice that had me mewling, purring as I snuggled against his pec, hearing his steady heartbeat. His voice was low, almost drunk-like, as he let his lips brush by my temple for one last peck. “How did my baby sleep? Feeling better?” He hummed. I felt the way his hand trailed down my hair, following my spine, stopping at the hem of panties.

            “Perfect, warm.”

            “I should start charging you.” Zuko pestered, and I gazed upwards, a grin on his face. “A kiss per half hour?”

            “That’s a pretty steep rate.” I bothered, and Zuko laughed.

            “You’re right, just for you, I’ll give you a better rate.”

            “So, there are others you warm like this?” I pouted, failing miserably to mask the bubble of jealousy that suddenly emerged. I knew that my statement was false; the thought of Zuko sneaking off and having some side affair was more of a joke than a possibility. He was far too devoted, too loyal to be the type to cheat.

            But despite the obvious, Zuko smirked, “Of course not, baby, that’s why I’m giving you the best rate. For my one and only customer.”

            “And what would that be?”

            “Two kisses per half an hour.”

            “Zuko, that’s even worse than the last rate you gave me!” I laughed noisily, snorting at Zuko’s logic. He chuckled, chest rumbling underneath me as he stole another kiss on my head. “You caught me red-handed, love.”

            “I swear, one day I’m going to freeze you,” I grumbled under my breath, trying to hide the fact that I was enjoying this way too much. “Temperature play? You really are a kinky one.” Zuko teased, and I blushed.

            “T-that’s not what I meant, Zuko!” I shrieked, infuriated that I let Zuko get a rise out of me this early in the morning. But the smile on Zuko’s face grew the more flustered I got, cheeks a baby pink as I blew. How can I stay mad at him when he looked so damn cute?

            A knock on the door caught our attention, stopping our tantalizing banter short. Zuko shuffled, and I rolled over, letting him sit up. “Come in,” Zuko spoke loudly, the door creaking open just a bit. I pushed the heavy blankets off me, reaching for my robe and letting my arms slip through before standing up.

            “Good morning Kim-oh.”

            “My apologies, Fire Lord Zuko, Imperial Consort Ying Yue. Kima and Lia took the day off today; it seems they are tied up at the moment.” A lady spoke. My breath caught in my throat, staring blankly at the lady before us.

            Her hair was short, highlighting her sharp angular facial features. Her eyes were tapered, a stunning violet colour, pupils like slits. A tea tray was carefully balanced in her grasp, as she thoughtfully walked forward. The whole time her eyes were locked with mine, a sinister smile on her face.

            “I bring you your morning tea. To help with your illness, Imperial Consort, doctors' orders.” The lady spoke, a deliberate hiss towards the end. I felt myself on edge, unable to finish slipping my arm through my robe as I just stared.

            “Thank you; you can leave it on my side,” Zuko spoke, snapping me out of my haze.

            His coarse voice seemed to catch the lady’s attention, too, shifting her eyes to him, licking her lips without a care in the world. “As you wish, Fire Lord Zuko.” The way she purred out his name, the seductive tone, it had my skin crawling.

            She shuffled forward, letting the tray fall on his nightstand with a loud clank. Hastily, I put on my robe, tying it to my body as if it was a layer of armour. “I’ll take my leave. Enjoy the tea.” She spoke, forcing a crazy smile on her face wicked, matching her eyes.

            I observed her every step. She was light on her feet, and I noticed how ill-fitting her maid's clothes were. They were far too tight, highlighting her toned physic. With one last crooked smile, the door shut behind her, the air filling my lungs.

            “Fucking weirdo,” Zuko muttered under his breath before reaching over his nightstand. He grabbed the ceramic teapot, pouring the hot liquid into a teacup. The steam filled the air, and his large hand cupped the small teacup before eyeing me, “Here, love.”

            “Give me a minute; I’m going to brush my teeth. I feel yucky.” I glowered, and Zuko rolled his eyes. “Come on; I like your morning breath.” He teased cheekily, pulling the teacup back to his chest.

            “Eww, you’re so gross, Zuko.” I giggled; the uneasiness of that maid’s presence long forgotten.

            “Some would call that romantic,” Zuko shouted as I waltzed my way to the bathroom. I look over my shoulder, shooting him a look of disbelief. “The Almighty Fire Lord Zuko a romantic?” I said, biting my lips as I rose my brows.

            Zuko hummed, bringing the teacup that he had originally poured for me to his lips. The way he looked over at me while taking a slow sip, “Mmmm, are you trying to say I’m not?” He challenged. But I saw the way his nose scrunched up for a moment, taking a whiff of the tea.

            “This smells gross…and tastes just as bad.” Zuko muttered under his breath, and I rolled my eyes. “It’s medicine Zuko, my medicine, not some breakfast tea.”

            “Tea is tea, but fuck – this is really gross.” Zuko groused, and I laughed at the way Zuko complained under his breath. Yet to my amazement, he took another swing. “You just said you don’t like it!” I snickered, shaking my head.

            My hands pushed the bathroom door open, letting the natural light from the windows light the space. I winced slightly, feeling the cold tiles against my feet, wishing I made Zuko get ready first. His natural warmth always managed to heat the cold tiles.

            “Yeah, but I don’t want it to go to waste.” I heard Zuko grumble loudly, voice sounding rougher than usual. “Zuko, don’t worry. I’ll drink it all.” I reasoned, searching for the toothpaste. Where was it? My eyes frantically scanned the marble counter, spotting our toothbrushes, face towels, cleansers.

            “Hey, Zuko. Did we finish the toothpaste?” I asked, my gaze darting all over the place. He must have forgotten to tell me we ran out last night. A small pout fell over my lips, hands falling over my hips as I stood tall.

            “Zuko? Hey Zuko-”

            The sound of glass hitting the ground had my blood running cold.

            My feet moved without me thinking, dashing into our bedroom frantically, “Zuko? Are you ok-”

            Zuko’s face was red, hands desperately clawing at his throat. He was heaving, sweating, veins popping as he was hunched over, coughing. I could see the deep red marks etched into his skin as he tore at his throat, “Zuko!” I cried, and at the sound of my voice, his head snapped upwards.

            My heart stopped, seeing how wide his golden eyes were.

            They were bloodshot, tears bubbling up as he wheezed.

            “Help.”

            He’s choking. He can’t breathe- I ran.

            “Zuko, I’m here, Zuko, relax! You need to try to breathe.” I panicked, running to his side. My feet slipped against the wooden floors as I dashed, but I found myself stopping abruptly. Ceramic littered the floor. The teacup was shattered into a dozen pieces, small fragments of herbs littering the floor-

            The tea.

            “Guards!” I screamed, jumping into the bed as I hastily crawled to Zuko. His chest rose and fell frantically, shoving him back as my fingers trailed to his neck. The bedroom doors flung open, the sound of heavy footsteps entering the room, “Imperial Consort- What happened?!”

            “Call the doctors, Zuko is poisoned. He needs help!” I cried, not bothering to turn to face them. I shut my eyes, trying to find his pulse, hands shaking. His heart was pumping, throbbing piercingly as he struggled to breathe.

            He’s dying.

            Something abruptly grabbed my wrist, my eyes snapping open, and I couldn’t stop the sob that erupted from me. Zuko’s eyes met mine, and I could see it.

            “I-I love you.”

            “N-no-no Zuko. You’re not going anywhere.” I sobbed, hands frantically touching his throat. His pulse was dying. I need to do something. I need to do something-

            That’s it.

            If it’s the tea, it’s a liquid. I can bend the tea from his skin like sweat. I yanked my hand away from Zuko’s, grasping his chest and pushing my arms against his heating skin. My eyes shut closed, tears overflowing as I focused.

            I can’t feel it.

            I can’t feel the fucking tea.

            “I can’t bend it!” I shouted in frustration, moving my hands up and down his body, trying to find a fucking drop of it in his system. His body can’t have ingested the tea into his bloodstream. For something like that to happen, a few hours would have had to pass. It’s impossible – unless.

            My arms stiffened, freezing in my spot, hands no longer frantically searching his body.

            The tea wasn’t tea.

            I dug my fingers into his skin, breathless as I realized what was happening. I could feel it, it was there, in Zuko’s body, in his blood.

            If the tea was mixed with someone’s else blood – poisoned, then it’s possible- the poison is already in Zuko’s bloodstream.

            He’s going to die.

            I can’t save him.

            I can’t bend that; I can’t- My heart pounded loudly in my ears, pulling myself away from Zuko’s body. I couldn’t stop the tears that fell down my face.

            I can’t; I shouldn’t-

            My feet wobbled as I crawled off the bed, steps stomping against the hardwood floor as I dashed to the array of dual swords that decorated the wall. A weak sob left my lips as I pulled the guard off the sharp blade, throwing it across the room.

            A quick twist of my feet, I felt my heart shatter, watching the way Zuko withered in our bed. His face was purple, hands desperately clenching the blankets underneath him as he wheezed painfully.

            I shouldn’t-

            My hands were shaking as I slowly inched towards Zuko.

            His golden eyes lined with mine, seeing as I eased my way to him with a sword in hand. “I’m sorry, Zuko- I’m sorry.” I cried, pulling my gaze away from his. I couldn’t face him; I couldn’t look into those sweet eyes. I didn’t deserve it, not a single part of him.

            I winced as I stepped on the shattered teacup, cutting the soles of my feet as I leaned over Zuko’s dying figure. The sharp blade pressed against Zuko’s throat, sniffling as I shook my head.

            “I wanted to tell you, Zuko. I really did. But-but-”

            I pressed, Zuko wincing as the blade easily sliced his soft skin, droplets of scarlet tainting his neck. I threw the knife away, jamming my fingers into the open wound. I sobbed, feeling the pain that Zuko was in, “I wanted to tell you the truth Zuko, I wanted to. But I was selfish.” I cried.

            I shut my eyes, and I could feel it.

            The poison, it was mixing with his blood, and I panted heavily. It was starting to fuse; if I don’t do this now, it’ll be too late.

            I reached the point of no return.

            Fingers jammed into Zuko’s wound, feeling his veins pulsing, blood pumping frantically in the pace of his struggling heart. Zuko’s life was far more important than the consequences I would face.

            I can do this.

            I will save Zuko.

            My fingers twisted, earning a painful groan from Zuko. “Bare with it Zuko, I’m sorry!” I cried. Just a little bit more-almost- got it.

            I yanked my body back, wrist snapping and Zuko inhaled loudly.

            Relief.

            I twirled my hand, panting heavily as black spots flooded my vision. I was pushing myself too much, just a little bit more- I felt the way Zuko’s blood separated from the foreign blood, tainted with poison.

            My eyes widen, taking in the disgusting sight.

            Dark liquid, almost black, floated in the air as I bent. My other hand weaved back and forth, trying to separate Zuko’s blood from the poison. The muscles in his body eased instantaneously, and with one giant huff, I balled my hands, the poison collapsing in itself, freezing into a ball in the air.

            Zuko sat upright, his hands falling over his chest as he dry heaved. Spit fell from his lips as his body shook with each cough, air squeezing past his sore throat and filling his lungs.

            He’s breathing.

            I saved him, and at that moment, I made the fatal mistake of looking at him.

            His eyes met mine between forced pants.

            “You’re- you’re a- Bloodbender.”

            His hand lunched forward as if he was trying to grab me, and I stepped back. With whatever power I had left in my body, I swung my hand forward. His eyes widen, I could feel the way he tried desperately to fight against me, but it was useless. He let out a tired groan, and his body fell limp.

            Letting gravity take over, Zuko’s body fell into the bed with a thud.

            “Yue!”

            The doors burst open, a pair of arms wrapped around me as doctors and nurses flooded the room. A numbness filled my body. Arms falling limp to my side, only noticing then I had Zuko’s blood on the tips of my fingers still.

            Blood…

            “Yue.” Aang breathed heavily in my ear, and I fell to the floor, on my knees. I watched as Katara checked over Zuko’s body, “He’s okay, he passed out, but he’s breathing, he’s okay!” she shouted.

            Aang shuffled in front of me, dropping to his knees with me on the floor as he cupped my face. His fingers brushed the tears that fell down my face before pressing his forehead against mine. “He knows…doesn’t he?” Aang whispered, voice pained.

            “It was the only way to save him, Aang.”

            “He loves you, Yue-”

            “You can’t love a monster.”

Copyright © 2019 Mystic-Kitten, inc. all rights reserved. No reposting, modifying, or translations of any kind allowed. Thank you for your cooperation.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Avatar characters portrayed in this story besides Ying Yue Jiang, Lia, Kima, and any future creations.

❤ Buy me a coffee? ❤

[gretamclaughlin]

Saving Ecosystems to Save Ourselves

I left off speaking about the decrease in biodiversity worldwide and efforts to reverse this trend, specifically the species and ecosystem approaches. The most recent content surrounds aquatic biodiversity loss as well as modern agriculture and issues with food security, which often relate to decreases in biodiversity. Industrialized farming methods to feed a growing population often harm the environment, and we must search for new ways to feed billions of people. As in many cases, human activity is damaging the earth, and we exploit resources in an unsustainable manner, affecting ourselves and other organisms.

Humans are degrading valuable aquatic habitats, which then harms marine and freshwater species. As humans continue to create coastal developments, pollute, and emit greenhouse gases, oceans’ conditions worsen. For example, through coral bleaching, the number of warm-water coral reefs, which are centers of biodiversity, is decreasing rapidly. Increases in ocean acidification, temperature, and overall pollution affect the ocean’s services and food webs. Perhaps most significantly, human activity is killing phytoplankton. This organism is not only an important food source for many species, but it also produces a significant percentage of the oxygen on earth and absorbs CO2, thus mitigating the effects of emissions. In addition, with growing food insecurity, some people are pointing to phytoplankton as an alternative food source (Moore-Ede 2017). Therefore, reducing the phytoplankton population might be even more detrimental to future generations than it was first thought to be; we are actively destroying our food. Although we may not see the impact of our actions at first, harming organisms like phytoplankton has major effects on ocean ecosystems, the biosphere, and our ability to live on earth in the future. It is essential to emphasize the consequences for humans if we destroy oceans to gain more support for action against climate degradation. This human-centered approach may cause more people to back environmental initiatives.

The film Albatross highlights the consequences of human activity regarding waste. As a result of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, many birds have ingested a lethal amount of plastic. The visuals are heartbreaking, and the filmmaker does an excellent job appealing to emotions and pointing out how devastating human actions are. Many parts appear dystopian. Watching films like these make viewers reflect on their role in such tragedies.

Overfishing is a significant issue, and humans are depleting the world’s fisheries through unsustainable exploitation. The rise of industrial fishing has dually increased the number of fish caught and the use of harmful equipment. For example, trawlers destroy habitats on the ocean floor, and nets kill a significant number of bycatch, sea turtles, and dolphins. I believe it is important to use these “cute” organisms to promote saving the oceans (species approach). More people are attracted to saving sea turtles and dolphins than just an ordinary fish. Therefore, if we encourage them to work to save their preferred organisms, the effects of legislation and grassroots efforts can also help less known/less liked organisms, thus helping entire ecosystems. Those trying to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge used this tactic to emphasize the effect of drilling on polar bears to gain more support against exploiting the refuge.

In a previous blog post, I spoke about the rise of industrial fishing in Senegal, specifically the impact of foreign fishing boats. They depleted Senegal’s resources and escalated food insecurity. To make matters worse, most of the fish are being turned into fishmeal, so the Senegalese cannot even eat the fish taken from them. Efforts to expel foreign entities from their waters have not been very effective, and the Senegalese government is taking more aggressive measures, such as the implementation of highly trained combative forces, to curb this issue. Regardless, it will take a long time before fish populations return to previous levels.

The aquatic biodiversity situation is disheartening because international laws and treaties can only do so much. The high seas are largely unregulated, and treaties mostly rely on pure faith that other governments will do the right thing. Any strategies, like sanctions, to enforce these policies are unlikely to be employed when it comes to environmental laws. It makes me wonder if there is any hope for saving the world’s ecosystems. After all, it is a global effort to preserve biodiversity, and many nations frankly do not care enough to make real change.

Food insecurity is increasing, especially in developing nations, and environmental degradation intensifies the issue. As a result, many impoverished people cannot access food, which affects their health. People suffer from brain damage and illnesses due to malnutrition. The U.S. faces issues with food deserts, and the poor cannot access affordable, healthy food. People experience “overnutrition,” leading to obesity, diabetes, and other related illnesses. In the area surrounding Rose Hill, there are few grocery stores that stock inexpensive and fresh fruits and vegetables, and you are more likely to find a fast food restaurant than a healthy eatery. If you travel to the Upper West Side, you will find Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and farmers markets galore because the area is wealthier. It is unfair because everyone should be afforded a healthy lifestyle. In the U.S. and globally, there is an issue of food justice, and people cannot access basic necessities because of the money they have.

As a result of the Green Revolution, food production has increased over the last century, which has been integral in sustaining the growing global population. Despite higher crop yields, the expansion of industrialized agriculture has hidden costs from environmental and health consequences. This “revolution” ushered in a period of dependence on genetically modified foods, chemicals, and technology, and it has resulted in high water usage and high outputs of emissions from energy usage, cultivation, and animal husbandry. As prices are driven down through government subsidies and technological advancements, more Americans eat meat than in the past. This has disastrous effects, and agriculture as a whole makes up a significant percentage of U.S. water use and emissions. Additionally, according to the Center for Health Journalism, the growth hormones and antibiotics prevalent in many American animal products have been linked to increasingly early puberty in girls (Rosenberg 2016). While many European countries have taken more precautionary approaches to food additives, the U.S. has decided to move forward with them (Germinal Organic 2018). This phenomenon brings about a complicated question: should we continue to modify food to feed the world? It seems like we have few other options to prevent mass hunger, despite potentially adverse health effects. At least, this is what companies tell us. In response to industrialized agriculture, there have been calls to lean on organic agriculture, which does not use synthetic pesticides, inorganic fertilizers, or genetically engineered seed varieties. Although industrialized agriculture may seem like a solution now, it appears that it will not be one long-term. We need to begin experimenting with other farming methods that do not degrade the environment to create a future for everyone on earth.

Immediate steps must be taken to prevent the widespread destruction of earth’s ecosystems. Although international treaties cannot be enforced on the same level as federal laws, they can be important in countries taking steps to prevent overfishing and aquatic degradation in general. Such policies cause nations to reflect on their actions and change how they view the environment. Citizens of participating countries also have standards to hold their government to, which is crucial for grassroots organizing. The expansion of marine protected areas through treaties, which have had significant benefits in promoting the growth of populations and biodiversity, is integral in creating focused approaches to preserving the ocean.

Regarding fishing, governments need to become more active in preventing exploitation, which will have future health and environmental benefits. Ending subsidies to commercial fishing companies will decrease exploitation. Governments can direct subsidies to sustainable fishing efforts or fishing subsidies can be removed as a whole. After all, I am unsure if there is truly sustainable fishing when it disrupts natural ecosystems. Governments also must intervene by setting fishing seasons, quotas for species, and standards for fishing equipment to prevent habitat loss and the deaths of organisms not meant to be caught. More people will have access to fishing by instituting more catch-share systems, and it will be less exploitative as well. Aquaculture also needs to be regulated, and fish farmers should reduce the amount of antibiotics and pesticides they use. People “voting with their wallets” will be important when it comes to this because it is difficult for the government to regulate foreign fish imports. Certainly, authorities should enforce these efforts, and governments should institute programs to train people to monitor fishing. After all, when Senegal introduced its restrictions, foreign boats ignored them because of the lack of law enforcement. Quasi-military forces and protocols might be necessary. If we do not save the environment, we do not save ourselves.

Governments must institute mandates and subsidies that promote sustainable farming practices. Many of these should lean on traditional methods, such as requiring farmers to plant polycultures, which will lessen the need for fertilizer and water and prevent all the crops from being wiped out by a single disease. Further efforts to prevent agrobiodiversity will also be important in diversifying and strengthening our food security. Additionally, promoting organic agriculture will benefit people’s health and the environment, and subsidizing this farming method will lower prices and enable people in poverty to access cleaner food. As mentioned in a previous blog post, the U.S. government’s current subsidizing of mainstream food has caused it to be more accessible than healthier options. This has created an unhealthy and overweight population. If grassroots organizations can gain support to reduce the prices of organic food, they will be more successful in petitioning federal and state governments to change how they use their money. People can also pressure companies to provide healthier options; if it seems like a good economic opportunity, corporations will listen to customers.

Soil conservation is also important, and organic fertilizers and standards for agroforestry, terracing, strip-cropping, and more will prevent soil erosion and maintain soil fertility. However, farmers are unlikely to implement these methods on their own because they can seem costly at first. Why would one reduce the crops they grow for the soil? There must be free, local programs run by local governments and grassroots organizations that educate farmers on the importance of soil fertility and sustainability efforts. These programs should highlight the long-term benefits of soil conservation efforts and how current farming practices will ultimately lead to economic loss.

Urban gardens, which grassroots organizations often implement, can help with food deserts and promote biophilia. In Newark, NJ, the Greater Newark Conservancy runs education programs on agriculture and provides inexpensive plots for people to grow food (Greater Newark Conservancy, n.d.). These programs get people outside and better their health in the process by providing organic food. In addition, connecting people with nature causes them to care more for the environment, and urban gardening programs will generate greater support for green causes, which helps further the goals of grassroots organizations in communities and in the government.

As I often speak about, Fordham must divest from Aramark, which uses unsustainable practices to get its food. This is something that the Climate Impact Initiative is actively working on. Most Aramark food is not fresh and must be stored in freezers for long periods, wasting energy. In addition, although Aramark claims to use local food, more stringent standards need to be placed to make more of the food come from closer by and support local, organic farms, which helps with the environmental cost of food transportation and cultivation. Fordham should also lean on its environmental history to expand its gardens and increase the number of fresh fruits and vegetables available. These can be sold to students, staff, and the community, and profits can be reinvested in the garden itself.

People must take personal responsibility for their consumption of foods and attempt to eat vegetarian more often or completely switch their diets to vegetarianism. Meat consumption is entirely unsustainable, and if more people stop eating meat, we can save animals’ lives and the environment. I recently became a vegetarian, and although it has been difficult, it gets easier with time. More than anything, I am angry that I did not begin eating like this earlier because I have always had the means to do so. This is another aspect of why we need to have healthier, fresh food available to impoverished people—they will be able to eat vegetarian too.

We must all take accountability for the consequences of our actions on earth’s ecosystems. Current agricultural and fishing practices have made eating completely unsustainable, and many of our activities often have a cascade effect on food webs. We must change how we obtain food now in order to save the human race’s ability to live in the future.

Word Count: 2147

Question: How can we institute full-cost pricing in agriculture while ensuring that those who are less well-off can afford healthy food?

Diagrams:

What it takes to make a quarter-pound hamburger

U.S. meat consumption per person in pounds

Much of New York City lacks access to healthy food

The disgusting state of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Works Cited:

Moore Ede, Piers. 2017. “Could Marine Phytoplankton Be The Future Of Human Nutrition?” Published April 20, 2017. https://www.spiritofchange.org/could-marine-phytoplankton-be-the-future-of-human-nutrition/.

Rosenberg, Martha. 2016. “Precocious puberty in girls is increasing and alarming.” Published June 20, 2016. https://centerforhealthjournalism.org/2016/06/22/precocious-puberty-girls-increasing-and-alarming.

Germinal Organic. 2018. “EU Versus US: A Closer Look at Food Standards.” Published February 20, 2018. http://www.germinalorganic.com/2018/02/eu-versus-us-a-closer-look-at-food-standards/.

Greater Newark Conservancy. n.d. “Join Plot It Fresh.” Accessed April 12, 2021. https://www.citybloom.org/programs/urban-agriculture/plot-it-fresh/registration.html.

[where-s-all-blue]

Hopeless Heroes AU

Support Hero Pack

Law/Surgeon of Death

Law, most commonly known as Surgeon of Death, is a special type of support hero, who is capable of using his ability both defensively and offensively during missions.

He prefers to work on the background, finding his calling to be in healing rather than in fighting.

He was the one who completed the suppressants, which he refers to as devilfruits. These pills are used to suppress abilities that are hard to control to give the heroes the ability to blend into the society smoothly, add control over them and to switch them if the powers prove to be damaging the body of the holder.

He is one of the closest friends of Stealth Black, being one of the few who knows his real identity due to the fact that Law has been the one to patch him up often.

He's a graduating student at the university, while his power does give him a leverage on the field of medicine, he decided to go over the formal training to become an eligible doctor.

His favourite past time is relaxing in a pile which consists of polar bear like creature known as Bepo and his two assistants called Penguin and Shachi. Sometimes they're joined by Usopp, a tech specialist.

Law is also one of the smartest people in the HQ, who has been able to figure out the secret identities of most heroes including Hunter.

Zoro and Law share the same passion for things like ninja, samurai, superhero movies and robots.

Bartolomeo/Barrier

Became a hero upon witnessing the temporary team which consisted of Stealth Black, Hunter and Rubber Man.

He holds great admiration towards the trio and has even studied their fighting methods in order to become a better hero himself.

His main ability is to create barriers, which makes him ideal for damage control and saving missions.

Rumour has it that he has cannibalistic desires, but they were quickly debunked by Barto himself stating that Man Eater and Cannibal are very different terms. He just likes to go out on dates a lot.

He's one of the few heroes who are willing to be interviewed, he provides good distraction and his comments have put a lot of civilians at ease over the wellbeing of the heroes while also explaining why they can't take part in interviews.

Nami relies on him for some juicy hero rumours.

His greatest dream is to be paired with ASL, Stealth Black and Hunter.

He immediately drew parallels between Stealth Black and "Prince".

Like many in the support team, Barto doesn't really like Germa 66 as they tend to leave a lot of citizens in danger along with a lot of destruction. He was glad to learn that 03 left the group and wished him good luck.

He was the one who suggested the colour scheme and the crown to Usopp upon learning that he was working on a suit for Prince/King.

Bartolomeo has a civilian boyfriend whom he affectionately refers to as Prince Charming.

Dr Kureha

Healing specialist.

Currently training the next generation healers, Law, Marco, Caesar and Chopper.

She's also the wife of Dr Hiriluk and the adoptive mother of Chopper (he hasn't been officially adopted yet though).

She's also the supervisor of medical team.

Kureha was notably incharge of project Devil's Fruit, which was left unattended upon the deaths of Hiriluk and his two assistants, who just so happened to be Law's parents.

She sees great potential in her apprentices, which is why she's extra hard on them as her way of attempting to keep them on the right path.

Can and will paralyse you until your body has been completely healed. Pressure points are a bitch.

Was present during the deaths of Roger and Rogue, still blaming herself over them as she wasn't "fast enough" in a situation where nothing could be done.

Rushed to save Ace and Sabo with Garp upon learning what the science ward was doing to them during project REVIVE. She also alerted Dragon about her bad feeling regarding Sabo's family, leading to his eventual saving.

Fully accepted Dragon's resolution to form his own team of heroes, even giving him her at the time top assistants and students.

Keeps in touch with Dragon to tell him how his son is doing.

Affectionately calls Ace "Spitfire".

Marco/Phoenix

Hero who revolutionised what it means to be a support hero with his ability to both fight and heal.

He classifies as support hero, but more than often he goes where he feels like he's needed the most, which just so happens to be in middle of action.

His mother was a healing type while his father was a mix of fire and a bird, hence his ability to turn into an actual phoenix.

If he knew how, his singing would have the same effect of bringing hope and courage to those who hear him just like the mythological beast itself.

He studies traditional medicine directly under Dr Kureha while having formal training from his own university years.

He's a friend and a role model to Ace, often hanging around with ASL even outside their missions.

He is incapable of getting drunk, which is the reason why he often sasses the heroes who tend to party hard as a revenge due to the fact that he's also the one to look after them.

He's pretty much sassy gremlin uncle and most people adore his sarcastic nature.

Bonnie Clay

Part of the diversion team, which was created with the intention of helping to maintain the double lives of the heroes without them being caught.

Usually Bon is paired with Bartolomeo and the duo get along quite nicely.

His special ability is Mimicry, which is perfect for him to pose as his coworkers. Usually he does that to also cheer others up.

Thanks to his special placing in the HQ, he is aware of the most heroes' identities.

He looks up to a vigilante known as Queen, who works with Dragon and is even rumoured to be his lover.

Bon is a fashionista of his own right, his expertise lying in visual kei and kawaii fashion.

Bon's closest friend in the HQ is Luffy, to whom he is very dedicated to as he helped him break out of his former life.

He used to be part of Crocodile's criminal organisation, being lured there as a child from an abusive home life. But unlike Miss Sunday, Bonnie Clay chose to become a hero upon being given the opportunity to by Shanks.

Caesar Clown

No, he and Buggy aren't actually related.

He was formerly contained to a government facility due to his questionable fascination to poisons and gas.

The United Nations chose to hand him over to the United Heroes to ensure that if his intelligence was going to be used, it'd be for something good.

Doctor Kureha has been extra hard on him, constantly steering him away from the more destructive path.

He honestly doesn't really realise that what he does is bad, he was literally raised to be a living weapon and as such emotions and compassion aren't his strongest points.

Caesar is always paired with Law, who appears to be the only one capable of keeping him in line. Nobody knows how he does this and at this point they're too scared to ask.

There was a time when Doflamingo tried to get him to join the Donquixote Family, but Law's stories about what kind of person he was made it so that Caesar was too afraid of the mad man to actually go with it.

Even if he's technically a captive, Caesar feels like he's being treated like a human in the HQ, which is what he had been wishing for most of his life, wondering what it was like to have a normal relationship with other people.

Chopper

Currently, he's the youngest person in the HQ (15), thus he isn't allowed to go on the field.

He was abandoned by his birth parents to the test facility where project REVIVE took place, ultimately becoming one of the test subjects.

He was rescued and illegally adopted by doctor Kureha and doctor Hiriluk, who have been his mentors up until the latter's death.

Kureha is planning on having him take over as the leader of the medical team once the time comes for her to retire.

Chopper prefers the humanoid reindeer look over his actual human one, it makes him feel more confident and in control. It also seems to make others smile.

When someone is stressed, Chopper tends to climb onto their laps, refusing to move until they've relaxed. His soft toy like appearance has helped a lot of workers.

[gunnerpalace]

Hi! Same anon as the previous one. Tbh, I agree wholeheartedly with you. Y'see I do ask rhetorically,too but i could really accept and understand how and why ppl can be oblivious to IchiRuki, and somehow felt that the 'canon' should suffice, even the most excruciating of all is the fact a number found the ending even acceptable (ships aside, too). Again, I could respect that. But it's my greatest bane when ppl ask 'why' and not be clear they are asking rhetorically because I literally will

provide you an actual answer. And I get it, it’s the reason why ppl find shipping wars toxic and silly. But then again, as human, conflicts are always part of us (partly because as social psych explains so, we are gravitated to the negative for that allows us to change and survive), and the reason why “logical fallacies” are coined in the first place. Human will always debate, and argue about something; the only thing we could change is how we approach the opposing views.

Again, I dont condone any way, shape or form of abuse and harm. In some certain extent, I could perhaps understand it’s much harder for some IH to approach the actual argument being there’s either too much noise, and trapped in their own island between sea of salt. Thus becoming too acquianted w/ few IH who shared the same thought until it became their views as the only truth (see, that’s why its important to have debates! it is what keep us grounded and fair! Just like you said)

Who am I to speak though? I never ever challenged anyone anyways. And as you said, you just have to understand things in every way you could possibly think of–endless ‘whys’. Which is where I agree in your reply the most–this silly fandom wars is just the black mirror to every truth that lies beneath human psyche–the dark and the grimy. Heck, being a psych major is like staring at dark hole–at times, good, but most just plain confusing, revolting even or just heartbreaking.

Sorry it’s been long, but for the final of this ask: let me tell how glad I was with IchiRuki fandom I found in tumblr. It was the saltiest I’ve ever been (im not generally a fandom person anyways) but it’s the himalayan salt–expensive and actually nutritive it really deepened my desire to become wiser in general. And you for your wonderful essays, critiques and whatnot. I definitively would love to talk with you more not only about IchiRuki but the wonders and nightmare that us humans! Kudos!

I have sitting in my drafts a post spelling out my thoughts on “canon” (and thus, the people who cling to it) in that as a concept it privileges:

officiality over quality when it comes to validity (thus violating Sturgeon’s law)

corporations (intellectual property rights holders) over fans, and thus capitalists over proletarians

hierarchical dominance over mutualist networking within fandom

curative fandom over transformative fandom

genre over literary content

plot over characters

events over emotions

It is notable that (1) generally degrades art as a whole, (2) generally advances the capitalist agenda, and (3–7) generally advances the dominance of men over women (as the genders tend to be instructed by society to view these as A. dichotomies rather than spectrums, and B. to ascribe gender to them and make them polarities). These form the sides of a mutually reinforcing power structure (in the typical “Iron Triangle” fashion) designed to preserve and maintain the status quo.

Who really benefits from say, the policing of what is or is not “canon” in Star Wars? Disney, first and foremost. And then whomever (almost certainly male) decides to dedicate their time to memorizing the minutiae of whatever that corporation has decided is “legitimate.”

One can imagine a universe in which fan fic is recognized by companies for what it is: free advertising. (Much like fan art already is.) Instead, it is specifically targeted by demonetization efforts in a way that fan art isn’t. Why? Because it demonstrates that corporate control and “official” sanction has no bearing on quality, and it is thus viewed as undermining the official products.

In the same way, by demonstrating that most “canonical” works are frankly shit, it undermines the investiture of fans in focusing on details that are ultimately errata (the events, the plot, the genre), which is the core function of curative fandom and the reason for its hierarchical structure. The people who “know the most” are at the top, but what they “know” is basically useless garbage. And those people so-engaged are, of course, usually male.

To “destroy” the basis of their credibility, and indeed the very purpose of their community, is naturally viewed by them as an attack.

(This is not to say that efforts to tear down internal consistency within established cultural properties are good unto themselves, or even desirable. For example, efforts to redefine properties such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Ghostbusters, for the sake of a identity-politics agenda have largely A. failed as art, B. failed as entertainment, C. failed to attract the supposedly intended audience, and D. failed to advance the agenda in question. Trying to repurpose extant media in the name of culture wars is essentially always doomed to failure unless it is done deftly and gradually.)

(At the same time, this also shows what I was talking about last time, with regard to people seeing whatever they want to see. You will see people complain that Star Trek and Doctor Who didn’t “used to be so political,” which is obviously nonsense. These shows were always political. What changed was how their politics were presented. For example, Star Trek has, since TNG, always shown a nominally socialist or outright communist future, but was beloved by plenty of conservatives because they could [somehow] ignore that aspect of it.)

Of course, almost no one is seriously suggesting that one side of the spectrums outlined above be destroyed, rather merely that a new balance be struck upon the spectrum. But, as we have seen time and again in society, any threat to the status quo, whether that be 20% of Hugo Awards going to non-white male authors or the top income tax rate in America being increased by a measly 5.3% (from 28.7% to 34%… when the all-time high was 94% and for over 50 years it was above 50%) is a threat. This is why, for example, Republicans are out there branding AOC as a “socialist” when her policies are really no different at all from a 1960 Democrat who believed in FDR’s New Deal. (Which they, of course, have also demonized as “socialism.”)

(As an aside, all this ignores the fact that most of the “literary canon” of Western civilization, or at least English literature… is Biblical or historical fan fic.)

And this is when I finally get to my point.

Those people out there who denigrate and mock shippers and shipping, the people who hurl “it reads like fan fiction” as an insult, and so on, are the people who benefit from and enjoy the extant power structure. You will see the same thing with self-identified “gamers” complaining about “fake girl gamers.” Admitting that the hobby has a lot of women in it, and a lot of “casuals,” and is indeed increasingly dominated by “non-traditional demographics” is an affront to the constructed identity of being a “gamer.” They are “losing control.” And they don’t like it.

This exact same sort of population is what the “fanbase” of Bleach has been largely reduced down to through a slow boiling off of any actual quality. Of course they’re dismissive of people who are looking for anything of substance: their identity, their “personal relationship” with the franchise, is founded on a superficial appreciation of it: things happening, flashy attacks, eye-catching character designs, fights, etc.

(What this really boils down to, at heart, is that society at large has generally told men that emotions are bad, romance and relationships of all kinds are gross, and that thinking and reflecting on things is stupid. So of course they not only don’t care about such things, but actively sneer at them as “girly” or “feminine,” which is again defined by society at large as strictly inferior. And this gender divide and misogyny is of course promulgated and reinforced by the powers that be, the capitalists, to facilitate class divisions just like say racism generally is.)

(The latest trick of these corporate overlords has been the weaponization of “woke” culture to continue to play the people off one another all the time. “If you don’t like this [poorly written, dimensionless Mary Sue] Strong Female Character, then you are a racist misogynist!” They are always only ever playing both sides for profit, not advancing an actual ideological position. It is worth noting that there was a push by IH some years ago to define IR as “anti-feminist” for critiquing Orihime for essentially the exact same reasons [admittedly, not for profit, but still as critical cover].)

Which makes it very curious, therefore, that the most ardent IH supporters tend to be women. (Though there are more than a few men, they seem to tend to support it because it is “canon” and to attack it is to attack “canon” and thus trigger all of the above, rather than out of any real investment.) I think there are a number of reasons for this (which I have detailed before) and at any rate it is not particularly surprising; 53% of white women voted for Trump, after all.

What we are really seeing in fandom, are again the exact same dynamics that we see at larger and larger scales, for the exact same reasons. The stakes are smaller, but the perception of the power struggle is exactly the same.

Of course, the people who are involved in these things rarely think to interrogate themselves as to the true dimensions and root causes of their motivations. People rarely do that in general.

Putting all that aside, I’m glad that you have found a place you enjoy and feel comfortable, and thank you for the kind words, although I am not of the opinion that there is anything poignant about the non-fiction I write. It is, as I keep trying to emphasize, all there to be seen. One just has to open their eyes. So, it’s hard for me to accept appreciation of it.

Anyway, don’t feel shy about coming off of anon rather than continuing to send asks. We don’t really bite.

[jojobearoo]

Tell me about the boys!!! And how proud Yang and Weiss are of them. Would they be those super supportive parents at sports events that like to support them really enthusiastically?

whew buddy this is a triple layer dip you’re about to get into 

okay SO

Ryme:

yang was helping blake on a mission to find homes for faunus youth when she found ryme fishing alone in a nearby lake

yang loved this kid’s moxie and asked if they’d want to come home with them and have nicer fish prepared (they figured yes)

gave weiss a call and she showed up on a sdc jet less than an hour later with their house already being arranged for ryme

was 5-6 when they met their future moms, was 7 when they were officially adopted (at this point they had more sibs!)

was very small for their age, weiss worried they would stay small forever but hit a major growth spurt at 15 and just kept on growing…

they’re kind of a nerd, got super into law at some point

grew up hearing the injustices their grandfather brought upon the schnee name and wants to make sure it never happens again

also saw all the work their aunt blake did with the white fang and want to help change the laws from the inside!

probably the least interested in the huntress/ grimm gig in the whole family

likes cross stitching! will carry floss and half finished pieces to work on when studying is feeling slow

has very dry humor and always delivers their punchlines in deadpan/one word responses

likes cold foods/ chewing on ice chunks

being a polar bear faunus leaves them WARM they suffer in the summer (they’re very fuzzy)

Sol:

when yang gave birth to sol he was so small she cried so much and weiss fainted

their dog is named borshch because when he found them they were eating a tomato and their face was all red

sol loves animals! especially dogs! so much that they got a scar on their lip because they got too close to a baby beo thinking it was a weird dog

yang freaked out but after everything was said and done weiss was like hey cool scar

saw a horse as a kid and thought “thats a weird dog i want one” and became dedicated to the cowboy look ever since

sol’s is trying to earn a phD in grim research! they’re trying to figure out the link between domesticated animals and the potential benefit they could bring to stray communities!

they’ve found that grimm don’t target animals, and animals are a source of comfort to humans which help ward away grimm attractive negative emotions

they like playing daily sudoku puzzles

when sol gets mad his hair will look like steam! also has yang’s eye color changing thing when he’s mad

Amihan:

definitely takes after yang the most personality-wise

she likes to pull pranks on her siblings but does so out of love (at least thats her excuse)

she’s really quiet when she sets them up and has the strongest poker face in front of everyone so she rarely gets caught in the act

likes puns but mostly as a crutch for visual gags

as a kid she was stuck to ryme like pb+j to the point where once her hair was long enough she’d put them into little buns to match ryme’s ears!

isn’t really sure what she wants out of life so she’s mostly just drifting through high school

amihan’s hair will look like it’s bubbling/dripping if she’s feeling down and will only shine completely if fully cleaned/ brushed (she takes a long time in the morning untangling and taking care of her hair)

runs a youtube channel where she posts vids about fashion advice, personal music vids (she plays a ukulele), and sick skater tricks (free skates w/ roller blades)

is actually pretty toned down at home! likes to cook with her mom and writes in a journal (goes through crazy extremes to hide her journal

watches a lot of documentaries and analysis videos so she’s just full of the most random factoids (helps her win arguments when she gets in trouble for pulling pranks)

Yang and Weiss are so proud of their kids!!! Absolutely encourage them to do all the sports stuff they want! Ryme would do something like tennis/soft tennis, sol would be into some kind of equestrian based sport, and amihan would play volleyball or softball! everyone is competitive as hell (amihan is the worst sore loser) board game nights with the family is like a war zone