#and i am sure many villagers are looking at her funny

[peculiarbeauty]

SHE IS DAYDREAMING AGAIN perhaps a bit too loud for others to see. " all i've ever wanted is more than this. i know there is adventure somewhere out there. more than the provincial life can offer , anyway. " she could not possibly be so ordinary , it was boring to have a life planned out already for her. she is certain gaston would love to plan it had he been given the chance , but she was not his little wife. a scoff at the mere thought of it coming to fruition again has her shaking her head. @sovereignreigned

[askinkiskarma]

Lo'ak x Omatikaya!Reader

Warnings: angst, suggestive language, cursing

Word count: 3,1k words

Notes: surprise!! here I am once more writing things outside of what I had planned to, but people have been asking for a Lo'ak story and you know me besties, I aim to please. I really loved writing Lo'ak in my Cardigan series, so I'm excited about this. enjoy x

Na'vi words used: ma 'ite - daughter; sa'nok - mother; skxawng - idiot; tsantu - good guy, txepvi - spark

next part (x)

He was sunshine, I was midnight rain He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain He wanted a bride, I was making my own name He stayed the same, all of me changed like midnight

You and Lo’ak have been friends for longer than you can remember. Literally. You couldn’t remember becoming friends, because, as Neytiri loves reminding you both, your connection was immediate and permanent.

“Did you know, ma ‘ite, that you and Lo’ak held hands for the first time when you had just been born? Yes, yes… he was just a few months old when we brought him by as you were born, and your little fingers wrapped around him when he reached out for you. You were so tiny, the most precious baby. And I’m pretty sure my son fell in love with you that day.” 

“SA’NOK!” 

You laughed as Lo’ak’s face dropped in shock, and smiled almost bashfully as he shuddered when your fingers made contact with the freckles on his cheek, that shone brighter than they normally do, probably due to the deep contrast between them and the new shade of purple that signalled a beautiful blush, that you could never get used to, no matter how many times you have seen it through the years. 

“Oh, son, am I embarrassing you?” 

He huffed and got up from where he stood, and you joined in as all the family starting laughing at the beautiful boy that left the tent stomping, his tail swishing furiously behind him. 

You scoffed softly and followed him, rolling your eyes as Spider made kissy noises and Neteyam chuckled to himself. 

“Wait up, skxawng.” 

“I’m so damn tired of being my family’s clown.” 

“Oh, Lo’ak…” you caught up to him outside of the village, and took his hand in yours to stop him in his tracks. He didn’t look at you, even as you manoeuvred around him to come face to face with this boy the you loved so much, this boy who knew you, who you knew, who will always be everything to you.

“You’re nobody’s clown, Lo'ak. We all love you so much, but you take things too seriously. It wouldn’t be funny if you didn’t get so upset about it. What’s so bad about your mother said? I think it’s sweet.”

Your hand trailed up his arm slowly, and you saw goosebumps appear in its wake, and you smiled at the reaction his body had to your touch. Your hand stopped as it reached his face, that you caressed, and his lips, lips that you’ve dreamt about, that you loved the thought of, that you could feel on yours in dreams and wishful reveries. The same purple tint took over his features once more, and you couldn’t help yourself, couldn’t help the way your face inched closer to his, closer and closer, until your lips touched. It was so soft - the kiss, his lips, the feelings that enveloped you. It felt like home. He felt like home. 

“I think you’re sweet. And I think I fell in love with you the day I was born, too. I think it's always been you, Lo’ak.” 

He could no longer be upset at his mother after that, not when her meddling led to the happiest day of his life. 

Lo’ak loved watching you get ready for battle. How could he not, when your body, tall and supple, a body that had such grace and elegance to it, he felt everyone else in the world would be privileged to ever get to see, was now covered in war paint that complimented your blue skin so well. Orange and yellow lines travelled from your face to your neck, and Lo’ak stood there, mouth agape, once again needing to thank Eywa for whatever luck or happenstance brought you in his life. 

You looked up at him, a mischievous gleam in your big yellow eyes, one that he knew too well, one that seemed ever-present on your face. This look and all it encompassed is why he called you what he did. Txepvi. Spark. His spark. As much as his family gave him grief about his own behaviour, about this recklessness and propensity to get himself into trouble, you were worse - much worse. Always looking for adventure, for danger, for adrenaline rushes that electrified your senses and set your body ablaze. You told him once that you needed it, needed this. That it made you feel alive. You always said there has to be more to life than sitting in the village every day, learning to weave, learning about plants and how to best combine them to make pastes and ointments. You were bored easily, bored of the same mundane, of the same routines, so you always looked for new ones. And you got exactly what you wanted when the Sky People returned. 

Lo’ak knows you hated it, hated them, that you would have happily watched all of them die at your hands, but he also knew that deep down you loved it. Loved how each day was a new challenge, was a new opportunity to prove to yourself, and to him, and to the Olo’eyktan, that you were an asset, that you would be worthy of one day of being Neytiri’s successor, of your parents’ legacy as warriors that gave their lives in the war that came to their doorstep so many years ago. 

“I want you to mark me. You always bring me good luck. And I need it today. I want your hand on me, on my heart. I need a reminder of what’s good in the world. Of what’s mine.” 

Lo’ak’s heart was booming in his ears at your words. You have always been brave. You had a strong heart. You always knew your own mind, always knew what you wanted, who you wanted. And he still couldn’t believe his luck that what you wanted was him. You pushed the bowl of paint towards him and eyed him expectantly, and he obliged you. He placed his five-fingered hand palm first in the bowl and watched as the paint dripped back in it as he removed it, trying to shake off the excess so it doesn’t mess with the design already on your body. Trying to calm his thoughts, he placed his hand on your chest, right in between your breasts, and felt your own heart beating loudly against him, and he smirked, placated in knowing he wasn’t the only one whose emotions were running wild, whose desires were pulsating through every fibre of his being. 

“I still think it’s unfair you get to fight while I am still stuck being a spotter. You’re younger than me, for fuck’s sake.” 

“I’m better than you, ma tsantu, how many times do I have to prove it to you?” 

He scoffed, and tugged at your beaded top until your lips connected, the white paint on your lips smudged and diffused now, coating his own, and he didn’t care. He thought it was fair, that there were physical traces of you on him, coating his body like you did his being, his heart and soul. Your tongue traced his bottom lip and explored and he let you, meeting you halfway, a messy needy dance that left him panting and weak. He kissed you to shut you up, but now he was the one speechless. How did this always happen? 

You pecked him once more, then moved to reapply the painting that had just been erased. He could hear the small smile in your voice as you spoke. 

“Your father loves you. He doesn’t want you to put yourself at risk. He doesn’t want you to get hurt, and doesn’t want Neteyam to get hurt trying to protect you, like he always does. He doesn’t have the same compulsions with me. That's why you're a spotter and I'm not.” 

You grinned at him, your large, sharp canines coming into view, and he yelped a little as you directed them to his neck, biting on it until a sharp sting traveled through his body. You licked the blood that came out of the two small puncture wounds and he shuddered at your touch. 

“Come, mighty warrior. Let’s go show them what happens when they mess with the Omatikaya.” 

It was surreal to you, how much life changed, how fast life changes. It seemed like yesterday that you were swinging through the trees of the Omatikaya forest, innocent and mild, just happy to exist, happy to be alive, happy that there was air in your lungs and sun shining through the leaves and hitting your bare skin, that soaked it all, that loved it, loved every ray, loved it all. You were different now, so different you could barely recognise yourself. You don’t know if child you would have liked the current you… or vice versa. Current you wanted more. More than just the forest, more than just being, and existing peacefully, more than what every other Omatikaya seemed to be satisfied with. You wanted chaos, and pain. You wanted deep, earth-shattering experiences, you wanted life to course through your veins like ice water through the stream near the village. You wanted to fly and you wanted to fall, you wanted to be remembered, you wanted to be revered. You wanted everything. 

You knew the Sullys would be angry at you for taking their son away again, for bringing him along with you on one of your unprompted and unplanned trips, where you just got on your ikran and didn’t look back for days, until you discovered something new, something more than what you knew. It was your favourite thing to do, outside of what you were currently doing, limbs tangled with this boy that brought light to your life, and shivers down your spine. 

“I can’t believe this place. It might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, present company excluded, of course.”

You giggled and propped yourself up on your elbows, looking at the beach that surrounded your entire line of sight, on this beautiful small tropical island. You flew until you reached the Eastern Sea, and your sights both locked on this little slice of Paradise, that felt so isolated, so wild and untamed, so untouched by Na’vi or animals alike, and you knew this was the place to spend the night, with nothing but the endless stars watching over you. You never got to see the sky like this in the forest, so clear and unperturbed by all the trees obstructing the view - yet another reason you loved your little adventures. 

“My dad’s going to kill me when I get home, you know? And then he’ll kill you.” 

“I know. But that’s a problem for future me. Present me wants to swim in the ocean, and she wants you to join me. She’ll show you a good time. You won’t think about your dad anymore by the end, I promise.” 

He growled lowly at your words, and followed you as you got up and ran into the water, diving for its depths, revelling in this feeling you hoped would never end, and in his presence, that quieted the tumult that was ever-present in your mind. You loved him. He was your home, your calm. He was the best thing in the world, and he was yours. 

You felt nervous as Lo'ak entered your tent, a troubled, tearful look on his face, one that meant danger, one that meant hurt, for both of you.

“Dad says we have to go. I have to go.” 

Your mind went blank at his words, a new feeling for you. You couldn’t quite understand what he was telling you.

“Go? Go where?” 

“The Metkayina. He says we’re to start a new life there.” 

“But… but you can’t go. He’s the Olo’eyktan, he’s the Toruk Makto. You can’t just up and leave us.” 

You watched as Lo’ak’s face changed from sorrow to anger, directed at you, at his father, at the world - you couldn’t quite tell. 

“Do you think I want to fucking go? Do you think I chose this? I don’t get to choose what happens, none of us do, but this is happening.”

You felt tears pricking at your eyes painfully, but you couldn't shed them yet, not when it felt like there was still so much heartbreak still waiting to ambush you.

“So you’re just going to leave me? Leave what we have behind?” 

His eyes softened at your words, as he approached you and his hands immediately found your face, the face he adored more than everything else in the world. 

“Of course not. I could never leave you. I love you. I’ve loved you my whole life, I have dreamt about your life woven with mine for as long as I can remember. I have always known you were the one, the only one. I never had the courage to tell you, but you did. You told me, and you kissed me, and I am so grateful. So grateful that you chose me, so grateful that I get to know that you’re mine, that our children will be the best warriors this clan has ever seen, just like their mother is.” 

Your heart fluttered upon hearing his confession, and a smile swiftly replaced your deep frown and stubborn tears. You couldn’t help tightening your arms around his waist and pulling his body into yours, until you felt every crevice, every indentation, every scar and mark on it, until you were so close you felt like you were becoming one, unable to ever be separated again. 

“I don’t understand, Lo’ak. What are you saying?” 

“I want you to come with me. You have to come with me. I can’t live without you, and I know you feel the same. We have to be together, and this way we get to.”

It quickly felt like the world quieted around you, dead quiet, like a grave or an unopened tomb, like no life has ever touched it.

You have to come with me. I can’t live without you.

You didn’t notice your arms dropped sluggishly to your side until Lo’ak grabbed them and tugged at them, at you, trying to pull you out of your lethargic state. 

“Ma txepvi… please say you’ll come. Please.” He was pleading now, anguish coating every word as he was pushing them out, and you felt it all, deep within your soul, you felt it overtaking you too, felt it killing you as you knew what you had to do, knew what you had to say. 

“No.”

As soon as the word escaped your lips, so did a pained sob escape Lo’ak’s. 

“No?” 

And there they were, the tears, the hot tears that stung each inch of your body they travelled down to, the tears that signified the end of childhood, the end of peace, the end of your life as you knew it, of happiness as you dreamt it.

“I can’t, Lo’ak. You can’t ask this of me. You know me, you know me better than anyone else. You want me to give up everything I have worked so hard for, everything I have yearned for, everything that’s finally within my grasp, all of it, to come and be at the Metkayina’s beck and call? To be a trainee again, to be useless again? To give up my bow, my mother’s bow, and pick up a spear, to give up my ikran, my sister, for some sea creature that will never compare?” 

He was crying, too, painfully tugging at your arms, hoping that by doing so, you wouldn’t leave him, you would change your mind, you wouldn’t do what he feared you would, what he always dreaded. He always wondered if he would ever be enough for you, and he was terrified that, each moment passed, it seemed as if he got his answer, the monstrous answer he didn’t know if he could deal with.

“I’m asking you to be with me. I’m asking you to love me the way I love you, I am asking you to give us a chance to grow old together.”

 

The pain was shooting through your body like a lightning hit, powerful and all-consuming, and you felt as though you were going to drown in your own tears, and you would welcome it, welcome the sudden death, welcome the chance to be put out of your misery. This is what you wanted, you thought bitterly to yourself. You always wanted pain and hurt. You wanted to feel alive. Now you did. So alive it felt like death, it felt like your demise, it felt like everything and nothing, like the beginning and the end.

“I love you. I will always love you. And I am sorry. But I am more than this. I have more to give to the world, to this clan, than just myself to you. Someone has to stay behind and protect the people when your whole family is gone. Someone has to stay and fight. There’s still so much of the world I’ve yet to see, so much of myself I have yet to meet. I can’t let you take that away from me, Lo’ak. I’m sorry.” 

You didn't wait for his response as you removed your body from his grasp, that all of a sudden felt trapping, felt suffocating, and took off, leaving nothing but heartache and the shattered promises of a picture perfect future, of love and a shiny family, of a life worth living, but one that wasn't yours.

"Good job today. It's been tough dealing with the demons on our own, without our Toruk Makto, but you're doing great. You're indispensable to our clan, to this village. I hope you know that."

"I know, Tarsem. Thank you." you brought your fingers to your forehead and bode the new Olo'eyktan and the Tsa'hik a goodnight, and made your way out of the tent quietly.

This place felt empty in the months following their departure... his departure. You felt his absence in your every bone. You felt it in the loneliness that haunted you every night, in your body that ached for his touch and warmth, in your mind that never knew peace, not anymore. You wondered if he felt the same. If he ever thought about you, about what you had. You wondered if he's doing well, adapting well, if he found himself a girl, quiet and beautiful, smart and kind, that wanted everything you didn't, that was able to fill the hole you left behind. You hoped he did. You hoped he didn't.

I guess sometimes we all get Just what we wanted And I never think of him Except on midnights like this 

dk about a p2 but we'll see how my besties feel x

thank you @firefly-graphics for the dividers xo

[spacebarbarianweird]

Pleasure

Synopsis: Astarion teaches Tiriel to give a blowjob.

Thanks @themadlu for beta-reading!

Tags: smut, oral sex, trauma talk

Read on AO3

Masterlist

Headcanons

The late evening is sweet and warm, the stars shining beautifully in the dark skies.

It’s Astarion’s second spring as a free person. 

These months always bring hope, and even in his years of slavery Astarion sometimes dared to dream of freedom in those few weeks when nature was new.

Astarion looks to the right. Tiriel walks beside him in her spidersilk armor. The two-handed ax is strapped on her back. She looks ahead with almost child-like amusement. 

He can’t take his eyes off her.

Freckles, wrinkles on her forehead, those funny half-elven ears. He knows every small detail of her body – and loves her mindlessly.

Tiriel notices his look and takes his hand. Her skin is warm, and Astarion squeezes her fingers tighter.

She is much younger, only thirty-eight. The year she was born, he was forced to entertain a certain nobleman from Amn for an entire year. And by the end of it, Astarion thought that returning back to the mansion wouldn't be so bad because at least there he could pretend he was something more than a toy to play with in bed.

Tiriel was beaten by her relatives for being a half-elf. He was beaten and tortured for fun.

Tiriel was starved and humiliated by her own blood. He was fed rats and fleas by his master.

At the age of fifteen, she managed to escape, and Astarion’s undead heart aches when he thinks about young Tiriel, almost a child, wandering the wilderness on her own, without a weapon or armor.

Shedidn’t even have a name before an old adventurer, a tiefling-paladin, explained to her that “pixie” and “fairy” aren’t an appropriate way to call a young woman, no matter her race and origin.

Tiriel told Astarion all these with a bitter smile – her cheating mother, evil chieftain stepfather, cruel siblings, years of traveling on her own, the way she chose her own name at the age of fifteen. The loneliness and pain she tried to soothe with drinking. 

But Astarion knows Tiriel too well. She still suffers for what happened to her. Tears prickle her eyes when she talks about her miserable childhood.

They both have a lot of darkness in their past. She consoles him after nightmares and soothes his anxieties. He tells her how beautiful she is. 

He smiles to himself. Maybe the gods did hear him after all, making Tiriel’s father stay for the night in the village in the Sunset Mountains and sleep with the chieftain’s wife. It just took Tiriel some time to grow up and get to Baldur’s Gate.

“Well, the night is young and we have many hours of travel again. I wonder if there is any village we can get to by the morning,” Astarion says.

“I doubt it. One more day in the tent, then,” she shrugs. 

“Easy for you, Tiriel, you don’t have to stay inside! And I am trapped, protected from the murderous sunlight only by a thin layer of fabric.” 

“First of all, you keep me for yourself until I absolutely need to go out,” she laughs. “Second, it’s an enchanted fabric, and third it’s a very big tent! Don’t complain!”

“Oh, it’s not fun to be in a relationship if I cannot complain!”

Tiriel brushes her finger along his cheek. He closes his eyes, savoring the touch. If only he knew she was already alive in the last decades of his slavery. Maybe it would make things more bearable.

Then he notices Tiriel looking to her side. She opens her mouth and then immediately shuts it, as if trying to say something but not knowing how.

His wild girl doesn’t have a wide vocabulary, that’s for sure.

“What is it, my sweet?”

“Oh? Nothing!” she blushes. “Nothing-”

Astarion is sure there is something on her mind but he isn’t sure if he should push her. Tiriel doesn’t like it.

Neither does he.

They keep walking through the valley and no matter how sharpened Astarion’s senses are, he doesn’t catch any sentient creature’s scent.

There is no one for many miles.

“Astarion,” Tiriel calls him out.

“Yes? What is it?”

She takes a deep breath and stares at her feet. Astarion is sure he’s never seen her that embarrassed.

“I want to take you in my mouth.”

Astarion has to put an effort not to laugh. “And what exactly in this gods forbidden place made you want this?”

She turns her head away avoiding looking at him.

“I’ve been thinking about it for three days.”

“What self-control!”

“Don't laugh, Astarion! Besides, you've gone down on me already! Even when I was on my period!”

He chuckles remembering the taste of her moon blood. It was incomparable to anything else.

“You are a half-elf, my dear, I couldn’t miss the only time you bleed every year and a half. In your case, it’s a rare treat. Not so rare if you were a pure-blood elf of course. Then we would have to wait for a decade.”

“I want to,” she says. “I want to give you pleasure.”

“As if you don’t already give it to me,” he approaches Tiriel and puts his fingers on her neck, where a fresh bite mark is slowly healing. “But who am I to say no to such a generous offer?”

He looks around and notices a boulder that he can comfortably sit on. 

Tiriel impatiently waits till he puts his sack on the ground and sits. Now Astarion can feel her arousal and he contemplates if he should just fuck her like he usually does.

He spreads his legs a bit so she can unlace his trousers without an effort.

“Should I undress?” She asks.

“Take off your armor. The rest only if you want to.”

Tiriel quickly gets rid of the spidersilk armor and stays only in her shirt and trousers. Then, she contemplates for a bit and takes off her top as well. Her skin immediately is covered with goosebumps and her nipples harden because of the cold air.

Astarion feels the tension between his legs. Tiriel knows what she has just done to him.

“Kneel,” he asks. He tries to make it sound like a request, but it sounds like an order anyway. Tiriel bites her lower lip and slowly sits down.

Astarion admires her face for a few moments and then nods allowing her to unlace his trousers. His cock is soft and Tiriel carefully kisses the base of the shaft.

“You haven’t done this before, right?” He asks, feeling his arousal grow.

“Which part of ‘I was a virgin’ don’t you remember?” She asks, planting a kiss right below his navel.

“Yes… True… Well, I’ve probably received it a couple of times, although I don’t remember. Usually, I was giving…” He shivers when Tiriel kisses his half-naked hip. 

“Should I take it?” She mutters. 

“Wait,” Astarion brushes her hair with his fingertips. “It will be difficult to swallow it fully, it will just be unpleasant. Use your hand.”

“Like that?” Tiriel grabs his cock the same way she grabs her weapon and Astarion gasps. 

“I knew what I was getting into,” he murmurs. He feels hot down there, all his thoughts and emotions are focused on his own cock which is getting harder as Tiriel holds it.

“Yes- Yes, like that,” he grabs a fistful of her hair and makes her head lean towards his  cock. “Now relax your tongue and lick the tip. Do it, don't be afraid.”

Tiriel studies the cock for a while and then touches the sensitive head with her tongue. She licks it, forcing a string of pre-cum to flow down the shaft, and then kisses the tip.

“Does it feel good?” she asks.

“Yes-”

“Great, because I like it, too,” she finally goes down and takes the part of his cock into her mouth.

Astarion whimpers as Tiriel starts sucking him. She still hasn't fully taken him into her mouth, and he doesn’t expect she will. Tiriel looks up, maintaining eye contact and he sees tears in the corners of her eyes.

Her right hand goes up under the shirt where she squeezes his right nipple forcing Astarion to moan loudly.

Inexperienced or not, Tiriel knows his body too well, all of his sensitive parts.

Then she stops half cock still in her mouth and her eyes smirk. 

What is she up to?

She goes down fully, her lips meeting the base of the shaft. Astarion feels his legs shiver. 

He is throat-deep in her and the feeling is like nothing that he’s experienced before. Tears flow down Tiriel’s cheeks. Astarion leans back, and Tiriel uses her right hand to reach out for his balls.

“Ngh,” he whimpers, feeling his orgasm getting closer. He thinks he should pull her head away and come on her naked breasts or on her face – he’s personally always hated getting gushed down his throat – but before he manages to make any coherent movement he finishes in Tiriel’s mouth.

Tiriel lets his still-hardened cock go and Astarion expects to hear a cough or gagging sounds but instead, she stands up on her wobbling legs, smiles, and parts her lips to show the white pool of cum on her tongue.

Then she swallows it.

“You taste divine,” she murmurs, letting him taste himself on her lips. “And look very cute right now.”

Astarion slowly returns back from the high of his orgasm. 

“Did you like it?” She asks.

“It was perfect. Everything you do to me is perfect.”

She giggles and then looks at his manhood. It’s still painfully hard. 

“I can do the second round,” she says, licking her lips, but Astarion pushes her onto the grass and tugs her trousers. Her own entrance is wet and swollen.

“I want you to scream my name,” he murmurs, getting rid of the last pieces of his own clothes. “I want you to moan and whimper like the good, wild girl you are,” Astarion adjusts himself and feels her warmth around him the next moment. “And then I will come on these breasts of yours.”

Tiriel cups his face and parts her swollen lips.

“I would love nothing more.”

--

Tag list

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[itsagrimm]

He Who Comes from Under the Water

Chapter 7 - The Knife

Monster!König X she/her afab Reader

CN  Pressure of having children, emotional midlife crisis of a dead woman (it sounds funny, but I made myself cry writing that part), grieving dead family members. Discussions of female* relationship issues in hetero relationships, implied talk of rape, implied forced pregnancy, talk of sexual assault and rape in relationships, talk of forced marriage, mentions of drowning and past trauma, pregnancy as body horror. Implications of potential abortions using herbs (don’t try this at home).

eventual smut.

Notes for better understanding at the bottom!

Beta-read by @queenquazar. thanks having me despite my extreme questioning if this is actually good. I wrote half of this while having a slight fever and it shows.

5k words

Masterlist

You remembered your mother as a beautiful woman. The edge of life and age had polished her, making her shine brighter year by year, until the day she died. With her back to you, she stood in the kitchen, working on something as you entered the room as you had so many times before.

“Is it you, daughter?”

You missed her voice. She sounded so real, the memories coming back as those words rang bright and happy, while she turned to greet you.

“Dear, we haven’t seen each other for too long.”

Her face was like you remembered it. Maybe.

“Let me look at you. Are you eating well? Sleeping well? You need to take breaks in the sun. Soon, it will be too cold to stay out again.”

You nodded to the beautiful, kind, stranger called mother.

“Sit down, daughter. Tell me, have you found a husband? Is he treating you well? A good young man from the village or maybe from a bit further away?”

You let yourself get pushed onto one of the familiar chairs, the wood of the rest pushing into your back, and a cup of tea being placed before you.

“I’m about to be married. I… he… he is good to me.”

“And what does he do?” A friendly but practical look danced over ‘Mothers’ face.

Nervously, you fumbled with the tablecloth before placing your hands flat on the table, “Uhm- he is really good at fishing, and currently he is building a new home.”

'Mother' nodded.

“A fisherman and carpenter. Hm. Hm. It’s good to have a capable man in the family. He better give you beautiful children or I’ll haunt him.”

“Uhm- I’m not sure that will happen.”

“Of course, it will. You will love it,” The stranger chuckled. “Or more like you will be loved. For a while at least.”

“And then what?”

The stranger shrugged her shoulders.

“Then you turn older. And wiser, so you will know what you want. And stronger, so you will ask for it. And then you know how to move or dress to feel beautiful. And he will hate it. You will be loved no more, except by your children and the other women. So have children. And friends.” ‘Mother’ nodded. “That’s how it goes, daughter. You say he is a good man?”

“Yes?” A strange feeling weighed you down deep in your stomach. A feeling of doubt, despite your decision to stay with König. “Are you saying he isn’t?”

“How should I know? I am dead. Just do what I did. It wasn’t too bad. Right? I had you. And I loved you until I died.”

You looked across the table. ‘Mother’ smiled softly, looking down at her hands like a shy girl admitting a secret. She was a stranger. She had lived with you in this house, every day you could recall. And yet you had hardly known her. Was that what she had wanted? Staying in the house and watching her children grow, only to have them leave one day when they did not need her anymore? Or had she stayed because she could not imagine anything else? Because she did not dare to leave?

You could not help but reach over the table, taking your mothers’ hands.

There was not a thing in the world you would back down from to protect the woman that had given you a life. And your heart ached with the realisation that it was too late for her.

But maybe not for you.

“Right, mother. I love you too.”

You opened your eyes, staring at the familiar ceiling. Getting up was out of the question. Instead you laid there, tears filling up your eyes before slowly running down to the side of your face.

The dream felt too real to simply brush it aside. Instead, you wanted nothing more than to have your mother back, hold her, talk to her, and give her all the things she had ever wanted from life. It was unfair how she had given you so much and all you could give her was … what exactly? Your mother was dead. It mattered little what she had expected of you, wished for you… or herself. You could do how you pleased; the villagers had shunned you anyways. That freedom however, felt hollow without the woman who had sacrificed so much for you.

And was it wise to use that freedom for König?

Doubt crept up in you, the possibility of death and sadness, present once more.

Was there a life without marriage?

Where you could leave, live, and maybe love, how you wanted, without fear or fighting to survive?

A knock woke you from your melancholy thoughts.

“Who is it?” You called as you sat up and wiped away your tears while turning to the door.

“Wrong direction, darling. Check the window!” A stranger’s voice called out.

Confused, your head whipped around. A woman was before your window, staring directly at you.

How is that possible? You could not help yourself but wonder at the sight of someone peeking through your upstairs window.

The woman waved at you.

“Hi, People call me Baba Yaga but I prefer Farah. That no-good-wet-little-king-and-fiancé-of-yours asked me to come here to help.”

You rushed to get dressed while König, always on guard these days, waited for you downstairs. As you finished braiding your hair, you stumbled downwards. You knew of Baba Yaga. She was no one to anger or to leave waiting. There were guards and gods out there in the world, elders to be respected and traditions to be followed. And then there was her, putting all of them to shame.

She was the maiden, the mother, the old one to turn to when cursing a former lover or in need of help when slaying a monster. Baba Yaga was the knife - ready to make a pleasant meal or spill blood.

You did not know what to make of Königs decision to call Baba Yaga for help. Was it wise? Or was the price for her help higher than you could afford?

“I’m ready,” You called out as you entered the kitchen. “Oh, wait!” You grabbed a bowl of collected berries, “Can’t go into a house without a present,” You explained.

That would be rude. No one gets away with being rude to Baba Yaga.

König nodded before getting up from his seat, a chair this time.

For a brief moment you saw his eyes wander to his axe leaning at the wall, before he moved on.

He is nervous too.

“It’s gonna be fine.” You tried to reassure him. Or yourself.

König managed a smile before reaching for your hand and holding it, his large clawed hands clasping carefully around yours. 

“I know, Bride. We can do this.”

Together, you stepped out of your home only to see a wooden house on chicken legs in your garden trampling over your sorry attempts of growing buckwheat.

“Great,” You could not help but comment dryly. “How do we move it?”

“Allow me,” König declared before loudly calling out to the house. “Избушка, избушка, повернись ко мне передом, к лесу — задом!”

The house stilled in its light swaying, like a cat that got reprimanded for what it planned on doing.

“Пожалуйста!” König added pleadingly and the house trotted around and tilted forward, appearing oddly unwilling about it.

“Thank you for moving from the field,” you mumbled.

König stepped up to the Chicken-legged-house and knocked on the door while you lingered beside him.

“Honourable Elder, please let us in and hear our words.”

“You made it,” Was all the answer you got before the door flung open. “Finally. I hate waiting.”

In the doorway before you stood Baba Yaga, the woman who had waved at you in the window. Now you knew she had done it from her unusually high and walking house.

“Honourable Elder sounds lovely, but Farah is enough,” She noted and stepped aside. “Come on in. I made tea.”

Carefully you followed König’s soft tug as he helped you up to the high door, lifting you like you weighed as little as the logs he brought you.

Inside, it was just like any other house you had seen. There was a large oven, a table, jars with pickled contents and marmalade everywhere, and a beautiful tapestry with symmetrical flowers on the wall.

“Welcome to my home,” Farah declared and motioned to the table and a few chairs for you to sit.

“Thank you for having us,” You replied politely and passed her the bowl of berries. “I am sorry. It’s not much. But I hope our little gift pleases you.”

“It does. Sit, sister.” Farah gave you an approving nod.

 And so you did, taking a spot next to König, who had chosen one of the chairs which protested loudly, with troubling creaks as he sat down.

Waiting for Farah to finish setting the table, you studied her. She was beautiful and carried herself with confidence. Farah appeared maybe a bit older than you. But you felt like a child getting a visit from an aunt, not some years, but centuries between you two.

“Thank you for having us,” You said with a timid nod as Farah finally sat, intimidated by the powerful stranger. It had been so long since someone new was barely passing the threshold of being just nice to you.

König looked stoically like nothing was out of the ordinary, the little cup of tea looking ridiculously tiny in his massive hands. Being in the presence of powerful beings was nothing unusual for him, you reminded yourself, no matter what - he was one of them.

Farah tugged at her scarf as she sipped from her tea while eyeing the berries before finally releasing you from the awkward silence your words had left in the air.

“You are welcome. It’s a pleasure meeting you.” She  reached for a spoon to casually stir her tea, while avoiding your careful yet curious gaze. “So, you are König’s fiancé? The rumoured Bride of the Vodyanoy?”

“Yes,” You answered plainly.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

She looked up from her cup, her dark eyes finding yours and pinning you to your seat with unforgiving kindness before switching over to König, like a blade slashing around.

“Lovely. What business do I have with that?”

“Oh, none at all,” König interjected smoothly like an eel slipping over wet stones. “We want no trouble with you. Just your blessings.”

Farah leaned back and put down her cup, her eyes piercing through the air like you and König were made out of nothing but thin skin and brittle bone, ready to be dissected and studied. Under her gaze, that likely was true.

“Don’t waste daylight, slime king. I could have spent my time other than coming here.”

“My utmost apologies, honourable Farah,” König continued with a most charming smile. “There is just the issue of my bride's possible death by drowning when she becomes my wife and queen. Do you, by any chance, maybe, possibly-”

“Cut it, König. You want me to waterproof your bride like she is some kind of unsinkable boat. Got it.”

He stilled in his movements before replying, “Yes. Can you do that?”

The honourable Farah sighed as if she had heard that request several times this morning already.

“Is that all? What else do you want me to do, hm? Make the fish sing and dance at your wedding? Build that new palace of yours in one night? Make her a wedding dress while I’m at it?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed,” König snapped back, his charming smile now more frozen than friendly in his face.

“Listen, König. I never took you as wanting to marry. You always looked so content with splashing around the ponds on your own. You did not even care much for the company of your own kin. Why not marry a rusalka? At least they can not drown.”

Uncomfortably, you looked at the cup in your hands, trying to be as invisible from the conversation as possible while gathering as much as you could. The idea of König being with someone else, a beautiful watery creature like himself, shifted something inside you and you did not know where to put it.

“No. I want to marry her. She is my Bride. I promised it.”

His words pearled down like warm summer rain.

He was so sure of it.

“To whom did you promise that?” Farah inquired further.

“Her grandfather. He used to fish at my pond.”

For a brief moment it was silent as you stared into the dark liquid in your cup as if it held the secrets of the universe.

Then Farah broke out laughing.

“That sounds more like you, König.” She gasped. “Acquiring a bride from a fisherman. Alright, that sounds precisely how the King of everything From Under the Water would get married.”

Amused, Farah looked back at you. “Are you happy with that, dear?”

You blinked, like a deer that got stuck between two rivalling wolves. Your eyes wandered to König who had the most trying neutral expression on his face somewhere under all that tangled hair.

“Uhm. I suppose,” You answered, dumbfoundedly. Since when did your happiness and not just your survival matter?

Farah raised one of her eyebrows.

“You suppose…” She repeated and grabbed her cup and spoon. “Get out.”

It was on you to raise your eyebrows.

“I’m sorry?” You questioned, a little fire in you giving you strength. You might have been just a tiny little human with brittle bones and thin skin, but you had tasted kindness again and you weren’t ready to give up on that yet.

“Not you.” Farah waved at you dismissively, “You, yes you heard me, König. Get out before I turn you into a frog. I need to talk to her alone.”

For a moment König stared angrily at Farah to be kicked out of the house like an unwelcome guest.

Then he turned his head and looked at you.

It was terrifying to be alone with Baba Yaga, may she call herself Farah and talk like a pleasant relative coming by for a visit, or not. The woman was powerful. But she had treated you kindly so far. And you needed her. Maybe this was for the better? Perhaps you could convince the powerful Baba Yaga to help you on your own, where König was failing. You could do this.

Smiling the most reassuring smile you could muster, you nodded. 

“I will be fine, König. Can you stay close please?”

König grumbled a ‘of course’ before getting up and exiting the house, leaving you and the Baba Yaga alone.

“They say it’s magic what I do, but most of my craft is giving stern looks and straight words,” Farah smiled deviously.

“Tell you what, sister,” She paused. “You don’t sound unsure about this marriage. König might be a king, but I never paid attention to titles anyway. They are all the same sorry puffed up men to me. If you want to get away from him, I can help you. It would be fun to have someone willing to learn the craft from me. You could be like a sister to me. I will not do that unkempt king's bidding, enable or convince you to marry, if you don’t want to.”

You looked away. An offering to stay by the Baba Yaga herself.

She is a knife, you remembered, she cares but she cuts too. I do not want to be cut no more.

“That is kind of you, Farah. I am humbled by your offering. But even if it’s complicated, I want to stay.”

“Foolish girl,” She said with a tone that did not mean it. “How is it complicated, sister? Do you not love him then?”

You took a sip from the cup. The tea tasted like nothing in your mouth, but you hardly paid attention.

Would there be a point in lying? You knew the stories of the powerful and clever Baba Yaga. And you had met speaking animals and beings you only knew from tales. Farah would have her ways to find out if she truly wanted the truth. And she likely would not appreciate being lied to.

You swallowed and decided to play it safe.

“My family is dead. All of them. The village shunned me because they thought I was cursed, and one of them repeatedly berated and even attacked me,” You explained. “König is fine. I don’t know him very well, yet. But he looks out for me, he really does. And he does not expect me to do anything more … physically - He promised. And he never forced himself closer to me even if he certainly had the chance and strength to do so. He just needs a queen to show around. And I need a protector. It is … okay. I have made my peace with it… so I thought. But … I had a bad dream. And it confused me. And König told me I might be in danger from drowning because I am human, and he is not. I nearly drowned already. I fear the water since I know him. Can’t stand being deeper in it than to my ankles. That’s why he sent out for you to maybe help with that. So that I will not die in the water by being with him.”

Farah slowly blinked, inhaling and exhaling before leading back in her chair.

“That’s a lot,” Farah finally spoke. “And they say a maiden’s life is light.”

You huffed. “Do they?”

“Older men in taverns do - talk like they know of the world while sitting around.”

“If you say so. I have never been to a tavern. Never left the village.” You answered, feeling foolish now like you knew nothing of the world.

Farah only hummed, closing her eyes as if in deep thought.

“Tell you what, sister,” She opened her eyes. “I will give you knowledge to protect yourself from death by that wet boy of yours.”

Farah got up and started cutting and mixing dried herbs in a large mortar.

“Like most men out there, he probably never even considered that a suffering. Acting like his presence is a gift to the world. You say he does not touch you? Fine. Here, take this.”

You stretched out your hands over the table and she passed you a pouch of the herbal mixture.

“Have you paid attention to what and how much I put in it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. As long as you want, you shall be barren. There will be no child coming from your womb. Just drink a cup of tea made from this mixture every day. Even if that wet-rag-king breaks his promise or you two might change your mind, you shall choose your fate. Quite frankly, without some intervention and knowledge, his dick is more likely to cause you harm than any water ever could. Drowning is faster than carrying a child you don’t want. If your mother were still alive, I’m sure she would tell her beloved daughter all her secrets.”

You looked at the pouch in your hands.

A knife, you thought, a knife to care and cut. Is that a betrayal? To König? To my family? To Mother?

“I don’t know if my mother would have ever told me.”

Farah crossed her arms, grumbling disapprovingly.

“Who knows. But I did. Your choice now. You can always just not drink the tea, right?”

You thought about it. Your mother haunting your dreams and speaking as if having children was the only path to happiness out there. And then you thought of König, his careful act towards you, his hand holding yours, his chest pressing against you, and how observant he was of what you need. How he asked and listened to you. How he would be towards a child. And then you thought of his size and what kind of child from him could grow in your tiny body. If that even was possible. Instinctively your hand closed around the little pouch.

Maybe no one but me is truly looking out for me. Maybe that’s all I am doing? Since when is that a betrayal?

“Right. Thank you,” You mumbled.

“If he ever does break his promise, you are welcome to live with me, and I will boil that fishy king in one of his ponds,” Farah continued as she returned to her seat at the table, sipping from her tea and smiling with glee, “As a little sign of gratitude for my wisdom, entertain me and tell me all about that village of yours and what gossip came from it. I want to know about those who think they can recognize a curse where there is none.”

A knife to cut and care. But not me. Not today.

You leaned back and started telling the stories and lies about you.

And Baba Yaga listened.

You stepped out of Baba Yaga's door and the chicken legged house titled forward to help you walk down the steps to the ground. König was sitting there in the grass, waiting for you.

“Is everything alright, Bride?” He asked while he got up and helped you down.

“Yes.”

You nodded, the herbal pouch hidden between your fingers. It felt exciting to have it there, hold it in your fingers, scary to go against what you had been taught since you were a little girl, mischievous, guilty, fun, safe.

You did not know exactly how to feel about it yet, but you did not let go either. Farah might not have turned you into an unsinkable boat, but she did give you an anchor.

“Hey, walking puddle!” Farah called out behind you from her house. It straightened up again as you reached the grass, acting like a proud pet imitating its keeper.

“I gave your problem a bit of thought and I think you yourself can solve it, oh mighty king of smelly bogs.” She declared. “Sacrifice something you hold dear. Give it to your bride. Coming from a being so tied to the waters should do the job better than any curse or wisdom I could come up with.”

“And what exactly should that sacrifice be?” König grumbled.

“How should I know what you care about?” Farah hit back as her house started to turn away and back to the forest. “Give her your favourite frog? Share an algae salad? But be nice. I like her well enough to return and teach you a lesson if you are not, fish head.”

“That’s it!” König called over to Baba Yaga and her chicken legged house. “You are not invited to the wedding. What kind of help is that? And will you stop it with the names?!”

Farah laughed. “Now I definitely will show up. You will repay me for my wisdom then and give my home a good bath. So long!”

And with her house having finally turned away from you, it started walking off into the forest under Königs loud protests.

Finally, he gave up and sighed.

“Well, at least we have a clue now. Even if it is a riddle.” He turned to you. “Are you sure you are alright? She is a dangerous woman.”

“I am,” You grinned. “We talked about the villagers. I told her everything.”

Königs concerned look turned into a grin as well.

“You are a dangerous woman too, dear Bride.” He nodded approvingly while he giggled. “She hates people who lie and they tell a lot of lies about you.”

“They sure do.”

“I don’t even want to imagine what she will do to them.”

“I do.”

König laughed and took you by the hand. Quickly you hid the pouch in the other behind your back.

“Good thing I am not planning on getting on your bad side, Bride.”

A strange kind of relief washed over you, taking away a tension you did not know you had held. Baba Yaga had given you as many fears as she had given you assurances.

A knife. A knife. A knife.

“Are you afraid I will tell Farah if you did?” You teased, stepping closer into his reach and decided to leave all worry behind you for now.

“No.” He paused, his watery eyes wandering over your form and you suddenly felt very aware that no one, not even the Fox or Heron, was around. Just you and your fiancé. And day time left to explore what that could mean.

“Alright, maybe. A little bit. She is terrifying,” König admitted, breaking the spell that had captured you.

You smiled and stepped away from him. “She is. Next time, please tell me who you invite over so I can brace myself. I like her but she is a force to be reckoned with. Can’t wait for the wedding to see her again.”

“Can’t wait for the wedding too, my beloved Bride.”

You paused, considering telling König about the pouch in your fingers and what that could mean for you - both of you - on your wedding night.

He probably does not even want me like that. I am no powerful being, no rusalka, no Baba Yaga with eyes that pierce everything. Just me. You thought to yourself. Why even give me the pouch when it will never be used? I was foolish enough for a day. No more of it.

“When will we marry, König?” you asked instead.

“When the palace is finished,” He replied. “Come. There is much to be done today. While you tell me what you need, we can think of what Baba Yaga had meant by sacrifice.”

“Good idea. But for today, a sacrifice of fish for lunch will do it for me.”

König chuckled.

“Of course, dear.”

XXX

Cultural Context Notes

Maybe this is a very personal observation but the relationships and friendships among eastern European women* or the dynamic between mothers and daughters is much more important and closer than it is in central Europe or the US. Correct me if I am wrong.

Another more personal observation: I am very cut off from my Russian roots basically since the annexation of Crimea and lost on how queer joy and life can look like ‘back home’. This bleeds into the text, reading very hetero. Since queerphobia is rampant in Russia where my family is from, I’m lost on how to depict eastern european/slavic queerness in my stories. I did not want to replace those gaps by just making a central european take on queerness so this is how it is. But I am a queer writer. And the lack of queerness in my story steeped in eastern european/slavic culture in itself feels like an accidental metaphor and I wish I could change that.

Many are somewhat familiar with Baba Yaga as a powerful evil witch since that is her most present depiction in international media post-Christianisation. But that simplifies her complex character. Some stories hint at her being a goddess of the earth or a similarly powerful being. Other stories describe her as one of three immortal sisters: the maid, the mother, and the crone in which Baba Yaga tends to be the crone. That too makes her an immensely powerful sorceress who reigns over death, life, and rebirth. Depicting her as just an evil witch in the western-European tradition clashes with stories about her being wise and helpful even if she is dangerous and unpredictable. And unlike many classical images of witches from more western parts of Europe Baba Yaga originally had no pointy hat, no black cat, or a broom to ride on. Instead, Baba Yaga appears to have no unusual dress from her peers. Nor does she have a side-kick except for maybe the woodhouse on chicken legs she lives in. And depending on the story Baba Yaga rides an oven, a large mortar, or just walks incredibly fast, which stresses that she is not an old hag in all her depictions but can be of different age and agility depending on the story. Baba Yaga is also associated with bones and death. In some stories she is the mother of the царь кощей / кощей Бессмертный - (Translation from russian) “undead king”/ “The one of bones and who can not die”. I decided to place Farah in the story as Baba Yaga because (I can and) Farah comes off as a reasonable wild card in the CoD franchise which is parallel enough to some Baba Yaga interpretations. Since the character Farah and the creation of a fake middle eastern country just to have that Orientalist theme in the CoD MW plot reads incredibly insensitive and racist to me, I’m making Farah the most powerful being in my story just out of spite. Also, Eastern Europe and Russia is not just Christians but has a lot of other religious influences too, the biggest one being Islam. Farah my beloved and everyone who identifies with her, this is for you. <3

Baba Yaga’s house in many tales is a wooden house on chicken legs that can walk wherever it wishes. To enter the house one needs to call out for it and ask it to turn around. There are several versions on what to say and I’m sure there are other variants in other languages. I used this one because I grew up with it: “Избушка, избушка, повернись ко мне передом, к лесу — задом” - translation from Russian: “Hut, dear hut. Please turn around towards me and with your back to the forest.” The added “Пожалуйста” is also Russian and means “Please”. I wanted to write this phrase in Old Church Slavonic but could not find the right words for it in the dictionaries so I had to stick with what I could execute, sorry. If there is a motivated linguist out there to research this, I’m absolutely willing to edit it and learn more about Old Church Slavonic or other fitting phrases. The origin of this house tale might come from the practice of building stilted houses in swampy regions. To keep the houses from rotting they were built on stilts, which got charred to avoid mould and rot. In some tales Baba Yaga is bound to the house and can not leave. In others she is not. Obviously, I understand staying in such a cool house forever anyway.

Is it possible to use herbs as contraception and abortion remedies? Likely. And there is historical evidence that several remedies had been used in the past to do so with differing success. HOWEVER! Do not try to replicate this at home. This is a fictional story and not medical advice. I know abortion and access to contraceptives are under attack in several parts of the world. It’s important to fight that and guarantee everyone dignity and bodily autonomy. But playing around with herbs you just googled or heard from a friend, is not the solution and can kill you. This part of the story is vague for a reason. 

Buckwheat grows in colder climates and on poor soils. It’s a staple food in many eastern European and central Asian regions. 

Rusalka (singular), rusalki (Plural) don’t have a good translations. In some sense they are mermaids but for inland water, since there are a handful of stories that describe them as having fish tales. But I think the best translation to give a picture of the rusalki is that they are more akin to nymphs like those from Greek myths. Rusalkis are female. In some regions they are supposed to look like old women, in others they are tall and stern looking. I grew up with the Russian tales of Rusalkis being pretty girls or women, playing in or around the water. They can be benevolent, especially to kids and women by helping out with washing clothes, playing or just friendly chatting. But they also can be a threat, predominantly for men whom they trick, drown and eat. It’s fascinating how gendered that image of the rusalka is, as if it fits the same entity but from two binary gendered points of view with the “female” one seeing the rusalka as a free spirit who does as she pleases, and the patriarchal “male” being threatened by that. The stories I know of the rusalka associate her with maidenhood or at least younger women, which ties to the idea that rusalkis are young women who committed suicide by drowning due to being pregnant out wedlock, dying before / around her wedding night or while giving birth. Essentially there is a lot of sexuality coded in the figure of the rusalka. If anyone knows or writes a queer take on it, please tag me. I need a break from those harsh binaries. Also, in some stories Rusalkis serve the Vodyanoy. I don’t really buy that and interpret it as a possible later addition to the fairy tale canon to depict the rusalka as subservient to at least one male master to be honest. Rusalkis are as governable as a storm. 

XXX

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[pipipyuni]

@evelinakostina asked: Hello, sorry to bother you, I hope this fits the criteria, you can write something about tsu'tey and the avatar girl, where tsu'tey is trying to take care of the reader, but she does not understand his hints because where she comes from is taken care of in a completely different way. Have a nice day

In Sickness and in Health

wc: 1941

gender: fem

cw(s): none! all fluff

pairing: tsu'tey x dreamwalker!reader

an: IM SORRY THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE POSTED YESTERDAY BUT I WAS FARMING THE LUNAR REVEL PASS ON LEAGUE WITH FRIENDS SAJDOJSA. anyway i think i deviated a little too much from the request, i'm sorry

content can be read below the cut!

You never knew that your avatar body could get sick.

It was a strange feeling, to say the least. One moment you’re fine, then the next you’re sweating bullets, head pounding as you lean on a tree to steady yourself. Neytiri–ever the dear–is by your side in an instant. Her fingers trace your lips, counting your rapid breaths before placing her palm flat against your forehead.

Clicking her tongue, she scoops you up, quickly weaving through the dense forest all the way back to the village. She tucks you closer to her chest as she nears the village, hiding you from the curious gazes of the people–Tsu’tey in particular. 

He could deny it all he wanted, but she could see the way his ears flattened and his tail whipped around restlessly whenever you were in the vicinity, whether it was in your frail human form, or this one. By some grace of the Great Mother, you had yet to notice the usually spiteful warrior’s affection for you–or perhaps you have, she’s not one to pry.

“Sylwanin would not hate you for loving someone else, Tsu’tey.” 

Neytiri recalls the look of shock that painted his face. From the comically dark indigo hue that covered his cheeks to the dilated pupils that swam with far too many emotions for her to pinpoint. It was quite funny to her, seeing someone as poised as Tsu’tey fumbling like a newborn ikran under the speculation of being in love. She would have never guessed he would do so for a dreamwalker; a sky demon.

The affection he holds for you is one she hasn’t seen from him in a long time, despite being betrothed to him not long after the death of her older sister.

Hence why she simply just can’t allow him to see you in such a vulnerable state. She just knows the prospect of losing yet another one of his loved ones would surely break down the walls Tsu’tey tries so hard to keep up.

Okay…perhaps she’s being a tad dramatic, but she can just picture the deep scowl that would tug at his lips if he were to catch sight of you. She’s already rolling her eyes at the thought of his lecture as she enters her mother’s quarters.

Mo’at flitters about the small space, mixing herbs and mumbling prayers beneath her breath. Neytiri watches her mother work for a moment, unable to find a moment to interrupt. However, when she feels your breaths become labored against her chest, she clears her throat loudly.

Mo’at’s soft chanting comes to an abrupt stop as she turns to face her daughter.

“Oel ngati kameie, sa’nok.”

“Oel ngati kameie, maite. What brings you here?” The Tsahik tilts her head, knowing gaze falling to your weakened form.

Neytiri shifts her weight between her feet, licking her lips as her narrowed eyes meet your closed ones, “I am not sure what happened. She had been doing fine for most of our hunt, and suddenly she collapses.”

Humming, Mo’at motions her daughter closer with a flick of her wrist, repeating the same motions that Neytiri had done previously. With her palm on your forehead, she takes a deep breath, allowing Eywa’s visions to pass behind her eyelids. When she opens her eyes, she’s met with Neytiri’s impatient ones. They were just like her father’s, she notes bittersweetly, but she answers her daughter’s unasked question nonetheless.

“She will be okay, my daughter. Just as it has come, her sickness will pass.”

Neytiri’s shoulders slump with relief, but they are immediately tense once again when her ears catch wind of someone else entering her mother’s hut. She turns to hiss at the sudden intrusion but is silenced by her mother’s raised arm.

“Tsu’tey,” her mother starts, “oel ngati kameie.”

Cursing beneath her breath, Neytiri moves to hide you from the warrior’s sight. The man in question dips his head respectfully to the Tsahik, bringing his hand up before motioning to her. 

His gaze drifts to Neytiri, who offers a small nod in return. There’s movement in her arms, but she turns away before he can get a better look. Mo’at then steps between him and her daughter, further blocking his view.

“Why have you come here, my son?” She begins to circle him, lifting his arms and tail in search of any noticeable injuries.

“Saeyla and Ka'ani have fallen ill,” he states, ears twitching curiously when he hears something akin to a cough, but he brushes it off.

He watches as she stalks back to her previous place in the middle of the hut, her face twisting into a pensive expression. His lips part to voice his concerns but is stopped short by a small noise coming from the thing coddled in Neytiri’s arms.

“The hell…? Where am I?”

The voice, though graveled and nasally, was too familiar for him not to be able to recognize. Mo’at sighs upon seeing something spark within Tsu’tey’s eyes, moving aside to allow him passage deeper into her hut, and more importantly, closer to you.

“Neytiri? Fuck, I ruined the hunt, didn’t I?” You groan dramatically, resting your forehead against her torso.

She merely laughs softly, “You are fine, meylan, we can go hunting again once you are all better.” She then turns when she feels Tsu’tey’s glare burning holes into her back, but not before rolling her eyes.

You offer a weak wave in greeting once you meet his gaze. His jaw clenches at the sight of you, fists repeatedly tightening and relaxing at his side in an attempt to ground himself. Your name falls from his lips, almost as if he’s afraid it’s really you. He’s never seen you so…weak before.

It was jarring, frightening, almost. You were usually so strong, keeping up with most of the clan despite your synthetic genetic makeup. And yet, here you were, as weak and frail as your other form. 

He steps closer to you and Neytiri, lips parting ever so slightly. Upon noticing his hesitation, Neytiri’s gaze softens further, “She will be okay, brother. Eywa has already declared it.”

His shoulders sag, making him appear much smaller than he actually was.

“That may be true,” Mo’at starts, gaining the attention of the two younger Na’vi, “but she will still require care.” Her gaze falls to Tsu’tey, the beginnings of a small grin pulling at the corner of her lips.

“I will take care of her,” his declaration was firm, and neither of the two women expected the emotionally stunted man to openly voice his concerns. Neytiri smiles, the knowing glint in her eyes causing him to glare at her, hissing softly as he takes you into his arms.

“Oel ngati kameie, Tsu’tey…” With that small greeting, you’re out like a light, resting peacefully in the comforts of Tsu’tey’s arms. He sighs, the gathered tension in his shoulders dissipating at the sight of you at peace.

–

The next time you find yourself in your avatar body, you’re still sick, much to your dismay. Though you feel significantly better, your limbs are still weak and your head still pounds with the same persistent headache as before.

Your eyes take in the surroundings, the sight of the unfamiliar hut rousing your confusion. You had expected to wake up in one of the communal hammocks, or at least Mo’at’s hut.

The room was nearly empty, save for the hammock you rested on and a few measly decorations that seemed placed in a vain attempt to fill space. However, despite the almost eerily emptiness of the hut, there was something strikingly familiar with it all. Something so–

The makeshift door to the hut is pushed aside, mid-morning light spilling into the room and nearly blinding you. You squint at the figure in the doorway, ears flattening as you hiss at the headache.

Tsu’tey stands awkwardly in the doorway, seemingly contemplating whether or not he should enter. In his hands, a fresh kill is clutched tightly in one of his hands, while the other holds his bow.

You stare at him questioningly, head tilting slightly as he slowly stalks through the hut. His long legs allow him to make his way to your side in just a few powerful strides. He licks his lips, presenting you the kill similarly to how a child would show their parents their artwork

“I have brought you food.”

You nod slowly, a small smile beginning to make its way to your lips, “Thank you, Tsu’tey.”

Seemingly approving of your response, he lights the small hearth in the center of the hut and begins to cook. The silence between the two of you is comfortable and only broken by the sound of the crackling fire as it licks restlessly at the air.

You only speak when he makes his way back to you, cooked food in hand, “So…this your place?” It was a stupid question, really. Of course this was his place; he wouldn’t be here if it weren’t! Unbothered by your obvious question, he nods as he takes a bite out of his piece of food. 

He spares the hut a glance around the room, wincing at the bareness, suddenly feeling self-conscious of it, “I apologize for the lack of decoration. I am not home often…or good at decorating.” He turns away, seemingly embarrassed as he mumbles the last part to himself.

Your giggle brings his attention back to you, his eyes narrow in a glare while his nose scrunches. It’s cute, you think.

“Maybe I could help? I always enjoyed redecorating my college dorm back on Earth.”

Tsu’tey’s eyes widen, taken aback by your bold offer. His lips part, tongue darting out swiftly to wet his lips–an unconscious habit he picked up through the years. He stands abruptly, clearing his throat, much to your confusion.

“I will stand guard outside, you need to rest.”

Before you can ask him what was wrong, he’s already outside. You can see his shadow peeking beneath the makeshift door. 

Not even ten minutes later, you hear voices quietly arguing outside the door.

“She is unwell, Jakesully! Go home,” you hear Tsu’tey hiss at the second figure. The shadows shift. The one you assume is Jake’s backs up but still remains in front of the door. You begin making your way over, pushing aside the vines that make up the door despite your weakened state.

“Jake…?” The two men turn at the sound of your voice, and you swear a look of relief crosses Jake’s face when he meets your gaze. He steps forward but is immediately stopped by Tsu’tey, who stands between the two of you and pulls you into his side, his tail thrashing irritatedly behind him. Raising his hands in surrender, Jake’s questioning eyes flicker between you and the warrior blocking his path.

“Hey, I got some medicine from Max,” the former dreamwalker holds up a small container, shaking it. Tsu’tey takes it, glaring at Jake before motioning him to go with a flick of his chin. Your friend complies, but not before giving you a sly grin and a wink.

You turn to look at Tsu’tey, whose glare remains fixed on where Jake had previously stood.

You snort at his pinched expression, laying a hand on his chest. He gingerly places his free hand above yours. Your breath hitches in your throat, gaze snapping to meet his own. He leans forward, pressing his forehead against your own, breath intermingling with yours as his heartbeat picks up beneath your hand. For a moment the two of you gaze into each other's eyes.

And for the first time in the last few days, you felt at peace.

©pyuni 2022 — do not copy, steal, repost, or translate any of my works on tumblr or any other site

[masterlist]

[my-owl-baby]

Chapter one; The Lost Lady

Osferth x Modern f!reader

Summary: You woke up in the middle of nowhere, the last thing you remember is going camping with your best friend. Now your here with your belongings. Getting windup with a village of women and children taking care of them until something unexpected happens.

Warnings: killing, cursing, and hard language.

Word count: 2,787

you woke up sore, everywhere in your body ache as you sat up, removing the leaves in your hair. "Where am i?" You cough a bit feeling a bit cold from the air. Snowing already? It was just summer time. You sigh, getting a jacket out of your bag that was near you and putting it on.

"JON?" You yelled hoping your best friend wasn't far from here. You grab your things walking around to find Jon.

You guys were going camping for awhile since the loud city wasn't in the right mental state for the both of you. Now your here in the middle of nowhere, weather freezing cold.

"JON?!" You yelled once more looking around but only see a white landscape with tress around.

"This isn't funny!" You held yourself close not wanting to to freeze to death in the middle of the woods. Did you fall asleep a bit more longer then expected? Or kidnapped? No, they would have you in a room right?

Many questions wonder in your head wondering where you were or how you got here.

Your fingers felt like they were going numb, you saw people up ahead. You weren't sure if they were good or so. You took out your pocket knife keeping it in your back pocket if anything happens.

"Hello?" You yelled once more, seeing the two heads turn to you. You notice it was women which brought you a little hope to you.

"Do you know where I'm at?" You asked getting closer to see a better view of them.

"Stop right there" one of them said, taking a knife out, pointing it towards you.

You pause staying where you are, not making a move because she demanded. "I'm not a threat" you defended yourself, putting your hands up in the air so she can see you aren't one.

She whispered something to the lady, and ran off as she stayed watching me. "And what dose a Dane like you want?" She step closer, she wasn't a threat to you. But you needed her to trust you so you can leave the woods.

"Dane? I'm not Dane" you said calmly, she seem unsure with your response.

"Why do you dress like one" she responded to you, you looked at your outfit. You were your jacket, jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

"I don't understand what you mean miss" you tried to be respectful but she really is making you unpatient since you were freezing you ass off.

"Don't play stupid lady, your Dane...where are your friends?" She didn't believe your words, not one bit.

"Trust me, I'm not a Dane, I don't even know what that is" you kept defending yourself. She seem unsure once again.

You both stayed in silence until an arrow went through her head, causing her body to fall to the ground.

"What the hell" you turn seeing another arrow coming towards your, running to into the village. It was empty, they must be hiding.

"Where the fuck am i" you mumble under your breath trying to find a place to hide. It looked nothing like what Amish people do, or how they live.

You hid behind a blacksmith workshop, you fumble in your bag getting your gun for safety. You didn't know she was going to die, so it wasn't your fault that she died right?

You continued to convince yourself that it wasn't your fault until you heard men laughing out loud. "Find the other whore, and bring her to me" they were riding horses. Swords, arrows and wooden shield as protected.

Then it click you, you weren't home. You weren't in your timeline.

They started to search the place, seeing them near the church trying to open it but it wouldn't bugged.

"I can't use my gun" you mumble to yourself placing it down, seeing a sword and a bow and arrow there. You crawl not trying to make a sound to get your attention.

The sword was heavy and you did have your pocket knife which could be of use. You weren't going to let innocent people dying infront of you. Not like the other times.

Of the men were getting close to your area as the other men try to open the door. He got closer to you enough to grab him and slit his throat. And you did exactly that without anyone noticing.

The snow is painted red, with his blood and the rest of his people blood as well. You grab the arrows and bow getting somewhere high so they won't see you.

"I hate this, where are you jon" you mumble, you heart beat is fast from the adrenaline.

You climb on top of a tree, until you got a good enough view of the men. "Please keep me safe any God out there, that would be wonderful" you mumble once more getting ready to shot.

Leaving everything behind where you killed the man was a good idea? No it wasn't but you didn't want the heavy bag make you slow down.

You started to aim at the men who had arrows so they wouldn't be a threat. You shot your first one which made a commotion, they pick up their shield but not high enough to keep the safe.

You killed another and another after it, only leaving a couple 13 more men to go.

"FIND WHO DOING THIS" you heard one of them yell, as they scattered around the village.

You took a quick break, catching you breath it wasn't a camping trip you were hoping for. All you wanted was a quiet peaceful trip.

You ended up shotting at four more men, you were running out of arrows, only had four more left.

"IT MUST BE THE GODS PUNISHING US MI LORD" One yelled, getting on his knees mumbling to himself.

Another started to believe him and did the same actions as the other man.

"DON'T YOU DARE, ITS NOT THE GODS YOU FOUL" it was your cue to climb down from the tress, first person combat is your strong point. You shot the two men on the ground now colouring their blood with the snow.

You revealed yourself, the 'lord' they called saw you in disbelief. "A women, killed my man" his anger show without notice as he and the rest of his men started to dart at you.

You use you last two on two men who tried to come at you. You dodged them perfectly using your pocket knife to leave a cut on their ankle or wrist.

"How can a women kill my men!" He yelled coming towards you with a sword. You kicked his shield backing away only seeing three more men alive.

"A gun would be easier" you rolled your eyes, wiping the blood of your face with your jacket.

The leader came out you once more, with his sword, you dodge him running away to another man stabing his throat. The other one stumble on his horse yelling witch. Their lord once again tried to attack you pushing his shield towards you.

You fell on the ground, his legs were spread open and decided to hit him where it would hurt, his nuts.

He grunted holding his legs together tightly dropping his sword. "Always works" you said breathlessly, grabing his sword and sliding it through his throat.

You stood there, still hearing another man yelling, as he struggled to get on his horse.

"Really?, oh my god" you mumble grabing a used arrow and aimed it at the man who cried out for help ending his noise.

Now it was silent, the only thing you heard was your own heart beat and breath at the same time. You saw all the men lifeless on the ground, you didn't want to leave them there even though they did try to kill you, you wanted to at least have a proper rest.

You grab your gun placing it behind your jeans covering by your jacket and shirt. You place your bag near by where no one would get it as you started to grab a shovel to bury them.

Soon you notice people coming out the church looking at you, like you were their hero or some sort of monster. You didn't mind them, only trying to bury men you killed.

"You burn them instead of burying them" you heard a young voice said, you turn seeing a women about your age not to close to you.

"We thank you for saving us" she bow a bit before making eye contact with you.

"It's nothing, it's the least I can do for them killing your family member" you mumble not knowing the right words you stop shoveling.

"She was a nun here, for many years...we buried her not the Danes" she said, you nodded looking at the men you had piled in a line.

"So those are Danes, do you know where I am?" You glance at the group of men, then at the her. She nodded taking a deep breath, the children and women were watching you closely making sure you wouldn't hurt their nun.

"Umm, my lady your in the Wessex land" she looked away, playing with her fingers as she spoke.

"Wessex?" It didn't click you heard, until you thought about it more. England, so you either in the 5th-10th century, but you needed the right date.

"Um, do you need any help?" You snapped out of your thoughts, turning to the lady.

"What would be kind of you" you smiled, she nodded, as you both continued to talk to each other about this land or other people out there.

Two weeks had passed, and Uhtred came to the king, Alfred. Sitting down at the table eating along side with the kings wife, father Beocca and Haesten chatting about something.

"His name is Sigurd" Haesten said, eating his food at the same time. "His men call him bloodhair"

Aelswith spoke up "I don't not wish to know why something depraved, I'm sure" she slice her meat up.

"I have a man watching Bloodhair camp" Uhtred spoke, "but I'm curious...he didn't ask you to join him, Haesten?" He asked, taking a sip of his ale.

Alfred looked at Haesten, as he said he declined bloodhair offer. They started to bicker back and forth as the king watched. Uhtred didn't trust Haesten not one bit, and he had every right too.

"Uhtred, there came a report that in the near rivers in Wessex near north that someone killed seventeen Danes alone" he started getting the attention of everyone in his table.

"How can one man defeat seventeen Danes alone?" Father Beocca asked, Uhtred seem impressed, while Lady Aelswith praise the man for killing such evil men.

"I want you to bring that man to me, he would be of use" he said, Uhtred and the others agreed expect for Haesten himself, who stuff meat in his mouth.

Once the king left for air Haesten spoke "There's a lady that Bloodhair has...her name is Skade, she a seer of the devil father" looking at Beocca for a reaction, which he didn't give.

He left afterwards, leaving Uhtred and Father Beocca alone.

"Where are you going?" Beocca asked as Uhtred was walking away.

"Finding out the man who killed that many Danes and speaking to Bloodhair myself" Beocca said something else but Uhtred didn't pay no mind to it.

While those two weeks with you weren't bad, you were force to pray to be able to stay and take care of the women and children here.

It wasn't bad, peaceful then cramping. Jon haven't shown up, you wish he wasn't here but a the same time it would be wonderful to see a similar face here from time to time.

Some of the nuns didn't accept you so quickly as some did, the children grew found of you. You taught the lil boys to learn how to use a wooden sword. Even know you had no experience with a sword you did your best to teach them.

Even some of the girls wanted to learn as well, which you proudly did show them.

You help out as much as you could, chop wood, hunt, collect herds, help making better food and of course taking care of the children.

It was an everyday task for you, you didn't mind it since it was helping you a lot. You never knew how much peace you could taken. Almost like it's your new life now.

You were out in the woods looking for herds since you were already running out of some.

While you were gone in the woods a group of Danes came to the village. "DANES IN THE CHURCH NOW!" Anne yelled in worried helping the children get inside. They shut the door, pushing the table to door.

"Everyone stay calm" she held the kids as many as she could.

"Lady Y/n is out there she'll get hurt" one of the boys plead, she hush the boy holding him closer to her.

The banging on the door started, the rest of the nuns started to pray to their God. Hoping he will save them and keep them at peace more longer.

You began to walk back to the village seeing men there, Danes? You didn't know since they didn't dress like the last ones you met. "Do you need anything?" You spoke up, they didn't notice your presence so they were startle by your voice.

A man walked up to you with a smile "Yes, we are looking for the man, who defeated the seventeen Danes alone" you didn't give him a reaction, shrugging as you walked passes him knocking on the door.

"Anne, open the door" you said turning to the men, there was four of them.

"So your here for the man" you chuckled as you spoke the last word. The same one walked toward you standing by your side.

"We mean no harm, only coming for the kings order, I'm Uhtred" he held out a hand for you to shake.

You looked at him then at his hand before shaking "I'm Y/n" the door peak open, then finally fully open.

"Lady Y/n, you're safe!" The same little boy hugged your legs. A small smile appeared on your face patting his head.

"Yes, I am dear boy" he smile before running off with the other kids outside to play again.

They fix the table as you set the basket of herds on the table. "So this Anne the Abbess of the nunnery, speak to her" you said, not wanting to disappoint the men that you were the one that killed those Danes.

She gave you a worried look wondering why you would trust these Danes. But she trusted you enough to speak to them.

"Hello" she bowed her head a bit towards them.

"Hello, I'm Uhtred, these here are my men I trust" he started you made your way to the kitchen getting food ready for supper.

You could hear them talking with thin doors they have build in. "We came here for the man who killed those Danes a couple days ago" he started, you startrd to chop the fat off the meat.

"Oh, that wasn't no man" Anne laughed nervously, you smiled to yourself as you heard the conversation.

"Really? Was it a bear?" You heard another man's voice as he laughed, causing the two men laugh as well.

"Hah...no" she mumble started playing with her fingers looking at the kitchen door then at the men.

"Then who did it?" Uhtred interrupt her training thought. She smiled at them before she spoke up.

"It was lady Y/n...she saved us" she knew that these men wouldn't believe it, but Uhtred seem to surprise and at the same time believe the young nun.

While the three men, Osferth, Sithtric and Finan on the other hand were surprised that a women like yourself was able to kill that many men.

"May I ask how?" Finan asked Anne, they glance at the kitchen door still wondering how.

"I don't know how to explain it" she shook her head, she really didn't one second she saw you next you were gone while four men were dead on the ground.

"You can stay for supper and for the night, if you have any business with lady Y/n...it's between the five of you" she bow dismissed herself, to the kitchen helping you with food.

"We got ourselves a witch" Sithtric said, he was serious about his words. Osferth didn't want to believe it, you looked kind to even be a killer maybe it was a trick like how the devils are.

[elringtimes]

Until you (teaser)

synopsis: Your mother decided it best if you went on a trip during the summer for the first time in years. You pleaded with her to change your mind due to your fear of the ocean. Despite your protests, you end up on a remote island, where you end up meeting the most enchanting merman.

pair: merman!leehan x f!reader

warnings: heavy angst, some fluff! many mentions of death by drowning, talks death in general, leehan is actually kinda funny, phobia of water, more to be added

notes: my first official fic!! this is just the teaser but i am genuinely so excited to continue writing this, merman leehan has a chokehold on me, please tell me what you think so far 🥹

—————————————————————————————

Summer. The first summer after high school, specifically. This summer meant freedom, hanging out with your friends until late hours of the night, watching countless dramas curled up into your comfy sofa, going to concerts, sleeping over at a friends house every other night, this was the summer of your dreams.

Unfortunately, your mother had a different idea for your summer. You would be going to an island village off the coast of god-only-knows-where, great.

“But mom!” You whined, clearly upset with your mother’s choice for you. “I already told my friends that I would be here all summer!”

Obviously you did, you haven’t gone anywhere for summer vacation since you were in elementary school. Your cries seem to have fallen unto deaf ears, there was no changing her mind. She huffed as she finished folding her laundry.

“Which is exactly why we’re leaving this summer, it’s been too long, honey.”

Damn you and your inability to keep your thoughts to yourself.

You sighed defeatedly.

There truly was no getting out of this. Now, you wouldn’t mind if you were traveling to somewhere exotic and fun, somewhere you know, you could see on a map. But this place seemed so remote you were surprised that your mother was even able to find a flight that would drop you off here, wherever “here” was.

You began to scurry off as your mother told you that you were leaving tomorrow.

Wonderful, you didn’t even have time to bid farewell to your friends.

You continued up the stairs as you mentally began to sort through everything you were going to bring. If you were truly going to the middle of nowhere, then you needed lots of entertainment.

You murmured as you scoured through your room. Books, your journal, your nintendo switch— wait, would they even have internet where you were going? You sighed for the nth time since learning of this wonderful trip. Still packing your nintendo switch, because, surely the island has internet.

After an hour, you had finished packing. You were pleased with yourself, you somehow managed to make everything fit. Truthfully, your room, now barren, looked like you were moving out.

‘I’m just being cautious, better to be over prepared than under prepared.’ you convinced yourself.

Snuggling under your covers, you closed your eyes under your own roof for the last time this summer, tomorrow, you’ll be on a remote island.

———————————————————————————

The flight wasn’t bad. You sent a silent prayer to the sky for the fact that all your luggage miraculously fit on the plane, and the staff didn’t make you take anything out.

You stepped out of the small airport. The salty spray of the sea breeze greeting you. The palm trees swaying in the wind, the wood infrastructure of the small buildings, the smell of the ocean entering your lungs.

Yeah, you hated it here.

Your mom found the hotel you would be staying at rather quickly. Ushering you into your own little room, before muttering something about going somewhere, grocery shopping, you think?

“This is your room (y/n), I'll be just across the hall from you.”

Your mother giddily explained.

She was ecstatic for this trip, loving the coast as if it were her own home. You never understood why. To you, the ocean was mysterious, and most importantly, dangerous.

Once she left, you took your time surveying the room, the interior of your little nook, the aquatic look it had, everything doused in various shades of blues, tans, and greens. The little twin bed that nestled into the corner, the bathroom that connected to your room, and a small kitchen with a mini fridge, microwave, and stovetop.

This was the place you’d call home for the next two months.

You squeezed your suitcases through the door, they took up half of your walking room. You began to unpack quietly, silently cursing your circumstances.

You highly doubted that you were going to escape this place without going near the ocean, but hey, you could still try.

You sat near the window, peering out into the vast, inky blue ocean that lapped at the rocks near your hotel. Goosebumps rose on your skin, the mere sight of that monstrous death trap made your mouth dry.

You made your way to your bed, sitting on the edge of it. Could you make it two months here?

Your thoughts were interrupted by your mother bursting through your door, causing you to jump. Didn’t she just leave for the store?

Your mother ushered you out of your room, then out of the hotel entirely. A sinking feeling crept upon you, so much for avoiding the ocean.

Your heart rate spiked as you felt the grainy sand under your feet, the sound of rushing water drowning out everything else, the wind whipping your face. You stood face to face with the monster, the waves crashing down against the shore, reaching out further, stretching to touch you.

You gulped. Your mother was beside herself with happiness, standing closer than you were, the water creeping over her feet, slowly removing the sand, trying to pull her under, but her expression was calm as she let the salty breeze rush against her face and hair.

You paled. Backing up slightly, you couldn’t pull your eyes away from the waves, how merciless they looked, they could ravenge you, pull you into them, take the oxygen from your lungs and replace it with salt water as you sink into the abyss.

You shook your head to rid yourself of the thought. Slipping your shoes back on, you faced away from the ocean, cowering from it, and hastily made your way back to the hotel.

You left so fast you couldn’t even see the creature that was staring at you the moment you stepped onto the beach.

[clovertarts]

●I am struggling a bit about my make do little godrick Au. There are numbers of potential adoptive parent to choose from

Godwyn

Morgott

Marika

Godwyn or Morgott are a very good and clearly visible choice but lord the thought of Marika adopted some runt is funny (i have this mental image of Marika hold him on his hip while attending her godly duties) and i like Morgott as grandpa/uncle more than as a Father

I think it work better if it is Marika or Godwyn they have a steady ground under their feet when it came to politic standing in Leyndell can easily told everyone to stop poke fun at the poor boy,the self-pity and hunger for power (the grafting) would still develop eventually but now he at least have some support on his side.

●In my other beloved au dubed better timeline/world in my mind,it is more focus on Marika

it where i rest okayy it is a guilty pleasure,it as it say a better timeline of everything (mostly) fine nobody (eeh mostly?) die and Marika love and love by everybody the outer gods are co-exist in the land between nicely,the omen and misdegotten are better care of,the queens and elden lords are in a polycue <3 it is striped Elden ring off their agony fill lore but it okay i substitute it with Marika gouge her eyes off :)

Everything the same as canon (shaman village and few others still happens) tilt the birth of hers first pair of twin (Mogh and Morgott) and she know she could not just shove it off like all her problems,that her sons her baby she will not let mithe sight of thier horn disgusting her? Oh sure let not make it everyone problems (she gouge her eyes off,numb her senses of touch so she will not feel and see them so all she allows in her heart will be her love and adoretion for them)

Godfrey remaining as Elden lord and Radagon remaining as Queen rennala consort,the reason why they all 4 in polycue?

Well i alway thought Radagon and Marika as half each of a god so their reason and love are connecting,he love Rennala? So does Marika.She love Godfrey? So does Radagon. They care for each other but not love (the pairing will not be Marika/Radagon for most part)

I don't have anything more things planned out other than shit just happen the way it was

But there are a scene i've been playing around....there are some far away diplomats (i think either Godwyn or Mogh came to welcome them) and the diplomats are like 'damn this is nice' looking around untill Marika walk in and they be like 'wtf is that things.YOUR GOD!?'

Because i want this Marika to look beat up a little she have blindfold on and you can clearly see it is hollowed and her body get bless by way to many outer gods (the greater will,scarlet rot,formless mother,nameless twinbird's god etc) so they look a little funky

The land between are nice here sure their god queen mother look like a nightmare but she is also nice,some weekend the outer gods came down to visit their bless one (Greater will as tarnished my beloved)

[its-in-the-woods]

Chapter Two, Life's too Short

Chapter one <- if you missed it.

Cooper howard/The Ghoul x Lucy Maclean

Post end of season 1

No beta.. I tried to edit 🫠

Ninety five percent written just tweaking

⚠️ Warning ⚠️

There will be canonically typical violence and eventually smut

+18 only

Slow burn sorta kinda

Please be nice this my first fic in almost a decade 🫣

Will eventually post on AO3 once I can get access... or where suggested 🤷🏻‍♂️

They had made it to the outpost. An outpost that was okay with Ghouls anyway. Ghoul's kind wasn't accepted at many places, the whole going feral thing was a bit of an issue. The other issue was that Lucy drew a lot of attention. Even though Lucy had done her damnest to blend in the lack of scars, having all her teeth and most of her fingers was a dead giveaway. She made sure to keep herself close to the Ghoul as he walked into the village. There weren’t many eyes that weren’t looking at them. They made a hell of a sight, a genetically engineered dog, a pre-bomb Ghoul, and Vaultie. Sounded like a lame joke Chet would make back in the vault. 

A man stood up and moved towards them as they walked past him. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Trouble. Her brain screamed to turn around. The Ghoul had already moved, his sawed-off pointed directly at the man, men, there were at least four of them. Lucy’s hand went to her gun holster and they paused. She desperately needed to start listening to those instincts.

“I don’t know whatcha boys are thinkin' of doin', but if you don’t wanna new hole in your meat suit I suggest you. Back. The. Fuck. Up.” Ghoul punctuated the last words with a clenched teeth grimace.  The man held the gun as if it were an extension of his arm. 

The whole place was silent, the scene from when Lucy had originally met the Ghoul played out in her mind. The whole place blasted to pieces in a matter of seconds. She knew the Ghoul had zero reservations about murdering anyone who even looked at him funny.

“We aren’t looking for any trouble” Lucy swallowed, part of her hating that she was always trying to look for solutions that didn’t end in blood. 

One of them gave a near-toothless grin. “Just wanted to say hello to such a fine little thing.” His voice made her skin crawl, as the man moved towards her. “Don’t see too many smooth-skinned Vaultdwellers around these parts.”

“I am sure you’d find a better company with us then,” Another man’s eyes roamed over the Ghoul, “Unless you're a Ghoulfcker.”

The Ghoul’s face tightened, and his finger went to the trigger-

“Wait, can we please not. I don’t want company. In fact, I would actually be really flattered if you just left us alone. Because this is going to get ugly fast” Lucy sighed out rubbing the bridge of her nose. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Part of her had already resigned to the fact that these men were dead.

The four men looked in between each other and then went to draw. The Ghoul blasted the closest two without a second thought. Lucy had pulled and hit the third, the fourth went to bail and Dogmeat had grabbed his calf. He screamed trying to beat the dog off. Lucy aimed at the same time as the Ghoul and brains went everywhere. A bloody mess, it always ended in a bloody mess. 

"Oh for fucksakes. I let the Ghouls in an suddenly everyone's getting blown away." Hollered an older woman from the second story of a building. She was a tall imposing figure with striking red hair streaked with grey. Her clothes where a patchwork of various materials, boot knee high leather of some kind. She looked at the two of them, the only ones left out in the open.

"Well, I will be damned. Is that fuckin Coop?" The women yelled, peering down at the Ghoul.

Coop? That's what the Ghoul's name was, Lucy felt like she had heard that somewhere before. Her mind went over the name a few times trying to place it. 

Coop tucked his shotgun back into its holster, a sly grin turning one corner of his lips up. "Guilty as charged, Tracy." 

The women came out from a lower door and walked up to them. Her face was lined with sun damage and her eyes were probably green once. But now they are more pastel grey. She poked the Ghoul in the chest with a gnarled finger. He chuckled at her, they clearly had met before. 

"I just started letting you radiation suckers back in two days ago. Why the fuck are you shooting up my paying customers?" Tracy gestured to the very dead men. "Who's gonna clean this up now?"

Coop chuckled, patting Tracy on the shoulder. "You and I both know that the roaches, irradiated or not, will have those bodies picked clean by morning."

The woman glowered at him, her hands on her hips. "Supposed you're right, but can we not shoot up anyone else?" She cussed some more and spit something on the ground.

"Well if your customers were more respectful to my companion here I wouldn't have to blow them away." 

The woman's eyes narrowed and she looked over at Lucy. Graying eyes or not, the woman looked as if she could read her thoughts. 

Lucy immediately extended her hand, "Hi, my name is Lucy. I am so sorry for shooting up the place. They did draw on us first." She left out her last name, something the Ghoul had mentioned. Always keep important information to yourself. 

The woman rolled her eyes, waving her hand dismissively. "One less asshole, well guess four. Come on, let's get you two rooms and some grub."

They followed after her, already people were starting to emerge to come to pick over the dead. Lucy tried to not think about the fact they'd probably end up as food for some of the dwellers.

***

Despite Tracy's sour appearance she seemed to be fond of the Ghoul Coop. Happily, giving them both good-sized plates of chicken and something that looked like potatoes? Whatever it was it tasted good and Lucy for the first time in over a week actually ate until she was full.

There was also water. Apparently, the settlement had a spring nearby that they used for drinking water. Tracy was more than happy to tell the tale of how Coop had liberated the well for the settlement. 

“Nothing much was left of the raiders once he came through. Got us clean water and a little peace and quiet. Well as much peace as you can in this waste.” The lady said, patting Coop on the arm.“He can be a pretty big pain in the ass most days. But if there are some caps and moonshine in it he's not bad.”

Coop chuckled, “I promise to only darken your doorstep when raiders are about.”

Tracy patted his arm, “Well let me not keep yah. I have a few rooms available. Lots of folks scattered when the brotherhood knight came by.”

“When did he come by?” Lucy asked, her heart beating in her chest. It was the first time she had spoken beside, ‘Yes Ma'am’ and ‘the food is good’ 

Tracy narrowed her eyes, “Two days ago I'd say. Stole a power core from a few Traders. Bastard. Why? Are you looking for him?”

Coop cleared his throat. “Something like that. He has some information we need.”

Tracy looked between both of them for a moment. Her eyes narrowed as if she was trying to figure out exactly what they were hinting at. 

“Mmhm. Well, he was heading east.” She fiddled with an old scar on her hand. “Do you want a room with one or two beds?”

“Two beds.” Both Lucy and Ghoul reply.

*Thank you for reading and all <3 are very appreciated. *

*Chapter three *

[queen-scribbles]

flavor of the day

1.Tea time (post-PfKm; Jas and Jubilost, mentioned Jas/Tristian)

kicking off Owlcatober with my halfling queen(literally :P) and her gnome bff <3 ---

The figure who walked through the door wasn't who she'd been expecting. Jas still greeted him with a big grin and even bigger hug. (overly enthusiastic, in his opinion, she was sure)

"It's been too long, Jubilost, what brings you here?!" she demanded gleefully.

One of Jubilost's eyes twitched as he eased back from her enthusiasm. "I was passing through on my travels and thought I'd drop in to see how you're doing. Heavy is the head that wear the crown, yet?"

She shrugged. "Some days are more exciting than others, let's put it that way."

A dry chuckle. "I'm sure." He tipped his head to look at her over his spectacles. "I must also admit to a trifling curiosity as to your replacement treasurer and how they're handling the job since I departed."

"Oh, I let Nok-Nok handle it." Sweet Desna, it was hard to say that with a straight face. "He's having loads of fun."

The caravan of emotions that traversed Jubilost's face were a sight to behold. "That isn't funny, Jasiri."

"Your face certainly was, Jube," she giggled. He knew her rule about her name.

He sighed. "In all seriousness, Jas, did you find someone competent? Did my recommendations help?"

"They did, and I did," she said, schooling away most of her mirth. "We can talk about it over tea; you're just in time."

"And what is the flavor of the day?" he asked with a small, faint smile as he followed her to her favorite tea room, the one with the view of Willowmere's lake and the road beyond the wall.

"Blackberry lemon. And I think Hilde mentioned finding the glaze for her cranberry scones." Jas was grinning again, in anticipation this time.

The tea was set when they reached the room, complete with cranberry scones, and they got comfortable before plunging into conversation. They talked of many thing; his latest book(dedicated to her), her new treasurer(the half-elf from Galt who had been on his list), his travels(extensive), her duties as queen(usually mundane, occasionally fun).

"I am surprised, I must admit, to not see your golden shadow hovering behind you," Jubilost commented, blowing steam off his second cup of tea. (And he could tease all he liked about her sweet tooth; he'd eaten just as many scones)

Jas rolled her eyes. "Tristian's in Silverbirch," she informed him, her feet swinging up under her chair. "They raised the funds to build a real beautiful temple for Sarenrae and asked he be there to bless it. Y'know, he's better than a regular ol' cleric for some reason."

"Ah, well, in that case, I'm surprised you didn't accompany him," Jubilost said dryly. "You two seem joined at the hip sometimes, impressive a feat as that would be to accomplish."

She thought about throwing a scone at him, but decided to be an adult and not waste food. "I was supposed to," she admitted. "Looking forward to it, too." Silverbirch had been the first village to settle when she claimed the lands of her then-barony and she had a soft spot for it. "But Varnhold had a hunting rights dispute than spiraled to the point of needing royal mediation." She grinned brightly. "Means I was here to see you, though. Tristian has enough of an entourage he'll be fine, and I'll survive a week or so without him."

Jubilost hummed. "Quite a relief to hear."

"So where have you been traveling recently?" Jas asked, pouring herself another cup.

He smirked over the rim as he took a sip. "Pitax."

She snorted a laugh. "I marvel your head is still attached to your body."

"Oh, they wouldn't settle for something so plebian where I'm concerned." He adjusted his spectacles. "Fortunately, my head is well below their blades and far above their wit."

"Yes, lucky you," she said, an echo of his dry tone in her voice.

"I was also just barely inside the border, Jas," Jubilost said. "By the time anyone who cared about my death sentences could hear I was there, I would have been well away. I am capable of handling such inconveniences, there's no need for you to worry."

"I know you can, but you know me," Jasiri countered, slurping her tea. "And you've met my mother, you know I come by it honestly."

"I have indeed. How is your family, by the way?"

She arched a brow at him for changing the subject, but he had picked one of her top three favorite things to talk about, so she let him get away with it. The rest of tea time passed pleasantly, and by the end of it, she'd convinced him to visit for a few days.

It wasn't until he was off getting settled that she realized he'd eaten most of the scones.

[brights-place]

Hi !! If it’s not to much of a bother could I request a Clay x Male Reader? Maybe Reader is really extroverted and helps Clay be more silly? Ty !!

Clay X Extrovert M! S/O

Pairing: Clayy X M! S/O

Warnings: Fluff FLUFF AND MORE FLUFF

A/N: LOVELYYYY! I love clay so much he is so cuteeeeeeee

- CLAY IS LIKE THE SHOULDER TO LEAN ON IN THE RELATIONSHIP WHILE YOUR THE CHAOTIC BALL OF ENERGY HE LOVES JAGSOWBD

- Clay may use to be the funny one but he’s definitely smart (HE’S AN LICENSED CPA PUT SOME RESPECT ON HIS NAME FOOL!)

- Clay when first seeing you when he first arrived to putt putt village he was in awe.

- you were like Viva but… 100X More energetic which was terrifying to him at first

- Wondered how an troll like you had so much energy.

- Multiple things caught his attention about you… too many things…

- You where electric and hyper yet soothe and calming when needed to be he witnessed that when you comforted an troll who was having an panic attack

- He was in awe at how quick you switched up

- What he also noticed about you was that your pupils would grow about something you like or are daydreaming and shrink back when your brain is like being deep fried with information

- He giggled at how your doe eyes grow

- you were the one that made his romper outfit as an welcome gift and he cherished it.

- He enjoys the fact that you know all the choreography to the brozone songs and mainly his parts but wouldn’t speak up about it cause he was still in his ‘I don’t wanna talk about my past’ era

- Clay is VERY Petty (We all saw how he was with John Dory) now imagine that if you did something bad…

- You’d literally bother him so he can go back to talking to you and not be an petty tall shi-

- AHEM! Anywaysssss Clay would notice the smallest details about you and how your emotions shift abit before going back to normal in situations. - When John dory or his brothers hug him he freezes but when you do it? dude will melt and hug you back quickly as John dory would stare in utter confusion while Bruce, and floyd snorted while Branch makes eye contact with poppy who scooches closer towards him while Viva laughs

- Bought you an plushie of an character you REALLY liked

- Was mad at the plushie since you hugged it to bed instead of hugging him

- He threw the plushie to the wall and then made sure you clinged to him instead which made you laugh.

- Literally staring at his baby and teen photos with an Wtf look

- “Babe why do you have yellow hair then but your hair now is like green?” “well that’s because-“ Literally furrowed eyebrows “that’s because… holy shit wait”

- overtime he got used to it and even got used to you kicking open the admin room with your foot just to annoy him and rant to him about the dumbest things or just about something you enjoy.

- He had written an schedule about when you enter take up his time then leave and would always keep that space and time open just for you and would stay in the same spot for an moment waiting for you to enter and as soon as you enter he starts the timer.

- He fell first and you fell harder

- He realised his emotions about you and went to Viva about it

- Viva couldn’t stop squealing loudly

- Her TWO best-friends liking each-other was everything to her

- She literally plotted and sketchbooked ideas on how Clay would confess

- Clay would seek out his brothers help since viva’s plans where… So corny

- His brothers helped him out to try ask you out and gave tips and comforted him when he freaked out abit

- “WHAT IF THEY DON’T LOVE ME BACK?! IM SO SCARED WHAT IF IM NOT GOOD ENOUGH?! WHAT IF THEY DONT LOVE ME JUST THE WAY I AM?!”

- He freaked out and started clutching his chest that Floyd had to soothe him which worked pretty well.

- Literally forgot everything he was taught once he saw you again

- He loves your hair, your eyes, personality and how you currently where cheering and dancing to some music

- tried to confess to you and failed miserably

- YOU WERE OBLIVIOUS

- He tried about Two times to confess to you but failed

- Literally ended up saying “Dude I like this person but every time I try to confess to them they don’t even know what’s going on” “Yikes dude just straight up tell them!” “okay”

- He literally confessed as you nodded saying that’s how it was suppose to go.

- Man had to grab you by the shoulders and speak slowly “I Like You”

- Flustered mess THE BOTH OF YOU

- You went on an few dates before starting to go out on your third date when you kissed him by accident cause he got you some flowers - He loves how you bounce off walls like an Bouncy ball and then run into his arms as he just says your name in the softest tone ever

- Literally if you scream out “THATS MY BOYFRIEND!” To Clay and doing his choreography in the front row which made Him blush and his brothers snicker at Clay.

- WHEN CLAY SAW YOU ONCE WITH LAZY EYES AND HELD AN RESTING BITCH FACE THE FIRST TIME IN THE MORNING HE WAS LIKE ‘OH DAMN?!’

- You two would mostly hangout together at his office sometimes or at your place most of the time at your place

- Shy about Pda in public but in private he peppers your face with kisses and teased you

- He likes to drop his serious side sometimes around you, you make him feel safe and you do too.

- He loves when you soothe and remind him that it’s okay to be funny and goofy in some moments

- He cries when you say that and cuddle this man 24/7 - He made you join his sad book club you two cuddled eachother bawling your eyes out together

- Small kisses on the cheek and knuckles when walking past each other while working sometimes

- you and him having dance battles at 3 am out of boredom

- gave you the job of stamping some papers… never again

- His face was covered in stamp marks aswell his hair is so fluffy and would melt in your hands if you play with his hair or brush it

- You remind him to take breaks and if he doesn’t you drag him out He’d literally blush when you got matching wrist hands like him yours an F/C as his are green.

- if you cup his face and squish it he would do it back to you oves having his arm on your waist or ontop of your head to remind you He’s taller as you try to bite him

- if your too hyper sometimes he’d pick you up by the armpits and keep you up in air jail for abit or hug you by the waist and keep you on the spot till you relax.

- He’d explain to you about his job if you ask and would be shocked by the fact that you understood it quickly - You actually had no idea and was just pretending like you understood - You let him be energetic and chaotic and he loves you for that so much

reblogs + comments are appreciated ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

©brights-place 2023 — do not repost on another platform, copy, translate or edit my works! if you fit my DNI list please don't interact

[blueroan-equestrian]

Reverse Betrothed

This is going to be the reverse of my Betrothed. Instead of Neteyam agreeing to be betrothed for his family to return for sanctuary, you agree to be betrothed for your family to have sanctuary.

Jake sully greeted my family and listened to my father’s plea. Jake looked at his mother in law for an answer. She approached us but she inspected me a little bit more than my family. She turned and said, “it’s her, she will be Neteyam’s Tsahik when the time comes.”

Jake nods, “Then it’s settled, we will give you safe on the condition that… what’s your name baby girl?”

“(Y/n), my name is (y/n).” I say shyly.

“That (y/n) will be promised to my eldest son Neteyam. He is out on a hunting trip but on his return tomorrow, I will happily introduce the two of you.”

I nodded, and Jake helped us settle in. He and his wife were very kind and so was their Tsahik. She insisted we have a training at the tree of voices. She was very nice and sympathetic towards me. “I know that you have come to us in a difficult time and you must be exhausted but I promise you this is just a quick introduction to our people. Where we go to be close to Eywa. As it is Tsahik job to lead the clan in the spiritual world. But it appears that you might be a natural. I get that from you. Come sit and listen with me.”

…

While Mo’at was showing me around the village a young woman around my age came running up. “Grandma, dad sent me to tell you that Neteyam has returned.”

“Thank you Kiri, have you met (y/n), one of the refugees, yet?” She shakes her head and Mo’ak introduces us, we exchange gestures of respect before Mo’ak gestures for me to follow her. So I do and we come to the landing up in the trees, same one we had landed on yesterday. I could see several banshees with Jake Sully and two other males, who must of been his sons.

When Jake Sully saw us he smiled, “(Y/n), these are my sons Neteyam and Lo’ak.” I bowed my head as I touched my forehead. “Boys, this is (Y/n), she and her family came here for Sanctuary.”

Neteyam smiled, “I’m sorry for the circumstances that has brought you here. But I am sure that you will find your way here.”

“Mo’ak has taken her under her wing so I am sure she will.” Jake say. “Mo’ak has decided that she will be your Tsakih when the time comes.”

Neteyam’s head snapped to look at his father with wide eyes before regaining his composure. “Of course father… if that is what Eywa has planned for me. (Y/n), I don’t mean to be rude but I am exhausted and I need to sleep. I will come see you later.”

I nodded, “of course… sleep well.”

… later in the day

I was following a healer around on her rounds when she sent me to retrieve some water. As I passed one of the tents I could hear a woman crying and hushed voices. At first I ignored it as it was none of my business but on my way back the crying had intensified so I called out, “Are-are you Al-alright?”

The sobs shifted to suppressed heavy breathing, but another voice called out, one that sounded like Neteyam’s, “Yes… everything is fine. Thank you for checking in.”

I simply gave an ok before scurrying off. The rest of the day I couldn’t help but feel like a home wrecker, though this was not my doing. All I could think about was the distraught woman’s voice.

“Are you alright?” Kali the healer asked, “you seem distracted.”

“I’m fine… just adjusting, you know. It’s hard being away from home.”

“Oh I am sure it is. Having to leave family and friends behind, you are incredibly brave. I don’t know if I could do it… but don’t worry, me and you can be friends. What ever you need help with just ask me and I will do everything I can to help.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that…”

…

I have become more adapt at healing thanks to Kali. I have met many of the people and helped many. I have trained under Mo’ak with her two granddaughters who were very kind. Tuk was very funny. I have even seen Lo’ak more than my husband to be.

“Lo’ak, you need to be more careful!” I chastised him, “you know I am surprised you haven’t broken a bone yet! Stop jumping off the cliff. I don’t care if the lake is deep enough.”

Lo’ak chuckled, “You sound like Neteyam.”

“If you say so. The most he’s ever spoken to me is the day we met. Now all he just says something along the lines of I got to do this that and the other, then runs off.”

“Don’t worry it’s not you… it’s all him… he had a girlfriend before and he’s struggling a bit.”

I looked away, “Sure sounds like I am.”

Lo’ak patted my back, “well I think if he would just spend some time with you then he would like you better. Honestly, you are way nicer and well… I get the feeling she is after the status… also grandma really doesn’t like her so she would have ended it anyway.”

The sound of something hitting the ground had both of us snapping our attention to an injured but shocked Neteyam.

I let out a gasp, “Oh my Eywa! What happened?”

He regained his composure, “Lo’ak, get out… now!”

Lo’ak and I exchanged looks, “Come on bro, what happened? It can’t be that embarrassing. I’m in here cuz…”

“You’re a moron, and never think things through. Now get out.”

“Okay bro… if this is about what I said, don’t be angry with her, be angry at me.”

“Oh I am, hence why I told you to get out and not her.” He growled leaning forward like a predator.

I placed a hand on Lo’ak’s shoulder, “it’s okay”. Lo��ak left and I gestured for Neteyam to hop up onto the table. “You want to tell me what happened?”

“Just a hunting accident… some of the young Navi children I have been training were less than careful…” he lets out a stifled hiss as I cleaned his the puncture wound on his shoulder.

“Was this from an arrow?” I asked.

“Yeah…”

“Well I wish you left it in, you’re lucky you didn’t bleed out.” I chastised. Neteyam was quiet so I decided to address the banshee in the room, “So… do you want to talk about it?…”

“About what?”

“Her…”

He signed, “I thought that was what he was talking about, but hoped it wasn’t… you should have never have known about her.”

“I heard you with her the day I met you… why shouldn’t I know about her?”

He bowed his head, “it was you outside the tent… well… because I … didn’t want you feel the burden… I didn’t want you to question my loyalties.”

I cocked an eyebrow at him, “knowing about her did make me feel like a home wrecker, I won’t lie… but it wouldn’t have me questioning your loyalty if you just… you know just talked to me or at least acknowledged my existence…”

His ears tipped down and adverted his eyes, “I have been neglegful, but Lo’ak was right about one thing… I am struggling with the break up and I didn’t want to burden you… but looks like I have done just that anyhow.”

“I’m sorry you are struggling, you must have really cared for her.”

His shoulders slumped, “I did… but I knew from the start that grandmother didn’t like her and should have listened. I knew it was going to end… it’s my duty to put the clan first and I was selfish… I knew better.”

I quirked my head to the side, “Don’t you think you deserve love? To choose that special one…. From what I’ve heard, your parents did.”

He chuckled, “mother was betrothed… but they weren’t originally betrothed so they weren’t quite the right fit… you were chosen for me specifically… whom am I to question Eywa. I just have to give you a chance like Lo’ak said.”

“There, all patched up. Want to come on my round with me before I have to join your grandmother, Mo’at?”

He smiled, “Yes, I would love to.”

… finally we did get closer. I was doing rounds when Neteyam came trotting up. “Ma (y/n), have you eaten?”

“No I haven’t had any time.” I said as I checked in on an elderly Navi.

“Then, once you have finished up, I want to take you to the best place to find the most delicious fruits.”

I looked up at his dancing golden eyes, “oh? Is this a date?”

“Absolutely. Now meet me where you can find our banshees.” He kisses my head before trotting off.

…

We flew out about two hours away. We arrived to the most beautiful grove. “Wow Neteyam, look at these trees, they’re so full of fruit! How did you find this place?”

“I came across it on one of my hunting trips. And well… Lo’ak told me that you really like this fruit… So when I saw it, I knew I had to bring you here.”

I smiled, “You’ve been talking to him about me, haven’t you?”

He smiled bashfully, “Yeah… he, I am ashamed to say knows you better…”

“Well I haven’t told him why it’s my favorite. Do you want to know why?” I smiled up at him.

He stepped close to me, “tell me, Yawne.”

“Back home, my own grandmother would bring these to me when ever I had a bad day. They remind me of her.” I hummed taking another step towards him, so that he and I were chest to chest now. I reached up my hand and ran my fingers up his jaw and into his braids and pulled him down into a kiss.

When I pulled away he groaned and his cheeks a rosy purply pink. “You kissed me.”

“Yeah, I did… did you like it?” He nodded, “then give me another.”

He smiled brightly before leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine in a frenzy. I finally I pushed him away, “Neteyam!! You brought me here for the fruit, let’s pick some!”

…

We laid on the blanket that he had brought and talked as we ate the delicious fruit. “I can’t believe how beautiful this place is… thank you for bringing me here.”

He ran his hand up my thigh, “Of course Yawne… Ma (y/n), I have been thinking… I know it’s been a short time but I was thinking about tsaheylu… I think it is time for us to create tsaheylu.”

I sat up to look at him better, “You want to make the bond? Already?”

He sat with me and reached up to tuck a stray hair behind my ear, “Yes, why not?”

I cocked my head to the side, “We barely just started to get to know one another.”

He shrugged, “and we can continue to get to know one another after we’re mated. We are going to be mated no matter what… I just think creating tsaheylu will help us become closer.”

I look forward into the trees thinking, “You want to make tsaheylu to get closer or to get it out of the way.”

He scooted closer and wrapped an arm around me, “to be closer. You are my mate with or without it… but with it…. We will be one.”

I thought some more, “alright… but I want to gather some fruit to bring back with us.”

He smiled brightly, “of course, Ma (y/n).”

…

We flew back and dropped off the fruit into his tent that we will soon be sharing. He takes me by the hand and led me to the tree of voices. He knelt down and I followed suit. He smiled and ran a hand down my side before he reached up to pull me into a kiss. He nipped at my bottom lip as his fingers danced on my hips. I groaned and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth. His tongue danced with mine as he explored my mouth. All whined and he chuckled, “Oh darling, we are just getting started. Give me your queue.” I retrieved it from behind me and lifted it up to him. He mirrored me and closed the gap connecting our queues together. He moaned at the sensation as his eyes rolled back. “Eywa that’s something else.”

“Heady isn’t it?” I huffed.

He started to approach me pushing me back and down to the ground. He kissed my jaw and then down my chest and stomach. He quickly removed my loincloth and licked my clit. I gasped, “Neteyam!”

He chuckled, “Easy now.” He returned to continue to lick and suck on my clit. I squirmed at this new fantastic sensation. He reached up and used his finger to prod at my entrance. “Say my name again.”

“Neteyam! Neteyam! Neteyam!” I chanted like a prayer as I reached to tug on his braids.

He chuckled into my pussy send vibrations to my core. He stuck out his tongue entering my hole, swirling it around driving me wild. “Aaaaaahh! Neteyam don’t stop!” I cried out as I approached my climax. Neteyam sucked as his tongue flicked inside me, causing me to cum. He licked me clean before crawling up my body. I reached up to take his face in my hands, “Where did you learn to do that?”

He hovered above me blushing, “some of my friends already have mates… and well… we talk about stuff like this.”

I giggled, “it’s okay to be curious, no need to be embarrassed!”

“I know stop laughing! I shouldn’t have answered so honestly.” He chuckled himself.

I beamed up at him, “No I love your honesty!” I wrapped my arms around him pulling his torso into me.

He hummed, “Alright, alright! Enough with that embarrassing stuff… You ready?”

I giggled but nodded. As he entered me, my giggles turned to gasps. He groaned and his brows pinched together, “oh….that’s…ah…baby, you feel so good!” He moaned.

I bucked my hips earning another moan, “please, Neteyam! Move please!”

He groaned, and began to thrust quickly into me, rutting his pelvis into my own. We exchanged sloppy kisses as we rutted our hips together. He reached down to take ahold of my thigh, hiking them up. I groaned, “Neteyam! Harder, please, harder!”

He took his hands and hooked them under my knees pushing them up into my chest allowing him to push deeper inside of me. “You like that, baby? Does that make you feel good?” He teased. I nodded and but he chuckled, “Oh no baby, I need to hear you say it.”

I whimpered as he paused waiting for my response, “Don’t stop,please it feels so good.”

“Good girl.” Neteyam hummed picked up his pace going faster and harder.

All my senses were lost, I was in complete bliss as I felt warm ribbons of his cum shoot into me, my own walls clamping down around him. We exchanged sounds of pure ecstasy riding out each other’s pleasures. Both of us spent as we laid together.

…

Kali and I were on our rounds when she gave me a sly smile, “Tsi’xa (I dont know how they make their names so I made something up don’t come at me if you do no one said I had any brains) told me that she saw you and Neteyam head out to the tree of voices last night… did you two… you know?”

I blushed and smacked her arm playfully, “Stop! But…. Yes we did! We are mated before Eywa.”

Kali squealed, “No! Really! Oh my Eywa, that is so exciting! Tell me was it romantic?”

“He brought me to pick my favorite fruit before asking to create tsaheylu. He was horribly pragmatic about it at first but he made it through.” I chuckled.

We crossed the common area on the forest floor of the village when a scene caught my attention. It was Neteyam with a very upset woman. I looked at Kali, “Who’s that?”

Kali gave me a sheepish look, “That’s his ex, Ta’unui… I am sure she just heard about the news and is upset… you two are mated so you don’t have anything to worry about.”

I shrugged, “You’re right… but I can’t help but feel a little nervous.”

She patted my back, “that’s alright…, you what I got an idea.” She said before calling out, “Neteyam, mind lending us a hand?”

Neteyam looks over and when his eyes landed on me, his face lit up. He disengaged from what ever was happening in front of him and trotted over. “Ma (y/n), Kali, how can I be of service?”

“(Y/n) and I are heading to Olangi’s, could you bring a vase of water for us?” Kali asked smoothly.

“Yeah of course. I will meet you there.”

…

While working on preparing medicine for Olangi, I said, “What did you do that for?”

She shrugged, “I solved the problem, one he is away from her and two showed you that he clearly is committed to you.”

I rolled my eyes, “I never said I thought otherwise, but that doesn’t mean I trust her.”

When hearing footsteps, we fell silent. Neteyam stepped in and smiled, “where would you like me to put this?”

“Next to the bed. Thank you, Ma Neteyam.”

He leaned in and kissed me, “I see you.”

I melted, “I see you too.”

…

Eventually I found my place and Neteyam and I stood proudly together.

[whitebookposts]

alright so now that we're discussing elder headcanons what are your hcs for ayin :3

OH HEY ANOTHER FEW WEEKS HAVE PASSED BEFORE I ANSWERED THIS. HAHA I live in shame every breathing moment <3

ANYWAY!! AYIN!!! OUR FRIEND!!! THE ULTIMATE DAD\MOM\GRANDMA!!! The one who holds so much pain behind their gentle hands.... one of my favorite elders, right behind Priestess (shhhhh let's ignore the fact she isnt even canon). Let's get right to them!!!!

GENDAQUEEEER I am a firm he\she\they Ayin believer (although it does make writing fics with him a bit tricky lol). idk why, but it makes so much sense, both because I feel like Ayin feels love and appreciation towards all gender expressions, be it feminine or masculine, and because I'm projecting my own gender identity onto em. plus, Ayin was called both a he and a they by tgc, and in one of the game's translations (I don't remember the language, unfortunately), Ayin is called "Prairie grandma" instead of Prairie elder. Overall, I feel like Ayin wouldn't care what pronouns you use for her, he is happy with all (projecting again), and they will wear beautiful dresses and gorgeous suits depending on the mood.

PANSEXULAAAA I don't even have any explanation for this one, I just know it on molecular level.

Youngest child syndrome Headcanon that Ayin is the youngest of three kids, having two older twin brothers. Both because it just… makes sense for him to be the youngest (listen. Half of my headcanons are just vibes.), and because when @grapeless-seeds introduced this headcanon to me (using early beta content where it seemed that some spirit memories were actually memories of the elders, and what we concluded was beta ayin was surrounded by two more spirits that looked a lot like them) I fell in love with it immediately. There are so many funny scenarios that can arise from it, esp if Ayin turns out to be taller than her older brothers. This is also a basis for some of my angst for Ayin too, because out of the other elders, Ayin has the most family still up there in the constellation while she is stuck down there (I'm a "elders are fallen stars who crave to get back home" type of fella)

ARTS & CRAFTS Like to think that Ayin is the type of person to always make some sort of pretty trinkets and stuff, often pairing up with Teth to make them. His favorite type of creation though? Clay pots! All the smaller clay pots you see around her temple are handmade by her :) (even though it does get tricky with their big hands :"D)

Hard of hearing Hard of hearing Ayin headcanon blast! I like to think that the reason they have bells on their temple is so that he can hear their calls better since she would have a hard time hearing them from the village. Originally born from noticing the detail that in his cutscene, Ayin needs to look around before spotting you instead of simply following the sound of our footsteps and the flame. He mostly hears either thanks to a special device created by Teth for him, or through the rumbles of the earth around them. Which leads to-

Is this an avatar reference I forgot to mention this in my Teth headcanon list, but I hc that the elders that appear holding the colored light in the cave of Prophecies can manipulate the respective elements. Even more, they could do so even before they were granted these lights, but it was the lights that allowed them to master the skill. So Ayin, as the holder of Earth, is one of the most powerful elders - she can transform the terrain, make plants grow, lift entire islands into the sky (why do you think their temple is so high up), and even change gravity. If such power fell to any other hands but Ayin's who knows what could have happened? Thankfully, Ayin has a very strong connection and respect for the land, coming from a constellation (the way the stars call their families) of farmers (but that is a whole other can of worms) so you can be sure Ayin can be trusted with it. But if they were to use it aggressively…..

I got my ass kicked, I ain't posting that Both because of Ayin's ability to manipulate earth, AND their sheer size and physical strength, if you somehow manage to get into a physical fight with them, expect your ass to get handed to you on a cute hand made plate. But let's be honest if you somehow manage to get such a calm and gentle person like Ayin to fight you, you deserve everything that comes next.

A single mom who works two jobs...... It's already canon that Flight guide was Ayin's apprentice, but my headcanon extends to Sanctuary guide too, and that for both of them, Ayin was not only a master but a parental figure as well. Even though all the other elders told Ayin that it would be silly to raise ancestor children since the ancestor life span is so much shorter and they will see their kids grow and get old and die before them, Ayin still took on the job because she couldn't let these poor kids have no home, ready to face the pain of their death if just she gets to see them grow old and happy. well… they did die earlier than Ayin…. unfortunately, they also died much, much earlier than they were supposed to and Ayin expected. Oops.

This is the part where we get to the horrors During the height of the darkstone era and the fallout that happened after it, Ayin was caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, he longed desperately to get back to the stars and reunite with his family, and that, at the time, was believed to be possibly only through continual darkstone use. On the other, as mentioned earlier, Ayin has a great connection to the land and a great love for creatures and nature. We can even see it in their realm, which is the healthiest, most thriving out of all others. I mean, she has a whole ass sanctuary in the Prairie, so it's clear that the preservation of nature was very important to them. So Ayin was deeply conflicted, wanting to return to the stars but knowing it would be at the expense of the land. This desire to go home was what caused her to go with the continual industrialization at first, and the crushing guilt just made them work harder and harder, running themself thin trying to provide enough light from their realm for the growing demand, because hey, if they work themself to exhaustion, they don't have enough time to dwell if their actions are good! Sleep became their coping mechanism. (Might not be super healthy, but hey! At least it's not DRINKING like in early concept art! I still can't believe they were planning to make Ayin a drunk and that the pots were originally there to contain the drink.)

more horrors Such behavior and Ayin's quiet acceptance of the situation continued up until… it couldn't anymore. Ayin couldn't go on like that anymore, she saw her land and her neighbor's lands fall to ruin, more and more people becoming sick, a war waging taking more and more resources and lives…. and the catalyst for it all was the death of both of her apprentices, who died protecting the very same things she taught them to protect. That was the final straw. And Prairie officially joined the resistance.

Oops, still horrors. So you remember that cut-out beta part of the Aurora concert where we saw the elders on the battlefield during the war, with Ayin with Daleth being on the side of the resistance? Yeah, it's a pretty cool basis for this headcanon, BUT ACTUALLY, this idea came to me so much earlier, IN A DREAM. I am not even joking, I had a dream 3 years ago where Ayin was fighting in the war. Speak of Apollo and his prophetic visions, huh? Do you remember how I mentioned that Ayin would be terrifying to fight against due to her control over earth? Yea, let's just say the giant craters on the battlefield in GW weren't always there.

Doomed middle aged yaoi An extension to the previous point, I'm a Tsadi x Ayin fan, and seeing how Tsadi appeared on the other side of the battle on that one cut out segment... well, do what you will with it.

okay back to normal stuff Ayin is really great at putting children to sleep, even the most energetic ones. there is just something about the softness and warmth of his body and the general calming vibes around her that make young children relax. Was really helpful to Priestess when the little twins were full of energy all too late when she had none.

Grandma instinct Don't say you're hungry next to them. Ayin WILL cook a "all you can eat" buffet for you if you do. No one is going hungry if Ayin can help it. Honestly, I know this hc sounds very joky, but I genuinely love the healthy relationship with food Ayin has. It really helps me to not worry about calories and weight gain. I know Ayin would want me to be well fed and eat tasty food first and foremost. :3

Ayin milk

ANDDD this concludes my list for now! In truth, I have so, so much more headcanons about Ayin, but Im getting tired typing all that, besides, many of them will need a much bigges exposition about my world building and general world headcanons for Sky. Hope you enjoyed reading those!

[hotheadrednecksimmer]

Can't Help Falling In Love - Struck by Love Legacy Challenge - Season 2, Episode 17

The next morning, Kaito prepared for his surprise proposal and making sure Suzu was none the wiser. The family stayed near, while Naomi was actively avoiding Hiro as much as she could.

Kaito took Suzu on a beach walk to the waterfall he heard so many good things about. He had been coming here for years yet had never seen the waterfall for himself, though he thought that would be the perfect place to propose. What's more romantic than a waterfall?

As they approached the waterfall, Kaito was getting less and less nervous. He knew that the woman next to him was the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with. Kaito stopped her and got down on one knee.

Kaito: Suzu, I know we haven't been together long, but you are my entire world. Since entering my life you have only made it better in every single way imaginable. I want the world to know that I am yours, and you are mine. Suzu Mei Komatsu, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?

Suzu's eyes filled with tears. Suzu hesitated to speak: I love you more than anything in this world and the next. Yes, I will marry you!

Kaito: You had me said with pausing and such!

Suzu: Well, I only paused because ... I'm pregnant Kaito, you're going to be a dad!

Kaito: Really? For real?

Suzu: I just found out before the vacation, I wanted to make a cute surprise when we got back but of course you surprised me too.

Kaito: That's us baby, I'll never stop surprising you.

Kaito and Suzu spent the rest of their walk in complete bliss, talking about wedding plans, possibilities of who their baby will be, and talking potential baby names. When they got back to the vacation rental, the family was waiting for them.

Kaito and Suzu stood before their family to share all the good news.

Kaito: As you guys know, I proposed to Suzu this afternoon and she said yes!

Suzu: Everyone knew??

Hiro: Yes! It was the hardest secret I've ever had to keep sister! I'm so happy for you both!

Maeve: I'm so happy to be gaining another daughter, you were already apart of our family in our hearts, but now it will be official!

Star: Yes, what Maeve said! Welcome, officially, to the family Suzu. You already know how much we adore you.

Suzu: Thank you both so much, you have given me a family that I have been missing for so long.

Kaito: Speaking of family, we have more news to share.

Kaito looked over at Suzu who looked back at him. Suzu: We're pregnant!

Maeve: Ah! We're going to be grandparents?!?

Kaito: Yes! Suzu and I were talking about getting married sooner rather than later so we can focus on the baby.

Star: I think there's a wedding spot not too far from here. I'm not sure if you have to plan it out or if it's a spur of the moment place.

Naomi swallowed her anxiety for her favorite and only brother: That's so exciting! Congrats!

Hiro: I think they do on the spot weddings! Kinda like a drive thru wedding chapel in Vegas without the Elvis.

Kaito and Suzu looked at each other again lovingly. Kaito: What do you say babe? Wanna get married this weekend?

Suzu: Marrying you this weekend? Let me check my schedule, I don't know I'm pretty booked.

Kaito: Ha Ha Ha, very funny. Seriously, if you want to we can.

Maeve: I think there's some dress shops in the village that has some type of dress you could wear.

Suzu: Of course my love, we're getting married this weekend!

Maeve: I'm so excited for the two of you. I know you guys are all the way out in Oasis Springs, but these days I can work anywhere. If you need us for anything at all, please call us! And maybe plan on staying and helping after the baby is born? I remember feeling so alone after Naomi was born, and I was so tired and still had to clean, cook, and had to go back to work early to pay bills. I don't want either of you to go through that.

Suzu: We would love to have you and Star there, meeting your newest grandchild and helping.

Kaito: I'm thinking Kaito Jr or Kaita for names.

Suzu: Absolutely not.

Star: Get better baby names Kaito.

Maeve: My little duck having another little duck. I can't believe this! I'm so excited!!

Kaito: You'll have to start picking out your grandma name.

Maeve: Well, I'll let the littlest duck decide what they want to call me. I'm not picky.

Naomi felt so much dread and anxiety while everyone else filled the room with cheer and excitement for the future. All Naomi could think of is when Suzu was going to hurt her brother, when she was going to cheat. She didn't think Suzu was capable of it, but that's what happens when you're in a relationship.

Naomi: I love you brother, I am happy that you're happy.

Kaito: Thank you Nay, you're the best big sister and you'll be an even better Aunt!

Naomi: Aunt Naomi has a nice ring to it I guess.

╭┈◦•◦❥•◦ Season 1 | Season 2 First | Previous | Next

[ranger-kellyn]

one of the sections of my suki fic's outline that i'm really excited to work on next month ovo/

Expanding on Suki training Sokka, a day or two into training-

• One of the hilltop dojos that has an incredible view, they mutually come unglued.  While not an entire pushover this time, Suki still ends up putting Sokka into submission.  (i wish there was a better phrase but also i mean. yeah.)  • While slamming his face into the mat, harder than she knows is okay, “And you don’t even understand the risk I’m taking for you!”  She keeps her grip on his wrists behind his back, digging in almost enough to hurt.  “Some dumb boy outsider, who has no respect for anyone but himself, so he has no understanding of the risk I’m taking for him.”  • “Oh, please!” He tries to push up, but she’s got him pinned with all her weight.  “The second I’m gone, you’re gonna go back to the Kyoshi warriors and you’re all gonna laugh and joke and be like ‘haha, hey, remember that dumb boy you beat up? Wasn’t that so funny? Tell us how you beat him up, Suki!’” he says in a falsetto.  • “No,” she hisses.  “The second you leave they’re all going to start questioning me.  I’m gonna have to justify myself to all of the other warriors why I would break over 100 years of tradition of never teaching boys how to fight…” She relaxes her grip, exhaustion setting in.  “And if they don’t like my reasoning, they could decide I'm no longer fit to be the leader…I’m a young captain, Sokka.  I’m sure they’re already thinking I’m just being a boy-crazy teenager.  An embarrassment to Rei’s legacy, and an embarrassment to Avatar Kyoshi’s legacy.”  • She lets go of him, putting distance between them as she goes to sit on the edge of the porch. “All because I did what I thought was best.”  • Sokka takes a minute to collect himself, rubbing his neck as he joins her, sitting further away.  “…Why are you training me?”  • She straightens herself out, and as she speaks, Sokka wonders how many times she’s already gone over this speech in her head.   • “I am the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, the living legacy of Avatar Kyoshi.  Aang is not her, but I am choosing to believe that his spirit knew the Avatar would be safe here.  Kyoshi didn’t know she was the Avatar until she was 16– he’s, what?”  • “12,” Sokka huffs.  • “12.  Exactly.  He’s the only living airbender– Kyoshi still had her firebending sifu, Rangi, and her daofei teachers.”  She looks over at him, her expression unreadable to him. “What’s the name of your village?” • “Wolf Cove…?” • “All Aang seems to have is a waterbender who can’t bend, and the 'strongest warrior' from Wolf Cove.” The way she says it feels like a gut punch.  “I can’t teach either of them bending, but I can at least try to teach the warrior how to actually keep them safe until they get to the Northern Water Tribe.  I’m teaching you for the sake of the Avatar.” She crosses her arms.  “I can’t leave the island, but I can at least do everything I can for Avatar Kyoshi’s reincarnation while he's here.” 

[oneatlatime]

Ten episodes in!

Roughly half way through the first season, so it's time for a bit of a round up of my thoughts and impressions.

First, and most important: IT'S SO PRETTY. Seriously! The animators didn't have to pour so much love into each background and sunset, but they did! Introductory shots that last for three seconds or less ought to be framed and hung on a gallery wall. And I think that really sets the tone for the rest of this show: as a viewer, you can feel that everyone who worked on this show has love for it. There are background flourishes, pauses in plot for character and vice-versa, delicate and thoughtful treatments of difficult themes, and just so much heart. Not insincere performative heartwarming chicken noodle soup for the soul forward to five of your friends and then the whole bus clapped garbage either. Genuine heart. I feel like I'm watching something that is well loved, that comes from a happy home.

And that heart is the reason this show works. The concept of 'Kids' cartoon about a genocide survivor' never would have made it off the drawing board otherwise. It still sounds crazy when I type it out.

My thoughts so far on the characters:

Aang: Sweet little guy. Literally the only child currently alive not born into a world at war, and it shows. Also exactly the dose of fun and light-heartedness that the world as it is seems to be lacking. Has enviable serenity and a deeply rooted sense of self/self-confidence (probably thanks to Gyatso) that most adults don't. Deceptively deadly, if he ever chose violence. I am really hoping that the show doesn't make him grow up and kill people. He's lovely as he is right now.

Katara: Huge heart, too much trust. Intense. Frankly a bit much at times. Certainly feels way too much quite often. Ride or die for Aang. Would kill for and kill her brother. PEAK little sister. Has a borderline irrational amount of compassion that, when paired with her explosive temper, would make her the most deadly person in the world if it ever got twisted around to face the wrong direction (if that makes sense - like the potential for some really bad outcomes is there). Totally the girl who stole from the mall in 8th grade. Not over her mother's death to a borderline annoying degree. Tries so hard to be an adult, but keeps slipping up and acting her age.

Sokka: My favourite by a mile. Funny, delightfully sarcastic, wicked smart, can keep up with (and in fact is in charge of babysitting) the most powerful bender in the world and a fairly volatile, half-trained bender with temper problems. Perceptive (looking at you, Jet). Also ride or die for Aang and Katara, just in a more quiet way. The fact that he was willing to single-handedly face down a fire nation ship and certain death to protect his family & village kind of says it all. Either completely over his mom's death or has bottled up all emotion to the point where he wouldn't recognise her if he passed her on the street. Swings regularly between far too old for his years and half-grown teenage boy with manliness issues. Motormouth. Somehow both comic relief and linchpin. If he ever gets really quiet, you'll know things are getting serious - like there's a fire nation ship about to attack his village.

Appa: How many times has his big fluffy butt saved the day? Understands an amount of English that changes from episode to episode depending on the needs of the plot. Probably as deadly as Aang, if he chose to be, except with teeth and several tonnes of weight too. Both Aang's dog and Aang's dad. Why does he have six legs? Do extra legs present any flying advantages? Are they just for enhanced hugging? I hope so. There's a reason he's plastered all over this blog and it's not his martial prowess.

Momo: I'm not sure if he knows what's going on? Appa and the humans are very much aware that they're all on a quest, but I think Momo is just chilling. Can be very useful when he feels like contributing (thinking of the pirates and the keep-away scroll shenanigans), but is certainly the group's cat-equivalent. Also seems to vary wildly in size depending on the needs of the animators. I love his noises.

Zuko: I don't know? Winter Solstice Part 1 Zuko and Waterbending Scroll Zuko are two different people. Either highly volatile with wildly inconsistent reactions, or poorly written. Judging by the quality of the rest of this show, where even episodes I hate contain something I love, I'm guessing it's the former? Either way, it must be pretty exhausting to be Zuko. Has drive for days, smarts, leadership, logistics, and seamanship abilities, and temper problems. Oddly, his temper seems to be his most predictable aspect. I can predict what will set him off (most everything) much more accurately than I can gauge what crawled up Katara's butt. I honestly thought he was in his twenties, probably late twenties, until it was mentioned that he was 16. He comes across as much more adult, despite (or maybe because of?) the temper tantrums. Then again, if that Zhao guy is representative, maybe fire nation tempers run hot?

Iroh: Much more consistent characterisation. Something going on here. Deep well of firebending knowledge contrasted with doddery old man persona/personality (which is it?) contrasted with some not-so-subtle attempts to obstruct Zuko's quest. I'd better not find out that he's been leading Zuko on a wild goose chase for years.

Love Bumi, love what little I've seen of Gyatso, Roku seems pretty calm, Zhao is an asshole, but he's so good at it.

Relationships:

Whoever wrote Sokka & Katara's interactions obviously grew up with siblings. I'm not sure I've ever seen such accurate sibling dynamics on television. Long-suffering super smart idiot of an older brother attempting mostly in vain to claim some authority vs. ruthless little sister with a nose like a bloodhound for mocking opportunities and a contractual obligation to sharpen her claws on said brother. That's good stuff, and I love to see it.

Zuko & Iroh, partly thanks to Zuko's inconsistent character, flip flop between long-suffering mentor and hot-headed student (episodes 1 & 2), bickering old couple who love each other really (Winter Solstice Part 1 & 2), and no-nonsense super soldier whose hippy uncle came along for the ride (Waterbending Scroll). In all iterations of their dynamic, they give off the impression that they've been together for a long time and know each other well. Which is nice! I feel like Zuko especially could use a friend.

Bending:

Airbending is stupidly deadly. I think, from looking at the whole monks and temples thing, that the airbenders as a whole leaned pretty hard into the pacifist lifestyle, and (if you'll forgive the momentary foray into fanfiction territory) I think that they chose this lifestyle because they realised how crazy deadly their powers could be when misused. Aang can send a whole row of soldiers flying with one swipe of his staff. He flings people into walls without effort, without even looking. He can run faster than any other human we see, he can fly (albeit assisted), he whips up a tornado when fighting Bumi. Presumably (fanfiction territory again) he could control/prevent breathing, therefore control/end life. Gyatso certainly obliterated a bunch of comet-enhanced (I think?) firebenders. Now, some of this might be because Aang is the Avatar, which maybe gives him an airbending power-up? What I really love about airbending (or at least Aang's approach to it, which let's be honest, is the only one we're ever going to see) is how integrated it is into his daily life. Why stand up when you can airbend yourself up? Why twiddle your thumbs when you can twiddle marbles? It's thoughtless in a good way, as in it's effortless. Is Aang even aware of how often he bends? How much of it is unconscious bending? Is this because he's the avatar? Can other bending styles be so central to how a person lives their everyday life?

We haven't seen any master-level waterbending yet, but what we have seen invites speculation. Unlike airbending, where air is air is air, water is kind of defined by its variety. Solid? Liquid? Gas? We've already seen Katara bend water to ice, bend snow, bend salt and fresh water. Is waterbending the most limitless of the bending styles?

Unless you're Bumi, earthbending seems to promote stupidity. I was blown away by what Bumi could do, but every earthbender since has lost, and lost badly. I don't count the earthbenders in Imprisoned, because they had some hefty psychological factors at play, but the earthbending soldiers in the Winter Solstice part 1 who capture Iroh were literally surrounded by their element, with numbers on their side and their captive in chains, and they lost to a naked guy and a teenager. Does being a non-Bumi earthbender have a negative effect on cognitive abilities? Does the solidity of the element prevent creativity?

Firebending is dangerous, not in the way airbending can be dangerous, but in the way a drunk with a firecracker is dangerous. Probably the element that requires the most responsibility and self-regulation, ironically gifted to the most volatile people. All we've seen so far are fairly large plumes of fire - is precision firebending possible or is it more of a 'point it in the general direction of the enemy' technique? It does feel like an outlier, in that it comes from within, not the surrounding environment. That being said, airbenders can also be said to carry their element wherever they go, because everywhere humans can go (at least for more than a few minutes) has air, so fire isn't actually that much of an outlier. Also, either Zuko is suffering from a serious case of cartoon physics, or firebending causes some sort of muscle intensification and bone hardening, because last time I checked you can't kick a flying rock the size of a small child out of mid air or shatter handcuffs with an axe kick.

Final thoughts:

I think I'm preferring the monster of the week episodes to the season-long plot episodes. I think I want lower stakes while I'm still getting to know the characters. I want - no I NEED - more Appa. Give me an Appa episode. Give me a Sokka episode too. I also want more Gyasto - he seemed like a stand up guy, and I feel like he is what an older Aang will become, if all goes well. Obviously he's dead, so if there is more it will be flashback only, but I'll take what I can get.

I think the best point of the show, and what's really drawn and kept my attention, is the finality of things, even in these early, fairly plot-light episodes. Whatever blew away half of Zuko's face hasn't been undone. Sokka & Katara's mom is dead, and looks to stay that way. Aang really is the last of his people (and so, I suspect, is Appa). Aang disappearing for a century has left a duty in some way unfulfilled, and the world has suffered for it. Legitimate consequences, which means legitimate stakes, which means I feel like getting invested in the show is not a waste of my time. No Marvel fake-out deaths here! This world is one in which actions, and inaction, have weight. No bait and switch, no last-minute saves, no "it was _____ all along!" I don't think this would have mattered to me at all if I had seen this show as a child, but as an adult who is sick of how much of modern media shies away from sincerity, this show is refreshing.

Rankings so far:

Best episode (as in most competently executed) and favourite episode are getting different categories, because in a show that deals with some heavy themes, sometimes the most expertly done episode isn't all that pleasant to watch. I think the best episode so far, by far, is Jet. It feels head and shoulders above everything that came before it. It was at times uncomfortable to watch for how accurately it portrays both what war does to children, and what war-torn children will do to/with powerful children they happen to ensnare. Like I said in my post about it, I'll probably never watch it again because it's a little too real, but it is an episode that hums along like a well-tuned engine. A close second on the best/most competent list has to be The Southern Air Temple. The way the two stories weave together, and the way they mirror each other despite depicting characters destined to be enemies, AND the way all that gets represented in contrasting colour palettes is all so clever. It also gave me my first taste of the kind of long-term thought and planning that I'm already detecting hints of. Could you really write an episode like The Southern Air Temple without knowing how your season, even your series, would ultimately end? It's the episode where I first got a taste of the wider world, the scale of the stakes, the eventual endgame.

The worst executed episode so far is probably Imprisoned. I found the tonal switch in the middle completely jarring. I know what it was trying to say about Katara (compassionate and impassioned and will act on both to protect the innocent), but honestly the message I got was that Katara is closed-minded, naive, without any sense of proportion or any ability to pick and choose battles, with no long-term planning skill, and who is far too used to having Sokka around to clean up her messes and do her thinking for her. That being said, the worldbuilding was well done: this episode told us earthbenders' weakness (take away their element by sticking them in the middle of the ocean on a metal-only rig) and what life is like under fire nation rule (pretty hairy).

My favourite episode so far is The Winter Solstice Part 1: The Spirit World. I have literally no idea why, but it made me happy. Things I liked about it include: -It's so PRETTY -Sokka being ride or die for Aang to the extent of being subjected to spirit kidnapping -Zuko pulling the Exhausted Parent (TM) move of 'five more minutes on the playground then I'm leaving with or without you,' followed by not following through -Katara being stirred to action by Appa's worry -Zuko and Iroh absolutely flattening those earthbenders -Zuko and Iroh's odd couple dynamic throughout the episode -Zuko being competent at something! -How genuinely alien that spirit thing was, especially its movement. -Aang's "I have to try, don't I?" If I could have reached through the screen and given him a hug, I would have.

My second favourite is The King of Omashu. Maximum goofiness at all times is just delightful. Bumi has an enlightened way of looking at the world that gets all the more poignant when you realise how old he is and what he's lived through. There is serious angst potential there. But the episode is so light-hearted that you don't realise that while you're watching it. Also the absolute pinnacle of earthbending so far, and some pretty peak airbending too.

My least favourite is The Warriors of Kyoshi. They gave me a badass troupe of warrior ladies and then nerfed them so that Sokka could learn feminism. Sokka (as he was characterised in that episode at least) did need to learn it, but the trope of the male student effortlessly surpassing the female master is just so tired. At least the b-plot of the avatar title going to Aang's head was both fun and necessary story ground to cover.

An excellent run of episodes so far, despite my many and varied gripes with mostly minor things. Bring on episode 11.