#due to injury | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

stygiovictoria · 4 months ago

Text

AU concept

zuko leaves his mission early or is sent away due to the severity of his injuries, azula is there for whatever reason and they end up stuck together in dense forests of outer fire nation islands for some time

i like to think it's in hira'a and ursa or ikem finds them eventually

some dialogue concept under cut

"I don't want to fight anymore," Zuko mumbled a long time after he finally collapsed.

Azula, watching him from above, was not surprised. "You shouldn't have fought to begin with."

He didn't move, didn't adjust his eyes to look at her. Staring straight up, flat on the grass, he lay completely limp. His body was beyond battered — no inch of his skin hadn't a trace of blood, dirt, or bruising. Cuts and scrapes marred his arms and face, some probably-serious wounds from wild animals along his torso.

All because he insisted on fighting instead of her.

"You're younger than me," he'd said. "You're only eleven. I don't want you in danger like this."

The memory angered her. "Why even try to keep me safe? I'm stronger than you."

"I didn't want you to get hurt."

"I wouldn't."

"Mm..."

Zuko closed his eyes and stopped talking.

Azula watched him carefully, not close enough to register any movement.

"Are you dead?" she asked lightly.

"No," he replied. "I'm just sleepy."

"Well, don't die in your sleep."

"I'll try not to."

He finally looked at her, face twitching. That might've been a pathetic attempt at a smile, the way his lips moved there. She couldn't tell.

"Come lay down," he requested.

"No. I'm not tired."

"You still need rest."

Hesitantly, she kneeled beside him.

With her in reach enough for him to do so, he pulled her into his arms, wrapping himself around her like he would when they were trying not to get caught up playing in the middle of the night.

"Don't die," she said again, finally able to hear his terrifyingly unsteady breathing.

"I'm not gonna die," he said, sounding somewhat exasperated. Just a little bit of her brother's personality returned with that tone, peeking out from behind crushing exhaustion and excruciating pain.

Azula looked up at his face. The completely mutilated half that still smelled of charcoal and infection first, then the untouched half that was paler than a porcelain doll and much dirtier than she'd ever seen one.

She frowned.

#my art #my writing #atla #atla au #avatar the last airbender #avatar the last airbender au #sorry for the lack of general and roleswap au posts I'm. working on it #i hope you guys like these mini aus too though #i will def expand upon all of them but in due time #i have a lot of ideas #tw injury #tw infection #azula #zuko

89 notes · View notes

black-wolf066 · 1 month ago

Text

What If Billy Hargrove Had Survived Season 3

I always find myself being drawn back to the "what ifs” of this situation.

How would he change physically, emotionally, and mentally due to everything?

How would he go about apologizing to the others for the season 2 events (maybe he would even find himself explaining his reasons—regardless of if they were right or wrong. Maybe he wouldn’t explain it to all of them--because I doubt he would-- but I could see him explaining it to Max, possibly even Steve and/or Lucas. Mostly, though, if he does find he explains himself, I think it would be to Max and Lucas only; so they don't do anything stupid that will attract Neil's very unwanted attention).

How would he eventually be integrated into the party with the rest of them (if he decided to stay in Hawkins or was forced to stay in Hawkins while he healed and goes through physical therapy, etc)? Would he stay after he was cleared medically? Would he go? Would he keep in contact if he left, or would he just disappear?

There are so many questions I have regarding the what ifs. But if he had survived, I like to think this is how it would go. (((Obviously, this is just my take on it, and everyone is entitled to their own takes and theories regarding this situation. It's unfortunate that we will never know what actually would happen, but this is what the fandom and fanfiction is for, am I right? Lmao.)))

I think, due to everything, he would have changed. I believe it would be hard for anyone not to change after what happened.

I think in the beginning, he'd be an absolute wreck physically, mentally, and emotionally. I think he'd not only have to unlearn the poison his father fed him all these years, but now he'll need to unlearn the poison the mind flayer fed him too. Unlearn and realize the mind flayer was playing on and amplifying his fears and the darkest parts of him, and reinforcing that poison he'd been fed from Neil.

I think whatever lasting injuries would also be devastating and a learning curve because if he had survived, he would not have gotten away from that experience without lasting consequences. I think he'd have trouble with his hands—nerve damage, and what have you—his lungs, his stomach (from both the stab wounds and the chemicals he was forced to ingest), etc.

(I also think he’d have trouble looking in the mirror after it all too, that he’d be afraid to look in the mirror and see the monster, or see the monster’s eyes still swirling behind his own. I also think he would be disgusted by the scars he gained from the aftermath).

He would also have extreme survivors guilt, would believe it was all his fault no matter how many times people tell him it wasn't. That it was the mind flayer doing it and not him.

((Also, it occurred to me, I wonder how hard Billy fought to keep the mind flayer away from Neil, Susan and Max when he was at home? Why didn’t Susan or Neil become victims? Were they just not home at that time? Like were they off on a mini vacation or something without the kids and left Billy in charge of the house and Max while they were gone? Or were they home all that time?))

I think he would eventually start to believe the others when they tell him it’s not his fault, but only after talking to Will. And it's not Billy who seeks him out. It's Will who goes to him instead (Because unlike the others, Will doesn’t have any interactions to go off of in regard to Billy during season 2, he only has the stories). Maybe Billy will realize that it's no more Will's fault for the deaths of those soldiers in the tunnels or Bob Newby, then it is Billy's fault for the death of Heather and her family, or the other Hawkin’s residents. He will still strangle with the survivors guilt, will still blame himself on his worst days, but after his talk with Will, it gets better. It gets better for them both, because they have someone who understands, and who can remind each other that it wasn't them. It was the mind flayer. They were just unwilling tools/pawns to the Mind flayer’s game.

I also think the first thing he would do once stable and awake enough from his injuries is to apologize to Max (I do believe he would find a way to apologize to the others, but at this current time, I don’t think it will cross his mind until later. Maybe Max might say something or maybe he’s reminded of it on his own).

He might not have been in control of himself most of the time during the possession, but he still unfortunately witnessed everything, and he remembers Max’s face through the sauna window before the mind flayer took control. Can still hear Max’s attempt at trying to break him from the mind flayer’s control by reminding him of who he was (remembers trying to scream at her to move out of the way, but unable to do anything but helplessly watch as she was hit aside). Can still hear Max’s blood curdling scream ringing in his ears or the tears that were running down her face when he thought he was dying (and the pain, so much pain, a pain that took the very breath from him) and was only able to utter out a weak and pathetic “I’m sorry” before his world had gone dark.

In season 2, Max tells Lucas that Billy has always been a jerk (which is a sibling right of passage with any sibling. My siblings as much as I love them, they were absolute jerks/assholes, but then again, so was I with them. So, to me, this is a completely normal thing to say. It’s also completely normal behavior especially considering they were a melded together family still trying to get used to the other). I know she also stated that Billy changed when he got to Hawkins, that he was angry all the time now. Which again, is normal for someone who hasn’t been taught how to handle their emotions (during their puberty/teen years where emotions and hormones are at an all-time high) due to not being in a safe environment to do so, and being under the thumb of an abusive, emotionally constipated and masculine toxic parent who wouldn’t tolerate such emotion coming from Billy.

I don’t think Max and Billy’s relationship was perfect in California obviously, but I do believe there was something there, a truce or a gradual budding siblingship that got ruined and tarnished the moment Neil moved them.

I also headcanoned that Billy kept Max and Susan at arm’s length mostly because: if his flesh and blood mother could leave him, what was to stop Susan and Max from leaving him too. I think Billy fought hard not to grow attached to Susan or Max because everyone leaves him or hurts him in the end. Plus, Max with her spit fire attitude that reminds Billy of his mom sometimes (another headcanon of mine), gave him more grief than he wanted since Max never had to suffer the consequences of her actions. Susan was always left in charge of her punishments (another headcanon of mine)—and they always involved grounding, extra chores, no arcade, no skateboard, and no allowance money for however long the punishment lasted. So, no, Max never had to deal with her consequences, not like Billy had to because to Neil, it was “Billy’s responsibility” to keep his new sister out of trouble.

Billy was tired of being punished for things he didn’t do, and he was tired of Max toeing the line of pissing Neil off enough to paint a target on her back. Was tired of her constantly painting a target on his back because of her not listening or toeing said dangerous line.

((I firmly believe Max knew some things, but I don’t think Max knew everything that went on in her own home between Neil and Billy—either by Neil’s doing, Susan’s doing or Billy’s doing or even a mix of all of them. I think also Neil painted a picture/sob story for Susan and Max that made it harder to believe anything else, and with Billy’s behavior, I think it only solidified that picture for them; regardless if it made them uncomfortable or not)).

I also believe these feelings and events/punishments weren’t as bad in California because San Diego is such a massive place, that it was easier for them both to hide stuff from Susan and Neil. That things didn’t get back to them as easily. But now in Hawkins, where everyone knows everyone and certainly knows everyone’s business, that luxury isn’t a thing for either of them anymore.

So, with all of this in mind, with Billy remembering that tentative relationship/truce despite his best efforts to keep Max at arms-length, as well as how Max acted while he was possessed; I think once he was stable and coherent enough, he would do his best to try and make up for everything with her. ((It won’t be easy and it certainly won’t be quickly either. There is too much there that needs to be said and fixed and Billy doesn’t know how to say it or where to even start, but he tries, and Max—having been confronted with the reality of Billy nearly dying and dealing with the guilt of nearly getting her wish—does her best to try too)).

When it comes to the rest, I think Lucas would be next. Lucas has every right not to listen to him or forgive him. However, between Lucas, Dustin, and Mike, I think Lucas would be the one to eventually get to the possibility of “thinking” about it. I think he would only get to that point if he saw a clear difference between Billy and Max. I think because of his love for Max, if he saw that their relationship was repairing for the better, I think Lucas would then be a little more open to thinking about it, especially if Billy’s new behavior begins to extend beyond Max as well. I think if he did decide to try, I think they would bond a bit over basketball (I think basketball is also a bonding thing for Steve and Lucas also) since Lucas doesn’t have that with Mike, Dustin or Will.

Next would either be the rest of the party (Dustin and Mike), or Steve. Steve, I think would be a little more open to just letting it go, but Dustin and Mike are not. It would take a lot or a very long time at least for them to even get to a point where they would consider it.

El—like Will—firmly reminds him it wasn’t his fault when he apologies to her for hurting her. I think they would bond through their traumas, and Billy will end up with another little sister he never asked for.

I also think in the end, with Billy and Max repairing their relationship (and with Billy being alive meaning Neil wouldn’t fly the coup), I think Billy would stick around a bit longer in Hawkins. I think with him finally letting Max in, to put that trust in her that she won’t willingly leave him or hurt him; it would be reason enough for him to stay. Maybe he won’t stay for her 4 years of high school, but I do believe he would stay for a good portion of it.

I also think if Billy survived and stayed in Hawkins, he would be Vecna’s target—for one he escaped Vecna’s control, and for two, Billy is still dealing with that survivors guilt (is still haunted by the faces that he was forced to take). I’m not sure if Max would be a target too, mostly because Max’s stemmed from his death, but I do think there would still be guilt there regardless if he lived. (If Billy left Hawkins, then I’m unsure if Max’s guilt would be enough for Vecna to chose her. But Vecna could choose her to draw Billy back?).

I don’t know. It just makes me really sad that we’ll never know how things would have gone.

But I will die on this hill that Billy would have changed for the better had he survived. I genuinely believe he would have. He deserved to get the chance to try at the very least.

59 notes · View notes