#phoenix bridge company

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

Feb 15th

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1. Hi! This is for fic finder. Its similar to "wide enough and wild" by impossibletruths. The difference is, in the fic that i want to find again is WWX is a sect leader of wen remnant. There are a fight between the wen remnant because of land and WWX has to resolbe it as sect leader. WWX and LWJ adopt Wen Yuan formally like they ask granny wen for permission to adopt Wen Yuan and there are some ceremony to solidify the adoption. LWJ get drunk and stole a goat (?). It involve a goat but i dont remember if it was LWJ or JWY who stole a goat. WQ has a student. Close to the end of story, WQ goes to Yunmeng with JWY and the title of sect healer goes to WQ's student. I think thats all i can remember. Thank you! @idontknowwhattowriteforusername

NOT FOUND stay, fury, your wrist wrapped in silk by spookykingdomstarlight (E, 228k, wangxian, Canon Divergence, YLLZ LWJ, LWJi loses his golden core, yiling wei sect, Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Major Character Injury, Injury Recovery, Temporary Character Death, War Crimes, Wen Remnant, Wangxian Get a Happy Ending, Revenge, LWJ goes dark for a while, WWX has a hard time with the bad shit going on around him, JGS is a bastard, Protracted Sunshot Campaign, War is war and hell is hell and of the two war is a lot worse, temporary impotence, growing intimacy, LWJ and WWX and the Wen Remnant live in the Burial Mounds together, WWX travels with LWJ and stays at his side post-Sunshot, Spanish Translation)

FOUND! sounds like the epilogue chapter of A Narrow Bridge by FrameofMind, Jo Lasalle (Jo_Lasalle) (E, 700k, wangxian, time travel fix-it, slow burn, getting together, first time, pining, pining while fucking, burial mounds settlement days, angst w happy ending)… but that's a really short piece of that particular fic to remember so I have doubts ^^; the goat part sounds like way earlier tho, when they get a goat, if I remember well.

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2. hello! I’m looking for a modern wangxian fic where wwx and lwj are high school (?) lovers but then lan qiren (who is also the director of the school I think) finds out about their relationship and sends lwj to the Lan school London. And then there’s a time skip and lwj ends up working at the school and the school system gets hacked so they engage the tech company that wwx started to fix the problem. And then they get back together - please help me!

FOUND? Tempo Rubato by Spodumene (E, 107k, WangXian, Modern AU, Angst with a Happy Ending, Romance, Persuasion au, Separations, Mutual Pining, Depression, Miscommunication, Emotional Roller Coaster, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Reconciliation, Eventual Smut, Jane Austen Fusion, Underage Kissing) / Hello! I'm fairly certain that #2 on the most recent fic finder is in fact Tempo Rubato. I just finished doing a reread of that one and the details provided all line up :)

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3. hello! i hope u guys can help me find this fic. wwx and lwj are camboys then one day, wwx watched lwj for the first time just before his stream. (i think lwj is the no. 1 in that site) lwj watched his stream, wwx gave him his address and lwj went to his house. i know that its in my bookmark but i cant really find it. thank you in advamce!

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4. hi there are some fics that are continuously bouncing around in my head so some help in finding them would be very much appreciated and if my memory serves me correct all these stories were one shots

A) all I remember is that WY was a phoenix captured by the wens and LZ meets him during his capture and falls in love around this time, also not very sure if WY had healing powers or his tears turned to peals because he heals LZ and that LZ tells him to cry just because WY feels like crying

B) the story starts of with WY and LZ on a date arranged by all of their friends and other memories of it include NHS telling WY that LZ had made a separate group without him to warn them from ever repeating what they did WY also went out with LQY in (idk) high school and with WQ but they broke up because WQ had to focus on med school and didn't want to do Long distance and that WY seems to know that LZ is in love with him and LZ cries after telling WY that he's happy being his friend along with ending on the note where WY and LZ confirm that they are officially friends to every one else

C) this one revolves around WY being a sacrifice and LZ is guardian till his death but they fall in love I think WY was to be sacrificed on his 20 some birthday also the way the sacrifice was interpreted wrongly by the sects and in it WY and LZ also sleep together before WY is ultimately sacrificed but it was a happy ending that's all I remember I apologize if the descriptions are too vague but I read them a good while back and thank you so much for your help

4A)

FOUND! a thousand hills, no birds in flight | 千山鳥飛絕 by defractum (nyargles) (E, 26k, WangXian, Mythology, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon adjacent setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort)

NOT FOUND! Breathing Firestorm by ladyshadowdrake (M, 110k, wangxian, angst, fluff, captivity, creepy WRH, no non-con, dreamsharing, politics, people making the best decisions they can, epic length, mythical creature WWX, canon-typical violence, dark, happy ending)

4B)

FOUND! yeah theyre just bros thanks for asking by victortor (T, 10k, WangXian, Intimacy, Modern AU, Aromantic Character, Established Relationship, Communication)

4C)

FOUND! The Sacrifice's Last Guard by 0_Heta_0 (E, 24k, WangXian, Falling In Love, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending)

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5. hi there! for the next fic finder — im pretty... sure... this is a jiang yanli-centric fic? but a lot of the POV was also madame yu. i remember that cangse sanren survived (this is not time charm). cssr, madame yu, and,, another woman who i forgot (possibly lwj's mother?) get into a relationship, and they raise the children together. im pretty sure jfm also dies alongside wcz (unless im mixing up two fics). either way, theres a scene where someone sneaks in the wives rm n mdme yu kicks their ass // (i'm the yzy/cssr/madame lan anon) i know for *sure* now that im mixing up two fics, but same ot3. it's not sami's sail away sweet sister. the character pov was yzy annd she was a lot more unsure about the whole thing bc she was painfully aware what she's like.

For the most recent fic finder #5 is absolutely Sail Away Sweet Sister. It's in Chapter 3, 2/3 of the way through. It may be conflated with another one, though, as that particular section is in Madame Lan POV (her name is Tang Lijuan). Sami tells stories in multi-POV though, so there are other sections from Yu Ziyuan's POV relating the incident.

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6. Okay so, looking for a fic where lwj or wwx accidentally summon incubus/succubus wwx or lwj. (I can't remember who was the sex demon or who was the human but it is a wangxian fic)

So, the succubus needs food and it is, unsurprisingly, cum. As in they have to literally eat cum to survive. So the human lets the demon feed from him. The human is followed by this succubus/incubus everywhere he goes to including his university.

The human loves feeding the sex demon and even lets him feed in the uni bathroom during breaks.

Does a fic like this exist? Does it ring any bell?

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7. Hi I'm looking for a fic in which Lan wangji and Lan Zichen got yin poisoning. And because Lan wangji in on the verge of death. Lan zichen decided to ask for Wei wuxian help on extracting yin energy but Lan Qiren prevented LAN zichen from fetching Wei wuxian because of his injury and decided the LAN Qiren himself will go and get Wei wuxian. And in this story Lan zichen and Jin gungyao will end up together jin gungyao was poisoned by his father. And wen Qing helps treat him thank you for the help @routel

FOUND? The Untamed: For the Love of Two Boys by YenGirl (Not rated, 181k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, JC/WQ, 3zun, Yin Metal poisoning, wangxian wedding, XiYao wedding, 3Zun wedding, Single minded LWJ, Caring WWX, Supportive lxc, Supportive LQR, Prickly JC, Sweet JYL, Good JZX, Badass WQ, Cinnamon roll WN, adorable a-yuan, Supportive NMJ, Redeemed JGY, Evil JGS, Supportive Madam Jin, Annoying JZN, Evil XY, Rescued SS, Jealous SS, Useless Sect Leader Yao, Supportive Lan Healer OC, Accupuncture, Golden Core Reveal, Yunmeng sibs reconciliation, Implied mpreg jokes, stygian tiger seal, Burial Grounds fight, Meng Shi's grave, Jiang Sect Ancestral Hall, Lan Sect Ancestral Hall, wedding nights, minor OCs,nMingshi & Calming Bell)

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8. Hello I am looking for a fanfic where Wei Ying finds out that he still has family that’s alive on his fathers side. He travels with Lan Zhan and ayuan to meet them and finds out his father was from a rich merchant family but his father left them to become a cultivator. He meets his grandmother who has dementia and his family business ends up boycotting the Jins when they find out what they did to Weiying. I know I bookmarked this fanfic but I can’t seem to find it.

FOUND? Keep Holding On by abCEE (M, 316k, JC & WWX & JYL, wangxian, canon divergence, role reversal, YLLZ JYL, yunmeng sibling dynamics, good uncle LQR, sunshot campaign, PTSD, established relationship, angst w/ happy ending)

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9. Hi I really loved the fic A Myriad of Blossoms!! It's one of my favs now! Thank you so much for suggesting that fic.

Next I was looking for two fics :

A) Where Wei Wuxian after being expelled from CR is also "expelled" from YMJ and he works as a spy for Madam Yu and later when she dies the spy organisation is taken up by Nie Huaisang.

B) Where Lan Wangji asks Wei Wuxian to give up the Yin Tiger Tally and as a result WWX loses his new Yin core all over again and is severely hurt and LWJ regrets.

Thank you again!! @yilinglaobunny

9A)

FOUND! 🔒 Pendulum by ShippersList (M, 69k, wangxian, graphic depicitions of violence, rape/non-con, underage, A/B/O, Canon Divergence, Non-Traditional A/B/O Dynamics, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Misunderstandings, Canon-Typical Violence, Spies & Secret Agents, Fake Character Death, Slow Burn, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, BAMF WWX, Attempted Sexual Assault, Canonical Character Death, Mutual Pining, Good JGY, Introspection, Self-Sacrificing WWX, Love Confessions, Protective LWJ, past child sexual abuse)

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10. Hi! I was hoping to have some help finding a specific fic? It was really long, a zombie apocalypse au? Where WWX gives birth to A-Yuan and LWJ is the father and then they get separated? And there's a big cruise ship? I remember the title was something like Nowhere Man? And it was finished! But I can't find it anywhere! Appreciate any help in finding this fic, thank you!!! @ariel-nolikeshakespeare

FOUND? For #10 could it be that its this fic? nowhere man - Red (zuwujun) At least if you search on google "nowhere man zombie ao3" thats the first result and it is a wangxian fic from the summary snippet visible from google. Sadly its currently hidden for a challenge

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11. Hi! I really appreciate the work you do. I'm looking for two fics: A) a deity!wwx au fic (not many tags beyond pairing, incomplete, hasnt been updated in a few years). Lwj meets night deity!wwx as a teen, befriends him, and during sunshot everyone thinks hes blessed by the sun god bc he has a branding iron he uses as a weapon. wwx turns himself mortal. B) The second is a cql post-canon fic: wwx sends lwj note hes in trouble from a night hunt. Family brings food to cave. Sex curse? Defeat Yao in lake. @classygreydove

11B)

FOUND? Fire in the Blood by Jo Lasalle (Jo_Lasalle) (M, 20k, wangxian, First Time, Post-Canon, Angst with a Happy Ending, hurt/comfort themes)

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12. Hi! I'm looking for these two fics:

A) WWX is the boss at some company and wants to keep LWJ from leaving because he's such a good employee so he offers him to double his salary or whatever he wants, LWJ says he won't leave if WWX offers himself. It's a modern AU.

B) During his stay in cloud recesses, WWX overhears two guys planning on cursing a woman with a toy connected to her, WWX stops them and changes the curse towards himself. The issue is that LWY confiscates the toy. That's what I remember.

Thanks!

12A)

FOUND? What's Wrong With Secretary Lan? by silverclaw (T, 5k, wangxian, LXC/NMJ, Modern, Inspired By What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? (TV), JZX and WWX are best friends, LWJ is "going through a rebellious phase")

12B)

FOUND? 🔒 The Golden Cutsleeve by syrus_jones (E, 77k, WangXian, Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff and Crack, Humor, Aged-Up Character(s), WWX POV, WWX is a gremlin, Internally Screaming LWJ, No Sunshot Campaign, First Times, Accidental Sex, Masturbation, PWP, Porn with Feelings, WWX experimenting with things he shouldn’t like always, Happy Ending, Porn With Plot)

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13. Hello— looking for a fic (au).

A) The Twin Jades go to Lotus Pier. Madam Yu makes WY stay out of the way (maybe even sleep outside?). LXC sees WY using talismans & is impressed. The next day he brings his brother & LWJ falls for WY:)

B) The twin jades are at Lotus Pier & MY makes WY sleep outside? But LWJ runs into him (and sees him using talisman:)

Thanks!!! @snowrose24

For number thirteen in the last item finder, I know that fic is an omega Wei Wuxian, but I can’t recall the title. Hope that helps? Definitely an alpha Lan Wangji.

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14. Hello, I am not sure how this works 😅. I think I am supposed to write my request here. I am trying to find a WangXian fic. It is a modern au. Lan enterprises is hacked and Nei Mingjue send Wei Ying to help them and by the end of day Lan Wangji and Wei Ying are set for a date. In this fic Wei Ying is a CEO of a big security company I think. Also they decided that Wei Ying will be an intern to catch the hacker. @veeru19

FOUND? Wangji's Beautiful Stranger by xxxMiaHikarixxx (G, 47k, wangxian, WIP, Modern, Soulmates, older LWJ, younger WWX, LWJ is So Whipped, Not Jiang Family Friendly, A-Yuan and Jingyi are best boys)

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15. Hi there! I'm looking for a fic that I sadly don't remember much about. The few things that stick in my mind are (1) Lan Wangji's father is alive, but they do not get along since his father left them, (2) Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian have a baby (can't remember if it's A-Yuan or an OC), and (3) there's some family event where Lan Qiren brings Lan Wangji's father and Lan Wangji (somewhat reluctantly) allows his father to feed the baby as a sign he's willing to try to start mending their relationship. Thanks for all the good work you do! @lucky-cat-13

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16. Hi! This is for fic finder. I dont remember much, unfortunately. What i remember is WWX send a letter to other clan. Like, there should be someone who married in to wen remnants right? So he send letter to those family to ask if they want to take their wen family back or not. I think LWJ help him too. That is all i can remember. Thank you! @idontknowwhattowriteforusername

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17. Hello! I'm looking for a fic where Lan Wangji is an emperor. Lan Xichen dies in the war against the Wen and none of the other clans provided support to the Lan. Wei Wuxian helps in the background, including saving the Dafan Wen. Lan Wangji demands Wei Wuxian as part of the treaty/alliance with with other clans post winning the war. Wei wuxian thinks he is a war prize/prisoner, but he is treated really well by the Gusu Lan for his efforts in the war.

It was WIP and I thought I had this bookmarked, but I lost it 😔

Thank you!!

FOUND! golden when the day met the night by glitteringmoonlight (Not rated, 95k, slow burn, sugar daddy LWJ, light, angst, fluff, developing relationship, eventual smut, WIP)

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18. Hello again! Thanks as always for your help. Do you happen to remember that one fic where wwx has wildly overworked himself by taking in too many foster kids, and LWJ, his boyfriend, buys him a Fitbit to gently dom him into eating and sleeping enough? @balleyboley

I know number 18😭 I'll try to look for it. Wei ying wouldn't sleep or eat and didnt realize it, I hope someone finds it!

FOUND? underweight by sixstepsaway (E, 7k, WangXian, sex used as bribery lmao, Eating Disorders, Anxiety, full time dom!lwj, consensual control, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs)

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19. Hi, So i'm looking for two fics a) pretty sure his one is a one shot but it's basically during the sunshot campain and wwx is putting souls to rest when one of them wants something for him. The soul is all flirty and so on and after some time they find out it's nhs and nmj's father. b) also during the sunshot campain, nmj sees wwx being sickly and is like I'll take you under my wing, he feeds him just takes care of him @thatperson0-0

19A)

FOUND! Win Some, Lose Some by nirejseki (G, 3k, wangxian, Canon Divergence, Ghosts, Talkative Ghosts, Marriage Arrangements, NHS & LWJ friends agenda)

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20. hii. this is for ficfinder

I haven't read this but the summary of the fic was smth like wei wuxian disappears and I think sometime later lan wangji finds a man named mo xuanyu, I think it's a modern au, but I might be wrong!

thank you!!!

NOT FOUND! 🔒 Where You Fell by Sweet_William (E, 303k, wangxian, 3zun, JC/NHS, JYL/JZX, Modern, Angst, Mutual Pining, Homeless AU, Getting Together, Slow Burn, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, accidental sugar daddy LWJ, Suicidal Thoughts, Self-Esteem Issues, Coffee Shops & Cafés, Autistic Character, WWX Has ADHD, Panic Attacks, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sex Work, Implied/Referenced Substance Abuse, Eventual Happy Ending)

NOT FOUND! vintage youth by sami (E, 13k, WangXian, Modern AU, references to past LWJ/others, references to past WWX/WQ, Family, Sexual Tension, set in the early 90s, Background Xicheng)

FOUND! don't leave me waiting, don't leave me here by sassybluee (M, 13k, WangXian, WangYu, Modern: No Powers, Missing Persons, Sex Work, Lawyer LWJ, Ambiguous Relationships, Hopeful Ending, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, POV LWJ)

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[science-lings]

I love the potential of how fucked up Phoenix could be/ is. He's got no mention of a family, not even when he was on trial for murder, he's been the potential victim of poison multiple times by someone who he was very in love with, (which leads to some very interesting flavors of trauma which could affect how he reacts to being sick and even getting medicated for being sick and explains his reluctance to getting romantically involved with anyone ever.)

He faints when under very sudden intense amounts of stress like a woman written by a man in a historical work of fiction (Maya channeling Mia for the first time, getting whipped a whole lot, etc) He gets hit in the head so hard that he forgets who he is and that's just fine apparently.

He found his mentor's dead body and has been threatened by the mafia and fell through a burning bridge into a death river, and his best friends keep getting accused of murder or kidnapped or going mysteriously missing or leaving him behind. All of this has to leave some scars on this man's psyche and that's before he was tricked into losing his purpose in life and adopting a kid right afterward.

I feel like so many characters and their traumas are based on the violent acts they've witnessed or have been done against them so it's kind of fascinating to me how different Phoenix's experiences differ from that kind of thing. He isn't bothered by loud noises like gunshots but he could refuse to take over-the-counter medicines or get paranoid over his things being poisoned or otherwise tampered with. Maybe his complete lack of mentioning any romantic relationships since he was in college is because that one just messed him up so badly that he's afraid to try again, even after so many years.

I guess I'm just so used to characters being traumatized by violence and abuse that it's really interesting when that deviates, especially among the fanbase bc you know the companies making these fucked up little guys aren't going to delve deep into the consequences of the things they put them through.

[themourningfox]

Firecracker | Kix x F!Reader

Found some old stories on my abandoned ao3 page. Figured I should bring some of them back to life and let y'all enjoy them.

Kix x F!Reader. Fluff, angst, one-sided crush (lmao yeah right), SFW, comfort fic, hurt fic. Reader gets hurt on a mission.

She was a soldier. Not a Jedi, not a clone. Just a soldier thrown into the war. With her expertise in explosives, it was an easy guess as to why. She couldn’t help it. She enjoyed the smell of the powder. The ticking of the timer. The fuses being lit, or buttons being pressed. The fire, the impact, the dust and smoke. 

Okay, so maybe she was a bit of a pyromaniac. 

Just a little bit.

It fit well with her personality and allowed her to fit in well with the clones she ended up working with. She was able to take their banter and give it right back, which may or may not have earned her the nickname Phoenix.

But despite how many clones enjoyed her company, there was one who was not so keen to welcome her into their folds.

Kix.

So maybe she had developed a tiny crush on the medic, which was why she noted the difference in behavior from him. She wasn’t sure what it was that drew her to him like a fly to honey, but damn…she wanted to find out.

That’s where the slightly devious part came in.

Every chance she got, she would go to the medbay. Burns, scrapes, twisted ankle, anything to just go see him.

He was never rude or mean. It was business. That was it. That’s all it was to him. She watched him play with his brothers, argue and fight back, but not with her. She was dying to know what she was doing wrong, but...how?

After a while, she just stopped going. It hurt her to watch his playful attitude turn so strict whenever she came within vicinity. Maybe he just didn’t like her. So, with some expertise in treating her own burns, she stopped going to the medbay.

A month had passed. The only times she had seen Kix were in the mess. Well... that’s when she actually showed up there. Things changed after a mission at a Separatist outpost went a little haywire. She was meant to blow the bridge, but her gadgets malfunctioned. She frowned, panic seizing her heart when she realized they weren’t going to detonate. 

“What’s wrong? Why isn’t it blowing?” Captain Rex asked, his voice filled with mounting pressure.

The droids were getting closer. They couldn’t risk this. 

She flung herself over the barricade, running toward the bridge.

“Phoenix!”

Ignoring Rex’s booming voice, she dodged a blaster bolt and dove beneath the legs of the bridge. Gritting her teeth, she tried to force her trembling hands to still. Eyes surveying the explosive, she quickly found the problem.

They hadn’t been set properly. 

Sweat beaded on her forehead as she raced against the approaching enemy. There wasn’t enough time to fix it and run back. They would need to be set off with her right here. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Rex’s voice grated through the comlink in her ear.

“Not now, Rex! Focusing!”

“What’s the problem?”

“Explosives weren’t set property,” she explained, finally getting the fuses in the right place. “I’m going to have to blow it from here.”

“Phoenix, don’t!”

“I don’t have time for anything else. I’ll be okay.”

Before he could respond, she lit the fuse. The bomb started ticking at an accelerated pace. Phoenix leapt to her feet, running out from under the bridge. Her shoes pounded against the hard ground. Blood rushed in her ears. She could see her battalion—

The explosives detonated. She could feel it. The ground shook. A heatwave hit her first, knocking her off her feet. Then the shockwave. She was thrown into the barricade at the feet of her battalion.

That’s the last thing she remembered.

The first thing she came to was the feeling of floating. She blinked. It took a moment to process that there were two strong arms holding her off the ground. A hard wall was to her left...no wait, that was an armored chest. Phoenix blinked again. She was being carried.

Her tongue touched her lips. She tasted blood. Her own? Probably. She shook her head. Maker, she felt lightheaded.

“You’re awake.” Rex’s voice wasn’t a question. “That was reckless.”

Oh, here they go...a lecture about safety.

“I’m okay,” she grunted weakly, pushing at his chest.

Rex snorted, clearly amused. “You were out for a day.”

A day? She stared up at his face, hidden behind the helmet. “Where are we?”

“We’re heading to the medbay, you and I. We just arrived back at the ship.”

Medbay, yes. That was a good idea...her heart stopped. Medbay. “No!” she shouted, shoving hard against his chest.

The clone captain grunted, but otherwise just held tighter onto her. “That wasn’t a suggestion. You were hurt and you need to be examined.”

“I can do it myself. I don’t need to go to the medbay.” The embarrassment would be too much. “I don’t need Kix to look after me!”

“Mm, I would beg to differ.”

Her heart stilled in her chest. In her attempt to get out of going to Kix, she hadn’t realized they had just arrived. She sent Rex a small glare before turning her head to look at Kix.

He was leaning against one of the cots, arms crossed over his chest. He gave her a once over, before nodding to Rex. The captain set her down on the cot and left shortly after.

Phoenix rubbed her neck, looking anywhere but at Kix. He didn’t waste any time. He started the examination, looking over her burns, bumps, and bruises. He hummed here and there, poking and prodding, taking note of where she tensed.

Her eyes slid closed, cheeks turning a nice rosy color at his proximity. He was all around her. She could smell him. The aftershave. The shampoo in his hair. Feel him as he shifted around her, deft fingers grazing over her skin like ice.

“Are you all right, mesh’la?” Kix’s voice cut through the silence.

She opened her eyes, almost gasping when she realized he was right there. Right in front of her face. So close.

“Y…yeah,” she stammered, nodding her head.

“Good.” He backed away, taking notes and preparing a tincture. “My conclusion is that you need a couple days of bed rest. You have a small concussion and will need to be checked in on. What I’m making here will heal your burns, but I need you to promise me you’ll stay in bed for a couple of days. Is there anyone to come and check on you?”

She blinked at him, trying to think. “Rex?” 

“He’s out on leave.” He hummed, then shrugged as he approached her again and began to clean her burns. “I’ll come and check on you.”

“You will?” she asked, breathless as his scent filled her nostrils again.

Kix nodded, dark eyes sweeping up to her. “Of course. You’re my patient.”

Oh...right. Business. She gave him a small smile. “Thank you, then.”

He smiled back at her and she blamed it on the concussion when it felt like his thumb rubbed soft circles on the back of her hand. “I’m glad your safe. It’s been a while since my favorite firecracker came to visit me for her medical needs.”

Favorite... firecracker? She blinked at him, cheeks warming. “Your what?”

He chuckled softly and wrapped her burn. “You heard me. Don’t think I didn’t notice when you stopped coming to see me. I’ll have to ask you about that when you don’t have a concussion, mm?”

All she could do was nod. He...his favorite...she felt like her heart was about to erupt with happiness. She couldn’t wait to see where this would lead.

[fanboyswhore9]

This Girl

Moodboard by: @mshistorylover

Pairing: Pairing: Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia x Fem!Aviator!Reader, based on the song, This Girl by Hunter Hayes.

Summary: Mickey and Y/N have been dating for eight months but haven’t expressed their love in those famous three words. They confide in friends for advice and courage, culminating in Mickey dedicating a song to Y/N during a karaoke night.

Sequel to “Addicted to Love”

—————————————————————————

Eight months into their relationship, Mickey Garcia and Y/N had formed a bond that neither of them could deny. They were deeply in love, but the words they longed to say remained unspoken, hanging in the air between them like a sweet, tantalizing secret.

Mickey, known for his charismatic personality and unwavering dedication to flying, had found someone who captured his heart in ways he couldn’t have imagined. Y/N, with her infectious laughter and unwavering support, had become the missing piece to Mickey’s adventurous life.

One sunny afternoon at the Top Gun Academy, Mickey found himself in the company of his close friends from the Dagger Squad, including Rooster, Hangman, Coyote, Bob, and Payback. They had gathered on the Academy’s rooftop, a quiet and serene spot overlooking the airstrips. The clear blue skies stretched endlessly before them, offering a sense of peace amidst the rigorous training and challenges they faced.

Mickey took a deep breath, looking out at the horizon as his friends sat in a circle, sipping on their beverages. He couldn’t help but let out a sigh, prompting Rooster to raise an eyebrow. “Everything okay, Mickey?” He shifted his gaze to his friends, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. “You guys know I’ve been with Y/N for a while now,” he began, his voice tinged with emotion. “But I haven’t told her that I love her, and it’s driving me crazy. I don’t want her to think it’s too soon or that I’m not serious.” His friends exchanged knowing glances, realizing the weight of Mickey’s unspoken words. Jake leaned forward, his voice supportive. “Dude, you’ve got to tell her how you feel. It’s the only way she’ll know.”

Meanwhile, not far from the rooftop gathering, Y/N found herself sharing her thoughts with her closest friends since their Academy days, Natasha “Phoenix” Trace and Callie “Halo” Bassett. They sat under the shade of a tree near the dock, the gentle rustling of leaves providing a soothing backdrop to their conversation. Y/N spoke softly, her eyes reflecting the vulnerability she felt. “You know, I care about Mickey so much,” she confessed. “But I’m scared to say it. What if it’s too soon, or what if he doesn’t feel the same way?” Natasha and Callie exchanged understanding glances, their support unwavering. Natasha offered comforting words. “Sometimes, Y/N, you have to take a chance and let your heart speak. You’ll regret it if you never tell him.”

As the sun cast a warm glow over the Academy, both Mickey and Y/N carried the weight of their unspoken feelings, unsure of when and how to bridge the gap between their hearts. Despite their shared love and deep connection, Mickey and Y/N had yet to find the right moment to express their feelings. Each passing day only intensified their longing, and they began to seek solace in the advice of their friends.

———————————————————————————

As the weeks went by, a unique opportunity presented itself at the Top Gun Academy. It was a warm summer evening, and the Hard Deck, the iconic bar owned by Penny Benjamin, was hosting a lively gathering. This was a rare moment of respite for the pilots, a chance to relax and unwind in a setting that held a special place in their hearts. The Hard Deck buzzed with laughter and camaraderie. The bar’s rustic charm, adorned with aviation memorabilia, added to the atmosphere. Penny, a familiar face to all, greeted everyone with a warm smile and a sense of belonging.

The Dagger Squad and Y/N’s friends from the Academy found themselves together at a corner table, enjoying the vibrant ambiance. As the evening progressed, Mickey couldn’t help but glance at Y/N, who sat across from him, her eyes sparkling with mirth as she shared stories with Natasha and Callie. Payback, sensing his friend’s internal struggle, leaned in and nudged Mickey gently. “Tonight’s the night, buddy,” he whispered. “You’ve got to tell her.” Mickey nodded, his determination growing. “You’re right. I can’t let fear hold me back.” Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Y/N sat amidst her friends, feeling Mickey’s presence as a comforting beacon. She took a deep breath and glanced at Natasha and Callie, who exchanged encouraging smiles.

As the night went on, Penny decided to host a karaoke competition, a surprise twist to the evening’s festivities. The crowd erupted with excitement, and friends egged each other on to participate. Mickey’s heart raced as he realized this could be the perfect opportunity. He leaned over to his friends, a determined look on his face. “I’m going up there,” he declared. Rooster, Hangman, Coyote, Bob, and Payback exchanged knowing glances and offered Mickey their full support. “Go for it, dude!” they chorused.

On the small stage, Mickey took a moment to compose himself, his heart pounding with anticipation. The spotlight bathed him in its warm glow as he looked out at the audience. He cleared his throat and adjusted the microphone, feeling the weight of the moment. Before he began singing “This Girl” by Hunter Hayes, Mickey spoke into the microphone, his voice filled with emotion. “I want to dedicate this song to someone very special. To the one who’s stolen my heart and made every moment unforgettable. Y/N, this one’s for you. Hopefully this song tells you how I feel about you.”

His heartfelt dedication hung in the air, reaching Y/N like a warm embrace from across the room. Her heart skipped a beat as she gazed at him, feeling a rush of love and gratitude. With that dedication, Mickey poured his heart and soul into the song, making it a truly unforgettable moment for both of them.

He began to sing the familiar lyrics of “This Girl” by her favorite artist, Hunter Hayes, pouring his heart into every word. The room seemed to fade away, leaving only Mickey and his heartfelt message.

🎶 “I love this girl watching that throwback movie with a glass of wine,

My real deal girl with her hair up, guard down

Telling me what’s on her mind

Call me crazy, but I don’t think I’m

Ever gonna have a hard time learning how to love this girl.” 🎶

As he sang, Mickey’s eyes locked onto Y/N’s, and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. The connection between them felt stronger than ever as the room filled with the sincerity of his words.

🎶 “My paradise is that bedhead beauty with the sleepy eyes

My best night is anyone that ends with her

Yeah, I swear that I'd trade everything I chase

They could take it all away

Long as I get to love this girl.” 🎶

Mickey’s voice soared through the room, and as the final notes hung in the air, he stepped down from the stage, his heart pounding with hope and anticipation. The applause that followed Mickey’s performance was thunderous, and his friends from the Dagger Squad cheered for him with pride. Mickey, however, had only one person on his mind as he navigated through the crowd to where his girlfriend stood in the crowd. He couldn’t wait any longer to express what had been in his heart for so long.

Reaching her side, Mickey gently took her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. The world around them seemed to blur as he began to speak, his voice filled with emotion. “I love you, Y/N.” Her eyes welled up with tears of joy as a radiant smile spread across her face. She had been waiting to hear those words for what felt like an eternity. With a voice choked with emotion, she whispered, “I love you too, Mickey.”

In that tender moment, their unspoken words had finally found their voice. Their love was now out in the open, stronger than ever. Without hesitation, Mickey cupped Y/N’s face in his hands, and they shared a passionate kiss, sealing their love with a promise of a future filled with adventure, support, and boundless affection. Their friends couldn’t have been happier for them. The room erupted in applause once again, with their fellow pilots and Academy friends celebrating their newfound happiness. As the night continued at the Hard Deck, Mickey and Y/N danced together, reveling in the newfound freedom to express their love openly. The Dagger Squad and their friends watched with affectionate smiles, knowing that this was a moment to cherish.

[alldancersaretalented]

Dancers You Might Know That Competed Against ALDC (Season 7)

Season 7 Episode 1 Sheer Talent Las Vegas 2016

there only were 35 dances entered into the competition

Season 7 Episode 2 Fierce NDC San Diego 2016

Addison Middleton competed under Signature Dance Academy

Zsofia Grenevitch competed under Signature Dance Academy

Signature Dance Academy had a group dance "Dream On" competing against CADCs (3rd) and ALDCs (1st) groups, they placed 2nd

other well known studios competing: Signature Dance Academy

Season 7 Episode 3 NYDE Dublin 2016

competition created just for dance moms

Season 7 Episode 4 DNC Placentia 2016

Season 7 Episode 5 Fierce National Dance Competition Agoura Hills 2016

Season 7 Episode 6 Dream DC Panorama City 2016

Season 7 Episode 7 Sheer Talent Fresno 2016

Gavin Morales (Dolce) placed 1st in Pre-Teen Solo with "Pulse"

McKenzie Morales (Dolce) placed 1st in Teen Solo with "Didn't Know My Own Strength"

besides 2 entries from Dolce (Morales siblings) and 7 entries from Van Der Zwann Dance Studio, there is only one studio competing (KM Dance Arts)

other well known studios competing: Dolce Dance Studio

Season 7 Episode 8 Fierce NDC Phoenix 2016

Season 7 Episode 9 Dream NDC 2016

Season 7 Episode 10 Sheer Talent Denver 2016

Shylee Sagle (Summit) came in 1st in Small Wonders Solo with "Doin' It Right"

Sofia Andrus (under Sweatshop, switched to MLDA later) came in 2nd in Junior Solo with "Not About Angels"

other well known studios competing: Summit Dance Academy, Xtreme Dance Force, Sweatshop Dance, The Dance Movement, Millennium Dance Complex Denver

Season 7 Episode 11 Fierce NDC Placentia 2016

Season 7 Episode 12 Sheer Talent Wheeling 2016

Lynzee Ensell (Dance Force Elite, switched to Studio 19) places 1st ("Betty Boop"), 3rd ("Cruella Du VIl") and 5th ("Miss You Daddy") in Small Wonders Solo

Jaelyn Ward (ALDC 2.0 =Appolonia Leake, previously ALDC) comes in 4th with "Halo"

Lynzee Ensell and Dalana Bove's (Dance Force Elite) duets place 2nd ("Double Trouble") and 4th ("Evil X 2") behind Ellie and Lillie's duet (ALDC, 1st)

Sarah Georgiana (Dance By Cami, later on DM S8) places 1st in Junior Solo with "Star Darling"

Dustana Roberts-Kelly (ALDC 2.0, previously ALDC and now Stars) comes in 4th in Junior Solo with "Autism Speaks"

Alaina Scabora and Dusty Roberts-Kelly's duet "Sounds" (ALDC 2.0) comes in 1st in Junior Duet

Sarah Hunt (ALDC) places 1st in Pre-Teen Solo with "Thy Will Be Done", Alaina Scabora (ALDC 2.0, previously ALDC) places 3rd with "The Story"), and Summer Kaczynski (ALDC 2.0, previously ALDC) places 5th with "Compass"

Camryn Bridges (ALDC) places 1st, Alexia Zufall (ALDC 2.0) places 2nd with "Say My Name" and ties with Nicaya Wiley (CADC), Christina Payton (ALDC 2.0, previously ALDC) places 3rd with "Abandoned" in Teen Solo

The ALDC 2.0 Solo "All We Do" places 3rd in Teen Group behind ALDC (1st) and CADC (2nd)

Trent Edwards (ALDC 2.0) places 1st in Senior Solo with "Found", his twin Colton (ALDC 2.0) places 2nd with "Lost", they also take 1st in Senior Duet with "Runaway" (highest scoring solo/duet/trio)

other well known studios competing: Appolonia Leake Dance Company, Dance Force Elite, Dance By Cami

Season 7 Episode 14 Starbound Asbury Park 2016

Elliana receives score of 296.9 points, Lilliana 270 points

Teen Top 4

5th: ?? (Movement Dance Academy) - ?? (?) 4th: Chloe Smith (CADC) - "Flying Solo" 3rd: Brynn Rumfallo (ALDC) - "Winner Takes All" (293 Points) 2nd: Maggie ? (Movement Dance Academy) - "Next To You" - 294 Points 1st: Kalani Hilliker (ALDC) - "Who Do You Think You Are" - 296 Points

Kalani for some reason competed in the 13-14 age division even though she was 16 years old

Season 7 Episode 15 Fierce NDC Anaheim 2017

Season 7 Episode 16 Sheer Talent Phoenix 2017

Audrey Caldwell (MBA) placed 1st in Pre-Teen Solo with "New World Coming"

Terin Christopher (DC Scottsdale) placed 2nd in Senior Solo with "Everything" behind Kalani (1st)

other well known studios competing: On Stage Dance Academy, Centerstage Dance Studio, Oasis Dance, Dance Connection Scottsdale, Master Ballet Academy

Season 7 Episode 18 Fierce NDC Panorama City 2017

Season 7 Episode 19 Fierce NDC Fresno 2017

Reagan Martin (Dolce) placed 1st in Junior and 1st Overall

Gavin Morales (Dolce) placed 2nd in Junior and 4th Overall

Kenzie Morales (Dolce) placed 1st in Teen and 3rd Overall (ahead of Kendall (2nd) and Brynn (3rd))

Kalani Hilliker (ALDC) placed 1st in Senior and 2nd Overall

other well known studios competing: Dolce Dance Studio

Season 7 Episode 20 Sheer Talent Las Vegas 2017

Small Wonders Solo:

1st: Kennedy Kahler (The Rock) with "Pacific" 2nd: Deanna Panin (The Rock) with "Bolero" 3rd: Alexis Mayer (The Rock) with "Flowers"

Junior Solo:

1st: Izzy Howard (The Rock) - "Medora Variation" 2nd: Savannah Kristich (The Rock, DM S8) - "Siva" 3rd: Devynn Lewis (The Base) - "The Meeting" 4th: Sofia Cook (The Rock) - "Silizum" 5th: Olivia Taylor (The Rock) - "Lament"

Junior Duet:

1st: Izzy Howard and Shane Wexelman (The Rock) - "Hopak"

Pre-Teen Solo:

1st: Sabine Nehls (The Rock) - "Light Of The Seven" 2nd: Summer Montenegro (The Rock) - "The Young Mariner" 3rd: Easton Magliarditi (The Rock) - "More" 4th: Amadeus Tiesling (The Rock) - "Easy" 5th: Abby Lorren (The Rock) - "The Diamond"

Pre-Teen Duet

1st: Easton Magliarditi and Sabine Nehls (The Rock) - " We Can Be Heroes"

Teen Solo:

1st: Anika Kojima (The Rock) - "Sanshou" 2nd: Yadiel Figueroa (The Rock, DM S6) - "Without You" 3rd: Jessica Phan (The Rock) - "Arrival Of The Spring" 4th: Veronica Comelek (The Rock) - "44" 5th: Julia Stumpf (The Rock) - "Flatline"

Senior Solo:

1st: Brittany Bruno (The Rock) - "Infinite Reflection" 3rd: Eryn Dotta (The Rock) - "Hands"

The Rock's Group "Odanata" (1st) won against ALDCs group "Contagious" (3), The Base's Group came in 4th ("Next Right Thing")

other well known studios competing: The Rock Center For Dance, The Base Dance Center

Season 7 Episode 22 Devotion 2 Dance (Sheer Talent) Riverside 2017

ALDC had dancers part of their studio compete (besides dm dancers)

Ariana Carr Raskin (ALDC) came in 5th in Junior Solo with "I Put A Spell On You", behind Elliana Walmsley, who came in 1st

Ariana Carr Raskin, Anelina Manguero and Janal Johnson (ALDC) came in 1st in Junior Trio with "World Town Heroes"

Angelina Manguero (ALDC) came in 4th in Pre-Teen Solo with "Mirage", Gia Severino (ALDC) came in 5th with "Every Heart", both placing behind Maesi Caes (3rd)

Sabrina Huang (Gravity X) who competed around 10 different solos at dance moms competitions in season 6 takes home 1st ("En Noctern") and 2nd ("Kitri Variation") in Pre-Teen Solo, beating Maesi and the other two ALDC dancers

ALDC has a group place 1st in Pre-Teen Group "Color My World"

MDPs group "The Upside Down" places 1st, ahead of to ALDC groups, "Glamorous" (2nd) and "Boxed In" (3rd)

Teen Solo:

1st: Tia Griffin (ALDC) - "Insecure" 2nd: Maisie Vargas (ALDC) - "The Rose" 3rd: Sara Todd (Dance Spectrum) - "Love Me Like You Do" 4th: Tia Griffin (ALDC) - "Yellow" 5th: Alexa Guerro (ALDC) - "War Of Heart"

Senior Solo:

1st: Jahsy Johnson (ALDC) - "Perfect Ruin" 2nd: Matteo Paoli (ALDC) - "Worry" 3rd: Dominic Rayman (ALDC) - "A Song For You"

other well known studios competing: Gravity X Dance

Season 7 Episode 24 Fierce NDC Upland 2017

Basia Rhoden (Dolce) competed her lyrical solo "Papa"

other well known studios competing: K2 Studios, Dolce Dance Studio

Season 7 Episode 25 Fierce NDC Anaheim 2017

other well known studios competing: Signature Dance Academy

Season 7 Episode 26 Innovation Dance Competition 2017

Season 7 Episode 27 Fearless Dance Experience Lawndale 2017

Maddie and Kaitlyn Ortaga (tHoR, later P21, now Mather) competed a solo and at least one group

Hayden Calder (Pave? or another dancer with the same age) competed a solo

Cali Cassidy (South Coast Conservatory, later P21, now ?) competed a solo "Grown"

Maddie and Kaitlyn Ortega also competed a duet "Only We Know"

Layla Bailey (Empire) competed a solo "CiCi"

Haley Allred (Adage) competed a solo "How Ya Baby"

Reagan Martin (Dolce) competed her solo, placing 1st in Junior Solo and 1st Overall, beating Nia (5th Overall) and Kalani (4th Overall)

other well known studios competing: the HAUS of ROYALS, South Coast Conservatory, Empire Dance Productions, Adage Dance Center, Prestige Dance Company

[cocogrrrl]

drifters

you're willing to put yourself through hell for him, but a freak accident causes the situation to make him the one near death's row instead.

Kenny McCormick x gn!reader (Killjoys AU) cw: injury, mentions of drugs, usage of alcohol, themes of war wc: 4228 (minus the references in the beginning)

an: although its relatively easy to infer the lore and slang, I've provided a glossary n a bit of lore for those unfamiliar :D hope u enjoy this cause i sure did!

After the Fire Wars of 2012, California has been under a tyrannical rule lead by the quasi-governmental corporation named Better Living Industries. The company promises eternal happiness through "the sanctity of monocromaticism." Better Living Industries subjects the people of Battery City to brainwashing, heavily through the use of drugs to negate all emotions and possibly even memories. They keep an eye on every single one of the people under their control, prohibiting them from anything that can make them experience sort of feelings Killjoys are the people who live in the zones outside of Battery City. They oppose the ways of Better Living Industries and work to survive outside of their rule as well as to take them down. KN - Killjoy Name (Separate from YN) Zones - Area outside Battery City. Cordial - Slang for moonshine. BLi - Better Living Industries, can be abbreviated to BL/ind as well Dracs - (Short for Draculoids) Members of BLi’s SCARECROW unit that are ordered to kill (Usually anything that hold emotional attachment, such as relationships). Cloud - A group, and sometimes encampment, of dracs. Pangea - Culmination of three or more groups. Dusted - To die/be dead. Ghosted - See dusted Route Guano - The main road through the zones. Drifting - A relationship that is not platonic, romantic or sexual, but a combination or something outside of it. Often usually portrayed as go-with-the-flow thing. Ray gun - Shoots lasers! Pew, pew, pew! Used by killjoys and draculoids Phoenix Witch - A mystical creature that resides in the zones, guiding departed souls of killjoys. Ember Bridge - To abandon your team. Clap - A fight (not limited to, but usually) between a killjoy and a drac. Costa Rica - to go downhill. ** Very well aware they are from Colorado 😨 It’s just that the setting is in California. ** Tommy Chow Mein is a major supplier of a multitude of products in the zones. I changed it to Timmy Chow Mein in reference to Timmy Burch from South Park. ** The Trans AM is the car that the fab four killjoys drive.

—————

(I refer to the main four here by their hero names, since creating Killjoy names for them would cause a hell lot of confusion.)

“KN,” you heard Mysterion mumble your name with a slurred tongue against your hair, bodies flush against each other. You only hummed in reply. “So fuckin’ pretty. My eyes are only for you.”

“You’re absolutely shitfaced right now, aren’t you?” You laughed, turning your body to look at him and caress his face.

“I didn’t even have that much.” He rolled his eyes, playfully pouting. “Even if I wasn’t jacked on cordial right now, I’d still tell you that.”

“You’re funny.” You hummed, brushing a hair off his face to lean in and kiss him. Kissing him gently and savoring the quiet you two had together.

“Hell yeah, I am.” He started giggling, giddiness radiating from the smile on his face because of your show of affection.

“You ever think this is gonna end? Like, one day, BLI’s finally overthrown, and we’re left to build a new society?” You mused, playing with the flyaway hair spread all over the pillows.

“God, I hope so.” He sighed, his happy smile turning into one of a melancholic grin.

“Yeah? Do you think you’ll be excited if it happens?”

“When it happens, sugar,” he corrected, bringing a finger up to your face. ”But, I think so. I’m not sure what I’ll do after. I’ll definitely be with my family, but I don’t know what comes next.”

“Yeah,” you agreed, burying your face into the warm flesh of his chest. “It seems like war is all we know at this point.”

“I’m gonna have to unlearn it at some point once this is all over.” He murmured, a hand of his finding itself brushing your hair. ”As fun as it is sometimes, hell isn’t worth kicking ass. I’d rather be elderly on a porch than worry if I’ll live to see the next day.”

“You’ll get there one day.” You hummed.

“Yeah?”

“I’ll make sure of it.”  You were just spewing bullshit out of your mouth. These were promises you knew damn well you couldn’t keep. Even if it was a mere stretch away from you, that reality was covered in thorns. Despite your unfaithful oath, it was your personal mission to keep him safe.

 You felt a kiss laid on the top of your head. “Such a darling, sugar.”

“I know.”

———

“Wait, wait, wait,” you sighed, shaking your head in confusion. “There’s a cloud nearby, and we’re gonna storm them?”

“Yeah,” The Coon, promptly replied.

“Just the five of us are going to attack them?”

“Mhm,” this time Toolshed nodded.

“Aren’t we gonna die?! Unless a Pangea’s gonna happen, it sounds like we’re actually asking to get dusted!” You burst, jaw agape in shock.

“KN, we have no other choice. It’s either that or we wait for them to ambush the diner.” Human Kite sighed, parking a little off Route Guano. You all could see the encampment the dracs had set up not too far away.

“I guess you have a point.”

You felt a hand place itself on top of yours. It was Mysterion’s. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. “It gonna be okay, KN.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“...Thanks, Mysterion.” You couldn’t help but smile at him, knowing his words were tainted in falsehood anyway. There was no way telling of how this was gonna end.

This lifestyle was not one for the romantics. This life was not for the optimist.

Hell sunk itself in the modern day and, as a result, many people of all ages, sizes, and hearts are left to fight for their life depended on it.

You took a deep breath as you five exited the vehicle, finding a few large stones to hide behind. You waited for Human Kite’s lead. At one, you’ll jump in and get in a clap with the dracs.

You could either end up living or be killed, yet both outcomes scared you fiercely. If you survive, then that means you’d have to relive this experience again. If you get ghosted, then it’s game over.

But those two were just mere bad thoughts to the grand nightmare that was losing Mysterion. 

You two weren’t together. You two were just drifters, existing outside of the space of platonic, romantic, and sexual desires. You joked with each other like best friends, kissed like lovers, and persevere like partners—although any sort of action you guys had were few and far between.

You cherished those moments, though. You cherished him. Every single goddamn inch of whatever he had to offer. His touch, his brightness, his smile, his kindness, his scars that littered his body, his heart full of gold that was fueled out of retribution. 

Losing him was your greatest fear, even if you knew he wasn’t yours to begin with.

However, there was no turning back now. You guys were here. For all you know, you could’ve been spotted already.

 Human Kite started to count down as soon as you knew it.

“Five,” he whispered.

“Four,” you held your breath, looking over to the group of unsuspecting Dracs.

“Three,” you tightened your grip on your ray gun you bought years ago at a vending machine—back when you still lived in the city.

“Two,” you swiftly glanced at Mysterion, savoring his beauty with the fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a second you had left.

“One.” 

All five of you jumped into the scene and started to blast the Dracs—dust from the ground quickly flying everywhere and blinding everyone. Amidst the cloud of sand, you could make out faint, white silhouettes. That’s how you knew where to shoot.

Both hands tight on your ray gun, you shot every Drac you saw, inching closer towards the center of their camp—where it was most dangerous. You had to wipe the dracs out for the safety of not just your friends but even the other gangs that settled near here.

One of them came flying at you, and by the Phoenix Witch’s grace, you were briskly able to dodge it. They barely missed you and instead landed face-first into the sand. Putting one foot on their back to hold them down, you shot them in the head. One zap to kill him, and then another to rid your frustrations.

“KN! Be careful!” A name called out. It was Mysterion, signaling to look behind you. You could see him run towards you.

As you turned to face whatever he was warning you about, you were met with the burning sensation of a ray piercing itself through your arm. “Fuck!” You cursed, nearly tumbling over from the pain. You had to hold yourself up, though, and continue fighting.

The moment you were hunched over, Mysterion was right by your side to help you. As you seethed through the pain, rebuilding the strength to stand back up, he acted as your human shield.

Once you were alright, your injured arm held your ray gun up high, the other hoisting it up by the forearm. You two needed to get out of the center quick. Back to back with your ray guns out, you two made a beeline out of the heart of the camp shooting back at the dracs that sent a hail of lasers and bullets toward the two of you.

When you were merely out of their reach, you felt Mysterion lose balance and fall on you. Adrenaline kicked in and, despite the state of your arm, you were able to hold him up. This would all be great if it weren’t for the red you spotted soaking through the grey fabric of his clothes.

“Mysterion, are you okay?” You only got a groan in reply. “Answer me!” You yelled, shaking his body. He was limp, though. 

Only one thought had bore itself in your mind: you are not going to let him let go like this. He’d be ashamed of you, and you’d be ashamed of yourself.

You peeked from behind a rock you two were hiding behind, checking to see Toolshed, Coon, and Human Kite. They seemed alright, none of them sustaining any injury yet. You had to act fast right now.

It seemed like the adrenaline in your body was the only thing keeping you alive since you mustered up the will to grab Mysterion and quickly get into the Trans AM, setting him in the back.

You took off the jacket around you and wrapped it tight against his torso to apply pressure. You shrugged his jacket off to wrap it around his leg for the same reason as well. You lifted the signature helmet he wore, giving him more air to breathe.

“Mysterion. You stay there, okay? I’m gonna tell Human Kite and the others to go.” You said, doubtful that he could hear you. You shut the door, though, and ran back to the field to find the rest of your group.

You spotted Human Kite, cornered by a bunch of Dracs. He looked like he knew he was fucked. Luckily, since you were from a distance, you were able to shoot a few of the dracs from behind. An easiness was now settling on the redhead’s face. You helped him fend off the rest of the Dracs there. After which, you leaned in close to him to whisper something.

“Kite,” you said, pants breaking up your speech.

“Yeah?” 

“Mysterion’s in the Trans. He got shot in the chest, side, and thigh.”

“Fuck.” He cursed under his breath, worry evident in his eyes.

“We gotta either dust these guys right now or book it.”

“Well,” he scanned the area, checking how many more Dracs are left. “There’s not that much left. You think we can take them down?”

“If you wanna go through it, we have to do it as fast as we can, or else we got a dead body on our hands.”

“I know.” He nodded, running to Toolshed and Coon to give them the news, you following behind. In an instant, they all started to shoot, and you did too. It didn’t long before each and every single one of them was ghosted.

Human Kite was in the driver’s, the Coon called shotgun, and so you and Toolshed were left to take care of Mysterion as the Coon asked the Chef for places with medical supplies.

All you could hear was your own heartbeat. Coon’s incessant yelling on the phone, the sputtering engine of the Trans Am, worried back and forths between Toolshed and Human Kite, and the faint sound of the radio in the back were white noise to your ears. All you stop and think about right now was Mysterion.

​The sole reason why Mysterion continued to keep on going was his sister, Karen, who still lived in Battery City. The two were separated after the Fires a few years ago. Ever since then, it's been his sole mission to find her and protect her. God knows if she’s been drugged by Better Living Industries or not, but he was sure of one thing: he was not going to BL/ind make an orphan out of her.

What about you? Did you have any reason to fight? You were stripped of your freedom and innocence at a young age, sure, but so was everyone else. You had no one and nothing in particular to live for, so really you didn’t have any reason to truly fight at first. 

However, when you learned why Mysterion worked relentlessly hard to take down BLi, you couldn’t help but admire him. From the day when you learned about his motivations, you made it your sole duty to protect him. Though you had nothing distinctly notable enough to live for, Mysterion did, and so you found your new purpose. 

It didn’t take a genius to realize how your worries consumed you. Guilt was not a word big enough to describe the insurmountable feeling of responsibility you had bubbling in your gut. You were embarrassed, ashamed to your very core for your carelessness and stupidity. Had you kept a better eye on Mysterion, he wouldn’t be halfway through Death’s front garden by now.

Once you five had arrived in the diner, Toolshed and Coon immediately rushed Mysterion to a small booth to patch him up. Human Kite, on the other hand, assisted the hole in your arm in the comfort of your room.

“You really care about him, don’t you?” He mused, fixing up the burn hole that pierced your arm. You were lucky that it didn’t go through the bone, only piercing your skin, flesh, and muscle.

Human Kite knew about the two of you—or at least had an idea. Neither of you hadn’t told anyone about anything, but you were sure it would be easy to spot if they looked close enough.

Were you two open about your ‘relationship’? Yes. Were you two obvious about it? No, but you’re certain he would be if he could. You two were always preoccupied with taking down dracs and scheming ways to overthrow BL/ind, so you barely had the time for each other. 

You could only love him in unpredictable, small doses, even if you wanted more than that. That made loving difficult, especially when you desperately longed for any sense of stability in your life. 

“Oh, don’t small talk me like that.” You sighed, rolling your eyes.

“It’s true, though, right?” He hummed, tongue sticking out as he redirected his focus on your arm.

“Yeah.”

“Are you two together anyways?”

“No.” You answered hesitantly, a vague image of a pout on your lips.

“Drifters?”

“You know, you’re really chatty right now. Wonder where that came from.” Despite your rather harsh reply, you did appreciate the conversation you were having with Human Kite. It served as a good distraction for the burning cold sensation that was the after sting of the laser.

Human Kite didn’t seem to take your comment to heart, though. “You’re not denying it, though.” 

“So? I’m not confirming it either.”

“Tell him that you like him.” You sucked in a breath, partially out of your discontentment with the idea and partially because of the raw sensation of a needle and thread being woven into your flesh.

“Kite, he’s literally nearing his deathbed as we’re talking. I don’t think I can tell him that I like him currently.” You humorously replied, a dry look on your face as you spoke.

He shrugged. “If he makes it, then.” 

“When he makes it.” You corrected.

“You’re so confusing.” He sighed, shaking his head.

“Thank you. I pride myself on it.”

———

The next day passes by and Human Kite, Toolshed, and Coon had gone to the Kitchen, where Chef’s base resided, and also did his radio concerts. They went to report the outcome of yesterday’s mission and receive their next one. After that, they would pass by Timmy Chow Mein to grab some more power pups and extra supplies.

That meant you were left alone with the recovering body of Mysterion, which was resting on the booth where he was fixed up the previous day. All you had to do was check if he was breathing and alive—which he was.

However, he’s been unconscious since yesterday, so even if blood pumped through his veins, it still meant he was under unstable conditions. You watched over his rather frail and pale body, shirtless and bandages wrapped everywhere.

His poor state made you worried. It didn’t seem like you guys would be getting out of your current predicament any time soon. Hell, you’ve been going at it for years now, the term ‘soon’ just seemed like a hopeless promise to you.

The dead can be many things. The dead can win, find peace, and be freed from the chains that have held them down, but the one thing they’ll never be are survivors.

But, of course, eventually, most things will come to an end, which meant BL/ind would face its inevitable downfall. The question is if you’ll be able to watch and savor the souls (or lack thereof) crashing down.

Maybe Kyle was right. Maybe you should tell him about your feelings.

What do you have to lose? Definitely your god-knows-what of a relationship with Mysterion, but it’s not like you were going to ember bridge your gang. That would be reckless, and even then you were sure neither of you wanted to see the other leave the troupe and get themselves ghosted (or worse, drugged by BL/ind).

You sat on the seat across the booth, watching Mysterion's features shine from the sun that hit his face, adorning his features further. Mindlessly, you grazed your fingers on his exposed skin. You wondered just when he’ll wake up. 

The question of yours did not take too long to be answered.

You heard a groan spill out of his lips, words you couldn’t make out being mumbled by him. Like instinct, you bolted up from your hunch-over position and observed him with a deeper focus in your eyes. “...Mysterion? Are you awake?”

“KN…” He murmured, eyes slowly opening and meeting yours.

“Mysterion!” You called out, leaping across the table.

“Ugh, what happened?” His voice was beyond coarse because of his lack of use.

You stood up and headed to the dirty kitchen behind the counter to grab a glass of water for him. “Things went Costa Rica during the clap, and you almost died—that’s what happened!”

“Mmf, thank you.” He said, finishing the drink in an instant, setting the glass on the table with a light slam. A heave exited his lips as he collected his breaths.

You knew he just woke up but had he no regard for himself? You’ve just broken the news to him that he almost got ghosted, completely dusted. He seemed to not care at all.

“Of course.” You huffed, brushing off your thoughts and rolling your eyes. You’ll probably get back to that later—when he’s more clearheaded.

“How long was I out for?” 

“A whole day.” You sighed, looking at him as your head rested on your arm propped on the table. ”The gang is out to report the mission to Chef and grab some stuff at Timmy’s.”

“Alright.” He nodded.

“You shouldn’t have come back to save me.” You spoke out mindlessly, voice barely above a whisper. You meant it in a way that you regret what you’d caused because of your recklessness.

He might have taken that differently, though. “I shouldn’t have? KN, if I helped Kite and the others out instead of you, you would be totally dusted right now. That’s for sure.”

He was right, though. You couldn’t get mad at that. You were all alone back there, and the cloud of dracs would’ve ganged up on you. With Mysterion, less damage was observed, yet the injuries all targeted him.

Then again, his life mattered more than yours. He had Karen. You had no one.

“Mysterion, you matter more in the grand scheme of things. You have a family to find. I got fucking nothing!”

“Don’t say that, KN. You’re worth a lot more than you think.” He fumed, but his voice did not raise. Not at all. The look of anger on his face was clear, though.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” You shook your head, taking a deep breath before continuing.  ”I know I matter or whatever, but you have something worth fighting for.”

“You’re worth fighting for, though.” He assured, taking both of his hands to hold your empty one.

You snapped. Words fell out of your mouth quicker than you could process the rate of them going. “And you are too! What you want is so much larger than who I’ll ever be. That’s why I’ve been hellbent on saving you!”

“You have?” He mouthed, horror melting on his face.

Hesitant to answer, you paused, body frozen. “Yeah...”

“I’m sure that’s not just why.” He continued—the terror once present now turning into an upset one.

Strike you confused since you didn’t know or understand what he was talking about. “The fuck you mean?”

“Do you like me?”

“Duh.” You bluntly answered, furrowing your brows.

“No, you don’t get it. Do you like like me?”

“Mysterion, you sound childish.”

“Answer my question.” He demanded, his eyes dark and piercing through you.

Well, you were backed into a corner now.

In the end, though, you had already thought about telling him. This was bound to be found out about at some point. Kite likely knew already, so what’s holding you back from telling Mysterion?

Fear, that is—even if it dissolved into nothing when you were with him.

You took a deep breath before you answer. “Yeah. I am in love with you.

“And so what?” You scoffed, finally straightening your posture to shoot him a look of scornfulness. ”I know I shouldn’t want you this way, especially if our lives are on the line every second of the day, but I can’t help it. I’m so hopelessly in love with you that I’m willing to sacrifice myself to get hurt in the process just so I can hold you for longer.

At this point, even if you weren’t even thinking of what you were saying, you couldn’t care less. You were finally able to set the record straight and tell him the truth. Although, you began to falter and crumble with every word you spoke. 

“I want time to fast forward to a future where we’re together, and everything is normal. I can’t, though. That’s why I settle for second best—which is protecting you and waiting for that day to come.

“Is that what you wanted to hear?” You spat.

You couldn’t read his reaction. You were helpless at that very moment. “Sugar…” He mumbled. 

You didn’t want him to call you that name for the longest time. You didn’t deserve a name that praised you to be sweet, to be caring because, when all is said and done, you were a monster.

You only went with the name because he seemed to love calling you that, and you loved him too dearly to stop him from doing so.

Yet, despite the head you held high, you started to crumble. Your words felt selfish and how was he supposed to take you seriously? You’re nothing more than a means to an end. What if he found your confession embarrassing? What if he didn’t want to be with you anymore?

“Shit, I know it’s stupid, but I ju-”

You were cut off by the sensation of Mysterion’s lips on yours.

This was nothing new, though. You two kissed all the time, so why did this one feel so different?

Maybe it was the way it felt like it lasted forever. Maybe it was how your arms were all over each other—clinging desperately as if the other would disappear into thin air if one of you let go. Maybe it was because you could read the desperation and longing on his tongue. The petals of his lips on yours felt like a confession that did not need any words—something holy.

Whatever it was, you didn’t want this to end.

In your mind, the moment you two pulled away from each other with breaths crooked and awry, you knew one thing in that instant: you must’ve been breathing him.

“Mysterion…” You mumbled, forehead beading with sweat pressing against his.

“Kenny. It’s Kenny. Say my name. You already know it’s the real one.”

“Kenny,” you breathed, his name feeling like a cool breeze on your tongue. It’s been years since you’ve last spoken his name.

You felt his lips form into a smile on yours. “YN, YN, YN.” He chanted your name like it was his favorite hymn.

Everything felt like it was in its right place, even for a split moment. It felt that a fraction of a second was all you needed to know everything was alright. To know that everything is, in fact, here. You and Kenny against the world.

“What is it?”

Pulling apart from each other’s bodies, his hands found themselves resting on the space of your shoulders. “I need, no, want you. I’ve wanted you for so fucking long now.”

“Why are you only telling me this right now?” You cooed.

“I was terrified,” he professed. ”I didn’t know if you wanted me as much as I did with you. That’s why I never pursued anything with you. I settled to be needed. It felt more comfortable that way anyway

“Besides, romance isn’t for the zones. If I was with you, my fear of losing you would be too amplified that might even kill me.”

With every word he spoke, you could feel your heart break a little more. He didn’t deserve to think this way, and you didn't deserve him to believe in you like this.

“At least you don’t have to be scared anymore.” You said reassuringly, taking the sides of his face into your hands, thumb caressing his cheek. ”I’ll be scared with you. Two negatives is a positive, right? We’ll find a way to work this out.”

“Please hold my hand as we work things through. Please,” he paused, hesitant to continue his next words. “Be with me.”

You nodded, finding your hand intertwined with his as you laid a soft kiss on it. “For as long as time allows us.”

(You thought to yourself, ‘Perhaps I’m a romantic as well.’)

[silentsneezes]

here’s another m/arauders snzfic for the void (it’s post Hogwarts & they’re in their early 20s). if anyone has any requests or prompts for m/arauders fics pls send them!! anyways, i hope someone enjoys this 900 word oneshot

It was rare that the group of vagabonds from Hogwarts saw each other after they graduated, and even rarer that those meetings weren’t tainted by the war. However, they occasionally forget about the war, the Order, and their responsibilities: pockets of time in which they could pretend to live normal lives, to be normal twenty year olds fresh out of school.

This was one of those times, as they sat in the backyard of James Potter’s family estate. Sirius Black had orchestrated the gathering, sending letters to their friends in riddled codes in case they fell into the wrong hands- one could never be too careful nowadays. Only a handful of people could make it, but Sirius considered it a success as soon as Remus walked through the door.

Sirius was, of course, excited to see everyone else as well. He’d only seen Marlene Mckinnon three or four times since graduating: brief encounters at Order of the Phoenix meetings. Nothing like the hours they used to spend theorizing and infodumping about their favorite quidditch teams.

And he always enjoyed seeing James, who he’d considered a second brother since his first year at Hogwarts.

Lily Evans was as kind and as welcoming as ever, and she shined particularly bright in the company of her friends. Sirius couldn’t help but think that Lily and James’s son was going to have the best smile in the world. He’d have to, with parents like that.

And Remus. Sirius didn’t know what they were, if anything, but he didn’t seem to care as long as he saw his Moony.

Truthfully, Sirius did care. Probably too much. He cared enough to avoid drinking whiskey- though he’d recently developed a taste for it- because he knew Remus didn’t like the taste of it when they kissed. He cared enough to change his tie three times in case Remus had a preference for one over the other. He finally discarded the notion of wearing a tie at all and unbuttoned the top of his shirt, letting it fall open slightly.

He’d even cared enough to take an allergy potion before everyone arrived, hoping not to make a fool out of himself. It didn’t take a genius to see it wasn’t working.

“Hehh-nghGHXT!Hehh-nghGHXT!”

Sirius stifled two harsh sneezes into his fist, sniffling and nodding his thanks as Marlene blessed him for the fourth time that hour. He forced himself to focus on her words rather than the constant itch in the back of his sinuses, prickling to the bridge of his nose.

Admittedly, sitting outside wasn’t the greatest idea on Sirius’s part. He’d considered the high pollen count and his history with summer allergies, but the promise of a beautiful sunset was enough to outweigh the possibility of an allergy attack.

Luckily for the black haired boy, Marlene cut off her long winded rant about the semi-final quidditch series and shrieked as her favorite song started playing.

“Sorry Sirius,” she apologized as Dorcas pulled her away to dance, grinning ear to ear. Sirius smiled and waved a dismissive hand before placing a finger under his nose.

His nostrils flared and his breath caught once, twice. And then it was gone. He sighed, sniffling and rubbing his nose to try and either quell the itch or induce a sneeze- whichever would give him relief. His nose decided on the latter and he ducked into his elbow, “hehH’RRSCHu! hURSCH’SHew!”

“Bless” Remus said as he dropped a handkerchief onto Sirius’s lap, sitting beside him at an old picnic table. Lily and James’s initials were carved into the wood- it had been their first item of furniture moved into their new house.

“Thanks,” Sirius snatched up the handkerchief gratefully, pressing it to his nose. Wrong choice. As soon as the fabric touched the sensitive appendage, Sirius’s breath hitched.

“hH’nGXXTtch!”

Sirius’s shoulders shook with the suppressed sneeze, his head bobbing towards his lap.

“Bless you.” Remus said with a pointed look, “High pollen count today, huh?”

Sirius waved his hand dismissively, tucking the handkerchief in his pocket and shooting Remus one of his trademark ‘Sirius Black’ grins, “S’ nothing I can’t handle.”

Remus rolled his eyes, but couldn’t stop himself from smiling. How could anyone not smile when Sirius looked at them like that?

“Besides, look at them,” Sirius smiled as he gestured to their friends, dancing, laughing, and living, “It’s worth it.”

Remus couldn’t argue with that. They had all lost so much from the war, and he knew they were certain to lose more.

“I suppose you’re right.”

“I’m always right,” Sirius quipped, smirking. His expression faltered as his nose twitched again. Before he even managed to grab the handkerchief, he snapped to the side with three sneezes, tumbling out in quick succession.

“hhH’HDSCHhew!-hRRSCHhu!-hhH’iDSCHIEw!”

“Bless you”

That was only the second of many blessing’s Remus gave Sirius as he had one of his infamous late-summer allergy attacks. Eventually, after much persuasion, Sirius followed Remus inside and begrudgingly took another allergy potion. All in all, it wasn’t terrible. Sure, he was a sneezy mess for the rest of the evening, but Remus stayed by his side until he fell asleep.

i know it’s short but i needed to write about them, i hope someone else can appreciate m/arauders sneeze content lol, im really hyperfixated on them at the moment

[rinmiko]

Elaborate on your NaruMitsu manifesto

okay this will have some spoilers from like most games tbh, there is just so much moments with them together, especially early games

but the main thing for them is that they just trust each other fully and would do absolutely ANYTHING for each other (other than illegal shit ofc)

Like first of all, Phoenix became an attorney to meet Miles in the court. I don’t care if they later changed his reasons to “i wanna help more people who were in the same situation as me” or “Mia inspired me to become a lawyer” cause sure, valid reasons, BUT THE FIRST GAME IS THE BASE GAME. HE WANTED TO MEET HIS EDGEWORTH. A MAN HE HASN’T SEEN IN YEARS. HE WANTED TO BE AN ARTIST, BUT BECAME A LAWYER. Not to mention Phoenix defended Miles against Von Karma to the point where Von Karma fucking died.

Meanwhile in the third game, Miles ends up flying over the whole country just to see if Phoenix is actually on his death bed (Phoenix falls through a bridge into a river and ends up in a hospital for two days. Larry apparently told Miles he was dying.) Like Edgeworth hopped on the quickest flight, thinking that Phoenix was dying or already dead, only to see his man lying in a hospital room, chilling with a cold. (At least they were equal now, Ahem “Miles Edgeworth chooses death” Ahem). During the hospital visit though, the fact that Phoenix gave Edgeworth his badge and told him to be a defence attorney, THE TRUST, like i know Miles has years in being a prosecutor, but still. Even Miles was hesitant. The whole ass hospital scene in general is just the most wholesome shit ever.

But like ofc, it wouldn’t be a good couple without some drama and fucked up stuff. Like i mentioned, Miles chooses death, leaving everyone to believe he committed suicide, only to come back later. Of course Phoenix gives him a cold shoulder, dude was legit just sad and angry whenever Miles’ name was mentioned in the second game.

And also the fact Phoenix lost his badge due to accepting fake evidence into the court, which he had no clue they were fake. (When i saw him as a hobo in the Apollo Justice game, i legit closed the game and didn’t play it for a while cause i had hard time accepting it lmao i was like 13). But also we get to know that Miles actually helps him to get his badge back, doing a shitton of paperwork and court stuff just to get his man his badge back. After that, the gaves rarely mention Miles, but he appears in the games still, doing some sort of business or just meeting up with Phoenix just because.

Like sure you could say they are just very good friends, but the fact that the first game was actually suppose to make them into a yaoi content (since that was very very popular back then and would most likely do good on the market) is also saying a lot. Even though the company wanted the boy love to be p gone from the game, there are just teasing the audience at some points where it’s evident that these two are in love.

“You have saddled me with unnecessary…. feelings..”

[themuseoftheviolets]

missing pieces

for @sapphicmicrofics august 18th prompt: missing

pairing: vanceity (emmeline/emma) + past emmary and emjily

word count: 645

part ii: last ones standing

There are pieces missing from her heart. Emma has felt their absence everyday for the past fourteen years, holes in the shapes of two bodies that once fit perfectly against her own.

She keeps James and Lily in her memory, the only place where they're still alive. She rejoins the war in their name, fights in an effort to protect their son. A boy she never knew, a boy who could have been her son, too — should have been her son. She doesn't really have anyone left. The people she loved are either dead or she has burned those bridges beyond repair long ago, so it's not really a surprise that she attaches herself to Emmeline in the first meeting of the new Order of The Phoenix. They had known each other once, gone on a couple of missions together. They hadn't been close by any means, but Emmeline was a familiar face in need of someone to come home to at night, and it had been so long since Emma had mattered to anyone, that when Emmeline approached her Emma made space for her in her heart, in her bed. She didn't fit like James and Lily did, but she was a warm body next to hers, and that's all they can hope to have, these days, when the war could take them away at any minute, without warning or apologies, when their hearts already belong to other people that they can never have back. A warm body, and some comfort on difficult nights, is all the luxury they can afford. ⋆ Emmeline has a lot of guilt in her heart, too much of it. She agonizes over her decision every second of everyday, thinking about Mary and how she's doing back home. She hasn't sent her a letter. The last time they had spoken to each other had been an argument, a breakup that neither of them had wanted but one that had been inevitable, and Mary had made it very clear that if Emmeline walked out the door to join another war that it would be the last she saw of Mary. Emmeline understood, even if it broke her heart, and she respected Mary's wishes. It was hard, to love someone when they were risking their life everyday. It was better to let go. Still, Emmeline couldn't bear to go through it alone. She hadn't meant to start anything with Emma. She had just wanted someone to talk to, a friend, someone she could trust. Emma was a familiar face, two years ahead of her at Hogwarts, someone she had fought with in the first war. At first they only offered each other a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, a couch to crash on. Emmeline hadn't meant for it to become more, but they were both lonely, both mourning past relationships. Emma told her about James and Lily, in the dark of her bedroom, and Emmeline talked to her about Mary. Months passed by like this, with Emmeline making something of a home in Emma's flat, with nights spent smoking on her windowsill, the moonlight showing little of their naked bodies, and mornings spent avoiding each other's eye in the light. Emmeline still felt guilty for leaving, even more so now that she had gotten herself into some sort of relationship with another woman. It felt like cheating on Mary, even though they weren't together anymore. But when she met the tip of a wand in a safe house, when she took her last breath, she found herself glad for the company. Emma wasn't the love of her life, and Emmeline wasn't the love of hers, but there had been love there, somewhere, for a time, amongst the old wounds and missing pieces. And that's all they could have hoped for, really. A little love to carry into their graves.

[sapientiiae]

@phoenixfiiire asked: 🎲 kiss roulette 41. A kiss out of spite

There was talks of the phoenix leaving again. Just when she’d let down her guard and allowed herself to believe he might actually linger, he was again speaking in hidden truths, mentioning that it wasn’t wise for him to get involved; interfering could have repercussions, and he’d once more uttered something about harm tending to fall on others simply because of his presence. 

The to-be-queen was, admittedly, disappointed to hear such talk. There were so many things she hadn’t learned about Joshua that she still wished to ask — not that she believed he would be entirely forthright in answering all of her queries. 

Though finding fault with him for being so cryptic with his answers felt a smidge hypocritical, considering she hadn’t been entirely candid with herself. She found herself enjoying the time she was able to spend with Joshua. He was fascinating, yes, but she also found herself enjoying the male’s company even when she wasn’t allowed to pester him for more answers. He’d showed compassion for the guards that had been so quick to throw shackles around his wrists and lock him away that day. He was witty, thoughtful, and perhaps he reminded her of herself in some ways. 

And then there was the day when she’d found him in that tucked away part of the castle, the room feeling alive as his fingers worked the melody. He was a master at the pianoforte, which had unintentionally earned him an additional bit of appreciation from the Hylian princess.

She did not wish for him to go. She’d insisted that he stay a bit longer rather than allowing himself to be so superstitious about his role as a Watcher and what ominous events might transpire from his presence alone. Though, she hadn’t been entirely transparent in her reasons for wanting him to stay, instead painting it as Hyrule Castle being a place where he could catch up on much needed rest or how they might be able to work together to leave a positive impact on the kingdom.

It hadn’t been enough to convince him, and her constant pressing for him to stay while he was adamant he depart had pushed the pair into a small spat. Based off their current tiff, it seemed unlikely Zelda would have many days with Joshua after today, and her dolefulness at that realization was slowly morphing into irritation because Goddesses she was tired of losing the people she’d cared for.

It was out of spite — either towards life or him choosing to leave — that Zelda rolled onto the tips of her toes, gloved hand wrapping around the back of his neck as she bridged what little distance remained, pressing her lips against his. If he was choosing to leave her, then she would leave him with this one kiss before they went their separate ways. 

She allowed the kiss to linger for only a few seconds, just enough for the moment to build with a hint of passion, before she pulled away. Despite the warmth that flooded her veins, a combination of both her anger and the kiss itself, her expression was cold, eyes an icy, barren wasteland when she pulled away. “You know your way around the castle. You can have one of the maids send me a message when you depart.” 

Without another word, the auburn-haired royal turned, making her way down the hall towards her personal library, towards the only thing that would be of any comfort right now.

[astrology-bf]

A Royal Headache

(CW: Contains Dawntrail Spoilers and Gay Stuff in July)

Knowledge is power.

Koana, the Second Promise of Tuliyollal, was a firm believer in the maxim. Even something basic and taken for granted like the use of fire is knowledge, and thus within a campfire’s embers the spark of empire may be found. Knowledge was what drew him to Sharlayan in the first place, and what still drove him even now: the power to effect positive change in ordinary people’s lives, and ensure Tural's lasting prosperity. Whatever else the Second Promise may have been, he was at heart a scholar dedicated to the public good.

As is a scholar’s wont when challenged, no sooner had Koana caught wind that Lamaty’i had also sought out allies in Sharlayan than did he commit himself to knowing everything he could about them. Know thine enemy, as the other maxim goes - a task made all the easier by the stroke of fortune that the very same Sharlayans that were helping him were personally acquainted his sister’s new followers.

Lamaty’i had found herself a concerningly impressive set of allies, if what Thancred and Urianger said was even partly true. While neither Alisaie and Alphinaud Leveilleur nor Krile Baldesion were archons, the former two had reputations that were the equal of Koana’s own allies despite their fairly tender age, and the latter was well known as Galuf’s granddaughter and a skilled mage of her own. But most concerning to Koana was the other person that his sister had cajoled into assisting her: Ifan Kaleid, the Warrior of Light himself.

Tales of the exploits of a man by such a title had indeed reached Tural, but only those that kept their ears to foreign gossip as Koana did could put a name to him. And only those with any interest in separating myth from fact would try to parse some truth from aforementioned stories: embellished, to Koana’s mind, as a magician riding on a phoenix and calling down a meteor to liberate a conquered nation from a dragon prince seemed mythological. Obviously embellished… or at least Koana thought so. Yet both his archon allies had confirmed the tales were largely true in essence, though missing certain elements or having certain flourishes. 

Now somewhat paranoid that Lamaty’i had lucked into some manner of demigod to fight on her behalf, Koana pressed Thancred and Urianger for more. He needed to know everything about the Warrior of Light if he had the slightest chance to plan around him. It was essential.

For all the help and counsel the pair proved willing to provide, however, discussion of the Warrior of Light was apparently a bridge too far. Thancred had quite adamantly refused to speak of Ifan in his absence, and though Urianger’s refusal was less obvious, the way he nimbly dodged Koana’s questions attested to how equally disinclined he was. They told him only the bare minimum: ‘magician’ was a title of his choosing to reflect his breadth of study, which was very wide and very deep despite his age, and that he was every bit the hero that the stories said. A good and kindly man that would do all within his power to take care of Lamaty’i. Otherwise, they said nothing - obviously believing Ifan was entitled to his privacy, however much it frustrated Koana.

While somewhat reassured that Lamaty’i was in good company, it didn’t change the calculus of Ifan being an unknown factor in a race where far too many factors were unknown, or beyond Koana’s control. From what it sounded like, if the Warrior of Light were of mind to do so he could eliminate the competition on a whim, even ones as dangerous as Bakool Ja and Zoraal Ja. The stories painted him as someone equal to his father, if such a being existed, yet achieving such around Koana’s own age. For many, that would have been good reason to throw in the towel, but neither Urianger nor Thancred expressed concern at being in competition with the Warrior of Light: quite the opposite, as the way they seemed to relish it gave off the impression that they viewed it as a friendly competition rather than a race whose outcome would decide Tuliyollal’s fate.

So he sought out alternatives. None of those frequenting Tuliyollal’s harborside would have more detailed knowledge of the Warrior of Light than Koana’s allies, so the Hhetsarro scholar did as he was wont to do and turned to books that covered recent history. A tough and oft expensive process, but gradually he built up a small trove of information wherein Koana might obtain a better sense of his opponent - the strengths he could lend Lamaty’i, and weaknesses Koana could exploit if necessary.

He was from Ul’dah, originally: a desert city in Eorzea and its heartland of thaumaturgy. From reports, Ifan was not merely that but also a practitioner of magics not seen since the Third Astral Era. Powerful, yes, but the narratives all emphasized his cleverness as what put him a cut above - the legend of the dragon prince, as Koana later learned, was a description of how Ifan had defeated Zenos yae Galvus in the skies over Ala Mhigo, putting all the arts he’d learned of Mhach, Amdapor, Nym, Allag, and even Sharlayan astrology to use in breaking past his human limits. He didn’t seem disposed towards technology, however, so Koana had that advantage. What troubled him moreso were the narratives of Ifan’s travels among people that Eorzeans called ‘beast tribes’, specifically the way in which the Warrior of Light seemed ill-disposed to heeding prejudice and prone to building bridges, like a sort of unofficial diplomat. That kind of talent was more dangerous than mere might, to Koana’s mind, as Lamaty’i lacked not for strength but rather for experience. Ifan, Krile, Alisaie, and Alphinaud could all provide that, and that made Lamaty’i a true contender.

So Koana read his books, and waited patiently, if apprehensively, to see his sister’s allies in the flesh.

The first thing that struck Koana was how ordinary Ifan looked, to the point it took him a good minute to realize the figure standing next to Lamaty’i was in fact the fabled Warrior of Light - and then only by process of elimination, as the ordinary man of five fulm eight with ash brown hair and clear preference for white clothing didn’t strike Koana as some sort of living myth. His bearing seemed quite lazy, actually, as if he were on holiday and not partaking in a contest to decide the ruler of Tuliyollal. To Koana, this suggested that he’d either dealt with things of such a serious nature that this seemed trifling by comparison, or that Ifan was just a thoroughly unserious person. And the impression that he got when meeting him up close was quite in favor of the latter.

Ifan was a silly man. He always had a smile, or smirk, or grin upon his face, and even from a distance it seemed he barely went a minute without teasing someone or suggesting they do something fun. Naturally, Lamaty’i was quite enamored of him: nor was he a help to her, as he seemed to encourage her to run around and waste time doing foolish things whenever he wasn’t doing something foolish of his own, like somehow managing to jump atop the palace just to get a decent view and then showing off to Lamaty’i by landing on his feet unharmed, much to her impressed amazement. And while Koana privately admitted that he found the deed somewhat impressive, the Second Promise was far less impressed by the Warrior of Light’s disinclination to use whatever legendary talents he kept up his sleeve to actually solve a problem, as he’d observed in Kozama’uka.

When presented with a challenge to resolve the Hanu’s failing crop of reeds, Koana had quite quickly identified the problem as being one of stagnant aether and had turned to alchemy to fix it. He’d worked quickly, and he’d had to - Ifan knew white magic, he had read, and it should be no difficulty for a master of such arts to simply wish the fields back to fuller health than they had ever been. While not ‘cheating’, it did seem unfair to Koana… or it would have, if Ifan had used any of his magic. But instead he’d gone along with Lamaty’i’s idea of conducting an archaic harvest festival to lift the Hanu’s spirits, and by sheer luck said rite had partially restored the fields to health in a very inefficient manner. Hardly a display of godlike magecraft, and Koana was prepared to write him off at seeing how feeble the results were in contrast to the rudimentary formula that Koana had concocted. 

Then he’d turned around to see the look that Ifan gave him after he’d performed his feat of alchemy. Every bit of silliness had vanished: his face was set into a softened frown, and his eyes were fixed on Koana in quiet suspicion. That prior laziness within his bearing was still there, but had shifted into something languid that reminded Koana of a jaguar sprawled on a rock as it debated if the thing before it was worth killing. The Hhetsarro had felt the hair upon his ears and tail bristle slightly at the sheer intensity in Ifan’s gaze… and then it was just gone. He blinked, then smiled his silly smile, and looked around as if he were about to ask if anyone would like to get something for lunch. 

Koana had recounted this strange and somewhat frightening episode to Urianger and Thancred, and they’d just chuckled and agreed that Ifan could be scary on occasion, before Thancred joked that Ifan had a mean right hook for a spellcaster. None of which did anything for Koana’s nerves. Nonetheless, for whatever reason they decided then that they’d reveal that they were helping him when next they met with Lamaty’i and those that followed her.

The reaction was far different from what he’d expected. Once more, it seemed the foreigners were treating the affair as more a friendly contest, and none seemed obviously aggrieved by the division. Alisaie and Thancred had bantered, and Ifan appeared more pleased to see both he and Urianger than he was annoyed that they were helping Koana. He’d also looked over the Second Promise once again, and even if he still seemed suspicious it now seemed also he was satisfied to some degree. Perhaps that was the reason Urianger and Thancred had revealed themselves - reassuring Ifan that Koana had good counsel. If it was, it was apparently enough.

For all Ifan’s silliness, however, he hadn’t hesitated for a moment when doing what he needed to when Lamaty’i was kidnapped. Though he’d glared silently at Koana when the latter had quite hastily implied he’d failed to keep an eye on her, he hadn’t said a word of protest when he was asked to accompany the Second Promise on the search. Whatever thoughts he had on Koana, his priority concern was Lamaty’i’s wellbeing: and that was something Koana could respect, as it was something he well understood himself.

His respect grew to appreciation as Ifan put his talents to full use in expediting matters.  Koana watched with fascination and concern at how skillfully the magician trailed their mark, somehow managing to simply step between discrete locations where he could observe the suspect while giving Koana a trail to follow at a longer distance. He’d leapt up into a tree with frightening speed when the suspect doubled back to see if he was followed, not noticing the Warrior of Light nor Koana. Thanks to him, they were able to confirm the suspect was indeed the culprit.

Ifan seemed to be impressed by Koana’s plan to bait the bandits out by posing as a merchant, too. To get them to their destination at Many Fires more rapidly, he’d performed a tandem teleport that Koana admitted was impressive in its deftness - even if he tried to avoid thinking about Ifan’s arm around his waist while it was going on. Then he’d played his role to sheer perfection in convincing folk that Koana was indeed a well-stocked merchant with a valuable supply of jewels, though it had made his eyebrow rise to hear himself referred to as ‘that handsome Hhetsarro’. And when it came time for the dangerous part, he hadn’t let Koana down.

The risk that Ifan might try and take advantage of the situation to knock Koana out of the running was one he had considered. He didn’t need to die for Ifan to accomplish it, either - if he learned where Lamaty’i was, he could go and rescue her himself and leave Koana to that fate instead. And there were several times as Koana made his way along the road to Earthenshire where he feared that outcome: Ifan was well hidden, assuming that he’d even followed, and Koana’s concealed sidearm could only do so much. That fear had peaked when the bandits had revealed themselves, and for a terrifying few moments Koana worried Ifan had abandoned him… And then he’d felt an irrepressible surge of joy as Ifan came to his rescue, even if it was what Koana planned. Ifan even winked at him as if apologizing for being cause for worry, and he felt his cheeks begin to prickle even if he wasn’t quite sure why.

Koana knew then his opinion was in need of serious revision. Silly he might be, but not unserious. All that needed to be said, it seemed, was all that Urianger and Thancred had told him: a good and kindly man, and every bit the hero that the stories said.

Perhaps that’s why Koana let his judgment lapse around him.

The trail had led them to the river, where agents of Bakool Ja had disabled any easy means they might pursue Lamatyi’s kidnappers. Though Thancred had gone on ahead, Koana didn’t have the skill in wildcraft or subterfuge to follow. He’d needed to remain behind, uselessly, while his baby sister was held captive by a violent brute. He could feel a migraine start to claw up from his neck and through his skull until it pinched behind his eyes, making thinking difficult. His judgment was impaired. 

So he’d let his feelings show.

He’d cried out in anger and told Ifan he was frustrated. And before he knew what he was saying, he’d told him of the reason that it hurt so much, why tradition didn’t matter… Because Koana’s clan left him behind. A mere infant, left behind as was occasionally the case with those that lived nomadic lives and could not support too many children. That he lived at all was due to kindness on Gulool Ja’s part. He couldn’t leave Lamaty’i behind for anything, not even being Dawnservant.

Then he caught himself. Koana set his jaw and jammed the feelings back where they belonged as he apologized to Ifan before giving him a chance to answer. Then the Second Promise had suggested they return to Many Fires to wait for Urianger and the others, to which Ifan had agreed with a quiet nod.

They now proceeded on the path between the dock and Many Fires, Koana’s gaze set dead ahead as he tried to fill his mind with something else, and failed.

“Koana.”

The Second Promise glanced at Ifan as his name was uttered. The magician wasn’t looking at him, his expression hesitant but still resolved.

“Hm?” hummed the Hhetsarro, one ear lifting with the query.

There was a pause, and a brief flicker of some strange emotion on the Hyur’s face. “Is it alright if I tell you something personal?” he asked, at length. His tone seemed strained.

Koana’s eyebrow rose at this, but he nodded nonetheless. “Of course. You need not fear you can’t speak freely to me.” he stated as he gave the other man a gracious bowing of his head.

Ifan glanced over at Koana for a moment. “I appreciate that.” he thanked, giving the Hhetsarro a small smile before he looked away again. It was a little while before he spoke again, and when he did his tone was strangely similar to that Koana used down by the docks. “My parents left me behind, too. Not on the road, like you, but your frustration is something I can understand. It feels the same way whenever my friends are in danger.” he stated. Then he sighed, and looked at Koana with a reassuring smile.  “You don’t need to feel like you’ve acted inappropriately. You’re doing the right thing.” he added with a nod.

The Second Promise blinked, and he felt his lips part slightly in surprise. His ears fell flat. “I-” he started, but his words failed him, and he looked away. 

That was something that he hadn’t read, and Koana knew that it was probably not common knowledge: something Ifan shared with him, to be vulnerable along with him. Koana felt his headache start to throb in protest as he wracked his brain for some response. “...I know not what to say, beyond offering my thanks.” he answered, giving a wince at both his migraine and his answer’s clumsiness.

The Warrior of Light looked over at Koana, frowning slightly as he watched the Second Promise wince. “Something the matter?” he asked, head tilting slightly.

Koana reached up to remove his glasses momentarily so he could rub his eyes. He shook his head. “A small headache. My neck is often bothersome.” he explained with a faint, defeated smile. ‘Often’ was an understatement: Koana struggled with stiff muscles in his neck and spine near constantly. He had a salve of his concoction that he used to ease it when he got the time to actually apply it and relax, but such occasions were a rarity of late.

Ifan looked Koana up and down, then nodded. “I’ll take a look at it while we wait for the others. Let’s find a seat.” he said matter-of-factly as he gestured up ahead at Many Fires.  

There was a pause as Koana’s ears flicked once, as if he hadn’t heard Ifan correctly. Then his eyes widened, and he stared at Ifan with incredulity. “Take a look at it? That isn’t-” he began.

“No arguments.” interrupted Ifan, giving Koana a sidelong glance and pointed smile. “We need you in good shape when we rescue Wuk Lamat.” he stated.

Koana felt his lips purse as he realized he’d been backed into a corner. “...I have no rebuttal. Very well.” he agreed, though no sooner had he said it than he began to wonder what ‘take a look at it’ entailed.

He wasn’t wondering for long. Ifan led them to a table out of public view, and bade Koana sit and undo his collar. Then he stood behind him, and Koana felt his ears shoot up as Ifan’s hands went to his to his neck and started kneading. 

What started as a stranger’s touch soon turned quite soothing. Koana couldn’t help but note how gentle Ifan’s fingers were as they felt along his neck and head to work out where the problems were; gentle, but still strong, as evidenced when Ifan’s fingers started working to undo the knots in the Hhetsarro’s muscles. It was uncomfortable, but of the kind of a tight knot being pulled apart with perseverance - before long, Koana felt his migraine start to ease. His eyes were slightly glazed as he started right ahead, lips parted in a contented little smile while both his ears and tail flicked whenever Ifan found a stubborn spot and worked the tension out. He couldn’t help but grunt and wince at Ifan’s thumbs along his upper spine and neck, to say nothing of their working right below and under both his ears in that particular spot that made Hhetsarro melt.

Before Koana realized it, a very happy purr escaped his chest.

Ifan paused for just a second, then he chuckled. “Someone’s enjoying themselves.” he observed.

Koana blinked, then sat up straight as both his ears shot up. “F-forgive me, I-” he stammered, tail curling in embarrassment. 

One of Ifan’s hands left Koana’s neck, going to his shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze. “I tease. My partner back in Sharlayan is of your folk, I’m familiar with the habits. Thank you for the compliment.” he said. Then he returned the hand to Koana’s neck, resuming the massage.

Koana’s face was flushed and burning, but he felt a little better for the reassurance. He swallowed and nodded. “...You have exceptional skill, I’ll admit.” he complimented with a breathy laugh. Then paused and hummed as he gave more consideration to what Ifan said. “Your partner is Hhetsarro? What are they like, if you do not mind my curiosity?” he asked. 

Ifan smiled. “Not at all. You might know of him, considering he was at the Studium at roughly the same time. G’raha Tia is his name.” he answered, fingers sliding to beneath Koana’s jaw and working up around the skull towards his ears. 

The name struck Koana as familiar, but not from personal acquaintance. He hummed again, then blinked in realization. “You do not mean the same G’raha Tia as the author of The Decline and Fall of the Allagan Empire ?” he asked, his tone a little disbelieving. “I must have read that thesis back to back a hundred times!” the Second Promise all but exclaimed, glancing up and back at Ifan’s face.

“Fan of him, are you?” asked the Hyur with a teasing grin.

Koana felt his face prickle, and he turned his head back forward and cleared his throat. “His work was most thought-provoking, though I have not had the honor of a personal meeting.” he replied.

Ifan snickered. “I’d be happy to introduce you, if everything works out.” he offered. “My own area of expertise is the Fifth Astral Era, so I think he’ll appreciate having another person to chat about aetherochemistry with. And if you ever get interested in more magical subjects, I’d be happy to teach you a few things myself.” he added airily.

Koana didn’t answer right away. He wondered why the offer had been made… and then he realized that him wondering was the point. Ifan was distracting him from Lamaty’i being missing, and that was helping just as much with his migraine as the magician’s hands. Koana felt his face begin to soften as he smiled in gratitude. “You are far too kind. Thancred and Urianger told no falsehoods when they spoke of your generosity.” he said, quietly.

“They’re very sweet, and you seem pretty kind yourself.” replied Ifan with a little chuckle. Then he hummed and gave a nod. “Tell you what. How about… Here on out, we call this a friendly competition? It’ll be easier to watch out for Wuk Lamat while she finds her feet, if we’re watching each others’ backs too.” he suggested, pausing in his kneading so Koana could consider it.

The Second Promise thought about it. It could easily be a strategy to get him to lower his guard, but somehow Koana knew Ifan was being genuine. He remembered that feeling of elation at seeing the Warrior of Light appear right as he needed him, to say nothing of how awful this affair would be if Ifan and his friends were not here to help Koana rescue Lamaty’i… The answer was quite obvious. Koana nodded. “I would like that, champion.” he agreed.

Ifan smiled rather warmly before picking up where he left off. “You can just call me ‘Ifan’, my lord prince.” he stated, his tone slightly smug.

Koana’s smile settled into a chastened and somewhat embarrassed look. “...I am hardly such a thing.” he muttered.

“Would ‘beloved and most radiant Second Promise’ be more appropriate?” hummed Ifan, indulgently.

The Second Promise felt his cheeks burn as his lips twisted, ears splayed flat out to the sides. “...I suppose the alternative is fine, if such is the price for your silence.” he consented, at length.

Ifan paused his kneading to lean down and grin at Koana from over his shoulder. “I should thank the pelu pelu for getting you all so habituated to haggling.” he teased, giving the Hhetsarro another wink.

Koana pursed his lips, but mostly to just hide the smile he felt upon his face seeing Ifan grin at him. Then an amused huff escaped his nose, and he let his smile show through. “Your efforts to keep my mind off Lamaty’i are noticed, Ifan. I’m extremely grateful.” he thanked.

Ifan’s grin settled into a sympathetic smile. “I know what going through life with a hot head feels like, and I wouldn’t want you doing anything you’d regret. The same thing applies to your sister.” he said, giving Koana another reassuring squeeze upon the shoulder.

Despite the circumstances, Koana felt much better. His neck wasn’t as sore, his headache was near gone, and even though Lamaty’i was still missing… He had people he could count on. “She is in good hands.” he said.

“As are you. Thancred and Urianger won’t let you down, I can promise you that.” Ifan replied, tone quiet and reassuring.

Koana frowned a little. “Strange to hear you say such. One might think you uncertain of the outcome.” he observed.

There was a pause. Then Ifan hummed. “I am.” he admitted.

The Second Promise blinked, and turned his head to look up towards Ifan once again. “You do not believe my sister will succeed?” he asked, his disbelief apparent at the notion Ifan would say such a thing at all, much less to Lamaty’i’s rival.

Ifan smirked. “Bold question.” he answered, pointedly.

Koana blinked in realization, then nodded. “You are correct, forgive me.” he apologized, as he looked ahead again.

“You’re all right.” snickered the mage. Then he took some time to choose his words, continuing to knead Koana’s neck. “My meaning is less a prediction as to who will win, and more an observation that you seem to be a decent man who deserves the benefit of the doubt. When I say Thancred and Urianger won’t let you down, what I mean is that if you do end up succeeding then you don’t need to fear that you won’t be ready for the job - they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you can be the ruler Tural deserves. They clearly feel you have the makings of a good leader, and after what I’ve seen today… I agree with them, even if I have my own chocobo in the race.” His hands left Koana’s neck as his words faded, and the Warrior of Light gave him a friendly pat between the shoulderblades to let him know that he could do his collar up again.

Koana made no move to do so, nor even replied: he had no words. He wasn’t even sure how he should feel. Ifan should be telling him that Lamaty’i was quite clearly the next Dawnservant and that Koana would fail miserably, not giving him a boost of confidence and helping with his headache. He tried to think of anything to say… and couldn’t. He’d likely need more time.

Ifan didn’t seem to take offense at Koana’s lack of answer. Instead he reached around and redid his collar for him, and gave him silent space to think. Only when he spied some figures on the road approaching Many Fires did he speak again. “Ah, there they are.” he stated, walking forward and glancing back to Koana with a smile.  “Let’s see what we can do about getting this mess fixed.” he added.

Koana’s eyes met Ifan’s. Then he nodded. “Indeed.” He reached up to make sure that his collar was done properly, and stood once he was satisfied with the results. Then Koana paused again, and offered him a smile. “...Thank you, Ifan. I mean it.” he managed as his ears and tail flicked once.

Ifan smiled back warmly, then gave a teasing grin. “Anytime, my lord prince.” he snickered. Then he stuck his tongue out at Koana from between his teeth and turned to head towards where Urianger and the others were approaching.

The Second Promise flushed deeply and gave the Warrior of Light another flattened frown, though the magician’s back was now turned. It was difficult to stay indignant, though, given that Koana’s headache was now eased. To think he needed a massage and nothing more complex than that. It was silly.

Normally, Koana had no time for silly things. But for this very silly man, the Second Promise was debating an exception.

[mermaidfantasy05]

Ninjago #1: Ninjago's Potrayal In Webseries

I've actually deliberated over this for a while. Since in the webseries, instead of people sized Lego people, all the characters would be portrayed as human (both because that's always how I've seen them in my head and maybe hopefully Lego Team would consider the change different enough where they won't try and DMCA me) and I was putting Ninjago in the real world instead of its own realm as its portrayed in canon (again, to hopefully dissuade Lego Team from wanting to sue the brakes off my ass and also just because I think it'd be interesting), I thought of just portraying Ninjago City. But well, I've always been a sucker for fantasy, especially urban fantasy. This also gives me a great excuse to learn more about Asia's mythology and how all the different regions and the countries in those regions interpret it! So yay, silver linings!

So, in the webseries, Ninjago would be its own country. I recently got into Ace Attorney (I have the Phoenix Wright trilogy on my Switch and i'm on Bridge to Turnabout) and while looking over the TVTropes page (I do that for all the media i'm into) and watching YouTube videos about Ace Attorney, learned all about the localizations and Japanifornia. So, that's what i'm basing Ninjago off of, which makes sense since, in canon, Ninjago also has western inspiration in addition to the Japanese inspiration. Which brings me to the first fun fact I learned while researching Japan (since Ninjago has a lot of japanese inspiration), I learned that Japan has free healthcare! Well, mostly free, they have to pay 30% of their medical bills themselves, but hey, considering that I live in a capitalist hell state, I'll take it! Also, according to the websites I've looked at for more information, the insurance is provided by the state.

(I now lowkey wonder what kind of insurance the ninja have. It can't be SHI because that's for everyone that's employed full-time by a large or medium company. And last time I checked, none of the ninja work for a medium or large company. Unless Cyrus Borg has them on his payroll and just lies to the government every year that he employs the ninja).

I really loved the realm merge in Dragons Rising and the fact that there were all these different.... races? Species? now in Ninjago because of it and how they had a whole place where all these different cultures could gather and hang out and sell wares and food and clothes and stuff from their home realms and they have contests and events and I just.... I really loved it. Like LOVED it. I just love when they have blended societies in media. Which brings me right back to my love of urban fantasy. I love love LOVE Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the whole mystical yokai city under New York they had in the show and how there were hidden hangout places for the yokai up in New York. So, taking elements from ROTTNMT and Dragons Rising, instead of a realm merge, Yokai have been part of Ninjago's history from the start and by modern day have completely integrated into regular society. So, there's shops run by yokai that sell all kinds of mystic stuff as well as restaurants that sell yokai cuisine. Also, dragons have also been part of Ninjago's history since the start and yes, it's pretty much like how Berk from the How To Train Your Dragon Franchise would have been if it was set in the modern day instead of viking times.

There's so much more I want to talk about: how machines and AI like Zane and P.I.X.A.L are viewed, Yokai shops and cuisine, what daily life is like in Ninjago City (Ninjago in general) with dragons flying around, passing through or even just setting up roost there, the Yokai that live in Ninjago and Ninjago City, the gangs that have sprung up over the years (since the webseries would focus on the Ninja's children), how the Serpentine are doing, ect, but this post is already quite long so I'll have to talk about these things in separate posts.

Since I think I've covered all the basics of how I would portray Ninjago in my hypothetical webseries, i'm going to end this post here and share future thoughts I have on Ninjago's portrayal in said hypothetical webseries in future posts. I hope you all enjoyed this post!

[female-buckets]

The five-time Olympic champion and WNBA's all-time leading scorer looks to break more records on the Olympic stage.

As Diana Taurasi steps off the court to take a break during USA women’s basketball team camp in Atlanta, she finds herself standing between the sport’s past and future.

On one side is Seimone Augustus, her teammate on three Olympic teams. On the other is Aliyah Boston, the WNBA Rookie of the Year, participating in the senior women’s camp for the first time. Taurasi, a five-time Olympic gold medallist, is the bridge between these eras of USA women's basketball.

The company she’s playing with has changed drastically from when Taurasi started her Olympic run in 2004. Dawn Staley, her teammate at Athens 2004, was her coach at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Augustus won gold with Taurasi at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. Now, Augustus is on the committee selecting the 2024 team for USA Basketball. Even Sue Bird, who won five golds alongside Taurasi, has retired.

“In a lot of ways, it's my first Olympics too, because it's my first time around a lot of these young guns. And I've had such a great time really getting to know Kahleah Copper, getting to know Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum,” Taurasi said.

“It's these relationships. You play against them and you really don't know them, on a personal level, because my generation, we've kind of left.”

If Taurasi does make the national squad headed to Paris 2024, where the U.S. is looking to win its seventh consecutive gold, she will be 42 years old when the Olympics start. If she can win gold with Team USA, she will become the most-decorated team athlete of all time.

Getting these accolades, however, doesn't matter as much to her as continuing the legacy of US women in basketball.

“Every time I come to one of these camps, it gives me this hit of energy and adrenaline that we have so much to represent. USA Basketball is such an amazing culture of history and partnership, and teammates and all these relationships that you build throughout your whole career,” Taurasi said. “You put the jersey on for the next person, and people have done that for me and hopefully I'm doing it for the next generation.”

Taurasi just finished her 19th season with the Phoenix Mercury. She has three championship titles, leads the league in all-time points scored, and became the first WNBA player to pass the 10,000 point mark.

After making history time and time again, the thing that keeps pushing Taurasi to play basketball is that she still has that drive to win.

“Look, I’m a competitive motherfucker. I'm still very competitive at what I do. I still love to compete," she said. "I still love to get ready every single day. In my iPhone, I have a little countdown to Paris and if all the things line up, hopefully I get an opportunity to go represent my country. And that's what I'll do."

While Taurasi laughed off the idea of trying 3x3 basketball to have the chance to double up on her medal total, she said she loves how 3x3 brings the sport to its roots.

“I started loving basketball playing three-on-three. It was called Hoop It Up," the five-time Olympian said. "It was in Huntington Beach every summer and I played every single summer for the first eight years of my playing career. I love three-on-three so much: the blacktop, outside. There's this one-on-one competitive thing. But three on three is really hard. It's a young person game. It is physical. It is quick, it is fast, and I really enjoyed watching."

If we see Taurasi in a Team USA uniform in Paris, it will be for the five-on-five version of the game. To her, it’s not about adding to her medals or even breaking records. She’s done all that.

“The medals are cool, but the memories are better. Without a doubt,” Taurasi said.

[simcardiac-arrested]

Which phoenix wright character would survive the longest in lethal company

definitely phoenix because he’s survived 1. eating poison and glass shards 2. being hit over the head with a fire extinguisher 3. falling off a bridge into an ice cold river 4. being hit by a car All in that order. he’s like a cartoon character he can survive ANYTHING. let him into the lethal company facility his entire crew is going to perish awfully but he will run out completely unharmed

[mandareeboo]

You want a Drabble prompt? Here’s one, Zagan thought she’d hang out with Norma she has no idea what to do when the cute girl pledges service?

There's a long, dead silence as Norma casually throws a trussed up angel at the Queen's sarcophagus, dipping into a bow entirely too casual for the situation.

"Your Majesties," she greets.

"What," says the Queen, blinking curiously at her, "did you do?"

"Nothing much. I found this angel skulking around the neutral plane, hooked up some improvised booby traps, hit it in the face with a shovel, then trussed it up with leftover lights from the Christmas in July event." Norma, catching on to the ever-growing confusion, shrugged. "It makes more sense if you've seen the film Home Alone."

"Hated that movie," Temeluches commented, cracking his knuckles. "Thanks for the free info, Norma."

"Sure thing. Mind if I go now?"

"Not at all."

"Thanks." Norma stood, bowed, and exited.

Zagan watched the debacle with a detached sense of stage fright. It was great to see more of Norma. That was kind of why she'd given the teen her number in the first place. But the more time demons hung around humans, the more they were all beginning to realize that humans were batshit insane.

The Queen couldn't exactly turn to look at her, but Zagan saw a yellow eye slowly slide towards her. "What ails you, precious?"

"Reeks of blood," she said, and it wasn't a lie. Zagan rubbed her thumb and forefinger together across the bridge of her nose to keep back a familiar urge.

But her mother was far less understanding about Zagan's wish to respect her friend's space and species preference. "Ah. Go feast, then, dear."

Zagan didn't argue, but she wished she could. Wished she could say, 'she just brought us a huge boon and is injured, and you still can't respect her?' Alas, mother is not someone she can deny.

The vampire found Norma just outside the big doors to her castle, and she found her wrapping her forearm with a steady hand. Zagan set her hand on her hip and laughed a little. "Maybe we should make you our field medic."

Norma smiled tightly. "Standard procedure for working at Phoenix Parks. If you can do it yourself, you don't go to the hospital." She jerked her head towards the interrogation likely happening within. "I thought you'd be more interested in that."

"Eugh, I am," she groused. "Mom shooed me away."

She hummed agreement and held out the wound, still half-wrapped. "Snack?"

"You're offering?"

"That's why she sent you out here, isn't it?"

Zagan tsks and slaps her hand away. "Believe it or not, I didn't give you my number for a dine and dash."

"Ah," said Norma, as if she was just remembering. "I don't really know what to do with that. Something tells me my cell phone won't connect to the lower planes."

"You got a scrying pool?"

She stared at her blandly.

"We'll get you a scrying pool," Zagan promised. "Makes it easier to give us reports."

Norma tied off the last bit of gauze and didn't reply.

Zagan leaned awkwardly against the wood door. "This is weird, isn't it?"

"Every social interaction is weird to me," she replied with a shrug. "I don't mind the company."

"I'm sorry," Zagan added, feeling like she should've done it sooner. "For your loss, or whatever. If I'd known... I didn't know. I just thought we were having a fun time."

"We were. It's not your fault the angels aren't what they're cracked up to be." Norma flexed her arm, smiling at the mobility. "That's the whole point of this, isn't it? Revenge?"

"I mean, I just wanted to hang out with a cute girl, but you do you."

It takes Norma a moment to catch up, turning a bright shade of red. Zagan smiled with a hint of fang.

"Wanna grab a bite?" she offered. "There's a diner a floor up that serves food you can probably digest."

Norma pulled her sleeve over the wrappings, and they both could pretend the whole thing was normal and okay. Just two gals being pals instead of comrades at arms. "Sure."

[steppingupforseniorsinarizona]

The Power of Charities: Supporting our Elderly Community

In a world that often seems to revolve around youth, it's crucial not to forget about our elderly population. Charities dedicated to supporting elders play a vital role in ensuring that our seniors can live their later years with dignity, comfort, and a sense of belonging.

As we age, many of us face unique challenges, such as declining health, limited mobility, and, at times, social isolation. This is where charities step in, working tirelessly to bridge the gap between the elderly and the resources they need. One of the most commendable aspects of these organizations is their commitment to enhancing the overall quality of life for our seniors.

Charities for elders offer a wide range of services, from providing essential medical care to companionship programs that help combat loneliness. They organize events, workshops, and outings that not only keep our seniors engaged but also nurture a sense of belonging within the community.

These charities also work to ensure access to necessities, like food and shelter. Many elderly individuals struggle with financial constraints, and charities help alleviate this burden through Meals on Wheels programs, housing initiatives, and financial aid for prescription medications.

One of the beautiful aspects of charities for elders is the heartwarming stories they create every day. These organizations bring together passionate volunteers and caring individuals who understand that our seniors hold a wealth of wisdom and experiences. They give back to those who have given us so much over the years.

As a society, it's crucial that we recognize the importance of these charities and the remarkable work they do. Whether through donations, volunteering, or even a simple visit to a local retirement home, each one of us can make a difference in the lives of our elders. Let's remember that aging is a natural part of life, and by supporting charities dedicated to our seniors, we show our commitment to ensuring that their golden years truly shine.

Welcome to Stepping Up for Seniors, a dedicated organization committed to making a positive impact in the lives of low-income seniors who require assistance yet lack the essential family support and financial resources to access the help they need. Our mission is simple but profound - to provide a helping hand and bring hope to those in their golden years who might otherwise be left without the vital support they deserve.

Our organization is not just a helping hand; we are a lifeline for low-income seniors seeking support and care. With a team of dedicated professionals and a network of compassionate volunteers, we work tirelessly to make a meaningful difference in the lives of seniors who have walked a long and challenging journey.

Join us in our mission to lift the spirits of low-income seniors and provide them with the care and resources they deserve. Together, we can make a profound impact, ensuring that every senior in our community can enjoy their golden years with grace, respect, and joy.

Explore our website to learn more about our programs and discover how you can get involved in Stepping Up for Seniors. Let's step up together for those who have paved the way for us and deserve to be cherished in their retirement years.

Stepping Up For Seniors

assisting seniors in Phoenix

assistance for elders Phoenix