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mystic-kitten-writer · 4 years

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Limerence [M] ︳34

Pairing: Zuko x Fem. OC (Ying Yue Jiang)

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

Rating: SFW

Words: 16100+

Notes: It’s finally up! Sorry it took me so long to edit, I don’t know why, but it kept lagging. I’m probably gonna log on tmw and re-edit because things just kept freezing on here. But take care everyone, and I hope you like it~!

Masterlist ︳33 ︳ 35 [M]

❤ 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.

“Lacuna”

(Latin/n.) A blank space, a missing part.

~ Countess Mai ~

Fucking Ying Yue, that dumb bitc-

Kissing my teeth disagreeably loud, I could feel the jagged rocks under the thin sole of my shoes, the ground stupidly uneven and uncharted. My breathing came in quick pants, bruises lingering on my arms, thighs burning as we marched up the cliff at a steady pace. The looming trees above provided ample shade and cover, kicking up dust as Azula trailed in front.

My lips parted, another exhausted breath escaping me as I narrowed my eyes – Azula.

Her long ponytail swayed side to side like a whip, face void of any expressive emotion, trekking forward with purpose. Her shoulders were squared, not breaking a sweat from the steepness of the hill or the humid air. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve said she was completely fine – but I knew better.

“Azula,” I muttered, voice monotoned, barely audible. But the speed at which Azula’s posture tensed proved as evidence that she heard me loud and clear. Still sharp as ever.

Effortlessly, she looked over her shoulder, raising a perfectly groomed brow at me. “What?” Azula clipped, jaw clenched as she bore over me impatiently. I ignored the sharpness in her tone, a gentle breeze causing the bangs that framed her face to twirl—the way she held her head high, nose in the air.

Her pace didn’t flatter once, high-tailing at an alarmingly hasty pace. Don’t blame her, the faster we get away from the Kingdom, the better. The scenery around us was different from the last hide-out she brought me to. The landscape seemed thicker, so dense that one could easily scream for help, and not a single soul would hear—a perfect hide-out.

“Are we close?” I bore, rolling my eyes as my foot nudged a rock. “If I wanted to go on a nature walk, I would’ve gone to work with my sister.”

The stone tumbled, skipping by Azula’s feet.

She scoffed under her breath, eyes judging as she twisted her body forward, continuing on her march. “Why, tired? Try not to get your ass kicked by a peasant next time.” Azula expired, and I could hear the way her lips curved upwards at the insult.

My eyes glowered once more, “Nice scar you have on your hand.”

Azula stopped.

The way her hands quaked, balling into fists before letting go-

My pace eased, cautiously treading behind her before coming to a complete stop, surveying the way she towered above. Despite her back facing me, I could feel it. An aura of malice – down to the twitch in her fingertips.

I swallowed, seeing the bright pink scar that ran across Azula’s palm. The way the dipping sun managed to seep through the thick bush, seemingly emphasizing how deep the cut ran. It wasn’t a wound for the weak, the skin roughly patched together by her flames. Gross.

Azula abruptly shook her hand, balling it into a fist as if she could feel my lingering eyes studying the cut in detail.

“Up ahead,” She spoke, catching my attention, “The cave.”

I looked beyond Azula, realizing the way the ground evened for a moment, moss-covered rocks looming ahead. The entrance was almost entirely out of sight, only noticeable now that she pointed out the obvious. Trees grew on top of the structure, the dark abyss begging us to enter—the perfect image of a secreted lair.

My feet itched to move, but I stopped myself, noting that Azula didn’t move a muscle despite us being a few steps away. Fucking- I swore under my breath, flicking my fingers in annoyance.

“What’s the holdup?” I grumbled, trying my hardest not to roll my eyes once again, but it was her voice. The deadly drop in pitch, the way she hissed.

“I’ll kill her,” Azula whispered, and I could feel my skin begin to heat up.

Every word Azula spat was laced with venom, filled with a deep-rooted hatred, a passion and emotion-evoking tone that was all too unfamiliar. Azula, the most put-together being, the only one to keep her composure together, even in the heat of battle. But now-

The way Azula’s fists trembled, letting her emotions rise to the surface.

She’s not the same.

“I’ll make her regret thinking that I’m anything less than perfect.” Azula hissed under her breath, and I grimaced. She didn’t need to say her name for me to know who she was talking about. Her nails dug into the skin of her palm, a bead of scarlet running down her porcelain skin, her wound reopening.

Soundlessly I watched as the lone droplet of blood dripped onto the dirt below, and just like that – with a quick shake of her hand, Azula walked forward. Her shoulders were relaxed, flicking a strand of hair behind her ears as she casually strolled.

As if nothing had happened.

Not a single sound could be heard besides the rustling of the tree branches, Azula’s feet kicking up a trail of dust as she stomped over loose rocks. The only real thing of interest in this forsaken forest was her retreating figure.

The mouth of the cave eagerly welcomed Azula, the shadows beginning to swallow her body. Just as she was about to take another step, she halted, head tilting as if trying to hear something. She looked over her shoulder, an exhausted look on her face.

“Stop gawking like a fool, Mai, or else I’ll leave you with the Avatar and his annoying friends.” Azula pestered, her tone oddly tranquil, different from the act moments ago.

I glared, kissing my teeth as I commanded my feet to move.

“Whatever,” I muttered petulantly, begrudgingly going as I stripped my gaze away. I could hear Azula snort, rustling onward as I swiftly caught up. The burn in my legs seemed to grow tenfold, the slight pause in our march giving time for my body to take in the damage Ying Yue unleashed earlier. What a nuisance.

I crossed my arms, eyes looking straight ahead as the space around us darkened the further we descended into the mouth of the cave.

The air felt abnormally dewy, but it was the uncanny silence as we entered that had my guard rising. The sound of Azula’s and I breathing seemed to have intensified, every sniffle or breaking of a twig ricocheting off the walls at an alarming volume. Watchfully my eyes scanned our surroundings, piles of rubbish sprinkled.

Food, water canisters-

“Where the fuck is she?” A man’s voice resonated in the ample space, and my pace flattered. My eyes tapered, taking note of the glowing specs of light up ahead. People, but that voice-

I knew that voice, and I could feel my gut drop.

Memories of Kayto swamped my mind, remembering the final moments of that faithful day. The sound of his body slain from the inside, his last breath, how lifeless his eyes looked-

“Looking for me, Yakone?” Azula purred devilishly, as she strolled frontward. The illuminations were now in full view, torches laid along with the outermost corners, lighting the space. But that wasn’t what caught my attention.

It was the tall foreboding man at the center, whose chest was rising and falling, eyes glowing. His fists balled up, nostrils flared the moment he caught sight of Azula, before briefly shifting his gaze on me. His lips pressed tight; jaw clenched as he took a sharp inhale.

“Where the fuck were you, and why is your fucking finger-puppet here?” Yakone spat, stepping forward, dangerous slow.

Azula’s body stiffened slightly, but the way she brushed back her long bangs behind her ear, letting a hand rest on her hip as if she was completely unbothered by the beast in front of her. Yakone’s eyes were stone cold, a blue that easily reminded one of the dark depths of the sea, the unknown – danger.

“Mai is staying with us now.”

“Isn’t that a fucking treat.” Yakone sarcastically replied, running a hand through his hair.

Azula’s eyes narrowed, Yakone licking his lips impatiently. “You know what else is a fucking treat, the fact that I just got word that someone tried to kill not only your dumbass brother but Ying Yue.” He bellowed. The veins in his neck bulged as he spoke, and as he took a step headfirst, Azula took a step back.

Why would Yakone be upset that Azula wanted to kill Ying Yue? Isn’t that plan?

Carefully I followed her lead, letting my body ease its way to the other side of the stony encasement, and as I shifted, I could see the look on Azula’s face. Her lips pressed, eyes conspicuous as Yakone inched his way closer and closer to her figure. Azula, she’s cowering away-

“What are you trying to suggest, Yakone,” Azula warned, and he merely hooted, losing his patience by the second. “It was you and your lil’ friend over there, wasn’t it? You tried to kill Ying Yue.” Yakone interrogated, his hands twitching, cracking his fingers.

She rolled her eyes, “What makes you think I have anything to do with this?”

My eyes widen, hearing those words leave her lips - Azula’s lying.

The way Azula effortlessly tried to bypass Yakone’s questioning, acting aloof and unbothered. But I saw the way Yakone rolled his shoulders back, chest buffing. My arms reached into my sleeves, fingers grazing the knives that laid hidden-

And just like that, Yakone lunged.

His hand reached forward with speed, grabbing Azula’s by her neck, shoving her against the rocks behind. His fingers spread across her windpipe, nails digging into her skin.

Azula looked like a hurt puppy.

The way Yakone effortlessly overpowered her, the grip on his hand tightening, purple and blue bruises rising to the surface of her skin quickly. The sound of my feet shifting over the dirt that decorated the floor caught Yakone’s attention, as he raised his free hand, wiggling his fingers towards me.

“Fucking try, and I swear I’ll make your death more painful than Kayto’s.”

I stilled, holding my breath as I watched as Azula’s hands fell over his.

“What are you doing-” she hissed, eyes crazed as he practically lifted her body off the ground with no struggle. Her feet barely touched the ground, Yakone putting a warning-amount of pressure on her neck, her face turning a light shade of pink.

“Don’t you ever fucking forget, Azula, who needs who here.” Yakone snarled.

He leaned closer to her face; their foreheads pressed together as he tousled above. “I agreed to your plan because of two things. No United Nations, and your brother’s demise. One of those things failed, meaning Zuko’s death is the one reason why I’m even here.”

Azula growled, “I told you I wanted to ruin him, damage him, not kill.”

“Oh, now we’re getting into technicalities here, and I’m not one for word games. I want Zuko dead, Ying Yue was not apart of this discussion.”

“What do you expect, Yakone? That she’s going to run and give hugs and kisses to her long-lost Uncle? You’re a criminal.”

“And what about you, smart-ass?” Yakone shouted, shoving her body further against the rocks. She winced as the sharp edges dug into her back, “You think you’re just going to hurt Zuko and take the throne? You were nothing more but a tool for your father’s failed plan, even your mother, tossed you aside. You’re disposable.”

The looks on both of their faces, insults and slurs tossed, each one of them raising their voices to beat each other—a shouting match, whose lungs were loudest, who could hurt the other more. I swallowed hard, taking a step back as my arms limply fell to my side.

The whole time I thought Azula and Yakone shared the same goals, a singular plan in mind. But the way Azula shrieked and Yakone roared had my body feeling numb, their fighting fading to background noise.

I thought the real threat was Azula and Yakone working together, but I was wrong.

This was far worse.

There’s no longer a game plan, a goal, or a motive.

One wants blood, and the other wants power – both willing to cross each other and lie to get what they want.

~ Ying Yue Jiang ~

“She’s pregnant!”

“What a blessing, will this be her third child?”

“Fourth, her eldest is serving in the navy.”

“Ahh, yes-yes, slipped from my mind. How beautiful, if only I could convince my husband…”

“Makes two of us. How about you, Imperial Consort Ying Yue? Have you thought about having children of your own?” The ladies giggled, sipping away on their sweet teas in the garden.

The cherry blossom branches swayed under the gentle breeze, the pink flowers cascading with the current, fluttering like butterflies. The cool shade painted our skin, providing as an escape from the blaring sun, although the kids didn’t seem to mind the heat in the slightest. Quite the contrary – they were thriving.

Their laughter was clear as day, ringing throughout the palace gardens, but I couldn’t help but tune in with Kiyi’s the most. The ladies’ banter lost to the birds humming and moving water – absorbed in the beautiful smile on Kiyi’s face as she chatted away with her friends.

A red and golden embroidered picnic blanket laid over the grass, Kiyi was passing along the turtle duck food for her friends to feed. Her cheeks were dusted in pink, telling them fascinating facts about the creatures from the Southern Water Tribe.

“After school tomorrow, I’ll read the book to you. They have this animal called a ‘Polar Bear Dog’ – and it’s so cute and fluffy!” Kiyi gushed, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t snort hearing her excitement. The way her eyes twinkled with passion, a small part of my heart hurt – because the look reminded me so much of Zuko’s whenever he got excited.

Zuko…I miss you-

“Imperial Consort?” A voice droned; the sound close to my being, I found myself jumping. My head snapped to the women beside me, them staring at me with looks of concern. Shit – what were we talking about again?

“My apologies, I was watching the children-” I started, and the lady to my side started to snicker. She rose a napkin to her face, delicately tapping the tissue to rid herself of any crumbs that littered her appearance. All the women looked put-together, their hair and makeup done to impress, their clothes extravagant, meant to display their status.

“I guess that answers our question.”

“What question?” I inquired, and the ladies began to laugh once again.

“Whether or not Fire Lord Zuko and you are planning on having children anytime soon.” She replied, shooting me a sheepish smile. My mouth dropped, a shy blush coating my cheeks as a meek oh escaped me. Of course, they were talking about children and family. Almost all the high-ranking nobles were married, most with kids – or pregnant.

I stuck out like a sore thumb in these ‘royal tea parties,’ unable to relate to the women or men due to my lack of domestic life. I’m a mere child dressed in adult clothes – playing dress-up. My hands fell over my lap after combing my hair behind my ear, carelessly pressing thumbs as a means to keep my composure. I could feel my skin starting to heat up once again.

Another fever- Katara is going to kill me.

“Well, if it is not out of line to ask – when do you and Fire Lord Zuko plan on officially tying the knot?” A curious voice peeked, and at the question alone, I found myself reaching for my teacup, stealing a sip of the much-needed chamomile tea.

Marriage – with Zuko? I fought back the petty laugh. Marriage with Zuko seems more like a distant dream than a reality.

“Hopefully, once Fire Lord Zuko completes a few of his personal projects. Love is patient after all, and I’ll wait an eternity for him.” I spoke, forcing the words to leave my lips as I swallowed the lukewarm liquid.

It was comical, how quick they were to eat up my words, gushing about how romantic I was, that I was willing to wait for Zuko – words straight out of a romance novel. If only they knew that that was only scratching the surface of what I would do for Zuko, the things I would sacrifice.

I could feel my shoulders slump over in defeat, biting my lips anxiously.

The women didn’t notice the waver in my voice, the blue smile on my face, or the tears that I desperately held back. They were more concerned about the newest designer, skincare product, and fragrance – topics I would’ve undoubtedly been interested in if I didn’t have a looming fog in my mind.

Politics, it’s all politics.

The kid’s squeals peeked in volume, catching my attention, the children throwing their napkins in the air, towards Kiyi. What in the world-

“It’s okay! I’ll be right back!” Kiyi insisted before standing up.

Her black hair bobbed side to side, skipping towards me at full speed. Droplets of something dripping after every bounce, tainting the green coloured grass under her steps, seeping into the soil.

“Button-” I cooed, letting my tea rest on my plate before outstretching my arms. My hands caressed her face, and the happiness in her expression had me sporting a smile – a genuine smile. Kiyi was a breath of fresh air. Youthfulness and innocence, a heart of pure gold.

“What happened, button? You’re a mess.” I snickered under my breath, watching the sticky liquid trickle from the hem of her dress, her lap completed covered. She scratched her head, shooting me a spirited grin. She looks just like Zuko when she smiles like that-

“An accident, I didn’t see the jug of juice, and I kind of hit it.” Kiyi giggled, and I couldn’t help but snort, running my hand through her loose locks. “You’re so silly, button. Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?” I assured, light-heartedly tapping her nose.

Kiyi nodded her head before shifting her gaze to the women I was seated with. My eyes followed hers, flustered at how the women looked over us with broad smiles – hearts for eyes.

“I bet on two kids.”

“Really? I think one.”

��Wouldn’t be surprised if they already have a name picked out.” The ladies bantered between themselves as if I wasn’t currently sitting with them.

I could feel a tiny finger poke my cheek, looking back at Kiyi, a teasing smile on her face. And seeing her sport that knowing look, a look that reminded me of a harmonious mixture of Zuko’s and Toph’s ‘I’m up to no good’ had me freezing.

Oh no-

“Izumi – Zuzu told me that that’s the name they want,” Kiyi spoke up, catching on to the topic at hand far too quickly for my liking. The women all leaned over in disbelief, jaws hitting the table, struggling to process the very thing Kiyi blurted.

My eyes widen, the silly banter of family life between Zuko and I exposed. When and why did Zuko tell Kiyi this information-

“Button-”

“And Zuzu said they have a baby room set up in their vacation house! I can’t wait until I become an aunt. He said it’s a very serious job and-” My hand fell over Kiyi’s lips, cutting her off midsentence as I shot the women an embarrassed smile.

The redness of my face was no longer due to my impending fever – but out of the utter realization that Zuko seemingly unleashes all his damn soft and fluffy feelings to her. Kiyi really is Zuko’s weakness, isn’t she?

“Let’s get that dress cleaned button,” I said through awkward giggles, hand still firmly placed over her face, Kiyi letting out squeals of delight through my fingers.

“Yue and Zuzu, sitting on a-”

“Throne because he’s Fire Lord and I’m his-”

“Wifey.” Kiyi managed to yelp.

The speed at which my body moved, not bothering to say my goodbyes to these royals, as I nudged Kiyi’s body forward with my own. There was no way in the spirit world I was going to look behind me, already imaging the sunny looks on those women’s faces hearing the fuss coming from Kiyi’s lips.

“I swear, button, I’m going to revoke cookie dates from you!” I mumbled under my breath, feeling the way Kiyi’s body shook from joy. My hand slipped from her mouth, her face pink as she held her stomach, her laughter loud and proud. And despite the embarrassment and exasperation, I found myself laughing along with her.

There was something about hearing a child’s guiltless laugh that was contagious, especially coming from Kiyi. The smile on my face was enormous, reaching my eyes. When was the last time I smiled this much? The last time I laughed freely, enjoying my time?

“You’re so much trouble, button~.” I blew, hands falling over her shoulders, embracing her. My fingers squeezed her chubby cheeks from behind basking in the sun’s heat before we walked up the palace steps. The guards before us opened the grand doors, observing the way I coddled Kiyi to my body. Like a momma bear.

There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that they didn’t already know the trouble Kiyi could cause in less than a minute – the reason why they all sported small grins watching us enter.

A handful, just like her brother.

We stepped inside the Kingdom, walking side by side, glued to the hip, humming happily. Our footsteps pattered along the flooring, heading towards her room, but I saw the cheeky glances Kiyi tried to steal from the corner of her eyes, studying my figure. She thinks she’s so sly.

I snickered at her childish behaviour, poking her cheek, “What are you staring at so much, button? Do I have some crumbs on my face?”

“No~.” Kiyi giggled, tilting her head to the side.

“Then tell me, button.” I pestered, enjoying her coyness. Her blush deepened, a flush I didn’t notice until now, before poking her one more time, “Tell me, what are you staring at so intently?”

“You’re smiling again…you’re pretty when you smile.” Kiyi breathed.

Our paces stilled; my breathing hitched as Kiyi wore the saddest smile on her face. An expression no child should ever have to wear. My shoulders dropped in surprise, not fully processing the words she spoke.

“Ever since Zuzu got this cold, you’ve been really sad…you must miss him a lot, I can tell.” Kiyi uttered. Her tone dripped with distress, only then noticing where her golden eyes were settled over.

Men and women dressed in red with badges strapped to their arms. The cross-shaped icon of their insignia standing out amongst their outfit. They were moving around us hastily, clipboards pressed against their chests, giving us quick bows before running through the large doors before us.

The Infirmary.

How did I not notice before?

“I want to visit Zuzu, but Mom told me that I couldn’t. She said that he’s sleeping, but-but he’ll wake up soon…” Kiyi continued, although the more she spoke, the quiver in her voice grew. I breathed in deeply, hearing the pain in Kiyi’s words. Gosh, of course, she misses Zuko.

They’re two peas in a pod – an inseparable duo. I watched as Kiyi sprung side to side, a whirlwind of emotions flying by. But what pained me the most about this was the fact that Kiyi didn’t know a single thing, the truth.

A nasty cold – that’s all it was.

“I’m going to pick some flowers for Zuzu for your bedroom! He loves it when I pick him flowers. Can I do that, Yue?” Kiyi questioned, and I smiled at the positive idea, the ache laced in her tone already lost, a chirpiness finding light. Seeing how quick she bounced back to her upbeat self, pushing past the sad thoughts, the spirit of a Firebender.

My knees bent, going down to her height, our pupils leveled.

“Zuko would love that, button.” I whispered docilely, brushing her black locks behind her ear, “Any gift from you would make him smile.”

My smile grew, seeing how a faint pink painted her cheeks, like tiny pink stars that decorated the starry night. “Yue…can I-can I ask you for a favour?” Kiyi questioned shyly, looking down at her toes, her hands stuffed into her dress pockets. I let my finger dip underneath her chin, compelling her gaze to met mine.

“Anything button.”

“I-I made a get-better card for Zuzu in school today. Can you-can you give it to him?” Kiyi requested, pulling from her pocket. My eyes dipped, noticing the little red card appear from her dress, astonished it wasn’t ruined from the juice spilling over her lap. A large sun was painted in front with a smiley face, ‘Get better Zuzu!!!!’ scribbled across.

The smile from my face flattered, lips parting as I took in what Kiyi asked me to do – the effort she put into this card. She wants me to give this to Zuko? My eyes snapped back to her, taking in the look of pure and utter determination on her face.

There was nothing more Kiyi wanted at this moment than for her big brother to have this card.

I opened my mouth to say something – but I couldn’t, lips trembling as I struggled to think coherently. The feather-like footsteps from the maids and nurses around us seemed to intensify, sounding like thunder. Blood rushing to my head as the thought of seeing Zuko’s resting figure tormented my mind.

Kiyi will be heartbroken if I say no, but Zuko-

“Button, I-I-” I stammered agonizingly, unable to find the right answer, trying to catch my breath. But the look on Kiyi’s face. Gosh, the similarities in expressions with Zuko, it was baffling.

I can’t hurt her like this, but to see Zuko after so long-

A delicate hand fell over my shoulder, like a plume, and Kiyi’s eyes widened in surprise before shooting the stranger behind me a joyful smile. I flinched at the unexpected tender touch over my kneeling figure. The familial grasp accustomed.

“Avatar Aang!”

“Hi Kiyi, what are you two doing over here? Planning on visiting your brother with Yue?” Aang spoke light-heartedly from behind, his pitch higher in tone than usual. I could feel the way his hand shifted over my shoulder, his fingers wrapping around my body, squeezing.

He’s telling me to relax-

“No~. I can’t visit, grown-ups only. But I made a card for Zuzu, and I want Yue to give it to him!”

“A card, so thoughtful, Kiyi! It’s been a while since Yue saw your brother. What a perfect reason to see him now.” Aang casually spoke, his playful and cheerful aura shining through. And while any other day I would’ve gushed about how well Aang was with children, my mind focused on the words he uttered. I knew the double meaning.

“Aang-” I warned with a batted breath.

A cold sweat started to form on my eyebrow, the fever and impending panic attack beginning to work its way back to the surface no matter how hard I tried to shove the looming emotions away. I didn’t need to look over my shoulder, as I could feel Aang’s usual doe-like eyes boring holes into the back of my head, goosebumps rising on my skin.

“I was going to see Zuko right now. I can go with Yue.” Aang continued, and I could hear the smile on his face. But despite the casual tone, there was an unspoken sternness. He wasn’t leaving this up for debate.

Kiyi, utterly oblivious to Aang’s underlying message, squealed in delight. She shot me a great smile, a smile that had my stomach in knots as her tiny hands gripped my own, tugging on my sleeves. The excitement that ran through her body, practically jumping and standing on her toes.

“Thank you, Yue! You’re the best; I’m so lucky to have a big sister like you. No wonder Zuko says he wants to marry you!” Kiyi gushed, and I could feel my skin begin to prickle. Zuko wants to marry me- “I can wash up by myself, so don’t worry about me, Yue! Here is the card-” Kiyi rushed, shoving the fragile thing into my grip.

But what caught me off guard the most was the way Kiyi leaned towards me, pressing her puckered lips against my cheek. The feeling of her pouting lips, planting a gigantic wet kiss, had me blushing with happiness. It was adorable, sweet, a gesture that I didn’t deserve.

“You’re the best; I love you!” Kiyi blurted all in one breath.

No, I’m not, I’m far from ‘best,’ and even farther from ‘good.’

“I love you too, button.” I hummed, pressing a bittersweet kiss on her cheek before she pulled away. She glowed at the words of endearment, waving at Aang before skipping down the hallway. I watched as she clasped on her juice-covered dress, giggles flowing from her innocent lips as she danced away, her figure becoming nothing more but a fleeting dot.

It was Aang’s moderate tap that pulled me away from my trance, looking over my shoulder to see him standing in those mustard coloured robes of his.

“Let me help you up, Yue.” Aang hummed as he reached, our fingers brushing against each other. He tugged me forward easily, letting me find my footing, as I dusted off my dress. As I patted down, I couldn’t help but let my digits slide over the hand-made card Kiyi gave me.

The large sun she had painted with a cheery smile, staring back at me almost mockingly.

Why did it hurt so much to see this card?

“You’re flushed, Yue. Is your fever back?” Aang worried, stepping closer as he carefully inspected my figure. The further he inched his way towards me, I found myself blinking rapidly, taking in Aang’s appearance.

The deep circles under his eyes, cheeks a bit more hollow than usual, highlighting his cheekbones in an ill manner. Even his brown eyes that were usually light in colour seemed darker, murky.

“Aang, you look unwell-”

“Guess that makes two of us.” Aang laughed under his breath, letting the back of his hand fall over my forehead. His soft skin brushed against mine, sweeping aside whatever baby hairs decided to escape from my current updo. The coolness from his body had me sighing in relief. How an ice bath seems far too tempting at the moment.

Aang glowered, pulling his hand back, and I couldn’t help but gripe under my breath – my five second-cooling pad gone. “Let’s go see Katara about this fever. You’re burning up; this isn’t good...” Aang started, and I shook my head.

“Don’t worry, Aang, she’s with Zuko and I-and I have things I have to do,” I spoke, voice unsteady as I tried to sound put-together. Instinctively, I sharpened up shoulders, chin up, trying to appear presentable—the same go-to movements I often did with the other royals and councilmembers.

Yet the moment I breathed in deeply, back straight, I couldn’t shake the overwhelming feeling of feeling stupid. Standing here with Aang, forcing myself to seem normal, happy, okay, had my whole act in shambles. Because while I was able to put on the perfect façade with everyone, Aang was family.

The way his shoulders dropped, eyes rounded, and arms ready to embrace – he already knew that I was in so much emotional and physical pain. Every day was a struggle to get out of bed, to eat, to work. I bit my lip, letting my fingers dance with the card Kiyi left behind. I can’t do this.

I rose it, extending it towards him, “H-here, please give this to Zuko.”

Aang’s eyes widen, lightly pushing the card back towards my chest. “Kiyi asked you to do this, Yue.” Aang reasoned, shaking his head, and I swallowed dryly.

He doesn’t get it.

“I-I can’t, Aang-” I inhaled, and Aang blew, “How long are you going to go not seeing Zuko, Yue. He needs you-”

“I’m busy-” I struggled, and Aang scoffed, his palms falling over my arms.

He ran his hands up and down, trying his best to comfort me despite the busybodies swimming by us. And for a split moment, I found myself slowly starting to ease in the act, before Aang spoke once more.

It was like the room around us disappeared, the people, the noise, everything gone. My vision tunnelled on the way Aang moved his lips, ears listening to his usually airy voice utter the heaviest, heart-wrenching truth.

“It’s been a week, Yue. A whole week, and you’ve never visited him once.”

I swore, realizing I caused a dent in the corner of the delicate card from my shuddering hands, hearing Aang’s blunt revelation. A-a whole week?

A whole week I went without seeing Zuko, and the sense of overwhelming dread weighed down my shoulders, stressed to process the information. I swallowed back a sob, cradling the card to my chest as the space around me felt like it was enclosing, the air too thick to breathe, burning my throat-

“Yue, watch out-” Aang exclaimed.

A maid bumped her shoulder against mine abruptly, causing me to wobble in my spot.

The room spun, Aang’s arm reaching forward, grasping my elbow securely as a means to steady my dazzled state. The maid’s eyes widening in shock as she took note at the way my feet tumbled over each other for a moment, Aang desperately trying to help me find my state of balance.

“My apologies, Imperial Consort Ying Yue, I was not watching where I was going- Imperial Consort Ying Yue? Are-are you alright?” The lady asked, her brows pinching together as she thoughtfully inched forward. It was then I realized how frazzled I undoubtedly looked.

My whole body squeezed inwardly, clenching onto the card Kiyi gave me to my chest for dear life. I gulped, nodding my head nervously, “I-I’m fine, please, don’t apologize. I was lost in my thoughts; it’s my fault. I have to go now.” I exclaimed, forcing a smile on my face to the maid as she worriedly nodded and carefully bid her farewell.

Aang’s grasp on my elbow stiffened, shifting my gaze back to him as she left, “Yue, you need to see Zuko eventually. You promised Kiyi.”

“I will, just not now.” I wheezed, and the frown on Aang’s face grew, “You’ve been saying that all week.”

“Because I’m busy, I made a vow-”

“Work can wait, Yue. You shouldn’t even be working; you’re exhausted. Have you seen yourself?” Aang puffed, shaking his head in frustration as his fingers unknowingly dug deeper into my arm. “You look like you haven’t slept in days, you have a fever, you look sick. I’m worried-” Aang tried to reason, and I grimaced at his words.

I knew how terrible I looked.

Every night I tossed and turned in bed. No number of blankets, no number of pillows, not even sleeping in Zuko’s old T-shirts, seemed to do the trick. And those rare moments, where I did manage to close my eyes, were only filled with nightmares. Vivid images of the pained expression on Zuko’s face, him struggling to breathe, the way he looked at me.

He hates me-

A shaky exhale left me, “A-Aang, I can’t see Zuko-”

“Stop punishing yourself, Yue.” Aang snapped, his voice sharp.

The people around us all stilled for a moment, undoubtedly hearing Aang raise his voice, a tone I have only listened to a handful of times. They stared at us, looks of confusion and alarm stamped on their faces before they cautiously treaded around us, dashing through the infirmary doors, or down the hallway.

Aang’s face was pink, the grip on my arm constricting as he blew stridently. It was like the emotional turmoil inside the both of us snapped, lashing out towards each other with no real reason. The weight of the whole week, the stress of running around, was eating us all alive.

I ripped my arm from his grip with a cry, taking a step back as my bottom lip quivered. “You don’t understand, Aang.” I gulped, head shaking as I took another weak step backwards. The way my body trembled, thankful I didn’t trip over my feet.

It was like all the pain and confusion was evident in my face, Aang’s expression softened, realizing how his temper flared for that split moment. Rubbing his face in defeat, he sighed heavily.

“Then talk to me, Yue.” Aang pleaded as his voice strained with need, “Zuko needs you so much right now, you’re the only person he’s ever opened to like this. He loves you more than anything else in the world-”

My breathing hitched, body stilling at Aang’s words. Memories of Mai and I’s interaction a week ago entering my mind-

‘Zuko would never love a monster like yourself. Not after everything you’ve done.’

‘All this drama happened because of you.’

‘If anyone gets hurt, it’s all your fault.’

My lips parted, a wheezy gasp leaving me as I struggled to talk – as if someone kicked me in the gut. “I need to go-” I said, eyes unable to focus onto Aang, everything around me turning into one giant blur.

“Yue-”

“I need to go; I have work I need to do,” I spoke harshly, face impassive as I dodged his reach. Aang’s soft pleas, desperately trying to grab hold of me, the sleeves of my dress slipping through his fingers like water as I twisted on my heel.

Scurrying through the people in the hallway, hand clasping over the card Kiyi had drawn, my teeth dug into my lips, the taste of iron filling my senses. I need to go; I need to go-

But…

I don’t want to go.

I let out a tired sulk, staring down at the black ink that stained the document before me. My signature looked like a two-year-old drew it, lines shaky and blotchy. What’s wrong with me? It’s like I forgot how to write, the ink practically pooling at the bottom of the page.

It seemed like instead of spilling the ink all over the desk, like I’ve been doing this past week, I decided to pool it at the bottom of each document I’ve signed. Each paper that I touched with the tip of my golden pen, sporting its own artistic touch of ‘blotches.’ Every hour, the specks and chaos were getting worse.

Maybe I could play it off as some modern artistic signature style?

I snorted at my foolishness; shoulders slouched as I hesitantly rose the heavy pen in my hand back towards the paper. My eyes wearily scanned the document, trying to think of any possible way to save the work.

At this point, anything would do.

One paper, I just needed one article this evening to have a pretty signature. That’s it. Cautiously, I inched the pen towards my scribbles, biting my lip as I held my breath. And just like that, I swore.

The sound of wet paper ripping as the golden tip stabbed through, the paper giving way to the sheer volume of ink and pressure. A loud whine escaped me, pen slipping from my grasp as I let my body fall against the desk, head thumping against the wood. Why can’t anything go right for once?

Papers flew into the air, cascading downwards like fluttering butterflies, falling onto the floor. The unrelenting throbbing of my head grew tenfold. Either from banging it against this wooden desk or the utter frustration that coursed through my veins – my bet is both.

My hands spread wide, flush with the study, nails digging and scratching at the surface.

“Get it together, Yue. You’re not going to cry over a damn signature.” I blubbered, lip rolling between my teeth, forcing my eyes shut to prevent that stupid tear from rolling down my cheek. The taste of old blood still lingering on my lip from biting it roughly earlier on in the day with Aang.

I whipped my head back, sitting upright, forcing my eyes open.

“Don’t you dare cry.” I hissed to myself, as my chest tightened.

The room was deathly quiet, only the dim lights from the candles spread about lighting the area. Eerie shadows from the décor scattered throughout the room had a restlessness settling in my stomach, the air stuffy. Every creak of the wooden floors, the flicker of light felt like a spirit hiding in the shadows, ready to lunge and attack.

The room didn’t feel like home.

I didn’t get the butterflies when I sat in this chair, skin warm and giggling non-stop.

Nothing felt like home anymore.

Because Zuko was home, dummy.

“D-don’t cry,” I repeated like a mantra, blinking rapidly to stop the tears that so desperately wanted to fall. “It’s a signature, j-just a signature. Who cares?” I reasoned loudly, undoubtedly the guards on the other side questioning my sanity. But the more I spoke, the further my voice cracked, my emotions and logic fighting fiercely against one another.

Helplessly my gaze wandered about the room, trying to distract myself, anything to push the too real of emotions away. I could hear my heartbeat thumping in my ears, every single thing my eyes settled upon evoking another, stronger emotion.

The simple door at the other end of the room had me recalling those times I would sneak in here to surprise Zuko during work. The way his face would light up, more often than not, sighing in relief and beckoning me to his side. ‘Just who I needed, my baby’ Zuko would often coo, his hands brushing back my hair, tangling themselves.

Or what about this desk?

The number of times I sat on this thing, Zuko and I teasing each other, bantering about nonsense. ‘You’re so needy, love. Always needing hugs and kisses,’ Zuko would complain, only to pull me close. Fitting perfectly between his legs as he planted chaste kisses over my head, whispering sweet nothings.

I sniffled, nose runny as my eyes fluttered shut.

‘Mmm, my one and only, baby’ I could vividly recall Zuko droning into my ear just last week, arms wrapping around my waist, fingers dancing over my skin. His warmth, his touches, his kisses.

Zuko loved me in those moments, he really did, and I ruined it all.

“Why now? Of all the times, why do I have to remember this now?” I whimpered under my breath, pain radiating up my nails as I burrowed into the wood beneath me. For days upon days, I drowned myself in work—anything to keep my mind off Zuko, avoiding the Gaang like the plague.

This wasn’t about the stupid signature, gosh, it was so much more.

My thoughts ran wild, switching between the happy moments Zuko and I shared, to the look of absolute horror once he realized what I was. But the cherry on top, the gut-twisting moment that had a small cry leaving my lips was Mai’s words that faithful day.

The way Mai’s eyes looked down from above, an expression filled with sadness and pain etched into her very soul. Her tough shell crumbled for that tiny instant; her winded whisper engraved into my mind.

‘Remember, Yue. If you really love Zuko – want the best for him. You know what to do.’

“B-but I don’t want to go.” I weakly snivelled, confessing that very thing I was trying to ignore. The festering and unavoidable topic at hand, the decision that kept me up at night, the reason why I couldn’t look at Ursa or Noren in the eye. I want to stay here, by Zuko’s side. I can’t hurt him like that, leave him after everything he’s been through-

But this isn’t about you; a dark voice echoed into my mind; this is for Zuko, his safety.

But he’s home-

He doesn’t love you, you’re a monster, forever and always.

My eyes snapped open once more, vision blurry as tears build up, freely falling down my face. “I’m losing home.” I sniffled, heart aching as I tried my hardest to swallow down my sobs. I didn’t want the guards who stood on the other side of that door to hear me, to feel burdened by my distress.

Now is not the time to make others worry.

I just need to continue ruling the Kingdom until Zuko gets better and then-

Weakly, I wiped the tears from my eyes, taking deep lungsful as a means to control my emotions. My cheeks hurt from the crying, nose a bright red, no doubt, as I wiped the final tear from my eyes. I don’t even want to know how I look like at the moment.

My vision cleared, a shaky breath leaving me, as I sat straight. Another hour of work and then you can try to sleep this all off. I wiggled my way into Zuko’s chair, trying to find a comfy spot to zone out my thoughts and fix my terrible signatures, only to freeze.

There, at the very edge of my desk, stood that perfect red card.

The bright yellow sun smiling at me, Kiyi’s adorable cursive scribbled on the front.

“Get better, Zuzu,” I whispered, a small smile emerging on my face as the words flew from my lips.

Memories of Kiyi’s, bouncing from joy in her spot as she said she loved me, that I was the best big sister. Hands shaking, I found them stretching before me without thinking. Leaning forward and pressing myself against the desk, my fingertips grazed the edge of the card, drawing it closer.

I couldn’t help but caress the soft paper, feeling where the paint stuck, the paper slightly wrinkled. With much care, I brought it close to my face, eagerly musing over every paint stroke, every sparkle, the love etched into this simple card.

It was funny how the little things in life take up the most space in your heart.

How a simple card caused the warm fuzzy feelings, the feelings I haven’t felt in almost a week, to appear. The dashing butterflies in my stomach, cheeks glowing in glee, the emotions and reactions that would often appear whenever I was with Zuko. A fleeting moment of complete and utter bliss, happiness.

I want to see Zu-

A knock on the door stripped me from my thoughts, jumping in my seat.

The way my eyes bugged out, staring at the door with my jaw dropped, not at all anticipating such a powerful knock, let alone at this moment. My head snapped side to side, hastily taking note of the mess spread around.

“Umm, o-one minute, please!” I shouted, mortified beyond belief.

My hand grabbed the papers that were within reach, almost throwing myself over the table as I greedily swiped all the blotched documents towards me. Shit-shit-shit, where am I going to put all this? And that’s when I spotted the small white bin that stood at my feet, and without thinking twice, I tossed all the papers inside.

I’ll take care of this mess after.

“C-come in!” I awkwardly muttered, sniffling as I stared forward.

A moment of silence fell over me before the front door flew open with a bang. My head tilted to the side, watching with interest as a short man dashed inside. His black clothing made him look like a shadow, making his way towards me as if he’s been inside here countless of times, knowing the room like the back of his hand.

The door swayed close behind him, the man's hands raised as he adjusted the thick red scarf wrapped around his shoulders and neck. “Fire Lord Zuko.” The man huffed, pulling the veil down his face, exposing his sharp nose, “I have news about Ax-”

His dark cat-like eyes lined up with mine, his thin pink lips forming an ‘O’ shape as he froze in his spot. We stared at each other, looks of confusion and amusement flashing between us, neither one of us knowing who we were in relation.

I found my gaze falling over the man’s features, taking note of the faint wrinkles that appeared on his face, his skin tanned. As if he realized that I was studying him intently, curious as to who he was, a faint flush coated his cheeks.

“Y-you’re not Fire Lord Zuko.” The man buzzed, his tone low and taut.

I let out a breathless giggle, entertained by the expression on his face.

He looked utterly taken off guard, stunned, like a confused child. And seeing such an expression on a man who was currently dressed in a skin tight-suit, weapons undoubtedly concealed underneath was such a contrast. I found myself easing in my seat, something in me telling me he wasn’t a threat, despite his harsh facial structures and odd clothing.

I saw the way he eagerly studied my sitting figure, and like something clicked he quickly bowed, “You must be- Imperial Consort Ying Yue, my sincere apologies-”

“Please, it’s okay.” I quickly retorted, standing up from the chair as I waved away the formalities. My eyes scanned his face once again, trying desperately to place a name. He seems unfamiliar, I’ve never met this man before, have I?

“Is there something you need? Fire Lord Zuko is not available at the moment, but I can do whatever I can.” I started, and the man merely shook his head, hand scratching his head. “Unfortunately, I need to speak with Fire Lord Zuko, directly. Do you know where I could find him?”

My lips parted, a sad smile forming on my face, as I eased my way around the chair, walking around the desk. He doesn’t know- Even the man in front seemed to notice the way my body altered, a sudden heaviness in my step. I let my hand slide down my lap, fixing any wrinkles that may have appeared.

“Fire Lord Zuko is ill at the moment; I’m temporarily stepping into his role. But if there’s anything I can do-”

“He’s ill?” The man exclaimed, and I puckered, nodding my head.

“This whole week…” I spoke, and the man clicked his tongue, running his hands through his hair. He did not want to hear that. He began to grumble under his breath, mumbling incoherent, but I could sense the frustration from him.

I couldn’t help it, watching over him, feet moving on their own, inching closer towards him: the sharp eyes, sun-kissed skin. Just who is he?

“My apologies, but who are you, may I ask?”

He looked taken aback by the question, before chuckling bashfully under his breath. “I promise I do have better manners than this, Imperial Consort.” He droned, shaking his head in shame before giving me a broad smile.

“I go by Mihir; I’m an informant, I work directly under Fire Lord Zuko’s authority.” He started, and the moment his name left his lips, my eyes widen.

The beach house.

I stepped forward, a pout on my face as I pointed a finger, “It’s you. The man who kept calling Zuko when we were on vacation- you kept stealing Zuko from me!”

He looked taken aback, raising his hands in front of him as he shook, hearing the high pitch in my voice as I squealed. “S-sorry, Imperial Consort. I didn’t mean to bother you during your vacation-” he stumbled, and I huffed under my breath.

“It’s fine, knowing Zuko, he made you work. That man doesn’t understand how to relax.” Gosh, if Zuko knew I stuffed the bin to the brim with paperwork, he would’ve killed me.‘Hiding paperwork doesn’t make the work go away, love’ I could already imagine Zuko grumbling, hearing his voice vividly in my mind. I smiled to myself despite the annoyance.

Zuko would pinch his nose, and then complain about how the papers are all wrinkled-

“You know Fire Lord Zuko well.” Mihir chuckled under his breath, a blush creeping onto my cheeks as I realized I zoned out for a moment. I timidly brushed whatever hairs fell from my ponytail, biting my lip as I looked down at the floor.

“I admire his work ethic, even though it drives me nuts sometimes. There isn’t a day where he isn’t doing something, improving himself or helping others. I-I always adored that.” I rambled, mentally slapping myself. Why is it that, whenever Zuko is brought to topic, I find myself blurting another thing I adore about him?

Mihir mused at my words, crossing his arms, “Fire Lord Zuko…he talks about you…a lot.” My gaze snapped upwards to meet Mihir’s, a gentle smile on his face.

He didn’t seem like a man who smiled often, but it suited him. Even though every expression of Mihir’s had this stoutness to it, I couldn’t help but notice the softness in this man’s soul. I think I know why Zuko trusts him.

“I guess I’ll come back tomorrow. Hopefully, Fire Lord Zuko feels better and can arrange a moment with me. I’ll leave so you can go see him now, give him my regards.” Mihir spoke, and my head tilted, raising a brow.

“What makes you think I’m seeing him now?” I blurted, confusion written on my face. Mihir chuckled, raising his scarf over his face, “Because you’re holding that ‘get better Zuzu’ card.”

His cat-like eyes were the only visible part of his body, stepping back as he placed his hand over his chest, “And based on the way you’re holding it, tight and close to your heart, shows me it’s important. That you care and worry about Fire Lord Zuko, maybe even more than you realize.”

He bowed from his waist down before opening the study door, just a crack – slipping through like the wind. It softly shut behind him, leaving me alone in the middle of the room. My mouth dropped, looking down at my hands to realize Mihir was right.

This whole time…I-I was holding the card.

The sun smiled back at me, and I couldn’t help but smile again, no longer experiencing that mocking feeling like I was earlier in the day. “A promise is a promise…” I whispered, and I twirled on my feet, walking towards the candles that littered the room.

My lips puckered, blowing out each one, dashing. The way I spoke to Aang, the promise I made to Kiyi- I don’t want my time here to end like this, on such a sour note.

I want to see Zuko – one last time.

Thumbs twirling, a large pout settled as I waltzed down the red hall, the infirmary just around the corner.

My dress rustled as I walked, the clicking sound of my heels, bouncing off the walls of the almost wholly deserted Kingdom. One or two servants would come down ever so often, smiling sweetly before continuing on their way. They all bore tired expressions, ready to go home for the night, until tomorrow.

I pressed the card Kiyi made close to my chest, hands shaking slightly.

The moon was high in the night sky, admiring the reflection it drew on the water in the pond. Despite the distance, I could spot the faint ripples, turtle ducks calmly floating below the waterfall, enjoying the chill air the Fire Nation had to offer.

Another puff left me, lost in my thoughts as I continued on my walk, eyes settling upon the flower petals that fell from the trees. To think that just hours ago, I was under a tree, the hot air and beaming sun radiating upon my skin. Now an odd sense of peace filled the air, the children's laughter, the women’s gossip just remnants of time.

One more walk in the gardens with Zuko.

I would’ve loved that.

The warmth of Zuko’s hands in mine, his fingers rubbing the skin between my thumb and pointer, humming our soft tune. Or maybe us playing in the water with Kiyi once again, Iroh and Ursa laughing in the background, shaking their heads in amusement.

“Yue?” A voice breathed, so light, quieter than a whisper, that for a moment, I thought I imagined it. My brows pinched together, raising my hand to my head as my pace flattered. Did I- am I so tired I’m hearing things right now?

I shook my head, scoffing to myself.

My eyes burned, throat rough as I swallowed hard. The events of the day had my hands cramped and body aching. “Get it together, Yue,” I grumbled under my breath, forcing my feet to move. I let my hand drop from my forehead, resting it along the palace walls – pivoting to turn the corner before I stopped abruptly in my tracks.

“Yue.” The voice spoke again, this time louder, more forceful.

This isn’t my imagination; the voice is coming from behind me. I twirled in my spot, a small gasp escaping me as I soaked up what I saw. The stunning mix of yellow and blue, a large wooden stick in hand-

“Aang.” I breathed, reviewing his figure up and down.

He stood there, posture hunched, and unlike this morning, where he seemed tired but overall refreshed, now he looked utterly drained. The way his eyes sulked and the grip he held over his staff, loose. Dangling from the tips of fingers as he stared back at me, his pupils wide. Is he just coming back from work? At this hour of the night?

“Aang, you’re just going to bed now?” I announced, unable to hide the worry in my tone. Aang awkwardly scratched his head, laughing under his breath while nodding slowly, “Mhm, I had some paperwork I had to review for Republic City.”

“This late?” I questioned; my hands firmly pressed over my chest.

Aang opened his mouth before shutting it, the corner of his lips tugging upwards as he coolly leaned on his staff. “What about you, Yue?” Aang started, wiggling his eyebrows, nudging his head to the side as if to emphasize the fact that the moon was high in the sky.

“It seems like someone else is just going to bed.”

I bite my lip, shaking my head, “I’m not going to bed just yet…”

Aang glowered at my words, pushing off the staff that he was just resting on, back straightening. “Where are you going, Yue?” Aang voiced, “It’s late; you should be resting-”

“I'm going to see Zuko.”

The air between us stilled, hearing him take in a sharp inhale, stilling in his spot.

His mouth agape, gawking as he let the words, I uttered, seep in. Expressions of astonishment and disbelief flashed by his face, unsure which emotion to settle upon. I couldn’t fault him for feeling as shocked as he was. For a whole week, I refused to see Zuko, no matter how often they begged and asked. But I can’t say no anymore; I want to see him so bad, be greedy and selfish and see him-

Reservedly, I shifted my hands from my chest, presenting the get-better card Kiyi gave me earlier in the day to him. It was like the card jerked Aang from the conflicting emotions that tumbled inside him, seeing his sandaled feet moving forward.

“Yue, if you’re not ready to see him, you don’t have to.” Aang concerned, brows pinching together as he anxiously stepped forward. “I can give the card, right now-”

“Aang, I’m sorry for pushing you and the Gaang away.” I snivelled.

The trembling in my hands grew, teeth digging deep into my swollen lips as I drove the card further into my chest. My nails pulled at the silky fabric of my dress, fighting back the tears of remorse.

The way I treated Aang earlier was sad, but it wasn’t just today. It was ever since Zuko fell ill. It was like I couldn’t look at anyone in the eye, not even Sokka or Katara, without feeling guilty. Overwhelming shame and burden, despite them not holding what happened to Zuko against me.

But I was also lying to them, not telling them the truth of what happened that terrible day, the extent of my bending.

“I was so mean to you, and I’m sorry.”

“Yue-” Aang sniffled, and I felt his arms wrap around my body, pulling me into a tight embrace.

I let my head snuggle in between his neck and shoulder, chest rising and falling between my heavy breaths as Aang fussed into my ear. His lips pressed against my head, a smile dancing as he held me close. A whole week I went without a single hug from anyone, without any form of affection. I was forcing myself into complete isolation beside any business meetings.

To have someone hold me close made me realize how lonely I felt. How much I wanted a hug – to be held.

“I’m sorry too. I should’ve have lost my temper like that. I just-” Aang started, pulling away slightly, our gazes meeting as we stood close. I saw how round his eyes were, cheeks a pleased flush as he spoke. “I can’t stand seeing you hurting yourself, Yue. Take all the blame and hurt when you deserve to be happy.”

“I just want Zuko to be safe.” I sighed, raising my hand against my nose for the hundredth time today. Aang hummed knowingly, “Come on, I’ll walk you to the infirmary, and then I’ll let you be.”

“A-actually, Aang…” I stuttered, cheeks turning rosy, “Can you come with me? I-I don’t want to do this alone.”

The way Aang beamed as if I told him that Appa could, in fact, fit inside the Kingdom and sleep in the same room as Katara, him, and Momo. He let his hand rest over the small of my back, glowing ear to ear.

“I would love to go with you, Yue.”

I stepped back from his caring touches, taking a deep breath as I looked down at the card that sat in my hand. The red of the paper practically radiating under the dim candlelight of the Kingdom. The last thing I’ll ever do for Kiyi-

“We should hurry,” Aang spoke sympathetically, “You look exhausted, but I know seeing Zuko is important for you, Yue.” I could feel the way he put light pressure on the tips of fingers, nudging me gently. Within seconds I found ourselves walking, Aang letting his staff twirl in his grip as he watched over me out of the corner of his brown eyes.

With every step we took, the beating of my heart grew.

Blood rushing, skin warm as goosebumps rose.

Despite the chill air of the night, I was sweating, the sound of paper rattling between my grasp embarrassingly loud as we marched. The mental gymnastics that ran through my head, torn between running to Zuko’s side or hiding in the comforts of my blankets. I want to see Zuko so bad, but what if Mai is right? That he doesn’t love me anymore, and the last thing he wants is a visit from me.

My lip rolled between my teeth, letting my gaze wander to our right as we turned the corner. For a split moment, I saw how the turtle ducks huddled together in the pond. The babies adorable squished together heads resting over each other, as their parents loomed over them. A family…

“Don’t think for a second Zuko doesn’t want you there with him,” Aang spoke.

I titled my head, snapping my gaze towards him.

Aang continued walking ahead, the grand wooden doors before us a few steps away. People with crosses embordered on their sleeves, walking in and out of those doors. The air around them was calm, but I could tell a few of them looked surprised to see us this late in the night.

“You really think…Zuko wants me there, Aang?” I whispered.

I could hear Aang snort, giving me a side look filled with personality. “Yue, I didn’t want to say this…” He started, and by then, my head was spinning, realizing that right before us was the entrance.

Aang’s hand rested over the door, look heavy as he slowly faced me, “Katara told me that sometimes Zuko whispers your name in his sleep.”

My bottom lip quivered, hearing those words, Aang’s hand dragging along the wood. But he wasn’t finished, laughing lightly as he seemingly remembers the conversation between him and Katara. “Every time he says your name, he smiles. Katara said it was creepy seeing him that happy.”

I couldn’t help but giggle, rubbing my eyes with the ends of my sleeves imaging it.

From first-hand experience, I already knew that Zuko was prone to smiling during his sleep. Also, prone to holding me to close to his chest so that the slightest movement from me caused his arm to lock, holding me in place. And don’t forget about sniffing my hair, whispering ‘vanilla’ under his breath far too many times to count.

Tugging on my sleeves, now stained with wet droplets, Aang glowed from above, “Now, Yue, you make do with that information as you will. But I think we both know what it means.”

“Aang…” I breathed between my stuffy nose; voice soft.

“Yes, Yue?”

“I-I’m ready.”

“Let’s go then, Princess.” Aang teased with a cheeky smile, pushing the door.

The door creaked, the high pitch noise sounding louder than usual, given how quiet the palace hallways were at the time. Right away, the nurses who were busily working inside turned their heads towards our direction, shooting us enormous smiles. They waved excitedly, energy-filled in their actions.

“A beautiful night, Imperial Consort,” they happily sang, before going back to work.

I pressed a smile to my face, whispering my soft greetings as I pressed the card closer to my chest. I couldn’t help but notice how clammy my palms were, if it weren’t for Aang’s guidance, I would’ve undoubtedly froze in place at the door.

My eyes scanned the area, the chandlers lighting up the large room, the grand windows opened, and curtains pushed back to allow the calming breeze from outside to enter. Fresh flowers and bright paintings decorated the space as a means to keep the atmosphere up and going. And the further I walked, taking in every detail, down to the colours of the candles, I couldn’t help but wonder.

Was this how Zuko felt that time when I was in here?

Just as nervous, anxious, to see me after the waterfall incident? I could recall how flustered Zuko appeared. A look of exhaustion washing over him as he stood before me. The way he rushed to my side, cupping my face before placing a kiss of pure desperation over my lips- my cheeks flushed.

Why would I think of something like that right now?

Aang’s hand fell over my back once more, rubbing gently as I jumped in my spot.

“He’s over there, behind that curtain, where the guards are,” Aang spoke, nudging me where he pointed with his chin. As if they heard, the guards carefully lifted their helmets, bowing slightly with warm smiles before moving off to the side. Their helmets fell back over their faces, quietly discussing amongst themselves, giving us space and privacy.

My knees were wobbling; every step I took felt like rocks were tied to the soles of my feet, the ground sand as I struggled to move. The reality of the whole situation hitting me all at once. You’re fine, Yue.

This is fine, you’re fine-

The curtain that isolated Zuko from the rest was now right before me. A dark velvety red fabric, dragons imprinted all over. The point at which the curtains met swayed lightly with the incoming breeze, and I could feel my breath catching when I spotted the end of a metal bed through the momentary crack.

He’s right here, right behind this curtain-

My hand reached naturally, fingertips feeling the soft fabric slip in between each digit. It was like everything was moving in slow motion, the overwhelming need, want, to see Zuko. I missed him so much.

I need him; I want to see him-

Hastily, I drew the draping back, the curtain swaying dramatically with my movement. I clenched the card tightly to my chest, eyes rapidly scanning the space, and just like that, my arm limply dropped to my side. My shoulders slumped, body shuddering, hand falling over my mouth as an uncontrollable sob erupted from me.

“Yue?” Aang worried from behind me, his hands squeezing over me with care.

It was at that moment I realized I wasn’t moving, too busy studying over the handsome sleeping figure before me – Zuko.

His long black hair was neatly brushed and scattered over the scarlet pillow he rested upon, hands over his heart as his chest rose and fell with every breath. The way the moonlight shined through the large windows behind him, painting his skin with a heavenly aura – almost spirit-like.

Those pink lips of his that I adored were parted, loveable sighs leaving him as his head slightly leaned to the side. It was like last week never happened, his expression so peaceful, sleeping without a worry in the world. The red blanket that laid over his body stopped short of his chest, his milky skin bare.

Zuko- he looked healthy.

Part of me imagined Zuko’s appearance to have withered slightly. His face to have sunken, cheekbones prominent, and his physique smaller. How wrong was I. Zuko looked like he gained weight – shoulders broader than usual, the divots on his arms from where his muscles lined abnormally defined. He was even freshly shaven, skin clear and dewy.

Small breathless giggles left me, unable to contain the relief of seeing Zuko looking nothing short of perfect. “Yue-” Aang voiced once again, and this time I turned on my heel to look at him.

“He’s okay.” I cried, and Aang’s expression softened the moment he realized why I was crying.

I wasn’t shedding tears because I was upset but relieved.

Zuko looked so healthy, completely untouched, as I wiped my nose messily on my sleeve. “K-Katara took such good care of him; I owe her so much. I-I couldn’t have healed him as well as her if it weren’t for you and the Gaang being there for him-”

Aang’s hand brushed my face, cleaning my cheeks to the best of his ability as I let my tears flow. “I told you, Yue. We’re family. We love Zuko too. If you think Katara was going to let her best friend fall ill because some bad guys wanted to hurt you, you doubt our bonds.”

I smiled, choking as I sniffled, turning my head back to Zuko. He looked so happy, “T-thank you. For everything. For coming with me.”

“I’ll always be here, Yue. Now give him that card. He may be knocked out cold, but I’m sure he’ll be happy to see it when he wakes up.” Aang happily blubbered, standing at the far corner as I carefully made my way around the bed.

I couldn’t pull my gaze away from Zuko, watching him as he slept, it felt like my heart was going to burst. Was it creepy to stare at Zuko this excitedly while he slept? Probably, but I couldn’t stop myself. I missed him so much.

Carefully I rose the card, lips moving silently as I cumbersomely. “Katara told me that he could most likely hear us, Yue…I bet he would love to hear your voice.”

My voice…?

“Z-Zuko.” I shakily started, carefully placing the beautiful handcrafted card on the wooden table that stood right beside him. A few vials and bowls of water with towels laid there – tools for Katara whenever she was healing or checking up on Zuko quickly at her aid. If it weren’t for Katara’s Waterbending skills, who knows what would’ve happened to Zuko.

“Zuko.” I breathed once again, smiling softly as I inched my way closer to Zuko’s bedside.

I watched as Zuko’s eyes moved under his shut eyelids at the sound of my voice so close to his body, a deep sigh, leaving him for a moment as he continued sleeping. My hand outstretched over his, hovering, fighting the temptation to feel his skin against mine.

“K-Kiyi made a card for you; she misses you….” I whispered, and I saw the way Zuko’s expression changed the more I talked. His brows pinched together slightly as his head tossing towards me side, another long exhale leaving him. It was like in his sleep he was searching for my voice, his fingers tightening its hold on the blankets that laid over him.

I weakly smiled, and without thinking, my hand rested of his.

“I miss you,” I whispered, tears falling down my face as I anxiously held my breath.

The greed took over, my fingers dance over his soft skin, basking in the warmth. It was like a current ran through me the moment our hands touched, the sense of familiarity and happiness bursting at the seams.

“I miss you so much. I miss your hugs and cuddles and smiles, and-” I had to stop talking, struggling as my words rushed. My digits laced with his, my skin tingling, butterflies in my stomach from being so close to Zuko after so long.

“I’m sorry you got hurt because of me, I’m sorry for not telling you the truth. I’m sorry I didn’t do more.” I cried as I let my other hand wander, trailing up his chest to his neck. I winced, feeling the rough patch of skin nestled at the base of his neck. There was a small scar now, a darkened patch of skin from where I sliced.

Forever a reminder, and I swear I could feel the scar that rested along my jaw tingle.

“I promised myself that I would never hurt you…” I whimpered, leaning over his bed, unable to stop the temptation to get closer. My hands cupped his face, thumbs caressing his pouting lips. “I promised Iroh, your mom, Kiyi, everyone that I would take care of you. I made that vow to myself the moment I met you.”

My eyes fluttered shut, face rosy, all self-restraint gone.

Leaning over his body, hair falling over our faces as my lips gently brushed over his. The feeling of his soft, plump lips pressed against my swollen ones, tears tumbling over his skin.

“I hope you find someone who can keep that vow better than me, Zuko. Who will love you more than I ever could. Who will bring out that stunning twinkle in your eyes. I want you to be happy Zuko…”

“Yue.” I heard Aang cry, and I carefully pulled back, noticing the way my salty tears dripped down Zuko’s cheek, tainting the stark burn on his face.

“One last kiss.” I dejectedly cried, taking a step back, my fingertips grazing his skin before leaving. The moment my touch left him, I could feel my heart ache, hands cupping my mouth as I tried my toughest to shush my tears.

“What do you mean by one last kiss, Yue?” Aang worriedly questioned, stepping closer to my trembling figure.

It’s time I come clean.

“I-I never you, what Mai said to me.” I sobbed, and I could feel Aang’s arms wrap around me, holding me close to his chest as his hands ran up and down my back. He cradled my face into his neck, shaking his head at my words, “What did she tell you, Yue?”

“S-she said that the reason Zuko got hurt is because of me.” I started, spluttering harder as my sight became filled with nothing more but tears. “I-if I leave, t-then Zuko will be safe. No harm will be done.”

“Yue, you can’t believe her, she could be lying for all we know-”

“But what if she isn’t, Aang?” I huffed, pulling away to stare at him.

Tears swelled in Aang’s eyes, wiping his face with the back of his hand heatedly as he looked down at me. “Maybe she is lying, Aang. But I prefer to take the risk, then have Zuko get hurt again because of me.”

“I-if you leave, Yue.” Aang broke, his voice cracking as the grip on my body tightened. “Zuko would look under every damn rock for you. Go to the ends of the world looking for you. You think he’s going to let you go, Yue? Walk out of his life after how much you’ve changed him?” Aang argued expression hurt as he took in a shaky breath.

“Zuko loves you so much. I shouldn’t even tell you this, but Zuko is already thinking of a hundred and one ways to propose! He told me that he wants kids, he wants a family, asking me what good diapers- damnit Yue!” Aang huffed, pulling me back into a tight embrace as we cried silently together.

“This whole week, you’ve pushed us away, carried the burden of that knowledge. You wanted to see Zuko today, not because you stopped blaming yourself, but because you wanted to say goodbye.”

“I don’t want to go, Aang, but I don’t want Zuko to hurt anymore.”

“You’re going to hurt him by leaving.”

“But, I’ll be hurting him more if I stay.”

I pulled away slightly, looking to my side to watch as Zuko laid in bed. The tranquil expression on his face at the moment, I couldn’t have wished for a better lasting appearance to see. Every memory we shared, forever locked in my heart for years to come, because no one can steal those recollections away from me.

“I thought Zuko was the one, Yue,” Aang whispered into my ear, and I rubbed my nose, smiling to myself. “Zuko is the one for me, always will be. But I’m not the one for him. I don’t think I ever was…”

“So, is this it? Are you just going to leave us? Me, Katara, Sokka, Hakoda-”

I winced, shutting my eyes as I shook my head, “I’ll leave as soon as Zuko wakes up. I made a promise that I’ll take care of the kingdom for him, and I want to keep at least one promise.”

“Where will you go, Yue? I-we-but-” Aang raged internally, stepping back before running his hands over his hand. His fingers pressed against the skin of the blue arrow along his head, expression panicked. I could tell from the look in his eyes that his mind was swirling, unable to focus.

Carefully, I stepped towards Zuko, grabbing the blanket that laid over him, and lifting it. I tucked the warm fabric, snuggling under his chin, a bittersweet smile painting my face as I took in Zuko’s features one last time. “I love you, Zuko, I can’t even begin to express my feelings. There aren’t enough letters in the alphabet to string together a word strong enough to tell you how much I love you.”

I pulled away, letting my hands clasp together, nails causing crescents into my palms as I swallowed back the next wave of weeping. “And I want you to know, Zuko, that no matter how much you hate me, are angry at me, I’ll still love you. That will never change.”

Turning on my heel, I faced Aang, whose face was swollen, nose a bright red as he weakly grabbed the staff he let rest on the wall.

“I-I think it’s time I go to bed now…” I quietly spoke, and Aang nodded, using the tip of his stick to pull back the curtains to lead to the outside world. But he didn’t move right away, his eyes locked with mine.

“Aang?” I asked, and he sighed, forcing a smile on his face.

“I can’t stop you from leaving, Yue. This is your choice, your journey. But I hope you know that while everyone may be nervous once they learn about your bending, you’re still you. You’re still Sokka and Katara’s sister, Toph’s drinking partner, Suki’s shopping pal, and my best friend.”

“Thank you, Aang.”

“I’ll take you to your room, and I hope tomorrow, by some miracle, you realize that Zuko will love you, regardless of how you view yourself. And that you have every right to stay here with Zuko, and have the family you always dreamed of.”

I could feel my heart swell, Aang outstretching his hand towards me, a poignant smile on his face. Right away, I grabbed his cold hand, our fingers intertwining, letting ourselves relish in the bittersweet moment. His hand squeezed tightly, before beginning to move, and I looked over my shoulder quickly.

“Goodbye, Zuko.” I hummed, taking in the finest of details as if I didn’t already know each and every mark on his skin—the shape of his nose and lips, even his ears. But my eyes narrowed, only noticing too late the fresh tear running down Zuko’s cheek.

A tear that was undoubtedly not present a moment ago.

My feet stuttered, and as I eagerly tilted my head to get a better look, to make sure it was not my eyes playing tricks, but it was too late. The thick curtain shut, red flooding my vision. This is really it; I said my goodbye.

Without any of other words spoken between Aang and me, we walked side by side, our hands swinging as Aang silently guided me to my room. The nurses and guards all said their share of goodnights, not daring to ask as to why our cheeks were as red as could be, our voices coarse and eyes puffy.

Tiredly, we inched our way down the hallway, rubbing my face as I took in every nuisance of the kingdom. How many more days do I have left, walking down this hallway before I go? Soon the I won’t ever hear the clicking of my heels when I stroll in the mornings or the happy greetings of the servants.

We turned the corner, my eyes lighting up as I spotted two guards at the front of my bedroom—two people who I knew far too well at this point. I turned to face Aang, our eyes meeting. An unspoken connection hitting us both as Aang drew me in for one last hug.

“Goodnight, Yue. And how I hope, more than anything, I see you in the morning.” He wished before pulling away. We shared one last look before he begrudgingly turned on his heel. His yellow robes flowed behind him as he let his staff dance in his grip, eagerly walking towards the waiting arms of his dearest lover. Bringing my arms up to my chest, I hugged myself.

Thank you.

“Imperial Consort Ying Yue?” two voices spoke, causing me to twirl.

With their helmets now off, I couldn’t hide the short moment of happiness seeing them this late at night. It really is them- “Ah, hello, friends~!” I sung, waving with a small yawn as I inched my way towards them.

They smiled back, but I couldn’t help but notice how forced their smiles seemed, their bodies tensed as they shared anxious looks. I pouted, tilting my head to the side as I looked around. Aang was already long gone, no one in sight. What could be upsetting them?

“Is everything alright?” I asked curiously, and I had to raise a brow at the way they nudged each other in the stomach.

“You tell her.”

“No, you do.”

“I didn’t let her enter.”

“She’s a Princess; I can’t exactly say ‘no.’ And you were there with me, why didn’t you say anything?” They bickered with each other. My head snapped back and forth, watching how they grumbled under their breath, like two school children bickering. It was literally like watching Katara and Sokka fight, just older and from the Fire Nation.

I let out a small giggle, shaking my head, children.

“Can someone, please, tell me? I promise I won’t get mad.” I urged, crossing my arms over my chest. At the sound of my voice, they stilled, nervously shifting in their spots. I gave them a look, and that seemed to do the trick. Both of blurting out what they didn’t want to say, “Princess Kiyi is inside your bedroom. She says she wants to sleep in your bed.”

My eyes widen at the news, staring at the large bedroom doors.

K-Kiyi?

I opened my mouth, only to close it once more.

This was strange.

Kiyi was undoubtedly a cuddlier, loved to spend time with everyone and anyone. The star of the show, able to capture the hearts of many with her positive and addictive attitude. Sometimes Zuko would go to her room and read books before she went to bed, often coming back to the bedroom and telling me how these children’s books were ‘cringy.’

But to have her, in our bed, saying that she wants to stay the night had me in a whirlwind. It was so unlike her. She loved snuggling, but she was one independent cookie – one who went to the beat of her own drum. Processing their words, both of them gawking over me, trying to figure out if I was upset at the news.

“Did she give a reason why she wished to stay?” I asked, and they nodded eagerly, “Something about a card?”

“Oh-”

“We can go and ask her to leave, Imperial Consort, we shouldn’t have let her stay in the first place-”

“No,” I spoke up, raising my hand and gently placing it over theirs.

Their breathing hitched, unsure if I was about to get upset, but I quickly flashed a smile. Shaking my head because suddenly, it made sense, remembering the sad smile on Kiyi’s face from this morning when she spoke about Zuko.

She was just as upset and worried as everyone else about the whole situation. Just because she was a child, and didn’t know all the details regarding the situation, didn’t mean she didn’t pick up on the depressive tone from us all. Just like how I needed a hug, I bet Kiyi needed one too.

“Do me a favour, please, and let Lady Ursa know that Kiyi is with me tonight. To send a maid in the morning to wake us, so she goes to school on time.”

They both nodded, letting out a breath, “We’ll go right now, Imperial Consort.”

“Thank you. Have a nice night.”

“You too.” They smiled before bowing.

I turned on my heel, facing the bedroom doors, my hands falling over it. With one fluid movement, I eased my way inside, only for the corners of my lips to curve upwards.

What a sight.

There Kiyi sat, in the middle of Zuko and I’s bed, pillows around her as she held the teddy bear Zuko gave me tight to her chest. The blankets were perfectly nestled under her chin, her beady eyes glowing under the warmth of the candles. “Button?” I cooed, and I could hear Kiyi enthusiastically squirm under the sheets.

“I was waiting; it’s past bedtime.” She smugly retorted, and while I didn’t see the look on her face, I already knew she had a huge grin.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just that this room here I’m pretty sure doesn’t belong to you.” I teased, stepping inside as I let the door shut behind me. With ease, I pulled at the elastic that held my hair into a high pony, mewling with delight as it fell. All the tension in my scalp, releasing as my hair draped over my shoulders.

Kiyi watched in awe as she sat up, her mouth hanging, “Your hair is so long and pretty.”

“Compliments won’t work on me, button.” I pestered, grabbing one of Zuko’s old T-shirts that was draped at the end of the bed.

With the shirt in hand, I eased my way to the bathroom, letting the door open just a crack, so I could hear the way Kiyi buzzed on the other side. My hand rubbed the back of my neck, another yawn escaping me before my eyes settled over the mirror, taking in my appearance for the first time in a while.

I looked exhausted.

The dress I wore seemed oddly loose about my hips, fingers a bit boney, and cheeks sullen. Dark circles under my eyes and back aching from hunching over the desk all day, staying up all night only to wake up bright and early. I let my hands run through my hair, trying my best to shake out the tangles, too tired to brush.

With a tired sigh, my fingers danced to the front of my dress, beginning to undress.

“Yue, where did you get this teddy? He’s so cute.” I heard Kiyi gush and laughed softly. “Who do you think, button?” I responded, letting the red fabric fall onto the floor.

My hands grasped Zuko’s old shirt, easily squirming my body into it. It was massive in size, stopping near my thighs as it bagged over my body comfortably. His warm spice-like scene still etched into the fabric, like cinnamon.

“Was it Zuzu?” Kiyi shouted, and I happily smiled with closed eyes, “You bet it.”

In a matter of minutes, I cleaned myself up, patting my face dry with a towel and wiped the last drop of my cream onto my leg. My hand reached for the door, ready to step out, but I stilled for a split moment, catching a glimpse of myself once more in the mirror. A sad smile reaching my eyes knowing that I saw Zuko today, even if it were for the last time.

As long as you’re safe, Zuko, that’s all that matters

“Which side do you want, button?” I questioned, forcing my pitch to be higher than usual, a weak attempt to appear cheery. With my hands on my hips, I stopped at the foot of the bed, gazing over at Kiyi with tender eyes.

Kiyi brought a finger to her lip as if thinking deeply of the question. Her cute brows scrunching up before her lighting up unexpectedly, “Where do you sleep?”

“On the right,” I answered, and Kiyi grinned.

“Then I want to sleep right-” Kiyi droned before rolling underneath the blankets and stopping abruptly, “here.” I giggled at Kiyi’s silliness, taking note where this little ball of trouble decided to sleep.

“As you wish, button.” I hummed under my breath before walking towards the left side of the bed.

My fingers dragged along the warm covers, eyes setting over the pillow and nightstand that rested. The unfinished book Zuko had left sitting over the table, the candles still fresh and unused for the past week until today. And while Kima and Lia even dusted his side, creating the illusion as if space has been used, I swallowed back the sadness.

I didn’t dare touch this side once, opting to curl myself into a tight ball, sticking too far right.

But now standing here, pulling the heavy covers back had me entering a joyful trance. If I thought wearing Zuko’s shirts gave me flashbacks of pure bliss, letting my body dip into the bed, head resting along his pillow had me turning pink. It felt like home, the closest I’ve been to him for days, and if it weren’t for Kiyi’s giggle, I would’ve laid here with a goofy smile plastered on my face for hours.

I twisted my body, pulling the blankets over us as Kiyi wiggled her way closer to my body. Her legs wrapped themselves with mine, letting my arm drape over her frame as she rested her head on my shoulder. My lips danced along with her temple, placing a sweet kiss, “So button, tell me, something. Why did you come to my bed tonight?”

I heard Kiyi shyly huff, before mumbling softly, “Because I miss Zuko…”

A low sigh escaped me, placing another chaste kiss over her. “He misses you too, button. I know when he gets up, he’s going to give you tons of hugs and kisses, especially after that card.” I cooed against her forehead, hand caressing her face.

Kiyi sniffled, nodding slightly as she tugged the blankets closer to her body. I could tell based on the way her body didn’t squirm as much anymore, that sleep was starting to get the best of her. I wonder how far it is past her bedtime? Hopefully, she gets the rest she needs.

“Yue…” Kiyi quietly spoke, her voice so low that I had to force myself to hear her properly. “Do you ever get lonely without Zuzu around?”

My mouth opened at her question, pulling her body closer to me as I thought. I’ve never felt lonelier in my life until now.

“Of course, Button, but guess who decided to surprise me in my bed, it’s like a cuddle party.” I chirped under my breath, trying to keep my tone down. Kiyi giggled feebly at my answer before a tiny yawn left her lips.

I rose a brow at the adorable yawn that left her, reminding me of the cute sighs Zuko was letting go as he slept. “Is someone tired?” I whispered, and I could hear her pout.

“No…I-I can stay up a bit longer...” Kiyi argued tiredly, but as I pulled back, I snickered under my breath.

Kiyi’s eyes were droopy, struggling to stay open as she snuggled the teddy bear close to her chest. I let my hand brush her black locks behind her ears, carefully moving her head from my shoulder onto my pillow. Without much protests, just a tiny whine, Kiyi curled into a ball, head sinking into the cushion.

“I love you, Yue.” She whispered sleepily, and I beamed, tucking the blankets under her chin. “I love you too, button. Thank you for always bringing a smile to my face.” I hummed, before slowly inching my way back, sitting upright for a brief moment to blow out the candles that lit the space.

The room darkened, only the moonlight seeping through the curtain, casting shadows. But this time, the shadows – didn’t feel as scary.

I pulled the covers over my body, settling onto my side as I let my arm drape over Kiyi’s resting figure. My heart twisted into knows, joy filling my soul, as the light from the moon cast just enough illumination for me to see the tranquil expression on Kiyi.

My hand rose, gently caressing her chubby cheeks, her lips parting as her breathing evened out. She’s precious. Soft snores escaping her as she snuggled deeper into my hold, blankets enveloping her body.

“Goodnight, button,” I whispered into her messy hair, my own eyes falling shut.

I don’t want to leave. Not Kiyi, or the Gaang, Iroh or Ursa…

But most importantly, I don’t want to leave Zuko.

My breathing began to even out; mind spacing as my body felt heavy. Sleep beginning to consume my body, enjoying the way my muscles relaxed. How long has it been since I’ve been able to ease into such a calm state?

Lost in the peace, the gentle sounds of the door opening, footsteps pattering was dismissed as nothing more but a dream. The current state of nirvana, mind floating, disregarding the way the blankets shifted over my body. Probably Kiyi getting comfy.

Intuitively, I squirmed in my spot, bringing the covers closer to myself, head sinking into the pillow. A comforting warmth was spooning me from behind the further I fell into a deep sleep, as if two large arms were holding me from behind.

I smiled softly because there wasn’t a doubt in my mind who I was dreaming of. The way their hands cupped my own – fingers rubbing my palms as their legs tangled with both mine and Kiyi’s.

“Zuko.” I weakly called, because the dream felt so real. As if he was right behind, his face pressed into my hair, his hot breath tickling my ear. Even his overwhelming firewood scent filled my scenes, eyes rolling to the back of my head despite my eyes shut because it was the smell of home.

“Shh, baby. Just sleep, I got you.” I could hear him drone into my ear, my heart pounding because I could feel the way his chest rumbled from behind. It was crazy, how vivid this dream. But my body too tired, to relaxed, to move and make sure that I was in fact, dreaming, let the doubts in my mind go.

Enjoy the dream, Yue. Your first happy dream in days.

“Zuko…” I sighed in harmony, snuggling my body deeper into his embrace. Right away, the grip he had on my body tightened, cooing into my ear, “Yes, love?”

“I’m…sorry. I don’t…I don’t want to go.”

“Then don’t.” he quickly replied into my ear, a raspiness in his voice. I let out a small sniffle as I instinctively pulled his hand to my chest. “But…I…I want…you safe.”

“I’m safe, right here, with you in my arms.”

“I… I love you.”

“I love you, too, Yue,” Zuko whispered once more before my mind drifted completely.

And for the first time, in days, I slept.

With the biggest smile on my face.

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

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zadenwillowfyre · 3 years

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Devil's Gambit - Chapter 1

Day 2 of writing every day.

Down and out Gabe Mosse makes an usual deal with a beautiful yet sinister stranger...

The eyes with which Gabe Mosse regarded his boss glass over with apathy. Mr. McMannus had given the same, hackneyed speech for at least as long as Gabe had been under his employ. Gabe lets the words fall on deaf ears, he's heard it all before anyway, and could probably recite it from memory. The importance of “team work”, “company loyalty,” and “client satisfaction”.

It wasn’t that Gabe disliked the job, and he had certainly worked for far worse bosses. But lately, he felt like a bit like a juggler who’d been tossed one ball too many and worrying about investments that made already rich people richer had become increasingly more difficult.

"You turned in your portfolio for the Davis account yesterday," Mr. McMannus droned obviously, at last getting to the point of this little meeting, "It was two weeks late."

The glass shattered behind Gabe's eyes. "I know sir, I apologize. You know my father’s been-"

"Our clients don't care about your father, or any other excuses," barked Mr. McManus with a dismissive wave, "This is a very big account, Mosse. I had hoped to see some initiative. Especially after 6 years here."

"Of course," sighed Gabe defeatedly, "I'll be sure to have the next account in on time."

Mr. McMannus seemed to soften with what might be pity and said, "There won't be a next time son, I'm going to have to let you go."

Hardly surprising, this turn of events; Gabe had been a solid but not stand-out employee. He was okay at his job, but apparently not good enough to make up for the last few months of increasingly shoddy work and missed deadlines. Sick relative excuses didn’t make investors money, even if they were true. No, it wasn’t surprising, but it still stung.

With a sad nod, Gabe, the now ex investment advisor, rose from his seat to leave.

"I am sorry, Gabe. You had such promise."

Gabe offered no response as he shut the door behind him, though he held no bitterness towards the mostly kind, but droll man who had just fired him. Promises were all to often left broken and in the end, the evidence of 6 years of those broken promises and service to the same institution, all fit so neatly into a small cardboard box nestled safely in the trunk of a Ford Focus.

----

By the time the Focus rolled out of the parking lot of Hanson and McMannus Investments, its dashboard clock read 5:15.

"Typical," murmured Gabe to himself. They let him work nearly a full day on a Friday before kicking him to the curb.

He had until 5:45 to meet his Realtor, then a date at 7. No time for the rush hour traffic that inevitably bared his progress across town.

Despite being fired, he was looking forward to seeing the prospective house, even with his chances of being able to afford the place now drastically reduced. Maybe the day wouldn’t be a total loss.

At 245 Belman, Barb Lucas, Realtor, was already waiting. She was a hefty, joyful woman with amber hair, and a winning smile that could sell even the most polluted water to the finickiest germophobic whale.

Barb sung the praises of each room as if she were giving a tour of a stately historical mansion. In reality, the house resembled a cottage and offered modest accommodations, which Gabe didn't mind. The living room was spacious, kitchen in working order, two and a half baths. It was certainly nice enough, and the guest rooms would come in handy if his father's health continued the way it had.

Gabe hoped it wouldn't come to that.

The tour didn't take long and as expected, the asking price was well over double what the house is worth. At hearing the price, Gabe’s heart gave a small clinch. He supposed he would have to come clean to Barb about loosing his job, but when he tried to find the words, he found he couldn’t. Not just yet.

"I can do $75,000," said Gabe instead. He didn't really expect the offer to hold at a far cry from the 100k the owners wanted, "You said its been on the market a while, right?"

Barb eyed him dubiously, "Yes, but even so, I seriously doubt the owners will accept an offer that far below asking."

"The worst they can say is no," said Gabe, not quite able to lighten the heaviness in his voice.

Barb kept Gabe under her gaze for moment longer. Her face was less jovial than before the tour, disappointment or worse, pity, marred her expression.

“Sorry, I know I’ve been a difficult client,” Gabe offered lamely

Barb hitched her winning smile back on her face before patting Gabe on the arm, “We’ll find something. I’ll keep looking.”

Gabe shot his wary realtor an appreciative smile as they departed for their cars. They had been on this hunt a good 4 months with financial restrictions making the search a hard one. Though he had managed to put enough in savings for a small down payment, an investment consultant makes considerably less than what he makes for his clients. An unemployed investment consultant makes even less.

Gabe watched Barb drive away before starting his own journey home. It had been yet another disappointing venture on top of an already shitty day.

Oh well.

He supposed another few months (he was being optimistic here) at Hell's Apartments wouldn’t kill him.

Besides, he had a date tonight. Maybe the day would at least end on a high note, though he had his doubts.

----

If Gabe had to describe his dating life, no other phrase but “abject failure” would do. Sure, he looked good on paper and could be charming enough to get a first date, but he found it difficult to connect enough with most people to light any type of spark. Men, women, those who fell elsewhere on the gender spectrum, it didn’t matter. There were no second dates. But he kept trying, because, apparently he was a glutton for punishment. Which was why he found himself in the drive of possibly the biggest house he’d ever seen, waiting for his current date to arrive.

Susan Rockefeller was as expensive as her name. The veritable mansion she pranced out of was enough to tell Gabe that. Sleek black dress with raven locks done to match, diamond necklace, and high heel shoes; she's dressed for a horse and carriage to take her to a gourmet meal at a 5 star restaurant with a debonair gentleman decked in Armani.

All Gabe had to offer was his dinged up Focus, a moderately priced meal at his favorite eatery, and himself. An average man in a cheap suit with curly Jewish hair and glasses. He was beginning to feel grossly inadequate.

Susan entered the car with great flourish and a measure of disappointment she did little to disguise. She exudes power. No doubt, Gabe has been oversold to her by the mutual friend who set them up.

Set up indeed. He had to wonder which one of them was meant to be the butt of this joke.

"Ash said you worked in investing or something?" The question seemed more like an accusation.

You sure don't look like someone how works with money.

"Oh...yeah," Gabe confirmed evasively, "Bennie Hanna's alright?"

It wasn't but she gave no alternative. Gabe suspected that under her confident and strong exterior, was someone who preferred to be led, told what to do.

The car ride was awkward and uncomfortable. Dinner, was doubly so.

Beyond being rich and stunningly beautiful, Susan proved to be not very interesting at all. But perhaps that's because she wasn't very interested in her Gabe, whom she all but ignored.

Instead, she overtly flirted with with the owner of the establishment, who, after coming over to check that their experience was satisfactory, personally oversaw the needs of their table for the rest of the evening.

At least the food is good Gabe mused to himself.

When the check came, Susan was sure to provide the overly attentive owner her number while Gabe provided the credit card.

Cutting the date mercifully short, Gabe returned a Susan home that was much happier than the one he had picked up. Though he knew it wasn’t because she had enjoyed his company.

----

Outside Hell's Apartments, or Stone Creek Condos as they are more commonly called, Gabe indulged in a vice he quit 5 years ago. Long drags let the menthol tobacco work its magic, soothing Gabe's weary mind and wounded ego. He took some comfort in imagining his problems billowing away with the smoke.

All too soon he flicked the butt of his cigarette to the pavement, resisting the urge to inhale the whole pack.

Stretching laboriously, Gabe entered the apartment building and made a stop at the mailboxes near the far end of the lobby.

"Evening," a deep masculine voice said.

Startled, Gabe turned in the direction of the voice. The speaker was a tall, broad shouldered man with strong features. He looked to be around Gabe’s age; late 30’s, maybe a bit older. His black suite and red tie clearly stated that he could afford nicer places than this. He was also devastatingly handsome in a way that made a gentle heat rise to Gabe’s cheeks.

After a beat, Gabe acknowledged the greeting with a halfhearted nod-and-smile. How did he miss this man coming in?

"Quite a day, no?" Probed the stranger.

Collecting his pile of bills and assorted junk mail, Gabe gave a noncommittal noise of agreement. What was this guy’s deal?

"What if there was a way to make your problems disappear?"

Gabe wished he could make this sexy but increasingly creepy man disappear.

"I know of your troubles, Gabe Mosse. Of the burdens you bear."

Gabe thought briefly of booking it up the stairs that stood adjacent to the mail area and locking himself in the sanctuary of his dilapidated apartment, no matter how hot this wierdo was. But something in the man's aura kept him still.

"Very clever, reading my name off my mail over my shoulder," Gabe accused snidely, though he had a sinking feeling the stranger hadn't done anything of the sort, "What do you want?"

"I'm only offering to help a man who can't seem to catch a break."

Getting creepier and creepier all the time. Gabe tried to convince himself that this was just some crazy person, but intuition knew otherwise. "Who are you?"

"Just a concerned friend. Many call me Luci, but I have many names."

"Riiight," said Gabe sarcastically, "Your name is Luci and you want to help me." He was definitely being punked.

"An apt summarization," crooned Luci.

Gabe rolled his eyes. Intuition be damned, this conversation had turned insane. "And what? Let me guess...all my problems disappear in return for my soul."

Something in Luci's grin, in the way he sneered at Gabe’s jibe, was deeply unsettling. "Actually, I'm trying something new these days. Humans are far too reckless with their own souls. That old game has rather lost its charm for me. Its more amusing to watch things unfold when another person's soul is at steak. The things people are willing to do to get ahead. Or the lengths one goes to to retract their offers and save their loved ones. It makes for a much more exciting gamble."

"Who's soul exactly then?" Whispered Gabe, mouth dry, shocked and appalled at entertaining this lunatic's ravings.

"Could be anyone. Someone close, or someone you don't know at all. A murderer even. Not knowing is part of the fun. For me anyway."

More than the unsavory subject of their conversation, Gabe was bothered by the depressing realization that it brought. It had been years sense he'd been truly happy. A dead end boring job he had just lost, countless dates gone bad, a hole in the wall place to call home, no prospects, no purpose, no fulfillment. Not to mention the worry over his father’s heath seemed to compound it all. It seemed so self pitying, but it was almost enough to bring him too his knees.

"I see it in your eyes," said Luci earnestly, "You yearn for something more."

This was ridiculous. Nothing but drivel from an oddly perceptive crazy man.

"Sir, if you really did have way to make my life better, I'd personally hand you any soul of your choice." Gabe jeered, trying to seem flippant and unaffected by Luci’s presence.

Luci’s sneered broadened into an evil, disconcerting expression that seemed to distort his handsome features into something sinister. "I see we have an accord."

Reaching out, Luci shook Gabe's hand.

Oddly electric that handshake.

"Yeah, what ever, guy."

Gabe retracted his hand, shaking off the static sensation, and started up the stairs.

By the time he looked back, the stranger named Luci was gone.

He also noticed the faint sent of smoke, likely just from his cigarette.

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sciencespies · 4 years

Text

14 Fun Facts About Bright Pink Animals

https://sciencespies.com/nature/14-fun-facts-about-bright-pink-animals/

14 Fun Facts About Bright Pink Animals

SMITHSONIANMAG.COM | Feb. 12, 2021, 6:08 p.m.

Each February, the color pink is a bold sign that the season of love has arrived. Now filled with blush-colored Hallmark cards featuring cute puppies and kittens, Valentine’s Day has evolved in stark contrast to its origins. The three-day Roman feast allegedly marked by animal sacrifice is certainly more R-rated by today’s standards.

Thankfully, people simply purchase fluffy, rose-tinted Teddy bears for their special someone instead these days. You’d be hard-pressed to find a rosy grizzly in nature, however, so why not celebrate this Valentine’s Day by learning about 14 animals who rock both soft and vibrant shades of pink, naturally.

Axolotls Have Hot Pink External Gills

An axolotl showing off the bones in its feet and the blood vessels in its gills

(Seánín Óg via Flickr under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )

Captive axolotls are known for their pale pink-white bodies and flashy, spiky, hot-pink hair-do—that isn’t hair at all. The crown of feathery prongs emerging from the base of their head are actually its gills. Axolotls have four genes that influence their color. Those with a white-pink body rely on a recessive gene that during embryonic development prevents pigment cells meant to darken their body from taking effect.

But rose-hued axolotls won’t pop up in the wilderness. For starters, wild axolotls are an olive-brown color, and they only live in waterways in Xochimilco, Mexico. These critters are critically endangered but persist in captivity as research subjects or unique pets.

Rare Fuschia Oblong-Winged Katydids Stand Out in a Crowd

A pink oblong-winged katydid failing to blend in at the Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve in Lake County, Illinois

(JanetandPhil via Flickr under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )

Katydids have a reputation for being brown or green, but some species shatter the stereotype with a bright pink flair. Oblong-winged katydids (Amblycorypha oblongifolia) are one of those species. Breeding experiments suggest this discrepancy isn’t due to a genetic mutation. When a green individual mates with a pink one, they make blush-colored children half the time. So why are fewer of these pink katydids seen?

Blame the power of camouflage, which gives green katydids that resemble leaves a survival advantage in most areas. In contrast, easy-to-spot pink individuals are picked off by predators.

Beware of the ‘Purple People Eater’

A mauve stinger traveling underwater

(Fco. Javier Gallardo Álvarez via Flickr under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 )

The mauve stinger jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) proudly displays brightly pigmented hues, dazzling the beholder with purple, yellow and even pink varieties. P. noctiluca roughly translates to “night light” in German, named for its ability to leave a glowing trail of bioluminescent mucous behind if frightened. They have stout bell- or umbrella-shaped “bodies” measuring between 3 to 12 centimeters, with long tentacles dangling below.

In Australia, these jellies have a quite shocking nickname: the purple people eater—and for good reason. They’re covered with stinging cells called nematocysts that are able to paralyze their small prey, including planktonic crustaceans and fish larvae, and give humans localized pain.

Amazon River Dolphins May Get Pinker From Battle

An Amazon river dolphin spyhopping in the wild

(Sylvain CORDIER via Getty Images)

When Amazon river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) are young, they pretty much look almost like the average bottlenose dolphin one might see at a zoo with a few key differences. They are born with sleek, gray bodies, but feature long, thin snouts and ridge-like humps where a typical dorsal fin would be. But when they grow up, they become even more distinct from good ol’ Flipper.

Some adults in the species develop a gorgeous blush-pink color, hence their nickname “pink river dolphin.” How exactly these animals, also called boto, go from gray in their youth to pink when they mature is unknown. But there is one rather brutally compelling theory: they beat each other up.

Males, who are bigger and more aggressive, tend to also look pinker than the females. It’s possible, then, that their color comes from their scar tissue that appears as they heal from battle. Another idea is that the adults become pink to camouflage themselves in murky red waters to hide from prey. Considering they’re an endangered species, impacted by human hunting and development, that kind of adaptation might be crucial for their survival.

The Rose-Feathered Galah Will Make You Say Ooh-La-La

A pink galah on a tree branch in Australia

(Alexandre Roux via Flickr under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )

Cockatoos might have the most stylish hairdos in the animal kingdom, and the pink galah’s short, white-feathered crest is among them. Like other parrots, the galah’s raspberry-colored neck, breast and underwings are caused by psittacofulvins, pigmented molecules in their feathers produce color absorbed from light. These molecules are unique to parrots, whereas most other birds get their colored plumage from light-absorbing carotenoid pigments found in their diet, not within their feathers.

Those searching for wild galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla) will need to travel to two locations in Oceania: mainland Australia or a small region in northern New Zealand.

This Super-Pink Sea Slug Eats Tiny Rose-Colored Creatures

The pink design of a Hopkins’ rose nudibranch signals poisonous danger to predators.

(Robin Agarwal (ANudibranchMom on iNaturalist) via Flickr under CC BY-NC 2.0 )

Despite looking more like sea anemone or some kind of squishy, spiky stress ball, Hopkins’ rose nudibranch (Okenia rosacea) is actually a sea slug—and please don’t give it a squeeze. Aptly named, this North America-based, one-inch-long sea critter is as impossibly pink, save for its white-tipped papillae. Nudibranches use their colors to warn predators that making a meal out of them would lead to toxic consequences.

Unlike other sea slugs, nudibranchs feast on certain creatures, and the Hopkins’ rose variety gets its beautiful color from its choice prey: tiny pink bryozoans, or moss animals. Bryozoans are colonial animals, meaning they live in colonies where individual organisms connect in units called zooids. These Lego-like animals are no match for the Hopkins’ rose nudibranch, however, which has hook-like teeth made to pierce through bryozoans and gobble up the pink delicacies.

This Worm-Like Creature Is Actually a Lizard

A Mexican mole lizard in Laz Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

(marlin harms via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY 2.0 )

Despite its blush-colored, noodle-like frame, the Mexican mole lizard (Bipes biporus) is neither a worm nor a snake. Instead of four legs, however, the reptile has just two tiny forelegs for digging while the rest of its body slithers along. Rarely emerging from the ground, the strange-looking lizard’s subterranean lifestyle causes it to have low levels of color-boosting melanin. This behavior leads to its baby-pink appearance, though it turns white as it matures.

The Mexican mole lizard belongs to a group of legless lizards called amphisbaenians. Of course, since it actually does have limbs, it also resides within a special three-species family called Bipedidae that have front legs, unlike the other amphisbaenians. Native to Baja California Peninsula in Mexico, these critters are hitched to a rather unsavory, baseless myth among locals. Some folks fear the lizard will crawl into certain exposed areas while relieving themselves.

A Fluffy, White Bat With Rosé-Toned Wings

A Northern Ghost Bat hanging from a palm leaf

(Michael Autumn via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4.0 )

Not to be mistaken for cotton ball hanging from the rafters, the northern ghost bat (Diclidurus albus) lives up to its name thanks to the soft white fur it sports. Once in the air, however, its translucent pink wing membranes, stretching from the forelimbs to the hindlimbs, are unmistakable. This coloring deviates from the darker membranes more commonly found among bats, helping the ghost bat stand out among its batty relatives.

Where the northern ghost bat’s name deceives is its geographical range. Not found in most of the Northern Hemisphere, instead, their habitat range includes Mexico, Central America, most of Brazil, parts of South America and across some Caribbean islands, including Trinidad.

The species is solitude save for breeding season, which happens to occur in January and February—just in time for the season of love, when members in groups as big as four step outside their bubbles to cozy up together during the day.

This Coral-Colored Seahorse Matches Its Home

A Bargibant’s pygmy seahorse trying to blend in with its surroundings

(Nature Picture Library / Alamy Stock Photo)

Measuring just under an inch when fully grown, the Bargibant’s pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) doesn’t just rely on its small stature to hide from predators. They instead go one step further: matching their environment with the precision of an expert designer.

The species lives mainly in the Coral Triangle in the western Pacific Ocean, where they reside and feed on gorgonian corals. The color of the pygmy seahorses depends on the coral they live in during their youth. To match their vibrant coral home, they’re usually an orange-yellow mix or a red-pink fusion, with bumps called tubercles aiding their camouflage. It’s unclear yet if the seahorses can change colors if they take up residence elsewhere, or if their coloration lasts a lifetime.

A Mantis Disguised as a Beautiful Blossom

A female orchid mantis, which looks like a generic flower in its environment

(Frupus via Flickr under CC BY-NC 2.0 )

The orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus), found in Southeast Asia and Indonesia, uses its white body with ombré hints of pink and yellow hues to draw in other insects for a feast. This appearance, particularly stunning in their juvenile forms, is an example of aggressive mimicry where an animal blends in with its environment to catch prey off guard. However, the orchid mantis doesn’t actually look like any particular flower in its environment.

Rather, the orchid mantis’s unspecific nature is actually a boon. Instead of just attracting specific types of pollinators for the kill, the mantis keeps its menu wide open by appearing generic enough to bring in many unsuspecting insects. It doesn’t need to saddle-up next to blossoms to get the job done either; standing out in the open masquerading as a gorgeous orchid is enough to pull off the charade.

This Dashing Dragonfly Is No Damselfly in Distress

A vibrant male Roseate Skimmer dragonfly at Bob Jones Park in Southlake, Texas

(TexasEagle via Flickr under CC BY-NC 2.0 )

The roseate skimmer is an aptly named dragonfly—that is, for the males. As an animal that exhibits sexual dimorphism, the species’ mature males and females appear noticeably different from each other. The females are decidedly less colorful, taking on a brownish hue. The males, however, show off pink-purple bodies when they reach adulthood. A young male roseate skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) is certainly a mama’s boy, having a similar appearance to the females before his own maturation.

The species can be found throughout the southern United States, from California to Florida. It also is located in Hawaii and parts of the Midwest and East Coast, Mexico, and Central America. Roseate skimmers prefer inland bodies of water where vegetation is plentiful, and decide to put their eggs even in tiny pools so long as the plants they desire to eat are around.

The Shocking Pink Dragon Millipede Lives Up to Its Name

A shocking pink dragon millipede crawls through its environment, sharply contrasting the drab background.

(Oliver Thompson-Holmes via Alamy Stock Photo)

While the shocking pink dragon millipede (Desmoxytes purpurosea) is considerably smaller than dragons of lore, they are just as intimidating to their enemies as their fire-breathing namesakes. Resembling hot pink limousines of the insect world, the three-centimeter-long millipedes’ vibrant color serves as a warning to any would-be predator: stay away. They have glands that excrete hydrogen cyanide, a highly toxic acid. This strategy—using appearance to signal danger—is known as aposematic coloration.

Aposematic coloration is thought to be the reason for the pink dragon millipede’s coloring because it eats out in the open during the day, perhaps confident that its stunning appearance will dissuade other animals from eating it. The pink dragon millipede resides in northern Thailand. It is also one of the biggest in its genus. In total over 30 different dragon millipedes exist, all around Southeast Asia in countries such as China and Vietnam.

Bubble-Gum Pink Elephant Hawk Moths Live Are Global Sensations

The small elephant hawk moth trades size in exchange for color

(Frank Vassen via Flickr under CC BY 2.0 )

Both the small elephant hawk moth (Deilephila porcellus) and its larger cousin (Deilephila elpenor) rock beautiful bubblegum pink wings outlined in olive set the small elephant hawk moth (Deilephila porcellus). Both insects start out as gray, dusty-looking caterpillars that slightly resemble elephant trunks, hence the name elephant hawk moth. D. elpenor has a gorgeous pink stripe on its abdomen that differentiates it from its smaller relative.

These moths can be found in North Africa, Europe, and even as far east as China. Their location can even impact how vibrant their colors are. Moths in drier and warmer parts of Asia show less, or even an absence of, pink coloring, while moths in northwest Africa and around the Mediterranean sea have brighter colors.

Pale-Pink Naked Mole-Rats Are Resilient Feats of Nature

A naked mole-rat at the National Zoo

(Mehgan Murphy / Smithsonian National Zoo via Flickr under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )

As one of the most unique, and perhaps off-putting, mammals in the world, the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is interesting in more ways than one. They are mostly hairless, resulting in a wrinkly light-pink or gray-pink appearance. However, the practically-blind animals have whiskers on their faces and tails to sense their surroundings and hairs on their feet to help them move soil around in their East African underground environment. Naked mole-rats are also the longest-living rodents, with an estimated life expectancy of up to 30 years. They’re immune to cancer, and their risk of death doesn’t increase with old age, baffling scientists. They can even survive better than us humans, as they are able to withstand nearly 20 minutes without oxygen.

Because naked mole-rats cannot regulate their own internal temperature, they get warm using shallow tunnels and huddling together. That intimate contact is also the most action a naked mole-rat will usually get: unlike most other mammals, they are a eusocial species, meaning one queen mates with several males while the rest of the community helps raise the children. Such togetherness will quickly cease if the queen is gone, however. Several females may engage in deadly battle in order for the right to become the colony’s new leader.

This Magenta-Speckled Snake Slithers With Style

Liophidium pattoni slithers along with its pink-striped scales.

(Bernard DUPONT via Flickr under CC BY-SA 2.0 )

Researched for the first time in 2010, Liophidium pattoni may lack a common name, but it certainly has no shortage of pizzazz. The slithering creature is striped with hot pink speckles against black scales along its back with a bright yellow belly. The underside of the tip of its tail looks as if it was dipped in magenta, almost as if the snake is cosplaying as a mermaid, minus the fin.

The species can be found in northeast Madagascar and is just one of two kinds of snakes with bright body coloration among more than 90 species known to science on the island. Because it is not believed to be aggressive nor dangerously poisonous, its pink pattern may be an indicator of bad taste or even a bluff that it’s harmful to predators. Essentially, it could be an example of aposematic coloration without actual danger lurking behind.

#Nature

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saucerfulofsins · 3 years

Note

Tried to write a prompt for golf(general) but idk what this is. Absolutely living for your snippets though. Good luck in uni tomorrow!!! ❤️🔥✨

So much of their life now is rushing between, escaping, stolen moments outside of the noise. A suspended breath in the dark garden at a house party inhale, exhale the first few steps on the ice, the swish click of hotel room doors locking out the world . The itch that builds season over season until he wants to scream - wants to grab his hand and run until they aren't anyone, anymore. No expectations. But for now, this - selfies and signatures in the carpark, at the desk, the price to pay for a few hours on the green, closest he can get to nature, to head empty focus, just breathing, here. Nothing cuts like a dive into cold lakewater but it's close as he can find in the city. Being able to share that with pat just makes it all the more precious. Watches him walk up to the green, dorky yellow polo, putter in hand, deep in consideration. Sun breaking through grey skies. He's not gonna solve this one, can taste the shape of it though. Doesn't have an answer for this. No expectations but the space between them. Melting, condensing, expand and retract. Feet together head bowed, focus as he putts. Delicate and direct. Nothing surer than the truth of it, Nothing more dangerous than the hope. Jonny turns away, eyes closed against the sun.

Thank you! Uni was intense but good! All my classes are back in person, and seeing people is weird now? (I’ve basically been entirely on my own for the past year and a half). I really just feel weird with all this ~contact~ I guess. (Don’t worry btw, I only have 3 seminars, and I think the biggest of those is maybe 20 people, I’ve had my jabs and most people around me did too, masks are still a thing, and there’s a ban on coming to class w/symptoms even if they are non-COVID).

Also, I know absolutely NOTHING about golf except that there’s a ball, there’s a stick, and in Dutch “minigolf” is called the 100% worse “midgetgolf.” (I am also very bad at it, from what I remember, give me beer pong any day).

FINALLY. I DO remember asking for fluffy prompts but… I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry fjdfjfjdjkfjg. Can I blame this prompt coming in a little late, please? (seriously though lmk if I should rewrite this as fluff)

Although their numbers match seamlessly, their careers, (their bodies, once), Patrick’s never been especially keen on nature. He doesn’t get that same drive Jonny does—he doesn’t need fresh air and open spaces and deep lakes to really clear his head, to feel like he’s living.

They used to talk about this, sometimes. This weird difference, where Patrick feels best in the thick of a crowd, walking in a city street—no matter how hot or how cold the weather. He has his place at Lake Erie, of course, but that was always because of the space, because of the privacy.

Jonny chose his lake cabin for all the other reasons. He wants to sink his feet into the sandy mud, he wants to feel the water lap at his ankles, smell all the different scents—wet algae and pinewood and the thick, soft moss that coats the ground.

He wants to feel sun on his skin, and he wants to clean, grill, eat the food he caught with his own hands.

Over the years, he’s sought that experience in Chicago. He’s never found it, even when all the elements are there—when he doesn’t put enough distance between himself and the city, its glass and asphalt still weigh him down.

Over the years, he’s found the closest he can get is out on a gold course. A good midway point between rink hockey and nature—the manicured lawns are like the temperature-controlled ice, the club and ball equal stick and puck in their semantic purpose. Hold one, hit the other. The mechanics put him at ease, leave him able to do something that feels productive.

More than that, golf is something Patrickenjoys. It must be because he can keep his shoes clean, can keep his expensive watch on. It must be because it reminds him of hockey, too, because Patrick’s never happier than when he has a stick in his hand.

(Jonny isn’t going to think too much about what that means.)

Their friendship continues to change. They used to be closer than they are now, and when they fell out, things were bad for a few years. This, the golf course, is where they learned to be okay with each other’s presence again.

It’s easier to talk when they don’t have to look at each other.

The wide space of the course offers more time, more privacy, than a rink ever could.

Green is a calming colour, the air here is fresher than it is in the city, unfiltered, pure. Jonny can close his eyes and inhale, just stand here for a moment without feeling like the world will slip away from under his feet if he’s not careful.

Patrick’s walking a few metres ahead of him. He’s wearing another eyesore of an outfit, like he’s trying to emulate all the colours that might go into a hockey logo. They are definitely the kind of colours that go into sponsor logos.

Patrick doesn’t need those colours to catch Jonny’s eyes. Jonny’s not sure if he knows that.

He wants to say something but bites his tongue instead. That, too, is easier here. Swallow all those words, all those feelings, and feel them settle in his stomach. They’re heavy, but bearable—full like he is after eating too much of a good meal. He’ll go home later, have a drink, feel the discomfort dissipate the way it always does as he processes this.

His turn. He aligns his putter with the ball, putts, edges past the hole. Patrick whistles, laughs, shakes his head. Jonny tries again, gets it right this time.

Two tries to get it right. It stings; he only ever had one shot with Patrick and promptly blew it. Or maybe they both did, he’s not so sure anymore. It’s been years, and his memories have gone hazy, now, all twisted up with bad dreams and what-ifs.

Patrick’s good at this, takes to golf the way he takes to hockey. Oddly, he doesn’t look smaller out of his gear and skates. If anything, he looks larger. His precision control is visible in each line of his body, and that contrasts against the immediate relaxation after his swing. He’s like an on-off switch, calculated and perfect, and he steals Jonny’s breath each time he does it.

(This is the only moment Jonny still allows himself to watch.)

Patrick grins when Jonny manages another bogey. They’re not really playing against each other, right now, but competition’s in their blood and Jonny’s fallen behind.

There’s nothing malicious in it, either, but Jonny can’t shake the feeling that this is becoming a metaphor for their lives. Patrick, on par with all plans he set out for himself, and Jonny, trying to catch up but eternally falling behind, further and further as he is haunted by the mistakes from his past.

#1988 #1988 fic #mine #antoewsnio #kaner #im so sorry #this is angst #;__;

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rizlowwritessortof · 3 years

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Dreaming

Dean Winchester has always been a bit of a thorn in Kelsey’s side - a very attractive thorn, but still… A visit at her uncle Bobby’s reunites her with the boys, and she begins having vivid dreams - about Dean. Is it just her subconscious trying to tell her something? Or is there more to it than that?

So sleepy.

The sun is so warm on her skin, the breeze gently wafting around her.

His arms surrounding her, a safe haven.

She turns her head, her eyes opening slowly, almost fighting to remain closed. His face is a blur at first, coming into focus as her eyes finally obey her thoughts and open. His eyes are still closed, his long lashes against his skin, his lips slightly parted as he breathes softly.

She feels a surge in her pulse as she looks at him, so beautiful, so perfect, so peaceful. She is almost breathless as her eyes scan over the planes of his face, freckles still visible beneath the golden tan; the jaw line, unshaven, the cleft in his chin almost hidden by the soft growth. The small bump in his nose, almost unnoticeable, a flaw making the perfection seem even more unreal.

He begins to move, his eyebrows draw together in a small frown as he struggles, like her, to wake. The moss green eyes open, the full lips curve slightly as he sees her, and she feels everything inside her go molten and electric as he reaches a hand to her face and moves in closer to touch his lips to hers.

The kiss is soft, sensuous, the whole world is in it. There is nothing else in the here and now but that. His mouth slants across hers, their lips parting and their tongues gliding against each other, tangling sweetly, and her whole being is centered in this moment, in the feel of his lips and the taste of him, the soft sound of the whispered moan that escapes as he kisses her.

His hand moves, down her back, across her hip, fingers slipping beneath the soft fabric of her shirt, and there is warmth against her skin as his touch brushes over her ribs and he cups her breast. This time the moan is from her, deep in her throat, as he gently kneads the firm flesh, and she presses closer to him as their kiss becomes more frantic, and her arms tighten around his neck…

“Kel! You comin’, or what?” Kelsey shot upright in her bed, her eyes wide, her mouth open as she stared at Dean, who stood leaning nonchalantly in her doorway. "I tried to wake you up, but I practically had to come in and throw cold water on you.“ His brows drew together in a frown, his green eyes actually a little concerned as she stared blankly back at him. "Are you okay? You aren’t getting sick, are you?”

Kelsey blinked hard a couple of times, shaking her head a little, trying to clear her mind of the incredibly vivid dream she had been rudely awakened from. "No,” she said softly, raising a hand to run through her shoulder length golden brown locks. When she looked back up, Dean’s eyes were roaming appreciatively over her breasts, which were making themselves evident under the thin silk camisole she had worn to bed. She jerked the blanket up, holding it in place and glaring at him.

“Do you, uh, wear that to bed every night, Kel? ‘Cuz I gotta tell you, it’s hot.” His eyebrows raised and lowered a couple of times as a one-sided smirk curved his lips.

“Get. Out.” Kelsey pointed towards the door, and he had the audacity to look surprised.

“Sure you don’t need any help with…anything?”

“OUT!” A low chuckle trailed behind him as he left the room, and she sailed a pillow towards his back.

“Missed!” he called back over his shoulder, and Kelsey huffed out a frustrated breath. How could she be dreaming of that…that…that immature, juvenile, dirty-minded jerk?

She threw back the covers and swung her long, tanned legs over the side of the bed, stretching as she stood and headed to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror, and a pair of dark lashed hazel eyes stared back. A faint spattering of freckles across her nose annoyed her to no end, as always, and her lips pressed together in disapproval. She sighed and opened a small drawer, pulling out a washcloth for her face as she let the water run to get warm.

She was almost dressed, in her faded jeans, well-worn Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt and grey Pumas, when Bobby called up the stairs. "Kelsey Grace, are you comin’ or not?“

"I’m on my way down, you old grouch,” she countered, then smiled to herself as she finished tying her shoe and grabbed her denim jacket from the chair on her way out the door.

Dean glanced up as Kelsey’s footsteps echoed down the old staircase. She was slipping her arms into her jacket as she walked, leaning in to kiss Bobby’s cheek, an amused smile on her face, as she walked by him. Bobby couldn’t quite stifle the wry grin on his face as he shook his head. Kelsey was twisting her hair into a knot, sticking a clip into it to hold it in place. Dean itched to pull it out, watch that tawny-colored, on-the-edge-of-auburn mass tumble down around her shoulders again. He felt Bobby’s disapproving glare and reluctantly pulled his eyes from the sight of her bending to look for a bottle of water in the fridge.

He remembered the first time he’d seen her. All arms and legs, and those big amber eyes that, at the time, looked so large in her face. She was about ten, same age as Sammy, and he was fourteen. She was Bobby’s niece, his sister’s daughter, and she had come to visit. Or, more likely, she was farmed out to him for some other reason, which Dean never knew. Bobby’s place wasn’t really the type of place people dropped off little girls just to visit. Now, he and Sam were different. Boys, for one thing. And they were used to being left here and there. Bobby’s, for them, was almost like home. Only thing was, the stay just never lasted long enough.

Kelsey and Sam had become friends right off the bat, she called him Shaggy and he called her Freckles, which she hated, but she didn’t seem to mind too much from him. Dean only tried it once, and was informed that, since he had more of them than she did, he wasn’t allowed. She and Sam had the run of the place, climbing around piles of junk that they should have stayed away from, building forts out of car parts, having a ball together, while Dean, already made to act like an adult by then, helped Bobby work on cars or guns, or do research. God, he had hated research. He still hated research.

They had met up with each other several more times over the years, always at Bobby’s, and she and Sam had remained close friends. She and Dean, however, had a kind of rocky relationship, sniping at or outright fighting with each other most of the time, but still settling into a teasing, sarcastic friendship. Dean smiled a little as he remembered them actually making out once, in Bobby’s shop. John had almost caught them, and he would have… His smile faded slowly, the loss of his father too new to be able to remember without a rush of pain so intense it almost stole his breath.

At least Sammy was okay. That’s all that mattered now. After they got into that huge fight, his little brother had taken off on his own, and a hunt gone wrong had landed him in the hospital for a few days, a two-day drive away near Baltimore. But Sam had refused to let him drive out to pick him up when he was released, so now they were driving in to pick him up at the airport. And he wouldn’t feel better until he laid eyes on him in person, made sure he was really okay.

He grabbed his jacket, putting it on as he headed for the door, his hand shoved into his pocket to retrieve the keys to the Impala. Bobby was right behind him, turning to Kelsey as they stepped outside. "Kelse, you want shotgun?“

"No, back seat’s fine, Bobby,” she answered, glancing at Dean as she felt his eyes on her. She pushed past him, opening the back door and slipping inside, pulling her phone from her pocket and staring intently at the screen. Dean and Bobby crawled in the front, and Baby rumbled to life as Dean backed her up and aimed her towards Sioux Falls Regional Airport.

They waited, mostly silent, for almost half an hour before Dean spotted Sam’s head above most of the others coming towards them down the crowded hallway. "Sammy!“ he called out, and Sam’s eyes searched him out before he raised a hand to answer his big brother’s wave. As he drew closer, the crowd thinned out, and Kelsey heard Dean’s quiet curse. "Son of a bitch,” he muttered, walking towards Sam, his face tight with concern. "Dammit, Sammy! Why didn’t you tell me you had a broken leg? What else is going on that you didn’t tell me?“

"I’m fine, Dean. It’s not a big deal.”

“It’s a big deal to me. You should have told me.”

Sam rolled his eyes, and then his gaze came to rest on Kelsey, who stood a few feet behind Dean. "Kelsey?“

A wide smile brightened her face and put a sparkle in her eyes. "Hey, Shaggy.”

Sam dropped his duffle at Dean’s feet, using his crutches to move to where Kelsey stood. He propped one crutch under his arm and grabbed her into a hug. "I didn’t know you were back.“

"Proverbial bad penny, what can I say?” She backed away a step and looked up into Sam’s hazel eyes. "So - got a little banged up, huh? Girl scout?“

Sam grinned, flashing those dimples that Kelsey also loved to tease him about. "Still a smartass, too.”

It was Dean’s turn to roll his eyes as they headed for the Impala, the two old friends chattering nonstop. He threw Sam’s duffle into the trunk and climbed behind the wheel, while Sam maneuvered his plaster cast into the passenger side, and Bobby got into the back seat with Kelsey.

After lunch, Sam and Kelsey continued their 'gabfest,’ as Dean thought to himself, and he took himself out to the shop, finding whatever he could to keep himself busy. Later in the day, he came in to grab a beer, and heard them laughing in the next room. He walked closer, leaning in the doorway for a bit, listening to their easy give-and-take mixed with frequent laughter. He absently chewed on his lip as he stood there, finally turning to leave, tipping his beer as he went. Kelsey glanced up as he left, then looked up at Sam from her seat on the floor, where she was sitting to sign Sam’s cast. Sam shrugged, and she smiled, putting the cap on the marker she’d been using and standing. "I’ll be right back,“ she said, and followed Dean’s path out to the shop.

She could hear Metallica playing in the background as she walked in. Dean was at the workbench, shop rag in hand, cleaning tools. She stood quietly for a moment, then walked closer, and he turned his head to glance at her before returning to his task.

"Why don’t you come in and have a beer with us, Dean? We’ve just been catching up with each other, I didn’t mean to take over, but we haven’t seen each other for a couple of years.”

“Didn’t want to butt in,” he said, working on removing grease from a wrench.

Kelsey stood there for a moment, then walked up beside him and turned her back to the workbench, leaning back against it and looking up at Dean. "I’m sorry. He’s your brother, and I know you guys have some things to talk about. I didn’t mean to…“

"No problem,” he cut her off, his voice curt.

“Dean.” Kelsey spoke his name softly and looked up at him until he finally met her eyes and responded.

“Look, Sam would rather talk to you any day. Why do you think he ended up all busted up in the first place? He doesn’t want to be around me. He doesn’t want to be here, Kel. He’s never wanted to be here.” He turned and walked away, but Kelsey hurried behind him, grabbing his arm to stop him.

“That’s just crazy, Dean. Sam loves you and Bobby. I don’t know what happened between you two, but you need to talk to him about it. He’s the only family you’ve got.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Dean’s voice was raised a little as the words came out, but he lowered his head immediately, running his fingers roughly through his hair. "Sorry.“

"Dean…it’s okay. Just please, go talk to Sam.” He looked up, and the expression on his face made her want to comfort him somehow. And, for a split second, she held her breath, thinking he was going to kiss her. But the moment passed, and he stepped away from her, grabbing his beer and heading for the house.

“Okay. I’ll go talk to him. But don’t be surprised if we end up in another fight.”

Kelsey followed him into the house, helping herself to a beer, but staying in the kitchen as Dean walked into the next room. "So, Sammy, what got you?“ Dean asked as he dropped to the other side of the couch and propped his feet up on the beat-up old coffee table. "You never did say.”

She heard the sound of Sam opening the beer Dean had taken to him, a moment for a swallow, and, “Vamp. Stupid vamp. I got him, though.”

“So, just your leg?”

“Some banged-up ribs, and had a concussion. I’m doing okay, though.”

She shook her head as they talked around everything but what they should have been talking about, and she began preparing some pasta and garlic bread for supper. By the time the food was ready, the tension had eased between the brothers to the point where they could all eat and talk together.

By ten that night, Kelsey could hardly keep her eyes open, and headed up to bed. She sank into her pillows with a sigh, and was just starting to doze off when she heard Dean’s footsteps pass by on the way to his room.

Dean stirred restlessly in his bed, then his eyes opened and he was on full alert as he sat up, reaching to the bedside table for his Colt. He had heard something, and he sat there, completely still and silent, listening. He heard another sound, and this time he was sure. It was coming from Kelsey’s room.

He pulled on a pair of sweats over his boxers and headed barefoot down the hall. He heard it again, this time a little louder, a low moan. He opened her door, stepping into the room and looking around with eyes accustomed to seeing in the dark. Nothing there that he could see, but she moved under her covers, her head rolling to the side as her breathing became more harsh, and another soft sigh escaped her lips.

He laid his gun on the table, sitting at the edge of the mattress. He reached to touch her shoulder carefully, not wanting to startle her, and whispered her name. "Kelsey.“ His only answer was another moan, and it didn’t sound like she was in pain. He shook her gently, saying her name a little louder this time. "Kel. Wake up, you’re dreaming.”

He drew his hand back as if he’d been burned when she reacted just as she had that morning, sitting up quickly, her eyes wide, her mouth open, completely disoriented. Then her eyes fell on him, and before he could react, her hands were in his hair and her lips on his, frantic and heated. He found himself unable to resist at first, the intensity of it sweeping him along, and he kissed her back, almost losing himself in the moment. Then he put his hands on her shoulders, pushing himself away and holding her in place, as he fought to slow his breathing and stop the almost overwhelming desire to give in and just go with it.

“Kelsey. You’re dreaming.” She looked up at him, her eyes unfocused for a moment, then clearing a little as she took a deep breath. "Are you okay?“ He could feel her begin to tremble beneath his hands, and real concern pushed all other thoughts from his mind.

"Dean? What’s going on?”

“You were dreaming. I came in because I thought I heard something, but it was you. You were really out of it.” His brows drew together in a troubled frown as he looked at her. "Just like this morning. Are you taking sleeping pills?“

Kelsey dropped back to her pillow, her eyes closed for a moment before she looked up at him, shaking her head. "No. I’ve never taken anything like that. Just a couple of beers tonight before I went to bed, just like you.” She seemed to be all right, had calmed down, and Dean relaxed a little. A crooked little smile curved his lips, and Kelsey frowned. "What?“

"You kissed me.”

“I did not!”

“The hell you didn’t! I came in to wake you up, and you kissed me. And you were into it, too.”

She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it and looked away, feeling herself blush. "I - I didn’t mean to. I was delirious or something.“ She couldn’t look at him, at the smirk on his face and the warmth in his eyes, she just couldn’t.

"You were dreaming about me.”

“Was not.”

“Yes, you were. Admit it.” He ran a finger along her arm, and she jerked it back, hiding it under the covers.

“I’m fine now. You can leave.” She turned to her side, her back to him.

He sat there, silent for a moment, and when he spoke, the teasing note was gone from his voice. "Sure you’re okay?“

"I’m fine.”

He stood, looking down at her for a moment, then turned to leave the room. He looked back at her form, nearly hidden in the blankets, and smiled. "Sweet dreams,“ he said as he pulled the door closed, and she pulled the covers over her head.

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

#dreaming #dean fic #dean x kelsey #dean x oc #reblog to fix tag links

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thewritershelpers · 4 years

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How to Write (Accurate) Dinosaurs (Follower Article Submission)

By Salvatore Cucinotta

Dinosaurs are probably the most popular subject in natural sciences and show up in fiction in so many roles it’s dizzying. But they are rarely shown with any accuracy. Depending on the story, that’s okay, and nothing to be ashamed of. However, the opportunities presented with more accurate dinosaurs can often outstrip the flights of fancy they have often been assigned. There’s a lot to cover, because dinosaurs are a very diverse group of animals, and we’ve learned a lot about them since they were first discovered: Even more things recently that get ignored for the ‘popular conscious’ image of these animals.

If you would like the opportunity to write an article on something you’re passionate about for The Writers’ Helpers, please click here.

Taxonomy: Understanding through Relatives

The first thing to understand is about dinosaurs is where they fit in the tree of life. Their taxonomic cousins are Crocodilians, and their direct descendants are birds. This does mean that birds are dinosaurs. Between the two, we have some very interesting and diverse templates to draw from for comparison. We can also make some speculations on things they may have done when the fossil record doesn’t fails us. This article is going to go on with a mixture of things we do know, and things we can infer. If anything strikes you as off or odd, I fully encourage you to dig deeper on your own. Heck, by the time this article comes out, a new find or paper could make some major changes to the broad generalities presented here. But, for now, if you want to get a simplified understanding, Dinosaurs mix some of the best features of crocs and birds, which allowed them to dominate the world for millions of years.

Jaws and Teeth

With that settled, let’s focus on the animal piece by piece, starting with the head. Dinosaurs tend to have rather powerful jaws. Tyrannosaurs are famous for it, but the bites of most dinosaurs are nothing to sneeze at. Their modern relatives, Crocs and birds, are rather noted for how powerful their bites can be. This is because they all share a similar muscle structure. They have two pairs of muscles on the back of their head as well as one in the center of their head (between the eye and nose) which are all to make the bite that much more powerful. In many dinosaurs, these show up as holes so they can be clearly seen. By comparisons, mammals only have one pair of extra muscles in the back for jaw reinforcement. This is why crocs can crush bones and parrots can crack Brazil nuts. So it becomes easy to picture: a Hadrosaur pulling off chunks of tree wood in tough times, a ceratopsian munching down an entire bush to its stem, or a tyrannosaur, which have the most powerful jaws among dinosaurs, crunching up the bones of its prey. Their jaws are not to be taken lightly. Other big predators have weaker jaws than Tyrannosaurs, but still enough to leave scratch marks on bones.

Teeth come next, and dinosaur teeth are as diverse as their diet. The sauropods have simple, peg like teeth for stripping plants. Others, like Ankylosaurs and Stegosasurs have beaks to crop plants, largely forgoing teeth. All these animals likely had gizzards or advanced stomachs or breaking down plant material like modern birds do (we have known examples from Sauropods, but not from the others, but it would make sense). Ceratopsians and Hadrosaurs have massive batteries of teeth for chewing, and powerful ones at that. Ceratopsians shifted their jaws back and forth to chew rather than side to side like mammals do, while Hadrosaurs did something really weird: they flexed their skull. While their lower jaw just moves up and down, the top looks like it’s squeezed by an invisible hand as they separate, which flexes out when the close, grinding any food caught between them as the top teeth slide down and out over the lower set. In life, it would give it very puffy cheeks as it chewed. Finally, predators largely have teeth for slicing flesh and creating gaping wounds in their prey. Except Tyrannosaurs, those animals had more conical teeth for crushing bone and armor, especially Tyrannosaurus rex. After getting a small enough food item in their mouth, they’d then swallow it whole. It seems theropods ripped prey apart like modern birds do, holding it down with a foot and plucking chunks off to be swallowed.

Tongue Actions

Staying in the mouth, let’s talk about tongues. Our two modern examples show great extremes. In Crocodilians, their tongues are fused to their jaws, while in birds, they can take a variety of forms. This is generally covered by the hyoid bone and a study from June of 2018 ran through what we have of hyoid bones. The short of it being, most carnivorous dinosaurs and the big long-necked ones had crocodilian tongues (yes, even the birdlike ones), while the Ornithischian dinosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs, horned and armored dinosaurs, etc.) had tongues and could be a bit more elaborate with them. Given the simple jaws of Ankylosaurs, it is thought that their tongues might have been used to aid in grazing, being large, rough, and possibly used in pulling in food.

Horns, Frills, Domes, and Other Weirdness

Now there are dinosaurs that have horns, domes, crests, and other ornamentation on their heads, but they didn’t all use them for the same purposes. In Theropod dinosaurs like Ceratosaurus, Allosaurus, Cryolophosaurus, Carnotaurus, and even Tyrannosaurus rex, the horns, frills, and bumps were most likely display pieces like that of a modern hornbill. They look pretty, but don’t do much else. The Pachycephalosaurs dome heads are often shown ramming each other, and that’s likely accurate. We do have some evidence of lesions from impacts they could not withstand on their massive heads. Now, the Ceratopsian dinosaurs use their horns depending on their family. Chasmosaurine ceratopsians, such as Triceratops, Charmosaurus, and Torosaurus, likely locked horns like deer in shoving matches when battling each other, and used the sturdier horns to defend themselves when they could. Centrosaurine ceratopsians, including Monoclonius, Styracosaurus, and Pachyrhinosaurus did more body shoving and scraping with horns along the frill. So, instead of butting heads, they’d either T-bone their rival, or they’d circle each other to try and flip or knock over their foe. Finally, there’s the big tubes along the heads of lambeosaurine hadrosaurs. These were echo chambers for sound, which will be discussed in more detail below, but in general, these made deep, resonating sounds.

The frills of Ceratopsians likely served two purposes: defense and display. Display among other members of their species being the primary with defense a secondary bonus. And it wasn’t just bone covered in skin. The frills were covered in a keratin sheath like their horns and beaks, and like the beaks of modern birds. This means that they were quite durable, and possibly even brightly colored in life. It’s also fun to note that Tyrannosaurs had a habit of ripping off those frills in order to eat the thick neck muscles behind them.

Of course, the thing about Dinosaur heads, especially in Tyrannosaurs, Hadrosaurs, Ceratopsians, and likely Pachycephalosaurs is how much they change as they the animal ages. Ceratopsians show the most change, as they are born with frills and horns that can barely be notices, but which grow into different shapes for each stage of life. Triceratops has 5 distinct growth stages that we can determine so far, and it is likely other horned dinosaurs had similar stages. Hadrosaurs start with ‘cute’ faces, short nose and big eyes, and which elongate as they age. Tyrannosaur skulls deepen and become more robust as they age, to the point where young Tyrannosaurs have more teeth than the adults. Pachycephalosaurs might go through the most changes, starting with horn-covered heads before growing the dome as the horns shrink, but because their remains are rare and usually incomplete, we can’t say this with certainty.

As a final to-do regarding horned dinosaurs, it has been noted for years that their skulls have massive openings for their nasal passages. Holes far too big to just be for an enhanced sense of smell. One hypothesis about them is that they held air sacs that could inflate for display purposes, like that of a modern hooded seal. If that hypothesis held true, then they would be very showy animals.

(Almost) Bird Brains

Our last stop in the head is in the brain. Dinosaur intelligence is hard area to study since brains themselves don’t fossilize, but the braincase gives us some idea of its size and shape, and thus what it could focus on. This is made trickier because of the transition from more reptilian forms to avian ones, but, again, it gives us a rough estimate of what’s going on between their ears. From what we can deduce, animals like Allosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus were about as smart as modern crocodiles, with smarter ones on the way to being bird like. Some, like Tyrannosaurus, are only just, while one of the most intelligent dinosaurs (Troodon) is about 31.5 to 63% of the way to modern bird intelligence.

This does downplay the movie “Raptors” unlocking doors, or being as smart as crows or parrots, but it doesn’t make them unthinking, unfeeling beasts either. Again, crocodiles are more nuanced than most people are aware. Crocodiles have been seen bringing food to their babies, using very simple tools (putting moss and sticks on them to aid their camouflage), and can be taught a few tricks. They also play. They play with objects (wooden balls, noisy ceramic bits, their prey, floating debris, and even streams of water), they engage in movement play (surfing in waves, using waterslides, and riding currents), and even playing with others. And not just other crocodilians, but otters and even some people. Some of these play bonds can last for years. Crocodilians aren’t just reactive to their environment, they have flexibility in their behavior.

And no dinosaur has a secondary brain in the back to help out. That is total bunk.

All the Better to See You With

We can also tell a lot about the animals’ senses from these brain casts. In general, however, we can say that dinosaurs have great senses of smell and eyesight. Their hearing was good, but geared towards hearing lower sounds than humans are used to. This means that overall, the “It can’t see you if you don’t move” trick from Jurassic Park is patently false. Not only could it see you clearly, and in color, but it would just as easily identify a target through scent alone.

Resonance

Moving down to the throat, we enter the realm of figuring out what sounds dinosaurs made. This is a big area of curiosity, especially with the crests of the various Hadrosaurs being full of air tubes like massive instruments. The sounds of those is pretty well known – something like an alpine horn, but that’s not the limit of what sounds they could make. Modern birds would easily be a writer’s first thought. Birds make all sorts of sounds, from hooting owls to the lyrebirds’ perfect mimicry. However, Dinosaurs don’t have the bones for it. Most of those sounds are made with a bone known as the syrinx. This bone evolved in birds after they became their own group, and is found in no non-avian dinosaurs.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t make noises. Ostriches and bitterns and make booming sounds without the use of their syrinx, and crocodiles are very vocal animals. The chirp of crocodile babies in the nest is well known and documented, as is the mating bellow, and threatening hiss. But there are also calls to alert others to danger, call for help, and even an ‘Umph’ call to assure babies that their mother is near. These tend to be low, deep sounds for the most part, with the mating call going into infrasound ranges. This matches with many types of Dinosaurs. The singing Hadrosaurs and Tyrannosaurs both geared their ears for low frequency sounds. The Hadrosaurs to hear and locate each other, and Tyrannosaurs to listen in and find prey. This means that Tyrannosaurus wouldn’t roar, but something scarier. It could produce this sound without opening its mouth, and even if a hapless human couldn’t hear it, it would reverberate through their entire body.

Dinosaurs Can’t Play Basketball

The next thing to talk about is in the hands. In movies, and even in mounted skeletons, dinosaurs are often shown with their palms facing the ground. It gives raptors a praying mantis-like arm pose and is a product of anthropomorphism. Dinosaurs did not hold their hands like we do. Birds are dinosaurs, and birds hold their hands with their palms facing inward. Maniraptors (a group of dinosaurs including Oviraptor, Velociraptor, and modern birds) could almost fold their arms up like a bird does, though their fingers point to the ground getting only half way to a full bird fold-up. This is important for them because it allows for a ‘flapping’ motion. With this down, they could do all sorts of displays, catching small prey, or execute tighter turns.

Gut-Punch

The next topic is inside a dinosaur, and that is gastralia. This, in birds, is known as the sternum or breastbone. In dinosaurs, it’s basically a set of 8 to 21 reverse ribs that run along the line of the stomach. It is known to be present in Crocodiles and the Tuatara, and we have fossil evidence for it in many Theropods and Prosauropods. It seems to be absent from the giant Sauropods and Ornithischian dinosaurs. In life, they provide extra protection and muscle attachment points for the body mostly related to how they breathe.

Huff and Puff

Dinosaurs, like their descendants and relatives, have extremely efficient and powerful lungs unlike any other group of animals. They cycle through without pause, cleanly and efficiently. Throw in the hollow bones of Sauropods and Theropods, and like birds they become even more efficient with their breathing. This means they have very high endurance. The marathon flights of birds are a good benchmark for non-bird dinosaurs. It also means they can survive lower oxygen levels than us mammals can with fewer side effects. So the longer a chase scene goes on with a dinosaur, the more likely it’s going to win.

Serpentine! Serpentine!

The legs come next, and they are one of the defining features of dinosaurs and birds. They are extremely efficient runners. Their ankles and knees are simple door hinge joints, and their hips connect to their legs with a wheel joint. Even better, dinosaurs have a muscle attaching to the back of their thigh and connecting to their tail, making their run that much more powerful and efficient. So, dinosaurs can run quite well and for long periods of time. But they have trouble on turns. The tail can be used as a lever to aid in turns, but they’d still rather run straight than turn. So, when chased by a dinosaur, the best strategy is to get to cover and zig-zag randomly. Because you sure as hell aren’t outlasting them.

Speed wise, dinosaurs can do pretty well. It varies a lot by species. Tracks can tell us some answers, as can biomechanical analysis. It’s hard to pin down, and many a mathematical formula has been put together to try and figure out these speeds, with some variable ranges. The big theropods have a speed range between 10 and 25 mph. Large raptors around 20mph, with their smaller relatives 25-30mph. Smaller therapods can hit up to 45 mph, with the Ornithomimids hitting 50 mph at the most. The hadrosaurs tend towards 25-30mph. Ceratopsians tended to run at most just under 20mph. Armored dinosaurs and large sauropods tend to be the slowest, the fastest of these going roughly 6 mph.

Like today, predators have quicker pickup than herbivores, who are geared for more long distance running. Throw in all those adaptations for endurance and we have some real marathon runners here. In other words, predators tend to be sprinters, herbivores tend to be distance runners, but both are distance runners compared to mammals.

Ouch!

While we’re inside, let’s talk briefly about healing and injury. Dinosaurs are quite robust and tough animals. Their immune system is that of birds and crocodiles. When faced with an infection, their immune system isolates it. This makes it take longer to heal, but prevents septicemia/blood poisoning among other benefits. This does sometimes lead to amputation of toes in some animals. There are instances of healed creatures in many skeletons, though a bad break in a leg or along the spine can still be fatal. They still suffered some diseases. Tyrannosaurus for example has evidence from several individuals of a bone infection that seems to have been spread among them via face biting. Whether this face biting was social interaction of some sorts, violent interspecies conflict, or minor dominance displays while feeding like wolves do today is unknown.

Warm Blooded, Cold Blooded, or Something In Between?

At this point, it’s pertinent to mention how active dinosaurs were. The term “Mesotherm” is often put about them, and it seems to fit. They are between “Hot Blooded” Endotherms like birds and mammals, and “Cold Blooded” Ectotherms, like crocodiles and other reptiles. The short of it is, Dinosaurs were on a gradient of activity levels. Mostly above that of modern crocodiles (who are already geared to be as energy efficient as possible), up to that of modern birds. They wouldn’t bask in the sun by and large, but could do with less food than a mammal of similar size. What’s really fun is the cheat they use to assist that even more. See, most energy in mammals and birds is used to keep us warm and active. But this has a direct relationship with body size. The smaller an animal is, the more energy is needed to keep it warm. But large animals can keep themselves warm through their bulk alone. This is sometimes termed “Gigantothermy.” And dinosaurs hit that sweet spot really well, being able to outdo mammals and be more fuel efficient while doing so. Still, if the idea of the warmth of a group of mammals seems fanciful, remember: opossums, echidnas, and platypus’ have an average body temperature so low none of them can carry rabies.

The Way Out

Next, we come to an ‘exit’ from the internal stuff: a dinosaur’s butt, because dinosaur butts are weird. See, mammals from horses to humans are … different from other vertebrates. We have separate orifices for releasing both forms of waste as well as our reproductive system. Most other animals, well, they have their waste disposal plant and their amusement park in the same place. This is called a cloaca and is a universal organ for waste and reproduction. Birds, crocs, and dinosaurs have it. Even egg-laying mammals have it. It’s the standard from which modern mammals deviated. Because of this, dinosaurs can’t use urine to mark territory because they have no way of expelling it separate from other excrement. So, dinosaur poo would either be like that of a bird, or like that of a crocodile. On the plus side, this does make them quite good at retaining water, and makes them basically immune to being kicked in the crotch.

Eggs, Nests, and Parenting.

The other thing to come out of that hole, eggs, leads easily into nesting behavior. We only have a few nests we can fully identify, as well as dozens more which we can’t tell who they’re from. And the nests and their uses varied a lot. Some animals were nest bound after hatching, dependent on the parents for food. Others were like young reptiles of today, hatching ready to move and work largely on their own. It is likely, given crocodiles, that there was some parental protection early in life for most species. They had a high number of young, which compensated for the high attrition rates of young individuals. So, even the best mother lizards would lose quite a few children with each brood. In short, seeing a single child from a nest or as a yearling is not only inaccurate, but has extremely depressing implications.

In general, there were two major methods of nest building: the crocodile method, and the bird method. The crocodile method was taken up by the majority of dinosaurs. This being building a nest of rotting vegetation and covering the eggs, letting the warmth of rotting vegetation incubate the eggs. The latter is far better known, where the parents) use their warmth to incubate the eggs (though they were nested in rotting vegetation as well, a between stage for bird and crocodilian styles as it were). This more modern strategy is only found in smaller animals, and of those, the ones that were heavily feathered.

Scales, Dino-Fuzz, and Feathers

Yes, feathers. Dinosaurs have feathers. This is partly because birds are dinosaurs, and partly because of the “Ancestrally Filamentous Hypothesis” where the common ancestor of dinosaurs were likely feathered, or more accurately covered in filaments that are ancestral to feathers. This is because we have dinosaurs on both major branches with feathers and filaments of varying types and it is likely that they are from the same source, but it could be independent evolution as well.

But what’s really weird about dinosaur feathers is the fact that they are not mutually exclusive (meaning a dinosaur can have feathers and scales, and not just in patches either, but all mixed together), that some of the scales on some dinosaurs might be feathers that have become scales once again, and that there are occasionally multiple stages of feathers present on the same animal. There’s three basic stages (with 5 when you really get down to the nitty gritty things). These are the filament (hollow hair-like feathers somewhat similar looking, though often shorter, than what is seen today in emus and kiwis), plumulaceous (Fluffy down-like feathers), and pennaceous (and branching feathers from a central shaft). The latter are the majority of feather types on a bird, varying in how they are interwoven.

Armored dinosaurs (Stegosaurs, Ankylosaurs), Pachycephalosaurs, and Sauropods have no direct evidence for feathers on them, and aside from polar animals, very small animals, or sporadic display points probably didn’t have any. The scale impressions we have of sauropods and Ankylosaurs indicate rather crocodilian-like heavy scales, with smaller ones at the joints to ease movement. This includes the armor which, like the backs of crocodiles, were scales with boney core. And yes, some later Sauropods (such as Saltosaurus and Alamosaurus) did have body armor, though not to the extent of Ankylosaurs.

Ceratopsians or Horned dinosaurs have evidence of the first type of feathers on their bodies, namely long quills on the top of the tail of Psittacosaurus (along with a skin of fine scales whose coloration, that is similar to a modern deer, was also preserved). The skin impressions of Triceratops dinosaurs show they had more crocodilian-like armored scales, but also knob points where either spines or feather quills could have grown out. Given the size and placement, they might have been for display structures or they could have been more porcupine-like quill spines. But because this specimen is in the hands of a private collector, it has so far not been studied.

Ornithopods (duck-billed dinosaurs, Iguanodons, and small herbivores often called “Hypsilophodontids”) have several mummies preserving scaly skin, but Kulindadromeus, a primitive member of this family, had a very distinct body covering. Its face, shins, and tail were scaly, easily enough. But the torso, neck and head were covered in filamentous feathers, while its arms and thighs had plumulaceous coverings. So, it’s possible for Ornithopods to have all sorts of feathers, though it seems the larger ones preferred scales as far as we can tell so far, it doesn’t rule out feathered parts of the body as well, or mixed/alternating scales and feathers like the feet of some birds have.

Therapod feathers are extremely complicated since they include birds, and show the most diversity. We generally don’t have evidence for feathers in Ceratosaurs, Abeliosaurs, Megalosaurs, Spinosaurs, Allosaurs, or Carcharodontosaurs, but because of what we know of their ancestry, it is possible these animals had at least some filaments in scattered parts for display. Compsognathids and Tyrannosaurs have family members depicting plumulaceous feathers, including Yutyrannus which is so far the largest dinosaur to have such feathers (30ft long).

From there we get into properly bird-like and the feathers become more obvious. Therizinosaurs have plumulaceous feathers, while Oviraptors, Ornithomimids, and “Raptors” all have pennaceous feathers. Meaning that the latter three had wings. They couldn’t fly with them (well, maybe the juveniles can when they’re small and light enough for it), but they are still useful for a wide variety of things: shading young/eggs when nesting, social displays/mating dances, guiding movement when running like modern ostriches do, to aid in climbing like modern birds use them for (flapping furiously), or to pick up speed while running, or use them for balance when sinking their claws into prey like modern birds of prey do. There are a lot of ways birds use their wings for reasons other than flight, and the same might be true for non-avian dinosaurs that had them.

But let’s not forget the scales too. The do appear on dinosaurs are for the most part rather small. The scales preserved on tyrannosaurs are best measured in millimeters, with an animal up to 40 ft. long, it would make the skin look rather leathery at a distance, but when you get close to it and feel it, it would be rougher, pebbly, but still rather soft like a bird’s foot. Some animals, like Edmontosaurus had a mosaic of tiny scales where the animal would flex, with sections of larger, bumpier scales in between. And then there are the more armored ones on Sauropods and Ceratopsians. Overall, each dinosaur is going to look different from what you see in Jurassic Park.

But, in short, a dinosaur with feathers is more accurate than one without them.

Other weird skin-related tissues include: Edmontosaurus annectens of the animal having a crest of soft tissue or wattle like that of a chicken, Tarbosaurus bataar having a throat pouch like a modern frigate bird, and Diplodocus having Iguana-like spines down their back (though how big they are in proportion to the rest of the body is unknown).

Modern birds have a myriad of fleshy formations on their heads, as well as bizarre ways of arranging feathers. From turkeys and chickens, to kiwi whiskers and quails topknots, don’t be afraid to use them to lend character to your creatures.

Colors

The last part to talk about is color. We actually do know the coloration of a few dinosaurs. Psittacosaurus and a medium sized ankylosaur Borealopelta have deer-like countershading coloration. A tan brown up top with a lighter color for their belly and dark patches around the face or armored scutes. Yes, even armored Ankylosaurs have camouflage. And those were scaly animals for the most part, most color information comes from feathers. Anchiornis feathers are largely black with blotches of gray, splashes of white (forming a white background with black spots across on the wings), and a brilliant red crest. Sinosauropteryx has a color pattern very similar to that of a modern coati, orange-brown up top with a lighter belly, bandit-mask of orange-brown over its face and white/orange-brown stripes running up its tail like a ring-tailed lemur. Finally, the proto-bird dinosaurs Archaeopteryx and Microraptor were black for the most part, with Archaeopteryx having white tips, and Microraptor’s black being more iridescent-black.

This means that, color wise, we have a lot of options between these findings and what we see in modern birds. Animals that rely on camouflage would do their best to match their environment: browns, greens, and blacks being common. But we’d also see brilliant colors for display, possibly leading to dances that go with the colors. Predatory dinosaurs might have colorations similar to eagles and hawks of today. Think first of where the animal lives and what it’s doing. Then you’re going to have to think of birds or other animals that fill a similar basic role and see what catches your eye.

I Blame Society

There’s only so much we can say about behavior that is not tied to the body directly. Footprints tell us some things, but only give us short scenes. Still, we can say a few things with some confidence. There are three ways Dinosaurs group together. The first is in what is best termed a flock. They travel among their own kind as a group for protection. We see this in sauropod trackways, mass grave sites of ceratopsians, and among hadrosaur group nesting sites. It seems Ankylosaurs were mostly solitary. Other dinosaurs seemed to form smaller groups if at all. The next structure is rare and rather speculative: a pack. Popularised among “raptors”, there is also evidence for this among some Tyrannosaurs. A pack is a family unit with parents and children being raised together, sometimes in expanded form. It’s common in mammals, but rare in modern dinosaurs. Only the Harris Hawk displays this social structure, though crows have something...similar, but different crows are always outsmarting things. The last is possibly the most frightening: a bask. Crocodiles can be social animals. In fact, many are. They gather together in certain locations they know food to be plentiful and wait together for it to show up. This is probably best exemplified by the river crossings of wildebeest and zebra in Africa. Crocodiles gather at these points to wait for their prey to arrive, and then work together to take down prey as well as rip it apart. There is evidence of such basks being used by Allosaurus and it is not much of a stretch to extend it to related animals. They gathered by a watering hole in the dry season and took down prey that came to drink.

Wrap-up and Further Reading

This is a lot to digest, but it should give you a very solid handle on how to handle dinosaurs going forward in your stories. They are weird and wonderful animals, but never forget that they are animals and not monsters. It’s fun to hype of the deadliness of predators, but remember: the most dangerous animal in Africa is an herbivore, as are most of the “African Big 5”. Herbivores are more likely to (and more willing to) kill than predators. They just want an easy meal.

If you want more information, and can’t make it to a museum to talk up a volunteer or a resident paleontologist, I suggest checking out the tumblr A Dinosaur a Day, the youtube series Your Dinosaurs are Wrong from the Geek Group, as well as the youtube channel Trey the Explainer.

#How to Write Accurate Dinosaurs #Writing Help #Writing Dinosaurs #Dinosaurs #Writing Advice #Comprehensive Writing Guides #TWH Follower Article Submission #majingojira #Describing dinosaurs

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zeoumren · 4 years

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The skeletons, the swamp and the song bird(undertale drabble)

I am not gonna post this to Ao3 (probably) but I wanted to write something about the boys™ ( y’know San’s Red and Skull because they spark joy) and I ended up making...a swamp monster Au? hey, you know what sure. I'm chill.

So please enjoy this little drabble

Sans is half blue spotted salamander

Red is half Marine iguana

And our boy skull is an unholy amalgam of giant leeches that makes him look like he has tentacles. c:

It had been another indescribably shitty day.

You were not a pessimist but the dark circles under your eyes had something to say about your lifestyle.

It was shit, plain and simple. You had a hard time separating your real life from your work life and that lead to more stress, less sleep and a pissy boss telling you to get your act together before coming back to the venue.

A sigh left you as you sat hunched over on a stump in the forest clearing.

This was your quiet place, you came here to sing and practice routines.

You were an entertainer and it was hard not to keep your mask on, you pretended all the time to be someone...something you were not it was hard when someone asked you about yourself because you didn't know who you were off the stage anymore.

So yeah, life was kinda shit right now so you threw yourself into what you normally did when you hiked up here, into the humid underbrush of a forest no one wanted to come to, legends of creatures eating full-grown men whole and actual real dangers surrounded this place, but you didn’t much care anymore.

After all, the ones who were more dangerous were outside the forest.

Taking off a ball cap and letting your hair tumble free you wipe your brow free of sweat and kick your legs as you sit.

Most of the forest was loud, full if chattering and nattering of birds and other creatures, but this space that just dropped off into a bog, was quiet.

You liked to come here in the wee hours of the morning and watch the fog roll off the algae-green water, it made for the perfect ambience to a forlorn song or a crooning that let all your own heartbreak loose.

But today, in the evening after being told your routine was shit and you were one slip up from being let go and replaced by someone new, who you had no grievance with, but it was the principal of the matter, you had worked so hard to get to sing and perform for crowds and now….you were having it dangled above your head.

You grit your teeth and for the first time since you ever came here you let out a cry of pure frustration and rage.

The quiet never broke, even through all your angered screaming, then looking between your knees as you sat and into the murky water you buried your head in your hands and wept.

You did not know what to do! It was all too much all at once.

Still, you came back to a familiar song, even with a tearful voice.

"Green finch and linnet bird, nightingale, blackbird teach me how to sing."

You were able to get a few verses in before the sun began to Dip down below the horizon and you got up from your perch.

No point trying to navigate this quagmire in the gloom.

You took careful steps, keeping to the path you always did when something caught your attention. A pale bluish light hovering in the air, soon being joined by more close by of other colours…you spotted red as well, and a strange, almost grey-blue light. You hummed to yourself, reminded of the fact that this was a bog, and swamp gas igniting was a thing. Still, you stopped and stared, a smile playing at your lips.

"Wow, this is the most beautiful light show I have ever seen! And people say the Fen is haunted. More like hauntingly beautiful!"

You giggle to yourself and don't even notice the lights flare brighter at your statement.

You always loved the Gloom, you just never knew the gloom loved you back.

---

Well….you never thought it could get worse, but even after giving it your all you still ended up being fired.

So you came to the bog to say your goodbyes. You probably would have to move back into your parent’s town.

"I'm gonna miss this place, not the shitty managers, or the fights...but I always thought the locals were silly to be afraid. This place is so magical and I'm really gonna miss it…"

It was weird, saying goodbye to a place. But you somehow still ended up crying a little.

And for the first time ever in this clearing, you heard a sound.

A mournful wailing, deep like a foghorn that rattled into your very bones.

It looked like the Bog itself had seemed to shift, the top layer of Jenny green teeth giving way to the sound of mud slurping and water gushing.

You couldn't move, frozen to the spot as you watched in awed terror.

Writhing tentacles that moved like leeches and were just as black moved towards you, you figured this was it, you were dead. You sucked in a breath and screwed your eyes up tight.

You were startled as the wet appendages slowly ran over your cheek. Delicately.

You cracked open an eye and saw there in the water a skull, a giant gaping hole that looked painful gushing water as it rose, one of its eyes was devoid of light and the other…

Was a deep crimson, the colour of blood.

Yet it smiled softly, even with so many teeth.

The tentacles seemed to be coming from it and it made you cock your head to the side as it almost shyly drew closer, hauling more of its body out of the water.

Its torso was also skeletal, and it was gigantic, at least eight feet tall without including its lower half.

You thought of story's of swamp hags dragging people under and looked at this...it seemed to fit some sort of description...it definitely looked like a drowned corpse.

But as it hauled itself out of the water and you saw how it slid over to you in one fluid motion, how its bones melded into strange dark tentacles, how it's eye lit up when it reached a skeletal hand over to pat your hair.

This was surreal, strange in every sense of the word. Your voice caught in your throat as two other skulls, smaller than the first bobbed in the water, one had white pinpricks of light for eyes like the stars in the sky, the other had sharper teeth and predatory red slits for eye lights.

They shared a look and dipped under the surface, leaving you with the behemoth.

It was so strange having something so giant hold your face and look you over, play with your hair.

You finally found your voice, it wobbled despite your best efforts.

"S-sorry to bother you...I didn't know anyone lived here. Don't worry I will go."

The touching and playing stopped and it said one word that made your stomach drop and your bones freeze.

"N o."

It was soft, but full of a strange emotion you could not understand and you felt your eyes widen in shock as millions of tentacles surrounded you, even if you were to scream it would come out muffled as the world was blotted out by the writhing darkness.

---

The moment you were spat out from the inky prison you were on a shore...a tiny island with a cave in the center.

You were surrounded by the bog and your heart sped up when you saw the water froth and churn.

Out of the murk popped the small skeletal creature...white eyes.

He watched you curiously before sliding up onto the island. His lower body made you actually smile, he looked like some sort of blue newt from the waist down. That was it. You had to have bumped your head and were slowly bleeding out. None of this was possible.

So, since this is probably a weird dream induced by bloodless, you may as well be nice. You smile and wave to the creature who looks shocked and his skeletal face flushes a bright blue as little wisps of blue light curl around him.

He Pat's his face roughly and scampers off into the cave.

"Bye lil guy."

The next thing you know you are being tackled and you are staring up at a grinning maw full of sharp teeth and slit red eyes.

"Um...are you going to eat me?"

If you are already dying you may as well just get that question out of the way. The newt skeleton seemed harmless...but this one…

It looked more like one of those lizards that catches fish, it had sharp claws on both its skeletal and reptilian appendages. This was a predator and it could rip you apart...yet you were suprised when it laughed and started ...purring?

It was a gravely sound that you felt in your bones, but it was strangely warm.

"Heh, cute but I'm not gonna even try songbird. Skull would kill me...oh speak of the devil. Goodluck sweetness.~"

He scrambled off of you, but not before licking your cheek with a forked red tongue.

He too wandered off to the cave...it struck you that these creatures could talk, which sent your mind reeling, even as you were picked up by curling black tentacles.

You crossed your arms and looked at the creature holding you.

Skull...right?

"So...are you going to eat me?"

Skull...looked horrified. His one eye light got impossibly small and he surged out of the water, reaching out to hold you...your clothing was no doubt ruined by now and everything felt so surreal. He scooped you up and you were shocked by how warm he was.

"No. Wont. Keep you safe."

You blinked softly.

Huh.

"Can I go home?"

You were squeezed a little tighter and you realized he was bringing you to the cave.

"Keep you safe."

You were placed up high on a rocky shelf that was covered with sweet smelling moss and animal skins. tentacles retreating after softly patting your head. You blinked in the low light.

It...was a little home? The cave had three rocky pools of water and some different shelves and outcroppings. You held in your grasp of wonder as all around you little jars filled with bioluminescent blue mushrooms blinked to life in the growing gloom.

You may be dead...but you guessed there were worse places to be dead. You looked down and waved at the little newtiton and received a wink from the skelezard.

Skull was winding himself into a ball of tentacles inside the biggest pool while the other two were resting on old animal skins and warming up by a fire that crackled with the smell of roasting fish.

You sighed softly and laid down on the surprisingly soft moss.

You guessed this was fine for now.

It is not like you had anywhere to be and you were safe, unless you were already dead...plus you probably were in shock, nothing felt real right now.

Closing your eyes you heard three separate voices call out to say the same thing.

" Good night songbird"

---

"How long do you think she will sleep for?"

Sans stifled a yawn as he had stayed up to chat with the others.

It was no fair, he had found you first, someone singing in the early morning just for him. He had hoped to lure you with the will-o-the-wisp's into the water at first but in the end he had let you go. You were just...your song was so sad.

Mournful.

He couldn't bring himself to hurt you, and you came back. A new song each day that felt like it was just for him.

Then Red had to show up and decide he liked your singing too.

And you came once or twice at night so, skull found out too. Skull was dangerous, sans thought for sure you were dead but the behemoth seemed smitten. He liked your happy songs filled with love, your sad songs filled with loss...you sounded like you had lived all these songs.

Then you came to the fen not with a song, but with tears, with frustration and heartbreak.

And yet you had still called their home beautiful...their lights that they put up to cheer you...you called them beautiful too.

And of course it was hard to hold skull back from wanting to take you then.

"I dunno squirt. But Hell. I know she deserves some sleep...she always looks so tired. But she still hikes out here everyday."

Red growled and looked up at your sleeping form.

Their songbird was suffering all this time and they never noticed until now.

It made his instincts flare up. He had to protect you...he had to, you were too fragile to keep out of sight for long.

If he did someone else might hurt you.

You were better off here.

He may be adverse to skulls method of getting you here, but now that you were…

"So, we all agree we are keeping her?"

Sans thought it over and nodded, he may not want to share, but he was stuck in this situation now.

"...I mean...I don't want her to leave, and she is so tiny and thin. We should probably take care of her."

"Protect little bird. Needs to eat more."

Skull was already in full nesting mode with you here. It was weird to see someone so...feral become a purring kitten in your presence.

They all stopped and stared all three skulls snapping up to the shelf when you cooed out a little yawn before rolling over in your sleep.

"...too cute."

Skull was holding his face and twirling his tentacles into tight knots. He probably wanted to hold you.

"Stars, yeah we gotta keep her. I'll get her more furs for her nest tomorrow."

And now Red was gone too. His mind working on instinct to protect, provide and comfort.

Though sans was not much better. He was already trying to figure out where to catch more humans and extort them for favours so they would give him things for you.

Yes. They all looked at each other and nodded.

The songbird was theirs. The world would never harm them again.

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dances-with-kuribohs · 3 years

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Pegasus is even worse than expected. 1700 words.

...

The sound of the waves and the gentle brush of the wind were the first physical sensations he could identify.

Beneath him, sand shifted as he moved, and he avoided that at first. He had to make sure he was all here. Arms, legs, torso, head. All the parts were there, at least. He could hear the sand crunching, movement around him, and he braced himself as he opened his eyes.

The sky was shockingly blue, but above him, occupying a portion of the skyscape, a smiling face leaned over him, brightening even further when it noticed he’d woken up.

“Kaiba boy! There you are, finally arriving at the party.”

The voice was grating. The enthusiasm ground against him like nails on a chalkboard. Pegasus Crawford leaned back to pull him to a sitting position, then continued guiding him upwards to help him stand.

Unwilling to test his voice, Seto Kaiba waited for several moments, trying to reconcile his knowledge of the world with the reality that confronted him.

He could feel the particles of sand that still clung to his skin. Waves lapped at the sand, palm trees swayed gently with the wind he’d felt, and behind the beach, a cliff face rose steeply to a tropical forest along its edge. He could not see around the edges of the beach on either side, but there was no hint of a road or path to the beach itself, and no one else on the beach or in the water. It was just him, the landscape, and Pegasus Crawford.

“You’ve changed.” Pegasus was evaluating him, his single eye roving over Kaiba’s apparel, and Kaiba wondered if he needed to justify himself. It had been years since they’d spoken. “You know, I do think you’ve gotten taller!”

“Why are you here?”

“I’m here because I want to be, Kaiba boy.” Pegasus was sunnily ambivalent, ignoring Kaiba’s withering glare. “Just look at that. I don’t think my island has ever looked more beautiful.”

“You never had a beach resort.”

“Details, details.” Pegasus flapped a hand in dismissal. “I could have had one. If I’d wanted. I preferred the castle, though, and that takes time to build.”

Kaiba had to follow as Pegasus began to walk, Pegasus’s sandals leaving deep imprints in the sand. “You know what I think of when I see the castle? Ozymandias.”

“‘Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’” Pegasus crowed, chuckling. “Really, now. I don’t frown, nor do I have a wrinkled lip.”

“The lone and level sands do stretch far away, though.” Kaiba gestured to the beach. “Does Industrial Illusions even need the island anymore?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Kaiba boy. Does KaibaCorp still own the rights to Alcatraz? You’re still on the hook for that hunk of metal deep in the ocean.”

Kaiba wrinkled his nose, although Pegasus wasn’t looking at him. “How do you know about Alcatraz?”

“I know about plenty of things.” Pegasus lifted a hand to tap his temple, his shoulders shrugging with complete ease. “Do you remember that time you thought I didn’t know something, and it turned out I didn’t?”

The wordplay was disastrous. “No.”

“Neither do I.” Pegasus laughed, pleased with himself, and he guided Kaiba up to the edge of the beach where a wooden staircase led up to a path into the forest. “I always knew more than I let on, Kaiba boy.”

Kaiba looked down at his feet as he followed Pegasus up the staircase, hearing the slap of their shoes on the wood. The requirement to walk was unspoken, but it was something about this island: it was still Pegasus’s domain. Pegasus was still the host of this excursion.

Neither of them spoke until they reached the portion of the path where the bare dirt was overgrown with moss and fallen leaves. The sunlight dappled Pegasus’s hair, and Kaiba felt the occasional leafy frond brushing his arms as he followed the narrowing path. Pegasus was not unusual for owning an island, but the way he chose to use it was unique.

He’d built a castle on it. With crenellations. And a dungeon.

“Why didn’t you buy a place closer to the States?”

“If you want an island, come to Japan. I was already coming here for tournaments. And you were here, after all.”

Kaiba could feel how the innocence of the statement set his alarm bells ringing. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.

“You didn’t come here for me.”

“I didn’t have to. You came to me.”

“You had the rights to the game.”

“And you were desperate for the game, weren’t you.” Pegasus grinned, stopping to turn back to Kaiba, and Kaiba could feel the shark’s teeth hiding in that grin. Even now. Even here. Pegasus would still elude him. “Why my game, Kaiba? Why come after this one?”

“You were first on the scene. And it was well-designed.”

Pegasus clapped his hands together in delight. “You flatter me!”

Kaiba wanted to wince, but to react would be to give Pegasus the pleasure. “Your ability was never in question. Even at the tournaments. Even when you cheated.”

“It was not cheating, Kaiba boy. I was using my resources.” Though they’d stopped in the middle of the path, Pegasus made no move to keep walking, and he lifted a finger to his lips as he considered his next statement. “Wouldn’t you use the Eye, if you’d had it?”

“No.”

Kaiba knew that his focus was clear. And yet around Pegasus, the imagery grew...hazy.

“You can’t expect me to believe that you rely on a duelist’s honor. Not when you destroyed lives for the Blue Eyes.”

Kaiba could not react. Did not react. But he could feel his skin crawling. “You tried to destroy mine.”

“So where does that leave us, Kaiba boy? It’s easier when we’re not at each other’s throats.”

“You started it, Pegasus. You were the one who tried to take my company.”

Pegasus brushed aside the comment, shoulders shrugging. “You’re a businessman. It’s business.”

“You kidnapped my brother.”

“You drove a man to suicide.”

It was rare, nowadays, that Kaiba felt the need for physical violence. He had exorcised most of those impulses. But now, he wanted to punch Pegasus in the nose.

He resisted.

“You didn’t even want my company. It wasn’t about me.”

“You were cute, yes, with your toys. Games. Illusions. You never even asked about that, you silly goose, it was right in the name! I named my own company after my intentions and you never realized it.”

“I don’t care about the wordplay.”

“That’s rich, coming from someone quoting Shelley at me.” Pegasus grinned widely, folding his arms in a move all too like Kaiba himself. “That was part of your problem. You were always too honest.”

“Deception is a weak man’s game.”

“Or you’re bad at it.” Pegasus rocked forward onto the balls of his feet, bouncing in a way that seemed to echo his impatience. “You actually wanted to make games and toys. They handed me the proposal and I had to laugh! You took some of the finest programs in the field and fed them my Duel Monsters data so that you could have something to duel against! Don’t get me wrong, Kaiba boy, all that work is impressive enough, but it’s all so painfully obvious.”

Kaiba knew he should leave. Listening to Pegasus was a waste of time, even on a good day. This was unfiltered drivel. “Get me out of here.”

“Even now, you’re trying to convince yourself it’s different.” Pegasus leaned forward, nodding. “If you’re going to lie to other people, you have to learn to lie to yourself first. Didn’t you see that?”

Kaiba felt himself flinch. Hated it. “I don’t need to lie.”

“Yes, you do. It’s why you came to see me.” The entire world shivered, shuddered, resolved. Kaiba closed his eyes. “I know what you did, in the end. Host a tournament to get what you want? It’s a delightfully aggressive method, isn’t it. I’m flattered that I could inspire you. But you can’t rely on other people for all your best ideas.”

This was all wrong. Things had gone wrong. Kaiba knew it. Pegasus was still speaking.

“If you wanted your childhood innocence, you should have just pretended you had it anyway. I did. I almost did. But you were too busy to do it right.”

Kaiba braced himself, feeling the ground drop out from under him, and he twitched with a full-body spasm before he shot up into a sitting position. He gasped in a deep breath, opening his eyes to see his legs spread over the bed before him, and he reached up to tear away the first of the electrodes attached to his temple. At the console near the bed, Mokuba looked between the screen and Kaiba himself, his expression cautiously optimistic.

“So? How did it go?”

“I had to eject, didn’t I? It didn’t work.” Kaiba reached up to feel his throat, swallowing to feel his Adam’s apple bob. “I got Pegasus.”

“Oh.” Mokuba was quiet, brow furrowing slowly as he considered the idea. “I didn’t realize you had...memories of him.”

“Obviously I have memories of him. Even before I was president, he was at tournaments. And then there was Duelist Kingdom.”

Mokuba nodded, lowering his legs to the ground so that he could stand beside the bed and assist Kaiba in removing the rest of the electrodes. “If I knew it was Pegasus, I would’ve pulled you out sooner. But you said you wanted to get as much data as possible, so--”

“It’s fine.” Kaiba ran a hand through his hair, ensuring the wires were properly detangled and freed from his head. “I think it’s worse when he knows he’s dead. He’s even more flippant than usual.”

Mokuba shivered. “I don’t want to know about the Pegasus in your head.”

Kaiba scowled, though he agreed with Mokuba’s assessment. Attempting to translate the brain’s information into usable data was a painful process, and the Kaiba brothers had not yet discovered the trick to finding the data they most needed.

It was disconcerting, to think that Pegasus still lived inside his own head. Even if it had been...nice to see him again.

Pegasus was an annoyance, an irritant, and a fool.

And yet, having seen him, Kaiba could not rid himself of the ache of realizing, again, that Pegasus was gone.

#ah....ahah....#it's Pegasus #and it's Kaiba #listen

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taptroupe · 3 years

Text

evergrace novel chapter whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaWhoaaaaaaaaaaaaa whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

don’t let this chapter preview illustration fool you. it’s kinda messed up. actually, it’s really messed up. i think this bit implies that evergrace takes place in.... in a strange world, for sure.... like.......

where is darius being taken to? this kind of world, it’s kinda... familiar...

The world below consisted of a mountain range dusted in snow. From the blue sky, the dazzling sunlight shone down on melting snow, creating a small, flowing river.

The base of the river was devoid of snow, but rather it was moss covering the surroundings. After the moss quickly came grass, and immediately beyond that were shrubs, interspersed. The thicker the shrubs became, the more they blended into the forest beyond them, with tall trees... And a grassy clearing.

There were birds in all different colours, shapes, and sizes, they chirped to each other as they flew through the trees. A flock of deer-like animals calmly gathered in the field. The green surroundings bloomed abundantly with brilliantly coloured flowers, and the fruit that dangled were being happily munched away by small animals.

At the borders of this scenery, a dark stain was slowly encroaching. The sign of black smoke. Where the grass refused to grow, where the dust kicked up in a dance, a huge stone wall stood alone on a large piece of land.

Beyond these walls was a crowded town of sturdy stone and iron buildings. Men and women alike came and went in this town, wearing clothes in a style never seen before.

There was smoke coming from a huge chimney, attached to a house. Not a fire just for warmth, but for eating, for pumping up water, for weaving clothes and for all the other purposes of life. Not just for survival, but to thrive with entertainment, too - plenty of wood, thrown into the fire, turning into smoke.

In order to burn that wood to the end of its life, axes and saws gripped by the hands of many carved a path into the forest chopping anything no matter big or small. All to bring that wood back into the town.

The animals, chased within the forest, had their way of living chased away too as they became prey for hunters. New forests had to be found in order to build more and more buildings.

And all that was left was an empty town with polluted water and lifeless earth.

My jaw was just kinda slack this whole time reading this bit. er........ isn’t that like.......... just what life is today? using energy like that, seems like it’s turning wood into coal or something, deforestation, extinction, erm..... that really came out of left field, but perhaps solta would’ve become like a city in north america today. idk does this imply evergrace takes place in like some post-apocalyptic world. well. well.... here comes some more scathing allegories

These invaders, coming across an especially huge forest, were met by villagers who lived along it. These people lived in the natural caverns and homes shaped by the forest. Small in height and with mediocre weapons in hand, they stood bravely against the invaders who desired to chop down the forest.

The invaders were clothed in iron forged in that town, with huge iron weapons and iron horses [tanks? trains? actual horses clothed in armor?]. It was as if an entire army had appeared before the villagers.

In the overwhelming strength of the ironclad soldiers, the villagers were killed one by one, and the forest was set alight. As fire and smoke danced in the air, what stood before the advancing soldiers within the forest..

Was a single girl.

Though all her companions from the village were simply not there anymore, she stood still against the soldiers with a piercing stare.

A solider yells something at her. She yells back. What they said, it couldn’t be understood in its foreign intonation.

But watching the solider prepare his spear made it all the more obvious.

The girl continued to tell something to the solider in a heavy tone, and one word stood clear from the mix - Crest. But the solider only smiled, mockingly, and launched the spear at the girl.

At that moment, the Crest on the girl’s shoulder glowed as it took form, illuminating the environment a golden yellow around it. And amidst the light, the girl rose, shouting something that couldn’t be heard... And began to change shape.

idk how to draw wolves and this bit really fucked up so i’m just using this image off wikipedia. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eurasian_wolf_2.jpg

A golden wolf appeared before them, with a very long tail. She howled, reverberating through the forest. The rain of spears before her - no, not just that, but the soldiers, the horses, everything that touched the glow of the wolf’s body simply disappeared. As if they became specks of dust.

Once she had killed every last solider, she leapt out and away from the forest rendered dead by the invaders, into the land of beginnings, with golden yellow light breezing through the wind as she ran through it all.

Wherever the wolf galloped, golden streaks formed, covering up even the land of death. And at the very end, the solitary wolf let out a sorrowful howl and disappeared.

And at that moment, the earth, the people, and all the towns covered by golden yellow light... disappeared into nothingness.

What remained of the wide, barren land was a single floating ball of light. This greenish spectre-like light, floating above the land...

Green as the Billiana forest.

As if trying to fill in a wound, the Billiana forest fills the land. And that small light has taken on a recognizable shape on the branch of a great Billiana tree - Billiana fruit.

The white fruit turns silver, then slowly into a blue colour. Then green, then to a golden yellow, and then to a faint red. The Billiana leaves rustle as the ripe fruit falls from its branch and onto the soft ground below.

As soon as the fruit touches the ground, roots begin to form, and a sapling sprouts forth. And in the next second, the trunk of the tree grows up towards the sky - and into another huge tree.

That spectre-like Billiana has disappeared. In that deep gouge of the land, those newly born Billiana trees sprout forth, and within those radiantly lush [blue, technically, but can also be green] leaves, a seemingly endless amount of white flowers bloom.

Those glowing flowers [phosphorescence, so like glow in the dark], as soon as the wind blew, they danced along and rained upon the tattered land. They fell upon the land as if snow, and grass and small trees alike sprouted across the earth.

The petals that remained floating in the wind become small insects, flying down on just blooming flowers. The last remaining petals flew high into the wind, to the faraway forest and villages, until they became the seeds of the next living beings, people and animal alike.

O_O

as much as i’m shocked from translating that, can you imagine how darius must feel. man. that’s a lot. take a breather here. that

was a lot.

#evergrace novel funtime #i'm. damn

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jiminwreckedme · 4 years

Text

The Beautiful Deception

Chapter 3

| Masterlist | Trailer | Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Member - Bts OT7

Genre - Thriller, Mystery, Angst, (Smut)

Word count - 5K

Summary - When your ex-boyfriend’s wife goes missing, you are the only one who can help him find her. But in a world where everyone is a friend and everyone is a culprit, where lies are decorated with the best ornaments of facade, where everybody and nobody is right, how will you find out what happened to the woman he loves?

Without falling for him all over again?

Warnings - Mentions of blood and anger management issues.

Rating - NC17 for mature themes of the whole series.

23rd February 2017

As sleep begins to leave your company, you feel your eyes flutter open, the obscurity slowly fading away. There’s a bunch of tables and computers, people in blue uniforms working away on them, the sounds of typing overpowering the ever-present buzz of the printer. Letting out an inaudible sigh, you let your eyes shut once again.

This is your 5th day at the police station. For the last few days, you’ve been sitting on these very benches waiting with Yoongi for that officer, Jeon Jungkook. But even after five days, forget meeting him you didn’t so much as see him. His subordinates always gave some or the other reason for his unavailability. To you though, it always seemed like excuses. “Officer Jeon is attending a briefing in the town council.” “Officer Jeon has some more important cases to attend to.” “Officer Jeon only handles emergency cases on weekends.” Excuses. All excuses. It was almost as though he was purposely avoiding Yoongi, and two days ago when you unwittingly voiced your suspicion, Yoongi confirmed it for you.

“He probably is.”

“Why though?”

“Maybe he’s a man who holds a grudge.”

“Why do you think that….”

“Because he’s not always had pleasant experiences when it comes to me.”

“Why? What did you do Yoongi?”

“Something he clearly hasn’t forgotten yet.”

He didn’t tell you more than that and you didn’t ask either. Maybe because a part of you knew the root cause - Min Yoongi had the affinity to make enemies around town.

His poor anger management, his impulsiveness, his rashness, his overly agitated self, they were his closest companions and his biggest flaws. It was in his nature to rebel, to fight against everything that was thrown at him, without even pausing once to think if it was for the good or bad. As a result, fist fights, verbal provocation, acts of rebellion, they were all a part of his everyday life. If there was one thing you could change about Yoongi, it would have to be his need to confront everything without being afraid of the consequences his acts might have.

But you never once tried. You never stopped him. You never told him to change for you.

Because you knew what made him like that. You knew how broken he was on the inside and how he constantly guarded those shattered pieces, refusing to let them break anymore. You knew he hurt everyone around him first so they didn’t have a chance to do the same to him. Yoongi wasn’t an angry man, he was a broken one.

Asking him to not fight was not the solution. Asking him to control himself was not the answer. What Yoongi truly needed was to be set free from his pain, he needed to heal from the inside, he needed to be loved. So that’s what you did. You tried to love him so much, there was no room for his bitterness anymore. You held his hand every time they shook in fear. You looked into his eyes with answers every time he was lost. You nursed his wounds, helped him walk when he was limping and let him lean against you when he needed to. You always stood by Yoongi’s side.

Over time though, Yoongi started holding himself back. A man who punched people without a second thought stopped himself after balling his fists. A man who could barely control his sharp tongue before those who provoked him, learned to keep quiet. Not because you managed to heal him, no, if only getting rid of such a deeply rooted misery was that easy. But he held himself back because no matter how brave you pretended to be and no matter how hard you tried to hide it, Yoongi saw how you silently cried when you attempted to cure his wounds. When he realized how much his pain saddened you, he stopped letting himself get hurt and like most things between the two of you, words didn’t have to be exchanged for him to understand your plight and you to understand his reasons. He just knew and you just knew.

We were so good together Yoongi. Why did this happen to us?

And now he was married, something he swore never to do because…. because that was the source of all the thorns that pricked him - The failed marriage of his parents. He refused to let that be his fate, refused to ever let himself be bind to another in that relationship. Yet now he sits next to you, with a ring on his finger, searching for his wife, the woman who healed him and made him believe in the institution of marriage, something you couldn’t do for years. She healed him in ways you failed to and that didn’t hurt you as much as one might think it would. Maybe because the fact that Yoongi’s suffering had lessened was enough for you, it didn’t matter how and why that happened.

What hurt was that all her efforts were reversing now, Min Yoongi was becoming a man of his past once more.

You saw it that day.

You saw what her absence did to him, you saw what her memories made him turn into.

21st February 2017

You’re standing at the edge of the backyard watching the sun set behind the Min Manor, the golden colours adding to its glory.

The Min Manor was one of the biggest and oldest estates in the city and for decades. Their lineage was known for showing off its affluent lifestyle particularly through its outrageously extravagant holiday parties, celebrations that made their balance sheets run in negatives. It’s carefully thought out themes were unmatched, the unnecessarily expensive decor bulged eyeballs, the much more than needed food could possibly feed half the city and the performances displayed were absolutely unbelievable so it was no wonder that they were the talk of the town for days. Not just the Elite families, even the common man who was not fortunate enough to attend it would desperately wait for the Min Manor to house its festivities. To simply put it, the Min family was pretty much the Gatsby of South Korea.

All up until about 10 years ago.

10 years ago, for a reason that was never revealed to the world, the Min Manor suddenly stopped housing its insane events, causing an uproar in the community. The press had stationed themselves before the manor, demanding for answers, the public who already spoke about them excessively, began discussing about them even more and the high-end families suddenly didn't know what to do with their weekends anymore. Over time, as the Min family started completely disappearing from every possible social circle, papers and magazines that wouldn’t sell without their names in it, slowly forgot about them. Conversations that took place around their lives ceased to occur. No one looked out for them, waited for them or even remembered them anymore. It was like society had wiped out their existence.

But one thing that didn’t change to this date is the grandeur they always had, and the Min Manor, which stood just as regally as it did for generations now.

While its affluence till date continued to tempt everyone, the only person it couldn’t impress was Min Yoongi.

You turn around, ignoring the sky’s low rumble, looking at what you had discovered during your solitary walk around the estate. Yoongi’s campervan. The tiny place he lived abandoning all the riches and luxury of his family. The space that was not just personal to him but to you as well. There were countless afternoons the two of you just laid down on the bed under the window, limbs tangled under the sheets, your laughter the only sound in that small space. There were so many hours when you sat watching him work on his music, so many take-aways you shared with him, so many books he kept stacking because you loved to read them. The name you painted at the side of his camper is still there. And your handprint next to it, the one that you accidently left in an attempt to balance yourself as you got out of Yoongi’s lap where you had positioned yourself comfortably to do this little project of yours.

As the sky darkens, a flash of lightning illuminates everything, letting you see more the details of the state it was in today - shambles. The white painted metal was corroding to a brown colour, shades of green splashed across it as creepers and moss, dust had settled on the surface, hiding the beautiful caravan under it.

Yoongi loved this more than his life. The thought that he would leave something so precious to him in such a sorry state puzzles you but then again, Yoongi had let go a lot of things he had once claimed were cherished.

He left me.

The sky starts to drizzle its contents ever so slowly, but you don’t mind it, watching the water wash away the dirt in little rivets. You don’t bother even when it gets a little heavier, forming puddles around you. You don’t care until all of sudden like an overturned bucket, the sky begins dumping its contents relentlessly, making you finally shield your head with your arms and rush across the uneven terrain back into the house. Just as you hurry back in, your head hits against something hard making you bite back a scream of pain. Yoongi stands right across you, rubbing his forehead fast, much like you were.

While you are busy balancing the act of wincing in pain, shivering and finding the ability stop your teeth from chattering to apologize, Yoongi presses an intercom like device on the wall beside you.

“Grace, get two towels and a glass of hot water to the back entrance please.”

“I’m sorry.” You finally say, pointing at his forehead. “I didn’t see you…”

“It’s alright.” He stuffs his hands in his pocket. He’s wearing his signature all black attire.

“Are you…are you going out? In this rain.”

You carefully avoid adding the word ‘again’.

Over the last two days as you stood by the window of your room unsuccessfully battling your jet lag, you watched Yoongi leave as the sun sets only to return at the crack of dawn. Where he spent his nights, you had no idea. Why he spent them out of the house, you had no idea. Whatever the reason was, could it be important enough for him to go even in such a downpour?

“Yes, but its fine.” He stares at the heavy rain which obscured just about everything in sight. “I like getting wet in the rain anyways.”

Because of you.

“Yoongi.” You stand by the window, palm flat on the glass, feeling the coldness but aching to feel the waters. “Let’s go out in the rain-”

“No thanks.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“Yoongi.” You drag your words hoping it will affect him.

“If you want to so badly, then you go.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone.”

As you look at him over your shoulder Yoongi finally looks up from his notepad, a corner of his mouth pulled into a soft smile.

“Is that a yes?”

“No.” He walks up to you, sliding the glass pane. “I won’t go to the rain, but,” He sticks his hand out and you already know what he’s going to do. “I can bring the rain to you.” And just as you thought, he flicks the water in his hand at your face, even before you had the time to shield yourself with your hands.

“Yoongi!”

He laughs, taking quick steps away from you, thwarting two out of your three attempts of a mirrored attack.

“Don’t, you’ll wet the floor.” He wipes his face against the material of his shirt on his shoulder. “The rest of the band won’t be very happy with the mess.”

You stick your tongue out at him, splashing him once more, unbothered. Like the rest of the band would even say a word to you in front of Yoongi. Or even behind his back.

“Y/n, stop it-” He ducks, once, then twice, but you continue relentlessly anyways, laughing at his plight, till he suddenly walks up to you, grabbing you by the wrist. “I said, stop it.”

“Make me.” You smirk, holding him by the collar, pulling him closer.

“Hmm.” He wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you even closer. “Let’s get you busy with something else then shall we?”

Your laugh melts into his kiss, as he leaves your hand and rests it below your cheek instead, your breaths mingling, hearts hammering against each other’s chest.

Breaking free just once, you whisper against his lips, “Sorry not sorry.” and tug him by his shirt, leaning back, out of the window and letting the rain drizzle over your entwined figures. Yoongi groans into your mouth but he doesn’t stop, the heat in your cheeks rising till the waters didn’t feel cold anymore.

“You don’t,” He sneaks in a small peck, grinning at you, the rain water dripping from the ends of his hair. “You don’t seem to hate the rain now.”

“Like this.” He kisses a cheek. “With you.” Then the other. “I don’t.”

You laugh again, like you always do with him, as he presses his lips onto yours once more.

From that day on, Yoongi was always by your side in the rain. Because he meant it. Yoongi had fallen in love with the rain because of you.

And even now, after so long, he still loved it.

The thought makes your heart ache in a strange way.

Why do you no longer walk together in the rain Yoongi?

“Oh dear sweetie, you’re all wet!” Grace, the sweet househelper who rushes to your every beck and call, waddles up to you, balancing a glass of steaming water in her hand and towels in the other, just like Yoongi asked. You take a towel from her, patting yourself dry as Yoongi gives her a hand with the glass, letting her tiptoe and rub the towel vigorously against your hair. “You’re going to catch a cold at this rate Y/n!”

You wince as the short woman gives up on her tiptoes to reach you and instead pulls you down, relentlessly continuing her attempts to dry you. The act almost makes Yoongi smile as he looks away.

“All your clothes are soaking wet! We need to change you out of them as soon as possible.” She grabs your arm with determination and almost pulls you along with her before a realization hits her, making her stop her tracks and blink fast. “I just put all your night clothes in the laundry though.”

“Oh -”

“This is a house of men moreover, there’s no decent clothing to even offer you….maybe Mrs. Min had some?”

The very thought of borrowing Yoongi’s wife’s belongings unexplainably disturbs you. You don’t want it. You don’t want anything that belongs to her. But before you can politely decline her offer, Yoongi speaks instead.

“Grace.” The hardness in his voice shocks you, making you turn to him. There’s not even a small trace of earlier humor in them, anger flashing instead. The same anger that you always feared would destroy him. “Know your limits.”

“I’m so sorry Sir.” She rambles fast, hiding her fear. “but she didn’t have-“

“Yoongi!” You instinctively cover your mouth in shock as the glass in his hand cracks with the pressure he’s exerting on it, the shards piercing through his skin, letting the crimson flow out. As Grace stands frozen, her face pale, her position rooted, you extend your hand to help him but he pulls back, letting the pieces drenched in his blood fall to the floor.

“Know. Your. Limits.” He growls, threat clear in his voice before he turns and leaves, figure getting smaller and smaller in the downpour, the trail of red seeping into the mud behind him the only visible thing.

24th February 2017 – present day.

That anger in Yoongi’s eyes, it didn’t allow you to sleep for nights. It bothered you over and over again, head hurting every time you thought about his condition. His whole world had collapsed. Yoongi must really love his wife.

You see it in his eyes, in the way he pines for her, in the way he’s lost, oscillating between bouts of extreme reactions – sometimes resorting to adverse reactions like that night, creating wounds that were still fresh in his palm and sometimes absolutely silent like he was every minute he spent in the station, tolerating all the injustice done to him. As you sat day after day in the police station watching how cases like a woman’s missing cat and small boy returning a lost dollar got more attention than his wife who was missing for 10 months now, you wondered how he didn’t react one bit, not with anger, not with disappointment, just sitting, stoic as ever.

It was one thing that Yoongi barely spoke in the first place but the when the topic was about his wife, he was more silent than usual. For a man who loved his wife to the extent where he was possessive about her simple materialistic belongings, for whom he was willing to reach out to his ex-girlfriend he had abandoned, for whom he spent over 10 months scouring despite being discouraged by everyone around him, Yoongi never once willingly spoke about his wife. Initially you thought it was because he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable but as time passed you realized it was more than that.

Sometimes it felt like the situation never favored the conversation and sometimes it felt Yoongi just didn’t want to talk about her. You are yet to find out which of these is the true answer.

19th February 2017

“I saw your family portraits.”

As you sit side by side with considerable gap between the both of you in the cab, you recollect your walk in the halls of the manor the previous night, when you came across something you had only heard Yoongi talk about it the past. Family portraits of the Min family, one for every year, taken every Christmas eve. As you walked from one end of the room to the other, keenly looking at each progressing picture, you noticed how as Yoongi grows older, his gummy smile shrinks smaller and smaller and smaller…. till the moment another woman sits in the place that should rightfully be his mother’s.

Then his smile completely vanishes.

“She wasn’t in any of them.”

If Yoongi got married two years ago, it was only logical to expect at least a photo or two of his wife but surprisingly the series of photos stops right before the year you deduce Yoongi got hitched.

“We stopped taking pictures after my father died.” He answers, still staring outside the window.

You want to believe him but a part of you had to admit that something didn’t add up. Because right after the last photo, lodged in the wall were two more nails that stood empty. It didn’t seem like the photos were not taken, it felt more like....the photos were taken down.

But just as you bring yourself to ask the question, Yoongi lowers the window, the sound of the wind drowning your question.

20th February 2017

“What’s her name?”

You poke the piece of meat on your plate, casually making conversation. With passing days Yoongi and you spoke more than a few lines over dinner.

“November.”

His answer surprises you. “H-her name is November?”

“Yeah,” He’s still staring at his food. “Everyone calls her Nona, I call her Nobi.”

“Nobi? Like Hobi?”

Shit.

You regret the question the moment it slips from your mouth, avoiding his eye, hoping he did not hear it.

“Yeah, Nobi, like Hobi.”

Why would you ask him that Y/n, why did you take his name?

“Hoseok’s fine, if that’s what you are thinking.” Yoongi drags his spoon through the potatoes. “He’s been out of town for a while now. He should be back in a few days.”

You swallow nothing uncertainly “Does he….”

“Still live here?” He nods. “He does. This is his house after all.”

“And you both?” You choose your words cautiously. “You’re….okay?”

“We have to be. No matter how much both of us try to deny it, end of the day,” He looks up at you with a sad smile. “We are brothers.”

“If she sheds even a tear because of you, Min Yoongi, I will come for your life.” Hoseok stands across you for the last time as Yoongi’s hand tightens around yours. “This, I promise you.”

After that you eat in silence, this time, letting the questions and answers drown in the quietness.

24th February 2017 – present day

The past half week you were constantly given half answers like this. The very Yoongi who answered even your unasked questions, for some reason had nothing much to say when you genuinely voiced your doubts. When he asked you to trust him with the bare little he told you, you were willing to, every bit of you was willing to. Because you knew him better than anyone. You knew the pain in his eyes was as raw and real as it could get.

But as days passed and the more you got involved, there was one thing you realized. Some things about Yoongi did not seem…..normal. It seemed like he was the same man and not at the same time. Just as you felt you knew him, the very next moment he turned unfamiliar. Certain things he did and said confused you more than you could explain. You didn’t expect him to give you answers and reasons for all his actions and decisions because you knew it was not in your place to ask him such questions anymore. That, though, did not stop you from silently wondering if Yoongi was not telling you the entire truth or worse………

He might have been lying all this while.

22nd February 2020

You’ve been thinking a lot these days. Sometimes lost in the memories of the past, sometimes lost in the orchestration of the future. You don’t know which exactly you were lost in when you stepped into the darkness of the West Wing. You are about half way down the corridor when you realize that you’re right in the middle of the one place you aren’t supposed to be at.

A strange feeling grips you, almost paralyzing your feet, not letting you take a step back or a step forward. Instead, a war erupts in your mind, a battle between your curiosity and fear. The curiosity to know why exactly no one was supposed to come here and the fear of finding out that reason. The reason that no one knew. The reason you had been wanting to know since the night you came here.

“I have no idea, Miss Y/n.”

“Just Y/n please.”

Grace gives a motherly smile before resuming her disapproving look in response to your question. Why is it that corridor so dark?

“When I joined a few months ago, I was told no one is allowed to step in there. Not to clean, not out of curiosity, never. Not for about a year now. According to the other staff, anyone who trespassed that area was immediately fired. After knowing that, I didn’t dare try to find out, I really need this job.”

Were her hands shaking?

“I am to take the responsibility of looking after you so please Y/n, don’t ever go there. I can’t imagine what master will do to me if he finds out.”

There’s so much fear in her eyes.

“I won’t.” You promise.

But here you are, though unknowingly, you still had broken that promise. And that’s what makes the decision for you.

Your fright, your inquisitiveness, none of that mattered. You didn’t want the consequences of your actions to hurt Grace. You had become way too attached to her and her little, parent-less, grand children who often ran around the backyard, your only source of comfort in this emptiness. You couldn’t imagine uprooting their whole lives because of one selfish decision.

So, you turn around.

Even though you want to know why Yoongi was so particular about sealing off this place, why these shadows were so carefully guarded and what was being hidden here, you subdue it all and walk out, into the otherwise well-lit house.

Or at least you wish you did.

Because as you walk towards your room, you can feel your breath hitching, your pace quickening, stomach turning in the most uncomfortable way. The moment you reach your room you shut the door behind you, back against it, chest heaving. As you look at the woman in the mirror before you, she’s shivering.

Because you saw something.

You should be feeling shame, that despite convincing yourself to walk away and not feed your inquisitiveness, you did stop for a brief second, just one second.

Instead you are afraid.

Because even though a second is not long, it was enough to look past the half open door and right into the room you had stopped your tracks next to. Yoongi’s room.

You didn’t want to admit it to even yourself but maybe, just maybe you had found out why the West wing was forbidden.

24th February 2017 – present day

Your eyes fly open when the scene that you are trying not to remember flashes before your eyes.

You can feel the pain in your neck as you roll it back, stretching the muscle.

“Awake?”

You freeze hearing his voice, realizing from his proximity and your position that all this while you had been fast asleep on his shoulder.

“Sorry.” You quickly straighten yourself and scoot to the side.

“I keep telling you to stay at home, at least till your jet lag gets better.”

“It’s alright.” You insist. “I….I need water.”

And to get away from you.

You get up before he even has the chance to nod in response and make your away across the station, heart beating fast in your rib-cage. Holding the paper cup under the tap you watch it fill up with water, refusing for the hundredth time today to remember the details of that room.

The unaddressed chaos. Broken glass on the floor, wilted flowers petals flying around, pillows torn up everywhere, sheets haphazard.

You quickly gulp the water as though it will wash down the memory the scene, instead you remember the details much better.

There were red stains on the carpet, about three to four blotches, right beside the stained glass.

Blood.

It was blood.

Someone got injured the day this happened.

“11th April 2016.”

You whisper under your breath, recalling once more, the date on the tear off calendar by the bed.

That date…. The date Yoongi mentioned his wife disappeared. He said they argued the day she left the house. If the West Wing had been uninhabited for about a year now, was that mess a result of that argument? Did it spiral into some kind of fight?

Though Yoongi said it was a trivial matter.

Or was he not telling the truth about what happened that night?

“Look at him, he has the face of a liar.”

Your ears perk, catching the sound of a conversation on the nearby desk.

“Cut him some slack, the man’s looking for his lost wife.”

“By publicly getting cosy with his ex-girlfriend?”

“Ex-girlfriend?”

“Mhmm, that one there.” Without looking, you guess the owner of the voice is pointing at your back. “I heard she was his plaything back in his college days.” Plaything? You feel your fists ball in anger. “He left her because she wanted more.”

“Christ, and she’s here despite all that?” A mocking laughter. “What is it for, the money?”

Money? Before your family’s net worth, the Mins were as good as beggars.

“That or she’s a cock hungry bitch. A perfect match, if you ask me, because that Min Yoongi is no less than a dog. The man’s an absolute animal. Do you how many times he was in the custody of this very police station for physical assault and public brawls? Men like him don’t know how to love.”

Men like him don’t know how to love?

“For all we know he might have been the one who did away with his wife-”

You’ve heard enough.

Turning around, you walk up to the two officers, slamming your hand on the table, looking at them straight in the eye.

“Get up.”

They blink at you stupidly, fueling your annoyance, making you snarl. “I said get. Up.”

You cross your arms as the two men unwillingly stand, slight fear decorating their faces.

“The last time I checked this was a police station, not the court of law. I’m sorry I have to teach you your job but it’s not to sit there and pass judgments, it’s to ensure that the city and the lives of its residents are problem free.”

It gets more and more silent as all eyes turn towards you.

“Obviously, you’ve already failed at that because there’s a woman missing for about a year now and your department hasn’t done crap to find her. I’ve been watching what’s going on and what kind of cases are getting the priority. A woman lost her cat? that’s what’s important? Are you fucki-” You stop yourself, reminding yourself of your limits. “-bloody kidding me?”

You can see Yoongi approaching you from the corner of your eye and force yourself to calm down. You didn’t need him getting involved in this.

“Instead of sitting there and discussing such worthless, irrelevant issues, go and get your officer.” You lower your voice, making the threat in it clear. “Don’t make the mistake of taking my silence or compliance as a weakness. Because I swear, if your officer doesn’t stand before me within five minutes, mark my words, I will do whatever it takes to make sure this police station disappears from the map of Seoul. Am I clear?

“Fierce.”

You turn around at the voice to a man leaning against the door of a cabin. Jeon Jungkook, his badge reads. So this is the asshole. “I didn’t take you to be such a woman.”

“Officer Jeon.” You feel Yoongi right behind you. “I’ve been-”

“Min Yoongi.” His voice sounds like it disgusts him to take his name. “I told you, I told you a hundred times now, don’t come to me till you’ve got your documents.”

“It’s not that easy Jungkook, I’ve been trying for so long-”

“Try harder.” He shrugs. “In fact you should be trying there, not here. With me, you’re just wasting time.” And with that he walks away, leaving you in utter confusion.

What documents? Why didn’t Yoongi mention he needed those to meet Jungkook? Why did you waste five days in the police station without them when as Jungkook said, you should have been trying for them?

You turn to Yoongi but he’s looking elsewhere, the same pained expression on this face. The expression that tells you that once again you are going to get half answers. You didn’t want them anymore.

“Stop.”

You walk up to Jungkook who surprisingly obeys and halts, turning around.

“What documents are you talking about?”

His eyebrows raise and he leans to the side, looking at Yoongi over your shoulder.

“Eyes here.” You snap your fingers, getting his attention. “I’m the one standing before you, so look at me and answer me. You have no reason to look there.”

He purses his lips, almost as though he liked your guts. “And who are you?”

“Y/n.”

“And what relationship do you share with Min Yoongi?”

“I don’t see how it concerns you.”

“You are standing here, talking for him.” Jungkook cocks his head to the side. “I am required to know who you are.”

You take longer than it should to answer.

“A friend.”

“Is that right? Then how is it that I haven’t seen you coming to his rescue in the last one year?”

You swallow, unnecessarily clearing your throat.

“W-we knew each other in college and…...we lost contact after that.”

“When did you get back in contact?” You sigh, ready to fire at him for his meaningless questions but Jungkook doesn’t give you the chance. “I need answers if you want answers Ms.Y/n.”

You stare him down. “About a week ago.”

“And where do you stay?”

“In the Min Manor, as a guest.”

“I see” Jungkook nods his head slowly, sitting down on the table behind, dangling his leg. “So you’re not really close friends yet you stay in his house. You haven’t met each other in years yet he reaches out to you a week ago and you’re here, willing to pick a fight with the representatives of the law- don’t roll your eyes at me Ms.Y/n, the things you’ve told me don’t add up, I feel like there’s something else about the two of you that you’re not telling me.”

“I’ve told you what you need to know,” You speak between gritted teeth. Why did people care about the relationship you share with Yoongi? “Beyond that is unnecessary and irrelevant.”

“Ok, then let’s talk about relevant things, shall we?” He crosses his arm, finally meaning business. “What did he tell you Ms.Y/n, to make you stand here before me? To help him? To trust him? But let me ask you Ms.Y/n,” Your lips part in shock as Jungkook asks you the one question you refused to ask yourself. “What makes you think you can trust him?”

#btswriterscollective #btsguild #btsbokclub #bangtanarmynet #yoongi angst #yoongi thriller #yoongi mystery #bts ot7 angst #bts ot7 thriller #bts ot7 mystery #bts ot7 #Yoongi x reader #bts x reader

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pingo1387 · 5 years

Text

Monochrome

Written for @rudimentaryflair for @opvalentines 2020! Canonverse, Soulmate AU ZoSan, side Frobin, mention of aroace Luffy

The left eye held your eye color, and the right eye held your soulmate’s. When you first made eye contact with your soulmate, your right eye would change to its own color. That was what Kuina had told Zoro long ago. He never questioned it at the time, didn’t ask what that word “color” meant, but he did check his eyes in a mirror after that. They were identical as always.

Kuina died with heterochromia. Somewhere in the world, her soulmate would live on with two brown eyes, one lighter than the other.

“Sensei,” Zoro said one day after a frustrating training exercise. “What’s color?”

Koshiro was taken aback by the question, and struggled to answer, eventually standing, leaving, and then returning with two large leaves. “Do you see the difference between these?”

“Sure.” Zoro pointed to one. “This one’s darker.”

“Yes. This one is red, and this one is green. Red and green are two colors.”

Zoro was stumped. “Then, is everything just different shades of red and green?”

Koshiro let the leaves flutter away in the wind and placed his hands in his lap. “Zoro, you may be color blind.”

“What’s that?”

Zoro only sort-of understood after Koshiro did his best to explain it to him. Afterwards, he looked at his eyes in the mirror again. According to Koshiro, colors would almost always have different shades of lightness and darkness, even in his “monochrome” vision (Zoro struggled to pronounce the word, even in his head), but his eyes were both the same shade as always.

And that was fine. Zoro knew some people didn’t have soulmates, something else Kuina had whispered to him, and that was fine. He put down the mirror and folded his arms. No soulmate meant no one getting in the way of his dream.

When Zoro locked eyes with the dark-eyed boy wearing the straw hat, he narrowed his eyes. Those eyes, full of youth and optimism, had changed to a lighter shade, the same one Zoro always saw in the mirror.

“Hey,” he said while they were sailing away. “I’ve got a question.”

“Shoot,” the boy, Luffy, said.

“Your eyes, they changed color, didn’t they? But mine are . . .”

“Oh, that! Don’t worry about that.” Luffy grinned. “Someone told me it means I don’t have a romantic soulmate, but I have a bunch of platonic ones. My eyes change color all the time if I make eye contact, and they change back after a while.” He stretched, flopping around in the boat. “It doesn’t make anyone else’s eyes change. Yours didn’t.”

“Okay,” Zoro said, staring up at the sky.

They picked up two more, a navigator with an eye for money and a sniper with a mouth for lies. After bumping into some old friends, they reached a seafaring restaurant called the Baratie, and Zoro was itching for a fight. When a waiter with hair covering one side of his face started to serve them, he made eye contact with Zoro, and his eyes widened. Usopp and Nami looked between them, mouths open.

“What?” Zoro said, scratching his head.

“Oh, fuck this,” the waiter said, glowering at Zoro. He seized Luffy around the neck. “Come on, chore boy, back to the kitchen.”

As soon as they left, Nami and Usopp rounded on Zoro.

“What was that about?” Usopp demanded.

“What was what?”

“Why didn’t you say anything to him?”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you see . . . ?” Nami shook her head. “You’ll figure it out. You poor soul.”

“Figure what out?”

“You are a tragic, tragic man, Zoro,” Usopp cried.

“You looking for a fight?”

The cook Sanji ended up joining their crew, somehow, and he seemed to love picking on Zoro. Every time Zoro so much as tried to speak to him, Sanji would snap and badger until they were sparring, scowling, and seething. During one of their strange matches, Sanji’s hair flew up, and Zoro caught a brief glimpse of a matching set of eyes.

“Do you not have a soulmate?” he asked. Sanji stumbled, caught off guard, and Zoro pinned him to the ground with a sword next to his head.

“I wish I didn’t,” Sanji spat.

Zoro frowned. “So . . . you do. You met them, and you didn’t get along? Isn’t that strange?”

Sanji narrowed his eyes. “What the fuck are you talking about? Don’t you know?”

“I don’t know. I know I don’t have a soulmate.”

Sanji brought his legs up to his torso and kicked hard, sending Zoro flying. As Zoro sat up from the railing, rubbing his head, Sanji yanked his sword out from the deck and tossed it to him. “Yeah,” Sanji said, turning away as Zoro caught the sword. “I guess I don’t, either.”

It had been a perfectly reasonable thing to do. His legs had been stuck in wax. The wax was unbreakable. His legs were breakable. Therefore---

“You’re an idiot.”

Zoro winced as Sanji stuck the needle into his flesh again. “That’s my business,” he said through gritted teeth.

“It becomes my---our business when it affects the crew.” Sanji jabbed the needle in again, perhaps a bit harder than he needed to. “I hate you.”

Zoro folded his arms, staring at Sanji. Sanji looked up again, meeting his eyes, and looked back down.

“I hate you,” Sanji repeated.

“Yeah.” Zoro wiggled his toes, regaining feeling in his feet. “I know. I don’t know why you do, but I know.”

Sanji flinched and snapped off the string, standing. “Rest, and don’t fucking try anything stupid,” he said. “Scratch that. Don’t stand up for at least an hour. I’ll bring you soup.”

Zoro stared after him, and for once, he listened.

“What’d you do to get hurt this bad?” Zoro said, tapping Sanji’s back and making him wince in pain.

“None of your goddamn business,” Sanji said through gritted teeth. “The mountain climb was tougher than it looked.”

Elsewhere on the deck, Luffy and Usopp were throwing their new crewmate, Chopper, into the air. Zoro and Sanji watched them in silence.

“Hey,” Sanji said. “Did you . . . growing up, did you want to meet your soulmate?”

“I told you, I don’t have one,” Zoro grumbled. “But I never wanted one, either.”

“You don’t make any sense, moss-hair,” Sanji said, folding his arms.

“Moss . . . ?” Zoro rubbed the top of his head, his hair smooth and silky and not at all like the rough moss he’d felt on trees. “What are you talking about?”

“Boy, you really are dumb. What were you saying?”

Zoro glowered at him. “I never wanted a soulmate. I didn’t want destiny getting in the way of my dream.”

“That’s---”

“Falling in love is a different story, though. That’s my choice. And I won’t let the person I choose to love, if anyone, get in the way of my dream.”

“Hm.” Sanji shifted, wincing again. Nami and Vivi chatted with Chopper, pulling him away from Luffy’s hyperactivity.

“What about you?”

Sanji sighed “I wanted to meet my soulmate more than anything,” he said, scowling. “I wanted to meet that beautiful lady who I was destined to be with. But then everything went wrong.”

“Wrong how?”

“You’re just winning the prize for biggest moron today, aren’t you?” Sanji snapped, standing. He fell down and tried to cover up his pain when Chopper looked over in concern. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“I don’t.”

Sanji scowled, but his face softened as he met Zoro’s eyes again. “I hate you,” he said, yet again.

Zoro’s chest hurt. “I know.”

Sanji was silent. He soon stood again, using the ship railing for support this time. “Want something to eat?”

“Booze.”

Zoro didn’t hate Sanji, but he hated the way Sanji spun hearts around women, and acted so stupid with them. He hated how Sanji spoke to him, and refused to make eye contact, and did his best to put contempt behind every word. Even now, Sanji was crooning over Robin, the suspicious woman who was their newest crewmate.

“Oh, Cook-san,” she said as he melted before her. “Have you met your soulmate?”

For an instant, Zoro thought he saw Sanji look at him.

“Yes, unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out,” Sanji said sweetly. “And you haven’t, Robin-chan, my dear?”

“Correct. But that’s my business.”

“Of course, of course, forgive me,” Sanji crooned. He turned, Robin watching him go with one dark eye and one light, and he bumped into Zoro.

“The fuck do you want?” he muttered, avoiding looking directly at him, as always.

“Nothing,” Zoro said, rolling his eyes. Sanji pushed past him and went into the kitchen, slamming the door shut. Zoro spotted Robin staring at him and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Nothing,” she said, looking away.

Zoro didn’t hate Sanji, but he hated that Sanji didn’t love hated him.

There Zoro was, waking up from Enel’s lightning blast, and there Sanji was close to him, still unconscious. He stared at him for what must have been too long, because suddenly Usopp was saying, “He got hit twice. He saved me and Nami.”

“Oh,” Zoro said. He scooted towards Sanji and pressed his ear to his chest, sighing when he heard the arrhythmic heartbeat. Looking up, he saw Usopp staring at him, and said, “What?”

Usopp rolled his eyes and looked away. Zoro looked back at Sanji’s face, and brushed some ash out of his hair, his fingers lingering on his cheek.

Something happened during the Davy Back Fight. Something happened to Sanji. The way he looked at Zoro when he asked for his help during the Groggy Ring battle, with that stupid ball strapped to his head. The way he slapped Zoro’s shoulders and back during the following celebration party. The way he gave Zoro tentative smiles, as if testing the waters, and the silly way he grinned when Zoro smiled back.

“I hate you,” Sanji said that evening, joining Zoro in the crow’s nest that evening with a bottle of wine.

“Yeah,” Zoro said, looking away. He and Sanji were still covered in bruises from their battle, dark and light patches across their limbs and torsos.

“But I also don’t hate you.”

“Oh?” Zoro’s heart lifted as he looked at Sanji, his chest hurting again but in a completely different way.

“Yeah. Do you hate me?”

“No.” Zoro took the offered bottle, taking a drink straight from the mouth. “I never did.”

“Huh.” Sanji looked down, blinking hard, and brought a hand up to his suddenly bright eyes. “Huh. Is that so?”

“What’s up with you?”

Sanji looked up, swallowing back tears. “You’re just a grade-A moron, aren’t you?”

“I’m not psychic. What are you talking about?”

“Keep the bottle.” Sanji stood. “I’ll come to relieve you in time. See you.”

He vanished down the ropes, and Zoro lifted his head, staring up at the dark, dark sky covered in pale, pale dots.

With their journey through Enies Lobby and Water 7 complete, the Strawhats had lost three treasured crewmates, one for good, and gained three, one brand-new. It wasn’t long before Franky and Robin were performing public displays of affection, nothing more daring than pecks on the cheek and yet things that once would have surely driven Sanji to tears with jealousy. As it was, though, he merely gave them thoughtful glances at most.

“Aren’t you soulmates?” Usopp asked them one day as Zoro lingered nearby and Sanji served them cold drinks, setting Robin’s down lovingly upon a coaster and slamming Franky’s into his hand.

“We’re not sure,” Robin admitted. Her eyes hadn’t changed from the moment she had threatened them in the glow of the remains of Igaram’s ship: One was light, and one was dark.

“I had to rebuild my eyes while modifying my body,” Franky explained. “It’s a shame, but I don’t remember the exact colors they were. In any case, since they’re super-artificial and the same color, they wouldn’t change with eye contact.”

“So, we’re not sure,” Robin repeated. “But we love each other, and if he’s not my soulmate and I meet them one day, they’ll have to put up with him as well.”

“What do you mean, put up with?” Franky demanded.

Zoro stared at Sanji from across the deck, looking away as soon as he noticed.

Thriller Bark brought them a zany new member of the family, a talking skeleton who was older than dirt and far too cheery. Thriller Bark brought them a dangerous new enemy, a Warlord with the ability to repel just about anything. Thriller Bark brought them a Zoro who claimed to have lost his memory of his fight with Kuma, but who remembered the sleeping face of his captain, the cold eyes of his enemy, and the desperate, pained face of his . . .

Zoro thought he had finally escaped. Between Chopper trying to mummify him in bandages and the others badgering him to take it easy, he thought he had found refuge in the library, where no one would think to look for him. He lay on his back, pedalling his feet in the air to stretch his legs, as he’d been unable to sneak his weights into the room without drawing attention to himself.

“There you are.”

He groaned and dropped his legs as Sanji entered. “Can’t I have peace for one minute?” he said, sitting up. He frowned, seeing Sanji’s face. “What is it?”

“I don’t hate you,” Sanji said.

“Oh,” Zoro said, his chest hurting in that good way just hearing the words. “Right. And?”

“I tried to hate you, Zoro. I really did.” Sanji sat next to him, staring at the floor. “I didn’t want to feel this way about you. I wanted to feel this way about a pretty girl. But I can’t help it. Zoro, I love you. You’re a fucking callous moron, and I don’t know if you love me, too, but---fuck, you have every right not to after the way I’ve treated---”

“I do love you.”

Sanji looked up at him, lips parted and breath shallow. “But you---”

“I love you,” Zoro repeated. “You’ve always been a bitch, but that was the only thing---I can’t help it.” He looked down, wiggling his toes on the floor and staring at the scars on his shins. “I think I’ve loved you for a while. Maybe since I realized the only thing I really hated about you was that you didn’t love me.”

“But I do love you. I really tried not to,” Sanji repeated, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “I can’t help it, either. Especially with you spouting off those nasty words about not having a soulmate---”

“I don’t have a soulmate.”

“Fine. Whatever you say. But you love me, right?”

Zoro nodded.

“Then that works for me.” Sanji touched Zoro’s shoulder. “When you were . . . just lying there, unconscious . . . I realized I had to tell you as soon as you woke up. We live dangerous lives. I had to tell you as soon as possible.”

Zoro smiled, placing his hand over Sanji’s on his shoulder, his heart soaring through the sky. “No regrets, right?”

Sanji held Zoro’s cheek in one hand, looking him in the eyes. “No regrets.”

Sabaody brought them turmoil, and a crew torn apart. The war brought them pain, and news of a bloodline with an early demise.

The next two years brought them patience, and forced it upon them, day by day.

Zoro spotted a familiar head of pale hair in the distance, and grinned, jumping off of the broken ship to stride towards him.

“I liked you better without the goatee,” he said, stopping in front of Sanji.

Sanji looked him up and down. “I liked you better with both your eyes.”

They seized each other and hugged, hoping to never let go.

It happened on what should have been an ordinary morning during their trip to Dressrosa. Kin’emon and Mononosuke were having what they called a “Private Father-Son Meeting” in the aquarium room, so everyone else was banned from it for the time being. Zoro and Sanji were sparring on the deck, testing their skills and banter honed after two years, and Luffy was hanging out next to Law on a railing. Nami was drawing maps in her room, Usopp was in his workshop, and Robin and Franky were at the bow, keeping an eye on the ship’s course. Chopper and Brook were cheering on Zoro and Sanji, alternating the names every so often, to their annoyance.

Luffy leaned over to Law and whispered something, holding up something in his hand. Law took it, nodded, and raised his hand. In an instant, Zoro and Sanji fell over, caught off-balance.

“What did you do?” Chopper exclaimed as they sat up, shaking their heads.

“Oh me, oh my, we’re stuck in this situation again,” Brook remarked. “Why did you do that, Law-san?”

“I got paid,” Law said, flashing the coin at him.

Two yells echoed across the deck. Used to this, no one was drawn out from inside the ship, and Robin and Franky stayed at the bow with barely a glance behind them.

“Why is it so bright?!” Zoro in Sanji’s body yelled, covering his eyes. “Do you guys see this all the time?!”

“Law, swap us back right now,” Sanji in Zoro’s body snapped. “I think I gave this idiot a concussion. I can’t see any color.”

“Of course you can’t, I’m color blind,” Zoro said. He rubbed his eyes, staring at Sanji in his body. “Is that what I look like?”

“Wait, what?” Luffy said, coming over with Chopper and Brook. Law hung back, folding his arms and leaning against the railing

“Is that what I look like?” Zoro repeated. “What color is my hair?”

“Green,” Sanji said.

“Wait, that’s besides the point!” Chopper exclaimed. “You’re color blind?!”

“Yeah,” Zoro said. “Did it never come up?”

“No!” Sanji exclaimed. “No, it didn’t!”

“What’s the big deal? I’ve never needed to see color to get by.” Zoro stared at his hands and stood, looking around and taking in the colors of his crewmates. “Someone get me a mirror. I wanna see the cook.”

Brook dug around in his pockets while Luffy laughed. “No wonder you never got why Sanji calls you moss-hair!”

“Why?” Zoro said.

“Your hair’s the same color as moss!”

Zoro gave Sanji a look as Brook passed him a small handheld mirror. As he studied himself (or rather, Sanji) in the mirror, Sanji stood and stared at him, blinking.

“Zoro,” he said. “Pass me that mirror when you’re done.”

“Sure. What color are your eyes?”

“I’m going to talk to you about this later,” Chopper threatened. Luffy wandered away again to bother Law, Zoro too absorbed in the new spectrum available to him to pay much attention.

“They’re blue,” Sanji said. “Light blue. And my hair’s yellow. Blonde.”

“Huh.” Zoro twisted the mirror this way and that. “It’s pretty.”

“Give it!”

Zoro handed him the mirror, and Sanji stood next to him, staring at his (Zoro’s) one eye and his (Sanji’s) one visible one.

“Oh,” he said. “Oh, Zoro.”

He passed the mirror back to Brook and pulled Zoro by the hand up to the stern to have more privacy. As soon as they were alone, he looked at Zoro, opened his mouth, and started laughing.

“What?” Zoro said, annoyed.

“Zoro,” Sanji said, his eye starting to tear up. “I thought this whole time you were just obtuse, or plain rude. But you literally didn’t see it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your eyes---rather, eye, is silver. Grey,” Sanji said, pointing.

“Huh,” Zoro said, staring his body in the eye. “Looks the same as before.”

“Exactly.” Sanji wiped at the tears threatening to spill down his cheek. “Zoro, I used to have one blue eye and one silver eye. Before we met, you had one silver eye, and one blue eye.”

“Before we met?”

“Zoro.” Sanji took his hands, grinning. “We’re soulmates. You didn’t notice because my eye color looks the same as yours in monochrome.”

“I . . . what?”

“I was so angry. Not just because I wanted my soulmate to be a girl---I thought you were pretending to not notice, or you were really that stupid. But you just didn’t see.”

“Oh.” Reeling, Zoro stared at Sanji, staring at that one grey eye. “Oh. That. Does that matter?”

“You had no idea we were soulmates. You didn’t see it, and also, you’re an idiot.” Sanji leaned into Zoro’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around him. “I knew, and I tried to hate you, but I couldn’t. I think I would’ve fallen for you even if I was color blind, or just blind. It doesn’t matter.”

“Right.” Zoro hugged Sanji back, and they stood in silence for a minute. Then---

“Let’s get that dick to change us back,” Sanji said, pulling away. He grinned, the wide smile odd on Zoro’s face. “It’s weird hugging myself. Are you going to miss colors?”

“Nah. It’s too bright.” Zoro held his hand. “And I’ve never needed color anyway.”

#opvd 2020 #zosan #frobin #opfanfic #writing adventures

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