#i am and have always been avatar garbage

[sword-and-stars]

I’m a simple bitch with simple needs, and one of those needs is Fire Lord Zuko dressed like a harlot with his fire lordly titties out a la Wei Wuxian.

[starres-stuff]

Yesterday I watched something that had been part of my XIV life for three years fall apart. There was a mixed well of emotions that bubbled and boiled inside of me the good, the bad and the downright ugly. It was hard to watch this as the people inside of this place were there when Covid hit, many prayed for me when I was hospitalized last year and almost lost my life. It wasn't always the best, it wasn't always the nicest but it was a huge part of my life something I didn't actually consider until I watched it all fall apart.

Change comes and change goes. Memories are ghosts that haunt the mind. In the end it was people who brought it there not because they were tired, not because they were burnt out but because they were malicious and cruel.

One thing that stuns me is how easy it is to forget there are people on the other side of the screen. No you can't see them, you can't drive on by for a visit most of the time but these are real people. They are people who touch your life with their stories ic and ooc. They are people who are there when your life goes to hell and who are there to celebrate with you when things go great. They are as real as that person you can reach out and touch. To those of us who are empaths and energy workers we even learn that the spirit can transcend the physical form and far away is only as far as you make it.

We laugh with these internet friends, we cry with them. We stay up all night even though we have a busy morning to make sure they are okay. We think about them when a song comes on the radio or when we think of two of ocs and their ship. We love these people in many different ways and many different seasons.

But yet.. so many treat these internet friends like they aren't important, like they are disposal, like it is okay to toss them aside or okay to hurt them because "they aren't real" the thing is they have a heart beat just like you and somewhere they are sitting in the dark wondering what they did wrong.

The XIV community can be hell to navigate and I don't just mean the RPers, the Modders or even the Raiders. I mean the whole thing. Every day I see someone calling out someone else or someone pulling screenshots out of their ass to use in some narrative they concocted.

Stop..

For five minutes just stop look at the people who have touched your life in game. Those people who send you messages every day to see how you are feeling or compliment you on your latest gpose. Those people who eagerly wait to rp with you again or want to hear about your stories for your ocs. See those people? Their avatars on your screens or in your pictures. Those are real people sitting in a chair somewhere in the world wanting to make friends and be accepted so life feels just a little bit better.

It's okay to love them you know, or admit that you need them in your life. What's not okay is treating them like garbage to the point that they have been treated so poorly they quit the game all together and never plan to return.

Betrayal is not okay. Weaponizing something someone tells you in confidence is not okay. I don't care if it is offline or online. It is not okay to use people's life stories to hurt others especially when you called them friend for so long.

Today I am sad. I don't like change. I don't like when the friend that has been there for years suddenly leaves my life to start another path and I certainly hate lack of closure for it leaves a hole to fester inside the mind and the heart that is never filled no matter how hard you try. Today that place I knew for so long is in shambles. People have left, I have left.

Please just be a little kinder to those internet people around you. It doesn't matter how far apart we are when we look out the window we see the same sun, the same moon and the same stars. We are all people in the same place. Distance means nothing but hope does. These are real lives and real people. Be a little softer, a little kinder and a little gentler.

[lalazeewrites]

Ahhh, thank you so much for tagging me in such a fun quiz! I am LOVING reading everyone's answers! All of you make me smile so much 😍 @stocious @shinygalaxyperson @energievie 😍

what are some movie / tv quotes that you quote often?

"Keep it secret, keep it safe!" - LOTR (any time I hand anybody anything) "What, like it's hard?" - Legally Blonde A million quotes from Arrested Development, Seinfeld, and Simpsons, because I'm annoying.

what is your favorite flower?

Iris, tulip, daffodil, bleeding hearts.

if you were in avatar: the last airbender what element would you want to bend? earth, fire, water or air?

Water!

what was your first job?

An ice cream shop where I had to sing full length songs about ice cream and also sing every time I got tipped.

what is your favorite breakfast?

Difficult! I'm a breakfast PERSON as a LIFE RULE. I eat breakfast food often more than once a day. Maybe a giant waffle with all three of the fruits. Although my local place does a waffle with bacon and chocolate that I love. But when I say that, I miss meat. You see my problem. Scottish square sausage is the best sausage.

what’s a meal from childhood that you love?

Going fishing with my dad, he'd clean the fish outdoors (or have me scale & gut them), and then he'd fry them til super crisp over the fire, cooking in a pan with masses of butter and salt.

what’s your favorite joke to tell?

My kid is the joke-teller, I'm funny on the fly/in banter.

what’s your favorite animal to see at the zoo?

The reptile & amphibian house!

what’s your go to quick meal to cook / make at home?

Packet ramen that I load up with egg, meat, veggies etc. Chocolate chip pancakes. Omelets with whatever filling is in the fridge.

what’s your go to meal to cook someone to impress them?

Shrimp red curry from scratch, lamb & okra curry (recipe from my Pakistani ex-father-in-law), lasagna.

what’s something you want to do better?

I don't know. I try to be kind to myself and not give myself expectations that may fail, and rather try and work toward a general goal. Like, I would like to continue to learn and grow in handling my PTSD, triggers, and symptoms in a healthy way.

if you’re working do you like your job?

Yup! I love it! I haven't been able to work in 6 months, because of my spine injury, but I'll be back once I heal from surgery. I work at my daughter's grammar school as a recess and lunch monitor, so I get to see her every day, as well as her friends. We have a good time!

do you collect anything? what?                                              

I of course collect all my concert tickets. I collect horror movies, like I have hundreds of horror DVDs, a lot of them obscure (and many of them not). I've been collecting different editions of Anne Rice books since I was 11yrs old.

if you were trapped in a kids tv show, what show would you be okay with being trapped in?

Sailor Moon!

an adults tv show?

God, all the shows I watch & love are all so fucking fraught with Horrors LOL Can I be on Supernatural as long as y'all promise I don't end up like all the other women on the show?

what kind of job did you want as a child?

I wanted to be a garbage lady!!! I wanted to actively help save the environment lol. So, I was always really happy when the garbage people came along to take away the trash and recycling. Later, I wanted to go into zoology. (Didn't do any of those things, I got a scholarship in Theater & Arts lol)

do you follow any sports? what team do you root for?

GLASGOW CELTICS MON THE CELTICS

if you could be any animal what would you be and why?

I've always wanted to be a sea turtle! Drifting and dreaming through the pretty seas and having a million lovely beautiful babies.

if you could be any mythological creature what would you be and why?

Probably like a pan. Y'know, with the goat legs, playing music all day and getting drunk, partying with the other forest fae.

what’s the most obscure thing you’ve had to google for a fanfic you were writing/reading?

I was definitely googling how nuclear power reactors function for Star Trek fic and learned more than I imagined I would lol.

what milkovich do you identify with most?

Ooof, of course Mickey. Growing up terrified of a severely abusive father who would snap at the smallest thing, having an eastern european immigrant family, growing up with anger issues but being excessively soft on the inside, and hey, my parents are chicago born-bred folks (first generation american).

which one are you actually like the most?

ughhhhh. . .Why I gotta decide?! Mickey lol.

what gallagher do you identify with most? 

Fiona. She had to deal with Frank the most. My dad is a lot a lot a lot like Frank (narcisstic alcoholic genius level asshole who is happy to abandon their kid & make them feel bad about it instead of taking responsibility), to the point where I will sometimes get triggered by his presence in an episode and have to stop watching for months at a time when I was first watching the show. She's always trying her best to be everything for everyone, usually to the detriment of her own personal identity and happiness. She's absolutely easily the most like me.

 which one are you actually like the most?

No, still Fiona lol

[sword-and-stars]

This is all you need to know about chapter six.

[sword-and-stars]

A rootin’ and a tootin’.

[books-and-catears]

It's me snow, (finally got mammon on a leash again), I had a random idea. What abt a MC that LOVES Solomon's cooking and HATES/DESPISES Barbatos's cooking (ik they has horrible taste). How would the dateables and brothers react to this?

This is ...This ask is ... PRICELESS! ABSOLUTE CRACK HEADCANON YES! I shall write about this with great love thank you for this!

Lucifer

Are human tastes always this peculiar?

How very strange and bewildering

Liking Solomon's food was one thing, MC but not liking Barbatos's food is simply bizarre-

Are you pretending? Is this some sort of joke Satan and Belphie are asking you to play?

*shakes in head in utter disapproval*

No? What a disaster. Now he has to cancel all the dinner dates he was planning to take you to-

Mammon

HUMAN WHAT THE HELL-

He is 1000% sure Solomon must have cast some dark magic over your taste buds

MC, you can't be serious? Is this a human thing? For real?

What do you mean he's crazy for not like Solomon's food!?? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S CRAZY FOR LIKING IT!

You won't even taste Barb's food? The SMELL bothers you???

Is also slightly jealous of Solomon so he sneaks in the kitchen to steal his recipes.

Leviathan

Now what kind of normie behaviour is this?

It's one thing to have bad taste in forms of entertainment but to have LITERAL BAD TASTE-

MC, are you sick in the head? Did Solomon do something to you?

Wow you actually gobbled up Solomon's dish within minutes and you won't even look at Barbatos's dish...

Is 90% convinced he's fallen into some parallel dimension where you apparently have disastrous taste.

Satan

This...is rather peculiar. But also interesting.

Turns you into his research guinea pig and makes dishes of varying degrees of bad to see exactly what your taste is

Is rather pissed off when you say Solomon makes it best

Fine then he'll conjure up the most vile and disgusting he can-

Is somehow both satisfied and confused when you say it's his best work

Why are you like this MC...

Has Solomon perhaps cursed the food so that only humans like it?

Asmodeus

MC, how can such a pretty face have such ugly tastes?!! It just doesn't add up!

Solomon what did you do to MC?! Undo it immediately!

But look at Barbatos's food MC!! It's just as pretty as it tastes and Solomon's on the other hand-

This doesn't sit well with him at all. He simply can't tolerate this MC!

Takes Beel's help in trying to find something that might truly better your taste buds.

Beelzebub

*suprised Beelkachu face* :O

MC, he is literally the Avatar of Gluttony and he can't even have it-

MC, you will get really really sick please for his sake don't have Solomon's food-

He's glad you give him your share of Barbatos's food but he feels so guilty for letting you eat all of Solomon's food

Like the only thing he leaves untouched in the fridge is Solomon's food and now you are finishing that up too?!!

Belphegor

It's been a long long time since he last mingled with humans but he can bet his sleep they weren't this strange.

MC that is straight up repulsive, it's making the flies and rats go away, MC no-

Tells Beel to snatch the plate away from you, but you simply won't budge.

Works with Satan to try and improve your taste using magic but it's no use-

You better not cuddle with him before you wash off the smell of that food.

Solomon

After all these years, he's finally found his soulmate.

This man simps for you harder than anybody else. Noone else appreciates his creativity like you

Sneaks into your room at night with his latest and bizarre creations

Blushes and supresses his urges to marry you right there when you smile and enjoy his food with such excitement

Lucifer, I am taking MC to Purgatory Hall. No this is not a request.

Barbatos

Oh this demon is scared of you. Yes all the powerful time controling demon is scared of you.

You're like a giant rat who feasts on garbage in his eyes

He cannot hate you, you're too nice for that but he despises Solomon and your corrupted taste buds with a passion

Just for the sake of experimentation and impressing you, he tries to make one of Solomon's dishes but-

NEVER AGAIN

Diavolo

*enter Diavolo's laugh track*

This is so hilarious to him. Who knew humans could be this interesting?!

Becomes very observant of you and Solomon and your spectacularly peculiar tastes.

How can you both gobble up something that looks and tastes that cursed?

Wonders if this is how all humans are?!

He actually notes down Solomon's recipes for other humans that he might invite in the future, while Lucifer and Barbatos plan to steal those notes and burn them-

Simeon

Dear Lord above, give him strength not to lose his sanity over these two humans

MC, who corrupted you this way, give him names, he will punish them generously

He thought it was selfless of you to want to taste Solomon's food so the others didn't have to but now-

MC you might have a kind heart but he's afraid you'll be damned for your tastes

Makes excessive amounts of Celestial food along with Luke to change your tastes

Luke

*traumatized Chihuahua noises*

*holds up a cross while crying meme*

Tries to give Solomon divine punishment twice a week

Prays to Michael for MC's sake

How is MC's taste worse than DEMONS?!!!

[sword-and-stars]

I’m screeching!! This fic is so cute and I’m thrilled that you wrote it for me. ♥️ thank you! What a wonderful thing to wake up to.

My @atla-secret-santa gift for @sword-and-stars!! I really hope you like it!

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: M/M

Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Relationship: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)

Characters: Sokka (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Bending (Avatar), Slice of Life, Fluff, Getting Together, zuko is very tired, All the time, atlasecretsanta2020

Language: English

Words: 6,293

Chapters: 4/4

Summary:  Prompt: In which sleep-deprived Zuko needs a new mattress, and accidentally takes a nap in the mattress store. He wakes up to find that the manager (Sokka), has been using him as free advertising.

[srbachchan]

DAY 5088

Jalsa, Mumbai        ��           Jan 22/23,  2022                   Sat/Sun  1:02 AM

Birthday - EF - Subash Vaid .. Sunday, January 23 .. and wishes for this birthday to you from the Ef family ... ❤️🙏

❤️ , Tomorrow .. Jan 23rd .. is the birthday of the ever caring and one of the gentlest souls in the Extended Family .. Ef Subash Vaid .. who always remembers the anniversaries of everyone .. and ever wishes everyone well .. in the true Spirit of the Ef ..

No there is no wish no desire .. just a need .. and the need to be in the company of them that love and show gratitude .. and many wonder why do I do this connect and how has it lasted for so many DAY’s .. and I tell them to ask you ..

reply then to them and respond ..

the semblance of documentation and bringing order to the disorder in the general conditions about and around me , have been most prominent .. and the intent to condition it , record it , file it , digitise it, and whatever else is the suggested technological formulae in these rapidly changing inventions, is a bother .. for what may be relevant today is becoming irrelevant for tomorrow .. and the morrow and the morrow and the morrow ..

spending some time with those that are in the knowledge of inventions and the latest thought contraptions , one discovers so many aspects of where the world is travelling that it frightens the mind ..

the eventuality is that the human shall eventually be inconsequential .. its avatar shall be in existence that shall be the be all and do all of ourselves .. meaning that an avatar shall be built about that shall do and perform and live like the individual it forms its avatar from .. so the real shall evaporate , and the unreal avatar shall be the recognised real ..

time limitations shall ever prevail .. and in time all shall suddenly become prevalent .. 

I had neglected a bag of buyings that were recent and on in the time of the time .. but on opening it today, found not a single item that was needed or did not have an exceedingly wasted presence .. 

pertinent beyond value when it was acquired .. impertinent now ..

the gadgetry that some have collected through the years , including myself, in its obsolete form does not need requirement at all .. and a shame because they were so needed and valuable then .. and now other invents fat go past them , and thus making them worthy material for the garbage .. !!

and the learning from this is that whatever needs to be obtained in gadget, needs to be used fullest for a period of three months and then replaced , thrown out or just kept on the streets for the garbage van to collect ..

It shall not be long before this form of mine .. the AB .. shall find itself on the pick up queue , because the avatar shall have taken over .. 

love and good night .. from the me .. me AB .. 

just confirming before you start to think the other has taken over ..

Amitabh Bachchan       

DAY 5088(i) translate in Arabic

جلسة، مومباي       السبت/الأحد       ٢٢/ ٢٣ يناير ٢٠٢٢          الساعة ١:٠٢ بعد منتصف الليل قد يكون من غير المنصف أن أسميها رغبة أو تمنيا .. فهي ليست كذلك .. بل هي حاجة في داخلي .. الحاجة تفوق الرغبة وتفوق التمني .. وأنا أحتاج أن أكون معكم وبصحبتكم ، أنتم الذين تمنحونني الكثير من الحب والعرفان .. أنتم ، أفراد عائلتي الكبيرة ، الممتدة بين ربوع الدنيا شرقا وغربا ، شمالا وجنوبا .. الكثير يسألنني لماذا أقوم بكتابة المدونة بشكل يومي ، وكيف استطعت أن أستمر كل هذه السنوات دون انقطاع .. وأنا أحول أسئلتهم إليكم ، حتى تمنحونهم الجواب والدواء .. إن محاولة توثيق ، وضبط ، وتنسيق الأشياء المبعثرة من حولي والتي تفتقر إلى النظام ، هو ما يسود الحالة العامة هذه الأيام .. أحتاج لتنظيم الأشياء التي تخص عملي وتخصني شخصيا .. فلذلك هناك عزم على ضبطها جميعا وفق نظام يسهل العودة إليها ، ثم تهيئتها ، وتسجيلها ، وحفظها ، ورقمنتها ، والعمل على جعلها متاحة في كل الصيغ التكنولوجية الممكنة ، وفي جميع ما يتم اقتراحه .. إلا أن الاختراعات تستمر في التغير بسرعة كبيرة .. ففي كل يوم ، بل في كل لحظة وثانية ، هناك ابتكار جديد .. وعلي أن أعترف أن هذا أمر مزعج .. فالذي قد يكون مهما اليوم ، غدا يصبح غير مهم على الإطلاق .. وهكذا يكون الأمر بعد غد ، وبعد غد ، وبعد غد .. لتفقد ، في النهاية ، كل الأشياء التي نعرفها أهميتها .. إن قضاء بعض الوقت مع أولئك الذين هم على اطلاع بآخر المستجدات في عالم الاختراع والتكنولوجيا ، قد سمح لي بأن أتكشف على العديد من المجالات ، وأكتشف نحو ماذا يتجه مستقبل العالم .. مستقبل ، أقل ما أقول عنه ، أنه مفزع ومخيف للعقل .. فالذي يحتمل حدوثه أن الكيان البشري في نهاية المطاف سيصبح عديم الشأن .. وسيحل محله الكيان الرقمي ، أو الأفاتار .. وهذا الأفاتار سيصبح هو ”الكل في الكل“ ، وهو الذي سيقوم بكل شيء نيابة عنا .. بمعنى .. أن الشخص عندما يقوم بإنشاء أفاتار في العالم الافتراضي .. فذلك الأفاتار سينوب عنه في فعل كل شيء ، سيعيش مثلما هو ، ويتصرف مثلما هو .. فيتبخر الكيان الحقيقي ويختفي وجود الإنسان .. وتصبح الشخصية الرقمية غير الواقعية هي الحقيقة المعترف بها .. !! .. لابد أن ندرك أن الوقت محدود .. وأن لكل شيء أجل .. هذه حقيقة يجب أن نسلم بها .. فإن لم نفعل ، فسنجدها فجأة واقعة على رؤوسنا .. منذ زمن مضى ، ولكنه زمن ليس ببعيد ، اشتريت أغراضا كانت أحدث ما تم إصداره في ذلك الوقت .. وضعت تلك الأغراض جميعا في حقيبة ، ثم أخذتني الحياة ، ونسيت تلك الحقيبة وأهملتها .. اليوم ، عندما عدت إليها وفتحتها ، وجدتها جميعا قد أصبحت بلا قيمة وبلا فائدة تذكر .. وجدتني لا أحتاج لها .. وقد كانت جميعها تشغل مساحة كبيرة من الغرفة بلا طائل .. كان يمكن استغلال تلك المساحة في شيء أكثر نفعا بدل تضييعها بذلك الشكل! .. لقد كانت ذات أهمية بالغة عندما تم الحصول عليها .. ولكنها الآن لم تعد مهمة .. إن الأجهزة الإلكترونية التي قام البعض بتجميعها عبر السنين ، ومن بينهم أنا .. الآن وقد أصبحت بالية ، فلم يعد لها أية ضرورة .. وهذا أمر مؤسف .. فهذه الأجهزة كان الطلب عليها مرتفعا جدا في وقتها .. ولكن والآن وقد حلت محلها اختراعات أخرى أكثر ”دسامة“ .. فهذا قد جعلها مادة صالحة للقمامة .. !! .. والعبرة التي نتعلمها من كل هذا .. أنه .. عندما تقتني جهازا جديدا .. فيجب عليك أن تستخدمه وتستهلكه بشكل كامل في مدة لا تقل عن ثلاثة أشهر .. بعد ذلك عليك استبداله ، أو الإلقاء به ، أو تركه في الشارع لتجمعه شاحنات القمامة .. لن يمر وقت طويل قبل أن أجد نفسي في طابور الإعتقال .. فحينها قد يكون الأفاتار ، أو تجسدي الرقمي ، هو من استبدل تجسدي البشري ، وتولى زمام الأمور .. لكم حبي .. وتمنياتي بليلة طيبة .. مني أنا .. أميتاب .. فقط أؤكد .. قبل أن يبدأ البعض منكم ، أو ربما جميعكم ، في الاعتقاد أن الآخر ، أقصد الأفاتار ، قد استولى على المدونة .. ولكن قبل أن أغادر .. أحب أن أضيف شيئا .. .. هناك خبر أود أن أشاركه معكم .. .. وإنه لمن دواعي سروري ، أن أعرب عن فخري الكبير بالإنجاز الذي حققه ولدي الحبيب ، أبهيشيك .. حيث ، أنه حسب حسب آخر سبر آراء قامت به مجلة الأنباء ”الهند اليوم“ ، فإن أبهيشيك قد تم تصنيفه نجم المنصات الرقمية الأول في الهند .. وسعادتي لا حد لها .. قد أخجل وأمتنع عن مدح نفسي .. فهذا ليس من شيمي .. ولكني لن أتأخر أبدا عن مدح من هم خاصتي ، والذين ينتسبون لي ، وأنتسب أنا إليهم ، دما وروحا .. فلذلك ، ولدي الحبيب ، أمام كل الدنيا أضمك ، وأغدقك بكل عبارات الثناء والطراء .. تذكر أن دعواتي دائما معك .. من كل قلبي وروحي .. محبتي للجميع ،أميتاب باتشان ..

[sword-and-stars]

A fic in three memes

[kittydemon9000]

The Beginning of Heatstroke, aka Red's Villain Origin

* crashes down from the ceiling * I HAVE FINALLY FINISHED ONE OF MY 5+ CURRENT WRITING PROJECTS! BEHOLD, A WRITTEN VERSION OF THE 'Red's Villain Origin AU', also known as RVO / Heatstroke AU

To summarize the AU for SPBNR for those that don't now it: 

“Who'd be the biggest conspiracy theorist out of the M!Ninja? The one who drinks 5 hour energy at 3am and spits off the craziest theories and then actually gets it right but nobody gives the theory any merit because the rest of the theories are too crazy?”

The answer: Red / M!Kai

Red: Okay hear me out: Smith is actually an alternative version of one of us sent here from another dimension.

The other M!Ninja: You’re just saying that because Smith’s cool and you want him to be your counterpart

Based on the M!ninja making red cork boards trying to figure out ‘What Is Up With Smith’: Red gets increasingly accurate and nobody will believe him (all pre shogun reveal) and he eventually snaps and takes up a secret villain persona to fight Shogun like 'if they won't believe me I'll do it myself' and it gets awkward when he accidentally does too much damage and catches not only Shogun's attention like planned, but also the rest of the Ninjaforce, and now he has to keep his own identity a secret

So, without further ado, I present... Heatstroke

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

Red blamed the 5-hour energy coffee blend at 3:00am for this.

It was no surprise that between ‘Operation: What’s Going on with Smith’ & the sudden appearance of Shogun that the resident Bounty red-stringed ‘joke’ cork-board doubled in size and seriousness. It also was no surprise that Red had a corner all to himself and that his theories were… in the words of the others, ‘wildly inaccurate and implausible’.

But this time, he was sure he’d gotten it right.

Smith is Shogun sent here from another continent/planet/dimension with the goal of protecting Ninjago City.

The latest string of laughs and scoffs at his theory was the last straw. He’d show them. He’d prove it!

Which was why he was currently standing on the roof of a noodle house, awkwardly adjusting the spare motorcycle helmet he’d ‘borrowed’ from Nya and painted black and orangey-yellow (red had seemed too obvious). He’d exchanged his Ninjaforce outfit for a soot-burned cross between a bomber jacket and a leather jacket. Down his back jutted a row of flames like the spines of a monster, courtesy of one of Nya & Jay’s unfinished inventions Red had modified- surely nothing bad would come of that!

For tonight, the Red Ninja was off-duty. For tonight, it was Heatstroke’s turn.

He fiddled with one of the weapons he’d ‘lent out’ from Master Wu. It resembled a small arm canon, like a smaller version of the Ultimate Weapon. The plaque under its post had read ‘Elemental Focuser’, which, in cryptic Wu speak, probably translated to ‘you can use an elemental power like something out of Avatar: The Last Airbender’. So far he’d only figured out how to activate a focused jet of fire. Well, at least it was on brand. He hoped it would help him catch Shogun’s attention so he could unmask him.

He’d tried confronting Smith at school, of course. But there were only so many ways of saying ‘are you the new vigilante helping the ninjas’, and Smith has a genuine talent for dancing around the topic. Red could confront him with the name Shogun to get a proper reaction, but that would mean explaining how he knew the name and outing himself as the Red Ninja.

So fake villainy really was the only way.

His plan was to use the Elemental Focuser to cause some minor petty damage, just enough to attract the new vigilante. Perhaps set a trash can on fire, block an alleyway with rocks (if he figured out how to change the setting from fire to earth), small things that could easily be repaired.

Of course, plans were never actually stuck to. One way or another, something was always improvised.

Red’s improvisation just happened to involve him accidentally setting the entire alleyway on fire.

He’d only been aiming for one dumpster, honest! And maybe he’d spotted a couple fliers for a SoG meeting on the ground and happened to burn those too. And a newspaper article blaming Lloyd for the recent Garmadon attack, again. And an article about those ‘Damn Ninja Menaces’ by a S. Sonah Sameson. And-

Okay, so maybe Red had aimed the fire at a few small targets. But just a few! And with good reason and good care, but…

Well, fire liked to burn. Give it enough kindle and it’ll continue to grow, stretching like reaching branches towards each other to join in a massive bonfire. 

So now the entire alleyway was on fire, and Red was panicking. 

He’d luckily chosen an abandoned part of town near the beaches where Shogun sightings seemed most frequent, but with the stupid Elemental Focuser not switching from fire mode to water mode or ice mode or something that didn’t have the potential to burn Ninjago City to the ground, Red had no way of stopping the flames.

And more flames meant more destruction which meant a bigger audience.

Which was why his previously muted comm suddenly flared to life, the only warning Red had before Nya’s water strider mech slid around the corner.

Red scrambled onto a roof as the mech drove past, spraying water at the bonfire to dose it. His sigh of relief was just as quickly dosed as Lloyd’s voice came over the comms; “Status, Grey?”

“Flames are out,” Nya replied. “Pursing the joker that set it ablaze.”

Uh oh. Red took off across the roof, leaping from building to building. Tiles creaked, pebbled and dust scattering underfoot. The sounds of the mech’s engine roaring behind him echoed through alleyways below to create the illusion the mech was everywhere at once. 

As the chase grew on, more mechs started to join in. Red ducked into a narrow avenue to avoid Zane’s tank, then under a cafe overhang to throw off Jay and Lloyd. His heart hammered in his chest and he groaned, filling the inside of the motorcycle helmet with steam. Saying this was going ‘bad’ would be the understatement of the century. 

What had he been thinking? Oh wait: he hadn’t. Seriously? ‘Oh I’ll just pretend to be a villain real quick, that should get Shogun’s attention and not the attention of literally my entire team of fellow ninjas!’ Stupid, impulsive, this was why everyone was always calling the red ninja the ‘hothead’ when he really tried not to be- Lloyd’s voice over the comms snapped him from his thoughts. “I can’t catch them! It’s like they know our every move!”

Red winced as he climbed up a banister and leapt from balcony to balcony. Sorry, Lloyd. 

He didn’t miss how the others asked Nya where Red was. And how she made up excuses the others bought so easily- granted, he’d told those excuses to his sister before setting his plan into motion, but still, ouch. They acted like he was simply being at best too busy and at worst lazy and selfish.

He just wanted them to know the truth! Why couldn’t they at least try to believe him when-

Of course, that was when Shogun dropped out of the sky and tackled him.

Red shouted with surprise as he tumbled down from the second floor, slamming into a few softer bags of garbage to break his fall before rolling and slamming into the unforgiving concrete. A crack formed in his vision as the visor of his motorbike helmet smacked into the concrete ground. One of the fire jets on his back sputtered and sparked, sending a thin wisp of smoke into the air.

Shogun pinned his wrists to the ground and growled. “Who are you?”

Red tried to break free, agony turning his muscles and bones to fire with the movement after his fall, but the vigilante was too strong. Damn, how often did this guy train?

“Who am I?” Red said, a nervous tinge to his voice. He quickly smoothed it over with faked confidence. “Who are you? Who are all of us, really?”

Shogun narrowed his eyes behind his hood. “Did Garmadon send you? Or someone else?”

Red sputtered. Really, the nerve! Garmadon? The thought turned his insides to disgusting mud. “Nobody sent me!”

“Then why are you here?” Shogun spat.

“Why am I here?” Why was he here again? Oh right, the bright idea on how to reveal that Shogun was Smith. “It’s, uh… a valid reason! That I don’t have to tell you!” He tried for a villainous laugh. Stay in character, don’t blow your cover, you got this!

Shogun was unimpressed. “Nearly burning down my home was a valid reason?”

“Well, I wasn’t trying to set everything on- wait, WHAT?” Uh oh. “You LIVE here?”

Now it was Shogun’s turn to look uncomfortable, though the expression was quickly wiped from his face. “Nothing wrong with this district.” 

Red nodded. “‘Course not. Uh, sorry about that… wasn’t my intention, I swear.”

Shoot, he could hear Jay’s jet getting closer. He had to get out of here, but Shogun, annoyingly, didn’t seem to be in the mood to simply let him go. “Then what is your intention?”

“Well, for starters, it’s getting out of here. This really isn’t going to plan and I’d rather just be home right now, or even inventing a time machine like in that book ‘Hands of Time’ to slap my past self in the face for even thinking about this stupid idea in the first place-“

Jay wasn’t the only one that could ramble under pressure, it seemed.

Shogun leaned closer. “What idea?”

Red shrugged as best he could with how he was pinned to the ground. “Well, for starters, I just wanted to prove to my friends that you’re Smith, and things just kinda escalated from-”

The words were out of his mouth before he realized what he said. 

Shogun lurched back, letting go of him. His eyes betrayed a kaleidoscope of emotions; surprise, worry, suspicious, hurt, fear, realization. 

“…Kai?”

Well, f!ck.

“I-“

Red was about to badly attempt to bullsh!t his way out of his identity reveal before it suddenly dawned on him that Shogun had not denied his theory. 

Which meant Shogun was Smith.

And it also meant Smith instantly recognized him as Kai, which, considering his disguise, was aptly concerning. Sure, he was the first one in his group of friends people would think to do something this extreme but give him some credit! Zane was a regular detective, he’d do the same if it meant answers! Or, well, at least something similar. And Nya could be an adrenaline seeker. And Lloyd- well, maybe not Lloyd. Or Jay, either. Cole had his head just enough on his shoulders that he probably wouldn’t do this either.

But come on, instantly guessing it?

Well, at least Smith/Shogun didn’t know Kai was the Red Ninja. That would be a catastrophe.

Right. Back to the current catastrophe at hand.

Shogun- Smith- still had a look as if he’d been slapped, and Red hated it. He hadn’t meant to hurt his friend. Shogun… Shogun hadn’t wanted them to find out his identity. And then Red had gone and done it, just to prove that he could be the smart one, or a leader, or the protector so they didn’t get hurt, or literally anything but just the ‘hotheaded one’. 

…And he’d done it in the most hotheaded, impulsive way possible.

He really was an idiot.

The cracked helmet hid the look on his face, a twisted mess of distraught and shame. But it didn’t help hide how he took stumbled to his feet and away from Smith, nervous that any second he’d spill another mistake and mess up again, like how he always freaking messed up on everything. Don’t pick this fight, interject there instead, no, not there, idiot, there, FMS why are you so useless-

Focus, focus.

Lloyd’s voice, sharp in the intercom and full of static from his tumble, snapped him from his thoughts. “Anyone got eyes on the arsonist?”

Red caught Smith’s eye as he raised his hand to his own communicator. He was so screwed, so busted, so doomed… Smith would report it, and the others would know, and they’d think he was just messing around in an alleyway with some stolen devices and weapons out of curiosity or rage, - and-

“None yet, still looking.”

…What?

Smith stared at him, gaze searching. He looked shaken, more so than Red- who’d just taken a fall from a second story, mind you, it was a miracle he wasn’t more injured than a couple small scrapes and some future bruises-, yet everything from the set of his jaw to the softening of his furrowed brows suggested a change in emotions. Well, not quite change; more like repress and replace.

“You wanted to prove yourself, didn’t you.”

Red flushed, hand instinctually clamping into a tight fist at his side. The still-working fire jets on his back ignited without him pressing any buttons; faulty activation from the fall or something. 

Palms up and hands raised, Smith silently asked to defuse the situation. “Didn’t mean it as an insult. This wasn’t about venting some anger, was it.”

Red’s lack of response only confirmed it. Smith continued. “I won’t say anything about this if you don’t tell anyone my identity. Deal? I know finding it out was important to you, but-“

“Deal,” Red interrupted. Guilt ate away at his core, like a wave of water dousing a candle. “Smith, I-“ He swallowed hard and stared at the alley floor. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… to…”

Smith’s hand was suddenly on his shoulder and he flinched before relaxing as Smith didn’t move further, nor did the grip tighten. “I’m a little hurt, you’re right. But I’m not mad. And I won’t tell the others, so you can relax. But you better get out of here and get yourself an alibi. We can talk at school or something.”

Wow, he was handling this rather calmly. Red was struck by the sudden memory of- what did Jay call the word? Right. Compartmentalizing. That… wasn’t healthy. But at the roar of Lloyd’s mech somewhere nearby, he didn’t comment further. Instead, he shot Smith a grateful nod and ran down the alley, sticking to the shadows and blind spots of the flying mechs and the tight alleyways where the land mechs couldn’t reach him. 

When he got home, miraculously without further incident (though Shogun leading the others on a wild goose chase over the comms certainly helped there), he ditched the outfit in a bag hidden beneath a loose floorboard in the shed. He’d return the weapon to Master Wu’s ship later, and… well, hope Nya never searched for the missing supplies. There wasn’t a way of fixing it without involving her or Jay, and neither was an option.

Heatstroke was back off duty, and so was the Red Ninja.

For now, he could just be Kai Smith. And there wasn’t any issue with that.

…

Right?

—————

yooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

THIS IS AMAZING REHJJGFHDESFXJVZ

and ah yes, good ol trauma and compartmentalizing, we love to see it

[sword-and-stars]

OH MY GOD

BABYYYYYY 😭😭😭

okay two questions: 1, do u think zuko gives the crew a guide to the care and feeding of your wiggle snake, or do they have to just poke random foods in the wiggle snake'a direction to see what he'll eat. 2, the ask/tags on that post about cutting bby dragon zuko's nails made me so sad, so how does one go about apologizing/spoiling a bby danger noodle

1. That would require Zuko to know his own self-care basics

2. It's been two days and the prince has not come out for food. Or water, which is more pressing. Humans can go three but it's rough, and he is a very small dragon.

Small enough to wedge himself between the baseboard and the wall down in the crew cabin, and anytime they tried prying the wood loose he jammed himself into the next section. Hakoda preemptively vetoed taking the whole damn ship apart board by board. But that still leaves him with a dragon in the baseboards.

...He lets out a slow breath. And orders the room cleared. Sits in front of the Prince's current hiding spot, more or less, and pulls out The Paw Mittens.

The low hissing from the wall tells him he's in the right place, at least.

He brings out his knife next, and starts cutting. Just along the seams--a Water Tribe man doesn't just waste two pairs of perfectly good mittens. But it's enough to get the point across, he hopes.

A small black snout edges out of the boards. Retreats just as quickly, when it sees him watching.

Hakoda sets out a bowl, and fills it from his water skin. Lays a few strips of jerky next to it. Waits.

The dragon's head snakes slowly out. It goes for the water first. Rears back and puffs out its mane with a hiss when Hakoda moves to refill it for him. The jerky is devoured strip by strip, and it straightens imperiously as it waits for Hakoda to lay out the rest.

Hakoda doesn't. But he does set them on the floor in front of his crossed legs.

He's not entirely certain how human the prince is, either on two legs or especially like this. It would certainly explain certain tendencies of the royal family to light the world on fire, if Sozin's line were all this inhuman. But he's not trying to kill the little creature. The boy. Whatever he is.

Just catch him, and maybe find a fireproof bag to stuff him in until they could hand him back to his father.

The dragon took a cautious step forward. Another.

Hakoda kept his posture relaxed, hands resting on his knees (ready to grab the thing. One hand behind the skull and one behind the wings should do the trick, stop him from squirming free or biting. Like catching a rattle-mongoose. That could breath fire. ...He sincerely hoped the Fire Lord's reply was swift, or he might reconsider Fong's offer. Apparently the Earth Kingdom had dealt with royal dragons before.)

The dragon crept closer, its body low, practically slinking over the floorboards.

A little closer and he could--

The dragon stepped over the jerky bait on the floor, and into Hakoda's lap. It curled up even smaller than he thought it could get. It pressed its eyes closed.

It was covered in scratches, from its own trimmed claws and its recent escapades.

It was shaking.

The prince was thirteen. Young for a human, and that had to be even younger for a dragon. He had spent two days without food or water and very likely without sleep, hiding inside a wall.

Hakoda lifted a hand, and slowly set it on the dragon's mane. He scratched behind its horn nubs, which was where all this nail-trimming and paw-mittens business had begun.

Prince Zuko purred.

Hakoda came back on deck with a baby dragon coiled in his arms, blinking sleepily. This was his life now.

The first crewmen to smirk got put on baseboard-restoration duty.

[mollrat101]

Hacks Appreciation Week

Day 1: Favorite Scene

I would have to say the scene that most made me want to stand up and cheer and felt the most satisfying every time I watched it was Deborah demolishing Drew on stage in episode 8. 

After all the heartbreak we, as an audience, now know Deborah has been through (including all the sexual harassment and assault she’s had to face) it’s incredibly satisfying for Deborah to finally have her moment to say “you know what? no more. fuck this shit.” and rightfully destroy this piece of shit man who thinks it’s in any way acceptable to joke about drugging a woman and sexually harass other female comedians and just generally be a garbage, talentless human being. 

Deborah has usually just kept on trucking regardless of how much things bothered her or unhappy they made her, but this is the moment she breaks. When she’s done just powering through shitty treatment. Great character arcs are usually defined by them realizing that the power they had to change their life was always within them. Deb is there now. 

For so long, Deborah has bit her tongue about the terrible sexist treatment she’s experienced in this industry because, understandably, she doesn’t want to paint a target on her back, again. Even to the point that she perpetuated sexist jokes herself. 

To me, this moment, is Deborah fully coming back to herself. The Deborah that showed up in that club was similar to the woman we saw in the unaired late night pilot but this time sharper, more shrewd...and this time, she’s not alone. 

But it’s also the fact that that this scene isn’t just Deborah’s alone that also seals it for me. The intense intimacy of Ava starting to realize that Deborah took what she had to say to heart and her being the first one to realize what’s going on. It just again speaks to the intimacy of the relationship between performer and writer. There’s something special about being the person in the audience who knows where the joke comes from. I also think this is the moment in which Deborah fully became someone Ava truly admires. 

Something I will maintain to my dying breath is that Ava Daniels is a good person and one of the things I most admire her is her concern about justice. It’s obvious, even though she like everybody else isn’t perfect about it, that she wants to do the right thing. She’s sensitive, empathetic and compassionate. Ava reminds Deborah of her moral values and how she could maybe use her art for good too. That is incapsulated in this scene. 

I think in a more wider sense though this was the first scene that it really hit home for me that Ava and Deborah’s relationship might not just be good for them personally and their close circle...but that it might also be good for the world. Some of my most favorite couples, one that practically transcend into something even greater, tend to be ones that seem to have or had a potential for a great destiny: Jamie and Brienne from A Song of Ice and Fire, Zuko and Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Couples who’s shared values and commitment to doing the right thing in a world full of injustices make them become legendary. People would remember them, sing songs about them, their stories would become myths. 

Am I saying that Ava and Deborah are on that level? 

I think they could be something like that and this scene explains why. 

It was the devastating look on Deborah’s face right beforehand realizing that her individual success was admirable, yes, but unfortunately systemic sexism is going to continue if people in the industry don’t speak out. For so long, Deborah was so vulnerable but now she’s clawed and fought for the success and power she’s gotten and she finally realizes maybe she can use it for good. Just like she had wanted to do in 1976. Her dream didn’t die then, it was just delayed for a long time. 

But Deborah can’t do it alone. And I think along with being artistic soulmates, they may just truly be soulmates (romantic or not, in the end) in that the two of them together have almost a greater life purpose that they can only achieve together. To me, this is the moment that I feel might genuinely be the most Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner moment they’ve had so far. Two complimentary halves of an artistic soul who use both of their strengths to both entertain and to promote their values in their work. 

Ava is the set up and Deborah is the punchline. Ava has the strong moral compass and writerly insight, and Deborah has the confidence, the experience and the wit to be able to get people to listen. 

It is this scene that made me realize they maybe Ava and Deborah’s future as a couple (fingers crossed) might not be confined to just personal fulfillment...but to greatness. It is this moment that I think we see the best potential for Ava and Deborah to become comedy legends. 

Will that happen? 

It remains to be seen and maybe they won’t, but this scene makes a damn good case for what could be possible. 

[sword-and-stars]

YOOOOOO thank you so much for the recs! You’re too kind to me, I’m gonna get a big fucking ego. 😭♥️♥️ my fics aside, I haven’t read everything on this list but I’ve read most everything on this list, and it’s great!! There are some really amazing reads here, so check them out.

ATLA AO3 Fic Recs!

idk about how y’all are handling the state of the world rn, but i have retreated into the “consume every available fanfic ever” phase!! for anyone else who wants to read lots of Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfiction, i’ve gathered a list of some of my favs so far!! i’ve split it into gen series, zukka series, gen fics, and zukka fics because those are the types of fics i thrive in. they’re not in any particular order other than that.

i will say that a funny trend i recognized was that Haicrescendo on AO3 (@sword-and-stars on here) made it on to every single list because everything they write is amazing hahaha, feel free to do as i did and just read all of their atla fics. anyway!! here goes, hopes this helps people, ill prolly add onto it at some point haha.

GEN SERIES:

What We’re Given by Haicrescendo

The premise of the story is that Zuko, Iroh, and the crew set out when Zuko was banished, found out that the Sky Bisons never died out, turn their ship into the Jasmine Dragon (a tea shop on a boat!!!), and never hunted the Avatar. This series is so good, it’s currently updating every Friday I think and I love it so much.

Dragon of the Yuyan by 00AwkwardPenguin00

Summary is: “In which Zuko is fostered/adopted/raised/recruited by the Yuyan Archers of Pouhai Stronghold, and destiny hiccups.” Y’all I adore this series so much, I receive so much serotonin every time this updates. The plot develops really really nicely, the OC’s are my fav people ever, and the way the author uses the signing is just perfection. It’s currently updating every Saturday I think.

kintsugi by discordiansamba

Summary is: “au in which a banished for good zuko ends up being hired by the beifongs to watch over their daughter- or, zuko and toph never took that field trip in canon so now she gets to hog him for three whole years”. If y’all know me, y’all know I love some Zuko and Toph friendship. This story is PEAK bonding, it makes me so happy.

ZUKKA SERIES:

Quarantine and Chill 2020 by Haicrescendo

Literally what it says on the tin haha. Series about roommates Sokka and Zuko as they’re stuck in quarantine, first two are explicit, there’s four total so far, and I love them all. The characterization is immaculate, the banter had me cackling, and all in all just a great series!

Carry On For You by Haicrescendo

Summary is: “Not the Pokémon AU you asked for but the one you’re getting anyway. Featuring: full time gym leader and local cryptid Zuko, badge challenger Sokka, and Katara who can only look at so many memes before she flips.” Yall I know nothing about Pokémon but this series!!! It brings me SO much serotonin. I adore this series so much, we get Zuko interacting with animals at the same time as Zukka develops and Iroh is there and I just love it.

the best laid intentions by alittleduck

Post-show fics for the most part. Summary is: “Centers around members of the Gaang coming out to their well meaning but woefully unprepared friends. Part one is centered around Zuko coming out as gay, the second one is centered around Toph coming out as a lesbian and the third one is centered around Sokka coming to terms with his bisexuality.” I love this series a lot, it’s super cute and I thrive on LGBTQ+ gaang fics. We got gay Zuko, lesbian Toph, and bi Sokka and they make me so happy.

GEN FICS:

Embers by Vathara

Ooo boy, this is a long fic, but it is my absolute favorite fanfic in possibly any fandom I’ve been in. The summary for this fic is: “Dragon's fire is not so easily extinguished; when Zuko rediscovers a lost firebending technique, shifting flames can shift the world...” I dunno how to put it any better than that without spoilers!! It rewrites canon from I think Zuko and Iroh getting into Ba Sing Se on. Expect politics, interpersonal tension, several plot lines overlapping and weaving their ways through the story, amazingly developed OC’s, and just incredible writing overall. Definitely a must read.

For Hearth and Home by Haicrescendo

Post-show fic in which Zuko hangs out with a baby all day while everyone falls in love with him. Summary is: “In which Fire Lord Zuko is a total mess and somehow people manage to love him for it anyway.” Honestly I think that sums up the plot, this is just such a pure story, it cheers me up like instantly haha! This is one of the cutest and most relaxing fics I’ve read.

The Family You Choose by TunaFishChris

Show rewrite soulmate fic with the Gaang as family! Summary is: “Some people are born with soulmarks. Zuko has them, but his grandfather burned them off because they ‘make you weak.’ Team Avatar has a few things to say about that.” No spoilers, but I love a good soulmate fic and I’ve never seen a concept quite like this one!! I think I’ve read this two or three times at this point. Amazing.

Unwanted Friends by FoiblePNoteworthy

This was inspired by The Family You Choose by TunaFishChris (see previous), and I love it so much. It’s the same concept, but minus Suki and told from the other’s perspective at an earlier place in the timeline! If y’all end up liking The Family You Choose, you’ll like this one too!!

Perfection is Overrated by Jagged Cliffs

Post-show fic. If you’re like me and have a soft spot for fics where Fire Lord Zuko is an absolute sweetheart to the palace staff, then you have to read this. One of my all time favorite fanfics. Everything about this story makes me happy.

Another Brother by AvocadoLove

Show rewrite. This is a WIP, I’m actually still reading it rn but it’s really good!! It’s about if Hakoda found Zuko as an 8 year old injured on a Fire Nation ship and brought him home to the Water Tribe. No spoilers here, but it’s a really good pure story and I love it so much so far.

Salvage by MuffinLance

Show AU WIP. Ooo goodness I love this story! Summary is: “Mid-Season-One Zuko is held ransom by Chief Hakoda. Ozai's replies to the Water Tribe's demands are A+ Parenting. Hakoda is… deeply concerned, for this son that isn't his, and who might be safer among enemies than with his own father.” Zuko is an angsts bby whomst I adore, Hakoda is my favorite ever, and the OC’s are legit the best. MuffinLance is another author where every fic is amazing! This fic in particular tore me to shreds and then makes up for it in absolute amazingness.

OUTLINE: Amnesia!Zuko Joins the Earth Army by MuffinLance

Show rewrite, I can’t remember from what point exactly, but it’s before Ba Sing Se. Summary is: “Zuko loses his memory and becomes an Earth Kingdom war hero. His father is going to LOVE this.” Written in outline/concept form, I adore this so so much. This fic is why I post concepts of stories I’ll never write, cause this story made me realize people enjoy reading them!! And this is sooo enjoyable, I fuckin love this fic.

ZUKKA FICS:

The Good Vanilla by Haicrescendo

Show AU-ish from the Western Air Temple I think. I think this is the fic that made me fall in love with Zukka actually omg. A beautiful fanfic that shows how Zuko and Sokka slowly fall in love, no spoilers here, there is lots of cooking.

Quit your life and come train Pokemon. (orphaned)

Modern Day AU. Another one of my starter Zukka fics!! Sokka kinda maybe falls in love with Aang’s roommate Zuko. There is nerdiness and awkward situations and ~emotions~. It makes me happy, definitely one of my favs.

by the stars above, i knew we were in love by theycallmesuperboy

Post-show fic. This one tore me to shreds!! It’s a fic about Zuko working his way up to proposing to Sokka. No spoilers, just saying that this story hurt me in all the best ways. Amazing story.

Unchained Melody by AvocadoLove

Show rewrite from Hei Bai’s Forest episode, WIP. Basic premise is that Sokka turns into a ghost, and Zuko is the only one who can see him. The dynamic between Zuko and Sokka is just explored so well here, and the banter is perfection. There are so many things I could say about different parts of the story, but I don’t wanna spoil a thing, so go read it!! Love this fic.

Sea Cranes by Druddigonite

Show AU. Summary is: “Between chasing the Avatar and dealing with his disgrace, Zuko begins to cough up flowers.” It’s a really interesting concept which I’d never heard of before, but I loved this fic! Just enough angst to tear my heart up and then mend it back together.

Hotman by callmecaramleh

Set during the Western Air Temple Arc. Summary is: “Toph decides she needs to know who in the gaang is hot. This leads to quite a bit of trouble for Sokka.” I love this fic so much. It’s so clear that they’re awkward teenagers here, and as an awkward teenager I love the dynamic!!! I just adore these boys so much.

Something Good Can Work by beersforqueers

Bookstore AU!!! I live for a good bookstore AU, as well as library and café AUs. Anyway, summary is: “Bookstore AU! In which Sokka tries to not-so-subtly pick up the cute boy working in the bookstore, and the cute boy is totally oblivious. Because the cute boy is Zuko.” They’re adorable and flustered. It’s precious, another fic that brings me outta a bad mood in like a minute flat. I love this!

[doctorstarlock]

Mighty Nein characters according to me, a person who’s never seen any of Campaign 2, based soley on my impressions of them from fan posts:

Nott — teeny little goblin trash woman with a drinking problem. But I guess now she’s not anymore and she looks like a regular person again? And also she was reunited with her husband, idk where he was though. The real message here is that Sam likes to play as tiny people

Beauregard — blue lesbian monk who wants to make out with every woman she meets. All the fanart I’ve seen makes her look like Sokka from Avatar? I must know if Marisha thought of that when she was first designing her character

Yasha — goth lesbian barbarian. Looks like if a member of KISS went feral and lived in the woods for awhile and then returned to civilization to become a medieval women’s wrestling champ. But apparently she’s got a secret Soft Spot. Her wife died? Or something? Idk everyone’s just happy that Blindspot ended and Ashley can play her every week now.

Fjord — sad green cowboy pirate. I think he’s got some terrifying sea monstress or something for a sugar mama and she made him change his accent cuz she didn’t Approve. Also she almost killed him. Overall probably deserves better

Caduceus — Cow Man. Goat Man? Goat Cow Man? I have no flipping idea. But he looks like his ears must be velvety soft and his pink hair smells good. He drinks tea and everyone thinks he’s wise (though I suspect he’s actually just pretty and dumb.) He’s like if Uncle Iroh was a cryptid. Pretty sure flowers spring up in his footprints wherever he walks.

Jester — blue angel princess baby! Just a Little Girl who must be Protected! Even though she’s got, like, an insanely powerful god as her patron and he gave her a tonnnnn of super strong magical abilities and I think she’s maybe the most powerful person in the group? But no one notices cuz they’re too busy being disastrously in love with her 24/7

Caleb — another Sad Boi, but I guess it’s valid cuz he burned his whole family to a crisp #yikes. He’s got some other issues and basically when he tells you he’s not a good man he’s right, that’s why his only friend is a cat. But of course that makes him a hundred times hotter than if he was just a regular good guy. Don’t bother with your self-inserts though cuz he’s hopelessly in love with Jester and I don’t even watch this show but I am HIGHLY invested in this ship

Mollymauk — I’m sure he was cool, but I get the feeling he’s just cooler now cuz he died. Purple tiefling, always spangled and bedecked with jewels, probably had a sugar daddy in every major city in Tal’dorei. Has slept with every member of the Council. Used hedonism to cope with his soap-opera-grade amnesia, I’m just using my imagination here but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was actually the smartest person in the party before he died. He would’ve been the Hot One except he’s a little too exotic and intense.

Trent Ickythong? — that name is an aptonym. Slimy piece of garbage whose standing with the party is KOS, but I don’t know why.

The Traveler — trickster god who only obtained his status because a little girl Believed in Him. Before that he liked to shape shift and mess with adventuring parties just for tricksies. Has kind of settled down now that he’s basically a parent but I still don’t know his angle

Essek — Hot. Morally grey/openly evil. Drow. What more do you need to know

[biot08]

Avatar

Ysayle took to her feet, startled, as she heard a loud metallic thud behind her. As she turned, she caught sight of the source of the noise.

One of the knights of Ishgard, judging from the heavy armor and the shield and the way they moved. The mysterious interloper was a tall Elezen, with purple-highlighted short-cropped hair and light brown skin. And just this moment, they were standing up next to the startled sentry who was supposed to be keeping an eye out for that sort of thing.

Not that the sentry could be blamed, really. Nobody could have anticipated that even an adventurer would be fool enough to jump from the cliff face that made up one side of their encampment, but they had, and there she was. Ysayle frowned. Such a loud entrance for a single person didn’t make any sense. Surely they would know that any advantage of surprise such a maneuver would get them would be swiftly blunted by sheer force of opposing numbers.

The sentry had been startled, and was only starting to recover their wits, reaching for a spear. The knight did not give them any such chance, as she rose from her crouch and drove the shield into them, bodily slamming them up against the cliff wall. With a pained noise, they dropped their spear. Seeing their quarry still conscious, the knight proceeded to follow up by slamming her shoulder into the back of her shield, hard. The sentry’s head slammed back into the cliff, bouncing off of it, and the knight helped them finish their journey to the ground by hitting them in the now-exposed back of the head with the pommel of her sword.

The sentry sunk to the ground, unconscious. The knight looked down at them for a long moment, then carefully stepped over the unconscious sentry, walking towards Ysayle, shield up, but sword pointed downward.

Next to Ysayle, another guard, who had been helping her take account of the crystals they had gathered thus far, edged forward cautiously, spear in hand. Ysayle held a hand out towards them as though to bar their way, and shook her head just the tiniest amount. The person looked up, a questioning look on their face, but they halted, and waited.

“Hail, knight of Ishgard,” Ysayle called out, her voice as clear as always.

“What? Oh. Oh! Right. Sorry, no. Just an adventurer. Adventurer-type. I’m from the Scions. Former knight though. House Vauban? We held one of the minor outposts near here for generations.”

The adventurer was calm, conversational. Ysayle found herself momentarily off guard at the brashness, but outwardly, her composure never wavered. She frowned, clenching a fist.

When she spoke, her voice contained velvety venom, and obvious disdain. “And what do you hope to gain here, former knight? Are you hoping to regain your title through glorious combat? Blood to water your supposed honor with?” Ysayle shifted the arm she was holding up to signal her guard to stay back, preparing to give him an entirely different signal.

“One week.”

“…what?”

“Yeah, sorry, wanted to get that bit out fast before you had your man there start in with the jabbing. About a week, that’s what I’m hoping to gain here. That’s how long Lord Drillemont thinks he’ll need to get the place fully evacuated. Snowcloak’s a lot of territory. Well, actually, he wanted two, but you people seem really good at getting crystals together.”

Former knight Vauban swept her gaze around the camp, looking at the boxes of crystals that Ysayle and her followers had already gathered. “… really good. Wow, that’s, what, a quarter of what you had last time? Already?”

Ysayle waved her hand at the remaining guard, dismissing them. The guard frowned in response, but did not question her, placing their spear on their back and walking away, leaving Ysayle and the adventurer alone. “… you are not among those who I faced last time.”

“No. Sorry. But we talk to each other, you know. It’s different, outside of Ishgard. People are less guarded, we talk to each other more. Our particular gift is not common, but it seems it’s maybe not extremely rare, either? You know. There’s a number of us. Small, exclusive club. Some of us are kind of tight knit about it. Sorry. I’m rambling. Anyway, I asked to take point on this one. So here I am.”

The knight found a box of crystals that still had its lid on it, and helped herself to sit down on it, resting her hand on the sword hilt with its tip in the ground. Still holding her shield.

Ysayle regarded the knight cooly for a long moment. “So what is the point of all these theatrics, then? If it is not blood you seek, then what? Parley?”

“Sure, let’s go with that. I mean, sort of. Well, not really. Part of it was I wanted to prove I still knew the area as well as I thought I did. You and your people have done a good job, exploiting the tunnel and ravine network. I’m impressed. Though, uh, that route that your caravan with the latest load of crystals is taking to get here? It’s so smooth on top because it’s just an ice sheet over what used to be a river ravine. Fast to travel over, generally.”

The knight leaned her sword against the box for a moment to dig around in a bag. Finding what she wanted, she pulled out an alchemical flask, and rolled it on the ground towards Ysayle.

“… Hearth’s Warmth.”

“Yeah. Common enough. You know the sort, right? Good replacement for a campfire if your wood’s garbage or you can’t find any tinder. Nice, gentle heat, spreads everywhere, scales up well. Make the right batch and arrange it right, you can heat an entire fort for a sennight. Place it in the right place in some underground ravine tunnels, and you can really mess up an ice sheet.”

Ysayle’s gaze snapped from the flask to the former knight’s face, clenching a fist and beginning to take a step forward. “The caravan-!”

“Is fine. Will be fine. Unless they’re a lot faster than I think they were. They’ll have to go around, though. It’ll take some time. Few days. Maybe even a week.”

Ysayle’s glare was fit to melt the ice the adventurer was talking about all by itself. Her hands were in fists, now. Violence seemed like it would almost be pointless. She could always summon the guard back, and all of the guard’s compatriots that would be elsewhere in the camp. For her part, the adventurer did not see to be very much bothered by the fact that she was, in fact, sitting in the center of a very dangerous position to be in.

“You said ‘part’,” said Ysayle, slowly, annunciating each word for a kind of emphasis.

“Oh yeah. Other part. I should let you know, while we’re just talking, I’ve got friends behind me, and a little thing in my back that’ll make it easier for them to travel the streams to get here. I… I don’t think I want to fight you though, Lady Iceheart. It is Lady Iceheart, right?”

Ysayle stepped back out of combat stance, standing tall, statuesque. “Lady Iceheart. Yes. I am the leader of the heretics, if that is who you seek. As I am certain you have heard, I harbor the spirit of Shiva, reborn, if that is what you came here to ask me.”

The knight was quiet for a long moment, and turned her gaze away, to look down at the ground a little bit away from her. She rubbed her fingers idly, seeming to be suddenly uncomfortable.

“You seem to be a lot of things to a lot of people, you know. Of course you know. You’re more than just a person. Even more so now, that you’ve demonstrated that neat trick with the Shiva manifestation or … whatever you want to cal it. I don’t want to argue about that, let me have that, never mind that. The point is, you know… you’re a symbol. People believe in you.”

“They are right to do so. I accept Ishgard’s tired and weary and unwanted all in kind. I accept those who want to see an end to this pointless bloodshed. Know this true, former-knight of House Vauban. I will see an end to this war.”

“Yeah? And the tired and weary of Stormcloak?”

Ysayle took a deep breath in, and let it out slow. “Unfortunate but necessary.”

The knight looked up at Ysayle, and then gestured at the place where the guard used to be. “Noticed you sent the guard away. If you hadn’t, we might not be having this conversation at all. But you did.”

“I do not spill blood needlessly, nor let it be spent on my behalf without cause, adventurer. Not every problem needs to be solved with your kinds’ particular brand of overwhelming violence. And if it does,” and at this Ysayle stood up a little taller, “I am capable of delivering it myself.”

“Yeah. Admirable, I guess,” said the knight. She still looked uncomfortable, and had not stopped fidgeting.

“…my cousin looked up to you. I don’t imagine you’d know him from anyone else, but he looked up to you. I first thought he was just lovesick again. You know how they are when they’re young. He would go on about your beautiful hair, the way you held yourself. He was careful, of course, none of us knew he was talking about you, specifically, the leader of the heretics. But it wasn’t just infatuation. No, figured that out eventually. He was a true believer. Tried to share his views with the rest of us. We didn’t listen, of course. I still think he was wrong. You haven’t exactly convinced me otherwise. But… but he believed.”

“And the Inquisition found out, and they cleared your house, and they executed some of your people? I am familiar with the tale. I do not control the Inquisition, knight, and while your misfortunes -are- unfortunate they are not from my hand.”

“Oh. I know. Not where I was going with that. I mean, you’re right, but I don’t blame you for what happened to my house. The Inquisition happened, and maybe one day there will be a reckoning for that, but that’s not your problem. No, I… I guess, what I really wanted to know, is… my cousin. Your people. You take care of them, right?”

Ysayle frowned. This adventurer was an odd sort. Certainly, she was not used to one who talked so much before getting around to introducing the pointy end to whatever problem they thought needed it.

“So you are not here to join my forces, and you are not here to eliminate them. You… just want to know… that your cousin is all right?”

“No. I mean, yes, but I don’t expect you to know that, and I know what it’s like out here, I’m not naive. I want to know… that you’re taking care of them. All of them. You lead, that’s obvious. I get that. But… do you really truly believe you’re going to end this war? And for what? For the dragons? For yourself?”

The adventurer was obviously leading the conversation to an obvious point, and Ysayle so no reason not to let them. It helped that it would be true.

“For all of us. For every Ishgardian.  And for the dragons, as well. That every drop of blood spent will be the last.”

Ysayle stood tall. Resplendent. Snow crystals floated down gently through the camp. The knight sat, continuing to fidget, slowly. Ysayle was a pillar in the storm. She always was.

She always would be.

The knight nodded to herself before slowly standing to her full height. As much a pillar as Ysayle, tall, imposing. The two faced each other in the silence of the cold winter night.

“The delay in the crystals getting here, I think that buys three, four days. Fighting you here would drain the crystals you already have. I figure that buys another two, three days. That’s a week for Lord Drillemont to fully evacuate Snowcloak. One week.”

The knight twirled her sword in her hand.

“So. We wanna do this?”

~~~

Zoissette returned to the base camp, her hair a mess, her expression tired, and her movements belying a deep exhaustion. She waved away several squires that stepped forward to offer to help, making her way to center of the camp. She dropped her shield unceremoniously into the snow next to the central fire that was burning, and then landed bodily with a thud on the ground next to it. She fought her sword belt for a few moments, and then, growing frustrated, she growled viciously at it and began to bite at the straps holding her gauntlets in place instead.

“Enjoy your climb?” said Y’sthola, barely looking up from her tome.

Zoissette stopped chewing her armor’s straps for long enough to answer. “Invigorating,” she said, before returning her teeth to their task, managing to wrest the strap free of its latch. She waved her hand in the air, trying to shake the gauntlet off rather than try to take it off properly.

Y’shtola sighed, setting her book aside, and got up, coming around the fire to grasp the gauntlet.

“I swear, you are like a child, and one I did not ask to look after.”

“Thanks for the help, mom.”

“Hnh.”

“Help me with the other one?”

“…if you insist.”

Zoissette gave Y’shtola a broad exaggerated smile, and Y’shtola rolled her eyes at Zoissette’s antics.

“You are older than many of us. Must you act like you are half that?”

Zoissette shrugged with the one shoulder. “It’s fun.”

Y’shtola got the other gauntlet off with little effort, and set it down neatly on the ground next to the first one. “Please tell me you at least managed to track down our elusive quarry.”

Zoissette’s playfulness evaporated, and she seemed to fold in on herself a bit. “Yeah. Found the crystals, too. It’ll be a problem again eventually, but for now… we can tell Lord Drillemont that he has his week.”

Y’shtola looked at Zoissette’s face with a frown. “And the Lady Shiva?”

“Handled.”

Y’shtola sat, crouched in the snow next to Zoissette. Zoissette, her hands now free of their gauntlets, set about unlatching her sword belt instead. She decided not to push the matter.

“Well… very well. We should return once you are rested, then, and inform the others.”

Zoissette just nodded. Finally free of her sword belt, she set it and its sword aside, and leaned back slowly into her shield, looking up into the sky. Y’shtola turned her gaze upward as well, and watched as snowflakes fell gently into the camp.

[devildom-dedicated-daydreams]

Cheating Bastard and Puppy Brother (Cheater!Lucifer x Reader x Mammon) Part 4

Part 3

WARNING: Offensive language, sexual themes, dubcon

Diavolo had thousands of request forms to oversee and approve for the upcoming school festival, he called over Lucifer to help him segregate the doable from the impractical, but while Diavolo already finished half of his share, Lucifer was only on his seventeenth request form. He kept glancing over his D.D.D. resting on the corner of the table, which was odd, Diavolo thought, because Lucifer usually kept his device on silent and tucked away in his pocket. 

Diavolo called him but Lucifer didn’t respond.

“Lucifer,” he repeated. Again, it was like Lucifer was deaf.

Diavolo sighed and then snapped his fingers, sparking red lights in front of his aide.

Lucifer drew back in surprise, almost shifting into his demon form before calming down and facing Diavolo. He cleared his throat, “Did you need something?”

“No, but it seems like you’re preoccupied. Too preoccupied to do your work,” coming from Diavolo, the words weren’t meant to reprimand but to console. It has been years since he has seen Lucifer stressed to the point he couldn’t do his work.

“Maybe you should take a break, Lucifer. Finish the paperwork tomorrow,” Diavolo suggested. He may be the Crown Prince of Hell but even demons valued friendship.

Lucifer was going to decline but then his D.D.D. buzzed. Not wanting to appear too eager, he gracefully gathered the remaining paperwork and sorted them in the rightful drawer before bowing to Diavolo and leaving with his phone.

Once he was out of the office, Lucifer checked the new message but was disappointed that the sender wasn’t who he was expecting.

He opened Asmodeus’ message, thinking that it was yet another complaint about one of their brothers stealing his beauty products, but was surprised to see that it was a link to the campus newspaper’s website.

His D.D.D. was almost obliterated when he read the headlines:

[RAD DEMON AND HUMAN EXCHANGE STUDENT DATING!?]

Beneath the bold text was a picture of Mammon and you eating dinner at a human-food restaurant. When you dated Lucifer, he made it clear that he didn’t want to make the relationship public and Asmodeus’ flirtation with every living being (including you and fellow human, Solomon) did not count as dating, so this was the news of the century.

Lucifer didn’t understand. Were you doing this on purpose? Were you trying to get on his nerves?

He thinks back to that fateful night at that restaurant and wonders when everything went to hell.

He ran a hand through his hair and marched out of the academy. He needed to talk to you, and he was going to shove Mammon into a freezer for what he did.

***

Lamia checked the comments on the discussion board beneath the news article. Demons made fun of humans for being too nosey and judgmental but her species was just as bad. Harsh criticisms on both Mammon and that human garbage flew in one after another.

The True Pazuzu: Did that moron brother officially lose it?

I Am Roth: An idiot demon and a human -- they’re perfect for each other!

Hari_ng_Aswang: I can’t believe that human had the audacity to seduce one of the avatars. What a slut!

rosemarysbabe: What’s more shocking is that Mammon actually fell for her.

DwendeBoi: @rosemarysbabe How could you possibly know if Mammon actually likes her? She could just be a plaything for all we know!

Mammon’sClubPresident: @DwendeBoi That’s right, no one deserves Mammon but me!

Lamia wondered if this piece of news reached Lucifer. Surely, this coupled with that one, glorious night she and Lucifer shared should finally end his relationship with his human whore. She has had her fair share of human flesh, often breaking marriages and sometimes even tempting men of faith away from their God.

She chuckled and thought back to that night …

*

Lucifer tugged on his tie and breathed. Tonight was supposed to be a very personal, very special occasion but before he could go home and celebrate with you, he had to deal with Devildom’s entertainment industry.

He was Diavolo’s proxy in this pseudo-formal gathering. Pseudo-formal because this party had nothing to do with Devildom politics and everything about rising stars finding potential benefactors. Asmodeus would’ve fit right in with this crowd, Lucifer thought.

He glanced at his pocket watch. The party was supposed to end two hours ago and he should’ve been back at the House of Lamentation giving you your one-year-anniversary present.

While he debated with himself whether to stay or not, a familiar figure slithered towards his side. Lamia wore a slinky silver dress that was treading between sinful and tasteful, a human man and even the average demon would sell his soul for a single night with her. But Lucifer was immune to her so-called charms. The only creature that could tempt him was you.

To her every attempt at conversation, he merely smiled politely or nodded tersely. Sometimes he gave no reaction at all, finding the desserts on the buffet table more interesting.

Lamia, the rising star of Devildom’s film industry, did not take too kindly to being ignored. She’s never been one to chase after her partners (it was always the opposite) but she has always been fascinated by the seven brothers, especially the oldest. The fame and glory of having him would secure her position as a celebrity. She only came to this stupid party because she heard he would be coming as the royal family’s representative. But now he’s like this?

Throwing caution to the wind, she decided to up the ante and tried to press herself against him as she spoke. “Hey, Lucifer … I’m actually feeling a little lonely, would you perhaps -- ”

Lucifer gracefully stepped away before they could touch and she almost stumbled. He cleared his throat, “I beg your pardon, I think it would be best if we don’t start any rumors by acting like we’re close friends.” He wore his practised smile but his tone was firm. He then turned around and went to the balcony.

Lamia was left on her own, clenching her hands tightly and cheeks hot-red from anger and embarrassment. Suddenly, one of her competitors approached her, snickering.

“Don’t even bother. Lucifer never pays anybody attention, especially now that he has that human for a lover.”

Hearing this made Lamia a hundred times more bitter. She bit her cheek so hard she drew blood, but then she quickly composed herself and gave her rival a sneaky smile. “We’ll see about that,” she declared before turning on her heels and approaching the buffet table.

She reached into her shell-shaped bag and pulled out a small glass vial. It was a little gift from a witch fan of hers, the girl was not her type but she had talent, particularly with aphrodisiacs and Lamia asked for this special brew just for tonight. Just for Lucifer. She didn’t actually think she had to use it but it’s a good thing she kept it in her purse.

She poured all the contents in a single glass of blood-spiced wine. She then picked up a glass of crystal water and then followed Lucifer to the balcony.

“I want to apologize for my earlier behavior,” she said, handing him the potion-laced wine.

Lucifer glanced away from his D.D.D., gave her a small smile and took the wine.

“I know we just met and I’ve made a terrible impression on you so I thought we could start again.”

He nodded, but she caught his eyes when they ever-so-slightly rolled towards his D.D.D.

He was definitely distracted.

Lamia raised her own glass, “To new beginnings.”

*

Lamia grinned. With this, she can kick Mammon out of the entertainment business and get Lucifer for herself.

Part 5

EDIT: Lucifer didn’t cheat. Lamia tricked him using an aphrodisiac, i.e. she raped him. Now, I don’t want to get too pedantic or political because that’s not what this blog is for, but I will like to clarify that non-consensual sex is never okay. I don’t want you guys to think that just because Lucifer more or less takes the incident in stride that I take female-on-male rape lightly in real life. Do remember what this fanfic is truly about (for angst-inducing entertainment involving two demon brothers and not a sociological or political commentary) and that it is literally about thousand-year-old demons.