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kmomof4 · 5 months

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A Christmas Surprise- NEW CHAPTER!!

Summary: Elsa Jones enlists her friend Emma Swan to come up with a scheme to surprise her niece Alice Jones when her Papa, Killian, returns from deployment just in time for Christmas.

If you're thinking this fic sounds familiar, you're right! I originally wrote this fic two years ago, but last year an idea came to me of how I could continue the story. It was too close to Christmas last year to get it done, so I wrote this addition last spring and it's been waiting for December to get here so I could post it!! I still think this fic is the cutest thing I've ever written and I hope you enjoy this continuation. The addition turned out to be much too long, so I divided it up into three chs. The next ch will post on Tuesday with the final ch posting next Friday.

On ao3 from the beginning/ current ch

Words: 5225 of 18,550

Rating: G, total Christmas fluff ahead!!!

All the love and thanks to @jrob64 and @snowbellewells for being the best betas out there. I so hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

Tagging the usuals. Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed.

@teamhook @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @artistic-writer @xarandomdreamx @undercaffinatednightmare @the-darkdragonfly @stahlop @superchocovian @pirateprincessofpizza @tiganasummertree @anmylica @cosette141 @motherkatereloyshipper @zaharadessert @jonesfandomfanatic @ultraluckycatnd @jennjenn615 @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @kymbersmith-90 @booksteaandtoomuchtv @wistfulcynic @mie779 @lfh1226-linda @aprilqueen84 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @pirateherokillian @elfiola @ilovemesomekillianjones @justanother-unluckysoul @poptart-cat-78 @myfearless-love @goforlaunchcee @searchingwardrobes @gingerpolyglot @gingerchangeling @djlbg @cocohook38 @cs-rylie @thisonesatellite @donteattheappleshook @deckerstarblanche @veryverynotgoodwrites @wefoundloveunderthelight @fleurdepetite @alexa-fangirl-forever @bluewildcatfanatic

@qualitycoffeethings

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

Killian Jones sat in the darkness of the giant present in which he was hiding, waiting for his daughter’s Christmas program to begin. He couldn’t wait to see his starfish when he surprised her after she sang her solo this evening. He was proud to serve his country, but the long deployments made things especially difficult. Having Liam and Elsa so close by and willing to care for Alice when he was gone was a blessing he didn’t take for granted in the least, but he was so thankful that he was home for good now and was eligible to retire in just a few more months.

Which made him think about what would come next. What the future might hold and how the lovely Emma Swan might fit into it. He’d been thoroughly gobsmacked when he laid eyes on the golden haired beauty who was Alice’s teacher when he arrived at the school earlier. And then the revelation that she was single sent his heart rate ratcheting up like he hadn’t experienced since he’d met his late wife. It had been six years since he’d lost his beloved Milah, and the thought of re-entering the dating scene hadn’t crossed his mind once in all that time. He was still relatively young and handsome, but with his very young daughter and Navy career, he didn’t have the time or inclination to put himself back out there.

But Emma Swan might just change his mind on that front.

He knew his countenance sported a goofy, thoroughly besotted smile when he heard movement on the outside of the box in which he sat. Bright light from the auditorium flooded the dark space as the small door in the side of it opened, helping him immensely in the schooling of his features before being confronted with the object of his thoughts as she handed him his dinner.

“Do you have enough light to see to eat in here?” Emma asked, looking around.

Killian grimaced. He hadn’t really thought of that. “Perhaps not.”

“I can stay for a bit while you eat, turn the flashlight on on my phone. So you can see to eat,” she stammered. The blush on her cheeks was adorable, and Killian’s heart rate picked up yet again.

“That would be great. Thank you, Emma.”

She smiled as she moved into the space with him. It was a bit cramped with them both sitting on the floor, but he didn’t mind it at all. He tucked into his Christmas meal of roast turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans and cranberry salad as Emma told him about some of the antics Henry, Alice, and her cousins had gotten up to this semester.

She told him about Liam Jr and Colin hiding Alice’s pencil box on the first day of school. Meant as an initiation of sorts, it had made Elsa’s morning that much more hectic and stressful trying to find it and make it to school on time. Emma related how she’d had trouble containing her giggles when the twins confessed what they’d done, handed over the pencil box, and got exactly what was coming to them from their mother. Later on the same day, in retaliation, Alice and Henry had hidden away the twins’ lunch boxes. Killian had to stifle his laughter at the story.

Then Emma told him about the time just a few weeks ago when Alice was delayed coming back from the restroom. When Emma went to look for her, she found the child peeking into the auditorium where her cousins were engaged in a basketball game with another school in the area. Colin had just made a shot, and Alice was cheering loudly for her cousin from the hallway when Emma found her. Killian’s heart swelled.

By this time, he’d finished his meal and it was time for Emma to depart.

“Alice’s solo is I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Emma explained. “Do you sing at all? Why don’t you join her for the last line of the song? She’ll just be singing the stanza we all know and love twice, with a bridge in between, so you’ll know exactly when to come in.” Emma’s face was lit up in the light from her phone, and Killian grinned, even as his cheeks heated.

He scratched behind his ear in embarrassment as he spoke. “I’ve been told,” he shrugged, “I have a reasonably nice sounding voice. I think that’s a great idea. So the second time she sings the verse, I’ll join her for the last line and come out of the box?”

Emma nodded. “Yes.” A little giggle burst from her lips as she rose, preparing to leave the cramped quarters, and Killian was utterly charmed. “I can’t wait to see the look on Alice’s face. I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

“I have too,” Killian agreed. “When Elsa told me what you had planned, I was excited too. And a bit overwhelmed,” he admitted. “That anyone besides Elsa would care so much about Alice that they would arrange something like this…” He trailed away for a moment. “Thank you, Emma.”

Emma had to look away from his sincere expression, a blush heating her cheeks. “You’re quite welcome, Killian. She’s an absolute dear and one of my favorite students. I’ll see you at the end of the program.” And with that, she slipped out of the box, leaving Killian to his thoughts.

~*~*~

Sitting there in the dark listening to the program going on onstage was torture. He could hear everything, and he had no doubt that if he joined in the laughter with the audience and then the sing-along towards the end of the program, the children on the stage would be able to hear him, thus spoiling the surprise. But the time finally came for Alice to sing her solo. A smile with just a touch of sadness and nostalgia broke over his face. Milah hadn’t been able to carry a tune in a bucket, but she loved to listen to him sing, especially to their baby girl at bedtime. He could hear the piano music, and then his Starfish began to sing with her strong and sweet voice.

I’ll be home for Christmas.

You can count on me.

Please have snow and mistletoe

And presents by the tree.

Christmas Eve will find me

Where the love light gleams.

I’ll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams.

Tears were coursing down his face as he listened, and he didn’t know if he was going to be able to wait for the last line of the song. He heard Alice begin the next stanza, but suddenly, she stopped singing and a hiccupping sob escaped her. Killian quickly dried his own tears and picked up where his Starfish had left off as he opened the box and stepped out in front of it.

Christmas Eve will find me

Where the love light gleams

Killian’s heart melted with love and pride when his eyes landed on Alice. She was looking at Emma who was knelt down next to her and was pointing towards him, tears shining in her eyes.

Alice turned toward him and the confusion on her face melted into pure unadulterated joy when she spotted him.

“Papa!” she shouted.

She ran across the stage and leapt into his waiting arms. His little girl had grown a lot in the last nine months, and he was nearly toppled by her enthusiastic greeting. Spinning around with his daughter in his arms, he planted loud, smacking kisses all over her face. He knew she missed him as much as he did her because she didn’t try to wiggle out of his embrace when he did that.

After he set her down, he looked around the quickly emptying auditorium, finding the rest of his family waiting to welcome him home. He hugged his twin nephews, Liam Jr. and Colin, tightly, exclaiming how they looked more like their father than ever. Then Alice was back in front of him, holding the hand of an older boy behind her.

“Papa, this is Henry Swan,” she introduced. “He’s my best friend.” She turned to her friend with a wide smile on her lips. Killian held out his hand for the young man to shake.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Henry,” Killian said, sincerely. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you befriending my Alice when I deployed last spring.” He looked down at his daughter as she hugged him tightly around the waist, draping his arm across her shoulders. “She can be shy, so it means a lot for someone to reach out to her when she only knew her cousins here at the school.”

The boy blushed as he shook Killian’s hand. “It was my pleasure, sir,” Henry said, a bit shyly himself.

Killian felt his own cheeks heat as he moved toward Emma, scratching behind his ear in nervousness.

“Thank you so much for this, Emma,” he said sincerely. “I truly can’t tell you what it means to me.”

Emma smiled, the action lighting up her green eyes, and Killian caught his breath. “I was happy to do it, Killian.”

He scratched behind his ear again, not meeting her eyes, searching for the words to ask this beautiful woman out on a date. “Could I… uh, would you mind if…” He remembered that Liam was fond of saying a man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets, and Killian had a feeling this lovely lady in front of him was definitely worth fighting for. He finally looked up at her and just spit it out. “Would you like to get a cup of coffee sometime? It’s the start of Christmas break, is it not?” he asked as she looked back at him after looking down at Henry, who stood beside her grinning widely.

“It is,” she affirmed. “And I’d love to have coffee with you, Killian.”

Killian couldn’t keep the grin off of his face if he tried. Being back home with his daughter and family around him, and now going on a date with one of the most beautiful women he’d ever laid eyes on, he had a feeling his life was on the precipice of something great. And he couldn’t wait to see what the future held.

~*~*~

It was Christmas Eve, and Killian didn’t think he could possibly be any happier. Having this time with his family after being away for nine months was a respite he desperately needed. And the addition of the time spent with Emma since they’d met a little over a week ago was only the icing on the cake.

The day after the Christmas program, he and Emma met for coffee, which stretched to lunch, and then all the way to the end of the day. Killian could feel his cheeks heat as he remembered the wide happy smiles on Elsa and Liam’s faces as they passed in front of the coffee shop where he and Emma had met, herding the four children toward Granny’s a couple of doors down for lunch. Killian had been completely oblivious to the time, and when Elsa caught his eye as they passed, he’d pulled out his phone, stunned to find that over two hours had passed in Emma’s delightful company. They quickly settled their tab and joined the rest of them at Granny’s where he got an up front and personal look at just how well Emma and Henry fit into his family. It was enough to really get him thinking about seriously pursuing Emma.

After lunch, he’d been loath to part from her, so had spontaneously invited her and Henry to accompany them as they sought out the perfect Christmas tree. Elsa and Liam hadn’t yet decorated when they received word that he’d be arriving home and decided to put it off until after he got there. It took the rest of the afternoon and evening to find, put up, and decorate the tree.

Since that first all day “date”, Emma and Henry had joined the Jones family for all of the requisite holiday traditions- decorating the rest of the Jones’ domicile, holiday baking, and ice-skating on the frozen pond in the park.

The kids had arranged an ice skating outing for all of them the previous Tuesday. Killian Jones might have served his country in the United States Navy for almost twenty years, but there was a big difference between being on a ship in the middle of the ocean and trying to navigate frozen water on nothing more than a single blade in the middle of his feet. Why they didn’t have double-bladed skates for adults to rent, he’d never know.

But he really couldn’t complain much since Emma was usually the one helping him to his feet when he fell. Alice and Henry had been concerned at first, but the more he fell, the funnier they thought it was. By the time he was ready to hang up the skates and just watch the rest of them, Alice and Henry’s red faces were as much from their laughter at him as from the cold. But again, he couldn’t complain, because seeing the happiness and laughter on his daughter’s face was well worth the humiliation of multiple wipeouts on the ice in front of the woman he really liked and wanted to impress. Thankfully, Emma soon joined him on the bench, where they sipped hot chocolate and laughed as they watched the children cavort on the rink.

Now, arriving back home after the Christmas Eve service at church, Killian couldn’t help the love and happiness blooming in his chest as he watched his family and the woman he was quickly falling for and her son gather around the tree for their gift exchange.

As he stood in the doorway to the kitchen watching them, Emma stood up and approached him. Her smile was bright and happy, and Killian returned it as she got closer.

“I’m just going to refill my glass,” she said, holding it up to show him. He moved quickly to the side to let her pass. A minute or so later, she stopped next to him on the way back out to the living room. “Are you coming?”

“Yes,” he replied. “I was just watching everyone for a minute.” He paused for a moment, and she was silent as he gathered his thoughts. “I’m so happy to be home,” he said in a whisper. He turned toward Emma, not sure if he spoke loud enough for her to hear him. Her eyes and smile were soft, and he knew she had.

“I know you are,” she said. “And I know how happy Alice and the rest of your family are to have you home as well. They missed you.”

“I missed them,” he said, looking back out at the room where everyone else was gathered. “It’s very hard being away from them for so many months at a time.”

“I couldn’t imagine,” she commiserated.

Liam looked up at them then and a spark of mischief appeared in his eye. Killian immediately was on the alert. That look always meant Liam was up to something.

“Oh, would you look at that,” he called jovially, pointing at them, then up to the top of the doorway where they stood.

Killian looked up and immediately felt his cheeks flame. He glanced at Emma, her countenance still directed to the greenery hanging above them, her jaw hanging open slightly. When she looked at him, bashful but pleased surprise was all over her face. He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten Liam and Elsa’s habit of hanging mistletoe in the doorway to the kitchen.

It was a tradition that had begun when they were dating. Liam had Elsa over for dinner in his apartment, and when he started bringing the dishes he’d prepared for their meal from the kitchen to the table, Elsa jumped up to help him. Each time they passed each other in the doorway, they’d kiss, so when Christmas rolled around, they decided it was the perfect place to hang the mistletoe. And it had hung there every year since.

Elsa couldn’t disguise her glee when she looked over at them. “Go on, Killian,” she urged. “You can’t break tradition.” Everyone in the room was now staring at them, with the kids exchanging furtive glances before joining together in only a moderately loud chant kiss kiss kiss. Killian glanced at Alice and Henry, taking in their smiling faces before turning back to Emma.

He leaned in close, never taking his eyes off hers. They sparkled with undisguised anticipation, but he had to make sure she was really agreeable before doing anything else, no matter what the members of the peanut gallery wanted.

“Are you alright with this, Emma?”

Her smile widened even more. “Yes, Killian,” she whispered.

“We’ll save a real kiss for when we don’t have an audience watching,” he whispered huskily, before brushing his lips against the corner of her mouth. He pulled back and was thrilled to see a deep blush on her cheeks and wide smile on her lips. She looked down, embarrassed, before making her way back to the living room where everyone had broken into whoops and cheers of celebration. Killian couldn’t help the surge of satisfaction he felt that she appeared to welcome his advances. He followed her into the living room and sat on the sofa, wrapping his arm around Alice as Liam Jr. got ready to play Santa and hand out the gifts.

Once they were handed out, it didn’t appear to have made any sort of dent in the pile under the tree. The twins and Alice had each been allowed to open two gifts- one a new set of pajamas they got every year, and then a second of their choosing from under the tree. Gifts between the adults would be exchanged in the morning, but Liam had gotten a joint gift for Elsa and Emma who also had gifts for each other, and Alice had a gift for Emma and Henry, Henry had a gift for Alice, and Emma had a gift for Killian.

They watched Henry and Alice open their presents to each other first. Henry was thrilled when he opened a new journal for him to write in, which appeared to have been hand made by his friend and was decorated with writing quotes and stickers. Henry was blushing furiously as Alice opened her gift, a hardbound copy of a story he’d written just for her. Alice and Killian both were completely stunned at the gift. Killian couldn’t imagine the kind of time and effort it would have required to make a gift like this. Alice threw her arms around Henry’s neck and gave him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you, Henry,” she gushed. “I’ll treasure it always.”

Then it was Emma’s turn, and she opened a travel mug with World’s Best Teacher on the side from Alice, and she was the one to open the gift for herself and Elsa from Liam- a gift certificate for the two of them for a spa day that included facials, massages, getting their nails done, as well as a gourmet lunch. Elsa squealed, and planted a very enthusiastic kiss on her husband’s lips in thanks. Emma laughed at the display.

“I won’t be doing that,” she quipped at Liam, a wide grin on her face. “But, thank you.”

Liam laughed. “I wouldn’t expect you to,” he shot right back at her, his arm around Elsa’s shoulders. “But, you’re welcome.”

Emma then opened her gift from Elsa to find warm fleece pajamas. Elsa knew how hard Emma found it to stay warm in the Maine winters, so the yellow and forest green plaid pjs were very welcome and appreciated. Emma bought Elsa a gift card to her favorite coffee shop that would likely last her at least a month.

Finally, Emma brought the gift she’d bought for Killian toward him. Killian was surprised, and he was sure she could see it on his face.

“You shouldn’t have, Emma,” he protested. “I don’t have anything for you.”

Emma shrugged, but she had a smile on her face. “Don’t worry about that. It really isn’t much. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I feel like I do know you after hearing Elsa and Alice talk about you the whole time you’ve been gone. So when I saw this while I was grocery shopping last week, I thought you probably missed it while you were gone.” She handed him a relatively tall and round gift, wrapped with the same paper that had wrapped the box he’d hidden in for the program. He opened it carefully and his jaw dropped in surprise before his eyes met hers.

“How did you know?” he asked, completely flabbergasted. In his hands was a very large tin of one of his very favorite treats, Pirouline hazelnut creme filled wafers.

“Elsa told me,” she replied. “She found some at the grocery store and bought them for Alice not long after you deployed so she could have one of her Papa’s favorite treats every day, since you couldn’t while you were gone.”

Killian felt the tears gathering in his eyes as he thought of his little girl enjoying the cookies on his behalf so she hopefully wouldn’t miss him quite so much. Emma grinned as he hugged Alice tightly to him and placed a kiss on the top of her head, so grateful to be back home with the ones he loved again.

“Thank you, Emma,” he choked out. “This means a lot.”

“You’re welcome.” She turned back toward Henry, catching him in the middle of a huge yawn. “Come on, kid,” she cajoled. “It’s time to head home and to bed, or Santa won’t come.”

“Uh huh,” Henry replied, a tired yet sarcastic smirk on his face as he rose to his feet. Emma ruffled his hair and smirked back at him in return.

“Or more likely, if you don’t go to bed soon, you won’t wake up early enough in the morning for us to make it to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for Grandpa’s Christmas pancakes,” she added. That got Henry moving quickly toward the door. Emma turned and faced the room. “Merry Christmas, everyone. We’ll see you…” Emma trailed away with a quiet chuckle. “Sometime next week.” Elsa rose to see Emma and Henry out, and Killian squeezed Alice and whispered in her ear.

“I’m just going to say goodnight to Emma, too,” he said. “Is that alright?”

Alice beamed at him. “Yes, Papa. I love Miss Swan. And I know you’ll love her, too.”

Killian was taken aback. Could she possibly mean…? Surely not, she was much too young for that. Or at least, he hoped she was…

Alice wasn’t finished. “You should go out on a real date. Without all of us.”

Killian frowned. “How do you know about dating?” he asked. “Aren’t you a little young for that?”

Alice rolled her eyes at him. She looked just like her mother when she did, and Killian felt a pang go through his heart. “I watch TV, Papa,” she informed him like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Killian rolled his eyes in response.

“So you’d be ok with me dating Miss Swan?” he asked, just to make sure.

Alice smiled and bopped him on the nose. “Yes, Papa.” Killian nodded and kissed Alice on the tip of her nose.

“I love you, Starfish.”

“I love you, too, Papa.”

Killian squeezed her one more time and rose from the sofa, arriving at the front door just as Emma and Henry were walking through it.

“Emma,” he called softly. She turned toward him and the smile that covered her face took his breath away. Elsa gave him a pleased and bashful smile as she moved back toward the living room and the rest of the family. “I just wanted to tell you goodnight, and thank you again for my Christmas present.”

Emma blushed at his words and cut her eyes away from him for a moment before meeting his gaze again. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Uh, I was wondering…” He trailed away and scratched at the spot behind his ear. “Do you have plans for New Years?”

Emma’s smile widened even more. “I don’t,” she replied.

“Would, ah, would you like to go out with me?” he stammered. He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He’d never been this nervous asking a woman out before, not even in the early days of dating Milah. And he’d already spent time with her and was quite sure she was interested in him as well. Maybe it was the fact that his entire family was only a few feet away and could easily hear them if they were so inclined. He hoped they weren’t, but given how they acted earlier when they were caught under the mistletoe, he wasn’t terribly optimistic.

“I’d love to,” she said, her smile even wider, if that was possible, and her eyes sparkling. “I’ll need to find a sitter for Henry…”

“Oh, don’t worry about Henry,” Elsa called from the living room. “He can spend the night here with us. You two go out and have fun.”

Emma’s eyes widened and then cut away from his as he bowed his head and chuckled at Elsa’s offer.

“Thank you, Elsa,” Killian called, only slight exasperation at her obvious eavesdropping coloring his tone.

“You’re welcome,” she called back. He could hear the satisfaction in her voice and could imagine her smug face, even if he couldn’t see it.

“I’ll pick you up at 7?” he asked.

“That’ll be great, Killian,” she said, her smile softening as she looked back out the door toward where Henry was waiting in her car. “I’ll see you then.” She looked back at him, raised up on her toes, and brushed her lips against the corner of his lips, just as he’d done earlier. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

~*~*~

Some hours later, Killian and Liam sat in front of the dying fire, sipping from tumblers of rum. The rest of the family was sound asleep in their beds, but the brothers hadn’t had much time to be alone, so Liam had stayed up with Killian to help him put together the doll house he’d bought for Alice. And now that it was finished, they were enjoying a quiet drink together.

“How long before you report back for duty?” Liam asked.

“I report back February first,” Killian replied.

“And retirement date?”

“Officially it’s May 31,” he informed him, “but with my terminal leave saved up, the ceremony is April 11th.”

Liam nodded. “Have you given any thought to what you’ll do after you retire?”

Killian took a deep breath. “As far as working, no.” He paused for a moment. “But I have thought about dating Emma.” His voice wasn’t much more than a whisper, but he hoped his brother heard his words and he wouldn’t have to repeat them.

“Good.” Killian looked at his brother to see a satisfied smile on his face. “I’m glad to hear it. With your retirement imminent, you really don’t have a valid reason anymore to not date.” Liam’s eyebrow rose and Killian couldn’t help but bristle a bit at his brother’s words. “Don’t get your back up, Killian,” Liam continued, moving his hands in a placating gesture. “I know you loved Milah very much, and being a father to a young daughter is more than enough reason to be cautious in that area,” he acknowledged, and Killian could feel his ire receding at his brother’s words. “But I know Emma. And I know you. And I think you could be very happy together.”

Killian smiled at that last statement. “I think you’re right,” he agreed.

“And that brings us to housing arrangements.” The smile on Liam’s face made Killian smile too.

“I can’t impose on your hospitality forever, brother,” Killian said.

“There’s a house in the next neighborhood over,” Liam informed him. “It’s lovely. Two story, storage in the back, a view of the sea. I don’t know square footage or how many bedrooms it has, but it looks like plenty of room for a family.” Liam’s face was entirely too innocent, and Killian chuckled and rolled his eyes.

“You don’t need to do that, you know,” he said. “You couldn’t be more obvious. You want me to move here.”

Liam smiled. “You have to admit, the idea has merit. Your family is here, Emma is here, Alice could grow up with her cousins and Henry…”

“But what kind of job opportunities are there here?” Killian asked. “I’ve got some savings, but I can’t live off my retirement. I have a much better chance of finding good work in Boston.”

Liam scratched behind his ear with the same nervous tell Killian had. “This is very hush hush and isn’t public knowledge yet, but the firm is gearing up to open a whole new division for commercial property. With the surge of vacationers we’ve seen the last couple of years, the demand for services has really grown, and we have businesses coming out of the woodwork that need buildings to move into. Storybrooke doesn’t have the infrastructure to support them at the moment. I was the top agent in residential sales for the last two quarters and I’m on track to do it again this quarter as well. I’m sure I could put in a word for you and they’d agree to hold a position for you until April. They’ll be announcing the expansion and accepting résumés after the new year.”

Killian’s eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline. “Really? Wow…” This information all but sealed the deal for him. Of course he’d have to see numbers- salary, benefits, the price tag on the house Liam mentioned, but he couldn’t deny how well it all seemed to fit together and intersect perfectly with his own needs and desires.

“Since this is still on the down low, and the office is closed this week, I can give Nemo a call Wednesday or Thursday and tell him you’re interested.” Liam paused for a moment, his gaze on Killian intense. “If you’re interested, that is.”

Killian took a sip of his drink before replying. “Yes, I’m definitely interested.”

Liam’s relieved smile rivaled the lights on the tree as he stood. Killian stood as well, and the two men embraced warmly.

“This would be a dream come true, brother,” Liam said, patting him on the back before releasing him.

“It would,” Killian agreed. “I’ve missed you all.”

“We’ve missed you, too,” Liam said. “It’ll be so good to have you and Alice here in town and working in the same building.”

“It’s not a done deal yet, Liam,” Killian said laughing. “There’s still a lot up in the air about the entire situation.”

Liam scoffed and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Pfft. It’ll work out. I can feel it in my bones.”

Killian smiled warmly and turned toward the stairs. “We’ll see. I hope so. Goodnight, brother. Merry Christmas.”

“Goodnight, Killian. Merry Christmas. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” Killian smiled and climbed the stairs to his room leaving a very happy Liam behind him.

~*~*~

Thank you for reading and sharing. New Years date will post on Tuesday!

#a christmas surprise #krystal writes #art by krystal #new chapter #christmas fluff

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jihyuncompass · 3 years

Text

This Year

Happy Birthday Jihyun! It’s hard to believe this is my second year in a row writing a birthday fic for you. But of course it’s deserved. Even as time passes and I don’t have the time to play Mysme much anymore that has never changed the fondness I feel for you dear Jihyun. Happy Birthday <3

Jihyun Kim (V) x MC

Word Count: 1.6k

Warnings: N/A

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V hiked up towards the top of the mountain. Looking up he could see the peak not too far into the distance. Not wanting to stop just yet he kept pushing ahead, he was so close to the top. Taking heavy breaths he quickened his pace, his heart beating heavy in his chest as he got closer.

Chest heaving he looked down and over the summit, he stood just above the low hanging clouds, still he could look down and take in the rolling green hills below, the trees that up close would be towering but from this height looked like toys. The scenery seemed to go on forever and ever. Around him was no noise beyond the sound of leaves in the breeze and birds flying nearby and his own heavy breaths. However, beyond that, there was no people, no cars, nothing but himself and nature.

He let his backpack fall to the ground beside him as he slipped the straps off of his shoulders. V remained standing for another minute to fully admire the scene in front of him catching his breath taken from him on the way up.

Finding a good spot V sat down on the ground. He stayed silent as he looked up towards the blue sky. Perfectly blue and warm even as the summer started to fade into autumn, for now though summer remained. As did the sun as it warmed his face.

Unzipping his hiking backpack he reached for the small bundle he’d packed away in there earlier, setting it down on the ground in front of him. Closing up his backpack he pushed it to the side just slightly then turned his attention to the bundle in front of him.

V separated the small containers from one another. He couldn’t pack much for this hike but he’d managed to include a small meal to eat at the summit of the mountain. V smiled only to himself as he took the lids off. He settled with his back against one of the trees, looking at the scenergy he dug into his lunch.

He took his time with his meal, wanting to savor every taste and every sight in front of him. Tomorrow he’d get on a plane to his next destination, last week he’d booked a ticket to a different place. Somewhere new for him to explore and enjoy, and for all he knew he wasn’t ever going to return to this place, so he would take in as much as he possibly could. Committing every part of this to his memory.

The final part of his meal was left in front of him, clearing the rest of the containers he took a moment before opening the last one. He sighed softly at the small slice of cake he’d gotten from a small bakery that morning. He’d spent almost ten minutes trying to decide which slice of cake he wanted to get. Eventually he’d settled on a slice of champagne flavored cake with vanilla frosting.

Sitting alone on the top of the mountain V quietly sang to himself, at the end pretending to blow out the invisible candle he’d imagined on top. Making his wish for this year, a much different wish than he’d asked for in the years before.

As a child birthdays always meant large lavish parties hosted by his father. Always lacking children V’s age. Usually the parties his father hosted for his birthday were attended by their extended family and his father’s friends. Some of them brought their own children along, but they either were much younger, or much older than him. So besides Jumin his birthdays were most often spent in a stuffy suit chatting with adults about school and his future plans.

He’d never enjoyed these parties, always so formal and more of a party for the adults than the child at the center of it, and every year he’d made the same wish. To be a son his father would be proud of.

Those parties stopped after the fire. Jihyun wasn’t interested in formal business birthdays. He wasn’t interested in his father’s friends or his world. Instead his birthdays were spent with Jumin or Rika. Going on vacations, drinking wine, enjoying peaceful quiet affairs to celebrate a new year of his life. Back then his birthday wishes had been much different, he’d wished for Rika’s happiness, or for his own success. He had been fine with that, enjoyed it even. However, that was the past now, a past that felt a million years old.

That year sitting on that mountain he made a brand new wish. This year, he wanted to be happy, and he wanted to be ready to go home.

Jihyun could recall that hike in great detail, the way the breeze ran through his hair, the sprawling trees on the way down the mountain, the formations of fluffy clouds, all of it stayed in his mind even after a year had passed.

Like that day a year ago Jihyun felt the warmth of the sun on his face. His eyes fluttered open to face his bedroom window. The sun was already high in the morning sky and bringing warmth throughout the whole room. Laying still he enjoyed the warmth of the blankets around him and the brightness of the sun on his face.

After laying like that for longer than he could count he sat up in bed. Stretching his arms over his head with a deep exhale. Next to him the other side of the bed was empty. The covers had been pushed aside but already cold.

Leaving the bedroom Jihyun glanced into the living room. They must have woken up a while ago, he couldn’t hear the shower running or cooking in the kitchen like he would have expected after waking up in the late morning.

He stood in the middle of the living room, looking for evidence of where his beloved had gone off too. The keys weren’t in the usual spot by the door, they must have gone out somewhere then.

Feeling the mystery solved Jihyun sat on the couch against the living room wall. His eyes landed on some of the framed photos on the wall. Some were prints from his former photography career, but most were photos from the last few months of his life. Photos with the members of the RFA, of his beloved, of him. Each one a snapshot of warm memories in his mind. Even the old ones from when he was V, those photos still managed to bring warmth to Jihyun’s heart.

The click of the lock on the front door brought Jihyun out of his thoughts. Not wasting a second Jihyun rose from his seat and walked through the apartment to meet them.

His heart swelled at the sight of his beloved, he smiled warmly as they met his eyes with a matching smile. They balanced a couple bags and box in their arms as they entered the apartment. Without a word Jihyun took the box and one of the bags from their arm to lighten the load.

“Good morning love.” Jihyun said, leaning forward to kiss his lover hello.

“Good morning Jihyun.” They whispered. “Happy birthday.” A larger smile grew on Jihyun’s lips.

“I woke up and you were already gone.” Jihyun said, stepping back to make his way to the kitchen. They followed behind him, shaking off their shoes in the process.

“I thought I could sneak out and get back before you woke up.” They said, “I figured since you and Jumin were up late together you’d sleep in longer.” They put the rest of the bags down next to the others. As they spoke they placed the items in the bags in their proper places in the fridge or cupboards.

Jihyun worked next to them doing the same process of putting the groceries away. “What are all of these for?” He asked.

“They’re for dinner tonight love.” They answered. “I figured since it’s just going to be the two of us tonight I should make a nice dinner for your birthday.” MC lifted the one box to put it next to the new groceries in the fridge. “And this is your birthday cake. Which you’re not allowed to look at yet.” They pointed at Jihyun with a teasing smile. “So no peeking okay?”

Jihyun nodded with a flair of drama. “I would never.”

“Oh really?”

“I wouldn’t!” Jihyun insisted.

“Sure.” MC laughed. “But I mean it, don’t peek until after dinner.” MC closed the fridge door.

“I promise.” Jihyun said with a sweet seriousness. “I’m looking forward to tonight.” Jihyun put an arm around their waist to bring them closer. Jihyun held them close. A year ago he could have only dreamed of getting to have this. Getting to hold them close, see them like this. Just be near them and able to say whatever it is that’s on his mind.

He must have been staring at them for a long time without saying anything because their expression changed. “Jihyun? What are you thinking about?”

Jihyun pulled them closer to kiss them, hardly able to contain the smile on his face as he did. Their hand travelled up to rest on his shoulder to keep him this close.

“I’m sorry.” Jihyun whispered when he eventually pulled away. “I just feel really happy.” He said. MC pulled him back in to kiss him again. They held each other close, both smiling in between kisses.

At that moment Jihyun knew what his birthday wish would be this year. For the first time in his life he wished for exactly what he had at this moment. He didn’t wish for anyone but himself, and he didn’t wish for some miracle. All he wanted was this. A million more moments just like this.

#mystic messenger #mysme #v #v mysme #jihyun kim #kim jihyun #v x reader #v x mc #no beta we die like [redacted]

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libraryofloveletters · 3 years

Text

in a matter of seconds, the world crumbled

Summery: The thought of not being able to tell Eddie how he felt never crossed his mind until that moment, the moment the world crumbled

post-coda of 4x13 in which things take a turn for the worse.

Warnings: blood, hospitals, medical inaccuracies, injuries, death.

A/N: Thought I'd try my hand at breaking your hearts. Do forgive the medical inaccuracies, I don’t know medical terminology for shit. Also for my beloved Logan because I told her I was making it sad @mrs-dr-reid

[AO3 LINK]

---

The warmth of the blood splattered across his face caused his own blood to run cold.

The gaping hole in his shoulder as he stood across from him, the two of them frozen in time.

Everything happened so fast.

Buck didn’t have a chance to register what had happened. One minute he and Eddie were talking and the next he was on the floor. Buck and Eddie were both in shock. The blood soaked through his uniform, Buck couldn’t bring himself to move - everything in him was screaming to run toward Eddie but physically couldn’t.

If it weren’t for Captain Metha, Buck would be right next to Eddie with a bullet in him too.

The next 5 minutes were a blur.

Buck was beside the truck on the floor, his eyes glued to Eddie.

Eddie was slipping and he was slipping fast.

“Shots fired! Firefighter is down, I repeat, firefighter is down!”

“Eddie,” he mumbled. “His name is Eddie.” Buck says to himself.

All Buck wanted to do was run towards Eddie, to help him like Eddie had helped him when he was pinned under the truck not so long ago but he couldn’t.

Eddie’s breaths were slow and heavy, it seemed like it hurt him to breathe. The blood trickled across the concrete, the pool of blood becoming bigger by the second.

Eddie’s eyes found Buck’s.

The honey brown eyes that Buck loved so much were filled with fear yet were so empty at the same time.

It was almost as if Eddie knew no one would be able to come help him before he bled out- of course he knew, it was his job to know how to assess the situation and how much time someone had.

The ocean blue eyes that Eddie could stare into forever would be the last thing he saw.

Buck’s heart broke every second little by little, watching as Eddie’s eyes began to shut and how his hand shifted slightly, reaching towards him.

The moment Eddie’s eyes shut was the moment Buck went into overdrive. He pulled himself up. Buck could care less if there was a sniper somewhere.

Eddie needed him- he needed Eddie.

He dropped to his knees beside him, rolling Eddie onto his back. There was a patch of red against his face beside he had passed out face down in the pool of blood - the sight of him made Buck sick to his stomach.

“Eddie,” Buck patted his face, “Come on, wake up.” he calls and pulls the uniform shirt open. The hole was in his shoulder, his skin stained red.

Buck pulled him up towards him to feel behind his shoulder, trying to feel if there was an exit wound and there was - now it made sense as to why he bled out so fast.

It was just Eddie and Buck in the middle of the road. The truck parked to one side and the ambulances still in their spots. Buck holding and pressing on both sides of the wound would only do so much for Eddie.

He wasn’t a medic, he was trying his best and Buck's best was all Eddie had then because no one was coming.

No one moved an inch. Everyone was still hunkered down behind the trucks and the ambulances.

But then again, no one else loved Eddie the way Buck did.

“Eddie, come on.” Buck patted his face, the blood from his face smudging against the clean skin. “Eddie wake up, please” His voice broke at the end.

Maybe his best wasn’t enough.

He was getting in his head. He couldn’t do that, now wasn’t the time.

“Why are you all standing around?!” The change from sadness to anger was a quick one.

He knew Eddie wouldn't make it if he didn’t get some actual medical care. Then and only then did someone come running towards him. He didn’t know him but he was one of the paramedics on scene from before. The paramedic took over, Buck shifted to the other side of Eddie. His hand now stained red from the blood but he grabbed Eddie’s hand anyways.

Even if he wasn’t conscious, he needed him to know that he was there, that he had his back.

He watched as they loaded him onto the stretcher, moved him into the ambulance and he was there right by his side on the ride to the hospital.

The heavy feeling settling in his stomach, he was going to be sick. He didn’t feel like this when he found Maddie after Doug. He knew Maddie was gonna be okay although she was hurt but Eddie- he had lost so much blood, his skin was pale and the heart rate much slower than it should be.

Glancing down at his hand, Buck’s thumb rubbed gently over Eddie’s hand. He hadn’t let go except for when they lifted him onto the stretcher.

“Is that normal ?” eyes glued to the monitor, shifting down to the million and one wires attached to Eddie right now.

“He’s lost a lot of blood, his heart is just pumping slower than it would because of the lack of blood.”

In some way, Eddie looked peaceful.

Almost too peaceful.

The ambulance came to a stop, the doors opened and they began pulling the stretcher out. Buck follows them as they tell the doctor what happened.

The stretcher rolls into the surgery prep corridor, through the doors and Buck follows them in but no one seemed to notice that he wasn’t supposed to be there.

“Sir?” a nurse finally noticed him by the door as they removed the rest of the blood soaked clothes from Eddie.

“Sir?” they call once more, a hand gently touching his arm bringing him back to reality.

He turns, “you can’t be in here. We’ll take you to the waiting room.”

“No, no it’s- I know where it is.” he steps back from the room slowly just as they begin rolling the stretcher towards the OR.

There’s a phone ringing but Buck’s eyes are glued to Eddie. Soon enough he realizes it’s his phone.

There are splotches of red on the case from the splatters of blood that were everywhere. Everything on him was covered in blood.

“Hello ?”

“Buck, did you take the car?” Bobby’s voice rang through the phone.

“What?”

“You know, red one, says battalion 7 on the side ?” a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“Oh uh- yeah sorry. I have to go get it” Buck had completely forgotten about the car, all his focus was on Eddie.

“Go get it? Where are you ?” Bobby’s voice is filled with concern and confusion.

“Hospital” he mumbles.

“Why?”

“Ed- Eddie was,” he let out a breath, “Eddie was shot. I um- I have to get the car, I’ll call you back.”

“No, Buck. Buck, listen to me- stay where you are. We’re on our way. Forget about the car.”

Before he could protest, Bobby hung up.

---

The waiting room was quiet, there was an older couple in there waiting for their grandbaby to arrive is what he deduced from their conversation.

“Buck?” Bobby called, he was first to step into the waiting room. Hen, Chimney and Maddie were following behind him.

Buck stood and turned to face them. The blood still splattered across his face, the red protruding against the white of the shirt. None of them knew that Buck was with Eddie, except for Chim but they hadn’t realized how close Eddie Buck must have been.

“Where is he?” Bobby asks, taking a seat beside the chair Buck was sitting in.

“Surgery, the nurse just came by and said it’ll be a little longer.”

Maddie pushes past Chimney, her arms open waiting for her little brother who on cue, falls into her arms. She held him as he sniffled, holding back the tears.

“It’s okay Buck, he’ll be okay.” Her hands lift his head from her shoulder, cupping his face. Her eyes studied him, his eyes red aside from the splatters- he had been crying before they showed up.

She knew her brother, she had taken care of him all her life.

“I know,” she gives him a sympathetic smile before Buck’s head falls back against her shoulder.

Maddie was there, she was holding him and Chimney was sitting across from them. “Where’s Jee?”

“With Mr and Mrs. Lee. Where’s Christopher ?”

“Chris.. Oh my god. Maddie, I-”

“Hey, it’s okay. I can call Carla and ask her to stay with him for the night”

“No, he’s-” Buck sniffled, “he’s with Eddie's grandmother. I- I don’t want to worry her”

“Let Carla pick him up, she can stay with him if she isn’t busy, okay ? If she is, I’ll go stay with him.”

“You’d do that ?” He asks, not that he was surprised because that’s who Maddie was- always helping someone but because she knew.

Maddie had always known Buck loved Eddie, more than in a friend way. Which friend helps the oher raise their kid ? Babysit him, have sleepovers, would go to the end of the earth for ? Not to mention when Buck told her about the first visit after the tsmanui with the whole “there’s nobody in this world I trust with my son more than you.”

They were in love with each other, they just haven't realized it yet or maybe they did, they just didn’t know what to say yet.

“You should be the one that’s here when he wakes up”

---

Over the next few hours, the waiting room thinned out. Chimney and Maddie left first, stopping to pick up Jee Yun from the Lees on the way home. Athena had a shift and she offered to call in and stay but Bobby said he’d call her with updates.

Bobby and Hen were the last 2 with Buck. Hen left shortly after Athena, she promised the kids to be home for dinner and said she’d be back in the morning to see Eddie.

And now it was just Bobby and Buck.

“Come on, let’s get you a clean shirt. If you're going to be the first one to see him when he gets out of surgery, a non-blood covered shirt would be nice.” He gets up, waiting for Buck to join him.

Bobby pulls Buck along with him to the gift shop in an attempt to find a shirt for him. Buck was following him around like a lost puppy, mopping as he went along. Bobby pulled a shirt from the rack. It was a bright pink shirt with bold bubble letters that read ‘it’s a girl!’ on it. Buck’s brows furrowed before shaking his head. Bobby let out a small chuckle before putting it back on the rack.

“One minute we were standing there, having a conversation and the next he was on the ground. I couldn’t do anything, I didn’t move, I couldn’t- I didn’t help him.” his voice breaking at the end of the sentence, his head tilted back looking up at the ceiling in hopes of getting rid of the tears now welling up in his eyes.

Not that Bobby hadn’t seen him emotional or crying but he felt like he needed to hold himself together because the little voice in the back of his head kept saying ‘that’s what Eddie would do.’

“Hey,” Bobby’s hand reaches out, holding Buck’s shoulder. “You did- you were the first one over there. You were by his side the whole way.”

He sniffles, the back of his hand coming up to wipe the falling tears away from his face. “I know but i just feel like I didn’t do enough, maybe if I reacted faster, if I just-”

“Hey, he’s alive Buck, because you reacted. So don’t, not even for a second, blame yourself for not getting over to him faster”

Buck nodded, he had always been grateful for Bobby and his guidance.

Bobby tossed a shirt at Buck, a blue one with the hospital logo - something for him to change into. Bobby stepped away when he got a call, Buck changed into the clean shirt. The two of them headed back towards the waiting room.

“I’ll be back in about an hour, I've got to take Harry to Michael and I’ll come right back. Will you be okay ?” Bobby’s hand rested on Buck’s shoulder once more. “Yeah, I’ll be here. Tell him I said hi”

There he was, alone in the hospital waiting room. He had never actually been in there off duty. He had always been on the other side of the doors, he was the one they were usually waiting for but not today.

Today he sat alone in the room, the terribly uncomfortable chair poking his side, the blinding effect of the white hospital lights.

There were so many things he wanted to say to Eddie. All things he had said before but it was his way of hoping that if he wished hard enough, Eddie would wake up and he would be able to tell him.

“You’re an amazing father.”

“One of the best firefighters i have ever met.”

“My best friend”

“The one I’m in love with.”

The realization of the fact that he was in love with Eddie hit him when he saw Eddie fall to the ground. Somewhere in him had always known but it hit him then and there. All the unsaid feelings and subtle moments of touches shared between them bubbled up the surface.

“Diaz ?” the doctor called, looking around to see if anyone was there. Buck stood, his hands wiping on his jeans.

“Yeah? Is he okay ?”

“There were some complications. The loss of blood was severe, we were able to stable him before removing the bullet which then revealed another bleeder. He crashed twice.” the doctor let out a sigh, the room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. He was bracing himself for bad news.

“We weren’t able to save him. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

The words rang through his head. He stood there, looking at the doctor- frozen once again.

Buck was sick to his stomach, the urge to puke was masked by the urge to cry and scream. There were so many emotions, he didn;t know how to feel or what to do.

All he knew was that Eddie wasn’t coming back.

His best friend.

The man he thought was the love of his life.

The thought of not being able to tell Eddie how he felt never crossed his mind until that moment.

He’d never get a chance to tell him he loves- loved him.

That was the moment the world crumbled.

#eddie diaz #evan buckley #evan buck buckely #911 #911 fox #9-1-1 #9-1-1 fic #911 4x13 #911 spoilers #buddie #buddie fic #buck x eddie #edmundo diaz

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7soulstars · 4 years

Text

Emerging of Kalon

Request: I need some new johnny depp fics in my life where I want a reader with insecurities and johnny reassuring her that he loves her the way she is.Maybe she is a bit more chubby than his past gfs and she has to wears glasses.Abd thanx so much for accepting it.

Yooo this imagine is soo important to me. As a person who had a lot of insecurities and has suffered through depression.It is really important for me to spread a certain message to others like me. I have this belief that you aren’t born with insecurities,you are made to have them.Don’t point out things to people that would make them uncomfortable in the long term guys it becomes quite scarring for them and it also makes you a damn bully. Also it is normal to have stretch marks, tummy rolls ,acne, scars ,body hair and all that stuff, Man or Woman or any other gender you identify as.That’s what makes you human.If people can’t accept you for who you are please cut them out of your life.Ya’ll beautiful and I love ya’ll. Hope you like this !!

................

Pairing : Johnny Depp x Reader

Warnings : TW,Nosy people who like putting others down for fun, Signs of depression,Suicide attempt,Angst,Swearing, Fluff, Johnny being the absolute sweetheart he is.

................

Kalon ;Latin for ideal beauty in all, physical ,spiritual and moral forms

1.Instigation.

“I still can’t believe THE Johnny Depp went for you after his past ones”,said someone snapping her out of her trance.”Pardon ?”,she asked as if to confirm whether she heard him right . “I mean look at you....His exes were all supermodels weren’t they? Not a single flaw..”,the man guffawed.”Well you have have a micropenis why did your wife choose you?”,her bestfriend snapped crudely making her cringe.”Let’s go Y/N “, Y/BF/N said dragging she out of the restaurant .Well this wasn’t how I wanted college reunion to end up like,thanks Nathan she thought. “Are you alright Y/N ?”, Y/BF/N asked. “Of course”. No I’m not. “It doesn’t bother me at all.” It bothers me too much. “Nathan’s a dick .Don’t let it get to your head EVER”. But he’s right, his words are already in my head. “Yeah...”

2.The disquieting

“Hey glasses ! Looking ugly as always.”

“Look at her hogging like a pig, hey fatty you want more?”

“Darling why don’t you try going on a diet.”

“Don’t watch telly, you’re blind enough already”

“Jason what do you think of Y/N ?” “Damn man she was not even my type”

“Please Stop !”, Y/N woke up with a jerk, breathing in short gasps .”Johnny-”,she stops cutting herself off as she looked at the empty looked at the empty side on her bed. He isn’t in the country she remembered . Silence. She stared at the framed picture of them together on the wall. Plip. A tear fell. Plip Plip. Two more,before she couldn’t control it any more. The past wouldn’t change.She knew it would haunt her forever. But they had stopped for a while. But since Nathan ,it came back harder than ever. She didn’t tell Johnny, she’d never tell him , the last thing she wanted to do is to become a larger burden. So she cried herself to sleep every single day.

3.Repressing

Y/BF/N frowned as she looked at Y/N’s lunch. “Since when do you eat salads ?Hell,that isn’t even salad it’s just *ugh* lettuce....”,she says looking at the leafy stuff with absolute disgust. Y/N looked at her as if she did not understand what she was saying “I love salads,you know what? I’m not that hungry.....better get back to work! See you later!”,she said leaving as she didn’t even let the other speak. Starving, Hurting, Looking into the mirror and hating herself. The cycle continued.This was going to be dangerous in the days to come and she knew that too.

4.Avoiding

6 missed calls from Mom

19 missed calls and 87 messages from Y/BF/N

40 missed calls and 150 messages from Johnny

3 notifications from Twitter.

No one had seen her in 4 days .The telly changed channels at Johnny’s apartment .Things scattered around as a trembling hand set down the remote . Fat tears dampened the pillow as her eyes read the news headline. ‘Johnny Depp at a dinner date with ex wife Vanessa ? Is he finally done with his simple girlfriend ?’

5. Falling

This was it.She ended up the way she predicted she’d end up 10 years ago. Weak,Tired,Empty and Lonely. She stared at the bathtub as it filled itself until it was overfilled,water spilling out of its sides as it splashed onto her feet. She didn’t flinch at the coldness.She stayed robotically still, looking down at her palm. A blade. Without hesitating she got into the tub,the tap still running. She didn’t think anymore,tears wouldn’t fall even if they wanted to. She closed her eyes as she let her self go ,ignoring the frantic ringing of her phone and the banging on the apartment door.

6. Alerting

To say Johnny was concerned was an underestimation.Y/N wasn’t picking up his phone since several days .He was distracted, couldn’t concentrate and worry filled his entire existence.He didn’t know what to do,even going as far as asking his ex wife for advice.He decided to go back ,back to his girlfriend’s loving arms.

The moment he stepped back into the city he took his time.Picking out her favourie flowers ,the chocolate she always loved and a little something of importance. He ignored the notifications is phone was chiming with, his mind only full of thoughts of her....The thoughts were short lived , disturbed much to Johnny’s dismay by Y/BF/N’s call. He ignored once,ignored twice but after that he knew something was wrong.”Johnny !”, panicked voice spoke through the phone. A frown replacing the man’s smile “Did Y/N text you that absurd note too?” “No,wait Y/BF/N let me check”,he put the call on hold as his eyes skimmed over the words displayed on his screen. His phone now dropped on the car floor he wished all of it was a dream.They stopped as he stormed out, back to his apartment. He knocked wildly on the door but not a voice came nor a cackle. He threw his body on the door several times ,”Goddamitt Y/N OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR DON’T PLAY WITH ME RIGHT NOW !”.In his panicked feat he had forgotten he had the keys until they dropped out of his jacket pocket.He didn’t wait a moment as he fumbled it into the key hole ,kicking the door open as soon as it opened.

Silence.

Splosh . The sound of water hitting the ground from the bathroom echoed in the whole house.

“Y/N ?”, Johnny softly whispered as he pushed open the bathroom door. A horrific scene unfolded before him.

7.Mourning

It had been two days and Johnny wouldn’t budge.He saw red that day and the site still wouldn’t leave his thoughts alone.He would neither eat,nor sleep as he sat beside his beloved girlfriend who lay on a hospital bed. Dark Enough by Amanda played on the radio. The text message, and the talk with Y/BF/N replayed in his head as if war replayed in a retired soldiers dreams. “I didn’t know you were hurting that bad”,he whispered, tears threatening to fall again. He place his head on her stomach as he let the silent tears fall,until her hand fell on top of his head.

8.Resuscitation

Johnny jerked up ,his eyes as wide as saucers, as he froze with eyes full of pain and hurt.Y/N did not dare meet his gaze.She felt ashamed and disgusted. But those feelings were immediately replaced with shock as Johnny almost lunged at her,hugging her tight. “I was so scared I was so fucking scared when I saw that text and then you drowning in the red water filled in the bathtub ! I thought you’d left me ! I thought you died you weren’t breathing...How dare you think of yourself that way how dare you think you were not good enough !? You were the best fucking thing that happened to me since my kids goddammit !”. Y/N had never seen Johnny this mad.Hell, she had never even seen him cry. She didn’t know how to answer him, she was too ashamed.He wouldn’t break the hug, as if he would loose her if he did. He loved her too much. “Why ?”,he asked again,as if he was begging for an answer. Even a word. He just wanted to hear her voice. “I was scared...”,her voice cracked coming out much broken than she predicted. “ I didn’t think I deserved you, I thought I’d never reach the levels of those beautiful actresses and models.I was scared to tell you about my past..I was scared to bother you...”. Johnny’s heart broke. He never thought his Y/N would think that way. She was always smiling .Not even a little frown on her face. Always there for everyone. Yet no one comforted her. How could he never see it? Of course he couldn’t see it she was perfect to him.His Y/N was the most perfect person in the world. “I love you”, he blurted. He never said that.He was too shy. But he hugged her tighter ,” I love you so much. Even with scars,insecurities or that ugly face you make when you see things you do not like. You were, have and always will be the most perfect to me. Please....don’t do that again...”

9.Emergence

Y/N was discharged from the hospital in a few days. Johnny wouln’t leave her side. All his attention would be on her to see if ate well, and loved herself. Y/N felt safe. And she wasn’t wrong . Johnny was everything she deserved.

They sat on the rooftop of a cafe in Paris. A calm silence passing over them. “Y/N ?” ,Johnny asked. “Hmm?”,she hummed along, silence entailing after. ”Marry me ?”,he asked. That was the day Y/N was the most happiest, and did the beautifully emerged Kalon say yes? you’d ask. She said it without a second to spare. After all our Kalon had found her wings.

“No one is born ugly, we’re just born in a judgemental society”~ Kim Namjoon(BTS)

----The End----

Whew ! After all the procrastination and time I took brainstorming this baby is done! This was requested by the wonderful @anycsirp I really really hope you liked this ! Also I meant what I said before the start of this oneshot . YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. PERIODT. Please do like and comment your opinions! I really hope to read em ! I’m not that great of a writer but I did my best !

~Love, Hri

#johnny depp fan fiction #johnny depp imagine #johnny depp x reader #johnny depp x y/n #johnny depp x you #fanfiction #request #ask hri #send asks #imagines #self love #insecurity #love yourself #kim namjoon #kalon

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vcg73 · 3 years

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FIC: Kurt Birthday Drabbles

Earlier this week @elledelajoie left a comment on something I wrote all the way back in 2014. I had genuinely forgotten I ever started it, but the original idea was to write 21 Kurt Hummel birthday drabbles. I had written just 7 of them, but after we chatted about it, I decided to go ahead and finish.

If you’re not familiar, a drabble is a scene of exactly 100 words, not counting title headers. Since Chris Colfer and Kurt Hummel’s co-birthday (May 27) is coming up this Thursday, here they are. This goes definite AU at Birthday #19. Because you know I would never sentence my beloved Kurt to a life of being a doormat to people who did not appreciate and value him.

Never underestimate the power of feedback!

~*~*~*~*~

Birthday #1

Kurt’s blue eyes went wide as a frosted cupcake was set upon his high-chair tray, a single candle ablaze on its surface.

When Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Andy, Grandpa Curtis and Grandma Eileen started singing to him, he smiled and clapped both hands hard around the tempting pile of frosting.

Kurt laughed when the sugary topping went flying and a big splatter of white abruptly decorated Daddy’s surprised face.

Everyone else started laughed too, including the startled father, who retaliated by giving his birthday boy a sticky peck on the cheek and then helped him to blow out a new candle.

Birthday #2

Kurt looked between his presents, confused.

Mommy had given him the pretty dolly he had begged for at the store. Daddy had given him a truck, not big enough to ride but too big to live with the little cars Daddy gave him at Christmas.

His parents seemed to be mad at each other.

Kurt looked at the doll, then at the truck. He smiled and placed Dolly inside the truck and began to drive her around the carpet.

Mommy and Daddy seemed surprised by his actions, but then they laughed, and Kurt knew he had figured out the puzzle.

Birthday #3

His shoes were black and shiny, buckles on the sides and 1-inch heels on the base. He clomped over the hardwood floors, listening to the click-tap-click-tap in delight. They went perfectly with his dove gray coveralls with “Kurt” sewn on the pocket in black sequins. Mommy had made the outfit for him.

Spotting Daddy watching him, Kurt threw himself into waiting arms. Daddy’s smile looked like he had an owie but was trying to be a big boy and not cry.

Kurt hugged him. “It’s okay, Daddy.”

Burt looked surprised but hugged him back. “Yeah, buddy. I think it is.”

Birthday #4

Ballet girls were nice. When they heard it was his birthday today, they threw him a party. Kurt puffed up with pleasure when presented with cookies, a sparkly wand and a tiara that read ‘Happy Birthday’ in shiny letters. He was not as fond of the kisses they gave, but four was very grown up, so he screwed up his face and allowed it. The teacher even let him wear the special puffy pink tutu over his little black leotard!

He saw Mommy and Daddy up in the gallery taking pictures, so he waved.

Kurt hoped today would last forever.

Birthday #5

“Can I have cupcakes?”

Kurt’s mother looked up from her book. “I don’t think we have any, sweetheart.”

“Can we have some Thursday? My birthday is the last day of preschool.”

“It is?” she said, looking surprised. “Is it your birthday already?”

He nodded seriously. “Don’t you remember, Mommy? You were there.”

She laughed. “Well, you have me there. What kind of cupcakes would you like, sweetie? And don’t say cheesecake. Those are two completely different kinds of dessert.”

Kurt’s hopeful expression fell. “Oh,” he said, clearly disappointed. Then his face brightened again. “Chocolate?”

She nodded. “That we can do.”

Birthday #6

“Daddy!”

Burt sat up just in time to catch the little body that launched at him. “What’s wrong, slugger?”

“It’s my birthday!”

Grinning despite the way his heart was hammering at the abrupt awakening, Burt asked, “Yeah? I like birthdays. Do I get a present?”

“No,” the boy scoffed. “I get presents!”

Burt squinted at the clock. 3:15am. “Not until morning, you don’t.”

Kurt pouted and tried, “It’s almost morning.”

“Not close enough, kid. C’mere,” Burt pulled him into the warm bed between himself and his wife.

Kurt snuggled down and went right back to sleep.

Burt was less lucky.

Birthday #7

Kids had started treating him funny this year. He was too fancy, too girly, holding hands was weird.

Nobody was coming.

“I’m sorry, sweetie.”

“Am I too late?”

They jumped as a little black girl with pom-pom hair popped out of nowhere.

“I’m Mercedes,” she greeted. “We just moved here. Mom said you would have invited me if you’d known.”

“I’m Kurt.” He smiled. “Do you like tea parties?”

“Is there cake?”

Mrs. Hummel beamed. “Cake, ice cream, and Kool-Aid.”

Kurt shrugged. “Nobody else came.”

She grabbed his hand like she’d known him forever. “More for us! Happy Birthday, Kurt.”

Birthday #8

Kurt took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and carefully blew out the candles. All but the extra one that his parents always put on his cake.

“Aren’t you gonna finish, bud?”

He looked from Daddy over to his mother, home again, but so frail he was sometimes afraid to hug her, worried she might pop like a fragile soap bubble. He offered her the candle. “Here, Mommy. Blow it out. Maybe you’ll get another year to grow on.”

The eyes of the two adults met, then Mommy nodded. The three of them blew out the final candle together.

Birthday #9

Barely daring to hope, Kurt came down the stairs. Birthday cakes and presents had been Mommy’s specialty. Daddy had forgotten his own birthday and had nearly forgotten Christmas.

Kurt gasped when he saw it, waiting, shining and spectacular against the front door.

“A bike!”

Bright green, sissy bars with foil streamers, and a banana seat. Perfect!

Burt smiled. He had scoffed a such a “girly” bike when Kurt spotted it at the toy store. But now, looking at the all-too-rare joy in his son’s eyes and feeling the approving smile his wife would have given, he nodded. It was perfect.

Birthday #10

Buying gifts was tough when your kid always clammed up on you. A dad had to be observant.

Ten years old. A landmark like that needed something special, but the only thing Kurt seemed into was clothes. He had enough of those for ten kids.

He’d probably like a Barbie he could change in and out of different outfits, but Burt cringed at the thought.

He did doodle pretty good though. Sure, it was mostly pictures of clothes, but that was a start.

A fancy sketchpad with a case and a hundred different colored pencils. Yeah, that was the ticket.

Birthday #11

“Dad, where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

Kurt sighed with exaggerated impatience. He had come home from school to find Dad waiting at the truck, ordering him to get in, then not saying another word. The suspense was killing him.

“Ta-Dahhhh!”

They had pulled up in front of a nondescript brick building. “Columbus Culinary Arts?”

“You like to cook right? Well, we’re gonna fix your birthday dinner this year with the help of a real chef. Lessons are once a week for the next couple months.”

Gourmet cooking lessons!

“Oh wow. Dad, this is amazing!”

Burt grinned. “Happy Birthday, kid.”

Birthday #12

Last year’s surprise had gone so well that Burt had decided on a repeat. But when he saw the excitement on Kurt’s face at finding a pair of tickets inside his birthday card turn to disappointment and horror, quickly masked with a fake smile, he knew he’d goofed.

“I know baseball isn’t your thing,” he said, almost pleading. “But you’ve never seen a live game before. It’s a whole different experience. It’s a home game. We can yell and scream, and cheer our team on with thousands of other fans.”

The stiff not-smile never wavered. “Sounds . . . fun.”

Birthday #13

Dad had bought out one of the partners at the garage this spring and now owned a majority share of the renamed “Hummel Tires & Lube”. Kurt wanted to snicker at that name, but he was proud too.

His birthday this year coincided with Friday Night Dinner. Dad had invited all the mechanics over for a potluck. They’d had Mary’s special fried chicken, Cassius’s homemade cornbread, and Davy’s mac’n’cheese. Now Dad brought out the cake.

Kurt laughed. A sheet-cake with a tow-truck and two little plastic mechanics for decoration.

“You and me kid. Partners.”

The mechanics cheered and everybody dug in.

Birthday #14

Kurt froze when he saw tickets peeping out of his card. Not again. Noise, sunburn, unhealthy food, tacky uniforms, and Dad trying so hard to make a boring sport seem like fun.

He sighed and pasted on a smile, which quickly transformed into shock.

“Wicked?” he squeaked, staring hard at the little papers as if the printing might change if he dared to look away.

“Embassy Theater is giving regional business owners a discount this year,” Burt said apologetically. “It’s just a traveling production, not real Broadway, but I …”

His apology was cut off by a joyful teenaged hug.

Birthday #15

“Don’t worry, son, you got this. Just remember everything I taught you. You got a whole year to get ready for the practical test.”

“I know.”

“And it’s okay if you don’t get it right the first time. Not everybody does.”

“I’m fine, Dad.”

“I’ll be right here waiting for you when you’re through.”

“I know that, Dad. I’ll be okay, really.”

At that moment, Kurt’s name was called and he sprang from his hard green plastic chair. His dad’s repeated reassurances were making him jumpy.

Twenty minutes later, a brightly grinning Kurt was waving his freshly minted driver’s permit.

Birthday #16

Burt patted the giant blue bow the dealership had provided over the hood of the shining black Lincoln Navigator.

Kurt was gonna flip! He’d passed his DMV test with flying colors and was no doubt showing off his shiny new license to all his friends at school.

He paused. Did Kurt have any friends to share this accomplishment with? He always seemed so alone.

Maybe that’s why he had decided to spoil his son with a huge birthday gift.

It wasn’t right for such a good kid to be all alone. Maybe having his own ride would help change that.

Birthday #17

A dozen teens gathered in Kurt’s basement to celebrate the end-of-school, non-disbanding of Glee, and Kurt’s birthday, all in one.

“Not like ten years ago,” Mercedes said to Kurt, as they watched Mike and Brittany dance.

“Ten years?”

“Your seventh? It was just you, me, your mom, and lots of chocolate cake.”

Kurt was astounded. “That was you?”

“You forgot?”

“I remember a little girl who showed up and invited herself to my party.”

“And I remember a little boy who needed a friend as much as I did.”

He squeezed her hand. “Thanks for coming.”

She squeezed back. “Always.”

Birthday #18

Kurt stared at his birthday cake, unable to think of anything to wish for.

He was 18-years-old today, a legal adult. He had new family in Carole and Finn, his dad was on the mend, he would be back at McKinley for senior year, he had made his first visit to New York City, and he had a boyfriend! One who had just told Kurt that he loved him for the very first time.

‘I wish for next year to be as good as this,” he thought, taking a deep breath and blowing.

The flames flickered out, all except one.

Birthday #19

Senior year had been a disaster, and now he had not gotten into NYADA, despite his well-praised audition.

“Blaine wants me to spend another year here,” he whispered. “I just can’t.”

Burt’s callused hand squeezed his neck. “Then don’t. You’re 19 now, a man. You got talents galore, work experience from the garage, enough drive for ten kids, and your mom’s life insurance money to give you a start.”

“But…”

“No buts,” Burt said firmly. “You go on to New York and grab life by the balls.”

Kurt felt his optimism rise. “Help me look for apartments?”

“You got it.”

Birthday #20

What a difference a year made.

He’d dumped Blaine after being cheated on less than a month after leaving Lima. He was enrolled at FIT and sharing a shoebox apartment with a fellow design student and a Broadway hopeful, but both were young gay men from small towns, and they had a lot in common.

“Happy Birthday!” Elliott shouted, tossing a handful of glittery sequins at him.

Adam came in playing the birthday song on a kazoo he had gotten from who-knows-where. “Ready for Callbacks? $20 on who gets the first hot guy’s number!”

“I already have yours. I win!”

Birthday #21

“I have the honor of presenting your first official grown-up drink,” Adam said, smiling lovingly at his grinning boyfriend of nearly a year. He set down a martini glass with a cherry floating on top. “A Manhattan seemed appropriate.”

Kurt beamed and gave him a kiss, then took an experimental sip. “I’ve had alcohol before,” he admitted. “Mostly wine, though. Mm, this is good!”

“I thought you’d like it. Happy Birthday, my love. May the future bring every good thing you wish for, and never more heartache than you can handle.”

Kurt could not have asked for a better sentiment.

THE END

#birthday drabbles #Kurt and Burt #Kurt and Mercedes #Kurt and Adam

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canary3d-obsessed · 4 years

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Shen Wei Serving Lewks, Part 7

(Masterpost)

Look 30

Swamp coat...no wait, hang on.

Upon close inspection, this is not Swamp Coat, but a different loose trench coat in Swamp color. What the fuck, Shen Wei! Borrow one of your boyfriend’s coats again, pretty please?

Both times this tunic/coat outfit has appeared on Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan was wearing this gorgeous tailored denim number, with perfectly fitted shoulders and a nipped in waist. Sigh.

Anyway, Swamp Coat 2.0 is nicer than 1.0, and Shen Wei is wearing it with a with an immaculate super-casual loose white tunic with a band collar, so he looks beautiful even though this ensemble is decidedly meh.

As Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan get closer, Shen Wei’s wardrobe becomes looser and more casual, which is probably good for his psyche so...okay.

In addition to layers of loose fabric, this look features a checkered nosebleed hanky and the angriest face he has ever turned on Zhao Yunlan.

Along with definitely not kissing

(More behind the cut!)

And definitely not having a massive grope session like the last time Shen Wei got between Zhao Yunlan’s knees on this lab table.

Once the anger passes, however, this is a very good look for making out in a taxi with a boy who has excellent taste in coats.

Bonus Look 2: ZY’s Turn to Be Angry

This look belongs to Zhao Yunlan, who is wearing a single soft layer with a wide exposed neck so he can have an intense argument and hand touching with Shen Wei. This is Zhao Yunlan’s at home look, without the extra layer (vest or jacket, in a tough fabric) he always wears except when he’s alone with Shen Wei.

Shen Wei is like, no it’s fine honey, slicing my arm open is just a thing I do so I can eventually die spectacularly. Also I drained my life force for you, don’t make a big deal of it you know I hate when you make a big deal of things.

For once Zhao Yunlan gets to be the overprotective, upset partner in the relationship and also maybe the big spoon for a change. In keeping with his personality, he expresses himself explosively...

...while Shen Wei quietly leaks out emotions like the black smoke leaking from his wrist.

This is Zhao Yunlan without his armor, his swagger, his smile; this might be the only time he is as vulnerable with Shen Wei as Shen Wei (always) is with him.

Look 31

Shen Wei wears his blue double-breasted wedding crasher suit to begin his long, long relationship with this pillar.

This look features chains, more chains, and long conversations with ridiculous smoke effects.

Bonus Look 3 - ZY Rescue Trench

Now THAT is a trench coat. Do you hear me, Shen Wei's Swamp Coats?

Hilariously, we are meant to believe this superbly fitted coat with its itty bitty waist and this perfectly sized gun belt are what Zhao Yunlan took off of this schlubby guard. Zhao Yunlan DOES have magic powers!

This is a good outfit for convincing your lover to give up his relationship with a malevolent pillar and come home with you.

Did I hastily photoshop Smoke Dude out of that rescue picture? I did.

Is this just a gratuitous picture of freshly-unchained Shen Wei looking upset and Zhao Yunlan comforting him? It is. Shout out to all the H/C fans!

Look 32

This look is a grey suit with a white grid pattern, and striped red and blue accent fabric on the pocket and under the collar. This was briefly featured way back in the trauma cake arc. Here Shen Wei is also wearing a fresh cravat in grey tones.

Shen Wei had been wearing a narrower range of outfits lately because he doesn't have enough drawers at Zhao Yunlan's place, so he must have made a brief stop at his apartment to get some more things.

At home with Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei wears this look with a bare face and neck, chilling in his white shirt with the collar stiffeners. I'm going to call them that forever; you can't stop me. Note how the shirt has darts (the vertical seams from his shoulder blades to his waist) so that it fits perfectly across the back.

This is a good look for lovingly preparing fresh fruit for your candy-addicted beloved and then watching him while he sleeps.

Shen Wei’s ass is now chainless, alas, but these trousers are doing yeoman’s werk work.

While Zhao Yunlan sleeps, Shen Wei takes the opportunity to check up on his special pendant necklace that he bought at a bong shop when he was in college.

Back in the full ensemble, Shen Wei is ready to have a haberdashery throwdown with his jerkass father-in-law, who normally has serious game in a plum coat and patterned vest.

Today Pop Zhao has unexpectedly said “fuck it” and worn a brown sweater and beige trench.

Don’t encourage Shen Wei’s boring taste in coats, Pop Zhao!

After easily winning the best-dressed award at tea, Shen Wei accessorizes his look with cheekbones that could cut glass, and his best “oops, busted” face when Zhao Yunlan sees him hanging out with the parent ZY hates so much that he has the same job and facial hair as him.

That leads to a wonderfully layered interaction, in which Shen Wei just kind of stands in front of Zhao Yunlan refusing to engage with his need for control, while Zhao Yunlan roasts Shen Wei for being untrustworthy...and then offers him a ride back to the office.

Guardian is so good at capturing the constantly-fluctuating state of a deep relationship, in which you can be fighting on one level and totally fine on another level; where you’re going to have a donnybrook with your lover but first you’re going to get a decent meal into them.

Skipping!

We’re skipping over the increasingly bloody tee-shirt ensemble that appears in the final episodes. That look says, “anti-gay narrative tropes suck.”

Instead, check out this beauty that Shen Wei wore for one poorly-lit scene early in the show. This is the only time he wears a fully-matched 3-piece suit and he SLAYS in it. And then puts it in mothballs forever.

I guess when you’re wearing an outfit the first time your sweetheart breaks into your apartment and disorganizes your panty drawer, you only want to wear it for the most special occasions after that.

Look 33

After a bunch of unnecessary yet compellingly-acted death, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan meet up outside of time and space in a Windows 95 screensaver.

[That is a Gen X joke. OP is old.]

Shen Wei’s look for this meeting is the same one he wore the day they met in the modern world - the double-breasted 10-button vest, with arm garters and now also (SIGH) tears in his eyes. Instead of that, here is an infinite loop of Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan talking over dinner in their kitchen, because screw Episode 40.

Look 34

Exiting the screensaver, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan fall out into the AU of your choice, because they realize that they left the wormhole together last time so it shouldn’t be too difficult to leave it together this time. They can just hold hands while they leave, for fuck’s sake.

In the AU of your choice they get married in these beautiful suits, as seen in Bazaar magazine.

Shen Wei’s look here features tousled hair and the glasses-free look he prefers when he’s with his true love. This is the first black suit we’ve seen him in, and he’s doing fine work in it, particularly with the gold bola thingy he’s wearing at the collar. Zhao Yunlan is so hot here that only Shen Wei dares to touch him.

Look 35

For the beach party they throw for their AU friends and neighbors a month after the wedding, (also courtesy of Bazaar’s photoshoot) Shen Wei chooses this short-legged suit with white canvas shoes, a lovely display of calf and a sprinkling of leg hair.

This look says, I love you forever and I'm pretty sure I can give you a spinal adjustment using only my leg muscles.

Shen Wei has replaced his bong-shop pendant with a tasteful diamond bar necklace, which was an apology gift from Zhao Yunlan after ZY intentionally accidentally set fire to Swamp Coats 1 through 4.

Near his heart Shen Wei is wearing a tie pin (sans tie) that’s made out of a lollipop stick.

Preview

The next post features Shen Wei’s cosplay looks including Black Robe Envoy and Ye Zun!

#guardian #weilan #zhu yilong #bai yu #shen wei #zhao yunlan #guardian spoilers #shen wei serving lewks #canary3d-original #zhen hun #menswear #c-drama #bl drama #my gifs #my stills #guardian memes #guardian gifs #bazaar does the best fixits #goddamn typos

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luvutomoonandtosaturn · 3 years

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Child of Blood and Salt - Chapter 5

Anya quickly turned to board the Staroverova with the other crows, but stopped short when she saw that Inej was still on the docks. As her warm eyes met the cold ones of Anya she suddenly realized the Wraith had witnessed the whole scene. Anya’s breath hitched and panic set in, a type of panic that only occurs when one's past is revealed, however slightly, to an unknown outsider. An unspoken glace was shared between the two women, they had to get moving anyways until someone else came after them. Dimiti lay on the docs, breathing hard and hardly moving but alive nonetheless. The weight of the Lanzov Emerald was heavier than ever as Anya boarded the ship and gave a look to Kaz that it was time to take sale. The rest of the crows seemed to be busy in their duties of preparing the ship for sale, and Anya prayed to the saints she didn’t believe that none of them beside Inej had witnessed her battle on the docks. All her thoughts after the panicked ones, of course, were occupied by Nikolai’s name. How much she loved him, how much he meant to her and the Ravka, how much she needed to find him. She tightened her pirate hat on her head at these thoughts and set to work securing ropes and sales. Anya learned quickly that her true home was the sea. It wasn’t the farm where she and Kaz had spent the early years of their life, Gryphon Castle where she had been trained, raised, and turned into a ruthless assassin and soldier, not even at the Little Palace where no matter how many friends she made she still felt like an outsider. She was skeptical at first to join Sturmholds crew; she had no experience on ships or being part of a crew. She was adamant not to go, though Tamar convinced her to. She would forever be grateful to her friend for that because it was on the Volkany where she finally felt at home. She learned quickly aboard the ship and quickly rose in rank, becoming a valuable asset to the Stormhold’s crew. Of course, she figured out his secret two days into her first journey on board. While she had not met Nikolai yet, she had her rumors about him as well as Sturmhold and by eavesdropping on a conversation between himself and Toyla, told her that her suspicions had been correct. She almost let her lips form a smile as she remembered when Nikolai had found out she had known all about his supposed well guarded secret. It was late at night at the Little Palace and she, other grisha, as well as Nikolai who had supposedly returned home from Ketterdam, had just finished dinner. Nikolai had offered to walk her to her rooms and they were walking in the dim lighting on the quarters at night. “My rooms are right around the connor.” Anya said look up at Nikolai with a curious look. Nikolai nodded his head. “I hope you sleep well, Lisichka.” And with those words Anya left Nikolai, eyes wide open, in the dark hallway. He was a fool, he realized then, that he thought the cold-eyed, observant, grisha, woun’dt figure his secret out. Their dynamic aboard the Volkany wouldn't be described by Nikolai as necessarily friendly. She constantly fought him on certain moves. She had found his cocky and flirtatious attitude to be an annoyance, which is where she came up with the nickname Lisichka, or little fox. His lips formed a smile as he stood still in shock looking at Anya’s closed door. “Well played Rietveld!” He shouted through the door and finally turned, shaking his head and laughing under his breath. Standing at the opposite side of her door, listening to Nikolai’s footsteps become more distant, Anastasia could never have predicted the things that would happen in her future.

She thought back at the girl she was then, a year ago at the Little Place. Would that girl believe that in just a year she would be wearing what she is now, on a stolen ship sailing to free Nikolai from his power hungry brother? Anya finally pushed her nostalgic thoughts away as she stared out at the disappearing harbor. The winds were strong tonight, she thought, but if it ever slowed down she knew she may have to give it a little push even though she didn’t want to reveal too much about her unnatural power that she had gotten as a result of the experimentation she had endured at Gryphon. She also took this time to survey her ship, she had taken many item’s front of the captain's quarters like a sextant, map, ect. This ship was considerably smaller than her beloved Volkany, but it would just be fine for her purposes. Now all she and the crows could do was wait. They wouldn't be reaching Novia Zem in a few days time and Anya was already starting to get anxious. Usually being at sea would have a calming effect on her, but with Nikolai in harm's way she could hardly relax and enjoy the cold ocean breeze on her face. “There are rooms on the starboard side of the ship,” She explained, turning to Kaz and the others. “And dried food and water below deck. We’ll come up with a plan of attack tomorrow.” “Someone will have to keep watch though.” Inej reasoned. “I can take first watch.” Kaz said with a worried look at the bags under his sisters eyes, when was that last time she slept? He’d thought to himself. “Works for us.” Wylan said, stifling a yawn. “If there's any supplies for explosives, I can whip something up in the morning.” Anya nodded her head at this as Jesper and Wylan took their leave hand in hand. “I can take second watch then,” Inej said “Oh, no that's not necessary,” Anya said “You look exhausted,” Inej said, looking at Anya and remembering the scene she had witnessed at the docks. It was one of the reasons Anya hated using her enhanced powers, along with the memories it brought back up, it echaused her completely. “Get some rest Anya,” she said, laying a loving hand on her shoulder, “You got to be well rested don’t you?” Inej smiled at her, then she walked to her quarters as well. For a while after the three of them left Kaz and Anya stared out at the ocean for a few seconds listening to the small waves crashing up against the boat and they exited the harbor and into the True Sea. “She's right , you know.” Kaz said, cane in front of him. “I know.” Anya replied. So many unspoken things lingering in the silence, so many things she wanted to say. Did he want to say the same things? Had he heard what had transpired on the docks. Had he seen the hump of dead and bloodied bodies, her eyes glowing. And above all these thoughts there was Nikolai, Nikolai, Nikolai, Nikolai. She had to get to Nikoali, and she was so exhausted, and had a pounding headache. The Lantsov Emerald had never felt so hot and heavy agait her chest as she finally lay her down to sleep.

Anya could feel her hair plastered to her skin as she sat stark naked on an abandoned little row boat in the middle of the ocean. It was dark as she frantically looked around at her surroundings but there was no land in sight. She searched for oars, driftwood, anything to get the broken row boat moving. She closed her eyes and frantically searched for a sign of a heartbeat until she caught a slight one close to her. Squinting her eyes she saw the cause of the heart beat drifting in the icy ocean. There was no mistaking those blue eyes, and striking blonde hair. Anya frantically pulled Nikolai on to the row boat, hopelessly holding on to the umstead beat of his head. “Anastasia,” He whispered from his blue lips. His skin was ice cold. “Anya,” he repeated again, raising a cold hand to her cheek. “Anastasia, you have to help me. Help save me. Don’t let me die.” He croaked, tears spilling from his ocean blue eyes that were now a dark, cold, gray. “Please” he pleaded with Anya. “plese zolotse please don’t let me die.” “You won’t!” Anya yelled out, placing two hands over his chest. “You won’t die because I won’t let you.” Tears were now spilling down her face but she felt his heartbeat die down, like it was falling down a rabbit hole, like she was falling, and she couldn't get back to the surface. Lost forever. And just as he was about to be lost from her forever. His featured subtlety and disterbantly changed to ones of an old, sickly, balding man with bad teeth and a big moustache. “No,” She whispered. She was the one who was pleading now. “No, please, leave me alone,” She sobbed out. “You can never hide from me malen’kiy.” Markin Yaroslavovich whispered back. “You can never escape me because I created you, I made you who you are, Anastaisa.” “No!” Anya screamed out covering her head now rocking back and forth , but Yaroslavovich’s words were just as clear and crisp as he was physically inside her head. “You were nothing! Abandoned, a child, alone, helpless, burdened with a great power. I made you who you are, and you can never escape that truth. And who are you now, girl. A runaway, a mistress, a murderer?” “No, no, no” Anya repeated now, noticing how water was flooding into the little boat soaking her feet and legs. “A killer, an unnatural being in the world, and helpless all the same. And now you’ll die like the killer you are, alone, cold, afraid, and with blood on your hands.” That's when Anya finally looked up to find herself just that dreadfully alone, hopelessly afraid, and in an ocean of red blood. There was nothing left to do, but scream.

Anya awoke in a cold sweat and sat straight up with a gasp, hitting her head on the beam of the low ceiling in the captain’s quarters. “Shit.” She whispered to herself. Her heart was beating at a rapid pace and her clothes were soaked in sweat to her skin. She frantically discarded the covers off the bed and rested her head on the headboard, trying to steady herself. Her nightmare had seemed so real, so horrifying and she still remembered every detail. In her half-awake and frantic state she quickly looked at her hands and body making sure they weren't covered in blood, but then in a sense she thought to look at the palms of her hands, weren’t they? She pulled her knees to her chest and let her head rest there for a while. The movement seemed so innocent and so childlike and a single tear dripped from her eye as she hugged her knees closer to her body. Where was Nikolai now, in a cell in the same position as herself? Was he in pain, being tortured for information, or was he already dead? She shuddered at the thought of the bastard king laying dead in a cold dark cell. Against her better judgment she took the Lantov Emerald out from under her shirt. She gave a small laugh, it was the first time she had truly looked at the gigantic thing. It was beautiful tho, she couldn't deny that. After a few seconds she quickly stuff the chain back into her shirt, before she did something foolish like try the damn thing on. Finally coming to the realization that she won't be getting any more sleep tonight, she put on her boots and coat and decided to go see if she could relieve her brother from watch duty. If she was up, she might as well be doing something useful. When Anya finally emerged from the captain's chambers, hands in her pockets, she wasn’t greeted by Kaz, but Inej. She stopped short when she saw the Suli girl, but she had already spotted her locking her gaze with her beautiful and kind eyes. “Couldn't sleep?” She asked gensering to a seat beside her look out into the black ocean, Anya had to blink to make sure it wasn’t crimson. She took her seat beside Inej, who was looking out into the sea, a braid of dark brown hair on her right shoulder. “I guess you could say that.” Anya replied. “I get them too, you know.” Inej said still with a steady gaze towards the ocean. Anya tilted her head in confusion. “The nightmares.” Inej clarified, “I get them too. I guess most of us do on this ship.” She gave a small laugh at this. Anya could feel tears building up in her eyes as she was determined to keep looking at the ocean. “If you couldn't mention to Kaz, the, uh, events at the dock, he just doesn’t need anything more on his plate right now.” “I know what it’s like to be taken from your homeland, stripped of your innocence and childhood. And I know you do too. Your secrets are safe with me, no matter how many you end up having.” The two girls finally made eye contact at this and Inej shocked her head slightly. “You two look so alike, it’s amazing. And a little creepy to be honest.” Anya laughed. “My mother always said that we might as well be twins, we looked so alike as children. I remember she gave us both the same outrageously horrible haircut, we were indistinguishable.” “I can’t imagine what it must have been like to meet him. After all those years. ” Inej said her curiosity got the better of her. “I didn’t want to know him.” Anya confessed, swirling her thumbs. “I didn’t want to know him and I didn't want a relationship with him, he swore he wanted the same thing. We were going to go our separate ways. I was in a bad situation with some pirates from the north, a miscommunication, I’ll call it,” Anya winked at Inej. “He came back for me; saved my life really. He was the first person who, just, I don’t know, really cared. Of course he cared in an over protective, angry, self centered way, but, he cared.” Anya finished turning to Inej looking into her eyes. “Kaz Brekker doesn't really care for people that often. He cares for you Inej, more than anything in the world by the looks of it.” “We're going to find him, Anya.” Inej said,

noticing her frantic hand twirling. “We're going to break him out and bring him home.” “He’s never gotten himself into a situation like this. Been kidnaped many times of course, but nothing like this.” Anya said feeling Inej’s worried eyes on her. “I told him not to go, I told him it would be out of the way, but it was such a small mission none of us expected-” Inej reached out and clasped her hand in Anya’s squeezing tight. Anya took a deep breath and lit the ocean air into her lungs. “I’ve already been told he was dead once,” She said, “I can’t hear those words a second time.” “Kaz doesn’t know about you and-” Anya shook her head quickly. “It’s a complicated situation, no one at the palace really does, he’s the king of Ravka, and-” “Secret is safe.” Inej said, giving a slight smile. “Kaz would go ballistic anyways.” Anya smiled as she thought about how her over protective brother would react to her being involved with the King of Ravka. “Saints,” Anya said with a sigh, “I don’t even want to imagine. You should go to sleep Inej, saints know I won’t.” Inej started to protest but Anya raised her eyebrows in defiance. If she wasn’t going to sleep she may as well be useful. Inej finally gave up and took leave from her position to go back to her quarters, but before she left she gave Anya another look of worry and said “I would talk to your brother Anya, broken families don’t often get the gift of being reunited. You and Kaz have been given a gift, I would use it.” Anya laughed again. “Yes Kaz did warn me about your Suli proverbs.” “Your brother is wary of them,” Inej said “ but Saints do not discriminate against those who will not let them in.” “Let's hope they don’t then.” Anya replied as Inej took her leave.

Inej’s advice to talk to Kaz stayed glued in Anya’s head for the rest of the uneasy days of the journey. Anya and Kaz had been adamant, to Jesper’s dismay, to begin the process of planning to break Nikolai out of whatever fortrus or ship Vasily had him stored in. Unfortunately, without the help of Anya’s contacts in Novia Zem, the group of thieves had very little to go on, which did not falter Kaz and Anya’s insistence on creating some sort of plan. On one such afternoon, Inej sat straight up in chair cleaning and sharpening her precious knives as Wylan sat beside her on the deck working on his sketchbook with cautious eyes towards the proximity of him and Inej’s knives. Jesper sat opposite of them tapping with his foot insistently and running an anxious hand on the back of his head. Kaz was sitting at a round table, the whole group gathered around, rolling out maps of the True Sea and Novia Zem. Anya was the only one standing, seeing as she was more anxious than Jesper to sit. For the last two days she was trying to display a calm demeanor especially in front of her brother, whose lingering eyes did no comfort to her nerves. She was staring out a porthole chewing the tip of a quill she was using to pinpoint possible Nikolai locations on Kaz’s maps. “Anya. Anya!” Kaz was attempting to get his sister's attention. “Sorry,” Anya said, coming out of her worrisome thoughts which included a dead Nikolai and a burning Rakva, “what were you saying.” She caught another one of Kaz’s curious looks toward her as he studied her. “We were saying,” he said now annoyed, “could Vasily of stashed Nikolai in the Southern Colonies?” “If it would be a good hiding spot, an unexpected choice.” Wylan added. “No,” Anya said, now turning and setting the quill down, “David was adamant about him being kept on a ship. And it makes the most sense.” “Yes but the True Sea is thousands of miles,” Jesper added from his spot “How in saints are we supposed to find a single ship when we don’t have a location.” “That's where my contact comes in.” Anya said . “She lives in Novia Zem and knows which ships come or go and where. She ought to know something, from there we can search from a more precise location. “And dare I ask who this secret contact you have is?” Kaz said, turning his head to Anya. “She’ll give us the information we need, is that enough?” Anya retorted. Jesper was now casting worrisome eyes between the two siblings who both looked out for blood. He would still never understand how Anya is able to look right into Kaz’s murderous eyes and not flitch. “Well I hope for his majesty's sake that's true.” Kaz said, sitting up from the table. “This is the best plan we’ve got until we get more information,” he said while looking over his plans. “We’ll reach Novia Zem in about twenty four hours, until then review that plan and rest up, this journey won’t be easy.”

#nikolai x mc #nikolai lanstov x reader #kaz dirtyhands brekker #inej gahfas #marry me zoya #tolya and tamar #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #wylan van sunshine

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drxco-dxrmiens · 4 years

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Monsta X Proposals

Anonymous asked: Monsta X proposal jitters? Who’s amping themselves up to ask, who’s calmly getting down on one knee, who can’t keep the request in a moment longer? And the like. ;)

A/N: This was honestly such a cute request! I hope you like it, dear!

HYUNWOO:

This poor teddy bear will be so nervous. He’ll have planned everything down to the T-- a romantic dinner at your favorite restaurant, planned on a day that might have some significance to you, like your first kiss or your first date. You’ll eat, laugh, and spend what seems to be a normal date just enjoying each other’s company, though he’ll be trying so hard to hide how his heart is racing and just how he can’t seem to keep his hands off of yours. He’ll check his pocket ten or twelve times for the ring box through the evening, and brush off any questions you ask by mentioning that he was just making sure that he remembered his wallet, his phone, what-have-you. He’ll offer to take you on a walk to settle down before you head in for the night, and bring up beloved memories between the two of you, reminiscing on his favorite times he’s shared since meeting you. Then, feeling a surge of confidence by hearing your laughter and your happiness toward these memories he holds so dear, he’ll pull you in for a sweet, gentle kiss.

“I want to keep making moments like this with you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”

MINHYUK:

Poor, sweet Minpuppy. He’d be worrying over this for weeks leading up to the Big Moment. And he’d definitely want for it to be a Big Moment--after all, how could his beloved deserve anything less? And of course, nothing creates a warmer, more heartfelt moment than a lovely, home-cooked meal. He’d set out to make your favorite, even going so far as to bust out some candles and to set the table as nicely as he could. You’d come home to his freshly-cleaned, smiling face as he invited you to sit and take part in a sweet, romantic dinner for two. It wouldn’t be until he brought out the dessert that you’d ask about the small black box sitting on your plate, looking up to see his nerves show at last. He’d kneel carefully in front of your chair, taking your hand in his trembling fingers, and ask the question burning at his lips all day.

“I love you so much. Please...marry me?”

HOSEOK:

He would have bought the ring months in advance. This kind-hearted softie would have known that you were his eternity very quickly, and made sure to pick just the perfect thing that would bring that smile he loves so much to your face. When he would decide that he was tired of waiting for the perfect moment to present itself to him, he’d plan an entire day of activities for you--something active to get your blood pumping, like an all-day hike or a trip to the beach for some ocean fun. You’d barely have time to think of anything else, too lost in the excitement that just radiates from your beloved boy, and follow along when he suggests winding down the day by stargazing. When the time is right, he’d roll over on his side and pull the ring from his pocket, all shy smiles as he tries to find the right words to say.

“I can’t imagine a moment of my life without you. Please...let me be yours forever.”

HYUNGWON:

Our classy boy is going to go all out. He never does anything by halves when it comes to the person he loves, and he’s going to insist that you both dress up to the nines for a night on the town, heading to a high-class restaurant for a delicious meal. What might seem to be stuffy and theatrical to others will feel so natural to you both--you’d both be just as comfortable at home in your pajamas, but he feels you need to be treated to the nicest things possible, and who can blame him if he thinks you look great together? He’d be happy to show you off any chance he gets. He wouldn’t make too big of a scene, wanting the focus of the moment to be between the two of you, but he would move from his chair to kneel smoothly by you as the dessert plates are taken away, too busy ignoring the pounding of his heart in his ears to notice the slight hush falling over the tables nearest to you as they watch the scene. For once his silver tongue will fall silent under your gaze, fingers trembling just slightly as they hold the ring he’d so meticulously chosen for you, waiting for the answer that will change your lifes forever.

KIHYUN:

Key would want for his moment to come during his favorite time of day. First thing in the morning, before the world wakes is where his sanctuary is--wrapped up in blankets and your arms, with the world and your problems a million miles away. The moments he loves the most are when he wakes before you, watching as you dream on without a care, oblivious to the warmth and love that fills his mind and his chest to the point he feels he can’t even breathe for fear of it spilling out of him. When he gets the thought in his mind that he can’t wait any longer, he’ll choose one of his early mornings to carefully disentangle himself from you, padding to the kitchen to put a beautiful breakfast together for the two of you. Placing everything meticulously on the tray he would bring in to you, he’d hide the ring beneath a cup, having to stifle his excited grin at the thought of what you’ll say when you see it. Once the scene has been set, he’ll return to watch it play out, glowing as he waits for your reaction.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty. I’ve got something very special for you...”

JOOHEON:

Heoneybun would need a little help to keep his nerves from freezing him to the spot. And what better way than to go out and have some fun? He’d choose an outdoor event, like a festival or a theme park, loving to run amongst the people and the flashing lights, the pair of you grinning and joking and laughing as you’d compete in cheesy games, distracting each other with cheek kisses and silly jokes in order to win. His nerves from the beginning of the night would fly away in the wake of his perfect night, and as it gets late, he’d offer you his hoodie to stay warm. His blood would run cold, however, as you stick your hands in the pockets as you’ve done a thousand times, fingers closing around the small velvet-covered box he’d carefully stowed away. Meeting your questions with a sheepish grin, he admits that he really should have known that things wouldn’t really go according to plan when he set out without a real plan in the first place.

“Okay...I guess now that you know...do I still have to kneel down?”

CHANGKYUN:

In perfect honesty, he wouldn’t have planned it at all. Of course, he chose a ring that he knew would be perfect, but that’s...as far as he would get. He’d be too nervous even thinking about the possibility of rejection by the person he loves most in the world that he’d just keep the box stashed in the back of his dresser, saving it for a wistful “someday”. The impulse would hit him in the middle of a night like many others you’ve spent together when you’re both off of work, moving around the house in perfect synch as your lives fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. You’d be on the couch together, deciding what to watch as snacks sit nearby, ready for a movie night much like dozens of others you’ve spent together. The moment would just hit, when he realizes that this life you’re spending together is just...perfect. His love, his life, his best friend and closest confidante are all wrapped up in this beautiful package sitting within arm’s reach, trying to decide between action, comedy, or horror...and if he doesn’t take the risk of failing, he’ll never succeed in making sure this never has to end. He’d tell you to stay put as he jumps to his feet, narrowly avoiding injury as he rushes across the house to find the box he’d hidden, needing to act before his confidence wanes again.

“You’re everything to me. Everything I’ve ever wanted, everything I’ve ever needed...and I never want to let you go.”

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!

#monsta x #monsta x imagines #im chankyun #lee jooheon #son hyunwoo #chae hyungwon #lee minhyuk #yoo kihyun #lee wonho #lee hoseok #monsta x reactions #monsta x drabbles #fef writes #requests #answers

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seyaryminamoto · 3 years

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Matching Heartbeats: Sokkla Saturdays 2020

Day 6: Making a deal

On FF.net//On AO3

If only someone other than Aang had claimed to have been warned in their dreams that some dangerous threat lurked in the shadows of Ba Sing Se's Palace, tailing the king and his family, Sokka would have never taken a break in his duties as a White Lotus agent to investigate it. It wasn't that he dismissed spiritual matters the way he had in his younger years… but something as vague as "threat lurking in the shadows" didn't sound as serious to him as a confirmed, verified menace would…

But here he was, paying a home visit to King Kuei, smiling awkwardly as him and his wife talked his ear off about the baby they were expecting, who would arrive any day now. They had the highest hopes for the baby, and couldn't seem to consider that maybe their bright enthusiasm was a hazard, a beacon that attracted unwanted attention: countless dignitaries, envoys from noble families of Ba Sing Se and other cities, even representatives of other nations, had been arriving across the weeks leading up to the birth, all be it to congratulate the king before and after his child was born.

And that meant the threat, whatever it might be, could be anywhere. It could be part of any of those retinues, whether a highly-ranked official or a mere servant, even someone within Kuei's own people, hiding in plain sight for years, gaining his trust, until the right moment to strike arrived. It wouldn't be any surprise, would it? The trusting fool had reinstated the Dai Li after they turned on him, no less…

Thus, Sokka was to work in subtle secrecy, without the king's awareness. He would unearth the threat somehow, before Kuei could come any closer to unraveling there was one at all: it had taken forever for the man to ease up on his antagonism towards the Fire Nation, and Aang's grand project to establish a United Republic hadn't helped matters in the least… too much rode on keeping the damn king safe. They could be on the verge of yet another war if either him or his loved ones were harmed by this problem.

He smiled as enthusiastically as he could while Kuei recited his genealogy for the umpteenth time, eating his dinner while trying his best to attune his other senses to their surroundings. What was the best place where a killer might hide? Where would he hide, if he were an assassin? What would he use to do away with Kuei or his wife…? Or maybe both? It could be an attempt to treasonously kill every member of the royal family, come to think of it… while Kuei and his wife appeared to look forward to having a huge family, this one would be their very first child. Without these three, the Earth Kingdom's royal bloodline would be gone for good.

If so… the closest way to stealthily strike at them would be from their side. But would this threat have waited this long to act, if they had been in the king's employ for all this time? The pregnancy had only been announced officially to the whole world two months ago: anyone who had intended to kill Kuei and do away with his child would have likely acted sooner than this. That Aang had only gotten that warning after the pregnancy was announced could only mean that, whatever this threat was, it had found out about the truth when everyone else had… it was an outsider. And what would an outsider do to get closer to Kuei, enough to kill him or his child…?

Sokka's eyes raked the servants in the room slowly, assessing each of the maids with careful regard. All appeared perfectly Earth Kingdom, clad in elegant yet humble robes of palace servants… nothing stood out amongst them. Not the maids, then? Perhaps the soldiers?

Just then, he glimpsed one shadow at the threshold of the door behind Kuei. Sokka's eyes narrowed as he glanced in that direction: he couldn't identify it right away. He gritted his teeth before setting down his chopsticks and excused himself, saying he'd have to go to the bathroom because he'd eaten too fast. Used to such antics on his part, Kuei dismissed him with a laugh, and he lingered in the room with his beloved wife while Sokka walked through the opposite door… and then turned sharply on the next corner, slipping through the corridors he had learned by heart during his brief stay in the Palace back in the years of the war. He had to move slowly, as cautiously as possible, if he hoped to catch this lurker…

He glanced past the corner warily, and from this new angle it was far easier to spot the dark shape hidden in the corridor: even if he hadn't been warned that there would be danger, he would have been alarmed by it.

Slowly he made his way towards that shadow, knowing there was a pretty good chance he'd be heard… knowing it could mean trouble if he was. The whole idea was to resolve this problem without Kuei finding out there was a problem at all. If he even knew anyone was trying to assassinate him, every bit of progress made for the harmony of nations would come to an abrupt end, and they couldn't have that, not at all…

The shape was so focused on the dinner scene, apparently, that they hadn't sensed him yet. One more careful step, then he could sprint towards it and disarm them before questioning them thoroughly, perhaps…?

The shape turned sharply towards him and launched a potent kick at his face.

Sokka lost his balance but regained it quickly just before the other person tackled him: he was larger, stronger physically, and he planted his feet firmly just before the opponent collided with him: the feeling of that body against his own… those were breasts. It was a woman.

Ugh, that was no reason to hold back if she was here to kill Kuei anyhow.

He clasped the enemy by her shirt and pinned her to the nearest wall, perhaps a little more violently than he should have: the next thing he knew, the dark corridor was lit up by an eerie blue light that came from the enemy's fingertips…

An eerie blue light that allowed them both to see each other's faces, and recognize one another immediately.

"Sokka…?!"

"A-Azula?!"

She hadn't intended to be discovered at any point in time, but if anyone tried to attack her, she wouldn't hold back if they were strong enough to withstand her non-bending combat abilities. She had conjured her fire with the intent of putting a rather final conclusion to this sudden setback… but just before she could strike in a violent, lethal way, she found herself recognizing the man as someone she absolutely couldn't kill if she truly hoped to get out of this mess unscathed. The very fool she had been surveilling a moment ago, as he excused himself from the meal he had been sharing with the king…

"Guess you didn't need the bathroom that much, huh?" Azula said, with a dry grin. Sokka gasped, staring at her in anguish.

"You're… you're kidding. Zuko said you'd changed, that you'd proven yourself…!" Sokka said, keeping his voice down despite his outrage threatened to change that. "I believed him! And yet now you're trying to kill the king?!"

"You… ugh, you utter imbecile," Azula sighed, closing her eyes and dropping her head against the wall. "I'm not trying to kill anyone… well, not anymore, I did think I'd have to kill you just now, until I recognized you. But I'm not here to kill that fool of a king, I'm here to save his sorry hide. Same as you."

"You… you are?" Sokka said, blinking blankly. Azula smiled dryly again and nodded in the most sarcastic manner possible. "W-wait, but why? How? You know that someone's going to try to…?"

"I don't know it, my stupid brother knows it, apparently," Azula growled. "He says he had a dream, some damn vision said King Kuei would be in mortal peril, and I suggested I could come here and deal with the matter myself."

"He… he dreamt that too?" Sokka asked. Azula raised her eyebrows.

"What, so did you?"

"No, Aang did," Sokka answered, biting his lip. "That… still doesn't explain why you weren't sent as an official dignitary, though. You're dressed like a servant, aren't you? Why…?"

"Why else?" Azula hissed. "I can't expect to play nice with the king the way you did. Technically, I'm still largely despised in this damn city, and even though I'm no longer public enemy number one, I'm not exactly far from that position either. If Kuei ever realized I'm the very same girl who aimed a fire dagger at his throat and stole his throne? He'll likely either sentence me to death right then and there, or eject me from the Palace, and his damn assassin will have a free path to doing away with him."

"And you're helping out… why?" Sokka asked again, blinking blankly. "Just because Zuko had a vision…?"

"More because I'd really like to come to this damn city whenever I so please without needing Zuzu making a thousand diplomatic agreements to allow it," Azula hissed. "You don't know it yet, do you? I'm his top intelligence advisor: his spymaster. I've been doing his dirty work for the past years. Why do you think he's faced next to no rebellions as of late? Because he's doing a fantastic job, and all the people indoctrinated into Fire Nation supremacy for the past five generations have changed their beliefs immediately thanks to his preachy speeches?"

"Uh… no. I guess that wouldn't make too much sense, not when it's only been a decade since the war ended, but…" Sokka admitted, before sighing. "And well, if he's going to have an intelligence advisor it makes sense it'd be you. You're far smarter than anyone else in that nation, as far as I know…"

"Flattering… though you're an idiot," she said, smiling a little. Sokka grinned too, despite himself. "That's not the sense of 'intelligence' I was referring to, and you know it."

"Still true," he smirked. "But… you do swear you're here under his orders? You promise you're not just messing with me for your benefit?"

"Ugh, and why on earth would I do that?" Azula sighed, rolling her eyes. "If I were here to kill them myself, I would've offed you immediately, whether I recognized you or not."

"I suppose…" Sokka pouted. "Though I thought we were getting along better, you know…?"

"That's no reason not to kill a guy who's pinning you to a wall like he likes it, you see…"

Her words echoed in Sokka's head for a long moment, throughout which he stared at Azula in utter disbelief. She raised her eyebrows meaningfully, before glancing down at the contact between their bodies: his hands on her shoulders kept her pressed to the wall, as did one of the legs that held down hers. By the time her eyes returned to his, Sokka's face was deeply flushed, even under the blue light of her bending.

"S-sorry… I didn't mean to… sorry," he said, pulling away and releasing her from his grip. Well, his heart was racing now… and not the same way it had when he had thought he'd caught the assassin.

"You didn't?" Azula asked, smirking still. "And here I thought you were doing it deliberately because you somehow adore being in close quarters with me… it's happened an awful lot of times, hasn't it?"

"U-uh…" Sokka blinked blankly as Azula lowered her fire, extinguishing it after a few moments, leaving them in the perfect shroud of darkness once more. "Yeah, well, that was then, this is now. I didn't really want to cause you trouble, Azula, it's just…"

"You were sent here for the same reasons I was" Azula said "And that means… that as much as I'd rather work alone, we may be better served by cooperating with each other going forward."

"Cooperating?" Sokka repeated. Azula nodded promptly.

"I'm on the inside. I will keep Kuei and his family safe because, so far, I've been posing as a maid in their household for five days and they still haven't noticed something's off. Odd, you'd think, but they're royals of the careless kind, much like my father was: they don't pay that much attention to the help so long as the help knows how to pass unnoticed."

"And you've learned how to go unnoticed over the years, huh?" Sokka asked. Azula nodded.

"You, though, can investigate by talking with all those dignitaries who poured into the damn Palace in droves. Assess them, figure out which one is the likeliest to strike against the royal family, and keep watch over them. I can't quite perform background checks here as easily as I would have in the Fire Nation… but fishing out any Earth Kingdom loyalists who believe Kuei's latest policies are an insult to their great nation will, hopefully, yield results soon."

"You're quite confident, huh?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow that he knew she wouldn't see, not while they stood in such a dark corridor. "Do you have any leads on anyone in particular so far, or is it you haven't been able to investigate much on your own?"

"I've looked up only a few people, but they appear to be irrelevant," Azula admitted. "I'll keep an eye on the other servants, even the Dai Li and every soldier, for whoever's behind this could've had the same idea I did to disguise themselves in the palace's own staff… eventually, something's bound to pop out as suspicious."

"Alright… alright," Sokka said, biting his lip. "Then I guess… we have a deal?"

"We might," Azula said, enigmatically. Sokka smiled before stretching a hand towards her. "But only if you pull your weight. I'm not slowing down just to wait for you to catch up with me."

"Same here," Sokka said, haughtily. "We, uh, should meet at least once a day? To discuss anything we've discovered for now?"

"Good idea," Azula nodded, clasping his hand in hers gently: her warmth shouldn't have been any surprise, and yet Sokka felt a thrill rushing under his skin upon their contact. "There's some unused rooms in the basement, choose one of those and I'll meet you there at midnight, I suppose. No one should be keeping tabs on a maid at those hours."

"Alright," Sokka said, breathing out slowly. "I'll, uh, go back now then. Sorry for scaring you…"

"Oh, I'm sure I'm the one who scared you," Azula smirked. Sokka scoffed.

"Just because you kicked me? You really think that scares me?" he smiled. "I've been through worse than that many times, Princess."

"I bet you have," Azula said, raising her eyebrows as Sokka walked away, raising his hand in farewell towards her.

"See you tomorrow," he said… though he had a feeling it wouldn't be quite so long before he saw her again.

He was right to guess as much: she appeared frequently wherever the king was, always keeping her head uncharacteristically low, walking at the same hurried, nervous pace as the other servants, shyly complying with every order and command. She appeared the picture of humility and perfect obedience… except for whenever she locked eyes with him. By then, she'd send him a quick glare, as good as commanding him wordlessly to stop staring at her. Sokka would obey quickly, again bothered by how his heartrate quickened upon being in her presence. Something was definitely wrong with him…

He had continued his research, though, and he had tried to make his acquaintance with the many visitors Kuei had received. He'd shared drinks with some, helped others heave in their large gifts for the king, offered directions to those who couldn't seem to find their way in the large palace… in the end, he always found a way to coax enough information from each person about who they were, and what they were doing in the palace.

He would share that information with Azula at midnight: despite he should know better, it had startled him to find her wearing her palace-acquired nightgown – a full-body, near translucent white outfit – upon their first nighttime encounter. She had made fun of him for how flustered he was, and he had tried his best to ignore her jabs as he conveyed what he'd discovered. Even though it'd been a week of this procedure already, he could never seem to hold back from admiring how those simple clothes hugged her womanly figure perfectly… but he wasn't here to swoon over beautiful women, he was here to work. And work he would. Even if she was making it rather difficult by stealing away his attention when he should have known better.

So far, not much progress had been made: everything seemed perfectly harmless. They were growing slightly frustrated over their assignment, even spending the latest midnight meeting drinking together while dissing their respective employers, Aang and Zuko, for having ridiculous dreams that they'd forced them to act upon… Azula was rather interesting with her inhibitions lowered, Sokka thought, but he hadn't dared act on his damn impulses even then. She had given no sign of reciprocity, so as far as he could tell, he was the only fool whose loins seemed to soar whenever they were near each other. This was work, too: he couldn't lose control and had to focus on the duty, the situation at hand. It wouldn't do to fail to protect Kuei because he was too busy gazing at Azula's cleavage, wondering just when she had filled out that much and how he hadn't noticed until then…

And if they kept up at this rate, he might have just failed to read the signs of danger when they finally arrived at their doorstep: a week after Sokka's arrival, another lordling, landowner in the western Earth Kingdom, had appeared in the Palace with as much pomp as any other noble had… and yet he immediately stood out as a menace to Azula and Sokka, as they watched him in his encounter with Kuei.

"So much has changed in the Earth Kingdom for the past years, my king… it has been difficult to keep up," the man had said, sipping his tea quietly upon each pause. Kuei eyed him remorsefully. "But this child of yours…! It will be the very first good change in a long time, won't it? A strong boy, I'm sure, who will uphold every ideal our nation ought to strive towards…"

"I am hoping so, yes," Kuei smiled. "I do regret that there has been very little to be done about the United Republic's demands, though, Lord Yao… it has taken me so long to accept the Avatar's project because I had no intentions of hindering my own people. It all boils down to that spoiled Fire Lord, really…"

"Oh, but he's just the spitting image of his father, only, with a damn scar across his face," said Lord Yao. Sokka's eyes flickered towards Azula, and he was impressed to see she hadn't reacted, not even once, upon hearing either the king or his lordling badmouthing her brother. "His colonial pursuits cannot be denied. He knows it's more convenient for him to keep a foothold in our continent, that's why he can't be reasoned with, why he's been so adamant about keeping Yu Dao as it is. I'm sure he'll start demanding for his other colonies to be reinstated too…"

"I do hope not…" Kuei said, though his eyes flickered towards Sokka then, and he smiled awkwardly. "I know you're personal friends with the Fire Lord, but surely you understand…"

"Oh, I understand completely," Sokka nodded, tightening his lips into a line. "I thought I was lucky to be born in a place with next to no resources anyone else would want to exploit, but ever since they found oil… the North has been pestering us nonstop, you know? I used to think it was fine, they were only giving us a hand, but by now I'm starting to wonder if maybe the rebels who didn't want this were in the right, instead… even Fire Lord Zuko has economic interests in the area now. He may be my friend, but he's still a Fire Lord. And Fire Lords… sadly, they can't be trusted."

It impressed Azula that he would sound so sincere… that he would speak ill of Zuko without missing a beat, with such believable naturality that both Kuei and Yao appeared perfectly, blissfully happy to hear him. While she had schooled herself into becoming the best spy she could possibly be, it didn't escape her notice that Sokka had, in all likelihood, spent his latest years perfecting his own skills on the matter all the same, in the White Lotus's ranks. And this way, he had gained Kuei's sympathy… and perhaps Yao would go to him for support, if he needed it.

Yet… Yao seemed to be ambitious, and he seemed to already have a plan, Azula realized. He wanted Kuei on his side, he wanted the king's support… he wanted the Fire Nation gone. He wanted the Earth King to father a boy, too…

Slowly, the pieces of the puzzle started to make sense in Azula's head. She gritted her teeth as she tuned back into the conversation, only to find that they were now boasting about the greatness of their respective nations and how they were the truly superior ones to the Fire Nation – a matter that she found utterly stupid to discuss, though to her relief, Sokka had enough sense not to pretend to be a pushover in every regard, claiming the Water Tribe was the greatest of all nations playfully while the other two laughed and declared otherwise.

She didn't wait until midnight this time: she waited only ten minutes after the meeting was done to slip away from the other maids unnoticed, rushing to the room she had long identified as Sokka's. She knocked on his door quickly, urgently, glancing anxiously around herself – no one should notice her here, not when the rounds of cleaning guest rooms were long finished, and when she should be down at the kitchens, working to ensure dinner would be served safe and soundly…

The door finally opened, and she would have rushed inside quickly, locking the door behind herself immediately… if only she hadn't been greeted by the sight of a shirtless, soaked Sokka with only a towel around his waist.

"A-Az…" he started, as she gasped at the sight of him. "W-what are you…?"

She snarled and rushed in anyway, bumping lightly into his body before closing the door in a rush. Curses, no. This wasn't fair. This wasn't right. She had been keeping herself in check, doing her best to disguise her body's reactions to his proximity for as long as they had encountered each other in that dark corridor… as, of course, no hot-blooded woman could be at the opposite end of those intense blue eyes, pinned against a wall by him as she had been, and not feel her very soul shudder with the urge to be kissed by him… but she was no fool. She had no intentions of acting on attraction, not when she was here for very serious, professional reasons…

But that glistening body, and that loose, wet hair, certainly seemed to taunt her into doing the exact opposite of what she had intended to. She had nearly damn forgotten why she was here, outright, as she stared at Sokka with what she hoped he'd interpret as outrage… rather than the arousal it truly was.

"I had no idea you'd drop by, sorry!" Sokka grimaced. "I was cleaning up before dinner, I thought…"

"Well, that's too bad because you'll be skipping dinner," Azula determined. Sokka's confused stare only made his train of thought obvious to the Princess after a short moment of tense silence. "B-because we have to investigate something, damn you! Not for any other reason!"

"Oh. Hah, here I thought you'd… haha, never mind," Sokka grinned awkwardly, scratching the back of his head as he made his way to his temporary closet. Azula gritted her teeth, watching his strong back, her gaze shifting lower, to the rear so tightly marked by that towel… no, no, no, she wasn't that stupid, she didn't think with her loins, no she didn't… "Why do you want me to skip dinner, though? Is it Yao? I did think he sounded fishy, but did you catch anything suspicious enough about him already?"

"No strong evidence yet, no, but I'm sure I know what his plan is," Azula said, tearing her eyes off him once he turned towards her, putting on a shirt slowly as he gazed at her. "He wants to be in Kuei's good graces like any other noble, but by incensing him further against the Fire Nation. He'll have Kuei killed, frame the Fire Nation for it, detonate another war and position himself as the ideal leader to carry forward this new conflict…"

"Wait, wait, wait… he'll have Kuei killed?" Sokka repeated, frowning as he put on a set of trousers: had he put on any underwear? Azula hadn't seen him do so. Oh hell, was he going to wander the damn palace without any on? That… didn't help. Not in the least. "You mean… he'll hire someone Fire Nation to kill the king?"

"And then, in all likelihood, he'll take down the material assassin himself, turn him in to the authorities, endear himself to the queen, all in a bid to become her next husband," Azula declared, staring pointedly at the wall. That certainly made it much easier to focus, yes. "He'll pin the murder on the Fire Nation, and raise the child himself to make sure he will hate our people. It's a perfectly stupid plan, and yet one that would likely work smoothly if only some weird spirits hadn't sent messages to my brother and your Avatar about what was going to happen…"

"That's distressing to even think about," Sokka sighed. "Okay, but then… what will we do? Without solid evidence there's not much we can present to Kuei, and Aang doesn't want me to present anything to him anyhow. He thinks that if Kuei finds out there's anything going on, he'll lose his shit and turn against the nation coalition all over again…"

"Zuko told me the same thing," Azula said, releasing a breath and turning towards Sokka anew: he had fastened his sash, and tied up his still wet hair, and surely still had no underwear on. Ugh, she HAD to stop thinking about that… "We'll look for the evidence now. Once dinnertime arrives, Yao will surely either eat with Kuei or take a group of lords out into the city, attempting to gather more supporters for his cause once he sets his plan in motion. He shouldn't be in the palace for a while, and that gives us enough time to search through his room to find any signs of communication between himself and his likely hitman."

"I'm not sure," Sokka frowned. "We'll both go? Not that I mind investigating with you, Azula, but we need to keep Kuei alive too, remember? One of us should…"

"There's literally no way the queen's water will break and she'll deliver a child, all within the next three hours," Azula said, skeptically. "Yao won't act until the child is born, and worse yet, he seemed to be quite certain it would be a boy: it's entirely possible that, if it's a girl, he might not act at all."

"Or that he might kill the child," Sokka suggested. Azula's eyes widened. "It's… sickening. But he could have his hitman killing Kuei's daughter. There's no better way to ensure Kuei sees red and doesn't stop until he immolates his entire nation in a war against the Fire Nation, if need be, than by killing his child… or is there?"

"I hadn't even thought of that." Azula admitted, frowning. "But it's a perfectly logical way to proceed, even if…"

"If utterly appalling? Yes," Sokka growled. "Just the thought that someone would want to kill a newborn makes me want to bash in their heads with my club, that they want to do it for a political reason makes me want to… to bash in their heads multiple times with my club."

"A valid feeling," Azula said, breathing out slowly. "But it means we have a short window of time to act. Once the queen's water breaks…"

"We'll have to be there. To protect her, for sure," Sokka said, gritting his teeth. "But if we can stop this beforehand, all the better."

"Indeed," Azula sighed, gesturing at the door. "Let's go. I know where Yao's room is."

Sokka obeyed promptly, slipping his knife inconspicuously inside his pocket, unwilling to bring any larger weapons than that. He followed Azula dutifully, urging his foolish heart not to overreact about Azula's flustered behavior earlier: she wouldn't have necessarily reacted any differently to any other guy she had seen like that, would she? It wasn't an indicator for anything serious, not really… no matter how he wished it were. It was stupid, a really bad idea, to see Azula in this light as of late, he knew as much, but why couldn't he seem to stop doing it…?

The undercover Princess led him to one of the topmost rooms in the Palace: most of them were occupied by now, and the newest arrivals were often given the least comfortable rooms of all, even as far as seven floors up. However luxurious it was, many of them had already complained about knee pain climbing so many stairs… fortunately, neither of the stealthy investigators were quite as quick to exhaustion as nobles were. They reached Yao's assigned room as quietly as possible, constantly hiding in corridors whenever anyone came close to them, switching stairs frequently to throw off anyone who might see them… until finally they arrived, and Azula produced a handful of servant keys with which she unlocked the suite quickly.

It was, naturally, empty: her guess about what Yao would do during dinner had been spot on. Sokka locked the door again behind them, and they analyzed the place cautiously. Yao hadn't been here for long, so he evidently hadn't unpacked much so far. They'd be able to search his bags, then, of which he had plenty, stacked on one side of the bed.

"Seems like he does intend to move in, huh?" Sokka asked, reaching for the first of the bags.

"You'd think, but most these nobles brought similar amounts of luggage," Azula said. Sokka flinched.

"Must be awful for you to clean after all those people," he said. Azula scoffed. "I'm surprised you've put up with it for so long without a hitch…"

"'Put up with it' is the right phrase, yes," Azula admitted, opening another bag: clothes, apparently. Many changes of them. She still stuck her hand inside for good measure, in case she found anything other than fabrics within, be it paper or a weapon or just anything…

"I'd have never expected you to deal with this. Serving others… doesn't really suit you," Sokka said. Azula smiled and shrugged.

"It's a pretense. And Zuko pays well, at least," Azula said. "That being said, I lived like most these pretentious fools long ago. I had their same complaints, saw the same faults in everything servants did, which means… I know exactly what they want to see, exactly how to clean to their satisfaction, exactly how to respond so they'll ignore my very existence. A double-edged blade, you could say."

"Wow," Sokka smiled. "Sounds like you should hate this job, but maybe it works well for you…"

"Oh, I hate pretending to be a servant, don't get me wrong," Azula said. Sokka chuckled. "But I don't hate being a spy. I don't hate investigating, and putting up a front… I masqueraded as your ex once before, remember? In this very palace…"

"Ah… I never did see you in the Kyoshi Warrior outfit, though," Sokka smiled. "Just in the Dai Li uniform."

"Your sister did. She was so fearful, telling me all about how Zuzu was in the city…" she said, smiling mischievously. "I know I shouldn't take joy in any of those events these days, but it was highly ironic that she'd beg the worse of two evils to save her from the other one."

"I'll say, in retrospect? You pulled off something incredible with that coup," Sokka smiled. "It was wrong, yes, but… I wish I'd ever come up with a plan as big as that. The scope of it, the way you had everything working smoothly, exactly as you needed it to…? It sure was something…"

"It's the main reason I managed to sabotage your big plan, too," Azula said, glancing at Sokka almost remorsefully. "Kuei himself blurted out that your people would attack the Fire Nation on the day of the eclipse. Obviously, I asked him to keep talking and the fool did…"

"Ugh. So, I could've impressed you that day with my strategic abilities, just as you blew me away with the coup, and he sabotaged it?" Sokka asked. Azula, despite herself, laughed at his outrage. "Damn him. Maybe I shouldn't be helping him at all. I'll leave and tell Aang to send someone else in my stead, now I'm angry…"

"If it makes you feel any better, you weren't half bad a strategist," Azula said. "Still aren't. But… I'm better."

"Heh! I'll get you yet, Princess," Sokka hissed playfully. She smiled as she set aside the fourth bag and started with the next one.

Sokka had been looking through a rather big bag, one carrying a few more implements rather than clothes. Hygiene implements, as far as he could tell, in general… but then he felt a small scroll at the very bottom, squashed against the rest of the items. He shifted the contents of the bag, fishing out the scroll with difficulty… when Azula suddenly whipped her head around to the door and urged him to be quiet by pressing her finger to her lips.

Sokka froze in place… just in time to hear footsteps. Footsteps, approaching.

Azula grimaced, closing the bag she had been searching and piling them together at haste. Sokka followed suit, tucking away the small scroll inside his pocket… but where to now? They were on the seventh floor, there was no way they'd be able to get out through the window, and the front door was ruled out, for if this was Yao, it was evident he'd enter through it in a matter of seconds. Under the bed? The frame was solid, there was no way they could hide there…

Azula clasped his forearm suddenly and dragged him to a corner of the room: Sokka had very little time to process what was happening before the Princess pulled the closet door open and tossed him inside. She closed the door quickly, its creaking sound matching the one of the front door, that was opened at the same time.

It was a small closet, and Sokka's head scraped its ceiling if he tried to stand at his full height. It resulted in him crouching lightly over Azula's frame… while she, in turn, was pressed fully into his chest, her face against his quick-paced heart.

Both breathed heavily, but as quietly as they possibly could, too. They heard footsteps out in the room, but no voices, nothing to ascertain this was Yao other than strong footsteps… then a sigh.

And then the sound of the mattress being pressed: he was sitting down, or laying down altogether. Why? How come? Wasn't he supposed to be going to dinner?

Sokka glanced at Azula – or at least tried to, for it was hard to see her in the dark. She raised her head towards him too, and when he tried to mouth some thoughts towards her, in a desperate and fruitless attempt to communicate, Azula pressed a hand to his lips before leaning into his ear.

"Be quiet," she whispered breathily, so softly Sokka almost missed the meaning of her words. Yes, well, being quiet went without saying, but what were they going to do next? How would they get rid of this problem? How would they get out of this damn closet?

It wasn't the first time Azula was in a complicated position in the middle of her espionage. She had been forced to hide behind bookshelves covered in dust and cobwebs, she even had to conceal herself in garbage one time, and the damn stench had taken forever to rinse off. But this time around she was stuck in a rather cramped space… and worse than that, she wasn't alone.

Try as though either of them might to be as professional and steady as they did, their bodies were in full contact as they held each other safely. What to do? How to ever excuse this, if they were caught? Even if they played this as some sort of twisted situation where they had developed a fancy for each other and taken to making out in dark corners, why would anyone choose to hide in a closet of the Palace's seventh floor to make out? They had no choice but to stay hidden indeed… for however long as possible, until whoever was outside left the room again, or fell deeply asleep and they were free to slip away unnoticed.

Sokka leaned closer, his lips grazing Azula's ear. She shivered, again trying not to let her damn system misunderstand what was happening… but then he spoke as she had, in that hushed, husky whisper, and his breath tickled her neck, sending tingles up and down her spine, as good as tickling the private places she knew she shouldn't be responding to him with…

"What do we do?" he had asked, and he lingered right where he was. Azula shivered involuntary, clinging to his waist, her long nails scraping his skin lightly.

"We… wait," she decided, in the same voice tone. "Just… stay put. Like this."

Sokka swallowed dryly: he would do his best, yes… but holding this beautiful woman so closely, feeling her breasts pressed against his body, inhaling her light perfume, would make it far more difficult not to move than any other challenge he could think of right now. The closet was so small, he had no idea how any nobleman would be granted such a small clothing storage… surely Yao would have complained nonstop about it to Kuei if he didn't have an agenda to push forward.

That being said… the man could easily climb out of bed and decide to tuck away his things sooner than later. If that happened… well, he'd punch the lights out of him, before Azula could do anything more final. While it seemed she used her abilities for better purposes these days, it was clear the Princess had become even more lethal in recent years and wouldn't hold back from executing anyone who might have caught her in a compromising situation… and that wouldn't work for their purposes either. If she killed anyone in this Palace, and it was discovered that any firebender was responsible, the precarious peace would shatter all over again…

His grip on her arms tightened, as though to keep her right where she was. To ensure she wouldn't do anything too dangerous, to ask her nonverbally to leave this to him, if need be. The man outside rustled in the mattress, and Azula's head whipped quickly towards the sound only for Sokka to lean closer yet, their cheeks colliding.

"Don't… do anything," he whispered. "Leave it to me."

Azula gritted her teeth, again tickled pleasantly by his voice. Again, stirred in a way she hadn't intended to be by him. She turned her face towards his… and in that darkness, she could sense him less than an inch away. She could feel his breathing against her own skin… just as he could feel hers, no doubt.

"How…" Azula mouthed softly, "… how do we always… end up in close quarters like this…?"

Her words rang true, and stirred further confusion and excitement inside Sokka's body: without needing a light source, he could imagine the way her eyes would glisten upon meeting his own. Her breaths brushed against him… breaths she released through her mouth. Her lips were parted… those full lips he couldn't help but want to kiss since their arrangement had begun – most powerfully once their midnight encounters had started.

The chance of being caught was terrifying. That had to be why his heart was racing… why hers was, too – he could feel hers against his chest, drumming through her breast… oh, he wanted to touch her. He wanted to kiss her, to pin her to another wall and show her the best of times by doing so. An unwise course of action, he guessed, for as much as they had gotten along for the last years of the decade, he hardly knew her that well… let alone did he know her well enough to jump into any wild dalliances without looking back, did he?

Oh, but she was so tempting, and she shivered in his arms, and he heard as her tongue slipped out of her mouth, licking her lips… he wanted to lick them, too. He could have done that for her…

No, no, no, he couldn't, he shouldn't, this was stupid, his brain had stopped working, that was the only explanation for the slowly surging erection that bulged inside his trousers… free from the trappings of underwear he had neglected to wear merely because the situation sounded quite urgent.

The man outside rustled in bed again, and Azula shuddered, leaning forward again… pressing further into Sokka. He flinched, she noticed… and that was when she grew aware of the dangerous problem that hung between his legs. She lowered her head, despite knowing she wouldn't be able to see anything… had he been turned on earlier, for some other reason, and the situation wasn't helping? Or… was it because of her?

Well, he was a man. No doubt, having a girl's bosom pressed into his body could have triggered a rather hormone-driven, impulsive response in his system… and yet that realization amused Azula, somewhat. She had teased him a few times by now, by saying he had a crush on her, somehow… but that his manhood would rise up to a challenge no one had posed for it certainly spoke for itself.

She raised a hand and then froze in place, once it was mere inches from his shaft: what on earth was she doing? That wasn't something she should touch, was she insane? That wasn't teasing, that was harassment. Sokka would report her to Zuko as soon as they got out of this damn closet, tell her brother she was some sort of horny nymphomaniac who had dragged him into a closet and had her way with him there… eh, maybe she really should be one. It would be more fun than standing here, raising her head towards his, merely chasing after those soft breaths he released, while she inhaled that delectable, masculine scent of his body… there was something breezy to his natural musk, as though he had only just been rolling in waves in the sea: that same sensation brushed through her senses, much as her own scent, akin to a spicy incense with a dash of saffron bittersweetness, was slowly overwhelming him. She seemed to embody a fireplace, burning steadily, but ever ready to take a wilder surge and burn everything in her wake, if need be… and he longed for it. He wanted to be burned, just as she wanted his waves to roll across her. Maybe if they both did it together, as one, neither one would get hurt…

His hands slid lower over her arms. Hers rose to his strong chest, the one she had been so enraptured by earlier. Any moment now, the other would pull away, somehow, despite they couldn't possibly put much distance between them in such cramped space. Any moment they'd snap out of the intoxicating daze they were in. Any moment, that bastard right outside would pull the door open and find them, flustered and undeniably excited, gazing into each other's eyes with unabashed lust…

A second ticked by.

And then another.

And nothing happened. Nothing changed.

Sokka swallowed hard: Azula could imagine the sight of his throat's movements, despite being unable to see it for herself, only to hear it. He was growing bolder, once his hands trailed down the sides of her elbows… and fell upon her waist. Azula shivered, and her own fingers probed the muscles of Sokka's chest, slipping lower, between their bodies… yet with no intent to push him off, he realized, for those fingertips caressed his abdomen… caressed it with greed.

Her irregular breathing soon accompanied his: what was the other thinking? What on earth were they doing? Azula raised her head again, intending to ask just how far those hands of his would go…

Her lips grazed his by sheer accident.

And the next thing she knew, his hands had clasped each of her ass cheeks as he kissed her hard, powerfully, overloading her already thrilled senses by finally caving in to the temptations they had failed to resist.

Azula didn't have a chance to reason with the situation: he had succumbed, though he had fought it longer than she had expected, but he had succumbed nonetheless… and as those willful lips collided with hers, she found herself completely forgetting all about professionalism. What did it matter to anyone if she made out with her associate in closets if she so wished? His lips tasted heavenly, and his tongue darted out to seek hers… her whole body shuddered as she leaned further into him, her hands touching him with now unmistakable erotic intent. She needed this, whatever it was. She wanted him, no matter the risks. And she'd get him, if not now, later…

Sokka nearly yelped when her hand slipped recklessly, quickly down his chiseled abdomen to tug off the sash that held his clothes together: undoing it proved enough for his trousers to drop, for his shirt to spread open… for his manhood to spring up, uncontested and free, and she caught it in her hand without the slightest hesitation, shivering with anticipation instead. Her hungry kisses rivaled his own perfectly, and while one of his hands lingered on her rear, the other ventured forward, cupping her left breast even over her clothes. Oh, he was bold, just as she was reckless, and she simply loved it.

She wasn't sure whether she was lucky or unlucky when it came to her servant's uniform: there were far more layers to it than to Sokka's simple apparel. He struggled to find her skin underneath the clothes, hiking up her outer tunic to find a long-sleeved shirt underneath, and beneath it, at last, her underwear. Ugh, but pulling off her clothes would be near impossible in this damn closet, so cramped, with the constant menace of that man outside, who would catch them if they made any noise they shouldn't…

Their kiss broke apart with a sweaty gasp: they breathed hotly against each other for just a moment, yet that Azula refused to let go of his erect cock convinced Sokka to cast the rest of his reservations to hell: he raked up the clothes of her upper body, slipping his hand through the hem of her trousers. And when Azula gasped, whether out of sheer pleasure, outrage or disbelief, Sokka pushed her back against the closet's wall and caught her sound with his own mouth, kissing her voraciously once again… and the whole world was fading in blissful wonder as those fingers prodded her clit delectably, stirring so much wet heat inside her Azula could barely hold her own against his touch. It was too good, he was too good… and by the soft, purr-like sounds that poured from his throat, perhaps she was good too, as she massaged his shaft, rubbing her whole hand over it, pressing her palm to his tip and prompting his breath to hitch for it.

She wanted to see his face… to know what he was thinking. Her other senses took control as it was, for she could barely make out his silhouette, even when kissing him with her eyes narrowly open… weird that she'd feel even more excited about trying to see him as they kissed, when his fingers were already doing a brilliant job at riling up her arousal: just how embarrassing would it be, in any other circumstances, for a man to dip his fingers over her folds to find them sopping wet right away? She knew she had no excuse for that kind of reaction… but to be fair, Sokka had no excuse for the massive erection she was still stirring further. Unable to see it, she dared caress it from hilt to tip, basking in how strong and potent it felt… she wanted it. She really wanted it inside her… whether it fit or not, she simply wanted it.

He groaned softly when he started thrusting into her hand, and Azula moaned back, their heavy breathing and intimate caresses paired in perfect synch. Their free hands traveled across the other's body, teasing and testing the waters by touching everything they dared: it was Azula's turn to wrap her hand around his rear… she wanted to spank him rather irrationally upon caressing the soft, round mound. Meanwhile, his own hand slipped under her clothes, struggling to push so many layers out of the way, all be it to find her nipples. He could have settled for her thighs, but he went further… Azula's lips wouldn't leave his anymore, and to his delight, the two were thrusting into each other's hands together, moaning, panting sweating, needing more than just these caresses to find full satisfaction… but, to be fair, the caresses were doing a damn good job at pushing them to the edge all the same.

Sokka's lips trapped Azula's tongue briefly, just as a surge of pleasure nearly caused her to pull away from their kiss: there was something impossibly erotic to being kissed this way… almost as though he were claiming her for himself. As if he was deciding she'd be his, from now on… and as she shivered violently under the fingers that dipped inside her entrance, while the thumb continued to toy with the clit, Azula found that notion perfectly agreeable. Yes… yes, she wanted to be his. She wanted more of this, whatever the hell it was, because it certainly felt like more than just impossibly hot sex to her…

He tensed up: he was close as well. He released her from the capture of his lips so he could pant heavily against her, but Azula stole another wild kiss from his open mouth: her hand jerked his organ faster than before, and by the groans that left his lips, that was exactly what he needed right now…

He came in spurts, shooting his load mere instants before her own lower body seemed to catch fire: they melted into each other's hands, moaning with more abandon than they should've risked. And again, they devoured each other's lips with savage kisses as they rode the last of their climaxes together, aided by the other in climbing down from the heights of pleasure.

They still breathed heavily when their releases were finished… and he still stole another kiss from her lips. And another. And yet another. Azula moaned, wondering if he'd want to take her in this stupid, cramped closet… she wouldn't mind one bit, if he did…

And then another sound, outside their tight, ever-heating closet, reminded them that they weren't alone in the damn room… and that a wild tryst was NOT the reason they were here.

"W-what…?" Sokka pulled away, turning his head towards the closet's door, his ear sharp and keen… Azula's crumpled clothes rolled down again as Sokka released her from his grip, though she had to tug everything properly back into place anyway…

And then that sound again.

A snore.

The bastard outside had entered the room to take a nap.

The two of them released louder breaths than they should have, at the same time. Oh, this was absurd. It was stupid. Either they had the best luck in the world or the worst, and it was near impossible to tell which it was.

Sokka leaned down, searching blindly around the floor to collect his sash. Azula shook her head, reaching a hand towards the door.

"We… are going to move very carefully, and quietly," she said. Sokka nodded. "If that bastard wakes up…"

"I'll stab him," Sokka said, bluntly. Azula smirked.

"Sounds good," she decided.

His hand found hers on the closet's door once he was ready, by sheer chance. Azula swallowed hard, but together they pushed it open as quietly as they could, hoping it wouldn't creak if they were careful…

She slid out of the narrow opening first, walking so silently across the room Sokka grimaced, while closing the closet behind himself: he could never be that stealthy. But he'd try anyways, even if he couldn't walk that lightly. He followed her as she reached the door, opening it just as quietly, and she urged him to move faster: he was still halfway across the room, walking cautiously while keeping an eye on the man snoring…

A rather large, bulky man with shaggy hair and beard. Sokka frowned as he studied his appearance: that wasn't the perfectly groomed Lord Yao he'd met earlier. He gritted his teeth as he slid out of the room, and Azula closed the door silently once more… before clasping his forearm and guiding him to the nearest flight of stairs.

He only followed blindly, carelessly, his heart racing so bad over the tension and adrenaline he didn't even think twice about whatever their destination might be. He only came back to his senses when Azula tossed him inside another dark room… a room he soon recognized as his own. She closed the door behind herself, locking it quickly before releasing a long, tense breath.

"That… was so close. Way too close," Azula said. Sokka nodded, finally finding his voice again to ask:

"You okay…?"

"Okay?" Azula said, turning to look at him in disbelief: the sunset's glow fell upon the room through the windows, and now she could see Sokka's face clearly… his reddened lips beckoned her yet again. She wondered if hers did the same to him…

"I-I mean… that was… intense," Sokka decided, swallowing hard. "That guy… that wasn't Yao."

"Yeah… I noticed when I was waiting for you to get out," Azula said, nodding. "The… the hitman, then?"

"Maybe. Could be… oh!" Sokka gasped, reaching into his trousers' pocket, fishing hastily past his knife for the small scroll he'd put away just before the stranger had showed up.

Azula stepped closer upon noticing he was holding what might be their only useful lead so far. She swallowed hard and stopped a little closer to him than she should have… close enough to smell her own perfume on him. Even to smell a certain, rather intimate scent that still clung to his hand… oh, she was insane. She really was insane. Getting fingered on the job and growing so utterly excited over it… what was the matter with her?

"It's… encrypted somehow," Sokka grimaced. "Feels like they purposefully broke the ideograms into nonsense so no one could intercept the message."

"That so…?" Azula asked, reaching for the scroll: her hand brushed against his. Sokka didn't even flinch as she angled the paper towards herself.

Sokka let go of the scroll once Azula walked away with it, towards his desk. Watching her body sway with each movement sent jolts of excitement through his body… threatening to reawaken his shaft after it should have been, by all logic, calmed after she had relieved him earlier… curses, how on earth had he scored a handjob out of Princess Azula, of all people? He swallowed dryly at the thought… too dryly. There was water in the jug, he could drink that. And he could offer her some too, why not? It was just the gallant thing to do… especially after having jerked off each other in a closet.

Azula had already gotten started deciphering the confusing code when Sokka deposited a small cup with water beside her. Her whole body jolted for it, and she shot him a quick, awkward, grateful smile before getting back to work. And then she glanced back at him, most deliberately, to watch as he swallowed each mouthful of his own cup of water. Oh, the bob of his neck's triangle with each swallow… that was a true spectacle. He was impossibly attractive, and she wasn't sure how to stop admiring him…

He lowered his head and she whipped hers around quickly, her face fully flushed as she returned to work. Sokka blinked blankly at her sudden movement, but he placed his now empty cup on the desk while leaning over Azula's hunched form…

"You're in my light," she said, though her voice wasn't too antagonistic. Sokka bit his lip.

"Oops. Give me a sec," he said, stepping away… and Azula's heart sank for it. Which it shouldn't have. Curses, she had to FOCUS.

She continued to work quietly: she had already deciphered the first part, but then he returned to the room… with a set of lanterns that he distributed across the room, lighting them one by one.

"It'll be dusk soon anyway, so…"

"Good call," Azula said, working on the next set of ideograms… and then he set down the last lantern right on the desk.

"And now I'm not in your light," Sokka smiled, leaning again. Despite herself, Azula grinned too.

"So clever," she whispered.

"How's it looking?" he asked.

"I think I've nearly got it. It's not a long message," Azula said, jotting down a few more possibilities on the paper she was using to unravel the cyphered missive…

Within another two minutes, two phrases had formed across the paper:

I'll arrive in the afternoon. Keep the room empty until the job is done.

"The job…" Sokka said. Azula snarled.

"Yes, it sounds bad, but not bad enough," she said, turning to look at him. "That guy, the one we saw… he's the murderer. He's the one Yao hired for his scheme."

"And if we take him out now…" Sokka said. "It'll cause trouble anyway. Worse yet if you do it personally: he's an ally and associate of a guy Kuei seems to like plenty. If a firebender is found attacking, or killing him…"

"The story will be spun into making me the enemy, yes," Azula said, gritting her teeth.

"They haven't acted yet," Sokka sighed. "I'm not sure we can make our move until they make theirs. There's so many potential risks…"

"The thing is… we do have the upper hand," Azula said, turning towards him. "Because they don't know I'm here. They don't know which team you're working for. You've said what they wanted to hear, but you're the Avatar's friend. They can't outright assume you mean them any harm… just as they can't assume you don't."

"Exactly," Sokka said, breathing sharply. "And they're completely unaware of your presence. So… we'll use those things to our advantage."

"You'll stick to Kuei. Follow him around, tail him, especially on the day of the birth," Azula said. "I'll wait on the queen, offer my services during the birth…"

"Sounds fun," Sokka said, with an awkward smile. Azula scoffed.

"A little blood won't faze me," she declared, boldly.

"I think it's more than just a little… but I think the worst part is the ridiculously loud baby crying," Sokka smiled. Azula grimaced.

"Fair… but I'll endure it," she said. "If the baby is a girl, I'll stick to guarding her and the queen. If it's a boy, you'll stand guard with Kuei and I'll try to reach you before the enemy does."

"Might be I'll make quick work of him before you do," Sokka smiled. "Though… we're not supposed to let anyone know what's going on, right? We're supposed… to keep our operation secret, quiet, without Kuei or the plotter's awareness. Should I try to take down that guy in front of Kuei? For real?"

"Hmm…" Azula bit her lip, tapping her chin with a fingertip. "I'd think it's the safest way to proceed… but maybe it isn't, you're right. If anything… we should figure out the layout of the birthing location, and where Kuei will be kept in wait. Then it's just a matter of figuring out where this guy is likeliest to break into either room… and then stop him before he does."

"We can… research that tomorrow?" Sokka asked, innocently. Azula blinked blankly. "You with the servants… I with Kuei himself?"

"Tomorrow?" she repeated. Sokka bit his lip. "Well, that's…"

She wasn't so stupid as to not understand his implication: he wasn't disregarding his work, not at all, and neither was she, that was stupid to even think about…

But they had started something in that damn closet.

And one climax was certainly not enough to consider it finished.

"If you agree…" Sokka said, closing his eyes raising his hands defensively. "If you'd rather we go right back out to track down someone who can get us all the information on royal birthing protocols, that's fine too, I just thought today had been a tiresome enough day to…"

He had been betting on it. He had been waiting for it. And he damn smiled when he felt that hand clawing at his blue shirt with enough strength to rip into the fabric.

And then he was swimming in the bliss of their joined lips for one more moment, as he nearly knocked her chair over upon kissing her back too enthusiastically. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and this time he didn't hesitate for an instant before swooping her into them, carrying her towards the fancy, elegant bed Kuei had granted him for this visit. He was quite fortunate for having gotten along with the king, and encouraged him to find his true calling by traveling the world, back when Azula herself had taken his kingdom. Otherwise he might have received a lesser suite… and this obnoxious opulence seemed to him the perfect environment in which to devote himself to Azula.

He dropped her on the mattress, and she nearly bounced with recoil as he pulled the sash and his clothes came undone yet again. Azula smiled as she watched them fall off his body… his glorious body that seemed to shine pure gold under the brightness of those lanterns. Sokka only had to shrug off his shirt, and toss off his boots to be fully naked… and Azula devoured him with her eyes, taking in that impossibly attractive body as she began undoing the fastenings of her own clothes.

"I thought… it had been a tiresome day?" Azula teased him. Sokka smirked.

"Yeah. Because I just wanted it to be nighttime already," he said. His insinuation made her laugh as he finally did away with all his clothes and climbed atop her, stealing a quick kiss from her lips that left her aching for more.

"You're clearly desperate to get some sleep, right…?" Azula said, smiling as he pulled her tunic over her head slowly. She never thought being undressed by a man could be this exciting, but her skin felt delectably feverish wherever his hands grazed her.

"With you? Hell, yeah," he blurted out, tossing the tunic aside before diving for another kiss.

Azula moaned, raising her legs awkwardly so she could remove her own shoes. She tossed them carelessly away, just as Sokka undid her own sash and pulled her clothes open… just as he had wanted to, from the first moment he had seen her wearing that damn revealing white sleeping gown… unlike him, Azula had underwear, but he didn't wait to remove it before covering her breasts with kisses, even over the bindings of her chest. Azula moaned, arching her body against him, struggling to shove off her own trousers… and, upon being unable to push them lower than mid-thigh, since his body pressed into hers, she took to caressing his strong back instead. She moaned delectably into his lips, appreciating his powerful build notoriously… and then he broke off the kiss to attack her neck next. Azula threw her head back, moaning far more carelessly now: she knew he wanted to hear her, to feel each vibration of her vocal cords, and she'd give him exactly that… was she being too generous? Too easy? Somehow, any such concerns were so superfluous that night she couldn't bother pondering them more than once. This felt right… it felt good. Better than good. He knew what he wanted, and he was chasing for it, and what he wanted was nothing other than her. Who could say no to a marvelous man who was giving himself so willingly…?

He sat up again, doing away with her lower body's clothes… and he smirked mischievously as he unabashedly gazed at her exposed nether region. Azula kicked at him playfully, smiling as she made to close her spread legs, but Sokka grunted in a sensual manner, clasping her knees to keep them apart.

"If you think I'm a sick pervert for wanting to look at every bit of you… then yes, I'm a sick pervert" Sokka smirked. Azula laughed and shook her head.

"I have no right to complain, do I…?" she said, gazing lustfully at his groin.

"True… you've been checking me out for a while, haven't you?" he teased her, urging her to sit up too. Azula snorted, her cheeks flushing as she closed her eyes: she raised her arms, allowing Sokka to undo her chest bindings slowly… revealing her to his greedy gaze with each loop he undid.

"How's someone not supposed to check out their partner in crime… if he shows up soaking wet, wearing just a towel, at the door?" Azula smiled. Sokka snickered.

"Liked what you saw…?"

"You like that I liked it…"

"Damn right I do," he whispered, stealing one more kiss from her lips as the last of her bindings came off…

And her full, plump breasts were revealed to his gaze at last. He groaned, leaning in to press his face to the mounds. They had been held down tightly, he thought… maybe they hurt a little, right? And now, free from those restraints, they'd need some massaging for the sake of relieving Azula from any potential pain… that made sense, right?

He didn't even know why he was making up excuses to fondle her chest, let alone once Azula began moaning heartily. Her nipples hardened against his palm, and Sokka groaned teasingly at the delectable sensation. Whether she needed a massage or not, clearly her chest was sensitive… and very receptive to his touch. And as far as he was concerned, he could continue touching it for hours if she allowed it. Oh, he really hoped she'd allow it… he was fine with her branding him a depraved fool if she wanted to do so, he simply needed to have her, all of her, and unless she stopped him, he intended to do as much right away.

She didn't stop him… but she did tighten her legs around his waist and swapped them on the mattress, all be it to find her own chance to devour his neck at leisure, to caress his chest just as he had hers. Whenever she rose, the glow of the lanterns would fall upon her body, and every curve wound be highlighted in such an exciting manner Sokka's mouth watered for it. He took Azula by surprise when, upon rising once after nibbling on his neck, Sokka's lips landed on her collarbone, moving lower slowly… she knew what he was up to, and as embarrassing as it was to moan in such a careless manner, she couldn't stop doing as much. She threw her head back and cried out, letting him lavish her breasts in turns, his mouth toying with her nipples in particular as he cast quick, teasing glances at her. His blue eyes appeared black with desire tonight… and that was how Azula wanted them to be. She wasn't often the recipient of anyone's lust… fear, yes. Envy, all the time. Spite, everywhere she went. But lust…? Let alone this much of it, so unabashed and unrestrained…?

She knew her sounds were more than a little embarrassing, but so what? Yet again, this was convenient. If the entire damn palace discovered Sokka was sleeping with an apparently common maid, he'd merely look like a lecherous idiot who picked up a girl at random… and she'd look like a fool who got swept up by the charming war hero. And no one, especially not that damn lord Yao and his associate, would ever suspect they were onto them.

That thought brought her to smile as she gave herself to her pleasure wholeheartedly. Let them hear… let everyone hear. She didn't care, for there was no reason to hold back. It felt amazing, and it would protect them too, should any danger befall them. Who'd have thought sex could be the perfect answer, and the ideal cover, in the middle of a job…? She'd have to drag Sokka into more of her missions, it'd be an amazing side activity to keep herself as inconspicuous as possible in the eyes of the people she had to investigate…

Sokka tugged down her clothes again, wrapping an arm around her to hoist Azula onto her side: he dragged the clothes off her legs, taking advantage of the situation to touch her thighs as boldly as he dared. And all the while, his mouth toyed with her breats, providing Azula with more surging pleasure than she knew what to do with.

"Y-you… really seem to like that…" Azula managed to say between moans.

"Here I thought you were the one who liked it…" Sokka said, with a toothy smirk before nibbling on her nipple. Azula cried out, half-laughing, half-moaning as she allowed him to pin her down again as he had his way with her. Oh, let it be. He wanted her, and she rather enjoyed the consequences of being the object of his desires right now.

Her body thrusted upwards towards him, urging him to take care of another part of her body, and Sokka complied, slipping a hand south once again. A hand he intended to replace with his mouth shortly, but he just needed a little longer of those soft mounds, just a little longer…

"Y-you're… y-you're going to be the death of me… if you keep this up…" Azula moaned desperately. Sokka snickered before delivering one more long, defiant suck to her nipple, eliciting yet another cry of pleasure from her.

"You sound amazing now that you're not trying to stifle everything in a closet," Sokka smirked.

"Like making me moan, do you…?" she asked. "There's… other ways to achieve that pretty easily, if you must know."

"Oh, my… I wonder what you mean…?" he said, teasingly, as he crept down her body, pressing slow, open mouthed kisses across her toned abs.

Azula smiled, closing her eyes: he sucked every bit of her skin his mouth fell upon, as though branding her his own… why did that thought stir so much excitement in her heart? Was it because her every partner before Sokka had been lackluster, quick encounters that went nowhere? Or was it knowing he wanted her, to the point of behaving almost possessively, had driven her mad with joyful pleasure…?

Sokka's brain was nothing but a cloud of bliss: her body was impossibly alluring to the eye, even more delightful to touch and taste directly. And while her perfume's fragrance certainly did a number on him back in the closet, there was yet another scent catching his attention now… a scent that demanded he buried his face in her sopping wet core, something he did without holding back at all.

"Y-you…! Oh shit, you glutton…!" Azula gasped, nearly kicking out when his mouth fell upon her folds. He was devouring her as though he were famished… which he possibly was, in quite a literal sense too, considering he'd skipped dinner. Was that why his mouth took her in so hungrily? If so, she'd make sure he wouldn't eat much right before the next time they…

… Next time? Would there be a next time?

Well. She'd certainly do her best to make sure there was one.

She only spread her legs further, giving Sokka all the room and opportunity to take her in as he pleased. Shivers rushed across her body, concentrating at her core, as though all her energy was focusing, ready to explode. She didn't quite need another release to be ready for his magnificent manhood… but if he would be selfless enough to gift her one, she wasn't about to refuse it.

More moans poured from her lips, and she thrusted at his face lightly, begging him to keep going. Sokka grunted right back in his masculine, sensual manner, and Azula felt as though she were about to catch fire for it. Who could've ever imagined that boy she'd fought against in a war, so long ago, would prove to be the best lover she had ever had…? It defied reason, she thought, and yet it was such a welcome discovery…

She kept her eyes closed as she navigated her excitement with him: she gasped when she felt his hands traveling over her abdomen again, right over her ribcage, and then he was squeezing her breasts yet again… Oh, he was a menace. He wanted to take every part of her body for himself, Azula guessed… and she wanted to give them to him, impulsively so. Why not? Why hold back? She bit her lip in a failed attempt to stifle another moan, and then he sucked on her clit with such devious power, while rubbing the tip of his tongue insistently on the rawest spot, that she climaxed chaotically once again, her whole body an erupting volcano, lava rushing through her veins at alarming speed with each pump of her heart. Sokka lapped at her folds eagerly, taking in every juice that appeared to escape her entrance, and he chuckled at each jolt of her body, every involuntary shudder upon the surging pleasure.

"Y-you… you're just… oh, to hell with you…" Azula moaned, clasping his hands in her own… but not to remove them from their spots at her breasts, rather, to encourage him to touch her further. Sokka chuckled.

"Much better than dinner, I'd say," he smirked, rising slowly. "Looks to me like I've conquered Ba Sing Se's conqueror, huh…?"

"You what?" she said, opening her eyes to level him with an outraged glare… one he fielded with a still proud smirk, as he pulled his right hand back, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

"You heard me," he said, defiantly. Azula scoffed, shaking her head.

"Proud of yourself, are you?" she asked, as his smile widened. "Why… I'm afraid I won't acknowledge that title you've bestowed upon yourself."

"You won't?" Sokka asked, amused.

"No… at least, not yet," Azula said, and a smile spread over her face. Sokka raised his eyebrows, intrigued… more so when Azula spread her legs even more shamelessly, exposing herself completely to him. "Surely you realize… you have one stage left still?"

"Ah… I breached the outer wall with the first kiss?" Sokka asked, teasingly, leaning towards her. "Then maybe the lower ring with the first orgasm… middle ring with the second. Now it's time for the third?"

"Give me four and you'll be sitting pretty on the throne, too," Azula smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. Sokka couldn't hold back a laugh as he pressed his brow to hers.

"You're… you're hot. Extremely hot," he decided. Azula scoffed.

"Tell me something I don't know… I am, after all, a firebender," she declared, proudly. Sokka laughed and dared kiss her lips quickly, unsure if she'd be comfortable upon tasting herself on his mouth.

"That's not quite what I meant, but you're funny anyway," he smiled. "Never expected you to be so playful…"

"Never expected…?" Azula asked, smirking. "That suggests you've thought about this before. About pinning me to your bed, and not just to a wall…?"

"Hmm… the thought did occur to me, once in a while," he said, pressing soft, slow kisses over her cheek. Azula's smirk widened.

"When?" she asked. Sokka snorted.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked, deliberately angling his body so his hardened shaft would rub against her sensitive clit: Azula jolted and cried out, only for Sokka to smirk deviously. Curse him, he had a dark, mischievous streak, on top of everything else… he was a tease, in the best of ways. To hell with this, if they kept this up, she'd wind up asking him to marry her before the night was out… "I might as well ask you the same question, Princess… did you think about me this way before? When?"

"Nuh-uh… you'll tell me first," she decided, reaching down between their bodies to clasp his shaft in her hand again. Sokka gasped as she smirked knowingly. "Look at that… fully charged and ready to shoot your lightning bolt, are you?"

"Something like that," Sokka conceded, laughing softly. "Ugh, you know what? You like games. I like games. Whoever comes first… answers first. 'Kay?"

"That… is not a bad idea, actually," Azula smiled. Sokka snickered.

"Good. Because I know I have leverage," he said, lowering himself again: her hand released his sturdy cock, and he dragged its head across her folds teasingly. Azula moaned heartily, rolling her eyes back over the sheer pleasure. "You're as sensitive as can be, after all…"

"And you're fully erect… and looking glorious," she said, smirking as she ventured a devious glance at his shaft. Sokka actually laughed at the shameless remark. "I don't think it'll be quite as easy for you to win as you hope, Sokka…"

"I'll conquer the conqueror… if it takes every last bit of my willpower," he decided, speaking with feigned seriousness. Azula could only laugh, even though he overtook her lips with teasing kisses moments later.

And slowly but surely, his cock's head began breaching her entrance: Azula moaned even more sensually than before, embracing Sokka urgently… most intentionally, hoping he'd go deeper once she pulled him closer. Sokka caved in, letting their hips loom closer until they were in full contact once he was deep inside her… and her moans were amazing by then. With her neck fully exposed, he couldn't help himself but kiss her skin, nibbling on it teasingly as he rolled back slowly, withdrawing himself to the tip… and them ramming back through her, faster than she expected. She yelped, clawing at his back, and Sokka groaned – the pleasure made him lightheaded too, no matter how strategic he was trying to be. She was so warm and wet… how would he ever resist until she finished again? It felt heavenly, being inside her…

He breathed out slowly before latching onto her neck next, biting lightly, but sucking harder. Her fingers clutched at his back, lightly when the pleasure was bearable… and clawing at him when it was overwhelming, as it was with each of his violent thrusts. And yet the smile on her face every time he stopped once he was buried to the hilt… she liked this. She loved this. It was as intense and savage as she needed it to be, apparently. Only…

"Y-you tease…" she said, between moans: he had done it again, drawing far back again: her breath hitched with anticipation and she cried out again once he rammed inside her potently. "Ah, just…! Go all the way, damn you…!"

"I… thought I was…?" Sokka smiled, reeling back again. Azula's chest heaved delightfully against his… and he smirked mischievously. "You sure you want me to stop the teasing?"

"Yes… yes," she said, letting her hands move up to his face: she pulled him in for a clumsy, sloppy kiss he couldn't seem to get enough of. "Fuck me like you mean it…"

"If you say so…" he smirked, stealing one more kiss…

Before drilling into her raw and powerfully, rolling his hips back only to thrust anew instants later. Azula's loud moans surged further, her nails catching his back once again as he thrusted and thrusted, faster yet, like a train-tank doing away with every line of defense…

And it was incredibly pleasant, both for the man who thrusted powerfully, rhythmically, even if his heart seemed to be about to fail him with how fast it was beating, and the woman underneath him, who thrusted right back into him, yielding her control of the situation only enough to let him understand that he only fucked her as he did because she allowed it… because she wanted him to. And her conditions and terms were perfectly agreeable for him, just as well.

Anyone else might have faltered at such a rhythm, Azula suspected, but her partner had the stamina and strength needed to power through while continuing to adorn her neck with the most delightful hickeys, to match with the scratches she couldn't help but trace across his back whenever he overwhelmed her. Sokka hardly seemed affected by the scratches, just as Azula was only stimulated by everything his mouth did to her neck… for both their conscious minds were focused on the joining of their bodies above anything else. The pleasure was rising, threatening to burst with the violence of a geyser, and neither one wanted to stop. Their challenge and bet forgotten, they couldn't seem to slow down their pace, and neither one wanted to do so anyway. Sokka only pulled away from her neck to gaze at her excited face for a moment… to take in the sweaty pearls trailing down her face before stealing a powerful kiss from her lips. She returned it tenfold, licking and sucking his lips as she moaned seemingly endlessly: his thrusts were powerful, hands clutching her thighs to further control the spread of her legs… and to Azula's surprise, he actually closed them rather than pushing them further apart. He wanted to tighten things, did he…? Well, if that's how he wanted it, she'd gladly relent.

Sokka yelped when her walls suddenly squeezed him. Azula moaned softly, but the knowing smirk on her face spoke lengths about how sure of herself she still was. Sokka gasped against her lips when she squeezed again: he kept thrusting even though her latest course of action was threatening to throw him off completely… oh, but it felt too good. He gritted his teeth, only for Azula to cover his lips with kisses, compelling him to steal another wild, deep one from her mouth.

Another squeeze, and his brain seemed shot with a tranquilizer: he couldn't think anymore, he was all impulse and instinct, and that meant he was thrusting recklessly, kissing her lustfully, touching her boldly… and she squeezed again, and again, and again, encouraging him further, begging for more mindless thrusting until those deliberate squeezes weren't quite so intentional anymore.

"I… I'm close…" Azula announced. Sokka grunted back as he kissed her powerfully, encouraging her to reach for that peak as she wished…

Violent shaking overtook her, and she gasped and shuddered violently as her hands clawed harder at his back: her piercing cry probably was heard all the way to where the damn hitman was sleeping in the seventh floor, as loud and careless as it was. And even then, when her walls now squeezed him in a whole involuntary manner, Sokka thrusted savagely inside her until, in his mindlessness, his release loomed so close he could do nothing to slow it down, let alone when those shuddering walls were driving him mad with pleasure…

He finished inside her, carelessly, recklessly, disregarding all risks, forgetting to ask if she had taken any form of birth control, which she likely hadn't… oh, nothing seemed to matter right now. All he wanted was to deplete himself fully, and as he thrusted further, he achieved exactly that, gifting himself to Azula while he groaned and moaned with each sway of his hips.

He collapsed atop her when he was all done, and their heavy breaths matched as their bodies regulated again… that is, if they ever would. Somehow, it felt like they would spend the rest of their days with an unquenchable sexual drive, a primal urge to merge with each other without restraint… just as they had now. Sokka breathed out and pushed himself up with some difficulty, supporting his weight with his elbows.

"Didn't mean to crush you… sorry 'bout that…" he said. Azula snorted. "Though… if you don't mind, that's fine too."

"I like it, rather," Azula declared. Sokka chuckled, stroking her hair gently. "What's so funny?"

"You're… smiling. More than I think you ever have since I've known you," he chuckled. Azula snorted and laughed heartily now. "I guess it's fitting, eh? You just needed to have sex with me to feel better about life. Perfect remedy, eh?"

"Joke all you like, that was… that was something," Azula laughed, still unable to stop smiling. "And I… I finished first. Damn. You won, after all. Though… you're still missing one climax, you know? You're in the upper ring now, but…"

"Not in the palace yet?" Sokka chuckled. "Well, then, I guess I know what I'll be doing next, greedy Princess…"

"You're the one who wanted to conquer me. I'm just establishing the rules," Azula smirked. Sokka laughed, pressing quick, soft kisses to her lips.

"Still… you did come first. Tell me… when did you start wondering how good we'd be together?" he asked, prodding her nose with his own. Azula sighed.

"It's all your fault… yours and yours alone," she whispered. "If you'd just quit pinning me to walls that often, I wouldn't think about you sexually…"

"Huh… I've got to do that more often, then," Sokka teased her. Azula laughed and shook her head.

"You're a piece of work, aren't you?" she smiled. He grinned cheekily right back at her. "You?"

"Probably the same time, actually," he chuckled. "I liked talking up close to you in that corridor a bit more than I should've… and then you pointed out we were too close and I pulled away because I thought you were uncomfortable, but not because I didn't want to be this close…"

"Hmmm… good to know," Azula grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck and reeling him in for one more heartfelt kiss…

One that turned dangerous as his hand slipped between their bodies and took to prodding her clit. Azula gasped.

"H-hey, you don't have to try already…" she said. Sokka snickered.

"Might be I want to… I like your moans. They're sexy," he said, and his pronunciation of the word made her shiver against his strong body. She wanted more, forget all caution and sense, she was going to lose her mind if he didn't make her come again…

A knock on the bedroom door.

Azula damn near cursed out loud upon the sound… upon Sokka's abrupt pause, and wary glance at the door. He swallowed hard and offered Azula an apologetic grimace before uncoupling their bodies – his cock wasn't ready for another round yet, but with Azula's sounds, it was certainly starting to rear its head yet again… only to be disappointed by the interruption.

"Here," Sokka said, yanking the sheet off the bed quickly and covering Azula's body with it. The Princess groaned as Sokka collected his pants and pulled them up again – still no underwear. And now she found that a most agreeable choice. "It's probably nothing…"

"Nothing?" Azula repeated. No, her senses said otherwise…

It was late. It was very late at night, as far as she could tell. Most people wouldn't be awake by now… nor would they be eager to knock on the southerner's door unless they had a good reason for it. And Azula only reached a sudden conclusion about what the interruption might be mere instants before Sokka opened the door.

"Oh, e-excuse me, sir…" said the nervous young man at the other side of the door: he failed to recognize the woman in the bed, and he didn't stop to pay much attention to the clothes scattered in the room. That being said… he was flustered. Yes, he'd heard Azula. At this point, the whole damn city might have heard her. "But King Kuei… he asked me to inform you, since you were so keen on being beside him once the baby was about to come to this world…"

"W-wait, what?!" Sokka exclaimed. The nervous man grimaced. "How can that be?!"

"Well, seeing what you were up to, I doubt you don't know how it came to this…"

"What the…?! That's not what I meant!" Sokka squealed, his cheeks flushing. "Ugh, I'll be there! Just… take a walk! I'll be right out!"

Sokka slammed the door shut, and Azula wasted no time climbing off the bed: finding each clothing garment, regardless of the lanterns Sokka had lit, wasn't all that easy, but Azula managed to patch up her servant persona as best she could by the time Sokka managed to fasten his sash around his waist.

"I can help you with your hair," he offered. Azula grimaced, having been halfway through composing a clumsy knot, but Sokka took over for her as she sighed in defeat.

"Curse that damn baby for deciding this was the best timing to arrive…" Azula growled. Sokka chuckled, finishing her hairdo and hugging her gently afterwards.

"It should take a while before it's born. If it looks too slow, we can go find a dark corner and get right back to this…"

"I'd love that, but we do need to keep an eye on the damn assassin. If it's just one assassin," Azula said, glancing at Sokka warily. Sokka grimaced but nodded. "We don't know how widespread Yao's plan may be. He could have more than just one hitman…"

"He should have more than one," said Sokka, frowning. "Kuei shouldn't be in the same place as his child, right? So one hitman for him… another for the baby."

They exchanged a quick glance: each of them had a job, then, as they'd agreed upon before. And they'd do best to fulfill them, as fast as possible.

Sokka fisted Azula's hair before pulling her close for one more kiss. She relented most willingly, venturing to taste him with her tongue, to feel every ridge in his mouth, to memorize his every detail… their duty was dangerous, after all. What they'd do next… it might not end well if they weren't careful. A good luck kiss wouldn't hurt at all either, would it?

"We'll get back to it… as soon as this is over, if not sooner," Sokka promised. Azula smiled and nodded.

"I should hope so. I look forward to your final campaign, conqueror Sokka," she smirked, stepping towards the door. He chuckled and followed suit.

The palace wasn't as quiet as it ever was at these hours: maybe with all the ruckus over the baby's birth, their obnoxious coupling had been slightly less obvious than they had suspected. They rushed together to the birthing area, and Azula glanced at Sokka once more to confirm their plan. He nodded, smiled, and squeezed her hand gently before rushing away, towards the living room where Kuei was waiting.

The queen was crying when Azula entered the room, and her heart sank for it… until she realized it was just about the pain. She breathed out in relief for it, assessing her surroundings quickly… assessing the rest of the servants warily: nearly all of them looked exhausted, obviously displeased to be woken in case the queen needed anything… except for one young girl. She appeared completely alert, watching the queen intently… so intently she didn't seem to realize Azula was watching her.

Sokka barged into Kuei's living room… and Yao was there, of course, an arm wrapped around the nervous king who kept pacing nervously inside the large hall. Sokka approached, offering his support too… Kuei threw himself at Sokka, and Bosco sniffed Sokka's body, as though picking up an unexpected odor on him. The water tribesman grimaced, eyeing the surroundings with uncertainty: while he had been alerted because Kuei had thought he'd feel safer this way, there was obviously no reason why Yao should be here too. And it seemed Yao knew as much as well: he justified his presence by claiming he had been with Kuei when the news had been broken, and he had merely been worried about leaving the king to his own devices at such late hours.

Kuei's behavior was odd, Sokka found, though… and he only realized why when he unintentionally caught the scent of the king's breath: alcohol. He had been drinking, perhaps with Yao… it'd make it all the easier to target him.

Sokka eyed his surroundings anxiously: the living room had a few windows, could Yao's hitman be somewhere behind them, out of reach? If so…

"You know what you need, pal?" Sokka decided, grinning as he clapped Kuei's back. "A new environment!"

"A… what?" Kuei said, blinking blankly. Sokka grinned mischievously.

"Let's take a walk! Find the best room in the palace to spend your time in while we wait for the baby to be born. It'll be a while anyway."

Random as the idea sounded, Sokka didn't miss the disapproving scowl on Yao's face as he guided the Earth King out of the room. There were so many rooms, countless of them… and if he could pick up a retinue of soldiers in the process, better yet.

Meanwhile, as the queen cried further, complaining about every contraction, Azula managed to reach the one-track-mind servant, tapping her shoulder gently: the young woman nearly jumped out of her skin, as Azula bit her lip and asked if she could speak with her in private about something very important.

The fear in the woman's face was obvious: she thought she'd been had. She refused at first, but the others encouraged her to go, and promised they wouldn't fall asleep while the queen was struggling to bring the baby to the world. Azula breathed out and led the young woman through the hallways, biting her lip as she clung to her arm as any shy, nervous maid might…

"What's the problem? Did you… find out something surprising?" the maid asked. Azula bit her lip.

"Y-yeah. I definitely did," she said. "I'm a little worried. I… I don't think it'll sit well with the Earth King, or the Earth Queen, so I thought I'd get your advice. Everyone else looked like they were about to fall asleep, so…"

"Yeah, well, that's precisely why I should be there," the maid argued. "I'm the only one who had a proper rest over the evening, you see…"

"Ah, no wonder," said Azula, smiling awkwardly. "Why, though…?"

"Because I always take the night shifts," the servant declared, stubbornly. "Anyway, if you have nothing to say…"

"I do have something to say," Azula whispered, stopping at the end of a corridor that led nowhere but to a maintenance room. "The truth is, I…"

"What?!" the maid said, exasperated over the pause. Azula gritted her teeth, covering her face with her hands.

"I-I was seduced by a guest!"

The maid blinked blankly for a moment, as Azula turned an innocent gaze upon her. Ah, she didn't expect that, did she?

"I'll be in trouble, won't I?" she said. "Oh, but he's… he's irresistible. He just hit on me and the next thing I knew… ah, do you think the hickeys show too much? I'm going to be in so much trouble if anyone knows…"

"I… no!" said the maid, laughing carelessly now: good. Her guard was down, as Azula showed her the undeniable marks on her neck. "Oh, please, it's hardly the first time anything like this happens… you don't have to worry, truly. Come on, let's go back, the king and queen have bigger things to worry about than whoever their servants sleep with, okay?"

"You're sure…?" Azula asked. The young woman nodded. Azula sighed as the maid started to turn around…

And that was when Azula struck her hard, delivering a powerful blow to the carotid artery, knocking the woman unconscious immediately.

Azula caught the woman in midair, using her servants' keys to open the maintenance closet: she tossed the maid there, took the woman's own assorted keys, and locked her within. She'd come back for her later, once everything was safe. She couldn't know for sure if this woman was an ally of Yao's yet – despite she reeked of it –, but if she wasn't, the enemy would still be within the vicinity. She returned at haste to the queen's room, but instead of marching inside alone, which would garner a lot of suspicions, she only lingered by the door, listening… listening carefully. There was a lot of activity inside right now, and Azula flinched at each desperate cry of the queen's – oh, but she was a fool, wasn't she? She'd allowed Sokka to finish inside, with no countermeasures… and she damn refused to bear his child and wind up screaming for not-quite-fun reasons in the near future, just as the queen did right now. She'd find some contraceptive measures as soon as possible…

Ten minutes later, a piercing, shrill voice broke across the already noisy palace.

Azula grimaced and pushed the door open lightly, ready to act if need be…

"A baby girl! Oh, she is delightful!"

Azula's eyes widened. A girl. If it was a girl, then Yao and his people would likely target the child. She snarled and entered the room quickly, watching as the rest of the servants clapped excitedly as the baby was taken care of, wiped and cleansed for her mother to hold. No one had done anything suspicious so far… so had she chosen correctly? Had she found the culprit, or one of them, anyway?

"The king must be informed!"

Oh, hell. That could be trouble.

Azula grimaced and stepped closer to the queen and the baby – in her not so humble opinion, it was frankly a rather ugly child… – taking up a resting defensive position near them. She played it off as mere curiosity about the baby… while constantly casting glances at the door, wary about what would happen next.

Kuei nearly lost his cool when the servants arrived with a message. Sokka frowned, glancing about himself: he'd successfully gathered around five soldiers, but would they be enough in case the king needed help…?

"A girl…? My child is born! It's a girl, Sokka!"

Sokka froze. Oh, hell: they'd go for the baby.

Kuei only hugged him quickly before sprinting off at haste, followed by his soldiers… and not by Yao.

"Where are you going?" Sokka asked, smiling dryly. Yao froze. "Mind if I tag along?"

"W-why would you…?" he said, grimacing. "You wanted to be with the king…"

"To help calm him down. He's fine now, see? The baby is born. A nice, healthy little girl," Sokka grinned. "Are you so tired you want to go take a nap in your room? The… seventh floor, was it?"

Yao grimaced, and Sokka raised an eyebrow.

"Y-you… are you accusing me of something?" Yao asked. Sokka blinked blankly.

"Is there anything to accuse you of?" he grinned, dryly.

"No!"

"Then why so nervous?" Sokka chuckled. "Just let me accompany you to your room. I'm sure Kuei's fine on his own now that he knows his baby is alive and safe."

Yao snarled but complied. Sokka followed him, just as well. Back to the scene of the crime… to where he had started this wild, strange dalliance with Azula. And boy, he sure regretted nothing about it… but he needed to focus on more than thoughts of his new lover's delectable body and clever wit for now. He'd have more of those later, if she let him.

Yao opened the door, allowing Sokka to see inside the dark room… and yet Sokka stood outside, arms crossed, waiting for Yao to do whatever he intended to. Yao, of course, realized as much… and he entered the room slowly.

Only for Sokka to kick it shut and jam the lock by sabotaging it with his knife, violently.

"H-hey! HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

He'd track down the damn killer. He wasn't in the room, Sokka had noticed… the man was in position somewhere, no idea where, but surely within range of the room… oh, Azula. She was there too, she might be able to stop him, he hoped, and if she was…

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, feeling almost as though he were an airbender as he raced to the birthing wing once again. Yet he wasn't the only one reaching it right then and there…

"STOP!" Sokka shouted.

The shaggy-haired man, with the thick beard, froze in place for only a brief instant before attacking: he cast a smoke bomb at Sokka, but the warrior braced himself regardless, covering his mouth with one hand and withdrawing his boomerang from its scabbard. He launched it at haste, trusting his prediction of the killer's trajectory…

The man had only just opened the door when the weapon struck him on the lower back.

The happy room suddenly became a loud, messy pandemonium… but where everyone seemed to run away from the door, one servant ran straight towards it instead: a kick of blue fire slammed the already weakened enemy across the corridor and into the wall at its far end, and his head struck violently against it.

"Sokka!" she called for him, rushing towards the cloud of smoke.

It was so dense she could barely see him, but eventually a silhouette could be distinguished: Sokka crept out slowly, coughing as the unpleasant smoke bit into his system.

"Are you okay? Sokka…" Azula asked, pulling him closer. Sokka coughed again but smiled.

"I'm… alright. Better now that I'm seeing you again," he said. "Is he…?"

"Dead? Maybe," Azula admitted, casting a glance at the unmoving, bleeding tall man that had fallen in a heap on the floor. "But I've captured a suspect…"

"And I locked up Yao," Sokka said. Azula blinked blankly, surprised by how similar their strategies had turned out to be, as they heard footsteps behind them: the servants, the soldiers, and in all likelihood, Kuei, were on their way. "Which is why I think… we might just be able to spin this to our favor."

"Y-you… you saved us?! And our baby?!" Kuei asked, staring at Sokka and his companion in disbelief… a companion he had identified by her unique flames, naturally. "You… you're Princess Azula?!"

She turned around very slowly, with a rather guilty grin on her face. Kuei appeared to be on the verge of a breakdown, whether of joy, outrage, relief or confusion… and confirming that his dreaded enemy had entered his palace, disguised herself as a servant and lived amongst his people for over a week and a half, certainly wouldn't help his frequent nerves and constant anxiety.

"You sure about that?" Azula asked Sokka, uneasy. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head.

"Just… trust me," he smiled, before stepping towards Kuei.

Iroh's teashop was yet another strange location Azula had never thought she'd set foot on, but apparently it was the only place in Ba Sing Se that would allow her safe haven, for the time being. She sat on a far-end table, sipping a drink, ignoring her uncle's confused, pointed stares… and of course, reliving the latest events in her mind.

She could have been thinking of the aftermath, with Kuei fluctuating between panic and gratefulness at the drop of a hat, especially once both Yao and his female accomplice were brought before him, and the accomplice blatantly confessed the truth of their schemes – she had been working for Kuei for over a decade, but it seemed Yao had blackmailed her into working for him by threatening her family in the western Earth Kingdom, and she was more than happy to sell him out for it now. Azula could have also been reliving the action, the rush to take down the murder operation as fast as possible, splitting up with her partner so they both could keep every threat in check…

But no. She was, of course, reliving the sensation of a certain someone's lips and caresses upon her skin, of his manly shaft tearing through her with those slow withdrawals and sudden thrusts that made her mind swim in blissful pleasure. Oh, whatever happened next, she needed more of that, so much more of that… surely being spymaster for Zuko for about five years was enough community service for her misdeeds after the war, right? She could take a break, steal that handsome man away, spend about a month or two, or a year, even a lifetime, locked up in a private room with him, as they had their way with each other… she wanted to dominate him the next time around, yes she did, and pin him to the wall, for a change, and…

The door of the teashop opened, despite it was already closing time, and most customers were long gone: Azula's eyes lit up immediately when she identified the apparent new customer, who scanned the area quickly until he spotted her. That he smiled immediately was a blissful relief.

"Well… looks like you could stand being here, after all," Sokka grinned, sinking into a seat across hers. Azula bit her lip, wishing he'd sat beside her instead… kissing him would've been much easier that way. "Kuei's calmed down."

"Hard to believe," Azula smiled. Sokka laughed and shrugged.

"He isn't completely sure he can trust you yet, which is as predictable as can be from the guy," Sokka said. "But he says he'll credit you for helping save his family all the same. That being said… you're still not allowed to visit Ba Sing Se freely."

"Heh. Well, I'll just find something else to disguise myself as the next time," Azula smirked. "I was a servant this time, I pretended to be your ex the last time… who should I be next?"

"Maybe you don't have to pretend to be my ex… and you can just be my actual girlfriend," Sokka suggested. Azula snorted, staring at him in disbelief as he grinned cheekily. "Yep, I'm asking. Bluntly. Boldly. Why not?"

"… Would that get me access to Ba Sing Se's palace?" Azula asked. Sokka snorted.

"You really need access to it that badly?" he asked.

"A spymaster needs eyes everywhere," Azula smiled. "And access to all the places that might need her attention. If the palace is within my reach, I can better understand what's happening inside it… and then advice my dumb brother on how to proceed with his own ventures."

"Right," Sokka said, sighing. "Well, Kuei says that if you come with me every time you want to be in the palace, he'll relent and allow you to stay. But not if you're on your own."

"Really? And how about if we break up dramatically over something stupid?" Azula asked, teasing him. "Will I still be forced to travel to Ba Sing Se with you even if we're on terrible terms?"

"Eh, if we ever do have a bad argument, I can always pin you to a wall and we can resolve it the old-fashioned way… works like a charm, huh?" Sokka said, shrugging cockily. Azula laughed and shook her head.

"I have no idea what we're doing, Sokka… but I do know I like it," she said, smiling at him. "You're sure about this? About me? About asking me to be your… girlfriend? It's a rather juvenile term, in my opinion…"

"Want another one?" Sokka smiled. "Partner in crime suits you better?"

"Partner could be good," Azula said. "We did make a deal when this whole ordeal began, didn't it? And while you're splendid in bed, we worked together beyond that, too… it's not quite as simple as being your girlfriend, right?"

"No. But I'll still introduce you to everyone we bump into as my girlfriend from this day forward," Sokka grinned. Azula scoffed. "And myself as your boyfriend, of course."

"How's that going to work? 'Hello there, she is my girlfriend, I am her boyfriend'? Sounds like you won't be saying anything about yourself or me by doing that…"

"Isn't that how you'd rather keep things, spymaster?" Sokka grinned. "Juvenile as it may be… no one will suspect what your true job is, head of Fire Nation intelligence, if they think you and your boyfriend are just a pair of idiot twenty-somethings who can't seem to stop having sex wherever they go…"

"Ah… a rather useful cover story," Azula grinned. "Funny how so many chaotic problems get resolved whenever those two idiot twenty-somethings who can't seem to stop having sex show up at places…"

"It's a true mystery, isn't it?" Sokka said. Azula laughed and shook her head. "So… if I may do the honors this time as well: do we have a deal, Azula?"

He extended his hand towards her, and she smiled. With a quick movement, she rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him heartily while clasping his hand in hers. A cup broke near the counter – of course, Iroh had no suspicions she was doing Sokka, no one outside the palace would've known it yet – and decided that yes, it was a good cover story. A perfect relationship to both bask in for what it was… and to wield as a shield, allowing them both to remain perfectly disguised while playing the fools and resolving the many problems their respective friends and associations expected them to fix for them. And as Azula kissed Sokka long, deep and sensually, she could see absolutely nothing harmful in the new terms he had offered. Her lips were still pressed to his, her fingers intertwined with his, when she finally said:

"Deal."

#sokkla saturdays #sokklasaturday #sokkla #sokka #azula #me every week: I'm gonna write a shorter one this time #me every week: LOL GUESS MY HAND SLIPPED #yes I do need an intervention #worse yet I always envisioned this setting to NOT result in smut there but in the future...#... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand that's not how it turned out :'D #hahaha #this is pretty wild #so if anyone still wanted more smut out of me despite I've been forcefeeding y'all with Gladiator lately (?)#here you go :'D #ngl I had a bit too much fun writing that *not-so-innocent-whistling*#oh and yes Azula is a spymaster #a Leliana-worthy blast of inspiration struck me #suits her to go around sneaking into places and salvaging whole governments #while no one's the wiser

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reginacooks · 3 years

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Day 365. The End.

I’ve decided to make cheesecake as a send-off to this blog. I cannot think of any good reason why cheesecake should not be the cake-of-celebration for having reached my goal of creating something delicious every day for one year. Cheesecake was my sister’s favorite, and she died a year ago in March, bypassing a global pandemic by one week. Every memory I have of the countless celebrations in her home include a cheesecake. Cheesecake was my father’s favorite. He grew up on New York-style cheesecake, and he made sure my mother had a Lindy’s Cheesecake recipe when they married in 1963. My mother made good on her promise to feed him with love, and cheesecake. My mother’s birthday was in March. She taught me how to make a cheesecake using her large, ceramic mixing bowl in our kitchen in Ohio. I cannot think of cheesecake without thinking of my mother. The pandemic started in March and brought us to another March. All roads lead us to cheesecake.

One week into the pandemic and toilet-paper humor, I decided I would use the next 365 days to cook and bake, and write about it. Aside from a few months when yeast was sparse, we lacked for nothing, including toilet paper. Unbelievably, and faster than I thought one year could pass, I have reached the end of my goal. I needed a thing to grab on to at the start of this pandemic, something separate from teaching. True, I was tired at the end of some days and faced this goal reluctantly. Or worse, there was a day when I’d already gone to bed. I closed my eyes then moments later remembered my blog. But I dragged myself to the couch and sitting position anyway. Not long ago, after watching a family movie, it was close to midnight and I said to my kids, “My blog!” Ethan sat nearby. “Quick mom! It’s ten minutes to midnight. You can do it!” I shared some pictures and words of the food I’d made that day and at 11:57, clicked on “Post.” Mostly I felt like I was writing into a black void, then unexpectedly a friend would email or text indicating they were reading these posts. I was glad someone was reading, but I guess that wasn’t the point. All along I knew I was doing this for me, to brighten my days and bring on a spot of joy.

The cooking, baking, recipe searches, taking pictures, and writing helped to define my life this year. I’ve thought a lot about why the act of cooking and baking is important to me, too. Once, many years ago, a couple of friends were on a road trip and they stopped at our home for dinner. That night I happened to be making pasta with cauliflower and tomato sauce, garlic and cheddar cheese, a pretty standard week-night meal in our house. They dug into that food like it was their last drop of sustenance on the long journey ahead, even though they were only traveling by minivan from one state to the next. They exclaimed and wanted the recipe and so thoroughly enjoyed that simple fare, it seemed as if it had been many moons since they’d eaten a homemade meal. Making dinner that night, I would never have anticipated their reaction to it.

I think about the times I’ve been fed by others. A long time ago, for one year, I worked in a school in Highwood, Illinois, an old town with a large Italian population. The secretary of my school was a short, slight-framed, older Italian woman with whom I had a special connection. She had worked at the school for maybe her entire career. I complained to Vera once about the reading curriculum in first grade that didn’t use real children’s literature. Same old story. I hinted that I was going to talk to the principal about it. This was my first teaching job and she warned me against that. I’ll never forget her words. “You don’t talk about books to someone who doesn’t read.” She came into my room once as I was reading a story aloud to my students, and she paused to listen. Later she told me I was “the real deal.” Ah, to be seen by another person. Even if only briefly.

Vera and her husband were making pasta dumplings, she told me one day, and she’d like to have me over for lunch. When I went across the street and knocked on their side door, I entered their kitchen where they were filling dumplings with cheese and meat, trays of fresh pasta, dough, and flour spread out on the small kitchen table. The scene was intimate and homey, as traditional as any holy ritual, and I was invited to pull up a chair. It was the first time I’d eaten homemade pasta and I remember it still.

I have put a permanent place card next to my heart of the people who have fed me in my life. Homemade food is worth marveling at. And for me it brings back memories of the people I’ve enjoyed it with, and of other ways they’ve fed me. Vera fed me fresh pasta and there have been times over the years when my confidence suffered and I would go back to that one-liner she also fed me. “You are the real deal.” For years I hung my hat on those words. I am the real deal. And I thought they must be so because a wise woman who read books, whose name meant truth, and who had feather-light Italian dumplings at her fingertips spoke them.

We just never know how feeding others can have an impact, how words or deeds can take hold in our psyche, like a fortune cookie message we keep in our wallet forever. A long time ago a friend was visiting me in a house I lived in near the ocean. I packed us a picnic lunch and off we went. Years later she referenced those tuna fish sandwiches as being the best ones she’d ever had. Say what? She was a new mom and had her baby with her at the time. She was probably desperate for someone to care for her for a few moments and maybe that came in the form of my preparing a simple lunch, which she never forgot. I doubt it was just because of the sandwiches.

I enjoy sifting through the recipe box of my food memories. Sometimes when I’m searching for a soothing thought to put me in a state of calm, I’ll think about something wonderful that I’ve eaten with a person whom I love. Often, we’re outdoors. A memory comes of pausing for a break on a hike in Ireland with new found friends, eating a sandwich and an apple, leaning against a fence and looking out at a wet, green field speckled with sheep. Or enjoying pizza and a cold beer on a sunny hilltop in Belgrade at a cafe on the edge of the forest. A giant swing on the property served to entertain our children while my husband and I grabbed a few moments of peace. Once, my family and I were staying the night at a simple hut during a trek in Ethiopia. We sat on the roof of the hut and watched as baboons scrambled toward their caves on the slope of a cliff, and we held hot tea and bread given to us as a sign of welcome by our hosts. Clasping that tea, we knew we would be taken care of during the night in that foreign spot.

A chocolate eclair always reminds me of my father. I can hear him saying, “Oh boy,” smiling and looking down at the pastry display inside the food hall at Harrods of London, wide-eyed like a kid again in New York City. He bought us both a picnic that day and we enjoyed it in St. James Park. A few years later he was left five thousand dollars in the will of an uncle and used that to send me to cooking school in New York. He wanted me to have a skill and set me up for life. I learned many skills at cooking school, but none as valuable as the ones I learned in my parents’ kitchen. Love and food are intermingled. There was hardly a joyful, happy occasion in our home growing up without it involving something delicious. The memories I have of the food enhance the memories of my father’s laugh, my mother’s smile, my older siblings arriving for the holidays and the love that we all shared.

My mother delighted in simple, good things. When I was a teen I remember her sneaking up to her bedroom for a little solitude, a glass of brandy and a little dish of peanuts in hand, a book tucked under her arm. She’d say she was going upstairs to have her party before bed. On weekend mornings she’d make pancakes. She had a knack for turning the ordinary into something special. She would make a pancake shaped out of the first letter of our name, large and covering the whole plate and recognizable as my very own. Neighborhood kids would wait by the backdoor for their pancake, too. An L for Lenny, a J for Jimmy. I’ve stored away hundreds of food memories of my mother, and I pull them up often. Her cheesecake, her smile, her sly grin when she sneaks another piece.

Before my sister, Raissa, died a year ago, I flew out to stay with her in her home. It was the last weekend that I ever stayed in her house, the house that was a foundation for me—for all of our family—for so many years. This was the last weekend that I would ever see her home as it was, her home crowded with the beloved artifacts of her life. And beloved to us, too. We all knew every nook and cranny of that home so well. The family photos, the hundreds of books that lined the shelves, the afghans and dishes and vases and fireplace mantel and coffee mugs. I cried openly and loudly the night before I left, knowing that this would be the last time I would be in this space that was my second home. “My home is your home,” my sister always said to me. But the house would be sold and I would never have this as my second home again, and the next time I visited this town, my sister would be gone. I looked around feeling the shock, like a rug was being pulled out from under me, but it wasn’t just a rug. It was every precious thing in sight.

One morning during my last weekend with her she was sitting up in her chair reading her newspaper, as she did every day, and I asked her if she wanted some breakfast. She had hardly been eating, so I didn’t expect her to say yes, but she put the paper down in her lap and looked up at me and smiled and said yes. Feeling hungry made her look so healthy. So I went into her kitchen and made her toast and scrambled eggs, simple comfort food. Our father was the Scrambled Eggs King. He cooked them slow and steady, all throughout our growing up. It was his specialty, we all knew. So I made them the way Daddy made them, no recipe needed for the dashes of good humor and love. She ate them with such pleasure, like she had not eaten in a long time, smiling up at me in thanks. I was feeding her, like she had fed me for years and years. We fed each other. I know I added joy to her life—she told me how much she loved me every time we were together—and she was my personal cheerleader, cheering for me every single step of every single way. I will live the rest of my days with the gifts she gave, and the memory that I made her comfort food before her own long journey home.

#goals #cheesecake #baking from scratch #bakingathome #bakingforfamily #bakingforjoy #bakingforlove

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lia-jones · 3 years

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Growing Stronger - Chapter Thirty-Six - Preview of What's to Come

It was the day before the big day! Saturday, March 21st. In twenty-four hours my last name would no longer be Jones, and I would officially belong to a new family, one Victor and I were creating for ourselves. A dream come true. I had butterflies in my stomach since I woke up that morning, I could only imagine how I would be on my wedding day.

Victor and I spent most of the day packing and making the last arrangements for our honeymoon. Our conjugal expedition would last a total of two weeks, which I thought was very ambitious, given LFG would be minus a CEO, but Victor was adamant that we took the time to ourselves, since we had been so busy the last few months.

“We need to learn to take time to ourselves.” Victor pointed out once again later that evening, while we drove to Aunt Terry’s ranch for the wedding rehearsal. “I don’t mean just you, me too. I have been solely focused on work for way too long. Our lives are changing, so should we.”

“You are not wrong, but I still think your no phone policy won’t last long. Eventually, Goldman will need something from you. Two weeks is a long time.” I frowned at him.

“At least just for the first three days. I want those to be just for us.” He turned down the familiar dirt road that led to his aunt’s property, stopping the car right at the entrance. “Ready?” He smiled tenderly. I took a deep breath, my heart starting to beat faster.

“Yes.” I nodded with conviction.

The dusky sky was getting darker, the fiery hues being replaced with dark ones, as we drove down the dirt road. It was like I was entering a fairytale. Every tree lining the road was covered in beautiful colored ribbons, and from them hung jars with flickering candles, lighting our way to the mansion. By the gates, two huge golden letters, V and A, signed the place of what would be called by the media the most important event of the year: our wedding. The gates and the walls by them were adorned with beautiful white roses and peonies, and huge lit candles were strategically placed by them, giving the whole area a whimsical atmosphere. The child in me was expecting to see fairies floating about, like I was watching one of those Tinkerbell movies.

“I think it’s safe to assume you like it.” Victor gave me a smug smile. “You’re yet to say a word.”

I had helped plan some of the wedding, but the big plans were in Victor’s and the wedding planner’s hands, and Victor insisted on keeping some of it a surprise for me. When I looked at the man I loved, my eyes were brimming with tears of joy.

“It’s perfect.” I couldn’t help my wide grin. I was so happy. And seeing him grin back just as wide made things even more perfect.

As we entered the gates and I observed the garden, perfectly illuminated in the now darkening night, I felt my heart fill with joy and love. I was so distracted with my professional life, only awakening slightly to my personal one, that I completely forgot how romantic and magical Victor could be. This was clearly an ode to our love. It had the care and the tenderness I felt from him every day times a million. It was dazzling.

“This weekend, I want you to be surrounded by nothing but joy, beauty, and love.” He spoke with tender eyes looking at me, containing a million emotions, most of which I couldn’t decipher, but one was very clear.

Bernard met us at the door and we strolled around in the garden for a while, admiring in detail what we were sure we wouldn’t be able to the following day, while he showed us every aspect of the decorations. After spending some time with him, his English was starting to sound more normal to me, although peonies were still a serious trigger for my laughter. Noticing that it was getting late, we headed for the wedding venue. The officiant was already expecting us at the gazebo, along with my family and some of Victor’s family, which included his father, some of his aunts and uncles, aunt Terry and her partner, Susan. Gregory didn’t look happy.

The rehearsal was pretty simple, as we assume our positions, my father walking me down the aisle and taking me to Victor, and the usual exchange of vows that we chose to memorize instead of repeat. It was pretty uneventful, but of course, no wedding is a true wedding without a story to tell. And although this was a Lee wedding, held to the highest of standards, ours wouldn’t be an exception.

After we said our vows and pretended to exchange our rings, the officiant made the dreaded declaration that is always so popular in movies: If anyone has reason to be against this wedding, speak now, or forever hold your peace.

This part was so useless nobody was actually paying much attention. That is, until we heard a loud NOOOOOOOOOO coming from the end of the aisle. It turns out, it was Mia’s assistant, Minor, who was playing something on his cellphone and apparently was not having a great game. But that wasn’t actually the funniest part. Gavin, who was sitting by his side, got up ready to fall on him like a boulder, but not before Mia, red as a tomato, got up from Gavin’s side, smacked Minor hard in the stomach, making him double over and let out a loud ooofff.

Victor witnessed it with an expression that screamed What are these idiots doing now? To me, it was the funniest thing I had ever seen since blue penises. I stifled a laugh, noticing Greg watching us closely with judgemental eyes. But, truth be told, I knew what was coming, and I wouldn’t be able to hold it in. Pretending to show affection to my beloved future husband, I leaned my face against his chest, letting myself laugh a little. Noticing it, Victor rubbed my back.

“Quit it, Andrea.” He whispered between clenched teeth. I was lost. Victor’s reprimand only made me laugh more.

“Is she crying?” I heard Terry ask. “Oh, honey, there’s no reason to cry.”

“No.” I heard Victor’s voice, flat as a board. “She’s laughing.” He turned to me. “Ok, enough already. It wasn’t that funny.”

But it was. I replayed the entire scene again in my mind, picturing Minor’s face getting slightly purple with embarrassment and surprise, and tears started to come.

“The little woman…” I heard the officiant’s voice, strained as he tried not to laugh. “For someone so little she sure does pack a punch!” He let out a hearty laugh.

“Just like the bride!” My brother chimed in, laughing, and soon I could hear my parents laugh too.

They say there is nothing as contagious as laughter. One by one, all the guests present started laughing in unison. Even Victor, who was trying to keep it together, threw composure to the wind and was laughing too, his chest rumbling against my cheeks.

When, after some very long minutes, the laughter stopped and I was able to lift my face from Victor’s shirt, Gavin, Mia and Minor were nowhere to be seen, and Gregory was shooting daggers in my direction, a look of disgust on his face. The officiant was still wiping tears from his cheeks, trying to catch a breath.

“I have to say, in 10 years of practice, I have never heard a single objection, let alone such a heartfelt one!” He chuckled. “Well, let’s finish this practice. Does anyone else object to this wedding? If that’s the case, I think we can summon the little woman again!”.

I laughed loudly and the room followed me again. Victor gave the officiant a stern look.

“Skip that part tomorrow.” Victor instructed the officiant.

There is definitely no cleansing power like laughter. We left the rehearsal in good spirits, Victor particularly excited for the next activity.

It is customary for the groom to plan a dinner with all his favorite things before the wedding, usually during rehearsal dinner. My father and Victor were planning this for weeks, constantly talking on the phone or via Skype, constructing the perfect wine tasting dinner. Victor hired three renowned chefs to cook for us that night, one of them being his teacher Guy Sauvant, and some sommeliers to explain the wines and the pairings to the guests.

The decoration of the tent was truly Victor’s taste, and it somehow reminded me of old cellars and antique parlor rooms, intricate iron candle holders and dark velvet sofas and chairs, images of paintings everywhere, decorating the menus, hanging on the walls or in the background of the bars.

We sat and ate, and I noticed how relaxed Victor seemed to be around my family. Although we were trying to give both families the same attention, we would naturally gravitate towards mine, and Victor seemed to enjoy himself more in their presence, either engaging in light conversations with my parents, or laughing at some joke Joshua had made, or simply holding Ana on his lap when she demanded attention. He had clearly been adopted by the Jones, but it seemed he had adopted them too.

Gregory walked up to us while we were laughing about a story my father was telling from one of his trips.

“Greetings to the happy couple. It seems like my son has such a busy life nowadays that he doesn’t have time to greet his own father.” Gregory shook our hands, his expression as dry as the desert.

“I was waiting for you to finish your meal.” I noticed Victor’s shoulder’s tense as he shook his father’s hand. “I hope everything was to your liking.”

“I can’t say I’m terribly impressed so far.” Gregory gave me a weird look and turned to Victor. “Make sure your fiancée shows a little more restraint tomorrow. We don’t want that ridiculous scene in front of our guests.”

“You mean your guests.” Victor kept his poker face but his ears became red, revealing his anger. “The people I know nothing about and yet you insisted I’d invite.” He gave Gregory a defiant look. “Moreso, please remind yourself that this is Andrea’s wedding too, and she is allowed to laugh as much as she wants, even if that is disagreeable to your guests.”

Gregory took a step further, ready to charge with some venomous words. I held Victor’s hand tight, anticipating a confrontation.

“Gregory!” My mother touched Gregory’s arm amicably. He looked at his arm and then at her, as if he was considering if he had been infected by something. “Have you tried the cherry wine my husband brought? Come, I’ll serve you some while we chat, I would love to know the father that raised this remarkable young man.”

Wise as always, my mother knew that a stroke of Gregory’s ego would be enough to divert his attention. The flattery made him quickly conclude she was worthy of his attention, and both walked away to get the cherry wine. Sitting by my side, Victor was fuming.

“It’s ok, let it go.” I rubbed his upper arm lovingly.

“That’s exactly why I didn’t want him here.” He mumbled, turning at me after. “How are you not angry? He basically implied you were some idiot I should control.”

“I don’t care what he says.” I shrugged. “Besides, he’s the real idiot if he thinks he’s going to ruin my night. You shouldn’t let him ruin yours either.”

Victor nodded, coming closer for a short sweet kiss. We heard a soft clink from afar. It was my brother, in the center of the room, gathering everyone’s attention.

“Good evening, everyone. For those who don’t know me, my name is Joshua, and I’m Andrea’s twin brother. If you are wondering if that is actually true, because I’m taller and better looking, yes we are twins, no, I didn’t steal all the food in the womb, and yes, despite being the second born, I am the best twin.”

Everybody, especially my family laughed, while I playfully stuck out my tongue to my brother, Victor chuckling with the both of us.

“Hmmm… So what can I say about the bride and the groom? I’ll start with the bride, since I know her since we were two fertilized eggs inside my mother's womb.” Josh continued. ”Growing up, Andrea was a tomboy, refusing to live up to her gender role, always defying the rules and sticking true to what she believed in. I remember at a relative’s wedding, we were eight at the time, she tore her dress trying to show some ‘snotty boy,’” he used air quotes, “that girls could climb trees just as well as boys. The dress caught up in one of the branches and ripped apart, as Andrea dangled happily in one of the branches, her underwear showing.” There was another wave of laughter in the room. “My mother was livid but didn’t ground her, because she did climb the tree faster than the boy, even with her dress tearing apart. And even though she now is a respectable lady of the elite, and such dress ripping habits are frowned upon, I am sure she will still be the Andrea I’ve always known, a small yet concentrated force of nature, defying everyone that tries to put her down and showing us all there can be incredible strength in adversity.” Joshua’s throat caught up with emotion. “I’m so incredibly proud of you, sis.” He turned to Victor. “Now what can we say about our CEO.”

“This should be good.” Victor spoke to me, his flat voice not matching the smile he had in his eyes.

“Perhaps our groom doesn’t know this, but we had heard of him way before the two started dating. The truth was, Andy originally didn’t like Victor very much. Well, that’s an understatement. Every time she referred to him, she used some very original terms. My two favorite still are “Lord Victor, King of Highhorseland” and “Victor Lee, the Slayer of Souls and Destroyer of Joy”.

Again, everybody laughed, including Victor, but he still gave me a dirty look. I could feel myself seriously blush.

“That was before I knew the real you, you know that.” I defended myself. He simply smiled and softly rubbed his nose against mine.

“But the mighty King of Highhorseland must’ve done something right and somehow convince damsel Andrea to ride with him because, to our surprise, he flew across the ocean for about twelve hours just to see Andy defend her thesis and… they seemed pretty intimate, if you know what I mean. And that’s when I found out three undeniable truths about my future brother in law: one, he is persistent, because I bet it was no picnic trying to woo this one.”

Victor shook his head and everybody laughed. Thank you, dear brother.

“Two, he is caring and extremely giving. He flew from a distant country, ready to face our family and Dr. Mariana’s thorough interrogation, just to make my sister happy. And by the way they held each other, the way she looked at him, she was. It’s obvious you make my sister very happy Victor, and I have to thank you for that. Thank you for taking such good care of her.” Joshua was misty-eyed again. “And three!” Joshua cleared his throat. “Victor is a very strong man. Not only did he date hurricane Andrea, he’s marrying her. Now seriously, I wish the best to both of you! Victor, welcome to the family!”

Everybody clapped and we nodded, thanking them for the applause and the best wishes, although it was more of a roast than a best wish speech. Either way, it was the way my brother would say I love you , through comedy and sarcasm, a mask not very different from the one Victor wore with his poker face. Goldman stood up, and took the mic from Joshua.

“Victor, Andrea, it is with great joy that I come here to witness your commitment, and what I believe is the beginning of a lifetime of happiness. I still remember the first day Andy came to LFG and thinking she wouldn’t last a day there. But she was a pleasant surprise, manning the desk in no time and impressing us all. Apart from some minor mishaps with a fountain pen.”

I looked at Victor with wide eyes, feeling like a burglar caught red-handed. Way back when, when I started my internship at LFG and was moved to Victor’s office, I accidentally broke his favorite fountain pen. It was a stupid accident, I unwittingly threw it to the ground while getting some documents from his desk and stepped on it. As I saw the ink spread on what seemed to be a brand new rug, my heart nearly stopped. Fortunately, Goldman entered the room, and, seeing the panic in my eyes, he swiftly exchanged the broken pen with a new one from his front pocket, and spilled coffee on the ink stain to hide my crime. And soon we were partners in crime, joined in a secret that, if revealed, would make Victor have my head.

It looked like it was time for my punishment. I just hoped the wedding would reduce my sentence.

“Stop acting so nervous.” He smiled at me. “I knew it was you all along.”

“YOU DID?!” I was appalled. “How? Why didn’t you say anything?” He kept quiet this whole time, letting me live with the guilt?

“Unless Goldman was trying to poison me, coffee isn’t blue. And I could tell the pen I was using was brand new. After that, it was a matter of finding out who truly did it. The guilty look on your face the next morning was the final clue.” He came closer, pecking the tip of my nose. “I knew that if I mentioned you would feel bad, and most likely want to leave LFG again. I couldn’t allow that.”

I smiled at him, my heart warm for knowing he wanted me close to him since the very start. We turned to Goldman, who was still giving his speech.

“... a good man, with a heart made of gold. Yes, he may sometimes be demanding, but he is that way for the good of the company and to allow us to keep our jobs. And Andy has changed him deeply in that department as well, he’s very different from what he used to be. I mean, when I started seeing him so happy I started tasting all his drinks, fearing she was putting something in them.”

“WHAT?” I heard Victor shout by my side, making me laugh hard when I saw his disgusted expression.

“And I should probably finish my speech, if I still want to keep my job. Let’s hear it for the happy couple! A happy life for you two!” Goldman rushed to finish. Needless to say, everybody laughed.

After a few more shorts speeches, with guests wishing us a happy life, gushing about how Victor and I looked cute together, some more lively music started playing. Victor and I sat in one of the sofa’s bantering with my parents, his hand on my waist, holding me lovingly, while I occasionally nudged his chest with my head. Eventually, Terry and Susan came to sit with us.

“Are you enjoying yourselves?” Victor asked.

“Actually, I would like to thank you both for inviting me to the wedding.” Susan spoke. “It means a lot to us.”

“No need.” Victor answered with a frank smile. “My pleasure.”

“I’m just sorry I was so oblivious before.” I chimed in, slightly embarrassed. “I didn’t even invite Susan to my bachelor party.”

“It’s alright.” Terry took my hand, turning it. “I can predict a double date in the near future, after you are done honeymooning.”

“That will take a while.” Victor joked.

“What is this I’m hearing now? Terry’s assistant is invited? Is it the theme of this wedding to display the stains of this family for the whole world to see?” We heard Victor’s father say, behind us.

“I have invited them.” I stood up, facing him. “If she’s with your sister, she’s part of the family.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Gregory spat. “You are definitely unfit to be a Lee. You lack the decorum, the finesse-”

“Ok, enough.” My mother approached us, trying to lighten the mood. “We don’t want to start a fight here, Gregory, our kids are getting married tomorrow.” She paused, holding her hands up, urging us all to calm down. “Let’s all get some sleep, tomorrow we’ll all have a big day. Agreed?”

“Either she goes, or I go. You choose.” Gregory warned Victor. Victor was about to retort when my mother intervened again.

“Please, no need to choose.” She looked at Gregory warmly. “This isn’t about any of us, it’s about Victor and Andrea. Let’s get some sleep, come on. Off you go, guys.”

“Do you still think it was a good idea to invite him?” Victor sighed, frustrated, as we walked towards the house.

“Hey, stop worrying about it.” I held his bicep, squeezing it tight. “Tomorrow we will have the wedding and we will be too busy to even know he’s there, and he won’t dare misbehave with all the media around him. And after that, we will only deal with him if we want to. It’ll be over soon.”

“You are right. He will forget all about us the moment all of this ends.” He smiled at me as we walked in, heading to my bedroom. “Go get your things and come sleep with me.”

“No, we should spend this night apart.” I smiled, stroking his chest lovingly. “To make it more special the night after the wedding.”

“We’ll spend the night after the wedding on a plane to Paris.” He grabbed my waist, pulling me closer, luring me in. “Come sleep with me, I can’t sleep without you.” He kissed my neck softly, teasing me.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Lee, but my answer is no.” I pushed him away playfully, only to get a sigh in response. “I’m saving myself for marriage.”

“You can’t even say that with a straight face.” He gave me a flat expression, which only made me laugh.

“I bid you goodnight.” I pecked him on the cheek. “Sleep well.”

Obviously, I wouldn’t get away with it. He pulled me against him once more, kissing me so passionately I had no choice but to melt in his arms.

“Fine.” He broke the kiss and let me go, chuckling when I slightly whimpered. “No, no, don't complain. My fiancée wants to sleep away from me and her wishes are my command. She shall sleep alone tonight.”

Later that night, alone in my bed, I was tossing and turning. Not only did I miss my bed, but mostly I missed Victor, his touch, his smell, his warmth. This was going to be a lot harder than I thought. With a heavy sigh of resignation, I opened my bedroom door and left, taking my pillow with me. Time to get some sleep.

#mister love queens choice #mldd #mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #victor x oc #mlqc fanfic #love and producer

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imagine-organization-xiii · 5 years

Note

Org members finding out their (non-member of the Organization) SO was attacked by another member. (whether they were targeted or if the attacker honestly didn't know, and how badly they were injured is up to you depending on how angsty you want to make this)

This was one of the requests that I discussed with the discord group and @nopantssaturday fuckin WENT OFF

this is going to be horribly angsty and depressing, so grab some popcorn and tissues and get ready for the sadness - also super long so majority is under the cut

Part Two will be posted soon!

Xemnas

Well sad to say, Xemnas wouldn’t do anything outward about it at least at first. He’d know that his S/O would be in danger. He knew they could be hurt or worse. But what were they to him? A pawn? A musing of his own lust? Nothing worth sacrificing what was worth everything to him. He had come to terms with this. He had accepted that it meant nothing. That is, until he saw their mangled corpse laying in the street. He had thought of how he would take this moment, visualized how it would look in his mind. But somehow compared to all the scenarios he had in mind, being mercilessly destroyed by Dusks in this way wasn’t one of them.

Dusks that were sent by his own second in command to take claim of this world! This was much much worse. His chest echoed with pangs of great sorrow, remnants of what was left of his humanity. Before he could realize what he was doing, he was on his knees besides the corpse, holding a cold bloody cheek in his hands.

He thought he was prepared for this moment. He prepared for every scenario that could possibly occur. But what he didn’t expect, was wetness dripping down his face and hitting the ground. Xemnas vowed there, to never take another innocent to his bed. This sense of loss was… unacceptable.

Xigbar

Blades clashed as the hot sun set inside the burning sky. It had felt like forever since Xigbar was able to put down his weapon, letting loose arrows faster than he could blink. Of course it wasn’t just heartless he was fighting. These were KeyBlade wielders. Maybe even masters. Hell, this wasn’t his scene. The sooner this mission was over, the better.

On the other side of the town square, Xaldin held several more wielders at bay with his spears. These kids knew what they were doing with their blades, but he still felt the need to play with them as they did battle. It was amusing for a while but by now, things felt as if they were dragging on. That was, until, he heard a voice he never thought he would hear again.

“Braig?” A small but powerful voice uttered the name he once knew as his own. His eye went wide as he turned 180° to see them. It was as if they hadn’t aged a day, except for their eyes that had grown tired, plagued with dark bags from lack of sleep. His mouth hung open for a minute before they started to run across the battlefield to him, her shimmering KeyBlade in hand. He was shocked and confused, but also started to feel an inkling of what could be joy as she ran for him.

His hands slumped to his side and his weapons momentarily disappeared as to prepare for what he hoped for was an embrace he had longed for for what felt like an eternity. Maybe this was a sign for something good in his future. The joy was fleeting though, as a spear went whirring past Xigbar’s head and within a blink of an eye buried itself deep into her side, throwing her to the ground.

“NO!” He couldn’t help but yell as he dropped down to her and looked over her wound. He wasn’t a doctor but it was possible that it wasn’t fatal. Xigbar could hear Xaldin walking up behind him, assuming the other wielders had either fled or been taken care of. Xigbar turned to face the larger man with a fury in his eye greater that he had ever weirded before. “WHAT the FUCK do you think YOU WERE DOING?!?” Xigbar screamed at the larger man.

“What I was DOING was saving YOUR life!” Xaldin growled back, sneering down at the girl on the ground, breathing heavily and writhing in pain.

Xigbar turned to his beloved once more. “Hey kid.. it’s okay.. hey. It’s gonna be okay.. I’m gonna take care of you, okay? Just… hang on…” It was then that he picked the girl into his arms and within a second blinked out into the darkness of what was now night. Xigbar just hoped that it was fast enough to save her.

Xaldin

Really didn’t care for the work he had to do most days. It was his job and he had to do it, but matters of the heart we’re something he rarely liked interfering with. His silver tongue was used to cast doubts into the hearts of those in power to create powerful heartless but it only ever seems to have him cast doubt himself. Of all of the worlds he traveled to and worked with, Radiant Gardens was by far the worst. It reminded him of the world he knew before he lost his heart, the life that he knew had nothing let for him anymore, but still he longed for. The one he loved most was long lost along with the babe she carried. In one night all those years ago; he lost everything and since then he never looked back.

Tonight was the night that he and Saix were to stalk the progress of another large heartless Xaldin had been brewing for several weeks. His mortal form was one of an old miserly man whose family had long but abandoned him. By now, the man had become a raging heartless that had only been stewing in the confides of his home, keeping him contained until ordered otherwise. As Saix watched the beast stew in its confinement, Xaldin decided to go for a walk in the moonlight.

Seeing what he had done was always his least favorite part of his job. It wasn’t long until he heard a loud roar and the screams of people. It seemed that his work was done here. Hours passed and the eventually, half of what was once Radiant Gardens was now leveled to the ground. He looked into the rubble and where bodies once were with apathy. This wasn’t new. He was unfazed, until he heard the cry of a child. Xaldin turned and saw the child weeping over a body under a support beam“Mama! Mama! Wake up!” The child cried, weeping into the building. He didn’t know why but he found himself drawn to walking up to the child and looking beneath the rubble. Who he saw was someone he thought left this world eons ago.

He called out her name and pulled the rubble out from on top of her. The woman sputtered and coughed as the weight was removed from on top of her. Xaldin quickly tossed the beam away and ran to the woman’s side. “What are you doing here?” He asked. “I thought I lost you! I’m- I’m going to make this right. Please just— just don’t go.” He picked the woman up in his arms and decided he would find help.

“Mister… Where are you taking my mommy?” It was in that moment while he lifted her that he looked down at the child. Small, weak, scared, and was fairly beaten by the past events. And with eyes so deep of violet. Is this… could they be..? He looked down at his beloved with confusion and for the first time in forever, hope. “Is this..? Are they..?”

The woman gave Xaldin a soft smile before coughing again, this time blood appearing in her hand. She didn’t have much time.“I.. yes I’m going to help your mother. Come with me, now. And stay close. I’ll do my best to take care of you… “

Vexen

Vexen sat along with the other members in the place where darkness gathers. Another day, another meeting, and more of his time wasted. He sat through the phases of the meeting, mildly interested but secretly doing calculations in his head. It wasn’t until Axel’s mission debrief that actually caught his attention.“Axel do you have anything to report?”

“Yeah. So we were doing some recon in the south side of Radiant Gardens and— for NO reason at all— a fire broke out and there was a lot of damage… I guess all I can say is.. My Bad.”

Vexen looked up at Axel from the mathematic notes he held in his hand with an expression of shock and terror. He— did he just say the south side? He couldn’t have! “What about the people—?! Where there any casualties?” Vexen almost leaped out of his chair in worry, to which everyone looked to him with a strange glance.“I—-“ Vexen Stuttered “l-It’s no matter. I must go. To… the lab! Right now.” and without a second thought, Vexen opened a portal and did NOT go to the lab.

Charred remains of houses blurred past Vexen’s eyes as he ran through the streets of what was the south side of Radiant Gardens. The redhead certainly didn’t lie when he said he had started a fire, but this was insane. There had to be at least 3 houses in cinders and even more that were damaged thanks to his recklessness. But through all of the wreckage and the faces signed by soot and despair, he couldn’t find her.

A calm search soon turned into a frantic run through the streets, yelling her name out and searching everywhere he could think. He couldn’t find her anywhere. She… she must not have made it out… her home was torched beyond recognition. It was the place where they spent nights celebrating a successful experiment, where they shared dinners filled with laughter, and even for one night, was the place where they lost themselves and fell for each other, and now she was gone…

Vexen didn’t know what to do with himself. This wasn’t something the man was used to. He didn’t have very many people that he held close to him, but this was something he hoped he never had to experience. As the tears threatened to fall, Vexen walked up to the remains of her home, looking through debris and remembering the nights they shared here. Not much was left of the house or it’s contents. Vexen searched through the rubble and walked through what once was a bedroom and like the rest of the house, not much was left.

As Vexen moved through the room, something shining caught his eye. There, on a pile of soot and debris, was the necklace he had bought for her to wear. It was a small and simple locket with nothing inside of it, but it was a gesture so that she could remember him when he was away at work. Oh the irony. Vexen clutched the locket in his hands as the tears started to flow again. He stood there, tears burning in his eyes for what felt like an eternity, long enough until the sun started to set.

But as the sun faded along the horizon, Vexen found himself watching the crimson ball creep down beyond his line of sight.

It wasn’t until a voice pulled him away from his gaze. “Vexen? What are you doing?” Vexen whipped his head around and there standing in front of the house was the woman he thought was reduced to cinders. She stood in front of the house, scratched, bruised and heavily bandaged, supporting herself with her crutch. And all of a sudden, the tears fell one final time, but out of joy, as he ran through the rubble and pulled her into a deep embrace.

Lexaeus

Lexaeus was a good Organization member. He always performed his missions on time and without error. He was silent, but loyal and dependable. He was always one to be trusted, being with the Organization since the days of its conception. But there were some nights where Lexaeus used his presumed silence to good use and left the castle grounds the see an old friend.

He never intended to bring the frail woman into harms way. She was the owner of a flower shop; she was sweet and docile, and didn’t offer much to violence. She was safer here in Radiant Gardens, as much as he hated the thought of her in this townhouse alone. The most he could do for her was write the occasional letter and sneak out to see her like he was tonight.

He was only a few houses away now and he started to feel his skin tingle with excitement. It always was this way. When he was with her, it was like the world outside of that house would stop; and he was human once more. He knew that being with her was dangerous, but he couldn’t help but come back.

He approached the door and quietly knocked. There was no answer. Usually she would excitedly pull the door open or at least yell to come in. Something wasn’t right here. He knocked once more. Still no answer. He turned the doorknob. It was unlocked. Another red flag. He pushed the door open and walked into the home. The lights were on, but no one was here. It was silent.

Something definitely wasn’t right. Lexaeus summoned his weapon and held it in his hand, preparing to strike if someone unwelcome was here. He checks the living room and then the bathroom. no one. He walks up the stairs and checks her bedroom. Nothing. where was she? At that moment was when Lexaeus heard a sound. The first sound in the house he’s heard other than his own footsteps, the sound of a teakettle’s whistle. She must be in the kitchen. Lexaeus thought to himself. Unfortunately he was right.

As he walked through the doorway to the kitchen, Lexaeus saw something he hoped would only ever plagued his nightmares. There she was, laying on the ground, in a puddle of her own blood. Lexaeus dropped his weapon and covered his quivering lips with his hand. He dropped down next to her as soft silent tears fell down his cheeks, holding her in his arms with her blood still warm against his hands.

How could this happen? he thought to himself, until he noticed what had killed her. A very familiar purple arrow peeled out from her chest. Only one did the job. It was then when another voice entered the room. “Well, well… I was wondering when you were gonna show up.”

Xigbar’s steps grew closer until Lexaeus could sense that the sharpshooter was standing right behind him. He didn’t want to even look at the man.“Why… why did you do this? She was harmless. Innocent,” Lexaeus asked, not even looking up.

“Well actually, big buddy, that’s where you’re wrong. You see… the boss found out about this little side piece you were keepin’ and let’s just say he didn’t quite like that you were keeping secrets from us. Told me himself to solve this little problem, ya dig?”

Lexaeus was furious. His chest roared out in sadness and agony. This was his fault. This is what happens when he involved himself with love. But his anger still flowed from him, the tea kettle still whistling at a high pitched scream. Lexaeus stood and turned to tower over the sharpshooter and grabbed him by collar of his coat with bloodied hands. He pushed the smaller man into the wall and lifted him up, slamming his head into the wall again before pinning him in place.

“You sick bastard! I loved her!!” Lexaeus snarled through gritted teeth. His eyes were like a fire Xigbar had never seen before, but still all the smaller man could do was chuckle as he met his gaze.

“You loved her? You could never have loved her, you big ape. People like us aren’t capable of loving anyone. You brought her into our world for your own selfishness and now she’s dead. Just do what you’re told and maybe we won’t get murdered ourselves.”

Lexaeus paused and soon dropped the man down onto his feet again, the screaming teakettle going quiet as all of the steam was gone. “Go.” Lexaeus growled. “I need to be alone. GO. Now.”

Xigbar held up his hands in defeat with his shut eating grin still on his face. “Alright buddy. I’ll see you later at the castle.” And in a blink, the horrible rat man was gone.

Once again, Lexaeus turned down and faced his loved, her eyes open and dried blood on her lips. He placed a large have over her eyes and closed them gently and cleaned her face with a nearby dish cloth. Never again was he going to see her smile or hear her laugh or enjoy the silence of a summer night together, and it was all his fault. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and stood one final time. He turned off the stove in the kitchen with a soft click and whispered his goodbyes. The door to the townhouse closed behind him and he slowly walked back to the Castle that Never Was to do the one thing he did best.

Zexion

Zexion was quiet. He wasn’t naturally someone adept at socializing and he didn’t really want to meet new people. That’s why she came to him, it seemed. It was a day when he was reading his books outside, basking in the cool weather, something that Lexaeus encouraged him to do so that he could get his daily dose of Vitamin D. Zexion decided to read in the shade of a large tree by the fountains at the center of the city. The sound of the trickling fountain and the soft breeze on his skin were calming. But other than that, the spot was rather silent.

“Hey! What’re you reading out here by yourself? Are you some kind of loner or something?” Zexion looked up from his book to see a girl looking down at him. He scanned her face and features with a confused look before returning his eyes to his book.

“No I am not a loner! I am reading. And It’s something very complicated. You probably wouldn’t be interested.” There was a pause of silence before the girl spoke again.

“Well.. now you have just made me more interested! Tell me about it!”

The girl was eager but after a few more minutes of pleading and arguing Zexion begrudgingly agreed, and honestly, spending this afternoon with her wasn’t as torturous as he imagined it would be. She was able to pick up his reading material quite well, and the two were even able to make jokes and laugh on occasion. It was quite pleasurable.

“Around here people call me _.” She stated, matter of factly. “What do they call you, mister loner?”

Zexion coughed awkwardly. “Well… these days I go by Zexion.”

“Well that’s a really long name. I think I’m gonna stick with callin you Zex. Unless you’d like to go by ‘Mister Loner’ instead.” The girl gave Zexion a cheeky grin and Zexion could feel his cheeks flush. It wasn’t often that he spoke to girls. Or anyone at all really.

“I.. uh… Zex is fine… it’s nice to meet you.”

The two agreed to meet again, and again and soon It is became a weekly occurrence. Zexion would bring a new book and they would read and talk under that looming tree, laughing and joking until the sun set. Honestly Lexaeus was just happy to see the boy smiling around the castle.

It wasn’t until several months later under that same shady tree that the girl decided to show Zexion her secret. “Okay Zex… so I know we’ve known each other for a while now and all… but I need to tell you something about me. I’ve been keeping it a secret and.. please don’t freak out.”

Zexion looked at her with confusion until she pulled her and up and faced her palm upwards. And there within her palm, a small flame started to grow. Zexion looked up at her with shock in his eyes. “But— how?” He asked her. It wasn’t like she was a nobody. This was a very rare talent for a normal human.

“I… I don’t really know.” She sighed. “I’ve been able to do this for as long as I could remember… but I didn’t want to lie to you any more. Even if it makes me a monster..” her eyes were welling with tears.

“Oh no no! Don’t cry!” Zexion stutters, his cheeks turning a light pink. “I don’t think you’re a monster at all! You.. you have a gift! And that’s… amazing.”

Zexion didn’t have much time to react as soft lips met his own in a soft but passionate kiss. She pulled away just as quickly as she appears and Zexion was redder than he had ever felt. It was like his cheeks were the ones on fire.

“Sorry… I know that was unexpected I really just needed to know how you felt about me and if you don’t feel the sameI completely understa—“ she wasn’t able to finish her sentence before his lips pressed against hers in a Frenzy. This second kiss linger and turned into a third and then a fourth. Eventually, the girl pulled away and pressed her fingertips to her lips.

Zexion looked up sheepishly. “I. Uh… sorry. I… please don’t ever call yourself a monster.. You could never be a monster.. you’re.. beautiful.. and… wonderful.”

The lovers continued to visit each other under that tree for weeks - months - each visit became more magical than the last. And soon, the two were inseparable. Any time that Zexion was not working in the lab or away on organization, he would flee to Radiant Garden to see the girl that took over his every lingering thought. But one day, Zexion waited for his love under the tree and after hours of his waiting, didn’t show up. And Zexion didn’t know why. They had arranged to meet under the tree as they always did but she was gone. After a few hours, Zexion decided to search for her. She wasn’t at her home or in the market, or any of their usual places.

After 3 days of his search, Zexion decided to give up for the time being. It was obvious that his love did not want to be found, and that she might have moved on or worse, she didn’t want him to find her. Dejected, Zexion started to return to his own way of living before meeting the girl. He brooded in the lab and brooded in the halls of the castle and once again, the other members started to worry for him.

Hello Number VI.” Vexen approaches the brooding boy in the library as he read another heavy piece of literature. “I require your presence in the lab today. I have a very important experiment I have been working on that you would just love.” Zexion didn’t have much time to respond as Vexen as the blond man grabbed the fabric of his coat and dragged the boy down the hall to the labs.

It wasn’t like Zexion hasn’t been down the the lab before. He has been there hundreds of times to work as Vexens assistant, but when the older man turned down the hallway to his special experimentation room, Zexion grew nervous. No one was allowed down there unless they were observing in a demonstration of some sort. Otherwise the rooms were off limits.

Vexen led the boy down the hallway and eventually opened the door the the observation room. The room only had a couple of chairs as furnishings and then one large black panel of what Zexion assumed was 2 way glass. The room connected through the glass but knew that that was where Vexen was headed.

“Now sit tight, Zexion. Make yourself comfortable! You are going to love this.” Vexen closed the door behind him and headed towards the experimentation room. The dark waiting room silent as Zexion sat in his chair. Another moment later, he heard the door to the adjacent room open and the flick of a light switch. As the light flickered on, all of the air left Zexion’s lungs.

There she was. The girl that Zexion has fallen in love with. The girl he searched for days to find. She was here, strapped to a metal table and separated by a glass window. Her once long hair was hastily cut short to easier attach sensors and EKGs to her head face and chest. Tears stained her cheeks and IV’s and needles stuck out of her arm, pumping her body with fluids and chemicals.

“No!” Zexion wordlessly screamed. He wanted to yell and scream and free her, but all he could do was watch in horror.

“I know you’re wondering.. this looks like a regular girl, what use is she to us!” Vexen smiled, his voice echoing into the observation room “well… I found this little creature in Radiant Garden. And as it turns out, this little thing can produce a flame similar to our own Axels! Isn’t that extraordinary! She is not a nobody and still can produce this kind of power! Now I have been testing what can stimulate this power and I am ready to show you my findings!”

Vexen reached into his pocket and pulled out his trusty tape recorder. “Day 7: continuing stimuli testing on subject 4SB9. Starting stimuli test now.” With a click, Vexen returned his tape recorder to his pocket and pulled up a tool that Zexion has never seen before. It was metal rod with a rounded tip, and then from the handle came a long electrical cord that connected to the wall.

“No no… no.. no!” The girl pleaded as Vexen places the tool rounded edge to the girls forearm. As soon as it touched her skin the girl WAILED as the electricity traveled through her. Her body started to convulse and her wails turned to blood curdling screams. Zexion couldn’t watch any more. He was going to be sick. His hands balled into fists and he screamed as well… he slammed his tight fists against the glass in a fit of rave. He didn’t know what he was going to do but he could take this anymore.

As Vexen heard the banging against the glass from Zexion’s fists, the older man pulled the tool from his test subject. He’s screams died down as her body continued to convulse and shiver. She was still alive, thank heaven, but she was being tortured. “Oh Now what is wrong? We were almost at a breakthrough, Zexion.”

The girl started to respond as Vexen said the boys name. She took deep breaths and turned her head to the glass. It was as if her eyes could piece the glass and were looking into his soul, even though he knew she couldn’t see him.

“Z…Zex…Ion…?” The girl huffed his name as she tried to speak. It seemed speaking was all too much, for as soon as she said his name, the girl fainted from exhaustion. . He couldn’t take it. He needed to help her. The boy turned from the window and ran out the door and down the hallway to the experimentation room. The boy busted the door down with his entire body and barreled into the room.

“Zexion…? What do you think you’re doing? Return to the observation room at once! It’s not safe for you here!”

“No Vexen!” Zexion yelled back in a fervor that the older gentleman had never seen. “THIS is WRONG! She’s just a girl! And you’re doing this to another human being! For what?”

“Oh Zexion.. my poor child.. you feel badly for her.. but you have not seen what she can do yet. And once you do, you’ll see that she is a monster. And that she can answer some of the great questions the organization is asking. Through her, we could answer the questions of the UNIVERSE! Don’t you understand?”

But the boy didn’t answer. He just stared at vexen with a fire in his eyes. One moment turned into two. And then three. And soon it was a LONG silence.

“Zexion? Did.. did you hear me?” The blonde reached to touch the boys arm, but instead of feeling the boys skin, Vexen’s slender hand phased through the boys arm completely before he completely disappeared.

“What?” As Vexen turned, the form of his subject on the table disappeared as well. He had been caught monologuing and in his vanity, was tricked.

Meanwhile, down the hall Zexion ran with the unconscious girl in his arms. At the end of the hall the boy opened a dark portal and ran through it. Radiant Garden wasn’t safe anymore. He didn’t know where they were going to go, but Zexion was sure that he would keep her safe and never let this happen again.

TBC

#angst #organization xiii #organization xiii headcanons #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts headcanon #part 1

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