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achilles-rage · 5 months ago

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Good Luck Charm: Chapter 16

college football player!buck x plus size!reader

summary: almost a month after the party, you’re hanging out with evan at his house, trying to get your assignment done.

word count: 2.6k

previous chapter

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a/n: y’all thought i forgot about their assignment?? wrong. this is ANGSTY i’m sorry!! but the poll was pretty much tied and it’s short lived if it’s any consolation :// enjoy<33

warnings: mentions of cheating??, no use of y/n, fem!reader, race inclusive!reader

It’s well into November when you’re hanging out with Evan in his room, trying desperately to get the last few parts of your assignment mapped out. It’s not hard work, but with the way you’re sitting cross legged on Evan’s bed while he sits facing you on his desk chair, Evan’s brain is only focused on pouncing on you. You’re talking about the research article you found while Evan is staring shamelessly at your body, humming along with you to make it seem like he’s paying attention. You sigh and stop talking once you realize his head is a million miles away, and you close your laptop, raising a brow at him.

“Ev, can you not pay attention for, like, 30 more minutes?” you ask in a teasing, yet slightly exasperated tone. His eyes finally dart up to yours, and he gives you a cheeky smile as he shrugs.

“Oh, I’m paying attention, princess. You thought you could come over looking like that and I’d just work on the assignment?” he asks, raising a brow as he looks down at your body again.

“I’m wearing leggings and a hoodie. I literally could not be more covered up.” you say with a laugh, setting your laptop to the side, knowing there’s no way of getting him to focus now. He scoffs, rolling his eyes as he stands up and stalks toward you on the bed. He holds out a hand once he’s in front of you, which you take. He helps pull you up, then puts his hands on your hips and pulls you against him with a smirk. You meet his lips as he leans down, your hands moving to his cheeks as you smile into the kiss.

“You’re a damn temptress.” he murmurs against your lips, which makes you laugh. You pull away, giving him a “really?” look, still laughing quietly.

“You want to take a break?” you ask, one hand moving up to run through his hair. He nods, humming softly as he feels your fingers massaging his scalp. He pushes you back onto the bed, and waits until your head is on one of his pillows before he dives onto the bed beside you, making the bed creak and bounce you around a little. He moves to lay practically on top of you, one leg thrown over both of yours, his arm draped over your tummy, and his head resting against your soft chest. He hums against your chest, sinking into you as you chuckle, shaking your head. Your hand goes back up to run through his hair again, and although it’s a little harder to breathe with his weight on you, you wouldn’t dream of moving.

You stay quiet for a while, absentmindedly running your hand through his scalp before you break the silence, speaking before you can really think about what you’re saying.

“We’re graduating this year.” Your voice is barely a whisper, but he hears you anyway, and he hums softly, nodding slightly. He mumbles, “I know, it’s crazy.” and you nod along with him, starting to think about life after college.

“What are you gonna do after?” you ask softly, your words hanging heavily in the air as the implications of the question suddenly become a little clearer to both of you. You weren’t really sure where you were going with what you were saying at first, but now, it’s clear to you and Evan that you’re really asking “what about us after graduation?”

He raises his head, resting his chin on your chest as he looks up at you, eyes studying your slightly nervous expression. You know it’s a little much to ask; you’ve only known each other for 3 months, but you can’t imagine just going your separate ways once you walk across the stage.

“I don’t know, princess.” he tells you softly, not knowing what else to say. He wants to comfort you, but he doesn’t want to say anything that he can’t promise.

“Well, you’re gonna have your degree. What kind of work do you want to do with it?” He huffs, thinking about having to find a fulltime job.

“Honestly, I’m only here because my parents basically forced me to go to college. I don’t even want to do anything with the degree, I just did it to shut them up.” he tells you, resting his cheek back on your chest again. Your heartbeat and steady rising and falling of your chest help to calm him, and he lets out a silent sigh. You hum softly, frowning at his words.

“So, I’m guessing you’re not planning on going back to Pennsylvania?” you ask, desperate to know more. You’ve always thought about staying in LA once you graduate, and it would be perfect if he’s considering it too.

“Definitely not. I don’t really know where I wanna go, or what I wanna do. I’m just kind of hoping it’ll hit me, and I’ll figure it out.” he tells you earnestly with a small shrug, squeezing you just a little bit tighter. All he knows is that he really doesn’t want to go anywhere without you. He almost laughs as he thinks about it. Before he met you, he couldn’t imagine becoming so close with a girl that he can’t bear the thought of parting from her, but now, he silently hopes that after graduation you stay together.

“Your parents live close to here, right? Would you stay around here after graduation?” he asks after a few moments of silence.

“I would, but I wouldn’t take moving somewhere else off the table.” you tell him, and although you’re saying it because you know you’d probably follow him anywhere, you also welcome the idea of seeing new places. “So, I guess neither of us know what we want.” you say with a soft laugh, feeling a little silly for bringing it up.

“I know what I want.” he says matter of factly, giving you a wink as he raises his cheek off your chest again to look up at you. You feel your cheeks heating up as you look down at him, unable to fight off the smile forming on your face. He leans up and kisses you softly, like a promise, almost as if saying “we’ll figure this out.”

Once he pulls back, he gets up quickly, straddling your lap and starting to tickle your sides, hoping to take your mind off of the hard questions with no real answers hanging in the air. You let out a loud, surprised laugh, starting to squirm under him as you try to push his hands away. You cry out a breathy “stop, stop” as he keeps tickling you, a shrug on his face. Once he’s sure your conversation is forgotten about, he eases up, planting a big, audible kiss on your cheek. He admires the way your eyes crease when he pulls back, the dazed expression in your eyes, and how your smile is plastered to your face, and his heart swells.

He gets up, mumbling a quick “I’ll be right back” as he leaves the room, keeping your hands together, dangling between you for a moment before he finally turns and goes to the bathroom.

While you lay on his bed and wait for him, you think about your plans with your roommate to go to a local farmers market tomorrow, and you figure you should start planning your outfit before you forget and have to throw something on at the last minute. You go to reach for your phone, but you remember it’s still on Evan’s desk, charging. You look over at Evan’s phone on the bed, and decide to reach for it instead, sitting up as you do. You only want to know the weather, and you know his password anyway, so you figure he won’t mind.

When you pick up his phone, you’re met with a text notification on the lock screen from Sabrina. You furrow your brows, thinking about when you met her a number of weeks ago. You can’t help the nerves creeping into your belly, thinking about how shamelessly she was flirting with him, and you can feel your heart start to race a little. You trust him, and you don’t want to do anything to make him think you don’t, but thinking about her texting him still makes your stomach churn.

When you swipe up to unlock his phone, however, the phone thinks you clicked on the message, so when you put in his password, you’re immediately faced with their conversation. You’re met with a picture of her in a bikini, posed at the beach, looking absolutely stunning. You suck in a shaky breath, eyes roaming over her slim waist, and her small thighs, and dread fills your belly. The only other thing you see before you hear Evan’s footsteps outside his door is her newest text below the picture.

Sabrina: heyyy, there’s a party at delta phi on friday. you going? ;)

You slam the phone down before he comes in, plastering a fake smile to your face when his eyes land on you. He raises a brow, taking in your unsure eyes and fidgeting fingers as you sit on the bed.

“What’s up?” he asks, closing the door and walking back over to the bed. You shrug, still smiling as he lays down on his side, propped up on his elbow.

“Nothing.” you say softly, looking down at your fingers, turning the ring on your middle finger, trying to slow the thoughts swarming in your brain. Were you just taking his “I know what I want” as something completely different? Was he acting so unsure with you because he didn’t want to tell you that he didn’t want to keep seeing you yet? Was he just a really good liar?

“What’s going on in that pretty little head, huh? Talk to me, princess.” He pulls you out of your thoughts, and for a moment, his soft voice almost works to calm your nerves. But then the picture comes back into your brain, and you feel like you’re going to throw up. You had slowly begun to let your guard down, opting to not suck in your plush tummy when his hands ghost across it, and not feeling awkward when he puts a hand on your thigh. You feel your insecurities bubbling to the surface again; of course he’s looking at her.

“Nothing.” you say again, a little sharply. He’s taken aback by your tone, and his eyes widen slightly, confused by your sudden switch up. “Can we please just drop it? I don’t wanna talk about it right now.”

He knows you, and he knows pushing you further will make you shut down even more, so he begrudgingly agrees, mutters a quiet “okay.” He turns onto his back and faces the ceiling, opting to stay quiet and give you a minute as you fall further and further into your own mind. He reaches for his phone beside him, and turns it on. His heart falls when he sees that it opens to his conversation with Sabrina. He sighs, sitting up and nudging your leg with his arm, wanting you to look at him.

“Baby, I-” he starts, but you cut him off.

“Why do you still talk to her?” you ask him softly, tears threatening to spill. You know you can’t be mad at him for talking to her before you started dating, but him still letting her send those pictures makes your heart clench.

“Will you let me explain, princess? Please?” he asks desperately, fighting the urge to touch you. He knows he should let you have your space right now; that pulling you into his arms would only make you more upset. You nod once, looking up at him as you chew on your lip anxiously. You can’t wait to hear what he has to say, but you’re also dreading it just as much.

“I still have a class with her. She still flirts with me sometimes in class, but I don’t do anything about it, I swear. She’s been asking when we should hang out, but I keep brushing her off, so I guess she finally got fed up and decided to text me again.” he tells you, eyes boring into yours as he searches for any hint that you don’t believe him. You listen intently, a tear finally escaping your eye as you reply.

“Why is she still sending you pictures? Why are you letting her?” Your voice cracks slightly as you speak, and you reach up quickly to wipe the tear from your cheek. He sighs, tilting his head to the side as his eyes soften. He clenches his fist as he tries not to reach out to you, finally understanding why you’re so upset.

“Baby, did you see the timestamp on that text? It was from August. Before we met.” he tells you, eyes locked on yours. Your brows furrow at his words, mouth going dry. You hadn’t even thought to check; you were just so focused on her. He opens the conversation and holds the phone out for you to see, and you see that he’s telling the truth. You feel so stupid, and you let out a big breath, looking down as you laugh weakly.

“I didn’t see that.” you say quietly, feeling more tears running down your cheeks, although you’re not sure why. He’s very clearly not cheating on you.

“Yeah, I guess not. Come here, princess.” he tells you, pulling you into his arms, hugging you tightly. You hug him back, sniffling softly, feeling extremely stupid.

“I don’t know why I’m crying.” you whisper, laughing at yourself. He chuckles as well, shaking his head.

“You thought you just caught your boyfriend cheating on you. I think a few tears are allowed.” he tells you softly, his tone slightly teasing. You laugh again, sniffling as you pull back.

“I’m glad you’re not.” is all you can manage to say as you look at him, leaning into his touch as he reaches up to wipe your tears.

“You think I’d do that to you?” he teases, but you can see a hint of seriousness in his tone. He knows that cheating definitely isn’t uncommon, but he doesn’t feel good about you thinking that he would, despite your reasoning being very valid. He relaxes slightly when he sees you shake your head, a smile making its way onto his face again.

“You haven’t given me a reason to. I wasn’t purposely looking through your messages. I was just gonna check the weather, and I clicked the wrong thing.” you explain with a shrug, looking down as you fidget with your ring again. You don’t want him to think you were snooping; you really don’t want him to think you don’t trust him.

“Well, I’m glad you trust me. Because I would never hurt you. And I know saying that means nothing, so I’m gonna keep showing you that. As long as you’ll let me.” he tells you earnestly. He leans in to rest his forehead on yours, and one of his hands moves to the side of your neck, holding you there.

“Yeah? Promise?” you get out in a teasing tone, although your heart is hammering in your chest at his words.

“Promise.” he tells you, holding out his pinky with a cheeky smile. You giggle and link your pinky with his, looking into his eyes until he launches himself at you and pins you against the bed, kissing you deeply.

next chapter

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k-s-morgan · 3 months ago

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"many people insist he was in the Blitz ( I don't mean fics, I don't mind that, I mean in canon discussions) so my post was specifically for the Blitz. For the 40's bomb, that you brought up, not my post, Tom left soon after, 7 days after. And as for the '44 bombings- Tom has already killed 4 people by that time- FOUR. I think it's safe to say death and suffering of the people around him wasn't one of his concerns.

Tom's fear of death doesn't have to come from bombing. Plenty of people fear death that had never been bombed. It is stated that his fear of death is because he thinks himself above all humans, it's in relation to his power, he says this to Dumbledore at 11 BEFORE ww2 started. He already said 'mom can't have been a witch because she died'. But yes, this post was about Dumbledore not sending Tom into the Blitz, like many people say, as if Dumbledore personally delivered Tom to the Nazis."

What do you think about this argument? I've written fics of Tom witnessing the Blitz. I thought that it was canon but I have had people argue that it is not. What do you think?

Hi! That's a really interesting topic, but one I came to dislike because it feels like most people have very black-and-white takes on it. I actually got involved in one of such conversations just recently. Maybe even the one you quoted from? I don't recall at this point.

Since I prepared a lot of materials for ATLWETD before writing it, I can give you a full answer supported by the research and some news clippings. It's going to get long, though!

So, first - the Blitz. Indeed, Tom never had to face it. It lasted from September 7, 1940 to May 11, 1941, and Tom spent this period at Hogwarts. However, the Blitz was neither the start nor the end of London bombings - and bombings of the surrounding areas and UK in general.

Citing from Mark Clapson, "Air Raids in Britain, 1940–45":

"A common misconception of the Blitz in the United Kingdom is that London was the only city under attack from September 1940 until the Nazis also turned their fire on other cities and towns in mid-November. Yet even before the Blitz on London began, other urban areas in the UK had been attacked from the air.

As the Battle of Britain drew towards a defeat for Germany, the first significant raid on a major British city took place in Cardiff and Newport on 10 July when over seventy German planes attacked the South Wales docks. In July and August, Birmingham, Coventry, Hastings, Liverpool, Newcastle and Southampton were all subject to air raids, signifying that when the main Blitz on the provinces began, industrial and coastal towns and cities were going to be key targets for the Luftwaffe … As Tony Mason shows, the first raid on Coventry had been on 18 August 1940, when both industry and housing were bombed."

Most of these locations are within the 200-300 km of London. Hastings is less than a 2-hour drive away. People don't live in a bubble, so hearing and reading about the bombings getting closer had to be terrifying for a child-Tom.

Now, getting even closer to London. The timeline taken from this website:

"16 AUGUST 1940

A series of raids were leveled against Norfolk, Kent and the Greater London area with airfields as the main targets, including Manston.

London suburbs were bombed, including Wimbledon and Esher, where shops and houses were hit. Bombs on Maiden, Surrey, railway station killed staff and passengers and put both lines out of operation. To the north, Gravesend and Tilbury were attacked, and bombs fell on Harwell and Farnborough aerodromes."

Tom would have definitely experienced the impacts of these bombings at least in some ways because the sound of explosions travels miles ahead. People would be in an increased state of panic, not knowing if London was going to be the next target any other second now.

A photo of the news clipping from August 17, 1940, titled: Germans Bomb London Suburbs:

From this website:

"A still earlier, and better recorded, raid took place the night before, on 15 August. 30 bombers targeted RAF Croydon aerodrome, which was then considered part of Surrey rather than London. Several people were killed, with damage to the aerodrome and nearby housing."

The distance between Croydon aerodrome and London is just 10 miles. Again, this is something the impact of which Tom would have very likely heard personally - add to this the feeling of fear and uncertainty over when and where the next attack is coming, and you get a recipe for a serious psychological trauma. Tom was only 13 at this time.

From the same website:

"Many sources state that the first bombs to drop on London landed in the early hours of 22 August 1940, affecting Harrow and Wealdstone (technically not then in London, but within the London Civil Defence Area). These caused damage to two cinemas, a dance hall, bank and houses, but nobody was killed. A further strike on 24 August [in London] killed nine people, and prompted retaliatory attacks on Berlin."

So, by these accounts, Tom experienced the bombing of his city directly at least once and likely heard the impact of bombings from the suburbs at least twice. Could be more - there were several bombings close, and we have no idea where Tom was in those specific moments. He could be taking a walk to the West End, going to the suburbs with his orphanage, and so on.

He was lucky to miss the bombings that followed (until 1944), including the Blitz, but I really hate when people dismiss the psychological impact of seeing your city in ruins, witnessing the massive destruction, and not knowing whether the bombs are going to drop again today. It's not like the Germans announced, "Hey, the Blitz is over, you're safe now!" Of course Tom thought he might experience another bombing, and of course this thought scared him.

The summer of 1944 was terrible for London because that's when the V1 were dropped. Quoting from The Blitz Companion by Mark Clapson again:

"Yet during the summer of 1944 worse was to come, and it would manifest itself in a frightening new weapon. For some months rumours had been circulating in Britain about a flying bomb that had no pilot and which could be guided almost mysteriously through the air at great speed to attack the capital city. This was the V1, the ‘V’ standing for vengeance … The V1s killed over 5,000 people and injured 15,000."

The timeline for these attacks is here.

This one is trickier, though, because based on Harry's era, by 1944, Tom already came of age by wizarding standards. So there is an argument that he could finally use his magic and leave London. On the other hand, he was still a minor by Muggle standards, and we have no idea what Hogwarts rules and laws of his era stated - meaning that it can all be up to interpretation.

For those who prefer to imagine that Tom was there: maybe back in 1944, a wizard had to be 18 to be considered an adult, and the limit was dropped closer to Harry's era. Or there was a rule stating that Hogwarts students must continue to live in their assigned places up until they graduate, especially in a Muggle world - because if a minor disappears from Muggle care when they are still enrolled in a magical school, it could trigger the involvement of authorities, which might be something Hogwarts would want to avoid.

We can't make strong arguments here because the canon says nothing about these details. So, if someone wants to imagine that Tom missed the bombings in 1944, there are very logical reasons to support such a view, but if someone wants him to have experienced it, it's also easy to imagine.

Either way, whether Tom lived only through the bombings of 1940 or both 1940 and 1944, to deny that he was affected by the war is to reject the most basic human psychology, in my opinion. Anyone would be terrified when they are surrounded by destruction and death, when they are confronted with the idea of their own mortality and when they feel helplessly trapped. And Tom saw the war horrors every summer even when there were no bombings.

I'm a war victim myself, and I don't feel safe on the days my city is not attacked. Because I know that the situation can change every other second. The psychological effect of bombings is devastating even when you aren't physically affected.

Does Tom's trauma justify his canon actions in any way, though? Of course not. Did his war trauma cause his fear of death? I think it was definitely at least some part of it. How couldn't it be? It's exactly because he considered himself above others is that his fear could be this amplified. He probably hated sitting stuck in a dangerous zone with the people he despised, threatened by the beings he didn't consider proper humans.

Maybe the war didn't give birth to Tom's fear of death, but I think it obviously contributed to it heavily since, again, he was living in one of the very targeted places, and he lived through at least one London bombing.

Also, yes, I do think Dumbledore and Dippet were absolutely abhorrent for sending an orphan child to a war zone when it was so easy to give him shelter. They were responsible for Tom's well-fare, and this responsibility shouldn't disappear in the summer. Tom could have easily been killed - again, it's not like the Germans announced when they were going to bomb or not bomb London and other areas. Letting him stay at Hogwarts or finding some family to take him in - or an inn! - would have been beyond simple.

Dumbledore also definitely knew Tom is related to a Slytherin bloodline, so there had to be families willing to take him in for this alone. Sure, it could be dangerous in other ways for a child as self-focused as Tom, but he was still a child, and his safety had to come first.

Finally, there is an argument that Tom was moved along with other children from London since it was supposed to be mandatory. This is also something that can be looked at from different angles. The reality of people following a law always differs from the theory of it. There were many issues with evacuations at that time. About 7,736 children died in London from the Blitz alone - not everyone could evacuate, especially the poor. Maybe the Wool's lucked out, maybe not. There are claims that only children within the ages of 5 to 14 were evacuated. But also, if Tom was moved, then there is no telling if he was more or less safe there since the location is unknown. It once again depends on what a specific person wants to imagine as a part of his life.

Now, anon, as for your fics in particular: if you wrote about Tom witnessing the Blitz, it's all right - I mean, the entire universe of Harry Potter is made up. Maybe, in a world where these characters might exist, the Blitz could have happened differently - why not? We have no idea about the dates of HP canon-Blitz. The events there don't have to take place in our specific world.

So, strictly speaking - yes, it's not canon, but more in relation to our world than to the world of HP.

#harry potter #tom riddle #ww2 #london #the blitz

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aangarchy · 21 days ago

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Anyway because avatar studios is planning a new animated series on the new earth avatar after Korra, i won't ever continue writing the story of my OC earth avatar so here's his story summed up (mind you i started writing this in 2014, after korra ended, before the kyoshi novels, i have the proof on my laptop to back this up, the manuscript's original date is 2014. so no, i did not steal the "avatar is an orphan and therefore no one knows who the avatar is" from the kyoshi novels, my work was never published, not even on fanfic websites so it is purely a coincidence my 15yr old brain came up with the same idea of FC Yee)

Main character is Shen (originally Chang but stopped liking that name in 2019) born in Ba Sing Se, dropped off the door of a non bender couple when he was two months old. Shen grows up thinking he is a non bender. The adoptive parents have one biological daughter after Shen, the father ends up being a dead beat and leaves when Shen is 9

Because his adoptive parents are non benders, they find out Shen's an earth bender embarrassingly late, when he's 14

Shen's family lives in the lower ring and can't really afford actual earth bending lessons, so they rely on their kind neighbor who is a farmer, and teaches Shen the basics

One night, Shen's mother forgets to put out a candle. Shen discovers this when he goes downstairs for some water. As he goes to snuff the candle, he realizes it grew as he got closer. He played around with the flame, and ended up holding the fire in his hands. He then runs outside to the farmland in the outer ring where he trains earthbending, where no one can see him, and firebends. This way he discovers he is the avatar at age 15

Shen keeps this a secret. He does not want to be the avatar. He fears if he reveals himself, powerful people from all around the world will try to take him away from his family, and try to push their political agenda on him. He mainly fears the Earth King, who's been causing political tension with the Northern Watertribe and Fire Nation since he inherited the throne, and has been "unifying" the Earth Kingdom whilst simultaneously taking land from the Fire Nation and Watertribe.

The absence of the avatar made these tensions worse, the king has been desperately trying to find the avatar and hasn't gotten anywhere. The Fire Nation and Watertribe think the king is incompetent and want to start the search themselves, but the king won't allow it. Even the air nomads are trying to get the king to allow them to search, but he refuses.

At age 16 Shen, his mother and sister move away from Ba Sing Se to a small harbor town in the southern Earth Kingdom. Shen starts a new school and meets a boy named Yahno, who's father hails from the Northern Watertribe, but his mother is from Republic City. He also meets Ji-min, and airnomad girl who is a descendant of avatar Aang. They moved to the town because her mother was banished from the Eastern Airtemple. At school he meets a girl named Chō, a firebender that has Earth Kingdom nationality and likes to dye her hair bright red.

The friends tell him about their classmate Uma. She was adopted, no one knows her actual birthday. She is an exceptional earthbender, which is why she believes she is the next avatar. She treats it as fact, and uses the title to hold power over others. During their first PE lessons (where benders are encouraged to train their elements) she bullies Shen about his lackluster earthbending skills

Shen and Yahno go sailing with Yahno's waterbender dad, who takes them out of the bay in the open ocean, however they are taken by surprise by a storm. Shen accidentally activates the Avatar state on instinct and saves them from drowning. Yahno and his dad vow to keep Shen's secret, as they know what the Earth King would do to get his hands on him.

The king declares a final nationwide search for the avatar. The earth king is a truth seer (Toph's ability to detect lies), he decides to use this ability because he suspects the Avatar knows their own identity and is hiding it. Shen tries to half truth his way out, but ultimately fails due to a trick the king pulled on him, making him firebend in front of everyone. Shen gets revealed to the king, and with that the world.

Firelord Kaen, who recently ascended the throne after the untimely death of his father at age 19, meets the young Avatar in secret. Shen is apprehensive, which Kaen understands. They end their conversation with mutual appreciation, since both are teenagers in position of power.

Shen starts his Avatar training. When he enters the spirit world through Republic City's portal for the first time he finally meets Korra, and she has to sheepishly admit to Shen that she'll be his only guide. There's no connection to any of the other past lives due to the new cycle.

Shen has the most trouble learning waterbending. He doesn't know how to let his emotions flow like water, which is blocking him from getting a true feeling for the element. He masters earth, fire and air relatively quickly, but water refuses to budge for him.

This is about as far as I got writing wise. In the second half of the story a time skip was planned so Shen would be a young adult instead of a teen. He'd get badly hurt during an assassination attempt at age 18 (airship he was on got blown up) and go missing for five years making people believe he's dead and thus reborn in the firenation. He joins a pirate crew bc he has amnesia after getting badly wounded, but once he regains his memory as he's healed he keeps his identity secret again. That is until he literally sees the earth king attack the fire nation and he reveals himself to his pirate friends and contacts his old friends to take down the earth king. Also a romance of sorts would develop between Shen and Kaen (which is another reason for the timeskip lol like an 18yr old and a 21yr old sounds weirder than a 23yr old and a 26yr old idk) then i'd explore the complications of an Avatar, who's supposed to be neutral and unbiased, falling in love with a leader of one of the four nations.

Either way i was never gonna finish this story anyway bc i suck at thinking of complex political plotlines and problems for the avatar to solve to include in my story lmao. I do have some chapters that are finished writing wise but they're not in order bc I'm the type of writer that just writes the chapter they want to write without caring where it takes place in the story, which admittedly isn't a great strategy but eh it's not like I'm a published writer, it's mostly for my own enjoyment

#avatar the last airbender #atla #avatar #atla fanfic #tlok fanfic #tlok #atla oc

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absolutebl · 10 months ago

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This Week in BL - Taiwan has one show, but that's all they need

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

April 2024 Wk 1

Ongoing Series - Thai

Two Worlds (Thurs IQIYI) ep 4 of 10 - I don’t say this often but I LOVE this love triangle. The longing gazes = chef's kiss. I like that we are finally getting flashbacks to Tai’s side of the love affaire. This show remains highly engaging. So pleased for MaxNat.

Deep Night (Thurs iQiyi) ep 5 of 8 - More lesbians! Yay! Meanwhile, when our leads make up they make out! (Yes I’m proud of myself.) I think this might be BLs first rooftop sex scene. We’ve reached new heights, BLabies. (Yes I’m proud of that too.) Anygay, basically a soap opera at this point, I'm not thrilled but I don’t mind.

"Do you apologize for being straight?"

City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 10 of 12 - It was lovely. Very well done celebrity leaving the closet ep. Nice ensemble work too. Next week is doom! As expected.

Only Boo! (Sun YouTube) ep 1 of 12 - New main couple for GMMTV in an idol romance about a boy who dances good and a food stand vendor. It’s fine but overly very pulp feeling for something from GMMTV. I'm a little concerned.

1000 Years Old (Thurs iQIYI) ep 8 of 12 - meh.

To Be Continued (Sat C3 Thailand grey) ep 7 of 8 - Never turned up on my usual sites. So will have to wait until next week.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Unknown (Taiwan Tues YouTube & Viki) ep 7 of 11 - Qian was, indeed, the one who couldn’t let go. This show is fucking fantastic. It's the best thing I'm watching right now by a mile.

Jazz for Two (Korea Gaga/grey) eps 3-8fin - The bully and the blue-haired drummer side pairing were great. I hated the father. Hated him so much. Our main tsundere seme was a bit too tsundere for me. I was v annoyed by the time he finally softened. I'm amused by all the ways they finagled boys kissin-but-not-kissing in the first half of this show. 2024's "pan around the back of the head" has now become a "dipping of the brolly." We did, however, eventually get an okay kiss.

Honestly?

This was basically what I wanted from Given and didn’t get. So I’m pleased. The music still wasn't great, but you can skip those bits. A solid enemies to lovers BL, where the sins of brothers' past haunts the present. Great optics, decent chemistry, and a tidy script even if tsundere characterization went a bit extreme in some cases. 8/10 RECOMMENDED trigger for suicide

Love is Better the Second Time Around AKA Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 5 of 6 - We got the past betrayal in detail and it was decently bad. Bitterness understood. Too soon to live together! The BL U-Haul strikes again. I do like their weird curry passive aggressive argument. This is an interesting show. Do I LOVE it? No. But I think I like it.

On a not-really-related note: adoption, including adult adoption, is actually pretty common in Japan (comparatively). It's often tied to business scionism.

My Strawberry Film (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 8fin - It all turned out to be a tragic GL in the end. Not BL = not my problem. No rating. I will forget its existence right about… now.

Love is like a Cat (Korea Mon Viki) eps 1-2 of 12 - Okay, weirdly kinky with the head scratching. Not much has happened and I’m not wild about what has.

It's done, ready to binge, but I suck

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps

It's airing but...

We Are (Weds GMMTV iQIYI) ep 1 of 16 - University ensemble BL featuring PondPhuwin, WinnySatang, AouBoom, MarcPawinPoon - basically the good kind of messy gay friendship group (so more My Engineer and less Only Friends). Looks a bit like the Kiss series but everyone is queer. I'm IN but I need my other computer and I'm traveling as usual. So I'll get caught up next week and probably won't regularly be able to watch this one.

Graduation Countdown (Taiwan YouTube) - It's too much for me to keep up with 2 minute verticals, I don't have that kind of TikTok endurance training.

A Secretly Love (Thai Sat WeTV grey) 10 eps - Completed. Worth watching?

Lady Boy Friends (Thai WeTV grey) 16 eps - reminds me a bit too much of Diary of Tootsies only high school. Not my thing. DNF unless it turns a corner and is truly amazing.

Kiseki Chapter 2 (Sun iQIYI) 6 eps - It’s so boring DNFed at 2.

Close Friend Season 3: Soju Bomb! (Weds iQIYI) 6 - The problem with situational comedy BL is it must be situational, comedic and a BL. This show gets 1 of 3 claims correct. 33% is not a passing grade. Dropped at 3.

In the news

Takumi-kun Series 6: Nagai Nagai Monogatari is getting the undeserved honor of Furritsubs. Follow them for details. Tip 'em if you like 'em. (Will I watch it? Oh, probably. Damn it.)

Then Next Prince turned out to be a trailer only. Word on the webs is we will be lucky if we get it this year. It’s BL Princess Diaries. Jimmy has a new pairing (that boy from Night Dream) which is... interesting. All in all, this show does not look good. Pretty but not good.

Next Week Looks Like This:

4/11 Gray Shelter AKA Gray Currents (Korea ????) 4 eps - SooHyuk is only just surviving and reunites with YoonDae, an old friend. They end up living together. One of the leads is played by Choco of Choco Milk Shake.

4/12 Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - Kindly Ryota goes off to uni only to find his new roommate is his childhood bestie, Kazuhito. Kazuhito doesn’t have a girlfriend and Ryota tries to help him figure out why, they fall in love along the way. Same director as Old Fashion Cupcake.

Still to Come in April

4/18 At 25:00, in Alaska AKA 25 Ji, Akasaka de (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - Yuki lands his first starring role in a BL drama alongside superstar Asami (previously his senior at uni). Said superstar suggests they form a sham relationship until filming concludes. As they actually begin to fall in love, the spotlight begins to burn. I think I've seen this before (joke) and also the trailer doesn't inspire confidence.

4/26 My Stand-In (Thai iQIYI) 12 eps - adaptation of Chinese novel "Professional Body Double" by Shui Qiang Cheng. Stars Up (Lovely Writer) and Poom (Bake Me Please) directed by the same team as KP (not a recommendation IMHO - my biggest criticism of that show was the clashing directing styles). This one looks well complicated, lemme try: Joe is a stuntman for famous actor Tong. Joe falls in love with Ming but Ming sees Joe as nothing more than a Tong-replacement. After learning this horrible truth, Joe dies. Joe then wakes up in the body of another man also named Joe. He manages to rebuild the same life as before—with the same people eventually re-meeting Ming. Ming wants Joe back but Joe doesn't understand why. But Ming seems to know what's going on and wants to give him some kind of explanation.

I'm exhausted just trying to describe the plot.

Knock-Knock Boys (Thai WeTV) - 4 college friends conspire to help their friend lose his virginity. Familiar faces like Seng (yes, Billy's previous partner) and Best, news here.

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

NOTE: It looks like one of my personal favorites of last year Unintentional Love Story is getting a spin off!

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

See City of Stars & Unknown.

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are too much work.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire

If ya wanna be tagged each week leave a comment and I will add you to the template. Easy peesy.

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padfootagain · 4 months ago

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Love in Verses (XVI)

Chapter 16 : ‘Only the things I didn’t do crackle after the blazing dies’

Hi! Here is new chapter! Let’s see Andrew’s reaction after New Year’s Eve!

I hope you like this chapter! Tell me what you think!

****

Pairing: Hozier x fem!reader (professor!AU)

Warnings: slow burn, angst, hurt, hurt/comfort, tooth-rotting fluff in later chapters, some scenes in later chapters will have heavy sexual themes even if it’s not explicit nsfw description, so minors here

Summary: Your life seems perfect. You're engaged, your career is thriving as you become an assistant professor at Trinity College, and this Andrew Hozier-Byrne you're sharing an office with seems to be a nice guy you hope to call a friend soon. Life seems to be smiling at you... until everything goes sour. When your fiancé breaks up with you, your perfect world shatters. And when your colleague also gets his heart broken soon after, your shared office seems to be a curse rather than a blessing. But Andrew seems determined to mend your broken hearts... Will things finally go according to plan?

Word Count: 2287

Masterlist for the series – Hozier’s masterlist – Main masterlist

Burning the Old Year

Letters swallow themselves in seconds. Notes friends tied to the doorknob, transparent scarlet paper, sizzle like moth wings, marry the air.

So much of any year is flammable, lists of vegetables, partial poems. Orange swirling flame of days, so little is a stone.

Where there was something and suddenly isn’t, an absence shouts, celebrates, leaves a space. I begin again with the smallest numbers.

Quick dance, shuffle of losses and leaves, only the things I didn’t do crackle after the blazing dies.

Naomi Shihab Nye, Words Under the Words: Selected Poems, 1995

Andrew was lying awake.

Eyes set on his ceiling, sunbeams streaming in from the window, painting waves in shades of white over the plain surface. Elwood was playing with the ball you had gifted him that day, on the beach, gnawing at it and pushing it with his snout across the room before catching it again. The sound of movement, of another life by Andrew’s side, was reassuring. The world wasn’t empty. There were other living things he shared this world with. Like flowers, and trees, and the birds that were chirping in the pine tree near his window, getting their feathers gorged with sunlight. Seaweeds. Fish. Moss spreading on rocks. That flower that pierced the concrete last night.

Andrew grabbed his notebook again, his black pen, felt his mind quieten as he wrote.

To share the space with simple living things

Infinitely suffering but fighting off like all creation

The absence of itself

Anyway… he was thinking of you.

You ended up going to your place together last night. He didn’t go back to the party, didn’t see Sam again. Instead, he asked you if you wanted to go home, and you hesitated. He could hear your voice speaking those words again, the ones that broke his heart…

I don’t want to be alone right now…

The way he took your hand in his, gave you a reassuring smile.

You don’t have to be.

There was a promise, in these words he had offered, one that went beyond what even Andrew was aware of as he spoke. Still, he gave it freely, made you smile again. He followed you in the uber you called, then into your street, into the staircase to your place, in your living room. You chatted for a while, carefully avoiding to mention Frank and Sam. You made him laugh with your long list of new year resolutions that he knew already you wouldn’t keep. He couldn’t remember who had proposed first to play Mario Kart, but he had the time of his life playing with you, laughing as you both tried to cheat. He lost. Pretended to have let you win.

When he was about to leave, you hugged him; tightly, as if to hold him back.

Thank you so much, for being here.

You spoke as if he had done you a favour. He hadn’t. He wanted to be there more than he was willing to admit.

He could have stayed at the party. Sam was in an amazing mood, they had been talking, more so than they had done in months. She was smiling, and enchanting, and beautiful, and made his heart warm. He was quiet, for most of the time, but he didn’t mind. As long as she would stay…

It had been working for him, this crazy plan of yours. Sam had barely spoken to Frank while Andrew was near. She seemed so happy to see him, to talk to him, it felt like good old times. At one point, she had even taken his hand in hers.

But Andrew had kept an eye on you, worried after the fiasco regarding your part of the plan. When he saw you taking your coat, he knew you would leave.

He couldn’t explain it. Even now, after having slept, after thinking about it for hours, he couldn’t explain it. But as he saw you disappear down the hall, the only thought Andrew had was to follow you. The only thing he wanted was to leave too. The only person he longed for, in that moment, was you. Insane. Illogical. Sam was there, talking with him, it was his chance to get closer to her again, to talk with her about Frank and that stupid wedding… but Andrew didn’t. Instead, he excused himself, followed you outside, caught you before you would leave. The fear that clenched on his heart as he saw you standing there, by the elevator, was so fierce his hands were shaking.

He didn’t think when he told you to wait for him, when he hurried back inside to get some champagne, grab his coat. He told Sam he was leaving, she was disappointed. He had longed for that reaction so badly. And yet you were standing by the lift, out there, and he needed to follow you, he wasn’t sure why. It didn’t matter. He simply hurried outside. When you told him he should go back inside, the look of boredom on Sam’s face as he spoke about the things he loved flashed before his eyes, and he thought you didn’t want his companionship anymore, and what if you left too? What if you didn’t like him at all? What if he needed to change for you, would he?

He would. He would be quiet, the way he had been with Sam during the night, he would erase himself for you to stay, he would shrink down as much as he could until you could barely notice he was there at all, as long as you stayed.

You’re never boring.

He jumped as his phone buzzed, resting on his bedside table. It made Elwood look up as well, the ball in his mouth.

Two texts, one from Sam, one from Alex.

Happy New Year, loser! Want to drop by tonight? Have a beer?

Andrew smiled at Alex’s text, accepted the offer.

Hi, Andy! Just wanted to check in, see that you came home safely last night.

Andrew hummed as he answered Sam’s text.

Hi! Yeah, got home safe and sound. No worries. Thanks for last night, btw

Sam was typing immediately after receiving Andrew’s message, he waited to read her new text.

Do you know when Y/N left? Apparently she’s home now, but Frank is worried she might truly have been sick last night. He feels bad for asking her to stay.

Frank was worried about you?

Andrew clenched his jaw, tightened his hold on his phone as he typed an answer, tapping on the screen too hard.

She’s fine, tell him not to worry. I took her home last night, she was okay. When I left, she was going to bed. She just needed to rest, I reckon.

He noticed the tiny bubble showing Sam was typing, it disappeared and reappeared several times. It took her over two minutes to answer.

Good news! Thanks, Andy xx

He raised a surprised eyebrow, the ghost of a smug smile on his lips. Two minutes, for four words?

He thought about last night again, how he got into an uber to your place. And before that, the glass of champagne he had drunk with you, how soft your skin was under his palm, how warm you were in the cold air of the night. The colour of your eyes as he lost his thoughts and busy mind into their shades. How you looked up at him, asked him about his glasses out of the blue. He chuckled at the memory. What a strange question to ask? His smile wavered, faded.

He could feel the burning of your skin against his, the gentleness of your touch as you brushed your fingers against the most vulnerable part of his face. He felt so completely at peace then, while the pads of your fingers lingered over his eyelashes and eyelids. He felt human. He felt… happy.

I think you should wear whatever you like. Although… I love your eyes. And you look soft with your glasses on. It makes me feel safe.

You were a little over tipsy at that point, that was probably why you spoke so genuinely.

He liked wearing glasses. He liked their anchoring weight on his nose, and he didn’t like the itching that came with contacts in the evening. You liked it too…

He wanted you to feel safe with him. He wanted you to be yourself when he was around, he didn’t want you to change a single thing, he wanted to… he wanted… God, at that moment he wanted to kiss you so badly…

When the countdown had ended, Andrew had kissed your forehead instead of your lips, although he knew the kiss lasted for too long. He couldn’t help it. It felt wrong to pull away, to not feel you against his mouth anymore.

And then you were smiling, so beautiful under the dual light of lampposts and moon it was painful to look at you. Andrew closed his eyes as he remembered the feeling of your lips on his skin, how you kissed the corner of his mouth, how time had stilled…

He could have kissed you then. He could have turned his head, just slightly, barely a movement at all, and he would have kissed you. There was no denying that he regretted not doing it, even though he chose not to recognise why he felt that way.

Instead, Andrew stared at his ceiling, sunbeams streaming in from the window, painting waves in shades of white over the plain surface. And Elwood was still playing with the ball you had gifted him that day, on the beach, gnawing at it and pushing it with his snout across the room before catching it again.

And Andrew thought of you.

“Christ, you look awful.”

“Thanks, mate! You look like shite too!”

“Your hangover was clearly worse than mine.”

“I won’t deny it, I had a blast last night.”

Alex and Andrew hugged, laughing. Alex had been away for a few weeks, it felt good to have him back in Dublin.

“Can’t believe you ditched us, by the way,” admonished Alex. “You should have come, we had so much fun.”

But Andrew shrugged.

“I had another invitation.”

“From Sam, I know. You absolute lunatic.”

Andrew chuckled.

“Is your crazy plan working at least?”

Alex offered his friend a bottle of beer, before he would bend down to pet Elwood, that Andrew had obviously brought along. Alex let the dog lick his face in excitement, laughing at the ticklish sensation. Andrew smiled at the sight.

“It went well for me last night,” Andrew nodded, drinking a gulp of the cold beer.

“Is she leaving her new fiancé for you, then?” Alex asked, half-teasing, half-something else that Andrew didn’t like at all, although he couldn’t identify the tone.

Alex joined him on the sofa, Elwood settling down by Andrew’s feet and curling up for a quick nap.

“Not yet,” Andrew answered with a coldness to his quiet voice that wasn’t usual for him.

Alex heaved a sigh.

“Did she give you some of her attention, at least.”

“A lot, actually.”

“You are aware that if she loved you, like… truly loved you, you wouldn’t have to seek her attention that way. You know that, right?”

Andrew didn’t say a word, he merely drank again.

“Game?” Alex asked, unwilling to let a heavy silence settle on his friend.

Andrew nodded, a smile back on his face.

“Sure!”

“Mario Kart?”

“I’ll kick your arse.”

“In your wildest dreams, maybe.”

“Hey, you might be surprised! I’ve been practicing!”

“Oh, so that’s what you do when I’m not around? You train to beat me at Mario Kart? That’s very sweet, Andy. I know you think of me all the time…”

“Shut up!” Andrew laughed, playfully shoving Alex while he stood up to get the game ready. “I’ve been playing recently, ‘s all. With Y/N.”

Alex threw him a glance, but Andrew didn’t notice.

“With Y/N? Is she any good.”

“Better than you.”

“Impossible. I’m a champ!”

“She would kick your arse so fucking hard…”

“Maybe we could play together sometime, then.”

Andrew felt warmth spread across his chest at the thought. He couldn’t refrain his smile.

“Maybe,” he merely hummed.

“Was Y/N at the party last night, too?”

“Yeah, she was. We left together. It didn’t go so well with Frank though…”

“Poor thing.”

“Yeah… she was upset. We played Mario Kart at her place after. And Zelda, actually. I helped her, she was stuck.”

“A true knight in shining armour.”

“Very funny,” Andrew rolled his eyes, grabbing the control Alex was handing him.

“She seems to be good craic, that Y/N.”

“Yeah, she is,” Andrew nodded.

“You should invite her to one of our evenings!”

“We don’t have anything planned for a while.”

“Your birthday?”

“We’re playing a gig on my birthday.”

“You’re still coming, by the way? I’m counting on you as our vocalist, Andy…”

“I’ll come, don’t worry. I told you I’d do it. When was the last time I let you down like that?”

“2012, the Anúna rehearsal…”

“God, I can’t believe you’re still talking about that… it was years ago!”

“You didn’t show!”

“I’m sorry! Stop bringing that up! It was one time. The only time I broke a promise! Give me a break.”

Alex laughed, playfully nudged his friend.

“Anyway… you should ask her to come and see us! It would be fun!”

But Andrew rolled his eyes.

“I highly doubt she’d be interested in that.”

Andrew didn’t like the way Alex stared at him. He knew what that stare meant. The obvious criticism of the woman he had loved for years.

He didn’t say anything about Sam, though, not out loud. He merely looked at the tv screen, chose a character to play with.

“You might be surprised,” was his answer.

Andrew didn’t answer, picked the vehicle he wanted to play with instead. His heart was beating too fast, his throat clenching now. He didn’t think you’d be interested in spending Saint Patrick’s Day with him, playing some covers and traditional songs in a tiny pub. He didn’t think you would come. He would be surprised if you were interested in that part of him.

And what if you didn’t surprise him?

#andrew hozier byrne #the hoziest #hozier #hozier x reader #hozier x you #hozier x y/n #hozier fanfiction #hozier fanfic #hozier professor au #hozier au #professor au #hozier series #series #fanfiction #fanfic #writing

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bengiyo · 1 year ago

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Hi, i'm a newish bl drama watcher from thailand that just started watching thai bls. i'm a bit ashamed to say that for a long time as a gay man living here i've been avoiding bl shows like the plague cuz of both the fandom reputation and of misconception from my yaoi era which i leave far behind. i'm just want to ask how did you got into watching thai bls and what were you preconception before you got into it.

Welcome to the Tumblr side of BL fandom. I'd actually like to also hear more of your experience with yaoi and BL as a gay person growing up in Thailand if you're willing to share.

For me, I'm a Black American from the Gulf Coast (the South). I grew up in a Catholic city and spent my entire adolescence in the closet. Despite having a sense of who I was as early as 8 years old, I kept most of that to myself. Because I didn't talk about it much with people, I found out most information about queer media and queerness from the internet.

I entered BL via queer cinema. I think the first explicitly gay character that I remember from TV was Marco from Degrassi: The Next Generation. There were probably others, and definitely more subtle expressions, but when I think about the oldest gay character I remember and connect to, it's Marco. I don't like counting things like shipping Shawn and Corey on Boy Meets World or Tai and Matt on Digimon for oldest gay characters. Sailor Moon can't even count because we got a censored version of it in America.

I got access to satellite television away from observing eyes around age 16 and started watching content on Logo back when they aired gay content regularly. I watched basically whatever I could late at night. It's how I saw movies like Get Real (1998), Beautiful Thing (1996), and Bent (1997). It's also how I saw Queer as Folk (2000-2005) Noah's Arc (2005-06).

After hitting adulthood I mostly got lost in video games and standard American TV for a while, but I did basically show up to any Gay Event in TV. I appreciate that Stef and Lena from The Fosters (2013-2018) were some of the only TV lesbians to survive the horror of 2016.

I watched a bunch of movies in this time, many of which appear on the Queer Cinema Syllabus I made for a hypothetical Westerner new to BL and queer cinema, which @wen-kexing-apologist has decided to try to complete.

I got into Thai BL in 2018 accidentally. I started seeing gifsets of Kongpob telling Arthit he'll make him his wife passing around Tumblr and was basically like, "Right, what's all this then?"

I had watched a few Thai gay films, mostly notably Love of Siam (2007), Bangkok Love Story (2007), How to Win at Checkers Every Time (2015), and The Blue Hour (2015), but this was the first time I was seeing a long series made available so easily from any Asian country.

From there I got into Make It Right (2016-17) and Love Sick the series (2014). Once I realized that yaoi had moved beyond manga and a few anime adaptations, I went looking for a lot more. I basically haven't left since I started in about 2016 with SOTUS.

There's my basic entry into the genre. I don't think I was as worried about fandom and worries at the time because so much of being a fan of queer cinema was a mostly-private experience for me for so long. I didn't realize that BL fans active in the space would predominantly be women or queers figuring themselves out. It took a while to adjust to that, and also to adjust my expectations of the kinds of queer stories BL distributors were willing to fund.

That being said, I tend to agree with @absolutebl that BL has a useful role in normalization for non-queer audiences who encounter it. I like cheering BL when it does things I think work really well, and also deriding it when I think it does things that are offensive to help nudge the genre and offer my perspective as a gay man.

I like the place we're at right now where there's way too much to watch for any person with other hobbies and responsibilities because it means that people can pick and choose what's to their tastes.

More often than not, I'm probably most-invested in something airing from Japan because of my melancholy nature, but there's so much variety these days that it's okay if you don't like everything. I certainly don't!

I'm glad you joined us on Tumblr and look forward to your thoughts!

#answered #thai bl #fandom life #about me

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l-1-z-a · 1 month ago

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📺 Let's start exploring the facts about The Sims and The Sims 2 development from the recent stream with Will Wright

On the stream, Will Wright gave some interesting facts about the development of the original The Sims:

The Goths family came from experimenting with test characters and is based on the Addams Family.

The game used characters with distinctive traits to test mechanics, such as Darren and Samantha from Bewitched, or Edith from All in the Family.

"When we were doing the original Sims, we put in a few test characters... We had Darren and Samantha from Bewitched, Edith from All in the Family, and then we did the Addams Family, which kind of evolved into the Goths." (00:50:20 - 01:16:38)

Samantha from Bewitched

Samantha is the main character of the television series Bewitched.

Bewitched is a cult American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 17, 1964 to March 25, 1972. The series, created by Saul Saxon, tells the story of the unusual family life of a witch who decided to live as an ordinary housewife and her philandering husband.

The main character is Samantha Stephen, a kind and charming witch who falls in love with a mortal man, Darrin Stevens. After her marriage, Samantha decides to give up magic to live a normal family life, but her abilities and the interference of her eccentric relatives, especially her witch mother Endora, often become the source of comical situations and conflicts.

Each episode reveals how Samantha tries to combine her magical abilities with everyday problems, from dealing with neighbors to interacting with her husband's co-workers.

Samantha, whom Will Wright mentions, can be found in The Sims Steering Committee (1998), a prototype for The Sims.

In levels 2 and 3 she is the central character, and in level 4 she is a member of the family. In Level 2, Samantha shares a room with a female character named Mercedes.

She was also one of the first characters created for The Sims.

This article describes an early stages of development of The Sims, including its original title "Jefferson", the formation of the key development team, changes to the user interface and the introduction of the first characters, and the difficulties Maxis faced in trying to convince Electronic Arts of the value of the project. Written by LUCPIX a researcher of the development history of the first installment of The Sims. It mentions all those characters mentioned by Will Wright on the stream.

Interestingly, in The Sims 2: Apartment Life, Samantha Cordial lives in Belladonna Cove and is ready to become a good witch. She has the ultimate good witch in her friends.

Darren

Darren was also one of the first characters The Sims created for testing.

There are two characters named Darren in The Sims 2:

Darren Dreamer:

Darren Wood, one of the pre-made gardener from Strangetown:

Edith from All in the Family

Edith is the wife of Archie Bunker from All in the Family.

All in the Family (1971-1979) was an iconic American sitcom created by Norman Lear. It revolutionized television with its bold approach to social issues. The series is adapted from the British sitcom Till Death Us Do Part and tells the story of the lives of the Banker family living in a working-class neighborhood in New York City.

The main character is Archie Bunker, the conservative, grouchy head of the family who often expresses outdated views on politics, race and society. He is contrasted with other characters, including his wife, daughter, and son-in-law, which sets the stage for satirical and insightful discussions of social issues.

Edith was the first character created for The Sims.

Edith's concept art:

The character, Edith, won the hearts of Maxis, to the point where they renamed the development tools after her.

Here are all the characters:

All the works from which these characters were drawn are iconic American TV series that, despite their different styles and genres, addressed important social and political issues.

The Addams Family (1964–1966) used the eccentric yet loving Addams family to satirize the standards of "normalcy" in American society, emphasizing the importance of embracing differences and authenticity. The Addamses, while living in luxury, rejected consumerism, upheld family values, and demonstrated an alternative approach to happiness.

Bewitched (1964–1972) employed the story of a marriage between a witch and an ordinary man as a metaphor for intercultural relationships facing societal prejudice. The show also tackled feminist issues, portraying a woman with immense power who chooses a traditional role while maintaining her individuality and independence.

All in the Family (1971–1979) boldly and satirically explored racism, sexism, and political divisions in 1970s American society. Through the character of conservative Archie Bunker, the series depicted generational conflicts and addressed issues such as gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and anti-war sentiments amidst the backdrop of the Vietnam War.

Thus, the characters used for testing and development in The Sims were not chosen by chance. Their prototypes from these iconic American series not only had vivid and recognizable traits but also reflected profound social and cultural themes that remained relevant for decades.

These series not only influenced popular culture but also inspired Maxis developers to create characters capable of conveying the complexity and diversity of human relationships. Through these figures, The Sims inherited the ability to subtly mirror societal realities, bringing the spirit of experimentation, humor, and social reflection into the game’s universe.

Source (RU):

#sims 2 #ts2 #the sims 2 #sims2 #the sims #sims 1 #sims #ts1 #Will Wright #game development #test characters #adams family #bewitched #all in the family #edith #edith bunker #archie bunker #darren dreamer #samantha cordial

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itsseohannbin · 2 months ago

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• The Blackened Heart • Part One

A Han Jisung Mini Series

♡ itsseohannbins masterlist ♡

⚓️ Series Masterlist ⚓️

Genre: Pirate SKZ

Pairing: PirateThief!Jisung x Female Captain Reader x Ex-Bandit Lino

Summary: When Y/N, Captain of the Blackened Heart, gets offered a large sum of money to deliver a thief to the Jarl of Serpent Point, she and her crew greedily accept. But while spending time with the familiar thief during their long journey back home, she realizes just how important human connection can be, even for a pirate.

Warnings: Pirate SKZ. Swearing. Mentions of weapons. Violence. Mentions of brothels. Small mention of death.

** The author has left out some warnings to create an element of surprise with certain topics in/throughout this chapter. Reader discretion is advised. **

Word Count: 8.5k

A/N: I am aware that a lot of concepts and ideas throughout this fic will not be historically and biblically accurate. I've done my fair share of research about pirates of all kinds, from all different eras and countries, and I know pirates never lived lavishly; they didn't have proper tools for healthy hygiene, they never had 'fancy' meals, they never had access to first aid/doctors to help tend to their wounds after battle or when illness struck, their beds were often nothing but a wooden board and some thin cloth. I know not all dubloons rounded off to $16, and gems were rare to find. I know that in some eras, guns and bows didn't even exist, making combat difficult and more intense with only swords and daggers alike. I know chewing tobacco and pipes were commonly used, and STDs were common amongst the members of the crews.

Let me reinstate that.. **I AM AWARE OF ALL OF THIS AND SO MUCH MORE**

However, for the sake of this fic and where I wanted it to go, I changed a lot of those things. I pulled a lot of inspiration for this fic not only from Lalalala MV and the Rockstar comeback, but from video games that I’ve played that had pirates and jarls and thieves alike in them as well (mostly ESO, Skyrim, Assassins Creed, ect.).

So, as I've said, I am aware not everything in this is accurate, a lot of the lore and concepts are farfetched and not entirely realistic, but at the end of the day, there is NOTHING realistic about Pirate SKZ 😋

Happy Reading Everyone! Your thoughts and feedback is always appreciated. Enjoy! ♡

Serpent Point was, by far, the most repulsive city you've ever set foot in, and you were ashamed that you had once called the place home.

The small city sprawled out like an ugly scar across the dirty coastline, barely protected by the dead and decaying trees of the forest surrounding it. With rusted hulls, scavenged scraps, and towering heaps of trash, it felt as though it was built by the vermin that scurried across the streets and flooded the docks. Salt and sweat hung heavy in the air, mixed with the sharp sting of tobacco smoke and the lingering fumes of the nearby fish-processing plant, making anybody who stepped foot on Serpent Point soil gag from its intensity.

As you walked towards the shore, your old, muddy boots click-clacked against the broken wooden dock, your quartermaster and personal guard flanking your sides.

"I'll never understand how we always end up back here," Chan spoke with venom in his tone as he eyed the rickety old fort in the distance that was once his childhood home. Even from the shoreline, you could make out the large cracks stretching out across the stone structure, moss and mildew creeping from every fissure like an untreatable disease.

"I don't understand how the two of you even survived here," Lino commented shortly after, a shake of his head causing his chocolate-brown hair to sway back and forth. With a look of utter disgust, he side-stepped an old man who was sprawled on the dirt, hands reaching for Lino’s trousers with desperate, drunken eyes. It wasn't until the old man began shouting incessantly that the smell of alcohol wafted from his mouth straight to your nostrils, and you pinched your nose closed in revolt.

"Believe me, it wasn't by choice," you murmured, pushing forward and ignoring the babbling drunk. "If it had been, I'd be born anywhere but here."

"Amen," Chan agreed under his breath.

The walk to Fort Foucher, the Jarl's residence, was quick—partially because the city was small, but mostly because the three of you had little patience for the staggering drunks and pitiful beggars who clogged the streets.

Once you reached the entrance to the Fort, the Jarl's guards welcomed you in with disgruntled noises and curses beneath their breaths. The Jarl may have been expecting you, requesting you specifically by name, but that didn't mean his men held any sort of respect towards females in power. They spat nasty remarks and looks of disapproval your way despite the two menacing men at your side, and their frowns deepened impossibly more when you walked past the group of them with a certain confidence in your stride. It took everything in you not to release your dagger from its scabbard and huck it their way.

You were here on special request from the Jarl himself, and if you didn't need the coin he hinted at in his letter, you would have yet to show up to this low-class city to begin with. Killing his men before meeting with the man himself was not the brightest idea, no matter how tempting it may be.

Thankfully, a short, stubby man in a dirty blue coat and off-white stockings signaled from the back of the main foyer, pulling you from your murderous thoughts. He was waiting patiently to guide you to the throne room himself as if you hadn't been inside the Fort countless times before.

After catching your attention, the pudgy male turned and began walking away. He didn't even bother to make sure you were following as he led you down the old, dilapidated hallway to the set of double wooden doors at the end, where the Jarl would be waiting for your arrival just beyond.

The man stopped short just before the entrance to the room, bowed lazily to you and your men, and then opened the doors, granting you access inside. You took a deep breath as the golden light spilt from the room, making the hallway's darkness seem all the more oppressive behind you.

"After you, Cap," Lino spoke in a hushed tone, one hand waving you into the room while the other sat dangerously on the sharp dagger at his hip. His brown eyes flickered around the room, silently scouting for danger before you took another deep, calming puff of air and stepped inwards.

You bowed formally to the man in blue before entering the throne room, nerves bubbling in the pit of your stomach.

The first thing you noticed when you entered was the stench of old tobacco, worse than outside. That, mixed with the scent of wilting flowers and old wax, had you resisting the urge to scrunch your face up in disgust at the odor. It was an odd, unsettling combination, causing bile to rise up your throat that you had to push back down forcefully.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite buccaneer," Jarl Foucher’s voice scraped against your ears in the most unpleasant way. He struggled off of his raggedy old chair and opened his arms wide in welcome with a toothy grin on his face. His long, dirty grey hair was pulled back from his temples, allowing you a full view of his gross, scraggly beard. His teeth were yellow and chipped, his breath reeking of smoke and moonshine even from across the room, and his eyes were wrinkled and faded from their natural green into something almost stale and completely lifeless.

He looked exactly how you remembered him to be.

"Jarl Foucher," you smiled back, the action forced and not at all reaching your eyes. You lowered yourself respectfully to the floor before him, Chan following suit. Meanwhile, Lino remained still at your side, his eyes flittering over the guards cautiously. The raised pink scar that slashed over his left eye and down his cheekbone twitched in anticipation as his body tensed, his face hard as stone.

"Greetings Cristoff," Foucher barely spared his estranged son a glance before his attention was on Lino, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. You turned slightly to glare up at Lino, silently yelling at him to get on the ground and bow to the Jarl, but instead, Lino just stood unwavering, looking calm, cool and completely collected.

“And who may this gentleman be?” Foucher asked, his eyes lingering on the man, sharp and calculating. “I haven’t seen him amongst your crew before.”

“This is my guard, Lino Lee.” You spoke carefully, hoping to break some of the tension that was rolling off of Lino’s shoulders in waves as Foucher analyzed him. He seemed unbothered, but you know it was only an act he performed in the presence of authority figures. He hated Royals with a burning passion.

“The boys and I pulled him from the sea a while back after his boat up and sank, and he’s been indebted to us ever since. Rest assured, he poses you no harm.”

Foucher scrutinized Lino with curiosity, but his gaze eventually returned to you.

“A rogue bandit put in charge of keeping you safe? Surely you’re not that foolish, Captain.” The Jarl’s eyes gleamed with amusement as if he could tell what dirty things were going on between you and Lino behind closed doors. It was hard to resist Lino’s rogue image and impeccable charm, you had to admit that, and you hoped to god it wasn’t as obvious to the Jarl as it was to the rest of your crew.

Yes, you and Lino indulged in each other regularly while out at sea, you were only human after all, but everything that happened between the two of you was purely physical. There were no lingering feelings, second guesses or confusion as to what you two were to each other. You two had been clear and concise from the moment you first took that step only a few months prior, and you were determined to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Not that the Jarl needed to know any of that, but based on the look he was giving the two of you now, you knew he suspected romance was in play. You felt a sudden urge of determination to shut his suspicions down, but you didn’t want to draw any more attention to it than deemed necessary.

“I can assure you, Your Majesty, Lino is no longer a bandit, and as I’ve said, he is indebted to me.” You tried to assure him. “He has pledged himself in my honor and strayed from the path he once walked. I apologize for his defiance, he is still getting accustomed to life on Royal territory.”

With a nod of his head, Foucher turned his body around to address his guards in a silent conversation, no doubt telling them to keep an eye on the young lad, and in that time, you reached over and punched Lino on his leather-clad arm.

“Ow! Why?” he hissed under his breath.

Ah yes, Lino Lee, the man of many words.

“Show some respect,” you growled in a low tone. “You’re in the presence of the leader of Serpent Point.”

Lino rolled his eyes, his fingers coming down to fiddle with the sheath that one of his two daggers rested in; the matching one sat on his opposite hip.

“After everything he’s done to Chan? To you? Not a chance.” Lino glowered back quietly. You raised your eyebrow and gave him a look of warning at his usual act of defiance. The two of you then stared off for a second, silently challenging one another, before Lino’s eyes fell from yours and he gave in like he always did when it came to you. He may have quickly established himself the title of the crew’s most lethal and loyal protector, but you were the one who had control of the leash.

“Fine,” he grumbled under his breath. “I’ll be as respectful as I need to be, but I’m not getting on this filthy floor to bow down to him.”

You had to resist the urge to roll your eyes at him again. As if he hadn’t lain on floors worse than this in his days of being a delinquent.

A smart-ass remark sat on the tip of your tongue, but before you could release it, Foucher turned back around and clapped his hands, capturing everyone's attention once again.

“Everything alright, Captain?” he asked with a smirk, staring at you as if to say ‘trouble in paradise already?’. You straightened your back and gave him an assured nod of your head.

“Everything is fine, Your Majesty. I do, however, have a lot of work to be done on my ship before our scheduled departure come morning. As much as I hate to cut our visit short, may I ask why you’ve called upon us today?”

The words rolled off your tongue with a bitter aftertaste, but Foucher barely registered the annoyance in your tone, his smile warm as he retreated to his seat.

“Of course,”

You, Chan and Lino, waited patiently in silence while Foucher settled back into the worn-out fabric. A couple of long seconds passed by before he spoke again, his fingers tapping against one another in boredom.

“Queen Aliyah of Cliffpoint Hollow has sent word that she has a criminal sitting in her jailhouse. The criminal in question is a thief who has been robbing me and my men for nearly a decade. He had escaped our jail unnoticed merely three years ago and he’s been evading us ever since.”

You gave Foucher an expressionless look while you waited for him to continue, wondering what any of this had to do with you and your crew. Meanwhile, Chan’s eyes practically bulged out of his face, his mouth open in surprise.

“Wait, the Queen Aliyah? As in-”

“The leader of the land, ruler of Fatewatch? Yes, indeed, the very one.” Foucher confirmed, cutting Chan off without a glance his way. His eyes stayed focused on you as he continued with his proposal.

“I have a chest in my treasury containing more than fifty thousand gold doubloons, alongside a large amount of stolen gems and jewelry. I cannot be bothered to take it all to a moving man, so the lot of it can be yours if you travel to Cliffpoint and bring that thief back to me.”

Your jaw dropped disrespectfully in utter shock, and you felt both boys tense up beside you at the offer. Fifty thousand gold was an unfathomable amount of money. If each of those coins was valued at sixteen dollars a piece like they usually were, you were looking at at least eight hundred thousand dollars in gold, not including the stolen goods.

You’d be stupid to turn that down.

However, if there was anything you learned from your time spent at sea, it was that everything came with a price.

Absolutely everything.

“Sir, I-”

Foucher cut you off abruptly with a raise of his hand.

“I would prefer him alive, but he is known to be quite cocky at times, so if it comes down to it, his dead body will do. Of course, it’ll dock your pay, but I’m sure you’d still have enough to cover the costs to get your beloved ship back in order.”

Foucher waited while you, Lino and Chan exchanged mixed looks of confusion, apprehension and disbelief. The room was silent for a few minutes as the three of you attempted to process the information.

That was until Lino opened his mouth.

“And what exactly is it that this thief stole from you?” Lino spoke suddenly, cocking his head to the side like a cat as he eyed Foucher as if he were merely a peasant and not the goddamn overseer of the entire northern point of Fatewatch. “How bad of a crime did he commit to justify us travelling across the globe to fetch him for you? Why not let the Queen kill him instead?”

“Lino!” you hissed between clenched teeth, seemingly having enough of his attitude. “Will you cu-”

“It’s alright Captain,” Foucher raised his hand to cut you off once more, a sly smile on his face. “The bandit has the right to ask, I suppose.”

Your fingers twitched as Foucher raised from his seat and walked towards the three of you again, his hands folded neatly behind his back. A sense of unease washed over you as you took in his calm and relaxed facade.

“You see when I was a young boy, my mother fell incredibly ill and passed away tragically. When she died, she left behind her ring, one that had been passed down through generations and generations of ancestors before me, and this criminal stole it from right under my nose. He now wears this ring on his pointer finger like some trophy he’s won for robbing me blind. I simply want it back.”

Lino scoffed as he crossed his muscular arms over his broad chest, raising an eyebrow in defiance. “You want us to travel halfway across the globe to fetch you a flimsy ring?”

Before anyone could say another word, Foucher’s hand retreated from behind his back, and in one swift motion, he backhanded Lino across the face. Foucher’s eyes burned hot as he smacked the younger man, and if it weren’t for Foucher then raising his hands to halt the guards behind him who were bustling for a fight, you would’ve run to Lino’s side.

However, shock rendered you stuck in place.

Lino stood in shock as well at the Jarl’s actions. A strand of hair fell into his face, but he didn’t bother trying to fix it. He simply stood there, eyes angry as he whipped his head back to glare at the Jarl, whose eyes widened in what you could only assume was a sliver of fear at the dangerous look now planted on Lino’s face.

For a second, you worried for the Jarl’s life, but Lino didn’t move, for which you were thankful. He may have hated Royals with every fiber of his being, but he knew when to fight back and when not to. You silently thanked the gods that he didn’t retaliate.

“Watch your tongue, boy.” Foucher snapped, seemingly masking his terror behind his title of authority. Droplets of spit spewed from his mouth and into Lino’s face. “That ring is a family heirloom. Sixteenth-century gold, embedded with only the finest diamonds and rubies alike. You should be thankful a lowlife pillager like yourself will even be able to set his sights on something so magnificent.”

Without a second thought, Foucher stepped away from a now-fuming Lino and approached you with a wide, almost sadistic smile. The anger in his eyes had vanished so quickly it nearly gave you whiplash, and you had to slightly raise your fingers to stop Lino from rushing to your defense.

“So, Captain. Whaddya say?”

You opened your mouth to give him your answer, to tell him just exactly where he could shove his chest of treasure and stolen goods when Chan spoke up first, cutting you off. His tone was harsh and venomous, clearly pissed at Foucher’s assault on his crewmate.

“But Father,” he paused and corrected himself quickly with a smirk. “Sorry, Foucher. Why are you asking this of us? You have an entire army of men at your beck and call, as well as one of the best navigators in the country no doubt naked in your bed as we speak. Why do you need us to do this for you?”

Although it was meant as a dig at the Jarl and his piggish personality, Foucher laughed humorlessly at Chan’s words. The sound was like metal scraping metal, and it made all the hair on the back of your neck stick up.

“Well because, dear Cristoff,” Foucher spoke his name with a sneer. “Captain Y/N and the crew of the Blackened Heart have unfortunately become infamous across the country. Stories of your victories have been passed through taverns and inns alike for years. It’s the only reason I haven’t called on you to return to my side. If there’s anyone who could travel to Cliffpoint Hollow and bring this criminal back to me, it’s you guys.”

Your face reddened immensely at the Jarl's sudden praise.

“Cliffpoint is merely a few months or so away, and quite frankly, none of my men are trained and confident enough to make the trek themselves. As I said, do this and the three of you, alongside the other five, will be rewarded greatly for your service. We’ll provide you with enough supplies for you and your goons to make the journey there, as long as you bring that scum of a human being back to me so I can put an end to his pathetic life once and for all.”

It felt like a dream. Sure, Cliffpoint Hollow was a long journey from home, halfway across the globe as Lino had pointed out before, but if all you had to do to earn fifty thousand gold was deliver a thief to the Jarl’s doorstep, you’d be stupid not to say yes.

You looked at Lino, whose cheek was still burning red, silently asking for his opinion. He ignored the stinging in his face and shrugged at you nonchalantly, but the twinkle in his eyes showed he was anxious for the adventure.

Or maybe he was just anxious to get the hell away from Serpent Point once and for all before his annoyance took over and he beheaded the Jarl before anyone could blink an eye.

Chan gave you a nod of encouragement as well, clearly desperate to experience the world the way he said he wanted to when he walked out on his father and showed up at your ship all those years ago. This was a free ticket across the globe, something he never would’ve been granted if he still lived under Foucher’s watch. There was no way he was turning this down.

You cocked your head back to look at Foucher, rubbing your hands nervously against the black trousers you wore. You cleared your throat once, bringing yourself to ask the one question you were dying to know since the mission was brought upon you.

“What’s the thief's name?” you inquired with a raised brow. If Foucher was asking this of you, whoever it was had to be important. And transporting important prisoners usually came with enemies who would do anything to make sure the jailbird wouldn't make it back alive. If you were going to potentially put your men in danger, you needed details.

Foucher must’ve mistook your question as a ‘yes’, because he clapped his hands and opened his arms wide, a joyous victory on his lips. He smiled brightly at you and he came forward, wrapping his large, wrinkly hands around your face and holding you like you were the most precious thing in the world to him.

The feeling made your gut twist uncomfortably.

“Maybe you’ve heard of him. He’s Scout’s youngest boy. You know Scout, yes?”

Your teeth clenched tightly the second the name left his mouth. A burning coil of anger sparked in your stomach as you recognized the name of the leader of the Thieves Den. The one who took everything from you, including your family. The one who committed the bloodiest heist on Serpent Point soil and still somehow got away. The memory of it punched you in the chest, while the memory of his son nearly brought you to your knees completely.

This was why Foucher wanted you and your crew to do this. This was why he called upon you and your men to take on such a task, making such an unfathomable offer for the job.

Anybody in the world could do it. City patrons and pirates alike have been doing so for years with little to no payout as a reward.

This wasn’t just a delivery mission.

It was a test of loyalty.

One he was expecting you to fail if the sparkle in his eyes was anything to go by.

Fifty thousand gold hung in the balance, and you were determined to get it. Not only for you but for the seven men who happily followed you and worked for you as if you were their Queen.

Your hands clenched into fists, your nails digging into your palms hard enough to draw blood, but the Jarl continued to speak, completely unaware of the turmoil happening in your chest.

“He was the one who ambushed me and my men in Fogrush Bay. I believe he goes by -”

“Jisung fucking Han II.” you seethed.

“I’m just saying, if Queen Aliyah is the leader of all of Fatewatch, why does she live on a whole other continent instead of here?” Lino grumbled, trailing after you and Chan as the three of you made your way back to the docks. His confusion drew hearty laughs from you and Chan, echoing in the quiet dawn that settled over the town.

“Who knows, Li,” you shrugged, stepping aside to let a small carriage clatter past before falling back in line. “Maybe the rum is just better in Cliffpoint.”

Lino scowled, unimpressed. “Doesn’t make a damn bit of sense to me.”

You chuckled, enjoying how such a trivial mystery could get under his skin so easily. It was a welcome distraction from the anxiety that still swirled in your gut after that tense meeting with Foucher. Lino probably sensed it too; he had a knack for reading your mood without a word, one of the reasons why he was such a reliable guard—and an even better lover if you might add.

“Nothing ever makes sense to you, Lino. You’re about as dense as Paisley’s baking.” Chan’s grin was wide as he gave Lino a playful shove, making him stumble.

“Oh, shut it, Chan,” Lino muttered back, though a reluctant smile crept onto his face as he regained his footing.

“Just another one of life's greatest mysteries,” you teased.

Lino rolled his eyes, nose wrinkling in irritation. “Like the time you got all riled up about why cats stick their tongues out when they’re happy.” you then added with a grin.

Lino’s dark eyes slid to you, narrowing in a faux glare. “Yeah, well, at least felines are cute.” You snickered and patted him on the back in mock reassurance.

“Hey. I hear Queen Aliyah’s pretty cute too.” You winked, but Lino’s gaze darkened to a scowl, and for a moment, you caught the dangerous edge in his expression, sending goosebumps down your arms.

“As if I give a damn,” Lino sneered. “You know how much I despise royals.”

Chan clicked his tongue disapprovingly, bringing your attention back to him. “Listen, Lino,” he smirked, pink creeping up his cheeks. “You don’t have to fancy royals for them to be a good lay.”

His words made you scoff and cross your arms before granting him a bored look. “Oh, please Channie—you’re practically a virgin.”

Chan’s eyes widened, mouth gaping, too stunned to speak as he tripped over his own feet. Righting himself, he looked at you in betrayed disbelief.

“I am not!” he finally managed, clutching his chest dramatically. You ignored the strange looks the three of you were now receiving from passers-by and gave him a sly but interested smile in return.

“Oh, is that so? You’ve spent the last eight years at sea with me. When exactly would you have had a chance to ‘entertain’ a royal?”

The colour in Chan’s cheeks deepened, and suddenly, he looked like a man with a story to tell. He shrugged, straightening with a newfound confidence before Lino draped an arm over his shoulders in intrigue.

“Let’s just say, Jarl Alderidge’s daughter wasn’t the only woman I… indulged in back when I was set to court her,” he admitted. You and Lino both raised your eyebrows at him in question, trying to piece together his meaning.

Chan had left his father's side when he was barely eighteen years old. He was set to court and marry a royal from a few cities over, but he left shortly after the courting began. You blinked a couple of times, thinking back to the awful family he was supposed to be wed into, and realisation finally dawned on you as the pieces fell into place. Your stomach turned in mock disgust as you reached out and gave him a light punch on the arm.

“Oh, for the love of—Jarl Alderidge’s wife?”

Chan blocked your half-hearted blow, laughing. “What? Lady Tatiana is a beautiful woman, and the opportunity presented itself. Who was I to deny her?”

You aimed another punch his way, but Lino quickly tugged you back with a laugh, one hand wrapped around your waist while the other clapped Chan on the shoulder. “Good grief, Channie, you should have been born in a brothel.”

The two of them snorted, and you rolled your eyes, suppressing the urge to smack the pride off their faces.

“Does Paisley know about this?” you asked, shaking off Lino’s arm and falling back into step beside them.

“Of course, she knows.” Chan’s expression softened at the mention of his soon-to-be wife. “I’d never keep anything from her. Paisley and I—there’s nothing we wouldn’t tell each other.”

You and Lino exchanged a look, simultaneously groaning in exaggerated disgust.

“Ew.”

“Gross.”

Chan shook his head and gave the two of you a pointed stare.

“What’s the matter with you two?” he asked, clearly offended by your reactions.

“Human connection is what’s the matter,” you answered with a shrug.

“It’s absolutely sickening,” Lino added with a cringe.

Chan's face fell. “What? What’s so gross and sickening about having an open and honest relationship with the one I love most? What is it about having someone to come home to after weeks at sea that makes the two of you so disgusted?”

You gagged theatrically.

“Literally every part of what you just said.”

Chan then rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated.

“You two are closer than anyone else I know. Isn’t that deeper than what Paisley and I have? Seungmo and Millie? Jinn and Ophelia?”

You let out a long sigh as the three of you finally stepped back onto the old, decaying dock. The boards of wood groaned beneath your feet, some barely holding together. “Oh please, Channie. There is absolutely nothing romantic between Lino and me. We’re just… mutually beneficial.”

“Right,” Lino agreed as you squeezed past the rows of empty carts crowding the walkway. “I’d rather jab a dagger into my own eye than settle down.”

Chan shot the bandit a look of pure disbelief.

“And I’m the one who belongs in a brothel?”

Both you and Lino shared a final laugh as you approached your ship, anchored at the end of the dock like a beast at rest. Leading the way, you crossed the narrow plank that bridged the dock to your vessel, landing with a solid thud.

Jinn, your sharp-eyed sailing master, was leaning against the railing, chewing idly on tobacco, while Binni, your burly artilleryman, sat next to him on a creaky old stool, the two of them mid-conversation. Their words stopped short the instant you touched down.

“Welcome back, Cap.” Jinn greeted, flicking his head to the side as he spat overboard without care. “How did things go with the Jarl?”

You let out a heavy exhale, mind already on the meeting you’d be calling shortly with the rest of your crew. They wouldn’t be happy that you decided on this new job alone; normally, the entire crew weighs in before a vote is held. But today, your gut had already made the call.

“Went fine. Important business,” you replied with a curt nod of your head, watching as Jinn’s expression tightened slightly in response. You then turned to Chan, the light-hearted mood from earlier gone. As soon as your feet hit the surface of your ship, it was business as usual. “Get everyone together below deck. Crew meeting in ten.”

Chan nodded, the humour in his eyes vanishing as he took off to round up the others. You barely spared him a second glance as you turned back to Jinn, whose lounging posture now told you he had no intention of springing into action like his crewmate.

“Are the twins back yet?” you asked.

“Not last I saw,” Jinn replied. “They went down to the market.” He raised a brow and shrugged, clearly unconcerned.

You let out a quiet sigh and glanced at Binni, who only gave you a knowing smile in return.

“Go get them, Jinn. We’re in a hurry.”

You watched with little patience as Jinn rolled his eyes with all the petulance of a bored child. “Why me? Binni’s been sitting here gnawing on jerky all day. Let him get off his ass for once.” he complained in his typical tone of defiance.

Binni raised his eyebrows, slowly standing as he glowered at the younger male. Although he was a head shorter than Jinn, his solid build made him all the more imposing. He loomed over Jinn with a look that would send most men scurrying away in fear, but Jinn, ever used to the infamous glower, held his ground unfazed.

Before either of them could escalate, you stepped in between them, pushing each back a step.

“Enough,” you snapped before turning your glare back to your navigator. “Jinn, unless you’ve suddenly developed a talent for taking stock and loading the armoury, I suggest you stop whining and get moving.”

Jinn's face turned red, and with a small bow of compliance, he brushed past you, grumbling as he left the ship.

“Move it!” you called after him. “We don’t have all day!”

“I know, Cap!” he yelled back, though he picked up the pace as he disappeared down the dock. You watched him go in the dying light of day, shaking your head. “One more comment like that, Jinn, and you’ll be scrubbing bird shit off this deck for a month!”

Jinn spun to bow quickly once more before breaking into a jog, knowing full well you meant it. With a sigh, you turned back to Binni, but he was already stowing the stool and heading off below deck, tossing a salute over his shoulder.

“Inventory check. I’ll meet you down there when I’m done.”

You gave Binni a thankful smile as he ran off, leaving you to stand in the light of the sunset alone. There was a light breeze coming off the ocean across from you, and you allowed yourself a brief moment of peace, watching the sky morph from blues and whites to purples and pinks and oranges.

The smell of saltine water, the cool breeze of the summer air, the soft sway of the ship, the caw of gulls wheeling overhead. It was moments like these, moments of complete serenity, that you enjoyed the most, that made you feel completely grounded. It made you feel sentimental, reminiscing back to when you began your life as the first female pirate in all of Fatewatch. It reminded you why you began adventuring in the first place.

You stood for what felt like hours, watching the sky morph and change with each passing second. You admired the way the sun lowered itself on the horizon, bright and satisfied at the day's end, and how the clouds and warmth seemed to chase it. And although you always found the rise and fall of the large orange star in the sky beautiful, you couldn’t deny that you were aching for nightfall.

“You’ve been staring at that horizon for a long time now, Y/N.”

A slow smile spread across your face at the sound of the wooden artificial leg being dragged against the surface of the ship. A wooden door closing against its hinges a second later had you popping your eyes away from the sky to come face-to-face with the blue-haired boy from across the way.

“The Captain won’t like you skipping important meetings.” Yongbok teased with a smile. You sent him a bright grin as your arms folded across your chest.

“Hello Yongbokki.” you greeted, bumping your shoulder with his when he stopped beside you. He took a moment to gracefully lean his body against the railing behind him, a small wince flashing quickly across his freckled face. He was still getting used to living with his new leg, and you reached a hand out instinctively help support him.

“You guys made it back just in time,” he spoke as if he wasn’t in any pain at all, and if it wasn’t for the fact that he was no longer looking at you, but out across the ocean at the same horizon you were moments before, you would’ve scowled at him for trying to play it off.

“I think I finally perfected those salmon steaks I’ve been struggling with for the last month.” His eyes sparkled with pride and excitement at his small victory, meanwhile, your stomach growled loudly at the mention of food. You clapped him on the back with a pleased laugh.

“Perfect timing, Yongbokki. We’ll have to set the table for everyone before the meeting starts. I have a feeling the boys will take my news better on full stomachs.”

Yongboks grin turned suspicious, one brow arched as you pushed yourself off the railing you were also leaning against and held a hand out to help him stand.

“What did you do this time, Cap?” he teased. “Sold Binni to another cathouse I presume?”

You rolled your eyes, laughing once more as you took hold of his hand and headed towards the creaky old door that led below deck. “Will you let that go? That was one time!”

Yongbok’s laughter echoed as you entered the ship, veering down to the kitchen at the end of the corridor. “One time too many, Cap. If it happens again, I’m afraid Bin will be gone for good.”

Jinn returned moments after everyone else had settled at the dining table, Jeo and Seungmo trailing behind. The three of them exchanged quiet jokes as they hastily took their seats, their faces lighting up at the sight of the meal before them.

Fish steaks, steaming and fragrant, rested on thick wooden plates that Binni had crafted weeks prior. Cutlery was arranged meticulously beside them and metal tankards were filled to the brim with ale, allowing the table to be a testament to the care Yongbokki had poured into the preparation.

You leaned back slightly, observing your crew as they dug into the meal. Despite the unease swirling in your gut, you waited, letting them savour the peace of a shared dinner table before revealing the storm on the horizon.

You watched as Jinn, ever the orderly one, gestured for Seungmo to take the breadbasket from his hands, the corners of his mouth twitching up as he said, “You’ll thank me later for making sure you’re not just eating meat, Mo.”

Seungmo rolled his eyes, tearing into a piece of bread but muttering something about ‘overbearing mother hens.’ Jeo chuckled, his fox-like eyes catching yours briefly before he focused on his plate.

You felt the weight of the news pressing against your chest as you watched them—your crew, your family. The money Foucher offered was good, almost impossibly good, but there was that nagging whisper in the back of your mind, the one that suggested it might not be enough to sway them. Especially not Jinn and Seungmo.

When most of the plates were cleared, Jeo broke the casual hum of conversation. He wiped his mouth with a serviette and leaned forward slightly, his sharp, curious eyes locking onto yours.

“So, Cap,” he began, his tone light but pointed. “What’s this meeting for?”

Binni shifted, leaning back in his chair and tossing you a quizzical look, meanwhile, Seungmo perked up, his brows drawing together.

“Oh yeah! The meeting with Foucher. How’d it go?” his voice held a genuine curiosity, though you could see he was already trying to piece together why it needed to involve all of them.

Setting your fork down, you glanced at Lino and Chan, both of whom offered small, encouraging nods. That gave you just enough courage to speak.

“The meeting with Foucher went...well.” you began carefully, letting your words hang as you measured everyone's reactions. “He’s got another job for us.”

That caught their attention. Forks paused mid-air, and a hush settled over the surrounding tables where the two and a half dozen sailors under your command sat, waiting for you to finish. Jinn tilted his head slightly, studying you with a guarded expression as he began gathering a small stack of empty plates.

“What kind of job this time?” he asked, voice calm but curious.

You hesitated for a brief moment. “He wants us to travel to Cliffpoint Hollow,” you said finally, your voice firmer now. “We’re to escort a prisoner back to him.”

The impact of your words was immediate. Jeo, mid-drink, choked and nearly sent his ale spewing across the table, causing Lino to reach over and clap his back while he spluttered about.

“Cliffpoint Hollow?” Binni straightened abruptly, his easygoing demeanour gone. His wide eyes pinned you in place at your end of the table. “Did you just say Cliffpoint Hollow?”

“I did,” you confirmed with a single nod. Silence fell over the room again for a moment before Jeo spoke up once more.

“Captain, with all due respect,” he started in a gruff tone from his choking, his fingers now toying with the handle of the metal tankard in front of him. “We’re supposed to be on break right now. Seungmo’s dying to get home to see Millie, and Jinn still has yet to even meet his kid. I don’t think any of us could take on another adventure.”

Seungmo cast a glance towards you. Though he kept his expression neutral, the flicker of disappointment on his face was unmistakable. He was usually calm and composed, but even he had his limits.

You let out a heavy sigh, rubbing your temple before clasping your hands together on the table before you. You watched as Chan began wiping the dirty surface with an old rag before you continued your plea.

“Look, guys, I understand.” you grimaced before meeting Seungmo’s gaze again. He was leaning against the archway to the kitchenette, waiting for whatever you were to say next. “I know we were all looking forward to this break. But Foucher offered us more money than we’ve ever seen for a single job before—and you know what that kind of coin could mean for all of us.”

“Enough for how long though?” Binni asked with a wary glance. “I mean, we risk our necks for him time and time again, and all he does is keep upping the stakes. First, it’s cargo runs, now prisoner escorts halfway across the globe?”

Yongbok nodded in agreement from where he was standing next to Seungmo with his arms folded across his chest. His usual smile was nowhere to be found. “Binni’s right. This isn’t just a supply run or a simple trade, Cap. Cliffpoint Hollow, as beautiful as it may be, is nearly six months away, and that's if the ship is sturdy enough to make it. There's no other towns and outposts across the open waters for miles. There’s nowhere to stop for resupply, and if the rumours are true, those waters are crawling with hostiles.”

Murmurs of concern spread throughout the dining room, each of your men weighing the risk in their minds, grumbling and conversing in distress. You had to raise a hand to quiet them all down once more.

“I hear you guys. Believe me, I do. Your concerns and uneasiness do not go unnoticed. But this is fifty thousand gold we’re talking about here. That’s not counting the stolen jewellery and gems Foucher’s throwing in as part of the deal.”

Jeo’s eyes widened, his initial shock giving way to an almost childlike excitement. Yongbok, too, couldn’t hide his intrigue, though he tried to mask it. Even Binni, skeptical as ever, seemed to soften at the mention of the payout.

But Jinn and Seungmo remained unmoved. Jinn crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. “How do we even know he’s good for it?” he asked. “Did you see the loot, or are we just taking his word?”

“I saw it,” you said sharply, the lie tasting bitter on your tongue. “I wouldn’t be here asking this if I wasn’t sure.”

You didn’t need to see the loot to know Foucher had it. The loot was rightfully yours after all, though you weren’t about to admit that to your crew. You’d been keeping your past a secret from them for years, and the less they knew about it, the better.

Everyone was silent for another moment before Binni set the feet of his chair down on the wooden floorboards and leaned forward, his interest piqued.

“When does he want us to leave?” He asked. His tone was casual, but the weight of the question hung heavy. You swallowed roughly and let out an exhale

“At dawn.”

Seungmo was the first one to crack under the pressure. He surged forward in annoyance, his feet scratching loudly against the floor.

“Are you fucking mad?” His voice rang with frustration, his cheeks flushed. “Jinn and I are supposed to be home by the end of the week. Home, Cap. To our wives!” His hand hit the table with a dull thud, punctuating his words as he leaned over the table. “You promised us the summer to rest!”

You opened your mouth to respond, but Seungmo was too far gone, his emotions taking over. “We just finished a brutal job from Hawthorne, and now you want us to play delivery boys for Foucher? Do you even hear yourself?”

Your jaw tightened. The reaction wasn’t unexpected, but the raw edge in Seungmo’s voice still cut deep. The room bristled with the tension of his outburst.

“Seung, sit down,” Lino said evenly, though his voice carried an edge of warning. His gaze darted briefly to you before returning to Seungmo. Seungmo, however, ignored Lino’s demand and hit the table again with another thud.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” his laugh was bitter. “We were supposed to go home. I mean, did you even stop to consider Jinn and I? I have a wife at home waiting for me, fuck. Jinn has a wife and a newborn baby boy that he hasn’t even met yet! Are you trying to tell me we’re not allowed to go home and see them? That we have to stop our lives and do Foucher’s bidding once again?”

“Seungmo, that’s enough!” Lino growled, his eye calculating the younger male’s every move. He knew Seungmo would never outwardly hurt you, not intentionally anyway, but Seungmo’s temper was a force all its own.

You stood abruptly then, slamming your hand down on the table hard enough to rattle the few tankards that were still being used. The sound snapped the room’s attention back to you. Your blood was beginning to boil from his insinuation.

“Do you think I don’t know that?” you snapped, your voice rising with authority. “You don’t think I took any of that into consideration when Foucher offered us the deal?” you nearly snarled at him. The room fell silent once more, every pair of eyes on you as you pushed forward, your voice shaking with conviction.

“Of course, I want you two to go home and spend time with your family. I want all of us to have a break. But this isn’t just about today or tomorrow, Seungmo. This is about our future. All of ours. I want you and Yongbokki to have enough money to open the inn that you guys are always raving and ranting about in every goddamn city we stop in. I want Jinn to be able to afford a nursery for his son so the poor thing doesn’t have to room with them until he’s of age to leave home. I want Jeo to have enough money to open the orphanage he’s been planning out since he was thirteen, and I want Lino to start up the Fighter’s Guild in Eagles Bay. I want Chan and Binni to buy their own ship one day and continue on the legacy we started. I want all of us to be happy and content, and with the payout from this job, I know we can get all of that and more.”

You squeezed your hand into a fist and dug your nails into your skin, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm yourself down before finishing.

“I only want what’s best for all of you.” your voice ran with unyielding conviction, though a tremor of emotion lurked beneath the surface. You swept your gaze over the rest of your crew members once before landing back on Seungmo again. “Don’t you dare, for even a second, think I don’t put you guys first in every decision I make.”

The room fell eerily silent. The faint sound of waves lapping against the dock outside was the only movement in the air, the tension thick and palpable. Seungmo’s hard expression wavered, his eyes narrowing slightly as your words pierced through his frustration. The defiance that had lit his face moments before began to soften, replaced by the faint shine of regret.

He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the effort.

“I-I’m sorry, Cap,” he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. He dropped his head, the tips of his ears burning red. “I’m sorry for lashing out.” His hand moved quickly, swiping away at the corner of his eye before disappearing behind his messy brown hair.

The sight of Seungmo, the crews usually unshakable morale booster, humbled like this tugged at your chest. You leaned forward, reaching across the table to rest a hand on his shoulder. The fabric beneath your touch was worn but familiar, and you pressed your thumb into small circles, a gesture of quiet reassurance.

“It’s alright, Seung. Take a breath,” you said gently, the edge in your tone giving way to warmth. You waited as he inhaled deeply, his chest rising and falling as he tried to steady himself.

“I understand your frustrations, and I’m sorry for not consulting with you guys first. If you truly want to go home, if any of you do…” you paused, letting your eyes sweep across the room. “We’ll drop you off on the way out. No hard feelings. Chan will keep your share safe until we return.”

The silence that followed felt heavier than before, a quiet reckoning passing through the room. Jeo fidgeted with the edge of his sleeve, his wide eyes darting nervously between Seungmo and Jinn, while Yongbok began chewing on the nail of his thumb, a nervous habit he picked up years ago.

It was Binni who finally broke the tension, leaning back in his chair with his usual devilish grin. “I think I can speak for the majority of us when I say, we’re with you, Captain.” He let out a bark of laughter, his chair tilting precariously. “You’re a crazy sonofa bitch, but you’re our crazy sonofa bitch. I’m in.”

Jeo let out a breath of relief and nodded. “Me too,” he said, his voice lighter, though the faintest trace of unease lingered in his eyes.

“Aye,” Yongbok called out with glee.

You felt a swell of gratitude, but the real test lay in the two pairs of eyes that hadn’t yet confirmed their loyalty; Jinn and Seungmo. The room seemed to collectively hold its breath as attention shifted toward them.

Jinn was the first to speak, his mouth quirking into a faint smile.

“I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to Cliffpoint,” he said, his voice rumbling through the stillness. “If Ophelia finds out I had the chance to see her homeland and didn’t take it, I’d never hear the end of it.” His grin widened as he glanced around at the rest of the crew. “Besides, it’s not a true journey without all of us. Eight makes fate.”

Your heart lifted at his words, and you gave him a grateful nod before turning to Seungmo. All eyes fell on the young man, who shifted uncomfortably under their weight. His lips pressed into a thin line as he considered the implications of the decision before him.

The silence stretched, almost unbearable, until Seungmo let out an exasperated huff of laughter. “I can’t believe we’re really doing this,” he muttered, shaking his head as a reluctant grin tugged at his mouth.

You didn’t wait for him to say more. You reached across the table, pulling him into a firm, grateful hug. His shoulders were tense for a moment before he relaxed. Letting out soft chuckles as you squeezed him.

“Oh, hush up,” you said with a laugh, releasing him and falling back in your chair with ease. “By this time next year, we’ll be the richest pirates in all of Fatewatch.”

Jinn ran a hand through his hair, leaning casually against the edge of the table. His easy smile faltered for just a moment, replaced by a flicker of concern.

“I hope you’re right about this, Cap.” he said, his voice quieter now, though it held more warmth than doubt.

You felt that same unease twist in your gut but pushed it down, forcing a confident smile onto your face.

“I’m always right,” you replied, your voice steady. But as the room began to fill with the hum of conversation and plans for the journey ahead, that gnawing feeling in your gut refused to leave.

Because deep down, you knew this wasn't just another job. It wasn't just another risk.

This was a gamble with the stakes stacked so high that one wrong move could unravel everything you worked your ass off for—and not even fifty-thousand gold could buy your way out.

Tags: @moonlightndaydreams @collisvng @frequentlykit @channieandhisgoonsquad @noellllslut @n0y4 @chuuyaobsessed @newhope8 @palindrome969 @krayzieestay @lunearta @nightmarenyxx @queen-in-the-shadows

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#the blackened heart part one #the blackened heart #tbh #itsseohannbin #itsseonhannbin mini series #itshannjisung #itshannjisung mini series #stray kids fic #pirate skz #pirate fic #itsseohannbin fics

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foxyanon · 1 year ago

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To End A War: HoTD/TLK Crossover, ATLA AU

Book 1: Water

Chapter 1: The Avatar

Pairing(s): Aemond Targaryen x Avatar!Reader, Sihtric Kjartansson x Avatar!Reader

Summary: The end begins…

Word Count: 2,406

TW: Character death, mention of bloodbending

Disclaimer: I do not own any images used nor any of the characters from House of The Dragon, The Last Kingdom or Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Many thanks to @arcielee for making the dividers for this series!

Earth. Fire. Air. Water.

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony, but everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements could stop them. Sadly, Avatar Aang was found and captured after having evaded the Fire Nation for 75 years. The air bender had challenged Fire Lord Daemon to an Agni Kai when the Southern Air Temple came under attack and subsequently lost the fight due to the vulnerability Aang experienced when he entered the Avatar state. The resulting massacre of the airbenders at the temple and the brutal death of the Avatar shook the world to its core, and it seemed all hope was lost.

Most of the knowledge surrounding the Avatar cycle was obscured from the public, many only knowing parts of the stories behind the legend. However, Daemon knew that he had only deferred the inevitable since the Avatar would reincarnate within the water tribe next. While the Northern Water Tribe had not shown to be the birthplace of the next Avatar, that left only the Southern Water Tribe. Fortunately for the balance of the world, the Southern Tribe was notoriously recluse and difficult to reach, even for the might of the Fire Nation. The ever moving icebergs and harsh snowstorms meant that the Fire Navy couldn’t reach any of the settlements within the South Pole. It is here, where the water bending Avatar has hidden for 25 years, waiting and training for the day where she would end this never ending war.

From the day of my birth, my parents knew I was destined for something greater than myself. My training began in earnest when I was old enough to walk since I was among the last of the southern waterbenders and the Avatar. My mentor, Master Hama, often took me away from the rest of the tribe for us to train away from prying eyes. From the beginning, she drilled the importance of not showing mercy to my enemies into my head, showing me how to pull water from every available source and how to manipulate water on a larger scale. When I was 16, she showed me a previously unknown form of waterbending, bloodbending. Since I knew her entire story, I knew she had suffered greatly under the hands of the Fire Nation and thus her unorthodox methods never phased me. I knew there was a great pressure on me to learn as much as possible, as the chances of me being able to learn any of the other elements were rather slim at the time being. The fate of the world rested on my shoulders and I was determined not to fail.

I remain hidden within Grey Wolf Village, far from the capital of the South Pole. I still train daily, but Master Hama’s age has started to catch up with her and she is incapable of going too far from the village for our training. Of all the lessons she has taught me, none have been more important than hiding my identity from the world. “The world is full of monsters disguised as men, you must never let them know who you are,” she would say. I often slipped away from the village, trying to teach myself the other elements whenever Hama wasn’t hovering over me. It was difficult, especially since I had a hard time connecting myself to my past lives and therefore couldn’t ask for their guidance. I knew I would need to find masters to help teach me the other elements, but that would be near impossible since I was the most wanted person within the Fire Nation.

It was on one of these secret excursions that I first saw them, the massive metal ship flying the banner of the Fire Nation causing my heart to nearly stop. I had been trying to teach myself fire bending, but it hadn’t been going according to plan. Instead, I somehow managed to nearly set myself on fire while also melting a fair amount of the snow around me. My failed attempt at firebending must have been seen from the deck of the warship, and now my people were going to suffer for my foolishness. They were sailing straight for the village and everyone there was defenseless, save a handful of warriors and Hama. Without thinking, I jumped into the saddle of my loyal companion, a polar bear dog named Ivalu and we ran towards our home, hoping to arrive before it was too late.

Prince Aemond had been watching along the shoreline, something in his gut telling him he was in the right place. Navigating the ice fields had been hazardous but he was determined to investigate every inch of the frozen landscape until his curiosity was satisfied. He could feel the eyes of his aunt, Princess Rhaenys, on him as he looked through the spyglass. Her ever constant presence by side since that fateful day both thrilled and infuriated him. The soft sound of Rhaenys moving the tiles across the pai sho board mingled with the seemingly calm breeze of the cold morning, a good sign in Aemond’s mind. He continued to ignore her, instead focusing on his own task when he heard a sigh come from behind him.

“You should rest, Aemond. Come, play a round with me,” she spoke in her usual soothing tone, no malice like he had been used to back home. The sound of another tile being moved into place then a contemplative hum filled the air as she waited for a response.

Aemond turned to face her, a scowl on his face as he glared at her. “No, I must keep looking. I do not have time for games, Aunt. We are in the right place, I am sure of it,” he ground out, turning back to the telescope and training his good eye back on the shoreline. Luck appeared to be on his side when he saw what could only be described as a fiery explosion and at the center of the scene, an indistinguishable figure that he could only assume belongs to the one person he has been hunting. A little further along the snowy landscape, he caught sight of a small village. “See there! On the ice there was someone firebending. There is only one explanation, Aunt. We have found the Avatar and their hiding place.”

A heavy sigh and another soft tap of a tile before Rhaenys clicked her tongue at her nephew's stubbornness. “Prince Aemond, we have been down this road before. I do not want you to get excited over nothing.”

“This time is different, I can feel it. Set a course for that village!” Aemond excitedly responded, feeling closer to the end of a long road than he had in a long time.

Upon my return to the village, I learned that the ship had already docked and several men had already come ashore. I slipped past the ice walls and stayed hidden behind a few of the tents, watching as my kin were rounded up and interrogated by a tall and imposing figure. He wore a standard Fire Nation uniform, but it was the way he carried himself that stood out the most to me. His long white hair was pulled back neatly and he wore an eyepatch over his left eye, the edges of a deep scar peeking out and marring his handsome face. I knew in an instant he was a member of the royal family, but I didn’t know his name. Dread started to settle in my chest as the realization that I have been discovered started to become my reality. I was pulled from my short lived self-loathing when I heard the wizened voice of my mentor bark back a retort to the foreign prince.

”Haven’t you taken enough from us already? Or does your greed know no bounds?” Hama asked, the anger in her voice strong despite her frail appearance.

The man simply stared at her, not moved by her words as he asked his question again. “Where is the Avatar? I know they are here, I spotted them along the shore. You will tell me where they are.”

The silence that followed must have irked the man, because he grabbed Hama by her parka before summoning a flame to his free hand. “Tell me now or she suffers for it!” he shouted, his jaw clenching when he received no verbal response.

Instead, the few warriors that remained sprung into action to distract the four other men that had come ashore. That split second was enough for the Fire Prince to loosen his hold of Hama before she too went on the defensive, knocking her captor to the ground with a smooth roll of her arm, the water whip snapping against his chest. The remaining women and children quickly made for safety while I jumped out from my hiding place, pulling water from the snow to send one enemy to the ground to buy time for my neighbors to hide. I quickly turned to see the prince get up and engage in a one on one battle with Hama, my mentor deflecting each of his attacks. He was quicker and more agile, but she was more experienced and had an environmental advantage. I wanted to come to her aid, but the subtle shake of her head as she kept his focus on her was enough to stay my hand. Instead, I focused on aiding the warriors of the village, keeping the fighting from advancing too far from the shore.

After a seemingly quick battle, only Hama and the strange bender were left. They were both breathing heavily as they pushed and pulled with one another. In his rage, he lashed out and Hama went flying back, her body crumpling into a heap on the ground. I quickly jumped into the fray with a shout, taking him by surprise as the rage began to simmer beneath the surface of my skin. The air was thick with tension as we stared at each other, my eyes locked onto his one blue one. My lips were pulled back into a snarl as I bared my teeth, my body poised to strike. He regarded me slowly, a flicker of recognition passing over his face as he dropped into a fighting stance.

Aemond stared at the young woman in front of him, her hair coming undone from its style and her breathing even despite the fighting against some of my best men. She was beautiful, from the stone cold focus in her eyes to the aggressive look on her face. For a moment, he was taken aback before realizing she looked a lot like the figure he saw earlier. The thought that he was actually standing face to face with the Avatar, the very person he was hunting and discovering they were a woman caused something to stir within him. He quickly squashed those feelings, knowing that she was the key to his future and he couldn’t afford to lose focus now that she was within reach.

”So, you are the Avatar? I thought you’d be…” he started to say, but a low growl escaped her throat and suddenly he was having to dodge shards of ice leveled at his head. With a bob and a weave, he evaded and went on the defensive as he started going through the motions. It was easy enough to get angry, memories of his final moments home and now the conflicting emotions swirling within him giving him an edge in the fight. Water and fire clashed as the two circled each other, Aemond’s steps harsher and heavier compared to the Avatar’s more fluid form.

The fight carried on for several more minutes, neither gaining ground on the other until the old woman joined the fight again. The two women moved in sync, backing Aemond towards the warship with offset attacks, not letting him get so much as a breath in. The loss of ground and the possibility of missing out on this opportunity set him off and he roared, throwing out his arms as the flames rolled across the ground, knocking both his opponents to the ground. There was a sickening crunch and he heard the Avatar cry out causing him to look up to see what had happened. The older woman was on the snow, her neck bent at an unusual angle and eyes lifeless as she lay there. The silence as the village gathered around, the Avatar holding the limp body of the woman he determined was her mentor. Soft sobs and incoherent words fell from her lips, the pitiful sounds breaking Aemond’s heart.

He stepped forward, the snow crunching underfoot alerting the grieving woman to his approach. She snapped her head up, tears streaming down her face and grief heavy in her eyes. A brief moment passed before she gently set the dead woman down and rose from her kneeling position, her gaze never leaving his. He was only barely aware of his Aunt on the deck of the ship, several more of his men standing on the gangplank and waiting for further instruction. That’s when the gleam in her eyes registered in his hazy mind and he felt fear for the first time in a long time.

One moment, Hama and I are beating back this aggressive man and the next, she’s gone. An overflow of emotions came over me; sorrow, grief, but most of all, rage. The sound of his footsteps was enough to send me over, the feeling of all my past lives suddenly came rushing to the forefront of my mind and I felt nearly invincible in that moment. One thrust of an arm and all the Fire Nation soldiers were sent flying back into the belly of the ship with the invisible force of a strong breeze. Another upwards punch and a solid step forward, the metal made a loud clanging sound as the ship suddenly closed with everyone on board. A twirl in place and strong push, the water and wind carried the ship away from my home with the force of a polar vortex and swept them all out into the glacier ridden sea.

I felt the immense power leave me before the world went black, the feeling of being caught before I hit the ground, the last thing my overworked mind registered before I passed out.

Drop me an ask if you want to be added to/removed from the tag list for this series!

Taglist: @valeskafics, @gemini-mama, @alexagirlie, @julessworldd, @mrsarnasdelicious, @whitedarkmoonflower, @officerbrowneyes, @xoxo-tala

#hotd #tlk #ATLA au #foxys fics #aemond targaryen #aemond x reader #sihtric kjartansson #sihtric x reader

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dearly-somber · 1 year ago

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coffee dates and christmas carols

-> pairing. non-idol!jisung x female reader

-> genre. Christmas!fic, fluff, s2l (strangers-to-lovers)

-> rating. 13+

-> w/c. 1542

-> warnings. Ji’s a little nervous but otherwise the only warning you need is “tooth rotting fluff” ㅠㅠ

-> a/n. First (posted) SKZ fic yay! This was inspired by the EXchange SKZ Code, bc Hannie’s just too fucking adorable, n I wanna eat him ;(

-> skz ficlets, oneshots and series m.list

-> started. Sun, Dec. 24th, 2023 @ 01:15

-> fin. Mon., Dec. 25th, 2023 @ 13:43

-> edited. Mon., Dec. 25th, 2023 @ 16:52

-> divider credit. @saradika-graphics

“Han.” Minho grabs onto Jisung’s shoulders and laughs at the panicked roundness of his boba-brown eyes. “You look fine. You’re cute and approachable and if she agreed to go on a date with you in the first place, I’m sure she likes you at least a little bit.”

Jisung nods slowly, though he finds himself still worrying his lower lip as Minho fixes the light brown cap he threw on randomly. He pulls at the sleeves of his sweater, but Minho swats his hands, so he shoves his hands into the pockets of his sleeveless puffer jacket instead.

It’s Christmas Day, and Jisung—miraculously—has a date, and with the prettiest girl he’s seen, no less. He didn’t know how he did it, but after some stuttered blubbering (“Hey, I’m sorry, I saw you across the st-store and I thought you were really—really pretty, and I was wondering if-if it would be okay if, maybe, you wanted to g-go out some time? With me? But, only if you’re free!”), he’d managed to get your number, and also a date for when you’d be free.

Which happened to be on the busiest day of December, but whatever.

“Where are you meeting her, again?” Chan asks from somewhere in the living room—Jisung can’t turn to check because he’s too busy looking at himself in the mirror, trying to internalize Minho’s assurances. Does he really look cute? Cute is always good…

“Beans & Biscuits. It’s a café somewhere close to where the Christmas lights are gonna go off later tonight.”

“Oh, that’s so cute! Did she suggest it?”

Han smiles, a little bashful as he recalls the short text conversation. “Yeah… Messaged me the day after I got her number. She said it’s really cute and cozy and kind of unknown by the greater majority of people, and that it’s kind of a mix between a café and a painting studio, or something like that. She seemed really excited about it in the voice notes she sent,” he couldn’t help but laugh fondly at the memory of your excited ramblings about your “favorite place on planet earth other than your bed”.

“Alright, well. Let us know if we need to pick you up or something.”

“Thanks, hyung.”

“No—

“Blah blah blah,” Minho snarks as he ushers Jisung out of the front door of their apartment, reminding him of those cliche moms you see in animated movies. “You’re gonna be late!”

“I—fuck, you’re right!—“

“Just be yourself!” Minho gives Jisung’s ass a firm slap, cackling at the loud yelp that leaves his lips.

Jisung mutters curses under his breath as he goes down the stairs two at a time, rubbing the sting out of his ass. The air outside is cold enough to make him shiver as he exits the apartment lobby, his teeth chattering as he tucks his hands further into the pockets of his puffer jacket, subconsciously lifting his shoulders into his ears in an effort to fend of the cold trying to clamber its way down his sweater collar. His sneakers shuck-shuck-shuck against the growing layer of snow on the sidewalks, eyes honed in on the cute frost-covered sign hanging above the café’s door.

He steps inside with a little jingle (courtesy of the bell hanging above the entrance), puffing out a breath of cold air as he rubs his hands together, blowing into them to bring back some of the severely lacking warmth in his fingers. His eyes search for you, trying to spot you among the surprising number of patrons waiting for take-aways or tables, a few small groups or couples already seated around the modernly furnished estate.

“Jisung!”

His head snaps in your direction mere seconds before you’re standing on the tips of your toes, inches in front of him. Your arms wrap around his neck and bring him down in a hug that sends a bolt of electricity through his nervous system. With his arms slung loosely around your waist and his nose tucked into your shoulder, he notices that you smell like freshly baked Christmas cookies and machine-made cappuccino—it’s sweet and invades his senses so wholly, he half forgets to pull away.

“You look nice,” he says dumbly, admiring your coffee-date-appropriate outfit: white button up, brown tie, green sweater (crocheted, Jisung thinks), brown pants, white sneakers, and a cute little beige satchel-type baggie slung across your chest.

With the most blinding grin Jisung thinks he’s ever seen, you tuck a strand of hair behind your hair. “You too,” you say. “You look really cute, actually.” You pinch the hem of his sweater sleeve between your fingers. “I really like your sweater.”

Jisung doesn’t bother feeling self conscious about the heat in his cheeks. “Thank you,” he says.

You nod as an answer, clearing your throat before taking hold of his wrist and pulling you to the back of the café. “I found us a table!”

It’s right in the back, in a small nook sequestered away from everyone else, where the soft sound of Christmas carols can be heard clearer than anywhere else in the shop. “It’s my favorite,” you say. “It’s a really nice spot for reading. I sit here all the time.”

Jisung slides into the seat across from you with excitement bubbling beneath his fingertips, a soft smile on his face. “The place feels magical,” he admits.

“It is,” you sigh dreamily, looking up at the ceiling with an intensely fond smile. “I wanted to wait before I ordered a drink, since it’ll get cold without you, but I went ahead and ordered us two mini-easels and some paint…I hope you don’t mind. I chose brown since it kind of fits with the vibe of the shop, so I hope you don’t mind—“

“You’re fine, Y/N. I’m not much of an artist anyway, so it doesn’t matter,” Jisung assures with a brave pat to your hand, finding comfort in your rambling; you’re just as nervous as he is, so there’s no reason for him to be such a live-wire.

You exhale in a chuckle, “Right, sorry. I’m just so excited. I’ve been looking forward to this, actually.”

Jisung’s eyebrows lift. “Really?”

“Yeah.” You grin shyly, fiddling with your sleeves. “I think you’re really cute, you know?”

Jisung feels himself blush. “Me too,” he says dreamily.

“You think you’re cute?” You smirk.

“No! No, I meant I—you’re cute, also! You’re very cute! Adorable even!”

You burst out laughing, and Jisung can’t help but smile and laugh along, feeling his heart swell in his chest when you look at him again, this time with sparkling snowflakes in your eyes.

You and Jisung order your drinks—Jisung an americano, you a hot chocolate—before setting to work on your little easels, laughing and chatting as the two of you talk.

You paint a little portrait of Jisung as he works, not at all bad looking, and Jisung promises to treasure it forever.

“Don’t be disappointed if it’s bad,” Jisung warns, biting his lip as he turns his easel over, showing you the little teddy bear he painted, little hearts in the background.

“Oh, but it’s so cute,” you sigh, reaching out to bring his paining closer. “This is amazing!”

“No,” Jisung denies shyly, trying to hide his grin as he sips at the last of his americano. He wonders if you want another round.

You gasp loud enough to have him jumping in his seat. “The Christmas lights!”

Jisung’s eyes widen. “Shit, are we late?”

“No! Not if we hurry!”

Jisung reaches for his wallet but yelps when you grab his hand and start yanking him out of the store. “Wait, we haven’t pay—“

“It’s fine! Put it on my account!” You call over your shoulder, pushing past the doors and intertwining your fingers with Jisung’s as you run down the street.

By the time you make it to the city square, you’re standing far enough back in the busy streets to see the big-ass Christmas tree in the center, it’s lights still dimmed.

Jisung turns to you with a heaving chest, and the two of you laugh with your entire chests, nearly keeling over.

He exhales with another chuckle, letting his eyes glance down at your intertwined hands. Your hands are smaller than his are—softer, too. They fit perfectly between his own, and it brings a smile to his face—

“O-oh, I’m sorry, I—“ You try to pull away, but Jisung’s eyes widen as he holds your hand tighter, pulling you closer to his chest.

“No, I” —he clears his throat— “I don’t mind. I…” He clears his throat; whispers, “…really like holding your hand, actually.”

“I like holding your hand, too,” you whisper back, your eyes drifting to his lips. Jisung licks them, swallowing the excited lump in his throat as you take a step closer, your hand on his shoulder. “I really want to kiss you,” you confess.

Jisung nods dazedly, hoping you don’t notice the sweat collecting on his palms, the nervous excitement with which he stares at your lips. “Me, too.”

And even as people around him yell excitedly, and the background erupts into a myriad of Christmas-coded colors and sparks, the only thing Jisung can focus on is the taste of sweetener on your pillow-soft lips.

#skz fic #skz x reader #skz x you #jisung x reader #jisung x you #han jisung x reader #han jisung x you #skz fluff #han jisung fluff #jisung fluff #skz imagines #skz scenarios #kpop fanfic #kpop fic #kpop fanfiction #ao3 #archive of our own #fanfiction #fanfic

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authoratmidnight · 15 days ago

Text

So, now that I've finished watching (rewatching technically) Transformers Animated I wanna babble about it a bit.

My short, spoiler free take is: It's actually really good and I like what they were doing in this universe.

Longer, not spoiler free rambles under the cut-

So like, I did watch this a long time ago, when it first aired. Problem is I really don't/didn't remember like, anything? Or like, major plot things.

A non comprehensive list of things I /did/ remember from Animated:

Prowl was my fav bc b/c a ninja motor bike is cool

I loved this version of Bumblebee. His design looked like a lil kitty cat, a lil tiger, one of my fav Bees. Just a lil guy. Lil baby.

Black Arachnia, her hitting on Optimus and once being Elita One

the Dinobots, Grimlock specifically. love me some dino robots

the 'Sari is the a robot' reveal

their space ship transforms into a massive robot

Blurr gets cubed and everyone debating on if he was alive or not (he is. as pointed out, bots turn grey here when they die and cube!Blurr was NOT grey, so that's some fridge horror for you)

Prowl died and I was VERY sad about this

Weird Al voiced a robot called Wreck Gar and there was a 'dare to be stupid' reference in the episode

So like, while I don't remember-remember it, I remember things from it and I seem to recall I did enjoy it (given I recall Prowl's death I clearly DID watch it to the end so I clearly didn't hate it). And upon rewatching it I can 100% this appealing to younger me (quick math says I would have been, about 16 when it aired. which is older than I thought tbh).

It wasn't my first foray into Transformers either, tho I think the first one I probably really enjoyed and watched all of. I seem to recall watching some of Beast Wars and Armada (legit the ONLY part of Armada I remember was that bit where Optimus died out in space lmao), so I knew OF Transformers to some degree. Plus I think I'd learned surface level information from my dad. But it was the first series I did fully consume and enjoyed. So I could have done worse. But given I don't actually remember my first watch of it too well I can't say if it was better or as good as I remember b/c I don't remember lol. But it is good.

That said, what ARE my thoughts on it?

The Story/Setting:

Knowing what I DO know about Transformers now I can see how different it is from most continuities and how the lore differs (Prime and Magnus just seem to be like, ranks/titles, and Prime doesn't seem to hold nearly the weight as in like every other continuity). But like, I don't hate it. It's actually kind of a fresh change. And it does some unique things, like how characters can just be, taken apart and still live so long as their spark remains undamaged/their body isn't to badly damaged (we literally have heads getting popped off like barbie dolls and everyone is fine lol).

It manages to flop between goofy as fuck and, actually a bit grim at times, and it works (once again, solidifying my belief that Transformers is and always has been, funny as shit and people who poo-poo on the humor are boring edgelords)

I kinda fuck with this universe actually, wish we HAD gotten that s4.

And the changes it makes to the CHARACTERS to fit with the universe is neat too and it, kinda works.

The Characters:

So like, this version of Optimus (and the main core cast of Autobots really) is like, just A Guy. Like, the most Just a Guy that Optimus could possibly be. He's not this war weary, battle hardened warrior and great renowned leader. He is literally just A Guy. The equivalent of a college drop out. And the meeting with Megatron at the start of the series is literally their first meeting. No history here.

And I think that's kind of an interesting take. (Also I found a really funny fic the other day that's basically 'Megatron realizes that the 'elite warriors' they've been fighting are in fact just Some Guys and the revelation is MORTIFYING' i'll link it later).

Prowl. I'm sorry but this my guy. This is my Prowl. I know he is totally different than like every other Prowl in existence but UNFORTUNATELY this was my introduction tot he character and the robo ninja that turns into a bike imprinted on teenage me's psyche b/c honestly that concept fucks. He's my favourite and I was super sad when he died.

Also just 'robot ninja' is fucking cool haha

I loved this Bumblebee's design, it slaps. He's like a lil kitty man. He's so much fun. Yapped so much that when they made the movies they're like 'ok we NEED to shut this guy up' haha.

I think I totally forgot Bulkhead was in Animated but like, I love this dude??? Don't get me wrong I like Prime Bulkhead as well but Animated Bulkhead just, is so fun, and they did MORE with him aside from 'smashes shit real good'. He gets to have a special interest and be good at ONE (1) thing and that's space bridges. And he picks up art as a hobby! He has character and personality, I love it.

Honestly, the Autobots just being a bunch of regular guys (well, 4 regular guys and one war vet who REALLY wishes he'd retired long ago) is such a fun dynamic to have instead. And it works.

The Voices:

So like, I know Peter Cullen is THE voice of Optimus (despite the fact that I think more people that aren't him have voiced the character than he has but I digress) but in this case, NOT casting him actually makes sense. As I said, Optimus here is just A Guy. And a young one as well. Like Orion in Transformers One. So the deep, older sounding voice of OP Optimus wouldn't fit the character. And this voice does.

I DO however find it really funny that the voice actor for Optimus (David Kaye) previously voiced Megatron in other Transformers series. Man could voice a whole Optimus-Megatron fight on his own now.

Honestly, all the voice choices fit the characters as established in this series.

Special mention to Shockwave, who apparently is voiced by his OG VOICE ACTOR. That's kinda dope. And he has a perfectly spooky voice (also I really enjoyed this version of Shockwave. Man is out here being Megatron's specialist little boy and loving it)

Also I love that the opening is just a remix/modernized version of the OP opening that we all know. That's cool and it slaps.

Yeah, TFA does aim a biiiit younger for it's audience than some series but that's not a bad thing and it's still a damn good show. It's not like "kiddy" in that patronizing way. It's good and it holds up well I think.

Also here's that fic I mentioned earlier, go read it it's funny.

Revelations

#transformers #transformers animated #maccadam

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pablitogavii · 2 years ago

Text

Best friend's little sister

Summary: You are Pedri's little sister which makes you forbidden fruit for his best friend, Pablo Gavi. But he isn't one to follow the rules.

Pairing: Pablo Gavi x You

Warnings: slight angst(angry Pedri)/ fluff/ happy ending I promise :)

I might make this into a series if you guys like it :) Lmk in the comments :)

Gavi had so many girls that went absolutely crazy about him ever since his debut for the national team during the World Cup.

He had so many options, not to mention princess of Spain that clearly had an enormous crush on him, but he wanted the only one he was not allowed to touch-Pedri's little sister Y/N.

He first met you during one of the night when he brought drunk Pedri home and had to sneak him inside into his room. They were celebrating victory against Madrid and Pedri went a little overboard.

"Gotcha!" you jumped from behind the door making Gavi jump thinking it was Pedri's parents who woke up and caught them sneaking in so late.

"You must be Y/N. I'm Gavi, your brother's teammate and friend. Sorry, I should leave. Um. He is out but should be better in the morning." Gavi said walking towards you making your heart skip a beat when you looked at his handsome face closer.

"I'm turning him in! That's what he gets for not bringing me along!!" you said with a snarl while rolling your eyes which made Gavi clench his jaw and push you flush against the door.

"Aren't you a little young to be drinking Y/N?" Gavi looked down at your small frame grinning to himself at how small you looked while staring at him innocently.

"Whatever I'm 18 in a few months anyways..." you lied which made the boy grin and shake his head while his hand took your chin and made you look up at him again.

"I happen to know your are 16, bomboncita" he said while you swallowed thinking that Pedri must be talking about you to him then.

"I'm not a kid Gavi!" you tried to sound as stern as possible but he could see how nervous he got you just by being this close. What worried him even more was how good it felt to him to be this close to you...to his best friend's little sister.

"Sure you're not, bombon. Sleep well!" Gavi said leaning down making you close your eyes thinking he is going to kiss you but instead he only pecked your cheek before quickly slipping outside. You were left frozen there for a few seconds thinking of his lips on your soft skin scared to admit that you were having a crush on your brother's best friend.

Ever since that night, you started spending a lot more time with your brother and his friend. You even started attending Barca games, something your brother could never beg you to do before. But it was such a show to watch Gavi play, especially since he steals a glance at you whenever he gets a chance. One time he even winked at you as he was rushing to get to the changing room at half time.

"You're making those girls crazy with that winking, hermano" Pedri joked tapping Gavi's shoulder while taking off his sweaty jersey. Gavi felt guilty for having to keep his new crush a secret from his best friend, but even more he felt like he was betraying him at the same time.

A few months later, Gavi was invited to one of your family dinners as Pedri's best friend. You have started texting and face timing almost every night since then which made the whole situation that much more awkward.

"Hola, hermano. Come inside. Let's watch the game outside while dinner gets ready!" Pedri said and Gavi nodded curious as to where you were but decided not to look obvious.

When they came outside, Gavi's eyes immediately glued to your tan body in a bikini laying on the grass with your perky bum in the air You were reading a magazine with one of your friends. He clenched his jaw when your eyes met and a smirk plastered on your face.

"You are making his life a living hell, amiga" your friend whispered and you both chuckled which made both boys look at your direction. Pedri was rolling his eyes in annoyance, while Gavi gave you a warning look that only amused you and made you want to push him further.

When your mom said it was time to make the table, your friend decided to leave and you went to change into some comfortable clothes before helping your mom.

"Go get the boys, babygirl and I'll get papi" your mom said and you nodded although a little nervous to look at Gavi again. You were determined to be the one who plays the game this time, since Gavi is always the one that makes you nervous and flustered.

"Dinner is ready!" you peak your head to meet the faces of two boys who were previously laughing about something. They both got up to follow behind you and an idea sparked in your head.

"I almost forgot! Um I'm sorry.." you moved past Pedri brushing your bum against Gavi's front while reaching for your phone on the table and hearing him fight an urge to groan. You smirked and he caught it.

For the rest of the dinner, you would 'accidentally' kick Gavi's leg and giggle when he would look into your eyes. When everyone was finished, you were the first one to get up because Pedri already said Gavi and him are gonna play game in his room.

You were in your room annoyed because you knew your brother would never let you come into his room, and you couldn't exactly tell him why you wanted to be there at all.

But you could always text Gavi...tease him a little.

bombon: hi Pablitoo. Did you like my bikini??

pablo: behave! I'm with your brother!

bombon: I know you would much rather be between my thighs ;))

pablo: dios mío! you little tease! stop messing with me!

bombon: sent a picture of you sucking on your lollipop pouting

When you went to the bathroom afterwards, Gavi was quick to excuse himself and grab your wrist while pushing you inside before locking the door behind himself.

"Stop playing with me!" Gavi growled down at you and you felt a shiver move down your spine as your back hit the washing machine and his arms trapped you.

"Or what? You're my brother's bitch Gavira!' you push him what seemed to be past his limits and he grabbed your hips roughly raising you up to sit on top of the machine before kissing your lips passionately for a few minutes.

"I'm nobody's bitch, princesa..." he spoke while pulling away looking at your swollen lips and sparkly eyes. He heard Pedri call for him saying it was his turn to play so he smirked taking a second to fix his hair you messed up before leaving you there alone and needy.

A few days after a kiss there was nothing...no text..no call..dead silent. You even got DMed so many rumored tiktoks about fucking princess of Spain crushing on him!? Like tf!?

You were determined to get his attention one way or another...

Y/N.babe

bikini :o

liked by pablogavi and others

commets:

@influencergirl: so gorgeous!!!

@badboydanny: mmm mamacita!! <3333333

@vinijr: beautiful <;3 liked by y/n.babe

replied by @pedri: hell no!! @vinijr

@bruna.biancardi: maravillosa <3

replied by y/n.babe: amei <3

@pedrifangirl: I like your brother sooo much! tell him to hit me up ;))

replied by y/n.babe: no thank you :/

@gavisgirl: stay away from gavi!! he's mine!

replied by y/n.baby: kay ;)

Even Pedri noticed how irritated Gavi was the entire training session which is rarely true for the boy eager to joke and play with his teammates.

"Everything good hermano?" Pedri asked him

"This girl has been messing with my head, man" Gavi answered knowing he can't exactly say more almost wishing he could talk to his best friend about it.

Gavi saw your post this morning and he couldn't take his eyes off how beautiful you looked in that bikini, same one he saw you in that night. It was the comments that he didn't particularly like...especially Vinicius Jr clearly flirting and you liking his comment.

"Excuse me, stranger? I'm looking for my brother Pedri, have you seen him??" you met with gavi like usual backstage before the game.

"He's getting ready. We have an El Classico to win." Gavi spoke not even looking at you his eyes glued to his phone which was strange. He wasn't even using his signature pet names? His voice wasn't playful like always, it sounded almost bitter...or rather angry?

You decided to ignore it, thinking it must be stress over the game so you went underneath his arms and hugged him tightly. He returned a hug but with barely any enthusiasm. You left to your seats shortly afterwards.

Gavi kept making fouls and serious ones too. Most of them were directed to one player in particular...Vinicius Jr. Now you understood where his bitterness came from...he saw you liking Vini's comment.

"I told you he would react!" your friend whose idea was to like the comment added playfully and you rolled your eyes little worried that Pablo was going to get kicked out of the game if he continues like this.

"Hey! Que pasa!? What the fuck do you want!!?" Vinicius marched towards Gavi after another foul and their chest collided as they stared each other down.

"Stay the fuck away from Y/N!" Gavi said as Pedri came to seperate them but his friend wasn't budging.

"Are you jealous she a Madrid fan instead? She clearly wants me around, idiota!" Vini said and Pedri now felt infuriated too so the rest of the teammates had to pull him and Gavi to the side but not before a fight made all three of them get yellow cards.

Pedri explained to team what happened and everyone supported him. Then your brother walked to his best friend shaking his hand and hugging him while whispering "thanks for sticking up for my little sister, hermano. you are such a good friend!" and those words made Gavi swallow hard his guilt.

When the game was over, Pedri left home and you said you wanted to walk with your friend when actually you wanted to stay behind to talk to Gavi. You felt horrible that he got a yellow card because of you feeling like you should apologize.

When the last player left the dressing room, you came in knowing Gavi was alone. He was sitting on the bench with his phone while running a hand through his wet curls. He looked so breathtaking.

"Hey.Um. Congrats on winning.." you said quietly and when he looked at you, it was obvious that he was still angry.

"Pablo...I didn't think it would.." you started but he cut you off quite sternly while standing up abruptly looking down at your innocent face.

"You don't think Y/N! That's the problem! If you want Vini then why play this whole game with me huh!?" he spoke groggily and you felt your eyes fill with tears that he would ever think you would just play with him like that.

"I don't want Vini, okay!? I did it to get your attention! I want you! Every day..every hour..every second! Ever since you kissed me, you are all I think about but I know my brother will never approve and I know he is your best friend! But I can't help it...I want you!" you said tears falling down your cheeks and he collected them caressing your cheek ever so softly before capturing your lips into a long waited kiss.

He grabbed your legs quickly raising you up still not breaking the kiss before sitting down on the bench with you straddling his lap and your arms around his neck.

When you pulled away from the kiss, you nuzzled your face into his neck while resting your head on his shoulder and he ran his fingertips up and down your spine gently.

"So am I forgiven, Gavinho???" you pouted into his neck while looking up at him and he smiled kissing the top of your nose before holding your hips with both hands.

"Um. You might have to make it up to me princesa..." he smirked and you smacked his chest at a dirty insinuation.

"I was going to say by wearing only my jersey from now on..but if you had something different in mind?" he said which made you blush hard and hide your face resulting in boy laughing loudly and kissing your hair.

"We need to find a way to tell him soon.." you said and Gavi nodded knowing that the longer he does this behind Pedri's back the higher the chance he will get caught and lose his best friend forever.

pablogavi

Força Barça <;3 @fcbarcelona

liked by pedri, y/n.babe and others

comment:

@y/n.babe: :)) liked by 1200 others

reply by pablogavi: :))

@gavisgirl: isn't she pedri's sister??

@soccerfans: i think so??

@pedri: vamos hermano! liked by pablogavi

@fcbarcelona: golden boy! liked by pablogavi

@ferran: força!!

@vinijr kid with no game!

reply by pablogavi: I got more game then you know ;)

reply: @gavifangrils: we love you!! gavi>>>vini

@gavisgirl: my man!! <333

@gavifanhouse: @gavisgirl he is not your man bruhh

Do you guys want more??? LMK;)

To be continued...

#pablo gavi icons #pablo gavi x you #pablo gavi x reader #pablo gavi x y/n #pablo gavi #pedri gonzalez #pedri #pedriandgavi #pablo gavi smut #pablo gavi angst #pablo gavi fanfic #pablo gavi imagine #fc barça #fc barcelona #fc barca

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