#i already talked about alienation from birth family

[clownfire]

Riptide’s themes of found family mean so much to me. 

Pirate crews are literally found families IN THE TEXT.  The way Roofus talks about the Black Rose crew choosing to collectively raise Chip and Lizzie. Jay’s arc can be read as being about the disconnection with one’s birth family experienced by many queer ppl. ALMOST EVERY CONVERSATION WITH DREY. Ollie is basically the Albatrio’s son.

I AM A SUCKER FOR FOUND FAMILY TROPE, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT DON’T JUST REPLICATE NORMATIVE FAMILY STRUCTURES!11!!1!!!!...!

ishouldmakeapowerpointpresentation...

[pollyanna-nana]

Louie isn’t evil.

Or: what Pikmin 4 tells us about his character.

BIG WARNING FOR PIKMIN 4 SPOILERS! (and the rest of the series)

———

I want to preface this by saying that I am in no way trying to be the end-all, be-all of character interpretations, but Pikmin 4 to me, at least, confirms the suspicions I’ve had since playing Pikmin 2 and 3 all those years ago that Louie ISN’T secretly evil, or possessed, or whatever else. He’s just… Louie. And I think that’s interesting in and of itself.

1. Olimar himself vouches for him, and clearly doesn’t think he’s a bad person.

Say what you will, but I’m inclined to think Olimar is a decent judge of character. Clearly he’s worked with Louie for enough time to see that while he’s not very good at his job, he’s not intentionally so— at least not in a malevolent way (will get more into this later). He also wants you to forgive him for Olimar’s sake, which can be read as self-sacrificing (as Olimar is known to be) but I also think hints at the soft spot he has for Louie.

It's also worth noting that he states during a end-of-day conversation that he told Louie that, since he's a new employee, he should do everything Olimar does... including throw castaways into the onion. Interesting that Louie took this so literally, but it does provide an explanation for why he kidnapped the Koppaites beyond "he's evil and crazy".

2. He really, REALLY loves his grandma.

Like, wow. He talks about her SO MUCH both in his Piklopedia entries and also elsewhere in the game. It's interesting. Worth noting is that he never mentions any other family members- unlike Olimar, who talks about his wife and each of his children independently. I've said this before, but the content of a lot of these entries implies to me that Louie was mainly raised by his grandma, likely since birth. And given some of her emails in Pikmin 2, assuming they're also canon to Pikmin 4's timeline... Well, Louie certainly had an interesting upbringing. But he clearly loves her all the same.

3. He has a mischievous streak and tends to do things on impulse.

This was already fairly obvious from the previous games, but I think it's worth noting that this game confirms that he's... would immature be the right word? In any regard, he doesn't seem to see himself as a "grown-up"- when in all likelihood he is. Personally, as a 22-year-old, I find that pretty relatable as I often think of myself as younger when in reality I am by all definitions an adult. This, along with his grandma still being around, makes it pretty much certain that Louie is a lot younger than Olimar and the president, likely in his early to mid twenties. Being a bit of a goofball isn't really out of the ordinary, all things considered.

THAT BEING SAID, he's clearly capable of practicing self-restraint when he wants to. What he says here about the red Pikmin is pretty significant, since we know he's willing to eat just about anything- but clearly he has some reservations about creatures that are friendly and helpful. Which leads to...

4. He loves dogs and fluffy things.

Same. But he doesn't even consider eating Moss, Oatchi or the Ancient Sirehound, showing that his creature-eating habits stop at things he recognizes as useful. He clearly also holds affection for things that are soft and fuzzy, and says as much.

5. He is so autism.

He plays with fidget toys. He loves certain textures and sounds. This guy is stimming all over PNF-404!!! I think this also lends some explanation for why his behavior is what it is- things like taking Olimar's suggestion to do as he does super literally even after crashing on an alien planet, his hyperfixation on cooking and tendency not to communicate and incorrectly interpret situations (thinking the Koppaites are kidnappers in 3, running away from you in 4). He could even be low or no empathy as well, explaining why it takes a hot minute to get him to understand why people are upset with him about something.

Interestingly this game also makes it clear that Louie wants to live on the planet, or at least thought he did while you were chasing him down, which makes a lot of sense when you consider that he doesn't really seem to fit in back on Hocotate. I, too, wish to run away to an alien world with all of the things that I like and no other people, so I get you, Louie.

6. He hates his boss and his job, and the golden pikpik carrot incident was likely premeditated.

This probably looks bad, but honestly? As a fellow work-hating anti-capitalist schmuck I get it. The president is for all intents and purposes a huge asshole, from sending Olimar straight back to the planet after selling his ship to not caring that Louie got left behind, just wanting to find the rest of the treasures. I doubt he is very kind to his employees, and doesn't seem very good at running the business. Definitely a funny character, but if he were my boss I would absolutely want to punt him into the sun.

From some other entries he clearly wants to sell certain things to accrue money, but it's for things like getting better kitchen tools and following his dream to have his own cooking show. Clearly being a freight driver isn't what Louie actually wants to do with his life, and he could not give less of a shit about what happens to the company. Very short-sighted on his part, but also again, yeah I get you Louie.

7. He... doesn't like the color red for some reason.

Honestly, I'm not even really sure what to make of this. Is it because it reminds him of the Hocotate ship? Or does he just not like the color? Would be very interesting considering that it's Olimar's signature color. Perhaps that's at least part of why he attacks you in Pikmin 2- though that's speculation for another day.

Also funny to me is his comments on the black-colored treasures. We know blue is his favorite color, but I guess he's also a bit of a goth at heart. Lol.

In conclusion.

I think Louie isn't written or intended to be evil, and Pikmin 4's portrayal of him was intentionally written to confirm this. He's just, as some have said, an agent of chaos, but that doesn't make him a bad person. Just an autistic 20-something working a shitty job he doesn't care about, who loves his grandma and has a mischievous streak and a hyperfixation on food. At least from what I can interpret, ymmv!

[sycamorelibrary754]

We're a Family

Summary: You and Natasha are taking your first vacation since the birth of your 5-year-old daughter. While you and Natasha are off on a romantic getaway to Paris for your anniversary, how will your Avengers family handle watching your daughter for the weekend?

Pairings: Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Genre: Fluff, Comfort, Romance

Word Count: 4.3k

Warnings: Some mentions of grief.

A/N: Thank you so much for the positive feedback on Come Home to Me! I hope to keep writing as I feel inspired and have time. This story takes place after the events of Endgame. Tony survived defeating Thanos with the Snap, and Steve brought Natasha back after returning the Soul Stone to Vormir.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Natasha questioned for the third time that Friday morning as you gathered the last essentials for your 5-year-old daughter to take to the Avengers Compound. You and Nat were taking your first vacation together since your child's birth in celebration of your wedding anniversary. Understandably, your wife was struggling with the idea of leaving your daughter. It was all you could do to convince Natasha to drop her off at preschool, let alone leave her overnight. 

“Love, we’ve talked about this. It’s only for the weekend. Mila is going to have a great time. Besides, there is nowhere safer for her than surrounded by Avengers. You trust them with your life”, you remind her reassuringly as you rub gentle circles on her back.

“Exactly. My life, not my child,” Nat muttered.

It had been five years since you gave birth to your and Natasha’s daughter. Your whole world changed from the moment you both laid eyes on her. Soon after, Nat transitioned into semi-retirement with guidance from Clint. She was still available for consultation and recruit training or if the situation was dire, but you and Mila are her number one priority now.

You heard little feet padding down the hall as your daughter entered your bedroom. Her red curls bounced up and down on her head. “I'm ready, Mommy and Mama!” Mila squealed. 

“Oh, Moya Lyubov, you look so pretty! Did you dress yourself this morning?” Natasha asked, getting down to her level.  

“Yes! I wanted to match Auntie Yelena!” as she showed off her mini black vest that Yelena made her for her last birthday, worn expertly over her pink tutu. 

“Auntie Yelena is going to love it, sweetheart. You’re going to have so much fun with your aunts and uncles this weekend,” hugging her tight.

After packing your luggage in the car, you drive to the compound. FRIDAY greets you as you exit the main elevator. “Good morning, Ms. Romanoff, Ms. Y/L/N.” The team is awaiting your arrival in the common room.”

“Thank you, FRIDAY,” you replied as Mila let go of Natasha’s hand and ran ahead of both of you, having been here several times already in her young life.

As you enter the room, you see Wanda and Vision in the kitchen, and the smell of freshly baked cookies wafts through the air. Peter and Kate are playing video games, Bucky and Sam are playing cards with Clint, and Steve is quietly reading Moby Dick. 

“Little spider!” Yelena called out as she entered the room, and Mila ran into her arms.  

“Auntie Yelena! Do you like my outfit? I got dressed all by myself!” 

“I love it, malayshka. It's so much cooler than Mama’s outfit,” Yelena says as she side-eyes her older sister with a smile. “We are going to have so much fun this weekend.”

“Yeah, about that,” Natasha interrupted. “Mission briefing in five.”

Mission briefing?" you asked, confused. "Love, we're going on vacation, not a stakeout.”

“Yes, but they have the most important mission of all, watching our daughter,” motioning to the group before you.

Your heart warms at how protective your wife was—the Black Widow. She was a woman who would run into a collapsing building or intercept an alien invasion without batting an eye, but the moment she became a mother, everything changed. She vowed to give Mila everything she never had as a child. To break the cycle of uncertainty and pain that the Red Room forced upon her. Truthfully, you were so proud of how far Natasha had come. From growing up believing love was for children to giving nothing but love to both of you. 

Just then, Tony and Bruce entered the living room, arguing over their latest nanotech calculations, with Pepper following closely behind. 

“Hey, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, park it,” Natasha declared. 

“Ah, Rushman, wonderful to see you as always,” Tony says, winking at Nat. She rolled her eyes in response as Tony and Bruce hugged you before sitting down, and Pepper picked up your daughter.

“Come on sweetie, do you want to go play with Morgan?” Pepper asked.

“Yay!” Mila cheered as they walk down the hall to Morgan’s room.

“Okay, here are some quick dos and don’ts for this weekend. No guns, no repulsor rays, no arrows, and no using our daughter as a beta test subject for any new experiments. When Thor gets here, no Asgardian beverages in front of our child. Mila’s bedtime is 7 pm, and she likes it if you do the characters' voices when you read her bedtime story. If she has trouble falling asleep, a lullaby usually does the trick. Got it?”

“Geez, this is almost as bad as Budapest,” Clint whispered to Kate.

“It’s going to be alright, Natasha,” Wanda reassured. “We’re a family. You know we would do anything for that little girl. Please, go and enjoy your anniversary. No one deserves some special alone time more than you two”, Wanda says as she hands you a tin of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies for the trip. 

You put your arm around Natasha and kiss her cheek. “Wanda is right, my love. Mila will be fine.” 

Just as you complete the sentence, Mila runs back into the room. “Mommy, Mama! Morgan has Puss and Boots: The Last Wish, and we will watch it tonight before bedtime.” 

“That sounds like so much fun, sweetheart! I know you will be a good girl for your aunts and uncles, and Mommy and Mama will see you on Sunday night, okay? We love you so much.” you said. 

“Okay, Mommy. I love you!” She said as she hugged you so tight. Natasha knelt to kiss your daughter on the cheek and squeezed her hand three times. Their unique way of saying I love you. After one last hug and kiss, you walk to the Quinjet. Tony had offered one for easy and convenient travel. 

*^~^*

By the time you arrive at your hotel in Paris, it’s almost dinner time. After sightseeing, you two enjoyed a gourmet candlelit dinner under the Parisian moon and a romantic stroll under the stars. When you returned to your room, you received a text message from Clint with a photo of your daughter asleep on her bed—lovingly cuddled under a blanket with Yelena. 

“See, she’s okay,” you said lovingly as Natasha smiled at the picture of her little girl and her little sister.

As you lay in bed that night, you feel more grateful than ever to be here with the love of your life. Both of you had learned firsthand to never take anything for granted.

You were one of the lost souls left behind after the Blip. Struggling with the loss of your loved ones, you began attending Steve’s Brooklyn Support Group once a week. It was after one of those meetings that you were first introduced to the Black Widow. 

Natasha hesitated at first to let anyone in. She was too scared to lose anyone else and was convinced that nothing should take away from her commitment to bring everyone back. However, she still found any excuse to attend Steve’s meetings. Whether that was to bring homemade peanut butter sandwiches for the snack table or shyly offering to give you a ride home. 

You weren’t a hero or a super soldier. You didn’t remind Natasha of the guilt she carried over the last five years as the fallout from the Blip continued. You were just yourself, which Natasha loved the most about you. You began to visit her at the compound, and slowly but surely, the walls came down for both of you. 

When she told you about the Time Heist, you didn’t want to hear it. You couldn’t comprehend the thought of losing Natasha, but you knew she believed in her heart that she owed it to everyone they had lost to try. When Clint returned from Vormir alone and dropped to his knees, so did you. Grief overtook you all over again.

As the Battle for Earth became inevitable, the team hid you in a safe house off the grid. Days went by and you lost track of time, stuck in your grief and unaware of what was happening. It wasn't until a knock on your door awoke you in the middle of the night that you dropped to your knees again. This time in shock at the sight of Natasha on your doorstep. Tears streaming down her face, she told you they had won. Tony defeated Thanos with the Snap, and Steve performed a miracle by bringing her back upon returning the Soul Stone to Vormir. 

So much life has happened since then. You were married in a beautiful autumnal ceremony shortly after Nat returned and bought your house. Five years ago and twelve hours of labor later, you welcomed your daughter into the world that your wife sacrificed herself to save. You couldn’t believe how much you loved them both. Returning to the present moment, you gently move a strand of Natasha’s unbraided red hair away from her face. Her hands move effortlessly to the nape of your neck, and you lose yourself in her touch.

*^~^*

It’s Saturday morning back at the compound, and Mila is eating blueberry pancakes when Clint strolled in from his morning workout. 

“Hey, squirt! Those pancakes look amazing. Did Auntie Wanda make those?” he asked, reaching for the extra plate of pancakes on the counter. 

Before Mila can respond, the plate glides quickly away from him, enveloped in Wanda’s red magic. “Auntie Wanda did make those, but they’re only for adorable little girls named Mila. Is your name Mila?” Wanda said to Clint with a raised eyebrow.

“No,” Clint grumbled.

“Then make your breakfast, Hawkeye,” Wanda sighed, patting him on the back. 

After breakfast, Sam and Bucky take Mila outside to play. Meanwhile, Steve is working on a mission report in his room when FRIDAY interrupts his concentration. “Mr. Rogers, I’m picking up an elevated heat signature from your shield just north of your location.” Steve looked curiously out the window to see Mila giggling as she slid across the grass. She is sitting on his overturned shield, pulled by a rope tied to the back of Red Wing. 

“My shield is not a toy!” Steve yelled out the window. 

“Oh, hey, Cap! It does make a great sled, doesn’t it?” Bucky answered, pretending not to hear what his best friend said, as Sam laughed out loud. 

Steve shakes his head to hide his smile. You meant the world to him, having spent countless hours processing your grief together in that dark and dank recreation room in Brooklyn. He was honored when you and Natasha asked him to be Mila’s godfather. His shield was made from Vibranium, after all. If his goddaughter wanted to play with it, he knew no harm would be done. 

That afternoon, Peter arrived at the compound to work on his newest suit upgrade with Tony. Mila is engrossed in coloring at the kitchen table with Auntie Kate when Peter walks in to get a soda. 

“Hey Mila, what are you up to?”

“Coloring, do you want to help us?” Mila asked happily. 

Peter nodded, and they got lost in her Disney Princess coloring book for the next twenty minutes. After adding pretty sparkles to Elsa’s Frozen dress, Mila noticed Peter’s Spider-Man suit sticking out of his bag. 

“Pretty!” Mila said with wide eyes.

“You like it?” Peter asked.

“Yes, is this how you fly? Mama says you can fly!” Mila exclaimed. 

“Something like that,” Peter chuckled and tousled her hair. 

Down in the lab, Tony had been waiting for Peter to arrive for half an hour. Unusual, as his protege was typically annoyingly punctual. Running out of patience, Tony asks FRIDAY for Peter’s current location.

“Mr. Parker is in the kitchen with Ms. Bishop and the young Ms. Romanoff, sir.” Tony rolls his eyes as he trudged up the stairs.

“Hey Hawkette, have you seen Peter? He was supposed to — “

Tony stops as he sees Peter swinging from the ceiling with Mila on his back. Kate was too busy filming the spectacle on her phone to notice Tony standing there. 

“Wee!! Faster, Uncle Peter!” Mila shouted as Peter’s web carried them across the room to the top of the bookcase. 

Tony’s eyes follow the pair around the room. He put on his best poker face, “I won’t tell Romanoff or her better half, but if you break it, you pay for it. That includes the kid.” Tony warned.

“Sure thing, Mr. Stark,” Peter gives Tony a thumbs up. 

“And for God’s sake, at least put some pillows down on the floor!” Tony hollered as he walked back to his lab. 

*^~^*

You and Natasha took a Saturday evening cruise down the Seine River in the city of love. It was magical. When your phone alerted you to an incoming FaceTime from Carol, you had seen the Musée d’Orsay the Notre Dame Cathedral and had just reached the top of the Eiffel Tower. You swiped, her face appearing on the screen.

“Hey, you two, I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to be on Earth-616 tomorrow for a meeting with Fury and thought I’d drop in on my favorite couple. Wait, where are you?” 

“Paris, for our anniversary! Our first vacation alone in over five years. Can you believe it?” you said giddily as Natasha put her arms around your waist and lovingly kissed your cheek. 

“Wow, that’s wonderful! Where’s your little mini-me?” Carol asked.

“With the team if you’re going there anyway, could you just make sure that everything is good with Mila?” Natasha inquired. 

“Of course. You know you never have to ask.”

“Thank you, Carol,” you gratefully respond. We’ll be back tomorrow evening, so I’m sure we’ll see you then.” Carol gave you a mock salute before you ended the call and put your phone back in your coat pocket. 

“You look so beautiful, dorogaya. After all this time, I still can't believe you’re mine.” Nat waxed poetically as she removed her scarf and wrapped it around your neck. Natasha could not look more beautiful in the glow of the Eiffel Tower. You decided this is the perfect moment to give her your anniversary gift. You slowly hand her the red velvet box you had snuck into your satchel. Her green eyes went wide at the sight of it.

“Detka! We said no gifts this year. This trip is gift enough,” Nat facetiously scolded.

“I know, but I still wanted to do something special for you,” you said sheepishly. 

Natasha opens the box, revealing a simple, delicate gold heart locket necklace. Upon opening the pendant, she is greeted by a candid photo of all three of you. Clint took one during your last visit with his family in Iowa. Nat was sitting on Clint’s front porch with a smiling Mila on her lap. You are leaning behind her with your arms wrapped lovingly around her neck. It quickly became one of your favorite photos of your small yet precious family. 

“This is so beautiful, Moya Lyubov. Can you put it on me?”

You moved Natasha’s braid away from her neck and clasped the necklace in the back. The heart locket fell directly on top of her own heart. It looked perfect on her. You're not sure who leaned in first, but your lips met in a kiss that made your stomach flutter like it was the first time. You couldn’t be happier than you were at that moment. 

*^~^*

The Sunday morning sun was slowly breaking through the compound windows. Yelena was pouring your daughter a bowl of Cheerios and singing along to the sound of American Pie from her phone when The God of Thunder entered through the Bifrost. Mila jumped and started to hide behind her Auntie Yelena but ran toward him when she realized only her Uncle Thor was materializing before them, leaving his trademark on Pepper’s Persian rug. 

“Must you do that every time? You’re becoming more of a poser than my sister.” Yelena remarked. 

“Of course,” Thor said nonchalantly. “It is the only entrance fit for the God of Thunder.”

He lifted Mila with one arm, “Odin’s Beard! You’ve gotten so big since I last saw you, Mila,” Thor declared

“I know! Did you bring me a present Uncle Thor?” Mila squealed. 

“Yes! Now, let’s see here… Asgardian Ale, Mead, no… ah, here it is!” He handed the little girl a small snow globe set in gold with her name engraved elegantly on the base.

“Wow. Pretty snow globe….” Mila whispered. 

“It is indeed,” Thor said, sitting cross-legged on the carpet before the little girl. “This is a special Asgardian snow globe. Look, see the rainbow bridge inside it?” He pointed. “Most importantly, Lady Mila, if you shake it, I shall be there in a flash. If ever you need me, I will be there.”

“Thank you, Uncle Thor!” Mila said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. I’m going to show it to my Teddy Bear!” Running to her bedroom. 

“You spoil her, you know,” Yelena stated with a smirk, as she began to clean up the kitchen. 

“I know, but she is such a grand example of goodness and joy in such a tiny human. She deserves the world.” Thor declared.

Carol arrived shortly after lunch. After a short meeting with Fury in the conference room regarding upcoming mission targets, she finds your daughter in the compound courtyard. She is wearing her vest to match her favorite auntie as Yelena demonstrates the newest tricks Fanny has learned.

“Roll over! Good girl, Fanny!” Yelena praised the dog. Mila takes a treat out of her vest pockets with her tiny hand and tosses it to the Akita.

“Well done, Mila! Before you go home tonight, I will show you what else you can hide inside those pockets,” winking at her niece. 

“Fruits and veggies, right, Yelena?” Carol deadpanned as Mila ran over and jumped into Captain Marvel’s arms. 

“Auntie Carol! When did you get here?” Your daughter giggled. 

“Just a little bit ago. I talked to your Mommy and Mama last night. They miss you and can’t wait to see you when they get home tonight,” Carol shared before kissing your daughter on the cheek.

*^~^*

As the sun started to sink on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the ancient city of Paris, you found yourself immersed in the rich history of the Louvre museum. You had eagerly anticipated this moment, and after spending the afternoon exploring the countless treasures within the museum's walls, Natasha was determined to ensure you had the chance to lay eyes on the iconic Mona Lisa. As you weaved your way through the bustling crowd of tourists, Natasha's determined presence caused a path to effortlessly clear before you as she kindly asked them to move the fuck over.

You returned to your hotel and enjoyed a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries when Natasha’s phone dinged. 

Carol: Hey, lovebirds. It's all good here. Mila is doing great and excited to see you when you return. However, you may want to check her vest pockets when you get home for some “special” presents courtesy of Auntie Yelena. 😘

Natasha giggled, showing you the text. 

“The important thing is that they’re bonding,” placing a delicate kiss on her temple. 

Following Wanda’s delicious Chicken Paprikash dinner, your daughter watched Frozen II. Vision attempted to explain the science behind snowflakes to her when Tony strolled into the lounge.

“Hey, kiddo, do you want to come to the lab with me and see the new suit modifications that the Jolly Green Giant and I are working on?”

“Yay!” Mila said excitedly, jumping up and down.

“Sir, Ms. Romanoff indicated there was to be no experimenting with young Ms. Mila while she is in our care.”

“Relax, chrome dome. We’re just looking at the new holographic mockup.” Picking up Mila and carried her to his lab. 

*^~^*

After a few hours, Natasha gracefully guided the Quinjet to a smooth landing. As the engines powered down, she took a deep breath and gently reached across the console to grasp your hand. Together, you gazed out at the glittering lights of the team living quarters in the distance.

"Thank you for making our anniversary so wonderful," you said. "I love you so much. I know it was tough for you to leave Mila for three days, but not only did we have a beautiful anniversary, but our daughter got to spend meaningful time with her family, which she will always remember." You pressed a kiss to her knuckles as Natasha caressed your cheek.

You were right, dorogaya. This was perfect. I’m sorry I was so nervous about leaving her. I just never thought I would have my happily ever after. That little girl and you are my everything. It breaks my heart every time I leave either one of you.

“I know, my love,” you said quietly. “Now, let’s go get our daughter and go home.”

As you entered the compound, the air was filled with shouting and the excited barking of Fanny and Lucky. Natasha instinctively reached for her spare Widow Bites, but before she could react, both of you heard the unmistakable sound of your daughter's laughter. Following the noise, you entered the common room to find your daughter joyfully running through the compound. She was wearing her pajamas and had one of Tony’s Iron Man helmets perched on her head while clutching a can of whipped cream. Yelena and the rest of the team were in hot pursuit, with puffs of whipped cream trailing behind her as she raced through the room.

Kate skidded to a stop in front of both of you. “Oh, you guys are back. Awesome! Umm, we made ice cream sundaes for dessert. Mila enjoyed hers, as you can see”, Kate motioned, breathing heavily.

Mila took her last lap around the couch when she caught sight of you and Natasha. 

“Mommy, Mama! You’re here!!” she squealed, running into Natasha’s arms. 

“Hi, Moya Lyubov, we missed you so much!!” Natasha said as she wrapped Mila in a big hug before passing her to you to do the same. 

“It looks like you had fun with your aunts and uncles this weekend,” removing the helmet and brush a red curl away from her eyes. 

“I had so much fun, Mommy! I got to eat yummy food, ride a sled, fly, and Auntie Yelena helped me hide special treasures in my vest pockets. Oh, and I got a magic snow globe with my name on it!” Your daughter rambled happily. 

Natasha looked at you slightly skeptical, wondering if your sweet little girl was exaggerating. With your family, you were never quite sure. 

“Wow, that sounds amazing, kotyonok!” Are you ready to go home now?” Nat asked as Mila gives you her best puppy dog eyes. 

“It’s okay sweetheart, we’ll come back and see everyone next weekend. Why don’t you go get your Teddy bear?” you suggested.

“I’ll help her with her things,” Yelena said, scooping up your daughter and walking to her bedroom. 

“We can’t thank all of you enough for taking such good care of her. I know she would stay here forever if we let her.” You said as you move through the group hugging every one. 

She is always welcome here, you two know that.” Wanda said, confident she was speaking for the entire team. 

A short while later, Mila emerged with her unicorn backpack, followed by Yelena, carrying more bags than she had when you dropped her off. You couldn't help but shake your head, knowing the team had showered her with gifts. Natasha crouched down to Mila’s eye level, tenderly placing her hand on her back. “Can you say goodbye and thank you to all of your aunts and uncles, dorogaya?” she asked. Mila made her way around the room, hugging everyone. It warmed Natasha to witness her family showering your daughter with so much love and affection.

Mila drifted off to sleep only five minutes after being placed in her car seat. Upon returning home, Natasha carried her to her bed with the utmost care. She tenderly laid Mila down, ensuring she was tucked in snugly, and then, both of you gently kissed her forehead before quietly slipping out of the room. You decided to postpone the unpacking until the following day, feeling too exhausted from the long journey. In the bedroom, Natasha was sitting in bed, engrossed in a book with her reading glasses perched precariously on the edge of her nose. The day's fatigue faded as you turned off the bathroom light and joined her in bed.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more romantic anniversary, my love,” you admitted as you carefully removed her glasses from her face and gently kissed her lips. “But there is nowhere I would rather be than at home with you and our beautiful daughter.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Nat said, returning the kiss. 

As Natasha drifted into slumber, her mind wandered back to the tumultuous path that had brought her to this moment. She couldn't escape the memories of her past—a life of manipulation in the Red Room with no autonomy and the unending pursuit to cleanse her conscience of the bloodstains it bore. But then came the shot that Clint didn't take and the chance that Fury did. Her deeply unconventional yet cherished family culminated in the arrival of you and your precious daughter. In these precious bonds, Natasha Romanoff found the strength to thrive and, at long last, find peace.

[gemini-sensei]

Oh Baby! | Jaime Reyes x Chubby!Reader

Fem!Reader ○ Fluff Headcanons

@sensei-venus this deserved its own post 💖✨️ Hope you enjoy it. Also, I could definitely do more of dad!Jaime if anyone wants that.

💙 When Jaime and Reader talk about having kids, there's no rush. No matter what his family may say or tease him with, he wants to be ready for a baby. Given his position as a superhero, he needs to have a plan. Needless to say, he was not ready and none of this was planned.

💙 Naturally, Khaji Da knows about Reader becoming pregnant before even she knows. At first, it keeps the idea to itself, gathering more scans over a few weeks before sharing its findings with Jaime.

💙 As soon as it tells him, he doesn't believe it. He's not ready, so he doesn't want to believe it, but as soon as Khaji starts listing things off, including Reader's changing vitals among other evidence. At this point, it's literally like 4 or 5 weeks into the pregnancy, so Reader has no idea - not even an inkling or feeling - of being pregnant.

�� Jaime has no idea what to do with this information. Does he tell Reader? Does he wait for her to find out? He's truly at a loss and is not taking any "advice" from Khaji because it's the whole reason this is an issue. However, he ends up slipping up and telling Reader before he can even make up his mind.

💙 If you thought Khaji was protective of its host, it is even more protective of Jaime and Reader's unborn child simply because it knows that Jaime would be devastated if anything happened to them or to Reader. So Khaji is constantly wanting to be near Reader so that it can monitor her and the baby's vitals and well-being. Who needs doctors who went to medical school for several years when you have an alien weapon willing to do all that work for free?

💙 In all seriousness, though, Khaji Da would kill if anything happened to Reader and the baby (I mean, Jaime would too, damn his morals because that's the love of his life, the mother of his child, his whole world, I could go on). No one is touching a single hair on her body. Hell, no one is going to look at her the wrong way. Basically, it's on sight if anything bad happened to them.

💙 Jaime is so awestruck when his baby girl is born. She's so chubby and has the roundest cheeks he's ever seen. He's so in love with her and is hard-pressed to let anyone hold her other than himself and Reader.

💙 His family adores her. When they get to meet her, they are talking to her and telling her how she's so precious to them and how much they love her already. She gets held by everyone at least once, except Milagro who is hesitant to hold her because she's so brand new; she's an 11/10 tía though. She's definitely the kind of aunt that is like "You can tell me anything and I won't tell your parents."

💙 When alone, Jaime cries pure tears of joy because of his baby girl. He loves her so much but fears that somehow he's going to bring danger into her life and Reader's life. He gives his daughter lots of kisses and promises to protect her no matter what.

💙 His family stays with him and Reader for the first week or two at home, offering a helping hand when they can. His mom literally can't get enough of the little one, and she takes on a lot of the work so Reader can rest and recover from the birth.

💙 Jaime loves sitting in a comfy chair with his baby girl on his chest, fast asleep. He will not move because just looks so cute drooling on him.

💙 By the way, this baby has some thick, pretty curls that you know she got from her daddy. She's so pretty and Jaime's camera roll is soon full of nothing but pictures of her and Reader, though it was at one point just Reader. He always has to have some pictures of them both handy because he just loves them so much and they're beautiful.

💙 This is his first baby, but I promise that it won't be his last. He wants at least one more kid, but he sees himself having a big family.

[mariacallous]

People often say to me that I wouldn’t personally be affected by a second Donald Trump presidency. After all, I live in a blue city in a blue state, and I’m a married, heterosexual woman who isn’t looking to have any more children. I won’t need medication like mifepristone for a miscarriage (though I do have girls in my family who I assume will someday want to have children), and I don’t personally rely on the federal government for education, because my kids don’t go to public school.

So, again, how would any of this affect me? The most likely answer is that, as a public-facing person, I will continue to be subjected to threats, as many in the mainstream media already are. But attacks on the media could escalate if Trump returns to power, given that he doesn’t hesitate to demonize journalists and call them out before his millions of followers. And given what Trump says on television, he may target American citizens for unfavorable speech.

“I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within,” he told Maria Bartiromo on Fox News on Sunday. “Sick people, radical-left lunatics. And it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by the National Guard, or, if really necessary, by the military.” The “lunatics” in question could be anyone from protesters to opinion columnists—or even mainstream reporters—he doesn’t agree with. Trump has referred to CBS as a “A FAKE NEWS SCAM” whose operations are “totally illegal,” and has similarly suggested that ABC should lose its broadcast license. 

What would it mean to have a president who, in this fashion, targets what little is left of the free press? It’s hard to fathom, but there’s a world where Trump imitates his strongman friends like Vladimir Putin or Viktor Orbán or Kim Jong Un—all of whom participate in jailing or killing journalists in countries with state-regulated media. He’s already taking a page from Joe McCarthy this election cycle in targeting the “enemies within,” something my family is all too familiar with.

Few aspects of Trump’s second-terms plans are more openly authoritarian than his immigration platform. On Friday, Trump traveled to Aurora, a suburb of Denver, Colorado, where he is shopping “Operation Aurora,” a policy he said would target “every illegal migrant criminal network operating on American soil” by use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. According to the Brennan Center, the law is “a wartime authority that allows the president to detain or deport the natives and citizens of an enemy nation. The law permits the president to target these immigrants without a hearing and based only on their country of birth or citizenship.” The last time the United States used the Alien Enemies Act, it was to put Japanese and Japanese Americans into internment camps during WWII.

What would internment camps actually entail in the modern day? Well, Trump has talked about deporting up to 20 million undocumented immigrants—an operation of staggering scale that he freely admits will be “bloody.” (The Department of Homeland Security, in 2018, estimated there were 11.4 million undocumented immigrants; Pew put the number at roughly 11 million in 2022.) It’s impossible to imagine what deporting that many people would really look like; maybe blue-state governors would be strong enough to prevent deportation camps from being built in states like California and New York. Maybe the camps would only be in red states, or maybe they’d be erected on federal land, like national parks. Then there’s the question of who would run these camps. Trump, for his part, has mused about using the National Guard. Who would stop any of this, you might ask? Would a Republican Congress stop it? Who would be the grown-ups in the room.

At least during the first Trump administration, the courts prevented Trump from doing some of the things he wanted to do, like ending DACA. But this time, Trump would be starting out with a 6-3 conservative-majority Supreme Court, featuring three justices he appointed. Last year, we saw the Trump-friendly high court issue two rulings that will pretty much serve as a blank check to an emboldened Trump: The first ended the Chevron deference, which will curb the power of federal agencies and expedite the death of regulatory expertise. The other decision, which is perhaps more worrying, Trump would have a blank check to do whatever he wants if he says it’s in the service of the presidency, essentially granting him blanket immunity against any crimes he commits in office. As Ninth Circuit judge and Ronald Reagan appointee Stephen S. Trott wrote, it means that Richard Nixon could have “legally ordered his plumbers to burgle the office of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist.”

Trump is telling us all about his potential plans: internment camps, going after his enemies foreign and domestic, including, presumably, journalists. Will I be one of them? Will he clamp down on the free press? Will he take away the licenses from networks he deems insufficiently supportive of his presidency?

On the campaign trail, Trump has recently posed a question of his own when it comes to voting for him, asking the crowd, “What the hell do you have to lose?” Actually, a lot. While we don’t know precisely what a second Trump term will look like, it’ll surely be chaotic and bleak, and could mark the end of something we certainly don’t want to lose: democracy as we know it.

[rxmqnova]

Hi, I have this idea.

Nat x Fem Reader, where yn isn't an avenger and they were living happily until what we called "infinity war". Because of Nat's condition, yn was the one who tried to get pregnant because they wanted to have children, but Nat with this mission needs to go and help the others, yn knew about the avengers and that the world needs Nat too, so they had to say goodbye to each other, until they don't know about the time.

What Nat didn't know was that Yn was pregnant and she didn't want to tell her because she knew how important the mission was.

When they killed Thanos, and Nat is alive, she didn't know what to expect about Yn, thinking she maybe was with someone and she was at her house, she was shocked when she saw a boy, like five years old(i don't remember the timeline) and after that she saw yn, her hair was red, she decided to have it in that way after gave birth, and you know Nat said like "Hi baby, I'm back" and maybe you could write some of Nat talking with her child and he telling her about his name (something like Alexei or Ivan) Nat and Yn having a conversation and Nat thought maybe she has a partner, and them being a happy family after all this time

Five years apart

Y/N: 27/32 years old ——————————————————

NO ONE'S POV Y/N smiles widely, admiring the table she just prepared for a romantic dinner. She wanted to prepare something special and tell her girlfriend the great news.

Y/N and Natasha have been trying to start a family for a while and finally, after so many failed attempts, it happened and Y/N is pregnant.

"Baby, I'm home!" Natasha calls, shutting the front door.

Y/N smiles, rushing to greet her girlfriend with a kiss. She practically jumps into Natasha's arms and pulls her in for a kiss on which Natasha can't help but chuckle.

"What's gotten into you, детка?" Natasha asks, chuckling at her girlfriend's excitement. (baby)

"Nothing, just happy to see you" Y/N smiles warmly, trying not to reveal anything just yet. "You must be hungry, let's go to eat" The girl says excitedly, already pulling Natasha to the other room.

"Wait, wait. I need to tell you something first" Natasha sighs, knowing what she's about to say won't make her girlfriend happy.

"What's wrong?" Y/N asks, noticing the change in Natasha's behaviour.

"Something happened… There's this alien who's planning an attack on Earth and-"

"And you have to go and save the world" Y/N says, looking slightly disappointed.

She knows Natasha could never sit at home when the world is in danger and it's one of the things she loves about her, but did it have to be now? Now when they can finally have what they've been wanting for so long?

"Y/N, I'm sorry. I know we wanted to start a family and I really want to, but-"

"I know… the world needs you, Nat" Y/N sighs, wrapping her arms around Natasha and burying her face into Natasha's neck. "When do you need to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning" Natasha sighs and kisses her girlfriend's head. "Promise you'll come back to me" Y/N asks seriously, looking into Natasha's eyes.

"Honey, you know how-"

"Promise" Y/N repeats, waiting to hear the same word from her girlfriend.

"I'll try my best to come back to you" Natasha smiles, cupping Y/N's cheeks with her hands and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

——————————

5 years later…

It's been a little bit over 5 years since Natasha left for a mission and hasn't returned home yet. Y/N's been waiting for her everyday, hoping she'd return and they could finally live the life they always wanted.

Y/N even dyed her hair red as it reminds her of Natasha. She's been watching news everyday and knows her Avenger girlfriend is safe now that the Avengers finally defeated Thanos. She just hopes Natasha will show up someday.

Meanwhile Natasha's been thinking whether or not she should find Y/N again. She has no idea if the girl she loves isn't with anyone else now. It's been 5 years after all.

After a long discussion with her friend Wanda, she decided to find the love of her life. Maybe it's not too late and Y/N is still waiting for her, right?

"Alright, my little prince. Mama will be right back with dinner" Y/N smiles and presses a kiss to her son's head.

The little boy's been playing with his stuffed animals in his fort the entire afternoon, only coming out when Y/N calls, so she's not afraid to leave her little boy alone for a bit. Especially when their house is far away from everything.

Natasha pulls over a little further from the house, deciding to wait if Y/N isn't already living her happy family life with someone else. The last thing she wants is to ruin Y/N's happiness.

"Sir Snuggles, you betrayed our kingdom, so you have to leave!" Little Alexei orders, stepping out of his fort with a pout on his face and carrying his teddy bear on the porch.

Natasha's eyes widen when she sees the little boy that looks exactly like a mini version of Y/N. Few seconds later Y/N steps out of the door, two plates in her hands. Natasha smiles when she notices the hair color change.

"Dinner's ready, little prince" Y/N smiles, placing the plates on the table outside.

"Mama, I'm the king, not little prince" The little boy pouts and climbs the chair.

"Oh. I'm sorry, your majesty" Y/N jokes, sitting opposite her son. "No, no. Go wash your hands, honey" Y/N orders before Alexei can even start eating.

She receives a whine from the little boy, but he listens and goes to wash his hands. Natasha takes it as an opportunity and walks over to the now redhead.

"Hi, baby. I'm back" Natasha informs on which Y/N looks up, not believing her own eyes.

"… Natasha?" The girl's eyes fill with tears on the sight of her girlfriend standing there.

She immediately stands up, running to Natasha and jumping into her arms. She's been waiting 5 years for this and it's finally here.

"Why the hell did you not visit me even once over the 5 years?" Y/N asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Mama?" The little boy suddenly appears behind his mom, hiding behind her legs and looking up at her.

"Natasha, let me introduce you your son" Y/N smiles, lifting Alexei up and sitting him onto her hip.

"M-my son?" Natasha asks if she heard that right, her eyes filling with tears. "B-but how?"

"… I might have planned to tell you we were expecting a baby the same evening you told me you needed to leave on that mission. Before you ask why I didn't tell you… I know you, Nat. You can't sit still when the world needs help and you would never forgive yourself for leaving me alone either, so I decided not to tell you" Y/N explains and Natasha stays quiet, processing everything. "… Are you mad? Please don't be mad at me, I-"

"No, no, I'm not mad. I just… Does he know?"

"He does. I've told him a lot about you… Can you say hi to mommy, bubs?" Y/N smiles, encouraging the little boy with a kiss on the head.

"Hi" Alexei mumbles shyly.

"Hi. I'm so happy to meet you, buddy" Natasha smiles, tears rolling down her cheeks. "What's his name?" She asks and wipes her tears away.

"I'm Alexei!" The little boy grins.

"… Alexei? Did you really name our child after… well, my dad?" Natasha asks, raising an eyebrow on which Y/N furrows her brows.

"Your dad? You've never really told me much about your family. You said you don't know your real family. How was I supposed to know your dad's name's Alexei?" Y/N says confused, they've never really spoken about Natasha's family, even though Natasha planned to tell her girlfriend before the Thanos thing.

"I guess I gotta explain you some things. But Alexei suits him, the right name for a little king" Natasha smiles at her son who blushes and hides his head into Y/N's neck which makes both women chuckle.

"Oh. Dinner. Go to eat, honey" Y/N remembers, standing Alexei back on the ground. "Will you have dinner with us? I cooked just for the two of us, but I can cook more? It'll take a while, but I'll be happy to cook for you. Or I can share mine if you want?" Y/N suggests nervously, hoping Natasha won't disappear again.

"Y/N, calm down" Natasha chuckles. "I already had some food, you don't have to cook anything or share your dinner with me. But I'd be really happy if we could talk about everything later?"

"It's Alexei's bedtime soon, so we can talk then if you don't have anywhere else to be?" Y/N suggest on which Natasha smiles and nods.

———

The boy fell asleep quite quickly as all the playing today worn him out. Y/N gives him one last kiss on the forehead before walking downstairs to have a talk with Natasha.

"He's asleep already" Y/N informs, slowly sitting down next to Natasha on the couch. "… Nat, I was worried about you. Why didn't you visit me or at least called me over the 5 years?"

"… I don't know, I… I was worried you found someone better with whom you'd be living a happy life" Natasha admits, playing with her fingers.

"I could never find anyone better, Nat. You are the best one for me. I love you" Y/N smiles, placing her hand on top of Natasha's.

"Y-you do? After all the time?" The Avenger asks, looking Y/N in the eyes.

"Yeah, of course I do" Y/N smiles warmly.

"I love you too, you have no idea how much" Natasha smiles back on which Y/N moves closer and hugs her girlfriend tightly. "And I love the new hair color, by the way" Natasha smirks suddenly, making Y/N chuckle.

"Yeah, it reminds me of you, so I dyed my hair. But I think it quite suits me, don't you think?"

"It does, you look beautiful" Natasha smiles lovingly. "I. Hm. Now that my mission is over and the world is saved… I was wondering if we couldn't continue where we ended? Now that we have a son, we could finally be a family"

"I would love nothing more" Y/N smiles, looking up at Natasha who returns the smile and leans in, kissing her girlfriend passionately.

"You know… when Alexei and I get to know each other a bit better… we could maybe start thinking about giving him a little sibling" Natasha smirks.

"You would want another baby with me?" Y/N smiles, loving the thought already and to be honest, the little boy has been begging her for a little brother quite a while already.

"Yeah. I would love to have another mini Y/N running around" Natasha smiles and presses a kiss to Y/N's forehead.

"Well then, I guess you gotta tell me about your family first otherwise our second baby might be accidentaly named after your mom or something" Y/N jokes, making Natasha chuckle.

They sure have a long evening full of explaining ahead of them…

----------------------

Natasha Romanoff masterlist

Masterlist

[kurogxrix]

All Of My Love ( V. )

(Series Masterlist)

Neteyam x Avatar!reader

IN WHICH Neteyam’s mother and clan disapproves of your relationship, because you’re a dreamwalker. When you both advance in your relationship, the clan cannot help but attempt to ruin things for the both of you.

WC: 14k (wow)

Based on All My Love by Led Zeppelin

Warnings: mommy issues, finally awaited FLUFF, kissing and making up, slightly suggestive. this is rushed, the ending is rushed THE EDITING IS RUSHED.

The blinding lights of the lab reflected off the shiny protective glass that shielded your avatar from the human air. You brought a hand up to hide your eyes from the sudden gleam of light that blinded you, before moving yourself to resume your staring. You couldn’t really tell how long it had been since you had been full on just fixated on your avatar, but you had failed to hear the sound of someone entering the room. 

“Looks like you’ve finally decided to drop that fake body of yours,” you heard a feminine voice say from behind you. You dreaded the moment when you’d have to turn around, because you knew exactly who this voice belonged to. You didn’t even want to look at the glassy material anymore, because you knew that you’d eventually spot her in the reflection. 

Her stiletto heels clicked against the floor at every step and you could hear them getting closer and closer at every click. You didn’t even flinch when she reached a hand upon your shoulder, only turning around to meet the woman that stood at your height. The room was already loud from the outside noises of people loudly talking. 

She had to agree that you had grown greatly, no longer being the troublesome little girl that used to hold Norm’s tail at every opportunity given. You were a young adult now and she knew that. “Thought I made it clear that you must knock before entering?” your question went waltzing into the tense air as you looked down at your shoes, your mother completely ignoring you. 

Your eyes couldn’t help but survey her work outfit, one that seemed a little out of place, or even inappropriate for a workplace. She wore a tight pencil skirt that seemed okay just on its behalf, but she had ridden up to rest just above her round thighs. Her blouse was just as skin-tight as her skirt, and you were sure that many eyes of the lone soldiers must’ve been attracted to her charm. 

“That alien family of yours left you?” she chuckled slightly, not wanting to seem too hostile because you were still her kid. Even if somewhat back then she had managed to get rid of you while you were still developing in her womb, or when she had abandoned you with the other scientist after your birth to drown in her own sorrows, you would always be her daughter whether she liked it or not. 

You rolled your eyes involuntarily at her comment, but somewhere in your heart did it truly hurt. “That alien family was more present in my life then you ever were,” you mumbled, moving your focus to the stash of paperwork on the office that was next to you. It was not your work to do, but you’d rather complete some rando’s work then talk to your mother. 

“Don’t think that i’m an incompetent person now,” she replied, little to no worries for your sorrows. Everything about this conversation somewhat made you angry. For one, you could never understand her feelings, because she was always so closed off towards you. 

Your mother sighed as you refused to look at her once more. She brought a hand up to undo the first two buttons of her blouse, the tight material suffocating her more than the tension in the room. She contemplated putting a hand down on your forearm, but she knew that you’d only repulse from her touch. 

“Don’t resent me because I haven’t been there for every step that you took, I couldn’t always be there at your side,” 

“You were never even there!” you snapped at her, hands firmly holding you up on the metallic table. Your rings clashed against the table at your outburst, causing a loud ringing to chime throughout the lab. You brought a hand up to soothe your temples in frustration because of the woman that stood besides you. She was as silent as a grave and the only noise that came from the both of you was the sound of you shuffling with the nearby files. 

Your mother watched you with woe as you tried not to snap at her again just for being in the same room as her. 

“Why were you never there?” you grumbled, 

“I-“ you cut her off from whatever she was about to tell you. “When you could’ve been.” you turn your head towards her, a desperate glimpse in your eyes. There was something more than want in your eyes, there was need. You needed to know why she had never been around to watch you grow, maybe to soothe your inner child that awaited for those answers every single day. 

“You’ve never really…,” she paused, hesitating at what she was going to tell you. You looked expectantly at her, anticipating the words that she was failing to express. “You’ve never really had a father.” her eyebrows creased together, and her eyes just couldn’t help but peer at anything but at your upset form. 

You deadpanned at her, that was her reasoning? Because of her failed hookups, you had to be the victim of her neglect? The look that you gave her made her bones shudder in discomfort and she felt intimidated under your unruly eyes. She felt as though you judged her from every aspect of her life, but she knew that you were somewhat right if you did.

“It’s not that I’ve never had any company, lord, kind of the opposite actually,” she boasted, and you internally gagged at her over sharing of personal information. Matter of fact, you didn’t need to know how your mother used to get regularly pounded on this early Monday morning. Her mere presence had already ruined your day, now she was tripling that with her odd storytelling. 

“And I was always safe every time, so there was no way that it was any of them!” she said, now frustrated as she failed to understand the story that she herself was revealing to you. 

“You’ve never had a father, Y/N” she called out for your name, trying to make you understand what she couldn’t voice out audibly. The irritating feeling had completely faltered by now, and you couldn’t really understand where you mentally stood now. The feeling of disbelief was all you could feel for now, because her story made little to no sense. 

You were not that oblivious to the stories that came from your mother’s land. The story of their saviour and the same god that was preached amongst something that they called religions. Unlike the na’vi, the humans praised a man that harboured 3 forms of which were physical and spiritual. They believed that their god had formed the earth, and everything that lay upon. You had heard of the story of the Virgin Mary, and your mother’s tale was getting a little too similar to this. 

“I had to carry the burden of bearing an unwanted child, so you have no right to resent me for not being in the life of a daughter that I've never wanted!” your mother quavered, her lips trembling as she spoke to you. You couldn’t find it in yourself to retort, to disprove the tears that trickled past her waterline. Despite not understanding your own birth story still, you couldn’t find it in yourself to resent the woman no more. 

For, it was because of you that your mother would never be the same ever again, no matter how much you would pray to the Great Mother. She had changed drastically after your birth, ignoring the presence of both Norm and Max as they grew closer to you. Matter of fact you had been practically raised by both men, and the other avatars that worked in the program. 

Was it so wrong for you to wish that she was present at the moment? You were so confused with everything, with Neteyam, with Neytiri, with the omaticaya, with yourself. You pushed those feelings away though, because there was no one else that you could blame but yourself for her detachment. You had seen pictures of when she was happy, when she was younger and free. 

You were the reason as to why she was so distant nowadays but you were also the lost kid that needed a mother’s reconfort at the moment. 

You watched quietly as the older woman recomposed herself, passing a hand over her already-straightened blouse in an attempt to appear less awkward. Her stiletto heels clicked against the floor once more, though this time the sound was getting further away from your hearing at each step. Soon enough, the obnoxious sound had completely dissipated from your hearing range, leaving you to bask in the deserted silence of the lab room. 

-

Neteyam was the only thing that your mind would present to you on replay. He was everything that your heart wanted and at times you only wished to rip the organ out yourself to cease this feeling. He was in everything, like the feather that dangled from your chest piece. The same one that swayed with the wind each time that the cool breeze would brush over you. 

Sometimes you wondered if you should just fall out of love with the na’vi boy, but you wondered if you’d even be able to. You would most likely end up falling in love with him again, and you couldn’t afford more heartbreaks than you had already acquired. Your admiration for Neteyam was like a thread of an endless yarn ball, on which only a blade can cut through. 

So here you found yourself again, in the midst of the forest. That was the only place you seemed to find inner peace at within the past few weeks. You felt a strong connection to the nature around you. You felt oftentimes as though the animals spoke specifically to you, but you failed to understand because of the language barrier. You felt like the trees were your true home, not the ton of metal that was called a lab. 

Perhaps it was not the best of ideas to be jumping from tree to tree in your short human body. The forest na’vi body was built for those long and dangerous leaps unlike your small and frail current body. The thrill was what motivated you to keep moving, and exceptionally that one berry that hung from the complete top of the tree. It shone through the rays of sun that poked through the heavy leaves and it attracted you to no end. Like some shiny jewel to a robber, you couldn’t help but make it your personal mission to retrieve it.

You had to admit that the first few minutes of climbing were literal hell. Through the scratches and numerous times that you had nearly fallen, it seemed like Eywa herself was telling your stupid ass to just give up and go home. Thought you were no loser, so you would get that berry one way or the other. You ignored the way your arms ached as you encircled them around the thick bark of the tall tree, your feet digging into whatever spot they could find in the log. 

To your misfortune, Eywa had really seemed to want you to descend from that tree. You had trusted your instincts a little too much, like a natural predator trusted his own instincts. Though you were just a human woman and no palulukan. You brought your foot up, trying to lodge it into the next hole or branch that presented itself before you. Though before you knew it, your right foot had met with the solid and moist grassy feeling of moss, and you had slipped before your brain could even register it.

It would be a funny scene for any na’vi passing, the fresh view of a sky person falling from leaf to leaf while cascading down the top of a tree. You let out the most ground breaking yell as you broke through the branches, body hitting with what felt like every single branch in this damned forest. You groaned as your foot set caught in the last branch of the tree, saving you from what could have been a fatal fall. You would’ve loved to laugh at yourself in any other situation if it hadn’t been for your near death.

You could practically hear your own heart beating as you came down from your fright, and you were sure that creatures from miles away could hear it pulsating way faster than it should as well. Cold sweat ran down your neck onto your hair because of your upside down position, and your exopack was irritating you ten times more than usual.

Your uncomfortable positions made your growing bruises throb as the branch applied pressure everywhere it shouldn’t. You felt dizzy from the blood flowing down to your head, but you knew that you couldn’t let your guard down, because the forest was like a huge death trap for a human of your size. Your ears picked up on the sound of footsteps, eyes darting all over the place as a hurried way of searching for its owner. 

Much to your fortune, the intruder seemed to be a na’vi. You called out for them, waving your hands in the air like a maniac as you tried to make a call for the blue alien. 

She ignored you and your desperate cries for help and you felt as though you were being more and more suffocated as time passed by. You could see that she heard you from the way her ears twitched irritably at each of your yells and soon enough, she had turned to you with a stern gaze.

Neytiri’s judgemental eyes stared right through you as you could not even do much to hide yourself from her gaze. Great, now you were both upside down and extremely humiliated as you stood stupidly before your ex-lover’s mother. You brought both of your hands to your face in a goofy attempt to rescue your decency from this pure humiliation and the woman only rolled her eyes at your antics. 

She kept on eyeing you from the side, clearly hesitant about something that you could not know what for now. Neytiri tried to distract herself by picking her herbs in the sheer silence, but her nerves only aggravated things, making her accidently rip the fresh stem of the flower that she was picking. 

“As much as I don't like you, my son refuses to speak to me because of you.” Neytiri spoke sternly as she kept her back turned away from your prying eyes. Her slim fingers pulled at herbs from the ground, unrooting them from the fresh soil as she stored them in her basket. “So we must come to even terms,” 

Your heart did backflips at her words, multiple backflips at that. Neytiri, THE Neytiri, was finally accepting you? In some way. 

You couldn’t believe it, visually because you beamed at her comment, bringing your body forward as you seemed shocked at her confession. Your body swayed at your actions, unwillingly unlatching your legs from the branch. Your body hit the floor with a loud thud and the groan that left your mouth indicated that it was no light fall. 

Neytiri wasn’t looking at you when it had happened, and you prayed your thanks to the Great-Mother. She turned around suddenly at your loud noise, shaking her head in disappointment when she found you face to face with the moist soil. Well not really face to face because of the mask that was binded to your face. She felt a tiny bit of worry at first, worried that your mask had injured you during your fall. Though you praised the Great-Mother once more for blessing you with the quick ability to have been able to move your arms in order to protect your masked face from the fall. 

Was this really who her son was so in love with? You reminded her so much of Jake’s old self at the moment, and she could only be happy for Neteyam acquiring her patience. 

She continued to look at you through unimpressed eyes as you put your hand up in the air, flashing her a thumbs up that you were sure she must’ve understood with Jake being around. Neytiri moved towards you, rolling you over on your back since you were still pretty much making out with the dirt beneath you. Dirt specks covered your mask but you were too dazed to even care at the moment. 

You groaned once more at the new position, feeling every single rock digging into the flesh of your back. Neytiri raised an eyebrow bone at your suffering, clearly amused by your human body’s fragile state. Her ears rose up in the air at her obvious hilarity and you swallowed back the raging need of rolling your eyes at her. 

“I’m not saying that i’m accepting you in my family,” and there it was, the huge rock that came and crushed all of your hopes that you had built up for yourself. 

“For now…” 

You raised your hand for them to rest besides your face, body being sprawled out like a starfish as you grunted satisfyingly at the soothing position. You wanted so badly to sit up and crack the tense muscles in your neck, but this would do for now. 

You thought about what Neytiri had told you, how she was willing to make an effort for the sake of her eldest son. But things don’t always go the way we intend to and she was about to learn it the hard way. “It will never work out,” 

she looked at you curiously now, abandoning her previous activity of staring at the nature that surrounded you. She tilted her head to the side in confusion as she looked at you expectedly, awaiting an answer from you. 

“We are not together anymore, I'm pretty sure that Eywa herself is separating us at this point!” you laughed dryly, and the downturned smile that graced your face could tell Neytiri everything that she needed to know. Her ears piqued down as she now knew why Neteyam had been so upset with her. She had thought that maybe it was simply because she was trying to keep them from being together, but now she knew that it was more than that. Her own son’s heart had been wounded because of her selfishness, her first child that she had vowed to protect from any wrong of this cruel world.

She moved to sit next to your sprawled out form, crossing her legs gracefully besides you. Your neck hurt too much to even bother looking at her, so the tall trees were what you’d be observing as she spoke to you. “If Eywa has a plan for the both of you, then nothing is really over.” she looked up to the trees as you did, leaving you to contemplate what she had just told you.

“You are resilient, hardheaded and always going back to my son even after I threaten you!” Neytiri snarled, though it was more playful than the usual venomous tone she held when she used to speak to you. You allowed yourself to snicker at her teasing, before she started again. “So what’s different now? Why did you give up on my son so early?” 

Neytiri always had this hardness in her tone when she spoke to people that she wasn’t necessarily fond of, but you knew not to take it at heart. She sighed at the silence that you granted her, standing up on her feet as she brushed off the dirt that stuck to the back of her legs. You had so many things that you wanted to say to her, like how it was all different now. Though her words had you thinking deeply, so deep that you fell deaf upon her retreating footsteps. 

You were left with your own questioning self and the racking thoughts that ran throughout your head. Your body still stuck to the depths of the forest floors as the pain resurfaced once more. You forced yourself to stand up, your body urging you to tend all of your tense muscles as you walked yourself back to the lab. 

-

You peeled the sweaty top from your drenched body, sweat from your previous fall still rolling off of your skin. Drops of sweat ran from your neck and drenched the delicate fabric of your clothes. It was complicated to do with your mask still on, but you pushed through either way. Your top was also wet due to your impulsive decision of jumping in the lake still fully clothed. 

Courtesy of the scorching sun affecting your brain capacity, or so you said. The detour that you had made at a nearby pond seemed almost crucial, because you cringed at the thought of going back to the lab all covered up in dirt and dust. The scenery around you was beautiful, as much as it should’ve scared you. The fish that swan around in the natural pond were humongous compared to the pond fish on earth. Though you wouldn’t know of them, it made obvious sense that they were bigger than the earth ones when a fish as big as your upper thigh brushed past you.

You thanked Eywa for their gentle minds as you twisted your top to remove the excess water. You had just managed to strain the water out but it seemed as though something was coming for you. Lord may it not be a man, because you were clad in nothing but your bra and underwear. You brought your hands back under water as the sounds got closer and closer, drenching the clothes that you were once trying to wring.

Out of nowhere, a tall and blue na’vi jumped out from behind the bushes, startling you. Well, jumping out wasn't really the term that you could use to describe it, more like ‘they peacefully walked out from behind of the bushes but it scared me and I nearly pissed myself.’ 

What was with people running up on you while you were trying to have some alone time today?

You panicked for a minute, scared that it was a male na’vi that was going for a little swim and that was about to walk in on you half naked. So by reflex, you threw whatever you had in hand and onto them. Though you only had your wet clothes, and the wet sound of your clothes sploshing against their face resonated throughout the whole area.

You winced audibly at the force that you had sent your wet clothes, feeling a little bad for whoever was behind the wet stack of woollen clothes. Your guilt only tripled when you looked down at the na’vi, the obvious pair of breasts behind the feathers that hid them indicated to you that it was no man. You stayed in your spot for a second as the victim of your accidental assault brought a hand up to their face, sliding the mess off of their face. 

Your eyes widened like saucers when you were met with the sight of your old best friend. The voice box that resided in your throat failed you for what seems like the 6th time today as you opened your mouth to tell her something, remaining voiceless like a fish out of water. Zeppi seemed obviously shocked as well, her ears raised and her pupils dilated as she stared at you. 

She couldn’t help the loud resonating of her laughter as she replayed the scene in her head. The sight of your terrified face as you first spotted you, before her vision got engulfed by an uncomfortable darkness. You wanted to laugh too, but the feeling of embarrassment and discomfort was too overwhelming. There was no need to say that the scene was truly funny, but you also couldn’t deny that the person that stood besides you had lied to you, despite being the only person you could rely on back then. 

Zeppi noticed the obvious switch in your mood as she stood on the dry grass. She quickly fiddled with her own clothes, leaving them dry unlike yours on the shore. You knew that you couldn’t just keep on staring into her yellow eyes until someone decided to make a move, so you decided to be the bigger person and apologize first. 

“I’m sorry for,” you brought your hands up as they splash water slightly around, turning your hands in front of your own face to mimic what you wanted to say. “Whatever just happened…” your voice faltered, dying of embarrassment. Zeppi only laughed at your antics, showing you that she didn’t take it to heart. 

“You don’t have to apologize for anything, matter of fact you could’ve thought that I was a big bad predator!” she brought her hands towards her mouth, making some weird sound as she mimicked fangs that she already did have. You groaned at her attempt to tease you, snickering slightly after. 

“If anyone should be apologizing, then it should be me,” she trailed off, shame written all over her face. She knew that you turning your face away from her should've discouraged her, but she was too resilient to even think of giving up. “I should’ve never kept that from you, it should’ve never even been a secret in the first place!” 

You sighed, looking at the way that the water rippled as the both of your bodies moved in the pond. “But you still lied to me, Zeppi, and no amount of apology will take that away,” you muttered and her ears visibly deflated at your words. She was such a nice girl, the first ever person that had learned to accept you. Despite the Sully kids taking you in their little group, she was always someone out of that little circle that had been nice to you. Zeppi had taught you countless things, and you just couldn’t keep on resenting her for something that you had already gotten a clear explanation on. 

“I guess that I can learn to forgive you, because I know that you’re sincere,” Zeppi snapped her eyes towards you, her tail swaying wildly behind her. An upside down smile graced her face, looking at you for confirmation before she threw herself into your arms. The sheer force of her embrace sent the both of you staggering, and her arms wrapped themselves from the top of your shoulders as her hands rested on the small of your back. Your size difference was insane, your head ending up on her stomach as you hugged her back. 

She pulled back slightly, her larger palms resting on your bare shoulders as she beamed at you. Her smile was just as contagious as in the rumours, and soon enough you had found yourself laughing along with her. 

“If it makes you feel any better, I've never loved Neteyam! Never even looked at him in such a way, and I'm sure that his eyes were too busy trailing over a little someone else to even notice me.” she rambled and you held back a chuckle as you watched the taller girl get lost in her nonsense. Your heart fluttered at her subtle mention of Neteyam being hooked on you. “My own heart beats for someone else,” she says shyly and you turnt your head to the side in puzzlement. 

Who could be the lucky person that the omaticaya’s golden girl had finally chosen? It was no secret that she was well sought amongst the forest na’vi, but she had never shown any interest in anyone until now? 

“You’ll tell me when I come back tomorrow, I'm afraid of getting sliced and diced by a viperwolf if I stay until it’s dark!” you laughed, moving from your spot and you picked up your damp clothes from the shore. There was residue of dirt stuck onto it, but you didn’t want to enter a laboratory full of men with nothing but underwear on. So dirty cloth it shall be. It sort of contradicted the reason as to why you even came to the pond, but oh well.

“I better see you as a tall, blue na’vi the next time my eyes lay onto you! I’m counting on you.” Zeppi yelled once more as your figure diminished from her field of view. The girl sighed contentedly, sinking deeper into the cool waters of the pond one last time. 

-

Zeppi ran back home with the biggest grin on her delicate features. Her smile was so big that her own mother feared she would rip her face in her half if she continued for any longer. She hopped her way to her tent, spreading joy amongst the gloomy na’vi by her own joyous presence itself. 

How could she not be happy? She had just reunited with her long-lost best friend. Her heart throbbed with many emotions, those that she could not even confine to her own family because she feared their reactions. She was over the clouds because of your forgiveness, even though reluctant. She felt for you however, because she knew that you were still hurting because of what had happened with your past lover.

She knew that deep down, even with the blessing of your forgiveness, there would always be a part of you that would pain because of their lies. No matter how much you understood why they did it, no matter how much you tried to rid yourself of these unwanted thoughts. Zeppi shook her head, trying to shake the bad thoughts away. She smiled again as her sharp canines poked through the space between her opened lips. 

She walked back to the high camp confidently, her hips swaying in beat with her tail as she sauntered. Her glimpse of joy had gotten rudely interrupted as someone had grabbed onto her arm, making her yelp loudly. She turned around abruptly to face whoever it was, her tail stuck in between her legs in a hostile way. Her eyebrow bones furrowed in perplexity as she was met with the sight of the eldest Sully girl. Sure they were not necessarily the bestest of friends, probably ones to have a conversation only when needed. 

The sight of Kiri holding onto her confused her to no end. “You may want to come see what’s happening,” Kiri said, adding no further explanation whatsoever as she dragged the other girl towards a big crowd. Similar to the one of the time where you had been intercepted by her father, and Zeppi cringed at the painful memory of watching you get dragged around by the elders in front of everyone. 

Her plans of informing Neteyam about her conversation were now completely thrown out of the window, mainly because when she arrived on sight, the same exact boy was standing before the whole clan. Kiri could only pray to the All-Mother that her brother would not do anything stupid, for he was never known for anything of such. 

His hand was raised before his people, as though one raising his cup full of confessions as he made a toast. His ears were upright as he showed no signs of anguish standing here before so many na’vi. Or so he liked to make himself believe. Neteyam made a call for the omaticaya clan, his voice loud and clear above the din. The crowd of people eventually calmed down, turning their impatient eyes towards the Sully that stood before them. 

His nerves racked painfully as he feared their reactions, rightfully so, but he wouldn’t allow himself to show them. He’d show them the brave and outgoing Neteyam that they had always known and loved. 

“I….” he started, but his confidence seemed to have vanished along the way. Eywa, he cursed himself for getting discouraged so early, what happened to his previous devotion? He had gassed himself up for 20 whole minutes in his head, and he was cowering now? His sharp eyes scanned the crowd, pupils dilating in delight as he spotted Zeppi and Kiri amongst the crowd. Lo’ak stood not too far away from them, and he just knew that his brother would be so proud of him for standing up for himself at once. 

“I’m here to make things clear, that I will not keep this alliance between Tarsem’s daughter and I going.” he finally said in a clear tone, and the said family’s ears raised in bewilderment. On one hand, Zeppi couldn’t help but be both thankful and proud of Neteyam for being the one to do the first step. For they both lived in a loveless arrangement, their hearts lying in other people’s hands. Tarsem however, was not as understanding as Neteyam had wished for him to be.

What was Neteyam implying by this, that his daughter wasn’t good enough for him? Then it clicked inside of his head, his braids waving around as he visibly shook from anger. Neteyam was breaking things off publicly with his daughter for that demon. 

It was borderline insulting to him at how Neteyam could just break this betrothal off so easily before everyone. And when his nerves took the better of him, his wife was quick to calm him down. Tarsem’s ears flickered backwards as she restrained him, a steady hand placed upon his chest as she prevented him from approaching the young man. She was Zeppi’s mother after all, and a mother knows all. Just like she knows that Zeppi would not have been happy if she had truly ended up mating with Neteyam, so she believed that this was for the best.

Neytiri’s tail flickered wildly behind her at her eldest son’s statement. Had Neteyam really lost his mind? Was he really about to give up everything that was built for him for the past 18 years just for a foreign girl? Though when she thought about it deeper, your relationship truly reminded her of her very own.

She had risked everything that was thrown upon her after the death of her sister. She had abandoned her betrothed for the one that her heart had frankly beaten for. She couldn’t blame Neteyam for breaking away from a loveless arrangement, but it didn’t mean that Neytiri wasn’t upset nevertheless. She was happy that Neteyam was standing up for his love, but did he really have to cause a whole scene before the entire clan? 

Eywa, the whole of Pandora seemed to have been against Neteyam as of recently. At first, his clan and mother failed to accept his lover, then came their separation, and now no one was taking his words seriously. He was out and tired of living under other people’s rules, may it be his father or mother’s too. Neteyam thirsted to rebel for the first time in his life, ever since he had been born and deemed the perfect son. He was tired of having his whole life planned out for him, he wanted to be the one that held the marking stone in his life plan for once. 

Though as of now, there was nothing that he could do to calm the crowd. Not as the future Olo’eyktan, and certainly not as the young teen that everyone still saw him as. 

Zeppi turned around to meet the gaze of the Sully sister, but to her misfortune, she was no more by her side. Instead, one of her closest friend was; Lo’ak. The both of them suddenly turned to each other in their alarmed states. Everything was going to absolute shit. The people were up-roaring and neither the Neytiri or Tarsem seemed particularly pleased by Neteyam’s sudden outburst. Lo’ak watched as his brother stood lost between the crowd, his tail moving in circular motions as he tried to calm the people. 

This was not what he had expected when he had decided to express the afiliation he still felt for you out in the open. It’s not like he had expected joyful cheering of encouragement, but he had sure as hell had not expected this. Zeppi looked back at Lo’ak and her heart did backflips as she spotted that familiar smirk plastered upon his face. She tried so hard to retain the eye roll that had inconveniently slipped by her.

That smirk of his resembled his father’s when he had been younger, and although none of them had been even born to witness it, they all knew that it sparked no good sense. “You know what we must do to obtain the attention from the all-so golden son?” the sully boy snickered as he raised his eyebrows tentatively at the girl before him. 

Zeppi rolled her eyes once more at the boy as she understood what he meant at the first try, but a single look at the poor, distressed Neteyam was enough to change her mind. She turned back to Lo’ak before muttering a quick ‘‘make sure it works before i skin you.’’ 

Lo’ak’s eyebrows raised in bewilderment as she actually accepted his stupid idea, in order to save his own brother from the unwanted attention. Plus some heed from the clan wouldn’t do any bad to the youngest Sully son. He brought two of his fingers together, pressing them in an ‘O’ shape as he placed them carefully beneath his tongue.

The shrill tune of his whistle was enough to distract the people from their bickering, and redirect their attention to the two teens. Zeppi felt her blood running cold as her father observed her with narrowed eyes, but she told herself that it was for a good cause. Jake shot him a knowing look, tilting his head in a hostile way as he silently demanded for his son to retain himself from whatever foolish action he was about to commit in front of the whole omaticaya clan. 

He looked straight into Tarsem’s eyes as his wrath turned its aim towards the young man. He watched carefully as Lo’ak’s hands wrapped around his own daughter's waist, pulling her flushed onto his body as he caught her midway into a searing kiss. Tarsem’s and Neytiri both gasped audibly at their children’s actions and Kiri and Jake could only shake their heads from the sidelines. There was just as much platonic love between those two as there was between Zeppi and Neteyam, but they just had to suck it up for the sake of the future Olo’eyktan. For, it was just a simple little innocent kiss.

It didn’t last more than two seconds, but it was enough to startle the crowd from their previous bickering. He unlatched himself from the girl, his hand still resting in the crevice of her waist as he taunted the older man that stared daggers at him and his own daughter. His blood ran cold as Neteyam just stared dumbly at the both of them, standing still in his spot like a tree firmly rooted to the soil. 

Lo’ak shot a subtle annoyed look at his oblivious older brother, signalling him to leave as he distracted their people. Neteyam’s ears raised in astonishment at his brother’s sacrifice (for, he was about to get his ass whooped once they all got back home) and discreetly made a run for it. 

Though he failed to escape the keen eyes of his grandmother, The all great Tsahik. She saw everything, and she knew everything through Eywa’s will. 

Mo’at knew that there was no reason to keep her grand-son away from the sky person that he had fallen so deeply for. Not like she even could if she wanted to, because she knew her grandson like the back of her hand, and she had heard of Eywa’s plans for them anyways. She watched through her piercing yellow eyes as he slipped through the crowd, making a call for his mountain banshee, Seze. 

Mo’at rubbed a hand deeply over her face as she tried to soothe her own frown, because she knew that after this, there was a way bigger crowd of frowns that required her help to soothe. She feared that the father of Zeppi would most likely kill Lo’ak himself if Neytiri hadn’t already. Though when she turned around, she was met with the sight of an empty ground and the sight of some very disappointed parents ahead. 

-

Once you got back to the lab, you shivered from the sudden gust of cold air that blew past your back. The air conditioner did not mix well with the damp clothes that stuck uncomfortably to your body and you were sure that if you didn’t jump in a warm shower right now, you’d die of sickness. The weird looks that you received while entering with your dirtied clothes did not make you feel welcomed in any type of way.

Your injuries burnt as your shirt pressed down against your cuts and growing bruises. Lord knows what kind of infection you’ll receive from those if you don't get them treated anytime soon. The lab was getting noisier and noisier as dinner time approached, and you could spot Norm and Max from afar. Though you didn’t catch on to the communication device that norm had around the throat, his fingers pressing along the buttons as he ended a conversation. 

Strangely, he was in his avatar. You shrugged it off as he probably went out to get some samples, and going out as a human was very dangerous. You and your numerous injuries would know that as of now. Max had been the first to spot you, getting up from his chair in the dinner hall as he waved at you. 

“Ey’ little one, I've gotta job for you,” Norm started, placing his hands upon your shoulder as he pushed you the other way around. You grunted as he pushed his fingers into the flesh of your shoulders and you shrugged his hands off of you. 

“After I've had a shower,” you started walking away towards your cabin. “And a good shoulder massage too.” 

Norm quite literally rushed after you, blocking your passage as you rolled your eyes at him. Dear lord, give yourself some strength before you beat the scientist up right now. You clearly remember not having written 'Please disturb me!’ in bold on your forehead, so why was everybody doing so?

“Just give me a second to explain myself, then I'll let you go!” Norm promised, giving you that sincere look of his. You guessed that a couple more minutes of your time really wouldn’t cost you your life, so why not. You tilted your head to the side, now becoming your signature move for saying; carry on. 

He reestablished his shoulder pushing, directing you towards the avatar program lab. Your suspicions were risen to the top but you’d allow him to explain himself before going off for nothing. Norm had made a promise to the very fed up Jake earlier through his throat mic and he would make you leave in that avatar vessel on this night even if it meant getting his hands bloody. Well he wouldn’t go that far. Maybe. 

Jake was a close friend of his, even if they hadn’t necessarily started on a good foot. It’s been 15 years ever since the great massacre of the home tree and Norm had watched Jake and his little family grow, watching as Neteyam was presented to the clan as well as his first steps on this vicious planet. 

“I need you to go out and fetch some samples for me, and you’re not leaving like this at night.” he said, sounding like a father scolding his daughter for wearing a slutty dress on a night out. You raised an eyebrow at his oddly fatherly tone before it clicked in your brain. Norm was asking you to go out in your avatar. 

“You know what I vowed to myself,” Norm shook his head at your stubbornness and he sighed unimpressed as you began walking away from him again. Though he wouldn’t allow you to, he could only owe Jake and his family so much after everything that they had lived through together. If you did not know of the reasons why he would ask you such a demand for now, you’d sure as hell find out later. 

“And you broke that exact vow like what, twice?!” Norm beamed, and you shot him a distasteful look. Really? Norm was really asking you all of this while he was in his avatar? Why couldn’t he do it himself? So many questions ran wild in your mind, but you kept them from the scientist. Max would always reprimand you when you would speak back to Norm, telling you that he knew what he was doing and that you always had to listen to him. 

“Third time’s the charm!” you chirped humorlessly. 

“Please,” he pleaded “I’ll do anything in return for you!” you cursed yourself for actually considering his demand. After all, how could you deny one of the men that had raised you when your own paternals had not? You sighed from all of the day’s exhaustion, it seemed like you could not catch a rest at all as long as you stood on the lands of Pandora. After securing your message and 3 months free of chores from the older man, you were ready to embark on the adventure that Norm had in reserve for you. 

It was painfully humiliating to re-enter your avatar’s consciousness after pledging so many times that it was the last. Though there was no one around to poke fun at you for it right now, you’d just hurry and get it over with. You grabbed your satchel before leaving, repeating over and over again the name of whichever plant it was that Norm had told you to get. The photo that he had shown you from his iPad was engraved in your brain from how many times he had shown it. 

Watching you leave the lab doors brought foreign feelings up into Norm’s chest, like watching your daughter leave for good as she moves on to her own life. He knew damn well that after tonight, you would be changed, a part of you would not be the same as it once was. Though he knew it would be positive changes, he dwells on the fact that you’re soon to start a seperate part of your own life. 

He tries not to feel too bad about it, instead laughing it off with Max about the fake image of the flower that he had shown you. Maybe if you had taken the proper time to actually observe the picture well, you would’ve noticed the obvious photoshop. Norm grinned to himself, only wishing for Jake’s plan to be successful.

-

Stupid, idiotic Norm. Couldn’t he have gone to fetch his own sample in his own damned na’vi body. Here you were now, in plain sight in the middle of  eclipse as you scavenged for a singular plant for what seemed to be ages. The image that Norm had shown you was starting to get blurry in your brain as time went by, and you were really considering going back to the lab and calling quits for today. 

Though the further you walked into the forest, the closer you seemed to be getting to an open land area. You couldn’t really see it clearly due to the bushes that blocked its entrance, but you knew better than to be noisy while approaching an unknown territory.

The endless adventures that you had lived within the trees in the vast forest had taught you loads, and you knew better than anyone else that predators were hiding from every inch of the woodland. A na’vi’s hearing is known to be just about 4 times better than a human’s hearing, so the obvious wing flapping that could be heard by just about anyone didn't fail to go noticed by you. 

it was useless to try and fight whoever had ambushed you, because you were just about weaponless. Thought your physical strength had grown ever since you had started training, and muscles had even started rippling upon your body. You could only wish that whoever was there was not some taekwondo master of some sorts, because then your muscles would have been rendered useless.

Seze, Neteyam’s ikran was who you had first recognized as you had turned around. It was very obvious to you as to who was the rider, because ikran’s are loyal to only their tamer during their whole life period. His ikran swooshed up dust particles as it settled down on the floor, and now you could properly see the na’vi. 

“How did you find me, here specifically out of anywhere else?” Neteyam pointed towards your beloved ikran, staying silent as he dismounted his own. Shit, you cursed yourself, his ikran must’ve followed the scent of your own all the way until here. 

Though Neteyam’s quiet presence was not what you had desired at the moment, there was really no way of forcing him to go back home. This was the forest, not some private property that you could banish him of. 

Apart from that, that weird clearing that you had spotted earlier was still itching a spot deep into your brain, and if you didn’t explore how, then when would you? You grabbed Neteyam’s hand into yours as you grabbed him towards the area, since he was here, he might as well be of use in case you get attacked by some creature of any sorts. 

Silence is all that lingers between the both of you as you usher him towards the weird scene. Between the longing stare that he subtly sends you, there’s no words exchanged between the both of you. An acrid smell fills both of your nostrils as you pass through the leaves that were used as what it seems like restraints to the zone. 

The burnt grass felt weird and ashy under your feet, leaving a residue of sticky ashes on your skin the more you walked through the area. Neteyam followed shortly after you, dark ashes tainting his dark blue skin. 

He knelt down to ground, bringing his middle and index down to rub against the dried up residue. The ashes spread along his fingers as he brought them up to his nose, sniffing deeply the powdered substance. Neteyam scrunched up his features at the odd smell, researching the power through his developed odora. He could tell that the place had been devastated from weeks before, but by who? And why had nothing regrown or advanced yet? 

There’s an odd patch of lively green grass and moss in the middle of the area, and everything just gets more confusing as the both of you advance towards the centre. The sight was sort of eerie at first, but you soon grew to enjoy the peaceful silence. 

“This is the most romantic place that you found to pour your heart out to me?” you placed your hand hovering your heart, allowing yourself to joke around with the na’vi boy. Neteyam gave you a toothy grin, chucking at your teasing. He turned his face away from you, allowing himself to really bask in the views of this place. He stood up from his kneeling stance, moving on stable legs towards you. 

The both of you stood in what seemed to be a circle of chaos. There was no vegetation that surrounded the both of you, only dried and burnt up grass that blew off with every brush of the breeze. The trees were black from being burnt by whoever had decided to assault this beautiful part of the forest. 

Neteyam tried to move forward towards you, before his foot got stabbed by something on the ground. He threw his hands up in the air rather ungratefully, jumping on one leg as the other sent painful spiky receptions throughout his whole body. You brought a hand to your mouth in an attempt to stiffen your laughter, crouching down before his assaulter as he kept on overdramatizing his injury. 

At your eyesight stood a little growing plant, and you were about to bash him for overreacting his pain. You brought a finger to touch the baby plant, and to your surprise, the growing tree was not soft like you had expected it to be. It pricked your finger softly as you touched it, and you immediately retracted your whole arm back towards you.

Just what exactly was this place? Last thing you remember, there was no warning of a raid or any news about the aftermath of it. So why did you seem to have arrived on a dead man’s land, and why had the Great-Mother guided the both of you to it?

“Listen,” Neteyam’s back is turnt to you now, the only sight that you received was the one of his toned back. You’d love to complain about it, but why even would you when he looked this good? Even during this moment of vulnerability that he has, he’s still just as attractive as he is when he’s fully confident about himself. “I’m sorry, and again I know that a simple apology won’t fix everything that has been happening over the past few weeks.” 

He paused as he looked at you for confirmation. He had expected you to lash at him or to cut him off like you had done numerous of times before, but your focused silence was something that he had not expected and somehow that had grounded him. It gave him the courage to advance, stepping closer and closer towards you. 

“I’m sorry for everything that has happened, I'm sorry for not believing in you when I know that I should've. I trust you with my whole life Y/N, and I’m sorry that I haven't been showing that to you recently.” he apologised for what seemed like the 100th time and now your silence was starting to become unsettling for him. He sighed, probably making a fool out of himself as he spoke for nothing. For, you had no reasons to forgive him, but he was hanging onto a thin thread of hope that you would. 

“I want to stay mad at you forever, for as long as your lungs continue to pump air even!” you yelled, throwing your hands up in the air like a lunatic woman. Neteyam’s eyes widened comically at your historical state, but he was scared to approach you because even with his incredible nocturnal vision, he couldn’t properly see the spiky tree of earlier times. 

You were standing at your full height now, no more crouching before the little plant that had pricked the both of you. His silly fear of the prickly plant had now dissipated as he got lost in your words. They swivelled around his brain and filled his heart with even more ambition. 

“But I know that my heart will always continue to beat for you and no one else, and it hurts just a little when you’re not around,” you teased him, making a ‘little bit’ hand sign to him. It felt like a mountain of worries had just been lifted off Neteyam's shoulders from your playful sentence and relief was written all over his face. 

Neteyam made you feel like you were living, and not just existing. 

“So you forgive me?” he mumbled, full of hope. 

You pretended to think about it for a second, bringing a hand to your chin as you mocked him playfully. There’s another wave of silence that enveloped the both of you and you thought that Neteyam looked a little too serious at the moment. Poor boy just doesn’t know when to let go. 

His intentions were clearer than the pond water that you had bathed in earlier as he approached you with big steps. He seemed almost impatient as he now stood nose to nose with you, one of his hands brushing the hairs behind your head. His touch sent goosebumps to your arms, and you were sure that the little hairs on your arms were standing straight from his touch. 

“I cannot wait for us to do tsaheylu, because then i know that you will not run away from me again.” you flushed because he was already thinking that far ahead. Though usually you would’ve responded with some sort of self deprecating cooment, this time you had simply accepted it. You accepted that Neteyam found you worthy of being his mate instead of arguing with him about how you were some 5 fingered freak that didn’t even have a stable body. 

He was unrelenting, and if he truly did find you unworthy then he wouldn’t have chased you all the way here into this clearing. If indulging in the boy you loved so much despite your differences meant being selfish, then you would gladly take the abhorring title. 

“You sound like you’re trying to baby trap me,” you snickered, using an expression that you had seen on the web that was traditionally used upon the humans on earth. 

“I’m what?” he shook his head, unfamiliar with those strange human tones. God, even his accent was enough to send shivers down your spine. 

“I'm not trying to actually trap you,” he frowned and you only looked at him with a funny look on your face. 

You couldn’t quite pinpoint how much time it had been since you had been staring into his warm amber eyes, but there was a new kind of look that graced his eyes, and you couldn’t even decipher it even if you truly wanted to. There was a mixture of yearning with an accompaniment of want. 

His eyes captured the entirety of your face, from the way that your eyes were doing the exact same thing to him, or the way that your lips looked so inviting. The sudden feeling of his lips against yours was grounding and you had not even had the time to even properly even close your eyes before he had moved. 

The feeling felt rewarding, considering that you both had been waiting for reconciliation after so long. You melted into the kiss, tilting your head to the sides as you allowed yourself to indulge in him. His hands travelled from places to places on your body, starting from the crevice of your neck as they trailed downwards to hold you tightly by the waist. 

Yours were too busy keeping your stable upon his chest. Your knees felt weak from the pure impact that this boy had on you and you were glad that his grip was keeping you standing. The both of you pulled away when air became a necessity, or else you were sure that you could’ve kept going until sunrise and back at it again until sunset. 

Neteyam panted lightly as he recollected himself, laughing softly against your mouth at the both of your tiredness. The feeling of fullness invaded your mind from being so close to your lover after so long, and tight now close just wasn’t close enough. 

“R-right here? I thought you said that it wasn’t romantic enou-“ he panicked, scared that your desires were overpowering your judgement. He didn’t want you to wake up the next morning and be disappointed at what had happened, or even worse, at him. 

You only laughed at his distressed state, Your hand was resting on his heart as you could feel its fast paced pulse. “I’d let you take me at the old shack if it meant being able to be with you, Neteyam” 

“Closer, with you.” you pulled out your queue from the back of your head, the bundle of nerves firmly protected by your long braided hair. He could see your fangs sneaking past your lips as you smiled at him, and who was he to refuse that adoring smile of yours? 

He pulled out his own braid, not hesitant but leisurely. There was no sign of a want for doubling back as you lowered your tendrils towards his, the pink nerves desperately wavering around for something to latch onto. Once they found his, the both of you were hit with a wave of euphoria.

Nothing could compare to the feeling of tsaheylu, and you now understood why it was spoken so highly of. No amount of highs could make you feel as connected or full as you felt while connected to your mate, and you could feel every single part of him. You could feel his ragged breathing, or the way his stomach recoiled with nerves as he stared at you. 

There was something so deep about queue bonding, and it was not  just the fact that Neteyam and you were actual mates now. No it was the intense feeling of love and lust that you could not conceal, and soon his lips had found you again in a passionate bruising. The yearning and want that Neteyam felt earlier was 10 times stronger now, and you could feel it too. 

Wandering hands and starving mouths fed themselves amongst the other, basking in the feeling of the other for as long as the sun was away. May it be true that this place was not as beautiful as the normal na’vi mating grounds, but your love required no astonishing background for the both of you to function. All you needed was the two of you and your wavering hearts and that was just about enough. 

-

Warm sun rays enveloped your vision, despite your eyes being shut close. The bright light passed through your closed eyelids, forcing you to painfully pry them open as you awoke from your slumber. There was not a single sound around you in the forest, from where you laid on a bed of moss. 

The moss felt so comfortable, so inviting as you felt yourself drifting back to unconsciousness. The feeling of euphoria was still running thick through your veins and a new smile graced itself on your soft features. You felt someone shifting besides you, a pair of arms caging you protectively in their embrace. 

Wait, moss? The last thing you remembered was falling asleep on a tiny patch of barely grown grass, next to the tiniest growing tree. Your eyes swaggered over the whole area as you face was still smushed against Neteyam’s torso. 

The chest that served as your pillow was firm and warm and you couldn’t help yourself but to dig your face further into it. Your personal warmer grunted as you applied force to his torso, going silent once more as he fell back into slumber. It had been so long since the both of you had gotten sleep this good, and you blessed tsaheylu for allowing this sense of comfort from one body to another.  

Warmth spread all over your body, from your face that was still busy basking in the sun, to the odd feeling of heat that laid over your back. Confusion and concern overtook your senses as Neteyam could feel it through the bond, his amber eyes peeling open reluctantly. There was a solid moment that passed by before any of you made a move, before you decided to sit up. A weird feeling of coarse hair and a warm body sliding off of you made chills raise up your spine, sitting up further in an alarmed way.

Neteyam followed shortly after you as he shoved an arm protectively around your waist, urging you closer to him. You couldn’t tell if your heart was fluttering from his romantic action or if it fluttered from fear of the viperwolf family that had been sleeping back to back with you. You watched with fright as the mother woke up from her slumber, stretching her paws out towards her cubs as she failed to notice you both at first. 

Neteyam felt your fear, a primal feeling in him awakening the need to protect you above all. The both of you had no weapons other than your bare fists, but he was a strong warrior after all. His shuffled movements sent awareness towards the mom and her cubs, waking them all up in one go. The light blue creature stared at you first, eyes voided of any fear as she softly grunted at you, then its eyes moved towards Neteyam. 

It happened faster than the both of you could even acknowledge it, and soon enough the whole family were left running away from the sight of the warrior. Baffled, the both of you could only stare at the way in which the viperwolves ran away, before the both of you burst into laughter. You turned your head to throw him a ‘what in the hell just happened’ kind of look, but he was already staring at you. 

Your smile faltered as his eyes made way across your features, but it didn’t mean that you were no longer happy. The complete opposite of that. You watched as his eyes scanned your nose, then back to staring straight into your eyes. Neteyam held eye contact with you for a couple of seconds before his eyes dipped towards your lips. Your mouth was slightly agape as you stared back at him, and he leaned down to seal your mouths in a soaring kiss. 

Eyes closed and ears laid back, you both enjoyed each other for a while before pulling away. His heart was beating so much faster than yours, and you could feel it through your bond. You could feel everything just as you had yesterday, you could feel his heart that still pulsated swiftly for you as it had done the previous night. 

“I told you that you had a connection with the Great-Mother.” he referred to the strange encounter with the viperwolves, and you shrugged knowingly. It had made sense to you from the minute your mother had told you of the absence of a biological father, but you wished not to jump to conclusions back then. One of his hands moved up to tuck the a stray braid that framed your face. 

“Look around you, ma Neteyam.” he flushed at the loving name, but executed your demand right after. His eyes widened at the scenery besides the both of you. How was this even possible? Just about last night, Neteyam had been rubbing his fingers over the ashes that engulfed this dead land. Now upon your awakening, the place looked as though a wonderland from any human fairy tail movie. 

The freshly grown grass ran along the whole area, and short trees were still growing to their full potential. Neteyam looked back at you finally, not quite believing what had happened around the both of you while you were sleeping. Surely it must’ve been a sign of some sorts from the All-Mother, because there was no natural explanation for this. 

Your braids laid between the both of you, tendrils still intertwined strongly together. You brought a hand up to pull amongst yours, disconnecting them against your own will and the dissatisfied grunt of Neteyam. “We must go back, your family will start to worry for you,” you stated, acknowledging the fact that the both of you had awakened later than any other na’vi usually did. 

The both of you were too busy in your peaceful slumbers to even bother waking up, if it hadn’t been for the blinding sunlight and the viperwolf jumpscare that you had both received. You looked up to a clearing within the thick leaves of the trees that surrounded you as you noticed a flock of ikrans flying above the both of you. The forest was just waking up, and so had the both of you before any of you manage to get busted by a wandering thanator.

“For us,” Neteyam corrected you, and you tilted your head in confusion. “They will be worried for us.” he said, making your fangs stick out as you grinned at him. He leaned in to give you one last peck, before standing up and dusting himself. Like the gentleman that he had been raised to be, he helped you up with little to no effort.  

The way back home was endearing. Since the both of you had missed so much time together due to everything that was going on priorly, you made it your task to catch up while going back home. The forest welcomed you back into its embrace, and oh how amazing it felt to be back home. To be back in the body that you loved so much. 

Entering the village meant receiving the numerous prying stares, but Neteyam had vowed to you that he didn’t not mind yesterday. He had promised you that it was something that he would go through if it meant being with you. So he took it with pride, clasping your hand in his tightly for everyone to see. His back was straight, head up high as he walked besides you. 

You felt more confident then you had ever done in your years of walking on the lands of this clan. You were mated now, and if they wanted to kick you out, then they’d have to kick Neteyam out too. No one dared to mess with Neteyam, because he was their future Olo’eyktan but most importantly the current Olo’eyktan’s son. It was immoral to do so and only a fool could oppose Neteyam. 

It felt as though you were reborn as one of them, walking through their lands like you were one of them. But you were, and Neteyam had made it his duty to remind you of it every second yesterday. 

You didn’t quite understand why they called it ‘the walk of shame’ until you had to walk to Neteyam’s family tent. Where inside you knew that his entire family was waiting for the both of you, and it was obvious that two young adults left alone in the forest at night would do a little more than just discussing. 

lo’ak had been the first to spot you, much to your misfortune. A knowing smirk was plastered on his face as he looked between the two of you. He just couldn’t wait two more minutes to tease his older brother and he had no shame in doing it before his family. Tuk was quick to follow behind him, simply happy to see her family coming back. 

Lo’ak threw a hand over Neteyam’s shoulder, glancing at him from the with that taunting smile. 

“You are a man now, brother! Keep the babies for later, Tuk is already too much.” his older brother ignored him, only rolling his eyes as Tuk yelled at Lo’ak for his remark. He flinched pathetically as the little girl yelled at him, afraid of her wrath because she resembled their mother a little too much. And damn had he received a punishment from Neytiri after that stunt that he had pulled just the previous night. 

“He has been a man for a long time now.” Kiri stepped in and Neteyam’s cheeks flared at her remark. She referred to the one time that she had caught him sneaking out at night, a little after your relationship had been made public. You brought a hand up to your mouth to stifle your laughter.

Jake and Neytiri didn’t bother getting up from their spots, instead they awaited you from inside the tent. The scent of fresh fruits was almost overwhelming and you felt yourself begin to crave for the sweet delicacy. You scrunched up your nose as the sugary smell invaded your senses. There was a curt moment where Neteyam had laughed at your antics, before grabbing your hand to pull you inside. 

Neytiri had a knife in hand, and for a second you feared that she would cut you in the throat if she knew that you had mated with her son. Though she noticed the way you were dying the food with so much want, she invited the both of you to sit besides her and Jake. 

The air was not stiff like it usually was and their home was clear of any tension for the first time while you sat in it. It felt so gratifying to be able to have a normal meal with Neteyam’s family without Neytiri trying to pull the both of you apart. You were quick to dive into the platter full of a variety of fruits, holding yourself back from completely assaulting that platter because you still did have manners. 

Neteyam sat beside you, his stomach rumbling but he failed to do anything about it. He just couldn’t take his eyes off of you. You mesmerised him in a way that he couldn’t explain, and all you were doing was eating a bowl full of fruits. he felt like he was in one of those corny romantic movies that Norm used to show his little siblings, where the main character was so enamoured by their love interest that the world around them just goes deaf to their ears.

Though Jake just had to ruin that.

Neteyam’s ears flicker at the sound of his father’s voice calling out for him, and he reluctantly snapped out of his in-love stance. His eyes move towards his mother first, who is quiet but she’s smiling nevertheless at what his father must've said during his daydream. 

“I said you must eat, regain your forced from all that 

energy you’ve spent!” Jake teased his son in all the most fashionable Sully ways, and Neytiri hit him across the back of his head with the bottom of her palm. Dear lord, could anyone in this tent other than Tuk please just stop embarrassing the both of you. 

Neytiri rose from her silent state, as she got serious despite her former laughing form. “The future Tsahik cannot keep on detaching herself from her body to tend to another, she has to always be present.” your eyes widened and you nearly turnt your whole body towards your mate at his mothers words. She was considering you as their future Tsahik, Neytiri was acknowledging you in front of her whole family, 

Though she had no other choice now, because you had bonded with her son. You had so much more to learn about the roads on how to become a good Tsahik, but your strong connection with Eywa was already a good start. Neteyam however, looked like he had seen a ghost. His face was a little paler than usual, and he didn’t seem to be responding either.  

“You’re implying that…” he trailed off, looking for any sort of reconfort in his dad’s eyes. You quickly brought a hand over to squeeze his own, despite not knowing what he was so afraid of, your mate was clearly distressed and you couldn’t just stand there and watch him be. His ears flattened at your contact, his features softening slightly as he looked back on you. 

The sound of Lo’ak fake gagging from behind of you threw everyone out of whatever state Neytiri’s words had casted over you all, and he thanked his brother in some way. 

“She doesn’t have to, we'll discuss it later on.” Jake tried to soothe his son’s nerves, casting a warning look towards Neytiri so she does not open her mouth and frighten their eldest son once more. He knew that things were already stressful upon Neteyam’s shoulder, as they had always been, and he did not wish to stress his son furthermore on a day that he’s supposed to be enjoying. 

Nevertheless, breakfast was spent basking in the warmth of your now in-law family’s tent in the arms of your husband. You didn’t know what Neteyam was fearing so bad but you told yourself that you didn’t need to know for now, it could be discussed later on, as Jake had let it be known. 

For now, all you could be focused on was the piping hot meal that was served to you and Neteyam. He was clad in one of his best outfits, one that covered his torso fully, but he didn’t need to be half-bare to still be outstanding. You grabbed one of the teylu from your own plate, bringing it towards Neteyam as he looked at you in suspicion. 

“Cmon it’s going to fall!” you urged your mate, wiggling the worm before his face as though he was a puppy looking for a reward. Neteyam rolled his eyes playfully at your antics, opening his mouth as you shoved the teylu straight into his mouth. He gagged from surprise at first, his eyes widening at the dirty trick that you had played on him. Oh that’s how you were deciding to play? Then he could play that game too. 

Your ears flattened as you noticed him placing his wooden platter down, urging his body towards yours as he stood up. Eywa, you didn’t even have the time to put your own plate down as he ran after you, chasing you throughout the whole camp. Both of your laughter resonated around the camp and Mo’at watched from afar with pride at how far the both of you had reached. 

It didn’t take you both a lot of running and jumping to dodge a bunch of sitting logs before you had ran across a certain silent girl that you had learnt to be fond of. You stopped abruptly in your tracks, sending Neteyam nearly running into you. His arms caged your waist as he was sent to a sudden stop, holding your platter quickly in his hands before you could drop it. 

The incredulous look that he had on his face was like a reward and you leant forward to give him a quick peck on his cheeks as if asking for forgiveness. 

“I was looking for the both of you, I see you have finally found each other,” Zeppi said, a deep meaning in the simple words that she had spoken to the both of you. Her voice cut both of you off from whatever sappy romantic gesture that was going on. You eyed your best friend besides her, and you noticed how her eyes kept on flickering back and forth towards the taller girl besides her. 

Zuko, and how could you forget her. The girl that had taught you how to see without words. The same girl that had helped you when you were in desperate need and now the same exact girl that you had made your own personal mission in helping.

Helping her because Eywa were both oblivious. Standing in front of them was like standing before two awkward teens that had just confessed to each other, but that didn’t know what else was to ensure. 

God and it was painful to watch too, you couldn’t even imagine what it felt like to be any of them at that moment. Zuko was practically beaming purple as she looked at Zeppi, and you nudged your mate slightly in the stomach for him to look. 

The mute girl smiled at you, hesisting to hug you as you made the first step. It had been so, so long since you had last seen your best friend, and she had missed you loads. She had been spending more time with the daughter of Tarsem as of recently, Zeppi. It helped her to come clear with her own feelings, and her heart no longer ached as she saw you happily bonded forever now with Neteyam. 

Her heart sought someone else, stronger than it had for you. Because maybe she deemed that the both of you were soulmates, platonic soulmates. You were someone who had seen her when no one else did, and she had taught you to see in areas that you couldn’t. Though her feelings now fluttered for someone else, and she was sure of it. 

“And I see that so have you,” Neteyam added, making the both women flustered at their oblivious states. You snickered slightly, happy that everyone rejoiced all at once. You had promised the both of them that once you were done and over with your new duties, that all of you would go ikran racing together once more. Neteyam was the cockiest, affirming that he’d win again, and they all laughed at the memory of Neteyam winning a race that he wasn’t even part of.

-

“What are you thinking about?” Neteyam’s voice startled you, nearly making you drop your songcord. The new bead that had been added marked the new life that was offered to you and Neteyam, and it made you sentimental just to think about it. You couldn’t give him a verbal answer just yet, because you were afraid that you would burst into tears in that overwhelmed state of yours.

It was getting late at night, and the both of you had already moved all of your belongings into your new hut. Well all of Neteyam’s belongings, given that you had yet to go and fetch your things from the lab yet. The soft sounds of the crickets filled the void of noise between the both of you, filling in the comfortable silence. The only lights surrounding you both came from the soft moonlight, and your luminous freckles shone beautifully across your faces. 

You patted the grassy spot next to you, and Neteyam wasted no time getting seated besides you. His arm wrapped itself around your shoulders, bringing your head to lay comfortably against him. His nose scrunched up at the sweet smell of your perfume, one that you had made from crushing some sun lilies together into a liquid that you’d apply to your skin with your fingers. He felt so relaxed in your presence, like he was allowed to lay his guard down at anytime that you were near. 

He found comfort in you, being the person that he goes to everytime he feels like being vulnerable. And it worked in both ways, because that’s what being mated is like. 

You both had the life that you dreamed of and now your shared hut was awaiting your presence for the first night. It felt like a dream because you had never imagined that one day you’d finally be able to be freely happy with Neteyam. For as long as you remember, there always had to be some na’vi up your ass or trying to mess with your relationship and now that those times were over, you just felt so content. 

Content that Neteyam and you were getting the happy ending that you both deserved and content for the people that had helped you earn this life. You wouldn’t forget to go check up on Norm and Max tomorrow morning to let them catch up on everything, because they were family to you. 

You felt Neteyam’s calloused hands grip onto your chin, bringing you out of your daze. His eyes were full of love as he stared down at you, and just a year ago his stare would’ve been filled with annoyance or even distaste. The broken promises that he had once made to you were now granted but he had yet to make the biggest one yet. Though as you sit before each other, hearts full of adoration and futures empty for the both of you to write, he just can’t help but say it to you. 

“I promise to always give you all of my love.” Neteyam said, before crashing the both of your lips together in a passionate kiss. Your hands slivered over the back of his neck as you held him close to you, like he would disappear if you let go. There were little things that you both knew on this gigantic planet and you were still both so young, but the night was just as young and you couldn’t wait to spend the rest of your life with the man that had changed your life. For the better. 

-

Tags: @uwu-i-purple-you @love13tter @melsunshine @bratsuki @jyoungmom @ihonestlydontknowwhattonamethis @fanboyluvr @ashlatano7567 @laylasbunbunny @gabithefanwriter @alwaysandforever22 @jjkclub @koalalafications @doggyteam2028 @navs-bhat @miawastakens @innersuitcasehairdoscissors @peachinsomniac @hlhl99 @loakloverr @chucklefuvk @hellok1ttycake @tsuteysyawntu @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @idktbhloley @saltedcoffeescotch @kikookii @anxietydrogz @inluvwithneteyam @avatarmasterlistblog @doulcha @dreamergirljen @parrotpeggy @liasstarlight @ikaeryn @jdbxws @wheeeelys @lovedbychoi @neteyamsmate4life @liyahsocorro @simp4ff @ptsmplekaramele @myheartfollower @pinkpantheris @naynay2808 @szchaql @zoetrope1997

[pluckyredhead]

How exactly was Jon Kent’s introduction handled? Did Clark essentially just bring him out like “hey guys, here’s my 10 year old son I haven’t told you about” ?

Thank you for giving me an excuse to talk about this, because it is Extremely Comics and I love it.

The short version is that Jon and his parents are from another dimension.

The long version is that prior to the New 52 in 2011, Lois and Clark had been married for years, so when that marriage was erased in the reboot, fans were pretty unhappy.

Then in 2015, DC published an event called Convergence. The plot isn't important, but basically they pulled in all these different versions of their characters from different universes: pre-Crisis Green Lantern, vampire Batman, 70s Wonder Woman, etc. And they brought back a LOT of pre-Flashpoint versions of characters. (I've always assumed it was a test to see if they should undo the New 52 and that the answer was a resounding yes.)

And so they brought back the pre-Flashpoint Lois and Clark just for this one event. In the four years since we'd seen the characters, Lois had gotten pregnant, and during Convergence, she gave birth to Jon.

At the end of the event, the pre-Flashpoint world was destroyed, but the Lane-Kent family was able to travel to the New 52 universe. Of course, the New 52 universe already had a Superman and Lois, so the pre-Flashpoint Clark and Lois decided to just...live like normal people, which they'd never been able to do before. They changed their last names to White and moved to California to raise their son in peaceful anonymity.

So Jon spent the first 10 years of his life in California as Jonathan Samuel White, and has no idea that he's from another dimension, that he's half alien, or that his father is Superman. But then his powers start to manifest, and it turns out it's really hard to keep a secret from a kid with X-ray vision, super hearing, and Lois Lane's smarts. Eventually, his parents have to 'fess up.

Here is the key point: when the Lane-Kents came to the New 52 universe, they arrived 10 years in the past. So if that story took place in 2015, when it was published, they actually arrived in 2005. Meaning that Jon developing his powers at 10 is happening in the present day. Does that make sense?

Soon after this, the New 52 Superman dies, and pre-Flashpoint Clark is like, "Well, someone should be Superman," so he puts his costume back on and introduces himself to the Justice League/the world as the Superman of another dimension.

A bit after that, the 2016 Rebirth reboot happened, which was deliberately designed to push DC canon closer to pre-Flashpoint canon.

Then the New 52 Lois also dies, and pre-Flashpoint Lois is like "I guess I'll just go to the office and pretend to be her," which is wild because she is at least 10 and probably more like 15-20 years older than New 52 Lois. Lois Lane ages like fine wine: confirmed.

THEN Mr. Mxyzptlk kidnaps Jon and traps him in a featureless void and makes his parents forget he exists. In that void, Jon encounters the souls of the dead New 52 Clark and Lois and accidentally swaps them with his parents. Then he yells "NO YOU LOVE EACH OTHER" until they remember who they really are and merge with their pre-Flashpoint counterparts to form new, cohesive versions of Lois and Clark who are simultaneously from the current universe but also have been married for years and love their son.

This also, you know, just casually reboots the universe so that everyone remembers Lois and Clark having been married with a kid for years. So Jon was incorporated into continuity as a 10-year-old, but then the rest of his life was retconned into existence so that, like, Perry and Jimmy remember holding him as a baby and stuff. (And Jon has no memory of living as Jon White or anything like that.)

Anyway, very straightforward and normal, not completely bonkers at all.

[wazzappp]

@rokhal okay so you see heres the problem. You asked too many good questions so I opened a google doc to answer them and then things just got going and then I ended up with an entire summary of the story I have so far.

ALSO thank you @moosemonstrous for helping me puzzle through my fugnking ramblings

Also it is IMPORTANT that you know I had this song on repeat the entire time I was plotting my nefarious schemes

OKAY SO. I’m thinking Robbie is some sort of specialized stealth unit. He was originally designed for high level infiltration but was repurposed by the human resistance in the future. He has skin with a metal endoskeleton just like the usual terminators but he ALSO has those nanobots that allow him to heal at the same pace as a normal human. They also would help with repairing any damage to internal systems like wiring. They could also be what repurposes food to grow his metal endoskeleton. I’m debating on whether he can manually speed that up for an accelerated healing process because that would require a level of control over his machinery that I’m not sure it would make sense for him to have right after figuring out he’s a machine. Maybe with some practice he could do it. OHHHHH OR IF HES IN SOME SORT OF ‘EMERGENCY DEFENSE’ MODE IT ACCELERATES AUTOMATICALLY THAT COULD BE FUN!!! 

Also I really like the idea of him being able to heal with those nanobots but like. SPECIFICALLY for Gabe. They’re programmed to create synthetic flesh and skin but only for certain genomes. His and Gabes are similar enough that they can help repair tissue if he’s injured. Like being a blood donor for matching blood types.

STORY WISE HERE’S WHAT IM THINKING: Eli still exists in this universe and he’s still a massive shithead. Still pushes Mama Reyes down a flight of stairs while pregnant with Gabe (their soon to be first child), still a serial killer and still involved with the mob. But shortly after Gabe is born, Eli is caught and sentenced to prison for life. The mob figures he told his brother’s family so that makes them a liability. They kill Alberto and Julianna, but leave Gabe alone in his crib. This happens when he’s about 6 months old.

While this is happening, Robbie is time traveled into the back yard of their house. He goes inside and puts on whatever clothes he can find. When police show up to check after getting a noise complaint from the neighbors, they find what looks to be a 5 year old boy soothing a crying baby and a massive burned hole in the backyard they think is just some sort of already detonated explosive. Everyone just assumes this kid is his brother and they try to get him out of the house without letting him see his dead ‘parents’. He doesn't talk much but does answer that his name is Robbie when asked. 

Things get REALLY weird when they go to the police station and find… absolutely nothing about him. No birth certificate, no social security number, no history of schooling, not even their notoriously nosy neighbors know anything about him. The Reyes’s had not marked down a dependent on their tax forms until Gabe.  Even when they look at the possibility of him being an undocumented immigrant; NOTHING. Half the guys think he’s an illegal alien that slipped through the cracks of.. EVERY country and the other half think he’s an ACTUAL alien For all intents and purposes the kid in front of them does not exist. Eli isn’t much help when asked, he just assumes ‘that bitch of his turned him against me didn’t even tell me that I had a nephew already here god DAMN her’. 

They quickly start questioning whether they're actually brothers, but genetic tests determine that they are. That, and the absolute INSISTENCE of the boy that ‘This is my brother. I HAVE to keep him safe’.

So they do what just about anyone might do. Decide this weird magically appearing child is someone else’s problem, and put them into foster care. From there the story stays about the same for a while. They know Eli exists but they honestly couldn't give less of a shit about him. That guy is never getting out on parole lmao. Robbie catches up with social development and for the most part fits in pretty good (he never gets sick. Like ever. Never gets so injured he has to go to the doctor for emergencies. Just regular checkups, which he passes through with a few raised eyebrows but still good). He’s still a GENIUS with cars and works at Canelos. He understands them in a way that usually takes years of experience way beyond what Robbie has. Things are going.. Not GREAT but they’re okay. And then AMADEUS FUCKIGN SHOWS UP.

Skynet of the future has sent back a Terminator to kill Gabe. No one is really sure WHY but they figure if skynet is going to such lengths to kill this kid then he must be worth protecting. So the human resistance sends back Amadeus to find Gabe and keep him safe from this Terminator. 

He steals some clothes, a gun and a car(not like hes really planning on settling down here anyway who cares about a few broken laws)  shows up at the Reyes residence, meets Gabe.. and basically all his plans blow up. This is absolutely NOT the type of person he was expecting and he sure as shit doesn't want to go anywhere with this random stranger. So naturally he kidnaps Gabe and starts getting the fuck out of the city (while also starting work on an electromagnetic field reader that he thinks can help detect terminators).

Robbie shows up back home after grocery shopping and uhhhhh Gabes NOT THERE theres BROKEN SHIT IN HIS HOUSE and the neighbors keep talking about a STOLEN CAR and some maniac who stole from a GUN SHOP. So he does the only reasonable thing he can think of, checks Life 360 hoping that Gabe still has his phone on him (he does) gets into his car and starts hunting them down. Between his crazy driving skills and freakish persistence, Amadeus can only conclude that Robbie is the terminator sent to kill Gabe.

When Robbie finally heads them off at an abandoned warehouse Amadeus tries to pull Gabe along with him and run away. But when Robbie steps out of his car, Gabe recognizes him and starts trying to get there. Amadeus is panicked, pointing his gun at Robbie to try and keep him away and, at this point, VERY confused. Because he’s pulled out his EMF reader and is getting some absolutely WACK readings off Robbie but hes also very much so being deterred by the gun (terminators couldnt gibe two shits about guns thlse metal fuckheads eat bullets for breakfast). The readings shortly get even more wack when the ACTUAL Terminator sent to kill Gabe shows up. Amadeus fires a couple of shots into the Terminator to confirm what he already knew (subsequently freaking both Robbie and Gabe out sufficiently enough to confirm that at least Amadeus isn’t entirely crazy). They pile into the Reyes-mobile and peel off shortly before the terminator gets into Amadeus’ abandoned stolen car and starts going after them.

Robbie is doing his best to ask what the FUCK is actually going on while getting away but Amadeus is still double checking his EMF readings because Robbie is DEFINETLY not human but also clearly isn’t here to kill Gabe. Quickly puts two and two together that for SOME reason SOMEhow Robbie is here to PROTECT Gabe from this other Terminator. Amadeus is. A little distracted because of this and keeps asking Robbie about his ‘Programming’ (sort of a “WOW your programming must be good you REALLY think he’s your brother and thats WHY you have to protect him!” “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WHO WAS THAT GUY HOW DID HE KEEP WALKING AFTER YOU SHOT HIM” “It was a terminator keep up. Hey did you even TRY to call the police or did you just start coming after me because you knew it would be faster? Cause damnnnnn again. PROGRAMMING!”)

After finally losing the terminator that’s been on their tail, they find the police are not too happy about their reckless driving, arrest them and take them to the station to keep in a holding cell. While Robbie is in said holding cell with Amadeus (Gabe is presently being asked questions) there’s a police officer who recognizes him as that weird little kid who just appeared out of nowhere.

“Yeah we had absolutely NOTHING on you. It was like you hadn't existed until the day we found you!” So Robbie has to sit and listen to this while Amadeus is just confirming in his head what he already figured out. Being stuck in that cell trying to stay in denial with the guy whose favorite thing to say in the world is ‘I Told You So’ is not great. (un)Fortunately this is when the actual terminator shows up again.

This time, being faced with both the Terminator AND police trying to stop him from leaving, Robbies defense systems activate. He goes absolutely HAM on everyone in his way. He’s extremely default Terminator-like (Emotionless, distant, empty, quiet) in this state because all of his infiltration protocols have been halted. He even manages to fight off the other terminator decently well, but not before getting blasted in the arm with a shotgun shell. It goes deep enough that his metal endoskeleton is revealed. I also had this idea of like. His arm getting caught in something and he just stares at whoever trapped it there. Looks them dead in the eyes as he degloves his entire hand then beats the shit out of whoever got in his way with his metal fist. He stays in this state until they steal ANOTHER car, and he finally snaps out of it. And sees his hands covered in blood. And glimmers of his metal skeleton. And his brother looking at him in fear.

AND THATS WHAT IVE GOT RN I CAN'T WRITE LIKE YALL CAN I DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE FOR IT I HAVE TO GET ALL OF THIS OUT LIKE RIGHT NOW SO YEAH UHHHHHHH ENJOY

[amadholes-lostre]

Another Wednesday/Wenclair idea because I hate myself- The 5th Ostrace

My brain keeps spewing ideas but refuses to let me write a story lol. The idea is that there is a new Ostrace (using my BNHA au term) category to be generalized.

And that being aliens.

It kinda make sense: nonhumans that can't exactly accustom to norm society, so they will fit into Ostrace society (there're many reason why, especially one big reason).

The idea that multiple alien states contacted humanity before the main series so that the characters could be used to them. The alien states, other than what our countries do for diplomacy like cultural centers and participating in local events, also do student exchange program, including sending some to Nevermore.

(I already have this idea other with other franchises, using my original alien races in doing so, like Harry Potter (got this fic idea since 2013) and The Prom.)

Being nonhumans (some don't even look remotely as one), it will be difficult for the exchange students to fit in. However, another reason why they will be categorized as the 5th Ostrace- well, other than some being vastly different in appearance (one of the race, Rín [not actually the race name] is just a rubber forehead human with only pointy ears) is due them being considered mono-sex races (a homosexual species if you will).

Unlike humans and vast majority of animals being gonochorism, the alien races are mono-sex (think Asari from Mass Effect, which what inspired me [either positive or negative]), though ironically the majority will be classified as semi-monosex. Because of that, depending on the species and culture, gender is not as rigid compared to humans, especially Western cultures.

I don't really know else to write ther next one (I feel like I need to finish what my last paragraph left out lol) but I want to talk about the three alien races, or more like the three countries. There're three alien countries (two states having multiple different races) that come in contact. I don't actually have proper names for them (except the United Planetary Democracy, but that because they never bother with a singular name like the UAE), I do have their type of governmen. The three are: the United Kingdom (not actually accurate since kingdom is gender-neutral in the language, also ghere is a good reasonwhy it's called that), the UPD, and the Empire (in their defense, it's not the proper terminology [think Japan, though that isn't good either], so they wasn't as prepared for the backlash lol).

Okay, enough of that, time to talk about three alien races/countries:

So, first up is the Rín (singular is Rin), who makes up the UK. The UK is one of the states that made up of multiple races, and that because they all originated from the same planet. Rín isn't even a proper race but actually a genus (think Homo like humans). There's some races that aren't even in the same taxonomic family or class, and you piss off a lot of other people off for it. One of the races who made up like 70-80% are - I calling them Idorín for now (I never properly name almost any this, but I did categorize this mentally). Idorín are the most human-like with only superficial details being pointy ears, more colorful anime-like hairs, and having light-blue blood. Internally, their anatomy is a bit more avian (they're still viviparity). This is due to having airsac along lungs, a bit more lighter bones (through more richer with carbon). The average height is 6'3.5, though this depends on the... subsex(lol)? They're also semi-monosex, one being Ovumsere (they give birth; make up 60%), and Polisere (they... provide gametes?; make up 35%)(there are true mono-sex, though very rare; 5%). Anatomically, they're not very different other than heights (only three inches: Ovumsere av. 6'3 and Polisere av. 6'6), voice (only a bit), and genitals (lol). They're very culture diverse, average lifespan of 160 years (now 350 thanks to gene therapy). Also, there're humans in the UK before even contacting Earth (though their population doesn't even make a percentage).

The second race are So'lenas (ironically the name only name I actually come up a decade before), and another ironic twist runs the UPD. The country that has a very vague name is actually the only one that has one species (lol, lmao even). They're human-like, though not like Idorín. They kind of filled up the Blue-Skinned Soace Babe tropes, though not that much (their nose is actually sensory organ like a whale melon, they actually breathe either through their mouth or a blowhole atop their back). Their skin range either teal, light to dark blue, and purple. Their skin is a bit reptilian, though softer, and resemble more like that over your knuckles. They have freckle-like bioluminescence called 'his'kiri (meaning "star-kiss", another named for So'lena is His'lena, "Star-Person"), crest and tendril-like atop their head, semi-aquatic being (though depends on their culture of how they utilize it) which allows them to hold their breath 10-45 minutes (they look very voluptuous because of this), and give live birth (they do have breasts). They have a paddle-line tail that them swim more effectively and digitigrade legs. They're true mono-sex beings, with an average height of 6'4 and a lifespan of 300 years. Because of this, they have very loose gender roles, viewing it more like how queer women view butch and femme identity. Do of the planet (actually a satellite) they hail from (being very hot and humid), many of their culture clothing have lose clothes and transparent garments; it will be common to see their breasts (some fashion are even similar to ancient Minoan)(it also helps they've petite breasts and is not as sexualized compared to many human cultures).

The third race are Rahros ('hr' pronounce like Spanish J but with more vibration, also the full name is Ahnta'Sarnu'Rahros), and they're the majority of the Empire. Their government is a semi-constitution theocratic monarchy. The Empire and UK have a huge rivalry, almost Cold War political environment (think England-France rivalry). The race is the least human (being bipedal with a slight hunchback and 4 limbs their only resemblance), being archosauroform, though resembling more to crocodilians than to avians Most of their body are either in scute or soft scales. Though they have an upper and lower mouth, they have a pair of mandible that helps them push large food down their mouth. Their tongue is more like butterflys' (proboscis), and they can't move their mouth sideways (many of their cuisine are bite sides). They have tendrils- sometimes referred as dread or braid- growing from their head that resemble hair, shaping either smooth circle or overlapping scale oval, ranging half-an-inch to 1½ inches in thickness, and being made of keratin- it can be trimmed without hurting them (think like horse hoof trimming). They have three digit fingers and two opposing thumb in each hand. Their legs are digitigrade so they prefer to wear sandals and a small, vestigal tail. Their body shape is athletic and lean. The average height is 6'7.5, with ovumsere 6'6, while polisere are 6'9. (I have an idea Rahros character who's 8'4, 500 pound beef cake. Their dorm is in the 1st because they accidentally collapsed through the second floor. Somehow, they got their ass kick by Wednesday, fought and lost to the Hyde, and enjoys fighting Enid werewolf form). Their ovumsere/polisere ratio is similar to Idorín, though they give birth through oviparity: 45 days for the embryonic development and 8 months for incubation. Their scute colors range from light (similar to blond) to dark brown, bluish black (similar to alligators), and light sky blue. Their average lifespan is 146 years, though to 320 after gene therapy.

(Congratulations to the local lesbian, especially to Yoko and Divina.)

(Rín mocked polisere Rahros for having similar genitals to males, and Rahros fucking hate it.)

(One thing I trying to do is make their culture [each species has hundreds of different cultures and ethnicity] seem as different than our own, especially due to their sex and gender. One thing is that they having communal bathing and multiple relative family units living in the same housing [some Idorín/Rín culture/planet/satellite has segregated sex but this is due of excluding males from public space]).

I don't really have a plot, not compare to the Harry Potter one, however I do have some ideas.

My idea is the two children of my two OC have (ironicall, i based them on Wednesdayand Enid) are a couple, one being an Idorin (ovumsere) and anorher a So'lena. Even though both characters can't get either the other one pregnant (this isn't star trek/star wars), they use genetic engineering, so each child will have one percent of the other parent's genes. The two children are some of the main protagonists in the fic- the other are Wednesday and Enid - following their staying at Nevermore. Some conflict I think of is the Idorin OC having an identity crisis- she basically a clone of their mother and trying to explore who they are (and being short, only 5'8). The So'lena child doesn't have this problem since an average So'lena gain 95% from their mother. However, the So'lena OC too has one, of be it having an ethnic/species identity crisis- they rarely interacted with their own species that wasn't their own So'lena mother (they both lived their Idorin mother maternal family, the housing having around 100 people in it [it helps the family are a noble dynasty]).

Another idea is about how all three (or multiple) species are, either though physically and biologically different from one another and to humans, still share some common traits. One is how all 4 love to gossip and talk shit behind their back. I want Wednesday, who was excited about meeting them, disappointed how asinine, unambitious, and unimaginable they're, being so similar to humans. The Idorin OC will point out how idiotic and problematic she sounded, especially if she had said that to another Idorin.

Probably another idea is Nevermore nonalien characters exploring the aliens culture. One idea is Yoko trying to learn So'lena lingua franca, helps that I based the language on Japanese and Hawaiian (syllabary characters, no third person pronouns, a mixed of particle and grammatical case, subject-object-verb sentence, etc). Divina enjoying swimming with So'lena due of having aquatic body-type, though they will complain about the cold (their thermoregulation is meant to dissipate heat as quickly as possible). Enid will enjoy listening to one of the Rin races (having a more feline appearance) song genre, sounding similar to K-pop and J-pop (genre name in English will be Songstress Motet), though she will be shock just how dark and gruesome some of the lyrics are (think Yoru ni Kakeru).

I don't have much else to add, but this is a good amount, I think.

[vante1920pm]

hihi! i'm maggie!! it's nice 2 meet u :D i have no idea if your reqs are still open, so if they aren't, then ignore the request! if they are, however, may I request headcanons for neteyam , lo'ak , and ao'nung with a gender neutral human significant other who just ... really loves them ? their human brags about them daily, to their little human friends & family and maybe even the boys' own family -- they're just really proud of them, in general. they're super duper affectionate and lovey-dovey too! they're almost always like " look at my bf .. isn't he the prettiest ever ?!?!?" and if possible, maybe even what the boys' family think of the reader? (who'd probably pull up and thank neytiri/ronal for giving birth to their son but yk they're in love zeke)

tldr; ao'nung , lo'ak , & neteyam with a gn!human!s/o whose just really proud to be with them?

( your writing gets my heart racing!! keep up the good work~! )

──;; 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐒/𝐎 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌 ★☆

★ 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: Hii !! Thank you so much for the request and the kind words !!! <3

I had a few lazy moments while writing, because I got a bit uncreative but I hope you still can enjoy it :)

I also love your stories btw ^^

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

☆ 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: with a gn!human!s/o whose just really proud to be with them !

☆ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: ao'nung, neteyam, lo'ak

☆ 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: ooc, not proof read, cursing

── ‹ ✶ʾʾ NETEYAM !

- Neteyam likes it when you give him hugs and kisses, it makes him feel really special and loved.

- Would definitely get matching Plushies if they would exist on Pandora. Like the ones that you make yourself in these stores!

- He's sometimes a little bit overwhelmed by your love, because he doesn't know how to react, but he enjoys the affection.

- You call him 'your Neteyam', what makes him all blushy, even if you can't see it

- He always makes time for you, even if it's not much. He takes every chance he gets.

- He already hears you from a mile away, he could recognize your cheery voice everywhere.

bragging to your friends ─

( idk how you communicate with them, imagine you're able to facetime them or smth )

You love telling your friends about Neteyam, like, he's the light of your life!

Your life was boring before you met him, or that's what you always tell them.

He's the best boyfriend for you and you address him with cute nicknames when you talk about him.

Your friends are happy for you, but it makes them feel a little bit uncomfortable, for the fact that you're dating a 8ft tall blue alien.

He's just so cool and strong and did I mention an 8ft tall blue alien? Yes. We all need one in our lives.

But they support you anyway!

Yayy, we love supportive friends <3

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

what his family think of you ─

Tuk loves it when you're around, you're like a second big sister to her!

Kiri also loves spending time with you. You're sometimes just walking around while talking, Spider interrupting you tho.

Spider thinks you're okay, but he doesn't pay you much attention.

Lo'ak likes you, you're cool and funny, especially when you're embarrassing his brother in front of everyone.

Jake also likes you, you make his son happy, reminding him of Neytiri and himself.

Neytiri didn't trust you at the beginning. It took some time to get on her good side.

── ‹ ✶ʾʾ LO'AK !

- He loves your personality. It's one of the things that make him get up in the morning, knowing, he'll be able to spend time with you again.

- Your energy is just so- mwah

- All it takes to make him shy is physical affection, not too much tho. He loves to hold you, even if you can't keep still for too long.

- But he's sometimes a bit embarrassed when you tell some strangers about how great and perfect he is, he doesn't want anyone to think that he manipulated you into saying this stuff or anything.

- He's scared that you might get yourself in trouble sometimes, you can be kinda naive at one point, so he tells you to be careful.

- You're always reassuring him that he's perfect when he gets self conscious, which he's really grateful for.

bragging to your friends ─

They got curious about him.

Like, there's no way someone could be this perfect, right?

You always assure them that Lo'ak is literally the definition of 'perfect'!

You're telling them about the cool things you're doing together and that he takes you out stargazing at night.

Shh, you're making them jealous!

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

what his family thinks of you ─

Tuk loves you. You're always playing games with her, so you got her trust easily.

Kiri doesn't really care about you. She thinks you're pretty, but that's all to it.

Neteyam teases you alot, but in a more brotherly way. He's happy that his bro found someone good, even if you're a human.

Spider likes you, you're cool. He also teases you all the time.

Jake doesn't have an opinion on you. You're nice so he doesn't see you as a threat.

Neytiri doesn't like you. You're getting on her nerves sometimes and you're not learning fast enough.

── ‹ ✶ʾʾ AO'NUNG !

- He's being a bitch sometimes, we all know that, but you get the best out of him. He always acts kind and generous towards you.

- If others make fun of the way you act, he'll always be there to defend you. You don't mind them but he insisted on keeping you away from them.

- Gives glares to anyone who dares to complain about you.

- He thinks you're better than others and feels proud, when you praise him for the bare minimum. You literally tell him and others how handsome and pretty he is, only if it's just about him walking or how he makes specific gestures.

- Worships the ground you walk on, he would literally die for your attention and compliments . That boy is craving for your love

- You really love him so much. He's giving babygirl

bragging to your friends ─

You're always telling them about his positive sides, the way he cares about his family and friends.

You told them that he saved you once, since then you just fell in love with him.

He always defends you from anyone and everything. He's just so great!

It's actually annoying your friends that you talk so much of him, but they still go through it for you.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

what his family thinks of you ─

Tonowari is wary of you. He accepts you more than likes you.

Ronal doesn't like you. She thinks Aonung shouldn't be with someone like you. She thinks you're bad for him and everyone else.

You get along well with Tsireya, you often spend time together and chat. You're also gossiping about the newest things that happen in the village.

© 2022 VANTE_1920PM

[raspberry-gloaming]

I would absolutely adore a zygon companion. And I think it would be really cool both because it could keep the NuWho rule of having the companions be from modern day while having an alien and because you could like drop hints over several episodes until it's finally revealed.

Like. It starts out perfectly normal. The Doctor saves the day in... let's go for Newcastle. He picks up a new companion after the events, Erin.

Erin is from Birmingham, but she moved to Newcastle in 2013 for university, and has been living there since. She says a bunch of stuff about her life over the early episodes that could easily be construed as normal.

She moved here for uni, age 18, in 2013. She hasn't been back, but she's got a... complicated relationship with her family. But who doesn't?

She goes to a support group in Newcastle. What for? It's never specified, but you just assume it's a mental health thing. Good for her, taking care of her mental health.

She talks about her past before uni with a sort of apathy, almost like reading from a script. But it's just family issues, you know? She's had times that weren't great but she's separated from that now, she's moved on. Doesn't like to talk about it, and it's not our place to push too far.

It gets brought up offhand that she still has a strong Brummie accent despite living in Newcastle for more than ten years. She mentions in return that when she was younger she was one of those people who picked up the accent of wherever she visited but she supposes she grew out of that, because her accent has kept strong this past decade or so in Newcastle. Or perhaps it's something about the Geordies, she jokes, that her brain doesn't want to sound like.

She likes the Tudor times. Who doesn't have a favourite era of history, and the Tudors are very popular.

2015 wasn't necessary a good year for her. Family feuds, from what anyone could gather, or family friends getting into arguements that dragged in her community. She tried to stay away from all that. She'd moved up north two years before and was trying to stay away from family drama. It's already known she has that disengaged feel with mentioning her past, which is assumed to be family related. It's assumed there was just some family drama in Birmingham that year. She doesn't say why, just shrugs and jokes that it was their horoscopes.

She has a disconnect as well with gender. She uses she/her pronouns, because to her pronouns aren't a big deal but she uses them because something along the lines of "they're what this body came with." Everyone thinks it's just a jab or joke relating to the fact she's afab, so assigned she/her pronouns at birth as well. It's 2024, gender binaries and gender identities aren't so enforced or expected, you do you.

She looks slightly younger than she is. It's a thing that's pretty common, people age physically at different rates, I've got family who look or have looked decades younger than they are. But is that the real reason, or has she been miscalculating slightly how this body is supposed to age physically.

I'd like to imagine the doctor doesn't realise it either. I'm putting her with Fifteen here, I think that would be fun. And like he doesn't even realise until everything's going to pot quite a few episodes in and they've got no escape route or there's something that won't back down and oh fuck to get them out of it she's gonna have to shift and reveal herself.

Perhaps it's a 2 partner! And it's a cliffhanger, all dire situation, the credits about to roll, Erin swears under her breath and darts a look at the doctor. He won't hate her for lying, will he? She never was much involved with the politics of the hive's move and integration here, so she isn't really aware of who he is in relation to The Day of the Doctor and The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion. She quickly looks away, steels herself, and shifts.

Roll Credits!

I'd like to think Tumblr would go wild after it airs, with some people being like I TOLD YOU SO I KNEW IT MY THEORY WAS TRUE and there's other people who thought it would be cool but didn't think they would actually have a zygon companion. And some people who don't like it because all the "the companion is supposed to be like the audience's perspective/insert it doesn't work if they're not human as we can't relate to them" despite the fact Erin has been living as a "human" since 2013. And on the other hand people are disappointed because you finally get an alien companion but like "she's basically human anyway, it's not as fun as if they were more obvious alien and not living a human life it's kinda boring."

Either way I would love something like this and in writing this I've got kind of attached already to Erin, who I just made up on the spot as I wrote the post. Curious as to what her Newcastle life is now, what degree she did, the societies she joined, the job she has now. Finding yourself as someone whose always been a part of a hive before and also having to do that while pretending to not be yourself.

I'd love to see the little slip ups she makes, the comments that could easily be a normal human talking but get someone on the internet excitedly posting in caps lock with the red string meme.

[arguablyartworks]

That Ben 10 AU I Made (that I never talked about)

So back in 2022, not long before I went to art school and was in the process of preparing to go, I was particularly hyperfixated on Ben 10, and generally speaking, stress often causes me to specifically dream as or beside the main character of my hyperfixation at the time. I won't go into what was stressing me out so badly then, but I had a dream of a specific few nonexistent episodes of Ben 10 and minor tweaks and changes to the show that I later drew and expanded upon.

Specifically, there was some (not real) episode in the original series where Ben had to take off clothing to jump into a lake, revealing not only a training bra or bikini top (not sure which), but also that the brown hair was a wig covering ash blonde hair. And it had been no secret that Ben was a girl the whole time, she'd just clearly gotten tired of correcting people. Continuity-wise, it was mentioned again in Omniverse, where pronouns were corrected to "she" as a constant gag through some early episode, and then visibly given up out of laziness. It was also stated in the dream that at some point, Ben gained actual wings in base form in Omniverse and definitely had them, was able to hide them entirely, and never bothered to figure out how to use them or pull them out for almost anything. So in whatever reality where those episodes (and continuity details) actually existed, Ben would canonically be a winged butch lesbian.

After some discussion with a friend (@zilathehusky)

-Benjamin Kirby Tennyson is still her birth name, despite being cis female. Sandra and Carl are just like that. -Ben was constantly mistaken as male throughout OS, and eventually genuinely didn't care, as it didn't matter as much to her as a kid, so didn't tend to correct people almost at all except in the event of bathroom usage or similar scenarios. -Ben genuinely enjoys stereotypically masculine passtimes and clothing styles. -Ben actually genuinely hid her sex/gender throughout the entirety of UAF, as she was on the boys' soccer team and wanted to stay there. -in dating Julie, Ben had to explain to her that she was female. Julie tells her that all the girls at school already knew and were keeping it from the boys collectively. -Ben's wig remains a constant until Omniverse, where the wig is suddenly switched out for red-brown hairdye, explaining the sudden messiness of Ben's Omniverse hair in contrast to Ben's super neatened UAF hair, as her hair is actually quite spiky. -as of Omnierse, Ben is no longer on the soccer team, and thus no longer hides her sex/gender. Regardless, people continue to assume she's male and she's too tired of correcting people at this point.

I also discussed it with another friend and we decided that the wings likely occurred as a result of some torture Servantis decided to put Ben under after losing, giving Ben the same treatment he gave to the other Rooter kids. He made sure it was the most painful transformation he could give, as forcing a body to suddenly grow wings it's not built to have has got to hurt. The wings are on her base form, meaning that with or without the omnitrix, the wings are a feature Ben's body just has. She does not like them or enjoy having them, and got none of the instincts associated with their use. That said, she does manage to figure out how to more or less "put them away" such that they technically aren't even present until she wills them back. She specifically does not know how to fly with them, forgets she has them constantly, and eventually gets forced to learn how to at least glide horribly with them by family and friends. Inevitably this leads to many hilarious gags about having huge awkward limbs Ben doesn't know how to control, including but not limited to smacking Rook in the face with them, as well as Ben at some point being in free fall, then slapping the omnitrix to get a flying alien, only for Rook to be like, "You have wings in human form. Why do you not use those?" and Ben just facepalming and responding with, "I forget they're there!"

Also, Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Strong were still her voice actors with zero changes.

Here are some screenshot mockups that I made shortly after having the dream back in 2022:

It was also later decided (heavily based on the color of her hair and wings, which were both an ash/light tan color) that her wings and hair color came from genetic infusion with peafowl specifically, thus also explaining Ben's fear of peacocks.

[egg-emperor]

Do you prefer the name Eggman or Robotnik? Personally, I don't understand why people in the fandom get so upset about him being called Eggman. I just accept the fact that a character has two names and it doesn't mean his real name is no longer Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Eggman is just a silly nickname that he adopted for himself. I call him Eggman since I grew up in an era where he called himself that. I also never got the argument that it's hard to take him seriously when he calls himself Eggman. Eggman being a silly name doesn't change the fact that he has committed terrorist attacks, conquered planets, blew up the moon as a warning (no fandub plz), and literally shattered the earth into pieces in Unleashed. If aliens visited a thousand years from now and found out that the world was conquered by someone named Eggman, I'd be embarrassed lmao. The beauty of Eggman is that he can be both silly and serious. I don't think Eggman being 100% serious is the way to go with his character. Eggman being silly makes his darker moments stick out more. That's why Eggman threatening the Zeti in Lost World is considered the standout cutscene to most people.

I don't really have "preference" per say in terms of liking them, I like both. They've established in canon that Robotnik is supposed to be his birth surname and of course I'm not gonna say that isn't good. I think it's cool. But I'm sure it's obvious what my preference is in like referring to him as I call him Eggman almost exclusively, unless I'm talking about his younger self pre Eggman name story wise, where I will just call him Ivo Robotnik for obvious reasons

I've never understood or felt strongly about the debate. I've been a fan since 2005 so he'd already been known as Eggman in western media for years by then. But what I do find most ridiculous is the truth is, he was always called Eggman in Japan and he's their character. Since his very creation he's been Eggman, it predates Robotnik factually. Then both names have been known to the world for as long as each other, just in different parts of it

Robotnik was literally initially just something the west decided to call him to make him sound cooler or more villainous seeming or something, just like any redesigns they attempted. But he didn't need those to be evil, it's his actions and personality that makes him evil, not his name and appearance, which is really cool and I love that. But it's actually the one thing the west did with him without SoJ/Sonic Team JP's involvement that I like

I like how it's the one thing SoJ/Sonic Team JP decided to roll with too. It was a great idea to make Robotnik the family name and Eggman his nickname. I like what it represents, he takes something used to poke fun at his weight and embraced it, took away the power of it being an insult and put a new power of his own to it. It says a lot about his self love and emphasizes his serious threat status, if one is to make the grave mistake of underestimating him due to his name just like his appearance

He was always called Eggman in Japan. If you really wanted to get technical, it's really his one true name. His creations always had Egg in the titles too, so it really all made a lot more sense in JP before English. Now even after they decided to adapt Robotnik into the canon in all languages, Eggman obviously remains his main defining name. The character himself calls himself Eggman exclusively now in English too and has for as long as I've been a fan so I do too

So yeah I'll use them interchangeably, Robotnik if talking about him before he took on the nickname but that's very rare so I near exclusively call him Eggman. I don't mind people calling him Robotnik if they just have a preference but it's bothersome if they act like Eggman is a terrible name and bad change when really it wasn't a change at all as he was always called that really. I lol when commenters get mad at my video titles of classic Eggman on YouTube

And yeah I'm a massive defender of both humorous and silly but also seriously evil threat Eggman. That's how he really is in game canon and I love every part of him. It's really awesome that he can be so serious, threatening, and badass but also have a very entertaining funny silly side, and how often the two can overlap in his crazy dramatic showmanship, presentation, and wacky interests with an evil streak. And such extreme devastating evil being committed by a funny egg shaped man named Eggman is epic XD

Him being a guy who looks super serious, acts super serious at all times, and only has one less unique and striking name (as cool as the name Robotnik is), would lack a lot of the charm and uniqueness he has as Eggman. It really does compliment and emphasize his evil very well when the same guy who can be goofy and silly is also the guy doing thrilling badass evil and causing great fear and devastation to the world. The contrast and suddenness of the switch at times can make some of his best moments, like Lost World

So I love him having a silly sounding name, appearance, and actions so much, they don't take away from his evil and seriousness and level of threat, unless one simply isn't paying attention. I'm the biggest defender of it and it's one of the reasons why I defend the name too. Besides it literally being his original name anyway, suiting his appearance very well, reflecting his self love and confidence, and just being very charming all around. Plus it can really just emphasize his if it makes someone underestimate him! 💜🥚

[drippingheart]

Firm fortitude. Malleable mind. Nothing was truly set in stone, for even the stone itself eroded and became weathered over time. What's done is done — the attitude of a child, of a toddler, who knew neither tears nor wishes could bring back the dead and create happy days out of nothing. If wishes came true, the world would truly be a wonderful place; children would be with their parents, and children would be with their siblings. Wake up, wake up, wake up. No, Fushiguro Megumi was not wishing for such a thing was futile, wasted breath — he was merely talking to his sister.

Fushiguro Tsumiki was the strongest person he knew, genuinely. Stronger than even the revered six eyes and limitless user for her smiles and hers alone were brimming with unflinching compassion and positivity even after all that happened to her, to them. Megumi was nothing without Tsumiki. The last thread of familial bond was wound so tightly upon his digit yet became thin and strained with time. Red thread connecting people's lives, sharing the crimson qualities of blood. Blood. Already bruised from the conclusion of another school fight, the tender flesh gave way with ease under the ministrations of a curse.

He knew well of the origin of curses having been taught thoroughly by none other than Gojō Satoru, yet it seemed the thunderous clouds hanging above the teenager's head attracted the the very same creatures who were birthed from foul feelings. It was good. Megumi needed it. The two curses which found him were nothing which warranted a call to his benefactor @thehonoredwon, and they were rather simple to exorcise despite the abrasions to his flesh and the uncomfortable trickle of blood. Drip, drip. It followed the curve of philtrum, over his cupid's bow, and dripped down to stain the tips of digits scarlet.

The red thread connecting people. As if transfixed, malachite eyes did not move away from the sight of the droplets marring his flesh and dripping further to mark the concrete ground with macabre breadcrumbs. People, rightfully, ignored the sight of what appeared to be a mere student delinquent. No one wanted to help him, and Megumi certainly did not want any of their help . . including that of the strange sorcerer with fox-like eyes. Though if Megumi really thought about it, the sorcerer had not outright offered any help save for obscure words. Getō Suguru had lost two curses.

Two curses which he had plucked away from the heads of two frightened children who had appeared at his temple, along with their guardians, much in a way a physician would clinically remove a wart. Quick and painless. The children were certainly overjoyed, and what did the parents give him? Nothing but a few thousand yen as offering. Pathetic. The little cockroaches had served their purpose, and the weak curses had served theirs as well. Everything serves a grand purpose such as the words with rolled from tongue and lips with great care.

── ❛ What a familiar face you have. Most sorcerers do come from prominent lineages of families. ❜

The casual air of voice matched that of appearance. Suguru purposefully forwent with the typical flair of his gojo-gesa and geta, instead he donned plain civilian clothes matching more of the style of his teenager years than a man in his prime. It seemed fitting at the moment. All Megumi knew was it was a strange encounter from someone who what? wished to be friends with another sorcerer despite their age differences? Forming connections with people was certainly not Megumi's forte, but he was not entirely dense nor thought himself alien compared to humans and sorcerers. He simply . . did not care for it. The man's words continued to echo about inside the teenager's mind though.

── ❛ Fushiguro Toji! Ah, that's right. It's all clicking in my head. I knew him once, yes. Gojō Satoru was acquainted with him as well . . ❜

It couldn't have been. He never heard of him. Didn't know that name; didn't remember what his father looked like outside of the old sketches he used to produce as a toddler . . just dark scribbles of a man with onyx hair walking away. Megumi knew boredom, frustration, anger, and peace ( with his shikigami ), but heart-lurching surprise caught him by surprise. With blood beginning to drip down from his nose, a million thoughts ran through the child's mind while Suguru watched, quite pleased with himself. Megumi knew those devious eyes were hiding something.

No person approached another with such nonchalance for nothing. Despite the calm expression and even calmer posture of the stranger, Megumi felt he was being trapped. Trapped for what? Ensnared and injured. Satoru built him up to his one of his strongest allies what with the ten shadows technique, but at that moment, with heart hammering in his heart, he genuinely felt his age. And Suguru left him like that, feigning important business to tend to as a means to leave, but not leaving without a —

── ❛ Sorcerers should stick together. Maybe we'll cross paths and chat more in the future~ ❜

Megumi's belly was coiled snaked. Acid bubbling up. The snare was wound around his ankle and perhaps that too was crimson coloured. Threads upon threads. With frustration, the teenager elevated the sleeve of his uniform to scrub against his nose. It didn't matter; his uniform was already a mess from fighting, and he was bound to get suspended anyway. He snapped his eyes away from the sight of the blood and continued the lonely march home to an apartment barren of life. Once inside, shoes were kicked off and not placed neatly on the shoe rack.

His sling bag was discarded, too, without much a care by the door. Alone, he stripped himself of his soiled uniform and dumped the fabric into the washing machine. In the shower he scrubbed himself red and raw until the scrapes of his flesh screamed as if he could erase the strange encounter with the unknown man. He could not. The words and those eyes stayed with him throughout the night as he spent the afternoon and night in the tiny apartment he shared with Tsumiki, completely drowned in darkness. They stayed with him the next day, and the day after, until Megumi finally bothered to retrieve his mobile device and shot an SMS message to his benefactor: 'can we talk about Tsumiki?'.

[air-in-words]

Anastasia: SortingHatChats

Hey, guys, I back now.

Anastasia time.

So, as a DISCLAIMER: THIS FILM IS A WORK OF FICTION. I highly recommend looking into the actual history behind the film if you're interested!

Here we go!

(I seem to recall there being a sorting already posted of Anastasia, but I remember disagreeing with most of it? Absolutely no offense meant to whoever originally posted it! These are just my two cents!)

ANASTASIA/ANYA

BADGER PRIMARY

Anya's entire storyline revolves around the ideas of "family," "home," and "belonging." Not just her own, personal family (which would be Snake,) not necessarily the home she remembers being born into (as far as she knows, she's an orphan,) and not only her own state of belonging. She deals in the concept of these things as though they were basic necessities: everyone should want them, and she wants them because everyone needs them in order to be whole. This is truth to her, full stop.

Anya: "Do you think you're gonna miss it?"

Dimitri: "Miss what, your talking?

Anya: "No! Russia."

Dimitri: "Nope."

Anya: "But it was your home!"

Dimitri: It was a place I once lived. End of story."

Anya: "Well, then you must plan on making Paris your true home."

Dimitri: "What is it with you and homes?!"

Anya: "Well, for one thing, it's something that every normal person wants!"

This is not a belief system, nor is it a conclusion she's come to. It's something that is such a part of her make up as a human being, that to imagine that another person doesn't care about the concept of a "true home" or "true community" is downright disturbing to her. Her desire for "home, love, family" is not her trying to seek out individuals she already knows, but to find the space she came from, filled with strangers she's never met, but who she believes will accept her through the power of community. It reads very animated Hercules, often dreaming of a far off place where a voice keeps saying, THIS is where I'm meant to be. Badger Primaries love the idea of having a secret family they've never met that will swoop in and carry them away, loving them unconditionally, when the world immediately around them has been so cruel. Lonely Badger Primaries are the perfect characters to fall in love with the idea of being long lost royalty. The main character arc Anya goes through is learning that family is not just the people who gave birth to you: Found family is not only just as powerful, but can become even moreso over time. This is the same moral the animated Hercules learns! Belonging and community is created and watered like a garden: If you keep searching for your perfect, idealized community, you might miss the one forming right before your eyes.

LION SECONDARY

It doesn't take long to pin Anya as a rather loud Lion Secondary. She is unafraid to voice her opinions, and often does so in a blunt and unashamed way. SShe absolutely DESPISES lying, and she is the first to take the easiest, most straight forward way out.

Dimitri: (trying to detach a traincar after breaking multiple tools) "COME ON, there's gotta be something in there better than this!!"

Anya: (wordlessly hands Dimitri a stick of lit dynamite)

Dimitri: "That'll work!"

What this movie actual shows is an interesting, not as often explored aspect of the Badger Lion, which is how the brash and straightforward nature of the Lion Secondary can work against the desires of the Badger Primary. Anya longs for nothing more than home and community, but often inadvertently (and not so inadvertently) alienates those around her with her cutting phrasing. It takes a more grounded, good listener like Vlad to see past Anya's brashness almost immediately, understanding the intentions behind her bravado.

Vlad: "I see an engaging and fiery young woman, who on a number of occasions has shown a regal command equal to any royal in the world!"

DIMITRI

SNAKE PRIMARY (Initially Burnt)

Dimitri's storyline is a bit deeper than many people might initially realize. What we're looking at is a Snake Primary who, at a very young age, tried to save one of their People (the Princess Anastasia, for whom he is implied to have either a childhood friendship with or just a faraway crush,) and failed, horribly. In fact, they failed to the point that they believe they are at least partially to blame for the death of that Person. That's about as deep and dark of a hole as a Snake Primary can fall into, so the Snake Primary will, naturally, Burn and find new, non-Person things to fill that void. Namely, recognition and fortune.

Dimitri: "Imagine the reward her dear old grandmama will pay!"

Of course,this could point to Glory Hound Lion, just as easily. If not for his Snake Primary sneaking in at every possible moment. The line following that one above is:

Dimitri: "Who else could pull it off but you and me?"

The "you" in question being Vlad, the only other Person Dimitri has allowed in (and by "allowed in," I always assumed got so tired of Vlad actively FORCING HIMSELF into Dimitri's life that he acquiesced and decided to just let him stay.) But, Dimitri's obsession with the Princess Anastasia continues, against all odds. His latest con? Directly Princess Anastasia related. Is it enough for the woman they hire to play her be "good enough?" NO. She has to be PERFECT. They hold AUDITIONS, and Dimitri is the perfect person to be on the board, because Dimitri still knows her intimately well, even after all these years. Such as hum recognizing Anastasia's face in Anya's right from the start. Thus, comes Dimitri's initial inner turmoil in regards to Anya: Are his feelings just projection? Is he attracted to her JUST because she looks like Anastasia? Is he ACTUALLY that obsessed? All those questions become moot when Anya is revealed to truly be Anastasia, though Dimitri finds himself where he was as a boy. From this point on in the movie, pretty much every motivation/choice Dimitri makes revolves around the fact that Anya IS Anastasia, and that he is going to give her what she wants and deserves, no matter what it takes. Even if that means keeping himself away from her romantically. His character arc revolves around forgiving himself for what he perceived as a dire mistake against one of his People, which is a ROUGH arc for a Snake to go through.

Dimitri: "Paris holds the key to her past. Yes, Princess, I've found you at last! No more pretend. You'll be gone, that's the end..."

SNAKE SECONDARY

Dimitri is actually quite a good con, all things considered. He manages to trick Anya into thinking they have train tickets when they DEFINITELY do not, and he keeps the reward under wraps for the entirety of their trip. Not just that, but dodging around obstacles instead of facing them head on is his most natural state. As a child, he is seen sneaking out of the kitchens (where be belongs) and automatically offering the servants' quarters as a means of escape, which is extremely clever and resourceful. Dimitri tries to charm and placate Anya at every turn, trying to keep her naturally explosive personality under wraps.

Anya: "The baggage car...? There wouldn't be anything wrong with our papers now, would there, maestro..?"

Dimitri: "Of course not, Your Grace! It's just that I hate to see you forced to mingle with all those commoners..."

But, we spend most of the film seeing Dimitri forced out of his comfort zone by both the situation and Anya's combative Lion Secondary, so he's often seen conspiratorially complaining to Vlad while in his Neutral State or just outright losing his temper and yelling. But, this never comes first, and his plans and plots are always somewhat circumventing. During the train derailment, his plans are to jump off, disconnect the train cars, and just wait until the train coasts to a stop. All pretty passive/out of the box thinking. When he IS shown trying to face someone head on, he is always unsuccessful: Trying to fight for Anastasia during the siege only to be immediately knocked out, trying to take on Rasputin directly and being tossed aside pretty easily. Comparatively, Anya/Anastasia is shown to be successful when she is upfront and combative: Getting away from Rasputin as a child by kicking him in the face, ultimately defeating Rasputin by straight up smashing his reliquary.

VLAD

LION PRIMARY

Vlad is a pretty classic Paragon Lion Primary. He wants to do what is Good and Right and doesn't what is Bad and Wrong. For what reason would he wind up as a con artist as a Paragon Lion, though? Even for Paragon Lions, what is Good and Right to THEM can go against what the collective believes is good and right.

Vlad: "That's what I hate about this government. Everything is in red!"

Yes, the above line is also meant to be a coded message for Dimitri, but Vlad thinks the government has overstepped his moral boundaries and has chosen to step outside the usual bounds to follow his own morals. Part of those morals involve guiding those he believes are lost, thus, his "adoption" of Dimitri, a very lost young man with little direction. He tries to act as Dimitri's "moral compass" until Dimitri finds his own direction again. He does the same for Anya when she comes into their group, trying to lead her towards the possibility of finding her home, while gently guiding her away from focusing on her "past."

Vlad: "There is nothing left for you back there, my dear. Everything is in Paris."

He stands up for what he believes in, and inserts himself constantly when he believes Dimitri is wrong. Letting him know when he's "walking away too soon" or when he "has to talk to her" even if she's a Princess and Dimitri's a Kitchen Boy.

BADGER SECONDARY

Vlad is one of the kindest, most lovingly genuine characters I've encountered in fiction, and I mean with that with all my heart. He is consistently gentle and understanding with the people he comes across, and is always even-tempered and fair. Compare Vlad and Dimitri's reactions to finding Anya skulking around their home:

Dimitri: (shouting, from across the room) "HEY! What are you doing in here?! HEY! STOP!"

Vlad: (coming in at a light jog, holding up his hand politely) "Excuse me, child!"

Vlad always assumes the best from whomever he's interacting with, and is excellent at getting to the root of what's bothering a person. He actively tries to make everyone in his company comfortable, and will often make soft jokes or observations in an attempt to lighten the mood. His Lion Primary makes him unable to entirely give in when he knows what's going on is wrong, but his Badger Secondary gives him the skills to broach those uncomfortable topics with grace and eloquence.

Vlad: (gives Dimitri the most fatherly, loving hug in all of animation) "Ahhh, my boy... you are making a mistake."

TL;DR

Anya/Anastasia: Badger Lion

Dimitri: Double Snake

Vlad: Lion Badger

And, there we go! Anastasia was one of my absolute FAVORITE movies as a child, so I've really enjoyed getting an opportunity to sort them! Let me know your thoughts! :)