#you want that bad honey?

[bonefall]

(dif anon) So is Ashfur grooming Shadowsight a plotline you would keep/rework in BB? I'm not so keen on the way canon used it to retcon his epilepsy, but I do think a plotline examining how clerics can be vulnerable to abuse from StarClan spirits is kinda compelling

Shadowsight's epilepsy is staying in BB, the Erins can try and take it away again over my dead body

Yes, that's staying and BB!StarClan was reworked with unfairness in mind.

This time around, I'm considering the idea that Ashfur didn't work completely alone. After the events of Squirrelflight’s Horror, Silverpelt's divisons are starting to crackle the stars.

Skystar and the other more traditional spirits are losing patience with the peace that Fire Alone brings, and the ways that the code has been bent.

They feel that honor is being lost in their descendants.

Even angels disrespect the collective; see how Skypelt has its own heaven? With a demon in its midst? There is blasphemy even in the skies.

Firestar and the more modern pantheon are ferociously defensive of the choices of the living. StarClan exists for them; not the other way around.

Meanwhile, Mousefur has gone missing. Others start to blink out, too. This is causing panic... and Ashfur keeps it quiet that he's the only one who knows where they've gone.

The angels that plan action probably were a small group to begin with, radical spirits. Skystar and Ashfur are two of them, and Ash is the "youngest." So when he comes down to the mortal plane and betrays them, very few other angels knew what had happened.

(I might even have a few angels be doing the various supernatural things in that first book, but slowly, Ashfur is wittling down their numbers until it's just him.)

I'm still working out specifics, but the other angels that Ashfur has consumed are giving him a massive power boost. He can use this to jump between planes freely, and he's able to do some whacky things like weave dreams and pull nightmares out of the Dark Forest.

The most important unique power he has, which he can do ALL on his own once he's absorbed enough starpower, is blast Shadowpaw with a bolt of lightning. The electric current runs through Shadowpaw's brand new scar, giving him a connection to StarClan like he's a little radio tower.

Thing is... when StarClan is blocked off, the only signal he receives is Ashfur's.

So, Shadowpaw.

From the time he was very young, Shadowkit has had an unhealthy relationship to life and death

He watched a lot of cats die before he was old enough to really understand it, and the only one who came back was Heartstar.

His epilepsy was so severe it would have been terminal. He was prepared to die as a kit.

Tawnypelt took him to the Tribe to learn more about treatments, bringing back a method of refining chamomile to manage the convulsions.

When people come back from death, it was to serve "a purpose."

He feels like he needs to be special, like he needs to find the great meaning in his life. The reason why he's still here.

In BB, there can be guardian angels. Cats you knew in life who decide to watch out for you in the afterlife. Moleflight is Jayfeather's, Shrewface is Squirrelflight’s. Ashfur poses as Shadowpaw's.

THAT is how I plan to address my criticism. Ashfur DOES build a very personal, trusting relationship with Shadowpaw, pretending to be the one who's here to give him the destiny he craves. Pretending like he's someone looking out for him.

I actually LIKE how desperate the situation was in-canon and I want to stress how none of this was Shadow's fault, so I also plan to keep that they had very little choice. Shadowpaw trusts his angel completely, and Ashfur coaches him on saying all the right things.

The older Clerics are suspicious, but... what else can they do?

Also, instead of framing this all as something Shadowpaw needs to "atone" for, I'm going to make certain cats unfairly scapegoat him for bringing the Impostor into the forest. Shadowpaw himself agrees with them, blaming himself, but he has to learn it wasn't his fault.

He DIDN'T let anyone down by failing to live up to great expectations, and there's no way he could have known that Ashfur was using him. This never happened before, he always made the choice he thought was right and tried to make up for harm done, and he's not responsible for what his abuser made him do.

I actually want to have him figure out some of this by talking to DF demons, towards the end. Cats faaaar more responsible for what they did in life than him.

Ravenwing in particular, who was also mislead by a rogue StarClan spirit, but... ultimately decided that if StarClan was right in their judgement.

He was told (by Birchface, but he still doesn't know who it was in particular) to make three kittens unsafe by revealing their parentage. His choice killed three innocent children, and lead to the Queen’s Rights.

And StarClan was furious that he'd ever believe they'd want something so CRUEL.

And even if they DID want something so cruel... "Then they wouldn't have been ancestors worth following. And that's why I believe it's right that I'm here."

As a Cleric, he had authority on their behalf. And if they would misuse it through him, he wishes he could have just given it right back.

And Shadowsight's lightbulb goes Ding!

The very last thing Ashfur does in TBC, when the jig is up and he's about to be killed by the Lights in the Mist and a bunch of Demons who have come to defend their home, is swallow a Founder-- Skystar.

He takes the level of a true god, and reaches a nearly undefeatable level of power. Instead of black water, he's so large, malicious, and has a gravitational pull so massive it starts destroying the afterlife. It shatters the purgatory (Meadow of Young Stars) into floating cosmic fragments, and Heaven and Hell are set to collide.

Shadowsight confronts Ashfur, politely explaining that he's, well... done a lot of thinking, and, he doesn't really want what he gave him. "You can, uh, have this back!"

And blasts the lightning from his scar right back at him, like a chain, holding the screeching eldrich horror in place. Every ally he's made, here in the DF, come down from StarClan, and as Lights in the Mist, jump to his side. They can't hold down Ashfur, but they can hold SHADOWSIGHT

While they're all supporting him, Bristlefrost sees the one chance to get rid of him, once and for all. A clear shot. She bolts, pounces, and SHOOTS right into Ashfur like a falling star, knocking them both off the edge of the heaven he destroyed, burning up in orbit with a monster a hundred times her size.

And after that, Shadowsight has to go home and live with this.

He gave up the very connection that made him so special, and now he has to go back to being a Cleric without StarClan.

but the other Clerics accept this. They have to. They were all complicit in the choices that allowed the Impostor to rise.

What Shadowsight learns is... everyone was part of this. From those who made the follies with him, to the supporters and rebels against the impostor, to those who helped him realize his worth, to Bristlefrost who ultimately killed Ashfur.

He is valuable because living is valuable.

Everyone, and everything, matters. All cats have a role to play, and he was never alone.

I want to close him out in BB!TBC on a tea scene that parallels the various points in his life. Others used to prepare his chamomile treatments FOR him, in careful doses, because it is a very serious medicine. Now, at the end, he's the one brewing it.

A fully fledged Cleric, who realizes he's never been alone. Cats who love him were around him the whole time, making his medicine, and they'll love him even after he's given up his powerful gift. So now he's at the stage in his life where HE can make that medicine, share his wisdom with others, and find fulfillment in the skills he's acquired over a hard life brightening.

[thedelicatearcher]

Finnick with virgin reader ERMM WHO SAID THAT

First Time

finnick odair x fem!reader

after almost a year together, you feel ready to take the next step. your boyfriend, finnick odair, wants you to feel comfortable first.

word count: 3000

warnings: (protected) piv sex , lube use, a little bit of fingering. minors do not interact!

‘honey,’ he whispered, surprised but content at the sight of you at his doorstep. ‘i didn’t know we were hanging out today.’ he yawned right after finishing his sentence. it was obvious you had woken him up from his nap. ‘we weren’t,’ you admitted as he opened the door wider, inviting you in. ‘i just missed you.’

your words had finnick melting on the spot. despite feeling groggy, he could never deny himself of your presence. ‘come on, honey,’ he said huskily, grabbing your hand and leading you to his bedroom. your lover didn’t waste a second before lying down on his bed again and closing his eyes. ‘nap with me.’

you let yourself fall onto the bed, a quiet gasp falls off finnick's lips at the sudden dip. the impact roused him up slightly. an irritated look is thrown at you, but it quickly softened as you got comfortable beside him. his arms instantly wrapped around you, imprisoning you into a cuddle. finnick odair never wastes an opportunity to drape his leg over you. 

stuck in his embrace, you fell asleep, lulled by the soft snoring of your boyfriend. a soft smile formed on your face at the thought of him feeling so safe around you that he could fall asleep in seconds. you found yourself succumbing to sweet dreams about a life without the capitol. a life where you could scream your love for finnick from the rooftops. a life where you didn’t feel the urge to run away but refrained in fear of being caught and sent to the guillotine.

suddenly, you felt yourself begin to stir from a ticklish sensation on your neck. slowly opening your eyes, you noticed the familiar blond curls resting at the curve of your neck. ‘slept well, honey?’ his voice was slightly muffled as he peppered your neck with sweet kisses. ‘hmm,’ you hummed while stretching, before turning around and admiring the soft expression on finnick’s face.

it was so easy to get lost admiring his features. his cheeks were a soft shade of pink, sunkissed from spending entire days at the beach. the corners of his eyes crinkled at his mere smile. his lips were slightly dry and chapped. his long eyelashes framed those enthralling sea green eyes that could inspire anyone to write sonnets about them. the dimple on his cheek begged to be noticed whenever he spoke. a strand of his blond curls was so close to poking his eye.

‘did the cat eat your tongue?’ he teased at your lack of response, growing shy at being the victim of your adoring gaze. ‘i’m just admiring the view,’ you playfully shrugged before bringing a hand to his face and caressing his cheek. ‘i love every part of you, finn.’ the sudden affection took finnick off guard, feeling his heartbeat accelerate.

finnick, so intensely enamored with you, cradled your face with his large hands, giving you an adoring look before kissing your forehead and then your temple, slowly moving to kiss every part of your face. the sensation of his plump lips on your skin made you yearn for them against yours.

soft hums of pleasure echoed in the room when finnick’s lips reached your neck, pushing you gently to lie on your back. all of your thoughts were of him. how his mouth left wet kisses on your skin. how he leaned his body against yours without letting his full weight fall on you. the way his hand grabbed your waist, squeezing it softly. how he was spurred on by your delicate gasps, striving to get more out of your lips. how his lips weren't following a pattern, he was alternating between licks, soft nibbles, and kisses as he pleased.

your skin felt like it was on fire, burning with a sensation unlike any you had felt before. completely unaware of your instinctual movements, finnick chuckled softly when he noticed you were squirming in his embrace, clenching your thighs desperate for some friction. ‘honey,’ he breath warm against your collarbone, ‘everything okay?’

‘such an evil man’, you thought, feigning innocence to tease you when he was perfectly aware of the effect he had on you. you didn’t miss his attempts to hide his smirk at the pathetic moans that slipped from your lips unable to muster the energy to tease him back, a whimper of his name was the only word that came out of you.

‘finnick.’ he pulled his head away from your body to look up at you with expectant eyes. ‘i think i want to take the next step.’ now it was finnick’s turn to feel dazed by a wave of warmth mixed with nervousness, he didn’t want you to feel rushed into it. ‘are you sure, sweetheart?” he asked with a soft look in his eyes. 

the longing in him matched yours. almost a year had passed filled with innocent pecks and short passionate make out sessions. he never wanted to make you feel as if it was something you had to do. he wanted you to genuinely desire it. he needed you to trust him completely and also trust you back. he desired to love you first. he yearned to build a bond strong enough that both of you could feel free to laugh and giggle at the intimacy of the situation. he wanted sex to be special for you. 

now, as the moment had arrived, his heart soared at your request at such a perfect time. asking him to make you his after sweet declarations of adoration. ‘yes, finn,’ you purred as he lowered his forehead to lean it against yours, ‘i want you to be my first. i wouldn’t want anyone else.’ he pressed his lips against yours tenderly before pulling away to meet your gaze, ‘i want you too, honey.’

‘you can ask me to stop at any moment, and i’ll do so right away.  i won’t get mad, honey,’ he stated firmly. ‘let me know when something feels good or if it doesn’t,’ he finished with a kiss to your cheek. a warm smile spread across his face as you nodded enthusiastically.

he got off you and took your hands in his to help you sit up. he waited for your nod as reassurement before taking off your shirt. he immediately leaned in and kissed your chest, murmuring ‘so pretty, my gorgeous girl,’ as his hands circled your torso and unfastened your bra. the moment it fell, you didn’t feel the need to cover yourself. the safe space created by your lover made you feel confident and at ease, allowing yourself to show you completely bare to him.

‘i’m so lucky,’ he whispered to himself, his voice thick with emotion, before leaning in to trace a warm stripe between your breasts with his tongue. ‘so lucky to have you.’ he kissed the top of your left breast, then added, ‘to please you.’ hungrily taking your nipple into his mouth, he began to suck and lick the little bud, savoring the taste of you. ‘to hold you,’ he continued, shifting his attention to the other breast, his movements deliberate and tender as he elicited sweet gasps of pleasure from you. he flickered his tongue across your other nipple, whispering,  ‘to love you.’

while his tongue massaged your buds, his hands roamed over your torso, tenderly exploring every part of it, memorizing every curve and birthmark that adorned your skin. ‘i want to touch you too, finn,’ you said between giggles, pushing him off softly before reaching for the hem of his shirt. he grumbled at the sudden loss of contact between your bodies.

you slowly took his shirt off, not before getting verbal approval from him. driven by lust, your fingers wandered to the waistband of his pants. eager to continue, you swiftly slid his pants down his legs, leaving finnick in only his underwear. 

‘you have a body worth worshiping. worth loving. i will never let you think otherwise.’ you kissed his chest and traced your fingers over his sun-tanned abs. finnick giggled softly when your hand traveled down his body and reached a ticklish spot just below his navel, squirming at the sensation. ‘sorry, i’m ticklish there,’ he confessed. a big mistake from the blond to make, as you seized the opportunity to pull more breathy laughs out of him. after lightly rubbing that spot lightly as a feather for minutes and causing finnick to become a squirming laughing mess, he caught your hands and pulled you down onto the bed, pinning you gently. ‘that’s enough.’

a soft giggle escaped your lips at the sight of him above you. your gaze wandered over his body, but always returned to his gorgeous face. ‘i’m a little nervous,’ you confessed, ‘i’ve never done this before.’ your statement was followed by a louder chuckle from finnick, ‘i know, sweetheart.’ he rose from the bed, and looked down at you tenderly. ‘i’ll take care of you,’ he promised. he slowly started to take his boxers off, revealing his hard cock screaming for attention, the pink tip glistening with a bit of precum.

‘remember, you can always change your mind,’ were finnick’s words before his calloused hands caressed your legs with a feather-like touch and rested at the waistband of your shorts. ‘are you sure about this?’ he asked once more, not wasting any opportunity to ensure you are feeling comfortable. you nodded confidently. ‘i am sure, finnick,’ you reassured him, meeting his gaze. ‘are you comfortable too, sweetheart?’ ‘so comfortable. you make me feel safe.’

a mixed expression of love and gratitude appeared on his face, holding back tears at the simplicity of your words. a year ago, he never would have believed he deserved to feel the deep intimacy of loving and being loved. he couldn’t have imagined a time when physical touch wouldn’t make him recoil. he never thought he would yearn to be touched.

‘good,’ he murmured softly, his hands finding the hem of your shorts and pulling them down. ‘you’re awfully pretty,’ you said to him as he removed your underwear as well. ‘stop it,’ finnick protested, his face flushing as he grew flustered. 

you remained lying on the bed, legs spread as he sat between them. so vulnerable, yet so comfortable. ‘look at those pretty eyes,’ you cooed as he continued massaging your thighs with tender touches. you took his hand in yours, pausing his movements and intertwining your fingers. ‘and those beautiful pink cheeks.’ finnick playfully glared at you, getting absurdly shy at the shameless attention you were giving to his features. hell, he was stark naked in front of you, and you were rambling about his blushing cheeks. 

finnick was getting drunk on your compliments, the sweet words melting his heart like warm honey while you continued finding little details across his body to admire and adore. such as his birthmark on his left thigh, or that one strand of curly hair that is always sticking out, and the calluses on his fingers from a lifetime of knotting nets.

as if he had remembered something, he suddenly pulled away and stood up, ‘i will be here in a sec,’ he announced, ‘don’t miss me too much.’ he teased with a wink before entering the bathroom. some noises and even a gasp reached your ears, leaving you to wonder what the hell was your boyfriend doing in there. 

when he came back, he wore a toothy smile and admitted ‘i was searching for these,’ holding up a condom and some lube he had. ‘but the cabinet almost toppled on me.’  you couldn’t help but laugh at the situation, finding it funny how the cabinet almost fell on top of him, but he was still so eager to make love to you.

as the laughter dissipated, finnick took a moment to put the condom on his member. ‘sweetheart,’ he called you as he caressed your cheek lovingly, ‘i’m going to be so gentle with you.’ you climbed to the center of the bed, lying on your back to feel comfortable as finnick had instructed you. 

‘i want you to enjoy this, honey,’ he continued, squeezing some lube onto his hand and spreading it on his cock. ‘this is going to feel a little cold,’ he warned you before squeezing more lube on his fingers. his touch delicate as he eased the lubricant into your folds and entrance. a surprised gasp escaped your lips at the new sensation, his finger gently fingering you to spread the lube as deep as he could. quiet moans of pleasure filled the room when he carefully entered another digit and started scissoring his hands, making sure to prepare you as much as he could for your pain to be as little as possible.

he slowly pulls out his fingers, being attentive to the quiet hiss that escaped you. finnick engulfed his digits in his mouth, and licked them clean. ‘so good,’ he hummed, before hovering over your body and lining up with your entrance. ‘i love you, my sweet girl,’ he kissed your cheek and pulled away to stare right into your eyes, searching for any signs of hesitation. 

‘i love you too, finn.’ those words were enough reassurance for finnick to start to enter you, moving slowly and centimeter by centimeter. ‘it’s okay, baby,’ he cooed soothingly. your hands instinctively made their way to his back, your nails lightly digging in as you adjusted to the sensation of him stretching you. despite the lube doing its job, you couldn’t help but let out soft whines of discomfort. the feeling of finnick’s cock filling you up completely was overwhelming.

he peppered your face with kisses, trying to soothe you while you adjusted to his size. when you whispered sweet pleas in his ear, he began to move. he pulled out and then dipped back in at a slow and steady pace. the natural scent of your lover overwhelmed your senses. no matter where life might take you, you would never forget the intoxicating vanilla aroma he exuded whenever he was impossibly close to you.

as he maintained his slow, deliberate rhythm, your pleasure began to build. you found yourself enjoying the feeling of his delicious cock pressing forward into you. his glorious huffs of air were muffled by your neck, the place where he had decided to nestle his face as he delicately pinned your body with his and thrusted into you determinedly. your body was trapped by his, as the fat of his hips slapped into your thighs, you felt engulfed by him. and you were fine by it. the feeling of his bare chest against yours, with your legs wrapped around his hips, was your new definition of bliss.

finnick’s thrusts were deep and starting to up his pace, the clenching of your cunt inflicting low grunts and growls out of him. he was completely immersed in pleasure. his attempts to tease you were frequently interrupted by the deep moans that poured out of his pink lips. however, his eyes never strayed from your face, scanning it like a hawk to notice any signs of discomfort. 

the angle of his cock hit the spot inside you just right. you were so close to your peak, the coil inside you tighten up at every roll of his hips. waves of heat and pleasure coursed through you. but still, it wasn’t enough to take you there, you needed something more.

with a trembling hand, you reached down to where your bodies connected and started to rub your clit in slow, deliberate circles. mewls filled the room, and you felt closer than ever to the so familiar orgasm. the countless flustered hot nights you had spent with your hand in between your legs paled in comparison to this moment. those desperate nights would never compare to having the love of your life on top of you, panting as his half-lidded eyes tried his best to stay locked on yours. any situation you could ever imagine could never compare to the whimpers of your name. the mere melody of his voice made your toes curl.

‘i’m so close, finn,’ you moaned when the sensation became too much, nearing the brink of your orgasm. ‘me too,’ he growled in response, breaking eye contact to bury his face in your neck, nibbling it in hopes to stifle his melodic grunts. ‘let go, honey. i got you,’ were his final words before you got swept away by an earth-shattering orgasm, screaming loudly at the white delicious heat that traveled like waves through your body. you were clenching around him uncontrollably, crying out as your climax hit you like never before. 

when you started to come down from your orgasm, finnick drove into you faster. so eager to feel the ecstasy running through his veins. bursting into the condom, finnick found himself coming in your embrace. his hips thrusted erratically before gradually slowly coming to a stop as he grunted into your neck. you desperately wished to see the distorted expression of pleasure of your lover as he succumbed into his climax, but you would have many other opportunities. 

you lay there in complete comfort, enjoying the calm silence only disrupted by soft pants as you recovered your breath. finnick had dropped his entire weight on top of you, but you couldn’t care less. your hands found their way to his hair, running them through it and massaging his scalp in a quiet gesture of gratitude.

‘did you enjoy yourself, sweetheart?” he asked with the gentlest voice when he pulled back slightly to look at you, awaiting for your answer. even if his skin was covered with a layer of sweat, he was as gorgeous as always. ‘so much,’ you replied, a cheeky smile lighting up your face. 

‘good,’ he answered with one of his truly happy smiles. finnick leaned in to give you a sweet peck, his fingers caressing your cheek before he pulled out. ‘sorry,’ he instantly apologized when he heard your hiss. he took off the condom and tossed it into the trash. 

he then grabbed a soft towel from his nightstand and carefully cleaned the slick between your legs, delicately rubbing the cloth to avoid your oversensitive clit. ‘come here, honey,’ he said, lifting you into his arms like a bride and carrying you to the bathroom. he was eager to prepare you a bath, wanting to have you relaxing in his embrace.

[voidplume]

you KNOW your quest fucking sucks when theres people like this out here saying shit with their full chest

[lauralying]

Obsessed with the dynamic of Mello being like "UGH i cant BELIEVE they chose YOU to be L's successor", and Near being like "BITCH, they literally didnt???"

[spaciebabie]

funnily enough, he's kind of right.

[ashes-in-a-jar]

.

[jorvikwildhorse]

My Horse’s Dragon: a Star Stable Online fan comic – Chapter 3: Vetting

[<<FIRST | < PREVIOUS | NEXT> ]

Sorry this took so long, I had a lot of set-backs and self-doubt while working on this chapter. I apologize that it's another "talky" chapter as well, but hopefully the next one will have a little bit more action. Thank you for reading!

[kitheking]

toxic traits i think redacted audio characters have/used to have: listener edition!

angel - pessimistic + perfectionism, especially when it comes to the pack. They feel slightly inferior because they’re human, so when it comes to planning events like the Solstice, they want everything to be perfect but they can’t help but imagine the absolute worst. I think they also begin to spiral a little when it comes to David + the pack and them working specific events, this is bc of the Inversion.

baabe - a massive people pleaser. similarly to angel, they feel inferior to the pack because they’re human, so when asher first introduced them to the pack, baabe altered basically everything about themselves from their interests to their humor in attempt to fit in. they’re like this with other humans too. They’re a lot better now that they’ve got roots in the pack, though.

sweetheart - major workaholic + defensive. the department obviously demands a lot from its employees, so sweetheart is definitely running on a few hours of sleep and caffeine, but instead of taking breaks they can sit at a desk and do paperwork all day. they often fail to realize how damaging it is and they get snappy when people try to help them. they usually apologize afterwards cause they’re cool like that.

smartass - inflexible + slightly aggressive. they are sooo stubborn and they don’t like trying new things at ALL. They also tend to get pretty feisty when somebody challenges them on anything and they’re quick to dish out insults. and i mean they go for the JUGULAR. they’ll insult your appearance, your grammar, they’ll find your whole family tree on facebook and bring up your family issues if it means they’ll win an argument.

lovely - they’re a little too confident and they overestimate themself. lovely is tough, don’t get me wrong BUT they tend to automatically assume they can do anything. the type of person to watch ultimate ninja warrior or some shit and be like “i could do that” but they most definitely could not. i still can’t get over how vincent warned them on that mountain or whatever and they decided not to listen and immediately got their shit rocked.

bright eyes - they used to be very impulsive. they get the urge to do something? they ARE going to do it. zero forethought. after the Quinn incident, they try to think before acting more often.

honey - they used to be very dismissive. they did not prioritize closeness, affection, or intimacy in their relationships because they didn’t know how to channel those emotions. ever since being with Guy, he’s helped them a lot.

darlin/tank - oh boyyy. they’ve definitely picked up on some extreme negativity in their life, but i think one of their worst traits was their recklessness. we know darlin has a habit at throwing themself into danger head on like they’re invincible, which results in them severely injured and needing somebody to take care of them. Part of me also thinks that they struggle with empathy. in the “Confronted by Your Pack Alpha” video, darlin seemed to have a hard time understanding how David + the pack felt about them running off to go vampire hunting and they were fully convinced that they were doing the right thing by trying to “protect” everyone.

i purposely left out some listeners, like lasko’s, antons, and james’ because i have no clue what theirs would be. I also left out Cutie because we all know what their toxic trait is… oh boy.

[elslittlestories]

"Do I look pretty?"

[lenabloggingthingy]

that feeling when your sister from another mister calls you "spooky beautiful" and you hear about it and she gets embarrassed so you twirl your hair and get flustered about it

[zappedbyzabka]

Never forgetting how real this was

[honeycreammilkshake]

there will be cake.

i finally finished my first fic, and it's greenflame! it takes place between possession and skybound. i spent a few days on it and i'm still not satisfied... it still feels a bit ooc and amateur to me, but please let me know what you think. here it is...

Sitting down for dinner with the other ninja, Kai had no intention of talking about anything serious, let alone marriage, and especially not how he should go about proposing to Lloyd. But picking at his bowl of chili, he looked around to his friends, watching them talk about their day with animated expressions and exaggerated hand gestures, observing Cole and Jay arguing about every detail of their training so they could trade insults while blushing whenever anyone (mostly Zane) pointed out just how closely they'd have to be watching each other to know such minor things about their routines. And when Kai glanced over to his sister she was already glancing his way with an exasperated smirk at Cole and Jay's antics.

The only absent one was Lloyd. The Green Ninja was training late, as usual, pushing himself to his limits. The perfectionism was at first a little annoying for Kai, who tended to take any show of exertion as a competition against him, but overtime he'd learned to accommodate his boyfriend, who was typically late to dinner or outings with the rest of them. The pressure Lloyd must have felt, every single day, to not only lead the rest of them but to also make his pretty much godly ancestors proud of him had been grinding on him even more as of late, and Kai didn't want to add to their young leader's troubles. Still though… after their last battle, almost losing Lloyd to possession had made him keenly aware of how fragile the normalcy of all their lives were.

At any time, they could find themselves under attack once more. Ninajo had a reputation for attracting the most dark-hearted, vengeant, and power-hungry of villains, and Kai had to wonder if there was some kind of sign posted out for all the tyrants coming to seize this particular place. Something massive and neon was advertising how siegable and conquerable this entire land was somewhere, he was sure.

But as a ninja, bound and entangled with all the rest of his team (a fate he would never want reversed or changed in any way), he knew he would lay down his life for any one of his friends if it ever came down to it. And, naturally, he knew in his heart that no matter how much he teased or gave Lloyd trouble, he would stand behind that completely unhinged god-in-training no matter what. Wherever Lloyd led him, he would follow. And it was because of this that he knew he had to make their relationship even more official, even more sacred, so that when villains like Morro or Chen or the rest came knocking again, Kai would know there was still a chance at a normal life, even a small part of it, in their own lives. That he could say that Lloyd was his in more way than one and come back home to that small piece of stability.

Now, watching his friends continue to taunt and push each other, a warm feeling suddenly overtook Kai, not unlike the sensation he got whenever he drank a nice cup of Wu's tea. He felt it blossom inside of him, a hot and protective surge that came whenever he thought of the others, especially Lloyd. He knew he could trust them completely, he could ask anything of them and they wouldn't treat him any differently for it.

So it was without any filter that he found himself asking, "Guys, if I were to hypothetically propose to someone… someone who's very uhm… career-driven and practically all-powerful, how would I go about asking them to do something absolutely ordinary like marriage?"

A small silence briefly overtook the table as the others, except for Cole who was still digging into his plate without interest in anything else, glanced around towards each other. Nya, on Kai's left side, was completely still all of a sudden and opposite him Zane and Jay exchanged looks.

Just as the stillness was starting to become unnerving, Zane, always practical, broke in, "Logically the best way would be to—"

"Oh my gosh, you guys," Jay all but shrieked. "Kai and Lloyd are going to get married!"

"Wait what????" Kai burst out, feeling his cheeks start to heat up. "I didn't say anything about—"

"Oh please," Jay scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You're the fire ninja, Kai, so whatever you're trying to cover up, you still burn holes right through it." He was picking at his bowl of chili delicately, like most of its contents offended him, and by the way he had complained about every other dish Cole had prepared for them, you would think it was genuine. But Kai knew the Blue Ninja would sneak lots of extra helpings of Cole's meals whenever he thought they weren't looking. And seeing as how most of Cole's food was… to put it plainly… bad, Kai knew it was because Jay was simply (and not so secretly) completely crazy for the Earth Master.

"You guys thought it was such a secret, but we could all tell what you were up to," Jay continued, matter of fact, then smirked. "The walls here are really thin, you know."

Kai groaned and buried his face in hands. "Okay," he sighed out. "So what if it is Lloyd?"

"I knew it!" Zane exclaimed from Cole's side, face lighting up. When the others looked to him, he explained, "Pixal told me they have a 95% compatibility rate. Lloyd's sensitivity and high emotional intelligence counterbalances Kai's hotheadedness and temper—"

"Yeah yeah we get it," Kai huffed, feeling called out.

"My vitals monitors indicate that your heart-rate speeds up whenever Lloyd appears," Zane added helpfully. "My data also suggests that Lloyd's libido increases whenever he watches you training."

Beside him, Nya made a choking sound. "Oh my god," she gasped, wiping away dribbles of water from her lips. "Please never say libido again, Zane."

Despite the embarrassment at having his secret relationship exposed so quickly, Kai couldn't help the way that information stroked his ego. All the time that little brat had been claiming to watch so closely to point out errors in Kai's form (as he always did) he was secretly checking Kai out shamelessly. It made him flush with more than a little contentment, but he got a hold of himself quickly, and managed to grit out, "Okay guys, that's enough."

"Where would they even get married though?" Jay pushed on, ignoring Kai entirely.

"Somewhere big enough for all of us," Zane pointed out. "I can compile a list of popular wedding locations and analyze them for suitability."

"No no," Jay dismissed, whipping his spoon around passionately so that a bit of chili hit Kai in the face. He wiped it off with a grimace as Jay continued to lecture Zane. "It should be somewhere perfect for the both of them..." Jay bit down on the handle of his spoon and then grinned widely at Kai. "I know just the place—my parent's junkyard!"

Kai blinked, caught off-guard. "Jay, I'm not marrying Lloyd in a junkyard—"

Across the table, Cole's face finally unfused from his plate long enough for him to shout, "Will there be cake? I'll definitely come if there's cake!"

"Always thinking with your stomach, right Cole?" Jay snarked. But the Earth Master chose to ignore him, much to Jay's disappointment.

As the others continued to conspire Lloyd and Kai's wedding, loudly describing each lavish detail — "Lloyd should wear all red so Kai can wear all green... and there should be dragons!!!" Jay contributed while Zane added, "Kai should put Lloyd in his lap and ride in on one to the ceremony" and Cole piped in, "And there should be triple stacked cake afterwards!" — Kai's ears picked up shuffled movement in the hallway. He sat up straight. Wu and Misako were out getting "vital" supplies like flavored tea and herbal medicines — old people errands — and they weren't expecting anyone else to come calling. It could only be Lloyd.

Getting that sensation he got whenever he was about to be cornered, he felt himself start to panic. "Guys, if you don't shut up now, I swear I'll send every single one of you to the Cursed Realm," Kai hissed out. "I don't even care if we're on the same team — you will all be banished for your crimes. This conversation is over."

But, of course, cause everything and everyone hated Kai, this was the exact conversation Lloyd chose just that moment to walk in on.

With a short glance around to the other ninja, he came into the room and a crushing silence followed as they all tracked him with their eyes. He walked casually, carrying a bowl laden with an excessive amount of Cole's chili (which wasn't that bad but it also wasn't that good either, so Kai felt Lloyd had filled it to the brim subconsciously) and settled down in his usual spot to the right of Kai, slowly lifting his spoon to his lips…. Lips that were twisted up in an unmistakable smirk, the one Kai knew and adored so well, that he loved to bite on — but right now, seeing the way it melted away the usual prim and proper princely beauty of Lloyd's face into the wild rawness of the conceded brat he really was, all Kai could think was Lloyd knows…. He's been listening in on the whole thing!

"What's all this about cake?" Lloyd asked, oh so innocently, as if he didn't know already, and Kai kind of wanted to manhandle him right then and there for being such an unyielding brat.

But before Kai could say or do anything to grab at any sort of control over the conversation, Jay leaned in closer to Lloyd, conspiratorially settling his chin into his cupped hand like he was about to tell the world's greatest secret. With a hauntingly straight face he said, "Only that Kai can't keep his eyes off yours."

… And then everything kind of blew up in Kai's face.

Nya and Zane burst out laughing and Cole let out a bellowing huff before slapping Jay across the back so hard the Blue Ninja's face almost landed in his uneaten bowl of chili (Kai wished with his whole heart that it really had). Jay glared briefly at Cole but then the Master of Earth said, "I guess that's why they call you the Master of Shocks! That was a good one, Jay."

Pure pride swelled the Master of Shocks' chest, making him look just like a puffed up little blue jay — which he technically was… though Kai could barely register the humor of it as sticky hot embarrassment exploded inside of him.

"Oh wow you guys," Nya finally managed to gasp as she held her sides, like she could fall apart from the delicious humiliation of it all. She wiped at her eyes, choking out, "Look at Lloyd's cheeks — they look like cherries!"

Lloyd's mouth was pressed together tightly, and his cheeks were definitely a deep scarlet that Kai took some satisfaction in seeing, but he knew his own cheeks were probably just as red and burning twice as hot.

And of course Jay would point that out. "Guys, check out Kai's face — he's burning up!"

"Oh the irony," Nya giggled.

"Red ninja indeed!" Zane chimed in with a grin that practically spilled off his face. And in that moment, Kai had never been more certain in his life that he was surrounded by traitors. Enemies.

Kai ground his teeth together and finally managed to squeeze out some sort of response. "You're all banished."

The other ninja, minus a cherry-colored Lloyd, started laughing again as Kai sat there, gripping the edge of the table and plotting revenge. Only Cole made any kind of move towards redemption, leaning closer to both Lloyd and Kai to say, "You know we're just teasing you two… We're really happy to see you making things more official. And just so you know, I would love to be there for you, even if there no's cake for me."

"You do know the whole point is so that Kai gets to keep the cake just for himself, don't you?" Jay smirked.

Before Kai could set fire to either himself or Jay, Cole turned to the Blue Ninja and smiled. "Don't worry, sparky, I'll make sure to claim a cake for myself too," he said, and proceeded to reach over so he could grope Jay's ass as the smaller ninja let out a high-pitched squeak.

"Who's the Master of Shock now?" Zane grinned as Jay started choking.

Nya pursed her lips and said, "Really? Right in front of my chili?"

Kai moaned and buried his face in his hands as the entire table descended into chaos. But it died out quickly as Lloyd stood up, his face unreadable, that silken smirk of his erased from his lips. As Kai peeked up at him, he couldn't help but feel… reverent. Lloyd was strong, and fierce, and brave. And more than that… he was the magnet that kept them gravitating to him, to their destiny. Their fates were inexplicably tied to his for the rest of their lives. They all shared a bond deeper than mere friends: they were each other's counterparts and focal points and homes.

And nobody was more at home with Lloyd than Kai.

"Kai," Lloyd began, and Kai felt the air rush out him as soon as Lloyd turned those ember-bright eyes right on his face. "Do… do you really want to marry me?"

Kai's heart was pounding far too fast. It felt like the adrenaline spark right before a battle. "Of course," he managed.

The other ninja were finally fully silent, their eyes wide and watchful. Feeling bold, Kai pushed away from the table and stood right in front of his boyfriend. Then he sank to his knees, his eyes never leaving Lloyd's, and swallowed. "You know that all of us are bound to you, and all of us would protect you with our lives, just as you would do for us. But the bond I share with you runs even deeper. I promised you that I would protect you, and that I would follow where you lead me, that you could always rely on me, so I would like to ask you now… Will you let me follow you forever? Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, will you marry me?"

In all that time, Lloyd and Kai didn't look away from each other. The others remained blissfully quiet, but there was a current of anticipation coursing through the room.

It felt like an age before Lloyd cleared his throat and said, "Of course I will.... Someone has to keep my cake away from Cole, after all."

Kai groaned but found himself grinning anyways. "You're insufferable," he told Lloyd and pushed up from the floor.

"That only means you're even more perfect a match," Nya pointed out from Kai's side, but she hugged her brother tightly, patting him on the back. They both knew how much this meant to him...

Lloyd and Kai returned to their places at the table and tried to resume eating normally, but they kept glancing over to each other until Jay scoffed and said, "You two, honestly, go get a room."

"Quiet, sparky, you'll get yours soon," Cole winked and Jay started to protest.

"If you think I have any interest at all in a dusty piece of rock like you—"

"Yeah yeah," Cole waved him off. "Keep pretending, bluey."

Lloyd laughed and reached over to offer his hand for Kai to hold. Kai took it gently, and didn't miss the way everyone stared at their joined hands, their fingers twining together.

"No matter what comes in the future, we'll face it together," Lloyd promised Kai, and they felt each other's pulses jump at his words.

Kai nodded, soaking up the way the light hit the pale gold of Lloyd's hair, making it look just like a glowing halo. This boy would be the death of him, he just knew it. He couldn't help the smile spreading across his face. He raised a spoonful of chili towards Zane, Cole, and Jay and gave his best unhinged grin. "The future looks bright for you and me both, but right now I say we take these three down for being so obnoxious," he suggested and Lloyd grinned too, wild and full of fire, just like Kai.

"What?" Zane sputtered. "I didn't do anything!"

"Wait!" Jay cried out. "But we helped you propose to him, Kai!"

Lloyd snorted while Kai rolled his eyes. "Sure you did," the Master of Fire said, then launched the first spoonful at Jay's surprised face.

"Food fight!!!" Nya cried, pounding her fist on the table before she upended her entire plate on Kai's head.

Kai gasped, shaking sticky shrimp out of his hair. Reaching up, he felt the clingy, pasty sauce of the dish matting his once-immaculate spikes, and he shrieked, "GET HER, LLOYD!"

With a roar, the table fell into chaos again. As the ninja threw handfuls of food at each other — except for Cole who sat there lamenting the waste of it all — Lloyd and Kai looked at each other and smiled. Everything that they had ever done, all that they had ever faced and clawed their way through, had been worth it for moments just like this. With a laugh, Kai leaned in and kissed Lloyd in front of everyone, not even caring to keep anything concealed anymore.

He didn't even care when Nya shouted, "Gross!" and splashed the rest of her water on them. With a smirk, he pulled Lloyd closer and set a palm to the boy's back to dry out his clothes.

"You know," Zane said afterwards, as everyone settled down. "Someone has to clean all this up before Master Wu returns."

"Not me!" Jay was the first shout.

"We will," Lloyd said calmly, volunteering an unwilling Kai before he could protest. "We started this after all."

"They had it coming," Kai argued but stopped when Lloyd cast him a sharp look.

"You said you'd follow wherever I lead," Lloyd reminded Kai, then smirked his signature smirk when Kai let out yet another groan.

"Alright then," Kai sighed. "Lead me to the dishes."

"Get used to this," Jay said smugly. "This is going to be married life for you from now on."

Cole stood up from his seat and brought the rest of his plate down, shrimp-first, on Jay's head. "And this is going to be married life with me," he promised the Master of Lightning and walked away smiling.

"Welcome to the family," Nya said to Lloyd before standing up from the table.

"Can't be crazier than my family," Lloyd called after her, then turned to Lloyd. "Well, let's get cleaning."

Kai sighed melodramatically but didn't complain. He had promised to follow Lloyd wherever he lead him, even if it was just to another mess to clean up. So he smiled as he knelt down to pick up pieces of dinner from the floor with Lloyd. He wouldn't have traded it for anything else.

[himejoshiangels]

none of you understand fabian aramais seacaster like I do, I'm taking Lou Wilson's incredible acting and performance and LEAVING

[clownjacket]

If Kipperlilly DOES end up betraying Porter/Jace as part of a secret other scheme she has (whether good or evil) and it has to do with saving Lucy, I just know she’s going to be a bitch about it and pull a ‘sorry, I only save High Five Heroes’ before leaving her other friends to die or some shit. And then she will take her final form: Magic Betty from Adventure Time, betraying her allies and saving her frost gf at the expense of the world. It would also parallel what Ankarna is going through (‘your girlfriend’s out of town, it sucks’, becoming a little imperialist rage machine under the influence of Porter/Sunstone but not being able to fully turn on Lucy despite going against her values and turning into a violent weirdo). This is my wish. My dream. I am manifesting it. Magic Betty Kipperlilly I believe in you.

[sevenminiaturemonkeys]

i couldn’t stop imagining jornir braiding somebody’s hair and i wanted to draw daisy so HERE YOU GO

(click for better quality bc yeah)