#his older siblings have the right to defend themselves

[forgottenspring]

Tldr: Main character Tanjiro's family is killed except his younger sister Nezuko who gets turned into one of the demons. He saves her from herself and goes off to find a cure. Joins a Demon Slayer Corps and uncovers an evil plot by the actual evil demons and finding good demons along the way, while making friends in the Corps.

If you want more detail so you can actually explain it here ya go! :D Tried to keep it less spoilery and more focused on the main premise of the show you'd get from watching the first few episodes, I love this show for its animation and characters, but I also haven't finished it but I've consumed so many spoilers it feels like I have XD

Demon Slayer takes place in older Japan in the Taishou period aka 1912-1926 (So think swords, kimonos, but they have steam engine trains, and ppl wear more modern pieces in their outfits like caps and collared shirts, but also tea ceremonies and traditional paper walls)

It's about this older brother Tanjiro who while in the woods trying to help his family collect firewood for his mom, dad, and many younger siblings misses a major catastrophe. When he arrives back he finds them all slaughtered by a demon (it's implied they're youkai but since they're more vampire/zombie in nature I think that's why they went for demon)

Only for him to be attacked by his sister Nezuko who was turned into a demon, as there have been many demon attacks he knows he must kill her or she'll kill him.

But while he's fending her off she starts crying while trying to attack him. By looking into her eyes he realizes how she's still in there and she just can't control herself. And as this is his last family member and he is a very good older brother, he saves her.

He manages to put bamboo into her mouth to stop her from biting and later on they find someone who puts a spell on her that she'll see everyone as family, so she won't attack anyone. (But this also gives the problem that if she's ever in danger she doesn't defend herself properly from both ppl hunting demons and demons themselves)

Tanjiro then tries to go off to find a cure for Nezuko only to be stopped by someone from the Demon Slayer Corps, who tries to murder Nezuko. He manages to fight them off long enough to explain. He's told there's no cure, but as he's explaining and says he's willing to do whatever it takes, while being able to fend off such a formidable warrior, he's told he could join the Demon Slayer Corps. Which would allow him more access to finding info about a cure (very Fullmetal Alchemist funny enough)

So he joins and becomes friends with them and learns lessons, and is shown each person has a unique sword style that's inherent to them/their bloodline. That's all the cool power stuff you see in images.

Tanjiro is a ray of sunshine I frickin' love how positive and caring he is. No toxic masculinity here. And he loves Nezuko his younger sister so much.

He then makes friends with many of the great fighters of this group along with a peer, a scaredy cat fighter Zenitsu, and a wild fighter from the woods who wears a boar head Inosuke (I love this guy he's so feral). Tanjiro has a good sense of smell which is unnatural and comes in handy and bc he sees the good in ppl he starts realizing there's more going on with these demons.

It's revealed the main bad guys are these demons who have created a hierarchy of super strong demons who are slaughtering humans left and right, while also looking for their own cure in a way. Not exactly for themselves (kinda more complex as you watch) but so they can get rid of the humans and let demons reign supreme.

So the struggle of "demons bad" and Tanjiro finding more and more demons like Nezuko who don't want to hurt ppl, kicks off the story of him trying to find a cure, while fighting these demons, and the Hashira (the top slayers) vs the main demon guy and the Twelve Kizuki.

There ya go! :D I hope this was helpful!

help

if anyone knows Demon Slayer, can you please tell me about it?

no specific questions, just tell me about it please :)

[imperatrice21]

People cheering when Damian gets beaten by his older siblings will never fail to make my blood boil

[spatial-jump]

Spoilers for all episodes of the Umbrella Academy Season 4 and profanity below.

What the actual fuck was that finale?? Was I watching the same thing directors looked at and went, “Yeah, this is cool!”

Those last two episodes were a total shit show. An absolutely horrendous finale to a wonderful TV show.

The first thing I am so fucking pissed about is how they’ve written Five in this season. They ruined him. They tore apart the aloof apocalypse-obsessed arsehole who loves his family, destroyed it, spat on it, and then danced on the grave before crushing it under an anvil.

In no fucking timeline whatsoever would Five and Lila be a thing. I understand where some people would come from to defend it — that yes, they were both isolated for seven years and could only find company in each other, distorting their relationship as they sought comfort which mistakenly and incorrectly transpired into ‘love’. No, it’s messed up. It’s so fucking messed up and creates unnecessary drama that the writers probably wanted since they were undeniably lacking in the finale. When I first saw the camera angles and shots they were getting prior to Year Five in the subway, I was naïvely thinking, “Surely not. Please don’t tell me this is where I think it’s going.” And lo and behold, I was right. And I’ve never hated to be right so much in my entire life.

Lila (WHO HAS THREE ADORABLE CHILDREN WITH DIEGO, BY THE WAY) has known Five for absolutely ages — since he was in the body of a thirteen-year-old child. Mentally, he’s however many decades older. Regarding the actors, Aidan and Ritu, themselves, there is a fifteen-year gap between them. But my point is, Five is not a home-wrecker. Five is the type of character who would not deliberately fuck around with his brother’s wife because he absolutely adores his family. It’s not in the nature that has been presented to us, and goes completely against his values — and for what? To serve exclusively as a shitty love triangle so that Diego and Five would fight in the finale and break up the family even more at the most crucial point for them?

Five is your textbook example of a pragmatist. He knows how to prioritise, and would certainly not decide that the time to fight Diego was when two of their siblings were badly injured and another had merged to bring about the Cleanse — a.k.a. end of the world, again.

I am so, so disappointed with this, especially as Five is the character I’ve had the strongest attachment to, ever. I think I’ve managed to disconnect S4 him from the first three (that fucking greasy rat’s nest hair of his has finally been given a beneficial purpose), but I’m still sick to my stomach.

Anyway, next thing: the episodes. I know we were told in advance about how there were only going to be six episodes, and we knew they had a lot to fit in to make it work.

It didn’t. It was executed very poorly. I understand some fans didn’t like the unnecessary subplots and fillers from the previous seasons, but S4 was a bit too rushed? I mean, they found and drank the marigold within the first episode. And floundered around at the end, not even bothering to stop the Cleanse until it had been aired on TV. I get they might’ve wanted to make the show more fast-paced, but it could’ve been handled differently. They didn’t have to do a ‘Stranger ThingsTM’ and make four goddamn films for a Part One. They just needed to properly iron out everything, and that didn’t happen, which is a massive shame.

The finale itself (not the erasing their identities, but from the moment Ben is shot) deserves some YouTuber to pick it apart with a four hour video until it’s dust. It was badly structured. Normally, you see a rather pleasant — not exactly linear, but in the concept we’re progressing positively — pattern as the episodes and plots build up to the finale. We see the family find out about an apocalypse, they fight and break off individually, then they slowly pair up, eventually coming together to save the world. This was not like that.

Instead, you had one sibling fucking around in a subway with his physically much older and mentally much younger sister-in-law, another that was hopelessly obsessed with a girl he just met (but no hate for him — no one exactly told him that being closer to Jennifer was just harming them both and the world), one germaphobe who, despite not taking drugs or drinking, is off looting money wherever he can find it and deciding that was the moment to pay off his debts??, three others doing fuck knows, and then the last one who actually gives a shit, teamed up with his hideous father, and tried to prevent him from killing Ben as long as possible because he knows what it’s like to end the world, and is therefore the only one who did anything useful. God, that was a long sentence, so I’m sorry for those of you who struggle with it.

The finale was not your Umbrella Academy finale. Once everyone had (I say this in the lightest way) been ‘brought together’, they had no bloody idea what to do. In the meantime, they’d disbanded about three times within the thirty minutes of screening because of petty fights and the drama I’ve already discussed. Five leaving them at the most essential moment (due to Lila and Diego, blah, blah, blah) was an error in his character. This old man has survived through apocalypses, the one who tries to round everyone up despite everything he has seen. Even with his doubts in the S3 finale, he was still there — and his doubts were shared enough that they created a majority. In this S4 finale, there was no majority. It was just Five, and Five alone. There were gaping holes and shredded pieces of the beautifully developed characters the show had done so well in portraying. They did this with Allison during that scene in S3, where they took her villain arc too far. There are so many flaws in this, and there is definitely many people out there who can communicate it better and more concisely, but here is my two pennies anyway.

I have a lot more thoughts, but I’m currently bone-tired. I might post another rant if I remember anything else — but don’t be too surprised if it’s Five x Lila related.

I am thankful and appreciative that the Umbrella Academy was one of the lucky shows that saw its way to the very end, but I think all of us are entitled to a little disappointment at its quality and execution as it was brought to a close.

[toomanythoughts2]

I've been thinking a lot more of Post-Klok Pre-Series Toki and I keep coming up with so many missing scenes on his development.

I've been really thinking on how Toki's role in the band, a lot of times, is the "younger brother" arche type, which is obvious, but there's also a lot of snippits in the show that really highlight just how ingrained it is in their mind that Toki was once a child or very young when he joined. In "Dethclown", Nathan yells at Toki to not run because it's wet (near the hot tub) when Toki goes to get the door for Rockso (also the whole, "I thought we agreed--no clowns?"/"No, we didn't agreededs on nothings. We all just yelled and then he was beaten. That was our conclusions." - Very older brother/younger brother argument) (Also, Skwisgaar telling Toki he doesnt have to overcompensate, that they'll all pay more attentions to him -- very older brother energy). In "Dethecution", Nathan tells Toki, "Toki you may clear the table when you feel it is time." How many times do you think Toki cleared the table as a kid when he was living in the apartment or wherever they stayed before Mordhaus was complete? Toki can barely cook (granted, he made chicken tenders in "Diversityklok" but this like a decade after the time we're talking about, so that doesn't count.) but the others do have a few skills. It was probably a chore of his while living with the band. In "Dethcamp", (which is arguably the most family dynamic-esque episode in the entire show) Nathan is seen picking up Toki's clothes, helping him pack for camp, gifting him something he knows Toki would like, and defending him from bullies. He also called Toki, "Little guy" when he said how much he misses him. Pickles is seen defending Toki from Skwisgaar and Murderface's bad talking, while Murderface and Skwisgaar rag on Toki because deserts always have to be made sugar free and they can't watch scary movies with him around. In the episodes where Toki gets wrapped up in Murderface's schemes, a lot of the hatred or aggravation from the other three, never seems to be on Toki, but more so Murderface. Like how parents get mad at older siblings for getting their younger siblings into stuff because they don't believe that the younger siblings would have done it by themselves. Like in "Dethsiduals", it's very clear that Toki is just along for the ride, even going against some of the things Murderface says while in court. All of this just screams that Toki is, unfortunately, still seen as this younger "child" because that's how the band first met him and treated him. Now on to the fun part!

I don't think that the band was overly parenting, they're still rockstars, they're still assholes. But this is a level of care and structure in the band that definitely shows that they did something to help Toki. Or things they they choose not to do if Toki was a minor when he joined.

For one, I've been really loving the idea that Skwisgaar had a very strict "No sex in the house if Toki is there" due to his own personal traumas with his mother. Toki did a lot of 7/11 runs with other band members or by himself if Skwisgaar brought someone home. Like, he would see Toki and a part of him yearned to be protect in the way he wishes he was protected. So, he did not have sex when Toki was at the house. Now, once he's 18, that goes out the window but Toki is now a legal adult and needs to deal with it.

I also like the idea that Toki did not understand a shower set up and was taking baths from the sink. Like, he would look at the shower knob and immediately freak out. He just wouldn't understand it. So, Pickles ends up teaching him the basics and Toki is so enthralled by it, he strips down immediately and gets in with Pickles still right there. (I see Toki as being very unashamed of nakedness) Pickles also helped him understand shampoo, conditioner, and basic hygiene using modern "gadgets" (deodorant in a stick or toothpaste from a plastic tube.) Pickles just didn't want another Murderface. 1 Murderface stank was enough for all of them.

Another idea that I'm honestly thinking about writing is Charles taking Toki to the mall to spend his first paycheck and going straight for the toys only to get overstimulated and freak out. Charles has to take Toki back to the car to calm down. When everyone comes back with their purchases, Toki is embarrassed that he didn't buy anything. On the way home, they pop a tire while getting gas, and the guys have to change it. Toki doesn't help (he has no idea) but he spots a store across the street from them and decides to go in without telling anyone. It ends up being a hobby store and a cashier spots him staring at the model plane, and starts explaining them to him. Toki has no clue what is being told to him, but likes the attitude of the man, so he buys one, plus some paints and brushes and other gear to go along with it. Charles rushes in after the purchases, slightly alarmed because Toki just disappeared. But Toki doesn't notice and is ready to go back to the car to show off his purchases. (Charles ABSOLEUTLY makes him hold his hand across the street and tells him to look both ways.)

I've also been thinking about what did Toki and Murderface's first scheme look like? Was it something really simple like Murderface using Toki to ask one of the guys if they could have Mexican instead of Chinese food tonight? Or was it something sneakier, like using Toki as a distraction to steal booze? Did Murderface teach him bad words with wrong meanings, and tell him to say them in front of the others? Did Murderface also get some hero worship from a very young Toki because he too played a guitar-like instrument? Murderface was probably a bad influence on Toki (they all were but...) with how to act in public, his view points on women and children, how to talk, how to have his form of "confidence".

Toki was probably never allowed to partake in interviews without Skwisgaar, Nathan, and Charles present. Skwisgaar to translate to Toki and Charles to make sure the questions were "within legal right to ask a minor". Nathan was there to make sure that their image was upheld and to intimidate the interviews from asking anything non-metal. But a lot of old footage of these interviews actually show Nathan doubling as a bodyguard around Toki from interviewers on his back and show him gently guiding him through crowds and away from people who keep asking odd things or just generally gave him an uncomfortable vibe. Nathan definitely has some kind of guidance/caregiving vibes when it comes to Toki. He does not do it to any other bandmember, just him.

Anyway, the band looks at Toki and they probably still see this version of Toki:

Ok, that's all :)

[onlyonetifosi]

It was a stormy afternoon at the Leclerc household, and Y/N and her twin brother Arthur found themselves bored at home. With Arthur having a break between races, and the rain pouring outside, they had no choice but to find ways to entertain themselves indoors. Arthur, being the older twin, always boasted about his age, claiming superiority at every opportunity. But today, they were determined to set aside their differences and have some fun together.

Y/N sat on the couch, flicking through TV channels, while Arthur paced around the living room, bragging about his latest racing achievements.

"You know, Y/N, being the older twin has its perks. I'm always one step ahead," Arthur boasted, grinning mischievously.

Rolling her eyes, Y/N replied, "Oh, please, Arthur. Just because you're a few minutes older doesn't mean you're any better."

Arthur chuckled. "But it does mean I have more experience in life."

Y/N smirked "Only by 8 minutes and well, experience doesn't always mean you're right. Let's play a game to prove it."

Curiosity sparked in Arthur's eyes. "Alright, what game do you have in mind?"

Y/N grinned and suggested, "How about 'Two Lies, One Truth'? We each take turns telling two lies and one truth, and the other person has to guess which one is true."

Arthur nodded, intrigued by the idea. "Sounds fun. You go first."

Y/N thought for a moment and then said, "Okay, Arthur. Two lies and one truth. I once jumped off a tree and sprained my ankle. I have met Shakira in person. I can speak three languages fluently."

"Hmm… I know you're always adventurous and you sprained your ankle, you speak French, English and Italian so it’s true. But meeting Shakira? That's hard to believe. I'll go with the second one."

"Wrong! I did meet Shakira at Charles’ race last year. It was amazing!" said yn laughing

They continued playing the game, taking turns and laughing at each other's outrageous lies. As the storm outside grew stronger, they moved on to playing board games.

Uno was their first choice, but their competitive spirits took over, and before long, they were arguing over skipped turns and wild cards. Y/N pouted as Arthur triumphantly declared his victory.

"Next time, I won't go easy on you," Y/N grumbled.

"Arthur, you can't just stack all those +4 cards on me! You cheated!" Y/N accused, pointing an accusing finger at her brother.

Arthur chuckled. "Bring it on, little sis" setting up a game of Uno. The colorful cards flew across the table as they battled for victory. The game, however, quickly turned into a heated argument over who had forgotten to say "Uno" before discarding their last card.

As they played Uno, the competitive nature of the Leclerc siblings emerged. They argued over cards and strategies, making the game intense and thrilling.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Me? Cheat? Never. You must be imagining things."

Determined to find a game they could enjoy without arguing, Y/N suggested Twister. They cleared a space in the living room, set up the colorful mat, and spun the spinner.

The game started off lighthearted, but Arthur quickly discovered a way to use his height advantage to his benefit, making Y/N lose her balance and stumble.

Y/N protested, "Hey, that's not fair! You're using your height against me!"

Arthur grinned playfully. "Well, it's not my fault you're shorter. Maybe next time you'll think twice before challenging me."

Their bickering continued, but their voices echoed through the house, catching the attention of their older brother, Charles, who had just returned home.

Charles entered the living room with a smile. "What's all the commotion about?"

Y/N pouted, pointing an accusing finger at Arthur. "Arthur is being impossible, he's cheating at Twister!"

Arthur defended himself. "I'm not cheating! I'm just playing to my strengths and she cheated at Uno," Arthur complained, crossing his arms.

Charles chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, you two. Enough arguing. How about we all play a game together? I'll mediate and make sure things stay fair"

Y/N and Arthur exchanged glances and nodded, realizing their squabbling had gotten out of hand. They were still siblings, after all, and deep down, they loved spending time together.

Charles pulled out a classic board game, and the three Leclerc siblings spent the afternoon and evening engaged in friendly competition, laughter, and teasing banter.

As the storm raged outside, their joy filled the house, and their bonds grew stronger. The hours flew by, and before they knew it, they were exhausted.

Late at night, their maman, Pascale, and their oldest brother, Lorenzo, returned home to find an unexpected scene. Charles, Y/N and Arthur were fast asleep, curled up on the couch, their heads resting against each other, Y/N had her head resting on Arthur's chest, as the younger brother had his head in Charles’ lap.

Pascale and Lorenzo stood quietly, gazing at their sleeping children, their hearts filled with love and pride.

"Maman, regardez!" Lorenzo whispered, a tender smile gracing his lips. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Pascale's eyes filled with tears, her heart swelling with love for her children. "Oui, mon chéri. C'est magnifique" whispered Pascale, her voice filled with tenderness.

Lorenzo nodded, his voice gentle as he replied, "Indeed. It's moments like these that remind us of the unbreakable bond between siblings."

Pascale leaned against Lorenzo, and they shared a quiet moment of admiration for their children, realizing that despite the occasional arguments, their siblings' love was unwavering.

In that stormy night, their connection as twins and as siblings, was etched into their hearts forever, reminding them that the storms of life would only strengthen their bonds, making them unbreakable.

[jinjinxedsoul]

When The Sun Loved The Moon - Aegon II Targaryen

CHAPTER 4. QUEEN OF LOVE AND BEAUTY

130 AC

The swords clashed with force, and the metallic sound made the youngest of the brothers cover his ears. The man holding him in his arms chuckled at seeing him so annoyed by such trivialities.

“I want to fight too!” exclaimed one of the princes, looking at the older one.

“You already fought with Jaella and she left you lying on the ground.”

“Be more careful!” complained the silver-haired girl, pushing her older brother while rubbing her jaw.

“In the battlefield, no one is careful, princess,” Sir Erryk reminded her.

The teenager rolled her eyes and then threw her sword away, raising her hands in surrender as Jacaerys laughed at her, earning a new punch to the stomach.

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” Jaella complained, sitting next to Daemon. “Can you remind me why it was agreed that I should be trained in combat?”

“Something had to be done with your temperament,” Daemon shrugged. “Besides, I prefer that you know how to defend yourself rather than just be a pretty face, bear children, and smile.”

“Do you think I’m pretty?” she asked, looking at him with a surprised expression.

“You’re insufferable, Jaella.”

“But pretty, right?”

“Too pretty for your own good,” he added, not losing the irony in his voice. “That’s why you need to know how to handle a sword.”

Over time, Jaella’s relationship with Daemon improved, moving from individualism to starting to see each other as a complete family. Jaella hadn’t said it out loud yet, but she was beginning to consider Daemon as a father.

“I won’t let my sister have to pick up a sword to defend herself,” Jacaerys spoke firmly.

“And what would you do in the event of a war, boy? When you’re short on hands and swords, you’ll wish to draw support from the rocks themselves.”

“It doesn’t matter if the bloodiest war in history breaks out, I’ll make sure that my mother, my wife, and my sister never have to fight.”

“I’m very grateful for that, my sweet child,” their mother’s voice drew everyone’s attention.

Princess Rhaenyra walked over to them, lifting little Joffrey, who had jumped from Daemon’s lap the moment his mother arrived.

“I’m glad to see you’ve finished your duties for the day,” Rhaenyra announced. “We’re expecting a visitor this afternoon, and I would like everyone to be available to receive him.”

“A visitor?” Jacaerys asked, frowning.

“Your uncle Aegon is coming from King’s Landing.”

The news hit Jaella like a bucket of cold water, and her gaze instinctively sought her mother’s, who gave her a reassuring smile. It had been quite a while since she last saw Aegon; however, they continued to exchange messages whenever they could. Over the past few moons, those messages had carried repressed feelings and words she wouldn’t dare say aloud in front of anyone, but which involved Aegon’s promise to claim her maidenhood before it was taken by another.

Her heart raced, well aware that her uncle’s promises were not mere empty words; it was a silent pact she had happily accepted, but which filled her with a nearly suffocating nervousness.

She found herself both eagerly anticipating and dreading Aegon’s arrival, but there was little she could do to avoid it.

═════𖠁 ═════

She ran her hands over the fabric of her dress once more. During her childhood and even a few years ago, Jaella had almost religiously worn the blue colors of her late father's house. But as she grew, she favored rich burgundy fabrics with black and gold accents. The blue had almost disappeared from her drawers, though she still wore it when she missed Laenor.

That day, taking advantage of the slightly warmer weather in Dragonstone, she dared to wear one of her few short-sleeved dresses with a neckline that revealed her shoulders and collarbones. The burgundy color stood out against her siblings' darker outfits. Her hair, usually worn up, was left loose, with only a braid on the sides.

It was obvious to everyone that Jaella was trying to enhance her beauty for Aegon, though no one mentioned it, even though Jacaerys seemed particularly annoyed by all the attention his sister was lavishing on herself.

When they reached the stone steps, Sunfyre had already landed, and the prince, clad in emerald robes, dismounted from his dragon with ease. It was clear that time had been kind to Aegon, as his features were becoming much more mature and his bearing was now that of a man. Though he wasn’t very tall, he was considerably taller than the young Velaryon, who barely surpassed Lucerys' height.

Aegon seemed quite uncomfortable visiting a place he wasn’t used to and that his mother had insisted he avoid. However, when his gaze met Jaella’s, everything else seemed to fade into the background. Violet met violet, quickening his heart and drawing a bright smile from her.

“I hope your journey was comfortable, Prince,” Rhaenyra said as she approached.

“As comfortable as a dragon ride can be,” he replied with a half-smile, trying to lighten the mood.

“Why have you come to my home with such short notice?” Daemon seemed quite distrustful of Aegon’s visit, but Rhaenyra quelled his hostility with a glance.

“I’m sure Prince Aegon has a good reason for his visit, doesn’t he?”

Despite the princess Rhaenyra’s diplomacy, the younger brother could sense his sister’s nervousness and the subtle yet urgent way she was asking for answers.

“I’ve come as a messenger,” Aegon hurried to clarify. “Our father wishes to celebrate Princess Jaella’s nameday with a tournament, and at its conclusion, he plans to finally celebrate the wedding of my sister to Prince Jacaerys.”

Rhaenyra exhaled sharply, momentarily relieved by her half-brother’s visit; her muscles relaxed, and a smile spread across her face.

“That is excellent news,” the elder princess exclaimed. “I’ve arranged for a room to be prepared for you so you can rest from your journey. We are about to have supper.”

Although the dragon ride from King’s Landing to Dragonstone was not very long, the hospitality of the family was always to be well received. Despite what his mother might say, the young prince did not mind the idea of spending the night or even a couple of days at his sister’s home, especially since there was something more than the roasted pig in plum sauce at dinner that demanded his attention.

Dinner proceeded without major issues; in fact, one could say that Aegon, Rhaenyra, and especially Daemon put aside their differences to enjoy a meal like any family that hadn’t been consumed by the flames of discord. Rhaenyra noticed that her half-brother was also very different from how he was around Alicent, and this sparked an idea in her mind.

“Feel free to stay as long as you like. If possible, you can stay until the day we travel to King’s Landing for the celebration,” she offered.

“That’s a very generous offer,” the prince smiled, taking a sip of his wine. “But I’m afraid I can only stay a couple of days, or my mother will go mad.”

“Then feel free to do as you please. The island isn’t very large; I’m sure you’ll be able to visit the best spots during your stay,” the elder princess offered. “I’m sure Princess Jaella can give you a good tour; she knows this place better than anyone.”

Jaella held her breath at her mother’s suggestion. Throughout dinner, she had remained silent, aware of the furtive glances Aegon cast her way from time to time. It was all very strange, as she had never felt this way before, as if the mere attention of the prince was burning her.

“Of course, Mother,” she finally replied, forcing a smile that she hoped appeared natural. “It will be a pleasure to show the prince the secrets of our island.”

Daemon chuckled, fully aware of the double meaning that Jaella’s words might imply. The prince didn’t seem too pleased with the idea, but since the young woman’s mother was in favor, Daemon had little say in the matter.

“It will be a pleasure, Princess,” Aegon said in a soft voice, his tone laced with insinuation, which did not go unnoticed by any of the present.

Jaella looked down, her face turning red almost immediately, and her insides twisted with a mix of nervousness and excitement. She definitely wasn’t sure how she would face what was coming.

═════𖠁 ═════

“I thought you’d wait until morning to ask for a tour,” the princess declared.

Aegon had called for her shortly after dinner, asking her to take him on a tour of the garden. The prince knew little about Dragonstone, but he had heard from his father that the fortress’s garden was named after the Conqueror, just like him, so he had been curious to see it.

“I have been deprived of seeing the things I delight in for too long.”

From the moment her uncle had set foot in the castle, there had not been a moment when her cheeks did not flush, whether from Aegon’s subtle comments or the way his gaze seemed to see through her very soul.

“Then I won’t make you wait any longer.”

The prince’s smile widened, but he said nothing, simply following the path Jaella showed him, which was not very long. There was a certain excitement spreading through his chest at the thought of soon being away from the curious eyes of the servants, alone with her after having spent so much time apart.

They arrived at the Conqueror's Garden, where the silence was only broken by the gentle sound of water from the fountain in the center. The air was filled with the scent of pine, and the red of the wild roses and the berries growing there stood out vividly against the darkness of the night.

“It’s more beautiful than I imagined,” Aegon murmured, taking a deep breath and filling his lungs with the scent. “It’s darker too.”

“Everything in Dragonstone is darker than in other places,” she said with a smile, passing by him before approaching the fountain, sitting at its edge and playing with her fingers in the water.

“Sometimes darkness has its own charm.” The prince decided to sit beside her, quickly taking her hand and bringing it to his lips to place a gentle kiss on the back, which elicited a sigh from the young woman. “I longed to see you again.”

“Dragonstone isn’t that far from King’s Landing,” she said as if reproaching him. “By dragon, the journey is even shorter.”

“It’s not the distance that kept me from visiting you,” he smiled, caressing her hand without letting go, keeping it on his lap. “As time goes by, my mother keeps finding new responsibilities for me; the more occupied I am, the better it is for her.”

“I thought you were more rebellious than that.”

Aegon let out a small laugh that made Jaella smile.

“I thought that if I fulfilled my duties diligently, perhaps my father would see me differently and maybe... accept our betrothal,” he spoke so quickly that Jaella had trouble understanding what he was saying.

“Our? Yours and mine?”

“Why does it sound like a surprise to you? I think I’ve made it quite clear that I want you to be my wife.”

“It sounds like a surprise because the letters I receive from my friends at court paint you as a completely different person,” she said with a soft laugh. “They surely wouldn’t believe that Prince Aegon wants to get married.”

“Do those friends include Harland Arryn?” he asked, curiosity laced with what sounded like jealousy.

“If you’re worried about the messages I might share with Harland, you can dismiss it from your mind; yours are infinitely more... appreciated.”

A mischievous smile appeared on Aegon’s lips as he vividly recalled the contents of those letters, and Jaella blushed, or at least that’s what he thought from the way she seemed to avert her gaze nervously.

Aegon stood up and gently tugged on Jaella’s hand to get her to stand as well, which she did immediately. The prince pulled her closer to him, looking her up and down with a scrutinizing gaze. To him, there was no woman more beautiful in the Seven Kingdoms than his niece, and he wasn’t sure when he started considering her this way, but he knew he was right, and if anyone dared to question it, he himself would tear their tongue out... In fact, he had done it once before, with one of the women he was with in a brothel.

That woman had boasted that the prince had chosen her because she was the most beautiful girl in that place, even calling herself more beautiful than the Valyrian pearl, which made Aegon furious. He imposed severe punishment on her for even daring to compare herself with his Jaella.

“I’m glad to hear that” he murmured, placing one of his hands on the younger girl's cheek “That means you've taken everything I've said seriously”

She wanted to answer, but her throat seemed to be completely closed so she simply nodded softly, Aegon smiled even more and, unable to hold back, joined his lips with Jaella's. It had been too long since they had last kissed, but it was clear that there was a difference in the way they had done it then.

This time the kiss was more demanding, more passionate compared to the first one he had given her, Jaella had to search for some air in the middle of the kiss, her lips opened a little and Aegon took advantage of this to force his tongue into his niece's mouth; she was not so expert in the art of kissing due to the lack of a companion, but she tried to keep up with the pace he imposed on her

The prince’s hands were clasped tightly around her waist, gripping her as if she might escape or disappear, and Aegon had been a victim of that in his most pleasant dreams, where, in the end, Jaella always vanished.

He pulled away from her a moment later, only to bring his lips to Jaella’s neck. She was still wearing the dress from that afternoon, the one that exposed her collarbones, a sight that had driven him mad since his arrival. He had wanted to kiss her neck and mark it relentlessly so that anyone who even glimpsed Jaella’s skin would immediately know it belonged to him.

Jaella shivered at the contact of his lips on her skin. It was the first time someone had touched her this way. A sigh escaped her as Aegon began to trace a path of wet kisses from her neck down to the line of her dress, which was low enough to graze the top of her breasts.

"Aegon..."

The way she whispered his name, with a blend of desire and insecurity, made him smile against her skin. He knew this was an unfamiliar path for his niece, and though he wanted to be the first to lead her down it, he was aware of everything it entailed.

The words he had written in all those letters came back to her mind, making her tremble slightly, realizing that there was nothing she could do to escape the situation. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be with Aegon in every possible way, but she feared she might not be good enough for him.

Sensing the tension in her body, Aegon lifted his head and looked directly into her eyes. His hands remained still on her waist, tracing small circles with his thumbs to calm her.

"Shh..."

“You said…”

“...that I would take you?” He asked, and when she nodded, he added, “And I meant it.”

One of his hands moved up to her face, gently caressing it and then tucking the stray locks of hair that had fallen over it. He smiled at her and couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her once more.

“But I’m not going to take you here,” he continued, his voice barely a whisper. Jaella looked at him in confusion. “You’re not a whore or a maid. I don’t want to take you the way I take others. If one day you are to be my wife, I want to know that when you gave yourself to me for the first time, it was of your own will. I want to know that you chose it that way because that’s what you want.”

The princess swallowed heavily, processing the weight of his words. Aegon, whom everyone described as carefree and libertine, was showing her a side that no one else seemed to know. A side that made her feel special but also frightened her, as it implied an emotional responsibility she wasn’t sure she could handle.

“Besides, a mere garden is not what you deserve,” he said, still caressing her face. “Do you trust me?”

Jaella nodded firmly; there was no reason for it to be otherwise. Aegon had never given her a reason not to trust him, and despite all the gossip surrounding the prince, Jaella trusted him completely.

“That’s all I need right now.”

═════𖠁 ═════

“Congratulations, my prince, your performance in combat has improved considerably,” Sir Criston complimented from the ground, defeated by Aegon. “In a few months, you’ll be able to compete formidable against your brother.”

Aemond chuckled, a laugh quickly joined by Harland Arryn, who had recently joined the princes’ training sessions.

“I don’t have a few months,” Aegon complained once Sir Criston had left, not wanting him to hear anything.

“Why are you so anxious to become a good fighter, my prince?” Harland asked with his usual mocking tone.

“Don’t call me that,” Aegon requested with a grimace of annoyance. “We shared a woman at the brothel some time ago.”

Harland laughed, clearly entertained by the anecdotes the prince considered as a sign of closeness between them.

“Aegon wants to win the tournament that will take place in a few days, at Jaella’s name day celebration,” Aemond spoke up, interrupting his brother’s chatter as he didn’t want to hear any more. “To crown her as the Queen of Love and Beauty in front of everyone.”

Young Arryn raised his eyebrows playfully, earning a disapproving glance from Aegon.

“So that’s what this is all about?” Harland asked. Aegon remained silent, but to Harland, it was confirmation. “Don’t you think that might be a little… disrespectful to your betrothed?”

“She’s not my betrothed.”

Aegon was irritated by people referring to that graceless girl as his betrothed, especially since she wasn’t. She was a Tyrell girl his mother had found for him, invited to the tournament as a way to push a match between them; the girl’s family had arrived a couple of weeks earlier because Alicent wanted her son to develop some affinity for her before Jaella’s arrival. This, of course, was not working, as Aegon had refused to even spend a moment in her company.

“And you’re just going to publicly show your disdain for the engagement?” Aemond asked. “What about Lady Laisa’s honor?”

“That’s her name?” Aegon asked with a frown, clearly uninterested. Aemond rolled his eyes. “Lady Laisa’s honor matters little to me, and of course, I won’t be honoring her by crowning her at the tournament.”

“What will Mother say?”

“She’s already said enough,” the elder cut him off with a heavy sigh. “Don’t you think it would be a bit disrespectful not to crown the princess, considering the celebration is in her honor?”

“I think Prince Aegon is right,” Harland agreed, crossing his arms. “It’s well known that Princess Jaella enjoys that kind of attention. We don’t want to provoke a tantrum on such an important day.”

“And couldn’t any of us crown her with that honor?” Aemond seemed determined not to let his brother embarrass their house.

“I’m sure the princess would prefer it to be Prince Aegon who honors her,” Aegon smiled at Harland’s supportive words. The brunette placed a hand on Aemond’s shoulder and continued, “We’ll make sure you’re the one who wins the tournament.”

═════𖠁 ═════

The silver-haired prince withdrew his hand from beneath the skirts of the young Tyrell, glancing around to ensure no one had seen them. The corridor seemed deserted, and he relaxed a little. The girl smiled and pulled him in for a passionate kiss.

“Will you come to my room tonight?” she asked with a mischievous grin.

“If that’s what you want,” he replied, barely smiling.

“This might be the last night we can spend together. After tomorrow, I’ll likely be betrothed to your brother.”

“He doesn’t want to be betrothed to you,” he said coldly. “Why not avoid the drama and change the course of the engagement? I’m sure your father would be pleased with either of us. If you ask him to betroth you to me…”

The girl’s laughter interrupted him, a genuine burst of mirth that irritated Aemond enough to darken his expression.

“I came here to be promised to a future king. Why would I settle for marrying you when I could be the queen of the Seven Kingdoms?”

Aemond was not one to develop strong feelings, let alone romantic ones, but her words had certainly bruised his ego, and the sting in his chest was sharp.

“Aemond the One-Eyed, what would people think of me if I married you?”

“Lady Tyrell has a sharp tongue.”

Aemond immediately turned upon hearing that voice, a voice he hadn’t heard in a good number of years but always remembered consoling him when other children teased him.

“Princess Jaella,” the girl hastily greeted, with a curtsy that Jaella regarded with disdain.

“Quite a bold choice of words,” Jaella criticized, Aemond looked away. “Are you disrespecting my uncle? In my view, you’d be very fortunate to marry him.”

“I only… I’ve been promised to your uncle Aegon, Princess, and I…”

Jaella quickly glanced at Aemond for confirmation, and he shook his head slightly.

“Not yet,” murmured the prince, causing Lady Laisa’s face to flush with anger.

Jaella let out a small laugh that only served to further unsettle the other girl.

“Do you dare to boast a title you don’t yet possess, Lady Tyrell?” Jaella’s laughter became louder, and Lady Laisa’s eyes began to fill with tears. “Perhaps you should remember that a woman’s fate is not always as secure as she might like to think.”

“The Queen said that Prince Aegon and I…”

“It doesn’t matter what the Queen has said,” Jaella interrupted. “If I want it, you’ll never marry him, and if you do, I’ll make sure there isn’t a single peaceful day in your entire marriage. I’ll sleep in your bed, with your husband, and raise your children as my own.”

Laisa couldn’t help but sob, overwhelmed by despair. The princess had made it clear that she not only had the power but also the intention to destroy any hope Laisa might have had for a future with Aegon.

Aemond was clearly surprised by the fierceness with which Jaella, who was usually serene, spoke. He well knew that the princess often reacted abruptly when her family was mentioned or threatened, especially if those matters were related to her favorite uncle.

“I hope my words have been clear,” Jaella said, feigning a smile that contrasted with the devastated expression of the maiden. “Shall we, uncle?”

The prince nodded and, without giving Lady Tyrell a single glance, offered his arm for Jaella to take.

═════𖠁 ═════

“Are you alright?” the princess asked as they arrived at the garden.

Aemond made a barely audible noise as he nodded, feeling suddenly embarrassed that it was Jaella who had come to his rescue as if he couldn’t defend himself.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said seriously, but the Velaryon’s smile didn’t fade.

Jaella, like her mother, used to show her affection by gently holding people’s faces, which she did with Aemond at that moment. No one had ever touched him with such genuine affection. Perhaps his mother did, but her touch wasn’t as gentle as Jaella’s, and the women he had been with had only done so because they were paid.

“Family should look after each other,” she murmured. “If your brother and your mother won’t, then I will.”

A gentle caress on Aemond’s cheek made him sigh and close his eye, feeling momentarily content with that display of affection.

He didn’t say it explicitly, but he decided that he should also defend his niece if the opportunity arose. Although he was supposed to be loyal only to his siblings and mother, Jaella had consoled him many more times and with much more encouraging words, so he had a certain affection for her.

“The gods have been kind to you,” Jaella murmured after a few seconds. “You have a handsome face.”

“Not more handsome than Aegon’s for you, I suppose,” Jaella’s face turned crimson, and Aemond smiled broadly. “I’m just teasing you.”

Jaella let go of his face and gave him a light tap on the chest that made him laugh. It was rare to hear him laugh, but no less pleasant.

“The ladies of the court don’t find me as attractive with this patch, not that it bothers me, of course. But they would surely be horrified if I took it off.”

A wave of regret washed over Jaella as she recalled the reason for the loss of his eye, but she managed to stay calm.

“I would like to see it, if that doesn’t offend you.”

“It doesn’t offend me. I wear the scar with pride; after all, I won Vhagar that day.”

Aemond placed his hands on his face and skillfully removed the patch. Jaella held her breath, bracing herself to see the empty socket she expected, but she was pleasantly surprised when the blue sparkle of a sapphire gleamed beneath her uncle’s eyelids.

The princess’s fingers immediately traveled to Aemond’s face, gently caressing the scar that adorned his features, giving him a more imposing appearance.

“Symeon Star-Eyes,” she whispered, still marveling at the gem. “It’s a story that…”

“I’ve read it.”

The prince was quite surprised. Since Jaella had left King’s Landing, Aegon had been trying to get closer to him, spending several nights reading in his chambers. Among the many tales they had read, one of his favorites was indeed that of Symeon Star-Eyes, with which he had strongly identified after losing his eye.

The fact that Jaella knew the story made him understand why Aegon seemed so enthusiastic when telling it, and the fact that his brother had chosen to share it with him made him feel special and appreciated, something that had been difficult for him to achieve before. Aemond knew how important Jaella was to Aegon and how protective he was of their affairs, so this came as a pleasant surprise to the prince.

There was a moment of silence as Aemond readjusted the patch over his eye. Then Jaella cleared her throat and spoke, trying to bring closure to the matter that had brought them together.

“I won’t tell anyone about Laisa, especially not Aegon.”

“Aegon knows,” he said simply. She looked at him, puzzled.

“I thought he would be a bit more territorial about the woman who will be his wife.”

A burst of laughter escaped Aemond’s lips, causing Jaella to frown, unsure why her uncle found it so amusing.

“Even I, with just one eye, see things more clearly than you, niece. Aegon will not take a wife who isn’t you, and if he were to do so, that poor woman would never know what it’s like to be respected by her husband.”

“Do you think Aegon would go against his mother’s wishes?”

“Aegon has never really cared about anything except for you, of course. Do you think he would be willing to fight for an honor that means so little to him when he could fight for you, who seems to be the only anchor he clings to?”

She wasn’t sure if it was good or bad, but she adored Aegon, and as long as he was willing to challenge anything for her, Jaella could only repay him with the same level of loyalty.

═════𖠁 ═════

The atmosphere in the arena was filled with joy, the cheers deafening the ears of those present, but their spirits remained undiminished.

In the royal box sat the Targaryen family, accompanied by some of their most esteemed guests, including Laisa Tyrell, dressed in the green and gold colors of House Hightower. Rhaenyra’s family wore the characteristic black and red, except for Jaella and Jacaerys, who wore precious blue garments given to them by their grandfather in tribute to House Velaryon.

On the lapels of Jacaerys’s suit were embroidered silhouettes of Vermax and Dreamfyre with beautiful silver thread, symbolizing his union with Helaena. Jaella also wore an embroidered bodice, adorned with pearls and symbolic figures of those close to her, including, to the surprise of many, the beautiful golden embroidery of Sunfyre’s silhouette. This enraged the queen when she saw it and earned Laisa a few apologies from her.

Jaella couldn’t care less about the presence of the young Tyrell, knowing with certainty that no one was paying attention to her and that all focus was on her and her brother.

“What will they do first?” the young Velaryon whispered, leaning toward Jacaerys, who was sitting next to her.

“The jousts.”

Jaella made a face, as she had never been a fan of those violent games. Although she knew they were tradition, they always worried her more than entertained her.

“Do you know who will be participating?” asked Helaena, who was sitting on the other side of Jacaerys. Jaella shook her head slightly.

“My two brothers and Harland Arryn. They’ve been training quite a lot.”

The fact that Aegon would be participating filled her with a mix of emotions ranging from worry and pride to nervousness and excitement.

The knights were announced, and Daemon watched with amusement as his stepdaughter adjusted herself to get a better view of the young prince. He extended his mockery by glancing at Alicent while grinning unabashedly.

The first joust was announced, between Prince Aemond and a knight of House Baratheon. The Targaryen prince approached the royal box with his lance in hand and his helmet resting on his lap.

“I would like to request the favor of Lady Laisa,” he exclaimed. “Surely the goodwill of my future sister will help me win these games.”

Alicent’s face flushed, as it wasn’t supposed to be Aemond who made that request. The young Tyrell looked at the queen for a few seconds and didn’t rise until she nodded.

“Good luck, my prince,” she said, sliding the small garland of foliage around his lance.

Laisa’s gaze shifted to Aegon, hoping that he might at least be looking at her inquisitively, but the eyes of Alicent’s eldest son were fixed on someone else.

The combat was exciting, showcasing the prince Aemond’s great skills. Jaella and Helaena clapped enthusiastically when he was declared the winner. Alicent also looked proud, while lady Laisa seemed uninterested in the matter.

“Prince Aegon of House Targaryen will choose his opponent!” they announced.

Jaella sat almost at the edge of her seat, feeling a knot form in her stomach due to nervousness.

Alicent was also nervous, causing her to damage the skin of her fingers. Aemond had asked for the favor of his brother’s future bride, and she feared that Aegon might ask for Jaella’s favor. That would only earn them the resentment of the Tyrells, which they did not need. However, what Aegon did was even worse, for once he was at the foot of the royal tribune, he did not stand before Jaella but before her mother.

“I wish for the favor of my sister, Princess Rhaenyra, to win this tournament.”

The murmurs were immediate, and the princess seemed as surprised as anyone around her. Alicent wanted to get up and leave, feeling the penetrating gaze of her own father on her back, which contrasted with the bright smile that adorned the decrepit face of King Viserys.

Rhaenyra smiled widely, immediately rising to take one of the floral crowns. Aegon gave a slight nod when their eyes met.

“May the light of the warrior be with you in this contest, brother,” she said, still smiling as she slid the crown around his lance.

The crowd erupted in exclamations of joy. This was the first time Princess Rhaenyra referred to Aegon as her brother and not as her half-brother, which was seen by outsiders as a sign of goodwill and reconciliation between the houses. However, those closer to the situation knew that things were not as simple as they seemed.

And Alicent was sure that this simple act would cost her dearly someday.

═════𖠁 ═════

Several more matches took place as the afternoon progressed. Jaella had given her favor to the young Arryn, whom she saw was blessed by the gods with an incredible physical appearance and the gift of excelling in the art of combat. However, despite several knights standing out throughout the tournament, it was Prince Aegon who was declared the winner.

Alicent, whose irritation had lessened over the course of the event, smiled softly at Laisa, silently reminding her of what she had said earlier that morning. The queen had assured her that Aegon would crown her as queen of love and beauty if he was chosen as the victor, and she had said this with such certainty because her own son had told her so.

Aegon had the tiara brought out with which he would crown the maiden. Usually, it was a beautiful crown of flowers, but for this occasion, and aiming to irritate the honoree, Alicent had commissioned a fine silver tiara with intricate patterns resembling branches and leaves on the sides, joined at the front by a crescent moon adorned with a single precious stone.

The crowd watched with anticipation as Aegon, with the tiara in hand, made his way towards the tribune. Once there, he flashed everyone a bright smile and then approached the edge of the platform.

“I want to give this tiara to the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms, whom someday I will take as my legitimate wife and with whom I am destined to share my life.”

Aegon turned, looking at his mother and the young Tyrell, both of whom wore satisfied smiles. In the girl's eyes, there was a singular sparkle that the prince categorized as one full of hope and excitement. The silver-haired prince gave an almost awkward bow to his mother and then passed by, heading directly to Jaella's seat.

The heart of the young Velaryon quickened as she watched her uncle walk decisively towards her. She knew that this gesture could mean a great deal to everyone present, both in negative and positive ways, but that thought took a back seat as her enthusiasm was much greater than her concern.

With a firm gesture, Aegon lifted the delicate silver tiara and placed it on Jaella’s head. The attendees erupted in jubilant exclamations that the princess barely heard, as her attention was solely focused on Aegon, who smiled with enthusiasm as he finally crowned her.

The prince took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it, his eyes still locked on Jaella’s.

When he pulled away from her, Aegon, for the first time, did not search for his mother with his gaze. Instead, his attention focused on Rhaenyra and Daemon.

His sister, who was observing the act with a mixture of surprise and emotion, met Aegon's steady gaze. Her expression softened into a smile that seemed to hold both pride and an unspoken promise. Daemon, for his part, gave the young prince a satisfied smile while applauding the bravery of his nephew. A subtle nod was all that the younger prince needed to know he had done the right thing.

This gesture from Aegon was more than just a declaration of love; it was an affirmation of his will, one that would resonate in the days to come.

[parseolegacy]

Day one of @jdiknight's SWTOR-tober prompt list- for this challenge I'm actually challenging myself to do two additional things: A, to do more relaxed traditional drawing in my sketchbook- to have more fun drawing, to improve my confidence with traditional drawing, and to worry less about getting everything 'perfect'. So I'm (probably) not going to do any digital art for this prompt list. And B, actually posting about my characters' stories because my perfectionism keeps me from sharing their lore on my blog, 😅 I'm always looking for the 'right' way to present it which always ends up in me not posting anything instead. I want to change that and actually use my Tumblr blog like... a blog.

So along with drawings, I'm going to babble a bit about any eventual lore/story bits the drawings may be related to. Pretty long ramble under the cut:

The first prompt, 'Training', immediately made me think of my Jedi siblings, Akk'rai and Zilei, and the journey they have in their... well, training! And how their study of lightsaber fighting is heavily impacted by the dynamics between them. While the Jedi don't have traditional family structure, I feel like these two get as close as you can to an adoptive sibling relationship within the Order- from being extremely close friends in the same Jedi initiate Clan to learning alongside each other throughout their Padawan-hood- these two spend much of their formative years (and then some,) together.

Their masters (a former master and padawan duo themselves,) travel in a group after the Jedi are splintered due to the destruction of the Jedi temple in 0 BTC and stick together for a few years even after the temple on Tython has become operational. Akk'rai and Zilei spend a great deal of time sparring with each other rather than their individual masters due to Akk'rai's master being a little too far on older side to duel with the youths.

Their sparring is the first place where cracks, symptoms of a dysfunction in their dynamic, start to show. Before the attack on the Jedi temple, the two of them were only 'siblings'. There was no 'older' or 'younger', they were simply brother and sister in their own little way.

When the Empire strikes Coruscant, this dynamic is forcibly molded into something new. Akk'rai, the older of the two, took on the role of a protector, and Zilei, the role of the protected. There isn't much a fourteen year old child can do to shield a ten year old from fully fledged Sith warriors. She guarded him anyway, trying to lead them both through the disorder.

While Akk'rai came to the temple at a later age, slightly roughened from tough encounters, Zilei had been there from birth and had no experience facing any kind of danger. He was completely and utterly overwhelmed and he clung to Akk'rai very desperately. They never came out of it quite the same. And the seeds of a subtle conflict between them- one that would span nearly two decades- had been sown.

They retained the new dynamic long after the danger had passed- and it affected how they approached becoming Jedi. Akk'rai, despite being on the road to becoming a Jedi historian, remained frantically devoted to perfecting the art of lightsaber combat on the side; driven by the deep underlying fear that they would never be safe unless she could assure it. Her approach to combat was, in a way, scholarly- deeply analytical and systematic to guarantee a win and undermine danger or disable opponents quickly.

Zilei, on the other hand, with two Jedi masters in tow, felt no threat to his safety- especially with his sister there. Intuitively, he felt secure, and thus angled towards learning as something you absorb and experience over time, rather than something you force forward. Fighting was never his priority in becoming a Jedi Knight. The ability to defend yourself and others was just a necessary building block of the whole- and he would approach it as such, without fear. Not to say he never dealt with his own doubts and worries, rather, he managed them well enough to keep them from bleeding into his study.

As one might expect, these diverging attitudes did cause a disparity in their combat abilities. Not only did Akk'rai have more time as a Padawan under her belt, she fought with a different attitude- an additional underlying mentality guided her in combat alongside formal prowess. Losing a real fight could mean losing him, or someone else; she cannot afford to lose. But these fights weren't real. Rather than being saved from anything, Zilei's confidence in his own abilities was starting to suffer. Even if he did match her in technique, that final push of conviction often tipped the scales. Training became its own quiet battleground.

This imbalance was eventually addressed as Zilei quietly received some wisdom from his master; advice that would become foundational to his approach to combat throughout his life. To beat his sister, he would have to understand a certain principle: Dogmatically practicing every form to formulaic perfection can lead to rigidity- the faster an object moves, the harder it will crash. Every positive attribute in combat, and in life, tends to have an equal and exploitable negative- a vice that can be fallen into without care.

This mentally reframed Zilei's attitude to combat, and gave him the ground for a methodology to fall back on when approaching a fight. Staying serene, almost easygoing and waiting to trip your opponent up when they lean a little too far into unchecked drawbacks.

Both of them trained primarily Makashi (Form II) before their masters guided them into new styles befitting their individual dispositions. Akk'rai branched out into Ataru (Form IV), and Zilei branched into Soresu (Form III). Zilei ended up retaining Makashi as his go-to style for lightsaber duels, using his newfound flow to develop an almost nonchalant style of smooth, relaxed lightsaber combat. While Ataru became Akk'rai's main form, channeling that underlying restlessness into energy. Of course, things continue to change as they grow older, but that's beyond the scope of 'training' and more within 'life experience'. If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed :D

[luffyrose]

Alien or Ghost?

I am once again offering random ideas that pop into my brain. As you can tell, the brain rot is strong for DC x DP.

Anyway, let's hop right into the idea for today!

~~~~~~

Halfas' as much as they share biology with ghosts, who in their own sense are a new species, are considered alien. Of course, not because they have human and ghostly abilities, but because Halfas WERE aliens. The origin of their race had been so uncertain, but seeing that they held a small planet close to Krypton, they were most definitely a species of Alien. They could hop between dimensions, though it seemed that this one and this planet was their home. No matter who left, they always returned. So when one day they didn't, it was believed the species was now extinct, seeing as they didn't know that Halfa have two ways of being "born".

Those who knew the most were the Kryptonians, being close allies to the friendly but powerful race. With Krypton destroyed, the only information that survived was that of a few estranged alien species' knowledge and documents in the Fortress of Solitude. Seeing as it wasn't important, being a deceased race and all, Superman paid his respects to the race but didn't spend much time looking over the details of the species. All he really maintained was their similar biology to beings referred to as Ghosts, and the ability to transform. It was also noted that Halfa, as strong as they were, developed powers in times of need or panic. Meaning the stronger the person, the worse they've had to protect themselves or others from.

Now, if he'd read a little more, he would have learned about how Halfa's had said before how, while they can have children, not every Halfa was born as Halfa's, it was something that made them special and made them care for one another so deeply. It was also why true Halfa were usually aligned to protect whatever it deemed family.

So when a group of young teens, led by Boy Wonder himself on a wayward mission, find a horribly ill-looking teen and are terrified. It does not help that the clothes he wore were tattered and through them, the team could see rushed and careless stitches. Nor did it make anything better that this mission was in a lab. A much too nice lab for supposedly illegal activity. And now the group knew why. So with chaos and teenage rage at seeing someone so young and so hurt, they absolutely destroy the lab in an attempt to get the other out. It goes as well as it can, but hey, they're out! Scolded by Batman, but out! And they took the kid!

The team is determined to help their unofficial new teammate, you could pry him from their cold dead hands this was almost exactly like how they got Conner and that had ended wonderfully- for the most part. Conner himself was very protective of the young boy, and Danny accepted that pretty quickly. It made most of them more than sure that he'd had a family, but none of them wanted to ask.

When Wally inevitably did, Danny physically freezes, sudden realizations hitting him like a truck. Danny's family was gone...for the most part. Jazz had been away for something, but his house had been attacked by the GIW, leaving Danny to expose himself to his parents before they tried to defend him. It didn't work. So the three Fentons were claimed dead, the house blown to pieces with nothing to find. Except, only his parents were actually gone. Sam and Tucker had no idea what had happened, Jazz probably knew he was alive...but that didn't make the situation much better, and Dani...she had been elsewhere, but surely she'd known by now.

Dan.

That was a much worse realization. Dan had been reformed after a long time out and very much taken an older brother role, Conner reminded him of that even if subconsciously, either way, he was the King of the Infinite Realms and he'd been missing. For months. Dan was more than definitely ready to tear the human realm apart.

With a tense chuckle, Danny said he was so dead when his siblings found him but never elaborated. They could tell it wasn't an actual danger to the boy, but it made the team curious. Either way, not his problem for now, so Danny just continues to stay with the YJL.

Eventually, Danny ends up sneaking with them to help on a mission and when the team is in danger, he snaps and near destroys everything around them, save his teammates, in a fit of rage. It's then that the JL realize their newest addition may be a bit strong for his age and control. So they plan to meet him. Lucky for Danny, Robin and Wally are allowed to come with!

The meeting starts with a lot of the JL, minus a well-known blue boy scout, he'd been busy working things out with Conner, his Ma had learned of the boy and really helped him figure out his issues(there was definitely a lot of yelling, and request to meet her grandson). Things are going alright, even with the boy's clear nervousness at seeing so many people. It's when Superman himself arrives that he freezes completely, staring at the boy in front of him as everything in his body screams this is another Alien. He doesn't quite know why, but the only non-martian alien who could possibly look this human that he knew of was meant to be extinct. Seeing how Martian Manhunter hadn't mentioned anything about the boy being possibly Martian, Supes was rightfully freaking out.

Superman, utterly confused and slightly happy: YOU'RE A HALFA

Danny, surprised and terrified out of his mind that he's been outed so easily: UHHH-

Obviously, the right thing to do in a panic? RUN AWAY. So off Danny goes, fleeing as if his life depends on it. I mean, who can blame him? In Superman's eyes, this is the last known being of his species, unless they were in hiding, and to Danny, this man just stated to a room full of possible enemies if he ever oversteps a boundary exactly what he is. Not to mention the whole Halfa hunted like sport when Pariah Dark was alive stuff he'd learned from Clockwork at some point.

His recent recklessness gave quite a few people, good and bad, a hint of his location. A mix of joy, worry, and anger is present from all sources alike.

[texanmarcusdavenport]

It can be tempting to assume that Adam & Chase's dynamic is meant to mirror Donald & Douglas respectively, but Erm actually 🤓☝️ upon closer examination it seems more likely that Chase is actually Donald's parallel, while Adam and Bree are more like Douglas.

We don't have many clues as to what Donald & Douglas' dynamic was pre-show/growing up, but from what we do know, Douglas was the (self-proclaimed) better programmer, who regularly "beat Donald up" until Donald made a robot to defend himself. They developed the bionic chips together, but Douglas is the one who adapted them for human use (despite having dropped out of med school!) and Donald didn't really understand these modified chips despite presumably studying them for 15+ years, so clearly Douglas is more skilled in that area as well.

My theory: growing up Donald & Douglas were always compared to each other. Douglas was superior physically, either because he was older (*cough*likeAdam*cough*) or not, & possibly considered intellectually superior as well. Obviously, Donald developed a bit of an inferiority complex from this. However, I think Douglas was at least subconsciously jealous of Donald as well, perhaps because he was their parents' favorite (as he was probably the more well-behaved, level-headed, business-minded sibling). (Maybe that's what Douglas meant by that line in "Avalanche" --"I know what it's like to have a sibling that always steals the spotlight & never gives you the credit you deserve").

Now, compare this to Adam, Bree, & Chase's dynamic. Adam and Bree are physically stronger than Chase and they have, even jokingly, been viewed as superior to Chase in terms of looks, social skills, abilities, etc. for years. The (physical) power imbalance is more pronounced with Adam bc Disney is just like that with brothers, but it's still definitely there with Bree, and it's one that Donald not only recognizes but encourages ("Brother Battle").

I've always thought that was odd considering Donald was supposedly also the weak, nerdy one in his family. But then I remembered that in canon, Adam & Bree consider Chase to be Donald's favorite. While I don't think that that's necessarily true, I do think that Chase is the child that Donald finds the most relatable--which, if my interpretation of his & Douglas' relationship is correct, explains so much.

Donald encourages this power imbalance between Adam, Bree, & Chase because he sees himself in Chase. He wants Chase to learn how to fight back and handle his own problems the same way he did. It's obviously misguided since this dynamic between himself and Douglas is what caused this whole mess, but maybe he genuinely believes it. Maybe he even favors Chase in an attempt to make up for this disparity.

I don't think that even the characters themselves realize this--that's why Douglas tries to relate to Chase in "Avalanche" the way he does. Douglas sees himself as the victim in his & Donald's relationship, and Chase is clearly the victim here, so therefore they must be alike, right?

But really Chase is Donald's mirror: the rule-following, arrogant golden child and youngest son, most beloved by his parent(s), who still feels overshadowed by his more talented older sibling(s).

And Adam & Bree are their father's children: impulsive, jealous, free-spirited older sibling(s) beloved by all but still overlooked by their parent(s) in favor of their more conventional younger brother.

[normspellsman]

To Be Forgiven

part one | part two | part three | part four (wip)

pairing: ao’nung x fem!sully!reader, bff!tsireya x bff!reader, & mentions of lo’ak x tsireya

genre: angst (lo’ak still hasn’t apologized yet), comfort (from tsireya to reader), & fluff

word count: 4k+

warning(s): mentions of lo’ak & ao’nung physically fighting, mentions of lo’ak being a douche to reader, neteyam + tsireya beating (not literally disappointing i know) some sense into lo’ak, cursing, reader thinking lo’ak was right about her (ifykyk – read part one if you don’t), mentions of blood + injury, lo’ak in deep shit that he won’t be able to get out of, slight mention of lo’ak having self loathing thoughts, lo’ak feeling guilty for what he said, & mentions of ao’nung defending your ‘honor’

taglist: @aonungsmate @optimisticblazetrash @dearstell

word bank: eywa / great mother — goddess deity that the na’vi believe in, tsmuke(s) — sister(s), irayo — thank you; thanks, skxawng — moron; idiot, ilu — aquatic creature residing on awa’atlu used for riding + hunting, & txe’lan — heart

note: so i lied, this series is probably going to be three or more parts 🫣. enjoy tho! <3 we stan tsireya in this fic frfr

He was fucked. Lo’ak was royally screwed.

He knew the minute that those degrading words came out of his mouth that he was severely fucked.

He could say he didn’t mean it in the moment, but he did. He knew he did. And that’s why he knew he was going to get a new one ripped into him by his older brother and girlfriend once they found out, but not before Ao’nung nearly beat him to a darker shade of blue and purple.

Both Lo’ak and Ao’nung had left your secret hideout with multiple bruises and blood running down their noses. The boys had shown each other the extent of their frustrations towards one another, yet again. But this time, it was over you.

The two boys walked home silently and limping, washing themselves off in the sea before making their way into their separate marui pods.

Lo’ak had prayed to Eywa that none of your siblings were awake by the time he arrived at the pod, but alas, it seems as if the world is not on his side, once again.

“What the fuck happened to you?” A groggy voice asked, making Lo’ak stop in his tracks and wince at getting caught.

Yep. He was going to get his ass handed back to the Great Mother tonight. He could only pray for a safe return into the deities arms as he turned towards his older brother.

The familiar scowl Lo’ak always saw on Neteyam had painted itself on to his face, eyes narrowing at the various injuries on his skin.

“What did you do?” Neteyam harshly whispered out, striding towards his idiotic younger brother, pulling on the boys ear as he guided him towards one corner of the marui where they kept all healing essentials and forced him to sit down, tsking at him as he did so.

Lo’ak yelped in pain once his older brothers slim fingers pinched the soft skin of his sensitive ear, leaning into the grasp in hopes of easing the pain by a fraction. He rubbed the spot his brother was pinching once he was pushed into his bottom side to sit, pouting at Neteyam’s roughness.

“It’s nearly sunrise and you manage to get yourself into trouble, again!” The elder hissed out, mumbling to himself about how careless and utterly idiotic his younger brother was, shaking his head at his whispers. Always taking care of this skxawng, he thinks, annoyance settling itself in his chest.

Lo’ak decides not to say anything, knowing that if he were to open his mouth and speak, he wouldn’t stop and end up confessing to his crimes due to guilt. He didn’t want to die just yet. He needed time to figure out how he was going to make it up to you and get you to forgive him for the stupid words he spat at you in anger.

Being twins had come with its advantages and disadvantages. Firstly, it was a rarity amongst the Na’vi that it was considered a myth or even a sacred omen, many praising Lo’ak and you after your births and even during the day as you two grew older. Much lore surrounded twins within the Na’vi culture, most of it being just that, lore and myths, little truth behind any of it. So due to this, the Omatikaya practically worshipped the ground the both of you walked on when you were younger, receiving many gifts and prayers to Eywa as a token of their gratitude for gracing them with your presence. But all of this was put to a stop by your Grandmother, Mo’at, once she realized this. She didn’t want all the attention to go to your heads, especially your brothers. Secondly, the both of you were so in tune with each other’s emotion that it was freaky to see you finish each other’s sentences, give the other needed comfort, and see you move together in sync. This proved to be advantageous during training or scouting, one of you following the other and tag teaming whatever came your way. And thirdly, you were the eldest twin, the first born. So you always held it over Lo’ak’s head whenever granted the chance, annoying the boy to no end.

Lo’ak loved you dearly. So much that it was often hard to express or put into words. You were his other half. The other part of his soul. So he knew just how much his words had impacted you. He could feel it. Feel the cold, bitterness of sadness rest atop his chest, right where his heart laid. He felt so guilty. He just wanted to take back the words he said, but he knew it wasn’t possible. He was going to have to work for your forgiveness.

“Sit still and be quiet,” Neteyam mumbled as he sat in front of his younger brother and dipped his fingers into the cream white healing paste Kiri had made a couple days back, lathering it onto Lo’ak bruises and open wounds.

Lo’ak bit back his tongue in pain, wanting to hiss out at the coldness of the paste and the rough application of it. He could tell that Neteyam wasn’t very happy with him. And he was going to be absolutely livid once he found out the truth behind his wounds.

He wished sunrise never came.

———

When you left Lo’ak and Ao’nung to their own devices last night, you made way to another spot of yours that only you, your sisters, and Tsireya knew about. The four of you often came to it to have some girl time and gossip about whatever was going on in either of your lives or just to be in each other's presence and braid another’s hair. It was a bit of a ways away, so you called upon your ilu to take you there.

Once you reached the seemingly tiny island, you noticed another body sitting in the sand, fiddling with something in their hands.

You’d come to quickly realize that it was Tsireya who was on the island, finishing up the bracelet she had promised to make Tuk just last night.

“Hey,” she softly said, turning her head around slightly to glance at your figure, sensing your presence behind her.

You shot a small smile towards the girl before sitting down next to her, bringing your legs close to your chest as you sighed out the breath you seemed to be holding in ever since you left Lo’ak and Ao’nung.

“What’s wrong?” Tsireya asked, concern laced in her voice and evident on her face.

The Metkayina girl had a knack of knowing if something was wrong with you, creeping you out a bit when you first started to get to know her. It was how she found out you and her brother were seeing each other. She practically pried it out of you, squealing in delight once she got you to utter the confirming words, hugging you and excitedly exclaiming that you were going to be tsmukes and how she was glad you were going to be the one.

Tsireya’s question brought a frown to your face, water beginning to pool at your waterlines. Eywa, how you did not want to cry in front of your best friend and boyfriend's sister.

“It is fine if you do not want to tell me, tsmuke,” she reassured, putting one of her four fingered hands onto your back, softly rubbing it up and down in comfort, “I will be here whenever you are ready to say it.”.

Her words were the tipping point and you found yourself sobbing into the sweet girls arms, wrapping around your shaking form as she tried to comfort you the best she could.

“Was it my brother?” She asks, her tone serious and flat. If it was, she wasn’t going to hesitate to smack some sense into her brother. You’re one of her dearest friends and she’d hate to see her skxawng of a brother be one of the reasons you cried.

You shook your head at her question, swallowing down another sob that tried to crawl its way up your throat.

You could only imagine what your brother and beloved were doing to each other in the dark of your hidden spot. Punches were definitely being thrown and insults were most likely being shouted at one another. You felt bad for leaving but at the same time, you needed to leave. To get away from your brother and his angry gaze and hurtful words. You needed time to think and process.

“It was mine,” you reply, reluctantly pulling yourself out of Tsireya’s comforting embrace. If you didn’t, you knew you’d only further continue to sob into her arms and barely get any words out in an attempt to answer any of the questions she asked you.

Tsireya frowned at your words, beginning to worry about what he did to make you this upset.

She knew the kind of relationship and connection the two of you had. That’s what she loved about the both of you. You always followed each other around like lost puppies and rarely ever fought, only arguing over stupid things like who got the last yovo fruit or whose turn it was for Tsireya to teach. So seeing you this distraught over something your twin brother did, had the girl extremely worried.

“What did he do?” She questioned, pointed ears tipping towards your frame in anticipation to hear your answer.

You explained to her what happened. How you and Ao’nung were spending time together. How Lo’ak managed to stumble upon Ao’nung feverishly kissing your neck. And the kinds of words Lo’ak spat at you and how they made you feel.

To say the least, Tsireya was pissed at her moron boyfriend.

“I hope Ao’nung beats the shit out of him,” she mumbled, tone angry and harsh as it came out.

You managed to chuckle at her response, stopping your crying momentarily. Tsireya joined you in your short chuckle, giggling to herself.

“I’m serious though, (Y/N). I hope he beats some sense into him,” she added, bringing you into a hug, gently stroking your braided hair. “He shouldn’t have said those words to you. There’s no excuse. There’s no truth behind it, my tsmuke. You are not what he says you are for seeing my brother,” she finished.

You only hum in response. Your head couldn’t help but think that a part of his words were true. Why were you seeing someone that was known for bullying you and your siblings? Why did you feel for him the way you did? Was it because you were what Lo’ak said you were?

Tsireya’s voice pulled you from your thoughts as she laid both of her hands gently onto your damp cheeks, making you look at her as she spoke, “I am serious. You are not a slut for seeing Ao’nung. Yes he may have done some questionable things in the past that aren't excusable. But you have made him a better person. You changed him for the better,”.

Her words bring another wave of tears to your eyes as they run down your nearly raw cheeks. Her words make you feel a bit better about what Lo’ak said prior.

You smiled at your friend before bringing your forehead to hers, both of them resting against each other.

“Irayo,” you replied, truly thankful to have someone like Tsireya in your life.

“Anytime, tsmuke,” she answered back, her dimpled smile spreading across her lips as she did so.

———

“You stupid, stupid boy!” A familiar voice yelled out from outside of the Sullys marui pod.

Lo’ak froze.

Shit, he thought, I’m going to die by the hands of my girlfriend. Fuck.

The teen boy stood still in his tracks, dreading the moment he’d have to turn around.

It was barely sunrise and Tsireya was already out for blood. His specifically.

“Hello, my love,” Lo’ak tried to milk out, hoping she’d melt at the nickname he gave her early on within their relationship.

But all she did was scoff, “Seriously, my love? How dense do you think I am, Lo’ak?”.

To be frank, Lo’ak had a feeling that you’d tell Tsireya about what happened or Ao’nung would, making his stomach twist in anxiety at the thought. He was right though. You told Tsireya of the events that occurred only hours prior and now he was going to feel the wrath of your best friend and his girlfriend.

“Look, Reya, I can explain,” he tried to rush out, pleading with her to at least listen to what he has to say. But she was having none of it.

“No, Lo’ak. You will not. Did you know your sister cried in my arms until sunrise?” She spat, anger clearly evident in her tone and body language, wide tail swishing to and fro behind her.

Lo’ak swore he saw his life flash before his eyes at his lover's harsh tone and deadly glare directed towards him. Tsireya was never the one to resort to violence or anger, believing that killing them with kindness worked best. So seeing her practically growling at him and very much angry made him want to crawl into a ball and cry.

“Oh, right. You wouldn’t know because you were the reason she was crying in the first place!” The girl continued, more angry at her boyfriend's attempt at trying to get her to hear him out.

She knew that what he said was completely wrong. No brother should ever call their sister that, no matter how angry. Ao’nung would never, had never. At this moment, Tsireya found herself thanking the Great Mother for giving her a brother like Ao’nung. One who treated her with respect and would never spit out degrading words like that to her.

The poor girl was shaking in anger, an emotion she rarely ever felt or expressed.

Before Lo’ak could utter another word, another voice chimed into their conversation.

“Trouble in paradise you two?” Neteyam asked, a playful smirk etched into his lips as he leaned against one of the many open arch ways of his family’s marui.

Neteyam had been rousing from his slumber when he heard Tsireya’s loud hissing, curious as to what was the cause of it. He’d say he’s not surprised that it was directed at his younger brother. Lo’ak had a tendency to cause that kind of reaction from people wherever he went.

The younger brother groaned out in annoyance, not wanting his brother to get into the middle of his and Tsireya’s conversation.

“I’m glad you’re here, Neteyam. Maybe your presence will smack some sense into your brothers thick skull,” Tsireya spat out, never taking her glaring gaze off of Lo’ak.

The smirk on Neteyam’s lips fell, his usual frown overtaking it. “What do you mean? What did you do, Lo’ak?” He asked, now standing upright, full attention on his brother.

Lo’ak ears drew back to press up against his head and his tail curled itself between his legs, a telltale sign that he fucked up big time.

“I…I caught (Y/N) with Ao’nung last night,” he mumbled, barely loud enough for Neteyam to hear.

Neteyam had a sneaking suspicion that you and the Metkayina boy were seeing each other behind their backs. Sure the realization hurt but it was your love life and if you weren’t ready to tell your family that you were seeing someone, then it’s your choice. It’s not like you were a child who couldn’t comprehend consequences or make your own choices. You were a woman and were allowed to make whatever decision you thought fit for yourself.

The older boy blankly stared at the younger, not seeing a problem in what he just said.

It was then that Lo’ak realized Neteyam knew about your relationship and that Tsireya most likely did as well. A new sense of anger crawling its way up his stomach. Why couldn’t you tell him? Why did they know and he didn’t?

“And…” Tsireya urged him on, losing her patience with the Omatikaya boy.

“And…” Lo’ak continued, avoiding eye contact with both teens and looking down at the soft sand beneath his feet, “I called her some…things as a result.”.

“Things?!” Tsireya scoffed, clearly over her boyfriend's tiptoeing over the actual truth, “You called her a slut, Lo’ak. For seeing my brother.”.

The growl that left Neteyam’s throat made Lo’ak shrink in on himself in cowardice, still refusing to meet his brother's gaze.

“You skxawng!” He shouted, pushing at Lo’ak’s shoulder, making him stagger back, “You’re an imbecile! Why would you call her that?”.

Lo’ak growled back at his brother in retaliation, anger getting the best of him.

“I was angry! I wasn’t thinking straight,” he hissed out, fists clenched into balls by his side.

Neteyam scoffed, “Clearly. You never do, Lo’ak! All you do is talk but never think. Look at where thats gotten you now!”.

Lo’ak wanted to pounce on his brother and punch him in the face, repeatedly. But he knew it wouldn’t get him anywhere, especially after last night. It wouldn’t solve that sadness you felt nor the anger he harbored. So, he just bit his tongue in hopes that the pain would distract him from his impulsive thoughts to bury his fist into his older brothers face.

“You really hurt her, Lo’ak,” Tsireya spoke out, voice becoming soft again as some of the anger dissipated over the course of their conversation. She was still mad at him but it started to seem like Lo’ak was beginning to finally understand the weight of his words.

“She cried so hard in my arms that she fell asleep. I had Rotxo help me carry her to my marui so she could sleep peacefully,” she continued, catching Lo’ak’s eyes shift from the sandy floor to her, concern creeping on to his features, “She told me how sad your words made her feel. How she thought they were true.”.

That made Lo’ak’s heart break into a million different pieces. You thought that you were a slut? That he truly meant his words? Oh, Eywa. He really did fuck up.

“We know that you didn’t mean it. She knows. But, Lo’ak, your words have an impact on people and they made a significant one on (Y/N) last night,” Tsireya adds on, gently approaching Lo’ak as she took one of his hands into hers and put the other on his cheek, making him look at her, “You need to make it up to her. You need to tell her that there was no truth behind your words and that you were a skxawng for saying them. She needs to hear your apologies from you.”.

The anger Lo’ak once felt disappeared, guilt replacing it.

He was so stupid. Such an awful brother. He should’ve never said those things to you. He should’ve walked away from you and Ao’nung to collect his thoughts instead of insulting you and beating your boyfriend. He felt terrible. But he deserved it. He should feel terrible for all the pain he caused you with his words.

How was he going to make it up to you?

———

You awoke to a body shifting behind you, bringing you closer to their chest as their arms gripped you tighter.

“Morning, yawne,” a deep and familiar voice groggily said.

You smiled at the voice, immediately recognizing that it was your boyfriend who had you in his arms, just like last night.

“Morning, Ao’nung,” you whispered back, getting comfortable in your boyfriend's warm embrace.

Ao’nung never failed at lifting up your mood and making you feel better. It was his speciality. Just one look at his adorably stupid face and everything in life seemed so much better, more brighter.

The boy had only gotten back from his fiasco with Lo’ak when he realized you were fast asleep in his bed, laying on your side as you brought up the thin sheet he always slept with to your chin. His sister had explained to him why you were in there, feeling even more anger towards your twin. He hated seeing you like this. He wished he could take all your pain and awful thoughts away and transfer them to himself so you wouldn’t have to suffer anymore.

“I love you, Ma (Y/N),” Ao’nung mumbled against your skin, burying his face into the space between your shoulder and neck.

You giggled at the tickle of breath against your skin, recoiling a bit from the sensation. You turned around to face your lover to combat the ticklish sensation, coming face to face with Ao’nung.

Your eyes widened and jaw dropped when you saw the state of his face.

Ao’nung saw the grimace on your face and gently took your hands in his and kissed each knuckle. He knew fighting with your brother wasn’t the smartest idea and would most definitely end up with him receiving a few scowls from you in return.

“Did Lo’ak do this?” You softly questioned, afraid to speak too loudly in fear that it would bring unwanted attention from his parents.

They had been proud of their only son for no longer picking fights with Toruk Makto’s son and you didn’t want to ruin that by yelling at or reprimanding him for it. You suppose this situation wouldn’t count though. He had defended you against your brother, basically fighting for your honor. It was different.

Ao’nung only hummed in response, placing your palms against his warm and bruised cheeks.

Tsireya had seen to his injuries when he came limping into the marui. She and Rotxo had just gotten you situated into bed when he arrived. She scowled at him for fighting with Lo’ak, but praised him for defending you. She was proud of her brother for being a good partner but was disappointed at hers for saying such cruel words to you.

Your heart broke at his confirmation, though it didn’t come as a surprise. You knew what was going to happen if you left the two boys to deal with the situation themselves but you couldn’t bring yourself to stay there any longer. You needed some space from your brother.

You opened your mouth to apologize, feeling guilty for leaving Ao’nung to handle your twin by himself but he stopped you before you could, placing a soft kiss against your lips.

“It is not you who needs to apologize, my txe’lan” he says, reading you like a book, “It is your skxawng of a brother who needs to.”.

You chuckled lightly at his words, bringing your lover closer into your frame as your hands continued to rest against his cheeks.

“He’s stubborn,” you reply, slightly doubting your brothers ability to apologize first.

For a majority of your shared childhood with Lo’ak, he rarely apologized for his actions. You could count on one hand the amount of times he’s genuinely apologized to you. All of the forced and half assed ones don’t count in your book.

“He’ll come around. He has to,” Ao’nung retorted, resting his forehead against yours.

Although he too doubted Lo’ak ability to apologize first, you were just as stubborn, if not more, than your twin. He knew you’d do any and everything in your ability to ignore Lo’ak until he came to his senses and gave you a genuine apology he actually meant. That’s another thing he loved about you. You refused to have anyone walk over you, including family.

“I hope so,” you sadly replied, a small frown painted onto your lips.

Your response made Ao’nung copy your frown, feeling guilty for the kind of brother you had. Albeit Lo’ak not meaning his words and being careless with them and his actions, they still had an impact on those around him. He just hopes that he comes to his senses sooner rather than later.

“Wanna go for a swim?” Ao’nung questions, trying to lift up your saddened mood.

Swimming and exploring with Ao’nung is something you always enjoyed, finding peace in his presence and joy in doing something relatively new, even if you’ve been on Awa’atlu for months now. So you nodded at his question, happily pulling your boyfriend up to his feet and out towards the beach.

No matter what, you knew that Ao’nung would do everything in his ability to make you happy for as long as you were together. And you hoped that even with this small bump in your long, adventurous road together, that it would be forever.

If only Lo’ak could see that. If only he understood.

[saintone]

i've been thinking that one of the most tragical things about pidw is that it was going to end the way it ended no matter what

like, let's pretend shen jiu didn't exist for a moment.

luo binghe was a poor kid in a peak filled with nobles. even if he got into qing jing, or was smart enough to fight his way into bai zhan, he wouldn't have been satisfied.

luo binghe was said to be a white lotus, that is a white, innocent flower from the outside but his roots are filled with dirt. he was a demon, and even in svsss, being bingmei, he is obsessive, authoritarian and selfish sometimes.

even without shen jiu, luo binghe would have been bullied in speak for being a commoner, and the youngest shidi so his older martian sibling had the right to make his work harder. and even if he wasn't, his obssesive, ruthless side would have him left wanting for more, to be recognized, to be respected, to be powerful.

an important thing about pidw is that lbh was a demon, and demons take revenge tenfold bc they hold grundges.

i think that even if sj wasn't his shizun, lbg would have razed cang qiong for not giving him the recognition he thought he deserved, or for being thrown at the abyss bc he would have been murdered (or attempted to) either way once it was discovered he was a demon.

like in many ways, other cultivators weren't much better than when qingqiu (exhibit a: picking old palace master), and his values and traditions weren't that much righteous and better either. the laws were designed to defend themselves and that's it.

and this doesn't eliminate the fact that shen qingqiu truly went out of his was to make luo binghe's life a living hell. like yeah lbg would have been bullied, but sqq quite literally tortured him.

but it's kinda sad that luo binghe was going to be mistreated either way, bc as he himself says it life was unfair to someone like him, poor, orphan and half demon, abandoned by his own mother.

just like life was unfair to shen jiu.

and so the two characters that had the worst chances overall ended up destroying each other with all their might, and kinda destroying the world in that process.

like they could've been their saviours but they chose to be their doom.

[linonyang]

FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

pairing: non-idol!felix & gender-neutral!reader

featuring: svt jeonghan and seungkwan

genre: fluff, very minimal comedy (just boohan + reader bickerings), lowkey soulmates au, part of painting faith universe

warnings: none

word count: 2.1k words

synopsis: all you hoped was for you and the cousin's heir to be fated to meet each other. but perhaps the string of fate (and your brothers) quickly pulled you to him sooner than you thought.

tag list: @kpopstuffs @awooghan @cosmic-railwayxo (join the taglist here!)

note: well,,, i am back? here's how felix and his (future) lover met for the spin off/prequel of some sort i'm writing for the painting faith universe!! sorry if this appears to be a little bad and bland since i'm quite rusty like it's been MONTHS since i last wrote something long lol (and yes, i made boohan the reader's older brothers bc why not?? :p) ... hope you'd enjoy this bit !!!

another note: there's no need to read painting faith for this!!! this can be a standalone fic :> just take note that this universe has rival gang au elements, so expect bits of the concept to be mentioned here, that's all !!!

© linonyang - all rights reserved. please do not copy, translate, modify, repost, or claim as yours.

That face in particular felt like home.

It felt familiar. There is something comforting with the freckles on his cheeks that are as beautiful as the mysteries of space, along with the lashes sitting as delicate as flower petals. The graceful movements and the gentle smile on his face are enough to brighten the sky and calm the seas. 

All you know is that he is related to some of the notorious figures of the city. Also, you only know his name and nothing else. You do not know how he lives, what he likes, and what he exactly does.

You just hope you get to cross paths someday, just to know him.

Seeing him walk around the streets every weekend as a regular among the tented market stalls was enough for you to grow this puzzling curiosity over the Leyva. You have spent the past months sighting the boy every time you spent your early mornings with your brothers at a cafe nearby.

You were brought back to reality by your older brothers who caught you staring at the noble across the stone road. 

“Why are you drooling over that Leyva, _____?”

“Kwannie, the boy is not a killer, unlike his family! Plus, I think he’s quite handsome, there’s no denying that the Leyvas has such genes—”

“Says the narcissist who always admits he’s the most handsome bachelor of the city—”

You laugh and move one of them away from the other, in case anything physical happens. They naturally don’t bicker with each other, but a really great laugh always omits from you whenever they do once in a while. 

Attempting to debunk your brother’s claim, you smile with fondness towards Seungkwan as you recover from laughing over your brothers’ antics, “I’m not drooling over Felix, Seungkwan!”

“My, _____, it doesn’t look like that,” he comically tilts his head, hums, and raises his left eyebrow, enough to make you chuckle further over your brothers. 

Jeonghan waves his hand to the younger brother, “We barely see our youngest eyeing someone, let them be!”

That’s how it goes among the three of you. You never bothered to propose any changes as all of you peacefully and mirthfully grew up together as siblings. Energies might be different for every member of the family, but they all blend very well at home.

“You know what? We’ll visit our mother later tomorrow anyway, why won’t you buy a lovely bouquet of flowers from any of the shops there?” you hear the eldest offer as you bite into the delicious pastry you ordered earlier.

Seungkwan, knowing the intentions behind Jeonghan’s suggestion, hits Jeonghan’s shoulder with his fist and cries, “Ah, I know why you’re asking _____ to do that!”

Jeonghan exclaims and defends you, “I’m doing _____ a favor! They’re old enough to make decisions for themselves. Seriously, Kwannie, let them do what their heart desires!”

You are still aware that they’re in the stage of bickering, so you don’t take into heart Seungkwan’s hostility towards the idea of you getting interested in someone. However, you have to thank Jeonghan for not invalidating the mere possibility of you liking Felix. He didn’t seem to care that you’re doing what many young adults do.

There is just this feeling erupting within your chest every time you see the blond boy.

However now, he is nowhere to be seen in the shops across your seat. He presumably left the area and fled to somewhere else.

Maybe it is not time for you to cross paths, as opposed to Jeonghan’s idea, but there is no harm in walking through the same steps as where Felix just walked moments ago.

Walking out of your seat, you amuse your brothers by telling them you’re going to follow what Jeonghan said. Consequently, you take a few steps back to snatch the purse on the table owned by your brothers and go on with buying a bouquet.

The walk to the shops was very quick, as the cafe was right across the first few stalls under the tents. You thought of splurging with the cash in the purse—more like including buying things you are sure you and your brothers would enjoy.

You know that your brothers would be absolutely endeared with anything matching, hence why you bought three beaded keychains that are shaped like flowers. What makes them more special is that the beads are gradient, making them look prettier than they already are. You decided to match them too with the hibiscus bouquet you eyed on your way to the keychains stall. Both had a combination of violet, pink, and orange, which materialized the sunset your mother always loved.

Your train of thought about your mother took over your mind while window shopping for more items you could purchase. Technically, you’re unable to buy anymore at this point as your hands are immediately full. The large purse your brothers own already takes up one hand, the bouquet for the other hand, and the small bag for the keychains is already hanging in one of your forearms. If you ever buy something else, you just hope that they have bags prepared.

Conscious of what you smell, and your heart calling for the sweet-smelling of banana loaves and brownies, you rush towards the bakery stall and plan to bring home something that you and your brothers can munch on at the end of the day.

Once your sense of smell feels the strongest of the bread and pastries and your eyes are completely fixated on them, you immediately ask for the price.

“Your order’s on us! This is our first time including these in our shop, so feel free to take some home and let us know if it’s great to bake more of these,” the lovely granny tells you.

Your head turns up and you unintentionally create eye contact with one person you never expected to meet.

“Our terrific Felix here decided to help us and include more to the shop,” the granny pats the boy’s back, “he volunteered to bake some samples to be distributed today first before officially including them in the menu.”

Your heartstrings tug at the thought of the boy you’ve been eyeing from afar actually playing a large part in this specific stall, especially during the peak days of struggle in the city. You have known him to be a part of the Leyvas, but you have seen enough to know that he has a soft spot and takes part in many activities in the city. 

Never did you expect that he would directly help a family, all you’ve seen from sighting far away was him supporting many of the stalls by purchasing and befriending many of the vendors.

Staying away from the other side all this time, maybe you haven’t seen everything yet. And seeing more of it just makes your heart yearn for this young boy. 

As the sweet old lady steps away to deal with another customer, the blond smiles at you and says, “I hope you’ll enjoy these! Granny Lou has been special to me, especially to the Leyvas, so I hope the inclusion of new bakes soon can help them somehow, especially they’ve been in need of money for a while now.”

You gasp and eagerly nod. You point at the pastries on the table in between both of you to signal to him that you’ll be taking home (potentially) delicious baked goods. Just based on the aroma, you have no doubts so far that you’d loathe them.

Felix softly asks which you’ll be bringing home, and you answer what you truly want—the banana loaf and brownies—with a smile on your face.

He quickly goes his way to grab a paper bag and prepare your order.

Much to your surprise, he works very enthusiastically. He appears to be enjoying this sideline, just by noticing how he communicates and moves around the stall.

“Here is your order! A loaf and three slices of brownies,” he reaches out a warm brown paper bag, “and three large cookies! I have a feeling that you might enjoy these cookies too!”

Eyes widening, you quickly wave your hand in disapproval and attempt to return the bag, “I believe I would, but this is too much already! Let me pay to help Granny Lou for today, at least!”

Felix shakes his head and gently pushes your hands away, “As granny said, it’s on us. If you want to pay so badly, just come back next week and let us know if you liked the food!”

You sigh. Clearly, you have no choice now, so you reluctantly nod and tell him, “Alright, I’ll let you guys know next week. I’ll also let you know what my brothers think of them.”

You’re not sure why you’re daring yourself to face him once again next week, but you’ll just pray that you’ll be as sane as today when you meet him again.

The blond boy clad in linen squeals and clasps his hands together, “That’s great, more feedback! We’d appreciate that so much!”

“Will you still be here next week?” you ask, finding your way to include another bag in your hands. Barely able to hold everything on your hands, you hear Felix answer yes and ask if you need a larger bag for the things you have to hold.

“Nope, I’m all good. My brothers are nearby, I can give some of them once I return to them,” you look up to meet Felix’s worried face, “really though, no worries, I’m alright. I just didn’t expect to purchase a lot today.”

Worry still apparent in Felix, he asks you once again, “You sure?”

“Yes, _____ will be fine. We’re here!” Felix jumps at the voice coming from nearby, he instantly assumes that your brothers have come.

“Kwannie, you’re so loud!” you hush to Seungkwan, moving your hands up and down to let him know that he should tone down his voice. Jeonghan silently grabs half of the things you’re holding and elbows Seungkwan to grab what remains in your hands.

In the middle of Jeonghan waiting and Seungkwan sulkily playing with you to get the things out of your hands—his voice booming with “Oh, come on, let me hold something for you!”—which made Jeonghan pinch Seungkwan on the waist, Jeonghan quickly greets Felix, which he returns with the same amount of enthusiasm he had with everyone else, and tells you both to go and finally return home.

Just a few steps away from the stall, you ultimately greet Felix with a sweet goodbye. Felix then gleefully waves his hand and tells you, “See you next week!”

“Seems like someone will be meeting someone next week!” Jeonghan smiles and wraps his arm around your shoulder. The eldest appears to be more ecstatic than ever.

“Out of all the people you could meet though, you met a Leyva, _____,” Seungkwan mumbles. 

Jeonghan immediately speaks for you, surprisingly. “I’m pretty sure our youngest knows what they’re getting into. It’s okay to warn them, but don’t overwhelm them too much until the point that your constant warnings will sound discouraging.”

Seungkwan rubs your head with his cheek in worry, “I know, I know. Just be careful, especially since the Leyvas have something going on with the Solanos at the moment. Their tension has gone worse lately, I think it’s just a little scary to be associated with any of them at the moment.”

“I think I’ll be fine. It’s not that he’ll fall in love with me very soon, I think just getting to know him would suffice for me right now,” you unconsciously smile at the thought of finally talking to him.

For someone who’s a desperate hopeless romantic, you are quite lucky to finally bring the prospective red string quicker than you thought. “Something is pulling me onto him, I don’t know what exactly, but I have a good feeling with it. I surprisingly didn’t freak out when he suddenly entered my vision,” you giggled.

Also rubbing your head with his cheeks, Jeonghan giggles and pinches your cheeks, “_____ is falling in love, at last!”

You’ve never been this insane about a guy, which kind of scares you. But as you said earlier, with your impressive performance of not freaking out in front of Felix, you have a great hunch that things will be fine with him—you just know it. You instantly felt this sense of comfort with him on your first contact together, and you have a feeling that it would go on in the future.

“We better make you look good next week—”

“I’m just gonna visit him in the market again, Seungkwan!”

“I’m just looking at it as a date!”

“It is not, shut up!”

[medusasea]

Touya's Reasons

Now, let's make this clear from the beginning. Endeavour was a bad father. His quirk marriage to father a child with a specific quirk in order to make them his successor is messed up. The way he handled Touya's was messed up. What he did to the rest of the family after Touya's supposed death was downright disgusting. But was his treatment of Touya really that bad that he would turn him into a murderer?

From what we see, Endeavour used to be very cheerful and nice during training with Touya. After Touya started getting burns he put an end to the training and he even did this peacefully. Some Dabi defenders point out that Endeavour pushed Touya to the side and that he should've started a different activity with Touya. I don't see it like that at all. We see Endeavour talk to Touya way more than he does to the rest of the kids before Shoto was born. It was only after Touya tried burning baby Shoto that Endeavour largely isolated Shoto from the rest of the siblings. Now, considering Endeavour wanted to train Shoto but not Touya, it is likely he would've spent more time with Shoto anyway, but Touya tried to kill or at least harm Shoto as a baby, way before the training started. The thing is, the Endeavour never trained Fuyumi nor Natsuo, who are younger than him. Enji never told Touya about his plans to get a successor, Touya found out by himself, but I don't know how. Since nobody told him about the plan and neither of his siblings got training at that point, what made him think his parents were trying to bring a child with a specific quirk into the world? Shoto was also just a baby. It is nomal for older siblings to feel jealousy, but Shoto was way too young to start the training and he was just a baby while Touya was around 10. He should've felt more sympathy for a defenseless baby. As for Endeavour starting a new activity with Touya, I agree that Touya needed that, but do you think Touya himself would've realized this? He was burning himself up to prove himself to his father, even though the latter told him multiple times to stop. Do you seriously think Touya would've been open for a new activity when he was so obsessed with becoming a hero? If your child is burning themselves, would starting a new activity really seem like it would help? Or at least it wouldn't be the first thing to pop into your mind. What Touya needed was first and foremost counseling and self control. I do not condone any of Endeavours actions, in fact they were very stupid, I just don't see how they would drive Touya to murder.

After Touya escapes the hospital he wants to return to his family only to see Endeavour being even more abusive than before with Rei and SHoto being his (biggest) victims and his family overall living on after his supposed death. This finally drives him to villainy. Except there have been 3 years since his family thought he died. They did not abandon him and they did not move on right away, Touya only didn't see them mourn because it has been 3 years since he disappeared and he knows this things. So he shouldn't have any reason to get revenge on them sans Endeavour and maybe Rei, since she was an accomplice in her husband's plan to get a successor and she didn't stand up for herself as much as she should.

I agree that his experience was hard. His father was very proud of him when they did gero training only for that to get stripped away from him once he got burns and his father not dealing with it in a professional way. However, he was getting burned. There is a difference between being stubborn and being desperate. I can still sympathize with his disappointment, but I can't sympathize with his obsession to the point of getting burned, even if the people in your life discourage you to and they still show you love and affection nor with his desire to murder, especially innocent people.

[house-of-lebeau]

Notes about my House of LeBeau timeline

Based on Earth-616 (the main comic timeline), but I’m willing to write it as a branch if things don’t line up

Rogue and Gambit are older parents, it took a lot of time and planning for them to feel safe having kids of their own. Rory and Reine are about 3 years apart, give or take some months.

I imagine that they had moved to Louisiana to help run a southern branch of the Institute in New Orleans, just so there isn’t just one school for all mutant kids in America

Gambit unofficially opens up his home to foster kids who are orphaned, kicked out, or otherwise can’t live at their own home. He may not consider himself a teacher, but this helps him fulfill that “dad instinct” we all know he has. Rory and Reine potentially have a lot of older foster siblings, they may not technically be Lebeaus but they’re family.

It was during this time that Rogue warmed up to the idea of having kids, but that still didn’t happen until there was finally some peace, i.e., nobody trying to exterminate mutants for a while

Destiny saw this coming, but didn’t say anything too soon to not upset Mystique or put pressure on Rogue. Their baby shower present did come suspiciously soon in the mail after Rogue and Gambit announced it though.

Rory has always been very serious about becoming an X-man, but deep down Rogue and Gambit don’t want to bring their kids into that fight. But it’s better for them to be able to defend themselves at least, right? (Insert drama here)

Will probably add more to this post if I think of it.

[ronwestbreeze]

TO YOU , WORLDS AWAY : PART TWO : CHAPTER TWENTY - FOUR

pairing: jake sully x fem!reader

summary: happiness was simple...

word count: 3.3k

AO3 | prev | next

Year 2168

It didn’t feel like many years had gone by. Not really. When you were cherishing every second of your life, time seemed to just slip from you. And before you knew it, a few years had gone by, the kids weren’t babies anymore but teenagers and kids who were curious about the world they lived in. And began developing personalities of their own, some less troublesome than others.

Kiri still followed you everywhere you went and still asked questions about her birth mother from time to time. But it didn’t change the fact that you had raised her and that you were the face she saw whenever she thought of having a mother. But she had her own interests too. She had started watching Mo’at as Tsahik, learning the ways of Eywa. And if it wasn’t clear when she was younger, it surely was clear as she had gotten older. Kiri was more of a healer than a fighter and you were okay with that, despite wanting to teach her how to fight and defend herself at least.

The boys were a different story which didn’t surprise you in the least.

They wanted to be like their father. Warriors. Which meant they believed they had a lot to live up to. Which also meant they put a lot of pressure on themselves to do so.

Neteyam being one of them. Since he was the oldest, he had a responsibility of setting a good example for his younger siblings whilst also becoming the best warrior he could be. Working to be the next Olo’eyktan.

“I wish you’d give yourself some grace.” You said one time to Neteyam while sharpening your spear.

It had only been the two of you in the marui back then. The others were either out hunting or out in the village. Usually, Kiri, Tuk, or Tsa’te were the ones to stay with you at the mauri, but this time it was your eldest.

Neteyam didn’t respond but instead picked at the knife you had given him after he had gotten his banshee. You were surprised at how nice it still looked even after all these years, which told you Neteyam had done well to take good care of it over the years.

You frowned and got up to stand next to his crouched figure, placing a gentle hand on top of his head. He mumbled out quietly, “I just want to be like him. You know? All the stories about him, all that he’s done…everyone expects me to be like him, but then I remember I’m not and I feel like I keep failing. That I’m always behind…”

“Now listen to me carefully, honey.” You said, placing your spear away as you knelt down next to him. “You are not failing. And you are not behind. You are a child and you are right where you need to be. I promise you, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.” You rolled your eyes and pointed behind you, “Especially to them of all people. Take it slow and don’t push yourself too hard. I will not have my son acting like a soldier and miss out on being a child first.”

Neteyam gave a small smile as you ruffled his hair, “But I am a warrior, Mom.”

“Yes, and you will be a mighty one in the future.” You grinned, pressing a kiss on his forehead. “But I want you to be Neteyam right now. Not the chief’s son. Not Lo’ak or Kiri’s big responsible brother. Just Neteyam. My little Wonder Boy.”

He groaned, “Mom, you haven’t called me that since I was eight, please don’t start again.”

You laughed, “Fine. I won’t.”

Then there was Lo’ak who was a carbon copy of his father. Jake often had trouble getting him to listen or understand him but that didn’t mean he loved him any less. Now you and Neytiri, well, it was safe to say that you both dealt with younger Jake and knew how to handle the boy.

One time, your spear had gone missing and you were going crazy trying to search for it. You asked Jake since he often took it to sharpen it whenever you forgotten to do so. He didn’t know where it was. Neytiri was the next one you asked and she hadn’t seen it either. It wasn’t until you wandered further into the village as you finally found your spear.

Only it was in the hands of your youngest son.

You found him showing off to the younger children and some of the girls his age in the village, swinging your spear around as he told a story about how he first tamed his banshee. May have exaggerated a few parts of the story but you didn’t discourage it. Instead you stood a few feet away, his back turned to you, and watched him try to impress his peers amusingly.

Kiri and Neteyam were in the group and had spotted you before Lo’ak did. Neteyam kept trying to subtly gain his brother’s attention to warn him of your presence but Lo’ak didn’t take the hint. Not until he happened to turn around and immediately spot you.

He tucked the spear behind his back as if it would hide it, “Heyyy, Ma.”

You grinned as the children began scattering away once Lo’ak had been “caught”. All except Kiri and Neteyam. “Hey, kiddo.” You walked until you were standing in front of him with a raised brow, “Can I have my spear, please?”

Lo’ak nodded quickly, eyes down cast as he handed your spear back. Kiri shook her head, “I told him it was a bad idea.”

“I didn’t think she’d notice.” Lo’ak grumbled to his sister.

“She uses it all the time, skxawng! How would she not notice it missing?!”

Lo’ak sent Kiri a scowl before giving you a sheepish look, “Sorry, Ma.”

You waved it off, “You know, if you wanted a spear, you could’ve just asked me to make one for you. Or I can help you make one yourself if you don’t think it’s cool for your mom to make your spears for you.”

Lo’ak looked up at you in surprise, “You’re not mad?”

“No, why would I be?”

Neteyam slung an arm around Lo’ak with a grin, “You almost had it, little bro. Nice job.”

Kiri scoffed, appearing at your side, “The last thing he needs is a spear to poke someone’s eye out.”

You waved her off and pulled Lo’ak to your other side, “Don’t make fun of your brother, Kiri. And so what if he pokes someone’s eye out? I did it when I got my spear for the first time.”

The four of you began walking back as Neteyam said teasingly, “Jeez, Mom, can you make it more obvious that he’s your favorite.”

“I don’t have favorites!”

“If anyone’s the favorite, it’s Princess Kiri.” Lo’ak scoffed. Kiri stuck her tongue out at him.

You shook your head with a chuckle, “Nope, that’s your father’s favorite, even if he denies it I think we all know that it’s true.”

Neteyam raised his hands, “Come on guys, we all know who’s the absolute favorite child.”

“Children.” Kiri corrected, causing you to raise your brows.

The three of them looked at each other knowingly before saying.

“Tuk and Tsa’te.”

You rolled your eyes, “Oh whatever.”

Lo’ak looked at both Neteyam and Kiri, “Oh yeah, they totally are.”

Tsa’te and Tuk were your littlest ones. Tsa’te seven and Tuk six. They were your babies and the ones you looked after the most. Some would say you were slightly overprotective at times, always wanting to keep the two of them in your sight, telling the older kids not to take the two on their reckless adventures—then again, you were like that with the other kids when they were younger too.

But perhaps things were a bit different this time around. Your nightmares haven’t gone away after all these years. In fact, the last one you had was so vivid and so startling, you didn’t sleep for the next couple of nights. Then of course, there was Jake still worrying and preparing the clan for the day the Sky People did come back. And maybe you were preparing for it by protecting your kids, making sure they also knew that there was a slight chance of the Sky People’s return.

Then of course, there was Spider. He was the oldest compared to the Sullys. You had taken the responsibility of caring for the boy. Jake didn’t mind it and Neytiri barely tolerated it. But when the two saw how Spider still got along with the children, they kept their judgments to themselves. Well, Neytiri was the one you were most worried about when it came to Spider. You were his advocate when no one else was. And you always would be.

You treated Spider as if you gave birth to him yourself. And that wouldn’t change, no matter how many judge him.

Some days you still went to visit the Spirit Tree, hoping to talk to Grace or Tsu’tey on some days. But lately, you have been busy training the new warriors along with taking care of your own and the village children.

The long day you had today was any different. Today, you were in the labs with Max and Norm, discussing plans to further protect the surrounding area of the Omatikaya land.

“We could go for a fence of sorts.” Max suggested, playing with a pen in his hand. “The classic electric fence, keeping the dangers out and all that.”

You shook your head, “No. The people already don’t like the idea of Jake using his guns still or trying to teach the other warriors how to use it, I highly doubt they would be okay with further metal inventions on their land.”

“Can’t you or Jake reason with them?” Max wondered aloud.

Norm snorted from his seat at the desk, “Jake’s already been down that road. They barely accepted the guns, just like Doc said.”

“Well, there’s got to be a way to work around this, right?” Max hummed thoughtfully while staring at the screen in front of them.

Before either of you could throw out more solutions, a screech is heard outside of the lab. Norm glanced toward you with a raised brow, “Is that Zola?”

Zola was your ikran. You frowned and shook your head, “No, I came here on direhorse.” Pushing away from the table you sat at, you crouched toward the door, pushing it open to find two familiar ikrans waiting for you outside, and Zola right next to them.

“Well, this is a surprise.” You found yourself grinning up at Jake and Neytiri, who returned your smiles with one of their own.

“We were looking for you everywhere.” Jake titled his head down at you, a playful glint in his eyes. “Figured you could use some time away. A break. Maybe have a fly with us. Norm. Max.”

You glanced behind you to find both Norm and Max peeking out of the lab. “Hey Sullys.” Norm grinned before looking at you, “Go on, we’ll continue tomorrow. Sully’s right, you could use a break.”

“But we’ve only just begun.” You tried but it was Neytiri who cut you off.

“It is time to let go for the night, Ma’y/n.” She nodded toward your ikran, calling for it to come forward. “Zola misses you and so do we. Now come. Let us fly!”

There was a small part of you that wanted to continue working, only to make at least some good progress. But then there was the other, more overshadowing part of you, that looked at both Jake and Neytiri and wanted every bit of you to say yes to them both. It had been awhile since it was just the three of you, all of you busy with your duties to the clan.

Perhaps one night away wouldn’t hurt.

“Fine, but only if I get to race you again.” You gave Jake a pointed look as you ran up to Zola. “You cheated last time and I want a fair rematch!”

Jake laughed in disbelief, “I can’t believe you’re still saying that! I didn’t cheat, not one bit! Bob is just faster than Zola, easy!”

“The fact that you even named him Bob should be a crime.” You shook your head. Still to this day, you were glad that you had named your children. Eywa, you didn’t know what Jake would’ve come up with. Hell, Neytiri probably thought the same when she had Neteyam, Lo’ak, and Tuktirey.

“Don’t be a hater.” Jake grinned as his ikran started flapping his wings. “Fine. We have another race. Whoever reaches the mountains first wins. Got it?”

You rolled your eyes as you connected your queue to Zola, “You’re going down, Sully.”

Jake winked at you, neither of you seeing Neytiri roll her eyes at the two of you, “Said that last time, babe. Serious this time?”

“Dead serious, babe—Neytiri!”

Before either of you could realize it until it was too late, Neytiri and her ikran suddenly took off in the sky. You steered Zola into the air as well with Jake right behind you.

Neytiri glanced back at the two of you with a grin, “Catch me if you’re not too busy being skxawngs!”

Without wasting any time, you steered Zola after her, not wanting to give Jake the chance to gather his bearings and get ahead of you. You let out a whooped holler, the air caressing your face as you flew. Neytiri let one out too, hers sounding more like a call and a hoot. You could hear Jake’s voice from further behind you, doing the same as well.

Glancing back at him, you grinned as he tried and failed to catch up with you, “Eat my dust, Sully!”

“I swear to God, Doc!”

“Why don’t you two focus on keeping up!” Neytiri called back, a smirk on her face. “Because I’m winning!”

A laugh left your lips as you flew to catch up with her. Oh Eywa, you were so glad for this. Being with your mates, not thinking about all the worries that heaved your shoulders every waking day. You really needed this night. This freedom. This simple and fun night. It was like you were younger again. Oh the time, that had gone by. Oh the ages that had come. You were you yet not the same. Jake was him yet not the same. Neytiri was her yet not the same.

It seemed like what all three of you were before, was ages ago. Almost as if decades have gone by rather than a few years. Yes, there were still reminders of what the Sky People left behind, of what you had gone through, of what you had lost. But they were all a memory now. A little seed still planted in your heart.

Now it had bloomed into a flower.

The mountains came into view. You ordered Zola to speed up. And it seemed as if Neytiri and Jake had done the same. Now the three of you were neck and neck. Nearly there.

Only for Neytiri’s ikran to have made it first.

“I win!” She grinned, her smile white as the crescent moon.

But in that moment, neither you nor Jake cared that you lost. The three of you were in the moment. And you were determined to make it last, for a lifetime if you could.

Happiness was simple.

And you liked simple. You went through all types of hell just to get to this. Simple. Happiness. Not even the nightmares could shake the smile from your face. A smile you were sure that you had lost long ago.

A smile Jake was so glad to see on your face so often now. Back then it was a rarity to get not even a chuckle from you. That was only because of the position, the time you were in. The fresh wound that you were still tending to. There were still hints of scars in some places of course, Jake had them too. So did Neytiri. But what mattered was that they were together. That they would remain together and lick each other’s wounds clean from now on.

Sully's stick together. Nothing would ever change that.

At some point, the three of you had landed at the top of a smaller mountain, your ikrans resting from all the flying. And now you lay under the stars with your mates. You felt the steady heartbeat of Jake’s steady heartbeat. The warmth of Neytiri’s hand. You couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the night. In the arms of the people you love.

You wouldn’t trade this for a thousand more Pandoras.

Lazily, you gazed up at Jake who was staring up at the stars. A soft smile tugged your lips as you reached your free hand up to gently caress his face, “Will you sleep tonight?”

Jake looked down at you, a soft look on his face. A look he only had for you and Neytiri, “I think so. Will you?”

You lift your shoulder slightly, “Depends on if my dreams will agree with me tonight.”

His fingers gently brushed against your ear, “When do dreams ever agree with us?”

“Exactly my dilemma.”

A frown rested on his lips, “You should sleep more.”

“I try.”

“I’ll sleep if you will, Tinkers.”

You tried not to smile at the nickname, burying your face into his side, “Make it a race then, Puppet?”

His chest rumbled as he chuckled. “You’re on.”

It all went wrong.

At first it was the nightmares. The nightmares, you could handle. Surrounded by fire, Quaritch’s taunting voice waiting for you to break. The fire this time was hotter. Far too close to your liking. And Jake’s voice could be heard in the distance. No. Everywhere around you.

You had never heard Jake’s voice here.

Then it was Neytiri’s screams and your body suddenly shuddered. Everything around you became a blur.

And then you opened your eyes.

Neytiri was dragging you by the arm while screaming, “No, Great Mother! Great Mother!”

“Doc!” That was Jake next to you, pulling you out of your hazy sleep. Neytiri eventually let your arm go and seconds later larger arms wrapped around your waist and lifted you up to your feet. There was too much going on at the same time. Animals were rushing past you in a quick haste, the wind had become a lot more harsher than before. And your ikrans were flying above you, hiding in the trees until you called on them.

Jake was saying something in your ear. But you couldn’t make out his words. Not when your eyes saw the fire.

This time it wasn’t a dream. This time you couldn’t just close your eyes and open them again. It was all in front of you. It was all burning down. The forest. The forest was dying.

And the cause of it all was a large ship coming from the stars.

The Sky People had returned.

You pushed away from Jake’s grip, wide eyes taking in the destruction. The beauty of it. The peace. The life. All of it burned away. All of it was dying right before your eyes. And suddenly you were back at Grace’s school. Watching it get shot up and destroyed. Watching everything you had worked for die along with Sylwanin. Hearing Neytiri’s screams even now was haunting. You never thought you had to hear her scream like this again.

And you couldn’t even shed a tear.

They say grief is different for everyone. Neytiri was on her knees, tears staining her face as she watched her home be destroyed. Jake was at her side, holding her close and trying to be present for her while still watching the destruction in utter disbelief. Because for him his fears had come true too. His nightmares had become just as real as yours.

While everything died around you, you were still alive.

You were alive. You were alive. You were alive.

Long enough to see everything else die.

Happiness was supposed to be simple…

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[cienie-isengardu]

Lo and Li and their (not) looking after Azula and Zuko in "The Beach"

I have talked a lot about Zuko and Azula lately because “The Beach” episode gives a lot of context for their relationship, but it would be a crime to omit the most funny detail (implication) coming from this episode: the presence of Lo and Li.

Those two older women were introduced into the series as Azula’s teachers (that definitely fueled her unhealthy sense of perfectionism) and some sort of advisors before the princess recruited Ty Lee and Mai on the hunt for Zuko, Iroh and later, the Avatar. The story alone gives little about Lo and Li, but considering their relationship and influences on the princess, we can assume they had, if not outright trust, then at least Ozai’s approval to keep an eye on his “precious”, prodigy daughter. As they were the only adults connected to Fire Lord and at whose house the Royal Siblings and their friends stayed in "The Beach" episode, I thought of them as not really nannies, but more like chaperones.

Zuko and Azula faced Avatar and survived, Mai and Ty Lee proved to be capable of beating down full grown men one on one (or more precisely, one vs many). So fine, ok, Ozai may trust his kids to be able to defend themselves - if the thought about their safety even occurred to him at all. But Zuko and Azula are, and I can’t stress it enough, teenagers sent on vacation and teenagers may do stupid stuff for fun just to taste the little freedom granted them. So it makes sense to me that Lo and Li should supervise the Royal Siblings, because vacation or not, they are still prince and princess, the precious heirs to the throne. And like, Zuko is with his girlfriend (official fiancee?) and you can never be sure what teenagers in love and with buzzing hormones will do, right? Same with Azula, who as we learn through the episode, will happily grab the occasion to flirt with a  handsome, popular boy and the innocent kiss turned out quickly into her passionate rant: “Together, you and I will be the strongest couple in the entire world! We will dominate the Earth!”. 

Azula’s mind really jumped from casual fun (no harm done if Ozai won’t learn about it) to the conclusion that boy she knew for what? a few hours at best will be her boyfriend and part of the future (military?) plans and understandable Chen freaked out and ran away. The taste of freedom affected even Azula, our so emotionally composed, clever girl, because again, a teenager, adolescent curiosity, lack of supervision and buzzing hormones are a dangerous mix. 

(I suspect Zuko getting Mai pregnant would be less scandalous than if Azula - the princess - ended with a bastard child at the age of 14/15. If Ozai would even allow the kid to be born.)

And what Lo and Li were doing the whole episode? Either giving some cryptic speech about how Ember Island is a magical place or encourage kids.

“Time to hit the beach!“ they said

while never bothering going with kids there

(or did Lo and Li have fun on their own ignoring the bunch of their temporary wards?).

And when Azula, Zuko and Ty Lee talked about Chen and why Azula didn’t betray their Royal Family status (and presumably of going to the night party)? Again, the two old women did nothing besides giving some more cryptic advice and saying “to the party!”.

Like, they were totally okay that Fire Royal Siblings (in range of age from 14 to 16) planned to stay at house of unknown boy(s) for the whole night. Again, Zuko is 16, at best almost 17, but Azula is 14 (at best 15) and I don’t think this is an appropriate age to let a girl - especially the princess you are responsible for - go to a party with presumably much older boys. 

(Unless this is why Azula demanded Zuko, her older brother, to be invited alongside her? Not like he checked out if she is alright before he was kicked out for the fight with Mai over some guy but I guess, with a sister like Azula it is easy to assume she doesn’t need babysitting, because Azula could and would kick Chen or anyone else’s ass if they pissed her off). 

My point is, Lo and Li could give the girls and Zuko some serious talk or at least ask to be careful or anything the supposed chaperons should say (or like,  outright demand from Zuko to keep an eye on his younger sister and the noble girls as the oldest and you know, the guy). Because Azula is first and foremost a princess, the same as Zuko is the prince and like, the Royal Family does not need any teenage drama and scandal (and from the previous episode we know Azula and Zuko are now the public figures at the capital).

I’m not sure if perceiving Lo and Li as some sort chaperons to the “banished for a weekend” Royal Siblings was author’s intention or not, but there is something incredible funny how those old women introduced as strict teachers criticizing Azula for not perfect hairstyle while she is working on her lighting technique - a skill absolutely amazing to have at the age of 14 - won’t even bother to keep an eye on the same girl and just let the whole bunch of emotionally stunted and traumatized teenagers freely roam on the “magical” beach and go to night party to total strangers. It is pretty hilarious if not a bit sad. Because wow, Ozai did not give much fuck about any of his kids one way or another. 

Aaand this is what I get when rewatching ATLA as an adult lol.

I know this is animations for kids/teenagers, but what if Chen didn’t freak out? Would Azula be curious enough to experience something more than just a kiss? And well, we assume Chen and Ruon-Jian are in age close to Zuko & Azula (as if they were adults they would be enrolled into army, I think?) But there is still a room for them being older than Zuko who himself is two years older than Azula. Also, them inviting Ty Lee & Mai specifically for how they look without bothering to ask for their name and the way a group of boys cornered Ty Lee to the point she needed to chi-blocking all of them kinda gives me the feeling the party was an occasion for them to pick up girl for night or something along the way. Dunno if I read the scene/intention right but it gives that vibe I guess…?